Out of the blue

[orangewayfinder]

Who; Zack Fair legacy_blade & Terra orangewayfinder
What; A re-meeting of sorts
Where; The park?
When; Night time
Warnings; None will change if needed.



Terra had a day. First there was working for the graveyard, then there was a little bit of working with Jacob. He'd promised himself a full workout at the Coliseum, to see how well he could do against a few opponents after that because he felt it was important to keep his skills sharp just in case.

After a shower and change of clothes at home after those few opponents, Terra decided that he still had some energy to go out for a walk. It was a nice night, there was a light breeze and it was cool. Even if his boots did manage to keep crunching newly fallen leaves under them that was really the only sounds other than the occasional bird or bat or whatever it was. Not thinking much of them, he continued on, and looked up to notice that the stars were just coming out, which always brought that night before the Mark of Mastery exam with Aqua and Ven where they saw shooting stars.

But as he kept walking, Terra felt a few leaves fall right onto his hair and he reached up to pluck one of them out to look at it. It was really pretty, a really deep red colour. And as he finished examining it, he lowered it and saw a dark head of hair.

Wait, this person looked so familiar. And then it hit him. But it couldn't be, could it? Still holding the leaf, his blue eyes fixed on the person in front of him.

"Zack?"

Comments

[orangewayfinder]

"The Coliseum." Terra reiterated, half cocking his head to the side. How did Zack not remember him?

Time was his only internal answer.

"It's okay if you don't remember. Maybe you were too young back then."

This was his way of trying to give the other a way out and not feel bad.

[legacy_blade]

"You mean the place people fight here?" Zack asked, tilting his head. "I've signed up to be a wrangler for them. Get them some supplies and all of that."

But he hadn't actually fought there. Didn't have a weapon yet. Had to rely only on the hand to hand skills he'd learned from Angeal, and some of his limits.

"Wait, too young? I don't what what you're saying. There's no Coliseum in Midgar?"

[orangewayfinder]

"Oh, uh..not here." Terra let his voice trail off, figuring he should drop the subject. "But you're going to fight here then, right?" He hadn't noticed a sword on Zack but maybe it was just hiding somewhere or it was at home.

Confusion then hit him again as he heard the last. "No, uh..I met you when you were little, at the Coliseum in Greece. But maybe you don't remember it, so it's okay."

This whole thing was puzzling.

[legacy_blade]

"Nah, don't see a point to the fighting in it. But I'm going to bring them things for other people to fight," Zack said with a shrug. Because he could probably wrestle monsters down until he had money for his sword.

Still, he is very confused here.

"Greece?"

[orangewayfinder]

"Things for other people to fight?" Terra asked, even more confused. He stopped himself short of asking about heartless, and just sort of tried to look at anything other than Zack.

At the question, he shook his head. "The Olympus Coliseum, but you don't seem to remember it." Still, it brought a very fond memory of Zack to mind so he couldn't help but smile.

"You wanted a rematch with me, fair and square you said."

[legacy_blade]

"Yeah. I'm better as an acquirer until I'm properly armed," he said with a shrug. "And I've never heard of Olympus. Sorry. Don't remember fighting you."

Though now he's grinning. A fight with a dude as fit as this?

"Once I have a proper blade, I'm more than happy to show you what I can do."

[orangewayfinder]

Terra shook his head. He really wasn't sure Zack was in the right line of work, but that wasn't for him to say. "That's okay."

However, a grin appeared and it painfully reminded him of the young boy in the Coliseum who told him that he was his hero.

So it took a moment before Terra smiled. "Can't wait to see what you learned."

[legacy_blade]

Who knows if Zack will ever figure out what the right line of work is. But he's trying.

"I mean, I've learned a lot from my mentor, and more from surviving. So I think I'll be impressive."

[orangewayfinder]

Terra had to laugh a little. "Then I can't wait to see it." Fortunately Zack wouldn't be possessed by Hades this time but that wasn't going to get brought up at all.

"You were pretty tough before."

[legacy_blade]

"I've always been tough," he says with a grin. And man, Terra might be shocked at the serious reinforcement Zack had in the form of all of his Soldier enhancements. "Once I get a weapon."

[orangewayfinder]

Terra smiled because even if Zack didn't believe his story, at least that comment humoured him somewhat. "When do you think you can do that?"

[legacy_blade]

"Once I have a job and money," Zack said.

He's not letting Aerith buy him a weapon. That would be rude.

[orangewayfinder]

"Oh." Terra replied. It was half on his mind to offer since he had plenty of what he termed 'munny' saved up, but he didn't think Zack would appreciate it.

He heard people had a thing about strangers giving gifts and even though in Terra's mind he knew Zack, but to Zack he was nothing but some strange guy claiming to know a younger him with memories he didn't have.

"That shouldn't be too hard for you, right?"

[legacy_blade]

If he wouldn't take it from his girlfriend, he wouldn't take it from a stranger.

