History FanficRecs / CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII

* Now has it's own [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/FinalFantasyVIIAnotherSide page]].

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/559637 Haunted House]]'' by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/WandererRiha/works Riha Hyesthae]]

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11200456/1/Harry-Potter-and-the-Cetra-Heritage-Book-1-of-The-Cetra-Heritage Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/6716408/Quatermass Quatermass]]

* ''Status:'' In-progress

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Shipping Fics]]
''Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.''

* ''Status:'' Active; updated February 2024

* ''Status:'' Dormant; last updated January 2019

** Now with [[FanFic/{{Beloved}} Trope Page]]

* ''Comments'': An amazing and suspenseful ForWantOfANail Story where Sephiroth never [[GoMadFromTheRevelation goes insane]] like he does in canon, and the story quickly goes OffTheRails from there. The author does a great job of capturing every character's personality and how they would react to each situation while providing compelling story telling. They even manage to make ''Hojo'' of all people into a tragic, almost sympathetic character without subjecting him to DracoInLeatherPants. Features plenty of action, humor, heartwarming moments, and a fairly serious exploration of the [[ButterflyEffect consequences]] of preventing Sephiroth's canonical StartOfDarkness.

* ''Comment:'' This story is heavily inspired by the remake and its themes of [[ForWantOfANail challenging fate]]. One of the biggest changes is that Jessie’s attraction to Cloud is mutual, which has a larger effect on the story itself. There’s some sexual situations, but nothing too explicit.

* ''Comment:'' It's an interesting ForWantOfANail scenario of the various "What if Sephiroth didn't fall under Jenova's influence after Genesis and Angeal's defections?" [=AUs=], where Zack here has a stronger and more positive influence on Sephiroth's mental state throughout the events of ''Crisis Core''. Requires an [=AO3=] account to read.

* ''Comments:'' Being a follow-up to "Mental Link," it's an alternate telling of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'', where although it follows ''Remake'', there are some changes due to "Mental Link." There's also a reference to Yuffie's chapter of ''Intermission''. Requires an [=AO3=] account to read.

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/37732222 Everyone's Gotta Eat]]'' by [=NervousOtaku=]

* ''Synopsis:'' After Angeal and Genesis' desertion, Zack was determined to carry on Angeal's tradition of making sure no one in Shinra Tower stayed hungry.
* ''Comments:'' The classic "five times Character A did XYZ, and one time Character A was EFG" format, but reversed. It's short, it's fun, and it's a nice look into Zack's mission to feed whomever he encountered was hungry in Shinra Tower during ''Crisis Core''.

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/45928261 From The Ocean Depths]]'' by [=NervousOtaku=]

%%''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24575845 Mental Link]]'' by [=CrossingTheFourthWall=]
%%* Recommended by eagle108
%%* ''Status:'' Complete
%%* ''Pairings:'' Zack/Aerith
%%* ''Synopsis:'' Hojo's science experiment on an unwilling Sephiroth and Zack forces an unwanted connection between them, making both men a bit closer than either [=SOLDIERs=] would've liked and forcing them to adapt to their new circumstances. Other than Hojo's experiment not going the way he wanted, Sephiroth and Zack's original paths have changed, alongside a few others.
%%* ''Comment:'' It's an interesting ForWantOfANail scenario of the various "What if Sephiroth didn't fall under Jenova's influence after Genesis and Angeal's defections?" [=AUs=], where Zack here has a stronger and more positive influence on Sephiroth's mental state throughout the events of ''Crisis Core''. Requires an [=AO3=] account to read.
%%* ''Tags:'' Alternate universe
%%----
%%''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/28243962 Mental Bonds: Midgar]]'' by [=CrossingTheFourthWall=]
%%* Recommended by eagle108
%%* ''Status:'' Complete
%%* ''Synopsis:'' Five years after "Mental Link," Tifa and Kunsel are hiding out in Sector 7 beneath the Plate of Midgar, under the noses of Shinra. Tifa doing a supply run at the train station has her meeting up with her old friend, Cloud, and thus go further down the path of saving the world from Shinra.
%%* ''Comments:'' Being a follow-up to "Mental Link," it's an alternate telling of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'', where although it follows ''Remake'', there are some changes due to "Mental Link." There's also a reference to Yuffie's chapter of ''Intermission''. Requires an [=AO3=] account to read.
%%* ''Tags:'' Alternate universe
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Crossover Fics]]

''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3636825/chapters/8033976 N7 SOLDIER]]'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11146234/1/N7-SOLDIER FFN version]]) by [=ScreamingViking=]
* Recommended by [=AyaSai=]

* ''Crossover:'' VideoGame/MassEffect3
* ''Synopsis:'' The Crucible dumps Shepard on Gaia. The first human Spectre becomes the first female SOLDIER as well as their first elite Sniper. Her uncanny ability to bring reason to unreasonable situations will alter the fate of the entire planet, but especially that of her three First Class friends. "You can pay a soldier to fire a gun. You can pay him to charge the enemy and take a hill. But you can't pay him to believe."
* ''Comments:'' This is a VideoGame/MassEffect3 X VideoGame/CrisisCore fanfic, set after the ending of Mass Effect 3 and pre-Crisis Core. But, trust me. You're gonna love this fanfic. It is totally worthwhile.

''[[http://chibirisuchan.insanejournal.com/52429.html#cutid1 Princess Tohru Series]]'' by chibirisuchan
* Recommended by chibiaries, Meteor, moooomoooo
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Crossover:'' Manga/FruitsBasket
* ''Synopsis:'' [[Manga/FruitsBasket Tohru]] meets Sephiroth in the universe of ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. [[HilarityEnsues Dancing mushrooms are involved]].
* ''Comments:'' The author somehow makes this crossover work, with increasingly hilarious oneshots after the [[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/no_true_pair/28103.html The Edge of the Map]], the fic that detailed Tohru's first encounter with a Final Fantasy VII character. Passing familiarity with the fandoms involved is required for understanding this piece, although more in-depth knowledge is better for catching all the in-jokes. Tohru uses her skill of TalkingTheMonsterToDeath very well, leading to several SugarWiki/FunnyMoments and [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Moments of Awesome]]. For a CrackFic series everyone is surprisingly in character.
----
''[[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/no_true_pair/25985.html Prudent]]'' by Chibirisuchan
* Recommended by Thinks Too Much, Meteor, Soulseller

* ''Crossover:'' Literature/Discworld
* ''Synopsis:'' Yazoo, Loz and Kadaj, while searching for "Mother", end up on Literature/{{Discworld}}. Granny Weatherwax has a few things to say about this.
* ''Comments:'' Told in third person limited from Granny's perspective, it milks the clash between worlds for all it's worth. Short and utterly, ''utterly'' hilarious.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5913662/1/Imperfect_Tense Imperfect Tense]]'' by Jukebox Hound
* Recommended by Meteor, moooomoooo, Landscape, carzla

* ''Pairings:'' Seifer/Squall, Sephiroth/Cloud
* ''Synopsis:'' Jenova's legacy, living on through the Sorceresses, is forcing [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Squall]] to face an unstable Seifer, Cloud Strife, and yet another potential end of the world. Maybe paperwork really wasn't so bad.
* ''Comments:'' This is a revision of a previous completed fic. I would recommend only reading this one, though, because minor plot elements have been changed and it's generally much more streamlined. That said, characterization is ''excellent'', parallels between the series abound, and the writing is phenomenal.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6144593/1/Living_Chemical_Child Living Chemical Child]]'' by Jukebox Hound
* Recommended by Meteor
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Zack/Cloud. Yaoi.
* ''Synopsis:'' It wasn't like Hojo had left clear instructions on how to reverse a sacrifice to the Gate. ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' crossover/fusion.
* ''Comments:'' A series of dramatic one-shots centered entirely around the relationship of Sephiroth, Cloud and Zack, with a few other references to other FFVII characters. The interesting premise is a bit mitigated in that it's still in its beginning stages. The one-shots, however, are quite stand-alone -- enough so that it doesn't really matter. The interaction with Roy is gloriously in character -- I didn't expect him to be written half so well.
----
''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3091490/1/Mercenaries Mercenaries]]'' by Pied Flycatcher
* Recommended by The Tambourine Man

* ''Pairings:'' Squall/Rinoa, Seifer/Yuffie, Cloud/Tifa, One-sided Wedge/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' A crossover with ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII VIII]]''. When Cloud Strife is taken to Galbadia, he is forced into a job he swore never to do again. His mission? To assassinate Sorceress Rinoa. Squall won't be pleased about that...
* ''Comments:'' A very good story with an engrossing plot. The characterization is mostly good, though Seifer gets the [[DracoInLeatherPants leather pants treatment]].

