Here it is the second Chapter I hope you enjoy
"We shall strike down our foe with sharp steel and cold hearts. The weak die so that the strong shall be spared. Then and only then will our enemies know the true meaning of fear."—Malekith Witch King of Naggorath
"Ten he says that he is only ten years old" Gengo Aoi stated in disbelief while he was his temporary quarters. While he was caught off guard by Kuro's statement Gengo had not let that show. It was only now in the relative privacy of his temporary quarters that he allowed his concern to be show. "Either he is lying or he has undergone some serious type of genetic manipulation" Gengo stated though he did see the evidence in the latter so it was possible. "Then again" he thought remembering what he had been able to discover from the readings. "then again while I know that no is able to keep someone stable like that here, like I suspect that he came from another dimension at least or universe at most there might be someone out there who is capable of such a feat."
In the depths of the SHINRA labs a certain scientist sneezed. "That is thoroughly unacceptable" Professor Hojo stated. "The temperature here is just right for experiments and with the delicate work I am doing a sneeze could be catastrophic" he explained to his non-existent audience. "That I Professor Hojo the head of SHINRA science be waylaid by a common sneeze is unacceptable."
"Get back to work" Genesis hissed at him. "if you really do have a cold I will ask Hollander to look into it, we wouldn't want you not to be ale to finish your work now would we" the insult about his rival was not lost on Hojo.
"Do Hollander's creations suffer from memory loss perhaps?" Hojo responded snidely. "Another one of his failure no doubt, and do tell me how could Hollander help my recent sneezing if can't cure a common house cold?" Hojo asked.
"By cutting off your noise" Genesis answered laying a hand on the hilt of his rapier "and hopefully your tongue too, keep that in mind all you need id you hands eyes and ears a tongue is not necessary."
"It is said that every time you sneeze that someone is talking about you" Sephiroth said as he entered the lab. "Though I wonder who would talk about you when everyone in SHINRA likes to pretend that you don't exist" the general of SOLDIER stated. "And if that saying was true how come I myself have never experienced such a problem in my life?" he asked.
"Its obvious I made you immune to all forms of sickness" Hojo answered without looking up from his work. "You and Kuro both" the scientist stated.
"Are you by chance saying that Hollander was able to make Angeal and myself as such?" Genesis asked because he and Angeal had never suffered from any illness either.
"No you failure you suffer from something more severe" Hojo remarked. "You may be able to hide it but I have noticed" the head scientist stated.
"What are you talking about?" Sephiroth asked not so sure if Hojo was bluffing or not. Dangerously circling Hojo like a shark adjusting his grip on the masamune in case Hojo needed extra encouragement.
"Do you really want to know?" Hojo asked. "Well I'll tell you, Do you remember the incident in the virtual training ground?"
"Yes how could I forget" Sephiroth answered not sure were this was leading but unwilling to let Hojo know that.
"Well you see your friend here started to suffer from something called degradation after it" Hojo said snidely still focused on his work. "The thing was he went to Hollander for the blood Transfusion and while you did offer yours for the donor Hollander in his arrogance claimed that it as incomparable and decided to use Angeal's instead." Hojo explained. "He didnn't want to have to use anything had made" Hojo added. "If I had done the transfusion he would have been in pristine condition and not like how he is now don't tell me you haven't noticed?" Hojo tuanted. "Your friend is slowly dying."
Sephiroth looked at his friend for to confirm whether Hojo was sprouting out lies or not. Genesis's eyes failed to meet his own and that was all the answer he needed. "Is there a way to cure him?" the general of SOLDIER asked.
"There is a way but Genesis decided to be a martyr when I offered previously" Hojo answered. "I believe he values getting Kuro back more than his own life or he would have us believe so" Hojo explained dissapprovingly.
"Enough, get back with your work, once your finished then you will have all the time in the world to cure me" Genesis hissted walking out of the lab and leaving Sephiroth alone with Hojo.
"So is there anything else you would like to talk about sephirtoh my boy?" Hojo asked.
"Just get back to work" Sephiroth snarled at him walking to the wall and leaning againts it "do not delay" he warned.
"Don't worry my boy when I immerse myself I am quite capable of finishing it" Hojo replied. His reply did not comfort Sephiroth at all.
