Cloud thought it best to study the "Rules and Guidelines" before he got to ahead of himself, and there may be something in there that would help him to understand that map better.
Sitting down on a nearby bench, Cloud placed the book on his lap, wrung his hands nervously, and flipped the first page open. Staring at the almost difficult to read print, Cloud began trying to memorize all of the complex rules he was meant to follow during his training.
Honestly, some of these rules were just ridiculous. Who was going around hitting other cadets with dead chickens? Why was that rule needed? And who was putting fruit over their genitals and streaking through the Shinra Tower? Someone must've done that at some point or another right? Or else they wouldn't have made that a rule, right?
Sighing, Cloud closed the book, his eyes sore from all the reading he had done. He wasn't sure it was possible, but he thought he might've sprained one of his eye muscles.
The blonde stood, stretching his arms over his head. After his slight stretch he pulled the map out of the stack of papers and proceeded to find the office where he could receive his uniform.
Although he had to memorize a few pointless rules, Cloud had to admit that reading the book had made the map much easier to understand. Now all the little scribbles made at least partial sense. He could make out where the cadet dormitories, cafeteria, a few of his classrooms, and the office were he could get his uniform and apply for that part time job.
Smiling at his small victory, Cloud started towards the office. Cloud was so focused on following the map, he didn't notice the figure moving towards him until it was too late.
Colliding with the person was like colliding with a brick wall. Cloud was knocked to the ground, his papers flying out of his hands and scattering across the floor.
"I'm sorry about that I-" Cloud's mouth hung open as he stared at the man before him. The blonde had admired this man from magazines, newspaper articles, and on the news. This man was one of the main reasons he joined SOLDIER in the first place.
This man was Cloud's idol; the one and only General Sephiroth.
His idol's eyes seemed to be looking into his very soul, analyzing every thing that made Cloud who he was. The blonde couldn't remember another time in his life where he felt so…small.
Seeing Sephiroth in person was nothing compared to seeing him on the news or in a magazine. Cloud hadn't even meant to speak the words out loud, but his brain was suffering from exhaustion and was in direct correlation with his mouth.
"You're so much taller then I thought." Cloud clapped a hand over his mouth as soon as the last syllable left his lips.
'Oh Gods what have I done. I'm going to be kicked out before I even get my uniform! And I memorized all of those damn rules too…wait. DAMN IT!'
Cloud quickly snapped into a salute, "Cadet Cloud Strife sir!"
It felt as though time itself had stopped. Sephiroth didn't speak, just continued to stare at Cloud. The blonde youth fought the urge to squirm under the General's stare.
"Where is your uniform Cadet?" The words seemed to pierce straight through Cloud's chest. They were sharper then any blade he had ever felt, and they weren't even an insult.
"I was on my way to pick it up sir!" Sephiroth's glare became much more razor-like then it had been before.
"Orientation ended two and a half hours ago Cadet, what were you occupied with in that time frame?"
"I was reading through the Rules and Guidelines sir!" The Silver General's emerald eyes narrowed a fraction.
"Why would you put that as your first priority?" The question took Cloud by surprise. What did he mean? There was nothing in anything he had read that stated it was mandatory to obtain his uniform before anything else.
"I wanted to familiarize myself with the rules I will be expected to follow before I went wandering around Shinra facilities sir! I was also finding it…difficult to understand the map sir, I thought if I were to read the Rules and Guidelines it would give me a better concept as to what some of the words on the map meant sir!"
Sephiroth eyed the small blonde with an acute eye. Cloud could feel his knees turning to jelly under the General's gaze.
"Carry on Cadet Strife." With that, Sephiroth continued down the hall. It took Cloud a few moments to get over the initial shock. He had just met THE General Sephiroth, and had a conversation with him! Wait, did that count as a conversation? In Cloud's mind it did.
Cloud hurried to the office where he was presented with his uniform and training sword before scrambling off to his dorm. Getting there was far easier then Cloud had expected. It was a short elevator ride down to the twenty-fifth floor where dorm B was located, after that all he had to do was found the door with his name written on the paper pressed onto the wood.
It seemed as though the hall stretched on forever before finally coming to an end, and wouldn't you know Cloud's dorm was the very last one in the hall.
Opening the door, Cloud saw a mousy boy sitting on the first bed in the room. His hair was a creamy brown and he had large doe eyes with a smattering of freckles across his nose and cheekbones. However, his build was still larger then Cloud's own. You could see the outline of some small muscles underneath his long sleeve white shirt.
"Oh hey there. Since you hadn't shown up yet I didn't even think you were real hehe. I'm Jason." The other teen stood and offered his hand, overlooking the fact that Cloud's arms were full with his uniform and papers.
"Uh Cloud. I was reading the Rules and Guidelines and sorta lost track of the time. And I would shake your hand but…"
"Oh geez, duh. Sorry it's been a long day; my brain is acting sort of stupid. Here let me give you a hand." Jason reached out and took the papers from Cloud's hands. Cloud nodded in appreciation as he set his stuff on his own bed.
"So, I know you just got in and all, but I was just going to get something to eat and was wondering if you wanted to come. If you already read the rules and shit you might be able to make it easier to understand. Because I started reading that book but I couldn't understand half of what it was talking about."
Chapter 7: Cloud tells Jason he wouldn't mind getting something to eat
Chapter 8: Cloud tells Jason he is really tired, and would rather just get some sleep. But he wouldn't mind explain the rules and stuff to him tomorrow at breakfast
Author's Note: Can you guess why those rules were created? I'll give you a hint; it has something to do with a certain TURK and SOLDIER Puppy. Now before you start freaking out because you didn't want Sephiroth for Cloud's love interest don't worry. Nothing is set in stone; Sephy is just the first person Cloud met. And please if you like this story REVIEW! This is extremely difficult to write. There won't be as many choices as there was in the first chapter all the time though. You can figure out why. And you will see similarities between certain parts in chapters, because those are the things that won't change no matter what. Besides the people you have to choose from in the other chapters, there will be more options for love interests and friends and all. BUT THIS IS NOT JUST A LOVE STORY! This is giving you the power to change the entire FF7 story line. The choices YOU make will determine whether or not Cloud becomes a SOLDIER, or if Zack dies. YOUR choices determine whether or not Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal continue to live sanely or if they all die. Ok? Great! Now review please! Even if it's criticism, but only if you tell me how I can improve. Thank you!
