tampered | Log; Completed

Log; Completed

When; July 22nd.
Rating; Depends. Let's put a solid PG on it.
Characters; Zack [

yourarmor] and Sephiroth [

demonicnova]
Summary; Sephiroth returns. Zack isn't happy one bit and tells him to meet him at the Carousel for a little "chat".
Log;

Zack could not believe this. Not at all.

But he didn't hesitate once Sephiroth agreed to meet him at the Carousel, quickly running out the door without second thought. Zack knew he shouldn't be doing this, just because he knew Cloud would probably be upset with him taking matters into his own hands.

Right now, however, all he could think about was a long, long talk he wanted to have with the silver-haired General.

It wasn't surprising that Zack, at first, got defensive and angry. The initial thought of Sephiroth coming back... and then the whole thing on his journal? Of course he got defensive. Of course his blood boiled with anger. Sephiroth, the person Cloud looked up to most and thought of him as a hero, the person who broke Cloud more than he already was broken before, the person who kept making Cloud's life a living nightmare... there was no doubt or second questioning as to why he was pissed.

Though as soon as he found himself nearing the Carousel, he paused a moment to think on things. Zack always found himself irrational when angered, and it came easily if someone hurt his friends, especially Cloud. But did Sephiroth do anything yet? No. No he didn't. There was the subtle hint that he was going to try something, there was no doubt of that. But once again, no harm was made to Cloud just yet. Yet being the key word.

And as much as he knew Cloud could take care of himself perfectly fine, he definitely wasn't going to just step down and let him take care of things all by himself. Cloud deserved to not have so many burdens put upon him. Cloud deserved so many things, and Zack, now being at his side, was able to try and see that these things were to happen.

Zack knew he was being overprotective and possessive, but it was just a part of him that he couldn't shake. But what he could shake off was anger if it meant that he just had to talk to Sephiroth. Both of them probably didn't want to get into a brawl. That would cause several problems for several reasons.

Licking his suddenly dry lips, the raven-haired man made his final steps towards the Carousel, finding a bench next to said never-ceasing to spin object. He pressed a hand to his forehead to massage the spot, telling himself to just calm down and be rational this time around. Getting heated and angered did him no good last time, and wouldn't do him any good this time around either.

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The irrational behavior that Zack displayed had been something he had partly expected of him. It had been no different in life, the lifestream, and now in this City of unanswered questions. However, there was no way that it would ever reflect in Sephiroth's actions, or his work that he was set out to accomplish.

He was here, he didn't know where here was but damned he'd be if he'd ever-- oh, he had to smile, thinking to himself, he already was supposedly the very angel of damnation, wasn't he? He'd roll his eyes if it bothered him, except it didn't. It was only the truth and Sephiroth wasn't entirely against speaking it.

Or proving it, for that matter.

So when he arrived, he chose to do it in a manner that perhaps Zack would be more familiar of seeing, rather than the fanciful displays of power that he had become quite the norm for him to show- and walked.

He walked, each step as calm and even as the other, until he was standing before the very place where they were to meet, his senses quietly alert. Zack. How have you been? How are you alive? Do you know why am here? were questions that would never have a voice except perhaps in his head. He smirked and headed towards where he had sensed his old companion, stopping just a few feet short of him and watching him with the same look of calm that had become his famed one.

And with a voice, deep and quiet, he finally voiced the words that would be the start of their battle of words.. or battle of mind. Either could apply.

The swords were raised.

".. brooding never quite suited you, Zack."

And the swings came..

It didn't take a genius to know Sephiroth was approaching him, but Zack remained in his position for a few reasons.

One, he knew it would give Sephiroth the chance to take the first swing at him with his words. Didn't matter though because Zack already cleared his mind by the time he arrived. Two, he also knew Sephiroth probably knew that Zack already knew that... oh, hell, it was getting confusing by number two so he had to stop there before he confused himself even more. The fact of the matter was that Zack was familiar with Sephiroth's cold, unthoughtful words.

