A/N: I see that some of you have been wondering if Aerith is going to make an appearance in the story. According to Crisis Core, Zack met Aerith as a Second Class SOLDIER and—in this story—he only just recently been promoted to Second Class. So yes, Aerith is forthcoming, but she won't appear for a while. You're going to have to be patient, ZackxAerith fans. :)
Chapter 18
Three figures carefully make their way to a grassy knoll on the outskirts of Kalm. The moon shone brightly in the night sky as the strangers went about setting up camp with only one heavy-duty flashlight, three sleeping bags, and a sizable canvas tent. Once done, they lay their sleeping bags in a circle with the head ends pointed towards the center of the tent. One of the strangers opens the sunroof flap of the tent, creating a window to the starry heavens above.
"Never thought we'd finally get the chance to do this," exclaims Zack excitedly, lying down on his Shin-Ra issued sleeping bag.
"Man, I haven't slept under the stars in such a long time," adds Zen, letting her long black hair out after being tied up all day. "And the country air is SOOO much nicer than the stuffy city."
"You've got that right," agrees Kunsel, laying his head on his hands.
Indeed, camping out like little mischievous kids looking for trouble was something they usually did at least once a month back when they were mere troopers of the Shin-Ra army. Becoming members of SOLDIER really put a damper on their spontaneous tradition as differing mission schedules meant fewer opportunities to do outings like this together. But even when they do get simultaneous days off, most of it was spent sparring one another in the training room. No one said things were going to be easier once they got into SOLDIER, but that didn't mean they couldn't try to make the best of it.
"You know Zen, if you dye your hair silvery white, you could totally pass for a shorter Sephiroth," notes Zack.
"And why on Planet would I do that?" responds the young woman with a raised eyebrow. "Are you saying Sephiroth looks like a woman?"
"Please, he looks more like a woman than you do," banters Zack with a playful grin.
"I'm so going to tell Sephiroth that when we get back," threatens Zen.
"Go ahead. He'd probably agree," continues Zack.
The young man was quickly awarded with a pillow thrown firmly into his face while Kunsel chokes into a bout of laughter.
"Ha ha," responds Zen with a sarcastic scowl, retrieving her pillow back. "This coming from the guy who says we should be more mature since we're Second Class SOLDIER members now."
"At least we'll always have Kunsel for some maturity in our trio," says Zack, looking over to the brunette in question.
"Gee, I feel honored," jokes Kunsel with a smile.
After the three of them finally got settled down, they stare up at the stars overhead in silence for a while.
"You know, back in Hoku Vilage, the kids and I would play this one game at night," spoke up Zen. "A group of us would lie around in a circle like this and each of us would make a prediction about the future as we stare at the stars. For each shooting star that appears afterwards, that means one more of our predictions will come true. So if the three of us make one prediction each and we see three shooting stars afterwards, that means all of our predictions will come true."
"Sounds like fun," notes Zack. "Who wants to go first?"
"I nominate Kunsel!" Zen exclaims happily.
"Allright, fine," chuckles the brunette. He takes a deep breath of fresh air and looks at the stars intently. "I predict… we'll all become First Class SOLDIER members within the next year."
"Ha ha, cool," responds Zack with a smile. "In that case, I predict we'll do something so awesome, everyone will forget about Sephiroth."
"Yeah, you wish, Porcupine," laughs Zen. "I predict… you guys will find really nice girls, move back to your hometowns, and live in nice houses with little Zacks and Kunsels running around."
"That's cute. Little Zacks running amuck," says Kunsel. "Although the idea does scare me somewhat."
"Oh ha ha," remarks Zack. "Just for that, if I have a daughter, I'm naming her Kunselia."
Zen bursts out in a fit of laughter upon hearing that, rolling on her side and hugging her stomach. "Kunselia…"
Just then, a bright star shot its way across the night sky. The three of the watch in awe as it left a trail of light in its wake.
"Only one shooting star," says Zack, disappointed. "I wonder which of our predictions will come true."
"I guess we'll have to wait and see," replies Zen.
Things quiet down again, filling the tent with silence save for the chirping of crickets outside.
"So, Zen," spoke up Kunsel. "How are things going with you and Sebastian?"
"Bastard's still alive, if that's any consolation," utters Zen bitterly. She had been on a few missions with Sebastian since the incident, but the two have done well to tolerate one another having been promoted to Second Class at the same time along with Essai. Zen has taken a liking to the meek blonde and made it a habit of not being violent with Sebastian in the blonde's presence. Although, once Essai is out of the picture, it's a wonder the Shin-Ra headquarters still has a SOLDIER floor. Memories of the training room undergoing repairs for a week remain in all three minds.
"He's pretty tight with Essai, isn't he?" remarks Zack.
"They probably met each other as troopers, just like us," assumes Kunsel. "I know I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you two."
"Aww Kunsel, don't say that," says Zen, pillowing her head on her hands. "You're totally SOLDIER material, with or without us."
They listen to the peaceful chirping of crickets as a soft breeze blows through the tent for a while. Up high above them, the moon shines brightly from its highest point in the sky, blanketing everything in a gentle hue of blue.
"Hey guys," Zack speaks up after some time had passed. "What's going to happen after we become First Class SOLDIER members?"
"Well, obviously, we're not going to stay young forever," chuckles Zen. "I mean, sooner or later we'll retire, go our own separate ways, start our own families, raise our kids to follow in our footsteps…"
"But… what if… all of us don't make it?" Kunsel wonders hesitantly.
A contemplative silence falls upon all three of them.
"Well, whatever happens… happens," says Zen solemnly. "We're only human, after all. Every mission always comes with a risk. We all knew that at the beginning."
Looking up at the stars, Zack couldn't fathom what life would be like without either Zen or Kunsel. They've been together for, what, four long years now? Wow, he didn't realize that so much time had already passed. It feels like only yesterday the three of them were thirteen years old and enlisting into the Shin-Ra army as infantrymen. Sure, there had been plenty of close calls for them in the past, but it wasn't anything Zack couldn't handle. Okay, so maybe he wasn't able to cope with that time when Zen had a sword run right through her and Kunsel had a bullet lodged into his leg. Come to think of it, Zack hadn't really gotten into much serious physical trouble as he usually been able to come out of every mission almost unscathed.
Was he really that much more capable than his friends? Zack shakes his head at the disheartening thought. Living on while his friends die out was not something he was very fond of. He knows very well this team they've created won't last forever. But he can't help but wish it would. Perhaps that was what prompted his rather rhetorical question. He could tell deep down that both Zen and Kunsel have been pondering the same thing. Would they be able to move on if two out of three of them kicked the bucket?
It was depressing to think about it, but not a day passed by Zack and the others didn't think about it. Sure, with confidence and determination, they can pull through anything. But there was nothing to stop any of them from wondering if the next mission would be their last.
Softly out of the blue, Zack hears the sound of someone humming a soothing melody. Kunsel hears it too and knows as well as Zack does where the source was. Even as steadfast about being a tomboy as she was, Zen still retains a hint of feminine charm with her untapped vocal ability. The first and only times they had ever heard the girl express her musical talent were when she was in the shower back when they were still mere troopers living together in a suite. She was embarrassed at first from being discovered, but eventually became comfortable enough with the boys to sing aloud when the situation needed it. If Zen ever has children, they'd be the luckiest kids on the Planet to never have sleepless nights.
As Zen continues her gentle lullaby the three of them gradually drift off to sleep, comforted by sweet dreams of the future.
Zack found himself back at home in Gongagga, standing at the doorway to his hut-like home after being away for so long. He could hear his mother fussing around in the kitchen, the smell of her special savory tomato sauce wafting in the air. He saw his father sitting down at the kitchen table while his mother lays down a big bowl of spaghetti. Zack could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he couldn't wait to be reunited with his parents and enjoy his mother's cooking once again.
