" Zack! Wake up! Zack! It’s going to be almost noon and you’ll be eating lunch instead of breakfast if you don’t get out of bed, " a gentle but muffled voice scolded fondly.

" Argghh… Can’t you just let me sleep a bit longer, please? " With a loud moan, Zack threw the blanket over his head, burying himself deeper into his bed.

Quera gave a small sigh and pushed the door of her son’s bedroom open. As usual, it was a mess with filthy clothes liberally dumped over the floor. However, one area stood out in glaring contrast. A gleaming weapon rack holding all kinds of wooden swords, prominently held court in a corner while the walls, in that same corner, were adorned with neatly arranged newspaper clippings. A small frown creased her care-worn face as Quera cast her eyes upon that only uncluttered area. Zack had expressly forbidden anyone to touch anything in that corner and anyone included her, his mother. Quera turned her attention to the rest of the room and walked about, gathering up various articles of clothing into a basket due for the laundry. She paused by Zack’s bed and all she could see of him was his shock of unruly black hair. Setting her basket down, Quera tugged at the blanket only to encounter firm resistance.

" Son, you did promise to help your dad out in the fields. How can any harvesting be done when you’re snoring away here? " Quera prodded the figure under the blanket with a finger.

" Mom! I don’t snore! " Zack shot back indignantly, sitting up with a jerk.

" Ha! At least you’re up now, sleepyhead. Wash up quickly now and have breakfast. I made your favourite honey cakes "

Zack brightened a bit at the mention of one of his favourite food. Getting out of his bed, he stretched lazily and with a final yawn, shuffled his way out. Watching her only son’s back, Quera’s heart swelled with love and pride yet at the same time, she was uneasy. Zack had never cared for farm work, it was a surprise when he offered to help his father bring in this year’s harvest. This uncharacteristic behaviour had worried both his parents greatly. As the day drew nearer to Zack’s thirteen birthday, the stronger a sense of foreboding grew. Quera shook her head and chided herself for being silly.

" Zack is older now and growing more responsible. It’s only right that he take an interest in helping out in the fields. I worry too much. Well, there’s no time to spare, a lot of chores are still waiting to be done. "

Picking up the laundry basket, she walked out of her son’s bedroom.

Corben worked diligently in the heat with his fellow farmers, his scythe rising and falling. He felt a great sense of satisfaction as he beheld the fruits of his labour. It had been a good year and the harvest was going to be bountiful. Stopping for a minute to wipe beads of perspiration from his forehead with the back of his hand, Corben smiled as he watched his son gathering the fallen golden wheat along with his peers. How time flies, Zack’ll be a man soon. It’s good that he’s taking interest in the fields. Before long, I’ll be too old for this back-breaking work anymore, Corben thought.

" Dad! Can we stop? All this hard work is making me terribly hungry and thirsty, " Zack grumbled.

" You and your insatiable appetite! We barely had lunch three hours ago and now you are hungry again? Sometimes I really wonder if I have a boy or a pig for a son, " Corben shook his head in mock horror.

" Oink! Oink! I’m a pig but I’m a young and growing pig so I need lots of food. Anyway, what good is a skinny pig for? It won’t have enough meat for Mom to make her fabulous sausages and hams. So feed me! Feed me! Oink! "

" Oh all right, let’s go and fatten you up, greedy pig! " Corben laughed heartily as he carefully set down his scythe.

Father and son continued their playful banter, exchanging greetings with others still labouring in the fields as they made their way to the shady tree where Quera had left a picnic basket. It was a long-standing practice for Quera to pack her husband some food to replenish his energy so that he would not be too famished by dinnertime. Zack opened the basket eagerly, his mouth watering as he smelled the honey cakes left over from breakfast. Quera, knowing her son’s love for the small sweet cakes, always baked extra so Zack could eat his fill.

" Slow down, son! People will think I’ve been starving you just by looking at the way you eat, " Corben teased.

Zack did not bother with a retort, he was too busy sinking his teeth into his food. Corben reached for the canteen and poured two cups of hot tea He drank slowly, savouring the rich taste before accepting a cake from Zack.

They sat companionably, enjoying the moment. Corben threw a glance at Zack as he ate. There was something he wanted to ask his son and this was a perfect opportunity.

" So how did you find farm work? "

" It’s not as bad as I thought. Pretty tiring though but I guess I’ll get used to it. It’s a form of training I suppose, " Zack replied, slipping his cup of tea.

