Before I say anything else...yes, I changed the title from A SOLDIER's True Dreams, Pride, and Honor to Part SOLDIER, All Hero and I hope I didn't confuse any of you with the title change. I apologize if I did...
I've finally finished chapter eleven! :D Thanks to everyone who has put this story in their favorites, but I'd also like more feedback with reviews...please? Praise...criticism...anything but flames or else...I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND DRAW ON YOUR FACE WITH A MECHANICAL PENCIL!!!
*an eerie silence follows save for a few crickets chirping*
Anywaaaays, I hope you have all had a wonderful summer vacation and I know it sucks that school is now in session once again, but as a small treat, I've made this chapter nice and long so there's more action and of course...Zack/Aerith moments! :p
Oh and not to forget...a special character will be making an appearance in this and future chapters. If you want a hint, let's say he's from...oh, that would give it away for sure! You'll all find out soon enough! :3
So...enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core.
Calm Before the Storm
Zack was on the rooftop, looking at the view of Midgar and the outskirts beyond. Beside him, Angeal's Buster Sword was leaning against the railing, the sun's rays reflecting off the metal. The sun was slowly beginning to set behind the mountains in the distance as the city before him started to turn on the street lights. Heavy pollution slightly concealed the sun from view, giving the sky a darkish, hazy look.
The young man looked at the sword leaning against the rail. Several memories of his encounter with Angeal weeks ago came back to mind, causing him to unconsciously bring his hand to his face; on the left cheek was an X-shaped scar which was from the trident blade that had cut him before their battle.
"Angeal." he said, bringing his hand down to his side. "I don't deserve this sword. I have no honor as a SOLDIER." A light breeze seemed to answer his question, swaying the dark spikes of his hair. Zack simply looked back at the city which was now dotted with various lights; the last of the sun's rays finally disappeared into the mountains.
He closed his eyes momentarily as another breeze swept by him before opening them again and taking another look at the Buster Sword. His right hand rose slowly, curling his fingers around the bound, red hilt of the blade. Taking the sword from the railing, he gave Midgar one last look before turning away and lifted the weapon in front of him, seeing a clear reflection of himself on the metal.
"But Angeal...even if I may not have any honor...I will still continue to follow my dream of becoming a hero." With those words, he twirled the Buster Sword for a moment before slowly attaching it to the metal clip on his back. He exhaled and started to walk towards the elevator that would take him back to the SOLDIER floor.
"That will be 10 gil please."
Aerith was doing some shopping at the Sector 5 Marketplace, buying some ingredients for her mother to use in her cooking. Currently, she was at the shop where Zack had bought her pink ribbon after fetching the little boy's wallet.
"Hold on a minute." she said, opening a tiny purse and taking out the amount needed. "Here you go."
He accepted the money and placed it in the cash register on the table. "Thanks, Aerith. Say, where's that SOLDIER boy?"
She returned the purse to the pocket on her red, denim jacket. "Oh, you mean Zack? He's working right now. He was on an assignment to Modeoheim a few weeks ago, but he's returned safely. I haven't seen him around here lately..." Her smile faded slightly as she lowered her head, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Not since he came to visit the day after his return..."
"Is something wrong with Zack?" he asked, taking notice of the seriousness in her voice.
She shook her head. "Zack's fine, it's just...a close friend of his passed away recently." His face dropped slightly as he handed the purchased item to her.
"I'm sorry to hear that." She took the item from his hand with a sad smile, putting it in her grocery bag.
"Well, I should head home before it gets too dark."
"All right, Aerith. Have a safe walk home." She nodded her thanks before departing. As she walked out of the area and down the dusty streets, her mind traced back to the day Zack came to visit her after his return from Modeoheim...
"There! All finished!"
Aerith stood up and removed her gardening gloves, marveling at the small flower garden before her. Small droplets of water fell from the hole on the ceiling and landed on the plants.
"Sigh. It would have been nice if the sun came out today. Oh well!" She placed the gloves on a pew nearby. "At least they're getting watered!" As she collected her gardening tools and placed them on the pew, she heard a creaking sound coming from the entrance. Pausing from her work, Aerith looked up to see a familiar figure walking in...
"Zack!" she exclaimed, placing the last of the tools on the pew before walking up to meet him. The minute she looked up at his face, all joy had vanished. He had a distant look on his face and his eyes were swollen from crying.
