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[swatsflies]

@ZD
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((OOC: Zell may show messages to Jim Hawkins. If you do not want Jim to see/know, then please let me know.))

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[heroproceeding]

[ The mention of ShinRa again admittedly gets Zack looking at the floor a moment, thinking of a few conversations that seem so far away now. But at least at the mention of Cissnei again... There's the faintest smile to him. There and gone. ]

I was pretty lucky I did meet and befriend her when I did or otherwise me and Cloud... Well, me and Cloud would have been in a hell of a lot more trouble later. [ He bites his lip at the thought, glancing over at his bag. It doesn't take long for him to decide to drag it over though, stuffing a hand in the side pocket and pulling out a random pair of keys that ought to be familiar with Zell in the days where he tried to organize Zack's... organized hot mess. He tosses them to him lightly. ]

She followed me back to Cloud the first time I ran into her. She could have used him against me, but she got the Turks off our tail and gave me these instead. They were to her bike at the time.

[swatsflies]

[ The place-that-should-not-be-named. There were so many questions he had on it, but he knows this wasn't the time or place. His focus was on their mutual red headed friend as he tries to put it all together. Catching the keys and looking them over. ]

That was awesome of her. [ He says it like it's surprising. He clarifies immediately ] She did something against them, huh? The Turks. She told me they were family to. [ Giving a little bit of a smile. ] Guess she likes you a lot. [ And then the weird part of the story pokes him. Quirking his brows as he looks up at Zack. ] Why were they on your tails?

[heroproceeding]

[ Awesome really feels like an understatement in his eyes. Lifesaver seems more appropriate. But the thought dies pretty quick in his throat. A lot do, really. It's hard to focus on Cissnei when he's dropping a question like that.

Zack bites his lip briefly as he glances away. ]

You already know the gist of what happened at Nibelheim with Sephiroth, right? How he burned down the village. I was on that mission with him, too. So was Cloud.

[ Rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, he leans back on the wall, closing his eyes. ]

So, we were witnesses that could'a told the world what really happened. And with Sephiroth being this big figurehead for the company, imagine how the public would's reacted.

[swatsflies]

[ Being around a group of guarded individuals forced the teen to look for signs and the lip biting is one of those signs. He's used to watching for that particular tell from someone else in their group. The next sign comes in Zack's hand on the back of his neck.

It's like when he tripped over the scars under Zack's shirt or when they touch on Angeal. There's something there that Zack doesn't want to touch. Zell isn't sure what part. Cloud? The reason they were running? More Sephiroth? Before he could think hard though, a question is already tumbling out. ]

Wait. They were hunting you over just being witnesses? How long were they hunting you for? [ Since he knows there was a gap. It's been a while since Kunsel seen Zack before coming here, right? ]

[heroproceeding]

[ There's a certain hesitance at first. He licks his lips and breathes. ]

...They hunted us down for about a year.

[ Regardless of how steady he tries to keep his voice, there's something of an edge to it. But Zack just shakes his head and pushes through, regardless. ]

ShinRa's... complicated. There's a lot of good people in it. A lot of people that joined because they honestly did wanna help people. But it's a company. And unfortunately, it's the big shots that make the final calls and if they want you out of the picture, they'll spin whatever story makes it work for them, especially if they're afraid.

[ He adjusts his posture, leaning on a bent knee now instead. ]

And they had plenty to be afraid of. There's a lot of people who don't like ShinRa and they have good reason to after some of the stuff I've seen. So, if word got out that their war hero burnt a village to the ground in cold blood, they would have suffered a big blow. Better to make it sound like he died tragically, you know?

[swatsflies]

[ Putting Mochi down and petting the cat as he tries to fit the information in. No matter how it's spun though, Shinra's actions weren't right to him.

It hit similar to how the original proprietor to Garden wanted to give the SeeD's head over on a silver platter. To make their group out as renegades going on their own agenda. ]

That's just stupid. [ There is a piece still to Zack's words that isn't fitting in, but at the moment his focus is on just how unfair it was. ]

I get ShinRa has done some good. Cissnei made sure I knew that, but that still doesn't excuse hunting you guys down just to cover shit up. That's messed up.

[heroproceeding]

That's one way to put it. Messed up. Unfair. Dishonorable. [ Zack rattles off the words one after another, but there's no bite to them like there might have been months ago. There's too much he's already worried about. Too much that's already messed up, unfair, and dishonorable. They live it day to day there.

It's tiring.

