Seeing Gongaga ((Cissnei/open))

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

Zack glanced down at the road before glancing back up again. He could think while he drove his new bike. Tifa had helped him pick it out, because he had become sick of running around everywhere. Smiling, he thought about Tifa and Cloud’s engagement. Thinking about that, he was a bit lonely. He had his friends, but his best friend was with Tifa a lot. Not that he minded too much, after all, Cloud and Tifa belonged together, and he was happy for them.

Having nothing to do was boring as well. He had fought some Heartless, helped with shopping, made some new friends, and learned that heartless were taking over the world. They were going to have to save the world…again. He wondered why it always needed saving, sometimes he got sick of it.

But then, there wouldn’t be any reason for people like Cloud, Tifa, or even himself. He wondered how long it would be until The almost happy moment they were in was completely crushed. He shook his head, why am I even thinking about this? Shaking his head, he glanced on the bumpy road he was on. Going to Gongaga like Tifa had suggested, he wondered what he would find there.

He was a little apprehensive, after all, it had been years since he had been there last, and even then, he hadn’t been able to really see anything. Being hunted by the turks and ShinRa had kinda made it hard to sightsee.

Stopping his bike on a hill by the outskirts of his old hometown, he got off and looked at his old home. He felt his heart rate accelerate. He was scared of what he might find, but that wasn’t going to stop him! Tifa had talked him into it, even though he was scared of what he would find. Would it all be destroyed? Would anyone even still be there? Going to his bike again, he got on and started it. Putting it into gear, he drove down the twisting trail that led into his old ‘backwater’ hometown.

On the edge of Gongaga, he stopped again. Putting the kickstand down, he sat there looking at the world he had grown up in. Sighing, he glanced around. It didn’t look to destroyed, but it seemed to be not filled with people either. Looking around, he hesitated. Should he really do this? Was anyone still here that he knew? Or would he be shunned like Tifa and Cloud had in Nebelheim? "do I really want to do this?"

[Cissnei]

Time seemed to have passed so quickly for Cissnei, and here she was, no longer the fresh face in the research department, nervous in ShinRa and completely focused on her duties and nothing else.
Haunted, she roamed around this little village town of Gongaga, off duty as she would put it; this time was just like way back those years when she'd talked about those ten minutes and Angeal.
Cissnei breathed the fresh air of the cosey area, enclosed by lush greenery and mountains that protected it, making it the perfect hideout for escapees or those on a wanted list. Thinking, she let a small smirk take over her smile; though it was a dreadful memory, when she would never seen ShinRa the same way again and let Zack Fair go with his friend. She shrugged it off like it was nothing but a mere passing phase in her life she had to deal with; at least now she wasn't here to talk to his parents or just joke about it... she'd never really said anything to them; it amused her even now that he had been so gullible to her taunts.

Having given up on ever finding a life outside of her job, and seeing no sign of her friend, she had decided those two were long gone, either dead or presumably living their lives the way he had mentioned to her; to become a hero.

Often, she found herself unable to believe the words of ShinRa and her current research, they seemed more fictitious than ever before as she weighed out the possibilities of things; death was far too slim for Soldiers and yet it was a hopeless prospect, thinking of the possibilities. So sighing, she crossed her arms, still clad in her daily uniformed dress code, the black suit and counted down another ten minutes before she would leave Gongaga for good.

Done with the reminiscing once and for all, and more certainly finished with her wondering concerns; they were just a little daft with all that she knew. It wasn't like anyone asked her to ponder and she had better things to do, like work to get better with Rekka and maybe spend some time searching for a new bike after she'd lent her old one out.

Today she wasn't making rounds as a Turk, she was merely enjoying some quiet and one last time if she could keep that promise to herself to stop dwelling in the past even if it was at times more beautiful than anything in her present. A bird chirped from a tree above her and she turned, looking up whilst her copper red hair swayed along her shoulders; it was nothing and no sign of any real event was about to come. Cissnei was wrong when a noise disturbed her and echoed a little in the distance, somewhere by the border; the entrance not far from the rough main road she stood at. It made her skeptical and she squinted, cautious and curious at the same time, letting her hand slip away to ready her summon just in case.
"It..." Her words blew away with the wind...

A little bit shocked was an understatement, Cissnei was wide eyed at the figure approaching from the distance, closer and closer it came and she saw Zack Fair's return like a scene from a horror movie. She was lost with what to do, how to respond; how was this happening at a time when she finally managed to cast away some feelings in her old self!? His familiar voice, though she had begun to forget, was still as unusually carefree as it always had been and she started to believe her eyes; that she wasn't simply being tested by an illusion.
In such a short time, she still managed to keep some cool; Cissnei wasn't one to let him see through her at all, even when she dropped hints she'd always hoped he'd notice. Zack was blind and walled between her and she crossed her arms again, shifting her weight so she stood more on one foot than the other, studying him with an eyebrow raised and a small smile, satisfied he wouldn't ever be the first to notice her; she was correct- he was blind to her.
"Honestly... You really never learn do you, this place could still be on the lookout to ambush you, Soldier."

It was different but similar to how she had in the past spoken to him right in the exact spot they were now, only she mocked him by not saying his name, to see how he would react; her tone probably gave her startling away but the whole meeting was way too out of the blue even for Cissnei.

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

Zack remembered growing up in Gongaga. It wasn’t the most exciting place to grow up, but he loved it here. It was so quiet, back then everyone had known each other. He had liked it here, but he had always wanted a more exciting life, like all young boys did. He had been destined for more then the normal person though, and had led the life he had. Standing there, his arms folded across his chest, glowing mako eyes looking around. He took a few steps, walking aimlessly around the area for about 10 feet.

Being here reminded him of the last time he had come to Gongaga. Cissnei had let him go, telling something about talking to his parents. He had always wondered what she might have said, if anything at all. He wondered where she might be now. A smart woman, she was tough as well, she had probably made it alright. He sighed then as he let his arms drop down to his sides. She had let him go more times then one, but in the end, he had died trying to keep Cloud safe.

All the memories came back, mostly of Gongaga and Cissnei. He had always wondered what her real name was, but she had never told him. Maybe because he had died…that was the reason he had never found out! He stood once again, his hair rustling in the faint breeze that blew. Sighing, he put his hands on his waist and thought of all the good times, instead of the bad.

