08-07-2016, 11:31 AM
This is all your fault, Zack.
Darkness consumed his entire body, and Zack couldn’t do much more than mentally chastise himself for his overeager foolishness. He lost all connection with his physical body, and instead was plagued by terrifying visions. Memories and thoughts he’d brushed aside since arriving in the Omniverse came to the forefront once more, and he once more had to worry about what had happened to his friends and family from before.
Cloud had been left alone on the mountaintop, presumably with the Buster Sword. Was ShinRa still lurking in the area? Certainly, Cloud wasn’t capable of handling them. What of Aerith? He’d sacrificed everything for the chance at seeing her again, and he didn’t even know if she was alive and in Midgar. His girlfriend had her own secrets to keep, and he had always suspected it wouldn’t be long before she found herself on the run. He just wanted to be there when it happened, to help and protect the flower girl. Tseng and Cissnei had gone on a limb to protect him, too, and they might suffer as a result. All of these worries floored him, along with the worst case scenarios of what could happen.
He had left too soon. Not that he had a say in it, at the end, but he could have made smarter choices, preserved his life. There was so much more to do. Now, he was stuck in a far away city, being mentally assaulted by some psychotic asshole.
There was a voice, far away and distant. It called his name. It sounded like it was coming from across a great expanse, but not as great as the one between here and his home world. It grew louder and louder, until before long, it was right next to his ears.
“Zack!”
The ex-SOLDIER’s eyes popped open, and he took in the environment around him. Caira was kneeling beside him, making sure he was alright. That was nice of her. Gary was over there looking like a smug jackass, if not a slightly surprised one as well. The man clearly had not expected him to survive the darkness. Zack looked into Caira’s eyes, and saw her worry dissolve from her face, replaced by a relieved smile.
Caira looked away from Zack, back towards Gary. “There’s no more reason for this.”
“Yep, you’re right!” Zack groggily agreed as he rose to his feet. Caira stood as well, keeping a hand out to help the swaying man, if he needed it. Upon getting to his feet, Zack rubbed the back of his head, where he could feel the blood flowing. He then waved his bloody, gloved hand as he took a few steps backwards. “Welp, this was fun. See ya.”
Zack spun on a heel and immediately began to walk back in the direction they'd come from. He didn’t know what the hell was going on with these two, but it was obvious he was in way over his head. Following a pretty girl had once again almost gotten him killed, and he took a little bit of pride in the fact that he knew when to bail, now. This whole situation was far more than he bargained for, especially when he was trying to lay low and have a nice vacation.
“Wait, Zack!” Caira called out to him, after some brief hesitation.
Zack couldn’t believe it, but he stopped in place. The ex-SOLDIER turned back around, and looked to Caira.
“We could really use your help,” Caira continued. “We’re doing something very important.”
“It’s the Omniverse, sweetheart,” Zack replied, with just a hint of disillusionment showing through his cheeky grin. “Nothing is important in Omni’s sandbox.”
“That’s not true!”
Zack rapidly blinked in surprise as he watched Caira recoil from her own words. She acted as if she knew a little more than she cared to let on, or at the very least held a powerful belief in her statement. It was enough to make Zack reconsider once more. He approached Caira, studying her very carefully. He’d been burned by friends in the past, and he didn’t exactly like the idea of putting himself out on a limb again. Still, there was something pure and good about her, and he didn’t even need to suffocate her with darkness and nightmares to know that.
Plus, adventure.
“…Alright, I’m in,” Zack said with a smile, but then glanced over to a dissatisfied Gary. “As long as he keeps that voodoo to himself.”
Gary scoffed, but Zack noticed he at least wasn’t waving the gun around anymore. It was still in his hands, held low in a half-hearted attempt to keep it hidden from eyesight. It didn’t bother Zack, since he was the last person that could comment on the benefits of concealable weapons.
“So,” Zack crossed his arms and looked to Gary. “Do I get to know what we’re doing, then?”
“No,” Gary was concise and blunt. “Not in public, and maybe not in private. I still don’t trust you.”
“That’s fine,” Zack nodded. “Because I don’t like you.”
“It doesn’t matter what you think. You are the expendable one, here on my mercy,” Gary responded, then turned his attention from one soldier to the other. “It’s time to go.”
“Can I get a hint?” Zack asked, but Gary had already begun walking.
Zack sighed. He always seemed to end up stuck with the “too cool for school” types of personalities in coworkers or allies. He paused for a moment, taking one last consideration. He knew he was in over his head, and this was the last chance he had to walk away. Why didn’t he?
“Thanks, Zack,” Caira’s voice came from beside him, and he looked to her giving him a genuine smile.
Oh. That’s why. Sucker.
Zack merely smiled back, and gestured his arm after Gary. Caira followed the moody man, and Zack strolled along at the rear. He assumed they were going to some hidden base or something like that, but instead was pleasantly surprised to see the docks of the great city, filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. His hesitance vanished as he smiled wide and looked over all the boats. After dodging lava for so long, the idea of travelling the high seas would be an incredible change.
