A/N: Hello, everyone! This is a fresh new twist on all things Final Fantasy VII. It's a one-shot, so bear with me; but I do hope you enjoy the drabble~ The ending sort of bothered me, but oh well.

It was dark. Everything was dark; but what else was new?

Two fresh subjects – or victims, rather – were caught in the net, shipped then imprisoned in a liquefied cell. It was just another day for those that worked within the ShinRa Mansion – another day of sampling, neutralizing, infusions, and deconstruction.

Figures cloaked in white wandered the basement floor, forming new discoveries – angels of science. With clipboards in hand, they scratched their observations with old pencils which were half-way used. As time passed, the sun sank behind the Nibelheim trees, and a new night was approaching. Staffing decreased as the day dragged on, and those that remained were no longer the angels of science.

No. Science became their scythe – they became the angels of death; pawns of the greater evil known as ShinRa.

Clad in white, two scientists launched their final grotesque experiment.

'The S-Cells,' one of them said. He was a tall man, barking orders to his shorter counterpart. 'Take a few vials out.'

'We're starting that test today?' the shorter scientist queried.

'Indeed. Professor Hojo wanted results, and he will get results.'

Gloved hands ghosted over the dial of a steel safe, twisting and twisting until the lock clicked open. The thick door of the safe creaked open, and a cool breeze was released. It was a small cooler without any form of installed light, protecting newly harvested cells from death before they could be used. Two vials were snagged from their holding, and they were brought out of their cold darkness.

'One dose for each of them.' The taller man had said with a mysterious voice. He stood in front of two occupied, mako-filled chambers – one chamber held a male SOLDIER First Class, and the other, a male infantryman. Both were unconscious, drowning in glowing liquid. Prior to their imprisonment, they were collected at the Nibelheim Reactor, wounded from a force unknown to the science department. The Turks spent their days investigating the reactor; and the scientists? Only cared for the sake of experimentation.

The shorter scientist flipped a switch, draining the mako from the chambers. The two ShinRa mercenaries did not stir in their cylindrical keep. The chamber doors slid open, and the two scientists approached them, eager to conduct the first trial to the experiment. The shorter one inserted a vial of S-Cells into a syringe, armed with a long, thick needle. The taller one did the same. Simultaneously, they flicked the needles of their syringes, and a droplet of serum leaked out. The first vial was given to the blonde-haired infantryman. Vigorously, the needle ran through the infantryman's garb and into his chest, aiming for his cardiovascular system.

The needle glided deep inside his flesh. His mako-drenched skin was a passageway for several droplets of mako itself – droplets ran down, soaking the injection site.

Promptly, there came a slight burn. Then it grew.

And grew.

And grew.

When it no longer felt like a burn, it became pure agony. Every part of the infantryman's body became tense, and his eyes shot open, wide-awake from his induced slumber. His eyes shone blue-green in the dimly lit room, infused with mako energy. He caught sight of the scientist before him, but his mind was wrapped in pain. He shut his eyes once more, and he groaned from the torture.

Groaning.

Writhing.

Screaming.

Bearing the pain was a horrendous task for him – S-Cells were being injected into his body, latching onto his own cells and morphing them into something less human. As soon as the S-Cells entered his body, he was no longer an ordinary human. He was far from ordinary now.

Snapping out of the pain, he swiped the syringe from the scientist's hand and kicked him in the chest. The scientist flew across the floor, his head colliding with the operation table behind him.

The taller one had already injected the SOLDIER First Class with S-Cells; and he jerked his head towards the infantryman. Indecisiveness seized him, and he was frozen from the infantryman's mako-cursed glare. When the taller man did not act, the SOLDIER test subject in front of him did. He too had awoken, eyes heavy from slumber, body bearing the pain of the S-Cell injection. Clenching his hands into tight fists, the SOLDIER drew his arm back and punched the remaining scientist in the jaw, sending him to the cement floor.

The two angels of death were out of reach.

