I'M REVISING THIS FIC BECAUSE WHEN I NOTICED MY WRITING HAD CHANGED SLIGHTLY, (LIKE THE FACT THAT I WORRY ABOUT MAKING SURE WHETHER OR NOT LITTLE DETAILS OF ACTION AND SETTINGS ARE GOING ON) I SAID TO MYSELF, "WELL… SHIT, IT DOESN'T ENTIRELY MATCH MY OLD WORK NOW DOES IT?" SO YEAH… AND SO FAR, THIS IS THE FIRST CHAPTER I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO. MIGHT TAKE ME A WHILE TO DO THE REST OF THE CHAPTERS, BUT I'LL PERSEVERE! KEEP THAT IN MIND IF THE CHAPTERS DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY REALLY MESH BUT I'LL BE MAKING SURE TO MARK WHICH ONES HAVE BEEN WITH A BIG OLE REVISED SIGN SLAPPED AT THE TOP! *THUMBS UP* GOOD TALK! ;)

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. There. I said it. :( But I do own my imagination. That's gotta count for something, no…?

...

Chapter 1: Sexism

It's best to not confuse growing up with how little clothing you can get away with wearing… No one takes you seriously.

"You're being selfish."

Snow had spoken this from where he stood in the brown doorway of Lightning's dimly lit room. The blond was wearing his beige trench coat to cover up his dark pants and striped gray shirt, and he watched his girlfriend's sister with a newfound rage in his blue eyes as she carefully sorted her clothes on her bed. Her large brown luggage case was open, filled with toiletries and some selected garments as she held up a brown jacket and contemplated taking it with her.

This was mom's jacket… Lightning thought. Her attire was casual—a white t-shirt and some gray sweatpants—while her bare feet kissed the wooden floorboards whenever she pattered from her small open closet on the farthest side of the room, and back over to her gathered belongings.

The way she went about ignoring Snow only caused his resentment to escalate.

"Are you even listening to me?" he asked.

Still there, huh? she asked herself. Gentle hands folded the jacket, placing it into the luggage case before they brushed long strands of strawberry blond hair so that it all rested on her left shoulder.

Snow pushed himself off the wall, inclining his head. "Hey…" He felt out of character for allowing Lightning to get him so riled up, and he usually knew that whatever temperament she hurled his way—from her confidence shattering scowls to her throbbing falcon punches—could easily be brushed off with a simple grin and a wince… but today…

This morning…

Snow just couldn't condense his irritation. His nostrils were flaring and his gloved black hands clenched into fists. "…How can you just leave like this?" He barely registered that he was practically hissing at her, and once he had, his brows rose and his eyes rounded. He even whistled, rubbing the back of his neck before he blew out a calming huff of air. "Can we at least talk about this?"

Again, she refused to acknowledge his towering presence, even as he stepped closer to her, and she paced over to her closet. She merely sidestepped him and continued her task of packing.

Snow looked more baffled than annoyed in that instant, and he pressed his lips in a tight line. "There must be a reason why…" His eyes drifted over to her desk, where a crumbled piece of thick, white paper rested. With a sudden curiousness, he paced over to it, lifting it with an inquisitive flicker in his eyes.

Three men were on the front… in all their idolized glory. I've seen this before… There was a hierarchy in the way they were positioned, though. To the left, a man with reddish-brown hair and devilish light eyes was simpering towards the viewer. He wore a red trench coat, and his arms were crossed in a bit of defiance. To the left, a calmer looking muscular man with dark hair and blue eyes was wearing a simple black Shinra uniform. He looked be a gentle soul, and his eyes gave off the impression of a friendliness that was rare to find. However, the person who had gathered Snow's attention the most was the man in the center of the flyer.

He had long, magnificent silver hair and quiet, although highly commanding, green eyes. He stood in a simple pose with his hands at his sides and turned ever so slightly, but the level of authority radiating from him—the very formidable aura he was projecting from that simple gaze—it was almost haunting somehow.

Even the seven-foot sword the man carried in his grip seemed to suit him.

Shinra propaganda, Snow thought as he read over the brief description. They're... He lowered the paper in his hand, eyeing Lightning. Females can train as cadets now instead of just medics?