This would be fun. Even if it was only serving to keep him too occupied to worry.
Darkness consumed his entire body, and Zack couldn’t do much more than mentally chastise himself for his overeager foolishness. He lost all connection with his physical body, and instead was plagued by terrifying visions. Memories and thoughts he’d brushed aside since arriving in the Omniverse came to the forefront once more, and he once more had to worry about what had happened to his friends and family from before.
Cloud had been left alone on the mountaintop, presumably with the Buster Sword. Was ShinRa still lurking in the area? Certainly, Cloud wasn’t capable of handling them. What of Aerith? He’d sacrificed everything for the chance at seeing her again, and he didn’t even know if she was alive and in Midgar. His girlfriend had her own secrets to keep, and he had always suspected it wouldn’t be long before she found herself on the run. He just wanted to be there when it happened, to help and protect the flower girl. Tseng and Cissnei had gone on a limb to protect him, too, and they might suffer as a result. All of these worries floored him, along with the worst case scenarios of what could happen.
He had left too soon. Not that he had a say in it, at the end, but he could have made smarter choices, preserved his life. There was so much more to do. Now, he was stuck in a far away city, being mentally assaulted by some psychotic asshole.
There was a voice, far away and distant. It called his name. It sounded like it was coming from across a great expanse, but not as great as the one between here and his home world. It grew louder and louder, until before long, it was right next to his ears.
“Zack!”
The ex-SOLDIER’s eyes popped open, and he took in the environment around him. Caira was kneeling beside him, making sure he was alright. That was nice of her. Gary was over there looking like a smug jackass, if not a slightly surprised one as well. The man clearly had not expected him to survive the darkness. Zack looked into Caira’s eyes, and saw her worry dissolve from her face, replaced by a relieved smile.
Caira looked away from Zack, back towards Gary. “There’s no more reason for this.”
“Yep, you’re right!” Zack groggily agreed as he rose to his feet. Caira stood as well, keeping a hand out to help the swaying man, if he needed it. Upon getting to his feet, Zack rubbed the back of his head, where he could feel the blood flowing. He then waved his bloody, gloved hand as he took a few steps backwards. “Welp, this was fun. See ya.”
Zack spun on a heel and immediately began to walk back in the direction they'd come from. He didn’t know what the hell was going on with these two, but it was obvious he was in way over his head. Following a pretty girl had once again almost gotten him killed, and he took a little bit of pride in the fact that he knew when to bail, now. This whole situation was far more than he bargained for, especially when he was trying to lay low and have a nice vacation.
“Wait, Zack!” Caira called out to him, after some brief hesitation.
Zack couldn’t believe it, but he stopped in place. The ex-SOLDIER turned back around, and looked to Caira.
“We could really use your help,” Caira continued. “We’re doing something very important.”
“It’s the Omniverse, sweetheart,” Zack replied, with just a hint of disillusionment showing through his cheeky grin. “Nothing is important in Omni’s sandbox.”
“That’s not true!”
Zack rapidly blinked in surprise as he watched Caira recoil from her own words. She acted as if she knew a little more than she cared to let on, or at the very least held a powerful belief in her statement. It was enough to make Zack reconsider once more. He approached Caira, studying her very carefully. He’d been burned by friends in the past, and he didn’t exactly like the idea of putting himself out on a limb again. Still, there was something pure and good about her, and he didn’t even need to suffocate her with darkness and nightmares to know that.
Plus, adventure.
“…Alright, I’m in,” Zack said with a smile, but then glanced over to a dissatisfied Gary. “As long as he keeps that voodoo to himself.”
Gary scoffed, but Zack noticed he at least wasn’t waving the gun around anymore. It was still in his hands, held low in a half-hearted attempt to keep it hidden from eyesight. It didn’t bother Zack, since he was the last person that could comment on the benefits of concealable weapons.
“So,” Zack crossed his arms and looked to Gary. “Do I get to know what we’re doing, then?”
“No,” Gary was concise and blunt. “Not in public, and maybe not in private. I still don’t trust you.”
“That’s fine,” Zack nodded. “Because I don’t like you.”
“It doesn’t matter what you think. You are the expendable one, here on my mercy,” Gary responded, then turned his attention from one soldier to the other. “It’s time to go.”
“Can I get a hint?” Zack asked, but Gary had already begun walking.
Zack sighed. He always seemed to end up stuck with the “too cool for school” types of personalities in coworkers or allies. He paused for a moment, taking one last consideration. He knew he was in over his head, and this was the last chance he had to walk away. Why didn’t he?
“Thanks, Zack,” Caira’s voice came from beside him, and he looked to her giving him a genuine smile.
Oh. That’s why. Sucker.
Zack merely smiled back, and gestured his arm after Gary. Caira followed the moody man, and Zack strolled along at the rear. He assumed they were going to some hidden base or something like that, but instead was pleasantly surprised to see the docks of the great city, filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. His hesitance vanished as he smiled wide and looked over all the boats. After dodging lava for so long, the idea of travelling the high seas would be an incredible change.
This would be fun. Even if it was only serving to keep him too occupied to worry.