"Zack?" the girl questioned, taking a hold of his limp hands. His eyes slowly met hers, but he kept that distant look.
"Aerith..." he whispered. "Can we take...a little walk?" Aerith, still trying to read his face, nodded slowly.
"Okay, Zack. Let's go to the park." She led him out of the church and down the streets towards the stone wall plastered with graffiti. They walked through the hole in the wall and continued until the swings and the cat-shaped apparatus came into view. Still holding on to his hand, Aerith seated him on one of the swings before taking a seat on the swing beside him.
"Zack..." she started, still trying to read his face. "You haven't spoken a word since we left the church. What's the matter?"
Zack's eyes met hers. "My mentor...cannot work with Shinra anymore..."
"Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did they fire him?"
"No..." he replied, dropping his head. "He didn't leave...that way..." Aerith didn't need to ask further; she understood what he meant. Deep inside, she could feel the Planet speaking to her, telling her that another soul had joined the Lifestream. She stood from the swing and offered her hand to him.
"I know we just got here, Zack, but maybe you might...feel better if we head back to the church. We can work on putting the flowers together for the flower cart." He gave a small nod in response and took her outstretched hand...
Once the pair got back to the church, Aerith let go of his hand and faced him. On his left cheek, she noticed a small scar which was beginning to form into a small X. She was tempted to ask him about it, but feared that the question would make him feel worse.
"Zack, why don't we get started? I'll start gathering the flowers." For the first time that day, he gave her a smile. It wasn't the familiar grin he always gave her, but rather a small smile.
"Go ahead and gather the flowers. I...kind of need some time alone if...that's okay with you."
"Sure. Take your time, Zack." she said with a somewhat cheerful smile before walking down the isle towards her flowers, stopping in front of the patch and taking a seat on the wooden floor. With Aerith's back to him, he turned away and sat on the floor where he stood, staring at the closed doors of the church. At this point, he couldn't contain his sorrow any longer; he bowed his head and let the tears fall...
"Hey Zack?" Aerith asked, looking up at the huge hole on the ceiling where a beam of sunlight shined through, giving light to her and the flowers below. No response came from Zack, but she continued anyway.
"The sun shines brighter out there right? If we can go there, the flowers will like it..." she turned around, but the smile disappeared as she saw him sitting there, shaking in grief. "Probably..." She stood up, taking small steps toward him. Stopping right behind him, Aerith knelt down and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to the side of his face as he continued to sob.
"My mother spoke with me earlier...I feel your pain, Zack." she said, giving him a small squeeze.
Digging out the key from the other pocket on her jacket. Turning the knob, she slowly opened the door, seeing her mother at the kitchen cooking something. A familiar scent was wafting around the room as she entered the living room, placing the bags on the table nearby.
"Mother, I'm home!"
Elmyra turned around, leaving her cooking for a moment to greet her daughter. "Did you get everything on the list?" Aerith nodded, handing her a folded piece of paper before grabbing the gardening gloves hanging from the wall.
"Everything. They're all in the bags. I'll be in the backyard if you need me."
"All right. I'll call you when dinner's ready." Aerith nodded once more before opening the door and entering the garden. As she approached the flowers, a winged figure atop the roof jumped off, silently flying towards the girl...
"Hmm..." the Cetra said, kneeling down and feeling a blue flower nearby. "These bluebells need to have their weeds pulled out." As she looked up, she noticed a single, white feather floating down and landing on her hand. Turning around, she gasped in shock; a man clad in a black SOLDIER uniform like Zack's was standing before her. An angelic, white wing flapped graciously behind him, causing another feather to shed and fly.
"Aerith Gainsborough... the girl who is part of Project Cetra, correct?" Aerith slowly stood up.
"Yes...but I never agreed to participate in Project Cetra." The man clenched his fists.
"I know. Hojo forced you into this project." The lights under the Plate began to flicker on as the sun set, illuminating the dark area. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized the face and took a step back.
"Wait...you're..."
"Angeal Hewley. Former SOLDIER, 1st Class." The girl raised an eyebrow.
"Former? You mean..." He nodded.
"I no longer work with Shinra. Do not worry. I am no longer part of Project Cetra." Aerith relaxed at hearing this, but still kept a wary eye on him.
