Hello my amazing readers. I want to apologize that this took so much longer than planned to come out. So much happened these past two weeks and it was enough to make me scream my rage to the heavens. lol. Not really, but tears were shed. I regret to admit that thanks to a STUPID mistake on my part, the most perfect banter between Aerith and Genesis was lost due to me accidentally deleting the chapter by saving over it with a blank page. I tried to recover it, but in my panic I was too late to save it. I did remember some of it, but it's not what it was. I'll be kicking myself for it for a while to come. TT~TT
Also, I especially sorry to one specific reader in particular. One vanessahung8. I tried to get this out before the 9th. I did it! I'm just sorry it didn't get finished until the 7th. I hope that gives you enough time to enjoy it still.
I also have to rework a few things regarding the ending for this story. What I had originally wrote left it so flat and blah. I don't like it, so I'll be working on making it better, so if the uploading is a bit slower than usual, that's why. I thought the ending would work, but nope. You guys deserve an epic ending and you'll get one. That is the guaranteed promise!
Also great news is I was asked to use my writing talents to work on an awesome upcoming Kingdom Hearts Documentary! I can't wait to get started and I'm super hyped to be apart of something so great!
See you guys next time, and enjoy!
Genesis held his hands folded behind his back as he strolled through the village hidden within Cosmo Canyon. He stopped as two kids ran by, caught in a play-fight reenacting a scene from one of the elder's stories of some long ago battle. The auburn-haired warrior smirked as he remembered the days when he and Angeal used to do the same, pretending to be First Class warriors. They had gotten their dream, but the survivor sighed with sadness as he thought of how their dream turned into a nightmare.
He wished he could take it all back if he could, but time didn't flow backwards. Angeal was gone and it was up to Genesis to pick up the pieces and try to fix as much of the damage as he could, but he was afraid. With his life ebbing away, he knew he didn't have much to offer. His strength would constantly waver and the last thing he wanted was to become a liability, that's if he was even trusted, and if he was being honest with himself, he didn't think he'd ever earn the trust of his friends back.
Genesis had been the one to set things in motion and even he wasn't ignorant enough to believe most of this wasn't his fault. So many tragedies could have been avoided if not for him, but he had let his pride and stubbornness get in the way. He figured if he was going to go down on flames than the world would burn with him. Now here he was, covered in ash, with the blood of his friends on his hands and left to die drowning in his own guilt. At least, those were the thoughts swirling in his head as he laid in that bed healing until the woman Zack had dubbed "the flower girl" had entered to check on him.
Genesis had gotten out of bed and bowed elegantly to her, assuming she was the human vessel for the goddess Minerva. Aerith had only giggled in turn and made him feel absolutely foolish, and yet, the blow to his pride was nonexistent. She claimed she wasn't a goddess, yet she had a certain power about her that he couldn't place his finger on, and it was infectious. He could recall the conversation clearly…
~*~(Two Days Earlier)~*~
Aerith smiled sweetly as she looked at the warrior before her. He didn't match any of the descriptions the others had to give about him. Sure she sensed a temper, and a pain that could only stem from tortured endurance, but there was also stubbornness that kept him strong and she was relieved when she didn't sense any influence from Jenova or any sign that he was weakening further.
"Genesis, right? Your name was signed in your book. Vincent placed it on the table over there."
Genesis looked over to where she had directed her gaze and then checked his pocket, only to realize he wasn't even wearing his coat and then he saw it hanging on the coat rack in the corner. Aerith rubbed her arm as she looked over to the side.
"Sorry, it was filthy so one of the villagers had it washed for you."
"It's fine, I just was curious as to how you managed to remove it without my knowledge."
"You were barely alive when Vincent brought you here. I didn't know if I could heal you, but I'm glad it seemed to have worked. I've never tried to heal something so serious before…"
"I still do not understand what happened," he admitted to himself, assuming she was finished, "but if indeed you are the one who healed me then I thank you, it's made my suffering tolerable."
Aerith blinked and tilted her head at him, as if studying him. "Suffering, are you worried about what's happened with Zack and the general?"
Genesis smiled, but it wasn't one of joy. "That's part of it, yes, but well…it's not something I wish to reveal to one as pure as yourself. There are some war crimes a person should never see."
