A/N: Thank you all for taking the time to read my story! (If you clicked on this link on accident, fate is on your side, my friend!)

I think I'll be doing this in chronological order, so…

Disclaimers: I don't own Crisis Core...or Ouran High School Host Club. DON'T ASK, JUST READ.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

On a train in Midgar….

In the dark, polluted city of Midgar, everyone was going about their usual business. Well, almost everyone.

At the tracks leading towards Sector 8, a train, hijacked by Wutai troops, flew by so fast that it smashed down a stop signal. The Shinra Electric Company had already dispersed a helicopter to investigate the situation.

"Wutai troops have hijacked Shinra Express MK93 II," the voice spoke on the helicopter radio. "The train is currently headed to Midgar Sector 8. A SOLDIER operative will be inserted to neutralize the situation."

Said SOLDIER operative, Zack Faire, waited impatiently inside the flying vehicle, his eyes closed in concentration.

"We are to proceed as scheduled," continued the speaker. "Commence mission in 3…2…1…mark. Begin mission. Operative is ready for insertion."

Zack rose up from his spot and opened the helicopter door while it hovered over the moving train. He leaned out, examining the terrain, all while listening to his friend giving instructions behind him.

"The train has been overrun by Wutai troops. Eliminate them and regain control of the train," said the man behind him.

Zack turned towards his pal and grinned. "Oh yeah!" he said cockily, gave him a final solute, and jumped down onto the moving train.

"Get serious!" his friend shouted.

Zack landed with surprising grace and smiled once more, only to be interrupted by someone landing on the cart behind him.

"Zack!"

Zack grudgingly turned towards the person behind him, and groaned inwardly as his friend from the helicopter, known as Angeal, approached him. "Zack, focus," he said harshly. "There are no Shinra troops on this train. Understood?"

Zack growled. He didn't need Angeal to babysit him. This was his moment.

Without another word, Zack bumped his two fists together, turned, and began to run across the top of the train, only to be interrupted again by gunshots overhead.

"Whoa!" Zack jumped back as the bullets landed only a few centimeters from his feet. He fell forward, dodging a final bullet that nearly grazed his arm. "Hello to you too!" he shouted sarcastically. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.

Nonetheless, Zack raced forward with incredible speed, jumping from cart to cart and dodging every bullet that came for him from up above. Even as large clusters of Wutai soldiers appeared in front of him, blocking his path with their intimidating weapons and menacing glares, Zack only had to swish his sword in order to eliminate them.

As the third round of Wutai troops showed up in his path, Zack couldn't help but grumble to himself. But, glancing up, he noticed a lit tunnel above him, probably a place where more Wutai soldiers were hiding out. Eager at the thought of being able to show off, Zack jumped a few hundred feet into the air (courtesy of Jenova cells) and passed through the tunnel, while winning flabbergasted glances from the hiding Wutai soldiers as he seemed to fly over them in slow-motion.

Zack burst through the other side of the tunnel, sending sheets of metal flying everywhere. He flipped through the air and held his sword above his head, ready to slash through the gears connecting the front car of the train to the rest of the train. "SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack, on the job!" he shouted as he sailed downwards, missed the train by a couple feet, and smashed his face into the pavement.

Angeal, who had been watching from a few carts away, facepalmed at his comrade's failure.

Somewhere in Midgar….

Zack grinned at the dead monster in front of him, but froze and rose up his arms in fright as the cold blade of a sword slid dangerously close to his neck. "Showing your back to the enemy…Overconfidence will destroy you," said the mysterious sword-wielder behind him.

Zack sighed, thinking it was Angeal giving him another one of his lectures, but gasped in shock as he turned and saw Sephiroth, the legendary SOLDIER operative, standing with his katana ready. "Wh-what is this?" cried Zack, extremely confused.

Sephiroth smirked in response and lunged his sword forward. Zack brought his own sword forward and, using his sharp reflexes, blocked his attack. They slashed at each other with their swords, both blocking each other's attacks, but it was no use; Zack knew how skilled Sephiroth was.