Gengo approached the man, no he corrected himself the boy. He approached the boy who was currently sitting the assigned quarters that Chevalier had given him currently. Kuro as he called himself seemed to be in some sort of meditating stance. Clearing his throat Gengo Aoi asked. "Excuse me." as he entered the room.
The reaction was immediate, Kuro's eys snapped open and he looked Gengo in the eye "yes?" he answered Staring Gengo in the eyes.
"Those aren't the eyes of a human" Gengo thought as he was caught in the serpent like stare of Kuro's green reptilian eyes. Kuro's behaviour was completely different to when they first met a four hours ago. "Was he wearing a mask or is this the mask?" Gengo asked himself unsure which one was real. "Ah yes" Gengo replied" I need to speak to you." He stated in a serious tone.
"Is it about my sudden appearance out of nowhere or is it do with me having no knowledge of everything in this world?" Kuro asked professionally.
"So its not a mask he is just being professional" Gengo realissed. "Still given the way he acted in our first encounter leaves him as dangerous." Gengo nodded to Kuro's question "Its actually a bit of both" he admitted.
"Aren't all the rooms here wired?" Kuro asked suspiciously.
"He's sharp" Gengo noted. "Well yes" he answered. "But I have taken the liberty of having them turned off for this interview?"
"How?" Kuro asked he seemed to be suspicious of Gengo after he had mentioned the last part. Well who wouldn't be.
"It is a simple matter of human rights" Gengo explained hoping that this was enough. In truth he had Chevalier turn them off using that rule but had alternative reasons for it.
"Human Rights?" Kuro asked tasting the word as though it was unfamiliar to him "and pray tell what is that?"
"So wherever he has come from such things as that do not exist interesting" Gengo observed. "Well human rights is something that all humans are entitled to" he explained. "Infringing upon them is a crime."
"Why do I have the feeling that you have infringed upon these so called 'human rights' as you put them" Kuro asked.
"He definitely is sharp if he is able to tell that from such a brief interaction" Genog thought. "I have because of necessity" he answered.
"Let me guess you designed those devices that are in those girls back right" Kuro stated it wasn't a question.
"So you noticed the stigmata" Gengo said. "I was invoked in its creation" he admitted.
The look Kuro favoured him with was one of polite revulsion, but revulsion none the less. "The necessity was because of those being you face, Nova's if I am not mistaken?" he asked.
"You're sharp" Gengo said "yes the Pandora were created to combat the Nova."
"So you used something of the Novas to empower your Pandora's to combat them" Kuro stated. "Their resonance was similar" he explained.
"I'm afraid so" Gengo admitted. "but that is not the reason why I needed to talk with you."
"I'm on another world, you don't need to tell me" Kuro informed him."I figured that out for myself."
"You seem to be taking it rather well" Gengo noted. Most people he know would be unnerved or downright panicking.
"I learnt that there are some things that cannot be changed or controlled" Kuro explained.
"You seem to be rather mature for a person who is only ten years of age" Gengo stated.
Kuro smirked "yeah well having eccentric and insane scientist as the only parental figure in our life will do that to you" he replied.
"You were experimented on?" Gengo asked. Though he had already figured that much it would be good to get confirmation from Kuroo himself.
"Of course do think beings such as my self are born naturally? Or born like this?" Kuro asked.
"Is everyone in this Soldier group you are part of experimented on?" Gengo asked. He had noticed the way Kuro did not refer to himself as a person.
"Its SOLDIER not Soldier and no they are modified" Kuro corrected him. "experimentation is when we move beyond the bounds and try something new" Kuro explained.
"Did they do that with you?" Gengo asked intrigued.
"Yes but unlike the regular process of SOLDIER the process I went through has yet to be mass produced." Kuro answered.
"So you are one of a kind then?" Gengo asked,
"And you are a scientist and I have already expressed my dislike for a certain one who was my parental figure my dislike grew to all those associated with scientists" Kuro stated.
Gengo realise that Kuro was only being polite to him and dislike him because his profession which was understandable. "You see when you appeared, I received similar readings to that I had seen ten years ago" Gengo admitted. Knowing that with Kuro the truth was his best option, if he wanted to get Kuro to cooperate. While the boy was not trying to be threatening he still was able to unnerve Gengo and place him on edge.
