Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He tried to breathe in. Keyword: tried. It didn’t feel possible to catch his breath, with the jolt of pain that spiralled out of his lungs into the rest of his body. Had they hit a vital spot? They must have. He had been shot with too many bullets to count, too much for even a SOLDIER to take. Had they gotten his heart? Definitely his lungs. It was hard to tell; the pain was everywhere, clouding his senses beyond belief.

Where had Cloud gone? He’d been here just a moment ago… At least he’d woken up, rude though the awakening may have been. Maybe he’d be able to make it to safety now, with the Buster Sword to guide his way. At least all the people who had been chasing them were dead, so there was a chance Cloud could get away before Shinra sent out more troops, there was a chance he could survive…

As for Zack? Well, here he was, dying. Lying on the ground in a pool of mud and blood as the rain splattered his face. It seemed the universe wasn’t intent on giving him the mercy of a quick death, though he felt as he was teetering on the edge of oblivion. Wasn’t this what he had wanted? He gritted his teeth, trying to weather the bone-deep ache. No one could argue this wasn’t a hero’s death, though at the moment it hardly felt dignified. Perhaps there was no dignity to be found in death after all. In the end, life’s flicker would leave him just the same as it had left all those who came before him.

Would Shinra cover this up? Surely. Would they make up a tragic accident? Or perhaps they’d make up a story about how he’d turned traitor and they’d been left with no choice to take him out. What had he, what had Cloud done to deserve any of this? Suddenly Genesis’s and Sephiroth’s rage against the company started to feel incredibly justified. Why couldn’t he have seen it earlier? He would’ve done so many things differently… There had been so many opportunities that would now forever remain untaken.

His thoughts drifted to Aerith. How she had to be thinking he’d just abandoned her and left her hanging for five years. She would never know what had happened to him and that just broke his heart. Or maybe Cloud would be able to find her and tell her the truth? But ah, they didn’t know each other, did they…?

The rain was slowing down. Instead of raindrops, feathers were dancing across his blurry vision. A single wingbeat rang in his ears, filling him with a sensation of peace, of safety. It was an odd sensation, but then again, life itself was odd. Why should death not be the same?

“An… geal…” Zack’s voice barely held, twisted into an unrecognisable croak. Would they be reunited in the Lifestream? Was Angeal coming to meet him? Somehow, the thought made him seem at ease. He’d done Angeal proud. Maybe he could rest now. Close his eyes for just a little while…

“There he is!” The sound of voices in the distance drew his attention. “Make sure he’s dead! Shoot until he’s no longer breathing!”

Ah, fuck. Zack’s eyes flew open as another array of footsteps rushed towards him. They came into his line of sight, though even before he saw them, he knew what was coming. They were Shinra infantry, a squad of five, all pointing their rifles at him with hateful expressions on their faces. And could he blame them, really? He’d probably slaughtered more than a few of their friends. Heroism truly did lie in the eye of the beholder.

“The fucker’s still alive”, one of them sneered. “Let’s make sure he’s dead before we track down the other guy.” He pressed his rifle against Zack’s temple, and with an unmistakable click, the safety was removed.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. He wasn’t ready to go out like this. Not if they were still after Cloud. He had to get up, had to keep going, had to live…!

Instead of gunfire delivering him into the beyond, the unmistakable sound of steel slicing through flesh echoed through the air. Zack’s attackers had no time to react other than with surprised breathless gasps before they were dropping like flies around him. What in the world…?

“C… Cloud…?” Zack choked out, thinking that maybe Cloud had come back for him. What other swordsman would be out here in the wasteland taking down Shinra? But that hadn’t sounded like the ring of the Buster Sword… It had sounded like...

“Not quite”, a deeply familiar yet frighteningly alien voice murmured. “Wouldn’t you like that, Zack? A hero saved by another hero?”

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, blinding him. In the light, Zack saw a blurry silhouette hovering above him, the sun casting a halo of glory around it. His vision was failing, so he could only catch glimpses of the person before him. A gleam of silver reflecting off a ridiculously long katana, a twirling mane of hair, green unblinking feline eyes.

Something about it felt deeply wrong. As if his last encounter with this individual hadn’t already been unsettling and disturbing enough, there was one inarguable fact that chilled Zack down to his core, deeper than the pain had managed to reach. He forced out the words, each one a heavier burden than the next.

