Author's Notes: Well, this was certainly a long, long time in coming. I set my very first kiriban on Deviant Art to the special FF7-related number of 7,777, and it was caught by InyrilJace! Hooray! :D But I had a second place winner too, and the inspiration for their request hit me hard at the time, so I finished that story up first (Brothers Under the Sun). I was supposed to get right to this one right afterward, so I set to work brainstorming some ideas... and then I don't know what happened, but it sure wasn't this fic. XD Several other fics happened in the meantime, though...
Anyway, I finally returned to this story and discovered that I was, at last, ready to write it. Curiously enough, Brothers Under the Sun helped to lay the groundwork for it, because this story references an event referenced in Brothers Under the Sun. So, you can sort of consider that story a prequel, though it really isn't because it takes place after this. But I would recommend reading it first, though it isn't necessary - I've constructed an alternate description/overview of the event here. I chose not to copy and paste the scene, and I decided not to actually flesh it out further than it was, since I think its original description really provided a lot of its impact. Hopefully, my alternate portrayal here will be effective in its own way!
InyrilJace asked for a story in the canon FF7 universe, with Zack, Kunsel, and Angeal, involving the first time Zack meets Angeal. I confess it isn't exactly the very first time Zack encounters him, because he's seen Angeal around... but it is their first real interaction. So, many thanks to InyrilJace for providing the prompt, and to LuckyLadybug who helped with brainstorming some of the ideas! As it happened, Ladybug wanted to see a different particular scene in Brothers Under the Sun fleshed out, which happened to fit perfectly into this fic. So I guess this is actually a two-for-one gift! Oh, and also partly inspired by "broken dreams" in 30_Hugs on LJ.
Incidentally, I hadn't planned to write nearly as much for Kunsel as I did. But Kunsel voted me down, and ended up stealing most of the entire first part.
Kudos if you actually read all these notes, now, on with the show! Hope you enjoy. :)
Stumbling Blocks
By
Kazaam
A 7,777 kiriban fic for InyrilJace
Inspired by "broken dreams," in 30 Hugs
Part I: Dreams
Nervous, mouth dry and heart in his throat, SOLDIER Cadet Zack Fair pushed his way through the crowd to the front. He fought to keep himself steady, closed his violet eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He steeled himself for what he would see. Then he opened his eyes.
The list was directly before him, tacked to the wall. Resolute, fearing what he might find, he began at the bottom and scanned upward, both too fast and not fast enough. He held his breath, the one thing he looked for yet to appear. Dread loomed as he neared the top.
And then, all of a sudden, he saw it:
Fair, Zackary – Pass, 3rd of 44
Pure. Elation.
"Wahoo! I did it! I passed!" Zack jumped into the air, pumping a fist. "Hey, Kunsel, I did it!" Heart surging in triumph, he was about to rip the list from the wall to wave around in celebration, thought better of it at the last second for those who were still looking for their own scores, and bounced back through the throng. "I did it! Kunsel! I passed! I made Third!" He let out another jubilant yell and finally met up with his friend at the fringes of the crowd, throwing an arm around his neck. "I passed, can ya believe it? Third Class!"
Kunsel laughed and pounded him on the back. "I knew you could do it! Third Class couldn't hide from you for long. They won't know what hit 'em!"
Zack was grinning, ear to ear. "You better believe it! And ya better watch out – I'll catch up to you b'fore ya know it!"
"I don't know about that. You may be good, but you're never going to match what's up here!" He tapped the side of his head.
Zack chuckled. "You're such a nerd, Kuns." With that, he attempted to get the other in a headlock, only for Kunsel to wriggle out of it and turn the tables on him. He ground his fist into Zack's ebony spikes. Zack squawked, unable to get free. "No fair! No using Third Class powers!"
"Who says it's not fair, Fair? You're a Third Class now!"
"As of a minute ago! I still hafta get my Mako shots!"
"Not my problem! Guess you should have thought of that before picking fights with a SOLDIER!"
Complaining and laughing, Zack struggled to pull Kunsel off of him, as they continued back down the hallway. So absorbed were they in their impromptu wrestling, that neither noticed the figure in front of them before they smacked right into it.
