Just a quick note to clear something up. I said last chapter that I was thrilled with having thirty reviews. I am. It may not be as much as other people, or other stories, but I am very grateful that whoever left those thirty reviews took the time to read what I'd written and leave me something to tell me so. However many reviews I get for this, I just wanted to thank you. It wasn't me boasting, or trying to be smarmy, or even that I was surprised or shocked. It was none of that.

I was, and am, just grateful. It's as simple as that. Basically, thank you all. That's all I was saying, and I'll say it again. I love you guys.

Warnings: See previous chapters. Still don't own the rights to FFVII. I'm working on it. Until then, this is purely a fan-based work that makes no profit whatsoever, and is simply for the personal enjoyment of the people who read it.

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Back in Wutai, my living arrangements had been somewhat hastily shifted throughout the years. In the earlier years of my life, it had been Rebecca sharing my bedroom. We'd had a hand-built bunk bed crafted from my father's hands. More often than not, he made a lot of the necessities of our household; the dining room table, the low set table in the lounge, the book cases, and my sister's desk. He was good with his hands, and had spent much of his free time creating. He wasn't someone who was ever fond of destruction, although there were rumors of his setting neighbourhood hedges alight as a child. As Rebecca and I had come to learn, his craftsmanship was lasting also, as we often spent many mornings and nights bouncing relentlessly with childish energy on that bed, and it never once did so much as creak. Rebecca's desk, also, was sturdy. Having the top bunk, it was easy to recall an incident where I'd left a glass of milk on the bookcase above it. One night, when a mouse had slipped into the quiet of our room, Rebecca had woken me with a breathless whisper of 'did you hear that'? We'd spent the next half hour mouse hunting, before it had run directly over her feet, sending her flailing backwards and toppling the bookcase, milk and all onto our bedroom floor. My father had not been impressed, but the desk and bookcase were righted with little more than a scratch, and so we were sent to bed with barely restrained giggles amongst ourselves. Devyan had slept through the entire thing. Had the bonds of my father and Rebecca been as strong as that bookcase, perhaps events would have unfurled differently.

My mother was still living with us at the time. Difficulties had risen between her and my father, and eventually, they had decided on separating for the sixth time in the length of their marriage. That on its own should have signified how truly solid my father had been with relationships. He was a caring man, but he had difficulties in showing it. More often than not, he came across as somewhat cruel and careless, but for the most part, he was there when it happened. Devyan had moved out a few months earlier with work colleagues. It was a common thing in Wutai, as the convenience was said to benefit the family in the long run, and naturally, that was seen as favorable. When my mother and father had their most notable fight, she left in the evening, insisting on taking me with her. At the time, young and naïve, my greatest fear was not being able to see my sister any more. In tears, she'd come along. We'd stayed with Devyan for as long as he could manage. My mother had a running past with what we would later find to be the early stages of mental illness. More often than not, she would be angry, irrational, and then be suddenly filled with remorse. That had been such the instance when Rebecca had left one morning, not saying goodbye. I'd only just woken for school, my eyes blearily opening to my ears being filled with my mother's scream, a slamming door, and her subsequent sobs. Devyan had comforted her, and life had moved on. I often visited my father, and whilst he was apart from my mother, he was a changed mind. He seemed happier, and even though I'd longed for a strong family connection, things seemed better with them apart. My father had a childhood friend living with him, Yaki, and eventually, Devyan moved back into my father's house; albeit a little reluctantly. Relationships with my mother had grown tense for everybody, and it had left her with little more than me. Being a responsible son, I did as I could, despite being little older than nine at the time. I helped her with the chores; she helped me study for school and encouraged my love for the arts. She often spent a lot of time with my art teacher, as they discussed my blossoming talent, and occasionally spent time discussing their own lives as well. I was pleased to find a sense of normality falling back over everything. My mother was making friends, my father was happy, my brother and sister were together and living their own lives.

It didn't last long, however. One afternoon, news came that Rebecca had left home whilst my father was doing a night shift for the temple. She'd left little more than a note, taking all of her possessions and claiming my father was solely responsible for her own personal issues at her school, at work, for the gaping hole she now held between my mother and her. She was angry, that much was certain, and most likely confused. She was unsatisfied with her image of what had once been perfection, and she wanted to travel, to see the world, to live her own life. When my father came home to find the note, Rebecca had already left, as had Yaki. Seemingly, the pair had left together, and my father had never felt more betrayed. Rebecca was just short of seventeen, and Yaki was nearing forty. It was seemingly a running theme within our family, my father's sister having done much the same thing when father himself had been a boy. With both Rebecca and Yaki gone, the house was often quieter when I went to visit. My father didn't seem as happy as he was a mere few weeks earlier, and I think my mother began to see it. By my tenth birthday, I was back in my old room, with a gaping hole where Rebecca's presence once was.

