The file you are reading is not meant for your eyes; put it down and walk away or I Tseng Director of the Turks, or my successor, will find you and silently and effectively remove you from society, to then slowly starve and torture you to your breaking point. It is as this point that we will bring you do the absolute middle of nowhere where you will be given your freedom of choosing how you would like to die. Should you ever make it back to society the Turks will take this is as you rejecting our kindness of letting you choose your own death, and will be subject to a death at either my, or my successor's, discretion. This is the story of six of my most extraordinary Turks. They came from another world, a world where Final Fantasy 7 is owned by Square Enix but this is their story and theirs alone. For the sake of the future I left a record of their adventures locked deep in the Turk Archives but only if the fate of the world is threatened should this file be opened. You have been warned. Read at your own risk. -Tseng Akira, Director of the General Affairs Department, Shinra Electric Power Company
Chapter Ten: A Return to Training
Angeal stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his legs braced, his buster sword strapped to his back. His face was, as usual, impassive as he watched Alanna and Mary duel. The two of them had been going at it for several hours without much pause. Ryu and Cloud were sitting a little ways off, but still within easy materia range. The two of them had their heads together over a sketch pad. Ryu was there to practice her cure materia some more under Cloud's supervision, but so far the only injuries were dark bruises when Alanna couldn't completely block one of Mary's attacks.
Frowning in thought Angeal strode over to the two of them.
"Ryu." He said. Ryu looked up.
"Yea?" She looked up at him, the end of a pencil hanging out of the corner of her mouth. They had run into some issues on the design she and Cloud were working on.
"Is Alanna ambidextrous by any chance?" He asked. Ryu raised her hand and tilted it side to side, looking at him curiously.
"Depends on the situation. I know she was working on learning how to be ambidextrous with her handwriting. Why?" She smiled to herself remembering the classes they had both ignored while Lanna had been writing runes with her left hand. Not the best way to get better at physics, but it was fun. Alanna's non-dominant handwriting was almost better than Ryu's dominant handwriting.
"She seems lopsided in this fight." Angeal murmured, going back to watching the sparring. Ryu stood and pointed to his Buster, Jr. sword. Why the man bothered to carry the thing around still confused her.
"May I?" She asked, trying to suppress a growing grin. Angeal handed it to her, without really paying attention. Ryu took it and nearly dropped it. The things weighed a ton! Angeal was too distracted to notice, or he would have taken it back immediately.
"Damn these things are heavy; glad I am Turk. I think I'd actually break my elbow trying to use this." She grumbled loudly as she walked toward the fight. Angeal finally noticed the issue and took a small step to retrieve the sword before Ryu stopped him with a look.
"Heads up 'Lanna!" She called, launching the sword toward her friend. Alanna turned, caught the sword in her free hand, and spun it around a few times. Satisfied that she understood the heft of the blade, she swung the sword forward and settled into a crouch with the two swords pointed out slightly.
Mary's eyes widened and she backed away a little, before stopping herself. She'd been leading the fight until that moment. Alanna glanced back at Ryu over her shoulder, sending her the silent question all three of them wanted answered. Ryu inclined her head, losing the battle with her grin.
"Can she go all out?" She asked Angeal, careful to keep the glee she was feeling out of her voice. Angeal nodded his head, still confused. Ryu smiled wide and gave Alanna a thumbs up. Alanna grinned evilly and launched herself at Mary, both swords swinging in at different angles.
"With weapons she is ambidextrous." Ryu said before she sat back down, ignoring the furiously paced fight going on in the center of the room.
Angeal watched the two spar, analyzing their styles. Mary he knew preferred to attack head on, much like a certain puppy Angeal knew, but Mary also had massive strength to make her choice of attack fairly effective. She was fairly quick on her feet as well. Angeal predicted she'd be able to wield a buster sword with ease, but needed to work her control.
Alanna was the opposite. She was a natural dual wielder, and could attack and block equally well with either sword. She could think quickly on her feet, and seemed to prefer to avoid hits rather than take them. She would need to work on improving her speed, to compliment her style. Even with two blades, she was still unable to block everything Mary threw at her. Regardless, she had taken over leading the fight, within moments of being given a second blade.
