Hey, what's up, guys? Flipkicks here. Today, I bring you a new chapter for Final Fantasy 7 called "Rewrite." Thank you for checking out the latest story and telling me what you thought of the previous chapter.

Reviews:

Guest: Shinra isn't the 'main' bad guy in this situation as it was all misguided of grand leisure of the 'Holy Land.'

Guest (2): Only time will tell with Yuffie's situation.

Guest (3): The group will have weapons from the games that can 'transform' into them. Shinra tech will explain how they can 'transform' them. The Whispers of Fate will significantly impact Zack's story as I have some idea of what Square might do that can make the game/timeline stay intact and create a new timeline that is changed in a way.

I do not own the series.


A New Request

Sector 7 Slums
Couple Hours Later

'So Zack could have modded the Sword, but I guess he couldn't...' Cloud says to himself as he continues reading Biggs's book. 'I always wondered about this sword that I inherited...' He had never gotten the whole story regarding the Buster Sword from Zack; he only mentioned that he had never seen him swing the giant sword. The duo went to the 7th Heaven Bar and waited for Barret, but while waiting, Cloud decided to sit on one of the chairs outside and read Biggs's book while Tifa operated the bar for a while.

'Wonder if the modding system that Shinra was developing could change my weapon's appearance too...' He recalls Rufus Shinra telling him they were making a weapon system to change the user's appearance to a specific weapon during the battle between Omega and Chaos.

While waiting for Tifa to finish, Cloud would look up to see another White cat on the table, meowing for attention from the blonde-haired merc.

"Meow." The white cat paws on Cloud's book, looking for attention.

'Don't recall another cat last time...' He rubs the cat's head, 'But if the cat doesn't put their claws on me, shouldn't bother me...' The cat begins to purr from the petting. {2/3 Cats Found}.

"Merc." Cloud looks to his right to see Barret with two bags with him, "Didn't expect you to be a cat person." He chuckles to himself to see Cloud petting a cat.

"I grew up with Cats around the village, Barret. Tifa had a cat growing up, and I wasn't the luckiest kid with the cats." Cloud replies as the white cat jumps off the table and runs off.

"I think Marlene's friend is looking for them. I can tell her about the cats." He puts the two bags in his hand and stretches his lower back, hearing his back pop. "Anyway, your 'payment' should be here in a few hours. Got a couple of gigs for you. Two Monster hunting; a guy is looking to get rid of some more wererats from stealing some food west of us by the metalworks spot. The last gig is a small wyvern terrorizing the abandoned factory by the train station. Think you can manage that?"

Cloud only chuckles at the request, "I think I got it." He then stands up and puts the Buster Sword on his back, "I should be back in an hour or so,"

"Just don't keep us waiting, merc. Heard that something's brewing, and I don't like it." Cloud raises an eyebrow, "They have some Shinra goons here. One of the townsfolk saw them from the pillar above the abandoned factory. Some presume that they have either a SOLDIER or some Turks."

"They shouldn't be active for a while, though," Cloud whispers to the large man. It seems that someone's changing things. Whatever happens, we'll get through it." Barrett nods his head as Cloud begins to leave the Bar.

'He's right though. Shinra isn't active until the Plate begins to fall. Corneo hasn't contacted Shinra or anyone yet, but I'll have to watch for that.' Barret mutters in his head as he enters the bar.

Cloud arrived at the item shop west of the bar a few minutes later. Once he arrived, he noticed the shopkeeper sorting out some boxes on the counter.

"Welcome!" he greets the blonde-haired mercenary. If you're looking for anything, please let me know." Cloud walks up to the counter and sees some broken items behind it.

"I heard you have some issues." The shopkeeper didn't expect him to discover the obvious: "Tifa and Barrett told me that you are looking for some help to get rid of the problem."

"Oh, so you're the merc." He nods, "Should have guessed based on the large sword on your back." He brings out one of the broken items, a potion with some bite marks, "Been dealing with a Wererats for a good while. I mainly have some locals help me, but they keep returning and taking out some of the items we need."

"Gotcha, any ideas where they might be?" Cloud asks him.

"Besides the outer area, I've been told that some still lurk in the metal item shops behind the bar. Just be careful; even in danger, they call their buddies for backup." He would nod, leave the shop, and head to the metal shop area.

'Shouldn't take me long.' Cloud mutters, 'Wererats are annoying around here, but I can't complain if I'm gonna get paid for their extermination.' He adjusts his sword as he arrives at the metal shops and sees an immense hole. Entering it, Cloud sees a whole colony of Wererats munching on their lunch, 'Didn't see that coming...' Cloud says to himself as he didn't expect to see an entire colony of them. Luckily for him, the Buster Sword has a large horizontal area.

