I try to get the last drops of hope
Like honey from a jar
It looks hopeless and empty from afar
But I persist
Resist the urge to throw the jar away entirely
Chapter 2: No Use Crying Over...
Walking out the doors of the Shinra building, you would never think that it was almost one o'clock in the morning. The streets were alive with vehicles heading back and forth from their destinations, street lamps buzzing with the electric current flowing through them, and the buildings in the distance were lit up from top to bottom. Whatever stars should be visible now were blocked out by the light pollution of the city that never sleeps. Sometimes I missed being in the backwoods of Gongaga. The moon and the stars shining down on our little spec in the world made for a beautiful view that not even the best painters could ever capture with a brush. I've always been meaning to try and get a day or two to go and visit mine and Zack's parents, but training and missions have been keeping me busy day and night.
I turned from the busy streets, Shinra kept the SOLDIER members who didn't want to live in the building close by in apartment complexes. In case we were needed for an emergency. They weren't luxurious apartments. Even though those who think they know anything and everything about Shinra would tell you differently. No no no. We didn't live in poverty, but we also didn't live in luxury either. Our living arrangements were a simple two bedroom apartment in a duplex. We had one bathroom, a small kitchen with enough room for a two chair table to be tucked in a corner, and a decent sized living room with cable hook ups. Simple living for super soldiers that hardly spent any time at home.
Our street was quiet, except for the constant buzz of the street lamps. No pedestrians wandering about, taking pictures or gossiping on their phones. Only a few motorbikes parked on the curb. Most likely belonging to the few 1st Class that live here. You never knew who was home, who was out on a mission, who had the night shift, or which apartment just didn't have anyone at all. To keep what peace we had around here, Zack and I had developed a simple way of letting the other know we were home. The only door on the ground floor that had the porch light on was ours. If it was off, then one of us wasn't home. I pulled my keys out of the front pocket of my bag and unlocked the door. Zack was lounging on the only piece of furniture we had in our living room, an old grey loveseat. We pilfered it from the junk pile a few months ago when a neighboring apartment was being cleaned out. It slightly smelled of mold and dust, but it worked fine for relaxing for a few minutes after a long day.
I kicked my boots off and jumped over the back of the couch, landing directly on top of Zack. He tensed with a very loud ooof.
"I'm home!" I sang, "Did you miss me?"
"Yes. Now get off me." He groaned.
I hit the ground with a thump as I rolled off him. He sat up, clutching his abdomen like he had a broken rib or two. I lightly kicked his shoulder from the floor.
"Phew!" Zack exclaimed as he pushed my foot away, "When is the last time you actually took a shower? You reek!"
I kicked him again and got off the ground, "I probably smell better than you do. Have you ever heard of soap, or deodorant? It's late anyway, I'll just shower in the morning before heading off to work."
"Don't forget. Otherwise they'll think that a Hedgehog Pie wandered in from the slums."
Laughing like he told the best joke ever, Zack ducked under my socks that I pulled off and threw at him. I retreated into my room, while he continued to laugh like a mad scientist on the couch. My room was as simple as every other room in this apartment. A regular twin size bed with grey bed sheets and one pillow. There was also a short dresser with some street clothes to wear if I was ever blessed with a day off, and a small closet with more clothes and a full body mirror. What else could you need at a place you only spent the night at, sometimes? I tossed my shoulder pack to the corner of the room, and collapsed on my bed. My street clothes were comfortable enough to suffice as pajamas tonight.
The morning streets of Midgar were even more crowded than the night. I barely made it across the street without almost getting plowed by a passing delivery truck honking his horn like I was the asshole in the situation. The important thing was that I made it to work in one piece. The receptionist smiled kindly at me as I approached her desk and presented my access card to clock in.
"Never get a day off, do you?" She joked and handed me my card back.
"Only when I'm dead." I chuckled, "Ain't no rest for the wicked. Have a good day."
