Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy; I do however know how to make a DIY flamethrower. WARNING: IT DOES WORK! DO NOT TRY AT HOME!
A/N 21, as I recall this is the same age as Cloud is in the original game. And after all we need the overall main character to show up eventually. Even though he failed at being Zack. So ladies and gentlemen, Cloud Strife, as a cadet, because Cadet Strife is kind of charming in a childish way.
Cloud sighed tugging at an out of place lock of hair, he sighed, why did it keep doing that? Sure it was only an experimental stuff from Hojo but it didn't stop the cadet being annoyed. Standing up from his place in the cafeteria he ran back to the barracks, opening the door he started rummaging around for the spray. He went into the bathroom searching for it; he needed to get this taken care of before Zack ridiculed more for looking like a chocobo.
He finally found the bottle, he shook it desperate for the contents but found it jammed, clutching it he ran off for the labs. This was a special test brand of elastic substance that could create makeshift super glue; Hojo had told all his candidates that it was a test to see if a stronger substance could be used to allow walking on walls. However he wanted to start with the small scale, so it was being used for spiking hair.
Cloud busted through the door to see Sephiroth standing there pinned against the wall by Hojo. "Now then you can't expect me to believe that, do you?" Hojo sneered up at the General.
Sephiroth bit the inside of his cheek trying to regain control of himself. Cloud blinked seeing this was not good. His commander was in trouble, he looked around, there were no weapons, and all he had was the spray bottle. However there was a lighter sitting on a nearby table. Hojo must not have noticed him come in yet. Creeping cautiously over to the table he picked up the lighter.
Sephiroth let his eyes wander over to where the cadet was going for a lighter. He could at least move a little of his mouth, "so… you really are…?" He managed looking just over Hojo's head to the cadet.
Hojo smirked stroking Sephiroth's arm, "yes I am your father!"
Cloud looked up startled that just wasn't right; he flicked the lighter to life with one hand and slammed down the spray top of his hair spray. "No!" He shouted dragging out the O sound as he moved.
The last few drops of hair spray connected with the flames and created a flamethrower that hit Hojo square in the back. The man screamed out as Sephiroth pushed him away into a desk with test tubes in it. The glass broke and the chemicals came in contact with the fire. After a blinding flash of light, Sephiroth and Cloud both put their hands up to avoid going blind, they felt bits of soft squishy stuff hit their clothes.
Cloud blinked as the light faded, noticing the blood that had splattered on his glove was starting to dissolve the leather, "whoa…"
Sephiroth studied the scene, the table was gone and the room was starting to be eaten away by whatever the stuff in the tubes had been. However he turned to the cadet, this boy had just saved him, "Cadet."
Cloud sprung to attention, "yes sir!"
"What's you're name?" The General asked moving for the door.
"Cloud Strife sir!" Cloud called back.
"Strife, meet me in my office at 0700 tomorrow, I do believe you have potential," he replied sweeping out of the room.