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Chapter Text

"Zack, it's time to sleep now."

 

"Aw! But I don't wanna!"

 

"Then I guess I can't tell you a bedtime story." The mother giggled as she watched her son zip past her to his room. The door slammed shut, then reopened quickly as feet stamped their way to the bathroom. Water ran as the sounds of brushing teeth echoed down the hall. The faucet turned off, and he poked his head out.

 

"Ma! I'm ready!"

 

Mrs. Fair smiled behind her hand, her son being so easily bribed, and stood up from her seat next to her sleeping husband. She walked inside her son's room and sighed. Messy as ever. There always was tomorrow, though deep within her heart it was mostly likely not to happen. Well, that wasn't tonight's focus. She strolled through the storm of a mess and sat at the edge of the bed. Zack pulled the cover up, hiding an obvious smile.

 

"Whatcha gonna tell me?"

 

"Hmmm." Mrs. Fair tapped her chin, contemplating the many tales stored in her head. There were quite a few she already told (and repeated due to being his favorites).

 

But tonight, maybe she could tell this one. He was old enough now.

 

"Did you know we're not fully human?"

 

"We're not?" Zack gasped.

 

"Yes, we're 「■■■■■」."

 

"What's that?"

 

"I was getting to it. We have a special connection to the world. Some more than others." Mrs. Fair watched Zack lifted his hands to his face, studying them closely. "But that's not important now sweetie. Focus."

 

"Okay."

 

"Long time ago, we were able to connect with the spirits of the world. Guardians. Protectors. They each wielded an element of nature. Light. Dark. Earth. Water. Air. Thunder. Ice. And..." she waited to see if her son could finish—

 

"Fire!"

 

"That's right." She giggled at his enthusiam. He always did have a preference for all things fire, whether it was cooking or blowing himself up with a few spells. She continued on with the tale. "They watched over the world, ensuring it was protected from any danger. But one day, eight powerful families thought to keep the spirits for themselves. They captured us to lure the spirits into a trap. Sacrificing their own family members to seal the spirits inside. But! We stopped them!"

 

"Wow!" Light lit up in Zack's eyes.

 

"Yet, to this day, the spirits are lost, needing to find their way back. One day, we shall set them free."

 

Zack nodded slowly, their body feeling sluggish. "I hope...so..."

 

"Me too darling." The woman giggled quietly, watching her son's eyes close as a snore escaped his open mouth. Tucking the blanket further up his body, she pressed her lips against his forehead. She silently wished for happy dreams and stood up, walking towards the doorway. Her gray-blue eyes glanced downward, the bedtime story weighing on her mind.

 

"Me too."

---

"Zack! Any day now!"

 

Zack snapped out of his daze and stood up right away. "Yeah, yeah, Angeal, heard ya the first time!"

 

The young man, newly turned eighteen, shook his head to throw away any lingering wooziness from his quick nap. With a quick turn of his head, he remembered that he was on an assignment with bigwig Angeal Hewley to recover ShinRa goods from Avalanche.

 

It had been five years since Zack joined Shinra. Four years since Angeal noticed his hidden potential and took him under his wing. Three years since he made Second Class SOLDIER. Now, according to Angeal, he was about to receive a promotion to First Class. That excited him for several moments before his mentor doubled down on more training, to ensure he earned his spot. That worked either way, since Zack preferred it.

 

Unbeknownst to the young man, he became a legend among the other Second and Third Class SOLDIERS and infantrymen. The country bumpkin from a backwater village rising through the ranks on his merit? Some protesters believed it was thanks to having a First Class SOLDIER as a mentor, but they were quickly silenced once the young man passed his Second Class promotion—A notorious and rigorous examination that not only tested his physical prowess and mental capabilities, but his mako testing as well. There were even rumors that Zack was to be brought in for further research by ShinRa scientists, but that was put to a stop, since SOLDIER couldn't afford to lose a loyal fighter as him. Since then, everyone hoped to be like Zack, succeeding within Shinra's army.

 

"Hey Angeal, what's the First Class promotion like?" Zack asked, moving through a branch out of his face.

 

"Well, it wouldn't be a much of a surprise then." The young man could definitely picture the smirk on his face. He rolled his eyes, narrowingly avoiding any overgrown plants. Even though he was back in familiar territory, it was still foreign compared to the likes of Gongaga. His heart stung at the thought of home, but he and his mentor continued on.

 

"Not even a little hint?" He asked.

 

"None Zack. It's your duty as a SOLDIER to—" And Zack tuned him out. Man, the guy really loved his lectures. Not that he didn't enjoy them, but they were trying to search for any Wutai spies.

 

According to Lazard, the spies intercepted a shipment of materia from Midgar to Cosmo Canyon. Nothing to sneeze at, since the materia was supposed to help those in the canyon. No one could really perform magic without it.

 

Well, if you excluded Zack.

 

That was the one thing the young man kept to himself. Never told anyone, not even Angeal, and he told him almost everything! (Excluding several times he snuck a bite or two from Angeal's cooking, but that was beside the point!) He never understood how he was able to perform magic. He just...did. It was like his body told him what to do, guided him something or other and bam! Magic! Everything from attack spells, to enchantments, and even healing! Although, his healing could use a little more work. Either way, he had to pretend using materia (not an easy feat) in order to use his magic. Initially, he thought himself a descendant of Cetra, but after learning they went extinct in Gaia, he withdrew that. Surely his parents would had told him something. Ignoring another sting to his chest, he focused again once Angeal stopped his honor speech.

 

But before anything happened, the two SOLDIERs found the spies and the missing materia.

 

The war with Wutai had started around when Zack made Second Class. Shinra had established itself in Midgar, trying to help the other countries before the western half of Gaia firmly said no. The biggest contender was Wutai. The regions not under Shinra control were Wutai, Cosmo, and Rocket. Their spies had been more active in the last year or two.

 

Almost as if they had been scouring for something, from the reports.

 

Zack stretched his limbs after taking down some enemies with Angeal. Unfortunately, bad timing as something shook underneath his feet and he fell down a rather...steep hillside.

 

"Zack!" Angeal called from the top.

 

Everything was dark after that.

 

Then, Zack lifted his dizzying head and shook it fast. He took a quick glance all over his body. Minor scratches. Guess him possessing a durable body worked in his favor. He hated imagining what would've happened to Cloud, Kunsel, Luxiere or even Roche. Jumping onto his feet, he looked around and frowned right away.

 

It definitely wasn't any wild canyons anymore. Rather, this felt closer to Gongaga yet...it was all foreign to him. Abundant of wildlife and plants, the forest was ready ensnare him whole, never to release him from its grasp. He looked up, trying to see anything Angeal-shaped, but no such luck. Well, there was only one thing to do–Find a way out. He had done it multiple times, he will do it again. He just let his instincts guide him once more.

 

Just as he was about to take another step, something jumped in front of his path. His indigo eyes widened.

 

"What the—A wolf?!"

 

Zack knew how hot forests and jungles could get, so how was a thick-furred wolf able to live in such a place? It was unheard of! Baffling even! However, something told him that this wolf was not normal. His hands twitched, drawing close to his sword. But nothing was there to grasp. He cursed under his breath. Must had been left on top of the canyon when he fell. Clicking his tongue, he summoned a little fire from his hand, saying, "Sorry buddy, but just trying to find my way back."

 

The wolf's golden eyes widened slightly. It then narrowed its gaze, almost analyzing Zack's every move. Then, it made a peculiar move–It sat like a well-trained dog.

 

"Huh?" Zack's fire dispersed right away. The wolf's tail wagged excitedly, and the wolf let his tongue hang out, panting. The young man was confused, confounded by the strange situation. Well, it wouldn't hurt right? Right? Slowly, he approached the wolf before he was within arm's reach. Carefully, his eyes stayed on the creature before his hand reached out and pressed flat against the top of its head. The wolf let out a delighted whine, and Zack immediately followed suit.

 

"Who's a good boy?" Zack beamed, bringing his other hand to rub and scratch the wolf's face. Judging by the faster wagging, the young man knew he made a new friend. Strange. Despite the forest being hot as hell, there was cool air radiating off the creature. Even if the wolf had ways of cooling itself, there was no way it would stay here. Not unless...A new thought popped up. He slowed his petting, earning the wolf's disappointed whine. He said, "You waiting for someone here? Need some help finding them?"

 

The wolf's ears perked up, as he stepped away to stare at Zack like before. A shiver ran down his spine, feeling the piercing gaze of those gold eyes. Then, the wolf circled around him, pushing against the back of his legs. It growled, pushing until Zack stumbled a few steps forward.

 

"Whoa! Hey! Do you want me to go somewhere?" Zack asked, then remembered that animals can't talk back. Yet the wolf barked and went in front, running forward. The young man followed suit. The creature led him deeper and deeper within the forest. Even as his mind told him to find a way back to Angeal, this felt important. He thanked his SOLDIER training and enhancements to keep up with the creature, and after several minutes, they reached their destination. His mouth gaped open.

 

A stone temple of sorts. It was deep enough that no one would find this accidentally. Indigo eyes stared at the wolf, squinting. "What are you?"

 

The wolf huffed and walked inside the temple. It hadn't done anything yet to Zack, so inside he went. The young man marveled at the intricate detail carved into the stone. There were depictions of people surrounding big creatures, ones he had never seen ever. Some of the cravings were chipped off or cracked, fallen to the ground.

 

"Well, this would be great for Genesis. Hmm?" Something shined from little light in the corner of his eye, in the center of it all. Walking towards it, he brushed off the dust and picked it up. His eyes widened.

 

"A materia? Never seen anything like it." Zack held it high up. Were it not for the shine, it would had blended in easily with its deep charcoal color. But moving towards the center were wisps of various shades of orange and red. Then, at the very center were specks of blue. He blinked. Did the blue...move—

 

"Zack!"

 

Zack, startled, nearly dropped the materia, but managed to store it away in his pocket. The wolf by his side growled at the new stranger. Angeal backed away, ready to draw his sword.

 

"Whoa!" Zack held his hands up, stepping in front of his new furry friend. "Ang, he's friendly!"

 

"Huh?" Angeal relaxed, but not all the way. His hand remained on his sword's handle. "You...befriended it?" There was a twinge of amusement at the end of his voice. Zack winced. He was sure to never hear the end of it back at headquarters, especially from Genesis and Cissnei. Damn Angeal and that stupid nickname.

 

"Yeah! Led me to safety from any monsters in the area!" It was true. The two did not encounter anything, surprisingly to the Second SOLDIER.

 

"I see." Angeal moved closer to him. "Are you all right?"

 

"Never better—Ah! Hey!" Zack protested as Angeal grabbed his face, examining it thoroughly. The wolf growled, quieter this time around. The older man sighed and put some distance between himself and his student.

 

"Guess you weren't lying."

 

"It was one time!"

 

Angeal raised an eyebrow, knowing full well Zack hid his injuries, small or big. Letting it slide, he stepped outside of the temple. "Ready to head back?"

 

"Yep!"

 

"See anything of note here?"

 

Zack looked around once more. "I thought I did, but nope!" He added a little shake of his head. Angeal studied him before turning around and began the long journey home. The young man felt the materia press against his leg, hidden by the bagginess of his pants. Small miracles. The wolf whined, ears flattening down. Screw it. He knelt down and asked, "Hey, wanna come with me?"

 

"Zack—" Before Angeal even contested his impulsive decision, the wolf barked happily and licked Zack silly. Okay, that was worth it. Hell, the Second SOLDIER knew he would never hear the end of it, but dammit, he didn't wanna leave his new buddy all alone. Plus, he always wondered what it'd be like to have a canine companion. His younger self would jump in joy.

 

Zack jogged over to his mentor's side, as a sigh escaped from his mentor's lips. Nothing else was said, as the three of them headed for the chopper. Feeling the mysterious materia against his leg, he wondered if he could use it in the future. He hoped so.

Chapter Text

“Zack.”

Funny how one word could encompass so much fondness and sheer exasperation, as demonstrated by Tseng when he was on the helipad, awaiting Commander Hewley and Zack. The Turk watched as Angeal stepped onto the landing pad, Zack jumped off, followed off by the large wolf. A large wolf that would surely draw attention of everyone.

“Well, I could not leave him there Tseng! Look at him!” Zack threw his arms to the animal, who stared at the Turk leader. Another sigh. Tseng pinched the bridge of his nose.

“It is one thing to bring an inanimate object from a mission,” Tseng said in a calm and collected manner, “but another to bring a living creature of unknown origins.”

“Well, he was from the forest. Does that help?” Zack asked innocently. He heard the Turk sigh for the third time, this time physically strained.

“We need to make sure that the animal is suited to live with you. Taking care of them is a lot of responsibility Puppy,” Angeal said, already accepting the inevitable. When he tried to reach out the wolf, the creature immediately snarled, hunching over and baring his teeth. Zack's eyes widened, kneeling down to wrap his arms around the wolf.

“No, buddy! It's okay! Ang's a friend!” Zack declared. These words meant nothing to the wolf, as he kept glaring and snarling at the First. Tseng hummed and decided to give it a shot. Thanks to his training, he flicked his hand back when the wolf actually tried to bite it. “Bud!” Zack whined, trying to hold the wolf back. The two men watched, with wide eyes, at the wolf huffing and giving the Second a few licks to the face, nuzzling in a low growl. It almost looked like the wolf tried to push the young man away from the older men, hiding him in his fur. Eventually, Zack let out a grunt as he fell flat on the ground and the wolf sat on top of him. The Second tried to push him off, but to no avail. Gold eyes looked back at them, daring them to do anything more.

