Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Darkened Skies	By : Cynthia Category: Final Fantasy VII > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 949 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all characters are the property of Square Enix. I do not profit from this fanfiction, it’s for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
- 28
- 29
- 30
"Darkened Skies"
Chapter twenty-nine: An eye for an eye
A Final Fantasy 7 AU fanfiction
~***********************************~

*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.
~**************************************~

One of the most daunting challenges Zack faced as he recovered from his ordeal was the depleted depth perception. He realized how much this was going to affect him when he had issues using the bathroom. It took him two tries to flip the light switch on and he even had difficulty aiming when he relieved his bladder. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against the cool tiles of the bathroom wall, shutting his eye. He imagined his father telling him to buck up and stop feeling sorry for himself, and that only made him want to cry again. What he wouldn't give for his Dad's gruff advice, right now.
He spent an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom, because he didn't want to risk any of the hospital staff coming in and seeing him in such a state. When he composed himself, he came out to find a pretty young nurse had arrived in his room. The old Zack might have immediately tried to strike up a conversation with her, perhaps get to know her a little and maybe even ask her for a date, when he was feeling up to it. Now Zack could barely look at her, all too aware of the healing scar beneath his bandages.
"Hello Lieutenant," the girl greeted with a compassionate smile. Her brown hair was twisted into a little bun and her dark eyes were friendly and sympathetic on him. "I've come to show you the facilities menu. "You'll be with us for a few days, so you might as well pick your meals."
"I'm not hungry."
She hesitated, watching as he went to the window on slightly unsteady feet. He reached out to brace himself against the wall and he cursed as he missed. The nurse ran to his side immediately as Zack lost his balance and fell to his knees. He was shaking with humiliation and emotion as she stroked his hair and tried to soothe him.
"Lt. Fair, you need to eat and regain your strength," she insisted. "Here, let me help you back to your bed."
He gulped down his emotions, not trusting himself to speak. She helped him back to his feet and assisted his steps, leading him back to his bed. He felt a cool breeze as the back of his gown parted with his motions and he flushed, hoping she didn't catch an eyeful. He managed a choked word of gratitude to her as he eased down onto the mattress. She adjusted his bed and stroked his hair one last time, before offering him a laminated menu.
"Pick whatever you want," she said. "Here's a pen. Just circle your preferences and I'll be sure you get the meals you've chosen, each day." She gently took his hand and pressed the pen into it, mindful that he was trying to adjust to his loss of depth perception. "Take your time, Lieutenant. You have to give yourself some allowances. You just woke up yesterday, after all."
He nodded. The evening before was a blur to him. He remembered waking up and sobbing against Angeal's chest like a baby, and then he must have fallen into an exhausted sleep—or they came in and dosed him, one of the two. He knew Angeal stayed with him for a while, at least until he drifted off to sleep. Then he woke up around mid-morning with a full bladder.
"I thought hospitals didn't let their patients sleep much," Zack muttered, squinting as he read the menu. His vision in his remaining good eye was as sharp as ever, but the "flat" feeling wouldn't go away and it was making his head hurt.
"We've been in and out of your room, checking in on you every hour," she assured him, "but Lt. Hewley insisted that we let you rest, unless the doctor said otherwise. I think he would have stayed here all night with you, if we would have let him sleep on the floor."
That made things suck just a little less, and if Zack weren't so devastated with grief, he would have cracked a smile. "Angeal's pretty stubborn, that way. He's like my big brother." He sighed and picked a few items on the menu, not much caring what they were. Even though his stomach was growling, food was the last thing he cared about right now. "Here you go."
She took the menu and the pen from him and she studied it. "By the sound of your tummy, you could use some food. I'll go and turn this in. They've already served breakfast this morning, but I'm sure we can get you something to snack on until lunchtime. The doctor will be in to see you in a little while and discuss your options, okay?"
He shrugged, lowering his eye. "Whatever."
She sighed softly, but she didn't say anything. As she started for the door, Zack thought he should at least know her name. He hadn't bothered trying to read her tag. "Miss? What's your name?"
"Deirdre," she answered, giving him a little smile over her shoulder.
Zack nodded. He didn't even take the time to admire the shape of her calves, or the way the skirt-uniform fit her feminine curves. He couldn't take pleasure in anything now…not the view of a pretty woman or the taste of food or the company of his friends.
~****************************~

"How is he?" Lazard asked of the SOLDIER officers when he called them into his office, a couple of days later.