As a voice spoke up, Zack froze. He remembered the voice, somewhat soft and delicate, he had many memories with the girl that had that voice. She told him what she basically told him the last time, and a huge grin split his face. “Cissnei…?” He spoke quietly, almost a whisper. He doubted she could hear him, but was it just his imagination? No! that voice, he would remember that voice, even after so long! “Hey Cissnei…long time no see!” Turning around, his blue eyes sparkled. It was her, she stood alone a few feet away from him. Her arms were crossed, she was mocking him, yet the surprise in her voice was enough to make him smile. “Surprised to see me alive?”

He looked at her, reminding him of the past, the good times, as well as the bad, such as when he was dragging Cloud all over Gaia trying to escape the Turks. His eyes softened, she looked just like she always had, everything, even the suit. Walking toward her, his eyes were friendly, yet very happy. She had probably known of his death, but perhaps ShinRa swept it under the rug like they did with everything! “what are you doing in Gongaga?” He was curious, why would she come here? Were the turks still searching for him? Had they figured out that he was alive? Shaking his head, he forgot about those thoughts. “Its great to see you again Cissnei!”

[Cissnei]

Way too surprised would've described her well. He wasn't a ghost like she thought he could be... she took it back that she could even think such things. It wasn't as though he was always failing his tasks even when he had that simple not serious attitude; she was aware that everyone made note of it to be a pretty bad thing because they couldn't be assured.
Cissnei inwardly laughed, it was only ShinRa who wanted people to be so serious, Zack gave her more faith than any other Soldier she'd met, it was the reason why she trusted that letting him and Cloud go would ensure they would survive at all costs. That he would fulfil the dreams of a hero and she would finally feel as though she'd done something to deserve wings.

The reaction bemused her and she realised she was losing her touch at predicting his moves, although that thought retracted itself; when had anyone ever been able to predict Zack Fair really? He came back to ShinRa one day as an enemy and another, speaking of Aerith like he was love struck, more than the puppy love. Cissnei looked down for a moment and analysed her situation; she was happy he was alive, so the rumours weren't true and she was all the more correct, but at the same time, there had been no contact all this time. It left her heart quite dampened as though their friendship, or rather her feelings truly were hopeless; it gave her great trouble to forget even Gongaga.

To forget, that was the reason she stood before him now after all, and taking a few steps, she hid what really was in her mind as she looked at him. Tapping her fingers along her arm where her hand was rested in the defensive position, she resorted to her old habits and way of speaking with semi broken sentences. It tensed him even more and her lips curled a little more lopsided so that it was almost a grin, but a smug one at that.

"Oh...yes, surprised you could still be alive when you still look like you have your carefree actions that could get you killed...or caught..."
He had his back turned to her just now, wasn't that enough to indicate, he was still relatively who she knew; the genuinely insane smile that ruined her whole idea to scare him by issuing some false warning that ShinRa even knew of his whereabouts and still tried to hunt them. Cissnei was confident he would fall for anything she said now, even when it was unlikely they should trust each other not knowing the stories in between; her hanging sentences often worried him and another one now wouldn't hurt would it?

"What do you think?" Biting her lip, her sneaky teases were fighting to come out and have at it at Zack but she repressed them as much as she could; it was not the time, her chances would come with each passing second.
"I was just... visiting, you know... you did say I could talk to your mother last time and it's been awhile... Nice people they really are."
Circling him for a minute, she dramatised her act, reminding him of what he'd never had answered before; surely it wouldn't be forgotten and she was glad for that five minutes she had been granted with to say it. Now was sort of like then, she wasn't ready to leave Gongaga, again. Emphasising on the really, she tested him with that sarcasm and argumentless subject he ought to know, validated that she was the true Cissnei and not some fraud.

After all this, Cissnei's cheekiness faded and she waved a hand she'd released from the tight folding to gesticulate in polite response to him. "It is great to see you again... How have you been then?"

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

As he watched her, he remembered the time she had told him about her wanting wings. And he had told her that wings made you a monster. With all he had been going through at that time, it was no wonder he thought that. Almost everything with wings at that point was out to kill him, Genesis, the copies…Hollander, even Angeal, his good friend and mentor. They had betrayed him, everyone, yet might they have been right in saying that ShinRa was the one putting suffering on the planet? He now thought that they had been right about that…about ShinRa. But Cloud and his friends had destroyed ShinRa…although now it was coming back again…

She seemed to be thinking. Zack had always failed when he had tried to read her, or what she was thinking. Many he could read, some he could even know what they were thinking, such as Cloud a lot of the time. Yet, he had never been able to do with with Cissnei, which might be why he had always wondered about her. He had been thinking about her for awhile now….well, since he had become alive again. Cloud hadn’t said anything about her, was she still even with the Turks? Glancing at her clothes, he cocked his head, probably… why else would a woman wear a suit if she wasn’t with the turks? The grin was on his face at the thought, the only woman he thought looked good in a suit would have to be Cissnei. He remembered his friends in SOLDIER talking about how hott she looked in the suit…

He did notice however, that her hand rested on her other arm…her defensive position. She always put her arms that way when she was trying to hide something from him, or act like something didn’t matter. That was the only thing he had ever figured out about her, except that she was dedicated to her job. He had always wondered why she had told Tseng she had lost them, instead of just turning them in. He hadn’t ever been more grateful to anyone, and as she had walked away, he felt like a little piece of his heart had gone with her. Shaking his head, he tried to rid himself of the thoughts, for the smug little grin on her face didn’t give him any indication that she liked him…even as a friend.

….could have gotten him killed? Wait…did she know? Had she known that he had been dead for the past 5 years? He stood watching her, a confused look on his face. Surly she had figured it out…why would he have disappeared for so long and not speak with her other wise? When she asked another question to answer his own, he shook his head in amusement. “Still the same eh Cissnei? I guess neither of us have changed any…” Yet…was that a bad thing? They had become friends because of that…and… he stopped his chain of thought. She was probably married by now; it had been awhile, things changed.

Crossing his arms, his eyes widened a little, he still wondered at the last words she had spoken to him in Gongaga. He had never forgotten any of their conversations, “I think you’re here because you missed me so much!” He chuckled a little bit, his eyes twinkled. She probably hadn’t; after all, she had her own life, why would she remember him? Sighing, he let his arms slide down to hang at his sides as he watched her circle him.