"My mother told me you had returned to the Lifestream. How did you come back?"
"I did return to the Lifestream, but...I still have some unfinished business here so I'm not quite ready to see the place yet."
"Mother, what does Angeal mean? Why didn't you let him go to the Promised Land?" The girl asked mentally. Immediately, her mother's voice sounded in her head.
"You will see, my child."
"Aerith Gainsborough, correct?" Angeal asked, interrupting her mental conversation with Ifalna.
"Just call me Aerith."
"Although you are a half-Cetra, you are still able to speak with the Planet. I myself have witnessed this during one of your lab visits."
She lowered her head, remembering the experiments Hojo had in store for her during her incarceration. "Yes, but the Planet hasn't been speaking to me lately."
Angeal rubbed his chin. "Hm. Interesting." Why is the Planet being so quiet with the girl? That much he couldn't understand. All he knew was his final mission before joining with the Lifestream for good...
"I don't know why it's not speaking with you, but I'm guessing it's because of Shinra." At hearing the company's name, her eyes looked at his with concern.
"Zack?"
"Zack will know soon enough when I see him again. I ask that you do not bring any of this up with him at the moment; I promise all will be revealed later on." he said, his wing starting to flap faster.
"Don't worry, Angeal. I won't say anything to Zack." she assured him.
"Good. I'll see you then." In a wing beat, he was in the air, gliding above the rooftops beyond.
"Aerith!" Elmyra called from the window. "Dinner's ready. Oh, and there's someone at the door to see you."
Hojo was in the laboratory, sitting at his desk which was now littered with crinkled papers. Slamming a book close and tossing it on the desk, he got up and walked to the massive holding tank in the middle of his lab.
"My prized specimen is gone." he said, placing his hand on the cold glass. "Because of that SOLDIER boy!" His eyes narrowed at the thought of Zack interfering with his research again. Because of him, the half-Cetra was now back home, not sitting in this tank like she should be. Now the President would surely be angry with him for delaying them in finding the Promised Land this Company needed so badly.
Suddenly, a bell ringed once nearby and the elevator doors opened, revealing a SOLDIER 2nd Class. Beside him was a strange, cat-like creature, baring its fangs at him. An electric collar was around its neck and the young man next to it was holding the leather leash connecting to it. Immediately, the Professor became fascinated with the creature.
"What is this you bring me?"
"Uh...P-Professor Hojo! Sir!" the young man stuttered, throwing a shaky salute. "Th-this creature comes from Co-Cosmo Canyon! And...and we captured it because of its e-extensive knowledge of the P-Promised Land...Sir!"
Hojo smirked, stepping closer to the pair to examine the beast. Dark orange fur covered it from head to tail and at the tip of the tail was a small flame. Small, colorful feathers and beads adorned its head; these were the symbols of the people and creatures of Cosmo Canyon indeed.
Squatting down, the Professor looked at the beast who was still baring its fangs at him. "I assume that this...thing has a name, SOLDIER?"
"We...we're not sure, Sir. When we capture him, this old man was calling him Na-Nanaki...Sir!"
The animal began to growl, showing more of its fangs, when Hojo lifted its chin. "This will make a fine specimen indeed! And since you don't have a name, I'll give you a special one." He chuckled, stroking it in mock affection. "Good kitty!"
Without warning, the beast lunged at him, swiping the spectacles off his face as his claws left its mark on his flesh and lab coat.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUST STANDING THERE FOR?!" Hojo yelled as he fought to get the attacker off of him. "DO SOMETHING!"
The SOLDIER frantically dug a device from his pants pocket and pressed a button. The electric collar around the creature's neck beeped once before administering a wave of electricity. Unfortunately, Hojo felt the shocks as well since the attacker wearing the collar was on top of him. Both Professor and cat screamed out in agony and the SOLDIER pressed the button again to stop the shocks, pulling on the leash to drag the subdued beast off the man.
"I-I'm terribly sorry, sir! Are you all right? Sir?" the young man questioned, hurrying to Hojo's side. Without warning, Hojo's fist met his face, causing him to stumble to the ground.
"You should have acted faster than that, SOLDIER! How did you move up a rank anyways?"
