Different
Little Cloud looked at the people around him with wide eyes, 'Zack is alive?'
Little Sephiroth mused, -We really are in a different world.-
Little Cloud turned towards him glaring, -What did you do? Is this another one of your tricks?-
Little Sephiroth looked at little Cloud like he was a fool, -I am a child at the moment, if you have not noticed. Exactly what do you expect me to do? My powers are limited, annoying, as it is.-
Little Cloud was frustrated, -Zack is alive.-
Little Sephiroth was bored and leaned back, -I know, I can see that.-
Little Cloud, -How? Shinra shot him down. Or at least in our world they did after they captured us and we escaped.-
Little Sephiroth looked pissed off at that and growled, -I know that. Why do you think I eliminated the worthless pig that calls himself President Shinra back in our world?-
Little Cloud stared at his nemesis with a complicated feeling inside him. He did not know how to react to that, he was not sure he even wanted to know. In the meantime, Vincent had hunted Hojo and shot him through his skull three times while Zack defeated the abomination. Cloud had broken through the glass and scooped the two toddlers up holding them close making them jump. Little Sephiroth was enjoying being held by a warm body, albeit dripping with Mako.
Zack, "Cloud? Hey love.. Do you recognize me?"
Cloud stared at him with blank eyes, "Z... Za... Zack? You came for me."
Zack, "Yeah, yes we did. We were looking everywhere for you. Can I hold you?"
Cloud nodded, "I missed you."
Zack hugged him, "Cloud, I missed you too."
The two kids were squished between them as the two adults hugged. Little Cloud was clinging to Zack like he was a life line while Zack held Cloud tight. It was this scene, Vincent walked into before grabbing one of the extra lab coats. He draped it over Cloud who nodded at him thankful for the cover. He didn't fancy walking around naked. Ace and the others came in at that moment and saw them safe and sound. Little Cloud then stared at Aerith the same way he stared at Zack.
Aerith hugged Cloud, "Thank heavens."
Tifa as well, "You are okay."
Cloud chuckled, "I knew you would find me."
Ace, "Of course we would, you are one of us."
Desmond, "Come on Eagle. We need to get out of here."
Little Sephiroth stared at Desmond, -I don't remember such eyes.-
Little Cloud, -Yellow... Different yes, but powerful and kind.-
Desmond had draped his cloak around Cloud as well making sure he was warm. Aerith and Tifa went ahead to make sure nothing would stop them from leaving. Though there were probably no other enhanced people around, especially with the three First making sure of it. The three SOLDIERs did not interfere except to keep the civilians away under strict orders and to help the other SOLDIERs who went missing, supposedly. Fucking corrupted idiots!
Cloud held his children, "We have to name them, Hojo didn't bother naming them."
Zack, "Yeah, I saw the file, this raven haired tyke was subject twenty five and the blond baby is subject fifty six."
Ace had a dark expression, "They were the only ones to survive from the one hundred pods."
Desmond, "Let's just destroy and leave this place."
Vincent, "Leave it to us."
Little Cloud watched wide eyed as Vincent kissed Desmond then transformed into Galiant beast form. Chaos stared directly at little Cloud from inside the body but decided to address that subject later. Little Sephiroth though was pretty much enjoying the chaos around them, especially the fact he saw Hojo get shot and killed. The fact, he has a mother who was alive was just another bonus in his humble opinion. The adult was warm and nice, unlike Jenova, not to forget he didn't nag him, come to think of it, why was she quiet?
Little Sephiroth, -I don't hear Jenova anymore.-
Little Cloud blinked, -That.. I don't either. Weird.. Does that mean she doesn't exist here?-
Little Sephiroth opened his mouth to ask but the only thing that came out was babbling. Zack and Ace cooed, Desmond looked at him with soft eyes and Cloud gave a soft chuckle holding him closer. Little Sephiroth closed his mouth in mortification, he had forgotten his vocal chords were not developed yet. He cursed inside his mind as he decided it was not important enough to ask.
