Shado: Yeah, I apologize for the extremely long wait. I think I have informed you guys that it might take a long while in between updates, yes? I know you probably don't want to listen to my excuses, but hey, I'm currently in college. And now that I've set aside all that is fun I finally got really good grades. But unlike last summer I don't have any classes, so I am going to devote most of my time to my stories.
And to make up for lost time I made this chapter really long. And although I still think it's a little early to let out an extremely important plot line, I've decided, to hell with it, you guys need something to scream about something other than the confrontation that's about to happen here. A good way to get some reviews after a long break, in my opinion. But we shall see if it was successful or not.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a character about to be introduced in this chapter. And please don't judge a book by its cover, he's my baby. (Pffffft.)
Chapter Six – Questions of Loyalty
"There is a great streak of violence in every human being. If it is not channeled and understood, it will break out in war or in madness."
Sam Peckinpah
=3=
After the call was over Cloud nervously nibbled his lip. It was apparent to him now the caller was none other than Angeal Hewley, one of the high commanders of Shin–Ra's trio. If any other recruit were in his shoes, he would be having a cardiac arrest for speaking to both Commander Hewley and being in General Sephiroth's presence. But for Cloud this could potentially spell trouble.
He was not supposed to draw attention to himself. The blond was hoping that the general would be so out of it he wouldn't remember their meeting. Yet with someone as honest as Commander Hewley he would most likely ask questions upon his return.
Now Cloud never met the man in person, but from what he could gather from rumors the commander was one to snoop around if a cadet was in trouble. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing since the Commander would attempt to help those poor recruits.
Maybe that would give him enough time to plan how to lay low and out of sight. He is a recruit among many. So long as he doesn't do anything to stand out, he'll just be a blank face dreaming to make it into SOLDIER.
But now was not the time to contemplate what he's going to do about the higher ups asking questions. There was an unconscious general who needed his aid. Which produced another problem altogether.
'Who am I supposed to contact? I have nothing against Lt. Fair, but he's been trying to talk to me this entire week. I suppose he could be easy to manipulate him not ask too many questions. But then there's the possibility he wouldn't keep this a secret.'
Early on Cloud wondered just how someone as hyper as the lieutenant become a First. It was obvious he knew only the basics of strategy, as he seemed more the type to rush in then ask questions later. And from what little experience he had in the battlefield no one should be that ecstatic. From what Father told him, soldiers under Shin–Ra experience a much crueler world than most.
Maybe there were a few wires in his brain that were missing. It was as good as any guess Cloud could think of.
However, back to the situation at hand, his other option would be Tseng of the Turks.
Cloud suppressed a shiver. From what he heard in the barracks Tseng was the man to avoid at all costs. But as he weighed the pros and cons, the blond began to think he should just wing it and call Zack.
'I guess I don't really have a choice.' With a side glance to the sleeping general, Cloud flipped the phone he had been holding open and began to go through the address book.
When he found the lieutenant's number he pushed the green button and held the device up to his ear. The man answered on the first ring. Cloud raised an eyebrow at the loud music in the background.
"Yo, Seph! Didn't think you'd hic call on party! Did ya change your mind and decide to grace us with your manly awesomeness?" His voice was heavy and his words were slurred as he shouted over the loud atmosphere.
'What the…? Is he drunk?' The blond flinched from the phone, frowning.
"You there, Seph?"
And the First was on a nickname basis with the general. This meant in some way he was a close friend to Sephiroth. If Cloud was to lay low he absolutely cannot interact with the general's friends, even if they were intoxicated.
Before he could shout at the man for being a nuisance Cloud rudely ended the call.
'Better to make him think it was the general and not someone else. I hope he was so drunk he would forget about this.'
Now there was an even bigger problem. The only other person he could call was Tseng, the one Turk Cloud wanted to turn and bolt on sight. One more glance at the general the blond knew he needed help to move him. With a trembling hand he found the Turk's number and pressed the green button.
'I'm sorry, Father.'
The man answered before the first ring could go through. And unlike the happy go lucky First, the Turk was in a more quieter atmosphere. It wouldn't really surprise the blond if the man was still in his office.
