Chapter 14: Boot Camp p.1
Note: Okay, first of all, I credit the idea for this chapter to my good friend Lincy. Next, all FF7 characters belong to Squaresoft. Third, the permission to use Laura as a character comes from LadyTifa36. I guess that all sums it up and, yeah, that's all.
"Okay!", said Tifa, pushing open the door.
"What? Dinner?", asked a starving Rachel.
"NOPE! I have the responses back from all the employers you and Laura gave your resumes to."
"AND?!", asked Laura, hopping out of her seat.
"Hmmmm, YES!", said Tifa, flipping through them, then putting them on the table.
"And? AND?!", asked Laura.
"Just like I thought!"
"WOOHOO! I'M GONNA BE A TURK!", shouted Rachel, beginning to do a dance.
"No, you didn't get hired from ANY of them.", said Tifa.
"WHAT?! FROM ALL 50?!", screeched Laura.
"Apparently not, no.", said Tifa, in a dull tone. "But Cloud and I have decided on something."
"To use condoms?", asked Rachel.
"NO!", barked Tifa, hitting Rachel upside the head.
"OW! Then what?"
"BOOT CAMP?!", yelled Rachel and Laura together.
"It's a disciplinary action.", said Tifa.
"Isn't Aeris our disciplinarian?", asked Laura.
"Yes, but we removed her for a while so we could do this." Tifa handed Rachel a paper.
"Gone to Costa del Sol to relax.", read Rachel from the note. "Make sure Tifa isn't too hard on you. I KNOW she's gonna be pushy, so as long as she
's not: enforcing harsh drug laws that pertain to regular over the counter drugs, having sex with Cloud, feeding you to the chocobos, having sex with Cloud, giving you to Lucrecia for strange experiments, or having sex with Cloud, there's nothing wrong. Did I mention having sex with Cloud? Because if she IS, TELL ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
Sincerely,
Aeris"
"She never said anything about sending you to boot camp.", said Tifa.
"And both of you are going, and we might stop off there.", said Cloud.
"But BOOT CAMP?!", shouted Laura. "I'm not made for BOOT CAMP!"
"Work through the pain!", said Tifa. "You're leaving tomorrow."
"NO!", cried Laura, being pulled by her ankles out the door of Cloud's house. "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOO!", she cried.
"Move.", said Vincent, putting a gun to Rachel's back, her arms tied, out of Tifa's house.
"Thanks for the assistance, Vincent.", thanked Tifa.
"Right. . ." It looked as though there was something heavy on his mind. "But did you really have to send them? I mean, not boot camp. . ."
"It'll be fine Vincent, it won't be long.", said Tifa.
"Huh?", thought Rachel. "Vincent wants us here?"
"UP!", ordered Tifa. Rachel climbed on top of Nightwind, and Cloud heaved Laura on Nat, throwing her suitcases with her.
"GIDDYAP!", shouted Cloud, slapping his hand on the chocobos' backs, and they rode into the distance, both of them screaming bloody murder.
"Okay Vince, time to go.", said Cloud.
"If you wish. . ."
"OKAY LADIES! WELCOME TO BOOT CAMP!", shouted a man with a scar on his face with an eyepatch.
"Um, dude, we ARE ladies. . .", said Rachel meekly, standing in the middle of a line next to Laura, who was between guys.
"WHEN YOU ADDRESS ME, YOU ARE TO CALL ME SIR!", bellowed the man. "IS THAT CLEAR, PRIVATE?!"
"Private?", asked Rachel.
"THAT'S RIGHT! YOU ARE MY PRIVATE!"
"I should think not, dude.", said Rachel. "I have my own, and I'm sure yours is still there too, unless you yelled so hard it shot off."
"THAT'S IT! YOU HAVE MESS DUTY!", yelled the drill sergeant .
"Hee, mess doodie. . .", laughed Rachel.
"ARE YOU STUPID?!", asked the sergeant. "HAVE YOU BEEN DROPPED ON THE HEAD AS A CHILD?!"
