Author's Notes

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This is an alternate universe story, so expect a lot of changes.

This version of AR has been censored for language. An uncensored version is available on my website which you can find in my profile.

Well, this is it folks, the final story update for Altered Reality. I'm planning on updating once more next week with some afterthoughts I feel like sharing, but this is it for the actual story.

There are two endings for Altered Reality, both of which are in this update. I'll go into more detail about whyI decided to take this approach in next weekend's afterthoughts.

To coincide with the completion of Altered Reality, the last piece of artwork for my story has gone up on my website. I urge you all to check it out, as it took my wife nearly three weeks to finish. It comprises nearly two dozen characters from the story, and is, in a word, a phenomenal piece of art work that any fan of Altered Reality should enjoy.

If you have any questions, ask them in your review or post on my forum. I'll either respond directly, or address them in the afterthoughts I'll be posting next weekend.

Luminus

Epilogue

In the End

In the months that followed the fall of Rufus Shinra the world was forever changed. The red storm that had been created by the Chaos orb had existed for less than half an hour, but the devastation it caused across the globe could never truly be measured. While only a few thousand lives were lost during the storm itself, incalculable damage was done to crops, cities, and the planets ecosystem. Long after it was gone, the effects of Chaos continued to claim lives numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

The old Holy Shinra Empire was broken into two primary factions; those who followed High Priestess Elena and retained the Empires name, and those who sided with General Zahn and his Dominion of the Fist. A number of smaller groups that wished to have nothing to do with either side broke away completely, but they made no effort to form an organized government with one another.

Those who still live and serve Elena in the Holy Shinra Empire now believe that the events that transpired in Midgar were the direct results of a full scale attack by the demonic legions they had been battling for years. It is said by them that the Republic of Wutai had made a pact with these demons to attack Midgar and draw out the Empire's armies so that the demons could sneak in and do battle with the Divine Emperor, Rufus Shinra. The broadcast showing Rufus discussing his lies is believed to have been a clever fake created to sow discord and weaken the faith of the Empire. The destruction of the tower and the disappearance of Rufus have been described as a new means of attack by the demons that allowed them to seal their god away.

Ironically, the red storm that destroyed most of Midgar gave credence to Elena's theories as the devastation it caused there allowed several hundred of the Mako Demon experiments kept in the Empire's secret facilities in the city to escape and run rampant. To this day the Holy Shinra Empire does battle with the demons that have now taken up residence in the ruined city of Midgar in the belief that reclaiming their capital will allow them to find a way to bring Rufus back to them.

General Zahn, on the other hand, was able to found his Dominion of the Fist by concocting a new batch of lies, despite Reeves' dying efforts to stop him. Rather than take up a holy crusade against Wutai as he had originally intended, he decided to play on the millions of men and women who had lost their faith in Rufus. Zahn told the world that it was not just Rufus and his closest allies who were corrupt, but that the entire church had been lying to them from the start. He also described in detail how the red storm was actually a fail safe plan that the church had created. He claimed that when their lies had been exposed, they released the red storm as a plague that had been wrought upon the people of the world for doubting their faith in Rufus in the hopes of scaring many into believing again.

With all that the people had seen, these things were easy for many to accept, and Zahn used the public outcry over his version of what had happened to seize control. By swearing to see the church and all those who had aided Rufus in his crimes against the Empire destroyed, Zahn rallied many behind him. The majority of those who had lost faith in Rufus pledged their loyalty for him in exchange for the promise of revenge.

Zahn now rules his new found nation from the military base of Junon, where he wages war against Elena who still leads the church from the cathedral in Kalm in the hopes of one day taking full control over Rufus' shattered empire. The population of almost every town, village, and city are split over which story they believe. Entire families have been torn apart because they disagree and view each other as heretics and traitors. With no clear borders between the two factions, the civil war has been far bloodier than anyone could have possibly imagined. Though various regions have eventually been claimed by one side or the other, the map of the old Empire is still a miss mash of colors.

The Republic of Wutai was able to escape relatively unscathed during all of this. While the new Holy Shinra Empire still wishes to destroy them for playing a role in the death or imprisonment of their god, they are unable to launch a campaign due to their ongoing war with Zahn's Dominion of the Fist. Although Wutai was still affected by summoning of Chaos's red storm just as badly as the old Empire, their relative peace has allowed them to begin rebuilding what they lost at a much faster rate.

Only a handful of people in the world know of what truly transpired, and even fewer know of Sephiroth and the real reason behind the red storm. Over time the once highly sought after criminals who had caused Rufus so much trouble have been all but forgotten in the midst of violent wars and the pages of history. To this day, the whereabouts and identities of the men and women who truly defeated Rufus Shinra and the unseen threat of Sephiroth Kagemusha are known only to a select few.

