A/N: For anyone just finding this story, it is the second part of a longer story. The first section is Undisclosed Files: The Pawns and can be found on the author's page as another of my stories. Like the first section this is a joint work. ItanliUchiha and Mell0437 are both co-authors, and a lot of side stories and fun material that didn't make it into the main story can be found on Mell0437's page. As usual, we hope you enjoy!
The file you are reading is not meant for your eyes; put it down and walk away or I Tseng Director of the Turks, or my successor, will find you and silently and effectively remove you from society, to then slowly starve and torture you to your breaking point. It is as this point that we will bring you do the absolute middle of nowhere where you will be given your freedom of choosing how you would like to die. Should you ever make it back to society the Turks will take this is as you rejecting our kindness of letting you choose your own death, and will be subject to a death at either my, or my successor's, discretion. This is the story of six of my most extraordinary Turks. They came from another world, a world where Final Fantasy 7 is owned by Square Enix but this is their story and theirs alone. For the sake of the future I left a record of their adventures locked deep in the Turk Archives but only if the fate of the world is threatened should this file be opened. You have been warned. Read at your own risk.
-Tseng Akira, Director of the General Affairs Department, Shinra Electric Power Company
Chapter 1: Get Ready For War
"If you hadn't failed we would have had them."One of the five people sitting in the room growled at Nicole who was standing in the door way, having just entered. She scowled.
"You didn't want to do it so shut the hell up!" She snapped. "I'm going to pay her back for that." She added.
Revenge is so sweet. A voice whispered in their heads as they all grinned. You have proven yourself; you might in fact be useful. I will give you power to fight your enemies.
Ryu sat up in the armchair in Tseng's office, a notepad resting on her knees a pencil in hand which she was idly tapping on the pad. Matti sent her an annoyed look. Reno had been sent to supervise the cadets investigating the ruins in Cosmo Canyon. Rather than leave her to her own devices in Reno's office, Tseng had called her into his office to sit idly. Tseng looked up from the file he was reading to watch her briefly. She had a faintly puzzled look on her face.
"Is something bothering you Ryu?" He asked. She jumped, startled by his comment and then shrugged.
"Yeah." She glanced at Matti. Tseng saw it and grimaced.
"Something you aren't allowed to talk about?" He asked, somewhat amused. Ryu gave a small grin and shrugged again.
"I dunno if we can or not." Tseng nodded his head and motioned for them to go.
"Go talk about it and then come back." He told them. Matti stood as Ryu scrambled to her feet, stumbling slightly. The removal of mako from her body had been rougher on her than the others.
"You gonna be okay?" He asked her. Ryu nodded and did a little skip forward, and performed a front flip, landing on her feet beside the door.
"Show off." Matti grumbled as he followed her out. Ryu laughed. "So?" Matti asked once they were sitting in Reno's office.
"How did your ex get to Gaia?" She asked. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I have no clue. And trust me. I wish she was back on Earth." He replied. Ryu sighed.
"Who else might be here?" She asked. Matti winced.
"I can think of some people I'd rather weren't." Ryu grinned blood thirstily.
"And I can think of some people I'd love to be here so I can hit them." Matti rolled his eyes, "I know you can think of some too." Ryu told him mock scowling. He sighed.
"Yeah." He admitted, "A few." Ryu grinned and nodded.
"But that's beside the point. There's too much at risk." He pointed out. Ryu sighed and blew a small raspberry.
"You ruin all the fun, Matti."
"We're lucky she just went after us and not the others. We might not be so lucky if it happens again." He told her, a slight scowl on his face. Ryu nodded.
"I know." She said quietly.
"If this was a story how would you write it?" He asked. Ryu lifted one shoulder and let it drop.
"It's not. If I was writing it Gaia wouldn't destroy the main characters. But this isn't my story, it's hers, and she probably will." Matti grimaced.
"I was hoping you wouldn't say that." He sighed. Ryu shrugged again picking up a pen from Reno's messy desk and twirling it between her fingers. Matti watched her for few moments.
"Is it possible..." Matti paused, looking for the right words, "That there's a reason she's here?"
"Like what? For what?" Ryu asked confused. Matti shrugged.
"I dunno. But wouldn't us coming here mess things up?" He asked, not really sure what he was trying to say. Ryu made a face, not liking the idea he triggered.