"General." A stern voice greeted. "I don't suppose you're calling to catch up. Is it safe to assume Lt. Zack Fair is in need of another rescue from a dire situation only he could get himself into?"
If it weren't the irritated sound of his voice, Cloud would have thought the Turk was making a joke. And it would seem he was dead serious.
'How in the world did the lieutenant become a First again?' The blond briefly wondered, almost forgetting his terror for a moment.
As if sensing his hesitation Tseng went into full Turk mode. His voice turned cold as he spoke again.
"Who is this? And may I ask what are you doing with the general's phone let alone acquire it? Stealing from Shin–Ra's own star is not something to be taken lightly."
Cloud trembled, swallowing the lump in his throat. As he replied the blond almost slapped himself over his inability to find words.
"Sorry sir, it's well…um… You see, I was wandering around and then…"
"And then what?" All of a sudden the Turk's voice was smooth and alluring.
Cloud shivered. He knew this tactic. It was one that would make one seem interested enough for an entanglement of limbs later on so as to lower their victim's guard. If Vincent hadn't already taught him the methods the blond felt he would have surely fallen for the mysterious voice.
"I found the general. He…well, I don't have any other way to say this, but he was a little out of it. I suspect he hasn't had enough sleep for several days. He requested some coffee. So I went to find some. When I returned with a fresh cup he was asleep."
He was certain this man could easily worm his way under his skin if he couldn't keep up a lie if they were to meet face to face. In his mind it would be best to come clean now if he didn't want the Turks breathing down his neck anytime soon.
"I see." Tseng paused for a moment. "So you're seeking help to move him. What floor are you on?"
'Does he really believe me? Surely he must be suspicious.' Cloud bit his lip so hard a coppery taste invaded his mouth.
"We're on Floor 49, s-sir."
"Oh? You sound fairly young. You must be a recruit. How did you have access to that floor? I understand only staff and SOLDIERs are allowed."
Damn, this man was sharp. It was no wonder why the Turks recruited this man even if he had Wutain origins.
"Th-the stairs, sir. I used the stairs. Apparently there wasn't a security access from the door, sir."
"Hmm. I'll have to make an inquiry about that door in the next meeting. Stay there, I'll be on my way."
Cloud almost cursed out loud. It was bad enough he had no choice but to speak to this man, but to meet him face to face will bring him nothing but nightmares. The blond was half tempted to make that emergency call to Father and tell him he was right about Shin–Ra.
"R-ri-right, s-sir."
"Now there's no need to worry, I don't bite. Too hard, anyway." Cloud could almost picture a sinister smile on the other end.
"By the way, I believe you didn't answer one of my earlier questions."
The blond didn't need to wonder what he meant.
"Strife. Private Cloud Strife, sir."
There was a brief moment of silence on the other line. Cloud furrowed his eyebrows. Did the man already know of him? A feeling of dread began to spread through him at the thought.
"Well, Strife, it was a pleasure to hear your voice at last. I'll see you in a few minutes."
The line went dead. With the constant beep Cloud wondered if he had just signed a contract with the devil. What bothered him was why the Turk didn't address him by his rank.
As Tseng promised, he arrived a few minutes on the arrival. But to Cloud it felt like an eternity as he paced, his entire body trembling out of terror of what he had just done. The blond cursed himself over and over that he should have gone with the option of an intoxicated First instead of the Turk.
When he heard the ding of the elevator Cloud inhaled, closing his eyes to calm his mind. If he was to face the tiger in his own territory he might as well not appear as prey.
The elevator door opened to reveal a handsome young man with an air of intelligence that anyone should respect. Cloud couldn't help but stare at the stiff yet comfortable appearance. From the way he presented himself with a suit without any wrinkles and black hair neatly pulled back to the way he walked this man took everything seriously.
He was someone who demanded everyone's attention. At the same time he had the notion this Turk could slip into the shadows and blend into a crowd with ease. The hairs on Cloud's neck stood on end.
'This man is dangerous, possibly even more dangerous than Father without his four demons.'