“But… you’re… dead…”

He hadn’t forgotten Nibelheim. How could someone ever forget something so gruesome? The fire, the death, the haunting look in the eyes of someone he’d once called friend… and the way Sephiroth had fallen, struck down by a most unexpected foe.

Zack couldn’t see Sephiroth’s amused smile, but it could be plainly heard in his voice.

“Am I?” A soft yet somehow incredibly ominous chuckle followed. “Oh Zack. There is so much left for us to do.”

As Sephiroth’s hand reached for him, the last of Zack’s consciousness abandoned him. Everything went black, and he knew no more.

Chapter Text

Sephiroth was furious. No, that was an understatement. The feeling Cloud had invoked in him was indescribable. How dare he. How dare he refuse Sephiroth’s offer. Cloud belonged by his side, and if he couldn’t make Cloud see the truth like this, he would have to utilise a different tactic. Perhaps if he had something else that Cloud wanted…

Saving Zack Fair had been ridiculously easy. With the Whispers removed from the picture, it had been a simple step to reach back in time to the moment of his death to interfere and pull him to safety. What a waste to be killed by insignificant vermin… Luckily for Zack, Sephiroth had other plans in store for him.

It was funny, how forgettable Zack truly had been. In fact, Sephiroth had entirely forgotten that he even existed. It was only because of the fact that Zack had been – would be? Time travel was confusing – on Cloud’s mind constantly after Meteorfall that Sephiroth had even recalled knowing him, once upon a time. Even now, the memories were out of his grasp and he only had Cloud’s fragmented view of reality to base his assumptions on.

Sephiroth had deemed his memories of the time before Mother unnecessary, after his plan to summon Meteor was unsuccessful. It had been a simple task to discard everything he didn’t need, and over time, it had made his soul intangible enough to slip through the cracks of reality until time and space ceased to matter. He’d known then that the best way to take revenge on Cloud was not to tear away the fleeting happiness he’d found with those useless mortals he called friends – no, Sephiroth would make sure that those happy days would never come at all.

After all, without his bonds, Cloud was nothing but an empty puppet. And that was how Sephiroth liked him best.

Zack was still gravely injured, but that was an easy task to fix. Sephiroth was as competent with healing as he was with more destructive sources of magic, after all. He had no base of operations, finding no need for it with his fickle existence, but now he would need a place to keep Zack. He settled for the remnants of Mako Reactor 1. Thanks to Cloud, it was now in ruins and the clean-up efforts had been interrupted because of everything else that Cloud and his friends had done to disrupt Shinra.

An ordinary person would not be safe here, Sephiroth mused as he laid Zack down on a bench. However, Mako-enhanced individuals should be a bit more resistant to Mako poisoning, so nothing about this place should cause any problems. Here he could work on healing Zack without interruptions. He crouched down at Zack’s side and began to work.

It was strange. Sephiroth did not remember Zack Fair. Yet, something deep inside him twisted and hissed at Zack’s weakened state. Cloud’s influence, perhaps? Zack meant the world to him. That had to be it. Pitiful Cloud, so drawn in by fleeting promises of friendship…

Friendship. Hadn’t Sephiroth too yearned for that, before? Or more exactly, the person who came before him had yearned for it. Sephiroth was no longer that person. Couldn’t even remember being that person. As he worked on healing Zack, he thought about his new pawn. It was unfortunate that Mother’s cells hadn’t quite taken to Zack like they had with Cloud. How delightful it would have been to have another puppet to use…

“…Seph?” Zack’s voice was hoarse, quiet, almost unrecognisable. Sephiroth turned over to look at him and found his eyes just barely open. “How… I thought you were dead…”

Sephiroth nearly laughed – as if death could keep him down – but managed to suppress it. This was the time for cautious observation. He needed to see where he stood with Zack. Right now, it was hard to read anything but weariness on Zack’s face, but there was a glimmer in there. A spark of life.

“And you would be dead, were it not for me.”

“…Right. Thanks.” Every single word seemed a struggle for Zack. Sephiroth continued to let his magic flow, knitting together wounds that were meant to remain open.

“Rest, Zack. Save your strength.” He had not reached across realities to pull Zack to safety just for him to waste the energy Sephiroth was giving him. He said it firmly, yet the ghost of a smile drifted across Zack’s face. It started to become clear to Sephiroth that Zack wasn’t completely lucid.

“…What? You worried?”