It was like hitting a brick wall. Both bounced back with a startled 'Oof.' Zack, still grinning, was about to apologize when he noticed just who they had run into – the brick wall was garbed in a very distinctive shade of SOLDIER First charcoal. Both snapped to attention.
"Sir!"
"At ease, SOLDIER, Cadet." The deep voice rumbled at them, amused. He regarded them as they only slightly relaxed, took in the Third Class blues the one wore, and the training uniform worn by the other. Then his gaze drifted upward to the growing commotion in the middle of the hallway, where the other cadets were discovering their own scores. His eyes returned to the two in front of him.
"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"
He seemed to be looking at Zack. The boy frowned and swallowed, his throat dry. Was this about running into him? "Sir …?"
"Your status, Cadet. Did you pass?"
Zack's eyes lit up, and he found it hard to keep from smiling. "Yes, sir!"
"And? Your score? That is, if you cared to share it," he said this last rather dryly, as if he expected the cadet to share it whether he cared to or not.
Zack could no longer stifle the grin, as he met the SOLDIER's eyes. "Third from the top, sir! Just a couple points from Bail and O'Malley, an' that was just luck 'cause I tripped on the obstacle course, an' then forgot to put my name on my exam 'fore I turned it in." Abruptly, his grin dropped. "Uh, sir," he finished, locking his eyes back forward and wondering if he'd said too much.
A flicker of surprise went through the SOLDIER's eyes. He examined the cadet a little further. Third from the top was still impressive, but even more so was the fact that the boy had said it all, not with the air of someone who was bragging, but of someone who was simply rattling off the facts. He hummed to himself.
"Well done," he said in approval. Then his face grew stern. "But keep your celebration out of the hallways." The two stiffened, afraid they were going to be reprimanded further. Instead, he turned away. But then he paused, and added, "And try not to overdo it … anywhere else." Again, an undercurrent of amusement ran through his words, and, with that, he left.
Zack and Kunsel remained frozen for a moment. Then, as one, they relaxed, heaving a shared sigh of relief. Zack glanced at his friend.
"Did he just give us permission to …?"
"He sure did."
"Haha, awesome!" Zack high-fived his friend. "We're goin' all out tonight!" Then his gaze drifted back toward the retreating SOLDIER and he sobered, his expression changing to one of awe.
"… Was that …?"
"SOLDIER First Class Angeal Hewley," Kunsel supplied, also watching the man in reverence. "One of the General's right hand men. They say he's almost as good as the General himself – placing him in First Class is like a compliment to all the other Firsts. He's almost as far above them as they are above the Seconds."
"Wow … And didja see that, he gave me a compliment!" Zack grinned once more. "A compliment from First Class Hewley himself … Man, couldn't get any better'n that, unless the General himself showed up!" He glanced down the hallway from which the SOLDIER had come, hoping that the General would do just that.
He didn't, unfortunately.
"Yeah, well, we're just lucky he doesn't have us mopping the floors for running into him like that."
"Or doing five hundred push-ups," Zack added.
"Or running a thousand laps."
"In the rain."
"During a lightning storm."
"From a pack o' guard hounds!"
Kunsel chuckled. "Or worse yet – gardening." He dropped his voice dramatically, putting as much horror as he possibly could into the last word.
Zack blinked. "Gardening?"
Kunsel nodded, sagely. "Yeah. They say that Angeal Hewley loves to garden … but can you imagine what kind of plants he must grow? I hear that even SOLDIER First Genesis Rhapsodos, the General's other right hand man, is afraid of Hewley's plants."
"Really?" Zack's eyes widened. "Like what? Razor weed? Or flower prongs? We got those in Gongaga."
Another nod. "Worse. Mandrake or capparwire, or even …" Here, he glanced about, then lowered his voice, leaned in close, and stage whispered, "Malboros."
"Malboros!" Zack suddenly had visions of an unlucky cadet forced to garden as punishment, only to be snared by the vines of one of the dreaded man-eating plants, while the boots of other unlucky cadets stuck out of its toothy maw. Then he saw the smile twitching at the corners of Kunsel's mouth. He shoved him away, grinning. "Jeez, you're such a con."
"Had you going, though, didn't I?" Kunsel smirked.
