Note: I have no experience of the USA or Japanese education systems, which are usually what these kinds of fic are modelled on. What I do know is based on the PS2 Game Canis Canem Edit.

7. High School Fic

Principal Shinra stared down at the boy.

"I've been handed three reports of you picking fights in other schools. But Midgar Academy is not like anywhere else in the world. We'll soon teach you the error of your ways. Fact. Now get out of my sight!

They were standing in front of the school gates. The Principal snapped his fingers at a random passerby. "You! Fair! Show the new boy around."

The victim, a boy with spiked black hair and an athletic build, saluted. "Yes, sir!" As President Shinra walked away, his guide grinned.

"Hey, I'm Zack. You new?"

"...Yes." The voice was quiet

"Okay, well, this school isn't like anywhere you're used to, so I'd better give a quick rundown. Got any gear you need to put in the dorm?"

Pause.

" I guess so."

"Okay. Dorm first, then Cafeteria. You need to know what you'll be dealing with."

They began walking.

"So, where're you from?"

"Nibelheim..."

"Yeah? Mountain town, right? One of our teachers used to live there, guy called Hojo. Stay away from him if you can. Teaches Biology, not someone you want to cross. There's a rumour that he keeps one of his wife's old boyfriends locked in his basement."

"...Wow."

"Yeah. That's the kinda school this is. Stay close to me and you'll be fine, though. I promise."

The new boy closed his eyes. "What am I doing here?"

Zack cocked his head. "Hey don't worry, I won't let anything happen... What's your name, by the way?"

"Cloud."

"You poor bastard."

Something ignited in Cloud's eyes, and his fists clenched. Zack smiled.

"Not a total doormat after all, huh? I think you'll do fine here."

They reached the boys dorm when the doors swung outwards. An older boy with long silver hair stalked past, his huge black coat flaring behind him. One shoulder clipped Cloud, who almost fell, but the silver haired boy didn't break stride. Zack leapt to restrain his charge as Cloud got back to his feet.

"Don't do anything stupid. That's Sephiroth Crescent, the schools fencing champ. He's not someone you want to mess with."

"He didn't even look at me!"

" He's like that now. The family situation is complicated."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. His Mom died when he was young and donated her body to science. Science injected the body with the DNA of an immortal research specimen, and she came back to life. His Mom, his Dad, and the research specimen have been locked in a custody battle ever since. It's been hard on him, and he went a little off the rails when he found out."

"...What?"

"I'm not sure how it happened either."

They reached the dorm marked for Cloud, and the new boy deposited his gear...among which, Zack noticed was a two handed pellet gun and a blunted fencing sabre.

"You can fight? Good. Here, you're going to need it. It'd probably be a good idea to bring one of those with you when you're walking around. Now, let's go to the cafeteria, it's a good way to get to grips with this place.

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They took an empty table in the corner, giving them a good view of the room in general. Zack, between bites, explained the factions.

"See that guy in the white coat with the red hair?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"That is Rufus Shinra, the Student Council President. He's the Principal's son, and someone you should probably keep away from. He's backed by the class reps and the prefects...they're the ones in the blue coats. The faculty are mostly behind them too, which means that Rufus Shinra has more money and influence than any two other factions combined. They don't have as many awesome fighters though, so as long as you don't get cornered, you can usually get by.

"You've already met Sephiroth. He's a 1st Class Student, but he's not much of a team player. He's got a few groupies who dress in black capes, but mostly works alone. Used to be one of Rufus', but after his family troubles, he's a force in itself. Everyone tries to keep out of his way."

"The guy in the red coat is called Genesis. Sephiroth's favourite sparring partner, he runs the Literature Club. Whatever you do, don't insult the play LOVELESS to his face.

"The skinny guy with the glasses is called Fuhito., Hojo's top student. His followers call themselves AVALANCHE, they're environmentalists. Got a lot of people behind him too, He's set himself against the Shinras. He's got resources, and one very good fighter, girl called Elfe. He's been causing Shinra a lot of trouble, but he's not choosing his targets well, so Shinra are still on top.

"The big black guy with the metal arm's called Barret, teaches Geology. He lost an arm a few years back, when a Shinra AVALANCHE war went horribly wrong. So now he hates the Shinra's and he's backing AVALANCHE II. They've much less resources and people than Fuhito, but they're picking their targets really well, so they're actually hurting the Shinra more."

A pair of arms encircled Zack from behind, Cloud blinked as a girl with brown hair and startlingly green eyes smiled at him.

"Hi."

"And this is Aeris." Zack hooked an arm around her waist. "She runs a flower shop with her stepmom in town. Hi, I've just been teaching the new kid his way around, how's Elmyra?"

"Asking for you. Something to do with a flower wagon you were supposed to make."

"Oh shit!" The door swung in his wake.

Aeris smiled. "So, what have you learned?"

"That I picked the wrong school. All this fighting..."

"Yeah?" She produced a daisy from somewhere and tucked it into his lapel. "Don't worry about it. Watch this."

Spoons flew in two directions. Both were snatched out of the air by older students standing beside Rufus and Fuhito...a prefect with long black hair and Elfe respectively. The two factions charged each other, with the brutality only the school system can get away with.

"Anyway, I'd better be getting back to the shop. Nice meeting you."

"Likewise."

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Two blue coated Turks looked at each other as the cafeteria battle worsened. As prefects, it was up to them to calm things down.

"Yo Rude...This thing, it got any bite to it?"

"Shinra technology at its finest."

Six months earlier...

"I declare Rude's flash bomb to be this year's winner! This truly is Shinra technology at its finest!"

Cheers.

"Second prize goes to Ms. Shalua Rui and her robotic arm/life support system. Third to Fuhito and his immortality tanks.

"And now the faculty competition...Third Prize, Ms. Scarlet and her intercontinental cannon. 2nd, Reeve Tuesti and his autonomous cat robot. And 1st, Mr. Palmer with his rocket capable of breaking the earths' atmosphere. That concludes this year's young Scientist Competition!"

The present...

Zack was back in school for the evening meal, by which time the cafeteria had been cleaned up. Cloud was feeling a bit more secure in his surroundings. Footsteps.

Zack looked up. "Hey, That's Tifa. She's the school's top MMA student."

Blush. "Yeah. She used to live next door to me."

"Used to? What happened?"

She reached them. "...Cloud? Is that you?"

Mute nod.

"I thought so, but..." A glance downward. "Have you picked a side yet?"

Zack glanced up. "He got here this morning."

"Okay, I understand. Anyway, I'm AVALANCHE II, and we're really hurting for help. Think about it."

She turned and left.

Zack looked at his charge. "Well?"

"I dunno...I don't care much either way. Do you have a side?"

"Used to be Shinra. Now, I'm pretty neutral, just trying to keep out of the way. I freelance now and again."

"Mercenary, huh?"

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Three weeks later...

"We've cut the powerlines. The President is really paranoid, though. There's eight generators on campus."

C'mon newcomer...follow me."


Y'know, I almost think I could make this a multichapter. Please review, compliments not compulsory.