Shadow: Hey everybody! Sorry I haven't updated in a long time, I've gone through some personal troubles the past couple months. But now I'm back! Please enjoy!
Soul: Shadowslayer220 does not own Soul Eater or Final Fantasy, sheesh.
Zack opened his eyes, he was not at the DWMA, and he wasn't back home either. He wasn't anywhere, darkness had surrounded him. A thick fog had made his visibility difficult; he had turned around sharply, trying to make sense of it all.
"Hello?" He called out, not expecting a response. He then heard rushing footsteps behind him, "Who's there!?" He spun around. Zack backed up a little, reaching for his blade. Only to feel nothing, he was unarmed. "Damn it." He cursed under his breath. Laughter echoed around him in the darkness, a very sinister laugh. "Show yourself!" The ex-SOLDIER demanded, backing up some more.
"Hello Zack." Sephiroth appeared from the shadows, his eyes went wide. "You!" Zack growled. "Are you that surprised to see me?" He smirked, "What do you want from me?!" The ex-SOLDIER exclaimed. "Why?! Why do you haunt me?!" He stepped closer. "Isn't it obvious?" Sephiroth laughed, "To torture you!" Zack gritted his teeth, "No, you're not real! Lord Death says you're just a figment of my imagination!"
"Oh?" He stepped closer, "Are you sure about that?" Zack clenched his fists tightly, suddenly charging after his arch-enemy. "Get out of my head!" He threw his fist at the madman, as it made contact Sephiroth magically vaporized into the air.
"What the…?" His laughter echoed all around him. "Show yourself coward!" Zack called out. His face then poked out of the darkness, "No Zack, you're the coward." He laughed as his face began to morph into something grotesque, Zack's eyes widened at the horrifying sight. Three vertical eyes were placed on his face, his mouth split open across his head, threatening to tear his whole face off. The horrifying monster that was Sephiroth gave a fearsome roar.
Zack turned and bolted, hoping to get away. "You can't escape from me!" Sephiroth followed close behind, running on all fours. When Zack turned back around he was forced to skid to a stop, for Maka and Soul blocked his path with their backs turned. "Maka! Soul! Listen, Sephiroths-" Zack had stopped as they turned around.
Their faces were morphed just like Sephiroths had done; they gave an ear-splitting shriek as they moved closer to the ex-SOLDIER. "No…" Zack shook his head as he backed away, bumping right into Sephiroth. He spun around in horror; he turned his head to see Soul and Maka approaching closer. He backed away from the group, only to run into a fourth person, as he turned around he gave a terrifying scream. For Aerith stood before him, face like the other three
Zack shot up in his bed, "Aerith!" He called out. Nygus rushed to his bedside, "Zack?! What's wrong?" She shook him, he panted as sweat pooled from his body. "Zack, are you okay?" She asked again, he glanced up at her and then back to the floor. "I-I'm fine." He managed to answer; Nygus wiped his sweat with a towel. "Probably just a fever-induced nightmare, nothing to worry about." She replied.
Zack glanced at his chest, which was wrapped thoroughly with gaze and bandages. "You took a nice clean cut across the chest; unfortunately it required a lot of stitches though. But no serious internal damage." She answered for him. He ran a hand through his long black hair, "Where's Maka?" Nygus brought over his clothes, "She wouldn't leave your bedside for most of the time, and it took both Soul and me to convince her to go home and rest. You should probably go see her." She replied.
"It wasn't her fault," he muttered. "My mind traced off." He recalled Sephiroth taking Maka's place, "Either way, she felt horrible. She also told me you've been acting very strange, calling out a few unheard names." Nygus held up her clipboard, "Cloud, Aerith, Angeal, Genesis…and Sephiroth." She named them off, the ex-SOLDIER tensed up at the hearing of the last one. "Do any of those sound familiar to you?" She asked.
He sighed, "No, none of them." He watched as Nygus wrote a few things down. "Hmmm, strange. Anyway you are free to leave, although I advise you not to strain yourself for the next couple of days." She replied, "Thanks doc." Nygus closed the curtains, leaving the ex-SOLDIER to get dressed. He raised a brow as he held up a black shirt with a fiery skull in the center, "Hey doc, where'd my uniform go?" He poked his head out of the curtain.
"Oh, that. It was completely ruined; Maka brought those in for you not too long ago." She replied. "Terrific," He huffed. Stepping out from the curtains, the shirt made his muscles stand out more than he wanted to. The pants were also black, with flames coming from the bottom pant-legs. Maka even brought him a pair of white shoes, "I feel awkward…" He sweat-dropped.
"Well, at least you'll be able to fit in now." Nygus teased. He sighed, grabbing his weapon that rested in the corner; he hoisted it over his shoulder. "Thanks again Nygus." He waved in the doorway, "You just better be careful this time around." She crossed her arms; he gave her a smirk as he exited the room.
As he walked down the massive hallway, Professor Stein rounded the corner with his hands in his lab coat. "I see you are well." He spoke in his usual monotone. "Yes, for the time being anyway." Zack replied. "I was informed of what happened, and there's no doubt in my mind that you're already succumbing to the Kishin's madness." Stein lit a cigarette. "Yes, I believe Lord Death had explained a bit to me before." He replied.
"So you know how it works then?" Stein exhaled smoke. "I have a basic idea." The ex-SOLDIER responded. "And it will only get worse; it affects people in different ways. Right now I'm rapidly being consumed by the madness; I came to you because I won't be able to control it much longer I want you to take my place." Stein took a drag on his cigarette, "Wait, what?!" Zack had been taken back by the Professor's statement, "You want me to teach your class?" He asked. "Precisely."
"Are you insane?!" The ex-SOLDIER exclaimed, "Almost." Zack face-palmed. "I also want you to train Maka and her group; this will be no easy task I assure you. But I know your skills in combat are far greater than my own, making you the perfect substitute teacher." Stein added. "But as a teacher? You can't be serious." He protested. "The only thing you'll be teaching are skills in combat and tactics don't worry I'll leave Math and Science to Sid." The Professor replied.
Zack sighed, "I won't make any promises, but I will try." Stein put out his cigarette; reaching into his lab coat he retrieved a vile with red liquid. "Here, this is a concoction a managed to create in my lab." The mad scientist handed the test tube to the ex-SOLDIER, who held it to the light examining the liquid. "What is it?" Stein turned the screw in this head before answering, "When you start feeling the effects of the madness drink it, it should make the symptoms go away temporarily. But only use it when you need it the most." Zack shook the liquid around a bit, "Wait, why don't you take it then? Wouldn't you need it the most?" He asked.
"I've already tried; unfortunately my condition is a bit more severe. I've tried almost anything, but my condition only worsens. You have a better chance of controlling it then I do. But that should work." Stein spoke as he turned to leave; it took Zack a moment to process the Professors last statement. "Wait, what do you mean it should?" He called out, "You better rest up while you can, because were going on an important assignment here soon." Stein replied rounding the corner. Leaving the ex-SOLDIER to sweat-drop, he glanced down at the vile one more time before putting it in his pocket.
Upon exiting the grounds of DWMA, Zack walked very casually down the steps. But high above on a balcony Kidd watched him below, "One who can mimic Soul resonances huh? That is most strange." He muttered to himself, "I've researched all over, and my suspicions are true. Gongaga doesn't exist, neither does this SOLDIER. What are you hiding from us?" He asked quietly as Zack disappeared out of sight.
As he walked by the basketball court, he spotted Maka sitting all alone on the bench. She gazed at the ground, sadness and sorrow in her eyes. "What's so interesting about the ground?" He chuckled; Maka glanced up in surprise to see Zack standing over her. "Hey there." He smiled. She jumped up and hugged him, the ex-SOLDIER winced a bit as he crushed her. "Baka!" She gave him a Maka-chop to the head, his eyes bounced around as he rubbed the massive bump.
"What was that for?!" He scolded. "For scaring the hell out of me!" She exclaimed, "It was an accident!" Zack protested. "I could've killed you Zack…" She lowered her voice; Zack paused but gave a soft smile as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Maka I've been cut, stabbed, shot, and almost decapitated. This is nothing new to me, it wasn't your fault. I spaced out at the wrong time that's all." She gave a small smile, followed by another Maka-Chop. Causing the ex-SOLDIER to fall over with a dent in his head, "Baka!" She exclaimed.
Maka seated herself on the bench; Zack had shakily grasped the handles as he pulled himself up to sit. "Promise me you'll never do that again." She spoke quietly; Zack turned to her and gave a soft smile. "I promise, and thank you for the clothes." Maka rubbed the back of her head apologetically, "Heh, sorry I couldn't find anything a bit more casual. Soul isn't actually a "Casual" person." He smiled at her. "I can tell, but it's the thought that counts." He gave a small laugh. "Zack," Maka began looking off into the distance. "Who's Aerith?" She turned her gaze to him, "You keep muttering her name in your sleep, along with a few others." Zack was caught by surprise, and with a little embarrassment.
He sighed, "I guess you could say that we were once lovers," He looked up into the sky. "I figured, you obviously dream about her." Maka replied. "When you do that a lot when you love someone, I'm sure you dream about Soul." He turned to her with a devious look, causing her to turn a deep shade of red. "Now wait just a damn minute!" She exclaimed. "Hey, it's only natural to have feelings for someone close to you." The ex-SOLDIER smiled. "Well…it's not like I don't think about it from time to time." Maka spoke quietly. "Young love is so cute." Zack replied with a face that of a cat, causing Maka to form a tick mark.
"Anyway, how'd you meet this Aerith person?" She asked. "Erm, well I…eheheheh…fell through a roof." Zack rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yup, you're a keeper alright." Maka sweat-dropped. "But when I first laid eyes upon her, I was mesmerized. Zack smiled softly as he remembered meeting Aerith in her garden. "To make up for falling through her roof I took her out on a date, and what a date it was." He chuckled softly. "What happened to her Zack?" Maka asked. "Well, to be honest Maka I don't know. I haven't seen her in a long time." He sighed as he glanced at the ground. Maka then put her hand on the ex-SOLDIER's shoulder, "Hey, I'm sure you'll get to see her again." She smiled. Zack glanced up at her and smiled. "C'mon, what do you say we go round up the gang and play basketball?" Maka asked getting up, extending her arm to Zack. And for a moment he pictured Aerith, he then gave a smile. "Sure thing Maka." He replied taking her hand.
Shadow: Looks like Zack and Maka are bonding really well, but can Zack learn to suppress the madness within him? Tune in next time! Shadowslayer out.