SOLDIER Does not 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.

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 Nine; Memory Lane.

The young ninja listened to the older being, her chocolate brown eyes widen and starry, obviously highly interested in what the man had to say. The man told tales of the crimson warrior, who had captured her, and himself when the two had been her age. He told her stories that made her laugh, like the crazy things the two used to do, while other just made the youngster more curious about her capturer, like when the man told her of what he knew of the SOLDIER's home life and seemingly mindless things.

She begins to realize just how much Genesis and herself are alike. Angeal had informed her that Genesis's father was the mayor of the village they came from — she thinks he called it Banora — making him something like royalty, at least to the young ninja. She also comprehends that, much like herself, Genesis wants to be his own person but he also wants to be recognized for something. Unlike her, who wants to be something more then just Godo's child, he wants to be a hero. However, they both just want to be respected for what they do, not who they are. Yuffie is young but she isn't stupid, she can see it and feel it.

"Yuffie — do you know of a Dumbapple?"

"Huh?" The small girl lifted her head and stared at the man, her eyes blinking with confusion. She had never heard of such a thing as a Dumbapple, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to. However, her curiosity proved to mean more then anything. "What's that?"

Angeal chuckled at the small child before him, his mako infused eyes trailing over her. "It's properly known as White Banora. Once a year you could hand pick these off trees. The people of my village are quite fond of them and they named it the Dumbapple. I used to go into farm and take a couple to eat."

"You took them," her dark eyes flashed mischievously. "You're quite the thief to say something like that!"

The SOLDIER looked offended for a moment, although it was clear that he was faking it, teasing the girl. "I was poor then."

"Say what you will," she stuck her tongue out at the elder being. "But that's still quite impressive! I'm not even that good at stealing yet to admit that I do it! Musta been pretty cool."

He arched a brow, "You just admitted it."

"That — you're so mean!" She pouted out her bottom lip and lifted a hand, jabbing a finger in his direction. "And this isn't a very interesting story!"

"It's not finished yet." He reminded her, "You happened to just jump in with your little comments."

"Well — " Her cheeks flushed with color slightly, sending him a playful glare. "Fine! Continue, I wanna hear!"

"Very well," he chuckled at her. "Now where was I?"

She beamed, "You were a thief!"

"I may have been a thief, as you so politely put it, but I still had much pride and honor," Angeal responded with a faint smile. He had to admit that the girl was growing on him, now realizing the realize that Genesis probably kept her around. She was a breath of fresh air within their darkening world, especially the red SOLDIER's. "The village mayor's house probably had the largest apple tree, if I remember correctly. The apples on that tree were probably the most delicious but I could never forgive myself if I took one from there. The mayor's son, Genesis, was my best friend, after all."

"If Genesis is your best friend," Yuffie tilted her head curiously. "Why didn't you just ask for one?"

"Ah, so you've caught on, but you seem to fail to realize something." The male's eyes narrowed gently, inhaling a light breath of air. "I had much honor and pride, remember? The thing with such traits are that they are a burden. I could never find myself asking such a thing out of him, even if he would offer."

"Oh," Yuffie blinked in confusion. She didn't understand many things about this moment between them, one of them being why Angeal was so stubborn. However, she was soon reminded that she probably would be just like him if in his position. She wouldn't ask anything further on the subject though, she didn't want to seem like a mindless child, but she couldn't stop herself from questioning one thing. "Why did you tell me this one? I don't get that. It has nothing really to do with the others, right?"

"I was hoping that it would explain a few things to you, about Genesis. He, much like myself, has found that pride and honor can be a quite the burden. He puts those two traits into everything he does, which explains him in total. What happened back in the other tent, when his pride is injured even just a little, he is known to go off." Angeal explained to the younger being, who listened and hung on every word he said. "Much like the injury that you had seen, it is only proof to the words that I speak to you. Do you understand?"

"I think so," she nodded but then quickly leaned forward on her chair. "Do you think you can tell me about how that happened?"

"It was training gone wrong, our friend had injured his pride or maybe he was just jealous, I can't really tell you." He frowned a bit, "Things were taken too far and that is the result."

She straightened up and tilted her head, staring at the other man. "Is that all?"

"No," he shook his head and glanced towards the opening of the tent. "His injury should have been very minor, it hadn't seemed that horrid. Although, why hasn't it been healing as it should? That's what got us all, no one seemed to understand it. That man that you seen entering the tent when we left, the one who has been treating Genesis, his name is Professor Hollander."

Yuffie found herself becoming angry with this Professor in question, for failing the crimson SOLDIER. She was angry that nothing more was being done for the man, that this all was happening to him. Her dark eyes turned to her knew found friend, noticing that he was staring at her oddly, probably due to seeing her anger in her orbs. "Well it seems that he's not doing his job! Have you seen that wound? It looks horrible, Angeal!"

"I haven't seen it lately, but I do know that the treatments don't seem to be working." Angeal frowned, keeping his gaze on the opening of the tent. "It appears that there is nothing more we can do but keep an eye on him, hope that everything will turn out for the right."

"That's not all!"

Angeal turned his gaze to the girl, confusion swimming in his blue eyes. "What?"

"When I was small, my mother used to tell me to pray to Leviathan." Yuffie spoke carefully with her eyes turning to the man, biting her bottom lip like a small child in trouble. She wasn't sure if the SOLDIER would be angry for her bringing up such a thing or not, she knew that Leviathan was a God of Wutai only, not where ever he was from. "She used to tell me that if I wanted something really bad, all I had to do was pray. I bet, we could pray for Genesis to get better and Leviathan would heal him!"

