Shortly after the meeting had adjourned, the rest of S.E.E.S. headed back to their rooms while Ikutsuki took Zack back downstairs once more.
Returning to the first floor, he gestured Zack to walk to the far right of reception towards a door tucked away in the corner.
Careful not to trip over anything, Zack minded his surroundings as he carefully walked through the cased opening that led to the reception's interior containing a bookshelf, mailbox, and a computer placed on top of a desk.
He minded his footing as he made sure to step over the computer's extended plugs and chords that crept across the carpeted floor as Ikutsuki inserted a key into the doorknob, turning it as Zack heard a click.
"After you, Mr. Fair." Ikutsuki offered, opening the door for him as he took a step back to allow him to go first.
"Thanks…" Zack nodded.
With the lights currently turned off, Zack instinctively reached over towards the wall right beside the door's entrance, thankfully able to feel the bump of a light switch.
Flicking it, he was able to get a small glimpse of the inside of the room.
One of the first comparisons he ran in his mind were the three bed hotel room he shared with his colleagues back in Nibelheim's hotel, and Aerith's home back in Sector 5.
The room appeared to be a lot smaller than the hotel and yet was slightly bigger than Aerith's dining room & kitchen put together.
For one person, it presented an opportunity of convenience to have his own space.
As he glimpsed around the medium rectangular shaped space he was in, he took in the simplistic white and yellow wall decal that covered every inch of the room's walls, starting to take note of everything already placed inside.
On the far-right corner, a bed with clean sheets and blankets already pre-made lay ready for him to use, in addition to what appeared to be a vertical sword stand that looked long enough to hold his Buster Sword.
In the left corner right beside the bed lay a wooden drawer and dresser right next to a small desk and lamp.
Towards the mid central area of the room, a couch was placed on the right side in front while a medium box shaped CRT television set that was placed on the left, standing atop a small wooden drawer, all the while accompanied by a short wooden table that lay between the two.
Thankfully enough distance lay between the three in the center so that Zack could shimmy past them quickly without bumping into them.
The last thing Zack noticed was another door to his very right, leading to a small bathroom. As he turned the doorknob, peeked inside, and flicked the light switch on, he could see that there were toiletries, self care, and cleaning products, all neatly lined up already within the sink and shower area.
A shiver of nostalgia rung in Zack's head as he took another step back to absorb the room, walking past the central the table in the center, inches from his new bed.
It was almost like his days in SOLDIER when Shinra provided him and everyone else the accommodations they needed, but the only difference was unlike back then, he wasn't surrounded by the dull, glossy metal floors and ceilings from the Shinra Building.
For what it's worth, Zack was happy to have something that appeared as cozy and welcoming from his newfound affiliation with S.E.E.S. as opposed to the dullness offered by his former corporate masters.
Others may prefer that glossiness but currently to Zack, less was more.
"I'll admit that it's not much but what do you think?" Ikutsuki spoke up as he closed the door behind him.
"Well, Ikutsuki…" Zack turned around as he placed his Buster Sword on the stand, feeling satisfied that it'd hold its weight. "I think I feel right at home already…!" He proclaimed, placing his hands on his hips as he smiled and turned around.
"I am quite relieved to hear that!" Ikutsuki exclaimed, walking up to him. "We tried our best to make it as comfortable as we could for you considering how long it's been since this room has been in use. And while you were in the hospital, the group came up with an idea to have something stable for you to store your sword in. So, I had it installed to suit your need."
"I owe ya guys. Thank you!" Zack thanked.
"It's our pleasure, Mr. Fair. You've done so much in so little time for us already so it's only right that we continue to return the favor." Ikutsuki opened his palm with the room key in hand. "Here. You'll be needing this. There are also some additional items in the drawer and dresser that I think you will also find useful."
"I appreciate it!" Zack nodded.
"Well, I best be going now. I think you have everything you need." Ikutsuki reached for the doorknob. "If there's ANYTHING additional, we can provide for you during your stay with us, Mr. Fair, you only need to ask."
"Well…if you can start with one thing, you can call me Zack." Zack requested.
