Sorry for not posting in... an extremely long amount of time. Life has not been kind as of late but has finally stopped to give me a breather. Here is the next chapter. Hope all who read will enjoy it!
Chapter 2: Unfortunate Revelations
Morning had come and gone with no incident. Zack had been set loose the minute the decision to see Hollander was set in stone. And pushed out the door. And after getting rid of the pup, Genesis went about doing the same to Angeal and Sephiroth. Ushering them through the secret doors to their own apartments. Effectively leaving him by himself to try and get some sleep, restless as it was. Sleep was absolutely impossible. And when he met up with Angeal and Sephiroth near the Science department that morning; Zack who had snuck in with the group, was quick to throw in his opinion on how tired Genesis looked.
Even though Genesis had whacked him upside the head as hard as he could, effectively not only shutting him up but send him flying almost completely through a adjacent wall, Genesis couldn't help but agree with the boy. He not only felt tired but also felt his muscles and joints ache with pain he didn't know before. He had felt tired muscles and strained muscle pains but nothing like this before. It almost hurt to move. He had to give the boy credit. He seemed to know just that, as he didn't retaliate to the unexpected punishment. His eyes just glowed with understanding as he stared back at Genesis as he dusted himself off before walking back to the group. The knowing look had gone and been replaced with his mischievous smile. Genesis really didn't mean to hit the boy, but he couldn't resist that urge. He felt miserable. Is it possible that even though the accident didn't occur that he was still degrading at the same rate as if it HAD happened…?
With a weary sigh he trudged down the hallways to Hollanders' own personal laboratory. Genesis had no idea what the old fool was going to say when he got there and pulled him to the side to explain. Probably kick him out of Shinra and just for fun throw a straight jacket into the mix while he was at it.
Genesis was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't even realized they had made it to Hollanders lab. The only way he noticed was when he smacked directly into the locked laboratory door. His friends snickering behind him didn't help either. Genesis grumbled as he rapt on the door a couple times waiting for Hollander to unlock it, and allow the door to slide open. Letting them step into the room that smelled sickly of bleach. It smelled like a hospital to put it simply. But then again, if you had seen Hojo's lab, you wouldn't be complaining.
"Well hello boys! What do I owe the special visit?" Hollander joyfully asked as he allowed them entry.
"Good morning Professor. I need to ask a couple questions and possibly a couple of favors as well." Genesis responded, bringing his right hand up to his chest before bending at the waist in a polite and respectful bow.
Hollander's eyes widen slightly at the politeness. He knew that Genesis was usually a polite boy, but he had been a bit more aggressive in exchanges recently. It seemed he had done a complete three-sixty in his attitude.
"Why of course Genesis by all means ask away. And as for the favors, depending if they're reasonable, I will do what I can." Hollander said giving Genesis a small smile. Quite happy to see that he must be feeling better or something to have such a mood change. "As for you three," Hollander motioned to the three boys before pointing over to the little sitting area he had in his laboratory. "Please take a seat. Hopefully I won't be long. If you need anything, feel free to ask the receptionist behind that door." He stated pointing in the direction of a small office, where from the window you could see a middle aged women working quietly on the computer in front of her.
She seemed flustered and haggled, as though she'd been trying to do the same piece of work for hours without any progress. They knew right then and there that they probably wouldn't be disturbing her.
They all thanked Hollander as they took their seats. Watching as Genesis grabbed Professor Hollander by his lab coat sleeve and tugged lightly before letting go, turning heel and walking toward the old mans personal office space. Trying to find some privacy during this delicate conversation.
Once inside Hollanders office, the good professor offered the red clad boy a seat in front of his desk as he, himself sat heavily into his own chair. The weight of the day was clear on his face.
"So my boy. What exactly brings you here?" Hollander asked with curiosity, and how could Genesis blame him? He had never come willingly to the labs before, until now. Let alone just to ask a few questions or favors.