I continued to sleep on the top bunk, and my parents seemingly renewed their love over the next few months. School was as it always had been, dull, seemingly pointless, and another necessity of the Wutaian culture. After school, we'd spend time fishing in the stream, catching tadpoles, or sneaking up to Da Chao to throw pebbles off the cliff face. Life seemed normal for a long time, and what more could a child want in their life than a relatively stable family, and good grades at school? Eventually, my brother fell in love. I was eleven when his girlfriend, Masuyo, started living with us. They'd started dating when I was nine, and I assume that being a child, I often didn't stop to wonder who she was when she came to visit. Normality continued, until I was twelve. My parents split again, this time offering me a choice with where to go. Too comfortable with my own surroundings, I now fell into my father's care. My mother had not been too eager to take me anyway, claiming that her new life was begging for adventure and happiness, and my siblings and I had little to do with that. She said her love for my father was lost, and she disappeared one day whilst I was at school. I came back to a silent household and a broken father. Old enough, and possibly wise above my years, I lived as I had to, knowing that our family was quickly becoming the talk of the town. My father was often spoken about with sympathy, my mother with loathing, and my sister with shame. My brother was quite often distressed, but rarely showed it, taking after my father in the need to display sturdy self-assurance before his beloved. In the turmoil surrounding us, more was caused when my unwed uncle and his son were thrown onto the streets by his partner at the time. My uncle and father had not spoken for many years, but after a plea from my ailing grandmother, my father took them both in. Rebecca's presence was soon dissipated and filled with that of a young boy, lost, confused and rebellious. I no longer slept on the top bunk, and when I came home from school, it was that same homemade desk that I now lay my own books upon.

Not long later, Devyan and Masuyo decided to make a life of their own. They left the house in search of their own land, and once again I had my own room, albeit at a different location of the home. By then, tensions had been rising between Kodin and me. He had become the little brother I'd never had. The bunk bed was separated, and we each had our own placed in our rooms. It was the first time since my father had built it, piece by wooden piece, that it had ever been divided. My room had never felt so empty, or so alienated, but in the end, that room was my own. Devyan would not be coming back, Rebecca had not spoken to my father for years, and my mother had soon found love elsewhere. Things stayed set that way, and my room had remained silent in the years that followed.

Now, as I stood on another foreign land, my eyes dragging along an unfamiliar and alienated floor space, it oddly felt like a new home had been birthed.

"It's not the most spacious hospice," I heard Sephiroth from behind me, "But it is much larger than you were likely to get with the Turks."

"Thank you," I murmured, offering a small nod as I stepped inside. It smelled comforting, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a set up of Wutaian incense by the window, a stick burning in the holder beneath it. I stepped to the window, overwhelmed to find a similar view of the city that the elevator had to offer, hidden only behind the vertical blinds placed across it.

"When the afternoon sun comes through, you may adjust the outside shutters with the panel on the wall," The General nodded, stepping inside after me, "It has quite a significant kick to it, as it's intensified by the mako in the surrounding air."

"You have the apartment next door, General?" I asked, and he gave a small nod.

"Should you need to contact me, I've had my phone number set up on the speed dial," he explained, gesturing at the phone on the kitchen counter, "The second button from the top is mine. The first is the Commander's."

I gave a small nod, my eyes trailing over deep blue counter tops, accompanied by cream walls and cabinets, and a white plush carpet. There were a few tasteful paintings on the wall, and a leather lounge and 2 accompanying lounge chairs on either side of it, all three upholstered with that same deep blue colour. There was a large potted palm tree beside the window, and a glass table in the middle of the lounge area, a large television screen against one of the walls. This was almost absurd…

"Are you alright?" Sephiroth asked, and I could not hold back the frown that filtered across my lips.

"Is this not a little extravagant for a rookie Turk?" I asked, and he gave a small, almost knowing smile.

"I am confident you will not hold that title for terribly too long," He remarked, "Besides, try not to focus your attentions on the 'extravagance'. You're being placed here so that you are within closer reach of myself."

I gave a nod as he turned towards the door, emerald eyes glittering with amusement.

"Let's go get your uniform."

--

The tailor gave me a small smile as I came through the door, but he faltered slightly as Sephiroth entered.

