Unsynced, Chapter 7

[sinnatious]

Title: Unsynced, Chapter 7

Summary: FF7. Someone in ShinRa HR mixed up assignments, and Kunsel gets sent to Nibelheim instead of Zack.

Author’s Note: Lots of Genesis. I think the first time I've tried to write Genesis mid-degradation, it was a new and interesting experience.


Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5

Chapter 6


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Chapter 7

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Hollander peered into Cloud’s eyes for a moment, cast a wary glance at Kunsel, and quickly stepped back. “It’s an advanced case, certainly. Much longer and there wouldn’t be much I could do.”

“But you can do something,” Kunsel said. His fingers caressed the hilt of his broadsword.

Hollander was sweating. “Yes, of course. It will take time… but a partial detoxification, followed by a routine of diluted and purified mako treatments should speed up the process of bringing him out of his catatonia, at least. There will likely be unavoidable side effects-”

“What side effects?”

“Confusion, delirium, hypersensitivity. Memory loss almost certainly, though to what extent we won’t know for sure until he’s coherent again. Most will likely pass as soon as the treatment ends, but even once his system stabilises…” Hollander shrugged nervously. “This course has had reliable results, but the difficult part is managing the correct dosages. Mako behaves more like a heavy metal in the bloodstream – it’s prone to accumulating, which is what makes mako addiction so dangerous in the first place. He’s so close to the edge that too large a dose could easily push him to poisoned, but too little might provide no stimulus at all. Of course, with regular food and water and sleep, his body will likely take advantage of the S cells’ integration and begin stabilising on its own. That will give us more leeway than it would with a civilian case.”

About what he expected. Kunsel knew enough about mako addiction to be fairly sure Hollander wasn’t lying in this case, though that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be watching the scientist’s every move. No matter the lip service they paid, this was a hostile environment. “You have enough cells for now to get started on your other work, then?”

“Yes, for now.” He ducked his head, gesturing for the exit. “I’ll just-”

“You do that.” Kunsel watched him go. He waited until he was clear from the room before heading back over to Cloud.

The space they’d been provided didn’t have any sort of door, just an empty archway, and the walls were bare rock, lit orange by an oil lamp. It was sparse, the only furniture being a simple table and two bedrolls. Not exactly luxurious, but it had been four years since either of them had seen anything like it. Kunsel tugged the thin, ratty blanket Genesis had provided them up to cover Cloud’s chest. “You can take a nap, Cloud. I’ll be right here. Some proper sleep will do you good.”

“Some proper sleep could also do you good, SOLDIER.”

Kunsel tensed, but didn’t turn. Genesis was far too good at sneaking up on him – he needed to do something about that. He would trade his sword arm for a decent Pre-Emptive materia at this point. “What do you want?”

“So quick to assume the worst of me,” Genesis chided. “I thought you different from the fools at ShinRa.”

“After the stunt you tried to pull? I think I’m entitled. Consider it from my perspective. I don’t think degradation hurt your tactics any.”

That earned a huff of a laugh. “Please, I hardly had any intention of turning you into another mindless drone. I merely sought to make you a little more… sympathetic to our plight.”

To do to him what he’d done to Hollander. “That doesn’t exactly make me feel any better.”

Genesis shrugged. “I can see there is little possibility of convincing you with words alone. Regardless, an alternate solution was found. There was no need to acquire by force what could be bartered for.” The renegade SOLDIER wandered over to the table and perched on it, legs crossed and showing every intention of not going anywhere anytime soon.

“Making sure we don’t run off?”

Genesis waved the comment away. “There is hardly any concern of that. Your friend requires treatment, after all. You are paranoid, but not unreasonable.”

“That’s a bit hypocritical, calling me paranoid.”

Genesis’s eyes flashed. “I should think my paranoia justified.”

“And mine isn’t?”

His mouth twisted. “Your point is made.” He pulled out a leather-bound book, its edges worn ragged from handling, and began leafing through it, never once breaking eye contact. Just staring, as though flipping through the book itself was nothing more than a gestural tick.

