Summary: The Angels control the world. They exist to guide and protect the Humans, under the ancient rule of Jenova, the Great Mother. But a single mistake can topple an empire. AU YAOI SC, ZA, others

Disclamer: See the prologue

-Chapter I-

-000-

Excerpt from The History of the Planet Gaea Vol. 7, Mako and Materia:

All over Gaea, there is a dangerous, rare substance know as Materia. It comes in the form of small, marble-like stones. It is dangerous to Humans in large quantities, and detrimental to an Angel's connection to Mother Jenova in even small amounts. However, on the West Continent, in the jungles of Gongaga and the Nibel Mountains, it is so plentiful it permeates the air itself. The particles in the air are known as Materia Dust. While not as toxic as normal Materia, it is still dangerous.

Many studies are being done on Materia to find out just what it is. One of the biggest research facilities is in Gongaga, where one of the biggest breakthroughs was discovered. When altered, Materia becomes a plasma matter called Mako. This substance is both similar and different than Materia. It is highly toxic and burns on contact, but also burns away Materia and Materia Dust. It is used to help Angels who accidentally come into contact with it. Some of its most know side effects are glowing eyes and for the unlucky souls who get an overdose, a coma like state known as Mako Poisoning or Mako Addiction.

There were plans to build a research facility on the Nibel Mountains, but the air there is so thick with Materia Dust that the negative affects on Angels were too severe for any of them to work there, and too cold for any Humans. To this day, the Nibel Mountains are uninhabited…

-000-

Cloud looked up at the hard blue sky, his body sprawled across the frosty grass. It was the warmer season right now, so you could see the peaks of the mountains that were usually capped in snow. With the rising, blood red sun behind them, the black spikes looked incredibly eerie. It was peaceful, just him and the cold wind nipping at his face.

As long as he could remember, Cloud had always found a fascination with the sky, ever since he was born. His mother still told him stories about how when he was a baby, she had moved his beddings to the window (really just a hole in the wood wall with thick furs over it and a ledge jutting out from under it) to make room and allow her to clean. Apparently he spent the entire time he was in it staring out it and reaching toward something with his pudgy hands.

Unfortunately, the window was open so little due to the temperature; his mother often wondered why her husband had even bother putting one in. She said that some days he would toddle over to open the window and the entire house would be coated with snow in a few moments.

Cloud smiled at the memory. He had a bit more common sense now. After all, he was six now, just seven more years 'till he was an adult! He had to think about getting married. He was worried, would any girl want to marry an Outsider? Would any father give him his blessing? Would any—

"Cloud! Where are you?"

A voice interrupted Cloud's self-contemplation. He pushed himself of the ground and looked towards the voice. Coming over a hill, he could see Tifa's dark braids, and beside her was the lupine form of Fenrir, his mother's hunting wolf's pup.

Almost all the families in Nibelheim had their own family of hunting wolves, and to avoid confusion, no same names were allowed. So of course, everybody was clamoring for the honorable name of Fenrir. Cloud was lucky because the last Fenrir had just died, and he just happened to have a unnamed, newborn pup.

"Over here!" he shouted back to her. She ran up to him panting. She put her hands on her hips and fixed him with a disapproving stare.

"Just 'cause today's the start of your sixth year doesn't mean you can slack off!" she pointed her finger accusingly in his face.

"Mum said I could take the rest of the day off 'cause I'm six years old today!" he shot back smugly, "Which also that means I'm older than you now!"

Tifa looked horribly affronted, "Only for two months!"

They stared at each other in silent battle. Cloud was the first one to crack. The corners of his mouth twitched. Then he broke out into laughter, Tifa soon following.

Fenrir jumped back and forth on his heels, not understanding what was so exciting, but getting excited himself.

"So, Erza really gave you the afternoon off?"

"Yep! She said since I found that huge nest of bug things, I can't remember what they're called, and their shells are really valuable, 'cause they make something, and they're only found during the warm season…"

Cloud trailed off, detailing his brave discovery of the grasshopper things, leaving out the part where he fell, skinned his knee and cried for his Mummy. Tifa listened closely, her wide eyes showing her amazement. Fenrir, realizing the conversation had nothing to do with him, slunk off to sniff at some bushes.

"I wish girls could come on hunts too." Tifa sighed grumpily, "All I get to do is stay home and learn to sew an' cook an' stuff. It's so boring! I wanna learn how to fight like the guys do!"

An idea jumped into Cloud's head, "Maybe, when I get really good, I can teach you." He suggested.

"Really?!" Tifa gasped.

"Uh-huh!" Cloud nodded

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" she jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her gloved hands.

"Heh," Cloud tried to hide the blush spreading on his cheeks, not used to so much praise.