Sephiroth didn’t respond to the oddly playful question. Something about it made him feel… rattled. In a way it truly shouldn’t. He didn’t remember who Zack had been to him. But the familiarity Zack spoke to him with…

“Of course.” The words left his mouth carefully calculated. “Why wouldn’t I worry… for my friend?” They felt right. They felt wrong. He hated the contradiction that burned inside.

“You’ve never… said that out loud before”, Zack mused.

“What?” Sephiroth questioned, more frustration than he would’ve liked to display slipping into his voice. He felt like a fool for being so rattled by an injured man’s delirious ramblings. The last time Zack had seen him would have been in Nibelheim. If not for the fact that he was completely knocked out, he would likely be a lot less cooperative.

Zack didn’t respond to Sephiroth’s inquiry. He simply smiled as his eyes fell shut and he drifted back into unconsciousness. The strange paradoxical feeling in Sephiroth’s chest continued to rear its ugly head.

Oh, well. He dismissed the feeling and reached out with his mind to Mother, allowing her voice to whisper sweet nothings to him until the odd sensation faded away. He had her. Soon he would have Cloud as well. Nothing else was needed. Everything else would burn.

But for now, he needed Zack Fair alive and well. Another pawn he would use as a stepping stone to reach Cloud. Nothing more. Sephiroth began to cast another Curaga, and got back to work.

Chapter Text

Zack was alive. That was already strange enough. Even more bafflingly, Sephiroth was alive too. Alive and well, nursing Zack back to health. As Zack drifted in and out of consciousness, he would hear Sephiroth chiding him, firm but not unkind, just like things used to be. It was odd. Zack's head was far too muddled for him to be able to determine when and where he was. His last encounter with Sephiroth was all but forgotten as those healing hands worked their magic.

Once Zack finally felt well enough, he figured he would confront Sephiroth about it. How and why things had turned out like this. But when he finally woke up with a slightly clearer head, he found that Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen.

Huh. Weird. Zack sat up and inspected his surroundings. A Mako reactor, ruined by the looks of it. It looked like a bomb had gone off. The whole thing was just surreal. Was he in Midgar? The layout looked like a Midgar reactor. His body still ached and he was really, really hungry. Had Sephiroth really been here, or had that been a fever dream of his? But if not, who would’ve saved him?

“Sephiroth?” he called carefully, not sure if he wanted an answer or not.

“Yes?” The voice came from directly next to him. Zack leapt to his feet and spun around, where he found Sephiroth watching him with an amused expression.

“Holy shit dude, you scared me!”

“Pay more attention”, Sephiroth retorted, watching Zack with the oddest look in his eyes. Like a predator watching prey. Suddenly, Zack felt incredibly uneasy as it finally struck him where he had last seen Sephiroth.

“Hey, Seph...”

“Come with me, Zack.” Sephiroth reached out a hand and grabbed Zack by the arm. Zack blinked, and suddenly they were standing on a rooftop. Not just any rooftop, though. They were on top of the Shinra building. He could see all of Midgar far below, glimmering with light in the darkness of the night. The city looked exactly like he remembered, as if years hadn’t passed since he’d been here last... except that there was a smoking wreck where Sector 7 used to be.

“What happened there?” he blurted out. It felt like a fever dream. Perhaps he was still asleep. Or maybe this was the absurdity of the afterlife.

“Shinra happened”, Sephiroth simply said. “Though if you asked them, it was the terrorist organisation that our dear mutual acquaintance Cloud Strife has allied himself with.”

“Cloud?!” Sephiroth knew about Cloud? Why did he say all of that so casually? Why was Cloud working with terrorists? Was he okay? Zack's head was spinning. He didn't know what to think. How did Sephiroth fit into all of this anyway? “Wait. Hold up. Let's get one thing straight. I need to know how the hell you’re not dead right now! What the hell is going on?!” His voice kept getting louder as he spoke, until he was practically screaming in Sephiroth's face.

“Do you really need to know, though?” Sephiroth mused, looking rather relaxed for someone who was currently being yelled at. “Some things might be better left unknown, Zack.”

“You fell”, Zack went on. “Cloud threw you down into the reactor, nobody should survive that, not even you... Wait!” The dread became even harder to ignore. “You’re not here to take revenge on Cloud for that, are you?” His head was starting to clear, and with that, all the details of what had happened in Nibelheim came rushing back. “You killed a bunch of people in his hometown. For literally no reason. What the fuck, Seph.”