He blinked, giving himself a moment to take it all in. "…What about Serah?" he asked.

Blue eyes narrowed at their tormentor, and the fingers holding onto the white shirt paused on their way to placing it onto the dark bed sheets. "What about her?" Lightning finally asked. She tucked the shirt into the luggage case and turned to face him, placing her knuckle on her hip. Her voice was husky and laced with independence, and the bold determination in her eyes was enough to make anyone reconsider approaching her. Even the way she stood qualified her as a leader instead of a follower.

As much as I hate to say this, Snow thought. She'd probably make one heck of a SOLDIER.

But Snow was getting frustrated with the situation. Lightning had worked so hard to save Serah from her health condition, and now she was leaving. "After all that you went through to save Serah—all those treatments to help keep her alive—you're… you're just going to throw it all away?!"

"I've spent most of my life looking after Serah!" Lightning placed her knuckle against her heart as she lowered her voice, tapping it there a few times for emphasis. "Serah's cured now, so what's wrong with doing something for myself?" Upon hearing this, Snow averted his gaze to the right, mumbling something about 'family sticking together'.

"Besides," Lightning spoke up. "She has you now. If you spent more time with her instead of at that bar, you'd understand that Serah's actually happy for me."

Blue eyes darted towards hazel-blue ones. "Wait, she… you two already discussed this?"

Lightning gave him a curt nod, ignoring his slacked jaw. "I told her weeks ago. It was just between us, not you."

Have mercy on her future husband, Snow thought, frowning. She was never really pleasant to be around. If she can get one… "Serah never told me…"

Lightning rolled her eyes, turning so that she could zip her luggage case. "Maybe you didn't hear me before—"

"Loud and clear…" Snow waved his right hand in dismissive movements and eventually crossed his arms. "Light?"

"Don't call me that," she advised. He was trying to make peace, and she wasn't having it.

"Lightning?" he said. "What if… what if Serah gets sick again?"

Lightning paused, her finger still holding the metal zipper—despite having zipped it. "…We've already discussed that, too," she whispered. There was a twinge of dread in her voice.

"And…?" Snow pressed.

"She… she told me not to help," Lightning answered, meeting his gaze. "She said she didn't want to be a burden, but…"

Snow offered her a small smile. "You'll come back, though. Won't you…?"

She gave him a similar smirk, scoffing with a firm nod. "In a flash," she said softly.

Snow's smile widened. "Like lightning?"

Although her eyes had rolled, she was still smiling. "Get out of my room, Snow." I don't know what Serah sees in him… so cheesy…

He certainly wasn't her first choice for her sister… but he wasn't the last, either.

Snow chuckled and turned to leave, but on his way out, he stopped and propped his forearm on the doorframe. His expression became serious as he stood there, gazing up at the ceiling. "I hope you make SOLDIER. If any female deserves a slot among the Shinra ranks, it's you."

Lightning was taken aback by Snow's confession, but she was relieved that Snow had paced away so she didn't have to struggle concealing the slight blush that stained her cheeks—or tell him 'thank you'...

The next morning, Serah and Snow were running with Lightning through the crowd of civilians to catch her train at the station. Several females had already bordered and Lightning was appreciative that Serah had secretly purchased her ticket months in advance—when the Shinra flyers had been delivered to every country around Gaia six months ago. Places that received the same memo as the republic of Cocoon included cities and towns within the countries of Spira, Ivalice, and several other beautiful nations.

It would take a while to travel to Shinra headquarters because of the eager girls and women who were willing to volunteer to serve under Shinra ranks…

Everyone was pushing and shoving to get on the train before it left, all wishing their loved ones well.

I'm surprised Lebreau isn't around, Lightning thought as they rushed.

"Hurry, Light!" Serah shouted, gripping Lightning's right hand. They were both wearing appealing clothing—Serah's choice, not Lightning's. The youngest Farron sister was wearing a yellow sundress with sandals while Lightning wore a fitted blue long-sleeve shirt with black leggings, and her favorite combat boots—despite Serah's innumerable attempts to persuade her to wear heels of all things…

It wasn't that Lightning was against them; she'd worn them before… but heading off to a company looking like a fresh daffodil in need of assistance with carrying her groceries to the car, when she was trying to give off an acceptable first impression, seemed a bit… counterproductive.

