KINGDOM HEARTS: CRISIS CORE.
Author's note: Terribly sorry for the delay of this story. Loss of inspiration despite that I really wanted to finish this. Really difficult, especially with the long battle parts which I'm still terrible at. None the less, here it is. This will also reveal the change from the original Crisis Core's ending that I mentioned about which is also connected to "Kingdom Hearts: Moon Pass Time".
Let's continue on and please remember these notes.
The Bold is the Author's Notes.
The Italic is both memories, thoughts and dreams.
The Bold &Italicare the names of the worlds.
The Brackets (-and Bold-) are the BGM(which will never happen, but one can dream, right?).
I hold no rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon or Sailor Moon.
CHAPTER 14: Another Truth.
'Well, it's now or never.' Zack thought to himself.
With that, he entered the doors and into the familiar cave like room. It seemed to be the only place that hasn't been touched in years, not even by nature. The statue he remembered was still broken, the room was still a little dark, and right in the middle of it, was the very man he'd been looking for and as he suspected would be here, the one who was the main reason for the troubles and losses and struggles Zack had to put up with for the last several weeks.
Genesis. He stood in front of the broken statue who had been gazing at it, as though fond of it, before sensing movement behind and turned around, smirking somewhat evilly as he saw the one whom he'd been waiting for all this time. It was time for the final steps for the truth and for the final battle between the two of them.
"I knew you would come." Genesis commented.
"That's because I knew you were here." Zack pointed out, referring to the fact that he finally accepted the fact that he'd been reborn from his previous into who he is now. Despite this, as he thought about it, Zack realised that he was both himself in his previous life, and himself here in his present life. The same person.
Chuckling as though he found the answer amusing, Genesis's smirk then curled into a frown as he declared, "And so, the final test shall be revealed. Who will be a hero today?"
Final test? Hero of the day? What was Genesis talking about?
"What does that mean?" Zack demanded, almost shouting, "Have you lost your mind?" as a gut feeling immediately told him that something was seriously wrong with Genesis...could it be the Darkness?
(~Howl of the Gathered-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~)
"Maybe once...but no more! Show me your strength!" Genesis drew out his Crimson Sword, the Rapier, pointing it threateningly at Zack, his eyes pierched and sharp with a strong translation that told the younger man to fight.
Despite that Zack wanted to do something, anything to get this fight out of Genesis' head, the younger man clutched his fists, trying to hold into the urge to scream and yell as he knew that it would only trigger the darkness in his own heart. Still, with no other choice, Zack withdrew the Buster Sword and held it tightly in his grip, pleadingly yelling, "Genesis, don't let the Darkness get to you!"
Extending his wing out once more, Genesis then zipped at Zack, his Crimson Sword at ready. Zack jumped back before barely blocking and dodging the attack even with the Buster Sword. The two met, and their blades clashed. They pushed against each other before separating and then clashing again. Genesis sidestepped, letting Zack pass him by. Pulling back his sword, he channelled Firaga-Materia into the Sword. There was a whoosh and flames swept across the blade. Genesis then turned and thrust out his sword, aiming for Zack's head. Zack tilted his head to the side and dodged the blow. He felt the searing heat of the flames burn across his cheek. With his sword he knocked Genesis Crimson Sword aside and lunged at Genesis, trying to strike him while his guard was down. Genesis was faster, however, and was able to twist his body out of the way. The swordsman turned and nimbly moved behind Zack. With the hilt of his sword he struck Zack on the back of the head, causing him to stagger forwards.
With Zack off-balance, Genesis clenched his fist and summoned Firaga Materiainto his hand. A fireball formed around his fist, and when he punched out the ball flew from his hand and headed for Zack who saw this coming. Thinking quickly, he preformed his own Firaga and thrusted it out with his hand. The two Firaga spells met in the middle, colliding and exploding into a thick smoke with small embers raining down all over the area like rain or snow flakes. Both of them shield their eyes, only for Zack to recover first as he, as Genesis just saw, came running towards him through the dissipating flames. The swordsman swung his sword and Genesis barely had time to raise his weapon before Zack's Buster Sword clashed against his own.
Things were starting to become very serious, as Genesis then flew up into the air to avoid being sliced into pieces by Zack who gazed up and gritted his teeth in irritation and worry. The crimson-haired man in the meantime, crossed the air with his sword to make an "X" mark before thrusting it down towards Zack who barely had enough time to jump out of the way to avoid the said attack. The attack in the meantime, collided onto the ground, creating a massive shockwave that sent Zack flying and crashing onto the hard dirt, skidding to a stop and flinched when small rocks cut into his skin, creating small bleeding wounds, but not enough to not be healed by Curaga. Zack certainly didn't remember this attack in his memories. What Genesis just did now was a new one. He rolled out of the way when Genesis then blasted a powerful Dark Magic that came flying down towards the younger man who counterattacked by thrusting Thunderaga skyward, the electricity magic catching the Former SOLDIER 1st Class off-guard for once.
Zack then twirled his Sword around and around several times to call upon his Tornado Spell before he thrusted it out at Genesis to try and slow down his speed of use of flying. Although it seemed to work as the One-Winged Crimson Angel nearly lost his blanace in flight, he then thrusted out his sword and shockingly sliced it in half, dispelling it and cancelling it's attack, though it did render him to lose his flight for the time being and landed safely on the ground, dismissing his wing for the time being. Having another idea, Zack then summoned Blizzaraga but decided to try another trick, hoping that it would work. He thrusted his fist onto the ground and willed the attack to work the way he wanted it now. Obeying his silent request, a number of icy stalagmites burst out of the ground, heading towards Genesis who saw them coming and leapt further back to avoid being impaled on the rising ice. None the less, he counter attacked again by sending out a massive Purgatorial Wave, thrusting his sword into the ground cut-style, a massive wave of light and darkness not only shattering the ice stalagmites into tiny pieces, but also nearly knocking Zack backwards.