Corben was pleased.

" Well, we all know that your birthday will be here in a couple of days. Let’s strike a bargain, son. Today’s the fifth, if you can help me finish harvest by the ninth so that I can go to Nibelheim earlier. I’ll get you ‘that thing’ from Cosmo Canyon on my way back. How’s that? "

" Really?! Do you mean it, Dad? Can I really have it? " Zack jumped to his feet in excitement; sending the tea in his hand sloshing to the ground.

" Yes, I’ve talked to your mother about it and we decided that you should have it. Remember that this will be the last time, we’ll indulge you…" Corben was cut off when Zack threw his arms around him for a quick hug.

" Thanks Dad, you don’t know how much this means to me. Oh! There’s work to be done! Hurry up, Dad! "

Corben watched as Zack, a boy who would soon be a man, raced back to the fields of gold.

May he grow to learn to love the land as I have and abandon those foolish dreams… A father prayed.

" A real sword…A real sword of steel…My dreams are coming true! " Zack whispered softy, afraid that if he spoke too loud it would all be a fantasy.

Zack dispatched his illusory opponent with a mighty overhead slash and finished everything with his victory stance. He felt invincible, ready to face anything. Zack ran a reverent hand over all the newspaper clippings on his wall. They were all reports on the war and the man, Zack worshipped.

" Two more days to go and I’ll be thirteen, the right age to enter the army. Oh! I can’t wait any longer! I want to become a SOLDIER! Just like the great Sephiroth! " He could not resist shouting in his exuberance.

" Darn! I’ll wake Mom. She can’t hear about this now, at least not yet. I better turn in before I announce my intentions to the whole world."

Zack blew out his candle and listened in the dark for any sounds of his mother stirring. He was convinced that his mother was still asleep after hearing nothing out of the ordinary. Zack drifted off into dreamland with a smile plastered to his face. Blissfully unaware that in the next room, a mother wept silent tears.

Quera stood by the window, her eyes on the figure of her son talking and laughing in the street with his gang of friends. Her hands unconsciously twisted the towel she held, a sure sight of the turmoil in her heart. She knew she was going to lose her only child yet she was helpless to prevent him from leaving. Zack had always been headstrong, used to getting his own way. This was a consequence of the amount of attention lavished on him by his two loving parents. Quera buried her head in her hands, desperately hoping that Corben was here.

It had truly been a good year, the wheat fetched an excellent price and everybody was contented. Corben and each of his fellows went on their on way to purchase whatever was needed back home. The promise he had made to Zack was foremost in his mind. Quera had objected almost violently when Corben had suggested getting a real sword for Zack’s birthday. He had argued with her that it did not matter since Zack’s interest in soldiering was just a childish fixation that he would outgrow in no time. She had reluctantly agreed in the end, bowing to her husband’s logic. Corben’s father and his father before him throughout the generations had always been farmers. That was the way in the poor, backward town of Gongaga. Agriculture had always provided for the people. Corben had some doubts about his son yet in the end he was still sure that Zack would follow the path of his forefathers.

He believed he knew his son but he was wrong.

Today was Zack’s birthday, however for his mother, it was the day of reckoning and Quera’s hold on her emotions was precarious. It strained her greatly, having to pretend that nothing was wrong when she had never been good at hiding her feelings. Her Zack was now a man, no longer would he be tied to her apron strings. Quera had reconciled herself with this fact but what she could not face, was the prospect of her son leaving her. She threw herself wholly into her chores in a hopeless attempt to find peace.

Zack waited anxiously in front of the small gate in front of his house, it was not so much to welcome his father back but to catch a first glance at the object he would be bringing. He had practically jumped out of bed at dawn, so excited was he about his big day. Zack stayed in his room, almost wearing the floor out with his pacing. He did not dare show his face so early as he knew that his mother would laugh to see him acting so abnormal. After all, he did cultivate the reputation of being a late-riser.

Zack had made up his mind ever since he was a child that he would leave his hometown in search for a better life. He did not have a concrete idea as to what to become until Micael; his buddy introduced him to the world of soldiering. Micael had left Gongaga for Junon three years ago to join the Shinra Army and Zack received letters from him once in a while. The two of them became the best of friends after Zack helped the older Micael in a scuffle.

