Oohhh wowohwowohwowohwowohwowohwow ohwow...Hee hee!

I don't own anything, anyone or anywhere you recognise. Sapphire, along with a few others who'll crop up every now and then, are mine.

I...saw...Advent Children! Hee hee! It was a bit weird. I'd just felt like I should watch something of this game I'm writing about, and when I woke up at the oddly early time of 8-ish on Saturday, I just watched it.

Oohhh wow. I did not realise how awesome Sephiroth truly is. Seriously! XD

Other than that, I have been watching a lot of movies lately. Just ones on TV. RED on network premier-John Malkovich was just hilarious, I love that guy! A couple of Lara Croft movies, that one that's always on with the triangle, and another one with the Phantom of the Opera. Cree-py.

Oh! And the Shawshank Redemption! That was a good movie! Reminded me far too much of Prison Break though, only without the sad ending. Dramatic, depressing scenes + beautifully sad music - main character = T-T

...Nearly. Hugh Jackman still holds the title of 'Only Actor to Make Me Cry' I'm afraid. Sorry, Mr Miller. Doesn't make you any less awesome.

Oh, and guess what? Without request, I have given you another chapter of 'Sapphire's Shinra Shenanigans'! Now you've read Chapter 9, go on ahead and read Chapter 2 of that! I hope you like it-I drew a picture for it, and all! :D

10 - Anticipation for the Future

I looked up in interest as Ash returned at too slow a pace. "Ash!" I greeted with a grin, and when she sat back down in her seat, Zack, Will (we had filled him in as Ash was eavesdropping) and I stared at her in interest. "What did they talk about? Anything interesting?"

The dark-brown-haired Cadet slowly slid into her seat with an oddly vacant expression, which could've meant anything. We all stared at her meaningfully, willing her to tell us about what Angeal and Cliff had said. "Well?" Zack pressed her a second later.

Her head jerked up to look at us, with the same creepy empty expression. "You two, you and Coby, you haven't had sessions with Angeal or Genesis in ages, right?" she enquired, seemingly out of the blue. Zack and I traded glances.

"I haven't had one since that first one a week ago, the day of our first 'Situation and Reaction Training' class," I stated, and Zack nodded. "Oh, so it's not weird, then! I thought it was a long time since my lesson, but if you haven't had one, then I guess it's normal!" I enthused, laughing slightly in relief. Honestly, I was beginning to get a little worried. I turned to look at Ash, and enquired, "So, you're saying Angeal was talking about our training? Will we be getting another lesson today then?"

Ash looked oddly downtrodden, and was quick to shake her head. "No, I don't think so. From what Angeal said, Genesis went through some sort of test with Professor Hojo a week ago, and it didn't go well, apparently. That's why you haven't had any lessons," she clarified, and my eyes expanded to the size of blitzballs.

I opened my mouth to say something, but forgot it as a thought flashed through my head. I clicked my fingers in a 'eureka!' moment and voiced my thoughts, "He looked so grouchy that day, that must've been it! That must've been the day he asked me...to..."

I trailed off awkwardly, and looked down in speculation and embarrassment. Ash, Will and Zack all looked at me, expecting me to continue my explanation.

"...never mind."

Eyebrows were raised, but to my surprise and instant joy, the three Cadets dropped it. Ash continued her reciting of what she had heard, "...Yes. Well, Angeal said that Genesis is about fine now, but that he was considering trying to coerce Genesis into dropping you as a student."

"Uh, what?" I interrupted what she was saying, shocked. "So, what, I get an awful five-hour lesson with the guy and he can't teach me anymore? Well that's a little sad!" I exclaimed, shoulders slumping.

Ash smiled slightly. "In that case, I have some good news! Angeal was saying he'd try to convince Sephiroth to take over if Genesis agreed!"

After a few moments of silence, and Will and Zack grimacing on my behalf as they examined my expression closely, I quietly asked, "Any other news?"

A surprisingly long few seconds later - Ash seemed to be thinking back to what was said - she answered, "Not really, no."

I nodded in acceptance, and another few seconds later, I leapt to my feet, screamed, and ran out of the cafeteria, my thin black socks making me skid all over the place.

