~Ch. 06 - Support~

Time seemed to float on by as they were floating, traveling around Gaea.

… But Aerith was already used to this, and Zack was getting used to the process as well. The couple didn't have watches, but they knew by the look of the sky that it was almost 10 in the evening. So far they had been enjoying visiting people, definitely Aerith - she wanted her friends to know the man she had been in love with, and although she never really asked Zack how he was feeling about this whole traveling stint so far, she hoped it was alright with him.

But the groaning of an engine - a truck driving down a rocky road - caught her attention.

"It's him!" She gleefully said, and Zack blinked.

"Who?"

"Mr. Barret Wallace. Big bear!"

The truck stopped after a while, and out of the driver's seat came a burly man who was attending to a cellphone call, and he had cornrows for his hair. His right arm, a machine gun, caught Zack's attention. But it was the man's mood that made Zack even more attentive.

Aerith frowned. Off she floated ahead of Zack, and the cadet followed as she hid behind one side of the truck, as Barret was on the other side.

"Yeah, I'mma bring you yo' rigs! Be impatient like that an' ya won't get 'em!… Look, FINE. Doesn't matter if it's jus' 500 gil, I jus' need my pay. My kid's goin' back to school soon an' I ain't got 'nuff to pay Tifa back!… Ya know I've got heavy debts, man! An' what 'chu givin' ain't even 'nuff and decent!"

Aerith listened intently and frowned. "Barret…"

"$%!&*! THERE! TAKE THAT, GREEDY SCUM!" And with that, Barret threw his phone into the ground, and smashed it constantly with his foot in rage.

Zack pursed his lips in thought. He thought hard of ways to help out, but he felt too sad at what he saw, and especially with what he heard. Aerith, on the other hand, took a slight peek and watched as Barret sat on the ground, head in his hands. He wasn't crying, but he groaned in disappointment. As she bit her lip in thought, her mind raced for a possible way to comfort him, but as always she didn't want to suddenly appear out of nowhere and scare him, although they knew each other.

… Barret stared at the phone, and suddenly he felt all the more like crap. The mobile phone was a gift from Tifa on his birthday, and now that it was broken, he didn't have any way to buy a new one, or contact Tifa and tell her about it - more so about his pay. He felt scared - what would Tifa think? Although she was kind, she was also strict somehow, especially when it came to finances. He didn't want to ask for money from Cloud too although he earned a lot with deliveries because he felt it wasn't proper, and he'd just bury himself in more debts even if he was giving.

"…Smile, Barret…~"

Barret smiled, just as she said. "Ya always know when to come 'round, huh?"

"Actually, I'm not sure if this is a right time…" Aerith came out of her hiding and looked at him. Barret looked up at her and she waved at him. "…Hello."

"Hi, Aer." Barret frowned genuinely, and got up. He waved back at her. "Ya doin' okay?"

"Mmhm."

Aerith looked to the side, and watched as a quiet Zack Fair shook his head and waved his hands slightly, signalling for her not to introduce him this time. He nodded off to her and ushered her quietly to just talk to him alone; Zack didn't want to get in their way, feeling that Aerith was the expert with this sort of conversation.

"I'm okay." The Cetra gave him a smile and nodded. "…I can see that you aren't, though… what's wrong?"

Barret shook his head. "…Nah… nothin'. Jus' caught up in a pile o' crap. 'Nuff 'bout me, 'sup wit 'chu lately? Still travelin'?"

Aerith smiled sadly. "I came to check up on all of you. I missed you all. And actually I want to introduce you to someone!" Suddenly her mood brightened. "Just an old friend you didn't get to meet before." She grinned.

"Yeah? Who is it?"

Aerith beckoned Zack to come forward quietly, and the cadet sighed as he came out of his own hiding. Zack waved. "This is Zack Fair," Aerith introduced with a smile, "Zack, this is Barret Wallace. The gang's one man army."

"Nice label ya got, Aer. Kinda like it!" Barret laughed. "So you're her "old friend", huh? Heh. You're her boyfriend, I can tell. I heard 'bout 'chu, man. Anyway, I'd shake yo' hand, but I can't."

Zack chuckled. "It's no problem. Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class!" he said confidently with a grin, as if he had rehearsed that line a million times before. He took a deep sigh and looked at the phone on the ground. "…Oh. Broken phone?"

