The Place: Wutai - ShinRa Base
The People: Sephiroth, Zack
The Rating: PG-13; mentioned of blood, surgery, cursing
The Log:
The raid had been a success. The whole place has been burnt to the ground, and every Wutain there had been either killed or captured. Sephiroth himself has walked away a little blood-splattered, a little sooty, and a little sweaty, but he was unharmed. Just kind of tired. On the plus, he'd come back with most of his Materia. Or, at least, materia that was like his. The Fire, Ice, Bolt, and Quake Materias were all a little higher leveled than his had been, while all the others were a bit lower. These had all been returned to their respective slots, and a bag filled with a handful of Materia swiped on Zack's behalf has been tied to the Colonel's belt.

Speaking of Zack, that's who Sephiroth is on his way to see the Captain right now. Once he figures out what room his friend is in, Sephiroth's going to go to said room and quietly poke his head in to look about. Regardless of whether or not Zack is awake, Sephiroth slips into the room, closing the door behind him, and quietly sits in the chair near the bed, leaning Masamune up against the wall. Yo.



Zack was currently semi-conscious, but didn't seem likely to get up and do a dance anytime soon, if you know what I mean.

While the able-bodied had been battling the Wutaians and burning down their base, Zack had been receiving some stitches, a little bit of invasive surgery, and a shock or two when a couple of his systems had protested said surgery and threatened to fail. As of now? he was doing much better, all stitched up, hooked up to an IV, and stabilized. At this point he just needed rest for a few days, and the chance for his body to replace the blood he'd lost.

When Sephiroth first entered the room, there was no visible reaction; but after a bit with the silver-haired man sitting at his side, Zack began forcing his eyes open a little wider, turning his head and blinking drowsily.

He managed the ghost of a smile. "Hey."



Zack, you look like -hell-. Not that Sephiroth says as much. He does, however, return Zack's weak sounding, "Hey. "Sephiroth's greeting is, of course, much less exhaustion riddled. He sounds a little tired, of course, but he hasn't gone through the same kind of hell that Zack has.

"Got these for you," Sephiroth says, neatly dropping the bag of Materia onto Zack's bed. He wishes he'd though you'd be this bedridden-- he would have gotten you some decent food, too. "Feeling any better?"



He laughed raspily, grinning. "Yeah, yeah. Feel like I could take all of Wutai, man." His voice crackled like the fire at the end of a match, and died out just as swiftly as he fell into a short fit of coughing, his eyes sliding closed and one hand clenching. "Mm. Maybe I better wait on that, though, huh? ...thanks for the present." Never mind that he didn't know exactly what it was. Perhaps Sephiroth would tell him; and if not, he would find out eventually.

He lay in silence for a few minutes, as his breathing evened back out; only then did he reopen his eyes, face slack in a sort of emotionless, weary expression that suggested part of his exhaustion was a residual effect of the chill he'd caught. "...where you been? Y'look all tired," he murmured, looking up at Sephiroth with something like curiosity.



The fact that Zack's old humor is still shining through is enough to make Sephiroth smiles. Well, -you- should be just fine. But it wouldn't be a surprise anymore if he told you what they were! But, aside from that, Zack hasn't ask, so Sephiroth isn't going to tell.

Sephiroth looks tired? It's enough to earn a bit of a smirk from the SOLDIER. The smirk, of course, disappears once Sephiroth begins to explain what happened. "I was sent to raze the place where we were being held." He shrugs. "It was a long way, I was on foot, I was hungry, and there was lots of spell casting." He was a hand. "I'll be just fine, though."



Snorting softly, Zack shut his eyes, grinning. "Didja give 'em hell?" And, before Sephiroth could answer, he pressed further, "Any chance you caught that Kusaragi lady while you were out? Maybe?" Because...honestly, Zack would rest easier knowing that she wasn't out there being...well, a bitch. She was too good at it.