"Ge-ne-SIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSS!"

...

The redhead SOLDIER jerked upright and took long, swift strides towards my position once he saw me on my knees in the middle of the corridor. "Kiddie, what in the name of the Goddess are you doing on the floor, crying hysterically like this?" he demanded to know, his leather-coated arms folded in front of him and clearly not going to offer me a hand up.

I pouted. "You have no right to call me that! Not anymore! Not you, Sir!" I was able to call him by his first name, because no one was about, but I had practised in the bathroom mirror (as weird as that sounds) and it just felt so weird I decided that I'd risk a 'bad student/teacher relationship' in preference to keeping even the slightest bit of normalcy.

Genesis' face screwed up in confusion. "Get a grip, Amell. What on Gaia is your problem, so you can stop acting this way?" he asked harshly, and I looked up at him from my knees on the floor in front of him, intending to look as pleading and as cute and puppy-dog-ish as I could.

I pondered what I would say to the intimidating, clearly peeved First Class SOLDIER, and eventually I buried my face in my hands, just to hide from his scary glare as much as possible. After a few moments, I settled for the classic, "Don't die!"

I glanced up between my fingers at Genesis, who was clearly unimpressed. "Thank you for caring, Cobalt. However, I would like to know what's brought this on," he answered sarcastically, shifting his weight and swaying to one side, the ends of his red coat swaying elegantly with him.

"Angeal said that day of the...thing, that you were ill! I didn't even realise - you're okay, right? You'll take me for another lesson, right?" I cleared my voice when I paused, realising I was far too squeaky at the moment, and basically stumbled my way through the rest of the sentence like it was a swamp.

Genesis' brow was furrowed. "Angeal told you this?" he questioned seriously, and not noticing the murderous look in his crystalline blue eyes, I nodded.

"Yup, Ash told me. And something about re..." I trailed off as I finally noticed my beloved tutor's hands quickly closing into fists, and the man literally beginning to tremble in badly-capped rage. Suddenly, replacing didn't seem like the appropriate word, and I stuttered for a while before eventually admitting, "It's not important..."

Genesis distantly nodded, and after a moment, swiftly turned his head to look at me. It was astonishing how intense he was from his out-of-it look a second ago, so much so I fell back from him, and let out a bit of a squeak as my back and head collided with the floor. The redhead deliberately stepped back a little farther from me, and I rolled my eyes, knowing he just didn't want to help me up, before getting up myself and brushing myself off. To my surprise the redhead began to walk, and it took me a second to hastily follow.

"Uh, where are you going?" I asked pointlessly, and then pleaded as I nearly tripped over my feet, "Slow d-"

"I'm going to share words with Angeal, in a civilised and responsible manner," Genesis interrupted me in a deadly calm voice, his brow firmly furrowed and glaring at the air in front of him as he stepped increasingly quickly through it, his coat billowing out behind him. "And then I am going to invite him to a friendly spar in forty-nine and hope that he's actually willing to use that Buster Sword of his, because he's going to need it if he has any intention of keeping his head."

I 'meep'ed quietly. "Uh, I'm not really sure if that's-"

I cut myself off that time as Genesis abruptly stopped, grabbing my shoulder and making me return his terrifyingly intense stare. I tried looking away so hard I think my eye started twitching, and I still couldn't.

Nothing was said, and all was as silent as a graveyard as he stared straight at me. There was such a complete silence that my thick swallow could've been heard from miles around. My nostrils flared as I breathed rapidly, and I clenched my fists by my side to stop them shaking. Alternatively, Genesis was so extremely still, I wouldn't believe he was actually a person if his eyes didn't occasionally shift between my own two eyes.

His next statement was said with such delicate softness; I didn't think I could've been more frightened unless it was quieter, as he asked me, "I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to answer honestly, so listen hard, Amell. Angeal and I have been close friends for a very long time, I couldn't know him any better than I do now. You or your friend or whomever, heard Angeal saying that I was ill, and perhaps incapable of teaching a Cadet. Now, despite said Cadet's lack of general ability, and intelligence..."

