"Packed full of young boys, the bus rumbled down the old paved road. The occupants were all 14-16 years of age and of varying colors, shapes, and sizes. Out of all of them, one boy in particular stood out.

"He wasn't the tallest-in fact he was quite short-and he certainly wasn't the buffest-rather skinny and boney, really-but what set him apart from all the other boys was his bright smile and limitless energy. Covered in bruises from the other boys who had gotten annoyed by his ceaseless fidgeting and bouncing, the tiny noiret stared out the window with childish wonder and curiosity in his large blue eyes. If he had any idea where he was being taken, his smile would probably vanish in a heartbeat.

"Will you stop bouncing already!?" yet another boy growled at him.

"Sorry, I can't help it!" he apologized for the umpteenth time. "If you don't mind, do you know where they are taking us?"

"You really don't know?" the boy with dark brown hair sitting across the aisle inquired, shocked.

"Why? Am I supposed to?"

"Well...uh...yeah. I thought everyone knew what happens on this day every year..."

The noiret shook his head, "not me. I grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere, real far from here. We don't get a lotta news most of the time."

"It must be super remote to have never heard of the Choosing."

"The Choosing?"

The boy seated in front of him twisted around with a solemn look. "Every year on the last day of summer, fifty boys are chosen from all of the Planet to be trained to become SOLDIERs for ShinRa. It's said to be the highest honor, but everyone knows it's more of a death sentence. They say the training is so brutal, more than half the boys die in the first week. That's why so few make it through alive."

This finally put a stopper in the tiny boy's energy and enthusiasm. His smile fell away. "That's really where they are taking us? To become SOLDIERs?"

The brunet across from him nodded. "Most of us probably won't survive long at all. Not even long enough to make it to 3rd Class."

"You definitely won't with an attitude like that. You're more likely to succeed if you think you will. If you think you'll fail, you will," the noiret told him, suddenly smiling once more. He never was one to stay in the dumps for very long. "My ma used to say that 'true winners aren't afraid to fail, but they don't let the thought of failure overtake them'. I know I might fail, but I'm gonna strive to survive and so should all of you!"

All the boys in the bus were staring at this energetic boy in awe, spirits lifted. He grinned at them all, and a couple smiled back, his aura of optimism shining brightly on them all like the sun. Even the driver, who was quite depressed from taking so many teens to their dooms, felt its warmth soften his numbed old heart.

This year would be quite different from the others.