I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or any of the characters.
Wild Goose Chase
Zack watched the woman walk away and sighed.
"Something wrong Zack?" a familiar voice questioned.
"Cissnei!" Zack smiled spinning toward her. "You must know about the First Classes' fan clubs right?"
"Doesn't everyone?" Cissnei questioned.
"Well, do I have one?" Zack questioned. "I mean, I took down Wutai! Or, at least, I helped a lot."
"As it happens, you do have one," Cissnei smiled. "But there's only one person in it. But from what I hear, they might be in love with you."
"Is it Aerith?" Zack questioned smiling happily.
"Oh, well, I suppose that makes two people then," Cissnei stated. "I wasn't actually talking about her though."
"Well, who then?" Zack questioned.
"Someone you know," Cissnei stated.
"I don't really know any...is it Yuffie?" Zack questioned.
"Nope," Cissnei smirked. "Although, she might actually have a crush on you."
"Tifa?" Zack guessed.
"Wrong again," Cissnei smirked.
Zack thought for a moment before his face distorted into a look of disgust.
"Please tell me it's not Tseng," Zack pleaded.
"You're in luck," Cissnei giggled. "It's not Tseng. But you're getting closer."
"Is it a girl or a guy?" Zack questioned. "And how do you know they're in love with me?"
"They confide in me," Cissnei smiled sweetly.
"That redheaded guy?" Zack questioned.
"No," Cissnei smiled shaking her head.
"Rude?" Zack questioned.
"Nope," Cissnei smirked.
"Well who...is it a Turk?" Zack questioned.
Before she could answer, her phone rang.
"What's wrong?" Cissnei questioned. "I see...alright...I'll be there in a few minutes..."
She hung up and turned toward Zack.
"I'm sorry but I have to go," Cissnei apologized. "See you around."
She left and Zack sighed.
Now what? Zack thought. Aerith might know.
"So, I was wondering if you might know who she was talking about," Zack stated after telling her about his conversation with Cissnei.
"Wow Soldier must be really popular if they have fan clubs," Aerith commented.
"But you'd be in my fan club right?" Zack questioned grinning.
"I don't know," Aerith grinned. "It sounds like this Angeal guy is the best since he has the biggest fan club."
"Yeah sure," Zack snorted rolling his eyes. "Listen, I gotta go. I'll be back soon, I promise."
Aerith nodded and Zack hugged her then left.
Now who? Zack thought. Angeal!
"Hey Angeal!" Zack called running over to his friend.
"What's wrong?" Angeal questioned.
"Well, I was talking to Cissnei earlier and...well...you how you, Genesis, and Sephiroth have fan clubs?" Zack questioned.
"Um, yes, I am aware of that," Angeal nodded.
"Well, Cissnei said that I have a fan club too, but it's only one person," Zack explained. "But, she said that they might be in love with me. I wanna find out who it is but she refuses to tell me."
"Zack, let me explain something to you," Angeal snickered. "Everyone in my fan club is in love with me. That's why they're in my fan club."
"But she said that they confide in her and it is Cissnei," Zack pointed out. "Her exact words were 'in love'."
"Really?" Angeal questioned thoughtfully before grinning. "I know who it is then."
"Who!?" Zack practically shouted excitedly.
"Nope, sorry, you have to find out for yourself," Angeal smirked shaking his head.
"Aaww, Angeal!" Zack whined as the door behind him opened and Sephiroth walked in. "Sephiroth! You know don't you!"
"Know what?" Sephiroth sighed.
"Who's in my fan club?" Zack pleaded.
Sephiroth regarded him in silence for a moment before looking to Angeal who simply shrugged.
"Fan clubs are for those who are too weak to fight their own battles," Sephiroth stated turning and walking toward his locker.
"But you have a fan club," Zack stated.
"I have a group of humans that are obsessed with me," Sephiroth stated. "It's different."
Zack sighed and left and Sephiroth turned to Angeal.
"Cissnei told him that he had one member who was in love with him," Angeal stated.
"I see," Sephiroth replied grinning. "He's going to have a very long day."
"Hey Sephiroth," Zack suddenly said reappearing in the doorway. "Are you sure you don't know?"
"Let me see your sword," Sephiroth instructed holding out his hand.
Zack handed it to him, handle first and Angeal snickered as Sephiroth broke it over his knee.
"Oh dear," Sephiroth sighed. "Your sword is broken. Guess you'll have to stop pestering me and go get it fixed."
Zack stared at it before turning and slamming his head into the wall.
"You're an ass," Zack sighed before taking the two pieces of his sword and leaving.
After a few minutes he found Kunsel standing in the lounge where a long thin box rested on the couch.
"Hey Zack!" Kunsel called waving him over.
"Hey man, listen you wouldn't happen to know who's in my fan club would you?" Zack questioned. "Besides you, I mean."
"Oh, um, heh, um, no sorry," Kunsel said rubbing the back of his head.
"You're not in my fan club are you?" Zack questioned.
"Well, I would man, it's just...no one can beat Sephiroth," Kunsel stated. "He took on Genesis and Angeal at the same time and won."
"Thanks a lot," Zack sighed. "Great."
"What's this about?" Kunsel questioned.
"Cissnei told me that she knew the one and only person in my fan club and that they were in love with me," Zack sighed. "I figured I should find out who it was, because I have a fan club, except that she won't tell me who it is. Her and Angeal just said I had to find out on my own."