As Genesis took a tiny pause, I decided to rebuke that statement by saying something interesting, so I said, "You know that LOVELESS uses the word 'my' seven times?" I figured using a LOVELESS fact was the best way to go; after all, this was Genesis.

A double-take was my response, and Genesis stared at me in disbelief, straightening up properly to stare down at me now. "Really?" he enquired, his voice considerably lighter, and noticeably sarcastic.

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! Interesting, huh?" I said gleefully, grinning now as Genesis chuckled slightly.

"I'm not surprised by your fact. I knew that, I have read LOVELESS before, if you didn't know," he pointed out, folding his arms. "I was confused because I didn't realise that you read LOVELESS yourself. When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, The Goddess descends from the sky..."

Genesis looked at me meaningfully, and I grimaced before holding my hands up in defeat. "I don't know the poem...not yet, at least," I told him honestly, and while he seemed somewhat disappointed, he inclined his head in acceptance.

"You can be sure that by the time I am finished with you, you will have discovered the joy and inspiration that comes from LOVELESS," he assured with a smile, a smile that made my stomach disappear for a second, until Genesis rubbed his gloved hands together. "I will make a Cadet worth his salt out of you yet, Cobalt Amell! If Angeal believes I am not up to training you, we shall have to prove him wrong, do you agree?"

I couldn't stop the goofy grin from spreading all over my face as I hollered, "You bet, of course I do!"

"Well then!" Genesis motivated, and continued on in his walk. "To the training room! It's time to see just what you're made of, Cadet!"

...

A giggle greeted me as I staggered into our shared Cadet apartment, collapsing onto the lumpy but currently extremely comfortable couch before groaning an illegible complaint and shoving off all the random junk thrown haphazardly and lazily onto it - and I'm not saying anything, not pointing any fingers, but a considerable amount of that yet-to-be-cleaned clothing and cutlery belonged to a certain dark-haired puppy-dog who was fortunate enough to get a partially messed-up clinophobe for a roommate. (Clinophobia is a fear of going to bed, by the way...and I don't have it, but I might as well use what little pointless knowledge I have, yes?)

"So, am I to take it that Genesis wasn't in as much bother as Angeal made him out to be?" Ash teased, munching on crisps from a cylindrical container, watching me like I was the most intense movie she'd seen in a while.

I sighed heavily and with relief, lying back on the sofa for a second before sitting up to carefully cradle my right knee. "...Yeah, that sounds about right," I answered, clearing my throat as my voice was inadvertently small and feeble, and rested my head on my other propped-up knee.

With a moment's pause, she shook her head. "You and Zack just are the drama magnets of Shinra, aren't you?" she commented, her voice just a tad sarcastic. "Lay it on me then, Coby. Tell me the tale of the most painful and ill-deserved injury ever received."

And as she picked up a magazine next to her and uninterestedly began to flick through it slightly, the worst possible thought came into my head; of Ciara and her advice, that is to say, that I should tell Ash as soon as there was an opportunity.

This was an opportunity. I could've just come out with it, just told her, and explained the situation and why I had to continue with the facade. It would've been easy enough, just to say so.

Naturally, I ignored the smart girl's advice and launched right, head-first into the story; of the innocent, handsome and most talented SOLDIER-wannabe, whilst beset upon by a red-coated creature that constantly recited poetry and, while the Cadet being five-times his better at all important matters, Genesis was being a cheaty and unfair...enemy.

I explained to her, with wild and vague hand gestures that, as I rescued a train full of youngsters wanting to see the sights of Midgar, and defended them from the evil Genesis, the cheeky rapscallion had sneaked around me while I was unaware and I had accidentally twisted my right calf and foot to an angle attached at the knee that was, I believed, impossible before today in turning to face him.

It certainly wasn't known to all previous medical history, anyway. Or so I liked to think. The few medics who showed up a short while later sprayed it with stuff, simply snapped it back into place (ignoring my howling at this point, obviously) gave me an icepack to hold to it, gave me painkillers, and instructed me as to what I had to do until the thing healed.

