When The Soldier Meets The Flower Girl
Chapter IV: Tseng of the Turks

From a corner, Cloud watched as the flower girl disappeared out of Walmarket. When he was sure that the pink-clad lady was out of sight, Cloud revealed himself. He thought about the helpless flower merchant that he had rescued earlier, as he stared to where she had gone. He had never seen anyone like her. She was… she was definitely different than the typical girls you find walking around in the slums. But there was something about this flower girl. There was something… mysterious and intriguing about her presence.

But whatever it was, Cloud knew that he had other important matters to do. He continued to make his way to the weapons shop. There the guy who had harassed the flower girl earlier, Edgar, met him. As Cloud entered, Edgar froze and stared at Cloud in fear. Cloud just continued to make his way toward the weapons seller.

"You got any good armor on sale?" Cloud asked the merchant.

Edgar sighed in relief when he realized that Cloud might not have seen him. He took this chance to try to get away from him. He tiptoed slowly behind him. He suddenly halted as Cloud's gigantic sword blocked his way. He looked up and realized that Cloud had unsheathed his sword and blocked his way again.

"Uh… ah… e-excuse me…" Edgar faltered.

Cloud then turned his blue eyes at him. "Don't you try anything otherwise I'll cut you in half…" he threatened.

Edgar turned red. "W-Wait! Wait, please! That girl—I was just doing my job! I was just telling her to pay for the rent. But she didn't have the money for it so—"

Cloud didn't look convinced as he pointed the buster sword at his throat. "Quiet!" Cloud yelled.

Edgar laughed. "You—you must be that… those one of those SOLDIER guys who protects her huh?!" Edgar asked nervously. He could sort of remember Aeris dating one of the guys in SOLDIER in the past.

"I warned you," Cloud gave him a cold glare. He pointed his sword closer to his throat. "You stay away from that flower girl, do you hear me?"

"Yes! Yes! I will! Now, put that sword down!" Edgar cried.

Cloud gave him one last look before he finally sheathed his sword. Edgar sighed in relief. But Cloud wasn't done.

"I'll be watching you," Cloud said as he turned to the exit.

Edgar mumbled a curse under his breath. Before Cloud could leave the shop, he coldly pushed Edgar violently. Edgar was thrown to the ground and was swept away to the other side.

"Remember, stay clear of the girl," were Cloud's last words as he left Edgar groaning in pain.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Tifa Lockheart looked up from her work to Jessie, who had entered the bar. Jessie smiled at her as she sat on the booth with Tifa in front of her.

"That Marlene…" Jessie sighed. "She is surely growing up."

"Yes, she is," Tifa agreed, handing Jessie a cup of tea.

Jessie took a sip. "We ran into a flower girl this morning when I was dropping Marlene off to school," she began. "She gave Marlene a free tulip. I couldn't stop smiling afterwards. I've never seen Marlene so excited before…"

"Flowers?" Tifa echoed. "In Midgar?"

"At first, I couldn't believe it either," Jessie answered. "That lady—she's probably not from around here."

Tifa nodded. She had never seen any flowers ever since she stepped foot on Midgar. How long ago had she been living in this big city? It was probably five years… Marlene was Barret's adopted daughter. She was actually Barret's best friend's daughter. Tifa got to her feet and walked over to the jukebox.

"Say, you're coming to the mission tonight, right?" Tifa asked.

Jessie nodded. "Of course. They need a computer expert in the party."

Tifa smiled. "OK, then, I'm coming along…"

"Tifa!" Jessie stared at Tifa like she was crazy.

Tifa stubbornly shook her head. "It is decided. I'm coming with you guys."

"Why? Where are you going, Tifa?"

Both Jessie and Tifa looked up. They found Cloud standing by the door, holding a bag in one hand. Cloud entered, placed the bag on a table and walked toward the two girls. "What are you talking about?" he asked, eyeing Tifa suspiciously.

"Nothing, Cloud," Tifa smiled. "Hey, what did you get?"

Cloud glanced at the bag that he had put down on the ground. "Just some gear for the mission tonight. It's not much."

Jessie walked towards Cloud. "So, you're in SOLDIER? No wonder Barret doesn't like you. You work for the Shinra."

Tifa quickly defended him. "No, Jessie, I told you. He was in SOLDIER, but Cloud is now one of us—the AVALANCHE."

Tifa looked at Cloud, as if waiting for him to say something. When he didn't, Tifa walked back to tend the bar.

"Where are you going?" Jessie asked.