Small drops of blood were staining the metal floor as the SOLDIER sat up, clutching his broken nose. "I'm sorry, sir...i-it won't happen again! Sir!" No reply came from the Professor as he sat up, grabbing his glasses and putting them back on. His eyes fell upon the creature which was lying unconscious nearby.
"Take him to the holding tank over there!" he ordered, standing up and holding his hand out. "And give me that remote; it may come in handy! When you've place it in there, you may leave! Let that broken nose be a reminder to act faster the next time round! Got it!?"
Nodding dumbly, the young man handed the small device to Hojo. Standing up, he took the leash connecting to the cat and began to walk to the tank, dragging the limp creature along the floor. When the beast was secured inside its glass prison, the young man ran to the elevator, swiped his card, and entered when the doors opened. When the SOLDIER had gone, Hojo walked to the glass tank to examine the cat.
"You will be the solution to all my problems..." he smirked. "Red XIII."
"The dinner was great, Elmyra!" Zack said, placing his fork and spoon down on his empty plate. Aerith had finished eating at about the same time and was now standing up, taking Zack's plate as well as her own.
"I'm glad you liked it. I pick only the freshest veggies from the Sector 5 Marketplace!"
Zack took a sip of their homemade orange juice. "Not to mention picking the best fruits from your garden!" She gave him a warm smile before joining her mother in the kitchen to wash dishes.
Having a moment to himself, he looked around the living room. It was a simple room save for cabinet and bookshelf nearby where a few picture frames sat. Standing up, he walked over to examine the frames. A small smile crept on his face as he noticed a certain picture; it was a picture of him and Aerith at the Sector 5 park. During their stroll to the park after recovering his wallet from the monster, he remembered them meeting a man who was working for the news press. Aerith had asked if he could take a picture for a small keepsake and he agreed, offering to take an extra picture.
Zack had kept his picture in his room at the SOLDIER barracks. It was currently sitting on his nightstand next to his bed.
"Zack?" Aerith asked, breaking his thoughts. He turned to see her standing next to him, taking a glance at the picture.
"You still have your picture right?"
"Of course, Aerith!" he said, grinning. "It's in my room and I look at it every night before I sleep!" His answered earned him a playful push from her.
"Oh you!"
"Aerith!" Elmyra called from the kitchen. The sound of running water ceased as the faucet was turned off. "I'll be out in the garden if you need me!"
"Okay!" Aerith replied as Elmyra grabbed the pair of gardening gloves and headed out the back door. After the door closed with a click, Aerith turned back to the picture she was holding. The smile on her face moments ago had now vanished.
"Zack, you've changed a lot since your return from Modeoheim." She gazed at the blade of the Buster Sword which was leaning against the wall next to the door . "It must have taken a lot of strength to put that on your back, huh?"
"Strength?" he questioned, before realizing what she meant. "Oh, Angeal's sword! Yeah, but I've gotten used to its weight now. I can carry it with one hand."
"No, Zack." she said shaking her head. "That's not the kind of strength that I meant. I meant coping up with Angeal's passing. The day after you came back, I noticed that you came without a blade and I know they usually had their blades hanging on their back."
"Yeah." he sighed, gently taking the frame from her hands and placing it back on the shelf. Soon, Aerith found herself in his strong arms as she returned the gesture by wrapping her arms around his torso.
"It took a while to accept his passing..." Zack continued, his eyes now watering. "But now I have accepted and I will carry on his SOLDIER pride by carrying that sword."
Aerith smiled and pulled away from the hug momentarily to look up at his watery eyes. "I know it's hard, Zack, but always remember that I'll be here waiting if you ever need me." She wiped his tears with a finger, moving aside the lone strand of hair that was hanging in front of his face.
"I love you, Zack." He looked deep into her emerald eyes as his face drew closer to hers.
"I love you too, Aerith." With those words, his lips met hers and time seemed to stop as the two stood there, locked in a passionate kiss. Aerith's hands had left his sides and were now ruffling the raven-like hair; Zack's arms remained around her slim waist, giving the girl a slight squeeze as they continued.
The two didn't hear Elmyra as she came back from the garden. The woman just smiled and shook her head as she passed by the two and headed up the stairs. Seconds later, Zack and Aerith withdrew from the kiss and looked into each eyes, smiling warmly as they did so.