'Cloud,' the SOLDIER coughed, choking from the mako in his throat. 'You okay?'

He turned towards the infantryman who came with a quick reply, 'Where are we?'

The SOLDIER stepped out of his chamber and scanned the room, evaluating the cracked walls and antique book shelves. 'This room is… old. Nothing like back at HQ. We're probably at the ShinRa Mansion. It's the only place I know that's ancient like this room.'

'Zack,' the infantryman jumped out of his chamber, 'We're still in Nibelheim?'

'I guess so,' the SOLDIER muttered, still dazed from his stupor.

Abruptly, Cloud coughed, suffocating from the mako fumes that filled the room. Despite being exposed to mako for days at a time and having his body infused with such energy, he had yet to grow accustomed to the effects. His body was adjusting but not fast enough. He looked towards Zack who had already adapted to the mako. Zack's eyes whipped to his companion, analyzing his saturated attire. The infantryman could not stop coughing.

'We need to change.' Zack suggested. He trailed over to the unconscious taller scientist, stealing a set of keys from him. 'Your mako-soaked clothes aren't going to help you.'

Cloud never was a man of words, but he nodded his head in compliance, and they made their way to the exit.

Zack sat on the bed, waiting for Cloud to finish changing out of his poisoned infantryman gear. He rummaged through his pocket out of boredom and felt a stray piece of paper, hidden in the depths of his uniform pocket. His fingers hooked onto the paper, curious as to what it entailed. It was folded into fourths but yellowed from age and experimental contamination. He unfolded the note, puzzled as to what it would say.

Thinking back, he remembered Aerith's face beautiful. Her voice echoed in his head, reminding him of who was waiting back in Midgar. He opened the piece of paper and was astonished.

They're tiny, but you have lots right?

That's right! Wanna hear?

How many of 'em do you got?

Hmm… twenty… three?

Write them down, so I won't forget.

Aerith had written to him:

"I have twenty-three tiny wishes, but you probably won't remember them all.
So I put them all together into one:
I'd like to spend more time with you."

When Cloud emerged from the bathroom, he was wearing a complete SOLDIER First Class uniform, clad in black and living his dream. Well, to an extent at least. The thought of him being dressed as a SOLDIER was still raw in his head; but when he saw Zack, he noticed how he was slumped over on the bed, shoulders heavy from thinking so much. A frown carved its way onto Cloud's face.

'Cloud,' Zack mumbled, staring at the paper in his hands. 'I… I have to go to Midgar.'

Cloud hesitated, confused. His mouth opened, but he did not know how to reply.

But then came the sudden question: 'Wanna come with me?'

Cloud grinned and spoke softly to Zack, 'We're friends… right?'

The true First Class chuckled in pure joy, 'Oh yeah!' and he shot up from the bed. The two companions stepped forward and bumped their forearms together – a symbol of their long-standing friendship.

'We made it this far,' Zack said. 'Friends 'til the end.'

When they escaped ShinRa Manor, they caught the drift of something peculiar.

'The town has been rebuilt,' Cloud murmured, spanning his view across buildings that bore no signs of age. The homes and shops that were once burned down had been restored; the flames that consumed the town had been extinguished; and the lives that were lost on that fateful night were replaced with new ones.

But where were the new ones?

The town seemed empty.

Cloud's lips pursed at the thought: When a toy breaks, ShinRa buys itself a new one.

A hand patted Cloud's shoulder. 'Hey.'

Cloud turned away, filled with anguish.

'We can't do anything about it, Cloud.'

The infantryman gazed down into his palms, palms that were covered by new, black leather gloves. He uttered, 'That's why I wish I was in SOLDIERbefore.'

The subtle sound of footsteps drew near where Cloud and Zack stood. Assuming a fighting stance, Zack was ready to face what would rear itself for battle. Cloud, on the other hand, was unarmed, vulnerable to attacks.

