In The Beginning

Chapter FOUR. Mission in sight.

"Does Angeal ever praise you?"
"Yeah!"

"When?"
"… Well, You know, when I've done something right, then he tells me, and when I've done something wrong, then he corrects me".

Sky and Zack were sitting on the rooftop of the ShinRa building. It had been a whole week since her first training with Genesis Rhapsodos. And things hadn't get any better.
The commander did nothing to hide his 'disgust' of her, and he was really getting on her nerves. But Sky was the master of hiding her feelings. She never showed how she felt about him.
She sure didn't like him. She thought he was arrogant, selfish and cold and she could go on.

Sky became more and more jealous of Zack. It seemed like he and commander Hewley was about to become friends.

Don't be jealous! This is not about getting friends; this is about becoming a 1st class SOLDIER.

"Do you want him to like you better?" Zack looked at her, and his question had completely caught her off-guard.

Did she? Did she really want him to like her? Did she need the acceptance?

"No, it doesn't matter, I don't care about what he thinks of me. I don't have to",

Sky couldn't help but think she was lying. She absolutely had no idea of why. Zack eyed her suspiciously. "It just sounds like, something is bothering you", he shrugged.

Sky thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, maybe, but It's just frustrating to know he doesn't like female SOLDIERS, and it feels like he's trying to make me quit"

Zack frowned. "That's mean!" He exclaimed. Sky couldn't agree more.

"But I do not quit, I will show him that I've sat my mark, and I intend to reach it, whatever happens".

Sky knew she sounded very confident. Too confident in fact. The last week she was beginning to doubt on herself, a little. Sky needed to know when she did something right.

She needed the praise, she really needed it.

Zack chuckled. "Oh Sky, sometimes you can be so lovely, stubborn, but lovely", Sky smiled slightly at her friend beside her. It didn't matter what Genesis thought about her, not as long as she had Zack.

Zack was important to her. He was the first person she had ever trusted. He was kind and always happy.

Sky had no wish of becoming friends with Genesis. She didn't trust him and she didn't like him. She had had enough experiences with men like him, in her life. BUT, it wasn't nice to have a mentor you couldn't count on.

Give it some time, let him discover your talent, let him praise you, let him trust in you.

Because deep inside of her heart Sky knew the truth. She would never be able to reach 1st class, if her own mentor didn't believe in her. She might be able, physical – but never mentally, not if she didn't had the support.

If she ever wanted Genesis' acceptance, she had to make him like her some more. She had to make him believe in her.

"You gotta be kidding me?"

"No, Genesis, I'm not and please, please don't make a scene".

Angeal spoke with a low voice. Him and Genesis sat in the mess hall for their lunch break.

The redhead sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Dammit Angeal! It's way too soon", Genesis stared at Angeal, waiting for him to agree. He did not, and Genesis frowned. "Why do you think they are not prepared?" Angeal asked. "Because, it has only been a week, for Gaia's sake, Skylar is not prepared for a mission in Wutai!"

"Please lower your voice, people are staring at you"

"And I give a shit, Angeal!" Genesis rose so quick, his chair toppled. "I'm going to see Lazard, see you later", with that he stormed out of the crowded mess hall, leaving his head-shaking friend behind.

She's going to be killed! I refuse to fight side by side with that girl on a damn mission! I refuse to sink so low! I refuse to make a fool out of myself! I refuse to go to Wutai with her!

…..

"You do not refuse anything! Next Thursday, you and Skylar stands on the rooftop, ready to take off with a plane, are that clear?" Lazard had not had very much patience with him lately. It seemed like Genesis could do nothing about it. He – the red commander – was forced to go to Wutai with his apprentice, who wasn't ready at all.

"But…" He began.

"Genesis! I do not want to waste my time arguing with you! I have important work to do, get out, and I don't want to hear a single word from you, the rest of the day! In fact – for the rest of the week"

"But…"

"NO! OUT! NOW!"

Genesis was literally pushed out the door, and had it smacked right in his face.

Damn you Lazard. Jump out from the rooftop and do us all a favor, will you?

Genesis held back a lot of swearing as he made his way towards the elevators. He probably looked like a thundercloud because no one dared enter the elevator he had occupied.

Good choice.

He kicked open his front door, to find Skylar sitting at the dining table with a homemade sandwich. She looked up, shocked, as a furious Genesis burst into the apartment.

Seeing her sit on his chair, by his table, in his apartment – made him even angrier.

