Chapter 20: Max's Nightmare

Max had almost drifted off to sleep despite recent events haunting his mind, he sat up and looked at the clock at the side of the bed, and he sighed. "It's been a whole hour since we were at Cosmo Canyon," he said, "I wonder where we are now," Max shrugged his shoulders, "I guess Cid will let us know when we're nearly there," he told himself as he lay back down again and closed his eyes. Max had almost fallen asleep again when he felt someone shake him.

"Wake up Max!" A familiar voice rang in his ears, Max opened his eyes slowly and he saw Pandora standing over him.

"Pandora…" Max uttered as he sat up and yawned.

"Cid told me to tell you that we're nearly at WRO," Pandora informed Max, Max swung his legs round to the edge of the bed, he grabbed his boots that were at the foot of the bed and he put them on his feet and fastened them.

"That's good," Max replied as he slowly stood up, "there's something I have to tell Rufus."

Pandora stared at Max, "What do you mean there's something you have to tell Rufus?" Pandora questioned.

Max placed his hands on Pandora's shoulders and he smiled to reassure her, he didn't want to tell her just yet, he didn't want to worry her. "I'll explain when we get back to WRO," was all he told her, "it's better to be vague for now," he said in his head, "at least until I'm sure about what's going on."

Pandora glared at Max, "Max, I'm your wife," she reminded him, "if there's something troubling you, you should tell me, so I can help you."

Max kissed Pandora on the lips to reassure her, "I'm fine, it's just that there are things on my mind, it's nothing to worry about."

Pandora gave Max another sceptical stare but she knew Max well enough to know that he wasn't one to always open up and admit his feelings, she sighed. "Alright, but if there is something wrong you'll let me know won't you?" She asked her face was filled with concern.

Max smiled at her and he kissed her again on the lips, "Don't worry," he said reassuringly as he stroked the side of Pandora's face, "I'll tell you if there's something wrong."

Pandora smiled back, "good," she replied and she started to walk out of the room, "we better make our way to the bridge." Max followed Pandora out of the room and they made their way to the bridge where everyone else was waiting. Ten minutes later and the Sierra had landed in the WRO grounds, the group got off the Sierra and walked into the lobby where a young cute looking blonde woman was sat at the reception desk, the woman looked up and grinned at the group, Zack grinned back at her and he slowly walked up to the desk.

"Hi," he said in a friendly manner to the receptionist.

The receptionist smiled at him again, "hi," she replied just as friendly, "I haven't seen you around here before, are you new?"

Zack nodded, "yeah," he replied casually as he rested his hand on the desk and ran his other hand through his spiky hair. "I've been around you know, seen all kinds of exotic places, seen many things that you won't have seen…"

The receptionist stared at him, obviously intrigued, "are you an explorer?" she asked.

Zack's grin grew wider when he heard this, "I guess you could say that," he answered, "I'm a mercenary, but before that I was in SOLDIER."

"Really…" the receptionist asked playfully as she started to flirt with Zack more, Zack nodded and he started telling her about everything that he did while he was in SOLDIER, of course he greatly exaggerated some parts.

"So there I was against five of the biggest, meanest, ugliest Behemoths to ever walk this Earth…" Zack told his tale using elaborate gestures to add dramatic effect, the receptionist was hanging on his every word, while his friends just stood there watching. "I was completely surrounded, Behemoths to the left of me," he pointed left, "Behemoths to the right of me," he pointed right. "Ten mouths with great big fangs were snapping at me, but I wasn't scared, oh no."

"Then what happened?" The receptionist asked him not taking her eyes off him.

"Well…" Zack continued, "with my amazing skills I was able to over come my foes, with my sword I slashed away at them, striking to the left and the right and hitting them with deadly accuracy! Of course I didn't see one sneaking up behind me," Zack crept slowly up to the reception desk, "closer and closer it came it's beady red eyes were focused up on me, it's jaws snapped up and down as it came closer until POW!" Zack leapt on to the reception desk as he said this causing the receptionist to gasp. "Of course, I was way too quick for it," Zack boasted as the receptionist stared admiringly at him. "I leapt to the side and grabbed it by the tail as it sped passed. I lifted it over my head and swung it round and round, going faster and faster, when I finally let go it disappeared from sight. After twenty minutes I was surrounded by the bloody corpses of fifteen Behemoths, and thanks to me there were twenty less Behemoths in the world." Zack leapt off the reception desk again when he had finished, the receptionist smiled at him.

