Jenova Time Travel
Final Fantasy 7 Fanfic from AO3
(Fanfiction: Master List)
Summary: (A self-prompt plot bunny). What If Jenova It/herself time-traveled over 2,000 years ago when she first crashed on Gaia and dragged Aerith with her. Told Aerith to fix everything and nopes right out of there to destroy another Planet declaring Gaia not worth it.
Everyone but Cloud, Pres Shinra, Scarlet, Heideggar and Hojo remembers.
A/N: Can someone do this prompt? I have yet to see a fic with Jenova itself Time Travel, let alone back to the Cetra prime days. Its always Cloud back as a cadet.
Honestly, I had this idea of ANGRY Lifestream Ancients wanting to go back in time to stop the President and Hojo from being born and then it spiraled into this.
Chapters: 1/1
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Chapter 1:
2,000 Years Ago.
After crashing into what is later known as the Northern Crater, the entity known as Jenova awoke from her cocoon of tentacles in both relief and rage.
Why?
Rage, for somehow, she remembers all future events.
Relief, for she’s no longer a corpse. She/It has a living body again…
A groan from her right caused it to grin from the mountain of tentacles she currently nestled in.
To her side, a reborn Aerith stared in fear at the Calamity across from her.
Sometime later, a still-naked Jenova was dragging Aerith by her twisted ponytail down the mountain towards the village of Ancient Cetra.
Aerith screamed and fought. But the grip held. The last Antient was no match for a living Calamity .
FINALLY reaching the perimeter guards, Jenova tossed the girl to their feet.
“Take her to your leader. She has much to say about your future. Girl, tell them about the Shinra. If you kill the president and Hojo (it spoke that name with such loathing and hatred that Aerith actually smiled in agreement) early enough, they will never reign over your world. Your friends will be reborn and remember, regardless. As well as my… son.”
“You mean Sephiroth.” Aerith finally regained her composure and stood at the ready.
The Calamity nodded. “I shall take my leave.”
“What? Just like that?”
“Just like that. This world isn’t worth it. Enjoy your second chance, you will not get another.” And with that the Calamity turned back to the crater and left a massive explosion as Jenova launched itself back to the stars.
The blast knocked everyone to the ground from the wind and quakes.
Aerith stood determined, ready to face her ancestors.
~/~
Present Day
The Cetran leaders listened.
All of them. (It helped that they can actually have conversations with the Planet and asked to clarify a few things.
Utterly mystified in horrified awe at future tech, they gave into Aerith’s request as a big F.U. to the president. Making Neo Midgar.
And doing it right.
(It also helped that Jenova didn’t bring them to extinction.)
The Planet was in FAR better shape this time around!
Aerith told them about her friends.
The Present day Cetrans had customized jobs for all her future friends and kept watch for their birth and to ensure their happiness.
But, besides that…
They found the future President Shinra, Scarlet, Heideggar and Hojo.
The President, they blocked any advancement and simply staged a mugging gone wrong when he tried to apply for a mechanic job.
Scarlet was unaware of the massive therapy in disguise all throughout her schooling and when she showed actual human life awareness, they gradually left her be as they were just stunned that she became a High School science teacher that held a Battle Bots club on the side. (Think her regular bots -actually working correctly-, normal-sized, made by highschoolers and college kids, in a Wall Market Colosseum of her own design).
Heideggar? Well, there were rumors that some of the old Infantry reincarnated. They went out drinking one night and no one has seen or cared that Heideggar turned up dead the next day. (“For Zack!” One cheered in grief. Remembering his own orders on the Midgar wastes…)
As for Hojo… well. One brave Cetra (Ifalna) tried a different tack. She and Gast befriended him young and took the therapist route. Apparently, he was isolated young or something because Hojo turned into a social butterfly. No One knew what to do with a happy, friendly Hojo who became a regular medical doctor and a healthy social life. (Horror was the first reaction until they saw him only helping people. No experiments. None. (Maybe it was the obsession with the Ancients and over exposure to Jenova that screwed him up???) The Planet may never know.
Now, for Aerith's friends.