Suddenly, a pack of ShinRa soldiers surfaced from the bushes, pointing their rifles at the two former test subjects. Zack drew the Buster Sword from his back while one hand buried itself in his pocket.

'Get ready, Cloud,' he growled.

When another pack of soldiers came charging into the scene, Zack moved in for battle. He removed his hand from his pocket and released a blue orb from his grasp. It flew over his head and the sight of it was seen in the corner of Cloud's eye.

Perfect.

Realizing the intent, Cloud seized the materia and a vibrant glow protruded from his hand. The soldiers approached the fellow infantryman, rifles ready to shoot fresh bullets, but with one swift swipe of the hand, a strong bolt of electricity jutted from the luminous materia – a bolt so powerful that it knocked the soldiers from their feet, stunning each and every one of them.

Being the powerhouse that he was, Zack mowed through the ShinRa troops that came rushing into Nibelheim. The blunt end of the Buster Sword was enough to incapacitate Zack's opponents. The sword arced through the air, launching soldiers several feet from their posts; lightning struck down the bodies of the men that got in the two companions' way.

ShinRa's first attempt to capture the fugitives was nullified.

The troops were out of commission.

'You might have wanted to protect your home back then, but who's gonna protect you now?' Zack rested his hefty sword across his shoulders. 'I'm sorry, Cloud. But we can't do anything about what happened that day.'

The infantryman did not answer. He only pocketed the materia.

'We need to leave this place. It's not safe here. Not anymore.'

They traveled through the cold, the dirt, the grass, the heat, the rain – weather and terrain of all sorts had to be endured. They knew their destination, and they knew they could not stop until it was reached; but when they arrived at a certain village, they had to stop once.

'This is it, Cloud – Gongaga.' Zack raised his arms to present the green trees and the high hills that grew with every step. Small houses sat on lowlands – a little different from Nibelheim but still a "backwater town" with a "backwater name."

They traversed uphill; Zack was hopeful to find his old home.

'If you met my folks, I'm sure they'd be quick to befriend you. They're nice people; and my mom's cooking is the best too! Aw man, I've missed it so much-!'

'Zack,' Cloud interrupted. 'I thought we weren't going to stop. I thought you said it's too dangerous.'

Zack paused in his own footsteps. 'Yeah… true… But is there anything wrong with saying hi to my parents for a little bit?'

Cloud turned his head in every direction, scanning the perimeter. Then he looked at Zack, feeling cautious. 'There's nothing wrong; I'm just saying that maybe-'

There was a rustle in the bushes – the same kind of rustling they heard in Nibelheim. The two skittered behind a rock wall, curious as to who had accompanied them on their journey. A young woman in a black suit and tie came trudging through the bushes, her eyes focused on the messages on her PHS. Quickly, though, she halted herself. Cloud and Zack held their breath. She inspected the building in front of her then glanced over her shoulder.

'It's Cissnei,' Zack whispered.

The female Turk knocked thrice on the wooden door, and it opened for her. She stepped inside, and the door closed. She was no longer in sight.

'The Turks are here too?' Zack groaned.

Cloud watched the door for any sudden movements. Then he sighed, 'We should leave while we still can, Zack.' He looked at his friend with dismay.

Lips tightening, Zack exhaled sharply through his nose. 'You're right.'

After days of journeying forward, the two came across a man who had agreed to drive them to Midgar. Elated, they hopped inside the bed of the man's truck, and they rode towards the grand city. The tires rolled over rocks, and dust peeled off the bumper – it was a rough ride, but it was a way to Midgar no less.

The two sat in silence, contemplating the start of a new life in Midgar; but Zack was the first to speak: 'So what are you gonna do once we get to Midgar?'

'…Before anything, we'll both need money,' Cloud advised. Zack nodded in agreement.

'Hey!' The SOLDIER shouted through the noise of the tires and the engine to converse with the driver. 'Do you know any businesses that I'll be able to go for?'

The driver hollered from his seat, 'What? You gotta try out all the businesses while you're still young, kiddo! You gotta go through many hardships to be able to find what's right for you.'

