Number VII

Her breathing was heavy, and she thought she couldn't breathe anymore at all. I'm running out of breath! They'll get me! The monsters behind her screamed, as if they had just read her mind. She jumped over a rock, stumbled back on her feet, and kept running. "Someone help me..." she sobbed, and gasped desperately for more air. Someone..!

Her foot got stuck in a hole and she screamed as she fell over and..

"Huh?" A strong arm grabbed her, lifting her up in the air, and the monsters howled. Suddenly she couldn't feel their evil presence anymore. She looked around and stopped, totally amused by what she saw. There was a tall, handsome guy with black spiky hair smiling and waving at her, and she gasped as she saw how the wind made some silver hair to float in front of her face. Her own white hair was all messed up and dirty, and for a while she was jealous for the owner of that pretty, long hair.

"You okay, girl?" the black-haired man shouted. Now the girl noticed he was carrying a huge sword on his back, and he was wearing a uniform. Wait. Uniform? Then...

"SOLDIERs..!"

"Eehh?" The black-haired one walked closer, and his blue eyes were large and his facial expression showed nothing but surprise. "Yeah, we are, indeed", he said, scratching his head. "But hey, you didn't answer me. You okay?" He looked worried.

"Ah! Yeah, I am.. Thanks."

"Oh, great. Hey, Sephiroth, you can put her down already", the man said, poking the silver-haired one to his side.

The girl's eyes got larger. Sephiroth..? She squeaked as the silver-haired man put her back on her - trembling - feet. She managed to mutter a thank you, but the man either didn't hear her or just ignored her. Suddenly she felt pissed off. Angrily, she turned to the black-haired guy, who was obviously the nicest of the two. "What are you SOLDIERs doing here? We don't even have a reactor here", she said, glaring at the two.

"Ahaha, that's one funny story, by the way", the black hair laughed, holding his hands behind his head. "You see, girl, we kinda got lost..."

"Ehh?"

"Yeah, and it's sickening to admit but it's all my fault... ehhehe..." His cheeks got a bit pinky with embarrassment.

The silver-haired man - Sephiroth - said "hmph", but the girl saw his face and noticed he was smiling. "Why don't you introduce yourself for each other?" he suggested, and the girl was surprised to hear his voice was so low and soft and... hypnotizing.

"Oh yeah!" The black hair slapped his forehead. "The name's Zack, a 1st Class SOLDIER, at your service!" He offered his hand and winked his eye, grinning.

"Sephiroth, 1st Class SOLDIER", the silver hair said, and he was really smiling now, but something in his smile disturbed the girl. So .. noble... she thought, amused. She blinked as she realized they were waiting for her to say something. "I'm.. I'm Celes", she said, blushing; she thought they'd laugh at her if they heard her full name. Who gives an innocent child such a name? she bitterly thought.

"Celes, huh? That's a pretty name", Zack said. Celes didn't answer, thinking he was mocking her. "So, Celes, what are you doing here? Obviously this is a dangerous place. Monsters around and all."

"I .. was going to Costa del Sol so I could get to Junon, but..." She waved her hand to the direction she had come from. "The monsters.."

"Oh? Well, we're just coming from Costa del Sol, and man, if nothing else I can tell you one thing: you were heading to the wrong direction."

"I was?" Celes said weakly.

"Oh my", Sephiroth said, watching the sky. "Seems we're all a bit lost, aren't we?" He looked at Celes and smiled, his strange green eyes shining. What's with his eyes? Not that they look strange, but that look... what is it? She felt herself fascinated by those eyes.

"Well then, I guess I better call Verdot and his gang, huh", Zack said, scratching his head again. "We need a helicopter to get out of this place." He pointed at the sand and rocks all around them. "Hopefully they can locate us, haha!"

"Hmh, always finding something to laugh at", Sephiroth sniffed. "How foolish from you." He sat down on one huge rock and threw his leg onto the other one. "Well, girl. You knew there were monsters around here, did you not? Still you came all the way here without any kind of weapons, and judging by how you were running you can't even fight properly."

"I can fight!" she shouted, hitting the ground with her foot. "I just... there were too many of them", she muttered, her cheeks burning red.

Sephiroth laughed, his eyes closed and head leaning backwards. "You're one oddball", he stated. "Very well." He took his long katana and gave it to Zack, standing up. "Try me", he said, green strange eyes shining. His eyebrows were high up, and his smile told Celes he didn't really believe she could land a hit on him. She stared at him angrily, biting her lower lip.

Sephiroth dodged her first attack - a straight right - easily, but her kick surprised him a bit. He moved aside, amused by the pain he felt on his right side. She turned around and kicked again, aiming for every man's weak spot. Sephiroth grabbed her leg, making Celes lose her balance. She hit the ground hard.

"So you want to become a SOLDIER, huh?" he said. Zack, who was following the scenario few meters away, looked surprised. "Hmh", Sephiroth said, dodging another hit with his arm. Celes felt herself angry, as his face seemed happy. Noble shit head, she thought. "So be it", the man said. Celes blinked. The world was suddenly upside down. She looked around and noticed Sephiroth was once again holding her in the air... from her leg. Growling, she tried to kick him again, but failed miserably. "Why?" he asked, and now Celes could see his eyes from a good close up. His eyes are like a cat's...

"Because", she said.

Sephiroth raised his eyebrows again. "Because?" he repeated questionably.

Celes nodded. "Because", she confirmed. "Ouch!" Sephiroth had suddenly let go of her leg, and she was once more on the ground. Muttering curses she stumbled up and glared darkly at the silver-haired man, who was facing Zack. "Well?" he said.

"She'll do, I suppose", Zack said, sounding tired. He looked down, and Celes felt the tension between the two. What the hell is happening here? Sephiroth nodded and turned back to Celes, with the smile back on his face. "We were looking for some female SOLDIER candidates", he explained. "You may not be so strong-" Celes blushed "-but will eventually become stronger. And to be honest..." He lowered his voice. "You seem to have more willpower to fight than the other females we've met so far. So, how about it?"

Celes blinked. He tested me? But... if that was just a test... how the hell could I become strong enough to protect my hometown? Are they all just weaklings acting all mighty and strong? She shuddered as Sephiroth continued: "Of course, this was just to test do you have any will to fight... The real test will take place in Junon." He smiled.

Celes looked at Zack, who was looking at the horizon, and for her he looked upset. Shouldn't he be happier? She squeaked again as Sephiroth grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look up at him. His eyes were shining, and now Celes recognized the so-called Mako glow in them. So those are the eyes of a SOLDIER, she thought, wondering if this was just a dream: a cruel one, mocking her ideals and dreams. "Will you work for ... us?" Zack looked his co-worker during the short pause, and Celes realized Sephiroth had been about to say something else. As she nodded eagerly, her thoughts were racing fast in her mind. What is going on? Where have I gotten myself into? In a sudden horror, she realized there was no turning back: she had made a promise.

Sephiroth let go of her shoulders and returned to the stone he had been sitting on. Celes noticed she was shivering. Who is he? What is he? Really... She looked up at the bright blue sky and swallowed. I can't go back, right? Even though it was a warm day, she shivered and suddenly felt herself sad. As she opened her eyes she realized Zack was looking at her, his face showing an expression Celes couldn't read. She hushed the fear from her mind and smiled sweetly at the two men. I will try! For everyone...

---

.."And so fell the sword of fate"...