Snow ran behind the pair, dressed in all black while carrying Lightning's luggage—even after she assured him that she could carry it herself. "There's the platform," he said, pointing as he took irregular breaths. "Do you—" He gulped to catch his breath. "Have your ticket?"

"Got it," Lightning answered, pushing past a stranger to her left. She side-eyed a man in a black suit with dark hair when they bumped shoulders in passing, but she didn't give the encounter much thought after that. He did appear to be out of place, though.

"It's almost nine!" Serah shouted with a smile as they came to a halt. She caught her breath, touching her heart while she hunched over. "Whew, t-that was a… a r-real workout… wasn't it?" Lightning shared a worrisome look with Snow, who chose to remain quiet.

After observing the frail way Serah breathed, careful hands touched her younger sister's shoulder. "Serah, you okay?"

"Just a little tired is all," Serah admitted. "That was a long run." In truth, it was a rather short sprint, but for Serah, it felt like a marathon. She wasn't too keen on telling her sister that, not on Lightning's big sendoff. Instead, she feigned a smile. "Come here, sis." She righted herself, and pulled her older sibling into a warm embrace. "I'll miss you."

Lightning returned the genuine gesture, secretly threatening to murder any tear that might fall from her watering eyes. "I'll miss you too, Serah."

The attendant in a red uniform blew his whistle. "One minute until take off!" he bellowed to the crowd. People began hurrying onto the train.

"I have to go now," Lightning said. She sighed as she reluctantly released the one person who loved her the most. A wave of anxiety hit her as she gazed at Snow and he handed over her luggage. "Take care of her."

"You know I will," he agreed.

If anything happens to her again… Lightning thought with a grimace.

A loud whistle blew.

"Goodbye," she told her sister. Lightning gave Serah one last hug before she hurried towards the train steps, getting her ticket punched by the attendant. The moment the man took her case for her, and she climbed up the stairs, the train began to move.

She would've fallen backwards, had she not gripped the metal railing.

Serah's lips quivered as she watched her take off and she clasped her hands in front of her stomach. Her eyes began to sting and she contemplated what she'd do without having Lightning around.

Nothing would be the same…

She's really leaving…

Snow peered down at Serah, noticing her sullen expression. "…It's not too late to give her one last goodbye, ya know?" He'd spoken it softly. Who knows when we'll see her again…?

Light… Serah's feet began to move before she could process it. "Sis!" she called. She ran ahead on the grey platform, mustering all the strength she could to keep up with the slow moving locomotive before it could properly kick into gear.

"Serah!" Lightning yelled frantically. "Don't hurt yourself!" Gaia forbid…

The younger simply replied by reaching for Lightning's hand. "I—you be safe, sis!"

"Serah!" Snow yelled. He hadn't expected her to actually try and race the train—only give her sister a quick shout-out of farewell. He was running after her as the train began to increase speed.

Lightning was quick to catch Serah's palm in hers, wanting nothing more than to pull her up and take her along, but she knew Serah belonged in Cocoon, where she could get proper treatments if her condition bounced out of it's remission state. "Serah, be careful—!"

"Call me when you get there!" Serah pleaded over the sounds of the steel wheels.

Lightning squeezed her palm. "I will!"

"Promise!" Serah begged. She was sweating profusely now, and Lightning felt the clamminess on their joined hands.

"I promise, Serah!" She hadn't meant to let go, but when the train jolted she had no choice… "Serah…" There was nothing in her line of vision now except the last bit of the platform, random faces, and the view of nearby homes in the background.

On the platform, yards and yards behind, Serah slowed her pace until she came to a complete stop and sank to her knees. Onlookers casually paced around her, knowing that everyone leaving was a difficult—and exciting—time for all individuals at the station. One woman in passing, in a black suit that was the same as the man Lightning had bumped into earlier, placed a handkerchief in her hands before she quietly went on her way.

Serah was too fatigued to notice, but Snow had as he ran up to Serah. He tried to see where the brunette had paced off to, but she had disappeared…

"Light," Serah whispered as Snow knelt beside her. She touched her chest and placed her free hand over his when he wrapped his arms around her small frame. As their fingers entwined, she said, "I forgot to tell her that I hope she makes SOLDIER."

