Life Finds a Way

Chapter 65

By the time they got Clarissa seated they both heard a loud knocking on the door. She dropped her head into her hands as she realized she had probably woke someone up. Genesis made sure she was steady before he moved to answer the insistent knocking. Clarissa cringed again when she heard Sephiroth's voice. "Genesis- I apologize if I was interrupting something, but it sounded like there was an issue."

She focused on the sound of them speaking to try and give her brain a chance to wrap itself around this new development. Genesis' voice was sharp when he answered. "There is no problem. If you don't mind."

There was a thunk before Sephiroth spoke again. "That didn't sound like nothing. It sounded like Clarissa was in pain. What happened?"

She realized that she was going to have to interfere. Sephiroth deserved to know anyway. She stood and paused before walking out. She blushed as she realized that both she and Genesis had not been clothed when this happened. That explained the strained note in Sephiroth's voice. She quickly grabbed one of Genesis' shirts and worked it on well enough to cover her, even though it was looped underneath the wing. She was thankful that they were as large on her as they were.

Once she managed to cover herself she walked into the living room to see Genesis staring hard at Sephiroth. The latter had moved his booted foot to keep Genesis from closing the door in his face. She spoke up before either of them could escalate it further. "Genesis, it's okay. Sephiroth deserves to know too."

He turned to her with a scowl that didn't improve when he caught sight of her, but he moved back and allowed Sephiroth in. She watched as his eyes took her in, including the large wing that was now hanging from her back. For the first time since she had met him, she saw absolute surprise on his face. None of them spoke for a few moments. Finally, Sephiroth stepped closer with his eyes pinned to her new appendage. His voice was almost a whisper when he spoke. "What happened?"

She shook her head to try and clear the dread she still carried. "Hojo happened. I told you he has been injecting me with Jenova cells since I graduated." She tried to twitch the wing and caused it to flare out before it fell limp again. "I wasn't sure I would develop one, but I guess my nearly dying escalated the process." As she said those words another realization hit her. This was most likely what Aerith had been talking about when she said something bad was going to happen. As bad as this was she felt an instant relief. This wasn't as bad as what she had thought it was.

She pushed the thought aside as Sephiroth stepped closer. He reached out to touch it before he stopped himself and gave her an unreadable look. She shook her head again. "Yes, it is real, unfortunately."

He took a few steps back as Genesis rejoined them. Clarissa was glad to note he had at least put on pants, but that was a fleeting thought as Sephiroth spoke again. "Does this mean that the rest of us will mutate as well?"

She cringed at his choice of words but pushed passed the feeling. It was a mutation after all. She gave him a nod. "Yes, or maybe. Honestly, I don't know what made you develop them in the first place. It could just be a matter of time, or there could be something that instigates it."

At her words both men stilled. Genesis stepped to her side before speaking. "What made us develop them? Does that mean in the alternate future we all had wings like this?"

Her brain was still addled enough that she had forgotten that was a fact she had left out. They had enough to deal with already, knowing they would mutate as well was something both trivial enough not to affect the overall tale, and harsh enough that if they didn't need to find out then she had hoped they wouldn't. It was a moot point now though. She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze before she answered. "Yes, all three of you grew a wing before it was all over."