What drew his gaze though were the almond shaped eyes and the dot on his forehead that betrayed his origins. Cloud found the symbol confusing for it was clear Tseng did not forget where he was from. Meanwhile the eyes reminded him of Father, minus the red tint. These eyes were a little more defined, so Tseng must be full Wutainese.
Tseng studied him curiously, taking in the modified uniform work he had done. Like others who have met him Tseng seemed almost entranced with his blue eyes. Maybe Cloud could use the innocent puppy eyes to get out of this.
"Sir? May I inquire how you already know of me? I haven't really done anything that I'm aware of to catch the attention of the Turks." Cloud blinked at the raised brow in response.
For a moment Tseng stared at him in wonder. Apparently he didn't account just how sharp the recruit was.
"I must say that you must be special to catch the attention of one Commander Genesis Rhapsodos. He did after all sign your papers. I was the one who verified the signature." A pull of the corner of the Turk's lips into a sort of smile Cloud did not like.
"Which from what I've gathered, he signed the papers he gave you in Kalm. I also happened to be within the area but I don't remember seeing you. Anyone with your description would stand out in a crowd. So, why were you in Kalm at all?"
Cloud tensed when he realized where this was going. Tseng was suspicious of him about the death of the mayor. It couldn't be a coincidence he would bring up Kalm when the only event was the assassination. Gunslinger would already be named as the culprit. And it was no secret the Turks were hunting the assassin with a passion.
"I was simply getting some food, sir. Father and I were traveling when we came to Kalm."
"Traveling where?"
Cloud shrugged. "We're merchants, sir. We don't exactly have a place to call home. So we travel from place to place to sell weapons to get enough money for a room in an inn and some food."
The part of selling weapons was indeed true to serve a cover if Cloud was ever questioned about his whereabouts.
"And how exactly can you afford buying weapons to sell?" Tseng crossed his arms.
"Father has a few good friends who are blacksmiths. You could say we share the profit, since blacksmiths can't move about to sell like we can. We sell their weapons in another town or city, and they work on our weapons for free if anything was to happen on the road."
"So you know how to fight. What did you and your father specialize in?"
Cloud nervously shifted his weight. "I'm pretty good with a gun, sir. I can hit the target with no problem. But as I started to try out some of the swords I fell in love with them. Father can only use a gun, so he couldn't teach me how to fight with a sword. And we don't really have the money to hire someone to teach me."
Tseng considered his words for a moment. When it looked like he was about to ask more questions Cloud quickly changed the subject.
"Excuse me sir, but it's getting late and I can't imagine that metal wall being comfortable for anyone's back." The blond motioned to the still sleeping general.
Tseng looked at him through narrowed eyes. Was he suspicious about dodging more questions suited for an interrogation? To his luck the general shifted in his sleep, diverting the Turk's attention. And whatever the man had in mind for him was pushed aside as he knelt down to examine the Silver General.
"Can you tell what's wrong with him?"
"Just as you had said earlier, sleep deprivation. He must have been running on coffee and energy drinks for weeks if he's this bad." Tseng straightened up. "But a few days of sleep and he should be fine."
Cloud tilted his head. Was the general having such a stressful time? The blond was beginning to wonder exactly what was going on behind the scenes in this company. "Is it always so bad to receive new cadets, sir?"
"When you're the general, it's your job to watch over all men under your command. General Sephiroth just happens to take his job description very seriously." Tseng was staring at the cadet up and down.
"In your files, your goal is to make it into SOLDIER. Later it may turn out you prove me wrong, but I have serious doubts you can make the program."
At that Cloud couldn't help but glare. "Excuse me, sir, I don't think you should go around and judge people. Ever heard the saying, don't judge a book by its cover?"
The Turk raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought you were a shy, helpless cadet."
Words can hurt. Vincent had taught him this lesson at the very beginning. This was the first time Cloud felt no truer words had been spoken. Tseng spoke in a monotone voice, devoid of any emotion. And yet the way he said those words stung. What was probably ironic about this situation would be he's supposed to carry on that image Tseng just described.
