A/N: If you haven't played Crisis Core... you might be a little confused.
Sorry guys. I suck at explaining scenery. So if you haven't played the game... first of all, play it now. Second of all... I hope I don't suck too much ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ
... Or google "Banora white" :3
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A table.
You're standing in a room, so white that it makes your eyes and head hurt, greeted only with a long, stark-white table.
You blink and a chair appears at the far end of the table, also blindingly white in color.
Another blink, and pictures start to appear on the wall, floating down like leaves falling from a tree. Your eyes widen, everything clicking all at once as you suddenly recognize the room as one you had seen on Alternate Island.
"Naminé?" you call out.
You turn in a circle, looking for any sign of the blonde. But you're alone. With a small sigh you start to walk around the room, studying the drawings stuck on the wall. You can't help but smile as you spot younger versions of your friends: Sora with his Keyblade, Roxas facing off against a gigantic Nobody, Riku disappearing behind a gigantic door, shrouded in darkness.
The same door you walked through on the island.
You hesitantly tear your eyes from the drawing, moving around the room as you stare in awe at the walls. Everything you've gone through, and some stories you've only heard about – it's all there. Sora stabbing himself in the heart, Axel turning on the Organization, your death. It all looks so surreal, seeing such events drawn in such bright colors.
As you move, the stories told on the papers grow more distant, as if you're traveling back in time. You come to a stop, jaw dropping slightly as you spot Terra with amber-red eyes, his hair gray. Just like...
"Xemnas," you murmur to yourself.
Your mind wanders to the still unexplained folder, the words used to describe Terra. A vessel. Is this what it entails?
"Hello, [Name]."
You jump, a hand clutching at your chest as you quickly turn around. Seated behind you, on the lone chair across the room, is a softly smiling Naminé.
"Hey... What is this, Nam? Where are we?"
"Nowhere, really," she replies with that same coy demeanor. "I see that you are progressing well."
"Progressing?" you repeat with a tilt of your head.
"Yes, in your search for the truth. Did you not speak to Vanitas?"
"No, I did," you agree with a small nod. "Did you send him to speak to me or something?"
"I did," she tells you, still smiling. "Unfortunately, I can only communicate with you very rarely in these dream-like states. It's hard to sneak away unnoticed. I trust he filled you in?"
"Kind of," you mutter with a small huff. "All I know is he and Ven are going to merge to create some weapon, and I'm going to merge to create some door."
"Then you're adequately filled in," Namine tells you with a soft giggle. "Albeit, using improper terminology. But the phrases aren't important, I suppose."
You hum in response, your arms crossed over your chest as you glance back at the drawings on the wall again. Your eyes scan on the wall, pausing on one that just so happens to be right at your eye line. Turning to fully face the wall, your eyes narrow as you study it. It's Ven, but his eyes are a bright gold instead of the typical beautiful light blue.
"I-Is that..."
"A scene from the past," Namine interrupts, and you glance over your shoulder at her. "It needn't concern you."
"Is that how they died or whatever?" you ask, turning back around and walking towards the table.
"As you know, they didn't die," she quickly corrects, "but, yes. That is what destroyed their bodies so many years ago. An incomplete unity."
"Is that what's going to happen to me?" you press.
"No, because nothing is going to happen to you [Name]. I've seen to that," she says, gesturing a hand forward. "Please, sit."
You glance to your side, doing a double-take when you realize a white chair is suddenly next to you. Figuring it's not important to know how that appeared out of nowhere, you slide into the seat.
"As you know, the merger of Ventus and Vanitus will create what is called the χ-blade. The χ-blade is forged following the clash and eventual sacrifice of a heart of pure light, and a heart of pure darkness. The χ-blade is required to open Kingdom Hearts. The door to Kingdom Hearts is created by the sacrifice of you and your Nobody – the girl capable of causing those without hearts to love, and a Nobody born out of pure darkness. Xemnas saw to it that you and she would, essentially, be the same person.
