Title: "SHIKUHANASHI -Without Equal-"
Author: LegolasLover2003 aka Ashley
Category: Video Game - "Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core"
Genre: Drama, General
Rating: R (for mature language, violence, and anything else I decide to throw in along the way)
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to "Final Fantasy". I just really really like Sephiroth and Genesis.
Author's Note: This story will be divided into chapters, culminating into 5 Acts (like the LOVELESS poem) and follow Genesis Rhapsodos' path to SOLDIER.
Injured... he had been shot... thrice... and his back had felt the bite of an assassin's blade...
But surely they were going to fix it...
Surely...
Blue eyes opened, seeing nothing but a blinding white light above him. His body felt cold and he tried to move... but something was around his wrists... keeping him down on... a... table?
Genesis Rhapsodos blinked, fingers curling into fists as he strained against the metallic bonds that held him down to the operating table... for that was where he rationalized himself to be. The man couldn't see anything beyond the white light, but he could feel... he could hear... he could smell that damn antiseptic everywhere.
There was the sound of a tray rattling as it came near... a chilled shiver ran through his muscles as he realized that his chest was bare but thankfully they had left his pants and boots on.
Something came into view then, it was oddly shaped... and yet... it reminded the semi-conscious Genesis of a very thin gun...
Then came the pain.
Rhapsodos screamed in bone-chilling agony, his body lifting from the table as his back arched in pain. There was a blinding fire in his chest, boring down... deeper and deeper into his skin... past the skin... past muscle...
His screaming never stopped, his body jerking hard against the bindings that held him... until those bindings began to bend...
It was an animalistic scream with equally raw strength and brute force.
He had to get free!
He had to stop the pain!
Goddess please, anything to make it stop!
"HOLD HIM DOWN, DAMN IT!"
Genesis didn't even register Hojo's voice, but he felt multiple hands on his body, pushing...
And still the man screamed as a green laser bored a deep hole in his chest. No, not just one hole... not one but three!
Panic and pain fueled Rhapsodos's movements and his hands began to glow a dangerous brilliant red. Fira exploded around him, intending to get rid of the pathetic fools who were causing his agony.
But the room and the scientists had been shielded by a stronger Shell materia... and his display of fire did nothing but fill the air with a sweet singed scent.
Still he screamed, his back arching impossibly high off the table until it felt as if his shoulders would dislocate. There was a sickening 'pop' and Genesis heard one of the scientist fly across the room.
His only weapon...
His only defense...
One pitch black wing wrapped around his body, slamming into the laser overhead and knocking it out of the way. Another scientist screamed as the laser sliced into their own flesh... but it was the only reprieve Genesis could give himself.
The man collapsed back to the table, panting as the pain washed through him. His blue eyes focused on the form that had come to stand above his body... his black wing shivering out of agony and a want to strike...to defend himself against the hell that he knew was sure to come...
"Hmph. Inferior specimen indeed." came Hojo's voice as the man peered down into the holes carved into Genesis' flesh. "But I can see the bullets now. Your back healed too quickly after the initial bullet wounds. I had to cut a new entry hole to dig them out. Since they nearly ran you through, these holes were quicker." he was saying, forceps picking bullets out from within the SOLDIER's body. "That THING on your back however... I'll need to check your stitches after. No doubt you've torn them open."
Rhapsodos clenched his jaw, "Don't touch me..." he hissed, letting his wing fall to the side in exhaustion.
No... he couldn't strike Hojo... because this man was responsible for keeping him alive.
Course he could've at least anesthetized him before the procedure.
Hojo laughed at him, that sick disgusting cold mocking laugh. "Would you rather be left with bullets still inside?" When Genesis didn't answer, the scientist laughed again, tossing the forceps onto the tray. "Clean him up and check his stitches. I've more important things to do than waste my time on such a failure."
SHIKUHANASHI
~Without Equal~
A
"Final Fantasy VII"
Pre-Crisis Core
Fanfiction
ACT II : SCENE I
There is no hate, only joy
For you are beloved by the goddess
Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds
惜しみない祝福とともに
君は女神に愛された
世界を癒す英雄として
Oshiminai shukufuku to tomoni
Kimi wa megami ni aisareta
Sekai wo iyasu eiyuu toshite
Failure...
Failure...
Gasping, Genesis opened his eyes. He looked around for a long moment, seeking out something familiar... something that he knew...
His personal living quarters within the Shinra complex...
