[ ν ] - εγλ 0008: February
Tseng Shirakawa
Tseng walked briskly through the streets of the Sector five employee housing, his posture belying his alertness. His sidearm was out though and he was ready to take action against anything that decided to attack him. But the streets here were eerily quiet as most of its original occupants where either dead or had moved elsewhere and as of yet, the local wildlife had not expended into this area.
As Tseng approached the house in question. He noticed that the house itself was in relatively good shape. Some of the windows on both floors were partially opened but all of the blinds had been pulled three-quarters of the way down. Tseng found this to be odd as none of the other houses he had passed were like this; most displayed some form of damage and abandonment.
He crept silently to the front window and peered in only to see the gloomy interior of the hallway. Next he careful tries the door handle, it was locked. Carefully, hugging the exterior of the house, he makes his way to the back of the house. There was no one in the tiny yard, so he heads to the closest window; where he is brought up short by two male voices speaking to each other in Wutai.
Ducking below the window ledge, he listens. One was definitely Shans'. The other was not someone he knew. They were discussing Shans' plight and this concerned Tseng as he could not yet tell if Shan was giving this information of his own free will or if he was under direst? So he opted to wait it out to make sure he knew what the situation actually was.
Listening to the conversation though took him back to the shocking day when Shan returned from the dead!
'May your life be interesting!' Was such a potent curse and right now Tseng fervently wished for his to be less so. There was so much going on. Genesis AWOL and apparently taunting the Company with his show of bravado. Accompanying Zack Fair on Missions. Keeping an eye on Aerith Gainsborough and trying to help Vled save his daughter and and and... The list seemed to go on forever.
He still hadn't had a proper moment to say the Rites of Passing for his cousin Shan and he still grieved for his little sister Li-mei but he was a TURK now and Turks always got the job done no matter what! But he dearly wished for a few hours of complete privacy so he could shed the mask of professionalism and vent the emotions he had to bottle inside of himself!
He had just gotten to Sector Five Slums to make his weekly observation of Aerith, as per his promise to Zack more than to his duty to the Company.
He stepped out of the Sedan he used when on official business and was heading towards the Church, where Aerith should be at this time of day when a cloaked figure detached itself from the wall of the building Tseng was passing. Fast as lightning, Tseng pulled out his handgun and had it aimed at the Cloaked Figures' head!
"Don't move a muscle or your dead!" Tseng stated in a calm but slightly angry tone as it really was beginning to feel like the Gods were not going to cut him a break.
The person crossed his arms as he chuckled. "Now Tsengy, is that any way to greet family?"
Tsengs' jaw dropped as his arms went limp. "Shan ...? How ...? Oh for the love of God DON'T call me that in public!" Tseng grabbed a hold of his cousin, dragging him into the cover of the alleyway behind the building that Shan had been leaning on.
Shan pulled back the hood of his cloak and stared at his cousin for a moment, then wrapped him in a tight hug, not caring one wit for protocol! "Goddess bless, you are a sight for sore eyes!" he muttered as his voice was so choked with emotion, he could hardly get the words out.
Tseng too was overcome with emotion as he returned his cousin embrace. He had only been able to acknowledge Shans' passing by being the one to fill out the forms, that would be sent to their Grandmother, notifying her that Shan was listed as M.I.A. and presumed dead. The rest, he had pushed to the back of his mind to be dealt with later.
The two of them just stood there for a few moments, reassuring each other that the moment was real.
Even though they where cousins, they had been raised together and became as close, if not closer, then brothers. Tseng was the older by a few months but more often then not, Shan would act like he was the older by saying things like the nickname he had given Tseng when they were kids. No-one in Midgar would have ever guessed they were related though, as both acted professionally and accordingly, when in Public. In private though, they both shed the mask they habitual wore and were just themselves.
Angrily Tseng growls. "Where the HELL have you been? Do you know I had to send Gran your notice of death!" Looking at him in earnest he sees that Shan pallor is ashen; There are dark circles under his eyes and his clothes looked as if he had slept in them these past few months he had been missing. "What happened to you?" He asked quietly.
"I'm sorry! I hadn't meant for any of this to happen but... is there somewhere secure where we can go and talk?" He asked almost desperately.
He was tired, dirty and hungry as he had been traveling for weeks now. Doing his best to stay hidden so that there was no chance of him being recognized He had been living off the land and the meager supplies he had brought with him but he had taken Leviathans words to heart and not denied himself blood. He had killed a monster that had spawned from a mako drenched area draining its' blood into a ceramic jug and he drank from that. He would not demean himself by taking it directly from the beast.
Tseng not only heard but saw the desperation in his cousin's eyes. "There is but first I have an appointment I must keep. Stay here and relax! I'll be back in a half-hour or so."
Shan nodded and he let himself slide into a sitting potion on the ground and leaned against the wall of the building. "Alright, but please don't be too long. There is much I have to tell you!"
Tseng had gone and assured himself that Aerith was still OK, staying to watch only long enough to cataloged some information about her. He then went and got Shan, who had fallen asleep but woke before Tseng needed to nudge him into wakefulness. Tseng drove back to the Upper Plate, near ground zero, and to a small cafe that he frequented.
