To the Morrow, For the Past

Chapter 18 – A New Perspective

Before he could infiltrate the Science Department, Cloud had been sent on his first solo mission. He was supposed to be gone for five days. After the seventh day, Zack began to worry. He marched his way into Sephiroth's office, not bothering to knock – his worry was more important than etiquette right now – and stomped up to Sephiroth's desk.

The man behind it lifted his had to regard Zack. "It seems I may need a lock on my door." He muttered. Zack didn't bother responding to that. Instead, he threw himself down on the seat in front of the desk and looked at his friend.

"Cloud's still not back." He said, "He was supposed to be back two days ago." Worry leaked into his tone and Zack really didn't care to stop it. He'd always worn his emotions on his sleeve and it'd helped him in the past. Why stop now?

Sephiroth frowned and moved some papers on his desk, looking for a specific one. "He shouldn't have had any problems..." He said quietly, reading through the mission brief. "He was sent to investigate and remove a monster nest on the northern continent..."

Zack nodded. That shouldn't have been a problem for Cloud. The man could take on Sephiroth and win – a few monsters wouldn't be a problem. "So... do we go after him?" Zack asked, shifting in his seat. He wanted to get up, to do something, anything to help find his friend.

Sephiroth shook his head. "Sometimes, a mission doesn't go as planned." He pointed out, "There could have been delays."

"So what!? We just sit here and twiddle our thumbs?" Zack was on his feet again, the nervous energy burning through him. He began to pace, to let some of it out.

"No." Sephiroth shuffled his papers into a pile and stood, putting his pen down. "I will speak with the director, find out what's going on." He stepped around the desk and put a hand on Zack's shoulder. "In the meantime, find something to distract yourself. He may simply be snowed in." While Sephiroth's tone was trying to be soothing, Zack could tell that Sephiroth was worried too.

Zack nodded. Distract himself. Okay. He could try to do that. "Call me." He ordered, "If you hear anything." When Sephiroth nodded, Zack let himself out of the office.

– – – – – – –

Zack was pretty sure that he was the only person that lived above plate that found the slums comforting. The bustle of people minding their own business, and the general atmosphere wasn't something that most people would find soothing. But for Zack, being in the slums meant that he was going to see Aerith.

Or at least, that had been the plan. He'd barely made it off the train when a young man ran up to him, skidding to a halt in front of him.

"Woah!" Zack took half a step back in surprise. "Hey kid, you okay?"

The youth shook his head rapidly, hand coming up to stabilise the hat on his head. "No. You're Zack, right?" He asked. Zack nodded and the boy continued. "Cloud said that if I needed help and I couldn't find him, I should look for you."

That was a surprise. Zack hadn't realised that Cloud had known any of the slum kids. But that would explain where he'd been disappearing to whenever he thought Zack wasn't looking. "Okay." If Cloud had told the boy that he'd help him, then he'd help. "How can I help?" This would be plenty distraction from the current situation, right?

"Cloud's missing." the boy said, and Zack frowned and nodded.

"Yeah, but we're looking for him." Zack tried to assure the boy, "His mission just got delayed a little, that's all." He could do comforting, right? This really wasn't his forte, but he could at least try for the kid. Be reassuring, even if he didn't believe it himself. There was no need for the kid to be worried too.

"I think I know where he is."

Okay, so that was unexpected. Zack felt his eyes widen a little and he bounced on his heels. "How?"

The kid reached up and scratched the back of his neck, a habit that Zack had seen in Cloud when he hadn't known how to explain things. Whoever he was, this kid had spent a lot of time around Cloud.

"You won't believe me." The kid muttered, "But the planet told me."

That wasn't the most outlandish thing Zack had ever heard, and he wanted to believe the kid, he really did but... "So where do you think he is?" He could humour the kid. He might give Zack a lead after all.

"Nibelheim."

Okay. This was getting a little creepy. Wasn't Nibelheim the town that they should never ever go to? Wasn't that creepy monster, mother of all SOLDIER, thing there? "Why would Cloud go to Nibelheim?" Zack wondered out loud.