"Whatever." Zack shrugged it off, chuckling. He glanced once more in the direction Angeal Hewley had disappeared, then started down the hallway again, back to his room, a bounce in his step. Haha, Third Class! He couldn't resist another jump and a fist pump; Kunsel watched his antics in amusement. Now that he was a newly minted Third, Zack fully intended to take Kunsel up on his offer to move into his much more private dorm room and out of the cadet barracks. Kunsel followed to help him pack, not that he had very many belongings to pack in the first place.
After a moment, Zack's thoughts returned to their encounter. "You gotta admit, though, SOLDIER Hewley sure is awesome. Didja see the size of the sword he carried? It must take ten men just to pick it up! But man, if nothin' else, he sure looks like he could wield that thing." He was certainly built enough, Zack thought. He dwarfed everyone else in terms of sheer mass, and it was all muscle. Linking his hands behind his head, he remarked, "I wanna be just like him someday."
Kunsel raised an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted to be just like Sephiroth?"
"Well, yeah, but … come on, the General's so far above ever'body else, sometimes I think no one could reach 'im. At least Angeal Hewley's a little more realistic. ... You know, to start with."
Kunsel smirked. "Sure, if you grow another foot and add on about a hundred pounds of muscle."
"Hey, quit crushin' my dreams!" He gave Kunsel a light shove, adopting a wounded air.
"I'm not crushing your dreams, I thought you wanted to be realistic!"
"What gave ya that idea? They're dreams, stupid, they're not supposed t'be realistic!"
"What? Zack!" Kunsel shook his head at the other's contradictions, chuckling. "I give up. … Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I saw Hewley and the General fight, one-on-one?"
"What?" Zack whirled toward his friend, eyes widening. "No! What happened? Why didn't ya tell me b'fore? C'mon, Kunsel, spill it! What'd you see?"
"Actually, I didn't. Well, I was there, but they were moving too fast for me to see anything."
Zack stared at him, then hooded his eyes, unimpressed. "Ha ha, very funny. You almost had me goin' that time." He rolled his eyes and continued walking, smacking Kunsel on the back of the head.
Kunsel laughed, then fought for a straight face. "I'm serious!" He held up his hands. "Look, Zack, I'm totally serious this time. Really."
"Uh-huh."
"I am! They're First Class, man, they can move just that fast!"
"Right. And bein' a Third, you still couldn't see 'em?" Reaching his room, he flipped out his key, unlocked the door and pulled it open, revealing the rows of bunks he shared with eight other cadets.
"Nope." Kunsel shook his head. "It's all the Mako. It does something to you, makes you more than human."
"I dunno, Kuns. I think your helmet was just in the way."
"My helmet wasn't-!"
"Fine, can ya see this?" At that, Zack snatched a pillow from the nearest bunk and, grinning, whipped it straight at Kunsel's head.
Kunsel yelled in surprise. "Why you-!"
"That's for leadin' me on!" Gripping the pillow tightly, he proceeded to whale on his friend. Kunsel grabbed a pillow from a neighboring bunk and began to fight back.
"You're just gonna lose again, Fair!" Laughing, the two pummeled each other until feathers flew.
"And hey, don't forget – party tonight!"
It turned out Zack didn't get to party that night, as he'd hoped. After he'd finished transferring his belongings, Kunsel informed him that the Third Class promotion banquet was tomorrow night, and he'd have to wear his dress uniform. Upon hearing that, Zack replied with, "What dress uniform?" whereupon Kunsel proceeded to drag him out to find and purchase one.
"How are you in SOLDIER, and you don't know this?"
"Hey, gimmie a break, Kuns, I've only been in SOLDIER for half a day! I can't be expected to know this!"
"Yes you can."
"This is what I have you for."
"What about your Third Class uniform? Do you have that?"
"Um …"
"Oh, for Gaia's sake."
So, that night, after acquiring the dress uniform and several sets of the standard Third Class blues (one of which Zack had promptly thrown on), he sat on his new bed, mourning the state of his wallet. The purchase had set him back a significant amount of his paycheck, and he wouldn't be doing any partying any time soon. In fact, Kunsel had had to chip in for the dress uniform, waving off Zack's concern, saying it was his gift to celebrate Zack's promotion. Thank Gaia for best friends! He raised his gaze to where Kunsel lounged on the bunk above him, taking full advantage of the off day to enjoy doing absolutely nothing.