At her last question, he shook his head…how was he supposed to answer that? “Uh…well…..hard to say how I’ve been since I’ve been…dead...” He spoke in earnest this time, no hint of teasing or flirting in his voice, just dead earnest. “I’ve kinda been tied up in the lifestream for the last 5 years, so I guess you might say that’s...good…?” He watched her closely to see what her reaction might be. If she truly hadn’t known of if she was just playing with him. Had ShinRa not respected him enough to just brush over him and not say anything? He sighed, “they did that with everything I guess…” He suddenly realized he had spoken that out loud. Closing his eyes, he wondered what she would say about him telling her he had been dead…

[Cissnei]

Cissnei's skin prickled a little under the suit and she was feeling as though they would develop into goosebumps if he didn't stop looking at her like she was an alien. He was the alien to her if she believed what she was hearing correctly, he had entered the lifestream for the five years she'd prayed he was alive. Alright she claimed she wouldn't but she did sometimes... and it made her upset with herself. How he got out of it was even more of a mystery but somewhere she fluttered with a joy; her friends were all put up to die at ShinRa and as Soldiers, it was what they were trained for, taking missions to throw away their lives.

These years she had been working were cruel, and there was more destruction to regenerate their world than ever before; all corporations disagreed with each other but the larger ones seized all else. As for Hojo's experiments, they were endlessly developing but she had not been let close to any thing regarding old files that weren't destroyed; She merely hoped what she was doing did not take away the dreams she had because, they were really monsters. On the battlefield it was about staying alive and making a kill wasn't too wrong, but when there were innocents and those who couldn't fight back to be massacred, she often went home feeling depressed at what she was helping do. She wasn't the bubbly, positive person Zack was, so she did feel like crying on some occasions, especially when she'd heard him tell her she'd be terminated as an enemy if he had to do it when she stood in his way, it was just that she never wanted to shed a tear; it changed nothing. It encouraged her to set them free but it did confirm her doubts about how important she was to him; doubts... she had many of them with regards to their bonding.

"I wouldn't know... five years could either fly by or change a lot of things..." Her golden hazel eyes sparkled as he seemed to be amused by her too; what he was seeing was what he was getting and vice versa.
What did he mean about her being the same... was that a bad thing? She complained inwardly to herself; Cissnei still looked like the girl she was though she had grown and aged, it mattered not to her appearance in general. It was only that her hair had been kept a little longer with the slight inch increase in her height; it was unnoticeable to a giant like him but she'd been keen on updating her profile with the fact.
"I thought nothing could change you... Not even lifestream now that I see it." See it ... see him break through the barriers of life and death; he was closer to being an angel than she would ever be. Was it even disheartening...

She uncrossed her arms when he mirrored her action, knowing she was always a bit defensive but it was comfortable to not have hands dangle without a place they should be; putting them in her pockets all the time didn't fit Cissnei either. He was such a copy cat and he wouldn't even realise it; she pondered and giggled inside. Now she clasped them together in front of her, with an expectant poise and somewhat made her more ladylike than she was with her horrible humour.
"At least you're alive now... so it'd mean you've been good... in the lifestream." A full blown grin swept her face, the almost expressions all faltered and she tilted her head to the other side, still with that examining interest glowing in her eyes. Then, he confused her and she frowned a little, diminishing the grin in a split second. "...Everything?" They...who was they? It was bad she never missed any detail, it complicated her more than ever but when he was closing his eyes and being less of who he was normally, she felt eager to make things fine.
"I have to say, it almost sounds like I should've reduced the likelihood of you dying, if you'd stayed with ShinRa... how did you get out of the lifestream? In the end, your death... did it make you... a hero...?" This was sure to make his eyes wide open; it was in her memory, the whole becoming a hero and having dreams, it enforced her own hopes but never gave her faith, she reserved that for when he would succeed and she could take it as an example. The lack of surprise that he had died came out balanced by the initial shock that he was reborn, because in death, one could become a hero or an angel; she was up for it even if it sounds terrible, he would just never know.

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

Zack watched Cissnei, but not directly, his head was dipped down a little bit, pointed down toward the ground. He scuffed his foot against the gravel, moving it a little bit. He had uncrossed his arms, he rubbed his head a little bit, messing up his unnaturally spiky hair. Had he been mistaken when he had seen a happy look cross her face when she had gotten over the shock of him being in the lifestream for the last 5 years? His heart lifted with the thought that she had remembered him for all that time. If she hadn’t known that he was in the lifestream however…why hadn’t she found out? He was glad that she was still alive, and she seemed to be doing alright…

He was looking at her somber face, she seemed to be thinking…about what he had no clue. He could never tell behind her hazel eyes what she was thinking. He had always failed at that, right up to the time when she had let them escape. When he had seen the look in her eyes that night, he had felt scared he actually would have to fight her, which was the last thing he had wanted to do. Yet, what would have happened if they had been caught and taken in? Death would have been a blessing compared to what they would have done to them. Hojo…he would have made them experiments or dissected them slowly…something with torture involved in his twisted mind. Thinking of Hojo, he wondered where he was…after all, he hadn’t been killed, he was still out there somewhere.

“It’s a long time….5 years…I’m glad I’m back now!” he hadn’t meant that it was bad that she was the same…he liked her the way she was, no other way would suit her. Grinning, he nodded, “Yeah…I guess I’m the same old Zack eh?” He didn’t know if that was bad or good, but he couldn’t be anyone other them himself. “Nope, I guess not even the lifestream can change me!” He remembered her telling him about wanting to have wings, like an angel. Well, as far as he was concerned, you didn’t have to die to become an angel…

When she clasped her hands in front of her, his eyebrow raised. Now what was she thinking? Laughing outright, he put his hands on his hips and grinned after his laugh. “Oh, so I only got out of the lifestream because I was a good boy?” His grin was big, “Is that they way it works?” It was a lot different thought then the one he had, which was that he had been brought back for a purpose; he was supposed to do something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but that was his thought. When she smiled her hazel eyes lit up, showing her amusement or happiness. When the smile slid off her face, he suddenly realized he had spoken out loud. “Well…..you must not have known about my death from how surprised you were…so I realized that ShinRa had swept my death under they're giant rug….which they seem to do with everything….” She must still work for ShinRa, so he wasn’t sure how she would act.

His eyes got big when she spoke…she remembered all that?! She remembered about him wanting to become a Hero…it had been his goal, in the end, he had hoped he had accomplished it. “Well…I guess I have no clue how I got out…I just…did…” A hero…had he actually done it? Had he become a hero? “I’m not sure really Cissnei…I’d like to think I became a hero in the end….” Turning, he walked a few steps, his arms swinging at his sides, “Maybe that dream was one of the unattainable ones after all…” He stopped and put his hands on his hips again, before turning to look back at her. “In the end I kept Cloud alive…and Genesis was stopped…what do you think…? Does that make me a Hero?”

