Chapter 10
In the next few days, the barrack suite became a little more upbeat compared to days past. Zack, Kunsel, and Zen have come to accept their career destiny, whatever they may be, more positively. The sixteen-year-olds still dreamt of entering the ranks of SOLDIER, although with a much more different outlook than before. The night before the day that Zack was to begin training under the watchful eyes of Angeal, Zen and Kunsel were more than happy to give Zack a good luck party. Truly, between the party poppers and the random Cactuar-in-a-cake (which the captured Cactuar was none too happy about and promptly gave Zack the present of 100 Needles, much to his chagrin), if they were any happier the Junon barracks would be nonexistent. Luckily, Zack firmly declined Zen's proposal of shooting questionable fireworks off the Shin-Ra helipad, as that would've been a little much (too much in Kunsel's eyes).
The next morning, Kunsel and Zen went to see Zack off, who had already gotten suited up in his infantryman uniform.
"Good luck, Zack," Kunsel wishes warmly with a smile.
"Don't give the poor guy a nervous breakdown now," Zen laughs as she gave Zack a pat on the back.
"Isn't that your job?" retorts the young man with a grin.
Strapping his sword to his back, Zack proceeds to press the button next to the entry sliding door panel. Right when the metal panel moved, something floats into the entryway and lands right at Kunsel's feet.
"Huh, what's this?" exclaims Kunsel as he picks up what looks to be a manila envelope.
Curious, Zen and Zack both peer over to check out the label.
"It's addressed to all three of us," notes Zen.
Kunsel undoes the string on the envelope and takes out a rather official-looking letter written on Shin-Ra military stationary. Intrigued by the important appearance of the document, the three of them stood where they were to read what was on the letter, ignoring the fact that the front door has already closed itself in the meantime.
To Infantrymen Kunsel, Zack, and Zen of Barrack 626,
It is with great pleasure that I declare that the three of you have been selected to join the ranks of SOLDIER. Your exceptional abilities and unparallel strength goes above and beyond what we expect of members of the world-renowned Shin-Ra army and for that you have been recommended for SOLDIER candidacy.
From this day forward, you will be known as Third Class SOLDIER Kunsel, Third Class SOLDIER Zack, and Third Class SOLDIER Zen. Please report to the Junon branch of the Shin-Ra headquarters at 1800 hours to receive your official SOLDIER uniforms. Tomorrow at 0800 hours, the three of you will be taken to Midgar, where all members of SOLDIER are trained and stationed.
Congratulations and good luck on your future endeavors!
Cicero
Three pairs of eyes stare widely at the letter in complete disbelief. The teenagers could never imagine such a rare event would ever come to pass and here they were making history. For a few minutes, total silence reigned in the suite as the reality of it all slowly sunk in. Things were so quiet that the sound of Zack's helmet dropping to the floor seemed to echo throughout the suite.
The three of them look to one another with mouths and eyes wide opened as if to understand if what they read was real.
"A-are we dreaming?" Zack speaks up at last.
Almost immediately, Zen and Kunsel pinch Zack's cheeks, to which he cries out in surprise.
"Ow! Why'd you have to pinch my cheeks?" exclaims Zack with a frown as he rubs the sides of his face with both hands to relieve the pain.
"Feels real to me," asserts Zen, turning to Kunsel.
"Same here," adds Kunsel with a nod.
Then suddenly, the three of them began jumping up and down and screaming about excitedly.
"We're in SOLDIER! We did it! We're in SOLDIER!"
"Oh my gosh, we did it, guys!" Zen nearly yells out as she wraps her arms around each boy's head.
"I can't believe this is really happening!" exclaims Kunsel, brushing his spikey hair back with a hand in astonishment. "I mean, seriously, all three of us?"
"This is the greatest day of my LIFE!" whoops Zack, shooting a fist into the air triumphantly.
After much joyous traipsing about and more shouts of jubilations, the three teenagers gradually began to wind down as their enthusiastic energy dissipated.
"Man, who would've thought we'd all get in at the same time," breathed Kunsel.
"This… This is unbelievable," exclaims Zack. He struggles to steady his feet as he tries to sit down on a chair. "I mean, the chances…"
"Do you think…" began Zen, looking over to Zack after she takes her arms off the boys. "Angeal knew?"
