Simply the Thing I Am, Shall Make Me Live

Beta-read by: Reiko x 3 (4th April 2013)

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1.

Author' s Note: Thanks to ShatterTheHeavens for the review and giving this fic a chance! I know there wasn't much on the main characters as of yet, but here in this chapter we'll see more on how the plot unfolds.

The action starts here!

To the fic!

Enjoy~!

~ Chapter 3: Averting Crisis ~

"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out." ~ Anton Chekhov

Light of Doom, Banora Underground, Early September 0007

:: Area clear! :: the small EVE black droid said in a male voice.

I stepped out of my hiding place and into the last cave which was the deepest chamber, just as Zack carrying a man in a crimson coat was a good distance away from Mako enhanced hearing range. It seemed like the monsters were mostly dead by Zack's hand.

"Thanks, Flux." I replied to my droid scout.

My eyes inspect the broken goddess statue that portrayed Minerva. Sneaking in the cavern in the middle of the battle was easier than expected. Yet, maybe we were just too paranoid. Better safe than sorry. "Seems like the place is a mess, pity there are no items around."

A sound of combat boots walked up to an all too familiar red sword by the name of Rapier.

I see Ryan examine the sword first before he grabs it out of the ground and sheaths it into one of the holsters on his back next to a Rifle mode Riptide. He wore army camouflage pants, white t-shirt, and black gloves with a dark green jacket.

"We've still got a good stock of potions and everything else. You were expecting we'd get a summon Materia?"

I roll my eyes. "Can a guy hope for a good thing after we kept tabs on Zack and Cloud– and we got rid of a few of the ShinRa people who were hunting them?"

It was no easy feat on how we'd actually killed to make sure they'd both survived while avoiding Turks (most likely rookies by standards) at the same time. We both kept wearing gloves to make sure we didn't leave any sort of evidence. While I slightly shivered at the fact I had actually killed people, there wasn't time to ponder over it. Quickly, I shoved those thoughts away for later.

The mountain hikes weren't all that fun either. Even if Zack was carrying Cloud around as dead weight, he was still an ex-SOLDIER. With the training we had in three years, stamina wise... we still had a looong way to go.

"As much as I want to say 'I want summons', we need to get back to the last Dumbapple tree," my friend noted. "If not, you're going to miss Zack by a mile and I might miss my chance to save Genesis from Deepground."

"Point taken."

:: Target already near the entrance. Make haste! Make haste! :: the round white hovering droid exclaimed urgently waving its hands.

We both headed towards the entrance; this time in a fast walk to a jogging pace. In front of us a round white droid, who belonged to Ryan, led the way; he kept the name Eve just like in the film WALL-E. He wanted it as a reminder that it was something that was associated to our real home world. I know he misses it as much as I do, so I don't mind at all. Behind us, Flux kept watch for if there were any monsters behind us.

Our clothes weren't in so much good condition with our chase on Zack's tail all the way from Nibelheim. I was pretty sure that once I left the continent we were on, I was going to have to get rid of them.

"So, where are you taking Genesis to?" I asked, as we kept on going to our destination. Ryan never explained what he wanted to do even once during these three years. He said he'd tell me when it was the time, and I had a feeling this was now or never.

Ryan had a contemplating look on his face. "Away from civilization for the time being. I'm going to the Quadra Magic Materia Cave."

"You're kidding," I scoffed at him not believing him at all. "Don't you need like a Golden Chocobo to get there?" It was closer and safer than any settlement in range (out of ShinRa's prying eyes), and thinking about bringing Genesis into a heart of a civilization after being secluded too long... probably wasn't going to be good for his psyche.

He took a vial out of his pocket; the liquid shimmering gold. "I've been busy at the workshop to make this back at Costa del Sol. The smell attracts a Gold chocobo when you put it on their food. Not easy making it though; about a month or so to ripen to its full effect. I figured it would be the only way to outrun a ShinRa helicopter that has Deepground members. I'll lay low from people for a while, perhaps back and forth from the Chocobo Farm until December. And that still depends how Genesis is doing. By now, I'm sure that Rika has reached to Midgar or is on her way there."