Genesis gave him a look. "How do you think he is?"
Angeal quietly admonished him. "The director is just concerned. Drop the attitude."
"It's all right," Lazard assured him. "I understand the frustration you all must be feeling. You share a comradery with each other that I can only envy. At the risk of sounding cold, do any of you believe Lt. Fair will be capable of resuming his duties, eventually?"
The three of them looked at each other. "I'll say the same thing to you that I said to the doctor," Sephiroth said, "It depends on Zackary. I would like to believe that he'll pull through this and find the strength to carry on, but we can't expect too much of him. This sort of loss can damage a soldier for life."
Angeal nodded. "Losing your family is bad enough, without having it happen right before your eyes and being unable to do anything about it. I don't want anyone pushing Zack."
"I have to disagree with that," Genesis said.
"Of course you do," muttered Sephiroth.
"Don't get smarmy with me," snapped the redhead, eyes flashing. "I know we'd all like cuddle and coddle the broken puppy. I admit to having grown an attachment to him as well; but if we don't push him to drag himself out of this pit, he may become permanently mired in it."
Angeal scratched the stubble on his jaw thoughtfully, his gaze shifting to Sephiroth. "He may be right."
"Perhaps," admitted the general, "and I trust you to know better than any of us. I just hope Rhapsodos' suggestion doesn't backfire on you and make things worse."
"We'll give him some time," Angeal said. "Let him try to adjust at his own pace and be supportive. If he stumbles, we'll catch him."
"I'll give him a month, tops." Genesis' eyes dared them to contradict him. "I know a little something about where he's at right now, gentlemen. We all do." He looked at Sephiroth. "Especially you, General."
The silver-haired man lowered his startling green eyes thoughtfully, the pale lashes concealing his gaze and the thoughts therein. It was no secret between them that Sephiroth wasn't exactly thrilled to be alive. "Yes, I do."
~******************************~

While Zack struggled to cope with his loss and adjust to his handicap, his friends and fellow SOLDIER operatives had their hands full dealing with the growing threat of the WEAPONS. Refugees began to pour in from small settlements, telling horror stories of people being picked up and ripped in half like ragdolls handled by a malicious, careless child. AVALANCHE began to bolster fortifications in Ft. Condor, inviting the residents of surrounding settlements to come and take shelter there. Cosmo Canyon started to take on refugees as well, and not just from Wutai.
When word got out that the Gold Saucer was hit by not one, but two WEAPONS, Reno was incensed by this—being a big fan of the chocobo races and gambling. His partner had to stop him from taking a chopper without authorization and going off to fight the creatures himself.
Rufus finally began to admit that perhaps it would be best to round up the population and divide it into colonies, as Reeve and his half-brother had been suggesting. Junon Harbor was practically a fortress in itself, but it was still out in the open and Rufus knew that if a group of the WEAPONS converged on them, they would lose the city. He told Reeve to hasten construction efforts in Modeoheim, and he began to look at the possibility of Cosmo Canyon as a new base of operations for himself and his Turks. He discussed this possibility with Scarlet one night, after a round of vigorous and none-too gentle sex.
"Let Lazard and SOLDIER run the Modeoheim colony their own damned way," Rufus sighed. "I'm happy to be rid of them."
She traced a fresh line of scratches on his chest. "But will the Cosmo residents cooperate with your leadership? That lion creature residing there is technically their 'chieftain'."
"I've met Nanaki before, and Tseng has spoken with him on the matter," Rufus assured her. "He says he's willing to share Cosmo with us, so long as we respect the sanctity of certain areas in the Cave of Gi. He's supposedly the last of his tribe, and while he has no interest in 'ruling' humans, Tseng says he'll want autonomy."
"Then let him lead his hippies and we'll lead our people," she suggested with a shrug of her naked shoulders. Her hand slipped lower under the sheets. "The Wutaian refugees are making it work so far. I don't see why we can't. Otherwise, there's always Ft. Condor as a possibility."
"Absolutely not," vetoed Rufus immediately, "I will not share a base with those terrorists. I'd sooner shack up in the icebox with my spineless half-brother and his butt-fucking SOLDIERS."
Scarlet snickered in that way of hers that set teeth on edge, making Rufus clench his jaw. "To be fair, only three of them are known to be…er…butt-fuckers. Lt. Fair is a known womanizer—or at least, he was." She started to play, coaxing him back into a more convenient state for her desires. "Besides, I find it a little…exciting."