Genesis leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he clasped his hands together. His face showing deep concentration as he looked at his hands trying to devise a way to speak the most unimaginable things he had seen and needed desperately to tell someone about. Hell he could barely believe what had happened, if it hadn't happened to him he would probably have killed the person for spilling such nonsense.
"One thing first Mr. Hollander… If I may?" Genesis asked glancing up to lock eyes with the Professor.
Hollander just waved his hand in a dismissive gesture as he relaxed more into his chair. "By all means."
"What I am going to say here I would prefer that Sephiroth, Angeal, and especially Zack remain in the dark. And just work around their curiosities. Can you tell me now if that is even a possibility for you? I will not disclose what I have to say to you if you can't promise me at least that much before we proceed with this."
Hollander raised an eyebrow at the boy in front of him. Leaning forward to get a better look at the boy he could honestly say he cared for as a child. It was one thing for Genesis to willingly come here but to keep something from his friends, on top of it trying to sneak around them.
"This involves them doesn't it…?" Hollander finally asked his nose scrunching up slightly as the realization hit him.
"Indeed it does Professor. And it involves a big portion of myself as well. I would like to talk with you, but first, your word?"
"You have my word, my boy. I will be as discrete and private in this manner as much as it is physically possible." Hollander laughed at the boy's persistence, nodding his head as a mirthful smile split his face.
Genesis blinked at him a few times, just thinking… How in the world did a man so jolly and kind hearted as this old professor end up turning half insane and delirious. Genesis knew he had caused the man to snap, but failed to see how it was possible when he knew what the man was like already. He seemed like a mast of a ship that just wouldn't break.
Shaking his head Genesis gave the man a stern look. "Let's start with the facts, shall we." Genesis started, going to rest his chin on his clasped hands. "Fact one: Me and Angeal are dying." That knocked the grin on the old mans face right off as he stared shocked at the boy in front of him. He was about to say something before Genesis' stern looks intensified. Demanding no interruptions, thus promptly shutting the man's slightly open mouth.
"As I was saying… Angeal and me are dying. I would prefer to call it 'Degradation.' " Genesis stated having remembered from what he was shown, that, that had been what it was called. Least he hoped he had heard right. "As of right now I know the cure for it. This is where Sephiroth comes into the picture. Angeals' blood and me only carry the cell make-up that you had given us during our experiments. And yes I know about the experiments, don't ask I'm getting around to explaining that. But there is a way to save us, or more to the point save Angeal. I for one don't care either way what happens to me at the moment. I know I can handle it because I know what is going to come with it. But as for why Sephiroth is put into play here, is because he is the cure for the Degradation. In his cells that Hojo had implanted into him when he was still within his mother, the Jenova Cells. They hold the key element, the DNA that we need. It will reconstruct and replace the corrupted cells that Angeal and me are facing.
Because you see with Degradation, the cells in our bodies are slowly breaking down. Quite literally we are rotting from the inside out. We will grow weak, frail, our hair will whiten to that of an older aged mans. It will be severely hard to heal from wounds. And to top it off it degrades our brain cells along with it. Simply put it makes us go insane. We lose all thought about what we are doing and only do what we feel we can to survive. Pretty much going back to the very basics of the human's natural survival instincts."
Hollander's mouth had been hanging open for the past few minutes as Genesis had quickly explained what was going on with himself and Angeal. He quickly shook himself out of it.
"How do you know about all this? How do you know about the experiments…?" His eyes were wide, a tint of fear etched into the edges of his eyes. His wrinkled face getting deeper as the worry and anxiety at the situation set in.
With a slight glare of annoyance Genesis replied. "Correct me dear Professor if I am wrong. But I do believe I said I was getting to that."
Hollander swallowed hard before leaning back into his chair, motioning for the boy to continue his story.
