I don't own Final Fantasy VII, so get off my back!

Final Fantasy VII: Infinities

"We're friends, right?"

A yellow pick-up truck braked, coming to a complete stop on the side of the road.

"I feel for ya boys. But I'm too old to be sticking my neck out any further, I've got a family to support y'know?"

"Don't worry about it. You've been a huge help."

"Good luck, kid."

With that the truck sped off, leaving two young men in the dust, a man with black hair, and a younger man with spiky, golden hair being supported by his friend.

Sensing danger in the winds, the older man pulled the golden-haired boy behind the rocky outcropping on the roadside...

Zack set Cloud down as gently as he could, setting him up in a sitting position. Cloud looked like he might have just sat down on his own to take a breather, ready to jump up and walk into Midgar on his own feet, and not on Zack's shoulder. But unfortunately the only cure for mako poisoning, are mythical levels of hope and patience.

Zack ruffled Clouds spikes with a small chuckle, then turned and strode off into the sunlight. Unaware as his friend weakly raised his hand in a silent plea, as if to say "Don't go!"

XXXX

Zack stood alone on the cliff overlooking midgar, facing down a whole army of Shinra Troops. A thousand guns pointed at him. He almost felt intimidated. Almost. He knew there was no escape this time.

"Boy, oh boy. The price of freedom is steep." Zack thought of his late mentor, as he reached for the Buster Sword. He held it in front of his forehead, for probably the last time.

"Embrace your dreams," he recited to himself, "and whatever happens, protect your honor, as SOLDIER!"

Zack charged forward, with a battle cry, "Come and get it!!!"

The battle was either fifteen minutes, or fifteen years. It was hard to say. Zack swung his blade again, and again, and again. Every stroke felled another shinra guard, or two, or five.

Materia blazing, blood flying, it was two hairs away from a slaughter. No matter how many grenades were tossed, no matter how many missiles sent him flying to the ground, Zack would just leap back up even more determined.

Inevitably, however, the prolonged fighting took its toll. There was probably less blood in Zack than on the ground. His whole life flashing through his mind's eye, Zack slumped to the ground. His body was riddled with gun wounds, yet he could still stand. Zack looked up again, there were very few troopers left now. Maybe he had a chance.

She passed through Zack's mind once more. Feeling new energy, Zack got into the best fighting stance he could and hobbled towards his remaining foes. He swung his sword once more, but the soldier easily side-stepped it and leveled his rifle with Zack's face. The death blow was about to be delivered.

Genesis, Hollander, and even Sephiroth had been unable to finish him. Now Zack would be killed by a Shinra grunt. It just went to show that, Shinra was a more fearsome enemy than anything the lifestream could conjure up...

The trooper was an instant from pulling the trigger, when his focus broke as a Shinra helicopter swooped down. The trooper barely caught a glimpse of it, however, before he was taken down with one shot from a black suited man in the chopper's cockpit.

Some of the other shinra troops scattered, scared. But one remained behind, to finish the job. He pointed his sniper rifle at Zack's heart. He fired just as Rude picked him off with his handgun, the shot went wide.

Zack gasped in pain as the bullet pierced through his stomach plate, into this abdomen, cutting through skin, muscle, and bone. Finally beaten, Zack fell to the ground.

"Damn it!" yelled Reno leaping out of the copter as soon as it was on the ground, he whipped out his electro-rod and smashed a remaining troop in the face. He sprinted to Zack. He was alive, but barely.

Reno looked up, in the distance were more troops running towards them. "Rude, let's boogie!"

Rude tossed his gun to Reno, and them scooped up Zack into this arms. Zack's sword fell from his limp hand and clanged loudly on the rocks. Leaving it where it landed, the Turks raced back to their chopper and took off.

"Back to the chopper!," the commanding officer shouted, "Don't let them escape!"

But even as he said this, the Turks copter veered back towards them, at a dangerous tilt. The vehicles's blades spinning with the promise of death. Reno still flew like a madman...

The Sargent's last thought's were, 'Damn assassins.'