That attack he remembered, but this was the first time Genesis used this in his human form. Not in his...Giant armor monster form he turned into 8,000 years ago.
Zack stumbled before casting Curaga on himself, before cart-wheeling out of the way which he realise was something he used to do in his previous life, now combined with what he remembered both Aqua and Serenity usually did when they dodged attacks eight years ago. Once Genesis was close, Zack thrusted blunt-side of the Buster Sword which would still do heavy damage and made contact with Genesis's side, causing the olderish man to grunt in pain due to the attack. The two then continued the clash blades. Genesis swung his sword but missed. Zack then ran in and returned the blow with a strike of his own. The Buster Sword scraped against Genesis' as he raised it to defend himself. Zack then chanted Firagaon contact, and the jarring blow sent Genesis staggering back. Wanting to keep Gene sison the defensive, Zack kept moving forward, swinging his sword back and forth. He left Genesis with no openings through which to retaliate, waiting for his chance to land a final blow and end the fight for good.
However, Genesis came prepared and blusted out Flare with a mixture of Shadow Flare, sending Zack flying backwards as he screamed before crashing onto his back on the ground once more. Refusing to give up and refusing to allow Genesis become consumed by darkness, he leaped to his feet before blocking several clashes from Genesis's Sword until finally the younger man managed to shove him back before stabbing the Buster Sword onto the ground and with Genesis's eyes widened, this was the distraction Zack needed. Having used this skill before, Zack then hurled himself up and kicked Genesis squarely in the stomach, sending the crimson-coated man flying backwards and collasping onto the ground hard while Zack landed safely back onto the ground himself, pulling the sword out and stood steady. (~End Howl of the Gathered~)
However, as Zack panted, his eyes widened in horror as Genesis stood up while reclaiming his sword, but as he did, his body began to jerk rather uncontrollably, the tale signs of his facial expressions suggesting that he was struggling against something that was against his will. Soon enough, familiar mists of black and purple began seeping out from his body and Zack's heart froze. Memories of what happened to him was exactly what was happening to Genesis now.
(Flashback: During the events of Sailor Moon 0-Birth By Sleep)
"Help me..." Zack grunted, pleadingly, starting to lose control of his body again, "You've gotta...set my heart free..."
"Don't worry! We'll save you!" Grovyle told him, standing into a fighting position long with Terra as both of them knew that the only way to save Zack was to fight him so that they can free his heart from Hades's power of darkness while the said lord disappeared into smoke.
(End of Flashback)
So the darkness in Genesis's heart was starting to overtake him after all, as though it wanted to claim his body as it's own, to become the monster Genesis always believed that he was. However, there were no Keyblade wielders here. Only Zack. Shutting his eyes and coming terms that he was the only one who can end this now, nodded to himself before readying himself for round 2 of the final battle. This time it wasn't a battle of winners and losers. It was a battle of survival and rescue, and Zack was more than willing to try and save Genesis from the darkness, just as Terra and Grovyle had saved him all those years ago.
(~Those who Accept the Protection of the Stars-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~)
"Terra saved my life from darkness...now it's my turn." Zack told himself, before calling out to Genesis, "Genesis! I'll save you!"
Not answering and with darkness covering his body, Genesis thrusted out swung his sword but missed. Zack then ran in and returned the blow with a strike of his own. His sword scraped against Genesis' as he raised it to defend himself. Zack thrusted his sword that sent Genesis staggering back. Wanting to keep Genesis on the defensive, Zack kept moving forward, swinging his sword back and forth. That moment soon presented itself. He allowed Genesis a single opening, which the swordsman took advantage of at once. He lunged and thrust out his sword, forcing Zack to move back to avoid being impaled. As he landed he stepped aside and then lunged himself, bringing his sword up towards Genesis' head.
But Genesis was prepared for such an attack. When he saw it coming he ducked and threw himself forward. He rammed his arm into Zack's gut and shoved him back. Then as he straightened, he held out his hand. Flames swathed around him, forming into a ball in his palm. Zack knew what he had to do, however when he saw this. He did not stop to raise his guard but ploughed on through. He ran up to Genesis slammed his hand against his opponent's. Flames shot across his hand. They merged with the flames Genesis had summoned, and thus turned the magic upon its caster. An explosion rocked the chamber, causing the floor to quake and the walls to rattle. Zack braced himself against the explosion and held his ground. Genesis did the same, and with darkness seeping in, it was becoming difficult for Zack, but the latter refused to give in. The aim of the explosion sent both men flying backwards across the room from each other and landed onto the ground hard.
The Crimson man recovered first as he unknowingly extended his wing and flew up towards the ceiling just as Zack jugged down a potion to restore at least 70% of his health before rolling out of the way while Genesis commanded his sword to glow in light and darkness, thrusting it down towards the ground and as Zack remembered, multiple sword replicas appeared across the room, dancing around to make their way towards the younger man who clashed and swiped them away as hard as he could while dodging some of them to avoid in getting impiled or killed by them. Knowing that his magic was running dangerously low, Zack would now have to focus on his wits and swordsman skills if he wanted to win this and end this battle once and for all. Genesis again swung his sword. Several red-hot fireballs leapt from the blade and Zack dove out of the way while having trouble with dodging the multiple sword replicas before deciding that he had to use what magic he had left to save himself from this situation and used his Tornado Ability to stop the replicas.
It worked, but Zack knew, for some reason, his magic in his vains was so low that he didn't know if he had enough to even make a weak Firaga spell before remembering the Elixir potion he bought before having left Gongaga. Dodge-rolling out of the way from a powerful thrust from Genesis's sword, Zack immediately pulled out the bottle from his pockets and jugged down the bitter but luke-warm liquid and felt something tingle in his vains, realising that it was his magic being restored.
