Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.

38 – Games

"Where the hell are those reports? I asked for them hours ago!"

"Yes, Sir. They're right here, Sir," the secretary replied, bowing her head and holding the reports at arm's length toward her boss.

"About damned time."

"I'm sorry, Sir."

"There are thousands who would love to take your place so you'd better shape up."

The woman scowled and stuck her tongue out at her boss's back as he entered his office. The bastard made it a point to threaten her daily, so much so that she no longer took him seriously. Besides, it wasn't her fault the reports were late. The pig-headed man had left immediately after requesting them and he'd just now returned! With a sigh she returned to work. Someday she would find a new line of work but until then she'd perform her duties to the best of her abilities, asshole boss or not.

Entering his office, the Shinra exec froze, immediately noticing the man sitting on his couch. He started to bellow at him but stopped as he registered the man's taped mouth and bound writs.

"Glad you could join us, Director Heidegger."

Heidegger ground his teeth as his desk chair slowly rotated, revealing his second unwanted visitor. He went on a mental tirade but when he spoke, his voice was wholly friendly. "Vice President Shinra. So good to see you!"

Rufus's biting words belied his smile. "I wasn't aware that Shinra allotted a two hour lunch break to anyone, even executives."

Little prick, the Director of Public Safety thought. Aloud he said, "I had other matters to attend before returning to the office. Be that as it may, what can I do for you Vice President?"

"I'm glad you asked. You see, there is something you might be able to help me with," Rufus replied, leaning forward, putting his elbows on Heidegger's desk, and steepling his fingers. "Last night at approximately 03:00 hours my security team caught this man trespassing on my property. On his person they found several surveillance devices, including audio and video components. As you might expect he was apprehended and taken in for questioning."

The VP paused and eyed the Head of Public Safety. The man's face gave nothing away but the fingers on his right hand were twitching slightly and his posture was positively rigid. Rufus struggled to keep a broad smile off his face before he continued.

"At first the man was tight lipped, refusing to make so much as a peep, but after several hours of intensive interrogation he said he was currently working for the Shinra Corporation. His prints, face, and even DNA had already been taken and run through Shinra's system, yet we found no record of his being employed with us. Eventually he was persuaded to state he was working off record for an executive and with just a bit more pressure he gave us a name. That name was yours, Director Heidegger."

"What? You can't beli- that's absurd! Why would I hire someone to, to spy on you?" the Director sputtered, moving farther into the room.

Rufus nodded sympathetically at Heidegger's false indignation. He's a poor liar, he thought. To be sure the Director's face was a deep, unhealthy looking red and his hands were balled into fists, but it had more to do with fear, frustration, and the fact that he'd been caught than anything. The man's nervous glances toward the bound man on the couch confirmed it. Those looks asked, 'what else did you tell him?'

"Relax Heidegger," Rufus said after a moment of basking in the man's anxiety. "I believe you." At his words both the tied lackey and the Director's eyes widened, though it only took Heidegger a second to correct his mistake. He leaned back in the chair before adding, "What would you gain from spying on me? I'm uncertain, aside from discovering whom my allies and supporters are, what policies I'm considering, and what my position on company, even global, issues and events is, that is."

"I have no need for such information, that is, until you make it public knowledge," Heidegger chuckled nervously.

The right corner of Rufus's mouth began to slip upward. What utter lies, he thought. It made perfect sense that Heidegger would want to know what he was up to, not to mention who his allies and supporters were. How else could the man brown nose and play he and his old man against each other? The fact that Heidegger thought he was to ignorant to know that really pissed him off but worked to his advantage. There was something to be said about people constantly underestimating you.

"After careful consideration it has been determined that this is yet another one of AVALANCHE's ploys," the VP said.

"AVALANCHE Sir?"

Rufus grinned at Heidegger's confusion. The stupid man should have jumped on the chance to blame anyone but himself. "Yes, AVALANCHE. Whether their goal was simply to survey and gather intel or something more nefarious, such as kidnapping me again or even another company employee, is unclear, however it is obvious they would gain a great deal from either scenario. In addition, if anyone was caught, such as this operative here, they could do exactly what he did and claim to be working for an executive. Pitting the execs, or worse, two or more rivals within the company, against each other would be a brilliant move. Nothing like weakening and bringing down your enemies from the inside."

Now smiling, the VP rose and headed toward Heidegger. The plump exec might be a piss poor liar but he wasn't. Rufus believed the man on the couch and knew AVALANCHE didn't have a damned thing to do with anything, aside from being a convenient scapegoat anyway. Regardless, it was important that Heidegger felt himself to be in the clear. The man was arrogant and mostly incompetent, however he did have his uses.

"Of course Sir," Heidegger was saying, "I hate to admit it but AVALANCHE's plan was a good one. After all, it is common knowledge that certain departments within the company do not see eye to eye. What a great distraction it would be to play us against each other."

"Which is why I'm bringing the situation to you. You are the Director of Public Safety, which is just a kind way of referring to Shinra's military might. You should be aware of all of AVALANCHE's tactics so that you may better combat them," Rufus said, leaning against the front of Heidegger's desk. "After all, what effects Shinra directly affects citizens the world over, correct?"

"Correct, Sir. I will inform the other Directors and your father of this matter at once."

"Do as you see fit," stated the VP, moving toward the door. Even though he had expected it, it sickened him at how quickly and eagerly Heidegger was now pushing blame onto AVALANCHE. In his mind if someone screwed up they should admit it and accept the consequences. Yeah, like that ever happens.

Heidegger turned and watched as the blond moved around him to leave. He was momentarily surprised to see a large, bald Turk standing in front of the closed door. It was apparent the man had been there for some time, which meant he'd been standing directly behind him and he hadn't know it! It still chaffed that he had lost control of the Turks, first to Veld, and now to Rufus. Whether he liked it or not they were certainly good.

As the thought struck him, he realized the Turks presence was probably the only reason his plan had failed. The men he'd hired had been skilled with plenty of experience, but they weren't a match for the Turks. Few were and individuals of that caliber cost more than he'd paid. Shouldn't have been a cheapskate. On the other hand, he'd not known the Turks were in Junon. His intel said four were in Gongaga and one was in Midgar. He wondered if his intel had been intentionally misleading or simply out of date. Another matter for another day.

"I will ensure this man has nothing further to offer, then detain him for sentencing," the Director said, once again thinking of the man on the couch.

"No need," replied Rufus, stopping in front of Rude and turning to face Heidegger. "Tseng?"

Heidegger raised an eyebrow and could barely contain his shock as the Wutain melted out of the shadows. Unlike the bald Turk, Tseng had been in the room the entire time. Worse, he'd been looking right at him and hadn't seen him! How the hell do they do that? As he watched, Tseng crossed the room and stopped a few feet in front of the VP. Without a word, the man withdrew his firearm and handed it to Rufus. The VP confidently placed his finger on the trigger and leveled it at his not so covert employee on the couch. "Wait!"

Rufus stopped and eyed Heidegger. "What is it?"

"You're going to kill him?" The VP eyed him and he added, "Here?"

"That's what cleanup crews are for," Rufus replied, promptly pulling the trigger, painting the wall and couch with gore. He spun the weapon and held it out to Tseng, who took it and returned it to its holster. It was true that he had his own weapon but not many knew it. It was yet another way in which people could, and did, underestimate him.

With a final nod, Rufus turned and exited the office behind Rude while Tseng stayed behind. He made a point of calling in a cleanup crew then turned to Heidegger. The man was eyeing the dead man with an unreadable look. "Have you heard of the Eviscerator?"

Heidegger raised an eyebrow and stared at the Director of the Department of Administrative Research. Almost everyone in Midgar had heard the stories about the killer dubbed the Eviscerator. Once a person heard the name and knew its reputation, the information was hard to forget. In fact for many the name alone was so terrifying that saying it aloud was considered taboo.

Immediately following the war in Wutai, Midgar had become home to a flood of refugees from the ravaged country. Defectors weren't anything new, as Wutain's had migrated from their homeland since the beginning of the war. What was new was the amount of Wutainese radicals that defected to Midgar. It didn't take long for the newcomers to inject their fanatical hatred for Shinra into the populace and soon a new revolutionary force was growing right under SEPC's nose.

From the beginning of the uprising, Shinra did everything within their power to lessen the rebels' message. Even so, the company was placed at the center of a very delicate situation. Many citizens and countries were still less than pleased with both the conflict and outcome of the Wutai War. The eyes of the world watched and waited to see how Shinra would handle this new threat on their own soil. Some were rooting for them, but many others hoped the company would fail miserably.

At first Shinra did nothing more than condemn the rebels, downplay any threat, and increase their presence on the city streets, especially in the areas where Wutainese tended to congregate. That worked for a while but the situation quickly escalated and Shinra employees suddenly found themselves targets. Several were beaten while others were kidnapped and tortured, resulting in deaths. Suddenly many sided with the rebel forces, regardless that Shinra hadn't killed anyone nor raised a hand toward their foes. People, regardless of origin, began to openly proclaim that Shinra was power hungry and deserved what they got. Unfortunately that included anyone who had anything to do with the company, from the lowest file cleric up to President Shinra himself.

With all the tension and the publicity, Shinra decided any action taken could not be perceived as aggressive. Basically what it boiled down to was the fact that the company didn't want to send in their army to stamp out the rebels. That would cause more harm than good. It was therefore decided that small groups of covert operatives, that is, Turks, would try to infiltrate the enemy forces and undermine them from within.

