[ It's childish, but his eyes squeeze shut for another moment--hearing words that he recognizes is almost as terrifying as it is relieving; it means that there's another person from home, here, someone that Aerith might know, someone that must definitely know about Shinra. This guy joined SOLDIER eight years ago? So he would have known him, right? He should have known him?

Nibelheim--Sephiroth--

A flash of screaming, fire, pain, rage: it burns into his memory, wild and sure. His fingers clench in, pulling at his own hair, before he forces out another breath. He can't give into that wave of nausea and fear again; he simply can't. Not in front of someone he doesn't know.

When his eyes open again, Zack's hand is there, and gingerly, he takes it, grip weak as he uses Zack's solid strength to pull himself back onto his feet. His stomach lurches with the urge to be sick; he swallows it down. ]

...Right. So we knew each other. [ He can at least accept that as a truth. ] Yeah. Sephiroth. I remember...all that.

[ Or does he? He remembers the reactor, and being there, and Sephiroth, and then-- ]

Well. It's nice to meet you. Zack. Sorry about...About all this. I'll finish up this last run and take a break, yeah.