“Guess he's not the only one who grew attached.” Angeal looked at Tseng. “Maybe a simple inspection will do.”

“I suppose it'll have to do for now. As long as it doesn't interfere with any SOLDIER operations.”

Once the two arrived back to Midgar, his furry companion was the talk of the building. Well, couldn't be helped! The scientists—Not the ones from SOLDIER's R&D thankfully—took a look at the wolf. He accepted their poking and prodding reluctantly, but maybe it was due to Zack being within close proximity. A female scientist declared him safe and free of any sort of disease. When she came close to the anklet around his left leg, he growled, baring his teeth. She scooted away and gave her full assessment to Zack. She did state that his intelligence was remarkable. So much so that the wolf had higher intelligence than most of the Shinra infantry and Third Class men. Sometimes, more than Zack. The creature quite literally restrained the Second with its teeth from running away from boring desk work.

“Aw c'mon! I just need some fresh air!” Zack whined, trying to tug his pants away from the hound's fangs. The wolf did not relent at all. Kunsel and Cissnei watched, entertained by the show. The two stopped by earlier to see if the Second wanted to join them for lunch. Zack being Zack, simply grumbled the entire time, doing anything else but filling out paperwork earlier. He wanted the distraction. The wolf, who had lived with Zack and knew of his erratic schedule for a few days, simply kept still, knowing if his companion tried any harder, his uniform pants would tear apart.

“It's impressive that the wolf hasn't budged the entire time,” Kunsel said. “Are you sure he isn't some sort of special wolf?”

“The lab techs said that he was just a regular wolf!”

“Regular,” Cissnei emphasized every syllable in the word, not believing Zack one bit. She held back a snort when the Second fell to the ground, and the wolf dragged him back around his desk. The Second appeared in his chair and gave a scathing look at the wolf, who held his tongue out and panted.

“You're so mean,” Zack pouted. He sneezed when the wolf left a sloppy lick his nose. He groaned, hearing Kunsel and Cissnei laugh in the background.

The only one the wolf tolerated was Cloud. By a very, very thin margin. The blond cadet stared at the wolf with big, wide eyes, his hands hovering over the creature. Alas, to his dismay, the wolf simply turned his head away and returned to Zack's side. At least there was no growling or showing of teeth.

"You're so lucky, having a pet." That was the wrong choice of words, as the wolf immediately glared at Cloud and growled. Zack put a hand on top of the wolf's head.

"Hey now, stop that." The wolf's ears flattened, whimpering at Zack's affectionate scratching. The two were joined by Kunsel, Roche, and Luxiere on the benches, after finishing their drills for the day.

By then, there wasn't a day in SOLDIER that the Second wasn't seen without the wolf companion by his side. He accompanied Zack everywhere. From the training grounds. In and out of the building. Even the mess hall–The cafeteria workers took one look at the animal and cooed immediately, spoiling him rotten with all sorts of foods. Oddly enough, the wolf refused any cooked meat and such. Kunsel wondered, since he lived in the wilderness, maybe he preferred hunting instead. So, Zack took him outside of the city. Just as his fellow Second assumed, the wolf hunted for his food and happily fed upon the prey. The Second snapped a few proud photos of Torgal's kills.

When training outside, the creature remained on the sidelines and watched from afar. He did surprise the instructor when the SOLDIERs and cadets did laps, he barked and raced against Zack for the lead. The Second, being enthusiastic for a challenge, worked up a sweat to catch up with the wolf. They finished in a tie, and the wolf rewarded the Second by tackling him to the ground and licking his face silly. Cloud, being one of the last few infantrymen to finish, lamented at their abundance of energy.

"Now we have two dogs in SOLDIER," Luxiere joked, amused.

"Ha ha," Zack jeered, rolling his eyes fondly. "You're just mad 'cause you can't have a buddy."

"Maybe I just haven't found the right one, Fair." Luxiere gave Zack a playful shove.

"You could just come back with a coeurl instead," Roche said.

"Hells no! I'd rather have a red chocobo!"

"Don't think the higher-ups would like the threat of Meteor on the building," Kunsel joked.

"As long as you don't come back with a Tonberry," Cloud added. Everyone in the group shivered at the thought.

Everyone wondered how well the wolf would fare if Zack was deployed on a mission, big or small. The answer? Not well. Lazard assigned Zack a particular mission on the outskirts of the city.

"There had been multiple sightings of a foul creature running amok and threatening to come dangerously closer to the borders of the city. We need to make sure that the area is cleared so a road between here and Kalm can be built safely," Lazard explained, giving Zack the details. The director paused for a moment, looking at the wolf. "You will need to leave your companion here." The moment the command left his lips, the wolf snarled. The blond man sighed, pushing up his glasses, as the Second immediately knelt down and tried to calm him.

"Bud, I gotta go. You need to stay here." Zack gave the wolf one good pat to the head and took off, waving at him. "Don't bite anyone's head off!" The Second departed for the helipad, seeing a deployment chopper ready for take off. When he hopped inside, something else joined his side. His eyes bulged out of his eye sockets. "Wh—How did you get here?!" The wolf looked up at him, giving him an expression of "Really?"

"Are we ready for take off?" The infantryman asked in the pilot's seat. Zack's shoulders slumped, then he marched over to his seat. The wolf hopped onto the empty seats next to him. Soon, the chopper took off and dropped him off in the target area. Zack and his furry friend hopped off, the former surveying the area. His iris eyes brightened up. A raijincho! Seems simple enough!

"Stay put bud!" Zack launched himself at the monster bird. It screeched loudly, ringing in his ears. Pretending to pull out his fire materia, he launched a few fire spells at the creature. Once it was distracted, he unleashed a set of slashes. The bird screamed as it fell to the ground. The Second clenched his fist in victory, but something exploded behind him. He tumbled forward, losing his grip on his sword. Turning his head, he found a trap monster hovering over him. He clicked his tongue. He didn't bring any other materia with him! He didn't want to risk using his other magic! Just as Zack was about to scramble for his sword, the trap monster grew bigger in size.

"Oh no, no, no!" Blood pumped faster, and Zack grabbed his sword immediately. He held it up high to protect himself, ready for the blast. Suddenly, cold air hit his skin. He frowned, then purple eyes widened when Zack spotted the wolf. "Bud!" The wolf howled and unleashed icicles at the trap monster, reducing its size. The trap monster roared at the wolf and charged at him, but the wolf leapt up and landed on the monster, icicles surrounding all around its sides. The wolf jumped off as the icicles struck the trap monster, piercing it. The trap monster gave a dying wheeze and fell to the ground, leaving nothing but ashes behind. Zack panted, stunned by the sight. He turned his head to see the wolf gracefully walk over to him, as if nothing happened, looking up with his tongue out. The Second moved his free hand and scratched the wolf's head. His tail wagged happily.

"Thanks."

The whole thing was witnessed by the pilot, helping Zack's story that the wolf was definitely not ordinary in the slightest. Unfortunately, that caught a certain scientist's attention.

"Absolutely not!" Zack growled at Professor Hojo, who had cornered Zack and the wolf in the hallway. The wolf equally growled at the disgusting man.

"Oh, but you must understand something. Anything in SOLDIER is susceptible to further benefit in its future. Including mangy mutts such as yours," Hojo said calmly. He tried to approach the wolf, unafraid of being bitten. Zack threw his arm across, preventing the scientist from taking a step further. The scientist clicked his tongue, wagging his finger tauntingly. "I could have you fired for such insubordination—"

"It wasn't even magic he did!" Zack crossed his arms and looked at the wolf. "Right boy?" The wolf barked.

"Then elaborate for me." Hojo waited for the foolish Soldier's explanation. Rather than use words, Zack knelt down, holding the wolf's left leg, and pointed at the anklet. As he held out his hand, the anklet glowed before a magic materia appeared in his hand. He held it up high, as it glowed and created frost on his gloved hand. The scientist clicked his tongue, crossing his arms. "So, it was materia then. Utterly disappointing. But that wolf is to be brought in for further testing."

"No, he doesn't!" Zack roared. Before things escalated, possibly to lose his job, a voice rang throughout the hallway.

"Hojo, I believe there are other things you could be doing with the company's time than hound our finest SOLDIER." Zack lifted his head, his eyes popping out of his sockets to see the son of the president stand there, oozing pure arrogance and confidence. His eyes further widened at the sight of Tseng by Rufus's side, wearing a mask of composure and professionalism. The Second winced at the possibility of hearing the Turk's lectures later. Rufus kept going, saying, "We wouldn't also want such a rare specimen to be ruined when it can further Shinra's goals. It'd also be a waste to see good chemistry between man and dog go."

The professor huffed, knowing he lost this round, and walked brusquely past the two men. He muttered something about wasted potential. The footsteps faded away, as Tseng walked over to Zack.

"That was incredibly reckless of you." Zack winced at Tseng's scolding tone. It hurt a lot more than Angeal's disappointment.

"Sorry," Zack said, hanging his head low. The wolf whined, licking Zack's arm. This gave him enough courage to lift his head back up, staring into Tseng's relentless gaze. "But I don't regret it."

"So this is the SOLDIER you personally spoke about," Rufus said, slowly approaching the men. "Tseng spoke very highly of you. It is rather unfortunate we had to meet with that annoying pest lingering about." Zack was impressed with himself from holding back a snort at Rufus's disdain for Hojo. He knew enough horror stories from Angeal and occasionally Genesis.

"Yes, but he knows when to conduct himself." Tseng gave him a side eye. Zack huffed.

"Not with that bastard. Slimy and nasty all around. Doesn't even look like he showers and—" Zack stopped himself when he heard a faint chuckle from the vice president. Shit, right. Even if Hojo was a piece of work, he was still his superior. And he just insulted one of his bosses in front of his super boss. The Second was sure he heard another tired sigh from Tseng.

"Careful with that loose tongue of yours. Keep up the good work, SOLDIER. Tseng." Rufus strolled around Zack and the wolf, with Tseng following right behind. The Turk spared Zack a look that screamed, "We'll talk later." The Second sunk down in a squat, closing his eyes and trying to process anything that happened the last few minutes. Hearing a pitiful whine, he opened his eyes and saw the wolf gazing at him. He pushed his snout in his face. It earned an amused huff, trying to push the wolf away, but Zack felt a barrage of licking and laughed.

"Good thing we found out your anklet can hold materia. A lucky discovery." Zack held the materia, seeing the frost melt into droplets on his glove. The wolf licked away the water. Frost radiated off the tips of the wolf's fur. He frowned, asking in the quietest, "You really know how to do magic huh?" The wolf barked, confirming his suspicions. Highly intelligent. Capable of fighting on his own and casting magic. Able to use materia. Really added another layer of mystery to his new friend. With another lick to his face, Zack definitely confirmed one thing—His friend had his back, and Zack would have his.

Another thought occurred to Zack. He found the wolf, who led him to find the odd materia in that rundown place in the forest. He pulled away from the wolf, saying, "Ready to go back? Cause there's something we need to do."

---

The walk back to his personal room wasn't too far. It definitely was an upgrade from the barracks for Thirds. Considering his new roommate, he was glad for the extra space (and personal bathroom). Opening the door, the wolf padded inside as Zack closed the door behind and took off his boots. Once he straightened himself, his eyes stared at the mysterious materia. It had been a few weeks since his return from Cosmo Canyon. He hadn't done anything with it, too caught up with adjusting to having a canine in his life. The materia was seated on the table, covered with a used and dirty towel, thoroughly cleaned from the dirt and grime. He was surprised to see it retain its charcoal color, making it contrast with the brighter colors of oranges, yellows, and reds within. Occasionally, streaks of blue swam through the warm colors. He recalled Genesis's materia collection, never seeing one similar at all. Was it one of a kind? Or, more than likely, was it just a pretty stone?

"Hey bud," Zack called out. The wolf turned his head towards him. He marched towards the materia and looked at the wolf. "Do you think you could use this?" To his shock, the wolf shook his head.

"What do you mean? It's a materia right?" Again, to his shock, the wolf shook his head. Zack frowned, trying to figure out the logistics of this bizarre situation. He picked up the materia in one hand and dug out a fire materia in his pocket. He squatted down, holding both materia in front of the wolf's face. "These are both materia boy!" Again, the wolf shook his head.

That didn't make a lick of sense. Zack stared at both materia, trying to figure out any remarkable differences between the two. Again, he tried to recall how materia normally looked and frowned. There was yellow and purple and green. Was there even a blue materia? Red? Why did his poor memory fail him now! The Second wanted to compare it, but there was always a chance someone would see it. Worse, it certainly be confiscated. Either by Angeal, Tseng, or worst, R&D department. Zack blinked, a simple solution popping up in his mind.

"Do you think I could use it?" Zack asked the wolf. Instead of shaking his head, the wolf tilted his head. "Okay! We should go get the others—" Immediately, the wolf growled. "What? You want this to be a secret?"

The wolf barked.

"But what if one of my buddies could help with this?"

The wolf shook his head.

"So we're all on our own?"

The wolf nodded.

"Okay then." Zack crossed his arms. "Should we find a place to test it out? I was thinking maybe somewhere in the outskirts of Midgar. Maybe...tomorrow!" The wolf barked, wagging his tail.

