Zack Fair, First Class Princess reporting for duty

"I'm not wearing a dress, Tifa!"Indie AU!Zack Fair blog. Please read Guidelines and AU info before interacting.

[lunamanar]

Cloud and Buster Sword - Source

[cloudstrife-appreciation]

Artist: シバ

[falsamilitis-blog]

i don’t know what i’m doing

[the-backwater-experts]

by Rue

[tritomia]

"Aerith looks so cute today..."

[shinraheadquarters]

Shinra Headquarters Directory update!

Shinra Headquarters is doing a personnel directory update.

Kindly like or reblog this post to be added to the appropriate section.

//Shinra canon characters and OCs only~!

[the-backwater-experts]

by ななせしえ

[tritomia]

Happy(?) New Year Party with Tifa's Goats

"IT’S THE TURN OF A NEW SUN CYCLE AND YOU BEAR ME NEWS THAT THERE IS SOMEONE HERE THAT WOULD DARE NICK MY TREASURES???" choose thy answer well, Zack. My nose has been itchy for the past few days. It is cold in Nibel Mountains after all.

"...."

Time to go! He turns on his heels and sprints for the door. "See you next year!"

[apromiselikeastar-deactivated20]

What Camera? by BritishMuffin

[huntressyuffie-deactivated20150]

Once Zack gave her the all clear, Yuffie sprung into action.

⚘ . ⚘ . ⚘ .

“Alright! Let’s get this materia!” The petite ninja yelled, not bothering to heed Zack’s warning in regards to Cloud’s temperament. “Prepare yourself, Cloud! Because the Treasure Princess,” she looked back at the mouth of the cave towards Zack, “and her sidekick are here to snatch it all-“ She stopped abruptly and skidded to a halt upon coming face to face with the golden dragon. “Up…” she finished, her voice faltering at the shock of Cloud’s size alone. Uh oh. She thought to herself quickly. What have I gotten myself into now?

[tritomia]

The sound of Zack's palm hitting him in the face echoed in the sudden silence of the cave, and like a spell breaking the dragon reared back.

"You dare?!" he demanded, before his head swiveled to stare at Zack in clear betrayal. "You bring me a new princess and she's a THIEF? Zack!"

"Oh boy," Zack muttered, before reaching out and dragging Yuffie behind him. His hands went up in a placating gesture as he tried to calm the golden dragon, who had clearly fallen into a tantrum if the ranting was any indication.

For the next few minutes the raven had to shout to be heard over the tantrum throwing dragon, wincing at the volume when he finally quieted him down. "OKay, let's start over. Cloud, this is Yuffie. She just wanted to borrow your materia. Isn't that right, Yuffie?"

The ninja got a severe look, trying to convey that the proper response here would be a 'yes, just borrowing' and not 'no I wanted to take it and never come back ever'.

"Oh. Well, maybe. But she has to pay for it! I don't do these things for free, you know."

[huntressyuffie-deactivated20150]

Yuffie huffed irritably.

⚘ . ⚘ . ⚘ .

  She tapped her foot impatiently while waiting for Zack to finish his explanation. After the narrative, she paused for a moment, contemplating his request for silence once in the presence of Cloud, and pursed her lips playfully. “Don’t you worry! I’ll be as quiet as a church mouse.” Yuffie extended her hands and then allowed them to fold behind her neck. “Besides,” she began again with a slight cock of the head, “I wouldn’t want to get caught in the act now, would I? You’re forgetting that this is a covert mission to take his materia, after all.”

[tritomia]

Zack sighed as the cave came into view, coming to a stop and holding up his hand.

"Okay, now seriously be quiet okay? Lemme talk him into letting you… borrow his stuff. Got it?” Without waiting for a response, the SOLDIER bounded forward into the entrance.

"Cloudy! Hey buddy, so—"

“Where the hell is my goat, Zack?”

