Gongaga {Zack and Cissnei}
It had been two months since he had returned to the village. Despite the short amount of time, Zack had changed significantly. He had been spending more time in the sun than he ever did in SOLDIER. Though he was naturally tanned before, now Zack’s skin had changed to a dark copper color. From the excessive farm work, his arms were now becoming defined in ways that mako could never develop. The only article of clothing he retained from his old life was his boots. Everything else was replaced by a t-shirt and jeans. As for the hair, Zack was still refusing to cut it short like the other men in the village—much to his mother’s discomfort. Instead, he kept it tied back because it was impossible otherwise to keep it out of the way when working.
Zack laced his arms over the only windowsill inside his dark house. The sun was setting behind the trees that fenced in the whole area of Gongaga. The only three dark-haired kids that lived there were running past his home, practice swords in hand. Two boys and one girl—all excellent fighters. None of them were related. Zack could almost write the rivalry that was bound to come once their hormones kicked in. The ex-SOLDIER was slowly beginning to get to know them all well since he was beginning to become the sword expert-slash-teacher in Gongaga. Apparently, mako eyes were a big thing to kids.
Eyes flicking to the dimming landscape, the ravenette made out the outline of a familiar silhouette. Nearly falling out of his window, Zack waved to a woman in a suit.
“Cissnei!” he shouted, a loud puppydog greeting echoing through the tiny community.
Stumbling to get inside, he went for the door to let himself out so he could greet her. Cissnei was the only person in the world that knew his secret and the only friend he had left from his life as a SOLDIER. In Gongaga, she was the only person to know he’d died. For the rest of the world, she was the only person he trusted enough to tell her that he wanted to come back.