For a while, the tactic seemed to work and the Wutainese cells fell apart, but within two weeks they had solidified once more and worse, they were more vicious than ever. The groups became harder to locate since they now trusted very few outsiders. Anyone the groups found suspicious died, including innocent civilians, Shinra patrol troops, and several Turks. As a result, all Shinra forces were recalled.

It seemed that whether the company liked it or not the only way to gain control of the situation was to risk public ire and send in troops to root out the rebels. Yet as the Shinra began to prepare their legions something changed. One by one key Wutainese rebels mysteriously went missing. Even stranger, the remaining forces seemed to lose their fight.

Shinra managed to keep the disappearances out of the press but almost immediately rumors began to circulate. It was said that the missing Wutainese leaders turned up horribly disfigured and mutilated. The rumors ranged anywhere form the rebel leaders missing fingernails or toes to being disemboweled and missing vital organs. Regardless of the severity of the injuries, it was said that in all cases the rebels were found alive and only died because one of their own took pity on them and gave the deathblow.

Soon after the rumors began, the Wutainese forces began to crumble. There were whispers among the people that their dishonorable actions, such as killing innocent civilians and low ranking Shinra personnel, had unleashed an akuma that now sought Wutain blood. Since the Wutainese felt the plight upon their people was their own fault, they felt that the way to resolve it was to abandon their actions against Shinra and beg forgiveness from the akuma. Some disagreed but not many and although the tension between the Wutainese and Shinra remained, hostile actions ceased. Apparently the threat of an akuma was worse than that of Shinra.

Heidegger snapped himself out of his thoughts and eyed Tseng once more. "What the hell do ancient rumors have to do with anything?"

"I was unaware that two years was ancient."

"You're trying my patience."

Tseng shook his head almost sadly and took a step toward the Director. As he stopped, he casually clasped his hands in front of his waist. "You and I both know that what transpired with Rufus was a farce. We both know the man Rufus shot was employed by you. Now, I do not know to what end, nor do I care to, howev-"

"If you have a point I suggest you make it," Heidegger snapped, interrupting the Wutain.

"I assure you that the Eviscerator is real and that the rumors pale in comparison to reality."

The Director of Public Safety's eyes widened as Tseng turned to leave. "You are threatening me?"

"Let us simply say that you would do well to leave Rufus alone. It would be a shame for you to find out how much worse reality can be compared to fiction."

With that the DoAR Director exited the office, leaving Heidegger in stunned silence. Rufus hadn't exactly hidden the fact that he'd known Heidegger was behind his recent stalkers so it was a sure bet that the Turks knew as well, or at least Tseng and the bald, silent one did anyway. Yet so far as he was concerned he'd done nothing to warrant such a threat. That wasn't a threat. No, it had been a promise and he knew it.

Irritated, Heidegger stomped behind his desk and sat in his chair with a scowl. Oh how he lamented losing control of the Turks. How could President Shinra give such an exceptional department to Rufus? The boy was nothing more than a snot nosed kid. What the hell did he need trained assassins for anyway? To terrorize executives apparently.

The more he thought about it, the more Heidegger concluded President Shinra had no clue how much of an asset the Turks were, nor did he realize how dangerously loyal they could be. Tseng's threat implied that they thought of the boy as one of them, their equal, not merely a boss. After all, not many employers would promise extreme violence for toying with their boss, unless they were mafia, militia, or military groups. Heidegger wasn't sure which group to classify the Turks as, but it was clear they were loyal to Rufus.

Though he was still pissed about the incidents with Rufus and Tseng, Heidegger realized it wasn't all bad. It appeared that Rufus was playing some type of game because he could have easily turned the information they'd collected over to his father. Had that happened he had no doubt he'd be dead. Yet the boy hadn't done that and the question was why. What was Rufus after? Better yet, what did the VP want with him?

While he couldn't answer those questions, Heidegger at least partially knew where he stood. For whatever reason the VP didn't want him dead and the Turks would leave him be so long as he didn't cross a line. Of course finding that line and toeing it would be a challenge, but he liked challenges. Let the games begin.

Reno opened sleep crusted eyes and stirred, certain that something had roused him. He rolled onto his back and stretched from head to toe, enjoying the pull of his muscles and the scent of coffee. Coffee! That's what woke him up! He chuckled quietly, thinking he was like a trained animal, conditioned to perform a certain task on cue. In this case the cue was coffee and the task was wake up.

"Are you awake?" Sephiroth quietly called, certain the redhead was indeed awake by the change in his breathing. He watched as the Turk slowly sat up so as not to wake the still sleeping Genesis. The man then stood and headed into the kitchen, yawning the whole way. He rifled through the cabinets, found a mug, and poured steaming coffee into it. "How do you feel?" the SSC asked as the Turk sat down across from him.