"Alright, Zack." Ikutsuki complied. "I know we're just getting settled in and things are moving at a breakneck speed, but I have a small favor to ask you. Tomorrow morning, would you be interested in seeing Gekkoukan High with me?"
"You mean…the same building that transforms into Tartarus every night?" Zack wondered.
"Precisely." Ikutsuki nodded. "Considering that I'll be having you on as a "Staff Member", we'll need to head out bright and early before the students arrive & get some paperwork finalized. Plus, I can show you around the school, maybe introduce you to some members of the faculty if we have time."
"Sure, yeah! I'd love to see this place when it's not a giant creepy tower!" Zack chirped.
"Your enthusiasm and energy are as infectious as ever, Mr. Fair-I mean, Zack." Ikutsuki stumbled. "As a personal favor to me, can you open that dresser behind you for a moment?"
"Uh…sure?" Zack did as he was asked and took a look at the clothes inside. "Guess I gotta wear this?" He asked, pulling out a neatly hung set of dress pants, shirt, and jacket.
"Forgive me, Zack, but there's a certain dress code that has to be followed at Gekkoukan for both students and faculty members alike." Ikutsuki informed. "I know that you wear your SOLDIER uniform pridefully since it's a trademark of your home world, but I ask that, if only for a moment, you consider dressing more 'formally' when you present yourself openly in public, especially in a school setting."
"I guess you've got a point there…" Zack sighed.
"My apologies, Zack. I did not mean to come off as condescending." Ikutsuki exhaled. "But I'm going to have to ask you to trust me. We'll have a better shot of introducing you to the rest of the staff and less people will ask less questions this way both in and out of our school."
"Oh no, I don't mind changing outfits once in a while." Zack shrugged. "Though you are right, Ikutsuki…I have to admit that if I wasn't wearing my SOLDIER attire or carrying my sword around, I don't know who I'd be, nor am I ashamed of my service. But if it's to help with our cause so that we can keep things on the down low, I'll do whatever I can to help!"
"Hm…" Ikutsuki mused quietly, pinching his chin.
"What is it?" Zack wondered.
"Nothing." Ikutsuki blurted out. "Just a funny thought I had. Maybe there'll be a time where residents of our world will be concurrently aware of the details shrouding your world's structures and SOLDIERs like yourself can openly walk freely among our world without being questioned, that's assuming it was the same back in your world."
"At times." Zack recalled. "SOLDIERs were people who lived in Midgar too. They were free to go out and hang about to their heart's content and people would be okay with that. Though funny enough, we just kind of blended in, if I'm being honest. Most of us weren't exactly famous."
"Right." Ikutsuki nodded, reaching for the doorknob. "Anyway, just be mindful from here on out how you go out during the day. Have yourself a pleasant night. We'll chat in the morning."
"Night." Zack waved as Ikutsuki left, feeling a sense of relief as he plopped himself backwards onto his bed. "Ah man…"
Zack hated to admit it, but everything was happening so fast that he couldn't accept that it's only been less than a week since everything happened.
Not just his arrival in Iwotodai but also everything from carrying Cloud to Midgar after defying death to Sephiroth casting him out of his place.
Letting out a hefty sigh, he thought back to the very last thing he remembered prior to leaving Aerith's house as he begged for Elmyra to keep an eye on her.
"Make sure you're back by dinner."
"Sorry, Elmyra…" Zack frowned, cupping his hands and pressing them against his stomach. "Looks like I won't be back for dinner…please keep her safe."
As he let out another sigh, he unexpectedly turned back towards the door as he heard another knock.
"I'll be right there!"
Sprouting his leg upwards and flinging himself back onto his feet, he stood up and walked over, opening the door as he realized Akihiko was standing at the entrance.
"Oh, hey man!" Zack greeted. "What's up?
"Hey sorry for coming by so late. I just came by to see how you were doing." Akihiko replied. "How's the new room?"
"Honestly, not too shabby!" Zack nodded. "Wanna come in?"
"No, no, it's fine. I just had a quick question for you, if you're willing to hear me out." Akihiko mentioned.
"What's on your mind?" Zack asked.