Cloud took on the colony of Wererats one by one, and their blood and guts filled the field. He didn't come out of it unscathed, as there were scratches, bite marks, and gashes.

'Okay...that's done now.' Cloud spits saliva, 'Can report to the shopkeeper the deeds done.' He does a quick swing of his sword to get the blood off, and he rests the sword on his back. As Cloud walks towards the shop, he feels as if the world is coming to a complete stop; the children playing in place and the citizens chatting freeze in place. Everyone came to a complete halt.

'What the?' He looks around him and wonders what's going on. He knows the only time he felt everything coming to a complete stop was when the Lifestream pulled him to talk with Aerith in the previous timeline. Sometime in the last timeline, after regaining his true self, Cloud still felt that he could have saved her. The image of Sephiroth's Masamune piercing through Aerith still haunts him to his day.

"So you're the puppy's friend?" Cloud doesn't recognize this voice, "And it seems that you carry on a big legacy." a roughly 25-year-old man with a lean and athletic build. He has lightly tan skin, medium-length auburn hair, and blue mako eyes. He wears a long red coat with metal shoulder pads over a modified SOLDIER uniform, which resembles Sephiroth's, tall black boots with buckles up top, and red gloves. He wears a dangling silver earring similar to a dagger on his right ear and a silver stud earring on his left ear. He has a black wing on his left side.

"Who the hell are you?" Cloud places his right hand on the handle of the Buster Sword and notices the black wing. 'Another of Jenova's creations?'

"Let's just say I am the planet's chosen savior."

"What a bunch of crap." He points the Buster Sword at the stranger, "Last time I checked, the planet didn't choose anyone with those wings. Anyone with those black wings caused the planet almost to be destroyed."

When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end
The goddess descends from the sky
Wings of light and dark spread afar
She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting

"Loveless." Cloud instantly remembered the prologue of the epic Loveless. During his free time from doing his Delivery Service, Cloud occasionally read some books, and Loveless would be one of them.

"Seems even the puppy knows of his masterpiece."

"Not sure why you're reciting a poem."

"The Prisoner, The Wanderer, The Goddess and Her Gift."

"Okay, I'm tired-" Cloud didn't finish what he was about to say as the Stranger put his Rapier's tip at Cloud's throat.

"You carry on a big legacy, Cloud." His eyes widened as he didn't even tell him his name, "You carry on three different Legacy: the S-Cells in you, the honor of the original owner of the Buster Sword, and the 'gift' of your best friend, Zack Fair."

"Who are you?" Cloud asks him again, but the Stranger shakes a single finger.

"While I won't say who I am, I'm sure the memories in your head will answer." He points at Cloud's head, "A SOLDIER knows, but does the imposter truly remember?"

'Now I'm getting tired of these riddles and shit.' Cloud says in his head, annoyed.

"While you search my name through his memories, I would like a request: At the end of the World, I seek an actual fight from the Living Legacy of the Three SOLDIERS of Shinra."

"Fine." The Stranger looks at Cloud's eyes and sees the same fire as another SOLDIER: "After I get done with Sephiroth, you're next." Cloud grabs his Buster Sword and quickly clashes swords with him.

The stranger smiles. " This is my First time seeing someone other than the two previous owners who use it with anger." Cloud doesn't care about what the Stranger says. "Angeal used the Sword to honor his family; Zack used that sword to honor his friend and his dreams, and the same goes for you. But I can tell your anger is what makes you different." He jumps back as Cloud is about to strike him. "This raw emotion is fascinating."

"Don't got time for this!" Cloud jumps at him, Buster Sword at hand, and their swords clash, sparks from the swords.

"Now, little pup, don't rush towards the finale." He pushes Cloud back with his rapier. " It seems you inherited Zack's bad habit of rushing in." His black wing flaps and ascends. " Three of Shinra's lapdogs will meet at the world's end. I hope you will be ready by then." He then flies upwards to be unseen again.

Time begins moving forward as everyone, and everything starts to return to normal. Cloud puts the Buster Sword back on his back and heads to the shop for his reward. He would then take some potions that he had bought earlier for his wounds, using them to restore his strength and using it to get rid of any bacteria on him.

'Who is he?' Cloud mutters, 'Don't recall seeing any files on him. Perhaps his files were deleted or something after Shinra collapsed. Maybe something with DeepGround.' He remembers facing off with some agents of DeepGround in the previous timeline, as it mainly was Vincent's issue with them. Still, it would again become a world issue with the Planet bringing out Omega Weapon and Chaos. 'Guess that'll wait for a bit.' He finishes cleaning himself off from his battle against the colony of Wererats.

Ten minutes later, Cloud arrives at the shop and tells the shopkeeper that the gig is finished. The shopkeeper then gives Cloud the money from a complete job.