"If this was a story we'd write or any other would write they might..." she swore and dropped the pen back on the desk. "CAGS call 'Lanna, please?" She asked. She dug in her pocket and handed him an earpiece.
"You might as well get one of these fitted for your ear and wear it." She told him as Alanna answered the phone. Matti quickly slipped the offered one onto his ear.
"What do you want Fire Cracker?" She asked.
"Blame Bossman for this question, but how likely do you think it would be that if we came here people would have to come to balance us out?" She asked. Alanna swore violently and the sound of her stomping her feet came over the link.
"Damn it! That makes perfect sense for Bossman's ex being there." She snapped.
"Throwing a temper tantrum won't help 'Lanna." Matti told her.
"Well hello bossman, stop lurking." Alanna snapped. He grinned and chuckled.
"How bad do you think this is going to get?" He asked, trying to keep them on track. Ryu shrugged.
"No more than six, I'd think." She said. He frowned slightly at her.
"But why my ex?" He asked. "Do you know how crazy she is?"
"From the sound of panic in your voice, I'm guessing either full blown bitch mode or overly attached ex mode." Matti physically shuddered.
"Overall attached ex mode." he said. Ryu gave a sympathy shudder.
"Ouch." Alanna muttered. There was the sound of someone talking in the background.
"If that's Gen tell him to leave you alone for a minute." Ryu teased.
"WAH! Nope it's Piper!" Alanna said as it sound like she was tackled and an excited giggle came over her microphone.
"'Lanna we have training to do." Piper said excitedly still giggling. Ryu rolled her eyes.
"Go." Ryu said.
"We'll talk more about this later." Alanna snapped quietly before she hung up. Matti gave Ryu a hard look. Ryu gave him a puzzled look.
"I know you and Alanna have crazy exes." He told her. Ryu's eyes widened and then she giggled gleefully.
"Any opportunity or chance to kick either of their asses will be looked forward to with anticipation." She told him with a gleeful look. He winced.
"I almost feel sorry for them."
"If they are here you might want to feel sorry for them." She told him. He grinned.
"Nah, I side with Morgan. Those jerks need to be hurt." He said with a blood thirsty grin of his own. Ryu laughed.
"Morgan I understand, but I kinda of expected you to have some sympathy for them." He grinned.
"Aw come on Ryu, cut me a break. I side with our group." He protested just before he pushed her off the desk. "Back to work." He told her. Ryu laughed and landed on her feet.
"Oooo, you're gonna get it Matti!" She exclaimed.
"Ha! Catch me if you can!" He said before sprinting from the office. Ryu laughed and took off chasing him back toward Tseng's office. She caught the edge of Chloe's cubicle and launched herself over the corner, and landed on his back. They crashed to the floor to land in a laughing pile on the floor. Chloe stuck her head out of her cubicle.
"Nice launch Ryu. At first I thought you were Reno." She said. Ryu rolled away from Matti and lay grinning on the floor. She gave Chloe a thumbs up, still laughing. Tseng came out of his office and watched them. Matti had gotten back on his feet but Ryu still lay on her back with her eyes closed.
"You all right?" Tseng asked, surprising himself that he actually cared. She pulled one eye open and looked up at him.
"I forgot that I don't have my normal dose of mako." She admitted, sitting up. Tseng smiled slightly and offered her a hand. She eyed it warily before taking it and letting him pull her to her feet. Tseng looked at Chloe briefly.
"Chloe, take Ryu down to the mako tanks. Tell them to give her another dose. My second in command needs his assistant in top shape." He told her. Chloe nodded her head and came out of her cubicle. Ryu scowled at him.
"I can walk myself to them." She told him, "I'm not broken."He smiled.
"I know, but do it anyways." He told her. Ryu rolled her eyes at Matti and then followed Chloe out of the offices.
"So did you two solve the world's problems yet?" Tseng asked him. Matti winced.
"Not funny." He muttered under his breath. Tseng merely grinned.
Ryu lifted her head off her pillow a second before something landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her.
"Ow." She protested, as an excited giggle sounded in her ear.
"Piper get off me." She said tiredly, snuggling her face back into her pillow. She felt Morgan push Piper from her back.