"Yo, Ryu!" Reno called from the doorway. Ryu looked up and waved. She had only watched the intensified fight for a few moments before going back to the project she and Cloud were working on. There were still a few more obvious bugs that needed to be worked out of their design. Reno gestured for her to join him. When she'd reached him he pulled her out into the hall.
"What's up?"
"Ready for helicopter training?" Reno asked. Ryu grinned.
"Really?" She squeaked, bouncing a little on her toes. She'd already read all the manuals and run through all the flight training on the computers. Training was the only thing that kept her distracted from growing impatience that they had not started choppers yet. Reno nodded his head.
"Come on, Rude's already set up the VR room down the hall. He and Morgan just finished their bomb session."
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Ryu sat in the simulated helicopter in the VR room and fidgeted. Reno was talking to Tseng in the observation room.
"I detect your anxiety level going up. Are you all right?"A mechanical voice said in her earpiece.
"I'm fine." She muttered.
"Yo, goggles say you're getting fidgety." Reno said as he slid into the co-pilot's seat. Ryu glanced down at her goggles.
"Traitor."
Reno, Ryu, and Rude all had glasses or goggles with A.I. chips in them. Reno and Ryu's identified substances, people, and objects, as well as functioning as a PHS, map, computer and surveillance device. Rude's, Ryu wasn't entirely sure about. She suspected it functioned similarly to hers and Reno's but she'd never seen it working.
"Why do we have special lenses and the rest of the Turks don't?" She asked. Reno shrugged.
"Cuz we're special." He said grinning, "Let's get flying." He said. Ryu swallowed and nodded. She started through the preflight list she'd memorized, with Reno talking her through it.
.
"Well I think that went well." Reno said through a yawn, stretching in the co-pilot's seat. He'd actually fallen asleep while Ryu had been flying. She gave him a dirty look. He looked at her, curious.
"What, yo?" He asked. She shook her head.
"You fell asleep." She accused him. He shrugged.
"It's been a long day, yo. Rude and I were up early to go on a mission to rescue a group of girls." He told her simply, fighting off another yawn. Ryu shook her head as the VR room dissolved the helicopter around them.
"Niisan, you're incorrigible." She growled at him. She flopped onto to the floor and stretched.
"Does flying always tense a person up like this?" She asked as she winced, realizing her neck was tight. Reno shrugged.
"Not for me, yo. It's relaxing." He said. "And what do you me incorrigible? I don't even know how to say that word." He grinned at her, trying to improve her mood.
"Something or someone that can't be changed." She told him gruffly as she stood, not taking the bait. Her stomach growled. She put her hand over it and looked slightly embarrassed.
"For such a small person you sure eat a lot, yo." He teased her. Ryu stuck her tongue out at him and ran from the VR room.
"It's the Mako you meanie!" She yelled over her shoulder before rounding the corner to the evelator.
Ryu burst into the apartment, out of breath from running as fast as she could. Reno was not far behind her and walked in and laughing.
"You made it just in time for dinner." Angeal called from the kitchen. It would have been hard not to hear the two of them come in, no matter what room any of them were in. Those two made more noise than a full cadet trainingroom.
"Food!" Ryu said excited bouncing over to the table to help Cloud set it.
The young SOLDIER grinned and handed her the plates wisely keeping the silverware. After Genesis had pitched a fit when he discovered Ryu had set all the silverware backwards, Ryu wasn't allowed to set the silverware. It made perfect sense to someone left handed and directionally dyslexic.
After walking in, Reno leaned against one of the walls near the door, his hands shoved into his pockets. Rude leaned against the wall next to him.
"Tseng has orders for you and Rude. Do not bring your DGs." Reno's goggles told him. Reno and Rude traded a quick glance. I;'f the DGs weren't allowed to come it had to be pretty serious.
"Hey Ryu, I am going to head home now. Have fun and I'll see you tomorrow." Reno called in to her as he pushed away from the wall.
