A/N: Like always, I don't own either FFVII or FMA:B/manga. I'm only saying this once!

This is the path where Eden remains as the only Amestrian on Gaia. I'm just going to say this: based on data provided by the FFVII and FFX designers, by this point in Gaia's timeline, a minimum of 3000 years has passed on Spira since FFX, likely longer because space travel takes time. I'm going to give a more definite reference to the actual number of years later, though it will still be ball-parked a bit.

If you didn't read Catalyst Array first, you won't understand most of this story, so please go back and read it! I won't be re-introducing or re-describing people if they've been given new names or switched to a different canon name for main use.

The first 33 chapters of Fates of Worlds are sort of like spoilers for Salvation's Hands and vice versa, so just be aware of that. However, if your goal is the new third path of this monster crossover, Fates of Worlds—Dimensions, the fastest way to it is by reading the first 33 chapters of FoW, then skipping to FoWD when I start posting it in the new year (likely timeline is sometime in February). If you're planning to read all 3 paths, just keep in mind that chapter 33 of FoW is still the separation point between FoW and FoWD.

A quick reminder (because it was only briefly mentioned after the raid on Deepground in Catalyst Array):

Zack (and nearly every other Second Class) has been promoted to SOLDIER First Class, so wears a black uniform now, but because of the reason for promotion, he's still being 'mentored' by Angeal. Nearly every Third has also been promoted to Second Class, so they wear purple. Only ten Thirds are still ranked as such and wear pale blue—they're waiting for the new batch of Cadets to join them so the number of Thirds will start going up again.

The early chapters in Fates of Worlds are an indicator of a few things to come, but Eden's mental state will be explained through them (especially by Balto in chapter 2)—and once these chapters are dealt with and Ed gets back to normal, there are no plans to have him go through another serious breakdown (his personality wouldn't let him do this more than once), even if he ends up with a few hiccups along the way.

Return to Shinra

When the Highwind landed on the landing platform near the top of the Shinra building in Midgar, there were some people already waiting for them there, including Reeve, Rufus, Reno, and Illis. Reno was clearly there as Rufus' guard while both Eden and Sephiroth were away, but it would give Eden the chance to introduce Yufi to both of her already-noted potential guards amongst the Turks. In addition, Genesis had shown up there and was standing near Illis as the two conversed during the docking procedures. Some of the ones waiting nearby were clearly mechanics for Highwind maintenance, and some were other SOLDIERs greeting their comrades back and giving them reports and instructions. That was the first time Ed had seen so many Shinra employees wearing the black uniform Sora, Angeal, and Zack wore, and most of them without any additions to their uniform the way Genesis and Sephiroth had.

Yufi still looked a little ill and miserable as Eden, Felicia, and she walked off the Highwind behind Sephiroth, Angeal, and Zack, but she was at least more alert and aware than she had been while the Highwind had been in the air. The nine-year-old girl was clinging to Eden's arm and using him to support her weight while she looked around carefully at her new surroundings. When the three SOLDIERs reached the bottom of the ramp, Genesis approached them to speak quietly to Sephiroth and Angeal for a few moments, causing both to nod and quickly head for the door into the building, Zack following his mentor as usual.

Genesis then faced the other three and said with a small, tired smile, "It'll be good to have you back, Eden. I hear you're making a name for yourself, Felicia."

Her brow rose and she replied, "You certainly get news fast, Commander. What brought you up here?"

"Actually, I really need Eden's help with the situation here, and I don't believe I have the time to wait," the red haired man sighed, then looked at the blond Turk. "Sorry. Tseng wanted you to rest today, but..."

"If you think it's urgent, it probably is," Eden nodded. "Anyway, I've been resting for a few days already and travel pretty much has no effect on me, so it's not a big deal on my end." His gaze went to where Reeve, Rufus, Reno, and Illis were waiting, then he commented, "We should probably move over there for the remainder of the introductions so the rest of the guys can disembark, though."

"That's probably a good idea," Felicia agreed with a glance behind her at the other Shinra troops waiting to step off the Highwind.