"As I had been saying. I know what will come with the Degradation. But as to how I know what that entitles is a different story. Since this is a new disease reserved only for 'Monsters'." Genesis stated with a small hiss of disgust at the word he had once referred himself and his friends to. "I had, for a lack of a better word, an episode while in the simulation room yesterday with Angeal and Sephiroth. Admittedly Sephiroth and me had become quite heated and sparred, basically destroying the simulation room to debris. But just as I was about to try and attack Sephiroth…"
Genesis caught the look Hollander sent him. Genesis merely let a small smirk form on his face behind his hands before he continued. The smugness he felt at that moment seeping into his voice a little. Causing Hollander to roll his eyes, and motion for the story to proceed.
"As I was saying, again… I was about to attack Sephiroth. But – something - happened to me. I was in the simulation room one moment then in a black void. It was filled with green vine like lights, and small pyre flies, I think they were." Genesis' head sank further behind his hands and his eyes scrunched around the edges as he glared at the floor between his feet, trying to remember the details that were slowly becoming hazy. "I yelled out, and received no response. But after a few times I finally got one. It was just a voice at first, no physical being or anything around in that place. But after a few more moments… Minerva… Believe it or not was standing there. Staring at me. A look so full of pity, sympathy, and disgust She told me about the degradation, about what I would do in the time that the degradation had to dissolve my physical and mental cells. She even showed me what would happen. And what had happened after I had disappeared…"
"Wait, wait just a minute. You're telling me…" Hollander leaned forward to give him a skeptic look. "That 'the' Minerva talked to you in this – this place… And had shown you things that you couldn't have possibly known otherwise. …Unless you had enlisted the help of the Turks." Hollander smirked at the last bit, knowing full well the hatred that ran deep with the Turks and SOLDIERs.
Genesis only glared at the old man in front of him. His irritation rising at just the mere thought of it. Though he knew later he would have to get over it and eventually ask for the Turks' help. Like Tseng he could handle but give him that new boy, Reno. And it was game over.
"You know better then to think that my old friend." Genesis snapped back. "We SOLDIERs take care of things more efficiently then they ever have. The Turks are just here to pick up the scraps. And yes that is indeed what I am trying to say."
Genesis gave Hollander a deep glare; daring him to interrupt one more time and it would be the end of all this nonsense. Once having the old man under control Genesis continued the story of what had happened, what all he knew of what was going on and what would happen later down the road. He went as far as saying names of the members of Avalanche once they had formed. Who Gaia's savior was, aka Cloud Strife. At least that was who it was at the time. Who knows if it would still be the same now after all that has happened.
Sitting up after finishing his tale, Genesis looked at the expression on Hollanders face. It just screamed disbelief, curiosity, and shock. For a moment Genesis believed that this was probably a bad idea. Getting up from his chair, he offered the father like figure of his life a small bow before turning to face the door to leave.
"Wait, Genesis." Hollander whispered out as he slowly stood from his chair, watching as Genesis looked over his shoulder waiting to hear what he had to say.
"I will… try to help Angeal, and keep this as secretive as absolutely possible. But… May I ask why it is that you do not seek the same curative treatment as you are making me give to Angeal? What do you have to lose by allowing the same cure to befall you as well?" Hollander stated looking Genesis up and down for any signs of this disease, this degradation that had one of his boys in a panic.
"In the end Angeal deserves to be cured after I have witnessed what I, myself, had put both him and Sephiroth through. As to why I refuse the curative option for myself… Well that's quite simple Professor. I don't believe monsters have that right." Genesis whispered the last part out in a disgusted hiss before leaving the office, storming past his friends and Zack who was in the process of getting into something he shouldn't right before it crashed and broke against the floor.
Genesis hated that word 'monster' more then any other out there. But not because of what people thought a monster was, but for the fact of what Genesis had come to define the word monster as. And its definition didn't belong to any beast of Gaia, no killer, no criminal. That word was, in his mind, reserved only for himself.
Angeal and Sephiroth tried to follow Genesis as he stomped his way out the laboratory doors, but were stopped short as Hollander blocked their escape. Escorting them to another part of the laboratory.