Zack was seven and Micael, ten, then. There was a gang of boys who went around bullying younger children and they picked on Micael because he did not have a father. It resulted in a fight one day and Zack joined in the fray when he saw that sheer number overwhelmed Micael. They still lost the fight in the end but from that moment forth, the two were inseparable. Zack was reminiscing about their escapades when someone slapped him on the back, making him let out a startled yelp. He spun around to face his grinning father. " You scared the hell out of me!!! "

" Hahaha, you deserve it for acting like a mooncalf in front of our house. Now, can I assume you are so nice as to come and wait for your old dad or is there something else entirely in mind? "

The flustered face of his embarrassed son told Corben what he already expected. Corben chuckled and reached over the back of his pack mule to untie a bundle which he shoved into Zack’s arms. Zack stood stunned for a moment before he carefully unwrapped the bundle to reveal his first sword. It was not a fine blade but serviceable.

" With my own blade, I’m all set to be a SOLDIER. Yes, I’ll become one of the best. " Zack said happily to himself.

" What did you just say, Zack? "

" I want to become a SOLDIER, Dad. I want to join the army and I’ll be leaving for Junon soon. " His tone was sober now, it was the moment of truth.

Zack lowered his head, unable to meet his father’s eyes. He was a bit ashamed to have kept his wishes secret from his parents. Gongaga was a poor town so children were taught to bear responsibility from a young age. A boy was considered a man at thirteen years of age, ready to make his own decisions and stand by them. So Zack had waited until now so that his parents cannot stop him from pursuing his dreams. He waited for his father to denounce him, but without a word, Corben walked past Zack into the house.

One look at her husband’s face and Quera knew that the truth was out. Whatever joy the occasion warranted had fled leaving a heavy silence. Zack did not follow his father in. She moved over to where her husband sat in the hall, placing her hands on his shoulders. They had been together for so many years that they knew what each other thought and felt without the need to speak. Somehow deep in her soul, she already knew how it would end.

Zack had only came home after it was fully dark outside. He was quiet, subdued and the family took their meal in strained silence. It was better this way because all it took was one wrong word and tempers would flare. Zack never wanted to hurt his parents, he loved them but he had to fight for his dreams. Staying in Gongaga would not make him content, he would only become bitter and jaundiced, shackled to a life he would eventually hate.

Zack took himself off to his room immediately after finishing his portion, shutting the door firmly. It was no display of anger, just simply a testament to his resolution. After Zack left the table, Corben lost the little appetite that he had. Putting down his fork, he clasped his hands and spoke with his eyes trained on his son’s vacant place.

" He’s dead serious about it. He said he’d be leaving for Junon soon to join the army. Zack’s going away. Our son is going away…going away…" His voice broke.

Corben hung his head, his shoulders slumped in defeat. It was all in vain, everything that he had done was in vain. So many years spent building a future that his son did not want. Stinging disappointment filled his very core; he had been so blind. Corben had prided himself as a father who knew his son, only now did he discovered how superficial was his knowledge. A single tear wound slowly down his weatherworn face. Burying his face in his hands, he wept.

Quera watched her husband as he cried softly. He had never shed a tear no matter how great a setback life had dealt him. She would not cry for all her tears had dried. Leaving her place at the table, Quera walked over to Corben’s side and held him tightly. She had to be strong for all their sakes.

It was barely dawn but Quera knew Zack was already awake. She knocked softly before entering. He was right where she thought he would be, sitting in his little corner with his back to her. Sensing her presence, Zack turned to face her and Quera went over to sit by his side. It was time to talk.

" I’m so sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to hurt you and Dad. I’ve been thinking the whole night through and I know I’ve been too selfish. I never thought about the two of you. You’re getting old and I should be here taking care of you. I’ll stay here with you always. I promise, Mom, " Zack blurted out his apology in a rush.

" No. "

" I’ll work the fields with Dad. He said I was a good helper and now that harvest is over, we’ll let the land fallow. After that, Dad will need me for planting the next season’s crop. There’s still so much I have to learn about farming. "

" No. "

He did not hear a single thing she said. Quera smiled wistfully, there was nothing she desired more than to have Zack stay but at the same time, it would be so wrong. Her son was like a bright shining flame that had warmed their lives and brought them innumerable joy. By asking him to remain, both Corben and her would surely smother this flame eventually, killing the love they shared. Quera affectionately ruffled Zack’s wild head of coal black hair, hushing his tirade.

