And Chapter 6 is COMPLETE! *Victory Fanfare*

And it's only been like two weeks! I'm on a roll people!

So finally shit's beginning to happen; about time, am I right? Won't be too long now before that Seph/Zack you all came here for comes in full swing. Still, we got more to cover before then, so just keep bearing with me. Next chapter may not be so quick to come, sadly. That particualr part in the game, while bearing an importance in this story, was one part that had me so very, very bored. I'll definitely need Skiba's help on it.

Speaking of that dumb little cat, I must thank her some more for her editing and her motivation... and her dealing with my emotional shit.

Well, here's the important stuff.

Warnings: Violence, language, some tension

Pairings: None...

As always, I love getting reviews, and I'm grateful for all of them. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!

Don't own it!

Now let's get on with this!

SOLDIERs were required to be familiar with the layout of Midgar's mako reactors; they were the source of the city's power and vital for the function of nearly everything used by the populace. It would be no surprise, then, that any damage inflicted upon one was a potential threat to the company, and SOLDIERs were responsible for suppressing any major threats, including attacks on the reactors.

Zack had never ventured so deep into the innards of one before, but he knew from his training that they all followed a similar basic layout. When he could not find Sephiroth in the upper levels of Reactor 5, he went further down until he was close to what he believed was its core. It was nothing but pipes and grating, all of it bathed in the eerie green of mako, but there was no Sephiroth in sight.

He looked around for any sign of the silver-haired man, but he found none. Making his way forward, it didn't take long before he felt the hairs on the back of neck stand and heard the distinct sound of movement from above. He looked just in time to see a monster drop down in front of him. Zack quickly took note of the creature's shell and the distinct weapon it brandished, recognizing it as a Sahagin. However, while it was nearly identical in overall build, it was of a very different color.

Zack didn't dwell on this long; a monster was a monster, and the fact that it was lurking in the reactor was all the more reason to take it out. He readied his sword just as it leapt into the air to attack, dodging as it landed and slashing at it. It proved to be faster than average as well, managing to avoid the full brunt of his attack and only sustaining a minor wound. Angered, it attacked again, rushing toward him.

At least it isn't that much smarter.

He killed it with a well placed slash to its front, watching it fall forward in a heap, its blood dripping through the grating. Standing over it, he looked it over, taking in the odd feathers on its shoulders and wrists, the strangeness of its color, the ornate etching of a face atop its head—

A face?

He knelt down by the dead monster to get a closer look. There was indeed a face etched into the top of the monster's head—a frighteningly familiar face.

"Is that Angeal's face?"

Zack gaped at the sight of his mentor's face, and barely took notice of calculated footfalls as they approached.

"It appears Genesis isn't the only one who can be copied." He looked up at the sound of Sephiroth's voice and watched him as he passed, stopping a small distance away.

They were both silent, Sephiroth's back to him, while Zack stared at him with a furrowed brow. Zack was also slightly aware of the way his eyes seemed to wander over the tall man's frame, and he averted his eyes when that strange stirring in his gut started again. He bit back a growl of frustration at himself and just waited to see if Sephiroth would say anything further, hoping he receive orders so he could finally go off and get something accomplished.

"The company training room…"

Zack's brow furrowed in confusion, and he looked back up to the man, unsure of what to make of those words.

"Hm?"

"We used to sneak in there for fun, when the Seconds were out," Sephiroth said. "Genesis, Angeal, and I."

Zack eyed him thoughtfully for a moment, noting the way his gaze seemed to soften. Inwardly, he was surprised when he saw Sephiroth's lips turn up in a very slight smile.

"You guys were pretty tight."

The smile faded.

"Humph. I wonder…"

He then began recounting a story of the three of them. Listening to Sephiroth speak, Zack could not help but notice a change in him. As he continued to rouse old memories, Zack noted the way his body seemed to relax: his shoulders sunk just the slightest, a not-so-evident tension melted away, and his gaze and face softened. The man's body language became more fluid, less calculated, more natural, and it was quite a sight to see.