Rhapsodos collapsed back into the black leather sofa where he had fallen asleep hours ago. It had been nothing more than a dream... a nightmare... His mind having recalled the 'surgery' which had ultimately lead to him waking and finding Sephiroth sitting at his bedside. Blue eyes slipped closed and for a long time, he simply lay there... His shirtless body shivered slightly and there was a soft 'pop'. Genesis covered his form with one large black wing, hiding within the feathers and just trying to shut out the world. He had felt great after waking yesterday... but soon his body began to ache... his muscles started feeling painfully sore... especially his chest. Lithe fingers pressed against the bandages. His wounds were healing slowly, no doubt due to the amount of shock the removal of the bullets had caused.
Hell it had hurt less to GET shot in the first place!
Suddenly however, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?!" came Rhapsodos's voice. When Angeal replied, the red head smiled softly, relaxing back against the sofa, his wing just barely rustling. "Come in."
Angeal keyed the door to open and it slid aside. Walking in, the man expected to find Genesis pouring over a book or be in bed or something. After all, Angeal had heard about the training session between his friend and the silver haired general... and he knew that it hadn't exactly gone the way the Banoran would've liked.
However, seeing Genesis laying on the sofa, hidden beneath one large black wing...
"I haven't seen that since you tried to fly off the top of your dumbapple tree." Angeal spoke softly, leaning against the entryway to the living room.
Genesis didn't move, "Yes well, it just keeps popping out. Blame Hojo." which, in his mind, was who should be held responsible for him having to hole up in his damned room.
The wing had very nearly popped out during his training... and explaining that little extra appendage to Sephiroth wasn't exactly his idea of a good time right now. Only his parents, Angeal's mother, and the two Banoran SOLDIERs knew of it's existence, at least to Genesis' knowledge... until of course this past week. No doubt Hojo would demand the change to poke and prod at it in weeks to come. However, why his wing was suddenly doing this, the red head had no idea. But each time it hurt just a bit... and yet each time it felt... right...
"And you haven't seen it since because I've kept it wrapped up most of the time. Besides, I broke my arm when my wing sent me in a weird crescent sort of semi-circle and I ended up crashing into the side of the house. Not a very fond memory." sighing, Genesis moved finally, his wing sweeping aside as he sat up. There were white bandages over his chest, just under that wing. Since that incident, he hadn't exactly tried flying again.
Angeal sighed, "I see... and your bandaged wounds don't allow for a tight wrapping." he reasoned, walking forward with his arms crossed over his chest. "What's wrong?" the man asked, sensing there was more to his friend's foul mood than the injury from Wutai.
"Nightmare." Genesis replied with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "Nothing major. I just didn't wake up on the right side of the sofa, so to speak. Oh and friendly word of advice, Angeal... don't get shot."
The other man laughed, "I don't plan on it."
"No really. Hojo drilled damn holes in my chest to get the bullets out." he spoke in annoyance, standing from the sofa. Genesis' wing flapped just a bit to help his balance, then it curled around his body protectively. "Guess I'm on the inactive list for a while, huh?" he asked, fingers pressing against the bandage over his wounds. "My back's a bit sore still... but it's nothing compared to my chest."
"Well that explains what Sephiroth said..." Angeal spoke up then, looking thoughtful.
Blue eyes flickered up to the man, "What'd he say?"
The usually poetic red head amused Angeal in that moment... because some times, when Genesis didn't think things through, especially when he spoke, he could sound like any other country bumpkin. "You collapsed with a hand on your chest then help up the other hand to tell him to stop."
Genesis rolled his eyes, "I couldn't breathe. Or rather it hurt to breathe. Then Sephiroth had to blow it out of proportion and call off our training... just when I was getting the upper hand."
"Oh?" one of Angeal's eyebrows shot up. "Since when have you ever had the upper hand against him?"
Waving away the entire concept, because he simply didn't want to try and defend what had obviously been his loss, Genesis headed into the kitchen and began to heat some water for tea. "So you're here just to check up on me? See if I'm ready to... pick up my slack?" he asked, changing the subject.
Angeal let the previous topic drop, knowing better than to get into an argument with the red head. "Sephiroth say that?" the man shook his head in disbelief. "I swear, he enjoys making your life hell some days, doesn't he?"
"I'm his rival. It's only logical." Genesis replied as if it made all the sense in the world.
"Yes... some great rival... You, who gets shot and stabbed on the battlefield trying to PROTECT said rival." Angeal pointed out, catching the suddenly angry glint in his friend's blue eyes. The black wing shivered just slightly before retreating into Rhapsodos's back with a 'pop'. "Look, we were both worried about you. I had a mission and I came right over here after I got back. I just happened to pass Sephiroth in the lobby downstairs and..."
Genesis made a 'tsk sound then focused back in on his tea making. "I'm fine. My chest hurts. It's nothing to get all bent out of shape about, mother." he teased, rolling his eyes.
