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All Roads Lead to Midgar	By : Jdee Category: Final Fantasy VII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 959 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all is characters obviously do not belong to me. They are (c) to Square Enix. I do this for fun and for the fact I freaken love the fandom. So yeah IF I could make money from this I would but I don't...

Chapter List
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Chapter One

Cloud found himself sitting on Fenrir looking up at the ShinRa building. That logo staring him in the face... again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the cellphone flipping it open, then stopped as he read the message flashing on the screen.

Your phone type is not currently supported

in this region, please contact your nearest

network provider or switch to ShinRa Mobile

Service Ltd.

-ShinRa Tech Support

Cloud snapped the phone shut, he looked up at the sky it was nearing nightfall and he wasn't sure if he could even just walk into ShinRa dressed as he was. He hadn't packed for a long trip just an overnight excursion. At least Zack had made sure his weapons and Fenrir joined him in this timeline.

He looked round there had to be something to let him get in there, even if he was only fifteen years old again. The clothes would be suspicious, kitted out like he was a mercenary for hire walking in to ShinRa like this then demanding they tell him where the president was.

Zack was right, infiltrate.

He let out a breath Zack's agonising cry was still ringing in his ears. He had to stop this, before his friend didn't even have a soul left.

How much more was the planet going to throw at his friend even after death?

Cloud was looking at the ground feeling about as sheepish as Denzel when he'd been at the shrink's office this morning. He had hoped he would never have to look at that logo again, yet there it was. So averting his eyes like a child, wasn't going to help him get in there.

That was until he saw there was a glint of plastic on the ground under Fenrir's wheel.

Cloud jumped off Fenrir and moved the bike forward and he let out a dry chuckle.

“Zack... thanks.” He picked up the ShinRa ID and looked at it. It was his of course a guest pass, it was enough to get him in the car park at least, he would sort out reception when he got that far.

~*~*~*~

Zack let out a startled cry as he sat up. He was drenched in sweat and his hand moved to his chest and he wiped along it.

He could feel the liquid lighter not thick and goopy, then he looked to the window before jumping up. He saw his reflection and laughed.

“Oh Aerith that's not nice.” He shook his head. “Seventeen again. That's just mean.” His bangs flopped around his face and he let out a sigh. “Oh well guess there's my time frame. Two years before Sephiroth's mental break down. So Angeal must still be here... this is going to be weird talking to a younger him.” Zack mused grabbing a towel and heading to the shower.

The water felt wonderful, sure he saw things and felt things in the life stream, but this was heaven, taking away all those aches that a young body like this had built up in.

“Man I'm so hitting up the massage floor after this. I need to be realigned with this body.” He looked to his arm. He saw it the patch of dried black skin, and he rubbed at it. He frowned when he saw it spread as dry skin came off.

“Not a good sign.” Zack turned the shower off and grabbed a towel, and patted the section dry he looked to the towel seeing the black staining the fabric.

Zack looked round the bathroom and he pulled everything out from underneath the sink till he found the medical kit and found a bandage and began wrapping it round his arm.

After drying the rest of himself off, Zack walked out into his bedroom, he pulled on a pair of boxers, a muscle shirt and blue jeans, found a pair of sneakers and put them on, grabbing his ID card he walked out the door.

He had to find Cloud. Then he blinked and looked round for a clock, how long had he been bumming around?

“Oooooh shit! Sorry Cloud!” Zack apologised and ran to the elevator he hit the button repeatedly several times bouncing impatiently. He mentally cursed his body for being damaged and letting his mind lead it back in to the familiar ways of being an impatient teenager.

“Align the soul with the body, align the soul with the body...” He repeated bouncing more impatiently. “Argh! ALIGN DAMN YOU!” He tried to stop himself from flailing.

Then his head touched against the doors of the elevator as he sighed. “Seventeen...” He muttered. “Seventeen.” He banged his head a couple more times frustrated. “Hormones impatience. Great just great. Why seventeen?”

It was a good three minutes before the elevator binged and opened. “FINALLY!” He exclaimed.

Zack was about to bolt inside, but he stopped. Sephiroth raised a brow at him.

The general obviously hearing his outburst.

“Ah... ha ha...” He rubbed behind his head.

Zack stepped in tentatively, him and Seph they hadn't really crossed paths much this far back in the time line, he knew that. So he stood there and hit the button for the reception.

