Final Fantasy VII: Another Side

By:

Mystwalker

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.

A/N: I've never played Before Crisis and all the information I have about it comes from the Final Fantasy Wiki. Those of you that actually know more about the game than I do know that I'm messing with canon a bit here by shifting certain events to earlier than they actually happened…I think. So…just ignore it for now, if that's possible. As for names, I had to come up with them on the fly, so hopefully they work out.

One last quick note. Cloud's personality is based off his Crisis Core personality and not his FFVII personality, because a lot of that personality came out of Zack dying and Cloud believing that he was Zack.

OhJay – You didn't really think I'd let him die, did you? *hugs Zack* He's my favorite character in this game, lol! I'm glad that you like that I saved him! Thanks for the review and your support!

Blooming Delirium – Zack's death was one of the things I wrote this story to fix, because I could barely play the last parts of the game knowing this was going to happen. Sorry for cutting it close, haha. I wanted to keep you guys guessing! Thanks for your review!

X

File 002: A Group of Vigilantes

Cloud felt like he was waking up from a very long dream.

He opened his eyes, the world around him blurry for a moment before coming into sharp focus. A lamp hung overhead, casting orange light across the small room. He blinked, raising a hand to his head and running it through his spiky blond hair. Where was he? He remembered only bits and pieces from their escape. He remembered Shinra Mansion and Nibelheim fleetingly, something in Gongaga, an army of Shinra infantrymen in the wasteland…

His eyes widened and he sat up, the motion making him suddenly dizzy. He placed his hand on his head as he tried to get the world to stop spinning, his stomach heaving in a way that nearly made him sick.

"Well, good morning, Sleeping Beauty," said a voice from beside his bed.

Zack sat on a stool against the far wall of the room, his legs spread apart slightly and his hands on his knees. He was shirtless, a roll of white bandages wound tightly across his chest and arms. Zack grinned at Cloud, and Cloud's eyes widened further as he looked at him.

"Zack…the fight…" he began. "Are you…?"

"I'm alright," said Zack, still grinning. "Cissnei thinks I might set off a metal detector, but I'll live."

"Ciss…nei?" he asked.

"You'll meet her later," answered Zack. "She's a Turk, or, well, she used to be. She helped us out back there, outside Midgar."

He nodded slowly, taking in a slow breath. His mind felt like it was running at half-speed. He knew he should recognize words like "Midgar" and "Turk" but it felt like he was thinking through a fog. Vaguely, he remembered Shinra employees in dark suits, and a large city above and below the plate…

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Kalm," said Zack. "We're in hiding at the moment."

"Kalm…" he repeated, running the name through his foggy mind. "That's…near Midgar, isn't it?"

"Pretty close," said Zack, nodding. He leaned forward slightly, frowning at Cloud. "How're you feeling?"

Cloud frowned, considering how to answer that question. "Weird…" he said. "I can't really remember much. I am Cloud…right?"

"No, your name is Jack the Chocobo Man. You're actually half-Chocobo, and lived on the outskirts of Kalm before I found you and took you under my wing."

"Zack!" exclaimed Cloud, turning towards him angrily.

"Your name is Cloud Strife," said a silver-haired man, entering the room and peeling off his gloves. Cloud went rigid, watching as he crossed the room and came to a stop in front of him. "Your hometown is Nibelheim. You were a member of Shinra's forces until the incident at Nibelheim four years ago where Hojo took you as one of his experiments. You and Zack managed to escape, and were on your way to Midgar when you were attacked by Shinra troops."

Cloud's eyes widened as he stared at him, the memories coming back to him in a flash.

Sephiroth!

He remembered walking to the reactor, his breathing heavy from panic. There was a dark-haired girl on the ground. Zack lay unconscious on the steps, the Buster Sword resting at the foot of the steps. His breathing quickened. He remembered running up the steps before he could think about it, remembered seeing Sephiroth standing in front of Jenova with Masamune in his hand. He remembered blood dripping from the sword's blade, the floor littered with black feathers…His own hands closed around the Buster Sword's hilt…

"You!" said Cloud, throwing the covers off himself and getting up. Sephiroth turned his head, regarding him coolly.

