'Simulation training room. 21:00.'

Lightning had checked the message she had received earlier again on her phone, before without a word she tossed it in Cloud and Zack´s direction.

They were in the dining room again, seated around their usual table in the far away corner next to the willow and discussing the latest events.

'We´ve received exactly the same notes. I wonder what it is about this time.' Zack Fair thought aloud while Cloud was slowly turning green.

The simulation training room had freaked the spiky haired boy out ever since Zack's story of Kunsel breaking his nose.

'Oh no! You don´t think they'll make us fight some huge simulated beast, do you?' Blondie managed, almost choking on his glass of water he now kept clutched in both his hands.

His fellow soldiers briefly exchanged glances.

Well, Lightning didn´t know about Zack, but yes, that was exactly what she thought.

What else was there to do in the simulation training room?

'I mean, I'm not second class yet. Technically I'm not even supposed to use the simulation training room...' Cloud muttered somewhat hopefully.

'I'm sure Genesis will make an exception for you.' Zack assured, patting his friend on the shoulder reassuringly.

Cloud looked downright horrified.

Lightning couldn't help but shake her head.

Would this one ever thoughen up? Sometimes she wondered.

Lightning herself hadn't been second class for a week and therefore hadn't had the opportunity to check out the training room yet. But most of what she'd heard had made it sound a pretty fancy VR experience.

She didn't understand Cloud's fears. With all of it being VR, surely that meant your opponent coudn't really hurt you. Compared to what she was used from Sephiroth, a few virtual wutai troopers sounded like - as Zack would call it - piece of cake.

For the first time ever Lightning wondered what Angeal and Genesis taught the other two in their privat training sessions. Somehow she wondered whether she was worse off than the others, having Sephiroth as her instructor. Rarely had she seen any of them sporting any bruises. Then on the other hand, Cloud didn't seem to have learned much at all, leaving him kinda lost and helpless when it came to battle. Considering this, Lightning decided she'd rather stick with the beatings then being unable to defend herself.

Those private lessons were nothing to joke about. It was true. But without Sephiroth's training she would have snuffed it in her very first wutai mission.

That, she was aware of.

The three of them finished the rest of their meal in a hurry, Cloud Strife´s plate almost untouched.


It was 20:50 that they made their way up to the simulation training room just to find their favorite First Classes already waiting for them, mischievous expressions spread on all their faces.

Looking at them, Lightning found it hard not to laugh.

They were clearly up to something.

It´d better be something good, she thought to herself.

Turned out it was.

Cloud´s worst fears were topped when Genesis revealed that for that day´s training session they wanted them to fight each other.

A tournament. In a virtual environment.

Claire Farron couldn´t help but feel excited. Excited, but also a bit worried. She'd been looking forward to testing her new mako powers against Zack for ages.

On the other hand she was worried for Cloud. This time none of them could watch his back. This time his lack of skill and courage would be obvious for everyone to see.

Somehow she couldn't help but feel pitty for him.

'Here, you gotta put these on.' Angeal Hewley instructed, handing out VR headgear and wiping Lightning's concern for Cloud off her mind.

She had to concentrate on the task at hand.

'Make sure they're sitting tight.'

Lightning stared at her set of goggles with distaste. She didn't like headware at all and she never even wore her SOLDIER helmet. Not if she could help it. She hated it, actually. It greatly impaired your vision in a fight. Though this probably didn't count for the VR sessions anyways.

Well... There was nothing for it.

Claire Farron donned the headgear without complain. It was weird. Her vision had a green tinge to it now and it was kinda hard to make out stuff in the training room around her but besides that it wasn't too bad.

It wasn't even as heavy and distracting as she had expected.

'Now please step into the circles on the ground.' Angeal instructed further.

Turning her gaze to the ground Lightning found three bright white circular slots had suddenly popped out of the grey tiled floor.

This was the VR's magic in action.

Stepping into the middle of the room Lightning chose the slot furthest away from Zack, deliberately creating some distance between herself and her opponent.

Yes, Zack was her opponent now. She didn't think of Cloud as much as a threat. She rather expected him to stick to the background as usual and let his comrades drive the show.

Lightning didn't know how quickly Zack would attack once it would begin and since she had never used the simulation training a little distance would at least allow her a few moments for acclimatization.

Zacks familiarity with the VR training definitely was to his advantage. And there was of course his advanced combat experience. Would she be able to outdo him? Somehow Lightning wasn't sure.

But she was eager to find out all the same.

Their trainers seating themselves in the small adjoining observation room, watching their protégés through bullet proof glass, the pink haired second class felt her heartbeat quicken in anticipation of what was about to come.

Her fingers tickling to take out Blaze Edge and get ready, it was only the fact that the others hadn't taken out their weapons yet that kept her out of fighting stance.

Relax.

Breathe.

You don't want to look like a coward.

