Disclaimer: Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- and it's characters (c) Square Enix. Me no own. Just playing with the characters here. ;) Half of this story was done by Shade the Hero. Thanks!

Shade: It's time for another chapter and for those of you who don't want this story to end anytime soon, fear not. There are still a good number of chapters left before this tale wraps up and there's also plans for a sequel in the works. Enjoy! :)

Bahamut: Shade's not even kidding! There's over twenty chapters so far and we're still not done with this beast! So no need to worry about the end yet, guys! Just sit back and enjoy the ride, starting with this new chapter! :D

Promises Made - Loyalties Tested

Cloud sat down on the other side of the booth and tried not to show how surprised he was about his earlier actions. "Maybe I'm just tired of feeling like the weakest member of the group. Maybe I have my own dreams and my own promises to keep."

And just like that an image of Tifa flashed in his mind. That night when they were on the water tower gazing up at the stars. Well, Tifa was gazing, Cloud was trying not sound like a total idiot in front of her. The mayor's daughter. The one the man had warned him to stay away from after the accident. He had tried to catch her. Tried to stop her from falling and remembered how terrified she looked as they both plummeted towards the...

"Water?"

"It wasn't my fault!"

Cloud blinked in pure shock and embarrassment as he looked up at the startled waitress who had approached them to give them their menus and see what drinks they wanted. "I-I'm sorry," He lamely uttered as he looked away. He knew his face was red and he probably looked like a total idiot, and he felt even worse by embarrassing Zack. Well, he didn't know if that was how he felt, but he wouldn't be surprised.

Zack grinned a bit at Cloud when he mentioned having his own dreams and promises, and he secretly vowed to find out what said dreams and promises were. But when Cloud suddenly said something so random and startled the waitress, Zack was a bit startled himself because it just wasn't normal. From the blush that immediately took over the teen's face, Zack could tell he hadn't meant that to be aloud in the least.

Glancing at the waitress, Zack leaned back and crossed his arms while turning his Mako glowing eyes back on the cadet. "I know it wasn't your fault, like I said before coming in here you're not in trouble, Strife." Zack played along with a reassuring smile.

Looking at the waitress, the 2nd Class flashed her a bright smile. "He's just a little nervous, got caught in the 2nd Class training gym." He looked at Cloud again and reached over, ruffling his hair. "You wouldn't believe some of the places I ended up lost in after I first became a cadet. You don't have to be sorry about getting lost." He smiled and winked then looked at the waitress with a winning smile. "A couple glasses of water, thanks." He said casually, taking the menus from her.

He didn't miss the giggle and blush she had as he smiled at her, she always did like the teen when he came in so it wasn't hard to get her attention off Cloud and onto himself.

Cloud was more than a little surprised when Zack merely covered for him as his hair was once again messed with. He was starting to wonder if this was a how a pet felt. As the waitress headed back towards the kitchen to get the drinks Cloud looked over at Zack and then decided that the table would be easier to speak to.

"Sorry about that. I...don't normally get flashbacks like that." At least he hadn't before coming to Midgar. Was it really possible that he missed his hometown? Well, at least a few people in it were worth missing. Tifa for one, and his mother...and Tifa. Why was he thinking about her so much all of a sudden?

"That's twice you've done something for me, why?" He had meant to ask later once they were settled for the night, but he just couldn't ignore it anymore. "Why would you even take interest in someone like me?" He waited a moment before offering the smallest of smirks, "And please, don't say it's because of the hair."

"Awe but that was my best excuse to taking an interest in you!" Zack complained before grinning a bit and shrugging. "I don't know. Something about you when I first seen you with the other cadets. I guess you can say I kind of have a thing for underdogs." He offered a sincere smile because he didn't mean it as an insult to Cloud, but surely even Cloud knew he wasn't exactly an alpha among the cadets.

Waving his hand the teen aimed a disarming smile at the blonde cadet. "And anyway, that and the thing with the other cadets? That's nothing, don't mention it. I like helping my friends out, it's what friends do right?" He leaned back, arms crossing again. "But you do owe me a little explanation about that little outburst." He said, his eyes conveying concern for the younger teen.