“A miscalculation on my part, I will admit”, Sephiroth said smoothly, as if murdering innocents was no different from swatting annoying flies. “I have no desire to see Cloud dead, Zack. Trust me.” There was a sort of heat in his voice as that, so different from how distant and detached he had sounded for the entire conversation until then.

“How am I supposed to know that?! How could I possibly trust you?!” Zack tried to calm down. Yelling at Sephiroth would get him nowhere. But everything was too much and he didn’t know what to think. “Something was wrong with you in Nibelheim. Are you back to normal now?”

“Normal?” Sephiroth actually laughed at that. But it was not the soft huff that Zack had become endeared to in his time at Shinra with Sephiroth. It felt mocking. “You think I was ever normal, Zack? I am not human. In fact, I would argue that right now, I’m the most normal that I've ever been. I am myself, truly and fully.”

That wasn’t comforting in the slightest. In fact, it was so incredibly unnerving that something inside Zack screamed to run. He'd never truly been afraid of Sephiroth before. In Nibelheim he'd been confused, and angry, but too baffled and overwhelmed with the situation to even consider being scared. He’d seen his fair share of death as a SOLDIER. But to look into a friend’s eyes and see a stranger staring back was the most frightening thing that he had experienced in his entire life.

“Yes”, Sephiroth said, his lips curling into a grin that didn’t belong on his face. “I am thinking clearer than ever, Zack. I know now what I was born to do. Would you like me to tell you?”

“What?” Zack didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t want to hear what could possibly be going on inside Sephiroth's head right now. Yet, there was a desperate little part of him that hoped that maybe there was something left to salvage. Maybe, just maybe, he could still reach his friend.

“I will become a god”, Sephiroth whispered. His hair danced eerily in the moonlight. “I will claim my birth right as the rightful heir to this planet. Then, I will sail the cosmos with this planet as my vessel and drift through the stars for all eternity. It is my destiny, my deepest desire. And you will help me, Zack. You will help me reach my goal.”

Zack didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know what to say. The only thing he could do was to turn on his heel and run.

Chapter Text

Zack, upon being confronted with the truth of Sephiroth’s divine existence, turned tail and ran. What a sorry excuse for a hero. Sephiroth had to laugh. As if Zack could actually get away. Though Sephiroth supposed he could humour his desperate bound for freedom. It wasn’t like it mattered anyway.

Where would he run, Sephiroth wondered. There was nowhere for him to go. His flower girl would be the most likely alternative. He chuckled at the thought that he would not find her there, in her church or at her cute little house. She was, after all, off gallivanting with Cloud, marching towards her inevitable end. That would be interesting if Zack would get involved. Surely he would desperately try to save her, if he was given the opportunity. Such a hero complex, that one. How would he react when Sephiroth’s sword pierced her heart? Would he scream and cry like Cloud had? Would he curse Sephiroth with his entire being or would he drown in silent melancholy? So many opportunities...

Yet, it was clear to him that he shouldn’t underestimate that girl this time. She knew more than she let on. He had seen it in her eyes, when they had faced each other on the battlefield. He had never fought her before. That had been... interesting, certainly. She was seeking freedom from fate too, though his and her goals were inherently opposed. Even if she didn’t want to, she would die to stop him, if she deemed it necessary. He would gladly slay her, for everything she stood for. Though Cloud was the one he had always clashed with, the girl was the one who was truly his greatest antithesis. Cloud and he were, after all, the same, when it really came down to it.

Cloud, though. Cloud had no idea that he lacked as much freedom as he did. Just like Zack, he was nothing but a pawn in fate’s game. And Sephiroth could have pulled him far beyond that, if Cloud had simply agreed. But no. Instead Cloud remained the puppet he had always been, marching firmly along a predestined path. But if a wrench was thrown into that path and sent him veering off course... Well, that was where Zack came in, wasn’t it?

Perhaps Sephiroth would just let Zack run. Let him have his illusion of freedom. Maybe he would even be able to seek out Cloud by himself. Oh, how delightful it would be to rip Zack away from Cloud yet again and watch as Cloud was crushed beyond return...

No. No, that wasn’t right. He wanted Cloud on his side. Doing that would only serve to make Cloud loathe him more. No, Zack was the key. The key to Cloud's heart. If Sephiroth brought Zack to Cloud, Cloud would be grateful. He would worship at Sephiroth's feet for returning his dearest friend to him...

