The Turks

Elena's story- The hard way

Chapter 1

For christs sake, give it up Reno

"How long's it been now?" she asked

Rude checked his watch.

"Six minutes and thirty seconds"

Guess he dosen't have the "pulling power" after all

Elena had been thinking about the job for the past hour. Rudes story seemed frightenly simillar to her own. She had finnaly decided that normal people couldn't beome Turks.

He had a REAL reason. I don't, not anymore. Why don't I leave?

Reno finnaly gave up. He strutted back to the table, chancing glances back at the woman he had gone for, as though expecting to catch her staring. Elena knew that Rude was going to get a bad time now Reno was pissed off. She had to symphaphise with him.

He sat and took a swig from his bottle, and he didn't look like he would be able to stand back up. He turned on Rude.

"Buddy! Ya see that? She didn't w..want me" he paused "obviously a...whats thewordwhatstheword...LESBIAN"

Elena and Rude had to laugh at that.

"Elena? You want Reno?" Reno asked seriously

"Nope" she went red

"Rude?"

"Hmm" Rude seemed confused "Do you mean does Elena want me or do I want you?"

"BOTH...ya bitch"

Elena was having difficulty keeping a straight face

"No to both" Rude answered for her

"You want Tseng, Elena?"

Elena fell silent. Maybe it was time she told them her story. They were all friends, after all.

"Yes" she replied

When Reno finnaly stopped laughing Elena spoke again

"You can laugh at the end okay?...I wanna tell you guys why I joined up, okay? Rude told me his story, its my turn"

That sobered Reno up a little.

"He told you? He..." his face fell "So you know?"

"I know what?"

"You know why I joined, why I...what the word...oh yeah, LOST my populugity or whatever that word is...what Rude did to me..." there were tears in his eyes now.

"Well" she considered "I know everything except why you joined. Would you tell me?"

Reno was crying

"You...you go first Elena..." he choked "I got some recovering to do"

Elena nodded, and chanced a glance at Rude. With those shades it has hard to tell, but he looked like he might cry at any minute. Elena reached over and plucked them off of his face. He didn't react. Just kept on sipping his beer.

"I didn't join long ago, you know that. It was just before...when Sephiroph and Avalanche snuck on board the ship"

She paused and turned. Everyone in the Turtles Paradise bar with them seemed to be trying their best to listen.

I should've known. A Turk can't get privacy

"I applied to join about a year ago...the first time that is" she added "I was in SOLDIER, third class"

Chapter 2

Elena sat in the office of Tseng, leader of the Turks. She had been called in, though she wasn't sure why.

He's realised he loves me maybe?

Since she made SOLDIER, she had been working directly and indirectly with him frequently. He was always so calm, collected, serious, and had a body to die for.

Should I be noticing that? Is it against company policy.

She had applied for the Turks on two occasions. Apparrently it wasn't company policy to induct members of SOLDIER into the Turks, no matter what their class. Since when was being to good for the job a limitation? Elena was certain Tseng just didn't want her on the team, and she assumed this was because he would have trouble with working with a girl he loved so dearly.

Elena never did feel she was fooling herself.

Tseng walked in and sat behind his desk. He flippedthrough a few pages in his folder.

"I assume you know why I called you here Elena?"

Play hard to get "Haven't a clue sir"

"It's...embarrasing, for me to say this..."

Good sign...

"...Please understand I don't really have a choice in the matter..."

Very BAD sign

"...so let me just get it out of the way" he took a breath "Elena? Wuld you join us?"

"THERES SOMEONE ELSE?"

Did I just say that?

"Erm, I mean well, erm, join...who exactly?"

Tseng was looking at her quizzicly

"The TURKS Elena" Now I realise you got turned down twice but Reno is injured and we really do need some more help at the moment" he paused "Would you at least consider it?"

Huh, guess I can still play hard to get

"Can I think about it sir?"

Tseng nodded. Elena stood and left the room

"I'm a little confused" Reno confessed "Why didn't you just agree then and there. You said that you applied twice"

"I'm even more confused" Elena laughed " I actually didn't want to join at that point. I had it good in SOLDIER. A lot of friends. In truth, by that time I didn't want to leave"

"Why did you?" Rude asked "And just so I know did you HONESTLY like Tseng?"

Elena mouth went dry

"I still do" she whispered "but that's beside the point"

Rude didn't reply. There was an awkard silence. Reno broke it

"Why don't you tell him?" he asked

"'Cause he likes the ancient, you know that"

Rude sensed she was getting uncomfortable.Reno opened his mouth to say something else, but Rude got there first.

"So what happened next?"

He didn't seem the same without his shades, Elena thought.

Same as Paulette wouldn't have been the same without the weird knife things

She felt her eyes moisten. She blinked the tears away and continued with her story.

Chapter 3

"Don't stay here because of US!" Paulette laughed. You know how guilty we'd feel?"

"But-"

"But nothing girl! Go and win the guy, got it?"

Elena laughed. "I'll think about it. You want to meet up? I need some time to think this over"

"Fine" she laughed, and hung up

Elena stared at the phone for a long time. There was a knock at the door.

Guess I better put it down

Elena was surprised to see Tseng at the door. He looked out of breath, as though he had run the whole way here. Elena burst with joy.

He DOES love me!

"Elena! Its..I..We NEED you! Now!" he bit his lower lip" he turned away from her "The group keeping watch over Mythril mine, we've lost contact"

"What?"

Paulette. Please be okay

"Lets go sir"

A short time later the two of them arrived at the mine. Elena was looking for hope. She didn't find it.

"I'm sorry Elena"

"Oh god..."

"It's-"

"GOD, Paulette...God..."

For the first time in years, Elena cried.

"Looks like he got away" Tseng mused "I'm going to put the Turks on this right away. We have to catch Sephiroph NOW"

Elena nodded.

"Would you join us?"

Don't stay here because of us

Thats what Paulette had said. She hadn't said anything about JOINING because of them.

"Where do I sign up?"

"Revenge huh?" Rude chuckled "I always figured you were just...like Tseng. He only joined because he's always been facinated with the ancients"

"Figured you were in it for the pay" Reno added

Elena realised something right then

"Dosen't it seem strange to you guys..." she started "That there are no normal people in the Turks?"

"What?" Reno laughed "Me and Tseng!"

"But Rude said you had a story to, and I'm willing to bet that Tsengs lying. He's just like us as well"

Rude considered.

"Well maybe..." he was thinking hard "I don't know" he said waving his arms helplessly

Reno laughed "We'll work it out one of these days, I'm sure of it"