Genesis in the meantime, charged straight towards Zack who immediately turned and raised his sword to block the attack, but still his arms jarred when Genesis' Crimson Sword collided with his. He was trying to force Genesis back when his opponent suddenly leapt back of his own accord. Twisting his body around, Genesis tried to strike him from the side. Zack only just responded in time to block the blow, and then had to block again as Genesis struck him again from his other side. Zack stepped back. Genesis's sword skills had improved greatly, due to the darkness, the younger man realised. It was becoming more and more dangerous by the second. Even while he was thinking this, Genesis changed his tactics again and charged Zack from the front. With a yell he brought down his blade and Zack leapt back out of the way, missing it as it slammed into the ground.
Genesis then spun his sword around in front of him, creating his own somewhat Twister Attack that was becoming bigger and bigger until he thrusted it out towards Zack who was caught off-guard and stucked into it, screaming. His opponent in the meantime, surprisingly jumped right into it and prepared to imple Zack with his sword. Despite stuggling to regain his bearings and starting to become dizzy, Zack managed to block the attack the first time, but Genesis, using this to his advantage, used the inside of the Twister's winds as though they were walls, thrusting, kicking and punching Zack all over the place, not leaving him any room to counter attack. A few times, Zack managed to block or avoid this by twisting his body, until something inside his mind told him to use the twister to his own advantage, no matter how dangerous it might be. Not understanding why, but this idea reminded him of something that he realised was in his past.
Mentally nodding, Zack then twisted his body as hard as it could, using the winds of the Twister to his advantage that was becoming easier and easier, and it surprisingly blocked Genesis's attacks as well. The Twister was now starting to become absorbed into Zack's Tornado Ability which was blowing Genesis back harshly to the point where it now caught him off-guard while Zack, freed from the Twister, collasped onto the ground to his knees, panting while the Tornado continued to hit Genesis until the magic faded, causing the Crimson-Coated man to fall towards the ground and collaspe onto his own knees as well. Despite both of them panting heavily in one of the heaviest battles of their lives, neither were willing to give up, but both of them knew that the battle would have to end eventually, or they would both die from exhaustion in a waste of a battle. Both of them standing up and gazing at each other, suddenly Zack noticed something in Genesis eyes; a flicker of black and blue while the darkness was starting to become weaker now, fading in and out from the latter's body.
That was when Zack realised that Genesis was fighting an inner battle, for control of his body. Knowing what to do, Zack readied himself to end this now or never. Genesis, with the darkness attempting to gain complete control, waved his hand, throwing out a fireball that Zack narrowly dodged. Genesis then raised his sword. He swung it, and a trail of glowing green energy was left in its wake. Genesis then started to spin in a circle, swinging the blade around him. A whirlwind of energy formed around his body. Genesis' feet lifted off the floor and the whirlwind moved towards Zack.
Zack acted quickly. He held his blade behind him and then charged at Genesis. When he was within range of the whirlwind he brought his blade forward in an upward arc. The blade sliced through the wind, cleaving it in two. Its energy then turned upon its master, and Genesis gave a yell as he was hit by the blast. His Crimson Sword was thrown from his hand as he flew across the chamber, only to land face down at the foot of the dirt ground. The weapon landed seconds after, skittering across the ground until it came to a stop out of his reach.
As soon as Genesis landed onto the ground himself, Zack give out a yell as he charged towards the defendless and weakened man, the darkness now almost completely gone and leaving him too exhausted. With an almighty swing, just like in his previous life, Zack thrused the Burster Sword out and smacked Genesis back, sending the latter flying backwards. (~End Those Who Accept the Protection of the Stars~)
Genesis lost conscious before he even hit the ground, and was struck by a vision like he had the second time he lost the battle against Zack all those years ago...
(~Beyond the Door-KH:BBS~)
When he opened his eyes and found himself standing, Genesis gazed around in wonder, finding himself in an unusual but the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. A courtyard of a white Kingdom, surrounded by flowers, a Palace up ahead, the pathway surrounded by crystal clear water. In the sky, was surprisingly a blue and green world to be seen glowing.
Sensing someone behind him, Genesis turned, and his eyes widened at the sight of a beautiful young woman, with long blonde hair with pigtails dangling from her hair-two hair-buns on each side of her head, her gentle blue eyes and kind and warm smile, her elegent white dress with golde pearl bracelet, and a cresent moon symbol on her forehead, suggested that she was this kingdom's young Princess.
The young woman nodded to him, saying warmly, "Hang in there..." and soon everything around Genesis glowed in warm and bright light. Unlike what he'd first seen before, this time, Genesis accepted it...
He collasped onto the ground, unconscious and defeated, the darkness fading away. Genesis was free from the darkness.
Seeing how he actually managed to free Genesis from the darkness though unable to believe it, Zack panted from the exhaustion from one of the biggest battles he ever experinced on his own...at least here in the present. He had done it. He defeated Genesis and saved him from his inner darkness. Now it was a matter of finding a place for Genesis to rest and Zack knew that it wasn't going to be here in this cave. Steathing away his sword and picking up Genesis' fallen one with his left hand, Zack then hoisted the unconscious man's body over his shoulder, gazing back at the broken statue of the Goddess, before making his way out of the chambers.
(~End Beyond the Door~)
Once making it outside and arriving at the ruins of Genesis' childhood home in the previous life, Zack carefully layed the unconscious but thankfully still alive man against a tree, placing the Crimson Sword against the tree next to it's owner before standing up. It was hard to believe that this man, the childhood friend of his best friend in their previous lives, had done so much for Zack to have learned so much and get this far. He thought he'd be happy to have finally learn the truth and solve this crisis once and for all.