"Wow!" She exclaimed as she stood up and got closer to Zack, "you know, I could really use a strong, handsome man like you."

Zack grinned at her, "Really…" He asked, then a little voice suddenly spoke up in Zack's head, "What the hell do you think you're doing? You're with Aerith now, you're supposed to be a one woman man and here you are flirting, Aerith's gonna kill you for this!" Zack listened to the little voice in his head and he started to back away from the receptionist slightly, and he decided to talk about a less dangerous topic, but it didn't really work. Little did Zack know was that Aerith was stood behind him gritting her teeth.

Tifa saw this and she spoke to Aerith, "Aerith, are you ok?" She asked her friend.

"I'm fine…" Aerith said through gritted teeth, "Excuse me for a moment," Aerith walked passed the group and over to the reception desk where Zack was talking to the receptionist, she reached out, grabbed Zack by the ear and started dragging him away.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Zack cried out in pain as Aerith dragged him back towards the group, "you're hurting my ear!"

"Good," Aerith replied as she finally let go of his ear, "how could you do that to me?"

"Alright," Zack confessed, there was no point in denying it since everyone saw him flirting with the receptionist. "I was flirting with her, I can't help myself, but then when I heard the little voice in my head I realised what I was doing and I tried to back off." Aerith turned away from him and she folded her arms, "It's true I swear," Zack defended himself. "I'm with you now, I know I flirt with other women from time to time but I'd never ever in my right mind cheat on you." Zack walked round Aerith until he was facing her, but when she still refused to look at him he placed his finger under her chin and pushed her face up to look at him. Aerith looked into his eyes and she saw that his expression was sincere, but she wanted more proof, Zack knew this so he continued, "remember when I went away on that mission to Nibelheim?" Zack asked Aerith.

Aerith nodded, "yeah," she answered.

"Well, I was on my back to Midgar to see you when I was killed," Zack replied, "I was imprisoned for five years and experimented on by Hojo, five years is a long time, I could've easily forgotten you, but I didn't. All that time I thought about coming back to you, it was the thought of you that kept me going all those years, the thought of you that stopped me from going insane."

Aerith smiled at Zack, she knew that even though he was a flirt he'd still remain loyal to her, she wrapped her arms round his neck and hugged him, "I know you wouldn't cheat on me," she told Zack, "but I wish you wouldn't flirt with other women, it drives me mad."

Zack smiled back, "I'll restrain myself from now on," Zack reassured Aerith, satisfied Aerith and Zack walked back to the rest of the group just as Rufus entered the lobby, Zack glared at Rufus and he gritted his teeth, it was no secret that Zack bore hatred for this man despite the fact that he had reformed.

"Ah, so you've finally arrived," Rufus greeted them all, "I see you have two new allies," he turned his attention to Aerith and Zack who was resisting the urge to not run up and knock Rufus through the nearest wall. "I guess the reason why you all took so long was because you all decided to have a touching moment."

"Oh I'll give him a touching moment…" Zack said through gritted teeth as he flexed his muscles and started to walk towards Rufus. It took the combined efforts of Cloud and Max to hold him down.

"Zack," Cloud told his friend as he grabbed hold of Zack's left arm to hold him back, "please just leave it…Rufus is a good guy now."

"Cloud's right…" Max agreed with Cloud as he grabbed hold of Zack's right arm and started dragging the newly revived ex SOLDIER back. "Shit…he's strong…"

Despite Cloud and Max's combined efforts they couldn't completely stop Zack and he slowly made his way closer and closer to Rufus. Reno and Rude quickly stepped in front of Rufus. "I know we're on the same side and all," Reno spoke calmly but he had his nightstick ready to shock Zack if he need to. Rude was also stood in a fighting stance holding his fists out. "But we have still have a sworn duty to protect Rufus at any cost and we'll use whatever force necessary to stop you from harming him."