It really wasn't the case way back when they were, so to say, partners on the job. Zack had been around him long enough to know when to just grin and when to use his perfected ways on how to throw sarcastic words back at him. That is, before he went mad and fucked up their friendship.

Zack was all for being friends with people and trying to forgive and forget, but in Sephiroth's case it was too hard to do just that. It was a complicated situation, after all.

“You're right, a smile always suited me just fine.” Deflecting his words with positive ones always made Zack feel better, and he promised himself he wouldn't get angry at anything Sephiroth said.

Why? Because it would just please him to know that he was getting Zack annoyed.

Amusement was the predominant emotion reflected apon the former General's face. For one, Zack had managed to maintain that spark of optimism that Sephiroth had nearly always enjoyed breaking down with a penalty or command for a drill - and even beyond that, he recalled Zack always returning as energetic as ever, really making Sephiroth wonder whether the penalty was worth it or not. It was something he had usually looked forward to doing while they were still in SOLDIER, the break from monotony..

And even now, his First Class soldier wasn't failing to shatter the predictable outcome of what might have been an awkward, tense reunion.

Which this would be, though hardly awkward on his own part.

His arms moved, folding across his chest, bared slightly under the black uniform that had become his symbol. "The Black-Caped Man" they had called him. What other names had he become, he wondered.

It was everyone's memories that kept him alive, and that was something he would always take advantage of.

Just like he took advantage of Cloud's and would continue to do so. The thought of the failure brought a smirk even darker onto his lips, but he made no other motion after that. He wasn't here to argue, or battle, if things went well enough.

"It is good to see someone who hasn't fallen to the embrace of illusions." Sephiroth spoke silkily, mako-green eyes flashing briefly before his lips curved up into a slightly predatorial grin.. then a soft chuckle escaping him, the former General shook his head slightly, tilting his head a bit to watch the dark-haired SOLDIER.

"Hoping to battle me, Zack..?" the voice he asked this in was softer, nearly motherly, but one look in his eyes and anyone would be able to tell that he wasn't just mocking.

"Or are you going to let me cut you down like you did before..?"

He meant every word of it. He was hoping Zack had improved from back then, because there had never been a moment watching Zack's weakened form fly at the end of Masamune's blade had not been repeated in his mind's eye.

You want to protect him when he couldn't even protect you. Can you do it.. even now?

“No, not really.” It wasn't said with a hint of revolt which he somewhat expected, but instead a cheerful chirp was said in reply.

And, to counteract Sephiroth's smirk, Zack put on one of his trademark grins that always seemed to annoy people (or, rather, surpass anything he's ever seen, and he did this daily, mind you) since it was the overly happy kind. He had absolutely nothing to be happy about, but he had to remind himself of a few things.

This City? Yeah, it thrives off of things that cause hurt, pain, suffering... it thrived off of that to make it live, or so he thought. So why should Zack be one of the other people adding onto the City's life? It's why, of course, he maintained a cheerful outlook to everything when he could. He also tried to get everyone else to do the same, which seemed to work in most cases.

Another thing was that he had to think happy thoughts. And what ran through his mind was the teenager Cloud he had encountered yesterday, along with his younger self as well. That was, to say the least, fun. Sure, Cloud had been a little less talky and a little more fidgety, but it was to be expected. Zack also was overly teasing and was poking fun at people without really thinking on it first - which wasn't saying a lot as Zack didn't think that much to begin with when it came to things like that - but it was like re-living very, very fond memories.

And Zack was always up for remembering fond memories. Thus, he thought on them instead of what could become a dark, cold reunion.

“Cut me down? Haha!” His laugh, of course, was just a ridiculously cheerful as ever, too. “Nope, not that either.”

Zack placed his arms around the bench's top, freeing one hand for a second to pat the seat next to him. “So, going to sit down or not? Or is the great General Sephiroth too high and mighty still to take a seat next to a dead person?”

It was charming how, despite it all, Zack had managed to slip into that mask of acquiescence without much trouble. He hadn't expected less of him, of course, but if he knew anything about his former subordinate, it was that he fell into delusion wearing this mask for those around him.