"Yep! A science experiment of our own!"

---

It was easy enough to clear his own schedule, making sure there wasn't anything important going on. Though, something nagged at the back of his head. Like, there was, but he couldn't put a finger to it. Well, useless to worry about it! He and his buddy had the whole day to themselves!

"Let's get going bud!" Zack cheered, throwing a fist in the air. The wolf barked, wagging his tail excitedly. The Second wore some casual clothes, loose fitting. He did make sure to wear his dagger holster. Never know if something could go down. Putting on his combat boots, the two left the building and took the train out. Zack found it fascinating that the wolf was at ease with other people. Granted, the adults freaked out at seeing an unleashed "dog." But the wolf kept to himself, but still put people on edge. The kids? Different story. They were stopped a few times because some kids wanted to pet him. The wolf gladly accepted and wagged his tail, enjoying their gentle touches. Maybe being in the cramped building was the reason why he was so growly and snarly with the others.

"He'll play with you guys another day!" Zack yelled, escaping the kids as he and his canine friend jogged away. They traveled downward, purple eyes observing the sight of the slums. Once they arrived under the plate, people steered clear of the two. Just like above the plate, the kids stared at the wolf in awe and wonder. The two arrived at a checkpoint, with officials asking for his reasoning. Once Zack flashed his SOLDIER ID, the patrol changed tunes.

"Oh! Thank you for keeping us safe against Wutai!"

"No prob!" Zack smiled and walked out into the dry wilderness. The two walked a good distance, with the sun barely above the horizon. It wasn't until the Shinra building looked small that he decided they were far enough.

"Phew!" Zack out an exaggerated sigh. He sat on the dirt, the wolf coming up to him. He pulled out pieces of jerky, letting the wolf take and chew on them. He took one for himself and munched on it. Patting the wolf's back, he pointed at the city of Midgar. The wolf looked out.

"Feels crazy, being out here." Zack leaned back to stare at the neverending blue sky. "Once the war's over, maybe we'll take a vacation, just the two of us. Sounds good?" The wolf barked, finishing his jerky. Okay! Time to get to work! The Second pulled out the mysterious materia from his pocket. The wolf took several steps back, sitting down. He held the materia and closed his eyes in concentration, using his magic to channel into it.

Strange. There was no feedback from it. Even the weakest materia gave a response to Zack's magic. But there was nothing. Zilch. Na-da. The Second opened his eyes again and looked at it. No sign of any changes.

"Are you sure I can use it bud?" Zack asked. The wolf whined, tilting his head down. Once his ears flattened, the young man panicked. "Wait! Hang on! Maybe there's something I'm doing wrong! Hang on!" The wolf watched Zack try various positions, trying to use the not-materia. Alas, to no avail. He slumped over the ground, feeling the sun's blistering heat hail down harder.

"Man, thought for sure I had it." Zack panted from the heat. Then, the air chilled around him. He looked up, seeing frost emit from the hound. "Aw bud! Don't waste your energy on me!" He went to hug his friend, rubbing his face against the cold fur. He came to a slow stop and closed his eyes. "I really wanna solve this problem for ya. Seems very important to ya." The wolf pulled away from him, and before a moment of guilt hit Zack, a familiar tongue licked his face. He smiled and pressed his forehead against the wolf's own.

"So, shall we head back and spend a day tearing up the town?" Zack grinned at the wolf's bark. The two returned to the city, the Second nearly melting into a puddle when they returned to the gates. One quick stop at a vending machine and a bottle of water later, the two went back on their merry journey through the slums. Even though he got accustomed to a more advantageous lifestyle, he still preferred the foods and culture down below. Reminded him of home.

Zack sat on a bench, watching the wolf play with several kids. He munched on his takeout of Junon and Costa del Sol fusion cuisine. Fried fish laying on tortillas with multiple spices and vegetables. One third way done, his thoughts strayed back to Gongaga.

It had been a long five years since he left home. No one really stopped him, since well...

His parents died several months prior to his joining.

Zack saw advertisements for Costa del Sol in a comic issue of his. He wanted to go there with his parents, wanting all three of them to see the beach. They were reluctant at first, but they agreed if only for his thirteenth birthday. Then, his parents found out the best time to visit was in the spring, right before tourist season. They took a boat trip and had the best week of their lives. On the way back, they drove back home, but the rain started to pour heavily...

Next thing Zack knew, he woke up in a hospital and learned that his parents protected him from the crash. Everything after that was hazy at best. He knew he returned to Gongaga, but lived in and out of the house, trying his best to not stay in there for long periods of time. The townsfolk did their best to help him, but he didn't want to take advantage of their charity. So, he did odd jobs for them. From mundane to extremely dangerous, namely monster hunting. It brought good gil with the traveling merchants.

Then, the SOLDIER recruiters came and well...

The rest was history.

Zack was a Second Class Soldier. All of his memorabilia of his parents? In his bedroom, tucked away safely in his closet.

A crow cawed, snapping Zack out of his daze. The sky at the edges of Midgar started to change from blue to pink. He glanced at his phone, quickly seeing the time, and whistled to the wolf. The kids booed and cried out when their furry friend returned to Zack's side.

"We'll see you guys later!" Zack yelled, waving at the kids, as the wolf barked. They waved at the two, as he and his friend raced back to the nearest train station. The Second winced at how packed the trains were, cursing his poor timing. The sky was completely dark by the time he returned to SOLDIER HQ. He frowned when spying through the glass doors, seeing the faces of Kunsel and Cissnei and Tseng. Once he walked through, all three honed in on his presence.

"Zack!" Kunsel cried.

"Fair." Cissnei called. She and Kunsel jogged up to him, Tseng following right behind them.

"Did I miss something?" Zack asked. Tseng sighed.

"Have you checked your phone?"

Zack shook his head slowly, feeling the sense of dread from earlier creeping back up his spine. The male Turk pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Commander Hewley has been trying to get a hold of you all day." Tseng wore a flat expression, closing his eyes. "You apparently missed an appointment—A training session with General Sephiroth." He watched as all color drained from the Second's face. The wolf came up around him, tilting his head at his partner.

"Maybe I should...just...get going..." Zack wheezed out, lifting his foot to step forward—

"Fair."

Zack nearly jumped out of his skin and spun around. He squeaked, "Sephiroth!"

"I see Tseng has already informed you of our missed session." Mako-infused eyes narrowed in amused suspicion. "I hope whatever you did today was worthwhile."

"Yep," Zack wheezed out. He mentally slapped his forehead, screaming aloud in his mind. So not cool. He peeked from the corner of his eye to see Kunsel and Cissnei awing at the sight of General Sephiroth. The man had been essentially a ghost, along with Genesis, mowing down most of Wutainese soldiers on the frontline. His presence in Shinra was a rare treat. Luckily, they didn't notice his spectacular fumble. Good. He scratched the back of his head and avoided meeting the First's gaze, but a gloved hand gently patted his shoulder.

"No worries. Angeal warned me earlier about your forgetfulness." Sephiroth removed his hand, since the wolf started growling. He walked past his audience. "We shall reschedule for tomorrow. I'll be here for some time."

It was when he disappeared around the corner that Kunsel and Cissnei crowded around him. He held his hands up.

"You have to tell us how it goes tomorrow!" Kunsel begged. Cissnei kept a poker face expression, but there was a glint in her eyes. Zack felt his face flush hot. The two eventually dropped the subject as all five of them split off to their personal quarters. Once left to his own mind in the room, Zack slid down the door. The wolf joined him, sitting in front of him.

The black-haired man messed up, plain and simple. The training session was preparation for his First promotion. So Sephiroth would evaluate his strengths and weaknesses, since reports and virtual simulations were not cutting it anymore. It was also maybe, maybe not, a way to bond with the older man. There hadn't been any opportunities since the war with Wutai had been increasing in its intensity. So tomorrow was to redeem himself! No one could really blame Zack. The silver-haired man was beautiful in a deadly way. The hero. The swordsmaster. The strategist. He had it all. No wonder his fan club was the biggest.

Gaia, the Second have burned on the spot if it was Genesis.

And Zack got distracted with the random materia.

Speaking of said item, the young man took it out and held it close to his eyes. He couldn't help but be mesmerized every time. Almost as if it called out to him. Or maybe 'cause it was too pretty to look away. Like a jewel. He had a better understanding of people admiring jewelry, gems, and anything else of the sort.

"Not sure if I should really sell you. You don't even do anything." Zack turned the materia around in his hand. He sighed and banged his head back to the door. He grunted as the wolf laid on top of him. "Aw c'mon! We need to shower! You've been playing around all day!" The wolf gave him a discerning look. Instead, the wolf opened his large mouth and let out a great big yawn. Closing his eyes, the wolf put his head down on Zack's chest. The Second sighed, putting a hand on top of the wolf's head.

"Okay, maybe after...a...snooze..."

---

"...Jill! Joshua!"

...

"A Dominant?"

...

"The...Fallen...Cetra—"

---

Zack breathed sharply as he woke up. He blinked his eyes. Through his blurry vision, the wolf whined and pushed his snout against his cheeks. Both of his hands rested on the wolf's face, trying to push him away. The ache within his heart left him lifeless, deeply troubled by the sheer intensity of that voice from his dream.

Rarely did the Second have any dreams like that. Or left him like that for that matter. Only in his teens, after his parents...

The dreams stopped when Zack joined SOLDIER, too physically and mentally drained. Occasionally, there was a dream or two that involved running through the jungles of Gongaga, free and wild. But most of the time? Food. Okay, food and being rewarded for his heroic duties at SOLDIER. So why? Why did he have that vivid dream? He threw his arm across his face and let out the biggest groan. He hoped nothing would come of it. Tilting his head back, he looked at the window. The sky was still dark, colored with the familiar mako green. There was still time for a quick bite, shower, and nap before the day started. He looked back at his wolf buddy and offered a small smile.

"Hey, how 'bout a snack?" Zack's smile grew bigger at the wolf's excited bark and wagging tail.

---

So Zack was nervous. Scratch that. He was ready to crap his pants so he can excuse himself and—

"Pup?" Angeal called out of his thoughts.

Zack shook his head rapidly. "Yeah?"

"Focus."

"Yeah, yep, mhmm." Zack screamed inside his head. His purple eyes gazed up. Up in the balcony was Genesis, wearing a devious smirk. To the window, his canine buddy laid on the floor, quietly observing. With one more pat to the shoulder, his mentor offered a kind smile and walked off to the lift for the balcony. At least there were only three observers—When did Tseng appear? The Turk stood a distance away from the wolf, who showed no sign of hostility.

"Zack."

Zack faced forward, seeing Sephiroth. He swallowed the lump in his throat and fell into a readied stance. He held his sword tightly, readjusting his grip. The general pulled back his arms, his infamous sword held high and proud. The training room was completely silent. The Second heard the erratic heartbeat grow louder and louder in his ear.

Then, something strange happened.

Zack wasn't in the training room anymore. He wasn't even in Midgar. No, he stood in the middle of muddied ground, with wooden fencing. There were guards dressed in reds and leathers. He faced a tall man with dirty blond, almost brown, hair in a different uniform from the regular guards. On the fence nearby, a young boy and a young girl sat on top of it. On the crates was a puppy that strangely resembled the wolf—

The man shot towards Zack, and he blocked it. The image, gone. Back in the training room.

"Impressive. Thought for a moment you were distracted."

"Yeah," Zack breathed out. "Me too."

"So, shall we?"

The spar went on, but so did the flashes of the battle. The image of the strange overlapping Sephiroth. The cheers of young children turning into brusque older men from the balcony. The steps of dirt turning into metal. Wooden swords sparked up. As he crossed swords with Sephiroth, his gaze fell onto his sword's reflection. A pair of determined, blazing blue eyes.

Zack blinked. It was his usual, purple eyes. With a silent grunt, he pulled his sword and watched Sephiroth—The man—pull back. An image flashed in his mind again. Crouching down on the ground. Instantly, he followed and swiped the general off his feet. Mako eyes widened for a fraction, but he twisted his momentum and kicked Zack back. The Second winced, falling on one knee, and the famous Masumune was at his throat.

"Good footwork," Sephiroth said. Zack's eyes widened, moving up with the sword. His breath returned once the sword was removed. "Now, we go again."

"Uh, what?"

"When you're First Class, there's no stopping." Sephiroth let out an amused huff. "Unless you're saying you'd stop at Second." He tilted his head, flashing a bit of his teeth. Oh, so that was how the general wanted to play? Zack took the bait and ate it up. He hopped back into position, grinning madly.

"No way! I worked too hard for this!"

Thankfully, the random flashes of someone else's life did not continue any further. Zack continued to spar with Sephiroth, doing his best to keep up with the best. By the seventh round, with seven consecutive losses under his belt, the general called it. Zack hated that Sephiroth didn't even look winded at all. Not a bead of sweat. He fell to the ground, exaggerating his short breaths, and enjoyed the cool floor—

"Oof! Boy!" Zack lifted his head up. The wolf barked innocently.

---

Unfortunately, the dreams continued. The desperate, confused voice, over and over again. The worst part of these dreams were that they started to eat into his sleep. A tired Zack meant a cranky one. One that was ill suited for missions. He did his best to hold it together, from training to hunting, but during one briefing with Lazard had him nearly collapsing to the floor. Were it not for his furry companion, his face would have met the floor. For an infantryman, passing out from exhaustion was common. But for a Second in line to be a First? Yeah, that wasn't a great look. Sure did suck to avoid Angeal's piercing gaze of concern.

