Travelin' SOLDIER

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Zack walked silently down the street, fitted in a cadet uniform that his father had owned once upon a time. He was only sixteen, his birthday being two days prior in fact. A small tune played in his head from the music he'd been listening to before he had left his house, silently creeping out the window with his bag. He left his mother a letter, hoping she'd understand. He wanted to be a SOLDIER. His dad never did make it to SOLDIER –Class, having been deployed when he was only a cadet and shot in one of the many bloody battles of the war with Wutai. He died before the medics could reach him.

Zack had never known his father, but, because of that, he felt like he should honor his father's passing and do what he never got to do. He was apparently his father's son through and through, his nose, mouth, overall appearance. But he had his mother's light, crystal blue eyes and her raven hair.

He checked his wristwatch, it was nearly midnight, and then looked around in the dark when he passed underneath a street lamp. They didn't have too many of these in Gongaga, only placed in the areas with the most traffic. He let out a small sigh, stomach having growled at him. He forgot to eat before leaving the house he had grown up in.

There, a ways down. There was a small building with its lights on. It was the local café; he hadn't recognized it in the dark. He smiled and started towards it, patting his pockets and feeling around for his Gil. He was lucky; he had brought some of the Gil he'd saved up working the past three summers. He only took a small chunk, leaving the rest for his mother. He wanted her to have it. He had no use for it after all, he was joining SOLDIER, and he'd make up for it.

When he entered the café, there was only a few other people inside, and none like Zack. They were all much older then him, save for one blond waiter. He actually looked about Zack's age, which confused the raven-haired male. He knew most, if not all, the kids in Gongaga that were around his age, and he was sure he'd never seen this blond before. He shrugged it off, maybe he was just visiting. Though, why anyone would visit such a backwater town was beyond the raven-haired male.

He found his way to one of the worn booths, setting his duffel bag on the seat before he sat down, sliding it up to the window.

Another thing that bother Zack about this blond, what was he doing working at the café this late; but then figured it wasn't his business. He got comfortable as he waited for the blond to work his way over to him, finding a smile on his face while he watched the other boy shuffle about with a coffee container in his hand, refilling the nighttime comers. Finally, the blond managed to tear his way away from the small group of elderly, smiling warmly at them before turning his attention to Zack, blinking his own pair of clear blue eyes when he saw the ravenhair's get-up.

"Uh, Hello, I'm Cloud and I'll be serving you today" The blond said, apparently called Cloud, and smiled the same warm smile at Zack, who faltered a bit.

"Er…" Zack said, seeing the warmth in the smile and feeling bad about what he was planning to do, having seen the look Cloud had given him when he saw his outfit and then when his blue eyes had flicked over to the bag beside him. "Would you… Mind sitting down for a while? And talk to me? I'm feeling a little low…" He asked, not knowing why he did. But he felt like he could and would be accepted.

Cloud smiled "I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go. Now anything you'd like me to get you?" He asked, still smiling at the young recruit. Zack breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, giving Cloud an order of pancakes and toast.

The ravenhair ate in a slight peace, eyes following Cloud's actions as he went from booth to table to booth to table again, serving the other customers. When the hour was up and Cloud disappeared from behind a door and emerged without his notepad in hand, or his black apron on, and headed over to Zack's booth, having already taken care of Zack's plate. The ravenhair tipped the blond generously, feeling grateful for Cloud letting him talk.

The blond had flushed at bit at the generous tip, refusing such an amount until he caved, Zack not giving in. He wanted Cloud to have it, just as he wanted his mother to have the rest. A small pang hit his chest at the thought of his mother, he knew he shouldn't have left like he had, but didn't know how else to. She wouldn't have let him go. She wouldn't have.

The other teen led the way, walking quickly and surely as he led Zack out to his so called 'place'. It took them maybe fifteen minutes to get there.

The local pier.

Zack certainly wasn't quite expecting this place, but wasn't going to complain. Cloud had said he'd let him talk and he was grateful for it, not going to bother to care where the talked. When they got there they found a place to sit and Zack couldn't resist the words that spilled from his mouth, not knowing why he was even saying it in the first place. It just felt right.

"I bet you've got better things to do, but I don't really care… I don't have anyone to send a letter to. Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?"

