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Chapter Text

The sting of windburn on Cloud's exposed face bothered him at the start; now as he hung, impaled by Masamune, it barely registered. 

“Is this the pain you felt before, Cloud?” 

Cloud used his left hand and desperately tried to push down on Masamune while it grated up against his sternum. His right hand still clung to his Fusion sword and his legs dangled freely.

“Let me remind you. This time you won't forget.” Even as he struggled against gravity, Cloud could almost hear the smug bastard smirk. 

Sephiroth unleashed his wing causing Masamune to punch through Cloud further. He gasped in pained surprise then as Sephiroth flung him up in the air off of Masamune. 

He felt the blood flowing from the empty stab wound and couldn't do much in his ascent aside from continuing to hold onto his fusion sword and watching Sephiroth fly towards him faster than he had flung Cloud upward.

He managed to lift his sword to block Sephiroth as he swung up and to Clouds left. The clash forced Clouds sword upward but still in a defensive position. He quickly swung it back down to meet in another clash, but Sephiroth swung back to Clouds right, leaving Cloud wide open. 

There wasn't enough time to block. Sephiroth stabbed him from below multiple times in quick succession.

Once over his lower right leg.

Once through his left arm.

Once over his inner right elbow.

Once through his left hand.

Once through his right shoulder.

Once through his left shoulder.

Once though his upper right leg. 

Cloud curled over and tried to grab Masamune. He tried to stop the onslaught but it was too little, too late. Sephiroth flung him down off his sword just as he'd flung him up.

It took several seconds before Cloud crashed into the top of what remained of the Shinra building. His own blood loosed above, falling on top of him and beside him.

Cloud managed to get weight on his left hand. Blood splattered beneath him from his open wounds as he used his right hand sword grip to get on his knees. He tried to lift his sword to meet Calamity's Son once more, but only managed to lift it as far as his shoulder, using it as a crutch for his own dead weight. The effort left Cloud gasping for breath that his lungs refused to use.

Sephiroth taunted him from above. Benevolent asshole that he was, it gave Cloud more time to catch his breath and try to stand up,

"Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away." 

Cloud faltered, thinking of what had already been taken, and what was left.

Aerith, Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, Zack...

Broken and bleeding, Cloud's mind did what it did best after it finally figured out that forgetting caused more problems than it solved. He dissociated into the presence of the deceased.

"So what if it looks hopeless? If it were me, I still wouldn't give up." The man paused briefly allowing Cloud time to realize who stood behind him. Cloud groaned in pain as he continued gasping for breath.

"Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens protect your honor as SOLDIER!" Zack chuckled, "Well, okay, you never made SOLDIER. But it's what's in here that counts." Cloud heard Zack pat his chest.

"Zack?" Cloud quietly choked out between slowing gasps.

"Well? You need a hand with him?" Cloud shook his head and used his Fusion sword to center his balance, getting off his shaking knees and carefully stood. He slowly lifted his Fusion sword and settled back into a fighting stance.

"You already beat him once, didn't you? This should be a cinch."

"Yeah," Cloud nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Cloud. You know what I told you." Cloud remembered. Zack hadn't stopped. He kept fighting. Zack fought on the cliff until he couldn't, and now Cloud would do the same.

"That's right.” Cloud took in a short but deep breath, "I am your living legacy." Cloud jumped to meet Sephiroth, swinging his sword up blocking him for a moment before following through forcing Sephiroth up onto the old obstruction light. Sephiroth looked puzzled then jumped higher, twisting in the air to face Cloud. Cloud followed.

Determined to end the rematch, Cloud answered the spectre's question, "I pity you. You just don't get it at all. There's not a thing I don't cherish."

Sephiroth smiled.

Cloud hit his limit and swung his sword above his head in preparation to unleash the 5th iteration of Omnislash, but rather than meet their swords in another clash, Sephiroth deliberately over shot him. Cloud turned around, and started to free fall.

"Hmph,” Sephiroth laughed, "Don't ask for much, do you Cloud? Very well."

Cloud, still falling, prepared to unleash his limit once more when time and gravity abruptly ceased to function. The storm above disappeared as did Sephiroth below. Day turned to night turned to day turned to night over and over and over again. The ruins of Midgar reassembled itself as Meteor reappeared, then disappeared. Day turned to night turned to day turned to night and he was inside a lab, and then he wasn't. He was looking through a glass door as day turned to night turned to day turned to night all over again.

It happened so quickly. Cloud could hardly understand what he was seeing when finally, he dropped from midair and slammed through one floor, and then another and then left a solid impact crater on yet another floor. Alarms blared in the distance and electricity sparked from the damage. Cloud faced a closed window and saw several once destroyed but somehow now intact reactors release exhaust into the sky.

"What the?" The voice of a child exclaimed.

Cloud looked in the reflection of the window and saw Zack. A very much alive, much younger, currently slack-jawed, Zack.

"Zack?" Cloud whispered a second time, this time to a child rather than the ghost of a memory.

"Who's asking?" Cloud didn't have the energy to smirk at Zacks expressions of suspicious intrigue. Yeah, it was him.

Cloud felt himself begin to shake uncontrollably from the impact and whatever the hell just happened. His grip failed and his sword dropped from his shaking hands. Cloud fell on his knees and then down on his face. 

The last thing he thought as unconsciousness took him was... not everything. Sephiroth hadn't taken everything.

Cloud dreamed of sleeping in Aerith's church, but no one met him there. So he stayed, resting in the white, flower filled landscape, mind empty and body bleeding numb.

Chapter Text

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to its singular awaiting passenger. Sephiroth entered and turned around to face the doors as they closed. He hit the button for the top apartment floor (a floor he shared with several Turks much to his irritation).

More often than not he took the stairs to avoid running into them. However, given the rather lengthy debrief he'd just endured and the late hour, he allowed himself the lower effort option. He pulled out his PHS.

Sephiroth: On site. Mission debrief completed. Speak with you tomorrow.

Despite it being 22:23 on a weekday there was an 87% chance that Genesis would be in Angeal's apartment, which resided just below Sephiroths. Given the high probability that they'd hear him arrive, he chose to notify them of his arrival via text. Not doing so would invite late night friendly balcony ambushes, something Sephiroth preferred to avoid.

Angeal: Understood. Glad you're back!

Genesis: The wandering soul knows no rest.

Sephiroth: Loveless: Act II?

Genesis: Act I you headless snake. I know you know that.

Sephiroth lightly exhaled, avoiding an outright snort, bleakly aware of the nearby Shinra surveillance devices.

Sephiroth: Must be rusty.

Genesis: Hmmm. "Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul." Clearly come the morrow i'll have to properly school you once more.

Sephiroth: That is Act II.

Genesis: Correct! Good night my friend. Welcome home.

Angeal: Sleep well.

Sephiroth: You too.

He put his PHS away as the elevator doors opened. Sephiroth walked into the hallway, shaking his head and allowing himself a small smile behind his hair, hidden from the cameras. He was glad to be back.

He'd been looking forward to the creature comforts in his apartment all day. The ones that he'd been trained all his life not to enjoy; A hot shower, literally anything edible outside of SOLDIER rations, and a soft bed. He didn't enjoy them as he thought others might, but he had earned his way off Hojo's bloody metal slab of a cot in the science department's idea of a living weapons stasis chamber. Not residing there anymore was enjoyment enough.

He swiped his key card and opened the door to his rather barren apartment aside from a few knick knacks from Angeal and Genesis, two of which he kept on the breakfast bar directly to the right of the door. A glass incense tray backed by an attached mirror with the middle of Loveless Act IV inscribed on it from Genesis, and a currently motionless small orange plastic cat with a waving arm and shifting eyes from Angeal. Both were bestowed on him the first new years day after they'd met. He didn't have a birthday, so they dubbed January 1st to be just as good. His first birthday presents.

No, he wasn't just glad to be back for creature comforts that didn't comfort him. Sephiroth missed them, his friends. He was almost tempted to crash their two man mindless tv party. Almost.

Sephiroth closed the door and locked it behind him, placing his key card and wallet in the incense tray, once more reading the familiar inscription.

My friend, your desire

Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess

My friend... Friendship, desires; weaknesses that the science department had denied him in his formative years that he now carried with delight in grim satisfaction. Not that he could ever truly show it, not without repercussions for all involved. 

He displayed an appropriate amount of camaraderie, nothing more.

Sephiroth flicked the plastic cat's arm into motion setting off a familiar intermittent clicking noise that in any other setting might have been annoying rather than reassuring.

Home sweet home.

He skipped the empty fridge, intent on that hot shower when the hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention. Sephiroth summoned Masamune to his left hand in front of him and narrowed his eyes in the dark, sweeping his gaze from the black leather couch on his left over to the balcony in the back. He stepped forward cautiously and continued the sweep, looking through his bedroom door, the bathroom door, and back to the open kitchen on the right.

Nothing.

Still, something felt very wrong. He briefly wondered if Genesis hadn't decided to finally pull that vaguely described materia prank he was always threatening him with. Gravity felt as if it were pulling him down as normal, but also towards the center of his living room.

There hadn't been time to thoroughly contemplate the possibilities though as a burst of light appeared where gravity had been abnormally tugging. Sephiroth moved to lift his right hand to block the light from his eyes but the light faded before he could do so.

A spikey blond haired man hovered frozen in the air, his sword held high, a buster sword much like Angeal's, but also somehow wildly not. Different swords apparently piecemealed together into one whole. 

His back faced Sephiroth but in the reflection of the balcony doors he could see the man's face, cut and bleeding in several places wearing an expression of disorientation. 

Sephiroth took in the entirety of the intruder and realized it wasn't just the man's face that bled. He was absolutely covered in blood and his clothes were tattered. The dark clothing hid it well enough, but Sephiroth's enhancements allowed him extraordinary clarity in the dark.

Sephiroth felt the room almost expand for a fraction of a second before the blond plummeted downward with astounding force resulting in not one, not two, but three consecutive, concussive crashes and a roughly four foot diameter hole in his floor.

Alarms started blaring in the distance. Sephiroth rushed forward and looked down. He saw Angeal and Genesis both rush to the hole in Angeal's floor as the blond had fallen through his ceiling and floor as well, seemingly landing halfway through the floor just below. That was where Angeal had his puppy staying; for similar sunlight exposure in the morning he'd argued.

Angeal looked down at the blond while Genesis looked up at Sephiroth, eyebrow raised before also looking down. Sephiroth resisted the urge to shrug and looked beyond Genesis and Angeal back to the blond, still standing gripping his weapon and looking out, presumably, another balcony door.

"What the...?" A voice exclaimed.

He heard the man reply barely a whisper, "Zack?"

"Who's asking?" Sephiroth recognized the voice of Angeal's puppy now, asking hesitantly before the blond summarily collapsed on his face in a sparking pit of cracked flooring. 

Odd. The blond knew Zack, but Zack didn't know him.

"Are you okay Zack?" Angeal asked, clearly about ready to drop down the hole in his floor to check.

"Yeah." Zack coughed, likely from the dust.

It was undoubtedly not how Angeal had planned on introducing his puppy to his friends, but Zackary had approached the intruder, unwisely perhaps, and looked up. He looked up at Angeal and Genesis and then up further at Sephiroth who was still looking down, continuing to analyze the absurd situation.

Zack spoke again, "So uh... What'd he do to you? So you know, I don't... Ever... do that."

Genesis looked up again, "I second the pups' question."

"Pup?" Zack muttered, a confused look on his face.

Angeal looked up with the same question in his eyes. Whatever look he saw there made Angeal chuckle.

"He ignored gravity." Sephiroth decided on, because what else could have caused such a phenomenon?

Zack's confused look morphed into a more thoughtful one, "Soooo don't ignore physics. Got it!"

Angeal and Genesis outright snorted at the conclusion and Zack coughed once more.

Veld, the head Turk, dressed in a white night shirt and boxers slammed Sephiroth's door open with his gun drawn. Sephiroth's door was reinforced to prevent that kind of unenhanced intrusion. Clearly the Turk had a key that Sephiroth hadn't known about.

Sephiroth had Masamune at the Turks throat before the man could ascertain where the very loud, very destructive crash came from. The Turk stopped in his tracks, waiting for the SOLDIER to determine his allegiance. 

Sephiroth could forgive himself the small micro expression of displeasure at the Turk before he dismissed his sword.

"Sephiroth?" Veld lowered his gun, putting the safety on, and warily approaching the hole in the floor, never leaving his back towards the First. Wise man.

"I just got here, the intruder appeared out of thin air shortly after I arrived. No entry point."

The Turk sighed, pulling out his PHS. Sephiroth half listened to the conversation while watching Angeal err on the side of caution and drop down into Zack's room, somehow avoiding the blond directly below, Genesis quickly followed suit.

Sephiroth resigned himself to the fact that those creature comforts would have to wait and jumped down after them.

Chapter Text

Zack stopped munching on dry cereal mid crunch when the lights flickered. He looked up and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the living room ceiling light. He finished crunching his last mouthful of cereal while stuffing down the plastic bag. The lights flickered again and he quickly closed the lid of the box, gulping down the last of his snack as he did so.

Kathunk

Screech

Crash

Zack's eyes widened when he heard the thundering noise directly above him and he DOVE, cereal box still in hand, towards the door. He heard another thundering crash as he rolled out of the dive shoulder first, saving the box and his head.

He was on his feet and turned around just in time to see his light go out, the ceiling cave in, and a man slam into his floor bending it down till it looked like a cracked half dried clay bowl. Sirens rang out nearby, or far away, it was difficult to tell sometimes.

The floor shot off sparks of electricity until the rest of his lights blinked off. The lack of light was a bit odd to adjust to at first, but the Mako exhaust from the reactor beyond his window helped illuminate the man some while Zacks eyes adjusted.

The stranger had blond hair styled after, no joke, a chocobo. He wore a heavily modified SOLDIER 1st outfit and held a buster sword that could have been a replica of Angeal's. But those details didn't matter much compared to how much blood the man splattered all over what was left of his floor. There was even some on Zack's dark green beanbag chair in the corner of the room, the sole piece of furniture he owned outside of his bed.

"What the...?"

"Zack?"

Zacks semi adjusted eyes shot up from the bloody bowed in floor to the man's reflection in the window. His voice was soft but he heard the man's pain clear as sunlight. Zack didn't recognize him, but apparently the stranger recognized Zack.

"Who's asking?"

The man started to tremble and his sword clattered to the ground. It sounded strange when it fell, like it was lighter than it looked. The man collapsed to his knees and Zack wasn't sure if he should call emergency services or run up to help the bleeding intruder first, but the blond fell to his face before he could decide.

"Are you okay Zack?"

Zack blinked at hearing Angeal's voice from above and looked at the cereal box still in his hand, "Yeah."

Zack coughed as he scrambled to shove the box in a cupboard so Angeal wouldn't see his sugary late night snack before he approached the hole in his ceiling, trying to avoid the splotches of blood as he did so.

He probably should have checked on the guy first, but Zack felt a little unnerved by the man who knew his name. Instead he looked up to see Angeal and a red haired man. Zack wasn't sure if the room above him was Angeal's or the red heads, but Angeal clearly knew Zack was down here.

Something silver caught Zack's eye. The first crash had apparently been the ceiling above Angeal and none other than the face of SOLDIER himself looked down with a blank stare.

Suddenly the force of the man's descent made sense and it wasn't something Zack ever wanted to be on the wrong side of.

"So uh... What'd he do to you? So you know, I don't... Ever... do that."

The red head looked up, "I second the pup’s question."

Zack squinted his eyes at the red head then at Angeal who'd smirked, "Pup?"

Rather than answer, Angeal looked up, then started to chuckle.

"He ignored gravity." Sephiroth answered and Zack started to wonder about what materia the man had on him and made a mental note he'd forget in a few minutes to never use gravity near Sephiroth.

"Soooo don't ignore physics. Got it!"

Angeal and the redhead snorted and Zack rolled his eyes at their reaction. No way did he ever want to get slammed down through three floors by Sephiroth. He looked back down at the man half dead on his floor. He hesitantly kneeled next to him and looked for a pulse on his right arm. There, and far too strong for someone with as many barely scabbed over lacerations that Zack now saw up close.

Zack yanked his head back up when he heard a loud bang and no longer saw Sephiroth above. A tense silence followed.

"Sephiroth." Zack didn't recognize the voice.

Sephiroth replied, "I just got here, the intruder appeared out of thin air shortly after I arrived. No entry point."

Zack saw Angeal start to swing through the ceiling and he moved away from the blond chocobo, glad to have his mentor here to handle the situation.

The already cracked floor grated like wet sand between rocks when Angeal, and then the redhead jumped down to the floor.

Angeal kneeled down to look over the blond and Zack squinted curiously at the redhead.

“SOLDIER First class, Genesis Rhapsodos. Angeal's best friend and Sephiroth's only standing rival."

Zack's eyes shot open at that information dump and stood at attention to salute. "Sir."

The man smirked and seemed far too pleased by Zack's reaction, "At ease."

This was of course immediately followed by THE Sephiroth landing right behind Angeal. Zack snapped back at attention.

"Sir."

Sephiroth nodded, "At ease SOLDIER."

Zack's shoulders dropped as he tried to keep his nerves in check. This was THE Sephiroth. The guy on all the posters that drove recruitment out in the middle of nowhere but you couldn't see hide nor tail of in Midgar. The guy every kid dreamed of growing up to be. Or at least Zack did.

Angeal spoke, knocking Zack's focus back to the moment, "His wounds are healing and is safe to move but he does need immediate medical attention. I believe a cure would do more harm than good at the moment."

Sephiroth nodded, "Security will be here shortly, we should ready him for transport."

Sephiroth then moved to Angeal's side and grabbed the right shoulder of the blond and Angeal grabbed the other and they carefully moved him out of the broken floor. With the guy out of the dent, Zack could see that the man's fall had shoved the floor directly onto a now partially visible air duct making the floor give and the metal duct crumple.

Genesis hummed as a glow on his wrist dimmed, "I'll admit having an uninvited guest in my quarters would undoubtedly leave me unsettled, but did such a surprise really set off your limit Sephiroth?"

"I didn't touch him, he just appeared and then fell." They set the blond down on his back and Zack started to rethink the situation. So Sephiroth didn't shove the guy through three floors?

Genesis started to pop out a materia from his silver bangle, "You might want to analyze him before you lie again."

"I didn't--" Genesis threw a materia at Sephiroth which he caught and cast from his gloved hand.

Zack shifted his weight from one foot to the other at the furrowed brows Sephiroth aimed at the blond. His mouth twitched downward in a shadow of a frown.

"Perhaps he took the safety settings off of the training room program." Sephiroth posed.

"He took the safety settings off? With what clearance?" Genesis shot back.

The great Sephiroth shrugged.

Zack heard a few squads worth of footsteps coming down the hall and Angeal sighed, "Zack open the door."

Zack shot over to the door and opened it before anyone could break that too.

The footsteps stopped outside and two Turks walked in. An auburn long haired girl and a tall dark hair in a ponytail guy with a dot on his forehead. The guy glanced and nodded towards the three firsts. Then he looked at Zack and the two Turks introduced themselves.

"Tseng of the Turks."

"I'm Cissnei."

Zack nodded at the guy then smiled at the girl, Cissnei, "I'm Zack, pleasure to meet ya."

"Zack." Angeal said in a warning tone.

"What?" Zack raised his eyebrows and lifted his hands in a gesture of ignorance.

"This is your apartment, we'll take your statement first." They guy, Tseng said.

"My what?" Zack asked.

"What just happened that set off the alarms. Be as detailed as possible."

Zack glanced at Angeal who was now standing and speaking with a few first responders backed by a couple of MPs that he'd missed coming in. No guidance there. So the truth it would be.

"Uh I just got done eating a snack and I heard a very loud bang, then my ceiling crashed down and this guy with a huge sword put a dent in my floor and he was facing away from me and then said 'Zack' and then I said 'who's asking' cause I've never seen this guy before and then he does a faceplant. Then I check the hole in my ceiling and see Angeal and uh, Genesis on the floor above and then Sephiroth the floor above them and there's no hole in his ceiling right so I ask what to not do so he doesn't throw me down three floors in the future and he said the guy ignored gravity so I said I'd definitely obey the laws of physics. Mhmm." Zack nodded his head and looked back at Angeal who was now grimacing at Zack. Genesis was looking up through the ceiling, his shoulders shaking and Sephiroth was looking at the blond who was now on a gurney.

"Thank you Zack. Cissnei will take you to your temporary quarters as yours are now part of an ongoing investigation."

"Sure just let me grab--"

"--Everything must remain as it is, anything you need will be provided." Tseng interjected.

Zack glanced back at Angeal who nodded warily, "Alright."

"Follow me." Cissnei smiled at him and he knew he was in trouble, he just didn't know what kind or why.

He followed her out of his room and passed about 10 MPs and a lot of confused faces poking out of open doors.

When they entered the already awaiting elevator Cissnei hit level 14 and he had to ask, "So where exactly are these temporary quarters?"

"They're on the public facing general affairs level. It's where we go whenever we need to sneak a nap but are technically still on assignment."

"You can't just go to your room?" Zack asked.

"Not all of us are housed here." She turned at him with a smirk on her face.

Zack lifted his eyebrows and nodded in understanding, "Oh. Riiiight."

The elevator opened and Zack followed her to the reception desk. Cissnei nodded to an older lady manning the desk. Zack smiled at the receptionist. She didn't smile back but she did hit a buzzer which opened the double doors to the left of the desk.

"Thank you Pen." Cissnei said, almost sing songy.

"Of course dear." The woman replied in a no nonsense way.

Zack looked at the heavily reinforced double doors and hesitated when Cissnei moved to walk through them.

"Ya know... I could probably just bunk with Angeal."

"Zack," She paused and he looked at her standing in the doorway, "you can come willingly or not, but you are coming with me." Her ever present smile dimmed in warning.

Zack lowered his eyes and scratched the back of his head," Okay...If I go with no fuss, you owe me a date." He looked up at her hopefully. Something, anything, to prove he wasn't going directly into cold storage.

She giggled and smiled at him again, blushing a bit, "Not from me sadly. Reno maybe."

Sounded like a guy's name, but he'd bite, "Reno who? Is she as nice as you?"

"I'm sure you'll meet later," She smirked knowingly. That wasn't reassuring in the slightest.

"In the interrogation room?" Zack threw out what he was now expecting.

"It's not an interrogation room. Those are in Junon." Cissnei's smile turned sharper.

Zack winced. That wasn't exactly a no, "I'm not getting an actual room though am I?"

"You are getting a room, and we do stay there sometimes."

"Come on man," Zack sighed and slouched forward, "If I die in here I'm haunting you for the rest of your life."

Her smile softened and she giggled at him again. 

He walked of his own free will to the not-an-interrogation-room that probably had his name on it.

Cissnei walked them through a maze of hallways that Zack couldn't remember even if he tried, and he did try, before Cissnei stood in front of a metal door just like every other metal door they'd passed and opened it.

There was a metal table with two chairs, one with the back to the door and the other across from it with its back to a mirror. There was a clean bucket in the corner. Great.

Zack walked in so she didn't have to push him in. He turned around and opened his mouth to say goodbye only to see the door close and hear it lock. He snapped his jaw closed.

"Right."

Well if this was someplace to sleep then he was gonna sleep. He sat in the chair facing the door and removed his boots. He put his legs on the table and leaned back.

At least the chair was sturdy.

He tried to fall asleep but the blond saying his name kept bouncing around in his head.

Who was he. How did he know Zack's name. Why was he covered in blood if his wounds were already healing. Who was he to Zack?

And it wasn't just thoughts of the blond Chocobo that rattled him. Now he was wondering how much did he actually know Angeal. Any time he'd ask something Angeal would turn it right around and all of a sudden Zack was talking about himself. Zack could quote Angeal's SOLDIER honor lecture by heart and he knew Angeal's ideals, and methods... But he knew next to nothing about the man's past. He'd never heard the name Genesis before and Angeal seemed perfectly comfortable around Sephiroth... They were all Firsts though, so maybe that was why.

Zack sighed and got up to do a few rounds of squat reps to rid himself of his remaining jitters before he sat back down and closed his eyes. It took a while for his mind to settle, but Zack did fall asleep... eventually.

Chapter Text

Hojo sat down with a pronounced thud in his oversized chair. He sighed, taking his glasses off to rub his eyes before putting them back on. No rest for the scientifically driven and all that. He grabbed the closest closed folder on his desk to review the data on his most recent acquisition and the unconventional means he'd used to get the included results. He opened to the first group of documents.

Day 0

The motion sensors advised him of Sephiroth's return to his apartment. The passive fiberoptic cameras indicated nothing out of the ordinary at first. The footage that followed however proved most intriguing, especially given whatever shockwave the anomaly produced caused the active cameras in the hallway, to which the passive cameras were attached, to fail.

A shame. Though the active cameras would be replaced quickly, he'd only be able to replace his passive cameras once Shinra redeployed Sephiroth.

Security took the anomaly to the nearest hospital rather than the internal clinic which severely limited Hojo's access to the anomaly. Thankfully the Turks had evacuated the area of interest so it was easy enough to send an intern to pay off one of the troopers to look the other way.

The initial blood work from the illicitly obtained samples only took a few hours, but the results led Hojo to believe the sample to be more contaminated than he'd anticipated. He'd had to send another intern to pay off a nurse to get a proper DNA swab sample directly. Inefficient but necessary.

The results of the direct samples were truly fascinating as it indicated that the initial sample wasn't contaminated nearly as much as he'd thought.

The implications were astounding, enough so that he made an unusual call and gave everyone a three day weekend. An unprecedented event. The President hadn't been pleased but Hojo promised him that the opportunity cost of delayed projects was well worth the inevitable advancements to SOLDIER superiority. The slow going war with Wutai made such promises worth their weight in Mako.

Hojo grunted and flipped to the next batch of documents.

Day 1-3:

It had been years since he'd had to adjust his own server resource and program processing allocations but the situation warranted the precaution of doing so himself. He stopped everything else to get a full DNA sequence done as quickly as possible. A two week venture only took two days as a result. Hojo used his third day to run a comparison against the most recent backup of the live but offline database.

There was plenty to be surprised about in both the data and the search results. What surprised him the most wasn't that Jenova genes were present or that it looked like someone tried and failed to copy Sephiroth's genes onto the anomaly, though that was all certainly surprising. No, what surprised him the most was that those Jenova genes were coded as inactivated, a state that he previously thought to be impossible.

Of lesser surprise but arguably of equal import was a very strong by not exact DNA match between the anomaly and a security guard who was ironically a failed SOLDIER applicant.

Every SOLDIER applicant from the dawn of the program with a positive reaction to a test enhancement mixture had their DNA sequenced. It was a time intensive process, yes, but the cost of investing valuable resources into higher risk applicants far exceeded the cost of completing those sequences.

Cloud Strife's latent Materia use scores were enough to get him into the system for sequencing, even though he should have been automatically rejected as an AB blood type.

Data dictated that all subjects, especially so for AB universal acceptors, had to exhibit an overwhelming sense of self to succeed in SOLDIER. The mind of universal acceptors, even those who knew themselves well, never lasted particularly long after undergoing the enhancement procedures. A few AB's had made it through with excessively high physical scores, but as a general rule of thumb, they were not worth the time or resources.

Strife was eventually rejected after sequencing as he should have been initially, however the conundrum before him indicated that could have been a rare misstep. A thorough psychological evaluation from the Turks for both Strife and the anomaly should suffice to determine that one way or another.

As a last but logical step, Hojo ran a search on Strife against the other database matches the anomaly hit. Given the much smaller search parameters it only took a few minutes. The results differed, they just didn't differ as much as he would have liked.

Hojo scratched his chin, eyes scouring the data once more, an unlikely hypothesis starting to form. Unlikely, but data never lied. Data existed to be recorded, evaluated, analyzed, picked apart piece by agonizing piece until the truth presented itself on a well earned silver platter. And this platter still had quite a lot left to say.

He grumbled in discontent and continued his review.

Day 4:

Hojo returned the server and program setting to their previous states before his employees arrived and called the President to update him on the anomaly, the need for a psych eval on both the anomaly as well as a simple security guard with astounding similarities, and the updated reason for the three day shutdown. Someone had a less efficient version of Shinra's copy tech and a sample of Sephiroth's DNA. 

The change in reasoning raised the Presidents ire, but mentioning the copy tech and Sephiroth lowered the President's blood pressure towards Hojo and elevated it towards Wutai instead. An expected outcome despite Hojo never directly implicating Wutai. The explanation he'd provided was likely inaccurate but it covered for the anomaly's transfer to his authority.

On following up with Veld, Hojo discovered that the Turks had already been babysitting the anomaly, so the psych eval for the anomaly would be easy enough. However, the eval on the security guard was low priority, within a week he said. Acceptable but not preferred.

It took another full day for his research assistants to negotiate for more control over the anomaly's care. On day five after the anomaly's first appearance, the transfer was approved and the anomaly became his specimen. Specimen CS1. SCS1 would get a brand as soon as he took up residence.

Hojo shifted in his chair to grab a pen from his desk and made another note to ensure he had an addition containment unit should the security guard join SCS1. He flipped to his last batch of notes from the hospital.

Day 0-5:

The hospital had treated the specimen for a plethora of wounds that most humans couldn't have survived long enough to get to a hospital for, let alone survived through the stress that surgery caused.

Alas, somehow SCS1 did survive. The specimen received multiple transfusions which would have slowed its enhanced healing at first as transfusions initially weakened the Mako volume to blood ratio. The surgeries had taken 21 hours and seven doctors. As expected, the specimen's healing had been normal at first, but the healing factor had increased exponentially in the past 24 hours.

They had been using a Seal Materia infused IV drip to complement the medically induced coma to combat the noticeable enhancements with an unexpected amount of success given the specimens DNA. With the increasingly restored enhanced healing factor, that mix would stop working soon.

Upon discovering this Hojo sent a lab assistants off to get a full pint of blood and to place Sephiroth's old security bracelets on SCS1 to weaken it when the Seal infusion inevitably failed.

Though... He could...

Hojo looked up from his findings and over to a calendar hanging on his wall. He could just have them stop the Seal infusion at a given time. He could even schedule it so he could be present for the psych eval. If his hypothesis proved true he might even get a reaction out of the specimen just by being there.

Yes. Yes that would do nicely.

Chapter Text

Angeal felt the granite of the receptionist desk give beneath his fist into gravel and plywood mulch. He wasn't one for shows of force, he hated it truly. However, the receptionist hadn't been listening to his words, spouting canned lines at him. General Affairs seemed to not understand words at all really, ergo the show of force.

"I believe the Turks are hiding a Soldier Second that belongs to my good friend here. Won't you bring the pup out to play?"

Angeal glanced to his left and raised an eyebrow at his long time friend standing beside him at the front General Administration desk. Genesis replied to the unspoken question, "The arrow has left the bow of the goddess. My friend, I think you over did it."

Angeal agreed in theory given they were still waiting for the woman in front of them to recover from the shock.

"Loveless Act III?" Sephiroth questioned, with a hint of mirth in his voice. He stood behind them leaning against the wall next to the glass doors leading to the elevators with his arms crossed. He'd parked it there and hadn't moved or said a word since the three had entered the area, a strong but silent support.

Genesis turned his head and glared at Sephiroth, affronted by the incorrect answer, "Act IV. Has your time on the battlefield dulled your mind so, or are you just trying to piss me off?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Angeal could hear the smile in Sephiroths voice and lifted his eyes upward in a silent prayer for his two friends.

"My goddess you are." Genesis raised his hands up in something akin to surrender before turning completely, leaning his back against the desk and pointing back towards Sephiroth, "No honor remains! Stop it you fool. You can piss me off later when I poorly lose our next spar."

"At least you're self aware."

"Unlike you."

Angeal interrupted the verbal spat, "Did Hojo clear you for spars yesterday?"

"He did. I was there for twelve hours though, so I'm giving it a day."

"Twelve hours?" Genesis asked aghast, the overblown ire that Genesis had been stoking over the past day visibly cooling.

Angeal looked away from the receptionist back at Sephiroth, who then nodded at them both, "Yes."

It was an unwritten protocol that if they were not away on a mission, then they stuck together after being seen by their doctors. It was an unwritten understanding that it wasn't a time of asking for help when it was needed or giving help unwillingly, it was a time of support offered between friends freely.

All three of them had appointments after science finally reopened yesterday to clear them for duty after the intruder appeared. Genesis and himself by Hollander and Sephiroth by Hojo. Sephiroth hadn't returned after being seen by Hojo which had aggravated Genesis and worried Angeal. It especially worried him when Sephiroth finally did return to the room all three of them had been stuffed in while construction fixed their rooms with a paler than normal complexion and closed off stance. But that one statement made the situation clear. It wasn't that Sephiroth broke protocol and isolated himself after his appointment, it's that he'd been with Hojo the entire time. Angeal frowned.

Sephiroth met Angeal's eyes, "I imagine the desk set off a few alarms?"

"Sephiroth your mere presence sets off alarms." Genesis quipped with far less ire in his voice than before.

Angeal heard a distinct button click from under the desk, probably a silent alarm. He turned around sighing and saw Genesis roll his eyes at the woman who now blinked at them. Apparently it hadn't set off any alarms, but she just did very belatedly.

Genesis turned around to face the woman and asked, "Do you have any idea who we are?"

"You're not General Administration so it doesn't matter," the woman responded.

Sephiroth harrumphed from behind them, "That's the third time you've repeated that response. It will do you well to add a few more lines in the future."

The glass doors to the elevators opened behind them drawing Angeal's eyes back from the desk once more to see Tseng walk in.

"It's Cutler's second week. That she's still here speaks volumes."

"Tseng," Sephiroth acknowledged, pushing off of the wall and standing tall.

Tseng nodded at Sephiroth, “I'll have the damage assessed and a bill sent to SOLDIER. I know Genesis has an incidental damage code in the budget but does Angeal?”

“It's the same one, Genesis is just the main beneficiary.” Sephiroth replied.

Angeal raised an eyebrow, “We have a budget for internal incidents?”

“We most certainly do not.” Genesis interjected, sounding almost insulted.”

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at the statement, “I've seen the budget. Yes we do.”

Genesis, mouth agape in disbelief, took a moment before speaking, “Pride is lost. Wings stripped away. The end is nigh.”

“L–”

“--Don’t unless you are one hundred percent certain.” Genesis shot out before Sephiroth could attempt the citation.

Sephiroth tilted his head slightly, “Loveless Act II.”

Genesis smirked, “Hmphf. Finally some goddess damned respect.”

Tseng took the quiet moment that followed and addressed Angeal. "I can bring you with me. The rest of you will have to wait."

Angeal looked at Genesis and also to Sephiroth, knowing this would break that unwritten protocol, but they nodded in understanding. Angeal followed Tseng right back out to the elevators, and took a deep breath preparing to speak, but the Turk beat him to it.

"I'm taking you for a wellness check, but I assure you Fair is fine."

Angeal Exhaled sharply, "Fine enough to let go?"

"Director Lazard spoke to you about this already didn't he?"

The elevator dinged and the two of them stepped in. Tseng hit the 14th level. Four up from their current.

Lazard had explained over a phone call while they remained in their so-called quarantine, "He did."

"Then you know we await further information before we can release him."

Angeal clenched his teeth in frustration.

"I'm aware of why he was taken, I'm aware of why you're saying he's still In custody." The part where he didn't believe the latter hung in the air unsaid.

The intruder knew Zacks name, he was in protective custody until hey could question the intruder. It was utter behemoth dung.

The elevator opened and they passed through several sets of secured double doors and through several hallways before Tseng stopped at a metal door that looked no different from the rest.

"He's staying here at night." Tseng opened the door and walked in. Angeal looked at the room and hesitated in realization. He wasn't here for a wellness check. He was here for an interrogation, though they hadn't asked him to leave his Buster Sword. Interesting. He followed Tseng in. He had nothing to hide.

There was a one way mirror on the back wall, a metal table shoved to the right side of the room with two chairs and a deck of playing cards on it. On the left was a small cot. It's wasn't much, but better than sleeping on the floor. Angeal looked around and towards the mirror as Tseng closed the door behind them.

"You are his mentor so you will become aware of this eventually. But Zack has picked up several Turk limit breaks. Apparently that's not unusual?"

Angeal's world screeched to a halt, his eyes widened as he stared at Tseng without a word to say. Shit. Yes. Yes he did. Yes he did have something to hide.

"Once we knew he didn't know anything, we were planning on keeping him here in protective custody. He was rather rambunctious and one of our operatives let him out to spar. Afterward he let out her own limit break against her with little provocative. That is why he is still here rather than the actual custody rooms, for observation."

Angeal closed his eyes. Zack didn't understand just how dangerous he was and Angeal didn't want Zack to know until he understood the weight of his responsibilities with that power. More than that, Angeal didn't want his doctors to know.

Angeal opened his eyes, "You said several?"

"Thankfully the one he used was a support limit rather than a damaging one. Though he had apparently picked up mine as well but didn't use it given he hadn't seen me use it. The only reason we know it was mine is because mine involves hearing a helicopter before unleashing it and he complained of a nearby helicopter when there wasn't one."

Angeal nodded, trying to roll through the conversation as quickly as possible, "I assume once Zack is returned he'll still be under supervision then?"

Tseng moved away from the door and over to one of  the chairs at the table, "We'll be around if you or the other firsts are not."

"Okay. May I speak with him?"

Tseng sat down and pulled out a notepad and pen from his suit jacket, "After you answer a few questions, of course."

Angeal crossed his arms and turned to face Tseng as he moved, but didn't move closer, "Ask."

"When did you first become aware of this ability?"

"A year ago when he picked up mine."

Tseng wrote it down despite the fact that there was very likely someone on the other side of that mirror doing the same, "You chose to train more closely with Zack then?"

"Yes."

"Is anyone else aware?"

"No. Not that I'm aware of, though it wouldn't surprise me if Lazard knows."

"How many limits does Zack have? He doesn't seem to know."

"So far he's only picked them up in combat. I've kept his sparring pool limited, and it only started after he became a third, so not many."

"Are you aware of any other abilities?"

Angeal sighed contemplating just how much they could have observed in the five days Zack had been with the Turks before replying, "Yes."

Tseng raised an eyebrow and Angeal readied the plea he'd once prayed he'd never have to use, "Zack is cursed with chance and blessed by Kujata. Chance only goes so far and he needs to be able to function without relying on it. I've spent the past year instilling the weight of Dreams, Honor, Discipline, and Responsibility to ensure that he can without bringing R&D into the mix. They would treat him as an experiment to replicate rather than cultivate the asset he already is to both SOLDIER and to Shinra."

Tseng didn't react. He just asked again, "I'll rephrase. What other abilities does he have?"

"They aren't abilities." Angeal hedged, realizing his plea had fallen on deaf ears.

"Statuses then?"

"The list is extensive and unpredictable. So I have not documented it."

Tseng turned from his notepad and met Angeal's glare, "Angeal this is not an interogation, this is comparing notes. This isn't getting back to R&D, please elaborate."

"You can't promise that."

"Once released, Zack will be participating in the Turk assigned SOLDIER missions. Under our jurisdiction, we can promise that."

Angeal swallowed a small lump forming in his throat, the feeling of unexpected failure creeping up on him. They'd been under the radar for so long. He pulled his crossed arms tighter and looked down.

"Temporary Invulnerability, temporary unlimited mana, or temporary unlimited abilities. That I've noticed."

"We're not sure that's what it actually is, but the noted effects line up with what we've observed."

Angeal quickly looked up and caught Tseng's eyes again, unwilling to not look the gift chocobo in the mouth, "Why are the Turks covering for him?"

"Veld agrees with you. Zack is an asset that can't be wasted on the whims of science. His words, not mine." Tseng's normally composed face flitted with a small frown before returning to the epitomy of serene.

"You disagree?" Angeal let out a stuttered exhale.

"A teenager with the personality of a golden retriever can probably manifest aerial artillery with a limit and doesn't have to be on the edge of death to do it. I don't disagree but I am concerned."

Angeal puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled again, nodding in agreement. That was... "Yeah, that's concerning."

"Hmm." Tseng made a few more notes on his notepad before placing it and his pen back in his jacket. He stood, speaking as he walked over and knocked on the door. "We've had him training with some promising wards to keep him busy and under observation. You'll be happy to know he's clearly picked up on more from you than you might realize."

Angeal's eyes narrowed, not quite understanding, The door clicked and Tseng opened it. He led them further into the belly of the beast and it wasn't long before Angeal heard a commotion. Tseng stepped back motioning for Angeal to take the lead. He nodded and followed his ears.

"Mr. Soldier you're no match for the Turks. We can take you down no problem."

"Kid have you not been paying attention for the last three days? I can and will kick your aaah--" Angeal rounded a corner into a doorway to a large, barren, wood floor room, now well within Zack's eyeline, "--uh." Zack's eyebrows furrowed for a second before his eyes opened wide and he rushed past the three young teenagers he'd had been speaking to.

"GEAL!!!!!"

Angeal would have winced at his protégés volume if he hadn't been slightly winded by the hug hold Zack had him in. Normally he'd shove the boy off, but just this once, Angeal hugged him back, briefly. It settled the anxiety he'd been holding off for the past four days. Well, the full five if he was being honest.

"Are you here to rescue me from the Turks. Please tell me we can go?"

"Hey we haven't been that bad as students have we?" One of the three asked.

Angeal huffed and let go, backing up to place his hands on Zacks shoulders. Zack let go, the hopefully look on his face living up to his puppy moniker.

"Unfortunately not." Zack looked down and Angeal felt Zack sag underneath him before he shrugged Angeal's hands off his shoulders and turned to the young male teenager who'd just spoken, not much younger than Zack himself.

"Nah Lance you've been great. Hammer and Grenade on the other hand."

"Hey!!" The two young females yelled back in indignation.

Zack smirked and ordered them, "Keep doing your reps, I'll be back to check on your forms in a bit." Then he motioned for Angeal to head out into the hallway.

Angeal backed up a short distance from the door but still within earshot of the three. He leaned against one side of the hallway, keeping Tseng in his peripheral view a few meters back.

"Keeping up your own reps I hope?" Angeal asked once Zack stood in front of him again.

"They won't exactly let me," Zack crossed his arms and leaned back against the other side of the hallway. "So. what's going on?"

"Until a few minutes ago, I thought you had been taken in for questioning and the Turks found something."

"And it took five days for that to sink in?" Zack asked, a rare sardonic tone in his voice.

"No. Science was shut down for three days and all three firsts were stuck in Genesis' apartment until all of our doctors could clear us after the unexpected intruder fell through two and a half apartments."

Zack's eyebrows raised remarkably high, "Three firsts stuck in one apartment for three days.... Sounds fun?"

"It was not. I would have been in yesterday but my own doctor had a conniption fit about our unknown intruder and two weeks worth of experimental progress lost by whatever happened over the three day shut down."

"Ouch."

Angeal nodded. That was an understatement. “I now understand that you are in protective custody and are currently being well cared for?"

"I live in an interrogation room that I get locked in at night, I get partially supervised bathroom time to make sure I don't duck out any air ducts, that's the worst, except their gym has warmer water than the apartments do, three squares a day, and training time with some of Shinra's wards. Is that being well cared for?"

Angeal smiled at Zacks deceptively upbeat question, "For the Turks, yeah. Sounds like you were having fun training at least?"

Zack uncrossed his arms and started pacing, "They don't listen Angeal... But I know they're trying. Cause I know I try... But that doesn't change that they aren't hearing what I'm saying and it feels like the planet is laughing at the irony... Kind a like you're trying not to right now."

Angeal wasn't trying very hard to not laugh, but he was trying. The irony felt satisfying. "Passing on good sportsmanship ideals I hope?"

"I have recited your dreams and honor speech twice. I don't think honor is in the Turk's vocabulary." Zack huffed.

Angeal did laugh at that, "No. I suppose it wouldn't be."

Tseng coughed politely to the side and Zack stopped pacing looking at him in confusion. Angeal against his better judgement pulled Zack in for another hug. He felt the failure of hiding Zacks extraordinary abilities quite keenly in the moment.

"Keep those extra limit breaks on the uh, down low, while you're here huh?" Zack snorted at Angeal's attempt to use slang, "And stay out of trouble." Zack squeezed him back

"Hey, it's me." Angeal held him out to looked at him again to see Zack smiling.

Angeal smirked, dropping his arms to his side, "I know. Thats why I said it."

"Yeah yeah. We'll work with the new ones later though, right?"

"Yes. Practice and--"

"--Discipline breeds true focus, because focus for the sake of focus impedes true potential. I haven't forgotten."

"Good."

"Angeal." He wasn't a man prone to lashing out, but after Tseng had just thoroughly claimed his SOLDIER Second for a Turk liaison, he was really pushing it. Veld had allowed this 'wellness check' though, and they didn't have to, so Angeal conceded to Tseng's call.

"I'll see you soon Zack." He nodded.

"You too Angeal." Zack waved a two finger salute and half turned around, walking backward into the room he'd come from where the three children within were now peering out of. Angeal smiled and turned to Tseng before Zack made it back into the room. Tseng nodded and led the way back.

"Pass along my thanks to Veld."

"Of course."

"Since the Turks know now, there's no point hiding it from Genesis and Sephiroth. Any chance you know somewhere not bugged by R&D?"

Tseng's stride wavered ever so slightly, before he answered, "Do your new rooms not suffice?"

"We haven't been able to find them, but our doctors definitely had our old rooms bugged, I wouldn't be surprised if the new ones are too."

"Understood. Anywhere on the 10th through 15th floors are regularly swept, but I can't guarantee who will be monitoring feeds internally. Barring that, there's a room in Wutai's Wontons a few blocks out into sector 8. I'll make sure you're on the list. Ask for the Poultry room."

Angeal raised an eyebrow at the name but didn't question it, "Thank you."

Tseng looked back at him with an actual smile on his face, "You'll just owe the Turks one."

"Great." Angeal rolled his eyes.

His PHS pinged high priority, he pulled it out and flipped it open while coming up on the final set of doors before the elevators.

M0-2-4 (tentative with Standby): Priority 1: R&D - Science: SCS1

Transporting a dangerous specimen at 1400 hours today from Sector 8 Hospital. Standby requested should the Turks fail and the subject proves uncooperative. Quite probable in this case. Might want to show up an hour early if the change of custody process goes poorly. If it escapes, bring it in alive if at all possible.

Standby Priority 1: All available SOLDIER Firsts on deck. Angeal sighed, "Just great."

Chapter Text

The first thing Cloud noticed was the uncomfortable pinch of an IV in his hand.

The second thing he noticed was the distinct lack of pain anywhere else. The Geostigma really was gone. All that research he'd done, all the biology books and research papers, all those Cosmo Canyon medical classes he'd sat in on. All of it paled in comparison to a gift from the life stream. A gift from Aerith.

The third thing he noticed was the incessant beeping of a heart monitor going too quickly for him to feign still being asleep. Cloud opened his eyes groggily. He'd definitely been under. It must have taken Reeve resources the W.R.O. didn't have to keep him unconscious while he healed from the blood loss and physical damage Sephiroth had caused him. He'd owe Reeve a few weeks worth of free deliveries for that.

The fourth thing he noticed as the world came into focus was Reno. A very young Reno sat on a chair near the hospital door, elbow on the arm rest and head leaning on his closed fist. If Cloud were normal, he wouldn't be able to tell that Reno had his eyes slightly open at this distance. There was a whiteboard on the wall next to him with the date on it, Wednesday [ μ ] – εγλ 9/6/00.

Cloud looked to the ceiling and then out the window nearly behind him to the right as the midday sunlight flit through the half open blinds revealing Midgar in a state it hadn't been in years. It was a jump in logic for sure. If precedent was anything to go by, this could all be in his head. But those reactors... The smell of acrid smog...

Cloud realized at that point it wasn't Reeve and the W.R.O. he'd owe for being out of it while he healed, because unless this was an absolute shit prank, Sephiroth's idea of taking everything from him was throwing him back in time where they weren't. They didn't exist as he knew them and they didn't know him. Not bad for a guy dead twice over.

It had been some time since Cloud bothered to categorize his own pain or his own emotional experience. But now, his chest felt tight, his heart ached with loss and yes, some despair. He had no idea how he was here or how to get back. He tried to move his hand to rub over his heart.

The fifth thing he noticed was that both of his hands were cuffed, one to each side of the hospital bed. It looked to be cuffs reinforced for SOLDIERs on a hospital bed that was not. Funny.

Cloud exhaled quietly, closed his eyes, and started planning while Reno still pretended to sleep.

Bugenhagen might know something, but as he'd learned from his time in the Cosmo medical classes the man was book smarts more than actual spiritual smarts. He was an option, but Cloud didn't want to bet on it.

Aerith couldn't speak with the planet on a good day when she was with them seven years in the future. He doubted she'd be able to tell him anything now...

Aerith was alive. His heart ached a little more. Zack... Zack was alive. Cloud had seen him. The ache grew more and a thought that almost felt like betrayal flew through his mind.

What if he didn't go home. What if he didn't even try? What if he... What if he could save them? Did saving two really justify the loss of everyone waiting for him? But it wasn't just Aerith and Zack, was it? The whole world... and... 

