The Terran Rangers/Final Fantasy VII by Heather Ray (summer beach reads txt) 📕

X-Ranger, he couldn't help but enjoy himself.

It was the New Year's party, being held at the splendidly decorated Youth Center. The time was quickly approaching midnight, and dozens of excited teens were dancing their hearts out to Blackstreet's mega-hit dance anthem "No Diggity."

And he was in the center of it all, gliding to the fast paced rhythm with the only woman he had never known who managed to keep up with him on the dance floor. Aisha Campbell.

He spun around, and then locked eyes with her for a moment. Once again, he was treated to the magnificent sparkle of light that had a permanent home in her dark orbs. She then grinned maliciously, and spun around herself, matching Zack's grace and speed perfectly.

Zack was all but mesmerized by her grace. She spun around so quickly, her dark green cocktail dress swirled like a flower opening its petals, revealing a daring amount of her smooth, athletic legs. The two ringlets of dark hair that hung by her ears also panned out, while the French twist that held the rest of her hair remained perfectly intact.

She then stopped abruptly, her full lips stretching into another euphoric smile as she reached out and entwined her fingers with Zack's. Breathing heavily from the effort, yet still beaming with energy, she continued to match Zack's pace.

Then, the dance song faded out, and the dance floor erupted with applause. Zack and Aisha were both startled out of their own little world, and realized that they had become a spectacle on the floor. A wide circle had formed around them, and other dancers simply stared in amazement.

Zack grinned, waving excitedly at all the attention they were getting. He then glanced at his partner, and smiled warmly at the charming blush that highlighted her dark cheeks.

He then realized that there was no way in the world Angela could ever dance like that. He blinked in surprise when it occurred to him that was the first time he even thought about Angela in several days.

He shrugged it off at the time, attributing to the recent emergency revolving around Tanya. A strange monster called the Sandman had been hunting her down, and all the Terran Rangers were on alert, trying to be ready for anything. He could strike at any moment.

But Zack couldn't deny that the threat of the Sandman didn't keep him from being swept away by the energy of the party.

"Hey there, Angel Grove!" called a voice on the microphone. "How's the party?"

Everyone cheered their approval.

Zack glanced up, and realized that the D.J. had quit the stage. In his place, a band was getting ready to perform. His grip remained on Aisha's hand, as he turned his attention to the lead singer's words.

"Okay, it's time for some slow songs, since it's edging on midnight! So everyone, grab your sweetie! Now, we're gonna sing 'Never Forget You'

by Mariah Carey."

He didn't actually ask her to dance. He didn't even glance at her, and ask indirectly. Instead, he gently pulled his dance partner closer, and the two mesmerizing dancers easily sailed from an upbeat contest of dance skills to a sweeping, dreamy slow dance.

They moved as one, as if connected by the mutual reaction they had to the music. It was as if they had been dancing together all their lives.

He didn't think it was possible for two people to dance so well together without some form of training or choreography. But there he was, sliding across the floor with Aisha as if it were second nature to him.

All rational thought ceased as he listened to the words of the music, letting them take his consciousness away from the world of reality, into the world of fantasy that the enchanting voice of the singer created.

"I won't see your smile
And I won't hear you laugh anymore
Every night
I won't see you walk through that door,
'Cause time wasn't on your side
It isn't right
I can't say I love you
It's too late to tell you,
But I really need you to know, oh baby,

"No, I'll never forget you,
I'll never let you out of my heart,
You will always be here with me,
I'll hold onto the memories, Baby.

"Baby, can you hear me
Wherever you may be tonight?
Are you near me?
I need you to be by my side.
'Cause I never said goodbye
It isn't right.
I should have said I love you
Why didn't I just tell you?
God knows I need you to know.

"No, I'll never forget you
I'll never let you out of my heart.
You will always be here with me.
I'll hold onto the memories baby.

"Somewhere I know you'll be with me.
Someday, in another time.
But right now you're gone, just vanished away
But I'll never leave you behind...

"No, I'll never forget you,
I'll never let you out of my heart.
You will always be here with me.
I'll hold onto the memories, baby..."

Chapter Fifty-Four

I'll hold onto the memories, baby...
I'll hold onto the memories, baby...
I'll hold onto the memories, baby...

