Very Nearly Good Enough

An old memory, clouded to the extent he couldn't even remember who it belonged to. But he cherished it anyway. He remembered it how he wanted to.

Cloud slumped onto one of the benches at the end of the hall. Not soldier meterial. He felt too weak and exahusted to get up and begin walking back into town, so he just sat there. After a few minutes he felt someone sit beside him. He looked up and caught Sephiroth's eye.

Sephiroth began to talk, in a long stream that invited no contributions. But, Sephiroth was there, talking to him... "Didn't do too badly, you know. You can re-try next year." He gave a short laugh. "Obviously, if you where in the Shin-ra Regular unit, you'd stand a much better chance. For that year you'd be doing basic soldier training and we'd know you were punctual, reliable and loyal. It would make re-applying much easier. You might even be promoted to SOLDIER before that time, if you work hard..." Cloud's eyes widened.
"Could I be a regular?"
"Well," Here Sephiroth's pace slowed even futher, "You're not quite good enough." Seeing Cloud's face fall, he interjected quickly "You're very nearly good enough. In fact... if I could be persuaded to sign you up... no-one would doubt you'd earned it." There was a catch here, and Cloud waited patiently to see what he wanted. But, really, his mind was made up, if he could get into SOLDIER this way, he would do anything to get started. And here he was... talking to Sephiroth. His idol, this is what he dreamed of. He heard Sephiroth say his name, sounding worried, he realised he must have spoken without Cloud noticing. "You're very beautifull, Cloud." He said it so softly. Cloud was sure he'd missheard, but then Sephiroth reached up and touched his cheek. What he said next knocked the breath out of him and made him silent. "Would you sleep with me... for that?" Sephiroth's voice had started as queitly and lost volume as he spoke, as if he found it hard to say. Cloud said nothing, but no words of consent would pass his lips. Before he could force himself to answer, Sephiroth stood, and began to walk away. Despite his slow speech, he walked fast. Paniced at the though He'd taken his silence for a no, Cloud started. In passing, Sephiroth gave a nod to a SOLDIER who had spoken to Cloud as he entered the hall to his try-out. He was a bright, cheerfull thing, from what Cloud had seen. His face wasn't handsome, but it had beauty in it's smile. However, for a few seconds he looked solem, serious, perhaps dissaproving. It was only for a few seconds.

Cloud followed Zacks into the main building. There was a large, grand hall, with deep-blue carpets, a wide steeping staircase and two sets of elevators. "I'm just giving you a quick tour," Zacks re-iterated. "Hall, elevator we're supposed to use..." he said, veering to the right. "One of these days, take the stairs, that ought to build up your stamina." He handed Cloud a card that CLOUD STRIFE. REG U:13 DOM 15/3 Allong with his birthdate, blood type and height. Zacks gestured to a card-reader in the elavator and then followed Cloud in as he put the card into the slot. Then all Cloud had to do was enter 15, and they'd be taken there. The journey was a fast one and make country-boy Cloud feel quite sick. They where transported to a long corridoor with 12 doors on alternating sides, numbered DOMs one to ten, toilets and rec. Zacks murmered something about it being faster to us the stairs at changeovers and meal-times. "Anyway, that card works as ID, and will let you get anywhere you need to be. And no-where else." To demonstrate this point he put Cloud's card through a reader on the door marked DOM 2. Nothing happened. "You're in dormitory 3. As are the rest of my squad. Squad 13, or Zacks' gang... acctually there are quite a few unpleasant names you'll hear. Every SOLDIER 1st Class has a Squad to take care of, usually three regulars and two 3rd class SOLDIERS, and occassionally one or two 2nd Classers who look like they need the supervision. All the squads numbered 11-20 are under Sephiroth." Cloud nodded and opened the door to his dormitory. Inside where two boys arround his own age, wearing the uniform of a regular. There where two bunk-bed type things, but with three beds, rather than two, so the room could easilly fit 6. "Guys, this is Cloud, be nice." Zacks announced. Two unenthusiastic "Hi Cloud"s issued and Zacks pointed Cloud to a bunk. "there'll be four of you in here for the briefest posssible time... Cardie's leaving." One of the other regs spoke up at that
"Yeah, does he have to leave? He really wants to stay.. and why does he have to?". Zacks sighed.
"This squad is not having four while 11 has only two. It's that simple."
"It's not that simple, you know it's not... Why can't Cloud just be in 11?". Zacks was starting to look almost angry, but motly he looked sympathetic.
"If you can your gaysexfriend want to take it up with Sephiroth, you may. It wasn't my decision." The boy made a noise of protest, but Zacks' ssmile assured him it was meant in fun. Zacks excused himself, and Cloud unpacked what little he had brought into a chest of draws, already holding his uniform- a blue jumpsuit with "U13- Strife" on a lable at the front.

In the mess later that day someone clearly noticed they didn't recognise him, and tilting their head to read his badge, they greeted him with "Hi, Strife, welcome to Shin-ra. How's the Gay Brigade?" Noticing Cloud's puzzled expression he clarified that U13 was often refered to as the "gay brigade". Cloud asked why. "Well," the man who had already introduced himself as Soldier (2nd Class) Slate mused, "I guess we just don't like them much. Oh, and Zacks' unit is usually where in the 11-20s you'll get transfered to if Sephiroth wants to play with you a bit." Cloud didn't have to ask what he meant, he just blushed. "Only a rumor mind... I wouldn't let it worry you. Zacks however... well, acctually I think all of U13 is a little disinclined toward women, right up to the general." Cloud laughed openly. Seemed about right.

For the next few days Cloud had nothing to do but watch and copy people, to get the gist of his work. It was about the time he started to get serious duties Sephiroth sumoned him to his office. The note he recived was breif and free of prepositions- "Come to my office, Zacks'll take you." This was nessicary, not only because Cloud had no idea where Sephiroth's office was, but also because his keycard couldn't get him there. He had no idea why Zacks' Could. He had learned from Slate that SOLDIERs where equally restricted in their movements.

End of Chapter 1

Chapter 2
Chapter 2 is even more innapropriate for children.

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