"What?" He growled at her. Ryu grinned into the fluffy pillow still covering her face. He hated it when someone woke them up.
"Matti said Ryu had to go back down to the mako tanks. Are you okay? What's wrong?" Piper asked.
"So you jump on her?" He asked incredulously.
"I didn't mean to. I meant to land on the bed."
"You missed." Ryu pointed out.
"What's wrong?" Piper snapped, thumping the bed to make her point.
"Would you get out? She was sleeping." Morgan snapped. Ryu giggled.
"It's like having kids, and I'm fine Piper. They just have to give me small doses for some reason."
"If this is what kids are like I don't want any." Morgan muttered, glaring at Piper.
"MATTI!" He bellowed. Matti stuck his head in the door after a few moments.
"Yes?" Then he saw Piper. "Oh, let me get her for you." He offered, walking over and picking the protesting Piper up.
"But, but Ryu..."Piper protested, whimpering slightly like a puppy. Matti sighed.
"She's fine. Tseng sent her back down as a precaution, nothing more." He told her.
"But..." Piper said as he walked out the door with her.
"Thank God for Matti." Morgan said. Ryu giggled.
"Big bad Turk can't save himself from the itty bitty puppy?" She teased. Morgan mock growled at her.
"Go back to sleep." he told her. Ryu laughed.
"Point." She murmured right before Morgan smacked her lightly with a pillow, eliciting a small yelp from her.
"This isn't the time for a pillow fight." She told him with a glare. He grinned and shook his head.
"I know, I have to go back to training in a bit."
"Tell Vincent not to murder you today; I can't cure you if he does."
"Who's Marilyn Fitzgerald?" Zack asked, puzzled while holding an I.D. Card in his hand. Ryu started giggling as Mary jumped to her feet.
"I mean it looks like..." He continued until she snatched the card from his hand.
"Zachary!" She snapped. He tilted his head to the side.
"My name isn't Zachary, it's just Zack. Always has been." He told her, not in the least bit bothered by her yelling.
"Why are you waving other people's I.D.s around." She snapped. He shrugged.
"It fell off the hall table. And who owns those green sneakers?" He asked. Ryu snorted in laughter from her seat on the couch. Mary turned to half glare at her. Unfazed, Ryu kept laughing.
"Me and mine." Mary finally told him, "And Reno had better not find out about this." She said with a pointed look at Ryu. Ryu opened her mouth to say something, and then thought better of it and merely shrugged.
"Wait, you're Marilyn Fitzgerald? And those are your sneakers?" Zack asked puzzled. Mary nodded.
"That's why her nickname is Mary." Ryu added having finally controlled her giggles.
"Not a word Zack, not to anyone. Not even to Cloud." Mary threatened. Zack grinned.
"Aw come on Mary..." He protested. Mary shook her head.
"Oh all right." Zack agreed, scratching the back of his head.
"But I don't see why it's such a big deal."
"It isn't until Reno finds out." Ryu threw out.
"He doesn't know does he?" Mary asked, worried. Ryu shrugged.
"Hard to say." Was all she'd say in reply. Mary scowled at her.
Ryu sighed and idly kicked at the top of the wall. Morgan, who was crouched next to her on the wall, barely glanced her way. Matti was sitting under them at the base of the wall at a table, Piper's sword leaning against the table, Matti having taken it from her.
"Why are we in the VR room again?" She asked. Morgan shrugged.
"Beats me." He admitted, "I'd rather not be here." Ryu laughed softly. Morgan had barely gotten a night's rest. Vincent had decided to take him out for night training and now Tseng had decided to throw them all in the VR room for no reason.
Ryu glanced to the side and watched as Piper and Mary, or Marilyn as she was really called, pestered Alanna, which is what had gotten Piper's sword taken away in the first place. Morgan snorted softly as he watched them.
"If you were thinking of taking shots at them, be my guest." Ryu said. He grinned.
"I was wondering what I could throw at them."He admitted. Ryu laughed. She saw Morgan's hand sneaking across the distance between them to catch her braid and gently, taking care not to actually hurt her, make her move closer to him.
"Why are you all the way over there?" He asked sounding a little plaintive. Ryu grinned and moved over to sit next to him. She elbowed him gently.
