Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy or anything affiliated with it. The rights to it belong solely to their respective owners.
Ch.12 Hollander
When Zack and I finally entered the reactor, we were immediately set upon by a strange monster. It looked like a Sahagin, but it was all white in color, there was something strange about its face. Before I could get a closer look and figure out what, the beast charged at us and raised it trident. When it swung down at Zack he easily blocked it, and countered with Thundara. The voltage spread through the watery beast and it hissed in pain, jabbing at Zack. He jumped back to avoid it and the Sahagin swung at me, and I drew Potentia to block. Rather than cast a spell I countered with an upwards strike, cutting he monster across the chest. It screamed and was about to jab at me when I twisted to the side, grabbing its trident and wrenching it out of the monster's hands.
The beast turned to look at me and I froze, now close enough to see what was wrong with its face. That was the face of… Before I could finish my thought the Sahagin screeched gain and bit into my right shoulder, causing me to shout in pain. Zack came running up and cast Fira, blasting the beast with a pair of fireballs. Even then it didn't loosen its hold, and bit harder. I gritted my teeth and raised its trident with my left hand. Flipping it over in my hand, I called "Feel your own weapon, asshole!" I yelled, before stabbing the Sahagin in the back. It froze and Zack cast Blizzara, dropping a large block of ice and the trident and sending it even further in. The beast went limp, and I threw away its trident before prying it from my shoulder. Once that was taken care of I cast Cure on the wound, healing it.
"What's wrong, Jace? Why did you freeze up like that?" Zack asked. I pointed at the Sahagin with my sword, saying "Look." Zack did, and jumped, taking a step back. "Is that… Angeal's face?" he asked. I nodded. That was why I had frozen. It had been a regular Sahagin… with Angeal's face. From behind I could footsteps and turned, seeing Sephiroth approach. "It appears Genesis isn't the only one that can be copied," he stated. I looked at monster. So Angeal's genetic traits could be copied as well? But the only way that could be done was with the technology that Hollander had stolen. Was Angeal… with Hollander? Then Sephiroth suddenly gasped, and said "The company training room." "What about it?" Zack asked. "We used to sneak in there for fun when the 2nds were out. Genesis, Angeal and I," he told us.
I looked at him. "The three of you were pretty close, huh?" I commented. "Hmm. I wonder…" he replied, looking up and closing his eyes.
The three of them were indeed in the training room, which was creating a simulated version of Junon. The three of them were on top of the Sister Ray cannon, and while Sephiroth stood part of way onto the cannon itself Genesis and Angeal were leaning against a rail. "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wondering soul knows no rest," Genesis said aloud, reading from a book. Sephiroth turned around. "'LOVELESS'. Act 1," he said. Genesis smiled, saying "So you remembered." Sephiroth smiled as well. "How can I, when you've beaten it into my head?" he asked, tapping said head. Genesis grunted, and stood. He drew his rapier while Angeal held up a standard SOLDIER sword.
Sephiroth held his Masamune to his side, and Angeal warned Genesis "Don't take Sephiroth lightly." "Humph, noted," Genesis replied, both of them charging. They jumped and swung at the same time, but Sephiroth blocked them both easily. While Genesis moved back Angeal kept attacking, holding his sword with both hands. Sephiroth was manipulating his weapon with just one hand, and swung it with exact precision. Angeal swung upwards and he moved to the side. Just then Genesis swung again from behind Sephiroth and he turned, stopping him but also placing Angeal behind him. The two struck from both sides but he was able to keep up, spinning and blocking when needed. They both charged at once but Sephiroth held back both of their sword with his.
Their fight progressed all across the top of the Sister Ray, and while Angeal swung and slammed his sword against the ground in front of Sephiroth Genesis moved to jumped from behind him, corkscrewing through the air and striking. Angeal came for a frontal assault but was instantly blocked, and Sephiroth smirked. "Is that the best you can do he asked?" he asked. Angeal frowned and disengaged, moving back. The two sides stared at each, Angeal saying "All hail Sephiroth, eh?" Out of the blue Genesis held in his arm in front of Angeal. "Angeal, stay back. I'll take Sephiroth alone," he said. "Genesis," Angeal said in surprise. Said 1st held his hand to his rapier. The glyphs along it lit up, glowing with power. "The world needs a new hero," Genesis proclaimed.