"So you have seen this before" Kuro stated. "That does explain why you are interested though I get the feeling that no one else other than you here or in your organisation or company knows of it."
"You are right" Gengo admitted. "It was a private affair and I wasn't experimenting." Gengo sighed as he remembered the guilt he had felt. For Gengo he didn't usually feel guilt for anything but what had happened was more or less completely unrelated to the Nova. "It was when my daughter was giving birth to my grandson" he revealed. "that is when a glow of bright green light invaded the room. When the glow faded the room was in tatter and my grandson Kazuya was missing, his mother Orie and her husband my son Ryuuki were horrified and in shock."
"Hold on a moment" Kuro asked he had heard that Gengo had specifically said that his duaghter was giving birth to his grandson and not her own son. "Are you telling me that your daughter gave birth to her sister in-law's child?"
"Its complicated" Gengo admitted. He didn't expect that Kuro would be this smart and calculating, for a ten year old Kuro definitely was sharp.
"I have all the time in your world" Kuro said "so tell me" he commanded.
About an hour later Gengo had finished his explanation "And there you have it" he stated.
"So you believe that your grandson Kazuya Aoi is somewhere on Gaia?" Kuro asked. Gengo nodded to his response. Kuro's face twisted in revulsion he had made Gengo explain exactly why his grandson had to be taken from his mothers womb and be placed in his daughters womb. The answer that Gengos biological son and duaghter were the children of the mother to all Pandora Maria lancelot. "So you made love to a bieng that might not be enven human?" Kuro asked but he didn't let Gengo answer as because he laughed. "Well it can't be any worse than the fool who did it with my mother" he stated.
Gengo was glad that Kuro hadn't ade the connection between himself and Kazuya. "What was your mother?" he asked.
Still laughing Kuro answered. "I'll show you" before grabbing Gengo's face and burning an image into his mind. "That was my mother, though I still don't see the family resemblance to myself." Kuro stated thoughtfully.
Gengo was shocked by the image he had been shown "that thing is what he calls his mother" Gengo thought horrified. After all the creature only appeared to be remotely human at best. "What was that thing?" he asked.
"Her name is Jenova" Kuro answered. "Apparently she is mine and Sephiroths mother" he explained.
"Who told you this?" Gengo asked horrified at what type of human would do that to a child.
"I think I like you" Kuro stated "unlike Professor Hojo you still seem to have some form of moral code" Kuro them smirked again. "Despite the things you must have done in your line of work" he added. "I bet you even know what the Nova are really after" Kuro stated seeing the almost imperceptible twitches on Gengo's face. Only someone like him or Sephiroth would have noticed it. "You do that's good to know" Kuro stated. "But don't worry it'll be our little secret."
Gengo still shocked at what he had seen was able to get himself together still. "Was this professor Hojo the one?" he asked. Kiro nodded. "And you actually believe him?"
Gengo found himself against the wall Kuro holding him and staring directly into his eyes. "Know this" he stated "when it comes to Hojo there is no such thing as impossible, no our we done here?" he asked in a polite tone.
"I would like for you to come to west Genetics with me also the girls you were talking to earlier attend there and I think they would be delighted to have you" Gengo asked. "perhaps one of the legendary Pandora or Maria herself may be able to connect with him" he thought thinking to those individuals.
"I am guessing that what you are offering is prefferable to what your fellows will be" Kuro stated. "Fine I guess" he agreed.
"Also are you like this normally and was that behaviour with the girls an act?" Gengo asked.
Kuro smirked again. "No I am my usual self around those who are not hiding important information away from other also you are no the type of man people should trust" he answered.
"Very well then We will leave tomorrow morning" Gengo stated. "also could you give me a DNA sample, I need to check up on something" he asked handing Kuro a needle.
Kuro acquiesced with Gengo and put the needle into his arm getting a small amount of blood out after he gave it back to Gengo he whispered "Try anything with it that I don't approve of and you will die" he warned. Gengo smiled and nodded then left. After he left Kuro clenched his fist and was able to resist slamming it against the wall "Even here at an apocalypse everyone has their own agenda" he spat out the words. "Damned human." he snarled.
