┌Saving Zack Fair┐

x. Lost

' I am aching to hold you && keep you safe, be pressed against you so nothing can harm you. '
✧

I pack my bag and head to the shipyard where Tseng and I will be flying in our own aircraft. My head is filled with so many thoughts and most of them aren't even my own. I can picture a female whispering something to me in a language I don't quite understand and yet; it seems so familiar.

Buried deep within my thoughts a hand on my head startles me. I glance up and met steely teal eyes and a smirk. "Going somewhere?"

" Leave me alone Seph. I have things to do." I say wiggling out of his reach.

He lets out a small laugh, " Most people refer to me by my name and title. A nickname suggests endearment, however Iris, keep in mind I'm nothing like Genesis. I will do what it takes to complete a mission."

The 1st Class SOLDIER left in the opposite direction letting his threat linger in the air. I wanted to scream at him. But no good would become of it because we simply weren't the same. Hell, we weren't even equals with his messiah complex.

✦✦✦

It seemed like we had been flying for hours over vast fields. Zack was softly snoring with his chin resting on his chest with his arms crossed in the back seat. Tseng glanced over, " You look like you ran into Sephiroth."

I force out sigh, " What makes you say that?"

" You always have a look after you run into him. I was only guessing but I suppose it would make sense you'd run into him while boarding." he says maneuvering over some trees. " This assignment was his after all. That makes it top priority."

" Why didn't he come then? "

" He refused it." Tseng says coolly, casting me a sideways glance.

Of course Shinra bends backwards for their 1st Class hero. Sephiroth has always had a silver spoon in his mouth. It seems growing up only upgraded a silver spoon to a gold one.

The aircraft began it's decent as I gently shake Zack awake. His eyes flutter open and I focus back on the surroundings. This is not where I wanted to be and I instantly regret taking the mission as soon as I see a grove of Banora White trees slouching in an arch pathway.

Zack's eyes narrow at the white trunks of the trees. " Where are we?"

I swallow hard, " Banora."

" This is Angeal's hometown." He says just above a whisper.

" And Genesis." I follow up, readying a stance as a familiar assassin appears. Another clone just as before. Per usual, the 2nd Class SOLDIER doesn't hesitate in taking care of the clone. The town is fairly vacant as we venture further into the tunnel of ashen trees.

Approaching the end, there is a clearing where two more clones are taken care of by Zack with Tseng and I close behind. Blocking our path a mechanical giant with eight prongs for legs activates. In the center of it's main processor is a glowing red eye which it uses to Identify us as targets.

" What the hell is that? " Zack says staring at the machine.

I chew my lip. I've seen this before back in Shinra labs. It was just a prototype but it was never released as completed. The machine powers up and fires a small missile towards us. With quick thinking, I shove Zack and Tseng out of the way.

" It's a Guard Spider. " I mutter brushing the dirt off of me. Tseng is already up and off the ground by the time Zack is up. Tseng shoots the machina bot in the glowing red eye. Now short circuiting and blind; Zack can easily hack it down to size.

The colorful clunk of metal shuts down and clashes down into the dirt with final turns of it's gears. Tseng looks over at me, " This technology was stolen from the labs. I suspect Genesis isn't the only one behind this. Whoever it is, knows how to take Genesis's traits and abilities and transplant them into SOLDIER members and monsters."

I shake my head and begin to walk forward toward the main gates. " We're running out of time. "
Honestly there was only one thing on my mind and that was to leave. I hated it here. It only gave me false hope. Zack and Tseng are ahead of me and pause at a very tall house with a windmill. Beside it was large stump of a tree.

" Whose house is this anyway?" Zack says looking over at the stump.
Tseng glances my way with ruby eyes before walking forward, " I'm not at liberty to say."

Zack glances back at me and I can feel my fingers tremble. " This is Genesis's house. His parents were wealthy land owners." My pale hands seem old and withered as they caress the stump of the Banora. It had been years since I once climbed that tree.

" So Genesis gets Angeal to join him after they both desert, is that it?" Zack says in a sharp tone.

I ignore the sharpness in his tone, " Sephiroth seems to think so. But it's hard to say."
Zack crosses his arms over his chest in defeat. He may just have to accept Angeal is gone.

Tseng investigates a pile of rocks and freshly turned dirt.

Zack raises a brow, " Is there something wrong with the soil? Mako leak?"

Tseng lets out a frustrated sigh, " Why don't you go investigate Angeal's house. Take Iris with you."
I push Zack forward in the direction away from Tseng. Zack stops abruptly and turns to face with with smoldering eyes.

" No! I'm tired of being left in the dark on this. Tell me what the hell is going on." He says angrily, but his features give him away. He is upset and hurt and I can't help myself.

I go to open my mouth but a sudden voice erupts in the back on my skull. It's the woman from before. " Hush and Shush child. He needn't know."
My voice dies along with the woman who remains dormant. The only thing I can muster is an apology. " I'm sorry. "

Zack is less than satisfied with the reply and scoffs. " You Turks are all the same."
Before I can say anything Tseng rests a hand on my shoulder. " I didn't find anything in the grave."

" Grave?!" Zack says paling a bit. " Must be rough you guys have to do that kind of stuff." His tone is instantly apologetic however his eyes never meet mine again.
Tseng turns as he continues our path, " Don't worry. We are paid much better than you are."