Title: Hippodrome

Author: FaerieFighter009

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII—Crisis Core and Before Crisis to be exact.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything of FFVII, only Alexia.

Spoilers: Just a couple characters from Before Crisis here, so many will not know who they are.

Rating: T

Warning: It's written in 1st POV. I'm utterly bored with 3rd POV.

Pairing(s): Genesis x Alexia (OC). OC shunners, don't waste your time and click the back button.

Summary: An AVALANCHE girl of bent prayers & desert balm rehearses a revolution. But a certain SOLDIER First Class of grudges & spine-tingling smiles crosses her path and mind more than desired. -- Set of drabbles, with Genesis/OC; CC, BC --

A/N: Some funky preview for the Gen/OC story I'm planning on writing, well, I might write it. Some drabbles are one sentence, some a couple paragraphs, some even longer—I'm unorthodox like that (and if you flame me for that, I'll just laugh). I wanted to just scrap this junk on my LJ...but the stupid damn thing messsed up all the formatting and some of the text were all different sizes and crap. So I got pissed and skipped back over here. I did NOT want to post this here (because I think this is utterly horrible)...but GHK pressured me to. I blame you for making me put this fail up here, girl!

~*~

1. obsession

"I am all the questions you ask and all the answers you receive," the man said.

2. blind

"What kind of name is Alexia?"

"What kind of name is Genesis?!" I piped back in an octave higher than my normal voice. Said man, Genesis the almighty whoever, walked back over, smirking down at me. I resisted the urge to take a step back into the wall and held my head up high.

Still smirking, he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I know what culture is, little desert girl."

I flattened my hands on his chest, stumbling back as I pushed him back hard. "Are all ShinRa men so arrogant and blind that they can't tell when a woman wants them to proceed to walk off the nearest cliff?" I hissed in one breath.

Ha. I have mastered my verbal counter attacks.

3. panic

Genesis coughed. "Seph, forget it! This girl's insane and armed with grenades!"

Oh.

Oh that was low. I'm insane? Feh. Just look at him with his heeled boots and red leather coat. I still haven't decided the health of his mental state with that choice of wardrobe, and—wait.

Wait...

"Sephiroth?" I blinked in rapid succession and gasped, taking a step back. "The General Sephiroth—he's here? Right now?! In this building?!"

Holy Bugenhagen, I sound like a fangirl when I panic.

Genesis apparenly was annoyed at my retarded way of speaking and rolled his eyes, sneering over at me. "Figures even a desert girl from a backwater village would know who Sephiroth is..."

4. pursued

"How far to Fort Condor?!" I gasped, squinting to see a tiny dark speck on the horizon.

"A few miles."

"Miles?!"

"More or less..."

"Hopefully less!"

"Maybe...maybe," Elfé muttered darkly, throwing a glance back while shouldering her katana deeper in the folds of her cloak. "Pick up the pace!"

"Ancestors, why me?" I moaned and held the sting in my side, struggling to run at her side. These were going to be the longest few miles I will ever run. And I really have to pee. But I can't stop, otherwise the ShinRa infantrymen will shoot me in the ass or something.

I am going to kill that stupid SOLDIER when I find him again for putting me in this situation. It's all his fault. That man actually ordered the infantrymen to capture me because I spat at him and threw grenades at him. While on private ShinRa territory.

...

I still don't deserve this.

5. beach

The sand of the beach was so different from that in the desert, from Cosmo Canyon. I couldn't stop cupping it in my hands before letting it sprinkle away like fairy dust between my fingers. The softness of it wasn't harsh, almost comfortable enough to sleep on.

6. player

He acts as if women are supposed to swoon at his feet. Guess I missed the memo.

7. obviously

"Never scream at an emotional drunk standing off the edge of a tower!"

8. animal

"If SOLDIER are the monsters, then...AVALANCHE are the animals."

Genesis raised a ginger eyebrow. "If that's so, then you're below humans."

"Uh-huh."

The other eyebrow raised.

9. prison

"Now tell me, who would give a damn about some ancient play," I asked rhetorically, so that meant Genesis had to get the last word in.

"I happen to give many damns for LOVELESS, thank you," came the clipped response from behind the worshipped book.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please be quiet, drama queen."