''[[http://archiveofourown.org/series/28445 Sephiroth Potter]]'' by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaDruvez/pseuds/AnnaDruvez AnnaDruvez]]
* Recommended by feral
* ''Status:'' Most likely Dead. Last update 2016
* Crossover with ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth died and rose again. Harry Potter didn't want the memories. But, he has them now and is going to do his best to save his friends.
[=[[reviews:Sephiroth Potter]]=]

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11200456/1/Harry-Potter-and-the-Cetra-Heritage-Book-1-of-The-Cetra-Heritage Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/6716408/Quatermass Quatermass]]
* Recommended by jgkitarel
* ''Status'': Complete
* ''Crossover with:'' ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
* Synopsis: Abused and in pain, Harry Potter cries out for deliverance from his plight at the Dursleys before he learns of his future at Hogwarts. And Minerva, the goddess of the Planet, grants it. Aerith, on her mission to activate Holy, finds Harry in the City of the Ancients, and a journey to save the Planet is changed, for better and for worse...
* ''Comments:'' Worth a read, if only because it takes some aspects of both series, mixes them together while keeping the worlds of each apart, and goes on to change events. This deals with a young Harry in the world of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' from the Forgotten City and manages to follow the general plot, with several twists, such as managing to avert the game's iconic PlayerPunch event. Also has a surprising EnemyMine situation with an notable background enemy becoming an unexpected ally. Goes from the end of Disc 1 of the game to the finale, and has a sequel ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11339664/1/Harry-Gainsborough-and-the-Philosopher-s-Stone Harry Gainsborough and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' that takes place in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' world, and an interquel ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11276795/1/Birthday-Book-1-and-a-half-of-The-Cetra-Heritage-Saga Birthday]]'' that ties the two together.
[=[[reviews:Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage]]=]
* Now Has a [[Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheCetraHeritage Trope Page.]]

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7891288/1/ The Legend of Gaia's Sennin]]'' by The Engulfing Silence
* Recommended by: Zequirne
* ''Crossover with:'' ''Naruto''
* ''Status:'' Dormant; last updated March 2018
* ''Synopsis:'' Flung into a world of technology and fanatasy, bitter at the loss he suffered during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, can Uzumaki Naruto find happiness in Gaia?
* ''Pairings:'' Naruto/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa
[=[[reviews:TheLegendOfGaiasSennin]]=]

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/5741188/chapters/13229710 Children of the Stars]]'' by ShadowBlayze
* Recommended by: eeveelutionlover2000
* ''Status:'' Dormant
* ''Crossover:'' ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
* ''Synopsis:'' The beleaguered Orion Black managed to do one worthwhile thing in his life and the ripples that spread out from this accomplishment change the tides of destiny for both of his beloved sons, two small Prophecy-bound children, and a desperate, grieving grandmother. (Tread gently across this broken ground, for Her wounds are not yet healed, Children of the Stars, Bastions of Hope.)
[=[[reviews:ChildrenOfTheStars]]=]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Shipping Fics]]
''Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.''
----
''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3936598/chapters/8820049 A Moment of Truth]]'' by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/kzam/pseuds/kzam kzam]]
* Recommended by [=AyaSai=]

* ''Pairing:'' Genesis/Cloud [[spoiler:(one-side hint of Angeal/Sephiroth and small mention of Zack/Angeal)]]
* ''Synopsis:'' Cloud is the sole survivor of an infantry patrol gone terribly awry, and unfortunately for him, the Army is looking for a scapegoat. No one was prepared for a SOLDIER to crash the court-martial.
* ''Comment:'' An AU fic where nothing bad happen in canonverse except Cloud's on this ice when he was put in trial for a mission gone wrong... until Genesis Rhapsodos came in to free him from the charges. Now, Cloud find himself slowly making into [=SOLDIER=] with Genesis becoming his mentor. Yep, totally a kind of AU Crisis Core fanfic worth reading for.

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4825272/1/The-Endless-Cycle The Endless Cycle]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1518786/YunaBlaze YunaBlaze]]
* Recommended by [=AyaSai=]

* ''Pairing:'' Cloud/Genesis(both VideoGame/CrisisCore(current timeline) and Post-VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus(time traveler) Versions)
* ''Synopsis:'' Gaia have given Genesis a chance to change the tragic past, with his powers and spirit trap within a materia, everything depends on fate if he regains his strength before it's too late, but will Cloud be able to aid or make things more difficult for him?
* ''Comment:'' A Time Travel Fanfic where Genesis from Post-DOC travels back in time to set things right in the past by helping Cloud on his journey to become SOLDIER and stop JENOVA once and for all. This is a really good read. the plot, the storyline, the characters, the author did a really great job of coming up with this kind of fic.
** Not only it's complete, but the author did a Sequel New Year's Special Oneshot titled [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5629184/1/A-Thin-Red-String-called-Fate A Thin Red String called Fate]].

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4223348/1/ Eir's Tomorrow]]'' by Jukebox Hound
* Trope page [[FanFic/EirsTommorrow here]]
* Recommended by {{@/Ellipsis}}, {{@/Lockea}}, notsomuch, @/KrisMahai, {{@/Caterfree10}}, Meteor, moooomoooo, Soulseller, carzla
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Cloud with the Zack/Aerith on the side
* ''Synopsis:'' Cloud goes back in time to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong--the best time travel fic in ''FFVII'' fandom, hands down.
* ''Comments:'' Very haunting, with creative use of {{fanon}} and AlternateCharacterInterpretation. Essentially, Cloud relives his life knowing the future, and works to save it by saving Sephiroth himself.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1580443/1/ Why Me? A Love Story for Manic Depressives]]'' by Dust Traveller
* Recommended by Racheakt
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Pairings:'' Vincent/Yuffie
* ''Synopsis:'' With war brewing in Wutai, Vincent is given the task of hunting down Yuffie and bringing her back to the throne she abandoned- before someone else finds her first. Bounty hunters, Chocobos, conversational demons, sarcastic ninjas, manic depression, topped off with a generous helping of Vincent/Yuffie fluff.
* ''Comments:'' Spot-on characterization, a logical, coherent plot. Yuffie and Vincent's dialogue is especially fresh and engaging. Interesting, in that some aspects of Dust Traveller's Vincent blends AssholeVictim and TheAtoner, with BeleagueredAssistant and [[OnlySaneEmployee Liz Lemon Job]] for humor.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4413404/1/ Of Petals and Piano Keys]]'' by dreaming-of-storms (M-rated, Contains femmeslash, folks. Set after ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren Advent Children]]'')
* Recommended by inkweaveramara
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairing(s):'' Aerith/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' Tifa, Aerith, and the warmth of the Promised Land.
* ''Comments:'' The summary may give you the impression of a silly little PWP. But this couldn't be farther from the truth. Well, maybe it ''is'' a bit of a PWP, but it's certainly not silly. The whole story carries a bit of a cold, bittersweet tone to it. The characters (particularly the heroines) are a bit more bitter about their respective fates: Aerith is a ghost who can only watch over her friends, and Tifa keeps getting left behind by Cloud. The lemon that follows is very, very tastefully well done, and the end gives you a sense of things getting better. All in all, a good story.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4913884/1/ OneWinged Angels]]'' by [=FenixPhoenix=]
* Recommended by missmollie, seconded by {{@/Caterfree10}}

