Every thing was black around me while I was in my normal clothes and had a SOLDIER grade sword on my back. Only the cyan lifestream with a touch of more green than blue was in front of me.
"Is this it? Is this what death is?" I asked to no one in particular.
I then remembered that you were supposed to join the lifestream when you die, but why wasn't I in it? Why was I here and not in the lifestream.
"Why do I feel warm and where did the lifestream go?" I asked to no one in particular.
The lifestream was indeed gone and I felt heat on my open skin as the black was replaced with blinding light.
"Ugh...What happened?" I said as the feeling of grass below me trickled up my back and I felt a dog licking my face and heard it barking. I opened my eyes and the dog backed away.
I immediately grabbed the Buster Sword during a roll that turned into a kart wheel as it was a few feet to my right. I thought the Shinra infantryman were still around, but some sort of orange pony with a blonde mane and a matching tail that wore a strange cowboy hat cleared it up for me.
"What in tarnation is that!?" It said in a female voice.
'stay calm, Zack.' I thought while I viewed my surroundings, which was an apple orchard.
"Who are you and how can you speak. Forget that, what are you?" I asked her.
"I'd reckon I ought ta' be askin' tha' same thing." She retorted.
"I'm Zack fair, SOLDIER 1st class." I said as I lowered the Buster Sword and gave a salute. I decided to play nice.
"Well, A'hm Applejack. I take it ya aren't from round' these parts?" She asked.
"I have no clue where I am. One moment I was laying in a pool of my own blood, the next, I was staring at the lifestream, and now here I am." I said as I put the Buster Sword on my back.
"Well.....then ya probably need some help and ya do seem to have a good head on your shoulders, so I'll introduce ya ta' mah friends." Applejack said.
"Great! Can't wait ta' meet em'." I said, imitating her accent and a laugh we both shared followed after.
"Come on." She said as she pointed her head toward a direction in the orchard. She started off and I followed with my relaxed walking that would make me seem wobbly.
"So...Where am I?" I asked as I placed my hands behind my head.
"Equestria, in Ponyville, at mah farm, Sweet Apple Acres, ta' be exact." Applejack answered.
"Sweet Apple Acres, huh. I like that name. I'm a backwater boy myself." I said while we walked.
"Are ya?" Applejack questioned," You said somethin' bout' SOLDIER, what's that?"
"SOLDIER is an elite group of warriors that have mako energy infused in us to make us extremely powerful. We protect the people from major threats that get out of hand, but mostly we go and do what and where Shinra wants." I answered.
"Then who is Shinra and what is mako?" Applejack hit me with another question.
"Shinra is the company that owns all of Midgar, its military, its research developments, and SOLDIER. President Shinra owns it all and is a very powerful man. Mako comes from one of the eight mako reactors around the Shinra building in the heart of Midgar. Mako energy is like steroids that are highly addictive and needed for body functions once you take in enough, but it can give abilities that have are amazing to anyone's eyes as well as high intelligence." I answered and saw that we were approaching a town full of ponies and some seemed to be unicorns and pegasi.
"Just keep your cool, Zack." I said to myself as I dropped my hands from my head down to my sides and continued walking. All of the ponies were staring at me and I just smiled and got scared, shocked, and confused stares while some ponies ignored me or tried their best at it.
"So much for a warm welcome..." I said aloud.
"Don't fret, Zack. Mah friend are sure to like you, especially Twilight." Applejack nudged my side.
"Thanks, Applejack." She looked to see me smile for a moment and after she turned away I grew a serious face.
'I wish you guys were here, Angeal, Aerith, not crazy Sephiroth, Genesis, Director, and you most of all Cloud.' I thought.
We soon came up to a giant tree, house, thing that had a sign with a book on it and odd symbols that were some language of written form. I assumed that this was a library.
"Twilight, I have a friend to introduce ya ta'." Applejack said and the door opened a moment later revealing a purple unicorn.
"Zack Fair, SOLDIER First Class." I said and stuck out my black gloved hand,"Pleased to meet you." I added with a nod and she slowly stuck out her hoof and met my hand. I looked her in the eyes with a friendly smile and firmly shook, letting my hand drop to the side after.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle...What are you?" She asked with a lot of curiousity, intrigue, and wonder as she went around me. It made me very uncomfortable to be observed like this.
"I'm a male human..." It sounded very weird to say that. I was looking at her with the same curiousity as she went around me," Could you please stop? You're making me uncormfortable and a bit uneasy." She stopped and backed up into the library.
"I'm so sorry, my intrigue in you must have gotten the best of me. Please come in." Twilight opened the door for my large form.
Author's Note
Another story...Finally uploading.
Anyone who loves Final Fantasy and played Crisis Core, probably shed a tear or screamed "NO!" mentally or physically when Zack died.
Enjoy this story!