Yet the thought made Sephiroth recoil. Zack was important to Cloud. Very important. Arguably more important than anybody else. Yes, there were others, but none who had shaped Cloud so fundamentally as a person. If Zack remained the most important person to Cloud... then Zack was in the way. He couldn’t be allowed to stand between Sephiroth and Cloud. Even if Sephiroth could make Cloud adore him, Zack would always be in the middle. That was unacceptable.

So kill him, he thought. Kill Zack before he can even get to Cloud. Undo this ridiculous plan. Simple. There are other ways to worm your way into Cloud’s good graces.

But were there? There was truly nothing better he could gift Cloud. Unless he tried to go back so far that he could prevent himself from burning Nibelheim down, but he wasn’t certain of what would happen if he attempted to go back to a time and place where he had not yet unlocked Mother's potential inside himself. It was not worth the risk. So Zack would have to be it. He couldn’t kill him after putting in all this effort to keep him alive.

And you don’t want him to be dead, a little voice inside his head whispered. He was your friend once. Your only friend, at the time.

Friends! He didn’t have friends, didn’t need or want silly little humans to trail after like a lovesick puppy. Why was he thinking these ridiculous things?

But perhaps... Perhaps Zack could be like Cloud. Not a friend, but a person that he would keep by his side. Not an equal, but a person who could adore and worship him, eternally grateful for being gifted a second chance at life. Another puppet to call his own, who would beam at him while calling him master. That... didn’t sound entirely unappealing.

What was going on with him? After saving Zack, even his own thoughts seemed erratic and unfamiliar to him. It was unfortunate that his past self’s memories were so far beyond his reach. After all, there had to be a reason that he didn’t feel completely ambivalent about whether Zack was alive or dead. He cursed the last little remains of that painfully human heart and hoped that it would rot.

It was dangerous to have such an unpredictable piece in the game. Zack may be a pawn now, but pawns could easily turn into queens if you underestimated them. What had Zack been to him, once upon a time? It was clear that he hadn’t been nothing. Maybe he could be something to Sephiroth, even now. If he was at Sephiroth’s side, Sephiroth could keep him in check. Make sure he caused no trouble.

Yes, Sephiroth thought. Perhaps this was the way it was meant to be all along. After all, Zack was alive, even if fate had tried to prevent his survival. His mere presence was proof that Sephiroth could defy the laws of reality as he pleased. Of course Zack would have to remain by his side.

For now, Zack could run. He could enjoy his brief taste of freedom. Sephiroth didn’t exactly mind. But Sephiroth would be watching and waiting behind every corner. There was nowhere Zack could go where Sephiroth couldn’t follow. And he would follow.

Chapter Text

Zack wasn’t sure where he was going. He just needed to get away from Sephiroth, even if he had to jump off the damn Shinra building to do it. Luckily the building had plenty of ladders and various other places where he could put his feet down in his quest to reach solid ground, and once he did, he could just keep running and not look back.

He ducked into an abandoned old warehouse once his energy ran out. His wounds may have been healed but he was clearly not at his best; his legs were unsteady and his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. He sat down to rest for a while and tried not to think about Sephiroth. Closed his eyes for a bit and hoped a nap would make the weight of the world less heavy on his shoulders.

It did not. He jolted awake after a dream he couldn’t remember and felt rattled. Sephiroth was nowhere to be found and when he peeked outside he found that it was daytime. He slipped out and tried to blend in with the crowd. Maybe he’d managed to lose Sephiroth already. Surely he would’ve followed Zack by now.

He wanted to find Cloud more than anything. Sephiroth’s words concerned him. Cloud, in league with a bunch of terrorists? But he had no clue where to start. So in the end, he went to find someone else he hadn’t seen in a long, long time.

His heart ached for Aerith. Had she wondered where he’d been for all these years? Had she moved on? He found that his feet were guiding him to the Sector 5 church where they always used to meet.

Zack did not find Aerith in the church – unfortunate, considering how much thought he’d put into what he should tell her upon their reunion. Instead, he found a myriad of distressed people in her stead, praying to whatever gods would listen. Refugees from the ruins of Sector 7, he managed to gather, mourning their lost homes, family and friends and cursing the terrorists who had done this.

Where was Shinra in all of this? Should they not be taking in the refugees and making sure they were safe? Zack knew the company was rotten to the core but he would’ve still expected something. Though according to Sephiroth it had actually been Shinra themselves who were responsible for this devastation… After they had tried to kill him, maybe he shouldn’t be surprised.