"It is kind of weird that he would offer to train Zack and then a few days later we get this," thought Kunsel. "He probably knew Zack specifically would get in."
"Then where would that put us?" wonders Zen, locking her hands behind her head in thought.
"Who cares?" Zack jumps up out of his seat. "What matters most is that we all got in. The is the beginning of something great!"
"You're right, Zack," Kunsel nods in agreement. "We finally made it. We achieved our dream."
"Well, this is just the first step for us," Zen crosses her arms. "You read what the letter said. We're only Third Class. Sephiroth and Angeal are both up in the First Class tier. That's where we should be."
"We'll get there soon enough," Zack picks his helmet off the floor and heads for the door. "Let's go out and celebrate when I get back."
"Ooh, can we finally use the firecrackers I got?" Zen asks eagerly, twiddling her fingers in a sinister manner.
"Zen, those are not firecrackers, they're questionable explosives," argues Kunsel.
"You mean they're questionably awesome," retorts the girl with a grin that was far too eager for comfort.
"Regardless of what they are, we are certainly not shooting them off the helipad."
"Oh, why not?"
"Because…"
With a chuckle, Zack leaves his friends to their bickering as he heads over to the training center where Angeal was waiting.
Leaning on the outer wall of the training facility, Angeal hangs his head in thought with arms crossed as the Buster Sword glistened behind him. Upon the sound of approaching footsteps, he looks up to see Zack in his infantryman attire with a big smile on the young man's face.
"What's with the grin?" wonders Angeal with a smirk.
"Like you don't know," responds Zack.
"Know what?" returned Angeal with a raised brow.
"I've been accepted into SOLDIER," Zack declares proudly.
"Really now?" exclaims Angeal. "I'm impressed. Congratulations."
"Wait, you really didn't know?" Zack puts his hands on his hips, perplexed. "Then why did you offer to train me?"
"First of all, I told you before, I don't know how the Turks go about with their SOLDIER candidate selection," reiterated Angeal. "Secondly, I offered to train you because you have a lot of promise. I knew you had a good chance to get in because I recommended you personally."
"Seriously?" exclaims Zack upon hearing that. He points to himself doubtfully. "You really thought I have what it takes?"
"I wouldn't have recommended you if I didn't," replies Angeal.
"Wow, thanks a lot," says Zack. "I was happy when I found out I got in, but I was even happier that Zen and Kunsel got in as well."
A rather astonished look overtook Angeal's face. "Your friends got in, too?"
"They sure did," answered Zack. "I mean, I didn't believe it would actually happen, but it did."
"Huh, isn't that something," Angeal utters quietly. He had not heard of any other member of SOLDIER recommending the other two infantrymen so their chances were slim to none, but their abilities alone were something to behold. It wasn't unusual to have 2-3 candidates enter SOLDIER in a year, but the chances of them knowing each other to the extent of friendship was something different entirely. He would have to investigate into this more when he returns to Midgar.
"So, when do we start?" Zack asks with a grin.
Around 5:30 PM that evening, Zack, Zen, and Kunsel all reported to the Shin-Ra headquarters all suited up in their infantry uniforms for the very last time. As excited as they were, the teenagers took great care to conduct themselves properly lest they lose their SOLDIER candidacy on grounds of immaturity. (Not that it would happen, but they didn't want to take any chances.)
The three of the stood outside the door of the appointed conference room nervously. The look to each other, each wondering to themselves who is willing to make the first move.
"I'm not doing it," spoke up Kunsel.
"Oh, for cryin' out loud, it's a gosh darn door," Zen rolls her eyes underneath her helmet.
"Then why don't you open it then?" suggests Zack. "Ladies first, after all."
"I hate that phrase so much," grumbles Zen. She sighs heavily as she concedes to open the door herself and walk into the room, the boys following behind her accordingly.
The conference room was big enough to accommodate at least 30 people with tables arranged in a rectangular "U" fashion with chairs on the outer part. Farthest from the door was a veritable wall of windows, the view overlooking the Junon harbor. The teenagers could spot three silhouettes near the grid of windows, one being recognizable as Angeal as his Buster Sword can easily be discerned from his form. As they walked closer, they could identify the other two as Turks with their blue suits and ties. One was obviously Circero, but the other was a woman they had seen before wandering around the training facilities from time to time.
Zack, Kunsel, and Zen all line up in a row before them in an about face fashion.