Zack glared at Reno and Rude, "so the ex president is still hiding behind his goons," Zack spat vehemently.

"The Turks are nothing like they used to be," Reno told Zack, "ok I admit that we were after you when you broke out of the Shinra Mansion basement, but we didn't want to kill you." Zack still glared at Reno and Rude and he still fought against the hold Max and Cloud had on him, Aerith came running up to Zack.

"Please Zack," she pleaded with her boyfriend, tears welled in her eyes, she hated seeing him like this, but at the same time she knew why he was angry. Shinra had ruined his life to the point where he lost it and she understood why Zack wanted to kick the shit out of Rufus, but she also knew that Rufus was sorry for everything that he and his company had done. "I know Shinra have hurt you in the past but Rufus is trying his best to restore the planet to what it once was, you were in the Life Stream too, you saw everything that happened. Or did the anger you felt for Shinra blind you?"

Zack hung his head, he knew that Aerith was right, she was always right, he stopped in his tracks and breathed heavily, waiting for the anger inside him to die down. Once it did Max and Cloud released him and Zack ran his hand through his hair, "you're right Aerith," he said, "I shouldn't let my personal issues get in the way. I want to help the planet too, even if it means working with someone who was once my enemy." Reno and Rude stepped away from Rufus and Rufus walked up to Zack.

"Believe me Zack," he said by way of apology, "I know at times I was an even more cruel president than my father, but now that I look back on it I see all the terrible things that have been done in the name of Shinra. I want you to know that I knew nothing about the experiments that Hojo conducted on you and Cloud at the time, I know you hate my guts right now, but we're on the same side now, so can we please try to get along or I'll have to ask Reno and Rude to restrain you." Zack nodded, he didn't like it but he knew that Rufus was right and that in order to save the planet from this new threat they had to work together.

"Fine," he gave in, "I'll co operate, but I'm doing it for Aerith, not you." Rufus nodded to show that he understood, Max walked up to Rufus.

"Rufus, is it ok if we hold a meeting? There's something I want to tell everyone," Max asked Rufus.

"What is it?" Rufus questioned.

"I'll tell everyone in the meeting room," Max answered.

Ten minutes later and everyone was sat in the meeting room, "So what's this all about Max?" Barret asked as he banged his fist on the table.

"Yeah," Sunny agreed with Barret, "you look worried," she told Max, she had a concerned expression on her face.

"There's something I have to tell you guys," Max answered, "The Life Stream is being corrupted."

"WHAT?!" Everyone in the room except Max, Aerith and Zack yelled at once.

"What do ya mean the bloody Life Stream's been corrupted!" Cid cursed loudly, like everyone else Cid was focused on Max.

"Well…" Max with the help of Zack and Aerith explained what was going on, how the reactors in Midgar had been rebuilt and is sucking in the Life Stream small amounts at a time.

"I thought the reactors in Midgar were destroyed," Tifa spoke up after Max, Zack and Aerith had finished their explanation.

"Hojo could've easily repaired them," Vincent replied, his voice and expression were as sombre as ever.

"Yeah, great Vincent," Drogo muttered sarcastically while rolling his eyes, "you and Isis would be great at a party."

"I don't do parties," Isis stated miserably and she glared at Drogo.

"Gee, no wonder you're always so miserable," Drogo mumbled under his breath, he could barely be heard.

"The question is," Cloud asked looking round the room at everyone. "What do we do about it?"

"Hmmm," Rufus thought for a while, "I have no doubt that Hojo's master would've ordered him to put extra security in the reactors, which means breaking into them could be tricky."

"There has to be a way to infiltrate the reactors," Angel cut in as she looked around the room hoping people would give some suggestions.

Barret looked at Zack, "You're an ex SOLDIER right?" He asked Zack.