Genesis extended a hand towards the waiting four, then fell in with Felicia as she took the lead in heading over to them. Eden followed more slowly with Yufi, who was finally starting to recover her own balance once she was back on something solid. It didn't take the four of them long to join the four who were waiting for them, but there was a momentary pause as the two groups met.

"Well," the red haired SOLDIER First said as he looked around at the group. "To be safe, we'd best start with introductions." His gaze went to Felicia and Yufi as he went on, "I'm Commander Genesis Rhapsodos, and these people are Rufus Shinra, President Shinra's son, Rufus' current guard, Reno of the Turks, Executive Reeve Tuesti from Urban Development, and Illis of the Turks, who has been assigned to act as a guard for the Princess." He then nodded at Eden and gave a wry grin as he added, "You don't have to introduce yourself, Eden, since we all know you personally."

"Ha, ha," the blond snorted as several of the others chuckled. "Anyway, this is Felicia Pereld, the leader of Legacy's Refuge—I'm sure you all know what that is or you wouldn't be meeting with her." His gaze was on Reeve in amusement as he said that, and he received an amused smile and nod in reply, so looked down at Yufi. "And this young lady is Princess Yufi Kisaragi, Emperor Godo's daughter," Eden said as he looked at the black haired woman curiously and with some concern.

She gave a smile and nod as she agreed, "I thought so." Illis then looked down at the girl to address her directly, "It's nice to meet you, Princess."

Yufi made a small face, then pouted as she looked up at Eden. "I really can't just have you as my guard?"

Felicia sighed, Eden held a hand to his head like it hurt, Genesis and Reeve chuckled, Rufus snorted in amusement, and Reno laughed outright at the words, even as Illis blinked several times, then raised a questioning brow at the blond Turk.

Before she or her fellow Turk could say anything, Rufus stepped up to the girl and said, "Eden certainly is good at handling us 'royal children', isn't he?" Her gaze moved to him in surprise, so he went on, "It's not like you won't see him again, but he has prior responsibilities to take up again, and I'm one of them. He's got less free time now that he's back home than he did while he was visiting you, and frankly, even if you had precedence in Wutai, you don't have it here. Illis can more than keep up with you, trust me. Tseng doesn't assign anyone who can't do a job."

The girl glared and opened her mouth, only for Eden to cover it with his hand. "True, true, true, true, true, and true. I told you that before you came here, Yufi. As far as that goes, I can't even show you around because I have work to do with Genesis, so you'll have to go with Illis and see for yourself how things go." He then looked at the black haired woman and said, "It's okay to be completely frank and harsh with her—necessary, actually. That was likely one of Tseng's reasons for making you Yufi's main guard—but have you recovered enough to do so?"

With a nod, the woman answered, "The doctors are satisfied with my recovery rate, and as long as I don't go getting captured and tortured again in the next few months, I'm fully recovered. And Eden, haven't you learned yet that you aren't responsible for saving every person from every little thing that could be wrong?"

"She has a point, Eden," Reeve admitted as he struggled not to smile and the others chuckled faintly.

"Yes, he still can't leave well enough alone," Rufus replied in some amusement. He then gave his head a small shake and said, "Regardless, we should be retiring to your office, Reeve. This is a working meeting, after all."

"Of course," the older man agreed as he looked at Felicia. "This way, please." He and Rufus led the way inside with Felicia and Reno following.

At that point, Eden faced Yufi and told her, "Shinra is very different from Wutai, and you won't see those differences here or with me. You need to go with Illis and get used to having her around, as well as learning about this new society you've decided to try living in. You also need to get signed in to the Academy so you can take lessons and meet other kids, like a girl your age named Shelke. Okay?"

The girl frowned a bit in puzzlement and asked, "Who's Shelke? You've never talked about her before."

Giving his head a shake, the younger Turk said, "It's up to Shelke to tell you her story if she wants to, but Princess—you had best rethink your definition of what constitutes a hard life before you decide to badmouth her, because her life has been much worse than yours. Frankly, the fact that she's still sane shows a mental and emotional strength you have yet to show me. There's a lot you need to learn, things you can't learn by staying attached at the hip to me."