"Zack, if you still have time, would you like to go to the park again?" His hands had left her side, taking her hands in his.
"Of course, Aerith. Shall we go now?"
"Sure, but let me go tell Elmyra we're leaving." Letting go of his hands, she bolted up the stairs and disappeared for a moment before coming back down, smiling. "All right. Let's get going!"
"Let's go-huh?" The sudden ringing of a phone interrupted them. Zack dug in his pants pocket and took the sounding device out, flipping it open. "Zack speaking."
"Zack! It's Kunsel! Where are you?"
"I'm here at Aerith's house. Why, is there another mission already?"
"No, stupid! Have you forgotten that we're having a training session with the Security Department today?"
"Oh shoot..." Zack muttered, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I completely forgot!"
"Forgetful as always." Kunsel laughed. "Well, it's going to start in an hour so you may want to start heading back. I'll meet you at the SOLDIER floor and say hi to Aerith for me, will ya?"
"All right. See you later, idiot!" Zack smirked.
"See you later, retard!" Kunsel fired back before Zack closed the phone and returned it to his pocket, sighing in dismay. Whenever he wanted to spend time with Aerith, his job always had to get in the way...
"Work stuff?" she asked curiously.
Another sigh escaped his mouth. "Sadly. I don't think we can go to the park today." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought her face close to his until their noses almost touched.
"It's all right, Zack." she whispered, smiling. "Dinner was fun."
He returned the gesture, taking her in his arms once more. "Anytime is fun when you're here with me." He leaned over to give a small kiss on her cheek and she did the same before the two let go. She watched him as he headed out, taking the Buster Sword and securing it on his back before heading out the door. Just as she was going to go up the stairs, the door opened again and Zack popped in momentarily with a grin on his face.
"And by the way, Kunsel says hi!" With those words, he disappeared once more, closing the door and leaving Aerith alone. She stifled a giggle and shook her head as she started up the stairs.
"Zack, you are too silly!"
The 2nd Class SOLDIER members were all assembled in their respective ranks, resting at ease and awaiting further orders from Zack. The 1st Class SOLDIER walked up and down the ranks before returning to the front to address the men.
"Are you all ready?"
"Sir, yes sir!" they yelled in unison.
"Good. Now just because we're going against the Security Department doesn't mean that we should take this lightly. Who knows, they may have learned some tricks to take us down so take this seriously, got that?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
Zack smiled at them, but raised an eyebrow when he saw them all suddenly stand at attention without his command. Hearing the sound of heavy footsteps, he looked to his left to see Sephiroth walking towards them. He smirked as the General stopped at his side and eyed each and every SOLDIER, causing some of the men to tense up even more.
"Zack, go and address the 3rd Class members. I'll take care of these babies!" Sephiroth whispered to him. He nodded and walked away, throwing a salute to the 2nds as he went; boy, they were going to have quite a training session with the silver-haired SOLDIER in charge.
"Man, was I lucky to have Angeal as the Captain of our squad when I was a 2nd! I feel bad for Kunsel now." Zack thought as he walked to the other side of the training grounds where the 3rd Class SOLDIERs were already assembled and standing at attention. He noticed that a line of infantrymen were standing at the front with their rifles resting at their shoulders. As Zack stopped in front of the group, the one at the far left end of the line stepped forward.
"State your business here, soldier!" Zack said, nodding for him to go ahead and talk.
The young man threw a quick salute. "Sir, our captains gave us permission to join SOLDIER in today's training session!"
"Is that so?" Zack asked, folding his arms. "Are you guys trying out for the SOLDIER program?"
"Sir! Yes sir!" the infantrymen exclaimed together. He grinned, extending his hand out to the soldier he was speaking to.
"Well then...you all look like you're ready! Welcome to SOLDIER even if it's just a temporary stay!" They shook hands before the young man fell back into the ranks. Zack's grin vanished, his face becoming serious, as he started to pace the front line.
"So...I'm assuming everyone's here, correct?"
"Sir! Yes sir!"
"All right. Listen up and listen well! This is a piece of advice..." Zack stopped pacing, looking down at his leather boots. "No...an order." He grabbed the hilt of the Buster Sword and took the blade, holding it in front of him. Silence followed as the 1st Class SOLDIER stared at his reflection before placing the cold metal against his forehead.
