The Perfect SOLDIER
A FFVII Sephiroth x Cloud story
by Lara Yokoshima

II. My first interaction

Standing in line with other hundreds of young recruits, I waited for my turn of being interviewed by the military camp’s superior officers. Dressed in the common marine blue uniform with black boots that was given to all new cadets, the clothes were simple but elegant. While waiting in line, I could hear some of my companions talking; they were commenting on how in certain occasions the one and only Sephiroth was part of the chosen ones to make the interviews, that if he wasn’t outside the city executing some important mission. It was acceptable he was not here today, since Sephiroth was one of the most wanted high-class soldiers.

Finally, it was my turn to be interviewed. I walked through a wood door, entering a small gray room illuminated by several white lights. In front of me was a large table arranged in a horizontal way, with five people seated behind it. With my eyes I sought for the familiar face of my idol, but to my disgrace I wasn’t lucky enough to have him as one of my auditors. Only five mature faces, maybe sergeants and lieutenants, stared at me waiting for my introduction.

“Cloud Strife, 14 years old, recruit #082881, reporting sirs!” I said nervously, raising my voice a little. They should have been impressed by the way I spoke, because some of them just stayed quiet for a few seconds that were endless to me.

“Where are you from, boy?” one of the officers asked.

“Nibelheim, sir”, I answered more tranquil now.

“And what is your purpose coming to the ShinRa Army?” a second officer asked.

“To become one of the most brave and powerful SOLDIER that have ever existed, sir”.

It was a childish answer without a doubt. I’m sure that at least three of them tried to hide a smile provoked by my ridiculous answer. Some minutes passed by while they looked through some papers, perhaps searching for my registries and personal identification documents. Then they nodded between them, taking another paper from a pile near them, and each one of them signed it, approving my official conscription. The one that was in the middle took a yellow envelope, where he introduced the signed sheet with other random papers and a credential, motioning towards me so I got closer to him, handing over the envelope.

“This is your letter of acceptance to the ShinRa Army. Welcome”, the man said without adding more words.

Giving a deep bow with my head, I thank them and retired from the room by the same door I used to enter. I observed the boy that was going next after me, and looked at his eyes for a moment. He strangely looked at me, perhaps deducing that the committee accepted me. Actually, any person would have guessed, the satisfaction was perceptible in my face and every pore in my body. I would have wanted to scream ‘I did it! I’m in!’ but that would be obviously a lack of respect to the others and it was possible that I got banned for my irresponsible behavior. Whatever the reason was, I contained my desire to shout and kept walking, away from the crowd.

So big was my excitement that now I didn’t know where to go. I remembered then the paper, my letter of acceptance, and began to read it carefully. Pure protocol transformed into words, I thought. But then, at the end of the letter there was a small table that indicated the building number, floor number and room number where I was supposed to live until the completion of my basic training.

Extremely excited, I began to walk towards the building number 31, following the signs that were disposed properly in the whole area. Not even the most absent-minded being in the entire planet could get lost. My amazement before so much organization and technology was endless, and it grew with every passing minute.

Arriving to building #31, I reached the reception and immediately took one of the elevators near it. Many other recruits joined me in the elevator; some of them began pressing the transparent buttons to their designated floors. I pushed number 11, and when the elevator reached that level I excused myself so they would let me got off. The doors closed behind me and then I began to observe the floor in where I was standing. Being one of the floors in where the new cadets arrived, it was very lonely, I thought to myself. I looked around, not seeing anybody except for the huge, geometric corridors. I decided it was not important anymore so I began to search for my room.

I walked and then stopped in front of a sliding door with the number 38 over its surface. I took my ID credential from the yellow envelope that was handed to me this morning, which would give me access to my bedroom and other few rooms that didn’t have a high security level. Then I tried to insert it by the slot beside the door. A negative sound denied me entry to the room. Puzzled, I inserted the ID again, receiving the same sound for an answer. I stroked the back of my spiky blonde hair, trying it a third time, and without being capable of opening the door. I was desperate, why the hell it didn’t open?

Without knowing what to do, I was going to give up and turn around when I decided to try it one last time. Then a male voice stopped me.

“Hey! Wait, what are you doing here?”

A little frightened, I turned to where that voice came from. A young man, maybe a little bit older than me, walked towards me with long, agitated steps. His messed long black hair jumped with each step he gave, and finally he stood in front of me, staring at me with his deep, glowing blue eyes. I could notice he was wearing a different uniform that was dark purple with more decorations; different from mine that had only the typical Silver Star that identified me as a rookie.

“What?” was the only thing I could respond in that moment, as if I didn’t understand what was going on. In fact, I didn’t.

“What is a rookie like you doing in the SOLDIER floor?” he asked uneasy.

“SOLDIER floor?” I repeated the last words really surprised, looking at the corridors once again.

“That’s right,” the youngster said crossing his arms over his chest. “This is one of the floors where only SOLDIER classes rest. You are not supposed to be here, rookie”, he answered with a smile.

“Oh… damn” I said really stupid and confused. That’s why my key didn’t work! This was one of the many floors where only SOLDIER classes slept… do that meant that the Great Sephiroth could be here? I dismissed that thought almost at the same time I formulated it. Sephiroth was more than just a SOLDIER first class.

The black-haired young man noticed my shy reaction, and he only put his right hand over my shoulder, smiling.

“Don’t worry, this always happens the first days the ‘newbies’ arrive,” he said calming me down. “By the way, my name is Zack, SOLDIER second class”.

I immediately saluted him with my straight body making a soft reverence. “My name is Cloud Strife”.

“Ok, Cloud Strife, let me see what can I do for you” Zack continued. “Can you show me your letter of acceptance?” he asked right away.

“Sure”, I responded and brought the yellow envelope to his sight and handed it to him. After checking it for a moment with his right hand over his chin, he made an affirmative sound with his throat, as if he had already found the mistake. He then showed me the letter.

“Look, your floor is 17”, he said pointing the number to me. But I was still looking at an ‘11’. I looked at him again, confused.

“No, no… is a ‘17’” he confirmed again. “I know this ugly numbers…”

“How?” I asked.

“One of my teachers, Sgt. Connors” he said laughing. “He has the most awful numbers I have ever seen”, remarked notoriously amused. I looked at the document once again, trying to give shape to those numbers. Precisely, after looking at them for a while, I noticed that the second ‘1’ was truly a terribly drawn ‘7’. I covered my mouth with one hand, trying not to laugh. Zack patted my shoulder, looking at me again.

“Now you know, never take a course with Sgt. Connors” again he joked. This time I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

“Thanks”, I said after laughing. Zack replied that I had nothing to thank for, and then he started to say good-bye, because he had some work to do. Same as him, I said good-bye and redirected myself to the elevators to go up the right floor. To be my first interaction with a SOLDIER, even though it was not like Sephiroth, was certainly entertaining and not presumptuous at all.

Later I reached my floor, step down from the elevator and went to my room. This time the ID worked just fine, opening the sliding door and giving me access to my ‘quarters’. I looked inside, seeing a bed, a desk with its chair and an adjacent bathroom. A window showed the inner garden where several training camps where displaced. This was more than enough for me. Over my new bed was my baggage with all my clothes, which was previously given to the authorities for proper revision. Beside it, more accessories where provided by the army, with some light training clothing.

Not caring for the stuff that was over the bed, I jumped on it, landing on my back with a full smile on my lips. I couldn’t be more satisfied with myself in that instant. I managed to enter the great ShinRa Army, which was only the first step of my long road to become one of the strongest and brave SOLDIERS of all time, just like my heroic Sephiroth.