"She knows," Snow said, his eyes never leaving the train's caboose. "It doesn't have to be said. Just letting her go was your own way of saying so."

On the train, the attendant approached Lightning on the steps, tapping her shoulder. "Miss, it's best to find a seat now. It'll be a long ride."

With a bit of reluctance, Lightning followed after the man into a nearby cart. Several women and teenage girls had already filled the majority of the seats—already befriending each other and socializing…

It was daunting to witness from the outside peering in, and it gave her the impression of clicks materializing. The catty stares she was receiving as she looked for an available seat was more than grating—despite the neutral stare she wore.

"You can sit here," a woman said nearby. She was dressed in an all black dress, and the front of it was made entirely of buckles. There was no shame on her face at the level of expose she gave her assets—that were lined with fur. Her black hair complimented her pale skin and a beauty mark rested on the left side of her chin. A touch of blue eye shadow and purple lipstick complimented her gothic appearance and Lightning couldn't help but notice that she was strikingly beautiful. Lightning could also easily tell the woman suffered from what Serah had deemed as RBF—resting bitch face.

It was Lightning's relaxed expression as well, so she knew it best.

Lightning seated herself, giving the woman a nod. "Thanks." I wonder where the attendant put my luggage. The baggage areas above them were stocked to the max.

"You're welcome," was the quiet reply. "You're from Cocoon?"

"Yes," she answered. "You're not?"

She looked as if she wanted to smile, but decided against it in a defensive movement. "I'm from Spira—the island of Besaid," she stated.

"You must've taken several boats and trains to get here," Lightning found herself saying. Spira was on the farthest side of Gaia.

"Eight so far." She crossed her arms, but it appeared as if perhaps she could've been hugging herself out of comfort. Lightning felt as if the woman was difficult to read. "This isn't a one-way stop, you know?"

Lightning made a small hum of acknowledgement. "Three more rides."

The woman agreed with the same sound in response. "Three more rides…" Her brown eyes gazed out the window somberly. "I'm Lulu."

"Lightning," she replied. At least she managed to make an acquaintance...

"She's perfect, Angeal," Zack said, following behind his mentor. They turned onto another grey hallway within the Shinra facility and Zack was practically bouncing around with happiness.

"Is she?" Angeal asked, humoring him. The older—and wiser—of the duo was smirking, knowing Zack was smitten with this 'Aerith' girl. His puppy couldn't stop fidgeting if even if he tried…

Zack nodded quickly. "Yeah! And she's got a smile like… Gods, she's just so…" He shook his head and gripped at his hair. "Angeal, I can't stop thinking about her!" She's just always on my mind!

"I know," Angeal agreed. "You've been talking about her non-stop for at least twenty minutes now." He stopped in the hall when they approached the large black door that led to the observation deck, which revealed the area of the train station outside and down below. It was where the new recruits would be arriving.

The older turned to Zack once he noticed his pupil had quieted. "Zack…?" He almost chuckled at what he saw.

Zack Fair was frowning.

Ever the puppy, he thought, patting the teen's right shoulder. "Don't stress over it so much," he said. A playful look gleamed in his blue eyes. "However…"

Zack tilted his head. "What-what?!" He began to squirm like a child being told a bedtime story. "What's wrong, Angeal?!"

"If you get this worked up over a girl, I can't imagine what it's going to be like if you take a liking to a female cadet."

Zack's eyes widened. "Wha—? Hey, wait up!" he called as the man entered the door. The teen rubbed his face as he followed after him, hating the idea of loving someone else. "No girl at Shinra can ever replace Aerith," he mumbled. She's one of a kind…

As soon as Zack entered the door, he trailed behind Angeal towards the large window to get a view of the train station. Hundreds of people and male cadets had crowded outside to get a glimpse of the new recruits. The SOLDIER, however, were inside Shinra, standing around the enormous glass windows to gaze down at the platform area.

Normally, Zack would be happy to meet new recruits, but somehow, this day felt off. He could feel the testosterone radiating off his fellow SOLDIER, and the cadets outside, as the black train came to a halt, and he wasn't sure what to make of the sensation. He looked up at his mentor. "Uh… Angeal?"

"I know," he answered automatically, sensing his uneasiness. "Don't worry."