"General, sir!" He nodded firmly, saluting abruptly, as Sephiroth offered a half-hearted salute in return.

"At ease," The General rumbled, the tailor nodding as he did so, offering the General a small smile also. Sephiroth's expression was almost warm as he nodded at the man.

"I trust you are well, Corporal Stevenson?" Sephiroth asked, as the SOLDIER nodded.

"Yes sir. Aiming to go for second class trials once I'm fully healed and no longer needed here, sir!"

"All the best then," Sephiroth nodded politely, and I couldn't bite back the small smile creeping along my lips. Sephiroth was far from the average General. I could recall my own General whilst serving under Wutai, who knew very little of us and had no desire to do so. News reports had often portrayed him as a cruel and heartless man, but that had been in Wutai, and much of the news we were fed was tightly monitored by the Emperor himself. The more hate that was bred with propaganda, the easier it would be to recruit individuals willing to stop Shinra in its tracks. But no, Sephiroth was not a monster. He was a man, and a humble and honorable one at that. I suppose in some ways, he could even be considered a… friend.

"Here ya go," The tailor grinned, handing over a brown paper bundle, tied with string. I looked up at him slightly in confusion, and didn't miss the sidelong smirk that Sephiroth offered.

"I believe his need to wear the uniform is somewhat urgent," The General remarked, and the tailor gave me a once over. I was still wearing the ragged clothes I'd had whilst held as a prisoner, and whilst I'd been permitted to shower and quickly wash the outfit before Sephiroth had taken me to the president, it remained tattered and stained with Gaia knows what.

"Oh!" The tailor laughed, clapping his hand on my shoulder and steering me to the back of the uniform store, ushering me into a change cubicle. I threw a cautious gaze over my shoulder at Sephiroth, who did nothing more than nod encouragingly, before the door closed behind me.

It didn't take long to strip from my current uniform, as I frowned slightly at the amount of dirt it had accumulated since I'd first been given it. It didn't matter now, however, as I tore open the paper parcel and pulled out the rookie Turk outfit. Navy blue in colour, I looked it over with a small nod of approval, before sliding into it. The tailor had done a wonderful job with the measurements. It was a perfect fit, where it sat nicely around my frame, with a little bit of room to move, presumably for combat. I pulled on the shirt, buttoned it where necessary, and was impressed with the fine material used. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but it breathed well, it was strong, and it was flexible. More importantly, it was comfortable, as I found the suit jacket to be also. I pulled it on, straightening the collar and looping the tie around my neck, straightening the shoulders and buttoning up the front, before I allowed my gaze to settle on myself in the mirror. I would never forget that moment, standing in a Shinra uniform shop, placing a Shinra uniform on my Wutaian skin for the first time. Thoughts raced through my mind, on what my father would think seeing me dressed in such a manner. I wondered how the rest of my family would take the news, if they would be as understanding as I'd hoped they would.

"You right in there, Tseng?" The tailor asked, tapping on the door.

"Yes, thank you," I replied, fiddling with the latch to unlock the door, before stepping out into the shop once again. I met Sephiroth's gaze, just as the General offered a small smile. He gave me a once over with his eyes, and offered a small nod of approval.

"Does it look right to you?" I asked, slightly concerned that perhaps I was not up to Turk standards in the form of their dress code. He was silent for a few moments, his eyes sweeping over my body once again, as he gestured for me to turn. I did so with little hesitation, and he gave another nod.

"You have a natural knack for meticulous presentation, I think," he mused, "It's very fitting on you."

I gave a nod of my own in recognition, as Sephiroth offered a polite goodbye to the tailor and began to lead me back to the Commander's office. And just like that, I was a rookie Turk.

--

Veld was not the warmest man on the planet. His features were seemingly always set into a firm line of authority, or otherwise occupied in a dull curve downwards of bored indifference. In any case, he was not the most pleasing of people to stand before.

"You may have the uniform and the General's enthusiasm, but until we have managed to thoroughly test your abilities, you are not yet an official Turk," He said firmly, "Just like anyone else, you will have to earn that privilege, and the respect that comes with it. I will give you credit that Sephiroth has gallantly spared your life, despite the circumstances surrounding your capture. You obviously have something about you to warrant his attentions, and whilst that on its own is impressive, it is still not enough. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," I nodded, and he reclined a little in his chair as he turned to face me properly.