"Fifteen years ago, the χ-blade was almost forged, when Vanitas defeated Ven. Ven managed sacrificed himself before it was complete, however, obliterating his and Vanitas' bodies in the process. They lived in Sora, as he is their successor, resting in a coma-like existence. When Sora made a similar sacrifice as Ven, ten years later – they were freed, but without bodies to attach to. The Organization captured their fractured hearts and rebuilt them, first Ven and then Vanitas. Can you see where I'm going?"
"Uhhhh... no, not at all," you reply a small laugh.
She giggles in response, covering her mouth as she does so.
"No, I suppose not, if you are unaware of my abilities," she agrees, lowering her hands to the table. "I control memories, [Name]. Anyone's, in all the worlds. I revived their memories, even Aqua's and Terra's. I was under strict instruction to make them forget certain events, and, for the most part, I followed those instructions. Terra, Aqua, and Ven remember only what they must. But with Vanitas..."
She trails off in a soft smile, looking down at the table as she starts to fan out some of her drawings.
"I gave Vanitas everything. His entire story, from beginning to end. And he's slowly been regaining his memories, realizing what he's done and how he's been betrayed. He has struggled to fully comprehend his new reality, but, so far, it's all going according to plan."
"And what's that?" you ask, your mouth feeling oddly dry.
Naminé's icy blue eyes flit up to you.
"I finished the drawing. The one I showed you in your subconscious."
"Oh, of my chest exploding? Great," you mutter, slumping down low in your seat.
"I can promise you, you are feeling no pain," Naminé tells you, pushing out her chair and standing to her feet. "But, that's not why I mentioned it. Vanitas learning the truth of his existence was not a merciful act by me. It's actually been somewhat cruel, watching him as he is incessantly haunted by the ghosts of his past."
"What do you mean?" you ask, curiosity getting the better of you.
"It's not my place to discuss it. He will tell you on his own someday, if he ever feels ready to," she muses, flipping through her stack of papers. "These memories, however... they're setting him free. No longer is he trapped in the plot of a madman to open Kingdom Hearts. He sees this for what it is. And, without a heart of darkness, there is no χ-blade. Without a χ-blade, there is no Kingdom Hearts. Do you understand now?"
A single eyebrow raises as she utters the last three words, and your eyes snap open in understanding.
"Holy shit, Naminé. If there's no χ-blade, there's no way to open the door. So Xemnas' plot... it's going to fail? I'm safe?" you ask, a grin breaking out on your face.
"I cannot guarantee it, but I believe we are at least on the right track. After all – could a heart of darkness step foot in King Mickey's castle?"
"Oh my God..." you mutter, sitting forward in your chair as a hand covers your mouth. She's right; Vanitas had been in the castle just a few hours ago. You feel like you want to laugh and cry at the same time. "Naminé... You're a badass!"
"It appears so," she agrees with a laugh, leaning over the table slightly. "Now come – I'd like to show you this drawing, now that it's complete."
With a goofy smile you hop to your feet, all but skipping towards the petite blonde. You follow her line of vision, staring down at the table. The drawing is just as you remember – your chest emitting white flames, a smile on your face as you're holding someone's hand. But now that hand is connected to a body, dressed all in black.
"W-What..." you stammer, your heart starting to race uncomfortably.
"Here," Naminé interrupts, handing you another piece of paper.
You grab it, your good mood officially gone when you spot your body covered in darkness as you scream to the sky.
"You are going to merge, [Name], only to be brought back," Naminé tells you, resting a hand on your back. "I am not sure your thoughts on him. But it's clear from my visions that you will not survive this without Vanitas by your side."
"Wh... No, no, I... Vanitas? Are you high, Naminé? He's the most egotistical, selfish son of a –"
"I don't think you're in a position to turn down his help."
You grow a slightly embarrassed look as you glance down at the drawings again. Falling into darkness, saved by the light... Vanitas is right, you are a cliché.
"Does he know?" you ask, looking up at Naminé.