"You aren't staying for dinner?" Cloud asked, poking his head around the corner. It was strange for Reno to turn down dinner at the last minute. The three Turks with DGs had taken to eating with the rest of the group and spending most of their time with them. Reno shook his head.
"Can't. Got something to tend to tonight." He said. Ryu tipped her head sideways as the two walked out of the room. Setting the plates down, she followed them.
"Reno, Rude." Ryu called after the two turks. Reno turned back, a little surprised. Ryu was standing in the middle of the hallway. She had her arms linked behind her back. Reno raised any eyebrow.
"What's up, yo?"
"Before careful, okay?" She asked him quietly. Reno gave her a surprised look. Ryu tapped the goggles hanging around her neck.
"They gossip. Just be careful. Both of you." She said. She turned and walked back into the dining room. Reno traded a look with Rude and shrugged. They turned and left the room.
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Alanna looked in confusion at the two sheathed blades Angeal had handed her. When they had arrived, Angeal had simply handed them to her. She hadn't expected him to give her anything.
"From now use these." Was all he had to say to the confused look she sent him. Alanna pulled one free. It was shorter and narrower than a Buster, Jr. better suited for dual wielding. She squinted, the blades were dark burgundy and one could just barely make out runes etched into the blade.
"They're rune blades?" She asked surprised. Angeal nodded his head.
"Like Genesis's rune blade, yes." He said. Alanna smiled up at him.
"Thanks Angeal!" Angeal smiled slightly at the childlike joy that was starting to show.
"It's nothing. Protect your honor as a SOLDIER…"
"And never lose sight of your dreams."Alanna finished for him, for once not mocking the lecture they all knew by heart. She half turned, paused, turned back around and threw her arms around his waist and hugged him.
"Thank you 'Geal!" He awkwardly patted her on the back.
"You're welcome." He said before he pushed her away.
"Get to practicing." He told her gruffly. Alanna ran to the center of the room and drew her swords and dropped into her fighting crouch. Mary stepped up slowly, her Buster, Jr. drawn.
"Begin." Angeal said. Alanna sidled forward, both swords jabbing forward to strike at Mary.
"Halt." Angeal called. Both girls looked at him.
"Alanna, you should have tried to activate your blades." he said.
"I'm not trying to kill her. Can't I get used to the weight first?" Alanna asked, surprised. Angeal smiled.
"Don't worry. I won't let it get that far but you need to learn how to use them, and the challenge will be good for Mary. She's depending too much on her strength." he said. Mary flushed. Turning slightly, he directed his next comment at her. "Footwork is important, so is reading the tide of the fight. You can't just flail around mindlessly."
"She's good at flailing around." Ryu noted from her corner. Cloud was teaching her the basics of barrier, since it would be a while before she got to use cure again. Mary stuck her tongue out at her. Ryu returned the gesture before she turned back to her materia lessons.
Alanna turned her focuse on one blade at a time. Both blades lit up, and glowed a dark purplish red color. White runes appeared on the blades.
"What do they do?" Alanna asked tentatively, afraid he might refuse to tell her. Her father often used such tactics for teaching. Angeal grinned.
"You'll have to find out for yourself." He told her.
"And the best way is to find out against another rune blade user." Genesis said from the door way. He strode forward ignoring Ryu's narrowed eyes, also missing that her eyes were becoming bluer. Angeal didn't miss the shift, however.
"Genesis not today." he said. Genesis scowled at him. Angeal inclined his head toward Ryu. Genesis looked at Ryu and met fierce Mako eyes. Ryu was either still very upset with him, or just very mistrustful.
"Ryuko, can I have a word?" Genesis asked inclining his head toward the doorway.
"Sure." She said, half growling.
"Ryu, play nice." Alanna hissed at her. Ryu grinned rather nastily.
"I will so long as he does." She told Alanna. She followed Genesis in to the hallway. The Crimson Commander shoved his hands in the pockets of his duster.
"My soul, corrupted by vengeance, Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey, In my own salvation…" He started slowly.
"And your eternal slumber." Ryu finished for him, impatient. "So?"
"You too know LOVELESS?" He asked surprised.