* ''Pairing(s):'' Sephiroth/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' Jenova's control over Sephiroth broke with his death. Now, he is sent back to protect Tifa and save the planet from the entity that threatens it. The problem: how to convince her of his good intentions?
* ''Comments:'' A beautifully written fic, with a believable, logical reason for Sephiroth's descent into madness, and his attempt for redemption in protecting Tifa. The fic is also very diverse, with some chapters focusing on the antagonists of the story, as well as the POV of other characters like Cloud, Vincent, Yuffie, Cid etc.

''[[http://www.noiresensus.com/bookshelf/ff7/alonghardroad01.html A Long, Hard Road]]'' by Twig. (NC-17 Lemon, Angst, spoilers, mild language, violence)
* Recommended by Did It, Soulseller, carzla

* ''Pairing(s)'': Sephiroth/Cloud, Zack/Tifa, Rude/Reno/Elena, Yuffie/Vincent, Jenova/OC
* ''Synopsis'': Five years after the end of the game, Cloud Strife is fighting a losing battle against the dark forces of Hojo and Jenova. What will happen when the decision is made to resurrect the very man who nearly destroyed them all?:''
* ''Comments:'' An incredibly dark, dramatic, beautifully written fic. Fluff and humor bits are few and far between, but there are just enough to keep the audience from completely drowning in the angst, and they're all the more rewarding after the characters (especially [[StoicWoobie Cloud]]) are [[TraumaCongaLine put through hell]] again and again. Occasionally borders on Wangst and PurpleProse, but still a very good read.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4556979/1/Making_It_Work Making It Work]]'' by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1554377/Etrixan Etrixan]]
* Recommended by Love Psycho, Soulseller
* ''Pairings:'' Seph/Cloud, small Zack/Aerith, [[spoiler:Seph/Zack/Cloud]]

* ''Synopsis:'' Zack knows the Nibelheim mission isn't going well. Taking Cloud along to dig the General out of the basement is a gamble, but his only hope. There's no way he could've foreseen everything that would result from it.
* ''Comments:'' A Zack fixes it fic in a different manner, with Zack fixing things from the part where things really did go wrong. The plot and writing is fascinating and the characters fun - I especially liked the [[{{Keet}} hyper]] Zack portrayed here. The pairing is only thing that can drive off people, that and the M rating, but despite that it is a very good fic. It also includes one the more... interesting methods of getting rid of Jenova.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4643462/1/Mad_World Mad World]]'' by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1554377/Etrixan Etrixan]]
* Recommended by Love Psycho
* ''Pairings:'' Seph/Cloud, Zack/Aerith, Seph/Zack/Cloud, Vincent/Tifa, [[spoiler:Rufus/Tseng, Yazoo/Reno]]
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth returned from the Lifestream determined to find the two who saved him. Hojo and Deepground control half the planet. Shinra is in shambles. That's not going to stop him. Saving them is only half the battle, now he has to save the planet.
* ''Comments:'' This story takes ''Making It Work'' and adjusts some of the timing, thus pushing the ending to something much darker. The story starts with Sephiroth saving Zack and Cloud from Hojo's abandoned lab, with Cloud comatose like in cannon. It quickly dives into an aspect of ''Making It Work'' and expands on it to save Cloud, then follows with a plot that combines the originally FFVII with Dirge of Cerberus, plus a little from Advent Children. Like ''Making It Work'' it holds the M rating, though also for certain graphics and greater mention of Hojo's "science" than just sex scenes. There are quite a bit of shout outs, to both the original games and pop culture. If you have no problem with the above, I seriously recommend it.
----
''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/846875/1/Fusion Fusion]]'' by Knowing Shadows (Slash)
* Recommended by Jesajew

* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth, Zack/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' Cloud Strife finds it hard to deal with what he had to do to save his world, but now the Planet will give him a chance to change things for himself and for General Sephiroth.
* ''Comments:'' This premise is well-trodden ground in this fandom, but Knowing Shadows does it justice, and Fusion is very well-written and well-thought-out despite not being completely original. Definitely one of the better FFVII PeggySue fics, and very enjoyable despite being [[DeadFic unfinished]], especially if you're into slash.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2559663/1/Unspoken Unspoken]]'' by Mihoyonagi
* Recommended by mintfresh, seconded by Chizu, {{@/Caterfree10}}, MadcapINTJ

* ''Pairings:'' Aerith/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth is offered a chance by the planet; he may return to life. But strings are attached. Aerith will return with him, and if she dies, so does he. He also loses the power of Jenova, and, he later finds, his voice.
* ''Comments:'' While clearly not in the least bit canon, this fic is well written, with good writing from the start that only improves as the fic goes on. The focus is on character growth and interaction, with a unique plot that introduces interesting complications. The reviews for this fic often contain people saying that until they read this they didn't like the pairing, and the fic is a wonderful example as to why people should read fics for the quality of the writing and plot, not just the names on either side of the slash. Also, the fic is complete, always a bonus.

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/10589625/chapters/23407521 Splintered Dreams]]'' by ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Szajnie/pseuds/Szajnie Szajnie]]''
* Recommended by Bellec, seconded by {{@/Caterfree10}}, Meteor, {{Tropers/Queen-Roger}}
* ''Status:'' Ongoing
* ''Pairings:'' Tifa/Zack
* ''Synopsis:'' At the end of VideoGame/CrisisCore, it is Cloud that dies on that rocky hill en route to Midgar and Zack that survives.
* ''Comments:'' Basically, Zack takes Cloud place in the main game.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2708515/1/Us_and_Them Us and Them]]'' by Madcap Minstrel
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}
* ''Status:'' Complete, [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10306554/1/Us-Them reboot]] Complete.
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Aeris with Cloud/Tifa, Rufus/Jessie (yes, you are reading that right), and one-sided Zack/Aeris
* ''Synopsis:'' "Sephiroth was given the chance for a happy childhood when he was rescued from the Shinra labs and taken in by Professor Gast. Now eighteen years later, he is forced to face his past, and his own personal demons."
* ''Comments:'' Oh my goodness, where do I even start with this fic? A few small things causing one hell of a change in the course of events. One of my favorite parts besides the whole Sephiroth and Aeris growing up together thing was the exploration of the relationship between the Cetra and Jenova's race of aliens (known as Seraph in this AU). I'd say more on the subject, but it'd be spoiling far too much. All in all, a wonderful exploration of a timeline that could have been and one that's more than fueled my own personal headcanon. There are also a couple of sequels and some oneshots within the same AU on the author's profile worth reading.
* [[Fanfic/UsAndThem Now with a trope page]].
* Has a sequel, ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13656979/1/Welcome-To-The-Machine Welcome to the Machine]]'' (Dormant; last updated August 2020)