"Yes and no. He knows that neither of you can be allowed to die. But he doesn't know that he plays a role beyond merely keeping you alive. I don't even know the extent of his role – I cannot see the future, I can only see people, and how their paths connect. Your – how do you phrase it? – 'Chest exploding' is not necessarily what's to come. I only saw a vision of you falling to the darkness before being brought back to the light, by a man with golden eyes."
"You sure it wasn't someone else?" you mutter dryly with a tick of your eyebrow.
"No, it was Vanitas," Naminé argues with a smile. "I've known him for three years now. You're in good hands."
"If you say so," you sigh, dropping the papers to the table again.
"You've been a fascinating one to study, [Name]," Naminé continues, moving around you to start placing eleven pieces of paper in a straight line. "You have so many possible paths, so much love surrounding you."
"What do you mean?"
Naminé wordlessly gestures down to the table, and you glance down. Every guy you've met and grown to love in the past two years – either as a friend or otherwise – is drawn on their own page, each representing a different promise of a future. Even –
"Seriously, Nam?" you laugh, pointing down at Vanitas' face.
"That path is not open just yet," she tells you with a shrug. "But it will open. Someday."
She takes a step towards you, resting a hand on your arm as she smiles up at you.
"We'll speak again soon, [Name]. When your mission is complete, get to Twilight Town as soon as possible. Ven needs you. Once you have Ven, we'll discuss Terra."
"What about Terra?" you ask, but as soon as the words leave your mouth you wake up gasping for air.
"Hey, hey, you're okay."
A hand starts to gently rub your back, and you glance up to see Noctis looking down at you with concern. You quickly scan your surroundings, realizing you're still stuck on the Gummi Ship and must have fallen asleep on him.
"Hey. Sorry, bad dream," you mumble, rubbing your eyes as you sit up straight.
"Well you have great timing, because we're just got to Gaia!" Sora exclaims with a grin.
"Gaia?" you repeat with a wrinkle of your nose.
"Yeah, we're just used to calling this world Midgar because it's the only area that survived when the darkness took over. Probably something to do with the energy reactor, I dunno," Zack explains, training off into a shrug.
"Huh," you hum, pulling your hair back into a ponytail. "Well, Gaia is a prettier name anyway."
"Yes, the real concern when a planet is named – is it pretty enough?" Riku teases with a glance over his shoulder at you.
"You're just a real comedian lately, aren't you Rik?" you snap back as you stand to your feet and start to stretch.
Your back gives a particularly loud 'pop' and you sigh in relief.
"Where are we headed, anyway?" Xion asks, sitting up straight in her seat.
"Some place called Banora or something like that?" Sora responds, glancing down at the map in front of him.
Your gaze snaps over to Genesis and Angeal, who both have troubled looks on their faces. The second they realize you're watching them, however, they give you forced smiles that do nothing to calm your growing nerves.
[♥]
Because Angeal, Cloud, Genesis, Zack, and Reno are AWOL from Shinra, the ship can't land anywhere near Banora, to avoid drawing attention to your group. You don't mind walking, especially since it's the middle of the night and you're surrounded by rather serene landscape. But it's definitely serving as a reminder that it's dangerous returning here.
"Why'd we come back anyway?" you speak up, breaking the silence. "So Sephiroth is running wild... Isn't that Shinra's problem?"
"Yeah, but that's not why we're here," Cloud speaks up.
"If Sephiroth manages to find Jenova, and the Organization got their hands on her cells... let's just say that would be a far worse outcome than opening Kingdom Hearts," Angeal tells you.
"What's Jenova?" you ask, remembering hearing Sephiroth mutter that word what seems like ages ago, back at Shinra when you found him talking to himself.
Everyone's gazes suddenly snap forward, avoiding you at all costs. Except for poor Zack, who doesn't move fast enough.
"Zack," you press, your voice almost a whine as you shoot him your best puppy eyes.
He groans, aggressively running a hand through his hair.
