The New Turk

((I do not own any songs I use in this chapter. Me no own nothing, you no sue me!))
***
“Tseng...”

The Wutan man, who was busy looking at a report over at his filing cabinet, looked up at Reno, who was standing in the doorway of his office. “Yes Reno?”

“I want you to tell me about your dot.”

Tseng’s head shot up, he snarled at Reno. The dot was his married mark, and he had told nobody about his past. “Reno...” He warned, “There are few things in our office we don’t talk about... my mark is one of them.”

“Very well then,” Reno said, “Tell me about your wife.”

Tseng glared at the other man, moments passed without anyone talking, but Tseng finally said, “Wh...who told you I had a wife?” the Wutan tried his hardest to appear angry, but he was shocked.

“She did...”

“Reno. Enter, and sit.” Tseng pointed, his face taunt in a mixture of memory and pain.

“Tseng, if it... bothers you.”

“No, no... sit.” Tseng pointed again as Reno sat down.

Reno sat down, “I met her last night, Tseng... but why does she look so... young?” Reno thought then opened his mouth, as if he was going to say something smart ass.

“I am not a pedophile, Reno.”

Reno shut his mouth.

“She... she died almost seventeen years ago. You see, we were both Turks when we were young, and we broke the rules and were married.”

Reno shifted in his seat. Tseng continued.

“We were married secretly, and during our first mission... she took the bullets to save the first lady...”

“I remember that story... Rufus’ father told me...” Reno said.

Tseng sighed, “She died... I watched her die, attended her funeral...”

Reno asked the stupid question that hung in the air. “Then why is she alive, and above all... a singer?”

Tseng sighed, “I don’t know... it might be a trick... it might be Hojo...”

***

Tseng couldn’t sleep that night, his talk with Reno had made him think about her. Every time he closed his eyes, she was there... touching, kissing, cuddling.

Tseng finally fell asleep, dreaming of her.

***

“Tseng... Oh...Tseng...”

“Sephirena...hmm....yes...” The Wutan moaned half awake, imagining his wife doing something amazing with her tongue.

“TSENG!” Elena cried, “WAKE UP! You’re dreaming again!”

Tseng’s eyes shot open, and he saw the blonde haired woman standing there beside his bed in the Turks dorm.

***

The four Turks donned their suits and prepared to go to the concert of Sephirena.

Elena was trying to look pretty, “You think I’m going to get an autograph?”

Reno was actually putting on his suit tie, and his uniform was nicely pressed, “Uh... Elena... I think you will.”

“Give up any thoughts of getting laid by Sephirena...” Elena said, “I doubt Turks are her type.”

Reno chuckled.

Rude and Tseng were waiting when the other two joined them, it was a short bus trip to the concert grounds, at a place called ‘Midgar Manor.’

***

Tseng got their back stage passes, just as the opening band was starting to play some strange beats.

Tseng handed each of his coworkers their backstage passes. Elena clutched hers like it was made of solid gold.

Rude made a path as the four Turks walked to the backstage door.

The bouncer at the door rivaled Rude’s size, but he looked at their passes and let them in.

Tseng walked over to a small couch and sat down, “Rude, Reno... relax... this is mainly for Elena.”

“Are you sure it isn’t for you boss?” Reno smirked, Tseng shot him a dirty look.

“Sort of...drop it Reno...” Tseng sighed.

Rude smiled, “The warm up band is finishing up, so she might be coming out here soon.”

Tseng nodded and opened up a pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. He grabbed his lighter and lit his smoke.

A woman walked up behind him and onto the stage, and by the sound of the crowd, they knew who it was.

Elena was going ballistic. “ITS HER! ITS HER! OH MY!”

Rude sighed and looked at Reno. Reno had told his buddy all about Tseng.

“So... Tseng... she has a dot like yours.” Reno said.

“Did you hear me Reno? Drop it.” Tseng hissed as the music began.

Sephirena wore a long black skirt with a slit up the side, with a short sleeved black top. Her hair was braided and tied with a nice black ribbon. To Tseng, she looked as if she was his angel, frozen in time, her beauty preserved. Sephirena’s voice was amplified, “GOOD EVENING MIDGAR!”

The crowd roared.

“How are you all doing!” Sephirena said, as the first few bars of a song began to play, “Are you feeling alright???”

The crowd roared louder as she smiled, “I knew you’d like this one as an opener... this one is called ‘My Immortal’”

Tseng was watching her from the sidelines as she sang.

“I'm so tired of being here...
suppressed by all of my childish fears
and if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
because your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone
these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase

when you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me you used to captivate me
by your resonating light
but now I'm bound by the life you left behind
your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
when you cried i'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream i'd fight away all of your fears
and i've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me

i've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
and though you're still with me i've been alone all along...”

During the song, Sephirena looked over at the side, and almost lost her place in the song.

“And now... I am going to take a break, before I sing my favorite songs...” Sephirena said, “So let’s hear it for FunDay!”

The second-rate opening band started playing as Sephirena walked over to the couch.

Tseng looked up, cigarette in his mouth.

Sephirena grabbed the smoke and inhaled, “Haven’t I told you several times that smoking is bad for you?” She handed him back the smoke.