"Was pissed. I dunno if Aerith's told ya, but I kinda got a problem with temper." Barret grinned. "Not so good for me. Marlene reminds me I might die of a heart attack." He shook his head, leading Aerith to giggle. "I already got a problem with ma' blood pressure."

"Don't go destroying things next time, then," the Cetra kindly reminded, "Kinda puts a lot of things at stake as you know." Aerith winked at her own remark.

"Yeah. Anyway… was jus' 'bout to go for a drive. Wanna come with?"

"…Well… if you don't mind having a ghost ride in your truck?"

"Ha! No, I dun' mind an' ya know it." Barret laughed. "C'mon in. Make yerselves at home."

The three got into the truck and Barret immediately turned up the ignition, driving off. Throughout the course of the drive, Barret was quiet, but the couple couldn't blame him for being so. Aerith knew that humor sometimes was Barret's way of trying to get through things, especially if it was a heavy problem. Barret was a natural optimist whose temper sometimes got in the way of things, but it was his determination that made Aerith admire him the most. He wasn't the leader of AVALANCHE for nothing, she thought with a smile.

"…Can I ask sumthin'?"

"Go ahead," Aerith immediately responded, eager to help him out. "What is it?"

"… … Ya think Tifa would kill me if I told her again I can't pay her?… An' if I asked her to get Marlene into school?…"

Aerith looked at Zack, as if telepathically asking for help.

"… … Nevermind. You dun' have'ta help me out on this-"

"I don't think she'd be angry…" Aerith shook her head. "Tifa's really nice and kind. She's considerate too. Does she have any idea about what you're going through, though…?"

"Oh, she knows," Barret kept his eyes on the road as he frowned. "She knows an' I dun' wanna annoy her no more. Tifa usually says it's okay, but I know it ain't okay. Sometimes Marlene hears the stuff we talk 'bout - money… debts…"

Zack pinched the bridge of his nose in thought, and closed his eyes, thinking of a possible, proper advice, if not a complete remedy.

"…I jus' don't wanna be a bother, y'know? I'm tired o' that crap. The suckiest thing 'bout it is, I'm workin' hard to help 'em out an' show I can be responsible, but I ain't even given 'nuff credit. The hell, right?" Barret shook his head. "Anyway, my story's lame, so nevermind."

"Um… if you don't mind… may I ask how long this has been going on?" Zack quietly spoke. "Your problem with money…"

"5 months, man. Five months. I work hard to deliver all the damn oil an' to get some, an' I ain't even paid properly or regularly!" Barret shook his head. "^#*%!

… … But all three knew that it wasn't exactly about money. Barret wanted to show that he was responsible for his own actions, especially when it came to his job, Marlene, and debts. But with how he was being paid, how he was being treated… responsibility was something he wanted to bury alive six feet under. Some part of him wished he just worked for Tifa and Cloud instead, or became a mechanic for Rufus' choppers. The main point was, Barret wanted to rely on himself because he didn't want to be a bother despite his friends' show of support and Aerith could see that, and she had seen this situation many times with many people.

After a while of driving, Barret stopped in the Wastelands, and drove up a ramp that led to a plateau. With the cool air of the night, he knew it was a pleasant time to hang around here and relax. "I come 'ere a lot," he said, getting out of the truck. "Sometimes Red even comes 'round 'ere."

The couple got out of the truck as well and watched the horizon. It was a deserted place, the Wastelands, but truth be known it was also a peaceful place despite the barren landscape. Barret near the edge and looked off into the distance, his mind in deep thought.

"… … I'm jus' wantin' to prove that I can do it, Aer," Barret began, and it surprised the Cetra, just when she was about to try and talk him through about his feelings. "Ever since AVALANCHE was gone… things changed."

"Do you think you've changed?" Aerith asked.

He shrugged. "Most days, I think so, tho' it don't feel like it. Y'know, when I look at m'self in the mirror every mornin', I see that I'm still old me, same old Barret with a hot head an' a smokin' machine gun for an arm, still tryin' to make sure life's okay for me an' Mar. An' when I think 'bout it… jus' seems like it's the world around me that changed."

Zack went over to sit next to him; he knew that Barret needed a shoulder right now. Aerith sat on the other side.