Kunsel, sixteen now and two years older than Zack, sported short, light brown hair and SOLDIER blue eyes that he preferred hiding behind a helmet, but which was now cast to the side. Zack had often questioned him about the helmet, and all he ever got was that Kunsel preferred the anonymity of it, for reasons that were his own. He was a year ahead of Zack in the SOLDIER program – he'd been getting his shots just as Zack had begun as a cadet, at thirteen. They'd met about a month later, quickly becoming good friends. It was rather common for Thirds to associate with SOLDIER cadets, and ShinRa encouraged it for the boost in morale and effort it seemed to give both groups. Zack had taken pleasure in competing with Kunsel, though he couldn't hope to match the young Third at the time, and Kunsel had become fond of the excitable, sunny cadet, despite his seemingly short attention span.
It appeared Kunsel had taken it upon himself to watch out for Zack's career as a SOLDIER, for which Zack was grateful, because sometimes … it seemed the younger of the two missed the most obvious of things.
Zack rubbed the back of his neck, ruefully. He didn't mean to, honestly, it just sort of happened. But Kunsel wasn't in a place to judge anyone else, himself, since the guy knew practically everything about everything, more than could possibly be normal. Zack had no idea where he got his information, just that it was unnatural. He'd tried asking his friend about it a few times, but the other always gave him a mysterious little smile and refused to reveal his sources. Zack still wondered about it now and then, but he was getting used to just taking it on faith that Kunsel simply knew.
He sighed, falling back onto his bunk. He raised the official promotion letter he'd picked up earlier that day, and read through it, one more time:
DEPARTMENT OF SOLDIER
Public Safety Maintenance Department, ShinRa Headquarters
Midgar, Eastern Continent
04 September 1998
Cadet Zackary Fair,
Congratulations on your outstanding performance in the SOLDIER exams. You are hereby appointed to SOLDIER Third Class, effective immediately. Report for duty NLT 0700, 19980907, ShinRa HQ, Building 1, Floor 49, Training Room 1.
SEPHIROTH, 1C, SEC
General of SOLDIER
Still in awe, Zack ran a thumb over the name neatly written over the signature block. It sure looked like it had been signed by hand, rather than electronically printed – the precise lines of the pen indented the paper just slightly. Signed by Sephiroth himself, Zack thought. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. I did it. I really did it! After an entire year of hard work, study, and grueling training, he was really a SOLDIER.
SOLDIER. Zack rolled the word around in his mind, testing it out. Zack Fair, SOLDIER Third Class.
Now that was something to write home about.
With a pang, he remembered that he hadn't yet written to his parents since he'd run away. They were probably worried about him, if they didn't downright hate him. They hadn't exactly parted on the best of terms.
He pushed the thought away, not wanting the memory to dampen his mood tonight. He'd write to them tomorrow, he decided, after the banquet. There'd be time enough for that then, before he got caught up in SOLDIER Third training. That's what Kunsel had told him would be waiting for him bright and early on Monday. Though the paper called it "reporting for duty," he knew that Monday would be a lot of in-processing, as they went through his records, medical and otherwise, and got him ready for his Mako shots. He'd be scheduled to take them sometime that afternoon, and real training would begin late in the week, after he'd had some time to recover.
He wondered what the shots involved, and had to admit he was a little apprehensive. Kunsel said they weren't that bad, not compared to the ones given to the Seconds. But what did that even mean? He'd been too afraid to ask, not wanting to chicken out before it was too late. Oh well, he'd find out soon enough, he supposed. He had the banquet to look forward to before then.
Idly, he wondered if any of the Firsts would be there. Would the General? He hadn't yet seen the man but from a distance, and he was both excited and nervous at the thought of meeting him up close. And what of the other Firsts? What of SOLDIER Hewley? He found himself looking forward to meeting the man again. He seemed pretty approachable; maybe he'd get a chance to talk to him and find out what SOLDIER was really like. Well, okay, Kunsel was a SOLDIER too, but he didn't count. Zack wanted to hear it from a First.
Thoughts full of questions and future possibilities, Zack finally drifted off to sleep, still dressed in his brand new SOLDIER uniform, the promotion letter resting on his chest.