There was talk that Shinra was in the works of developing holograms to replace many employees and cut pay costs. Some of the receptionists would talk about it in the break room while they ate their lunch. They had a right to be worried about potentially losing their jobs, I know I would be. Hopefully, for their sake, this hologram development would be years away from being finished, and they could rest easy knowing their jobs would be secure.
Before heading to the elevators, I made a pit stop at the company cafe nearby. Getting through the day would be impossible without my daily cup of coffee. The barista greeted me the same as the receptionist, with a kind smile and ready to help with whatever I needed. I gave her my order and waited patiently until it was handed to me. The smell of the dark drink filled my senses and started to perk me up as my caffeine addiction was fed. Only focusing on taking that heavenly first sip, I turned to go to the elevators, failing to notice someone was standing behind me waiting to get their drink as well.
"Ah!" We both shouted as hot coffee spilled over both of us as my paper cup was squashed between our chests. The Infantryman backed up a step, trying to rub the liquid off his uniform before it could burn his skin further.
"Oh my god!" I shouted as I lunged for the stack of napkins on the closest table. "I am so sorry! That was a total accident, completely my fault! I should have been paying more attention."
I shoveled napkins onto him like the more he had, the more it would help stop the burning. Taking as many as he could fit into his coffee stained hands, he blotted the wet spot on his shirt. He didn't say a word as I continued to apologize and drown him in napkins. It had now turned into a spectacle, and all the morning employees were staring at us like we were a circus act. Not that I could blame them really, at this point.. We looked ridiculous. At some point, I had run out of napkins to throw at him and was frantically looking around for another stack to toss. He held his hands up to stop me.
"Don't worry! It's fine." He said, "I don't need any more napkins."
"Are you sure?" I panicked, "Gahh.. I'm so so so sooo sorry!"
"It's fine, I promise. Just please… calm down?"
It was then that I realized a small crowd had gathered around us to watch the show. Heat rushed to my face as I took in the mess around us. Wet and dry napkins everywhere. It was like a trash can had exploded around us. My shirt was soaked with coffee that was quickly going cold and making my skin sticky. His appearance was not any better than mine. A large coffee stain ran down the front of his uniform and some napkins stuck to him here and there. Thankfully, the gun strapped to his back wasn't harmed in the fiasco.
"Oh man…" I hid my face in my hands, maybe if I just stopped looking they would all go away. "I'll pay the drycleaning bill to have your uniform cleaned."
He wiped away some remnants of wet napkin, "Don't worry about it. I was gonna get this thing cleaned soon anyway."
He bypassed me and set a few gil down on the countertop.
"Two coffees, extra sugar, and one replacement coffee for the lady over there." He said with a smile to the barista.
Taking his cups, he nodded his head once to me, and walked away without another word. While I waited for my replacement coffee, I put it upon myself to clean up the mess I had made around the cafe. All the other employees resumed going about their day, stepping around me as I picked up every napkin I had thrown. Some would whisper to one another about what department the thought I worked in and who to report me to for the nuisance I caused to their morning. I tossed the wasted napkins in the trash and apologized to the barista for the trouble I caused.
"No worries." She laughed, "That was the most excitement I've seen at this place since I started here."
She handed me my coffee and I made extra certain that nobody was behind me this time as I turned to the elevators. Maybe it was a good thing that Shinra required us in SOLDIER to not wear our uniforms outside of the building. Otherwise I'd be sticky with dried coffee. Now I felt extra sorry for the Infantryman. I'd have to hunt him down later and make it up to him.
I chugged down my coffee in the elevator, not wanting to waste anymore time. Training with Sephiroth always started at 8am sharp, and it was already 7:45. If I was late, I'd be in for a world of hurt like yesterday night. My muscles were still sore from that program, and I wanted to say goodbye to Myrna before she left on her mission. Once the doors opened, I tossed my empty cup into the trash and speed walked to the bathroom to change into my uniform.
Sephiroth was waiting for me in the Training Room. He glanced to the clock when I burst in the door, still buckling my shoulder pads on. 8:01am.
"You're late." He said without emotion.
"Wha-... by ten seconds!" I exclaimed.
"Late is late, no matter how behind you are."
