Faithless Memories

Join Shinra?

Chapter 26

Kris wasn't sure that she had managed to convince Zack at all, but at least he had agreed to let her make her own decisions. He still insisted on swearing bodily harm to Genesis if she got hurt. She had rolled her eyes at that. Not because she doubted him, or even because she didn't appreciate it, but they both knew there was no way her brother could put a dent into the Commander. She hoped that when it did end, she would be able to convince him it was something she had been prepared for.

She pushed those thoughts back when they rejoined the others. Genesis stood as she approached and pushed her seat in for her. When he sat next to her, she could feel her face heating again, but she ignored it when her attention was almost immediately grabbed by the General. Having so many intimidating men surrounding her made her more nervous than usual, especially since she was so much smaller than all of them. She tried not to let it show when she focused on what he was saying.

"I had not been told anything before your bout with Genesis, so I was quite surprised at all the hype afterward. Thankfully the whole match was recorded. I must admit that once I saw it, my first thoughts were that it is a pity that women can't join Soldier. We have never had another recruit that was able to stand against one of us for so long. The average is just under six minutes for the test to go from Third to Second. Your brother made quite the splash with his eight minutes. You both must have gone through extensive training. How old were you when you started learning?"

Kris tried to keep from grimacing at his question. She still hadn't shared the fact that she was adopted with anyone. She wasn't sure if it was lucky or not, but Zack spoke up before she could. His enthusiasm was palpable at the turn the conversation had taken.

"We figure she must have started when she was little. The first time she saved me from a gagighandi with nothing but a limb, it was awesome!"

Kris could suddenly feel three sets of eyes on her. She looked around to see all three of the Firsts were giving her curious looks. She shrugged self-consciously and was just thankful that they didn't press her on the first part of his statement. "It's not like I fought it on purpose. It's kind of funny actually. I climbed a tree to get away from it and then ended up falling on top of it when a limb broke. I got lucky, and the limb was sturdy enough for me to defend myself."

Kris was a little chagrined when her explanation didn't seem to do anything other than make them more interested. She caught the evaluating look Genesis was giving her, but she was thankful that Sephiroth spoke up first. Or, at least she was grateful until she heard what he said.

"I know that the reason women aren't in Soldier is that they usually cannot handle the mako or the level of training. I would be willing to chance it if you would be interested in trying out. Zachary has already proven to be a great asset to the company. Having another Fair on the team would be helpful."

Kris had to blink a few times as she tried to assimilate what he had asked. She could feel her ears burning as she finally managed to answer. "While I really appreciate the offer, I don't think being in Soldier would be a good fit for me. I'm liable to piss off the wrong person."

Both Genesis and Zack laughed at her claim. When Zack realized it, he stopped immediately and gave the Commander a dirty look. Thankfully, Kris didn't see the exchange. She was still looking at Sephiroth.

He was giving her a wry look. "I suppose I can understand your concerns. Still, you have quite the talent. It would be a shame for it to go to waste. Have you considered applying for other branches within Shinra? I am certain you would be welcomed, especially with what you have already shown us."