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“HEY CLOUD!” Zack ran up towards Cloud and Tifa, who were strolling through Radiant Gardens. “TIFA! I NEED ADVICE!” They were almost holding hands, but as soon as Zack called from the other side of the garden, they pulled their hands away. Tifa held a rope in one hand, and she tugged it as she turned around.
“Hey, Zack.” Cloud turned towards the newcomer. “What’s going on?”
Zack doubled over, panting. “Advice.” He finally gasped. “Propose. Aqua.”
Cloud and Tifa turned to look at each other.
“Wait,” Tifa said. “You’re going to propose to Aqua?”
“Yes!” Zack finally straightened up. “We were together for ten years in the Realm of Darkness. I was going to ask her to marry me but she was so worried about Xehanort so I had to wait until all of that was done and now that Xehanort is dead she doesn't have to worry about him anymore, and I love her so much so I want to propose! What’s that?” He glanced at a dog that was by Tifa’s feet.
“My name is Dug.” The golden retriever said. His collar had a little red light on it that glowed as he barked. “I have just met you and I love you.” The dog got up and placed his paws on Zack’s legs. “Do you have a ball?”
“He was an experiment from the Apprentices,” Tifa said. “ They figured a talking dog would make it easy to experiment on. At least Ienzo and Aeleus are claiming it was Braig’s idea, but we can’t check because the Nort is dead.” Tifa sighed, her head in her hands. Then she looked back at Zack. “Have… have you talked this proposal thing over with Aqua?”
“Not… not exactly,” Zack admitted. “But she’ll know how I feel when I throw an apple at her!”
Cloud and Tifa stared at Zack. Dug started to pull away to look at nearby flowers.
“An… an apple?” Cloud asked. He furrowed his brow and stared at him.
“Zack, I… I don’t see how that links together,” Tifa said after a moment.
“I AM PROPOSING!” Zack finally shouted. “You propose by throwing an apple. Cloud you’ve been to the colosseum, you know this!”
“I never saw anyone propose when I was there,” Cloud admitted. “I was also trying to find you.”
“POINT!” Dug said as he pointed off to behind a tree. The three humans ignored him.
“Where did you even find apples?” Tifa asked. “Where are you keeping them?”
“With me, and I asked Kairi to get them from me on her last trip. ” Zack said. “I need to be ready when the moment presents itself.”
“Zack-” Cloud started to say, but he knew enough about Zack to know any arguments were hopeless.
“Which apple?” Zack said as he pulled several apples from a pouch by his side.
“Zack, what if Aqua has another way to recognize proposals?” Tifa asked after a moment. Zack paused. “You should probably ask if she wants to be married before you throw the apple.”
“... Fine.” Zack sighed and packed the apples away. As he walked towards his friends, an apple hit him in the back of the head. Zack turned and found Aqua standing there, holding another apple in her hand. As he watched, Dug ran over to her, telling her that he loved her. Aqua knelt down, patted his head, and stood up to look at Zack.
“So?” She asked as she tossed the other apple towards Zack. Zack caught it and grinned at her.