Switched

What the Dawn Brings

Chapter 12

When they arrived back at the WRO, Sephiroth immediately headed back to his room. It had already been a long day, and he was ready for it to end. He didn't wait to see if anyone would follow, but vaguely noted Genesis with Weiss in tow behind him.

When they reached the room, the first thing Sephiroth did was head to the shower. It was irksome, but he was even filthier now than he had been that morning. He stopped before entering the tiny bathroom. He remembered this time that there were other people in the room, and he turned to find clothes to replace his torn ones before cleaning up.

He barely noted that Genesis had followed him into the room. "Are you going to keep ignoring me?"

"I'm not ignoring you, Genesis. I told you already that I wasn't careless. I knew it might not be an easy fight, but I couldn't lose. It was a calculated risk, and it turned out for the best." Sephiroth hadn't turned when he replied to Genesis, still looking for something appropriate to wear.

He was shocked when Genesis grabbed his arm and twisted him around to face him. "A calculated risk? You do realize this was the second time I had to heal you, from significant damage, all in the same day! When did you become so noble anyway!"

A scowl marred his face before he finally lost his temper. "When did I become so noble? When I realized I have spent my whole life killing just because I was told to. If it wasn't Jenova, it was Shinra. I never thought to question it. I don't want to be a monster! I would like the opportunity, just once, to be able to protect instead of destroy." His voice faded at that, and his last words were so quiet Genesis almost missed them. "I don't consider that noble. I consider it being human. That's all I strive for."

Genesis was at a loss. His heart clenched at Sephiroth's words. They had hit far too close to home for his comfort. They had all been deemed monsters, killers, but not because they wanted to be. It was what they had been made for, and still they strived for the divinity found in being human.

Neither of them had noticed when Weiss entered the room, so they were both startled when the younger man spoke up. "Being human is overrated, in my opinion."

Sephiroth was pulled out of his morbid thoughts when Weiss spoke. When he understood what had been said, he only shot him a glare before grabbing the first set of clothes he could get his hands on and pushing roughly past both men. He paused at the door next to Weiss. "There will come a day when you finally grasp the extent of the horrors you have committed. When that day comes I hope those words don't come back to crush you." Weiss only snorted in contempt but Sephiroth was already gone.

When Sephiroth disappeared into the bathroom, Weiss was surprised to find himself sprawled out on his back once more. He lay there rubbing his jaw where Genesis had just managed to land a punch hard enough to take him off his feet. He took his time getting up. This just didn't seem to be his day. He was irritated but didn't lash out right away. Genesis was still standing over him, visibly shaking.

Genesis took his time before he said anything. He wasn't confident that he could speak without trying to throw Weiss through the window. When Weiss was finally on his feet again Genesis spoke. "I understand why you would hate Shinra and anything to do with them. I can even understand why you would blame all of humanity for what was done to you. That doesn't change the fact that you are still human. You may deny it but that doesn't change it. You are only a monster if you let yourself become one. If you do, you will only become exactly what they wanted you to be. You can disregard my words all you want but I know from experience that trying to make the world burn will not get you what you desire, not really."

Weiss snorted before returning to the living room. He acted like he completely dismissed everything Genesis had to say, but at least part of it kept circling in his head. Was he really the perfect monster that Shinra had been trying to make? Did he really have no goals of his own other than the path Shinra had made for him? Thinking about it pissed him off.