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Closing his eyes for only a few moments, Zack felt the cool breeze on his skin. He ran a leather-gloved hand through his dark spikes and relaxed. He took this time to breathe in deeply and soon open those cerulean eyes of his once again, smiling as he took in the beautiful sights of the garden.

"I wonder where he went off to..." Zack spoke to himself as he continued meandering through the garden, something he found himself doing for quite a while. He loved to hang out with his guide and the other spirits, but after finding out that Cloud was also in the garden, Zack noticed he spend his recent days simply looking for him.

There was something about Cloud and his distance that lured him to the other spirit. It seems that when he left Cloud that faithful day, he created a lot of unfinished business that even in death Cloud cannot seem to deal with...

Realizing that he's gotten pretty high up in altitude from climbing hills and things, Zack faintly wondered if he was straying farther away from Cloud rather than looking for him.

"Maybe I should find a good place where I can see most of the garden. Who knows if I can spot him somewhere below?" He slightly mused over the idea that he'd see a tiny, distance Cloud somewhere under a tree and chuckled. For some reason or another, Zack usually always managed to find Cloud whenever he set out to look for him, despite how vast the garden is. The dark haired spirit wondered if all of this is somehow connected to some predestined path they were to take. Looking up to see the said spirit he was looking for was not too far from him, Zack wonder if he had been answered already.

Walking over to the blond, Zack tried to put on his best greeting face and smiled as he spoke softly to his long ago comrade.

"Hey there, Cloud..." he said as he approached him, making his best efforts not to scare Cloud suddenly, noting the other was in some kind of reverie.

Knowing that he can get away with it, Zack soon dropped his greeting face and frowned slightly; his light colored puppy ears and tail drooping in slight sadness.

This was not the Cloud he met long ago, back then on that mission with Tseng and the ShinRa soldiers, out in the cold tundra. This was not the Cloud knew before.

"...Do you mind if I joined you, Cloud?" Zack softly spoke, asking as if he were scared of some kind of scolding if he didn't otherwise. Back then, he would have joined Cloud without asking, giving him a classic noogie or a pat on a back. Now... with this new Cloud, it seems like every time they meet, Zack would have to ask.

There was a tempest of emotions going on inside Cloud and Zack knew it. Perhaps... the reason why Zack was reluctant to join the wolf spirit was because he felt his presence would only intensify Cloud's depression or instability. Or both. Really not knowing if he should be relaxed or not, Zack decided that perhaps its finally time to talk to Cloud. One on one. About what was going on...

"Yeah..." was all he said as Zack took a seat next to Cloud. He looked up at that garden and noted the majestic view Cloud had. How could he look at such beauty so sadly...?

"You know, Cloud.. You keep on telling me that it's nothing I should worry about, but I think now is about time we talk." Zack started off and turned around to Cloud, trying to see if the other would look back.

"I want to know what's making you so sad... I want to know why things have changed so much.." Zack trailed off, not further continuing his plea for more. He realized that at this point in time, it would be better to take things one step at a time with Cloud.

Zack looked down and tried his best not to let any tears fall down his cheek as he heard the words come out of Cloud's mouth. He knew that crying made things better, but for now, he has to be strong for Cloud. If Cloud saw Zack cry, gods know what that would do to the poor spirit.

"Cloud..." was all he said for a good while, noting that he was choking back on the words he wanted to say. In all honesty, Zack had a pretty good idea that all of this had happen. After his death, Zack tried his best to watch over Cloud and follow his every move. He wanted to guide him even though there was only so much he could do. Although now seeing him once again, Zack couldn't help but want for things to be like the old days.

"My living legacy... So you remembered when I told you that day..." Zack remembered the day he died so clearly, it scared him. However, if those same words were the ones that made Cloud commit to such a different path in life, perhaps... it was Zack's fault anything of this had happened. Although, to be honest, Zack didn't know why Cloud was faulting himself so much. In that time, even if Cloud had be posing as someone else, it gave him the strength to do extraordinary things. And even after Cloud found himself, he still managed to do good things for the world. Many good things for the world as a whole.

"I.. I didn't think you'd take my words so seriously. Cloud, I.. I know I died protecting you, but I wouldn't have wanted for you to live on with that day forever in your memory. That last thing I wanted to do was hurt you..." The dark haired spirit shook his head and then turned to Cloud once again.

"But you know, you didn't fail me. On the contrary... I think, you did way more that what I would have done in life." He nodded reassuringly and slightly chuckled. "I've been watching you, as much as I can, since I died... You did a lot of of good things, Cloud. Heh. To be honest, I don't think I wouldn't have had the guts to save the entire world like you did." Zack then turned back to face Cloud and smiled.

Slowly but surely, Cloud was breaking down in front of his eyes. Zack bit his lower lip as if in punishment for not helping Cloud by confronting him like this. He knew that right now, Cloud is remembering that day. Just like how Zack is remembering it; the way the rain felt on his skin, the way those mako-induced eyes stared back at him as he gave his final words to Cloud. Even though he smiled before, bringing up those memories hurt.

"Cloud... Cloud, don't do this to me..." Zack pleaded, his words ending in a soft whisper as he shifted over and wrapped his arms around the other. In the time they were alive, Zack usually comforted Cloud with his words and a smile to boot. Sometimes they would share a high five or a handshake of agreement. Zack would even reach out and mess up some of Cloud's hair. Although now was something completely different. Now... both were in pain , but Zack knew they had to be strong.

"Stop saying that. Stop calling yourself a failure. Stop saying you're not a hero. Just.. stop it alright? I don't know what life you were living, but Cloud... I'm damn proud of you.." he slightly chuckled at his own choice of words and only embraced Cloud tighter.

"Right now, it's got to be even harder for you to realize you're dead. I've been dead for a while Cloud..." he smiled sadly to himself. "I don't think.. you'd know that we'd meet each other again.. And I'm not going to lie. Looking at the past and present. It hurts. It hurts a lot, those memories. But...we have to move forward, alright?"

Looking back at his friend, Zack looked deeply into those blue eyes and smiled. He knew that Cloud was trying his best to be strong for himself too and fight back those tears that Zack was trying to fight back. Now that he finally saw Cloud looking back at him, he knew it was okay to cry. Still keeping that bright smile on his face, Zack softly shed small tears and nodded.

"Cloud... Of course we're still friends...I'll always be here for you, in life or in death..." he chuckled softly and hugged his friend tightly. He continued to cry for a few moments longer, wondering if Cloud would join him or not. He always wanted to be strong for Cloud...but for now it was alright to appear weak.

"And Cloud... you don't have to thank me.." He nodded and let go of their embrace for a moment. Looking down to meet Cloud's face, he smiled once more. "That's what friends do for each other..."

Zack looked back at Cloud and modestly blushed as he felt his friend's hand gently wipe his tears. Smiling happily, the dark haired spirit nodded reached up with his hand to slightly mess up Cloud's hair like he used to many years back.

"You know... that sounds like a good plan." Zack smirked, his confidence and energy returning to him. Despite all that has happened, he was glad to know that everything turned out better than he had expected. Before the two spirits fate held yet another journey they must take; starting with finishing up all the loose ends they didn't get to tie in life. Then after that, well, who knows what will happen after. But Zack didn't mind that, in fact, he looked forward to it.

"I am ready... We both are. And we'll help each other along the way, right?" He tilted his head as he asked his question, his puppy ears perking up as he smiled.