4th Fall [Audio]

[couldnotfly]

[Housemates, you might just notice that Zack has seemingly disappeared from the house at sometime close to sundown. Don't bother going to look; he's left a note on the fridge for you all

Comments

[heavenlyfinale]

Zack!

[She's expected by now that Cloud or Sephiroth or Angeal have gotten to him, but it still doesn't stop her from being worried.]

[couldnotfly]

[And getting rescued or getting himself out of trouble doesn't mean Zack isn't out of breath, so pardon that sound, Tifa. It's been one long night.]

I'm okay! Just...never going back there again.

[heavenlyfinale]

What-

[Pause, Tifa. Just take a deep breath.] What were you thinking, going out there by yourself?!

[couldnotfly]

[Flinch. She's pissed, and that's....probably a bad thing.]

I was just trying to figure out what we were up against! I wasn't expecting to get jumped like that!

[heavenlyfinale]

You could have gotten yourself killed! Who knows what those things could have done!

[She's locking the doors forever.]

[couldnotfly]

That's why I went out there in the first place! We have to know what they can do before people actually get hurt.

Besides, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, Tifa.

[Lock the windows, too. He'd climb out of one if needed otherwise.]

[heavenlyfinale]

[Locking every available opening that one of you could squeeze your way out of. And she's taking any keys to any mode of transportation. Grounded, all of you.]

No, I do have to worry about you. I worry about everyone in this house, and the rest of the people I know here. It's because I know that someone's going to go and do something stupid like getting themselves hurt!

[couldnotfly]

[Then it's a good thing the backyard is fenced; Soldier would go stircrazy and a stircrazy pup is one you don't want to mess with.]

Yeah, and that's our choice! That's our stupid mistakes and we'll live with them! You worrying about us isn't going to fix that, it's just going to make things harder on you.

[Siiiiigh. He'll be...wearing long sleeves till his arm heals so she doesn't worry more, that's for sure.]

Look, Tifa, I'm....I'm sorry I worried you, okay? But it's my job to make sure the people I care about aren't going to get hurt or killed, no matter what it costs me.

[heavenlyfinale]

[She sighs heavily. He's just as stubborn as Cloud and Barret and even the kids for crying out loud. As much as it's his job to protect people, it's her job to worry, and to hope that things will just get a bit better for everyone here.]

Just... just come back no more worse for wear, okay?

[couldnotfly]

[Cloud had to learn how to be stubborn from someone, after all. It might or might not be a shame that he didn't learn that insufferable grin that Zack's well know for, though.]

You got it. Can't promise that Seph's not gonna want to kill me for this when I get back, though.

[heavenlyfinale]

[He's already perfected the puppy-dog eyes, Zack. He doesn't need that insufferable grin.]

I'm sure Sephiroth's wrath will be far worse than me grounding you to the house for a week.

[couldnotfly]

[Then it's a good thing that he's unlikely to pick it up. ...of course, there's always a chance that he'll teach Cloud anyway.]

Oh, trust me, it is. He's scarier than a zolom when he's actually mad, you know. Could scare the teeth out of anything if he wanted to.

[heavenlyfinale]

[If he teaches it to Cloud, she's coming to beat him up. No cookies for a week.]

I've been plenty scared of him in my lifetime.

[couldnotfly]

[For a week? Tifa, that's no fair! Puppy needs his cookies!]

Yeah...I guess so.

[Forgetting about Nibelheim? Not so much of a success this time, either.]

[heavenlyfinale]

If it helps, I don't think he's that bad anymore.

[couldnotfly]

Yeah. He's a lot like he was back home, but he's more...relaxed, I guess. Being away from the military's done him a lot of good, I think.

[Is that a note of fondness in Zack's voice? Why yes it is; he always thinks it's a good thing for Seph to relax more.]