Puppies
Summary: While on a mission to dispatch rebels, Zack finds something else.
Disclaimer: Belongs to Square Soft, Square Enix, whatever they're called. I don't own anything!
Zack whistled softly to himself as he walked down the dirty, polluted street of Midgar. His latest mission was to find some rebels. They called themselves AVALANCHE and were out to destroy everything related to Shin-Ra. He, a squadron of troops, and Sephiroth were out combing several areas where the rebels had been last seen. After examining their assigned sector, they were to report back to the Shin-Ra building. It had been Sephiroth's idea to split up. Zack wasn't too concerned about being alone should he find any rebels. He was a First Class SOLDIER, after all.
At the end of his shift, Zack was about to enter the Shin-Ra building when a strange noise suddenly came from the alley he was passing. Frowning, Zack walked back, curious. He examined the alleyway thoroughly, but saw nothing. He was about to leave, when a high-pitched whine came from the ground in front of him. Looking down, Zack couldn't help but smile.
A tiny and absolutely adorable puppy was staring up at him with big, brown eyes. It had long, floppy ears which covered its teeny front paws. Kneeling down, the SOLDIER lieutenant gently patted it on its head. The puppy gave a yip of joy and began licking his hand. Suddenly, Zack noticed three more puppies crowding around him. He chuckled as they began crowding each other, desperate for attention. Zack arched an eyebrow when four more puppies made themselves known, stubby legs tripping over floppy ears.
"How many of you guys are hiding?" he asked them, sitting down on the ground. The only answer he got was the puppies crowding onto his lap. Five seconds later, the SOLDIER was practically covered in puppies. Zack tried in vain to count the squirming animals.
"Two, four... would you guys hold still?"
His request was ignored as the puppies licked at his hands and investigated his pockets. Scooping one curious pup out of his pocket, he gently set it down. Finally, he was able to get a somewhat accurate count of the pups.
"Fifteen, I think." he whistled. Then he frowned. "Did you get abandoned out here? Poor things."
The puppies stared at him when he whistled, tails wagging hard enough to make their back ends wobble. He shook his head, smiling. Their eyes were wide and innocent, just begging for him to take them home.
"Guys, I've gotta get back. I'm on a job." he explained, starting to scoop them off. The tails and ears began to droop. Zack was now being blasted by the infamous puppy-eyed stare by fifteen pairs of eyes. One puppy whined sadly, causing him to groan.
"Guys, don't give me that look, please!" he pleaded. The whining puppy bowed its head, almost looking like it was crying. Zack bit his lip, feeling horrible. He glanced back at the Shin-Ra building.
"Eh, Seph can wait an extra three minutes." he said to himself, resuming petting the pups.
Half an hour later...
Sephiroth was pacing in the lobby, grinding his teeth audibly. The assembled troops somehow managed not to gulp, fidget, or exchange nervous looks, although the poor receptionist looked like she was going to have heart failure. After all, Sephiroth could be downright terrifying when he was upset. The general glanced up at a clock, his eyes narrowing at the time.
"Dismissed!" he suddenly barked out. Everybody in the room jumped and scattered, save for the receptionist, who just cowered behind a magazine. The general then stormed out of the building.
Sephiroth only made it four feet out the door when he saw the lieutenant. The general stopped dead in his tracks, stunned.
Lieutenant Zachary was covered in tiny, squirming puppies. He was playing with the small creatures. One was even sitting on his head. Sephiroth felt his eye begin to twitch slightly. Mashing down his irritation, the general stormed over.
"Lieutenant General, what are you doing?" he demanded. Zack looked up, causing the puppy on his head to slide down into his shirt. The lieutenant yelped and quickly retrieved the pup.
"Playing around with these little guys. Aren't they cute?" he asked, showing his very annoyed general one of the pups. The puppy yipped cheerfully at him, pink tongue licking at the air.
"Aw, he wants to give ya love, Seph." Zack grinned. Sephiroth just glared at him. Zack furrowed his brow, confused about his superior's bad mood. Suddenly, the light clicked.
"I'm late, aren't I?" he asked mildly. Sephiroth's eye twitched slightly. Zack took this for a 'yes'.
"Half an hour late. You spent all this time playing with puppies?" the general ground out. Zack shrugged.
"Seph, I couldn't just leave them. I think they're abandoned." the lieutenant explained plaintively, plucking another puppy from his pocket. Sephiroth heaved a loud sigh, irritation fading.
"What do you suggest we do with them? And no, we are not going to adopt them." he added sternly when Zack opened his mouth. The lieutenant sighed mournfully and shrugged.