At this question, Tifa looked up and realized that Cloud was about to leave again. "Cloud?" she called out.

"I'm going to Walmarket," Cloud replied without looking at them.

"But Cloud, I think we've got enough gear," Tifa told him.

Cloud then trained his eyes on her. "It's not about the gear. I have some other errands to run."

"Like what?"

"It's something that doesn't concern the AVALANCHE," Cloud answered. He could see the hurt in Tifa's eyes when he'd said that, so he continued. "I'll be back in time for the mission."

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

It was as if she had seen him again—in that SOLDIER. The glare in his eyes. The way he walked, and the way he gestures… That blonde SOLDIER looked exactly like him… Like Zack. But somehow, she could tell that he was different. There was just something about that SOLDIER, something that was not right. And Aeris knew that somehow she had to help him.

Aeris watched the waterfalls in the garden. Elmyra wasn't home now. She assumed that she was out shopping. She was still shaken up about the way Edgar had treated her that morning. Now, she threw on her purple dress instead of the pink one. She had cleaned her pink dress the moment she got home. And she had taken a shower right after. She just wanted to forever get rid of Edgar's dirty touch. The way he held her like that was so disgusting. Aeris flinched and shook her head. She just wanted to get rid of that feeling, that thought. It was too disturbing to bear.

But Aeris smiled. She played in her mind once again that moment when that SOLDIER had come to her rescue. Aeris wasn't used to being defended like that. Almost all her life, she had been defending herself. Against those type of people. Against those perverted men. And…against the Turks of the Shinra. But since that SOLDIER had stood up for Aeris, she was surrounded with hope.

I didn't even get his name, whoever he is… she thought as she began to water the flowers in the garden. She strolled along, humming. Her mind on that SOLDIER. Yet, I have this weird feeling that I'm gonna meet him again.

Aeris walked back inside the house. She took a seat on the couch. Alone… again… But Aeris liked the silence and the peacefulness of the house every time she was alone like this. She took this moment to reflect on a lot of things that had been happening.

First there was the Turks. She remembered when she was little. It used to be Tseng who had been chasing her. But since he got promoted into being the lead officer of the Turks, Reno became the predator. Reno was a lazier Turk, and he loved his holidays.

Then there was that sick landlord, Edgar. He used to be such a gentleman. And he had never charged Aeris for more than 400 gil, but now he obviously changed a great deal. Aeris tried to recall what motivated Edgar to change so much. He used to be an understanding guy. Aeris frowned. She remembered the time when Edgar's father was once in SOLDIER too. But he died in the Wutai war, just like Elmyra's husband. But no, that wasn't it. There was something else.

Then Aeris remembered… she remembered Zack.

Since Aeris had started dating Zack, she started to see some changes in him. Could it be… could it be because of Zack? She vaguely remembered that Edgar and Zack had never really interacted that much.

Aeris got to her feet and yawned. It would get dark pretty soon. Aeris grabbed her pink ribbon and tied it around her hair tighter. Then she left the house and headed down to the church.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Cloud Strife wasn't sure why he wanted to return to Walmarket. He strolled along the busy marketplace, silently hoping to run into a flower merchant. Cloud was not sure himself why he suddenly felt like fighting for someone… Somehow he felt like it was the just thing to do. He almost snorted in disgust as he remembered the guy who had pinned the helpless merchant against the wall. It sickened him. It disgusted him. It was just wrong. Very wrong.

"Ah, what the hell you sayin' dude? I told ya before! The Promised Land and the Cetra is just a legend!"

The young Ex-SOLDIER halted to a stop when he heard this. He saw a guy with long black hair, speaking with a potion merchant. Cloud stopped and listened to the conversation.

"Just answer my question!" the black-haired guy retorted, obviously getting impatient at the merchant. "You've never seen any girl around here? She is—"

"I told ya!" the merchant cut him off immediately. "There's no Cetra's here! C'mon! I can't believe you believe that crap!"

The black-guy stared at the merchant. "If you've seen her, let me know right away…"

"Of course, Tseng, I will," the potion merchant answered.

Tseng… I've heard that name before… Cloud thought. As he stood there, he met Tseng's cold stare. Tseng was about to walk away from the merchant, but gazed at Cloud's blue eyes. Those eyes. Tseng frowned. They were… SOLDIER's eyes.

"Watch out for the Cetra," Tseng told Cloud before he left.

The Cetra? Cloud looked at Tseng in confusion.

"Wait!" Cloud called out.

But Tseng just continued to walk away as if he didn't hear him.

