DISCLAIMER
I do not own anything. I wish I did, but I don't.
Brief Summary: Alexandra is a Turk who can't help but fall in love with who she knows she shouldn't, her commanding officer. She has to deal with this, pestering friends, all the many enemies of Shinra, and a pretty big secret. Everything takes place around the time frame of Crisis Core, along with some stuff from Before Crisis if I can manage. I haven't played Before Crisis, but being as the story is virtually all about the Turks, I kinda need to refer to it occasionally (thank you Wikipedia). It's kind of weird, due to Tseng being the Turk's leader at the start of the story, which didn't actually happen until the end of Crisis Core, but please work with me, because my story wouldn't really work without it. This is my first real fanfic, so please review!
Chapter 1
We are sitting by a fire. I had set camp earlier this evening and was found by a young girl. I do believe her to belong to the Ookami Village north of me. She is very young, maybe nine. Yet I can already see she has begun training. Poor girl is dead tired. She must have been drawn by the fire and food. Her name is Alex she said.
I have seen much in my traveling. Enough to know that this girl is different than the normal village girl, even for a village like Ookami Village. She has a difficult journey. She doesn't ask me much, though I know who she is and she is aware of that. I must intrigue her, for most would run away or attack me because of that knowledge.
As she eats, I think about the future of our country. This girl will surely be a part of it. But unlike most in her situation, I am quite sure she has more options. How will this young one affect our country? Will she be the one to oppose the corruption I have begun to sense? By the time it is more evident, she will be old enough to choose her path, and strong enough to support her decision. I only fear that she will not have a clear mind about it. If she is raised as I have been, then doubt will lace her path. Poor girl.
"Alex," I say, intending on testing the youth.
"Yes sir?" she asks, looking up from her bowl.
"Who is your duty to?"
"My duty? Why do you ask?"
"There is no question more important."
"I... I have been told many answers to that question."
"What do you mean?"
She hesitates. I can see many things dancing behind those blue eyes, like fear and confusion.
"My teacher tells me that my duty is to the clan. My elders tell me that my duty is to the Emperor. My father tells me my duty is to my family, and my mother tells me that I cannot forget the duty to myself. Can I have a duty to so many things?"
I smile. This girl is experiencing the same confusion that I did. She will be the one to do what she is told but silently question it at all times. She will want to know why, and if what she is doing is right. She will also be the one to find a new option. A new path. I was right earlier when I said she was different. She will be innovational.
"Of course not," I say. "Now the question is which duty do YOU think is most important?"
I have scared her with this question. She has yet to get comfortable with going against those in charge of her.
"That... That is not up for me to choose," she says.
"Really? And yet it is you that will be acting on a duty to something. And if these duties conflict with each other, you will find yourself falling apart inside. It is your hand that will be carrying out the will of these duties. And it is you who will feel the consequences or rewards of your actions. So surely you are the one who must choose what your duty is. Am I right?"
She is still fearful. But I have planted the seed in her mind that will lead her to ultimately choosing how her life will play out. Hopefully, she will not choose the duty to her corrupt government. I can only hope. After all, I am but an old man, banished because of defiance to my Emperor.
"I only have a little time left alive in this world before I return to the lifestream," I say. "I simply wanted my thoughts to be heard by someone before I go on. Someone to know my reasons..."
"Reasons for what?" she asks me.
I smile again. "The reason I went against those I swore my life to. My country, my people, my family."
Her eyes are wide. She ingests what I said when I stand up sharply.
"Well, I am off to finish something I started a long time ago. All I can ask of you is to please make sure the fire is out before you leave. I don't want this forest burning down," I say. My things are already packed and I stopped before leaving the clearing.
"And Alex," I add. "Please... do not let anyone dampen the fire in your heart. That is how you will find who your duty is to, understand?"
The young girl nods. Her eyes are wide again and she has a look of awe on her face. I leave her then, hoping this meeting will let me die having left something good done for this world.
This is an excerpt from the diary of a lord of Wutai named Shunsu who was banished for going against the Emperor of Wutai. The page was ripped out and lost before anyone could read it. The day after it was written, Lord Shunsu died after assassinating the Emperor of Wutai, making Prince Godo the new Emperor of Wutai. Meanwhile, the young girl from Ookami village is completely unaware that the old man whom she met in the forest is dead.
…..
A cool night breeze rustles through the flowers and foliage of a private garden. The sky above is clear, showing a vast array of twinkling stars and unlike the atmosphere around Midgar, the air is clean and fresh. A small fountain can be heard, though not seen, and its gentle lapping water is appreciated, for reasons other than normal.
Silent footsteps are lost in the noises of the garden as they slowly make their way to the far wall. Two figures sneak away from the house, their mission complete and their destination deep within the surrounding woods. Form fitting black suits help them blend in with the shadows and careful treading helps them keep their steps silent. As the two figures reach the far wall, one turns their back to the tall barrier to keep watch as the other reaches the gate.