Aerith gave him a look, but it faded and she sighed. "War crimes…they take many forms, not all of them are able to be seen, and the pain may never completely heal, but maybe one day the scars they leave behind can become a banner of courage, endurance and honor."
Honor…
That word kept ringing in Gen's ears as he thought over her words carefully. Perhaps he had been unfair and judged her as an ignorant girl, but she seemed to understand him rather well, so he decided to seek some answers in the only way he knew how at this point.
"The gift of the goddess is what the three men seek
But their fates are scattered by war
One is taken captured, one flies away
And the last becomes a hero"
Aerith knew he was quoting the play, and having read the poem herself, she was able to understand his hidden messages and respond in kind.
"But the three are still bound by a solemn oath
To seek the answer together, once again"
Genesis huffed slightly in response. How could he still be bound with his friends when one considered him a traitor and the other was dead? He knew he would never have the trust of the other ever again, even if he too was an enemy of Shinra.
Aerith smiled at him then and continued the point she was trying to get across, while also being a bit cheeky.
"Though the prisoner escapes, he is gravely wounded
His life is saved, however
By a woman of the opposing nation
But as happiness grows, so does guilt
Of not fulfilling the oath to his friends"
Boy Genesis backed himself into a corner there, and he couldn't deny her logic. She was right and he was ashamed to admit it, so he didn't.
"My friend, the fates are cruel
There are no dreams, no honor remains
The arrow has left the bow of the goddess"
Genesis knew it was far too late to make amends now.
Aerith decided she was done playing his game and it was time to be more direct and blunt. One of her own futuristic dreams often placed her talking with another that needed a more direct approach to make him realize the obvious.
"Genesis, it's not too late to try and correct your mistakes. If you choose to walk away now, no one will stop you, but that will be the biggest mistake of them all."
Genesis kept thinking over her words as he strolled through the village. He knew the cetra were intelligent, mystical beings, but he never imagined just how much more they knew than even the smartest human. Yet that still didn't stop them from being nearly wiped out by the calamity known as Jenova. Then again, if that was the voice that was inside his head then he could understand why she was such a threat. Had he been a lesser man, Genesis would have given in to her offer of vengeance. Hell, he probably would have if she had approached him months ago, but fate still seemed to be on his side for the most part. He still wasn't sure how much time he had left before his degradation forced his body to fail entirely. He thought about maybe asking Aerith. If anyone proved they could offer him answers of any kind it was her.
Turning the corner he saw her there about thirty feet away, talking to someone with their back turned to him. Genesis froze when he noticed the long silver hair and dove into the nearest doorway, shutting it behind him.
Sephiroth turned at the sound of a door slamming, but Aerith got his attention. "Sounds like Barret's in a foul mood still, I had hoped he'd be healing better by now," she fibbed.
Sephiroth nodded as he turned back to her, ignoring the irate injured man's emotional struggles. "I came here to ask if there was anything I could learn of the Cetra and the fate that befell them. If I'm going to take Shinra from power I need to know what happened to those who were most affected by Jenova. That way I can show the world how dangerous it is."
Aerith smiled when he referred to the calamity as an 'it' rather than 'she'. It was a small detail that said a lot.
"The Forgotten City might have what you're looking for. It was the last city occupied by the ancients, other than the ruins east of Gongaga, near Fort Condor."
"What's east of Gongaga," he asked.
Aerith wanted to keep this information to herself, but she trusted Sephiroth. If she held this information from him now he might think she didn't have faith in him later. "There's a dangerous materia there. It contains a power so great it could destroy the planet, which is what Jenova wants. You have to promise me you won't seek it out unless it's to protect it from Jenova or Shinra. Do you understand?"
Sephiroth studied her for a moment, understanding how much trust she was placing in him. "I swear, Jenova will not get its tendrils anywhere near it."
Aerith smiled at him and pulled out her map that Nanaki had given her to learn about the world. "The Forgotten Capitol is north of Bone Village on the Northern continent. I've never been there myself, but before I was brought to Midgar I remember my mother and I lived near Icicle Inn. My memory of my time there is fuzzy at best, but, if you end up headed that way be careful. The climate is merciless and the air is so frigid you could get frostbite in your lungs."
