Should have said this last chapter in either the story or an Author's Note, Claire and Cloud are sixteen at this point in the story. Just so you all know.

WARNING: Some offensive language is present in this chapter!

"So I finally get to fight Sephiroth's student. I am going to enjoy ridding SOLDIER of you, slum rat."

Genesis charged forward with a horizontal slash aimed at Claire's neck. Claire brought Blaze Edge up to block the attack and slid three feet when Genesis' sword crashed into hers.

"Just tell me one thing then, you poetry quoting jackass," Claire growled through gritted teeth "Why do you despise me?"

"Why do I despise you?" Genesis chuckled as he withdrew his red bladed sword "You and your sister were the unwanted children of a spineless lapdog and a harlot," Genesis lunged at Claire again and delivered a series of slashes. Claire was able to block every blow, but each one felt like it had the force of a truck behind it.

"You're lying!" Claire shouted at the red clad SOLDIER.

"Mister Farron," He spat the word Mister "Was the head of Urban Development and spent every minute trying to get into the president's lap. It's because of him there is so many people in the slums," Genesis told Claire as their swords clashed together several times.

"Shut up! You know nothing about my parents!" Claire shouted as she blocked Genesis' attacks and tried to slip her attacks through Genesis' defense.

"Missus Farron, on the other hand," Genesis also spat Missus.

"I said shut up!" Claire had actually screamed as she ran at Genesis with Blaze Edge raised.

"Your mother was the Shinra harlot. Giving it away to any and every executive on a regular basis, just like one of Corneo's two cent whores."

"Shut up!" the red rapier sliced through the air as Genesis spoke, clanging off of Blaze Edge every time. Genesis could see how worn down Claire was becoming.

"You wouldn't believe how many times I had the misfortune of walking in on her servicing the president,"

"Shut up you bastard!" Claire screamed as she once again charged at Genesis.

Every slash Claire sent towards Genesis was easily blocked. Every slash from Genesis, Claire diverted instead of outright blocking because it was much easier on her arms. Claire launched a horizontal slash at Genesis who halted her attack with his red rapier and grabbed a handful of her hair with his left hand. Claire flinched as Genesis yanked her head back giving Genesis just enough time to slam the hand guard of his sword into the side of Claire's face, the wing like design on the hilt gashed into the top of her head, opening another cut. She stumbled back several steps and was trying very hard to blink away the stars and stay on her feet. Genesis took his chance and placed a long, deep slash on both of Claire's biceps and thighs. After falling victim to the slashes, Claire fell to the floor and rolled onto her side.

Genesis walked up her, kicked Blaze Edge out of her reach and stood above her. Claire looked up at the former SOLDIER that she severely underestimated. A large black feathered wing sprouted from the left side of his back and the look of absolute hatred remained on his face.

"Daughter of a lapdog," Genesis sent a hard kick into the young girl's ribs, forcing the air out of her "Daughter of a Shinra whore," another kick landed in Claire's ribs, breaking two of them "Slum rat," another kick, making the pink haired teen roll onto her back "Your name is a stain on SOLDIER's banner and I will erase it," Genesis placed his left foot on Claire's throat and applied just enough pressure to stop her from breathing "I am glad you didn't follow your mother's sinful footsteps, but then again, there is still time for your sister to destroy what respect you earned for your name."

Claire wanted to scream at Genesis, grab her sword and take his head off his shoulders for saying that. However, she had no strength to even get Genesis' foot off her throat and she needed air desperately. Her lungs ached for some oxygen, her cuts needed treatment, and she needed something for her ribs. Genesis just stared down at her, watching her struggle for air, her eyes slowly close, blood seep out of the deep cuts, and life slowly leave the young girl.

"Lightning!" Claire heard two male voices shout, right before a series of gunshots. Genesis stepped off Claire's throat and and stumbled back as she coughed and hungrily devoured the refreshing air.

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost wings stripped away, the end is nigh," Genesis quoted as he fell to his hands and knees "Such is… the fate of a monster."

"You're SOLDIER, where's your honor?" Cloud asked the wounded SOLDIER, who struggled to his feet.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return," Genesis quoted as he shuffled back towards the railing, his breathing labored because of the gunshot wounds "If this world seeks me destruction…" with a flap of his wing, he lifted into the air and landed on the railing "… it goes with me," Genesis let himself fall backwards off the railing and into the abyss below, still clutching his sword.

Tseng stood at the railing and waited for something to happen but unsurprisingly, nothing did occur. He turned to Cloud, who was helping Claire to her feet and holding her weapon.