Zack nodded, "yeah, but I haven't been in a reactor since the Nibelheim incident," he answered, "it's like..." Zack tried to think of something nasty he could call Rufus but a quick glare from Aerith made him think twice. "Rufus said, Hojo could've easily added some extra security to the reactors."

"We'll find a way to infiltrate the reactors," Tifa reassured everyone, "we've been through worse than this."

"What can be worse than a Necromancer who's slowly corrupting the very life force of the planet?" Max asked as he stared at Tifa.

"You know what I mean!" Tifa snapped as she glared at Max.

While Max and Tifa were arguing, Zack started creating knives in his hands and threw them at the wall causing them to stick into the wall. "Zack stop creating knives and throwing them," Cloud told Zack off, "Huh?" Cloud looked in Zack's direction.

Zack merely shrugged in response, "what?" He asked as he realised that everyone in the room was staring at him.

"Wait," Cloud said to Zack, "do that again."

"Do what again?" Zack asked.

"Create a knife," Cloud answered, Zack held his hand out, a bright green light flared in his hand, a few seconds later a knife appeared in Zack's hand. Everyone except Zack and Aerith gasped at this.

"Amazing," Vincent stated, "it seems that Zack has a hammerspace ability."

"Yeah," Zack cut in, "pretty neat huh?"

"You knew about it?" Cloud asked the ex SOLDIER.

Zack nodded, "yeah," he answered as he grinned at Cloud, "I guess it's because I spent all that time in the Life Stream."

"So I guess this means you have a dimension too," Max added.

Zack nodded and he smiled at the Kitsune, "yeah, I guess you could say that."

"So can you only create knives?" Lance asked Zack, "or can you create other weapons as well?"

Zack stood up and his grin grew wider, "I can create any weapon I wanted, here watch this." Zack held both his arms out and a green water like substance flowed through his arms down to his hands, a few seconds later two large Buster swords appeared, one in each hand. The weapons were almost as tall as Zack was and they looked too heavy to use, but Zack held them with ease.

"How can you carry those things?" Angel asked as she and everyone else stared at Zack in awe.

The swords disappeared as quickly as they appeared, "oh that's easy," Zack answered, "I was trained in using broadswords."

"Cool!" Drogo exclaimed, "so what other abilities do you have?"

Zack grinned slyly and he tapped his nose, "that's for me to know and you to find out," he said vaguely.

"Anyway…" Rufus cut in before anyone else could say anything and they all sat down again. Zack placed both his feet on the table, put his arms round the back of his head and leant back on his chair much to Rufus' chagrin. "We have to figure out how to put a stop to this operation."

"Apart from espionage," Reno asked, "what else do you suggest?"

"Midgar is even more dangerous now than it was before Meteor," Cloud told the Turk.

"Cloud is right," Isis added, "I estimate that there has been a 50 rise in monster activity in the past week."

"Again Isis," Drogo muttered sarcastically earning him an evil glare from the cybernetic feline, "you'll be great a party."

Isis was about to respond with a comeback of her own but she was interrupted, "will you two just shut up?!" Max yelled causing everyone to stare at him in a stunned silence, "you're constant arguing is giving me a headache, Drogo!" He glared at Drogo, "stop with the sarcastic comments, Isis!" He then glared at Isis, "stop being miserable and stop predicting the success and failure of everything, you're not a robot for Christ sake!" Max sat back down again as he could feel everyone's eyes on him, Rufus immediately cleared his throat.

"I think we should put this meeting on hold for a while," he sensibly suggested, "give everyone a chance to calm down and think logically about the situation." Everyone got up from their seats and walked out of the meeting room, Max walked out of the lobby and into the grounds. He spotted an alcove eight floors above him, with a single leap he landed on the alcove and sat down, he looked out to the horizon just in time to see the sun setting. He looked East to where Edge was and he looked even further East to see the ruins of Midgar and Max's heart sank as he saw more of the Life Stream being forced into the reactors and coming out that horrible dark purple colour and the clouds surrounding Midgar grew thicker.

