Title: Stream of Memory

By: KuroSakura-chan

Summary: Sephiroth and Vincent return to land to save Tseng and the others from ShinRa, who have released their final weapon upon them, Genesis. A new friend joins them, hoping to save Genesis from himself and ShinRa.

Genre: Romance, drama, angst,

Warnings: 1st person, Yaoi, AU,

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy VII series arc.

A/N: Ok, so I'd promised this ages ago, and I've finally finished the first chapter. The sequel to Tears That Burn! I do hope you all like it...

…

-Tseng-

The sound of pounding feet makes me twitch. SOLDIERs do not have the stealth training that we Turks do, but one would think that they would at least try to stay quiet. Cloud, who's crouching beside me, and Sephiroth are the only SOLDIERs I know who actually know how to mask their footsteps, though Sephiroth swears 1st Rank SOLDIERs were forced to learn. Zack was working on it, but he doesn't need to worry any longer, since he doesn't have feet anymore.

I glance to my left, catching Reno's eye. I raise a brow and he holds up four fingers. I thought I had heard four, but it could've been less with the noise even one SOLDIER can make. I nod minutely in response and flick my wrist toward him. He responds with a minute nod as well before making a motion to Rude, who is concealed somewhere further to the left and then fading into the trees silently.

Cloud and I are concealed to the right of the path through the forest. I chose this area to set up our defense because the SOLDIERs will be forced to walk along the path in single-file when they reach this point. Thus, they are at a disadvantage and easier to ambush. It's the only way to ensure that we can overpower them.

Turks do not undergo the same enhancement treatments, and so, in a fair battle, a SOLDIER would overpower a Turk with little trouble. Cloud himself probably wouldn't have too much trouble with the level of SOLDIERs being sent after us, but I refuse to allow him to put himself in too much danger. Not after what happened before. I won't risk losing him again.

And so, we use the underhanded tactics most SOLDIERs hate us for using. Sephiroth always praised those tactics because they rely on brains, not brawn.

I glance at Cloud, and he gives me a minute nod, telling me he's ready. I can't help but lean over and softly kiss him before I move further north from our position. Cloud has managed to learn well how to move like a Turk, but he still makes enough noise to give away a position. Still, I'm proud of his achievement so far.

Elena awaits us with a helicopter she stole from ShinRa. We've been hiding in this forest, waiting for her to signal she had it, and when she finally did, a band of SOLDIERs appeared. I don't blame her for being followed. She's new, and definitely not the pilot that Reno is. Still, the girl has done well, considering she joined the Turks only a month before we escaped ShinRa after killing Hojo. I assured her that she wouldn't be blamed if she stayed with ShinRa, but she apparently feels loyalty to us, rather than to ShinRa.

Most Turks do. It's a fact that a Turk will defy an order if the order harms another Turk, or even an ex-Turk. It also explains why no Turks have been deployed to capture us. They won't do it. Rufus is aware of this, since I personally guarded him, and I was the head of the Turks. I had to teach him how the Turks worked, so as to keep him from getting shot by ordering something a Turk wouldn't do.

Seems I got through to him.

Though, he should know that 3rd Rank SOLDIERs are no match for us. After all, my team is the best in the Turk organization, which is how we managed to kill the families of the SOLDIERs that killed Cloud without anyone noticing. Besides, even if he didn't know, he should've gotten the hint after the first four squads we wiped out. I cannot fathom what he's thinking, sending more to their deaths.

And they will die. We can't let them live to warn other squads about how we attack.

It pays to be nearly dead inside. We feel no guilt about the children, fathers, and other family members we kill. Doing the jobs that a Turk does kills us on the inside. One can't feel guilt or other emotions when on a mission. It's rare to find a Turk with a family, even. If a Turk does have a family, it's usually for a mission that requires them to be undercover as a normal person. Otherwise, a Turk's family does not last long. Eventually, the Turk will die enough on the inside that they will either abandon the family they built, or they destroy it. I happen to know several Turks who murdered their spouses and children to lessen the pain of losing them. I remember the day after Reno killed his parents. He was the drunkest I'd ever seen him, and he hadn't even washed the blood off before coming into work. Neither he nor Rude worked that day.

Rude, in one of the rare moments where he lets me know what he's thinking, mentioned that the Turks are like a family. Harm a Turk and they all respond. I asked him recently why Cloud affords this...familial protection, but he didn't answer. Instead, Reno did. He laughed, and though the laugh was jaded, it was honest, and said that Cloud is an honorary Turk. Apparently, Reno always thought that Cloud should've become a Turk, not a SOLDIER. Cloud laughed when I told him.

It's hard to understand my "family," by I wouldn't trade them for anything.

It's only a few moments after I've settled into my new position, thought it seems longer, and my mark appears. Rude had the last in the line, though he would be the first to attack. SOLDIERs don't check on the ones marching behind them. Next, Reno strikes. Cloud gets the next, and I am left with the one in the lead.

Once he moves a little past me, I step out behind him, my hand pressing a dagger to his throat. He doesn't even have time for the surprise to set in before I slit his throat, letting him drop to the ground. Turning, I see that the others have gathered around me. Reno ducks down and roots through the SOLDIERs pockets, grabbing his Gil and items.

"We should get moving." Cloud states quietly, and I nod, turning to head for the clearing our ride waits in.

What we find there is not our happy Elena.

Reno swears profusely, turning from the scene. Cloud has covered his mouth with his hand, looking ill. I can only stare, even as Rude moves toward the scene, kneeling down to pick something up from the ground.

"It's her." He confirms in his ever-calculated tone. Reno's curses grow in volume before stopping entirely.

Cloud turns to me, worry shining in his baby-blue eyes. "Tseng...?"

I can't tear my eyes from what used to be our bubbly little sister. "We need help. They've sent Genesis."

A/N: Gah, I'm sorry, Elena fans. I really hate that I killed her, but...It's written now. Let me know what you think? Oh, and I'll leave the scene to your imaginations. Don't worry! We'll get back to our fave mermen soon.