[ open ]

[colorofthesky]

Who: Zack Fair and YOU!
Where: Several different places.
When: May 25th, all day.
Rating: Er...PG? (Maybe PG-13.)
Summary: A Day in the Life with Zack Fair. Squats, lying around, and exploring -- nothing too unusual!
The Story: In comments below --

Comments

Dawn - The Beach

[colorofthesky]

[ Early in the morning, as the shadows lift, a dark silhouette becomes visible on the beach. It's a young man doing squats (a lot of them), a tall sword dug into the sand not too far away. He practices with the blade every so often, his movements quick and precise, but mostly he spends his time doing various exercises. He runs down the beach several times, practices a little acrobatics, and then runs back again.

Eventually, though, he'll take a breather. Plopped cross-legged in the sand, he watches in silence as the waves roll in, his thoughts far away. ]

Re: Dawn - The Beach

[swooshycape]

[ The first thing Zack'll probably notice is a faint whiff of cigarette smoke from further down the beach, as the wind shifts for a moment. If that escapes his notice, however, when he starts jogging down the beach just far enough, he'll see a shadow that grows steadily more distinct as the light increases. It's a man in a long, ragged red cloak, seated on a rocky part of the beach. One knee is drawn up towards his chest, while the other leg is left to dangle, and he rests his right arm on that knee as he periodically takes a drag on the cigarette he's smoking. Both the cape and his hair flutter a bit in the breeze, and he takes care to flick the ashes off to the side so they don't blow back in his face. He leans back on a golden claw that glints a little in the rising sun.

He doesn't really seem to be paying attention to Zack, though he is no doubt aware of the boy (in his twenties or not, he's less than half Vincent's age, which clearly means he's allowed to think of Zack as a 'boy'). Instead, he seems more interested in watching the sunrise and enjoying his cigarette. ... it seems a little more courteous to smoke out here than in the mansion, at any rate. ]

[colorofthesky]

[ He sees it afar off but doesn't stop running or slow his pace. It's only when he gets close enough to make out a shape that he take a moment to scrutinize who (or what) is sitting there amongst the rocks...and then he remembers.

A coffin in the basement of Shinra manor -- the man sleeping inside.

He doesn't change his course, but when he finally circles around, his path will take him by the rocks, the blade hanging on his back catching and reflecting the sun's rays. He slows to stop, a little winded but not by much.

Strolling easily, his body language is casual as he approaches. ]

A little early for a smoke, isn't it?

[swooshycape]

[ There is a slight delay before Vincent answers, as he exhales slowly and looks sidelong at Zack. ]

It's never too early for that.

[ He eyes the glinting sword for a moment, recognizing it. But he also recognizes the voice. ]

... Zack.

[colorofthesky]

[ He smiles a little. ]

That would be me...Vincent.

[ Just a friendly bit of emphasis there. Despite Vincent's serious demeanor, Zack has enough pep for the both of them.

As if to prove the point, he starts doing squats. ]

So [ squat ] what's your story?

[ squat ]

[swooshycape]

[ Vincent just... watches the squats. This boy has way too much energy, but Vincent can't really fault the enthusiasm or the cheer. At least for the first five minutes. His patience may wear thin after that, though then again it has been built up pretty well dealing with Yuffie. At least Zack doesn't seem to have sticky fingers. Just... an apparent inability to remain still. ]

What... do you mean?

[ Or, rather, which story? ]

Midday - Checkerboard Hills

[colorofthesky]

[ Having already exercised for a good part of the day, now it's time to rest.

Flopped in the grass, Zack stares up at the clear blue sky. It's a warm day, accented by the occasional breeze, and overall, he's satisfied with what he sees. ]

/arrives late to the party

[cetra]

[ Aerith catches sight of him while she's taking a stroll outside. It's a good time to get some thinking done, though she finds herself more distracted than thoughtful.

She's giving up on the whole thing by the time she sees him, so she approaches, taking a quick look up at the sky before smiling down at him. ]

Don't you look carefree? Having a busy day?

/jumps on

[colorofthesky]

[ It's definitely a good day for thinking. He, on the other hand, got in his thinking earlier, so now, he's just basking in the sunshine.

Opening his eyes, Zack smiles when he sees her. ]

I've gotta have a vacation sometime, don't I?

[ He pats the grass. ]

The mattress here is pretty good.

\o/

[cetra]

[ She doesn't hesitate to sit down beside him, managing to do so with little issue on her part - plopping down in the grass while wearing a dress requires a certain amount of grace. It's a skill she has honed. ]

Is this what you've been doing today? Cloud watching?

[ She tilts her head back to take a gander at the sky. ]

\8D/

[colorofthesky]

Nah. [ An impish little grin. ] I watched the sun rise, too.

[ He also ran around like a restless, crazy person this morning, but this is Zack so - it should be expected. ]

What've you been up to?

[cetra]

You have been busy! [ She smiles back at him. She wonders if the sunrise here is any different than the ones she's seen back home. ]

Oh, not too much. I was in the diner for a little bit but couldn't really concentrate on working. Decided to take a walk, and saw you taking a nap here on the grass.

[ Teasing, of course. She can't blame him for choosing this spot, either. While she prefers the gardens full of flowers, who doesn't like a good, grassy hill? ]

Afternoon - The Vendors

[colorofthesky]

[ He's heard about the Vendors, so of course, he has to at least take a look and see what kind of things they have. It's interesting, honestly, the variety of things they have.