[Cissnei]

It was unusual, Zack's method of watching her, he either totally disregarded her while getting carried away with speech and chatter or seemed to love focusing all his attention on one person to overwhelm them with his cheer. Cissnei couldn't grasp what was going on with the same old Zack right now but she figured it would come to her some time, just after another minute or two if she was lucky. The mind had it's ways of working some time, it was like muse and another minute, drain!

"Probably."
Her gaze went upwards to the sky but not completely so she didn't have her face bask in mixed streams of light. A reflex action from thought, it one that was more childish than any other motion she made whenever she spoke to him while thinking as always. Some of her habits had changed but others did die hard, and it was the same with feelings, she didn't know what to make of it right now because from where she stood, it was all the same and yet not the same, being older and missed.

Having a chance to show happiness or something related to his return, Cissnei stared at him for a bit when he said she missed him; his jokes always targeted her right on the correct spots and she wished she could change it, but then it wouldn't be him anymore so where did that get her: Nowhere. No one else did the same thing, not even Tseng could with all that superiority and know it all personality, not even Elena or Reno...she still managed to back fire them but no... not Zack.

It made her eyes a bit wide and she blinked in desperation but he was only chuckling; there was some truth in every just kidding and oh that made her mad, because she couldn't fight it. That line was supposed to be used against statements that were mean and nasty so that she was right and could make the stator feel bad over another joke, not to make her directionless with a retort.
"And you're only saying that because you missed me more..."
At last, something worked and she thought about it then smirked and winked, proceeding to walk a little way round him again whilst he kicked a little drag mark in the earth as he'd shuffled his feet.
This, she'd hoped he did miss her more but then, why more? He probably didn't and she was okay with that, as long as he did a little inch without her drilling anything into his skull...

Cissnei was one of those girls who contented herself with little to nothing, except with research, because everything else in life was too far out of reach, just like Zack Fair as a wanted fugitive to ShinRa and as a man she admired; family was just another thing dead and gone. Deep down she knew ShinRa had refined the truth about his death because they had failed to capture him and Cloud for the longest time, in the five years it had been enough to cause great distress with Hojo; they were the only mako infused people to successful clear the round, even Genesis was stopped, it was all a disaster.

Turning a little as she swayed in her step, she paused then drew her arms to a fold again, but one was rested at the base of her chin, lightly grazing it, making her an obvious thinker. Of course she remembered everything, why else would she qualify for research if she had no memory, and this was a memory she wanted to keep... and wanted to burn... her missions had taken her away from finding a trace of him, there wasn't a chance but how did that make him feel? The only positive thing was that he didn't need to trouble himself over anything being how he is, and in the lifestream, while she was alive with a whirling mind.
As for a good boy, he was always good, and there was light outshining any darkness, especially if he kept promises and made her a different Cissnei to who she thought she was prior to their meeting.
"It is, if it didn't work you wouldn't be here... not to say you weren't already good at getting killed..." She smiled having said that, the smirk was just a little mask to help her get back in character; the one she was meant to play, with him around. The new expression spoke to him, as if to reduce the sizes of his eyes, like he ought to know better than question what she'd remember; it was her after all... an inkling of pride would've suggested she feigned offense but that was something she saved up for another matter. Little did she know that in another second she would break her defense by ordering him.
"Don't say that."

Four words was all it would take to let him know she didn't think failure was an option after all they'd done in efforts and the whole fact he came back from the dead and she tried to help. Sighing, she straightened a finger on a her lip so that it looked as though she told him to shut up but it was too, unintentional. "Why dream if it is indeed unattainable and you know your answer? I think... it does make you a hero..." Melting, her speech had emotion but for how long would she let him see through that? Instantly, she cloaked it and backed herself up in the comfort zone, faking to roll her eyes as though he was seriously clueless.
"You kept Cloud alive... wasn't that why you had to leave in the first place, and Genesis is stopped. What would that make you if not a hero... think about it... just don't grin too much over what i'd said."

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

Zack smiled at the surprised look on her face when he teased her about missing him. He had been teasing, but then again, he did hope that she missed him. He had said it with a hint of serious in his voice. His eyes twinkled yet they had that intense look, he hoped she knew he wasn’t just teasing, yet how could he think she would just know that? He couldn’t expect her to know that, why would she? She wasn’t one to tease, so maybe she did know…he had hopes that she realized he was serious behind the teasing!

When she spoke in a teasing voice right back to him, his eyes got wide. Could he hope that she actually had missed him? Cissnei wasn’t the jokester, so what she said usually had a lot more truth then tease. Yet, the smirk on her face made him laugh. His voice held humor, yet a lot of serious. This would probably make her blink and wonder at him, but he now for the first time left her to wonder. “You might be right…I probably did miss you more Cissnei…” Grinning, his eyes didn’t show amusement, they showed serious, he hoped she could tell he meant it.

Cissnei was so hard to read! With a sigh he wished he could be better at reading what she was thinking. He would never be good at it, that he had accepted. Maybe that’s what made her such a good turk…the fact that the normal person couldn’t figure out what she was thinking. Only once had he thought he could, and that was right before she had walked away after giving him the keys to her bike. He had thought he saw something there, but she had walked away, not given him a chance to say anything. He had been shocked at what he had thought he had seen, but he couldn’t be sure…

He paused in his wandering to watch her fold her arms again, with one hand resting on her chin. She looked in such deep thought, she always looked like that, deep in thought. There was more to Cissnei then most people realized, like her wanting to have Angel’s wings…that was something deep, he didn’t think she told just anyone that. He trusted Cissnei, even though they had been pushed into becoming enemies, they had always trusted each other. Yet, that last night, he had thought he would have to do it, one of the last good friends he had…and he had thought he would have to fight her. The only great friend he had that he hadn’t had to fight was Cloud…hopefully that would never change. Yet, Sephy, Angeal, Tseng…even Cissnei he had to fight.