"Cloud take her outside, I'm going to use the comm equipment in here to call in a chopper," Cloud nodded his understanding and started to help the SOLDIER girl over to the lift.

It took a long while for Cloud and Claire to make their way out of Genesis' base but Claire had been unable to any faster than baby steps. The deep cuts on her arms, legs, and head stung worse than any other injury Claire had received in the past. She mentally kicked herself for not taking Zack's advice on taking healing materia because she had deemed this mission as unimportant, seeing as how she was told they were investigating. Claire caught Cloud staring at her on more than one occasion, she knew he wanted to ask about Sephiroth but he could see it was a bad time.

When they emerged outside, Zack was waiting for them. The other Shinra soldier that had been with them had his gun trained on Hollander and Claire could see the Buster Sword on Zack's back, the SOLDIER sword in his hand. Zack's blank expression told her exactly what had happened.

Within minutes, Tseng was with them and they could all hear the helicopter's rotor. Turns out the Shinra company had sent a second chopper the moment they lost contact with the first.


Weeks passed by as Zack and Claire mourned Angeal. Zack still would not tell Claire what happened and she respected Zack's wishes by dropping the subject. Both young SOLDIERs were put on standby and Sephiroth was now stationed in Junon, where Hollander was being kept. Zack had volunteered to train the new SOLDIER recruits, having nothing else to do and Claire took time off to be with Serah, when her sister wanted to come to Midgar.

A few months later school was out for the winter break, which made Claire triple check her calendar. The only weather Midgar received was sunny and dry or hot and rainy. Claire had called Sephiroth to let him know Serah was going to be Midgar for a couple of weeks but he just said to give her his best. The tone in which Sephiroth had said that broke Claire's heart, there was zero emotion in it, not even any subtle hints. Sephiroth, the Farron's adoptive father, had changed after he learned what happened in Modeoheim. Claire hoped Serah did not notice, but there never was any hiding information from her sister.

"Claire?" Serah asked her sister as they sat in the cafe "What happened to Seth? I haven't received any letters from him in forever."

"Serah…" Claire wanted to tell her sister about Modeoheim, but did not know how to tell her "Gen and Angie… they're dead," Serah gasped. It pained Claire to use the, rather unimaginative, code names for them, but the two sisters had to use code names for their own safety.

"How? When?"

"A few months ago. I don't really want to talk about this, okay?" Claire said to her sister, it was because of what Genesis had said about their parents that made her dodge the topic. Serah could see the obvious misery of the topic in her sisters eyes.

"So what is Zack up to?" Serah asked with a forced smile.

"He has been training new recruits and seeing his girlfriend when he has time," Claire was happy to be talking about something else "He said he has a forced vacation in a month or two."

"To where?"

"Costa del Sol," Claire just tuned out her sister's rant about how amazing it would be to spend time in Costa del Sol, if Claire would take her there, that Claire should also go somewhere for her vaction, and that she really wants to go there. Claire could not help but chuckle at her sister.

"So what do you want for Christmas?" Claire asked her ranting sister.

"What?"

"I'll get you whatever you want," Claire told her sister "As long as you are able to take it back to Bodhum."

"That's not how Christmas works, Claire," Serah said with an insulted tone.

"Well, I don't know what you are into anymore so I thought I save myself the headache and just blow a few thousand gil on you."

"A few… thousand?" Serah whispered the last word "How much are you paid?"

"More than I know what to do with," Claire was completely honest with that statement. First class SOLDIER Operatives were paid a ridiculous amount, their food and accommodations were supplied by the company, so really all SOLDIERs had to pay for was their toiletries, which barely affected Claire's bank account. Claire assumed the high pay was mainly for physical and mental health medical bills.

"Then we'll go shopping tomorrow," Serah told her sister.

On the day Serah had to return to Bodhum, Claire could not bear to see her sister leave. She tears roll down her cheeks until her eyes burned and took her time returning to the Shinra building. After stopping by a bank, Claire found out she had effectively drained nearly ten thousand gil in just under two weeks from her account. The fact that Claire insisted that she and Serah stay in an expensive hotel for the two weeks, did not help. But her vacation was ending and her, as of late, very boring job would once again be priority one.


A few uneventful months slipped by and Director Lazard was accused of aiding Hollander and Genesis. Before he could be brought into custody, he vanished. Shortly after, Zack was sent to Costa del Sol. A few weeks later, Claire turned seventeen. She had always said that she never wanted anyone to make a big deal out of her birthday but when the only person she was contacted by was thousands of miles away in Bodhum, she retreated to her room and lay on her bunk.

