Title: There and Back Again
Pairing: Genesis/Cloud
Time Travel
A/N: First of all, I would like to thank my two betas for helping me out! To my team, I would like to welcome *drum role* Yekaterina Vera! Thanks a lot (both of you) for offering and being so friendly!
So here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! I think its better than the last chapter (which I'm kind of dissatisfied with, I might go back one day and rewrite it), so I hope you think that too! I also know updates are coming fast at the moment, but they'll slow down eventually, so don't expect it to always be like this.
You all know I don't own this.
"Most of my sweet memories were buried in the sand
The fire and the pain will now be coming to an end
How did you get to save me from this desolate wasteland
In your eyes I see the dawn of brighter days again."
-Woodkid "Wasteland"
The following weeks for Cloud were filled with paper work to establish himself in the ranks of weapon designing. He didn't have any qualifications, but he had experience, which was more than what most had. After the paper work had been submitted and he'd been questioned by the head of the department, he had gotten to work on Genesis's sword.
From what he remembered in the past, Genesis had already had a magic sword, but from whatever angle he looked at the rapier, he couldn't find a single trace of it. Cloud reasoned that Genesis must not have had it done yet, and so he was loosely given a time-frame for when he was. He estimated that he was to be sixteen in two months with the help of a calendar.
The work he had been doing on Genesis's sword was quick and surprisingly simple. He had something similar on one of the blades of his sword, but it was near invisible. Cloud was surprised that when he completed his work that it was visible when in use. He had tested it just to make sure, and after four days of work, the sword was completely finished and ready to go back to its owner.
Of course, he had absolutely no idea where to find Genesis, so that resulted in Cloud going on an adventure. It took him half an hour and three stops to ask people for directions, but he eventually managed to find his way to the floor where the red commander's office was located.
He knocked on the door three times and waited for an answer. He got one quickly, but it wasn't Genesis's voice that he heard. Rather, it had been Zack's. Opening the door and stepping inside, he expected to see just Zack, but it seemed as if Zack was just there to bug Genesis, who was hunched over some paperwork on his less than tidy desk. "Hello sirs. I've, um, completed your sword work, Commander Rhapsodos."
Genesis looked up quickly at his voice, and before Cloud knew it, the red rapier was being taken from him and a pouch of gil was being shoved in his hand. Stuttering a bit, Cloud stared at Genesis questioningly.
"You didn't think I wasn't going to pay you, did you? This is very fine work. Would you like to join me in the training room to test it out?" Cloud nodded dumbly as he watched Genesis sheath the sword he had been admiring. Genesis left the room quickly, and Zack and Cloud were left to follow after him. Cloud was quite anxious about what Genesis would think. He might have said it was 'fine work', but that might change when he saw it in action.
They took the elevator two floors down, to floor forty-nine, where the training rooms were. As they stepped out (Zack babbling about this and that as they went), Cloud looked around almost excitedly. He hadn't seen anything of this building in a very long time, so he barely remembered it. He was excited to refresh his memory and see where everything was again. He was so busy looking around that he bumped into Genesis when they stopped walking.
Blushing and muttering an apology, Cloud stepped back to stand beside Zack, entering the training room last before the door closed. "Zack, you work the controls for the monster, Cloud… You just watch." Genesis chuckled and entered the training area as Zack excitedly set up a monster for Genesis to fight. When that was done, Zack turned happily to Cloud and gestured for him to come closer so they could talk and watch.
As they watched Genesis run a hand down his blade, Cloud could see the awe in both Genesis and Zack's eyes, and the latter let out a low whistle as the blade lit up. "Wow Spike, you really out did yourself! Why are you so cool?! Aw man, when I become first, I really want you to make my sword!"
Cloud smiled and nodded, not taking his eyes off the graceful commander. The way he wielded his sword was an art in itself. It didn't compare at all to the fighting he had seen when he was degrading…
Cloud's smile suddenly dropped as he realized something. Genesis would still degrade. Genesis… would he end up deserting again? Cloud had to prevent that so the future wouldn't happen. He hadn't put much thought into it yet, as he had been enjoying a new life in the past, but now that the thoughts were there, he couldn't push them away. There were so many things to fix. The Nibelheim mission being the most important, and then close behind that was Genesis's degradation and Angeal's 'transformation'. Neither of them were monsters, and Cloud was determined to save them.
