Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy series. It belongs to its creators and various publishers. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. This fictional story is the product of my imagination and shared for entertainment purposes, but not profit purposes.

Main Pairing: Sephiroth/Vincent Valentine/Angeal Hewley/Genesis Rhaspodos/Zachary Fair/Cloud Strife

Quick Note (to Reviewer): Yes, you might have read this before, since I had posted this story concept (and some actually text) numerous times before deleting it and rewriting it.

Interlude:

Staring at the Sun, Standing in the Sea

(aka "Doing the Impossible")

(TV on the Radio (Band))

Today was the day, which his bunk mates were looking forward to, the Welcoming Ceremony. Three weeks had flown by quickly for the young blond. As soon as his instructors realized how advanced and intelligent Cloud was, they began to take advantage of it. In his physical fitness course, which took place in the domed fitness center, he was pushed harder and faster than his peer group. Many of the academic course instructors had assigned him private projects approved by the science department when it became apparent that Cloud was a quick study and innovative thinker. The first two weeks of unarmed combat was shared with their entire bunk before being divided into levels, in which Cloud was raised to X5, not because he knew the material, but because he learned and adapted quickly. His marksmanship while average was nothing to write home about. However, his Materia theory and usage had leveled him up an X series when he activated his Materia on the first try. Cloud had persuaded his martial arts sensei to accept Aeron into his Aikido class since Aeron had the discipline and natural limberness which would benefit from the practice. Meanwhile, Cloud sneakily got Will accepted into his Strategy and History course.

Cloud, after showering and dressing early, moped around in the common room until his team was ready for breakfast. They ate a quick breakfast, all nervous chatter and flinging rumors back and forth. Then the accelerated cadets joined the regular cadets in the auditorium. Most of the group received cold and jealous looks from the recent boot camp graduates, but Cloud received several smiles and waves. Those cadets remembered the tips and techniques he had given them to improve and stay on the Cadet program track instead of being forced into the infantry. The auditorium was split into established teams and Storm Phoenix took their seats in the C-Section along with three new teams. There were five cadets who were friendly with Cloud and two others with Mikhail, so it wasn't as if they were surrounded by strangers. Team Bahamut was also present and accounted for, although Elliot kept sending displeased looks at their team and contemplative ones at the newbies. They were dressed in new fatigues which they were issued that morning. The fatigues were a duplicate to their everyday uniforms except for the jacket. They wore a forest-green denim jacket composed of several pockets and straps. Where the breast pocket would be, was a unit number, their name and a bar with their current rank. "C-1, Strife, C., Cadet 04". When a Cadet Level was achieved they would receive another bar next to their formed Cadet level.

Although, the auditorium was packed everyone was whispering as if they were on holy ground. Footsteps sounded from backstage and Team Storm Phoenix, Bahamut, and the other Accelerated Cadet teams were quick to stand at attention. The new cadets were almost too slow to stand in time, but they made it. Director Lazard Deusericus stepped onto the stage accompanied by General Sephiroth, Lieutenant-General Angeal Hewley and First-Class Soldiers Zachary Fair and Christopher Merriam. The Soldiers seated themselves as Lazard took the podium. The new Cadets began to seat themselves, but the older cadets and the accelerated program remained standing in formation. "It appears that the Boot Camp Instructors need to be updated on their Drills. You should all be standing, I am your superior officer am I not?" In the back on the auditorium the Boot Camp Instructors looked livid as their students jumped to their feet. After several long moments, Lazard then called out, "At ease gentlemen, you may be seated." All the cadets sat.

"Welcome to the Cadet program." The Director of Soldier began, "You're embarking on a perilous and physically demanding journey, which statistically speaking, only thirty-five of you will pass per year group. There are approximately eight hundred of you in this auditorium and one-hundred and fifty of you per group. Some of you have had a head start, but as time progresses there will be additional expectations and higher standards you will compared to. The roads before you are not easy ones. The regular cadets will move up the ranks at a slower pace. I suggest that any accelerate cadet who is unsure of their place request to be moved into the regular cadet units."

Cloud eyed his teammates then. If one of their teammates were to request to be moved down a level, the rest of them would be placed among the regular cadets and the individual who made the request would be regulated to the infantry. Shinra didn't need Soldiers who were not confident in their abilities and who took the easy way out. The contracted they signed to join the cadet program demanded that they become infantry for a total of eight years if they left or removed from the Cadet program and five years if they failed the program. Failure was not an option. Cloud was relieved to note that not a single member of his team looked like they were contemplating reassignment.

