Part 2: A Brother’s Sacrifice

The birth of Genesis, visitors in the night, leaving Banora

Part 2: A Brother’s Sacrifice

 

(Moonrise- Music that will make you Cry) “Well, where to begin. I’d hate to make you sit through my whole life story, but…”

“We’re going to have to hear the whole story.” Cloud finishes her sentence.

“Precisely. To start, my parents struggled to have a child of their own. My mother had many miscarriages, so they thought my mother couldn’t become pregnant. They got lucky one day; they were given a son from a couple of travelers just passing through town one day.”

 

            A man steers a Chocobo carriage that contains everything he and his pregnant wife owns. It is a cool spring day and their supplies are running low. He sees a small village in the distance and follows the road that leads to it. The top of the carriage grazes the branches of the leaning Banora White Trees that form a tunnel. He knows he is in the right place. He takes a letter out of his pocket and on the back of it is a map of the village. On the map, a house located on the far side of the village is circled- this is their destination. To get there, they must follow the path from the tunnel and at the end of this tunnel is a mansion. In the front yard are a man and his wife. They notice the passing carriage and the pregnant woman inside. The wife waves to the strangers as they get closer. The man waves back and he slows down his carriage deciding it would be easier to ask them where they can find food, shelter and supplies. The husband walks over to them as the man dismounts the Chocobo.

“Good day, sir. What’s brings you to Banora?” The man asks.

“My wife and I are travelers. We are in need of supplies and a place to stay for the night.” The wife looks into the carriage and sees that his wife is far along.

“I see. Your child is due any day now, isn’t it?”

“Yes, probably in a couple days.”

“So, you need a doctor then. The only doctor in town lives with us. You are welcome to stay with us until your newborn is healthy enough to travel.”

“We should take them up on that offer, sweetie. I don’t know how much longer she will stay in here.”

“He; the baby is going to be a boy. And it would be wise to let you rest indoors.”

“It is settled then. Welcome to the Rhapsodos mansion, my man. I am Ivan Rhapsodos and this is my wife, Nia Rhapsodos. It will be a pleasure having company over.”

“Thank you for having us. I am Xehanort and this is my wife, Sariya.”

            They unload the carriage and help them set up the guest room. Sariya sits on the couch facing the kitchen as Nia fixes her a fresh, healthy meal with vegetables from her garden and meat from the farm. The men head into town; they walk and talk. As they talk, Ivan notices Xehanort’s focus is elsewhere. He eyes jumps from house to house, person to person.

“Xehanort, I feel as if you have another purpose for coming here.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You seem uneasy. Are you looking for someone? As of late, many strangers have been coming and going, all trying to get in contact with one man.”

“Very perceptive; I am in search for someone. He goes by Hollander.”

“Hollander, the scientist from Shinra. Are you and your wife scientist?”

“She is not, but I am one, but I don’t work for Shinra. My research is of much broader scope.”

“Is that why you are traveling?”

“Indeed. I have much traveling to do. This world is too small. This world is just part of one much bigger.”

“You dream of traveling through the stars; such a beautiful dream. It may weigh heavy on the heart, though, especially with a child on the way.”

“Yes. This is why my child will stay here, with Hollander.”

 

Back at the mansion, Sariya is in pain. She screams out in agony. Nia rushes over to her and demands the butler to go find their husbands while she assists the doctor in relocating Sariya to the birthing room. Nia is reluctant to watch the birth; she doesn’t want to be there is another birth goes wrong. She paces back in forth in the hallway until the men make it back.

“She’s in labor, Xehanort.”

“Go, be with her. Being there for the birth of your child is something no father should miss.”

Xehanort scoffs at the idea of becoming a father and glares at Ivan as he walks into the birthing room. Ivan and Nia wait outside, more nervous for them than they are for themselves. A few minutes later, a cry is heard and they run into the room. Sariya is holding her baby-it is a boy. Nia cries with joy and also pain, feeling as if she will never get to experience the sensation of holding a child of her own. (End)

(“Laugh it off " Eisley) “Did you decide on a name?” Ivan asks Sariya.      

“Yes, his name is Genesis. His birth will be the beginning of something great.” Xehanort replies. Ivan leaves the room and takes Nia with him. He tells her how they are going to leave their child with Hollander and continue on their journey. Nia is furious; all she wants is a child and can’t have one, while two people that can have one is going to give it up. She storms back into the room.