"It wasn't by choice!" The kid was getting worked up now, he was clenching and unclenching his fists, apparently trying to stay calm. "Hojo has him!"

With those words, Zack froze. What did this kid know? He knew Cloud, but the man was very good at not telling people things. Had this kid worked out what was going on, or had Cloud told him? Why tell a kid?

"He called me," The kid continued, "To let me know he was on a mission and wouldn't come down for a while. He said that it was easy and that he'd be okay. But then I heard something. Before the call disconnected, Cloud said Hojo's name." Now the boy was pacing, letting some of his emotions out in the simple, repetitive motion.

"Thanks for the info kid." Zack said, "I'll look for him. I'll bring him back." He wasn't sure if he was promising that to himself, or to the kid. The idea of going to Nibelheim scared him, but not as much as the thought of Cloud already being there did.

He as about to walk away when his hand was grabbed in a surprisingly strong grip. "I'm coming too." The kid said, "If you wont take me, I'll find my own way there, and Cloud would be super pissed if you let me."

Who was this kid? For a minute, Zack had thought that maybe he was Cloud's son, but his eyes were brown and this kid was definitely older than five. But it didn't really matter. If Cloud really did know this kid, then he probably would be pissed if Zack let him go by himself.

"Okay." He said, giving in. "I'll come and get you before we head out. Where can I find you?"

"There's a house in sector five. Look for the flowers." With that, the kid turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Well. Hadn't that been strange?

– – – – – – –

He was on his way back to Sephiroth's office when his PHS beeped. He read the message while riding the elevator and was glad that he hadn't been moving under his own power and could lean against the railing. On the screen, in tiny letters, was the one message that he hadn't wanted to receive.

Cloud was officially missing in action.

When the elevator stopped, he all but ran into Sephiroth's office. "I have a lead." He said, not bothering with pleasantries. "Apparently there's a kid in the slums that Cloud knows. He said he was on the phone to Cloud and they got cut off." Sephiroth was listening, waiting for the actual lead, "He said Hojo's name before the call dropped. The kid said that he thinks Cloud's in Nibelheim."

Zack knew that he'd been speaking fast, but this nervous energy wouldn't leave until he was actively doing something to help. His worry for his friend had increased tenfold and was actually making Zack feel sick.

Sephiroth leaned against his desk, his arms folded over his chest as he thought, a sea of calm in the face of Zack's restlessness.

"We have to go after him!" Zack cried when Sephiroth had been quiet for too long. Was the man thinking of leaving him behind? Hoping for the best? Sending others to find him? No. Zack knew that they had to go. Their lead was flimsy at best, but it was a lead. Zack didn't care if it was a thin one, it was something to go on. If they went to Nibelheim and found nothing, then at least they would know that Cloud wasn't there. And something made him want to believe the kid that had told him. Maybe it was just hope and optimism, but Zack just knew the boy was right.

"Obviously." Sephiroth answered, face still frowning in thought. "But it would do us little good to get stopped by bureaucracy. You don't send both of your best combatants to find one man. It's unlikely that we'll be let go so easily... Then there's the matter of getting to Nibelheim."

"Where is it anyway?" Zack had never bothered to look. From the way Cloud had talked about it, it seemed like it was a long way away. But of course, Sephiroth had looked into it. He was told he should avoid the place, and would make sure to know exactly where he was avoiding.

A world map was placed on the desk and Sephiroth pointed to the town's location. The western continent. Surrounded by mountains. Great. "Looks cold." Zack muttered. "Okay, then how are we going to get there?"

"We need a plausible reason." Sephiroth said, pulling his own PHS out of his pocket and scrolling down the menu. "There is a mission at the reactor." He told Zack. "Come with me."

– – – – – – – –

Director Lazard seemed surprised to see them both, but it wasn't long before his features softened into pity. "I told you Sephiroth," He said, "I can't let you go on a wild goose chase."

"We're taking this mission." Sephiroth handed his phone over and Lazard raised an eyebrow.