Zack tried not to fidget, so he just tapped his foot impatiently, he let the elevator door close and trap him with the man whose sanity he would be questioning two years down the track.

Sephiroth merely glanced at him.

“Sir.” Zack shuffled to the side. He looked at the floor, the door anywhere but at the General. He was hoping he wouldn't attract attention, but at the same time he probably was.

“Hmph. Angeal said you had trouble shutting up. I might have to query this later.” Sephiroth mused.

“Hey he said that?!” Zack exclaimed. “Man that's just mean Angeal.” He crossed his arms.

Zack saw Sephiroth smirk at him.

Those Mako green eyes didn't read a single bit of insanity behind them.

But it was still unnerving and awkward to be under that gaze.

Zack felt like he was being strip searched by Sephiroth's gaze alone and he swallowed.

The elevator binged and Sephiroth got off on the 49th floor heading towards the training room.

In the wait for the doors to close, Zack caught Angeal looking at him, before Genesis seemed to announce something overly dramatic that had his two companions meet eyes, then roll them together in unison.

Zack blinked. There was something you didn't see everyday. The three of them together, looking happy, normal. Zack looked down and he saw his fist had clenched automatically.

ShinRa.

He could feel something burning in his chest, he looked up suddenly realising what he was feeling. It was his hatred toward the company, what they had done to Angeal, Sephiroth and Genesis, what they were currently doing to the planet and what they were about to do to him and Cloud.

There was another bing as the reception was displayed for him. Zack stepped out of the elevator, somewhat more calmer than when he had entered.

He looked to the reception. Cloud was filling in some paperwork and he blinked. Nobody was in line they all stood back and waited. Cloud's clothes were still the same, he looked ready to take on an army by himself.

Zack slapped his forehead. “You could have changed clothes first.” He sighed.

Zack bit his bottom lip, even so the clothes hung off him, not by too much, meaning the planet thought it best he had some body weight to wield those big giant swords of his.

Cloud finished the paperwork handed the key card over and it was swiped though a machine and handed back.

“Your test will be tomorrow afternoon Master Strife.”

Cloud frowned all these years of being called Mr. now it was back to master.

“Once your results are in we will decide if you advance into the infantry or progress towards the SOLDIER bootcamp.” She explained.

“So two o'clock tomorrow?” Cloud asked.

She nodded her head. “Until then you'll be staying on the guest floors. Have a nice evening.”

Cloud put his key card away and turned round. There was a line of onlookers who were avoiding him. But it wasn't them he noticed.

Zack was just standing there. He wasn't supposed to come across the Zack of this world to soon. But the look in Zack's eyes Cloud saw it, it wasn't the Zack of this timeline.

It was the Zack of his. That amused grin and smart ass comment twinkling behind eyes ready to leap from his mouth at any given moment.

Cloud moved towards him grabbing him by the arm and dragging him away from reception.

“Hey easy Cloud relax.” Zack laughed nervously.

They moved to the corner of the lobby to talk in private. “Zack how did you-?” Cloud began.

“Aerith sent me. I'm your guardian angel.” He beamed.

Cloud let out a breath. “But your soul.”

Zack took his hand and Cloud followed Zack's movements, he placed Cloud's hand over the bandage on his arm.

“It got slightly infected. Aerith said I can't go back to the life stream, so she sent my soul here to heal.”

Cloud lifted the bandage back and he looked at the black flaking flesh. “It looks like Geostigma.”

“Yeah except for the dead.” Zack commented. “It'll heal.”

Zack brushed it off like it was nothing, Cloud just hoped it was indeed nothing.

“We have about a two year time period before Seph goes nuts. Angeal and Genesis haven't deserted yet either. So when that happens...” Zack rubbed his hands together. “Prooooomotion baby.” He joked.

Cloud let the bandage go before he looked at Zack.

“So did you mean what you said about me becoming a first this time?”

Zack laughed and tapped Cloud's sword. “Yeah. So I think we need to do an all night cram session so you can pass the academic part of it.”

“I'll be fine with the academic Zack, it was the physical I didn't get past last time. Too small.” Cloud placed a hand on his own head.

Zack chuckled. “Size won't be an issue buddy. If you take on the commander like he's Sephiroth's evil twin I think you'll be in with nothing to worry.”