"Um, well about that… I brought a friend?" There was a long silence, before Zack came bounding back out. "Okay! He says you can come i now."

[huntressyuffie-deactivated20150]

“That big?” Yuffie questioned slowly, leading the young SOLDIER to believe she was going to let up on the quest for Materia.

⚘ . ⚘ . ⚘ .

“No problem.” She finished at last, waving her hand passively as if the thought of a giant dragon was no more then a nuisance to her. “I think I can handle one dragon. Besides, you’re going to help me. Isn’t that right?” Before he could respond, the ninja stopped suddenly and turned back around to glance at Zack. “Speaking of which, where is this ‘mighty dragon’ at?”

[tritomia]

"Help--not uh! No way, Cloud'd eat me next, you know. Or at least I'd get a lecture about being his princess and betraying my dragon."

"Man, I never catch a break," he muttered after a moment when it was clear she wouldn't give up, rubbing the back of his neck and following the girl. Picking up speed and jogging towards, then past, Yuffie, Zack gestured.

"Look, I'll see what I can do but I'm not even kidding about Cloud being a big guy. Or possessive." He'd fast talked his way past Cloud's annoyance before so hopefully he could do it again.

"Don't say anything okay?"

[theeasterlilyschocobo]

Cloud blinked, letting out a bit of a surprised sound as he was pulled along now. He spoke with a smile sigh, forgetting that even though he was speaking quieter Zack could probably still hear him. “…. Just as excitable as my universe…. suppose it’s nice to see that hasn’t changed…” He glanced up at him then, humming and speaking loud enough to know he’d hear intentionally now. 

"… Something shiny…?? I thought you said he was a dragon not a magpie…" 

[tritomia]

"I'm not sure there's a difference," he laughed. "After all, he is a dragon and dragons love treasure. Well, Cloud does." Zack pointed. "We're close, the cave's right beyond that section of the mountain there."

[tritomia]

Tales of the Unsung Hero

[brighteyedinfantryman]

He wasn’t used to being berated by that voice. A part of him shrunk and travelled back to a time when things were simpler. When Zack would come to him and befriend him. He was always kind, sunny and jovial; even during training the raven haired SOLDIER never raised his voice and to hear it now, his tone bitter was something the blond couldn’t digest.

It hurts.

And Cloud Strife couldn’t decide if this hurt worse than the years spent mourning over his loss…

… which apparently had gone to waste…

Amidst his self-contained sorrow, the blond looked up. His eyes widened as he stared into sky hues that was looking at him with an edge. An epiphany of sorts hit him. Putting himself into the other’s shoes, the accusation made sense. Zack was probably much closer to Sephiroth than he was to the raven ex-SOLDIER. When he spent maybe a few days a month with him, Zack and his fellow First Class would have spent almost all working hours together being the same rank and all. Of course the feelings of camaraderie were stronger between them.

And who was he to Zack but something short of a burden to be lugged all over Gaia?

Also wasn’t it Zack who had asked him to… finish him off?

But maybe the raven’s mind wasn’t at its best. Like how he was when he first traipsed in a daze, dragging Buster along with him mindlessly as he made his way to Midgar. If so, then he would protect the other’s memories. If he deemed that Sephiroth was still the Hero, let him continue to think such.

“I didn’t think he was worth the trouble. Apologies.” He had changed his words. From us to I. He’d bear this alone. No one else should be burdened by what had happened any longer.

Chewing on the bottom of his lip, his heartbeat sped up at his words. Sephiroth aside, how was he going to break the news about Aeris? Well, Zack didn’t exactly ask if she was still alive so he could always tell him the truth… that the pond was created by her will to save everyone.

“She did it herself…” he carefully worded himself lest the raven got suspicious again.

[tritomia]

Zack's eyes narrowed slowly at the non answer. She'd loved her flowers, so why would she do that to them? Something was fishy there--

"Where is she?" he demanded after a moment, because Cloud spoke as if he knew Aeris. Knew what had happened to her--and something had, he could feel it in his gut. "Why did she do this to her garden? She loved her flowers."

