Author's Note:
I added another part to the end, so if you already read this chapter I am sorry for the confusion. I realized afterwards that I need to add another part to this chapter to have the next chapter flow better.
Please enjoy!
Chapter 6: Trial
Nina escorted me to the labs instead of the medical wing that day. The moment I entered the lab I was ushered into the back where Hojo was waiting. I am unsure how, but his frown somehow deepened at the sight of my bruised and battered body.
I heard Hojo click his tounge. "What a worthless experiment." His words were just barely audible. I wondered if Nina heard it, but I did not ask. "Remove your shirt and get on the table; don't waste my time." He motioned towards the metal table behind him and I grudgingly followed his orders.
The table was cold on my bare skin when I lay down. I noticed Nina was already gone, hopefully waiting outside. Hojo decided to poke at the bruises and broken ribs. I hissed at him but he does not stop. I heard him mutter something to himself and he leaves the room. Not a minute late he returned, but with a couple of assistants with him. They quickly throw the leather restrains across me and pull them snug.
I feel the table move upright only increasing my fears. The table stops moving and one assistant brings over an odd contraption. He positions it next to me and screws in a big vial of a glowing green substance. I look at it trying to think of where I have seen it but nothing comes up. I only knew the color was all too familiar.
Another assistant prods at the nook between my neck and collar bone and marks an "X" a specific spot. They finally strapped my head against the table and pull it tight. I felt my heart beat increasing along with more of my fears. I close my eyes and took several deep breaths. The needle plunged into my collar making my eye fly open.
The initial pain wasn't so bad, but as soon as the fiery liquid started to pour into my body I knew why they needed to restrain me. I heard a scream and quickly realize that it is me. I clamped my mouth shut with some difficulty. My mind went blank after a few moments more. I don't remember how long the administration took, but I do remember being jostled awake when I hit the floor. They had taken the restraints off and let me fall. I crawled over to my shirt where I had left it previously and put it on with great difficulty. Everything in my body screamed with the fire. I tried to stand but I found myself collapsed on the floor. I couldn't move.
I thought I heard yelling but it felt so far away. My body is moved to a sitting position and then picked up. I look up and see black uniform and pale silver. The warmth from the body against mine was almost alien next to the cold floor. My eyes focused more on the pale face and they connected with luminous teal green eyes. For a moment, everything had melted away, the only thing that I saw was those beautiful eyes.
I didn't look away when the person does; I just keep staring at his pale face. When my back was set onto something soft and they leave from my vision all together, I still looked at the spot where they were in my vision.
I finally close my eyes and pushed away the pain and nausea from my mind. As I fell asleep I distinctly remember the feeling of a warm hand on my head.
I roll my shoulders a little bit, they were a little sore from all the training I had been doing. Three weeks had passed since I got a Mako injection from Hojo and today was the day of the first examination for SOLDIER. I stood in the line of other thirds patiently and as far away as Jolon that I could. I saw movement the same time as the other thirds did from the doorway. We all snapped to a firm salute and faced forward, trying not let our gaze wander to who was coming in.
The tall young man took gentle yet confidant steps past each one of us, taking care to note each detail. When he stopped in front of me I could almost see a hint of surprise in his cat like eyes. I look into his eyes and stop dead for a moment. They were the same eyes from the time I couldn't move from the Mako administration. Was that the person who carried me out? I returned my face to neutral and tried to avoid eye contact. I felt the pressure of his gaze for a few moments and suppressed a shutter once he had moved onto the next in line.
Once the young man's inspection was over he stood in front of us taller than ever in his black 1st class uniform. "At ease," he said in a fairly deep voice. We SOLDIERs dropped our salute and spread our legs slightly apart putting our hands behind out back at the same time.
"Your evaluation today will consist of a written exam and then field work. You will also be tested on your stamina, strength and techniques. Once the assessment is over then you will all get your scores in the briefing room on this floor. After that you will be dismissed for the rest of the day. Your written exam will start shortly, please enter into this room," he motions to the door behind him and opens it. When no one moved I saw a faint twitch of his eyebrow. "You may proceed."Slowly the person at the end of the line walked unsteadily to the door followed by everyone else.
