Friend of a Friend
Sephiroth stifled a yawn as he set yet another report in his "Out" box and looked across the small office to the desk of his second-in-command. Zack was looking down at a document on his desk with a pained look on his face.
Curious, Sephiroth stood and strode over to the other desk. He peered down at the document and recognized it as a SOLDIER candidate file. It was turned to the last page, which held remarks from various personnel and a space for the recommendation of the officer in charge of entry, which was Zack, and a line for his signature.
"Is there a problem?" Sephiroth asked.
Zack looked up at him. "I have to fail him," he said, the same pain in his voice.
Sephiroth looked down at the name in the header of the document. Cloud Strife. Ah, so that was it.
"Couldn't pass medical," Zack continued. "Something about a possible severe reaction to mako."
Zack pounded his fist on the desk. "Damn it…I won't be able to tell him why he didn't pass, either. He'll think it was because he wasn't good enough."
That was a shame. From the few times Sephiroth had seen the kid, he'd seen potential. Granted, Strife had a serious lack of self-esteem, but he was disciplined, decent with a sword, and seemed to learn quickly. In time, he would have become a fine member of SOLDIER.
Zack sighed and wrote something in the recommendation slot, then signed it and put it on the stack of other SOLDIER applications. He picked the whole stack up and handed it to Sephiroth.
Sephiroth took it and returned to his desk. In a few hours he'd announce the results to the candidates. There was only one thing he could think to do that might help alleviate some of Zack's worry and he would make sure he did it.
Sephiroth took a deep breath and set his face in its usual impassive mask as he turned the knob and entered the room.
"Group, attention!" the Sergeant Major that stood in front of the line of candidates called.
The group came to attention and the Sergeant Major saluted him.
Sephiroth came to stand in front of the Sergeant Major and returned his salute. The man looked slightly nervous, as did the troops standing behind him. Sephiroth was well aware of how imposing he looked in his dress uniform, with the many awards he'd received pinned on it and the four gold stars gleaming on the epaulettes, so he wasn't at all surprised.
He dropped his hand and nodded to the Sergeant Major, who dropped his own hand and went to stand behind the troops.
Sephiroth scanned the line and found Strife near the end, looking considerably more nervous than the others. He regretted that he was about to crush that hopeful look in his eyes.
"Your applications for the SOLDIER program have been reviewed and we have made our selections," Sephiroth said. He lifted the paper he held so it could be read and began to read off the names.
When he reached the end, he noticed that Strife looked like he was about to start crying, though he was trying hard to maintain his bearing.
"Congratulations to those who passed," Sephiroth said. "See your current commander for your orders, and Lieutenant General Fair will see you tomorrow on the practice field. Dismissed."
The soldiers filed out.
Sephiroth waited until Strife, who was walking with his head bowed neared him, and called out, "Corporal Strife, may I have a word?"
Strife stopped dead in his tracks and looked up at him, eyes widened slightly. Some of the other soldiers looked back and a few stifled laughs. They obviously thought Strife was about to get reprimanded for something.
Strife rushed over and stood in front of him, looking like he was about to piss his pants or pass out, perhaps both.
"S-sir?" he said.
Sephiroth headed for the far corner of the room and gestured for Strife to follow. Once they were well out of earshot of the few soldiers still in the room, Sephiroth leaned back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
Strife stood in the stiffest position of attention Sephiroth had ever seen.
Sephiroth allowed the stern mask to slip. "Relax," he said. "You are not in any sort of trouble."
Strife shifted position, but still didn't look anything close to relaxed.
"Despite regulations, I feel compelled to tell you the reasons for your disqualification," Sephiroth said, "because you are the friend of a friend."
Strife looked shocked and slightly more nervous. Obviously he was aware that his and Zack's friendship went against all sorts of regulations.
"Don't look so shocked," Sephiroth said. "I have been aware of your relationship with Zack from the beginning."
"In any case," Sephiroth continued, "You were disqualified for medical reasons; they reported you to have a possible severe allergy to mako. You passed the other sections. Had you passed medical, I would have recommended you immediately. You have potential and it's a shame to see it go to waste."
Sephiroth could tell that such a statement from him had made Strife feel immeasurably better. He could even see the ghost of a smile on the kid's face.
"You are dismissed," he said.
Strife saluted him, then left very quickly.
Later that evening, when Zack showed up to his apartment, he plopped down next to him on the couch, a smile on his face.
"Cloud told me what you did," Zack said. "Thanks. It meant a lot to him."
"He has great potential," Sephiroth said. "You choose your friends well."
Zack's smile widened and he looked pointedly at Sephiroth. "I know I do."
