Chapter 9 - Five Years Later …
Zack woke up inside of a containment unit filled to the brim with Mako. He was still a little sleepy, but he could over hear a conversation.
"What do you mean they both escaped?"
"Both Genesis and Sephiroth escaped our clutches." said the assistant.
"I doubt that Sephiroth will be able to transform back to normal." said Hojo.
"Genesis barely survived Sephy's Supernova, on the break of death he was."
Hojo walked out of the room leaving his assistant in the room. Zack somehow managed to break the glass on the unit and punch the assistant in the face. Then he let Cloud out and poor Cloud had Mako poisoning. Zack found Cloud a spare set of SOLDIER uniform and put him in it.
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Zack and Cloud found themselves in the peaceful village of Gongaga, and Zack found it a little strange to be back in his home town. The last time he was here was when Genesis decided to summon Odin. Zack knew that he couldn't stay here for long, otherwise he would be caught by Shinra.
Zack turned his back on the village and saw Cissnei.
"Cissnei? Please don't turn me in."
"You really are dumb. This is the first place that I've checked, and here you are."
"Like I said, please turn us in."
"Why would I, I'm a good friend would never do that."
"Thank you."
"Anyway, why are you escaping to Midgar, when Shinra is in Midgar."
"I need to see Aerith."
"Oh I see. She has been very lonely without you Zack. She even has Sephiroth protecting her."
"Sephy is protecting Aerith. How long?"
"Sephy escaped from Hojo about three years ago and sadly he's still in that seven winged, thing. He's been like that for five years."
Zack nodded.
"But why is Sephy protecting Aerith?" Zack asked.
"She had children Zack and your their father."
Zack stumbled backwards, "I have a baby?"
"Twins. A boy called Leon and a girl called Ann-Marie."
"I can't believe it, I have children. Is Sephy ok with them."
"He loves them like they're his own."
"I never picture Sephy as a father figure."
"Nor did I, Zack you need to go. Before Tseng finds you."
Zack took Cloud back onto the road to Midgar.
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As Zack continued onto Midgar he saw something in the sky. A white feather. A trail of them left on the ground, Zack followed them; dragging Cloud with him. He saw Angeal, weak and on the floor. Zack rushed to his side, shaking him to get him to awake.
"Zack?" He said.
"Angeal!" Zack said hugging onto him.
"Zack, its me, Lazard."
"Lazard!?"
"Yes, I look like Angeal because of some cruel experiment Hollander preformed. He made himself have one wing, but sadly perished due to degrading."
"And that's what's happening to you?"
Lazard nodded, "I'm sorry that I'm not Angeal."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you have the strength to stand?"
"Yes, I also believe that I could fly you two near Kalm."
"Really."
"I'll drop you two off at the woodland area near the village."
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Lazard crash landed almost a mile from Kalm. Lazard lay on the ground gasping for his breath. At that moment, Zack knew that this was Lazard's final hour.
Suddenly, Zack heard the sound of a single wing flapping in the breeze. Genesis landed next to Lazard and then collapsed. Zack ran to Genesis' aid. He sat Cloud on a chair that Zack had made before hand. He put Lazard and Genesis at either sides of Cloud's feet. He placed a purple apple in each of their hands. Zack bit on the apple and Genesis woke up.
"Does it taste good."
Zack gasped and then nodded.
"I have something for you." Genesis weakly held a note up to Zack. The black hair soldier carefully took it out of his hand.
Zack
This is the 88th letter that I've sent to you and I believe that it will be the final one. The flowers are selling nice and, well our children, Leon and Ann-Marie have just turned five. I hope that this one got to you alright. I miss you Zack, and Sephiroth is stuck as a cool seven winged angel. I would assume that Sephiroth could be permanently in his alien form, I think.
I love you
Aerith
"What do you mean 'final.'" Zack belted out.
Lazard had begun to diffuse into the Lifestream, when Zack took Cloud and continued heading to Midgar.
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Zack put Cloud behind a colony of rocks. He rubbed his head before leaving Cloud and facing the Shinra army.
(Insert Crisis Core Price of Freedom.)
Zack was face with hundreds of mercenaries, all armed with guns. The Buster Sword was Zack's only hope of coming out of this alive. Zack charged at the large army that faced him. He hacked and slashed at the military, as his opponents showered him in bullets. The majority of them missing as they flew in the air.
"Yo my grandma can shoot better than you!" Zack cried out.
Then Zack was struck, first in the left leg, second in his right arm and the last bullet that his went in his abdomen. However, the soldier was still standing; what he was fighting for was far to great to give up now. Zack continued to hack away at Shinra's military forces.
Zack's sword was drenched in the crimson blood of a hundred men. He thought that he was in the clear, until he saw a helicopter fly by. The dark clouds came in and it begun to rain, as the next wave of Shinra's forces opposed Zack. More bullets rained down onto Zack's body. Hitting him in various places; the upper part of his left leg, his left hand, his right shoulder and the final one skimmed his hair line on the front of his face (because his head was facing to his right.) Zack mustered up the strength to continue fighting, as he cut up the Shinra army.
He'd killed all of the army. With his own blood dripping down his face, Zack collapsed. He was bleeding out and felt mass fatigue.
Cloud dragged himself over to Zack. The young soldier smiled as his best friend moved into his vision.
"Zack." Cloud struggled to speak.
Zack coughed, "For the … Both of us..."
"Both of us?"
"That's right … You're gonna..."
"Your gonna?"
Zack pulled Cloud onto him, "Live."
Zack stroked through Cloud's hair, "You'll be, my living legacy."
He let Cloud go and Cloud raised his head, with his best friend's blood on the right side of his face.
Zack pulled up the Buster Sword up to Cloud, "My honor … My dreams … They're yours now."
Cloud put his hand on the sword and Zack let go, "I'm your … Living legacy … "
Zack closed eyes. Cloud started to cried and shouted into the sky. Images of Zack flashed before Cloud's eyes.
A single white feather fell onto Zack's chest. When he awoke he saw a seven winged creature in the sky. The creature scooped him with its left hand.
"Sephy." Zack's voice was almost a whisper, but Sephiroth's enhanced hearing picked up what he was saying.
Sephiroth left Zack in the hands of the doctor in Mideel.
To be continued in Final Fantasy VII …