“Sephirena...” Tseng smiled, “You’re alive...”

“Yes...” She smiled, “I had an interesting moment on my own grave...”

“Enough of that...” Tseng smiled, which scared the crap out of both Reno and Rude. Elena was talking to someone, not even noticing the famous singer talking to her boss.

“Tseng... tell me you haven’t forgotten me...” Sephirena sighed.

“How could I ever forget you?” Tseng said, pulling her close to him, snuggling with her. He knew that this woman was indeed his wife.

By this time, Elena had turned to see Sephirena sitting on Tseng’s lap. “What...”

Sephirena snuggled against him, “... Tseng, you haven’t forgotten...”

Elena walked over to Tseng, “I’d never thought YOU’D of all men would hit on a singer Tseng!”

Sephirena looked up at the woman, “Blue suit... attitude... is this one of your Turks Tseng?” She looked at Reno and nodded, “I have already met one of them...”

“He told me...” Tseng said, “Elena... I can explain why she’s sitting on my lap.”

“It better be good.” Elena stood with her hands on her hips, her attitude showing through.

“You have a crush on him Elena, was it?” Sephirena smiled, “He is a sexy beast, isn’t he?”

“Elena... she’s my wife.” Tseng smiled, running his hand over her back.

“Married?” Elena said, “...Married?”

Sephirena nodded, “Yes... now if you’ll excuse me, I have a crowd that wants me to sing some more...”

Tseng grabbed her and pulled her lips to his, in a passionate kiss. It had been so long since Tseng had tasted her, he took full advantage of her being caught off guard by his sudden action.

Rude turned away as the kiss continued for almost five minutes. Reno smiled happily, thinking that his boss may lay off of him for a while, and not yell at him for all of his laziness.

“Thank you...Arigato...” Sephirena whispered as she kissed his forehead, his dot. “I’ll be right back.”

“A, so desu ka... you’re leaving me...” Tseng smiled. (Oh, I see...)

“Just for a moment...” Sephirena smiled.

“You know, you’re Wutanese is very good...” Tseng smiled.

“I lived in Wutai for almost ten years...” Sephirena nodded, as she walked over to the stage.

Once on stage, Sephirena smiled and talked into the microphone, “Hey! This song is for my love, my sense, teacher, who taught me Wutanese...”

The music began... and Sephirena began singing the song that Tseng remembered hearing.

“kokoro no naka no JIORAMA no machi wa
kibou no hikari de kirameite iru
kagerou no hane de habataita yume wa
kimi to boku to no sagashimono
shinjitsu wa itsumo
hitomi ni hisonde iru aoku

bokura wa doko made yukou
futari no mirai ima sasuratte
bokura wa tabi o tsuzukeru
eien no arika owari nai yume
kono te o hanasazu oikakete ikitai
zutto

TAAKOIZU iro no kokoro no umi de
hikari no fune no aizu ga kikoeru
hayaku ikanakya hayaru omoi ni
nani mo kotoba wa iranai ne
itsuwari wa itsumo
kotoba ni hisonde iru amaku

futari de hitotsu ni narou
okubyou na nami no ho mo dakishimete
bokura wa tabi o tsuzukeru
dakiau sukima
owari nai yume
niji o tsukinuketa
yakusoku no hikari o mezasu

bokura wa doko made yukou
futari no mirai ima sasuratte
bokura wa tabi o tsuzukeru
eien no arika owari nai yume
kono te o hanasazu oikakete ikitai
zutto...”


Sephirena smiled at the end of that song, “And now... the one that made me what I am today... the one song I am sure all of you have come to listen to... Bring me to life!”

The crowd went crazier than they had before. Sephirena smiled, “I thought you’d like that...”

The music began and she began to sing softly...

“hoooooooooooow can you see into my eyes...
like open doooors...
leading you down into my core
where I've become so numb...

without a soul
my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
until you find it there and lead
it back home

wake me up inside
wake me up inside
call my name and save me from the dark
bid my blood to run
before I come undone
save me from the nothing I've become

now that I know what I'm without
you can't just leave me
breathe into me and make me real
bring me to life

wake me up inside
wake me up inside
call my name and save me from the dark
bid my blood to run
before I come undone
save me from the nothing I've become

bring me to life

frozen inside without your touch
without your love darling
only you are the life among the dead”

Sephirena’s head gituar player began to sing, “all this time i can't believe i couldn't see
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me”

Sephirena added, “I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
got to open my eyes to everything

The male sang again, “without a thought without a voice without a soul
don't let me die here there must be something more”

Sephirena sang, as the crowd joined her, even Elena, “bring me to life
bring me to life...
Bid my blood to run, before I come undone...
Save me from the nothing I’ve become...

Bring meeeeeeee toooooooo liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife....”

***

Tseng hugged her, “You are a wonderful singer...”

Sephirena hugged him, “Thank you... but I’d still prefer to be a Turk...”

“Even after what happened?” Tseng was shocked.

“Yeah, I left my partner... a good Turk shouldn’t do that.” Sephirena said.

“Care to come back to the dorms with us tonight? We can talk about a job tomorrow...” Tseng said.

“Gladly...”