Final Farewells... the RP behind the poem

((The merry ride to Midgar was shattered by the resonance of gunshots streaking through the air... Zack had bailed from the truck that became riddled with bullets… the driver instantly killed... And the soldier's semi-conscious comrade held tightly within his grasp... “These guys just don’t give up!” Zack quipped as he turned to glance over his shoulder at a legion of armed soldiers in hot pursuit. Machine-guns blazing and bullet’s whizzing close by..  Zack as agilely as he could, dodged and ducked under the speeding lead... Running as fast as he could, he could soon see a high reach of precipice directly ahead of him... 1

“If I can just… Damn!” Zack skid to a halt as two men on cycles squealed in front of him, blocking his path... They sped around him, leaping off and drawing their blades... “Cloud, run!” He shouted desperately for his friend in vain that he might wake up from his mako-reverie... He let go of the blond, brandishing his silvery broadsword... hacking away at the men who dared to fight HIM! Zack SOLDIER First class! 2

“You’re not taking us back... sorry to disappoint you-GAH~!!” Zack gasped out as a single bullet pierced through the flesh of his collar and ripped through the other side.. he had been caught off guard by another riflemen cowardly hiding behind the parked cycle… The soldier staggered back dropping his sword by Cloud’s limp form... 3

“Cloud... get out of here n—A-AWK!” An unrelenting barrage of bullet’s pelted into his body, blood spraying out his backside.. tiny droplets of red pitter-pattering upon the brow of Cloud who laid motionless and wide-eyed at the sight... Zack stumbled as the pain flared then numbed his entire body, and he crumpled to the ground... The merciless soldier approached, hate and aggravation in his eyes behind that rotting helmet… Zack had caused them more trouble than they had bargained for... they’d make sure he’d pay... 4

Depressing the trigger once more, another fusillade of bullets ripped into Zack’s chest, convulsing his body to arch upwards with the extreme force… The head MP approached in his red uniform observing the damage... Zack was clearly snuffed... as for the boy... he looked quite dead as well... they were useless now… And so with their slaughter finished, the soldiers retreated in victory.. 5

It was at that moment, Cloud could slowly feel the world again... sense and touch revealing itself to him once again... he sat up, turning his head to find his best and only friend... lying in a massive pool of his own blood…“Z….Za..aack...k…!” He trembled to speak, acidic tears welling in his mako-shot eyes… he picked up the soldier’s sword, staring up to the gray heavens above that began to weep… showering rain across the blood-stained field.. Cloud would have to make the rest of the journey alone now... taking with him a part of the man who had made his life possible. This... surely could not be the end.))6

Cloud might have thought himself alone at that moment, but someone was watching from the shadows, emerald green blazing with a fury that until that moment had never had a reason. He was... leaving him there?! All they had been through, and he just walked away? Sephiroth felt the rain in his hair, it seemed apt, the sun was gone now, it could not shine again, at least not in the way that mattered…The soldiers who had seen fit to destroy Zack never made their report, later someone would report a hole in the field as though something had caused a massive fire, but that was later, right now... he strode towards the place where the dark haired boy lay, his fists clenched tightly as he fell to the ground, to his knees, picking the male up gently. "Rest then Zack... you did well..." he spoke softly to the boy, listening for any signs that perhaps the wounds were not as serious as they appeared, he was a First Class for Jenova's sake! The injuries should have been healing by now!7

((A thin trickle of blood dripped down Zack's brow, streaming unto his eye, which caused it to twitch... He swore he felt hands… arms... a body holding him... it was so comforting, he nearly wanted to fall asleep.. "H-hmmm..." a choked groan hissed in his throat as he managed to tilt his head to the side, pressing his cheek against Sephiroth's chest… how nice… it was so warm... as everything else seemed to become grimly cold..))8

"Sh... it is ok..." Sephiroth glanced down at Zack, lifting his free hand to wipe away the blood from Zack's brow. "You need to rest is all..." he stroked the boys hair lightly, there was, he knew, nothing even he could do for him now... save be there for the final moment. He would not abandon him, not even now. He concentrated on his inner fire magic to warm the body that seemed to be growing cold only too fast. "Everything is going to be all right Zack... I'm here now... I... I love you..." he placed a gentle kiss on Zack's forehead. "And nothing is going to hurt you now..." Strange that it took this... this irreversible deed for Sephiroth to be able to say the words that Zack had been asking him for so long. "Sleep now all right?"9