Creepy. Kunsel turned and chose a spot to sit against the wall. The uneven rock dug uncomfortably into his back, but after a week in a dingy on the ocean just being able to lean on something solid was heaven. He spent a few minutes digging through his pack, checking their supplies had survived the trip ashore and studiously ignoring Genesis’s unwavering gaze.

Until, abruptly, “What is your name, SOLDIER?”

Kunsel looked up. “You don’t know it?” He laughed. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You wouldn’t bother to remember the name of a Second Class.”

“It should be obvious that you are no mere Second Class.”

“You keep calling me one,” Kunsel reminded him.

Genesis tilted a shoulder, as though letting the accusation roll off it.

He sighed. “It’s Kunsel.”

The lack of last name earned him a raised eyebrow. “You are a foundling?”

“Don’t act so surprised – SOLDIER’s full of them. The Turks recruit pretty heavily from the orphanages.” Luxiere was one too, and he could name half a dozen Third Classes who were in the same boat.

“The Turks’ line about SOLDIER recruitment?” Genesis scoffed. “That’s nothing more than a cover story. The applicant list is already miles long without adding to it further.”

“Yeah, but they still do it. It’s not a good cover story unless they actually go recruit some SOLDIER candidates every now and again.” Knowing what he did now, of course, those recruitment tours took on an even more sinister tone. How easy it would have been to spirit a couple of the runaways – and there were always runaways – off into the Science Department, with no one to miss them, no one to ask questions, and no one to complain.

Genesis apparently conceded that point, as he didn’t reply and instead resumed his mindless book-leafing and staring – at Cloud, this time. “And your companion?”

“Cloud Strife.”

“You’re going to great lengths for him,” Genesis observed. “It must have been difficult, evading ShinRa with such deadweight. Nor would you be here now.”

Kunsel closed his eyes, and for a micro-second revelled in the tempting darkness, the siren song of sleep. It wasn’t safe to sleep though, not here. Not when Genesis could follow through on his earlier attempt at infecting him, or Hollander could perform tests without his knowledge. “Your point?”

“He is a mere trooper. I cannot see why you bothered.”

“That ‘mere trooper’ saved all of our lives,” Kunsel snapped. “And it’s not any of your business anyway.” He very deliberately returned his attention to sorting through his bag. If only they’d run for it when they first saw the former SOLDIER – although it probably would have eventuated in the same result. They’d been trapped the minute Genesis laid eyes on them.

His fingers lingered on his materia, inspecting their brightness. He started to withdraw one, but when he chanced a glance from the corner of his eyes, Genesis still sat watching him with a frankly unnerving intensity. Like Kunsel was a particularly fascinating puzzle he couldn’t crack. “Don’t you have somewhere else you can be?”

“I have little to do until Hollander makes progress with the treatment.”

“So go do nothing somewhere else then.”

Genesis merely gave him an indulgent smirk in response.

What was he doing? Waiting for him to fall asleep? Wouldn’t happen. No matter how exhausted he might be, a SOLDIER could go days without sleep easily, longer if they pushed it. In this situation, Kunsel was determined to push it. Wasn’t even sure if he could sleep, with the memory of that tingling burn where Genesis had grasped his arm.

Nothing he could do, though, so Kunsel simply bent his head, blinked the tiredness out of his eyes, and resolved to ignore him.

Close to three hours passed in that tense and awkward stand-off. Until Genesis huffed, and said, “Dear Goddess, I can’t bear to watch this any longer.”

The whine of materia rose in the room. Kunsel clambered to his feet, reaching for his sword-

…………………

Consciousness was sluggish to return. His head felt heavy, stuffed with dirt.

Where the hell was he? Hard, gritty ground beneath his back. Air stale, slightly cold. He felt warm, though - covered with a scratchy blanket.

Kunsel lurched into a sitting position, fingers reaching blindly for his sword.