He didn't give her time to say anything; he just strode off towards his bedroom and smacked the door – like a pouty five year old. Very mature.

For a minute he just stood on the floor with closed eyes, counting to 100. When he was sure he could handle to see Skylar and tell her about the upcoming mission, he returned to the living room.

The blonde girl looked at him in a questionable way.

"Sorry, I had a minor discussion with the director", he said.

Skylar just nodded.

"He is sending us on a mission, next Thursday already". The girl's head lifted immediately at the news. A ridiculously big smile cracked her cute face.

"Really? Where?" She asked, eagerly. Genesis resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Wutai".

Skylar beamed by now. "I've never been in Wutai before", Genesis looked at her.

"Well, there's a reason for that. We are normally not sending 3rd class SOLDIERs to Wutai, that's why you haven't been there", he said. "I suggest we train more and harder, before the mission, it's not going to be like any other missions you have performed before." Genesis' attitude right now was not angry or defensive – now he was being drop dead serious.

"In Wutai, there's no place you can ever feel safe".

"As you've learned as a cadet, our most important thing to master, is running.

Sometimes you can be attacked while being unarmed, you can loose your weapon, and if you can't improvise, then you have to run. 10 miles on the treadmill."

Sky did as she was told, without any objections.

"Straighten up! Or you will hurt your back and you have to take longer steps."

Sky did as she was told, again. It was important for her to show Genesis, that she was good, that she could stand the training. That he needed to support her.

And now, with her very first mission in Wutai coming up, she would get the chance. If she succeeds this mission well, Genesis has to report it to Lazard, and hopefully Genesis will begin to put his fate in her.

This is going to be so exciting! I can't wait to show him how I fight in the real world.

Truth be told, Sky hadn't had much experience on the battlefield at all but how hard could it be? If she just thought of that thing, she could handle it.

The anger, the sorrow, the pain – she just had to focus on that.

She was almost done running. She looked at Genesis. He looked at her too, but not in a way most of the other men did. Not at all. He looked at her puzzled, thoughtful and… impressed?

No, no, no. She had to be mistaken. That was impossible.

Genesis hated her. He couldn't be impressed.

Could he?

No he couldn't.

"Focus!"

Three hours later Genesis told her to stop training and sit down.

"It's important that you know, Wutai is nothing compared to Nibelheim or Banora. The enemy could be behind every tree or on any cliff top. Listen, you have to be very careful and do exactly what I say, do you understand?"

"Yes", she replied.

"The Wutaian ninjas are very fast and very cunning, it's very important that you react on every little sound." Genesis looked so serious, and for once – like he cared.

"I understand". Sky tried to look as engaged as she could. Genesis eyed her. "I don't think you do", he said.

"Wutai is hell on earth."

Sky swallowed. She wanted to scream at him. Scream that he was a big asshole, that she hated him. She just wanted to scream.

Why couldn't he just pretend to have a little fate in her?

And it became Thursday.

Genesis and Sky stood on the top of the ShinRa building, almost ready to go.

"The mission is to locate one of the secret bases of the H.R.W.S, also known as the "Highest ranked Wutaian Soldiers", Angeal and Zack will be there with you, the day after tomorrow. It's important that you do not attack the base, if you find it – only locate it, and when Angeal arrive, you are going to find out exactly how many they are, is that clear?" Lazard stood in front of them, wearing his ugly glasses. Genesis and Skylar nodded.

"And I assume that you have told Skylar about the terrain in Wutai?" He looked at Genesis who just nodded again, "I did, yes."

"Great, and remember, if anything bad happens, then call, alright?"

What is this? A school-trip or a 1st degrade mission?

"Of course, mommy", Genesis said sarcastically. The director ignored the comment. "Yeah Yeah, be careful and report back to me when you return, and remember this is a 1st degrade mission, and it's important for Skylar to see, how the 1st are working, which kind of missions you get, and how you deal with tough situations,"

"Yes, I understand,"

Genesis told Skylar to get onboard, and just as he was about to follow, Lazard grabbed his shoulder.

"I swear, if you do not look after your student, properly… Well, it wouldn't look good on your report, Rhapsodos", the man growled.

Genesis just stared back as he entered the plane and shut the door. He wasn't a 1st class SOLDIER for nothing, and if Lazard didn't trust him to be able to handle the mission – with a rookie – then he wouldn't have assigned him to take care of it. Genesis knew that.

Wonder how it goes in Wutai? :-D

let me know what you think please ^^

xx