10. resolve

Somehow, I stupidly thought taking down ShinRa would be easier. Despite our threats, they're still leeching out the Planet's lifeblood for a comfortable, luxurious life. The only reason the Wutai War is raging on is because they want to plant a reactor there. With reactors at near all the major cities, ShinRa would economially have world-wide control of the world.

World domination...I thought that kind of thing only happened in the movies.

Those things need to be stopped. I know that is forever a fact, and that's the only reason why I'm staying with Elfé in AVALANCHE.

11. victor

Intimacy with a man feels like having a million gil in your hands.

That's how you'll felt when you stumble out of a club hand-in-hand with Genesis Rhapsodos, tipsy and giddy with your blood warm with booze.

12. advice

"Stop trusting your enemy."

13. suspicious

I shivered to a stop, the magazine in my hands trembling. Something warm and rough cupped around my knee, and now I'm regretting wearing this skirt. With spry stealth, I sneaked a peek over the gossip magazine before bringing it higher in front of my face.

I bit my lip and commanded my body not to tremble, but I could feel my blood boil with fury. Genesis oh so "casually" placed his hand on my knee.

What is with this man and his fetish fascination with touching my knee? Is he still checking to see if I have hidden weapons?

My nostrils flared as I took a deep breath. I had options, many options: just sit and pretend to not care; smack him with the magazine; smack him with whatever Loveless-related crap he's reading; scream out molester; confront him in a mature manner.

I picked up a political magazine on the shelf beside me and smacked his shoulder. Because I am a mature young lady like that.

14. territory

"Seducing a SOLDIER First Class isn't possible. Stop doing it," the Red Leather fangirl warned.

Okay then.

15. conga

"Back off, fucker. There is no way I'm letting you all in to see the Don, so buzz off," the guy at the door said, sneering at the thin-lipped Fuhito. I scratched my nails along the edge of my jean skirt, staring down at my crossed ankles because I think I need new socks, and since we're at the Wall Market, why not shop?

I heard Elfe step forward. "Don't make this difficult. Take us to your boss and we won't give you any trouble."

I sighed and glanced up in time to see the bouncer sneer at her. "Look sweetheart, the Don is a...very busy man," he said with a suggestive grin, looking her over. "Unless you're willing to, uh, occupy his time, you ain't going in."

Before Elfe's brain could register her next sentence, Fuhito was already getting into Fuckhito mode.

"Come now, you don't want to upset us," Fuhito warned softly, the hand in his pocket, cradled near where his hidden pistol hanged on his belt. I sighed again and pushed off the wall, wary this was going to get ugly.

"Oh no, you don't want to upset us because we can call ShinRa men down here to remove you from our property," the man replied back easily. Fuhito remained emotionless, but I could tell he was stumped for once. "And with shady characters like y'all, I think they'd love to take you in and interrogiate you into torture."

I shook my head away and tugged down on my hood, the corner of my mouth lifted despite the threat given to us.

"Although, like I said..."

Suddenly the three were stepping back and I could feel all eyes on me. I lifted my gaze to see the man staring at me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable and crossed my arms, only for him to grin more. "If you girls clean up and want to have some fun, I'll be glad to escort you to the Don...for a price."

"Excuse me?" Elfe snapped.

"We're not interesting in selling our women out like whores to an obese crime lord, thank you," Fuhito said in the most icy tone, shooting a quick glare at me to stay quiet.

"Just tell us how your boss is getting to the upper plate without using public transportation, and we'll go," Elfe seethed in black anger. I grabbed her by the arm and started to pull her back.

"Forget it, let's go," I urged. Fuhito was already striding out ahead of us as I pulled Elfe away, looking back with her to the see the man oogling us.

"Disgusting swine," she mumbled under her breath, balling her fists until the knuckles were white. I flashed her a sympathetic smile and let go of her, reaching for the doors. But then, Fuhito stopped at the door beside me and turned to me looking anxious, which quietly scared me.

"This isn't looking too good," he whispered.

"Uh, yeah. Pity the Don isn't homosexual," I said, pocketing my hands in my jacket.

Elfe gave me a look before facing him. "We need more information."

"What do you think the others are doing?" Fuhito sighed, taking off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. My eyes widened, surprised to see him so stressed out over this setback. "What I've been able to gather is that Don Corneo is the only resident in the slums that deals directly with ShinRa. And because of your mess up, Alexia, all idetification at the train station check-ins now runs through the system to check for foreigners so they can catch you. Because of this, we're stuck in the slums until their paranoia fizzles, which could be forever. But we can't waste time. We need the money by this Saturday."

