Genesis: Why did you take this story off of your old profile and post in on this one?

Yoruko: I felt like it was the only way it would get finished.

Genesis: I see.

Warnings: slight AU, violence, fem!Cloud, & possibly some cursing.

Disclaimer: Yoruko Rhapsodos doesn't own FFVII or Inuyasha.

Chapter One:

Meet Kagome Hewley

Zack Fair at the moment, was on a helicopter- headed to Modeioheim for his next mission. He'd gotten a message from Angeal, his friend and mentor. Zack hoped that he would be able to talk to Angeal. He had promised to bring Angeal back to Shinra, but he wasn't so sure that he wanted to stay in Shinra himself. After what he had learned about the doings of the scientists and what his friends had went through, he had doubts. Besides, Zack was positive that he was missing a piece of the puzzle. Something just didn't fit- and he didn't know what. Just then, the helicopter lurched, bringing Zack out of his musings. The helicopter went down.

A short time later at the crash site

"Is everyone alright?" Zack asked.

"One grunt almost didn't make it, but otherwise we are all just fine." said Tseng, who was a Turk with whom Zack was friends of sorts.

"Well, that's good." said Zack.

"Indeed. Now, you had better lead the way from here. You come from the country, so you ought to know how to handle terrain like this better." Tseng replied.

Sometime later in the mountains

They had been walking for a while. By now all of Zack's companions had lagged behind. That is, all except for one of them. To be exact, it was one of the third class SOLDIERs. Zack didn't think he knew who it was, but who could tell with that uniform and helmet? Zack turned to his companion.

"At least someone's keeping up." Zack said.

"Well, I'm from the country too." said the grunt.

"Really?" said Zack, "Where are you from?"

"Nibelheim." he said, which got Zack laughing, "What? You think it's funny?"

"Sorry," said Zack, "it's just that Nibelheim is such a backwater name."

"Really," said the grunt, "where are you from then?"

"Gongaga." Zack answered, making it the grunt's turn to laugh. "What? You know Gongaga?"

"It's just such a backwater name." the grunt said. "Doesn't Gongaga have a mako reactor? You know what the say. When there's a mako reactor-"

"Nothing else it there." they both said in unison; they looked at each other then laughed again.

"Hey Tseng!" Zack shouted, "Good news. My friend-"

The grunt took off their helmet, revealing herself to be a girl, not a boy. "Cloud. Cloud Strife."

"My friend Cloud here is a backwater expert too." Tseng simply waved in reply.

Some time later at the excavation site

On the way to Modeioheim, the group came across an excavation site. Tseng had Zack go investigate it. Cloud followed eventually, naturally. It wasn't long before Zack got inside. Zack made his way through gradually. Progress was slower than it should have been because sometimes he came across someone trying to stop him, leading to a fight.. Eventually, Zack got to the lowest point one could get. There he found ex-first class SOLDIER Genesis Rhapsodos menacing the scientist Hollander. At that point Zack stepped in, and then Cloud arrived. Hollander attempted to escape, however, and Cloud followed him. Then, things heated up when Zack and Genesis fought- an event that was, perhaps, a long time in coming. Unfortunately, even though Zack wasn't sure that he wanted to fight Genesis, he had little choice in the matter. Then, when the fight appeared to be over, Genesis started making his way over towards the edge. Zack wasn't stupid, even if he didn't use his head as often as he should. He knew that Genesis was probably preparing to jump. Right at that moment, however, a woman with black hair appeared.

"Genesis!" she said in a commanding tone of voice, "Stop."

"I…" Genesis started to say something, but either the words never made it to his lips or else he thought better of it.

Zack was almost surprised. Genesis had just seemed angry and bitter before. Because of Hollander and Shinra one of the words in a list of words to describe Genesis is the word 'jaded'. After the events since Angeal left, Zack knew that very well. Almost as much as he knew Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis himself did. But something else entered the eyes of the man who was nearly as calm as the two men that he called his best friends yet more susceptible to his emotions at even the mere sight of this woman- sorrow and- something else. Something that Zack had a feeling what it was yet dared not voice his suspicions even in his own mind. But what surprised Zack the most was how the red head's eyes softened at the woman's next words in such a way that Zack's suspicions about Genesis' feelings towards her were just about confirmed. And Zack knew that Genesis had almost forgotten that Zack was there. Zack wasn't sure if the woman hadn't noticed him or was ignoring him.

"Please." she said, "For me. It- it doesn't have to be this way. It isn't too late. I promise."

'Well, at least she seems to return his feelings.' thought Zack, 'Maybe they can find some much deserved happiness together.'

"... Kagome..." It was clear Genesis wanted to do as asked.

"You and I both know that if you start listening to Hollander for once in your life, it will only be counterproductive!" she reminded the redhead adamantly.

"Alright. But only for you." Genesis answered. The girl took out a curaga materia and started healing him. The she looked towards Zack.

'So they haven't forgotten about me.' he thought.

"We'll catch up later. Just don't tell Tseng about me." she said.

"Sure." said Zack.

After that the spiky haired youth left. He had a new friend and a mad scientist to find after all. As he left, he had a feeling that things would start changing with that woman in the picture. Little did he know that not only was he absolutely correct, but that it may even be an understatement.

Owari