"Relax, Cloud," said Zack, sighing. "Sephiroth didn't cause the incident. Genesis did."

Genesis…

The name brought another memory, that of a man with auburn hair and a red leather coat, already degrading by the time Cloud first met him. He looked up at Sephiroth, his eyes widening in sudden horror. Genesis had caused Nibelheim. Genesis had hurt Zack. But he had…

"Don't bother," said Sephiroth, frowning at him. "I wasn't fully myself at the time. If you hadn't stabbed me, I might have remained that way."

Cloud nodded, his mind still working to make sense of what he had just been told. Four years…Names and faces of people in Nibelheim flashed through his mind, and he felt a sudden flash of grief. His mother, Tifa's father, and all the people that he knew…

He stared down at his gloved hands.

"…I…worked for Shinra?" he asked.

"That's correct," said Sephiroth.

Cloud frowned, looking down at his uniform. "…Was I…first class?" he asked.

"No," said Sephiroth, flatly.

"You were an infantryman," said Zack, standing up. "You wanted to be in SOLDIER, but you didn't make it in. Although…" He grinned slightly, stepping away from the stool and folding his arms. "Right now…you're more like a SOLDIER 3rd Class."

"Huh?" asked Cloud, blinking at his friend. Zack stepped to the side, away from the room's sole mirror.

"See for yourself," he said.

Cloud frowned, walking over to the mirror. He stared at himself. He was dressed in a SOLDIER 1st Class uniform, but if what Zack said was true, then he wasn't really a 1st. What was he supposed to be looking for? His face still looked the same. He looked a little older, maybe, but it had been four years. What…?

Then, he saw it. He hadn't seen it at first. His natural eye color had already been blue.

"…Mako eyes," he said.

"A result of Hojo's experiments," said Sephiroth. "You were exposed to the same substances that a SOLDIER recruit is exposed to, albeit for a much longer period of time."

"So, basically…" began Cloud.

"You're as good as a SOLDIER," said Zack, grinning. "With all the perks." He reached behind him, taking hold of a Shinra issue sword. He picked the sword up by the hilt, tossing it at Cloud. "Think fast!"

Cloud's eyes widened in surprise but his hands reached out, catching the sword by the hilt before he even realized what he was doing. Zack's grin widened and he picked up the Buster Sword, raising it over his head.

"Defend yourself!" he said, rushing towards Cloud.

"Hey, w-wait!" said Cloud, attempting to hold the sword in a defensive position. The Buster Sword slammed into the Shinra issue, sending Cloud stumbling backwards. He landed on his rear, the sword in his hand. Zack frowned from above him, shifting the Buster Sword to one hand and scratching his head.

"This is gonna take some work," he said.

"Indeed," said Sephiroth, looking at Cloud.

X

A few hours later, Cloud sat in the room that connected to the bedroom, a cup of coffee in his hands. He was sitting at a small wooden table next to a flight of stairs that led above ground, sipping slowly at his drink. Zack sat across from him, one arm draped over the table as he leaned against the wall. Sephiroth stood on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall as well.

The door at the top of the stairs opened, causing all three of them to look up. Sephiroth and Zack straightened up, their hands hovering just over the hilts of their respective weapons. Zack relaxed when he saw Cissnei coming down the steps and Sephiroth did too, returning to leaning against the wall. Cloud frowned up at him, still looking confused. A man followed behind Cissnei, somebody that Zack thought he had seen before, but he had been drifting in and out of consciousness by the time they finally arrived, and he wasn't so sure.

He had black hair that came almost to his shoulders. It was slicked back so that it fell out of his face. His eyes were dark blue, hidden beneath a pair of glasses. A jagged mark stretched down from his right eye. It looked like a tattoo or a scar. He was dressed in a dark blue shirt and a pair of black pants, but from the way he moved, it was easy to imagine him in a suit. A katana was belted to his waist, and his hand lingered just a few inches from the hilt.