"Come and try," Sephiroth said, confident. Genesis looked away. "So smug. But for how long?" he asked, looking forward and attacking. Genesis swung and Sephiroth blocked, but this time he was placing a lot more force behind his blows. Such was proven when one strike was powerful enough that it caused the metal they were on to dent, making a crater. Each time they blades met sparks and motes of energy flew in every direction, either of them letting up. Genesis swung diagonally and was shoved back, Sephiroth now taking the offensive. He swung twice more and sent him back each time, before Genesis leaped into the air. Sephiroth jumped with him and the two fought into midair, exchanging blows with blistering speed.
Sephiroth was able to hit Genesis and sent him back down, although not hitting the ground. Genesis bared his teeth angrily and his free hand began glowing with power. He swung three times and sent out three waves of meteors, all of them flying upwards. Most of them missed while Sephiroth cut through a few, and once they had all passed Genesis swung his arm again, and they all came flying back down. Caught in the middle of them Sephiroth was quickly overwhelmed, enveloped in a ball of fire. Genesis readied to deal the finishing blow when Angeal appeared in front of him. "Stop! You'll destroy us all!" he warned. But then he placed his hand on Angeal's face, saying "That's no way to talk to a hero!" He unleashed the spell and it exploded, sending Angeal flying as he plummeted below them.
Above the ball of fire burst apart as Sephiroth swung three times, sending out three waves of energy. Genesis blocked one while another missed, and the third sliced right through Sister Ray, cutting off a section. He landed back on the cannon and leaped backwards, avoiding a hit as another section was cut off. Sephiroth landed on that section and stared at Genesis as he fell out of sight. After a few seconds though he came back up, cutting through the metal and swinging at Genesis he blocked and Sephiroth kept coming, slowing destroying the cannon they were on as he kept going. The pieces landed in the water below and created equally massive splashes of water, while on what was left of the cannon the two kept going.
Sephiroth and Genesis blocked him, but the silver-hair shoved hard enough that he was sent flying, landing on his back before he flipped over and got to his feet. The two swung one more time and clashed, the energy from Genesis's rapier growing larger. They clashed and pushed against each other, the energy released by their fighting now reaching dangerous levels. They disengaged once more and leaped at each, when suddenly Angeal intervened once more, calling "Enough!" He blocked Genesis with his SOLDIER sword and stopped Sephiroth with the Buster Sword, halting the fight. Sephiroth glared at him. "Angeal…" he said. Genesis called "Out of my way!" and his fist shined bright blue. But when he moved forward his rapier cut through Angeal's sword, and when that happened the stump went forward, cutting him on the shoulder.
Genesis shouted and stopped, falling back and dropping his rapier, the energy he had gathered fading away. "Genesis!" Angeal called. Around them the simulation broke down, revealing that the training room had sparks flying from all over the walls. He managed to stand, saying "Just a scrape. I'll be fine; don't worry." He grabbed his rapier and walked past Angeal, leaving. As he passed Sephiroth, he said "Even if the morrow is barren of promises, none shall forestall my return."
I looked at Sephiroth, having just finished hearing his tale. Zack was the first to speak, asking "So, everything was alright?" "Yes, as far as Genesis was concerned. As for Angeal…" Sephiroth began. I frowned. "What about him? Did something happen?" I asked. On the contrary, Sephiroth smiled. "Later, I received one of his famous lectures," he said. "About what?" Zack questioned. "Always the same. Discipline, dreams, honor, etc.," he responded. "Ah, one of those, huh?" Zack said, smiling. After a second I did as well, just picturing Angeal giving Sephiroth a lecture. Sephiroth said nothing, and instead looked at the dead Angeal copy. "So it's true. They're in league will Hollander," he said. Zack frowned. "How could this happen?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders, and look skywards. Angeal… What was going on?
We proceeded through the reactor, and reached the lowest level. At that level there was a rube with several metallic crates, scattered papers, and a tube like the one in Banora. Inside was another Sahagin, most likely in the process of having its genetic traits being altered. Sephiroth grimaced when he saw it, muttering "A wretched sight." I nodded in agreement, picking up one of the scattered piece of paper and reading it. "Report of the SOLDIER Degradation Phenomenon: The heightened abilities of SOLDIER members are maintained by a delicate balance of various genetic factors. A change in this balance could only be caused by a 'leak' in genetic information, but this is impossible under normal circumstances. This phenomenon is unique to Project G," it read.