"Only the bits 'Lanna's quoted at me. I am the only one who really puts up with her when she begins reciting it, or anything else. "Ryu admitted. She leaned against the wall and fiddled with her goggles.
"I am sorry for what I did." He said. Ryu looked down at the floor and scuffed her toe.
"I know you probably are, but I know you didn't mean to hurt her the first time. I'm just worried." She admitted. Genesis nodded his head.
"You're a good friend." He said. Ryu grinned.
"I try to be." She admitted. She looked up at him. "You can train her, just don't… hurt her
"Why don't you grow some balls Genesis and admit you like her?" She asked, over her shoulder before she entered the VR room. Genesis stared after her shocked. She walked up to Angeal.
"Keep an eye on the two of them would you? I don't know why he snapped the first time but I don't want to end up passed out for four days again." She told him as Genesis entered the VR room.
Ryu purposely sat across from Cloud, her back turned to the fight. Cloud looked at her worried.
"Are you okay with this?" He asked her, concerned. Ryu shrugged.
"Ultimately it's not my choice but Alanna's and she's a forgiving person… when it comes to him." She grumbled. Ryu turned her head slightly and watched Alanna and Genesis square off.
Alanna reactivated her rune blades as Genesis did the same with Rapier. Genesis let her strike first. Once she had, he backed her around the room forcing her to keep moving. At one point she almost stepped on Cloud and Ryu.
"Hey!" Ryu protested as she rolled out of the way of Genesis's blade, during a particularly close swing.
"Sorry." He muttered.
"Is it just me, or is she really fast?" Cloud asked, watching the duel move around the room. Ryu watched Alanna stumble over her own feet, and then run away from Genesis.
"I think one of those blades of hers boosts her speed. I mean, she tends to be a little klutzy but not this bad. She's tripping over her own feet more often than not" She said. Cloud nodded. They watched as Genesis gently pushed Alanna's skills.
Alanna just barely got her blade up in time to block a fast jab from Genesis. A small barrier burst around her briefly, centered on the blade of her sword. The jab bounced off the barrier and slid far out to one side. She stared at it surprised, so surprised she forgot she was sparring. That is, until Ryu took her out at the knees even as Genesis pulled his blow, wrenching his shoulder.
"Ryu!" Alanna snapped surprised. Ryu rolled of Alanna.
"Cure." She said pointing to Genesis's shoulder, her materia in hand.
"Don't get distracted. He almost took your head off." Ryu grumbled.
"Did you cast that barrier?" Alanna asked her, still not quite understanding what had happened. Ryu shook her head.
"Nope. It looks like one of your blades creates a barrier," she said flicking the blade in question with a finger. "The other seems to boost your speed." Alanna nodded her head.
"I noticed that one." She said, dryly. "Hard not to when I can't seem to keep my feet under me."
"Well, try again against Genesis. I am going to go practice my materia." Ryu said as she stood stretching.
"Oh, and Lanna? Would you hit him for Gaia's sake? He's a 1st class SOLDIER, not a fairy princess. He can take a hit. This isn't a dance." She commented over one shoulder. Alanna flipped her off, but grinned despite herself. Ryu grinned back.
"Same to you 'Lanna." She said laughing, before she went to sit next to Cloud.
"There are days I don't understand you guys." Cloud told her, shaking his head. Ryu smiled.
"Only some days?" Cloud laughed.
"Almost every day." He admitted. Ryu laughed.
"We're girls Cloud. We almost never make sense."She confessed. She looked over her shoulder at Alanna and Genesis sparring, and Angeal and Mary going through drills.
"Then again, sometimes men don't make sense either. Maybe it's a human thing." Ryu said quietly. Cloud looked thoughtful.
"Does Alanna like Genesis?"
"You catch on quick chocobo." She said with a big grin. Cloud flushed and tried to flatten his gravity defying blond spikes.
"You're never going to be able to flatten your hair, so don't bother." She told him.
"So that means Mary likes Angeal." He said, shifting the conversation back away from his hair. Ryu nodded her head.
"Yes."
"And you like Reno?" Ryu gagged.
"NOOooo." She shook her head, "Little brother. BROTHER." She stressed.