He hated thinking about it, so he tried to stop that thinking. He had become serious as he thought of that. No darkness however, penetrated his light aura. He chuckled at her thoughts about the lifestream. Was he a good boy? “I guess your right, but then again, Sephiroth isn’t exactly a good boy…and he keeps getting out of the lifestream!” He smiled, Sephiroth was just a sneaky sort, it seemed easy for him to get out of the lifestream. “Hey now, I’m not great at getting killed…it only happened once!” A little frown appeared on his face, yet it was more of a puzzled frown then anything else. It disappeared when she spoke out to him, telling him to not say that. His eyes opened wide, his head cocked to the side, so she thought he had become a hero? “Why not? I’ve been told that many times…maybe its time to believe it…” He gave a sigh, suddenly not the bouncy energetic Zack he normally was. He was thinking about the past…and he should just let it get buried.

why dream? he thought back to Angeal, and a small smile wobbled up on his face. “if you want to become a hero…you need to have dreams…and honor…” those words floated into his head and out his mouth. Angeal…he had told him that may times, but yet, in the end, Angeal had failed to follow his own advice…which had been his downfall. Zack had lived the rest of his short life living by that standard, with honor…and dreams, and look where it had gotten him? His jaw dropped when she mentioned that she thought he had become a hero. “You…you think I became a hero Cissnei?” He could see some emotion behind her eyes, before suddenly her cloak came down, and that was the end of what he saw in her eyes. He grinned, so she did think that he had become a hero! It became a full smile as he smirked. “face it Cissnei, you missed me just as much as I missed you! What fun would you have without me being here? I'm sure Rude throws lively parties but...” He chuckled, she would probably throw something at him and deny that she had in fact missed him, but he knew the truth…she had. And that made him happier then anything he had heard in awhile…maybe he had a reason to hope after all! ”I did miss you Cissnei…” Becoming serious for a moment, he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, showing he was a little embarrassed. He always did that when he was embarrassed about something.

[Cissnei]

Seriousness,
Cissnei didn't think Zack Fair of all people was capable of being serious; it was as mysterious an issue as whether she would be able to accept him being serious about what he was saying to her, even hidden traces she could try to notice from his jokes. Hopes were another thing, she was spend a great deal of time and effort to not hope when it came to him and yet it remained for her to speculate as something she couldn't give up... hopes in hope.

His eyes said many different things, those mako colours confused her at times because she couldn't pin point which shades they were nor could she research on that. They were now looking at her with an odd precision as though he was actually trying to read her for once...
She had never known him to try to read her even if he focused on the looking part, or looking the part for that matter, because the end results were always the same; he didn't understand what was going on or through her.
Cissnei nodded and then shook her head twice after he said she was probably right. She thought her ears were lying and her senses were cheating because he would've either just admitted he missed her more or that he was messing around again. Concluding that he didn't know how much more she could miss him than anyone else, it had to be a mess that's impurely true...

The grin on his face, drew her away from being so negative though and she was falling down again like a bird without wings... then she stopped daydreaming because she knew that meant she'd crash land in the same position she had been last time; heartbroken over the prospect of never being right to tell him how she felt or going along with everything she would do for him.
Cissnei made the mistake she never thought she would by nodding first, even if she did realise it; it was too late to change what she'd done because he must be amused now. It told him a bit about her, encouraging typically that she wasn't so impossible to worm characteristics out of and that he could potentially understand her. "That is true... but I wasn't talking about Sephiroth now was I? And... how would you know if he didn't trick the lifestream, just like he was capable in his betrayal?"

The voice of reason arrived to save her. She would've been lost for words by the surprise statement he made, forgetting about Sephiroth; it was entirely correct and yet made wrong forcefully by her with the doubting questions that put his ego off, everytime. Cissnei squinted at him in judgment to his smiles and why he acted as though he was embarrassed; she knew he was someone who could say he missed anyone or anything in any way and make nothing of it.
The hope in her pounded at her heart to smile so wide that for once, he was showing her something genuine... that he cared and missed her even having more to deal with than life itself... Today was her dream come true, that he expressed it in those sheer five words; it meant about a thousand to her.
Cissnei bit back the happiness but she knew it showed as she too appeared embarrassed and looked away, though not blushing, with the severe self control that she always had while wearing that suit. "I...do think you became a hero... and I'm sure Cloud does too... even Angeal." Never personally been associated with Angeal, she had read and heard about their ties and it was one of those stories ShinRa couldn't erase.

This was what dreams were made of, in her own books, some parts coming true and others just chances which was something happening to her. She faced it gladly though he was talking nonsense about parties and her partying was outrageous; Cissnei's glowing smile to herself, went flat for a second wondering just who he thought she was after all, talking about Rude's parties which Reno corrupted, but as she let the question slide, it crept back. "Rude has thrown some parties, doesn't mean I would go... but neither does it mean I don't have fun all the other times I'm not going..."

She knew how deep Angeal meant to him as a mentor and how his words became his motto were too heavy hearted to be discussed again, dismissing it with another indirect mocking. What else was there to comment on with his memory, he had remembered Rude's parties which he never had time to join even if she wanted to ask... it was the only time people relaxed and dressed up but she was in no mood when his job called and hers did too, which was supposed to be her first priority.
It wasn't going to do much good with the alcohol and wildness of everyone letting go in one night anyway and Cissnei didn't want to know how well she could tolerate it if she went frequently and not just once or twice in ages.

"Then, missing just as much is about correct...Zack."
Calling upon this as though a truce, she wanted him to stop being entirely ...puppy like as always because of what he'd said and what she could just let go and ignore, making no comment on... which she almost did, but Cissnei did miss him; the puppy thing just made it harder to cope because it had been a trademark in her fandom of Zack.
It was relatively unlike her to do this but she was serious too if he tried to be; it was the courtesy she liked showing to people she held regards to.
"No parties in the lifestream hm...?" Shaking her head again, she couldn't help this one bit to ease herself from being a different Cissnei to him, and expected no answer to what she'd just said; it was all to cut her off from running into him and repeating how much she missed him til sundown.

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

Zack watched as Cissnei seemed to be thinking. She did that a lot, think…sometimes it drove him insane, just because he could never tell what she was thinking about. Her emotions were so well hidden, it made him wish he could know what she was thinking. She was so good at hiding what she felt…he had never been good at that, no matter how hard he tried to be like that. His emotions always seemed to come out on his face, happiness, fear, heartbreak, anger, sadness, and…his other feelings, he hoped he could hide those feelings better then he could anything else. He knew he probably failed, he probably should have taken lessons on hiding emotions from Sephiroth or Angeal before everything had happened.

Yet, the fact that his eyes had been infused with mako, made them different, harder to read. Piercing blue, sometimes he did hope Cissnei could read him, what was behind his eyes, but sometimes he was embarrassed. He wished he could tell, was there reason to hope? He was failing again…he couldn’t read her, whatever she was thinking, it was beyond him to figure out what was going around on her brain, yet he wanted to know, he wanted to figure it out! A tiny smile lifted on the corners of his mouth, his eyes sparkled deep blue.

