I apologize for this being a short chapter, but I personally thought it was pretty good- length and all. Please R&R?

(I also gave a reference to Roy Mustang from Full Metal Alchemist. GO FMA!)

Chapter 9- Connections

"Z… Zack…."

Outside of Midgar, 11 years prior

The dying SOLDIER turned his spotty vision up to the blonde, expressionless boy in front of him. Everything about him seemed to be dead inside- was he this way because of the mako? Or something more…?

"For… the both of us…," he grunted, straining to lift the Buster Sword. Angeal's dreams, legacy, and, which neither boys had not yet known, part of his soul.

For a brief moment as Zack passed on the sword, a hazy voice whispered to him, Carry on the legacy; give part of you, as well….

But Zack's breath was getting more strained and forced as Cloud looked down at him without expression. It truly was the face of someone without a heart.

Or a soul…

What… he meant…? Zack thought, his mind growing foggy and unfocused along with his vision. He pulled Cloud's forehead down to his chest. "Live… for the both of us."

Zack was sure he could almost hear an audible sigh of relief. An old man, it sounded like.

Cloud's blue eyes sprang to life as something seemed to smack into him. He blinked once, as if to get control of things again, and looked down at Zack in confusion. Slowly, the confusion turned to shock, and then to fear as his friend's face turned up into a smile, his eyes slowly closing.

His heart hammered in his chest as he looked up at the clearing sky, tears starting to blur his vision. Zack…? Gripping the sword in his hands tight, Cloud looked up and screamed.

((((()))))

"No… n-no… no no no no no no NO!"

"Cissnei, don't-"

"LET GO OF ME!" the brunette screeched, ripping away from Tseng's tight hold. She dropped down at Zack's motionless side, sobbing. "NO! Y-you can't leave me! You p-promised! You weren't supposed to die!"

Tseng winced, as if every word was a blow. "Cissnei, please…. We can't stay here much longer. ShinRa is on their way right now to investigate why half of their infantrymen are slaughtered. We can't stick around for that, Cissnei!"

When she didn't respond, Tseng grabbed her shoulders and forcibly turned her to him. Ignoring the scared, sorrowful look in her green eyes, he shouted, "You're not going to follow him to death so soon! I won't allow it! As your commanding officer, I order you not to die before me!"

Cissnei rose to her feet and smacked him across the face. Her voice tight with tears, she snapped, "Then prepare a court martial."

Right as Reno and Rude landed their helicopter, ready to pick them up, Cissnei drew her two metal chakrams.

"Whoa!" Reno cried, putting up his hands in defeat. "Calm down, Cissnei."

"My name… is not Cissnei."

ShinRa troops burst onto the scene, thousands of armed SOLDIERS and infantrymen filling the precipice. "My name," Cissnei whispered as the first bullet shot into her chest, blooming deep red on her white shirt, "is Marciena…."

Present

Tseng finally rose from Cissnei's grave. His face was characteristically unmoved, but on the inside, he still remembered those last words….

My name is Marciena.

He shook his head, finally going over to Cloud, still staring with crinkled, heartrending eyes at the unnamed grave in front of him. "Cloud," Tseng quietly said, shaking the blond from whatever memory flashing before his eyes. "It's time we've went to find the others."

After a moment of silence, Cloud finally nodded. "Yeah. Any idea where Cid ran off too?"

"Candy's Coffee. It's a new coffee shop down the street that serves tea, too. If he's not there, then it's likely Reno has him in the middle of one of his haired-brained schemes."

"Yuffie, too," Cloud miserably added. Frankly, seeing the ecstatic ninja again seemed equivalent to sticking pins in his eyeballs after frying them in a vat of oil and knifes. Or, as in Yuffie's case, kunais. And lots of them.

He had a sudden urge to hop on Fenrir and drive off, leaving her with the ex-Turks and going home to nice, warm afternoon at the Seventh Heaven.

No running off, now!

Cloud stopped in mid-stride and audibly groaned, ignoring Tseng's odd look and took out the green materia. Aerith looked slightly pale now, and- wait, was that Elena behind her…?

"Hold on a minute," Cloud said to the Ancient, attracting Tseng's attention now to the materia. He quietly swore under his breath in shock. Aerith nervously frowned, casting a quick look behind her, then back to the men. "Explain to us first what's going on."

"Well… you won't be finding Yuffie, Reno, or Elena, first of all," she slowly started. "And also, you might want to bring the others along when you come."

Tseng grabbed the materia. "Go where?" he demanded.

Aerith winced, as if hearing him shout in her ear and replied, "Through the blue portal. I'm not sure if it's still under Gongaga, but if not, try checking Corel. I think that's where it's supposed to show up at next."

"Hey, what's that?"

Against her wishes, a blonde boy took control of her means of communication and stared at them intently. "Whoa… cool!"

"Give that back, Zidane!"

"Sweet! Where'd you get this!"

"Zidaaaaaaane! Stop bothering Aerith!" a shrill, demanding voice called from somewhere behind Aerith.

Taking back control, Aerith scowled at the blond boy skipping away. "Like I was saying before I was interrupted, Zidane," she said pointedly to the boy, "the portal is like a pathway to another world, sort of. We all need your help here and all, so-"

"CLOUD!"

"Yuff-" Aerith protested, but was cut off when Yuffie's face filled the green Materia's surface. "Hiya, Cloud! Boy, am I glad to see you!"

Aerith once again pushed her out of the way. "Hurry here!" she commanded curtly before the materia went green again.

Both men blinked. Then they bounded off towards the sewer system with Cid, who had the misfortune of running into them on the way, in tow.

((((()))))

Scowling at the sound of a tired knock on her front door, Mikoto wove through the mass of people in her home and opened the door.

A man with spiky, dark hair stood there, leaning on his knees and huffing. He wearily looked up and asked, "Is… a boy… with a… name with Z… here…?"

Mikoto cocked her head quizzically and asked, "Who are you?"

Straightening up, the man sighed "I'm…." before falling flat on his face. Mikoto's tail went rigid. "I don't have room for fainting guests!" she muttered, dragging him in nonetheless. "Make way!" she called. "We've got another visitor!"

((((()))))

Cloud peered disdainfully into the sludge before them. He instinctively shuddered and muttered, "Don Corneo…. So many bad memories…."

Cid rolled his eyes and held his spear close, giving the area a shifty look. "Where'd'we go, leader?"

Both Cloud and Tseng glared at the pilot, making his lip stick out in a pout. "Jus' wonderin', geez."

Tseng pointed his flashlight at a group of footprints in muck. "We follow the path laid before us."

"Freakin' stalker…," Cid muttered, trudging close behind.

The ex-Turk chuckled and airily replied, "It's my job."

The frown was wiped from his face, however, as the bright pillar of light appeared before them. "Is this it?" Tseng asked.

Cloud pulled out the materia, but Aerith's face didn't show.

Shrugging, the ex-SOLDIER took a step forward. "Cid, Tseng and I will go ahead. Bring Tifa, Barrett, and Red to Corel, because I think this thing is about to disappear."

Cid's cigarette dropped from his gaping mouth. "You're gonna leave me alone!"

He gave him a look, making Cid gulp. "Alright, alright…. Jus' don't get yourselves killed before I bring back reinforcements, got it?"

Without bothering to give him a reply, the two walked in.