There was also Zack's death… but if the Nibelheim mission never happened, than that wouldn't either. Maybe he could go up to Nibelheim under the guise of looking for rare metal and burn the mansion? He would have to awaken Vincent so he wouldn't die. How would he explain himself to the former Turk? Nothing less than the truth would be believed.
Cloud jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw the concern in Zack's ultra-bright eyes. "Hey Cloud, you alright?" Zack had that look on his face. It was the look that Cloud recognized from when they were running away on that truck, full of worry. It made Cloud feel woozy.
Shaking his head in the negative, Cloud found himself overwhelmed with the memories of his past. It was all sinking in now, where and when he was, who he was with, and what he had the power to stop. Taking a few steps back from Zack, Cloud put a hand to his head, clenching his eyes shut.
"At least someone is keeping up!"
"Hey, what's so funny about that?! You know Gongaga?"
"Ditto Nibelheim."
Cloud didn't know what was going on, but he was having flashbacks. Why would they happen now? The images flashed by in his mind as words reached his ears. He didn't realize he was on the floor until he felt someone propping him against a wall and calling for Genesis.
"Embrace your dreams."
"So you want to be in SOLDIER? Hang in there."
"You're gonna… You're gonna live."
They were on the cliff side now, Zack was dying. Zack was… disappearing. "Zack, no!" grasping at his head like he'd done when he'd first arrived, Cloud didn't even register the cold hands on his face.
"You'll be… my living legacy."
Cloud gave a strangled sounding sob. He wanted it to stop. Why was he having flashbacks now? Why did they have to be of Zack? Forgetting where he was for a moment, Cloud continued to sob into his knees. He hadn't realized when he'd curled into a ball.
He felt as if the world was coming down on him. Cloud could feel the weight of his existence again, and it wasn't pleasant. He wanted it to stop.
He needed to escape.
And he would have too, if he hadn't passed out.
Genesis paced in his office, unsure of what to think at the moment. It had happened so suddenly. One moment everything had been going pleasant, and the next he'd heard Zack calling out to him. He raced to the puppy's side only to find Cloud a sobbing mess on the floor. It was a mystery and Zack wasn't giving him any answers. The only thing Zack kept saying was he didn't know what happened.
Apparently one moment Cloud had been watching him fight with admiration, or so Zack said, and the next moment he'd been spacing out about something, then he'd been clutching at his head and crying on the floor.
Zack must have done something. The cute little former cadet didn't look the type to do those things.
There was also what he'd said. Cloud had cried out, 'Zack, no!', and had started sobbing harder. It fueled his belief that Zack had done something in the past to the blond, something so terrible that it caused this reaction.
At the moment though, Zack was hovering around the couch in his office where said blond was resting. His breathing and heart rate had been fast at first, but they were calmed down now, much to his unexplainable relief.
Turning his harsh gaze to Zack he finally snapped. "Zack! What the hell did you do to Cloud? Why did he say that?" Genesis stalked closer to the other SOLDIER. Zack, no matter how oblivious and puppy-like he was sometimes, could instantly sense the danger in this situation. It seemed that Genesis was weirdly attached to Cloud, despite barely knowing him.
Backing away from Cloud so they didn't end up hurting him, he held up his hands as a sign of surrender and innocence in the situation. "I swear on the planet that I didn't do anything! I asked him if he was alright, that's all, and then he started freaking out! I swear I've never met him before that day in the infirmary!" Zack inched towards the door, hoping that if Genesis attacked he'd be able to escape before getting hit.
He was about to slip out the door and run for Angeal's office when they both heard a groan from Cloud's direction. Genesis stopped in the middle of gesturing wildly and angrily, quickly turning on his heels and marching over to Cloud hurriedly.
As Cloud's bright blue eyes blinked open and he focused on Genesis after a moment. "Commander Rhapsodos…?" His eyebrows drew together and he sat up slowly, looking around he noticed he was back in the office.
"Call me Genesis. You passed out in the training room. What happened…?" It was unusual for Genesis to be so forward, but he was admittedly worried about their new friend. It wasn't often he felt so strongly about someone.
As Cloud rubbed his head, he could feel the dull ache of a headache coming, he sighed. He didn't want to have to rely on outright lying. He'd much rather prefer to twist the truth just slightly. That way when it came time to tell the real truth they wouldn't feel too betrayed, he hoped. Placing his feet on the floor, Cloud leaned back into the cushioned couch, barely registering that Zack was also there.