Cloud frowned. “Aren't we messing with time here?”

Zack shrugged. “We could be. But Aerith isn't here this time. So I'm guessing this is a: either the past memories in a physical reincarnated world or b: an alternative timeline that played out along side our timeline, or c: something else like real life actual time travel and Aerith removed herself form the equation, which works because Seph can't stab someone who doesn't exist.”

Cloud quirked a blonde brow. He saw Zack look at him.

“What?” Zack asked.

Cloud shook his head. “Nothing.”

Zack shrugged. “Hey those are my theories the powers that be state I'm just the messenger for one of the other messengers, who told me be your guardian and help you do this or...” He looked at Cloud his voice taking on an overly dramatic voice. “I stay in our timeline and face a slow excruciating decomposition of my soul, and become nothing but a faint memory on the wind.”

Cloud sighed in defeat, teenage Zack, why did it have to be teenage Zack?

“It's going to be a long two years.” Cloud groaned.

Zack slapped him on the back. “Naaaah it'll be a cinch!”

Cloud although despite his glares and quirked eyebrows at Zack's outlandish teenage behaviour he was glad to have him by his side helping.

“So after this what happens?” He asked.

Zack looked at him. “I guess I let Aerith know we got the location and she beams us back.”

“Will you live?” Cloud asked. “Well you know will your spirit live?”

Zack shrugged. “So long as this is gone by then I think so.” He left out the part where he was actually physically alive because of the stigma. That would be a kicker if he returned there new repaired body and all, then he still had to go back to the lifestream.

~*~*~*~

It was a three hour walk around ShinRa. Both of them trying to re-familiarise themselves with the locations of everything.

“I'm so used to seeing this place trashed.” Zack mused. “I forgot it had a massive amount of space to cover.”

Cloud nodded in agreement. “I don't really remember much of it anymore.”

“Blocked it out?” Zack asked.

Cloud shrugged. “Don't know I don't think I got over the mako poisoning.” He confessed. “I remember you, I remember Nibelhiem I remember parts of you dragging me around and then coming to the Midgar Train station running into Tifa. Everything else it's a blur really.”

Zack looked at Cloud and he nodded his head.

“What about you, do your remember anytime of those four years in that lab?” Cloud asked.

Zack swallowed and he smiled at Cloud. “Nope. I'm a blank. I just remember seeing Angeal, but I actually think it was Lazard now that I think about it. He musta let me out of there. Then I got us gone.” He couldn't tell Cloud what he remembered.

It was the only time in his life he had truly wished he had died.

Remembering Hojo, all the experiments, the tests one after the other. That cold table and the sardonic grin as he felt that moment in his mind when Hojo truly broke him.

“Zack...” Cloud was looking at him.

Zack cleared his throat. “What?”

“You're lying.” Cloud stated.

Zack gave him a flat eyed look. “Oh c'mon not you too.”

“You're a terrible liar. I know you remember.”

Zack walked round the corner with Cloud.

“I'm not that bad.” Zack let out an exasperated sigh.

“If you don't want to tell me then just say. 'Yes Cloud I remember but I'd rather not'. Don't just go 'nope don't remember'.” Cloud stated.

Zack saw Cloud stop suddenly and he turned to look. Sephiroth was leaving one of the offices. He placed his arm round Cloud's shoulder and held him in place.

“Not the same Seph. Not crazy I saw in his eyes. Relax.” Zack whispered.

Cloud huffed softly. “I know but what would you do if you saw Hojo in the hall knowing what he was going to do?”

“Grit my teeth and walk past.” Zack hissed at him. He saw Angeal and Genesis leave the office and he raised a brow. “I don't ever remember seeing them hang out this much.”

“Because you were probably elsewhere. Like hitting on the receptionist.” Cloud stated.

Zack gave him a flat eyed look. “So sue me if she's cute.”

Cloud raised a brow at Zack. He saw Angeal looking over at them and he cleared his throat.

“Your mentor is looking.” Cloud stated.

Zack looked over at Angeal and he looked back at Cloud. “And?”

“Think what would seventeen year old you do at this moment.”

Zack groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Harass him to be taken out on a mission.”

Cloud looked at him. “Well.”

Zack gave him a look. “No. Because that eventually leads to Wutai and I'm not going back to Wutai.” He pointed at him and walked off down the hall.