Underdog...yeah, that was Cloud in a nutshell alright. Did that mean that Zack had pitied him? Or was it something else? Was it possible that there was something he saw in the cadet? Cloud wasn't sure, so he decided he'd let time reveal the reason and tried to just enjoy his weekend. Plus it was easy to tell Zack didn't mean it in a bad way by the motion of waving his hand and smiling. Besides, he couldn't really pity him after tonight, right? Not after all they had done. Zack sure hadn't given him any looks related to pity or that he felt sorry for him.

"An explanation?" He guess he did. After all, it had been out of the blue and if Zack could so easily take orders from a cadet just to make a couple of cadets think twice then he could at least open up a little. "Back home, I pretty much get the same treatment as I do here. I'm sort of the outcast of the town." Oh that sounded horrible and the last thing he wanted was more pity.

"Not that it really bothers me. To be honest, I liked being left alone most of the time. The other kids were kinda..." Now what was a good word to use for those brats? "...stupid." Perfect.

"You know there's a reactor in the mountains behind Nibelheim, right? But to get there you have to cross an old bridge. The kids would often dare each other to see if anyone had the guts to cross it." He couldn't help but shake his head at their stupidity even now, years later. Even a two-day old chocobo chick would know that wasn't safe.

"There was this girl, Tifa. She's the mayor's daughter. She invited me to go with her, with them, but I refused. The others and I didn't get along and no one thought me tagging along was a good idea anyway. But, I still followed. I don't know why I did, but I did. When I got there, Tifa was almost half way across it. Then the wind kicked up and she got scared and froze. The others told her to come back, but she couldn't move. The wind was always strong on that side of the mountain. The rope holding the bridge started to snap and the others ran to get help."

Cloud shook his head. They never would have made it in time. Tifa only had seconds to a minute at most. "There was no one left, so I...I came out of hiding and tried to coax her back. She started to move, but then the bridge started to fall." He gulped as he stared at the table as his eyes saw that day play itself over again in his mind.

"I reached out to grab her, but we both ended up falling into the rapids below. The look she gave me as we were falling was something I never want to see again. We hit the water and I held her hand as long as I could before rocks started knocking us around. I went under and when I made it to shore I saw her lying a little ways away. There was a gash on her forehead and I was cut up pretty good too."

Cloud's fists clenched. "The villagers finally came and they blamed me. One of the other kids said that I had been the one who dared her to cross the bridge." He blinked sadly and wondered if a small part of him did believe that it was his fault. He wasn't the one who dared her, but he wasn't able to save her then either. "Tifa was okay, she was out for a week, but I was forbidden from ever going near her again."

It was a strange feeling to finally be able to talk about this with someone else. Especially when they hadn't known about the incident already like the entire town of Nibelheim had. No one but his mother believed his side of the story so it was strange to not be judged by it for once.

He looked up at Zack then and leaned back in his seat. "I know, pathetic, right?"

Zack sat quietly and listened to Cloud talk about his past. He hated knowing the kid had gone through so much and still seemed to be blaming himself even now. He could tell Cloud wasn't used to talking about it, and more used to people probably judging him based on it. But Zack believed Cloud hadn't dared Tifa and had done everything he could to save her. He could just tell by the passion in the teen's voice and the look in his eyes.

After thinking over his response he finally offered a smile and shook his head. "You know what I think? I think when you make 1st Class, you and I need to take a trip to Nibelheim and show those kids the man you became, because I bet none of them would have it in them to come all the way from Nibelheim, join SOLDIER and make it. But I think you do Cloud."

Yeah, Zack thought that'd be a good idea. And he'd do what he could to make sure the teen made it to 1st Class.

Cloud's eyes shot up to look at Zack. Had he just heard him right? No. Sure, Zack had proven to be the best friend Cloud had never had, but would he really be willing to do that? He also knew Zack to be a fan of jokes and if there was one thing that he couldn't stand to mess with, it was his dream.

"Zack, please, I need you to be honest. No jokes, no tricks, no saying it just to cheer me up. I need a completely honest answer. Do you really believe I'll make SOLDIER?" He didn't dare say First Class. Knowing only the best of the best could hold that title and considering that would make him on the same level as Sephiroth made Cloud want to laugh at the thought if he wasn't expecting a serious answer from his friend.