"Zack, you have been resting properly, right?" Angeal asked, walking him and the wolf back to their room. The young Second sighed dramatically in annoyance.

"Yes, yes I did Ang," Zack casually dismissed.

"Zack—"

"I'll be fine! Sheesh!" Zack opened his door, but before he went in, a gloved hand stopped him. His wolf friend tensed up, but did nothing else, waiting.

"Zack." This time, Angeal's tone was quieter, softer. His blue eyes searched for something, and Zack had to look away, ashamed for snapping at his mentor turned friend. The hand slipped off, footsteps fading into the distance. The wolf glanced up at him, pushing against his hip. When he entered the room, exhaustion took over, his body falling to the ground. Back against the door, he thumped his head back. The wolf sat in front of him, waiting.

"Hey, do you ever have any dreams?" Zack muttered. Closing his eyes, the words finally spilled out. "I've been having these sad ones. Ones that don't even belong to me. I was someone else. Someone who...was incredibly sad." He shivered as the sensation from his dreams chilled his body. "He sounded so tired, so defeated, so..." His face scrunched up. The tears welled up, one by one.

"Done."

Zack knew that feeling personally. He did. Really. After all, he did kill his parents.

People said it was an accident. People said his survival was a miracle.

Zack knew better. It was a curse. To know he caused their deaths. To know he had to live on while they rotted away in the dirt of Gongaga. To know that...he wanted to atone for their deaths by helping protect others. To know he would never be a true hero.

The wolf whined and moved closer, trying to bury Zack's face in his fur. The Second gladly accepted, shutting his eyes tightly as the tears overflooded. His weak arms wrapped around the wolf's neck, shoulders drawn in and trembling. At this moment, Zack wasn't a Second Class Soldier. He wasn't a cheery, helpful young man. No. Just for this moment, and not a single more, he was a grieving teen.

All alone.

Eventually, Zack sighed and peeled himself away from the wolf, the door, and showered, readying himself for another restless night. He fell onto the bed, then felt another weight beside him. By his side, his furry friend settled against his back. Both warm and cold, the young man drifted off into darkness.

---

Purple eyes opened, frowning right away.

This wasn't anywhere he recognized. While the sky was bright blue, everything else was different. After all, there weren't any huge lakes. Nor any huge castle across from the ledge he stood upon. The waters sparkled, small ripples from breezes dancing across its surface. There was no sense of dread. No trace of lingering longing. Instead, there was a sense of purpose swelling within his chest. It was...peaceful.

Zack stepped forward, wanting a closer look, but tripped. He managed to catch himself. His eyes widened.

It wasn't his reflection in the water. It was someone else, maybe close to Cloud's age. His hair parted to the right side. He wore clothing that looked like it came out of Genesis's books. Of history. Of forgotten fantasies. Red, white, and black. Red gloves. All to make the boy's bright blue eyes stand out.

A branch snapped behind him. A smile formed on his face.

"Tor—"

"—gal." Zack's eyes opened. Suddenly, the wolf pounced on him. "Oof!" The wolf licked his face silly. His tail wagged so hard, the Second thought it'd detach itself and fly into the wall. His mind reeled from the dream. Taking a chance, he quietly said, "Tor...gal?" Sure enough, the man was rewarded with a joyous bark. "Torgal?" Zack asked again, confidence seeping into his voice. The wolf got off him for a moment and barked, tail wagging.

That was the wolf's name. Then, that meant—The man from his dream—

"Torgal—" Zack smiled for a moment when the wolf responded enthusiastically with a bark. "—I think I...I saw your owner." He watched the wolf's tail slow in wagging, ears perked up. "Dark hair. Red, white, and black clothing—Red gloves! And! And! Blue eyes!"

Torgal barked.

"I dunno how, but..." Zack put a hand on Torgal's head. "At least I have a name for ya bud." The wolf whined happily, letting the hand shake him side to side.

---

The dreams continued, but not always sad. Sometimes, they were happy. Sometimes, frustrating. Altogether, it was weird and confusing for the Second. Zack wanted to say it was due to his natural use of magic. But how would magic induce dreams of someone else's memories? That sounded so implausible, it could only come from Genesis's books. And Zack didn't even read!

Well, aside from comics, but that was beside the point!

Either way, the dreams lightened up. From what he saw, Zack caught glimpses of a young man growing up as a noble. To train to be his younger brother's shield. To protect their country. Sounded similar to him. Kinda. The weirdest part was that before anyone else in the dream said the boy's name, it'd stop. Cold turkey. It was definitely like seeing a "to be continued" at the end of a movie. The worst part was that it kept happening. Every. Single. Damn! Time!

"So you finally named him?" Kunsel asked, tossing Torgal beef jerky. The two watched the wolf be chased around by Cloud. Something something, improve his poor stamina. It almost looked like Torgal taunted the poor infantryman, wondering how the latter was able to stand at all.

"Yup!" Zack said with a pop. "Name's Torgal."

Kunsel tilted his head. "Huh. Thought it'd be more simple."

"He's a lot smarter than people give him credit for. He'd probably take it as an insult." Kunsel hummed back, agreeing. Zack looked at his best friend for a few seconds, then asked, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Wh—Of course you can. Always."

Zack laughed. Then, he asked, "Could you look up something for me? Rosaria."

"Rosaria. Sounds like it came from a fantasy book."

"I know right?" Zack shook his head.

"But yeah, I'll look into it."

"Thanks Kuns." Zack heard a thud and turned his head, letting out a chuckle. "Let's go rescue Spike from Tor." Kunsel let out a snort, the two jogging over to an exhausted Cloud. When they lifted him up, the blond pouted.

"Your wolf's a menace." The wolf barked.

---

"Nibelheim?" Zack asked. Why did that name sound familiar—Whoops. Nearly spaced out again. He stared at Lazard again, who sat at his desk. The blond man nodded.

"There have been some concerns from the town's citizens that there has been activity going on there, at the defunct reactor and its mansion."

Zack hummed, crossing his arms.

"If this goes well, it'll be your promotion to First." At this, Zack was starstruck.

"Are...Are you serious?"

At long last! To be First Class SOLDIER! He could stay with the likes of Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth! To be a hero to everyone! To be someone!

"Yes!" Zack cheered. Lazard offered a small smile. He held a folder to him.

"Day after tomorrow, eight hundred sharp. Make sure all of your affairs are in order."

"Yessir!" If there was a cheery step to his walk back to his room, no one called the Second out. He arrived, bursting the door open, yelling, "Torgal!" The wolf perked up, poking his head up. He wandered over, kneeling and scratching his head. "Ready to go for a walk?" When his buddy yipped, he changed out of his SOLDIER getup and took off.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure you cannot delay this mission?!”

Zack held up his hands at Hollander. He had to stop by the Shinra R&D department, letting them know of his absence. What should have been a quick five minute, ten tops, turned into half an hour of incessant begging from someone who was considered Hojo’s rival. Though, that scientist was nowhere to be found.

“Sorry sir,” Zack started, irritation filling his veins, “but hopefully I’ll be back within a week.” He flashed his teeth in warning, indicating he was done. He turned around and dashed out of the labs, hearing the scientist’s wailing echo in the distance. Sheesh. Besides, the only thing Zack did was just donate his blood for mako testing every week.

It happened when he was sixteen, when a training session had gone wrong between the three First Class Soldiers. Genesis was in dire need of blood. The entire building was in a state of panic, especially since it seemed that one of the Firsts was…infallable. Kept on the hush-hush of course. So many Soldiers would be thrown into confusion if news spread like wildfire. While checking every medical record, there was a match. Zack was the only one with Type-O blood, thus providing the red-haired man much needed relief and swift recovery. It was then that something was discovered in his blood. He wasn’t privy to the details, the scientific talk lost on him, but they withdrew blood from him to further study any new developments for SOLDIER. When he told Cissnei about this, she immediately informed Tseng and was told that Zack would be compensated for his help.

“What? Cissnei, this is too much!” He told her as such when checking his bank account, with one extra zero.

The Turk woman tilted her head. “But this will be going towards future Soldiers. It’s thanks to you that they’ll be receiving more improvements. Unless the money is too little?”

“Cissnei, you know that’s not it!”

“I fail to see the issue.”

“It’s just blood! Standard SOLDIER blood!”

Cissnei was quiet, crossing her arms, as her eyes were askance from the Second. Her head shook off any contemplation of her thoughts. “Think of it this way, extra savings for emergencies.”

That was the end of the conversation. At least Zack could stop his side business of mastering materia and selling them. Though, materia was still needed to hide his actual use of magic. Maybe he could just give them to his buddies instead. Hades knew how badly the other Soldiers needed to master them on the battlefield.

Well, that was one of the last few tasks he needed to do before leaving for Nibelheim. The other one was to…Zack frowned deeply. Did he really need to do this? Considering that Firsts can refuse missions, Lazard presumed he was probably the best one for the job.

“‘Investigate a strange creature appearing in Sector 4 slums.’ That’s super vague. Nothing else huh,” Zack read aloud the message. He frowned again, then glanced at Torgal. “Well, at least it’s the last mission before going tomorrow.” The wolf barked and walked ahead of the Second.

The two walked towards the Shinra exclusive elevator down to the underplate. Every time he took it though, his mind strayed to thoughts of the slums. How the people struggled to live compared to those above the plate. There was a reason he traveled to the slums outside of his infantry garb when he first moved to Midgar and trained for the SOLDIER program. They weren’t too keen on Shinra, saying that the company’s useless for all that it shined and such. Zack wanted to help, but where could he have started? What could one Soldier do?

The elevator dinged, Zack and Torgal passed through Shinra security and entered the slums. Tilting his head up, half of the constructed upper plate was reflected in purple eyes. Given what Lazard said, the plates will be done within two to three years, depending on the construction workers. Still, seemed a little depressing to never see the clear blue sky again. Then again, people probably lived down here for a good chunk of their lives and never saw it. Yet.

Zack looked around the slums, keeping an eye for any odd creature. He talked to the residents, explaining the situation, but received no answer. Torgal entertained the kids, playing and chasing them around. He grinned, waving at the wolf.

“Tor! Play nice okay? I’ll shout for you!” The wolf barked and continued playing with the children. The Second continued exploring the slums from the center to the edge. Just as he wondered if this mission was a dud, purple eyes spotted some people running towards the center hub. There was a huge commotion, loud and festive. Thankfully with his height, he was able to peek over the sea of heads and spot…a performance?

“Step right up! Step right up!” A mysterious voice cried out.

“Cait! Cait Sith!” One of the people cried.

Zack’s eyes narrowed as he managed to move in closer. Sure enough, it was a strange creature. With a catlike appearance, it danced around the makeshift fountain, holding a yellow party horn. It spread its arms out, confetti launching into the air. The Second got a better look, seeing it wearing a small gold crown, a red scarf, and a pair of oversized shoes. Whatever this creature was, it definitely had sentience.

“That’s right! Just a wee bit of fortune!” Cait Sith yelled. “Line up in a fashionly order!”

Zack was pushed aside as people lined up before this creature. The little thing sat on the edge of the fountain, kicking its feet, and tilted its head up at the people. One by one, the slum residents told Cait Sith their misfortunes that happened in the day or week. It bobbed its head, then once the line died down, it jumped and held its paws up. Then, it snapped its fingers. Suddenly, a bunch of papers flew out and towards each of the residents. They read off their fortunes to others, as the thing bowed and hopped off the fountain.

“Think you can read my fortune?” Zack asked, stepping in front of it. Cait Sith yelped, throwing its paws up, and ears perked up. It bowed, tilting its head up at him.

“Oh! A Soldier! Thank ye for ya services!” Cait Sith yelled.

“No problem!” Zack saluted. “Unfortunately, think your luck just ran out.”

“Oh great heavens!” Cait Sith looked around, then moved its paw. Zack leaned in closer. “Please, not here. I still need to make my rounds to Sector 1 to 3.”

“Maybe you can explain on the way then.”

“Of course lad!” Cait Sith whistled, as a big, fluffy creature walked over to them. It jumped on the head and pointed onward. “Shall we then?” It asked, moving along.

“Hang on. Tor!” Zack waited until a wolf bolted down at lightning speed. Cait Sith’s tail went ramrod straight, Torgal slowing down till he reached Zack’s side. He nodded at the creature, and they were off.

“So, you know your way around the slums?” Zack asked.

“Of course! Been here my whole life!” Cait Sith kicked its legs on top of the strange creature. “Let’s take the side roads, ay.”

“Lead the way, cat.”

“For future reference, it’s Cait Sith!” The creature held its paw up, smiling big. Zack snorted, charmed by the little guy.

“And what are ya doing here in the slums?”

“Bringing a lil fortune here and there!” Cait Sith’s ears lowered a little. “After all, their suffering’s a little worse than up above.”

Purple eyes glanced above for a moment. “More like a lot more. Wish there was something I could do about it.”

“Oh?” Cait Sith stared at Zack. “Tell me your troubles laddy.”

Since it wasn’t classified Shinra knowledge, Zack told Cait Sith his troubles regarding the disparity between the upper and lower plates. He knew well enough that Shinra really didn’t pay attention to what was happening close to home due to the war with Wutai. Not to mention most of the men were either in the Shinra army or working on the plates. There had to be a straightforward solution, but something told him that the problems wouldn’t disappear overnight. The little creature nodded, leading the way as they weaved onto Sector Three. Then, it shushed him and Torgal, telling him to wait in the alley as he did his thing.