"You could have made more of that stuff."

Ryan apologized, "Sorry, but we were making a lot of items and patents before we left in the first place."

Money makes the world go around. I couldn't argue with that one.

I passed his apology with a casual wave. We had been friends for a long time; I knew when he didn't mention something it was because he had a good reason. It was always like Ryan to over compensate it with something else when he couldn't tell the truth beforehand.

"Don't worry. I get it. You'll need it more. You're running away from two Tsviets, anyhow, who are like SOLDIERs on steroids in a helicopter. I'm gonna have Zack at my back so I'm better off."

"Actually," he shuffled into one of his pack pockets. "Here, give this to Cloud."

I eyed the blue vial in my hand. "What's this for?"

"Mako poisoning," Ryan explained. "Remember when we both hacked into the Turks' medical database? I got some of the info and made one just for this occasion."

Oh, yeah. That was fun, until we narrowly missed meeting up with Reno who was luckily on vacation. Glad Tseng wasn't around, but that was far too close for comfort. I've done hacking before on Earth, so that was a time I wanted to see how the other 'me' was with his skills. I have to say I'm proud to have gotten into the ShinRa network with a good deal of effort.

"Can never forget that one," I said with amusement. "How does the dosage work?"

"Empty the vial in a gulp. It's not an instant cure, but it's more of a stabilizer to the body. The rest is up to Cloud, but I'm sure it'll help him recover faster."

"I envy you for having the Creation Symbol, man. It's so damn useful in making items."

More correctly, he had an affinity for it. Even Rika and I totally lose in the number of patents in Item Creation compared to Ryan. Reeve Tuesti and him would probably be inventor buddies in the future.

"Maybe you can make a company and name it Macintosh or Apple Inc.," I joked.

He smiled at that. "I wish." It came out sarcastic. "That's for later. Focus on what need to get done first."

"Right back at ya." Carefully, I stored the vial into one of my safer compartments in my bag. I knew he'd make it up somehow. Now I'm at least a bit more confident in my own rescue mission. "Thanks, I'm sure it'll improve the chances of survival."

When we got outside, the whole place was quiet. We both came to the clearing of the Dumbapple tree that we saw in Crisis Core, and there leaning on a chair was Genesis Rhapsodos knocked out cold.

He was in his trademark red leather duster and 1st SOLDIER modified uniform like he wore in the game. Although he didn't look like he had aged at all since the first time you see him in Sephiroth's flashback fighting him. Unlike the game where he was clean and all, his clothes were tattered and probably beyond repair; he had slash marks, jagged cuts, and injuries from after the battle there. His auburn hair disheveled.

I knew Ryan wasn't going to have it easy for saving the ex-SOLDIER Commander. He wasn't exactly going to a hospital to treat numerous wounds of a physically and mentally drained soldier.

Just looking at the ex-SOLDIER Commander this way made my heart lurch.

It takes seeing a lot of bad things to realize that people are just human; when you see them at their worst.

Genesis wasn't an exception to the rule and I was hoping that somehow no matter how bad his condition was, he'd recover and join us in saving the Planet.

Kneeling down, Ryan quickly sprinkled a potion on a few parts of his wounds. While they were healing, he took out some greens and covered it with the golden liquid he mentioned earlier. He gave me a determined gaze that it was my cue to get going. He was going to leave very soon with the Gold Chocobo to avoid the Tsviets and I knew Zack was already running out of the area carrying Cloud.

"Issac... See you when I see you." He said trusting me to survive until we meet again.

This was a temporary farewell. I swore in my mind I'd make it somehow. "See you when I see you, Ryan." With a last nod, he went back to what he was doing.