"Well, actually-
"SHUT UP! YOU HAVE MESS DUTY AFTER YOU ARE DISMISSED! IS THAT CLEAR?!"
"Clear as your breath is poisonous, sir.", said Rachel.
"GRRRRR. . .", he growled. "HERE ARE YOUR SUPERIORS! THIS IS LIEUTENANT FALLOWS!! SHE WILL BE GOING THROUGH YOUR DAILY EXERCISES, UNTIL YOU ARE GIVEN TO ME, DRILL SERGEANT PETERSON! THIS IS SERGEANT FRANKERT! HE WILL BE ATTENDING TO THE WAR GAMES! AND THIS. . ." A man with black hair stepped out. "IS LIEUTENANT VALENTINE! HE WILL BE GOING OVER SHOOTING DRILLS!" Rachel's eyebrows rose.
"No wonder. . .", she thought.
"THIS IS LIEUTENANT STRIFE!" Cloud stepped out, with a shaky smile, and Vincent smiled vengefully. "HE WILL INSTUCT YOU IN THE USE OF BAYONETS! AND THIS IS MAJOR LOCKHEART!" Tifa stepped out, the uniform tight around her. The male student's eyes grew wide, and all leaned to get a look.
"Damn big-breasted genetics. . .", thought Tifa. "At least my rank is higher. . ."
"SHE WILL BE YOUR HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT INSTRUCTOR! WHILE YOU ARE HERE, YOU ARE TO ANSWER RESPECTFULLY TO ALL YOUR SUPERIORS, AND FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS! ALL RULE BREAKERS ARE TO REPORT TO MISS LOCKHEART'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY! AND YOU . .", he said, shoving his face in front of Rachel's. "are to report there, NOW. . ."
Rachel was directed to a bunker, with the Shinra flag out front, and she stepped in nervously.
"Hello. . .?"
"Hi Rachel. . .", said someone, turning around in their chair. Tifa was of course sitting their with a stern look on her face. "I'm sure you're wondering why we're here."
"No, actually-
"Vincent made us. This is his job. Okay?! No more wondering, no more questions, just follow orders and you will be fine. He made us feel guilty, and anyway, this job pays more. Okay?"
"But-
"Fine, you don't have mess duty."
"BUT-
"What is it?"
"WHERE IS THE BATHROOM! I'VE NEEDED TO GO SINCE FOREVER!", gasped Rachel against the pressure of holding it in.
"Oh. One bunker down." Rachel saluted, and then ran out the door.
"PRIVATE CRUZ!", shouted drill sergeant Peterson.
"Er, yes sir?", Laura responded, a little scared.
"YOU'RE IN 'D' BUNKER! YOU'RE FRIEND IS IN 'C' BUNKER!"
"Yes sir!", she replied smartly. She received her uniform, and hurried off to the bunker with a larger letter "D" on the door. She opened it, and saw other recruits there, mainly men, but with some girls, and took her bunk above another girl's.
"Hi.", introduced the girl. "My name is Jessie. What brings you here?"
"A disciplinary action.", said Laura.
"Same. Stole a chocobo.", she said. "You?"
"Um, I don't actually know. I was sent here mainly by Tifa."
"Tifa?"
"Er, Major Lockheart."
"WHOA! You know the major?!"
"Yeah, but I don't think she likes me much."
"Ah, crap. I thought this way I could get on her good side and go home early. But did you see the shooting drill instructor? HOT!"
"I'm his next door neighbor. . ."
"LUCKY!"
"I don't know girls. . .", said a tough looking blond from the next bunk over. "I like the bayonet instructor."
"Yeah, my friend in the other bunker likes him, too. I live with him."
"DO YOU KNOW EVERYONE?!", asked Jessie.
"Well, almost. . ."
"She lives next to Lieutenant Valentine.", said Jessie to the blond girl.
"God! You must be in serious trouble if you know them and were sent here. Who's your friend anyway?"
"The other brown-haired one that got Sergeant Peterson all angry."
"Oh yeah, her. The strange one. . ."