Zack's face went serious, a rare thing to see on the normally cheerful teen. "I'm not joking, Cloud. I meant what I said. And I do think you've got what it takes. Do you know only about half of all cadets actually make it into SOLDIER? Those guys that pick on you, they'll probably wind up with the Infantrymen, because that's where guys like them always end up."

He offered a slight and very sincere smile at Cloud. "I'll make sure you make it into SOLDIER, even if I have to use my free time to train you myself." He said, eyes flashing with very real determination.

The waitress apparently sensed that whatever the two were talking about it meant she should keep to her own business, and just sat their drinks down and left until they were ready to order.

Zack leaned back with a smile and grabbed his menu to look through it. "I mean it Cloud. There's just something about you that I think will get you through SOLDIER." He looked over at Cloud again, winking. "And it won't hurt to have backup like me to make sure anyway."

He knew he didn't know everything about Cloud, had only met him that week. But he was taken by the cadet and immediately attached a friendship to him. He had a gut feeling that said it'd be worth it for both of them, and Angeal had always told him to follow those feelings when he had them.

xoxo

Genesis snubbed his nose in the air. "I don't need some happy-go-lucky pup telling me what I should or should not read. Besides, every one of those copies is different. If not by rarity then by memory."

He hated being considered sentimental, but it was true when it came to his books. He had acquired them from his travels. Whenever he spotted one while on a mission he'd get it and take it back. Now he had no copies left to speak of. The red one he usually carried had a new owner in Wutai and Genesis had promised he would see her again to make sure she had kept it in perfect condition.

"Turks," Genesis spat out the word as if it were something gross stuck on his tongue. "They have no sense of loyalty and no care for their fellow man. If they received orders to shoot their own mothers they wouldn't even hesitate." When Genesis had first been a recruit for SOLDEIR he had been offered a spot in the Turks. But he turned it down for two reasons. One he didn't like how they operated and two, Angeal had been accepted into SOLDIER and Genesis vowed to always be there to back up his friend.

He followed his friend, closing the locked door behind him as they headed off to the Turk side of the building.

Walking over to the elevators and rolling his eyes at Genesis's comment about the 'different' copies of Loveless he had, Angeal decided to just let that drop for now. No sense in starting an argument when he knew Genesis would never technically lose, if only because he could go on and on about it.

The Commander knew how Genesis felt for Turks, but like Sephiroth had mentioned earlier Tseng isn't such a terrible guy.

Reno on the other hand...

Angeal grumbled and got off the elevator on the Turks floor. Reno was a trouble maker, through and through. He knew Reno was loyal to the Turks but he doubted he had the same loyalty to Zack, so getting information out of him wouldn't be so hard. Especially if Tseng didn't mind them threatening to gut the redhead, which he doubted Tseng would considering the headaches he's more than likely suffered since recruiting Reno.

xoxo

The slowly rotating fan blades had become the most fascinating thing in the room. At least it was to a red-headed Turk who was laying flat on his back, on the floor no less as he blinked lazily up at it. It was a Friday night for Shiva's sake. He was supposed to be off work by now and getting wasted in the nearest bar. Not stuck in his small office with nothing to do. Tseng said it was important that he be kept ready should he be needed but Reno knew the real reason. In fact, it made him smile.

Last Friday night he had dragged Rude with him to a tavern in the Slums and pretty much forgot the rest. Well, not really forgotten, more like lost behind a fog caused by a massive hangover. It was like he was living to the lyrics of a Katy Perry song. He couldn't help the snicker that came when he thought of the lyrics and pictured himself doing them.

As far as Reno was concerned Tseng could go climb a tree. He wasn't about to spend a Friday night doing paperwork. He'd rather just take a nap right here.

Stepping into Reno's office, Tseng wasn't surprised in the least to find his best Turk laying on the floor doing absolutely nothing. "I hope you're not planning on taking a nap. You need to fill out these reports." He sat a stack of papers on Reno's desk, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

This was his punishment for getting Rude and himself so drunk last Friday. And since Tseng himself was free for the remainder of the night -all his work actually having been done instead of ignored like Reno's- Tseng was going to make sure Reno actually worked.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he looked down at the redhead. "Of course, if you want to just lay on your back I can take advantage of that just as well." He said, eyes roving over the teen's body. That usually got the redheaded Turk up and working, which was both disappointing and amusing for Tseng.