"It hardily needs both of you." the director handed the phone back and stood, looking from one to the next. The looks on their faces must have been quite something, because after a beat, the director sighed. "But it wouldn't hurt moral, I suppose. Very well. You leave in the morning. Helicopter Pad six."

Sephiroth didn't say anything else, just left the room, Zack quickly following him.

– – – – – –

Sector five. Look for the flowers. Sector five, look for the flowers... Zack was wondering around a little aimlessly, looking into people's windows to see if any of the houses had flowers in them. Eventually, he stopped a random passer by, realising that his current strategy was taking too long. "Hey, I'm looking for a kid." He said, "He told me to look for the house with the flowers..?"

If Zack hadn't already been seen around the slums a lot lately, the man might not have helped. But as it was, Zack was known around the area and people were less suspicious of him now, even though he wore a SOLDIER uniform. "Ah. Elmyra's place. Through the alley," The man pointed and then scuttled away. Just because Zack was known to be a decent person, didn't mean that the locals wanted to be around him. He was kind of used to it by now.

After that, it didn't take long for Zack to find the house that he'd been looking for. It was surrounded by flowers of all different kinds and he stopped to stare at them for a moment.

"Are we leaving?" The voice belonged to the kid he'd met earlier and Zack looked around for him. There was a soft thump, as the kid landed in front of him. Had he been sitting on the roof? This kid was weird.

Zack nodded, "Yeah." It was very early in the morning, "In about twenty minutes. C'mon." He still wasn't sure if he should be bringing the kid along – or how he was going to tell Sephiroth – but he'd said he would, and he was sure the kid really would wonder off on his own and probably get himself killed. Cloud would definitely not be happy if that happened. At least this way, Zack could keep an eye on him.

"Hang on." The kid ran to the front door of the small house and knocked. After a moment it opened and revealed Aerith. She walked out the door and closed it quietly, tiptoeing up to Zack. She was wearing a pink dress, with a darker pink jacket. Zack couldn't help but think that it suited her.

"Hello Zack." She said brightly, adjusting the pole she wore on her back. "Is it time to go?"

What? Aerith wanted to come too? No. That was a bad idea. "What?" He asked, looking down at the two people in front of him. The kid rolled his eyes and started to walk away. "Hey wait!"

Aerith followed the kid, flashing a smile at Zack. "I'm supposed to come along." She said. "I don't expect you to understand, but it's okay. I can help." She looped her arm through Zack's and started pulling him along. "Zeke!" She called out, "Don't wonder off too far. Your father would be very upset if I lost you!"

The kid – Zeke – was back with them in a moment. "I can look after myself." He pouted, and Aerith placed a hand on his head with a smile, "I know. But you know how he worries."

"Hold on." Zack stopped, and Aerith couldn't get him to move again. Sometimes having super strength came in handy, even outside of combat. "This is a bad idea." He looked at Aerith and then at Zeke. "This is going to be dangerous. I can't take you guys knowingly into danger!"

Aerith tilted her head to one side, a sly smile on her face. "But if you don't take us, then we'll have to go on our own." She told him, "And it's a long way to Nibelheim. We'd have to go through Junon, Costa Del Sol, Cosmo Canyon... It could take us weeks just to get there, not to mention all the monster attacks on the way..."

That was sneaky, and mean, and vindictive. Zack frowned. He believed her – that they would go without him if they had to – he wasn't sure why she would go all that way for someone that had been avoiding her and she'd probably never met though. Maybe it was the kid that was driving her to do this?

"Why?"

"Because Cloud needs our help." She said simply.

And that explained everything. Aerith was someone who would always do everything they could to help someone, anyone. If there was a way, she would find it, and she would do it. She was too kind for her own good, and it was probably what had gotten her killed in Cloud's time.

But she was also determined. He'd long learned not to stand in her way when she'd decided to do something. All he could do, was go along and protect her as best he could. "Okay." He finally gave in, not really having much of a choice. "But we have to hurry." He looked at the time, "The helicopter leaves soon."