He'd handed Meteor over to Sephiroth and so many dead lay at his feet because, for a few hours, or was it weeks, he couldn't see himself as real anymore. Maybe he could save himself.

"Are sins ever forgiven?" Cloud asked Vincent.

"I've never tried," Vincent replied. It surprised Cloud that the man plagued by sins wouldn't have...

"You mean... Never tried..." he had looked down, wondering at it. Never tried to forgive, or never tried forgiving? He supposed Vincent had always focused on atonement rather than forgiveness. He'd tried seclusion and self torment as atonement for years and Cloud... Cloud had been, in a way, trying to do the same for the past year and was no better for it.

He looked up, "Marlene, let's go." She peered out from under Vincent's cloak and nodded. She ran out to join him.

"Well, I'm gonna try." He turned around, walking away.

"I'll phone in the verdict," he threw back to Vincent jokingly as he put up his thumb and pinky near his ear like the phone he'd just lost in the forest fight. He dropped his hand back down and Marlene grabbed his lowered hand contentedly as they walked out of the forest, Vincent silently following them.

Getting to Vincent... It wasn't much of a plan, but...

He'd told Vincent he was gonna try. That... Being in a different time or place didn't change that. If it was this early, maybe Vincent could try too, though Cloud tried not to think about what that would entail just yet. Fighting Sephiroth was too fresh in his mind for that.

Still, in some twisted way, maybe taking everything from him had been a gift. Maybe despair could be reborn in hope, loss rewritten as gain, and sin redeemed for forgiveness. Wishful thinking for a man out of time.

Cloud's heartache deepened and a headache began to form from the tears he started to feel and did his best to suppress.

I'm sorry. Tifa, Denzel, Marlene. I'm sorry. It's selfish I know, but if I can... If I can make the planet better for you, if I can save you from at least some of your loss, then it will be worth it.

He felt a tear leak from his left eye and travel down across his ear. After a few tries he swallowed the lump in his throat and kept his breathing even, though his heart beat certainly was not.

Real or not, Cloud made his decision. The mansion was a long way from Midgar though. He needed options.

He could always tell the Turks about Vincent. He was technically one of theirs, albeit not for some twenty years at this point. They might take the bait, but they had no reason to believe a nobody.

Negotiation was an option. He was great at saying no when in a position to provide a service, waiting for a better offer. But... He wasn't in that position. He definitely did not have an advantage here.

Running then. He'd have to get his stuff, or more than likely find replacements. Once he started, he wasn't going to be able to stop without absolutely smoking or getting smoked by the infantry. He could probably steal Reno's baton on his way out, but that wasn't worth much against an army.

... Or SOLDIERs. That was something to worry about now. There were plenty around now.

Not impossible, but not very probable on his own. But... He remembered a few hiding spots down in the slums, if those spots even existed yet.

He could go back to sleep and wait until dark, or he could start now and go missing among the crowds... In his hospital garb.

Waiting had its own set of drawbacks, namely they'd have more time to prepare for him going AWOL. He didn't know how long he'd been out though. They probably already planned for him hightailing it.

None of these were good options. Running sucked, but getting locked up by the Turks or by Hojo wasn't any better.

"Stop running!"

Tifa had him in sight for the first time in quite a while and she really let him have it, not that he didn't deserve it.

"Even if you find the kids, you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never unhappen. That scares you doesn't it?"

Yeah, it scared the living hell out of him. But here he was. With so many things just... unhappened, if it was real anyway.

Okay Tifa, no running. He'd get Vincent later. Square one then.

Infiltration? He'd needed a good cover story. He was shit at those, last time he'd...

Mako poisoning. The thought came like an epiphany. He'd lived that. He knew that. Shinra knew those symptoms. He'd tell them the truth, sort of. Might still get him in Hojo's crosshairs, but if it did... He'd just kill the bastard and damn the consequences before he could add any Jenova cells to his system after Aerith had just... cured them?

No Mako and no soldier treatments. Those were his two hard lines that could not be crossed.

Given that mako poisoning would leave him with almost no memory, having anything beyond what context clues he currently had would be pointless at best, and counterproductive at worst. Arguably having no plan in this case would be the best plan.

He spent some more time thinking through other possibilities, but he kept coming back to mako poisoning. That was still the option with the most truth to it.

So what's a recovering mako poisoned poor bastard gonna do first?

Cloud took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled as he did his damnedest to break the side bars of the hospital bed. They should have gone flying. Instead the cuffs dug into his arms. He opened his eyes in confusion. He tried yanking one of the cuffs again.

"You like? drops all your stats like a rock. You ain't going nowhere slick." Cloud looked back at Reno and blinked. He looked very amused and far too awake for someone just pretending to be asleep.

Not just reinforced cuffs then, actual stat diminishing cuffs. Cloud was quite glad he hadn't opted for any of the running plans as any of those would be down and out before he'd actually started. Cloud blinked again.

He opened his mouth a couple of times for a few false starts before he finally got out, "Where am I?"

"Nope. You're the guy on lockdown, we ask the questions, not you." Cloud blinked once more.

"We? Who are you?"

Reno growled, "I just said... Tch." He looked away then back at Cloud, "What's your name asshole."

"I... I don't know." Cloud looked down at his lap, searching his mind for a name, one he'd still answer too but wasn't his. If it was early September 2000 he just would have just gotten his SOLDIER rejection letter and been in the second phase of basic training so he couldn't use his own name without potentially causing issues.

"Okay. Where you from." Reno tried again.

"I don't know." Cloud mumbled. No plan was officially a bad idea.

Reno stood up grabbing his baton and started walking closer to him away from the door, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Cloud looked up, going for frustrated and hoped that his terrible acting skills weren't about to get him killed, "I. Don't. Know."

"So appearing out of thin air in a big wigs apartment and crashing into the apartment of someone you know isn't ringing any bells?"

"What?" Cloud didn't need to act for the look of puzzlement that caused, "Big wig? Someone I know?"

Reno sighed still well out of reach and yelled towards the door, "Right. So we're gonna send you to R&D--"

"--NO! No," Cloud interrupted with a shout, not able to completely rid his own voice of the terror he was now desperately trying to ignore. Damn the consequences he thought. Damn them when he was strapped to a gurney without any weapons with cuffs he couldn't escape. Foolish to think he'd do anything other than start to crack at the very real threat of being sent off to Hojo.

"No no no no no no no no --" he should have spent more time planning. He should have thought this through more.

"-- OK," Reno turned back to Cloud, bouncing his baton on his shoulder. "Now we're getting somewhere."

The damn cuffs were tight. They started to feel tighter than they were. His ribbon was gone. His sword was gone. Fenrir was gone. Everyone was gone.

"Please let me out." Clouds breaths started getting shorter. Damnit. He needed the Turks to believe him sure, but he didn't need a real panic attack to do that.

"No can do."

"I'm panicking."

"Hi Panicking, I'm Reno."

"Screw you."

"No, not Screw. Reno." Cloud barked out a short laugh between shorter breaths. He hadn't lost it, not yet. But he was barely holding on and that had helped.

"Five things you can see Mr. Panicking," Cloud silently thanked the planet.

"Reno, door, blinds, bed, monitor."

Short breath in. Hold. Short breath out.

"Good. Got my name right this time. Four things you can touch."

"Shit."

Short breath in. Short breath in.

"Really?" Reno cocked his head to the side at the expletive.

"Cuffs." Cloud puffed out in a brief explanation.

Short breath out.

"We'll skip that one. Three things you can hear. External"

External, Cloud has never omitted his own heartbeat from this before... "Heart monitor, your heart, someone walking in the hall."

Short breath in. Hold. Long breath out.

"My heart.. huh. Two things you can smell... Not that there's much outside of antiseptic around."

"Antiseptic, Smog. One thing I can taste... I need to brush my teeth."

Long breath. Hold. Long breath out.

Cloud took in another shakey long deep breath, "Thank you Reno."

"Yeah. Sure. You catch on quick, or have you used that before?"

"Felt like muscle memory. So I've probably used it before."

"Hmmm... You know why that set you off?" Reno asked.

Cloud looked beyond Reno. This was tricky. He knew what set him off. But mako poisoned him wouldn't have. Context clues. He had to use his... He looked down, at the IV needle in his hand and stared still thinking. He looked up to the IV bag, almost empty. He could just ignore it.

"Hey, Panicking. Yes or no?" Cloud continued to stare blankly thinking back to the initial question. Big wig and someone he knew? He didn't know about the big wig, but he remembered seeing Zack, and in hindsight, he realized he'd said that out loud. Shit. If they knew that, then what the hell were they going to do to Zack? His heart monitor betrayed his thoughts.

"Panic! Paaaanic?" A hand waved in front of Clouds face. Cloud blinked and looked at Reno who stood much closer now. "Ya know what I'm just gonna call you Nick for short, that alright?"

"My name... I..." Cloud closed his eyes and thought quickly. He could use Fenrir, his bike. He was tempted to use Denzel but that... It hurt to think so he shied away from it.

"Man Cloud these things are so cool, and at the center of it all you've got this weird ass giant Tsurugi. What is that even for, how's it work?"

"Tsurugi?" Cloud asked.

"Basic double edged sword ya dork, unlike the rest of your arsenal."

Cloud grabbed his main sword from the girl and held it properly, expanding it in place before quickly assembling all six swords into the buster sword spiritual successor. Yuffie for once in her life was silent in shock, eyes wide in curiosity.

Cloud smirked, "Nothing basic about it Yuffie."

"Tsurugi."

"Huh?" Reno asked at the seeming non-sequitur.

"I think my name was Tsurugi."

"Tsurugi?" Cloud let Reno's inquiry hang for a moment, contemplating how to run with this.

"I remember crashing into a floor, don't remember much before that, but I saw... I thought I saw my brother Zack, but he's been dead for years. It was just my reflection I think.

"Okay." Reno's nose scrunched up then he dropped the hand holding the baton on his shoulder and swiveled on his heels to face the door and shouted, "Hey Rude. Swap with me. I need to talk to the boss."

And like the flip of a switch all the calming down he'd just done went out the window because it wasn't Rude who walked in. It was Hojo.

Cloud lunged forward and got his feet on the floor. The hospital bed screeched against the vinyl tiles as it flipped and slid down and to the side, being taller than he was. His arms were stuck at an odd angle beside him so he had to bend forward with his elbows down and his hands up to compensate for still being attached to the damn bed. The cuffs dropped his stats but that didn't mean much when adrenaline hit. Reno had just enough time to draw back in surprise before deciding to rush at him. Cloud twisted the bed to the side so Reno couldn't directly hit him with his baton and jumped to the side, bashing Reno into the window before he could do anything. The movement yanked the IV out of Clouds hand causing a small gush of blood. He'd definitely had worse. It would start healing soon enough.

Cloud zeroed in on Hojo who looked slightly shocked as if he hadn't processed Clouds movements enough to react to, which to be fair maybe he hadn't. Cloud had no idea how any of his limits would look like bound to a bed and without a sword, but he figured Climhazzard was his best bet.

He let go and rushed forward bending down to lift the bed behind him so it wasn't dragging on the floor and rammed the top of the bed into Hojo's torso. Cloud jumped, lifting the man onto the back of the bed. Hojo hit the ceiling with a sickening albeit satisfying crunch and let out a squeal of pain.

Cloud yanked his hands down when he landed with enough force to actually break the bed side bars which quickly fell out of the other cuff halves. He threw off the bed to the side and looked up just in time to see Rude jumping towards him. Cloud side stepped and picked the bed back up, leaving an unmoving Hojo on the ground. Cloud used the bed like an oversized plank and slammed it into Rudes back before he could turn around, throwing the bald man right next to his partner. Definitely younger versions if they weren't expecting that. Cloud looked at the door, then at the cracked window.

Sorry Tifa. Clueless Cloud would run.

Cloud rammed the hospital bed into the glass once. Twice. Three times. Four times. Damn the cuffs. The fifth time the window pane gave rather than the glass itself.

He heard Reno groan and saw Rude starting to stand and Cloud threw the bed in their direction with a loud crash before jumping and kicking the window out. He jumped out after it in nothing but the hospital gown and shorts, praying to whatever would listen that the way down to Wall Market was already there.

Chapter Text

Atop the Shinra tower, wind whipped a Shinra flag about causing its metal fasteners to clang against the attached flagpole at maddeningly inconsistent intervals. Sephiroth stood near it on the helipad just outside the President's office. He held binoculars he didn't need in his right hand, tapping his fingernails against the plastic with metronome-like precision in impatience.

"Sephiroth?" Angeal asked over the phone.

He stopped tapping.

"I'm fine."

He wasn't.

Dry brushing dead skin cells off in a lab containment room wasn't abnormal.

Getting his hair trimmed to the specific length he and P.R. agreed upon after a deployment wasn't abnormal.

Having numerous blood samples taken wasn't abnormal.

Having bone marrow harvested wasn't abnormal.

Having plasma harvested wasn't abnormal.

Getting an extra dose of mako wasn't abnormal.

Having extra blood samples, or bone marrow, or plasma taken after a mako dose wasn't abnormal.

Having it all occur in the same session however had no precedent and somehow the Turks knew. They knew he wasn't at his best and created a mission assignment that superseded Hojo's.

M0-1-24: Priority 1:Turks:Classified-24

 

Please note M0-2-4 has been scrapped.

 

Keeping an eye out for an escaping target. If the target escapes, the primary mission objective is to track, not capture. Report to Lazards office at 14:45 where further details will be provided.

Those details separated them again. A three way phone call as they waited in the hour proceeding the transfer was their compromise. The phone bill would likely cause issues with finance and IT, but Lazard would understand. Surprisingly the Turk standing next to him, Cissnei, did too.

They hadn't talked much in that hour, all of them still digesting the information Angeal had shared over lunch on the Turks tab.

He'd taken it better than Genesis, but even Genesis hadn't been as hard headed about the reveal as Angeal had clearly been anticipating. Oddly so. Quiet even. Genesis and quiet wasn't something Sephiroth was particularly familiar with other than on a bad day after a Hollander visit, which admittedly, it was.

The fuse was lit, it was just taking longer to blow than normal. It worried Sephiroth. He was sure it worried Angeal.

"Target is moving. Hojo, Reno, and Rude are down." Genesis reported from his station within the hospital.

Sephiroth focused, not having to search for the target, because he could feel it.

There he was. A blond speck running on rooftops, making jumps anyone other than a SOLDIER First or Second would balk at, "Target in sight, heading SSE of the hospital."

"Understood," Angeal acknowledged from the hospital roof, "I'll tail at a Firsts distance roof side."

"I'll join street side," Genesis stated.

"Do you really not need those binoculars?" The Turk asked him.

"No. Would you like them?" Sephiroth asked in return, though she already had her own.

"No need." She replied, sounding somewhat amused.

The blond turned slightly further east and Angeal adjusted but Genesis hadn't, "Genesis turn left at the next intersection. Target looks to be aiming for the plate boundary into sector 7." Sephiroth ordered.

"Understood”.

Sephiroth lost sight of the target behind a few taller buildings, but he didn't anticipate losing the trajectory. Gravity had gained a second direction after the intruder showed up out of nowhere five nights ago. He felt it change directions as the intruder was taken to the hospital. He'd mentioned it to Hojo. A mistake in hindsight.

Professor Gast would have understood that there was something wrong with the intruder, not something wrong with him. Professor Gast's cheap knockoff of a successor merely raised an eyebrow and wrote Sephiroth's observation down then made his life more miserable than he'd bothered to in years. Sephiroth was Gast's project, his pride. To Hojo, Sephiroth was nothing more than an inherited burden. He was just Subject S, nothing more.

Sephiroth watched the target make a jump even a regular second wouldn't try and reported it, "Target jumped sector plates, currently heading south through the Sector Seven employee residential area."

Genesis and Angeal jumped not long after, "Understood. Closing to residential tailing distance," Angeal replied.

The target no longer jumped across roofs in the new terrain, he simply ran incredibly fast down empty midday roads. Had it been half an hour later those roads would have been full.

Genesis took the road to the left of the target and Angeal took the road to the right. Closer to the inner plate the trip across Sector Seven didn't take but a few minutes.

"Target has stopped at the sector seven plate edge... Target has jumped." Sephiroth announced.

"I'm sorry, target did what? That's 60 stories." Angeal yelped, coming to a stop at the edge. Not long after, Genesis joined him.

Genesis snorted leaning over, "More like twelve."

"Only on the original plans," Sephiroth included. He could feel the target moving further away... Down. He knew he could catch the target... If only he were let off his leash.

"Turk, do I have permission to join them?"

"Negative" the voice from her earpiece answered before she could ask.

"No. I'm sorry." Cissnei parroted. Oddly enough she actually did sound sorry.

"We can make that jump, easily." Genesis mentioned.

"Do not engage Genesis." Cissnei ordered.

"Not engaging, just trailing like our orders say."

"Genesis," Angeal warned warily before yelling, "GEN!"

The phone microphone picked up a loud rush of wind and some metal clanging. "Hmm, there's actually an old pipe down here. I'll keep you apprised, but I'm going to mute you so the extra voices don't terrify the poor rat."

"Genesis!" Angeal yelled after him, "I'm gonna... Cissnei?"

The Turk sighed and pressed a finger to her ear piece as the voice on the other side said, "Yes. Objective remains the same. And make sure he doesn't mute too. Take Sephiroth down by way of freight."

Cissnei answered Angeal with her new orders, "Proceed carefully. Angeal don't mute us. Do not engage. We need to know where he's going before we bring him back in. I will be accompanying Sephiroth the long way around."

"Understood, thank you." Angeal said before jumping out of sight after Genesis.

Sephiroth clenched his jaw. Still on a leash then. At least the attack dog was getting a walk. Had he been alone he would have rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. Spending so much time in the labs truly wasn't good for him. He stiffly handed the binoculars to the Turk before walking ahead of her towards the currently unoccupied President's office. He pulled his PHS out and lowered the volume to a point he could hear but no one else would before putting it back in his pocket.

"The maintenance elevators?" He asked.

Cissnei nodded, rushing ahead of him. An impressive feat at his current pace, "Yes. Do you know where those are?"

"I'm quite familiar with them, yes."

"Why?" She asked as they made their way down the stairs.

"Hojo's Drum hasn't been completed and before they got the latest batch of security upgrades there were a lot of escapee's, allegedly. They inevitably ended up in places no one belongs."

"Oh." Was all she had to say.

They walked through the empty gilded hallway to the elevator which opened up for them without pause.

Sephiroth heard a fairly loud commotion from his phone. He glanced at the Turk to make sure she couldn't pick up on it. She pressed on the button for floor 12.

"What's going on here?" Angeal shouted over the commotion.

"Blond boy just took me bag. Jokes on him though." An unknown voice answered as the ruckus quieted.

"Spiky blond wearing naught but a hospitals wardrobe?" Genesis asked.

"Yeah that's him. If ya find the bag and return it I'll give you the blond wig inside it. I've got another at home."

"Are you insinuating I need one?" Sephiroth could imagine Genesis' face while asking that. He sounded outright scandalized.

"I'm sure--" Angeal started before the unknown interrupted.

"--Nah, but it'll fetch a pretty gil if ya sell it."

"Did you see which direction he took?" Angeal tried again.

"Aye, there's some lads chasing 'im down thataway. I'd have gone myself but I'm on light exercise."

"Thank you." Angeal said quickly followed by Genesis mumbling, "or not."

He heard them start running, and contemplated that the target now at least had a wig. That blond hair wouldn't be quite so noticeable now. Genesis and Angeal would probably lose the target, but he wouldn't.

The elevator doors opened and Sephiroth followed the Turk through the General Administration cleaning and maintenance floor making their way to the main internal freight elevator. It was already open. They walked in and he dragged the gate closed while the Turk swiped her card and input whatever direction would get them down to the B14.

"I don't suppose you've seen a blond in a hospital gown have you?" Angeal asked, Sephiroth assumed to those who had given chase.

"Yeah little buggers a fast one mate. Ran right out of Wall Market with our mates bag. Jokes on him though. Just a wig and a dress in there."

"What kind of dress?" Genesis asked, sounding actually curious.

"Not sure. The boss wouldn't show us till we made it through training today," another voice answered.

Gravity finally stopped moving and Sephiroth felt some tension leave his neck. They passed B14 and he raised an eyebrow at the Turk but didn't say anything.

"Okay we have an escaped hospital patient, definitely enhanced, with a wig and a dress. Where do you go." Angeal said to himself more than asked.

Genesis answered anyway, "If I'm hiding, I'd take refuge in a theater, no one would bat an eye. If I'm running, I ignore the dress, grab the wig and look for something else to steal."

"Well it's not like there's a theater down here so definitely running."

"Oh Angeal, you sheltered soul. The Honeybee has a theater."

"I thought that was just a..." Angeal trailed off.

"That's upstairs, the theater is downstairs. The sector eight theater pilfers a lot of the Bee’s experienced talent for the more refined theater of above plate entertainment. Pun not intended."

There was a pause before Angeal focused back on the objective, "I've run a lot of missions down here, I know a few places someone familiar with the territory might run."

Genesis added, "I haven't run a mission down here since my days as a second. I'll check the theater, just in case."

"Uhuh.” Angeal chuckled, "Unmute your phone first."

The elevator stopped at B20 with a dull thud. Sephiroth opened the gate and followed the Turk through what looked like an inconspicuous hallway into a storage compound that led into another elevator, a maintenance one this time.

They got in and the Turk swiped her card again.

"Hello my good friend, what must one do to gain access to such a fine establishment?" Genesis' voice practically oozed rich boy charm.

"This is a members only establishment." Yet another unknown voice answered.

“Yes. And…?"

"Membership requires background checks and a substantial subscription amount."

"I have it on good authority that there are temporary memberships."

"Only for VIP's"

"I'm SOLDIER 1st Class Genesis Rhapsodos, surely I qualify for VIP."

"Go check." The other voice said, Sephiroth assumed, to someone else.

Sephiroth watched the numbers on the wall go from B to C. The Turk was well trained but he could tell she wasn't thrilled to be here. He didn't blame her. SOLDIER Clinic: where injured SOLDIERS either went to recover or die. The wounds of war were not pretty and the SOLDIER specific hospital, from his understanding, saw more death and disappearances than it saw recovery. He'd never stepped foot in the place or the floors beneath it. Hojo forbid it.

"It seems this elevator should be a security concern." Sephiroth finally spoke.

"Yeah. starting to wonder if the access they provided me is as intended."

"Troopers," Angeal barked. Sephiroth refrained from smiling at the tone that scared even the most rebellious of ranks.

"Sir!" Three voices replied.

"Have you seen or heard any suspicious activity?"

"No sir."

"No abnormal activity sir."

"Uh, someone in scrubs tried to get through the Sector 7 door a few minutes ago but he didn't have an ID."

"Did you see which direction he headed?" Angeal asked.

"Back into sector 6 sir." The third voice replied.

There was a pause before Angeal asked for clarification, "Into Wall Market?"

"Unclear sir. I apologize sir, I should have followed sir."

"You did well to hold your post trooper, but next time radio it in."

"Y-yes sir."

Gravity started moving almost as soon as the maintenance elevator passed C01.

Another unknown voice came through the phone, this one exuding a similar tone to Genesis, but far more customer service oriented, "What can I do for you, and what are you actually here for, most esteemed Mr. Rhapsodos?"

"Very astute. You're the owner of this fine establishment I presume?" Genesis replied.

"Andrea Rhodea at your service."

"A pleasure. I'm looking for an escaped hospital patient. Has blond hair like a chocobo and may or may not have a wig and a dress."

Andrea chuckled, "Interesting choices. Let's have a look shall we."

The elevator finally stopped at D01.

Cissnei asked, "What's their status? That depends which direction we go."

Sephiroth updated her, "The target picked up a bag with a wig and a dress. Genesis is canvasing the theater. Angeal?"

"Moving further into sector six. Just got through questioning the troopers stationed at and around the sector seven entrance. They are fairly certain the target didn't make it through."

"Angeal is moving further into sector six. I'm going to suggest going to sector five if possible and meeting in the middle.

"A large portion of Sector Five is an area of Turk jurisdiction. We can canvas the areas that are not."

"I could do this much quicker without a sitter." He stated.

"I'm sure." She rounded the corner to the left of the elevator and walked into an area easily the size of sector 0 covered in cement flooring and pillars.

"See anyone that fits your missing miscreant?" Andrea asked.

Genesis hummed in disappointment, "Unfortunately no. I don't suppose you've ensured the back stage is free of intruders?"

"Bella dear, please ask the girls backstage to run a buddy check."

"Yes Andrea."

Sephiroth followed Cissnei across the foundation towards a closed door labeled 05. She swiped her card and the door opened into another hallway.

Angeal reported in, "This is going to take a while, there's not much out here except piles of junk, garbage, and monsters. Perfect for someone who wanted to hide."

"Indeed," Sephiroth answered, knowing that Angeal searched in vain, not that he was going to risk mentioning that around the Turk.

The hallway ceiling started to retract surprisingly quietly as the hallway became a ramp. They walked up and out onto the ground surface and the door began sliding back into place covered in rusted metal and scrap.

"Where too?" The Turk asked.

He didn't answer. He just walked and walked and walked all while listening to Angeal kill monsters, Andrea trying to sell Genesis a membership, and Genesis trying to sell Andrea on producing a more riské interpretation of Loveless. Had it been any other situation Sephiroth would have interrupted Genesis, but it wasn't like he needed help finding the target.

Gravity stopped moving again. Sephiroth stopped, closed his eyes and listened.

"Of course the exit’s locked. Why wouldn't it be locked? Better question... Why was it unlocked before?"

Sephiroth suppressed a content hum, finally putting a voice to the face that had plagued him for five days and nights. "He's by the Midgar sector five underplate exit. He tried to leave but found it locked." He whispered, loudly enough for the Turk to hear but not loud enough for the target to hear if he bothered to try listening.

"Thank you for your ear Andrea but it seems our target has been found elsewhere." Genesis finally started to wrap up his conversation.

"That's Turk jurisdiction Sephiroth, we're almost in it as is," Cissnei walked slightly ahead of him before turning. "Only a few more yards and I'd have been pulling you off mission early.

"Where's your location?" Angeal asked.

"Sector five Turk jurisdiction dead zone." He continued to whisper.

"Cool. Of course it's a dress." The target sounded quite displeased.

"Should we head to you or wait?" Angeal follow up, sounding concerned.

"I said never again." The target sighed, "Easy to say that, wasn't it. At least the shoes fit. Somehow?"

The voice in Cissnei's ear spoke up, "we've got a report that the target is approaching the church. Mission Accomplished. We'll take it from here.

"He's chosen to use what's in the bag as a disguise." Sephiroth reported.

Cissnei spoke, parroting what she'd just been told, "Sephiroth the Turks will handle it from here. We need to leave."

Gravity moved and he so very much wanted to move with it.

"SOLDIER 1st Class Sephiroth, Mission Accomplished." Cissnei tried again.

He blinked seeing the Turk in front of him, looking at him sternly. Irritatingly like a mother with a misbehaved child.

"Understood." He tried to stall, "Orders?"

"I hope you're not here." The target said, barely audible before the sound of a heavy door closing reached him.

"Return to HQ for a debrief. Take the train, he doesn't need to know how we get back in." The voice in Cissnei's ear spoke again.

Sephiroth strained his ears but couldn't hear anything more from the target.

"We'll return to HQ by train." Cissnei once more paraphrased.

A shot sounded in the distance, and then another and another. Sephiroth didn't startle nor did the Turk to her credit, but it did stop him from turning to follow her to the train station.

"PEW! HE'S USING A--" an unknown voice screeched.

"--I CAN SEE THAT!" Another voice yelled back, and a loud wooden crash followed.

"Oops," The target yelped.

"Hey jackass gimme my sword back." The first voice demanded. Steel met steel and...

"Sephiroth!!" Cissnei demanded.

"Stay off the flowers." The target shouted before another loud bang followed. And gravity moved again, directly towards them.

"The target is coming back this direction. Move."

Sephiroth pulled Cissnei to the side hiding behind a pile of rusted sheet metal.

"We got what we needed. Bring him in alive by whatever means necessary." This time the voice in Cissnei's ear sounded very clearly like Veld.

"Begin M0-1-24 auxiliary mission. Capture and bring the target in alive." Cissnei ordered.

Sephiroth nodded his head, "Acknowledged."

"Heading your direction Sephiroth," Genesis reported.

"As am I," Angeal added.

Sephiroth stilled and waited.

"What are we--" Sephiroth gently slammed his left gloved hand over the Turks mouth, and waited a moment before removing it. Almost here.

The target would pass to their right. Now. Sephiroth reached out from behind the sheet metal and snagged the target's left arm with his right hand.

Gravity corrected itself for the first time in five days leaving Sephiroth feeling off center.

The target whirled around with his stolen sword. Masamune met it. A bit difficult in such close quarters but not impossible. He pushed the sword back and the target followed the momentum, yanking his arm out of Sephiroth's grip. Sephiroth followed forward and grabbed a loose handcuff half on the targets left arm and yanked the target back.

Again the target followed his momentum and jumped, almost as if trying to jump over him but slammed down the sword with surprising force against Masamune causing the stolen sword to crack.

For half a second their eyes met. Mako lit green on bright blue. That explained the strength and the speed. More than that, it explained why he wasn't dead after all the blood he'd lost on Zacks floor. The target's eyes widened with surprise and narrowed in determination. Sephiroth felt a familiar ice pick stab in his brain and the targets posture stiffened. For an infinitesimal moment, Sephiroth saw his own eyes staring back at him instead of the targets. They both reacted.

His opponent slammed his weight forward and Sephiroth pushed the stolen sword back, but instead of pushing the blond back the top half of the stolen sword broke and flew backwards. His opponent fell and dodged Masamune as Sephiroth followed through after the broken sword half. Sephiroth swapped his grip on Masamune mid swing bringing the hilt halfway out between the two of them to ram it into the blonds head, but instead snagged a loose half of a handcuff pair on his opponent right arm raised to block him, causing his opponent to drop his now broken stolen sword.

He'd been wearing two sets of cuffs?

The blond kicked at him and Sephiroth raised a knee to block and kicked back causing his opponent to bowl over. The blond tried to roll into it but Sephiroths grabbed the loose cuff half in his right hand and yanked it over to the other one on Masamune's hilt with the intention of grabbing both in one hand and freeing Masamune.

A disastrous mistake of proportions only Hojo could have known.

Yanking the blond's cuff as hard as he did dragged the other cuff half actually attached to his opponent's arm out from under the dark green dress's long sleeves.

Mithril base with emerald chain links on either side of a strip of black leather between the two embossed with green runes and small silver buttons.

Sephiroth froze.

"Today we will begin training the Bracelet Protocol.

"It's quite simple really. I will hold out one of two bracelet sets. One is a normal set. You will not respond to it. The other pair is this one. Get a good look at it. When you see this pair, you stop immediately and when I say your name you will say 'Bracelet protocol acknowledged."

"Yes professor."

"You will be fighting monsters in the prototype augmented reality system. When the pair is normal, you will continue fighting. Should you mistake it for your Security Bracelets and stop, you will of course be attacked by the virtual monster.

"Should you mistake your Security Bracelets for a normal pair and you continue on then you will be struck by a low level bolt while fighting the virtual monster. Should you properly identify your Security Bracelets and stand down, the program will dissolve before the monster can attack."

"Sephiroth!?" Cissnei yelled, throwing her shuriken after the target that was now running off with Masamune. One of the nameless Turks, likely from the fight the target was running from, passed her chasing after the target with no hope of catching up.

"Bracelet Protocol acknowledged." He stood a parade rest.

"Sephiroth what the hell is that?" Angeal asked over the phone.

"Seconded?" Genesis asked.

Cissnei looked at him in horror. This was unusual. Normally he blacked out anything after acknowledgement. But he could still hear Veld speaking in Cissnei's earpiece.

"Cissnei I need to place your earpiece up to one of Sephiroth's ears."

Cissnei disengaged her earpiece and ran back towards Sephiroth and placed it right next to his ear.

"Bracelet protocol disengaged. I'm sorry son I didn't know Hojo still had those. I wouldn't have authorized your involvement if I had."

"Bracelet protocol disengage acknowledged." Sephiroth ground out.

A wave of pure fury and betrayal crashed over him like hail on a sunny day. Unexpected and painful. He clenched his jaw to keep from saying something he would undoubtedly regret later. Only Hojo was supposed to know that protocol. Only Hojo was supposed to use those on him. Those were his, and only his. They were for Sephiroth's safety and the safety of the lab techs. They hadn't been needed in years. He worked on controlling his pain responses with unmatched diligence to earn not needing them or the mostly ineffective anesthesia that could have put an elphadunk under during an operation, but not him.

They were supposed to be gone.

He heard a crash from his phone, "Angeal what was that?" Genesis shouted

"Target has my buster!"

"How!?"

"He just pole vaulted over me using... Sephiroth he had your sword, it's in the ground now."

Sephiroth unclenched his teeth, "Understood." a quiet rage bubbled beneath the surface like oxygen in Hojo's mako tanks. He saw green and he saw static.

"Why didn't you grab him when he jumped over you?" Sephiroth demanded and took off after the target, disregarding the Turk next to him. He needed Masamune.

"It was a dress!" Angeal yelled.

"There's such a thing as too much honor." Genesis replied then paused, "I can hear him coming my way. Se..." He paused again before asking, "We know the verbal que, What's the visual one?"

"Yes and are we allowed to destroy it?" Angeal followed up.

A bright burn of gratitude lit up in his ribcage, melting some of the rage and easing the static. He was thankful that's what they asked instead of something else that he wouldn't or couldn't answer.

Sephiroth reached Masamune and grasped the hilt, pulling it out of the ground with care before dismissing it. He continued running, passing the other Turk as he did so. He thought about how vulnerable telling them would leave him. Painfully so. But right now, not telling them left him off worse.

"The cuffs, the half on the target's wrist. He has two sets on. I know the left one is, I don't know about the right. Name doesn't do anything unless they're within sight."

"Noted." Genesis and Angeal replied in unison.

He heard crashing over the phone and it started to echo, they were close. He slowed down. He could close his eyes and act as if it was another moonless night in the jungles of Wutai, but even then his superior sight let him see when others could not.

He'd be in their way. He stopped. He listened.

The target was clearly flagging, his movements sounded slower, his breathing started to require more effort.

Genesis' sword clashed against the buster and they grated against each other as they slid apart. Genesis' jacket whipped in the air. The buster clashed against Angeal's Shinra issued sword for a moment and then again and again until Angeal's boots slid back. The buster sword swung through the air and hit… leather. Genesis hissed as his sword hit something else causing a sharp metal chime. The target's pain laced shout followed. Clothing ripped and something small hit the ground with a dull thud. Firaga burned bright and loud. As the buster again hit Angeal's Shinra issued sword.

The light of the fire faded and Genesis rejoined the fray. Taunting and informing at once as he clashed with the target again. The target's movements picked up speed.

"They really had two sets of cuffs on you?"

So Hojo had used them both. More clashing between the three, before the target responded.

"Thanks, the stat drop was really holding me back."

Genesis and Angeal faltered but only for a moment. But it was enough. The buster sword hit the ground followed by a concussive blast. Sephiroth heard two bodies hit sheet metal, several groans, and the target's footsteps fled. Genesis' took off after him, Angeal stumbled a moment before Sephiroth heard a chain clink, then Angeal took off too.

Angeal whispered into the phone, "I've got the right pair in my pocket," Sephiroth took off after he heard that the broken pair was out of sight, "but if that was him with dropped stats I don't know how we're gonna do with one off, let alone two."

And he wasn't wrong. All three firsts were having an extraordinarily off day after an extremely off week. He thought back to the strength and mobility of the target in their very brief encounter... He was about to comment on it when he ran into a children's park, Genesis and Angeal stood on the other side. He slid to a stop.

Four children stood in awe and fear of his two friends. Sephiroth's fury bled out, if only for a moment. The innocence of childhood, real childhood, disarmed him at times. It couldn't in Wutai where even the youngest of children wielded weapons, some with great skill, to defend their homes. But here...

Sephiroth scuffed his shoes, not bringing the attention of the children to him, but making sure Genesis turned around, which he did.

"He's gone," Genesis spat, looking directly at him, blood coagulating on a cut on his right cheek. Genesis didn't even seem to have the wherewithal to soak in the attention the children aimed at him. If Sephiroth didn't know any better, he'd think Genesis didn't even see the kids staring at him in awe.

He always missed the attention he so desired right in front of him unless there was a camera or spotlight attached. Sephiroth gave in and let out a sigh.

Angeal walked back into the park towards a young boy and crouched down, "Excuse me young one, I don't suppose you've seen a blond in a green dress pass through here?" The boy squeaked and jumped a good half foot in surprise before landing back down slack jawed. Genesis grimaced at the sudden movement. Sephiroth noticed then that he was favoring his left shoulder where it looked like his jacket had been slashed.

"N--no?" Angeal nodded before one of the other kids, a young girl jumped in front of the shocked boy and pointed in the direction back towards Wall market.

"That way."

Angeal smile, "Thank you." He looked back at Sephiroth, worry clear on his face as he stood back up.

Sephiroth tried to smile and walked over to Angeal and Genesis who was now scowling, and cast a cure. Genesis winced and rolled his shoulder and Sephiroth narrowed his eyes in confusion. The cut hadn't healed, and if that hadn't then his shoulder…

"Just a scrape. I'll be fine." Genesis murmured before raising an eyebrow at Angeal, "Don't worry." Angeal looked warily between the two of them.

"And you Sephiroth. Are you alright?" Genesis side-eyed Sephiroth in a rare show of concern.

Sephiroth almost lied. Almost. He opted to not answer, eyeing the path back to Wall Market instead. "C'mon." He walked ahead of them away from the playground and young impressionable eyes and ears.

Angeal followed and suggested, "Maybe we should just let the Turks handle this?"

Genesis snorted as he followed, "He has your Buster and you're suggesting we hand this over?"

"We are all handicapped right now." Angeal argued.

Sephiroth replied, "You hardly use your Buster, you are not handicapped Angeal. Genesis--"

Angeal interrupted, "--Neither my cure, nor yours healed his shoulder. Whatever the target did is currently affecting Genesis' ability to heal, quite possibly ours too."

"A jump in logic my friend." Genesis attempted to reassure Angeal.

"Your cheek is still bleeding Genesis," Sephiroth added quietly and he heard Genesis wipe a glove against his cheek.

"Damn." Genesis stopped. Sephiroth turned to look at him as his friend pulled out a potion. He popped the cork and drank it like a shot. Angeal's eyes opened wide at the display. The cut on Genesis' cheek started to mend.

"Genesis?" Sephiroth walked back towards him, very aware of the children's eyes on them and some of the adults coming from the train station now too.

Genesis shook his head before looking at both of them, a wry smile on his lips, "Even if the morrow is barren of promises. Nothing shall forestall my return."

"This isn't new then. Gen, have you talked to Hollander?" Angeal whispered.

"Later..." Genesis started to reply but paused, hearing the Turks finally catching up. As soon as Cissnei saw them she yelled, "The Bee! He's taken down Heidegger."

"Our decision is made for us." Genesis said, brandishing his sword with a reassuring flourish. Angeal nodded reluctantly and took point.

They ran into Wall Market, screams and shouts becoming readily hearable after a few short seconds, and steadily growing louder the closer they got.

"I'll cover the exit. Capture him alive as you see fit." Sephiroth ordered.

"Gladly." Genesis grinned maliciously and Angeal nodded grimly. They ran past the crowd of evacuated patrons into the Honeybee Theater and Inn. Sephiroth kept his eyes on the floor just in case as he covered their back. Angeal started checking the doors and Genesis, having just been here, ran forward.

"My my. What did the poor trooper ever do to you I wonder?" Genesis asked, walking confidently into the room beyond.

"Wrong place at the right time." The target replied. Angeal stopped searching the side rooms and rushed to join Genesis.

"Come with us quietly and I promise you'll get a better uniform than the MP uniform you're currently trying to pilfer." Genesis promised without a leg to stand on.

"Not interested," the target replied. Sephiroth took a place at the door, and summoned Masamune, just in case.

"Come now, I'm sure you'd do well in SOLDIER." Genesis continued.

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged."

"Though we'd prefer not. If you'd just let us check the Director." Angeal asked.

"He's alive, against my better judgment. Just--"

"--Wanted a change of clothes and thought a regular infantry uniform would do you justice?" Genesis taunted.

"Yeah. Sure." The target sounded resigned.

"If you won't come with us willingly, then we'll have to take you in unwillingly." Angeal informed the target.

"Guess so. Gonna let me change first?"

Sephiroth could hear Genesis ignite his mage sword, "No." 

“Fine." The target said and Sephiroth subdued a wince at the sound of Buster scraping against the floor.

Angeal attacked first from the opposite side of Genesis, but the target clearly expected it as the Buster met the attack. Then it met Genesis' sword and back to Angeal's. They traded blows for close to a minute before the target began to flag once more. He must have tried to make an escape and got waylaid by Genesis throwing another Firaga burst towards the door, likely thwarted by the Busters girth but enough of a distraction for another clang of sword against distinct metal cuffs once more followed by an even more viscous scream than before. He heard more scuffling before the target made a break for Sephiroth's door again.

"Clear!" Genesis yelled just in time too. Sephiroth stepped out from beside the door, Masamune raised, and met the target head on. The buster sword met him and the reverberation up Sephiroth arm could have loosened a lesser man's teeth.

The man had his full strength and speed back, but he was still clearly exhausted. Sephiroth swung Masamune through, throwing the target back onto the stage. He flipped and landed on his feet before he could slam into the curtains.

"Stand down. You will not escape." Sephiroth warned the target.

Angeal took the distraction as a good time to check on the Director and Genesis was covering him. Good. A discarded pile of clothes laid beside a half disrobed trooper and several nearby tables appeared smashed or cracked.

"I'm not going back to Hojo." The target spoke, heaving a few heavy breaths. Sephiroth's mind tugged at him, shamefully sympathetic.

The green gown the target was stuck in was half torn on the right sleeve and bunched up on the left. Both cuff sets were very clearly gone. Sephiroth allowed himself a smirk at his now free reign. Something about that set the target off. One moment he was visibly exhausted and the next he was flying at him almost in desperation. A caged animal lashing out. Dangerous.

He wielded the buster sword like an extension of himself. The sword he had been wielding when he appeared out of thin air had been quite similar so Sephiroth wasn't terribly surprised, but the speed with which he maneuvered with it easily exceeded Angeal in the rare instances that he did use it.

With that in mind and little else aside from surviving an onslaught that no one aside from his fellow firsts had ever pressured upon him before, Sephiroth went about trying to disarm the man.

It was a fight between enhanced men and a dance with gravity. Sword clashed against sword in a frenzy Sephiroth didn't think he'd ever been on the other side of.

Eventually Angeal stepped back in and Genesis with him. Four men and four swords in a battle Sephiroth would not soon forget in close quarters while trying to do as little property damage as possible. An honest challenge.

Sephiroth couldn't get enough.

Eventually though, Genesis had enough and he set off Graviga capturing the target followed by three deca-fire bursts, encapsulating the man in a gravity well of fire.

"Genesis!" Angeal yelled and Sephiroth jumped into the miniature sun with little forethought, intent on pushing the man in the middle of it out before the spell imploded only to be met with a sword swing whirlwind keeping the fire at bay. He couldn't stop his own momentum so we flew into the whirlwind too, slamming into the target as the whirlwind caused the spell to explode rather than implode.

Crazy battle mage.

Sephiroth felt himself slam into the man as the explosion caused his ears to ring. He closed his eyes to keep the shock from blinding him as well. Several moments passed before the heat of the fire subsided. Sephiroth had covered the man, now facedown beneath him, seemingly stunned.

Sephiroth would never admit it but his arms wobbled as he tried to get off the man's back. He had to roll off instead, but getting up proved slightly more difficult. The strain of Hojo's bone marrow collection procedure finally made itself evident in his upper thighs. He opened his eyes to see Genesis with a smug smile on his face putting out fires with frost and Angeal looking a little singed having covered the two troopers and the Director, now awake but dazed enough to not be demanding answers.

He started to stand but saw the target try to move. In exasperation Sephiroth just sat back down on the man's back, "Don't. Move." 

The man half groaned and half whined, but obeyed. Sephiroth blinked a few times and shook his head once before trying to stand again. Being so close to his own personal secondary gravity source proved inconvenient, but Sephiroth managed to stand up nonetheless. He grabbed Masamune from where it landed a short distance away and held it to the back of the blond's now slightly fried stolen green dress. The blond wouldn't know Masamune was there unless he moved.

Angeal sighed at his antics, climbing the steps to retrieve his Buster Sword just as Cissnei came running in with Tseng just behind her, coming from goddess knows where.

"Report!" Tseng barked. Sephiroth opened his mouth to start but the target, still face down, answered for him.

"Target is currently down after getting blown to hell by materia being used in ways that should be illegal." Genesis outright laughed, still putting out fires, "Definitely gonna need a damage report by a third party inspector for the insurance claim the owner of this establishment is going to file." Angeal snorted dusting soot off his paldrons, "Director of Security is still alive, I apologize for the inconvenience." Cissnei stifled a chuckle and Tseng raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, and I know where Vincent Valentine is. Keep me out of R&D and I'll take you to him."

Sephiroth heard Veld snarl through Tseng's earpiece, "Drag him in. I'm going to shoot him myself."

The target replied, "I wouldn't. Hojo already shot him some twenty odd years ago. Wouldn't be a great welcome back present just to shoot him again."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the silence before the target spoke again.

"Gonna let me up?"

"Are you going to run?" Sephiroth pointedly asked, letting Masamune touch the blond's back.

The target stiffened at the touch, "Are you going to take me to Science?"

"Well, that depends on you I imagine." Sephiroth answered thoughtfully, which just seemed to make the target stiffen further.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just have Tseng shoot you right now." Veld asked, now testing the theory that every SOLDIER up till this point had done their damnedest to avoid revealing.

"If Vincent isn't enough..." The target sighed, "Let me up. I won't run for this."

Sephiroth lifted Masamune and stepped away, still holding it ready for the slightest wrong move. The man weakly crawled up on his hands and knees till he was sitting on his haunches, raising his hands in the air in surrender. The target looked at Sephiroth, meeting his eyes, almost apologetically?

"Hojo's lied. About a lot. I think what you need to know the most is about your mother, the woman Hojo tried to erase. Her name isn't Jenova. Her name is Lucrecia Crescent."

Sephiroth fought against the static that rang in his ears while the fury from the professor's earlier betrayal with the security bracelets reared into the forefront of his mind once more. The memory of Hojo cackling when Sephiroth successfully identified them twenty times in a row echoed in his mind. He gulped as gravity seemed to pull down on him harder than normal. He continued to stare at the blond. The picture Hojo had given him of Jenova had long since become nothing more than a treasured memory and he wondered if that picture too had been a lie.

Sephiroth's world fractured in half and rearranged itself like it had never broken in the first place, which it shouldn't have, the blond had no proof. No proof except knowing what name Hojo had given him. Sephiroth opened his mouth to demand details and extract further answers, but instead all he could choke out was a simple whispered question.

"What?"

Chapter Text

"Trespassers Trespassers Trespassers Trespassers..."

Aerith awoke with a start as the planet shouted as one. She was sure it was the planet, but it had never spoken with words before, or at least, she'd never understood it as words before.

She checked her windowsill and looked at her analog alarm clock, glowing ever so slightly green in the dark of night. 10:25. She hadn't been asleep for long.

"...Trespassers Trespassers Trespassers Trespassers--"

A single voice against everything else should have been lost in the noise. Instead it stuck out.

"--Travelers friends... trespasser."

The planet grew quieter, "Travelers... Friends?"

A moment of rare blessed calm passed before the singular voice spoke again, "Trespasser Calamity."

"CALAMITY CALAMITY CALAMITY CALAMITY CALAMITY..."

Aerith shrieked in pain. It hurt. The planets voices hurt.

"Aerith!?" Her mom shouted. She could barely hear Elmyra slam the door to her room open over the sound of her own screams. The pitch grew louder and louder and her head hurt and then she couldn't see her mom.

White... Everything was... No, not white. Pure.

The expanse of purity darkened from behind her. She turned around.

A man with spiky black hair wielding a big broadsword fought a silver haired man with a very long thin sword.

Sephiroth.

She recognized him from the SOLDIER recruitment posters and from Tseng's warnings.

She watched them fight for hours or days, she wasn't sure. She couldn't look away. Everything in her told her to keep looking. She didn't think they noticed her. She was glad. It looked like the black haired man might lose, but then she saw herself... Or at least she thought it was herself... Solidify into existence to heal the spiky haired man. And then she faded out, and they kept fighting.

Until they stopped.

She thought she saw their mouths moving, saying something, but it was so distant that she didn't hear a thing.

And then Sephiroth made eye contact with her. His eyes so foreign, inhuman. He smirked. And then he had a black wing and was charging at her and she still couldn't move. She felt like she should be afraid but she wasn't.

The spiky black haired man somehow got in front of Sephiroth, in front of her. He protected her, blocking Sephiroth from advancing. She still couldn't move.

Sephiroth pushed the other man back towards her with each clash of their swords, little by little until they were far too close. She started to struggle then, trying to move anything.