Then, and only then, four hours into Genesis' training, was I allowed to have a break. I figured he was kidding when he said 'break', or that he meant longer than usual class break times of about ten minutes. More like, I don't know, a few weeks? A month? A lifetime would be nice.

Why did I complain about losing Genesis? Why couldn't I plead with him to LET ME GO? He doesn't even like me!

Ash did not look in the least bit sympathetic, her irritatingly-smug grin plastered over her face as she shrugged. "At least Commander Rhapsodos doesn't treat you as just a Cadet," she encouraged, actually sounding serious as she consoled me. "With him willing to fight you at these levels, sure it's going to hurt, but you'll become an awful lot more resilient. And it means that he's treating you properly, like a student rather than a lucky Cadet, like how he treats you all the time you aren't training together."

She sniggered as I glared at her. "Yeah, laugh it up, Ash. But just think, in a few years time, you could be looking to advance into Second Class, and I, with training and recommendation from a First Class under my belt, will simply have shot up the ranks. Think about that," I teased, and if possible, the girl laughed even more.

"Maybe so. But for now, I'm just content to bask in your misery, for the foreseeable future. Enjoy the rest of your life, Coby, because the instant you get out of training with the most self-obsessed and annoying teacher ever known to Gaia, you'll be neck-deep in First Class SOLDIER paperwork and responsibilities.

"Meanwhile, the rest of us 'mortals' will be able to enjoy ourselves a little drink down at the local bar and enjoy our lives," she mocked me, and I glared at her with a pout.

"...Well, you don't need to make me jealous like that," I whined, earning a laugh from the dark-haired Cadet. "I have enough to lament over without thinking about what you guys will be spending your spare time doing."

I shifted on the sofa, and cringed, letting out a pent-up breath as my knee sent new startling shoots of pain through my entire leg. Ash seemed not to notice as she continued the conversation, "Well, to be honest, when I say drink, I was thinking more of...you know, lemonade, OJ, that sort of stuff. Not alcohol - you're only fifteen anyway, aren't you?"

I stared at her in confusion. "What on Gaia is 'OJ'?" I questioned, pulling a face I could tell without looking in a mirror was weird.

She returned the look, only looking more astonished than questioning. "Orange juice! Seriously, Coby? You're messed up, dude!"

I leaned my head back on the sofa with a lazy grin as I replied, "You think I didn't know that? I thought you guys heard I slept on my head!" Ash pouted and slowly nodded in acceptance while I grinned.

An expression that quickly dropped, however - my quickly swelling knee did not approve as I tried to change to a more comfortable position, and throbbed twice as painfully as before, causing a groan. "Uh, Coby...you alright?"

"Yup," I quickly answered, placing a hand over my eyes as I sunk further into the sofa, my chest rumbling all the way as my knee finally grew to a consistent agony, instead of terrible shoots of massive pain.

"Alright, sure, I believe you," Ash said in complete seriousness, and I removed my hand and watched as she got to her feet, armed with her PHS. I raised an eyebrow and gestured to it with an enquiring expression, and she looked at me, deadpan.

And instead of covering up with a more-than-lame excuse like I had expected, she simply told me the truth in a monotone.

"I'm calling the infirmary, Cobalt. If you can't get up to take the PHS from me in ten seconds, I will proceed with the call." And with that, the Cadet started counting down teasingly, a hand on her hip and the PHS held near her ear.

I glared at her from my lying position on the sofa, and despite my competitiveness and total disregard for my own well-being, I knew with the way I was in, there wasn't any way I was getting that communicating gadget from my fit-and-healthy companion.

When she reached zero, she tutted while shaking her head. "Oh Coby, I expected better from you, I really did! At the very least, I was expecting a bit of a show," she teased sarcastically, before beginning to flick through what was being displayed on the gadget.

I folded my arms and scowled, irritated by this turn of events, but I was calm. I would not confront the girl while she clearly had an unfair advantage. I'll wait 'til she's sleeping.

That thought calmed me down somewhat, and I was able to contentedly wait as Ash called the infirmary on my behalf, and after a short conversation, sat down with me to wait for the medics to arrive, hopefully only with a few bandages, pills and lollipops.