'Okay, is everybody ready?' She heard Angeal Hewley's voice coming through a crackling speaker.

If this was all the VR experience had to offer, Lightning was not impressed.

Not sure how to answer, she turned over to the observation room where Angeal and Genesis seemed to be fighting over the controls, with Sephiroth quietly leaning against the wall behind them.

The silver haired legend was watching with attention. A study in casualness and superiority as usual.

Lightning gave a confident nod.

She was ready. As ready as she could be.

'Fine... Well... We decided to let you fight in the simulation of the clearing in the woods.' first class Genesis Rhapsodos informed, excitement evident in his melodic voice.

'My favorite place for sparring.'

That was fine by Lightning.

She didn´t really care about the location anyway, what difference did it make?

At least, that was what she thought right then.

She had never experienced the VR training after all.

'Okay, get ready now. 3... 2...1...'

Listening to the excited redhead´s voice, Claire Farron closed her eyes.

She wasn't sure what would await her, wasn't sure what the VR experience would entail exactly.

When she opened them again a few moments later she found herself in a beautiful clearing surrounded by a copse of huge old oak trees.

A bright blue and sunny sky above, warm rays of sunlight caressing her cool pale skin, Claire Farron took her first deep breath of clean fresh air in ages and let her temporarily blinded eyes get accustomed to the brightness of the day.

This was no ordinary VR experience. It was a miracle.

Her eyes adjusting to her surroundings, Lightning marveled at how realistic the simulation was.

A beautiful meadow with an assortment of extraordinary colored flowers, interwoven with the green, lush blades of grass stretched underneath her feet.

She could feel the softness of the mossy ground beneath her combat boots. Gone the solid tiles of the simulation training room, as though they'd never been.

Being inside a simulation like this, it was easy to accept it as reality.

Everything from the looks to the scents and the sounds was so pleasant, felt so real.

She heard a soft breeze rustling the leaves and the cry of a lonely gorgonopsid in the distance. Saw a flock of birds gliding past, black dots against the sun.

She didn't know how long she stood there, drinking in the beauty of the scenery, soaking in the sun, the peace, the calm, filling her lungs with that wonderfully fresh clean air.

Wondering wether people ever got addicted to this, the pink haired second class finally looked up to find Zack and Cloud standing a few meters away from her.

The beauty of the scene had totally driven the competition out of her mind. It was the sight of those two that made her remember.

Zack had already gotten out his SOLDIER longsword and Cloud's eyes were darting around the clearing desorientatedly, making him seem utterly lost.

The pink haired soldier sensing Zack getting ready, she quickly made to get out Blaze Edge too, immediately got herself into fighting stance, while Cloud Strife was busy stepping out of the way, clearly not eager to participate in their little sparring. Not if he could help it.

Well, that didn´t exactly come as a surprise, Lightning thought, as patiently she waited for Zack to make the first move.

'Are you sure you´re ready? You know I´d hate to actually hurt you...' her black haired comrade said, slightly mocking her.

Claire Farron let out an amused snort.

'I'd like to see you try'. She taunted.

It was without further delay that Zack charged at her, the blade of his longsword blazing in the summer sun.

Claire Farron parried his blow easily.

And so she did with his second and his third.

He'd made it easy for her.

Her friend was holding back. Lightning was aware.

And although she appreciated the fact that he didn´t want to hurt her, she also sensed her opportunity to surprise him.

It was time Zack Fair learned what she was capable of.

Without waiting for her comrade to get ready again, Claire Farron surged forwards to violently kick him to the ground.

'What the - '

Zack Fair staring up at her in disbelief from his position on his buttocks, Lightning knew he hadn´t seen that coming.

Ha!

To keep things friendly she extended a hand to help him up again. But her black haired friend chose to ignore it.

It was with a look of deepest disgust that he made to get back on his feet.

'That wasn´t fair.' he pouted.

'Where's your honor?'

'There's no place for honor on the battlefiled.' His opponent replied coolly.

'Is that what Sephiorth's been teaching you?' Zack Fair asked in distaste.

Cautiously and en garde, Lightning took a few steps away from him, all the time looking at him expectantly.

'No. It's a fact.'

Her fellow second class studying her face, he found her expression smug. Smug and somewhat demanding.

It was without hesitation that he picked up his longsword again, readying it for another go, and Lightning quickly mirrored his actions, bringing up Blaze Edge in response.

Then it began in earnest.

Although cautious, tentative in the beginning, their fight, it became wilder and messier with every second that it took.

Zack Fair was strong.

But he was nothing compared to Sephiroth.

And for the first time in training, Lightning felt like she was battling an equal opponent, not like fighting against a rock with superhuman powers, and suddenly she didn´t feel weak and pathetic at all, but strong and full of confidence.