I frowned. "Project G?" I said aloud. "Project what?" Zack asked. Not answering, I picked up another piece. "The Ancients Project- Outline: It is now undisputed fact that the life form excavated from the earth is indeed of the ancient race spoken of in legend. Furthermore, history records that these 'Ancients' channeled the power of this planet to tear the earth asunder. Using the cells of the unearthed Ancient, we have begun researching and creating and mass-producing a race with comparable abilities. The primary objective of this research is to significantly reduce mako excavation costs," the report said. At that last bit I rolled my eyes. Whenever Shinra bothered with something, it always had to do with mako. The thought made my grimace.
I had no love lost for Shinra, and the more I learned about it the more that feeling grew. "Hey, Jace. Come look at this," I heard Zack say. I looked up and pocketed the two papers, walking over to Zack. He was holding a third one, and handed it to me. It possessed only one line, but that line answered my earlier question. "Project G- Summary: Implant of the cells of an Ancient into a human fetus to imbue said fetus with the Ancient's abilities," it said. At that I groaned, placing a hand on my stomach. Implanting cells into a fetus… I knew the possible extent of the experiments Shinra would conduct, but this? Zack mirrored my feelings, saying "I'm feeling woozy." Sephiroth turned to us, saying "It was before Genesis deserted. The wound was superficial. But for some reason, Genesis wasn't healing. The man who treated him was Hollander. According to him, the problem was the mako energy that seeped into the wound. In order to be treated, he needed a blood transfusion."
Catching on, I asked "So you became the donor?" To my surprise he shook his head. "No. According to Hollander, I wasn't viable. Angeal, on the other hand, was, and so he volunteered," Sephiroth said. He looked off into the distance, thinking. "Why couldn't I be the donor? A SOLDIER Type G," he said. I frowned, the piece coming together. "SOLDIER Type G…. Project G...Project Genesis?" I asked. He nodded. "The project gave birth to the man we know as Genesis. Contrary to these reports, he showed clear signs of change," he said. "Degrading?" Zack asked. "Not only that," Sephiroth replied. "Copies?" I asked. He nodded, muttering "Abominations." I nodded in agreement, but just then I heard the sound of someone walking down the stairs that led into the room.
I spun around and drew my guns, Zack also drawing his sword while Sephiroth merely turned around. The stranger turned out be Hollander himself; I recognized him instantly. He was a middle-aged man sporting greying black hair with a widow's peak and beard. He had on a lab coat over a yellow shirt emblazoned with the word "Banora", brown trousers and open toed sandals. Seeing us he froze, saying "S-Sephiroth?!" The silver-hair stepped forward. "Hollander… I thought I'd find you here," he said, his voice low and dangerous. Hollander began, backing up, before realizing that he would never outrun Sephiroth. Instead he smirked, saying "The degradation process- Only I can stop it." "Then do so," I said, stepping forward. Hollander acted like he hadn't seen me before and smiled.
"Well, well, if it isn't Jace Salutare. Tell me, have those abilities you possess gotten any better?" he asked. Zack frowned, looking at me. "Wait. You guys know one another?" he asked. I said nothing, glaring at Hollander with hatred, and Hollander laughed. "Oh, we know each other quite well. The next time you get a chance to look into the Shinra archives, just look up the phrase 'Project J'. The one occasion Hojo and I worked together," he said. My eyes blazed with anger, and I took a step forward. The thought of Project J and the accompanying rage was beginning to cloud my reason, until I could only think of one thing. I wasn't forbidden from laying a hand on Hollander. So I would. I raised my gun, but before I could fire Genesis suddenly dropped down from above, rapier drawn.
"Genesis, move," I said, not moving my gun. He shook his head firmly, saying "You won't take or harm Hollander." Behind him I could see said scientist run up the steps, and Sephiroth said "Zack! Jace! Go after Hollander!" We both nodded and ran after him. Hollander was a fast runner, but I was faster. I would catch him, and when I did I would pay back for every torture that bastard had out me through a dozen times over.
The chase is on! Can Jace and Zack catch Hollander? What is this Project J? And where is Angeal? These questions are to be answered… next chapter!
Please review! If you flame me Liam Neeson will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you. (I'm just kidding… or am I?)