He held his hand up to stop my retort as I began to explain the fiasco in the cafe.
"No excuses." His eyes turned more serious. I called it mentor mode when he looked at me like that. He turned and entered the data into the program simulator. "Start with 500 each to warm up. I hope you didn't forget your materia from the lockers, it'll make this simulation a lot easier."
Shit! I mentally cursed. I didn't even think to stop at the Briefing Room!
I couldn't stop the groan that escaped my throat as I slumped into the simulator. Making sure my sword was securely attached to my back, I started the 500 rep warm up exercises. Squats, push-ups, crunches, burpees, and mountain climbers. Everything was burning, to say the least, when I was finished. Maybe I wouldn't make it up to that Infantryman when the day was over. The least he coulda done was help me pick up the napkins to save me a few minutes. Before I could rest, Sephiroth entered the simulator and tossed a headset to me. We both secured them to our heads and waited for the program to start.
"Gonna be one of those days is it?" I asked him.
Every now and then, Sephiroth will enter both of us into a program. The goal of it is to defeat him, while also watching my back for monsters. He started it about four years ago, I have yet to complete it.
Opening my eyes while the transition completed, we were in a canyon outside of a desert. Tall rock formations blocked out some of the sun, and gusts of wind picked up the thin layer of sand on the stone ground. Sephiroth held his sword towards me, and vanished out of sight. Thinking fast, I grabbed the handle of my sword and picked it up just enough to block the back of my neck as he made his first attack. I quickly spun around and lunged for him, missing completely and hitting the canyon wall behind him. Using that momentum, I pushed from the wall to block his next attack. Metal clashed on metal, ringing in the air, and making sparks fly with the impact. I played the defense as attack after attack came from him. He was ruthless with his attacks. They were strong and pin pointed right where I showed the most weakness. It was difficult to get an attack on him. I had to be patient, play my defences correctly, until he gave me an opportunity to strike. I fumbled my next step, leaving an enormous opening for any attacker. Sephiroth lunged his blade at me, aimed to kill. I barely got my sword up in time to defer his attack past my face, cutting open my cheek. A drop of blood fell from my jaw onto the blade of his sword as time slowed down. My movements were sluggish, like I was trudging through water.
Sephiroth smirked as he backed away, his hand glowing yellow with the image of a clock around his fist. That clever bastard.. He knew I would find a way to block his attack and used that opportunity to cast Slow on me. I fought against the spell, cursing myself for not keeping Haste materia with me. In a flash, he was gone again. I didn't have the speed to block his next attack as I felt a boot hit the square of my back, sending me flying forward and colliding with a boulder. My impact shattered the stone, covering me in small cuts as the fragments sliced through my skin. I hit the ground in a heap. Stabbing my sword into the ground, I hauled myself back to my feet using it as leverage. My spine retaliated with the movement, not recovered from the kick or the impact with the boulder. Ignoring the pain, I took a small vial of potion from my item pack and gulped it down in a second. The muscles around my spine warmed and the small cuts that covered me healed. Sephiroth stood a couple yards away, he was going easy on me. If this were a real fight, I would have been dead the second I let him cast Slow.
