remember me? [turks.]

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

every night, i stay awake, i find my reflection
and every night, i rethink my past mistakes
i dream of absolution
- - - - - - - - - -

there was no way in hell did he want to go wandering the streets of midgar in the evening, but he spent his time inside his apartment way too much nowadays. after staring out of the window for a couple of moments, he had finally walked out of his house, putting his trench coat and gloves on, and went outside to the streets of midgar. every once in a while he would turn his head back, fearing that he would see a fangirl of his fromt he red leather fanclub stalking him.

the mighty poet genesis rhapsodos was scared by those girls.

but he knew various tricks on how to get away from them. for one they often were found in crowds so genesis stayed clear from them. two, they were slow compared to the agile ex-SOLDIER. so that made it easier to run away once they found him. oh, and three. they didn’t tend to go to LOVELESS avenue much anymore. it had been rebuilt, much to the redhead’s dying joy. he was a fan of the book and poem of LOVELESS, but that passion for it was dying. he was able to relate his life to the book, however now only the fifth and final act fit him. he needed a new story to compare his new life to, or he could make a poem up...

there was silence in the plaza near LOVELESS avenue. genesis’s mako eyes scanned the area carefully, seeing a few silent ‘ghosts’ walk across the plaza, well-dressed for business or for casual wanderings. his blue eyes met with a second class SOLDIER turning a corner and disappearing form sight, and a small smile graced his lips but it disappeared soon after.

he, for some reason, didn’t want people to remember him as the leader of the G army – second and third SOLDIERs transformed into copies of himself. that was his madness, his dark past. he wanted to be a hero, but instead he became the villain. genesis was trying to redeem himself, to fulfil his duty as a SOLDIER and protect the worlds as a ‘thank you’ to minerva, the goddess.

but some people didn’t forget easily.

[Elena]

Tedious, but necessary. Walking down the side street, Elena marked off another sector of the map. Population in this area was lacking, in fact it was all too similar to a ghost town for her liking. Emptied streets, entire blocks simply missing from the city, it sounded too much like a bad horror film waiting to happen. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she began to update the sector coordinates in the localized map the three of them were sharing. Sometimes she loved how simple technology made her life, the missing set would be forwarded to the two of their map’s making the entire process just that much easier. With all three of them on the ground it meant the entire job would get done that much quicker, though she wasn’t sure how on task the likes of Reno was currently. This obviously wasn’t his favorite type of mission ever, there was no bloodshed yet.

“Famous LOVELESS Avenunue huh?” Elena’s eyes scanned the area as she began to emerge onto the main street. Eyes fixated on the map on the phone, making sure the missing coordinates were sent to Reno and Rude both. Once the happily little sent message appeared she moved to clicking back on her microphone, since her incident with certain remnant’s she preferred to have a means easily, and more than accessible contact with the other two. “I’m drawing into LOVELESS Avenue, shouldn’t be too bad of a place to meet up huh? I figure after this we’re finished with this area.”

The sooner the better really, it was too creepy with how quiet it was. Just a few years ago this very sector was alive, bustling with life, but that’s how a great deal of the planet was. “…Its like a ghost town here…” The blonde’s eyes scanned the map again before returning the phone to her hip, “Least theres been no sign of the infected in the area, ” Geostigma, a nightmare that she wished would have remained gone.

Stepping out into the main walk way her eyes finally moved up from to admire the dead streets. In her day it was all the rage to be taken on a date to LOVELESS Avenue, heck she was certain there was even some little notion between the academy girl’s that it meant the guy was probably going to propose. A few of the fanclubs happened to meet near this area, how did she know? More than one girl joined the military academy in hopes to meet with First Class Soldiers, Elena not one of them, but was exposed to plenty during her time of service. Elena, at the time, far too consumed in the idea of surpassing her sister didn’t pay a great deal of attention, except to the news, it was part of the training, stay on top of what was happening in the world. Figures she’d later learned the students of the academy were in the dark just as much as the rest of the world was about the actual going-ons of ShinRa Electric Company.

“Wait a moment…” The browned eyed girl stopped, catching sight of the red leather clad individual strolling down the street. He was familiar, the name on the tip of her tongue, she knew that jacket. Fanclubs, that was what popped into her mind again, and when she noticed him turn back , she caught the gleam of very prominent blue eyes. Mako exposure, funny had she not become a Turk she’d been sporting those very same eyes after the academy. “Rude… Reno, we got a First Class SOLDIER walking down the street, and it ain’t the regular one.” Which of course was none other than Cloud, who wasn’t really first class at all.