Zack, "How about we name the little blond guy, Rain?"
Cloud, "Rain... Why Rain?"
Zack, "You are Cloud, he is Rain. Rain Strife also has a nice ring to it."
Cloud hummed, "Then, let's name this one Caleb. Caleb Fair, after your late grandpa."
Zack squeezed Cloud's arm, "I think that's a great idea."
Rain, -New names... I didn't think of that.-
Caleb, -You are still my puppet.-
Rain glared, -Fuck you!-
Caleb, -I'm not into incest, my dear twin.-
Zack held Rain as he tried to get Caleb, "Woah! Easy there, little buddy. You want to go to your ma? Okay, okay, let me get your brother."
Cloud, "You are taking this quiet well."
Zack paused, "Honestly I was not planning on adopting children while still in Midgar. Maybe after moving to a different place but things happen, I guess. Plus, they are cute like a mini you and mini me."
Cloud smiled, "I guess so. Go to your pa, Caleb. I want to hold Rain for a bit."
Caleb pouted but relented, he would never admit it but he missed Zack quite a lot. He had felt hollow, when he learned Zack had been gunned down by Shinra. Rain looked at the older Cloud who was different from him. Hojo had muttered a lot the last few months and he had pieced together a few things. This Cloud unlike him was a well known and famous Sniper, which was a surprise, he had not tried for sniping before. Cloud held him gently and carefully so as not to drop him and started to hum.
Both Caleb and Rain started to feel sleepy and nodded off just as they reached outside the reactor. Tifa and Aerith informed them that the reactor Shelke and Elfe had targeted had blown up. It was quiet the show with fireworks and glitter of all things getting a raised eyebrow from Vincent. The two women cooed at the sleeping kids and they sneaked away from the place after leaving a detonator inside. It would make the lab crumble, in a controlled manner, a gift from Veld.
Rufus was watching the chaos and glitter, 'Where did they even get that?'
Tseng, "Sir, mission successful."
Rufus relaxed enjoying the cool night air, "Good, do prepare a few gifts for our people. They are going to need it."
Tseng, "Understood, what about the reactor?"
Rufus, "Worry not, I have prepared everything."
Rufus went to the meeting room where his father dearest was blowing his top. After Heidegger, his father had become very suspicious of the other board members and kept them on a tight leash. It had worked in his favor, as he could move around freely and actually get to know the people outside. Since he was a child, Rufus had always felt like he was stuck in a cage, albeit a luxurious one.
Rufus, "Reeve, how are the plans coming?"
Reeve, "Oh, the new road work is going on in full scale. The lower plates look much better after the maintenance. It's a miracle, the walls even support the upper plates at all."
Rufus narrowed his eyes, "What does that mean?"
Reeve rubbed his eyes, "Well, basically it means, best case scenario the plate slowly slips to ground level. Worst case scenario, the walks crumble when we least expect it and the entire sector crashes killing everyone."
Rufus trembled, he could almost see it happening, "Are we taking all necessary precautions?"
Reeve nodded, "Don't worry. Now that, it has come to our notice, we are doing our best to prevent it. In fact, people are moving from the lower plates to the extended area where the plants are flourishing under the Lockhart sanctum."
Rufus, "The Sanctum is doing well then?"
Reeve nodded, "Young Aerith is a talented horticulturist and we have been able to increase the food production of our land by ten percent this year."
Rufus nodded smirking when his father clenched his fist in annoyance at the report. He had to thank Cloud's older cousin for this hilarious idea. Four years ago, Ace had taken one look at Rufus and guessed what his relationship with his father was. Rufus had been wary when the man with strange eyes had mentioned his activities. Instead of the expected disgust, he had advised him to do it both from outside and inside by teaming up with one of the board members. This had been right after the Heidegger incident when Tseng had introduced them or rather he walked in on them talking.
