Scene 14:

I really just wanted to get the information out there that Kael worked under Hojo and Hollander clearly, and why, without having to actually having to write about it happening. And I figured, Zack is always fun to talk to, why not tell Zack. I mean, I'm sure most people like Tseng and Angeal know anyway, and Reno wouldn't be having this conversation with him.

For people who don't know or don't remember, the title is a joke based off of Crisis Core, where Zack is "the puppy."

He's Also a Vet

Zack walked up in front with Angeal until the SOLDIER 1st decided to stop in a clearing for midday. Knowing he had more energy to burn than his mentor, Zack volunteered to backtrack and check on the squads while bringing the good news. Angeal agreed, and Zack set off just as the first few members of Squad 10 arrived at the clearing.

After sending the last few Squad 14 members on to the rest stop, Zack missteped on a root and slipped. Flinging his arm out as he tried to regain his balance, Zack smacked his forearm into a tree trunk and fell to the ground, banging his kneecap painfully.

"Ow," Zack stated, and winced as his kneecap bruised. A burning across his arm stopped him short of pushing himself up. He glanced down at his elbow, and saw a nasty looking scrape on the lower half of his arm.

"Ouch," the SOLDIER 2nd class said in reproach, addressing his elbow.

"Sir, are you ok?" a voice asked in alarm, and Zack looked up to see a SOLDIER from squad 7 had just come around a bend in the trail.

"I'm fine, it's just a little scrape," Zack said hurriedly, standing quickly and wincing as he held up his injured arm to show.

The SOLDIER didn't look convinced.

"Scrapes are never as serious as they look," Zack reassured him, "They just bleed a lot." He winced as he lowered his arm, "And hurt more than necessary."

The SOLDIER looked about to retort when a voice called out from around the bed, "Whose got a scrape?" Zack and the soldier both turned as a familiar figure in a labcoat and a blue sash came around the corner. "Tell me and I'll treat it."

"Kael!" Zack exclaimed happily and waved, wincing as his scraped elbow protested.

Kael dropped his bag to the ground and flipped open the pouch he has his first aid supplies in, "Next time think first, then wave with your uninjured arm."

Zack didn't even notice the sting as Kael wiped off his injury, "What are you doing here Kael? I didn't know you went on missions!"

Kael smiled at him before focusing once more on winding the bandage, "Sorry, I didn't think of it. I don't actually go on many missions. Only ones when they might need someone with the knowledge I gained working under those crazy old men, as well as medical knowledge." He tied the bandage securely and nodded in approval, "That should keep it from hurting if you need to use that arm. But don't use it unless you have to, got it?"

Zack glanced around and saw that the rest of the squad had either arrived and stopped to guard the medical scientist, or were just arriving. "We're stopping for midday at a clearing up ahead," he told them. The squad leader nodded and gave the order to move out.

Zack fell into step beside Kael, "By 'crazy old men' do you mean…?"

"Yea, I worked under both of them for a while," Kael told him, "Once they started experiments in human augmentation, like SOLDIER, I was transferred over from the medical department to decrease casualties."

"Ouch," Zack winced in sympathy.

Kael shrugged, "It didn't last long. You see, I was also transferred to be their physician. Shinra certainly didn't want their prize geniuses falling ill. But they didn't like any other scientist having any power over them. I was transferred to general medical soon after." He looked ahead of them thoughtfully, "You know, I believe it was shortly after I banned Hojo from his lab for overwork, and put Hollander on a diet."

Startled, Zack gave Kael a sharp look. The scientist looked back at him, smiling, but deadly serious. Zack clamped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"Are you ok?" Kael asked him innocently.

"Yep, fine," Zack replied in a strained voice, "Never been better."

Kael smiled at him and, thankfully, kept quiet the rest of the way to the rest stop.