With Hollanders' word to help his child hood friend, Genesis felt at least slightly better as he kept the deepened set scowl on his face to make everyone vacate the way as he walked through the hallways. Trying to make it to his office, which unfortunately was on the other side of the freaking compound! Genesis hissed in annoyance as he briskly walked pasted all the cadets and SOLDIERs that lined the common hallways that Genesis had slowly made his way to. He still had to go through the mess hall and hopefully it will be a straight run to his office from there.
With a growl here and a scowl there. Maybe a fireball coming close to searing the hair off of a cadets face later, and he had made it safely to his office. Ignoring the secretary that wore way to revealing clothing for someone of her position as working for the three highest ranked SOLDIERs of Shinra. But then again, none of them ever paid the secretary much notice beside the times they actually needed something from her, being it coffee, copies, supplies, etc. She seemed put out as he quickly forced his way into his office, a small smirk on his face out of satisfaction for pissing the young lady off. Making sure the door had shut firmly and he had turned the locks on the door, it having been a more simpler knob door then that of a control panel sliding door, he quickly made his way over to his desk, turning the computer on as he plopped heavily down into his chair.
He let out as sigh and leaned back as he waited for the ancient thing to boot to life. He felt so tired, so weak all of a sudden. He knew it was the degradation slowly rearing its head. He couldn't fathom what it would have been like if he had been hurt during that sparing match with Sephiroth. He had seen the infirmary he had been in afterwards and saw what was happening to him. It seemed to intensify the effects it had if he had injuries to heal from or wounds in general. Looks like that the more his body tried to reproduce cells to heal injuries or wounds, the faster the degradation would replace his good cells, making it not only harder and longer to heal from an injury, but very painful as well. Something he had every intention of saving Angeal from.
Good thing Angeal hasn't been on a mission for a while now, and judging from the records Genesis snuck a peek at on Sephiroths desk last week before all this mess. Angeal didn't have any missions for at least a couple more weeks.
Genesis hadn't realized that he had let his eyes slide closed when he heard the computer finally signal that it had finished booting up. He let his eyes slowly open as he peered at the screen with tired blurry eyes. He leaned forward to start typing and clicking away with one hand as his other hand came up to rub at one of his eyes. Trying to stay awake long enough to get what he needed to do done. Feeling extremely tired from all the stress and planning he had to come up with in such a short amount of time.
The reason behind him desperately needing to get a hold of the computer in his office is to look up when that cadet Zack liked so much would possibly be joining them at Shinra. He would have to try and protect the boy as best as he could, he owed Zack that much from all the hell he had put his childhood friends favorite prodigy through. As he typed he failed to hear someone picking the locks on his door as he had slowly begun to find file after file on the soon to be Cadet Strife. It would have been amazing at the vast amounts of people Shinra had in their database, especially for the one of the people he had been looking for. But just for the fact that the boy was residing in Nibelheim were the Shinra Mansion, Hojo's old laboratory was, was not all that befuddling. That's the only reason he decided to look on the computers in the first place, because Shinra kept tabs on all the people in that small town. The laboratory was said to be vacant. Which to an extent it was. But if one where to sneak down into the bowls of the hidden hallways of that mansion; they would find quite a few things that occupied its foundations. One person in particular was of interest in that mansion.
Vincent Valentine, Sephiroths' true father. He still didn't know how he was going to break it or explain to Sephiroth that the man who had pretty much raised and tortured him almost to death on many occasions wasn't actually his father. He would imagine he'd be happy about it, but at the same time, Sephiroth was hard to read and how he would react to such knowledge would be anyone's guess. It was already bad enough to know his reaction to his 'fake' mother Jenova when he had found out about her. And had destroyed a whole town and almost the world, twice.
