Hello, back again! This has been sitting in the Doc Manager for so long due to adjusting to university life and workload in general, as well as having to adjust to online classes and such due to the pandemic. 2020 was a hectic year. Also had writer's block for the ending portion of this chapter, but I hope I did Zack and Aerith's relationship justice.
To any readers out there who're still with this story or have revisited it, I'm thankful for your support. To new readers, welcome to the weird world that is my brain :)
Lazard was sitting before his desk, having just finished some company reports on SOLDIER's involvement in the recent attack on Midgar when he remembered that he was supposed to inform both Zack and Kunsel of the recent development between him and the Turks.
Picking up his PHS which he had left on his desk, he called Zack and told him to bring Kunsel and meet him in his office. Then, he waited for their arrival while organizing the paperwork scattered over his desk and ordering his thoughts.
The door slid open with Zack and Kunsel stepping through. Lazard noted the grim expressions set on their faces (or in Kunsel's case, the grim set of his mouth due to his helmet) and knew that Zack had updated his long-time friend on the real reasons behind Genesis's attack.
"Gentlemen, I have some news for you."
Zack frowned, "Some kind of agreement with the Turks, right? Tseng told me. He said that you'd fill us in on the details and...something about a story only you could tell?"
Lazard paused at that. Maybe it had been easy to give himself up to the Turks, but how would Zack and Kunsel react to the fact that he had funded Hollander's schemes? How would Zack feel about his part in the mess that was Genesis's and Angeal's defection?
If he was not careful with his words, Lazard could potentially lose Zack's trust in him, and if word got back to the AWOL Firsts, theirs as well. So, he took a deep breath and asked, "How much did Tseng tell you?"
"Not much, but he said that it was a delicate matter, and that I should hear you out before making any judgements. What is this all about?"
Lazard sucked in another lungful of air, "I was the one who funded Hollander in his efforts to one-up Hojo because I was blinded by my desire for vengeance against my father."
A heavy sort of silence fell upon the room, Zack had a blank expression on his face while Kunsel's was basically unreadable due to his constant use of his helmet in public spaces. Lazard's visage was collected, but his heart was not.
Zack's thoughts were racing wildly through his head. Lazard, a man he trusted, had helped a mad scientist orchestrate what was now known as the ongoing Genesis War. A war that, on the surface, tore Shin-Ra's best apart. But what was that about being blinded by a desire for vengeance? Lazard's father? What was the Director going on about? The Puppy turned to his best friend with an air of uncertain inquiry.
Kunsel himself was still, his mind slowly sorting and matching the memories he had with the information that he just received. 'Just as I thought...the Director really is...I never quite wanted to believe it but...ah, who am I kidding? This is Shinra after all.'
Realizing that Zack's eyes were on him, Kunsel quickly turned his attention to his friend, knowing exactly what was on his mind at the moment.
"Zack, I'm sure you have heard of the rumours concerning the Director floating around?"
The Puppy frowned, he had heard of the existence of such rumours but he had never quite bothered with the content of it, "What kind of rumours?"
"That Director Lazard is actually a bastard son of President Shinra."
Zack's eyes widened in shock, "What?! No way!" he looked at Lazard closely, and took notice that the Director's blonde hair was actually quite similar to the President's and his son.
A faint, mirthless smile lifting up the corners of his mouth, Lazard reached up for his glasses and pulled them off, leaving them on his desk. He then carded his fingers through his hair, rearranging his usual coiffed hairstyle before letting his lips twist into a condescending smirk.
He almost laughed at how wide the Puppy's eyes were.
"Damn," Zack murmured, a little disconcerted by the semblance of Shin-Ra's leaders on Lazard's face. "So you..."
"Wanted vengeance, yes," Lazard dipped his head lightly before putting on his glasses and brushing his hair back into place, "I was an unwanted product from a one-sided relationship. Let's just say that my personal history with the President has blinded my rationality."
Zack and Kunsel glanced at each other in a form of silent communication, before seemingly making a unanimous decision together. "Never mind that now, sir, what sort of agreement did you make with the Turks?" Kunsel wondered.
Lazard allowed himself to relax just a little, thankful that the two were willing to work with him for now, though he knew that his betrayal to SOLDIER would be revisited eventually. "In exchange of giving myself up to the Turks, I am now able to stay on in the company without worrying about potential detainment. This also keeps SOLDIER from falling under the jurisdiction of Heidegger, which - I am sure that we can all agree on - is a bad idea."