“Ah, you’re awake,” Genesis greeted him. “You slept fifteen hours.”

“What-” He scrambled to piece together those last moments of his memory. Talking with Genesis. Struggling to stay awake. The whine of materia in the air. Too slow to react- “You cast Sleep on me!”

“Because it became obvious to me that in your paranoia you were going to wear yourself to the edge of death.” Genesis settled back on the desk – apparently his favourite perch. “Just because a SOLDIER can go without sleep for weeks does not mean it is wise to.”

“You had no right-”

Visibly bored now, Genesis cut him off. “Spare me your indignation. You have nothing to complain about. I stood guard when Hollander was looking over your friend.”

“I don’t trust you either!” he snapped.

Genesis rolled his eyes. “You’re overreacting.”

Kunsel seethed. “We’ve spent the past four years with Hojo, who would sedate us whenever the hell he felt like it. I think I’m allowed to have some issues with being put to sleep against my will, okay?”

Unbelievably, that seemed to pierce the self-righteous fog surrounding the renegade SOLDIER’s head. Genesis began to look almost uncomfortable. “…Your point is made. If it truly bothers you that much, I’ll refrain from it in the future.”

It wasn’t an apology, but given who he was dealing with, about the closest he could hope to get to one.

Kunsel checked their bag of supplies, but everything was there, and apparently un-tampered with. When he checked on Cloud there hadn’t been any change either – he seemed to be sleeping peacefully in the same position he’d left him in. Not that he could be sure – that was the problem with scientists. Sometimes the worst things left no trace.

He let his head drop back against the wall. Shiva, this was like a mission that never ended.

Knowing that Genesis could put him to sleep whenever he felt like it didn’t help matters – the former SOLDIER’s word was worthless at this point. Kunsel used to have a handy bracelet he would slide under his bracer that would zap him awake if he fell asleep on the job, hooked up with a Pre-Emptive materia – it looked like he was going to have to try to jury-rig something similar here. If he even could, with the tools he had on hand.

“It’s been fifteen hours then,” Kunsel said, “Has Hollander made any progress?” The sooner Hollander got somewhere with Genesis’s cure, the sooner they’d be allowed to leave. Theoretically.

Back on steadier ground, Genesis scoffed. “Hardly. He had to sacrifice some precious time on treatments for your friend, and he required sleep as well. I’ve granted him three days.”

“And what if at the end of three days he still hasn’t made any progress?” Kunsel asked.

Genesis just gave him a smile at that. It was full of sharp edges, like a wolf.

Spooked, Kunsel dropped it. “At least we won’t have to stay here too long, then.”

“Why are you so anxious to leave?” Genesis said. “You hardly have anywhere to go.”

The amount of truth in that statement was galling. “I’m not happy trading one jailer for another, even if it is an upgrade.”

That vague look of discomfort passed over Genesis’s face again, though was gone as quickly as it came. “Regardless, do you even have any plans for when this… transaction is complete?”

Was Genesis making small talk with him? Kunsel closed his eyes, resisting the urge to rub his temples. He settled for picking up his helmet and putting it back on. “Fixing Cloud is all I care about right now.”

“Yes, yes,” Genesis replied impatiently. “But that is already within your grasp. What happens after that? What is your desire?”

It was a tough question, one he’d not had the luxury of considering until now.

What did he want? Freedom. Safety. Revenge, maybe. Stabbing a sword through Hojo’s throat was a fantasy he’d nurtured the past four years, and its potency hadn’t faded with their escape.

None of that he said to Genesis. “What about you, then?”

Genesis’s expression contorted into something that didn’t quite reach a smirk.

“Even if the morrow is barren of promises,
Nothing shall forestall my return.
If this world seeks my destruction…
…It goes with me.”

Loveless again, but as the words sank in, Kunsel couldn’t help but stare. “...You’re saying you want to destroy the world?” Was he trapped with another Sephiroth? Was the destiny of all SOLDIERs to go mad and destroy everything? Unlike Sephiroth, he doubted Genesis could actually do it, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do an uncomfortable amount of damage in his attempts.