I turned to my little droid buddy. "Flux, scan the area radius by 1 mile! Lead me to where our target is!"

:: Yes, Issac! :: My buddy flew off and I ran after him.

Hopefully I can reach both of them before they made it out of the Mideel Continent. In the original timeline Zack really made a mistake thinking visiting home was a good idea. It was probably what lead ShinRa to have a fresh bearing on him heading towards Midgar. Looks like I'm going to change that.

Inwardly, I prayed to the Goddess that both Ryan and Rika were going to be alright. It was time I did my role. Looking at the sun setting, I accelerated my pace.

I better get to them by nightfall.

Midgar, Early September 0007

Pain.

Needles.

Mako baths.

A girl of nine years old woke up with a start.

Nightmares.

She combed her auburn hair as a way to calm herself, but her heartbeat only calmed down when a silver round droid hovered near her. Sweat pouring down, she looked towards a clock indicating it was 6 am in the morning.

:: Shelke, OK? :: The robot or android that belonged to her traveling companion was oddly soothing to be around with than other people. :: I brought you tea from Rika! Make you feel better! ::

"Thanks, Eugene." Shelke shivered and motioned reluctantly.

Breathing in and out, she forced herself to think and know that she was out of her enslavement and thankful about how now she was free. However, she was extremely confused with her emotions. After being so long in Deepground she thought she'd lost them, in return she had the memories of a woman she didn't recognize. She was still trying to sort out what those emotions were telling her.

A sigh escaped her lips and exercised her hands to see they were still working.

'I don't believe it at all, but I don't need Mako baths to live anymore.'

A sound of knocking alerted the girl someone besides Rika was coming in.

"Shelke?" A sound of a small, very young girl. "Are you up yet?"

Quickly getting out of bed and reaching for her contact lenses, she put them on rapidly. She didn't want to be treated as a kid since she actually was 16 years old. Her body was stunted into the body of a 9 year old because of Mako testing... but Shelke did make an agreement with Rika that it was probably better looking like an innocent child for now.

Normal ShinRa personnel won't know about her or her skills, and underestimation was a good disruption tactic in a fight. The reason why she joined the older girl was because she wanted answers of her own about her past and she did owe Rika saving her life and giving her freedom. Freedom which she had a hard time accepting.

Memories were hazy on how she actually got out. The one thing she did know was that somehow her body was reacting strangely towards Mako and suddenly started to shut down. If that wasn't bad enough, the restrictors had issued her as a failure.

Being labeled for the project as a Tsviet didn't meant there wasn't a chance that things could go wrong.

Very wrong.

Shelke's DNA had been so twisted with the splicing process that she was sure that her hair wasn't the same as her original color, but the same as the other DNA that mangled her own. Taking her blood and trying to replicate her to make clones ended up with no results. As valuable her ability was, a useless test subject was a waste of resources.

Shelke was just chucked into the middle of nowhere and left to die an agonizing death. She was sure it was deliberately in a desolate place with little hope meeting people; where she would be eaten by monsters when she was dead.

"I'm up, Marlene." The former Tsviet replied. "You can come in."

A small girl of four years old came in with a smile on her chubby cheeks on her face just by the open door. "Breakfast?"

"Hmm." Shelke nod.

"Race you~!" And just like that the child in the pink dress zoomed out.

Calmly, Shelke stretched herself and drank all the tea in a few gulps. Warm. That meant Rika was already up since the crack of dawn. She had so many questions she wanted to ask of her, but at the same time she felt guilty for not sharing her own feelings or about herself. That day when Rika saved her from killing herself off the edge of a cliff because she was going to die due to the lack of Mako, was always fresh in her head.

