The Betrayal: Before and After

AN: Wowiez, I am finally updating this one! Thus begins the second story in the Genis and Mithos Saga! So now we are on the 'After' part of the betrayal. Actually, this chapter three is what inspired me to do this whole thing lol. I had it semi-written before I decided to do before AND after thingies for both Mithos and Genis. This was originally a one-shot that had to be re-vamped so that it jived with the other two chapters. So anywho…enjoy!

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To my fave reviewers:

Ukrc (aka Soredemo – read her TOS/Yugioh crossover it is really gude!): ty for all the reviews and support u have given me these past few months!

MoonCannon: dude, I think u have reviewed almost all of my TOS fics! Thanx for the support! Your reviews are greatly appreciated! Hope u enjoy all my future stuffz!

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Disclaimer: I dun own TOS. At all. Not even a little.

Thoughts are in italics

:Clear Confusion:

Chapter Three – Genis

He sat, with his back up against a tree, in the abandoned village of Ozette, thinking. This place suited what he was feeling inside right now. It was dark, disheveled, deserted. Everything had been looking up, for once in his life. Finally, there had been the slightest glimmer of hope for his future. But now, it seemed as if all hope were dead.

The sigh that passed from Genis Sage's lips was a mournful one. In truth, he felt like he was mourning. Mourning a great loss indeed.

He should have known. He should have suspected that this would happen. Go figure that the one person that Genis had actually come to trust, the one person that was like him, would be the one to betray them all.

Genis sighed once more, and looked up at the endless night sky. The numerous stars twinkled and sparkled in the heavens, and everything seemed so peaceful. He would wager a numerous amount of Gald that everyone back at camp was either sleeping peacefully, or enjoying the beautiful night. Everyone minus himself.

The others would feel no qualms about Mithos being their enemy. Not like he would. Mithos was, or had been, his friend. He had trusted him, shared things with him, and now this terrible turn of events had come to pass.

Genis berated himself for not realizing it sooner. With all his brains, he still couldn't tell when someone he cared about was lying to him.

Maybe he had known all along. Maybe he was just denying it, because it would have been too much to bear if it were true.

Genis suddenly felt nauseous. Mithos had been lying to him all this time. Pretending to be his friend, while having this grand scheme all along! His thoughts drifted to a few nights back.

Everything had seemed so right with the world…but looking back on it now, Genis branded himself a fool for not seeing it from the beginning. Mithos had been tense all evening, he had been deep in thought, and refused to share his thoughts when asked. Had he been planning even then to betray them?

The conversation played over and over in Genis' mind. Each time, the underlying meaning became clearer, more obvious.

"Maybe there will be a way for all the races to get along."

"Understanding? The races don't want to 'understand'"

"One day, we shall see what the world holds in store for us,"

How could he have let himself not see the true meaning of those words! Genis' insides squirmed at the thought. The answer was simple really…

Because he cared for Mithos. Caring, compassion…such small things as these had been sufficient enough to blind him from seeing the truth about his 'friend'. He had felt a bond with Mithos, and he hadn't wanted to believe that he was capable of such treachery. He had shut his eyes and denied what somewhere in his mind he knew to be true.

Genis had known that Mithos was none other than 'Yggdrasill'. He'd had his suspicions for a while now, but refused to accept them. However, his suspicions were confirmed against his will. Mithos' very own flute was the one piece of evidence that Genis couldn't deny and explain away. His newfound friend was indeed the enemy.

Ironically enough, though, it had been none other than Yggdrasill that had saved him from Pronyma. Genis' soul felt like it had been revived. Maybe there was still hope! Maybe Mithos really wasn't the enemy! So many emotions coursed through him upon realizing this. It had been so hard to conceal it from the others.

He wanted so badly then to believe what Yggdrassill had said to them. That people would stop treating them differently, that everyone would be the same. It sounded so nice, after the life of hiding he had experienced. He wished with all of his being that Mithos was indeed working for the good of everyone.

Yet Mithos had betrayed them all without even a second thought for any of them - Not even for Genis, whom he called 'friend'. It hurt more than Genis thought it would…he had trusted Mithos, and believed in him, yet Mithos hadn't trusted him at all.

His thoughts flickered back to the confrontation.

"Mithos…So it's true…"

"…What's true? That you shouldn't have trusted me? Good guess, Genis. Because I didn't trust you either!"

It was like a bad dream from which he could not wake. Questions assailed his brain, refusing to allow him a moments peace. Emotions raced within him, confusing and befuddling his senses. Tears streamed down Genis Sage's face. Why had all this happened? His one true friend, that understood him…

"No life should be born for the sole purpose of dying? What do you think those expheres are that you're using?"

The statement resounded through Genis' head. It rang clear and true as a bell.

Mithos did not truly understand.

Genis sat in complete silence, sorting through this new knowledge. Mithos cared only for his sister. He cared only to create a world where emotions were not present. Where life itself was not present. Mithos didn't care about the value of an individual life, nor did he care about the feelings and emotions that make each being unique.

The utopia that Mithos was hoping for would never come to pass. Too many innocents would lose their lives in the process. Too many had already been lost as it was now. Genis took out a small round object. It pulsed with a soft, gentle light. The light of Marble's life.

Genis was reassured. "I have to do this. I must fight against you, Mithos. We could have been such friends…but you're wrong! You say 'everyone will be equal' yet the only thing you're doing is robbing the world of life! Lloyd was right…no more lives should be sacrificed." He paused, blinking back the rest of his tears, "This is something that I must do…not only for me, but for other half-elves as well, along with the other races. And for Marble…"

Genis trailed off into silence once more. He looked up at the night sky, forming a comforting blanket around the desecrated village of Ozette. The stars twinkled with hope. He sighed a contented sigh. The days ahead would be hard…but he didn't care. He was now fighting for the sake of all those people that had sacrificed their lives up until now. Maybe this way – Lloyd's way – there would be peace between all the races once more.

And maybe – just maybe – peace for Mithos as well.

Fin

AN: yay! So I finally posted the third installment in this four chapter fic! What did u think? Tellllll me! Review lots, and the fourth and final chapter shall come all the more sooner!

FYI: part of the remembering thoughts came from the convo between Mithos and Genis in chapters 1 and 2 if u didn't know already…the other remembering parts came from the actual game…once again if u didn't know already lol.