Reno glared at his superior from where he lay. Among his many skills did he read minds too? His face flushed red with irritation and embarrassment as he scrambled to his feet. "You're sick, you know that?!" He grumbled as he glared down at the even bigger stack of paperwork. But Turk rules stated that you did what you were told and while paperwork was boring as hell is wasn't the worst thing Reno could be doing right now.

With an exasperated sigh he walked around to he desk and plopped into his squeaky chair. With a little smirk he made it squeak a bit more, remembering how much Tseng hated the sound. Serves him right for not ordering a nicer, softer one like Reno wanted.

xoxo

Genesis gazed around the offices as they passed them by. Most of them belonged to Turks, but over half of them were either out on missions, doing other dirty, underhanded Turk deeds or dead. The last one was unlikely since it was very very hard to kill a Turk. Genesis has tried once, though in his defense the Turk was undercover and never clued him in until Rapier nearly decapitated the man and he had saved himself by pulling out, not a gun, but a Shinra Turk ID badge. Genesis remembered having to pull out his phone and go through twelve different people including Sephiroth to make sure this guy wasn't just trying to pull one over on him all while holding the glowing red sword an inch from the man's throat. Part of him was disappointed when the man's ID was confirmed.

Genesis rolled his eyes as he passed by an office door and shut upon the owner hearing footsteps approaching. So secretive, Genesis observed. Like the slimy weasels that they were. Perhaps he should change the rumor from a hatred of cadets to Turks.

"Why don't I let you do the talking?" He asked Angeal. He didn't want to interact with them anymore then he had to. Despite what Sephiroth thought of Tseng, one good Turk didn't mean they all were. It didn't change his opinion of them either.

Angeal looked at Genesis and nodded. That was better, he supposed. Passing the empty offices, the raven haired 1st Class made his way toward Reno's office.

He did wonder if the Turk was even in, and if not they'd either have to try his apartment or simply run down other possible leads as to where Zack could have struck next, because if Reno wasn't in his office or his apartment, there was no telling where the Turk had wandered off to.

He stopped at the door and grunted. He was tempted to knock, considering Reno was a Turk and wasn't a bad shot -even if he did prefer his rod- but the element of surprise could better Angeal's case in scaring the teen into telling them where Zack would strike next. With that in mind he walked in, eyes immediately scanning the room and he was more than a little relieved to see Tseng there as well.

Tseng merely shrugged at the statement. "I do what I have to in order to get my Turks to actually work." He said simply, looking at Reno with a slight smirk. The head of the Turks suppressed a twitch that tried forming at the corner of his eye with practiced skill when Reno started squeaking his chair. "Keep that up and I'll replace your chair with a block of wood." He said with all the seriousness a Turk was known for.

He glanced up when the door of the office suddenly opened, his hand immediately going to one of his holstered guns. Rude wasn't in and he always knocked before entering anyway, and no one else should be bothering Reno. But when he seen the towering frame of Commander Angeal Hewley he released his grip on his gun and crossed his arms again. "Commander." He nodded, glancing pass him to see Genesis as well.

Both being here couldn't be good news, and the fact they were in Reno's office meant it had to do with Reno. He let out a quiet sigh. "What did Reno do this time?"

Reno stuck up his lower lip in an injured pout and was about to reply to that statement with a retort of his own when his door swung open. Reno's hand already instinctively reached for his gun in his hidden shoulder holster when he blinked in surprise at who his visitor was...make that visitors. He spotted a bit of red behind the massive First Class Commander.

"Well, what can I do for a couple of Firsts like you, yo? Care to join in on the wager?"

Genesis rolled his eyes in annoyance. Reno was known for being obnoxious and annoying. He did say he was going to keep quiet, but that last statement just couldn't be ignored. "What wager?"