Both SOLDIERs shuddered at the thought of the Head of Public Safety taking command of SOLDIER, before quickly returning their attention to their Director.
"I am currently tasked with monitoring the General and his friends along with you two, and we should be informing them of any changes happening within Shin-Ra as we are the only links they have left to the company. And there is one change that you must know: The Vice-President has ordered Tseng to capture both Genesis and Angeal's sisters alive, in an attempt to hold leverage over them."
"What?! But-" Zack was horrified, "He won't do it, right? Tseng won't do it? Argh, damn it, I should've known something like this was going to happen!"
Kunsel's eyes had gone wide behind his helmet as he absorbed this new development, matching this new information with yet another Shin-Ra rumour he had heard, "Sir, what exactly does the Vice-President want with our Commanders?" he asked before reaching out in an attempt to calm Zack, who had begun to pace in circles out of anxiety.
Watching his men's reactions, Lazard knew that there was a lot to explain, "Firstly, Tseng has assured me that he is looking for alternatives to this situation. He has no desire to capture the girls and he wants us to let the Firsts know that he won't be taking action yet. Secondly...Kunsel, I understand that you pay plenty of attention to the Shin-Ra gossip mill."
"I do, sir,"
"And you have heard of political rumours concerning the Vice-President, I assume?"
Kunsel nodded, "Indeed, sir, something about him plotting to overthrow his father? That's why he has been sent to Junon and placed under house arrest, though most of this was kept under wraps because the President didn't want any bad press." he finished with a snort.
The Director of SOLDIER nodded, "Correct. Our prestigious Vice-President has been funding AVALANCHE in attempt to take the seat of president for himself, that is the true reason as to why he was sent away to Junon, to 'teach' him a lesson. However, he is no longer funding AVALANCHE and remains under close supervision by the Turks. That, however, does not stop him from making plans to overthrow the President, hence the decision to capture Genesis and Angeal's sisters."
Zack, who had then stopped pacing, stared at Lazard blankly for a second before sighing, "Dirty laundry. Kunsel was right about dirty laundry. Is there anything around here that isn't company dirt?"
Kunsel chuckled in response, "Nope, sadly not." He then hummed in thought, "That makes sense, I think Rufus wants to get SOLDIER to be under him, so that he has better hold over his old man. And to do that, he would need the Firsts' support, thus the need for leverage over them." The Second Class shook his head, "That's not going to work against Angeal and Genesis, the most you'd get is probably two pissed off Firsts."
"Yeah, and add Seph to the mix, that's three really pissed off Firsts."
Lazard coughed into his fist, a tiny grin on his face, "I will personally email the General regarding these new developments. Zack, I'm sure that he'll choose to contact you after seeing it, so be prepared to explain further, as he does not know of the Turks' nor my involvement in this. You're both dismissed for now, but do keep your eyes open and inform our rouge SOLDIERs of anything out of the ordinary when necessary."
The two SOLDIERs nodded before taking their leave.
Sleeping Forest...
There was no animal life within the forest, not even monsters. There was no wind either, thus emphasizing the eerie silence that was broken only by Christina's harp-playing. It set the combat-ready SOLDIERs on edge, as they kept expecting something to jump out at them. The music coming from the younger Rhapsodos twin was the only thing maintaining everyone's sanity at the moment.
Christina's fingers were beginning to feel a little numb from constant plucking of the Lunar Harp, but she kept going, leading the others deeper into the never-ending scenery of tall, imposing trees. "When are we going to get out of here?" she muttered, having gone through all five songs that she had written and was now rotating through them.
"Soon, I'm sure," Angeal remarked even as he and the other SOLDIERs kept a watchful eye on the party's surroundings. They had been spending almost all of daylight travelling within the Forest, and they were getting a little tired of seeing just green and brown. On top of that, the sun was beginning to set, which darkened the already dark Forest.
Elain, who had been walking next to her friend, hummed along to the song that Christina had been playing. Nico was studying the map he had with him, according to what he had heard from the locals of Bone Village, they would enter a place called Coral Valley after exiting the Forest. From thereon, the party would then be able to locate the Forgotten City. As very few people would bother to travel this far north of the continent, there was not much about the areas far beyond Bone Village that the locals knew of, so the party of enhanced humans would have to wing most of their journey by themselves.
"There, up ahead."