He saw a tiny bit of shock go across her face when he said she was probably right. His face was now serious again, looking right into her eyes, he tried to tell her what he couldn’t come out with…he liked her…was this just a crush? Was it because she was so pretty? He didn’t know his own mind, his thoughts were scattered, he wished someone could help him sort them out. Tifa was so good at helping him, and Cloud, he helped him when he couldn’t figure something out. Cloud, he was one of the only people he told all his thoughts too. Sure he wasn’t the kind to hide his feelings, but his true, deep inner feelings, most didn’t know anyone other then the bouncy, outgoing Zack, no one knew of the fact that he could be serious, that he had other thoughts other then happy…yet he did.

He had missed her, probably a lot more then her to him. Why would she miss him? She probably hadn’t given him a second thought after she had left him that last time. Yet…she had given him her bike…why? Why had she done that? Was it just because they had been friends? He sighed and ran his hand through his black hair, he couldn’t figure it out! He had messed up his hair even more messy then it was, spiky, his hair seemed to go everywhere. When he had grinned, it seemed to pull her out of the shock she had been in. Grinning again, he put his hands on his waist, “Well, I guess you weren’t talking about Sephiroth…he seems to be the master at betrayal…”

He was someone that could tell someone he had missed them, and they didn’t necessarily mean that much to him. That wasn’t the case with Cissnei, he had missed her a ton…and yet, he cared deeply about her and what she thought of him. She was so serious, did she think him irritating, and just simply wish to be rid of him, perhaps hoping before he would remain gone. He hoped that she didn’t just wish him to be out of her life, he didn’t want to be gone. His heart had nearly stopped beating when he had heard her voice. He hadn’t thought he would ever see her again, and yet, they met up here, where Tifa had had to persuade him to go. Then, for the first time, he read something in her eyes. When he had spoken, her face lit up, and happiness showed there.

The smile on his face was huge as he watched her, he couldn’t hide the happiness that she had felt that way about what he had said. “I…I’m glad I became a hero…at least, I’m glad I became a hero in your eyes…if others don’t feel the same way, I don’t care!” The smile was still on his face, “I care most what you think of me…” For the first time ever, he left her wondering somewhat without even knowing it. He wanted to tell her that he liked her, but he was suddenly embarrassed, and it wouldn’t come out. He stopped there, his eyes went down as she started to speak. “I didn’t actually know Rude did throw any parties! I’m gonna have to crash one sometimes!” He grinned thinking about it, but then suddenly he remembered one that he had been invited too. He had been on a mission, so he hadn’t been able to go, and he had been disappointed.

He didn’t have time to say anything before she admitted that she had missed him as much as he had missed her. His eyes flashed but he was too shocked, he knew it must be hard for Cissnei to admit that she had indeed missed him just as much. He shook his head, “No, dang it, dead people don’t throw any parties…disappointing right?” He closed the distance between them by a few yards, walking slowly, without knowing he was doing it. “But I did miss you Cissnei…more then I can say…” For once he didn’t have the words to tell her what he wanted to. This wasn’t like him, to not know what to say, to not have anything too say.

[Cissnei]

Odd but unique to him, some words were. They weren't even adjectives... she'd heard right that he'd just said 'dang it' and it made her want to laugh. Probably by the way he'd said it too triggered a re run of short laughter; it was his voice and how continuously lively it was, other than the mako eyes and just about everything... that helped always make him centre of attention for her. A giggle turned into a laugh, that literally was just two three syllables of ha; Cissnei blinked and shut her mouth after this had escaped her lips and shook her head to disspell her random outburst.

As for being the master of betrayal, she always hoped she would never become one or face someone who had been a friend, turned into an enemy; he appeared now as a friend who'd turned into an enemy but would never if her world ended, have been classified as enemy, to her. She was glad she'd settled it at them missing each other fair and square because she was embarrassed over her recoiling into some shyness and rendered unable to brush off how she felt towards what he'd said.
In actual fact, she could tell with all the actions he made, how he probably felt; they were guesses she'd coded from whenever she'd been around him and Tseng, it provoked him to respond mechanically with things such as ruffling his hair. Cissnei wanted to ask him what made him say that her opinion mattered most, and definitely whether he was even sensible anymore because he wouldn't have gone through all that he did if he knew anything about her thoughts. They would have been thoughts to make him stay, make him take time to find out everything accordingly as she felt for him... and reciprocate...
"You do care..."

She made three words sound questioning, battered by her other questions in her head but it had two meanings and one was to state he did care since everyone else's feelings made him emotional; he cared more than anyone she knew about almost everything.
It was somewhat linked with the passion he had to live so optimistically and she smiled rather peacefully with a little haze in her eyes to the part where it told her again how quiet and protectedly limerent she was for him. The limerence had developed over the years into what she could safely consider as a secret love that was repressed to remain infantile, therefore easily hidden. There was nothing she could do about Zack, if he never changed and she didn't, history would repeat itself inside her, and she was a bit entranced as he grinned back at her like a cheshire cat.
"So... I was right then, you missed me more after all."

Two minutes ago or less, she had just made a little pact that she'd agree they were on the same level but how were they going to break the ice before it got too awkward, if she didn't toy with it again? He gave much of himself away and she was not about to plunge head first with confessions she would die to make, and fulfill her lifelong desire, because it was too soon and chances of her making a mistake were outbalancing the brilliant possibilities.
In transit from her small sketched up act, she slipped the smirk back just a little. Feelings were like the weather, as fleeting and ever changing sometimes; she wondered if he'd appreciate her devotion to him if he was ever to find out she had disregarded every man she'd work with, save him.

"I'm glad you value my thoughts so highly... that does mean a lot more than you know."
The end was always a thanks, always a straightened politeness that was her policy with every tease; though it was customary of her to add on this way, she meant it so strongly that it would equate to her hugging him in fruitful joy but it felt like the time she'd attempted to fight him... the held back truths.

When he walked nearer, she tensed a little, not visibly, just inside... as the rise and fall of her chest repeated with the quickening of her heart beat. That slowed as she confronted her struggles and looked directly at him just in time to see that shock, shoot pass his face.
Inconsistency was consistent as she tried to pick out the best reaction she could have to his surprise and seeming mutual embarrassment; those times she'd seen it should have given her ample practice but she dropped off a hook now that he'd both repeated something she never imagined he'd say twice, and stated that her thoughts were most important.