"Well, maybe they're right," Kunsel stated. "Oh, hey, by the way. This came in the mail for you."
He motioned to the box and Zack opened it, finding a new sword, exactly like his but a lot lighter and a lot shinier.
"Holy crap dude!" Kunsel gasped. "That thing's even harder metal than Sephiroth's sword! It must have cost a fortune!"
"Was there a note or card or something?" Zack questioned.
"Oh, yeah, here," Kunsel said handing him a short note.
It read, "To my dearest Zack. I suspect by now you've already begun the massive task of finding out my identity. While I wish you luck, I know that Cissnei will be of little help at best. She always was a bit hard to get information out of. As for me, I will give you a tip, since I feel bad for you having to deal with Cissnei. I know the Turks very well. You could say, I am a Turk myself. Good luck on your hunt. All my love, your loyal fan club."
After the signature of fan club, there was a drawing of what looked like a compass rose. Zack only useful thing in it was that the Turks might know. And Turks, meant Tseng.
"Turks huh?" Kunsel mused. "Well, good luck with that. I'm not fond of guys with above top level security that are never at liberty to say anything and are so important that the kind of toothpaste they use is a matter of national security."
"I suppose that's one way of putting it," Zack shrugged. "I'll see you later. And thanks for nothing."
"Tseng!" Zack called running after the Turk who stopped and looked back at him.
"What now Zack?" Tseng sighed. "I'm busy."
"I need your help," Zack sighed. "Who's my fan club? There's only one person who apparently is in love with me and confides in Cissnei. You know Cissnei right? Who is close enough to her to talk about who they're in love with?"
Tseng sighed and turned toward Zack.
"I don't know about your fan club, I try to stay away from meaningless things," Tseng sighed. "As for confiding in Cissnei, they're women, I should hope. They tell each other what kind of vibrator they use when they're complete strangers sometimes. Granted not often, thank God. Now, as for Cissnei, she has a different personality with every new name she's given, though this one is almost her true personality, just a little more guarded. I don't know Cissnei very well as Cissnei. I knew her very well when she went by the name Shuriken."
"Shuriken?" Zack questioned as the compass rose on the note flashed through his head. "Oh my God, I'm going to kill that bitch!"
"What?" Tseng questioned before his eyes widened. "Cissnei's going to kill me for telling you that."
Zack grinned then turned and ran off. He had a feeling he knew who it was. But he had one more person to talk to first. Reno.
"Hey Reno!" Zack called just as Reno finished the beating the thief he had decided to chase for something to do.
"Hey Zack, what's up?" Reno questioned.
"I wanted to ask you something," Zack stated.
"Okay shoot," Reno shrugged.
"How rich are you guys on average?" Zack questioned.
"Rich?" Reno scoffed. "No no. We're better paid than you guys are, but we are far from rich."
"Zack sighed and nodded then opened his mouth to speak but stopped when Reno continued.
"Although, Cissnei sure seems to have no trouble springing for...just about any bill we can't pay," Reno said thoughtfully. "If anyone is rich, it would have to be her."
Zack nodded then grinned.
"How long ago did she tell you not to tell me about my fan club?" Zack questioned as Reno grinned as well.
"About a month ago," Reno grinned. "Figured out who it is yet?"
"I'm pretty sure," Zack grinned. "I've got to go. Thanks for the help."
"No problem," Reno grinned. "But remember. This conversation never happened."
Zack nodded and left. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew where to find Cissnei.
Zack stepped onto the beach and grinned. It was deserted, except for one person. He had been right. Cissnei was waiting for him on the beach, wearing the same bathing suit as the first time they were there. The one that she knew Zack loved thanks to his inability to keep his eyes off of her in it.
"You're late," Cissnei stated as he walked toward her. "I expected you to come here after you spoke with Tseng."
"You planned the entire thing didn't you?" Zack questioned.
"I did," Cissnei nodded turning toward him, smiling.
"So, let me guess," Zack sighed. "You were just testing my ability to gather information and my determination for one mission or another. I don't really have a fan club. Do I?"
"What are you talking about?" Cissnei questioned looking hurt. "Do you really think me so...Do you really think I could use someone, especially my friend, like that? You really didn't figure it out fully did you? You never learned what I was trying to teach you."
"I guess not," Zack sighed. "What were you trying to tell me?"
"You idiot," Cissnei sighed smiling. "I'm your fan club. I'm the person you were trying to find all day. I'm the one who's in love with you."
"You're..." Zack trailed of trying to catch up to what she had told him.
"Zack," Cissnei sighed. "I'm in love with you. I know I can't compare to Aerith, but I couldn't keep living knowing that I would never be able to tell you the truth. I-"
Before she could continue, her phone rang.
"Hello?" She answered in both annoyance and resignation. "He's here...but...I understand...yes sir."
She hung up and sighed again.
"You've got a mission," Cissnei stated. "They want you to head back immediately. I guess I'll see you around."
"Wait," Zack said catching her hand. "You don't have to try to compare with Aerith. Yes, I care about Aerith but I care about you too."
She turned toward him just in time for him to kiss her. She kissed him back for a few moments before pulling away and smiling.
"Mission," Cissnei whispered. "Come on Mister SOLDIER. Get going. I'll see you after you get back from Nibelheim."
Zack nodded and kissed her again then ran off to get dressed. Then, he left for the Shinra Building.
See you when you get back Zack, Cissnei thought.
THE END
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