At Zack's offer, one arched eyebrow was raised in silent amusement, before he calmly gave him a nod of his head, and a rather calm-voiced statement was made.

"The dead often have more worth than the living." a cruel glint in his eye, Sephiroth calmly moved forward and took the offered seat without so much of a hint of hesitation. Every action, every step that he took, was performed with a sense of elegance that he had somehow maintained regardless of the situation he'd be in.

Slowly straightening up, Sephiroth raised his gaze- how long had it been that he had been in such a casual environment without any worry? It was ironic that he was in one, regardless. Releasing a small sigh, Sephiroth spoke the next words that may have almost seemed nostalgic, had they perhaps, not been from him.

"You haven't changed."

A tilt of his head, waching the boy out of the corner of his eye.

"Why do you not release your fury instead of displaying this facade of kindness, hm?" a smirk crossed his lips. "It is unlike you to be furious and not take it out."

Zack blinked up at the sky once Sephiroth spoke about him not changing. How could he, anyway? It wasn't like him to change from his cheerful state, but then again, in all truth and honesty, a lot of things about him had changed. Sephiroth just didn't know this, and many other people as well since he refused to show it or speak on the topic.

But that didn't matter. Not right now, at least, when Sephiroth was sitting next to him and Zack had asked him to. Not many people would attempt that and he knew this perfectly fine. But it wasn't like he was afraid of Sephiroth. Oh no. He was far from being afraid of him, unlike many, many other people. It didn't hurt that he was once his close friend, too. But it also added onto the fact that he was still bitter about everything that had happened.

Though he didn't think on that at this time. Sephiroth was initiating a semi-fine conversation, which made Zack feel a little less angry than he did not but five minutes ago.

Good, happy thoughts, Zack reminded himself patiently. It wasn't hard for him to think happy thoughts of course, but the look on Cloud's face the entire time they went through the Nibelheim incident, not to mention what happened after...

No. Cloud was fine now. He was happy and actually smiling and laughing, and that's all that mattered. So he focused his attention on that, which would always, no matter what the case, make him smile.

And smiling he did.

“Why? Probably 'cause I'm not up to it.” That was half the truth, but truth nonetheless. “I 'dunno, probably 'cause I also don't have the time to be angry, too. Well. I have a boatload of time, but y'know how it goes.” No, he probably didn't 'know how it goes', but it was just Zack's way of dismissing the topic.

So instead he shifted in his seat, a little more so he could see Sephiroth clearer than before. “So, you just arrived, right? I assume you like, need a tour or somethin'. This place isn't bad at all... except for some of the shit that goes around.” Zack reached behind his own neck, scratching it as he thought on what else he should tell him. “We have these days where random weird stuff happens. Like, one day I was a girl. And another day everyone turned into kids.”

Rambling on and on was Zack's specialty, so who was he to not ramble at a time like this? Not awkwardly, amazingly enough, but just his usual rambly self.

"So I have heard." from the way he sat there calmly, watching Zack with a mildly calculative look that seemed to be nothing short of just been kindly, it would have been impossible to imagine that this man was the very cause of the trauma that had befallen the friend Zack was seeking to protect right now.

It amused him.

Moving a hand up to touch back his own bangs, Sephiroth turned his face away from Zack, never once faltering from analysing his surroundings or being aware for any attacks that might come. It didn't show, but from the way he had everything in his vision, he could even see a spider crawling up the edge of the fountain.

As Zack spoke, he released a small breath, a hand unconsciously going to touch the hilt of Masamune (which was off him and placed sideways on the bench, considering he couldn't sit with it being on) and letting out a small chuckle.

"From the lifestream to a game. What will they think of next..?" he could have meant anyone by 'they', but he did not mean anyone but the forces that had brought him here and turned his life upside down that day, those years ago.

He then closed his eyes, smirking calmly as he spoke again.