As for Sephiroth's gift, well...Zack would inquire later. When he was feeling better. And when he wasn't on an IV drip because seriously...being drugged just that little bit? Constantly? Oh, it was doing amusing things to Zack's hand-eye coordination. Things that were best not demonstrated by trying to pick things up. He was more likely to smack one of the two of them in the eye than pick it up successfully, let alone untie the bag.



"No, she wasn't." Much to Sephiroth's -unending- disappointment. He had, truly, been hoping to end that woman. But, it seems to be fate that the two aren't going to cross paths just now. As for the future....? Well, who knows?

"I don't suppose you've heard anything about the battle, have you?" Because surely ShinRa mobilized their forced to meet Wutai's forces half way. Sephiroth hasn't been here veyr long, and thus is still in the dark about what's been going on.

As for Zack's drugged up state? Sephiroth would likely get a snicker out of the poor guy's condition, though he'd feel awfully bad for finding such a thing amusing.



It's okay, Zack thinks it's funny too. He grinned, apology in his eyes. "Nah, nobody's told me shit. They wouldn't even say where you'd gone. I was kinda worried for a bit." All right, a brief demonstration of how screwed up Zack's hand-eye coordination is-- he tried to point at Sephiroth, and ended up pointing at a spot somewhere behind Sephiroth and to Seph's right on the wall behind him, squinting in befuddlement. "They don't get that you /bleed/, you know? All anybody would say was 'He's Sephiroth, he'll be fine.' You gotta watch out, man. People don't even think about how bad these fucks could hurt you. It's like they think you're bulletproof or something."



Trying to point his way? You're kinda off there, Zack. Sephiroth gently puts his hand on Zack's wrist and corrects the man's pointing.

Bulletproof, huh? Sephiroth looks vaguely amused, at that. And by amused, it means he looks amused, slightly irritated, and more than a bit cynical. "I wish I was bulletproof. Then I wouldn't have to dodge so much." A joke? Maybe. It's hard to tell with Sephiroth. "Probably didn't want to risk any spies overhearing." He offers. "The idea was to torch the place before they were any the wiser." And it had WORKED. Woo.



"If there are spies this deep in our base, Seph, then we're really, really fucked." Because the medical area? It's in the MIDDLE. You know, so that the wounded soldiers (and SOLDIERs, on occasion) can actually /heal/ and go back into battle. However, he managed a dry, hacking sort of laugh for the remark about being bulletproof. "Man, I don't think /anybody/ would mind being bulletproof. But still. The place is torched, you're safe." He grinned. "...I'm not bleeding anymore. Which, by the way, I /really/ think I like. I say we start an anti-bleeding movement."



Sephiroth smirks and shrugs. "The top brass in ShinRa are all paranoid bastards. If you told them a Chocobo was a spy, they'd put it through a public trial just to prove they tough they were on traitors and then execute the damn thing." He smirks at the mention of being bullet proof, then grins and laughs when Zack mentions the anti-bleeding movement. "Maybe they could introduce a thickening agent into your bloodstream. That way you can just ooze fatally from now on.



"Pssht! Some help you are! Fine, I'll front the anti-bleeding movement myself!" Eyes gleaming with laughter, Zack shook his head. "Crazy bastard." But he says that in the nicest, most fond of you possible way. Honest.



Maybe Zack should just try making the concept of swordchucks work while he's at it. But in the meantime! "Ne, Seph. ...thanks for bringin' me with you." He smiled wryly, but there was gratitude and uncertainty mixed with it. "...I know I wouldn't've made it out on my own, you know?"

Sephiroth? Looks genuinely amused by this conversation. He hasn't stopped smiling (or at least smirking) for the past three minutes, which is, like, some kinda of record for him. "You do that. I'll be sure to tape the news cast." Swordchucks, huh? Sephiroth will have to lend the plans a critical eye. No beams, though. Those are -HELL- on the eyes.

As for Zack's comments? He will be -hair ruffled-. "I wouldn't have left you behind if I'd had direct orders to do so." Sephiroth leans back. "And risk of sounding like someone from a cliched movie or typical fantasy novel, I never will." So don't forget it, damnit. Or he may have to punch you in the face.



Heh, the news cast. It'd be like, thirty seconds long, man... Anyw--

Ruffled, indeed; Zack blinked, surprised, and found himself staring up at Sephiroth wide-eyed. "...really?" His expression slipped into a worried frown, eyebrows knotting together. "Don't go gettin' into trouble on my account if somethin' like that happens again though...ne? You wouldn't do that, right?"



"Yes, really." Sephiroth smiles. "And stop worrying about me so much, alright? I'll get myself into as much trouble as I want over whatever I want." He leans back, smiling. "Besides, what are they gonna do? Fire me?" Because even is they -did-, which, you have to admit, they probably -won't-, Sephiroth isn't going to be lost and alone in that great big world out there. Well, maybe alone, but her can deal with that. But the point is, everyone needs a little protection every now and then-- even if he was put out of the job, Sephiroth could still find plenty of work.



Hahahah. ShinRa? Fire Sephiroth? Zack lifted his head a bit-- no easy task! and he quickly was forced by Gravity's cruel strength to lay it back down-- to check and make certain there wasn't anyone too close by, and murmured softly, "You know, most of the people out here wouldn't follow ShinRa's orders if you weren't there to back 'em."

Despite the fact that this was kind of part of their plan-- to stir up a sense of rebellion-- Zack seemed a bit grim when he said it. "...a lot of the guys /would/ be willing to revolt, but they're afraid of you, Seph."



Sephiroth finally stops smiling and seems a bit tired and world weary, once Zack speaks. "Yeah, I know, but...." He runs a hand over his hair. "Christ, what do they expect me to do? Open a pit to hell underneath their feet?" He sighs. "Sometimes I don't know whether I should feel frustrated or relieved that they over-estimate me so much." He supposes he should feel both-- relieved, because it means that this whole war won't collapse into a giant mess at a moment's notice. Frustrated, because when he fails at something? Well, everyone sees it as him failing pretty spectacularly, no matter how minor the situation may be.



"I dunno, man." Zack chewed on his lower lip. "...but you could use it. You know? ...people respect you." Waggling his finger in seemingly drunken admonition-- that hand-eye coordination problem again-- he offered a slight smile. "Respect can be based on trust too, y'know. They might be afraid of you, but that doesn't mean they don't trust you at least a little bit. Gotta figure out a way to make it so they trust you more. ...I'll work on it..."



Sephiroth nods slowly. Yes, he had been considering the option. But, again, the big question is -how-. He returns Zack's smile. "Wish they could trust me to not fly into some sort of amazing fit every time someone shows up with a skewed hat or an rumpled jacket." All the shuffling to make themselves look neat and tidy every time he walks into a room is really starting to wear thin on him, ya?

"You do that then-- you're in a better position to do it than anyone else." Sephiroth sits back. "And I guess I'll just keep doing General stuff. Winning battles, plotting plots, saving our butts from certain doom." Sephiroth suddenly looks rather grim. ".... they were gonna execute us, you know." Or him, at least, but Zack's fate wouldn't have been much better.



"I guessed they might when Kusargi shoved her HAND in my LEG," Zack muttered dryly, shuddering at the memory and struggling to stifle a small fit of coughing. "...I'm sorry about that, Seph. Wasn't any help at all in there." Just a weakness, he thought darkly. He didn't like being the weak link in the chain one bit. Or being used against Sephiroth in any way at all.


(OOC) Sephiroth says, ".... that is so ironic it HURTS THE BRAIN."
(OOC) Zack says, "^_^; it is?"
(OOC) Sephiroth says, "'being used against Sephiroth.' Which is what Aial's doing. XD"
(OOC) Zack says, "Well, but he doesn't know that. ._. he thinks you're ebil."
(OOC) Sephiroth T_T


Sephiroth nods, though he does take a moment to look frowny when Zack apologizes. "Don't be sorry," he says. "Neither of us could have helped it if we'd wanted to, and I know both of us did." He leans forward, still looking tired. "If anything, -I- should be the one apologizing to -you-. She kicked you when I lied about the number of troops we had, and the whole leg clawing thing was the result of my not telling her exactly where Masamune was." Sigh. Poor Zack.

"What, that? Like I wanted her to know how many troops we had eith..." He blinked, clawing at the bed in a sudden attempt to sit up. Emphasis on attempt. "Shit, Seph, you told her. You told her exactly where it was. She's out there and she knows where Masamune is. /Fuck/, Seph, the base..."



Oh, yes. c_c That.

Sephiroth kind of blinks when Zack freaks out. "Yes, she knows where it was." Note that he points to Masamune, which leans against the wall. "She knows it's in one ShinRa's more important bases, in one of the living quarters, in the middle of the base, locked up, and surrounded by countless ShinRa troops on constant alert." He fold his arms. "Kanae struck me as being a smart woman, Zack. A single scout could tell her that sneaking through would be all but impossible, and as for taking it by force...." He shakes his head. "She'd be wasting countless lives for a piece of steel." He sighs. "It's an amazing weapon, I know. It was probably someone's lifelong work of art, and Kurogane probably wants it back." After all, all they got was Sephiroth's weapon, which was far shabbier in comparison, run through the man's gut. "But it's a -thing-. I just don't guess I could see her risking any life but her own to get it back." May she attempt to get it on her own? Perhaps. But that? Sephiroth is willing to deal with.



Frowning, calming enough to just lie down, he eyed Masamune over there at the wall, sighing. "...I'm getting to the point that I'm not sure how far those bastards would go for something like that. And it'd just suck if she got it." Mou. But that clear? Zack was going to relax again. He's good now!



Sephiroth snorts. "Hell, me too, sometimes. Still..." he eyes Masamune. "I think I might try call the whole war to a timeout just to march up and give it to Kurogane's family myself, if she's going to go that far over it." Because he does remember what he promised Kurogane: he'd end the war, ending it quickly, and kill as little people as he could along the way.

"Anyway, you should probably get some sleep." He grins. "You need to get your strength up for that ass-kicking you owe me, remember?"



"Yes. That's right. Gonna /kick/ your ass." He narrowed one eye, chuckling softly when he couldn't hold the face any longer. "But you get a couple days' reprieve. I'm, uh. I'm feeling generous." Yeah, yeah. That's it. Insert sheepish grin.



Sephiroth snickers a bit. "Right, Zack. Whatever you say." He rises from his chair and grabs Masamune. "I'll be sure to bring you some Skittles or a Snickers for your mercy." Because he -knows- how much you love candy. But, that being said? Sephiroth is going to hair-ruffle Zack one more time before finally turning and heading out the door.


The Place: Wutai - ShinRa Base
The People: Sephiroth, Zack
The Rating: PG-13; drinking
The Log:
Any day that starts with a clean bill of health is a good one, to be sure. But better still is a day that begins with the admonition to take one more day off, take it easy, and stay out of trouble-- to rest as much as possible.

Thus? Zack was having a /good/ day so far.

He was a little off-color, still, and tired easily, but part of that was directly the fault of being drugged immobile for the last several days, so he didn't doubt that it would pass quickly enough. At the moment, he was wandering through the temporary base, towards the command area-- where he had no doubt Sephiroth would be. He might not be able to get the young General to come with him this early in the afternoon, but he'd just eaten a nice, big lunch and he wanted some company. Further, he wanted to go grab a few drinks. And to do that...best to grab Sephiroth, and bring the guy along.

So it was that the captain had gotten right up to the General's door, and was knocking on it now. No calling out to inform him of who it was-- that'd ruin the fun of surprising Sephiroth.



Unlike Zack, Sephiroth isn't having a very good day at all. He never liked getting trapped behind a desk, and had fortunately gotten quite good at avoiding such. However, they've finall managed to corner him, and the young man has found himself spending all day-- all of the -very nice-, balmy, sunny, and non-humid day-- stuck in his 'office' reading and signing papers.