Rufus scowled at her. "Exciting? The thought of two men?"
"You'd be surprised, Rufus," she purred, "I'm not the only woman who thinks about it at times. As much as those SOLDIERS piss me off, I'd love to walk in on Rhapsodos and Hewley, sometime."
Rufus yanked her hand off his groin and sat up. "Thank you, I've now lost all interest in sex."
Scarlet seemed more amused than bothered. "Are you really so insecure, Rufus? I know plenty of men who fantasize about a certain pair of female Turks on your payroll."
"That's different."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a petulant child. Come back to bed."
"Not if you're going to keep talking about men sodomizing each other. It's a turn-off."
"Would you rather have a spanking, then?"
Rufus paused in the act of getting out of the bed, and he turned to look at her.
~*****************************~

As they feared, Zack's depression showed no sign of easing as days went by. The good news was that even though his interest in the things he normally loved had waned, he still managed to find the motivation to practice his swordsmanship. He did it alone at first, self-consciously avoiding an audience as he tried to teach his body how to fight under these new limitations. He tried shadowboxing first to keep his footwork and hand-to-hand skills sharp, and he used practice dummies for his swordplay. Every time his companions got called out for a mission, his frustration grew.
He became obsessed with getting back into his game—at least as a SOLDIER operative, if not the man he used to be inside. It was all he had left to motivate him. It was the only thing that took his mind off those last, horrible moments of desperation, when he failed to protect his loved ones from the incoming attack. Combat was the only thing he understood, now, and he avoided people whenever possible, distancing himself from associates and friends alike.
He didn't fully comprehend just how dark he was going until the day he accidentally hurt one of his dearest friends.
~********************************~

"The farmlands in the Grasslands area have been evacuated," explained Reeve to the assembly. This wasn't a meeting of corporate heads, it was a general conference to bring everyone up to speed on what was happening. As such, most of SOLDIER and the Turks were present, rather than just officers or upper ranks.
"Fort Condor to the south is taking in some families, and the rest have been relocated here in Junon," Reeve went on. He pointed at the map on the massive screen behind him, using an extendable wand. "Bone Village to the far north is still inhabited, for now. We've tried to convince the archeologists there that it would be in their best interest to relocate, but they're determined to stay."
Zack snorted. 'Idiots."
Beside him, both Angeal and Genesis stared at him. The couple exchanged a glance, but neither of them said anything.
"The residents of North Corel have gone to Cosmo Canyon," explained Reeve, indicating the map again. "There's also a town called Nibelheim close to that area, surrounded by mountains. Reports say it appears to be abandoned, though. We're considering sending a team there to investigate, but we have our hands full at this time trying to organize everything else. Nibelheim will have to wait."
Someone in the Turk section raised their hand, and Reeve nodded at them. "Yes?"
"I'm just wondering where we're going to fit all these people," said the guy. "We're taking in more refugees every day, and even with Cosmo and Ft. Condor taking in some of them too, Junon is starting to fill up."
"There isn't enough housing to go around," agreed a female MP. "Yesterday we almost had a riot in a soup kitchen. They had to call in my regiment to handle it."
"We're well aware of the housing issue," assured Reeve, "and I've got people working on expanding some areas of Lower Junon for now, until we can implement our colonization plan."
People began to murmur, and one of the SOLDIER operatives in the rear spoke up. "What colonization plan?"
Reeve pointed out an area of the map up to the far north, south of Icicle Inn at the foot of a big mountain range. "Over the past few months, we've been modifying the cave system inside the mountains surrounding the old mining village of Modeoheim. The village itself has been abandoned for some time, but the cave system runs deep and offers plenty of shelter for the numbers we're sustaining here in Junon."
"We're supposed to live in a cave?" someone shouted. "What kind of mining was going on there?"
"Mako extraction," answered Reeve, "but as I said, the town was abandoned long ago, when the last of it was mined out of the mountain. There's no danger of contamination; I've checked that extensively."
One of the Turks made a sarcastic sound in his throat. "How about we just toss on some animal skins and trade our guns for stone clubs?"
Zack glared at him across the distance. "How about you have a nice tall glass of 'shut the fuck up'?"
The entire assembly went so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. "What did you just say to me, Fair?" sputtered the Turk, wide-eyed.