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5937770/1/Love_Thy_Enemy Love Thy Enemy]]'' by chipmouskin
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Pairings:'' Zack/Aerith with Cloud/Tifa on the side.
* ''Synopsis:'' "Aerith is part Cetra, a 1st Class Mage, and most importantly, Shinra's secret weapon. Zack Fair is a country boy from Gongaga, living with an incurable, life-altering condition, and a hatred for Shinra. Can they save each other?"
* ''Comments:'' Role reversal at its best. While there are some parts that make me side-eye, especially in relation to Aerith's growing up in Shinra, it's still a well-done fic that explores both the alternate possibilities opened up by the shift as well as the altered relationship between the main couple.
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''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6254702/1/Those_Awkward_Moments Those Awkward Moments]]'' by Inspector Inspection
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}

* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Genesis
* ''Synopsis:'' "We've all gone through some awkward times at some point in our lives. Now those problems are put on our favorite guys in SOLDIER."
* ''Comments:'' Alternating between the downright hilarious (often sexual in content) and emotionally turbulent relationship issues, this fic is rather different than other Sephisis fics I've picked up in that it's Sephiroth doing most of the pursuing rather than Genesis. The humorous parts make up for some damn dark stuff in the fic but it's the balance between the two moods that really works its magic. '''WARNING: THERE IS NON-CON IN THIS FIC, DO NOT READ IF THAT IS NOT YOUR CUPPA.'''

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5496446/1/The_Mission The Mission]]'' by Ardwynna Morrigu
* Recommended by Mismoree
* ''Status:'' Dead (last updated November 2016)
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Genesis/Cloud, Angeal/Zack, Sephiroth/Genesis/Angeal
* ''Synopsis:'' When Angeal abandons them for his puppy, Sephiroth and Genesis find something else to keep themselves entertained. Something small, cute and blond.
* ''Comments:'' A series of explicit ficlets, this story is one of the more entertaining ones out there. It's both serious and humorous; the dialogue is witty, and some moments will send you into fits of laughter from the sheer absurdity of them. The smutty scenes aren't cheesy either. And, of course, I have to put my favorite quote here also:
-->''"Fifty push-ups, you pansies! And then fifty more! God, I can't believe I've got to man up such a bunch of sissies! And quit your whining! The way you girls carry on it's like you expect the Generals themselves to come down here and rescue you! Well I got news for you, dollfaces. You might be as queer as a duck in a g-string, but ain't a one of you pretty enough for that! Not even you, Strife, so get that smirk off your face and give me fifty more!''

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6661558/1/A_SOLDIERs_Weapon A SOLDIER's Weapon]]'' by Oniko
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}, Meteor, Soulseller
* ''Status:'' Dormant
* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' "There is a mysterious new SOLDIER at [=ShinRa=]. Sephiroth searches for the truth about Cloud Strife, [=ShinRa=], and himself, while being haunted by the possibilities of darker futures."
* ''Comments:'' Yet another entry into the realm of time travel fics in [=FF7=] fandom, but this one takes a different approach: rather than being from the Time Traveler's POV (Cloud in this case and others hinted at, but not confirmed at this time), it's from young!Sephiroth's. This originated as a prompt at one of the [=FF7=] kink memes, but it filled out into a wonderful AU.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6661287/1/Handle_With_Care Handle With Care]]'' by XpaperplaneX
* Recommended by Toc_Odd, Soulseller

* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth, although it's platonic until the epilogue of the sequel.
* ''Synopsis:'' "Cloud had no idea how his life would change on the day he was sent to deliver some papers to the former general Sephiroth's office. A mistaken identity turns his world upside down."
* ''Comments:'' ''Handle With Care'' and its sequel [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6808328/1/Mislabelled Mislabelled]] are a pair of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' fics that manage to be both mind-bendingly hilarious and gut-wrenchingly sad. In this fic, instead of burning down Nibelheim, Sephiroth destroyed Jenova and in doing so basically gave himself a psychic lobotomy. Severely brain-damaged and mentally ill, one day he mistakes a small trooper (Cloud Strife) [[ItMakesSenseInContext for a chocobo toy.]] What follows is a hilarious and heartwarming account of how Cloud does his best to help Sephiroth heal. Despite the number of times you have to say it's better than it sounds, it's a brilliant fic, which will toy with your emotions like a yo-yo. The alternate ending to the sequel, in particular, will have you [[TearJerker tearing up a box of tissues]]. One of the best (and most unique) [=FF7=] fics out there.

''[[http://kasoku.livejournal.com/15423.html Summoning Ghosts]]'' by kasoku
* Recommended by Soulseller
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth, Zack/Aeris
* ''Synopsis:'' Materia are formed from crystallised Mako...
* ''Comments:'' I think the way Sephiroth is brought back in this fic is my absolute favourite.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7101732/1/Slumbering-Mountains Slumbering Mountains]]'' by mihoyonagi
* Recommended by Ikatsui, MadcapINTJ
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Aerith
* ''Synopsis:'' Free will is but an illusion to him, an ideal that taunts him endlessly and eats away at his sanity. But a single flower, blooming despite the darkness, may just be enough to pull him from the brink of ruin, even if he plucked it for the wrong reasons.
* ''Comments:'' Written by the same author as Unspoken, this is honestly one of the best FFVII shipping fics out there. Don't let the pairing scare you off; the quality of the writing will keep you reading, even if you the pairing is not to your liking. Sephiroth and Aerith are quite well written and developed. As for Hojo... well, by the first chapter, you will hate him. By chapter 10, you will loathe him as much as you can possibly loathe a fictional character. Be warned, this fic is not light and fluffy in the slightest, and the author seems to be a fan of FromBadToWorse.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8564193/1/Invictus Invictus]]'' by Cpl.Hicks
* Recommended by Kangxi's Grandma
* ''Status:'' Dormant
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Cloud
* ''Synopsis:'' Although controversial, mako injection is the first step toward becoming a SOLDIER. Fresh out of the country, Cadet Cloud Strife is eager to receive his 'rite of passage', at whatever the cost. But when he finally obtains his wish and is injected the mysterious cells, the side effects prove deadly and threaten his sanity and life.
* ''Comments:'' Although a bit, AU-ish, this story taks characterization very seriously, and takes time to explore the the people involved. The quality of writing, too, is great. Though it should be said that the story itself is both unfinished and has not been updated since 2013.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6595872/1/Final-Fantasy-VII-Another-Side Final Fantasy VII Another Side]]''
* Recommended by Shaorai217

* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Cissnei, Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' What if Genesis had caused the Nibelheim Incident instead of Sephiroth? What could have changed?
* Now has it's own [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/FinalFantasyVIIAnotherSide page]].

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24235486/chapters/58394596 Epiphany]]'', by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenrir4life/pseuds/Fenrir4life Fenrir4life]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Story_Maker/pseuds/The_Story_Maker The_Story_Maker]]
* Recommended by Tallens, MadcapINTJ
* ''Status:'' In Progress
* ''Pairings:'' Aerith/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth is looping, repeating the events of Final Fantasy VII over and over again. He has experienced not only the events of the original game and the remake, but many more cycles beyond, stretching into a multitude of similar and yet ever-so-slightly different worlds. Regardless of loss, death, or even victory, he has been unable to free himself from this time loop – or even uncover why he is looping at all.\\
Determining to find answers, he seeks out Aerith Gainsborough to see if he can convince her to interrogate the planet itself for information. However, it turns out Aerith is not completely ignorant of the cycle. Fed experiences by the planet of the events of the original Final Fantasy VII, she has good reason to distrust Sephiroth and his plans.
* ''Comments:'' Excellent writing, both in terms of story and dialogue. The interactions between Aerith and Sephiroth are quite convincing and in character and, as much as is possible, rather humorous. Much like the remake, it maintains a healthy balance between humor and drama. Well worth a read.
* The authors have said there will be explicit scenes, but they are looking to be few and far between and the authors have said they will mostly be skippable.
* Trope page found [[Fanfic/{{Epiphany}} here]].