But he wasn't. Zack didn't know why, but he wasn't happy. Sure he accepted his past and his present now, but after all he's learned, he knew that it wasn't fully over. That's when he knew why; the Darkness in people's hearts. As long as darkness existed in people's hearts, nothing would ever be in peace for long. There would be more enemies out there somewhere, and Zack knew that it was something people like himself would have to handle in order to protect the Light and the people in many worlds as possible.
Well...at least things aren't like it used to be in the past.
(~Keeping the Peace-Dissidia Final Fantasy~)
A little while later, Zack had went off to find a Dumbapple tree and had returned with two apples, figuring that, after a hard battle like what both had experinced to each other, Genesis would be hungry. After gently resting an apple onto Genesis' lap, Zack held onto his own apple, before declaring, "Okay, let's eat!"
He then gazed down at Genesis, saying apologetically, "Sorry I didn't think about this sooner, but..." before sighing and bit into his apple. The sweetness of the apple's juice filled his mouth and Zack smiled. This brought back the memory of the first time he tried it and that was something he actually liked, and felt guilty to have forgotten about it. He was glad to have remembered it now.
"Remember how good it tastes?" Genesis's voice questioned, making Zack realise that the crimson-coated man had awakened.
"Yeah!" Zack nodded, smiling.
Chuckling softly, Genesis then questioned, no longer being cruel like he had been for several weeks, but seemingly in peace. "8,000 years...is a long time, isn't it?"
Getting what Genesis meant, Zack's expression softened, as he shrugged, "Weird, huh?" before admitting, "To tell the truth, I only really discovered and learned of the rebirth thing from a friend of mine's father." referring to Hercules and Zeus.
"Zeus...the King of all Gods and Goddesses." Genesis correctly guessed.
"Yeah." Zack replied, "And Hades tried to take over Olympus. I met Hercules eight years ago and we've been friends ever since, both dreaming to become heroes, but in his case, it was a matter of reuniting with his family. Me, it was like back in the past, but I really wanted to make myself something." he explained.
"What have you learned?"
The younger man paused for a moment. Now that he thought about it, he learned pretty much a lot on his journey. He found the answers of his dreams, learned of his previous life, learned of lives of many others, the existance of other worlds, the fates of Serenity, Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Jason and Grovyle, the new friends he made who were really friends from his past...
That's when Zack finally realised what was really important to him. His friends were more important than his dream of becoming a hero. And Cloud...he was the most important friend to him, both in his previous life and present-day life. He began to think, that Zack himself has a place within Cloud's heart, just as Cloud, Aerith, Yuffie, Leon, Hercules and everyone else he met in his life all have a place within Zack's heart. Like...like an unbreakable connection. He told Genesis this.
"Cloud needs you." Genesis unexpectly told him. (~End Keeping the Peace~)
"Huh?" Zack blinked.
(~Final Resolve-Dissidia 012~)
The older man nodded, telling him, "Go to him, Zack. Even if you can't protect him pyshically, let your heart protect him from the darkness. One day, he too will remember his past. And a young goddness, is set to begin her own journey."
"Aerith?" Zack asked, worriedly as Aerith immediately came into his mind. Sure Aerith was also reborn, but at the moment, she was still unaware of her previous life and her lineage as the last Ancient.
But Genesis shook his head, correcting the younger man, "No. One you met...one who shall travel through time. Her own beginning...she herself...is the key to all memories. Even if she too lost memories and will lose more, the child...shall regain them someday." closing his eyes briefly, concluding, "She is...the true hope, of the Realm of Light. The place and light of Kingdom Hearts."
With that, Genesis sighed and before Zack knew it, the older man had fallen asleep into a deep slumber. A recovering sleep, Zack decided and hoped.
While Zack gazed at Genesis while wondering who else would be starting her own journey...who is also the key to all memories and like Zack and others, the girl had also lost memories and would lose more...and she was a child. Yet she would regain her memories someday, just as Zack had regained most of his. The true hope of the Realm of Light...the place and light of Kingdom Hearts? Who is she, Zack wondered.
The moment Zack closed his eyes to think, immediately an image from his present day memories hit him and filled his mind. Inside his mind, the image of the teenage girl he met in one of the worlds he visited, Serena who in his mind, twirled around to smile at him, as she gave him a peace-sign while giggling happily. However, the moment she did, Serena's outfit immediately changed to that of Serenity's Sailor Warrior outfit, almost exactly the same, but with differences. Instead of white boots with red on top, the colours swapped to reveal red boots with white on top, her locket in her chest bow was more plain and pink in colour and the four coloured jewels were within the locket instead of outside it, the star outside of the cresent shaped moon and pink jewel in the middle, the jewel in the middle of her golden tiara ruby red instead of violet, her bun jewels ruby red with white surrounding it on the outside, and Serena's new uniform also lacked a mask and lacked the pearls on her head.
None the less, Serena in her new Sailor Attire was exactly the same. And still, she was smiling at him...
Immediately, Zack's eyes snapped open as he softly gasped. Serena...the innocent girl who resembled to Serenity...she was the key to everything? Remembering what Yen Sid had told him about Serenity's fake idenity as 'Sailor Moon', and what Luna had told him about finding a Sailor Warrior to solve the problems in her world...that's when Zack managed to conclude the truth.
Gazing up at the sky, Zack couldn't help but scream out in both horror and anger, "Serena is the real Sailor Moon!?" his exclaimation echoing throughout the ruins of Banora, as though he wanted Luna to hear him, but he knew that she wouldn't.
While this Time-Travelling thing was still new to him, Zack suddenly realised that it made sense. Serena would become the real Sailor Moon soon, and eventually she would travel back in time...to his past of his previous life at some point. Yet...those memories were still missing and now he knew why; Serena is the one to help everyone those reborn to get their memories back, by first losing some of her own before regaining them herself. Her journey would begin similiar to what Zack and Cloud had both gone through-
And then Aerith would also learn of her past eventually herself. Zack shuddered, before sighing. While he was now desperate to see her, he knew that Cloud and Tifa, both of them still in Edge, needed him more. Right now, both of them needed to be protected from Sephiroth and the darkness.