We filled into a large class room with an instructor at the front beckoning us to "come up and take a number from the jar, it will determine where you are sitting for the test." We did as such and took a number each. I reached into the bowl and pulled out a number that would hopefully be away from Jolon. I stepped out of the way so another third could get his slip and I unfolded it. I sighed in frustration towards the paper marked with a large number "1". I look at the monitor and my fears are confirmed even more so. I was in the front row. At least nobody could claim that I had cheated off of someone else.
I take my seat and find that Genesis lucky got seat number 2. I could see Angeal across the room and gave him a small wave and a smile of assurance. "Don't worry, Kaja," I could feel Genesis leaned closer to me. "I won't cheat off of you." I give him a humph and a smirk.
"Thank you Genesis," I murmured back to him. "You are too kind." I hear him chuckle but he is interrupted by the instructor.
"All right everybody, the talking stops now. Anyone who talks after the test is handed out will immediately get a zero. Anyone I catch cheating will also automatically get a zero. I will hand out the packets but do not start until I tell you to begin. Is there any questions? Good."
The instructor hands a pile of packets out to each row letting us take one and pass them back. I look at the amount of paper that compiles the thick exam packet. Was I supposed to answer all of those questions?
"Alright, you have four hours to complete this test. Ready? Begin!" Our instructor started his stop watch and sat down at his desk presumably to make sure to watch us like a hawk.
I fill out my name and information on the front and then quickly slice open the small sticker on the packet apart. Alright, time to get started, I thought to myself.
1. When was the Shin-Ra Company founded?
Well that easy, Shin-Ra was founded in 1952. Okay, next one.
2. What day did the Shinra science department discover the ancient named "Jenova" and who found it?
Was this test supposed to be hard? The ancient Jenova was found on October 10th, 1959 by Professor Gast.
I continued through each of the questions, answering the extremely easy history questions. I noticed at the last question of history, there was another section on the next page. Oh, joy. Math. I looked at the problems, they started out very simple but as the questions went on they became harder. I did the best I could, but felt as though I did not do as well on that part. The next part was meteria theory.
70. What do you get when you cross a piece of blizzard materia and a piece of poison matera?
Was this a joke, I had thought to myself. Man, it's Dark Blizzard.
The test quizzed me on several other materia combinations. I soon found myself looking at the last question. It was one of those ethical ones where you answer what you would do in a specific situation.
112. You are in a mission that is top priority that if left unfinished, it would mean the demise of the company. One of your comrades is being held hostage and you have to make a choice between saving your comrade or the company. Which would you choose?
I re read it at least twice. I my head start to feel light so I lean it against my hand. The thing is, I knew the answer they would like to hear and the answer that I would give. I push my pencil on to the paper and start to write, hoping that it is the correct answer.
"I would finish the mission and save my friend." I lay the pencil down and stare at the answer. I hope I am not the only one that would answer this way. I push my chair out and walk to the front of the class and hand my packet of paper to the instructor. He looks at me, the paper and then takes to put it in his pile. He waves his hand and points back at my seat once he is in possession on my test meaning I am to sit back down. I nod and do so.
I rest my head on my hand and wait for the time to pass. There was about 30 minutes left according to the clock. I sighed and start to hum and unfamiliar tune silently in my head. I couldn't remember where I had heard it from, but I knew that it was from somewhere. My head starts to throb from trying to remember so I stop and play with my fingers next. I needed to cut my nails soon…
Genesis shifts in his seat and lets out an exasperated sigh. He must be on the last question. I keep my eyes forward; I did not want to be accused of cheating even though I had turned in my paper. I would have to ask him later. He scratches his pencil on his paper and then sets it down rather loudly. He must be frustrated. He marches up to the instructor and hands him the papers and returns to his seat. I see Angeal move and hand in his test too.
I look at the clock again, 5 minutes left, and then we can leave. I shift in my seat again starting to get very uncomfortable.
4 minutes left; I play with the pencil in front of me, rolling it back and forth.
3 minutes left; I let out a quiet sigh and lean back in my chair.
2 minutes left; I let my eyes dart around the room observing every object seeing if there was anything else to amuse me with.
