Okay. This chapter will make almost NO sense at all until I write my...wait for it...PREQUEL! Yaay! But, seriously - you're just gonna have to wait for that before this makes any sense at all.
Chapter 14: Zack's Return
King
I trained against the dummy that we had posted outside. Normally, I'd spar against Armor King or Peter, but Armor King wanted to train by himself, some new training method he thought up (and if it worked he'd probably try it out on Peter and me), and Peter was off taking a walk with Vincent. It was nice that they were getting along.
Unless they just want to get far enough away so that no one can hear them scream. King laughed at his own joke.
But they really did seem to get to know each other pretty fast. Maybe they're similar experiences – them both being victims of Ogre.
I wonder if they know that Ogre has attacked both of them? King thought.
Come to think of it, he didn't mention it to either of them. Oh well, they'll figure out eventually. It's strange really – Peter was unique. King had never known anyone like him, but Vincent reminded him of Zack so much. Especially their shared sense of honor. Thinking of Zack almost made King tear up, but he had decided long ago that Zack wouldn't want him to mourn his passing.
Just then, King – with his enhanced hearing – heard someone walking up to the orphanage. As they rose over the crest of the hill, he slowly saw his features – straight black hair and deep green eyes.
--
Ogre
Ogre – in the disguise of Zack walked along the forest trail. He had told his trolls to hide (burrow underground) and wait for his orders to attack. As he rose over an especially large hill, he saw a small building nestled in a grassy clearing. There was even a trail spreading around it. It looked disturbingly nice.
Then he saw something that gave even the God of Fighting a shock – King was here. Well, that pathetic student that took King's mask anyway. Then, he realized something else:
That idiot hasn't seen me in my Zack "disguise" yet. He thought. I can trick him good here.
--
King
I watched in stunned silence as the boy walked over the crest of the hill with one thing in my mind.
Zack…is alive.
I saw him run up to me.
"Good morning, King." He said.
I would've laughed at the irony of that statement if I wasn't so shocked to see him.
"How…how are you…alive?" I asked.
"It's a long story. Let's take a walk." He replied.
--
Ogre
This was panning out just as I planned. He believed I was the 'real' Zack brought back to life through all this crap I told him – he must have been either dumb or just really hopeful that I was Zack – hope – it's a fool's dream.
"…and then Arlene used her wish charm to bring me back. It's all because of her that I'm here."
King ate it all up. How Arlene had saved me with her wish charm. It was so easy, just calling upon Zack's memories and spinning it into a convincing story. There was only one plot hole – Vincent. If he saw me, my plan would be ruined. I couldn't allow that to happen.
--
King
I was still wary of Zack. His story seemed convincing. Arlene hadn't used her wish last time that I was with her. Could this really be the Zack that I knew? Even though I had no reason to doubt him, there was still a huge part of me screaming:
He's a fake…don't believe him…He's here to hurt you…
But, it was so easy to believe his story. I'd just have to wait and see what happened.