The crowd roared with applause as Phil stepped forward to announce the winner. "And the victor is… Skuld!" he shouted, raising an arm dramatically, and handed her a trophy. The cheers grew louder, and Skuld found herself smiling despite the exhaustion coursing through her body. She had done it—she had won the Beginner Cup.
Zack stood up from where he had fallen, brushing dirt off his uniform. With an easy grin, he approached Skuld and extended his hand. "That was one heck of a fight," he said. "You're incredible. Congrats on the win."
Skuld hesitated for a moment, surprised by his genuine tone, then reached out and shook his hand. "Thanks, Zack," she said, her smile soft but warm.
As their hands clasped, a sudden, brilliant light erupted from Skuld's chest, making both of them step back in shock. Before Skuld could react, a glowing white heart emerged from her chest, hovering for a moment before it drifted toward Zack and merged into him. Zack staggered slightly, holding a hand to his chest, his expression shifting from confusion to astonishment.
"What… was that?" Zack asked, looking down at himself and then back at Skuld. "Did that just come out of you?"
Skuld's eyes were wide, and she glanced around nervously, unsure of what to say. "I… I don't know! That's never happened before!" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Before either of them could say more, Phil walked up, his arms crossed and his goat-like legs tapping impatiently. "All right, lovebirds, you're holding up the show!" he barked. "I've got two words for ya: leave."
Skuld blinked, her expression still frazzled. "That's… only one word."
Zack laughed, his usual carefree grin returning. "Yeah, that's just a Phil thing. Don't take it too seriously." He placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
Still flustered, Skuld grabbed Zack's hand and hurried off the stage, tugging him behind her. Once they were in the relative quiet of a hallway, Zack finally broke the silence with a playful smirk. "So, was dragging me out here your way of asking for a date? You know, if you wanted to spend more time with me, all you had to do was say so."
Skuld turned to him, her cheeks flushed. "That's not it!" she said quickly, her voice cracking slightly from nerves. "I just… I need to find my friend and ask him what just happened with the light! This is serious!"
Before Zack could respond, a calm voice came from behind them. "No need to worry, everything's fine."
Zack spun around, surprised, as Helios stepped out of the shadows. His expression was calm but with a hint of amusement as he looked at the two. Skuld's shoulders relaxed slightly at the sight of him, though her worry didn't completely dissipate.
"Helios," Skuld said, her voice tinged with relief. "The heart—it left me. Cloud's heart… it just flew out and went into Zack! What does that mean?"
Helios nodded, his gaze shifting briefly to Zack, who looked more confused by the second. "That's because Cloud's heart found what it needed to make itself whole," Helios explained. "Your heart kept it stable and prevented it from shattering but Zack's heart will help it heal."
Zack tilted his head, his brow furrowing. "Okay, hold on a second. I have no idea what's going on here. You're saying there was a heart… inside her? And now it's inside me? What does that even mean?"
Helios chuckled lightly, waving a hand dismissively. "It's a long story, and one you don't need to worry about. Just know that you're… helping someone important."
Zack scratched the back of his head, still thoroughly perplexed. "Right. Sure. Helping someone. That clears everything up," he said sarcastically, though his tone remained light. Then his eyes narrowed slightly, a teasing grin forming on his lips. "So, I take it you're the 'friend' Skuld was talking about. You two an item or something?"
Helios blinked in surprise before laughing, the sound was genuine and unrestrained. "Oh, really? Are you curious if we're dating? Do you like her?" He leaned slightly closer to Zack, his expression playful. "I thought you had a crush on Aqua. And here you are, trying to set up a date with another girl? Bold move."
Zack's face turned red, and he waved his hands defensively. "Hey, hey, that's not what I—wait, how do you know about that?" He pointed a finger at Helios, his eyes narrowing in mock suspicion.
Helios shrugged nonchalantly. "I know a lot of things," he said cryptically, before turning back to Skuld. "In all seriousness, everything's fine. Cloud's heart is where it needs to be now, and that's a good thing. You've done your part, Skuld."
Skuld frowned slightly, her worry not entirely gone. "But what happens now? Is Cloud okay?"
"He will be," Helios assured her. "Zack's connection to the heart will help stabilize it. Now I just need to guide it back to his body and we're done."
Zack rubbed the back of his neck, looking between the two of them. "Well, I guess I'm glad I can help… even if I don't really get what's going on." He gave Skuld a lopsided grin. "You sure know how to keep things interesting."
Skuld couldn't help but smile, though it was tinged with lingering concern. "Thanks, Zack. I… appreciate it."
Helios clapped a hand on Zack's shoulder, his grin returning. "And you, lover boy, keep up the good work. You're going to do great things in the future. The first of which will be following us back to our place and helping us wake a friend."
Zack laughed, his usual carefree demeanor returning. "I don't know if I can, but I'll give it a try."
The three began making their way back to the room, the distant cheers of the crowd reminding them of the tournament still underway. Helios walked a few steps behind, thinking of how to best use this new addition, Zack.