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13550161/1/It-s-Never-Easy It's Never Easy]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8589100/Cresciela Cresciela]]
* Recommended by Loekman3

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11402776/1/Haunted-House Haunted House]]'' by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/WandererRiha/works Riha Hyesthae]]

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11402776/1/Haunted-House Haunted House]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/206819/Riha-Hyesthae Riha Hyesthae]]

These are recommendations made by Tropers for the ''Franchise/CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII'', all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. ''No-name recommendations will be '''{{zapped}}.''''' Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

''[[https://web.archive.org/web/20170622050924/http://archiveofourown.org/works/3575476/chapters/7879110# Dishorable Discharge]]'' by ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/u/5577049/icynovas icynovas]]''

''[[https://web.archive.org/web/20170622050924/http://archiveofourown.org/works/3575476/chapters/7879110#]]'' by ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/u/5577049/icynovas icynovas]]''

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11124688/Dishonorable-Discharge Dishonorable Discharge]]'' by ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/u/5577049/icynovas icynovas]]''

* ''Comment:'' Absurdly Ironic when FailureIsTheOnlyOption, and one try to do a deliberated EpicFail turns into an actual success.

Proof that [[SturgeonsLaw the remaining 10% is worth entering the Lifestream for]] here:

These are recommendations made by Tropers for the ''Franchise/CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII'', all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. ''No-name recommendations will be '''{{zapped}}''''' Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24575845 Mental Link]]'' by [=CrossingTheFourthWall=]
* Recommended by eagle108

* ''Pairings:'' Zack/Aerith
* ''Synopsis:'' Hojo's science experiment on an unwilling Sephiroth and Zack forces an unwanted connection between them, making both men a bit closer than either [=SOLDIERs=] would've liked and forcing them to adapt to their new circumstances. Other than Hojo's experiment not going the way he wanted, Sephiroth and Zack's original paths have changed, alongside a few others.
* ''Comment:'' It's an interesting ForWantOfANail scenario of the various "What if Sephiroth didn't fall under Jenova's influence after Genesis and Angeal's defections?" [=AUs=], where Zack here has a stronger and more positive influence on Sephiroth's mental state throughout the events of ''Crisis Core''.
* ''Tags:'' Alternate universe

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/28243962 Mental Bonds: Midgar]]'' by [=CrossingTheFourthWall=]
* Recommended by eagle108

* ''Synopsis:'' Five years after "Mental Link," Tifa and Kunsel are hiding out in Sector 7 beneath the Plate of Midgar, under the noses of Shinra. Tifa doing a supply run at the train station has her meeting up with her old friend, Cloud, and thus go further down the path of saving the world from Shinra.
* ''Comments:'' Being a follow-up to "Mental Link," it's an alternate telling of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'', where although it follows ''Remake'', there are some changes due to "Mental Link." There's also a reference to Yuffie's chapter of ''Intermission''.
* ''Tags:'' Alternate universe
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Crossover Fics]]

''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3636825/chapters/8033976 N7 SOLDIER]]'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11146234/1/N7-SOLDIER FFN version]]) by [=ScreamingViking=]
* Recommended by [=AyaSai=]

* ''Crossover:'' VideoGame/MassEffect3
* ''Synopsis:'' The Crucible dumps Shepard on Gaia. The first human Spectre becomes the first female SOLDIER as well as their first elite Sniper. Her uncanny ability to bring reason to unreasonable situations will alter the fate of the entire planet, but especially that of her three First Class friends. "You can pay a soldier to fire a gun. You can pay him to charge the enemy and take a hill. But you can't pay him to believe."
* ''Comments:'' This is a VideoGame/MassEffect3 X VideoGame/CrisisCore fanfic, set after the ending of Mass Effect 3 and pre-Crisis Core. But, trust me. You're gonna love this fanfic. It is totally worthwhile.

''[[http://chibirisuchan.insanejournal.com/52429.html#cutid1 Princess Tohru Series]]'' by chibirisuchan
* Recommended by chibiaries, Meteor, moooomoooo

* ''Crossover:'' Manga/FruitsBasket
* ''Synopsis:'' [[Manga/FruitsBasket Tohru]] meets Sephiroth in the universe of ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''. [[HilarityEnsues Dancing mushrooms are involved]].
* ''Comments:'' The author somehow makes this crossover work, with increasingly hilarious oneshots after the [[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/no_true_pair/28103.html The Edge of the Map]], the fic that detailed Tohru's first encounter with a Final Fantasy VII character. Passing familiarity with the fandoms involved is required for understanding this piece, although more in-depth knowledge is better for catching all the in-jokes. Tohru uses her skill of TalkingTheMonsterToDeath very well, leading to several SugarWiki/FunnyMoments and [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Moments of Awesome]]. For a CrackFic series everyone is surprisingly in character.

''[[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/no_true_pair/25985.html Prudent]]'' by Chibirisuchan
* Recommended by Thinks Too Much, Meteor, Soulseller

* ''Crossover:'' Literature/Discworld
* ''Synopsis:'' Yazoo, Loz and Kadaj, while searching for "Mother", end up on Literature/{{Discworld}}. Granny Weatherwax has a few things to say about this.
* ''Comments:'' Told in third person limited from Granny's perspective, it milks the clash between worlds for all it's worth. Short and utterly, ''utterly'' hilarious.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5913662/1/Imperfect_Tense Imperfect Tense]]'' by Jukebox Hound
* Recommended by Meteor, moooomoooo, Landscape, carzla
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Seifer/Squall, Sephiroth/Cloud
* ''Synopsis:'' Jenova's legacy, living on through the Sorceresses, is forcing [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Squall]] to face an unstable Seifer, Cloud Strife, and yet another potential end of the world. Maybe paperwork really wasn't so bad.
* ''Comments:'' This is a revision of a previous completed fic. I would recommend only reading this one, though, because minor plot elements have been changed and it's generally much more streamlined. That said, characterization is ''excellent'', parallels between the series abound, and the writing is phenomenal.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6144593/1/Living_Chemical_Child Living Chemical Child]]'' by Jukebox Hound
* Recommended by Meteor
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Zack/Cloud. Yaoi.
* ''Synopsis:'' It wasn't like Hojo had left clear instructions on how to reverse a sacrifice to the Gate. ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' crossover/fusion.
* ''Comments:'' A series of dramatic one-shots centered entirely around the relationship of Sephiroth, Cloud and Zack, with a few other references to other FFVII characters. The interesting premise is a bit mitigated in that it's still in its beginning stages. The one-shots, however, are quite stand-alone -- enough so that it doesn't really matter. The interaction with Roy is gloriously in character -- I didn't expect him to be written half so well.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3091490/1/Mercenaries Mercenaries]]'' by Pied Flycatcher
* Recommended by The Tambourine Man
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Squall/Rinoa, Seifer/Yuffie, Cloud/Tifa, One-sided Wedge/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' A crossover with ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII VIII]]''. When Cloud Strife is taken to Galbadia, he is forced into a job he swore never to do again. His mission? To assassinate Sorceress Rinoa. Squall won't be pleased about that...
* ''Comments:'' A very good story with an engrossing plot. The characterization is mostly good, though Seifer gets the [[DracoInLeatherPants leather pants treatment]].

