Zack and Cissnei... Hmm, shall we start?

So far, in CC, I don't really see that Zack and Aeris are in a relationship. They're kind of more than friends, yes, but in a sense that they're brother-and-sister. They don't get really close, since all Zack did for Aeris was to convince her to sell flowers, buy her the ribbon in her hair and build her a flower cart. Lovers? Not quite. Siblings? Definitely.

Cissnei, on the other hand, grabbed Zack's attention easily. He was clearly impressed by how Cissnei can handle herself properly, something that Aeris didn't show until later in the series.

So, what can I conclude? Zack and Cissnei definitely make a better couple than Zerith/Zeris

I agree with you in some things that you said, but I also have to disagree with some (not saying that it's not okay to support Z/C).

For me, I've always seen Z/A as a couple before Cloud came along. It seems to me that she does flirt with him and he does flirt back. I'm not saying that Zack didn't flirt with anyone else *cough*secratary*cough*, but I've always felt that there was something more to Zack and Aerith.

I'm not going to get into a huge debate about it since this is a CxA forum, but if you want my full opinion, you can PM me.

^That's alright. I'm not gonna argue with you because you disagree with me (although not to the point where we'd fight). I'm not like the others *cough* clotis *cough*

D: It's so hard to say cuz Zack flirted with many girls *cough*andCloud*cough*. But I think he did realize Aerith was genuine and he seemed to spend more time with her than any of the others.

Although, I agree that he did treat Aerith as something like a little sister, but I think it's all up to how people interpret their relationship. I think it was puppy love, but I can see where someone would think of it more platonic. Aerith's affection level for Zack is optional to the player, afterall. And I think there's even a point in the game where you can say who's hotter Aerith, Cissnei, or even yourself. XD

I do think, however, if Zack had lived and Zerith didn't work out, that Cissnei and Zack could have had something going for them. :)

I do agree with that however.

I do remember there being an option where you can choose who you are thinking about (something like that, it's right before you go to Nebliheim). The options were Aerith, (I think I had) Cloud, and the guy that you were talking to (I love you man! O.o...).

Anyways, let's just say that I chose Aerith (which I actually did) and you can get a cute scene. But whatever, this is a CxA forum, not a ZxA forum. I'm not going to go on spreading my love for the couple, though I do support it, even it they were too young. It still gives them a taste of what love is, which I find cute.

Ya know, I totally forgot about that. :lmao:

Na, I'm not here to fight with anyone. I'm just here to spread the CxA love even though I do support ZxA, but as I've said before, only in the past, before Cloud met her and visa versa.

Anyways, shutting up now ^_^

*ponders* The relationship between Zack and Aerith is very light romance. They care for each other, but I feel on a romantic level it is really just that puppy love. They're both young, it's their first experiance with a romantic relationship. At times it seems like Zack is more into Aerith romantically than she is with him. She likes spending time with him, but sometimes I get the feeling she enjoys his company in a more friendship manner than a romantic one.

But I really get the ZackxCissnei vibe. Cissnei is obviously attracted to Zack, and he just as clearly likes her- asking her out to dinner and stuff. She understands how he thinks, and he seems to understand her most of the time, though she surprises him every now and then. Whether or not they could actually work. . . I think that if they had the oppertunity they could have made a good couple.

Truth be told, before Crisis Core, I actually thought Zack and Aeris had alot going on when they were together. When I played CC myself, I was actually surprised at how non-existent their relationship was.

I suppose I was expecting alot from their relationship because Crisis Core seemed to mirror alot of events from Final Fantasy VII.(Broken promises, Falling thru the roof, a promised date, etc etc etc) In the end, I didn't even feel as if Zack was taking away from Cloud anymore; I felt as if Cloud actually did continue to live as both Zack and himself.

Oh and just a bit of extra-ness...

In Crisis Core Zack asks Aeris for a date, right? This is obviously mimicking VII, so isn't this just more proof that Aeris is the default date from FFVII?

Psha, Aerith/Cissnei all the way. :3

I agree- from all the stuff I'd been reading and the reactions people were having, I'd been expecting a lot more out of the relationship between Aerith and Zack, but there wasn't really a whole lot there.

