Marlene kept staring at him; as if looking for some indication that he was lying or is dangerous in some way. Which begged the question, Was he really that suspicious looking?
Was it because of his Shinra uniform?
Or was it because of the scar on his face?
The kid back in Wutai didn't seem scared of him at all, so why?
He had to admit, kids are confusing little things. He was so absorbed in his thought that her next question got him completely off guard "Why?"
"Why what?" he repeated her question confused.
"Why were you gone for so long?" she clarified; clearly she wasn't going to accept any answer he would make up.
"Um… I didn't have a hand in that" he couldn't tell a little girl that he was gunned down and he pushed his hopes and dreams along with his mentor's sword on to Cloud. And that's another issue that he had to think over, Should he really show up on Cloud's doorstep just like that?
If Cloud were the same guy that he had met years ago, then the blond would die on the spot thinking that he saw a ghost. Zack sighed in disappointment; he apparently did not think this through after all.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Hey mister, you ok?" She waved her hand in front of his face when he finally was brought back to reality.
"Hu? Oh sorry, I dozed off back there" He was embarrassed; obviously, She couldn't tell what was on his mind. But she shouldn't ask him, it wasn't any of her business. While staying away from him did seem ideal, there wasn't really anything else to doubt him on. He didn't appear to be lying about knowing Cloud. And Aerith seemed to trust him, so maybe she should too.
"It's ok. I'm just glad you're both ok. Cloud and the others were so worried about you. They told me you went some place far Aerith and that you weren't coming back." She was close to tears remember how upset everyone was. They told her that Aerith left, but she knew the truth. She might have been young, but the concept of death was no stranger to her. Although she was upset and ready to cry, she couldn't afford to do it, not when she was someone else's emotional support.
Her father, Cloud, and Tifa. Cid, Reeve, and Vincent too. They were all emotionally broken when they first met. She meant have not known their stories all that well, but she could tell how deep it has scared each and every one of them. She can't heal them, not even Aerith's Ancient magic could. But she learned that being optimistic can lessen it, even if just a bit. So for their sake, and her father's, she pretended to be ignorant and smiled. If it helped at all, then she was ok with playing innocent.
That when she suddenly had an idea. "Say, if you're not busy tonight can you come over to the party?" she upright asked them, awkward or not, this was exactly what everyone needed. It would be good for everyone to get back together after being apart for so long. She, herself, missed seeing her father for the last few weeks. Vincent won't pick up his phone no matter how much Tifa called him for her sake. Yuffie, Reeve, Shelke, and Cid were on missions for WRO. Red XIII was exploring around Gaia, and Cloud was always out and about making deliveries. But tonight, they were all finally coming together for the MeteroFall festival party and having Aerith and this Man over would complete the festivities. It would be the perfect reunion, unlike the last time they got together which was because of some mad men wanting to destroy the planet, again.
"So could you please come tonight? Pretty please?" she begging with her cutest face that she could muster, with the biggest and saddest puppy dog eyes she could do.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Aerith glanced at Zack with a smile and nodded, assuring him that it was going to be all right. "Well, I guess we could come" he finally answered the little girl who got very excited after hearing it; that she went over to them and gave them a big hug. It felt like so long since someone, other than Aerith, gave him a hug and it felt good that he was being accepted. He just hopes that it continues like this for the reminder of his new life.
The little girl soon parted from them and looked away as she heard someone call out her name "Sorry, I have to leave now. See you both tonight at 7th Heaven" She waved at them with a big cheerful smile then left to join a boy who didn't look like he any resemblance but seemed close.
Aerith turned her attention to him after the two kids were out of view "So, Shall we get a costume?"
"We already have a costume, all we need now are wigs, and a toy sword for you" he grinned, leaving her confused at what he might have planned for the party tonight "be right back Aerith" he ran back to the store for whatever reason, probably for his plan.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
He later came back and sat next to her, he had a very scary grin on his face that worried her. She had seen that face on him before, it was the same one when he tricked a Turk agent making them then that it was the end of the world. Maybe she should tell him about her condition before he got lost in his scheming "Um Zack, I have something to tell you."
"Really what?" good, he was out of the plotting zone that would spare Cloud and the others.
She took a deep breath and stared straight into his eyes "I… I can't use my legs anymore." Zack looked confused so she should explain it more "I lost it after Sephiroth attacked me."
"Wait, WHAT! Sephiroth was alive? But Cloud killed him back in Nibelhiem" Of course, he doesn't remember their chat in the life stream so she has to repeat it all to him. And that's one story that she was not looking forward to telling.