Shelke remembered falling down the high cliff and Rika actually jumped after her. The older girl's actions were insane and she figured they'd both die foolishly. Yet that did not happen. Half way through the fall, Rika had caught her and blue glyphs surrounded them spinning in multiple ways creating a sphere around them. The former Tsviet had no idea what they said, and was certain to have never seen them before even when Deepground's Restrictors used advanced magic. At the time, she only felt a flow of energy through her body like a gale of wind but with no pain. By the time they got to the ground, they were hovering. Rika had two silver white wings on her back. (1)

She didn't believe her eyes at first, but after they'd landed they just dissolved and so did the symbols. To Shelke, the only people who had wings were those related to the G project. Yet, that couldn't be true... it was said that the original G project could control anyone who had their DNA in a form of clones. If Rika was a successful subject, why didn't she (Shelke) feel anything? Was she also part of another project gone bad run by ShinRa that even Deepground members never heard of? It wasn't an actual secret that the President of Shinra was willing to take things to the extreme to eliminate any enemy out of his way, with numerous layers of lies and more unknown test subjects.

It was at that same time, her broken restrictor chip that was still hanging out of her skin in the back of her spine disappeared, along with her Mako addiction.

Rika had altered her body somehow.

She was truly free.

For that, Shelke promised that she would take the secret to the grave.

The teen really wanted to believe she finally had a true friend, a sister, someone she'd look up to without feeling used. The older girl did mention she had a brother and a friend that she was waiting for, as they too had holes in their memories. They didn't remember anything past the three years they've been together. Shaking her head, she went out of her room, carefully locked the door, with the silver bot hovering and following her. Downstairs, the smell of breakfast of pancakes filled the empty bar.

"Morning." Tifa, or the other resident mother chocobo greeted her. "I saved you some pancakes. If not, the guys would have wasted them all before they went off for some reconnaissance mission."

"Thanks." She took her seat next to Marlene and started to eat. "Where's Rika?"

"Here," A voice came into the bar with some pancakes on her own plate. She sat next to Tifa joining in. She wore knee high brown boots and clothes that were fully covering her. A cream colored long sleeved duster jacket over her inner brown shirt, dark brown fingerless gloves, and a laser gun holster at the back. Her dark brunette hair cut short in a bob. A little taller than Tifa at 5'5'', but she didn't exactly give an aura of toughness that the fist fighter had, making her stand out less.

"You didn't go with Barret?" Shelke asked casually like what a normal nine year old Tifa expected her to be wouldsay.

"I was in the kitchen cleaning up. Been cooking up things. I'll teach you a cool recipe I found." She winked.

Shelke agreed to what she said. The double meaning behind them was, she had been making plans to know more about things on ShinRa behind AVALANCHE's back. The former Tsviet was helping too, but usually Rika did most of the things. She didn't want Tifa to know and Shelke was agreeing to it since Rika had found leads to her last living family member with the previous AVALANCHE.

Shalua Rui, her true blood sister.

Mideel Continent Coastal Area, Early September 0007

Did I ever say I had bad stamina?

Oh, yeah.

Running and jogging for a whole night till day again, no sleep, no sight of my targets, and I was heaving like a grandpa with a broken back.

I had a funny image that my P.E. teacher from high school was laughing at me. I was active in long distance running before college. College ruined it and made me lazy.

Well, it's not like I ever kept on running the whole day without a real rest.

I only stopped to eat a ration bar, and drank water to keep me going. No way in HELL I was going to lose Zack's trail!

There were a couple of moments in that same day where I thought I had lost Zack and Cloud completely. The good thing was that Flux was there to keep track of them.

Apparently, having Symbology powers doesn't mean you have Jedi visions or the kind of telepathy where you can suddenly see other people you want to see in the middle of nowhere. The only good thing my Symbol of Destruction thing was to destroy or to amplify destructive power. Normal Symbology spells were also mostly offensive based. Even the support types didn't help you do any tracking. So it just wasn't that useful for other things than in battle.

