A travelling bard once stated that his father's planation was one of the most beautiful places in the world. It was a place where the dumb apples grew in abundance as they swayed peacefully on the branches on the tall trees. There seemed to be no discontent between the steady flow of migrant workers and the usual assortment of farm hands that worked the soil from sun up to sun down. Everything seemed as it should: A piece of heaven amongst a hell of earth. …And perhaps, that is why is Genesis Rhapsodos hated it so much.

"Genesis…"His father spent most of the working day out in the fields, overseeing the help. He never really seemed to pay that much attention to him, really…Which is probably why Genesis didn't seem to hear him. "GENESIS!"

The young thirteen year olds head quickly snapped to attention. He looked around for the source of the sound until he noticed the disappointed scowl on his father's face. "….what?"

"Come walk the fields with me today, son. It is not good that the workers work so hard and see that all you do is having your nose in that damnable book."

Genesis snorted, but he did lay the book in his lap. "Father, I don't see why it matters, really…When I turn sixteen, I'm leaving here…and never coming back."

His father grinded his teeth as he marched toward the dumb apple tree that Genesis was sitting under and grabbed Genesis, yanking him to his feet. The book dropped lifelessly into the grass. "All of this could be yours…you know…And yet you still have dreams of joining with Shin-Ra?!" His father raged under his breath. It wouldn't be fit for the help to see them arguing like this.

Genesis pushed his father away with one hand, causing him to lose grip on Genesis's arm and stumble back several steps. Several of the hired hands looked up at the commotion. "Just walk with me!" He hissed.

Genesis shrugged and slowly leaned over to pick up his book, wiping off the wayward grass in the process. He could imagine the muscles tightening in his father's jaw and smirked slightly, taking his time as he straightened. "All right…I'm ready."

"Good." His father muttered tersely. "Now follow me."

Genesis gave his father a smile and a nod, and began to follow him down the dirt path, taking them deeper into the orchard itself. Many of the workers stopped for a second in their work, taking a moment to say hello to their boss and his son, of whom they assumed would be their future boss someday. Genesis nodded appreciatively, and continued on his way, praying to all that was good that they could get this over with, quickly.

Unfortunately, they spotted Jericho, the orchard foreman, walking up the opposite side of the path. Genesis groaned inwardly. Not only did Jericho like to talk, but he smelled of rotten fruits and unwashed armpits. Genesis tried not to wrinkle his nose as Jericho approached.

"Hello there, Mr. Rhapsodos!" He grinned with a gap tooth grin. "And hello to you, Genesis!"

"Why, hello there, Jericho!" Genesis' father outstretched his hand, and Jericho shook it. Genesis barely could imagine standing within three feet of the man, let alone touching him. "How is the orchard today?"

"Oh, just wonderful, Mr. Rhapsodos!" He grinned again, revealing a few more missing teeth. "I think we're going to have a great crop this year!"

"That's wonderful, right, Genesis?" Genesis' father turned around and was dismayed to find such a bored expression on his son's face.

"Right, Dad…." Genesis nodded, but his attention was obviously elsewhere. His father followed Genesis's glance out into the trees, finding him staring at a black haired boy about his age picking up a large basket of dumb apples.

Genesis' father turned back around to Jericho in puzzlement. "Who is that?"

Jericho chuckled, his girth shaking along with him. "Oh, that is Angeal Hewley… Romley Hewley's son….He's filling in today for his father…"

"He looks as strong as an ox…." Genesis continued to stare as the youth's muscles flexed while picking up another bushel.

"Oh, you don't want to mess with that one…' Jericho chuckled. "Quiet…keeps to himself…Good kid, really…But yeah…He'd put you in the medic if you tried laid a hand on him…."

Everything that was said between Jericho and his father after that became nothing but background noise as he continued to watch the boy load bushels into the old rusted truck. "Just…what I am looking for…." He smirked to himself. " A challenge…"

Genesis watched his father inadvertently roll his eyes as he broke away from the conversation and traipsed through the tall grass, trying to make his way to Angeal. He heard Jericho say as he left, "Don't you worry about Genesis, Mr. Rhapsodos…Most boys his age have dreams of movin' off the farm….I know I did….What the boy needs right now…is probably a good friend." Genesis couldn't hear the rest. He was moving closer and closer to the thirteen year old. As he moved out of the brush, he saw several of the adult workers stop and smile.