And what was there mostly mirrored CxA in a much younger, less mature way. The only thing that was really unique to Zack and Aerith was the wishes scene, and Zack building her the flower wagon, I think. Everything else paralleled Clerith in a foreshadowing sort of way, if that makes sense. I almost feel that SE did this on purpose, to emphasis the difference between how Aerith is with Zack to how she is with Cloud.

Being with Zack was obviously a learning experience for Aerith, and it shows in the way she acts with Cloud.

But *cough* Zack and Cissnei. :) I love how Cissnei gracefully accepts Zack's relationship with Aerith, and yet still makes her interest in him known in a subtle way. It's just so sweet, and I think it shows how much she cares about him- she's willing to stay in the background and let him be with Aerith if that's what makes him happy. Freak, I have turned into such a Cissnei fan. :D

Wow, I didn't know a lot of replies would come to this.

Yes, I could agree that Aeris and Zack had a mutual understanding, but it was either puppy love or they treated each other as siblings.

But other than that, there wasn't anymore to Zeris. I thought it was brotherly-like for Zack to help out Aeris in spreading the flowers throughout Midgar, and not a romantic thing.

And yes, I could also agree that Cissnei and Zack have a mutual understanding. Zack is quite attracted to her, and Cissnei is also the same. Look at the way she helped Zack, wished him luck and all those.

What? So now I smell Zacknei going on?

I think Zack and Cissnei could have a lot going for them because of their personalities. While Zack and Aerith have similar personalities, I think their relationship would have faltered to that of just mere friendship anyways, because there would be nothing new and exciting to the other person. Having been raised by ShinRa, Cissnei is a quite grounded person and takes her work seriously. It was obvious to me she seemed to be intrigued by Zack's playfulness and devotion to his friends. Zack could show her a world where she can let loose and be her own person and not be so uptight, and Cissnei could bring Zack back to earth when his head floats a little too far into space sometimes. XD

Well, my thoughts about them, anyways. :)

This contains *spoilers*
I personally feel that is a strong attraction vibe that exhudes from Cissnei whenever she is around Zack. She obviously cares for him deeply, and seems intrigued by his easy and noble personality.

Zack on the other hand, is openly flirtatous with a lot of women (Aerith, it seems is a special case for such a ladies man) and is a kind person. He takes friendly interest in Cissnei, joking around with her and pulling the turk out of the concrete lifestyle she has so adjusted to...he attempts to open her up a bit, causing Cissnei to reveal more of her real self to him, as opposed to the strictly professional outlook she has been forced to maintain. They seem to share a mutual understanding with each other, and a grounding which could have blossomed into a close, intense friendship.

On the other hand however, Zack protrays a more romantic interest in Aerith. They spend more time together in a young love kind of setting. There is no airs and graces around them, no levels of professionalism to uptain, so a more personal relationship is quickly developed. He is charmed by Aerith, and though he's open around people, he attempts to keep a level of secrecy surronding their relationship. Aerith is special, so he doesn't take to bragging about it. This girl is not another conquest, but someone genuine he has come to care about. It is in this want of secrecy however, that causes Cissnei to be in a friendly but firm fashion, dismissed that he could call his girlfriend. I'm referring to the beach scene at Costa La Sol. It is there that Cissnei reveals Aerith's connections to the Cetra.

Aerith is the person in which Zack fights to get to at the end, the driving thought that makes him take the choice to go to Midgar, and the last thought he encounters before he's finally gunned down. Unbeknowst to him however, Cissnei is also striving to find him, for she is convinced she can save his life. But its too late, and Zack dies before reaching Aerith or being tracked down by the Turks.

IMO, Cissnei was in love with Zack, which is only depicted in a subtle fashion thoughout the game. Zack loved Aerith, but was unable to reach her in time. His distress at her last letter demostates how deep his feelings were for her. I think they weren't siblings, but possible protential lovers. But, Aerith moved on, as we all know. I really wish we were told to what became of Cissnei and her search, or what her reaction would be to the loss of Zack.