Elfe frowned, looking hopeless. "And today is Friday..."

"Question: isn't he just a big crime and drug lord?" I asked with a raised hand, unconvinced and not wanting to dwell on my past blunder. "Why would some pimp have a door to ShinRa's higher ups, unless he sells them up some drugs."

"Were you not paying attention?" Fuhito hissed like I was a demure child. "Almost every night, out of the women that come here, the Don's men pick out a few girls to send them to him. Then he choses one to—"

Elfe cleared her throat, bowing her head, though I could see her neck and ears flushed pink. In sync, I felt my stomach twist and my face burn. The way the bouncer was staring at us, the women that we say straying around Wall Market and shopping for some very questionable "accessories". It all made sense now.

"I see," I whispered back, licking the front of my teeth. "So...guess that means...I'll have to go in and find out what's going on!"

Spinning around, I started to run back up to the entrance when two sets of hands grabbed my hood to pull me back. The collar of my jacket cut into my precious windpipe and what a wonderful experience that was.

"Agh! Choking here! Please remove your hands!" I strangled out, clutching at my neck while seeing the stars of Bahamut do the conga in front of me. Damn celestial things mocking my lack of grace.

16. discovery

"No offense man, but I fear your fanclubs—I think most of them just want to rape you, including this one called Mark."

Genesis frowned, puzzled. "Mark is a tomboy?"

"Nah, just a boy."

I am not good at laying down bad news, apparently. Genesis gasped in an usually high tone and clutched his heart, which I suspect exploded out of terror from the fact he has a horny fanboy that might be stalking him.

Huh. Genesis isn't bisexual, after all.

17. belief

"Wait. You think that's heaven?" I quirked my mouth to the side, staring over the twilit horizon. "Nah, I don't think so..."

He laughed. "You think you know it? Try to enlighten me, then."

I frowned, sideglancing Genesis impatiently waiting for me to. I almost believed I knew more of the "gift of the goddess" he was obsessing over more than him. Almost.

Exhaling, I clasped my hands behind me and stared up at the starry sky from the shade of my hoodie. "Heaven...it's not a place you go after you die, it's a time in your life when you really feel alive!"

18. grapes

"Remember back then, you used to chase after that boy George and thought he was so cute?" Elfé asked with a hint of mirth, her gray eyes shadowed under the neon streetlight. My shoulders slouched down as I tried stumble into the pole.

My old friend, recognizing my falling-into-dramatic-depression switch, hefted me to the left before the collision occurred.

George. Genesis. Gaia. Grapes. Genesis.

Shit.

Even in my head, the man is an attention whore.

I hate everything with the letter g.

19. future

"Though the lovers share no such oath, in their hearts they know they will meet again...LOVELESS, Act III..."

"Was that meant to seduce me, Mr. Rhapsodos?" I asked, noticing his mako-marred eyes literally glowing in the moonlight. The sight was horrible and beautiful, but I couldn't look away.

Genesis smiled, all sultry and serious. "It will in the future."

"How far in the future?"

"I like to take my time."

I gave a grin that almost split my face in half, nodding off as I chortled to myself. My heart fluttered and did backflips, so I bit the corner of my lip to stop my giddy giggles. I nodded up to him once and continued walking past him, trying to ignore the intensity of his aqua eyes directed at my lips.

"Sure thing there, solider. Maybe in the future...I'll hold you to it!" I challenged with a mock salute, rounding the street corner for the hideout.

20. acceptance

Hurry up and wait, already.

21. trapped

LOVELESS.

We are watching LOVELESS because Genesis has to prove to me that it is the "greatest play in existence!" I almost snoozed off a couple times, Act II has only just started, and there are no peanuts around to nibble on.

I'm considering searching Genesis's pockets for any candy and spare gil so I can venture out to a vendor machine.

22. fact

"You're kinda perfect."

23. love

"Excuse me, Sephiroth, I want to sit over there!" Genesis said rudely as I walked back in the living room, acting like a kid that wanted to play on the last swing. This made me scratch the back of my head in embarassment and pity for Sephiroth, something I thought I'd never do.

The silver-haired man mumbled a silent apology and sat back so Genesis could step over his friend's long legs. He plopped down on the couch between him and Angeal, who was watching the news on the T.V. behind me. The General meanwhile was playing with a Rubik's cube.