However, Zack was most captivated by the man's voice.

In the short time he'd known Sephiroth, he always seemed to speak only when absolutely necessary and in as few words as possible. But there was something in his voice that made a shiver go down Zack's spine—the same as nearly anything else the man did. He had no idea what it was about the man that made his heart race and his body grown warm, but that deep baritone sound every time he spoke definitely played a part in it. For the man to say so much, it gave Zack the chance to really hear him, to hear the inflection of his voice, how clearly every word was said, and the perfect enunciation of every syllable. He honestly didn't know of anyone else who could speak so perfectly. However, just like his very movements, Sephiroth's speech was just as carefully calculated, his tone of voice never betraying anything.

This time, Zack could hear the emotion, even though it was still partially veiled. He could hear the fondness clear as day as Sephiroth talked of the two people he seemed to care about most. He felt a strange flutter when that small smile graced lips that he was pretty sure he was staring at for longer than was proper. That voice lost an edge that Zack hadn't been aware of until it was gone, and it only made Zack's attention deviate further from the actual words Sephiroth seemed to be saying.

He was fucking gorgeous, and for a brief moment all those lecherous thoughts renewed their collective assault on his mind, but he was just too engrossed in the man to be annoyed or distressed.

Sephiroth's brow furrowed just the slightest when he talked of Genesis sustaining an injury. He almost looked… guilty.

"So was everything all right?" he asked, the slightest crease present on his brow.

"Yes, as far as Genesis was concerned," Sephiroth said. "But as for Angeal…"

His eyebrows rose. "Angeal? What happened?"

Whatever concern he felt seemed to ease at the sound of an almost silent chuckle.

"Later, I received one of his famous lectures."

Zack resisted the slightest urge to laugh. "About what?"

"Always the same," Sephiroth answered fondly. "Discipline, dreams, honor, et cetera…"

Zack did chuckle at that; he could certainly agree with Sephiroth in that regard, having received his fair share of those same talks from the man.

"Ah, one of those, huh?" He felt a smile of his own tug at his lips just briefly.

It was just the slightest bit strange to hear Sephiroth admit to being lectured. He seemed so far above that, but hearing him speak of it, hearing him speak of his close friends, hearing the emotion he let seep into his words… it made him seem so human. His gaze strayed down to the copy at his feet as they lapsed into silence. He looked at the face of his mentor etched in the creature's skull, the face of one of Sephiroth's only friends, and his fist clenched.

Suddenly he heard the sound of calculated footsteps and simply stood and he moved away from the corpse. Zack could somehow sense that Sephiroth had stopped in the spot he previously occupied. He leaned against the rail and peered into the glowing green below, losing himself in thought.

"So it's true," he heard Sephiroth say. "They're in league with Hollander."

There was something in the man's voice that Zack couldn't quite place.

"How could this happen?" Zack said to himself.

Something had caused Angeal and Genesis to desert, to leave their good friend behind. He turned his head to see Sephiroth walking away, most likely deeper still into the reactor. He watched the man move, eyes traveling across his form, from his broad shoulders and down, noting the way his long hair seemed to glide behind him. He noticed with some fascination the very slight sway of his hips and shuddered before looking away; he shouldn't have been gazing at the man like that.

He let his mind drift back just a short while before, letting Sephiroth's voice replay in his mind. To hear him speak of his friends—especially Angeal—as he did only served to harden Zack's resolve to get them back them back. There was another who cared about Angeal as much as he did, who wanted to get him back just as much. The fact that it was Sephiroth only made it matter all the more, though he could not place why that was. But that didn't matter to him—all he cared about now was getting Angeal and Genesis back.

Zack pushed himself off the rail, his face set in a newfound determination. He was going to bring Angeal back; no matter the cost, he'd bring the man back and things would be all right again. Still…

"Angeal…" he muttered to himself. "What is it you're up to?"

o0o

Sephiroth was still able to hear the younger First quite clearly and couldn't help but ask the same question. While he didn't like to think it, Genesis betraying Shinra had not been much of a surprise to him. The man sought to be acknowledged, he wanted to be known. Sephiroth would not have been surprised if this entire ordeal was a ploy to get the recognition Genesis thought he was due. Angeal, however, was a different case entirely. The man lived by his codes, for his honor. Betraying those he had been bound to protect went against what he stood for, and it confused and troubled Sephiroth deeply.