'Well, Genesis... I can´t see Cloud anywhere... Where is he exactly? Hiding behind a tree maybe?' The first class General was taunting from his safe place behind the glass pane.

His comrade only averted his gaze, unable to look Sephiroth in the eye.

'I don´t understand...' the redhead trailed off, a tinge of crimson forming on his cheeks.

He couldn´t remember ever having felt so emberassed.

'Your apprentice is too scared to take on a girl!' the silver haired legend stated.

It was too much.

'GIRL?! You call that thing in there you´ve bred a girl?!' Genesis Rhapsodos blurted while they watched Lightning giving Zack an especially hard time.

The redhead´s expression now sullen, it was Angeal Hewley who watched his pup´s opponent´s actions with increasing interest.

The burly first class couldn´t fathom how Claire Farron had gotten that strong.

It wasn´t normal for a common mako shot to have such an impact.

And from what he´d heard, she´d only undertaken the procedure once.

Still, she matched Zack easily. Would have outdone him had she had more training.

It was curious. Very curious indeed.

'Sephiroth... They didn´t... You know... Do any... Further experimenting on her, did they?' Angeal chose to carefully word his suspicions.

Genesis Rhapsodos looked up between the two of them in exasperation.

'…'

General Sephiroth Crescent only averted his gaze.

'Wait... They did?! No! That´s not fair!? That´s cheating! Doping! How can you expect Cloud to keep up with something like this!? How could he possibly keep up with a monster?!' the redhead exclaimed in outrage.

'Come on that´s not even funny!" Angeal stated sternly. "They didn´t... Jenova cells?!'

'No...' their silver haired comrade quickly shook his head.

'All I know is she received a special mako treatment. Something of Hojo´s latest creations. Further condensed mako...'

He didn´t tell them how the shot was actually aimed to kill her. Or how it almost had.

'Are you sure...?!' Genesis Rhapsodos cut in. 'I mean look at her...'

'Of course I´m sure! I´d feel it if she had Jenova cells inside of her!' the General answered somewhat acidly, cold green killer eyes narrowing in anger.

'This is getting messy... Maybe we should intervene before someone is injured!' Angeal suggested, gesturing towards the simulation area, where the fight between Light and Zack was quickly turning nasty.


Claire Farron knew Zack Fair was strong and much more experienced than herself. She was aware.

But still...

It was only for a second that she had lost her focus and suddenly her body hit the ground hard, her comrade´s sword approaching the spot where her head was resting fast.

She barely had the time to bring up her gunblade to shield her face from the rough onslaught.

Using both her hands, her right one gripping the hilt, her left palm pressed up against the blade, she felt her elbows painfully rammed into hard concrete, as suddenly the beautiful meadow around them transformed back to the grey tiled floor of the simulation training room.

Somehow Zack was still on top of her, the blade of his longsword resting on Blaze Edge, separated only inches from the skin of her cheek and somehow the pink haired female couldn´t summon the strength to push him away.

'Ugh! Let go of me!' she stammered between gritted teeth and she watched Zack´s triumphant smile fade abruptly as just a second before her defense would have broken, she sensed her sensei´s presence and found the tip of Masamune resting against the skin of her fellow second class´exposed neck.

'Enough.' the silver haired General said.

And enough it was.


With Cloud fleeing the scene as fast as he could and Zack following a little pissed because of Sephiroth's interference, it was lagging a little bit behind that Claire Farron went to stow her VR gear in a locker in the obervation room.

Having returned to the dullness of reality she found her mind returning to the beauty of the clearing, to the fresh air and the sun and trees. The flowers at her feet.

It was closing the locker with a soft thud that suddenly she heard her sensei's voice behind her.

'You did well.' he said.

Lightning paused for a moment or two before she turned around. She hadn't anticipated him standing there. Had thought she was alone.

'Zack already had me. I would have broken a moment later if you hadn't intervened.' she answered honestly.

The silver haired legend only gave a tiny nod.

He already knew that. She was aware. Still he didn't bring it up.

He had helped her out. Again.

Looking into her sensei's mako eyes Lightning couldn't help but wonder.

'You lied for me in director Lazard's office. Why?'

General Sephiroth Crescent only shook his head.

'It doesn't matter.' he said quickly before he leaned over the control table to switch off the lights in the adjoining training area.

'Either way. I haven't thanked you for that yet.' Lightning said in the semi darkness of the observation room.

The silver haired first class stepping past her to open up the door for her, he gave her the faintest trace of a smile.

'Not everyone is cut out for SOLDIER.' he said earnestly.

'Look at Strife.'

Claier Farron quickly looked away. She didn't want to talk about Cloud. Not if she could help it.

'You are. It's about time you realize that too.'

Quickly looking up againt to meet her sensei's gaze, Claire Farron couldn't help but stare.

Had he just made her a compliment?!

This time the left corner of his lips rose up into one of his trademark smirks.

'You're welcome.'