Max sighed, "Why's this happening?" He asked himself, "there's no way we can stop this, more and more of the Life Stream is being corrupted every moment." But the corrupted Life Stream wasn't the only thing on his mind, he was being constantly haunted by what his foes were planning to do. "What does it all mean? What could they possibly have planned for this planet, apart from shrouding it in darkness?" Max didn't ponder about it for long as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Huh? Where am I?" Max woke up to find himself in a strange but beautiful place, he slowly staggered to his feet and looked at his surroundings, on closer examination he saw that he was in a garden, he was standing under a large blossom tree, every single one of its branches were covered with pink and white blossoms. He looked to his right and he saw a river which led to a lake. He turned to his left and he saw a large marble bird bath with a couple of birds bathing in it, the garden didn't look at all familiar to him. "I guess I'm not in WRO anymore," He said to himself, Max could hear the sound of someone singing in the distance, he walked further into the garden following the source of the sound. He eventually came up to a white bench underneath another blossom tree and there sat on the bench was none other than…

"Pandora!" Max called out Pandora's name as he ran up to her, Pandora immediately stopped singing, she opened her eyes and smiled as she saw Max approach her. She stood up and ran up to him and she leapt into his arms and the two were locked in an embrace. Max stared into Pandora's pink eyes with his own blue eyes, Pandora's expression then changed to a confused one.

"Where are we?" She asked, still not letting go of Max.

"I don't know," Max answered her, "but whatever this place is I don't want to leave it, not yet anyway." He smiled at Pandora, "What were you singing anyway?"

Pandora blushed, "it's nothing," she replied obviously embarrassed.

"Come on tell me," Max pleaded with Pandora.

"It's just a song I made up," she answered.

"Well it's a beautiful song," Max complimented her, "and you have such a beautiful voice," Pandora smiled at him.

"You really think so?" She asked staring hopefully into Max's eyes.

Max nodded, "definitely," he replied, he looked around him and he saw that they were the only two people there, "you know, we're finally alone here, it's just the two of us."

"There's no one else here?" Pandora questioned.

Max shook his head, "see for yourself," he told her, Pandora looked all around her and she that there was nothing there except for a few birds. She smiled at Max and he smiled back at her, Max wrapped his arms tighter round Pandora's waist, the two came even closer together until their faces were almost touching. However Max sensed that there was something off and he opened his eyes to see Pandora stood there, her eyes were wide open and glazed with pain. Her mouth was also wide open as if she was trying to cry out in pain but for some reason no sound came out. "Pandora…" Max whispered his face was filled with concern, he had seen this before, when he was shot. Pandora didn't answer him, Max looked down and he saw blood trickling from a wound in Pandora's side, he saw a sword sticking into the wound, he followed the sword up and to his horror he saw Balthazar standing there holding the sword.

"Balthazar!" Max yelled at his evil uncle.

"I told you I'd get my revenge," Balthazar replied calmly, he wasn't fazed by this at all, "and it looks like Pandora got what she deserved."

"Balthazar you bastard!" Max continued to yell at Balthazar, but all he could do was glare at him, he didn't want to let go of Pandora.

"Oh don't worry Max," Balthazar told his nephew, "soon you'll suffer the same fate as your beloved wife." Balthazar twisted the sword slightly in Pandora's wound, doubling the pain before he removed it and walked off with a smug smile on his face. Pandora slumped forward and she would've fallen to the ground if Max hadn't have had hold of her. "Pandora…" Max called out her name again, Pandora stared up at Max her eyes were still glazed with pain. Max couldn't bear to see her like that. Pandora coughed and tiny specks of blood flew out of her mouth and landed on Max's shirt.

"…Max…" She whispered weakly calling out Max's name.

"It's ok," Max reassured her even though he could feel the tears burning in his eyes. "I'm here."

"…Goodbye…Max…" Pandora uttered as she felt the last of her strength leave her, her eyes rolled into her head before they slowly closed never to open again, she breathed her last breath before she stopped moving completely. Max eased Pandora slowly to the ground and he took hold of her in his arms.