"I dunno. But we can't leave them alone out here in the cold!" he said firmly. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.
"It's the middle of summer."
"Whatever. Seph, can you help me move them into the lobby?"
"Fine, fine."
The general sighed as he scooped up four puppies at once. They yipped happily and tried to lick his face. Sighing again, Sephiroth awkwardly carried them into the lobby. Noticing the still cowering receptionist, he caught her attention.
"Don't let these wander off." he ordered, putting them down on her desk. The receptionist nodded mutely and Sephiroth walked out.
Zack managed to carry five of them, while the other six walked after him. Sephiroth held the door open as the puppies padded inside. Zack grinned as he set the other pups down on the desk. The receptionist blinked when he placed the others on her desk as well.
"Where'd you find these little guys?" she asked, patting a pure white one on the head.
"In an alley." Zack replied, preventing two wrestling puppies from falling off.
"Poor things." she murmured, cuddling two of them.
"You want some?" Zack offered, making sure a curious pup didn't knock a paperweight over. The receptionist gave him a regretful look.
"My parents are allergic, sorry." she said sadly, cuddling two other pups. Zack sighed, slouching against the desk.
"Great. Maybe we could post signs up. Who could turn down a free puppy?" he asked, as a brown and tan puppy teetered over to him. Picking it up, the lieutenant looked over at Sephiroth. The general shrugged in response.
"Seph, help me out here!" Zack whined. The general sighed.
"I don't know. Maybe you could ask people if they want a puppy." he sighed. Zack grinned.
"Great idea! Look after them okay?" he said, darting off before Sephiroth could object. Sighing, the general stared at the puppies, who were staring in the direction that Zack had run off to. They then looked at him.
Man stared at animal.
Animal stared at man.
Pandemonium ensued.
Sephiroth scowled up at the ceiling from where he lay on the floor. Fifteen puppies were happily exploring his coat. Biting back his temper, the general slowly sat up. The puppies slid off him and fell into a heap on his lap. Sephiroth stared at them and sighed heavily.
"Zachary, you are in trouble." he muttered. The receptionist leaned over her desk.
"Are you okay, sir?" she asked timidly. Sephiroth stared at her for several moments, causing her to fidget nervously.
"I'm fine." he finally responded, removing a puppy from his coat pocket. The little animal yipped cheerfully and started licking his hand. One of the puppies yipped at him and reared up onto its hind legs, trying to lick his face.
"That is precisely the image we should convey to the masses!"
Sephiroth's eyes widened when he looked up to see President Shin-Ra smiling down at him.
"Back from your trip, sir?" he asked. Shin-Ra ignored his question.
"A SOLDIER, strong and powerful, but gentle and kind when he needs to be. Very good." he said, stroking his chin. Sephiroth only blinked in response.
"They need homes." he finally spoke, not sure if he liked that contemplative look on Shin-Ra's face. The President nodded and began walking off.
"After I get some pictures of you and the Lieutenant General with them, we'll find them good homes. Excellent." he said, walking off. Sephiroth felt his eye twitch.
"I'm going to kill Zachary." he hissed to the fifteen pups that were sitting on his lap.
A day and a photo shoot later...
Aeris hummed softly to herself as she weeded out her garden in the abandoned church. Sitting up, she massaged a knot in her back. She glanced back at the entrance when she heard a noise. Zack came walking in, a huge grin on his face. Both hands were behind his back.
"Zack!" she said, standing up. "I thought you had a mission today!"
"I do!" he replied. "But, I wanted to give you a little gift."
Aeris smiled, a faint blush appearing. "You didn't have to."
"I know! But here." he said, handing her a white and tan puppy. It had a pink ribbon tied into a bow around its neck. Aeris' eyes widened and she gave a gasp.
"He's adorable!" she squealed, cuddling the wiggling puppy. It licked her several times as she patted its head. Zack grinned.
"I knew you'd like him." he smiled. Suddenly, he glanced at his watch. "Oops. I better get going. Seph's mad at me enough without me being late again."
Aeris giggled and kissed him. "Thank you so much! Come back when your mission is over!"
Zack stuttered for several moments before he found his voice. "S-s-s-sure. I c-c-can do that... Yeah... S-s-see ya."
Aeris lightly laughed as he trotted out the church, blushing. She cuddled the little puppy closer and smiled at it. Suddenly, she noticed a paper attached to the bow. Removing it, the woman started laughing for real.
The paper was a photograph of a clearly irritated General Sephiroth covered in squirming puppies. Zack was sitting next to him with a puppy on his head and a grin on his face.
Aeris couldn't stop laughing all afternoon.