'Not bad.' He puts the gil he got from the shopkeeper and Barret's money together and into his pocket. 'Alright, time to head to the other place.'

Cloud's next job is at the abandoned factory near the train station. While trying to focus on his next gig, he couldn't help but think of what the Stranger had said. This Stranger is connected to both Sephiroth and Zack. He knows things about the SOLDIER project. He shares the same eyes as he does and knows the Buster Sword's true lineage.

'Better find out more about this guy when we get into Shinra.' Cloud thought, 'Even with my scattered memories in my head, I can't figure out this guy besides the fact he's receding Loveless.'

He would leave the thought alone as he arrived at the abandoned factory. Luckily for him, he was here previously and knew where to search and what the target was: a Lesser Drake. He knows they use Aero magic, so he'll have to be careful since he doesn't have much materia. He'll have to target the wings since there'll be some trouble with them flying everywhere.

Entering the factory, Cloud notices that the path to the Lesser Drake isn't as bad as he initially thought since he would usually face some monsters, but he guesses that there will be several changes in this timeline. He would find some chests still here, and since no one is allowed in, he might as well take them. He would find a couple of potions and some ether lying in there, and he knows that he'll need them for the Air Buster Unit during the upcoming mission on the other reactor.

Hearing the shrieks or a cry from the Drake, Cloud could tell he was close to the target. He's used to hearing the small Drake at his delivery jobs in the wasteland.

"There you are." Cloud sees the Drake flying around in a sizeable dome-like area but doesn't know that there are three of them. "Better get this over with." Cloud draws out his sword and begins to work. The Drakes would fly circles around him, trying to get Cloud dizzy but to no avail as he's already used to facing them. One of the Drakes flaps its wings to create a wind-like orb, and Cloud notices it, dodging it to his right. He immediately springs into action.

{Triple Slash} Cloud strikes one of the Drakes, causing that one to be {Pressured} and following the other two Drakes, causing them to be {Pressured} as well. "You're good as gone." {Braver} Cloud jumps into the air and slashes each of the Drakes in half, killing them. "Not bad." He swings the Buster Sword to get the blood off his sword and takes each talon off the Drake, showing proof of a job done.

Outside the factory above, two individuals see Cloud collecting the talons. Cloud is a young woman with a lean and toned build. She has dark hair cut short and clean and light brown eyes. She wears her SOLDIER uniform neatly and dresses stylishly and trendyly outside it. She seems to have a similar build to other known female SOLDIER operatives. Next to her is a young man with a muscular build, fair skin, blue eyes, and long blond hair styled like a mullet and coiffed up top. He wears the standard SOLDIER 3rd class uniform of dark blue with black base layers, black combat boots, black leather straps with the SOLDIER emblem, and silver pauldrons, bracers, and gloves. Roche wields a SOLDIER-issued broadsword and rides a red motorcycle.

"So this is the target that blew up the reactor." The female SOLDIER sees him with her sniper rifle.

"Must say, this is interesting." She rolls her eyes at his comment, "To think a fellow SOLDIER would be linked to AVALANCE of all things."

"Things haven't been right since the Genesis rebellion and the Nibelheim, " the woman says sternly. "Even the Turks are at odds with some of the members."

"Yes, yes, but do remember we can't say that out loud, Miss Lin." She rolls her eyes again and puts the sniper rifle on her back, "For now, I'll have to get back to patrolling the roads. Please keep me updated on my friend."

"Your friend?" She raises an eyebrow, "I don't recall you having many friends, especially a former member we don't know of."

"Call it intuition, Miss Lin, but do not harm him quiet yet as I want the first dance with our blonde-haired SOLDIER."

"Whatever. Do what you gotta do." She waves off at him as her fellow SOLDIER gets back on his bike and revs off. 'This guy is different, though...' She brings out her binoculars and continues observing from afar, 'The sword is familiar, but not the guy holding it. The last thing I heard was that it belonged to Zack...' She begins to wonder and takes some notes on the target.


And that ends the chapter, guys! I'm sorry for not updating you more. I've been busy, so I apologize for leaving you guys without an update for months. I just became full-time at the hospital that I'm at and have been doing a lot, so that unfortunately takes its toll on me from physically to mentally drained at my job.

A couple of months ago, I finished FF7 Rebirth on hard mode and started playing the Ever Crisis mobile game on ISO. I'm having fun and learning Sephiroth's backstory with Angeal and the prototype soldiers.

Three characters appear in the story: Genesis, Roche, and Lucia. The characters of Ever Crisis's story have changed a bit, with Lucia still with Shinra instead of defecting to Wutai while the other two, Matt and Glenn, are now working with Sephiroth.

I hope to hear what you guys think of the story. As always, I'll talk to you all later.