He leaned against the wall and watched as Fair walked away from the copy as it was beginning to dissolve. Seeing how deeply disturbed the young man had been after he returned from Banora, seeing him blame himself so harshly when he'd come into the office, Sephiroth nearly regretted sending the then Second on the mission. However, it had shown him that Fair cared for Angeal just as much as he did, if not more. He felt he'd made the right decision in having him come along, even if he questioned his judgment on the first assignment.

However, there was still the problem of finding the reason why Angeal had gone, much less joined Hollander, but he was sure that coming to the reactor had been the best course of action. Having seen the infestation of the peculiar monsters, Sephiroth was confident that they were being developed somewhere inside, there being almost no plausible way to lead them in and there being no way they could have wandered in; in either case, the defenses set up throughout the reactor would have detected the intruders and destroyed them.

He looked up when he heard the sound of boots on grating to see Fair approaching. He noted a subtle and very brief quake in the younger man's form when their eyes met, which perplexed him. However, there was no time to dwell on it.

"Apparently, Hollander has set up a lab down below," he said. "We may be able to find information regarding Angeal's whereabouts there."

Fair nodded, and ran ahead.

o0o

Reaching the door leading to their target destination proved to be too easy, so Sephiroth wasn't surprised when he looked above the steel door and found both lights darkened. He stared at the dimmed lights for a moment, his mind turning. The door was inactive, no longer receiving the power it required to function. But why was the power cut in the first place?

He sensed Fair approaching behind him but paid little heed to him.

"It appears this door is not being powered," he said, almost to himself. "It's power source is mako."

Nearly everything in Midgar was mako-powered, and it was an obvious conclusion that anything requiring power in a mako reactor would use the energy it generated. He took a measured step to his right, looking down to the lowest level, spotting reactor core's main valve. If the door wasn't being powered, then the valve must have been closed. Their first course of action would then be to open it.

He turned his head to look at the younger man.

"Fair, open the main valve on the lowest level," he ordered. "That should restore the power."

It was best that he remain near the doorway when it reactivated. There was no telling what was waiting for them behind it, but what could be within? While the reactors had a great deal of machinery comprising them, there wasn't much else. Could there really be a lab hidden here? And if so, why? How? A mako reactor's defenses were some of the highest; he could not see how Hollander could have managed to infiltrate and set up a functioning lab inside one.

Even if the lab had been made, there couldn't be much to it. The spaces within the deeper areas of the reactors were small and limited; whatever equipment Hollander managed to get his hands on, it couldn't have been much. However, the presence of a lab was the only explanation for this sudden infestation of monsters, these monsters clearly being copies.

So if a lab had been assembled, that would explain why the door was not being powered. It added a small additional defense, preventing the lab from being discovered. The most monsters were concentrated in the immediate core and around the main valve, likely to prevent anyone from restoring the power. But once the power was restored, what then? Hollander likely knew what he was dealing with, and additional defenses would likely be set up beyond. It could have additional copies or Shinra weaponry...

What if it was Genesis? Or Angeal?

He almost hoped he wouldn't have to face either of them, especially the more moral-driven of the two. At the thought of his more level headed friend, his gaze shifted to Fair's figure and all other thoughts seemed to just… suddenly stop.

Odd. That never happened, especially in the middle of a mission.

Nevertheless, Sephiroth found himself strangely drawn to the young First, watching him cross the catwalks. Lately, the youth seemed to invade his thoughts from time to time, especially following the Banora mission he'd assigned to him. And every time Sephiroth thought of him, he could not overlook the subtle, unfamiliar feeling that welled up inside him. He was never able to understand or even identify what that feeling was; it was fleeting and so very mild, but it was there nonetheless, strong enough for him to perceive but just below the surface and out of his reach.