– – – – – – – –

There had been some hesitation when exiting the train to the plate. Aerith's steps had faltered and she'd taken a hold of Zack's arm in a tight grip. Once on the platform, she shyly raised her head, and Zack was reminded that she'd never seen the sky, and that it frightened her.

On her other side, Zeke's hand slipped in to hers and he smiled at her.

"Okay." She said with a deep breath and a nod. "Aren't we in a hurry?"

– – – – – – – – –

Sephiroth hadn't been pleased with taking two civilians with them, but Zack had insisted and they really did have a time constraint. "Very well." He'd said eventually, "But you're responsible for their safety."

He turned to the two in question, "And you will follow our orders." He told them, "Do what we tell you, when we tell you, no questions. Is that understood?" Both of them nodded and Sephiroth seemed satisfied.

"What do people call you?" He asked, his tone a little less irritated.

Zack hadn't meant to make Sephiroth grumpy. He hadn't really had much of a choice about bringing them along.

He tuned out the others and watched the scenery pass by and wondered how his life had come to this.

– – – – – – – – –

Zack had been right. Nibelheim was cold. The snow blew in from the mountains and the wind battered the town. He pulled his arms across his chest and looked around. It was tiny. There were maybe a dozen houses and an inn. Zack couldn't even see a shop.

"So..." Sephiroth said slowly, "This is my home town..." His voice had a hint of wonder, and disappointment. That's right. Sephiroth had grown up thinking that he didn't have a home town, but Cloud had told him that he'd actually been born here, right?

"I like mine better," Zack muttered, "It's warmer."

"Should've brought better clothes." Zeke muttered beside him, also looking around. His face held the same expression as Sephiroth's as his eyes flickered from building to building. "This way." He didn't wait for their replies before heading off to the back of the town. Once again, he didn't give them much of a choice, and the other three found themselves following him.

– – – – – – –

The mansion stood alone. It was bigger than any house in the village, possibly even bigger than them all put together. It was pretentious and unnecessary. "Shinra Mansion." Aerith said beside him.

Okay, he was totally going to have to ask her how she knew all this stuff. Later though. After they'd found Cloud.

Zeke hadn't even bothered waiting for them before throwing the doors open and striding inside. A tell tale pitter-patter told Zack that there were monsters inside and he chased after the boy. Luckily, they weren't the first inside. Across the floor were the corpses of a few monsters, their bodies slowly dissolving into nothing.

Zeke was already at the top of the stairs, and Zack rushed to catch up to him, following him inside a small bedroom in time to see him open a secret passage. "Woah..." He reached out and snagged the back of Zeke's shirt, almost dislodging the scarf the boy wore. "Hang on. It looks dangerous down there." Behind him, he could hear the arrival of the other two.

"Zack will go first." Sephiroth said, "I will bring up the rear."

He hadn't said much since arriving, but Zack could hear the tension in his voice. Was he afraid? Cloud had said some pretty bad stuff had happened here, and that Jenova could control Sephiroth, and that she was here, and that last time Sephiroth had been here, he'd gone insane and burned the place down.

Okay, so Sephiroth had a good reason to be uncomfortable. But it would be okay. Zack was here this time, he'd help Sephiroth through it all and make sure that he didn't go crazy.

He took the spiral staircase down, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. A light appeared behind him, and he turned his head to see Aerith holding a glowing ball of materia. Smart. Zack wouldn't have thought to use it like that. He was keeping his senses open, there was a good chance that there were monsters here.

The stairs ended at a corridor and Zack lead the others along it, he was about to check the first door when Aerith put her hand on his shoulder, "Keep going." She said, "End of the hall." This time, Zack wasn't even going to question her. He just did as she said and kept going. There would be time for questions later.

The hallway opened up into what looked like a lab and a library. After the dark corridor, the bright sterile lights hurt his eyes a little, but he didn't dare close them. In the corner of the room were a pair of large cylinders filled with green liquid and floating in one of them, was Cloud. Without thinking, Zack rushed towards him, finding the keypad and managing to open the pod. Mako spilled across the room and all over Zack, but he didn't care. All he cared about was the blonde man who fell in to his arms.