“How dare you! You’re just gonna give up your child to some stranger, especially a man who can’t even take care of his own child! What kind of sense does that make?”

“What we do with our child should not be your concern!” Xehannort takes Genesis from Sariya. “Thank you for the hospitality, but it is time to go. Get some rest, Sariya. We leave in the morning.” He storms out the room with Genesis and disappears into the night.

By the time Nia and Ivan wake up in the morning, they are long gone and Genesis is with Hollander. A week later, Hollander is gone and a basket holding Genesis and a note is left on their doorstep. The note reads: I have no use of this child as of yet. You said you wanted one, so here you go. You’ll do better at raising him than I. When he is of use, I will return and I expect him to be ready.-Hollander. 

“At the time my mom was already two months pregnant but didn’t know it. When she found out that she was pregnant, she was overjoyed. On the other side, my father was a little worried. If you noticed my eye color by now you can see what my father was. My father and his sister were the only two Ancients left after their parents died. My father had me, but claimed that I was an orphan he had adopted to prevent Hollander or Hojo from doing any experiments on me. And his sister married Professor Gast and had a daughter named, Aeris. Yes, she is my cousin and was believed to the only Ancient left. I was born into the family of wealthy landowners of Banora. My father’s sister was Ifalna. I remember one day she came to visit him and how he never mentioned that night…

 

A knock is heard from the front door. Serenity is sitting on a couch facing away from the door. The door bell rings and then she hears footsteps coming down the stairs.

“I’m coming!” He father yells. He opens the door and Serenity peaks over the couch.

“Ifalna?! What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you in years.” He walks outside and closes the door behind him. Serenity tip-toes to the door and presses her ear against it to hear the conversation.

Out of breath, she tries to reply, “I had to stop by. I am on the run. They are after us…they want to study us. But not him, he’s helping me hide.” Her brother looks behind her to see a man in a lab coat with dark glasses and a moustache.

“Where are you going?”

“I wish I could tell you, but no one needs to know but us.” She says as she looks back at Gast and then back at him, “I just want you and your family to stay safe and away from Shinra. They don’t know about you and Serenity…keep it that way.”

“Let them believe you’re the last of us…you want them after you and not me? I thought I was the older brother. And besides, they do know about me but they don’t know that Serenity was not adopted like Genesis…she doesn’t even know that I am her biological father and Genesis is not her biological brother. I don’t know how long I will be able to hide it though.”

“Don’t worry; I’ve already handled that situation with Hollander knowing. Seeing how Hojo thinks Hollander is a failure he won’t come to this village and Hollander won’t bother you since his project was shut down and he is in hiding. I made a deal with him; stay in hiding till the time is right and he can take revenge on Shinra…all you have to do is raise Genesis and watch over Angeal as well. Help Hollander continue his research and I will aid from afar too.” Gast explains.

“I see….”

“So please, let them believe I’m the only one left. Goodbye, brother.” She hugs him and covers her face with a scarf.

“Goodbye, sister.”

Serenity runs back to her spot on the couch and pretends to sleep. Her father comes back inside, turns off the lights and heads to his room. Serenity looks out the window to get a glimpse of the visitors but they had already disappeared into the night. 

“I never did have the heart to inform him…Genesis, my brother. We grew up in Banora with a guy named, Angeal. Genesis and Angeal were best friends and I was attracted to Angeal but I didn’t want to ruin the bond we already had; a brother-sister relationship. As we grew up, we would hear stories about Shinra’s Soldiers and how strong and honorable they were. One story stood out in particular. When we heard it, we all decided that we would leave Banora and head to Midgar to pursue our dreams. I was more interested in the scientific articles, but Angeal and Genesis read stories about a 15 year old becoming 1^st class Solider and how they aspired to be like him; of course that person being Sephiroth. We left Banora and settled into Midgar and from that moment on everything changed. I actually meet Aeris when I first came to Midgar. I stayed with Elmyra and Aeris while I finished school. It was weird, when I met Aeris I felt like I already knew her…like we had talked before. She had brown hair like I, green eyes like I. She was just like me when I was that age too. Somehow I knew that she could hear the voices too. When I heard that she was the sole survivor of the Cetra, my heart felt weak knowing that my aunt had passed…but my father was still alive at the time. (End)