"Pandora…" Max whispered her name and gently shook her but she didn't respond, Max felt a sudden pain in his heart like a part of him was missing. It was at that moment that he realised that Pandora was dead. "No…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Max yelled his anguish to the heavens as the realisation that the woman he loved was gone and that a part of him had died with her. He cradled Pandora in his arms and he felt the tears burn in his eyes once more as he cried into Pandora's chest. How long he was like that for he didn't know but he was sure that somewhere in the distance someone was calling his name.

"Max…"

"Leave me alone…"

"Max…"

"Please go away, leave me alone with my pain…"

MAX!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" Max screamed as he woke up, his body was dripping with cold sweat and he was breathing heavily, he looked around him and he saw that he was back on the alcove again, Max started to relax. "It was just a dream…" he whispered to himself.

"What was a dream?"

Max looked up and he saw Pandora hovering in front of him, she looked perfectly normal and she had no wounds on her anywhere. "Pandora…" Max uttered her name, he couldn't help but be relieved, "you're alive…"

Pandora gave Max a confused stare, "of course I'm alive," she stated, "why wouldn't I be?"

"It's nothing," Max answered, he didn't want to tell her that he had a dream about her dying, he didn't want to worry Pandora.

"It didn't sound like nothing to me," Pandora told him, Max stared at her, "I was searching everywhere for you," Pandora explained, "then I heard the sound of someone moaning, it came from high up so I flew up here to investigate. I saw you tossing and turning and I heard you call out my name."

"You did?" Max asked Pandora.

Pandora nodded, "yeah," she replied, "you had me worried."

"Oh sorry," Max apologised, "I didn't mean to worry you."

"You must've been out for some time," Pandora remarked, she knew that he didn't want to talk about it, so she decided to let it drop.

Max ran his hand through his hair, he looked out to see that the sky was now completely dark, the moon and the stars were shining brightly in the night sky, "well I'll be damned," he laughed out loud, he couldn't help but express his relief that Pandora was still alive. "I guess I was out for a while." Pandora smiled and then she yawned.

"Well it's getting late," she said sleepily, "I think I'm gonna go to bed, you coming?"

Max shook his head, "you go on ahead, I don't think I'll be able to sleep, but I'll catch up with you later." Pandora sighed slightly but she knew that Max was right, he wouldn't be able to sleep now.

"I'll be in our room if you change your mind," Pandora told him and she flew off. Max sighed and shook his head, still trying to get over the shock of his nightmare. "It was just a dream," Max reassured himself, "nothing's gonna happen to Pandora as long as I protect her."

"That's what you said before," Dark Max cut in, "and look what happened."

"I saved her didn't I?" Max questioned his dark side.

"Yeah, right after you came to your senses," Dark Max remarked.

"Thanks Dark, your words of wisdom fill me with so much confidence," Max muttered sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Dark Max said just as sarcastically.

"But what if it's a sign?" Max asked himself half expecting the worst.

"Or you could just be reading too much into it," Aurora suggested helpfully.

"Ok," Max theorised, "it could have just been a dream, but say it wasn't and I did nothing, could I live with the guilt knowing what could've happened and not doing anything about it."

"Kitsune's do have vivid dreams sometimes," Aurora informed Max, "but it doesn't mean that they are visions of the future, you're dream is just a manifestation of your worst fear."

"Pandora getting hurt or killed," Max replied, he knew what Aurora was getting at.

"You have to be careful Max, if your enemies know about your fear they won't hesitate to use it against you."

"I know that for a fact," Max said to Aurora, it wasn't the first time his enemies used his worst fears against him.

"I'm just saying that you shouldn't run head first into things," Aurora warned Max. "It will just get you in to trouble."

"I know mum," Max reassured Aurora.

"I'm sorry Max," Aurora apologised, "but you're my son and I can't help but worry about you."

"I'm fine mum," Max continued to reassure his mother, "I'm a grown man now, I'm married."

"Please be careful," Aurora pleaded with Max.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," Max said, "now if you don't mind I'd like a little privacy if that's not too much trouble."