He doesn't buy anything, but he does linger for a while, looking. ]

Evening - Dining Room

[colorofthesky]

[ Food.

He still hasn't gotten over how different dishes seem to just appear out of nowhere. Today, he names several dishes, each more exotic than the last -- mostly just to see if it'll really do it.

Anyone watching may notice he's entirely too amused by the entire affair. ]

[is0latedthinker]

[Alan's been lingering over the last of his meal, having decided not to frequent the diner for dinner tonight. Delicious as their food was, it felt odd to him to report to the same place at around the same time every evening, when usually he'd have cooked on his own at home or picked up some takeout after work.

He's found his own amusement in the young man who's playing with the table, a hint of a smile playing at his lips at the noise from down the table as he sips the last of his water, only for the cup to refill when he sets it back down and removes his hand.]

I think you'll run out of ideas before the table runs out of food.

[colorofthesky]

[ As engrossed as he is in the 'game' he's discovered, he starts a little when Alan addresses him. A bit sheepish, he laughs a little and smiles. ]

Probably.

[ He prodded a plate (chocobo legs) and watched it vanished. ]

I've just never seen anything like this before.

[is0latedthinker]

[Alan chuckles. He's had much of the same reaction, and had indulged his curiosity in a similar experiment once he realized what was happening.]

Can't blame you for that; neither have I.

You arrived recently, then?

[colorofthesky]

[ He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. ]

Just a few days ago, yeah.

How long have you been here?

[is0latedthinker]

[He nods. People seemed to appear here on a weekly basis, and Zack's arrival fit the rough calendar. It could be a little hard to keep track, normal days meshing together when there weren't events to make things even crazier than usual.]

Nearly two months now. I guess you can get used to anything, no matter how strange it is, after awhile.

Night - The Roof

[colorofthesky]

[ It's been a long, busy day, and now, he's just about ready to wind down for the night. Before he goes back to his room, though, he climbs all the way up to the roof. Wonderland looks peaceful at night, and the view of the stars is one of the more picturesque he's ever seen. ]

[neverbeamemory]

[Sephiroth spends a great deal of time on the roof. Watching over the panoramic view of Wonderland that it offered, not only that it provided the perfect landing and take off spot for if he spotted something that provoked his interest. It only took a few minutes for him to get anywhere in the Grounds via the skies.

From up here, he could imagine as if he owned all of it. Small as it was. Even if the connection is not there - it doesn't take much to remember the feeling from back home. He must never forget that.

Silver hair would sway with the breeze, as would black feathers as he stood there near to the edge with his wing fully manifest. He can feel Zack approach but doesn't react for the time being. They're clearly going to come across each other much more than the other can handle.]

[colorofthesky]

[ ...well, there would have to be a snag in an otherwise good day.

He doesn't sense the other's presence (he's not 'aware' of the others with the same alien genes the way Sephiroth is), but that silhouette is unmistakable.

Still, he doesn't walk away. There's no point in avoiding the inevitable, and ignoring the other isn't likely to net positive results, either.
Picking a spot to stargaze from, he sits without commenting. If not for that ominous, black wing, he could almost imagine they're back in Junon, right after Hollander's escape.

It's been a long time since those days, though, and he doesn't expect them to ever come again. ]

[neverbeamemory]

[Sephiroth curls the wing into his back a little more and closes his eyes against the breeze. It feels so cool this time of night, but then, Wonderland is a paradise most of the time. If only he knew where to start...

He half looked back over a shoulder at Zack. The more he thought about Zack, and on the occasion when the power inside of him would draw his attention to the SOLDIER he found himself lingering on fractions of memories.

It wouldn't do to hold onto such irrelevant could-have-been's, he knew and had accepted that there might be the feeling of something 'missing' when he'd orchestrated his last reunion. It hadn't mattered, it still didn't. Sephiroth might have to let Zack know that, if they were to share the rooftop for much longer.]

[colorofthesky]

[ It's the kind of night where 'might have been's are difficult to avoid.

He thinks back to the clear, cool nights after training sessions with Angeal, where the other would go on at length about dreams and honor. He remembers what it was like to fight beside his friends -- other SOLDIERs drafted under Shinra's banner. He also remembers loss, pain, and suffering; the days he asked himself what he was really fighting for.

It's the past, of course, and there's no power he knows of that can change it. He lived and died by the ideals passed along to him, and he hasn't forgotten them yet.

He looks at Sephiroth, and though he still remembers the rage and hurt he felt that day when the other burned Nibelheim to the ground, he also feels a sense of loss. The man he idolized and counted as a friend, lost forever to the mind and will of an alien monstrosity.

Suppressing a sigh, he flops back on the roof. He's not a complete fool (he has his sword with him), but as long as Sephiroth is content not to be hostile, he won't try to start something with him, either. ]

[neverbeamemory]

[The silence was becoming heavier, more irritating the longer Sephiroth shared the rooftop with Zack. Just why was he stargazing out here anyway?

Sephiroth hasn't had much reason to be hostile at all here in Wonderland but it was still very early days. Bored as he is a lot of the time he's not about to start anything without good reason. He's still learning about this place.]

Might as well let it go. Whatever it is you're thinking so hard about.

[He couldn't resist to comment, seriously it might give him a headache if it went on like this.]