Zack closes his eyes, arm on his knee now and gesturing with his words. ] There was a lot'a stuff like that with ShinRa though. I just... There were a lot of good people under them, too. People who really did wanna help people. I know Cissnei cared a lot- hell, she was the one that let me know my folks were fine after that reactor blew at Gongaga. And you know Kuns, too. There were plenty'a people like that. We just wanted to do something good.

[ He shrugs a little. ] I guess... maybe I hoped if I stuck with it, I could be there to do the right things. You know? I wasn't ever expecting something like that. I mean we stopped him. That was what we were supposed to do.

I WIN THE OLDEST TAG

[swatsflies]

[ More like nonFair. ]

Yeah, she really believed in the difference Shinra could make. She knew there was some messed up stuff, yeah, but she could still see their good. Cissnei is a good person, even if she didn't want people to know. [ The whole skirting around over who she was and keeping quiet.

The rest of Zack's words hit him though. Hoped. He knows it's not what Zack means, but his gaze drops to Zack's chest for a moment. Maybe a moment too long if he was hoping to escape notice. Then his attention is back on the tablet. ]

Yeah, it sounds like it happened out of no where. I don't think he even expected to go whacko.

I DIDN'T THINK OF A PRIZE FOR THIS.

[heroproceeding]

[ It's hard not to notice the way Zell stares. Not when he's quiet for that moment as he is. But Zack just leans in on his knee more than he had before. ]

No... No, he didn't. But it's not like you expect yourself to be tied to some sorta crazy thing like that.

[ He stares hard at the floor for a second, a little on the lost side. But then he blinks and looks back up at Zell. ] But it doesn't change what he did. I don't think I could ever forgive him for that. [ No matter how off the deep end Angeal had gone, even he... even he hadn't gone that far. There'd been fear, but instead he'd... well. He was gone one way or another. Can't change that either. Zack reaches up to rubs his temples. ]

I know I wouldn't ever go back to ShinRa. Not after everything they did. But I sure hope whoever's still with them can turn around what they're doing and make things better. I mean if everyone who doesn't agree with them leaves, then it's never going to change.

[ Though the more people come around here that would have done some good for ShinRa, the more the chances feel like they're dwindling there. And that's if it's ever supposed to have a change. Maybe it's meant to end instead and if it is, well. Maybe that's better off, too. ]

wow I demand a prize

[swatsflies]

[ It's not about what Angeal did but would HE COULD DO BECAUSE HES A MONSTER

Zell fidgets as Zack's mind seems to drift. He decides to keep flicking through the pictures on the screen to see if he could put names to faces. He continues on, even while Zack talks. Tipping his head in his friend's direction to let him know he's paying attention. ]

You're going to be a mercenary, right? [ The corner of his mouth tugs at this as he remembers telling the older SOLDIER that he'll be his teacher and Zack going along with it. ]

Yeah, they have some good seeds in there. Like Cissnei's family. [ Because thinking the best of the Turks is a good idea. ] Hopefully they knock some sense in the corrupt assholes.

but I'm too lazy

[heroproceeding]

[ Cissnei's famil- oh. Oh. She had mentioned being raised within... Thinking about that makes his stomach turn though. Because while Cissnei had been on his side of things in the end, that hadn't accounted for anyone else. And no matter what good Tseng had demonstrated back then, five years can do a lot to someone. Can change a person. And the Turks, well. The Turks were definitely ones to follow orders without question, too. That's what had made them so dangerous in the first place, after all.

But it feels too callous to tell Zell that. Not when he seems to have so much faith in them. There's already far too much doom and gloom around here, so instead he just nods a little with a noncommittal hum. Nods and then nods again, this time murmuring out a: ] Yeah... That's the plan. Being a mercenary, helping the right causes... No strings attached. No one giving me orders I don't like. Doesn't sound like a bad gig, does it?

no strings attached just like your freedom

[swatsflies]

[ It was important to Cissnei for Zell to see the good in them. That's what he plans on doing for her sake. He's not going to think too hard on her using the common ground they shared to gain his unrelenting trust either.

His attention settles squarely on Zack again as he watches for his expression to change. Looking for any tells to say they are trespassing on something bad again. When he sees nothing, he's not really sure if it's a good thing or not.

Mercenary talk is a lot easier to chew over and figure out. He'll assume Zack's quite tone is thanks to sombering topic of dead friends and memories. Not going to dwell on it as he seizes the new topic with gusto. ]

Yeah, it does sound nice. Bet you could make a killing at it with the skills you have. Going to have transport? [ A pause. ] Do you know how to drive anything besides motorcycles?

sdofushdf NOT LIKE THAT.

[heroproceeding]

Of course, I know how to drive other things! [ He almost sounds offended. Almost. Except there's the faintest touch of amusement. ] Just 'cause Cissnei gave me one of those doesn't mean that's all I rode back there, buddy.

[ Sure, when he sits and thinks about it, he wouldn't mind having one, he guesses. But he hadn't exactly had the rights to be picky with what he drove back while they'd been on the run. Granted, that had also meant a few stolen vehicles in the end, too... Not exactly honorable or right, but when it had been a close call and he'd had no other choice- that or being recaptured, Zack had gone with the former if not reluctantly hoping he'd make it up to whoever one day.

That had been the hope at least, he thinks, as he rolls his shoulders. ] But yeah, would like to pick up something that'd get me around long distance. Was never one to stick around in one spot for too long. It gets kinda boring if you ask me.

[swatsflies]

[ Driving Kunsel doesn't count. Or chocobos.

Splitting into a grin at the expression Zack was showing. ] What about air ships? Are they common where you're from?

[ The gears were churning and he's happy to scoot away from the serious conversation of bodies and the chapel for a bit longer. ]

[heroproceeding]

[ What? They totally count!

At the mention of airships, Zack's already raising an eyebrow. ] Nah, they've been just getting off the ground lately. ShinRa has this one big one, but that's about it. I take it they're big where you're from?

[swatsflies]

The military uses them mostly. The Gardens can fly, though! They aren't as fast as the Ragnarok, but still pretty cool. [ He sounds excited by it. ] What about boats?

[heroproceeding]

[ Zack can't help but whistle at the thought of lots of flying aircraft. But wait- ]

Hey- back up a moment. The Gardens can fly? As in your homes?

[swatsflies]

They can fly. [ He nearly bounces in his spot. ] They were converted from old escape ships. We didn't even know they could do that until we needed to move ours.

[heroproceeding]

They... can fly. [ Seriously, what the hell? That's both cool and kinda crazy. But hey, he'll work with it. Though he does kinda have to wonder... ]

But why did you need to move it in the first place?

[swatsflies]

[ It's like mini towns zooming through the air. Zell does tense a moment over the direction of the conversation is heading. Going back to fiddling with the tablet again to keep doing something, while he talks. ]

The Sorceress. She wanted to kill all SeeDs, so she decided to target Balamb and Trabia with missiles. [ After an interlude or something. ]

We manage to get Balamb Garden to safety, but... [ Not Trabia. He still remembers how messed up the place looks. Selphie was standing in front of the graves of her friends to tell them she accomplished their dreams. ] Admittance into them starts as young as five...

[heroproceeding]

[ Zell might have not said it outright, but Zack can fill in the blanks easily enough. Balamb had made it. Trabia hadn't been so lucky. Trabia hadn't been so lucky and there'd been kids on board that Garden. Zack's faint smile from before falls abruptly and soon enough, there's a hand on Zell's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. ]

Always seems like things like that... spares no one, huh.

[ It makes him think of Banora... and that had been a tiny town. If Gardens were safe havens for a whole bunch of people like it sounds like... It'd been a war, after all... ]

I'm sorry..

[swatsflies]

[ The squeeze is appreciated. Zell finds himself relaxing as he gives a nod. ]

Yeah, it does. [ Here's to hoping that this time the peace lasts a lot longer. ] We managed to get in up in the air at the last moment, too! We did take some damage, but we were alright. Once we got it fixed up I thought it was the best thing before Ragnorak.

[ Trying to stay on the more...cheerful side of the conversation. ]

[heroproceeding]

[ Trying to stay on the more cheerful side... might be the best. There's already too much weighing on them both there, he thinks. ]

Huh... Still, that's... pretty cool. There's talk of ShinRa constructing an airship and we have helicopters? But so far, that's been all our major projects far as anything up in the air goes. We definitely don't have anything that could fly a whole base or something.

[swatsflies]

If you ever want to, maybe I can walk you through how to fly.

[ Noooow he's pausing as a though pops in. ]

Wonder if Jim's world has something that big. Could you imagine how awesome that would be?

[ Especially if anyone was looking to do a bounty hunter business. ]

[heroproceeding]

[ It definitely might have been a consideration.

There's something of a muted nod and a smile at the mention of learning to fly. Because... learning to fly, okay. He would love that. Just... Well.

Never mind. ]

Well, he did mention sailing in space never mind going all the way to other planets. [ Which... still sounds insane, but hey. He'll work with it. ] So, I think they'd be pretty big. Kuns is gonna have a field day.