Curious purple eyes observed as Cait Sith hopped off the Mog, prancing over to a slum house. It snapped his fingers, and a piece of envelope appeared in its paw. Slipping it underneath the door, it jogged back over and sat on top of the Mog. As the three left the area, sensitive ears picked up joyous yelling about enough gil to fund their food supplies. Zack stared at the house, then back at the creature, frowning. Something wasn’t adding up. But hearing more cheers from the house swayed the young man from asking too much.

This occurred a few more times before sunset. They ended up in Sector One, after Cait distributed all of the envelopes. The Second stared at the furry creature, crossing his arms.

“Do you always do this?”

“Every other week or so! Whenever I can!” Cait Sith threw its arms out.

“How?”

“Through a very generous patron of mine,” the cat said, no more, no less. It seemed the cat didn’t want to say anything on that matter, and if the Second tried to press any further, it would probably dart away and avoid any future encounters. Didn’t want that to happen. With a hand scratching the back of his head, Zack closed his eyes.

“Well, that money’s gonna be gone fast,” he said, “but say if someone wanted to help chip in? What can they do?”

Cait Sith’s ears perked up. “You saying this someone wants to help right now?”

“If they could,” Zack said teasingly.

Cait Sith hopped off the big Mog and walked back and forth in front of the Second. Eyebrows scrunched together. The heels of those tiny boots clicked against the uneven concrete ground. Then, closed eyes stared up at Zack, wearing its mischievous smile.

“Tell ya what laddy! You show up same time here next week, with all of the gil you can give!”

“You got it Cait!” Zack held his hand out, and Cait Sith jumped up, shaking hands with the Second.

With the mystery solved, the Second sent a report, watched Cait Sith disappear into the alleys, and looked at Torgal. His head tilted towards the scent of food. It was close to dinnertime. With a simple question, he asked if the wolf wanted slum-cooked snacks or hunted food in the wilds. Of course, the latter choice was picked. The two exited the city entirely, hunting for the wolf’s food. Once caught, they sat at the edge and admired the setting sun. Zack wrapped an arm around Torgal’s neck, bringing him close.

---

Zack walked back and forth in the deployment truck. Cloud sat on the floor, hunched over. Poor guy. His stomach must have been doing a number on him. Torgal sat next to him, acting as a buffer from the turbulence. Though Zack was sure that didn’t help—But hey! He looked cute doing it! Kunsel sat on top of a box, full of supplies. An infantryman drove to Nibelheim, through the grime and muck and rain. Finally, Sephiroth sat on the leather seat, looking calm and cool and collected and man, the Second wished he could have that kind of energy. Actually, he had too much right now of a different kind. He burst into squats. A mako eye opened, followed by a chuckle.

“Careful Fair,” Sephiroth said. “You’ll wear yourself out.”

“Easier said than done. Laz told me that this could be it!” Zack finished his set of squats and put his hands on his hips. “That I’ll be able to be First Class!”

“Maybe with a few adjustments to your image first,” Sephiroth said.

“What? What’s wrong with my outfit?” Zack looked down, tugging at his turtle neck.

“Zack, I think he was referring to your–Eugh–hair…” Cloud pathetically groaned out. The wolf let out a whine, a gloved hand ruffling his fur. Kunsel, near him, rubbed his back. The blond narrowed his eyes, muttering that he couldn’t wait to pass the SOLDIER testing.

“General, will there be more infantrymen at Nibelheim?” Kunsel asked. Sephiroth brought a hand to his chin and contemplated his answer.

“If all goes well, there won’t be any need for another deployment truck. The five of us will suffice. Should the worst case scenario occur, I will request backup.” Mako eyes narrowed. “Preferably, I’d rather not scare the townsfolk with so many Shinra operatives in one small location.” All four, including the driver, nodded at the general’s words. Then, the Second turned towards his blond friend, squatting down.

“Man, aren’t you excited to be back in Nibelheim?” Zack faced Cloud. The blond cadet waved his hand back and forth, dropping it into his lap. Then, the truck hit something, a huge bump, and the cadet threw his hand over his mouth.

“What is it?” Sephiroth asked.

“Think our truck hit something,” the infantry man said. “It’s coming down harder now.”

“Let’s take a look then!” Zack called. Torgal barked, wagging his tail. Probably anxious as his friend to get some air. The two exited out first, stepping onto the mud. Rain poured harder than when they first arrived in the western continent. The sound of thundering water nearly drowned out any other noise. Rounding the corner, two sets of eyes found the wheel lodged in a huge pothole. Then, pointed ears perked up. The wolf growled towards the end of the truck. He put a hand on his sword handle. The duo looked at each other and nodded. They ran, but a familiar long sword blocked their path. The general stood at Zack’s side.

“Let’s take care of this together.”

Zack beamed, then returned his attention to the creatures. It was short and quick. The creatures fell either by Sephiroth’s Masumune or Zack’s standard sword. The latter grinned at the wolf, who whined happily. Easy!

“Now, let’s check on that wheel pup,” Sephiroth said, patting Zack’s shoulder. The younger man smiled, then stopped when Torgal gave him a look.

“What?” The Second leaned down, whispering to the wolf. “I’m just really excited!”

With all five men out of the truck, they combined their strength to lift the truck onto more solid ground. The blond cadet took another breath before entering the death trap once more. Torgal stood far away from the others before shaking his body free of any moisture.

“Tor! Would’ve patted ya down boy!” Zack still came up to the wolf. He pulled his bag in front of him, digging through it. Gloved hands pulled out a fluffy towel. It flew over Torgal’s head, as hands massaged all over the still wet head.

“You’re always prepared aren’t ya Zack?” Kunsel asked.

“Never know what’s gonna happen!”

“Something you picked up–” Cloud paused, letting the ride smooth over first, then continued, “–From Gongaga?” A hum confirmed his question.

“Yep! Spent some days just camping out in the wilderness.” Gloved hands slowed in drying the wolf’s head. The towel then shifted down lower to the body, particularly the muddied paws. From recalling his memories, he said with a cheeky grin, “But I definitely don’t miss the sticky air at all!”

“Can’t imagine camping like that,” Kunsel said, shaking his head. “Or just being out anywhere without modern comforts.”

“You’d be surprised how little we got by in Gongaga!”

“I would like to see it someday.” All three turned their heads to the general. Just like earlier, his arms were crossed, his eyes were closed. Poised as always. A smile formed on the Second’s face.

“Sure, but you better practice wearing shorts! Can’t imagine all of that leather being comfortable in that humid weather!”

A chuckle escaped the general’s lips.

---

“Finally here!” Zack cheered, jumping out of the truck. A clearing of the throat reminded the Second of expected professionalism. A weak chuckle came out, then purple eyes scanned the quiet town of Nibelhiem. The air was certainly drier than something he’d expected from the western side of the world. Then again, the region was further north of where Gongaga was located. Definitely a little more chillier. Then again, it was evening. Surrounded by mountains and nothing else. In the distance was the defunct reactor. The mansion was more hidden thanks to the trees and a few houses. It was a lot more livelier, with more structured buildings and homes. Even a town gate greeted the five Shinra operatives, with a well-dressed man waiting underneath it.

It turned out to be the mayor, who greeted them with a warm welcome, but mostly addressing Sephiroth. Zack looked for Cloud, ready to show off the cadet, but found the latter wearing his helm. His head tilted, frowning. Before addressing him, the general called for all of them to head over to the inn. A few kids came over, freaking out over the new company and strange wolf, and waved their arms. The others ignored them, retaining their stoic expressions, but the Second smiled and waved back, Torgal barking. The kids giggled.

Man, the inn was the definition of cozy, despite its crazy name, the Nidhogg Hotel. Nothing but lots of yellows, oranges, and browns from the walls, furniture, and decorations. Purple eyes glazed around the room before a hand tapped his shoulder. The general stared at him before revealing a set of keys.

“Fair,” Sephiroth said. Zack held out a hand, and the First placed it in his palm. “The five of us will be sharing three rooms. I will personally take one for myself.”

“What? Don’t wanna snuggle up with everyone else?” Zack chuckled at his own joke. The First huffed through his nose.

“Considering our discussion earlier in the truck, you might find yourself with a room to yourself and your wolf if our fellow cadet wishes to retire to his own home.”

Cloud, startled by the attention, cleared his throat. He looked around, then said, “Thank you, but we’ll see.”

“I don’t mind sharing with you. That all right?” Kunsel looked at the other infantryman, who nodded. The brunette looked down at Torgal. “Plus, I’m sure this guy needs all of the space as well.” The wolf barked, tail swishing back and forth.

“Well, hopefully we won’t be here for long!” Zack beamed. Soon, they all departed upstairs, with Zack taking the middle room. He and Torgal entered inside. Again, it screamed homey and pleasant vibes. Though, the Second wondered if the employees were told ahead of time of their arrival. Wouldn’t be a surprise, but maybe it was more spruced up for Sephiroth, the man of legends himself. His bag bounced onto the bed with a loud thud, as his boots thudded against the wooden floorboards. Torgal hopped onto the bed and whined, rolling on his back and tongue hanging out. Zack chuckled at his friend’s antics.

As the Second made a mental list of tasks, there was a knock on the door. He and Torgal looked at each other. Walking towards the door, Zack opened it to see—

“Spike?”

“Sorry, but I think I’ll sleep at my own place.” Cloud looked down, his blue eyes and blond bangs hidden by the standard helmet. “You wanna join in for dinner?”

“Oh, sure! Want Kuns to—”

“No! Just…you.” Cloud hastily added, “And Torgal.”

“Oh…kay. Sure!” Zack opened the door wider for Torgal to walk through. He walked over to the other room, knocking once before swinging it wide open. He let out a quiet chuckle, seeing Kunsel and the other infantryman conked out on their own beds. Shutting the door quietly, he grinned, saying, “Lead the way!”

The three of them walked to Cloud’s house, the blond cadet darting his head in every direction. Zack raised an eyebrow. “All good there Spike?”

“Yeah, I’ll explain when we get there.”

Zack nodded. “But man, your town’s a bit livelier than I thought!”

“And Gongaga isn’t?”

“No, no, it is. Just a little different ya know.” Zack grinned. Cloud offered a small smile.

The two eventually arrived at the house. A simple two-story house. Not any different than the others. When opening the door, a woman gasped.

“Oh! Gave me a heart attack!” The older woman turned around. She held her hands over her mouth when Cloud took off his helmet. Zack poked out from the side.

“Evenin’!” Zack smiled, Torgal barking after. “Sorry to intrude!”

The woman melted into a warm smile. “It’s no worries. I’m Claudia. Welcome home Cloud.”

“Hi ma,” Cloud said quietly. Then, his mom came over and started pinching his cheeks, his sides. “Ma, quit it!”

Zack and Torgal watched as Claudia fussed over Cloud’s weight, or lack thereof, and if he had a lot of meals back in Midgar. It soon evolved into conversations about his life as a cadet, if he was getting along with others and making friends. Their conversation faded in his ears, as images of his parents overlapped them. Them asking about his day. What he’d like for dinner. A lick to his arm snapped him out, as the Second blinked out of it.

“Are ya hungry?” Claudia asked.

Zack grinned, patting his stomach. “Sure am! Torgal too!”

The wolf barked. Claudia stared at Torgal before walking over to him, patting his head. The wolf let out a pleased whine. She smiled, saying, “You’re just an overgrown puppy aren’t ya?”

“He’s not the only one.” Cloud gave Zack a smirk.

“Spike, c’mere!” Zack locked Cloud under his arm, giving him a noogie to the head. The blond tried to shove him off, but it was fruitless. SOLDIER strength and all that. Eventually, he released the cadet and made his way to the table. The food was delicious, but not as much as Gongaga-style meals.

“Then you need to treat me,” Cloud said.

“One day!”

“Are you sure I can’t feed Torgal?” Claudia asked. She looked at the wolf. “He seems like a heavy eater.” The wolf barked in response.

“Nah. He prefers getting food on his own. Right boy?” Zack looked at the wolf. Torgal nodded. “We’ll be going out after this.”

“But it’s so dark out!”

“Ma, it’ll be fine. He’s a SOLDIER.”

“Even still,” Claudia said, shaking her head. “You better go back once Torgal’s done, you hear me?”

“Yes ma’am,” Zack chuckled, ignoring the instant pang in his heart over someone fretting over his safety. It was a mother thing. Eventually, the duo left the house, with the Second reminding the blond teen to be up and at it first thing in the morning. Cloud snorted, asking right back if he’d be ready by then. With another noogie to the blond’s head, the raven-haired Soldier saluted and departed from the Strife household. He and Torgal exited the town’s perimeters, the latter immediately hunting his prey of wild rabbits and chickens. Full and satisfied, the wolf led the Second back to the hotel. Climbing upstairs, Zack saw Sephiroth on his PHS. He opened the door to his room, letting his furry companion enter, and closed it.

“Yes Angeal,” the general said. Zack’s ears perked up. Mako eyes spotted him, then turned back to the window outside. “Of course. Take care.” He lowered the PHS down, ending the call, the Second approached him.

“Everything all right?”

“Yes,” Sephiroth answered casually. “Your mentor was merely checking in.”