"Trust me, I'm not the one you wanna ask. This stuff goes over my head."
"What a surprise," Genesis comments wryly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zack snaps as Genesis and Angeal start to chuckle.
"Jenova is his mom or some shit, no one really knows. How far is this place anyway?" Reno rambles, stretching his arms over his head.
"This says we should be here soon," Sora says, his face practically buried in the map in his hands.
"Why did you bring that stupid thing with you?" Roxas asks with a small laugh.
"In case we get lost?" Sora replies as if it's obvious, peering up from the map to glare at his Nobody.
Deciding to ignore the brewing fight, you instead glance around your surroundings. The area is surprisingly nice, and you can't help but wonder why all you've seen of this world is dreary old Midgar. Crickets are gently chirping amongst the trees, and firefly-like lights are floating in the sky, illuminating your path with a pleasant, green glow.
Your thoughts aren't uninterrupted for long, however, because soon the clearing opens to a plumage of thick smoke in the distance. Banora was likely a lovely town at one point. But now, all you can see is red and orange flames lighting up the night's sky. It's hard to even make out where you are, since the air is growing thick with smoke.
"Wh-What's going on?" you hear Xion stammer out, bringing you back down to reality.
"Nothing good," Noctis replies with a heavy sigh.
"You. You're staying here," Cloud decides, pointing to you as he starts to jog down the hill leading to the village.
"Huh?? No I'm not!" you argue, following the group as they hurry down.
"I'll look after her," Angeal speaks up, resting a hand on your shoulder as he herds you to the right.
"You sure?" Zack asks with a wary glance back, and Angeal nods.
With that, they all take off in small groups to fan out and, hopefully, figure out what's going on. You're stuck alone with Angeal, feeling somewhat at ease since he grew up here.
"Are they going to be okay?" you ask, tearing your eyes away to look up at Angeal as he leads you down the path to the right.
"Genesis is with them, they'll be fine," Angeal responds, though there's a slight harshness to his voice that you've never heard before.
"Okay..." you murmur as he slides his hand from your shoulder. The two of you seem to be walking right towards the flames, which is definitely setting you a little on edge. "Where are we going?"
"My house," he replies simply.
"Oh... Oh no, Angeal, your family is here?!" you realize with a small sense of panic, looking out at the flames shooting up into the sky.
"My mom," he corrects, glancing down at you from the corner of his eyes as you start to walk under a line of oddly shaped trees.
"I bet she's fine," you tell him with a forced smile, the smell of smoke and crackle of flames only making your statement sound all the more absurd.
He merely hums deeply in response, clearly disbelieving of your comment. A palm tree within only a few feet of you suddenly catches fire, and you jump out of the way, looking back at it with a sense of horror as you continue to follow an oddly calm Angeal. The fire's only growing closer, and you're only getting closer to its center.
"S-Should we head back?" you ask, feeling a thin layer of sweat growing on your skin due to the stifling heat.
"Almost there," Angeal tells you with a quick glance back. "You're safe, [Name]. I know what I'm doing."
Your eyes meet his and he gives you a reassuring smile. You nod once, still fully trusting of the man. You do your best to look confident, though you're subconsciously moving closer to him with each step. If he notices, he doesn't comment on it. His gaze is instead intently focused on a row of homes at the end of the path you're on. Thankfully, none are on fire, though the flames are leaping through the nearby trees at an alarming rate.
"Stay here," Angeal tells you, holding out an arm to stop you before he tears open the door of the nearest home and darts inside.
"Great," you mutter, rolling your eyes a bit as you rest your back against the outside of the home.
Your eyes are locked almost boredly on the flames shooting out into the sky. The smoke is thick, but far enough away that it has yet to start clogging your lungs. The air smells horrible though, like an awful mixture of burning foliage and rotten wood. Maybe it was just a natural fire after all, that happened to start right when you guys were about to land here... You snort in laughter at the prospect. No way this is a coincidence.
"Yeah, right," you tell yourself with a sigh, scuffing your shoe on the dirt under your feet.