"You heard me," Zack said, standing up. His good eye glared coldly at the Turk, his damaged one now concealed beneath a black eyepatch he wore. "If you don't want to live in a cave, stay here and wait for the WEAPONS to pick you off. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. Those are your choices."
"Everyone please just calm down," Reeve advised when the Turks started shouting insults.
"Yo, cool it," Reno hollered, getting his underlings' attention.
"Silence in the ranks," ordered Sephiroth when the SOLDIER operatives started tossing insults of their own.
Rufus approached the podium while Reno and Sephiroth tried to bring their people under control. "Everyone, take your seats and be quiet," instructed the president into the microphone. "Right now."
His stern order seemed to do some good. The assembly quieted and people reluctantly took their seats. Across the distance, Cissnei bit her lip and gazed at Zack with openly concerned brown eyes, and Elena watched him warily. Angeal patted his shoulder and quietly urged him to sit back down. Zack glared at his initial opponent as he took his seat, his expression promising an ass-kicking if the Turk dared to mouth off to him again.
"This colonization contingency is quickly becoming a necessity," Rufus explained, his blue-gray eyes sweeping the assembly. "I'd like to tell you we could hold this harbor indefinitely, but that may not be the case—and we are running out of room. We make a far too attractive target to these creatures, if we stay here this way. Commissioner Tuesti?"
Rufus gave Reeve a nod and stepped aside for him. The engineer approached the podium and cleared his throat. "We have determined that these creatures rampaging over Gaia aren't just randomly attacking. They are purposely singling out populated human settlements. They ignore abandoned areas entirely, except perhaps to stomp on them in passing. This is an all-out attack on humanity, and we can blame Deepground's meddling with Omega for provoking this response from our planet."
The assembly went quiet again. Someone coughed and someone else sniffed. Cissnei looked around and stood up, regarding the two men on the podium with troubled brown eyes. "Sir, are you sure about this? Why would the planet want to kill off every human? Gaia created us, after all…didn't it?"
"I can't pretend to know what the planet thinks or feels," Reeve admitted. "I don't think any of us can comprehend how it works, to be honest, but we have to look at the facts. These attacks began after we defeated a WEAPON designed to gather all life and deposit it elsewhere, in the event of a massive, global catastrophe. We stopped Omega from carrying out its purpose. I'm convinced that in doing so, we triggered the awakening of Gaia's other guardians, and now they've begun exterminating us because we've proven we're too big of a threat to our world, and to ourselves."
"So then we're screwed," Elena said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. "If we hadn't done anything, Omega would have taken the Lifestream and left us with a barren world. Now the planet wants us dead for defending ourselves. Is that the gist of it, Commissioner?"
"Yes, but it doesn't mean we're 'screwed'," Reeve insisted. "We can survive. We'll have to change the way we live, but we'll survive."
"When do you plan on making this move?" someone asked from the SOLDIER ranks.
"We haven't established a definite schedule, yet," answered Rufus. "Some of us will be going to Modeoheim, while others will be relocating to Cosmo Canyon. This will ensure that the human population is more evenly spread out, without scattering too broadly across the globe."
"What will that do to our military forces?" demanded a woman in the army ranks. "Are you going to divide SOLDIER and the Turks?"
"No," answered Rufus with a shake of his head. "We've agreed that SOLDIER will go with the Modeoheim colony, while the Turks and my cabinet will go to Cosmo Canyon. The regular militia units will be divided between us. This ensures that all colonists have ample military protection."
"Some people are sure to be upset over this," Reeve said, "but we've hashed it out and this plan makes the most sense. It will give us the best chance of survival, all around."
They went on to explain what to expect with the new colonies, when the time came to relocate. Through it all, Angeal watched Zack sidelong with a troubled expression on his face. Kunsel likewise bore a look of disquiet.
~*****************************~

"Zack, wait up!"
Zack slowed his steps automatically and he shut his eye with a sigh. "What?"
Kunsel waited for a few people to pass them by in the corridor before speaking to him in a low voice. "What was that all about in there, man? That wasn't like you at all."
Zack shrugged and a sooty lock of hair fell over his good eye as he lowered his gaze. "I just wasn't in the mood to listen to that guy pissing and moaning, is all. Can't I lose my patience now and then like everyone else, without getting the third degree over it?"
"Well, sure…you're only human—or as human as we SOLDIERS still are, anyhow. I'm worried about you though." Kunsel patted him on the arm. "You've been avoiding everyone like the plague since…well…since…"
"Say it," Zack pressed. "Since I lost my folks and my eye. Yeah, I know."
"Okay." Kunsel shifted uncomfortably. "But can I ask why? We're your friends, Zack. Even if you don't want to talk to me, you should talk to Lt. Hewley. You're not going to counseling and you've probably got some trauma you need to be dealing with."
Zack grimaced and he directed his friend down another hallway, leading him away from the exit of the assembly room, so they could have a bit of privacy. "Look, I need to focus on what I know, right now," he tried to explain. "And I know combat. I need to figure out how to make my body work with me again. I can't tell you how confusing it is to try and compensate for the loss of an eye. I could barely take a piss on my own, the first time I tried after waking up from surgery. I couldn't even grab my junk to aim it!"
Kunsel winced. "I'm sorry, man. I guess…I can't really fault you if you blame us a little for this."
Zack stared at him. "Wha…no, I didn't say that! You guys got me out of there. You came with me when you found out Gongaga could be in trouble and I know you all did your best. If anyone is a failure here, it's me."
"Zack, you aren't a—"
"Don't," interrupted Zack with a sigh and a slashing motion of his hand. "I know in my head that I'm not, by my heart says something different. You're worried about me going to therapy sessions? Well, my therapy is sparring, right now. It's the only thing that distracts me. Just let me cope my own way, and stop thinking any of you did anything wrong. It's totally me, okay?"
Kunsel lowered his eyes again. "I guess. But hey, if sparring is your therapy, why not go a few rounds with me in the gym? I was thinking of getting some practice in anyhow."
"You?" Zack managed a weak grin—a mere ghost of the bright smiles he used to favor people with. "I don't believe it."
"It's true, man. I'm turning over a new leaf." Kunsel stuck his hands into his pockets and grinned back at him. "All this mess with the WEAPONS has me convinced I'd better hone my skills so I have a better chance of survival."
Zack considered the offer. "I haven't sparred with anyone at all since this happened. I'm not sure I'm ready to."
"Just gives me a fighting chance against you," quipped Kunsel. "Come on, Zack…socialize a little, even if you need to be fighting to do it."
The one-eyed lieutenant finally greed, albeit reluctantly.
~****************************~

Kunsel soon learned just how much rage his friend was keeping bottled up. He'd never been anywhere near as good as Zack in combat, but the other man had always pulled his punches when they sparred in the past. This time, Zack wasn't holding back and Kunsel sincerely doubted his injury was crippling his skills as much as Fair thought.
"Whoa, take it easy!" he yelled as he dove and rolled away from a downward sweep of Zack's broadsword.
He got to his feet, only to be forced to hop away again when the other man aimed a kick at his head. Zack hardly seemed to recognize him. There was a battle-lust in his single amethyst eye that Kunsel usually only saw when Zack was going up against an enemy. He had never seen such a killing look on his friend's face during a friendly duel.
"Zack, do you even recognize me?" Kunsel dodged another attack and he felt some relief when he saw Angeal and Genesis walking into the gym. "Uh, a little help here, Sirs?"
~*******************************~

"Hmph. This rage looks hauntingly familiar to me," Genesis murmured to his companion as he and Angeal stopped to watch the scene before them. "He's blind, Angeal…and I don't mean that as a pun. Your puppy has gone rabid."
Angeal nodded grimly, his handsome face hard with resolution. Without a word, he started toward the embattled operatives, his gaze fixated on Zack. Genesis started to come with him, but Angeal turned and shook his head at him.
"Let me try, first."
The redhead nodded and hung back.
~**************************~

"Zack. Zackary Fair, stop this!"
He recognized the voice, but he couldn't place it. All he saw was his enemy. The Wutai insurgent kept dodging his attacks and babbling, not really offering much of a challenge. He was on a mission though, and he couldn't slack off. These rebels had bombed ShinRa facilities and if he didn't put a stop to them, they'd just do it again. He caught his opponent off-guard with an elbow to the face, and he grinned when he felt the visor crack under the blow. The man fell to the ground and yanked his helmet off, staring up at Zack with wide hazel eyes and a bloody nose.
Recognition stopped Zack's blade, just as he would have plunged it into the man's chest. He stopped and stared at him, confusion tearing through his mind as he became aware of his true surroundings again.
"Kunsel."
Someone put a hand on his shoulder and Zack reacted instinctively, twisting to slash at them. A heavy, massive blade blocked his strike and he looked up at the face of his mentor.
"Put the weapon down, Zack."
Zack complied reflexively, letting go of the sword and letting it clatter to the floor. His hands and arms tingled from the shock of the two blades colliding and he knew that if Angeal had used more force, he probably would have broken his blade in two. Zack looked down at Kunsel again and he swallowed, horrified by what he'd done.
"Kunsel…you okay? I'm so sorry, man." Zack offered a hand down to his friend and he half-expected him not to take it, but Kunsel was a forgiving sort. He took the offered help and got to his feet with a grunt, pinching his nose to stem the blood flow.
"Don't worry about it, Zack. You stopped yourself."
"I could have killed you." Zack turned to Angeal, in a pall of guilt and pain. "Ange…I think maybe you should arrest me."
Angeal's features softened, revealing his compassion for the younger man. He shook his head and he reached out to put both hands on Zack's shoulders. "Not over this. It's an isolated incident and this is the first time you've lashed out that way at anyone. Kunsel, are you willing to let this go? We can file a report if you—"
"I don't want to file a report," assured the Second hastily. "I'm the one that pushed you to spar with me, Zack. You warned me you weren't in a good place for it. We're good."
"I don't know how you can say that," sighed Zack. He walked over to the bench against the wall and he sat down on it heavily, putting his hands on his spread knees. He looked up at Genesis, finally noticing his silent presence. "What…no comment from you? That's new."
Genesis considered him for a few seconds before speaking. "I could tell you that you're being an idiot, cutting yourself off from the people you trust and refusing their comfort or help. I could tell you that if you allow this rage to take over, you're going to lose what makes you who you're ultimately meant to be, at the core."
Genesis smirked, ever so slightly. "I don't feel the need to over-extend a lecture on something I trust you already know." He turned on his heel and started to walk toward the gym exit. "Whatever darkness you're feeling inside, somewhere underneath it remains the real you…Zack the Puppy."
Zack and the others watched him go. Once they were alone in the gym again, Kunsel made the observation all three of them were thinking. "What does that guy do, practice these speeches in front of a mirror?"
~*****************************~

After hearing about the incident with Kunsel—and being subsequently begged by Angeal not to put Zack under arrest for it, Sephiroth decided to have a few words alone with Lt. Fair. He sent Zack a message instructing him to meet up with him in the science department. When he arrived, Sephiroth took him down to the lower levels and the highly restricted areas, using his clearance to his advantage.
"What are we doing here?" Zack asked, sounding more tired than worried. Men and women in lab coats passed by them, but none of them dared question the general.
"You'll see."
Finally beginning to show a bit of disconcertment, the younger man looked around at the sterile, fluorescent-lit surroundings suspiciously. "You're not bringing me down here to let them try some kind of experimental surgery on my eye, are you?"
Sephiroth gave him a look that asked how he could possibly believe he of all people would attempt to push experimental treatments on anyone. Taking the hint, Zack shrugged and followed him through the sliding doors as they opened in response to his keycard. When they arrived in the laboratory of Sephiroth's choosing, Zack stopped in his tracks. Hojo and Hollander were both in there, working over WEAPON samples. Their presence wasn't what gave Zack pause, however. The body parts floating in the huge preservation tanks were what made him freeze up. The big, open lab was full of samples taken from the vanquished WEAPONS for study. There were bits ranging from chunks of the strange, chitin-like body armor to what appeared to be gems.
"What the hell are we doing down here, Sephiroth?" Zack didn't bother trying to keep his tone friendly or meek. He felt the rage inside of him stirring again as he looked upon the remains of the creatures responsible for his parents' death and the loss of his eye.
"When Emerald WEAPON attacked your home town, you were denied the chance to avenge your parents." Sephiroth led him over to one particular tank, where the remains of the creature in question's head floated, attached to a big clamp to hold it steady. The general considered the object for a moment, before turning to look at Zack again. His beautiful, almost angelic countenance bore a pensive frown. "You need closure."
Zack looked between Sephiroth and the head in the tank. "But it's dead, already. What are you getting at?"
Hojo and Hollander both took notice of them, and they were clearly wondering the same thing. "What are you doing down here?" Hojo demanded.
Sephiroth didn't take his eyes off Zack. "Professor Hollander, please come over here and decant this tank. I need access to this sample."
Hojo moved to intervene as Hollander went to obey. "Just a minute, boy! What do you intend to do with my sample?"
"It isn't 'your sample'," answered Sephiroth coolly, "it belongs to the organization and I'm making a military decision regarding its use. Hollander, proceed."
The bearded scientist approached the tank and he entered a code into the numberpad. Hojo tried to get in his way again, but Sephiroth shoved him away in a gesture that seemed casual for him, but was forceful enough to send Hojo sprawling to the floor with a cry. The general hardly blinked as he gave Hojo a simple, impassive warning.
"If you attempt to interfere again, I'll cut your head off." He lifted his silver sword slightly, just enough to make it sing and give Hojo incentive to stay out of the way.
"I'm reporting this," warned Hojo as he scrambled to his feet and stumbled away. "This breaks protocol!"
"Feel free," answered Sephiroth. "And good luck convincing them to act on your outrage. Guards, see to it that Hojo doesn't attempt to leave without an escort."
The men assigned to watch over the laboratory—especially the two dangerous geniuses running it—saluted Sephiroth crisply, as one. They had been hand-picked by him for the task, and he trusted them to keep both scientists in line.
"What are you trying to get me to do?" Zack asked in frustration, still at a loss.
The liquid finished draining from the tube and Hollander raised the glass, leaving the dripping head suspended in the open, held up only by the clamps attached to the pedestal. The head itself seemed tiny in comparison to the rest of the WEAPON'S massive body, but he'd only caught a glimpse of it before the attack. He could have mistaken the head for an oversized green helmet, if some part of him couldn't instinctively sense that it had once been alive. Still, it was almost as big as Zack's whole body, and he could see the blank red gemstones of its tiny eyes flickering from inside the slits in the armor.
"Climb onto the pedestal," Sephiroth suggested. "Draw your sword, and do what needs to be done."
Zack stared at him. "You're nuts."
The general's mouth twitched briefly. "The idea may seem insane to you right now, but grief is rarely rational. It wouldn't hurt to try."
Zack looked at the remains of the hated creature again, hesitating. "I know you're trying to help, but—"
"Zackary, don't make me resort to sentiments," warned Sephiroth. "This isn't a suggestion, it's an order. If it really is just a meaningless gesture, you lose nothing from doing it. Otherwise, you could stand to gain something you need. Now do as I've instructed."
Zack sighed heavily, recognizing the warning tone of Sephiroth's voice as a sign that there was no getting out of this. "Fine. Hold my damned sword for me."
Sephiroth took the weapon silently and waited as Zack climbed onto the pedestal with a grunt. It was wet from whatever fluid had filled the tube when it was lowered over the object, and Zack grimaced as it soaked into his pants where his knees pressed down. He got to his feet gingerly, staring at the head with a mixture of fascination, disgust and rage. He held his hand out for the sword and Sephiroth handed it over.
"So do you want me to say something to it before I start hacking, or what?"
"If you want to."
That was no help. Zack sighed again and he grasped the hilt of his weapon in both hands, hovering the blade over the left eye slit. He frowned. Now that he was doing it, this didn't seem as asinine as he'd first thought.
"Whenever you're ready, Zackary."
Zack glanced at his companion. "Just give me a minute." He looked back down at the thing that had taken his parents from him, staring into the oddly beady, gem-like eyes. He forgot about his audience and he spoke to it, the words forming on his lips without conscious thought.
"You took my family away from me, and you took half my sight. I don't know why the hell you came or what we ever did to you, and I don't care. I'm going to spend the rest of my life hunting your kind down, until you're all dead, or I am. I don't care which happens fist. Do you hear me? You're all dead!"
He drove his sword down, straight and true. There was a grinding feeling as the point drove into the slit and through the eye. There was no blood left in the head, but the pulp from what remained of the brains began to ooze out and Zack yanked the sword back to stab again…and again. Sephiroth watched silently in the background as he took out all his helpless rage and anger on the remains of the creature, and when Hollander and the security guards began to look nervously at him, the general shook his head and warned them to leave it be.
By the time Zack's rage was spent, the Emerald WEAPON'S head was little more than a mass of broken carapace and whitish-blue brain matter. He fell to his knees in the mess, panting heavily. When he lifted his gaze from the carnage and looked at Sephiroth again, his eye seemed clearer, having lost some of their bitterness. It would take time. He might never again be the same carefree person he once was, but at least now, he could see the path to healing.
"I need a shower."
~************************************~

-To be continued
- 28
- 29
- 30
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Darkened Skies