They arrived quite quickly, and even though I knew there were more waiting out in the hallway, only three of the Shinra employees with white coats entered, and with only one of them, the youngest guy, deciding to greet us, the other two got to work instantly.

And throughout the whole process, I decided I liked the other two better, as that one guy jabbered on and on at me, all sorts of meaningless, digging questions that made me slightly self-conscious.

"So, Coby - I'm gonna call you Coby - how did you get this knee injury?"

"...I was training."

"Oh, training? Was this with Ash here? Who was training you? How many were there?"

"Uh...yes, no, Commander Rhapsodos, and...just me."

"Really? Well, that's pretty cool! Why was he training you? Not to be rude or anything, but I thought he had too much stuff to do without training a Cadet such as yourself."

"I wouldn't know. They decided to train a couple of us, him and Commander Hewley and the General."

"Oh, right, I heard about that. I didn't know who was getting the training, though. I'll have to remember your face and commit it to memory, Cobalt! You know, just in case you happen to get another injury while in training."

"...Yeah."

Ash was sniggering in the background, her hand over her mouth as this went down - but I was surprised, actually, that whatever tactic the guy was trying to pull, it seemed to work. I glanced down at my knee, and saw that the whole joint was wrapped in bandages over my Cadet uniform, an inch or more extra on top and bottom.

One of the other medics looked up at me from where he was stooped over my leg. "Sorry to say, Amell, that your knee bone has been chipped. It should heal itself over time, but I think it would be in your best interest if you were to stay in the infirmary, just until tomorrow, and we'll see how you are then."

I preferred this guy, if I was honest, and I nodded. "Do I get to limp myself down to the infirmary now, then? You wouldn't happen to have a crutch or something? Or maybe I could just get a piggyback from Chatty here," I joked, pointing to the surprised and quite happy man crouched next to me as I threw a friendly arm around his shoulders.

"My name's Gray, actually," he corrected me with a grin, and I chuckled.

The other medic, who suddenly seemed worse and a pile more boring, replied without acknowledging Gray, "All of those are against company policy, I'm afraid. We'll transport you down."

I raised an eyebrow, knowing I wouldn't like the transportation even as I heard him say it, and looked to the doorway - and cringed - as a bed on wheels with bars and restraints either side was wheeled in by two other medics.

My eyes were wide as I said slowly, "Is that really necessary? I don't think Ash would mind piggybacking me down there, and she and Gray could share, I bet!"

It made little difference, and as the two relatively-young spectators watched with amusement and laughed, I was elevated onto the wheelie bed, and mused on how out-of-place one person could feel as I was surrounded by about five medics in doctor's coats, all pulling me as I lay on my back, now with only the slightest traces of pain as I was wheeled to the elevator.

I don't like beds.

Something told me I wouldn't be getting a very comfortable sleep tonight.

"Getting to that time of the year again, isn't it, Angeal?"

The dark-haired SOLDIER Commander's eyes were alight with excitement and enthusiasm as he looked to his childhood friend, who by comparison looked extremely miserable. "It's tomorrow, Genesis. The day every Cadet, SOLDIER and Turk looks forward to equally as much...except for my two closest friends."

Angeal sent an intentionally unimpressed and sarcastic look to his red-coated companion, who smirked and made a show of turning the page of his beloved poetry book, demonstrating his disinterest in the topic of discussion. The third member of their usual group during these talks, General Sephiroth, was sitting at his desk which today (while usually tidy) was littered with sheets of paperwork in the process of being filled out.

Angeal sent a cautious look to the youngest and most powerful of the triad. He - apparently unlike Genesis - was consciously aware that this topic was a somewhat sensitive issue with the silver-topped General, and didn't want to be thoughtless towards the man in his excitement for the day.

It seemed that today Sephiroth was either too busy or simply very uninterested, as the man did not look up from where he was hunched over his table, pen furiously scribbling the man's signature on an unfairly-large stack of papers.

So, the dark-haired SOLDIER grinned at the redhead, saying nothing. Eventually, Genesis rested his book in his lap, and examined Angeal's expression with a playfully curious look, eyes slightly narrowed and mouth curled up at the corners.