"Would you accompany me even now, Zack." re-opening his eyes, he turned to focus them on the dark-haired man. "When what you hold dearest to you right now is what I seek." his words were careful, quiet and more than that, simply provocative.

"You can't hide from me, Zack. Five years in SOLDIER and many more in the Lifestream. You're more controlled than you were. Why?" the question was carefully posed, the curiosity having had nagged at him for a while. "It is almost as if.." a smirk crossed his face. "You are trying to go against losing your composure. Is it for him.. or is it something else?"

The last words were spoken with a sense of morbid curiosity- had Zack been truly worried for him going to fight with Cloud, the topic would have arisen. But it had not. Not even once.

There was more to Zack's visit than he was letting on and he was determined to find out just what this was that was holding him back.

There was a moment where Zack watched Sephiroth as he spoke, and then shifted in his seat, soon letting his forearms rest on his knees as he leaned forward a little, watching the people in the City. A little girl, running towards her mother. Some kid he talked to on those journal-things hanging out with another one he didn't recognize. Dorian, not too far off... all these things were, for now and until the City collapsed, was part of his home. This world was his home, and had been his home for years upon years. The people were like family almost, even though the count of said people were endless.

If Sephiroth appeared and Cloud had not been here, it would've been easier to go about doing things his way. He wasn't weak. Not at all. But he did hold back because he was suddenly wondering what kind of damage Sephiroth could inflict on Cloud himself. Zack didn't care if he himself got killed, died, provoked and/or many other things that could come to mind. He could live with that, since it's not like he'd disappear or anything, he'd just come back into the City like always.

But he didn't have to think on that right now. Instead, he craned his neck to look at the sky again, a sort of peaceful look upon his face after Sephiroth's last words caught his attention.

“'Course it's for him.” Zack paused to let out a short laugh, not understanding why he felt overly nostalgic and happy for these few fleeting moments. But then he went silent, a sort of thoughtful look on his face, but still as peaceful as ever and had that hint of a smile lingering there. “Cloud deserves more than anyone in the world - this world, too - to not have to fight or go through what he's already went through already.”

Shaking his head, Zack went on. “Sephiroth, I don't want to fight you. I really don't want to, but it all depends on what you want exactly from Cloud.” Shifting violet-blue eyes over at him, he grinned a little toothily. “You've known me long enough to know I'm the possessive type, especially over him, so you can't blame me for saying all of this.”

He relaxed back in his seat then, arms reaching behind his head so he was in a more relax position, leaning back into the bench while his eyes now kept to the sky again. “And why am I controlled?”

Zack paused, letting the words hang over them, then smiled a bit wider than before. He recalled Cloud and his date, the silly things they did, the blond laughing, holding onto his hand, the kiss at Xanadu; all of these things and more calmed him, made him more relaxed, and initially gave him more strength to hold said control that he was having right now.

“...Probably because of him.” The raven-haired man admitted, not one to fool himself or anyone else. Then, he scratched the back of his neck, laughing a bit. “I 'dunno, you know I'm not that good at answerin' these types of questions.” It was almost as if he fell back in time, where nothing had happened, even though that his main goal was still to make sure Sephiroth didn't harm Cloud. If he wanted to speak to him, then alright, but it would have to be at his and Cloud's apartment with Zack present. Besides, wasn't like the blond stepped outside on his own all that much to begin with.

This was different, Sephiroth had to admit. There was just something about the way Zack spoke that not only impressed him, it also irked him. He should be furious, aggravated that Sephiroth was here and from what he had understood, he -had- been. He had been enraged and angry, there was certainly no doubt about that.

And then it had gone and become this, this that was hardly what he could call.. what he knew. Normal.

If anything, something of this city itself had changed the very core of the soldier that he had known.

Questions. Each more stranger than the next. Questions that he couldn't think of answering now. Questions that he wouldn't bother. Finally, he sighed, looking on ahead at the city before them, his voice quieter than normal.

"If you're going to tell me to keep away from Cloud, you will be wasting your breath Zack." he started normally, tilting his head slightly to look at him. "In the end.. you know what is to happen."

