Even Demons Can Be Saved

Traveling

Because they were going by land and taking a small battalion with them, the trip to and across the Western Continent was expected to take them nearly three weeks. That was a fact that Eve was grateful for. It finally allowed her to catch up on sleep. For the first three days, that was nearly all she did.

Once she was feeling better, she spent most of the day working with Genesis and Aerith. The Commander had finally had the opportunity to ask her about the phoenix she had summoned without the aide of materia, and she had to show him how it was done. After that, she tried to convince him to try for himself. He scoffed at first, but Aerith had also insisted he try.

At the girl's insistence, Genesis looked between them before he turned to Eve. "Why do you believe I would be more capable than any other human?"

Eve shared a look with Aerith before she sighed. "I am sure Hollander told you that you were adopted, correct?"

Genesis sneered. "Yes. I am aware those people are not my parents."

Eve scowled right back. "They may not have been the ones to give birth to you, but they are your parents in every way that matters." When Genesis looked like he was about to explode, Eve held up a hand and glared at him. "I don't want to hear your bullshit about them betraying you. They did not and would not have. They would be willing to lie to keep you safe. If I hear anything else about that part, then I will gladly smack you on the back of the head myself. Maybe it will knock some sense into you."

He sat back with a flabbergasted look at the vehemence in her voice. He did not look happy to have been dressed down, but he folded his arms and glared back. "What do they have to do with my question?"

Eve shook her head at his stubbornness. She hoped in time he would come to realize the truth. At least she knew they were still alive. He had not had the chance to go to Banora before he ran into her and Sephiroth in Wutai.

"Nothing directly. I just didn't want to shock you with what I think without checking first."

When his glare deepened, she held up a hand again and continued. "The reason we both believe that you can do this is because we saw something when we purified Jenova's influence from you. It was sleeping, but it should be able to be woken now. Minerva also told me that you had a special connection to the planet that allowed the link between us the first time I shared visions with you. Given all that, I would guess that whoever your birth parents were, at least one of them must have had Cetra blood."

Genesis' arms fell as did his jaw. That news was not what he had been expecting to hear. Neither had Angeal or Sephiroth if their faces were anything to go by. It was several moments before he was able to speak. "You are saying that I am Cetra?"

Eve shrugged. "I can't say for sure without seeing bloodwork, but yes, I believe it is likely."

He stood at that point. "I need a moment."

Eve gave him a nod as he made his way to the front of the transport. She could understand why it would take him some time to sort through that information. She hadn't even shared the rest of what she thought either. Given the fact that she was nearly certain there hadn't been any surviving Cetra beyond Ifalna and Aerith, the likelihood that the two of them were related was high. Even if others still lived that were yet unknown, it was still a possibility. She would keep that to herself for now, though. One shock at a time was bad enough, and they had more than enough to keep them occupied waiting for them.

In the days after that conversation, Genesis became contemplative. It was a few more days before he relented and asked her to show him how he might accomplish magic on his own. Eve gladly walked him through how she had found it within herself. By that time, she was able to call the phoenix at will without the aid of heightened emotions. She had been practicing nearly every day once she was rested.