Cloud let out a breath and rolled his eyes. He forgot twenty-three year old Zack had been through to much and probably wanted to avoid it all again if he could.

“Zack!” Cloud called out. “We need to meet tomorrow.”

Zack stopped and turned round. “Breakfast, We'll go have a coffee and a catch up this time I promise!” Zack gave him a quick wave before passing Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth avoiding eye contact.

Cloud turned round and he let out a breath. “He's going to blow this whole mission if he's not careful.” He muttered walking off towards the elevators.

~*~*~*~

Sephiroth raised a brow and looked at Angeal. Angeal nodded.

“No harassing you today Angeal.” Genesis mused with a chuckle. “I suppose it is a good thing. You might get a quiet night in.”

Angeal was watching Zack walk down the hall towards the elevators heading to the floor of the 2nd Class.

“Yeah, but it's not like him.” Angeal mused.

“He seems to be also injured.” Sephiroth noted.

Angeal nodded. “I saw that earlier and the fact he hasn't got it treated yet. It's not like him. He prefers to be in top shape all the time.”

Genesis sighed. “Well go then go check up on your precious puppy. I'll be in the library, we can get dinner later.”

~*~*~*~

Cloud looked round the guest quarters and he set everything in a corner, it was just a single over night bag. But that was it a change of clothes he didn't have any.

Cloud pulled out his cellphone again and he flipped it open.

The same default ShinRa message greeted him. Cloud sighed and turned the phone off. There would be no call from Tifa, there would be nothing of the sort.

Walking into the kitchen Cloud placed his gloved hands on the bench before looking up.

That logo, that logo which he despised and fought against for so long was staring at him.

Tormenting him.

“Infiltrate.” He just had to keep repeating it to himself. “Find the location of this stored Mako energy and go home.” Once again it was save the planet.

At least he had help, at least he had Zack. But he was still worried about his friend's health and probably his mentality of going from a dead twenty-three year old to a living seventeen year old.

“Am I even patient enough to do two years in this company without trying to kill Sephiroth?” He asked himself.

Cloud mentally decided he was not patient enough to even look at Sephiroth without wanting to ram him through on the buster sword and prevent the man from destroying everything he cared about.

But Zack said there was no Aerith in this time line, so he couldn’t destroy that which didn't exist could he? Cloud held the side of his head.

“I should really hit Zack up for some spare clothes.” Cloud let out a breath, he didn't want to think on it.

He picked up his key card, now he had to remember what floor Zack's room was on again.

~*~*~*~

Angeal knocked on Zack's door. It was a moment later when Zack opened.

“Yeah?” He looked up at Angeal and raised a brow. “Um Angeal hi. Did I miss a training session?”

Angeal stepped into the room. He looked round. Zack was in the middle of obviously re-arranging his furniture.

“What are you doing?”

“Changing my fate.” He stated. “I wanna test something. Like if I point the couch towards the window then maybe something in the future might change.”

Angeal raised a brow at him. “Did Kunsel get you across the back of the head while training?”

Zack blinked. “No. Psssh no as if Kunsel could hit me as I am.”

Angeal raised a brow. “As you are?”

Zack shrugged. “I think I've improved. It would save you time if you made me a first now ya know. I could... do a lot.”

Angeal poked the bandage. “Is that why you aren't using any curaga or potions for this?”

Zack looked down at the bandage. “They won't work.” I have to align my soul with my body then it'll get better. It's a mental injury nothing moooor-” He stopped talking for a moment and looked at Angeal. “Um you know what I'm probably not feeling to good. You should give me a week off, yeah a week.”

Angeal pinched the bridge of his nose. “So promote you then give you a week off?”

“I'm talking crazy right? See.” Zack pointed up. “I need a week to um... not be crazy then everything will be awesome.”

“Zack I'm taking you to the infirmary now.” Angeal stated.

Zack slapped his forehead. “Look I know you care, hell you're like a big brother to me and such but that really isn't a good idea right now. I'm not me right now. So if you give me some time I'll eventually be me again then we can go on our merry ways and I can annoy you for a mission and you can deny me and I can go back to flirting with the receptionist while you face palm and berate me. But now. Going to the infirmary as I am now. That's not a good idea.” He stated.

Angeal was looking at him. He knew then that Angeal was right he wasn't very good a secrets.