Knowing what he had to do next, even though something inside him told him that he wouldn't make it that far, and that something bad was going to happen to him, Zack muttered, as though sending a message to the flower girl that he'd come to love, "Aerith...give me a little more time, okay? I'll come back to you."
He then gazed to where he had come from, and decided to make his journey on foot instead of the Starshard, before muttering again, this time to his younger best friend, "Cloud, hang in there."
With this in mind, Zack gave a final nod to Genesis, before walking away to journey back to Midgar and Edge to make sure Cloud was alright. Plus, he also had to apologise to the Turks for running off like this, but he didn't have a choice.
But this would only the path to Zack's ultimate fate. (~End Final Resolve~)
(Genesis's Unconscious Memory)
(~Organization XIII-KH2~)
Later that night after Zack left with Cloud in tow, Genesis remained unconscious for hours from where he was left. He was though subconsciously aware of a ShinRa helicopter descending from the sky and land, the repeallers still whirling around and the side doors opened to reveal two men, seemingly SOLDIER, but with symbols very different to others, step out and approach the unconscious Rouge SOLDIER.
One of them had white hair and pierched eyes that screamed evil and danger. The other one, a little bit younger, had black smooth hair and black eyes that also screamed evil and danger. Both men gazed down at Genesis's sleeping form.
"This must be an important matter if they're sending the two of us." The black-haired one commented as he gazed at his companion.
The white haired one 'hmph'ed, before stating as he scooped up Genesis in his arms, carrying him Snow-White style, "Apparently the subject will become our new brother."
"Is that so?" The black haired one questioned, before asking, with a little bit of doubt, "But will he...accept his fate willingly?"
Only rechieving a shrug in return as the white-haired man said, "We will see what happens. After all...no one can predict the future or alter the course of time...unless one is a sorceress like Edea."
"So you think Edea may be a threat to this?" The black-haired one asked as he and his 'brother' walked back towards the Chopper, with Genesis carried.
"Let Galbadian Garden be the problem to others. Especially to this so called Timber Owls." The white-haired one smirked, "I hear that one of it's leaders is the daughter of Galbadian's General."
"So the Sorceress War is not truly over. Very interesting." The black-haired one chuckled, as when he closed the doors and silently signaled the pilot to take off, he, his companion and the unconscious Genesis took off in the helicopter, back towards the ShinRa building.
Where more than just one new beginning were about to occure...
As the Helicopter left, a piece of paper, blew onto the empty chair where Cloud had sat unconsciously, the cords of the Lifestream reached onto it, and somehow, writing more words onto the empty piece...
"Even if the Morrow is barren of promises, Nothing shall forestall my return. To become the dew that quenches the land, To spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent Sacrifice." Genesis' voice spoke, as a single black feather fluttered across the bottom of it, leaving one word. "LOVELESS".
Having seen this memory in his own sleep, Genesis slowly blinked his eyes open until his vison cleared. Strangely enough, he could've sworn he'd just seen cords of the Lifestream disappear after they spread onto his body. The moment he thought of this, he found, to his slight surprise, that his strength was back.
Perhaps it was this memory alone that helped him regain his energy. He knew now how it came to his 8,000 year slumber. He never told Zack that he wasn't reborn, nor told him that, when he'd awoken by those two men, he refused their offer to join them and their own secret Organization, another one of ShinRa's dark secrets, he found a place underneath Midgar and slept a seemingly never-ending sleep, even during the great war the split the worlds into what is known today.
Remebering his parting words to Zack who is obviously not here anymore, Genesis slowly stood up, taking hold of his Crimson Sword. His task was done. Now he had a new task and he promised himself to make sure it would succeed.
Indeed, the silent Sacrifice...the darkness stands no chance, no matter how many times it tries to destroy Kingdom Hearts. He said this to himself.
With this in mind, Genesis once again extended his black single wing, and took flight into the sky, leaving his childhood home behind and set out on his new quest, not knowing that it would end in a twisted turn that would leave him to wait at least three years to meet the chosened key of the Realm of Light. (~End Organization XIII~)
(~The Clandestine Dark Suits/Turks-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~)
When word spread out that Zack, Cloud and Tifa had escaped the Ward from Edge's Hospital, and that ShinRa's current enemies were on alert once more, the Turks and Rufus feared that the three of them would get caught into their own battle against the powerful Organization against ShinRa. Rufus refused to allow this to happen, and ordered the Turks to go and find them in seperate teams.
On the helipad of the ShinRa building in Edge, a Helicopter waited, powered up and ready to take off. Elena was going to find the missing trio and made to approach it when her name was called by one of her superiors. The young woman paused to turn and see Tseng approach her before he stopped half-way.
"The enemy's gathering." The Wutaiian Turk informed the rookie. "Find the targets before they do." He ordered her.
"Yes, sir. The enemy won't reach them." Elena promised, turning to leave, but stopped again by Tseng's voice once more.
"I want them alive. You hear me?" Tseng told her firmly. When met with a moment of silence, he continued, a bit more softly with a tone of request and urgent, "You're going to save their lives."
Elena turned to face Tseng again, with an understanding and soft smile, "Understood." before her smile curled into a worried frown, as she whispered to herself, "I haven't even met Cloud or Tifa." before turning and headed towards the helicopter once more.
As he watched her leave, Tseng's expression softened into sadness and worry as well, thinking about the situation of Zack, coming to terms that, in their previous life, they'd been friends. Not to mention that, when he searched through the old ShinRa building in the Midgar ruins, he found something that he had to give to the former young SOLDIER.
"Help them, Elena." Tseng whispered. "I've found letters for Zack...88 of them." knowing who they came from and felt the guilt for failing to have given them to Zack 8,000 years ago. Now he feared that history was about to repeat itself, if not worse.
