Disclaimer: You all know what I'm going to say. I'll send it directly into
your minds this time… *sends disclaimer into minds of readers, who
understand and continue reading*
Author's Note:
Alrighty. I know the last chapter was short, sorry about that. Okay, change of plan. I need to make at least one more chapter with the characters young. There's a few things I haven't covered yet that I need to. Then, I'll be able to start making them grow up. Woo-hoo!! I don't know about you all, but I can't wait to make them older already!! And, yes, I'm going to soap-opera super-age them. But, it won't be confusing. It'll be certain scenes over the course of a few years, and then a lot when they turn 15/16. Although, that may change … -_-;;; Just trust me, and let the confusion leak out of your mind… Anyway, on with the story!!
Chapter 20:
SOLDIER
It was a boring day. School was taking forever to finish, and every pair of eyes continuously darted to the window. Aeris felt particularly bored, and as such kept looking over her shoulder at the two young boys in the back of the room.
Zack was slouching in his chair, his attention drifting farther and farther away from the lesson. His right hand was in his pocket, while his left was scratching the back of his head. He yawned once every few minutes, more from lack of interest than boredom. His books were closed, as usual, on his desk, and he let his pencil roll in between his side of the table and Sephiroth's.
Sephiroth was leaning back slightly, arms crossed. His long silver hair fell in front of his face, which made following his line of sight nearly impossible. But Aeris could vaguely make out his eyes following the pencil's slow trail. His book was open, notebook open, but empty. He, too, appeared to be losing interest in the lesson.
But, the longer Aeris watched them, the more she suspected something was different about them. Sephiroth, who used to completely ignore Zack, was now listening and responding to the boy's incessant chatter. Of course, it was low enough that no one could hear, but Aeris' watchful eyes made out both of their mouths moving in earnest conversation. What they were talking about was a mystery to her. If she had known, she would have blushed in embarrassment.
However, she never had a chance to find out. The teacher suddenly called for silence, and introduced a man to the class. He was clad in military armor, and he stood with his hands crossed behind his back.
"Now, class, I have someone very important to introduce to you. This man's name is Lieutenant Kyln. He'll be giving a short presentation for those of you who might be interested in joining the military."
The class clapped politely. Although they were only between five and seven years old, military training started as soon as a soldier had declared they wanted to join, whether five or thirty-five. Age made no difference to ShinRa, only skill. Most boys dreamed of becoming Soldiers, the elite group of militia, and almost all heads snapped to attention once the man began to speak.
"Hello, my name is Lieutenant Kyln. Today, I'll be speaking to you about our army. The army protects the city of Midgar, including the eight Sectors and the lands immediately surrounding our borders. We also conduct many away missions each year, to places as varied as Cosmo Canyon, Rocket Town, and Nibelheim. In fact, many of our soldiers are fighting in Wutai right now. The required training for these missions is extensive, but most soldiers pass through it without problem. This training consists of physical, mental, and emotional tasks. Once you complete your training, you will be assigned to a squadron. That squadron will be dispensed according to the field commander's will. Thus, each member of the army will be able to see combat. However, not all situations involve strategic planning. Sometimes situations arise suddenly, and then the soldier must be able to think on his feet and come to the right decision in seconds. Precise and correct judgment skills are a necessity in most situations. When you achieve the highest recommendation from your training, you will be given the option to become a member of the elite military force known as SOLDIER."
The class began to murmur at this, and the man held up a hand for silence. All kids who wanted to join the military dreamed of becoming a SOLDIER. That elite team that consisted of only the best individuals in the military. Some kids laid in bed at night, dreaming of what it would be like. Others, like Aeris, had never given the military much thought. After all, she had only just begun to go to school, and she certainly didn't want to go around killing people once she finished. She was looking forward to a life filled with flowers.
The speech began to bore her, and she slowly peeked over her shoulder at the two young boys behind her. They were still sitting lazily in the back, yet their attention seemed to be focused on the speaking man.
Aeris sighed. Why did boys always want to go off and kill people?
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth scanned the classroom. Half of the class was staring out the window, pretending to listen to the teacher. A few remaining children were sleeping, some were talking or passing notes, and a small percentage were actually paying attention. He stopped on the girl near the front, who darted a glance behind her to him when she thought he wasn't looking.
Green eyes hit into him with force, then were gone as she looked quickly away. Her soft hair was being blown around by the light breeze, and the sunlight reflected off of her face. She looked angelic, and completely out of reach.
Zack's chair creaked, breaking the trance Aeris had been putting on Sephiroth. He turned at the noise only to find a pair of dark blue eyes staring back at him.
"What?" Sephiroth asked.