Everyone looked to where Sephiroth was pointing. Right ahead of their path, it appeared to be a wall of rock that was looming closer and closer as they made their way forward.
"It's not like the side of a mountain or something, I hope?" Elain said, "Because I don't want any of you bringing out your wings any more than you have to,"
"Hmm, doesn't look like it," Genesis mused after a brief moment of observation, "It seems brighter at the top, which means that it's probably a short climb upwards."
"Oh, good." Christina sighed, "My fingers are going numb, I don't think I can keep strumming any longer."
As observed by Genesis, the rock wall was not the steep side of a mountain, but rather a series of sloped ledges that took the party upwards and elevated them from the Forest.
From there, they were greeted by the view of a vast valley, the landscape dotted with bountiful vegetation and numerous coral that were already dead, but nonetheless adding to the beauty of the land. In fact, the entire valley had plenty of underwater features surrounding it, suggesting that historically at some point, this part of the land may have been under the sea.
There was a beautiful pathway that was clearly man-made leading the party down into the valley, where the Forgotten City lay in all its splendor. It appeared to be a huge island that has been broken up into pieces by the river water streaming through it. The most notable thing about the city; however, was the large coral 'tree' that rose up in the middle of the city, and under the light of the setting sun, the 'tree' seemed to glow white in the darkening land.
"Holy Gaia..."
Christina stared at the Forgotten City beneath them, "That's...beautiful!" Elain nodded slowly in agreement, "That explains why this place is called Coral Valley, there's coral everywhere!"
"Glowing coral though," Nico sounded skeptical, "Beautiful as it is...I don't think dead corals glow in the dark?"
"True," Genesis mused, "But given that this was the capital of the Ancients, I doubt anything we see here would fall under conventional expectations." The Red Commander was getting a little excited as they were finally getting somewhere after months of travelling and being on the run. He absentmindedly rubbed his hurting left shoulder, the pain of which was now a constant in his life. This act did not go unnoticed by Sephiroth, who looked away briefly in discomfort; and Angeal, who shifted a little, his face inscrutable before deciding to take point.
"Alright, let's move,"
The party of six then made their way down the man-made path.
The main pathway into the Forgotten City...
The sky is now a dark shade of orange, but the six enhanced humans had no fear of the approaching night, as the coral tree and the other seemingly regular trees are now glowing brighter than ever, providing a source of light for all as they entered the city.
Upon reaching crossroads, the party stopped. They could now either choose to go deeper within the city, or to take either the left or right roads.
"We should seek shelter first, make camp. I'm sure everyone's really hungry by now, even if we did eat a little along the way." Genesis said even as he observed the three paths laid before them.
"Mmh," Angeal looked thoughtful, "Maybe Sephiroth and I could split up? I'll take the right and he takes the left, we'll see what we find."
Sephiroth nodded, and both SOLDIERs were about to leave when Nico piped up, "Orrr, we could decide this way," he pulls out a 500 gil coin, "Heads, we go left; tails, we go right. Saves us some time."
"Good idea," Genesis smiled as Nico nodded and flipped the coin. When he opened his gloved palm, the six were greeted by the sight of a winged shield and a sword: Tails.
"Right it is,"
Taking the desired path, the party came across a fork. Up ahead were two large spiral shell buildings, one bigger than the other.
"Did the Cetra live under the sea or something? How in Gaia did they build houses out of shells?" Christina was flabbergasted, "This is even more interesting than Bone Village," The younger Hewley said, her eyes taking in the structures. "Seconded," Nico said, his curiosity apparent.
"Well, we can explore tomorrow, for now let us all get some rest." The Red Commander smiled as he took the lead, taking the party to the larger shell structure.
Once inside, the party was greeted by a couple storage chests near a locked door at the end, and a wooden ladder to their left that led to the upper floor. The ground was covered in sand, and had little seashells and fossilized marine creatures scattered around.
"Guess up is the only way to go,"
Genesis went up first, then he helped the girls up, followed by Nico, Angeal, and Sephiroth.
The upper floor was sparsely furnished. Within the dark, the six enhanced could make out a simple study desk with a used unlit candle, a smaller stand that held some empty bowls, shell-made trash cans, and three beds whose frames were likewise made from shells.
"You're kidding, an abandoned city, and everything in here is still...clean and fresh." Elain went to the first bed and touched the sheets gently with one hand, "Really soft sheets too."
