It was a sunny, beautiful day. The sky was an impossible azure blue, and the birds were singing sweetly. Looking down the hill, you could see Marlene, Denzel, and the other kids playing games and laughing, while Tifa and Cloud sat on a bench, chatting pleasantly. Yuffie and Kadaj were making out under a shady tree, and Vincent was reading what looked like a heavy tome, but was really a copy of "Guns and Ammo."
And if you listened closely enough, you could just hear the sound of cries of anguish from the house on the hill.
But no one was listening, and no one heard Reno's scream, save for Rufus, Rude, Tseng, and Elena.
"This sucks!!!" Reno wailed from the cream colored sofa. "Why me???"
"Reno, it's not that bad." Insisted Elena.
"Yeah, and you've got Mr. Moogle to keep you happy!" said Rude, gesturing towards the plushie at the foot of the couch.
"First of all, he is NOT called Mr. Moogle! He is called Vlax the Destroyer! And it's still not fair!" Reno muttered, crossing his arms over his chest sullenly. "Why can't I go outside, at least?"
"You heard the doctor, Reno. You can't exert yourself until you heal fully."
"But why can't I go outside?" he whined.
"You'll get into trouble." Said Tseng.
"No, I won't!"
"Yes, Reno, you will." Replied Rufus firmly.
"But, you guys, I'm going to be alone all weekend while you go to the beach house!"
"We're not going to the beach house, we're going on an important two day mission." Lied Rufus, hiding the bag containing the swimsuits and towels behind his back. "And you won't be alone. We've hired a nurse to look after you and keep you from getting lonely."
"Oh."
"Look, Reno, it's just two days. We have to leave now, or we'll be late, but you can call us if you need help!" said Elena, rushing out the door with the others. " We'll be home soon! Bye!"
"Bye." Reno muttered to the closing door, and then he was alone.
Two hours had passed since everyone had left. Reno was extremely bored.
He had read his book for fifteen minutes, got bored, and flung it against the wall. He had tried to fix himself some ramen, but he screwed up and burned it in the pan. He had tried to go to sleep, but his painful violet bruises and slight concussion had prevented even that. Finally, he had half-propped himself up on the pillows of the couch and stared at the wall.
It was half past four in the afternoon. And it had started to rain.
A knock on the door brought Reno out of a happily comatose nap. He shook his head to clear the grogginess, and tried to stand up. A jolt of pain flashed up his spine, and he gasped, falling back on the cushions. He swore for a few seconds, and then yelled, "Come in! The door's unlocked!" He groped around under the pillows for a minute, and in the end he found his nightstick. Curling his fingers around it, he smiled momentarily. It was a comfort thing.
Then the door opened, and a girl staggered in, dragging two huge suitcases behind her. Her shoulder-length ebony hair was slick and wet, and her shirt had plastered itself to her upper torso, revealing a curvaceous figure. Her mini skirt had hiked up slightly over one knee, and her knee length black leather boots glistened with water.
Reno's eyes popped slightly.
"Um…hi." He said.
She turned around. "Oh, hello." She said. "Are you Reno?"
"Yeah. I'm Reno."
"I'm Saphron, the nurse." She said, flipping her wet hair over one shoulder.
"I figured. I stand up to meet you, but I'm not allowed to get up, apparently."
"You got beat up, right?"
He nodded. "Stupid bastard tried to beat me up with my own nightstick."
Saphron looked him up and down incredulously. "Tried and succeeded."
"Only 'cause I was wasted."
"Ah. I see."
She picked up her bags. "I'm going to put these in the other room. I'll be back in a minute. Don't get into trouble while I'm gone."
Reno gestured to his surroundings. "You think I could get into trouble without moving?
"Rufus told me about you."
"He told you about my devilish attractiveness?"
"No. He told me about how you were a magnet for trouble."
And with that, she walked into the other room, leaving Reno alone.