1 minute left; I watch the clock, the seconds ticking by. I see the instructor looking at his stop watch, almost time now…
The instructor rises out of his seat and stands in front of his desk. I hear the pencils of unfinished SOLDIERs writing faster in hopes to finish that question they are on. The instructor raises his stop watch and presses the button. "Alright, pencils down!" Many of the thirds jump hearing the bellow after a long period of silence. I hear groans of the SOLDIERs who most likely did not finish the test. "Everyone who has not brought up their test do so now. Once you pass your test in, you are free to go. Remember that your second test on strength, stamina and agility is next. It will start at 13 hundred hours so don't be late. You are dismissed."
I stand quickly and stretch my limbs along with many others. I hear Genesis yawn rather dramatically and he waves for me to follow. "Come along Kaja, let's meet Angeal outside and we can get lunch before our next test." We follow the crowd of SOLDIERs and move to the side of the door to wait for Angeal.
Gensis grabs Angeal by the arm and pulls him to our group. "What do you say about getting some lunch before the next exam?"
He gives a smile, "A light one would be best." They nod to each other and then to me. "So, how did you think you did, Kaja?" Angeal asks me while walking.
I smile gently at him; his smile was an infectious one. "Well, I think I did okay. I finished all of the questions so that is always good. But mostly all of the questions were really easy."
"That good Kaja, that means that you have learned well in your short period of time here. Faster than most do actually. That shows real dedication. I am sure that you will go far in your career as a SOLDIER."
I look at him dumbstruck for a moment. Angeal had said the most inspiring thing I had ever heard. He was truly the voice of wisdom. "Well, how do you think you did, Angeal?"
"I believe that I did quite well. I have seen many of the questions before so I was able to figure them out faster. And you Genesis?" Angeal turn to the redhead in front of me.
"Oh me?" Genesis asks rather dreamily. "Piece of cake! Most of those questions were on the last test."
"Well, I am glad that we all have confidence in our scores already," I tell them just as we arrive in the cafeteria.
We ate a light lunch as Angeal suggested. We did not want to get stomach aches while running around for the field test and such. We moved to the indoor gym facility. The instructor was already there waiting as patiently as he could for the rest to show up.
People slowly trickled in but everyone arrived before the time that was set for the beginning of the examination.
"Alright, SOLDIERs now begins your fitness test. You will be judged on your strength, your flexibility, agility, speed and endurance. This will test the basic skills that you have been learning during your time here. You will be split into five groups and go around to different stations. Pick a number from this bowl to get your assigned groups."
A rough line forms and we pick our numbers. We look at each of our sheets and sigh. Angeal and I managed to make it into the same group but Genesis was being placed into another group. He shrugs and moves off towards the weight lifting section with the rest of his group while Angeal and I moved to the treadmills set up for endurance.
A secondary instructor was waiting for our group of eleven there. He moved us onto the treadmills immediately so we didn't waste time. We were told to go as far as we could within a half an hour. "If you get too tired and can't bear to carry on then stop but slow down if you are having trouble. Begin, now!"
We start the machines up and start to run. I start mine at a fast trot to begin with just to get warmed up. After a few minutes I feel my legs start to get into the rhythm and crank the speed up to a run. Feeling more comfortable I turn the speed up again after the fifteen minute mark, this time to a fast run. I would sprint the last five minutes. I take a deep breath and even out my heart beat. I look at my screen and find I am on my sixth mile. Looking at the clock I judge that I can make it to at least eight miles as long as I use the remaining ten minutes to sprint.
I turn the dial one last time so it is on the maximum speed. The motion of my legs feel familiar to me. Running, I must have done that in the past. If I could just piece my memory back together I would feel so much better. My breath changes from my speed. Not much but enough to effect the rate of my heart too.
No time to think about this now, I chided myself. Right now I needed to prove that I would be strong enough for this program. I had to let the other know that I am just as good as them or better. I need to make sure they know not to mess with me again.
"Time!" I hear our instructor below. "Turn the speed off and dismount from the machine. We will take the data from them so stay put so we know who used each machine." I steady myself against the treadmill and take deep breaths.
"Name?" the instructor steps in front of me.
"My name is Kaja Hayes." I tell him solidly. He grunts and walks around me to the machine writing down the stats. "You are all set, get a drink of water and move to the next station for strength."
"Thank you sir," I let out a breath I did not know I was holding and find Angeal waiting for me. He hands me a paper cup of water that I swallow in one gulp. He laughs at my action. "What?" I furrow my brows at him.