"Cetra-style inn," Christina mused, "It's lovely, if not a little weird. Everything looks too pristine to be abandoned, but yet it is. I'm sure no one has been here for centuries."
"This is better than what I expected," Genesis went to light the candle at the study desk with his Fire materia, "I was thinking that we had to camp out in some dusty ruins. You're right, it is strange how everything is so clean and fresh despite the fact that no living being has been here for a while." The elder Rhapsodos went on to light the only other candle that was near one of the beds, providing sufficient light for the room.
Angeal poked around at the storage chests at the highest level of the columella, discovering worn but usable kitchen items, where he declared that dinner could be cooked with them, immediately setting to work with starting up a good pot of stew with the replenished ingredients that they had on hand.
"I could use a bath, or a shower, or whatever Cetran bathrooms have for washing," Elain remarked, "It's been a while since our last wash, and I positively stink."
"Yeah," Christina said, "And...I kinda need to look at my stomach, it's been twinging this whole time," she cast a furtive glance over at her twin, who was arranging everyone's packs near the beds. Hearing her, Genesis looked up, "Has your bruise been bothering you since our trek through the forest?"
"Uh, not really, it just randomly...throbs? Every now and then. Then it got more constant when we got here,"
Genesis hummed, "Just let me know if your bruise has started changing, like showing cracks or turning gray, alright?"
"Um, sure." Christina paused, "Wait, has yours changed?" she looked at her brother, alarmed.
Genesis sighed, "It's not really a cause for concern right now," he turned away but his sister grabbed his arm, "No, don't you dare brush it off, has your skin been cracking and turning gray?"
Silence fell upon the room, with all eyes upon the Rhapsodos twins. Angeal made sure to keep a mindful eye on the stew even as he diverted much of his focus to his friends.
A long, tight pause filled the air before Genesis's quiet "Yes," broke the silence.
"Anything else we should know? I believe we promised to stop withholding information from each other yesterday," Sephiroth said, attempting to soften the sharpness in his tone. He watched his friend with veiled concern before an important question popped into his head.
"How many of you have begun to degrade?"
"As far as we know, Genesis and me?" The younger Rhapsodos said, "Nico too, and...possibly Angeal as well, since he brought out his wings early. But so far so good?" she turned to her long-time lab companion, "Elain?"
The younger Hewley shook her head, "Nothing yet,"
Turning back to her brother, Christina frowned, "Gen, you're hiding something from me— no, from us." she squeezed her twin's forearm gently, "What else is there about degradation that you haven't told us about?"
Uncomfortable silence descended upon the room once more as everyone waited for the Red Commander to say something. The quiet was only broken by Nico awkwardly saying that he was going to help the girls locate the bathroom - if there was any at all - because he needed to relieve himself. The rest returned their attention to Genesis, still waiting for him to speak.
Knowing that there was no way out of this one, Genesis sighed softly, tugging off his gloves and removing his pauldrons. Then, he carefully shrugged off his coat, exposing his arms as well as the cut from that time in the VR simulation.
The wound and the skin surrounding it had turned gray, as well as cracking from the cut that had stopped bleeding a long time ago. In other words, that part of Genesis's shoulder looked dead, and it seemed to be spreading over to the rest of Genesis's left arm as well as his neck, though it was not quite visible due to the black turtle-neck that he was wearing.
Elain covered her mouth in shock, and Christina stared, horrified. Angeal could not see anything from his angle, but he knew from the girls' reaction as well as the tight set of Sephiroth's mouth that Genesis's injury must have looked really bad.
"No..." Looking aghast at her brother, the younger twin whispered, "Why didn't you say anything?" she reached out slowly for Genesis's arm but thought better of it.
Genesis smiled faintly, "I didn't want any of you to know," he cast a fond look at his twin, "If you did find out, you would've stressed yourself out over something that you couldn't have fixed. And you would've told Elain," here he smiled at Angeal's sister, "Who would've told Angeal, and he might've told his mother, and I didn't want everyone fussing over me.
"Plus, we had to keep ourselves focused on our goals, and there is simply no room for additional concerns when we're concentrating on staying out of Shin-Ra's grasp."
Christina shook her head, "You absolute idiot," she reached out to hug her brother, who returned the gesture with a sad smile on his face.
"You still should've said something, Genesis," Angeal said gently with a hint of reproach, "All this time and we thought you were degrading at a slower rate."