So saying, he stood with a sweep of his trenchcoat, getting back on his feet and Masamune swept back to the side of his waist. He didn't look down at ack, but he didn't move away either.

"You did not become a memory, Zack.

Then why do you make me one?"

That was when he turned, fully facing Zack wit what was a calmly questioning expression on his face. His lips slowly moved into a smirk and he folded his arms across his chest when he figured he had Zack's attention.

"Amusing.. how in consideration of one's happiness.. you would take away another's privelige.. isn't it.." that was aimed at Zack now, no implications made.

Zack had gone out of his way to protect Cloud, forsaking Sephiroth from everything he had done -- condemning him for what he had, and had the galls to sit here, lecturing him on what he wanted and what -he- was to do?

Pathetic.

“It's only 'cause I'm a selfish person, Sephiroth.” Zack returned the smirk with a grin after a few moments of just staring at the other, holding nothing but truth and honesty in that statement.

It really was true, too. Zack knew he was selfishly asking for so much, but knew he could do so little on his own. Now, if he had help from someone who could make his wishes come true, things would be fine. There only had to be one willing person, after all. But things like that? That was his last resort. And as much as he wanted to say “Hey, Sephiroth! It's okay that you did what you did, I understand, buddy. Let's go take revenge!” it just wasn't something he was going to do. No. He understood perfectly fine. Zack, in all honesty, just wanted to talk to Sephiroth about it.

But apparently this was going nowhere.

Talk never suited the cold General, even though Zack had tried to have him join in on conversations countless times. It made Zack sad - no, not sad. Disappointed. Zack was disappointed in Sephiroth, which was probably worse than being just, in general, sad. Besides, sadness didn't look good on Zack's record anyways. Who was he to be sad or feel pity for Sephiroth?

Sure, there had been times were he really, really thought about what he did, put himself in Sephiroth's shoes, and it did click a little later on as to why Sephiroth did what he did. But why didn't he, instead of taking matters into his own hands, confide in Zack? Zack didn't know jack shit either. But weren't they friends at one times? Weren't friends supposed to talk to one another about problems and concerns and big shit like what Sephiroth had to find out by himself?

That's one of the other main reasons Zack got angry. Sephiroth shoved him away every time he asked what was up, why he wasn't eating, why he wasn't coming out and why he doing nothing but talking to himself every now and then? What the hell else was he supposed to do but give him space and let him do what he wanted?

And that was probably the time Zack told Cloud things would be okay, since he looked worried about Sephiroth, his idol, the person he wanted to be so damn much. Zack said it'd be okay.

That was far from the case, and he later kicked himself for it.

But things were different now. Zack didn't know all the details of what happened after he died, since he didn't bother asking Cloud a second time after he first tried to get him to tell him things.

Zack shook his head then, scratched it, then sighed. “I'm not here to lecture you, Sephiroth. If I sounded like I did, sorry, I didn't mean to at all.” Sincerity and honesty was all Zack had to offer to not only Sephiroth, but everyone around him. Sephiroth, even though he was claimed as one, was no god in Zack's eyes. He was a human being. A fuckin' strong human being, but one nonetheless deep down past the revenge and shivering cold that no one dared to touch.

No one except for Zack, that is. And he'd try to prove himself sooner or later.

It was interesting on how alike yet different they both were. While Zack thought of personal interactions as a norm, to Sephiroth they were as alien as the Mother he believed he knew. Even in their days back in SOLDIER, he was so shocked by the attention that he used to recieve from the cadet that he never normally knew how to react. His response during that time would be a general cold push-him-away or no response at all-

But there had, indeed, been something there.

It would be futile to explain to him, anything that went beyond feelings or understanding - because he -couldn't- understand. Zack could repeat it all he liked, that he was there, he had been there for Sephiroth, yet he wouldn't, he'd never been there, he'd never grown up as Sephiroth had. Sephiroth had known his life as the norm and accepted it, there was no yearning on his part for the way Zack's warmth had crept into his life.