He tended to babble and rant and talk. Right now he probably sounded crazy.

“Zack what is going on with you?”

“I'm from the future!” His hands covered his mouth.

Angeal quirked a brow. “Are you drunk?”

“Yes. Drunk... I'm very very drunk.” He looked to the side. “So drunk in fact I think I'm from the future and the future is in danger and I'm here to save it, except I'm actually dead in the future. President ShinRa ordered me killed I think or Hojo I don't know I never really asked. Anyway I was sure I was dead and I was except now I'm not and I'm not sure I can tell you what I'm looking for but this is why I need a week off. I need to find something.”

Angeal was staring Zack could see that now. He literary had a gob smacked expression on his face.

“Your sanity?” Angeal finally spoke.

“Sure. That works.” Zack nodded. “Sanity and soberness.”

He was going to have to realign the body and soul fairly quick smart to stop the idiotic ramblings.

“Well I can't take you to the infirmary in this state, sleep it off and I'll come get you tomorrow.”

Angeal opened the door and looked back at Zack.

Zack nodded his head before biting his fist and waved.

“Mmmmhmmm tomorrow then.” Zack turned round and banged his head against the door frame.

Angeal shook his head walking down the hall.

~*~*~*~

Cloud found the 2nd Class floor with ease, slowly his memory seemed to return to him as he walked the familiar halls.

Walking the halls he stopped seeing Angeal walk past, Cloud was only familiar with the man from Zack's pictures and the way his friend had spoke of his mentor. But to see the man in person as he walked past.

Cloud felt the blue eyes glance at him as he walked past. If Angeal was on this floor it meant he had seen Zack.

Cloud knew Angeal wasn't a stupid man, he would have had a purpose to see Zack and Cloud knew how Zack felt about his mentor, he couldn't keep much from Angeal let alone for long.

Walking up to Zack's door he knocked and he glanced down the hall. He saw Angeal by the elevators, those eyes looking at him.

Cloud could see how even from this far away on how Zack couldn't keep a thing from this man. His ever watchful eye.

The feeling that Angeal would question Zack on why Cloud was here would come up the next time the man crossed Zack's path.

Cloud saw the door open and he saw Zack. Zack let out a breath of relief and yanked him in the room.

“Whoa easy Zack.”

“Angeal's gone right?”

“Getting in the elevator as you answered.

“I can't lie to that man.” Zack remarked. “I nearly slipped and I just... can't and he thinks I'm either a: really totally drunk or b: slowly going crazy.”

Cloud blinked for a moment it was probably better Angeal thought Zack was drunk as opposed to crazy.

Cloud then looked round the apartment. It was the same really, except he noticed something was different. The couch, kitchen table both had been re-arranged.

“What are you doing with your furniture?”

“I'm trying to see I can alter the timelines in our favor.”

“By moving your furniture around.” Cloud asked.

“It's kinda backfired so far.” Zack mused. “Angeal wasn't supposed to show up at my door."

Cloud nodded. “I think Angeal's going to go with crazy and drunk.” He stated.

Zack let his head drop. I've been dead to long and this whole I know what's going to happen thing I mean imagine if we could just-”

“No.” Cloud pointed at him. “Just no. You said so yourself. We infiltrate we find this energy we go, no tampering. We stick to the timeline. I know I hate it as much as you do. But if this is our timeline. Do you know what would happen if we went back to the future and I find out that Tifa is dead because you moved your couch.”

“You'd kill me?” Zack asked.

“If you weren't already dead.” Cloud stated. “So change it back.”

“But what if I've already altered it and created a parallel dimension and I change it back and Yuffie dies?” Zack asked.

Cloud raised a brow. “Zack.” He pointed at the couch.

“Right but don't blame me if the princess of Wutai doesn't live to twenty-one or we get back and she's married to Barrett and they adopted Denzel.”

Cloud felt his eye twitch. “I think I'm going to take all the coffee from your apartment.”

“Wait, but what if that makes Marelene secretly-”

Cloud placed his hand over Zack's mouth. “No don't even say it. Just put the couch and table back where they were. Please.”

He wasn't sure he could handle this if Zack didn't calm down.

If talking to Angeal turned him into this. Cloud hated to think what social interaction with Sephiroth and Genesis would incur.

~*~To Be Continued...~*~
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All Roads Lead to Midgar