Cloud flinched. He stepped back, biting his lip. Yet he couldn't run now. He got himself into this situation, he has to work his way out. Father always said leave any unfinished business will come back and haunt you.
"I…sorry, sir. I didn't mean to speak out." Cloud bashfully lowered his gaze. "What were you saying earlier, sir?"
There was a moment of staring as the blond was being scrutinized like a molecule under a microscope. It was proving quite unnerving for Cloud. He was too used to sticking to the shadows. Sneaking around and he wouldn't have to worry about keeping up the mask.
"You certainly are a curious one, Strife." Tseng narrowed his eyes. "As I was saying earlier, if you feel the need that the SOLDIER program is too much for you, feel free to give me a call. The Turks can use someone like you."
Cloud couldn't help but visibly tense. Was this man really interested in recruiting him? Or was this some sort of bait to lure out Gunslinger? There had to be an ulterior motive behind the mention of Kalm. In fact, he was sure of it.
"I would be honored, sir, but I'm afraid I will have to decline your offer."
=3=
Tseng resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. He figured tonight would be a long night with the new recruits celebrating, but he had not considered Sephiroth wander around the building in his sleep deprived state. It was a moment like this where being a Turk can be quite irritating.
It was not their job to linger among the SOLDIERs unless on a mission. However, Sephiroth may be one of the few exceptions Tseng would be willing to bend that rule. The silver general did not undermine his authority like the rest of the army. The man treated him of equal respect knowing full well of Tseng's origins. He had done so since the Turk was promoted to second in command after Veld.
Why Sephiroth took an immediate liking to him was a mystery. Tseng didn't do anything to impress him, at least not to his knowledge. At any rate, Tseng was grateful for the general's open trust in him. For because of it the men in the army weren't openly sending dirty looks or insults his way. There still may be a few who despise him, but none have come forward for a confrontation.
Thus the reason why Tseng set aside important papers to come assess the situation at hand. He owed Sephiroth enough to come and see for himself if what the cadet said was true. It was rare, but there were times when Sephiroth would cave under the stress. But this would be a first of the general spending days of not this entire week without sleep.
He was slightly curious as to the change, as was the duty of a Turk to look into every secret possible, but it was not his place. Despite how the two held high respect to each other they were not close friends if they were friends at all. Tseng doubted he held a title of friend in Sephiroth's eyes. It felt unnatural for such a relationship to form between a SOLDIER and Turk.
However, if this strange behavior persists, then Tseng will have no choice but to make an inquiry at one of the so called important meetings held about once a month.
And although Tseng was perfectly willing to see to this situation personally, the sour mood from hours of paper work remained. He was glad to have an excuse to leave his desk, yes, but his mood would only lighten up if he sat down to calming music and a cup of tea. Having no time for either, Tseng will just have to make do with stretching his legs.
But there was at least one silver lining when he arrived on Floor 49.
Ever since the director sent the boy's files over to the Turks, Tseng found the boy quite the puzzle. How the boy managed to impress the temperamental Commander Genesis Rhapsodos upon first meeting was a world record, and the boy wasn't even a recruit then.
What's more, he found the boy's record squeaky clean. Everyone who joins up for the SOLDIER program had at least one or two flaws. Drunken nights that led to bouts of fighting, overnight for any or all juvenile crimes out there, and anything else hormonal teenagers can get themselves into trouble with, Tseng has seen it all.
Not one, one record, he had come across was that clean. Until the director sent over the file of the blond recruit. Tseng was suspicious. A perfect file was something that could happen, yes, but for the most part the recruits are all delinquents in some form or another. Tseng had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind to investigate further about the recruit.
He had yet to follow up on his intuition, but he was not about to pass up a chance on meeting the boy in person.
And now the Turk was left with more questions than answers. As he interrogated the boy, his answers were flawless. What bothered him was the fact it felt too much like reciting words from a play. There was some truth in what he said, though. Tseng could tell with the way his eyes lit up when his father was mentioned.
