Tyren yawned as he emerged from his room. He was most definitely not a morning person, he decided. It was inside the bathroom that he realised that he had a piece of paper stuck to his foot. Locking the door behind him, he picked it up, and after a cursory examination, guiltily flicked it open and began reading.
"Tseng,
I have the missing experiment with me. You can come pick him up any time – he's at the weapons shop in Sector 4, and is going by the name of Tyren. Don't take too long, though; his memories are slowly returning, and I don't want a repeat of last time.
Raun"
Tyren was motionless with shock. Raun had betrayed him. A repeat of last time? What last time? He sat down as a scene, long forgotten, played back in front of his eyes.
Tyren's heart was pounding as he peered around the corner. He knew that if he was caught, he probably wouldn't have a future worth considering. Raun and another man dressed in a suit, the trademark gear of the Turks, were having a whispered conversation. He shook his head in disgust, having a vague idea of the topic. I'll stake my life on the fact that he's telling them where AVALANCHE's base is. That traitor. I knew he helped them out of more than just compassion. He better not get Bent or anyone else in trouble for selling them weapons. With a sudden certainty, he knew he had to stop them now, before anything got out of hand. Unsheathing his sword in one fluid movement, he leapt into the tiny circle of light where the two were standing, hoping to take out the Turk first. He had not counted on the swift reflexes of the Turk, however, and ended up sprawled awkwardly on the ground. Rolling aside, Tyren assumed the crouched position leading into the Swatch Slash. The Turk raised his gun, and he went straight into the combo. His lack of natural speed hindered him, and he was swatted out of the air when the Turk's balled fist met with his stomach. As Tyren collapsed on the ground, he heard the Turk calling for backup for Sector Seven. Raun's voice overrode it all, with two simple words.
"You weakling."
His eyes met Raun's, and Tyren was sure he could see intense satisfaction lodged deep inside them. Turning his head away in disgust, his mind froze in shock as the butt of the Turk's gun zeroed in on his head.
Tyren's blood rose as he spun around to face the door. With a well-aimed kick, he sent it flying off its hinges, and stormed out in search of Raun. Their untimely clash halfway down the stairs sent everyone else running, but all he could think of was vengeance. His fists met with Raun's body again and again, as the curtain of red threatened to come down. But it didn't. His awareness remained with him throughout, even as he was pulled away, struggling.
"Do you want to know why the Sector Seven roof came down last month? Why you had to move to Sector Five with nothing but your lives intact? Why so many other people died? Ask him! He knows what Shinra's been plotting for the last few years. He knows why the Shinra came and blasted the pillar. He knows why AVALANCHE was crushed underfoot. He knows who ratted them out."
Raun's face was the very model of indignation.
"He's lying! He's gone mad again! I told you we should have thrown him out! Now he's attacking with both his fists and his words!"
Tyren was unaware of anything else. The redness finally settled down around him, and consciousness slipped from his wavering grasp.