Crisis Core: The Novel

Chapter 43 - Visions of Hope and Despair [Part 1]

Zack sat barricaded in the bathroom hollering like the world was coming to an end, while Cloud posted up outside doing what any good friend would do when their buddy was down and out...making it worse.

"Eggs and bread, eggs and bread, eggs and bread..."

"Aaaaaahhhh," Zack yelled. Cloud winced in empathy.

"Is it coming out both ends?"

"Yeah with the force of a Graviga!"

"Hehe..."

Cloud got Sephiroth's attention as he walked down the hall and lead him to the bathroom door where Zack cried in agony.

"Ohhhhhh! Why is this happening to me?"

"Because you ate ten hotdogs, Zack."

"Sephiroth! Buddy! I'm dying, man. It was nice knowing you. Remember your SOLDIER honor. If I could hold your hand now I would."

"I'm not going to hold your hand, Zack. You're going to need that in a minute."

"I was just trying to be a hero!" He was trying to get Cloud to eat hotdogs...it worked.

"Thanks Zack," Cloud smiled. He could eat hotdogs now!

"I don't know where it all went wrong, how I got to this point, how one hotdog turned into ten. I'm sorry guys, I'm gonna have to pull an Elvis on this one. Oh no, I can just see it now: Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class, KIA on the toilet. You're here, and Cloud's here, thank you for being here in my final moments. You guys are the greatest, thank you for cheering me on in my crappiest times, thank you for holding the door so I can find my way out, thank you for just being awesome. I love you!"

Fortunately, a bout of food poisoning did not spell Zack's endoscopic doom.

Zack hung out in his usual chair by Sephiroth's window with a big sombrero on his head. It was a Galbadian holiday known as Cinco de Mayo, and Zack was all into the spirit. He kicked back in Sephiroth's room opening up to him. The man did save his life from a potential ruptured bowel.

"...And in 7th grade I kissed my first girl, but not on the mouth, like on the jaw, and that's why I think cats are awesome!"

"No," Sephiroth glared, remembering the blue Persian that watched his every move like it was some sort of robot.

"So tell me more about when you and Angeal were my age"

"What's there to tell? We were idiots too, the end."

"Aw come onnn!" Zack whined, making Sephiroth ponder.

"Did he ever tell you about a great tree in Banora?"

"Um...Yeah! He said Genesis' parents' had one, said he wouldn't steal from his friend."

"Did he ever tell you why?"

Zack shrugged. "He just said honor can be a real burden at times."

"Hmphf, indeed..."

***

Angeal and Genesis were like two peas in a neon pink pod. Genesis didn't talk with a lisp, but when he let the flamboyant personality come out, it came like a virgin on prom night.

"Oh-emm-gee, see that guy over there? He's my husband. And that's our son, his name is Damien, and that woman with him, pfft, she's our housekeeper."

Hotdog Day in SOLDIER was completely ruined.

Angeal ate his cheese dog while Genesis leered at him.