Even so, his answers made him think the boy was hiding something. Tseng knew then he should dig deeper into the recruit's background. And the way he deflected his questions from going into territory too close for comfort. Tseng saw talent there. If someone taught the boy this talent, Tseng wanted to know who instructed him. If this was natural talent, then all the more reason to recruit him to the Turks.
The very fact the boy was not afraid to use the very same tactics the Turks used, and effectively use these tactics against one of the best without fear, was something Tseng found refreshing. The boy was wasting his time going after the SOLDIER program.
Cloud Strife was too short, not enough muscle mass, and incredibly shy to boot. There was no way he could survive the training. Tseng had attempted to nudge the boy into the Turks, but then it turns out the boy did in fact have a backbone.
'That boy is definitely hiding something. Whatever it is must be important enough to face a Turk head on.'
Tseng smiled at the challenge set before him. It was not a genuine smile. No, this one seemed a little more feral.
He was still smiling as he dialed in Rude's number.
"Yes, boss."
"Get Reno. I have a job for the both of you concerning the general. And while you're at it, I will inform you on another mission I have in mind."
"Yes, sir."
"Be sure to be here at Floor 49 in ten minutes."
The pair of them hung up without another word. In the meantime, Tseng studied the general. He certainly appeared exhausted to the point to fall asleep against a metal wall. The Turk was a little disturbed upon seeing dark circles under Sephiroth's eyes. He was not accustomed to witness the general under any form of stress.
'Where are the commanders? Oh, wait. Hewley is on a mission in Wutai and Rhapsodos is having another Drama Queen moment.'
This time he could not resist the urge and pinched the bridge of his nose anyway. He could feel the headache coming back. Decided that the general was indeed asleep and not poisoned, Tseng thought over the conversation he had with the young recruit.
He was thinking over about the boy's height and lithe body when it hit him.
'Why didn't I notice? Of course it was dark, I was barely able to see much of anything, but Strife has the exact same build as that blond concubine from Kalm.'
Finally he had a link, a thread to latch on. Yes, he could be stretching the facts a little, but there was no doubt in his mind now. If Strife spoke in a different accent with little intelligence, then yes, it was the same voice as the boy he witnessed with the mayor. If he was careful and took his time, then Shin-Ra could finally have Gunslinger in their grasp.
The predatory smile returned just as the other two Turks appeared. While it was obvious Reno was drunk as he staggered towards him, they appeared in less than five minutes. Well, that set a record on Reno's part. The boy was a genius when fighting in the streets, but other than that, he didn't give a damn about appearances.
Eventually experience will change him, preferably before the redhead got himself killed.
"Yo, boss! What's with the creepy ass smile? Ya look like you're gonna murder somebody or somethin'...Whoa!" Reno threw his arms about and nearly toppled over. Rude reached out with one arm and caught his partner before he could crack his skull open.
Tseng sighed. His good mood just been shot through the heart. Although he was patient as anyone could be around the street rat, even he was beginning to simply give up on the young man like so many others. Even Veld couldn't handle the boy.
No, no. There will be no giving up. Not if he could help it. Whatever Veld saw in Tseng when he was an orphaned child stealing from tourists, he did not give up on him even with both the president and the army breathing down his neck. He might as well do the same for the foul mouthed street rat he personally recruited into the Turks.
"Since you're drunk to the point of harming yourself, I'll be informing your current mission to your partner."
"Why's the general takin' a snooze here? Tha' wall is gonna give him horrible backaches when he wakes up. Speaking from experience, yo."
Tseng briefly debated whether he should waste his time reprimanding the redhead. He decided against it, for the young man probably won't even remember this encounter come morning.
"Rude, I need your help moving the general. It is most likely Sephiroth had little if any sleep this past week. In the meantime Reno, it will be your job to open doors and selecting the floors at the elevator. And for the love of Gaia, please don't send us to the wrong floor."
"You got it boss." Reno lazily saluted, nearly falling over again but instead ended up leaning against his partner.
Tseng resisted the urge to smack the young man upside the head.
It took some time, for the Turks did not have the strength of mako flowing through their bodies, but eventually Tseng and Rude were able to get Sephiroth upright. Together they each carried a portion of the general's weight as they slowly made their way to the elevator.
