The ride back to the train, located in Sector 7, was a short one. Cloud and the other soldier sat on either side of the coach while Zack sat inside the carriage with Don Corneo. Zack escorted to Don inside the train while they loaded the luggage in the correct compartment, the coach assisting before returning to the manor. Cloud stood up and removed her helmet momentarily to wipe away the fine sheen of perspiration that had formed on her forehead and upper lip. That Don Corneo had over packed for just two nights at Shinra.
"Cloud!" The blonde turned her head towards the familiar voice that called out to her. Jessie was running over to her. Cloud smiled and turned just in time for the ginger haired girl to launch herself into her arms. "It seems like it's been ages since you've been here! How's Tifa?"
"It's only been a few weeks, and Tifa's good. I haven't seen much of her though."
"Cloud hurry up, the train's about to leave." Zack said, walking over to her. "Hey, is this your girlfriend?"
"No way!" They both exclaimed, pulling out of the other's arms.
"There's no need to be embarrassed." Zack leaned forward to get a closer look at Jessie. "She's kind of cute." He smiled at the ginger and winked, causing the other to blush.
"Yeah, whatever, let's just go!" Cloud pushed her superior towards the train. "I'll catch you later Jessie!" She called over her shoulder, leaving the redhead to stare after their retreating forms.
"Alright, alright, you don't have to shove." Zack teased her, opting to walk on his own and ruffle her hair again. Cloud repositioned her helmet onto her head before boarding the train, the two of them returning to their professional demeanor.
Zack had dismissed Cloud and the other soldier back to Lazard's office to write their report while the Second Class escorted their client to his sleeping quarters. The walk to the Director's room was a quiet one, neither cadet having anything to say to the other. It was when they reached the elevator that things became uncomfortable. General Sephiroth was inside. It wasn't overly noticeable to Cloud but she sensed the silver haired man was irritable. It was his clenched jaw and the abnormal twitching of his finger towards his renowned weapon, Masamune, that gave him away. Cloud decided to put herself in the corner farthest from him in case he decided to go off the deep end and put that sword to use.
Cloud took a moment to sigh to herself. 'Why do I always meet him in the elevator? I'm going to have to start taking the stairs if this keeps up...' Unfortunately for her, that lone sigh drew the general's glare to her. The blonde pushed herself impossibly further into the wall, refusing to make eye contact with him. She had planned to stay quiet the remained of the trip, but her PHS took that moment to elicit an obnoxious victory chant. duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-dun. She pulled the alarming device from her pocket. duh duh duh dun dun dun duh-ta-duh. She quickly flicked it open, placing it to her ear. She hoped Sephiroth didn't plan on killing her for killing the silence. "Hello?" She breathed out, heat rising to her cheeks as she felt the intimidating man's glare on her again.
"Cloud? It's Tifa." The voice spoke. "Listen, your mom's been blowing up my email recently. She says she really needs to get a hold of you. I know you're busy but could you please call her? If she doesn't stop spamming my inbox I'm going to flip!" Cloud could tell how exasperated the brunette was. The blonde knew first-hand how overbearing her mother could be.
"Sorry Teef, I'll call her as soon as I-"
"No. Now!" Tifa clipped off, ending the call immediately. Cloud sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, briefly forgetting the others in the lift with her until the door opened and both parties stepped out. She found herself alone in the elevator, snapping back to reality just in time to get out before the doors closed on her. The soldier from before had decided to wait for her, Sephiroth already turning a corner.
The written report didn't take the two cadets long at all. Date it, head it, summarize the mission, explain if it was successful or not, note any monsters that attacked, sign it. Done. The other cadet had already left the office by the time she had finished her report. She had made to leave when the director called her back. "Strife."
"Uh, yes sir?" She asked in confusion, wondering if she had missed something on the report.
"Lighten up, Cadet. I've been notified to promote you to third Class if this mission went successful." Lazard held his hand out for the smaller blonde.
Cloud placed her hand in his, briefly feeling the warmth from the other's skin. "Thank you, Sir."
Lazard nodded at her. "Go change into your new uniform and report to the barracks, your commanding officer will have someone escort you to your new room." Cloud smiled in excitement and nodded her head dutifully before following his instructions.
Cloud stepped out of the office, sighing in trepidation. She still felt excited about her unexpected promotion, but having to call her mother was eating at her. She hadn't spoken to the woman since the night she left. They hadn't really left on a bad note, it was just sudden and they hadn't said any good byes. Cloud felt guilty about it but she had been so caught up in the happenings of Midgar, it ended up slipping to the far recesses of her mind. She knew she couldn't call her back at the barracks, her mother would end up giving away her secret to her bunk mates with all the scolding she was sure to give. Making a decision, Cloud made a beeline for the nearest restrooms, locking both the entrance and the stall door she chose for herself.
click. She heard the line connect after she dialed the familiar number of her mother. ring. The PHS trilled, letting her know the call was going through. ring. ring. click. The line picked up.
"Hello?" A gentle voice questioned, not recognizing the caller ID.
"Momma?"
"Cloud! Where have you been!?" The woman's voice was scolding, but had an underlying tone of relief once she realized who it was on the other end.
"I've been staying with Tifa in Midgar, Momma. I'm sorry I didn't tell you..." The blonde leaned back against the stall door, anxious for their conversation to be over with. "What did you need me to call for?"
"Other than to get proof that you still lived?" There was a momentary pause as her mother composed herself. "I need you to come home for awhile."
"What!? No way! I've worked my butt off to get where I am!" Cloud was growing agitated. She didn't want to go back, not yet. She wanted to show the rest of her generation that she could succeed where they did not before she returned home.
"It doesn't have to be permanent." Cloud could tell the older woman didn't like having to say that, her interest was beginning to spike. "There's a situation and I need you to be here for a couple of days. That's all." Cloud could hear the sigh that escaped from her mother's lips. "Can you do that for me?"
Cloud was hesitant to accept her fate but she knew there was no way out of it. "Alright... I'll request for leave from work for a few days."
"Oh! You're working now?" The mother's voice quickly returned to its bright and cheery self. "Where do you work, Sweetheart?"
Cloud swallowed thickly. She wasn't sure she should tell her mother what her line of work was, it's illegal. "I, um, work for Shinra now."
"Really? How strange..." Her mother seemed to dispel that thought quickly enough, jumping back on track. "What do you do?"
"Well, right now I'm in training." The blonde was stalling. Should she really be telling her mother about an illegal act she committed, scratch that... currently committing.
"What are they training you for, Dear?" The older blonde woman was purposely pushing. The widowed Ms. Strife wanted to know what her one and only child was doing with her life, especially since it took her far from home.
"I- um, it's training for fighting..." Cloud mentally face-palmed herself for the stuttering of her tongue.
"...Fighting?" The line was so quiet that Cloud had to double check she was still in the call. "Cloud, what is it that you do?" The woman officially demanded.
"Okay, fine..." Cloud took a deep breath, preparing herself for the inevitable speech. "I left home to join SOLDIER, I-"
"YOU WHAT?!" The woman was shocked, her frustrations for her daughter showing through. "It's illegal for a woman to join the military, you KNOW this Cloud. Why would you do that? That's a very unlady-like thing to do. And better yet, HOW did you do that?" Her mother ranted, interrupting what was to be her grand speech.
"Listen, I'll talk to you about this later. I'm on a schedule right now and need to go." The blonde didn't wait for her mother to respond, promptly ending the call and shoving the small device back into the folds of her uniform.