"You are all the future of Shinra's shining army," Lazard began his usually propaganda and Cloud read the subtle lies between the lines, the misinformation and the deceptions between his every word. After several agonizing minutes, Lazard concluded with, "Now let's hear some encouragements from several of our Soldiers." Sephiroth stood, a rather fixed half-smile etched on his face. To Cloud, it appeared that Sephiroth was undertaking an unpleasant assignment, while the rest of the auditorium practically ogled the man. They puffed their chests as if they were showcased stallions looking for a mare. Cloud found it utterly ridiculous.

"Greeting, Cadets," Sephiroth said stiltedly in his deep baritone, Cloud nearly chortled at Sephiroth's awkwardness ("Greetings, Earthlings!") and his odd phrasing. "Welcome to the Cadet program. I see much potential among you, but what you do with your potential is in your hands. Will you hone your potential into masterfully crafted weapon or will you lose that potential to egotism and laziness? Remember only the best contenders will become Shinra Soldiers. Some of you will succeed and many of you will fail. Only you can decide your path. Study hard, fight harder and push yourself to be the best soldier you can be!" Sephiroth turned and sat down. The room filled with abrupt clapping that even the Director hand not received. Only Cloud did not clap. His head was cocked to one-side as he studied Sephiroth with clear confusion which was masterfully hidden as First-Class Soldier Zachary Fair took the podium. The other Cadets seemed to space out without the silver general speaking, but Cloud's attention was rivetted on his friend.

"First-Class Soldier Zachary Fair, here, but only my mama calls me Zachary. Everyone else and their Uncle call me Zack and I like Zack. Call me Zachary and you and I will be having a discussion. I am the Cadet Sword Instructor, as I was nominated by our esteemed general and our wonderful director. Mind you, this after I burnt the sacred coffee in the lobby for the second time. I think I am damned good instructor. Now, words of encouragement…. Huh. Fuck, I forgot mine. So, basically work hard, study harder and don't piss your pants. Congrats on making it this far. Considering, originally, there were over four-hundred recorded boot camp trainees in this group before we whittled them down like a Chocobo on her greens." Zack said before sitting down. Cloud lifted eyebrow in disbelief, seriously, who let Zack give a speech? Judging by the flushed cheeks of Lazard, it would be him. Zack was good at making friends and inspiring others in small groups, but never ask him to give a speech to an auditorium. The man was nervous on a stage.

"Thank you for that inspiring speech, Soldiers." Lazard concluded, "You're all dismissed. New cadets, please head to your bunks to get situated. Older Cadets and Accelerated Cadets, you're operating on a half-day schedule. You will attend your academic classes for twenty-minutes each to get assignments for the rest of the weekend. Then you will spend the rest of the day in your physical fitness courses. Also, Accelerated Cadets, I would like to congratulate you. Several teams have been advanced and you have qualified for individual and team projects as assigned by your commanding officers and instructors. You're are dismissed." The Director and Soldiers left the auditorium quickly as the Cadet quickly stood to attention. Once the officers left, the cadets streamed out of the auditorium laughing and whispering. The new cadets were split into their teams and led to their bunks. Meanwhile, Cloud and his teammates headed to classes.

President Shinra loved parties. That was the reason that the elite three were forced to attend a party that celebrated the Cadets enrollment. The higher echelon of the company – like Director Lazard, Director Gainsborough, Director Tuesti and Scarlet – alongside the haute monde were present. Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal were the hot commodities of the night. The president insisted that they dress to impress. Angeal was uncomfortable with the attention showered on him by the female attendees. Sephiroth's unimpressed expression was his saving grace, his presence was too daunting for the female attendees to approach. They did however, flit about him giggling. However, that did not stop other men from trying to intimidate and manipulate the General of the Shinra corporation. Genesis on the other hand was drunk. Angeal made a move to stop Scarlet from guiding the inebriated redhead to her quarters. He was suddenly swarmed with admirers and Sephiroth failed to notice the incident.

The following day found team Storm Phoenix attending their classes. All of the team had been moved up several levels. It was several days after the regular cadets' induction to the program when it occurred. Cloud had been dismissed from class early, having finished his course work. He was heading to a free training room. He passed a lone janitor mopping the hall. It was quiet, unnervingly so. He had just turned the corner when two hands grabbed him and pushed him against the wall violently. Cloud came face to face with five larger and older cadets. His eyes immediately sought out their ranks, Cadet 5, new cadets. A big blond cadet with water blue eyes was holding him to the wall. "So, heard you're the Cadet prodigy," the blond said, "You're getting the best scores in physical exercise and in educational courses. You some kind of genius?" Cloud looked the bigger blond in the eyes and shrugged. A fist caught him in the gut. "You open your got damned mouth when you are answering me!" the bigger blond snarled.

"Fine," Cloud said ignoring the slight twinge of pain in his gut, "I'm just smart, but not a genius."