Sephiroth looked thoughtful, "You said some of your men were beginning to degrade fast, how exactly does it work? How did you...turn them into Copies, for lack of a better word?"
The Red Commander sighed, releasing his sister, and leaned against the wooden walls built around the columella. "From what Hollander told me, we Project G subjects are able to do something called 'imprinting'. This is done by injecting my cells into another person's body, and that person would essentially absorb my traits, such as looks, combat experience and maybe even memories. Now you know why Nico never takes off his helmet. As I was a failed experiment - Hollander's words, not mine - I am unable to absorb the traits of others, thus causing my body to break down on a cellular level. Since Angeal is considered successful, there is a chance that he would not degrade the way I do; however, if one is injected with his cells, they would still degrade, albeit at a more slower rate compared to my clones.
"The Copies are either literal clones or partial clones of me. Injection of my cells causes great mental strain on a subject, and thus you have those like Nico: Strong-willed enough to maintain their sense of identity; or you have the weak-willed ones, those whose minds are completely under my control. I have no idea when Hollander started injecting more than half of the deserters with my cells, but very few of them have been left untouched.
"Aside from the mental strength of a subject, physical strength is also taken into account. If one is physically weak, then they would degrade faster than those who are strong. However, my own rate of degradation also affects the rate of the others, therefore the reason why I said that some of the men are degrading very quickly."
The General frowned, "I see...that is worrying."
"No matter," Genesis waved dismissively, "We're in the capital of the Ancients now, the Gift of the Goddess must be here somewhere. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting. I'm sure we can heal the rest of the SOLDIERs as well, when we have found it. I owe them that much," The Red Commander's voice got a little quiet, "They've given up everything to follow me away from the company."
Silence fell upon the enhanced once more as everyone took time to absorb the new information. Angeal gradually returned his attention to the stew, which was halfway ready when Nico popped back up the ladder, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
"Hey guys, I found the bathrooms! It's at the bottom floor, behind that locked door. Whoever wants to get cleaned up can go, plenty of space in there. But it's not exactly conventional so do be prepared,"
"Thanks, Nico," Christina cracked a distracted smile at the Copy, before she grabbed her toiletries and headed down, the younger Hewley following suit.
Time skip...
The six enhanced were now seated around the pot of stew cooked by Angeal, utilizing the crockery and cutlery that they had found along with the kitchen items in the storage chests.
The room was warm with the chatter from the SOLDIERs and the girls, all were relaxed and at ease as they ate their dinner. Despite the peculiar silence that surrounded the Forgotten City, the tranquility also contributed to the general mood of the party as they had been tense and anxious ever since fleeing Midgar.
"I don't know if it's just me, but this is the most filling stew I've ever had, even though we've been generally using the same ingredients for most of our journey."
"Well, when you're not under pressure from being hunted and evading capture, your metabolism improves a great deal." Genesis smiled at his sister, who grinned back.
"I'm glad that you enjoy it," Angeal smiled warmly at the younger Rhapsodos, who nodded, "Your cooking is the best!"
"Second to mom's, better than Genesis's," Elain chimed in, which made Genesis groan, "Oh, come now, my cooking isn't that bad..."
Sephiroth smirked a little, "It leaves much to be desired, Genesis. I recall the time that you blew up—"
"Ack! Don't you dare, Sephiroth!"
"What? What happened? Genesis blew up his kitchen?" Christina immediately latched onto the story, as did Elain, their eyes shining with excitement. Nico also perked up, ever welcoming to stories about his superior's daily life.
Quiet chuckles escaped the SOLDIER of Honor as he added his piece, "Not so much blew up his kitchen as throwing a fairly high level Fira at his stove because he got frustrated. Gave Lazard quite a day, he had to fill in a bunch of forms for you, including a requisition form for new appliances."
Genesis growled at the laughter that erupted at his expense, "I am capable of cooking! I'm just a little bad with certain dishes, that's all."
"If you say so," The Silver General was still smirking at his friend, Nico shook his head, "Why does almost every story about Commander Rhapsodos involves fire? I always thought the rumours from my cadet days were exaggerated."
"That is because," Sephiroth said silkily, "They are not exaggerations."
"That's it, one more word about the kitchen and I'm leveling up your training difficulty." Genesis huffed, and that shut Christina and Elain up, leaving the two Firsts and Nico to laugh at the girls' predicament.
"Aww, Gen, not fair! We like hearing stories about your life!"