Despite this, it would be apparent that while it wasn't as bad as Tseng had thought...it would still lead to a tragic results that would have to wait for a long time once more. And with their enemies growing stronger than ever, who knew what would happen. (~End The Clandestine Dark Suits/Turks~)
(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)
Fragment 61: Zack had managed to hitch a ride with a nice old guy in a truck who was on his way to Midgar after nearly an entire year of walking on foot since he left Banora. Now the young former SOLDIER and Cloud were riding in the back of the moving vehicle and Cloud was still stuck in a coma, though there were tail signs that Zack caught on. Like the younger man's eyes flickering ever so slightly, and his mouth twitching for the last few weeks. This meant that Cloud's recovery was finally improving. Not to mention that it gave him relief that Hojo had been wrong about Cloud.
After a while, Zack had been talking about starting up a mercenary job once they reached Midgar, before teasingly asked Cloud what he would do once they reached it. He then smiled and turned to the unconscious blonde-spiky haired man, saying, "I'm just kidding. You know I wouldn't do that to you."
As usual, Cloud didn't respond, but for a brief moment, Zack thought he saw the younger man's eyes flicker again, and he smiled. "We're friends, right?"
A jolt from the ride Zack had hitched on awoke him from his light doze since he had decided to use the Starshard for as far as just outside of Kalm since he remembered that it took a year to get from Banora to Midgar, Zack had caught a lucky break and was now riding on a green and black truck which was making it's way to Edge.
Zack didn't realise that he had dozed off, but found that he wasn't disturbed by it. Instead, it gave him a much needed rest and recalled the memory he'd seen in his dream. He gazed up at the sky and thought about Cloud. After all, the two of them were friends.
Come to think of it, Zack was beginning to regard Cloud as a younger brother he never had, both in his previous life and in his present-day life. Then again, who says all brothers had to be related by blood, right?
(~Moonlight Wandering-CRISIS CORE FINAL FANTASY VII~)
Meanwhile, high up in the sky and flying over the former wastelands that had regained it's greenery eons ago, a ShinRa Helicopter flew past the rocky and tree-fern giant rocks in the outskirts of the Midgar Ruins and Edge. Reno and Rude, both of them alone and together, under orders by Rufus were searching far and wide for Zack, Cloud and Tifa...so far, they found nothing.
"They can't be serious." Reno sighed with a hint of whining, yet his eyes serious as they gazed at the scenery before him and his partner, "There's no way we're gonna find three needles in a haystack this size."
Rude looked over to his younger friend, telling him, "There's no mission that's impossible for the-"
"Turks, yeah yeah." Reno finished, not needing to be reminded as he heard the famous line millions of times before. That line was not only used by the Turks here in the present, but as now they began to remember their previous lives, it was also used by the Turks back in the past all those years ago.
Seeing how Reno didn't need to be reminded, Rude sighed, before muttering as he continued to his partner, "Hmm...Also, Tseng apprently has something to give him."
Reno quirked an eyebrow, correctly guessing in confusion, "Who, the target?" referring to Zack. When Rude nodded to confirm the redhead's question, Reno gazed ahead once more, before turning to his best friend, asking jokingly, "So we're couriers now? Delivering packages to almost-fugitives, huh?" giving out a small chuckle with a small smirk, gazing ahead once more to focus on piloting the chopper.
"This is the same way we talked about when we failed to find them before." Rude commented after a long pause.
"What do you mean?" Reno asked as he gazed at his partner again, his expression turning to confused curiosity. Though the moment it escaped his lips, Reno couldn't help but sense in his mind that another memory was lingering towards him, as though trying to tell him that he knew exactly at Rude meant.
"When the army got to them first." Was the answer.
Softly gasping as the memory instantly hit him by those words, Reno sighed before gazing ahead of him again, now remembering piece by piece as he replied, "Yeah, but, Cloud managed to get away, and Zack suddenly disappeared."
He then frowned in concern, as one of the most important pieces of his memory seemed rather foggy. In his mind, Reno could picture a young girl, no older than fourteen going onto fifteen, a humanoid but surprisingly very friendly mouse at the height of a two year old toddler, and a large strange lizard, about the height of an eight year old kid. The latter two were capable of human language and emotions and very easy to talk to.
"I think it has something do to with...a girl with long hair, with a mutated mouse or something, and a kid-sized lizard." Reno spoke after those images came into his mind, before adding as somehow a voice entered his ears, "I mean, I remember Sailor Moon's name, but I can't pin-point on who she looks like. All I figured out is, that she was with Cloud and some other kid who was a SeeD of Balamb Garden."
Hearing this also triggered something in Rude's memories, before beginning to suggest, "Perhaps the girl with the long hair-"
"Is Sailor Moon?" Reno finished. At his friend's nod, the redhead smirked a little, "Who've thunk?" before asking as the smirk faded all together, "But, where is she? Is she even born yet?"
"We'll just have to wait and see." Rude told him, adding, "Until then, let's concentrate on finding the targets."
Even though Reno was thinking that maybe the reason why Sailor Moon had time-travelled or will be time-travelling in the near future was because she knew about the rebirth thing yet it still left more questions to why, he knew that the answer wouldn't come anytime soon. With a sigh, he eventually agreed, "I guess you're right."
The moment he said that, the headsets the two men were wearing crackled to life, indicating that they had an important transmission from one of their own. They listened in as Elena's voice reached into their headsets and into their ears, "Reno, Rude. Statis?"
"We got nothin'." Reno replied to the rookie through the mouth-piece of his headset.
"You?" Rude interjected.
"Likewise." Elena replied disappointedly, before saying, "I'm gonna head for point 235. You guys take Point 120."
"Roger." Rude answered back.
"All right." Reno pulled the helicopter about to head in the direction Elena had indicated. "Let's get going," He finished, adding to himself, "We better hurry."
