Hoppy
By:Albedosreqium / Soyna
Setting: Pre Crisis Core… when Zack was just a Third Class SOLDIER.
Rating, Genre and Warnings: PG. Friendship/Humour. Swearing and destruction
Characters: Angeal, Genesis, Zack, Dark Nation, pissed off Rufus and perturbed Tseng.
Disclaimer: All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted by the almighty Square Enix©. I do not profit from this endeavour.
Summary and Additional Information: For :iconreighnard:… this story was subtly hinted at awhile ago and I had it written in my notebook for a whole month. I finally got it typed out and all the bugs worked out of it… thanks so much Ziggy, like really and all. Enjoy.
Sometimes cute is dangerous, as Zack and the whole SOLDIER floor finds out.
Angeal was worried about Zack ever since he had come back from Icicle; he had been spending a lot of time in his quarters. He had warned Zack that he should have dressed warmer for the temperature so that he would not get a cold.
He was not enhanced enough yet to not worry about getting ill, as this trip proved.
"I just need a little more rest, Angeal," Zack said over the phone, still sounding really nasally.
"Do you want me to bring you some soup, or something else?" Angeal asked. He was worried. It was more than a week and a cold shouldn't keep someone down that long.
"Well, I could use some more fresh vegetables. I'm all out," Zack said.
"Vegetables?" Angeal couldn't help but question that. Zack was not known for his desire to eat vegetables and he had lectured him on a regular basis about eating properly.
"Well, you know, I would get better if I ate healthier. I would get better quicker, right?" Zack said and then added, "I really could use some carrots. I'm craving some of those."
"Carrots?" Angeal was really worried now. Zack hated carrots and often shoved them aside every time he tried to get him to eat them.
"Yeah. Thanks, Angeal," Zack said, suddenly sounding chipper.
He contemplated his student's actions but didn't see the harm in getting him some more vegetables. He brought over a bag of groceries for him; after all, what harm could getting him some vegetables do?
He knocked on the door of his student's quarters to have it only open a crack. "Oh, Angeal," Zack said and looked at him. "Thanks." Zack reached out, grabbed the bag, and before Angeal could get a word in, the door was slammed firmly in his face.
He stood shocked at the actions of his student and was tempted to knock on the door and demand some answers.
It was Genesis from behind that stopped him with a deep chuckle. "Let the boy be, Angeal," Genesis said and grabbed his arm to lead him away. "The Puppy will be fine and is most likely ashamed of the mess that is his house. You know that he is not the neatest person in the world and hasn't been able to prepare for inspection with this recent cold."
Angeal gave in, but was still worried about Zack. This was very unusual behaviour from him. He promised himself that he would check up on Zack later that night to ensure that he was indeed okay.
Angeal didn't get the chance. Genesis and Sephiroth preoccupied his time with an insistent game of cards that he had to keep from becoming violent. It was too late by the time that they were finished calling each other cheats and through the seemingly never-ending pleas for one more game because Genesis or Sephiroth could not accept losing to anyone.
His morning was busy with cleaning up the mess from the card game, and then he decided that it was time to check up on Zack. He gathered some of his favourite tea to drink when he was not sick so he didn't look like he was being too motherly, as Genesis often accused.
He was walking through Floor 64 to get to the elevators to the lower-ranking SOLDIERs' floor. The recreational floor was quiet; the only person on the floor was Rufus who had Dark Nation with him and was leisurely throwing a ball that she would retrieve.
He only got a passing look from the young Vice-President as he continued across the room.
He was not expecting to see Zack on the far end of the floor. He did not look like he was sick. He looked like he just got out of the elevator wearing a big and bulky sweatshirt and … it looked like he was hiding something inside the shirt.
Was his student lying to him?
"Zackary?" he called and then watched as the boy snapped to attention, and whatever he was coddling beneath his shirt suddenly dropped out. He didn't get a good look at it before it moved on its own. Before he could ask Zack what the hell he was doing and what he had been hiding under his shirt, a large, dark blur dove past him and then he heard the startled yell of Rufus.
Angeal watched helplessly for a moment as the scene unfolded. Zack yelled something and a white ball ran towards the stairwell. Dark Nation followed it.
"Hoppy!" Zack yelled and started after the white blur. He watched as the Guard Hound bounded after it and slammed into the door that opened into the stairwell. She broke off a hinge and the white blur escaped into it, and Dark Nation followed hot on its heels.
"What the hell was that?"
He looked over to Rufus who was stalking straight towards Zack and looking quite angry at him. Zack was looking like he was ready to run up the broken stairs.
"Nothing," Zack said as he bounced on his heels. Angeal knew the signs of when Zack was nervous and lying, and he was now doing both.
"Nothing?" Rufus yelled and stood in front of Zack with his hands on his hips. "Dark Nation does not chase nothing! What did you bring into this building?"
There was some more yelling and crashing that could be heard echoing from behind the broken stairwell door. There was also an array of curses heard that came from a series of more alarmed voices.
"Zackary. What is the meaning of this? What were you hiding under that shirt?" Angeal demanded as he crossed his arms and waited for an answer.
Zack moved forward and a half-eaten carrot fell out and onto the floor. "Well," he said as he kicked at the carrot, "Hoppy needed some more room to play and this floor is usually empty this time of day, so I thought I would come down here and let her hop around a bit. Her leg is much better now and she needs to give a proper run or else it won't work properly."
Angeal blinked and let out a heavy sigh. He crossed his arms again and glared at his student, but before he could speak it was Rufus that interrupted.
"That explanation made no sense whatsoever! Explain properly, SOLDIER!"
Zack looked panicked as there was a yelp that came from the stairs and another crashing sound. He looked frantically with his violet eyes between them, and then ran for the broken door.
"Zackary!" Angeal called, but it was too late. The boy was gone.
"Do something!" Rufus said.
He turned to the aggravated Vice-President who was looking a little red in the face. "Shouldn't you be running after your pet?" Angeal said simply, not waiting for a response before he started to jog after Zack to see what trouble his puppy had gotten into.
He heard Rufus call after him and something about the fact that 'no one talked to him that way', but he had to deal with whatever Zack had brought into the building.
He followed the path of destruction up the stairs. Another door to the 65th Floor was dented, but it was at least still intact. Angeal continued to jog to the next floor. The door to the 66th Floor was destroyed. He walked out and saw another path of destruction. People were standing around looking confused. Paper was everywhere as it looked as though a filing cabinet had exploded. The mayor was yelling about being infiltrated by monsters.
"Hoppy!"
He heard Zack yell and then another loud crash. There was a growl and a yip that followed and then the sound of something crashing against a wall.
The sound of heavy breathing was beside him. He hazarded a glance and saw Rufus trying to catch his breath. "Dark Nation!" The Vice-President sounded angry and it would have been more effective if he wasn't gasping for air between calling out the name of his Guard Hound.
Angeal moved toward the noise, deciding that it was easier to ignore the Vice-President at the moment.
The monsters were in a conference room. Dark Nation was growling at a small white ball that was in the corner. Zack was temporarily trapped under a chair, as it looked like he had gotten thrown there. From how Dark Nation's tentacle was whipping about, Angeal was not surprised.
Angeal then got a good look at the monster that Dark Nation had cornered. It was white and about half a meter high. It had short fur, was stocky and had very large ears that made it about a meter tall if one counted them. Beady red eyes stared down the black beast in front of it as it was defending itself with a large carrot.
"A Jumping," Angeal groaned.
The Jumping hopped on its powerful legs in place and made a lunge forward with the carrot. It hit Dark Nation on the nose, causing the beast to yelp, but she did not back down and continued to hold her ground.
"Stop it!" Rufus yelled. "Zack! Angeal! You two are SOLDIERs! Stop the monsters!
"But Hoppy is harmless!" Zack protested as he struggled out from beneath the chair.
"I hardly think that it's harmless. Dark Nation is bleeding!" Rufus declared. Angeal did see a small cut on the nose of the pet, but it was nothing more than a scratch.
Hoppy started to 'chirp' in Zack's arms and waved its carrot at them menacingly. Zack could take the carrot out of its little paws and patted its head before it decided to hop out of his arms.
Dark Nation growled and her tentacle began to lash about, and was not having much regard for Rufus who was now holding her back.
"It's just a small scratch!" Zack defended.
"Monsters should not be kept as pets!" Rufus countered.
"You're one to talk!"
"She is my bodyguard!"
"She's a monster!"
"She is trained to be my guardian!"
"I can train Hoppy!"
"It's fighting with a carrot!"
"Enough!" Angeal yelled. He watched them as they both cowered at the sound of his voice. Other people were now starting to appear from the chaos.
Tseng and Reno appeared with guns drawn and looking around tentatively. Lazard appeared behind them with some of the security force with guns drawn and the mayor was yelling behind them as well. Angeal raised his hands up to tell them to stop. Tseng was not deterred and went to stand beside Rufus who had his arms wrapped around Dark Nation's neck.
"Zack," Angeal said. "Where did you get the Jumping?"
"I brought it back with me when I was in Icicle," Zack said and kept patting the small monster's head.
"And why did you think it was a good idea to bring back a Jumping?" Angeal asked. Lazard was already rolling his eyes and the two troopers with him were looking confused at the destruction that was around them.
"She was hurt and small and … and … cute!" Zack blurted and held up the small, white ball that suddenly looked rather frightened. "See?"
"That doesn't mean you should have brought back a monster. It doesn't belong here." Angeal moved to stand beside his student.
"But you bring back plants," Zack whined as he pulled the monster to his chest and tried to tuck it back into the oversized sweater that he was wearing … correction - the sweater that Angeal had been searching for a couple weeks ago.
"Plants sit in pots," Angeal said. "Your monster is a living, breathing animal that needs to be in its natural habitat."
"He's got a pet!" Zack yelled and pointed at Rufus who was still hugging Dark Nation. Tseng now stood in front of Rufus with his gun casually pointed down but Angeal knew Tseng better than that. He would shoot if he thought Rufus was at risk.
"Are you dense!" Rufus yelled. "She is not a pet!"
"It's just a bunny, yo," Reno offered as he casually sauntered up, swinging his EMR. "What harm can a bunny do?"
Angeal swore that he could see Tseng's eyes roll upwards and his jaw clench.
"A 'bunny' can do plenty harm when it grows into a six- foot monster that has teeth that can go right through your torso," Angeal said sharply. "That is a baby Jumping and it needs to be returned home before it becomes a large problem."
"She won't be a problem!" Zack said. "I'll take care of her."
Angeal followed Tseng's lead in rolling his eyes. "She led a good path of destruction inside this building, Zack. She does not belong here."
"She needs to be thrown out a window!" Rufus growled as he kept patting Dark Nation's nose which was no longer bleeding. "No one hurts her!" Tseng knelt down, put a hand on Rufus' shoulder and whispered furiously in his ear.
Lazard cleared his throat. "Zackary, you need to take the Jumping to the —"
"Her name is Hoppy!" Zack yelled, holding the small and very scared-looking rabbit tighter in his arms. "And she is staying with me!"
Lazard shook his head and looked to Angeal. His gaze told Angeal all he hated to know.
He put a comforting hand on his student's shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."
Zack hugged Hoppy to his chest, slumped his shoulders and gave him a pathetic look that made it look as though he were about to be beaten. Zack even had his lip quiver and his eyes grew wide.
Angeal was glad he was schooled at how to handle the look from Zack. "Let's talk this out."
"But …"
"Zack," he said, cutting off his student. "Let's go back to your quarters and talk this through."
Zack didn't stop the look as they walked past the group of people. Lazard was already ordering the security force to clean things up. Reno was standing in front of the frantic mayor and looking like he wanted to beat him with his EMR.
He didn't want to be around if Rufus was going to continue with his tantrum over his Guard Hound being attacked. There was blood on the sleeve of his white jacket from where the mutt kept rubbing her face.
"But …"
"Where we can talk with out the large about of distractions that you have created," Angeal said, ensuring that his grip was firm on his shoulder as they walked to the elevator and he ushered the boy in.