"Ask me after I've finished this yo," Reno replied, blowing on his beverage before taking a sip. His mouth exploded with flavor and he sighed contentedly before saying, "Last night wasn't a dream, right?"

"That depends. Are you referring to my beating you within an inch of your life and you dragging Genesis back from Gaia knows where or something else?"

The Turk chuckled, having his answer. He hadn't dreamed it all. Genesis was back! Still, he couldn't help glance at the sleeping auburn and ask, "He will wake up again, right?"

"He already has."

"Eh?"

"Nature called."

"Ah," Reno chuckled. "I musta been really out of it."

"Not surprising. Once again I ask, how are you?"

"I'm fine yo." The silver's eyebrow arched and he sighed. "I've got a killer migraine okay?"

"Pun intended?"

Reno eyed the SSC's blank face, unable to tell if the man was angry or not. He finally detected the faintest curving of his lips and broke out in a grin. "Yeah, pun intended."

"Where were you born Reno?"

The Turk blinked and turned his gaze on the silver. "Midgar. Sector 3. Why?"

"How old are you?"

"17."

"What's 12 times 57."

Reno's eyes widened in understanding. "Seph I'm fine, seriously."

"Then answer the question."

"684."

"287 divided by 4?"

"71.75," the Turk scowled. "Will you knock it off? I don't have brain damage or something."

"Very well," the silver sighed. Reno's coordination appeared to be fine and his pupils were functioning normally. From the few questions he'd been able to ask the Turk's thought process seemed to be okay, as were his memories. Though he'd love to press the issue further he didn't, knowing it would probably piss the Turk off.

"He still asleep?"

"Yes."

"Last night, when Gen asked what had happened to him, you didn't want me to say anything. Why?"

"Perhaps it is for the best that he not remember." The Turk idly bobbed his head up and down and took a sip, but his expression remained blank. "Do you disagree?"

"I dunno. I know it sucks to have a huge hole in your memory but at the same time I don't know what'll happen if he remembers. We've risked so much, are risking so much, to help and save him, I don't wanna destroy him."

Sephiroth drank from his mug as he contemplated the Turks words. He didn't think he had, or was, risking much, but for some reason being included made him happy. That aside he could see Reno's point on the second matter. He knew firsthand what it felt like to have gaps in ones memory and it could be maddening. On the other hand, sometimes when the blanks were filled in he'd wished they would have remained empty. "I will defer to your judgment."

"What?"

"You know him better."

"Heh, sad thing is I don't really know him all that well. Since we met it's been one thing after another. No downtime, ya know?"

"I do. You are certainly much better at reading people than me though."

"Why do you say that yo?"

"I am not stupid Reno and neither are you. I think we both know the answer to that."

"Okay, okay, sorry," the Turk said, holding his hands up, palms out. It was fairly obvious that Sephiroth was lacking a great many social skills and that he was grudgingly admitting it. "Yer right. I didn't mean to offend ya."

"No offense taken," the SSC replied. He took a sip and added, "I believe he's waking up."

Neither was surprised when, a few seconds later, Genesis called in a groggy voice, "Is that coffee I smell?" The pair watched as the STC stretched, rose, and joined them in the kitchen. "Mmm, smells good."

"Get yer own!" Reno chuckled, moving his mug out from under the auburn's nose.

"I'll get it," said Sephiroth.

"Humph, at least one of you has manners," the auburn snipped. "Thank you Sephiroth."

"Heh, way ta show me up yo."

"Serves you right," Genesis chuckled. Before long he was wrapping his fingers around a warm cup of coffee and taking a sip. "Delicious."

"Thank you."

"I know yer probably tired but do you mind if I clean up?" Reno asked the silver.

"I'm not tired nor do I mind."

Reno blinked at the SSC. "You really don't sleep, do you?"

"Not often, however I will likely sleep after breakfast."

"Mmm, breakfast."

"Are you two seriously that afraid to leave me alone?" Genesis interjected.

"Yes," Reno and Sephiroth replied in unison.

"Why?" Once again the redhead and silver glanced at each other. "What?" he snapped. "What aren't you two telling me?" His eyes narrowed as the Turk fidgeted.

"Alright, alright, guess we'll do this now," Reno sighed, shifting to face Genesis. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Genesis glared at the Turk thinking he was toying with him, but the man's face didn't waver. He's serious. "Waking up here last night."

"Before that?"

The auburn's brows furrowed. "Sephiroth and I went to a seafood restaurant for dinner, then I went home, found Kupo, and fell asleep."

"What's a Kupo?" the silver shyly asked.

"A stuffed moogle," replied Reno, smiling faintly. The smile vanished as though it had never existed with his next words. "That was what, a week ago Seph?"