Kazuha Aoi was relaxing in her temporary quarters when her grandfather walked in. "Grandpa" she greeted him cheerfully.
Gengo smiled at his granddaughter "Kazuha how have you been?" he asked.
"Fine I guess thanks to him" Kazuha answered. "Though something about that Kuro is troubling me" she admitted.
"What did he say something or threaten you?" Gengo asked.
"No gramps" Kazuha answered. "I feel as though I have met him before and he does strangely resemble dad even though he claims to be ten" she explained. "Did you have another son?" Kazuha asked in all seriousness.
Gengo knew that Chevalier were not tapping into this conversation so he could be s open as he could with his grandaughter. "I have my suspicions on who he is" he answered.
"So who is he then?" Kazuha asked.
Gengos face turned serious. "Kazuha do you remember about you brother Kazuya?" he asked. Like her parents she too was there that day.
"Yes he disappeared the moment he was born ten years ago" Kazuha responded.
Nodding Genog asked "and how old does your newly acquainted friend claim to be?" he asked.
"Ten" Kazuha answered. "Though it is hard to believe it" she commented before she put two and two together. "You don't think that he is?" she asked.
"I know that he is though his DNA show extensive work on modification and being overwritten though I was able to find enough evidence to show that he was" Gengo answered.
"Should we tell him?" Kazuha asked confused. "Wouldn't Mother and dad be happy?" she asked.
"I think that it is better if we hint at it but let him figure it out for himself" Gengo answered. "What believes is his mother" Gengo stated but almost gagged at the scene in his mind "well lets say that it isn't something nice or human" he settled on saying. Gengo knew that he could Trust Kazuha not to leak any information. "Also he will be coming to West Genetics with us though I am taking him to familiarise himself with people" Gengo stated. "So you and your friends will have plenty of time to interact with him there and on the way."
"Okay I believe that the others will be happy though he isn't much of a talker his company is still enjoyable" Kazuha stated.
Gengo smiled "That so? Well I hope you are able to get along, just don't tell anyone about this , I am not sure if Ruuiki and Orie should know either" he stated before walking out.
After he had left Kazuha sat down and said to herself as she lay on he bed. "So the mysterious saviour is my long lost brother" she thought. "I best ask him what he has done in the last ten years"
Meanwhile in Midgar three SOLDIER first class operatives were in an argument "Don't you think you should have told us?" Angeal said disappointment evident in his voice.
"I don't like pushing my problems onto other" Genesis snapped at his childhood friend.
"You are dying and you use that for an excuse" Sephiroth stated not believing. "No this has to do with your pride as a SOLDIER doesn't it?" he asked.
Genesis snorted but did not deny the comment "We can have this discussion after we get Kuro back he stated as he walked off. Back to where Hojo was in the lab.
"Well that could have gone better" Angeal stated.
"On that I can agree" Sephiroth agreed. "Though it was disconcerting to know that he had planned to desert" the white haired general commented.
"I know though I did not believe he would put that on hold just to find Kuro" Angeal replied.
"Genesis was jealous of me not Kuro" Sephiroth explained. "Remember we were all like older brother figures to him" Sephiroth reminded Angeal.
"You are right there thought I don't understand one thing" Angeal said.
"What is that?" Sephiroth asked.
"You remember when Hojo told us that he took Kuro from another world?" Angeal asked.
"Yes I do" Sephiroth answered. "It was saddening to know that he was not my brother by blood and that Hojo had lied to both him and myself about who our respective mother's were."
"I know it just got me thinking what happened to the family that lost him" Angeal asked. "I mean did Hojo ruin their lives by taking him away or was he already discarded as he had been told?"
"I try not to think about it" Sephiroth admitted. "Though Hojo doesn't know either but if we do find them I will let them have the first minute and a half with him."
Angeal couldn't help but look amused "You sure that would leave anything for the rest of us?" he asked.
"That is what the phoenix down is for" Sephiroth said holding said item in his grasp.
"What if he doesn't want to return?" Angeal asked the important question.