Wake for Young Souls

(Ending A)

Tifa Lockheart walked the majestic halls and pathways of the Eternal City of the Stars hidden deep within the sleeping forest of the Frozen North where the Cetra survivors had taken up residence. Accompanying her were Nanaki, who now lead his people in Bugenhagen's wake, and Ahziralirul, the non-corporeal being who was the heart of the living city they were now inside. It had now been five years ago on this very day that the fateful battle with Rufus, and later Sephiroth had taken place.

"How are the others doing?" Nanaki asked as they strolled through the grand Cetra home.

"I haven't seen any of them in a long time." Tifa replied with an expressionless face. "Yuffie and Colonel Miyama offered to help them get a fresh start in Wutai. I know Cid, and Sherra took the opportunity. I think they've had enough of war, they deserve the rest. Last I heard they were working with the government to build an advanced cargo and passenger transport ship like the Highwind was meant to be."

"What of unknown organism called Vincent, and human called Jessie?" Ahziralirul asked in her usual haunting tone.

"I ran into them just a few months ago, actually." A smile at last came to her delicate features. "They've been traveling around together ever since we all separated. After Vincent had taken care of his vendetta with Hojo, he decided he wanted to try and make amends for all the things he had done during his service as a Turk in the Empire. Jessie was the one who got him to open up, and so she went with him to try and help him further. Though, if you ask me, I think she's kind of falling for the creepy guy."

"I am glad to hear that." Nanaki smiled. "They have both suffered much in their lives; it is good that they have each other to care for."

"Yeah." She nodded. "From what they told me, they just go around and try to help rebuild what was lost in the red storm. They worry me though, because they've gone out into the Midgar region a bunch of times. I mean, don't get me wrong, those people need help too, probably a lot more than Wutai, but it's dangerous there."

"I understand your sentiments, but do not fear. Blessings will shine down upon them for the good deeds they accomplish."

"I hope so. This world needs more people who want to help others."

"I fully agree." Nanaki nodded. With a slight brow quirk, he gave her a sidelong glance. "And what of you? This is the first time I have seen you in many years. Where have you been?"

"I've been around." Tifa put on a sad smile. "I spend a lot of time in the old Empire trying to find a way to bring some peace to the people there."

"And you worry for Vincent and Jessie." Nanaki flashed a grin.

"I'm a hypocrite, I know." She laughed quietly. "But I have to help; I still can't shake the feeling that all this is our fault."

"You must not give in to such thoughts. The defeat of Rufus was necessary for the world to regain true freedom."

"Maybe, but it hasn't worked out that way so far. Now everyone is being led by two lies instead of one." Tifa sighed. "At least Elena doesn't know she's wrong, which makes her better than Zahn, but that doesn't really change the fact."

"Yes, but people now follow the paths they have chosen for themselves. The truth was shown to them. It is no fault of ours if they still cling to false beliefs."

"I don't know if that's enough to justify it. Thousands are being killed every day now."

"But if we had done nothing then Wutai would have one day been eliminated by Rufus." Nanaki reminded her. "At least now there is hope that the future will bring us peace. You must be patient; these five years are but a small drop in the flow of time."

"Yeah, I suppose at least that much is true."

"And you must also remember that not all have chosen a side in this conflict; there are many who simply want peace, and they grow in numbers."

"Oh, I know. But Elena and Zahn's people are so opinionated that anyone who disagrees with them is considered an enemy. People are killed if they refuse to take a side. I mean, there are a few resistance groups here and there, like the new Avalanche team that Barret is running from out of the Fortress of Condor, but nothing substantial."

"Still, it is a start. Perhaps if these refugees find a place to gather in strength, they can live out peaceful lives."

"Actually, I've been spending a lot of time with them to do just that. We've been rebuilding the old ruins of Nibelheim as a safe place for anyone who's neutral in the conflict. The old Shinra Mansion there offers a great place to hide in case Zahn or the church comes after them."

"That is a fantastic idea." Nanaki smiled. "You should be commended for such a generous act."

"Well, it's the little things that make life worth living, you know?"

"Indeed."

"So," Tifa looked over to him. "What do you make of the recent news out of the Holy Shinra Empire?"

"I assume you refer to this mysterious new 'messenger' and the miracles and prophecies he brings with him?"

Tifa nodded.

"I think that our old friend Reno has finally decided to show himself again."

