Infinite Sadness

Memorize Your Face

After lavishly grooming himself with Amy's fancy toiletries, Zero heads to the canyon to climb around and entertain himself. On his way through the gorge, he trips over a hidden chao... that begins to cry. Annoyed with himself, he scrambles to his feet.

"Hey, stop that. Crying shows weakness. Don't be weak."

He picks the chao up, it looks an awful lot like Tikal.

"I said stop crying, Little Tikal. It's your fault I tripped over you."

He groans and hugs the little chao.

"Come on, you know I'd never accidentally kick you in the head," he jokingly whispers, as he nuzzles her.

She stops crying, a heart forms over her head. She sighs dotingly, romantically intoxicated by the crisp, clean smell of his wonderfully soft hair.

"Zero!" he hears someone happily cry from behind.

He turns around to see brightly smiling Tikal, standing in front of the sunlit limestone.

"I see you've met my chao. She's quite fond of you. How are you feeling today, my friend?"

"Better," he replies as he sets the chao down.

"You wish to run off and enjoy yourself. I don't mean to interfere, but today is the day you planned to continue round two of your Jackal Squad auditions. Your followers expect to see you tonight at the edge of the village, per your request."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. So you're here because?"

"I heard you ask for me at Amy's house. We followed you."

"Sneaky, huh?" he cackles. "I could use that on my team. Would you like to try out for the squad as well?"

Tikal is taken aback.

"M-me? I'm no fighter by any means."

"Alright, well if you're not interested, you're not interested," he snubs, then turns away.

"Wait!" she cries.

He smiles then turns around with his hands on his hips.

"Hmm?"

"Do you really want me to try out?"

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't want you. You'll make it in, I already know. The task I have for everyone, is to steal my mask back from my fair weather cousin, T.W. Barker. With you're ghostly powers, it should be a cinch."

"I'm no thief," she tells him honestly.

"You're not?" he laughs. "You stole me, didn't you?"

Tikal worries. Does he not understand that she rescued him?

"I brought you back home. I would never steal or kidnap someone. Never!"

"Relax, I'm only teasing," he gently assures her.

She beckons her chao.

"Oh. Right, I knew that. Come here, little chao."

"Are you really dead, Tikal?" he seriously asks.

"I... I am a ghost, yes,"

"Are you? You know the people I long to see the most are dead. You know I was once a prominent mercenary."

"I do know these things, yes," she replies, thoughtlessly petting her chao to the point where Little Tikal seems annoyed. Zero struts past them, past the limestone, and stands proudly before the backdrop of the canyon. Then he Chaos Controls his missing, mercenary sword. Skillfully, he twirls it and tells her...