Dark Suits.
i. a star shone at the hour of our meeting.
She shook white blonde hair back from her eyes, and cursed the fact she'd lost the last of her hair grips on the obstacle course in gym last Monday. Her finger poised on the trigger and she took a deep breath steeling herself, and felt any tension melt from her shoulders.
Feet spread equally apart, she locked her eyes on her target and her finger snapped the trigger back.
Her shot rang through the empty training room, hitting its target with acute accuracy. The bull's-eye splintered and she let her arm drop so the gun lingered at her side.
Elena blew the little wisps of hair that had fallen into her eyes away again, and sighed.
According to the automatic, top of the range technology Shinra had established to measure the accuracy of the shots, she was off by 0.999mm.
In her anger, she pulled her hand guns from the holsters on her thighs, and reset the system. The old target was removed, and new, human shaped ones emerged before her, each with a clear red bull's-eye emblazoned on them. She steadied herself and shot one-two-three, again, one-two-three, again, one-two-three, reload, one-two-three.
She holstered her hand guns and checked her score. The same damned less-than-a-millimetre difference, but if you wanted to be a Turk then you needed dead on every time.
She swore angrily, and turned, untying her long blonde hair and shaking it out as she headed towards the showers.
She deserved to be a Turk far more than Cissnei. Fair enough, she hadn't been old enough to apply at that point, but the fact someone as ditzy as Cissnei was allowed to become a Turk? It made Elena's temper crackle and sizzle dangerously, so she had to employ her training to remain calm.
But... Cissnei wasn't a problem anymore. There were only three Turks currently which was unusual, as far as Elena was concerned. Three male Turks, she added to her minds babble, a small smile creeping onto her face. They'd definitely be more inclined to choose a woman as their new recruit, wouldn't they?
As Elena stepped into the showers of the Shinra Academy for Gifted Adolescents, she tried to think rationally. They weren't looking for a new recruit. Director Lazard had been adamant about that. Before he... And that idiot Heidegger who'd taken over could barely say "Boo!" to a goose, so there was no sense in her wasting her time listening to his sexist remarks. Heidegger believed the girls were useless, and his need for the males to become new SOLDIERs far surpassed his need for women. No wonder Scarlet hated him so much.
The steamy shower hit Elena's back, and she sighed in content. Terrorist attacks were getting worse as of late, weren't they? Surely the first place the Turks would come looking for a new recruit would be SAGA?
Elena's honey hued eyes burned with resolve as she towelled herself down and braided her hair carefully. No matter what, she would become a Turk. If those so called Eco-Terrorists thought they were going to get away with what they'd done to her...
Elena stood and sighed, leaving the changing room, and wishing that the tears that would have spilled back when she was 9, back when she had just started SAGA would spill again. But that would mean her emotions got the better of her. Turks didn't have time for emotion.
"...na! Elena!"
The girl in question rubbed sleep from her eyes and opened them slowly to her dorm abuzz with other eighteen year old girls. Sara, her closest friend stood above her, calling her name loudly.
"Huh...? What's wrong...?" Elena asked groggily, a smile worming its way onto her face at the look of impatience gracing Sara's face.
"There's nothing wrong!" she cried, standing back as Elena threw her legs from her bed and stretched. Glancing around,d she frowned.
"Then why's everyone in their gear? It's a Saturday."
Sara rolled her eyes impatiently and sat on the bed, positively oozing excitement.
"The Turks are coming!"
Elena's heart skipped a beat and a smile immediately lit her own face up.
"What? When? How do you know?" she gushed, yanking her comb from her bedside table and dragging it through her messy hair. Sara smiled broadly and said,
"You went to bed early last night and didn't hear it at recreation, and I forgot you didn't know! The Turks are visiting the boys and girls training grounds, apparently just to look at the talent, but rumour has it Tseng's interested in a new member – take some of the strain off of jobs!"
Elena had already pulled her training gear on, khaki pants and black vest top tucked neatly in. She was hauling on her heavy black boots when she glanced surely at Sara.
"We've got to concentrate!" she said brightly, lacing her boots. Sara rolled her eyes, and poked Elena in the shoulder.
"Why are you always so serious when it comes to the Turks? They probably won't even choose a girl," she said bitterly, thinking of the last time they'd selected a Turk from SAGA. "I mean, look how Cissnei turned out." Elena frowned at that and pulled her dog tag over her head – at Shinra they used them for ID. The Turks would refer to them by their number – if they referred to them at all.
"I'm not!" Elena grinned again, lying through her teeth as she nudged Sara. The other girl's eyes tightened before she stood. "I'm just really nervous."
That wasn't a lie. This was her chance, her opportunity to even get near the Turks. Damn that 0.999mm!
