Crisis Core: The Female SOLDIER

2

The three SOLDIERS ran along the path under the dark cover of the night, their footsteps silent and their movements hidden beneath the shadows. They skidded to a halt at the bricked crossroad under the waxing moon, and Angeal took stock of their mission.

"Fort Tamblin is just straight ahead," he said. He turned towards the 2nd class, "Let's hurry. B unit is standing by."

Zack and Sera nodded. "You three!" An unknown voice suddenly spoke out and the three of them turned to see a Wutai Private wielding a long ranged weapon,"Identify yourselves!". Then two more joined in and without even waiting for a response, they rushed forward to attack. Angeal and Sera moved to ready themselves but Zack moved past them.

"Just leave it to me!" Zack stated as he drew his sword before moving in to attack. Sera moved to attack as well only to be stopped by a muscular arm in front of her. She turned to Angeal questioningly.

"Let him handle this," Sera furrowed her brow but did not protest as she moved back.

The fight was over shortly after it began and the three Wutai soldiers were defeated. Zack grinned proudly at his work. "Alright, next!"

"Be quiet. You'll give us away." Sera ordered. "We don't need any more obstacles before we reach the Fort."

"You need to calm down," Angeal added as he walked past them to continue down the path.

"No can do you guys," Zack shrugged and shook his head. "The director is watching from somewhere, right?" Zack looked around as he spoke. "I need to make a good impression."

Sera rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Zack...do you know about dumbapples?" Angeal asked after a moment.

"They're apples?" Sera responded dryly earning a flat stare from the 1st Class.

"No, what is that?"

Angeal put a hand over his mouth as if in shock, "Unbelievable... how can you not know about dumbapples? You'll never make 1st at that rate." Angeal stated as he walked off.

"Whoa, wait!" Zack ran after the two. "What are dumbapples?!"

Angeal and Sera both ignored him as they followed along the path with Zack behind them. It was only when they stopped halfway did Zack finally caught up to them.

"So Angeal, what's the deal with dumbapples?"

Angeal turned to his student, "The official name is Banora White. The trees bear fruit at random times during the year. Because of that, the townspeople affectionately call them dumbapples." Sera looked forward as they talked, in case any Wutai soldiers decided to appear, but listened closely as well in interest.

"The local farms had plenty of them to spare."

"Oh really? So you stole them." Zack said.

"We were poor, Zack."

"Nice excuse," Zack commented.

"But even then I had my honor." Angeal ignored the light jab as he continued. "The largest Banora White tree grew on a wealthy man's estate. It was rumored that those apples tasted the best. But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend."

"If he was a friend, you should have just asked for some," Zack commented, walking around in a circle with his hands behind his head.

Angeal held up his finger, "Honor can be quite a burden at times."

'I know what you mean,' Sera thought wryly.

"...And what exactly does this have to do with me?"

Angeal and Sera exchanged a brief glance and they smirked. Angeal crossed his arms. "No story is not worth hearing," was all he said before continuing onwards once more, laughing.

Sera shook her head, an amused smirk on her lips. 'Same old Angeal,' she thought, following closely after him.

"What? That's it?" Zack stood stupefied for a moment before running after them. "Yeah, well, thanks a lot! And how do you know he was going to do that, Sera? Hey!"

Sera simply ignored him, hiding a snicker as she continued walking forward closely behind Angeal. 'It never gets old.'

They soon reached their destination and they all crouched low beneath the foliage, the Fort within their sights. They stood by, waiting.

"B unit will set off an explosion. That's our cue." Angeal informed them.

"And while their attention is on the diversion, we are to infiltrate correct?" Sera asked.

"Right," Angeal nodded. "I'll set the bomb inside the fortress. While you two will charge the front gate and..."

Zack nodded excitedly, his face eager. "Uh-huh, and? And? And? And?"

The look on his face and the excitement in his eyes, it was like a rambunctious little puppy. She found it rather adorable.

'Adorable?' The sudden thought took Sera by surprise and she frowned slightly. 'Since when did I think of this restless, troublemaking SOLDIER 2nd Class as 'adorable'?'

'This operation is screwing with my mind. I better get this mission over and done with so I can sleep it off.'

"...Indulge yourself," Angeal finished.

Zack's grin grew even wider and he slapped his hands together. "You got it! That's what I do best!" Sera simply nodded in agreement.

As the three waited for explosion to occur, with Zack becoming even more restless by the minute as he practically begged for the B unit to begin, both 2nd class members saw Angeal grabbed his Buster Sword and held it to his forehead for a moment as though in prayer before strapping it to his back once more.

"You know," Zack started, "I've never actually seen you use that. Don't you think it's sort of a waste?"

'I'm quite curious about that as well,' Sera thought but did not voice this out.

"Use brings about wear... tear... and rust," Angeal explained, "And that's a real waste."

'Then polish it. Otherwise, why carry it with you at all? It only hinders movement," Sera could not understand the 1st Class SOLDIER sometimes.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Zack asked.

Angeal nodded,"Yeah. I can be pretty cheap."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Zack chuckled.

Just then, they bomb they've been waiting for went off in a bright flash of light and both Sera and Zack stood up.

"Begin mission." Angeal nodded. The both of them nodded and Zack flipped off the cliff towards the fort. Sera was about to head off as well when she was stopped.

"Sera!" At her name, she turned towards Angeal. The deep frown from back at the director's office was there again and there was an odd look in his eyes.

"Please, look after Zack."

Sera's brow crinkled in confusion, wondering why he was asking her when Zack could very well take care of himself. But she saw the slight pleading look in his eyes and she found herself nodding in comply.

The pleading look shifted to one of gratefulness and he nodded before he ran towards another direction to begin his own mission, Sera staring after him.

'Angeal... what the hell are you thinking?'