"…Whatever happens, remember you're not alone, Barret," Aerith reminded calmly. "You know, Zack and I visited Cid earlier and he was pretty much like you. We saw that he lost that certain 'spark' in him that makes him wanna be aggressive with life and just have fun and enjoy. We don't know if we've done an impact on his life with our visit, but we do hope he's going to be okay…"

"The way I see it, Barret, you've still got that fire in you," Zack noted in a friendly manner, "I don't know what you've been through, but I can see that despite circumstances, you're still trying and pushing to be the best you can be. And you are the best of yourself. I think you're just scared of 'burning' other people because you're already burnt out. Not that you want to burn them of course. You're just concerned, and we see and understand that." He smiled and nodded.

Barret listened as the two apparitions tried to comfort him, and re-assessed his own thoughts. "That's true."

"…And something just crossed my mind. I think people are like nature's elements. Especially friends." Zack leaned back on his palms. "When there's fire, there's water. If you feel tired or you've crashed and burned… your friends are always going to be there for you to comfort you - be the fire to calm you down or relax you when you feel burnt. They can also be the air, they make the fire in you - or you, actually - stronger. They're also the earth, they keep you grounded and will support you - they're your hands and your feet. And they can also be fire, they help you fight."

Aerith pondered on her own thoughts on friends - she completely agreed with Zack, but she felt as if she hadn't done much or shown much although she did try when she was alive. And it pained her somewhat, but the best she could do was move on, be the beacon of light in death that she wasn't in life. Aerith smiled as she listened to Zack, and she was also surprised with this revealed side of him.

Zack on the other hand, didn't realize that he was this deep - or at least, that he wasn't this outspoken about what he really thought about things in life. He blinked and processed what he said, hoping it was enough of an encouraging mantra for Barret. Zack understood he didn't know Barret much, but he was hoping too that this was a start of a new friendship, though he honestly didn't want to feel like a bother too.

Zack raised his hands and laughed as he waved, as if warding off something. "Ahhh, I know it's weird coming from a ghost like me, you don't have to listen to me!-"

"Naw, man, the stuff y'said is actually true." Barret shook his head. "…For years I'been tryin'… to convince myself I could do it alone… honestly, I can't."

The simple acknowledgement made the couple smile.

"But it ain't right no more. Everyone else is havin' a hard time as it is. I dun' wanna be anotha' rock in their backpack, y'know?" He sighed. "…But I'll try yer advice." Barret half-smiled. "After all… they've been there for me a long time now."

Aerith giggled softly. "And there goes Barret Wallace. I personally think you should work for Rufus, too. He may be conceited sometimes, but he's a good businessman." She nodded. "He'll pay you well."

Zack smiled. "Case solved!" And with that, he reached behind and asked for a high-five from Aerith, who gladly gave it with joy. "Don't worry, Barret. Things'll be okay. Your friends are gonna be there for you to help you out. They're always ready to lend a hand."

"Yeah…" Barret scratched his head and chuckled. "Thanks, you two. Very much."

"No problem!"

"Barret?"

The three turned around and in the darkness, a set of spikes running down a low animal's back could be made out. Aerith's eyes lit up, but Zack scowled in alertness.

The cadet began to panic. He didn't have his sword! "Barret! Run!"

"Wha?" The burly man cackled loudly. "Heeeeell naw! He's m'friend."

Zack blinked as Aerith squealed and Barret continued to laugh; the sight of a wolf and tiger-like animal came into view. Immediately Zack backed away, watching. "…Eh?"

"Nanaki!" Aerith clapped her hands and laughed. "You're here! It's good to see you!"

"Aerith." Red XIII, also known as Nanaki, the gentle but paternal and protective beast of the group, padded to sit right behind the three. "I'm glad you're here." He sniffed the air. "There is another like you."

Aerith and Barret looked up to see Zack, looking very awkward and put off by the sight, and laughed. Zack had his eyes wide yet he was scowling, squatting slightly, with his hands in front of him as if he was going to push a box away.

"…WHOA…" Zack blinked. "…BIG… DOG. TIGER… WOLF?… GAH! Y-You sure he's not going to bite, Aerith?"

The Cetra grinned. "Why don't you try and see?"

"Hm…"

The beast padded around, sniffing calmly; Barret and Aerith let him do so, not giving Zack a warning. Zack didn't know whether to run or try to poof away, but he figured - he was a ghost. And even if this beast wanted to bite him, it wouldn't be able to! He tried to laugh at the realization of it … … but he was still scared. Unfortunately.

Nanaki stopped before Zack and looked up. Zack thought he was angry, but he realized it was just how he really looked like as a beast.

"…Hello."