"How many pairs of glasses Rude carries on him. I say twelve, Zack says ten and a few others have guesses that are all over the place." Reno couldn't help but snicker at the annoyed look on the red Commander's face. Oh, it was so fun to toy with SOLDIERs. "Toy soldiers..." Reno suddenly burst into a fit of laughter of his own bad pun.

"What?!" Genesis bristled. He turned to Angeal and gave him a look that begged, "Let me roast him, please!"

Angeal pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Genesis, keep your hands off your Materia. For now." He said, looking at Reno and narrowing his eyes a moment before his gaze turned up to meet Tseng's. "We're not here for Reno this time Tseng. It has to do with Zack. He's MIA and pulling pranks today and we thought Reno might know where my student planned on striking next." Hopefully Tseng would help get it out of the redhead.

He'd heard Tseng was one of Shinra's best interrogators, next only to Sephiroth himself, and that Reno had been on the wrong end of a few interrogation tables with Tseng in the beginning, so perhaps he could help get the information without Genesis having to set the building on fire.

Tseng pointedly ignored Reno's comments about the wager and his sudden outburst of laughter in favor of listening to Angeal. So Zack was out pulling pranks. Reno probably did know something because the two often plotted together. Normally he wouldn't get involved with the affairs of SOLDIER, but Zack was a special case because when he went pranking, it didn't stop at SOLDIER. It had extended to the Turks on more than one occasion. The 2nd Class had balls, and skill.

If Angeal hadn't swiped him up first, Tseng probably would have.

Turning his eyes to the redhead in question, Tseng asked, "What do you know?" His face was as unreadable as Sephiroth's for the moment. Making it hard for Reno to tell what he was thinking always unnerved the teen and started that crack Tseng always needed to get what he wanted from him.

Only his training made Reno resist the urge to gulp at the glare that Angeal had shot him. Damn that guy was scary when he wanted to be.

Genesis cast a cold glance back at Reno before turning around and facing the outside of the doorway that he was still standing in. He wanted nothing more to do with these Turks, but the only reason he dared to turn his back on them was because Angeal was directly behind him.

Reno cast a glance at each of the three. While he normally did obey Tseng and many thought he had no true loyalties to anyone outside of the Turks, he and Zack were good chums. They had been cadets together and up until the moment Tseng picked him personally as a Turk he had plans to be Zack's right hand man in SOLDIER. Kinda like how Genesis and Angeal always seemed to be buddy buddy. Reno would have laughed at the image in his head of Zack walking around with the hulking Buster Sword strapped to his back and Reno in Genesis's flowing red trench coat.

The only reason he didn't was because Genesis had turned and glared at him with a look that said, "I will burn you with a thousand Materia."

Reno sighed, Sorry Zack. "He's had this planned ever since earlier this week, yo. Said something about making a chocobo feel at home here and also said he had a few things planned for people who needed to get out more."

"Get out more, eh?" Asked Genesis.

"That's all I know. He asked me somethin' about where Hojo's newest project was, but I didn't think he had clearance to get anywhere near it, Second Class or not, and frankly who in their right mind would want to?"

There. He had just ratted out his friend. He hadn't wanted to, but that's how life was in the Slums. Why should Shinra be any different? He wouldn't have opened up and confessed, but he didn't feel like feeling the wrath of two Firsts and a commanding Turk when all he had to do was tell them and then get his work done. That was less painful in the end.

Angeal was glad Genesis managed to resist, because he may need his friend's Materia at full MP if it meant rescuing his teen from Hojo's clutches. "Goddess what is he thinking?" He said aloud, rubbing his face and turning on his heels to leave. Zack was aiming at Hojo's latest project? "Genesis, we need to get to the labs now." He said, hurrying out of the Turks office without so much as a thanks.

Tseng watched Angeal, knowing the man probably had a million worries just run through him. Even Tseng was a bit surprised Zack thought of going after Hojo's projects, and for what he didn't want to know. He glanced to Reno, and figured the teen felt bad for ratting out Zack.

They were friends, one of the strangest relationships Shinra had ever seen. "I'll want to speak to you privately about this later, Reno." He said, moving from where he leaned against the wall to follow the 1sts out of the office and leave Reno to his devices for the time being. The least he could do was show a little mercy, but he'd still be expecting that paperwork to be done before the weekend was up.

TBC