A/N: My first fanfiction involving you as a third class SOLDIER. Happy reading. ^^ The _-_ is for your name.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" you ask, looking round at Zack.
"Of course." A huge grin spreading across his face. "Now … how does this work …" he mutters, pressing different buttons on the controls.
"Hey!" you cry, rushing over to him. He raises his hands in surrender and backs away from the machine.
"Ok, ok, _-_" he laughs. "How come you know how to handle this thing anyway? You've haven't been in SOLDIER that long." It is true, you had only come a few months ago, but already you had quickly found a group of friends – Zack, Cloud, along with the three legendary 1st Class SOLDIERs Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth. You, yourself were only a 3rd Class SOLDIER, but already you were climbing the ranks.
"It's because," you say, turning a dial with one hand and tapping the screen with the other, "I listen during training. Hence I know how to work the training simulator."
"What are you talking about? I always listen!" You turn and give him an unimpressed look. "Well … most of the time." You continue to stare at him. "I can't help it if Angeal is boring!" he cries defensively. You turn back to the training room controls.
"Are you sure they're even going to come in next?" you change the subject, "The creatures are set on pretty high levels, and if someone else comes in–"
"Don't worry about it! They should be here soon actually. I overheard them talking."
"Look at this!" you exclaim, "You can even choose the colour! Now … let's see. We can make it blue, or yellow or white …" you grin widely as you scan through the colours.
"That one," Zack points.
"Pink?"
"Can you imagine them walking down the SOLDIER corridor …" You both burst out laughing, fighting back tears. "Hurry up, _" Zack laughs, trying to refrain himself. "They'll be here soon." You finish off the final details of the program.
"All done," you smirk. Smiling to each other, you leave the training room and causally walk round the SOLDIER floor, waiting for your victims to arrive.
"You know, we should probably have an escape route ..." Zack suggests.
"Good idea. Somewhere outside the Shinra building, just to let things cool off …"
"How about to Sector 5?"
"To see Aerith?" you grin.
"Of course." He blushes slightly. "I'll introduce her to you–" He stops. You are about to ask why, but he motions for silence, putting a finger on his lips. Slowly he indicates down the corridor. You can feel the adrenaline pumping round your body as the three 1st Class SOLDIERs come out of the elevators. They are chatting amongst themselves as they head for the training room. All as planned …
You both wait impatiently, standing out of sight of any personal exiting the training room. A sudden thought passes you.
"Zack," you begin slowly.
"Mmm?" His gaze is fixed on the door in eager anticipation.
"What happens if they find out? I mean, not many SOLDIERs would do something like this."
"We could just blame it on Cloud," he suggested. A smile creeps your face at the thought.
"That's too cruel. Besides, no one would believe an infantryman doing something like this. It wouldn't work."
Suddenly, you hear a loud crash from inside the training room. A beaded thread of sweat forms along your forehead. You and Zack exchange looks, broad smiles brooding on your faces. The door opens and pink foam flooded out. The small mountain sprawled out on the floor, snaking its way along the ground. You watch with increasing horror as it slowly oozes onto the stone surface.
"How … how much did you program again?" Zack asks, staring as the foam continues to heap up. Everyone one the floor has come to investigate.
"A little too much ..." you reply quietly, biting your lip. You slink back a little further behind the wall. The first of the SOLDIERs storms out of the training room. At first he looks nothing more than a pink snowman in a huff, striding down the corridor. It is only when he is halfway down and most of the foam has fallen off, that you realise the snowman is a fuming Sephiroth. You catch a glimpse of his burning face, wrought with rage. As he strides down to the end and you can see his long silver hair tangled with segments of pink fluff. You cover your mouth to control your blooming laughter. He catches the next elevator, pushing aside the poor infantryman just emerging from a different floor.
"Oh man," Zack sighs, "I could hardly see him."
"Don't worry," you whisper, "Two more to come." You return your gaze to training room. Angeal is next; you recognise him by his large sword. His hands are like puff balls and, like Sephiroth, his face is a dark red.
"Now," Zack whispers, "Do you think he's red with anger or embarrassment?" You laugh softly, trying to keep you voice quiet. Angeal looks around and Zack slides back behind the wall. "I know that face. It's a Zack-you-will-suffer face. I think he knows." After a moment of scanning the scene (most likely in search of you and Zack), he strides down the corridor, a snail trail of pink foam forming behind.
Suddenly there is a scream from inside the training room and Genesis staggers out, sword in one hand and clutching something to his chest in the other. To your disappointment, Genesis is not covered in much foam. A SOLDIER member carefully approaches him.
"Sir ..." he asks nervously. "What happened –?"
"MY BOOK!" he screams, pushing over the SOLDIER member. You realise that the object he was clutching, no doubt a copy of LOVELESS, is sodden with pink foam. "_-_!" he screeches. You retreat further behind the wall and feel the blood pumping in your ears as an uncontrollable smile widens across your face.
"How does he know?" you whisper. Zack shrugs.
"The same reason Angeal knew it was me. Too much training together." Genesis sinks onto his knees, clutching the soggy remains of LOVELESS. "We should leave for Sector 5, before they have time to come after us." He starts to make his way to the elevator.
"Wait," you hiss, pulling him back. "Genesis is going there first. Wait for him to leave." While you wait impatiently with Zack, a SOLDIER member approaches you both.
"_-_, do you know what that was all about?"
"N … no," You look to Zack for guidance; you're not a good liar.
"Hey, come on, man. Just because Genesis screams _-_'s name doesn't mean you should jump to conclusions. We were just passing through. Actually we're on our way out. See ya around," Zack calls leading you away to the elevators.
"Thanks," you grin.
"You should really learn how to sound more believable. It gets you out of all kind of trouble," he says casually.
"Right." You press the button and wait for the one of the two elevators to open.
"That was good," Zack grin.
"Yeah, but I'm a little worried about the consequences …" He gives you a friendly slap on the back.
"But whatever they are, you must admit, it was worth it for that. Did you see Sephiroth? He looked like a pink mummy!" You laugh together, re-picturing the cocoon of pink foam storm down the corridor.
"Angeal was pretty good too! I've never seen him so angry!" you exclaim. The elevator door opened. "And Genesis –" you stop in mid-sentence. The doors open to reveal a now clean, but still red-faced Angeal staring at you both. There is an awkward silence for a moment, where you can hear your own beating heart, pounding in your ears. The next other lift opens and Zack wastes no time. He grabs you and darts inside. He starts punching every button, desperate to shut the door. You feel yourself being pull out as you scrap at the wall in a feeble attempt to cling on. Zack reachs out to grab you, but misses and you tumble onto Angeal and the hard stone floor.
"_-_!" Zack cries. You manage to wriggle and kick yourself free from the 1st Class' grasp and dash towards the closing doors of the lift. You reach out, only to be suddenly tackled from the side and forced down to the ground. "_-_!" he yells again. You struggled against this familiar force – you had experienced this strength in training sessions. Genesis had recovered from his sulk and had pinned you to the ground. You feel the cold stone against your burning cheeks and you realised how hot your face is. Out of the corner of your eye you can see Zack, struggling with what to do.
"Go!" you shout to him. He hesitates and you shout again. There's no point in us both getting caught. The door closes and your friend disappears.
First chapter up. I have the others almost ready. ^^