He walks toward the table, but suddenly sinks into the ground before he could reach it. He felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into an unfamiliar lake. He looks up to see a bright white light and the face of a blonde-haired man he didn't recognize. He reaches up towards the man, beckoning desperately for help as he feels his lungs reach its breath-holding limit. At long last, his struggles ended in vain as his lungs let out and water rushes into his throat…
Zack opens his eyes in time to see some furry beast's tongue vigorously lapping up his face. Crying out in surprise, he leaps to his feet to see a very friendly blackish brown pup look up happily at him.
Kunsel hears the commotion and jumps to his feet about as fast as Zack did upon seeing the creature milling about in the tent.
"What the?" he cries out. "How'd that get in here?"
"ZEN!" Zack cups his hands around his mouth and yells loudly to the remaining sleeping form. "ZEN, WAKE UP!"
If there's anything extremely annoying about Zen aside from her irregular hygiene habits, it's how she sleeps like a rock. Literally. She gives new meaning to the term heavy sleeper. Back when they were infantrymen, Zack and Kunsel were simply amazed at how she managed to sleep through the loudest fire drills on the Planet. If those alarms were loud enough to wake the dead but not Zen, something is surely wrong here.
"Crap, crap, crap! What if that thing bites her and gives her rabies?" exclaims Kunsel nervously.
Zack and Kunsel both shudder at the thought of dealing with an armed and rabies-infected Zen. Without warning, they hear Zen stir in her sleep and then what seemed like an eternity passed before she finally opens her eyes.
"Aww, there you are, Conan!" she smiles at the wolf pup gazing up at her.
"Conan?" both boys exclaim in shock.
"Yeah, I've been meaning to tell you guys, but the subject never came up," Zen utters with an embarrassed grin, scratching the back of her head.
"How long have you had this dog?" wonders Kunsel. Then another thought pops up in his head. "Where did you keep this dog?"
"Don't worry, I don't keep him in the barracks," assures Zen, scooping Conan onto her lap. "In fact, I don't take care of him at all. He just pops up out of nowhere and follows me around when I'm alone. And then when I go back to the barracks, he disappears."
"So you're saying he followed you here?" Zack exclaims incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"Looks that way," Zen shrugs in response. "I wonder why he didn't appear the last few times the three of us were together."
"I'm more interested in what he is," speaks up Kunsel, sitting down next to Zen when he saw that the puppy wasn't aggressive. "Look at the fur coloration. The Kalm Fang species of wolves in this area have a violet hue in their fur. This pup has a brown hue, which means it's a Nibel Wolf species."
"Nibel? As in Nibelheim? On the Western Continent, which is ALL the way over there across the ocean?" Zack articulates with hand gestures. "I find it hard to believe a little pup like him would manage to travel all this way."
"Well, this little guy did," says Zen, lifting Conan up to her face.
"What are you going to do with him?" asks Kunsel. "You can't let him follow you around forever. He's going to get hurt or killed sooner or later."
"He's been doing fine so far these past 2 months since I discovered him," asserts Zen, putting the pup on her lap. "I don't know what he eats or where he sleeps, but I think he can manage on his own."
"What a weird pup," says Zack, crouching down to poke Conan on the nose with a finger.
"I think he likes you, Zack the Puppy," chuckles Kunsel as he watches the wolf pup lick Zack's hand.
"I knew you were going to bring that up," Zack scowls in return.
"Wait, what's all this 'Zack the Puppy' business?" wonders Zen eagerly. "What have I been missing out?"
"You can thank Angeal for Zack's new nickname," explains Kunsel. "He says that Zack's so energetic, he's like a rambunctious little puppy."
"If we're referring to rambunctious people, we could call Zen a puppy, too," argues Zack.
"Hey now, I don't want to be the type to encroach on someone else's title," responds Zen, lifting her hands up. "And puppy suits you so much better than me." She scoops up Conan again and puts his face next to Zack's. "See? The resemblance is uncanny!"
The annoyed young man frowns in response as Zen and Kunsel breaks out in laughter.
A/N: The whole stars prediction game thing is something I made up entirely on my own. If there's some culture or something that already does this, it's a complete coincidence. In fact, if there is a group of people out there that does this stars prediction game, please do tell me. I'd love to know about it. ^_^
Gee, I wonder if we'll see that mysterious puppy again. *gigglesnort*