"Embrace your dreams..." He started, pulling away and lifting the sword up high with one hand. "And whatever happens...protect your honor as SOLDIER!" Smiling, he lowered the sword, twirling it in front of him like a propeller. Some of the 3rd Class SOLDIERs and infantrymen watched in awe as Zack continued to spin the sword with one hand.
"You all got that?" Zack asked, stopping his sword and placing it on his back.
"Sir! Yes sir!"
"Good. Today, we are against the Security Department and they're all nothing more than infantrymen from the Shinra Army. However, that doesn't mean that us SOLDIERs should take this lightly." He went down the line of infantrymen in the front again, stopping at the person in the middle and placing a hand on his shoulder. Helmet or no, Zack recognized his friend anywhere.
"So, you wanna be in SOLDIER?" he asked, grinning. "Hang in there!" Cloud nodded and Zack let go, moving on down the line. As he went, he saw Sephiroth and the 2nd Class SOLDIERs heading out towards another building next to the main one.
"Okay, rookies! Let's go!" Zack exclaimed.
Wedge and the other infantrymen were assembled in the training facility, awaiting further orders from their captain. Without moving his head, Wedge eyed his surroundings; he couldn't believe that they we're going to have their training session in this small room! Will he and the others have enough room to move around and shoot or use grenades?
"All right, maggots! Listen up!" their captain, Harford, yelled. "We're going against SOLDIER operatives today so you definitely don't want to let your guard down or else you'll become minced meat! SOLDIER is known to take down their targets in one strike so I want you to split into squads and take the operatives down as a group!"
"Captain, is that why we've been going on missions in groups?" one of the infantrymen asked out of turn.
"Yes, and give me 20 push-ups for talking without permission!" he replied sternly. watching him go down on the floor to follow orders. "As I was saying, SOLDIER operatives are experts at combat so they won't go down in battle. Proceed with caution when fighting them; I don't want all of you ending up at the medical ward after this, got that?"
"Sir!" they answered.
"SOLDIER may have their specialties, but we have ours too!" Harford continued. " The head of the Security Department, Scarlet, has asked us to test a few gadgets and machines for her." Wedge and the others watched as he walked over to the three metal crates sitting against the wall and opened one, pulling out what looked like an ordinary rifle.
"This is one of the weapons the department has made recently. It may look similar to the standard guns we carry, but it's been...modified." He smirked as he saw some of the startled reactions of some of the soldiers when he aimed the gun at them.
"Babies..." he muttered, switching his aim to the dummy next to the crates. Slowly, the trigger was pulled...
Bang!!!
In a flash, the green-striped bullets embedded themselves in the stitched fabric of the hanging object.
"This rifle can load poisoned bullets and as you can see on the dummy, they are marked with glowing, green stripes." Harford explained, lowering the gun. "The poison is an extract from a tree only found in a forest east of Rocket Town and a small dose of this can take even the biggest of targets down."
Wedge smirked as he imagined defeating Zack with that gun. For sure, the Security Department would win this one tonight!
"Including the one I'm holding right now, there are 10 guns in the crate." Harford continued, returning the gun to the crate. "Whoever wishes to use this weapon may come up and take one from the crate, but you must return it after training."
"That rifle with the poison bullets looks really nice, but I think I'll wait and see what else the department has for us to test." Wedge thought as he watched ten of his comrades step up to retrieve the poison rifles.
Harford opened the second crate and took out what looked like the batons that they used for patrol. "This may look like a normal, wooden baton, but do you see this?" He held up the baton to reveal a small strip of titanium metal lining the wooden shaft of the weapon. "This is called the S-210 or 'The Shocker'. Any unfortunate creature to be hit with this will be paralyzed due to the tiny, metal strip which conducts a certain amount of electricity. The shock waves come from a device that is built into this baton, but don't think that SOLDIER members will easily go down just because of a few jolts from this thing! If you're planning to use this weapon, you should have a combo of attacks to follow or else, your squad will be in big trouble!"
To Wedge, it seemed like the baton would be a risky weapon to use against a 1st Class like Zack so once again, he watched as thirty men went up to retrieve them. Once they returned to their spots among the ranks, Harford opened the final crate and pulled out a sword.
