Chapter Text
There was something different about one of Genesis’ strikes compared to the rest. Zack didn’t dwell on it much in the moment given that he had a few other things on his mind – like how Genesis had nearly taken off his head with his next attack – but he did remember that something about his blocking stance had felt odd It took a few minutes – once their dance of blades had brought them back into the same spot on the grated floor – for him to realize why.
Zack planted his feet, ready to meet the other SOLDIER’s next swipe with a firm block. Then was when he understood.
The floor was no longer steady. The off-ness he’d felt before was a slight give under his feet, caused by loosened grating. It wasn’t going to be sturdy enough to take another hit as powerful as Genesis’s.
Another time, Zack would have fist pumped and given himself a little bit of a cheer at noticing such a small detail. Angeal would have been proud of him for that. But at the moment...
Yeah, at the moment all Zack was feeling was panic. He needed to move, but Genesis was fast. Fast and going to take full advantage of Zack’s hesitation without knowing there would be consequences for them both.
Dammit.
“Howl in terror, Shinra lapdog!” Genesis shot his free arm out, magic lighting the tips of his crimson glove until their vibrant color was dwarfed by soft green light.
Double dammit. Zack had given him enough time for that terrible thing. He’d suffered through it once already in this fight, and it had nearly cost him the battle then and there. Apparently, Genesis had noticed that fact.
Zack tried to shift his weight to move, but the floor gave a bit, making him freeze instinctively.
...Just in time for Genesis’ attack to hit him full on.
Zack gritted his teeth, grunting as nausea swept over him at the same time his vision took a sudden decline to leave him seeing almost complete darkness.
Poison and Darkness all in one attack. Seriously overkill, Zack thought, but his opinion really didn’t matter at the moment.
Genesis’s footsteps were loud and close on the metalwork beneath them.
“Genesis, wait–”
Zack barely caught the flash of red through his hazy vision in time, throwing his blade up in a terrible last second block.
The grating beneath his feet gave.
...Triple dammit.
As far as days went, this one could have been going better.
Last time he’d fallen in a hole, he’d woken up to a beautiful girl. Somehow he doubted he was going to be that lucky this time.
Zack groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Why was everything so dark?
Oh yeah... he was mostly blind at the moment.
...And he felt like utter crap because he was also Poisoned.
Woozy, Zack patted over his pockets in search of his Esuna or Cura materia. He’d already used all his potions and remedies earlier, so–
Oh, come on.
He’d broken his materia in the fall.
They were all just little clumps of useless rocks now.
…Except for his Thundaga, he was pretty sure. Yay. That one was intact. That was great, because it was the most expensive thing he’d ever owned, even it was no help at all for his condition.
Well, at least he hadn’t cut himself on the broken chunks of materia. That was a bright side. But now he needed to figure out where he was, where Genesis had gone, and how he was going to live long enough to figure all that out.
Zack winced as another wave of bleh washed over him.
Looked like he’d been lucky with the fall itself. He’d definitely gotten a few bruises, but that was about it. The other stuff, though…
Okay, so the Darkness was annoying, but he could live with it for the moment. The Poison? Not so much. It was only a matter of time before he keeled over and died from that if he couldn’t find a remedy or antidote or an Esuna.
Maybe Genesis would be willing to share. Ha ha ha… Right.
He’d probably just keep quoting his poetry even if Zack was writhing on the ground and foaming at the mouth.
Wait. Where was Genesis? Had he managed to fly out of harm’s way, or had he fallen too–
A sharp cough and a grunt drew Zack’s attention in the dark, and he instinctively snapped his head towards the noise.
“Genesis? That you?”
More coughs.
“Were you expecting someone else in this pit with you?” the mage snipped dryly.
“No, but...” Zack slowly pushed himself to his feet, keeping his guard up. “…It’s kinda hard for me to tell at the moment.”
…Maybe that hadn’t been the best thing to admit to the guy who’d just been trying to take his head off.
A chuckle echoed around... wherever they were.
“Ah... So now your eyes match your mind in regards to how blind you are– tch!”
“Genesis?” Zack questioned. It definitely sounded like the other man was hurt, though Zack couldn’t be sure if that was from the fall of just... degradation. “You okay?”
Zack hadn’t had too much time to think about it since they’d pretty much gotten straight to fighting, but it hadn’t totally escaped him just how awful Genesis looked now. Like he’d aged thirty years since the last time they’d met.
All the little details of the fight were coming back– Genesis’ overly labored breaths, the subtle shaking of his blade when they’d locked weapons, and the slight winces when he used a more than a certain amount of effort...