"Cloud! Buddy, you're alright, we're here! We found you!" There was no response. It looked like Cloud was unconscious. If it wasn't for the fact that it was Cloud, Zack would've suspected mako poisoning. "What's he done to you...?" He asked, slowly lowering themselves down so that he could put Cloud on the floor. His arms hadn't been in the best of positions and had been starting to cramp up. He didn't want to drop his friend.

He felt movement beside him as Aerith knelt down on the other side of Cloud. She'd had her staff in her hands and she placed it on the floor. "Silly Cloud." She said with a sigh, "What have you gotten yourself in to this time?" She closed her eyes and held her hands above him, a white lite forming between them.

Zack's eyes widened and he was so distracted by Aerith's sudden show of ability that he hadn't realised that their little party was no longer alone until he heard a strartled yelp.

In seconds, he was on his feet and turned around, Buster Sword already drawn. Beside him, Sephiroth had reacted in a similar manner and they turned on their new enemy.

Hojo had apparently come up behind them. Somehow, he'd managed to grab Zeke from behind and he held him against his chest. "What do we have here?" The scientist asked, cackling. "You've come for-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Zeke's eyes flashed briefly and he moved, faster than anybody was expecting. His head slammed back into Hojo's nose, which caused the man to loosen his grip enough for Zeke to land an elbow to the gut and a fist to the face. Once fully let go, the boy took one step forward and spun, a sword suddenly drawn and in his left hand, it's tip pressed against Hojo's throat.

So maybe the kid really could look after himself... Zack hadn't even been aware that he'd been armed. Where had he hidden that sword? And why was it so familiar?

The look on Hojo's face was pure terror. He'd attempted to back away, but Zeke expertly manipulated him in to a corner where he couldn't escape. The boy's arm drew back, readying a strike.

"Disarm!" The order came from behind them. It was Cloud's voice! "Zeke, disarm." He said slowly. Zack wanted to turn around, to see his friend awake and well, but he wouldn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him. He might be needed to react quickly, and he didn't want to be distracted again.

The boy wavered, his sword moving slightly as he hesitated to follow the orders. "Zack Strife put your weapon down!" The order came again, and suddenly the sword was gone. It didn't clatter to the ground like Zack expected, it just... disappeared. More questions for later.

But instead of simply backing off, Zeke pulled his arm back and landed a blow to Hojo's head, rendering the man unconscious. After a few seconds (and a few kicks to the scientist's side), Zeke deemed the battle over. He spun around, "Dad!" He called and threw himself down to his knees beside Cloud.

Zack's eyes widened as he stared at the kid. Cloud had gathered him up in his arms and Zeke was clinging on to the man.

Wasn't Cloud's son like.. five? There was no way this kid was that young. Fifteen, sixteen maybe, but definitely not five. He also had brown eyes. Hadn't Cloud said that his son was another Sephiroth? Sephiroth's eyes were green. Zack was starting to get a headache from all the questions forming in his brain. Or maybe that was just the mako still clinging to his clothes.

It did explain why the kid was always wearing a hat though. Silver hair wasn't exactly common, and it would have probably brought up too many questions. Zack had a few of those himself. But they could wait until the current threat was resolved. He moved to stand by Sephiroth, both of them keeping an eye on Hojo.

"Hey buddy," Cloud greeted Zeke, "What are you doing here?" He allowed the boy to help him up and looked around. "What are any of you doing here...?"

"We came to look for you, silly." Aerith took Cloud's other arm and looped it around her shoulders. With Zeke on the other side, Cloud was now a lot more mobile. "We should get out of here." Aerith continued, "I don't like this place."

Cloud nodded, and slowly they made their way back to the mansion, and then back to the town. Sephiroth took a moment to tie up Hojo and literally dragged him behind them by his ankles. He seemed to take great pleasure in hearing Hojo's head hit every step on the spiral staircase and Zack once again reminded himself never to piss Sephiroth off.

– – – – – – – – –