The fist struck him in the jaw this time, "Well, that's going to change. You see, we can't have you showing up my crew and I. We're going to be the biggest, bad ass-Soldiers in Shinra. You heard them at the opening ceremony, only thirty-five cadets pass the SOLDIER test. Now, I've got me twenty friends enrolled. This is how things will go, you will start struggling with your duties and eventually flunk out into the infantry program."

"If I don't?" Cloud asked carefully.

"Then I will beat you until your pretty face isn't recognizable anymore." The bigger cadet looked down at Cloud's lithe figure and licked his lips, "Maybe first, I'll give you a little fun, but afterward, I'll strangle the life out of you."

"That would make you a murderer, you would never become SOLDIER then." Cloud said calmly.

"Ah, but they would never find you. I have contacts in the TURK department."

"Aiden, we have a problem," one of his friends called dragging the janitor into the corner, "Caught this little shit reporting on us. He had us on speaker." Aiden's crony handed Aiden a mangled PHS.

"Fuck!" Aiden swore releasing Cloud and swinging a fist at the janitor, who braced himself and closed his eyes for the hit. Except Aiden's fist was intercepted by Cloud, who held it in a crushing grip. "What the fuck!" Aiden said swinging his other fist at Cloud. The blond caught the attack with his hand, absorbing the impact without a flinch. Cloud, using the skills Tifa had taught him in his original timeline, alongside the little ninjutsu training he had, Cloud twisted Aiden around using advanced maneuvers, speed and his growing strength. Pressing a pressure point, Aiden was unconscious. The bigger blond slumped to the floor.

Cloud stepped in front of the janitor prepared to defend the poor guy. The remaining four, rushed to attack Cloud, accidentally shoving one of their own into the wall. Cloud caught the first's guy's fist and used him as a shield to the second's kick. He kicked the third off his feet, using a spin kick, which propelled his shield, the first attacker of the four, harshly to his knees from where Cloud still had a grip on him. The one forced to his knees, dropped with a shout of pain, cradling his left knee. Cloud threw the second atop the third, tangling them up. The fourth, who had a bloodied lip from his face meeting the wall earlier, charged at Cloud. Cloud leaned out of the way of the cadet's spin kick and caught his ankle. Countering the bigger cadet's balance, he used the ankle to throw the guy onto the two struggling to get to their feet. The first attacker looked faint with pain and tears trickled down his face as he howled over his knee.

"Cadets!" A SOLDIER second shouted. Distracted, Cloud was almost knocked into the janitor as the cadet he'd thrown, sucker punched his gut. Cloud caught himself wheezing a little bit as the SOLDIER hauled the cadet off of him. "Men," the Soldier instructed his fellows, "get the wounded to the infirmary and the others into separate detention rooms, while I speak with the witness." Cloud was escorted into interrogation rooms, while the three slightly bruised cadets yelled threats at him. The cadets were hauled into their own detention rooms, albeit unlike Cloud, wearing handcuffs.

Several hours later, after giving his testimony for the twelfth time, Cloud was finally allowed to leave without any charges or repercussions. He received a commendation in his file from the Soldiers in charge of the case for protecting a company asset, the janitor. Aiden was quickly demoted to Infantry along with seven of his cronies. The Cadet who Cloud had injured had been healed up and then permanently discharged for his new limp. Nine of the twenty-five Cadets were sent back to boot camp as punishment, a few dropped out voluntarily, shortly thereafter. The rest were cleared of any direct wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing.

Genesis Rhaspodos sat in his private library rereading his childhood diary. When he was a child would have strange dreams of a blond-haired soldier with stunning blue eyes, who was named Cloud. Cloud and his companions fought an alien lifeform known as Jenova and her son, Sephiroth. Then Genesis and Angeal met their Sephiroth and Genesis dismissed his dreams as childish fantasies. Then he's run into that cute blond-haired cadet and at first, he thought the similarities were superficial, until the boy spoke. Genesis knew that voice. He had been keeping track of the boy's progress and was impressed by the kid. Genesis was determined to be part of the heroes alongside Cloud this time.

"Oh, Mein gott," murmured Rayne Strife in heavily accented Nibel dialect, as she peered up at the two massive Nibel wolves who had taken residence in the Shrine of Lady Freyja. They appeared docile, but she thought it best not to tempt fate and backed out of the temple quickly. Just as she was about to shut and secure the shrine door, she was elbowed out of the way by Mrs. Elena Lockhart. "No wait!" Rayne shouted, but it was too late, and Elena fell to the jaws of the massive beast.

To Be Continued

Sorry for the long wait. The plot was just sitting there and not gaining any movement. Since it lacked significant movement I am calling this an interlude. I figure you've all waited a long, long time for this update!