Angeal stared at her for a moment, thinking over what she had just told him. It was true that he didn't believe in Leviathan, but he couldn't find himself denying this child's suggestion. She was trying to help his friend, one that had captured her and been holding her here for who knows how long. He couldn't stop himself from offering her a gentle smile, reaching over and ruffling her short hair. "I'm not sure how to pray, why don't you bring? Show me how."

"Well," she fidgeted on her chair nervously before beaming up at him. "Well all you need to do is bow your head and repeat after me then, you can even do it silently. How does that sound?"

He chuckled, "Perfect."

"Great!" She wiggled in her spot and bowed her head, Angeal soon bowing his own and closing his eyes. She placed her hands together, and spoke softly to her country's God. "Dear Leviathan, I know that I ask for a lot from you sometimes, but this is a very special request. My friend and I have something to ask of you, and we would really be happy if you helped. Our friend, Genesis Rhapsodos, is really hurt and is need of some healing. Could you find it in your mighty heart to heal him? It would mean a lot to us, amen."

"Amen." Angeal repeated aloud, having been silently listening to the girl. However, he was not the only one listening, outside of the tent was the crimson general, listening and mauling over what to do while hearing what was being said. The raven haired SOLDIER could sense him outside but said nothing about it, opening his eyes and turning them to the young ninja. "Do you think it'll work?"

She beamed at him and nodded. "Of course it will! Leviathan never lets down those who believe in him."

"I see," He smiled, a mirror of what the man outside of the tent was doing. "How long should it take, for Leviathan to answer?"

"Sometimes a long time," Yuffie admitted with a light frown. She didn't want it to take a long time, Genesis needed help now. Suddenly she perked up, flashing the raven haired man another smile and a cheerful look in her dark eyes. "But I bet if I pray everyday, Leviathan will become so annoyed with me that he'll have no other choice but to heal Genesis!"

The childish answer got a rise out of Angeal, his lips curved upward and a chuckle escaped him. He couldn't really help himself, he had never heard of a loyal servant of a God willing to upset said deity, just to get a man they hardly knew well again. This girl was certainly something else, and he almost hopped that the girl would rub off on his friend, to help him become what he used to be. "That sounds like the perfect plan, Miss Kisaragi."

"I know." She beamed up at him, before jabbing her pointer finger towards him. "And call me Yuffie! After all, we are friends, and friends wouldn't call each other with such formal stuff!"

In all of his life in SOLDIER, Angeal Hewley never once thought that an enemy would call him a friend. He never thought that he would find himself in a situation such as this either, but still the girl had something about her that shooed those thoughts from his skull. She reminded him of the boy he was certainly training, Zack Fair, head in the clouds and always meeting others with the an attitude that could make anyone feel uncomfortable with either annoyance or frustration, yet still making them smile and laugh. He wondered for a moment what would happen if the two ever met.

Still, Angeal Hewley smiled at the girl. "Of course, I do apologize, Yuffie. I wasn't thinking."

"Beginning to think you SOLDIER people don't think," she shot back teasingly. "Though, I think I can forgive ya!"

"Good."

"Angeal," came the stern voice that both knew all too well. Eyes shifted over to the crimson SOLDIER that now entered the tent, leaning against one of the support poles. "The helicopter is ready to go. Time to say goodbye to the Princess."

"Is that so," Angeal commented carefully and patted the little ninja's head. His blue orbs moved back to her, locking with hers as a silent statement was said between them. Yuffie took note to his stern look and nodded, the SOLDIER offering her a faint smile. "Hold onto your dreams, Yuffie, and your honor, pride."

"Will do," she beamed as the SOLDIER removed his hand, turning. "You remember though, pray until he gets so annoyed with us!"

Angeal only nodded as he held back a laugh, turning to Genesis and turning stern once more. The two locked gazes for a moment, as if they were having a silent conversation, before the raven haired man passed Genesis and exited the tent. Once outside of the tent, his gaze turned back to it and sighed, his mind now worrying over the little ninja and his childhood friend. He shook off the feeling and pointed out two helmeted second class SOLDIER members, the three then walking to the helicopter.

A/N: Alright. xPoetxOfxThexMoon told me how to reply to reviews so once this is posted, I'll get to that. But still I have a lot to say in this author's note, because I know a lot of you are wondering what the hell I was thinking when I was writing this chapter out. Well let me explain somethings to do you; I am a supporter of Angeal/Genesis deep seeded friendship. I could imagine that Angeal is always willing to attempt to explain off Genesis's behaviors, especially to the young ninja of the story (Yuffie). That's why I included the story that Angeal tells Zack in (I think its) the second chapter of the game.

I also would like to address the likeness I found in a few of the characters with Yuffie. The whole reason I started this fiction is because I do see Yuffie and Genesis having a lot in common. The reasons stated in this chapter are just a few, however, I left one out for obvious reasons. That reason would be that they will later find themselves in a situation of unrequited love. Genesis towards the Goddess, shown in Crisis Core, and Yuffie towards Vincent. Yes, people, I do believe that Yuffie has feelings for Vincent, it's shown many times in Dirge of Cerberus. I don't believe that Vincent is mentally stable enough to have feelings for Yuffie, even after Dirge of Cerberus. That's just my thoughts.

Another person I compared Yuffie to was Zack Fair. That's only because while playing Crisis Core, I often did it then. I found myself in a love/hate relationship with Zack's character, much like I did with Yuffie when playing Final Fantasy VII and Dirge of Cerberus. It's much explained in the story.

If there are any questions or concerns, please review them to me or message me privately. Either way, you will get an answer.

Thank you,

NYJAA