"…Uhhhh…" Zack blinked and smiled uneasily. "H-Hi there…"

"I won't bite. Don't worry about it." Nanaki sat in front of Zack, still looking up. "I've been named Red XIII by Shin-Ra, but my tribal name is actually Nanaki. And you are?"

Zack realized that if he was still alive and this beast - who was half his size when on all fours - toppled him over and mauled him, he was definitely unlucky. And right now he thanked his stars that he was just a ghost.

"Z..Zack Fair… SOLDIER 1st Class…" The cadet swallowed as he started to relax, feeling calmed by the beast's gentle demeanor. "…YOU… ARE A VERY BIG DOG… ACTUALLY."

"Oh, no. Vincent is much bigger than I am when he turns into Galian." A chuckle rumbled from Nanaki's throat, and he tried to smile with his eyes. "We're quite similar, how we look like, but he's more powerful than I am."

Aerith approached Zack and gave him a comforting embrace, laughing, as he started to relax. "See? That wasn't so bad after all! He didn't bite!"

Zack let out a deep sigh of relief. "GOOD GRIEF… See, I'm glad I'm not alive right now!"

"Oh, I wouldn't dare hurt anyone. I'd fail Bugenhagen if I did. Monsters, maybe, but never humans." Nanaki sighed.

Barret cackled again and he stood up. "Nice way to introduce yourself, Red."

"You know how humans are. Ghosts or not. They are very wary of those like me. Though… I have to admit, I have been domesticated, somehow." The red beast swayed his tail gently. "What brings you around here, Aerith?"

"Oh! Well. Just traveling around, checking up on all of you," Aerith replied, "but this time I brought Zack with me."

"Oh… I didn't think they had weddings in the Lifestream…"

The couple stared wide-eyed.

"Wha- N-NO! We didn't get married!~" Aerith tried to wave it off, and Zack flustered. "There aren't any weddings in the Lifestream, you know!" She laughed, her cheeks beginning to flush. Good thing it was evening, she thought!

… … … And as much as Zack tried to hide it by rubbing his nape and clearing his throat, the simple thought of it made him smile.

"Ah, I see." The beast eyed the ethereal couple and got up on all fours. He padded over to stay next to Barret. "I must have been late, however. Were you just about to leave?"

"Mmhm," Aerith nodded. "I think Barret's okay now. Isn't that right, Barret?"

The burly man chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Aer." He looked over to Zack, and smiled. "You too, man. Thanks a lot. What 'chu said woke me up."

Zack smugly grinned. "Glad to be of service, Mr. Wallace."

"Ah, Barret. Reno has just sent word to your company that you will be relieved of your duties there," Nanaki reminded. "Apparently Rufus' orders."

Aerith and Zack's brows raised in glee.

"Rufus wants to hire you, as I've gathered."

"Wha… WHEN? When'd he say? Earlier?" Barret blinked, not believing what Nanaki was saying. "Man… MAN, THIS IS MY NIGHT!#*&!" Barret began to burst into laughter.

Nanaki had no idea why Barret was suddenly so happy, but he smiled, glad that Barret was excited. "Yes, earlier. Around 10 minutes ago. Reno called 7th Heaven," he said. "Hence why I'm here; Tifa asked me to find you. I came here because this is a place you frequently go to alone, as you have told me." Barret nodded at Nanaki's explanation.

Aerith smiled. "Oh… how is Tifa? And the two children?"

"Very much alright, Aerith. Studying and helping Cloud and Tifa run the bar." Nanaki smiled through his eyes once more. "The children visit the church from time to time, but they say it's mostly when you aren't around.

"Zack! We should visit Tifa at 7th!" Aerith giggled. "Oh you'll love her. She's a nice girl!"

Zack chuckled. "And so we shall!"

"Again, thanks both o' ya. I really appreciate it." Barret turned to Aerith. "You gon' be okay? I have'ta go to Rufus with Red."

"Mmhm, we'll be okay." The Cetra gave him one last smile before they got into the van. "You both take care now, okay?"

"It was nice seeing you again, Aerith. And it was nice meeting you, Zack."

"Oh, no problem! Heh-heh. This was an interesting day." Zack nodded.

As the truck began to speed off, the couple looked at each other.

"Are you okay?" Aerith laughed.

"That was SURREAL... you have VERY interesting friends..."

Zack began walking, and as Aerith followed and he started explaining his thoughts on what just happened, he still couldn't believe Nanaki's size and the look of him.