Without a second thought Elena began to move after the figure, “…Red leather... I think the name was Genesis.” He was from a time before her own, but she knew the name, and the fact he was supposed to have been killed in action after Wutai. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

[Reno]

[/color] Reno immediately said to the woman. His eyes drifted down to the whole package. A tight fitting miniskirt, a tank top, some bracelets, heavy makeup, and boots that ran up to her thighs. On Reno just found his entertainment for the mission. “So, how much do ya cost honey~” Did he bat a lash at the announcement of Genesis? Definitely not, he just assumed Elena was yanking his chain. Did he care if his teammates could overhear the current conversation? Definitely but only because he hoped it would gross Elena out even more. Rude wouldn’t bat a lash he supposed.

“I’m not a hooker.”

Could have fooled Reno. Oh wait. She did. ”Really? Damn, I would pay big dollars for a night with you.”

“Right…”

Reno batted his lashes at her innocently, ”No really… I would.”

“….I’m not into men.”

That made Reno crack a huge smile. Oh… oh it was perfect. ”Really? That’s great because you know, I have this blonde co-worker who needs to be hooked up and you’re right up her alley actually. She’s shy about it, but we all know she’s got a thing for the ladies.” Oh he could die laughing at that very moment and he would be content with his life now.[/ul]

[Rude]

Rude had noticed a trend on tasks like these. All the dangerous, poorly-lit areas were always assigned to him. Not surprising. Reno and Elena weren’t equipped to handle the……large…..threats Rude could deal with easily. Reno especially. Any duty that didn’t guarantee a fight never received his full attention. In the past, Reno’s sector reports often involved needless information that somehow entertained him. Information on lost dog fliers and empty food cans. Made-up encounters with rare creatures. These useless reports were the reason Rude was often asked to backtrack through Reno’s sector when his job should have been finished. As he stomped through the dark streets, only ever receiving reports from Elena, Rude figured that was the case again. He’d have to straighten out his partner later.

Few people in this area. Rude had passed a few rough-looking characters and what were probably lost foreigners who’d asked him or directions. At his gruff answer, they’d either ignored the directions and run off or asked him to walk with them to better-looking areas, which he’d agreed to so far. Put him a bit behind Elena, who seemed to be making good progress. She usually finished things like this before the rest. Her personality was suited to it. Rude’s was more suited to security work, and Reno’s to…..starring in adult movies, and despite what his partner thought, Rude would not be interested in going out and buying those movies. Regardless, Rude was nearly finished with his area when Elena’s voice came over his earpiece, reporting that she was in LOVELESS Avenue and they could meet there.

Rude knew the place well enough. Checking the coordinates she sent, he responded. ”On my way.” LOVELESS Avenue was once a date night location in this part of the city. Rude had once taken Chelsea there. Seemed like decades ago. Not dwelling on those thoughts for long, Rude checked his surroundings and moved down an alleyway, listening to Elena’s comments about ‘ghost towns’ and Geostigma without much to say in response. The reality they lived in was different from the past. Everything was a ghost of its former self, even Shinra. The world was the same, there was just less in it. SOLDIERs and Remnants had made sure of that. Rude wasn’t spiteful, just realistic, as he’d always been. By now, he’d seen enough to know that realism was more useful than optimism.

Emerging from the alley, Rude began weaving his way through the streets in Elena’s direction, still having heard nothing from Reno. Indifferent about it for now, Rude stepped over piles of waste that someone had thought to dump here, before Elena came over the mic again. ”Wait a moment… Rude never liked that tone. Last time she’d said something like that, she spent her next few days being tortured by the Remnants. Rude stopped, bringing a finger to his earpiece. ”What is it?” No response for a few moments, and Rude kept moving. When she responded, he could only slightly raise an eyebrow. First Class SOLDIER? Cloud first came to mind, false soldier though he was, but Elena indicated it wasn’t him.

