Fixation

Chapter 1

The beginning

Midgar had changed a lot over the years that Zack Fair had resided there. After leaving his home town, Gongaga, as a young adult to join the army known as SOLDIER, Zack found the city a hard place survive when compared to his rural home town. However, Midgar was not the current location of Zack. Right now he sat in the back of a Shinra truck, as he made his way towards the city of Junon. With him, were other SOLDIERS. Sitting across from him, Angeal Hewley looked as peaceful as always. His head leaned back, and his eyes closed, it wasn't uncommon for Zack's mentor to be lost in thought. Sitting next to Zack, his hands busy as always, was a fairly new recruit that Zack had worked with a few times before that went by the name Jak. Justin Alexander Kilimont was from the town of Kalm, and despite his obvious personal problems, whenever Zack needed him during a mission, Jak would snap out of his trance and save the day. Zack had learned to leave Jak's personal life just that, personal. One time Zack had made the mistake of asking Jak about them, and Jak refused to talk to Zack for a week after that. The sliding window that connected them to the cab of the truck slid open, and the driver's face appeared in it. "We're arriving at Junon." He said, and then just as quickly as the face had appeared, the window was closed again. Angeal's eyes were open now, looking around the truck.

"Well, what's the mission?" Zack asked.

"A Shinra scientist has gone mad, and locked himself in the deep sea reactor. He had roughly ten hostages." Angeal explained.

"Our job is to save the hostages?" Zack asked. Angeal started to answer, but Zak cut him off by laughing hysterically.

"We work for Shinra, Zack." He said, slowly turning his face to Zack. He had reddened eyes like Zack had noticed before, but he had no idea why they were always so blood shot. "Our mission is probably to off him, isn't that right boss?"

Angeal ignored Jak's words, and continued on. "Our mission is to protect Shinra property and personnel and eliminate the threat by any means necessary. And yes, Jak, if we have no other options, we must kill the rogue scientist."

"Funny, how our mission says property before personnel." Jak said, looking away from Zack and Angeal.

"Jak, if you continue like this, I'm going to have to recommend you for review." Angeal threatened. Jak immediately ceased laughing. His blood shot eyes narrowing, he gave Angeal threatening look. Almost immediately afterwards, his expression lightened.

"I was just joking." He said. "Sorry if it offended you."

The three men sat in awkward silence until the truck pulled to a stop just outside of the city. The three of them climbed out of the truck, and watched as the trucked drove off, heading back in the direction of Midgar. After it had disappeared from sight, the three men began heading for the town. After a few minutes of walking in silence, Jak spoke.

"Hey Zack." he said.

Zack, knowing what was coming, answered. "Yeah?"

"Tell me more about Gongaga."

Ever since their first mission together two months ago, Jak always asked Zack about his home town. For some reason, the rural town fascinated him.

"Well, I don't know. We still find metal now and then, from the explosion of the reactor ya know. It's funny, most of the materials that were used to rebuild the town were from the destroyed reactor."

"Well, at least the explosion helped to repair the damage it caused."

:"Yeah, I guess so. Most of us don't really see it that way. I'm fairly sure that if another super power was born, Gongaga would be the first town to jump ship and join them."

"Yeah, I wish Kalm was like that." Jak said, his thought obviously starting to wander again.

"What, half blown up?" Zack said, jokingly.

"What? No." Jak said, looking around, and making sure that Angeal was far enough ahead of them not to hear them, and then with his voice lowered said. "I mean so ready to defy Shinra. Really kick them in the ass, and make them pay for all they've done."

"You do realize you're talking about our employers right?" Zack pointed out.

"Well, yeah, I guess you're right, but still... doesn't it feel like we're doing the wrong thing? I mean don't you have to sometimes question our orders?"

"Between the Gil in my pocket, and the orders I've had, I don't really see anything to complain about."

"oh..." Jak said, falling silent. Zack could tell he was starting to retreat into himself.

"Hey, how do you deal with it, if you find it upsetting?" Zack asked him, trying to keep him from retreating from the world.

"I... I can't tell you." Jak said, refusing to look at Zack. This caused Zack to feel concerned.

"Why not?"

"I Just can't!" Jak burst out, and then started running to catch up with Angeal, leaving Zack confused. As much as Zack wanted to go after him, to talk to him, to figure out what was wrong with his friend, they had a mission coming up, and he needed to focus on that. He made a mental note to sit down with Jak and find out what it was that was eating away at him.