''[[http://archiveofourown.org/series/28445 Sephiroth Potter]]'' by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaDruvez/pseuds/AnnaDruvez AnnaDruvez]]
* Recommended by feral
* ''Status:'' Most likely Dead. Last update 2016
* Crossover with ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth died and rose again. Harry Potter didn't want the memories. But, he has them now and is going to do his best to save his friends.
[=[[reviews:Sephiroth Potter]]=]

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11200456/1/Harry-Potter-and-the-Cetra-Heritage-Book-1-of-The-Cetra-Heritage Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/6716408/Quatermass Quatermass]]
* Recommended by jgkitarel
* ''Status'': Complete
* ''Crossover with:'' ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
* Synopsis: Abused and in pain, Harry Potter cries out for deliverance from his plight at the Dursleys before he learns of his future at Hogwarts. And Minerva, the goddess of the Planet, grants it. Aerith, on her mission to activate Holy, finds Harry in the City of the Ancients, and a journey to save the Planet is changed, for better and for worse...
* ''Comments:'' Worth a read, if only because it takes some aspects of both series, mixes them together while keeping the worlds of each apart, and goes on to change events. This deals with a young Harry in the world of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' from the Forgotten City and manages to follow the general plot, with several twists, such as managing to avert the game's iconic PlayerPunch event. Also has a surprising EnemyMine situation with an notable background enemy becoming an unexpected ally. Goes from the end of Disc 1 of the game to the finale, and has a sequel ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11339664/1/Harry-Gainsborough-and-the-Philosopher-s-Stone Harry Gainsborough and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' that takes place in the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' world, and an interquel ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11276795/1/Birthday-Book-1-and-a-half-of-The-Cetra-Heritage-Saga Birthday]]'' that ties the two together.
[=[[reviews:Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage]]=]
* Now Has a [[Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheCetraHeritage Trope Page.]]

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7891288/1/ The Legend of Gaia's Sennin]]'' by The Engulfing Silence
* Recommended by: Zequirne
* ''Crossover with:'' ''Naruto''
* ''Status:'' Dormant; last updated March 2018
* ''Synopsis:'' Flung into a world of technology and fanatasy, bitter at the loss he suffered during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, can Uzumaki Naruto find happiness in Gaia?
* ''Pairings:'' Naruto/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa
[=[[reviews:TheLegendOfGaiasSennin]]=]

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/5741188/chapters/13229710 Children of the Stars]]'' by ShadowBlayze
* Recommended by: eeveelutionlover2000
* ''Status:'' Dormant
* ''Crossover:'' ''Franchise/HarryPotter''
* ''Synopsis:'' The beleaguered Orion Black managed to do one worthwhile thing in his life and the ripples that spread out from this accomplishment change the tides of destiny for both of his beloved sons, two small Prophecy-bound children, and a desperate, grieving grandmother. (Tread gently across this broken ground, for Her wounds are not yet healed, Children of the Stars, Bastions of Hope.)
[=[[reviews:ChildrenOfTheStars]]=]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Shipping Fics]]
''Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.''
----
''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3936598/chapters/8820049 A Moment of Truth]]'' by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/kzam/pseuds/kzam kzam]]
* Recommended by [=AyaSai=]

* ''Pairing:'' Genesis/Cloud [[spoiler:(one-side hint of Angeal/Sephiroth and small mention of Zack/Angeal)]]
* ''Synopsis:'' Cloud is the sole survivor of an infantry patrol gone terribly awry, and unfortunately for him, the Army is looking for a scapegoat. No one was prepared for a SOLDIER to crash the court-martial.
* ''Comment:'' An AU fic where nothing bad happen in canonverse except Cloud's on this ice when he was put in trial for a mission gone wrong... until Genesis Rhapsodos came in to free him from the charges. Now, Cloud find himself slowly making into [=SOLDIER=] with Genesis becoming his mentor. Yep, totally a kind of AU Crisis Core fanfic worth reading for.

''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4825272/1/The-Endless-Cycle The Endless Cycle]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1518786/YunaBlaze YunaBlaze]]
* Recommended by [=AyaSai=]

* ''Pairing:'' Cloud/Genesis(both VideoGame/CrisisCore(current timeline) and Post-VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus(time traveler) Versions)
* ''Synopsis:'' Gaia have given Genesis a chance to change the tragic past, with his powers and spirit trap within a materia, everything depends on fate if he regains his strength before it's too late, but will Cloud be able to aid or make things more difficult for him?
* ''Comment:'' A Time Travel Fanfic where Genesis from Post-DOC travels back in time to set things right in the past by helping Cloud on his journey to become SOLDIER and stop JENOVA once and for all. This is a really good read. the plot, the storyline, the characters, the author did a really great job of coming up with this kind of fic.
** Not only it's complete, but the author did a Sequel New Year's Special Oneshot titled [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5629184/1/A-Thin-Red-String-called-Fate A Thin Red String called Fate]].

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4223348/1/ Eir's Tomorrow]]'' by Jukebox Hound
* Trope page [[FanFic/EirsTommorrow here]]
* Recommended by {{@/Ellipsis}}, {{@/Lockea}}, notsomuch, @/KrisMahai, {{@/Caterfree10}}, Meteor, moooomoooo, Soulseller, carzla

* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Cloud with the Zack/Aerith on the side
* ''Synopsis:'' Cloud goes back in time to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong--the best time travel fic in ''FFVII'' fandom, hands down.
* ''Comments:'' Very haunting, with creative use of {{fanon}} and AlternateCharacterInterpretation. Essentially, Cloud relives his life knowing the future, and works to save it by saving Sephiroth himself.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1580443/1/ Why Me? A Love Story for Manic Depressives]]'' by Dust Traveller
* Recommended by Racheakt
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Pairings:'' Vincent/Yuffie
* ''Synopsis:'' With war brewing in Wutai, Vincent is given the task of hunting down Yuffie and bringing her back to the throne she abandoned- before someone else finds her first. Bounty hunters, Chocobos, conversational demons, sarcastic ninjas, manic depression, topped off with a generous helping of Vincent/Yuffie fluff.
* ''Comments:'' Spot-on characterization, a logical, coherent plot. Yuffie and Vincent's dialogue is especially fresh and engaging. Interesting, in that some aspects of Dust Traveller's Vincent blends AssholeVictim and TheAtoner, with BeleagueredAssistant and [[OnlySaneEmployee Liz Lemon Job]] for humor.
----
''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4413404/1/ Of Petals and Piano Keys]]'' by dreaming-of-storms (M-rated, Contains femmeslash, folks. Set after ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren Advent Children]]'')
* Recommended by inkweaveramara

* ''Pairing(s):'' Aerith/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' Tifa, Aerith, and the warmth of the Promised Land.
* ''Comments:'' The summary may give you the impression of a silly little PWP. But this couldn't be farther from the truth. Well, maybe it ''is'' a bit of a PWP, but it's certainly not silly. The whole story carries a bit of a cold, bittersweet tone to it. The characters (particularly the heroines) are a bit more bitter about their respective fates: Aerith is a ghost who can only watch over her friends, and Tifa keeps getting left behind by Cloud. The lemon that follows is very, very tastefully well done, and the end gives you a sense of things getting better. All in all, a good story.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4913884/1/ OneWinged Angels]]'' by [=FenixPhoenix=]
* Recommended by missmollie, seconded by {{@/Caterfree10}}

* ''Pairing(s):'' Sephiroth/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' Jenova's control over Sephiroth broke with his death. Now, he is sent back to protect Tifa and save the planet from the entity that threatens it. The problem: how to convince her of his good intentions?
* ''Comments:'' A beautifully written fic, with a believable, logical reason for Sephiroth's descent into madness, and his attempt for redemption in protecting Tifa. The fic is also very diverse, with some chapters focusing on the antagonists of the story, as well as the POV of other characters like Cloud, Vincent, Yuffie, Cid etc.

