WARNING DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FF7 OR CRISIS CORE WHO ARE SQUARE ENIX'S PROPERTIES AND SPECIMEN. It's gonna be a bit comedic and sad serious at the same time
"Nuchi du Takara" Memorial post Battle of Okinawan.
ARE YOU REALLY A HERO?
Zack was panting in shallow breathings now. He felt a stream of body fluid slowly decend down his cheek. He desperately wanted to get off the cold rainy floor but can't. The sky was terrifying, with flashing thunder that corresponded to gunshots that riddled and embedded themselves into his skull, heart and everywhere.
Now he's seen what despair is really up in the clouds. No wonder Aerith was so afraid she might get swallowed. He now felt the same too. Aerith. He remembered back in deep regret. He's never gonna go back. He wanted to say sorry but it was not possible. In fact it's questionable if anyone will even know he's dead.
He tensed his bicep, as if he still had the strength to hold the Buster Sword. Yes. The tip of the blade slowly lifted a few inches like a hovercraft. But crashed in a metallic bang.
An infantryman booted his nose then spat into his eyes. Zack didn't even have the reaction before-
The gun went off.
Zack lost consciousness. The last image he ever had was Aerith's smile, her hand holding a last letter as it all disappeared. He regretted not having her in his arms as he died. He slept hoping that he would wake to a good dream with flowing green Mako. Somedays with Aerith beside him. Regret being his last thought. He could feel Cloud coming by, wishing him a comfortable rest and that he'll never forget the legacy. Good for him.
"If you see Aerith! Say Hi for me alright!"
"Would you say I became a hero?"
He opened his eyes. Letting a black cave's darkness slowly dissolve in light.
The sky is still eerily dark. The rain was still showering him like cold needles. The thunder still drummed his ears. But…
FLAP. Someone landed.
"Angeal!" Zack sat up like a puppy with his master returned.
Angeal was silent. Although his wing was covered in blood. Maybe from Zack's. His eyes still shown the colour of clear sky. Although more frozen, with a glint of sorrow.
"Hey! Don't give me the spooky look. I've completed my mission haven't I? I've embraced my dreams and protected my honor, and and, and I'm now a real hero-"
A heavy fist drove itself into his already shattered nose cartilage.
Zack groaned and wept.
"Call. Yourself. A…hero?" Angeal softly rumbled in a low voice Zack haden't heard for a while.
"Why would Zack the hero only abandon an entire town of burning people just to try and stop one threat while the true brutalizers abduct people and performs experiments on them? Why did he blind himself with cockiness that he would best Sephiroth?"
"But SEPHIROTH! He MUST BE STOPPED!"
"Yet stopping the enemy and saving the villagers, you hath both failed in misery. How pitiful." A red coated fluffed in his face and one boot tripped the walking Zack back into a face plant.
"Are you the rightful savior, or are you the cowardly prisoner who flew, becoming a side story to that beside of Cloud?" Much like their first encounter. Zack found the re-emergence of the red-haired Genesis surprising and inexplicable. Didn't he leave him back in Banora?
"Why would a hero ever leave the world he's messed up with... to leave the task on the shoulders of another man, when that man is your trustworthy friend, whose very own mind will be shattered and in despair?" Angeal's voice rose as Zack struggled to pull himself up.
"Why would a hero leave his beloved to a world that is discriminating and barren against her? Why would a hero aimlessly go 4 years, without intimate reply to a scar that hurts forever in her heart? Do you think she will gladly continue in a world that has despised and rejected you and her?"The redhead scorned to humiliate Zack.
Zack spat onto Genesis's boots, who abruptly kicked Zack's face. The red glowing blade descended in one rapid killing strike but in the ringing of slender metal. Masamune stopped the rapier. Sephiroth, the one winged angel, fallen from disgrace. His eyes tainted with green evil.
"For what is there left of…such words disgusting and artificial as dream and honor. When we are monsters and you Zack are merely a stupid puppet with no one to follow like your weak and self doubting friend?"
Sephiroth's sword went for Zack's neck. He only saved Zack so he can enjoy the pleasure of carving and butchering Zack for himself only.
Angeal shot into Genesis and Sephiroth like an agile arrow. In one heavy battle cry, he lashed the great buster sword as weightless as a strand of feather from his wing. The 'Sephiroth,' and 'Genesis' disappeared and vanished. Leaving Zack the lonely traumatized puppy crying in Angeal's arms as his mentor hugged him.
"But Angeal. You were the one who taught me didin't you, you wanted me to embrace my dreams and protect my honor in the first place!" Zack sniffed his mucus into Angeal's shirt. Squeezing the figure as if Angeal in time will disappear too.
What he didn't notice however, was drops of crystal answering from Angeal's own eyes too.
"I want you to forgive me Zack….It was I not you who made you like this, I want you to remember that…..My life has been exciting, in fact exciting in many ways and war but I've never had the exciting realization that to live life itself to the full and forget about the honour coming from a den of monsters, is an honour and valuable dream in itself." Rain washed away both his and Zack's blood and mucus. Natural moisture concealing their tears as Zack and Angeal gave each other a light smirk.
"The old Angeal was quite wrong when he told you to do it like this…Maybe…Maybe it's because the old me wasn't too sure of what a happy dream and real brave honour is. But after that Angeal fell, he started to realise things were more subjective, honour not defined. Life more questioning than answering. Now I think, no, believe is a better word, a hero would save both the world and make everyone around him happy by being there, spending time with them, breathing around them, won't he?" Angeal settled onto a rock.
"But it's too late now. They're on us. I have no choice but to get Cloud through. I need to face danger for Cloud to live. He's the only living legacy and the only living hope for the world we can have to remain living…"
"True. It's foolish to shun from danger's face. But there's always one extra way. One you can fight but permanently run away." Angeal suddenly shot up. "Not everyone can carry the burden of this madness infested Planet without taking to the airs and escape. From my mistakes, that's how you can survive. Not glamorous but kind, you still must fight but that doesn't mean you fight to lead others and you to safety. There's always a choice. A choice for those who are potent enough to take on the world and be safe themselves."
"What do you mean Angeal. We in a hopeless situation where the world is against us. There's no way I can run now. No freedom. No job."
Angeal chuckled at that and patted onto Zack's should as he walked past.
"So what if it seems hopeless Zack? I knew you still wouldn't give up to quest for a new life!" He made ready to leave as he now opened his rinsed and brightened white wing.
"Wait! But how!" Zack chased as Angeal flew into the air. Fists pounding on the ground as his hands catched nothing but air. Knowing who Angeal is….once he takes off he never faces you again. Except this time, Angeal did…for the last time in a smile a mixture of sadness and happiness.
"You know how Zack. I'm sorry…..tough chance but you don't get to enjoy the luxuries at the lifestream that I can. Maybe not so luxurious…but still you have no place there." Angeal gave him a thumb up.
"' 'Embrace your dreams, and protect your honor as SOLDIER.'" He quoted in a boring rhythmic tone.
"No." He claimed defiantly in mid air. "I want you to forget that Zack, just protect your honor of in the name of life. You are no longer a SOLDIER but a free man! Sometimes you've gotta fly to be free. Oh. And embrace your dreams which is in here" He pointed to his heart.
"That's where it counts Zack. Remember a final thing." He nodded.
"I'm damn proud of you puppy. Always have, still is, and always will be." He took off in the greatest speed that rivals a humming bird. Gone in an instant. But this time, his wing was gone. Zack remembered the ironic saying from Cissnei. "Only those who have no freedom have wings."
"Wait! You mean to just be selfish and leave the world as it is?" Zack questioned at the now blue sky with a dashing rainbow.
A laugh sounded from the high winds. "You're not listening to a damn thing I'm saying, are ya lad?"
"Wake up! I said you're not listening to a damn thing I'm saying, are ya lad!-OH."
"In Gaia's name. What happened to you?"
Zack's veins tightened as his sprint up from the seat. He felt groggily as his cloth was drenched in rain water. Coincidentally, a huge arch of bright rainbow booming with hope was lurching just ahead. Was it all a dream? Or was Angeal really here?
"Aerith. Zack? SOLDIER? Legacy. Live." Zack was startled by the voice. Who was this guy? He remembered.
"SEPHIROTH! Niebleheim! My town! MUM? TIFA! TIFA! TIIIIIFFFAAA! ZAAAAAAACCCK! NOOOOOO!" Cloud screamed as the words, Zack and Tifa hit the brain onto a peg.
A pair of hands constricted along Zack's neck, forcing the living breathes out of him. Zack's soldier training had many drills of the scenario. But the sheer rush of Cloud's attack left Zack Fair in mercy of being choked.
"Cloud. Please. It's me. Your best friend. Zack." Zack realised how futile his begging was as cloud's unforgiving grip was crushing and compressing his windpipe and jugulars. He's gonna pass out soon, left for Cloud to hold for longer and kill-.
"Zack?" Cloud released his grips, shocked that both of his hands were covered in blood. Cloud was swearing in Gaia's name. Muffled cries followed with Cloud's chokes. He shook Zack violently like a shark attack now screaming Zack instead of choking him.
"Hey! Chill man. You're murdering me." Zack's calmer voice convinced the Chocobo to stop his chicken frenzy.
"Zack. Oh my…you're bleeding!" Cloud's mouth became a black hole.