Office is a term to be used loosely, here. There's a somewhat small desk, three chairs (one for Sephiroth, two for visitors), and several crates pushed up against the back wall. On the desk there's a lamp, several stacks of paper, a number of pens and pencils, and a brightly colored top. The top is a gift, an -anonymous- gift, no less, that Sephiroth... simply hasn't decided what he's going to with yet.

He looks up from the paper he's currently looking over, and annoyed expression on his face. What now? He pushes himself away from his desk and heads towards the door, grabbing Masamune as he does so. The annoyed look is still in place when Sephiroth opens the door, though it's replaced by one of surprise, and then a grin. "Zack! They let you out, I see."



"Yep! come on! I'm kidnapping you for a drink." Not that there were really bars they could frequent, out here in the wild, but there was a section of the cafeteria-style building they'd erected that was generally used as a bar by the SOLDIERs and officers in the military. This hour of the day would find the place mostly deserted, which was largely why Zack had even bothered asking-- but above and beyond that, he wanted Sephiroth's company and he didn't want to spend the day in an office any more than Sephiroth.

However, even Zack wasn't foolish enough to think that he could make the paperwork wait. "I'll help ya finish your work later? Ne?"



Sephiroth grins. "Kidnapping, huh? Sure you wanna go for a drink with me?" Because, surely, Zack knows the alcohol tolerance levels of SOLDIERs. Regardless, it's- too late- for you now, Zack! Sephiroth's already stepped out of the office and locked the door. Zack is now going whether he wants to or not.

"Don't worry about that," Sephiroth says as he makes his way down the hall. "The only way you could really help is by learning how to forge my signature." No, Zack. The was not a challenge.

(OOC) Zack says, "... XD But I MUST now."
(OOC) Zack will get in so much trouble. :3
(OOC) Sephiroth can see it. "'.... Zack, why is my name written in cursive dozens of times on all of these sheets of paper'"

He does know! But it's not like he's even thinking about trying to get drunk. That is currently not an important pastime for Zackary C. Donovan. "Of course! You're the best company in the base, whether other people get that or not." Smilesmile. Zack, unlike some others with a tendency to /think/ before they asked foolish questions, was perfectly happy to take the consequences of luring Sephiroth out of his office to the bar. Bring it, baby!

However, that latter bit was met by a moment's hesitation, a thoughtful expression, and a mischievous laugh. "Right, well. Don't say I didn't offer, man!"

(OOC) Zack says, "'....uh, some....girl was in here. She, uh... she really liked you and wanted to write your name on everything. I couldn't stop her.'"
(OOC) Kaelin says, "'*folds his arms* .....'"
(OOC) Zack says, "'...........Seriously!'"
(OOC) Kaelin says, "'I'm sure. May I have those papers, now?'"
(OOC) Zack says, "' ....*sigh* Okay.'"
(OOC) Kaelin says, "'*burns them* ~_~'"

Sephiroth laughs a bit, shaking his head. "I'm certain almost everyone else in the entire -military- would beg to differ." Sephiroth, as has been previously established a number of times, is not one for talking or being social. He, quite simply, does not like it. He never has (with anyone aside from Zack), and he.... probably never will.

In fact, Sephiroth almost -never- goes to the base bars, and he's probably only done so once or twice without Zack.

Zack's mischievous expression earns a Look from Sephiroth. What on earth are you plotting, Donovan? Whatever it is, it can't -possibly- be a good thing.



"Nothing!" He chimed, no doubt further incriminating himself-- even though he hadn't even done anything yet. "And like I said! They don't know what they're talking about. You're good company." Safer than those with volatile, unpredictable tempers...and more honorable than a lot of ShinRa's military could claim. Those were good enough reasons for Zack.



Keep on grinning! He'll just get more suspicious and stop letting you touch any of his stuff. And maybe he'll set up a trip wire on his bedroom door.