"SUIT UP!", yelled Peterson. "HERE IS THE BUNKER LEADER, MAJOR LOCKHEART! SALUTE!" She strode down the aisle of bunk beds, doing the traditional examination, and turned around.
"Okay Sergeant Peterson, they look good to go. Dismissed!" She and the sergeant saluted, and he left. "Okay, I am the head of this bunker. We are to train together, sometimes associating with other groups, and in the end, we will use our skill in the war games. Change into your uniforms, and report to the mess hall." She walked to the exit, and stopped when she reached Laura. "And Private Cruz, tell me when you see Private Distler. Got it?"
"Got it!", she said, saluting. Tifa walked out, and Laura looked at her uniform. It looked familiar. "What's this?" She looked more closely, and identified it as a Shinra soldier uniform. "Eeee. . ." She put it on however, and decided it actually looked pretty good, and headed over to the mess hall with Jessie and the blond girl, who's name was Shannon.
"Ahhh. . .", said Rachel, walking out of the bathroom. She saw Laura heading to the mess hall in their uniform, and ran to her. "What's up?"
"Head to your bunker, I think Tifa wants to speak with you."
"Er, okay. . ." Rachel ran over, and changed, and began to run out, when she stopped when someone else tried to enter. "GAH! CLOUDY!", she squealed, tackling him.
"AAAHHHH! GET OFF! I'M YOUR SUPERIOR!"
"Well, I don't know Cloudy. . .", said Rachel with a smile. "With a little practice, I could be superior. . .if you know what I mean. . ."
"EW! NO!", he said, covering his eyes. "I'm in charge of this bunker."
"That's not ALL you're-
"STOP! No more sexual innuendoes! Got it?"
"Fine. . . Nice uniform." She saw him in his previous Shinra uniform.
"I can't stand it. . . Looks good on you though."
"YAY! CLOUDY LOVES ME!"
"STOP!" She was about to tackle him again. "CALM DOWN! I COULD REPORT YOU TO TIFA!" Rachel quickly backed away, with a look of fear on her face.
"CRAP! TIFA!" She plowed through the door, knocking Cloud over, hoping she wasn't dead for forgetting Tifa needed to speak with her.
"Where IS she?", thought Tifa, scouting around.
"Aaaaaaaahhhh. . ." She heard a faint yelling in the distance.
"What the-?"
"AAAAAAAHHHHH. . ." It was growing louder.
"Where is it-?"
"AAAAAHHHHHH!"
"Huh? AGH!" Rachel was running and yelling from behind her, and in her hurry, didn't see she was about to knock Tifa over.
"Oooowwww. . .", said Rachel, rubbing her head. "Er, sorry Tifa. . ."
"What where you're going!", said Tifa. "I see you have your uniform."
"Yeah, these things are more comfortable than they look.", said Rachel.
"But that's beside the point. I needed to speak with you, regarding war games."
"War games? Like Battleship?"
"NO!"
"Risk?"
"NO!"
"Stratego?"
"Sigh. . .", said Tifa, massaging her temples. "No. War games are when we practice what we've learned in simulated combat against each other. And you should know Laura is on my team."
"Huh? But we're always on the same team!"
"I thought you might behave a little better without her."
"Why?" Tifa thought about it awhile, and came to the conclusion that it IS weird, considering Rachel tends to be more wild than Laura, who was more of the drama queen.
"Er. . .", said Tifa, not being able to come up with a good answer.
"Well?"
"Uh, that's not the point! Anyway, I thought you should know, AND. . ."
"What?"
"HANDS OFF CLOUD!"
"Yes madam buttsavage. . .", mumbled Rachel, beginning to walk away. She left and went to the mess hall, and sat next to Laura.
"Hey Rachel!", she greeted. "This is Jessie, and here is Shannon."
"Yo.", one said, the other waved.
"You PO'ed the sergeant, right? His face was beet red. . .", said Jessie. "Yeah, pretty good. . .", said Shannon. "What are you in for?"
"Same as Laura. Except its probably more serious."
"More serious than getting in bad with the major?"