''[[http://www.noiresensus.com/bookshelf/ff7/alonghardroad01.html A Long, Hard Road]]'' by Twig. (NC-17 Lemon, Angst, spoilers, mild language, violence)
* Recommended by Did It, Soulseller, carzla

* ''Pairing(s)'': Sephiroth/Cloud, Zack/Tifa, Rude/Reno/Elena, Yuffie/Vincent, Jenova/OC
* ''Synopsis'': Five years after the end of the game, Cloud Strife is fighting a losing battle against the dark forces of Hojo and Jenova. What will happen when the decision is made to resurrect the very man who nearly destroyed them all?:''
* ''Comments:'' An incredibly dark, dramatic, beautifully written fic. Fluff and humor bits are few and far between, but there are just enough to keep the audience from completely drowning in the angst, and they're all the more rewarding after the characters (especially [[StoicWoobie Cloud]]) are [[TraumaCongaLine put through hell]] again and again. Occasionally borders on Wangst and PurpleProse, but still a very good read.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4556979/1/Making_It_Work Making It Work]]'' by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1554377/Etrixan Etrixan]]
* Recommended by Love Psycho, Soulseller
* ''Pairings:'' Seph/Cloud, small Zack/Aerith, [[spoiler:Seph/Zack/Cloud]]

* ''Synopsis:'' Zack knows the Nibelheim mission isn't going well. Taking Cloud along to dig the General out of the basement is a gamble, but his only hope. There's no way he could've foreseen everything that would result from it.
* ''Comments:'' A Zack fixes it fic in a different manner, with Zack fixing things from the part where things really did go wrong. The plot and writing is fascinating and the characters fun - I especially liked the [[{{Keet}} hyper]] Zack portrayed here. The pairing is only thing that can drive off people, that and the M rating, but despite that it is a very good fic. It also includes one the more... interesting methods of getting rid of Jenova.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4643462/1/Mad_World Mad World]]'' by [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1554377/Etrixan Etrixan]]
* Recommended by Love Psycho
* ''Pairings:'' Seph/Cloud, Zack/Aerith, Seph/Zack/Cloud, Vincent/Tifa, [[spoiler:Rufus/Tseng, Yazoo/Reno]]
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth returned from the Lifestream determined to find the two who saved him. Hojo and Deepground control half the planet. Shinra is in shambles. That's not going to stop him. Saving them is only half the battle, now he has to save the planet.
* ''Comments:'' This story takes ''Making It Work'' and adjusts some of the timing, thus pushing the ending to something much darker. The story starts with Sephiroth saving Zack and Cloud from Hojo's abandoned lab, with Cloud comatose like in cannon. It quickly dives into an aspect of ''Making It Work'' and expands on it to save Cloud, then follows with a plot that combines the originally FFVII with Dirge of Cerberus, plus a little from Advent Children. Like ''Making It Work'' it holds the M rating, though also for certain graphics and greater mention of Hojo's "science" than just sex scenes. There are quite a bit of shout outs, to both the original games and pop culture. If you have no problem with the above, I seriously recommend it.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/846875/1/Fusion Fusion]]'' by Knowing Shadows (Slash)
* Recommended by Jesajew

* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth, Zack/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' Cloud Strife finds it hard to deal with what he had to do to save his world, but now the Planet will give him a chance to change things for himself and for General Sephiroth.
* ''Comments:'' This premise is well-trodden ground in this fandom, but Knowing Shadows does it justice, and Fusion is very well-written and well-thought-out despite not being completely original. Definitely one of the better FFVII PeggySue fics, and very enjoyable despite being [[DeadFic unfinished]], especially if you're into slash.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2559663/1/Unspoken Unspoken]]'' by Mihoyonagi
* Recommended by mintfresh, seconded by Chizu, {{@/Caterfree10}}, MadcapINTJ

* ''Pairings:'' Aerith/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth is offered a chance by the planet; he may return to life. But strings are attached. Aerith will return with him, and if she dies, so does he. He also loses the power of Jenova, and, he later finds, his voice.
* ''Comments:'' While clearly not in the least bit canon, this fic is well written, with good writing from the start that only improves as the fic goes on. The focus is on character growth and interaction, with a unique plot that introduces interesting complications. The reviews for this fic often contain people saying that until they read this they didn't like the pairing, and the fic is a wonderful example as to why people should read fics for the quality of the writing and plot, not just the names on either side of the slash. Also, the fic is complete, always a bonus.

''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/10589625/chapters/23407521 Splintered Dreams]]'' by ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Szajnie/pseuds/Szajnie Szajnie]]''
* Recommended by Bellec, seconded by {{@/Caterfree10}}, Meteor, {{Tropers/Queen-Roger}}
* ''Status:'' Ongoing
* ''Pairings:'' Tifa/Zack
* ''Synopsis:'' At the end of VideoGame/CrisisCore, it is Cloud that dies on that rocky hill en route to Midgar and Zack that survives.
* ''Comments:'' Basically, Zack takes Cloud place in the main game.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2708515/1/Us_and_Them Us and Them]]'' by Madcap Minstrel
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}
* ''Status:'' Complete, [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10306554/1/Us-Them reboot]] Complete.
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Aeris with Cloud/Tifa, Rufus/Jessie (yes, you are reading that right), and one-sided Zack/Aeris
* ''Synopsis:'' "Sephiroth was given the chance for a happy childhood when he was rescued from the Shinra labs and taken in by Professor Gast. Now eighteen years later, he is forced to face his past, and his own personal demons."
* ''Comments:'' Oh my goodness, where do I even start with this fic? A few small things causing one hell of a change in the course of events. One of my favorite parts besides the whole Sephiroth and Aeris growing up together thing was the exploration of the relationship between the Cetra and Jenova's race of aliens (known as Seraph in this AU). I'd say more on the subject, but it'd be spoiling far too much. All in all, a wonderful exploration of a timeline that could have been and one that's more than fueled my own personal headcanon. There are also a couple of sequels and some oneshots within the same AU on the author's profile worth reading.
* [[Fanfic/UsAndThem Now with a trope page]].
* Has a sequel, ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13656979/1/Welcome-To-The-Machine Welcome to the Machine]]'' (Dormant; last updated August 2020)

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5937770/1/Love_Thy_Enemy Love Thy Enemy]]'' by chipmouskin
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}
* ''Status:'' Dead
* ''Pairings:'' Zack/Aerith with Cloud/Tifa on the side.
* ''Synopsis:'' "Aerith is part Cetra, a 1st Class Mage, and most importantly, Shinra's secret weapon. Zack Fair is a country boy from Gongaga, living with an incurable, life-altering condition, and a hatred for Shinra. Can they save each other?"
* ''Comments:'' Role reversal at its best. While there are some parts that make me side-eye, especially in relation to Aerith's growing up in Shinra, it's still a well-done fic that explores both the alternate possibilities opened up by the shift as well as the altered relationship between the main couple.
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''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6254702/1/Those_Awkward_Moments Those Awkward Moments]]'' by Inspector Inspection
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}

* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Genesis
* ''Synopsis:'' "We've all gone through some awkward times at some point in our lives. Now those problems are put on our favorite guys in SOLDIER."
* ''Comments:'' Alternating between the downright hilarious (often sexual in content) and emotionally turbulent relationship issues, this fic is rather different than other Sephisis fics I've picked up in that it's Sephiroth doing most of the pursuing rather than Genesis. The humorous parts make up for some damn dark stuff in the fic but it's the balance between the two moods that really works its magic. '''WARNING: THERE IS NON-CON IN THIS FIC, DO NOT READ IF THAT IS NOT YOUR CUPPA.'''