Alexandra Dawn, called Alex, scans the garden scenery, as well as the dark windows of the house beyond it as her partner and friend picks the lock on the gate leading out. She stands at about 5'8 with a straight posture and graceful stance. Her long black hair was tied in a high ponytail, though it still reached lower back, and shorter locks hung in and around her face. Pale blue eyes in an almond shape flicked back and forth as she kept watch, and in her hands, two thin razor sharp knives waited loosely for a need to fly.
With a click, the gate swings open, and the second woman motions for her partner to follow. Silently, the slightly shorter brunette leads the way out, glancing around with light brown eyes. The two quietly exit the area into the deep woods where somewhere beyond, a helicopter awaited them. Once a safe distance away, the two girls began to talk, though still whispering just to be safe.
"Well… that was simple. You'd think that someone with that much money would have better security," Alex muttered as they continued walking. Cissnei nodded agreement as she looked into the forest.
"Would you have preferred it to be harder?" she asked jokingly.
"Maybe. It would be nice to get a challenge once in a while. Or, well… I dunno," Alex said as she too scanned the forest. Cissnei looked at her and chuckled.
"Confused? Don't worry, you'll find out eventually," she said sarcastically as she put too much emphasis on eventually.
"You know what I mean," Alex said with a light shove, laughing quietly despite being made fun of. "I think I just want something different. The only missions we ever get ask us to sneak in and sneak out, and always to not get caught. I want to get to fight someone."
"That's because you are violent," her friend said with mock seriousness, which earned her another shove. Chuckling, she continued, "What about social experience?"
"Huh?"
"You know," she pestered. "Pretending to be the enemy to get info. Espionage? Stuff like that. I bet we'd be good at it," she finished with a smile.
"I dunno, maybe."
Cissnei looked at her friend and shook her head. "Come on. I know you got the hint, despite its subtlety. So are you going or not?" she asked.
Alex knew this was coming. To be honest, there wasn't really any hint in the previous conversation, just emphasis on social. She was trying to get her to agree to go to the party. It was a Shinra dance pretty much, and was made to give the employees some fun time. SOLDIERS, Turks, the Science department, and pretty much everyone was going to be there. Alex never really was one for parties though, and had avoided the last two, much to her friends' annoyance.
"I don't know. You know it's not really my thing, and I know you're just going to try to hook me up again," she mumbled.
Cissnei sighed and shook her head again. "Come on Alex. Will you come if I promise not to try to hook you up?" She looked over at her friend with pleading eyes and hands clasped in front of her chest begging.
Sighing, Alex gave in. "Fine, but only if you shut up about it," she said, adding a little whine to it, despite the fact she was smiling. Besides, it was probably time for a change anyway. She could use with some social time.
"Yes!" Cissnei said as she punched air. "Now! Whatcha going to wear?"
"Oh come on! I agreed to go! Leave me alone about it and let me retain some control in my life!" Alex said in an overly dramatic yet still slightly joking way, her arms waving above her head as she spoke. Letting her arms fall, she turned to her friend. "And why so worried about it. It's not really that big of a deal anyway."
"Maybe not for you," her friend chuckled. "But for me it is. Oh, and not to change the subject, but have you heard about that Second Class SOLDIER, Zack Fair?"
"Uhm… hm… the name kinda sounds familiar. Why?" Alex asked, glad that the subject had changed, because it quite obviously had.
"He's apparently really good. They say he'll probably get promoted to First Class soon. That means he'll be the youngest First Class SOLDIER ever."
"Wow"
"That it?"
"Sorry. I don't really know anything about him, so I can't really say much. Besides, he's SOLDIER? I don't really talk to them much either," Alex said as the helicopter came into view.
"You don't like SOLDIER?"
"Nah, it's not that I don't like them. More like I'm competitive. That and I never find the occasion to talk to any of them."
"Well," Cissnei started slyly. "You'll have the occasion at the party. Now, before we start the chopper, we need to call Tseng."
"I'll do it," Alex offered.
"Ok," Cissnei said as they reached the chopper. When Alex's head was turned, her friend smiled slightly, in a sly kind of way.
Alex walked off a ways as she pulled her phone out and dialed Tseng's number. She could hear the chopper door opening as the ringing began and was glad that Cissnei wasn't watching her. As she thought the thought, she realized she had no reason to, and was slightly confused as to why she had thought it. But Tseng answering stopped her from further debating it.
"Alex?" A pleasant tenor answered.
"Yes sir. I called to report the mission a success. We're boarding the helicopter now and will be on our way to headquarters," Alex responded.
"Very good. I don't need to remind you to get your reports in. Are you the one piloting the chopper to headquarters?"
"Yes sir"
"Ok. Be careful. I have reports that Avalanche troops have obtained gunships. It may not be true, but keep an eye out."
"Yes sir"
"Alright. Goodbye" The line clicked off.
Pocketing her cell, Alex walked back to the chopper and climbed into the pilot seat. They were up in the air quickly and on their way off. Cissnei looked over and asked how it went.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"The call."
"Uhm, normal. Well, he did warn us to fly safe. Apparently, Avalanche has new airships," Alex answered. What a weird question. She looked over at her friend, but Cissnei was looking out the window. Why must her friend be weird?