"Just what are you thinking of now, Angeal?" the flamboyant SOLDIER enquired, as he crossed one leg over the other on Sephiroth's comfortable sofa. Angeal gave the smallest chuckle, and took a seat opposite Genesis.

"I'm just wondering how our newest little friends will react to tomorrow. They haven't been here long, it won't seem like that big of a deal, but by this time in three months..."

An eyebrow cocked at Angeal's musings. "What, you're saying they won't already have run home to their parents by then?" he mocked, and at Angeal's glare, Genesis tossed his hair back in a smooth motion. "Why are you pondering this, anyway? I hope you're not still interested in Sapphire...Angeal, if you steal my student's letters, a lot of people are going to get angry or broken shortly after, so it's not advisable."

Angeal shook his head in pseudo-frustration, though Genesis could see his small grin and gave a little smile himself. "I'm not going to steal your Cadet's letters from home, Genesis. I assure you."

Genesis' eyes were quick to narrow. "He's not my Cadet, Angeal. He is my student, not my Cadet."

Angeal ignored his partially-angered friend and zoned out, looking at the newest flowers from Sephiroth's fan club sticking out of the bin.

Yes, tomorrow was letter day. As usual, a lot of the SOLDIER floor was buzzing and excitable to hear from their families for the first time in the last three months. These four days of the year were some of the most looked-forward-to in the Shinra Calendar, because even despite all the advancements Shinra had made in technology allowing people to get in touch in moments over communicating gadgets, many people on Gaia still believed that there was no greater a way to hear from loved ones than to receive from them a personal and heartfelt letter.

As he always was, Angeal was thrilled for the day. Though he was by no means simple, he held extremely high value for everyone getting word from home by letter, and always enjoyed hearing from his own parents back in Banora.

As expected, this particular day was especially sensitive to Sephiroth; as a day focused on family and loved ones, the General mostly locked himself away in his office the entire day and never left, except to sleep. Of course, he would listen if Angeal told him of what he had heard, but the dark-haired Commander himself knew that behind his politeness and submissiveness, Sephiroth wished he had a similar link to some kind of family.

Which was another topic on which Genesis fell out with Sephiroth; the sometimes childish Commander held a fairly obvious disdain for the day. Having foster parents who he was convinced did not care for him, Genesis saw little point and no meaning behind receiving the letters; though Angeal could tell that his close friend lashed out mostly because of his own troubles, not his own opinions on the day.

With Genesis showing this scorn of the day, and Sephiroth's submissiveness and wistfulness, every three months the two SOLDIERs were likely to end up in the training room, thinking up and experimenting with different ways to kill the other as insults were tossed between them.

Angeal had never picked sides when the day came to blows, and he was certain that this was a part of the day that would not change. The Commander, for a large portion of the day, found himself constantly having to placate the two...or judging who was better in their sparring.

The dark-haired Commander knew and understood both his friends' arguments toward each other, but if pressed, he would have to admit that Sephiroth had better grounds for his anger. Sephiroth wouldn't get into the infamous 'Argument of Letter Day' if Genesis were not so vocal or biased in his views of the day, because Genesis was somewhat unfounded; because of his fiery temper, he would argue and complain about the day because many people, excluding him, were content and happy with their situations at home.

Angeal wouldn't ever think of telling the two what he thought of their disputes; his calming, elder-brother attitude was what kept Sephiroth and Genesis as friends. And though the term friends was used somewhat loosely, it was much better than them being bitter rivals, Genesis being jealous of the attention Sephiroth received and the General all-too happy to accept the Commander's challenge.

Angeal was glad that the two were capable of getting along, even if only slightly. The three had turned into something of a dysfunctional family of brothers; Angeal was the oldest who kept the peace, Sephiroth in the middle, who constantly fought with the youngest as Genesis tried to find his place.

The analogy made him smile, and he thought of the other family members who kept getting added to the Shinra SOLDIER family. Director Lazard alternated between being serious and being friendly, the uncle to the three.

