Kagemusha

Summary:When Tseng's father died in the war,he told Tseng to find the last of their kind,Ifalna .But on his journey,he ran into the Shinra army and was cut down and left to die .A mysterious girl called Aerith called out to him and he set his path to Midgar .But at the old church,they discover,that there might just be others like them .

Author's note: Okay,so I am almost done with the first chapter of Sargasso Blues and it will absolutely be posted this weekend .This story is necessary to explain how chapter one came about in the first place .I also decided I will post a chapter of 'Pantera' this month before it slips away from me .And I will try to get that chapter of 'the breaking game done ' .Right now,I'm currently juggling school and medical issues ,etc .Here's some sad irony . . .i'm kinda doped up on painkillers now because of my teeth,which are coming out tomorrow .Cookie for anybody who sees where the irony is :)

This is in 'the breaking game/shadowplay/Sargasso blues universe,but can be read as a stand alone,as this is waaay before any of that happened .

"Yuu Mao, Wing Chun Mei, Tseng Xiaoyu, come forward",a voice said .Xiaoyu was startled as he heard his name called .He knew that he wasn't the best student at their dojo,he was fast but his strength was average .Chun Mei,she was a defensive fighter and had a lot of stamina,and Mao was the only one between the three of them with any real strength but his materia abilities were lacking .This could only mean one thing; they were in trouble .The three of them stood up from their cross legged positions,bare feet crossing the tatami mat floor .They hid their fear with impassive faces,eyes forward,just as they had been taught to .

When they reached the front, they kept a distance from their master .But Master Tseng gestured them to come closer .Their eyes shifted between one another,and Tseng was the one to step forward first .Mao and Chun mei followed suit,but Mao made sure he was first .This earned a glare from Chun Mei,but she said nothing .

"Master Tseng",they all said in unison,before bowing their heads .Despite being Xiaoyu's father ,Jiaolong had to be stern .There were people that suspected that because Xiaoyu was his child,that he would favor him amongst all his students .Xiaoyu learned long ago that this wasn't the case .

"I want the three of you to see me in my study .Everyone else is dismissed",he said .The rest of the students clothed in the same loose gray trousers and navy blue robes left out quickly,whispering amongst each other,throwing glances back at the other three .Xiaoyu let a moment of weakness slip,when his father's eyes turned to the other students .Chun Mei met Xiaoyu's frown with a smile,and he smiled back in turn,while Mao rolled his eyes .

Once they were gone,Jiaolong turned his gaze back to them .His look was serious ,as if in thought .
"Come",he said,leading them down the halls .At this point ,Xiaoyu could hear his heart beating in his chest,his hands trembled ever so slightly .It wasn't fear of his father,no never that .

It was the fear of failure .

When entered the study,the smell of incense hit them instantly,as well as a light headed feeling that nearly knocked them off of their feet .Xiaoyu knew exactly what this was;it was summon materia .As soon as they entered,Jiaolong rushed behind them and locked the doors,killed the lighs and blew out the candles .He put the screen of his laptop down and turned to the three of them again .He stared them down,daring one of them to crack;neither did and to that ,he smiled .

"That is why you were chosen",he said .Xiaoyu was so releived,he literally breathed a sigh of relief,to which Mao snickered soundlessly .Xiaoyu glared back .When Jiaolong turned back to them,they all looked still .Jiaolong raised his eyebrow ,then turned back to his desk .He took the beaded medallion from his neck,placed it on the desk away fro m their prying eyes,and pressed down .A hidden compartment openened and he slid out a small,wooden box .

"You three have the best ears and eyes here,the best memory .While there are others who are stronger than the three of you,you are smarter .As of now,you are no longer my students,but the students of master Kiribani .Do you understand me?",he said .

"Wait . . .Kiribani and the Kagemusha? But they're-",Chun Mei said ,but master Tseng cut her off .

"Assassins? Murderers? They are the mistrisses and masters of darkness,those who dwell in the shadows .They have knowledge that many others do not possess ,as well as a power like none other .And you were chosen .You should be honored",Master Tseng said .He turned to them,baring the small wooden box that had a lotus flower carved in silver on it .Xiaoyu's eyes widened in shock,but only for a breif moment because he recognized that symbol .

Both of his parents bore the tattoo on some part of their bodies .

"We are,but don't we like have a choice or something? I mean-",Mao started ,but was cut off .

"Leave",Master Tseng suddenly said .

"What?! I didn't-"

"Leave,until you are certain that you are ready to serve Wutai by becoming one with the shadows .This goes for the two of you as well" ,Master Tseng said suddenly .

"Father-"

"Xiaoyu . . .",Master Tseng warned .Xiaoyu sighed .

"Master Tseng .I am ready to take the oath",he said,prompting the other two to look at him ins shock .Master Tseng looked him in the eye .

He knew for a long time that it would come to this,and Xiaoyu knew as well .

They knew ever since his mother ,Hitomi had come home for the first time,a stain of red the back of her hand that wasn't hers .

Since Xiaoyu saw that beneath his mother's bangs,and behind his father's always present headband,that red mark was marked there forever sealing away a great power,a power that Xiaoyu would later find out to be shadow materia .

Xiaoyu knew when he witnessed an assassination attempt on Lord Godo's life and Jiaolong stopped it without so much as raising a finger,but a quick flash of his eyes,dark brown to deep violet and a gust of wind that swept his robes and long ,flowing black locks came from seemingly nowhere .

And when the people would volunteer to keep up the dojo and give things to his family,Xalwas greeted them .

And the secret meetings that he was never apart of that he suspected that had something to do with the red marks .

Xiaoyu knew . . .he knew that this is what he wanted .

"I believe you,but the question,is do you believe yourself?",he said .

'I do .I believe in myself',Tseng Xiaoyu said to himself as he prepared for the upcoming war .He was dressed in all black,his long hair in a high ponytail ,a red dot seal in the center of his forehead and face obscured by a mask .He stood over the top of a pagoda building,taking in the sight below .The sounds of traditional Wutai music reached his ears,there were people dressed in bright colors,paper laterns a a glow ,waving fans and scarves and streamers,and confetti was everywhere .He even saw a group of people parading as the Leviathan in the distance,the people cheering in their wake .They were celebrating their first victory against Shinra .And Tseng Xiaoyu vowed that there will be more of these victories to come,even if his life depended on it .