Sephiroth did not look concerned by this "We both Know Kuro even if he doesn't desire to return to us he will come back because duty and honour demand it from him"
Angeal nodded. "Though I wonder if the TURKS have been able to get that boy speaking, I heard that they were able to help him with his Mako poisoning though I am not sure how that is possible because no one is supposed to recover from that but anyway Perhaps we could go ask him, for all we know this Cloud Strife person might be a fan of yours and more willing to open up to you"
"I suppose it is worth a try" He agreed.
For Cloud Strife the last few days seemed to be blur, the boy was unsure whether he had been here for seconds, minutes, hours, days, months or years. Time for him seemed pass as every one of those yet none of them. This was due to the Mako poisoning he had suffered in the explosion. The people in the black suits who were called the TURKs were able to get a few minutes of of him being wholly aware but that was it at maximum of five minutes that they could keep him lucid for and no more, otherwise it as almost impossible for anyone to understand him.
"Are you sure about this" Cloud at the edge of his conciousness heard a man say. He didn't have the refined somewhat slippery edge that he had come to associate with the voices that belonged to the TURKs.
"We cannot afford to use it otherwise everyone in SHINRA will know" a much deeper voice said. Cloud was able to regain some sense of awareness after all who didn't know who that voice belonged to. If the General of SOLDIER actually decided to pay a visit to a nobody like him it would have been an immense honour. Though Cloud still thought he was dreaming he decided it might be good talk to them.
"Cloud Strife is it" the one who cloud thought might have been bulky and possessed black hair wielding an immensely oversized sword asked.
Cloud was able to respond with a weak and tired "yes."
"Did you have contact with SOLDIER first class Kuro before he disappeared." the one that sounded like his hero and looked like him asked.
Cloud managed to respond by nodding his head. Before saying weakly "yes"
"Were you with him" the black haired one asked. Another nod.
"What happened?" Sephiroth asked. "Please try to tell us" his hero asked.
Cloud tried to sit up straight in the hospital bed. The other Soldier caught him and prevented him from falling down "easy there" he said being as gentle as possible.
"He had taken me into the reactor, saying that he couldn't leave me out alone" he managed to say with great effort. His hero was asking him how could he let the man down. "He fixed the reactor and then I saw something written on what appeared to be a sealed off doorway."
"What was written that would attract Kuro's attention?" The black haired one asked.
"It read Jenova" Coud answered. "He said it was his ma's name." Cloud expanded.
"I see" Sephiroth or at least the one who resembled him Cloud's vision was abstract at best.
"He force his way inside" Cloud continued. "There was something hidden in there, he found it" Cloud shook violently with the memory of what he saw and what he experienced The Black haireed one had to hold him firmly to keep him from falling off. "It was terrifying Kuro asked why she had abandoned him and his brother, It was as if they were communicating" Cloud explaained. "Then he started to crush everything destroying it and he almost crushed me to I think"
"What happened then?" Sephiroth asked.
"Sirens alarms strted ringing" Cloud answered. "He picked me up and ran, as the explosion happened he covered me, trying to comfort me that we weren't going to die he said I would make a fine SOLDIER I didn't believe him."
Cloud sunk forward all his energy and will power for the moment expended. Angeal gently placed him into his bed "He's had it rough" Angeal stated.
"So that's why the reactor exploded" Sephiroth nodded as they made their exit.
"What is this Jenova, you originally thought she was both yours and Kuro's mother and I don't think Kuro talks to inanimate objects" Angeal asked.
"I don't know what I was able to gleam from some of the records here was that they believed originally that Jenova as an ancient" Sephiroth answered.
"That is past tense" Angeal noted.
"I don't know but the records here are incomplete, deliberately I must assume" Sephiroth answered.
"So what do we do know?" Angeal asked.
"I will stay here and maintain a close eye on Hojo" Sephiroth stated. "You and Genesis will go to the Mansion in Nibelheim and see if there is anything there that we can find out."
"That sound like a plan" Angeal stated. "Though we best hurry it won't be long before someone catches on to us."
"In that case don't take Genesis and take your SOLDIER second class Fair instead" Sephiroth answered.
"Yes it would look less suspicious if I had him with me" Angeal agreed. "Though how do I explain the situation with to him?"
"You will be going on official business, I believe Hojo may be more than willing to give you a reason" Sephiroth stated.
"Okay" Angeal answered knowing what he had to do.
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