"Careful..." He said wincing. Ryu faced him, worried.
"Did Vincent hurt you?" She asked. He shook his head.
"No, my ribs are just twingy." He admitted.
"From Cosmo Canyon?" She asked. He shrugged.
"I think so." he admitted. She poked his shoulder.
"You, after Tseng lets us out, are going to medical." She told him, he scowled at her.
"I'll be fine." He protested. She glared at him.
"You are going." She told him. He muttered something under his breath. Ryu was about to respond when a flicker of movement caught both their eyes.
Piper was tipped over backwards in a chair talking to Alanna, who was crouched on the ground with her swords drawn, blocking Mary who was standing behind her poking her gently with the tip of her Buster sword. The movement had been Piper tipping the chair backwards to tip her head back to talk to Alanna. Morgan muttered something else under his breath, something about weirdos.
Ryu glanced down at Matti who was still sitting there, his head propped up on his fist.
"Somebody looks bored." She noted. Morgan glanced down.
"You think?" He asked dryly, "He's essentially babysitting." Ryu grinned and grabbed the lip of the wall and lowered herself down.
"What are you doing?" Morgan asked softly. She grinned.
"Bugging the sitter." She told him before she dug the tips of her fingers into the wall to climb down.
Reno chortled to himself while sitting in the virtual reality observation room, his feet propped up on an ottoman and a bowl of popcorn in his lap, and a cooler of beer on the floor next to his chair.
"How are they doing?" Tseng asked as he walked in.
"They're bugging each other." Reno reported as Tseng took a bottle from the cooler.
"You know you shouldn't be drinking." Tseng said, as he twisted the top of and sent it flying into the trash. Reno chortled.
"You're the one who gave me Sake when I was ten." He pointed out. Tseng sighed and took a long swallow of his drink as he sat. He set the bottle down and loosened his tie.
"So they haven't done anything?" He asked. Reno shook his head.
"What is Ryu doing?" Tseng asked, watching her crawl down the wall towards Matti. Reno shrugged.
"Trying to scare Matti?" He guessed.
"He already knows she's sneaking up on him." Tseng said.
"I know you're up there Ryu." Matti said, not even lifting his head from his hands. Ryu paused one had stretched out poke the top of his head.
"Damn." She muttered in disappointment.
"Either go lurk with Morgan, or go stop Piper from smashing her brains out." He added.
"She won't. Even if she does Alanna will catch her." Ryu said brightly.
"There are days you worry me." He told her.
"You have no idea." Morgan added from his perch. Ryu laughed.
"Wasn't it you bossman who told me I was in awful frame of mind last night?" She asked him. Matti sighed. Ryu had proven unable to pull her brain from the gutter and it had only gotten worse as she drank. She'd ended upside down on the couch, her legs over the back and her head pointing toward the floor, giggling madly.
Matti sighed and resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as a headache formed between his eyes.
"I need more coffee to deal with your shenanigans." He muttered. Ryu poked the top of his head and scooted backwards up the wall.
"We can get ice cream later." She added.
"Don't bribe him." Morgan told her.
"Why not? Bribery is an acceptable form of combat among the Turks." She told him.
"That's because Turks have no rules." Morgan said. "And don't fight fair."
"I'm hurt." Reno muttered.
"No, there are rules. Rule number 1, if it pisses you off, shoot it." Ryu replied.
"Rule number whatever, don't ever betray Shinra." Matti added.
Tseng laughed, amused by their banter.
"He's got that right."
"You know bossman, we'd..." Reno started but a glance from Tseng silenced him.
"Oh right." Reno muttered. "Well, shall we give them something to do?"Reno asked, his hand hovering over a button on the control panel. Tseng sighed.
"I suppose we should. They are after all just gossiping." He decided. "But use a small monster Reno, they still are recovering. And I agree Morgan needs to have his ribs looked at." Reno grinned and keyed in something on the keypad. They watched as a dozen or so hedgehog pies popped up.
Piper, startled by this, fell out of her chair. Matti jumped to his feet, grabbing Piper sword and throwing it toward her. Ryu dropped to the ground next to him as Morgan drew his gun case from his back.
"Bossman?" Ryu asked, keeping an eye on the SOLDIER Turks and him.
