Zack rode through the sector five slums with so many thoughts swimming through his head with a sense of urgency as he cranked up the speed leaving a dust cloud in his wake. The fabric of space and time cut across the gray sky leaving a sense of anxiety and looming doom. Despite the despair most of the people had and the feeling that pervaded the air, Zack was not weighed down. In fact, he felt more optimistic than ever but he was trying to understand Angeal's cryptic message. Why did he need to return to Gongaga? Was there something there that he could use to prevent Sephiroth from accessing this world? Before he could entertain the thoughts anymore, he arrived outside the church. Still standing as a testament to its builders and what it represents.

Zack took off his helmet and put the kickstand down on his motorbike and walked in the church as each step seemed to echo. Once he stepped in the church the yellow glow of Aerith's flowers brightened the entire front with a radiance that Zack seemed to notice more and more.

"Stop, don't step on the flowers!"

"Normally, people are more careful with flowers"

"Well... I guess I'm not normal..." Zack chuckled remembering some of his and Aerith's first conversation.

"But I will be for you and make sure I'm always careful around flowers" Zack smiled warmly as the light radiated brighter for a moment as a draft of warm wind enveloped Zack briefly.

"Hey Zack!" a familiar voice caught Zack's attention as he turned around.

"Kunsel, Luxiere, gee, word spreads fast" Zack appeared impressed.

"We got word from Tseng you were in a jam" Kunsel said with concern.

"So Tseng asked us to help you" Luxiere finished.

"Hmph... you still want me to turn myself in Luxiere?" Zack teased.

"Hey, I was only joking" Luxiere said remembering the email he had sent Zack asking him to turn himself in so he could get the reward money.

"Your honor on Soldier?" Zack pressed.

"On my honor as a Soldier" Luxiere said dramatically pulling out and saluting Zack with his Shinra longsword issued blade.

"So Zack, what happened to you? The Shinra army was ordered to make sure you were slain but then we heard you single handedly defeated an entire legion by yourself?!" Kunsel asked in disbelief.

"Yea, I know, it doesn't really make sense to me either. Look guys, there is going to be a lot that is not going to make sense, you see the sky"

"What's up with it anyways?" Luxiere put his sword back in its place.

"They say the world is ending, and Shinra is trying to stop it. You know anything else Zack?" Kunsel asked a bit worried.

"It's Jenova and Sephiroth..." Zack replied evenly.

"So it's true, Sephiroth is back" Luxiere couldn't believe it.

"Yes and he has clones everywhere so do not trust anyone, got it?" Zack said looking around them.

"So where are we going?" Kunsel asked getting down to business.

"Gongaga"

"What's out there?" Luxiere asked a bit confused.

"Dunno, but that's where I think we will get our next clue as to what to do and where to go, besides, I really need to drop in on my mom and dad and make sure they are fine."

"Who said you weren't adventurous?" Kunsel laughed. A few moments later a phone began to ring.

"Zack, Tseng wanted us to give you this phone, and this call must be for you" Luxiere said handing Zack a new model cell phone.

"Zack here"

"Zack, Tseng here, I've secured a copter ride from Kalm to Junon. Our contact should be at the inn, meet him there"

"Who's the contact?" Zack asked a bit curious.

"You'll know him when you see him, be careful out there. There are reports of alien spawns appearing out in the wilderness and beyond"

"Alien spawn?"

"You'll see, just don't make any unnecessary stops"

"Gotcha, Zack out"

"Alien spawns...?" Luxiere seemed a bit confused.

"I'm not worried about some little alien spawn, there are two Second Class soldiers and a First Class Soldier, nothing that we can't handle" Zack dismissed.

"Fair enough... shall we?" Kunsel said opening up the church doors leading back outside.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Zack said with a more upbeat tone as he led them out to their motor bikes.

"So where are we heading to Junon?" Luxiere asked as they put their helmets on.

"We're heading to Kalm first" Zack said as he started his bike and led his comrades through the sector five slums, to the outer walls then to the outer gate of Midgar, then on to the dusty highway to Kalm. They trio rode for a few minutes until Zack led them to a spot up cliffy hill then stopped.

"Is everything ok?" Kunsel asked as Zack took off his helmet. He gazed for a moment across the Midgar wasteland outside of the city, then back behind them remembering what he thought were his final moments in this world until fate had changed the course of his destiny.

"This is where I died..." Zack said without thinking for a moment.

"What was that?" Luxiere took off his helmet not sure he heard what he thought he heard.

"Was this where you fought almost a legion of the shinra army?" Kunsel asked curiously.

"Yea, but the strange thing is, I don't remember doing it" Zack said as he spotted a huge tuft of grass in a spot with several yellow and white flowers blooming.

"Now that's something you don't see" Kunsel pointed out.

"Did you say you 'died' here?" Luxiere wanted Zack to clarify.

"This is going to sound strange but... I did in another world" Zack almost laughed.

"There are a few more flowers growing in different spots...the same kind your girlfriend Aerith grows in the church" Kunsel remarked.

Zack gazed across the sky mesmerized by the crack in reality which looked like a rip in a huge fabric, "what's all of this mean? Aerith, Angeal..." Zack thought to himself but the moment was disturbed by a sudden explosive rumbling sound further on towards Kalm causing the ground to tremble triggering a dust storm in the distance to head their way.

"Take cover!" Zack said as they rode their bike to the bottom of a cliff to take shelter from the oncoming dust clouds. After several minutes of dust clouds passing making visibility near impossible, they finally cleared up. Zack rode his bike to the highest point of the hill to look in the direction of the ruckus. A good sized crater a few miles ahead seemed to be burning.

"What the hell do you think that is?!" Luxiere blurted out more than a bit startled.

"Looks like a meteorite crash" Zack surmised.

"Maybe it came from that rift in the sky?" Kunsel suggested.

"I don't know, but we need to investigate it, let's go!" Zack said putting his helmet back on leading them toward the crater.