"Oh nothing, I am just amused. Let us move on." I nod and we find ourselves looking at the burly weight trainer. The SOLDIERs in our group go one at a time. We all do bench presses and show the most we can press. We also do the same for our legs. After we move onto pull ups. I managed to lift 203 pounds, get 378 pound with my legs and then did 24 pull ups. Angeal was amazing his arm strength just about doubled mine. I look at my skinny arms and sigh. I would never be especially strong.
I find myself going through the rest of the tests without thinking. I was quite flexible, agile and was pretty fast. At least I was good for something.
Next was or field examination. I needed to do well. Even if I didn't have a lot of physical strength, I could maneuver quickly. I could still prove that I am a good SOLDIER. I didn't want to have Yolon trampling on me anymore thinking I was not cut out for this program.
I trot along with my squad of thirds. We are led by a second class SOLDIER down a wooded path. Bamboo crawls around us making the woods thick. I look up at the night sky for a second picking out billions of stars. It was much different than the skies of Midgar where it was always cloudy. I turn my head back to the path in front of me, the assessment was more important.
"Alright, stay close now," the voice of our leader was hushed as he crouched on the edge of a large shrub. "The plan is to infiltrate the Wutai base over there and take out everyone there. If we can do that then the war can be won much faster. Everyone understand? Follow formation C until the signal and then move into formation E. Move out!" He lifts himself up and we move according to the plan. We were to move as a group until we saw the flare and then move to smaller groups. I was in a small group of 3 other Thirds.
I feel adrenaline coursing through me. Would real missions be just like this? Feeling the rush of exhilaration as you walk into enemy territory? Not knowing when or where they will be striking? I liked it, no matter what it was. This is why I was in SOLDIER because I was exhilarated just by the thoughts of battles and the knowledge that I would be victorious.
Yelling from over the wall ahead of us starts to accumulate. A light streaks into the sky quietly busting at the top of its arc; there was the signal. I moved to the left with my three other comrades. Our designated leader was named Jonathan. He was a good natured person who didn't look down on my too much. I saw him scrutinizing me sometimes, but I don't think he really hated me.
The other two looked at me in disgust and I rolled my eyes. "Why do we have to be with the wench?" I hear one of them whisper making me roll my eyes even farther if possible. They always say things like that.
"You two stop it," Jonathan raises his voice just slightly. "Underestimate someone you do not understand and you will pay a heavy price." I hear the other two scoff but I ignore them. Someday they would be sorry.
The entrance we took used to be guarded judging by the two dead bodies in a heap right in front of it. We jumped over them and entered the base with quiet feet. I listen closely trying to pick out any footsteps that would be coming. I heard some yelling in the distance; most likely a fight of some sort. We group ourselves in a shadowed corner and Jonathan pulls out a sheet of paper with sort of writing on it. "We are looking for this written on or next to a door," his voice is hushed. "It means control room. We are going to take out their surveillance cameras. That way other can move around the base easier. Everyone got it memorized?" I examine the characters a little more burning them into my memory. Why did they look somewhat familiar? I nodded my head after another moment and the other two do the same. Jonathan pockets that paper again and rises to his feet. "Let's move out then."
Our feet make quiet taps on the wood floors, our eyes darting back and forth looking for the characters we needed. I spot a door one of the boys's passed and stop. The characters looked similar. "Jonathan," I call him over quietly. "These characters look similar. Are they the same?"
He pulls out the paper and holds it up to the plaque. It was a match. "Good eye Kaja!" he whispers to me excitedly. Alright you two, let's do this." We move into position: the two boys on the side of the door, me in front to kick it open and then Jonathan behind me. I look back and he nods.
I take a deep breath and chamber one leg up, letting it fly and knocking the thin door out. I run in and draw my sword the two people at the control table turn around quite surprised. I bring my sword across in an arc finding both of their necks with ease. They slump to the side gurgling a little with their last breath.
The rest of the team comes in behind me. One of the boys who name I didn't know finds a third person and makes quick work of them too. Jonathan makes one final survey of the room and starts to look at the computer. He looks at the keyboard and gives out a frustrated sigh. "Of course their keys only have Wutain characters on them. I am guessing none of you know how to read this either, right?" He mumbles half to us and half to his self but we shake our heads nonetheless.