Zack shook his head, blowing raspberries. “He shouldn’t! I’m about to be First Class!”

“And what makes you so sure of that? They don’t give out that title so easily.”

“Wha–That’s what Lazard said!” Zack frowned at Sephiroth’s amused huff. Then, something occurred to the Second. “You’re…not here on this mission to survey the area. You’re here to see what I would do.”

“Ah, so you’ve figured it out.”

Zack shook his head. Irritation filled quickly, then left his body. His eyes narrowed. “Why would they send their general all the way out here, instead of fighting on the frontlines against Wutai? I thought for sure I was done being babysat.”

Silence fell upon the two. Purple eyes glanced out the window, seeing the moon light everything over the sleepy town. He walked over, putting his gloved hands on the windowsill. Fingers curled up, tightening, nearly bending the wood. Not enough to break it thankfully. He had too much control for that. Then, footsteps followed, creaking next up to him. The young man kept his eyes focused on the view outside, as the man beside him took a deep breath.

“To be honest, I had a feeling you would not need my help. I believe you are more than capable of heading a mission, solo or with a group. Rather, it was a favor from Angeal.”

“Always the motherhen.” Zack shook his head. “He worries too much.”

“And I told him as such,” Sephiroth said, witnessing purple eyes widen at him. “He needs to know that his own student needs to leave the nest.”

“Well, at least one of the Firsts believes in me.”

“As the reports stated,” Sephiroth began. “You’ve proven yourself, especially the last few years. You might’ve been a help in the war.”

“But I wasn’t sent out.”

“Have you noticed that you received more missions in training the Thirds and even a few Seconds? That you’ve been attending SOLDIER candidacy examinations.”

Zack tilted his head. “I just thought that it was part of the job. Had a lot of downtime too.”

“You may not notice it, but many people feel intimidated by the other Firsts. I haven’t been around too often, due to the war, but your presence has, shall we say, a rallying effect.”

“Just like making friends.” Zack pointed his finger at Sephiroth. “Which I’m sure you could benefit from too!”

“Oh?”

“Yeah! Get to know Kuns and Spike during this mission! They’re great buddies!”

Sephiroth offered a small smile. “We shall see.”

“Sure thing Seph!” Zack realized what he said, covering his mouth. The general tilted his head.

“‘Seph?’”

“I, uh, you know how I don’t call people by their full names? Just easier that way.”

“I see.” Another smile graced his lips. “Maybe after you make First, I’ll allow it.”

“Wait, really?”

“Maybe.” Sephiroth bidded him a good night and entered his own room. Zack was in awe before retiring for the night.

---

“Shoot, shoot, shoot!” Zack ran out of the room as if his pants were set on fire. Not that they were, but his legs burned from the sudden bolt of energy. Couldn’t be helped. His alarm didn’t go off, so he slept for an extra thirty minutes. His second alarm did go off, his hand grabbed it, as his eyes blinked at the time. Torgal chased after him. They both burst through the door, which slammed against the wall and squeaked from his unnecessary use of strength. The innkeeper ran out, an angry fist in the air. He turned around, held his hand up in apologies, and ran towards the pathway up the mountain.

Just his luck. Everyone else was already there. Sephiroth stood there, arms crossed with a calm expression on his face. Although, there was a twitch in his eyebrows when Zack finally ran up to him. After that whole conversation with the general last night too. So much for reassurance. His shot at being First was definitely in jeopardy.

“Finally awake Zack!” Kunsel joked, his Soldier helmet in place. “Stayed up playing games again?”

“Not this time!” Wait, wrong thing to say. Zack shook his head, then saluted at Sephiroth. The silver-haired general closed his eyes and nodded, putting on a smile.

“Just in time, as our guide has yet to arrive.” Zack raised an eyebrow at his words.

“Oh, by who?”

“By me!”

Zack turned around to see a young woman, wearing an…interesting outfit. Well, at least she looked prepared for a hike up the mountains. Kinda. Exposed skin seemed a bit dangerous. She walked over to take the lead. “We’re famous for mountain tours, but then the Wutai War escalated.”

Sephiroth nodded. “We should hope it ends soon.”

“I hope so,” the young woman said. She put a hand to her chest. “My name’s Tifa Lockhart. I’ll be your tour guide.”

“Nice to meet ya!” Zack waved, followed by Torgal barking. “This here’s Torgal!”

“A wolf?” Tifa asked, red eyes widening.

“A very good boy!” Zack put his hands on his hips. The wolf wagged his tail, panting. Then, the young girl looked between the six of them. He tilted his head. “Something wrong?”

“It’s just…” Tifa’s red eyes narrowed. “It’s only three Soldiers?”

“Yep! One First and two Seconds!” Zack announced.

“I see.” Tifa shrugged it off and took charge of the group, walking ahead of them. “Then let’s get going!”

“Ah, hold on!” A photographer held up a camera. Sephiroth sighed, but Zack swooped in, bright and sunny.

“Oh! Could you take a photo on my PHS?” Purple eyes gazed at mako ones. “For the guys back home.” That seemed to ease the general, tension bleeding out from his shoulders. They all gathered for a group photo, posing. Then, another on Zack’s PHS. The Second bounced to the photographer and tipped him generously. With a quick message to Cissnei and Tseng, he beamed brightly.

Today was gonna be good!

---

First stop! Shinra Mansion!

But the whole place gave Zack the shivers. Almost akin to the few horror games in his collection. Not in the “something was left here and haunts it,” but more of the “something didn’t sit right with him at all.” Considering it was a former base for the R&D department, that explained a lot to him. He always hated going there. Nothing but awful vibes all around. Even Torgal growled at the mansion.

“Enemy?” Kunsel suggested. Purple eyes scanned for any hint of Wutai soldiers. No recent footprints. No little or excessive damages to any branches or bushes. Then again, it could be due to the heavy rainfall last night. The Second turned his head towards Tifa.

“No recent activity with the mansion?” Tifa shook her head.

“No, but some kids do try to come close to it,” she answered. “Test of courage. That sort of thing.”

“What do you think Fair?” Sephiroth asked.

Zack blinked, realizing he was being addressed, and cleared his throat. “There might be a chance they’re either hiding out here or the reactor. However, considering how close the mansion is to the town, the Wutai soldiers wouldn’t want to risk early discovery just yet. The reactor’s my bet. Lots of room to hide.”

“I agree. But it would be unwise to leave this place not searched carefully.” Sephiroth turned to the two infantrymen. “One of you, stay outside with our guide.”

In a gruff voice, Cloud said, “I’ll come inside.”

Tifa spared Cloud a curious glance before shaking her head. Purple eyes darted back and forth between the two, but he shook his head. There’d be time for that later. He looked at Torgal, asking him to stay put with Tifa as well. The wolf whined, but quickly silenced himself with a pat to the head. He nodded to the general, and the four marched inside.

The mansion definitely gave haunted vibes. Real spooky. Though, not as bad looking as his earlier expectations. No, this place felt lived in and then bam! Suddenly abandoned! Left to its own decay and waste. More importantly, dust. Lots and lots of it.

“Shall we split up?” Sephiroth asked. “We’d cover more ground—”

“Nope! That’s asking for trouble!” Zack interrupted. The general stared at him, slightly troubled that someone would question a superior’s order. “Think real carefully. If there are enemies here, or worse, Wutai soldiers, you think they’d wait for us to regroup? No! ‘Course not!”

“So we stay close together then,” Sephiroth concluded. A small smile formed on his face. “You do have the makings of a strategist if you honed in on that focus.”

Zack grunted as Kunsel threw his arm around his neck. “He’s the best of our Second Class!”

“I just see things differently,” Zack offered nervously.

This was also true, though not the seeing part. In addition to his secret use of magic, Zack was aware of things. He called it his hunch or sixth sense to others. Within his family, it was a voice. Something only they heard, guiding them. The voice was different every time, but his body knew to trust it. It did help Zack early on that things that were considered extremely lucky by outsiders were actually him listening to the voice.

Getting past one boss in his latest video game? No help whatsoever. So inconsistent.

“So Spike.” Zack walked up to Cloud, saying, “Ya wanna?” The two lingered behind Sephiroth and Kunsel, still within sight, but far enough that neither of their voices should be heard. Hopefully.

“That was…her. The friend I was talking about.”

The realization struck Zack. “Oh! That was her! Why didn’t you say anything?”

“‘Cause I told her that I’d come back…as a Soldier.”

Zack nodded. “It just takes time.”

“But it’s already been three years.” Cloud frowned. “I don’t know if I can–”

“Hey!” Zack pinched Cloud’s shoulder. The blond man flinched, flicking his friend away. “None of that! I know you've been working harder than anyone else to get into the Soldier program! It’s not an easy feat!”

“Hey, no chit-chatting.” Sephiroth admonished.

“Right, sorry!”

“But Fair is right,” Sephiroth added. He turned around to Cloud. “It’s varying for everyone, but you’ll be able to join your friend in the ranks too.”

When the general turned around to continue his search, Zack looked at Cloud. He smiled at the light shining brightly in the blond’s big blue eyes. Patting his back, the Second Soldier scurried after his fellow Soldiers.

---

“Guess there wasn’t anything here then.” Zack shook his head.

“Not all was lost in this time searching,” Sephiroth told him. “At least we can confirm that no one was able to access the underground levels.”

“The impatient sort.” Zack looked up towards the mountain with the defunct reactor. He looked at the general. “What now?”

“I wonder if we should head over there now or wait till tomorrow.” Mako eyes narrowed at Fair. Right, this was his mission after all. Zack put a hand to his chin. He looked at Torgal, who nodded.

“Maybe a quick look around the mountain. If any one of us, including Tor, spots anything, then we’ll jump into action.” The Second turned towards Tifa. “Sure ya can handle things, but would hate to see ya get hurt on our account.” The young woman blushed at the flirty tone his words took at the end. There was a gentle bump at his side. His head turning quickly, the blond cadet was right up in his personal space. An undignified snort escaped him.

The general tilted his head, considering the idea. He looked towards Kunsel, Cloud, the extra infantryman, and Tifa, nodding. The young woman charged ahead and led the way, followed by the Shinra operatives.

“You think anyone would really stick around if they found out Shinra was alerted to their presence?” Zack asked Sephiroth, both of them right behind their guide.

“I sincerely doubt it.” Sephiroth replied back. “Genesis and I have been dealing with Wutai on the frontlines for the past year now.”

“Surprised you two haven’t decimated them.”

“The Republic has been keeping an eye on us, since they’d rather we not wipe out a section of the map.”

Zack winced, remembering how much of a vast difference between him and the First Class. It was scary at times. But then he remembered that they were also human. Sorta. Debate on Genesis was up in the air, considering his excessive love for Loveless. Though, Angeal told him privately that Sephiroth was in a class of his own. It was a sore spot for the red-haired First at times, but their friendship mattered more.

“Are the reports true though? That Shinra hasn’t been able to get a foothold now because of the raging storms?” Zack asked.

“Yes.” Sephiroth frowned. “When Genesis and I were about to storm the capital, the skies grew dark suddenly. Then, rather than Wutai soldiers, many aquatic creatures appeared and stood in our way. They were no match for Genesis and I, but they killed many of the infantrymen, even many Thirds and a few Seconds. It was unheard of. We had to make a tactical retreat.”

“Yeah, I remember Shinra being on your asses for that.” The report from that mission was straight out of a novel. It included other details the general left out. Along with aquatic creatures appearing, nature favored Wutai as well. The weather poured too heavily for any intruder to see or walk through. Whirlpools appeared out of nowhere to sweep up the soldiers one by one. Streams of water gushing out from the ground, flooding the entire battlefield.

As if someone manipulated the water itself.

“I’d rather endure the lecture than risk the lives of our fellow comrades.” Sephiroth paused in his walk, looking down. Oh. Oh, that look was all too familiar to the young man. When his mentor was lost in his own head, needing something to ground him back to reality. Zack watched the general for a few moments, then with a deep breath, walked up to him and patted his back.

“Hey, that’s why you’re the general.” When mako eyes looked at him, Zack said, “You’re looking out for everyone, not just yourself.”

Sephiroth huffed, amused. “I do hope you become a First Fair. Your insight and heart would be a very much welcomed addition.”

“Tell that to the higher-ups!” Zack beamed proudly. Then, his smile fell off a little. “Though, I did this mostly to be a hero.”

“You dreamt of being one?”

“Just like you, Angeal and Genesis!”

Sephiroth smiled. “Sooner than you think.”

Before Zack added more, the three of them arrived at the reactor. Torgal lowered his head to sniff, then let out a growl. The Second knelt down and rubbed the wolf’s head.

“Fair?” Sephiroth called out. His eyes narrowed at seeing Zack slowly draw his sword. Masamune was pulled out as well, the metal sound echoing in the air. The infantrymen held their guns tightly, as Kunsel approached his fellow Soldiers, short sword and gun at the ready.

Then, a screeching shrill.

The skies darkened. The ground rumbled. Everyone tried to steady their balance, the Soldiers and Torgal succeeding and the others failing. Then, the shaking grew worse and worse. Suddenly, metal creaked before the factory doors burst with rushing water. Purple eyes widened for a fraction, then he lunged for Tifa as he and Torgal jumped towards the sides. Sephiroth jumped onto the higher ledge. Kunsel did the same with Cloud, but the infantryman was swept away by the water, screaming into the distance. The water died down, but red eyes widened in panic.