"Sir!" they all shouted, standing as straight as they could.
"At ease, soldiers," responds Angeal, to which the teenagers then switched to a more relaxed position, but still kept their conduct proper.
"I'm sure you all are very excited about this," began Cicero with a warm smile. He points over to one of the tables closest to them where three sets of folded uniforms lay. "Those are your new uniforms. Third Class SOLDIER members are classified with blue uniforms. Red signifies Second Class SOLDIER members while violet signifies First Class SOLDIER status, as you can tell by looking at Sir Angeal."
Angeal crosses his arms in affirmation.
"You are to wear your uniforms at all times while on duty, just like how you do as infantrymen," spoke up Amira. "Tomorrow morning at 0600 hours, you are to turn in your infantryman uniforms and report to the helipad in your SOLDIER uniforms. From there, you will be flown to Midgar where you will receive your new missions as official members of SOLDIER. The SOLDIER barracks in Midgar are somewhat similar to the infantryman barracks here in Junon so don't worry about having to find your way around. Your new room assignments will be given once you arrive there."
"Sir!" responded the teenagers.
"But first," said Amira. "Third Class SOLDIER Zen, please step forward and remove your helmet."
As instructed, Zen takes off her helmet and holds it under her right arm as she steps forward away from her brethren.
"Please state your place of origin," orders Amira.
"Hoku Village of the Eastern Continent, sir!" answers Zen. She wasn't quite sure what was going on as she didn't expect to have to go through some sort of interview, especially in front of Zack and Kunsel.
"Third Class SOLDIER Zen," continues the female Turk. "Is it true you receive combat training from a citizen of Wutai?"
Under their helmets, Zack and Kunsel look to one another nervously. Zen had told them that she received martial arts training from someone who came from Wutai, but they didn't think it was that big of a deal despite them being at war with the country in question. It wasn't like Zen herself was from Wutai or anything.
"Sir, yes sir!" replies Zen. She was starting to feel uncomfortable with them prying into her personal life like this.
"Please relay the details of your relationship with this Wutanese individual," Amira orders firmly. "Starting with the person's name."
"My apologies, but I do not know Teacher's name," explained Zen. "From the day I met him at the age of five, I had always referred to him as Teacher. I have not seen nor heard from him in four years."
"So you lost contact with him at the age of twelve, is that what you're saying?"
"Sir, yes sir!" Zen remained steadfast in her emotions. "I understand your concerns because I received training from a Wutanese, but I assure you that Teacher never forced me to sympathize with Wutai, nor did he force me to think of Shin-Ra as an enemy. Our relationship was purely one of teacher and student focused on the martial arts, nothing more."
Amira looks at Zen incredulously, unsure of what to think.
This girl must have anticipated this, she thought. Yet, both her eyes and words hold no room for doubt. She truly wants to make it clear that she is not a traitor. She glimpses over at the two boys behind Zen. Knowing her ties with those two, there's no way she would betray Shin-Ra if it meant putting them in danger.
The female Turk smiles at the girl. "Well said. I have no doubt your loyalty lies with Shin-Ra."
"Thank you, sir!" responds Zen.
"Well then," spoke up Cicero. "Now that that's out of the way, the three of you may now take your uniforms and return to the barracks. Be sure to get a good night's sleep tonight. It's a long way to Midgar from here."
"Sir, yes sir!"
As instructed, the sixteen-year-olds took their uniforms and left the room along with Angeal who had business elsewhere. Once they were all gone, Cicero looks to his comrade with interest.
"You weren't as intensive with that assessment as I thought you would be," he notes with a hint of surprise.
"Now that I've seen their loyalty, I no longer have any problems with her," responds Amira.
Upon hearing this, Cicero's widen slightly. This was certainly a drastic change from before.
"What do you mean by that?" he wonders aloud.
"Whether that girl is loyal to Shin-Ra or not is matters little," began Amira. She turns to face her partner. "So long as those boys remain faithful to the company, she has no choice but to follow suit. And judging from their personalities, the boys won't be likely to turn against Shin-Ra."
Cicero lets out a small chuckle as he scratches the base of his scalp. "I see. I guess that settles that, doesn't it?"
A/N: Yes, you read right, we are FINALLY moving into SOLDIER territory. Although, I'll sadly miss writing about the episodic infantryman days.