The carnage and flames from Nibelheim still danced behind his eyelids, and would for many years yet.

“Wouldn’t you, in my position?” Genesis’s words were as earnest as they were black with hate. “The world which creates such a monster, then condemns it, deserves to share the same fate.”

“And if the cure works?”

That, unexpectedly, seemed to stall to former SOLDIER in his path. A tense silence hung in the air between them, full of unspoken threat.

“Hollander will be returning to check on your friend shortly,” Genesis announced abruptly, and turned on his heel to depart the room. “I trust you have rations enough for yourselves. There’s water on the table.” Then at last he was gone, and Kunsel was left only with eerie silence and Cloud’s ever-sleeping form.

That was… odd.

Kunsel had the unsettling feeling that Genesis hadn’t actually considered that outcome.

…………….

Three days passed. Kunsel didn’t sleep again, and this time Genesis didn’t force the issue. Hollander came in four times a day to check on Cloud and administer his treatments. Genesis rarely left them alone, occasionally reciting poetry, or reading silently, or forcing conversation on Kunsel – and the times he wasn’t, there were usually a couple of copies loitering in the tunnels.

Kunsel had checked.

Having actually spent some time with the other SOLDIER though – willingly or not - it became obvious that there was something undeniably… off about Genesis. More than just his delusions of world destruction. Within SOLDIER everyone had been aware of his personality flaws – his vanity and temper and self-absorption were somewhat legendary among the department, but they’d been nothing more than quirks, and easily compensated for by his other talents.

Never had he been self-absorbed to the point of being socially obtuse, though. His enthusiasm for Loveless was well-known, but hardly the obsession it had become. And his mood swings were far more dramatic than Kunsel remembered.

Was it the prolonged isolation? Or had degradation itself affected his brain? Chemical imbalance? It would explain an awful lot. The mood swings, his erratic behaviour. Some structure of logic still persisted behind them, but everything had been exaggerated to the point of irrationality.

Regardless, Hollander obviously made enough progress to save his skin, as that third day found the scientist in the cavern with them, with a second set of needles beyond those just for Cloud.

“And how will this work?” Genesis demanded, even as he rolled up his sleeve for Hollander.

"They’re active cells – they should stimulate the correct kind of cell production, and halt the diffusion. As the healthy cells repopulate, they’ll eventually take over the degraded cells. In time, your SOLDIER constitution will begin to work as intended. In a few weeks, you will likely heal at the rate of a normal civilian. In a few months…” He shrugged, a trifle nervously. “Your regeneration might never be what it once was, but it should still be above average.”

“Hmm.” The sound was critical, but Genesis made no other reaction other than to gesture the scientist on. “Wait.” The scientist stopped, moments before the needle could break skin. “Yourself, first. Insurance, you understand.”

It obviously ruffled Hollander, but he injected himself without a word, then sat under Genesis’s hawk like gaze for several minutes until the SOLDIER was satisfied and extended his bare arm in turn.

Only once Hollander had put his needles away did Kunsel finally speak up. “So is that it? Are we good to go, then?”

“So eager to leave, SOLDIER Second Class?” Genesis mocked. “Your friend hasn’t finished his treatment.”

“They should stay, just a little longer. In case,” Hollander advised anxiously.

Kunsel’s fingers curled around the hilt of his sword for a moment, but he consciously relaxed them. “This isn’t an indefinite arrangement.” And he didn’t particularly want to be anywhere near if this particular cure didn’t work as Hollander advertised, either.

“The wind sails over the water’s surface,
Quietly, but surely.” Genesis recited, as though in lecture. “Don’t be so hasty, SOLDIER Second Class Kunsel. Neither myself nor your friend is cured yet. Rest assured my hospitality will be extended until either or both is achieved.”

Diplomatic words, that still meant they were effectively prisoners.

Kunsel valued the lie enough to let it drop.

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