Exit

Chapter 10: Identity

Summary: While fiddling with an Exit materia, Cloud thinks back onto the events of Meteor. Something unthinkable happens. Time-travel.

A/N: Lookie! Two chapters in one day! xD You guys deserve it because I was away for so long.

I don't own FFVII in any way shape or form. Don't sue, that would be mean. This chapter is sort of boring but it helped me get the character personalities right. ^^ Shea is my OC, and the Diego kid is just some name I made up.

BTW: I have never played/read a summary on Dirge of Cerberus, so it never happened in this story.

Genesis: Non-Yaoi, sorry fangirls, and rated T for mostly language. Scarlet didn't spell Wutai and Aries right in chapter 8 (again), so forgive her above-nothing spelling skills. She also forgot to say thanks to reviewers last time, so here are some from chapter 8 as well. Reviewers that are awesome include Freaky Person O.o, Silver, AmarantineOtc.3'11, Valth001, Saturnblue, crimsonturk, Toki Mirage, sloganlogan, and anyone else who reviews. Petlover1 deserves a rainbow magic apple as they went through and gave a review for EVERY CHAPTER.

-000-

He had to kill Sephiroth.

Cloud picked up the newspaper that he had dropped on the floor. If he was to interact with the people in this time, he had better know what was going on.

'WUTAI WAR CONTINUES' said the headlines in giant bold type. 'The war in Wutai continues as ShinRa sends SOLDIER and infantry men alike to battle against the Wutain army. Today, President Shinra announced that he would soon be sending First Class SOLDIERs Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos along with Second Class SOLDIERs Zackary Fair, Shea White, and Diego Macent accompanied by the great General Sephiroth to war soon. Reports from the front lines say that Wutai is fighting with tooth and nail, ambushing the soldiers and SOLDIERs in the midst of the night and even stealing materia. The current death count for ShinRa…' Cloud stopped reading, becoming uninterested quickly. He flipped to the next page. 'COSTA DEL SOL INVADED BY MONSTERS' was the next headline he saw. Then 'RISING STAR OF THE TURKS' which was all about Reno, who, Cloud found out, had been officially in the Turks for two months. 'TRENDS IN MIDGAR' was the next topic, which Cloud skipped, followed by 'THE SCIENCE BEHIND MAKO' which Cloud skipped because it was a bunch of bullshit propaganda.

Finding nothing interesting to read, he sat down in the chair and selected a random book from the pile. Taking no notice of the title, he opened to the inside cover to find that the words 'Property of Genesis Rhapsodos- If you steal this I will hunt you down and kill you' written in the same graceful handwriting as the writing in the notebook. Cloud closed the book and selected another one, finding 'Property of Angeal Hewley- Genesis, if you steal this I'm not giving you dumbapples for a month' written in the inside cover in clear bold handwritten script. It was a book on gardening, specifically on growing Malebros, razor weeds, and other plants that eat people. Why someone would want to grow one was a mystery to Cloud. 'Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley…" Cloud thought. There was something familiar, but it was just out of his reach. He glanced at the newspaper again.

"-sending First Class SOLDIERs Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos-" it read. A picture was next to the article, something Cloud didn't notice before. It was of six men, two of which he recognized immediately. The three that stood in the back were taller than the other three. The one on the right was wearing a red leather trench coat and had chestnut hair, and looked more pissed than bored. The one standing on the left had black hair and was wearing the standard SOLDIER gear, Buster sword on his back. Cloud recognized both as the two SOLDIERs he had been following for Reno's assignment. Zack stood in front of the raven-haired First, and was the only one who was smiling in the picture. The Second standing in the middle had short blinding red hair with black streaks in it. He was wearing a red scarf and looked absolutely terrified. The third Second class SOLDIER was very average; short brown hair that fell to his shoulders, and had a helmet under one arm.

The First Class SOLDIER who stood between Angeal and Genesis was none other than Sephiroth. The red head kid who stood in front o him had a good reason for being terrified. The names that were printed underneath the picture said that he was Shea White, and the brunet was Diego Macent. Cloud had never heard of either of them.

It was then he remembered what was so important.

His sword was nowhere to be found.

-000-

Genesis made his painful climb up the stairs of his apartment building. Why couldn't the building be taller so they could legally have an elevator? Midgar had a policy that all buildings under 15 stories couldn't have elevators. Why? No one knew, and everyone agreed it was a stupid law.

Finally, Genesis reached his floor and leaned against the wall, panting heavily. He fished his keycard out of his pocket before continuing to his door. It took him three tries to get the stupid thing to work, mostly because his hand was shaking and kept missing the slot. At last the small green light on the handle flashed and he opened the door, practically falling through the door frame. He caught himself at the last second and slammed the door behind him carelessly. Limping over to his worn grey couch, he decided that dumbapple juice and LOVELESS could wait. He collapsed on the couch with a gentle 'thud', not even caring to take off his coat.

-000-

Genesis was already half-asleep when Cloud opened the door cautiously. The blond was not surprised to find that the owner of the apartment had come back, but he was surprised to find that he was at Genesis's apartment. From what he had of Zack's memories and what he had read, Angeal was far kinder than Genesis.

Genesis, hearing Cloud step into the room, mistook him for Angeal. The pain was making him a little delusional.

"Dumbapple juice," said Genesis into the pillow that his face was on. Cloud froze, very confused. What the hell was 'Dumbapple juice'?

"Uh… What?" Cloud asked, apprehensive of Genesis. The red haired SOLDIER mumbled something else. "I can't understand you," Cloud said, walking a little closer to Genesis to hear him better.

Genesis lifted his head up and glared at Cloud with angry sky-colored eyes.

"I said-" Genesis started, before he recognized the blond teen. A look of recognition and annoyance came over Genesis's face. "Oh it's you. I forgot." He let his head drop back onto the pillow again. A moment of silence passed before Genesis lifted his head again.

"Can you get me some dumbapple juice? It's in the refrigerator." Cloud turned to go find the kitchen, but was interrupted by Genesis again. "Oh and some painkillers. They're in the bathroom cupboard. Get me- Fuck it, bring the whole bottle."

Cloud obliged, finding the dumbapple juice quite easily because that was pretty much the only thing in the refrigerator. The painkillers were also easy to find, a large bottle with giant letters spelt out 'PAINKILLERS' on the front. Cloud brought both things to Genesis, who was doing his best to get comfortable.

Genesis sat up when Cloud came back, taking off his red leather trench coat and mumbling about how leather was such a pain to take care of. Cloud set the painkillers and the beverage on the coffee table that was in front of the couch, then sat down in a chair that was next to the couch. He watched while Genesis somehow opened the can with grace, then the painkiller bottle before shaking at least five tablets out. Genesis put all five in him mouth before taking a sip of dumbapple juice, then reached for the painkiller bottled again.

Cloud was faster and snatched the bottle off the table before Genesis grabbed it. The red head stared at him in annoyance, blue eyes storming.

"What did you do that for?" he asked, annoyed.

"Mako enhanced or not, too many painkillers will kill you," was Cloud's simple answer. Genesis scowled.

"Fine, let me be in agony," Genesis said dramatically. He looked at Cloud again. "Who the hell are you anyway? And why do you stink of materia radiation?"

Cloud froze, becoming panicked without showing it. "My name is…" Cloud started. 'Crap! What do I do for a name?' he thought, alarmed. "My name…" he started again, voice wavering. 'Shit I am so screwed,' he thought.

"You fell a long ways, I wouldn't be surprised if you have amnesia or something," Genesis remarked casually, taking a swing of dumbapple juice. Cloud was relived.

"Y-yeah that must be it," he agreed.

-000-