((Amethyst eyes slowly fluttered open... focusing in on the halo of silver around his guardian angel's face... A smile faintly dotted his scarlet-speckled lips... "S-Seph… iroth...h..." his voice had been like a bright beckon in the darkness of his mind… calling him back to the living, whilst death's shackles had already been tightly bound to his legs... he was struggling against it... desperate to reach that beacon of silver light.. "We...were almost...fr...free..."))10

"Yes... I'm here..." Sephiroth responded to Zack calling his name, "Did you think I would just leave you?" He smiled lightly at the boy in his arms, so young, he had trusted him for so long, and even after the betrayal... it did not matter, nothing did but that they were together for this moment. "I know... it will not be long before you are..." Sephiroth spoke softly still, lowering his head, his eyes glimmering softly, a strange warmth within them that no one would see again. "Now... remember your training... save your energy Zack..." He stood up then, still cradling the boy in his arms as though he weighed nothing. Just perhaps, if he could get him to the medical units... he would be able to be cured... Just perhaps... if not... at least he could get him out of the rain. "Come on... we're going somewhere a bit drier, hm?"11

((The caressing rain soon began to mat the prominent raven spikes of hair that had been the jovial soldier's trademark.. Glossing it down to a wet sheen that framed his innocent features... Amethyst eyes remained settled upon Sephiroth as he weakly protested his general's orders, straining to reach his hand up to gently touch the curve of the other man's jaw... "Take me... with you..." Five years ago, he had longed to say those words to Sephiroth... as Nibelhiem burned and the general's sanity was in question... Zack had debated falling along side his most cherished comrade... so that he would not go down alone…"We… can be free... together now…"))12

Sephiroth smiled lightly, "Yes.. I will take you with me Zack… we will stay together..." He continued walking onwards, still cradling the young man in his arms, "It should not have come to this Zack... it should never have come to this.." the rain seemed to be the perfect weather, normally Sephiroth hated the rain, with it causing his hair to slide in front of his face, but right now he was glad for it... it felt like he did not need to cry... the weather was doing it for him. "The planet is on our side now though... you are going to be with me forever hm?" He could spot the nearest main town just ahead, there had to be a hospital of sorts there... plus a warm building for Zack to dry off... "Just... hang in there hm?"13

((Zack could only sigh... his breaths labored yet quiet as his bloodied form stained the leather of Sephiroth's coat and left light crimson droplets that fizzled out in the rain behind them... "It... doesn’t hurt anymore... now that you're here... We'll run away... just like I... pr...promised... make… our own promised land... just... like in the stories..."))14

Sephiroth nodded quietly. "That's right Zack... just like you planned... how does Costa del Sol sound?" he released a sound that was almost a laugh, "Plenty of girls for you to try and pick up… until your ego becomes too big hm?" He knew he did not have long, yet he did not dare run, aware that doing so could harm Zack more than the length of time required, the mention of the pain being gone was worrying to say the least, people only said that when... when... no. He would not think like that. "You’re with me now... I won't leave you."15

((The soldier let his faint smile broaden just a little... "You spoil… me..." he let his eyes close softly as he nestled into Sephiroth's hold... his cheek curved to the man's collar... "But... I mean... the real promised land... I…" he unknowingly gasped, his chest hitching slightly, spilling a small stream of blood from the corner of his once sun-kissed mouth... "I think I can even... see it now..." winsome violet eyes stared distantly away from Sephiroth... into some bright void that threatened to entrance him into with its beguiling shimmer.))16

"Zack... there is time for that later..." Sephiroth shook his head, no... it was too late for that... he had already known Zack was unable to be saved. Thin lips twitched lightly into a smile. "All right Zack... go then... I will meet you there..." he lowered his head, placing a soft kiss on Zack’s mouth, tasting the blood that trickled downwards. "I... I can't force you to stay here... no one should be able to do that..." Emerald green met violet, watching them staring somewhere he could not see, would most likely never see.17

((Fading violet eyes fell half lidded as the darkness began to eclipse everything around him... the light of those glimmering emeralds searing everything before him... "I... love you... Sephiroth... I'll be... waiting for you...." With those last breathless words, the amethyst sun set for the last time... never to rise again and bask the planet with it's mirthful shine... his body relaxed and his bright spirit flickered out .. dispersing into the darkness..))18

"I'll come for you...then... so… just hang on and wait for me..." Sephiroth watched the light flicker out from those eyes that had held too much sunshine to remain any longer. He placed a second kiss on the young mans lips, then laid him on the ground. "May your soul fly free..." he murmured softly, lifting his left hand and watching as flames began to flicker around the body that had contained his once lover, once friend. He stood and watched until the flames died down, leaving only ashes that scattered to the four corners of the world. His eyes hard, he turned, there was work to do...19