"I concur." Ahziralirul spoke up. "Recently I have detected sharp spike in the use of Jenova power. It is difficult to believe that such levels could come from any of the old Empire's regular creations. It would have to be one such as this Jenova spawn called Reno."

"So if it is him," Tifa hesitated. "Do you think the things he's been saying are true?"

"About the return of Rufus, you mean?" Nanaki asked.

"What else?" Tifa gave him a weary smile.

"I find it hard to believe that the Emperor could have survived the explosion in his office in his weakened state, let alone the collapse of his tower. Yet I suppose anything is possible; Reno could have perhaps rescued him before the tower fell."

"Well a lot of people sure are eating it up. Zahn's had a lot of defections since this messenger showed up."

"Do not fear. Even if Rufus has some how survived, he is no longer the threat he was. His powers will have greatly diminished. I would not doubt it if Reno would be superior in strength by this point."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he won't be able to rally millions of people behind his lies again." Tifa grimaced. "His most dangerous aspects were his intellect and ability to manipulate the masses, not his raw power."

"True, but it is not something we should dwell on now." Nanaki sighed. "It is a future that may not even come to pass. Let us discuss it if the need actually arises."

"Fair enough."

As the three of them turned a corner and into the central area of the city, they went quiet. This was where they had first met Ahziralirul when they accidentally discovered the city long ago, and it was also one of the most heavily trafficked zones. Many Cetra went about their daily lives here where many of the city's businesses had been placed. The only other area that received more visitors was the ruined city on the surface which they had been slowly rebuilding over time.

They said nothing as they walked through the crowds of Cetra and turned down the path that would lead them to the shimmering and crystal clear burial waters, and the city control room beyond it. As they traveled down the walkway that extended over the still waters, Tifa found herself staring down into their peaceful depths and at the shrouded bodies of Cetra long past that lined the bottom of the ceremonial lake. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that Nanaki and Ahziralirul had stopped shortly behind her, allowing her to be by herself as she continued on.

Not far before she would have reached the control room, Tifa stopped walking and slowly knelt down on the walkway as she stared down into the water. As she watched, her transparent reflection in the surface of the lake began to distort as small ripples appeared within the image. With a quiet sniff, Tifa brought her right hand up and wiped the tears that were disturbing the waters away from her eyes and cheeks and took in a deep shuddering sigh.

"Well, I'm here, just like I promised." Tifa spoke quietly to no one, her voice breaking slightly during some words. "It's been five years."

Pausing briefly, the young woman was unable to control her emotions any longer. As her shoulders began to shake, her beautiful face contorted with anguish and the tears began to flow once more.

"First Nibelheim, then Zach, now this." She said in a shaking voice. "I miss you so much. And no matter how much time goes by, it doesn't get any easier to know that I'll never see you again."

She stopped as she dropped her head down and wiped at her eyes again, trying desperately to collect herself, but knowing that it just wasn't going to happen.

"Things haven't gone like we'd all hoped, but I'm doing my best to make the world a better place. It's just so hard to do it without you by my side anymore."

The waters began to distort again as the tears continued to roll down her soft cheeks and cascade into the lake.

"I feel so alone now." She said in a choked cry. "And no matter what I do, there's just this emptiness inside that I can't make go away no matter how hard I try."

Tifa went quiet then as she bowed her head down and fought to regain control over her emotions. It was several minutes before she could finally breath evenly again, though her eyes were now red from crying.

"I love you." She said in a quiet whisper.

Reaching into a small pouch she had at her hip, she withdrew a single, beautiful flower; an Icicle Petal, the kind that Aerith had told her about once. A small rock on which she had carved a short message was tied around the stem. With a sniffle, she leaned over and released the flower over the waters, watching for a moment as the rock pulled it beneath the surface before she stood up.

"I'll visit again." She whispered. "I promise."

As Tifa walked back to where Nanaki and Ahziralirul were waiting for her, the Icicle Petal and the heartfelt message on the rock sunk through the magical waters. It at last came to rest between two shrouds where the honored dead had been laid to rest with the weapons they had used to fight for peace. There its message would lie for eternity between the Buster Sword and the mage rod that Cloud Strife and Aerith Gainsborough had wielded during the final days of their lives.

"I will never forget you."

Smile Like You Mean It

(Ending B)

With a heavy breath, Tifa Lockheart dropped the hammer she'd been using down on the top of her ladder. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she descended the steps and backed away so that she could get a good view of her work. Looking her finished project over, she smiled and gave herself a mental pat on the back for a job well done.

"Seventh Heaven?" A voice from behind her read the sign aloud.