As he watched Fair, he felt that feeling well up again, like a strange tingle in his spine. Only this time the feeling was a bit stronger, keeping his mind empty of all other thought and focused on the other. It had been there when they were both in Lazard's office as well, but he'd managed to keep it suppressed in the presence of the Director. So why was he suddenly unable to keep it at bay in the middle of a mission, a grave mission nonetheless?

He followed Fair closely with his eyes as he reached the core valve. He watched him turn the wheel and took note of the glow that traveled across the metal of the pipes, indicating the restored flow of mako. It was enough to return his thoughts to normal, the mission once again taking the forefront of his mind, and he turned to the inactive door.

Sephiroth nodded inwardly when one of the lights illuminated green, indicating the door was not only reactivated, but it was not locked. He found that quite fortunate; it meant one less hassle to deal with. Fair did not take long to return, Sephiroth picking up his heavy footsteps not long after he'd turned away to reexamine doorway. He spared a brief glance to him, nodding shortly.

"Let's go."

o0o

As he expected, the lab was assembled in a limited space. As he descended the steps, he took note of its crude arrangement. There were three pods most commonly seen within Shinra's main lab, notes strewn about in various locations. A cot was also present, placed in a corner. Hollander had likely been there for some time; that could have explained why there were so many monsters in the reactor core despite the limited number of pods in use to develop them.

Sephiroth strode up to one of them, looking into the bright green of the mako it housed. He saw a figure floating limply inside and nearly cringed in disgust.

"A wretched sight…"

He turned his back to the pod, and searched nearby for any documents. Some had been placed on the pod's control panel, and he took them up and began to read. The sound of Fair's footsteps met his ears; he was fairly sure the youth was inspecting the pod when he heard the barely restrained gasp.

"One of those monsters is inside," Fair seemed to muse aloud.

After a few moments, he felt the other come closer, feeling those eyes on his back. He could see him come up to his side in the corner of his vision, but he paid little mind to him.

"What's that you're reading?" Fair finally asked.

Sephiroth made a thoughtful noise before speaking. "These are… highly confidential documents that Hollander stole."

He glanced briefly around the small space—it was a poor excuse of a facility, really—searching for any more readily-visible documents. There appeared to be a few others in his immediate line of sight, but there were likely other hidden, or so he would expect from a scientist formally employed with Shinra.

"Confidential?" Fair asked, and Sephiroth only nodded.

He had learned that the documents contained information regarding Project G, degradation, and the Ancients, but he saw little need to disclose such information to the other. The Science Department would no doubt desire to have these documents returned with as few people as possible knowing what they contained. From what little he observed of Fair, the young man would likely harbor little interest in scientific work; the only important thing would be to locate them and have them returned to Shinra.

"Several similar documents have likely been left here," he said, turning to look at Fair. "Search this area carefully."

Fair nodded, and Sephiroth watched him begin to diligently search. He returned to his own document after a few moments, unable to keep a small smirk from his face at the sight of the other's bewildered expression. He would hear him mutter words and phrases to himself, seeming to try and understand the documents. It didn't concern him whether Fair read them or not; he bore a certain disdain for the Science Department as it was, so their confidentiality was not his problem.

As he read, his thoughts drifted to back to his friends, Genesis in particular. He honestly wasn't as concerned about getting Genesis back; the endeavor would likely be much easier. He was very nearly certain that what made his friend defect was mere envy, anger at not receiving what he believed he deserved… much like Hollander. While he would have liked to think his friend would not fall to such a low, knowing what made his friend abandon the company would make it easier to bring him back.

Angeal on the other hand…

Sephiroth could not begin to think of what made Angeal leave. He was not so petty as to envy another for fame… fame someone didn't desire in the first place. It only baffled him more that he had teamed with Hollander, whose actions went against everything Angeal stood for. It would not be nearly as simple getting Angeal to return—he just knew it.