Rude was clueless until Elena mentioned the name Genesis. ”Genesis Rhapsodos is dead.” He commented, bluntly. Yet, as Elena went silent a moment, likely to investigate, Rude picked up his pace, looking to reach her as quickly as possible and avoid any more trouble for her. If there was one thing he knew about SOLDIERs, it was that they never seemed to stay dead. ”Reno, get to LOVELESS Avenue.” He stated after opening a channel that only the redhead would hear, turning his mouthpiece sensitivity up to maximum. That would give him a wake-up call.

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

every night, i stay awake, i find my reflection
and every night, i rethink my past mistakes
i dream of absolution
- - - - - - - - - -

his nose twitched as did his arm when he heard someone – definitely a girl – state ‘red leather’ and spoke his name. genesis stopped in his walking, momentary confusion on his face as he turned around, mako eyes fixed on a blonde haired girl dressed in a black suit. he instantly recognised her as a turk, but he had never seen her face. she must have been new to the turks, but how did she know his name? was she perhaps someone affected by the G attacks? the mass SOLDIER desertion was only seven years ago, and that was the start of the G army. the redhead blinked slowly before considering her question, trying to answer it.

“i never died,” the poet stated quietly, narrowing his eyes in slight annoying as he tossed his head slightly, seeing another suited turk coming towards them. goddess, did he think he was still ‘rabid’? “i was set as M.I.A. in truth i... detached from SOLDIER,” if the turks wanted to believe that he was still a rogue SOLDIER, so be it. he would act to please them but he honestly didn’t want to return to the monstrous side of him. the redhead raised a thin auburn eyebrow. “four years ago... that is when my activities stopped... eight years ago is when they started... but you would know that, wouldn’t you, turk?” the one winged guardian resisted the temptation to ever so slightly inch away from the blonde.

[Elena]

Conversation was engaged, now at least Rude and Reno could hear the conversation occurring. Briefly however Elena’s attention drifted to her head piece hearing Reno beginning to proposition someone, with her on the tail end of this sick joke. Her small hands, covered by fingerless gloves tightened a little as she muttered under her breath, I’llkillyoulaterReno.” Right now there was a much bigger fish to fry in all of this, such what this really meant.

“Seems to be a trend… SOLDIERs never die.” Somehow they returned. Beyond the grave they somehow returned and most of the time with very dark intentions. At least his wasn’t silver nor were his eyes that haunting aquamarine that made up her very nightmares. This she could stare down, for now, of course it helped she knew at least Rude was on his way. Cautiously she watched his every movement, uncertain what to make of this scene of a casual stroll, something didn’t quite fit in her mind.

“Yours stopped and Sephiroth began, coordinate?” It was a twisted little joke on her part, though part of her remained dead serious. The G-project was something she had little knowledge about seeing it wasn’t during her time, so as anything she handled it at a distance, and hand close to her concealed weapon. “I know there were once upon a time three very powerful SOLDIERs, and a fourth that tagged along, and then from my information every last one of them became hell bent on killing others…” In truth she had no idea Angeal’s state, but it was perfectly logical to assume it was the same pattern.

“One has returned from the dead already in the form of three monstrosities called Remnant, and a year after G-project surfaced…” This actually had a point she was getting to, The world goes to hell again and the first person I find is another SOLDIER, why should I not be suspicious again?”

[Reno]

[/color]

Genesis alive again? Well from what he was hearing from Genesis’s tale, the man had never died but that didn’t really matter all that much. Genesis was a liability and their last orders regarding the Ex-SOLDIER was to get rid of them. Sure that had been years ago but orders were orders. They hadn’t been given any memo that the orders had changed any bit. Of course, Rude would likely get there before he even made it there but that was fine with him.

LOVELESS Avenue was not difficult to find. Everyone knew about the area and Reno had spent quite a bit of time at the bars located in that area. A lot of depressed widowed, divorced, or broken up women were located in the area. Reno wasn’t about to get himself involved directly with the conflict, it was always a better idea to have one member of the group hanging back as emergency backup. This way they had someone to catch their target off guard if they need it. He was in LOVELESS Avenue but he remained off the main street Elena was on. He remained in one of the back alleys and waited to see if he would truly be needed. Sure the concept of sneak attack backup was a good excuse but it also would allow him to not have to lift a finger and have Rude do the brunt of the work. The man was a tank and Reno liked to exploit that about his partner. He pressed a finger to his earpiece and spoke softly into the mic, ”I got my eyes on ya if you need me guys.” He actually wouldn’t mind beating the piss out of someone with his EM-Rod. It had been a while since he caved someone’s face in with it. All he needed was a reason to do it.[/ul]