The lyrics repeated themselves, pulsing through Zack's mind as the green light faded, and the heaviness of his eyelids dissipated. He groaned quietly, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight that afflicted them. He sat up, shaking his head.

"Wow, Zack," said Cloud, as he knelt beside the young man and held his upper arm to steady him, "We were really worried about you!"

"How long was I gone?" Zack asked, his eyes still closed from the light.

"You sank into the Mako lake, and then you emerged only seconds later," Tifa explained. "You've been lying here unconscious for the past half an hour!"

Zack's eyes finally opened, and they opened wide. "Half an hour?!"

He cringed when he noticed the shocked expressions on the faces of all his friends. "What?"

Billy stepped forward, clutching his Partisan. He lifted the spear, and held the reflectant silver edge in front of Zack, to function as a mirror. "See for yourself," Billy advised.

Zack gasped when he realized his eyes were no longer his natural shade of dark brown. Rather, they were bright green. The exact shade of green that characterized the eyes of both the late Aeris and the evil Sephiroth. The same shade of green as the Lifestream itself.

Mako eyes...

"D...does this mean it worked?" he breathed.

"Well, you're alive," Barrett said, "and you've got Mako in your body now. Consider yourself a battery, Kid."

"Excellent analogy," Vincent said, his body once again wrapped in his flowing scarlet cape, "Zack, you are a battery of Mako energy. Now, you will be able to transport the energy to your home, and save your friend from her fate. You have been blessed with the power to save the one you love. Revel in it, young man...for so many have lost what was dear to them while helpless to prevent it."

For once, Zack didn't shudder or complain at Aisha being referred to as the one he loved. Instead, the notion brought a small, thoughtful grin to his face.

That grin didn't go unnoticed. Not by anyone.

Tifa and Cloud shared a knowing smile, and once again her hand slipped in his.

*And now, it's time for you to leave,*

said a voice in Zack's head. He blinked in surprise, and closed his Mako eyes, cutting himself off from the distractions of the outside world.

Aeris? Is that you?

*Who else would it be?*

was the flip response. *Hurry up and say your farewells, Zack. Then you must blink back to Earth.*

Blink? What is that?

*It is instantaneous teleportation, much more practical than that jetting thing you do. The moment you vanish from Midgar, you will appear in the spot from which you left Earth. It will retrace your transport here, but in the blink of an eye. Consider it my final gift to you.*

Zack felt the smile on his face. Thanks for everything, Aeris.

*Don't mention it.*

Zack opened his eyes, a neutral, dazed expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" Billy inquired, noting Zack's expression.

Zack nodded, shaking his head to orient himself again. "Yeah, but we'd better get going. Every second counts."

Zack then turned his attention to the line of heroes, all wearing pleasant smiles. Even Cid, Barrett, and Vincent were smiling, and the former two had glassy eyes.

"Good luck, guys," said Cloud, stepping forward and shaking both of their hands in turn, "It was a pleasure working with you."

"Thanks for all your help," Tifa added.

"And thanks for breaking in my materia!" Yuffie chimed, a wide grin on her face.

"Keep your heads up," Barrett said.

"Yeah," Cid agreed, "and stop taking life so damn seriously!"

Zack couldn't help but smile at that. No one had ever given him that advice before! It was always the other way around.

"Learn from this experience," Vincent advised, clasping both their hands.

"Farewell," Red said, sitting on his hind legs and raising his forepaw to rest upon their hands as a modified hand shake, "and Grandfather bids you good luck also."

"Keep in touch," Cait Sith said. The black feline then frowned. "Wait...that might be tough, considering we're all over the place. Um...then, don't forget us!"

"There's no way we could possibly forget this experience," Billy said, shaking first the hand of the large white Mog, and then the paw of the small cat sitting on top of it.

Zack then stepped back, and wrapped his holster and gun around his waist once again. Then, he glanced at Billy. "Ready?"

"For what?" the genius asked.

"To blink home."

"What?"

Zack grinned. "Just give me your hand."

Billy conceded, and the two were enveloped in a radiant emerald light. It started at their joined hands, and pulsed outward, bathing them both completely. When the light faded, they had vanished.

"So," said Cid, stretching his arms, "who wants a pizza?"

Chapter Fifty-Five

Suddenly, after