Switched

Coming to Terms

Genesis sat in the passenger seat of a car headed towards what had been his hidden home for the past year. There were three others in the car with him and two more in the truck following them. He wasn't happy about having them all invade what had been his home, not because he was fond of it, but this guaranteed that it would be next to impossible for him to go back into hiding again after this. He always liked to have a back-up plan, and this significantly narrowed his options. He also wasn't sure how Weiss would take it if he were awake when they arrived.

Those thoughts on top of his concerns about the potential for trouble that had been uncovered, as well as thoughts about his past, made sure the scowl never left his face. He wasn't sure if any of the ones with him now remembered his reputation for a fiery temper, but if they did, their nervousness made sense. In years past, he had thrown fireballs at people when he was feeling less irritated than he was now. He supposed something could be said for maturation and restraint, although it didn't make him feel any better.

He was thankful that it didn't take too long to get to where Weiss was hidden, or at least as close as the vehicles could get. It was still a half-hour before the group managed to climb through the wreckage of the old city and find what they were looking for. Each of the guards were thankful that Genesis was leading the way. Not only would they have been lost but there were still a great many monsters that had taken over old Midgar, some from the slums and others from the wastes surrounding the city. Having Genesis taking point meant that none of them even had the opportunity to fire their guns.

When they found Weiss, Genesis was glad to note he was still sleeping. He had a gut feeling that he wouldn't be much longer. The five men managed to detach the tank Weiss was in from the base and rigged it between them, so they could carry it back out. It would be awkward, and some areas would be tight, but they were sure they could get it out. The fact that Genesis had managed to get it in here alone just drove home to them all how powerful he was.

Genesis took the time they were working on rigging the mako tank to gather up the few things he didn't want to leave behind. Mostly it was the materia he couldn't keep on his body at all times. He also changed back into his duster, making sure to place Rapier in its regular spot while he was at it. There was no point in hiding his identity anymore, and he was much more comfortable with the feel of the leather against his skin. Feeling much more like himself than he had at any point in the last year put him in a better mood.

Once they had everything ready, they all moved out. Genesis took point once again; this time it was a necessity as the rest of the men were carrying the tank with Weiss. It took them longer to return to the vehicles than it had for them to venture into the wreckage, but it was still less than an hour. Once they had the tank secured in the back of the truck they all turned back towards the WRO headquarters.

There was a group of people in lab coats waiting for them when they arrived. The fact made Genesis' skin crawl, but he refrained from acting on it as these were doctors and not megalomaniacal scientists. He followed them to the room set up for Weiss. They had another tank in the room, but there was also a bed. Genesis watched as they removed Weiss from the tank he had been brought in. They started evaluating his condition, trying to determine if he needed to go back in a tank or if he was healed enough for routine monitoring. Once they got started it looked like it would be a lengthy process. Genesis watched long enough to make sure Weiss was in good hands and turned to find Sephiroth again. It mattered little to him that he had a constant escort. As far as he was concerned it only made it easier to navigate with a guide.

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After Genesis and Reeve had left the room, Sephiroth just sat and went over everything that had happened in such a short time. It was only yesterday that he had been reborn. He wasn't one to allow his emotions free reign, but it was getting harder to ignore them. He wasn't physically tired, but mental exhaustion was creeping up. He was sure he could handle it, but it was unpleasant.