He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He would just wing it like he did in many other situations. It was the one thing he was good at. It worked out most of the time anyways, so why not now. He let a smile fleet across his face as he entertained the thought for a moment. He'd need to get into contact with Tseng soon to get a hold of a helicopter. He was going to plan a rescue mission to grab Sephiroths father from the basement, and he was also debating whether or not to personally invite Cloud Strife back to the Shinra base with him.
He was also planning on stopping by the church sometime to see that flower girl. He'd have to sneak a journey down there with Zack later after everything else had been taken care of.
He had found and pulled up Cloud Strife's file on the computer and was pilfering through it. He now knew Clouds blood type, eye color, hair color, his mothers name; they even had his fathers name in one of the files. But was reportedly dead soon after he had abandoned Cloud and his mother. He would have felt bad for Cloud had he not pulled up Clouds fathers file and looked through his records as well just for fun. The man would never have been good father material.
Genesis shook his head in dismay at the boys' fathers' records. Cloud should consider himself lucky to never have known the man. Shaking the disgust of the situation off Genesis went to find Vincent Valentines records on top of it trying to figure out what room and what level of the mansion he was located and or locked in. He needed to find out where the key was too, for he was sure that Vincent would be locked away somewhere that required one or more keys to gain access to. Genesis could simply break in but he didn't want Shinra to acknowledge his presence ever having been there. It may be considered abandoned but he wouldn't put it past that sadistic bastard Hojo to still have cameras going. Waiting for someone stupid enough to wander into the labs so he could make them into some new experiment.
He had been searching and pilfering through all the files he could find, slowly backtracking to make sure his presence in the files was well gone and vanished. So he would not to be caught by the bastard himself later.
It had been near noon after he had finished explaining everything to Hollander and having left the labs and his friends to the Professors mercy. And it had been five to six more hours since he had arrived in his office and had been looking through the files. He had come across Lucrecia Crescents files, Sephiroths mother. To say Genesis almost had a heart attack after looking at the files of what she did to Vincent Valentine was an understatement. He had to give this lady some credit; she had balls to mess with the world's beasts, let alone Chaos. She must have been one smart cookie to have infused them all within Vincent Valentine, Chaos included. Though she did it out of fear of Vincent dying because of Hojo, he couldn't find any reason to disagree with any decision the poor women had made. Including the ones that had involved Sephiroth way before he was even been born.
Genesis had to lean back and think about this mysterious woman a bit longer. She intrigued him to put it simply. He tried to think of reasons why she would have allowed Hojo to do such a thing to an unborn child, let alone her very own. Maybe she saw a potential in Sephiroth before he was even born that he could be part of the world, be a protector of the world. In which during her time, protectors and good people were increasingly hard to come by. It was the rise of Shinra and the process of figuring out the SOLDIER program to boot. It was indeed a tough and dangerous time to be in. Maybe she had taken all the facts into consideration. That if he was raised by Hojo that indeed he could have snapped and gone crazy a long time ago. And that maybe if he had a couple of good friends to rely on then he would become someone worth being proud of. Which Genesis had to agree with that thought. Had it not been for him messing everything up the first go around, Sephiroth probably would have remained the idolized hero of their time.
He had a whole new respect for this woman after he was done with his thoughts. Which had cost him another couple hours. He made a vow to take it upon himself to locate not only Sephiroths biological father, but his mother as well. Sephiroth deserved a heart-felt reunion with his real family. And he'd deliver a special present to Hojo later if he so much as tried to stop him from obtaining his goal.
Genesis let out a sigh as he looked out his office window that over looked the cadets training grounds. It was well past seven at night by now. The sun had set just a half hour or so ago. It was slowly getting colder above the plate, signaling that the holidays were going to be plaguing the streets all over Midgar. Genesis himself didn't mind the holidays but as of right now… He really didn't want to deal with all the cheery and merry, drunken people that came with it all around Midgar.
Pinching the bridge of his nose for the impending headache he could feel bubbling from the surface, he spared the clock a glance. It was indeed way past seven. It was almost eight at night. He slowly leaned to the side to shift his weight off his back left pocket so he could retrieve his phone. He'd better call Hollander and see how the first of Angeals treatments had done.