"Eight days I believe."

The auburn blinked rapidly and stared at the SSC, speechless. Eight days ago? "What?" he finally got out, voice barely above a whisper. "Y-you must be mistaken." Yet even as he spoke the words he could tell by the look on the SSC's face that he wasn't. Feeling like the ground wasn't nearly as stable as it had once been he turned to Reno. "What did I do?"

"Do?"

"I had another Mako meltdown didn't I? Did you have to beat me up again?" Genesis asked, head spinning toward Sephiroth. The man flinched and he panicked. "Oh gods, I didn't kill someone did I?"

"Ya didn't kill anybody, but aside from that we don't really know what happened Gen," sighed the Turk.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"We, ah, think Hojo might have done something to you yo."

At the mention of the scientists name Genesis went as still as a statue. Strange images flashed through his mind so quickly that he could barely keep up. The visions were fuzzy but each one caused a bolt of terror to surge through his system. There was a metal table with restraints surrounded by scientific equipment. Himself screaming in agony as Hojo loomed over him in an immaculate white coat and took notes on a clipboard. He heard breaking metal, the sizzling of burning flesh, footsteps, and voices. Next was a hazy green image of Hojo, who was laughing one second and cowering the next. The final images were particularly confusing. All he saw were eerie, distant threads of light surrounded by blackness. He thought there was also a voice but he couldn't recall well enough to be certain.

"Gen?" Reno called gently. He jerked upright as the auburn exploded, coming out of his chair so quickly it clattered, almost flipping over.

"That son of a motherfucking, Gaia forsaken, demented piece of shit!"

"I, eh, take it you remember something?" the Turk asked, watching as Genesis began pacing furiously.

"Oh I remember alright. That bastard tried to kill me! Several times if I'm not mistaken."

"I don't wanna push ya, but can you explain yo?"

"Okay I don't remember everything, but I do remember being injected with Mako several times and the prick sealed me in a Mako tube!"

"Why would he do that?" mumbled Sephiroth absently.

"What difference does it make?" Genesis snapped.

"I-I'm sorry," the silver winced. He hadn't actually meant to say those words aloud.

"No, I'm sorry," sighed the STC. "I shouldn't take my anger out on you." The silver nodded, looking relieved and Genesis returned to his chair with a sigh. "I remember talking to Hojo at one point but I don't really remember what about. He did say something about Hollander being an idiot though. Unfortunately my memories are disjointed and clouded by pain, frustration, and rage."

"Understandable."

"It's frustrating," Genesis scowled. "I don't particularly want to remember but I feel like I need to. I know the jerkoff said something important and I'd like to understand why he did what he did." The silver nodded understanding but Reno's face was unreadable. "You think that's stupid?"

"Huh? No, it's not that yo." The auburn leveled a glare at him and he sighed. "I just remember myself saying something like that awhile back, that's all." Having said that he wanted to change the subject so he added, "All things considering you're taking this pretty well."

Though he wanted to press the Turk Genesis didn't. It was clear that whatever had happened was painful and troubling. "I'm not fragile. Besides, how else am I supposed to take it? Falling apart won't help."

"It's not a question of bein' fragile. Even the strongest people can be destroyed by somethin' like this," Reno snipped, not really meaning to. There was a sudden welling of emotions within him and he tried to hold them back, but was failing. He rose and abruptly left the hut, immediately feeling terrible about it because he wanted to be there for Genesis, but losing it wasn't going to help anything anyway.

Genesis watched Reno exit the hut and wanted to go after him. He wasn't angry or hurt; he was concerned. In an odd way the Turk had done exactly what he needed. Right now what happened to him didn't matter. All he wanted to do was help Reno. That he was focusing on something besides his abduction seemed to lessen its impact and gave him a chance to come to terms with it before he delved deeper. Though the auburn decided not to go after Reno, he couldn't entirely stamp out his curiosity. "What's that all about?"

"Your situation is probably bringing up unresolved issues from his own."

"What do you mean?"

Sephiroth arched an eyebrow but quickly lowered it. It was obvious Genesis didn't know what he was referring to, yet he was unsure whether it was his place to say. In the end he relented. "Reno was held captive by Fuhito. I do not know when or for how long nor do I know the details of the incident, however I get the impression it was not a pleasant experience."

"He never said anything," the auburn said, staring at the door dismally. Though he tried not too, he couldn't help but think 'why'd he tell Sephiroth and not me.' Before he could say anything Reno returned.

"Sorry about that." The SOLDIERs nodded and he added, "So, you remember anything else yo?"

"Not really, but I think I killed one or two people. Unfortunately Hojo wasn't one of them but I think I burnt him."

"You did. He's not dead but you injured him."