I'm glad I DID listen to Rika at the beginning and had Ryan's understanding there was no time to be thinking of being Sues or Stus. This was real life and as long as we could take advantage of it, we had to do whatever it took. I wasn't going to fail my mission and use the 'I didn't do enough' excuse because Cosmos gave us more than enough to make a difference.

Man, I want to sleep like a rock after this!

Lady luck was with me at that moment, it seemed that the boats in Mideel were being watched and Zack's boat that originally got him here was now in no condition to get him out of the islands. It sunk on the coast and was being drifted away by the waves. How he got here of all places in a rickety old speed boat is beyond me. The best description on what it looked like–well–it was as if a coral colony took over the bottom of the boat. I suppose Zack was pretty desperate in the first place. Not to mention he is going to the nest of ShinRa as a fugitive: Midgar.

Frankly, I was going to join in that desperation mission. Fun.

Flux had tracked Zack's footsteps that had a trail of blood leading towards the cliff arc on a reclusive shore. I sent the small droid to carefully approach Zack in the direction of the beach that formed arcs, as I stayed behind in erasing his foot tracks as well as mine from the dirt floor. I was mostly going to throw my current shoes away soon, so ShinRa has fewer clues to track me with. Perhaps a change of clothes for the other two as well later...

Speaking of blood stains, I'm certain they weren't Cloud's as Zack would be the one doing the protecting.

Perhaps he was still hurt from fighting Genesis? Maybe, but the stains looked rather fresh. Blood dries in 2-3 hours, and if Zack is carrying Cloud at a fast pace (with the chance he had healed the worst of his injuries) added in with Mako endurance…

I'm half-guessing he was attacked by monsters in the area with Cloud being dead weight like a sack of potatoes. The critters would've thought it was a good opportunity for a nice snack. The monsters never had a chance with a 1st Class ex-SOLDIER, but it doesn't seem like Zack got out unscathed. Zack's body isn't quite up to shape yet after being stuck in a lab for 3-4 years.

Glad to have a month's worth of potions and items in stock with Ryan's pestering in my pack.

I owe him a lot.

Knowing Flux's signal that he found them, I made my way to the cliffs.

Zachary Fair was having an internal debate to actually consider the thing in front of him as an enemy or not.

Smaller than the average football, black in color, he never had seen anything like it. The thing consisted of an oval body, a head that was hovering somehow in a smaller sphere, ellipse like arms in the side of its body with glowing blue eyes.

Was it a droid of sorts?

Well, it definitely wasn't a Cactuar. His time in ShinRa and even after being chased by ShinRa this time around gave no recollection of anything that gave an explanation of what it was. The way the thing looked at him and somehow 'blinked' in curiosity stopped him from attacking it.

It was just too cuuuuute!

A sudden memory appeared in his mind.

'My son wrote to me once about you, zero attention span, restless as a little puppy.'

Grumbling and emphatically shoving the memorable yet painful memory of Angeal's mother's words the last time he met her, Zack gripped the handle of his Buster sword.

He wasn't letting it near Cloud ...even if it was cute.

At the same time, the 'thing' had flown behind a rock with a squeak. The former 1st Class SOLDIER was stunned and looked at it weirdly. It didn't run away from him, as it was still peeping behind the rock. The small little guy was smart no doubt, he hadn't unsheathed his sword, and it was keeping an eye on him.

Taking his chances, Zack let go and put his hands on his knees, but hissed as his injured kneecap flared in pain and fell on his rear. Without knowing what might the small thing/creature would do, he shuffled himself in front of Cloud. At least he would be the immediate target before his comatose friend.

Feeling a lot braver, the small black oval creature leaned its head to the side. Very careful and slowly it hovered near Zack, but not too close for Zack to think it was a threat. To the ex-SOLDIER it suddenly released light from its body at the floor, and by those blue factual grid lines of light, it was scanning the floor at the trailing blood droplets. The warrior didn't like it, as now he was sure the thing was a droid. Soon the trails led to his knee.