He wanted to get home as soon as possible and passing out on his bed was all that was on his mind as he quickly punched in the numbers for Hollanders personal cell phone.
After a few rings he could hear the gruff and tired voice of Hollander answer the other end. "This is Professor Hollander, who may I ask is calling?" Was the customary and automatic response to answering his phone.
"Professor, its good to know you are still up and about at this hour. I had feared with your old age you had gone to bed like a good old man hours ago…" Genesis teased, letting out breathless laughs as quietly as possible as Hollander indigently blundered over the phone in aghast.
"Genesis! How dare you call me old! I happen to know I am only twenty-three years older then you! That is by no means old! Now when I get to be around Hojo's age then yes… that would be old, and scary at the same time. But Hojo in general is scary." Hollander shuddered at the last part as he pressed a few keys on the computer he had been sitting in front of for the past two hours. Pulling up all the data on the tests he had just run on Angeal and Sephiroth seeing as that would be the only reason Genesis would be calling him anyways.
"My, my… Now aren't we a feisty little man. I didn't think you had that much bite left in you." Genesis prodded before getting to the point after another short lecture from Hollander. "So how did Angeal and Sephiroth fair?"
Hollander let out a sigh as he looked at the data. The sigh in itself was from old age and weariness, not from the data itself. But all the same it made Genesis flinch and tense in anticipation.
"According to the data about fifteen minutes after administering Sephiroths blood into Angeals… There was a bit of a change in Angeals DNA cell structure. Judging by what you had said you were correct in the fact that Sephiroths blood held the cure. It will take a few more blood injections to get Angeals cells completely restored back to a stable and functioning condition. But it is working, which is a good thing of course. Just amazes me how that with all the exams I preform on you two over the years that I had never noticed the slow designation of the structure of you boys' blood cells… " Hollander felt guilty for not noticing and it was plain to hear in his voice. "Perhaps you are correct to assume that I am getting old. Maybe I should consider early retirement…"
This brought a smile to Genesis' face. He knew the old man would never retire so long as Hojo still topped him in the science department. At least Hollanders methods of getting things done were more humane, they were not as 'productive' as the fat man, President Shinra, would have liked. But the man had morals and that's why Genesis tolerated him and allowed the exams with willingness. Otherwise he would have let his rapier slide through the old fools chest if he had been anything like Hojo.
"I hate to say it, but you are indeed old my friend. But you are forbidden from retiring. Someone needs to knock Hojo on his ass. Also considering I need you to cure Angeal of course. Hojo out of the topic now… How long will it take, estimate if you will, for Angeal to be cured of the disease?" As much as he loved fantasizing about Hollander finally kicking Hojo's ass, finding out about Angeals wellbeing was worth more of his time.
"Hmm…" Hollander hummed as the sounds of keys being pressed could be heard from the line. "I would say within almost a years time, up to a couple months past a year. We would have to give Sephiroth time to let his body recover from all the blood we will need to siphon off from him. So unfortunately that's the best estimates I can offer."
"I understand, that is fine so long as it gets the job done. Thank you Hollander." Genesis was about to hang up when Hollander caught him right before he was going to press his finger into the End button.
"Genesis, is this why you really didn't want to be cured in the same fashion as Angeal?" Hollander asked cautiously.
Genesis pinched the bridge of his nose and glared at the far wall, he was hoping the good professor wouldn't have caught onto that just yet. "Indeed, that would be one of the main reasons. At every opportunity you need to administer the cure to Angeal or the cells would revert back to their earlier state. And considering the down time we have between each injection Sephiroth can give, we are already pushing our luck with Angeals cells reverting back. Add me into the mix Professor and well… you do the math."
"It would be just about as useless as a chocobo with wings… So your letting Angeal go first, to be cured before you. If it takes us the estimated time, by the time Angeal was cured your degradation would be so far along that you'd be…" Hollander let the sentence slide off from there. It donning on him that by the time he was finished with Angeal, Genesis may no longer be around when they finished.