The Turks were like another family of their own, sometimes invited over to share special occasions and enjoy each other's company, but SOLDIER and the Turks were always in competition over who was better.

President Shinra was something of a grouchy old father or grandpa to the family, always issuing what was right or wrong, what everyone should be doing.

Professor Hojo was that old, creepy man down the street who had no friends, stayed in his house all day, and while the adults pretended to like him and told the kids off for being rude, everyone secretly sort-of wished he'd die.

All the new Cadets, and most of the Third and Second Classes in SOLDIER were tons of little first and second cousins you never knew existed until you saw them for the first time at an event, who you could make friends with and really get to know more than you ever expected, or you may never see again.

Cliff Luxor, the Second Class who took the Cadets for 'Fitness and Teamwork' classes, was the guy who lived on the same street. He was the guy who found the time to be everywhere at once, and made friends with everyone.

Wallace Everton, the man who took the 'Introduction to Weaponry' class, was the cool, crazy uncle that everyone liked but was the slightest bit unsure of.

Sirus Winterhold, the First Class SOLDIER who taught 'Strategy and Tactics' was the other grandfather who picked up on absolutely everything, but was always old-fashioned and set in his ways.

Edward Merowian, the zany Second Class who taught the Cadets 'Materia Training' in his spare time, was the ridiculous older cousin who never stopped moving and repeatedly got himself into difficult scrapes and situations.

And alternatively, of course, there was Zack and Coby, (partially thanks to an especially weird dream he had a few nights ago) they were two little puppies who constantly yelped, got themselves into trouble, made a mess every day of the week, and just made everyone smile as they tried to make friends with anything they could find.

"Uh...Angeal?"

The SOLDIER in question snapped out of his amused thoughts to look at his childhood friend, who was staring at him in a confused and faintly mocking way. Angeal brushed off his surprise, and raised an eyebrow at the red-coated Commander. "Yes, Genesis?"

There was a long pause, as Genesis' expression did not change, until he let out a breath and shook his head. "I don't think I actually want to know what you were thinking. Probably about some sort of extremely interesting news you'll hear from back in Banora." Genesis snorted as he spoke with a mocking voice smothered in sarcasm, making Angeal somewhat peeved as his friend ruined the sentiment behind the important and heartfelt day, knowing both that it would not be for the first time, and that he would not be the only one affected.

Angeal decided to say nothing on the matter. It was Genesis' prerogative what he thought of the day. But as the elder brother of this little family he had imagined in his head, he knew he would intervene if Genesis said something tomorrow to ruin another member's day.

Whether it was one of the many little cousins they had, a family friend who lived on the same street, or one Puppy in particular that Angeal felt could be getting some shtick from Genesis tomorrow, he would stop Genesis from ruining their day.

That's what big brothers did.

Heh, not my big brothers. Mine ruin my day. Thank you reviewers, for being the ones to stop my big brothers ruining my day!

AnonyMouse: You like Merowian? Well, good news, my friend! You'll like the next chapter! :D

Hmm...ordinarily, I wouldn't have thought to use the term 'plotting'...but I see your point. But hey, Sapphire's just one of those little people who manage to worm their way into everyone's lives! The fact that she's just a little Cadet attracting all this attention, and with Angeal being such a nice guy...well, he just seems the type to go to extreme lengths to make sure one innocent little person is kept safe. Lucky for Sapphire, he chose the person who probably needs protecting the most.

Holes in the conversation? Perhaps that was intentional. Perhaps you are sleep deprived. Far more likely, however, is that I am. I wanted to get this chapter up. You do not want to know what time it is. School tomorrow, too! *rubs eyes*

Bahahaha! Suspense, I know! You saw the Adventure/Humor genres, you never thought I'd put you through this sort of intense, cliff-hanging drama! Scaaa-ree! XD

And hey, if you think your reviews are repetitive, keep 'em coming! After all, with the amount of ego-boosting you've done for me, you think I'm offended if you think you keep doing it? Hee hee, I'm the kind of pikachu who loves some of that verbal pampering. Thank you once again for such lovely feedback! :D

grandshadowseal: Welcome to the story! Thanks a bunch for that, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ;)