To Reno's credit, he didn't push the wrong button or light all of them up like the devious child he was. Tseng filed away the new bit of information. He will have to experiment, as well as be twice as firm and careful, but he could possibly get Reno to pull his weight around in the office if he allowed him to indulge in drinking.
That was a very probable if. At worst, the plan could backfire. Not to mention Reno could very well trip over air and harm himself or others in the process, as he was always prone to do when he's had too much alcohol in his system. Maybe he should resort to this method as a last resort.
When they finally put the general to bed and exited his floor, Rude made an inquiry.
"…Who found the general?"
"A recruit found him as he was wandering around. Which reminds me, I'm going to inform you of your other mission. This one will take some time to accomplish, so neither of you will be doing anything else until it is completed."
"Hells yeah! I've been gettin' tired of stalking your girl, yo. I mean, she's pretty and all, but she's not my type." Reno threw his arms up in a hoorah fashion.
To their surprise he didn't lose his balance this time.
"Oh I assure you, you'll still be stalking. But I'm changing your target to one Recruit Cloud Strife."
=3=
Cloud was just walking back to the barracks, thinking over in his head about meeting Tseng in the flesh. Now that he had met the man, he could see why all recruits, SOLDIER or Turk, avoided him as much as possible. He was still surprised as to why the Turk let him go after declining his offer into joining the Turks. He had feared the man would not take kindly to his response.
And yet Tseng surprised him by letting him go, saying it was late and he could call up a few of the other Turks to assist him. It was probably his way of sending away a promising recruit without doing any bodily harm to him.
Or perhaps it would give Tseng the pleasure of taking his rejection out on the other Turks. But that just seemed unlikely. Tseng did not seem that type of man.
Just as he made it to the first floor lobby, he stepped out he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.
"Hey, spiky!"
And before he knew it, Cloud was tackled to the floor with the heavy smell of alcohol and perspiration. He felt like he was being squeezed to death from the strong grip the other man had around him.
"Can't…breathe…"
"Oh, sorry!" The other pulled away, getting up and pulling the recruit up on his feet. Upon seeing the man's face, Cloud felt like he was kicked in the gut by fate.
For there, standing before him, was none other than Lt. Zack Fair with his lopsided grin.
"I didn't know you were around. I've been trying to talk to you all week, you know? But I didn't seek you out during celebration, honest, I was just on my way to check on Seph. I got a call from him and then he hung up without saying a word! The bastard."
He was speaking so fast it took a moment for the blond to process what was said. At the last bit, Cloud dreaded what he had done. Darn it, he should have gone with a drunken First than the Turk.
"Lt. Fair, sir. I was just on my back to the barracks." Might as well feign he did not know the circumstances the First summarized.
"Wait, you haven't gone around celebrating?" Zack tilted his head, as if he somehow knew Cloud had not been out with his friends.
"Partying isn't my sort of thing, sir…"
At the sir part the lieutenant frowned. "Cut the sir, makes me feel old and wrinkly."
Cloud couldn't help but chuckle at the last bit. Feeling encouraged, Zack promptly threw an arm around the private's shoulders as if they were old buddies reunited.
"C'mon! It's fun! Don't tell me you're from some backwater town and never experienced the city life!"
And before he knew it, Zack was leading them towards the front doors. He was probably not escorting the recruit towards the barracks, he suspected.
"Actually, yeah…."
"Pffft. I'm from Gongaga! And that's not stopping me from enjoying the life!"
At that Cloud started laughing. At the sound Zack stopped to frown.
"What? What? What's wrong with Gongaga?"
"Nothing! It's just…such a backwater name." The blond couldn't help but keep on laughing. He had honestly thought the lieutenant was a city boy through and through.
Zack pulled away crossing his arms as if offended. "So what? You mentioned you're from some small town. You got something better?"
"Originally I was born in Nibelheim. But when it was attacked by monsters father and I moved to Rocket Town to raise me until we went around as merchants."
At the mention of Nibelheim the First doubled over in laugher. "Oh Gaia…Nibelheim…that's worse than Gongaga!"