They continued on with their friendly banter, heading towards the village, Cloud rubbing Fenrir's coarse fur as the Nibel wolf pup walked along side the two children. Then, about a quarter of a mile to the village, Cloud stopped in his tracks.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"My-my back…" Cloud only managed to stutter, before he collapsed into the snow.

-000-

Back in Midgar, in the Center Building (called the ShinRa building by almost everybody), in a room full of desks and computers, a blonde woman in a revealing red dress looked up from her work, her immaculate white wings ruffling with her surprise.

"Lady Scarlet? Is something wrong?" her Human secretary asked.

"I think I feel the presence of a new Angel…" Scarlet was well known in Midgar for having the most acute sensing skills in several generations.

"Really? But, there are no births scheduled for this month…" he stated, clearly doubting her.

"Don't you think I know that!?" she snapped, her manicured nails looking vicious to the poor Human.

"So, then that means… that there's an unregistered Angel somewhere?" he asked hesitantly.

"That's the problem!" She said angrily, "I can't pinpoint a location! It's so faint, like he's half-dead or something."

"Umm, could it another mother hiding her child in Gongaga? Like that case three years ago?"

"That's probably the case again. You Humans never learn…" Scarlet sighed wistfully.

The Human secretary bit his thumb to keep himself from scowling, 'Like you actually care about any Humans you slut! We're a lesser species to you Angel bastards.' he growled in his head.

On the outside, he simply smiled and said, "Well, that's why you Angels are here."

On the inside, he felt like dying.

-000-

"Cloud! Cloud!" Tifa was franticly shaking the unconscious boy's shoulder. He shifted.

"Nngh… T-Tifa?" Cloud's voice was laced with pain.

"Cloud, what hurts? Did you get attacked?" Tifa looked at him for an injury. She wasn't the best healer, but she did have minor training. Fenrir snuffled worriedly at Cloud's face.

"Fenrir." Tifa said strictly. He looked up at her, his intelligent eyes understanding that his master was hurt. "Go to Erza, find Erza." She had never learned how to order a hunting wolf, especially one still being trained, but she hoped he got the picture. Judging by how fast he rushed off, she hoped he did.

"My, my back…" he stuttered. He groaned in pain again and collapsed onto the five-year-old's arms. "Oh, Fenrir, please hurry up!" Tifa groaned. Cloud was heavy! She could hardly keep his body off the ground.

-000-

"An unregistered birth?" asked Heidegger, head of ShinRa's military. The only reason they had the military was to suppress the constant uprisings in Wutai, give jobs to Humans and maintain the image that they were actually doing something.

"That's right." Said Scarlet, flicking red nail polish onto Heidegger's green suit. He rubbed at it with a fat finger. After only smearing it, he gave up and continued with the conversation,

"Well, where is it?"

"That's the problem. It's on the West Continent-"

"In the Gongaga region?" Heidegger cut in.

"No, don't interrupt me." Scarlet glared icily, "It's in the Nibel region."

"Gyahaha!" Heidegger guffawed, "There's nothing in the region but mountains, snow and Materia Dust! Your sensing skills must be getting old!"

The glare Scarlet sent the heavy set man make his throaty chuckles cease immediately with an unmanly squeak. He cleared his throat, "Ahem, well, I wouldn't bother informing the President of this issue. The Nibel Mountains are completely desolate. The only things that live there are wolves and dragons!"

-000-

Erza looked down at her adopted son's sleeping body. She had carried him back to her hut from the mountains after Fenrir had dragged her off. When she had seen him unconscious in Tifa's small arms, she had nearly cried. Her precious child had a history of getting ill, and one to many close brushes with Niflheim's icy clutches had left Erza with a constant worry.

Several hours had passed, and now his face was flushed with a fever despite the frigid temperature outside. Erza had to bat little Tifa out of the house to go and get the healer.

Erza walked over to the window ledge to check if the woman in question was anywhere near.

"M-mum?" a weak voice called from the other side of the room. Erza looked over her shoulder to see her son's bright blue eyes barely open.

"Cloud! You're awake! Oh, thank Hel, Fenrir and Jörmungand."

"Mum, my back hurts…" he whined out in pain.

"Think you can you sit up?" she asked softly. He nodded weakly, and with some help from his mother, he managed to get himself into a sitting position.

Erza pulled of his shirt. The sight nearly made her gag. On his shoulder blades were two inflamed lumps of skin. They looked the worst kind of infected; red and white and yellow, swollen and oozing a milky liquid. She put his shirt back down and had to remember to breathe again.

"Mum, is it bad?"

She didn't have the heart to answer him.

-000-

A/N: So, anybody confused yet? I'll give you a hint: The Village.

Reviews make procrastination run in terror! And sorry, no Sephiroth this chapter, but he'll be here eventually and so will that.

Oh, and just to clear up any confusion, the ZA in the summary means ZackAerith, not ZackAngeal! Sorry ZackAngy fans.