Sephiroth… He was born a few years later (to shorten the age gap between him and Cloud) NORMALLY to Lucrecia Crescent and Vincent Valentine (All three remember). At two, toddler Seph admitted to never being a kid or doing anything normal. They had an agreement of actually trying to be a normal family in exchange for Sephiroth (and parents) getting therapy. Lots and lots of therapy…
Angeal and Genesis were born normally in Banora. Genesis left to make his own successful theater as eventual Director, and Angeal signed up for Strife Delivery wondering why the name was familiar. Seeing Zack also sign up as he passed near Gongaga, sent him near faint from the horror of what he did to the younger. Zack simply hugged the elder and cried. Zack bounced back and started bragging about his Spikey.
Corel never happened and Barret started his own family and became godfather to Marlene (both remember).
The Wutai war never happened so they prospered. Yuffie is still obsessed with Materia though and made a friend with a sneaky Cetra who made new and creative ones as part of her apprenticeship. The whole city quickly took great fear of the duo and their shenanigans.
Nanaki ensured Seto had backup and lived. Due to Cetra intervention, his species is no longer extinct.
Tifa never went to the bridge that day and told off the group of boys for picking on Cloud. Niebelheim still sucked and she convinced Claudia to move for a better life. She found Zangan again and set off when she was old enough.
Cid is in heaven with the Cetran space program actually getting ready for space travel. Cid even briefly teaches Cloud mechanical skills during their stay after leaving Neibleheim and remains in contact from deliveries. Cid teaches Cloud at every opportunity. (The second they hear of tales of Jenova on a soon-to-be destroyed world, they mute the comms, and nopes right out of there, ignoring the cries for help. No thank you).
Cloud. Due to the sheer TRAUMA our boi went through, the Planet took his memories so he could live a happy normal life. (The group looked each other up and coordinated to ensure Cloud's happiness with his mother). The duo started Strife Delivery early when they learned they liked living on the road. Cloud was amazed at all the amazing people wanting to be his friend (Claudia would forever be grateful for she does remember). The group kept crying nearly every time Cloud grinned or smiled or laughed in joy.
The Strifes bump into Sephiroth.
The former General was on the side of the road trying to fix a flat tire. (She didn't recognize him with normal black hair instead of silver).
(Cloud was oblivious to Claudia subtly holding out a weapon from behind and Sephiroth looked wrecked at seeing his old rival. The guilt was very strong here. Therapy is amazing.)
Cloud just pulled over and offered to help, chatting all the way wanting to get to know the other. Sephiroth could only answer honestly with stilted answers, very awkwardly. Cloud mistook it for being socially awkward and declared them friends.
What.
Sephiroth shared a desperate look with Claudia screaming ‘Help! I’m trying to avoid him, remember?!’
The trio somehow let the awkward Silverette hitchhike to NeoMidgar with them. With Cloud's happiness paramount, no one could really say no to him.
Claudia is so done with these boys.
The whole trip provided Sephiroth a new outlook. A Cloud with a healthy social life, confidence and self-respect.
As well as a flirt. (Sephiroth didn’t know how to deal with his old rival flirting with him.) Cloud surprisingly, eventually, wins him over and absolutely romances the previous emotionally stunted man. Claudia demands an invite to the wedding as a joke to the mortified-blushing silverette.
Claudia actually resorted to banging her head on the dash when they stopped for gas. A hysterical giggle later and she reminded the former general of Cloud's previous hero worship. Turns out to be a genuine crush anyway. (Seph still didn’t know how to deal with that)
Bonus for providing more details on everyone else's new lives without Shinra/Midgar. The Cetra provides ALL the tech and Materia advancements, without the Mako drainage from before. And in general, ‘stuff just happens to Cloud’ shenanigans.
Also, Aerith is a Summon now (she was alive 2,000 years ago, she wanted to see her friends again dammit!) and completely BS-ing it to Cloud to the humor of the group. Even though Zack joins the duo into a trio later, he and Aerith make it a running joke for Zack to confuse her to a goddess and dramatically worship Aerith-the-Summon. When they bump into Genesis, he rolls with it and quotes Loveless whenever she's nearby, much to Seph and Angeals' misery.