Zack shrugged, which Sephiroth was beginning to think was his equivalent of remaining silent. Something to do when nothing else seemed to be appropriate. "You seemed out of it."
"Just thinking."
"Oh." Zack looked like he would say something, then stopped. "About your mother?" he asked, immediately regretting it.
Surprised, Sephiroth turned and stared at him. It had only been a few days since he had discovered her body, yet somehow he was moving on. He lived alone, and it didn't bother him. Food wasn't a problem, he took the money from his mom's remaining paychecks and spent it frugally. He realized there would be a time when this money would deplete, but for the moment it was the best he could do. Zack had offered him to live with his family, but Sephiroth had refused. It was a matter of pride, really, and he felt wrong at intruding on other people's private lives.
You're afraid everyone close to you will die. Just like your mother. That's why you won't speak to that girl, and will never-
Shut up.
Sephiroth had not really thought about his mother since her death. It might have been denial, but something told him that he had accepted it. There was nothing he could do but deal with the situation and move on. He could only hope that an opportunity presented itself sometime soon.
"Seph?"
He shook his head, "No, I don't think so. Just random thoughts."
"I know what you mean. But my thoughts are not so random, you know?"
"What do you mean?"
Zack looked away, and his cheeks turned slightly pink. Sephiroth smirked, amused. "Well, there's something I need your opinion about." Sephiroth remained silent, and Zack pushed on. "See that girl over there?" He nodded towards Aeris, and Sephiroth blinked.
"The one with the pink?"
Zack nodded. "Yeah, that's her. Aeris." He blushed harder, and took a deep breath. "You see, Seph, I think I might like her. Just a little."
Sephiroth thought quickly. This was unexpected. Why would Zack like that girl? True, they both had a similar brightness in their soul, yet Zack seemed to be so popular that any number of girls would go for him. Why would he like her, as opposed to all those other girls?
Well, she didn't hang all over him like everyone else. Plus, she was different from all of them. She was kinder, more thoughtful. Her personality was similar to the flowers she treasured, and it appeared obvious to any who knew her. Sephiroth also couldn't help but notice the way her hair moved, how she spoke, her style of walking, the way her eyes lit up as she talked about something she enjoyed.
"Well?"
Zack's abrupt question snapped Sephiroth out of his reverie. "Well what?"
"What do you think? Does she like me?"
"Umm… everyone likes you, Zack."
Zack rolled his eyes upward. "You know what I mean."
Luckily enough, Sephiroth didn't have to worry about finding an acceptable answer. It was then that the military guest walked in. The two boys listened carefully to the man, and both were among those whose attention was focused when he began to talk about SOLDIER.
"Now, there's a large group of you who're interested in SOLDIER. This is the elite group of military officials trained in high-risk activities, including hand-to-hand combat, espionage, and high-level defensive strategy. In order to become a SOLDIER, you must first join the military. Once you've completed all of your training, you will be given the option to become a SOLDIER. Not everyone takes this option, and it's only offered to the best of the best. So, if you want to become a SOLDIER someday, the sooner you start your training, the better."
Sephiroth felt Zack poking him, and he turned to see a look of wonder on his friend's face. "That would be so awesome!!"
"What?"
"SOLDIER! Can you just imagine it? Leading all the other officers into battle? It would be so cool."
Sephiroth thought about it for a minute. Could he imagine himself leading an army? Being in control of the fate of so many lives? It's not the lives that matter, you know, it's what you think. Living so far away from home. But, what's home got to do with it? Your mother's dead, anyway. Never seeing Zack again- but he'll come with you, won't he? He brought up the idea, after all. Never seeing Aeris again… well, worry about her later. Right now, you know this is the path for you. It seemed like it was his destiny. Yes, it does, doesn't it? Your destiny. Maybe he should go and try. It can't hurt to try. Even if he didn't become a SOLDIER- which you will- he'll solve his financial problems. The military will pay for you to eat. They'll give you clothes, and someplace to live. Why not? Why not, indeed.
"For any of you who might be interested," the Lieutenant continued, "there is a special program that the military has just started which allows all people under the age of sixteen who join the military to continue going to school in the mornings, and train during the afternoons. Any and all of you who might be interested can talk to me in the hallway."
The man thanked the class, and the teacher, then turned around and walked out. Zack immediately stood up. He stared down at Sephiroth and tapped his foot impatiently. "Well?"
"Well what?"
"Are you coming or not?"
Sephiroth sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."
Zack smile. "Good. That means I won't be so bored in that training we'll have to go through."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, but stood up anyway. The two boys walked to the front of the room and out through the door, greeting an expectant Lieutenant standing just outside.