He continued to stare at the document in his hands, heedless of the words. His mind turned as he thought of how he and Fair would get his friends to return. He could likely deal with Genesis, but he'd brought Fair with him for Angeal's sake. He still believed that the younger First would be able to convince Angeal to return, and, after seeing how badly he took the likely inevitable failure, he wanted to allow Fair to have a second chance at getting his mentor back.

"'Degradation," he heard Fair mutter to himself, most likely trying to make sense of it. "'SOLDIER Type G?'"

Sephiroth glanced to Fair at the sound of his voice, noticing the man looking down in confusion. "This is all so confusing," he muttered, and Sephiroth resisted an urge to smirk.

"It was before Genesis deserted," Sephiroth began, watching as Fair looked back at him. "His wound was superficial, but for some reason, Genesis wasn't healing."

Fair made a slight noise, but he barely noticed, his mind beginning to wander yet again—odd that it happened so often as of late. He thought back to the day Genesis was to get his treatment; he'd felt a great deal of guilt at having contributed to his friend's injury.

"Did he get any help?" he heard Fair ask.

He nodded. "Yes. The man who treated him was… Hollander." There was distaste in his voice upon saying the scientist's name.

He and Angeal had learned of a forced imbalance in Genesis' body. Mako energy had entered his wound, and somehow prevented it from healing. He'd required a transfusion, and Sephiroth had been more than willing to be the donor. He couldn't deny that it hurt for Hollander to turn him away, and it hurt more when Angeal left him alone with his guilt.

"Why couldn't I be the donor?"

"Hmn…?"

He ignored the questioning sound and turned musingly to the pod, staring into the glowing green.

"A SOLDIER Type G…"

"What is that exactly?" Zack asked. "Is that… Genesis?"

Sephiroth only nodded.

"A SOLDIER Type G is an end result of Project G," Sephiroth began. "Project G gave birth to the man we know as Genesis."

"Project G…?"

"Project Genesis."

He lifted the report in his hands, glancing over it. He could feel a slight tension building on his brow.

"Contrary to this report, Genesis showed clear signs of change."

"Degrading?" Zack asked, the confusion in his voice melting away as Sephiroth continued to explain.

"Not only that," Sephiroth answered with a slight shake of his head.

"…Copies?" Less a question, and more a confirmation.

He nodded wordlessly, looking once again into the pod. The copy floated lifelessly in its glowing prison, and he felt a surge of anger well up inside him.

"Abominations," he nearly snarled.

It wasn't often that he felt this way; he'd learned to keep his emotions in check to the point that he could almost no longer experience them. But as of late, his control had been slipping just the slightest. The mere sight of this limp creature filled him with a sick rage, only made worse with the knowledge that it was created from one of his best friends.

"S-Sephiroth!"

He heard Fair make a surprised noise and whip around to face the source of the voice. He himself turned much more slowly meeting the gaze of the scientist he knew would be there.

"Hollander." The venom in his voice was masked with a slight distaste. "I thought I'd find you here."

Out of the corner of his vision, he caught Fair glaring at the defected scientist with the very near hatred he wished he could show. He thought back to the impulsive way Fair had spoken to him… on several occasions and hoped he wouldn't act on impulse and attack. While Sephiroth would be content to know that one less Shinra scientist existed, the man they were confronted with had information they would need… and Shinra likely would want him detained.

He turned his focus back to Hollander and nearly scowled at the arrogant smirk on his face.

"The degradation process," he started, the smirk only growing. "Only I can stop it."

And suddenly, it all became clear. He understood why Genesis left and felt shame claw at him. He'd known that the injury had been a sign of degradation; however, he'd always thought that after his treatment, his friend had been fine. It seemed that he had been wrong, and Genesis was still degrading.

If what Hollander said was true, and he was the only one capable of halting the process, or had at least led Genesis to believe it, then… How could he have so grossly underestimated the situation? Genesis wasn't just rebelling out of some angry jealousy. He was doing Hollander's bidding, helping the man get his petty revenge for the sake of saving himself.

What a fool he was for thinking so lowly of his friend.