"Heyo, Genesis! What can we do for you today?" Genesis frowned slightly as he noticed the boy never stopped working. He never even looked up.

Genesis shook his head, and delivered one of his most charming smiles. "Actually, there's nothing you all can do for me…." His grin suddenly became a bit bigger and a bit darker. "I want to talk to him" He pointed at Angeal.

Several of the workers turned and looked in Angeal's direction. "Hey, Angeal! Why don't ya take a break? You've been goin' like this for hours! Go talk to the boss man's son or somethin'!"

Angeal loaded the last bushel onto the bed of the old rusted truck and wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. He looked around and spotted Genesis in his fancy, clean clothes and hair. "What do you want with me?" He asked quietly, staying where he was. His voice was already growing deep, but that didn't deter Genesis in the least.

"When I'm sixteen, I'm going to get out of this boring place and join SOLDIER!" Genesis paused, his smile turning into a cruel, taunting smirk. "What about you, Angeal?"

The other workers turned to Angeal to see how he was going to respond to that challenge. Angeal wiped another bead of sweat off of his face. "It has always been my mother and father's wish that I join SOLDIER…" He said quietly, but with a slight smile of pride. "They think that I could make this world a better place…."

Genesis began to laugh. "You don't join SOLDIER to change the world…You join SOLDIER to become famous and get girls…" He laughed again and the other workers began to chuckle along with him. "Come on…Fight me! I want to see how good you really are!" Genesis hoped that his true intention of wanting to tick off his father and show him how good his fighting skills were not overly obvious. This should be easy, after. After all, what does a farm hand know about fighting?

Angeal continued to smile and just shook his head. He then, turned toward the old rusted truck where he began to dig through an old, large rusted tool box. Genesis raised an eyebrow. "You aren't going to find your courage in there, Angeal!" He taunted as he laughed. That was when Genesis realized that Angeal was throwing something at him. He took a step back only realize that a wooden practice sword landed right in front of him. Genesis smirked when he noticed that Angeal had one of his own clutched tightly in his hands.

Angeal turned the wooden practice sword over in his hands. "My father has spent his entire life….working in the fields…so that I could have a good sword to take with me to SOLDIER…." He suddenly switched into a fighting stance. "I do not intend to let him down…."

Genesis also assumed a fighting stance. "All my father wants is for me to take over this…hole in the earth…." Genesis raised the sword. "I'm destined for much greater things…"

"We will see about that…." Angeal smirked slightly, and then he ran forward. Genesis charged as well. "FOR HONOR!"

Genesis didn't even have time to snort a sarcastic reply. Angeal was on him in a moment. He'd never seen anyone that fast other than himself. He barely got the wooden practice sword in front of Angeal's assault, the two swords crashing right in front of his face. Genesis could hear the wood cracking and whining under the pressure as he fought back the pressure.

Genesis kicked out and knocked Angeal back several feet. He could tell that Angeal was as surprised as he was about his opponent's strength. Genesis gave a cocky smirk. "What is the matter?"

Angeal just shook his head, and readjusted his stance. By this time, half of the workers in the area had stopped their work to watch, some shouting cheers for their boss's son and some for the poor worker's son.

Genesis ran swiftly toward Angeal and slid on his leg, trying to knock the more bulky teen off his feet. Angeal deftly dodged and spun, leaving Genesis wide open for attack. Genesis merely avoided being hit by rolling quickly to the side. More cheers rose as Jericho and Genesis' father rushed onto the scene.

"I'll break them up, sir…" Jericho started to break into a run, but Genesis' father stuck his arm out in front of him.

"No…Let him get this nonsense out of his head…If he gets hurt, he deserves it. I will not blame the Hewley family for my son's foolish actions…"

Jericho nodded quietly.

Angeal backed up several steps and let Genesis climb to his feet. He could tell that Genesis was no longer playing. He had gotten the other teen's attention. There would be very little cocky remarks from this point forward.

The flames raged in Genesis' eyes as soon as he spotted his father off to the side. No little farming snot was going to get the better of him, especially not in front of his father. Genesis sprung to his feet, and readjusted the grip on his sword. He ran quickly, taking Angeal by surprise, and almost delivering a blow to the side of Angeal's head. Quick jeers and cheers erupted from the crowd.

"They're too evenly matched…" Jericho wondered in amazement.

Genesis' father sighed. "They would be, "he paused, "wouldn't they…."