My guess would be she would have lost the one thing that offered her any sense of good and peace in the world. Zack, the man whom she longed to become closer to and was interested in her, as opposed to the cold hearted Turk she had been forced to become over the years. With nothing more to guide her out of that runt, I suppose Cissnei just resorted back to what she was before, a puppet of Shinra and little else.
Depressing, but hey, its just a theory. :P

Bellebelle3, I love you. You've just summed up everything that I think and actually made it understandable. If I tried anything like that, it would be a load of mumbo-jumbo. Pink cookies for you!

Thanks. ^^; I was worried it didn't make sense, but I'm glad I appeased somebody.

*munches pink cookie*

While Zack does treat his relationship with Aerith more seriously, I think he also really likes Cissnei, whether as a potential love interest, or just because he considers her a friend, its really up to how you see it. He does ask her out to dinner :P Bad Zack!

I believe though that Cissnei really does love Zack. But, as I said before, she does not really act on in besides dropping subtle hints that I think Zack is too thick to pick up on XD. I kinda wonder if she arranged things so that they would be on vacation at the same time, or if it just worked out that way, heehee. ;) However, she respects Zack's relationship with Aerith and she does not do anything to jeapordize it. For her, seeing Zack happy is what matters I believe.



*POSSIBLE SPOILERZ* I know I was giggling when Cissnei mentions stopping by Zack's house to check on his parents, and he tells her to be careful or they might try to make her a member of the family. And then she says they already have. And Zack's all "Cissnei? What did you say/do?" XD *END POSSIBLE SPOILERZ*

Alantie:

:lmao: I was waiting for someone to bring it up! It reminds me about Cloud's dream of his mom while sleeping in Aerith's house.
So CC hints that Zack's parents might appreciate Cissnei to be Zack's fiancee while Cloud's mother said he should find some girl older than him.... Can I draw a parallel line between those two? :P

So I haven't actually played CC, but...from what I've seen, Zack and Aerith were genuinely and romantically interested in one another. However, it was definitely young love. Every time I see clips of Zack and Aerith together, it seems they're always getting interrupted by Zack's duties to SOLDIER. It's obvious they didn't have enough time to spend together(Aerith's list), and maybe didn't even get to know one another as much as they could have. BUT, even if Zack had survived, I don't think I could say their relationship would have blossomed into true love. As far as I can tell, Zack's ladies' man personality just doesn't appeal to Aerith and even bothers her quite a bit:

(MoTP)

IMO, this really does show that they were young at the time. Even if he hadn't died, as Aerith said, things between them might have changed after 5 years. SE even said they don't want to call it love because Zack and Aerith were too young back then. It's really not twu wub at all like some people are insisting it was. :rolleyes:

Zack and Cissnei though...I think it may just be that he's charming towards women naturally. Like you guys explained, Cissnei may have had feelings for him because he brightened her world...but I don't think Zack actually had intentions of liking many women at once.

I totally agree. Yes he did love Aerith, but he also (in my eyes) loved his job. I mean, he'd made friends, and sometimes a guy just wants to hang out with his friends, no matter what they are doing. Doesn't that apply to everyone?

But as you said Hades' Daughter, Aerith's feelings did change. She even said that the 89th letter (I think that was it) was the last letter she was going to write him.

:lmao: It's exactly what I was thinking when I saw that scene! I think I pretty much squeed at that point because of the similarities. I can just see Zack's parents fussing all over Cissnei and welcoming her to the family. XD And the fact that Zack seems completely oblivious to how Cissnei feels about him is just cute.

Hee, I actually wrote a Zack/Cissnei oneshot the other day *hides*

Maybe it's just me, but I really feel that Zack was more serious about his romance with Aerith than she was. Not to say she didn't like him and that it wasn't special to her, but it just seemed that Zack was thinking more long term, ready to settle down, while with Aerith it's her first love and she's enjoying it without the seriousness of it, you know? *shrugs* But since this is a Zack/Cissnei thread, shouldn't we be focusing on them and not Zack/Aerith? :P

Alantie:

:fangirl: You do? You gotta share the essay once you finish!<3

Well, Zack did seem to talk about future things more than Aerith..(*spoilers: like he promised Aerith that he'll show her a beautiful sky one day, and like he asked Aerith to wear pink for next time they meet /spoilers ends*), but I consider it as another Zackish type of flirting.. IMO, I still think Aerith took this relationship more serious than Zack.