There was a strange rustling sound from above, and he could sense a presence as it dropped down from the air. Near silently, a familiar figure clad in red, framed with an unfamiliar black appendage, dropped in front of the two SOLDIER Firsts. He couldn't stop himself but focusing on the wing; he'd read of it in Fair's mission report, but to see it in person… it made his stomach turn. His muscles tensed in anticipation, but he hoped he would not be forced into a fight. While he did enjoy combat with Genesis, this time would be vastly different.

"Genesis."

The auburn-haired man only tilted his head at his name and in a flash pointed his sword at Sephiroth's throat. His gaze only flicked briefly to the crimson blade before he gazed evenly back at his friend.

Genesis only smirked, his wing lifting to hide Hollander from their sight. Strange, how he seemed to want to protect the man; Sephiroth had know his friend to actually harbor some venom towards him.

"You won't take Hollander."

Almost immediately Hollander bolted towards the exit. Uncaring of the blade at his neck, he turned to face the younger SOLDIER off to his side.

"Fair! Go after Hollander!"

The young didn't hesitate, something Sephiroth was glad for, nodding before giving chase. Genesis did nothing to stop him, turning his body in a flurry of feathers and red leather to allow the youth to pass.

In moments it was just the two of them, Fair having chased Hollander from the lab. With another tilt of his head, Genesis let his blade fall to his side, and he approached at a leisurely pace. His eyes strayed to the black wing for just another moment, but Genesis did not seem to notice it. There was a deep seated distress in him at the sight of the appendage, and he found himself wishing it were not there. All he could think of were the monsters in the tanks, and it hurt to be struck with even the slightest of notion of believing that Genesis was... one of them.

"There is no hate, only joy; For you are beloved by the Goddess," he recited. "Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds."

He could almost feel the heat of his friend's body as he brushed passed him, and he could not help but shake his head. It was no surprise that Genesis would choose a time like this to recite from his favorite piece of literature.

"LOVELESS again? You never change." He did not bother to turn and face the man. Genesis would not attack him with his back turned; he would much prefer to overtake Sephiroth in a fair fight, and the idea of doing any less would be insulting.

"Three friends go into battle," Genesis began, heedless of Sephiroth's words. "One is captured, one flies away. The one that remains becomes a hero."

Sephiroth only shook his head at this; he'd heard it a thousand times. "A common story."

"If we were to enact it," he said, "would I be the one to play the hero, or would you?"

This again, then? He wasn't surprised, though he'd hoped Genesis had abandoned such childish envy. He turned to face the other, seeing that he too had his back turned.

"It's all yours," he said with just the slightest contempt.

"Indeed," said Genesis. "After all… your glory should have been mine."

"How petty…" He turned away. Perhaps he had not been so wrong after all…

Sephiroth only wished for Genesis to understand that if he could, he would gladly relinquish the fame he so coveted. His friend knew not of the pain, the suffering he'd endured as he was forced to become what he was. The acclaim, the mindless worship… he had no desire for such things, but he was forced to embrace it, to embrace his role as the hero he did not wish to be.

"In hindsight, perhaps." Genesis turned with the distinct noise of fluttering feathers. "Now, what I want most… is the 'Gift of the Goddess.'"

Sephiroth turned at this, fixing him with a challenging stare. Inwardly, though, he was perplexed at Genesis's words… what could he possibly mean by that?

His friend only fixed him with his usual arrogant smirk.

o0o

"He won't get away! Not before he tells me where Angeal is!"

Zack repeated that same thought over and over in his head as he chased Hollander through the large steel corridors. He wasn't fast by any means, nowhere near as fast as a trained SOLDIER operative, but for some reason, Zack was unable to capture him. The scientist always seemed to keep himself just out of Zack's reach, and whenever he got close enough, a group of those damned copies seemed to be conveniently waiting around the bend to ambush him.

After several repeats of getting ambushed, Zack was very much fed up.

"How in Ifrit's Hell is some fat fucking nerd able to outrun me?" he all but seethed to himself and he continued to give chase.