The Cafe offered the privacy that Tseng felt necessary in an environment that was calming. It also gave him the opportunity to see that his cousin had something proper to eat and drink, while he recounted his story.
Even though Shan stated that he could not divulge all he knew at this time; what he did tell had Tseng burning in anger and rage. The result of their conversation was; Tseng made Shan a TURK! But he would be a hidden operative and was only to take orders from Tseng.
He also got his cousin set up in a tiny apartment near H.Q. and being that he was the one who had cleared out Shans' apartment in the Solider barracks he would bring Shan belongings with him later that night with the official documentation he would need to for his new identity.
Tseng was jerked out of his reverie when he heard his cousin voice at the window above his head. "Tseng, it is customary to knock at the front door when you come for a visit!"
Tseng stood and in his most dignified self replies. "Well if I had received a proper invitation to visit; I would have!"
Shan laughed. "Come I'll let you in and introduce you to our esteemed host!"
[ ν ] - εγλ 0008: February
Shan Akechi
Shan sat at the tiny kitchen table, listening to Kunsel recount how he had learned about Shan by circumventing Shin-Ra's security protocols and creating an invisible 'Back Door' into the main system. Allowing him complete access to any information stored in the database. This young man was a technical genius! The fact that he was able to hack the system was one thing but to do it repeatedly and not get caught was outstanding.
'He would make a valuable addition to the TURKS!' Shan thought!
Kunsels' next question threw Shan off a bit. "So have I hit the mark?" The younger man asked quietly.
Shan looked him straight into his eyes. "Yes! And it truly amazes me that you haven't used this information for your own gain."
Pain flashed across Kunsels' face, as he shook his head. "I couldn't! You are as much of a victim to Hojo's' whims as any! And my hatred isn't for the individuals as much as it is for the Company!" His voice taking on a hard edge!
Shan carefully thought about his reply. Kunsel had the right to be angry but what was done was done and no amount of emotion could change that; but if he put his skills to good use in an official capacity...?
"Kunsel, I will be frank with you! I have spent the last four years actively controlling my hurt, anger, and betrayal! Those few times that I did lose control... It was in the heat of battle, and fortunately, there were no innocents involved! I need blood to keep this beast inside of me at bay and I am still Oath Bound to the Warrior Code! My life has become a contradiction! But if I had given in to the anger inside of me, I would have become a monster in truth! My only saving grace in this is being Oath Bound, Leviathan would have taken my life before I could have become what the three Firsts have become."
Kunsel stared at Shan in horror! He had not realized that Shan was still a Warrior of Wutai, A Samurai, and bound by his Oath to their God. "But.. but... Why would Leviathan allow this?" he stuttered in confusion.
"Stop and think about it! See what you might believe the answer to be." Shan replied and drank his tea as he let Kunsel mulled over the question.
After some time Kunsel looked up at Shan and stated. "Leviathan marked you as a Warrior! He did this prior to you leaving Wutai and knowing the Gods; he must have been aware, you leaving Wutai, was a possibility. He may have even been aware of some of the events that were to occur? He gave you the chance to walk your own path but he gave you the tools to be able to survive that path and stay sane! By becoming what you are, you have the ability to effect change and being who you are, you will want to do so in a positive way?"
Kunsel looked like a young warrior himself, at that moment. A little lost, a little overwhelmed but confident in the answer he had given.
Shan replied. "Yes. I had made my way back to Wutai after that battle! We were only a days march from Wutai when we were attacked but it took me nearly three months to find my way home. I believe Leviathan may have watched over me during this time, there is much I do not remember." he paused. A far off look overcoming him.
"The night I managed to get to where my Grandmother was, and she helped me to the temple was the moment I chose to live. It was in the temple that I was blessed by Leviathans' presence. He told me many things that night, most of which I could not share. His warning to me was that no matter how painful, there were some things that needed to happen so that the world could be saved! I knew Hojo was the one responsible for these 'experiments' and yet I could directly intervene." He stopped his narrative and looked at Kunsel. "You are not bound to secrecy! But you sit here, hiding! There is much you could be doing to help and yet you cower in fear! What is truly holding you back?"
Startled Kunsel looks at Shan; at first in anger, then in sadness. "I lost many good friends to this madness. I don't want to see it repeated!" He stated firmly, and then quietly. "I'm afraid to become a ... to become a..."
Shan finished his sentence. "A monster! Like Sephiroth, Genesis, Angeal even like me!"
Shamefully Kunsel hung his head and nodded.
"Then stop sitting here in the dark, pretending the rest of the world doesn't matter!" Shan stated firmly. "Dive into this madness and help rebuild!"
Kunsel sat there for a moment, deep in thought, so Shan let the younger man contemplate what he had just said.
A slight shushing noise alerted Shan that there was someone or something outside the kitchen window. He quietly got up. Kunsel gave him a questioning look but Shan just put his finger over his lips as He stealth-fully walks over to the window and peering downwards he smirks as he recognizes who the crouched figure is.
"Tseng, it is customary to knock at the front door when you come for a visit!"
Standing, Tseng replies; "Well if I had received a proper invitation to visit; I would have!"
Shan laughed. "Come I'll let you in and introduce you to our esteemed host!"
hearing who it is, Kunsel also chuckled at Tseng inability to act as anything other than a TURK!