As predicted, the bar, which isn't too far away from the command centres, is mostly deserted at this hour. Two SOLDIERs, a black-haired woman and a blonde-haired man, are seated together at a table, laughing over something, and a non-SOLDIER officer is sitting at the end of the bar, quietly reading something, but aside from those three and the bartender, the place is empty.

Sephiroth takes a seat at the bar, waving the bartender over and ordering Vodka. Just.... Vodka, for now. He'll delve into some of the mixed drinks later.



Unless Sephiroth stopped him, then Zack was going to sit right next to him and order a rum and coke. The bartender's query-- "Ya want a lemon in there?"

"Oh! Sure!" And while you're at it, give him some candy. Speaking of. He turned to Sephiroth while the bartender gathered their drinks. "We should get some candy later. And then I'll help you with your paperwork! ....er. Well, I'll watch you do your paperwork. ne?"



Candy? Sephiroth doesn't know if he trusts you with candy. But, instead of that, he says, "I don't know if we'll be able to find anything good." Pause. "Or anything at all." Finding that one pack of Skittles had been -hell-. Hell, you hear?! "But. We can still try." If all else fails, they can just filch some food dye and sugar cubes from the kitchen.



Zack grinned. "I know, I know...we got more important stuff to do. I just was missin' the sugar." Their drinks arrived, and with a cheery thank you to the bartender, the young Captain sipped at his drink, glancing around the bar quietly. The lone non-SOLDIER over there...sort of tugged at his attention, but he didn't let his gaze linger too long. "So, vodka, huh? Nothin' else? Do you like the taste of that stuff?"



The non-SOLDIER catches Sephiroth's attention as well, though Sephiroth doesn't pay said officer too much mind, either. Staring is rude, after all.

"Just Vodka," he replies, leisurely sipping at his own drink. "I tend to save mixed drinks for later." And then, when later rolls around, he'll order some -weird- stuff. "I like the taste." Sure, it's a little strong, and kind of burns the senses, but who cares? Not Seph.



Zack imagined that being mako-infused probably made the burn of hard liquor seem petty by comparison. But for now, he was impressed by the choice, though not at all ashamed of his own. Rum and coke would give him double the sugar, just as much liquor, and tasted better-- by his standards-- to boot.

Maybe in the future he would acquire a taste for drinking fire. For now? Sugar all the way, baby! But really, he didn't have much t say in response; just a grin.



Sephiroth, it seems, is going to drift away from the topic of liquor for now, and fall silent. He takes a moment to half-way empty his tumbler, before setting it back down on the bar.

"..... Hey, Zack." Sephiroth turns to face the other man. "What's the first thing you're going to do when we get back to Midgar." Not the type of question Sephiroth would normally ask, or even think about asking. Perhaps his recent run in with Kanae and almost certain death has changed the way he thinks.



Zack blinked, startled more by the fact that it was Sephiroth asking the question than the question itself, and then chuckled lowly. "I guess it depends. If I get a /choice/...I'm gonna ride those trains. The new ones, ya know? ...maybe I'll find a girl to take with me while I do. I mean, hell, if I could, I'd go all over the whole damn city-- ridin' around it seems like the next best thing." His expression grew pensive, and he stared into his drink for a bit before giving Sephiroth a sidelong, curious look. "What about you?"



"Oh yeah. The new rail system." Sephiroth had heard about it. Personally, he doesn't really think he's ever going to use it-- he's become used to walking to where he needs to be. That, and most of what he needs is within walking distance anyway.

As for him? Sephiroth takes another swing from his beverage, then thinks a bit before answering. "... I'm going to get food. -Real- food. A steak, if I can." For, you see, Sephiroth is a carnivore, and -he craves meat-. "Either that, or I'll get my own apartment. Where I can lock the door and close the blinds and unplug the phone without anyone telling me not to." Yeeees.... that sounds -wonderful-.

No mention of women, though.



"Ooo....an apartment. I'll do that second. Since it was your idea. Damn! We gotta do that." Zack grinned broadly. "But I'm gonna make sure you /get out/ sometimes, too. I'll take you to Sector six!" He winked, teasing. "Or maybe sector three, they have the best. Bakery. EVER."