It is oddly quiet though. All you can hear is the crackling of flames. You hear no battle sounds, no screams... nothing.
A flash of silver in the distance earns your attention, and you snap your head to the left.
'Maybe it was just the flames,' you tell yourself, settling back into a relaxed position. But you keep your eyes fixed to the left, wary. Another flash earns your attention, this time to your right.
"Angeal?" you instinctively call out, keeping your voice low.
No response. Another flash of silver.
"Angeal!" you repeat, a little louder as you glance over your shoulder through the window.
The house is pitch black inside, so you can't see what's going on or who's inside. You don't want to interrupt, but when another flash of silver appears just beyond the house next to Angeal's, you quickly turn around and slip through the partially opened front door.
"I'm so sorry, but..."
You're forced to trail off at the sight of the man who seems like such an unbreakable giant kneeling on the ground. Lying before him is a petite woman, her grayish-black hair fanning out across the floor almost in a perfect half-circle. Even though the room is dark, you can make out the sight of a large, growing pool of dark-red blood on the ground.
"O-Oh my God," you stammer, your voice breaking at the sight. The smell is enough to make you gag, but you're so shocked it barely registers. "A-Angeal, I-I –"
Before you can get the words out, the foundation of the house is rocked by a booming blast. Losing your footing, you barely manage to catch yourself as you hold onto the wall. There's another blast, and your head snaps up at the sound of a screeching crunch. As if a wrecking ball hit the roof, the ceiling starts to quickly form deep cracks. An explosion so loud that your ears start to ring echoes through the house as the ceiling breaks. You turn into the wall and swiftly shield your head as bricks and drywall rain down over you; thankfully, most miss your body, although a few hit your back and arms which cause you to flinch and grimace in pain. Surely you're bleeding, but that's the least of your worries.
Once the noise stops you lower your arms and peer up, spotting Angeal still standing in the middle of the room as he faces away from you. With shaky hands you push yourself off of the wall, ignoring the soot, dirt, and blood covering your body as you stare in awe at none other than the one person you've been tracking down.
"Hand over the girl, old friend," Sephiroth greets, slowly bringing up his sword so that its tip is pointed right at Angeal's chest. "Just think of the beautiful things we can accomplish, with the power that lies within her heart."
"[Name], get outta here," Angeal tells you, unsheathing his sword from its resting place against his back. "Find Genesis or Zack."
"Wh-What?" you stammer, your voice coming out as a pathetic squeak.
"I'll hold him off," he continues, dark blue eyes darting back to you. "Now run!"
Sephiroth lunges forward, with Angeal barely managing to stop him with his sword and push him back. You don't have to be told twice; you turn on your heel and jump over the wrecked remnants of his house as you scramble away from the duel. You don't even look back; you just run, and run, and run. Hurrying through the overhang of oddly-shaped trees, you make your way towards the large windmill in the distance, where you saw Genesis headed earlier. Your body is killing you, since your hip hasn't fully healed yet, but you don't slow down.
As soon as you run out of the clearing of trees, the ground shakes with an explosion. The movement sends you tumbling forward, falling onto your side as you slide and roll over a few times before coming to a stop on your stomach. You glance back, feeling your heart jump to your throat when you realize the explosion was caused by a massive blast by Angeal's house. You quickly jump to your feet, a little slower after your fall, but still moving fast.
You make a sharp right when you reach another clearing, sighing in relief when you spot Genesis, Noctis, and Leon. Your relief is only momentarily, however, when you realize they're busy fighting off a group of Shinra infantrymen. With a deep breath you reach your hands out, narrowing your eyes in careful concentration as bolts of lightning shoot from your palms. They pierce through the uniforms of the infantrymen, who cry out as they fall to the floor like stones. The three look at each other in confusion before they glance back towards you.
"[Name]?" Leon calls out as you walk towards them, your right foot dragging slightly due to the pain in your hip.