"Damn it," said Zack, blocking another one of Sephiroth's attacks. "You're not the only hero!" It was no secret that Zack too, dreamed of being a hero one day, and he wasn't about to let Sephiroth get in his way.

"It's over," replied Sephiroth coldly. Using some new strength, Sephiroth swung and smashed Zack's sword into a thousand pieces of hot metal, leaving him with only a sharp, metal nub attached to the handle.

Zack fell back, his sword escaping his grasp and flying a few feet away from him. Sephiroth looked down at him and smiled wickedly. He positioned his sword right above Zack's heart, and brought his sword down, only to be blocked by something else.

Zack dared to open his eyes and sighed with relief. Angeal stood above him, parrying Sephiroth's attack with what was left of Zack's sword. He and Sephiroth slowly removed their swords, allowing Zack to sit up straight. "Thanks Angeal," he said gratefully. And he truly was grateful; it almost seemed as if Angeal always came when he needed help.

Angeal averted his eyes towards Sephiroth, and glanced at him disapprovingly. As far as he was concerned, he wasn't supposed to be here. He whipped out his phone and flipped through the menu, finally selecting the "MISSION ABORT?" option.

As if my magic, the environment around them began to fade into tiny fragments of data, swallowing up the buildings and streets, and eventually Sephiroth. It was hard to believe that it was all just a program.

"Training's over," said Angeal as their proper environment returned; a shabby, metal practice room.

Zack sprang up from his place on the floor. "What? Why?" Through his simulation goggles, he saw Angeal point the broken sword towards his face challengingly. "You serious?" he complained, taking off his goggles. "I was just getting warmed up!"

Angeal's expression quickly changed to that of someone joking around. He smiled a little and flipped the sword so that the handle was now facing his opponent.

Zack took the sword and examined it, sighing as he realized that he royally screwed up his training.

"Zack," said Angeal, heading towards the door. Zack turned to face him, confused. "Embrace your dreams."

"Huh?" said Zack, even more bamboozled.

Angeal paused at the room's entrance, his back turned. "If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams…and honor."

Zack crossed his arms and sniffed. "Are you kidding? I've got tons of honor," he said braggingly.

"Oh really?" said Angeal. He turned and pulled Zack's belt out of his pants pocket with an evil grin on his face.

Before Zack could even react, his baggy blue pants sank down to the floor, revealing his Ouran High School Host Club boxer shorts.

"Gahh!" Zack bent down and attempted to cover himself, but to no avail. "You planned that!" he whined.

Angeal chuckled and slung Zack's belt over his shoulder. "Who has honor now?" he said teasingly, and walked out the door, still laughing at his expense.

In Banora Village...

After defeating Bahamut, Zack sauntered over to the Summon Materia that had fallen to the ground in its place. He picked it up, still unable to believe that anybody could use a summon as a weapon.

As the sky turned back to its normal shade of blue, Zack scowled at Genesis. "Summons aren't meant to be used like this!" he cried, shaking his fist at the uncaring ginger. "What happened to dreams and honor?"

Genesis stood with his back to the young SOLDIER operative. "We are..." He hesitated before finishing his sentence, "...monsters." He brought his gloved hand to his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair. Then, without another word, he spread his arm away from his body, causing a large, black angel's wing to sprout from his shoulder blade...and punch Zack in the face.

"Aaagh!" Zack reeled backwards, his hand pressed to his aching face. "I think you just broke my nose!"

Genesis rushed forward, his hands reaching out sympathetically. "Oh my goddess, I am soooo sorry, man!" he said sympathetically.

Suddenly making matters worse, hundreds of bombs then began plummeting from the sky, blowing up trees and houses and making the entire place blow up into flames.

A Shinra helicopter hovered lower towards the ground, and the door opened to reveal Tseng laughing giddily. "Hahahahaha! How do ya like that, Za—ohhhhh..." He bit his thumb nail nervously and surveyed the scene, desperately searching for his partner. "Uhh, Zack? Oh...that can't be good," he murmured to himself.