The promotion banquet that Sunday evening had Zack fidgeting with almost as much nervousness as the days leading up to the exams. He sat at his table, a spot next to him saved for Kunsel, and wondered what was taking the other Third. Restless and uncomfortable in the stiff dress uniform, he tugged at its high collar.
ShinRa's SOLDIER dress uniforms were white, and did not at all resemble their work uniform. Fitted, sharp looking suits, they consisted of long-sleeved jackets and slacks, with shiny black boots Zack would need to polish to keep in shape. The jackets were buttoned in gold, and the colors for the suit's trim and piping matched the SOLDIER class: blue for Third, purple for Second, and gold, rather than black, for First. Zack supposed someone had just wanted the Firsts to stand out more. A braid of appropriate color circled one arm, and a belt, uniformly black for all the classes, went around the waist. Zack glowered at the thought that he'd have to purchase yet another uniform of the right color when he reached the next class. Or could he have it tailored somehow? He didn't know.
Some of the Firsts, apparently, got to wear their own color uniform. He'd have to ask Kunsel about that. Zack had spotted First Class Genesis Rhapsodos first because of his red trim and matching gloves. And General Sephiroth's uniform had him standing out just as much as his usual leather garb did – it was black, with white trim, and sported a double row of silver buttons down the front. Fringes decorated his shoulders, and he had more braids and decorations than Zack could count. It was impressive, and no less intimidating than his usual appearance. The silver-haired man currently conversed with SOLDIER Rhapsodos, who had nearly as many decorations. The other First looked rather put-upon, Zack thought, while the General remained as emotionless as ever. He wondered if they disliked the event as much as he was beginning to, and felt a little unexpectedly sad at the thought.
The one person he didn't see, though, other than Kunsel, was SOLDIER Hewley. Was he even coming? Zack would be disappointed if he didn't show – he'd been brainstorming what he could say to the man, and didn't want to lose his opportunity.
A figure suddenly obscured his view.
"Hey!" Kunsel said by way of greeting, and continued wryly, "You look like you're enjoying yourself."
Zack grumbled. "The uniform's so stiff, I feel like I've got a noose around my neck."
Kunsel chuckled. "Welcome to the fineries of ShinRa." He sat in the chair beside Zack. Across from them, four other SOLDIER Thirds sat, conversing with each other. Zack had joined in earlier, before he got to looking for Kunsel and SOLDIER Hewley. He didn't know what the conversation had moved onto anymore.
Kunsel grabbed a dinner roll. "So, why aren't you about, mingling?" He smirked. "You look like a newbie scared that anything he does will be wrong."
Zack shot him a scathing glance. "Is that what you were doin'? I wondered why you'd abandoned me."
There was another snicker from his friend, who assumed that that answered his question.
"And no," Zack continued. "I wasn't scared. Jus' thought I'd find a seat, and 'sides, I was talkin' with them." He gestured to their fellows at the table.
Kunsel simply smirked knowingly, and let his gaze roam about the room. "Have you seen SOLDIER Hewley yet? I know you wanted to talk to him."
Zack shook his head. "Nah. Dunno if he's even here."
A nod. There was another moment of silence while Kunsel finished the roll and raised his water glass for a drink, then he said, rather softly, "A little intimidating, isn't it, to see so many Firsts and Seconds all in one place." Even Kunsel was just getting used to working with the Seconds, and the occasional First. Zack, as a cadet, had really only seen them from afar, aside from the odd instructor, most of whom weren't even SOLDIER in the first place because they didn't need to be. The SOLDIERs were still legends to him.
Wordlessly, he nodded. Then he caught himself. "What? No! I told you I'm not scared," he denied, fervently.
Kunsel grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ha! Just messing with ya."
It wasn't much longer before, at some unknown signal, the milling SOLDIERs and brand new, unenhanced Thirds began to move to their seats. However, now it seemed that many of the Firsts, rather than conglomerating at their own exclusive table, chose to find tables among the Thirds and Seconds, cheerfully booting out someone already there if there wasn't an opening, and leaving them to find a new table.
Zack's eyebrows rose. "What's goin' on?"