It had taken a while, as Heidegger was gone, Palmer was annoying, Scarlett a leach, Hojo a creep which left Tuesti. Reeve actually turned out to be decent and sane after Rufus spend some time getting to know him. His father was an A grade fool. There he said it, he was a fool to ignore Reeve. Rufus could see how Reeve was actually the one keeping the civilians loyal to Shinra while his sperm donor ignored their needs and resentment. Rufus had taken great pleasure in abusing his authority as the Vice President. He had in the beginning approved a few of Reeve's project like request for proper road maintenance and infrastructure support.
Reeve had taken that and given results up and beyond what was expected. He had actually found someone who could grow flowers, nuts, vegetables and fruits. Rufus had been shocked but after seeing a few high quality samples agreed to green light another project. Rufus swore up and down, the man had legit sunlight beaming behind him when he received the new project. Now, there were community gardens coming up all over Midgar growing food and flowers for the people. If his father was not going to value Reeve, he is going to steal him. The man was a genius and capable of doing what was actually needed. Rufus sat at his assigned chair feeling very smug about it and listened to his old man grill the board for answers.
Rain woke up the next day, 'Huh, I actually slept.'
Zack, "Morning Rain, sleep well? Are you hungry? Your Aunt Tifa brought us some baby formula you can eat."
Rain's stomach gurgled and Zack chuckled kissing his chubby cheeks, "Alright then, stay with your ma and twin, okay. I'll go to the kitchen to see if your grandma Claudia prepared your formula or not."
Rain blinked, 'Ma is alive... Right, different world.'
Caleb, -Stop it, I can feel your depressing loud thoughts.-
Rain, -And who's fault do you think it is?-
Cloud woke up, "What's wrong Rain? Why are you upset?"
Rain, 'Ma is dead, but she's alive here, but she's my grandma... It's complicated.'
Cloud cooed at his child, "My sweet Rain, if you want to cry, then cry. I'm here for you, okay. The same goes for you Caleb, if you want to cry, do so. Ignore whatever Hojo said."
Rain sniffled hugging Cloud while Caleb happily buried his face in Cloud's stomach. Cloud chuckled while comforting his two children telling them, it would be okay. That was the scene Zack walked into, his hands carrying breakfast for everyone. Rain belatedly realized it was late in the morning and let himself be hand fed by his new parents. It was a little mortifying, he was an adult stuck in a child's body and yet, felt so nice.
Zack, "Nightmare?"
Cloud, "Seems like it. I don't blame them however."
Zack nodded, "Yeah, but, they will be okay. We will make sure of it."
Claudia walked in after they finished, "How are my grandsons?"
Cloud, "They are doing great, despite the nightmare earlier."
Claudia nodded, "Your parents are preparing a welcome home party, Zack. They are excited to be grandparents."
Zack laughed, "They always wanted grandchildren."
Claudia gathered the plates, "You relax, while I go and help them. Ace said, he'll be back for the party after meeting with a few people. He said he was going to dump a Highwind, I think, on Rufus?"
Rain, 'Cid?'
Cloud, "That's fine ma. Is Desmond here?"
Claudia, "Yes, and so is Vincent. They are excited to be Uncles."
Rain blinked again at that, he didn't remember Vincent having any type of romantic relationship with anyone after Lucretia. The man had refused to even entertain the thought despite so many people, including himself and Tifa, interested in him. It was hard to imagine Vincent in a relationship and that too with his Uncle of all people. He didn't even remember having cousins in his family, it had always been him and his ma.
Caleb was clinging to Cloud again, -You can get to know them, you know. Stop projecting your thought so loud.-
Rain, -You were the one who insisted on keeping the link open no matter how many times I tried to get rid of it.-
Caleb snickered getting a happy smile from Cloud who pat his hair asking what made him happy. Caleb gave Cloud a cheeky smile before trying to say his first word again, not being able to converse was annoying. Zack took Rain and happily cuddled with his family, he had received the month off. Bless Lazard and the three First for giving him time off. They should plan a playdate for the twins and the the other three kids, it would be good to for his kids have friends.