A Letter to Home

[theheroics]

Sender: Zack Fair
To: All
Subject: No Subject (Backdated to the first week)

[ Words that begin to appear in the journals are written slowly, as if with intent. The handwriting is... coherent at best at this slower pace, but every word is coming in gradually and seemingly with more frustration.

Guess who thinks this is just a plain ol' journal to use? ]

Dear Aeir
What's up!?
Hello! Hey th———

Hey Aerith.
Hope things are going well?? good for you

[ UGH ]

Sorry it's taken so long for me to write back... I know youve been waiting a long time
I can't call right now but soon, okay?
how are the flowers? you swimming in gil yet?
Theirs theres lots of weird stuff going on that I'll explain when I get back.
So... yeah. See you soon
Regard [ No that was SO STUPID ]
bye

[ The words at the bottom of the page are suddenly cut out, as if completely disregarded or tossed away.

But seconds later another one appears: ]

Hello!

[ Nope that one is gone, too. ]

Comments

[flamekthunder]

[And probably to Zack's surprise, Eustace will lead—]

What happened in Tifa's home town?

[—with a heavy question.]

[theheroics]

[ ...

When he meant lead the conversation, that was not what he meant.

Zack froze. His body instantly began to tense as eyes darted to look into Eustace's. There was a sudden chill in the air and face that was once annoyed molded into something far more serious. ]

... She hasn't told you about it?

[flamekthunder]

...She has.

[Rather, he saw it himself through a dream, but it doesn't really matter.]

However, she only has her perspective of events...so I was curious as to yours.

[theheroics]

... I honestly try to forget about it. [ He huffs, crossed arms tightening over his chest. He's clearly uncomfortable just by the look on his face, and eyes dart down to his empty plate to avoid looking at Eustace. ]

It's the reason Tifa said she hated me, after all.

[flamekthunder]

Because you couldn't stop it?

[Just keeps going.

However, there's no accusation in his tone, and he phrased his question that way on purpose. He saw the memory—he suspects Zack had no active part in whatever happened. The question is, how much did he know or not know.]

[theheroics]

Yeah. [ He finally admits, face darkening. ] Probably the only person there who could've, but I still wasn't strong enough.

[ ... ]

... I'm sorry about what happened to Tifa. For getting caught in the middle of all of that.

[flamekthunder]

[There's only a brief moment of silence, but there's no tension.]

Given what I could see, it would have been more impressive if you had.

...Who was he?

[theheroics]

[ But he should have. ]

Sephiroth? He was a First Class SOLIDER like me. [ A pause, his grip tightening. ] Was apart of some kinda experiment- mako infused genetics. Something about... Jenova?

[flamekthunder]

Is that SOLDIER really is?

[theheroics]

Enhanced humans through mako infusions. Yeah, basically.

[flamekthunder]

...I can already assume there's questionable ethics with this. Is going crazy a side effect?

[theheroics]

Never really thought about the ethics in all of it. It's a dream to become SOLDIER. I mean, who wouldn't dream of wanting to be a super strong soldier fighting off the bad guys?

[ Zack shrugs, slightly gesture over himself. ]

I ain't gone crazy yet. He learned things about how he was created and went off the edge.

[flamekthunder]

Sometimes even "good dreams" can be at the cost of something else... So just depends if it's worth it.

Was Sephiroth subjected to something different compared to everyone else? [Small pause.] Is he even human?

[theheroics]

I certainly thought so at the time.

[ He huffs, trying to straighten himself up from feeling that sleepy sensation wash over him. God, that was so weird. Focus, Zack, focus- ]

Sephiroth asked himself that same thing the moment stuff really started to go down. [ A pause. ] That thing... "Jenova". "Monster". "Ancient", or whatever the hell it really is, was used on a couple of people, but with him... apparently it was a lot more than that. He was suppose to be perfect experiment.

[flamekthunder]

[Don't you dare fall asleep on him—]

A perfect experiment, huh... Sounds like it was anything but. Why did he go berserk in Tifa's hometown?

[theheroics]

[ HE'S TRYING IT'S NOT HIS FAULT ]

He... [ Ugh. His eyelids were heavy. Shaking his head- ] I dunno, man. He locked himself away in the manor there and poured over books for days. Once he learned more about how he was created he just... snapped.

[flamekthunder]

Manor at Tifa's hometown? They had information there?

[He mulls over that, but...

...

Just an unimpressed arch of the brow.]

If this conversation is boring you...

[theheroics]

… Huh? What? No. It’s not.

[ He dismisses, waving a hand before an unconscious yawn attempts to sneak through. ]

The… books from the manor apparently contained…

[ His eyes close, head drooping sideways before eventually the weight that was leaning up against the chair begins to sag

and in just a few short moments Zack is completely asleep in the chair. ]

[flamekthunder]

...

[You serious.]

Zack.

[.........Did this bastard just fall asleep on him have a very rude and very hard kick to his leg under the table.]

[theheroics]

[ OH MY SHIVA WHAT THE HELL ]

Ow!! Wh... what!? [ Sputtering, Zack's initial reaction is to throw his hands to his injured leg

but there was something blocking his path




the table. ]

Ah— [ as his head collides with it ]

[flamekthunder]

......

[Wow.

Just.... Gonna stare at him yeah.]

...I'd ask if you were all right but that's pointless. What is wrong with you?

[theheroics]

[ He doesn't move his head from the table, avoiding Eustace's stare he could feel from the other side. ]

I- I don't know, man! I just... felt so tired all of a sudden. [ But that's never happened before?

He finally picks himself up, a look of obvious embarrassment as he rubs his forehead while frowning. ]

What the hell... happened?

[flamekthunder]

[...Hm.]

Assuming you didn't stay up all night and are falling asleep from insomnia...

[His eyes drift to the drink.]

What did you have?

[theheroics]

Uh, I don't know, some... fruity thing? The lady up front offered it to me— [ He turns in his chair to glance at the front counter where the barista was before they instantly whip their head in another direction to look away from him.

Where they... laughing? ]

—Huh!?

[flamekthunder]

[.........Ah. He glances at the drink then at the menu and the fairies who work there.]

...The drinks here tend to have some additional effect. They're usually harmless, but it seems this one will make you fall asleep.