"No it isn't! And doesn't Gongaga have a reactor?"
"Yeah, but so did Nibelheim! You know what they say about when there's a reactor, there's –"
"– Nothing else out there." The two finished in perfect sync.
Cloud found himself bursting out laughing with the First. Who knew they had such a common link? And when the First wasn't teaching trying to be more serious than he really was, he was fun.
"C'mon! I'll go show you the best bars in town! You gotta experience Midgar at least once!"
Cloud couldn't hold back a smile. Perhaps it wasn't so bad to make friends with a First after all.
=3=
Tseng hadn't realized the time as he sat down in his office chair until the rays of the sun began to seep in through the windows. With an irritated sigh, the Turk decided to let the last of the paperwork until after a well deserved nap.
But before he could even remove his suit, there was still an unexplained itch. It was something that compelled him to turn on his computer and pulled up the Shin-Ra records. Ever since the file was sent to him, the name Strife rang a bell. Tseng didn't have the time to search into the name until now.
And there was something strikingly familiar about the recruit. Not just because of his hunch of the boy being the same concubine at Kalm. This was something he hadn't noticed the boy was familiar to him until he met the recruit face to face.
This was an itch he knew that would never go away until he put up a few more minutes of staring at a bright screen.
Tseng typed in Strife and hit the enter key and let the computer do the rest. The records took little time of granting him the information, which was odd. With so much information crammed into the computers about everything from the president to the army, the Turks, down to the janitors and clerks.
Normally when he did a search, it would take a minute or two for the results he desired.
The first thing that came up was an article dated sixteen years past. Curious, Tseng began reading.
Commander Strife: A General, or Enemy?
Those of you may well know about First Class SOLDIER Commander Cirrus Strife, otherwise known as "the Wolf of Shin-Ra Army", a man in his prime and about to be promoted to the title as General of the Army. His name made the papers during the scandal of his marriage to the daughter of a Turk. The marriage took a surprising turn when the union made Commander Strife popular amongst the commons. Even the people of the slums rejoiced in his name.
But do we truly know the man? Just a few days ago Commander Strife turned against the company without warning. One moment he was calm and collected. The next, he turned and began to slaughter anyone in his path. He attacked and killed men under his own command, nearly wiping out his entire unit.
His men were too surprised to fight back, rattled to the very core how the man they've loyally followed would do a complete one eighty.
"It was like he was possessed or something." A Second Class said. "He was so vicious. We were too used to seeing a kind man ready to defend the weak.
"He never enjoyed killing, even when he was protecting the innocent from a swarm of monsters. And yet here he was, laughing like a crazed man and enjoying the sight of the blood he spilled."
The SOLDIER visibly shivered. "The moment he turned on us, we never had a chance."
It has been estimated Commander Cirrus Strife killed ninety-eight of his hundred and twenty men of his unit, fifty-five Second Class SOLDIERs from under Commander Clemens' command, including seventy-two of Third Class under the same man, and three Turks. Later twenty SOLDIERs, Second and Third class alike, died from their wounds.
All in all, Commander Strife killed two hundred and forty-eight men and women, as two of the Turks were women. That is nearly three hundred people slain by his hand.
Commander Clemens, a First Class, nearly died himself when he took on Strife. He suffered a fatal blow to the head, which would most likely end his career as a commander in arms. But because he was a First, he distracted Strife long enough for the Turks to shoot him with enough tranquilizers to bring down a fully grown male chocobo.
So intent Commander Strife was, to kill or maim as many as he could that tranquilizers had almost little to no effect on him for any normal human. Whatever drove Strife to turn against the company with such velocity, such a state of hate, it still remains a mystery.
Once Commander Strife was down he succumbed to the tranquilizers pumping through his system and never regained consciousness. Whatever the reasons behind this shocking and terrible event died with him, for the company was hoping to keep him alive for questioning in the hopes of perhaps saving him if possible.
It has also been noted that in the same day his five months pregnant wife, Rachel Strife, vanished. She most likely took the advantage of the chaos and left the city without an explanation. The Turks are trying to locate Mrs. Strife in the hopes she could shed some light into her husband's behavior, but thus far have little luck.