" Listen to me for I won’t have the courage to say it again. Both your father and I know that your heart is not here. There’s no point forcing yourself to stay because you’ll never be happy. I don’t want that kind of suffering for you."

" But, Mom…" Zack started to protest.

" Say no more. You must leave. "

Junon.

The newspaper reports had not done it justice. It was far more impressive than Zack had ever imagined. A gleaming fortress of steel that shone like burnished bronze, standing ever vigilant to any threats coming by the sea. Zack took in everything with wonder-widened eyes, all thoughts of his parents and home banished to a distant corner of his mind. He was gawking like a country bumpkin but he did not care. There was so much that he had not seen.

It was some time before Zack got down to the question of getting recruited. He headed for the massive gates that were the entrance to Junon.

A long queue had already formed up by many young hopefuls just like him. A few Shinra guards were positioned strategically to maintain order and to prevent any hothead from trying to joust his way out of line. Zack’s heart hammered with excitement when he finally got to filling in his particulars on the application form provided, he could barely write properly.

" Gongaga? Mighty poor town, don’t blame you for leaving. Ain’t much of a future for a man in a dump like that, " the recruitment officer remarked as he handed Zack a small metal tag embossed with the number one.

Hearing his hometown being described as a dump, Zack wanted desperately to speak out and defend Gongaga Town but his mouth could not form a single word. It was a fact, he knew himself. Gongaga was a place locked in the vicious poverty circle. Following the footsteps of his father would only make him an impoverished farmer doomed to toil till the day he die. Zack glanced at the worn piece of metal in his palm. This was the signification of a new life, a future. His future.

" Get yourself to the parade square and report to the battalion commander of which ever number you hold. Now move it! "

Zack clenched his fist; his eyes set with determination. Come what may, nothing would change his resolution to become a SOLDIER. No matter how hard the training may be, he would brave everything through. This was his one chance to live his dream, turn imagination into reality and Zack swore to himself that he would rather die than settle for anything less.

He was heading towards the parade square, herded by other young men like him with the same aspirations when he thought he heard someone called his name.

" Zack! Zack! Wait up! "

There could only be one person in Junon who knew him.

" Micael? "

A young man about sixteen, dressed smartly in the sky blue Shinra guard uniform waved jauntily as he made his way through the crowd towards Zack.

" Whoa! You sure grew a lot! You were only up to my shoulder the last time I saw you. Been a long three years…How’s everybody back home? "

" Your mother’s fine and she asked me to tell you that she misses you terribly and that you should write back more often, " Zack grinned broadly, knowing just who exactly was Micael asking after.

" Hey! Quit blocking the way! If you two want to talk, go and do it somewhere else! " Someone shouted in irritation as people shoved their way passed the two young men.

Micael and Zack wisely decided to follow the crowd into the huge concrete parade square that had been divided neatly into four zones by different colour codes: black, red, white and gold. The number tags given each new recruit corresponded to the colours by their number: one for black, two for red, three for white and four for gold. A group of Shinra guardsmen manned each zone, maintaining order among the rowdy youths and making sure that they were in the correct zones according to their tags.

" Well, seems that almost everybody’s in, you better go and find your battalion now, they don’t like laggards here. We’ll have time for talk once you’re settled down. " Micael grasped Zack’s shoulder in a brotherly fashion before giving him a slight shove to sent Zack on his way.

" And Zack? "

" Yeah? What?

" Take care of yourself! "

Zack hit the sofa and thought somehow he died without knowing and had gone to heaven. Nothing had ever felt so comfortable before, his bed back home did not even come close and Zack started hoping he would never have to move until the next millennium. Surely he deserved that after spending three months going through what his sadistic commanding officer called basic military training. Hell was a much more accurate description instead. Closing his eyes, his mind detached itself from his weary body and drifted back.

After falling in at the square, the recruits had met their battalion commander who gave them a short welcome speech before further dividing them up into five companies each with twenty-four men within one zone, making it twenty companies in total. They were then herded to the supply room where every recruit was issued with three set of the standard Shinra blue uniforms, two sets of physical training kits, two pairs of boots, one backpack, plus all the other miscellaneous military gear needed to see them through army life.

After collecting their gear, they were then assigned to their respective barracks by company. Zack, together with another twenty-three young men formed the Black Hawk Company Five.