He left the church, feeling more lost than before. His feet led him to a small alleyway where he sat down on the ground to think. Everyone at Shinra could be compromised, and he didn’t know where to find Aerith or Cloud for that matter. There was no one to turn to. Zack couldn’t recall if he’d ever felt so truly alone. Even on the trek from Nibelheim to Midgar, Cloud had been there.

“So much misfortune befalls you”, Sephiroth said.

Zack yelped and flew to his feet. Sephiroth, who was standing next to him as if he’d been there the whole time, looked decidedly unbothered by the whole thing.

“Did… Shinra really do this?” Zack asked, his voice shaky.

“You should know as well as I that Shinra needs to be destroyed”, Sephiroth said. The venom in his voice seemed no less frightening even though it was directed at a common enemy. “But I know better, Zack. It isn’t just Shinra.”

“No? Then what?” Zack’s heart was racing, still torn between trusting an old friend and remembering exactly what that friend had done.

“Humanity is rotten.” Sephiroth didn’t blink. He spoke slowly and elaborately, every word quiet but clear as day. “Destroying this Planet without a second thought. So… they must be destroyed too.”

The stuff about godhood and the cosmos that Sephiroth had been spouting earlier had been frightening but not quite as clearly advocating for the destruction of all of humanity. How did he manage to make things worse every time he opened his mouth? Who was this monster wearing Sephiroth’s face? In his terror, Zack became bolder. Tried to spit confident words to make up for the turmoil inside.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Sephiroth?”

“I can see it on your face”, Sephiroth said, almost gleefully. Zack had never heard that tone in his voice before. It felt wrong. “You want to call me a monster. They all do. Perhaps I am.”

Zack remembered how Sephiroth had acted, before he snapped. Questioning his entire existence, wondering if he was just a monster that Shinra had created, something Zack would’ve happily refuted… and then Sephiroth had proven him wrong.

“I’m not going to help you”, he said firmly. “I’d rather die.”

“But you did, Zack.” Sephiroth watched him with a smile. “You died, but I changed it. You owe me everything. You will be able to see Cloud again, because of me.”

Cloud. Did Cloud think he was dead? Had he recovered from the Mako poisoning all right?

“If you want everyone to die, doesn’t that include me and Cloud? So why’d you bother saving me anyway?”

“Oh, Zack. You still don’t understand.” Sephiroth let out a laugh. “Cloud won’t die. I won’t let him. He will be by my side as the world burns, and if I must use you to lead him into my arms, then so be it.”

Sephiroth had saved him to use him as bait for Cloud? The last hope that there had been something left of his friend in there drained away.

“You’re not Sephiroth anymore”, Zack snapped. “You were my friend but you… you let yourself become a monster!” He wasn’t sure what he was trying to do – flee or fight – but the moment he moved he found himself pinned against the wall, unable to escape an iron grip as inhumanly green eyes watched him unblinkingly, fury burning inside them.

“You’re not going anywhere, Zack”, the monster said, voice eerily calm despite it all. A single black wing unfurled from its back, sending feathers dancing through the air. “You’re going to stay right here by my side, whether you like it or not.”

This was a nightmare. A fever dream. He would wake up any second and none of it was real. Pain surged through him and he prayed that morning would come soon.

Chapter Text

Zack had struggled and shouted and cursed, but it had all been in vain. Sephiroth’s grip was too strong, and the addition of some carefully controlled Thundaga magic didn’t improve Zack’s chances. Eventually, Zack resigned himself to submission, a desperate look clear in his eyes. Satisfied with the conclusion, Sephiroth teleported them back to the ruins of the Mako reactor where he had nursed Zack back to health. He tossed Zack onto the floor and left him there to groan in pain, hoping it would teach him a lesson.

This would have been so much easier if Zack had just been as easy as Cloud to manipulate with Mother’s cells. He did have some of them, yes, but they didn’t seem to function properly. Sephiroth could sense them under the surface, but they were too weak, too useless to do their job.

“What’s Cloud to you anyway, you don’t even know him”, Zack managed to choke out, sitting up and wincing as he did. Sephiroth wasn’t sure if the man just had that much of a spine or if he was just completely oblivious to the fact that Sephiroth could end him in an instant. Actually, scratch that, Zack definitely knew. That boldness was impressive in its own way.

“He is my nemesis”, Sephiroth said and to his surprise, Zack actually snorted. Maybe the Thundaga had broken something in him.

“Nemesis. Yeah, right. You sound like a video game villain.”