"Back them up." He told her. Ryu nodded and sprinted toward the fight, drawing her EMRs.
Alanna, with her swords already drawn had already cut through many of them. Mary was doing the same with her Buster sword. Piper was grabbing her sword as Ryu vaulted over the chair to land in a crouch behind Mary.
"You're gonna get in the way, Turk." Mary said as she cut through a leaping Hedgehog Pie. Ryu grinned and tumbled to the side, her EMRs connecting with the Hedgehog Pie about to use Fire against her.
"I'm not totally useless." Ryu said as she got to her feet. Mary sighed.
"You're marginally useful." She admitted. Ryu blew a raspberry as Morgan took out one on the Hedgehog Pies leaping for Mary.
"Would you stop that!?" She called, turning to glare at him. He laughed.
"Stop calling Turks useless, you are a Turk." He told her. She huffed a sigh.
"I am a..."
"You're not a real SOLDIER." Matti added from the sideline, having sat back down in his chair, watching the fight. He didn't even bother to help them. Morgan was crouched on the wall still, his sniper rifle out of its case.
"I was going to say SOLDIER Turk" Mary said mock primly. Ryu snorted.
"You don't like admitting you're a Turk." She pointed out, leaping out of the way of a Hedgehog Pie, as Mary swung at it barely missing Ryu's feet, her sword brushing the soles of Ryu's boots.
Ryu landed next to her, grinning.
"Admit it, this is way more fun than having to study and write papers all the time. Even if you have to be a Turk." Mary sighed.
"I can't argue there." She admitted. Ryu grinned and dodged behind Mary as another Hedgehog Pie came at them.
"See I told you, you aren't much help." Mary pointed out. Ryu shrugged and threw her EMR, attached to her wrist via the leather straps at a Hedgehog Pie, nailing it between the eyes. Yanking on the straps she pulled it back towards her as the Hedgehog Pie stumbled into Mary's blade.
While they were arguing, a small group of the monsters had sent fireballs flying toward the distracted pair. Before either of them could react, Alanna stepped out in the path of the fireballs. She didn't bother to raise her swords or activate an MBarrier, but just let her armlet take all the power from the fire.
"Do you two think you could save the arguing until after the fight?" She threw over her shoulder, before running off to finish the group that had sent the fireballs.
Slowly, Mary and Ryu both stood, looking around for more opponents. Piper and Alanna had taken care of the rest while Morgan took out any that would take them by surprise. Ryu grinned and flipped her EMR in her hand. Mary gave her a small grin as Piper jumped up and down excitedly.
"This is a training mission!" She exclaimed happily. Alanna and Mary traded glances, as Ryu rolled her eyes. Morgan sighed almost silently and shook his head slightly. Matti also sighed and glanced up at Morgan. The two traded a look.
Tseng, sitting in the VR room, laughed at the two guy's looks. Reno smirked and popped another piece of popcorn into his mouth.
"She figured that throw out on her own; I didn't have to show her." He told Tseng. Tseng lifted an eyebrow.
"Bragging about your pupil Reno? If I remember right you didn't want anything to do with her at first." He said mildly.
"Well look at her. Does she look like Turk material?" Reno asked defensively.
"I do understand Reno. I had that debate about letting you join the Turks, but I was more worried that you would mouth off to the wrong person and get killed; rather than your fighting skills." Reno smirked.
"I've only spilled coffee on Rufus once, broke into Scarlet's lair about a dozen times and Hojo's lab half a dozen times." He said. Tseng sighed.
"And covered Dark Nation in paint, managed to explode all of Rufus's pens in his jacket and 'haunted' his office for a week." Tseng added, "To name but a few of your other pranks."
"What can I say? The kid makes himself an easy target for me." Reno said innocently.
"I know why you think so." Tseng told him as he watched the six doppelgangers in the VR room.
"Well it seems they are still fit for combat, although I agree with Ryu we should send Morgan back down to medical for an exam. And Vincent wants to work with him some more." Tseng mused. Reno sighed.
"I suppose this means my break is over." He groused. Tseng smiled slightly.
"You'll never grow up, will you Reno?" He asked. Reno snorted.
"No reason too." Reno drawled, lazily throwing a piece of popcorn at Tseng. Tseng causally caught it before he stood.