Once he managed to chase Hollander into a more open area, Zack noticed the scientist beginning to tire out. He smirked to himself—he was still able to run at full speed—and quickened his pace, hoping to finally catch the man. There was no way he would fail again, no way.

When he was almost ready to grab at the man's coat, Hollander rounded a corner sharply, Zack cursing when the man was no longer in reach. However, his frustration boiled over into anger when three rogue Shinra weapons cut him off from any further pursuit.

"Gods-dammit, stop meddling in my business!" he snarled, readying his sword and charging.

One of these robots was frustrating enough. Two of them were annoying. However, three were just infuriating! To make matters worse, all three of them were relatively well-armed and well-armored, making it difficult for him to damage their more essential parts. It took a lot of careful maneuvering to keep away from the poison gas, the saw blades, and the missiles, and he found himself doing almost all dodging and little attacking. Finally, he'd had enough, and while it was certainly reckless, he had a job to do—and extermination wasn't it.

After he finally destroyed the mechs, he rushed in the direction he knew Hollander had gone. Stupidly, the man had not taken much advantage of the ambush, allowing Zack to catch up to him, backing him into a dead end.

As the scientist desperately stumbled away from him, his anger faded. Face to face with the man that seemed to be the cause of all the turmoil, Zack only grew just the slightest bit desperate. He didn't want to hurt someone who couldn't defend themselves, and Hollander knew where Angeal was; all Zack wanted was to find Angeal, he just wanted his mentor, his friend—Sephiroth's friend—to come back.

"Hollander, do you understand what you're doing?" Zack asked almost urgently.

The scientist would not answer him, continuing to cower away from him. He was finally able to stumble to his feet and retreat just a few more paces, before Zack's sight of him was blocked by large silver barrier. Wait…

He stopped dumbfounded, his mind trying to wrap around what he was seeing. It was a blade, an enormous one, but more importantly, a familiar one.

The Buster Sword.

He watched as Hollander turned tail and fled, and he felt an anger well up inside.

"Working for Hollander now?" he asked, unable to keep the venom out of his voice.

He turned his head; though he could not see through the steel support between them, he gazed where he was sure his mentor was standing. Zack could practically envision the man behind the metal, standing straight and tall, holding the massive Buster Sword in a strong grip. He so much wanted to be happy to finally see his mentor again, and a small part of him was. But he could not help but fear the reason why the man had left, and he wanted… no, he needed to find out.

"What is it you're after?"

"World domination."

Zack scowled. "That's not even funny, man."

"How about… revenge?"

He watched the blade retreat behind the support and he walked closer, turning his gaze around the corner. Finally, he faced Angeal. He noticed something different about him. The man's face was hardened; his brow creased just the slightest, as if he were… troubled by something. However, Zack put more focus on the man's words.

Revenge?

"For what?" he asked aloud, watching as the man walked away from him, seeming to avoid looking at him.

Strange… Angeal never hesitated to meet someone's gaze. It was part of what made him so trustworthy; he was honest, and the fact that he could look anyone in the eyes just reinforced this fact. Zack felt a strange turning in his gut when Angeal refused to even look at him.

The man just continued to walk away, saying nothing further, and Zack had to resist the urge to rush after him, grab him as he'd done in Banora, and demand an answer from him. He settled for calling after the man, hoping he'd at least stop, maybe finally talk, explain. When he did come to a stop, he said nothing, did not even move. He just stood, his back to the younger First.

Just as Zack was about to act on his impulse and approach him, a flurry of brilliant white all but burst from his mentor's back, and he froze, words dying on his tongue with a barely-masked gasp. He stared in absolute awe at the new appendages, the wings—wings, like Genesis's one—the feathers so pure white, they almost seemed to glow all on their own.

They were… beautiful.

Zack just stared at them, watching stray feathers float gracefully to the ground. He almost wanted to pluck them all from the air so they would not become dirty.

"I've become… a monster," Angeal muttered, finally turning to face him. He gave his reasoning in an even tone, as if discussing the weather. "A monster's objective is usually world domination or revenge."