The Red Commander sulked, "Not when it's at my expense, I don't see any of you laughing at Angeal!"
Angeal grinned, "That's because I don't have as many funny stories as you do, Gen, relax!"
A glint appeared in Genesis's eye, "Oh really? How about that time when we were still in Banora, and you—"
The sound of a PHS trilling interrupted the conversation, and everyone watched as Sephiroth pulled out his PHS. The Silver General flipped it open, and frowned at what he saw.
Subject: Unexpected Developments
From: Director Lazard
General, I'm afraid there has been some additional developments. The Vice-President has ordered for the capture of both Genesis and Angeal's sisters. Director Tseng has assured me, however, that he is looking into alternative options. Nevertheless, it is best that you and the others remain prepared.
I understand that you will have questions, feel free to contact me or Zack if you wish, Tseng has tapped my PHS so that none other than the Turks can track my communications. There is simply too much information to convey through text in such a short amount of time.
"What is it? Is it from Lazard?" Genesis watched his friend with unease. Sephiroth raised his hand, "I need to call Zack,"
The other five looked at each other apprehensively as the General made the call. A few rings later, Zack answered, and the others leaned in to catch what was said.
"Hey, Seph! How's it going?"
"Zack, in regards to the details of the Banora mission, has there been a leak?"
Silence fell briefly on the other end, before Zack replied, "Uhhhh, no...? Wait, gimme a couple minutes," Everyone heard the sounds of footsteps and guessed that Zack was headed somewhere where he was least likely to be eavesdropped on.
"Are you alone?"
"I am now. Seph, you got an email from Lazard, right?"
"Yes, and I want to know how he knows, and how exactly are the Turks involved with this. Did you tell him, Fair?" Sephiroth's tone was sharp.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold your chocobos, man. I didn't tell him, Tseng did. And before you start asking me how Tseng knows, he knew ever since Banora got blown up. He's a Turk, he's bound to investigate. Remember Kunsel's, um, stuff? And how I said I got Kunsel onto Tseng's radar? Tseng got me to give him Kunsel's stuff, so he's known ever since then. Me, Kunsel, and Tseng have been in on this together ever since Banora, but we didn't get anyone else involved. Lazard was the most recent addition,"
Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, but why did Rufus Shinra want the girls all of a sudden? He was not known to show interest in the dealings of the Science Department. And what was Lazard's part in this?
"Why did Tseng decide to tell Lazard?"
A long-suffering sigh emanated from the other end, "It's a looong story. But the thing is - I don't know if you know - Lazard's been the one who had been funding Hollander—" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at Genesis, indicating that the Red Commander had failed to inform him of this, "Because he's a Shinra bastard—" Six pairs of eyes went wide at this information, "So he got all mad because...y'know," here the Firsts could visualize the Puppy shrugging, "Anyway, he gave himself up in private to Tseng, because he wanted to stay on and keep SOLDIER away from Heidegger, but he also wants to help you guys out, that's why he knows."
Sephiroth took in the new information, his mind working quickly, it still did not explain why the Shinra heir wanted the girls. To threaten his friends? But for what purpose?
"Thank you for letting me know, Zack, we'll be in touch."
"Okay, stay safe!"
A beep signified the end of the call, and Sephiroth lowered his PHS slowly. He gazed at Genesis, "Did you know about Lazard?"
The Red Commander shook his head, "No, I was aware that someone inside was funding Hollander, but I didn't know that it was Lazard,"
Angeal shook his head slowly, "Lazard, a Shinra bastard...those rumours were true then... But what was Lazard's email about?"
Sephiroth grimaced, "The Vice-President wants to capture both Christina and Elain for purposes unknown at the moment. I am intending to call Lazard and find out why. He did not say much in the email, other than the fact that Tseng is seeking alternatives for this situation, and that we should all be prepared."
Genesis growled, bristling at the news while Angeal frowned. Christina and Elain looked shocked and distressed as they did not know what to make of this new development.
"How did he find out about our sisters though? That's what I want to know. He doesn't seem like the type to be interested in matters regarding the Science Department," The elder Hewley crossed his arms in thought.
Sephiroth's brow furrowed in concentration, "I believe the interest came after our confrontation in Junon. He asked for my report and I delivered it, starting with the mention of Christina and how she resembled Genesis. He made the connection to the Science Department very quickly, and did say that he was going to ask Tseng for information in regards to the girls. Perhaps he had something planned all this time, and none of us saw it coming due to the impression that Rufus Shinra isn't one that cares about science."