I wonder if this could partially explain his lack of social skills. Or his high intelligence.

Same thing.

"Alexiaaa," Genesis cooed in a taunting voice.

"Huh?"

I jumped as the sacred book of weird poetry on the coffee table dividing us. He pointed at the engraved cursive title.

"This is LOVELESS, the original story. It's the greatest thing you'll ever read," he stated arrogantly and folded his arms. Sephiroth stopped his game and looked pointedly down at the back of Genesis's head, as if wondering why Genesis was his friend again (can't blame him). Angeal just sighed, no doubt fighting the urge to scold the red head and turned up the volume of the news reporting a mako leak in one of the reactors.

I blinked and stared down at the seemingly innocent book until a thought hit me. Ducking my head so my sinister smirk couldn't be seen, I picked up a marker lying near by.

"What are you doing?" Genesis mumbled in question as I unscrewed the cap, and before he could grab me out of reflex, I marked out out the LESS part in the title.

Ha. Now it's LOVE.

Beat that, jackass.

Still smiling, I looked up and felt my stomach drop. Sephiroth and Angeal literally looked like they wanted to evaporate out of the room as they attempted to sink back in the couch for sanctuary.

"I, uh...guess you don't like the noun and sometimes verb known as love, huh?" I whispered and gripped down on my crossed ankles, feeling my face heat up. Genesis finally lifted his heated eyes to me, which were literally glowing bright with fury.

Oh, ancestors, protect me in my hour of need.

24. choose

"So just tell me....is some man, some monster that might love you more important than our friendship?!"

25. truth

"I never said I'd die for you!"

26. math

About ready to snap the doorframe off the wall, I whirled around as he advanced toward me. "If you quote LOVELESS again, I will do more than just commit arson on all your personal belongings and—"

Genesis simply leaned forward, blowing my feather earring away to place an open-mouth kiss on the side of my neck. I shuddered and shivered, grabbing the doorframe desperately.

--two, four, five...breathe, twelve--

"I love you, too," he purred into my mocha skin, instantly melting the bones of my kneecaps and limbs.

I am so pathetic.

27. empathy

"This world hated me long before it hated you," Genesis said softly. "Take comfort in that for me."

28. question

"Do you know what you're feeling in there?" I asked throatily, poking Genesis in the chest. I hoped it would make him irritated and start his usual haughty arguments with me, but he just hanged his head and didn't answer. My mouth slanted down sadly.

After a few seconds of hesitation and awkward silence, I wrapped my arm around his neck and gently pressed against him, burying my face in his neck.

This guy needs more hugs in his life. How has he survived so long knowing so little of them?

29. funny

Funny how love and war go hand in hand; you can't have one without the other. People think they're separate things, but they're so laced together.

No one can understand a warrior more than another survivor of war. A civilian can't understand why we change so much, why our philosophies change after the international treaties are made and the bodies are buried and gone. They celebrate the living veterans by celebrating their "heroic" deeds—aka, the murders of other human beings.

They celebrate that, and I can't believe they don't realize we're all humans. War was never supposed to be our reason to live.

30. listen

"Mistakes can be forgiven, even made up for. But our regrets...they can never be forgotten."

31. direct

"I'm losing you."

"Then fight for me."

I grinned softly at his turned back. "How 'bout I marry you instead?"

32. rejected

Ouch. He didn't answer.

Requesting to die of a broken heart, Goddess. Permission granted?

33. death

I couldn't look back at Zack because I know those big, sad eyes of his aren't lying.

Not...no. Gen wouldn't be so stupid as to...no. But I could tell this guy Zack wouldn't lie.

34. fool

I don't care. I'll search through the snow on my hands and knees if I have to.

He stole my heart and I want it back.

35. farewell

Didn't get one.

36. grief

"Stop throwing that sentimental bull at me! I'm pissed at everything, and you should be too, Sephiroth! SOLDIER, Hollander, mako, ShinRa, even Angeal...I can't—no, I refuse to take all the shit they left behind. If you, someone I thought would understand, try to stop me from escaping, I will fight you to my last damned breath!"

37. time

Time went on, and a couple thousand things went wrong.

Then we started our war with ShinRa. Not like I had anything better to do.

38. hurt

"...you know what happens next."