They were blissfully unaware of a pair of questioning green eyes following their every move.
Author's Note:
Alrighty. I know the last chapter was short, sorry about that. Okay, change of plan. I need to make at least one more chapter with the characters young. There's a few things I haven't covered yet that I need to. Then, I'll be able to start making them grow up. Woo-hoo!! I don't know about you all, but I can't wait to make them older already!! And, yes, I'm going to soap-opera super-age them. But, it won't be confusing. It'll be certain scenes over the course of a few years, and then a lot when they turn 15/16. Although, that may change … -_-;;; Just trust me, and let the confusion leak out of your mind… Anyway, on with the story!!
Chapter 20:
SOLDIER
It was a boring day. School was taking forever to finish, and every pair of eyes continuously darted to the window. Aeris felt particularly bored, and as such kept looking over her shoulder at the two young boys in the back of the room.
Zack was slouching in his chair, his attention drifting farther and farther away from the lesson. His right hand was in his pocket, while his left was scratching the back of his head. He yawned once every few minutes, more from lack of interest than boredom. His books were closed, as usual, on his desk, and he let his pencil roll in between his side of the table and Sephiroth's.
Sephiroth was leaning back slightly, arms crossed. His long silver hair fell in front of his face, which made following his line of sight nearly impossible. But Aeris could vaguely make out his eyes following the pencil's slow trail. His book was open, notebook open, but empty. He, too, appeared to be losing interest in the lesson.
But, the longer Aeris watched them, the more she suspected something was different about them. Sephiroth, who used to completely ignore Zack, was now listening and responding to the boy's incessant chatter. Of course, it was low enough that no one could hear, but Aeris' watchful eyes made out both of their mouths moving in earnest conversation. What they were talking about was a mystery to her. If she had known, she would have blushed in embarrassment.
However, she never had a chance to find out. The teacher suddenly called for silence, and introduced a man to the class. He was clad in military armor, and he stood with his hands crossed behind his back.
"Now, class, I have someone very important to introduce to you. This man's name is Lieutenant Kyln. He'll be giving a short presentation for those of you who might be interested in joining the military."
The class clapped politely. Although they were only between five and seven years old, military training started as soon as a soldier had declared they wanted to join, whether five or thirty-five. Age made no difference to ShinRa, only skill. Most boys dreamed of becoming Soldiers, the elite group of militia, and almost all heads snapped to attention once the man began to speak.
"Hello, my name is Lieutenant Kyln. Today, I'll be speaking to you about our army. The army protects the city of Midgar, including the eight Sectors and the lands immediately surrounding our borders. We also conduct many away missions each year, to places as varied as Cosmo Canyon, Rocket Town, and Nibelheim. In fact, many of our soldiers are fighting in Wutai right now. The required training for these missions is extensive, but most soldiers pass through it without problem. This training consists of physical, mental, and emotional tasks. Once you complete your training, you will be assigned to a squadron. That squadron will be dispensed according to the field commander's will. Thus, each member of the army will be able to see combat. However, not all situations involve strategic planning. Sometimes situations arise suddenly, and then the soldier must be able to think on his feet and come to the right decision in seconds. Precise and correct judgment skills are a necessity in most situations. When you achieve the highest recommendation from your training, you will be given the option to become a member of the elite military force known as SOLDIER."
The class began to murmur at this, and the man held up a hand for silence. All kids who wanted to join the military dreamed of becoming a SOLDIER. That elite team that consisted of only the best individuals in the military. Some kids laid in bed at night, dreaming of what it would be like. Others, like Aeris, had never given the military much thought. After all, she had only just begun to go to school, and she certainly didn't want to go around killing people once she finished. She was looking forward to a life filled with flowers.
The speech began to bore her, and she slowly peeked over her shoulder at the two young boys behind her. They were still sitting lazily in the back, yet their attention seemed to be focused on the speaking man.
Aeris sighed. Why did boys always want to go off and kill people?
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth scanned the classroom. Half of the class was staring out the window, pretending to listen to the teacher. A few remaining children were sleeping, some were talking or passing notes, and a small percentage were actually paying attention. He stopped on the girl near the front, who darted a glance behind her to him when she thought he wasn't looking.
Green eyes hit into him with force, then were gone as she looked quickly away. Her soft hair was being blown around by the light breeze, and the sunlight reflected off of her face. She looked angelic, and completely out of reach.
Zack's chair creaked, breaking the trance Aeris had been putting on Sephiroth. He turned at the noise only to find a pair of dark blue eyes staring back at him.
"What?" Sephiroth asked.