:: You hurt? ::

Zack's eyes widened. 'Did that thing just TALK?' Even the bots that ShinRa had back in his SOLDIER days wasn't as expressive as this one.

:: Designation? ::

"What?" He said without thinking as he was still shocked. Zack was looking at the thing in bewilderment as it shook itself thinking it said the wrong word to him.

:: Name! :: the small black droid looked happily it got the right word. :: What's your name? ::

"I'm Zack," the fugitive replied. When the small bot gave a look to his unconscious friend, "Cloud."

It pointed at itself, :: Flux. Nice to meet you. :: Seeing the human was more comfortable and relaxed slightly, the small bot asked again. :: Directive? ::

"You mean a job?" Zack was finally getting into understanding the small bot's questions were like commands. There was a tiny nod. "You first." He wasn't going to think about trusting 'Flux' just yet.

:: Scout. :: Flux said proudly. :: For a friend! You?::

Honestly Zack was still taking it hard to believe Flux was trying to striking more conversation with him. He went for a safe answer. "Ex-military." Who was this friend the bot was talking about? Hopefully they had nothing to do with ShinRa. He didn't want to push his luck of getting injured, caught, and dragged again back into a Mako tank.

Flux seemed to come closer, but showed nothing harmful in front of the ex-SOLDIER. It looked solemn. :: Your friend hurt too? ::

Just as Zack wanted to reply, he tensed at the sound of footsteps entering the cavern and was greeted with a newcomer. This time he unsheathed the large sword from his back to his side, but didn't make any attempts to attack. At least he'd give the stranger a bit of caution. He didn't want to attack an innocent civilian if that was the case.

"Flux, there you are little buddy!" A friendly low voice said picking up the trembling small bot.

:: Issaaaaaac! Found them hurt! :: The small black bot wailed. :: But they think we're BADDIES! ::

The young man who looked like his age finally realized that Zack was there. 'Yup. A civilian.' Zack noted as once the stranger looked at him, he felt uncomfortable looking at Zack's large Buster Sword. The boy stood at a 5'7'', perhaps as tall as Cloud. Athletic looking, wearing a blue jacket, black shirt underneath and black cargo pants. His hand were covered by black long gloves that covered his arms. His hair was messy in a light hazel color tied into a tiny ponytail, as if he hadn't had a hair cut in a while. No doubt the stranger was carrying a pack with him, but also behind him hanging from his belt were two twin sabers attached to his belt.

He looked hesitantly at the ex-SOLDIER. "Er... I come in peace?" The stranger said lamely.

"I wouldn't be so sure about the weapons," Zack replied as easily. Normally he wasn't hostile to civilians, but he wasn't exactly feeling safe.

In a gesture of peace, the stranger took the Sabers from his belt and slid them on the floor in front of Zack quietly.

The ex-SOLDIER didn't understand why he willingly gave up his weapons. "Why did you do that?"

"A truce for now. I don't want to hurt you. Even if I did try something I'd die and be chopped liver with that big ass sword of yours," the other answered bluntly as he put his hands up. "I'm Issac Anders, I was looking for my little scout buddy, Flux."

Heart beating like a drum band, I was feeling absolutely nervous in front of my favorite game character, one I consider my hero. I felt my face heat up and I didn't really know what else to say. Flux on the other hand had nestled behind my leg using my cargo pants as a place for peek-a-boo. Man... he wasn't helping.

"Who do you work for?" Zack asked quietly with a serious face.

"No one." I snorted easing up on the situation. "I'm an Item Creator. ShinRa never likes us people unless we make potion supplies or other things exclusively for them. They prefer the market belongs to them only, it's only a wonder the Item Creation Guild is still standing since we make stuff that isn't related to ShinRa technologies." That was actually true as ShinRa was, and still is, the main economic monopoly player on the Planet. Zack was still quiet. "You guys from SOLDIER?" I added with a wary tone in my voice.