"Oh, come on," I urged softly, firmly, "do I have to school you on that hero shit, too? Just do everything Angeal preached about, and don't be a hypocrite about it. You caught me..." I held my arms out, lifting my chin so he could have a clear swipe at my neck. "Now kill me!"

"Alexia."

"Sephiroth, you can't—" I stopped, rubbing my grease-covered hands down my face and took a deep breath, one that you close your eyes and curl your toes to. "Look, you want to know a secret? Terrorist...is worse than monster. Take some comfort in that for me."

39. curse

I want to vomit.

Now Elfé, my best friend, is dying? Seriously? This is seriously happening again--another person I love is degrading to death?

Wow. Just wow...

This must be so funny to you, Minerva. Is destroying their lives enough amusement for you, o wonderful Goddess?!

Well, damn you. I damn you to the worst fate imaginable for killing away the two people most important to me in the same damn fashion. You must really hate me for having them suffer right before my eyes.

40. confusion

I'm drained, framed, and mentally maimed. Our war with ShinRa...it's starting to defeat me. Why isn't this easier? Is submitting to ShinRa what we're supposed to do?

It can't be.

41. distance

I keep missing him.

If he's avoiding me out of shame or disappointment, I have no clue. I'm never awake or close enough to speak with the stupid SOLDIER. I mean, ex-SOLDIER.

A few times, when I wake up, I can feel and smell the heat of his skin, even taste his mouth and tongue on me (and...and molesting me in the process, thanks a bunch, stupid SOLDIER). Genesis must have been watching me ever since I got lost from the gang in that Turk ambush. I'm forced to sleep out in remote places and avoid all ShinRa towns until I find a comrade.

I'm like the animal I professed I would become. Even have to fight off fiends that are as hungry as I am.

But it's bizzare. I'm not having a mental breakdown. I'm now one of the most wanted felons; can't sashay around Junon or have a cookie party with his fanclubs. It's bizzare because despite the price on my head, I feel safe. He doesn't come out to give me directions or protect me; he knows I'll refuse to rely on a man to save me until I run out of oxygen in my brain. Despite all the shit that's happening and still happening, I won't change for anyone.

Just knowing he's watching me from afar is keeping me sane. It's enough.

But why is he out here? What's he doing, is he looking for something?

He has been gracious enough to let me stare at him a few times before flying off, so I know I'm not hallucinating anymore. Sometimes he comes back when I fall asleep, and only when I fall asleep he comes near. The distance feels near, and the words he can't say are the touches he gives when I'm knocked out in my coma-like naps.

I don't have to talk to Genesis to know him: he's not well. He's getting worse.

42. Turkey

While escaping a lovely Turkey hitman from Costa Del Sol, I let myself be a fool and cease my escape. I found one of his long black feather on the dirt path, then a few more trailing up over the side of a cliff.

I picked up the ebony feather, touching it to the tip of my nose as my mind tried to make sense of it.

I didn't have time to follow the trail; sprays of bullets gnawed into my back and then, too soon for me to react, my face was shoved down into the dirt, painfully knocking my teeth into the grimy ground.

43. PTSD

I underestimated how horrible our war with ShinRa would become. I was so stupid. I shouldn't have trusted them, that we would have easy victory.

Weeks. Days. No, it's been months, months that are budded to blossom into a bloody year...

It's been almost a year...and I still cannot wash off the stench of other men's blood from my skin, fingernails, mind, dreams—it's all attacking me. Why are they all attacking me when I'm trying to save them?

This...this is my reward for trying to save the Planet.

44. successor

If AVALANCHE falls, and if I get killed out here, then I only pray someone else carries out our wish, my deathwish to ShinRa.

45. why

I'm wondering why the world doesn't stop spinning and strike down all the shit and sin we create for it. It doesn't stop, so AVALANCHE keeps going on. I don't die. I keep moving, and our war keeps spreading and stretching to every land and child.

I, I think...I'm starting to understand why Fuhito wants to kill everyone...and this feeling, this empathy with him, scares me more than anything I have ever faced...

~*~

I kept writing Shinra as ShinRa here. It just looks cool. And I think I forget the little mark above the e in Elfe's name (like just now) a few times. Forgive me, I got lazy.

23. - I got the idea of Sephiroth playing with a Rubik's cube from R. Reeves and her awesome story, And The Earth Will Shake. Credit for that goes to her.

FF009