"Much worse. Not only does she scorn my very existence, but it's just because she thinks I'm trying to steal her boyfriend. . ."
"Oooh, who's that?", asked Jessie.
"Cloud.", said Laura. They still had no idea who that was.
"She means Lieutenant Strife. Yeah, try dealing with THAT, AND having to live with Major Lockheart. . ."
"Ouch. You live with her?", asked Shannon.
"Yeah."
"MOVE IT, PRIVATE!", yelled Sergeant Peterson in Rachel's ear, causing her to jump out of her seat.
"What for?"
"WE SIT IN OUR BUNKER TEAMS! YOU ARE TEAM 'C', WHEREAS YOUR FRIEND HERE IS TEAM 'D'!"
"Woo! Take a breath mint, will ya' fella? I'm going, I'm going. . ." Rachel walked miserably to the team "C" table, and Vincent walked up to a platform with a microphone, and many audible sighs were heard from the girls, and he just peered around, looking as though that had never happened before.
"Er, yeah. . . Okay, I'm just here for the announcements.", he said. "We are supposed to get ready to leave in about ten minutes, and for all who are new, welcome to boot camp, where you'll be staying for two weeks. Exercises start in the morning, and on our last few days, we will be starting the war games. That is all."
"Hi, I'm John.", introduced the dark-haired boy next to Rachel.
"Er, hi, I'm Rachel.", she said. "I guess we're on the same team, huh?"
"If not, I wouldn't be here.", he said. "These are the guys.", he said showing her to some normal and perhaps even nerdy looking guys.
"I'm guessing-
"Yeah, we're nerds.", he said. "Nerd and proud!"
"I can relate somehow.", said Rachel.
"COOL! GIRL NERD!", said John. The others began to chant, "One of us! One of us!"
"I'm guessing you don't talk to girls often. . .", said Rachel nervously.
"Nah, not us. We're all here for sending computer viruses."
"HEY! THEN WERE YOU THE ONE WHO SENT OUT THE VIRUS THAT CRASHED MY COMPUTER?!"
"No, that was Steve.", he said, pointing to a scrawny kid with acne. "Back down though. While he was here, he's already been beaten up by 2 guys, and 15 girls."
"15 girls?"
"Yeah. He hit on one and they all ganged up."
"Ouch." Something hit Rachel in the back of her head, and saw a bunch of guys who looked like jocks. "Jocks?"
"Yeah.", said John. "Ridiculing us ever since we got here." Rachel, having a taste for revenge, reached over a John's plate, took a spoonful of Jello, and flung it at the head jock, who turned around and scowled, and walked over, and shoved the plate on Rachel's lap. Her face grew dark, and her hand reached for her katana, which she brought everywhere, until John shot some butter at him.
"FOOD FIGHT!", someone yelled. Food was hurtling through the air, and bits of everything were everywhere, and she and John ducked under the table.
"Nice goin'.", said John.
"Hey, YOU were the one you flung something back.", said Rachel.
"YOU WERE GOING TO KILL HIM!"
"As if! I may not like jocks or preps, but I don't randomly KILL people."
"OKAY! CUT IT OUT!", screamed a familiar voice. The table flipped over, and Sergeant Peterson's face was glaring down at them.
"Hi, sir. . .", laughed Rachel nervously.
"Rachel. . .", said Tifa in her office, putting Rachel's record on her desk. "Why?"
"They were making fun of me and John.", she said.
"You should have TOLD somebody.", said Tifa. "I'm afraid I need to issue you and John a punishment. John is on mess hall duty, and you are on patrol. Got it?"
"Yeah. . .", Rachel mumbled.
"You both start now. Dismissed." Rachel saluted back, and so did John, and Rachel left for her post. It was getting dark out, and Rachel was standing at a guard post, high atop a tower.