"Is that even possible," Sephiroth asked, a hint of a smirk visible on his face.
Aerith returned it with a bigger one of her own. "I'd rather not find out, but with everything else that's happened nothing should be surprising at this point."
Sometime later Aerith had packed him the necessary supplies he'd need to handle the cold and trusted her judgment and was heading to leave when he was stopped by Tifa.
"Hey, I've been meaning to talk to you."
The general stopped and waited for her to approach. "Miss Lockhart?"
"Don't you Miss Lockhart me! What's the big idea sending Cloud off on a mission without even letting him tell anyone?"
Sephiroth didn't want to lie to her, but she wasn't ready for the truth either, so he went for elusively honest. "He's gone on a difficult journey, but one that will test him and make him stronger. Fate dealt him a cruel hand when this spiraled out of control and he's playing it the best he can."
Tifa really didn't resort to this, but she couldn't hold back her conflicted feelings any longer. "It's not like the mission you sent Genesis on before he vanished, was it?"
Sephiroth's gaze hardened as he narrowed his eyes at her. "That is out of line."
"For one of your SOLDIERS maybe, but I'm a civilian, remember? I have freedom of speech," she argued.
"Not if I order the matter classified," he countered.
"Oh take that ego of yours and stuff it," she shouted. "You just don't want to answer my questions and are trying to cover up your weakness by hiding behind the general mantel. At least Zack didn't try to throw his title around and chose to avoid hurting my intelligence and tried to suffer in silence."
Sephiroth really misjudged her and he knew it. He turned to her and let out the sigh through his nose. "Is intelligence a Nibelheim trait, or is it something rare you and Strife share with strong common sense?"
Tifa smirked, "Nibelheim, raise smart people? That's a good one. I thought Zack said you didn't have a sense of humor?"
"It's not a normal one," the general replied.
The humor vanished between them as Tifa sighed. "Cloud's in trouble….isn't he."
It wasn't a question, the general realized. She knew. "Yes…"
Tifa closed her eyes and Sephiroth could feel her inner turmoil as she came to grips with the truth. "I knew it."
"It wasn't Zack's fault that he didn't tell you. I ordered the news rendered silent. I assumed, if you knew…"
"I'd form a rescue mission," she admitted, knowing he was right. "I would…and I still want to."
Sephiroth shook his head. "Please, don't. I will find Strife upon my return from the Northern continent."
"Do you have any idea where to start looking?"
"Not a clue," he replied. "But I owe it to him to try."
"Why," she couldn't help but to ask. Sephiroth seemed to have so much respect for Cloud. She knew of some of the time-travel details, but he was never very thorough.
Sephiroth looked down at her, remembering the strong, determined woman who fought to protect everything she cared for and seeing her spirit channeled through her younger self. "Because in that future, I was the world's enemy and the world's champion had lost nearly everything because of me. Yet he was still smart enough to realize I wasn't the same man and gave me a second chance to right the wrongs of his broken past, even coming to my defense when you and the others wanted to get rid of me."
Tifa looked down as she tried to imagine what that kind of future was like. "Can…can you tell me, about the older Cloud?"
"He still looked the same, though more defined and his muscles were well toned, he was also more confident. He wielded a weapon that a Second Class would envy. I'd easily count him among the ranks of First Class with the skills he possessed."
"So…he did achieve his dream," she concluded.
Sephiroth nodded. "In every sense of the word aside from on official paper, but Shinra was a pile of scrap and twisted metal at that point, so what did it matter? According to his story Zack dressed him in a First Class uniform when they escaped Hojo's lab, and as that happened after I died, then command of SOLDIER would have fallen to Zack and if he so chose to award a fellow officer a battlefield promotion, then who's to say it doesn't count?"
"Well, when you find Cloud, I'm sure he'd like to hear that."
The two turned to see Aerith smiled as she approached.
"You think he'll be okay," Tifa asked, hopeful.
The flower girl nodded. "I sense he's alright for now. Not safe by any means, but his life isn't in danger at the moment."