But as Reno turned the helicopter into the direction, had he waited for a second longer, he would've found at least one of the targets and would have also noticed that the enemy, who had suspected that ShinRa was up to something, was there to take care of business themselves. (~End Moonlight Wandering~)
Unfortunately, he did not. Thus has doomed one of them to their fate unwillingly.
The moment Zack had heard the sounds of the helicopter, he instantly knew that the bad feeling that crept into his gut wouldn't go away. Not to mention that he didn't want to get the guy in the truck involved. So as soon as he asked the guy to stop, Zack got off the truck and waited while the driver drove off with a wave and a wording of being careful.
No sooner had the driver left, Zack was left on his own, just outside of Midgar and sighed before taking a seat behind the rock. This place...it was a powerful feeling that crept inside him and told him that, no matter how painful, it wanted him to remember. Instead of fighting it, Zack leaned back against the rock after taking a seat on the ground and closed his eyes and this time...he allowed the memories to take over his mind.
(Fragments from Zack's Dreams/Memories)
Fragment 62: The moment he heard gunshots, Zack had covered Cloud to protect him before telling the driver to park them by the rocks. As soon as this was done, Zack climbed out with Cloud in tow, before resting the younger man against the rocks. He had a bad feeling that, with ShinRa somehow knowing that he'd been coming, this would be the last time he'd see his friend. Zack knew, though, he couldn't let them capture him again.
Okay, so he wouldn't be able to live to see his 24th birthday, Zack decided that it was better this way. Chuckling, he playfully ruffled Cloud's hair, in an form of an affection of a fond goodbye. Zack's heart ached by this, but maybe there was a chance he could live through this. He doubt it, but he wasn't willing to die easily.
With a final look to his younger friend, Zack stood up, and boldy approached towards his final battle, unaware that Cloud had finally regained conscious and little strength to hold out a hand, reaching out towards Zack's retreating form.
The moment Zack came face the face with hundreds of men, sent to kill him, he remained calm. As though this was a casual day, all he did was place his hands onto his hips and shook his head, muttering, "Boy oh boy. The price of freedom is steep."
This would be his final battle.
(~The Other Promise-KH2 Final Mix~)
Fragment 63: While Zack had been fighting the 100 Infreymen Soldiers, armed with both machine guns and broadswords, memories of his friends and loved ones had entered his mind as he fought on. It brought tears into his eyes, but he refused to back down. He managed to successfully take down all but three and even a pilot in the remaining helicopter. But by now, he'd become far too exhausted, and blood was seeping from his wounds.
His heart pounded in his ears, and Zack knew that this was it. The end.
Or so he thought.
The moment one of the three soldiers aimed his gun to deliver the final blow that would end his life, he, the other two soldiers, and even Zack himself were stunned and surprised that just from the corner of Zack's left, a teenaged girl with long blonde hair and strange white, blue and red clothing came leaping out and pushed Zack out of the way from the firing, both of them falling onto the hard dirt ground. The moment he hit the ground, Zack's vision swam, but still clear enough for him to see the girl over him, protecting him with her body.
Zack also saw what appeared to be...a toddler sized humanoid mouse with big black round ears, wearing white gloves, red shorts, yellow shoes, and was wielding some kind of starry sword that was also shaped like a key, with a keychain with a cresent moon. The mouse casted magic onto the soldiers as well as spreading it into the helicopter, where the ShinRa men then dropped to the ground. Asleep, Zack realised. The mouse had casted a sleeping spell.
"Are you alright?" The girl's voice broke Zack back into reality. Gazing up at her, his eyes met her young blue ones, and she seemed really scared and concerned. She must've noticed his gunshot wounds. It also surprised him that she looked no older than fourteen years old.
"Ugh..." Zack groaned, "Who...?"
"Don't worry, you're gonna fine." The girl told him softly, just as her companion rushed over, before he held up his weapon, and green light came out from it.
Zack then felt the familiar cure spell spread onto him, his wounds closing and healing, his strength returning to 80% health. He still felt tired, though, but was unable to believe his luck. He was so certain that he was about to die. Who would've thought that he'd be saved by a teenaged girl and a mouse who seemed more human than anything else.
The mouse sighed in relief while wiping sweat from his forehead, his white eyes with black pupils showing signs of relief, "Phew! Sure glad we made it in time. Ha-ha! I was worried we wouldn't get to ya."
Zack was about to say something, when he then heard soft growling and shifted his eyes which widened as three Guard-Hounds approached, causing him to shout a warning at his two saviors, "Watch out!"
The two companions instantly turned to what he was staring at and their eyes widened in shock and disbelief at the monsterous dogs that appeared to attack them and stood up immediately. While the mouse held a tight grip on the keysword weapon, the girl unconsciously had light form in her right hand and to everyone else's shock, a sword somehow materialized in her hand. It was a bright silver sword with a gold hilt with a cresent symbol in the middle, and near the tip of the blade was a gold latch or something on it.
"Holy..." Zack whispered in awe.
Even the teenaged girl was shocked and uncertain. "Huh? How...?"
"You think you can handle these things?" The mouse asked, having decided to worry about questioning about the sword later, as he knew that they had other and more important things to worry about, like the dogs that threatened to kill them.
"Uh..." The teenaged girl sweatdropped before answering, "I think so."
The moment one of the Guard Hounds pounced to lunge at the girl and the mouse, suddenly a ball of green energy light that looked like a ball of the Lifestream appeared out of nowhere and hit the mutt in a small explosion, causing to howl in pain before it collasped to the ground, dead. The girl, the mouse and Zack's eyes widened, and to their further confusion and shock, a child-sized blue-ish green lizard with a pink belly, a leaf on top of it's head, and three leaves each on his arms, two leaves as tails, yellow eyes with black pupils, and two-fingered claws appeared out of nowhere from the right, glaring at the remaining Guard Hounds who growled dangerously at the newcommer who had a serious expression.
