Chapter 8
The next morning, Zack, Kunsel, and Zen awaken to suit up for another day at the training center since they did not have any mission scheduled until next week. With helmets in arms, the three head over to the common area of their suite together.
"How's the back, Kunsel?" Zen wonders.
"It's a little better thanks to you," admits Kunsel, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. "Though I have to wonder if it really was back therapy you did to me last night."
"Oh, don't be such a pansy," huffs the teenage girl, putting a fist on her hip. "Stepping on one's back is one of the best ways to realign the spine. Besides, it's not like I'm heavy or anything."
"Yeah, you're so light, I didn't think you did anything significant," remarks Zack with a grin.
He immediately covers his head with his arms when Zen flashes a glare at him in response.
"Just you wait until we get to the training center, Porcupine," she warns him.
Zack chuckles as the girl pushes the button near the front door to make it slide open.
"Are you sure about this?"
Inside the office of the Shin-Ra headquarters in Junon, a short-haired brunette turns to face her blonde-haired associate.
"They're getting to the peak of their game," notes Cicero, brushing a stray tuft of hair out off of his face with his hand. "It's best to have the Mako treatments done while they're still in their teens. Their bodies won't accept it as easily if they get it in later."
The brunette turns her attention back towards the office windows overlooking the bay. "I have no qualms about the boys, but I don't know about the girl."
"Still worried about her Wutai connections?" wonders Cicero.
"If she's a Wutai loyalist, giving her the Mako treatments will seriously backfire," articulates the brunette.
"Always putting things into perspective, aren't you, Dame Amira?" Cicero walks over to his fellow Turk and stares out towards the sea along with her. "If it bothers you that much, we could always put her through an assessment."
"You know how the boss is," responds the woman. "It's not like we can afford to haphazardly let in a Wutai spy."
"Ah, yes, Sir Veld," said Cicero with a passive expression. "He's certainly gotten his hands full after what happened with Sir Einar." He stops for a moment as he realizes something and turns to his female comrade. "You're afraid of another Sir Einar incident, aren't you?"
Amira continues to keep her gaze towards the window. "How can I focus on our work when there's the possibility of betrayal within the ranks?"
"Heh," Cicero turns around and leans his back gently upon the glass of the window. "Just because he didn't do his job, that doesn't mean he's a traitor."
"I don't want to talk about this any more," asserts the woman, turning around to head for the door. "You take care of the three troopers."
"Of course," Cicero smiles as he watches his fellow Turk walk off. "I've always been more of a scribe than you anyhow."
"Humph," exclaims Amira, closing the door behind her.
Zen grips the handle of her Shin-Ra standard sword as she faces Zack in the midst of a forest clearing, their infantry helmets laid scattered on the ground. Both had been fighting each other fiercely, sweat dripping down the sides of their heads as they panted heavily. The teenagers were obviously at a standoff, waiting for the right moment to deliver the final strike.
A leaf blows by and in an instant the two rush at each other with their swords at the ready, yelling out with all their might. A flash appears as their swords clang against each other, the intensity rippling through the air like a raging flood until they finally land in directions opposite to where they were before. For a while, neither made any move to speak, simply standing where they landed with swords still gripped tightly in their gloved hands.
Suddenly, Zack and Zen both fall to the ground, utterly exhausted. The two were battered and bruised from the ferocity of their duel, but still managed to get to their feet after a few minutes of brief rest. The world around them began to pixelate away as they turn to face each other with smiles on their dirtied faces.
"Good show," affirms Zen, holding out her hand all sportsman-like. "Porcupine."
"Thanks," responds Zack, grabbing her hand and giving a firm shake of agreement. "You're not so bad yourself."
Moments later, the door to the training room slides open and in walked Kunsel with helmet in hand.
"You guys have gotten pretty strong now," he notes sheepishly.
"Don't sell yourself so short," spoke up Zack, putting a hand on Kunsel's shoulder. "You're pretty strong, too, you know."
"I guess," chuckles Kunsel. "Then again, all I did was just fight data of my previous levels. Why don't you guys fight your own data?"
"Fighting someone is a lot better than dealing with your own data," explains Zen, crossing her arms. "I mean, you already know your own strengths and weaknesses, whereas with a live opponent, you have to learn to think on your feet." She points to her head. "No matter how advance technology gets, nothing can substitute the mind."
"That's right," agrees Zack. He goes over to pick up his helmet. "Simulations can only get you so far."
"I suppose," responds Kunsel.
The three of them leave the simulation room together and walk outside to be greeted with a cool breeze from the nighttime air. The whole of Junon was blanketed in the blue light of the full moon overhead, creating various shades of blue wherever it touched.
"Hey, check out the ocean," Zen exclaims, walking over to the railing along the street with her helmet in hand.