"Reno..." He began. Reno swiveled his chair to face Tseng and meet his gaze with a serious expression, a rarity for him, and then smiled brightly.
"Don't worry Tseng, it'll work out." He said optimistically. Tseng sighed and shook his head.
"That wasn't what I was going to say." Tseng told him. He paused and then with a shrug added, "I want you to keep your senses peeled. I have the same protective streak about Ryu that I do you, and I have no reason why. I want you to see if you can figure it out. And as for the others, see what you can figure out about their little mission." Reno nodded his head.
"She feels like my sister, yo. I don't get either Tseng, but I've accepted it." Reno told him.
Morgan walked to stand next to Matti and lean against the wall. They both silently watched the four girls, as they stood watching the area around them.
"You worried about an ex showing up?" Matti asked finally. Morgan shook his head.
"My ex would manage to get herself killed the first time she went to walk outside." He grinned. "And Ryu has no love for her either. They used to be best friends, but my ex was a needy person and Ryu said enough was enough." Morgan explained as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Lucky." Matti muttered. Morgan grinned.
"Now if Ryu's ex shows up..." He muttered, as the girls headed over to them. Just as they reached them Reno killed the simulation and they were back to standing in the VR room.
"Awww." Piper complained.
"Sorry ladies and gents, that's all for today. Matti report to Tseng's office. Morgan report to medical and get those ribs checked out. SOLDIER Turks go find your instructors and bug them." Reno said as he strolled in. Ryu raised her hand.
"What about me?" She asked. He grinned.
"You and I have an interrogation to sit in on." Ryu shrugged and trotted over to him.
"Okey dokey, niisan." She said, grinning slightly.
"That isn't fun sounding." Piper protested. Mary dropped her arm over Piper's shoulders.
"For true Turks it is, Puppy. Those three," she gestured to Matti, Morgan and Ryu, "Have departed down a dark road that any good puppy will not follow." The others laughed as Piper scrunched up her face in protest.
"But but..."
"Bad puppy." Mary said gently bopping Piper on the nose.
"Hey, none of that." Matti protested as Piper ran giggling to hide behind him. Reno shook his head as he sighed.
"Off with you." He said, making a shooing motion towards the door. Matti grinned and, taking Piper's arm, walked out of the room. Ryu grinned and poked Morgan gently in the arm.
"Better get down to medical." She teased him. He sighed and readjusted his glasses before walking out of the room. Alanna made an exaggerated bow and held open one of the VR room doors.
"After you my dear friend." She said in a condescending tone of voice. Mary scowled and turned slightly, when she heard the slight sound of shoes scuffing on the floor. Reno had run to hold up the other door and with a huge grin added,
"After you Miss Fitzgerald." Mary marched over to him and grabbed his rat's tail, and yanked very hard on it, pulling him down on to the floor.
"Don't call me that!" She snapped and stormed off.
"Still worth it." He muttered. Alanna laughed and let the door go to follow Mary. Ryu came up to stand by his side, her fists propped on her hips.
"I thought we had an interrogation to go watch?" She said. He grinned.
"Not watch," He corrected as he flipped himself to standing, "Help with. Rude's with the guy now." Reno paused to brush himself off. As he flicked a piece of dirt from his suit sleeve Ryu gently but firmly pulled on his rat's tail, and then sauntered out of the room, her hands shoved into her pockets, humming cheerfully. Ruefully he rubbed the back of his head and followed after her, walking a bit quicker to catch up to her.
"What was that for?" He asked as he caught up to her. She grinned and shrugged.
"Cuz I felt like it." She told him. Reno shook his head and then laughed.
"You've got a bit of a mischievous streak."Ryu shrugged again.
"When the mood strikes me, I can." She admitted. Reno sighed.
"Well put that streak away Ryu, and get mean. You proved in Cosmo Canyon you can do it." Ryu rolled her eyes.
"I never thought I'd long for the days where the most stressful thing was avoiding Mary and Alanna and their story fan-ism." She muttered to herself. Reno gave her a strange look.
"I am not even going to ask." He told her. Ryu laughed and then let her grin fade as she straightened her jacket.
...
A/N: So here it is. The first chapter of the second 'book'. We could have put it all into one really long story, but decided that it would be more fun to break it up. Hope you enjoyed it!