"Death would have been better but at least I got him," the auburn beamed. "Anyway, did you rescue me? Is that how I ended up here?"

"Reno brought you here."

"You, eh, came to me yo."

Genesis swiveled his gaze to Reno in confusion. Their eyes locked and as he stared into the man's fierce, sky blue gaze, images once again began to play in his mind. Most were even fuzzier than the previous ones, however there was one that was crystal clear. In the image, he was on his knees and Reno rushed to him, apparently to keep him from falling on his face. The last thing he remembered was saying the Turk's name. "Did we have a fight?"

"What? No! What makes you think that?"

"We were outside and there was a sword on the ground right next to me," the auburn replied, still half lost in thought. Suddenly his face scrunched up. "It wasn't my sword though."

"No, it wasn't and no, we weren't fighting."

"Thank Gaia for that," breathed Genesis, relieved. "I'm sorry, I don't remember anything more than that. What happened?"

"Well, ah, I was sort of in a jam and you just… were suddenly there. This is gonna sound crazy, but Seph and I think the Lifestream had something to do with it."

"The Lifestream?"

"Yeah. The memory you just described was at Mt. Coral. As far as anyone knows right before that you were in Midgar and when you showed up, well you weren't you."

"Explain," the auburn scowled, looking more confused than angry.

Reno hesitated, but finally took a deep breath and began. By now he'd told the story so many times that it was thoroughly committed into his memory and he didn't struggle for words, nor did he flinch at the seeming impossibility and unbelievable aspects. It is what it is, he thought. So far Genesis had reacted much better than he'd expected. Of course maybe it would be a delayed thing. He'd been fine after the incident with Fuhito but now it was obvious he wasn't entirely over it. It had just taken it awhile to sink in and get to him.

As the Turk spoke, a fuzzy itch began in the back of Genesis's mind. It felt like if he touched his head he could literally put his finger on it. Probably the start of a headache. Suddenly the fuzzy itch in his head grew until it burst, spreading a warm sensation throughout his entire body. He blinked and when he reopened his eyes he saw Reno cringing in front of him. The Turk was sitting in front of a solid rock wall and blood dripped from his left hand, creating a small pool where it landed. The man looked terrified and he was engulfed by an overwhelming sense of sorrow, but it was quickly replaced by an equal need to comfort. Through it all he felt frustration and anger, but wasn't sure of their root.

"Gen?"

Just as quickly as it had come the vision ended and Genesis's eyes snapped shut. Too bright. When he finally reopened them he found himself staring into grey-blue eyes made sharp by concern, panic, and fear.

"You shouldn't stand in front of him."

The voice was loud and Genesis felt the words vibrate against his back. He became aware that there were hands wrapped around his wrists holding his arms upright, but he couldn't be bothered with it. There were so many scents and sounds that his brain felt like it was being overloaded.

"Ya got his hands. If he tries ta blast me aim it elsewhere yo."

"Assuming it's even him. If it isn't there may be little I can do."

"True, but it ain't tried ta kill me yet."

"Maybe it's pissed you tricked it."

"I told you I didn't trick it, I just used myself against it or something. Besides, it wanted me to help him and I did so it ain't got any right to be pissed."

"Sssshhhhh."

"Did he just shush us?"

"I think so yo," Reno chuckled.

"Stop yelling."

"The Mako must be making his hearing super sensitive," whispered Sephiroth.

"Oh. Sorry Gen. It is you, right?"

"Who else would it be?" The auburn's mind began to wander and if there was a reply he didn't hear it. "You're comfy," he giggled.

"I eh, think he likes ya Seph," Reno said quietly, almost choking on laughter.

Genesis wiggled against him and Sephiroth cleared his throat, locking his gaze on Reno's. The Turk's eyes sparkled with merriment. "So glad you find this amusing," he hissed. The redhead laughed quietly and opened his mouth but Genesis spoke first.

The auburn wasn't sure whether it was the words or Reno's face, but he felt his face go red and he groaned as he came back to his senses. How mortifying, he thought. At least Reno didn't seem pissed that he was acting like a drunken tart. With Sephiroth no less! Humiliated, Genesis jerked his arms downward and broke the silver's hold on his wrists. In a flash he was free, on his feet, and staring at the sandy ground. When did I get outside? "Y-you didn't answer my question and who did you possibly piss off?" he asked quickly, gesturing toward the Turk. "For that matter, how and why am I outside?"

"Answer to the first two questions is the Lifestream and the latter; Seph brought you outside before you set the hut on fire."

"O-oh," the auburn stammered. "What did I- why did I- what happened?"

"I dunno. You sorta spaced out and Seph said you didn't feel right. A second after that you said Sanguine and we brought you out here. Well, Seph brought ya out here. I just tagged along."

"Must have been because of the blood…"

"What?"

"I saw in front of me with blood dripping from your hand. Must have been why I said sanguine."

"Sanguine is the Lifestream's pet name for me. What you just described happened while the Lifestream was possessing you."

Genesis's eyes widened. "I'm remembering the Lifestream's memories?"

"Aren't they yer memories too? I mean, you might not have been in control but it did use yer body. Yer eyes, mouth, hearing, all that stuff."

"It could also be a residual effect," Sephiroth added.

"You mean part of the Lifestream could still be inside me?"

"Yes."

"At the risk of soundin' like an idiot, ain't that always the case? Isn't Mako the Lifestream? Or at least part of it?"

"That depends on what you believe. There are those, such as AVALANCHE, that believe Mako is the Lifestream, however there are others who believe Mako is composed of a different group of spirits. Individuals that were either rejected by the Lifestream, those who chose not to join it, or those that became lost in transit. All arguments are technically valid, as no argument has been proven or disproven."

"What do you believe yo?"

The silver tilted his head and eyed Reno. "I've never truly considered it as it makes no difference what it is."

"Eh?"

"Simply put, Mako is what it is."

"No offense but I didn't expect that from you yo."

"What do you mean?"

"That's a very simplistic view of things. Yer usually so much deeper."

Sephiroth scowled. "Perhaps it is simple but I see no reason to compound the issue. You and I both know that as long as Shinra is in charge they will continue to use and push Mako onto society no matter what it is."

"Yer right but that's still pretty simplistic," Reno smirked.

"Are you opposed to Shinra, Sephiroth?" asked Genesis.

"I did not say that."

"No, but you did say 'as long as Shinra is in charge'. That makes it sound as though you're against the company, or at least its actions."

The silver sighed, releasing a sudden surge of anger. When he spoke, his voice was completely controlled and calm. "There is already much to discuss, let us leave that topic for a different time."

"Fine by me yo."

"Alright," Genesis shrugged. "Back to the topic at hand then. So what I saw earlier, that memory, it really happened?"

"Yeah. It happened on Mt. Coral."

"At least I'm not going crazy," the auburn smirked. "What happened after that?"

The STC listened intently as Reno described getting off Mt. Coral, flying to the Eastern Continent, and meeting up with Sephiroth. "On Mt. Coral you did say my name a couple times, but you were mostly out of it and have been until last night. After we met up with Seph, Angeal and Rude flew on to Junon and the three of us came here."

Genesis nodded, thinking he owed all of them a lot. At any time, any one of them could have decided not to go along with it. Had that happened he could have been turned into Shinra or left to fend for himself. Either option could have easily resulted in his demise.

While the auburn was grateful, he was also somewhat uncomfortable. Being indebted to anyone, let alone multiple individuals, was a new experience. He wasn't used to people doing anything for him, much less saving his life a dozen times over. How on Gaia was one supposed to show appreciation for such a thing? It was obvious something more than a simple thank you was required, but what? Vowing to figure it out he pushed the issue aside for the time being.

Mind in an uproar, Genesis sat in the sand and stared out at the water. He believed Reno's story but he needed time to sort through it. On top of that, "There's something you're not telling me."

"What do ya mean?"

"Exactly that."

"You've been in a coma for four days and before that I don't know what happened. What could I possibly be leaving out yo?"

"I'm not sure," Genesis sighed. "Yet I feel like you're leaving someth- wait, when I woke up you had a bandage wrapped around your head. I highly doubt Sephiroth would have let you suffer for four days, which means the injury was fairly new. What happened?"

"… Eehhhh…"

"See! There is something you aren't telling me!" Reno rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ground. "You said you'd explain."

"I did, didn't I?" chuckled the redhead. "I'll warn ya it's probably gonna flip you out."

"Since the rest of this has gone down ever so smoothly that's alright."

Reno's eyes widened briefly and he chuckled. "Gods I missed yer biting sarcasm."

"You'll regret saying that if you don't start talking."

"Alright, alright. You weren't just in a coma you were dying. Your soul got separated from yer body and was stuck in limbo. I had to bring it back."

"From limbo!" The Turk nodded. "How did you manage that? Or should I say, doesn't that mean you'd have to have been dying as well?"

"That's pretty much what it means yo. After much persuasion, Sephiroth took pity on me and thumped me in the head. In limbo I managed to find you and bring your spirit back here."

Flabbergasted, Genesis continued to stare at Reno even after the Turk had finished speaking. He hadn't been in a coma, he'd been dying for Gaia's sake! From what he could remember from his time with Hojo, the news shouldn't have surprised him, but it did. Yet more than his dying was the fact that Reno, a man he'd know for less than a month and had been dating for maybe half that, had risked his own life to save him. The thought of it made a lump lodge in his throat and he held his eyes wide, hoping the air would dry them before the moisture became too great. In an effort to redirect his emotions he wheeled on Sephiroth. "You went along with this? You could have fucking killed him!"

"I really didn't have a choice. He was going to jump off a cliff for Planet's Sake!" the silver shot back, gesturing toward the cliff in question.

"What?"

Reno froze as the auburn turned on him. Of all the things to be upset about that was what he grabbed onto? While he found it humorous, his heart fluttered with happiness. He wanted to hug the man but knew that wouldn't defuse him. So what would? He could tell him about how it wasn't just about them. Of how the Lifestream found him important and had tried to save them, so what he'd done hadn't been entirely selfish, but he knew that wasn't true. The Lifestream had been involved but his reasons for what he'd done where selfish. He hadn't given a damn what the Lifestream had wanted, he'd wanted Genesis back. "Just let it go yeah? What's done is done."

"You could have died!"

"You were dying!"

"Did you even have a clue what you were doing?"

"Not really."

"Then you didn't know if it would work! You could have died for nothing!"

"If you want the truth I really didn't think it would work, okay? I figured if there was a limbo I might get there, but finding you was an entirely different matter. Hell, for all I knew there was more than one freaking limbo!"

"You're making my point Reno!"

"Shut up and listen!" The auburn glared and shut his mouth with an audible clack. "Maybe Turks are different or maybe I'm just different, but I'd rather die trying to do something than do nothing at all. While farfetched as hell, I had an idea that I thought was worth a shot. If I wouldn't have even tried and you'd died, I would have doubted myself for the rest of my life. I'd have played the 'what if' game until it drove me mad. On the other hand, if I tried, then I could at least say I tried. That or I would have ended up dead. Either way would have been better than hating myself and wondering if I could have succeeded."

Tirade finished, Reno glared right back at the STC. He really wanted to yell 'don't you see you're worth it?' but knew that wouldn't get him anywhere. Genesis may act arrogant but he had a feeling the auburn had little self worth. In fact the man's turning on Sephiroth proved his point. He didn't see that he was worth it and words wouldn't change that. Only time, and maybe some TLC, would make Genesis see otherwise. I should know, I've been there.

"I don't know what to say," Genesis said after a few moments of silence.

"Nothing to say. Just accept it and move on yo."

The auburn nodded and smiled faintly. "What's done is done, right?"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry Sephiroth. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Don't worry about it."

Genesis inhaled deeply. "I need some time to think. I'm assuming neither of you wish to leave me alone yet?"

"I would prefer you not be alone for a bit, just in case."

"I agree with Seph. I mean, ya did just about burn the place down."

"Alright," the auburn sighed. "Then do you mind if I bathe with you? I feel… grungy."

"Heh, don't mind at all yo."

"You are such a pervert," Genesis smirked.

"I didn't say a thing!"

"You're tone betrayed you."

"Yeah sure, maybe yer the perv yo."

"Maybe you're both deviants," Sephiroth grinned. He chuckled as both redheads' turned wide eyes on him.

"Perhaps you're right," chuckled Genesis. "Unfortunately I'm not up to anything kinky." Yet, he silently added.

"Don't blame ya. You mind if Seph joins us?"

"Excuse me?" the silver said, surprised.

"Just now it took both of us to control him. If yer in the hut and we're clear out back and somethin' happens, well we could be dead and half the mountain could be gone before you knew anything was wrong."

"I hate to admit it but he's right," Genesis sighed. "Right now even I don't have a warning before I lose it. I would never forgive myself if something happens and I harm either of you. Of course I could just as easily kill us all."

"Heh, that's grim yo."

"Just saying."

"We already decided no kinky stuff but I promise we won't molest ya Seph," Reno prodded.

"I'm hardly worried about being molested," Sephiroth scowled. "Very well, if you wish me to join you I will. I'm covered in dirt and chemicals that I'd love to wash off. Once we are finished I will prepare breakfast then sleep." The Turk's stomach growled and he smirked. "Hopefully I can keep Reno from devouring all of the food."

"Hey!"

"Where do you put it all anyway?" the STC asked.

"I'm very active and what is this, gang up on Reno?"

"Well…"

The Turk scowled but the effect was lost because he couldn't keep the smirk off his face. "Ya know paybacks a bitch right?"

"Pfft. Sephiroth will back me up."

"I never said such a thing."

"SOLDIERs are supposed to stick together!"

"Not in matters such as this."

"Heh, sounds like yer on yer own yo."

"Hmph. I shall remember this Sephiroth."

"The fear is already building within me. Wait, I believe it's just indigestion."

Somber mood lifted, the trio made their way to the detached bathroom while laughing. They all knew there was much to discuss but for now each simply wanted to enjoy the companionship of the others. If only for a while.

Side note: akuma means demon.