The boys follow suit and the teenagers found themselves leaning upon the edge looking out towards the wide expanse of seawater. For a few minutes they stood there drinking in the scenary, until one of them spoke up.
"You know, this looks really nice," said Kunsel. "I never really stopped to look at the ocean like this."
"I would think this is something you're used to, being from Mideel and all," notes Zack.
"Well, the waters around Mideel is nowhere near as polluted as the waters around here," responds Kunsel.
"That is true," agrees Zen. "It's only blue right now because of the moonlight."
A few minutes of silence passes amongst the teenagers. Kunsel puts on his helmet and lays his head on his arms as he stares out into the distance.
"Hey," he says at last. "Do you think… we'll ever get into SOLDIER?"
He turns to look at his two close friends to receive no response from them. Maybe they were thinking what he was thinking, that they were never going to get into SOLDIER. Doomed to be Shin-Ra grunts for the rest of their lives (well, until they retired, that is).
"Sure, we will," Zen exclaims suddenly. "I mean, we did impress that First Class SOLDIER after all."
"More like shock him into dismay," chuckles Zack. "I don't think that dumbfounded look on his face was anywhere near impressed."
"Aww, who cares whether we get into SOLDIER or not?" Zen huffs exasperatedly, clanging her helmet upon the railing in slight frustration. "That doesn't mean we can't be as strong as them."
"Well, actually, we'll never get nearly as strong as them because of their Mako treatments and their use of Materia," articulates Kunsel, tipping the front of his helmet up with a thumb. "We could probably get close, but never stronger."
"Screw their Mako and Materia!" says Zen, plopping her helmet on her head and crossing her arms. "If those jokers won't let us into SOLDIER, we'll just act like we're in SOLDIER. We can still achieve their strength without their status."
"You really think so?" wonders Zack.
"Guys, we've been training diligently for years ever since we joined the Shin-Ra military," responds Zen. "I know we have what it takes to be just as strong and powerful as any member of SOLDIER. And anyone who thinks otherwise must be blind to not see our potential."
"In that case," begins Zack, crossing his arms and facing the girl. "How about we start with cleanliness?"
"EH?" exclaims Zen, looking quite confused.
"Yeah, Zen, I've been meaning to talk to you about that, too," adds Kunsel, hiding his emerald eyes shyly beneath the tip of his helmet.
"About what?" wonders the girl curiously, scratching her cheek.
"DAMN IT, YOU SILLY GIRL, TAKE A FRICKIN' SHOWER!" Zacks explodes angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Zen. "YOU'VE BEEN SKIPPING OUT EVERY WEEK AND I'M GETTING SICK OF IT!"
"Literally," adds Kunsel nervously.
"Do I smell that badly?" Zen raises an arm to sniff her armpit. She shrugs. "Doesn't seem bad to me."
"It's your own scent, of course it wouldn't bother you that much!" continues Zack, feeling even more perturbed that the girl isn't even the least bit concerned with daily hygiene. "But it's not just the smell that bothers me! I can feel the sweat, dirt, and grime reeking off of your body! It's disturbingly sickening!"
"It's pretty bad, Zen," says Kunsel.
"I showered everyday for an entire week this month," argues Zen.
"THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS THAT TIME OF THE MONTH!" Zack was at his wits end at this point. A veritable vein was visibly throbbing on his forehead, which managed to get Zen feeling a little uneasy. "GAIA, HELP ME, I HAVE NEVER WISHED FOR A WOMAN TO BE ON HER PERIOD FOR LONGER THAN A WEEK!"
"That's… pretty serious," points out Kunsel.
"Huh, I would think guys usually run for the hills when a girl has PMS," Zen puts a hand on her hip and raises an eyebrow dubiously.
"That's the thing with you, Zen," begins Zack, rubbing the side of his temple with a hand. "You… don't… get… PMS."
"But I do get PMS," retorts Zen. "I am a girl, after all."
"Fine! I'll play devil's advocate!" exclaims Zack, throwing his arms up. "You get PMS, but you don't show it like every other female human being on the planet, you strange little creature!"
"A unique trait of yours I admire," adds Kunsel.
Zack grabs Kunsel by the collar of the boy's uniform and glares at him with furrowed brows. "You are not making the situation any better."
"Okay, okay, I get the message!" responds Zen, putting her hands up in defeat. "I never expected men, of all things, to be obsessed with bathing."
Zack was about to say something more, but Kunsel dashes in between the two to prevent things from going even more out of hand.
"Aaaand how about we leave it at that?" he chuckles nervously.
A/N: Zen seems a little too Zen, if you know what I mean. ^^; Good thing there's no girl like her in real life… Or IS there? D8
Einar refers to the legendary Turk from Before Crisis. (Not his real name, mind you.) Don't worry, the story's still SOLDIER-centered. I just wanted to develop my original Turk characters a bit.