"I had a flashback. I have some… unsavory memories, and I guess Zack triggered them when he asked if I was okay." While crossing his arms Cloud sighed. He hoped that would be enough. They didn't need to know the memory (because really, it was just all of them). He just hoped he hadn't said anything…. strange while he was in la-la land.
Genesis also crossed his arms before returning to behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair, feeling as if he could finally relax, even if just slightly, now that he knew Cloud was awake. It wouldn't due for their new sword designer to suddenly die on them while on his watch. After all, it would look extremely bad on Genesis's record. "Why did you mention Zack's name when you were flash-backing…?" he was very curious about what could have possibly happened to Cloud in his past that would have such a negative effect. He knew he would need to wait for the blonde to trust him more to find out.
Cloud frowned while Genesis busied himself with something on his desk. Glancing at Zack, he noticed that all of the puppy's attention was on him. It made Cloud feel uncomfortable, knowing Zack felt so serious about this. He wondered briefly if Zack felt guilty about causing his flashback. Cloud really needed to watch his thoughts now that he knew things like this could occur to such a degree. "I used to know a different person named Zack when I was a child. He… died in an event before I came to ShinRa." Cloud averted his eyes away from both the Commander and Zack, knowing they would be more curious than ever.
Coming forward slowly, with an apologetic look on his face, Zack held his hands together the way someone would when they were praying. "I'm so sorry, Cloud. Will you ever forgive me?" the sight of a big eyed Zack was just too much to bear in that moment, and Cloud didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He ended up laughing of course, and couldn't stop himself from ruffling his friend's hair.
"Of course I forgive you! There was nothing to forgive in the first place, it wasn't your fault." Zack predictably still looked guilty. Cloud had always known Zack had an almost overpowering guilty conscience. Cloud patted the couch beside him in hopes that maybe Zack would sit down and he'd be able to get to know his friend again. He realized he really didn't know anything about anyone but Zack and Sephiroth, and even then he didn't know much. He would need to fix that if he was going to fix the others.
Once Zack was comfortable on the couch, it was silent for a time. Genesis had gone back to the paperwork he had been doing that morning, and Cloud was fidgeting his hands almost awkwardly, looking around the room to find something to do. Zack realized it was probably up to him to get the blond to open up all the way and talk freely. When Zack started asking him questions Cloud felt relieved, knowing he had always been a bit socially stunted himself.
They talked for a while, asking each other questions and just generally joking around. Every so often Genesis would butt in and tell them something about himself. It wasn't long before they were all laughing at stories that were being told by Genesis, mostly of when he, Angeal and Sephiroth were moving up the ranks. Apparently they'd been troublemakers, much like Zack was now. Eventually a SOLDIER third had come bearing more paperwork for the commander and the two were kicked out, but that hadn't stopped them from talking and even having a bit of lunch together. In no time at all Cloud felt that he now knew Zack much better than he had ever before, even with the man's memories still somewhere in his mind.
Soon enough it came time for Cloud to get back to work. The weapons department had been looking for him apparently. The messenger had said something about looking at the newly built robots. With that in mind he had trudged back to the weapon building floor with a solemn goodbye to Zack. He supposed his time in ShinRa couldn't be all fun and games.
It was well into the evening before Cloud was allowed to go back to his new ShinRa issued apartment. He was extremely tired and felt that he could do with a very good rest. He'd hopefully sleep through the night, though the flashback he'd had earlier that day told him otherwise. Whenever he had a really bad flashback he'd have nightmares. It was like a two-in-one package and something that Cloud was not looking forward to, especially if he had to work the next day. It seemed ShinRa never took a break from creating weapons and things to destroy the planet. Sometimes he wondered why he'd even bothered with joining ShinRa in the first place, but thoughts of Zack and what the future could turn out to be stopped those thoughts in their tracks. He had a purpose here.
After taking a long hot shower Cloud dressed in his night clothes and got into bed. More often than not he felt strange sleeping in an empty apartment after so long of sharing with one person or another. He shrugged off the strange feeling of loneliness and closed his eyes, ready for sleep to take him. He couldn't help but hope that the next day would be just as good as the one that had just ended. He'd rather enjoyed the time he'd spent with Genesis and Zack.