Cloud smiled the same warm smile from the café, shaking his head "Course not. Send away. I don't really know anyone here so I don't have anything better to do." He replied, continuing to smile as Zack blinked and turned to look at him in a look of astonishment before a bright grin, even in the dark, spread his lips and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Really? Man, thanks!" Cloud chuckled and shrugged.

"It's the least I could do, I mean, especially after that tip… But, if you don't mind my asking… Why don't you have anyone to write to? You seem like the type to be surrounded by admirers… And what about your family?" Cloud asked a bit hesitantly, not wanting to upset his new friend.

Zack smiled a bit sadly, and Cloud regretted his questions at once. Zack noticed then shook his head "No, don't. I do have friends, but they don't know I'm leaving to join SOLDIER… and my family… Well it's only me and my mom, and she doesn't know either… Hey, how about I talk about it in my first letter? Not to avoid the topic" Zack explained, chuckling a bit nervously as he rambled a little. He was a bit worried Cloud might feel put off a bit and dearly hoped it was wrong. He didn't want to lose the only person he'd be able to write to while he was working on getting into SOLDIER.

Cloud took it in stride, nodding with a grin "I'll just wait for your letter…" He said trailing his voice off, he was going to say the ravenhair's name but remembered he'd never gotten it. Zack seemed to catch this and groaned, slapping a gloved hand to his face.

"Arg, sorry! I'm Zack. Zackary Fair." He said when he removed his hand, smiling sheepishly at the other.

"Cloud Strife" Cloud replied, happy to now know his new friend's name. Zack, a good name at that.

"Well, if you want to hold off on telling me that, how about you tell me why you're joining SOLDIER? Or will that have to wait?" Cloud asked, showing a bit of spunk. Zack chuckled at him, shrugging.

"Sure. I'm joining SOLDIER to do what my father couldn't. He joined the army in hopes of making it to First Class but before he even got to take the entrance examination to SOLDIER he was deployed to Wutai. He died in action. So I'm going to live out his dream. I never knew my dad, but I feel like I should do this for him. Besides, being a First Class SOLDIER would be so awesome!" Zack explained happily, smiling throughout the explanation. Speaking of his father had never been hard for Zack, it was another way for him to honor his father.

"Wow, that's really honorable of you. To show your father respect like that. That's really great, Zack" Cloud said with his now signature warm smile on his face while he complimented the other teen. Said teen flushed a bit at it, blinking a few times before rubbing at the back of his neck.

"You really think so? Whenever I used to tell my friends that they said it was stupid. 'The past is the past. Don't waste your time on your dad's dreams'." Zack asked, smiling a bit hopefully.

"I sure do. But, friends like that… don't really seem like real friends to me" Cloud said then hummed. Zack shrugged again.

"S'alright, I mean, they're really great. They just don't approve of me doing this, which is why I didn't tell them. They'd've tried to stop me when I don't want to be stopped" He assured, gently nudging the blond with a shoulder. Cloud laughed lightly at it, pushing Zack back.

The ravenhair smiled, they were already acting like long-time buddies. And. He had really liked the other's laugh, it was so light and carefree.

They continued to talk lightly, not delving into too deep of topics during their talk, more just getting to know the simple things, ages, favorite colors, things like that.

Zack learned that Cloud liked the color orange and was only a year younger then him, lived with his mom and dad and had no siblings, being an only child just like Zack. More things he learned that was he liked how Cloud's hair was done, not knowing if it was spiked or natural like his own. It looked soft and he wanted to feel it to be sure.

Cloud learned that Zack liked the color blue and was a year older, having known he lived with his mom, and that they were both only children. He also learned that he liked the bright sparkle in Zack's eyes and grins, hoping that they wouldn't dull during his time in the ShinRa army.

They watched the sunrise together and Zack set off eventually, saying a sad goodbye to Cloud. He promised to write and got the younger's address and started working on memorizing it. Cloud said an equal goodbye but was already eager for Zack's first letter.

The blond even walked Zack to the stop where the bus to pick up the recruits were supposed to be, and set him off with a smile. "Write me"

"You know I will. Thank you, Cloud" He was told, given a nod and promising smile before Zack turned and boarded the bus and found a seat, placing his bag above the seat in the baggage area and settled in a seat, waving goodbye to Cloud with a somewhat sad grin.

First thing he'd do when he got to the camp; he was going to start that letter to Cloud, wanting to keep his promise.

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