"Hey, Cissnei," said Zack, greeting her cheerfully even though he kept his eyes on her companion. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Shion," she said. "He used to be a Turk, like me. We're staying at his house."

Zack frowned at Shion before nodding, extending his hand towards the ex-Turk. "Zack Fair," he said, "Good to meet you."

Shion smiled slightly, accepting Zack's hand and shaking it. "Nice to meet you too."

"So, did you just happen to have a hidden basement?" asked Zack with a grin, releasing Shion's hand and looking around. Shion smiled and shrugged.

"I'm a little paranoid," he said.

"We all are," said Zack. He turned towards Cloud. "Cloud, Cissnei. Cissnei, Cloud."

"Uh…nice to meet you," said Cloud.

"You too," said Cissnei with a smile. "Nice to see you up."

Sephiroth frowned, turning towards her. "What did you find?" he asked.

"It's safe for you three to come upstairs," she said. "Shinra's stopped looking for you in Kalm."

Shion folded his arms. "But they haven't stopped looking for you completely," he said. "They've heightened security around Midgar. It would be dangerous to try and get in without help from the inside." He frowned, looking up at Sephiroth. "They don't know you're involved," he said. "It looks like they think that Cloud helped Zack finish off the remainder of the infantrymen and that the two of them are either dead or in hiding. There was no mention of Cissnei either."

Sephiroth nodded. "Good," he said.

"You're welcome to stay here as long as you like. I'll set up a mattress in the study."

He nodded again, moving past Shion and Cissnei and heading for the stairs. Zack stared after him as he closed the door. "Sheesh," he said. "The least he could do is say 'thank you'."

"Don't worry about it," said Shion.

Zack sighed, running a hand through his hair. Shion's words about Midgar came back to him. If he couldn't get into Midgar, he couldn't see Aerith. It was probably for the best. If he made contact with Aerith, they'd just use her to get to him. He clenched his fist in anger.

Shinra…

"I can't believe this," he said. "After everything we did for them."

"That's Shinra for you," said Shion with a shrug. Zack looked up at him in surprise.

"Didn't you work for them too?" he asked.

"Not by choice," said Shion, frowning. "Well…not fully."

"What do you mean?" asked Zack.

Shion shook his head, exchanging a quick glance with Cissnei. When he did speak, he said something else entirely. "Zack Fair…You're Michael Fair's son, aren't you?"

Zack's eyes widened. "How do you know my dad?" he asked. He knew there were Turks in Gongaga when he stopped outside there, but Shion couldn't have been there. That was only about a week ago. Shion smiled slightly.

"Take a guess," he said. "Although…you probably wouldn't recognize me. I was in and out of your neighborhood a few times."

Zack frowned. Shion did look a little familiar, although he couldn't place where he had seen him before. But what did Shion have to do with his dad? He looked up in surprise when he realized the answer.

"No way!" he said, pointing at Shion. "You're from Gongaga?"

"Born and raised," said Shion. "What a coincidence, huh?"

"No kidding," said Zack, grinning. "Wow. I was starting to think I was the only one. How'd you end up with the Turks?"

"Long story," said Shion. "Let's just say…it was a choice between working for Shinra or staying in prison."

"Ah," said Zack. "One of those cases."

Shion nodded. "Exactly," he said. "Well, you two can head upstairs. I'm sure you're tired of being down here."

He stepped aside, clearing the stairway for them. Zack nodded, heading towards the steps. Cloud followed him, slightly hesitant. Zack paused on the first step, turning back towards their host. "Thanks," he said.

Shion nodded in reply, and Zack continued walking up the steps.

X

He found Cissnei in the backyard after dinner, looking up at the stars. Zack closed the door behind him slowly, but it wasn't slow enough to go unnoticed. She turned her head towards him, but relaxed when she saw it was him, turning back towards the sky. He followed her. From somewhere in the yard, he could hear the sounds of Cloud practicing with his sword—his grunts of effort coupled with Sephiroth's clear instructions.

"What's up?" he asked Cissnei.

"Nothing," said Cissnei, turning towards him. "Just glad to be out of the mountains and…" She smiled slightly as Cloud slipped, letting out a shout of surprise. Sephiroth immediately followed up with a sharp correction. "…enjoying the after dinner entertainment."

Zack laughed. "Yeah," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Glad I'm out of that situation."

"It was good for you, though," said Cissnei. "Training with Sephiroth, I mean."

"I guess," said Zack, shrugging. "Just…I thought Angeal was tough."

He folded his arms, listening as they started up again. Four years. It was hard to believe that he had been missing for that long. Did she still remember him? She'd probably given up on him by now. He frowned, realizing that there was something he didn't quite understand. He looked back at Cissnei.

"How'd you end up working with Sephiroth?" he asked.

Cissnei smiled at him. "Long story," she said.

"I've got time," said Zack, sliding his hands into his pockets. Cissnei frowned and folded her arms, twisting away.

"…When Genesis showed up around Nibelheim, Tseng wanted an active Turk to check it out," she said. "I was the closest, so he sent me. But by the time I arrived, the town was burning to the ground and everything was over. I checked around the mountain, and saw Sephiroth lying in the caves next to one of the mako springs. He was hurt pretty badly."

"So…you saved him," said Zack.

Cissnei shook her head. "Not quite," she said. "He was still conscious, so I bandaged him up as best as I could and used Materia on him. I told him to wait in the caves while I found someone from Shinra to help and he told me that he wasn't going back to the company." Her frown deepened. "He was…upset. It's hard to explain, but he wasn't exactly…calm, you know."

He knew. He had seen the look in Sephiroth's eyes that night in Nibelheim. He looked like he was only a little bit away from losing his mind.

"…That's when you left the company?" he asked.

"Let me finish," said Cissnei. "I thought he was just rambling, so I took a path out of the cave to head to the reactor to find someone. But instead of heading to the reactor itself, I ended up on a ridge overlooking the whole thing. That's when I saw Hojo carrying you and Cloud out."

"…I see," said Zack. He didn't remember much of that himself. He remembered opening his eyes to hear Hojo talking over Cloud, but that was it.

"…I remembered Sephiroth saying something about Hojo's experiments while he was rambling and…it just clicked," she said. "…I took a few pictures and went back to the caves. We slipped out and ended up in Modeoheim."

"The abandoned reactor," said Zack.

Cissnei nodded. "We spent the next four years trying to find you two, but we didn't know where Hojo took you, and we couldn't get close enough to Nibelheim to find out. The moment we heard about trouble, we took off."

"Thanks," said Zack. "…For that, I mean. If you two didn't show up…"

"Well, we did," said Cissnei, smiling slightly. "Don't worry about it too much."

Zack looked up suddenly as he heard Sephiroth raise his voice, correcting Cloud on his stance. He winced. "Think I should go rescue Cloud?" he asked.

"Leave him for a little while," said Shion from behind them. Zack turned to see the kitchen door open, the former Turk standing in it. "He's improving."

"I guess you're right," said Zack. He frowned, looking over at the two of them. "I'll get them in another hour."

X

A few months after their arrival in Kalm, Cloud walked through the market, a basket in one hand and a list in the other. Zack and Sephiroth were working on something, and Cissnei and Shion had disappeared somewhere, leaving him to get everything together. He reached for a stack of apples, selecting one and placing it in the basket.

"Cloud…?"

He looked up in confusion at the sound of his name. A dark haired girl stood beside him, staring at him. She was dressed in a white shirt and a pair of black shorts, and there was a look of complete shock on her face. His eyes widened as he saw her.

"I…know you…" he said slowly.

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N: Yes, I got Shion's name because that's what a lot of people misread Tseng's name to be and it just stuck for me when I read it. Oh well…