"Ex-SOLDIER," the flustered warrior in front of me corrected. "We decided to quit, but retirement isn't exactly a choice for us." He sighed as he decided I wasn't a threat to him as I never made a move to my weapons. Maybe the facts I mentioned about Item Creators and ShinRa's rocky relationship kind of made him trust me. But if I was going to get him to truly trust me, I might as well go with it casually and carefully.

"I'm Zack Fair. My friend here is Cloud. What's an Item Creator doing so far away in a place like Mideel?"

"I was looking for some rare ingredients that only this continent has. Not many of us are armed and can fight, if you can't pay the tax the stuff they get there... then usually you come yourself," I answered smoothly something I rehearsed with Ryan and Rika about our current occupation, which wasn't a lie either. "Flux found you and he alerted me he found something. I didn't realize they were people." Scratching my head slightly as I leaned down and tried to shove the small black scout in front of me. I looked to Zack injuries, his kneecap was like someone ripped it off. "Those wounds look pretty bad." That was an understatement, a normal person would be in shock and die because of blood loss.

Crossing his arms this time Zack now didn't look at me as an enemy anymore, but he was cautious. "I've had worse, but it'll be better in a day or so with Mako enhancements."

"Still, I'm getting queasy just looking at it bleeding like that." I shivered and opened my pack. "I got a few Hi-potions that should do the trick."

"You're helping me?" Zack questioned.

Giving him an odd look I took out three bottles. "I need a reason to help?" His eyes softened at those words. "If you're that curious, then just say my best friend once told me that one life is worth saving. It's because that one life can save so many others. Other than that, item creators who create healing items make them with feeling and hope that their bottle saved someone from death, you know?"

This time the ex-SOLDIER relaxed and put his Buster sword on the ground. "I could use a bottle or two. Your friend has some sound advice."

I chuckled as I got to work on his kneecap pouring the potion on it before getting some bandages and work on his knee, "Well, my friend Ryan's more like an older brother and a rival at the same time even we're if the same age. I like his pep talks to help me calm down after a panic attack, but you didn't hear it from me. Alright?"

This time Zack actually chuckled which brightens up the previous gloomy atmosphere. "You seem like an open person, Issac."

I shrugged as I finished the knot to Zack's injury with a smile. "Item's Creator's pride to make new friends with anyone they meet and help with what they can, with what they can create. It should heal up nicely tonight." I looked towards Cloud, "How's your friend?"

Guilt was immediately all over Zack's face. "It's bad. Mako poisoning." He didn't say past anything else about being in a lab. Good thing I knew about it. Quickly I took out what I knew would help. The ex-SOLDIER recognized what I held, eyes wide. "Isn't that... a Mako de-toxin?"

"Yeah, the town of Mideel is the place where the Lifestream is closest to the surface. Ryan made this for me in case I got affected by Mako somehow." I reasoned. "But– I think your friend will need it more than I will."

"Your friend's got to be talented to make stuff like that." He made no movement from where he sat.

I took his hand and gave the vial. "It's kinda our dream to make it one day more accessible to local doctors. Perhaps other medications and more useful items to be more accessible to the public than just ShinRa. Make sure he drinks it all down. It's not an instant cure, but it'll depend on Cloud how quickly he can come to."

Silence.

That's odd...Why was Zack looking guiltily at me as well? Crap, he must be thinking he's hoarding off items from me. Probably also thinking that he had no way of paying back since ShinRa could find him somehow and kill me too because I 'accidentally' was with him at the wrong time. Not going to happen.

"And don't look at me like that! I'm not the one who's injured. Do my friend Ryan a favor seeing as he actually managed to make something that did save someone's life, okay?"

A flash of a painful memory past his eyes somehow, he looked like he winced in remembering something. I didn't know what memory he was on about, no doubt it was eating him up inside.

Was he thinking of Angeal?