Zack shrugged, which Sephiroth was beginning to think was his equivalent of remaining silent. Something to do when nothing else seemed to be appropriate. "You seemed out of it."
"Just thinking."
"Oh." Zack looked like he would say something, then stopped. "About your mother?" he asked, immediately regretting it.
Surprised, Sephiroth turned and stared at him. It had only been a few days since he had discovered her body, yet somehow he was moving on. He lived alone, and it didn't bother him. Food wasn't a problem, he took the money from his mom's remaining paychecks and spent it frugally. He realized there would be a time when this money would deplete, but for the moment it was the best he could do. Zack had offered him to live with his family, but Sephiroth had refused. It was a matter of pride, really, and he felt wrong at intruding on other people's private lives.
You're afraid everyone close to you will die. Just like your mother. That's why you won't speak to that girl, and will never-
Shut up.
Sephiroth had not really thought about his mother since her death. It might have been denial, but something told him that he had accepted it. There was nothing he could do but deal with the situation and move on. He could only hope that an opportunity presented itself sometime soon.
"Seph?"
He shook his head, "No, I don't think so. Just random thoughts."
"I know what you mean. But my thoughts are not so random, you know?"
"What do you mean?"
Zack looked away, and his cheeks turned slightly pink. Sephiroth smirked, amused. "Well, there's something I need your opinion about." Sephiroth remained silent, and Zack pushed on. "See that girl over there?" He nodded towards Aeris, and Sephiroth blinked.
"The one with the pink?"
Zack nodded. "Yeah, that's her. Aeris." He blushed harder, and took a deep breath. "You see, Seph, I think I might like her. Just a little."
Sephiroth thought quickly. This was unexpected. Why would Zack like that girl? True, they both had a similar brightness in their soul, yet Zack seemed to be so popular that any number of girls would go for him. Why would he like her, as opposed to all those other girls?
Well, she didn't hang all over him like everyone else. Plus, she was different from all of them. She was kinder, more thoughtful. Her personality was similar to the flowers she treasured, and it appeared obvious to any who knew her. Sephiroth also couldn't help but notice the way her hair moved, how she spoke, her style of walking, the way her eyes lit up as she talked about something she enjoyed.
"Well?"
Zack's abrupt question snapped Sephiroth out of his reverie. "Well what?"
"What do you think? Does she like me?"
"Umm… everyone likes you, Zack."
Zack rolled his eyes upward. "You know what I mean."
Luckily enough, Sephiroth didn't have to worry about finding an acceptable answer. It was then that the military guest walked in. The two boys listened carefully to the man, and both were among those whose attention was focused when he began to talk about SOLDIER.
"Now, there's a large group of you who're interested in SOLDIER. This is the elite group of military officials trained in high-risk activities, including hand-to-hand combat, espionage, and high-level defensive strategy. In order to become a SOLDIER, you must first join the military. Once you've completed all of your training, you will be given the option to become a SOLDIER. Not everyone takes this option, and it's only offered to the best of the best. So, if you want to become a SOLDIER someday, the sooner you start your training, the better."
Sephiroth felt Zack poking him, and he turned to see a look of wonder on his friend's face. "That would be so awesome!!"
"What?"
"SOLDIER! Can you just imagine it? Leading all the other officers into battle? It would be so cool."
Sephiroth thought about it for a minute. Could he imagine himself leading an army? Being in control of the fate of so many lives? It's not the lives that matter, you know, it's what you think. Living so far away from home. But, what's home got to do with it? Your mother's dead, anyway. Never seeing Zack again- but he'll come with you, won't he? He brought up the idea, after all. Never seeing Aeris again… well, worry about her later. Right now, you know this is the path for you. It seemed like it was his destiny. Yes, it does, doesn't it? Your destiny. Maybe he should go and try. It can't hurt to try. Even if he didn't become a SOLDIER- which you will- he'll solve his financial problems. The military will pay for you to eat. They'll give you clothes, and someplace to live. Why not? Why not, indeed.
"For any of you who might be interested," the Lieutenant continued, "there is a special program that the military has just started which allows all people under the age of sixteen who join the military to continue going to school in the mornings, and train during the afternoons. Any and all of you who might be interested can talk to me in the hallway."
The man thanked the class, and the teacher, then turned around and walked out. Zack immediately stood up. He stared down at Sephiroth and tapped his foot impatiently. "Well?"
"Well what?"
"Are you coming or not?"
Sephiroth sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."
Zack smile. "Good. That means I won't be so bored in that training we'll have to go through."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, but stood up anyway. The two boys walked to the front of the room and out through the door, greeting an expectant Lieutenant standing just outside.
They were blissfully unaware of a pair of questioning green eyes following their every move.