Zack snapped out of his trance at the sound of Angeal's voice, and once he registered when his mentor had said, things seemed to come together. He felt he had a better understanding of why he left, but it said nothing of his true motives, if anything, it seemed as if Angeal himself did not know what his intention were. He felt a pang in his heart at the idea of his mentor being so lost like that.

Monster? How did Angeal believe that something as beautiful as that wing made him a monster.

The same way you believed it…

If people had wings… they'd be monsters. His stomach twisted in guilt at his words. He could not blame his mentor for feeling that way, when he had felt that way himself at one point. He was only glad to have been proven wrong; now it was time to prove Angeal wrong. He approached the man purposefully, confidently.

"You're wrong, Angeal." He spoke with as much conviction as he could muster. "Those aren't the wings of a monster."

Angeal's eyes only narrowed and he seemed to be holding back a scoff. "Well then, what are they?"

As if by some sense, the larger wing, shifted, sending a few more feathers flying. Zack stopped just a short distance away, holding out his hand, allowing one of them to land gently in his palm. He looked at it for a moment, the black of his glove only making it seem all the brighter, if that were possible.

He looked up again and met Angeal's gaze without hesitation.

When I was a kid, I always wanted wings, Cissnei's voice repeated in his mind. You know, like an angel.

"They're angel's wings."

He saw some of the tension leave Angeal's face, but it was a far cry from what Zack had hoped. His mentor looked away from him, his eyes narrowed further, and worry began to pool in Zack's stomach.

"I see," he said, as if he did not believe Zack's words. "Then what should an angel fight for, Zack?"

Zack remained quiet, not sure of how to answer. Angeal's brow furrowed and his expression became one of almost anger.

"What do angel's dream of?"

Still, Zack had no answer. The two merely stood in silence, their gazes never faltering. Then Angeal lifted the massive Buster Sword, spun it in his hand, and let the blade stab into the metal near his feet. Zack then watched as the man approached him, and he began to step back, unsure of what Angeal planned to do. He'd once thought that he could understand the man, his actions quite predictable according to his strict code. But now, Zack had no idea what, if any, code the man followed and had no idea what to expect from him.

"Angels dream of one thing," Angeal said, his voice bearing the same conviction as Zack's had.

"Please, tell me." All Zack wanted was to help him, and if Angeal knew something, maybe it would help Zack in his endeavor.

Both of them slowly came to a halt, and Angeal's eye flickered to the ground for just a moment. His face grew solemn, almost resigned. Zack just waited, silently imploring him to continue.

"…To be human."

Zack had no time to react, no time to even form an answer in his mind before a fist slammed into his gut. He hadn't even seen the man move! The air was all but forced from his body, and he could only make a choked noise of pain as the force of the blow sent him soaring several feet back. He hit the metal with a grunt, his body continuing to roll further until his body came to a stop on grating rather than solid ground. Gripping his stomach, he struggled to his feet, clearing the fog from his vision and trying to ignore the intense ache. He lifted his fist in a defensive gesture, in case the man intended to land another blow; however after a moment, he let his arms fall limp at his sides.

"Defend yourself!" Angeal ordered harshly, and Zack could only smile at him, shaking his head.

There was no reason to fight him. Whatever Angeal intended to do, Zack would not fight him; he understood him and what had made him abandon Shinra, and he saw no reason to resolve the conflict through violence, even if that's what the man wanted. For the first time since his early days in Shinra, Zack would not obey his mentor's orders, and in the back of his mind, he hoped he was making the right decision.

Suddenly, Angeal brought up his hand, a glow of energy surrounding it. Zack instantly braced himself, standing his ground, even as Angeal cried out in a fury, sending the powerful spell his way. He tried to block the full force of it, the blast knocking him back a step, but that became the least of his problems.

A sharp creaking rasp of metal screeched out from below as the grating collapsed beneath him; without so much as a second to react, he cried out and reached upward in desperation for something, anything to hold on to.

All he knew was that he was falling—and far.