"But …"
"You will not talk until we are back at your quarters. You can explain yourself and your sudden desire to have a monster for a pet without attempting to use that look on me." The door closed on the elevator and he removed his hand from the boy's shoulder.
He could see Zack rubbing the ears of the Jumping in his arms. He had his shoulders slumped in an almost protective manner around the small creature, which seemedcontent being petted and away from the earlier chaos.
They walked the rest of the way to Zack's without another word, but Angeal noted that Zack started to look more and more worried as they walked.
They had a few things to talk about, after all.
They arrived at Zack's door and they stopped. Zack was still petting the ears of the rabbit and looking at the floor.
"Are you going to unlock the door?" Angeal said. Zack jumped and had a look of confusion on his face for a moment before he started to fish in his pockets for his key card.
"Here, hold Hoppy."
Angeal found the bunny thrust into his arms and he was suddenly holding the warm, fuzzy creature. He watched as his student had to dig through his pockets and pulled out his card to open the door.
He opened the door and Zack turned to take the rabbit from his hand but Angeal decided that he would hang onto Hoppy to ensure that Zack was going pay attention to him. He walked in ahead of Zack and shook his head as he walked deeper into the apartment.
"Zack. What happened in here?" He asked but he could see what Zack had done. The living room was a 'pen'. He had no idea where Zack would have gotten the lumber to create such a structure, but he did. His furniture was pushed to the side and stacked in the corner. It actually looked like crates that were taken apart and put back together.
There was a couch cushion that was obviously where the Jumping used as a bed, as it was dented and covered in white fur. There was even a small blanket there.
He could see the bag of groceries that he had bought Zack that had been just placed in the pen. The carrots were stacked neatly beside the bed and the other vegetables looked like they were snacked on and thrown carelessly back in the bag, except for a few pieces of wilted lettuce that was on the carpet.
"I was taking care of her," Zack said as he looked at his feet as he spoke.
Angeal put her in the pen and she easily hopped over to the bed and nestled down quickly, tucking its nose under a paw and closing its red eyes.
"I see that. You know that this pen of yours would not hold her at all, Zack. She is agile enough to hop over this and much higher structures as well." Angeal said.
"But she only hops out to go to the bathroom," Zack said and pointed to his bathroom door. "She's got a litter box in there." Angeal noted that the rest of the apartment was in a state of disarray as well. His bedroom door was open, showing a bed that was not made and clothes on the floor. He could see a large array of take-out boxes on the kitchen counter as well as unclean dishes in the sink.
His gunny sack was still sitting by the door, unpacked from his last mission.
"Angeal, she was so small and I had just killed her mama and I couldn't just leave her out in the snow. She was whimpering and hurt. I just couldn't leave her there." Zack said as he looked over to where Hoppy was not even acknowledging them. "I put her in my coat and took care of her. She wasn't well enough to be left there. She still couldn't hop, so I kept her under my coat and brought her back. I thought I could train her to be my pet. She is so adorable and she loves her ears being rubbed, and her ears are huge and like velvet. She is a great lap warmer too."
Angeal listened to the speech. "She is a Jumping, Zack. She is going to be as big enough that you will be able to sit in her lap." Zack gave a look that seemed pleased with that idea. "She will be as big as the one that you killed," he added sternly.
Zack chewed his lip. "Not all Jumping's get big like that. There some that are just the size of a wolf. There were some of the smaller ones there as well."
Angeal shook his head. "Zack. You should have left it at Icicle," he said and walked to the kitchen.
"But I couldn't abandon her! She counts on me," Zack said. "Look how content she is on her pillow like that."
"So, you return to Shin-Ra, lie to me about your well-being and neglect your duties. This is not an honourable course of action, Zack." Angeal reassessed the kitchen and decided that it was way to risky to even get a glass of water. "I thought I taught you better."
Zack looked panicked and his mouth gaped for a bit. Angeal was pleased that his message was getting through to him. He was about to lecture him further when his phone started to ring in his pocket.
If it had been anyone but Lazard he would not have answered it. He held up his hand and answered the phone. "Angeal here."
