I sit across from Cloud on the middle bed in the inn room. Both he and Felicity were still out cold and neither would respond to me. I knew -or at least hoped- that all they needed was some sleep, so I just waited patiently, taking turns watching over each of them while the day's events replayed in my head.

Tifa had taken us up to the reactor and Sephiroth and I had gone inside to find the malfunction. While we did find the broken section of the reactor, we also found monsters created by Hojo. Sephiroth had explained that SOLDIER members like me were mako-infused humans while the monsters were abominations spawned by mako energy. When I asked what kind of mako-enhancement Sephiroth had gotten, he snapped. It was like everything he had known about his past was wrong and he questioned his existence. I could hear him mumble to himself, asking to no one in particular if he had been made the same way as the monsters.

And then Genesis appeared. Degrading, but alive. Blasting me with aura, he approached Sephiroth. He had said that Sephiroth was the product of Jenova Project S –a project that took the failed experiments of Jenova Project G to create the perfect being. It turned out Jenova was Sephiroth's mother only in the sense that her cells brought his existence. She was a monster taken from an ancient rock layer. It was information that was difficult to process.

Genesis needed Sephiroth's cells in order to stabilize. He had said that Sephiroth's body wouldn't degrade and would therefore prevent his own from breaking down. But Sephiroth had refused and left, his eyes empty and his soul shattered. I wanted to go after him, but I was still struggling to get up after Genesis' attack.

Genesis himself didn't seem to be too fazed after being rejected his salvation. He recited some more mumbo jumbo about "the goddess" before leaving, and my mind went straight to the Mako Excavation Facility. Genesis had called Felicity his goddess. The alarm in my head went off and I rushed outside only to find monsters attacking Cloud and Tifa. Genesis had gone.

A strong attack sent Cloud spinning before I could do anything. After the battle, I went to check on him. Tifa had him looked after, but he was still injured. We hurried back to the inn as quickly as possible. Once we arrived, Tifa left to find Sephiroth and I brought Cloud upstairs where he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

I watch him breathe silently. Seeing his and Felicity's chests rise and fall is the only thing that keeps me at ease. So long as they are breathing I'm able to stay calm. Angeal had always told me I had to be more patient. No time to learn like the present, I guess.

I'm rewarded a few minutes later when Cloud stirs. Blinking a few times, he sits up groggily.

"Tifa's safe," I say, reading his despondent expression, "don't worry."

He frowns sadly. "If only I were SOLDIER…" He doesn't have to finish his thought. We both know he thinks he's not strong enough to protect Tifa. But SOLDIER can't protect anyone. We just drag innocent people down with us. "Zack?"

"SOLDIER is like a den of monsters," I say, almost philosophically. "Don't go inside."

Cloud's body language opens up a bit as he looks at me, concerned. "What happened?"

"I don't know, man…" I shake my head, lost. I lean back on the bed. "I thought I knew, but…" My emotions are rampant in my confusion. What I thought was good, didn't seem so good after all. Everything was muddled. I flop onto the bed, letting out my frustration in an, "Ahhhhh!"

There's silence until I remember. "By the way, do you know Tifa?" I ask.

Cloud shifts a bit, turning away from me again. "Sort of…"

"Talked to her?"

"No…"

I sit up a bit, resting my weight on an elbow. "I'm sensing some issues here… shouldn't you do something?" Cloud ducks his head and doesn't answer. I pause. "I'm one to talk…" I stand and take slow steps around the room. "I'm with SOLDIER, so…fighting's all I do. Sorting things out is someone else's job. What's going on? Who's the enemy? It makes no difference to me!" I reach for my buster sword leaning against the table and raise it above my head like I'm going to strike down my aggravation. But my turmoil is too great and I can't even kill my imaginary enemy. My emotions are uncontrollable. I bring my sword to my forehead and try to center myself, sighing.

"Hey, Zack?" Cloud says. "You know, I've never seen you use that."

I'm struck. I pull my sword away so I can look at it clearly, my mind sending me back.

Angeal's in front of me as we crouch in wait for our mission signal, his words echoing in my head. "Use brings about wear… tear… and rust. And that's a real waste."

He's sheathing his sword after saving me from the Vajradhara beasts. "You're a little more important than my sword." He smirks. "…But just a little."

Now it's me, talking to the new recruits. "Embrace your dreams. And, whatever happens, protect your SOLDIER honor."

I stare at the buster sword. "This," I tell Cloud, "is a symbol of my dreams and honor." I feel the blade in my hand…its importance… everything it stands for. "No… It's more…" I smile. "That's right… I had almost forgotten." I turn. "Thank you, Cloud."

He sits up. "Huh?"

I lean the buster back against the table. The knot in my stomach has disappeared and is replaced with a calming energy. "Right!" I stride back to the beds, rolling my arms as I do when I'm hyped up. I do some squats to work off my energy. Cloud watches me curiously.

A new voice moans blearily, "Will you cut that out?"

My head snaps to the other bed where Felicity lies blinking sleepily at us. Most of the colour has returned to her face but she still looks weak. I vault over my bed to get to her side. Cloud takes the long way around. We hover over her like mother hens.

"Are you okay?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Did Sephiroth hurt you earlier?"

"Did you get enough rest?"

"'Cause I swear, I'll kill him if he did."

"Can you move?"

We would have asked more questions, but we were cut off with curt, yet fluffy blows to our faces. Felicity frowned at us, pillow in hand and poised to strike again. "Geez, guys. Let a girl breathe, will ya?"

Cloud and I duck sheepishly. We both mumble, "Sorry."

"Just relax, okay?" She says, a hint of a smile on her lips. "I'm fine. It takes more than some poison to put me out of commission."

"But you were pretty out of it," Cloud points out.

I'm not as gentle. "What were you thinking, keeping the poison from us? You could have died! Do you know how worried we were?"

"Sorry…" she says guiltily. "I had meant to keep it from you until I found out how to get better on my own. I figured ignorance is bliss –I didn't want you guys to be bothered."

"And how'd that work out?"

"Not great," she grumbles.

I sigh begrudgingly. "You're alright thanks to Sephiroth, but you have to rely on us more." My fingers slip around hers. "We're your friends. You can depend on us for anything. Get it?"

She smiles. "Got it."

Sorry for the ending. I know it could have been 1000 times better.

This is essentially another filler chapter. Sorry about that. Things are going to pick up soon -we're getting close to the Nibelheim incident.

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