The man defending her was starting to slow again, this time it felt like on purpose, to slow their movements. She felt a warmth cover her skin. Strange in this cold empty place. They kept getting closer and she kept trying to move.

Her struggle bore fruit! She twitched a finger, and then a hand, then an arm, and then a leg. They were so close now. She could hear the swords clashing now. The warmth covering her skin was growing, it was almost hot. She could move her legs. They were so close she could have touched him. She felt unbearably uncomfortably hot. She could move her feet.

"Run," he yelled.

She turned around and ran in the emptiness, for how long she didn't know. She blinked and Sephiroth was in front of her, sword raised to his shoulder. His eyes filled with rage, his lips in a sneer.

She stopped. She blinked again.

When she opened her eyes it was to her own room, the light coming through her window said it was closer to evening. She looked at her alarm clock. 4:00. Hmmm. That hadn't been the first time she'd had a dream from the planet, but it was definitely the weirdest.

"Aerith." She jumped a little, sitting up to look behind her at Tseng, sitting in her chair at her desk. His arms crossed, right finger on his left wrist. He was on the clock then. Not that it really made a difference.

"Tseng?" She asked, tilting her head in confusion. He tilted his head towards the IV pole against her headboard.

"You've been out for five days. We've been worried." Her eyes shot open. She'd missed the weekend and half a week of school.

"How... What?"

Dun dun dun dun dah dah dun dun duuun.

Aerith giggled at the phone ringtone, almost certain that the Turks kept it because she liked it.

He hid a smile while he answered it, "Yes sir, she's awake."

She couldn't hear what the other side said, but it took a minute. She thought about shouting for her mom, but didn't want her voice heard over the phone.

"Understood," he ended the phone call and hit and held one button.

"What is it Tseng?"

He'd put it on speaker! "Mom?"

"Aerith!? Are you alright!? I'll be home soon. Damnit."

"Mom. I'm okay. I don't know what happened, but I'm fine."

"I'll be home in half an hour."

Aerith sniffed and wrinkled her nose, "That's okay. I need a shower."

Elmyra laughed, "Take it easy. Feel free to kick Tseng out."

"Kinda get the feeling he's not gonna go just yet, besides he's got some splaining to do."

"I'll see you in half an hour baby."

"Love you mom. I'll be here."

"Love you too. You better be." She sounded stern.

"I'll be here until I'm relieved. She may be awake but we want to make sure she stays that way. We'll see you in half an hour." Tseng hung up and stood, "Let's get that IV out of you first, then you can try walking." He raised an eyebrow like he expected her to have problems.

Aerith stuck her tongue out at him and he huffed in amusement.

"So what'd you do to convince Mom to let you stay?" Aerith asked.

Tseng answered as he detached the medical equipment, "Not just me. Gun, Cissnei, and I have been on rotation. You woke up several neighbors when you screamed bloody murder Aerith. Elmyra called the clinic. Your doctor stopped by but he couldn't figure out what was wrong, if anything. Put it up to stress."

"Stress?" 

"So he said. Gun was on watch at the time and called it in. She stayed nearby and when your doctor left, Elmyra called for us. We came to an agreement."

"Bologna!" Aerith cried out in disbelief.

"There you go," He patted her hand with a water tight flowery bandaid on her hand, "She was terrified Aerith. When I heard the recording, I couldn't blame her."

"Recording?" Aerith pulled her hand back to herself, now very self conscious.

"Gun had her mic open. She could hear it clear as if you were next to her. So, we could too."

"Oh." She said, somewhat mollified. She tried to hop out of bed but wobbled a bit. Tseng knew better than to try and help her unless she asked, but she could tell he was having a difficult time of it. She took a deep breath walked over to her dresser and grabbed a clean dress.

Aerith moved to grab the door for support but tripped on her rug. She landed on her right hand and her left elbow, left hand in the air still holding her dress. Tseng coughed to hide a laugh and she glared at him, snorting in discontent. He hadn't even tried to catch her.

Tseng was the best at keeping the boundaries she set, and sometimes that made him a jerk. Well, at least her rug was fluffy and at least she hadn't dropped her dress. She groaned and got back up before admitting defeat.

"Think I might need some help getting downstairs."

"Of course Aerith."

He helped her down well enough and sat at the table when she closed the bathroom door. The shower gave her time to think about the dream but she didn't really know what to think. The planet hadn't said a word, sent a feeling, or an image since she'd woken up. The background noise didn't even feel that different. If anything it felt less chaotic. Muted. Strange.

Aerith heard the front door open and realized she must have taken far too long and rushed to get out and dressed.

She opened the bathroom door to see her mom at the table across from Tseng, both drinking tea, ginger by the scent of it. Elmyra turned, her eyes glossy with relief.

"Mom?"

Elmyra was up in a second and wrapped Aerith in a hug, holding her tightly, almost too tightly. It... It must have really been bad. Really bad. Aerith hugged her back.

A timer rang out and Tseng stood up, "I've got it." He turned the stove off and placed the pot of what she assumed was soup on an empty hot pad. He even got out the bowls and set the table.

Aerith sighed, and not for the first time, she wished Tseng could quit the Turks and just stay with them and be her big brother. But he couldn't, and this was just his job. She had to remind herself that more and more often these days.

Elmyra sniffed and let her go, grabbing a cloth to brush off her eyes, "Thank you Tseng."

"Of course."

They ate at the table quietly, her mother cautioned her to eat slowly. She dragged it out as much as she could, but when she was full she closed her eyes and waited.

Elmyra started to clean up and Tseng took the opportunity to start talking, "Aerith, part of the deal to watch over you came with the specific requirement that you not be taken into Shinra custody for the duration of your... illness. However, that duration is over. We know you heard the planet. If you tell us what it said, we will allow you to remain here--"

"--I've told you--" Aerith rolled her eyes open and interrupted only to be interrupted right back.

"--do you know the name Cloud Strife?"

"CALAMITY." The words shrieked but at the volume of a whisper. Aerith didn't quite manage to hide her eyes squinting at the sound. Tseng looked at her expectantly, there's no way he missed that.

"Traveler." The other voice said, still and quiet.

Aerith relaxed her expression into a smile and shook her head, "Nope."

Tseng looked out the window, "Aerith, the time you seized and the time you woke up are damning. A lot of things are happening right now and most of the pieces don't line up. We're," he paused to take a breath, "I'm asking for your help." He looked back and met her eyes.

"You know I can't hear the planet Tseng." She said it like the bold faced lie she'd said for years,  more a lie now than ever before. She knew he didn't believe her.

"If you can't help us then he's going to end up being disposed of."

"And you don't want him to?" Aerith asked him, confused. If she so much as hinted at hearing the planet, she'd be the one in the deep end. Not this... Traveler.

Tseng grimaced, "We need him not to be."

Aerith scoffed, "You're the Turks, you can do what you want."

Gun shots went off in the distance, not terribly unusual, but Tseng stiffened just a bit.

"Aerith, just come with me and if you can identify him, even if you can't, I'll bring you right home." Tseng promised, but a promise by a Turk on the clock meant nothing.

"If you take her, you take me too." Elmyra scowled at the Turk while still drying the dishes.

Aerith frowned, "Mom. No. We're not going anywhere."

"I could bring a picture once we have a respectable one, if you prefer." Tseng conceded.

Aerith rolled her eyes, "It's not going to make a difference either--" a hand clutched her head. Her own hand. She couldn't hear anything but it hurt. Everything...

She was in the church, but it was pure like the dream before, now tainted. She saw herself, but older, and the man with spiky black hair again by the church door. They were talking but she couldn't hear. She couldn't move. But she knew she was standing in the flowers.

She couldn't move, but then she could look down and where the flowers should have been, ripples spread from where she stood on the surface of a pool of water.

It was dark and deep and fathomless and wrong. She felt tears fall from her now blurry eyes, it felt so very wrong. She closed her eyes, tears falling. The sound of a drop of water hitting the pool below woke her.

She was in a helicopter, a headset covering her ears. She felt her mother's arms around her, holding her tightly. She opened her eyes, wincing at the fading light coming through the windows of a sunset she'd never watched in a sky she'd never dared to look at. She closed her eyes in fear.

The planet was silent to her. Or maybe she just couldn't hear it in the sky... She kinda doubted it though.

"Aerith?" Elmyra said, the headset microphone blocking out the noise of the helicopter and distorting her voice ever so slightly.

Aerith replied, "Mom... Something's wrong. Something's really really wrong."

Chapter Text

Three friends go into battle. One is captured. One flies away. The one that is left becomes a hero.

Never. Not once, had Genesis ever considered that Sephiroth played the part of captive. Shinra chose the role of hero for his rival at birth and Genesis had yearned, for years now, to surpass him. Nonetheless, he felt acute disdain for the pair of handcuffs in his coat pocket whose presence burned through his psyche, like hot coals against ice producing an opaque fog. 

Only a few hours ago Genesis recategorized Angeal's puppy from pet to prodigy. Now, in a similar manner, he felt his mind quietly but surely recategorize Sephiroth from the Hero in need of surpassing to the captive friend in need of saving, lest he be wounded trying to escape on his own and land in the arms of a stranger.

Genesis hated it. Viscerally.

If Sephiroth were to ever discover the recategorization, Genesis was sure the silver haired SOLDIER First would hate it too.

The train braked, and metal bound against metal shrieked loudly in protest. Genesis grimaced in pain when his shoulder jolted from the deceleration. It was more than just a scratch he knew.

For months curative magic slowly ceased to heal. For the past month only potions had worked, and he'd needed stronger and stronger ones to heal even the most basic of injuries. Now he needed X potions for simple cuts and bruises that refused to heal on their own. They weren't cheap but his family's stock allowed him the resources. He'd hidden it all out of anger, until he'd run out of potions at the end of their three day lockdown.

Hollander had noticed at his checkup. They still awaited his test results.

The blond chocobo groaned, awake again, "I'll shut up. Don't sleepel me again."

"Sleepel." Tseng cast without a second thought from Genesis' left. The man slumped forward. Genesis sat facing the blond on the other side of the aisle and reached out to prevent the man from further brain damage. Angeal, sitting to the right of the blond, caught the back of the dress first and stopped the impending faceplant, tugging him back to lean against the still rattling windows.

Sephiroth sat to the blonds left with crossed arms, not bothering with the situation at all. For once, Genesis didn't blame him. Answers laid at his fingertips only to have the Turks force the man with them into silence.

The female Turk, Cissnei, had cast Sleepel first just after Sephiroth asked what the man meant by Lucrecia Crescent. Seeing the fury on Sephiroth's face thereafter should have felt gratifying; that goddess forsaken mask of ego and indifference, finally shattering like fine porcelain. Instead, with recent revelations, it left Genesis bereft of peace.

The train settled and Angeal sighed, relief clear as day on his face when the train doors of the cabin opened to the streets of sector eight. No doubt Angeal felt the weight of the broken cuffs in his possession as much as Genesis felt his. No doubt Angeal felt the need to free Sephiroth and his puppy alike.

Tseng led the way with Sephiroth close behind him, carrying the Buster sword with care few would appreciate.

Sephiroth had carried the blond from the Honeybee Inn to the train station in a fireman's carry, but the blond had caused quite a scene screeching like the lost Chocobo he looked like when he awoke on Sephiroth's shoulder before Tseng sleepeled him once more. To be blunt, the blond held his head in battle high on adrenaline, but when faced with Sephiroth in a different setting… Well, the Chocobo flailed, scared shitless. With how the blond first appeared to them, Genesis wasn't surprised at all.

Angeal now carried the blond from the train to HQ, hopefully a less terrifying shoulder to wake on if he did. Genesis took up the back, not vying for the spotlight for once. Hiding his shoulder took priority.

The crowds of after work bustling parted for them in deference and awe, a refreshing departure from the high speed chase not an hour earlier. He was certain that they had Sephiroth to thank for it and not himself however. Despite how cruelly it grated on him, in his current state, the expedited speed back to the tower proved beneficial.

Genesis expected Tseng to hit one of the administrative levels when they reached the elevator. Wisely though, the Turk chose his coming battle in the arena of Lazard's office. Genesis huffed, amused.

The blond woke once more when the elevator doors closed. Genesis, the only one behind him, saw his eyes open, though his breathing hadn't changed. Genesis tilted his head, intrigued.

The man arrived slashed to pieces in ways nothing short of octaslash would. The man said Zack's name. Once Genesis knew Zack could copy limit breaks, the mystery grew. A red herring perhaps, with the blond's earlier show of fear towards Sephiroth. Even more interesting, the man knew, or at least thought he knew Sephiroth's birth mother. And now the man showed signs of an active stealth operative.

Infinite in mystery as only a gift from the goddess could be. Time would tell.

The man,hanging limply from Angeal's fireman carry glanced at Genesis. Genesis merely raised an eyebrow. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. The man closed his eyes and resumed his faux state of sleep.

The short walk into the directors office landed them with the visage of Lazard sitting behind his half moon shaped desk absolutely fuming at the director of the Turks, Veld. He sat across from Lazard on the entryway side, his back facing the wall of bookshelves rather than the entryway so he saw them before the director did and waved them in.

"Tseng this had better be good." The generally soft spoken director barked.

Veld raised a placating hand as they turned the corner and strode from the foyer between the two glass walls framing the entryway into the office, "He's here because I asked him to bring them. I very much doubt Sephiroth is going to let the target out of his sight right now and we've already broken protocol at Hojo's behest today, we're not looking to do so again."

The Turk director apparently knew which battles to fight, and this wasn't one of them. Charming. Genesis realized then that the radio silence hadn't been for lack of orders to Tseng, the Turks simply knew conversations over earpieces were not confidential now. 

That explained why Tseng had been checking his phone incessantly on the train, and Cissnei too before they left her at the Honeybee to attempt smoothing things over with Heidegger and Andrea.

"Place him in the chair Angeal." Veld ordered, motioning to the chair on his left. Angeal looked to Lazard who sighed, nodded, and leaned back in his own chair, crossing his arms. Genesis moved to the right, flanking Veld and leaned against the counter in front of the bookshelves. Tseng and Sephiroth stood between the glass  walls in the entryway, blocking escape.

Angeal tried to be gentle, Genesis could tell, but the blond still whimpered.

"Landed a bit heavy on the stage did we?" Genesis lilted.

"If he's as enhanced as we are, his hip will heal in a few hours." Sephiroth noted, voice blank as ever. His eyes though... He was seething. Hmmm.

"Yeah, well, you're heavy," The chocobo muttered. Angeal stepped back and Sephiroth stepped forward to hand the Buster sword back.

“Thank you.” Angeal whispered and slid the Buster back into place before he stood between the extra trapezoidal desk and Lazard's.

"Do you understand the situation you're in right now Tsurugi?" Veld asked.

Tsurugi? What manner of name…

"Ya know I kinda like Reno's pick better." The blond stalled.

"So Tsurugi's an alias?" Veld asked.

"Hell if I know,” the blond mumbled.

"What do you mean by that?" Lazard asked, confused.

"I mean I woke up from a mako coma and I have a lot of information but not a lot of memories. I have no idea who I am." The blond explained.

Angeal furrowed his brows and interjected, "People don't just wake up from a mako coma."

The blond looked to his left to address Angeal, "Well, I did. And to be honest... Every time I wake up it feels like I forget more."

"How about we just go with Strife then?" Veld posited.

The blond's breathing stopped briefly before turning his face back to Veld, "Why that?"

"It's what Hojo had you down as."

The blond snorted and ran a hand through his spikey locks and looked down, "Hojo doesn't use names." He paused and blushed, "Any chance you have a change of clothes."

"Well get there." Veld promised.

The blond sighed and looked up back to Veld, "He really had me down as Strife?"

"He does use names, his paperwork only uses initials. Hojo's mission called for the capture of SCS1, Subject C. Strife, either prime or first iteration, I presume." Sephiroth added. The blond grimaced, glancing to the side at Sephiroth for no more than a moment. Veld glared at the silver haired First directly but didn't say anything.

"Alright," the blond tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling. "Sure. Strife works fine."

"Back to the point at hand Strife. With your lack of memories is it safe to conclude that you don't understand your current situation then?" Lazard confirmed.

The blond looked down from the ceiling and at Lazard and conceded,"Yeah. Guess I don't."

Veld sighed, "Introductions first then. I am Veld, Director of General Affairs. Across from us is Lazard Deusericus, Director of SOLDIER. Behind you in the suit is Tseng, my second in command. To his left, Sephiroth and Angeal Hewley, and behind me Genesis Rhapsodos. All three of which are Shinra's SOLDIER First Class Elite."

The blond raised an eyebrow but didn't comment so Veld continued, "Up until an hour and a half ago, you were going to be a subject for Science. It was highly likely that Private Strife would have joined you."

The blond froze. He didn't breathe, he didn't move. Genesis swore the temperature in the room dropped with the furious glare Strife leveled at Veld. Lazard leaned forward in alarm when Strife bared his teeth. Veld looked nonplussed. Angeal shifted his weight, preparing for action. Genesis didn't move, still within the blonds eyeline.

Sephiroth walked forward, silently, and grabbed the blond's left shoulder before he could move and pulled him back into the seat. The man shuddered out a breath and the moment broke. Genesis caught the man's eyes briefly before the blond turned his head slowly to look at Sephiroth.

"Let. Go." Sephiroth didn't. They just stared at each other for an uncomfortably long time before Angeal spoke up.

"And who is Private Strife?" 

Sephiroth removed his hand but didn't move. The captive now played the part of guard dog for another prisoner. Strange.

Veld took a moment before answering, "It's not relevant."

Sephiroth's gloved hands tightened into fists, "Veld."

Veld wisely changed his tune and answered, "New recruit. Aiming for SOLDIER but his blood work auto failed him for an unspecified reason. He's only 14 so he could grow out of it. Looks a hell of a lot like this guy--" He waved in Strife's direction.

"--Up until an hour and a half ago?" Strife interrupted.

Genesis' mind ran wild. A father and Son perhaps? 14 though. How old was this Chocobo?

Veld cleared his throat, "Mhmm. Let me be clear. You are here instead of R&D because the President himself ordered it... On a hunch." The blond's cheekbones sharped, clenching his teeth. "You currently owe your minimal freedom to President Shinra and your continued state is dependent on your cooperation."

"And what could the President possibly want with me." Strife ground out.

"That is currently classified and will be discussed behind closed doors. In order to get behind closed doors without a fight right now you will disclose all information Sephiroth requests of you unless I veto it."

The blond snorted, "You not gonna give the man some privacy?"

"You didn't bother with it when you said her name in the Honeybee." Sephiroth shot back.

"Yeah, it's called desperation. I," Strife closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “I... Am sorry."

Sephiroth moved to Strife's left and leaned back against the Directors desk. There was barely an inch between the blond's face and Sephiroth's arm. Sephiroth pulled off his left glove with his right hand which left Genesis absolutely flabbergasted. Genesis’ jaw actually dropped when Sephiroth grabbed Strife's left wrist and put two fingers on the man's pulse point.

This happened so quickly that the blond didn't quite realize what was happening until it was done at which point he looked about ready to fly away.

"Settle down Strife. Your answers determine if your apology is accepted, I'll know if you're lying. What do you know about her?"

The blond gulped, loudly, eyes shifting, and breathing ragged. Thankfully no squawking like when he'd been carried earlier… yet.

"I'm not going to hurt you Strife. Count back from 10 if you have to."

The blond laughed somewhat hysterically, "Yeah sure." It took him fifteen seconds to regulate himself. Extraordinary really.

"She was a scientist and Hojo's late wife, or I guess not really, she's not completely dead. But she's not… well. In a prison of her own making. I think Vincent's probably the only one who could get her somewhat... Awake."

"Where."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Tell me anyway."

"It's difficult to explain, I could show you on a map. Again, Vincent, if he stops sulking in his own sins, would know more about her and how to reach her than I do."

"And why is that?"

"He was the Turk assigned to protect her."

"And where would I find him?"

"That's my only Turk bargaining chip, you can have that after."

"Fine. How did you know Hojo said her name was Jenova?"

"Again, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"You underestimate my imagination.” 

“A little birdie told me.”

Sephiroth sighed before moving on, “Why did I need to know Crescent's name?"

The blond frowned and furrowed his eyebrows, taking several moments before answering,  "Because... We all need a reminder that we're human, even when it feels like we're not."

"And why would Lucrecia Crescent be any more human than Jenova?"

The blond snorted, "Gast guessed wrong."

“How so?"

"Pass." Veld answered for the blond.

Sephiroth glared at Veld. The Director held his ground. Sephiroth strangled the start of a growl, a sound that elicited a prey response from Genesis' arm hair. Sephiroth pulling out his PHS and hit a few buttons before handing it off to Strife.

"Her location?"

"How do you even... Oh" the blond used his right hand to use the PHS, which strategically, only Sephiroth and Angeal could see. Strife's left hand remained stuck in Sephiroth's unyielding grasp.

The blond handed it back and Sephiroth studied it for a moment, "She doesn't want to be found."

"No." The blond agreed.

Sephiroth flipped his PHS closed, put it away, and let the blond go.

"Apology accepted."

Strife quickly brought his hand close to his chest and wrung his left wrist with his right hand, clearly quite spooked.

"Lazard, I'll be asking for leave tomorrow as soon as there's a helicopter available. I'll submit the details shortly."

"Sephiroth--"

"Kindly find your services needed elsewhere Veld." Sephiroth demanded and Genesis chuckled, puffing out his chest a bit with pride, the man was learning. Angeal rolled his eyes.

Veld thankfully laughed, "I wish I could kid but right now I can't."

Sephiroth leisurely pushed away from Lazards desk and walked back around behind the blond, "Why not?"

"The three of you will be debriefed tomorrow."

"Do we get our puppy back then?" Genesis asked, surprised that Angeal hadn't already.

“Puppy?” The blond echoed but his question remained ignored 

Veld turned around in his chair, mouth quirked in a half smile, "Yes, he'll leave Turk custody after the debrief."

His two friends looked at him curiously, undoubtedly questioning 'our'. Veld turned back to Sephiroth. Genesis, for lack of an answer he would be willing to provide his friends, shrugged his shoulders. Genesis winced and closed his eyes, quietly clenching his teeth.

"Satisfied with your answers Sephiroth?" Veld asked.

"For the moment." Sephiroth hedged. Genesis opened his eyes in time to see Angeal, Lazard, and Strife eyeing him warily.

Veld continued,"Before we release the Firsts, Tseng, if you could retrieve a pair of proper handcuffs for our guest?"

Lazard leaned forward and addressed Tseng as well, "And a Soldier third uniform please."

"Not interested." Strife snapped.

Lazard smirked, "In the job or the change of clothes?"

The blond opened his mouth and closed it before anything else came out, then nodded. "I'll take the clothes."

"You're welcome." Lazard raised his brows at Tseng who bowed slightly and left without a word.

"Speaking of proper handcuffs. I trust anything any of you learned today about... certain pairs will not be spread under threat of decommissioning."

"What handcuffs?" Lazard asked sarcastically.

"On my honor as SOLDIER and as Sephiroth's friend, that knowledge will not pass from me to another." Angeal spouted.

"Nibel runes don't work as well on Odin's blessed. No one will hear a word beyond that from me." Strife added, causing both Sephiroth and Veld to narrow their eyes at him.

"Odin blessed?" Genesis muttered. His eyes searched blankly, his mind found nothing. "An oath then." He surmised. Angeal and Sephiroth looked at him sharply. Strife, Lazard and Veld tuned, looking on in curiosity.

He caught Sephiroth's eye, " To become the dew that quenches the land, to spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent sacrifice ." Sephiroth's eyes widened.

Genesis then looked to Veld. "Under Odin, None shall hear from me of this crime against Sephiroth lest Sephiroth himself ever releases me of this oath."

Then he looked to Strife, "Will Odin's blessed abide by this?"

The blond had the audacity to look confused, "Huh?"

Angeal rubbed his forehead and drawled, "Will you keep your trap shut about Sephiroth's off button." Sephiroth flinched. The man actually flinched. Angeal turned his head slightly and bowed in silent apology. Sephiroth sighed and waved him off before the blond turned back to stare at Angeal. Genesis couldn't see Strife's face from that angle, but his posture exuded derision.

"Yeah. Consider my trap shut. Thanks for the country hick translation."

Genesis barely swallowed back a snicker, "Watch who you assume to be not a country hick."

The blond's eyes assessed him quickly, "Country boy sure. Hick definitely not."

"You insolent--"

"That was a compliment Genesis." Angeal interrupted.

"It really didn't sound like one Angeal," Genesis didn't whine. He didn't.

"Hey, so where'd you get your sword?" The blond completely sidestepped the current conversation and Genesis would have objected had Angeal not redirected it back at the asker.

"Where did you get yours?"

"Had it commissioned... I think. Thought with how similar they look, maybe whoever did yours might have info on me and mine."

"I don't actually know who my Father commissioned it from. Nor can I ask. He overworked himself to death trying to pay off the loan he took out to have it made."

"Ah." The blond looked away and made a motion to scratch the back of his neck in clear embarrassment. A movement he just as quickly aborted. Angeal furrowed his eyebrows at it. The blond looked back at Angeal, "Sorry I took it then."

"Hmph. I might accept that apology after a one on one spar when you get your sword back."

Lazard, the poor director, tilted his head to the side raising an eyebrow at Veld who shrugged.

"If I get it back, sure."

Sephiroth cleared his throat, "Angeal gets an apology for his stolen sword but I don't?"

"That oversized nodachi can go screw itself."

"Ssangsudo actually."

"Fine. That oversized Ssangsudo can go screw itself."

"It's not oversized."

"One handed it is."

Genesis didn't hold back his laugh, "You'll have to forgive the overachiever his overcompensation."

The door to the office opened and the blond muttered, "Overcompensating my--"

Tseng cleared his throat.

The blond looked back relieved, "Right so where do I change?"

"Strife you manhandled two of my best and nearly killed Shinra's Director of R&D. You're not getting any privacy until you have those cuffs on."

Sephiroth's breathing hitched momentarily, it was subtle, Genesis almost didn't know if he'd heard it. He looked at the man in concern as did Angeal. So it hadn't been his mind playing tricks.

"Only nearly huh? I apologize for the inconvenience."

Sephiroth's breathing evened out nearly immediately after the blond responded, and his face once more carried a blank gaze of indifference. Genesis desperately wanted to know what Sephiroth thought of the apparent near death of that man. Given Strife's earlier wording about Hojo's late wife that Sephiroth had steamrolled through, possibly Sephiroth's father.

"And why would that be merely an inconvenience?" Veld asked

Tseng walked forward and dropped the third class outfit on Strife's lap and handed the runeless cuffs off to Veld.

The blond stood up and Genesis averted his eyes to the floor to give the poor Chocobo some semblance of privacy.

"Think how much richer Shinra would be without all Hojo's blackbox resultless projects."

Tseng coughed and Sephiroth snorted, deep and guttural. Genesis didn't think he'd ever heard that before that from the Silver haired First either.

Despite his attempt to give Strife privacy, when he heard the gown rustling he glanced up. The blond already had the pants on and was pulling the dress over his head.

The sight that met him made his own breath hitch. He was not alone in his reaction.

"I don't suppose those are psychogenic are they?" Sephiroth whispered.

"Do psychogenics affect clothes?" The blond whispered back, pulling the turtleneck over his head to cover the scars.

"A VR simulator?" Angeal asked, loud enough for all to hear.

The blond sat down to put on his provided boots.

"If it eases your mind."

"That's not a yes." Genesis cut in.

"Wouldn't know." The blond shot back. He stood and put his hands together in front of Veld.

"Turn around, behind your back." The blond sighed and did as asked.

"Any chance I get a nap before you interrogate me behind closed doors?"

"No. And it's not an interrogation. You a few meetings and an abridged debrief before the full debrief tomorrow morning." Veld answered.

"Cool." The blond deadpanned.

"Please get the hell out of my office." Lazard asked, his patience finally broken.

Veld huffed, "Alright Strife. Out we go."

Strife shook his head and murmured under his breath, "What did I get myself into."

Veld pushed the blond ahead of him. Tseng bowed again and took the lead out.

"Oh and boys, bring the cuffs tomorrow. We'll be using the materia fusion engine to incinerate them." Veld inclined his head in self dismissal and left.

When the door closed behind them, Lazard addressed the three Firsts, "Speaking of tomorrow. Get some sleep tonight. You will all want to be well  rested." Lazard hit a single key on his keyboard. All three firsts got a priority 1 chime on their PHS'. All three firsts opened their PHS' in sync.

M0-4.2-52: Priority 1:Public-Safety.SOLDIER: Nibelheim, Mideel, Cosmo Canyon deployment.

 

Report to the Soldier debrief room at 0800 tomorrow for further details.

 

"Until I hear back from Hollander Genesis will remain as our on site First for the moment, but I want you all abreast of the situation. See you at 0800."

"Yes Sir." They replied in unison, though Genesis may have done so with more of a snarl.

"Dismissed."

Genesis turned smartly, his coat flaring out behind him, and walked towards the elevator like a man possessed. His fellow Firsts followed behind him.

"I know your rooms have been completed but--"

"--We'll retire to your room. And you'll explain why we should or should not be worried about that shoulder." Sephiroth stated in a tone that brokered no argument.

Genesis huffed, "Hmph. Can't imagine you being worried about me."

"When am I not?" Sephiroth replied.

Angeal the traitor, laughed, "I'm always worried too Genesis."

Genesis rolled his eyes, and said in the most unmissably sarcastic tone he could muster, " There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the goddess Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds. "

Chapter Text

Shinra HQ - Floor 14

[ μ ] – εγλ 09-07-00 

07:35 SST

Zack smacked his forehead against the metal door in frustration causing him to wince as the reverberations traveled from his forehead to his jaw. Not a great choice in hindsight. He leaned back growling, then banged his fist on the door thrice.

"Hey, you guys, I gotta use the bathroom."

He sighed when there was no answer and paced back to the side of the very small interrogation room, a different one from where he'd been sleeping. One of the Turks had picked him up in the morning like normal, made sure he was ready for the day like normal, then threw him in this new room where he'd been stuck for what had to be at least a couple hours.

He stopped pacing next to the one sided mirror and leaned his forehead against it, cupping his hands around his eyes, trying to see through it. It didn't work any more than it had the past six times he'd tried, but it was something to do.

Zack sighed again and pushed off the mirror. He made a line straight for the chair across from the door and pulled it out from under the metal table where he'd shoved it earlier.

Rather than sit in the chair he flipped it upside down and used the seat as a hat. His hair was already messed up from the last two times he'd resorted to this so another go at the chair hat wouldn't make a difference.

He continued his squat marathon while balancing a chair on his head... Again. Zack was bored out of his mind. Squat champion or no, there's only so many regular squats you could do before being squatted out. Balancing the chair provided just enough variation to keep it interesting.

After only five he heard the door unlatch and he removed the chair from his head and put it back on the floor mid squat. The door burst open and stopped halfway through the swing like a frisbee caught just moments after being thrown. He furrowed his brow in confusion as he stood. Genesis stood in the doorway left hand on the door knob, smiling like a baby shark.

"Did they really run out of Turks and call a First to babysit me in the bathroom?"

The red head barked out a laugh, "Certainly not. We're breaking you out. Time to go puppy." Genesis made like a saloon door and opened the way out with his right arm.

Zack snuck a glance at the one way mirror and brushed a hand through his hair to try and get it to fluff back up a bit. It kinda worked.

"Won't the turks just throw me back in here? And I'm not a puppy."

"Lazard and Veld worked out the details, and yes you are. You are Angeal's puppy and we're breaking you out of the pound legally."

Zack sighed yet again, walking past Genesis and out of the aquarium of an interrogation room. Genesis closed the door behind him.

"Well if I'm his puppy then you're his--" Genesis abruptly grabbed Zack's left shoulder and turned him around at a full stop.

"-- I am a dragon and Angeal is a part of my hoard. Sadly that means his puppy is a part of my hoard too. So here we are."

Zack's eyes flew open wide at the venom in that statement, "Uh..." He didn't really know how to respond to that so as he'd been forcefully trained to in the past six days among Turks, he kept his mouth shut and didn't look the gift chocobo in the beak. Instead, he nodded in agreement.

"Wonderful." Genesis released Zack's shoulder, brushed it off, whipped Zack back around, and shoved him forward. Zack stumbled and Genesis walked past him, leading the way out. Cissnei was waiting for them at the front desk.

"Hi Cissnei!" He said as they passed and he heard her chuckle.

"See you soon Zack." He turned around, walking backwards and gave her a two finger salute. She rolled her eyes. Zack smiled, turning back around to see Genesis standing near the exit doors with disapproval.

"Hmph. Making friends with your interrogators is not a smart move puppy."

"Why make enemies when you could make friends?" Zack slid past him through the sliding doors, Genesis quick on his heels.

" My soul, corrupted by vengeance hath endured torment-- "

"--They're not that bad until they leave you locked up longer than normal."

Genesis tsked, "The Turks have a reputation for a reason."

"No kidding." Zack shot back and hit the up button for the elevator. "I assume we're going to 49?"

"Yes puppy."

The elevator nearest Genesis opened and the redhead dashed in hitting the floor button before Zack had even reached it. He huffed holding the door open so he could get in. The man smirked. Zack slumped his shoulders. This was getting old real quick.

"Okay. This puppy thing has to go. It's Zack."

"Whatever will you do to stop me... Zack."

"Thank you." Zack nodded and ignored the question.

"Not going to answer pup?"

"Dragon. I will start calling you dragon. Not sir. Not Genesis. Dragon." Zack realized too late that was not going to get the red headed SOLDIER First off his back. With the way he was grinning, it maybe did the opposite.

It didn't take long for the elevator to arrive. When the doors opened he could suddenly hear Angeal mid sentence.

"--shortly. Gen is getting Zack."

"Gen has Zack," Genesis said as he strode out of the elevator. Zack followed just behind.

Angeal ended the call and flipped his phone shut and nodded in acknowledgement, "He didn't light you on fire did he?" Angeal asked.

Zack furrowed his eyebrows wondering if Genesis proclaiming himself as a dragon was more accurate than he realized, "Uh..."

"No, but I did make myself clear on the pecking order. Thank you for the chance my friend."

"Don't thank me, thank Tseng for holding me up at the incineration. We've got fifteen minutes before an important briefing, do you need anything Zack?"

"Uh, no. The Turks woke me up a few hours ago and threw me in the gym bathroom to get ready like normal then locked me back up which isn't normal."

"None of this is normal Zack."

"That's Fair." Zack laughed and Angeal rolled his eyes. Genesis actually looked offended at the pun. Right, no Fair puns in front of the dragon.

Angeal patted a hand against his shoulder and tilted his head in the direction of the briefing room.

Then Zack remembered, "Bathroom actually. Be right back."

Zack tried to get his hair to stand back up and finally got it to behave, but he didn't have much time before the briefing. He sprinted all the way back and slid through the doors just as they opened where Angeal was waiting for him. Angeal eyed his hair but didn't comment on it before walking through another automatic glass door.

There was a blond he didn't recognize at the head of a hollow trapezoidal meeting desk closest to the door. The sides of the desk angled closer to the walls the further from the door it got. The front was open and the wall it was pushed against had a giant screen on it.

Rude and Reno were already sitting on the left closest to the front, both looking a little more beat up since he'd seen them two days ago. Sephiroth and Genesis were already sitting on the right closest to Lazard

The blond at the head of the table turned around and stood up with a smile, "Zack, it's good to finally meet face to face. Lazard, Director of SOLDIER." The director lifted a hand which Zack met in a polite handshake.

"Heya," Zack smiled a bit nervously.

"Please, have a seat. The briefing will begin as soon as our two missing attendees arrive... who I'm going to go find." Lazard walked past them out into the main area.

Angeal steered him to the front on the right. Angeal sat behind him next to Genesis. Zack plopped down and tried not to swing his seat from side to side just as much as he was trying not to think about the fact that THE Sephiroth was sitting three seats behind him.

As many times as Zack had passed the briefing room doors he'd never come in before. So his eyes roamed, there really wasn't much in the way of distraction aside from the projected screen on the wall in front of them, probably on purpose.

"Zack," Angeal started,

"Mhm?" He looked at Angeal, very carefully avoiding looking at Genesis and Sephiroth who were talking even quieter than his hearing could pick up.

"The tablet pen beneath the monitor is for notes. The notes section will be on the right side of the monitor in front of you. Be careful with it."

Zack fumbled around, feeling below the monitor before he got the pen out with a small click. He produced it and flipped it around in his hand and presented it to Angeal who didn't look amused at all.

"See, I can be careful."

"I mean with writing notes on the monitor."

"Oh. What kinda notes?"

"Questions and clarifications to ask after the briefing."

"Got it!" Zack pumped his fist in the air. He was gonna rock this first briefing.

"First time in the big leagues isn't it newbie." Reno asked

Zack did the best deadpan look he was capable of, "according to you, I've already been hanging with the big leagues for the past six days."

Rude coughed and Reno looked around the room in what Zack thought looked like embarrassment. He could feel the three Firsts eyeing him but he didn't dare look.

The past six days had been an experience. He wouldn't soon forget it either. His entire view of Shinra as a whole had been shaken, stirred, and then some. But not of SOLDIER. Never SOLDER.

Zack flipped the tablet pen around in his hand a bit before the question he'd been thinking just came out on its own.

"Do you call me puppy behind my back?" He looked at Angeal suspiciously. Angeal's eyes widened at him with the most innocent look Zack'd ever seen on the man.

"Why would you think that?"

"Just wondering where the fire breathing dragon picked it up from."

Genesis chuckled, "I agreed to dragon, not fire breathing dragon."

"Literally the first thing Angeal asked me was if you lit me on fire." Zack looked beyond Angeal who looked worried now over to Genesis who looked far too entertained by this. Beyond Genesis, Sephiroth cleared his throat, covered his mouth with a gloved hand and looked out the glass wall. Zack narrowed his eyes further. A bit rude.

"Fine. I see your fire breathing and raise you hyperactive stamp."

Zack wrinkled his nose and Angeal put his elbows on the table and placed his face in his hands. Zack glanced at him, realizing again after the fact, this was a bad idea.

"I take back fire breathing. Angeal, just wondering where the dragon picked it up from."

"Too late puppy." Zack groaned and leaned back in his chair.

"Where did I go wrong," Angeal muttered into his still closed hands.

Sephiroth cleared his throat again, half a smile on his face hidden behind his bangs, which... that was something that left Zack blinking, "To answer your question, yes Angeal refers to you as Zack the puppy. I believe it is a term of endearment."

Angeal turned his head away from his hands and Zack to look at Sephiroth with who knows what look, but Zack could only imagine it was betrayal.

"Man this is so much ammo." Reno whispered and Zack was very tempted to throw the pen at him. Rude elbowed him before he had the chance. "Ow." He complained.

"The pet Second. I see how it is." Zack huffed, half annoyed, and crossed his arms. He wasn't going to complain, but still... It kinda hurt.

"Zack, that's not it at all." Angeal turned back to Zack and sat up.

"You're not a pet Zack, you're a prodigy. And we're all looking forward to when you make First," Angeal paused and Zack blinked again when Genesis and Sephiroth both nodded.

"Thank you sirs." And Zack meant it but...

"You just have a lot of energy, like a puppy." Angeal's lips wobbled, probably trying to suppress a smile. Zack rolled his eyes and huffed.

"If you think this is a lot of energy you should have seen me as a kid."

"Every time I think about it I pray for your parents' well being." Angeal smiled.

"Haha."

"Seriously so much ammo."

"Reno, would you like round two in the ring?" Zack retorted.

"I don't know what you're talking about. What round? We've never fought. Why would we do that?" Reno asked, gesturing wildly.

Zack thought about it and opened his mouth to remind him when he realized that Tseng would kill both of them if he ever got word of it. He snapped his jaw shut in mild panic when the door opened again. Zack glanced back to see Tseng and Cissnei walk in.

"You weren't kidding about the see you soon bit." Zack quickly smiled trying to erase his previous probably wild look of dismay.

"Nope." Cissnei shook her head and sat down next to Rude and Tseng sat between her and the Director's seat. Zack took a deep breath.

Lazard entered as Tseng sat and the three First stood. Zack scrambled to join them. Lazard hit a button on the wall next to the door and the glass wall and door turned opaque in an instant. Zack blinked at the change.

"Veld and Strife will not be joining us, please be seated." Lazard sat down and the four SOLDIERs followed suit, Zack a bit clumsily.

"On to business."

"Please direct your attention to your monitor and save your questions for the end of the briefing."

The monitor lit up with a map of the planet, except there were four distinct red lines on it. One in Wutai, another over near Cosmo Canyon, another one north west of it and yet another over on the bottom right of the map

"At 22:26 Shinra Standard Time on 9/1 a gravitational disturbance in Midgar set off a chain reaction that made good use of our reactors safety features."

That was around when Zack's ceiling caved in and his floor got cracked by that weird blond guy, the weird blond guy who knew his name. He wrote down 'grav dist?' in the notes section.

"The overflow and pressure release valves were working nearly non stop for two days. Almost no one noticed any changes here in Midgar, but the same can not be said elsewhere. Four mako fissures opened and continued growing for two days causing quakes and aftershocks resulting in significant damages in Wutai, Nibelheim, Cosmo Canyon, and Mideel."

Both Genesis and Angeal shifted in their chairs making quiet notes on their screen.

"Shinra security forces have been hard at work managing search and rescue in Nibelheim and Mideel, however Cosmo Canyon and Wutai declined assistance."

The map zoomed in to the south east line and a picture of a blurry black monstrosity popped up.

"At 16:00 SST on 9/6 the aftershocks stopped and began again roughly an hour later when the fissures began to appear to close. However, monsters of unusual size and make have emerged since, most notably just outside Mideel where we've lost a full squad of Seconds and an unconfirmed number of security officers. The fissure is quite close to the town and almost all of the older structures have fallen from the quakes. The newer buildings remain mostly intact.

"Banora, though nearby, has reported only a few new mako geysers outside of town."

Angeal seemed to relax some. The map pulled out and zoomed into the Cosmo Canyon area. Another picture of a black monster popped up, this one a bit clearer, but further away.

"We don't have boots on the ground in Cosmo Canyon but a helicopter was able to capture a picture of the monster guarding the end of the fissure there. It's quite distant from the town, has been less violent, and seems to simply be moving with the end of the fissure as it closes. Despite the older architecture, most of the buildings in the settlement seem intact."

The map pulled out again and zoomed up to the area north of Cosmo Canyon. There wasn't a picture of a monster this time, but there was a looping video of an exploded smoking reactor covered in green glowing crystals on top of a mako veined mountain.

"The newer reactors come with and Midgar's older reactors have been retrofitted with those safety valves I mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, the eldest reactors such as the one in Nibelheim were not and could not be retrofitted to have the same safety features. As such, the Nibelheim Reactor exploded. It seems the mako explosion was pressurized enough to not only explode the reactor, but also to instantly crystalize some of the mako within it resulting in the crystallization you see on the outside.

"The Nibelheim fissure seems to stem from what's left of the reactor. The entire town has been razed either by the quake or the resulting house fires. The landslides have prevented any ground assistance or evacuations and the townspeople are currently residing in an old abandoned Shinra building.

"There's been unconfirmed reports of a behemoth in the area but no monsters similar to the other two have been reported. Security forces were flown in to assess the situation and have since left only a few troopers to keep the peace for the time being."

The map pulled out again.

"We have no real information from within Wutai. All we know is they suffered something similar."

The map disappeared and the Shinra logo popped back up, the notes section still up.

"Sephiroth will assemble a team and deploy to Mideel with Reno and Rude at 14:00 SST this afternoon to eradicate the monster and assist with temporarily moving refugees from Mideel to Banora.

"Angeal will deploy with Cissnei, Tseng and a contracted planetologist to Cosmo Canyon at 13:00 SST to speak with the locals on ascertaining what could have caused this and to eradicate the monster when it becomes violent, if it does or when it is out of the Cosmo Canyon area. There are rumors of anti Shinra activity in the area, so be on guard."

"Zack will deploy with Director Veld and Strife along with another security detail to Nibelheim at 12:00 to assist with emergency supply distribution and investigating the fissure and reactor. If there is a behemoth, you will eradicate that as well.

"Genesis will be acting as on site SOLDIER First should things turn south here.

Everybody started taking notes after being given their respective assignments and suddenly Zack felt very out of his depth. Maybe Reno wasn't as far off as Zack would have liked. This was the big leagues.

Zack made two notes of his own,

Strife who?

One armed director deploying why?

And he made another mental note, one he didn't write down. Why him. Why him and not the fiery dragon two seats over.

"I will note that these deployment assignments are non negotiable. The floor is open for questions. We'll start with Zack and make our way clockwise."

Zack looked at the Director with what had to be close to a touch-me-frog at night in a headlamp light look. Dazed and confused. He looked back at his screen when Angeal nudged him.

"Uh Gravitational what? Strife who? and uh... Director Veld why?"

Angeal nodded in encouragement. Which was nice after everything.

Lazard took a moment to bring something up on his monitor before speaking, "Urban Developments seismographs couldn't detect any epicenters for the quakes so when science reopened, the Director of R&D assigned a team to look into it. Geosciences are not his forte and he was... Preoccupied. Though the team continues to assess the situation, a gravitational anomaly is the only explanation that the team has come up with."

The Director hit something else on his monitor.

"Strife is currently finalizing his employment contract with the Turks. It wasn't entirely a voluntary contract but I've been assured he'll play along. As for the Director, you'll have to ask him that yourself."

"Thank you. That's all sir." Lazard nodded to Angeal.

"Are we sure about sending Strife with Zack?"

Lazard looked at Tseng who answered, "Strife is familiar with the area. Zack is the only SOLDIER he didn't protest working with."

"Do we know why?"

"We have an idea, but nothing concrete. Strife won't be a danger to Zack at the very least."

Angeal nodded slowly but it really made Zack question who this Strife guy was. Angeal asked another question, "Since when does Shinra have a planetologist?"

Lazard answered, "We don't. She's contracted, also not entirely voluntary, but again I've been assured she will play her part. I've not been privileged to know what that part is, only that she's the only one in the world who is qualified for it."

Sephiroth's tablet pen snapped and Zack jolted upright at the sound. If looks could kill Sephiroth would have buried Tseng several hundred feet into the ground. Tseng was pointedly not looking at him.

Angeal glanced at Sephiroth but left it there and continued, "I understand why you're not sending me to Mideel and Banora but do you have any word on my Mother or Genesis' parents?"

Angeal's mother? Was Mideel his hometown? Why wouldn't he be sent when he knew the area best?

"Unfortunately land lines in the affected areas have been spotty at best and radios have been reserved for emergency workers. So no, we don't have any details. I'm sorry."

"Understood, that's all."

"Why weren't we told sooner?" Genesis spat out before the Director addressed him.

"Security was handling it. Security would still be handling it if it weren't for the new monsters."

"A squad of Seconds lost?" Genesis scoffed.

"An unrelated mission. Clearing out the regular monsters between Mideel and Banora for security to transport people. Wrong place, wrong time."

"Why hasn't any of this been in the news?"

The director tilted his head before answering in a placating tone, "To prevent widespread panic. Anyone with family in affected areas wouldn't be able to reach them. And right now we can't afford civilians rushing off into these disaster zones."

"Fine." Genesis crossed his arms and waved his hand.

Sephiroth pulled out his PHS, flipped it open, and had his thumb hovering over something, "Tseng." Was the only thing he said, still glaring at the guy.

Tseng audibly ground his teeth, but quickly answered some unspoken question, "She was greatly affected by the disturbance. She's stable now but keeping her under the radar is no longer possible."

Zack heard Sephiroth's PHS casing grate against itself and his glove squeaked in protest.

"What dirt do you have on Tseng?" The question just slipped out of Zack's mouth.

"And can I have some?" Reno raised his hand. Rude elbowed him hard enough to get a groan. Cissnei coughed a laugh and Tseng actually rolled his eyes. Sephiroth closed his phone and put it away before looking at Lazard.

"Angeal is more than capable of handling Mideel, I would like to be assigned to Cosmo Canyon."

"Are you refusing the mission Sephiroth?" Lazard asked. The two locked eyes and they somehow came to some understanding.

"No."

"Good."

Since when could Firsts refuse missions anyway?

"Sephiroth?" Angeal asked.

Sephiroth took a moment eyeing all of the Turks, then eying Zack.

"This does not leave this room."

"I can keep my mouth shut." Zack promised. He wasn't great at it, but he could.

"The planetologist probably doesn't remember me, she was quite young when she... Escaped. She's... The closest thing I have to family. Keep her safe Angeal."

"You have my word." Angeal choked out, though he and Genesis both looked a bit shell shocked. The Turks all had their heads bowed.

Sephiroth nodded to Lazard, who had his mouth hung slightly ajar. Zack was pretty sure he didn't look much better.

Lazard cleared his throat, "Any questions from the Turks?" They all shook their heads.

"Then you'll depart at your assigned times from the helipad over the barracks. Dismissed."