Turning, Tifa spotted the speaker and graced Cloud Strife with a warm smile. Although they had been able to find him and get him treated fast enough to save his life, the injury he'd sustained from Sephiroth had left a permanent mark. He walked slowly towards her, favoring his left leg. He'd been weaker on that side of his body ever since that day, but as long as he was careful, he could still put up a good fight, which he still had to do on occasion.

"Just like old times, huh?" He said as he reached her and looked up at the sign she'd just placed above her new establishment.

"Not exactly." Tifa spoke softly as a sad smile touched her face. "But it's a start."

"Yeah." His mouth dipped into a frown as he dodged a pair of children who shot past them. The red-headed boy and blond-haired girl darted down into the town streets beyond them.

"I never thought there'd be life here again." Cloud said while looking over the makeshift buildings, construction sites, and piles of long burned homes that hadn't been removed yet.

"I know." Tifa nodded as she joined him in gazing at the new and largely unfinished incarnation of Nibelheim.

It had now been five years ago on this very day that the fateful battle with Rufus, and later Sephiroth, had taken place. Since then the world as they had known it had been changed drastically. The war between Zahn's Dominion of the Fist and Elena's Holy Shinra Empire seemed to escalate by the day, and any who refused to choose a side were considered enemies of both. It had been Tifa's idea to use the ruins of Nibelheim as a safe house for refugees who wanted nothing to do with the war, and had no where else to go. It was dangerous to aid anyone in these dark times, but she knew it was their responsibility to help everyone they could.

"I hate being here." She sighed as she rubbed her arms. "It brings back too many bad memories."

"We don't have to stay." Cloud told her. "We could always go to Wutai like Cid and Sherra did."

"No." She shook her head. "We're responsible for what happened to these people. We owe it to them to help them start a new life."

"We had to do something, Tifa. If Rufus had stayed in power, the world would never be free."

"I'm not sure if that was a good trade off anymore." Her voice was tinged with regret.

"I know." His lips formed a firm line. "But there's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to try and build a better future."

"Freedom, but at the cost of a lifetime of heartaches." Tifa said with a depressed smile. "Do you think these people would be as grateful to us for helping them if they knew that we were the ones who caused the Empire to fall?"

"I doubt they'd believe us if we told them." He couldn't help but grin. "I mean, it's a little far fetched, don't you think?"

"Yeah." She cracked a smile. "It is kind of out there."

"Miss Tifa!" Called a child's voice from the front of the new town square, which was currently nothing more than dirt and materials. Looking the area over, they quickly spotted a girl waving to them. "There're people coming!"

"Must be our visitors." Tifa's smile was a genuine one this time.

"We better get down there, huh?" He asked, though it was rhetorical. Before she had a chance to speak, he'd already started walking towards the makeshift gate that had been set up to protect the town.

Tifa came up next to him and the pair walked side by side through the town until they arrived at the gates. After receiving an approving nod from Tifa, the middle aged man who was serving as a guard pulled the gates open. Cloud's hand went to the hilt of his Buster Sword that hung from his right hip, but relaxed as he recognized the visitors.

Donned in his magical human disguise, Nanaki entered into Nibelheim. None of the refugees here had any idea that he was actually a full blooded Cetra. The boyish looking forty-seven year old bowed his head down to the both of them in a show of respect. Walking along with him, with her arm in the crook of his elbow for stability, Aerith Gainsborough had an impossibly bright smile etched on her cheerful face. Just like Cloud, her injury had made her weak, but she was left in worse shape than he was. She had she become unable to walk well without assistance, and anything more strenuous than a casual walk caused her to have difficulty with breathing.

Following the fight with Rufus and Sephiroth, Nanaki had taken up residence in the Cetra starship in the Frozen North, where the remnants of his people now lived. Aerith had gone with him, both to learn more about her heritage, and to better heal. With the Cetra's help, it was possible that she may one day be whole again. Though they knew little about her, the Cetra had welcomed her with open arms, and in fact, revered her nearly as much as their new leader, Nanaki. After all, she was the bearer of Holy, and had fought against Rufus, who had consumed the power of Jenova.

Both of the visitors wore clothing of virgin white that had been given to them by the other Cetra as a sign of respect and gratitude. Nanaki was covered by an elegant robe that with intricate and alien markings sewed with blue thread decorated the otherwise plain cloth. Aerith's outfit was far more eye catching, though. As she moved, the shimmering and silky material of her dress flowed over her still slender figure. The beautiful, sleeveless garb cut off below her underarms, and was held in place by two thin strings that traveled up her collar bones and tied together at the back of her neck. No longer held up by her old ribbon, her slightly curled locks of chestnut hair fell down over her shoulders. The pure color and grace of her dress, and the way her hair framed her face, gave her the appearance of an angel. Most would agree that such a statement wasn't a far cry from the truth.

