SOLDIER Doesn't Make Heroes.
Disclaimer: I do not claim to own any of the characters used in this fan fiction. They belong to their respected owners.
Pairing: N/A.
Characters: Genesis Rhapsodos, Yuffie Kisaragi — along with a few others.
Warning: Complete and utter craziness. There is no pairing. Slight OOCness. Mild cursing. Limp!Genesis. Desperate!Yuffie.
Summary: After learning the truth of his own existence, Genesis is sent off to war—the Wutai War. Though with the fact he is unable to accept the facts causes the man to lose his mind, though things only get worse when Wutai's Princess gets involved.
Chapter Six; Never Lose Your Innocence
Yuffie Kisaragi, the White Rose of Wutai, could not step herself from just staring at the broken shell of a man. There was a war going on, but not just the one she viewed in her homeland. There was one going on in this man's mind, and unfortunately for her, there was nothing she could do about it. All she could do was observe this man falling apart at the seams. It didn't take her long to realize that it was not just a mental thing, that he was in severe physical pain as well.
His body trembled in agony, the same emotion swimming in his normally bright blue eyes. His crimson leather jacket cast to the ground, abandoned in the man's fit of pain and probably rage. Her eyes seemed to moved to his shoulder, which he clutched onto with his gloved hand. Her eyes trailed the paling flesh, watching the muscles twitch and seemed to scream under his skin. That was when she noticed a blackness lurking, barely peering out from under his black sleeveless turtle-neck.
A shiver ran down the young Princess's spine as she could have swore that the dark mark seemed to grow, before her very eyes. She could not find her voice at this point, only finding herself staring at the wound. She figured it to be an infection in what was probably a previous battle wound, but she couldn't be sure and she doubted that someone like Genesis would let that happen. Yet with her voice missing and her mind only forced on the wound, she could not find herself sending any questions his way.
"Leave." He repeated his previous statement, a commanding tone used louder this time. And when Yuffie didn't move, the warrior narrowed his eyes in both pain and frustration. "Are you deaf? Leave."
Yuffie broke the direction gaze at the wound, her sights moving up to the broken gaze of the SOLDIER. "No."
"Why?"
His counter surprised the young ninja slightly. She hadn't expected him to even question her decision, though she had expected him to force her to leave. His body language read that he didn't have the energy, nor the mental stability to just toss her out. She didn't understand why, but she wasn't going to throw out any questions. She would merely sit up straight with that determined look in her chocolate eyes, almost a glare at the older being in the tent with her.
"For one, I'm a princess so I don't have to listen to you." A lie but it would work. "Two, I don't take orders from anyone, and certainly not some big jerk that kidnapped me!" Another lie but once again it work, third lie was on it's way. "Three, you're hurt. Unlike you jerks from Shinra, here in Wutai, we don't leave the wounded to take care of themselves."
Genesis Rhapsodos, First Class SOLDIER and General, frowned. The Princess of Wutai was an odd one, stubborn to a fault. Since her capture, he had not gotten a moment of peace with her around. Whether it be nonstop questions or the stubborn nature, he was always in the crossfire of the moment. Why hadn't he just sent her home yet? Unfortunately, he does not get to ponder the thought — pain ripping through his body, mostly in the area of that hardly forgotten wound.
He stumbled forward as he tried in vain to massage the pain away, almost falling to his knees as the pain continued to rip mercilessly under his flesh. 'No, no, no. I cannot—' His vision began spotted with darkness, eyes soon snapping shut to try to make all of this disappear. Obviously it wasn't working, the pain just becoming worse — he should have went back to Shinra, to get another fusion. Why hadn't he? Oh yes, the little princess had been captured and he wasn't about to leave her alone in the camp for that long.
His knees buckled with the pain, his body swaying as another stumble forward came along. This time he collapsed under his own weakness, knees meeting the ground heavily. He heard the sound of chains rattling and a pair of small hands grabbing his injured arm gently. He was surprised, after all he could tell who the hands belonged to, but the emotion could not leak through onto his expression. He swayed, even with the small hands trying to help, and he released his grip on his shoulder to place his palms against the ground for balance. His eyes slide open and moved to the young Princess, he became surprised by the concerned look on her expression.
Though the princess was embarrassed by the closeness that her and the General now had, she ignored it and stared him in the eye. She silently wondered how long he planned on trying to keep this — whatever it was — a secret from those he fought along side. She wondered how she hadn't completely noticed the extent of this earlier. Yes she was young, but she was not as naïve as she let on. Still, none of that was her concern at the moment — she wanted to help, reasons unknown to her.
"Do you have any cure?" Yuffie commented quietly as she tried to keep him steady, "I'll cast it for you."
Genesis shook his head, lowering it to hide the fact he was fighting a gasp of pain. "I've tried that — they've tried that."
"Well we'll try again," Yuffie spoke desperately. She had to help him, he had been one of the very few that had been rather nice to her. No, she didn't have to, she wanted to. Though it was for a selfish reason; she owed Genesis something for not letting her starve, she didn't want to be in debt to him. "Just tell me where it is and I'll get it."
"It won't work," he snapped at the girl, digging his fingers into the ground violently. He found it becoming difficult to breath with the pain traveling from his shoulder to his chest, his eyes forced on his hands to try to control himself. "There is nothing you can do!"