With that, Cloud turned to look at the potion seller. "What was that man telling you just now?" he asked.

"Oh he was telling me about the Promised Land and how there's only one survivor of the Cetra," he replied casually.

"There's a survivor of the Ancients?" Cloud thought for a while.

"Yes," the potion merchant answered. He shook his head. "I mean, can you believe there's still someone out there who believe in a legend? He was just telling me that one of the citizens here in Sector 5 is the last surviving Ancient. Ha, I mean, c'mon man! You think I would buy that?"

"The Cetra… hmm…" Cloud crossed his arms over his chest, tapped his foot, and thought.

"Oh c'mon! Don't believe that bull!" the merchant said to Cloud.

Cloud turned to him. "Who is that man anyway?"

"Tseng," he answered. "He works for the Shinra. He's always been interested in the Ancients."

"He's from the Shinra, huh?" Cloud then frowned. That Tseng person, whoever he was, was not wearing any type of Shinra uniform that he could recognize. He was perhaps dressed as a civilian then. Must be working undercover. "Alright, thanks for your help."

He quickly strolled away.

"Hey! Hey wait! Aren't you gonna buy any potions?!" the potion merchant called out, but Cloud was already gone.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Tseng scanned through the latest report on the Shinra Times, a newspaper strictly controlled by the Shinra. He rested his back on the comfortable leather chair in his office. This was, after all, his personal domain in the Shinra Headquarters. Placing the newspaper down on the side of his desk, he then focused his attention on the Turks' latest reports.

Tseng was just about to open the yellow folder when a knock on the door was heard. The door opened, revealing a blonde-haired woman. She tucked her short hair behind an ear as she reluctantly approached Tseng.

"Sir, you called for me?"

He indicated for her to sit down and she did just that. "Elena, you've been loyal to us Turks, correct?"

"Of course, sir," Elena nodded.

Tseng rose to his feet and rested his hands on his desk. "How would you like to be the newest member of the Turks?"

Elena dropped the folders that she had been holding in shock. "S-Sir! Me? A-A Turk?!" she exclaimed in surprised.

"Yes," Tseng answered. He couldn't help but smile a little. "You've been promoted, Elena. Congratulations."

Elena couldn't contain herself. "Oh, I-I… I'm… Sir, I, I don't know… what to say! This is all just so sudden! I-I mean, I've never expected this!"

Tseng chuckled. "Yes, well, it's really happening now, Elena," he said. He then sat back down and looked at the new recruit. "Now…"

"Oh Sir! I-I still can't believe I made it this far!" Elena interrupted him.

"Elena…"

"I can't wait to see Reno's face once he finds out that I got promoted!" Elena smiled at the thought. She could just see it now. The furious look in Reno's face… the jealousy in his eyes… He'd be green with envy. He'd be angry like an exploding volcano. Hehe. Reno. How she so enjoyed torturing him. "Yes! I told you, Reno!"

"Elena!" Tseng finally snapped her out of it.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry…" she replied lamely. She then steadied her feet on the ground and looked at him straight. "Sir, I'm sorry sir!"

Tseng shook his head. "Elena, this isn't a contest or a game of some sort. You and Reno are working together now. This isn't about competing with each other. It's about teamwork. Understood?"

She nodded. "Yes. I understand, Sir."

"Good," Tseng then scanned at a paper in front of him. "Now I have an assignment for you, Elena."

"Already?" she blinked in surprised.

"Yes," he answered, looking at her. "Now pay attention. I want you to find the hideout of the AVALANCHE."

"The AVALANCHE? That rebel group?"

He nodded. "Yes. I was just walking around Walmarket earlier today. I heard that their hideout is somewhere in Sector 7."

"Sector 7?" Elena thought for a while. "Isn't that the place where Reno likes to hang around?"

"Yes, I see that you know about that bar too eh?"

She nodded. "Yes, it's the biggest bar in Sector 7. Seventh Heaven…"

"I suggest that you check out that bar before anything else," Tseng told her. "A bar is a place where many people gather. It's the best place to start your search."

"Of course," Elena agreed.

"Alright, then you can start tonight," Tseng said. "The bar should be packed at ten. Be ready."

"Yes sir!"

Elena was just about to leave when Tseng stood up and said, "Are you not going to pick up the papers that you dropped on the floor, Ms. Elena?"

"Oh!" Elena's face flushed in embarrassment. She bent down and started collecting the mess that she had made earlier. "I-I'm so sorry, sir!"

Tseng just sighed and shook his head.

= end of chapter 4 =