"There's no time! We must fight!" The lizard told the two young fighters before they could say anything.
"Who're you? The girl asked, surprised.
"C'mon, Sailor Moon!" The mouse told his friend, "Like that fella said, there's no time!"
While Zack wondered what kind of name 'Sailor Moon' is, the girl, identified as Sailor Moon, stumbled a bit before holding a tight grip on her new weapon, saying to her friend, "Uh, right, Mickey!"
Sailor Moon, the mouse whom is named Mickey, and the lizard stood in line side by side, facing the Guard Hounds. After a moment, the lizard then answered Sailor Moon's earlier question, "You can call me, Loran."
While both Sailor Moon and Mickey accepted the name, Zack, not wanting to get them hurt, slowly stood and took hold of the Buster Sword to help them fight, but was surprised when Sailor Moon sensed this and turned her face slightly to face him, shaking as she told him with a gentle smile, "You're hurt. So let the three of us handle these ugly mutts." winking.
"Uh...okay...?" Zack replied, uneasily.
Nodding in return, Sailor Moon turned back to face the Guard Hounds, as Mickey told her and Loran, "Let's get 'em!"
"Right!" Sailor Moon and Loran both agreed.
(~End The Other Promise~)
Fragment 64: Despite the worry for the new trio who had saved his life, Zack was relieved that Sailor Moon, Mickey and Loran had successfully defeated the Guard Hounds. Maybe they can handled themselves after all.
When things had settled down and Zack, having began to recover enough to approach them without slugging, approached the trio, Loran gazed at the Guard Hounds before saying, mostly to himself, "So it seems the situation is more complicated than I thought originally."
"Say what? What are you talking about?" Sailor Moon asked, just as confused as Zack and Mickey both felt.
Instead of answering the question, Loran turned to gaze at both Sailor Moon and Mickey, who had dismissed their weapons(again to Zack's surprise), questioning the two younger warriors, "Tell me. Are you two sent here on a mission?"
"On a mission?" Mickey repeated, very puzzled.
An awkward moment of pause followed. Eventually, Loran sighed, disappointed, "Just as I thought. I have no business with either of you." turning to leave, but stopped at Sailor Moon's voice as the teenaged girl quickly became very annoyed.
"Excuse me, who do you think you are saying that, even after you came to help us out and without us giving you our thanks?" Sailor Moon asked in annoyance. As far as she was concerned, it was very rude of Loran to have spoke to her, Mickey and Zack like that.
"You humans are all the same," Loran shrugged to Sailor Moon and Zack, before gazing at Mickey while adding ,"And I am not sure about you, little one."
Without waiting for a response, Loran nodded his head, concluding, "I bid you farewell for now." before turning again and walked off, disappearing around the corner.
The three of them just stood there in brief silence, until Zack asked, skeptically, "What's with that guy?"
"Not a clue, but I think he should learn some manners." Sailor Moon pouted while crossing her arms.
"Aw, don't be too hard." Mickey told them, shrugging as he pointed out, "I'm sure he just doesn't understand that you humans are more different than other species know. Gosh, I should know, because I was mentored by one a while ago, and he's such a great teacher and a good friend."
"Guess that's true enough." Sailor Moon replied, smiling a little as her expression softened, gazing at Mickey.
Zack, remembering how not all people were that good, couldn't help but state since he didn't want either Sailor Moon or Mickey to get involved with ShinRa, knowing that Hojo would most definately want to do horrible experiments on these two if he ever saw them, "In some cases, some people use other people as experiments, and leave them to die."
"What!?" Sailor Moon and Mickey both exclaimed in shock and horror, turning to face the man whom they had saved.
"How can anyone do that!?" Sailor Moon protested, as though she never knew that there were such cruel and horrible people like that in real life. "It's already horrible enough that mad scientests use poor other species as experiments and I've known a little bit about that, and I hate it."
"Maybe you're right, but even so, everybody's different." Mickey pointed out, though he was more than a little dismayed by the news he was hearing. "Still, I agree with ya's. Scientests using living beings including your own kind is very wrong and not nice."
Zack was about to say something when suddenly he remembered someone very important he thought he would never see again and now had been given the chance to do so. He gasped which confused the other two, before realising, "Cloud!"
"Um...cloud?" Sailor Moon muttered, confused before she gazed up at the dark clouded sky, not realising that Zack was talking about a friend who's name is Cloud.
"Hey, sorry to run off like this and I know it's rude, but I've gotta go check up on my friend." Zack quickly and apologetically said to the two before holding a tight grip on the Buster Sword before moving past both Sailor Moon and Mickey, pausing to gaze back at them, saying for the final time, "Thanks for saving me anyway." leaving the two of them in confusion.
As soon as Zack returned to where he left Cloud, to his surprise and great relief, the younger man's eyes were open, and had actually managed to gaze up at him, a little scared but also very relief. In relief himself, Zack crouched down to him and asked hurriedly, "You okay?"
"Y-Yeah..." Cloud spoke, for the first time in five years. Somehow remembering his friend leaving, he gazed up and muttered his friend's name.
"I'm okay, don't worry." Zack smiled, ruffling the younger man's hair gently and playfully. Maybe they could both get to Midgar together after all. Had Sailor Moon and Mickey not come to the rescue, Zack was certain that he would've been dead by now.
Unfortunately, fate still had another thing in store for him to separate him from Cloud anyway.
A/N: The memory sequence continues in the next chapter as well as the last two battles as well as very possibly the ending of this story, which leads into a major shocker. The original ending of the Original game broke my heart that I couldn't let it happen to him here. But, ya' know. Don't expect this story to have a happy ending, but it'll not be as tragic.
I'll see you in the next chapter as soon as I'm able.