"I see… Well, you have a good heart my boy. I will give you that, but if I were you. Call me selfish, but I would have gone first if I knew these facts."
"Yes you probably would have, but then again, you're not me. I've seen first hand what my decisions in this life have cost them all before. If anything I deserve this fate. If nothing short of Hell itself for everything I have cost them. Indeed it may not have happened yet. But just knowing that I was the main puzzle piece to the horrors that occurred, well you should get the picture." Genesis mumbled over the phone line before quickly pushing on the End button. Tired of talking to the old man.
He let his eyes drift back to his computer on his desk before reaching over to turn it off. He flipped open his phone to dial Tseng's number. He said he would do it later, and judging by the time, it was indeed later.
Tseng's voice rang through the line before the first ring had stopped. Punctual as usual, Genesis though rolling his eyes at the promptness that never seemed to leave the Turk. One thing he couldn't stand about them, always uptight and too professional for his tastes.
"Tseng here." Was the blunt response he got the minute the man had picked up the phone.
"Hello Tseng." Came the blunt reply.
"Genesis, to what do I owe the honor?" Tseng said with sarcasm in his voice. Turks hated SOLDIERs just about as much as SOLDIERs hated Turks. But Tseng was on the more reasonable side.
"I need to obtain an helicopter from one of the helipads, inconspicuously of course. May I count on your help with that?" Genesis stated boldly with authority in his voice. Showing he was not in the mood to beat around the bush.
"Depends my good friend… What do you need it for?" Tseng bit back with just the same tone used on him.
"Let's get to the point, I plan on making Hojo pull his hair out of his own skull by the time I'm done with what I'm about to do." Came the smug reply, bringing a smile to the stoic Turks face.
"By all means, I will have the helicopter ready for you around midnight. I'll disable the camera's and would you like me to provide a pilot for you?" Tseng would do anything if it involved making Hojo's life harder. He had his own reasons for hating that man.
"That would be more productive, I have company coming with me that I need to explain some things to first before arriving at my destination. It would ideal for someone else to pilot the craft while I take care of that…matter." Genesis cringed at the thought of having to explain all this to all the people he was bringing along, but he thought it was for the better.
"I understand, I will designate a pilot under strict confidentiality orders to be your guide. Oh, and Genesis…" Tseng replied with a thick coating of humor seeping into his voice near the end.
"Yes?" Genesis questioned curiously.
"I want pictures when Hojo makes himself bald." With that Tseng hung up, leaving Genesis smiling to himself and shaking his head. That man was stoic as they would come but he did have his own mischievous side.
With that settled Genesis made his way out of his office, not before locking it on his way out, and began the trek back to his apartment. Where he hoped Angeal and Sephiroth, even Zack, were there. So he could break the news to them that they were going on a surprise 'vacation'.
He could hear Zack's loud voice coming from Angeals apartment the minute he walked into his own. Genesis shook his head knowing that Zack coming along was going to cause more headaches then needed. But having Zack meet Cloud now would be the better option. That was the only thing that kept Genesis from ripping Zack's head off as he snuck into Angeals apartment just to get smacked in the face with a feather pillow, which exploded upon impact.
Genesis closed his eyes as the pillow seemed to fall from his face in slow motion, he could feel a few feathers in his mouth as he tried to spit them out. He slowly let his eyes open to find Zack hiding behind Angeal with a horrified look on his face, and Angeal trying to stifle his laughter. Sephiroth was sitting on Angeals couch with an amused look on his face.
"I soooo didn't mean to do that Genesis I swear! I was trying to hit Angeal! B-but he mo-…" Zack tried to quickly explain himself as his face got paler and paler at how red Genesis' face was getting from pent up rage.