....and I'll leave the rest of discussions 'bout ZXA in other thread. :P

HD:

Same here. Zack himself wouldn't take flirting too serious, he prolly tried to behave 'nice' to girls....while I don't think his GF would accept this, not to say Aerith.
Well, if we ignore the scenario of CC, I do believe Cissnei could be a suitable match for Zack. She's earnest about her job but kind of cold when it comes to relationship (both in romance and friendship), and Zack obviously softened this part in her during the game.
I guess I like pairings who are complementary to each other that's all. :P

@Chibica: your post WAYYY up there does have a big point.

Zack's parents accepted Cissnei as part of their family.

Cloud's mom wanted a girl for Cloud that's older than him.

Let's see... AFAIK, Zack's parents didn't know and even see Aeris until FFVII. And they saw Cissnei. So could it hint Zacknei?

Tifa is younger than Cloud, but Cloud's mom wanted someone older than him. That's Aeris, a year older than Cloud. And of course, Cloud does love Aeris.

Thus, I can conclude that Zacknei could've worked out, and that Zack and Aeris did like each other, but it's puppy love/young love.

Ah yeah, I can totally see that.
Zack is sorta a brother to Aerith, though there are some times it just spikes to romance. It is the same with Cissnei, so personally, I think Zack's just a playboy.



PS: Haven't finished the game yet, does anyone know what Cissnei's real name is, if she ever told anyone?

I have been searching for the script, or video, of this scenario... It sounds cute! Does anybody have it on hand or a link to it somewhere?

Definitely a spoiler:
Nop, Cissnei kept her real name untold so we gamers will end the game with no idea.. :(

Chibica: Hee, if you want to read my Zack/Cissnei fic, you can find it HERE!

Gwah, I love the Zack/Cissnei scene at the beach too. You can just see the shock in her eyes when she realizes that he's the one she's supposed to be tracking down. And her attack on him is completely halfhearted- you know she doesn't want to hurt him. XD Plus that scene where she gives him the keys to the motorcycle just made me go "Aww"!

Eh - really? SE said that? :D Do you have a link to the source possibly, HD?

As for Zack and Cissnei, I like the idea of them together, but I don't think he had any actual interest in Cissnei beyond a little flirting and a date. He was a ladies' man, as Aerith says, so it's a little harder to tell to what extent he is genuine/serious about a woman. In the end, it was Aerith whom he concluded was "truly the best" out of all the women he had "gotten along with." But she moved on and eventually lost interest in Zack, whose flirtatious-ladies'-man aspect she becomes dissatisfied with and later rejects. (Now how do you all think that came about? Was it always there? Or was that something that developed while Zack was gone?) Cloud's awkwardness, in almost complete opposition to Zack's suave charm, must've appealed to her immensely at their first meeting at twenty-two.

PinkRibbon:

Yup. Chibica did translations and discovered the statement.
I don't have the quote on hand, but I think this was stated in CC's Ultimania...though I could be completely wrong. Maybe check that thread? Too many Ultimanias for me to keep track of.

Either way, I'm pretty positive Chibica would have the entire translation along with the source. I'll ask her for it when I get the chance to or if you're in need of it right away, you could just PM her too.

Hmm...I don't really know. I haven't played CC either so I don't know if she ever, during this game, voiced her opinion to Zack concerning this ladies' man issue or not. Judging by what was said in MoTP though, I think it might be something that developed as Aerith became more mature:

If I'm not mistaken, isn't Zack asking here if his ladies' man ways were what she liked back then? So in reply, Aerith says that "things might have changed after five years". It kind of leads me to believe that just maybe she was actually attracted to that part of him back then. I could be completely wrong though.

I hope the others don't kill us for going so off topic here. After all, this was supposed to be a Zack/Cissnei thread :hide: