another nightmare of doom
[In any other sense, it was a beautiful day. The sky was blue, the sun was warm, and Zack could feel the wind in his hair from something besides running for the first time in ages. He inhaled deeply, smiling to himself. Midgar was getting closer.
He did a couple of squats until the old man driving him told him to stop, that the kid was making him nervous. Zack grinned sheepishly and plopped down, wondering how long he could remain still. He felt sort of antsy, being this close to Midgar. At least he'd found a ride, even if he had to sit in the back of a pickup truck.
With another easygoing grin, Zack turned to the other guy sitting in the back with him - Cloud. The poor kid didn't look very good; his head was lolling with the movements of the truck, he was slumped over, and his eyes were glazed. Still, Zack talked to him like he could hear perfectly and they could have a totally normal conversation.]
Hey Cloud, what're you gonna do when we get to Midgar?
[No answer. There hadn't been for almost a year now, but as he always did, Zack told himself that he could hear an answer. Sometimes it felt like he really could.]
You wanna see her, right? She can help you, I know she can.
[A fond smile crosses Zack's face as he thinks about her. With a little luck, maybe Aerith will be right in the church where he left her. And maybe she could...]
Don't worry, I'm not gonna leave you afterward. We'll stick together. We're friends, right?
[He grins, knowing he doesn't need any confirmation on that. He and Cloud had been through hell and back together; it was impossible not to be friends. With that thought, he babbles on and on for awhile about becoming mercenaries or something; occasionally exchanging rapport with the driver of the truck. In a rare lapse of silence, though, his newly-enhanced hearing catches the sound of a sniper from miles away. And they're aiming at - ]
Cloud!
[He jumps up and covers the blond's body with his own, arms wrapping him in preparation to lift him up.]
Pops, pull over! We've gotta get out here!
[The driver gives them a worried look as he drops the two boys off, wishing them luck. Zack thanks him and quickly gets a mako-poisoned, stumbling Cloud over behind a rock, where he'll be safe. For now, at least. That's all that matters to him, he figures as he ruffles the chocobo spikes with a fond, loving smile.]
I'll be right back, Cloud.
[He knows what's waiting for him. He marches into it proudly, the Buster Sword gleaming and his stance more SOLDIER-like than it's ever been. What he finds is an entire army that's more than ready to kill him.]
Boy oh boy, the price of freedom is steep.
[With a drawn-out breath, he sets the Buster Sword against his forehead before running out towards the huge crowd with a roar. They're all ready. They're all more than prepared to get rid of the escaped sample. Zack's not going down without a fight, not by a long shot - ]
Auuugh!
[ - there's gunshots, far too many of them, and his SOLDIER skills aren't enough to dodge them all. Not by a long shot. Though he tries, he can't hide his screams of agony when more bullets whiz by.
Maybe he hadn't been SOLDIER material, after all.]
He did a couple of squats until the old man driving him told him to stop, that the kid was making him nervous. Zack grinned sheepishly and plopped down, wondering how long he could remain still. He felt sort of antsy, being this close to Midgar. At least he'd found a ride, even if he had to sit in the back of a pickup truck.
With another easygoing grin, Zack turned to the other guy sitting in the back with him - Cloud. The poor kid didn't look very good; his head was lolling with the movements of the truck, he was slumped over, and his eyes were glazed. Still, Zack talked to him like he could hear perfectly and they could have a totally normal conversation.]
Hey Cloud, what're you gonna do when we get to Midgar?
[No answer. There hadn't been for almost a year now, but as he always did, Zack told himself that he could hear an answer. Sometimes it felt like he really could.]
You wanna see her, right? She can help you, I know she can.
[A fond smile crosses Zack's face as he thinks about her. With a little luck, maybe Aerith will be right in the church where he left her. And maybe she could...]
Don't worry, I'm not gonna leave you afterward. We'll stick together. We're friends, right?
[He grins, knowing he doesn't need any confirmation on that. He and Cloud had been through hell and back together; it was impossible not to be friends. With that thought, he babbles on and on for awhile about becoming mercenaries or something; occasionally exchanging rapport with the driver of the truck. In a rare lapse of silence, though, his newly-enhanced hearing catches the sound of a sniper from miles away. And they're aiming at - ]
Cloud!
[He jumps up and covers the blond's body with his own, arms wrapping him in preparation to lift him up.]
Pops, pull over! We've gotta get out here!
[The driver gives them a worried look as he drops the two boys off, wishing them luck. Zack thanks him and quickly gets a mako-poisoned, stumbling Cloud over behind a rock, where he'll be safe. For now, at least. That's all that matters to him, he figures as he ruffles the chocobo spikes with a fond, loving smile.]
I'll be right back, Cloud.
[He knows what's waiting for him. He marches into it proudly, the Buster Sword gleaming and his stance more SOLDIER-like than it's ever been. What he finds is an entire army that's more than ready to kill him.]
Boy oh boy, the price of freedom is steep.
[With a drawn-out breath, he sets the Buster Sword against his forehead before running out towards the huge crowd with a roar. They're all ready. They're all more than prepared to get rid of the escaped sample. Zack's not going down without a fight, not by a long shot - ]
Auuugh!
[ - there's gunshots, far too many of them, and his SOLDIER skills aren't enough to dodge them all. Not by a long shot. Though he tries, he can't hide his screams of agony when more bullets whiz by.
Maybe he hadn't been SOLDIER material, after all.]