Sephiroth wasn’t sure how Zack managed to get more unbearable every single time Sephiroth thought he’d finally quelled his spirit, but somehow it was still happening.

“If you would like to find another way to describe a man whose hometown you slaughtered who then proceeded to kill you a total of three times in his conquest for revenge, then go ahead.”

Zack stared blankly at him. Then shook his head and sighed.

“Multiple lives like a video game villain too. Man, this is such a weird dream, ha ha…” He was trying to laugh it off, but it felt more like the kind of laugh that came before an inevitable mental breakdown. If this was Zack’s way of processing the situation, Sephiroth supposed he would allow it for now. Though perhaps it would be best to keep the time travel to himself for now, unless he wanted to encourage even further questioning.

He allowed his mind to drift as he pondered where it would be best to bring out Zack as his trump card. It was definitely something he would need to save until it became necessary. Things had gone his way the first time, up until when they suddenly hadn’t… But the flower girl, she continued to be a thorn in his side. He didn’t know how much she knew. That made her dangerous.

Had she sensed Zack’s inexplicable return to life? He didn’t know how wide a reach her power had. Maybe she already knew how deeply twisted this timeline had become, and was plotting something in response. He didn’t know her well enough to be able to predict her. Not like he knew Cloud. He knew nobody like he knew Cloud.

…Well, if things became impossible to maintain as they were, he would just leap to another timeline. Even if the Planet did its best to stop him by sending her after him, he was persistent and the Planet could not stop him forever.

He yearned to feel Cloud’s presence. More than anything, he couldn’t wait to break Cloud’s spirit yet again to make him his puppet. Zack’s presence in the picture-perfect scenario bothered him, but he would find a way to make it manageable.

Perhaps he could find a way to make Zack his puppet as well. Then he would have two agreeable playthings. Or perhaps he would rid himself of Zack once Cloud was enthralled enough. If he regretted it, he could always pluck another Zack from a different timeline and try again until he was satisfied.

“So… if Cloud’s your nemesis”, Zack said. “What are you gonna do now? Go find him?” He clearly wanted to find Cloud as well. Sephiroth could see the yearning in his eyes. Zack, too, longed desperately for him. Oh, if only Cloud knew the effect he had on others.

“Oh, we will find him eventually, Zack. But not yet.” He approached Zack and crouched down on the floor so that they were closer to each other. “I will take you to Cloud. You have my word on that. But there is something else we must discuss first.”

“You haven’t given me a good reason to trust you so far, to be honest”, Zack retorted. It was tempting to strike him with another Thundaga, but Sephiroth would rather have his cooperation through less brutal methods, if it were possible.

“Perhaps not, but is there anyone else for you to turn to?” Sephiroth responded. “You cannot trust Shinra, or anyone associated with them.”

“Yeah…” Zack grimaced, and sighed, looking very much like a kicked puppy. “Never had the odds stacked against me this badly before, I think. Takes hard work to be a hero. Maybe I’m not cut out for this job after all.”

“Still with your dreams of heroism?” Sephiroth questioned, surprised with himself for remembering that about Zack. It had come to him completely out of nowhere. Zack longed for heroics, for recognition, for a sense of purpose in a world too dark and horrid for him. He had never understood it.

“I… may have gotten in over my head, with that one.” Zack gave a sheepish shrug. “But hey, I’m still here, so… fine. I’ll take you up on your offer. I’ll play along, but you better keep your promises. You’ll take me to Cloud.”

“I may be a monster, but I have never claimed to be a liar.” Omissions of the truth were, by technicality, not lies. “I will see to it that you and Cloud have your… Reunion.”

“…Right. What did you want to talk about?”

“First of all…” Sephiroth smirked. “…you are going to tell me everything you know about Aerith Gainsborough.”

Chapter Text

“Cloud.”

The voice snapped Cloud out of his daydreaming stupor. Ahead, Aerith and Tifa were laughing about something as Barret walked steadfastly forward, Red XIII scouting ahead as he was investigating a scent he had caught, Cloud trailing after them at a distance. The voice had come from behind, so Cloud stopped and looked back.

He would recognise that silhouette anywhere. Sephiroth was watching him from up on a hill with a smirk on his face. Immediately, Cloud reached for his sword, only to find that it wasn’t there.

“Accept me, Cloud.”

Cloud blinked and then Sephiroth was in front of him, all around him, coiled like a snake, his laughter filling Cloud’s ears. His vision turned green and he felt sick to his stomach. He tried to scream for help but not a sound would leave his mouth. His friends kept walking away, not one of them turning around to check that he was still with them.