"Why do they need a guard for a camp?", asked Rachel to herself. "Huh? What's that?" She spied something moving across the ground, and nobody was supposed to be out at this hour. She peered closer, and saw somebody run into Cloud's personal cabin. "NO! CLOUDY! I WILL SAVE YOU!", thought Rachel urgently. She practically jumped down from the tower, and ran towards his cabin. When she got there, she stood outside his door, and she heard noises, some of them sounding painful. She took out her katana, and proceeded with caution in twisting the door knob. Big mistake.
"EEEEEEEEKK!", she heard a woman shriek.
"OH SWEET JESUS!", cried Rachel, shielding her eyes. John was doon from his mess hall duty, and heard girls screaming. He ran quickly, and saw Rachel running from a cabin.
"What wrong?!", he asked.
"I'm now mentally scarred for the rest of my LIFE. . .", said Rachel, rubbing her eyes.
"What'd you see?"
"I am NOT telling you. The image still burns. . ."
"Come on, let's go for a walk. . .", he said.
"You guys SUCK. . .", said Laura with a smile, raking in poker chips, sitting with her friends and a few guys, playing strip poker around a table. A guy was sitting there, wearing nothing, with absolutely NO chips left. Laura however, was only missing her socks, her Shinra helmet, and the top part of her shirt.
"Excuse ME, we don't cheat. . .", said the guy.
"You're just a sore loser.", she said, grinning. "And um, somebody hand his boxers back. I don't think we want to see your little friend anymore." Somebody handed his boxers back, suppressing a laugh.
"Well, since I win. . .", said Laura, "What are we going to do now?"
"I know, get our clothes back. . .", said another cute guy, who was completely naked and snatching his pants back from Shannon, who barely had anything taken off of her.
"Can I PLEASE have my pants back?", asked Vincent from the other side of the table. It turns out the girls were better at poker, and the guys sucked, and they all didn't have anything on.
"I don't know. . .", said Jessie, with a smile growing larger. "You look pretty good just like that. . ."
"DEAR GODS! Just give them back!", said Vincent. He received his pants, and reclothed himself. "Just as soon as I think I can win, they see through my poker face. . ."
"Are you okay now?", asked John.
"I'm fine.", said Rachel. They were walking along the edge of camp, which was beside a forest, and they were sitting in a tree.
"Good. What was it?"
"Did you ever. . . no, nevermind. . ."
"What?"
"Well. . ." Rachel leaned over and whispered in his ear what she saw.
"DEAR SWEET JESUS!", he said in disgust. "I'm surprised you're not blind. . ."
"Me, too. That's not the first time either. . ."
"EEW!"
"I know. . . Thanks for going for a walk with me."
"No prob. Not everyday I get to talk to a girl who doesn't make fun of me, has her boyfriend beat me up, or knows how to play Dungeons and Dragons. The life of a nerd. . ."
"I don't know why you should be considered a nerd. I mean, you look pretty normal, and there's nothing wrong with playing D&D. . ."
"Exactly.", he said. "I hate people who judge you before they know you, you know what I mean?"
"I know EXACTLY.", said Rachel. "Hey, since you look enough unlike a nerd, I mean, at least NOW in your uniform, how do they know you're a nerd?"
"They can smell you out, I swear." Rachel laughed. He smiled back.
"So, you play RPGs?", asked Rachel.
"No, I LIVE THEM!", he said.
"Okay, that's a bit strange to say, but I relate.", said Rachel. "How about Golden Sun?"
"One of the gifts of the gods.", he said.
"Final Fantasy 7?"
"Never heard of it." She remembered she was in the FF7 world, and sighed, realizing that quite possibly, he may not even be real.
"Yeah, sorry, I guess not many people know of it. . .", said Rachel. "Um but uh. . ."
"What?"
"How do I get down from this tree?"
"Oh. I forgot. . ."
"WE'RE STUCK?!", yelled Rachel.
"Quiet! I'll figure it out. . .", he said.
"Grrr, you better. . ."
An hour had passed, and they were still up in the tree.
"Great, I'm going to die cold, hungry and thirsty.", said Rachel, shivering from the cold.
"At least you're not going to die alone.", he said. Rachel didn't find this amusing.
"Sigh. . . Hey if you're cold, move closer.", he said.