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5496446/1/The_Mission The Mission]]'' by Ardwynna Morrigu
* Recommended by Mismoree
* ''Status:'' Dead (last updated November 2016)
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Genesis/Cloud, Angeal/Zack, Sephiroth/Genesis/Angeal
* ''Synopsis:'' When Angeal abandons them for his puppy, Sephiroth and Genesis find something else to keep themselves entertained. Something small, cute and blond.
* ''Comments:'' A series of explicit ficlets, this story is one of the more entertaining ones out there. It's both serious and humorous; the dialogue is witty, and some moments will send you into fits of laughter from the sheer absurdity of them. The smutty scenes aren't cheesy either. And, of course, I have to put my favorite quote here also:
-->''"Fifty push-ups, you pansies! And then fifty more! God, I can't believe I've got to man up such a bunch of sissies! And quit your whining! The way you girls carry on it's like you expect the Generals themselves to come down here and rescue you! Well I got news for you, dollfaces. You might be as queer as a duck in a g-string, but ain't a one of you pretty enough for that! Not even you, Strife, so get that smirk off your face and give me fifty more!''

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6661558/1/A_SOLDIERs_Weapon A SOLDIER's Weapon]]'' by Oniko
* Recommended by {{@/Caterfree10}}, Meteor, Soulseller

* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' "There is a mysterious new SOLDIER at [=ShinRa=]. Sephiroth searches for the truth about Cloud Strife, [=ShinRa=], and himself, while being haunted by the possibilities of darker futures."
* ''Comments:'' Yet another entry into the realm of time travel fics in [=FF7=] fandom, but this one takes a different approach: rather than being from the Time Traveler's POV (Cloud in this case and others hinted at, but not confirmed at this time), it's from young!Sephiroth's. This originated as a prompt at one of the [=FF7=] kink memes, but it filled out into a wonderful AU.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6661287/1/Handle_With_Care Handle With Care]]'' by XpaperplaneX
* Recommended by Toc_Odd, Soulseller

* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth, although it's platonic until the epilogue of the sequel.
* ''Synopsis:'' "Cloud had no idea how his life would change on the day he was sent to deliver some papers to the former general Sephiroth's office. A mistaken identity turns his world upside down."
* ''Comments:'' ''Handle With Care'' and its sequel [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6808328/1/Mislabelled Mislabelled]] are a pair of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' fics that manage to be both mind-bendingly hilarious and gut-wrenchingly sad. In this fic, instead of burning down Nibelheim, Sephiroth destroyed Jenova and in doing so basically gave himself a psychic lobotomy. Severely brain-damaged and mentally ill, one day he mistakes a small trooper (Cloud Strife) [[ItMakesSenseInContext for a chocobo toy.]] What follows is a hilarious and heartwarming account of how Cloud does his best to help Sephiroth heal. Despite the number of times you have to say it's better than it sounds, it's a brilliant fic, which will toy with your emotions like a yo-yo. The alternate ending to the sequel, in particular, will have you [[TearJerker tearing up a box of tissues]]. One of the best (and most unique) [=FF7=] fics out there.

''[[http://kasoku.livejournal.com/15423.html Summoning Ghosts]]'' by kasoku
* Recommended by Soulseller

* ''Pairings:'' Cloud/Sephiroth, Zack/Aeris
* ''Synopsis:'' Materia are formed from crystallised Mako...
* ''Comments:'' I think the way Sephiroth is brought back in this fic is my absolute favourite.
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''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7101732/1/Slumbering-Mountains Slumbering Mountains]]'' by mihoyonagi
* Recommended by Ikatsui, MadcapINTJ
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Aerith
* ''Synopsis:'' Free will is but an illusion to him, an ideal that taunts him endlessly and eats away at his sanity. But a single flower, blooming despite the darkness, may just be enough to pull him from the brink of ruin, even if he plucked it for the wrong reasons.
* ''Comments:'' Written by the same author as Unspoken, this is honestly one of the best FFVII shipping fics out there. Don't let the pairing scare you off; the quality of the writing will keep you reading, even if you the pairing is not to your liking. Sephiroth and Aerith are quite well written and developed. As for Hojo... well, by the first chapter, you will hate him. By chapter 10, you will loathe him as much as you can possibly loathe a fictional character. Be warned, this fic is not light and fluffy in the slightest, and the author seems to be a fan of FromBadToWorse.
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''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8564193/1/Invictus Invictus]]'' by Cpl.Hicks
* Recommended by Kangxi's Grandma
* ''Status:'' Dormant
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Cloud
* ''Synopsis:'' Although controversial, mako injection is the first step toward becoming a SOLDIER. Fresh out of the country, Cadet Cloud Strife is eager to receive his 'rite of passage', at whatever the cost. But when he finally obtains his wish and is injected the mysterious cells, the side effects prove deadly and threaten his sanity and life.
* ''Comments:'' Although a bit, AU-ish, this story taks characterization very seriously, and takes time to explore the the people involved. The quality of writing, too, is great. Though it should be said that the story itself is both unfinished and has not been updated since 2013.
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''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6595872/1/Final-Fantasy-VII-Another-Side Final Fantasy VII Another Side]]''
* Recommended by Shaorai217
* ''Status:'' Complete
* ''Pairings:'' Sephiroth/Cissnei, Zack/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa
* ''Synopsis:'' What if Genesis had caused the Nibelheim Incident instead of Sephiroth? What could have changed?
* Now has it's own [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/FinalFantasyVIIAnotherSide page]].
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''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/24235486/chapters/58394596 Epiphany]]'', by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenrir4life/pseuds/Fenrir4life Fenrir4life]] and [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Story_Maker/pseuds/The_Story_Maker The_Story_Maker]]
* Recommended by Tallens, MadcapINTJ
* ''Status:'' In Progress
* ''Pairings:'' Aerith/Sephiroth
* ''Synopsis:'' Sephiroth is looping, repeating the events of Final Fantasy VII over and over again. He has experienced not only the events of the original game and the remake, but many more cycles beyond, stretching into a multitude of similar and yet ever-so-slightly different worlds. Regardless of loss, death, or even victory, he has been unable to free himself from this time loop – or even uncover why he is looping at all.\\
Determining to find answers, he seeks out Aerith Gainsborough to see if he can convince her to interrogate the planet itself for information. However, it turns out Aerith is not completely ignorant of the cycle. Fed experiences by the planet of the events of the original Final Fantasy VII, she has good reason to distrust Sephiroth and his plans.
* ''Comments:'' Excellent writing, both in terms of story and dialogue. The interactions between Aerith and Sephiroth are quite convincing and in character and, as much as is possible, rather humorous. Much like the remake, it maintains a healthy balance between humor and drama. Well worth a read.
* The authors have said there will be explicit scenes, but they are looking to be few and far between and the authors have said they will mostly be skippable.
* Trope page found [[Fanfic/{{Epiphany}} here]].
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''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13550161/1/It-s-Never-Easy It's Never Easy]]'' by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8589100/Cresciela Cresciela]]
* Recommended by Loekman3
* ''Status:'' Complete

Do warn when a fanfic may head into sexual or [[BetterThanCanon non-canon]] territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, {{Shipping}} is SeriousBusiness.

These are recommendations made by Tropers for ''Franchise/CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII'', all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. ''No-name recommendations will be '''{{zapped}}'''.'' Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.