Jericho gave him a very curious look, but the only thing he saw on his boss's face was sadness.

Angeal spun, barely missing Genesis' blow to the face, and retaliated with a hit to Genesis' side. Unfortunately, Angeal barely had his weight behind the attack, and the assault barely fazed his attacker. Genesis removed one hand from the wooden blade and swung at Angeal. Blood gushed from the teen's nose, but that only seemed strengthen his resolve. Angeal kicked Genesis back as he wiped the blood off his nose on his sleeve. His mother was going scold him for that tonight.

Angeal grabbed his sword tightly in both hands and charged Genesis with an anger fueled blistering speed. Angeal leapt above Genesis head, as Genesis made a move to raise his sword above. When the two swords collided, both swords exploded into a shower of splinters and cracked wood. Both boys were out of breath and leaning on their knees.

The entire crowd cheered at the performance, but the two boys couldn't hear them. Genesis' father quietly withdrew without drawing much attention to himself, trying to resign himself to the inevitable: Shin-Ra was going to get his son after all.

Angeal finally stood and extended his hand toward Genesis, who stared at the hand momentarily before taking it. They shook heartily. "That was a good battle." Angeal nodded. "You are a lot better than I expected you to be."

Genesis nodded. "Yeah…" He clutched his side as he slowly stretched to his full height.

"Did I really hurt you?" Angeal looked at Genesis' side in concern.

"No…I think it's just going to be a little bruised…" He gave Angeal a cocky grin. "I heal pretty quickly…"

"Mm…So do I…" He touched his nose and winced.

Jericho rushed over and turned Angeal toward him. "Angeal, let me see your nose…Oh your Momma's gonna kill me from not stopping you from fighting…"

Genesis had never met someone as powerful as Angeal, and the more he watched the young man, the more curious he became. Who was this kid? Genesis had trained with some of the best wandering swordsmen and soldiers that had passed through his father's farm, much to his father's dismay. Even they did not possess the speed, strength, and power that Angeal possessed….

Genesis glanced over at them. "No, he can tell her he was fighting for his honor…" Angeal looked at the other teen quizzically, not expecting such a kind statement to come from his mouth. Angeal looked back at Jericho and nodded.

Genesis was even shocked that the words came out of his mouth. But in that realization, a chord was struck with Genesis. Jericho was right: He was lonely and even more than that: He was looking for an equal. Someone to spar with, perhaps, or even share his passion for books with….Most of farm inhabitants were uneducated, and if you asked them to fight, they would run in a heartbeat. Could Angeal possibly be a…friend? The word seemed so foreign to him.

Jericho just chuckled as Genesis began to slowly limp away. Angeal might be a possible friend, but the other workers were continuing to stare at them. His side was beginning to ache even more from the blow he took from Angeal, and although he would never admit it to anyone: His pride had also been badly damanged. Angeal quietly watched him go until he saw the youth stop, and look over his shoulder. "Hey, Angeal…Can you read?"

Angeal smiled. "Yes, my mother taught me…."

"Good…" Genesis gave him a small smile. "I have this great play that I think you would like to read…I will bring it by later…" Then, Genesis disappeared into the woods, his form slowly fading into the branches and tall grass.

"Well….wonders never cease…" Jericho looked down at Angeal and smiled. "Looks like you might have a new friend after all…"

Angeal looked up at Jericho and smiled. "I believe that warriors sometimes say more with their blades than they can with their tongues…"

Jericho wrapped his arm around Angeal's shoulders, and looked thoughtfully up at the sky as they begin to walk. "I think ya have a good point there, honestly…We each speak a different language, and I think you'n Genesis just had a really long talk…."

Angeal glanced back over his shoulder in the direction that Genesis left in. "I think we did, Jericho…I really think we did. I always…thought he was a brat, but—" Angeal frowned.

Jericho smirked slightly. "He is a brat, but—You're right. Looks can be decievin'…" He paused. "Now, I'm givin' you the rest of the day off to take care of that nose of your's, okay?"

"But, my father—His pay—" Angeal's eyes got larger. "Please don't send me home!"

Jericho laughed. "Don't worry….I'll talk to Mr. Rhapsodos about it…You just go home…and let your Momma look at that nose…She knows a lot about that sorta thing…"

Angeal started to argue, but realized he would never win against Jericho. "Yes, sir…" Angeal began to trudge off toward his home in defeat.

"AND DON'T CALL ME SIR!" Jericho shouted after him.