There was more than one unasked question in that last statement.

Too many questions, no answers. Midgar gone, Sephiroth dead, Aeris missing and at the center of it all, Cloud. What happened? He just didn't understand and it pissed him off in all sorts of ways. Sephiroth had been his friend, and he'd failed him. Cloud had been his friend too, once, he should have understood--should have helped Sephiroth where he'd failed. Not murdered him on Zack's sword.

“I didn’t think he was worth the trouble. Apologies.” 

Abruptly he was on his feet again, fist flying towards Cloud's face. He didn't have anyone else to blame (except himself, because wasn't it his fault for failing anyway?) except the blond. But that statement?

"An attitude like that, no wonder you never made it into SOLDIER--" Zack snarled.

[huntressyuffie-deactivated20150]

“Dragon? Hah!” Yuffie began with a smirk.

⚘ . ⚘ . ⚘ .

“He won’t stand a chance! Not against the strongest warrior in Wutai, that is.” The slight girl took a few more long and confident strides forward until she had passed the SOLDIER before her. Turning to look back over her shoulder at the young man, Yuffie spoke sharply and clearly. “If it’s materia he has, I’ll turn the thief, into the victim.” She turned back around and placed both hand behind her head, “as for becoming a hostage… I’d like to see that dragon try to take me!”

[tritomia]

"Yeah, he's a dr--woah!"

Was she seriously going to try and steal his stuff from Cloud? Crap, that wasn't gonna go well. Zack turned on his heel and followed after the girl immediately. "Hey, come on--I'm serious here! Cloud's a pretty big dragon, and no one in this place is gonna help ya if he gets mad--he's the landlord, you know? A big dragon!"

He lifted his hands for emphasis, trying to indicate the size of Cloud's head in hopes she'd back up a bit.

Oh man I really hope that Cloud decides he wants her as a new princess so I can talk him out of it and doesn't just roast her on the spot--

[huntressyuffie-deactivated20150]

The young ninja looked taken back.

⚘ . ⚘ . ⚘ .

“So, you DO remember me then!?” She paused for a moment before taking a brave step forward and balling up her fist confidently. “Well, that was years ago!” She convinced quickly, placing her hands on her hips and lifting her chin. “I’m a lot stronger now, you’ll see! Your material won’t last. Not as long as the Treasure Princess, Yuffie, is around!”

[tritomia]

Wow, she hadn't changed a wit, had she? Too bad she was way too late to the materia theft game this time. "Well, if you really wanna tangle with the dragon that took my stash you're welcome to try. On the other hand..."

It'd be mean to let Cloud roast her, wouldn't it "Cloud's pretty possessive, and I don't think he'd take well to thieves in his cave, picking through his-stuff-that-used-to-be-mine. Or worse, he might decide you're a better princess than me and then you'll be stuck there."

[huntressyuffie-deactivated20150]

"Wha- Uh… noooo.”

   ⚘ . ⚘ . ⚘ .

"I mean, I meet a lot of people. We may have met at some point in time, but how am I supposed to remember every face I come across? I don’t have time for that, ya know?”

[tritomia]

"You know, I really am sure..." She was clearly from Wutai, so he had to have met her there--Oh. Well, that was definitely not expected. Man, wasn't she a bit older than he remembered? Then again, he tended to repress a lot of that period of time after... Well, after stuff happened, so he supposed his memory might have been a bit off. Or maybe he'd just merged a younger kid and her together after awhile?

"Hey! You were the kid who kept trying to steal my materia!"

[tritomia]

huntressyuffie​ started following you

"...Heeeeey. Don't I know you from somewhere--?"

[tritomia]

I'm actually alive, haha. Oops.

I saw a Yuffie followed me, it woke Zack up so I might do those, um... 4 drafts soon??? oops.