There was no understanding of the affection in idol worship the men around him and Cloud had given him.

He may have wanted to understand, he may have enjoyed it-- had he known how. So, really, Zack's affection really went unfounded, because it was falling on a heart that had long been dead.

As Zack apologised, Sephiroth lowered his head with a quieter smile, before raising it and meeting his former friend's with a look of calm comprehension.

"I never expected anything more or less of you, Zack." his hands moved to his side; for the while, from the way he kindly spoke despite the power glowing in his eyes, he seemed to be the same General Sephiroth that Zack would have often tried to drag to Gongaga for holidays and when he'd refused, brought him back a huge Turkey to eat. He enjoyed it, unable to show it-- but in the end, it had all fallen on deaf ears, a deafened heart blinded by something bigger.

"It doesn't change anything. Whatever you say is hypocrisy." he stated blankly, letting out a small sound in his throat in a calm chuckle, before turning around fully, looking as if he was to leave.

"Listen well, Zack. I'm not here to fight you." his voice was serious. "But if you stand in my way, you'll face what you deserve at my hands." another chuckle, he raised his face to the sky.

"I know the consequences of what I have done and will do. No matter what you say, my path will always be to Mother. You and I will never see that eye to eye." he glanced over his shoulder, watching Zack calmly.

"Don't delude yourself into thinking I'll change."

As much as Sephiroth never spoke, he was speaking enough to compensate for all those years of saying something maybe once or twice when around a crowd of people. For Zack, yes, it wasn't like Sephiroth never spoke to him in an almost normal-like way, but this was different. He wasn't his friend anymore, wasn't going to be close to his friend anytime soon, either. Friendship was never a one-sided thing, even if Zack offered it freely to everyone around him. It was another thing he could only offer so much of, and possibly got so little in return. But he didn't mind, people could take as long as they wanted until they saw that it wasn't a bad thing. There were several people in this city that he was determined to get to speak to him on a more natural level, but even Zack had his limits, if that was believable or not.

And with Sephiroth? Yeah, he had his limits, but since he was his former friend he'd do all he could to just not ignore the fact that he was back. Zack wouldn't turn his back on Sephiroth unless Sephiroth turned his back on Zack first.

There was a moment where Zack simply watched Sephiroth's back, contemplating on a lot of things. The words that he said? Not shocking. No, in fact, Zack first expected a fight, but the calm thoughts that he ran through his head tucked and shouldered the anger, the fury that Sephiroth dared try to seek Cloud out. He didn't know much about what went on between them, and everyone for that matter, after all those years, but he had an idea as to what happened.

And an idea was all Zack needed.

Plus, there was a score to settle for Aerith as well, but she... was a forgiving, strong person at heart. Zack always, in secret, looked up to her for the forgiveness she offered. He couldn't do that. Not when so many people suffered. But he could ignore it for now, or at least not put that out there just yet.

Though who could blame him for being so furious? People trusted him, and when Sephiroth finally snapped people were just defending themselves, like Sephiroth did as well. Good vs Evil here? Well, Zack wondered about that himself sometimes.

But whoever dare came close to Cloud with the sole intention of hurting him, Zack would be at least there beside him if Cloud wanted to fight his own battles. However, the raven-haired SOLDIER, now that he was there, now that he knew he wasn't faltering like he had done last time when he fought Sephiroth... he wouldn't just step back peacefully and watch.

The pause was longer than Zack expected it to be, but it gave them both time to just simply stop, in which Zack was grateful for. Though the next minute Zack stood, shifting so he was standing back to back with the silver-haired man, then spoke in a clear, calm but deep and firm voice. “I'll be sure to remember that.”

And with that, the conversation was over, Zack decided. The next time they meet would be either to talk some more or settle it with a fight. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

He didn't take any time in moving from the spot he was standing in, stepping a few feet forward then walked a calm pace back towards building one, determination set on his face and a passing thought on if he should tell Cloud about this or not.

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Log; Completed

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