"The way that you took down that Shadow with nothing but your punches and your kicks…" Akihiko recalled. "I'd never seen anything like it, and it makes me realize that I still need to get stronger by any means necessary. Any chance I can spar with you in the future, one on one? Or perhaps maybe do a little training?"
"Well…" Zack crossed his arms. "If we can spare some time, then I'm game. Just let me know when. Though we're gonna need a good place to serve as an arena…"
"You leave that to me!" Akihiko grinned. "I know the perfect place. Thank you so much!" He bowed.
"Yeah, yeah, no sweat, man!" Zack smiled, patting his shoulder. "I'll be with you guys every step of the way from here on out. So, we'll definitely help each other out!"
"I won't forget this!" Akihiko exclaimed. "But I hear you've got a big day tomorrow, so I'll try not to keep you up too long."
"Right, yeah. Ikutsuki's got me under his wing already, but I'll manage!" Zack proclaimed. "I'll try and be a good 'Dorm Parent' for you guys, I promise you that!"
"I'm sure you'll do great! Anyway, have yourself a good night!" Akihiko waved as he left to go back upstairs.
"You too, man!" Zack waved back.
Even with his thoughts continuing to swirl in his head, Zack had drifted off to soundly sleep once more. As his consciousness began to sink into a deeper sleep, his focus remained wide awake as his senses began to re-align themselves with what appeared to be a dream-like state.
Physically, Zack was asleep, but consciously, he saw himself physically standing in the same, dark, spacious void that he found himself in previously prior to going through that blue door.
"Huh…here again, eh?" Zack murmured, feeling a sense of déjà vu. "Anybody there?"
"Greetings, Zack Fair." A woman's voice called out from behind him. "It is wonderful to finally make your acquaintance!"
"HUH?!" Zack recoiled, turning around swiftly. "How the…?"
As he turned around, things began to become clearer as a woman with yellow eyes, short white hair, sleeveless blue dress, gloves, and boots, stood before him.
She was holding a book in her hand, staring curiously with exuberance at the sight of the SOLDIER.
While Zack shared that curiosity, his embellished reaction that first rang in his head was more confusion than anything else.
"Who are you?" Zack asked.
"My apologies. My name is Elizabeth." The woman answered.
"Elizabeth…?" Zack repeated, rubbing the back of his head still feeling confused. "How did you get here? How did I get here? More importantly, where are we?"
"We currently reside within a space that exists between dream and reality." Elizabeth explained. "While my master cannot currently permit you to enter the Velvet Room at this time, I thought it'd be prudent to establish contact with you."
"What the heck's a Velvet Room…?" Zack wondered. "Never mind that! Why did you bring me here?! Are we…in a dream?"
"In a manner of speaking, you are." Elizabeth confirmed. "But as mentioned, this plain of existence that we currently stand in merely exists between dream and reality, time and space. You recall how you were merely drifting away, disconnected from your world, correct?"
"Yeah…" Zack nodded.
"You were lost in the abyss, so I helped you find your way." Elizabeth stated, holding up her hand as a blue butterfly landed on her finger.
"So…it was you? You brought me here?" Zack asked, crossing his arms, watching the butterfly flutter off once more. "But why?"
"I am afraid that we have little time to speak but for the journey ahead, I may be able to provide some assistance to you, Zack Fair." Elizabeth proposed. "A danger looms over us all and I fear that the inevitable will come should he find a way to pierce into this world and all worlds standing in his wake."
"Who's 'he'?" Zack inquired.
"I believe…you and your world knew him as a hero once upon a time." Elizabeth implied.
"Sephiroth…" Zack grumbled.
"We can only stay hidden from the dangers of your world for so long as we find ways to assist our current guest to combat the dangers of ours." Elizabeth stated. "May I ask that we form a collaborative alliance to fend off these dangers?"
"Well…I don't know you too well, Elizabeth, but if anyone's willing to go up against Sephiroth and what he's trying to accomplish, I'm in." Zack affirmed.
"Marvelous!" Elizabeth joyously shouted. "The means in which I am able to provide you support will be revealed soon. Until then, farewell!"