Panting, and covered in dirt and sweat, I raised my sword at him. He half smiled and raised his hand. A black cloud of darkness surrounded his fingers and he rushed me. I ducked under his attempt to grab my face. Recovering from Slow was bad enough, I didn't need Darkness on top of it! Steps behind me alerted my senses as a hound jumped to attack me. I slid underneath it and took it down with one swift move of my sword over the underside of its neck. It disappeared in a bundle of green orbs before it even hit the ground. Two more materialized in front of me, teeth bared, and claws ready to rip me to shreds. I kept my guard up for Sephiroth's next attack as I fought off the hounds. As I took down one of the two, he slashed my shoulder, and kicked my feet out from under me. Nothing broke my fall as the back of my head slammed onto the ground before the rest of me did. The world around me blurred and bile threatened to hurl up my throat. Disoriented, I stood up on wobbly legs and shook my head to try and get my bearings. I saw the teeth of a hound coming towards me, but my body lagged in reacting to the oncoming attack. Its teeth sunk into the edge of my blade as I managed to block in time, but the weight of the hound added onto my dizziness knocked me back to the ground. I fought to hold it off as it gnawed on my blade, not caring that it's own mouth was getting cut and bleeding. I got my feet underneath it and kicked it off of me, sending it into a small rock formation. Before I could take it down, the gleam of sunlight shining off of Sephiroth's sword caught my attention as he struck down on me. I rolled from his attack, but didn't get to my feet in time as he rushed me. I grabbed a handful of sand and threw it in his face, temporarily blinding him, and giving me enough time to get to my feet and swing my sword at him. Flawlessly, he dodged each attack I made toward him. Never once did I land even a scratch on his clothes. Not one hair flew out of place. He blocked my last attack, sending my blade to the ground, and backhanded me away from him. I slid along the ground as I landed and coughed as I tried to catch my breath. In an instant he was over top of me, his blade pointed right for my throat. There was no hesitation as he struck his blade down. Holding my breath, I closed my eyes as the tip of the sword got closer. I heard the crush of earth, my ear ringing as Sephiroth struck the ground near me with his finishing blow. I opened my eyes, seeing my frightened expression in the reflection of his blade. One centimeter away from me. That's how precise he was. I gulped down the breath I was holding, and heaved my chest as I panted to calm my nerves.
With a long sigh, Sephiroth retracted his sword and ended the simulation. I still lay in shock on the metal floor of the simulator, my hands shaking as I removed my headset. He hung his headset neatly on the hook near the door and looked over his shoulder at me.
"You were sloppy." He said, "You're too focused on waiting for an opponent to give you a chance to strike that you don't make your own chances."
He turned to me, the ends of his coat flowing behind him.
"People are different from monsters. Monsters only have one thing on their mind when they attack you, and that is blind instincts to bring you down. They have no strategy when they fight, no training. People will outsmart you, learn your tactics, and use them against you. They'll find every blindspot you have and take the opportunity to take you down when you least expect it. You need to work more on your strategy. Balance your defense from your offense. Make your guard an attack to stagger your opponent and bring them down before they have a chance to do the same to you. Otherwise, they'll kill you without mercy."
He stopped next to me and held out his hand to help me to my feet. My head pounded with the rush of blood and lights flashed in my eyes. I held my hand to my head as if added pressure would make the pain go away.
"That's enough for today," He sighed, "Go to the infirmary and get that concussion treated. I'll see you back here tomorrow morning. No later than eight. Understood?"
With a weak, sarcastic smile, I saluted to him, "Yessir."
"Hm." He half smiled at me and entered the battle data into the simulator computer.
"Take it easy for a few days." The nurse at the infirmary told me. I wanted to laugh in her face when she told me that. Not a day goes by where anything in my line of work was easy. Hell, even my down time was me training. Zack and I would have squat challenges at the apartment some days out of the week. Him being the master of squats always did better than me. I shook my head as I held an ice pack to the spot that nailed the ground.
"A few days..heh." I chuckled as I walked down the stairs of the stairs of the 63rd floor to the recreation area.
Those of us who didn't pack a lunch to work would take our breaks here. There were food shops and televisions to get caught up on the news of the world. The news always seemed to be the same though. The regular weather forecast for Midgar, criminals in the slums below the plate, and updates for the war with Wutai. Same old story, different day of the week. I ignored the TV and went straight to the food shop.
"Hey, if it isn't coffee girl."
I scowled at the name. I was hoping that nobody would be around who was there for the morning disaster. As I turned to cuss out the guy who yelled to me, I stopped. Coffee stains still showing like a battle scar on his shirt, and his helmet sitting on the table. He smiled at me, short locks of brown hair blanketing his forehead and hanging over his ears. His smile made his jawline look more squared and freckles hid under the laugh lines and wrinkles by his eyes. He waved me over with enthusiasm. I hesitated, but joined him and his friend at the table.