"Don't you know? Oh, forget I asked." Kunsel waved a hand at the look Zack shot him, then went on to explain. "This happens every year. It's an unwritten rule that the Firsts have to mingle among us lesser creatures, spreading their awesomeness and joy. So each one goes to find a table to chat it up with the Thirds. They seem to enjoy it. The Firsts, I mean." They watched as one First, resplendent in his white and gold, laid a heavy hand upon the shoulder of a newly graduated cadet, who jumped. Reluctantly, the boy got up to find a new table, while his comrades greeted the arrival with no small amount of dismay. It almost seemed as if they thought the smirking First would eat them, or something. Kunsel grinned. "It's tradition."
"… Huh." Zack could imagine their alarm. Still, it was a little exciting, and he wondered who would sit at their table. But then he noticed something that made him frown. "… There aren't all that many Firsts, are there?" Though just about all the Firsts had dispersed throughout the room, there were quite a few tables without one. It looked like their table would be one of the unfortunate, with no one looking to be coming their way. Disappointment settled in.
"You didn't expect there to be, did you? ShinRa has quite a number of them, but it's far less than the number of Thirds, or even the Seconds. Not everyone gets to be a First. Besides, a lot of them are on missions or deployed to Wutai right now. What you see here are just those who happened to be in Midgar for the ceremony, or who made the time for someone they knew in the lower ranks." Kunsel scanned the room. "In fact, I'm surprised that the Holy Trinity are here all at once. That's a rare occasion."
"The Holy-?"
"Generals Sephiroth, Rhapsodos, and Hewley. You mean you didn't even know that?" Kunsel scoffed. "Some fanboy you are."
"Kunsel! I am not a fanboy!" Zack hissed back at him.
"The new Sephiroth poster in my room says differently." Kunsel seemed to be smirking a lot tonight.
Zack had to resist the impulse to throttle his friend, and hoped no one else overheard. Then something else Kunsel said finally sunk in. "General Hewley? You mean he's here? Where?" Zack glanced around.
Kunsel inclined his head at the table behind them. "Right there, Mr. Oblivious."
Twisting around, Zack found the SOLDIER already seated and conversing with the Thirds around him. Unlike his fellow generals, Rhapsodos and Sephiroth, who sat at the head table, Angeal Hewley wore the standard First Class dress uniform, apparently having felt no need for something different, although it was just as adorned. Zack's face fell. The man had missed them by a single table, and now it looked like Zack wouldn't get the chance to talk with him at all. The other Thirds, having overcome their initial apprehension, were already chatting animatedly with the First. He chuckled at something one of them said.
Great. Zack turned back around in time for a waiter to set a plate of food in front of him. He glowered at it.
"Cheer up," Kunsel said, "and enjoy the food. It'll be a long time before you get anything as good as this again, I guarantee it. Besides," he swallowed a mouthful of steak, "why don't you just go talk to him after dinner? There'll be plenty of time for that."
Hmm. Zack supposed he could do that, though he was a little anxious at the idea of simply approaching the man out of the blue. "Have you ever talked to 'im?"
"What, one-on-one? No, of course not. I'm much too scared for that."
Zack rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot."
Kunsel grinned. "Anytime."
The dinner proceeded, Zack and Kunsel joining in conversation with the other Thirds, new and otherwise, around them. After a while, Zack found he was rather enjoying himself, despite the initially formal atmosphere and stuffy clothes. Getting past his early apprehension, he was able to relax and became absorbed in the bantering and bloated tales of heroism by the Thirds with a year already under their belts. Zack felt a pang of jealousy at the others in the room who at least got to talk with a First, but rapidly squashed it. It wasn't like there was anything he could have done about it, anyway, and Kunsel was right – he could just go up to Hewley later. Still, he snuck glances over his shoulder at the man; at one point the SOLDIER looked up and caught his gaze. Discovered, Zack whirled back around and hoped it was just his imagination.
"Oh, hey, Zack!" At one point, Kunsel tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. His voice was pitched low so as not to be heard over the other conversations, but his Mako blue eyes glittered with excitement. "I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you." He attempted to smother a grin. "So, I did some checking earlier today, and guess what I found out? Don't tell anyone I told you this, but … they're considering you for the mentor program!"
The mentor program? Zack drew a blank. "Um … I think I've heard of it …?"
