[hr][hr][i][h1][color=cornflowerblue]Shizuka Takashiro[/color], & Daphne "Holly" Hope.[/h1][/i][hr][hider=Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII OST - A Closed-Off Village][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTIWd_LJyvM[/youtube][/hider][hr]
[b][code]DOVE/RAVEN Joint Headquarters, White Coast_[/code][/b]

It had been months since Shizuka dropped by his own office - in fact, with how he was always abroad and could barely stay in Baybridge for more than a week before he had to leave again, this room was a mere display of his status within RAVEN, for formality sake. Although his rank wasn't as high as the likes of Cindy and Meifeng - his presence within the organization itself was barely noticeable save for a handful of colleagues whom he had worked with on/off, on occasions - he still did whatever he should to get his job done. If Cindy and Meifeng were the light illuminating the world with justice, then he would be the shadow, watching the backs of his comrades and supporting them from the dark.

Just like his callsign, 'Phantom'.

Other than the paperwork that had accumulated on the table during his long absence, everything else in the room didn't move an inch from their original position since the last time he popped by in early summer. At the very least, a place he could consider as his personal space while he was here.

He glanced to the door at the sound of a quick, firm knock, followed by a familiar drawl. "Shizuka?"

"Come in," was the silver-head's lazy respond.

The willowy frame of Daphne Hope - better known by her callsign 'Holly' - breezed into the room, and the door closing itself behind her with a soft click. "I was told to take a break off work today - there's a DOVE exhibit going on at Havenfield." Then she eyed the case on the table behind Shizuka. "But it seems like that will have to wait. What do you have for me this time?"

"Actually, it's a family thing," Shizuka said, gesturing to Holly to sit down. "This is to be kept just between you and me... even if I'm taking advantage of RAVEN's resources for something [i]personal[/i]." He then pushed the case towards his senior.

Holly opened the case lid, her green eyes widened at the contents inside. "This..." Sitting inside the case was a neatly folded black silk robe, decorated with an artistic Chinese dragon embroidery in gold. She looked up at Shizuka, frowning at him. "Did you tell---"

"No," Shizuka cut Holly off curtly. "I can't bring myself to tell Haru. I cannot get him involved in this." He had sworn to himself to protect his brother at all costs, that he would not put him in the same danger as the Verthaven disaster.

One: it was the same dragon symbol that was tattooed on one of the victims that Shizuka had rescued from the first Overload incident at Havenfield months ago.

Two: next to the robe was a diary book of sorts; however, the words printed on the ragged leather cover was a name. A name that Shizuka knew too well, forever binding him to the past he could never escape from.

[i]Asami Takashiro.[/i]

[hr][hr][i][h1]...[/h1][/i][hr][hider=Another OST - Track 4][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0-jOyFA2WQ[/youtube][/hider][hr]
[b][code]Unknown_[/code][/b]

It had been days since the old woman visited the boy. The calligraphy papers that littered all around him on the stone floor were left as they were, where he simply lay himself down on top of them. The metallic chain around his ankle cuffs clinked against the stone ground when he rolled over; the light from the kerosene lamp fell onto his pale face, but those dark eyes were still lifeless, haunted by despair, by hatred...

He didn't bother to get up when he felt the floor beneath his body rumbled, and the groan of the door of his prison-like bedroom being pushed open. The only thing that moved was his gaze, shifting to the sight of the old woman, who was flanked on each side by her towering, heavyset bodyguards. "[i]Don't look at me like that - I would have loved you to continue staying like this and be a good puppet, but unfortunately it is time to do your job.[/i]"

The boy pushed himself off the ground slowly, the papers under his palm crumpled as he steadied himself, shifting his body into a sitting position. His eyes narrowed slightly at the woman, but his thin lips remained tightly shut.

"[i]Even if most of the Spirits have accepted him as Yui's successor, he's really useless - he's nowhere near his mother's level,[/i]" a high-pitched female voice spoke from behind the woman. A slim lady with blue fringe in her wavy hair wearing heavy, smoky makeup, in a slinky black dress and high heels. She placed her hands on her hips, sneering at him.

"[i]My apologies, Miss Shui Xian,[/i]" the old woman bowed her head slightly. "[i]To allow the purity of our bloodline to be tainted and bring this shame to the family---[/i]"

"[i]Whatever.[/i]" Shui Xian rolled her eyes. She snapped her fingers, and one of the huge bodyguards threw down an A4-sized brown envelope before the boy. "[i]This client is extremely important to me - to us, and you better not screw this up. The instructions and all are inside.[/i]" With that, she turned on her heels and left.

"[i]You have heard her - loud and clear,[/i]" the old woman said, and the boy could pick up the hint of threat in her hoarse voice. "[i]Polaris is expecting great things from you...[/i] '[abbr=lit. 'Dream Walker']Meng You[/abbr]'[i].[/i]"

"[i]...Stop calling me by that retarded name,[/i]" the boy finally spoke up, his tone icy. "[i]My name is[/i] Naoki Yagami[i].[/i]"