"This is the girl I was telling you about this morning. The one who was so into her coffee that she spilt it all over me." He nudged his friend who only chuckled and kept his gaze on his cup of water, "Never woulda guessed that you were in SOLDIER. Who beat you up?"
"Ah.." I lightly laughed as I set down the ice pack, "Training accident. Nothing new really."
"Training?!" He exclaimed before throwing his head back in laughter, short locks of brown hair flowing with the movement, "Damn if that's just you after training, I'd hate to see you on a battlefield."
Nervously, I rubbed the back of my head. Normally, the Infantrymen and SOLDIER would feud over everything. It was rare to find some who actually got along. Guess I got lucky this morning and spilt coffee on one of the nice ones. He nudged his friend again with a chuckle.
"Could you imagine if they beat us to a pulp every training session? We'd be dead men for sure!"
"Hey so… about this morning-" I started.
"Like I said, no worries." He interrupted and smiled, "This ratty thing was due for a cleaning. You just gave me the motivation to finally get it done. I'm Noctis by the way, and this is my buddy Cloud."
"Hey." Cloud said with a shy smile.
"I'm Senna, 2nd Class SOLDIER." I smiled and held my hand out to shake theirs.
"Wow, 2nd Class? So you must be some kinda badass right?" Noctis said in amazement.
I shrugged my shoulders, "Something like that."
Noctis leaned towards me, hazel eyes burning with curiosity.
"Do you work with Sephiroth at all? What about Petra Rogue? Are they cool? What about Petra? I heard she's hot!"
"Uhh…" I stuttered, not sure how to answer any of his questions, or how much to actually reveal about SOLDIER.
"Maybe we shouldn't ask her so many questions, Noctis. They keep a tight seal on SOLDIER info, she might not be allowed to answer some of those." Cloud spoke up.
Noctis sat back and crossed his arms over his chest with a pout.
"Yeah I guess you're right. We'll find out when we enlist next year anyway, huh Cloud?"
"You guys are gonna join SOLDIER?" I asked.
"Well, Cloud here is the one who's itching to join. Said it's been a childhood dream of his. I'm only gonna join so I can keep him out of trouble. Someone's gotta look out for the little guy."
Noctis grabbed Cloud's helmet and twisted it around so the back of it covered his face. I chuckled as I watched the two bicker like they were siblings. It kind of reminded me of how Zack and I talk to each other sometimes. Cloud positioned his helmet back in the correct position, and held onto it so Noctis couldn't twist it back around.
"So Cloud," I started, "Why are you wearing your helmet in the rec area? Nobody here is gonna judge you if you have helmet hair."
A slight blush crept onto his cheeks as he tapped his fingers on the helmet.
"Yeah, man. Show the other employees your pretty face!" Noctis clapped Cloud on the back for encouragement.
"Uh.." Cloud hesitated.
"Ah come one. I bet you're not that bad looking." I teased.
Noctis made a move to take Cloud's helmet off, but Cloud shoved him away before he could get his hands on it. With a huff, he pulled off the helmet and set it on the table. His hair stayed surprisingly intact for wearing a helmet all day. Blonde and spikey. It suited his sharp facial features and pale skin. His eyes were so blue, they almost shined like a beacon. He was definitely better looking than most of the grunts that worked here.
"Not so bad is it?" I smiled, "You look better without the helmet."
He blushed and smiled down at his helmet. "Thanks." He mumbled.
I took a quick glance at the clock, and stood up.
"Well boys, it's been a treat meeting you, but I have other arrangements to attend to." I said, "I'll see you around and hopefully not spill coffee on either of you."
"Pleasure meeting you, Senna." Noctis lazily waved from his seat and sent me off with a mock salute, "Until next we meet."
"See you later." Cloud smiled.
I waved to them and bounded up the stairs back to the SOLDIER floor. If I hurried, I'd have enough time to say goodbye to Myrna before she left. During the elevator ride up, my stomach clenched and growled like a hungry Behemoth. I hung my head and groaned.
"Dammit… I forgot to get something to eat!"