At that point, Cissnei's breathing had been quietly stopped, she'd sucked in a gulp of air only to release it in a silent sigh whilst casting a mighty wall of self restraint.
"...Enough that you can't even say... I won't say how much I did then too?"
She reversed to her second remark and leaned a little forward to look as though she was studying him critically, but with that joking expression; he was close enough for her to do that now and he wasn't going to get to hide anything from her eyes. Normally if she was viable to make an abrupt leave, she'd have winked at him but she couldn't do that and stay around to see the look he'd give her.

"You'll have to crash it... I'd have thought you'd never be disappointed. Dead people don't come back either... " Lifting her hand from the fold, she raised a forefinger as she had before this time to wag it twice, before folding it back again, as though to tell him he'd done something silly and also replaced a tsk. Cissnei was telling him he'd failed to qualify for dead parties and that she'd expected him to start some in the lifestream, even though that was all an outrage.
What was more of an outrageous thing would have been if she could feel one bit relaxed about what else she wanted to say; he knew he was invited back then but these days, she didn't know if it was the best idea. It took a few of these memories and worries for her to go back to the fond teasing, a mention of Aerith, which he wasn't going to like; Cissnei adored the frantic Zack became during those times, but she didn't know what had happened to Aerith in truth now, information from ShinRa confused her and she wanted to see if he knew anything.

"As for those parties... you were always busy... or looking for Aerith."

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

Zack cocked his head a little after he said dang it, Cissnei seemed amused, and he couldn’t help but smirk as well. When she laughed, or looked amused, for some reason, it made him want to do the same. The laugh was good for serious Cissnei, he enjoyed hearing her laugh. When she covered her mouth, she looked adorable, and his eyes softened a bit. He didn’t see her smile all that much, or laugh, so whenever she did he enjoyed it. His eyes sparkled, now that he was close, he could see the happiness in her eyes.

He saw more in her eyes, he was starting to understand her more by what she said, what she did. He knew they had been enemies at the last, but he hadn’t ever thought of her like that. What he had told her he would do…he didn’t know if he could have ever do that…he had never wanted to do that. He sighed softly and glanced down at his hands, before looking back up at her. He felt the embarrassment in the air, it was a little awkward, after being dead and not seeing each other…and what he had told her the last time he had spoken to her. Plus, he felt differently about Cissnei then he had before…something…he wished she thought of him as more then a friend…but he didn’t know how to say what he felt for once.

He did care? How could she not have thought he cared? He thought she could read him easily, maybe that wasn’t the case. Cocking his head, he nodded, but still wondered what she meant about him caring. Caring about her thoughts? Caring about her? He cared…about her, about her thoughts, he hoped she cared about him…but he had never been sure. He knew that she had been a part of his fanclub, she had told him that, not that she had wanted to, but she had. That was the first time he had thought perhaps she had cared something…anything for him, even as friends. How could she always do that? Make him wonder with just a few simple words? It grated on him that she could do that so easily.

Nodding, his gaze softened when he saw hers do the same. “I don’t think you could have missed me more then I missed you…although you were part of my fan club!” He winked at her, since he knew how much she hated telling him that. A lot more then he knew? He hoped that was a lot. “I can’t lie…it does matter to me…more then anyone else’s…more then anyone’s!” She was so polite, so serious, he didn’t…couldn’t read her, did she really care? Or was she just being sweet like she normally was? It was so frustrating not to know!

He was close to her now, only a few feet away, and he wished he could close the gap even more, but held back, embarrassed. She gulped in a breath of air, and he was breathing deeper as well. Trying to hide his embarrassment, he nodded, “well, I can usually find words to say things….but right now…I don’t…but I’m just happy to know that you missed me at all!” She leaned ahead, studying him, or so it seemed to him. When she leaned foreword, he did the same. Looking into her eyes, he didn’t even try to hide anything from him, such as his feeling for her. Studying her eyes, he smiled. “Your eyes sparkle when your happy…I like it!”

“Maybe you should crash it with me…I could give you a ride on my new bike!” he crossed his arms, he grinned, “Yeah, no one can come back to life…except Genesis, and Sephiroth…and me!” He chuckled a little bit, his blue eyes twinkling with humor. He loved teasing her, not only because he liked her, but because the look on her face was always so rewarding when he teased her. When she mentioned Aerith, the smile on his face left. Sighing, he uncrossed his arms and ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah…being SOLDIER doesn’t exactly give you all that much time for recreation!” He didn’t know how to answer her about Aerith. “Well, I don’t know where she is or what she’s doing right now…I haven’t really been searching for her…last I knew she visited Cloud and Tifa, but that was before I came back to life! I haven’t seen her, although Cloud and Tifa say she’s alive…I haven’t been searching for her…” He didn’t exactly know how to answer her, for he wasn’t looking for Aerith! Shifting his feet, he wondered why her voice was different when she had spoken Aerith’s mind…

[Cissnei]

With all vigor, she resisted getting flushed pink; the pupils of her eyes had dilated to sketch out most of the iris' colour as she watched him. No matter how he moved and what he did or even when he'd shown some reluctance when she talked about Aerith because he'd always seemed shy about mentioning her around Cissnei, they remained the same, large and glittering in the attraction but she couldn't tell how her gaze appeared, so enraptured by him, as it always had been. It was just another on her list of unnoticeable things to him and possibly even herself because she couldn't control this at all. Pale skin was going to contrast very strikingly against the blood rush of a blush; she felt almost tongue tied and wound up by herself about the shallow translucent skin she was born with because it was not going to help either.

Cissnei's pines did not side with her. The lack of contact like this through five years had dangerously deteriorated her drama skills and somehow the charge of her emotions re surging with immaculate strength to beat out her dire hopes of destroying them once and for all was just as bad; she was losing the want to make Gongaga nothing but a memory. Nothing but a memory, he couldn't be that to her... she knew for sure now and it wasn't the greatest discovery. She could never leave his fanclub...

"I... Your fanclub..." Her arms uncrossed so swiftly and dropped to her side from the distress she suddenly went through; the incoherence of her speech was the beautiful breakdown of her wit. The eyes darted in a semi circle in their sockets as she wanted to roll them again so badly; her brows had furrowed for a splash of bother and then she wanted to just throw her hands up in surrender but tossed her head a little. The auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders and flipped with the motion and then she sighed, about to smirk as she plotted a retaliation to throw him off guard.