Slowly, Yufi sighed and nodded, then looked at Illis in surprise as the woman held out a hand and said, "Let's go look around, then."

"Why are you being nice? I pretty much ignored you before!" the Wutain girl said, obviously confused.

Illis cocked her head to the side and said, "I once did the same thing to Tseng, when I got caught stealing. He gave me a chance anyway. I consider it fair turnabout to give you that same chance. It's up to you whether you'll take it or not."

After a pause, the girl lifted her hand slowly up to the one Illis held out to her, gently taking it like she was afraid it would be withdrawn. When it wasn't, her grip tightened on the woman's hand and the Lady Turk answered it with a firm grip as well, then led the nine-year-old inside. Once the door had shut and several more of the stream of SOLDIERs and Infantrymen who had been leaving the roof had left, Eden heaved a relieved sigh.

"Tough job?" Genesis asked sympathetically.

"'Tough' doesn't cover it with her. That girl is a walking mass of contradictions even worse than Rufus'—I actually had to drag her over my knee and spank her to make her realize rules are there for a reason. And she's still only half-learned the lesson. At least Rufus already knew that and wasn't really justifying his actions by making them seem 'right', he was just—I guess he was getting revenge, and wasn't hiding that fact."

"Ouch. I'm going to have to make it worse, though..."

"How do you mean?"

"Let's go inside and I'll show you." At Genesis' deep sigh, Eden gave the older, red haired man a worried look, then quietly followed him inside. They went to Genesis' office, a place Eden had never actually seen before, where several arrays were laid out on the office table and others were pinned to the walls.

The Turk had no chance to look at the rest of the office as the arrays caught his attention and he asked in something like horror, "Are these all from your case here in Midgar?"

"They are, but I don't have the knowledge of the details of what they say," Genesis agreed. "I'm—guessing the one drawing them out is asking for help and is reaching the point of no return, but I can't interpret enough to track the person's likely next location, their residence, or their actual goal in reaching said 'point of no return'. I need you to finish the interpretation for me." The red haired man then moved a few sheets of arrays aside, showing a map of the Midgar Plate. "This marks the locations of all of them."

Nodding, Eden moved over to study the map for several minutes, then looked around at the arrays again for another several minutes. "They're actually pretty much on our level, and if I'm reading them right, this is more like a suicide note than anything. Let's see..."

"Suicide? Why?" Genesis asked in alarm.

"Whoever it is can't deal with the knowledge of the arrays. Depending on how they came by it—that could actually drive a person insane, especially if it was anything like what happens when I touch Materia bare-handed."

"Could that really happen to someone besides you?"

"It apparently happened to a pair of Wutains, and to another person or persons here at about the same time. Well, we've been interfering greatly in whatever path would have originally happened, so who knows what the results of doing that would be?"

"Are you saying we're the reason these arrays are randomly popping up all over the place?" Genesis asked with a puzzled frown.

"Mmm...Do you know anything about how transmission of knowledge happens?" the blond Turk asked as he sat down in one of the chairs and looked up at the older man with his arms crossed over his chest.

"By learning from books, from teachers, in various sorts of lessons from the time we're very young. The 'teachers' may be our parents or guardians, a mentor, a literal teacher, or even from what we see on the news," the SOLDIER replied evenly.

"True, but there's more to it than that," Eden answered. "You're not wrong, you're just missing a method of transmission. This was an experiment first done on primates, then done later on humans, and it held true in both cases, so this is directly linked to a certain degree of sentience, or a certain format of sentience. (1) In the example of the primates, there were some islands where the monkeys liked a food, but didn't know how to get to it, so humans taught one of the young ones on one island how to do so. As the new generation of those primates took over on all of the islands, every one of them started doing the same things the one had been taught to do. While that made sense for the ones on the island where the young one had been taught the method—because that young one could 'teach' it to the others around it—there is absolutely no physical explanation or reason for how all the rest learned it."

At that point, Ed rose and pulled out a book on one of Genesis' shelves, a book of various three-dimensional images where the pattern hid other images within it and there was a particular method which allowed people to 'see' the hidden image. Holding it up beside his head for a moment, he went on, "When they did it with humans, they took an image and asked a select group of people how many faces they saw in the image. The number was very low, and those people were told not to talk about the activity or results until the test was complete—all of those people were monitored during the rest of this, and didn't share any data.

"The scientists went to another continent to choose another select group of individuals, who they showed the same image to and showed them where every face was in the image and how to find it. They were given the same instructions as the first test group, and were also tracked to make sure they didn't share the results, and those people didn't do so. When the scientists returned to the same city they'd done the first test in, they chose a completely different group of people and had them look at the same image—and that time, those people found nearly every face, if not all of them, very easily. The original group was brought back in and asked to do it again, and they found nearly every face easily."

"How?" Genesis asked in amazement, and Eden dropped the book onto the table on the map.

"Because we have another method of information transmission—a 'universal consciousness' which links us all together," the Turk replied quietly. "The Lifestream, the Goddess, Minerva—she's part of that cycle, and is most likely the one collecting all the data we unwittingly transmit. Not everyone gains knowledge of the data put into the shared consciousness we have, but the more people who know something or the more strongly a person focuses on something, the more likely it is to imprint into the minds of others. That's why...society has to change, and the more people we take along for the ride, the more people we can save, because the more people are focused on another way, the more people will see and follow it."

At the words, Genesis rubbed the back of his head and said, "So you're saying the two of us focusing so strongly on the arrays and alchemy is causing others to start gaining that knowledge when they otherwise wouldn't have?"

"Yes, though the results obviously vary by who gains it and how," Eden answered. "I wouldn't be surprised if the person here in Midgar got it much more strongly because of the time and effort towards it the both of us have put in here. Anyone gaining it that way is probably more susceptible to either 'transmission' or to 'the arrays' than normal to have gotten it this way. And Genesis, if I wasn't a genius and my will so strong, I'd have gone insane from the forced comprehension of the Materia. Someone else who has no damned clue what it is, what it means, how to use it, where it comes from, and is completely unprepared for that influx—what do you think would happen to them?"

Turning to face the wall he had covered in arrays, the red haired man eyed them with a new perspective. "So this person is reaching the limit of their sanity, and if I don't find them soon to find out the actual terms and teach them to work with it, there's a good chance they'll end their own life to make it stop. That would, in turn, cause more suffering to be dumped in the pool of stagnant Mako...so I think I have to talk with both Tseng and Lazard about tracking down others in other towns..."

"First, we have to find this one," the blond replied dryly.

"Eden, I have to find him," Genesis told the younger man as he turned to face him with a small frown. "I just need you to point me in the right direction. I've already kept you from the rest Tseng wanted you to take by dragging you here, so you don't need to participate any further."

"But—" Ed began.

"Unless, of course, you think I'm not capable of resolving this myself?" Genesis cut him off with narrowed eyes. "If that's the case, you've got a serious problem to deal with, and that's actually an issue of trust in others. If you don't trust others, you don't truly trust yourself, either."

The blond yanked back like he'd been burned, and Genesis was standing at least four feet from him! He'd never been accused of something like that before just because he wanted to help—but it reminded him again of his discussions with Deneh, Balto, and Godo. When he just came along and fixed things others were capable of fixing themselves, was he actually helping them or just making himself feel better?

Tears blurred his vision and he lowered his head so his bangs would cover his face and he'd be able to close his eyes to try to get control of the sudden surge of pain he felt. It wasn't the first time he'd wondered if his crusade to save the world was a self-given purpose or one he'd been led to by someone like Truth or Minerva, but he was starting to feel like he'd reached a breaking point. Where was the limit? When was he supposed to help and when wasn't he? Was he pushing people away from him by trying to help?

He didn't realize he'd moved until he felt a hand grip his right elbow firmly. Through his still-blurry vision, he was able to see that he was standing at the office door, his left hand on the knob as he was about to turn it. When had he gotten there? And why had Genesis stopped him from leaving?

"I opened a wound, didn't I?" the man asked from behind him. The voice was open and frank, but there was no sympathy or even kindness in it. At least there also wasn't any actual negative feeling in it, but for some reason, it hurt even more without any real inflection. "But the one thing I need your help with is the one thing you haven't managed to answer yet, and someone's life depends on that. Once I know where to look or how to track the person, you can go and get the rest you now need."

Drawing in a shaky breath, the Turk forced himself to think back to the map, and after a minute, he said softly, "Sector 6 around the middle of the circle of eight points near the central pillar. I can't give you anything more specific with what's here."

"Thank you," Genesis answered, and the hand lifted off the blond's elbow. For a moment, Eden completely lost track of what he was supposed to be doing, and it was only the red haired man saying, "Turn the knob and open the door, Eden," which reminded him he was supposed to be leaving. At first, his hand didn't want to move, but by the time he got it to do so, he wanted to get away from there. At the same time, he had no idea what he should do or not from there, but something made him hesitate to go someplace where someone like Yufi would see him right then.

For some time, he just stood blankly in some hallway or another—he didn't even know where he was by then. He vaguely knew his PHS started ringing at one point, but couldn't muster the strength it would take to pull it out and answer it. How long after that it took him to realize he was in what he assumed was his room, he had no idea, just that it was probably a while. The next time he became aware, he was laying on his bed and his pillow was soaked with tears, but he didn't actually remember crying. It felt like when he'd lost Al all over again, only this time, somehow his feelings were unlocked and the tears he'd never been able to cry were coming out.

He also had no desire to get up, and didn't feel hunger—or anything else. Pain and numbness were the extent of what he felt, and he honestly had no idea why. After what he'd done to his brother, basically killing him then sticking him in an isolation tank, for awhile he'd gone completely blank, until Mustang had turned up and challenged him to fix the damage he'd done. How could he fix crossing a line he didn't even know he'd crossed, a line he didn't know how to judge? How many people felt like Genesis and just hadn't told him?

How much had he lost without even realizing it?

Once, he tried to get up for something or other, maybe to get some fresh air on the balcony, but his body just stayed slack. He'd barely been able to make it to the bathroom the few times he'd been able to remember needing to go, but it was different when he tried to get up that time. It was as though his mind had decided some actions...most actions, actually...had become unnecessary, so there was no point in transmitting the data to his limbs to do them.

What had he done, both to everyone around him and to himself?

Did it actually matter?

More than anything, why had Genesis' response—or lack thereof—hurt so much?

No, he knew why it had. The words had opened a wound he hadn't even guessed he had, and yet...it was true. He trusted the rules of alchemy...but he didn't trust himself, or anyone else—not in his heart.

Better to just not think, to not bother with anything...

A/N:

I've known plenty of people who did or thought things which made no sense, and the problem is almost always something stemming from an event (or more than one) in their past which they haven't dealt with, or it's a reaction to some recent upheaval they aren't currently dealing well with, or both. If what Ed's thinking makes no sense to you just by what I've shown is going on in his head right now, this will all get addressed in coming chapters.

And yes, when Edward Elric gets faced with something that hits too close to home, he does have a tendency to shut down for awhile (when he put Al in the suit of armor, when he found Nina as a chimera, and when he found out the main 'ingredient' in the Philosopher's Stone is humans, cited as proof). He's never been completely alone in any such situation, though, which is the major difference here (Al, Winry, and Pinako in the first, Al in both others). Of course, this also isn't because no one would want to be with him, it's because he's 'an adult' and no one is quite aware RIGHT AWAY that something is wrong.

(1) These are real tests done in the past, though I don't remember where the primate one took place. I think humans taught the primates how to clean sand off some sort of peeled fruit or vegetable they liked to eat. The human one took place in Britain and Australia.