I have always found the story of Romeo and Juliet to be fascinating, the idea of star-crossed lovers and untimely death intriguing me in ways that I just can't describe. Perhaps this is why I find so many stories about Zack and Cloud as more than just friends to be equally wonderful, especially that almost but never to be happy ending appealing to me. I'm sick, I know.

Anyway, to get over a bit of a rut I've been in with writing lately I started re-working on an old idea I had using Shakespeare's tale of ill-fated romance and swapping his characters for ones from the Final Fantasy 7 world. (I have listed them below as a reference point in case anyone was interested.)

The result is something which follows the theme of Romeo and Juliet but isn't, the story using an old style of language that you find in his works, but also a dash of some modern things thrown in. I've also made references / used metaphors that wouldn't have been used back then. Sorry, but it's how the words came out as I typed them and I don't want to change it.

In the end I suggest that you just relax and go with the flow of the story and should you find that you don't like it then stop reading. I'm not going to apologise for what I've done, as it's made me feel better about writing again, but do hope you enjoy it and take the time to leave a nice review if what I have done has pleased you.

Zack and Cloud – Prologue

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Midgar where we lay our scene.

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where soldier honour makes military hands unclean.

From fourth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers, take their life.

Who's misadventured piteous overthrows doth with their death, bury their parent's strife.

The fearful passage of their death marked love and their continuants of their parents rage.

Which, but with their children's end not could remove is now the ... contents of this page.

Romeo & Juliet - Character outline

Montague's

Lord Montague (LM) = Angeal

Lady Montague = Genesis

Romeo = Zack

Mercutio (Romeo's Friend) = Reno

Benvolio (Romeo's friend & LM's nephew) = Kunsel

Balthasar (servant to Romeo) = Cissnei

Abraham (Servant to LM) = Luxiere

Capulet's

Lord Capulet = Sephiroth

Lady Capulet (LC) = Jenova

Juliet = Cloud

Tybalt (Juliet's cousin & nephew to LC) =Vincent

Nurse = Tifa

Peter (Servant to Juliet's nurse) = Denzel

Sampson (Servant's to the Capulet's) = Heidegger

Gregory (Servant's to the Capulet's) = Scarlet

Everyone else

Rosaline = Aerith

Escales (Prince of Verona) = Rufus Shinra

Paris (young nobleman & kinsman to the prince) = Tseng

Friar Lawrence = Reeve Tuesti

Friar John = Cait Sith

An apothecary = Hojo

Page to Paris = Elena

Another page = Rude

Guards = Soldier's

Watchmen = Turk's

Clown / young maid = Marlene