Author's Note: Companion to another piece I'm working on. Except that… this was supposed to be the second part, not the first. XDD;; Also... I don't really like this piece. Critique, please? I'd really appreciate it...

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the developers' side of the gaming industry. I do, however, own products. :D

Comets and Motorbikes

"Put your helmet on."

"What? Why? You never wear one!"

"Yeah, but see, I can survive falling off at eighty miles per hour."

-

As a recruit, Cloud had often thought of his best friend as invincible. At the very least, nearly invincible. Zack was second only to the General, and that wasn't really a fair comparison anyway. Even so, the 1st Class was enthusiastic enough to challenge Sephiroth at times. The resulting spars were truly awe-inspiring. They were more like dances than battles, really.

The pair would stand a set distant apart from one another, each poised in their own signature way. Everything would still at that moment, even the idle chatter from passers by. A thick blanket of tension would settle over the scene, until, without warning, Sephiroth would move, ever so slightly. Or maybe it was Zack that moved first; everything would happen too quickly for Cloud's eyes.

He's always been the slowest, whether it's his fault or not.

-

"You awake back there?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry, we're almost there."

-

He's close enough to see the rusty sword deeply embedded firmly in the ground. A silent marker, it goes unseen by those beneath it in the wastelands of Midgar. It saddens Cloud; the inhabitants of the Planet think of him as a hero, yet the one that should be here goes completely and utterly unnoticed.

He stills Fenrir on the side and climbs off. Even though it's been several years since he's last been here, he can still remember every little detail, from the blooming red flowers on the ground to the faint drops of rain ghosting Zack's skin. He can remember yelling, and not knowing whom the screams are coming from. He can remember crying, and not knowing whom the tears are coming from.

He can remember rebuilding his psyche and leaving himself behind.

-

"It's such a nice night out, don't you think?"

"I think you're out of your mind for taking me out here to sit on a hill."

"Be quiet and sit like a good soldier. You know I don't do things without reason. Yes, there is a reason."

-

Cloud can't really imagine why Zack chose to sacrifice himself. His condition at the time was none too promising; he had been unable to answer to any of Zack's efforts. He heard all the idle chatter, all the lonely laughter, but he was unable to even nod his head in acknowledgement. It had to have been extremely hard, talking to a comatose body, but Zack had a knack for those kinds of things. And Cloud's recovery was ever present in his thoughts.

Somehow Cloud knew, he just knew, that he'd been on Zack's mind most of the time. Escape with Cloud and hope he'll forget. Sit by Cloud and hope he'll rest. Talk to Cloud and hope he'll respond. Ruffle Cloud's hair and hope he'll protest. Smile at Cloud and hope he'll see. Smile at Cloud and hope he'll smile back.

Zack always smiled, and he spent most of his time trying to get Cloud to return the gesture.

-

"I told you, didn't I?"

"It's… Zack, that's amazing…"

"Aerith said this was a one-in-a-million chance. Just like you, Cloud. One in a million."

-

As Cloud stands in front of the Buster Sword, his heart hangs heavy with the echoes of the past. Cloud may have been one in a million, but Zack was the one who found him.

---

This story kept going from angsty to wistful to angsty to wistful. Therefore, I don't really like how… it developed. There's… no. point. Augh… there's really like, no point to this story. Shoot! There's no point! –hates this revelation- And and, the sentences! They don't flow! Especially in the beginning grah wtf am I doing? Eff you see kay go away no I don't really like this what do you think?

… hi.

The title of this probably doesn't make sense, and neither do the little dialogue intervals. Make up your own scenario until I finish Verdandi… which could take a while… but it's much fluffier ; ;