Tifa sighed with relief at the news. It wasn't perfect news, but it was better than nothing. Sensing Aerith wanted to speak with the general she said her farewells, wished him luck and headed off to find Nanaki so he could train her in the art of materia magic.
Sephiroth turned to Aerith and tilted his head slightly. "Is there something you needed?"
Aerith just smiled brightly. "I was hoping you'd join me on a walk."
For over fifteen minutes the two walked along the twisting village paths and hallways. Sephiroth wondered what the cetra was playing at. Knowing she was far smarter than she ever let on, but sometimes he had to wonder why she didn't just come out and say what was on her mind. She stopped in front of a random closed door down a hall and turned to him. "Tell me general, how do you feel about Genesis?"
Well he certainly wasn't expecting that of all things.
"What does he have to do with anything," was the clipped reply.
"I recently reached out to the planet regarding him. What I received back was regret, sorrow and pain. It showed me a broken man."
Sephiroth huffed. "Broken as far as degrading goes, but his damn pride is too stubborn to let him give up so easily. I'm honestly surprised he didn't show up in Nibelheim when my world began to crumble."
"But do you hate him," she asked.
The general looked off to the side. "He has a lot to atone for. Angeal's death could have been prevented or even avoided altogether if he had just come to me and trusted me. Angeal didn't trust me either. I can't help but wonder if it's something I lacked. It was the first indication that I wasn't perfect as Hojo and Shinra claimed."
"Everyone has flaws," she pointed out.
"Yes, but legends are expected to be perfect," he replied. "If not for Zackary, Strife and that travel through time, I fear I would have been lost to the madness if I had stumbled upon Jenova or that underground lab on my own. I saw a glimpse of that first hand when I nearly attacked Strife even with their support. Zackary however, was right there to keep me grounded."
Aerith looked to the side, allowing the general to have his moment to reflect on the nightmare he could have been.
"Zack's heart is always in the right place, even if that forces him to make difficult decisions. No matter what though, his luck and skill always shines through."
No one will ever replace the first two friends I had, but even though I failed them it's…comforting to know others have deemed me worthy of their friendship. I honestly do not believe I would be where I am now without Zack."
Aerith smiled hearing that, "I think he'd be deeply touched, knowing you no longer used his full name. He's not a big fan of that, especially his full last name."
Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow at that, "I thought Fair was his full name."
Aerith shook her head with a smile. "Nope, but I'm not one to spill the secrets of others, even when the only thing stopping the secret from being revealed is behind a closed door."
She giggled at the utterly confused look she got from Sephiroth and relished in the hidden truth she knew. Her scheme worked perfectly.
"I'm afraid I don't understand the humor. Zack is back at Shinra."
Aerith couldn't stop her fit of the giggles and just waved her hand instead. "Oh never mind, it's not important. It's a joke I was using to tease another, I guess it's not obvious to everyone."
"Clearly," the general replied. "I hate to cut our walk short, but the sooner I head out the sooner I can track down the cadet and get him away from Hojo."
Aerith nodded. "I understand. Good luck, and may the goddess aid you on ebony wings."
Sephiroth was very very confused about her choice of words, but filed it away for later as he turned and left.
Aerith waited a moment or two to make sure the general's enhanced hearing was out of range before she opened the door they had been conversing in front of. She was greeted with a very irritated and previously terrified Genesis Rhapsodos.
"That was cruel, torturous and very unbecoming of a flower girl," he seethed.
She merely shrugged. "Perhaps there's more to me than growing flowers."
"Obviously," he seethed.
Aerith giggled again, relishing in the irony of how much alike Genesis and Sephiroth were in terms of their reactions to her sly nature.
Genesis had nearly suffered a heart attack when he heard Sephiroth so close, especially after the near encounter earlier. To hear Aerith pointedly ask the general's opinion of their broken friendship was a painful reminder of what his stupid pride had cost him. Then when she mentioned the closed door he froze, too terrified to take even a single breath, and then she laughed as Sephiroth failed to catch the hint. Genesis caught it though and it made him loathe the cetra just a little bit.
"You are a very devious and dangerous individual," he told her. "Anyone who takes you for granted is a stupid fool."
Aerith's smile beamed at that and folded her hands cutely behind her back, looking the very definition of innocent. "Why thank you."