"But this is a bad idea," Zack said. He wasn't sure why he'd whispered it, but he was thankful that he had once he heard a familiar voice say, "Of course it is." The voice belonged to Genesis, who was standing on Angeal's right side. General Sephiroth was standing further off beside the president, and Tseng had just entered after being away on duty with Cissnei. They'd taken a helicopter ride back after finishing their mission.

Reno, Zack's red haired, Turk friend, approached him with Rude in tow. He gave the pup a slack salute using two fingers. "Showtime," he said, standing on the teens left. "You know, I'm all for equal rights and what not—I mean, we Turks offer girls a chance to try out all the time—we've got Cissnei, Elena, and some others… but this seems like it might be a problem for guys who aren't used to working with chicks so much."

"We've got teenage girls and grown women to worry about now," another SOLDIER added. "But I'm more worried about integrating the teens."

Someone else grunted. "I remember my teenage years. Hormones were skyrocketing and I didn't know what to do with myself." Most of the men agreed with small sentences of approval, and Reno smirked when he heard, "My hand knew what to do with myself," added in the mix.

"Felt like those days would never end," Angeal added, rolling his eyes.

"And every little problem seemed so huge," someone else added.

"Tell me about it," Zack agreed with a sigh, earning a humored flicker of surprise from everyone in the room. He crossed his arms, and the tense action didn't go unnoticed. "I feel like I should expect the worst here…"

Genesis laxly crossed his arms. "Better to expect the worst and receive the opposite than to expect the best and receive contrasting results…"

As soon as the girls—young and old—began piling off the train, Genesis frowned. Some of them were dressed inappropriately—as if they were well off harlots, to be exact. This is what they decided to wear…? Have they no respect for themselves?

Someone's bound to get raped, Reno thought, grimacing at the thought. He huffed and propped his hands behind his head. "It begins…"

Zack felt remorse for each of them as they began to get catcalled by cadets outside. My mom would smack me good if she saw me acting like that… She was a country woman with a good heart that taught him the teachings of egalitarianism. "This is wrong," he murmured.

Genesis shrugged, not caring in the least about the possibilities of what could ensue. "It's to be expected, considering some of their attire..."

"That doesn't make it right," Zack stated as the girls women were being led through the boisterous crowd.

Down below, it was one of the most disturbing experiences that Lightning had ever encountered—and she compared the scene to the medieval age in which shamed women would walk through a crowd of patronizing men who degraded them and branded them 'whores'. She certainly felt like one, and all she'd done was grab her luggage and get off the train…

Was it too late to get back on…?

Too much shoving—too many sexualized taunts—everything was chaotic and thrown at her. Someone had stroked her hair in passing; she was sure of it. By she wasn't understanding of why this pandemonium was proceeding… Some of the men she was seeing were older than her seventeen years of age…

Her eyes flickered over at man in passing…

A whistle.

She ducked her head, bumping into another girl's back amidst the chaos. "Sorry," she murmured quickly. But the girl was ignoring her in favor of giving the cadets flirtatious waves—and even going so far as agreeing to meet with one later…

This doesn't seem right, Lightning thought.

She paused when a firm hand groped her, as if time had stopped completely... It took her a moment to assess the situation that had just materialized. "W-what…?"

"Did you see that?!" Zack shouted from the observation deck. He looked up at his mentor, alarmed and ready to be heroic. A damsel in distress is what he lived for. "Angeal, we have to do something—why the hell are you laughing at a time like this?!" Zack was genuinely worried.

Reno chuckled and patted his shoulder, pointing at the scene. "I think she can handle herself man."

"Sonuvabitch!" a cadet shouted down below. The cadet clutched his bleeding nose while Lightning straightened herself up and grabbed her luggage case off the ground.

I hope I broke it you asshole, she thought. Onlookers cheered while she scowled at the man who thought he could 'sneak a feel'. He was lucky that was all she chose to break.

"Don't ever touch me again," she warned in a threatening voice. If she was shocked by what just occurred, she certainly didn't show it, but she opted to keep her head held high as she pressed on. If these men didn't respect her, she'd at least respect herself and defend her own honor. It felt like her against a sea of sharks…

One defeated, many more to go.