"What happened?" Noctis asks, noticing the scrapes on your body and your ripped clothing.
"Sephiroth, he –"
"Where is he?" Genesis swiftly presses, interrupting you.
You glance towards the auburn-haired male, frowning a bit at the look of concern on his usually stoic face.
"I-I don't know. Last I saw, he was by Angeal's house," you reply, reaching out to him as he starts to walk away. "Where are you going?"
"To help. Angeal can't defeat him alone," Genesis tells you, gently patting your back before he brushes past you.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Leon asks you as Noctis squeezes your shoulder and jogs after Genesis.
"Um... Yeah," you reply, forcing a smile. As much as you don't want them to leave, you know they have to. "Go get him. I'll be fine."
Leon returns your smile, nodding once before he turns on his heel and runs after the two men, who have already disappeared into the clearing. You watch him for a moment before sighing and continuing on your way, towards another path shielded by the same odd trees. They almost create an archway, large purple fruits and bright green leaves hanging off of them.
Another echoing boom rattles behind you, and instead of looking back you instead start to run again. Thankfully, there's no fire on this side of the village, so you're able to breathe freely. Your path is lit by the moon above, as well as the small greenish-lights floating in the air. You come to a fork in the road, and after looking between the left and the right a couple times, you decide to head to the left. You only have to jog for a few steps until you're out of the archway and in an open field of soil and palm trees. You must be on the outskirt of the village, you realize with a small groan. You can hear gunshots and weapons clashing behind you, making it nearly impossible to think clearly. You're hopelessly lost, with nowhere to go.
"Looks like one little lamb has been separated from her flock."
Your eyes widen, almost comically so, as you stare forward. That voice makes your blood run cold and your heart stop beating for a full second.
"Do you even comprehend what's inside of you?"
You glance over your shoulder, a hand covering your mouth in a feeble attempt to stop yourself from hyperventilating at the sight of Sephiroth behind you. His sword is resting at his side, a tilt to his head as he studies you. This isn't the man you once knew. His eyes are almost wild, watching you as if you're his prey.
"S-Sephiroth," you stammer, doing your best to force your voice to sound strong. "You know me. This isn't you."
He takes a step towards you, and you turn around to face him as you take a step back.
"You took me in when I had nowhere to go," you continue, taking another step back. "I'm just the annoying girl that caused all the fights between the guys that would drive you crazy. Remember?"
"Oh no," he laughs, bringing up his sword as he almost painfully slowly reaches it towards you. The tip presses against your shirt, hovering over where your heart rests. You want to move out of the way, but you're frozen to the spot. "I used to think that. But now – I've been awoken. Inside of you rests the power to change the course of the worlds. To bring about my true purpose."
The tip of his blade pierces your shirt, digging into your skin. It feels like you're being set on fire from the inside out, and you can't stop a scream from ripping through your throat as you fall to your knees. A hand jumps to your chest, blood pouring over your fingers from the cut.
"Don't come any closer," you call out, your voice cracking slightly from the shock and pain.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" he asks with a mocking laugh. "Resistance is futile. It's easier to give in now, because one way or another – we'll possess that heart of yours."
"We?" you repeat slowly with a rise of your eyebrows.
"It's an arrangement of mutual benefit, between Xemnas and I. He possesses the door – and I possess the power, to reunite with Jenova. Now, come with me."
With a demented smirk Sephiroth charges forward, and you hold up your hands, ready to summon a spell – only to hear the clash of metal on mental. You open your eyes, only able to blink in shock when you spot a sword bigger than your body blocking you. Following it up, you almost do a double-take when your eyes land on Cloud's figure blocking you. Before you can speak, or even move, someone grabs you by the waist and hauls you up over their shoulder.
"No!" you cry out, watching in horror as Cloud lunges towards Sephiroth. "No, no! Put me down!" you yell, scrambling to get free.
"Ow! Stop kicking me, [Name]," you hear Zack snap at you, and you tilt your head a bit to glare at the back of his head.