All of this seemed too perfectly timed. Was the married couple working together? If so, why? The only reason for them to take such drastic measures was to protect their unborn child. But from what? And why did Commander Strife have to kill so many, instead of turning to the company for help?
Or perhaps we knew nothing about the commander. He may have well been insane without anyone noticing, blending in so well he could pass off as a normal man. Maybe he was a ticking time bomb the company did not foresee. And perhaps out of embarrassment, Mrs. Strife fled in order to raise her child without the shadow of his or her father's actions haunting them.
But this raises even more questions. Why didn't Shin-Ra see the warning signs? If they did, why didn't they take actions to prevent this event from happening? Why did it have to take so many lives to bring down a once promising future general?
Disturbing questions these may be, but the circumstances demand it. Shin-Ra should learn from this harrowing experience and do more to prevent it from happening again. The company has lost two hundred and forty-nine lives.
Commander Cirrus Strife did not have to die like a dog. Either way, we have lost one of the strongest men in the army. A man who could very well have brought upon the army a golden age, as before now SOLDIERs have been looked upon as useless mercenaries. Or if this event had happened later in his career as the general, he could have been the army's very own destruction.
Next to the title was a photo of the commander in question. It was a close up of his face, a young handsome face. Commander Strife had white blond hair spiked in all directions in a similar fashion to his son's, but shorter in length. While Cloud's spikes were prominently leaning towards his right, his father's hair was the opposite.
What was the most prominent feature were the unnatural pale green eyes. This was just before mako was introduced to the SOLDIER program, and while the eyes of a SOLDIER were unnaturally glowing, former Commander Strife's seemed a little more…natural, if that made any sense at all.
Yes, Tseng remembered now. He met the man only once, and he barely remembered the event this article spoke of. He only remembered the man because he was the first after Veld to show any interest in him. Strife had been kind and respectful to him, even though at the time Tseng had horrible manners to rival Reno's (but without the cursing and drinking, mind you).
Then a horrifying thought came to him then.
Cloud mentioned his father. Was it truly his father, or was it someone else who took on the fatherly role? And where is the boy's mother? Did the boy know of the circumstances of his father's death, if he truly is dead? Was he here for revenge?
What's more, what was his connection to Gunslinger?
Or perhaps the boy really is Gunslinger's apprentice, and in a strange twist views themselves as father and son.
Either way, Tseng was not going to let this boy slip through his fingers.
=3=
Shado: I told you there would be someone that hasn't been around in a while. Since like, the first chapter actually. There were some good guesses, like Angeal. And yes, he did play a part in this chapter, but he wasn't the main focus here. I chose Tseng for many reasons.
1) Despite his cold exterior and the sort of creepy stalking Aerith thing, I actually love this guy. There isn't much known about his background, which gives me the opportunity to have some fun. Provided it went well with the story and gave a little more insight into his character that we see in the original game, Crisis Core, and the movie.
2) Since he is either mostly or full Wutainese in origin, then shouldn't there be some form of distrust among the rest of Shin-Ra? Yes, he's well respected as we can plainly see in his interactions with Turks and SOLDIER alike, but wouldn't that not be the case at the very beginning? Mind you, I put a lot of thought into this guy's origins, and it occurred to me he should have had some sort of mountain to climb over about his race.
3) We never actually get to see this guy smile. I thought, maybe, now and then, he could have a predatory smile. Of course, it would be rare and it would only happen before all the craziness that went on in Crisis Core, I imagine. So enjoy his lovely smiles while it lasts, ladies. There will come a time where he won't smile ever again.
So. I brought in more of Tseng, and it would seem he is on the right track on capturing Gunslinger. And finally the start of a beautiful friendship between Zack and Cloud! I mean, c'mon, we all saw this coming. Not to mention I introduced Cloud's father since we know nothing about his parents other than his mother (and even then, we don't know much about her anyway), I could do whatever I want with his father. Oh the possibilities are endless.
Without further ado, please leave a review!