Across the Divide and Through Valhalla

Soldier Matters

Chapter 79

When they made it to the gate, Cloud hesitated. "This place is supposed to be haunted."

Sherry huffed a bitter laugh. "The only thing haunting this place is painful memories and lies that should remain buried."

He gave her a wide-eyed look, and she shook off her comment. "Sorry. What I mean to say is there are no ghosts in this place. Plus, there are four Soldiers, two Turks, and an incredibly powerful magic-user. I think even if there were, that we'd be okay. Plus, I'm not exactly helpless." Something in her tone made him take a step back, but he nodded and followed her in.

Sherry didn't need to ask where the rest of the group was, she could hear raised voices coming from a room to the left as soon as she entered. When they walked in, silence descended as all eyes in the room turned to them. Cloud unconsciously took a step behind Sherry as several glares turned their way.

Veld was the first to speak. "This boy is why you delayed us? What are you doing?"

Genesis sneered at him. "Sherry told you it was personal. It has nothing to do with you. It is a Soldier matter, so keep your Turk nose out of it unless you would like it removed."

Sherry stepped between them with a chuckle. "Okay, I can see that the travel has been difficult for all of us. Can I please make a suggestion without getting shot or skewered? And before you answer, please keep in mind that I can freeze you all with the flick of a wrist."

She glared up at her scowling husband since he was the one that had started poking the bear. She then looked back at Veld, and he raised a brow before he smirked. "Which would be faster, I wonder. Your wrist, or my arm?"

She rolled her eyes. "Can we not please? I don't have the equipment or inclination to get into a pissing contest with you."

He surprised them all when he chuckled. "You know, under different circumstances, we might have been friends."

Sherry's eyes narrowed at him before one side of her mouth lifted the tiniest bit. "You might be right."

Veld took a step back and shook his head. "What is your suggestion?"

She looked around at them all. "The Soldiers have something they need to discuss. It shouldn't take more than an hour or two, which is about how long it should take you to find a guide for the trip to the reactor. Whether we go tomorrow or in a few days makes no difference, we will need one. Can we compromise and split into those two tasks?"

Veld gave her a contemplative look before he looked over at the boy. "Tseng will stay and observe."

Sherry rolled her eyes but shrugged. "Fine. Despite what you think, there aren't secrets between our two groups anymore."

Veld's eyes turned into those of a raptor as they drilled into her. "Except you."

Sherry clenched her jaw, but Genesis interrupted. "Enough. If you agree, then we have things to discuss."

Veld nodded to Tseng, who took up a position along the far wall before he walked out. Once Veld was gone, all eyes turned back to Cloud, who had been trying to make sense of the scene that had just unfolded. He had not really known what to think of the woman's claim that she wasn't helpless, but the fearless way she stepped in between the two men and the fact that they didn't scoff at her claims made him swallow dryly. Unfortunately, she was the least of his worries. He was currently under the scrutiny of all three Firsts.

When Sherry had told him there were four Soldiers in the mansion, he hadn't realized these three made up most of them. He wasn't sure if he was going to hyperventilate or stop breathing altogether. His feet had stopped working until Sherry pulled him forward and introduced him. "Gentlemen, I would like you to meet Mr. Cloud Strife. Genesis and I went to speak with him about the possibility of joining Soldier."