"Forget it.", said Rachel, a little annoyed.
"Fine then, I will." He scooted nearer, but Rachel moved farther apart. "Great.", he thought. "I'm cold, and as soon as I find a girl who has something in common, she hates me because we're stuck in a stupid tree."
"Great, I'm stuck in a tree.", thought Rachel. "AND IT'S FREEZING! I can't feel my butt! And Tifa's still with Cloud! CRAPOLA!"
"Okay, here's the plan.", said John.
"And that is?"
"Follow my lead." He had really no plan on how to get out, and he looked down, getting a little acrophobic, closed his eyes, and just jumped. "AAHHH!"
"Uh, John?"
"Is anything broken?"
"You're fine." He opened his eyes, and looked up at Rachel, the where he was standing.
"I'M ALIVE! HUZZAH!"
"And how do I get down?", she called from fifteen feet up.
"Um. . . THINK OF SOMETHING DARING!", he thought to himself. "IT'S AN ACTUAL GIRL TALKING TO YOU!" He looked back up. "I'LL CATCH YOU!", he yelled. "OH MY GOD! DID I JUST SAY THAT?!", he thought urgently, not recognizing the words coming out of his mouth.
"Okay, if you want. . ." He braced, and Rachel jumped, and well, he HALF caught her, so she wouldn't be hurt, and he would still have his arms.
"Good catch!", she actually said happily.
"Er, thanks. . . !!!" She kissed him, and began running off and waving, while he stood there with his mouth gaping open.
"WHOA! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! I'm not complaining though. . .", he thought. He began doing a dance. "YES! I'M NOT HOPELESS! I GOT A KISS! AND I'M NOT A SAD, MIDDLE AGED MAN EITHER!"
"Okay guys, fork over the money. . .", said Laura, past another round of strip poker. They all grumbled, and forked over the cash. "Ha ha!" They all heard footsteps, and ran for their bunks, flicking off the lights, and somebody walked in.
"Hmmm. . ." It was just Tifa, making sure all of them were asleep, but noticed a pair of feet sticking out from underneath Laura's bed.
"Out!", she ordered. It was Vincent, and not being from this bunker, AND completely naked from that last round, she heard a sigh, and a VERY indignant Vincent came out, and took his clothes off a chair, leaving Tifa with a shocked expression, as she looked at his state while he walked out, and looking at Laura, wonder why he was naked under her bed, and tried to block out all possible thoughts, tried to ignore it, and walked out.
A bugle cut through the morning silence, and activity began to bustle.
"WAKE UP!", yelled Cloud in Rachel's ear. She snored on. DOINK! Cloud was forced to stab her with his sword.
"OUCH! I'M UP ALREADY!", she screamed in pain.
"ALL RIGHT, LITTLE GIRLS!", shouted the sergeant. "DRILL TIME!"
"No breakfast?', asked Rachel.
"BREAKFAST IS FOR THE WEAK! BREAKFAST IS AFTER DRILLS! NOW ALL OF YOU PACIFIER SUCKIN' WUSSIES DROP AND GIVE ME 50! HUP, TWO, THREE, FOUR! HUP, TWO, THREE, FOUR!" They all completed them, in a matter of fifteen minutes because of how harsh it was, and he stood aside to reveal a woman standing behind him.
"THIS IS LIEUTENANT FALLOWS! SHE IS HERE TO GIVE YOU DRILLS THAT WILL AID YOU IN THE WAR GAMES!"
"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am here to give you your drills. First, are the marching exercises. Now, LINE UP!" The all moved into a line. "NOW HUP HUP!" She began the march, and everyone followed.
"And hook your leg like this.", said Tifa, showing her team how to trip over the opponent. "It is very handy in close combat. Now partner up, and try this technique." Laura paired up with Jessie, and all of a sudden, Jessie hooked her leg, knocking in Laura's knee joint, and causing her to collapse.