Elena smiled, and tried to react in her normal bubbly fashion as people greeted her on her way to the auditorium, her smile not quite reaching the glittering expanse of her honey eyes. She checked her ponytail was tightly back and made a mental note to buy hair grips the next time they had public recreation. Taking her place in the line of senior students, Elena steeled herself as Heidegger walked onto the stage and acknowledged his pupils. He practically made the stage shake, and his nostrils flared as he shoved his thumbs in his pockets and watched them with beady eyes.
"Good morning, Senior students. As you have been informed, we have some very special guests this morning! None other than the Turks! Please, show your appreciation," he said brashly, moving to the side as said people emerged on stage. Elena clapped politely as directed and watched in awe as the people that would shape her future flocked onto the stage.
She'd only caught a glimpse of the leader, Tseng, once when he came to collect Cissnei a few years past. Now, he stepped graciously onto the stage, with an air of dignity so acute it seemed to ripple off him. His shiny dark hair was pulled back in a tail at the back of his head, his calculating Wutainese eyes dark and glittering like sapphires, scanning the crowd carefully. He was smiling slightly, and Elena's mouth dropped a little at the majesty he carried himself with.
Next, came a completely bald man, taller than any Elena had ever met, and as broad as Heidegger – only his width was given from broad shoulders and muscular arms. He wore shiny dark sunglasses that concealed his eyes from view, and his ears were pierced heavily, all the way up from his lobes, until there was no ear left. His nose was long and sharp, and he regarded his audience with a stoic silence that frightened Elena.
Finally, the last member of the Turks slouched on stage. His hair was bright, fiery red, wild at the top and tied with an elastic band into a long rat's tail at the nape of his neck. His skin was pasty white, his cheekbones high. Upon those cheekbones were vivid red tattoos, crescents that framed his eyes. And his eyes... Elena watched mystified as he blinked, eyes darting around the room. A strange mixture of blues and greens, they were aquamarine and oh-so bright. She'd only seen eyes like that on SOLDIERs... and even then, they weren't nearly so green. At that moment, said eyes locked with her own.
They paused for only a fraction of a second, enough to make Elena's heart quicken to the pace of a hummingbird's and the third Turk grinned sharply, his teeth pearly and menacing.
All three of them were wearing the dark suits that Elena dreamed of. Darkest of night black, that almost hurt your eyes. They were the suits of men and women who were great. They were the suits that if you saw them coming, you knew you would never live to see the light of day again. And although the third man wore his entirely inappropriately, Elena thought, with his shirt tail hanging out, and his tie absent completely – all three held a threat within them, merely from the clothes they had donned that morning.
Tseng stepped up to Heidegger's podium, and cleared his throat.
"Good morning," he said. His accent was far from accented with his Wutainese heritage, but there was a twinge to the end of his words that gave his nationality away. "My name is Tseng, and I am leader of the Turks. We are a special group, hand selected to carry out the important, and life-threatening task of guarding the life of President Shinra. Every day, we must risk our own lives to ensure nothing befalls that of the President. Missions are any time, be it night or day – and we do not complain. Holidays are few and far between. It is not our job to relax. Families are for the faint of heart – they only block you on your way to greatness, or become useful ploys to your enemies. You will be feared, and hated by many for what you do – in protecting the life of another. It is a trying task becoming a Turk. And this career path is only for those who are absolutely fit."
Tseng paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "Do not be mistaken," he said slowly. "Neither I, nor my fellow Turks are looking for recognition, awards or praise for what we do. We are not concerned with others opinions of ourselves, and it is not in our interests to glory hunt. We simply do what we must do to protect the President. Why? I think we each have our own reasons for being here. Ultimately, I am not interested. The only concern I have, is the survival of our President ─"
"And the pay's pretty good too!"
The entire hall swivelled to look at the red-headed Turk who had just piped up with the inappropriate comment. Elena frowned at him, as she had been deeply interested in Tseng's speech. The Turk leader in question gave the red-head a Look, before saying curtly, "Yes. Thank you, Reno."
Turning back to the audience, he continued.
"This is Reno – a man whom many do not believe is fit to be a Turk. He is a perfect example. I do not care what you are like – whether you are kind, funny, angry. As long as you can get the job done without question or issue – then I will accept you. This is Rude. He is an expert in hand to hand combat and will be watching you closely during your session of hand to hand later in the day. Myself and my colleagues will be observing you throughout the day. I am not promising we will select anyone to join us today. But impress us this time – and when we are interested, you will stand out in our minds. And be sure to always remember the motto of the Turks. 'Ubi amici vanus, et inimici solum habes.' Thank you."
As Tseng stepped down, shooting Reno an angered look, he was applauded louder than before, to which he smiled lightly and nodded in appreciation. Elena watched him in awe, before leaving the auditorium under Heidegger's direction. She steeled herself once more.
She wouldn't fail the Turks. She fit the description perfectly.
She would not fail the clandestine dark suits.
When friends are futile, enemies are the only things you have.
Thank you very much for reading (: A big thank you to RenoLuvver, who basically beta'd this for me (: She's a lord. Serious. Reviews, are love (: