"Rain. Rain, rain, fuckin rain." Zack sighed, walking over to one of the beds. He plunked himself down next to his best friend, falling back with a thud.
"This is Costa Del Sol, capital of sunshine and women in bikinis. Not the town of dismal, shattered fantasies and rain!"
"You just wanted to go to the beach and pick up women." Zack opened up a green eye, looking over at the plush chair which the general sat in.
"Well Duh." Zack said, shaking his head as if nothing else mattered. "Why else did you think I'd wanted to come here? The scenery?"
"You're a simple man, Zack. A few pretty women and a bottle of something to get them drunk and you're all set."
"Of course Seph. Wouldn't you be?"
"I prefer the finer things in life." As he said this, the general turned the pages of his novel. "The decent things. I could easily slip into a life with someone who cares about me, and honestly not care of her appearance or her intentions. Much the opposite of you."
"Hey!" Zack sat up quickly, fists clenched, face on fire. "that's not true! You make me sound shallow!"
"Surprised you caught on."
Zack looked over at the blond sitting next to him, who was grinning and giggling to himself. As Zack opened his mouth to say something to the boy, the general cut him off.
"Cloud, You happened to live with this…I have no words for him. You lived with him for a great many years. You have seen him at his best and worst. Is my assumption correct?"
Zack still glared at the little blond. Cloud grinned, pulling his eyes from Zack's to watch his fingers playing with the zipper on his jacket. "Yup."
"Jerk!" Zack grabbed the blond about the neck, throwing him into a headlock. "Pain in the ass. Thanks so much for sticking up for me!"
"U-ugh. Your welcome Zack. Really, this affection isn't necessary." Cloud was helplessly pushing at Zack's arms. The man merely tightened the grip on Cloud. "Le-let go now."
"Flame." Zack's spiky head jerked around to look at a very annoyed Sephiroth, who was setting down his novel. His eyes looked purely un amused as he watched the two. "Let the boy go."
"Sure. Sure." Zack stood, pulling the blond with him. "Just after his head meets the toilet."
Lightning cracked outside, and the sky lit up purple and blue. At that moment, the lights took their turn to flicker and die. Zack let out a loud yelp, something banging into his knee as he walked. Quickly he lost his balance as he stumbled, tripping over the blond he had been dragging. The two fell with a loud thud, older boy on top.
From under Zack's body came a loud groan. "Get…off…"
"My head…"
"Flame, you idiot, get off the boy and go find a flashlight."
"Ow….OW! Stop kickin me Seph! I'm going!"
With a heave Zack rolled himself off from the blond, he gasped in pain and curled over. Somewhere in the other part of the inn, the few men playing pool had stopped. The sounds of their feet and curses as they slammed things in the dark were muffled, but there. Suddenly a voice broke the darkness.
"Aye! General!"
Just as his title was called, the flashlight in his hand spread a pale beam across the floor. Having a path now lit for him, Zack scrambled quickly to his bag under the bed, soon with a flashlight for both him and Cloud.
"Yes?" The general called.
"Lights are on next door. Think something hit the building. Maybe a short circuit."
Zack frowned. "Maybe the wires are fried… Hey, where's the owner to this place?"
"Sleeping out back. Flame, what are you doing?"
Within moments the owner had been awoken and drug out into the main room (if not by choice then by Zack's "persuasion"). A panel on the wall, one no one had noticed before, was quickly being unscrewed.
"Knew I should have gotten them damn lights fixed before now. Its been like this for years, men. Sorry for the inconvenience. Haven't the know how to fix it, and to tight on Gil to hire someone."
"Great." Sephiroth shone the flashlight bean towards the wires. They looked like just a jumble to him, for he knew nothing of electricians work. Wrinkling his nose, he turned and shone the light on his men. "Any of you know how to manage this?"
"Oh!" Zack hopped up from the bed, but Cloud pulled him back down.
"No." the blond said sternly. Zack turned to him, eyes wide.
"I'm good at this stuff Cloudy!" Zack protested, standing again. He turned to the men, who it seemed had all moved their eyes on the two. Every one was giving him a skeptical look. "What?!"
"…Gore, call an electrician. Use the phone next-"
"No! I can do it. Free!" Zack said, quickly running over to the general. Sephiroth shook his head.
"Flame, I don't trust you with a weapon. Do you think I would trust you with electricity?"
Zack nodded. "Yup."
Rubbing his hands together like an excited child, Zack pushed past the Shinra guards, the inns owner, and the General. Blinking in confusion, then with a shrug of his shoulders, Zack reached into the mess of wires.
Time went by, a slow, dry, slug slinking along. The men had given upon helping Zack, for it never did any good. They were hanging flashlights above the pool table, and had already begun their game. Cloud had managed to set up his flashlight over the bed so he could read. The general sat in his chair again, flashlight pointed where Zack directed, one eye reading.
"Ugh! Dammit! that's what that wire was for. Alright, okay." Cloud and Sephiroth both looked up from their novels. Sephiroth glanced over at the blond, then to the black haired man.
"…that didn't sound to good Flame."
"No, no, don't worry. I know what I'm doing. Seph, can you do me-" He had again reached his hands into the box, pulling a long wire from it with some difficulty, "a favor?"
Sephiroth stood, setting down his novel. "Like what?"
"Hold this." Zack handed the General the long blue wire. Sephiroth frowned, but said nothing more.
Reaching down, Zack plucked up a pair of worn pliers. Sticking his tong out of the corner of his mouth, he reached into the box and began to twist and snap wires back together. Sephiroth watched the man with a frown.
After a moment, Zack took a step back and nodded, befor scurrying away.
"Flame?" The genral called, looking down at the wire.
"Just a moment!" Zack called from somewhere in the back. Suddenly the lights flashed on. Cloud started to grin, but the grin soon lost its power when a loud yelp was heard over the men's "hurah's!".
"What happened?!" The spiky, black haired Zack skidded back into the main part of the building, stolking feet carrying him across the floor. He stopped dead, seeing Sephiroth.
The silver haired man was glaring bitterly, having dropped the wire in his sudden upward flight. His hair was standing slightly on end, giving him a fuzzy rabbit look. His eyes blazed, sparkling with rage. His hand had gone to the sword at his side.