[Rude]

Rude could hear another voice coming over Elena's mic as he continued on through the alleyways, now only a few yards from her position. The voice was almost monotonous, and from his experience, sounded like the voice of a SOLDIER with its emotionless tone. Wasn't distinct enough for him to assign it to Genesis Rhapsodos, but Elena's response mentioned nothing to the contrary. Finally getting a response from Reno that was clear enough to hear, Rude felt a bit of relief that all three would be in the area. SOLDIERs were dangerous enough, but those that lost their hold on reality were similar to natural disasters. Genesis Rhapsodos was, last time Rude had known of him, out of his mind. It would take at least three Turks to handle him if that was still the case.

He could clearly hear Elena's responses to whatever 'Genesis' had said, the statements about SOLDIERs never dying and Sephiroth. If there was any that needed to stay dead, it was Sephiroth. He'd been bad enough, and his remnants had almost been worse. Rude felt he was fortunate to have been assigned to the Turks and not enrolled in the SOLDIER program. Losing his mind didn't sound worth it. No, Cloud hadn't lost his mind, but he wasn't Rude's favorite person, either. He would have made an excellent Turk before his capture years ago. As Elena continued speaking to 'Genesis', Rude hoped that what she was saying wouldn't get her into trouble before he and Reno arrived. She knew how to handle herself.

Finally, he stepped onto the main street, Elena's blond hair standing out against the dark backdrop. Standing a few feet away from her was a man in red. She was right. Sliding his shades down a bit to let his naked eye get a better look at the formerly deceased SOLDIER, Rude let out a heavy breath. If this wasn't Genesis, it was one of his clones that had managed to survive these long years without Hollander to maintain it. Could be. He kept that thought to himself, though, as he opened up the channel to only Reno again with Elena being in earshot. He caught her last words as he stepped towards her, taking up a position over her left shoulder. Once there, he stared Genesis down behind his shades, hands folded over one another in an attentive pose. As usual, he said nothing to either of them or to Reno, who stated over their mics that he'd wait back in reserve.

This would get ugly. Dealing with SOLDIERs always did.

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

every night, i stay awake, i find my reflection
and every night, i rethink my past mistakes
i dream of absolution
- - - - - - - - - -

the mutter underneath this female turk’s breath made genesis blink, having only heard, “i’ll kill you later” though he then realised that perhaps she was talking into her earpiece to an irritating member. he pursed his lips a bit, listening to the blonde whose name he wanted to know. he had never seen this turk and she was more than likely new – she probably had only heard about genesis’s story in passing or by looking at files hidden in the shinra database. the redhead only wanted these small questions answered.

“the fourth SOLDIER, who would that be? i only recall myself, sephiroth and angeal being the ones hell bent on killing others, as you put it,” the one-winged guardian clicked his tongue quietly, a mysterious sign to say that he was nervous about the situation. all of his body motions seemed to be backwards today. earlier instead of intending to bite his lip in thought he instead twitched his hand. it was odd and he wondered why he did that.

“i know of sephiroth and his remnants, and the tsviets,” the ex-SOLDIER’s mako eyes followed the sturdy form of another turk, feeling a bit intimidated at his hand movements, ready to perhaps fight the SOLDIER off. “i’ll have you know that weiss the immaculate and nero the sable, my... ‘brothers’ attempted to persuade me to join them. i declined. i have a duty to fulfil and the time for redemption has come,” the redhead could feel his anger rising a bit and the twitch of his hand signalled that he was tempted to take his rapier from his belt and fight them off to keep them from getting in the way of his investigations. “this calamity that has befallen us. it’s not something i would be able to do after sleeping for a long while,” but he also hinted at the power he could perhaps summon when he was fully ‘awoken’, ready to attack or defend.

“... that is rather intimidating, rude,” he knew the muscular man as one of those who protected midgar from one of his G-army attacks. “i assure you i won’t attack unless provoked,” his blue eyes flickered from side to side as an unfamiliar but almost known scent hit his nose, “i am a servant of the minerva, the goddess, the lifestream itself.” he slightly shrugged under his pauldrons. the turks probably wouldn’t listen to him and still consider him a rogue – a fantastic actor too... which the poet was.