"Well, what does he want with our sisters then? What does he gain from bringing them in?" Genesis scowled.
"I might have an idea as to why, but I'm not sure if what I heard was true. The Shin-Ra gossip chain isn't necessarily accurate after all," Nico said thoughtfully, he looked at Sephiroth, "General, why don't you make that call? I'm sure Director Lazard would explain, then I can confirm whether or not if my hunch is right,"
Sephiroth nodded, already hitting the speed dial for Lazard's number, "Very well,"
Sector 5 Slums, Midgar...
Zack jogged casually down the streets, waving to some children and occasionally lending a helping hand to those who needed it. Unlike his usual leisurely pace, Zack was more focused on getting to his destination today: the Church.
He reached out to push the large wooden doors open when he caught sight of Rude in the shadows. Staring at the Turk for a moment, Zack nodded at Rude before heading inside, once again wondering what the Turks were watching Aerith for. But that thought was soon overtaken by his now ever-constant worry of his SOLDIER superiors, which had only been exacerbated by the latest developments.
All of his thoughts came to a halt when he saw a familiar brunette tending to her flowers. This sight, coupled with the general serenity of the Church, always gave Zack an otherworldly sense of calm. He always found it hard to believe that this place was a part of Midgar, given that the city - both above and below Plate - was always teeming with activity.
As a result, the Church became one of his favorite places to go whenever he needed some peace and quiet. That, and also because there was someone he could meet.
A smile tugging at his lips, Zack called out to the brunette, "Hey, Aerith,"
Aerith looked up, her eyes brightening upon seeing the SOLDIER, "Oh! Hi, Zack, what brings you here today?" She got up from the floor, dusting off her hands and dress before giving her full attention to the Puppy, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Well, nothing much, I just...really wanted to come see you." Zack glanced over at the yellow flowers that always seemed to be in full bloom no matter the time of day.
"Flowers seem to be doing pretty good, huh?"
Aerith turned back briefly to the yellow patch before facing Zack once more, "Mmhm! I've been selling them around the Sector 5 and 6 slums. It's...not easy, but people do seem to like them."
Zack grinned, "Have you tried selling them above Plate? Maybe someone up there will buy them." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Most of the plants up there are either imported from Kalm or manufactured fake ones. Both are kinda pricey but it's definitely not a problem for those who can afford it.
"If you sell them above Plate at a cheaper price, maybe that'll attract people who want flowers but can't afford them?"
Aerith smiled, "That does sound like a good idea! But..." Her face fell as she turned towards the flower patch, "I...don't think I'm ready to see the sky. And..." she studied the flowers thoughtfully, "I'll need something to carry the flowers up there. Hmm, would my basket do?"
Zack hummed as he considered Aerith's words, "That won't be enough." He then smacked a fist into his hand, "How about a wagon?"
"A wagon?"
"Yeah," the SOLDIER beamed, "If we have a wagon to put the flowers in, we can cart them all around Midgar! It'll definitely make things easier when we go above Plate."
Seeing Aerith's smile fall a little, Zack gave her an encouraging smile, "Hey, it's okay. Whenever you're ready, I'll go with you! The sky isn't frightening at all, I know you'll love it!"
Aerith's face lit up once more, and she nodded, "Well, let's make that wagon then! There's a whole lot of bits and pieces around here that we can use, I'll show you."
Zack nodded with a grin, "Lead the way, Aer!" and followed her out of the Church.
Time skip...
A few tries later, Zack made a nice wagon out of wood and metal scraps. At Aerith's suggestion of giving the wagon some colour, he had gone off to acquire some paint for it.
When he returned to the Church, Aerith happily showed him the worn but usable swaths of fabric she had found around the Church, saying that they could be used to decorate the wagon.
Zack, in return, showed her the colours he had gotten for the wagon, which met Aerith's approval, and both got to work painting it.
An hour later, Zack and Aerith admired the fruit of their labours in the late afternoon light that filtered through the hole in the roof. The wood of the wagon was painted white, while the metal parts of the wagon - including the tyres - were painted yellow gold. Aerith had chosen a light blue fabric for the wagon cover, and Zack suggested the light pink for decoration, saying it matched the ribbon that he got her.
"Now all that's left is for the paint to dry, and we're all set."
"Mmhm," Aerith smiled happily at the SOLDIER, "Thank you, Zack."