“You don’t need them, Cloud”, Sephiroth whispered in his ear. “You don’t need this life where you are unappreciated and alone. Come with me. Allow yourself to be reborn.”

He didn’t want to. But something inside him twisted and yearned as Sephiroth’s hands took his.

“No”, he managed to choke out, quiet and pathetic.

“No?” Sephiroth chuckled. It echoed inside his head. “Oh, Cloud. You say that but I can tell you want this. You yearn to be mine. You could have anything you’ve ever wanted. You need only ask.”

He had told Sephiroth no at the Edge of Creation. But he had considered it, for a brief moment. Why did he feel this way? Why was he so drawn to Sephiroth? That pathetic little thing inside his chest yearned for Sephiroth’s embrace and acceptance, even though the rest of his being felt sick at the idea.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” Sephiroth’s voice softened into an almost affectionate tone. “You’re tired of being alone and misunderstood. I can give you what you desire, Cloud.”

“I don’t want you”, Cloud managed to choke out. His head felt hazy and it took immense strength to form words. “Fuck off.”

“Oh but you do, Cloud. You always have and always will.” Sephiroth’s eyes watched him unblinkingly; even when Cloud squeezed his own eyes shut they were there, burned into his retina. “I’ve even been so kind to bring you a gift. Aren’t you delighted?”

Sephiroth stepped aside and Cloud was finally given some room to breathe. There was a man standing now where Sephiroth had stood, facing away from Cloud, the wind tussling his black spiky hair. Cloud took in the SOLDIER uniform, the sword identical to his own, and found that suddenly, there were tears on his cheeks.

“Who are you?” he asked. This had to be some sort of trick of Sephiroth’s. An illusion.

“Don’t you know him?” Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen, but his voice rang inside Cloud’s head, nonetheless. “That’s going to hurt his feelings…”

The man turned to face Cloud. There was a scar on his face, and his blue eyes were bright and alive. Tears kept falling down Cloud’s cheeks. Why? Why did he feel this way when he didn’t even know the person standing in front of him?

“Cloud!” The man’s face lit up. His smile was like the sun. “You’re okay! Man, I’m so happy to see you!”

“See? He knows you.” Sephiroth was inside Cloud’s head and circling around the man all at once. “What an ungrateful friend you are. You left him to die, after all. But I brought him back for you. Won’t you appreciate my kindness, Cloud?”

“I don’t know him”, Cloud stuttered through the tears that kept falling, even though his heart was saying something else entirely. “What the hell are you talking about?”

The man’s face fell, his brilliant smile fading. It made Cloud feel like scum for not knowing him. Somehow he knew, deep down, that he didn’t want to be the reason that this man’s smile had faded. Sephiroth let out a laugh.

“You will remember in due time, Cloud. For now, perhaps you should just take care to remember that anything I have given you could be taken away at any moment.” He held Masamune in his hand now as he circled the man Cloud knew and didn’t know, a malicious gleam in his eyes that Cloud knew never meant good things.

“Cloud?” The man was giving him a desperate look and tried to reach out to Cloud. “You know me, right? You didn’t forget me, right? It’s me! Z…”

He did know. Somewhere deep down he did know. The fact that Sephiroth was using this man against him sickened him. As if Sephiroth hadn’t already stripped away enough of his agency. Even if it was all a trick meant to deceive him, the wrongness of this felt deeper than that. It felt like something sacred was being defiled. An impossibility, an anomaly that went against the laws of nature, just like Sephiroth himself. And yet he couldn’t remember, why couldn’t he remember…!

Cloud woke up in a hotel room in Kalm with the man’s name on his tongue. He sat up in bed, only to find that everyone else was fast asleep with no danger in sight. Tifa and Aerith were curled up together in the bed next to him, while Barret was snoring on the bed across the room and Nanaki had made himself comfortable on the carpet in the middle of the room. It was relieving that he hadn’t woken anybody up. He didn’t know how to explain any of this to them. Somehow, he just knew they wouldn’t understand.

The memory of the dream faded quickly, becoming nothing but a blurriness at the back of his mind, yet Cloud couldn’t stop trembling, or shake the feeling that something was fundamentally wrong with the world. Or perhaps the wrongness came from within. He had no way of knowing, and that only made him more frightened of the fate-defying journey that lay before him and his friends.