The next day, Sephiroth returned to the SOLDIER floor. Claire had been reading one of the many books Sephiroth had given her in the lounge area, when a narrow box landed in her lap.

"Happy Birthday, Lightning," She looked up and saw Sephiroth "I would have called yesterday but Junon was attacked by Genesis copies. Open it," Sephiroth was indicating the box on her lap.

Claire complied and carefully undid the bow holding the box closed and slid the lid off. Inside was a silver bar shaped like a bolt of lightning. It had two small diamonds and a very light red ruby in the corners of the bolt and a gold and black square also in the corners.*

"Thank you," Claire genuinely liked the necklace.

"Well I need to get some rest because I have only slept for four hours in the last three days. Enjoy your book," With that Sephiroth left. Claire had wanted to ask about the Junon attack, but it would have to wait.

The next day, Zack and Claire were called to the briefing room by Sephiroth. When the two were at the door Zack looked over and saw Claire's necklace. The black haired SOLDIER asked about it and Claire replied with a stale tone. They ceased being friends after Modeoheim and neither knew why but both were too afraid of what the other might say if they talked about it. They walked into the room and Sephiroth jumped right into briefing them on the mission.

"Legions of Monsters have spawned near a regional mako reactor. The workers have all gone missing. Local SOLDIER operatives have also vanished. The company is dispatching additional operatives to investigate the matter. The three of us, that is," Claire noticed something about Sephiroth's demeanor, she could not quite place her finger on it though.

"Roger that…" Zack said in a rude tone. Claire saw surprise cross Sephiroth's face at the way Zack spoke to him.

"What's wrong?" Sephiroth asked the black haired operative.

"Well, you know… I thought you found something out about…" Zack glanced to Claire, who was wondering why he did that "That other matter."

"The missing operatives were the ones tracking Lazard," Sephiroth replied as if he were pointing out something "Also they had reported a strange podlike device in the area," Claire was stepping into a whole new realm of confused.

"Is that… Hollander's?" Zack asked with some surprise.

"Probably the same device that was stolen in Modeoheim."

"What? When did that happen?" Both men looked at Claire.

"That's not important anymore," was Sephiroth's reply.

"As you were saying," Zack said to Sephiroth.

"Lazard, Hollander…"

"… and Genesis?" Claire looked at Zack and hoped this was not going where she thought it was.

"We'll have to go see them," Sephiroth said to Zack.

"Someone tell me what is going on, is Genesis still alive?" the anger that had been simmering since their encounter in Modeoheim had just flared and made Claire growl the question.

"We don't know for certain but it is suspected," Sephiroth said to Claire "You two should start getting ready," with that Claire and Zack started to leave, before they got to the door however "Our orders are to investigate the reactor. They mention nothing of… old friends."

"Sephiroth?" Claire asked, she was afraid of what he was about to say.

"Depending on what happens, I may abandon Shinra," the silver haired legend was not looking at either of Zack or Claire but he knew they were stunned "Until then, I'll remain loyal to SOLDIER. Now get ready to leave, we're going to be gone for a couple of days."

As Zack and Claire stepped out the elevator and started heading to their rooms, Zack finally threw off his thoughtful look.

"What are you gonna do if Sephiroth bails?" Zack asked the shorter SOLDIER "I am going to stick with company, if it comes down to it."

"If Sephiroth joins Genesis," Claire was surprised she did not growl his name "I'm resigning. And maybe I'll buy a house in Bodhum, for me and my sister."

"That's quite a noble choice," Zack commented.

"With the ways things are going, it wouldn't surprise me if Shinra dissolved SOLDIER in a couple of years," Claire was actually surprised that SOLDIER had not been shut down already.

After twenty minutes, the group for the mission was assembled. Three Shinra infantry stood at attention with Zack and Claire standing at ease to one side. Zack had told Claire that they were working with Cloud again, Claire honestly had no idea who he was talking about, so Zack reminded her that it was Cloud that had to help her walk out of Modeoheim. Claire was thrilled about knowing that blond kid was in the group.

Sephiroth walked up to them, and carefully inspected the group. Zack got restless and finally asked the question Claire had been meaning to.

"By the way, where are we going?" Sephiroth was silent for a moment then turned to Zack and Claire.

"To Nibelheim."

*Lightning's necklace.

I know what you are all thinking, "An update? So soon? The world must be ending!"

I honestly cannot wait to write the next few chapters, but they are going to require some careful planning.

Oh yeah, sorry if I offended anyone with some of the language in the beginning of the chapter. But hey, the FF7 world isn't exactly the most family friendly place.

Please leave a Review. They make me happy, and I write more when I'm happy.