It had taken months of planning and training as they waited for Cloud to turn the qualifying age of 15 to join SOLDIER. She had been bouncing in excitement the entire day, but as she walked down the polished halls of Shinra, towards the recruitment office, her nerves seemed to bundle together and jump in her throat, forming a lump. She swallowed, her hands growing warm with sweat. This is not how she pictured herself reacting months before. She scolded herself and forced her legs to walk the rest of the way to the office, knocking timidly on the door and pushing it open at the firm "come in" heard from the other side.
"You're Cloud Strife, I presume." The man, wearing a business suit with neatly combed blonde hair, didn't look up from his computer as he tapped a few things on the keyboard. "You may have a seat, Mr. Strife."
Cloud carefully sat down, making sure her legs didn't tangle together and trip her before finding the haven of fabric beneath her. After being seated, she had to resist the urge to twiddle her thumbs nervously. 'This is how it's supposed to go.' She told herself before looking around the room in vague curiosity, never having been in such a formal setting before. The walls were a calming off-white with inspirational quotes that were no doubt in place long before the man before her had set up office inside. On a book case directly behind the blonde male were a few personalized items, including pictures of smiling faces- she assumed they were his family. Taking a calming breath, she returned her gaze to the man in question. 'Everything is going to plan.'
The blonde businessman finally met her wandering gaze. "My name is Director Lazard Deusericus. I normally do not deal with the recruitment of cadets, nor are they held on this floor, but I was asked to fill in for a colleague today." The man sighed, obviously dissatisfied in having to play such a meager roll despite his position as director. Lazard finally stopped typing and swiveled his chair to better face Cloud. "Why is it you wish to join SOLDIER?"
Cloud forced herself to look the director in the eye, fighting the urge to immediately downcast her nervous blue orbs to the floor. "It's been my dream for as long as I can remember." Cloud paused, swallowing past that ever present lump before continuing. "I wish to become a hero as great as General Sephiroth and, one day, surpass him."
The director merely lifted an eyebrow in response, clearly thinking that the boy in front of him was too small and weak in stature to ever hope to surpass Shinra's finest. "Good. Unattainable dreams are the best." The director cleared his throat, ignoring the disgruntled look the recruit showed. "What will be expected of you is obedience. You will be trained for a few months. During this training you will gain strength and wisdom; how much you gain depends solely on how serious you take this. After your training period is up, you will take the SOLDIER exam." Lazard looked the smaller blonde up and down. Cloud was sitting attentively, eager to please. She was even more eager to begin her training. She wasn't very strong now but she believed she could prove herself with enough time and effort. "If you fail this test, you will be transferred to infantry. Whether you make it into SOLDIER from there depends on how much you improve. If you do not wish to be placed into infantry then you will be sent home." Cloud gulped. "Do you still wish to join?"
"Yes sir. My mind's made up." Spikes of unruly blonde hair sprang with the bobbing motion of the determined youth's head.
"Very well. Sign here." Lazard pushed a paper and pen in front of her. "This states that you agree to our conditions and realize that if you falsify your paperwork or leave prematurely, you not only risk being reported to the authorities, but you will have to pay Shinra back and forfeit the right to join again in the future." Cloud gulped, knowing she was risking a lot for this but knew there was no other way. She signed her consent and slid the paper back to him.
From there paperwork was filled out, dates were set, and contracts for training were signed. Finally, after what seemed like forever to the young girl, they shook hands and parted ways. As soon as the door closed behind her, Cloud leaned against it and released a sigh of relief.
"Tough day, Miss?" An unfamiliar and lighthearted voice asked.
Straightening her spine in a panic, Cloud looked up with disbelief written across her face. 'Have I been found out so soon!?' Before her stood a boy just a few inches taller than herself with spiky, black hair. The boy was grinning at her and had even offered up a wink. "I-" Cloud cleared her throat and hardened her features, taking her voice down an octave to try and salvage the situation. "I'm not a woman!" She snapped, a crimson blush darkening her flustered features.
Realization seemed to dawn over the other, embarrassment flooding his features. "I'm so sorry!" The boy bent his head forward and clasped his hands together in an over exaggerated manner that, somehow, came off as sincere regardless. "Please forgive me, I didn't get a good look at your face and, from over here, it looked really soft and round and I just assumed, and-" He would have kept rambling on if it had not been for his companion clasping a hand on his shoulder; which made color seemingly drain from his face.
Cloud trailed her eyes over to the offending appendage on the dramatic raven haired male's body, up to his muscular arm and past his neck, all the way up to his face. This is where she found herself lost in the depths of shining green eyes that were the second male's, not having noticed him in her previous state of panic before now. She took that moment to exam the two in front of her. The boy with spiky, who had been apologizing, was dressed in a SOLDIER Third Class uniform. The man behind him Cloud recognized as General Sephiroth First Class SOLDIER. It was Cloud's turn to have color flee from her face as realization struck: she was in the presence of some important people.
"You are in the way." Sephiroth's deep, languid voice spoke, slit green eyes glaring pointedly. She noticed his hand had dropped back to his side where she spied the hilt of his sword hidden in the home of its sheath. She was sure it was the very same sword he always held in newspaper articles that detailed his many victories and accomplishments through Shinra. If she recalled correctly, it was called Masamune.
It was a moment before she realized he was speaking to her and not the Third Class. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She quickly jumped out of their way, embarrassment flooding her face.
Sephiroth walked past her without a second glance, opening the door with a swift turn of his wrist. She thought the Third would follow suit but instead she heard the door close with the weight of itself and looked up as he stopped before her. "My name's Zachary Fair Third Class SOLDIER, by the way. But you can just call me Zack!" His hand was held out for her. She hesitated before grasping the outstretched hand. "That guy who walked by was the general, Sephiroth First Class."
Cloud smiled at him, enjoying his happy-go-lucky nature as her uneasiness began to fade away. "I'm Cloud Strife." Their hands released one another.
"Cloud, huh?" Zack faced towards the door again, placing his fingers on the handle. "I'll catch you later, Spike." Zack grinned goofily and offered a small wave with his free hand before disappearing behind the door, closing it with a dull click.