[audio]

[soldierboy777]

[Zack sounds more than a little distressed and barely realizes how fast he's talking.] Hey, uh, if anyone happens to see a spiky-headed blond guy wandering around town, let me know!! He's not supposed to be out of bed yet! Damn, maybe he -

[There's a crash.]

Aerith! I lost him again!

Comments

[ibringpaine]

He disappeared again?

Can't seem to keep him in one place.

[chuckles]

Need help finding him?

[soldierboy777]

His problem is that he thinks he doesn't need the bedrest, but mako poisoning's no joke. Nooo, he just wants to get up and -

[Frustrated sigh, but then he perks up.] You'd help me look?

[ibringpaine]

Yeah. I'll help.

[It's not like she has anything to do, and she likes Zack. He reminds her of a puppy she used to have.

[soldierboy777]

Hey, thanks! [He has no idea why he's so surprised.] I've been looking around here, but nothing. I think he might be headed towards the Cafe 'cause I mentioned the pie. Think you could check that out?

[ibringpaine]

No problem.

[Smirks]

If I see him, I'll tell him his keeper is looking for him.

[Heads out towards the Cafe]

[Video]

[dormantstrife]

[Zack was right, the pie was excellent. He was getting tired of what they were feeding him and he didn't see any harm in going to get himself a slice of pie.

Cloud points the camera down at the pie before turning the video up towards his face; clearly confused as to why Zack was tearing up the place to find him.]

I left you a note, Zack.

[Video]

[ibringpaine]

[Paine is now at the Cafe and standing behind Zack, shaking her head. Of course Zack would miss a note.

That just screamed obvious.

She turned to Cloud and tried to smile. She really needed to practice that.]

Hi. I'm Paine. You're Cloud, right?

[She looks into the camera and addresses Zack.]

I'll sit here and make sure he doesn't pass out. Let him eat.

[She sits down and a Moogle scurries over. She orders water.]

[Action]

[dormantstrife]

[He blinks up at Paine, then gives her a nod in return.]

I'm Cloud.

[Cloud closes up the mog-net device and goes back to eating.]

Zack here?

[He frowns, hoping his friend wasn't going to drag him back to the hotel.]

[Action]

[ibringpaine]

[Paine sips her water, keeping a close eye on the kid in case he passed out again.]

No. He was going to check the other side of town.

[Eyes his pie. She should bring Rikku back a slice.]

So. How do you and Zack know each other?

[Maybe she'll get something to tease Zack about, other than what she already has.]

[Action]

[dormantstrife]

[He sets the fork down, thinking about it a moment.]

Um.. we were in the army together.

[He can't remember too many things but he couldn't forget their first meeting. He smiles somewhat at the thought.]

...He's a country boy too.

[Action]

[ibringpaine]

A country boy, huh?

[She already knew about the army, but she didn't know he was from the country. She smiled.]

So, does that make you a 1st, too?

[Action]

[dormantstrife]

He's from Gongaga.

[Now there's a painful subject for him. He's not going to lie.]

N-no.

[He drops his head in shame, sighing quietly.]

[Action]

[ibringpaine]

Gongaga?

[Sometimes, it was hard to remember that everyone was from different worlds. It didn't help that she mostly interacted with people from her own world.

She awkwardly pats the kid's back.]

You're young. You just need more practice.

[Action]

[dormantstrife]

[It's not like he could change that now.]

It wasn't the practice.

[It didn't matter. He had the mako whether he wanted it or not.]

[Action]

[ibringpaine]

[She figures it must have something to do with whatever made Zack so freakishly strong.]

Everything can be overcome with practice.

[She was adept at White Mage, after all. That took real practice.]

[Action]

[dormantstrife]

I had.. a bad reaction to what they were giving the SOLDIERs.

[Kind of embarrassing now that he thinks about it.]

How did you meet Zack?