Kunsel shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't. For once," he added. "They don't like to advertise it, and it's not something that a cadet can really apply for. They take the most promising students and try to match them up with a mentor – one of the Firsts, or a Second with a lot of experience. It takes a lot of work to make the selections and then pair them up, because it's a commitment that requires years out of the mentor's career, so it's not taken lightly. The mentors work with their students for their entire training, Third through Second, sometimes even First, until the student achieves the same rank."
"… Wow. Really?"
Kunsel nodded. "Not all of the Firsts participate in the program, either … you've gotta have the right temperament for it. But it's one of the best ways there are to make First. And if they're considering you for it, that's a really good sign that they think you've got what it takes."
A grin spread across Zack's face. "That's awesome! Thanks, pal!" Impulsively, he flung an arm around Kunsel's shoulders in a quick, one-armed hug. "Wow … I wonder who I'll get paired up with?" He scanned the tables, picking out each of the SOLDIER Firsts. "Who d'ya think it is, Kuns?"
A shake of the head. "I have no idea. It might not even be anyone in this room. But don't get your hopes up," Kunsel cautioned. "I know I really shouldn't have said anything until they decided something for sure, but … I just couldn't wait." He lightly punched his friend's shoulder. "You're gonna make it, Zack, I know it!"
Zack beamed back at him. "But what about you?"
Kunsel waved a hand. "Oh, don't worry about that. I don't mind, really, and it's only the best that get picked for the program."
"But Kuns-"
"I'll make Second for sure, at least. As for First …" He shrugged, unconcerned. "If it happens, it happens. First is so far above Second Class anyway, and so few make it, that there's nothing to be ashamed of, if you don't. I'm fine with Second Class. Besides, there's no one out there I'd rather have surpass me than you. And, truthfully, I don't think there's anyone out there I'd be content with as a mentor." He smirked.
Zack regarded his friend. He was probably right – Kunsel was so independent that he really didn't need a mentor, and would probably be happiest without one. At least then he wouldn't have to explain to anyone how he was able to come by all the information he did. Zack swore that Kunsel must be part Turk.
But still … he wanted to believe that his friend could go just as far as he could. He didn't want to leave him behind.
"Oh, don't give me that face, Zack." Kunsel rolled his eyes in exasperation. "It's a long time until then, anyway! It'll be fine, I promise. Now," he poked at Zack's plate, "are you gonna eat that dessert, or must I do my job as SOLDIER and liberate it?"
Ever one to defend his food to the last, Zack stabbed his pie and finished it off with gusto.
As the remains of the meal were consumed, there were a few speeches to the newly minted Thirds, both by General Sephiroth and SOLDIER Director Lazard Deusericus. Though the topics were all things Zack had heard before and so commonly turned a deaf ear to, both men actually managed to make them sound like they meant something – service, excellence, integrity, future … Sephiroth especially, though his words were short and to the point, spoke with a certain sincerity and eloquence that really left Zack taking his words to heart.
It was shortly after that, when conversation began to rise again, and people took that as their signal to mingle with everyone they'd been prevented from sitting with during the meal, that Zack finally managed to drum up his courage to approach SOLDIER Hewley. Watching the man, he saw a few Thirds excuse themselves from the table and head off to find other friends. At that point, the First glanced over to share a strange look with General Sephiroth at the head table – Zack wasn't sure what the General conveyed, as his expression looked the same as all his other expressions, but it caused Hewley to offer a rueful smile and give a slight shake of his head. When he returned to his drink, Zack took that as his cue.
"Hey, sir." Zack now stood in front of the First, who glanced up at him, raising his eyebrows at the informal greeting. "Uh, I mean … good evenin'." He rubbed the back of his neck, all his rehearsed phrases suddenly sounding stupid and abandoning him. "Uh, I ah … well, we didn't get t'have a First at our table, so, uh … thought I'd come over an' say Hi." It sounded lame to his ears, though it was the truth, partially. He offered a small grin.