“Am I okay?” Genesis repeated incredulously. “We were amidst the heat of battle not ten minutes prior, and now you ask after my well being?”
“...Well I wasn’t trying to kill you,” Zack muttered sheepishly. Not really. Knock out, yeah. Stop in general, sure.
Genesis scoffed. “And what exactly did you think Shinra‘s plans were for me after you’d apprehended me?”
Zack swallowed. He’d really been trying not to think about that. He’d kind of been hoping Sephiroth would be able to step in to convince the President not to take any super drastic actions.
There was a shuffling sound, and Genesis sucked in a shaky breath.
“You’re hurt, aren’t you?” Zack was sure of it now.
“...Broken leg, it would appear,” Genesis admitted, and then he huffed out humorless laugh. “I dare say that means you’ve won.”
Ouch. “Uh, yeah, maybe if I could walk in a straight line.”
“Oh, I do apologize if my aim struck true.” The smirk Genesis had to be wearing was audible.
Yeah. Suuuuure he was sorry. Sure.
Whatever. Bigger problems.
Zack squinted, only able to make out the faintest blur of red in the black around him. He hesitated, but then settled on asking, “Can you tell where we are?”
The was a moment of silence.
Right. Yeah. Enemies. But given the circumstances, it didn’t look like now was the best time to continue that fight. At least it didn’t to Zack. Genesis might refuse to cooperate with him at all, though.
“Some underground caverns, appears. There’s tunnels leading either way.”
Tunnels. Cool. That meant a possible way out. Except Zack couldn’t exactly run and check them.
“I don’t suppose you’ve got a remedy on you that you’re willing to share?” Zack asked brightly. “Or maaaybe you could toss an Esuna on me?”
“My friend, fates are cruel…”
“…You don’t have any type of curative on you?”
Geez, and Angeal had said Zack was bad at being prepared!
“Supplies are hardy so abundant for me as they are for Shinra’s pawns,” Genesis hissed.
This was not great.
Zack let out a puff of air and fumbled with his pocket to get his PHS out. Even squinting angrily at the lit up screen wasn’t enough to bring him any real clarity, but he could tell that he had absolutely no signal.
Ugh. Well, it had been worth a try, at least.
Zack shut his phone off to conserve the battery before slipping it back into his pocket.
It was seeming more and more like there was only one option here. They were both going to freeze and die if they didn’t put their heads together.
He just needed to get Genesis’ cooperation.
“Soooooo, I’m the one that can walk, and you’re the one that can see. Guess we’re lucky at least one of us has each of those covered, huh?”
Genesis’s responding chuckle was deep and bitter sounding. “You wish to suggest that I guide you into quite literally walking me to my doom? Best you bumble off as best you can, SOLDIER, for I’m afraid I’m not inclined to assist you.”
Zack sent a flat look in Genesis’ general direction. “Great. I’ll do that, and we can both die down here. Seriously, man? This how you wanna go out? Because I sure don’t.”
Seriously, some epic and tragic struggle against unbeatable forces or something would be preferable. Or maybe saving somebody. Those were much better than staggering around in the dark until the poison in his system made him pass out or some monster dropped from the ceiling and impaled him out of the blue.
“I care not what you want.”
Uggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Zack placed his hands on his hips, tapping his fingers.
He needed some incentive here.
Think, think, think…
What did Genesis care about? Other than that stupid book, that was.
“What about Angeal?” he said finally.
“What of him?” Genesis shot back, sounding strained as he shifted his position.
“You think he’ll take off with both of us missing? What if he comes looking for us and gets shot because of it? I wasn’t the only one sent here, you know!”
Silence.
There was a ragged sigh.
“…Help me up, then.”
Ha. Score.
“On it!” Zack wobbled in the direction of the blotch of red, using the wall to steady himself–
“Do you mind?”
Zack yanked his hand back. “Sorry!”
Yikes.
That was not the wall. That was a wing.
“Which of your legs is broken?”
“The left – the one you’re near standing upon.”
“I’m not gonna step on you!” Zack rolled his eyes, finding the actual wall this time with one hand as he offered his other one down.
Genesis solidly took hold of Zack’s bicep before beginning to pull himself up. There were some muffled grunts, but whatever way Genesis was going about things seemed to be working, because he was upright a few seconds later.
The two of them teetered precariously for a moment as Genesis… well Zack couldn’t see, but he was pretty sure Genesis was balancing on his one good leg as Zack maneuvered his arm over his shoulders.
Steady… Settle… Success!
They were standing. Together.
Just like a mission – objective one was complete.
Now they just had to move together and find an exit.
Eheh.
“So…” Zack gnawed on his lip, both directions looking equally… nothing-y. “Which way?”