Jonathan takes a seat in the chair and starts to fiddle around with the computer. He clicks in several folders until he finds what he is looking for, the language change. He presses the button triumphantly and leans back for a moment. The screen flickers and readjusts to the changes that where just made.
Once the characters turn into letters, Jonathan types away different codes. It takes him several minutes but finally the screens turn to fuzz. He takes out his phone and informs the team in charge of the signal that the cameras where offline.
"Alright," Jonathan stands up. "Let's get moving to stage two of the plan. We are to move to exit B and stand watch," he points to a map on his phone screen. "We can't let any Wutian leave or enter. Understood?" We nod at him. "Very well; move out!"
We make our way back out the way we came in our feet still quiet. The bodies of the guards were still there when we make it back to the exit. Looks like no one had seen them yet. Jonathan and one boy, apparently Matt, take the look out of inside the building while the other boy and I look out to the dark forest. Even without sufficient light I can tell that he glares at me from the side. I sigh quietly and survey the forest. I know someone has to approach this way eventually.
And my intuition was right; in an off handed way.
I swing my sword in an arc slicing multiple Wutians at once; their semi-circle of soldiers were now on the ground. my body flows into another strike stabbing one that came from behind. Adrenaline pumped through my veins setting my nerves on fire. The sheer excitement of the battle was exhilarating, and I loved it so much. Feeling the weight of flesh on my blade, moving at high speeds, and finding once you calm down a little bit that all of the enemies are gone; all things that made me feel like I was unstoppable.
I turn around in a circle and find all of the Wutians are down. I sigh and wipe my standard issue sword off on a dead Wutian. "Everyone all right?" I call back to my team.
"Looks like everyone is accounted for," Jonathan calls back. "A few scrapes and cuts over here but nothing serious. How about you?"
I check myself over and find that all of the blood on me is not my own. "I received no injuries," I tell him walking over to the rest of our group.
"Good. We are to wait here until we get a call from our Second class leader of our unit. So keep on your toes because there could always be more lurking in the shadows."
I did just that; my feet spread apart, my eyes scanning in front of me with my sword out in front. About five minutes later we received a call from our Second class unit leader telling us to get back to the area of the woods we came through first. We took one last survey of the area and made our way back to the forest entrance to wait for the rest of our unit.
"Good work team 4," our unit leader greets us. "And you too team 3." Another team trots in behind us. "That should be everyone, I will call the direc—" quick footsteps pat towards us; Wutians.
Before I knew it my body automatically moved forward and whipped my sword in an arc slicing the three Wutians at once. I turn around and look at my groups wide eyes. I had reacted fast, maybe too fast for normalcy. I say nothing, there wasn't anything to say.
I stand in between Genesis and Angeal waiting for our test scores in the SOLDIER briefing room. The other third class SOLDIERs eyes were glued to the man in front announcing names. I hear my name ring out in the room. I take a deep breath and approach the man giving a firm salute.
"SOLDIER third class, Hayes. Here is your report," he hands me an envelope with my name on it. I give another salute and return to my two friends. Angeal received his shortly after mine while Genesis waited for an extra few minutes. After everyone in the room got their envelopes the man in front tells us that the next place we report to is written on the results inside the envelope and we are dismissed.
Angeal, Genesis and I make a small circle out in the common room with envelopes in hand. "Okay, who wants to go first?" Angeal looks at us all. Genesis smiles widely while making eye contact with him. "Very well, Genesis. How did you do?"
He pull out the files and read through them. Not even a minute later a full smiles grows on his face. "I was promoted to second class rank 1!" I feel myself smile at his excitement, Angeal does too. "Now your turn Angeal."
He does the same and looks through the files smiling at the end. "I was also promoted to second class rank 1." Genesis exchanges a high five with his friend. "Looks like we will be together still. And you Kaja? How did you end up?"
I open the file with shaking fingers. Was it fear, anticipation or excitement that made my heart beat rapidly? The papers that slide out have a full report on the things that the instructors have noted and suggested about my performance. Another page has the final test scores of the written exam. The second to last page has the overall status of how I did on the examination. I find the section where my class and rank status were. My feel my heart almost stop and my face grow pale.
What?!
Next time: The results and change!