"Normally, only higher-ranked soldiers in the Shinra army are permitted to wield swords, but tonight will be an exception since this is just a training session. There are a set of ten swords in here, each with a unique Materia orb attached to them." He twirled the sword and did a few slashing motions in the air with it. "That's right, ladies. Ten of you are going to be learning how to use basic Materia tonight! There are four different kinds of swords: Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and Stop."
The soldiers watched as he walked over to the dummy and stabbed the sword into it. Immediately, the hanging object became encased in ice and the additional weight caused the chain attached to the dummy to snap and it fell to the floor, crashing into tiny little ice shards. Wedge, however, wasn't surprised by the demonstration; he had a chance to use basic Materia during his mission in Wutai...the mission that made him loathe Zack Fair.
"As you can see, that was the effect of the Blizzard Materia." Harford explained, picking up the sword. "You should have an idea what the Fire and Thunder ones do, but the Stop is a little different from the other three. What Stop does is numb all the body's functions for a moment, causing the target to literally freeze in its spot. Like the electric batons, it can be an advantage and a disadvantage; your squad should be ready with some combo attacks if you plan to use this sword because a sharp blade and basic Materia like these aren't enough to take a SOLDIER down."
He stabbed the Blizzard sword into the floor and nodded, indicating that the ten who want to use this sword may come up and choose one. Three soldiers stepped up and each picked a sword in the crate before returning to their ranks. Wedge had to think fast before all the swords were taken; he would gladly take one, but which Materia would be best against a SOLDIER like Zack?
"Got two more here!" Harford said, looking into the crate. "A Stop and a Thunder sword are all that's left. Any takers?" Wedge looked around to see if two people would be going to get the said swords.
"I should go up and get one, but the one I needed is taken!" He noticed as one soldier went up and grabbed the Thunder sword. "Well, I guess then I'll just have to learn how to use the Stop Materia...who knows; maybe it will be enough to take down that blockhead of a SOLDIER! And on top of that, I need to master my swordskills for the SOLDIER exams!"
"We don't have all day, people!" Harford said sternly, taking out the Stop blade. "Who's going to take this one or should I just take it myself?"
Without thinking further on it, Wedge stepped forward and threw a salute. His captain smiled, taking the sword out of the crate.
"More training for the SOLDIER examinations?"
"Sir! And for the benefit of my squad during this training, sir!" he exclaimed, receiving the weapon from him.
Harford nodded, handing the Stop blade to him. "Very good then. Good luck on those exams, soldier."
"Thank you, sir!" he answered before returning to the ranks.
"Now that we've distributed the weapons, get into your assigned squads!" Harford ordered and immediately, the ranks broke into one line with three members lined up behind their respective leaders.
Due to his outstanding performance in his recent missions, Wedge had been selected as one of the leaders and he smiled as he saw Biggs, Johnny, and a rookie infantryman named Hayner lined up in front of him. As they stood in attention, he glanced at the weapons each teammate had: Johnny had the poison rifle, Biggs with the Shocker baton, and Hayner with just a regular rifle.
"Good. We're a balanced team. Nobody has two of the same weapon." Wedge thought, smirking. "We may have a chance against a 1st Class..."
As if on cue, a familiar voice called out to Harford and his soldiers. "Captain Harford, are you and your men ready 'cause some of us SOLDIERs here are itchin' for a good fight!" Everybody froze and turned to see Zack and his group of 3rd Class SOLDIERs assembled in ranks. Wedge noticed the line of infantryman standing at the front. "I wonder if you get to join the SOLDIERs during training sessions once you qualify to be in the program?"
"Ah, Zack! It's good to see you again!" Harford exclaimed as he went over to shake his hand. "So, you're finally a 1st. You've finally achieved your dream, huh?"
Zack laughed. "Nope! That's one of my dreams, but I'm still far from achieving my second dream and that is..." He placed his hands on his hips and nodded, smiling. "to become a hero!"
Harford patted him on the shoulder before walking back to the his men. "Sigh. Unattainable dreams are the best kind."
"Yup...wait, what!?" Zack choked as he watched him walk away laughing. "You're just like Lazard! Are you his clone or something!?"
Wedge was watching them, clenching his fist.
"Think you're so high and mighty, Zack? Wait till we meet in battle!"
Thanks for reading! :) To be continued...