"Hi," the First echoed, somewhat amused. His eyes scanned the boy before him, taking in the wild, black hair, distinctive purple eyes, and nervous fidgeting. It was the unique combination of borderline-regulation spikes and the eyes that did it for him; he leaned back, smiling. "I remember you. You're the new Third that tried to run me over yesterday." He also recalled the boy stealing covert glances at him during the meal, but chose not to mention that. "Is your friend here, too?" A glance at the other table told him that he was, and watching besides; Angeal nodded in acknowledgement. Kunsel did a double take, slowly raised his hand in a cautious wave, then spun back around and pretended to busy himself with the ice in his empty water glass. Angeal smirked.
"Uh, y-yeah …" Zack stammered, wondering if this was a bad idea after all. In a rush, he continued, "Sorry about that, sir – was my fault, I wasn't watchin' where I was goin', an'-"
"Don't worry about it. If a Third could really trample a First, there'd be something else wrong besides just you. Relax." He waved a hand to the empty chair beside him. "Sit down. All my other newest acquaintances fled in terror when they realized I no longer had the power to hold them here." Though it wasn't quite true – they'd gotten along rather well – there was still something intimidating about a First, and no Third wanted to be stuck with one all night.
Zack chuckled, sinking into the chair and relaxing a bit. "I don't blame 'em." Then he froze. "I mean … that is …" Failing to cover up for his mistake, he face-palmed, groaning into his hand. "Gaia, that came out wrong."
Angeal found himself chuckling. "It's nothing I don't already know, believe me." Taking a drink, he eyed the boy over his glass. "Say, where are you from?" he asked. "I don't believe I recognize your accent."
Surprised, Zack glanced up. "Oh, uh … I'm from Gongaga, sir. Not a lot o' people recognize the accent. We don't really get out much." Some of his friends had needled him for his accent, as distinctive as it was, though it had all been in good fun, as far as Zack could tell. A lot of the SOLDIER recruits were from the bigger cities of Midgar, Junon, or even the countryside around Kalm. Though the dialect varied a bit between those areas, it was pretty uniform, for the most part, unless you were stuck in the deep slums. Most of them had never met someone from the middle-of-nowhere towns on the Western Continent, like Zack.
"Gongaga?" Angeal raised his eyebrows, surprised. He knew where it was, had even conducted a few missions in the surrounding area. He'd never made it to the town itself, however. "What brings you all the way out here?"
Taken aback, Zack floundered. "Well, uh … to join SOLDIER." He shrugged. It was obvious, wasn't it?
"I realize that, but why? Midgar's a far cry from Gongaga, in more ways than one, and most of them unpleasant." He paused. "Was it the lure of fame? Prestige, the power of becoming a SOLDIER, something you couldn't find in a place like Gongaga?"
"Well … no, not really." Zack's eyes dropped. He knew all about how Midgar was different from Gongaga – he was still struggling to come to terms with it, and he missed his hometown very much. Sometimes the homesickness still got to him. "I know Gongaga hasn't got any of those things, but … that's not why I came." He hesitated, reluctant, at first, to tell the man his dream for fear of being ridiculed. But then he raised his head. It didn't matter what the man believed, after all; they were Zack's dreams, not his, and Zack was still determined to reach them no matter what he thought. "I want to be a hero," he stated, proudly. "I wanna become strong so I can help people, so I can protect them from all the bad things out there. Sometimes … sometimes you just aren't strong enough, sometimes life throws horrible things at you, and there's not a thing you can do about it. But I wanna be there … I wanna make that difference, I want … I want to be that strength for those who haven't got it, when they need it most. And to do that, I've gotta make it all the way to First, so that's why I'm a SOLDIER, and that's what I'm gonna do." Zack nodded firmly, resolute.
Angeal stared at him. He saw something in those eyes then, a depth of determination, belief, and courage that he hadn't seen in anyone for a long time. And he saw something else there, too … a future, a purpose, a … a spark of something that could truly become great. The corner of his lips twitched in the barest hint of a smile.
I believe you just might do that, kid.
"Well." Angeal took another sip from his glass, to hide the growing smile there. "If you want to fulfill dreams like that … SOLDIER would be the place to do it."
Zack's smile, hesitant at first, grew when he realized that the First had no intention of mocking his dreams, and his eyes lit up. Confidence restored, he eagerly launched into all the other questions he'd penned up, waiting for just such an opportunity.
They talked, long after most of the other SOLDIERs had abandoned the hall for the night.
End Part I