"What are you doing?! We can't leave him!" you exclaim, pointing at Cloud and Sephiroth.
"Angeal and Gen are coming now. You can't stay here," he tells you, and a sudden, deafening sound drowns out whatever else he was about to say.
You do your best to look around him, noticing a large black thing ahead of you. Something is causing the wind to whip up like crazy, freezing your body and twisting your hair in the air wildly. Zack suddenly slides you down so you're standing on your feet, pushing you so that you're turned around and facing a hovering, all-black helicopter with a Shinra insignia on the side.
"I'm not getting in that," you tell Zack, yelling so he can hear you over the propelling blades.
"Aw, not even for me?" you hear a voice call out from inside, and Reno's grinning head pops out from the co-pilot's seat.
The shock is enough that Zack's able to hop inside and grab your arm, pulling you so that you're dragged inside the helicopter. It takes off in the air, soaring over Banora and away from the raging battles and flames below. You hold onto back of Reno's seat, watching with wide eyes as the village grows more and more distant, before you exhale a breath you didn't even realize you were holding in.
"C'mon," Zack says, pulling you down to one of the seats in the back.
He sits down, tossing you a bulky headset before he puts one on himself. He presses a button on the side before you hear his voice, clear as day, ring into your ear, "Now I can hear you!"
You can't help but laugh before you shove your headset over your ears, the mouthpiece jutting out over your lips.
"I think I need a band-aid or something," you respond, holding down the button.
Zack's eyes widen for a moment before he leans forward and carefully pulls aside the fabric of your shirt to look at the still-bleeding gash on your chest. You'd be embarrassed if he weren't a professional.
"Reno, you got a first aid kit?" he calls out into the headset.
"What'd you say? Maid fit?" Reno yells back, not understand what Zack said.
"Damn it," Zack grumbles, standing up and walking to the front.
He rests his hands on the backs of the seats of Reno and the pilot – a stranger to you – as the three of them clearly argue back and forth for a few seconds, before he's tossed a white box by an annoyed Reno. Grinning, Zack heads back to you and sit down, opening up the box and pulling out some hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls.
"I can do it myself," you quickly tell him, grabbing the items from his hands.
You quickly screw off the cap, dab some of the liquid onto a cotton ball, and press it against the cut. It takes everything in you not to cry at the pain, but you manage to just grit your teeth and wipe away the blood. After a few seconds you toss the dirty cotton ball to the seat next to you and accept a wide band-aid from Zack's outstretched hand, pressing it against your freshly cleaned wound.
"Voila. Good as new," you announce with a smile. "Now tell me what's going on."
"I will when we land, I promise," he responds, patting a gloved hand on your leg as he gives you a reassuring smile that somehow hides the worry you know he's feeling.
"Okay, Zack," you agree, shooting him your own fake smile before you grab the kit and stand up, carefully walking towards Reno.
"Here you go. Thanks," you tell him, resting a hand on his shoulder as you hand him the kit.
Reno glances over at you, chuckling a bit as he grabs the kit and tosses it down by his feet.
"You're welcome. [Name], meet my partner," he tells you, and you glance over at the pilot.
He's bald, with tan skin and a thin, black goatee. He's also wearing sunglasses even though it's probably around 3 in the morning, which is a little weird but also 100% what you'd expect from a partner of Reno's.
"Hi, I'm [Name]," you greet with a smile.
"Rude," he replies boredly.
"Huh?!"
"That's his name, you idiot," Reno tells you with a loud laugh.
"O-Oh... Nice to meet you," you mutter, giving them both looks before you stand up straight and shuffle back to your seat in the back with Zack.
You slump down, exhaustion suddenly hitting you as you rest a hand over your chest. It hurts horribly, way more than any old cut would. An arm wraps around your shoulders, and you jump for a second until you realize it's just Zack trying to comfort you. Without a word you snuggle into his chest, staring out at the peaceful night's sky as you both try not to worry about Cloud, Angeal, Genesis... everybody you left behind.