On the cannon in Junon...

Angeal leaned against the back of the Junon cannon and smiled as the warm summer breeze caressed his face. He and Sephiroth, who stood only a few feet away with his own eyes closed in bliss, paused their friendly conversation to listen to Genesis recite from his favorite play, LOVELESS.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky," recited Genesis in his classic poetic tone. "Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest."

Sephiroth walked towards them and raised his eyebrows knowingly. "LOVELESS. Act I," he said.

Genesis chuckled and put his book away. "You remembered," he said. He hopped off of his perch and stood next to Angeal.

"How can I not when you've beaten it into my head?" Sephiroth retorted playfully. He knew his friend far too well; he was always reciting from LOVELESS. But the jokes would have to wait; it was time for training. He reached into his belt and unsheathed his sword.

Angeal and Genesis unsheathed their own swords, but they weren't nearly half the length of their companion's. "Don't take Sephiroth lightly," said Angeal.

Genesis swished his sword through the air with his usual feminine flourish. "Hmph, noted..." he agreed, but soon trailed off as the two ran at Sephiroth, commencing battle.

And it was soon discovered that Angeal's words were true: Sephiroth was so good; he barely had to lift a finger in order to deal a fatal blow. He stood in the center of the two, blocking each of their attacks with ease. From far off, you could still hear the sound of their metal swords clashing against each other.

Angeal jumped forward and struck at Sephiroth, but was again blocked easily. "Ha! Is that the best you can do?" Sephiroth challenged smugly.

Angeal frowned, but jumped back next to Genesis once more and half-smiled. "All hail Sephiroth, eh?" he teased, mocking his friend's skills.

However, Genesis took it in a much different direction. "Angeal, stay back," he warned, keeping him away with his arm. "I'll take Sephiroth alone." Now it was his turn to be hero.

"Genesis!" cried Angeal, a look of worry on his face. Nobody has ever challenged Sephiroth and won. What made him think he could?

Genesis stepped forward and ran the palm of his hand across the flat part of his sword, causing it to glow as red as a flame. "The world needs a new hero!" he cried.

Sephiroth just chuckled. He already knew how this was going to end. "Humph. Come and try," he said with mock encouragement.

"So smug...but for how long?" said Genesis slyly. He leaped forward and slashed at Sephiroth, making sparks fly as their swords collided. With Genesis' astounding new power, he was able to create a dent in the cannon's surface as he attacked his opponent from above. Even Sephiroth let out his breathe in frustration and exhaustion at his new friend's skills. It was quite obvious that Genesis wasn't fooling around.

With one upward motion, Sephiroth used his katana to fling Genesis high into the air until he seemed to float a few feet above him. He jumped up higher and higher until he too, seemed to be levitating in the air, far above the other.

Genesis screamed in concentration, his hand balled up into a fist. Suddenly, his hand burst into flames, and fireballs began to shoot out from his palm towards his friend. Sephiroth hit them away as best as he could, but was eventually engulfed in flames. He shot backwards, giving Genesis the opportunity he was waiting for.

Genesis flew forward, his whole arm blazing like a forest fire as he became ready to strike. "THIS. IS. SPARTA!" he screamed, bringing forth thousands of fireballs at once.

Sephiroth turned at the sound of his friend's battle cry, but not fast enough to see one of the raging balls of fire shoot forward...and chop off his luscious locks of silver hair, leaving him with only a thin layer of gray stubble.

Everyone watched in dead silence as his hair gently fell through the sky and landed in the ocean below them, forever lost.

Sephiroth tried to blink back tears. "M-My hair..." he whimpered, dropping his katana in shock.

Genesis, knowing how much how much hair products Sephiroth buys in one week, tried to comfort his friend as a deep feeling of guilt swept over him. "Sephie, I am sooo sorry..."

"My image is ruined!" cried Sephiroth, finally bursting into a pool of pathetic man-tears. He slowly floated back down to the cannon's surface, his arms wrapped around his knees protectively as he rocked back and forth.