“The town!” Tifa screamed in horror. Images of the cozy town, delighted adults, and curious children—All overtaken and being overrun by Wutai soldiers, nightmarish creatures, and devastating waters flashed in the Second’s mind.

Cursing under his breath, Zack shot his eyes towards Kunsel and Cloud. “Go with Tifa! Head back and evacuate everyone immediately!”

A loud shrilling screech caught everyone's attention. Creatures of the deep appeared from the doorway, Wutai soldiers pouring out from the sides. There was no choice now!

Suddenly, the wolf jumped down and released a bellowing howl. A burst of coldness rushed through the air. Then, ice formed on the water underneath his paws. Ice crackled through, a layer creeping over the aquatic monsters and enemy soldiers. Another howl summoned a barrage of icicles, creating a wall between them and the sudden intruders. Through ragged breathing and rapid blinking, Zack stared at Torgal in shock.

“You could do that?!”

“Zack!” Kunsel called. Out of his stupor, his fellow Second adjusted his fighting stance.

“Ya heard me! Evacuate the town!” Thunder boomed over their heads, accompanied by an onslaught of rain. Sephiroth clicked his tongue to the side. The grip on his sword grew tighter. The sudden weather change. Last night was just a prologue. “Now, before this mountain becomes a bloodbath!”

Kunsel nodded, running through the muddied terrain, as Tifa and Cloud followed suit. Ice cracked. Zack, Sephiroth, and Torgal turned their attention to the frozen enemies.

“Shall we make our way inside?” Sephiroth asked, holding Masamune high and proud. The soldiers and creatures broke free and charged forth.

“Anything to get out of this rain!” Zack yelled, running towards the enemies. One by one, they all fell by his sword, red blood mixing into the clear water. He pushed the aquatic creatures off the cliff, the three making their way inside.

More Wutai soldiers climbed up the stairs, as monsters took the walls for transport. Torgal belted out a howl, particles of light blue radiating off his fur, and summoned ice to freeze the soldier’s feet.

“Good boy!” Zack grunted, knocking out the soldiers. The long, thin metal of Masamune sliced right through the creatures, blood splattering on the ground.

BAM! The doors slammed shut.

“Crap!” Purple eyes narrowed. He ran back to the entrance, pounding a fist against it. Water gushed in through the openings. A trap. Luckily, they had an ace up their sleeve. Torgal released another howl, stopping the water into a wicked ice statue of motion. Zack and Sephiroth exchanged looks and charged at the doors with both of their pauldrons. The doors flew open, several Wutai soldiers flying to the ground. To their relief, no more aquatic monsters. The enemy soldiers were quickly disposed of, but the rain continued its heavy pour. The Second pulled out his PHS and hit the call button.

“Kuns!”

“We’re getting everyone out!”

“I’ll phone for helicarriers and trucks,” Sephiroth informed from the side, pulling out his own PHS. Zack relayed the message.

“Stay safe and dry, we’ll see if there’s any more soldiers up here.” With a grunt of approval from Kunsel, Zack hung up. Then, the entire mountain shook underneath their boots. A crater burst open, followed by a swimming creature. It hovered down, its fins swinging back and forth. It almost resembled a mermaid, but there was no face. Instead, its head was all red and covered in coral.

“Careful Fair, this one feels different,” Sephiroth said.

“It sure does.”

The mermaid creature screeched and threw its arms up, creating tidal waves. The waves rushed towards them, but Zack sliced through one to create an opening. But it slammed into him. Rolling on the ground, his body came to a stop. Covered in scratches, he stood up and grabbed his sword. He watched as the creature fought against the general. Even he was given a hard time. Maybe…

Zack pulled out one of his mastered materia. Lightning. Torgal skidded across the ground, appearing next to him. Frost formed at the tips of his fur.

“Tor, hold it down for me!” The wolf barked as Zack surged forth.

Sephiroth deflected its winding arms. Sweat appeared at the crown of his head, strands of hair sticking to his skin. Mako eyes widened as a howl echoed through the field. Icicles spiked up and captured the mermaid’s tail. Rapid footsteps climbed up the ice, and the Second jumped up, holding a green materia. Glowing a bright yellow, a lightning bolt connected with it and shocked the mermaid. It shrieked, and Zack landed on the ground. He stood next to Sephiroth, sword raised, and the general did the same. They launched at it and sliced through it.

The creature let out a dying shriek, then disappeared into evaporating particles. The rain continued pouring, drenching the two Soldiers and washing away their sweat and grime. Torgal walked up to Zack, receiving many scratches behind his ear.

The Second put away the lightning materia into his pocket. Purple eyes glanced at the general, who wore a deep frown and breaths were a little shallower than usual. Then, a perky tune chimed through the air. Hand snatching and opening it, a panicked voice reached his ears.

“Z-Zack!”

His eyes widened. “Spike!”

“...help! …too many…down here—” The line cut off.

Heart dropping, Zack looked at Sephiroth. Immediately, the three raced down the mountain, mako blood running on sheer adrenaline. The Second took a stumble or two, but immediately caught up with the First in record time. They both saw the mansion in sight—

And a whole barrage of Wutai soldiers.

Zack and Torgal raced through them, cutting them down or biting into their weak points. A yelp caught the Second’s attention. Purple eyes darted behind him. A kid stood in front of the window, watching in shocked awe. Just at that moment, the young man remembered he was covered in someone else’s blood.

“Argh!” Zack grunted. The sting of metal bit into his arm, followed by another one on his chest. He shoved the soldier away from him, and Torgal launched himself onto them, biting on their jugular. Hard. Blood soaked the wolf’s fangs and mouth. The enemy fell to the ground, lifeless.

“Hey!” Zack spun around, Kunsel and Cloud running towards him and Torgal. The fellow Second panted, shouting, “Everyone’s in the mansion! They’re safe!”

“Good work,” Sephiroth addressed him.

“Sir!” Kunsel saluted.

“We need to make an evacuation route from here to the town entrance. The trucks should be here soon,” the general spoke. His eyes spotted Zack’s wounds. “Fair, you’re—”

“I’m okay Seph! Really!” His wounds were nothing. Mere scratches, just like the ones from his falls and crashes into the ground. The general stared at him, then sighed and broke away from his determined look.

“Have your wolf try to sniff out any more Wutai enemies. Second Class Kunsel and Cadet Strife will help me make a secure route. Can you protect them?”

Zack took a deep breath, puffing out his chest, and nodded. Sephiroth nodded, then ordered Kunsel and Cloud to follow him. The blond spared him one last look, then focused his bright blue eyes straight ahead of him. Tilting his head down, he met with Torgal’s steady gaze.

“Let’s go Tor.” The wolf barked, his pearl whites still stained with red. The two walked around the mansion, muscles tighter than a spring coil. A few Nibelheim residents waved at him. He made eye contact with them, waving his hand. An image of that one Wutai kid he kept running into overlapped one of the kids. His heart loudly drummed against his ribcage. He could do it. He can do it. He can protect these people. They mattered the most.

And he…

A piercing wail rang against the deafening rain. The wolf jerked his head up, eyes wide with confusion. His ears weren’t hallucinating. There was a baby out in this storm! There was no way he would leave them alone!

“Tor, stay here!” The wolf barked, not liking this command one bit. “Torgal, please.” The wolf whined, padding his feet anxiously. With one good pat to the head, the Second sped off in search of the baby. As he ran through the rain again, something in his pockets warmed. Probably his mako-induced muscles heating up in spite of the cold. As the baby’s cries grew louder, clearer, his leg grew warmer.

Zack finally arrived at a shed and pushed away the boards. With wide purple eyes, a gasp escaped his lips. “K-Kid?” That same brat he always encountered held a small baby in her arms, frantic panic evident in her dark brown eyes. But the baby was weird. There were blue markings all over his face and hands.

And its hands…

His hands glowed blue.

“Magic,” Zack uttered, dread flooding his senses. The brat’s eyes widened further.

“No! Don’t hurt Waljas!”

“Wal–Huh?”

“THERE THEY ARE!”

Multiple footsteps approached and surrounded the shed. Dozens of Wutai soldiers. But Zack knew he wasn’t the target. Not even the focus at all. All eyes were on the brat and the baby.

“Princess Yuffie, please return with us!”

The brat–Yuffie–shook her head. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

“Princess—”

“You’re gonna use him! It’s going to hurt him!” Yuffie held Waljas closer to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut, and turned her back against the adults. As if trying to end this horrid nightmare.

Oh. Oh, that made Zack’s blood boil hot.

“You’re…using kids huh,” his words came out calm, dark. “That’s a new low ya know. Even for you guys.”

“STEP ASIDE SHINRA DOG!” The Wutai soldier charged with his spear, but Zack dodged it and grabbed the rod. He lifted the soldier up and swung at the other soldiers. They were knocked down instantly, groaning in pain. A few sniffles and quiet babbling caught his attention again, as he knelt down in front of Yuffie.

“Kid, we need to get you to safety!”

“I’m not leaving without him!” Yuffie cried, holding Waljas tight with a fierce expression. “That’s my ninja promise!” Zack nodded, then spotted a blanket nearby. It was sorta dry, but it’ll have to do for now. He spread it over the girl, hiding her upper face and hair instantly. Tucking the baby’s blanket down to cover, well, everything, he looked into Yuffie’s eyes.

“You know how to disguise yourself in a crowd of people?” Zack watched Yuffie stare blankly before nodding frantically. “You’re going into that mansion, through the back door, and wait there till I get you.”

“B-But—”

“I’ll protect you and Wally here. SOLDIER honor.” His purple eyes hardened as steel. Dark brown eyes searched for any falsehoods, wanting to call him a liar. Instead, she choked up and pressed herself closely to the young man. With his hand pressing against the back of her head, the two exited the shed and quickly headed for the mansion.

Kunsel spotted them from a distance, but his fellow Second made no changed expression. Good. The flimsy disguise worked. Luckily, the rain eased up, so the three of them arrived at the mansion’s back entrance. Torgal immediately darted around the corner and sniffed Yuffie and Waljas. She pushed the wolf’s snout away, crying in disgust.

“Ugh! Foul beast!” She pretended to heave. “Smelly breath!”

Zack chuckled. He stood up—

Only to find his vision sideways. His head throbbed from the sudden pain from behind. Torgal barked, ice frosting around him, but a dart hit his neck. The wolf tumbled to the side, but was still able to growl at the approaching enemy soldiers. Yuffie drew herself closer, scared.

“Get…away from them!” Zack roared, jumping to his feet, and mowed down the soldiers in his sight. Then, a shrill cry from behind. He turned around, seeing a soldier hold the baby in his hands. Yuffie pounded weakly against the soldier’s chest, sobbing in a frenzy.

“NO!” Zack dashed forth—

“SHOW YOURSELF! LEVIATHAN!”

The baby’s wailing turned into an echoing roar. The blue glow spread from the baby’s arms to his body brightly. The light dimmed for a moment before sprouts of water burst forth from the baby. Everyone was blasted against the walls, the trees, and boulders. Suddenly, cracks appeared. A gush of water poured from underneath, rapidly flooding the entire area and drowning anyone in its path. The cracks grew bigger and bigger—

BAM!

A corner of the mansion broke from the cascading water pouring forth. Zack, Torgal, and Yuffie gasped for air. He coughed up more water, his vision clearing up. Suddenly, the water drifted upwards. The Second followed the droplets, staring up. His eyes widened, jaw agape in horror.

What...What in the world is that?!

A vortex of swirling water from nowhere, shaking the ground fiercely. Then, a monstrous cry echoed throughout the valley. Within it, the young man heard it.

A baby’s cry.

“ZACK!” Kunsel rounded the corner and lifted him up. He managed to find his balance, then marched over to the covered Yuffie and Torgal. A pathetic whine escaped the wolf’s throat. Screams of panic filled the air. The four of them watched as the townsfolk marched at a rapid pace, single file line, surrounded by new infantrymen.

Sephiroth clicked his tongue and looked at the squadron of infantrymen. "EVERYONE! ESCORT THE TOWNSFOLK AND HEAD TO THE TRUCKS! NOW!"

“SEPH!” Mako eyes brightened at the sight of him.

“ZACK!”

The four slowly paced over to Sephiroth’s location, but something creaked in the air.

SWOOSH!

Zack fell to the ground, as did everyone else beside him. His eyes popped out of their sockets seeing a huge…tail flatten the path. It slowly lifted off the ground, with mud and plants sticking to its scales. Thank Alexander there were no bodies. But that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen. The roar echoed throughout the valley, everyone wincing from piercing sound. Purple eyes trailed after the tail, turning around, and found it attached to—

“WH-WHAT IS THAT?!” Kunsel screamed at the top of his lungs.

Even through the heavy rain, clashing against rock and mud, Zack heard Yuffie whisper, “Leviathan.”

That…That was Wutai’s deity?

Nothing could ever prepare the Second this sight. It wasn’t a snake as he imagined it. It definitely wasn’t a fish. No. It was…Using the word monster would be a huge insult. This…Leviathan was gargantuan. Tall enough to even touch the clouds—That was how he manipulated the weather. All of those raging storms. The rain and thunder. The aquatic creatures.

That came from it!