Zack gulped and Genesis just shot him one death glare after the other, so tempted to kill him at the moment along with his friends for the humiliation. Genesis closed his eyes slowly and punched the nearest object next to him to keep from punching Zack's face in. He waited for the crunch and cracking sound that came with the object that he had hit to make it to the floor. After hearing that he slowly opened his eyes to see that he had hit one of Angeals giant plant vases.
Angeal looked like he was going to lecture him before just puffing his cheeks and sighing in defeat. Knowing that lecturing Genesis would only result in the red heads temper flaring.
"I apologize Angeal, but it was better that it be the vase I destroyed then your prodigies face. Don't you agree?" Genesis sneered as his eyes locked with Zack's, who immediately shrank from sight.
Angeal just put one of his hands to his face before turning away, revealing Zack to Genesis much to the boys' horror, as he went to sit down next to Sephiroth on the couch. Zack quickly bailing for the far end of the couch as Genesis made his way over to occupy the closest available spot.
"So what are you doing here Genesis, not that I don't mind your company but you usually for-warn us when you decide to stop by." Angeal asked while whacking Zack upside the head for acting like an idiot. Receiving a glare from said youth as he rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head, sure he was going to get a goose egg there later.
"My apologies friend. But I have a proposition for the three of you." That got the occupants attention as they locked eyes on the red headed man. "I would like you all to come with me on a… 'Vacation' if you will. For but a few days, a week at most." Genesis asked as politely as he could in his irritated state.
"A vacation! Really? Can we go Angeal?" Zack asked practically bouncing in his seat from the idea alone of getting away from Shinra for a little while.
Sephiroth had a small smile on his face as well, probably thinking along the same lines as Zack.
"Why take a vacation all of a sudden Genesis?" Angeal asked holding up a hand in front of Zack's face trying to stop his overly hyper activity.
Running a tired hand through his hair he looked around the room and let a small sigh escape his past his lips. "Well after my…" He coughed lightly, "Episode. I thought we could all use a break. Hollander thinks that my problem was brought about by stress." It was a lie but he had to get them to come with him somehow. "And I would like you all to join me, and you may bring Zack along as well for the trip."
Zack lit up like a Christmas tree as Genesis officially extended the invitation to him as well.
Angeal seemed to be rolling the idea around in his head for a moment while Zack kept looking at him with big puppy eyes. Undoubtedly another reason for the boys' famous nickname. Angeal seemed to be having a hard time considering the situation with Zack practically inching closer and closer to his face trying to make the effect of his puppy eyes more pronounced.
Angeal finally let out a sigh, bringing up his hand to place on Zack's face shoving him away to land flat on his back on the floor.
"Alright, I don't see why not. It would be nice I suppose."
"I agree, it will be a… pleasant change of scenery." Sephiroth added in.
"Perfect, I suggest you pack up immediately we leave at midnight." Genesis let a small smile spread across his face. He would have to thank Zack later for getting his most stubborn friend to agree to coming along for the ride.
Zack looked at the clock before jumping to his feet, running toward the guest room he occupied in Angeals apartment since he was an apprentice to him. "That only gives us a hour! Hurry Angeal!"
This caused a round of laughter from the three men as they heard Zack crash and bang into walls and drawers, followed by his cursing as he repeatedly hit his head on random objects in his undoubtedly dirty room.
"I shall see you all at the helipads." Genesis smirked at his friends as he turned around to head back to his own apartment to gather what materia, supplies, and clothes he would like to take with him.
Once concealed inside his apartment he quickly went around to pack up everything. He had decided that a trip to Nibelheim would be the best place to start. He could theoretically kill two birds with one stone this way. He would meet Cloud and introduce Zack to him, and then he would have to sneak into the old Shinra mansion to find Sephiroths father in the coffin. He would go after Sephiroths mother next as soon as he figured out how to break her from the mako crystal that she had succumbed to, and a way to revive her once he had freed her body. By all records he had found she should still be alive in one way or another so in his mind it wasn't likely that it would take much to get her going.