"You know where I am if you need me," Aurora said to her son before she disappeared.

Max jumped off the alcove and he landed gracefully on his feet, he walked round the grounds thinking about what he had seen, still unsure of what to make of it. "Was it a dream?" Was a question that Max kept asking himself over and over again. Max was wrapped up in his thoughts that he wasn't even aware of his surroundings, in fact his body seemed to be on auto pilot. It was only when he felt something brush against his head that he snapped out of his thoughts.

"Ouch!" Max cried out as he rubbed his head where he got hit, he looked up to see a large pure white snowy owl carrying what looked like a small dead mouse in its beak. It flew up and perched on one of the low lying branches and with a quick flick of its head it swallowed the mouse whole. Max took a closer look and he saw that there was something off about it, he noticed that the owl had deep blue eyes which glowed strangely rather than the amber coloured eyes owls normally have. Max also noticed what looked like black spiky hair on the owl's head running down the length of its back. Max shook his head and he couldn't help but smile at the bird, "hi Zack," Max said casually.

At these words the owl opened up his wings and he flew to the ground, a bright green light surrounded him and a few seconds later Zack was stood where the owl used to be. "How did you know it was me?" he asked staring intently at Max.

"The eyes and the hair were a big give away," Max answered, "other than that, you really did look like an owl."

Zack ran his hand through his spiky hair, "I seriously need to work on my transformations," he told Max, "but it doesn't matter how hard I try, I still have the spiky hair and the bright blue eyes."

"Maybe it's so we can identify you from any other animal," Max suggested, "and you still have a mouse tail sticking out of your mouth." Max pointed to the tail sticking out of Zack's mouth.

"Oh really…" Zack asked as he tilted his head back and the tail slid down his throat, Max pulled a disgusted face.

"Eeewww…Zack do you mind!?"

"Sorry," Zack apologised, "I was an owl about a minute ago," he made a small hooting sound like an owl, "I sometimes pick up the behavioural patterns of whatever animal I change into, sometimes I make the sounds even when I'm back in my human form." Zack hooted again, "It only lasts for a few seconds."

"Ah ha…" Max stared at Zack.

"Ok, I think the owl behavioural patterns have worn off," Zack said, "actually, I've never really spent much time as a bird. I mostly transformed into a wolf, Aerith once said that I have a better disposition as a wolf," Max laughed at this. "The tail I could live with," Zack continued, "but the fleas were murder."

"No kidding," Max commented he still laughed a little. "Why were you up so late?"

"I was practicing my transformations," Zack answered, "you never know when it might come in handy. Besides," Zack said as he stared even more intently at Max, "I could ask you the same question."

"I was just thinking," Max answered vaguely, "I guess I must've lost track of the time."

"Happens to the best of us," Zack commented he gave Max a sympathetic smile, he then looked up at the sky and turned his gaze towards Midgar, the large purple cloud was still visible. "The Life Stream is becoming more and more corrupted," Zack said with a sigh, "Aerith's becoming increasingly worried."

"You can feel the Life Stream, can't you?"

Zack nodded, "I was part of the Life Stream for sometime remember, all these abilities like being able to create weapons out of nowhere and changing my form, I didn't have them until I entered the Life Stream."

Max nodded, "yeah, I know," he said to his relatively new friend, after a while Max finally yawned, "well I think I'm gonna go to bed, night Zack."

"Night Max," Zack said as Max walked off and entered the WRO building, Zack stood there for a second or two before he transformed into an owl again and flew up to the highest branch to get a better look at his surroundings. "I hope we can put a stop to this before it's too late."

Chapter 20 is finally complete, although this chapter had quite a bit of comedy in it, there was also a serious moment as well. Was Max's nightmare a sign of what was gonna happen sometime in the not too distant future? Or was it just a dream? Well that's something you'll have to figure out for yourselves, I'm not gonna give you the answer just yet. Things are getting a little more sinister, ha, ha, ha. Excuse the evil laugh, I couldn't resist it. Chapter 21 will be coming soon, just a reminder that I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its affiliated characters. I do however own characters I created myself.