Angeal, who was still standing in his spot far below, threw back his head and laughed until he cried.

Thankfully, our favorite hero/villain's hair was able to grow back by the time the events of Final Fantasy VII occurred.

At the Church in Midgar….

"Hell-llooo!"

Zack searched through the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice. "Mom?" he said. She sounded sweet, like his mother.

Suddenly, the darkness cleared and a pretty young woman stood before him, her emerald green eyes sparkling. "Hell-llooo!" she called again, bringing him back to the now. As she saw him open his eyes, she grinned. "Hooray!" she cried.

Zack tried again. "Mom?" he asked, pretty certain in his state that his mom was standing before him.

The girl, Aerith, shook her head. He was so cute. "Not quite," she said kiddingly.

Zack scrunched his eyes together. Not mom? He continued to guess. "Dad?" he said, hoping he was correct this time.

Aerith kicked him in the balls so hard he yelped like an injured puppy. "Awww!" Zack groaned, holding his privates tightly. "What was that for?"

Aerith glared at him and placed her hands on her hips defiantly. "Do I look like a MAN to you?" she growled.

Zack found it best not to answer that question.

The Nibelheim Incident….

Zack ran into the Mako Reactor, his mind and heart racing as he struggled to grasp the monstrosities that Sephiroth, a fellow SOLDIER operative and companion, had done to the town. He rushed inside and looked around. Before him were steps leading up to a blocked-off room, presumably where Sephiroth resided. Lined up along the stairs were pods filled with monsters only seen in nightmares, soaking in Mako energy. At the bottom of the stairs lay Tifa, hunched over and shaking.

Zack crouched down next to her, and noticed her serious wound. "Sephiroth did this, didn't he?" he said, a sense of urgency in his voice. He wouldn't be surprised if he was right.

When she didn't answer, Zack reached out his hand to comfort her, to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but she turned away from him, refusing his kindness.

Zack shook his head. Everything was happening so fast, and he still didn't know what was going on.

He turned and ran up the stairs, but not before hearing Tifa's speak her last words to him. "I hate you! I hate Shinra, I hate SOLDIER! I hate you all!" she screamed, tears streaming from her eyes.

Knowing his comfort would be unwanted; Zack just closed his eyes in a silent apology, and continued his ascent up the stairs. "Aaargh!" he screamed, smashing through the door with his Buster Sword. Breathing heavy as the smoke cleared, Zack tried to act as quiet as possible when he walked into the room, but none of it mattered when he caught a glimpse of Sephiroth…or, the psycho he had become.

"Mother, let's take back the planet together," whispered Sephiroth. "I…I had an epiphany. Let's go to the promised land…Mother." He stood in front of something that resembled a fire hydrant, with knobs and a tube that looked like a hose and…wait a second…

Zack spoke up. "Uh, Sephiroth, that's not—"

Before Zack could finish, Sephiroth reached down, and yanked the top plate off of the hydrant with all of his strength, causing water to spew right into his face.

He choked and stuttered, trying to cover the top with his hands but the water pressure was too much. By the time he had finally screwed the lid back on, his hair and clothes were soaked.

Zack giggled. "Wowwwww…" he joked, raising one eyebrow. "You're a real momma's boy, you know that…"

"Shut up," snapped Sephiroth sourly. He wiped his hand across his eyes, causing his mascara (what, you didn't know?) to bleed all over his face, and spotted the real Jenova curled up in a tube at the other side of the room. "Oh…" he mumbled.

After the Final Battle Inside a Cave-Thing...

Zack dealt his final blow upon Genesis, forcing the sword out of his opponent's hand and making him sail backwards. But just as everything was turning black, a mysterious thing happened.

Genesis opened his eyes and found himself standing among the glowing currents of the Lifestream. He even noticed, with surprise, that his body was no longer degrading. Ahead of him, a statue of a woman, a goddess as he liked to call her, glowed as neon as the waters he was standing in.

Suddenly, in a bright flash of light the statue changed into a beautiful woman. Her hair shined like gold, and her gorgeous dress of silky material fluttered around her in a forgotten breeze. Shining like the sun, she did not smile but instead gave off a kind but regal disposition, as if her position was above all.

Genesis stepped forth and reached out his arms to her. His chest no longer ached; in fact, it felt lighter than it ever had in his entire life. He had found his goddess. He would be forever happy.

The goddess almost seemed to smile as she too reached out her own arms to welcome him. As soon as he was within her grasp, she almost seemed to lean forward, but quickly pulled her hands away at the last moment, making him fall down, down, down into oblivion.

She cackled mischievously. "Psych!" she cried, laughing her head off at his expense.

Goddesses can be really mean sometimes.

In the Middle of the Desert...

Thousands of Shinra soldiers sat waiting for their target, their guns aimed and ready to fire. Even helicopters covered the scene, making sure that whatever happened, they got their enemy once and for all.

The enemy, Zack, sauntered over and planted his feet in front of them challengingly, his eyes confident in his victory. He put his hands on his hips. "Boy oh boy," he muttered to himself, shaking his head in mock worry. "The price of freedom is steep." He smiled and reached behind his back slowly, taking his Buster Sword out of its place. Instead of going into battle position though, he pointed the tip of his sword towards the sky and kept his head down, only a few inches away from the flat side of the blade. That's how Angeal would have done it.

He recited his friend's words in his head, and repeated them out loud. "Embrace your dreams," he said. "And, whatever happens, protect your honor...as SOLDIER!" He sprang forward and ran at the troops, his heart pounding in his chest. "Come and get it!" he screamed, except he tripped on his untied shoelace and fell flat on his face.

The soldiers snickered as he stumbled back up and spit pebble after pebble out of his mouth.

Moral of the bloop: always keep your shoelaces TIED.

A Few Miles Outside of Midgar...

Zack Faire lay on the edge of a desert cliff right outside of Midgar, his final breaths short and rough. The pouring rain falling from the colorless sky soaked the ground, making the blood from his head and chest flow out like a river. His uniform was torn, ripped by the bullets that pierced his body.

He was dying.

Cloud, who had just woken up from his never-ending coma, dragged himself through the mud and blood towards him on his hands. He stopped beside his friend and managed to sit up, his vision still blurry from Mako poisoning. "Zack," he whispered, staring at his dying companion. Even through his haze and confusion, he still felt his presence slowly leaving.

Zack took a shaky breath and smiled at Cloud. He was hoping he would come, even if it was too late. "For the...both of us..." he said, practically choking on his own words.

Cloud didn't know what to say. He had only known Zack for weeks and yet he had risked his own life for his. "Both of us?" he said, for it was the only thing he could say in his sorry state of mind and being.

"That's right..." said Zack, "you're gonna..." He choked once more, unable to finish his sentence.

Cloud leaned forward, trying to hear what his friend was trying to tell him. "You're gonna..." he copied his words, hoping to somehow find the end of the sentence in his own mind.

Zack used what was left of his strength to reach his hand upwards and place it behind Cloud's head. "Live," he breathed, finally finishing his sentence. He pulled Cloud's head forward and brought it to his blood-soaked chest.

Unfortunately for Cloud, Zack wasn't assigned 1st Class for nuthin'; his muscular arms were so firm and strong that they made it hard for Cloud to breathe with his face being smothered. "Zack," he mumbled against his chest, trying to pull his head back up. "Zack..."

Zack continued on like he didn't hear him. "You'll be...my living legacy..."

Cloud tried to push himself back up using his hands, but that didn't work either. "Zack, Zack I-I can't breathe..."

Zack smiled. "I know...this is...a big responsibility..."

"You're suffocating me..."

"Wha...? Oh..." Zack finally released his grip on the young blonde.

"Hee-huh, hee-huh, hee-huh..." Cloud sprang up and took in large gulps of air while rubbing his sore throat.

It was clear that he really needed to start working out.

Thumbs up to all who got my Ouran reference!

Thank you for taking the time to read this! Please R&R, and don't forget to check out my other chapters!