"Any time!"
A comfortable silence fell between them as they returned to gazing at the wagon, each immersed in their own thoughts. Zack was thinking about how he would be helping Aerith above Plate when she broke his concentration with a question.
"Hey, do you still have some time before going back?"
"Huh? Uh, I guess so. Why?"
Aerith smiled lightly at him, "Why don't we go to the park? Wind down a little, before you head back."
Zack beamed, "Sound good! Let's go!"
Evergreen Park, Sector 6 Slums...
The walk to Sector 6 was uneventful, which was quite rare, seeing as the slums were usually littered with monsters. Zack was glad for zero interruptions, but the peace only gave his mind more space to think.
Having left the tranquil environment of the Church, all of Zack's worries came back with a vengeance. Dr Martinez's words on degradation echoing in his mind, "There is no cure, though Commander Rhapsodos is certain that he will find one." But would he? Would the rogue SOLDIERs be able to figure something out before time is up?
Zack unconsciously shuddered at the imagined vision of his mentor dying in excruciating pain, followed by the faces of Angeal's sister, the Red Commander, and his twin.
'Okay, Zack, pull yourself together, it's not happening yet. They might find a cure. They won't fall so easily like those Copies.'
Though he had no idea what degradation would look like, Zack got an inkling of what it could be based on the appearance of some of the Copies he had killed in the recent attack on Midgar. Those Copies did not look well, and when they died, they had gradually disintegrated into gray dust before fading away into the Lifestream. Last he saw of his renegade superiors, Genesis and Angeal appeared to be fine, though Zack suspected that Genesis had already begun degrading based on the state of his Copies.
"Over here,"
Zack blinked back into reality, and saw Aerith going over to the swings in the playground as the slide was occupied by children. He went over to the brunette, who had casually dumped herself on one of the swings and had started swinging back and forth. Zack occupied the other swing, though he did not join Aerith in swinging.
"Got a lot on your mind?"
Zack glanced over at her with a weak smile, "Yeah," he scratched the back of his head, "Sorry 'bout that."
"No, it's okay," Aerith then halted her swings and looked at Zack curiously, "Work stuff?"
Zack huffed out a laugh, "Nothing escapes you, does it?" he smiled fondly at the brunette that he was beginning to like, then sighed, turning to stare at the cracked brown earth.
"Yeah,"
The Puppy pushed gently against the ground with his feet, letting the movement sway him a little. "Things...haven't been normal at all lately. So much stuff happened, and...I just can't help but keep thinking about it."
Aerith nodded slowly, then resumed swinging, "Worried about your friends?"
Zack blinked and slowed down to a halt, "Huh?"
Aerith paused with a sheepish smile, "You talk in your sleep,"
Zack blushed. First he was caught drooling in his sleep, and now he was caught talking in his sleep, both times by girls? He laughed awkwardly at that thought, scratching the back of his neck.
Aerith gave him a tentative smile, "Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to give me too many details if you can't say much."
Zack contemplated Aerith's offer, then made his decision.
"My friends, they..."
He sighed, leaning back in the swing seat while anchoring himself using the swing connectors, "They found out about something that they weren't supposed to, and now they're...in trouble with the company."
Zack paused, trying to find the right words, then said, "And...they're kinda...sick. Four of them, at least."
"Oh," Aerith leaned closer to the SOLDIER with concern, "Is it...bad?"
"Kinda,"
The Puppy deflated, "Well...the truth is...they might die."
Aerith gasped in shock at the revelation, "I'm sorry...!"
"Yeah, they hope to find a cure, but they're...racing against time."
Aerith looked down, "That's terrible,"
The two went quiet for a while before Zack lets out an apologetic chuckle, "Sorry for all that doom and gloom, I...agh, it's just been...really stressful these days." He ran his gloved fingers through his hair in mild frustration.
The brunette reached over from her swing to place her hand on Zack's pauldron, "I understand. Let's just hope for the best, alright? Maybe your friends will really find a cure."
Zack absorbed her words, and smiled softly at her optimism, "Thanks, Aer, you're the best."
The bit where Lazard reveals his background is inspired by LadyKF's story To Be Human. It's one of my favorite Crisis Core fics :D
This is probably the longest chapter I've ever written for any story. Over 7K words! I was sorta getting worried that it was going to be too long XD
I hope to get the next chapter out soon :) Wish me luck.
-Ninniacthel