“DIE!” A Wutai soldier slashed at Zack’s pants. He gasped, as the lucky materia slipped out of the torn pocket and clattered on the dirt, but he slew the Wutai soldier down. The other Wutai soldiers stared at the Second in shock, with a few hands pointing at the mysterious materia. Zack picked it up, but then got rushed by a few more. Mowing them down with the sword, he held it tightly.

“HE HAS A SUMMON!”

“GRAB IT!”

“DON’T LET HIM ESCAPEt!”

“A summon?” Zack asked aloud. He knocked away the oncoming enemy soldiers. “Do you know what that is, Kuns?!”

“No!” Kunsel slashed down a row of soldiers, then fired several rounds. “Where did you even find that?!”

“Torgal did! Held it for safe keeping!”

“Zack—” Kunsel cut himself off from a soldier.

"Don't let him get away!" A Wutainese soldier charged at Zack. He deflected the attack, but more kept appearing. In the distance, Sephiroth unleashed his blade, mowing them down. However, his breath was ragged. Zack's face scrunched up. Staring at the mysterious materia, he gave it a good squeeze and glared at the Wutai soldiers.

"Kunsel! Go!"

"Zack!" His eyes appeared through the peep hole, widening, and for a moment, a hint of fear in them. The Second narrowed his eyes.

"GO! I'LL LEAD THEM AWAY!" Without hearing another input, Zack ran away. He ran and ran and ran with no end in sight. He dodged any flying debris, all of his senses heightened. He reached towards the cliffside of the mountain, his back turned against the whirling typhoon. The Wutai soldiers stood their ground, but did not make the first move. They hesitated going near their roaring deity.

So Zack made the first move for them. He ran them down, the materia in his other pocket pressing against his thigh.

A piercing roar rang throughout the entire region. Panicked townsfolk screamed, cried out, as infantrymen kept them in check. They slew any creatures towards their way, either by the steel blade or guns. Cloud kept his arms around his mother and Tifa. Kunsel backed up his fellow general, praying for Zack's safety. Sephiroth cursed aloud, seeing nothing but a storm of Wutai soldiers and monsters.

While Wutai’s soldiers were down for the count, Zack took a moment to breathe. Then, multiple spouts of water burst out from the ground. They shaped themselves into forms, and aquatic creatures jumped onto the ground. The growing typhoon grew fiercer. But his blood? It felt hot. Boiling even. Each time a droplet crashed against his skin, he swore he saw steam. The new creatures lunged towards the Second. He deflected them, slaying them one by one.

"ARGH!" Zack cried.

His back screamed in agony. He collapsed to the ground, hot blood running down his back. Tears stung the corner of his eyes. Was this how it would end?

...

...No!

NO! IT WON’T!

Zack refused! He refused to die, not now! He grunted, pushing himself off the ground, and grabbed his sword. His hold on it wobbled, but kept his feet steady. The source of these creatures had to be that sea serpent. How did one fight it?!

Wait, the Wutai soldiers said that it was a summon. They were after the materia Zack had. The Second pulled it out, then gasped loudly.

The materia wasn't charcoal anymore. It burned brightly, fires spinning around in the center. It burned in his hand, warmth spreading all around. It burned. It burned!

"HELP ME OUT HERE!" Zack roared to the heavens, throwing his clenched hand around the materia into the air. Fire from his magic surrounded it. It shone brightly in the gray storm, a beacon. The creatures approached slowly. His heart raced. His eyes shut tight.

“SAVE US!”

---

Time stopped for a single moment. Then—

BOOM!

The ground trembled beneath their feet, startling the people. Then, a brilliant light shined from the back. Heads turned around and marveled in awe and fear. A column of fire grew bigger and bigger—

BOOM!

A bigger explosion echoed throughout the valley, sending a wave of hot air, smoke, and cinders. The ground became magma. Trees and plants and wooden houses alike burned. A child clung to his mother's dress. In his reflection, a pair of burning horns emerged from the smoke. The storm dispersed, as the serpent roared at the newcomer.

Zack fell back, covered in light bruises and burns. He watched as the aquatic creatures burst into flames when the new summon appeared. He dragged himself to dirt, flinging his hands down to put out any cinders with the wet dirt and mud. With the strength sapped away, he collapsed to the ground, heaving. He rolled onto his back, staring up at the creature.

The summon was massive, almost around fifty meters tall. But it was way smaller than the great serpent before it. Wouldn’t fire be at a huge disadvantage? What choice did the Second have anyway? Purple eyes continued to look upon the summon’s form. Its body was reminiscent of coal, burning brightly around its joints and chest. The pair of horns lit up bright red, flames flickering off of them. It turned its face, the pair of beady eyes staring directly at Zack. Its color flickered between gold and blue. Suddenly, cold air hit the Second's skin. Near freezing. His eyes looked at the corner, frowning.

"Tor...gal?"

At least, Zack assumed it was Torgal. But the wolf wasn't gray and white. Nor was he abnormally the size of a deployment truck. His eyes were a piercing blue instead of its usual yellow. His fur was a dark blue, turning white. Shells of armor covering his back, chest, and ankles. Wisps of teal aether radiated from his form. His tail wrapped around Zack's waist, lifting his limp form, and he let out a howl. Everything was hot and cold. Then, everything was a blur around him. Zack watched as the forms of the newcomer and Leviathan grew smaller in his vision.

Leviathan shrieked at the mysterious summon, gaining his attention. Suddenly, in front of its jaws, a glowing sphere grew and grew and grew–It launched a huge beam of water towards the fiery summon. The fiery summon howled back, quickly dodging to the side. However, the water beam tore through hills and trees. People ducked away from its watery path, being thoroughly drenched in the process.

The fiery summon unleashed a wave of fire. It sprung into the air. The serpent created spheres of water, launching them at it. It summoned fire around its hands and feet, colliding with the water and creating steam, and launched even faster through the air. Suddenly, the sea serpent burst through the steam and mawed through its arm. The torn arm bounced on the ground, creating cesspools of fire and blood. The fiery summon roared, flipping its entire body, and blasted fire from its legs, diving down into the ground. It dragged Leviathan’s head through the ground, as fire gathered around its wound, forming a new bone, layers of muscles, and molten skin.

The fiery demon roared and lifted its arms up, creating a ball of fire. It threw the fire down at Leviathan. The serpent shrieked, creating a barrier around it, shimmering its spherical form in blue scales any time debris bounced off of it. The fire attack split into two, veering into different directions and creating columns of fire. Cinders and ash followed in their wake. The fiery summon growled in frustration. Turning its head towards a mountain, it grabbed the peak of it, as cracks glowed a bright orange and broke away. The mountain crumbled, breaking into boulders and cascading down onto the defunct factory. Multiple explosions imploded the factory in its wake, but neither creatures cared.

One of them had to disappear.

The fiery summon pressed the mountain against Leviathan’s barrier. The rock melted under its burning talons, rain cooling and hardening it. With its hands attached to the barrier, it pushed it towards the broken mountain. Once the barrier was on top of it, it pulled its hands out, cracking the surface, and shoved its hands into the ground.

Dig, dig, dig, dig, deeper!

The earth itself trembled.

Dig, dig, dig, dig, deeper!

The ground began bubbling, glowing red…orange…yellow.

Delve, delve, delve, delve, deeper!

Light pierced through the cracks, magma spewing out.

Weep, weep, weep, weep, weeper!

Mount Nibel exploded.

Plumes of smoke and magma engulfed Leviathan’s barrier. Fiery rocks sprayed across the surrounding area, magma spewing towards the raging water, quickly hardening into rock in the ravine. The sea serpent screeched. Magma clawed at the bottom of its barrier. Cracks formed. Suddenly, the fiery demon appeared on top of it, with a smaller ball of fire in his hand, and punched the barrier. It shattered into pieces. Leviathan roared, as fire and water engulfed them both.

Everything exploded in a fiery column before blasting out into the valley. Dirt, smoke, and water poured upon the evacuated people. The people, townsfolk, infantrymen, and SOLDIERs, spoke in hushed whispers. The creatures—No, monsters—They were gone right?

Right?

---

Disoriented was the best word to describe the people at Nibelheim.

Everyone, the residents, the Shinra operatives, and pets, awaited with bated breath. Masks were distributed out, filtering out the ash-filled air. They waited for another quake beneath their feet. For fire to continue its wild path. For water to drown them. Instead, the fires quickly sizzled up from the light drizzle. It was only then that a child burst into tears, wailing into their mother’s dress. Just like a dam breaking apart, the townsfolk broke. Tears ran down their ash-covered and drenched faces. Loved ones held each other close, letting the emotions course through their bodies.

A quiet order rang throughout the cries. The silver-haired general pointed the infantrymen to dig out the trucks from the mud, to prepare them for operation. Several operatives carried out the mission in a daze, eyes always turning towards the battlefield. Rather, wouldn’t it be more accurate to call it a natural disaster instead?

Cloud did his best to soothe a crying Tifa, along with his mother. His mother held fast, holding back tears of his own. He looked around, mind hazy. A layer of ash fell all around. He spotted Kunsel, pacing back and forth on a PHS, and muttering a quiet apology, slipped away from the women's hold and jogged over. "Kunsel?"

"Cloud?" There was a wet garble to his voice. "I'm trying—He's not picking up!”

Cloud knew immediately. He stared up at the scorched mountain. His eyes widened as a flash of silver passed by him and Kunsel. He and the Second shared a look before they followed after the general, knowing that the others could care for the distraught townsfolk.

They had to find their friend.

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, scouring for any sign of the brave, foolish Second. He had to. His ears picked up familiar footsteps behind him. The general spared them not another thought nor second. He continued on with his search, climbing through the wet and burning remains of Nibelheim.

"Zack!" Cloud yelled.

"Zack!" Kunsel dragged his name out.

Mako eyes darted everywhere, seeing any sign, any movement. His boots gave way to a hard crunch. He frowned. A dead Wutai soldier. Either drowned, burned, or both. The three continued further, deeper, with the two younger men calling out in a desperate frenzy. They arrived at the Shinra Mansion—At least, the remains of it. Burned to the ground, drenched, and collapsed in on itself. They continued on with their search, even reaching the reactor. Even the defunct reactor did not withstand the destructive chaos. The general winced when something rang in his mind, but shook his head. His foot brushed against something.

The general frowned and picked it up. A materia. One that looked similar to the one in Zack's hands. This one was different. Rather than a swirling blue or blazing orange, it was completely black, save for the center. Streams of dark purple surrounded its bright red core.

"Sir?" Cloud called out.

"We'll keep searching." Sephiroth commanded, pocketing the materia. "We have to find him."

"You don't need to tell me twice." Kunsel tried to sound cheery, but fell through halfway.

"I'm not stopping, not even when night comes." Cloud tightened his fists. Zack protected his home, his best friend and mom, from the Wutai soldiers. It was the least he could do.

"We will," Sephiroth said. "We have to."

As the three men split up, a young girl in the trees watched carefully, hands pressing against her masked nose and mouth. When there was no sign of them, she lowered them into her lap, upon the sleeping baby, covered with multiple scarves around his mouth and nose.

“Where did you go?” Yuffie asked quietly.

---

Elsewhere, there were two men on an abandoned airway. One in the air control tower. The other directly under an airplane of self-make.

Inside the tower, a man sleepily sat in a chair, leaning back, and watched on a small television. On a tiny screen, the footage of Leviathan battled the mysterious, second Eikon of fire. The view was all over the place. Rain, dirt, and fire flew across the screen. The footage then shrunk to a small part of the corner, with a spooked newscaster reporting it.

"What a damn, bloody mess," a gravely voice said. Dark green eyes casted over to the cloudy sky beyond the mountain range. He took out a cigar from his pocket and put it between his lips. His fingers snapped as lightning sparked it alight. One good inhale of smoke, the man looked down from the patrol tower. He turned on the speakers. "What's the status on our little flier then?" He asked into the mic. There was clamor of metals clanging about. His lips tugged into a devious smile.

"Ah, shut yer damn trap! Or better yet, get yer ass down here and help!" A blond man yelled at the top of his lungs, wheeling out from underneath the aircraft. He stared up at the dirty blond in the tower, scowling deeply.

"You know damn well if I gave it a shot, you'd yell at my sorry arse for messing up your perfect vision. Poor vision I'd say aye."

"Screw you Telamon!"

---

Elsewhere, far from the decimated lands of Nibelheim, a young Second panted heavily with an occasional cough. He was propped against a scratchy tree, his violet eyes struggling to stay open. A pitiful whine made him glance up.

"Tor—" Zack winced, falling to his side. Right. His back, wounded. Still bleeding out. The wolf, back to his normal form, whined and pushed his snout against his throbbing head. "Tor...gal...I'm sorry," he wheezed pathetically. "Don't think...I'm gonna...make...it..." The wolf continued to whine, desperate and pleading. He tried everything to stay awake. He didn't want to leave the wolf alone. Sharp pain shot through his body. A single tear squeezed out from his eye.

Was this it? Up in smoke and flames? Sounds like a fitting end. He just wished he was around his friends. With a tiny sigh, inhaling the ashy air, Zack coughed and tilted his head to the sky, gazing at the shades of pinks, purples, and reds. His vision grew hazy. His wound felt numb. His body was cold.

Then, a curious thing happened.

Metal clicked against the stone ground. The wolf's whines fell quiet. Suddenly, Zack felt his body float in the air, being huddled close to someone. Someone very warm. His eyes were fully closed, but something cupped his bleeding face. A...gloved hand?

"You'll be all right now."

Then, darkness.