Holding Out For A Hero [Cloud & Zack]

This is a birthday present for one of my dearest friends--Happy Birthday Bethany!!!

I came out of my AMV-making retirement to make my first real video in 10 years lol but I loved this idea and it was so much fun to do :') I hope this brings you joy! (even though it may possibly also bring tears lol)

Song: Holding Out For A Hero (Shrek 2 version)
Clips: Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core & Final Fantasy VII Remake

There is somewhat of a story/concept here so I'll explain it in case it's a bit too ambiguous from watching the video alone:

Every time Cloud sees Sephiroth he also starts to have these intense visions and dreams about a guy he would describe as his ideal hero. But the visions start coming more often and soon Cloud starts to realize that these aren't dreams at all--but memories that are entwined with the traumatic events of the past that he had successfully blocked from his brain--until finally he comes to a breakthrough and remembers Zack and their friendship. Cloud then remembers the last memory he has of Zack, realizing that despite it seeming like Zack would die from his wounds, he's actually alive. Feeling guilt for forgetting Zack and not remembering what happened to him after Zack saved him, Cloud resolves to look for his hero, believing that Zack is 'still out there'. The black&white sequences at the end are Cloud actually remembering what happened. And yes, this is a Zack Lives?AU that is different from the AU in FF7R lmao