---------------------

Nibelheim - Shinra Mansion 

[ μ ] – εγλ 09-01-00

14:26 NST (22:26 SST)

The ground rumbled before the planet itself woke Vincent from his slumber. His nightmare suspended. His atonement disturbed. His resting place was thrown to the side, the superfluous metal lock Hojo had put on it crushed under its own weight. The world shifted again and Vincent slammed against the coffin's cover evicting him from his faux death.

The planet shifted once more as it never had in Vincent's time alive, nor in his time in death. The ground moved once more and the ceiling of dirt began to crumble. His mind was not his own and the instinct to survive drove him out. Not everything survived his path.

The building was solid, a bunker in its own right, even as clearly abandoned as it was. The building trembled, but not as violently as it had at first. He ran out the door into the forest, joints and sinew unnaturally mobile for a... For a being after so long unmoved.

The midday sky was marred with a distant green glow through the trees. Had it been night, Vincent would have assumed it to be an Aurora more vibrant than any he'd witnessed before.

Screams echoed not far from where Vincent stood. His instincts roared for him to run away.

Run where? Run from what?

He ran from the green in the sky directly to the edge of the village. Vincent looked for someone giving directions, anyone with an air of authority.

None presented themselves. In fact, none had come outside. Vincent shook his head. The village layout hadn't changed much, though the quake had left some of the buildings worse for wear.

Given how run down the mansion looked, it had to have been quite some time, so no one would recognize him. Though in a crisis, few would turn away help. He looked down at his garb. Perhaps they might shoot him first. It's not like he'd die though. Probably.

He took a step into town when yet another quake passed, but this one didn't let up. Vincent tried to hold his balance as houses crackled and lit fires caught on dry lumber. He felt his skin start to tremble when the quake increased in intensity.

Buildings toppled and fires spread between houses, burning to the sway of the planet. Screaming men and crying women sounded over the crashing of falling trees, the thundering of moving ground, and the roar of a world on fire.

A nightmare. A memory pulsed into his consciousness. Lucrecia's nightmare.

The water tower legs snapped and water spilled, flooding a nearby house on fire. The fire was quenched but the water pushed what remained of the building over with the force of a tsunami and the screams within died as the rumbling of the planet finally eased.

A glint of red flared off a piece of glass not far from the top of the felled water tower. It called to him. Vincent stumbled with sea legs on land towards it and fell on his knees. Materia. A Summon. Phoenix.

Phoenix had been in the water tower?

He grasped it in his golden gauntlet and felt it burn bright practically begging for mana. Not of his own will, was mana given. Vincent turned his head from the flames as Phoenix rushed over the village and raised the nearly dead. The fires died out as it left, taking the fires of life and death with it. The screams and the cries began again.

Vincent pocketed the summon, stood, and got to work.

"My daughter. My daughter." A man cried, stumbling out of a still open window from the far house. He was covered in blood as was the girl he carried.

Vincent wasn't meant for this. He started to dig at his long abandoned training, it slowly started to take root. Or it would have, had another woman not begun attempting to smash her way through a wall.

That, he could help with. He made his way over and tore the wall where it had been impacted from the inside.

The woman, mid swing with a heavy looking pot, looked startled, then evened out in grim determination. Appropriate.

"Brian, set her down." She yelled at the man, still carrying his daughter. "Thank you stranger, if you could help the other houses, I can start taking care of them in the town center. Start with the shop and inn."

Vincent nodded and began as asked. He moved on to other houses and the woman, Claudia as it turned out, gathered and tended to those he brought out. Some made their way out on their own. Some had been too far gone for even the Phoenix to revive and Vincent collected the bodies to be identified away from the living.

The aftershocks that followed the main quake were a constant thorn, though never as bad as those first quakes. But each aftershock shortened the clock on how long the remaining buildings would stand for search and rescue.

Vincent moved perhaps more than a single man should be able to in his searching, but no one questioned it. Perhaps they should have.

Eventually, hours later, near twilight, the innkeeper managed to get an old battery run broadcast radio out of the rubble and running as the land line was inoperable. Vincent remembered the old call signs and Shinra's old frequencies.

Thankfully, Shinra had been listening. He passed on a report but didn't identify himself. He was no doubt dead as far as the world was concerned. As it was, as far as he was concerned, death had already become him. Possessed him.

When it became clear that Shinra would be coming within a day or two with medical supplies and emergency rations, he retreated to the mansion only to find a wall of dirt where once his and those of his fellow experiments caskets had lain.

He returned to the second level to find Brian, the mayor, had followed him. After his daughter had been stabilized, reason returned to the man. Thankfully.

"Is it safe to stay here?" The Mayor asked.

Vincent didn't know, but it would be better than the elements outside, "I don't see why not."

"I could use some help moving the townspeople then."

Vincent nodded, "I'll clear out any remaining monsters first. Get the people ready."

He cleared out the monsters and the townspeople came.

He stood sentinel with the mayor at night. And finally he asked.

"Who are you?"

It took Vincent a moment to answer, for he didn't know who he was beyond the sins he could never repay.

"I should be dead. But I'm not."

"Are you the Phoenix?"

Vincent pulled out the summon materia. It glinted in the starlight, reflecting the glow of aerosolized mako seeding rain clouds further up the mountain.

"No. But it seems I am cursed by it."

He put it away.

"You may call me Vincent."

"Have you been here? Are you the source of the howls at night?"

"If you could hear sounds from what used to be the basement, you would not have to question it." Vincent answered sharply.

That was answer enough.

When morning arrived Vincent went hunting. He brought back a Wolf he'd put out of its misery, trapped as it's been under a quake felled tree. He went out again. He fought a pack. His skin flayed away of its own accord and mutated into something else that he'd forcefully forgotten.

He screamed. He lost control. There wasn't enough wolf left to bring back without questions he didn't think he could stomach answering. He didn't go back.

For the best undoubtedly, for the following day, once the aftershocks had quieted he heard a helicopter overhead. Good.

Or it would have been if MP's hadn't chased after him. Hadn't found the evidence of his inhumanity.

He fled further away from the glow. Towards the mountain pass that had crumbled. In his despair at once more coming claw to claw with what he'd become, he dug into the rock and dirt blocked pass bare clawed. Eventually the beast began digging for him. He wasn't sure for how long. He didn't get far before The MP's made their way to the blocked pass. The beast fled. But it fled towards the mako sky. It reached the edge of a mako filled river and the beast hesitated, dropping Vincent where it stood.

Vincent gazed into the lifestream, and it gazed back. He slept and Chaos awoke in a host that was, and wasn't the one it had come to know and had long ago left.

Chaos put away its reaper and stood guard as the lifestream demanded. It stood guard in hiding, and the planet began to heal.

Chapter Text

Cloud's stomach churned in protest for the second time that day as they once more took to the sky. He bit his tongue and clamped his mouth shut as nausea tried to overtake his esophagus. The kid across from him did not have the same control he did.

"Blrgh" Strife grimaced at the kid's dry heaves. He had a SOLDIER Third Class helmet on, and the kid across from him had a security helmet on. They'd avoided introductions so far. With the way Zack had been side-eyeing him and his sword the Turks actually returned to him, he wasn't sure how long that would last.

Veld and Strife had been the last two on the helicopter transport to Junon which was far too loud and cramped for any sort of conversation. That sound of distress in the comparatively quiet transport plane however, was apparently enough to get Zack to stop fidgeting with his seat belt and start talking.

"Hey, how are you doing?"

The young security recruit waved him off, "I'm all right."

The voice... It was all wrong. Everything about the kid felt wrong.

"I wouldn't know... I've never had motion sickness." Zack replied, frowning in sympathy.

The plane had two rows of seats, one row on each side of the fuselage. Veld and the two SOLDIERs were accompanied by a squad of troopers, half of which were somewhat seasoned and half of which weren't even trained enough to be considered green. The latter was supposedly a strategic move to keep Strife in line. With everything going on, he wasn't sure if they just hadn't run out of cannon fodder to send.

Veld sat at the front on the right followed by Zack, then Strife then the more seasoned team. On the left a Corporal sat up front across from Veld followed by the newbies... One of which happened to be Cloud Strife. The kid directly across from him. He'd been doing his best not to think about that.

The kid groaned again.

"Pull it together Strife." One of the older troopers barked out.

The kid across from him flinched. Strife turned to the speaker, his SOLDIER Third Class helmet hiding his unamused glare, "Oh, and what am I pulling together trooper?"

The trooper reared back, "I uh wasn't speaking to you sir."

"Is there another Strife then?" Strife could almost feel Veld's gaze burning a hole in the back of his head. Veld was the one to push Strife over Tsurugi. He'd live.

The kid sitting across from him on the other side of the plane gingerly removed his helmet, blond spikes perking up to a couple of snickers.

"Cloud Strife, sir. And you?"

Strife froze for a moment before his brain kicked back in. Unfortunately Zack Fair's mouth was faster than Strife's brain.

"Hey! You have the same hair." Well that answered if Zack had recognized the sword or not.

Zack leaned forward excitedly and ruffled the young blonds' spikes. The kid jerked away with an offended countenance then groaned at more turbulence, tightening his arms back around his stomach and helmet. Strife could relate.

Zack probably thought he was being sneaky, one hand on the kids hair, the other making for Strife's helmet.

This wasn't the plan. Veld gave him very particular instructions and the President himself, had made Strife a deal he couldn't refuse that meant he had to follow this shit to the letter. That entire conversation had made his skin crawl, but the President was confused and Strife's arrival had the superstitious man thinking he was his shot in the dark to fix a suddenly broken world with no Promised land in sight. Strife hadn't exactly dissuaded him of the idea. He was pretty sure it'd bite him in the ass later but Jenova, or whatever remained of it in the exploded reactor had to go.

The deal put Strife temporarily in a SOLDIER Third Class uniform but had him on the Turks payroll. It kept him out of Science and gave him a free one way trip to Nibelheim, which was exactly what he wanted. It was also a deal that, after a great deal of trying and failing to distance himself from the two, tied his obedience or lack thereof to the well being or lack thereof of Cloud and Zack.

Too bad no one talked to Zack about any of that.

Zack yanked Strife's helmet off and Strife clenched his teeth against another bout of nausea. The kid in front of him monetarily looked shocked before it morphed into awe. Strife felt a little bit sick for feeling jealous of the kid.

Strife was the embodiment of everything Cloud wanted to be, and the kid got to see that without knowing the absolute horrors Strife had gone through to get there.

"It's just Strife. No last name." The kid blinked and some of the other troopers were whispering, one louder than the rest.

"Man, this is like one of my mom's soaps."

Strife suppressed a sigh, best to get this over with now as this was definitely not his fault, "How old are you kid?"

"Just turned 14 on August 11th." Strife took an appropriate amount of time to supposedly think about it.

"Guessing your training started on the 14th then?" A few of the older troopers shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes Sir." The kid didn't nod. Good for him, he'd figured that much out about motion sickness at least.

"23. No known family."

"Sorry sir, my ma's not thaaat old." The kid mumbled before putting his helmet back on.

"Coulda been jailbait though." One of the other troopers snickered. The reaction was near instantaneous. Had the kid and Strife both not been buckled down Strife was absolutely sure there would have been a fight on the plane but goddess bless Zack.

"Woah, woah. Not cool man."

Strife snatched his helmet from Zack's grubby paws while he was distracted and put it back on.

"Stow it recruits," The corporal drawled, not at all impressed.

"Yessir." The kid replied.

"Sorry Sir." The trouble maker apologized.

Everyone piped down and prepared for the long flight ahead of them. Meanwhile, Strife thought about the plans.

After the terrifying twenty questions with Sephiroth, Veld had brought Strife to a basic Interrogation cell. Nothing fancy, but it had taken roughly an hour's worth of mental gymnastics and Turk style negotiations to land them both with something resembling mutually beneficial.

He'd signed a temporary agreement in ink but it felt like blood. He told the man Vincent's location after he'd spoken with the President, a man used to being on top flailing when the world itself was revolting against humanity.

Strife signed his life away the following morning after combing through the write up with extreme prejudice.

The President's plan was not Veld's plan and Veld's plan was not Strife's plan. And Strife's plan was undoubtedly not the grunts' plan. The grunts who Strife would now have to make sure made it through this alive. Best to start now.

"Say, Veld?" He heard the man sigh several seats over, though with the noise from the engine, Zack would probably be the only other one to hear it.

"Yes Strife?"

"The hell are we going into a danger zone with a team that's only been in basic for three weeks?"

Zacks grinned and raised his eyebrows with a feral glint in his eyes. Hmm, must be some bad blood with a reaction like that? Maybe they had stuck a detonator...

"Yeah Veld, do tell?" Zack asked.

No. They had to have been bullshitting him on getting Zack and Cloud. The kid wasn't even favoring anything other than his... Stomach? Strife mind revolted at the idea. No. That was too quick a turnaround. They were fine. They had to be.

"That can wait for the briefing on the ground, don't you think Strife?"

"With all due respect sir, I don't think it should." The lone corporal on the plane spoke up.

Zack nudged Veld and Veld nodded, "Go ahead."

"Oh yeah!"

Zack unbuckled himself with enthusiasm before standing near the front of the plane, Strife tried and failed not to snort.

"Have you guys been briefed at all about where we're going?"

"No." The corporal answered.

"Right so the older squad is doing a mountain road pass clearing, the younger squad is helping with supply distribution..."

Strife, once upon a time would have done anything to hear Zack drone on about anything, even something boring, just one more time. Now, he can't help but tune the teenager out, his voice isn't quite right. His posture is all wrong, he doesn't have the right sword. Strife swallowed his grief and pretended it was just more of the motion sickness.

Strife had never expected to wield the buster sword ever again. But when it had been in his hands it felt like coming home in a way coming home never actually felt, not since he was a kid anyway... Younger even than the kid in front of him.

That fight though...

That fight had felt like coming home too and he wasn't sure why. He could guess though. The three First Class SOLDIERS fought together as one and even with Sephiroth being weaker than expected... Much, much weaker, all three of them together had been a losing battle. Not even desperation could save him from the miniature sun bombardment followed by a hip injury incurred from getting body slammed by the soon to be Son of Calamity.

Strife was kind of surprised he'd lasted as long as he did... He almost thought, especially with what the redhead had pulled off at the end, if they hadn't been very specifically ordered to pull their punches. Even so, they fought well together as only those well versed in collaborative battles could. Brothers in war. Friends even perhaps with how friendly they were in the Director's office.

Sephiroth had friends... who would have ever thought. Not two years in the future at least. What had become of them then, he could only guess.

That fight though...

He'd enjoyed it. He shouldn't have, but he did, and he was sure they enjoyed it as much if not more than he had. To include Sephiroth in that should have been sacrilege, but seeing the man shutdown at the flick of a handcuff had humanized him in a way Strife wasn't at all thrilled with. The fear faded after that and pity filled the empty space it left. No wonder he didn't get it.

I pity you. You just don't get it at all. There's not a thing I don't cherish.

An abused puppy with a kill switch. Loyal to the last until he realized he was a full grown wolf with nothing left to lose.

And then he burned Nibelheim. Then he tried and partially succeeded in burning the world.

It had been easy for the pity to override the fear of the younger would be god in the adrenaline and thrill of the fight. It hadn't been so easy to ignore afterwards, especially with the pilfered clothes he'd been wearing.

He really shouldn't have been surprised by his borrowed attire. He'd been hoping for a wig... which he'd gotten and was interrupted by Turks before he ever got it on. But the clothes... He had the worst luck, the absolute worst. Except for chocobos.

Gold chocobo, first try.

That's where all his luck went, agonizing and time consuming jockeying and breeding notwithstanding.

Strife closed his eyes and leaned his head back as Zack answered more questions than he really should have to, that should have been Veld. but Zack was technically the highest ranking officer present.

He could see the building blocks of the man Zack would become... Could become. It was faint, not yet worn down. But still there, still missing the buster, maybe it wouldn't be his for a while yet, with how different things were.

He could barely remember Modeoheim, he could barely remember Junon. He didn't even remember what they were doing there. He really didn't remember much from his days at Shinra. He often wondered if the only reason he remembered what he did was because Zack talked about it when he was in a coma.

Zack talked about a lot when Strife couldn't answer, not that he remembered any of it... But he'd heard it, internalized it. Bastardized it. It had been the same with Tifa really. It had been his memories, but if he hadn't had her to...

Strife swallowed down more grief. He buried his own doubt. He was real, his memories were his own. The proof was sitting right in front of him. The unfamiliar kid he didn't recognize his face and his name and his memories...

He clenched his teeth. Not now.

Aerith sat behind him. Back to back as always.

"Did you still doubt it?"

He nodded.

Easy enough to pick up memories of the dead in the lifestream. That's what Sephiroth did wasn't it.

She hummed, thinking.

"I suppose he did. He lost what little of himself was left doing so. You didn't. You got yourself back."

I was already lost. I am lost... Again.

"Well, good thing you're a delivery boy. Should be good at getting unlost." He could hear her smile.

Different stars.

"Different season. Same sky silly."

Strife opened his eyes and listened back in. Not that there was much to listen to. Zack was nervously doing squats on the plane and that really couldn't be a great idea, even if Zack didn't get motion sickness. Everyone else seemed to be processing. He really should have paid attention to how much Zack told them... To how much Zack had been told.

"That still doesn't explain why the second team is a bunch of greens... Pre greens really." The corporal finally bit out and Zack turned around with pleading eyes at Veld who, if Strife didn't know any better, looked like he was sleeping.

Zack scratched the back of his neck and looked back at the corporal, "I'm here cause I'm pretty agreeable to country folk. Don't suppose any of the newbies are too?"

"Well Cloud's a country hick. That count?" The same boy who'd almost started a fight earlier piped up. Strife momentarily wanted to air drop him over the ocean. The urge passed quickly.

"Oh? From where?" Zack asked.

"Nibelheim." The kid mumbled and nearly everyone who wasn't in the know went from curious to on edge, their teams' purpose now seemingly made known, a local coming home to clean up the disaster. Strife wondered if the kid was holding up. He seemed to be, but he didn't know his own expressions enough to be sure.

Zack laughed in a self depreciating way, "Oh man. Now I get why Veld wanted us to wait."

"I'm fine. No sense worrying until we know anyway."

"That's very mature of you, don't know if I could do that." Zack sat back down in his seat.

"Oh. Where are you from?" the kid asked.

"Me? Gongaga." Zack answered back pointing to his chest. The kid laughed, motion sickness second to comedy.

Zack huffed, "Hey, what's so funny about that? You know Gongaga?"

Strife heard the conversation start to echo. Like the empty church. Compact snow crunched beneath their footsteps.

That didn't make sense.

"No. But it's such a backwater name." The kid replied.

"Ditto Nibelheim." Zack smirked.

"Like you've been there before?" The kid tilted his head questioningly before his mouth wobbled and he audibly suppressed another dry heave.

Zack grimaced, "I haven't, but there's a reactor there, right?"

"Was?" The kid questioned and Zack's grimace deepened.

"Maybe. But," Zack flipped his grimace into a subtle grin, "A mako reactor outside Midgar usually means--"

"--nothing else out there," the kid and Zack spoke the common phrase together and started laughing in earnest. Strife smiled as the echo ended. It almost felt like a memory. Maybe it was.

The corporal snorted, "So that's it then?"

Veld replied, though the man still looked asleep, "a show of good will to a people not fond of Shinra."

The kid snorted, "if you're hoping I'll get you some sympathy for your blown up reactor then you're out of luck. The Elders hate my guts and the Mayor couldn't care less."

"Huh?" Zack blurted out.

Veld cut them off, finally opening his eyes, "Mayor Zander died. Brian Lockhart has assumed the Mayorship."

"Oh." The kid looked down. "Then it will probably be worse."

Strife silently agreed.

"Did you get a list of the dead then?" The kid asked.

"We did. There were no Strife's on it."

The kid collapsed into himself.

"Could have mentioned that a bit earlier?"

"It's not mission critical Cloud. If Strife had kept his mouth shut, I would have told you on the ground."

"Ah. Thanks."

The rest of the flight passed without incident. The corporal dropped his line of inquiry. Strife even managed to get some Zzz's in. He'd have to thank Cid for all the practice on the...

Or not. He wasn't here and the Highwind wasn't... Or was it? It didn't really matter at the moment. Very little mattered outside of destroying the manor basement while extracting Vincent and destroying Jenova.

He had to keep telling himself that.

Landing in the air strip outside Nibel pass had been bumpy. The kid had actually managed to get some water down mid flight and kept it down on the landing. He was proud of the kid... Proud of... How weird to fight your own psyche and find your own value, only to take pride in the accomplishments you once saw as worthless when attributed to someone else... That was actually definitely who you used to be.

It was giving Strife a migraine.

He looked at Cloud Strife and saw Denzel instead. He didn't see his younger self... He saw someone else entirely. Strife tried again not to think about it.

"Alright we'll help the greens get the emergency supplies into the helicopter transport then we'll load into the trucks to..." The Corporal trailed off.

Strife was sizing up the pallet of supplies and nudged Zack.

"Grab the other side and see if we can get this taken care of."

"Uh, we're strong but we're not..." Zack trailed off when Strife rubbed his gloved hands together. Zack eyed Strife like a crazy man, and right now... Yeah. He was talking about himself in the third person after all.

Strife leaned down and waited for Zack to do the same on the other side of the pallet.

"Ready?"

"Uh... Technically sure. Actually, absolutely nope." Strife laughed and started lifting.

Zack met him in the lift with a great deal of difficulty, it probably would have been easier if Zack hadn't been trying to talk.

"Yo! Who... In their... Right mind... Made you... A Third... Like I can... Barely do this...and I'm a... Second... And I know... You're getting... A lot... Of the... Weight.... But dude..."

They dropped the pallet into the helicopter with speed and precision. Zack leaned over, hands on his knees. Strife was in a similar position, but not breathing nearly as hard.

"We are not doing that again you maniac. When we get to Nibelheim we are moving supplies like the good and average country boys we are okay." Strife didn't correct him on if he was a country boy or not. Probably seems obvious.

"Yeah. Villagers will want to help too." Strife smiled as he replied. Catching the absolute shocked look everyone but Veld was giving them. The kid had his jaw completely dropped. He'd catch flies. Strife was showing off to himself what the hell was wrong with him.

"Show off," the corporal muttered.

Zack laughed. Worn down and still getting his breath back... It sounded familiar.

The Corporal shook his head and signaled the older troopers to pick their jaws up and start trailing into the helicopter with some extra water jugs and filters that hadn't been on the pallet.

Strife walked back out of the Helicopter and realized there had been others here waiting for them. One wore a doctor's coat which made Strife's stomach twinge in a way not unlike his more recent motion maladies. There were a few others that... Wait.

He really hoped his own moment of shock went unnoticed.

"G'damn SOLDIER's out here making us look like shit."

Cid.

"It's what they're here for right now Captain." Shera replied, looking at her clipboard.

"Yeah, we'll they better be more than good muscle. You better get back here just like ya left."

"As long as they brought the hazmat suit I won't be in the reactor long."

"Says the woman who can't get anything done on time."

They were sending Shera as the reactor technician?

One more. He had one more person to make sure didn't actually get up to the reactor now. Cid would murder him. Absolutely pole vault him into the sun if he didn't.

"Whaddya lookin at kid?" Cid caught his eye and Strife took his chance while he had it. He walked towards the two,, Zack's footsteps following him quietly.

"You're the astronaut who's flying the rocket, right?"

Shera flinched and half of Strife's plans got immediately chucked out the window before Cid could even say anything.

"Was... I was." Cid stared out into the distance, eyes unseeing with a glassy coat over them.

"Was?"

"It's a damn near miracle 26 was the only thing we lost... But it did get gone."

"Extremely precise really." Shera noted, still flipping through her notes."

"How so?" Veld had joined them.

"Hmm?" She looked up at the Turk from her clipboard, confused.

"Ah, don't mind her. She's slow, best we got though, You keep her safe now y'hear?"

"Of course, Highwind." Veld replied, still looking at Shera.

Strife asked, because he had to be sure, "Precise as in the rocket was targeted?"

Cid flinched, "Now wait just a--"

"--No. Shinra is the most advanced technological power in existence and does not currently have the technology needed for energy weapons capable of this kind of targeting. So no." She surmised.

Strife's stomach dropped as if he were back in the air.

Asshole. The good for nothing silver haired asshole.

"That sucks." Zack's hand was scratching the back of his neck looking like he wanted to be anywhere but talking to this guy who's dreams had just been crushed, "Sorry man. They've got a whole exhibit model on 26 in HQ. Was looking forward to it."

"Weren't we all." Shera replied.

"Ah hell." Cid turned around and stormed off, Shera followed closely behind."

"Your take on it Strife?"

He debated answering truthfully or not, but he really didn't have anything to lose at least implying things.

"You know my opinion on the lifestream Veld. It's sentient and it's pissed."

"Uh, sirs?" The Corporal shouted some distance away over near a couple of trucks, "Everything's loaded."

"Thank you Corporal." Veld shouted back.

"Round three." Strife didn't groan but it was a near thing. Veld snorted and Zack laughed.

"Didn't realize SOLDIER's could get motion sickness. That a family thing ya think?" Zack grinned, ridiculously doing a few squats while waiting.

"Maybe." Strife hedged.

"Zack grab the doctor, I'll grab the technician. Strife get the troops onboard." Veld ordered.

"On it!" Zack exclaimed before jogging off after the doctor still near the plane.

"Sir, yes sir." Strife drawled.

"Greens, get your asses in the transport yesterday." Strife ordered.

"Sir! Yes Sir!"

Even green it didn't take much to get them rounded up. The kid, unsurprisingly, did everything he could to wait until Strife himself got in.

Strife sighed when he sat down on the front bench and the kid nabbed the spot next to him. What the hell was he doing?

Shortly thereafter Shera, Zack and the apparent civilian doctor who'd been waiting for them at the landing strip got in too.

"It will be a short trip Shera, we'll get you back to base when we're done." Veld said and Shera nodded.

"Thank you sir."

Strife leaned his helmeted head back against the metal plating with a loud clunk as Veld closed the door behind everyone and got into the pilot seat.

This didn't change anything in the long run. Jenova still had to go. It just wouldn't be getting thrown into the sun any time soon.

He sighed as his stomach tried to lurch on takeoff. The kid leaned forward again but tilted his head towards Strife. Strife could tell the kid wanted to talk, but with the engines and the cramped space, that was impossible. Strife knew he was nervous. It had only been a month since the kid left Nibelheim. He'd made a promise that, if it had been Strife, he'd feel like he'd be about to break it. It had only been a month though. Tifa would understand... Maybe. If she was... If she was okay.

Strife had every intention of avoiding the villagers. He had every intention of making a mad dash for the manor. Except…

He took a step off the helicopter in the middle of what used to be the town square and all he could see was fire. Fire, ash, blood, and a long silver haired silhouette.

Strife blinked and shook his head to see the unabashed horror on Cloud's half covered face.

If this is the only destruction the kid ever knew... That kindling of jealousy flared in Strife's chest again. The kid knew the aftermath of Nibelheim's destruction. He'd hopefully never know the abject terror of actually being there for it.

Everything was gone. Crushed, burned to charcoal or swept away, covered in dirt that would have once been mud.

"Strife?" Veld said and both Strife's jumped. Zack looked at both of them worriedly, grabbing supplies and handing them out to the other recruits to carry.

"Yeah, I'm good." Strife Acknowledged, nodding before going to also pick up supplies.

"I'm not," the kid whispered.

How dare he admit that. Why... Why would he admit that?

Veld led the way to the manor, the doctor just behind him. Their arrival was met with shouts of jubilation. Strife kept his helmet on. So did Cloud.

Once in, it was easy enough to slip away, the majority of the villagers leaving to start the supply train from the helicopter to the manor. He got to the safe to find it was not only a different kind of dial, but opened and empty.

"Can I help you?" The voice of a woman asked... A woman long dead. A ghost. Her voice matched what few memories of her he still held on to. He didn't look.

"I'm an employee of Shinra, we expected there to be something in the safe."

"Oh? It was like that when we arrived." The ghost replied. A traitorous tear tried to escape. Strife blinked his eyes repeatedly before facing the woman. It would be terrible to manners not to, he convinced himself. His helmet covered everything. He had no reason to worry.

When he turned, his eyes were drawn to several beds instead of the ghost... Tifa was in one of them. His breath hitched.

"Is she okay?" He blurted out. The ghost blinked.

"She's been in a coma since the quake. It's not the first time she's been in one and she came out just fine the first time. I'm not worried, but we're looking forward to the doctor's diagnosis." The ghost tilted her head and narrowed her eyes.

"Right. The doctor will be here shortly. I'm sorry." He choked out before he turned around and very intentionally didn't run.

He made his way to the other side of the manor to find the hidden stairway already revealed.

Had Vincent already made it out?

He descended the stairs to find the entrance covered in dirt and fully blocked. He knocked the pile of dirt to see what kind of response it would provide...

A full and compact thud reached his ears and dashed his hopes. No rocket to hide a body in, Vincent well and truly buried. Tifa in another coma.

Strife fell to his knees as grief finally took him. He fell on his hands and a vicious singular sob tore out of his mouth.

Cid and Shera in space on the rocket on its way to destroy meteor. Vincent buried in his coffin far more than six feet under. Marlene hiding under Vincent's coat, daring Cloud to do better. Tifa laying still and cold on the cot in a coma... Aerith laying in his arms, dead. Nearly by his own hand, covered in her blood Zack's blood on his face, the buster sword in Strife's hand, Sephiroth's pinched face with the buster cracking the glass on the other side of him. Jenova's head. His mother screaming for him to leave the burning house as Sephiroth impaled her with Masamune in front of him, too scared to disobey her. 

Coward.

Strife tore the Fusion sword from his back harness and flung it off to the side. He scrambled to pull his helmet off before all that motion sickness came back to bite him. He hadn't eaten anything so there was nothing to come up. Just more dry heaves like the kid in the plane...

The kid he didn't recognize. Too thin, too small, voice not right, not like he remembered... He didn't remember. The kid who reminded him of Denzel. The kid he couldn't save. He couldn't save Denzel from the stigma. He couldn't save himself. He couldn't save anyone.

"Stormcloud?"

Another sob ripped from his throat. He shook his head before a ghost pulled him into her arms and he wept. He wept and he wept and he wept and he wept for those lost and left behind until he had no tears left to lose.

The ghost rocked him back and forth, and he slowly started to remember. To remember what Denzel must have felt when Tifa rocked him to sleep after a nightmare... What Cloud would have felt when his mother, when Claudia did the same for him. He stuttered in a calming breath.

"Don't suppose you were looking for someone named Vincent down here?" She asked and Strife hiccupped. He nodded his head more than a little embarrassed at the sound, but also... She knew Vincent?

"He got us through the worst of it, even got us a nice Nibel Wolf. He disappeared shortly before the first batch of troops got here." Strife let out a long measured exhale and his shoulders drooped in relief. Vincent wasn't buried. He was alive.

"You know. Your father wanted to name you Kuraudo. I vetoed it. We compromised on Cloud. It sounded close enough without being foreign. It's up for grabs... if you want it."

Strife snorted. How did she know? How could she possibly know?

"How..."

"Cloud was very excited to tell me about his new SOLDIER friends. The Turk was being dodgy about it. And a mother just knows."

Strife stuttered an inhale.

"Strife Kuraudo?"

"Or Kuraudo Strife. My mother was a rather voracious woman and often left me with my grandmother when she traveled. You could quite easily be my half brother."

"Younger half brother?"

"Unmarried and very voracious." He could hear a grin in her voice. He leaned away from her to see it through red rimmed eyes and drank her in.

"As far as anyone up top is concerned, Strife's all I've known. But I'd be glad of second name." He inhaled and exhaled one last time as Cloud Strife. His next inhale was as Strife Kuraudo and a weight lifted off his chest that he hadn't known was there. It was just a name, but it was a release from expectation. He didn't just feel lighter, he felt... cleansed. He didn't really understand it. He'd always be Cloud, but he wasn't this Cloud. Hadn't been for nine years. The new name, it just...

"Good." She slowly brushed off his pauldrons, "I don't know what you did little Stormcloud. I don't know where you're from or how you got here, but if you need anything, just remember the heart will never point to the north--"

"--but it will always point to home. From Fenrir's Foes. I remember."

And he did. He did remember sitting in her lap on their squeaky rocking chair reading fantasies and fables together. He remembered falling asleep like that to his favorite fable. Fenrir got lost because clouds covered the stars, but he got home anyway, because his heart led the way when the stars couldn't.

"Okay." She kissed the top of his head and he stuttered another exhale and got up, lending the woman who wasn't a ghost a hand as he did so.

"Hey m... Ms. Strife." She smiled at him and ran a hand through his hair."

"Yes Kuraudo?"

Kuraudo smiled back, "Thank you."

Chapter Text

Angeal tightened his grip on the Buster sword as he listened to the footsteps making their way to the inn door. Unhurried. He took his sword from where he'd leaned it against the wall and placed it back on his magnetic harness.

"We have a visitor." He said. Cissnei who had been eyeing his movement nodded in understanding.

"Oh finally!" Aerith exclaimed and rushed to open the door before anyone could even knock. Angeal snorted at the surprised young man on the other side of the door, hand still lifted, "Hi! Is Mr. Bugenhagen ready?"

The young man shook his head and dropped his hand, "Uh yes Fellow Bugenhagen is ready to see you. Please follow me."

Tseng, who had been resting his eyes, leaning against the wall directly next to the door, sighed and took point in front of Aerith, Cissnei followed and Angeal closed the door behind them. The guard who'd been posted outside their door slumped against the wall when he thought they were out of earshot.

They'd been met, not with open arms or threats of violence but with the pained neutrality of a people who paid their dues to Shinra and had very little to show for it out of choice and discontent. An honorable independent people, subject to Shinra in name only.

The drive in had been strange, mostly because the giant black and purple monster had kept its face like surface pointed towards them, but hadn't moved from its place in the canyon at the end of the open mako fissure. Its eyeless stare weighed heavily on Angeals mind. Aerith hadn't taken her eyes off of it, but remained calm, like it wasn't the first time she'd laid eyes on a two story monster that crawled up from a pool of mako. If she'd been one of Hojo's, perhaps it wasn't.

When they arrived, they'd been told to wait, even though Fellow Bugenhagen was apparently aware they were coming. The guard outside their door ensured they didn't roam, much to the Turks reluctant acquiescence. Their time had not been made easier, essentially locked in a room as they were, when aftershocks plagued the canyon.

Aerith had made a brave face for it, but she'd readily accepted Cissnei's silent support when the ceiling rattled questionably.

Angeal hadn't quite been able to reconcile Lazard's description and Sephiroth's request of Angeal with the girl before him. She was no researcher, though she wore the Shinra uniform as if she were. She wasn't any older than Zack, and... She had absolutely no idea what was happening.

Aerith was bubbly. That was the best description for her. Bubbly but sad. Not here by choice, but excited all the same.

"Come in. Come in." An older gruff voice called when they reached the highest building on the highest cliff. Their guide opened the door for them to enter and remained outside. Tseng and Cissnei stood in front of Aerith, Angeal remained at the back.

"I apologize for the mess, but the quakes have made keeping tidy an impossibility, we're lucky the generators are working I say." The man rushed around the table to meet them. He was sitting on some form of hover technology that looked like giant materia.

"Of course. We appreciate you seeing us on such short notice." Tseng clipped, his annoyance not hidden. "I am Tseng and this is Cissnei of the Turks, Angeal of SOLDIER, and Aerith of R&D.

"Right, well. I did find what old Veld asked for. How he knew I had it is another matter." Bugenhagen raised an eyebrow and motioned for them to follow him.

"Shinra has a long memory." Tseng stated.

"No, Gast had an insufferable propensity to label and document everything. Pretty sure that's why he's dead. Such a shame that was."

Aerith tensed but he couldn't see her face.

"Indeed." Tseng agreed.

That was news. Sephiroth had done exhaustive research on the old R&D director. Angeal knew he'd retired, he didn't know he was dead. Sephiroth could probably quote as much of Gast's research to anyone as Genesis could quote Loveless and discuss its interpretations. Angeal wondered if Sephiroth knew.

The old man opened a door, motioning them to follow.

"Gast?" Aerith asked hesitantly as she filed into the room. The old man turned to look at her and squinted.

"Professor Faremis, these are his machines. My memory fails me quite often in my old age dear girl, do I know you?"

She shook her head, "Nope." Angeal didn't think it was a lie, but her reaction had been strange. The old man shrugged and turned around flipping on a few machines and landing at one that was already on.

Angeal felt compelled to ask, "I thought Dr. Faremis focused on biology?"

Bugenhagen started typing before grabbing a floppy disk and inserting it into the side of the monitor.

"Oh ho ho. Doctor eh? Yes, he did lean towards Biological studies. But he was a genius who sought the blending and coexistence of nature and science. That dream extended to all facets of science, Cosmology included. Or in this case, Geography and Archeology."

"Archeology?" Aerith asked.

"Yes. Apparently the man owed an Archeologist a favor back in the day. This program was the result. I don't know how the seismographs are still operational but they have gathered all the data we'll need. I ran this program myself just after we got the power back on after the first quake. I ran it again after the president called. We'll run it again today."

"Do you have the previous results?" Tseng asked.

"I do, give it a minute. I'm not pulling a full analysis, just looking for changes."

He hit the keyboard with some severity before turning around.

"You have theories though?" Tseng prodded.

"Yes. In a minute."

Angeal took the time to look around. The domed ceiling was painted in blank holographic tiles reminiscent of the training room and the floor appeared to be attached to a few gears. A globed device standing in the center.

One of the machines beeped loudly and the old man slammed a fist against the side of it. The machine quieted.

"Why did you bring young Ms. Aerith?"

Tseng stared at the man blankly before a sound that made Angeal's hair stand on end engulfed them. Like a whale call filtered through a metal tunnel and auto tune.

"What was that!?" Cissnei ground out.

A smaller, much quieter sound of similar nature followed.

"That is the sound of the planet in pain. It used to be worse. Melancholic and resigned to a slow death. It lost its resignation after the quake. It's fighting now."

"Fellow Bugenhagen?" Aerith stepped around Cissnei to see the man.

Bugenhagen continued. "I've been listening to it for years. It's still a terrible fright for those not used to it, but of more interest is the sound that now follows. It's the same... But at the volume of a whisper. That's new."

The computer beeped and Bugenhagen turned around.

"Hmm... Not that different then." The old man sighed before making a few more keystrokes and popping out both the floppy disk he'd put in as well as one near the screen. He brought it over to the center device and put them both in.

"We'll come on then."

Tseng and Cissnei walked toward the center of the room next to the spherical device. Angeal and Aerith cautiously followed.

"This is my laboratory. A 3D holographic projection system. It was cutting edge twenty years ago." Bugenhagen flipped a switch and the platform began to rise. "Normally it is set to show our stunning solar system. The cosmos. Show how the planet and all living things interact with and are dependent upon spiritual energy. This however, is going to show us a crude representation of what's within the planet rather than what is without it."

Angeal couldn't help the pang of regret that hit his heart. It was too soon to say where it would end up, but he'd have to get Genesis out to Cosmo Canyon before things got worse, just in case. He'd love this.

That hadn't been a pleasant conversation. Afterwards he'd half wanted to tie Genesis down so he couldn't make his injury worse. Hollander grounding him was the only thing that eased the worry, though Genesis nearly had a fit when he received the news. 

"This is so cool!" Aerith whispered.

"Ho ho hooo. I will show you cool when the Turk's have what they want. The cosmos are truly spectacular." The girl giggled.

A rough depiction of the globe formed in the center, just above them. It was translucent in a sense, with multiple colored layers one of which was a very noticeable neon green layer with river and ocean like streams which seemed to be actually moving below the top layer.

"The Lifestream?" Aerith asked.

"Yes. Very good. At least, roughly twenty five years ago."

The green layer moved and changed rapidly several times, each time getting thinner and more sickly looking.

"This is how it looked just last year."

The neon green flowed in the same path, but it was much shallower.

"And this is what it looked like after the first bout of quakes."

The projection morphed into something strange. There was a second neon blue stream, it flowed in a different path. At a glance, he'd say it had moved away from most populated areas.

"And again just now, it's not changed much since the last time I had run it, but it definitely changed once the planet's crust started healing."

The streams seemed to have merged? The Neon green stream was by far fuller, more so than it had even been twenty five years ago, and the neon blue stream barely registered in comparison.

"In your opinion what does this all mean?" Tseng asked.

"Spiritual energy is not a renewable resource, but somehow the planet has refueled itself and it brought more than it could handle. The planet's crust cracked where the streams overlapped too much."

"So where the crust is healing..." Cissnei trailed off

"... It's not so much healing as it is settling back in place. The cracks are still there, might even need a few bridges when it's all said and done, but it is settling, it's just probably going to take a while to settle completely."

"So the world just needs time?" Angeal asked for clarification.

"Right now. Yes." Bugenhagen clicked the center console and the platform descended.

The old man took out the floppy disks and placed them back on the computer consoles before shutting them off. Angeal made to move as well but Aerith had her head down, her hands in fists at her side, shaking. Tseng and Cissnei were looking at her in concern.

"How long has Shinra known about this program?" Aerith spit out.

Tseng calmly replied, "a few days."

The girl practically vibrated in rage.

"Ho ho hooo, finally hacked into Hojo's servers did you?"

"Hojo knew!" She shouted at Tseng.

"The metadata shows that Hojo never managed to unencrypt a good portion of Gasts old files, including the file containing this information."

"Hojo couldn't, but you could?" Bugenhagen asked.

"We had his old keys." Tseng replied and the girl snorted, clenching her teeth before settling down. She stomped her foot before turning and hurriedly walking out of the observatory, Cissnei hot on her tail. The door slammed shut. Angeal followed them quickly.

"Gast had a daughter before he was murdered didn't he?" Bugenhagen asked as the door swung open and Angeal almost stumbled.

"Thank you for your assistance. If we could get a copy of the most recent lifestream prints?" Tseng ignored the question with his request. The door slammed shut and Angeal was doing his best to not lose his mind at the implication.

Aerith had her head hidden in Cissnei's hair, her shoulders shaking. Cissnei looked to be holding her in place more than actually hugging her. He was about to ask what was wrong, but the same sound that enveloped the old man's home before sounded once more with another whispered echo.

Another aftershock rumbled through. And another. And a quick sudden and violent jolt that sent a few books flying off the table and sent both girls to the floor. He tried to catch them but fell onto his back instead.

He sighed and stood back up when the quake passed. Bugenhagen opened the door, unruffled on his hovercraft. Tseng came out after him with a noticeable dent in his forehead.

Ouch.

He moved over to the girls to help them up. Aerith glared at him getting up on her own, but Cissnei took the assist.

"That didn't feel like the other aftershocks." Angeal noted.

"It likely wasn't." Bugenhagen confirmed his head bowed.

"Did the planet crust just settle?" Cissnei asked as she stood up, brushing her knees off.

"I'm... Not sure." No sooner had he replied than his door burst open.

"Grandpa!" A fire tailed lion-like dog yelped. "The Gi have breached the gate. The lifestream flooded the tunnel."

"Sound the alarm Nanaki." Bugenhagen ordered. None of those sentences made any sense.

The sentient creature nodded before running out the door. All present looked towards Fellow Bugenhagen.

"I hope you believe in ghosts. Unless you have an immediate evac, you're about to fight quite a few."

Masamune sang against the wind and rain, shwinging like a swaying chandelier made of wet wine glasses. Sephiroth's mind was in two times, but the distinct sound of his own sword grounded him in the present.

This was not Rhadore. This was Mideel. The dragon sized half hag monster before him made his mind rebel against logic however.

He cut through the first of the mako monsters like butter. It had fallen to Sephiroth's blade within a minute. The victory was short lived. Another emerged from whence the other faded. The second monster fell within two minutes. The third within five. The fourth within seven. When the fifth emerged, Sephiroth changed tactics. He didn't need it to die, he needed it away from what little remained of Mideel.

The pictures had been too kind. The rescue parties hadn't made it through all of Mideel before the monster emerged; he doubted there would be anyone left now.

Deliberate misses close enough to be near hits close to the limbs and the simulacra of faces on its chin served to herd the monster away. It screeched at him, repeatedly swiped at him, and dropped red beams from the heavens.

Sephiroth had only caught a glimpse of the insectoid nightmare before. He'd been far too focused on convincing himself he'd just executed mercy and not cold blooded murder. But what little he remembered, processing... This too was the anger of the planet made manifest.

Fifteen minutes to move the monster a few dozen meters. It wasn't enough. He started landing deliberately annoying cuts and slashes to the monster's main body. Not to kill, but to persuade. That worked for several dozen more meters. Still too close for comfort.

He took a moment, just a moment to step back. The monster followed. It wouldn't stay then.

Sephiroth held Masamune before him as a guard against the monster before once more slogging forward through the wet sand.

The planet growled, then heaved both man and monster into the air before crashing back down. The crevasse that had formed full of mako now startlingly narrow. Here at least. Further inland it still looked fairly open.

The monster retreated on its own. He watched it until it stood its ground where the land remained open to the mako below. They'd need to keep a watch on it, but Sephiroth deemed the distance safe enough.

He pulled his shortwave radio out and swapped it to the Turk channel.

"Red this is Black over."

"Black this is Red. Go ahead."

"Status?"

Reno chuckled. "Shaken, not stirred. Med tent's back to how we found it. Kunsel and Rude are working to keep the Doctors happy. Everyone else should have everything back in order by the time you get back, assuming the thing's dead. Over."

Sephiroth eyed the mako lake once named Mideel, "The first is dead. However it was replaced by a second. The second replaced by a third, and the third by a fourth and the fourth by a fifth. With the last quake it has retreated a sufficient distance from the designated search and rescue area. I would return to regroup for the search parties but I'm concerned about how much mako is in the rain. Over."

He was trained not to feel the sting of medically diluted mako, he certainly didn't feel a sting in the rain... But he could see the rain drops glowing eerily as they fell.

"Roger that. Break."

Sephiroth started walking towards Quadrant ten of the search area. When they'd landed, the camp had been far enough away from the open crevasse to avoid any immediate danger but close enough that any survivors wouldn't have to travel terribly long to receive assistance. The monster had been relatively calm when they arrived, most of the damage it had done having ended prior to their deployment.

They'd made plans with those already present and those Sephiroth had brought with him to re-engage a search pattern. With how close the mako source had been he'd pulled Security out and assigned his Seconds and Thirds to 10 separate search quadrants. The Thirds had the latter half, and Sephiroth was quite keen not to waste time especially if he needed to be out in the field.

"Bald says the doctor agrees with you. Figures indicate negative impact to anyone less than a SOLDIER Second Class for extended periods. Over."

"Understood. Advise Kunsel to reallocate the Thirds, some to watch guard for the monster. I'll take the end of the Thirds quadrants and meet the Seconds in the middle. I brought bags with me, over."

"Roger that. You're starting the search in the Third's last quadrant and will work backwards to meet the Seconds in the middle once they arrive. And you already have B-Bags with you, you crazy boy scout. Over."

Sephiroth hesitated but decided to ignore it. "Correct. Over and Out."

The doctor agreed... He hadn't met her yet, he was almost averse to the idea without Angeal there as intermediary. Sephiroth hadn't even known Angeal's mother was a doctor, let alone one that retired from Shinra and came out of the woodwork when no one else was available.

And there could have been more. If Shinra had bothered to let the public know, if they hadn't intercepted every indication that something was amiss, there could have been plenty of Doctors from Midgar. But no, and it wasn't his place to say. He set the idea aside and made his way to the desolate pools of mako mud and splintered wood.

Sephiroth was no stranger to sweeping for survivors. He was no stranger to finding empty clothes and dog tags where bodies had once been, but it felt strange in a civilian capacity. No one here deserved this. No one asked for this. No one volunteered for this. This was just pointless destruction at the behest of the planet.

Not his place. He had a job to do.

He didn't expect to find anyone left. He wasn't surprised when there wasn't. A part of him was desperate to find someone, anyone, anything... But he didn't expect to, so he wasn't surprised when he met Kunsel's teams of SOLDIER Seconds several hours later, all parties empty handed aside from Belongings Bags.

Everyone's faces were grim, highlighted by the green of the mako lake below and the mako laced rain drops falling on their uniforms.

"Well done. We did what we could. Back to base."

Sephiroth led his men away from the shattered buildings, raindrops pattering the ground around them and pinging of the Second's Helmets. He was used to this, used to compartmentalizing for the sake of those he led in the heart of war. So why the difficulty compartmentalizing here? Why did this have to feel so much worse?

Not the point. He had a job. He'd mitigated the first part of his mission and completed the second. His squad entered the main tent in one piece. Mission success.

They approached the command table where Rude and an older woman were speaking quietly. When the woman looked at him, she frowned and Sephiroth stopped in his tracks involuntarily. Kunsel stood at his side.

The woman spoke, "No other survivors then?"

Sephiroth forced himself to breathe before answering, "No. We gathered any clothes and identification in Belongings Bags for anything security missed in the quadrants they got to as well as for the quadrants security couldn't."

"I thought as much. Bring the bags to the med tent. I'll perform the rights. You're welcome to join if you feel so inclined." The woman answered.

"Sephiroth, if you could remain." Rude asked.

"I'll carry your load." He eyed the woman warily. He had a not insignificant amount of B-Bags. "I'm stronger than I look, young man."

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows and handed her the bags for final rights, which she managed, gaining more than a few raised eyebrows.

"Angeal must have received his strength from you." Sephiroth noted and the woman smiled.

"Oh you better believe it. Come along the rest of you."

Sephiroth held in a snort before addressing his Seconds, "Go to medical, then get cleaned up, chow and rest till morning. Meet here at 0800 local.

"Yes Sir!" They acknowledged. He turned back to Rude and Reno popped his head out from the mess of electronics at the end of the table that he presumed would be base security. "Hey boss, the planet gets free respawns or what?"

Sephiroth had never quite understood the dialect of the underplate and looked to Rude for translation, though the man was in the middle of organizing a not insignificant amount of paperwork.

"He's asking if the monster is dead yet."

Sephiroth nodded in thanks, "No. It was still at the same location as when I initially radioed in. Did you want me to see if we'll get a sixth monster from the planet that isn't worse than the first five?"

"Since when have you come installed with sarcasm?" Reno quirked his head to the side and Sephiroth refrained from sighing.

"Who said anything about sarcasm Reno?" Sephiroth asked, locking down a traitorous smile trying to escape. The man cringed before ducking back down in his electronics.

Rude responded to Sephiroth's inquiry, "No need. But we do need to discuss rerouting the path to get those healthy enough to Banora without coming within range of this fifth monster."

"When will the next transport be?" Sephiroth asked, contemplating if he'd have enough time to take a truck out to see if it would draw the monsters attention.

"Security will be making the next trip when the rain stops. You will be going with them." Rude clarified.

Sephiroth was momentarily confused before he realized, "You want me to go with in case it picks a fight?"

"Yes."

He nodded. Some of them must be high priority if they weren't waiting to test the route. "Understood."

"Additionally, there's a group of sandworms that have made their way inland and are just south of camp."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"If you could eradicate them, that would ease the minds of our civilians."

This is what he got for sending his SOLDIER's off for rest they needed without checking in first. "

Of course. Anything else?"

"Yeah P.R.'ll be pissed if anyone has a camera. You look like a wet rat." Sephiroth submerged his ire below his ego but didn't stop himself from glaring at Reno who was still fidgeting with his security equipment. He turned on his heel, his drenched hair flipping behind him, and left without responding.

There were a lot of Sandworms. He could kill five in one sweep of Masamune and yet he still needed half an hour to clear them all. He was covered in Sandworm guts and when he got back to the wash tent only mako contaminated groundwater remained to aid him. Only SOLDIER.s would be getting clean in the near future then. Fantastic.

Night had fallen and when his hair was sufficiently degutted, Sephiroth considered just retiring. But if he was going out with security the following day, he felt somewhat obligated to check in with Angeal's mother. He'd asked the man to watch over... A fellow experiment. Checking on Angeal's mother was the least he could do.

He made his way to the med tent and stepped into a large gust of air from overhead, the cloth flap closing behind him with a loud thwack. He hated going into med tent's about as much as he actually appreciated the need for them.

The tent was bustling with security and civilian alike, quite a few bed ridden and many appearing as if already on their deathbed,

"Oh Sephiroth, you have good timing." Dr. Hewley said from behind him, already out of her scrubs. "Are you here for anyone?"

"Came by to see you actually." He replied and she smiled.

"Good come with me, I'm off shift. We'll have tea."

He followed her out, somewhat bemused. Her tent was surprisingly distant from the medical one. Further towards the outskirts, and not shared. Well, she was a retired older woman. He didn't blame her.

"Please have a seat." She pulled out a small stool for him and turned on a propane hotplate, a kettle already on it.

"Can't say I've ever actually seen propane before." Sephiroth noted. It was always mako batteries and materia in the field.

"Never know when there will be a power outage you know."

Sephiroth hummed noncommittally, his nerves on fire. He was just nervous. He had no reason to be.

"You know, Angeal speaks very fondly of you. Genesis too when he's not doubting himself instead."

Sephiroth allowed a chuckle, "I appreciate that. I'm quite fond of both of them as well. Genesis has no reason to doubt himself. He's far quicker with materia than I'll ever be."

"I've no doubt. Always was a quick one. Angeal took after me as you said, he was always the stronger of the two."

The kettle whistled far quicker than he was expecting and the older woman's hand shook ever so slightly as she poured the steaming water out into two mugs. She was on edge. They were both nervous. He relaxed and when she turned around he used the most easing professional smile in his repertoire. She smiled back.

He took the proffered mug.

"Lavender and chamomile, let it cool a bit." She said, sitting down on her cot.

The tea smelled familiar. It took a moment to register, "Angela and Genesis drink this."

"Yes I imagine they do. Genesis' mother didn't often let him sleep over. More often than not Angeal passed out at their house, not that Genesis' parents liked it... But when he did stay with us, I'd make this to calm the nerves. Put both boys out like light in the evening. Or at least, I like to think it did."

Sephiroth huffed, well aware of some of the trouble the two had gotten in when Angeal's mother was supposedly sleeping, most of the time at Genesis' behest.

No he didn't. He frowned and looked down at the mug. Did he? He held the mug but he didn't drink from it. He wouldn't. Even when it cooled. He'd apologize later if it was rude. He'd have to ask Angeal.

Dr. Hewley sighed, then blew on her own mug before speaking again.

"I took an oath to do no harm. That's the difference between scientists and researchers compared to a doctor. They don't take an oath. Doctors do." Sephiroth looked back up at the woman, confused. But he listened. That's what Angeal needed when he looked tired like his mother did now.

"I appreciate the difference." He nodded.

"I'm glad. It's why I retired, why I don't claim the title of Doctor even if Shinra still assumes it of me. I did harm. I didn't understand though. But when I did... And even then." Sephiroth furrowed his eyebrows, his frown deepening.

"Hollander called me several months ago."

That put Sephiroth on alert immediately. She didn't have a house phone. Angeal had to write to her.

"He picked up something strange in Genesis' blood work. He wanted to get ahead of it, in case it affected Angeal too. But there is no getting ahead of it." She looked away from him and down at her own mug.

Sephiroth's confusion increased. "What do you mean?"

"But I couldn't hurt my boys, you understand." She looked back up at him, pleading, "I already hurt my boys, but it failed. I didn't know how much it failed. Angeal's blood is showing signs too."

"Of not being able to heal?" Sephiroth blurted out. The three of them had one hell of a discussion after picking Strife's brain. Both Angeal and himself had put Genesis through the paces once they found out he'd been hiding it for at least two months. But did Hollander already know? Why was he waiting on blood work?

"Degradation. I told Hollander I didn't see anything. Because there's no cure. And I can't hurt them. I can't. A mother can't. They're my boys."

She was growing slightly frantic and Sephiroth sensed she had answered they needed. He softened his voice in a way he'd found eased those around him rather than set people on edge with his otherness, "... Both of them? They're both your boys?"

"I gave birth to Angeal. Genesis has my genes." She nodded. A tear fell down her face as she looked back down to her mug and took a shaking sip.

"Grafting?" He asked, possible to do so. But why? She nodded again.

"I can't do it." She whispered, "But you will suffer the same. And you aren't mine and I'm not a doctor any more." The implication struck him like lightning. He moved to set aside the mug but found he couldn't move. He looked up at her in alarm.

"Genesis always said I put the fear of the goddess in him when I was mad. He'd stop dead in his tracks sometimes. Angeal too, though he hardly caused trouble. Genesis either really. I didn't realize until they were much older. They are both such good boys. None of you deserve this. And I can't. Not for them."

"Or me either." He tried, because he still could. He couldn't move his body, but he could still speak, "You can let me go and we can search for a cure. You're outside Shinra now we can--"

"--No. No. Gast couldn't do it either. But he had to have known. Hojo too, he just didn't care."

Gast? No...

"Mrs. Hewley just..." His mouth closed, not of his own accord at which point he truly started to struggle. There had to be a way out of this. He hadn't had any of the tea, it couldn't be poison. He'd been in a lot of mako rain, but he'd been through far worse in Hojo's lab, it couldn't be that. It was her and he did know how but he had to...

She stood and put her mug down and pulled a knife from under her blankets. His muscles were screaming at him to move but everything felt numb. She pulled the mug she'd given him from his fingers. He kept an eye on them. Memorized the movement of his own finger as the mug slipped away. He felt the same when he'd lost an excessive amount of blood. He had to trick his mind into this. Trick his own mind to remember he had control.

She placed the knife into his own hand, pointed end towards his chest. His hand started moving without his consent. The knife was through his coat and his harness before he realized it.

He imagined his hand stopping. It slowed.

The knife broke skin and his lungs were on fire. He let out a silent scream. Those were the only kind he'd allow himself in the labs. This wasn't the labs. He needed to call for help. No sound came.

That is my own hand. It will stop. His hand trembled but his arm continued to move.

That is my own arm. It will stop. It hesitated but didn't stop. Blood was already seeping out. It hadn't hit his heart yet.

Stop it. That is not yours!

It stopped. But it had punctured a lung. Breathing became increasingly difficult.

"Here I'll help you. You won't be alone." The traitor whispered. Anger eclipsed any resolution to keep his friend's mother safe. She put her hand over his and tried to push his own hand forward physically. "Death is a release Sephiroth. Your mother is waiting for you in the lifestream."

She was a scientist and Hojo's late wife, or I guess not really, she's not completely dead. But she's not… well. In a prison of her own making.

Sephiroth snapped at the memory of Strife's words. A prison of her own making. He imagined the prison his body currently resided in and tore the prison bars off. He moved without thinking but of his own will. The knife was out of his chest and across her throat in a second. He heaved wildly as his left lung collapsed. He'd heal. He always healed. He had enough mako exposure today that it wouldn't take more than an hour.

He pushed her away and stood, dropping the knife and stumbled away from the body that fell backwards onto the ground. He felt the onset of a textbook description of medical shock. He needed to radio in. He moved to grab his... But what to say?

He coughed. Closing his eyes for a moment, struggling to keep his body's reactions at bay. He should be able to do this. Hojo had made sure he could do this.

Sephiroth had asked Angeal to care for Aerith and this is how he repaid him. There had to have been another way. It was too late, he had to deal with what was done.

He heard a loud... Flap. He opened his eyes and his mind started to truly succumb to the shock he was trying so hard to...

"Interesting." The shape shifter said looking at a white but blood covered wing extruding from the left side of its back. Sephiroth saw his own face, his own body, his own uniform, his own sword. He tried to summon Masamune. The shape shifters' sword vibrated but did not come to him. That was impossible.

Dr. Hewley's body was no longer present. The lifestream didn't take bodies that quickly. That was impossible too. 

The shape shifter looked at him blankly. He moved to incapacitate it while he could still function but it disappeared. It reappeared directly in front of him.

He grunted. Audibly. His chest screamed in pain. Still he tried to punched the thing with his right hand but the wing flicked his arm back to the side sending the kettle flying. His left hand moved to attack at the same time only for his shoulder to be dislocated. This thing was faster than him. Another impossibility.

He tried to pull back with his right hand again only to scream. Finally, his voice was his own. The wing had broken his arm and his chest burned. He coughed up more blood when he felt a tug. Sephiroth looked down to see its left hand in his shattered sternum.

Fuck.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure this gets back to you. Hojo hasn't made extras... Yet." The shapeshifter whispered before pulling Masamune's summon materia out of him, leaving a gaping hole in his chest. The shape shifter stepped back.

Sephiroth dropped like a boulder.

"But Cloud will be expecting me to put him in his place. It wouldn't do to disappoint him."

The shape shifter stepped over him.

Hojo made sure Sephiroth could live through hell. Under normal circumstances, he didn't think he'd survive this though. But he had to. He had Intel he could not die with.

For Genesis for Angeal... For his mother. He had to survive.

He tried to move. He had to get his radio. He had to...

More coughing. More blood.

"SIR!?"

Oh good. Someone had heard him scream.

"RED! BALD! BLACK IS DOWN TENT C7. I REPEAT BLACK IS DOWN. TENT C7 OVER."

"Copy that Council."

Kunsel. Good.

Sephiroth's mind shut down. The rest of his body needed the blood more than his brain did. His eyes closed to blessed unconsciousness. 

Chapter Text

Zack slurped down some of the Nibel wolf stew broth in his bowl to wash down the Nibel wolf meat he'd just chewed for a minute, pretending it wasn't the first homemade meal he'd had in two years. He could cook, and his apartment had a kitchenette... But going to the SOLDIER Mess Hall was so much easier.

Efficient... He totally meant more efficient.

His new friend, who was definitely a mini version of the older SOLDIER Third Class that had run off earlier, didn't seem to be eating his stew with near as much gusto.

"Not a fan of Nibel wolf stew Cloud?"

Cloud jolted before looking up at him in surprise. He huffed, "I grew up on this stuff Sir."

Zack nodded in understanding before the 'Sir' sunk in.

"What did I say about ‘Sir?’ None of that." He shoved Cloud's shoulder gently.

Cloud laughed and ducked his head, "Sorry... Zack."

"Much better." He paused, finishing his bowl and set it down beside him on the rickety wooden floor of the Shinra Manor entryway, "So had enough of Nibel wolf stew over your lifetime to be sick of it then? I feel the same about frog leg soup."

Cloud looked surprised and grossed out at the statement. Zack guffawed, tilting his head back in the process. Jon, Rod, Ron, and Taylor all joined in, all of them trying very hard not to spit out their own portions as they laughed.

"It's not that bad. Promise." Zack finally got out when the laughs subsided. Cloud looked a bit miffed that he was the only one not laughing so Zack smiled and ruffled his hair which made the poor recruit duck his head down even more.

Zack sighed. Cloud had been a few wrong words short of burning more than one bridge while they delivered supplies. He hadn't been joking about the locals not being fond of him. Cloud kept his helmet on as long as he could but when he ran into his mom, she'd taken one look at him and did her best not to break down.

There'd been a few snickers when Claudia hugged him within an inch of his life but Zack had quieted them down. That's what the highest ranking officers did right? Keep the peace in the ranks. That's what Angeal did at least.

That said, when the helmet came off so she could look at her son, most of the townsfolk sobered up from the delight at having supplies. It seemed like most were more afraid of what Mayor Lockhart would do than they were actually against Cloud being around.

It had taken some super sleuthing to get the story while the recruits were assembling the long range radio tower, but he got it...

Zack understood. The Mayor was scared for his daughter, but they were kids. Everyone messed up when they were kids... Some kids got stuck with worse consequences than others. Scraped knees for Cloud and a week long coma for this Tifa girl all leading to being ostracized for the rest of his life.

No wonder Clouds hackles got raised so easily. Though now that Zack thought about it... Some of it might be that he just walked into his hometown after it was burned to the ground. Zack was absolutely certain he wouldn't be holding up as well if he walked into Gongaga in a similar state.

"We should all turn in soon. We've got an early start tomorrow."

Zack was startled to see Strife in the shadows, Helmet still on. Still hiding.

"Where'd you run off to?" Zack asked.

"The basement."

"This place has a basement?" Cloud asked curiously.

"Not anymore," Strife replied before heading towards the Shinra Manor door.

The ground rumbled in protest. Another aftershock. They hadn't really been that bad so far.

"Kuraudo where are you going?" Cloud's mom asked. Strife flinched and Cloud's head snapped to look at his mom in bewilderment.

"Just out for a walk."

"What of turning in soon? Rules for thee but not me?" The woman looked incredibly disappointed and Strife looked offended.

"Never. Just doing a perimeter check. Won't be ten minutes Claudia."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Hmm. Then it wouldn't be a problem to take Cloud with you? Good practice, no?"

Strife opened his mouth to say something but seemed to think better of it before pointing his helmet in Zack direction, "Zack?"

Zack chuckled, "Cloud, please accompany the worry wart." Zack shook his head.

"Uh, Kahloudoh or my ma?"

Strife snorted, Zack's eyes widened , slightly panicked, and made eye contact with Claudia and frantically shook his head, realizing after the fact how that had sounded. Claudia just smiled at him and corrected Cloud, "It's Kuraudo dear."

Cloud looked at his mom and nodded, "Yes ma."

Strife snorted again and opened the front door, leaving it open as he walked out. Claudia rolled her eyes and tilted her chin towards the door. Cloud sighed and handed his half finished bowl to Zack and told him, "Have at it." Before scampering off after Strife... Kuraudo

How do two look-a-likes get names that similar without being related?

Claudia chuckled... Oh, he'd said that out loud.

"I'd bet my land stipend that Kuraudo's my half brother."

"Oh? How do you figure," Veld asked, coming down the stairs.

"My mother traveled quite a bit, and was gone for years at a time. It wouldn't surprise me."

"Clarissa Strife, wasn't it?" Veld asked, seemingly uninterested. Which definitely meant that he was.

Claudia was immediately on edge and stiffly replied, "What's the name to you?"

"Anyone related to... Kuraudo is a person of interest."

"Well she's been dead for over a decade, so unless the dead are of interest to Shinra..." Claudia trailed off.

"Normally no." Veld replied but brushed it off. "Strife's right though. The Reactor tech has already turned in. We've an early morning. We thank the townspeople for your hospitality, but we've made camp outside"

The mayor stood and shook Veld's hand, "Thank Shinra for bringing the supplies and trying to get the road cleared out. I'll take you up to the reactor tomorrow but I don't know how far we'll get."

"We won't need a guide. Strife is familiar with the area."

Brian snorted, "That kid couldn't walk straight up the mountain if he was led by a chain." Claudia looked about ready to pop a vein in her forehead, but Veld intervened

"Not the kid." Veld shook his head, "Kuraudo"

The mayor blinked, probably replaying the previous conversation to make sense of it, then nodded slowly, "Sure, when was he last up there?"

"It's been a while," Veld conceded.

"Yeah I'll be going with."

Veld nodded, "Very well."

Zack finished off Cloud's bowl of stew before getting up and grabbing his and Clouds bowl, "Ah.."

Claudia waved him over, "Don't worry, bring them here we'll take care of them."

"Thank ya ma'am."

The quartet of recruits mumbled their thanks, also bringing their dishes to her and followed Zack outside.

"There's gotta be more than enough room in there for us too." Rod complained and Ron mumbled in agreement. Taylor shivered but didn't say anything. Jon frowned, so did Zack.

It was cold... Colder than it ever got in Gongaga even in the height of winter. It didn't bug him with his enhancements, but the quintet, Cloud included, wouldn't be the same.

"It's not if there's room, it's if there's good standing." Veld explained.

"We brought them supplies, that's good standing isn't it?" Taylor asked.

"No, that is good will. Good will and good standing are not the same. We will all get a better night's sleep separately. It is cold, but your bags and tents will keep you warm." Veld half barked out which got them scrambling with several yes sirs.

"That's Turk talk for not trusting the locals to have our six." Zack stage whispered.

"Then why's the tech and the doctor still in there?" Ron asked.

"The people are familiar with Dr. Beck and Dr. Beck vouched for Shera. That's enough questions recruits." Veld answered sternly.

Zack looked at the man and tilted his head to the side a bit. Turks were all hard to get a read on, but the older ones were less difficult to get a read on and more difficult to determine what was real and what was purposely projected. Given Veld was the director, that and everything Reno had dished on the man, everything was a projection.

It made Zack wonder why the guy who kept him in an interrogation room to sleep in for a week seemed so on edge.

Veld popped his PHS out and frowned, "You too SOLDIER Second Class."

Zack briefly bobbed his head up and down. "Yes sir," He replied.

Zack got into his tent and pulled his own PHS out, the quick 'the puppy has landed' he'd sent to Angeal when the tower was finally up still remained unanswered. Well, Cosmo Canyon probably didn't have their radio tower fixed yet.

Veld got his own tent, so did Taylor. Jon and Rod called dibs on the tent closest to the house which meant Ron was either stuck with him or Cloud... Or Strife. It wasn't a surprise when the recruit popped into Zack's tent. It made the duos return all the more entertaining to hear.

"What the hell happened?" Veld exclaimed.

"Long story." Kuraudo said.

"'Long story he says.' Long story my ass." Cloud bit out, "His idea of a perimeter check was up to and including across a giant crack in the planet that definitely wasn't there when I left home. Jumped right over the thing and left me on this side. Came back looking like this."

Zack really wanted to duck out of the tent to see but also, he didn't want to set a poor example for Ron.

"I climbed a really tall tree. I'm going to suggest necessary personnel only on the trip up."

"Climbing a tree made you look like...?" Veld drew the question out.

"Yes. I'm dropping the kid off but I'm gonna go take a quick dunk in the river. I'll be back."

"Hey!" Cloud yelped.

"Strife." Veld said in warning.

"I'll be back Veld. Don't do anything stupid."

Zack heard Kuraudo walking back off in a different direction.

"Prick." Cloud muttered.

Veld huffed then ordered, "We've an early morning. Get some sleep."

"Yes sir."

Zack snorted lightly before he shuffled into his sleeping bag. Sleep came quickly.

But he woke up to a scream.

He was up and out of his tent before fully conscious of his own movements, Kuraudo flew past him. Zack ran at his heels... Tried to anyway. Zack would eat his sock if that man didn't have the enhancements of a SOLDIER First Class.

They skidded to a stop in the temporary med ward in one of the upper rooms to see Cloud looking bewildered as Tifa clung to him. She was crying and muttering, "you came, you came, you came." Over and over again.

"Yeah, course I did," Cloud finally mumbled, wrapping his arms around her and hugging back. It was ridiculously adorable.

That's when he noticed Claudia over at one of the other beds, her hands over her mouth, shock clear in her eyes. The other residents of the medical ward were equally awake and somewhat dumbfounded at the sight.

"Get back you vermin!" Mayor Lockhart shouted while barging into the med room behind them, but Kuraudo held the man back.

"Don't."

"That's my daughter and that's the kid who almost got her killed. Let me go."

Kuraudo let the man go as if he'd been burned and the Mayor beelined for Cloud. Zack was good with people in theory, but he still had a lot of work to do when it came to situations™️... He didn't know what to do. Cloud reacted to the mayor and released the hug and put his hands up in surrender but the girl still had him in a hug.

"Brian." Claudia tried.

"Tifa, your dad." Cloud quickly whispered, his eyes cold.

Tifa sniffed and turned to see her dad just as he tugged her away from Cloud.

"Papa?"

"Pumpkin." The man kneeled and hugged her, thankfully ignoring Cloud. Cloud who was slowly edging away from the situation™️ back towards Zack and Kuraudo.

Dr. Beck came rushing in, took one look at the situation™️ and demanded, "What happened?"

Mayor Lockhart and Tifa didn't respond so Cloud spoke up, "I just wanted to check up on her, before we left. I..." He gulped, "I just touched her hand, I swear and she woke up and kinda attack hugged me."

Kuraudo snorted and relaxed, Zack made the connection just after, "Oh so the screech we heard wasn't her... It was you?"

Cloud rolled his eyes but didn't comment. His eyes widened when he looked past Zack, probably at the crowd that had grown behind them.

"Alright everyone out!" Dr. Beck barked.

Zack took the order for what it was and made his way out of there and back downstairs to see Shera already up and talking with Veld.

"Everything alright Second?" Veld asked.

"Yeah, just some adorable Cinderella... Nope..." Zack paused, rethinking his fairy tales.

"Really Zack?" Cloud complained.

"What?"

"Not even close." Cloud replied then side eyed Kuraudo, "Thanks old man."

Kuraudo chuckled, "I said I'd distract him, I didn't say I'd keep him away. Who you calling old?"

"Everything okay sir?" Jon asked as they approached the tents.

Kuraudo replied, "False alarm. Change of plans though."

"There is?" Zack asked. And he nodded.

"This have to do with the tree?" Rod guessed.

"Tree?" Taylor and Ron both asked.

Kuraudo huffed, "Sure we'll go with that."

"Okay, so what are these new plans?" Zack asked, crossing his arms. Man they really should have woken him up.

"Eat your breakfast rations, we're waiting on Veld."

Zack pulled out a bar, unwrapped it and bit in and chewed with more force than was strictly necessary. Kuraudo looked at him, the tilt of his mouth exuding amusement even if he couldn't see his eyes. For some reason that made Zack slump into a sulk.

Kuraudo's amusement slid into a softer smile and he put a hand on Zack's shoulder which made him perk up a bit. It felt stupid, but it made him feel better about missing out.

"Strife," Veld addressed Kuraudo.

"Yeah."

"I've expressed your concerns with Shera, but she's still coming with."

Kuraudo turned his head away and Zack gulped down the rest of his bar, "So gonna brief us?"

The recruits were still munching on their sawdust bars but nodded in agreement at the request.

"Strife managed to make a full trip up last night," Veld eyed the SOLDIER Third Class with moderate disdain. "For the sake of the trip and the town Jon, Rod, Ron, and Taylor will remain here to help complete the temporary shelters. SOLDIERS Strife, Fair, and recruit Strife will join Shera and myself up the mountain.

Kuraudo jolted and looked like he was about to move, but aborted and spoke instead, "Why bring the kid with?"

"Because I said so Strife."

He sighed, "Fine. I'll go on ahead and make sure nothing else has come back through." Then he took off.

"Hey!" Cloud yelled after him... again, then turned to Veld in confusion.

"Brian's seeing to his daughter and has made himself unavailable and Strife doesn't seem to understand the concept of staying in a group. You're our best bet right now."

Cloud opened his mouth but nothing came out, he tried again and a small sound of discomfort came out instead of words that immediately set off Zack's trouble vibes.

Veld raised an eyebrow and asked, "Problem?"

"No. Not until we get to the bridge anyway. I uh. It broke on me as a kid. Not great with it."

"According to Strife the bridge won't be an issue, but if it is, that's close enough for you to wait on this side of it." Veld replied and Cloud deflated in clear relief.

"So our plans haven't changed, we're just down a guy?" Jon asked for clarification.

"Correct."

Zack noticed Shera coming out of the building with a couple of cases and rushed to grab them for her.

"SOLDIER pack Chocobo at your service." Zack held out his hands expectantly.

She laughed quietly and handed over the bigger case, "Thank you."

"Good to go?" Zack asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Recruit Strife grab your helmet and let's go." Veld barked.

"Yessir!"

They started the hike together as four, though it didn't take long for Kuraudo to circle back and rejoin them, Cloud and Kuraudo leading the pack. Veld and Shera in the middle and Zack taking up the back.

"That could have gone worse," Kuraudo mentioned after a few minutes of silence. Zack snorted.

"At least I got to say bye to my ma before I tried to say bye to Tifa. How do you even handle crying girls anyway?"

"I'm not the best person to ask that." Kuraudo said.

"Oh? Fess up old man."

"Absolutely not. That is Strife to you or not at all." Kuraudo shot back.

Cloud snickered, "So...?"

Kuraudo sighed, "let them have their space, but just be there. If they hold you like that and you're okay with it, hold them back and just let them cry."

"And how much practice do you have to that effect?" Shera asked quietly.

"More so with kids than--" He cut himself off.

"You have kids?" Shera asked.

Kuraudo stopped and turned around and Zack saw him tilt his helmet towards Shera, then at Veld. His mouth set in a frown.

"No. I guess I don't."

He was off like a bat out of hell.

"You're right sir, he really doesn't know how to stay in a group." Cloud huffed.

The following silence seemed... Heavy. So Zack broke it, "Shera, was it?"

"Yes." She turned her head slightly to look back at him.

"How would you have handled it then?"

Shera, Cloud, and Zack kept up a solid conversation after that ranging from women to rocket science, Cloud and Zack gleaning as much as they could from the woman. Veld just observed, doing his Turk director thing, but didn't interrupt.

All things considered, it was a boring hike, three jumps over mako filled ravines aside. Kuraudo came back to help with crossing them, but he stayed well out of non-enhanced earshot otherwise. The guy did a great job of removing monsters though, they didn't come across any. There had been a few more aftershocks, but nothing of real note.

Near the last ravine Kuraudo returned again.

"You remember the spire that the bridge hooked up to?" Kuraudo asked Cloud as they apparently neared said bridge.

"Yeah."

"Well the bridge is out, but the spire fell. It's a rough climb, but it's solid. Zack will carry Shera, I'm carrying Veld. I can come back over for you if you want."

"Let me see it first, then I'll decide."

"Don't suppose I get a say in this?" Shera asked.

"You're welcome to try if you prefer." Veld drawled.

They rounded the corner and saw what Kuraudo had been talking about... And yeah, that was a sideways chunk of mountain lodged in a fairly deep ravine, the glow of mako shining green beneath the blue sky. Zack distinctly remembered the spire that had been there in the pictures at the briefing and that spire was definitely not there anymore. Zack paused and scratched the back of his neck.

"So uh couldn't we have taken a helicopter?"

"C'mon country boy this is no problem." Cloud egged him on.

Zack spluttered, "I'll show you Country boy," Zack turned to Shera, "Ma'am." Zack put all the equipment he'd been hauling for Shera into one hand and motioned her to hop on his back.

"All aboard!"

"Thank you." She whispered after she'd hopped on.

"Ya know Strife I think I've got this." Veld muttered.

"Suit yourself. Zack gimme the equipment."

"Here ya go!"

Zack would never admit it, but it was a relief to finally be rid of the bulky boxes, then he just had to manage Shera.

It was about half way over the fallen spire that the Reactor really came into view, it was far worse now than it had been in the briefing pictures. Lazard had made it sound like the crystals were formed by a pressurized reaction... But Zack could swear there were more mako crystals now.

By the time they got to the other side, and by the time Shera was in her hazmat suit Zack could hear the metal reactor groaning as the crystals crinkled in the wind.

"Alright Recruit Strife, SOLDIER Fair, stay outside and keep watch."

"Yes sir!" Both Cloud and Zack saluted.

It was a little odd that Strife and Veld weren't going in with hazmat suits but Shera was, but he didn't really know much about reactors. So he didn't worry about it, and they kept watch for about five minutes.

"I'm gonna make round. You mind standing guard?" Zack asked when the three passed through the door.

"Yes S... Zack." Cloud replied making Zack smile at the catch.

As Zack walked around the perimeter he realized that it wasn't just the way over that had a mako river, the entire reactor plateau was surrounded by a moat of mako.

When he got back to Cloud he had to ask, "Has this place always been surrounded by Mako?"

Cloud tilted his head a bit, "I don't think so?"

"Huh."

There really wasn't much out this far up, so Zack started doing squats to pass the time, keeping watch over the fallen spire while Cloud kept a visual sweep going. He was looking the other direction when Zack noticed Sephiroth speeding over and silently tried to math the numbers for flight time between Nibelheim and Mideel. More than that he was wondering why Sephiroth had to come here, and why he couldn't have waited for them back in town when the tower was running.

Clouds eyes landed back on the fallen spire shortly afterward, "Hey... Hey Zack?"

"Uhuh."

"Is that..."

"Yep."

Cloud started to fidget and Zack got it, it was THE Sephiroth climbing their direction after all. Very very quickly.

"He's actually a pretty down to the planet kind of guy."

"Oh." Cloud noted.

It was when Sephiroth nearly reached them that Zack's arm hair raised in alarm. Zack didn't know the guy well enough to know if something was off, but he trusted his gut.

"Sir." Both Zack and Cloud snapped to attention, when he was close enough.

There was no 'at ease,' there was however a mildly malevolent glint in his eyes. Zack felt nauseous.

"Zack Fair. Mission going well?"

"Uh yes sir."

"I don't suppose you've met a Cloud Strife have you?"

Zack did everything he could not to look towards Cloud. But Cloud flinched.

"Cloud Strife, Sir." Cloud blurted out, still standing at attention.

"At ease." It finally came. Zack started to breathe a little easier.

"Your gun, trooper?"

Cloud handed it over hesitantly. Then Sephiroth reached for Cloud's helmet and Zack tried to keep his hackles down.

"S-sir?" Cloud stuttered out as Sephiroth removed his helmet.

"Hmph." He threw both the helmet and the gun an impossible distance away over the cliff face into the mako below.

Zack heard the sword before he saw it.

Before they'd departed, Zack had begged Angeal to let him test out his new limits. With everyone deployed because of the quakes, it hadn't been difficult to get time in the training room.

Angeal's limit always felt like embodied honor. Cissnei's had felt like reaching for the stars. In the training room he'd been hoping to try out Tseng's... He hadn't heard a helicopter though, he'd felt power. He'd unleashed octaslash.

Angeal worried at the realization that Zack hadn't sparred with Sephiroth before, but he'd picked up his limit anyway.

He felt that power again, itching under his skin, different but the same, more powerful. Octaslash awaited.

Zack met Masamune as it swung at him. He was surprised he'd blocked it really. He only blocked it for a second though. The force threw Zack against Cloud who squawked as his head hit the ground.

Zack's Shinra issued sword flung through the air and landed point first in the ground several meters away. Zack didn't watch it fly though, he didn't have time. He didn't even have time to get up. Masamune was already at his neck.

Zack gulped. Sephiroth... Or something that looked like him... Bared his teeth. This… this was not the man he'd met last week. This was not the man he'd spoken to yesterday. Everything about him seemed wrong.

Zack opened his mouth when a rock flew at Sephiroth's head. He dodged it, but it drew his attention away for a precious second that Zack hoped wouldn't be at the price of Cloud's life. Zack shoved Masamune aside and felt some blood trickle down his neck.

Sephiroth's attention was dragged back from Cloud to Zack who resorted to trying to throw punches and kicks. That sword couldn't do close quarters combat well. He was thanking Angeal for all the hand to hand combat lessons he'd endured right now.

Zack threw a kick at Sephiroth's knee which he avoided but it gave Zack space to get up. He pushed back and got back to his feet only to have them swiped out from under him and he fell to his knees. He lifted an arm to brace, hoping that he'd just lose an arm and not his neck.

"Strife!" Cloud screamed and Sephiroth jolted back from Zack and lifted Masamune just in time to meet Kuraudo's sword.

Sephiroth grinned, "Good to--"

Kuraudo's follow through slammed Masamune down into the dirt, Sephiroth raised it, his grip reversed as Kuraudo swung back up. The force of it sent Sephiroth flying back towards the spire they'd crossed. Kuraudo jumped after him.

"You must leave." An echoing and deep voice commanded. Zack chanced a glance from the two warriors to see the unknown speaker.

That was a bat-man complete with wings. Zack's mind helpfully supplied Vampire, but that would only make sense if he slept in a coffin and wasn't out during the day. The coffin was up in the air, but it was very much daytime. Definitely not a vampire...

"With those two I'm not sure we can." Veld retorted.

The not-a-Vampire hummed. Zack rushed over to his sword all while keeping an eye on the two doing insane acrobatics, putting more and more dents and craters on their way back across to Nibelheim. It was vicious and fast and loud both from impacts in the mountain and their swords clashing.

Zack tried to pull his sword up... Man it was really in there.

How did those two get back up so quickly after being slammed into a solid mountain? How were they not dead after impacting with that kind of force?

Zack pulled some more and some more.

Crap.

He looked back over to Cloud, also weaponless, but still keeping himself between the chaos in front of them and the three humans? Two definitely humans, one maybe not a human.

Man if they lived through whatever the hell made Sephiroth lose his marbles, Cloud was a shoe in for SOLDIER. Angeal would take him in a heartbeat.

Zack heard the horizontal spire give another loud crack, worse than the ones that had come before and saw Kuraudo flip in the air to the Reactor side, hopefully realizing how bad that chunk of mountain now looked after their fighting. Zack tugged once more at his sword and it finally gave. He had it out of the ground just in time to get smacked down by a heavy body on top of him.

"Dude what is happening?" Zack's voice cracked.

"Long story." Kuraudo muttered, already standing up and practically flying towards Cloud, Veld, not-a-vampire, and now Shera. It looked like they were making their way towards the area the two crazy SOLDIERs had just vacated but Sephiroth was nearly on them. He wasn't sure Kuraudo could make it.

He was too far away... But maybe... Limits always gave him extended range.

Octaslash still thrummed in the back of his mind. Could it reach Sephiroth faster than Kuraudo? Could it reach Sephiroth before Sephiroth got to the people he needed to protect?

Zack unleashed octaslash... Except there was math.

He'd only used it once, but he was pretty sure octaslash didn't require math. He didn't know the answers to any of the equations being force-fed into his brain.

Zack saw the sky crack away like pieces of shattered glass.

Oh good. Kuraudo reached Sephiroth in time.

Someone was screaming. Something flew past him. Zack felt like his insides were burning, like his mind was being ripped apart, and his skin... His skin was melting.

"NO!" Kuraudo shouted... Or was it Cloud. He couldn't tell.

Zack's bleary eyes began to painfully focus. This had to be a bad trip. He'd never done drugs, but this had to be... He was in space and the sun... Something hit the sun. How could he see the sun? A light flashed and winked out. He blinked and the sun was behind him. The sun was his to command... How do you aim a sun? An expanding sun... A supernova? Zack blinked again.

Sephiroth had a wing. Why did he have a wing? He was wide eyed, the white wing covering Cloud. The not-a-vampire stood in front of Veld, blankly staring at the sun behind Zack, and Kuraudo had his back to Zack, covering Shera, fear clear on his face. His helmet was gone.

Zack had to move it. It would hit everyone otherwise. How could it not hit the entire planet though. It was too much. Zack screamed, trying to turn in the direction of the reactor instead of the direction of the people in front of him. Better the reactor than their way off this rock.

He felt himself implode.

He blinked again, and for a moment it was as if nothing had happened. A moment of complete silence.

Then an eruption of fire fell from the sky with the sound of a live electric line swaying after being struck followed by the thundering of earth and the roaring of fire. Rocks careened into the sky on impact.

It didn't hit anyone directly... It didn't even hit the reactor directly. It just hit right in front of it. Did he really screw up the math that bad? He didn't know if that made it worse or better.

Zack dropped to his knees and emptied his stomach of breakfast, the rock shrapnel somehow not hitting him.

What the ever loving heaven?

"Kid?" Kuraudo strangled out, the worry in his voice clear even to Zack's muddled mind.

Zack tried to stand up but wobbled when the ground started to rumble beneath them. More aftershocks or from the blast of energy he'd just dropped from nowhere.

"Cloud is fine for now, but he won't be if you don't get him to safety. Time's ticking. What will you do?" Sephiroth took off over the burning rocks and into the reactor. Kuraudo looked torn.

"Chaos?" Kuraudo practically demanded.

The not-a-Vampire responded, "Get them across. I'll buy you time." Then... Chaos... Who names their kid Chaos, took off after Sephiroth.

Kuraudo was at Cloud's side in half a second checking his vitals. Zack tried to stand again, with little improvement.

"Zack!?" He yelled.

"Uhuh."

"Are you able to cross?"

"Get Cloud and Shera first. If I'm not back with Veld... We both might need a lift." Zack ground out, trying to get up again.

A refreshing wave of a cura washed over him. He felt his neck heal but the rest of him still wasn't going anywhere.

"Shit. Okay, stay put."

Kuraudo slung Cloud on one shoulder and Shera on his other. They were both clearly out of it... He thought he hadn't hit them. Guilt started to eat at him. He knew it felt off, he knew it didn't quite feel like octaslash had... He shouldn't have used it. Kuraudo had it. He had it.

Veld groaned and started to move.

Kuraudo was back already? How much time had passed? Seconds... Hours?

Zack was over his shoulder Veld over this other shoulder. Kuraudo was short wasn't he? He hadn't really noticed before.

"Stay safe." he said as he laid Zack down on his back. Solid ground beneath them. Kuraudo shoved Zack's sword in his hand and was gone like a ghost.

Zack stared at the plateau. The ground rumbled some more. The plateau leaned away from them or maybe they leaned away from it... The bridge that was once a mountain spire slipped down. The world heaved and the pointed spire closest to them broke off and the rest of the spire dropped into the river of Mako below.

The entire mountain gurgled. The plateau started leaning towards them, rotating. Leaning away from them. Towards them. Uncomfortably close. Too close.

SNAP

The plateau started sliding down. Metal screamed, scraping against rock, mako crystals crackled, and the ground thundered as rocks splashed into the mako below. It wasn't sinking. it was too fast for that. It was being sucked down.

Zack crawled closer to the edge of the cliff on his hands and knees as the reactor passed the ledge and sank into the mako, the three still inside. He stared at it waiting. The world heaved again, oh no that was his stomach.

Veld came up beside him, standing, then sitting. Zack looked up at him and saw a shaken man, not a Turk for once. Shera and Cloud were still out of it, to the side. Zack didn't know how to process any of this. None of it.

What. The. Hell.

"This is gonna be a shitton of paperwork." Veld muttered.

Zack frowned at the thought watching the top of the reactor sink below the surface of Mako, leaving a mako lake rather than a mako moat in its place. The three still hadn't come out. Zack looked back over to Cloud and Shera. His eyes finally started to come back into focus. He saw now that the two had evidence of healed burns. He hadn't missed... But it could have been worse. He just knew, it could have been worse. They were okay though. They were breathing. Zack sighed and looked back at Veld.

"How exactly am I gonna write this all down in a report?"

Veld snorted, “You don't."

Chapter Text

Vincent stood confused as memories not his own filtered through his mind in a way that no living being should endure. A history so vast that his human mind could not comprehend it. And yet...

... What do you do when the seemingly infinite extends a hand in partnership to the expressly finite except to follow beyond the sharp edges of incomprehension into the depth of the unknown?

Chaos knew not why, for it was not meant for knowledge. It was meant for reaping. Yet it was aware. It was awake. It had been once before, millennia ago. To be conscious yet again in a story not its own seemed a cruel fate though.

Chaos crouched beneath the reactors' shadow. Strands of the Lifestream wisped from below into the crystalline materia structures now encasing the human building. Calamity screamed for freedom within.

Rapid approach. TRAVELER. Penance. Cloud. Freedom.

The words came regarding one sentient being, from many sources: Vincent, The Lifestream, the invading Lifestream, an echo of Chaos itself... Somehow, and Calamity. How it could hear the latter was, as yet, unknown.

The Protomateria within its host flickered with intent. The WEAPON bowed to its wielder. The Lifestream protested. Calamity cackled.

Vincent breathed in and left the post that this alternate form had brought him to. He made his way back to the tree line and climbed to the highest branch that could hold him, and awaited the approaching being coming through with inhuman speed.

And yet, it did appear human. The rapidly approaching being slowed, passing Vincent but stopping not long thereafter. A young man by stature and build wore a helmet that couldn't possibly assist with visibility. The man reached behind himself and put a hand on the grip of an impressively oversized chokuto cleaver on his back.

"Vincent?"

Vincent, master of stealth, held his breath. The human removed his helmet and Vincent was struck by how similar to Claudia the man looked.

"Vincent... Do you... Do you remember?"

Remember? Memories? Advent? Ragnarok? SEPHIROTH?

Vincent stifled a gasp and damned his own reaction to these strange whispers within his own mind. He was rusty. The traveler's head whipped in Vincent's direction.

Vincent dropped from the tree, landing in the dirt aside the tree roots with a far lighter sound than the distance dropped warranted.

"Remember what stranger?"

Disappointment flicked through the blonds mako green flecked iris's. Another victim of Hojo perhaps, or a victorious result.

"I guess you don't."

Stranger. Cloud. Sin. CLOUD. Enemy.

"... I don't, but something does... Cloud?" The blond's eyes widened in surprise.

"Chaos?"

"So it would seem." Vincent acknowledged.

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, "That's... That shouldn't be possible. You didn't unlock him until..." He trailed off.

"Until...?" Vincent asked, confused by the nature of the man's statement.

The blond huffed, looking back down the path he'd just come up, "It's just Strife here. Cloud is fourteen. Me... not so much."

Vincent thought then that he understood, at least in part, what was meant by traveler, though it seemed an impossibility. He nodded in acknowledgement anyway.

"I needed to check the path up to the reactor. But I need to get back." He hesitated before continuing, "Veld is expecting us."

The name winded Vincent more than he could have anticipated.

"Veld?" He whispered, "As in Verdot?"

The blond nodded and Vincent looked upon the man before him with new eyes. His old partner was still alive and brought Strife along. Vincent didn't smile, but his cold heart warmed.

"I will not go back. You will return after checking in." The order tasted strange in Vincent's mouth. He wasn't a Turk anymore and he never would be again.

"Yeah, I just need to wait for the night watch."

NO. Now. Wait. Verdot. Galian.

"No." Vincent stated.

The beast within had its eye on the helmet that hung from the blond's left hand, shining in the moonlight. It clawed at his mind and he felt his bones break and reform at once, his skin flaying and healing to match his new form just as quickly. The Lifestream nearby swallowed his screams.

The beast charged at the green tinged reflection of the moon. The man moved swiftly, dropping his helmet and drew his sword from his back to block the beast. It saw its reflection in the sword and abandoned the helmet for the abomination it saw in the sword and charged again.

"GALIAN!" The blond yelled after deflecting its horns. It pulled the beast up short. How did the stranger know the name bequeathed by its maker? It tilted its head, curious.

Traveler. Friend. Time. Sleep. Time.

The sword slowly made its way to the blond's back. The blond had his hands up and approached slowly

"Easy buddy, I'm a friend."

The beast whined in confusion headbutting the blonds chest then stood on its hind legs, lamenting nothing but torn clothes and a dented helmet to show for its escape. The blond placed a hand on the beast's bicep. Galian retreated.

Vincent leaned against the hand, now on his shoulder, searching the blond's eyes in bewilderment. Then looking at the superficial but noticeable damage to the man's attire flecked with nearly invisible splotches of blood.

"Tell Verdot you climbed a tree and come back alone. He'll understand... If he remembers that far back."

The blond nodded a soft, relieved smile on his face and let go of his shoulder. Vincent shuddered. The man picked up his helmet and bent the dented mental outward from the inside before putting it back on.

"Be right back."

The blond took off. Vincent didn't move. The beast had never retreated on its own like that before. It took its fill of destruction and mayhem then left him wherever it so desired. It's why Hojo had locked him up... He assumed. It's why Lucrecia had kept restraints on him when she... When she... When she...

Chaos. Omega. Death. LIFE. Mother.

Vincent swallowed and made his way back to the reactor. He waited for Strife at its front door, the entry lock an unfamiliar device.

Strife returned and chortled at Vincent's ignorance, shoving him aside to handle the entryway.

"How did you know my given name?" the man asked.

"The planet knows."

Strife scoffed, "Since when can you hear the planet?"

"I can't, Chaos can. It's been very forthcoming for a supposed automaton of the planet's will."

"Hmmm." Strife mumbled

"How did you get it to retreat? The beast." Vincent inquired in turn.

"When Galian doesn't have an enemy target or isn't running from something it'll go back."

"And how do you know that?"

Time. Traveler. Vision. Future. Experience.

"I would say you wouldn't believe me, but you knew my name."

"Visions of the future or a traveler from the future itself." Vincent suggested reluctantly.

Strife nodded as the door finally opened, "Yeah."

The blond began walking up the stairs in trepidation and Chaos came forward entrapping Vincent in his body once more. Oh how he wanted to crawl back into that coffin he called death. How he wished he could go back to those first few days when the beast remained asleep and this Chaos remained oblivious to human nature. Before a stranger knew things about a him from a future without his own consent.

"Cloud." Chaos flew in front of him.

"Just Strife... Please."

Cloud, the planet makes Jenova a new strata.

"The planet makes Calamity a new stratum prison." Chaos repeated.

Free Me!

Strife stumbled forward and grit his teeth.

Don't go. Don't go. Wait until tomorrow.

What do you seek?

"What do you seek?" Chaos again repeated.

"To burn Jenova to ash." Strife declared.

Danger. Danger. Danger. It must be encased.

"It must be encased, not burned."

The traveler ground his teeth together and looked away. He gulped, one foot trying to move forward the other staying solidly put. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. Then opened it again, subtle aftershocks rumbled beneath them.

"Veld, myself, and a reactor technician will be up here tomorrow morning. There's no getting around that."

"Calamity's resting place will remain defended. None will approach." Chaos warned.

"Then wait for us inside. It'll be easier to fight and tear the reactor out of service from the inside."

Chaos growled at the sentient giving it an order

A fair idea. Satisfactory.

Chaos stopped growling and nodded, pushing the host within to the forefront, but the host refused, instead further withdrawing.

Chaos turned and waited within, standing sentinel above the reservoir of crystalized Lifestream, natural materia without form or purpose, where once a walkway lay. Still Calamity screamed for freedom from its prison. It had been dormant, but the invading Lifestream had activated it. To what end remained uncertain.

"You really shouldn't be in here. You either Kuraudo."

"I've had enough Mako in me that it doesn't make much difference." Strife replied.

"I don't expect to be in here long." A voice vaguely familiar but far more gruff replied.

When the three walked into where the walkway should have been. Chaos dropped from the ceiling, flicking its wings on landing.

"You may not pass."

"Valentine?"

Again the protomateria flickered with intent. Chaos gave way reluctantly, its wings disappearing into the aether with it.

The woman covered in protective gear had gasped and darted behind Strife... Kuraudo? Smart of him to go by another name. Dumb of him to admit it to Vincent.

The third party member though... Vincent furrowed his eyebrows taking in the old man. He'd aged. He'd aged more than time would allow most Turks to age.

"Verdot."

The old man pursed his lips and clenched his jaw.

"Did Hojo do this?" his old partner spat.

Vincent lowered his eyes only slightly, not sure if he was about to be shot again. Vincent wouldn't blame his old partner. Better a dead man dead than a loose end that made you vulnerable.

"Not this. This was Lucrecia's doing. Everything before this though, I stepped out of line. I was stupid."

"No. You were meticulous."

"I was blind, hurt, angry, and slow. He shot me point blank Veld."

Verdot looked away from the failures of Shinra made manifest, "We'll discuss this later, in the meantime will you at least let Shera, our engineer, into the reactor room. We suspect there's a few open valves that need to be closed to stop any mako leakage."

Who? Who? Known. Be quick. 

Vincent tilted his head down in agreement, "You two will stay here, I'll keep an eye on her. Will five minutes be sufficient?"

"Considering I've only done this on oxygen tanks and not mako lines, I don't know."

"You're not a reactor technician?" Vincent questioned.

"Any truly qualified reactor technicians are currently unavailable with other duties. She has familiarity with the older technology used in this reactor even if not the reactor itself." Veld replied, making eye contact seemingly reluctantly.

Vincent scoffed at the explanation . Shinra was at wits end of that was the case. He tilted his head towards the now crystal covered entryway, the door having been cracked and subsequently blown off in the process. He walked through, she followed.

He watched intently as Shera gazed at what little was left to work with, eyeing the crystal materia covered pods, stairwell and door. She sighed and began setting up her equipment near the manual shut off valves.

While she did that, Vincent couldn't help but overhear the quietly held conversation in the other room.

"Strife, you came through. My turn. You killed Hojo. He was revived less than a minute later by staff and materia, but he's paralyzed from the waist down."

Vincent's breathing hitched and he pursed his lips. If he ever had the displeasure of running into the madman again, he'd have to remember to dispose of the body before the planet or anyone else could get their hands on him.

"Should have thrown him out the window for good measure."

"Yes, you should have. If you were a competent man you'd have disposed of Hojo and the two Turks as well."

"I was a little confused at the time and... Shinra may be my enemy, but most of the people within are not... Underline Most."

"The Turks are Shinra."

"Tell that to Vincent."

Vincent snorted but didn't comment.

Shera hit something metal with a loud clang and Strife hissed.

Noooo!

"Strife?" Veld asked

Vincent leaned back through the doorway to see Strife with his hand to his forehead and narrowed his eyes at the sight.

"Vincent, if you could close this valve all the way please." Shera asked.

Strife removed his hand and turned his head to glare beyond Vincent towards the stairs beyond. Hmmm.

Vincent did as asked, even with his enhanced strength it proved resistant.

"Yeah, I'm okay... But that thing I said was in here. It's clearly not happy."

"And like I said, that thing is a fossil." Veld replied.

AWAKE. Awake. Awake. Awake. Let me out...my son.

"STRIFE!" A voice shouted from outside just as the mako fumes stopped spraying from mako carrying tubes compromised by the materia crystals. Vincent heard the man take off before his name was completed.

"Vincent. Shera." Verdot barked.

"Go. I promise I won't try to break the mako crystals, not that I could." Shera requested. Vincent hesitated before moving to catch up with his old partner when he heard the clash of swords.

When he exited the reactor...

Son of Calamity. Calamity. Son of Calamity. Sephiroth. Mine.

Once more Vincent receded, his sin's too great to bear in the company of others. Chaos gladly took over.

"You must leave." Chaos demanded. "The Materia prison may not hold against the Son of Calamity."

Veld replied, watching as the two fought, defying the bounds of humanity, "With those two I'm not sure we can."

Chaos growled as Vincent silenlty agreed.

A young boy with hair oddly similar to Strife's stood in front of them for a time until the battle moved from their exit. The boy. Cloud. The one who belonged. The other did not.

The human Vincent had left within the reactor emerged quietly and as soon as the battle moved the Cloud led the humans to make their retreat and Chaos simply stood at the reactor entrance as they did so... Until the sky shattered and Vincent's intent demanded intervention.

"NO!" The elder traveler screamed as the Son of Calamity covered the younger with his wing.

Chaos found itself in front of the human named Verdot, protecting the man from the psychological projection of a child mismanaging physics. A comet passed through a solar system destroying planets, moons, space dust, and ultimately a star. A star which then went supernova leaving at least three planets as dust in its wake.

What? Light-years. Eons. One minute fifty six seconds. Home.

Two minutes?

To focus the sun.

Chaos realized then, that this other echo was more aware than it thought.

...Home?

Chaos though. Nothing replied. Good.

A concentrated beam of light descended from the sky. The sheer power of the impact to the planet sent shards of rock flying, the resulting blast of fire expanded forward hitting them all. Chaos covered Veld with its body and wings, none the worse for wear.

When it was over Chaos stood to see the child who inflicted the illusion and summon the sun burst keel over and empty his stomach. Veld was taking deep breaths behind Chaos, the only sign that the human was avoiding panic.

"Kid?" The traveler gasped, standing in front of the now unconscious woman.

Chaos turned to see Sephiroth and Vincent buried himself deeper. The agony, a physical pain all too familiar to Chaos. Though before, it had just been experienced as an entrapped passenger rather than an active participant.

"Cloud is fine for now, but he won't be if you don't get him to safety. Time's ticking. What will you do?"

Sephiroth with his one white wing flew over the burning rocks and into the reactor.

Vincent's intent did not take hold of his own body, but he did keep Chaos from pursuing.

"Chaos?" the traveler spoke.

No. Pursue. Stop. Buy him time. Finally!

"Get them across. I'll buy you time."

Chaos made for the Son of Calamity and in its host, there was no match for Sephiroth's speed.

Sephiroth stood in front of the materia crystal seal. Chaos attacked and the back of Sephiroth's sword met Vincent's claw with a force that reverberated through Chaos and shook Vincent loose, their wings disappearing.

"Walk away Vincent," Sephiroth intoned, "You owe me that."

Vincent felt his own face fall, but he didn't hide. He wouldn't not again.

"I think I've done a little too much of that, rather. Don't you?" Vincent swallowed in fear and resolve.

"Hmph. You didn't walk away. As I understand it, you were dragged kicking and screaming."

Vincent jerked back, his clawed gauntlet falling away from the sword, "And what do you know of it."

"I've learned a great deal from memories of the dead." Sephiroth remarked, then walked forward to close the gap that Vincent had created when he jerked back. Vincent took another step back down the stairs, but Sephiroth followed.

Another and another and another. The man had a smile on his face, a grin growing with every step away from the materia seal.

Sephiroth's footsteps were measured, pacing them out past the pod chamber into the reservoir.

Vincent clenched his teeth and held his ground, "My sins against you are many... But I--"

"--You will never be forgiven." Sephiroth moved further into his space, until there was hardly any space left. They were practically the same height, Sephiroth's snakelike eyes bearing down on Vincent as if he were taller.

"You will never be forgiven, but if you walk away, if you keep Chaos at bay as I reclaim my mother's throne. I may allow your passing to be quick."

Vincent swallowed, wondering why Sephiroth would offer that when he could easily kill him right now.

"Why?" He made eye contact with the young man turned monster. Sephiroth's wing flared and took a step back.

"Why not now? So you can see the fulfillment of your failure. And perhaps... To give you the chance to kill Hojo before you pass."

Vincent tilted his head surprised, "You'd offer me your birthright?"

"Like you, my sins are many, but patricide's too much, even for me."

Vincent stood tall, the resolve solidifying "I can do that."

"Good. But you're going to have to wait."

"Wait for?"

"The end of the world as we know it."

Vincent could feel Chaos squirming within. He denied it.

"For restoration or for ruin?" Vincent swallowed again wondering at the extent of the sins that would follow.

"For Shinra, ruin. For the planet, restoration. For Cloud and I... Retribution against both." Sephiroth turned around and walked back into the pod room.

"He doesn't seem the type." Vincent parried.

"No, but don't I?" Sephiroth laughed, climbing the stairs.

"Your mother was." Vincent whispered.

Sephiroth snorted as he once more reached the materia crystal seal, "So I did get something from the surrogate then?"

Vincent bristled, "Surrogate?"

The reactor trembled, then Sephiroth turned and smirked. Strife rushed past Vincent. Vincent followed after, but did not intervene.

Sephiroth raised his sword to meet Strife who rained down blow after blow, each matched in kind until Strife overreached. Sephiroth sidestepped the swing and Strife's sword embedded itself in the crystal. The reactor trembled and leaned.

Vincent adjusted his stance and Chaos squirmed again. Still Vincent observed.

The reactor leaned back and the entire building began to turn, knocking everyone off balance if only briefly.

The reactor leaned again. Strife tried to remove his sword once unsuccessfully before unlatching something and removed two short swords from the sides just in time for Strife to block Sephiroth. He went on the offensive with his two swords and managed to kick the man down the stairs towards Vincent. Sephiroth did a backflip and landed on his feet with grace.

"Cloud."

"Shut up." The blond looked past Sephiroth, "Vincent?" He question.

Vincent crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. Sephiroth chuckled when he did nothing. Chaos screamed an inhuman scream in his mind.

Sephiroth steadied his stance and raised his sword to shoulder height, head tilted as if in a taunt. Strife scowled and turned his back to his enemy, threw his two blades into the mako crystal beside his main sword and yanked. The Materia Seal crumbled underneath the force.

Vincent felt the reactor drop. Five internal voices cried out. Four in dismay. One in excitement.

Sephiroth raced, sword still raised, past flying shards of crystal materia to Strife who met him once more. The blond kept him at bay never letting the other have a higher vector of attack in the enclosed space.

Vincent felt the air pressure change, and then he heard it, but it didn't register quickly enough, with the fight before him. They were still sinking. They were sinking into the Lifestream.

The two were clashing, sword against sword, when they both faced the door to the side of Vincent, both sets of eyes blown wide in surprise. The world tilted, slinging Vincent in front of the door just as a deluge of the Lifestream rushed in with unsuspected force. The deluge caught Vincent and pushed him past the two enemies, now disengaged, past the door, and into the previously sealed storage room.

Sephiroth leaped over him, swinging his sword at Calamity's crystal prison. The world tilted once more as more of the Lifestream filtered past him. The tilt meant Sephiroth landed to the side of the prison rather than in front of it. Strife stumbled through the door, covered in green, his sword fully combined.

"SEPHIROTH!" Strife shouted.

"Nostalgic isn't it?" Sephiroth turned his back to his enemy and raised a hand to the crystal covered bust of the creature within.

The world tilted again. And as if the Lifestream itself were attacking, beyond the rules of fluid dynamics yet another deluge sent Vincent crashing into prison just above Sephiroth, upside down, disoriented, wings unleashed.

Chaos watched in horror as the summon Vincent had in his now cracked bracer floated in the Lifestream towards the traveler.

Phoenix.

Upside down? Right side up? Unable to breathe? It shouldn't matter to a WEAPON. Yet as the traveler reached for the summon and the Lifestream around them boiled Chaos froze, if only for a moment... a moment too long.

The room filled with the Phoenix above the traveler, gloved hands grasping the materia as if in prayer. Sephiroth and Chaos both made for Phoenix, but neither could reach it before it released it's flames of destruction and rebirth.

The world turned to light, awash with combusting memories.

Phoenix fire blew the remains of the reactor apart below the reaches of the surface above, unleashing calamity encased in a materia prison to the very memories it sought to corrupt.

The Chaos that once merged its whole being with Vincent to stop Omega watched as the Chaos of this time sank into the Lifestream, unable to control Vincent in their descent.

It took only a moment of indecision, looking back at the mostly closed portal through which the Lifestream had been dragged through before Chaos moved to join with Chaos. He didn't know the effect it would have, Vincent housing two Chaos's. But Sephiroth had to be stopped, and no one else knew what he was doing. No one else knew why.

Chaos only hoped that it wouldn't overload his human. In hindsight, Chaos really should have known better.

Chapter Text

 "CALAMITY CALAMITY CALAMITY CALAMITY."

That was the only thing the planet had screamed since shortly before the Gi attacked. She could still hear the planet in the canyon, unlike the silence that had consumed Midgar. It was still just a whisper compared to what it had been, but it still screamed.

Aerith hadn't really had time to process the fact that Shinra had what they wanted. A solid map of the planets most abundant Mako reserves. They didn't need the promised land anymore when they could see it didn't exist. They didn't need her. She was as good as lab rat food.

She only had thirty seconds to process it before Nanaki came with his warning. Another thirty seconds between Nanakis warning and the first wave. That had been in the morning, hours ago. It was nearly evening now. Still the waves of Gi continued.

The only reason she was still alive right now was in part thanks to Angeal and a woman shrouded in tainted power named Elfé, both taking rotations at the front; the two leonine children, Nanaki and Deneh, taking turns between fighting and running messages back and forth from the front to the makeshift war table; it was also in part because of the singular voice that stood out from the planets screams that guided Aerith in how to heal and how to seal anything that got too close to Bugenhagens home.

The abomination guarding the lifestream rift in the canyon below was helping too; Sucking up the Gi coming up out of the ground like the shop vac the sector five orphanage had could suck up giant bits of debris.

Tseng and Cissnei had tried to get her out near the start, but as much as the abomination was helping, any who had tried to escape met the same end as the Gi it was disposing of. When they realized that, they backed off the idea.

Their one available helicopter lay some distance away, crashed by some form of projectile before it even got to the extraction zone.

The planet wasn't happy about any of it, and Aerith... Aerith would be scared later. Right now Aerith was just exhausted and taking a brief break from healing the injured.

"Any word for the front?" Deneh asked the war table... Bugenhagen's dinner table.

"We were able to call for assistance with the long range radio. We have one helicopter inbound with the only backup we can get. Cissnei is creating a diversion for the guardian below to allow for inbound transport. We will need the candle area cleared."

Elfé raised an eyebrow. Her disdain of Shinra not hidden, but her care for Cosmo Canyon and the loss of some of her comrades prior to Angeal getting involved temporarily reallocated her ire towards the Gi, "that was cleared an hour ago but I'll double check." She nodded before leaving.

"Once everyone is off that helicopter you're leaving in it Aerith." Tseng whispered to her.

She slumped, not even wanting to argue. She knew the idea of war, war that lasted years. This had only been a few hours and she wanted to strangle the very world she lived to protect.

So much death. So, so much death.

It wasn't sad when someone returned to the planet. But sometimes, how someone passed on... That was sad.

"Are you coming with?" She asked.

"No. You remember meeting Veld, er... Mr. Verdot?" She nodded again.

"He'll be taking you back."

"Okay." She whispered. Her reluctance was rather noticeable if the look Bugenhagen was giving her was anything to go by.

"Tseng," Cissnei called, just as she walked through the door. "Charges are ready."

"Good. Then we're just waiting on--"

"--you read, over." Tsengs radio crackled. Tseng held it up and waited.

"I repeat, Tails, this is Head. Do you read, over?"

"Head this is Tails we read you. Over."

"Heli inbound in two minutes. Requesting diversion and landing coordinates."

Aerith stood and dusted off her borrowed uniform, while Tseng continued his conversation. She looked over the makeshift infirmary space, at those who had been healed and just needed rest along with the uncovered dead just outside. Bugenhagen didn't have enough blankets to cover them.

Aerith thought she'd be worse with blood than she was, and there was a lot of that... Blood. It... It didn't bother her any more than the Lifestream did.

Right now. It didn't bother her right now.

"The Candle has been secured, The path is clear." Elfé announced as she returned.

"Diversion is a go, over." Tseng reported then nodded to Cissnei. She hit something in her hand.

Aerith felt a somewhat distant rumbling and a loud otherworldly screech followed. Aerith heard the helicopter approaching.

"We need to go." Cissnei gently grabbed her arm and led her out.

Scorched earth and blooded dirt preceded them. The sun was starting to set, casting slowly elongating shadows. The abomination was still screeching. The planet was still crying.

Her hair whipped around her as the helicopter landed, the still lit bonfire flickering wildly in the violent breeze of the helicopter rotor blades.

Aerith kept her head down as Cissnei led her to the helicopter, but Aerith felt something. She couldn't hear anything thanks to the helicopter, but she could feel the abomination's attention turning back to them. She stopped their walk and snapped her head to look over the Canyon. She couldn't see it, it wasn't that tall. Cissnei gently shook her shoulder and Aerith reluctantly turned her attention back.

Aerith realized several things almost at once.

She realized why Angeal's sword looked so familiar. The spiky black haired man in her coma dream had been using it to fight Sephiroth.

She realized the voice that had been guiding her was not her mother's, but her own.

She realized that spiky black haired man existed, albeit much younger, in reality. Her mouth dropped in recognition as he stepped out of the Helicopter in front of a group of troopers. He walked over to Tseng, but tilted his head with a soft smile when he caught her staring.

" Zack." The voice... Her own voice told her.

"Zack?" she whispered. His eyes widened.

Aerith thought he'd caught what she said, but he pointed behind her. Tseng turned and his eyes widened too. He started running towards them. Aerith looked back just as Cissnei dove over her. She didn't see what happened, but she heard it. She heard the concussive blast of rotors chopping something up and hitting the dirt. She heard metal creaking and rotor blades slicing through dirt, sending rocks flying.

There was more weight over the both of them as those rocks and dirt started to pelt the both of them.

The helicopter's engine whined until it faded. It was a lot of noise until it settled into an eerie silence.

The weight lifted.

"At least this one wasn't my fault." Zack muttered above them.

Cissnei stood up too, helping Aerith up as she did so.

"Oh. You've crashed a different helicopter today?" Cissnei snorted then coughed.

"No. No. This is my second dirt shower today." Zack replied.

"--Our second dirt shower today." Another voice nearby grumbled.

"You okay Cloud?"

One of the troopers, he didn't have a helmet, was struggling to stand up, "I survived getting fried by a supernova without a helmet. This is nothing." The voice... Cloud muttered. Aerith tilted her head in confusion.

"Strife!" Mr. Verdot yelled, from where, she couldn't see.

"I'll shut up... Sir." He shouted back as he stood up, shaking dust from Chocobo-like blond hair.

Cloud Strife. Hadn't Teng asked her about...

"Hey, everyone else okay?" Zack yelled. Aerith counted eight mumbled affirmatives. Zack seemed to relax.

"Sorry to meet you this way, I'm Zack." Zack chuckled and scratched the back of his neck before rocking back on his heals. He shoved his hand out for a handshake, "I don't normally drop over girls like that I promise, but uh ya know, hero's have to protect our people." He nodded at himself.

Cissnei snorted, "Don't mind him. Zack's always like this." Aerith giggled.

"Cissnei, I am not!" Zack whined.

Tseng, now getting up off the ground, groaned loudly. "Zack!" He growled.

Zack spluttered looking back at Tseng, "What?"

She took and shook his still proffered hand, "Nice to meet you Zack. I'm Aerith." His smile was blinding. Her own smile turned sour when Elfé coughed wetly.

"Elfé?" Aerith asked but she waved her off, looking instead over at the now tilted helicopter.

Two of the troopers were helping Mr. Verdot, with a somewhat singed suit, out of the driver's seat of the helicopter. The door now vertical. Zack jogged over to help too.

"Looks like your evac went sideways." Elfé chuckled.

Mr. Verdot stumbled after sliding down the nose of the helicopter, "That voice..." he hacked out, still stumbling towards them.

Elfé aborted a step towards him.

His eyes widened when he was close enough to see through the floating dust around them, "Felicia?" He whispered.

Tseng's and Cissnei's eyes shot wide open in alarm.

Elfé's facial expressions changed rapidly, "Papa?"

Elfé dropped like a rock. Her... her dad caught her before she hit the ground.

The abomination screeched again, all the while the sound of more approaching Gi corpses clattered far too close for comfort.

Kuraudo was on his stomach. The drip of the faucet he thought he'd fixed months ago echoed around him, reverberating through his brain like a poorly angled block against Masamune...

Masamune...

Kuraudos eyes widened suddenly in shock.

He gasped as he felt Masamune slide through his back, his chest, and into the ground beneath him, just below his sternum before he could even think to move.

He jolted when he felt his hair being grabbed roughly, his head lifting at an awkward angle. He cried out as he felt his body slide up Masamune to adjust for it.

"Look Cloud. Look." Sephiroth taunted, "This is what I am saving you from."

He couldn't see much through his blurry eyes. Blood coated his tongue. He coughed, blood splattered down his chin and tears dislodged from his tear ducts, clearing his vision for a moment

Kuraudo tried to get his hands underneath him, to get some kind of leverage. His head was lifted higher. He grit his teeth against another scream.

"Look." Sephiroths whispered just next to his ear. He shuddered involuntarily in shock... In terror.

"This was your future Cloud. It still could be."

Sephiroth had him pinned on a cliff outside of Midgar, Zack's Cliff. Kuraudo gulped down his fury as a nine eyed WEAPON sized wolf stared down at the both of them, at least it was in the shape of a wolf. It looked to be covered in a hard shell instead of fur. One tail, two fin-like wings, four legs, six ears, and nine eyes, every eye covered with mako tinged tears falling down its snout.

"You pleaded with me to end your suffering, Cloud." Sephiroth chuckled, "You begged."

"No.” Kuraudo ground out.

"No?" Sephiroth parroted, "Yes Cloud. You begged me to release you from what the planet made you. The last WEAPON... A pitiful attempt to replicate the first."

The Wolf raised its head and howled, raising Kuraudo's hackles.

"You're," Kuraudo gasped for breath, "lying." He choked on more blood bubbling up his throat.

Sephiroth let go of his hair and slid Masamune back out of his rib cage all at once. Kuraudo's chin slammed back down on the cliff. He tasted more blood coming from his tongue. He flailed as a boot flipped him onto his back. He felt a Cure wash over him as he wheezed.

"I've never lied to you Cloud."

"Bullshit." Kuraudo coughed, setting off a full on coughing fit. He turned back over to spitting blood on the ground. When his coughing fit was over, he looked up to see the WEAPON sized Wolf stand up on all fours.

It had been cliff level while sitting? It ever so slowly turned around and walked away from them.

Lies. That's all this was. That's all Sephiroth did. He did this in the northern crater, and he was doing it now. With that came the understanding that Sephiroth wasn't here to fight him, he was here to try and break him... Again. He'd have to be strong. Like Zack.

He could just not play the game, or he could pick it apart. He looked back at Sephiroth, his right elbow leaning on the pommel of his Fusion Sword, buried a quarter of the way into the ground.

Picking things apart it was. Kuraudo moved to stand up, cautiously wiping blood from his chin with the back of his gloved hand. Sephiroth let him.

"So how does a human become a WEAPON?" Kuraudo asked.

"You weren't human. You were rejected by the Lifestream as I was. Reborn of the Cetra's tears."

"The hell are you talking about?"

"I stopped it, your death. I stopped your death and rebirth by ensuring my remnants didn't kill you. You're welcome." Sephiroth lilted.

Kuraudo narrowed his eyes. He'd question the whole idea if he himself wasn't currently nine years in the past. But it begged the question, "Why?"

"The Remnants didn't call you brother without reason Cloud."

Kuraudo sneered, "Jenova's not my mother. She's not yours either for that matter."

"What is a mother, Cloud? Is she a DNA donor? An incubator? Does a mother have dreams for their child? Would a mother share those dreams or hide behind madness to escape her own choices?" Sephiroth asked, staring through him.

Kuraudo opened his mouth to respond but found he didn't know what to say.

Sephiroth continued, "No. A mother shelters you. A mother clothes you. A mother feeds you. A mother raises you. A mother embraces you and watches you grow. Regardless of if a mother carries you, these are what a mother provides, is it not?"

Sephiroth tilted his head and pushed off of the Fusion Sword, "Would you not do anything for her in return?"

Kuraudo held himself from taking a step back when Sephiroth walked towards him, away from his Fusion Sword still in the ground. It was now a viable target, a target Sephiroth would expect him to go for.

Instead of moving, Kuraudo found words to reply, "I would have done anything for my mother within reason. Blowing up the world is not within reason."

"And if you discovered Claudia wasn't your biological mother, she would still be your mother because of what she did for you, wouldn't she?"

It clicked suddenly, "You... You already know Jenova's not your--"

"--Biological mother. Yes. But she is still a part of me, I still carry her DNA. The whispers at night when I couldn't sleep, the dreams I had when Hojo went too hard or too far in his tests, those however..."

The small... Ever so small part of Kuraudo's mind that hoped the Sephiroth of this time could be saved, started to crumble.

Sephiroth smiled.

Lies... He had to remember all he did was lie. He steeled his resolve.

Sephiroth frowned.

"Jenova's still not my mother." Kuraudo reiterated.

"No, I suppose she's not."

The cliff face, the giant wolf, and his Fusion Sword wisped away like dust and Kuraudo lost his balance as the floor beneath him turned to one he'd rather not remember.

His childhood, his mo... Claudia hummed a hymn of thanks in the kitchen, washing dishes, a very young... A very young Cloud dried them, humming with her. He couldn't have been older than four. It was one of those mundane memories that get hardwired into your brain for no reason... Except there had been a reason. He had been content with a full stomach and his mother was happy. His first real memory.

"How easily you gave up the identity you fought so hard for to a pale shadow of yourself. Perhaps you never really wanted it to begin with."

Kuraudo turned and put himself between the two and Sephiroth and snarled, "Get out of my head."

Sephiroth sat at the kitchen table with a wry grin, "You're still not sure are you? Not sure you're the little boy Tifa remembered. Not sure you share a history with that young trooper? Too fractured. Too broken? Zack, Tifa, the Cetra, Jenova, you, and I. You are an amalgamation of those you've absorbed like the sword of six you so do prize. It suits you."

"Shut up! That won't work this time. I am Cloud Strife. I always have been."

"Of course you are." Sephiroth's eyes glinted, "I'll admit, I didn't know, not until Hojo died and I returned to the Lifestream by your blade. I didn't know you weren't just a puppet. I didn't remember that blond trooper Zack brought with us to Nibelheim. But neither did you. You didn't remember yourself. You didn't remember Zack. We both misremembered perhaps, but never have I knowingly lied to you Cloud, nor would I lie now."

"Misremembered?" He whispered at first, then shouted, "MISREMEMBERED?" He took a step forward.

Sephiroth smiled again, "There you are."

"What?"

His childhood home aged in front of him. His... His mother, no longer in the kitchen. She was...

"NO!" He shouted.

His mother was on her knees, Masamune at her neck.

"Why?" She asked through sobs.

"I assure you Ms. Strife, death for you, is a mercy."

Kuraudo jumped at Sephiroth only to fly through the memory landing face down on the floor. He heard Masamune pass through flesh behind him, then two drops. He looked up, Sephiroth stood before him.

"I granted her a mercy Cloud. She was kind to me once. I made sure there would be nothing left of her for Hojo to use. Isn't that better?"

The part of his mind that clung to reason... broke.

"YOU BASTARD!" Cloud yelled, his own screams drowned out by the start of a fire.

He was on his feet in the blink of an eye, and just as quickly Cloud was pinned to a door, the Shinra Manor basement library door, mercifully by magic and not Masamune. Another blink and Sephiroth was right in front of him.

"Her death wasn't just a mercy to her," Cloud struggled, trying with everything he had to get loose, "it was for you too. Just as mother's death was ultimately a mercy to me."

"You're insane," He spat.

"Isn't it better that we return that mercy to us?"

"No you Bastard, don't touch her."

Sephiroth took a step even closer, "Oh? We should leave our mother's existence to chance?"

"Let me go asshole."

"Shall we let them live?"

"Yes!"

"Shall we trade their deaths with others?"

"No." He kicked his legs against the door trying to...

Masamune was suddenly at his neck. This wasn't real. He had to remember this was real.

"What is real Cloud?"

His mind snapped, realizing that Sephiroth really was in his head... They both were. He pushed, "Get. Out!"

The magic dropped and Cloud ducked under and to the side of the sword swings he was expecting, trying to get out of his space, but Sephiroth had dismissed it. Clouds' disorientation at that moment cost him.

Sephiroth turned to grab Cloud's hand where he'd been intending to grab the back of Masamune. Sephiroth swung him around and grabbed both his hands behind his back and rammed Cloud face first into the nearest bookcase, covering the entryway with falling books. He felt the back of his mind start to emit static. Cloud tried to push backwards but Sephiroth just yanked him back and pushed him into the next bookcase.

"I still know every corner of your mind, Cloud. If you think I didn't know every corner of your hollow brain when you handed me the black materia, you are mistaken."

The static lit his mind on fire. He grunted as Sephiroth pulled him back, turned him around and kicked him into the empty desk in the middle of the room, breaking it.

"If you think the command I sent you to deliver it isn't so ingrained in you that you opened a delivery service to try and fill the hole its absence left in your soul, you are mistaken."

Cloud dropped from the broken table to his knees, gabbed his head with both his hands and keened as the static pitched higher. Sephiroth grabbed his shirt and lifted him up to face level

"I put everything I had into the one puppet that wasn't a drooling half corpse of a being, the one puppet with anything resembling competence." Sephiroth threw him again into another full bookcase. His head wobbled from the impact, he slid down to the floor.

"I have been in your head for so long that not even the planet's healing water could remove me." Sephiroth crouched down in front of him and yanked his hair back. Cloud could barely focus on him.

"I will never be just a memory to you Cloud. Remember that."

He was too close. Cloud headbutted him.

The static cleared, His hair released.

Cloud kicked off from the floor, kneeing Sephiroth's chin, already thrown back. He jumped to the side and rolled out of the way as Masamune hit where he had been, taking out yet another bookcase.

He couldn't pull this off, he couldn't pick this apart, he needed his sword. He ran.

He stumbled over splintered wood and spilled books... Books which became cracked cement and shattered glass. He ran into the church and saw the Buster Sword standing like a shrine. Better than the cliff, he thought. He'd have to remember that. He grabbed it.

Sorry Zack.

The church morphed in front of his eyes to the place he despised above all others.

Aerith kneeled in prayer in the city of the ancients. Cloud jumped.

The Buster Sword met Masamune. Cloud swung forward and Sephiroth flew backwards into the abyss.

Huh? He took a breath and shook his head, his mind clearing even further. He hadn't passed through that. That hadn't been a memory? He turned to see Aerith... And...

"Aerith? Zack?" They both looked at him owlishly.

Zack touched his ear and shook his head. Cloud gave them both a watery smile. They couldn't hear him, but they were here. They were...

The air jolted and Cloud brought up his Buster just in time to meet Sephiroth once more.

"Sorry to break up such a touching reunion." Sephiroth smirked.

Cloud felt Aerith's support. He saw Zack moving, flanking Sephiroth with his own Buster sword. Sephiroth turned his head slightly to look at Zack as he did so.

"The two people closest to you that you couldn't save are who your mind tortures you with as a defense mechanism. Hmph. Never change Cloud."

Cloud charged. He swung up to catch Masamune in a block so Zack could attack Sephiroth's back. Zack attacked downward but Sephiroth used his momentum to turn and swipe down after Zack's Buster. Zack jumped back just in time to not get nicked.

Cloud swung his Buster back down but Sephiroth moved out of the way. He backed up into a block of ice which shattered over him. Sephiroth snarled and began to attack them in earnest.

The three of them fought against Sephiroth on the very dais that truly put Cloud's lack of control into perspective. It felt...

Cloud had never fought side by side with Zack, and not with Zack and Aerith at the same time. But it felt like picking up a piece of himself that he'd lost somewhere.

They clashed. They moved. They fought... Until Zack tackled Cloud out of the way and Aerith did... Something.

Something that made him feel like he'd just lost the very thing he'd just gained or maybe... Maybe it was something else.

Zack let go of his tackle hold and Cloud saw Sephiroth in the middle of the dais, where Aerith had been, but he was encircled in a translucent green cylinder. Sephiroth was punching the wall, it wasn't even making a dent.

Cloud tried to ask a question, but nothing came out. He didn't bother trying again as Aerith was in front of him, hugging him. And then Zack. Zack was hugging him too.

"You're doing good buddy." He'd forgotten Zack's voice. His older voice.

"Zack I'm--"

"--Dilly Dally Shilly Shally." Zack cut him off.

Cloud chuckled, choking on a sob.

"You're gonna be okay." He'd forgotten Aeirth's voice too.

"Aerith... I--"

"--Remember what I said?" Aerith cut him off

"Isn't it time you did the forgiving?" He repeated.

"We already have Cloud." Zack muttered, his chin on Cloud's head.

"Now it's your turn." Aerith whispered.

Cloud relaxed his chin on Aerith's head, tears trailing down his face into her hair.

He closed his eyes. He really shouldn't have.

The sound of rushing Mako covered his ears as he was pulled out of the Lifestream. He coughed, his body unwieldy. Bruised. Burned. Broken. Scorched.

He was thrown on his side, the ground crunched beneath Sephiroth's boots. The Fusion Sword clanged when Sephiroth unceremoniously dropped it in front of Cloud. He coughed and hacked residual mako from his lungs. When his own hacking quieted he heard something else, a familiar sound he couldn't place. It didn't matter though, Cloud was too out of it to move.

He could hear Sephiroth and Masamune... The Gi. That's where he'd heard that sound before. Cloud couldn't move, but he wriggled, managing to roll onto his back and roll his head to face the destruction Sephiroth wrought. His nerves screamed at him, but he could see now. 

He was clearing away Gi. A lot of them. Mako splashed around them as the corpses were unceremoniously thrown into the Lifestream. What was he..? He blinked. The planet jolted up and rumbled back down, the Lifestream sloshed back and forth once more until there was settled silence.

Sephiroth was in front of him again, grabbing what little remained of his burned shirt and hauled him up, shoving him into a seated position in front of a rock. He couldn't help that his head drooped down.

Sephiroth grabbed his hair again to make sure Cloud was looking at him.

"Enjoy your freedom while you have it Cloud. That wall won't last forever. I'll offer you this parting gift while you do," He laughed cruelly.

"The quantum quakes slowed me, your reckless actions in the reactor slowed me, but nothing will stop me. Stay away from Jenova Cloud. And I'll stay away from Claudia. Let both of our mother's live, and your mother will not know the sting of death by my blade in this life. Won't that be nice?"

He didn't say it, but the threat was clear enough. He tried to scowl, but wasn't sure if...

"If you're a good puppet, I might even let," Sephiroth paused and looked to the side before looking back at him. "If you're good, I might even let our Creator die next time."

There was shuffling behind Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth!?" Was that Angeal?

"NO WAIT! That's not..." Tseng...

Sephiroth let go of his hair, combing his hand through it once before letting go. Cloud's head tilted back. He looked up to see Seto... The moon... The stars...

Sephiroth was gone, an old woman in his place, neck lined with blood. She smiled at him. She stood and turned.

"Mom?" Angeal whispered, strangled.

"Kuraudo?" Zack... Oh that's right... He was supposed to be Kuraudo now.

"Do be a dear and make sure Cloud gets patched up? He's been quite unreasonable."

"The recruit?" Angeal's voice cracked.

"Him too." She replied. Then she jumped. She Flew.

Zack was in front of him in an instant, "Oh man. What happened!?"

"Move." Aerith was right next to him. They were so much younger now, "Lifestream sickness. I..." She gnawed at her lower lip.

Kuraudo grinned, blinking slowly, "Aer...ith."

He closed his heavy eyelids, letting his exhaustion finally take over in safe company. Kuraudo passed out and let his two long dead friends take care of him, not thinking of the consequences that might follow.

Chapter Text

The thing about being a Turk is ya gotta turn the brain off and do the dirty work. Sometimes doing the dirty work meant keeping the guts of the strongest man on the planet inside of the strongest man on the planet.

"Reno we're coming up on Junon. Medical team is standing by."

"Roger that partner."

What was he thinking? Getting assigned Sephiroth meant there wasn't supposed to be dirty work cause he did it for them. Getting assigned to Sephiroth was normally a Tseng thing... It was a bonus for other Turks when Tseng was busy.

"Don't suppose that's a SOLDIER medical team?" Reno asked.

"No. They're still cleaning up the flood."

"Oh-kay then."

The Deepground mako flood. The flood that Cissnei found evidence of when she made her way back into the tower after making nice with Andrea. The flood that happened as soon as blondy hit the deck running. The flood that broke the one Reactor no one knew hadn't been retrofitted and finally broke under the pressure. The flood that made them find out what Hojo was slowly turning the SOLDIER Clinic into with the President's approval. The approval that apparently came via Blackmail. Blackmail that apparently suddenly didn't have meaning when Hojo shut down R&D for three days and the President ordered an Audit on Science for the first time in history.

That flood.

Reno did not sign up for this shit. This was the worst shit. Actually he kind of did sign up for this shit... He just didn't know he was gonna be working with doppelgangers and flying bogeys taking off from the ground going from zero to mach one in less than ten seconds.

"Any word on the bogey?" He asked

"No."

There had been so much damn blood in that tent. Kunsel had held it together pretty well, but seeing the indestructible man looking pretty destroyed tended to do things to your psyche. It was definitely doing weird things to his own head. Like making him think about his own mortality. Reno was a Turk though, he didn't have time for thinking about that.

"How's he holding up?" Rude asked.

Reno took a look at the man now in hospital transport attire, "Well. He's still alive."

"Hmmm."

He was alive and Reno was really hoping he didn't wake up, cause the likelihood of him keeping all his limbs while applying pressure to Sephiroth's wounds wasn't really high if the guy woke up.

Applying pressure... Wasn't that a joke. Some of the medical personnel had been called in to take care of Sephiroths while Reno and Rude scoped out the crime scene. They'd given him up for dead until they realized how fast his skin was growing back. Audibly growing back. It was disgusting.

They'd put a drain in his punctured lung and a drain in his abdomen but hadn't bothered to stitch him up... Not that he'd checked in a while but Reno was pretty sure he didn't need them anymore.

"Landing in 2."

"Got it."

Reno did his best to brace himself. Sephiroth was already braced and ready for transport. He felt the gentle touch down and looked at Rude who gave the all clear. He opened the door and got the hell out of the med team's way, sighing in relief as he did so. Finally somebody else's problem.

The blades whirled down as Rude exited the Heli. The refueling crew descended onto it like the swarm they were. His PHS buzzed in his pocket.

"Hey Rude, can you grab my PHS.. my gloves are a little..."

Bloody. His gloves were bloody. His suit was bloody. He was sticky and needed a shower yesterday.

Rude grabbed it out of his chest pocket and flipped it open. His eyebrows raised above his sunglasses before turning the PHS around.

"That's what you call notifying Verdot?

V. V. :

[20:32]

Silver Crown down. Sus not W. Directions unclear knife stuck in evidence.

[01:14]

???

N. temp cell tower up. Verbal discussion not advised. S.C. where?

"Ah. Just tell him we're in Junon." Reno nodded to himself.

He couldn't see Rude roll his eyes, the dumb ass was still wearing Sunglasses at midnight, but Reno could tell.

"I'm letting him know about the possible copy tech too. I thought Hojo was bullshitting us about Strife being someone else's failure, except we just saw a success."

"You really telling him over text? And the Camera footage was inconclusive."

Rude snapped his phone shut and put it into his own pocket. He pulled out the sd card they'd nabbed before leaving and held up their evidence briefcase. The briefcase with all the meticulously documented evidence they gathered while the Mideel med team did their emergency drain pipes on Frankenstein's monster.

Reno hung his head, "And we're gonna go make it conclusive... Right after I take a shower."

The thing about being a Turk was that sometimes you just couldn't do anything. And sometimes doing something, meant turning your head the other way.

Like today. Or rather, this whole week.

Cissnei turned the other way while they kept a SOLDIER locked up because he copied her limit.

Cissnei turned the other way when asked to be a motherly figure to corral the strongest man on the planet because his normal Turk handler was away.

Cissnei turned the other way when the elevator went the wrong direction and she found materia crystals the size of bodies in a darkened hallway.

Cissnei turned the other way when they asked her to be a friendly face to a kidnapped half ancient and her adoptive mother.

Cissnei turned the other way when the last Cetra aimed her ear down and picked up support moves on the two Turks, one SOLDIER, and many warriors of Cosmo Canyon that the Turks had never seen her use before.

Cissnei turned the other way when she was asked to destabilize the ground beneath the lifestream guardian, just to get that last Cetra away.

Cissnei... She couldn't turn away now. She couldn't do anything now.

Veld had caught his daughter. They'd fought off the next wave of Gi as he held her. Angeal and the warriors had cleared the gate and retreated to join them. When the wave dissipated, Veld told Cissnei to help the recruits carry Felecia... Back to Bugenhagens.

He'd told her to stay put.

Cissnei took her jacket off and placed it on Bugenhagens floor before the recruits laid her head on it. An empty spot on the floor, that's all they had at the moment

The recruits asked questions as they did so. She ignored the recruits and their questions. Even the one without a helmet. The one that made her wonder if Strife hasn't been a successful copy rather than a Hojo defined failure.

Bugenhagen was another matter.

"Elfé!" He hovered over to them.

"No." She paused, "Troopers, can you wait outside?"

"Yes ma'am." They saluted and stepped outside grumbling, leaving Bugenhagen, one of the other elders, and the injured.

"Her name is not Elfé and she is under Turk protection." Cissnei whispered.

Bugenhagen's eyebrows lifted in a slow and incredulous manner, "I'm sorry my dear. My hearing isn't what it used to be... Did you say--"

"--Under Turk protection."

"She has been a valued member of our community for nearly three years. She had no memory of her life before."

"Well she just got at least some of them back and passed out." Cissnei replied curtly.

"Has she been attended to?"

"Aerith did, but another wave came after the monster debladed our helicopter. She's still with them."

"Hmm..." His eyes were distant. Turning away too. "The injured still need attention. Verdot and I will speak when he returns."

They only had to wait fifteen minutes before Veld joined them. He looked even worse than when he'd arrived. He looked lost.

"My Job comes first. It always has." Veld whispered but it cut through the silence of those in pain like a gunshot.

"Yes sir." Cissnei acknowledged.

"The Turks are my family now."

"Yes Sir."

"Aerith said there's something wrong with her , tainted... I thought she was dead. I didn't know. I don't... Hojo would have. He... My daughter."

He drifted into silence and Cissnei didn't know what else to say, what she could do. Not with the Science Audit in full swing. Not with Hojo still down for the count.

"Maybe Hojo can fix whatever he did." Bugenhagen hovered over to them, "There was a scientist here, I have not seen him since the attack, but he had some theories. Whatever was done to her made her strong. Ho ho hoooo. Possibly stronger than your SOLDIER from what I've seen today."

Veld stared at the elder blankly, "What scientist?"

"Oh if he comes back, and for her he would, I'll introduce you. But I'm not hopeful. His place of study was near to the seal that the Gi broke through."

Veld nodded, his blank stare now a calculating one, "Bugenhagen, you've been exceptionally helpful to Shinra today. It is appreciated. But I'm afraid I must ask for more."

"Ho ho hooo? And what more could an old man like me do?"

"Tell me about Felicia since she arrived here. Tell me everything."

The thing about being a Turk is you have to keep your mouth shut. Honestly Reno seemed to manage well enough, taking all day long without saying too much, but Rude preferred to say as little as possible and only as much as needed. It made sure he didn't dish out his personal life to work or divulge state secrets to his personal life.

That and he wasn't the best with words. Working with Reno was as painful as it was useful, such as their current predicament.

"Hey hey hey man cool it!"

Or not.

"You're in Junon medical center, no need to rough up the medical team."

Several nurses and doctors had received significant damage upon Sephiroth's awakening; Reno and Rude were called from their investigation in turn. At least he hadn't sliced anyone up.

"Junon? Not Midgar?" Sephiroth asked.

"Hey you're talking, cool. Yeah not Midgar. You were looking a little too rough to make the full trip."

Sephiroth stood up from his fighting stance, sans sword, and took in his surroundings before furtively looking down at his chest.

No drains, no giant holes, no stabs.

"Mideel?" He asked.

Reno opened his mouth but Rude spoke first, "Not your problem."

The man nodded looking back at the hospital bed he'd broken. It was ironic really. Almost a parody of what Strife had done. That was one of SOLDIERs ' problems. PTSD was bad enough. Throw in some enhanced soldier strength and you get something worse.

Funny thing was. Sephiroth had never been captured. Any kind of PTSD of this sort was homegrown. And Sephiroth was apparently shaken enough to be susceptible to it. Good thing Hojo was still knocked out so they didn't have to immediately report it.

"Are you well enough to return to Midgar?" Rude asked.

The SOLDIER First Class took a deep breath and nodded.

"I am. Once I've retrieved my uniform."

"Cool I'll grab your mopped up leather. Rude you grab the hospital discharge papers."

Rude rolled his eyes as Reno took off to grab their evidence and Sephiroth's clothes. He turned to leave too, "Stay put and clean up. We'll be back."

When Rude made it back to the room, the room cleaned and the broken bed now right side up but still broken, it became clear the uniform would need a replacement. Sephiroth's bangs hid the stab hole but there was a lot more abdomen showing than there should be.

"Shall we?" Sephiroth asked blandly.

Rude found it reassuring that the mask Sephiroth so carefully crafted had fallen back into place. Less clean up while he was wearing that compared to if anyone got their hands on a photo they shouldn't.

"We shall. Let's go." Reno hopped off the cracked windowsill and sidestepped the broken bed. Spread as thin as they were, the Turks had to pay off the cleanup crew rather than be the cleanup crew. That was part of Sephiroth's discharge papers.

As they made their way to the roof, Rude contemplated the findings they'd made in the Junon Turk office... They had some very blurry video from one of the encampment cameras, they couldn't definitively label it a Copy from what they had. However, with the communication they'd received from Veld not long after Rude texted him more details about the incident, it wouldn't be surprising.

They'd get the blood work from the knife, the ground, and Sephiroth himself forwarded from Junon to Midgar when it came in. That would be telling enough if Hewleys mother turned traitor. Sephiroth's official statement would be paramount.

The helicopter ride was somewhat tense. Enough so that even Reno kept his mouth shut, a miracle. Until Sephiroth chuckled and Reno jumped in his seat turning to look behind. Rude looked at Reno who had his mouth slightly ajar.

"That moth--"

"--Reno!"

"Kunsel didn't misplace the PHS when I gave it to him to bag-n-tag, he... I checked that thing. Where are the pockets I don't know about?"

Rude would ensure Kunsel received a write up. That said... Rude took his eye off the clouds in front of him to see Sephiroth looking at his PHS, clearly in silent mode, turned on but still in one of the evidence bags. Kunsel had outsmarted them somehow.

"I have many pockets Reno." Sephiroth eyed the two of them before continuing to scroll through something.

"That is supposed to be in evidence." Rude mentioned before turning to face forward.

"I'm sure." Sephiroth drawled.

"Look, we held off on taking your statement so we could get you back but we're about to--"

"--Kunsel has sent updates and the shape shifter that incapacitated me appears to have made Zack's day unbearable. He's quite cross with me it seems."

"...Eh?"

"He's very upset." Rude could hear the thinly veiled condescending tone in Sephiroth's voice.

"Upset about what?" Rude called back

"Quite a bit."

Reno unbuckled himself and started to crawl into the back.

"Gimme that! Hey don't reply. What the..."

"Here you go." Sephiroth complied.

"The hell?"

"What." Rude prompted after the commotion settled.

"From Zack. Hey boss. So you know I respect you and I know everyone has bad days, even you. And I know this PHS is only for emergencies, but wtf? Since when can you fly? Since when do you have a white wing? What's up with you and Cloud. What's up with you and Kuraudo (Strife)? Idk why I'm texting you. I think you just drowned in a Mako explosion. I'm okay by the way. Thanks for nothing. Also really sorry for throwing the sun at you... Didn't know it was a sun."

Rude wondered if I'm the time Zack spent locked up with the Turks, if no one had taught him texting discretion.

Reno continued, "Then this guy just replied. 'It's a Shape shifter. Also possibly appearing as Angeal's mother. Avoid blood to blood contact.'"

"So it was Dr. Hewley?" Rude asked, getting a statement aside, they needed to know that... One Dr Hewley and one Sephiroth entered the tent. Two Sephiroths came out.

"I'm not sure. It knew where my Masamune materia was after it took my form, it seemed to know quite a bit about Angeal and Genesis while appearing as Angeal's mother."

"Huh. Gonna just nab this thanks." Reno said before crawling back up front with the bagged PHS in hand with a huff.

"I do wonder though..." Sephiroth trailed off.

"About?" Rude promoted again when he'd let it sit for too long

"I know who Strife is, but who's Cloud?"

Rude knew it was a brand new recruit tied to Strife, but beyond that, with a text like that, Rude,  against all training that taught him not to, wondered who Cloud was too.

The thing about being a Turk, is that it often required a certain level of emotional finesse that Tseng didn't have. He could often fake it. He could fake an emotional attachment six ways from Sunday and still have an extra day left, but this was beyond him.

"Why." Angeal whispered, a statement not a question, for the second time. The man had been up for hours fighting ghosts and playing nice with those who had anti Shinra leanings in the name of dreams and honor.

Zack had Strife... Or was it Cloud, his knowledge of Aerith's name was another point against him... On his back. Angeal carried Strife's sword. Aerith and Nanaki led the way back in front of them.

She refused to go with Cissnei and Felicia after the wave of Gi from the back had been disposed of and the Guardian once more removed the Gi trying to pass it. While everyone was still assessing the situation she'd outright run towards the cave on her own.

Tseng had taken off after her, Zack and Angeal had quickly followed. It hadn't necessarily been ideal, leaving the settlement without a SOLDiER should there be any further breaks, but the Guardian had been doing quite a bit of work on the front. He prayed they'd be fine. Just as he prayed that the girl he'd come to care for would be as well.

In a way, he could understand Veld's current struggle, it's why he'd encouraged Veld to stay with Felicia even before Aerith took off. Perhaps she knew. Perhaps she knew he'd follow. The job came first. It had to. It always would. But sometimes... Family and emotional finesse were a close second, even if Tseng himself didn't have any. But he supposed that's where family came in. Being good at the things you were not.

"I don't know why Angeal... But I bet Mr. Blondy has some ideas." Aerith replied distractedly. Nanaki's tail swished lazily but his ears twitched.

One creature had stayed with the village, the other, the one that had called Fellow Bugenhagen 'Grandpa' had dashed in after them with several other warriors. Warriors that had fought with them on their merry chase into the land of the dead.

All of them injured, all of them turned back at Aerith's request. All but the creature... The talking creature that either needed to be apprehended or made to sign an NDA... With paws. Tseng hadn't figured that one out yet but he suspected, with how close it had been sticking to her, that it would come willingly if Aerith asked.

"So I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about this--"

"--You're not Zack." Tseng cut him off.

"Yeah okay but how much did Veld actually get to tell you over the radio?"

"Enough."

"Nanaki, why don't you run ahead with the others. We'll be alright." Aerith patted the creature's forehead. It looked at them all before nodding and leaping away quickly.

Zack sighed, "Enough to know Sephiroth wasn't Sephiroth. You wouldn't have tried to warn Angeal if you didn't."

"Zack."

"No, I'm serious right now." Zack paused and hefted Strife further up his back before continuing, "I don't know if that's actually your Mom Angeal, right! I don't think it was Sephiroth dressed as your mom either."

"Zachary." Tseng tried again, with a harsher tone When Angeal stopped and looked back at Zack.

"You didn't see that thing in Nibelheim, Geal. It sounded like him, but I've been thinking--"

"--Dangerous." Angeal interrupted and Zack stuck his tongue out at his superior.

"I don't think it was either of them." Aerith added, having paused further up, surrounded by still bones of the corpses they'd put down, for how long he didn't know.

"Aerith?" Tseng warned.

"I may as well make good on what I can do before you have to throw me into the lab." She smiled cheerfully, a false veneer.

"The lab?" Zack asked.

Tseng hoped against hope with clear mako hotspots they would leave her alone. That Hojo would just die. Because she wasn't wrong and he'd been trying not to think about it.

"Yeah, the one where I get experimented on until I die." Tseng flinched. He never flinched. Feelings aside. Job first.

"Oh don't worry. Sephiroth would never let that happen!" Zack exclaimed and Angeal hung his head at the boys enthusiasm, "Oh... Wait, pretend I didn't say that. I wasn't supposed to say that."

"He said no such thing." Tseng confirmed before starting to walk again urging Aerith to do the same. She tilted her head but started forward again.

"Okay fine. I'll made sure that doesn't happen. I'll kidnap you or something so you won't get... That." Zack promised. He had no idea what he was saying and she laughed, knowing that.

"That aside. Don't ask Why. Ask How." Aerith continued.

"How then?" Angeal asked.

"I bet blondy knows that too." Aerith answered and Angeal snorted.

They reached the ladders and Tseng went up first, then Zack with Strife, then Angeal, then Aerith.

"Oh man, I need a break. Sorry Kuraudo." Zack slung Strife off his back and sat down next to more bones outside of the still broken seal, a good number of which had been cleared out since they were last through. All but Angeal followed suit.

Tseng's phone went off repeatedly. Then Angeal's, then Zacks. Though Zack was the first to have his open. Hmmm, they must have gotten the temp cell tower up.

"Definitely not Sephiroth, and probably not your mom." Zack stated. Tseng and Angeal both gave him an expectant look.

"And..." Aerith prompted.

"Yeah so I texted him about Nibelheim and maybe gave him a piece of my mind." Tseng groaned as he looked through a few texts from Rude and Veld.

"Aaaand he replied 'It's a Shape shifter. Also possibly appearing as Angeal's mother. Avoid blood to blood contact.'"

"Blood to blood contact? Shapeshifter?" Angeal repeated, sitting down to join them.

There'd also been a text from Gun. There'd been an incident with Genesis, because of course there was.

Angeal opened his own PHS and started through his missed messages as well.

Veld had forwarded Tseng a few things for him to look at. Rude reported Sephiroth was back up, but had been down and was just heading back to Midgar, which was interesting, because Gun reported he'd just been in to see Hojo who was now awake, and no one knew Sephiroth had been deployed to Mideel.

Shit.

Tseng looked up to see Aerith checking over Strife. Angeal's eyebrows were practically to his own forehead before he looked at Zack then at Strife, then at Tseng, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Zack."

"Yeah."

"Remind me to go over proper digital communication discretion when this all blows over."

Tseng knew better than to have his guard down. In fact it was so high up that he knew it was Cissnei and he knew what she was going to do. But Hojo was awake and Tseng had a Job, so he let the knockout come. He'd have to write Cissnei up for sloppy footwork when he came to.

The thing about being a Turk is any job had to be clean and I'd you screwed up a job, you got to clean it up. If it wasn't clean in the end, one way or another, you lost your job and your life. That's why Turks were so good. Being alive was preferable. And Veld still had a boat load of cleanup to do.

Something else Veld had learned in his time was that revenge was a dish best served cold and right now, it was freezing. It needed to thaw a little.

Cissnei would go undercover to Costa del Sol with his daughter while she recovered from her apparent Coma. She would recover, he had to believe that. Aerith would disappear with her. They'd keep an eye on Felicia while Veld conducted the Science Audit and Kept Hojo from traveling. They found seven copies of Hojo's blackmail on the president and Veld doubted that was all of them.

The Audit would find what Hojo did to his daughter and to Valentine. And then he'd kill Hojo. He'd kill him quickly. Cleanly. And by then no one would bat an eye.

Veld just had to call in a personal favor from Legend first.

Chapter Text

Dreams of the morrow

hath the shattered soul

Pride is lost

Wings stripped away

the end is nigh

Ironic that it would be wings granted rather than wings stripped away that heralded the beginning of the end.

"This is insane Lazard! He can't be deployed, not like this."

Genesis rolled his eyes at Hollanders gesticulating, the slight movement making him wince at the twinge of a currently invisible and offending appendage.

"I can see that Hollander, but the President received intel on Wutai and wants SOLDIER mobilized. Heidegger already recalled the troops returning from leave back to Junon. He's expecting SOLDIER to do the same come the morning. Deployment will be in less than a week."

Genesis bit out, "Far be it from me to let a silly little wound prevent me from serving the President's greed."

Lazard hung his head, pushed his glasses up, and sighed, "Hollander, a word in private?"

Hollander scowled, "Fine."

Genesis quirked an eyebrow at the Director of SOLDIER. Lazard, squeezed Genesis bare bicep in a poor attempt at solace for the tar seeping from beneath the stitches over the scratch on his shoulder and the gash oozing coagulated blood on his back. The director followed Hollander out, likely to speak of pointless politics and Shinra's egotistical ideals of conquest and profit.

The door closed and Genesis looked up at the dulled LED light above, much better than the fluorescent lights outside. The buzzing LED's emitted wasn't nearly as aggravating and the scent of ozone around them practically non-existent. Though, he could no longer say LEDs we're completely lacking... Then again, it could just be him.

It had been a sudden pain and a static screech that knocked him out for a moment. His room had been the only one left untouched by Strife's fall from nowhere... Now it was covered in a spray of his own blood and flesh.

He'd called Hollander in a rare moment of completely justified terror.

Hollander's assistants cleared the halls and carried him up. The goddess only knew how many had heard his quietly choked sobs through the halls when they wrapped him up.

They were careful, but he could still feel bone forming... growing... healing. The skin itched. The pinions starting to grow out.

Oh how he had dreamed of flying as a child. Dreamed of flying with the goddess. Dreamed of being a hero.

But no. When the pain subsided from unbearable to agonizing, Hollander began to explain. Genesis was no hero. He was the least of Shinra's monsters, or perhaps the greatest. Then Hollander tried to stretch out his wing like a butterfly.

Genesis was no stranger to pain, but that action made him flinch. He'd flinched so dramatically that the wing outright disappeared. The relief had been indescribable. Hollander's shout of consternation at the loss brought Genesis nothing less than pure joy.

It hadn't been long after when Lazard called Hollander asking if it was possible for him to take Genesis off his medical restrictions. Hollander of course said no and hung up.

Lazard arrived shortly thereafter. The following discussion on logistics had honestly flowed slightly below Genesis' conscious thoughts, as although the wing had disappeared, he could still feel it like a broken hand folded into a jacket pocket. He didn't dare even think of even trying to retrieve it though. Not here.

Genesis closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift away from the pain and towards his other senses. Lazard and Hollander weren't close enough to overhear, but he could hear a couple of techs in the hallway spouting gossip that might interest him on a day when his world hadn't been outright removed beneath him.

He snatched his PHS out of his pant pocket.  Still nothing. Genesis hadn't heard from Angeal or Sephiroth. Not surprising given the quakes, but he'd thought the temporary cell towers would have been set up by now.

Instead, he suffered through this alone, like always.

He sighed again and leaned forward as Hollander opened the door. "What are you doing!?"

"Why, I'm sitting up. What does it look like?" Genesis scoffed, and put his PHS back in his pant pocket, hiding another wince as he did so.

Hollander snorted and grimaced, eyeing the tar lines on his shoulder.

"We're cleaning you up and you're being deployed."

Genesis glowered, "Under normal circumstances I'd jump at the opportunity to one up Sephiroth but can't it wait for his return?"

"We are. He'll be deployed as well. But the intent is getting you out Genesis. Lazard and I are getting you out. We can't treat you in Shinra, not like this."

Genesis jolted in surprise. If he didn't know any better, and he most certainly did, he'd almost say Hollander was actually concerned.

Hollander started to fuss over him, cleaning and bandaging his wounds. Hollander never fussed. Ever.

"But what of Angeal?" He asked. If what was happening to him had any chance of happening to Angeal... He'd never forgive himself for leaving him alone.

"He's not showing symptoms yet. If he does, we'll pull him out too, don't worry."

Hollander finished cleaning his back and secured his bandages while Genesis contemplated his oldest friend and closest rival.

He couldn't really say no to getting out. Not in his current state. More than that... He didn't want to. He'd never surpass Sephiroth if he wasn't healed and the President clearly didn't care if he was injured. Whether he liked it or not, with his wing still tucked away, the monster had to leave. He glowered at Hollander when he threw a new First Class shirt at him. Genesis would leave, but he'd do his damnedest to take out the monster that created him in the process... Eventually.

Hojo wheezed at suddenly being awoken with an impact to his left clavicle. The hospital bed he found himself in screeched back with a suddenly familiar metal crunch that he'd last heard prior to being flung into the ceiling.

An unacceptable miscalculation.

He couldn't move his head, it was in a brace of some kind, nor could he feel his legs. Absolutely unaccept--

"Hojo."

His eyes focused on the voice of his greatest creation and paused before admitting to himself that he had not prepared for this data set. This was an impossible data set, and yet it existed. A new data set to be studied. Wonderful.

Hojo laughed, "Sephiroth. You are in rare form today."

"Quite. As are you it seems. You're welcome by the way."

Hojo would have done anything for a damn clipboard to take notes on. Oh but...

"Hand me my patient clipboard would you?" The boy complied, his wing flickering like an agitated Chocobo as he did so. Hojo took the clipboard but the subject dropped a materia on it before he could look at it.

A very abnormal materia. Hojo picked it up carefully, forgoing a look at his own records and turned them over to start writing his own notes instead.

"How did you get this out? Was it self-inflicted?"

"In a manner of speaking."

Hojo scowled and looked back up, "I can't imagine it's been more than a few days, has your new appendage granted you the inability to provide accurate and concise answers?"

The subject smiled... Subject S never smiled.

"You misunderstand Hojo. I am not, nor will I ever again, be that hollow thing you call Subject S. I am of Jenova and Jenova is of me."

Hojo wrote it all in shorthand, he'd have to sort it out later.

"Very well where did you come into contact with each other?"

"Nibelheim."

Hojo grimaced, Nibelheim was off limits. The area had been off limits to SOLDIERs as of the last time he had taken Sephiroth there with him fifteen years ago.

"And what sent you there?"

"You did." Hojo furrowed his brows.

"I did no such thing."

"Two years from now."

Hojo inhaled sharply, his research on Cloud Strife came back to him all at once.

He'd been correct! And Strife wasn't the only one. His greatest creation after metamorphosis had come back too.

"Have you experienced Reunion?!" He asked before he could think better of it.

"Reunion is a lie. Jenova is a lie. Everything you left for me is a lie."

Sephiroth walked forward and ripped Hojo's neck brace off in an instant.

Hojo expected his head to lose its balance. He expected pain. All he felt was cold... Cold from his left clavicle. His eyes widened in alarm.

"What have you done to me?"

"I gave you a gift. A gift that will ensure you do what I need you to."

"Sephiroth!?"

"We'll go over details when it's taken full effect."

The white wing disappeared just as a nurse and a guard rushed in.

"I'm sorry sir but you'll have to leave." The guard stated to the subject while the nurse took Hojo's vitals. His now forever ruined vitals.

"Of course. My apologies."

Hojo clenched the Masamune materia in his hand and watched his greatest creation from the future walk out the door like he hadn't just sentenced his own creator to an early death.

He could feel it working, he could feel his own mind trying to turn against itself as his body healed beyond the natural.

It was the middle of the night, but he had to return to work. He had to record this data lest he lose himself without purpose. Data was his purpose after all.

He lost time. Rather, one moment he was asking to be released and the next he was in a motorized chair at his desk in the Shinra building.

Unacceptable.

"How does it feel to remember nothing Hojo? Do you know how many memories I lost? Do you remember discovering that Mako tanks absorbed the memories of those in them? Do you remember how long it took to realize that a Mako shower with the Mako from the tank you left me to drown in would give them back."

Hojo clenched his fist, still holding the Masamune materia apparently.

"The maid who cared for the manor once told me the story of Pinocchio while you were at the reactor. It made me think, as a child, that if I was human enough, you could call me your son instead of your creation. I lost that in the tanks. But I held on to the idea. Internalized it. But you didn't want a son, did you? I guess in hindsight, I didn't want a father either."

Hojo slowly turned his head from his desk and the mess of paperwork not his own to the... To the...

Hojo swallowed loudly.

"Instead I became another Geppetto. A better one than you ever could have been. The creation surpassed the creator. And only in the end, when you became Jenova's bitch, did you call me son."

So much qualitative data that needed quantifying.

"Hmph. Data's all you ever wanted and it's what you'll get.

Hojo noted briefly that the wing had switched sides and colors. Black instead of white. Right instead of left.

"Gillian was a temporary measure. You see me now as I am."

"Gillian?"

"Yes."

Hojo's mind kicked out of his stupor and into high gear. Puzzle pieces connecting like incongruent dots in a vast and improbable matrix.

"What are you planning?" Hojo asked in half an exhale.

"Nothing of consequence to you. What is of consequence are your tasks. You've not felt it yet, but the pain in your shoulder will begin, continue, spread, and increase until those tasks are complete. I will relieve you from your pain when you are done."

Hojo swallowed again, his grip on data driven science held tightly in his mental grasp. He tried something he hadn't had to use on Sephiroth in nearly a decade.

"And what is this data you speak of? What data will I be offered in this exchange for this bout of frivolous business?"

The... The subj--- The su----- The -------

"I have a name Hojo," Sephiroth drawled.

Sephiroth had tilted his head as if he didn't understand the question.

"I don't. You're getting access to all the data you could ever want out of this. You just have to ask."

Gathering data... Gathering data was his purpose.

"Hmph." Sephiroth shook his head, "Gathering data... Well then, about those tasks."

Sephiroth stepped off the helicopter into the morning sun. He squinted his eyes against the dawn light, his pupils sparking in brief pain at the change in dilation.

Everything hurt right now.

Lazard approached quickly, his shoes clicking loudly on the tarmac.

"Good luck man." Reno lightly punched his bicep before chasing after Rude, already walking away.

Sephiroth walked to meet Lazard in the middle. His joints ached like something had electrocuted them. His muscles ached like someone had pushed fire through his veins.

A blood transfusion from a universal donor. Hojo would be incensed.

"Sephiroth! It's good to see you up and walking." Lazard pivoted when Sephiroth reached him and they walked back towards the Shinra building in step.

"Thank you director. I trust you've been filled in more than I have." Sephiroth hedged.

"I don't think that I have," Lazard sighed.

Sephiroth glanced at the director, "That's unfortunate as I'm uncertain how much I am allowed to report."

The director nodded, "Understood. Let's continue this in my office then."

Sephiroth had never been so goddess damned thankful for the elevator before.

Sephiroth sat down gently in the chair across from Lazards chair, recalling how not long ago, he'd learned of his mother's location in this very room. He suspected that the trip to find her would be indefinitely delayed and with recent... Motherly revelations, he had wondered if Lucrecia going into hiding hadn't been for his own benefit.

Lazard sat down in his own chair with a huff, "At approximately 0100 sst this morning The fissures began collapsing into themselves with a few areas of  exceptions, namely near Mideel and Nibelheim where natural mako pools have formed. The creatures guarding the fissures vanished into thin air in Mideel, Cosmo Canyon, and Wutai not long after."

That got Sephiroth's attention, he raised an eyebrow but the director continued without addressing the question of Wutai.

"I understand you neutralized several of them in Mideel with increasing size. We'll call that a mission success even if another monster just replaced it."

Sephiroth nodded in agreement.

"The secondary objective is still being accomplished by your team. They should return by tomorrow. The other two teams will be returning around then as well."

Sephiroth nodded again, noting the director leaned away ever so slightly in clear discomfort at the subject he was about to broach.

"Hojo has claimed you for two days."

"He's awake?" He asked, doing his best not to show his alarm.

"He woke up several hours ago under strange circumstances still under an investigation I am not privy to. After that you will have a day's leave before you and Genesis are redeployed."

"Hollander cleared Genesis?" He didn't hide his alarm then.

Lazard scrutinized him for a moment before answering, "Yes, albeit under duress. That's all I have for you at the moment. Head down to see Hojo. The sooner you get in the quicker you'll get out."

Sephiroth took the dismissal for what it was, but turned back when he reached the glass partitions, "I'll need a new PHS. My current one is stuck in evidence."

Lazard grimaced but nodded, "I'll have one ready for you."

Sephiroth left and briefly considered seeking out Genesis to confirm his medical status, but thought better of it in his current state. He hit the level for Hojo's office instead.

Hojo booked him for two days.

Two days.

A blood letting he was sure. Removing the blood not his own and allowing him to replenish it. Not to mention asking questions Sephiroth was sure he couldn't answer and wouldn't want to even if he could.

Sephiroth steeled himself internally to deal with the pain and delirium he'd be facing. But returning to his normal state... Ridding himself of the invasive blood rebelling against his body would be worth it.

Oddly enough, he wasn't met with a research assistant upon entering science... He was met with a Turk he didn't recognize sitting in the assistants chair.

"Is the Professor in?" Sephiroth asked.

The Turks looked up from the computer in annoyance, "yes go ahead I think he's waiting for you."

Sephiroth nodded, not allowing himself a look of confusion even though he felt it. There were even more Turks and suited analysts around as he walked through the hallways towards Hojo's office. Intriguing that they'd all willingly stepped foot into the area.

"I don't know which imbecile rearranged my files but when I find out they'll understand the meaning of true pain." The man muttered.

Sephiroth knocked on the open door, "Professor?"

The man turned away from his desk and wheeled his motor chair around to face Sephiroth... He'd have to thank Strife for that at least.

"Ah, Sephiroth. Feeling like a splintered tree after that transfusion, I presume."

Sephiroth let that slide over his his head rather than try to parse it out, "If you mean am I in a sub-optimal state, then yes."

Hojo snorted, "I see. Let's get you back in working condition then shall we?"

Chapter Text

Kuraudo's throbbing burns faded in unconsciousness, but his mind was on fire as memories he thought lost started to fill in. Memories that hadn't come back even after Tifa pieced him back together.

-

"Strife, do you know why you're here?"

"No Sir." Cloud stood at attention in the Staff Sergeants office.

"Of course you don't. Under normal circumstances I'd throw you out on your ass for this."

"Sir?"

"Had a couple Nibelheim boys flag the system when they applied a month or two ago. Got the okay from R&D to let them in. When yours did the same, I thought we'd be doing the same.

"If you Nibelheim boys had normal birth certificates, this wouldn't be a problem. But guess what? Go ahead recruit. Guess."

Cloud blinked in shock, "There was an error in my paperwork. I fixed it."

"Damn right you fixed it. You faked your damn birth certificate. Now, I don't give a doomrats ass. If you want in that bad, good for you. But the birth certificate you faked caused me problems and a shitton of paperwork. So guess what. Go ahead guess."

Cloud swallowed, "I'd guess wrong."

"Damn straight recruit. You're getting pulled from basic and are on Janitor duty till you're actually fucking fourteen."

-

"Cloud?"

Kuraudo opened his bleary eyes, because Aerith said his name... He had to. She looked fuzzy.

"Hmm?" He wasn't supposed to be using that name. Was he?

"You still need rest, but I have to go now. Zack and Angeal will keep watching over you. Okay?"

He tried to nod. His chin fell forward instead. "K."

"Go back to sleep." Aerith ordered. He happily closed his eyes, noting through the exhaustion that his throbbing burns had faded.

"What is happening right now?" Zack asked, and Kuraudo forced his eyes open again. They focused a little bit better. One of the Turks who'd walked him to the President's office after Veld had talked to him stood behind a very knocked out Tseng.

"Turk business Zack. Don't worry. Aerith?" She said, but Zack wasn't having it.

"Turk business that means you knock out another Turk?"

"Plausible deniability." Angeal said.

Kuraudo blinked and turned his head to look at the man. He was sitting in the dust of Cosmo Canyons caves. He looked worn.

"The heck? What's our deniability then?" Zack exclaimed.

"Turk business is Turk business Zack. Don't interfere."

Zack spluttered and Kuraudo turned his head to look at him, "But she's... We're supposed to... Sephiroth asked..." Zack bowed over in defeat.

Aerith giggled, "Don't worry about little old me. If it makes you feel any better, this is a better outcome than I was expecting."

Kuraudo closed his eyes again. Just to rest them. Just to...

-

"Hey man, heard you got sent on a suicide mission with Zack Fair! How'd that go?" Jon asked, setting down a tray of mush from the mess hall next to his own.

"How did you even hear about that? It's classified... I'm alive aren't I?"

"Yeah, black and blue, but yeah. Come on, spill man."

"I'm under an NDA. You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway."

"Screw the NDA."

"I'm already on the Turks shit list. I'm not gonna make it worse."

"Is that why you got the suicide mission?"

"No, it's because of the mission that I'm on their shit list, I took a hit for a Turk and the target got away. And it wasn't a suicide mission. I just happen to be familiar with mountain and snow terrain."

"Country hick."

"Shuddup."

-

Kuraudo blinked. He limply hung over Angeal's shoulder. He'd woken up like this in an elevator not that long ago, he'd been terrified. Sephiroth had been right there. The Turks had been right there. He blinked again...

-

"How bad did you screw up this time?" Ron asked. He sat across from him in the mess hall.

"Uh, depends who you ask." Cloud replied.

Rod sat next to him, "You know the number of times you've been dragged into a Turk mission and survived is statistically improbable for a standard trooper."

"Hey, don't tell Cloud the odds. He'll just ignore them and piss off whatever deity manages luck." Taylor laughed next to Ron.

"As if he hasn't already. The collateral damage from whatever you screwed up is hush hush, but you're not just on a shit list any more spikey." Jon whispered next to him, but still loud enough for them all to hear.

"I didn't screw up. I saved a life." Cloud replied

"You keep holding on to that man. Your luck will run out eventually." Ron nodded sagely. Cloud threw a cold fry at him in retaliation.

-

Kuraudo opened his eyes, this time he was on his back, on the floor. Bugenhagen hovered over him as he studied him. The old geezer. Nanaki sniffed his hair.

"Red." Kuraudo mumbled.

"I prefer burnt umber myself." He used his old man voice. Kuraudo snorted. His eyes closed against his will.

-

Cloud was strapped to a table.

THE Table.

A researcher had interrupted Hojo. A blessed moment of rare peace.

Hojo flipped through several pieces of paper before he started cackling. It was never good when Hojo cackled.

Hojo spoke when his cackling subsided, "Ah yes. I remember now."

Hojo returned to the table, papers in hand, "It's a shame you've turned out to be such a failure."

-

He opened his eyes, his head on Angeal's shoulder... Again. He closed his eyes.

-

Cloud couldn't move. But he was aware at that moment. He couldn't remember the last moment or prepare for the next moment. But I'm the moment Zack was sniffling.

"Look at that Cloud. You're chewing on your own buddy."

-

Kuraudo woke up when his stomach began to twist as the road bumped along. He groaned. A familiar voice echoed his displeasure next to him. He started his breathing exercises to combat it. He didn't fall back into unconsciousness.

He sat there, just breathing. Not thinking. The kid next to him started to match his breathing rate.

The truck hit a rough pothole and Kuraudo grunted again, opening his eyes in reflex.

"Good, you're awake." Veld said and Kuraudo wanted nothing more than to shove the man into the pavement they were driving along.

"Can it wait?" He asked.

"We've another hour until we reach Costa Del Sol. We'll speak there."

Kuraudo grunted his assent.

"We're not waiting until we get back to Midgar?" Angeal asked. Kuraudo was awake enough to hear the surprise in his voice.

"We've been relegated to taking the ship." Getting information on this new threat, can't wait that long." Veld replied.

The threat that dragged him through the Lifestream and Angeal had called the host Mom. Great.

Angeal shifted next to him, "When will the ship depart?"

"It's scheduled to dock shortly before we are projected to arrive. Turn around will take a few hours." Veld answered.

Zack snored on the other side of Angeal. He was just a kid now. A kid who had a long day... Was it more than that? Going to Costa Del Sol by truck from Cosmo Canyon, it had to be more than a day.

Angeal sighed and leaned back. Aerith and the girl Turk weren't present, but Tseng was, and he was still clearly nursing a headache. Kuraudo felt more than a small amount of satisfaction at that.

His eyes closed, once more not of his own will.

-

"Back in basic, our Sergeant used to tell us by the end of training we'd be comfortable enough with our squad to wipe each other's asses without blinking an eye. Never thought that would be so literal. Compared to seeing you torn open and covered in blood... This is nothing Cloud."

-

He woke up to the kid shoving him awake. Kuraudo couldn't fathom what it must be like to suddenly have an older family member around. He couldn't imagine he'd be so clingy.

"What is it kid?"

"Move your ass so I can get out." Kuraudo snorted. Oh.

He tried to move, it was more of a stumbled slide.

"Thank you! Hey where's the bathroom?" The kid shouted when he climbed out of the truck.

"This way," Someone else yelled. Taylor. He hadn't paid attention before. But he knew now. He remembered.

Kuraudo didn't want to acknowledge his new memories. He wasn't sure they were actually his.

"Need help?" Angeal asked, standing on the ground beyond the Truck doors, arms crossed and single eyebrow raised. Kuraudo frowned and tried again. His muscles screamed at him before freezing up completely.

"Yeah. Yeah I do."

"Alright. Zack grab his sword."

"You got it 'Geal."

Kuraudo sighed as Angeal slung his arm around his side and stood him up, like Zack had so long ago. At least this time he wasn't quite so useless.

They got on the pavement, the blessedly stationary pavement when he realized Veld had disappeared. A chance he wasn't expecting.

"Hey Zack?" He asked, still struggling to walk, even with Angeal's help.

"Yo."

"What happened after?"

"Okay so..."

"Maybe in a less crowded setting," Angeal ground out.

"Sure. Just want to know what exactly Veld knows before getting interrogated."

"Were you really sleeping while Veld told everyone what we're doing?" Zack asked suspiciously.

"I'm not exactly all with it right now Zack."

"No joke," Zack laughed.

Angeal found them a decent place off the beaten path to talk. The three sat down under the shade of a few trees, a wet and warm wind blew off the nearby beach. It didn't sting like he thought it would, maybe he was more healed than he thought. Maybe even this early Aerith knew her healing wind.

"Okay so, you, not-a-vampire--"

"--Vincent." Kuraudo interrupted, throwing Angeal's eyebrows into his hairline.

"Right, after I dropped the Sun on all of us--"

"--You what" Angeal's eyes furrowed.

"Yeah sorry, I didn't text you about that one. I'm not using that one again. So after you, Vincent, and uh... Not-my-boss," Angeal groaned, "took a dive into unprocessed mako lake del Nibelheim, Veld and I got Cloud and Shera back down to the village. I texted the number Sephiroth gave me for emergencies after the briefing--"

"--Zack!"

"I didn't know it wasn't him at the time! Anyway we got a call for backup in Cosmo Canyon. Cloud and Shera woke up okay so got the two in the helicopter and we dropped Shera off with Cid and picked up the guys we left to clear out the pass, which they'd done. Tight fit, but with no cargo we were fine.

"Got to Cosmo Canyon and the guardian monster thing used something to play whack-a-mole with the helicopter. We went down. Veld found his daughter--"

"--Wait--"

"--Lemme finish. We met Aerith. Veld's daughter passed out. We fought a bunch of skeletons. Aerith dragged us down into a deep dark cave on a gut feeling. We fought a bunch of skeletons again on our way down. Then we see not-my-boss. Not-my-boss turns into Not-Angeals-mom and she calls you Cloud... Sorta. Mhmm." Zack nodded and Kuraudo was absolutely certain his jaw wasn't designed to be as unhinged as it currently felt. Angeal face palmed and took a few deep breaths, which Kuraudo didn't blame him for.

"Well, at least Cid won't kill us." Was the first thing his brain could process.

"Eh... I wouldn't show up asking for favors anytime soon. She's okay but he was pretty mad."

"Right." Kuraudo nodded bleakly.

"Any questions?" Zack tilted his head ever so slightly and it temporarily...

-

It was cold and dark. They were far away from the side of the road. The motorcycle engine had stopped and was turned over in the weeds. Cloud was on his side. There was a blanket over him. Zack was in front of him getting a fire going. He tilted his head ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry Cloud. I wouldn't expect you to do the same. You know that right? This is... This is me being selfish. This is me not wanting to be alone while we're on the run. I know. I know it's not been great. But you're making progress right! Maybe you'll wake up. Maybe you won't. Maybe you'll wish I had let you die... I don't know, but I do know we'll be in Midgar soon. I bet we can even catch a ride the rest of the way. I hope."

-

Kuraudo blinked. Zack looked at him expectantly, he hadn't passed out for that one. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

He blinked again and looked down to his lap, trying to reorient himself.

"Veld has a daughter?" He asked.

"Apparently. She went MIA with Cissnei and Aerith before we got back to uh Fellow..."

"Bugenhagen." Angeal supplied

"Huh... And those three went where?"

"Not our business." Angeal answered.

"Right. Turk business," He huffed.

There was a quiet moment when all they heard was the breeze in the trees and the distant waves against the beach. Kuraudo took a deep breath, then Zack asked, "Soooo. What happened to you?"

Kuraudo chuckled, "Got dragged through the Lifestream. Not my first rodeo unfortunately."

"Not the first time you've been in the Lifestream?" Angeal asked aghast.

"Mhmm." He confirmed with a hum. Kuraudo looked back up at Angeal and he just knew. He knew about that NDA mission with Zack Fair. He didn't know much. He was just a trooper. But he knew he got hit by a big man with a big sword and a bigger white wing. He knew he took a hit for Tseng. He knew they were after Hollander. He knew Zack cried. So he asked. Because he had to ask... Because as far as Kuraudo knew, only those with J and S cells could be used like that.

"Angeal. What exactly does your mom do?"

"That is classified." Tseng said, making his way out of the bushes. How had he missed him?

"How is homemaker and upholstery repair classified?" Angeal glared at Tseng.

Kuraudo turned his head to look at Tseng, "You realize that's answer enough."

Tseng pursed his lips but didn't respond. Angeal did though, "Answer enough for what?"

Kuraudo paused before answering. As much as he didn't trust the Turks further than he could throw them. He couldn't do this alone last time, and he sure as hell wasn't in a position to do this on his own now... and with Aerith in the wind, he really kind of was. This was bigger than Shinra, he prayed they would think so too. He still had to keep his cards close... Just not that close.

"Answer enough for what happened back then. Or I guess for you," Kuraudo turned back to look Angeal in the eye, "What might happen."

Angeal blinked and Zack was on his feet doing a fist pump, "Aww Yeah! Called it! So how far in the fut--"

"--Zack," Kuraudo cut him off, mildly amused that Zack had already come to at least a partially correct conclusion, "I'm only gonna do this once."

It hurt to see Zacks enthusiasm drain so quickly. He sat back down with a huff. Kuraudo sighed, "Nine years. I only reliably remember the last two of them."

Some of the enthusiasm sparked back into his eyes, grinning. Angeal's eyes narrowed. Tseng's head was bowed.

"I was in a Mako coma for one, Hojo took four before that. The two before that, the years I spent as a trooper... I'm starting to remember some. Not much, but some."

"Strife," Tseng warned.

"Not my fault the President made assumptions."

"Strife stop," Tseng outright ordered.

"Shutting up," Kuraudo felt his lips quirk up in a half exhausted smile, glad the man hadn't just sleepeled him again.

He took another deep breath. He felt a little lighter. A hint of a smile threatened his face in light of the shedded emotional weight.

That might have been a mistake, telling them. It was most definitely a mistake. But the world surviving Sephiroth was more important than Shinra falling. That could wait.

"That's not possible," Angeal stated nodding to himself, "it's not."

Kuraudo's smile soured. There were a lot of impossible things he'd seen. A lot of impossible things he'd done. He hoped this wouldn't break Zack's mentor, as he was beginning to think perhaps, the first time round... Maybe Sephiroth hadn't been the only one to break, just the only one stubborn enough to not stay dead.

Kuraudo heard a few children laughing nearby. Their place of refuge no longer out of earshot.

"Is Veld ready?" He asked.

"He will be Shortly. We're getting everyone on the ship now though," Tseng replied.

"It'd be easier telling him before we get on the ship."

"Try this," Tseng pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Kuraudo. He took it and eyed the small bottle suspiciously, "it's an herbal remedy that should not be affected by your metabolism, put a few dabs behind your ears. He opened it and got a whiff of it and...

-

"Look at you. All grown up" His mom wouldn't stop hugging him. It's not like he'd be gone forever.

"Mom," Cloud complained and she huffed.

"Do you have everything? Do you have your travel herbs?"

-

Kuraudo blinked and did something he'd not done in a very very long time. He put a drop on his finger and put it behind both ears.

"Thanks. Might give some to the kid too?"

"Keep it. Give some to... Your counterpart if you wish. Be on the dock in ten."

Tseng turned and walked away. Kuraudo pocketed the memory and tried to stand up on his own. His bones grated like sandpaper but he managed to stand. He took a wobbly step. Zack grabbed him before he could fall.

"Hey, not too shabby for having Mako sickness for a day."

"Yeah. I think I'm good. Gimme my sword back."

"I don't think you should try just yet Strife. I'll hold on to it," Angeal gave him a weary smirk.

Kuraudo nodded, still wobbly. Yeah that was probably a good idea.

The trip to the dock was quick. Angeal and Zack left him sitting on a few crates on the dock while they went to check in. The kid and his squad passed him on their way to do the same.

"Hey kid!" The kid's hair fluffed up when he turned, trying to find his voice. Kuraudo tilted his head, "For the trip." He was tempted to throw the bottle at the kid, but thought better of it. The kid came over, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

"Do you remember how to put this on?" Kuraudo asked.

The kid narrowed his eyes at Kuraudo, who realized he'd phrased that poorly.

"Ah, drops behind the ears I mean."

"Uhuh. Isn't this stuff expensive?"

"Don't worry I have absorbed the IOU."

"Thanks." The kid nodded, putting it on, "Ya know I stop at Junon, and you have a lot of explaining to do."

"No I don't. Live your life Cloud. Make your own choices. The good and the bad."

The kid grimaced, closed the bottle and handed it back. "The way that... The way that thing looked at me says I don't get off that easy."

Kuraudo started, eyes widening, realizing he might be right.

"So I still get stuck in my own head and miss obvious stuff huh?"

Kuraudo hung his head and sighed. He closed his eyes wondering how he'd messed this up so badly.

"Ma knows right?" The kid asked

Kuraudo snorted, "Yeah. Clocked me even with a helmet on." He lifted his head and looked in the mirror nine years ago.

"I'll talk to Veld about it. I think we were just in the way this time. Just need to make sure you're never in the way again."

"What about you?"

"It's my job to be in the way."

"Will it be mine?"

"I'm going to do my damnedest to make sure it's not."

"Strife!"

The two blonds turned to look at the approaching Turk.

"I said nothing Tseng." The Turk tilted his head, eyes hard, "Just discussing some of the the events in--"

"--Do you not understand classified?"

"Oh I understand it. It's why I haven't screamed the sins of Science to the world."

Tseng fumed silently for a moment.

"You good?" Angeal asked, having come back out onto the ramp. Kuraudo nodded.

He handed the bottle back to the kid, "Keep the meds, kid. I'll come find you if mine wears off."

"Thanks... Bro." The kid smirked as Kuraudo grimaced.

"Nope. Don't like that." The little menace laughed before he took off.

Kuraudo stood up, a little more stable than before, in more than one way.

Angeal felt his PHS begin to give underneath his grip. He loosened it before he could do any structural damage. He looked out behind the ship, the wake roared louder than the engines. The ship sped on course. The wind was with them. An easy life, however, was not.

Life was supposed to be black and white. Good and bad. Honorable and dishonorable. Just because someone had a bad arm didn't mean they couldn't fight well. They just had to fight differently. It was the same with organizations. One bad part of an organization didn't mean the whole thing was bad.

But... How much of something going bad did it take for a whole to be bad? You could tear away mold on bread. You could eat around the rot on a Dumbapple. But you had to be very hungry to try eating a mostly rotten Dumbapple. Angeal knew hunger, but he didn't know that kind of hunger. Yet he sat at Shinra's table partaking of its fruit. It's rotten fruit. He sent home most of his spoils to his mother... His...

"How are you holding up?"

Angeal put his phone away before he looked at the approaching blond.

"Veld already let you out?" Angeal asked, surprised.

"I was very cooperative. Overly cooperative. If he didn't hate me before he does now," Strife chuckled.

"I don't suppose you're allowed to tell us anything." Not that he was sure he'd believe it.

The blond turned around. and pressed his back into the railing. He looked at Angeal before answering, "I didn't get into any of that. I wasn't that cooperative. Like I said, I'm only doing that once and I think there are a few parties missing who should be there for it."

"Right." The blonds claims were impossible, and yet...

"So I'm gonna ask again, Cause I don't need our Firsts losing their marbles again, how are you holding up?"

"Losing our marbles again?"

"Hewley?" Strife replied sternly but didn't answer.

Angeal sighed and bowed his head, "Not well."

"No shit." The blond drawled.

"I just got a text. My mother was found unconscious in her bed in Banora with a healed slit throat. They're not really sure how it healed. She's in stable condition. The lighting was bad in the cave, but I saw it. The line on her throat. I need answers Strife and the only ones I can think up are bad ones."

Strife huffed, "I don't remember much."

"So you said."

"But I can give you an educated guess. Do you want the guess or do you want to wait."

"Anything's better than what I'm thinking." Angeal exhaled. Trying to let go of the things Kunsel had implied in that text.

"It was probably her, but I doubt it was of her own will, or her own will could be compromised." The blond paused there and Angeal would have thought he was done speaking if not for his continued shifting, "I've been there, it's not fun."

Angeal startled, his head whipped from watching the water to watching Strife. His perspective of the man abruptly changed, "You've been possessed?"

"Not like that, no. I didn't look like him. Didn't suit him. Didn't change what he did though." Strife shook his head.

"How did those around you handle it?" Angeal asked, curiosity overriding propriety.

"Anger would be easy. They were, but not at me... Mostly. She might make it through if shown compassion. I did."

Angeal looked back at the water, "Do you... Do you know why he brought her back?"

"I'm surprised he returned her. He doesn't do anything without a purpose though. Ever. He's meticulous. He didn't just lose his marbles, he has negative marbles, and is dead twice over."

Angeal looked away from the water again, back to the blond. The impossible once more begged the question, "As in he's a ghost. Like the Gi?"

"Poltergeists of similar nature, sure." The blond shrugged.

"Similar nature?" Angeal questioned.

"Possibly. Never found out for sure, but again..."

"You could give an educated guess?"

Strife nodded, "I could. Not gonna just yet though."

"No?" Angeal tilted his head, raising an eybrow.

"Nope."

Angeal sighed and asked again, "Why. Why her?"

Strife grimaced, "Educated guess that I am currently second guessing, I thought there were only three people on the planet he could have used... I know now there are at least four," Strife side eyed him, "possibly five. She was probably the easiest option."

Angeals eyes narrowed, "Second guessing?"

"I thought I knew how it worked. Your mom threw a wrench in that. Could be a hell of a lot more options for him than I thought. We won't know for sure until we talk to her. Or Sephiroth for that matter."

Angeal raised both eyebrows at that, "I haven't heard from him. I'm not even sure what I'm going to say to him."

"If you don't know what to say, let him talk first. And Veld gave me a freebie I'll pay for later, but Sephiroth had a nasty run in with him too."

Angeal exhaled in surprise, "In Mideel?"

"Is that where he was?"

Angeal clamped his mouth shut. And looked back towards the trailing water. Strife left well enough alone at his silence, but Angeal could feel the man still looking at him.

"So, doing worse or better?" Strife asked after a few minutes.

Angeal laughed, tinged with the self-pity he was trying to fight off, "No change, just slightly more informed, which is better."

The blond nodded in his peripheral vision, "Alright. Well, if you feel like flying off the handle, come find me first."

Angeal snorted and with half a real smile he replied with, "Okay."

"Get some sleep Angeal... and eat something."

Angeal laughed, truly this time, "Mother Chocoboing?"

"If I have to." He nodded and Strife walked back towards the cabin.

He was right though, he hadn't slept in two days and hadn't eaten anything aside from nutrition bars in over three.

He headed down to the galley and got himself a decent meal that settled his nerves, if only a little. On his way back to his quarters he heard the younger Strife screech from the hallway beyond his own, "I don't wanna be a Turk."

"Quiet down kid. I'm not thrilled with you being that close to Hojo either, but If things go south I'll be nearby, and this will keep you out of science, supposedly. All of those are relevant."

"Pretty sure I'm too young to be a Turk."

"Didn't stop you from signing up for recruitment, did it?"

"Shuddup. Not the point."

"They've got wards of the state a bit younger than you that you'll be training with. You'll be fine... Besides, it pays better than SOLDIER."

The younger one seemed to settle slightly at that, "Pay's not the point and you know it... But what's the catch?"

"Doing Shinra's dirty work. Suspension of moral compass. Doing as you're told despite how you feel. Same thing as being a trooper."

"You are the worst."

"You brought it up."

"Wish I hadn't. There goes my dream of being in SOLDIER."

"You wouldn't have gotten in."

"You did!"

"No. No I didn't."

"But--"

"--I didn't."

Angeal rounded the corner then. The recruit froze. The elder raised an eyebrow.

Angeal did what he could in his emotionally drained state, "Dreams are good to have, necessary even.  They give life purpose. Hold on to your dreams, even impossible dreams. And hold on to your honor, even when it feels like the situation is bereft of it. A good Turk can keep up with a SOLDIER Third class. The best of the best can keep up with a SOLDIER Second Class. You can too.”

The recruit failed to hide his awe. It felt undeserved in the moment. The boy saluted, "Thank you Sir!"

Angeal saluted back somewhat lazily, "You two get some sleep too. I am heading to bed."

Strife mouthed a, "Thank you," from behind the recruit. Angeal nodded in kind. When he got to the berth, Zack was already asleep. Angeal, likewise, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Chapter Text

There is no hate, only joy, For you are beloved by the goddess, Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds.

Genesis could only hope that Angeal's blood transfusion would deliver on Hollanders healing promise.

Angeal called the moment he hit the Midgar border. Genesis thought better than to meet his friend lest he seem out of sorts, though he was, and instead chose to wait for him. An error to the nth degree.

Holander called not long after asking Genesis to stop by. He'd walked in to see a worried Angeal and an even more worried Hollander. A tide of ill omen he was certain.

The procedure was quick all things considered. But Angeal had never hidden his worry well, even in childhood, and the worry never left Angeal's face. It wasn't until afterward that Genesis realized it wasn't worry. No. Angeal's eyes hid catastrophe. Genesis despised seeing it. Catastrophizing things was his part to play, not Angeal's.

"I want to keep you for observation but I know that's a fight I'm going to lose. Angeal keep an eye on him would you?" Hollander asked.

Angeal huffed, "Already planning on it."

"Good now get out and get some rest, the both of you." Holander turned, opened the door and walked out. Genesis and Angeal followed at his heels.

They didn't speak until they reached the elevator.

"Do you think Wutais Wontons would let us use the Turks room again?" Genesis posited.

Angeal shook his head, "I doubt it. Besides, Tseng never said it was free of Turk surveillance, just free of anyone else's."

"You're telling me this now?" Genesis complained.

"Well they already know everything don't they?" Angeal cocked his head to the side, almost amused.

Genesis didn't stick his tongue out at Angeal, he held himself as far too distinguished for that, but it was a near thing.

He had to be correct though. When he'd come back from Hollanders after the wing made its first appearance, his apartment had been spotless. Hollander's assistants were far too incompetent to hide that much blood so quickly. The Turks did know and he hated it. He despised that they knew and did nothing but clean up after him.

What did he expect of them though? What could they possibly do?

He put his keycard over his lock but Angeal slowed before he entered. For a far too long moment, Genesis wondered if the Turks hadn't missed something and Angeal had noticed. Oh how he wanted him to notice.

But alas, the sound of crashing pots and pans made its way to them from several doors down.

"Oh no." Angeal whispered.

Genesis focused.

"What were they thinking?" A young voice practically yelled, "I didn't agree to this."

"I didn't agree to it either." Another voice replied... Strife?

"Yes you did!" The young voice retorted and Genesis locked in. This sounded glorious.

"No I didn't. I didn't even know I was getting a room let alone in the tower

"I don't know what they were thinking."

"Two for the price of one probably!"

Genesis raised his eyebrows at Angeal who still hadn't come in. Genesis popped his head back out into the hallway and saw Angeal eyeing two doors down. Genesis grinned malevolently. He walked into his kitchen and grabbed a few Dumbapples, closed his door behind him as he joined Angeal and made his way to the offending doorway and knocked.

"Get the door would ya."

"It's in your name you open it."

"There is no way I was this much of a pain in the ass when I was your age."

"Does your memory really suck that bad?"

Genesis put on his best photo op smile as Strife opened the door and...

"Oh my. Veld wasn't joking when he said Private Strife looked a lot like you, was he."

"Huh?" The private questioned.

Strife turned to look back at the boy, "He was a recruit now he's a Turk... Intern."

"Just like you then. Father and son, is it?"

Strife whipped his head back to Genesis but the child beat him to the answer, "Hell no."

"Younger half brother." Strife clarified.

"Half brother my--"

"--Cloud!" Strife growled.

"Oh? The plot thickens. C. Strife and Cloud what?"

Strife sighed before opening the door and letting them in. Genesis handed Strife an apple before walking past the man.

"What are these? Are they poison?" Strife asked.

"No, they're Dumbapples. A house warming gift of sorts." Angeal answered, a smile in his voice.

The layout of the apartment was fairly similar to Sephiroths, with the addition of what looked to be an office turned second bedroom. Genesis walked over to the boy hastily rising from the couch.

Genesis handed him another dumbapple, "And one for you, Cloud..." The boy grabbed it reflexively and blinked at him.

"Strife... Sir?"

"Ah, where are my manners?"

Genesis threw the third dumbapple at Angeal who caught it while Strife closed the door behind him.

“I am SOLDIER First class, Genesis Rhapsodos. Angeal's best friend and Sephiroth's only standing rival."

The boy narrowed his eyes, "His only standing rival?"

"I'm new kid. I don't count," Strife muttered.

Genesis frowned, which the boy mirrored, "You most certainly do not. You've not fought us on a good day nor have you fought him one on one."

The boy snorted, "Yeah, have--" Strife flung a stack of napkins at him before he could finish the undoubtedly irreverent remark.

"I haven't kid."

"Uhuh."

"Yeah. So..." The Chocobo eyed the apple, still with suspicion.

Genesis huffed before lifting his dumbapple to the air with practice flair, "When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar, She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting. May your new home bring you such everlasting bliss."

Genesis took a bite out of his apple. Angeal followed suit. The boy did so hesitantly. Hummed in appreciation then started to devour it. Poor boy must be starving. Strife however, stood there, still staring at it.