No one reprimanded the cadet who touched her, except the cadet's friends, who were quick to remind him that a woman had possibly broken his nose.

Lightning wasn't a woman, though; she was only seventeen, and she felt that the tactless groping she'd just endured was considered child molestation…

Wasn't it…?

But people in Shinra are young too, she thought. Teenagers always try out…

"Nice right hook," an exotic looking woman in a blue robe told her. Her accent sounded foreign, and her skin was a rich shade of copper.

Must be from Pulse, Lightning thought as they walked through the crowd. "Thanks."

"I'm Fang."

"Lightning."

Fang chuckled, brushing her long, dark hair behind her ears as her green eyes gave Lightning a once over. "Why am I not surprised?" When Lightning gave her the slightest of glowers, Fang waved her hand indifferently. "Hey, no worries. I like it—although I think I prefer to call you Sunshine."

Above them, Angeal was grinning. "I think that girl can defend herself just fine, Zack."

Genesis regarded the scene with a contemplative nod of approval. "Impressive," was all he said before turning to leave. Sephiroth didn't voice this opinion, but he had a gleam of mirth dancing in his eyes at the sight of Lightning's display, already aware of who she was, like Tseng and the president.

Another Farron, he mused.

Angeal was thinking the same sentiments as he paced over to his silver-haired friend.

Zack's enthusiasm kept increasing the more he thought of the peculiar girl with strawberry-blond hair, but he didn't speak further on the subject. Everyone else was already doing that in the observation deck. He feared it might cause the girl to get picked on by the upper ranks in the future—especially since she hadn't been reprimanded for hitting a soon to be fellow comrade—even given the circumstances of shameless fondling.

"Come on, pup!" Angeal called over his shoulder. Sephiroth actually displayed the smallest of smirks on his lips upon hearing the nickname.

Genesis, who was now waiting at the frame of the open door, couldn't hide his amusement. "Does he play fetch?"

Angeal's expression mirrored both of his best friend's. "That was our first lesson."

The tease in his voice made Zack groan and he trudged over to his three superiors with the tetchiest of pouts. As he peered up at his mentor, he lifted his index finger, pushing it towards the older for emphasis. "One time. I got that stupid bomb onetime and suddenly I'm everyone's golden retriever."

"It could've been worse," Sephiroth decided as the four of them left. When Zack lifted his brow, he simply said, "You retrieved a bomb that was supposed to detonate, and thankfully, it was a dud…"

Zack blushed at the thought of his almost mishap… Man I really screwed that mission up. He thought the bomb was a small PHS device… It resembled one on that mission and several exploded. Luckily, the one he found didn't go off. "Yeah, I guess so…"

"And you could've been labeled a 'mutt' instead of a 'retriever,'" the general added.

Zack felt the corners of his mouth twitch into a grin upon hearing the rare bit of humor Sephiroth had casually thrown at him. It wasn't often that he showed Zack this side of him, but it had become frequent that Zack had suddenly found himself mingling with him, not just when he was with Angeal or Genesis, but also alone.

He considered the man his friend, like he did Angeal, but he wasn't entirely sure what to make of Genesis. It appeared as if tolerated those around him instead of actually liking their company…

He seems like he's up to something, too.

After noticing that Zack had quieted, Angeal ruffled his hair. "Still thinking about her?" He'd meant Aerith, although when Zack replied and said, "Yeah," the pup had meant Lightning.

I wonder what her name is…

He'd be restless until he found out.

…

IMPORTANT A/N: The level of ranking classes in this story (for Shinra) are the same as they are in Crisis Core, but there are now also different areas of specialty units that can be used (gunblade, staff and rod, fists, etc.). There will be other Final Fantasy characters (and places) in this as well. All places in the following FF games (8, 9, 10, 12 and 13) are now on the Gaia world map now because… well, because I… said so? That includes military areas. Those areas already have females in the ranks. Only Shinra has just now gotten around to adding females in this fic. This'll be explained fully in later chapters (way later).

Also, I've never posted a story on fanfiction before, but I've been reading it for years! I thought I'd make an account and upload my own stories as a change of pace from my usual lingering around this site. Please, if you have a moment, take the time to either leave me feedback or click a button, or hey you can even PM me if your heart so desires. I'm up for anything.