"Hello, Aerith." Tifa greeted her with a friendly hug and a kiss on her cheek.

"It's good to see you again." Aerith told her as her face beamed with joy over being with her friends. Moving to Cloud, she embraced him briefly before stepping back. Although she had never told anyone, she too had developed feelings for him during their time together, but in the end he had chosen Tifa. Aerith didn't wish to lose either of them as friends, so she buried that particular emotion away and did her best to ignore it. She smiled at the pair as she looked them over. "You seem well."

"We're surviving." Cloud cracked a smile.

"Ahziralirul sends you good tidings." Nanaki said to them. "Your presence is sorely missed in our city."

"Well, we can't be everywhere, you know?" Tifa smiled.

"Yes. That is unfortunate."

"Look, we should get inside where we can talk in private." Cloud spoke up before the others could continue speaking. "We can use Tifa's place."

Nodding in agreement, Tifa waved the others to follow. Together, the four of them walked back to her new establishment, which was everything from a bar, to an inn, to an orphanage. Once inside, Cloud, Nanaki, and Aerith sat down at one of the small tables.

"Can I get you guys something to drink?" Tifa asked as she remained standing.

"I am fine." Nanaki shook his head. "Thank you."

"Uhm, I'll take a glass of water if you don't mind." Aerith smiled to her.

"Sure thing." Tifa said. Stepping behind her bar, she filled a glass from the water tap then nabbed two more glasses and a pitcher of ale. Returning to the table, she passed the glasses to the appropriate people and poured a drink from the pitcher for herself and Cloud before she sat back down.

"How have you been?" Aerith asked after taking a short drink. "Things seem to be progressing here better than you've told us."

"Yeah." Tifa nodded. "We get more people all the time, and everyone chips in. It's going faster than we thought it would because of that."

"Are you safe here?" Nanaki asked.

"We're not really safe anywhere outside of your city or Wutai." Cloud reminded him. "We've already had to fend off a few bandit attacks, but those aren't a big deal. None of the big guns have noticed us yet, but if they do we can always hide in the catacombs under the old Shinra mansion here. They'd have a hard time digging us out of there, if they could even find us to begin with."

"That sounds quite dangerous." Aerith frowned at the news.

"No more than anything else we've done before." Tifa managed a smile. "Besides, no one knows there's anything left here, and I think Zahn and Elena have their hands full with each other."

"That may be true," Aerith spoke in a worried tone. "But if Elena was to ever learn that the two of you were here, she would stop at nothing to destroy you for challenging Rufus."

"And I imagine Zahn would want you dead simply because he knows what you are capable of." Nanaki added.

"You're right." Tifa sighed. "But we can't hide forever. If they find us, so be it."

Those words caused everyone to go quiet. They stared at their drinks or the table until finally Nanaki broke the silence.

"Are the others coming as well?"

"Vincent and Jessie are. You'll be surprised when you see them, Vincent's changed a lot."

"Hell, he even cut his damn hair." Cloud chuckled.

"You're joking?" Aerith asked, clearly surprised.

"No, he's serious." Tifa smiled.

"Were they the only ones you could reach?"

"I sent a message to Barret through his new Avalanche network, but I'm not sure if it made it to him. Cid and Sherra were contacted too, but I don't know if they'll respond. I think they've seen enough of war."

"And what is it exactly that you are summoning us all for?" Nanaki finally asked the question that had been on his and Aerith's mind since they'd first received the message that had called them here.

"I take it you've heard about this 'messenger' that's appeared in Shinra?" Cloud asked. "Have you come to the same conclusion we have?"

"That this miracle worker is our long absent friend, Reno?" Aerith responded.

"Bingo." Tifa nodded.

"You didn't call us here to find out if we'd heard about that." Nanaki said, raising a brow in confusion. "What are you thinking?"

"I plan to find out if his 'prophecy' about the return of Rufus is going to come true." Cloud's tone became more serious "And if it does, we're going to do something about it."

"Still more fighting?" Aerith looked as if her stomach was upset. "Will peace always escape us?"

Again the group fell silent as those words resounded through their minds. It seemed that the world was destined to be at war. It was an unending cycle of death and rebirth, and for now they were directly involved in the outcome. In the end, though, none of that was important to them. If a battle stood in their way, they would meet it headfirst and strong. Whether their actions were the right ones or not, they would do everything in their power to change the fate of this world, and that was the only thing that truly mattered.