"It's rude not to join in on your own home blessing." Genesis took another bite.

"What's that from?" Strife asked rather than join.

"It's from the Loveless prologue. Why?"

The man nodded and finally took a slow measured bite.

"I don't remember that being in the play." He mentioned before he took another bite, not knowing the Pandora's box he'd just opened.

Angeal laughed and sat down on the seat in front of the breakfast bar, knowing the next hour to be forfeit.

"Oh my friend, your desire is the bringer of life. Let me explain."

By the end of it, both Strife's were well beyond listening and both socially inept enough to not kick him out. Angeal the traitor did fall asleep. The fact that he'd just given him his blood and the pain had noticeably lessened after the fact, stayed Genesis ire.

"In summary, the various translations lend themselves to differing interpretations all of which have merit. However the words I most often quote are the words that are interpreted the same way regardless of the translation. These quotes are most oft, but not always, left out of the plays in recognition of their undeniable purity. Any questions?"

"Nope." Both Strife's replied in synchrony.

"Very good. I leave you to your new apartment. If you need anything don't bother looking for me. That said, I am two doors to the right."

Genesis took a well earned bow, but received only blank stares. He sighed, "Angeal."

"Yes," the supposedly sleeping man replied. Oh the bastard.

Genesis rolled his eyes, "I have Banora White Pie waiting for you,"

Angeal stood up like he hadn't just been resting his eyes and Genesis grinned. That always got him.

They left the Strife's apartment without further fanfare, however as soon as the door closed behind them, the elder spoke.

"I need to get a hold of that book."

The younger, more muffled replied, "Why? Cause of the wing thing?"

"Yeah, feels like something I've been missing might be in there."

Genesis opened his own apartment, wondering which version he'd let the man borrow, intrigued that the "wing thing" would prompt the man to look more into it... And wondered if the man hadn't been paying more attention than he'd assumed.

"Hmph." Angeal closed the door behind them. Shutting out the world once more, "If you made pie I assume Sephiroth won't be joining?"

"Poor thing has been in Hojo's lair since yesterday morning. Didn't even bother to say hello after he got back. Of course I found this out from Lazard after the fact. His first moments out of the megalomaniacs lab will be for our debrief in the morning."

"Oh, Strife might throw a fit."

"Whatever for?" Genesis asked as he pulled the pie out of the warmer. The door two doors down opened and Angeal snorted before opening Genesis door for the man.

Strife didn't enter, but he did lean against the door frame, "Yeah, I'm not throwing a fit. I'm just worried with good reason."

"You know, eavesdropping is incredibly impolite." Genesis remarked.

"Just... Make sure you've all eaten something and aren't dead tired before the debrief." The man sighed then turned away, then paused again, "Does he really not like apples."

"He wouldn't know. He refuses to even try them."

"Hmph." The man laughed before retreating.

"Angeal, we're taking this to your room."

"Fine by me, I still have to write my report. I'll make Sephiroth some pumpkin soup for Strife's sanity while I'm at it. It's in season."

Genesis mumbled in disdain about Sephiroth's bland preferences. The man had no refined tastes at all.

Once in Angeals apartment a safe distance from the would be eavesdropper, Genesis took note of the patched up floor and ceiling.

"Never would have known that you had both an entrance in your ceiling and an exit in your floor at one point."

Angeal replied from his bedroom, "They did well in that at least. Don't know about Sephiroth's room, but Zack's ceiling and floor have been fixed too. It's a bit more noticeable though."

"Hmm, how is the puppy?" Genesis asked, pulling out plates and silverware from Angeals kitchen and setting them at his round dinner table.

Angeal walked out of his bedroom with his laptop in hand, "He was writing his report." He put his laptop on the table and pulled out his PHS, "Looks like it was submitted just before we got out of Hollanders office so he's probably sleeping... Again."

Genesis started cutting the pie into eighths, "Oh?" Genesis raised an eyebrow. "The restless puppy sleeping again?"

Angeal sat down and started on his report template, "It was a rough couple of missions Gen."

"Kunsels rumor mill hasn't been kind about it." Genesis noted.

Angeal snorted, "And what does the rumor mill have?"

Genesis paused for a moment, gathering the tall tales that should have no bearing in reality and let them see the light of day for a moment, glimmering along the shadows of his own hidden appendage, "Shapeshifters and Ghosts."

"Kunsel must have everyone's PHS tapped." Angeal complained, not that the man would ever admit to it being a complaint.

Genesis served their pie portions and sat down across from Angeal, "No, but the Turks do obviously. He's just managed to somehow get into it. You'd think they'd cut off his access by now."

"You'd think."

"So tell me my dearest friend. Have these tales any shred of truth to them." Genesis asked before taking his first wonderful bite of pie, reminiscent of the Hewleys kitchen in summer.

Angeal sighed, pushing the laptop to the side and picked up his fork. He stared at the pie in front of him before looking back at Genesis. Genesis' breath stuttered at the look in his friend's eyes.

"Angeal?" Genesis whispered.

Angeal looked away to the balcony doors, "You'll find out tomorrow."

"Absolutely not. You will tell me now. Hollander will find out eventually I'm sure."

Angeal's lips trembled in a frightening show of vulnerability before he closed his eyes and finally ate a bite of pie. He nodded after a moment.

"Okay Gen. Yeah. Okay."

The door to Hojo's office closed behind Sephiroth with a nearly silent hiss that felt too loud to his currently excruciatingly sensitive eardrums. Everything felt sensitive after being in a Mako tank, even if it was for a short period of time.

He'd had two days with the man. Two eye opening days.

First, the mass of complexes had set up a sample collection rather than a safety disposal for his drawn blood. Hojo said many years ago that he'd had his fill of testing the transformative properties of his blood. Clearly that was no longer the case.

When Sephiroth was barely old enough to walk, Ghast learned that Sephiroth's blood would match the shape of any blood type it came into contact with. If it touched O negative it would transform into O negative. If it touched AB positive it would become AP positive. Ghast said it could lead to the cure for things that materia and potions just couldn't.

When Ghast left, Hojo had done his own experiments. Far more invasive experiments when he realized just how fast Sephiroth could replenish his own blood. Ultimately Hojo closed the curative experiments as a theory proven false.

Even though Sephiroth had made the connection that his blood had possibly been what caused the Shapeshifter to take his form, even though he knew the Turks knew of his thinking when he warned Zack, he hadn't understood why the Professor would open up a closed experiment.

He didn't understand until Hojo pulled out the Masamune materia... A copy of the Masamune materia. He knew because it felt... Less.

The Shapeshifter had already been to see Hojo, and as the Shapeshifter had implied, copies could be made. Hojo figured out how to copy the memories of those killed by the original Masamune, and Hojo had given him that copy. Sephiroth's ribcage still burned at the thought.

Sephiroth wasn't stupid enough to question Hojo about it just yet, but the disgusting excuse for a human had definitely caught Sephiroth's unasked question. The ingrate cackled and carried about his business.

There'd been a lot of time to think over the past two days. A lot of time to piece puzzle pieces together that shouldn't fit. A puzzle that if he wasn't mistaken, Cloud could put together, not the Cloud Zack had texted him about, but rather Strife if he wasn't mistaken.

His own hypothesis seemed asinine, but the more he thought about it... He needed more evidence of his own before he'd commit to the idea of alternate realities, but it was his leading hypothesis at the moment.

When that hypothesis started to form, he wondered if the Gillian he met was from this theoretical alternate reality or if one of his closest friends' mother had truly tried to kill him... If he'd...

He suppressed the guilt, not for the first time. He didn't know what Angeal had been told at this point, if anything. He didn't know how he would react to him... Or Genesis.

He had an hour until the briefing, he debated just avoiding them until then. No such luck it seemed. The moment he stepped out of Science, both Angeal and Genesis were there, waiting for him with tight lipped smiles and weary eyes. Genesis still favored his left shoulder. That was more worrying than it should have been.

He opened his mouth to greet them, but nothing came out. Genesis picked up the slack.

"My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I?"

"Genesis." Angeal reprimanded.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow but most assuredly didn't roll his eyes, "Loveless, Act three. And if you have any idea what's going on, that's also in very poor taste."

Genesis chuckled darkly and Angeal sighed before approaching Sephiroth. His shoulders didn't sink like they wanted to, but his eyes must have done something because Angeal stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. Sephiroth took a breath and they both relaxed minutely.

"Here, Pumpkin Soup. Figured you could use it."

Sephiroth huffed, but accepted the warm thermos, squashing the resurfacing guilt with extreme prejudice.

"Thank you."

Angeal let go and Genesis delivered the news he'd been hoping for.

"So Strife is finally ready to part with information on the newest addition to Shinra's top most wanted list. That hour until the debrief is no more."

Sephiroth sighed, "Going directly to 49 then?"

"Unfortunately. Unless you need to do anything?" Angeal asked.

"Negative. I am prepared to start my day."

"Alright."

He'd opened the thermos on the elevator and started drinking right out of it, not remotely worried that there would be anyone in the upper levels at 0630. Perhaps he should have though.

"You keep this up and I'm going to kick your ass."

"Then I'll just tell you to stop kicking yourself."

"Thaaat's it."

The elevator doors opened to Strife holding a squirming yelping blond child in a headlock.

That seemed to have caught Strife flat footed, allowing the younger blond to escape and hide behind the elder.

"Um."

The younger poked his head out from behind Strife, "We'll just take the next one."

Sephiroth continued sipping from his thermos to hide a smile.

Time travel was a secondary hypothesis. Not theoretically possible in the way that inter-reality travel was theoretically possible. But not out of the question. He took another sip of soup before schooling his features and put the lid back on the thermos.

The doors closed before Genesis let out a hearty guffaw, "Cloud Strife the younger and Kuraudo Strife the elder. Assigned two doors down from me where Legend used to reside."

"That's not the crazy one right?" The youngers question came through, albeit muffled by the doors. The elevator moved before they could hear the elders reply.

"They're quite the pair." Angeal added, not quite hiding his own amused smirk.

Sephiroth contemplated the two, a few more pieces falling into place, "Hmm. Well... at least they haven't tried to kill each other yet. I can't say the same."

Because if there really were two Strife's, then...

Angeal and Genesis both looked at him oddly.

Genesis tilted his head in contemplation, "Is that attempted murder or attempted suicide?"

Sephiroth allowed himself a slight glare, "Saving that one for the debrief."

Genesis raised both eyebrows at the statement, likely not expecting a reply.

The elevator doors opened at 49, to a mostly quiet level.

They walked into the briefing room. Veld sat at the head where Lazard normally would. Zack was already in his seat near the back of the room on the right. Tseng was on the left side nearest Veld and Reno sat two seats down, he assumed leaving room for Cissnei. Sephiroth sat next to Veld on the right side. Genesis sat next to him, his sword still hanging from his belt, and Angeal sat next to Genesis and Zack like before, setting the Buster and his Shinra issued sword against the back wall first.

"The puppy's already up?" Genesis lilted. And Zack stopped fidgeting with his stylus.

"Angeal woke me up."

"How's the Jet lag?" Sephiroth asked out of curiosity and Zack actually flinched. Sephiroth realized he may have underestimated the effect meeting the Shapeshifter may have had on him.

"Uh so. Sorry about the texts I sent you. Um..."

"You're forgiven Zack." The SOLDIER Second seemed to lose a fair amount of tension, "But I would suggest you brush up on encrypting communications and digital communication etiquette."

"Yes Sir. Angeal's already given me a fresh copy of the handbook to review that." Sephiroth nodded at Angeal in appreciation.

"Good."

"Soooo. You ran into him then." Zack ducked his head as he asked.

Definitely underestimate the toll it took.

"Unfortunately."

Zack snorted and relaxed further.

"And if i'm not mistaken, Hojo has as well," Sephiroth addressed Veld.

Veld squinted his eyes but nodded minutely. 

Sephiroth was very much looking forward to that conversation, though Strife's information took precedence. Speaking of...

The elder Strife walked into the briefing room, trailed by Rude. Strife carried a Styrofoam cup of tea from the scent of it.

"Go ahead and lock it, Rude. Strife, sit next to Tseng."

No Cissnei or Lazard then for this portion. Interesting.

Strife removed a fairly intricate harness filled with six strangely different swords and placed it on the back of his chair and sat down. Duel welding was one thing... But six?

He now wore a Turk suit instead of a modified first uniform. Sephiroth realized then that the gravitational pull he'd felt initially was missing. It faded when they started to deploy, but he hadn't realized it was gone until now. Odd.

Rude locked the door, turning the windows opaque and remained standing by the door.

Veld began, "The debrief will occur when this meeting is done at which point we will call in Lazard, however given the nature of the information Strife provided us with along with some... Actually quite a bit of information we've dug up in the audit, Strife's story may provide necessary context before our later debrief."

"The younger Strife isn't joining?" Genesis asked.

"No. Cloud is in time out with the Turks." Strife replied, taking a sip from his tea.

"Like you aren't?" Reno sniped. Strife just glared at him.

"Strife, start with what you told me." Veld prompted.

Tseng began taking notes as Strife began speaking... Handwritten minutes that could easily be destroyed.

Strife set his tea down, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his chair, "You wanted to know what level of threat he is. He almost managed to destroy the planet single handedly. The planet itself had to intervene to stop him. He is insane, but not the standard definition. He doesn't do the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Still, he can't be reasoned with.

"Initially his goal was to absorb the Lifestream, become a god, and rule humanity."

Sephiroth allowed himself a raised eyebrow.

"When that failed, per his own monologue, he resorted to just destroying humanity and making the planet a spaceship."

... And the other eyebrow as well. Genesis chortled.

"I didn't bother asking about the spaceship thing at the time, because again. Insane. And now... He was actually kind of light on the details during our last interaction--"

"--I wouldn't call slamming each other into a mountain, slowly breaking it in half, an 'interaction'," Zack seemed a little miffed and Sephiroth side eyed Zack, mildly intrigued and extraordinarily worried for whatever remained of Gillian.

"It was a mountain spire not the actual mountain and that wasn't the conversation. It was after." Strife rolled his eyes.

"So you don't know if he's trying to kill all of humanity at this point?" Sephiroth asked.

"I don't know what he's trying to do now, I just know what he's capable of." Strife replied.

"And that's where you clammed up last time. Shall we discuss just what he is capable of now Strife?" Veld asked.

Strife nodded and actually looked Sephiroth in the eye across the desks. Sephiroth met his gaze blandly before Strife nodded again.

"Two years from now Sephiroth went insane--"

"--I'm sorry, just to clarify, are we talking about time travel Strife?" Genesis asked amused.

Strife scratched the back of his neck, oddly reminiscent of Angeal when he was younger, "I guess. I don't really know what he actually did."

"So Not-Sephiroth is the one that uh brought you here," Zack asked, trying and failing to not seem eager. So the puppy was definitely on board with the time travel idea.

Strife tilted his head to look at Zack, a smile of amusement crossing his face before disappearing, "If he wasn't, he had me fooled... And to be honest that wouldn't be the first time, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt," He looked back at the Firsts, eyeing all of them curiously before continuing.

"I think he went insane from a lack of knowledge. Or too much at once. For all I know even telling you now could set you off. In which case I just kill you immediately. Which is why I brought my fusion sword. I'm really hoping I don't have to use it."

Fusion sword... the six were one? The one he held when he first arrived? Sephiroth squinted his eyes at the end of the statement, "why not just kill me now if I'm such a threat to society." Tactically, if Strife truly was able, Sephiroth should already be dead. Angeal shifted, uncomfortable with the question probably.

Strife sighed, "It would be so much easier to just kill you, and break down Shinra from the ground up. But the anarchy that would bring could be worse than what we had."

"That doesn't answer the question." Veld stated.

Strife tilted his head up and looked at the ceiling, "You haven't done anything world ending yet. It was easier when I hated you. But pity won't let me."

"I don't need your pity." Sephiroth spat, a rare moment of unguarded emotion. That had Genesis looking at him in surprise. Angeal sighed.

"My pity is the only reason you and your friends are still alive." The blond answered, voice low. Sephiroth's neck hair stood on end at the tone.

Sephiroth believed him, "A tactical error on your part if you are truly able to carry out your threat."

"He is," Zack whispered and Veld nodded. Genesis snorted and Angeal whispered for Zack to stop interrupting. Tseng continued writing and Reno... Reno had the audacity to look bored.

Strife laughed at him, turning his head to look at Sephiroth again, "It's not a tactical error when you can just come back from the dead if you're pissed enough."

That drew Sephiroth up short.

"As you were Strife." Veld prompted before anyone could question it.

"There was a mission to the Nibelheim reactor. I was just a trooper who got pulled because of my familiarity with the area. We went up there and when we came back down Sephiroth locked himself in the Shinra Manor library in the basement for seven days. Zack said he didn't eat or sleep and he wouldn't come out."

Zack perked up at that as the explanation for Strife saying Zacks name became apparent.

"Sooo Zacks not the name of your brother then?" Reno asked.

Strife snorted, "Yeah, I admit that one was a lie."

"You don't say?" Reno replied with an eye roll.

Strife ignored him, "By the end of it, he may as well have been though."

Zack sunk down at Strife's wistful tone. Strife looked at Zack with a pained grimace.

"Where were we?" Angeal asked, ignoring his own order to Zack.

"I don't know. To be honest I think you were either dead or just gone. Zack had your Buster Sword at that point. It really surprised me to see it on someone else." Angeal winced at the thought. That Sword was everything to Angeal... Dead then probably.

"And me?" Genesis asked.

"I... I'm going to be honest, part of that 'take this with a grain of salt,' my memories got really messed up, being in a Mako tank for four years." Sephiroth had to physically restrain himself from having any reaction to that statement.

"I've got some memories of my time in the infantry. But not much and very little of it makes sense... But I think you were dead too, or at least Shinra said you were.

"Hmph." Genesis turned his nose up at that. Of course. If there wasn't a part he could see himself playing in a story, Genesis often lost interest. Maybe he'd latch on to something else.

"Strife," Veld prompted once more.

"Sorry. Uh, on day seven he burned my village and killed almost everyone. Made his way back up to the reactor. I guess..." He paused for a moment and looked at the table, "We'll start with the Calamity. 2000 years ago a Calamity fell from the sky and nearly wiped the Cetra out, otherwise known as the ancients."

"We're familiar with it." Veld stated before anyone else could.

"Well about 23 years ago, archaeologists found what they thought was a Cetra in the northern crater. It wasn't. It was the thing that almost wiped them out. They called it Jenova. And again, for the record--"

"--Not my mother?" Sephiroth cut him off.

Strife nodded, "Right. That said all SOLDIERS Have Jenova's cells. It's in Hojo's SOLDIER Serum. You just so happen to have a lot more than most."

"Sorry, are you saying we got injected with alien cells?" Zack asked, his jaw slightly ajar. Angeal didn't reprimand him for that one, probably having the same question.

"Every Soldier is and quite a few of Hojo's experiments, yes. Jenova's cells and Jenova infused Mako."

Zack gagged. The thought was admittedly revolting, however he'd withhold judgement until he could find out for certain.

"Anyway, by that point, Zack tried to subdue Sephiroth but by the time I made it out of the fire in the town, Zack was down but not dead. I guess I didn't register as a threat... Because I wasn't, but he was mumbling to that fossil. Called it his mother. Said he was a Cetra. That the humans had taken the planet from them... That they'd find the promised land and take it back."

Sephiroth wasn't sure he believed he could break like that. But the concern in Strife's demeanor was quite real. He understood why Strife would want him to know, even if he thought the circumstance to be improbable.

"I grabbed the buster. Pretty heavy for me back then, almost cut him in half while he wasn't paying attention. I thought he went down but I turned my back and I shouldn't have. Got up close and personal with Masamune through my rib cage. But Zack had worn him down and he was trying to hold on to Jenova's head and keep his guts from falling out."

Highly, highly, improbable. Though he noticed Genesis was now paying very close attention.

"Got enough leverage to fling him into the high voltage box which electrocuted him... And I thought I killed him... Or the mako in the reactor he fell into would have."

"I'm guessing it didn't?" Sephiroth drawled.

"No. But it wouldn't surprise me if he did, given he's come back after we were sure he was dead."

"Uhuh." Genesis nodded, amusement dripping off him in waves that Strife ignored.

"Five years later, four under Hojo with Zack and one in a Mako coma on the run from Shinra, one last stand, one very traumatic death, and one rescue attempt to save Aerith from Hojo later and we found out that he was not in fact dead."

"Or no longer dead." Genesis interrupted, fascinated now.

Strife nodded, "Very long story short, he got a hold of Meteor... I... I got a hold of Meteor, and I gave it to him. It was like someone pulling strings at first. When he let me go... I stopped him from using me again. But gravity was still pulling me to him. Hojo called it Reunion. And I wasn't the only one. He just used someone else when he couldn't use me.

Sephiroth suppressed a chill when he said Reunion. Another couple of puzzle pieces put into place even with the disjointed retelling. Still, Strife did know what it felt like. The gravity. And it was called Reunion.

"When we got to him, I was the only one driven by reunion who made it. Instead of trying to force his will on me he just broke me. I gave meteor to him willingly...

"Broke you?" Genesis asked, some intrigue slipping past his poor attempt at indifference.

Strife shook his head at the question and hesitated before continuing, "A lot of who I made myself into after Zack died wasn't real. My memories were messed up enough that I didn't know that. He... Made me remember that but he twisted it and it broke me." Zack shifted uncomfortably.

Regardless of if Strife was correct or not, this all could explain why the Shapeshifter was so intent on 'putting Cloud in his place'. Sephiroth allowed himself a frown.

"After he was released from his mako prison and summoned meteor which unleashed all of the planet's WEAPONs, after I fell into the Lifestream and a friend helped fix what he'd broken... We went back to Nibelheim. Found out that Hojo was trying to create a way for Sephiroth to come back from the dead. To come back from the lifestream. He called us copies. Blank slates would have been a better label I think.

Mako prison? Meteor? WEAPONs? He filed those away to research later if Strife didn't expand on them.

"Copies?" Genesis hesitantly asked. Sephiroth furrowed his eyebrows at the tone.

Strife nodded, "Yeah. I thought it was just the Soldier serum administered to those with weak wills from what we found. Thought it was just any Soldier that  started to lose their will and their way that allowed Sephiroth to use them.

"But Hojo did something different to all of them, to us. It wasn't SOLDIERs, it was SOLDIERs that he'd experimented on. SOLDIERs that he'd given extra high doses of Jenova cells to. Something we'd later found out were Jenova cells that had been in contact with Sephiroth's cells. Anyone who had both was susceptible..."

Everyone was quiet aside from Tseng, still writing notes. Sephiroth's mind was reeling... He was right about the blood contact then at least. But the rest was unfathomable.

"Meteor?" Angeal asked, also hesitantly.

Strife shook his head, falling out of his reverie, "The black materia." Tseng didn't quite manage to stifle a sharp inhale, "you're familiar with it?"

Tseng and Veld nodded. Strife continued, "Aerith tried to stop him, tried to pray for Holy, but he killed her before she could." Strife's voice cracked and Angeal's thermos snapped in Sephiroth's hands; he'd never set it down, he realized. He looked down to see he'd only cracked the external layer and not the internal one. He set it down next to his monitor, ignoring everyone's inquisitive looks.

"I'm leaning towards you being from an alternate reality rather than from our future. I wouldn't."

"You know her?" Strife asked.

"Irrelevant. Please continue." He replied, strained.

Strife hesitated, "We stopped him in the end. Killed him. Actually killed him that time. Not a copy, we were absolutely sure. Him and Jenova. But we couldn't stop what he started. The planet had to intervene. We think... We think that Aerith, even if she didn't complete her prayer for Holy, that maybe it had reached the planet, that it just couldn't reach out until he was dead. The entire Lifestream came out from the planet and saved itself from Meteor, but not until it had already done a lot of damage.

"He showed up again two years later."

"Dear goddess, he's a cockroach then." Genesis spouted in exasperation.

Strife snorted, "More like a computer virus that buries itself in the bios. Turns out we killed Jenova's body but not her head, and that was enough. There'd been a disease that emerged after meteor fall. There was no cure and nothing could heal it."

All three Firsts were suddenly very very keen to hear what Strife had to say.

"It was called Geostigma. Proteins in DNA broke down into a grey sludge. It was localized but it spread, and it wouldn't scab over. If people didn't die from the sludge poisoning their blood then they died of their body just shutting down. If I hadn't been enhanced I'd have died long ago."

"I'm sorry, do you still have this?" Angeal asked.

"No. I think Aerith figured something out. She... She wasn't reabsorbed into the Lifestream like most. She was still conscious. It was a pool that showed up in her... Where she used to work. Five minutes before Jenova's head got sucked into a remnant--."

"--A what?" Tseng interrupted.

"We killed Jenova... But we didn't burn it. This all started again when the Turks got a hold of Jenova's head and it woke up. It realized it wasn't stuck, it formed bodies and clothes from its own remains to come after it. Three of them. Remnants."

"You're implying it's asleep?" Veld asked.

"It's been in hibernation. It's sentient, it's alien, it's telepathic, it's telekinetic, it's empathic, it's dangerous. He is just as, if not more so than Jenova."

"You probably should have mentioned that first." Veld huffed, annoyed.

"Zack wasn't affected last time and I planned to blow it up before it woke up. That's why I didn't put up much of a fight when you mentioned going to Nibelheim."

Veld nodded, "You wanted to go. Okay Jenova's head and a remnant."

"Five minutes before he showed up. The water seemed to cure it. He implied that it wasn't a byproduct of Lifestream exposure, but a byproduct of exposure to Jenova's cells and his... Jenova's head and his body had been in the Lifestream for five years. It makes sense. If he tries something like that here... I'm pretty sure Aerith came with us somehow. She might be able to do it again."

"A true gift of the goddess." Genesis muttered in wonder.

"She'd smack you for calling her that." Strife retorted and Tseng didn't bother to suppress a snort.

"She came with you?" Zack asked... Quietly. Strife had skipped over when, but Zack died somewhere along the way. Possibly even suffered as Strife did... Driven to him.

"I think so. He was trying again, probably trying to swap out who he was using then, in the Lifestream after I blew up the reactor. She did something to block him. I don't know."

Vague, possibly a figment of his imagination, but... If that something was why gravity no longer flowed in two directions, she had his thanks twice over.

"And this last confrontation?" Veld prompted once more when Strife fell silent.

"I thought I blew Jenova up with Phoenix and the rest of the reactor... He implied I didn't and seemed hell bent on making sure I didn't go after Jenova. Said the quakes slowed him down and blowing up the reactor showed him down, but he didn't say what it was slowing down exactly."

Well that part of the debrief at least would be interesting.

"And why exactly did you need our Sephiroth to know this?" Reno yawned.

Strife steeled himself, "Because there's always a choice. You can be what you are, or you can be better. The world barely survived one of him going crazy. I don't think it would survive two of them. So please for the love of everything--"

"--Eat, sleep, and don't get stuck in a library for seven days straight?" Sephiroth summarized with amusement.

Strife exhaled slowly, "Yeah. Let's go with that."

"Anything else Strife?" Veld asked.

"No."

"Really? Fantastic! Question time," Genesis jumped in.

"Not on this. If the Turks have any follow up questions then we'll speak with Strife on it later. Otherwise we will accept this as a fable of warning with some basis of truth, none of which leaves this room. Nothing more." Veld ordered and Genesis huffed. Strife almost seemed to collapse in on himself.

"Rude, please unlock the door and you are dismissed for your next assignment."

"Yes Sir," Rude replied. Reno sighed but stayed put.

As soon as the door unlocked Zack was out of his seat and on the other side of the table. He physically dragged Strife out of his seat, who had a hysterical look of bewilderment on his face before Zack hugged him.

"The arrow has left the bow of the goddess. "

Sephiroth allowed himself a simile, "Loveless, Act IV."

Strife gave them both an equally bewildered look. Angeal chuckled at his students' antics, lightening the atmosphere.

Zack mumbled into the man's shoulder, "I may not be your Zack, but I'm pretty sure he'd be honored to be called your brother." Strife exhaled sharply, a small smile growing on his face and hugged the puppy back.

"Thank you, Zack."

"Am I interrupting?" Lazard asked when he walked in a moment later.

"Nope. Kuraudo and I are gonna be great friends though." Zack continued to mutter before pulling away from the elder Strife.

"Good then let's get to business." Zack hightailed it back to his seat. Tseng got out of his seat and moved next to Reno across from Zack. Veld moved to where Tseng had been sitting and flipped to the back of the notepad Tseng had been using... Still making destroyable minutes. That didn't bode any better than it had at the first.

Before taking his seat Lazard walked over to Sephiroth and placed a PHS next to him.

"Your replacement, as the Turks were unwilling to relinquish yours."

Sephiroth nodded, "I appreciate it."

Lazard took his seat and turned the overhead projector on and mirrored it to their screens. Strife sat back down and took a sip of likely cold tea. While Lazard logged in Sephiroth asked Strife something that he thought needed asking... There were many Srs. And Jrs. in the infantry.

"Would you prefer to be called Cloud?" Sephiroth asked and the man's Styrofoam cup creaked.

"Strife or Kuraudo is just fine, thanks." Strife replied with a grimace.

Hmm... Lazard raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. He brought up the world map with four locations highlighted: Nibelheim, Cosmo Canyon, Mideel, and Mt Tamblin... Oh. The later explained their impending deployment.

"Two days ago the fissures began to fall into themselves, closing themselves with the exception of Mideel and Nibelheim which still have large mako pools. The monsters located in Cosmo Canyon and Mideel and from our reports, also Wutai, disappeared into thin air, similar to how regular monsters do given time after death, except it was instantaneous.

"All team missions and in Zack and Angeal's teams cases, auxiliary missions can be classified as completed. That said all of your reports went far beyond the initial orders. We'll start with Zack as he covered the most ground and his report was the least redacted. Similar format as before Zack." Lazard noted.

"Got it."

"The only things you can't go into are what occurred after we landed in Cosmo Canyon. Please avoid using the planetologist name as well." Veld ordered.

Zack nodded, "Right, so got to Junon to pick up infantry and supplies. Got to the air field below Mt. Nibel, dropped off the path clearing team, picked up the engineer and swapped to a helicopter. Got to town, it was completely leveled by the quake and looked pretty burnt. Got supplies distributed to the people staying in the Shinra manor. Basements collapsed," Zack side eyed Sephiroth.

Well there went the thought of going through the library with someone else to sort through fact and fiction.

"Got the cell tower up. Went up to the reactor the following morning with the engineer Shera, Cloud, Kuraudo, and Veld. Uh, Cloud and I were outside, and something that looked like Sephiroth stopped by. Became agitated, Cloud called for Kuraudo. He came flying, not literally, out of the reactor and the two of them beat the living daylights out of each other."

Extraordinary worry for whatever remained of Gillian skyrocketed to extreme concern.

"Uh, so I think everyone knows I get other peoples limit breaks?"

"I was wondering." Strife mentioned.

"Yeah, so I thought I got octaslash, it was not. Ended up being one with math and a comet and a supernova."

Sephiroth locked down his reaction. He'd used it once, and he swore he'd never use it again. And now Zack had it, he allowed himself to share a concerned look with Angeal.

"Uh kinda caused a lot of damage. I was pretty out of it after using it, and didn't do much good either. Uh not-Sephiroth flew, actually flew this time into the reactor. Dude in red showed up and went after him, Kuraudo got us over to the other side of the mountain and went after them. The entire thing sank into a giant mako lake before the thing blew up like a volcano."

That had to have been quite a sight.

"Veld and I got Cloud and the engineer back to town. We got a call to go to Cosmo Canyon. Dropped the engineer off with the crew we got her from and picked up the pass clear group. Skipping the initial arrival at Cosmo Canyon, the planetologist decided to go on a trip in a cave and dragged Tseng and I along."

Stupid girl.

"We picked up Angeal on our way there where we proceeded to fight Corpses. Literal corpses. Skeletons and all,"

... What?

"... all the way down to the bottom of the thing where we picked up Kuraudo who... It looked like was with not-Sephiroth, but then turned into an elderly woman who told us to keep Cloud out of trouble... Both of them." Zack nodded and looked over to Angeal nervously.

Shit.

Well, at least Angeal wouldn't be taken too off guard.

"Thank you Zack. Strife anything to add?" Lazard asked.

"He doesn't. I do." Veld stated. "That guy in red was a man named Vincent. He is a Turk we thought dead and is currently MIA. I've been assured that if Strife survived whatever went down there, then Vincent did too. He is to be considered a concerned party and possibly a threat to Shinra and definitely a threat to Hojo, but also a potential ally. I've placed him on the do not engage list."

Vincent... They'd run into Vincent. The man Strife said... Sephiroth took a breath and let it go... For now.

Lazard nodded in concession to leaving Strife's side of things alone. Sephiroth could not say he was planning on doing the same.

"Angeal, your report was moderately redacted. Tseng, what is the man allowed to go into?"

"Anything after the Gi announcement. Also please avoid names."

"Go ahead then Angeal." Lazard prompted, clearly somewhat perturbed by the restrictions.

Angeal began, "The invasion began at 0900 ccst, 1600 Shinra standard on the ninth--" Genesis' head snapped to Angeal in surprise. Angeal paused to note it with a raised eyebrow. Genesis shook his head. Strife side eyed Veld who waved him off. To be revisited then.

Angeal continued, "We had very little warning about what was attacking aside from the name Gi, something had been unleashed by the most recent quake. The invasion was quick, but the townspeople had a few fighters. Between Shinra forces on site and the other fighters we were able to fight the invaders back to two entry points. The lower entry point was guarded by the monsters we were initially dispatched to take down. It did its fair share of thinning the invading forces. It was essentially acting like a shop vac."

Sephiroth allowed himself yet another raised eyebrow and wondered if they'd gotten any pictures, that didn't sound like the ones he'd faced.

"When Zack arrived with reinforcements, we were able to move into the main point of entry and dispatch more of the invading forces. By the time we reached the bottom of the cave structure most of the locals had to fall back, so no one saw what we did. I will corroborate Zacks statement on that... And thank you for being discreet Zack, but I did say that it appeared to be my mother in my report. She was found yesterday in her bed suffering from Mako poisoning in Banora with an injury similar to what I saw in the cave. I'm fairly certain it was her."

Sephiroth breathed an inexplicable breath of relief. Not a sigh. Not anything that would emote. But it was nonetheless a lighter breath than the one before it. She was alive.

"Of note when we returned from within the cave, I will leave Turk business to Turk business, but a Turk knocked out another Turk and took the planetologist with her."

His next breath was even lighter. Cissnei got her out... That's why she wasn't here.

Lazard raised an eyebrow at Angeal's remark but moved on, "Thank you Angeal. Sephiroth I'm honestly surprised you were able to submit a report while in the labs but your efficiency is appreciated. Unfortunately about half of it was redacted. Reno care to elaborate."

"Uh that shit's not going in any records right now. We cleared the briefing room before we got started so Sephiroth can say what he wants as long as it doesn't go anywhere. Given the absolute nightmare of a cacophony we just listened to I don't think it'll surprise anyone."

Veld added, "If there's any place for this to come out, it's here and now."

"The floor is yours then Sephiroth." Lazard prompted.

This is why he fought to stay alive. This was the intel that now had so much more context thanks to Strife... Even if there was a fraction of truth to his story. There were no answers, but there was understanding.

"At 0200 Mideel Standard time on the eighth we touched down just outside what was left of Mideel. I dispatched the monster guarding the fissure, however it was quickly replaced by another. I dispatched four before changing tactics and attempted to drive it away from the trucks rather than outright remove it, to some success.

"At 0230 we were able to begin the search for survivors. Mako rain and the dark prevented most of the available search parties from joining us, however the Seconds and myself managed to clear the area. No survivors. We made it back to camp by 1800 where we met who we presumed to be Angeals mother acting in a Medical capacity."

He felt Angeal and Genesis both turn to look at him slowly.

"She's not a doctor." Angeal broke debrief protocol to state firmly.

Sephiroth nodded, "As I said, presumed to be. I proceeded to clear out a group of sand worms near the encampment as directed by Rude. At 2000 mst, 1600 sst, still on the eighth," nearly a day before the Gi invasion he noted internally, "I went to meet Angeal's mother in the med tent. She invited me for tea and what was essentially a confession."

Sephiroth stared at his monitor, Mideel still highlighted, and drove on.

"She claimed that she no longer used the title of Doctor because she'd broken her oath to not cause harm. She claimed that she was working with Hollander because something had appeared in Genesis blood work. She claimed there was no cure and Angeal would suffer the same, that his blood was showing the same markers as Genesis blood, just less advanced. She claimed she hurt her boys. She claimed Genesis as hers in some capacity, that she birthed Angeal but Genesis has her Genes."

"What?" Genesis whispered.

"She claimed that I would suffer the same fate. She claimed that she couldn't hurt her boys but she could rid the world of me. Those were her claims."

He continued at the silence, "She was able to paralyze me in some capacity and gave me a knife to kill myself with. I moved without my own accord and punctured a lung before I was able to stop the progression. She then attempted to assist."

He could feel Strife's gaze burning through his skull, Sephiroth studiously ignored it, still staring at his own monitor.

"I was able to stop it. My reaction in breaking the paralysis was automatic. I pulled out the knife and eliminated the threat with the knife in hand. The threat was only down for a moment before it shapeshifted into myself but with a white wing. I assumed it was related to my blood. Given recent information from Strife that hypothesis seems credible."

Angeal made a choking noise and Genesis remained still.

"The new threat subdued me quickly and extracted my Masamune materia before leaving. Kunsel found me not long after."

"Holy shit." Zack mumbled

Reno picked up from there, "then me and Rude got the call from Kunsel. Med team took care of Sephiroth. We took care of the crime scene which was sans one Gillian Hewley. Locals in Banora said she was in Mideel when everything went to shit for some specialized bloodwork. And Angeals got good sources. She's back in Banora now, currently in a Mako coma treatment." Reno concluded.

"Uh...." Lazard stumbled for words. Sephiroth looked from his monitor to his superior. He had never seen Lazard so uneasy. Veld was texting on his PHS.

"Veld said you had a nasty run in... Welcome to the club I guess." Strife noted almost offhandedly and Sephiroth couldn't stop the snort that came out if he'd tried.

He looked down to his lap rather than the closest thing he had to friends.

"I'm truly sorry Angeal... to the both of you. If what she says was true, then I am doubly so."

Angeal's stylus snapped in his hand. Sephiroth didn't flinch externally, but internally...

"Everyone slept and ate breakfast right?" Strife asked hesitantly.

"This is hardly the time for jokes Strife." Genesis spat.

"It wasn't a joke." Strife replied.

Angeal started laughing, it wasn't a sane laugh. Sephiroth bowed his head further.

"No no no no no." Zack was out of his seat again. This time he stood in front of Angeal and turned his chair towards him, impressive with how heavy the man was, and put a hand on each shoulder. Which stopped the hysterics, "No. Geal. Hold it together man. We don't know yet. We have one crazy on the loose and he's super creepy. You don't get to be super creepy too. I won't let you. I won't let Kuraudo kill you either... but you have to be sane for him to not try in the first place so you're not allowed to go crazy. Okay?"

"Zack." Angeal whispered.

Genesis replied, "Puppy, I know you have been here the whole debrief, but you weren't raised by this woman nor have you been through Hollanders care. I don't think you understand the whole breadth of what we just learned."

"Then explain oh great and powerful fire breathing dragon." Zack growled.

"Oh. I could get used to that one Stamp."

Zack huffed and Genesis continued. "It means we're both dying. It means I'm already dying. It means Hollander wasn't the one with the answers. She was. And she's given up on all of us. It means Gillian Hewley attempted to murder Sephiroth and if Angeal wasn't her son, would have done the same to him... If she wasn't... If she hadn't half raised me, she probably would have done the same to me as well."

Angeal added, somewhat subdued, "It means we've been lied to our entire lives. It means Shinra has no honor. It means I have no honor, and I never did."

Zack stood up, giving Angeal some space, but didn't move, "So what if your parents lied to you. You always say to hold on to our dreams and keep our honor as SOLDIER." Zack crossed his arms. "It's like Kuraudo said, there's always a choice. You can be what you are. Or you can be better. Make new dreams. Make your own Honor. You can be better and... I know you've made me better. And you probably make each other better too. Right?"

The temperature of the room warmed ever so slightly.

"They do." Sephiroth added quietly. He didn't know what that admission would cost him, for he knew it couldn't come free in the presence of the Turks, but it... if there was any truth to Strife's reality, then it seemed like it needed saying.

"We do what?" Genesis growled slowly.

Well, in for a gill... "You both make me better."

It felt like the oxygen was sucked out of the room. He looked at Genesis and Angeal, who'd turned back from Zack, for the first time since he'd started. They were both looking at him wildly confused.

Strife seemed to relax. Veld let out a long and low exhale. Allowing that transparency had been a gamble and Strife, Sephiroth now realized, had been the insurance.

In that moment he knew Zack had just diffused two bombs that the Turks had intentionally set off...

Only for two more to blow up.

A high pitched scream reverberated in his skull. It hurt, but it didn't hit his eardrums. It felt internal? He managed to hide his pain. Strife did not.

Strife hissed and put a hand to his head before standing up quickly, throwing the chair behind him into the wall from the sudden movement.

"Not..."

Everyone else was up out of their chairs at that, but Sephiroth remained sitting. If he moved, he might show how much it hurt. It got worse. The gravity that he once attributed to Strife rapidly emerged from a location above them.

"No!" Strife kicked Renos chair, throwing Reno back into Tseng, throwing them both towards the back wall. He sideswiped Veld before he could grab his gun. Strife grabbed the lapels of Veld's suit and slammed the man on top of the table between their monitors. The table cracked but didn't fall. The three other SOLDIERs looked to Sephiroth who had not stood to intervene. He shook his head slightly, his eyes unfocused.

"Where is he! What did you do!" Strife slammed Veld back into the table with his right hand and ripped a monitor out of the table with his left. He used it to block the darts both Reno and Tseng had tried to shoot him with. He threw the monitor into the wall with enough force that it could have taken Renos head off if he hadn't dodged. Strife looked at them both and growled, "Don't."

Tseng slowly raised his hands, dart gun still in them. Sephiroth couldn't see Reno but he could hear he was still breathing but wasn't moving.

"Now what did you do?" Strife turned his face back towards Veld who was still alive, a miraculous feat with how much force Strife had used.

The scream pitched louder and Sephiroth could see Strife grimace in pain while Sephiroth hid his own.

Lazard hit the panic button but it would take thirty seconds. That might be too long. And he couldn't... He didn't dare move to tell the others to... To what. What could they do to this man Veld had been certain could take them all down if he had to.

Veld replied somewhat dazed, "It was Clouds choice. I'm sorry Strife. It's just business."

Chapter Text

Kuraudo felt fire crawling in the veins of his left arm and sandpaper under his skin flaying his nerves raw.

He had forgotten what it felt like out of self preservation. And now. Now he felt an echo of it. A very detailed echo.

Rage. He felt rage too. And grief. But those were his own.

He felt unrelenting pressure in his skull with a muted static high pitched whine that made him want to grip his head and grit his teeth.

Cloud was screaming himself hoarse. He could feel that too. Kuraudo was pretty sure he had done the same back then.

Veld, on the table, on his back, and now concussed, lied.

Because they would have done this even if it hadn't been Cloud's choice. But they gave him the option first, he was sure.

"Just business?" Kuraudo whispered.

He clenched his teeth against the pain. It wasn't his own he knew, but he remembered.

"Just business will be Shinra's downfall one day," Kuraudo spat.

He wanted to go after him. He wanted to kill Hojo and save himself... But they would be banking on that, wouldn't they.

The trap was set, he just had to go walking into it...

Reno was down, pretending to be out. Tseng still held his hands in the air next to the monitor fully embedded in the wall. Lazard had just hit a panic button.

"Uh... Possibly dumb question, but what's happening?" Zack asked. Kuraudo spared him a glance. Zack stood, rocking back and forth on his heels. Angeal had his sword in hand, the Buster still stood against the wall. Genesis hadn't pulled his sword yet, but he had his hand on the pommel. The two Firsts were glancing between Kuraudo and Sephiroth.

Sephiroth... He'd seen that look... Once, on the other end of the Buster sword.

Sephiroth was in pain and he'd die before acknowledging it.

It made Kuraudo wonder... had he felt every new attempted copy Hojo had made... It made him wonder if Kuraudo himself had felt it... If they'd all felt it... Or was it just because it was him... Cloud.

"Hojo just started making his first copy. That's what's happening Zack," Kuraudo answered, his voice cracking in grief. He should have known better. He did know better.

"All that awaits you is a somber morrow, No matter where the winds may blow." Genesis said, tilting his head, like he expected something. Kuraudo ignored him.

Reno shifted behind him.

Kuraudo was at his side, grabbed the dart gun out of Renos reach and threw it at the glass wall before Reno could do anything more than that. Very heavy duty glass apparently. It cracked but didn't shatter.

"Alright already, don't kill the grunt." Reno drawled, lifting his hands up in surrender too.

He should have left well enough alone, but his grief and a rage long suppressed bubbled up.

Kuraudo warned him, through clenched teeth, "Keep telling yourself you're just a grunt when thousands die after you follow Tseng's orders to drop the sector seven plate Reno."

Reno narrowed his eyes, "You can't drop the plates asshat." He glanced at Tseng then back at Veld who started to sit up, "Right boss? You can't drop the plates."

Veld didn't reply, Kuraudo assumed that was answer enough.

"What?" Lazard whispered. Oh. Right. He hadn't been around for that part.

Kuraudo heard the panic button response before he could reply.

Shit.

He grabbed his harness from the back of the thrown chair and put it on and grabbed his first sword.

The door burst open, "EVERYBODY DOWN!"

Everyone dropped, except for Sephiroth. If he didn't know what pain looked like on him, he'd be the picture of serenity.

One SOLDIER Third, one SOLDIER Second, and more than a few of Scarlets machines burst into the room, swords and guns raised respectively.

Kuraudo sighed as the echo of Mako burned from his arm to his shoulder. The arms on Sephiroth's chair started to audibly groan and crack under his grip.

Kuraudo threw his own downed chair at the mechanized spider units, smashing one and cutting another in half. The two SOLDIERs glanced at each other before they advanced. Kuraudo pulled his fourth sword from his harness to join the first.

The SOLDIER Third had to have been new. He had strength but no coordination. Kuraudo slapped the SOLDIER Third in the head with his first sword knocking him out before he could get close enough to do any damage. He used the forth sword to block the SOLDIER Seconds advance and pushed him back, he swung the first sword back to knock the SOLDIER Second in the head as well.

This one had the awareness to duck before he hit and rolled to the side before popping up. Kuraudo took the moment to use his lightning materia on the mini... Tank looking machine. Before using his first sword to cut through the remaining machines like butter.

The SOLDIER Second came at him a moment later, and if Kuraudo had only had one sword he might have held out a little longer, but Kuraudo blocked him with the fourth sword and twisted the Seconds sword in his forth sword's saw tooth. The Second tried to jump back in alarm but Kuraudo prevented him from moving by angling the fourth around completely, disarming the SOLDIER Second and used his first sword to swipe the Second into the wall next to the Buster sword, rattling both the sword and the wall. The Seconds helmet shook and his head dropped to the side.

Kuraudo loved his swords when they worked so well for him. And strangely, the Turk suit that they'd fitted him for before he'd left for Nibelheim and had given to him that morning, didn't get in the way. Guess the Turks weren't all form. There was some function.

Function that he was sure Veld now likely regretted allowing. He'd said they were for 'just in case.' Kuraudo assumed they'd just be for Sephiroth, but he realized as the debrief closed that Veld meant for Angeal and Genesis as well.

He inhaled sharply when the pressure in his skull started to throb.

A loud clang had him checking Sephiroth, now holding his broken chair arm away from himself in confusion.

Everyone else was still on the floor, no one had moved because no one had said an all clear, nor would they. But Angeal caught his eye, his face grim. He tilted his head towards the briefing room door.

Genesis smacked him for moving. Zack still had his head down, but laughed quietly at the two.

The door had been unlocked and left open...

It was definitely a trap. But Veld had just shown Shinra's hand... And Sephiroth had everything he needed to not make dumb decisions.

He holstered his swords and took off towards the stairwell. No one stopped him.

Kill Hojo. Get the kid. Get out. It was a stupid plan. There was no plan. He knew that was a bad idea. But what was his alternative now?

The burn spread from his shoulder to his rib cage.

There was no stopping what had been done to the kid now... He shoved the guilt out of mind and jumped up the stairwell as high as he could. The rest of the way he kept expecting a roadblock, but people kept opening doors for him. And when he finally met a door he needed to get through on his own, his keycard worked. No sword work needed. It was too early for the mayor to be helping... Maybe the card had more permissions than it was supposed to.

The doors kept opening and people kept getting out of his way. Maybe it was the Turk suit.

When he reached floor 67, the door to the Science department opened before he actually approached.

He took a moment to pause.

This was a stupid idea. The door opening was a direct invite from Hojo... But what else was he gonna do while fighting off the echoes of pain now stretching across to his other arm and into his neck and his abdomen.

He walked through. The door shut behind him.

"Subject B code C will comply." Hojo's nasally voice came through a PA system.

The hell?