I inwardly cursed myself, I didn't count on the fact that Zack wasn't exactly in a good emotional state himself. Hero or no hero, the reason why he kept on fighting was to keep Cloud safe and reach Aerith. His optimistic outlook in life was just something he could hold onto to keep going, its position was already on the edge of a knife. Nonetheless, that didn't stop him from feeling guilty about causing deaths or tragedies happening to everyone else. Nibelheim, Cloud, Tifa, Angeal, Genesis, and even... Sephiroth.

It dawned on me I was sent here by Cosmos to save Zack from himself. How else was Zack going to live and fight with the whole group if he wasn't right in the heart?

Where was my best buddy Ryan the psychologist graduate when I need him?

Oh, yeah. He got Genesis to take care of.

I didn't envy him at all. I probably got the less emotionally strained person to deal with. I was having second thoughts if his idea going to a Materia cave was safe at all. I just had to keep trusting my best friend would survive somehow.

I racked my brain for a good comeback. Awkwardly, I sighed. "Sorry about that." There was another small tense silence but I spoke again. "It's just... I-I kinda lost my past with everything in it before, you just... need to do what you can do right now. Please take it. It wouldn't do me any good either and leave me guilty if I didn't help your friend who is in need."

Gratefully, Zack took that as a cue that he owed me somehow. I really didn't want to let my favorite game character owe me something, but then again... I wasn't sure what else to do. If I gave him the de-toxin by sheer goodness it didn't look like he was going to accept it just as easily.

Only now I realized that if the journey to save the world didn't kill me, emotional strains would swallow me and barf me out with no mercy. No wonder Sephiroth went insane. I wished I paid more attention to Ryan and Rika more when it came to comforting people (I wasn't the experts like they were), but it's too late for regrets and I needed to help Zack stay up on his feet somehow. While I was deep in my thoughts, Zack had went straight for Cloud and gave him the Mako de-toxin.

The ex-SOLDIER sighed in relief for the first time in many months he was with Cloud on the run from ShinRa, the blond was finally sleeping peacefully with his eyes closed. His muscles relaxed and had a serene peaceful posture as if in a halcyon dream than the blank stare just minutes before.

For months I followed him, Zack seemed to finally genuinely smile like I saw him in Crisis Core the first time he went on a mission with Angeal, even if it was tired smile. Now there's the heroicness every fan always admired and loved about him! On the other hand... I was more than astonished that Ryan's cure worked better than I expected it to be. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

I never got to mull over it though.

The next thing I knew I was hit by a train.

A black spiky headed train.

I was seeing stars as Zack, leg injury forgotten was hugging me into the air in an octopus constricting squeeze thanking me over and over.

"Zack! … Can't... breathe! Need... Ack-air-!"

Even if he meant well by it, being physically hugged to death by a Mako enhanced person can hurt people. This time I let it slide. He let me go once he realized he went a bit overboard looking sheepish as I crumpled unceremoniously to the floor. I only laughed at him back letting him know I was okay with it. Even my buddy Flux joined in the laughter. My body was probably going to ache once I woke up for tomorrow, yet I didn't regret it.

It was worth the pain to get Zack back to his more cheerful self, Zack the Puppy. He's grown a lot in his own way, had to face things that would make me feel I'd fall to pieces.

I know I can never really save Zack in battle since he is stronger than me. However, if I can save my hero by just making him smile... then that was enough.

I'm sure any fan would want their hero to smile or at least a happy ending.

Thanks for giving me a chance Cosmos, I'm working on it.

"You can't relate to a superhero, to a superman, but you can identify with a real man who in times of crisis draws forth some extraordinary quality from within himself and triumphs but only after a struggle." ~ Timothy Dalton

TBC...

(1) This refers to Fayt's power blows up when the character was under emotional stress/extreme danger in SO3. The attack that's accessible after the cut scene is called Ethereal Blast which in the game he grows white wings during the execution of the attack.

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Comments, opinions, questions, advice are welcomed! :)