To emphasize this fact, Zack flashed a thumbs-up. "That's it, my mind's made up. I'm going to take you to that bakery too. You /have/ to have their curry bread. It's just SO GOOD."



Sephiroth just kind of eyes Zack after his Sector Six comment and accompanying wink, looking amused. Good luck on that, Zack. Just try, and you'll wind up with one exceedingly stubborn ShinRa General refusing to get off the train, death grip on the overhead bars and everything. You'd have to take an entire section of the roof to get him to follow you.

The bakery, though? That's something Sephiroth can most heartily agree with. "Curry bread, hmm?" The smiles. "Sounds like a plan." He leans forward, resting his arms on the table. "So what else do you wanna do?"



Uh! Zack was well aware that the only way he'd ever get Sephiroth into Sector six would be on business, because the mako power wasn't working right or there was a riot or something. Certainly not because of the Honey Bee Inn, or the various places of depravity located there. Granted, Zack hadn't seen much of it /himself/ when he'd gone, before getting shipped over to Wutai, but it wasn't a big deal. There would be time when they got /back/.

"I don't know, man...I know there are like, shows to see in Midgar, and all kinds of people to meet, but half the time I think I'd be happier just travelin' the world. Checkin' out the small towns, you know? Looking at places only a handful of people have ever gotten to." Wanderlust, as it were.



Sephiroth would be far more likely, and far more willing, to head to the SOLDIER's part of town to pick up women. Not only is it... well, free, but the women there are also far closer to his type than whatever they have flouncing about the Honey Bee.

Traveling, though? It give Sephiroth cause to pause and think. "If you're not still in the military by then, you might be able to find work as a pilot." Sephiroth shrugs. "You'd have to learn to fly first, of course. But it might be worth considering."



Ohhh.

Ohohohohooo.

"....that is the greatest idea," Zack decided, his eyes alight with the possibilities. "You'd have to come too! ...nah, we might not be able to...wait, what the hell am I saying? You're /you/. And I'm not a pushover either. We could totally do that. We could see all sorts of places! And when we wanted a break, we could come back to Midgar, ne?"

Insert huge grin here. Zack was hardly /touching/ his drink; too wrapped up in the conversation. "And I could FLY THINGS."



.... oh, my. It seems Sephiroth has opened the gates to hell and brought certain -doom- down upon their heads. Now that he thinks about it? Zack behind the wheel of a car is a somewhat scary image. Imagine him in a plane...!

"Don't think I'm going to be one for flying for the sake of flying," he says. "Beside, ShinRa'll probably have me running myself ragged on tiny little missions that no one else can be trusted to." You know, silly things like beating up Mako-spawned monsters in some backwater town in the mountains.



"Aw, come on, Seph. If you're gonna do stuff like that, take me with you. It's traveling anyway, and that way we can stick together!" This was an idea Zack liked much better, and he glanced around the bar to see if their relatively low-volume conversation was bothering any of the other patrons, or the bartender. The latter was ignoring them; the other three patrons were, as it stood: still conversing, and still reading quietly, not giving any sign of listening in. "Ne? I know I'm not as kickass as you are, but I wouldn't mind takin' down monsters if it meant I got to go see the world."

He hesitated, taking a sip of his drink before looking back at Sephiroth with a wry grin. "Assuming you'd want me around? I mean, hell, I'm a backwater moron. Putting up with me here is totally different from having me around when the war's done with." While it seemed he was teasing, there was a note of serious concern in his voice. He didn't want to be a bother.



Sephiroth grins. "Of course I'll take you." If they were standing, Zack would be head locked and summarily noogied. "I finally found someone in the military worth talking to for more than ten minutes. Someone I can actually sit at the bar and have a drink with." Grin. "I'm sure as hell not going to let you get away just cause the war is over." You're stuck with him, Zack.


((OOC: I swear I'll post soemthing other than backscenes some day.))