Even though she was slightly frightened of the much larger being, Yuffie knew he was in no condition to fight back with her. She grabbed the fabric of his shirt and lifted, taking a look at what was ailing the General. She noticed the winces coming from the General at such a simple action, her eyes settling on the wound. Her face paled at the sight, her lips parting as a small gasp escaped her. Her stomach twisted and turned at the large — dark and probably infected — wound.
The pale flesh that covered most of his form — at least from what she could see — was no visible around the wound. A darkness had taken over, traveling around the wound and towards his chest. The darkness seemed to pulse, whether from the infection traveling in the veins or from the sheer pain, she didn't know nor did she care. She needed to see the full extent of the wound, no matter how disgusting it already appeared. Her chocolate gaze met his blue one.
"I need to get a better look at the wound."
Genesis grimaced at the pain worsened, his eyes narrowing in frustration at both the girl and the pain. "There is nothing you can do to help."
"So you say," Yuffie replied as she stared directly into his eyes. She held a look that made her seem far older then she was, her tone did the same though it would probably never be used again. "Just let me try."
"There is nothing you can do that Shinra Scientist either haven't or can't."
His counter did not waver the girl's expression of command. He flinched inwardly before slowly pushing himself into a normal sitting position, with the help of Yuffie of course. He painfully grabbed the fabric of his turtle-neck, lifting it up and over his shoulder — he suddenly felt naked and in the wrong. Though when he spied the young girl's expression at the sight of his naked upper torso, he couldn't help but feel a bit amused. That is until another shot of pain hit him, causing him to double over once more and grip the soil below him.
Embarrassment took over the youngster; she may not always act as innocent as she was, but this had most certainly been the first time she had been in the presence of a half-naked man. Even with the disfiguring blackness cover most of his shoulder, the black mark spreading over and down his chest. Still with the disfiguring mark, it was difficult for the girl to gawk like most girls would at the sight of a shirtless — attractive — man. Nevertheless, a flush of red crossed her small cheeks, which would disappear as another grimace escaped the SOLDIER.
"What happened?"
Yuffie's question caught the SOLDIER off guard. His eyes locked with his face, a look of disgust at the sight filling her expression. Genesis felt ashamed at having to show this young girl what ailed him. She was small and innocent, he didn't have the right to place any type of burden on her. He was tempted not to tell her what was wrong with him, he didn't want to farther her disgust with this situation. He decided on an answer that would probably shut her up, since she was more of a talker then a listener. "It's a long story."
"I have time," She commented with a childish expression of curiosity. "And I do need to know, Genesis."
Genesis frowned. "It wasn't this horrid months ago, it was rather small — the scientists can't do anything, what makes you think you can?"
"Because I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie!" Yuffie offered a smile, whether it was fake or not, Genesis didn't know. "I'm better then some stupid scientists of Shinra! They must be evil, sending you out here with a wound like this!"
Genesis wanted to make a comment, something like what he would normally say in a moment like this, but couldn't. Genesis felt weaker then normal, his body still wracking with pain and discomfort. He merely looked up at the girl, a broken look in his eyes. "Yuffie Kisaragi, you have no idea."
"Huh?" Yuffie blinked like the innocent child she was, eying him curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing." Genesis painfully picked up and placed his shirt on once more, reaching for his jacket. His body grimaced at the pain that shot through him, it only worsening then it was before with each movement he made. He felt helpless and he hated it, and what he hated more was that Yuffie was witnessing this. But much to his surprise, Yuffie only grabbed his wrist to stop him and gave him a frown. "What?"
She narrowed her eyes stubbornly, "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm getting dressed." He answered and pulled away from her grasp. "You're going to help me to the other tent, and I am going to contact Shinra. They will send me a treatment, the pain will… only throb afterwards."
She challenged, "What are the others going to think? Me helping you?"
"We're not going to make it obvious."
Yuffie stared for a moment, Genesis still reaching out for his jacket. She frowned once more as she grabbed the jacket, holding it out to him. He was surprised but still took it, which caused the corner of Yuffie's lips to twitch a bit. She watched him painfully slide the jacket on as she hopped to her feet, rather clumsily due to the chains that bound her. Still she offered a hand to the SOLDIER, grinning like only an innocent young girl could. Genesis almost found himself smiling, if it hadn't been for the agony he was in.
"Don't worry," Yuffie announced as the SOLDIER gripped her hand. "I'll make sure you get to the other tent without anyone noticing your state. I swear on my Ninja Honor!"
Genesis nodded. "Yuffie?"
She hummed with a smile, "Yes, Genesis?"
"Don't lose your innocence."
Yuffie beamed a bit at the older being, helping him to his feet and nodding in agreement. The agreement was a silent promise to the ill man, one that The Great Ninja Yuffie, Wutai's White Rose, was going to keep. No matter what, she would be sure to keep her silent promise to the SOLDIER — she owed him that.
Author's Note: Not my best work but the fiction is about to end, within a few more chapters I think. And it'll all make sense in the end, at least, I hope so. And there will be a sequel, if my mind will work on it. I will tell you that the sequel will be a romance fiction; even though it's practically making Genesis's a pedophile. Bwuahaha, that would be funny. Anyway, enjoyment is hoped for and reviews are welcomed.