This story came to me while I was at work one night. I hope you enjoy it. It's my own view of what could have happened to Cloud while he was in SOLDIER. It's non-cannon and totally AU. If you find it's not to your liking then please discontinue reading.
Breaking Point
He pulled the delicate silver tool across his thigh, exhaling at the sensation. The ruby droplets striking against his pale flesh. He watched, transfixed at the the sight of his blood beading then running in beautiful ribbons. The pain showing he existed, proof that he was still alive, if only for a moment...
Cloud Strife stood amazed at the large iron bars before him. A flood of emotions, from excitement to fear over took him and for a sheer fleeting moment, he thought of turning and running away. Pride held him in place and gave him the strength to start moving. The shiny helmets gleaming in the sun caught his eye as he slowly made his way across the SOLDIER training field to speak with a man he imagined to be the Sergeant.
"Excuse me, sir?" Cloud asked in a breaking voice.
The gentleman turned and fixed his gaze on Cloud, giving him a once over with a sneer.
"Um..." Cloud began to fidget, and looked down at his boots. "Could... could you please direct me to the Auditorium?"
The man rolled his eyes and in a gruff voice said, "Well, who the fuck are you?"
Quickly, Cloud answered, "Cloud Strife, sir. I'm supposed to be-"
"Yea, yea, yea. I don't really give a shit."
Cloud was getting nervous and self-conscience about the fact that there were several SOLDIER's looking at him. His face began to burn.
With a dark smirk the Sergeant yelled, "Barnes! Peintary!" Two young men appeared at either side of him. They looked to be a year older than Cloud but both at least twice as tall and large. "Take our new 'Private' to the Auditorium."
"Sir, Yes sir." They chimed in unison.
The Sergeant nodded and turned back to his company and began to bark out orders.
The smaller of the two smirked and introduced himself as Barnes, the larger as Pientary. Barnes led the way with Pientary following behind Cloud. The trio walked across the training ground. Cloud's eyes darting all over the place as he tried to take everything in. He was only acutely aware of his feet pounding the grass, the sun beating against his neck and face or even his bag banging against his leg.
Barnes entered the cool, large, cement building and quickly began going down corridors and turning corners. Cloud, eager to keep up, nearly ran after him, unwilling to get lost. After rounding the third or maybe forth corner, Cloud felt a blunt force knock into the back of head, slamming him face first into a wall.
Pientary grabbed hold of Clouds arms and drew them roughly together behind his back, before pulling him away from the wall to face a sneering Barnes.
Barnes shot out a hand and grabbed hold of Clouds blond hair, angling his face upwards.
"Listen up, you little bitch. Nobody gives a shit that your here. Look at you, you're crying like a girl. I'll bet you've got a pussy, don't you?" He let go of Clouds hair and grabbed his bag as Pientary threw Cloud on the ground, face down, wrestling his arms behind his back once more. Barnes pawed through Cloud's belongings taking what little money he possessed out of the pouch before discarding it on the floor. With slow, deliberate steps, Barnes crossed back to where Cloud lay, imprisoned on the cold tiles. Squatting before Cloud he said, in a deathly low whisper, " Tell anyone about our little meeting and I will personally kill you. Do you understand me?"
When Cloud didn't immediately answer, Pientary yanked back on his arms, eliciting a yelp of pain that Barnes took as a satisfactory answer. Barnes stood and looked back to Pientary, who pulled Cloud roughly back to his feet. Barnes scooped up the discarded bag and thrust his bag back at him, casually remarking, "The Auditorium is just down this first hall, take 2 lefts then a right. It's the first large door on your left. You better hurry, though, it's nearly noon." Pientary released Clouds arms and thrust him into the wall. They headed down the hall and Barnes called back, "Good luck here at SOLDIER."
Clouds head throbbed and his shoulders ached while he sat in the hot, stuffy and packed room. He tried to focus on the current speech being given by some man, Lazard or something like that. All he could think of was the shame and humiliation he felt from his assailants. He began to space out and started to day dream about becoming large and strong and ripping the arms off of those guys and beating them to death.
He was so enraptured in his mental vendetta that he did not, at first, notice the silence that stole over the room. All bodies were tensed and still as Cloud watched the silver maned gentleman take to the stage.
This is him. He thought. The very man I came here to meet. My idol. The man I will one day become... Sephiroth.
Every fiber of Clouds body tingled as Sephiroth velvety voice washed over him, reminding him why he was here. Making him forget the incident in the hallway moments ago. Making him forget everything in his life, other than Sephiroth.
Sephiroth's speech was short and to the point. Train hard, get strong, excel to be the best, and fight for Shin-Ra. He was done and off the stage in under three minuets but it felt like eternity to Cloud. He will train hard, he will get strong, he will be the best, and he will make Sephiroth notice him.
After all the speeches, the names of all the new cadets were called and they stood in formation and given a quick run down of how to stand properly in attention. They were then taken on a quick tour of the facilities and shown their barracks. They filed into the room and each were given a schedule packet and told where their bed was. They lined up behind a white line at the end of their bed where they would from tomorrow on for the next several years until graduation.
The beds were gray metal bunk bed style, with white sheets and gray blankets on thin mattresses. Two thin white lockers separated each bed with a shelf on each, left on the top, right on the bottom, for things like eye glasses and such. Cloud stood to the left of the bunk, his bunk mate standing to the right.
They all stood at attention as Lazard strolled down the center of the room. "By now, you have each been shown the grounds as well as been given a schedule. You are expected to show up on time to each class. Tardiness will not be accepted and will be dealt with however the instructor chooses.
Every morning you will hear an alarm at 0500 hours signaling it is time to wake up. From that point you will have exactly one half hour to wake up, get dressed for the day, have your area clean and your beds made to my standards and be standing at the foot of your bed at the white line ready for inspection. When you all are cleared you will be dismissed to go to breakfast. At 0630 hours you will report to the first of your classes. Listen carefully for this will the one and only warning you get: Do not be late or you will be disciplined.
At the end of each class you will be given 5 minuets to report to the next class. At 1200 hours you will be released for lunch. At 1300 hours you will begin physical training. 1600 hours training will be over and you will have one hour of free time. Dinner is at 1700 hours. At 1830 hours you will report to your individual job duties for the evening. It is listed on your paper. Free time from when ever you help is no longer needed until lights out at 2200 hours. Do your assignments during your free time. Try to shower either at the beginning of the day or after training. Not being hygienic and you will disciplined, not having your assignments fully ready to turn in and you will be disciplined. Weekends you will be given a free pass to leave the ground based on good behavior through out the week.
See any higher ranking officer than your self and you will stand at attention, and you will refer to them as 'Sir'. They are your superior and you will listen and obey them. Do I make my self clear?"
Fifty young male voices chorused, "Sir, yes Sir!", thus transforming Cloud from simply 'Civilian' to SOLDIER.