Angeal had always been a bit of a worrier after all. Then again, his own mother hadn't exactly stepped up to the challenge, so why not use Angeal as a substitute? Sure, maybe he was just using is friend, but the other man really did seem the 'mother hen' type... and perhaps that was something that Genesis needed? Goddess knows he needed someone to hopefully keep him and his temper in line.
"Now, are you going to have tea with me or are you going to stand there looking like a buffoon in the middle of my living room?" the red head asked, carrying a tea tray over to the table.
Laughing, Angeal sat down at said table. If there was one thing that he never really understood about his friend... it was that some things were done... just so. Tea was an important part of the day for Genesis, and he prided himself on his skills at brewing it. As far back as he could remember, the well mannered poetic man had always shared a cup of tea with him after a hard day... if both men were available of course.
"You know, maybe one day you should share some of this tea with Sephiroth." Angeal spoke, taking a sip from the mug.
Genesis grinned, "Maybe... after I'm the hero, that is."
Sighing, Angeal set his mug down on the tan wood. "Why are you so obsessed with this, Genesis? He's stronger and quicker than you are and you know it. Not to mention he's taller and..."
A cube of sugar suddenly went flying and smacked into Angeal's forehead to interrupt him... or perhaps just to admonish him for bringing up the red head's smaller stature. "Because he's better than me and I hate that. I want to be the best. Haven't I always been the best, Angeal?" there was something in Genesis' blue gaze that... was perhaps a bit fanatical. "I'm the strongest in Banora... stronger even than you. The only one I can't beat... is HIM. And one day... one day I will. One day our fight won't end in a draw or a loss for me... one day, he'll be at the point of my sword and run out of tricks."
"And then?"
Genesis smiled genuinely. "And then he can be counted as my friend and we'll share a dumbapple together. The same as it was between you and I, Angeal."
"You only have one friend, Genesis. Wouldn't it be better, in the end, with two?" Angeal asked... but his friend never answered and the rest of their afternoon tea break was spent talking about the newest movements in Wutai and their mutual hatred of Hojo.
To Be Continued
Author's Notes:
N/A
Translations:
N/A
Review Responses:
N/A
I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT SUBMIT REVIEWS ABOUT HOW YOU DISLIKE JAPANESE BEING IN THE STORY!
I love getting reviews (especially ones that are helpful, pointing out the good and the bad both), but it puts me in a sour mood whenever I see a review that's all about (and usually ONLY about) how you don't like there being Japanese dialogue in the story. I'm sorry, but it's not disappearing any time soon (look below for my generic response about it, as well as a special tailored response for this story alone). So please, to keep me happy and to keep me replying to reviews, just don't nitpick about it (unless there's something I did uber wrong, then you can because I may go back and fix it if I see the error). Thank you.
TAILORED RESPONSE FOR THIS PARTICULAR STORY:
-This is a fanfiction based off of a Japanese video game and therefore, Japanese voices are in my head.
-In this brain, GENESIS IS GACKT and SEPHIROTH IS TOSHIYUKI MORIKAWA and ANGEAL IS KAZUHIKO INOUE!
-Please keep this in mind... because hearing them in my head is how I write them on paper (or digitally write them).
-So you may find bits and pieces of Japanese in there, and "LOVELESS" will appear in English, Kanji, and Romanji when it is used (unless quoted then it'll probably be in Romanji) by a character.
GENERIC RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO DISLIKE THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEXT: (mainly pertaining to my anime/manga stories)
-It seems every story I write that's based on an anime... I end up having to say the same thing.
-I took 9 semesters of Japanese in college and did multiple 30min weekly study groups for the first years for two semesters.
-I know it's not always right (what I have in my stories sometimes that is) but BECAUSE this is a fanfiction that is based off of an anime, and because I watch anime in Japanese and very very rarely dubbed in English, I pick up voice habits of certain characters (such as Lockon's "oi").
-Since Lockon really wouldn't be speaking Japanese to begin with since he's Irish... and Setsuna would probably speak Arabic and Allelujah Russian... (Tieria could speak anything for all we know really), then even the show should be distracting at this point to anyone because there they go, speaking Japanese.
-I know some people don't like Japanese interjected into stories, and to placate them I started putting the translations directly at the ends of the Japanese sentences (I used to just have a translation section at the end of the story, which is still there just because it helps me go back and see what I've used quicker than scanning the entire story).
-I'm not going to stop putting Japanese in my stories that are based off of Anime or Manga (or Japanese Dramas or Movies either, cause I've got Japanese in my "Moon Child" story too).
-You will, however, never find Japanese in any of my LOTR stories or any other fandom that I write unless there is a character that speaks it (like random Korean in the SG-1 story) on a normal basis.