"We have strict rules around here, and should you choose to break any of them or compromise the safety of any member of this team, or the integrity of the team itself, I will have no qualms about extinguishing the prominent threat that may result. If that results in the termination of your position here, or even your life, then so be it," He said firmly, as I held a firm gaze right back at him. He was intending on setting a firm line of obedience with intimidation, and whilst the method was not entirely appreciated by me, it was very well understood. Whilst he may be trying to shake my composure with his fierce, albeit subtle, manners of speaking, I was not willing to show any sign of how he had indeed affected my self-surety.

"I understand, Commander," I offered, nodding firmly once again. For a fleeting moment, he almost looked impressed, but he masked it well.

"Your family members will be within Midgar within the next few hours. You are expected at my office by six am sharp tomorrow morning, where you will be given a tour of the areas that you will find necessary for your training period. After that, you will be tested for the rest of the day in various aspects of duty. After assessment of tomorrow's performances, we'll see where things lead from then on," He nodded, offering me a very brief, almost forced smile, "Welcome to Shinra, Tseng."

He held out a hand and I shook it firmly, before he dismissed me, his hand delving into his pocket for a ringing cell phone. He didn't look up at me as I left, and I didn't offer more than a fleeting glance.

When I exited his office, Sephiroth was a little down the hall, engaged in a conversation with what appeared to be another SOLDIER. The man was dressed in a long leather coat, much like the General's, but in a shade of red instead of the plain black that personified Sephiroth. Auburn hair framed the stranger's face as he offered a seemingly arrogant smirk in Sephiroth's direction, bright blue eyes lighting up with dark amusement as the General offered a bored expression in return.

"… And if Angeal so wishes to do so, then it may be something worth considering," I heard Sephiroth's voice rolling across his tongue in an interesting fashion. He seemed very familiar with this individual, allowing himself a lax in his usually firm and well articulated words, and letting a slight Midgarian accent slip through as he did so.

"And if Angeal does not wish to do so?" the individual replied, as Sephiroth gave a small smirk.

"Then you're out of luck for this week, aren't you, Genesis?" the General said almost sarcastically, as he turned to face me, his companion doing the same. Genesis? Yes, I had heard of the man. He was said to be the closest rival to the General himself in skills, yet had never managed to come close to beating him. Blue eyes regarded me curiously as I approached, and Sephiroth gave a small 'hmph' of amusement.

"Welcome back, Tseng," He nodded, "I trust your meeting went well?"

"Yes thank you, sir," I nodded, as Genesis cleared his throat. If I had not known better, I'd have thought Sephiroth almost rolled his eyes.

"This is First Class SOLDIER Colonel, Genesis Rhapsodos. Genesis, this is the newest Turk recruit, Tseng," Sephiroth said politely, as Genesis held out a gloved hand to shake my own, a smug smirk toying along his lips.

"A pleasure to meet you," Genesis murmured, amusement still along his features as he spoke in a rich flowing voice, "Rumor has it that you were a part of an assassination plot regarding the General."

I gave an uncomfortable nod, eyes flicking to Sephiroth, as the General held his smirk.

"It's a pity you failed," Genesis remarked dryly. Whilst there was an apparent humor in his voice, his eyes flashed momentarily with a trace of seriousness, and my blood ran a little colder as I pulled my hand from the handshake. Sephiroth gave a sidelong glance at the SOLDIER beside him, but said nothing on the matter.

"We'd best be getting you fed," The General remarked, eyes settled on me once more, "I don't doubt for a minute that you're likely to enjoy a proper meal."

"Thank you General," I nodded, meeting Genesis' gaze again, "It was nice to meet you, sir."

The first class gave that same smug smirk, before leaning to murmur into Sephiroth's ear and heading for his barracks. Sephiroth's eyebrows had furrowed in apparent annoyance at whatever words his comrade had offered, but he said nothing as we headed for the elevator. There was silence for a few moments, and I offered a small nod as Sephiroth gestured me into the waiting elevator.

"It's not often you see first class SOLDIERs, is it?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"Not often, no."

"Are you as close to the rest of them as you are to Colonel Rhapsodos?" I asked curiously.

"A friendly word of caution," Sephiroth said softly, eyes turning to me, "Avoid Genesis when at all possible. He's not as polite as he appears at times."

I gave a small nod, as he frowned slightly.

"Perhaps it would be best if no one knew I told you that, also," He said firmly, and I nodded once again, as the elevator chimed and headed for one of the lower floors, the city beneath us casting a glow across the General's hard set features. It seems as if there were a lot of things about the General I was yet to find out, and whatever issues he had with Genesis were likely to be a drop of water in the ocean of complex mystery that the General held. Hopefully, in time, I'd learn it all.

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A/N: Lemme know what you think. I'd love a cheer up. SHIT WEEK. Bleh.