Zack craned his head back and sighed in disappointment. 'Everything, huh? Well that sure ain't any help.' Rapidly, an idea dawned on him. 'Oh, wait! I know! I've got skills and knowledge that lots of other people don't, so… I'll open up a business that does just about everything!'

Zack chuckled as the driver groaned, knocking on the truck window behind him. 'Were you listening to a word I just said?'

'I'm gonna do everything – I'll even do the dangerous things as long as it means I get a reward for it. Of course, the kinds of dangerous things will have to depend on how big of a reward I'll get. But other than that, I'll make a fortune! What about you, Cloud?'

Cloud smiled, laughing quietly at Zack's seemingly unrealistic idea; all while feeling a hint of sadness within him – sadness and fear. He was afraid that his best friend would abandon him. After all they have been through, the path that they must take separately is fast approaching – Midgar was just within reach.

'Oh, lighten up, Cloud,' Zack smiled. 'You know I wouldn't do that to you.'

Cloud gazed at Zack, one brow higher than the other; he was somewhat perplexed with Zack at that point but nonetheless relieved that Zack refused to leave his side.

Then he uttered the words that were spoken long before: 'We're friends… right?'

Before he could even articulate any string of words, Cloud's newly founded SOLDIER instincts began to kick in. His ears perked up as he heard a small crack in the sky – a bullet had been released from its metallic keep.

'Whoa!' The two friends immediately ducked their heads, diving into the truck bed.

Terrified, the driver swerved behind a large rock, and the two uniformed men hopped out. It did not take long for the driver to separate himself from the skirmish that would unravel. Within seconds, he was already kilometers away, heading for Midgar.

Helicopters whirled into the scene, and soldiers were deployed to the ground. An army of ShinRa uniforms formed amongst the low cliffs of the desert, surrounding both Cloud and Zack. The troops cocked their weapons, and they peered through their rear sights, aiming for two targets that have remained missing for too long.

Zack stole a peek at the army that stood before them. His blood began to rush, and his face had disdain painted over it. His anger and frustration towards ShinRa was vividly clear to Cloud.

But that mix of emotions did not keep him from giving one final smirk before battle:

'Cloud,' he began, 'I need you to do something for me.'

Cloud was all ears – anything to help his friend; to save them both.

With his back turned to Cloud, he entreated, 'I need you to wait here.'

Consumed with confusion and fear, Cloud barked back, 'I'm not going to stay behind to let you die!'

Zack had no answer.

'We're in this together. We made it this far. Friends 'til the end. At least that's what you said.'

Zack turned to face his blonde counterpart. 'I did say that. And I meant every word of it.'

A short pause. Cloud eagerly awaited a real reply.

Zack reached into his pocket and pulled out another glowing orb. Seeing it as an invitation to fight, Cloud outstretched his arm, ready to accept the consequences of entering a battle in which all odds are stacked against them. He was ready to risk his life for the sake of freedom.

Unfortunately, in Zack's hand was not an invitation to join him. Zack could only offer a small chuckle. 'You're not making the climb with me, Cloud. Not this time.'

With a flick of the wrist, the materia shone brighter than anything Cloud had ever seen. All he could see was white, and a haze hastily possessed him. His eyes were weighted with the strong desire to shut tight; his body was numb; his knees buckled to the rocky ground; and his eyes slowly closed.

All he could do then was watch his best friend walk away. He tried reaching for him, believing he could still stop him from leaving, but he was already gone.

Zack knew what was at stake, and he took his final stand, exposing himself to the ShinRa battalion. He drew the Buster Sword, heavy steel being held with ease. He pressed the hilt of the thick blade onto his forehead, closing his eyes, and he made one final prayer; and as soon as he took that step towards the great maw, in a moment's notice, Cloud was fast asleep, hidden away from the gore of battle.

Safe and sound.

Friends 'til the end, Cloud.