"Very good!", said Tifa. "Now Private Cruz, it is your turn." Laura hooked her leg, and did the same. "Good! Now. . ." More time had passed, and Tifa had taught them all the basic moves. "Okay, now that you know the moves, before we move on to sparring, we are going to gauge your power. Private Cruz, you're first." Laura moved up to the front, and stood in front of a dummy. "Now, when you punch it, it should move. Go." She punched, but it didn't budge. "Again." She tried it again, and still no results. She tried over and over again, but nothing. "Sigh. . . Here, this always works. . .", said Tifa, glueing something on to the dummy. All of a sudden, Laura's eyes glowed red a little, her muscles tensed, and her leg shifted back, while her arm hurtled forward, whistling through the air, and the shock of the force and the excess energy incinerated the bag.
"TAKE THAT!", she said, yelling at it. The other students looked around, and wondered what had caused that. As Laura walked away, the picture of Lucrecia kissing Vincent fell to the ground.
"COUGH! GASP! WHEEZE!", sputtered Rachel, on the ground, resting from the exercise.
"OKAY! WE ARE JOINING TEAM 'D' FOR THE REST OF OUR EXERCISES! HUSTLE!" Rachel stood up wearily, and ran over to the group, who were watching the sparring match between Cloud and Tifa, which was just supposed to be an example for the students. Cloud still had his sword, because the lesson was on disarming.
"AND. . .! TWIST!", said Tifa, quickly grabbing Cloud's arm before he could pull away from a vertical chop, and she took the pressure point on his wrist, twisted his arm, squeezed, and he dropped his sword. "And there is a disarming technique. Try it."
"Hey Laura.", said Rachel. "Wanna try it?"
"I have no choice. . .", she said.
"No, I think I'll try sparring Private Distler myself. . .", said Tifa.
"WHAT?! DO I HAVE INSURANCE EVEN?!", yelled Rachel.
"NOPE! Come on!", said Tifa, grabbing Rachel's arm, who was practically crying.
"AGGHH! WHY ME?!"
"Well, ONE, you left your post, and TWO. . . I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT ONE IN PUBLIC!"
"YEAH! GO RACHEL!", cheered John. Rachel looked over her shoulder, and saw John waving.
"I hope he doesn't get clingy. . .", thought Rachel.
"What do you prefer to use, your hands, or you sword?", asked Tifa. Rachel saw Cloud mouth "sword" to her, but she already knew he wanted her to show off the new moves he had been teaching her, so she took the sheath and removed it from her belt, and took her stance.
"Hands.", said Rachel. She took a similar stance of Tifa's, and Vincent was the referee.
"OKAY! READY?! GO!"
"GAK!" Rachel was already blocking punches, and it felt her bones were about to snap under the force of them.
"You can quit at any time, I just hope you know that.", said Tifa.
"Thanks, but I don't think you needed to tell me that!", said Rachel, taking her arm, and while Tifa thought she was going to do a flip, Rachel duck under, knelt on her left knee, and performed a sweep with her right, tripping Tifa.
"Hey! I'm not too bad! ARGH!" Tifa practically flipped up, and kicked Rachel in the stomach. "Ow. . ."
"Don't get cocky!"
"NEITHER SHOULD YOU!" Rachel used a crescent kick, and whacked Tifa in the face.
"YOU JUST DID!" Tifa lashed back, and gutted Rachel with a fist to the stomach, and then elbowed her in the back.
"MEDIC!"
A/N: Sorry folks, it was supposed to be MUCH shorter than this, so I was forced to do another split chapter. SORRY! I just don't have much time either. I'm contemplating doing a web comic of Alternate Earth, I'm writing an original story about my D&D character, upon which if you read intermission, you should know who she is, but this id a MUCH more serious one. Plus, I'm doing a bit of freelance art right now, then there's more I still have left, then my free time (which is now like, cut greatly in half), and school, and homework . . . AND I'M STILL ONLY A FRESHMAN! WAH! I HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO! Let's recap, shall we? Web comic, freelance art, free time, writing this, writing my original fic, school, and let's not forget my shower, eating, and sleeping. So yeah, it was necessary for another split episode, but the war games are in the next one, so I'll be back with another chapter!