"My old mentor has implied I might not have marketable skills. At least, I think that was what he was implying? It's hard to tell."

[orangewayfinder]

"Well what have you done up this point? I mean, you could always learn new things, right?"

Terra wasn't sure what was going on, but he had faith in Zack even if he wouldn't say those words.

[legacy_blade]

Learning new things was the goal.

"I was a soldier. So, you know, monster hunting and being a semi-professional hero, without the title."

[orangewayfinder]

That had Terra cock his head to the side as he looked right at Zack. A little laugh escaped him and he shook his head. "You haven't changed with that whole hero thing." It was adorable really.

[legacy_blade]

Huh? Changed? Zack frowns, tilting his head as he considers Terra.

"I mean, it was always my goal growing up. It's why I joined Soldier."

[orangewayfinder]

Terra smiled. "Then it sounds like you followed your path pretty well. But did you ever become that hero that you wanted to be?"

Tell him you did because that's what he expects to hear.

[legacy_blade]

"Yes," he says, and Zack's voice is both full of pride, and a bit of sorrow. He just doesn't know how it will play out.

All he knows is that Cloud will change the world.

[orangewayfinder]

He nodded, happy for his friend even if that friendship was one sided at this point. "Then you did what you set out to do."

Of course Terra had the hero's welcome pictured very differently in his head. He could imagine Zack riding on the back of a chocobo, with cheering fans everywhere, much like in the Olympus Coliseum. But in this vision it was more like a victory parade.

[legacy_blade]

He supposed he had. Though most wouldn't see it as that.

"I did. And that's all that matters."

[orangewayfinder]

It made Terra happy to hear that Zack had become a hero. "Maybe you could teach other kids to become one like you did."

[legacy_blade]

"No," Zack said, his voice suddenly firm and full of conviction.

To be a hero like him, they have to be monsters first. And they have to die. No, he won't encourage that.

[orangewayfinder]

That answer threw Terra off, but if Zack said no, then no was no. "Alright, if you don't want to, that's up to you."

But he still figured once little kids saw him doing heroic things they might emulate the man.

[legacy_blade]

"It's..."

Zack shakes his head.

"My route isn't what I'd suggest to someone else," he decided after a moment.

[orangewayfinder]

He nodded, not understanding.

"Alright. But I'm sure some kid or other here is bound to look up to you at some point."

Because that's what happened to heroes.

[legacy_blade]

"They shouldn't," Zack said, his voice a bit hard.

Cloud had looked up to him a bit. That had gone so well.

[orangewayfinder]

Terra shrugged but there was a sort of sad smile on his face with Zack's tone.

"Well it won't happen today so it's okay."

[legacy_blade]

"Yeah, it's okay," Zack agreed, his voice... soft. Tired. This wasn't easy at all.

"I... I should get back to getting where I intended. Meet me later?"

[orangewayfinder]

Terra nodded. "I have a house I'm looking at fixing up. I'll take you by there so you can tell me what you think too."

And that was part of the reason he wanted to work for the carpentry place. He was learning things on the side about repairs

But whatever was bugging Zack was something the other was going to have to work out.

[legacy_blade]

His opinion? Why would someone care about his opinion?

"Uh, I really don't know anything about houses, man," Zack said, frowning. Why would his opinion matter?

[orangewayfinder]

Terra shook his head. "It's alright, nevermind. Forget I said anything."

For some reason that frown was almost as bad as when he'd seen Zack in pain. Something went wrong from the time he knew him to going to another world or something but the keyblade wielder had zero clue.

[legacy_blade]

"Nah, man, I mean, I can go look with you. Especially if you need someone to carry things around or something. I just... Man, I haven't even lived in a place with a lot of 'houses' for a while."

He'd seen Gongaga and Nibelheim in passing, and Aerith had a proper house, but Zack? Man, it had been years.

[orangewayfinder]

Terra gave Zack a look. "I wouldn't ask you to carry anything for me. I'm thinking about fixing it up although Spring might be a better time. I just wanted to see if you thought it would be worth it or not."

He'd just learn more carpentry and more things from forging if he could in the meantime.

[legacy_blade]

"Oh. Well, I suppose I can probably give you an eye on that. I mean, I saw a bit of houses back home," he said with a thought.

[orangewayfinder]

"Great." Terra smiled. "Then you must have some experience as to whether one is a good one or not."

Somehow it seemed to make sense in his mind.

[legacy_blade]

Well not really, but he thinks he could point some things out.

"Could be true. I'll definitely try."

[orangewayfinder]

"Then I'll be looking forward to your help."

Terra smiled because he really was looking forward to this.

[legacy_blade]

Alright man. Call me when you know when you're doing it.

(Wrap?)

[orangewayfinder]

[Terra nodded.]

You got it.

wrap yes

[legacy_blade]

Cool to hear it then, man.