"Angeal, have you had a talk with Zack?" Lazard asked curtly. Angeal could still hear the people talking behind him and the shrill voice of the mayor.
"We are still discussing the situation," Angeal said and looked over at his student who was slumped against the 'pen' wall and wringing his hands together. At least he looked properly distressed.
"You can tell him that he is to take his pet to the labs for the time being, and then we shall use his assistance at guarding the door that he destroyed on the 65th floor until it can be repaired," Lazard said and the next sentence was certainly not directed at Angeal. "Keep that mutt restrained or else it will go to the labs too."
"Sir?"
"Sorry, Angeal. Are my orders clear?"
"Yes, sir. But I would rather make other arrangements for Hoppy than the labs," Angeal said. Zack stood abruptly and looked like he was ready to pounce. He didn't blame him. No one liked going to visit the labs for their regular check ups and there had been attempts to free the monsters that were trapped down there by new well-meaning recruits that always ended in disaster.
"I cannot have monsters running around the building."
"There is a Jumping exhibit at the zoo, I believe," Angeal said. "I'm sure they can take one more."
"You will have to make the arrangements for it, if you want it done. I do not want it destroying any more of the building. If I see it, I will take it down there myself," Lazard said and then in a much louder voice he said, "Goddamn it! If she is hurt, take her to the damn vet and quit whining about it already." Lazard cleared his throat. "Have Zack back here in ten minutes." The phone went dead before Angeal could respond any further.
"You are now assigned to guard the door your pet destroyed. I will take care of Hoppy," Angeal said.
The blinding smile on Zack's face made him roll his eyes, and he suddenly had Zack attached to his chest. Arms were thrown around his chest and a thread of 'thank you's were coming out of his student's mouth.
He realized that he sighed a lot when it came to Zack. He returned the hug and patted his back. "Yeah. Well, I'll be expecting you to be on your best behaviour, have your apartment clean and show up for an early morning training session for the next three weeks to make up all this time that you were 'sick'."
Zack pulled back and looked at him with his large, violet eyes. "But Angeal," he started to whine.
"There will be no arguing with me, Zack," Angeal said. Zack had a furrowed brow and was chewing his lip, he looked over to his sleeping pet and then back at him. "You lied to me about your health and had me worried. So you are going to have to work extra hard to get my trust back."
"I'm sorry, Angeal," Zack said and he really did look sorry. "I guess I handled everything wrong."
"You did," Angeal said. He looked at his watch. "We will talk about your rash decision making at a later date. Right now, you have five minutes to get to your guard post."
Zack looked down at himself. Wearing jeans and an oversized carrot-stained sweatshirt covered in white hairs would not be appropriate for a Second Class SOLDIER for guard duty and all. "I have to change!" Zack charged into his bedroom, his clothes flying off as he stumbled around to get his uniform on.
He watched in amusement for a moment before he turned to the source of all the problems that was still sleeping, despite all the noise that Zack was creating.
Angeal started to walk over to the Jumping and reached down to the pile of carrots and picked up one. Zack barrelled out of his bedroom, somehow getting his uniform on correctly in that short period of time.
"And I also need to talk to you about taking my clothes. That was my sweater you were wearing," Angeal said as Zack seemed to be frantically looking for something in the fridge.
"You left it here, and it worked well when Hoppy couldn't hop around, it was easier to carry her around with," Zack said in a hurry as he rattled every bottle in the fridge.
"What are you doing?" Angeal asked as he tried to see what Zack was doing in the kitchen.
"I thought I had a sandwich in here. I'm starving and haven't had breakfast yet," Zack said and looked at the clock on the stove.
Angeal held out the carrot and watched as Zack grimaced as he took it. "I believe we have to work on your diet too."
ARGH… THIS PREMIS SEEMED SO SIMPLE, and I thought that this was going to be an easy story to write. The destruction part was easy but Angeal didn't want to cooperate with me at all… AT ALL.
So after a million back and froths with my dearest and sweetest Ziggy to get this story straight and coherent and to behave like a story.
Anyhoo… Enjoy the little story.