Taking a step towards her right, she rounded him for two paces more, in passive expression of her frustration but also to get away from his raining cuteness. She was stopping to say something when he winked and exclaimed another outrageous point to her, about his inability to lie, which she knew and now wanted to sigh over. The smirk couldn't return and Cissnei looked like her serious self again, her hands were slowly tempted to fold but only one reached up to rest on her form arm as she held onto it in an observant manner.

As much as she tried now, she couldn't snap out of it.
He nodded and she shook her head on her own accord, to nothing he had said in particular. This mushed feeling close to what she could attribute to weakness, or just the side effects of it, had brought the softness of her insides out; it made her feel a little faint, and delicately cushioned in the liaison of things. He had mimicked and smirked back at her, a blind person could see that some of what she hid with expertise went transparent for him to note. It was happening faster than she could anticipate, and even when happening was impossible until now, she wanted to be prepared; her charisma was not to resemble anything sweet, she thought and it only went worldly wrong with the lures of his mako eyes.

"You're always happy, and of course it should matter to you more than anyone because I'm part of your fanclub no?" She was in his fanclub alright, but he was never to know the extent of her contribution granted by her access to all the information files and some first hand time spent with him.

The longer she was drawn into his aura, the more likely she was going to smile again, and it had been long enough; looking away, the corners of her pink lips began to flinch into the smile she had before. Though this time, she was wary of keeping her gaze at a distance and not do the studying thing again in the case he was going to remark on sparkles and how he liked it because... she finally released a sigh and slid her grip on her hand down so she clasped them together again.
"Thank you... you have a new bike? And I'm glad you came back to life Zack, don't push it with your luck this time."

The charming he did to her had it's ways of working magic and she relaxed with the mere reasoning that he was being kind as always, and this was just another moment she'd found unwarranted; there was bound to be failure to stay composed all the time, on her part and the excuse was fine. Although, from the change in his mood at the talk of Aerith now, she was puzzled and curious because he had always been so enthusiastic over the flower girl who'd mesmerised him; Cissnei felt the atmosphere hang lower than it should and tried to finish his trailing answer off with a different subject, so she could re promote a sense of debonaire.
"Oh... we have not monitored her since ShinRa distorted the truths... but, she must be well so you don't need to worry. It seems you'll have plenty of time for recreation now, and... you have yet to tell me, what brought you back here Today?"

[Zack Fair]

Zack Fair

She seemed on edge a little bit, although she always seemed a little bit like that. When she hesitated over the fan club, he grinned, his eyebrow rose at her, watching her. He liked to watch her, and he must admit, he had never seen her as flustered as she looked today. Was it the fact that he had been dead? Or maybe just from seeing him? Or was it more? Maybe a combination of everything?

She seemed to be in distress, from her actions, how swiftly her crossed arms came uncrossed, the way her eyes flicked so fast. When she had first told him about the fan club, he had thought it was a joke. Sure, Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth had had fan clubs, but he hadn’t ever thought about him having one. When he had found out it was real had been a big shock. When he had found out that Cissnei was in the fan club…well once again, he had been shocked majorly. He had never imagined that she would be a part of his fan club, and yet, she had been.

Not only had he been shocked, he had been happy as well. Happier then anything had made him at that point. With everything else going wrong, with Genesis, ShinRa Angea and Sephiroth, Cissnei had been his one friend other then Cloud that was truly there for him. She had made him happy when he saw her, even when she was hunting them, he had been happy to see her. She seemed restless, as he could see by the way she paced around him. She didn’t return to smiling again after he told her he couldn’t lie, in fact, she became extremely serious, looking at him like she was thinking hard about him, or observing some oddity she had noticed about him.

She seemed to be almost dizzy, and she wasn’t recovering. Being so close to her was…intoxicating. His breathing was accelerated slightly, his heartbeat was beating much faster then usual. Why…? Why was he feeling this? He didn’t like feeling so dizzy with anyone around. Plus, he couldn’t loose his edge, he was in Gongaga, heartless roamed freely. At the same time, looking into her hazel eyes made his heart skip a beat, and yet, he wasn’t sure why, could he…love her? He froze completely, his eyes wide for a moment, the thought shocked him, scared him a little bit. He was in love with Cissnei…was that it? Now he was at loss for words and now he was bent on reading her eyes, to see what she was feeling, what she was thinking. He retreated a step slowly, trying to clear his mind. Being close to her didn’t help with that any, so he decided to put a small bit of distance between the.

Trying to recover from the knowledge he just learned about his own feelings, he rubbed the back of his neck and then crossed his arms. “I’m not always happy…although you probably already knew that, and it does mean a lot to me that your part of my fan club, I don’t know anyone else who is, or was rather…and they wouldn’t mean as much to me!” He cocked his head, relaxing as her lips turned up into a smile. She wouldn’t look at him, rather keeping her gaze was toward the distance. “I do, pretty sharp, I think you’ll like the bike!” He chuckled, but it was dry, not full of humor as normal. “…I’m not aiming to get killed again, the lifestream is completely overrated!”


“Its hard to get your life back on track, its weird not being with SOLDIER, I don’t have to worry about tracking down the enemy, who they tell me to destroy, yet there is a sense now. Heartless are now everywhere, darkness is destroying everything, and…Sephiroth is back, so now, now we’re going to have to save the planet once again…” he laughed harshly, “Its never going to be the same again in Gaia, If Jenova hadn’t ever been found, none of this would have ever happened. If Hojo…” He trailed off and sighed. “I found out the hard way that ShinRa was wrong, and I fought for them for almost 10 years…and after all that, for no reason, I was hunted by everyone I considered on the same side as me…ShinRa, SOLDIER, the Turks…for what?" Turning his back to her, he tilted his head back and put his hands behind his head. He struggled with himself, his emotions, yet, was all this his way of trying to let go? “And yet, I never viewed the turks as my enemies…especially one turk…” Turning back around, he smiled to her, “I could never view her as an enemy…”

What had brought him back? “I’m not sure Cissnei…I wanted to come back, because well, not only is this my hometown but it’s the last place I…” He trailed off, wanting to say, had seen her. He coughed a little, and his cheeks heated up a little, a tinge of red covering his cheeks. “I was a little hesitant to come back, but Tifa persuaded me to come…” He wasn’t sure if Cissnei knew Tifa or not, so he clarified, “That’s Cloud Strife’s fiancé…” He sighed, “I can’t really explain it, but something drew me here…” glancing down at his hands, which were in fists, he gulped. “Hey…um…er…since I have this sharp new bike, I was wondering…would you want to go for a ride with me on it sometime?”