"But he's older then you." Cloud said confused. Ryu grinned.
"I am older than him. Which also makes me older then you." She patted his head. "Dearie you make me feel old."
"How old are you?" Cloud asked her, flushing with embarrassment.
"Twenty-one." Ryu said.
"And the others?"
"Everyone else is twenty-one too. Well, except for Morgan. He's twenty-two."
"Wah? No way!" Cloud exclaimed surprised. Ryu nodded her head.
"Yes way"
"Impossible. I thought you were my age." Ryu shook her head as she drew her barrier materia from her pocket.
"Where have I heard that before?" She muttered.
"Reno?" Cloud hazarded a guess. Ryu smiled.
"Yeah. It was Niisan." She waved the materia in Cloud's face. He grinned.
"All right, all right." He said, " Nice cure on Genesis by the way."
"Why thank you, kind sir." Ryu said teasing him. Cloud flushed, as Ryu laughed.
.
Alanna walked by the balcony and noted that Ryu was sitting out there again. Ever since they'd returned from Icicle Hell a few weeks previous Ryu, despite the cold, had been spending a lot of time on the balcony staring up at the sky.
She must be homesick. She decided.
"Why does she spend so much time out there?" Mary asked as she came down the hallway. Alanna shrugged.
"Homesick?" She guessed. Mary shook her head and pointed to Ryu.
"That isn't Ryu being homesick. If she was homesick she'd be curled up with Morgan. That's different." They watched as Ryu traced the scar across her palm.
"What happened on that mission?" Alanna asked no one in particular. Ryu had never told them what had happened, beyond that it hadn't gone quiet as planned. None of the Turks had told anyone either.
"You'd have to ask Reno or Rude. Morgan and Matti won't tell you." Genesis said, walking by and overhearing their conversation. He frowned as he saw Ryu sitting on the balcony.
"It's probably why she went into the Mako rage so quickly." He mused to himself.
"You know?" Alanna asked, rounding on him. Genesis shrugged.
"I saw the report when I got my orders for one of my missions." He said, "But I can't tell you either. It should come from Ryu. Now come along Alanna. Time for training." Alanna scowled at the image of Ryu sitting in the cold before she stalked away.
.
"What happened?" Ryu looked up. It was Piper. She was standing in the balcony doorway.
"Ryu, you hate the cold." She said as she came to sit next to her. Ryu leaned her head on Piper's shoulder.
"Nothing. I did my job as a Turk." She said staring up at the sky.
"Lies. Something is bothering you." Piper said. Ryu grinned slightly. Piper was determined to get the truth.
"I was bait, for a monster that had been taking girls. We thought it would be simple. It snatches me and Reno, Rude and Morgan get the bad guys. We never thought it might take me between sectors. They lost sight of us. And then there was another girl there. I had to protect her, so..." She paused, "So I killed the bodyguard of the slaver." Ryu admitted.
"You shot him?" Piper asked surprised. Ryu shook her head and traced the scar on her palm again.
"We got into a fist fight, and then I cut his throat with a piece of glass. After I stabbed him in the eye with a syringe full of my blood."She sighed.
"I don't feel bad about it. He was a bad guy. He'd been helping his master to sell girls to buyers. He was a slaver, but I still killed. I guess I feel mixed up about it. I feel like I should feel bad about it, but I can't make myself. It came down to a fight of me or him, and I choose me." Ryu said.
.
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A/N:
Alanna: Sorry it took so long!
Ryu: well if you would just work faster...
Alanna: You know what Ryu? You do this!
Ryu:Do you want quality or quantity?
Alanna: quantity...
Ryu: I thought so. So stop nagging at me about it.
Alanna: But it takes forever...
Ryu: Get Mary to help you, you're taking to long the readers want updates.
Alanna: don't make me fira you, you damn Turk!
Ryu: shrugs you won't because you want reads. My life is safe.
Alanna: Damn you...
Mary: Would you guys stop arguing already? I agreed to help edit okay?
Alanna: Thank Gaia
Good news guys we have another editor! Our Mary has agreed to help Alanna with editing the story. Hopefully this will mean a faster turnaround on the updates.