This is all pretty much out of my own head, just using bits and pieces from ACC and occasionally FF7 games. It's similar to one I've tried (and failed) before, but I've decided to do it anyway, just with some adjustments...

Warnings for the fic: language (of course, Reno comes with his own warning...as does my Raine :D), smut (^_^) and violence.

I don't own Final Fantasy or any of the characters apart from Raine...God knows what would happen if I did...

"OUCH!" I scream, feeling a fist hit my nose. I'm thankful it doesn't break, but it still hurts. A lot. I glare up at the filthy boys standing over me. "Jeez, don't ya have any respect? I'm a girl for cryin' out loud!"

"You're a dirty slut," one of the boys sneers. "And you steal."

"So what? We all do – we have to." I glare venomously, choosing to ignore the 'slut' comment. "Unless you've forgotten, we're in the Slums 'ere mate. You wanna live, you gotta steal."

"But you stole from us."

I spit at the boys. "I didn't, you fuckin' bastards."

One of them laughs as I get another punch for my answer, in the gut this time. I double over, trying to breathe. I act it up, pretending to crumple to the floor. If I've learnt anything from my life, it's that playing dead almost always works. It has the effect I wanted: the boys cackle and run off. I straighten up with difficulty, holding a hand gingerly over my nose as I start walking away, wincing.

Stupid liars, I rage, kicking a crushed can out of my path. Always settin' me up for stuff I didn't do... well I'll show them...one day. I pay no attention to where I'm walking, kicking angrily at anything that gets in the way. One day I'm gonna get them so bad they're gonna wish they'd—

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a loud voice interrupts my fit of anger. I stop abruptly, narrowly avoiding walking into someone.

"Sorry," I mutter, trying to edge past them. A hand shoots out and grabs my shoulder. I look up sharply, expecting one of the boys back, or some adult accusing me of stealing - again. Then I see the black blazer and EMR. My eyes widen and I freeze before slowly raising my eyes to his face. The blood slithers out of my face at the sight of the Turk who has hold of me, and my heart begins to pound erratically.

Oh crap, I'm in trouble.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where d'you think you're going?" he asks, keeping a firm hold on me as I try to leg it. I struggle desperately, wanting to be as far away from him as possible, as fast as possible, but he keeps a strong grip that I can't break. At least he doesn't use the EMR hanging from his other wrist. Thank Gaia for small mercies.

"I haven't done anythin', I don't know anythin', lemme go!" I shriek, loud enough for the Turk to wince.

"Not so loud, yo. I don't want to go deaf." Something in the Turk's voice makes me stop and really look. Unlike most of the Turks, this one isn't neatly dressed: his shirt is untucked and open at the collar, his blazer unzipped. His goggles are pushed up onto his forehead. He is grinning at me, bright red hair falling into his eyes. "Well, hello there. Nice to see you've stopped squirming."

"What d'ya want?" I ask, caught off guard by his lazy drawl of a voice. "I haven't done nothin'," I say again, worried. He laughs.

"I know you haven't," he says, loosening his grip on my shoulder and adds, "I saw you earlier."

My face grows hot. "Wh-what?"

"Those kids beating you up." He frowns, but his face doesn't seem to go completely serious. I wonder briefly if it ever does. "What did you do, dump one of 'em?"

I shake my head vigorously. "No! No, they...they said I stole from 'em. Which I didn't," I add quickly, afraid that he will take it that way.

"Nah, course not." The Turk shakes his head, his smile returning. "We know that."

"We?" I repeat, starting to feel scared again. "Who's 'we'?"

I really don't like the way the Turk grins at me, as if I'm stupid. I scowl and jerk away quickly, catching the Turk by surprise. I start running, glancing behind me to see if I'm being followed – and smack hard into another Turk. I rebound and fall on my backside painfully. Wincing, I stare up at the new one, disbelief and anger mixing.

"You gotta be kiddin' me."

"Not kidding, yo," says the red-headed Turk, sounding on the verge of laughter as I jump up and try to dodge past the other one – and end up getting picked up and slung over his shoulder for my troubles.

"Hey! Lemme go you creep! Fuckin' Turk!" I screech into my captor's ear, kicking his chest and pounding his back with no effect whatsoever. "What the hell, huh? Kidnappin' people now? What's wrong with you, huh?"

"She's loud," the Turk holding me mutters to his companion. "Reminds me of you, Reno."

I twist my head to look at the other Turk furiously. "Reno, huh? Well, Reno, get this idiot to put me the fuck down or I'm gonna bite him."

The red-headed Turk bursts into laughter as I glare at him. The man holding me doesn't make a sound, but his grip on me tightens slightly. When The red-head finally regains some semblance of calm, he nods to the other Turk.

"C'mon, let's take her back to Tseng."

I swear loudly as I'm carried towards a chopper. "No way! Hell no am I going with you! Let. Me. GO!"

But no matter how much I shout, swear, kick or bite, the Turk refuses to let me go. Of all the people watching – and that is a grand total of four, one of them a kid – not one offers help. Well, that's the Slums for ya, I think sourly. I'm bundled unceremoniously into the chopper, and the red-headed Turk – Reno – quickly starts it up, taking off before I can struggle free. When we are too high for me to jump out without at least severely hurting or killing myself, the Turk lets me go.

"What's goin' on here?" I demand once I've been released. I glare at the back of Reno's head, since the other Turk doesn't answer me. "Oi, ginger. Where are ya takin' me, huh?"

Reno glances back at me, an amused smirk on his face. "Don't think I've ever been called ginger before, yo."

I scowl. "Fuck you then."

He just laughs and turns back to the flight controls. I throw myself onto the floor, crossing my arms and legs and – for lack of a better word – sulk. I don't like the other Turk's silence, or the way he never takes his glasses off. It's creepy. After a while, I just watch Reno flying the chopper. Despite my annoyance, I'm fascinated. I've always wanted to learn how to fly one, but being a kid from the Slums, I can't. In spite of myself, I find the way Reno flies the chopper so effortlessly quite awesome.

"So, what's your name?" he calls back suddenly, surprising me.

"Don't you know it?" I retort. "I thought Turks knew everythin'."

Reno laugh. "Nah, not everything. So, your name?"

I stay silent for long enough that Reno glances back at me. "Raine," I say sullenly, looking away from him.

Reno nods. "Cool name yo."

My lips twitch. Not quite a smile – I never smile, never have a good reason to. But Reno notices, and a full blown grin spreads across his face, much to my annoyance.

"Wey-hey, we have a break-through!" he crows and I poke my tongue out at him, not caring that it's childish. I turn my attention to the silent Turk. He doesn't look at me, despite me staring at him. He is dressed typical Turk, neater than his partner (that's what I assume Reno is anyways). His eyes are hidden behind the dark glasses, and I really don't like that I can't see his expression.

"You're creeping me out," I say bluntly, hoping to provoke him into talking. It doesn't work: he just smiles humourlessly without looking at me. I push my bottom lip out. "Duuuude. Talk."

"Why?" he says slowly, and I grin triumphantly.

"Ahaha! You talked!"

The Turk raises an eyebrow and looks toward Reno. "Are you sure she's not some sort of long lost relative of yours Reno? She's got your level of immaturity about right."

"Haven't got any fuckin' relatives, idiot," I snarl, good mood gone, giving him my best glare. "That's why I'm in the Slums on my own."

There is a silence, then, "Got the language too."

Reno tries unsuccessfully to smother a laugh as I start cursing the Turks using every name under the sun – and a lot that probably aren't heard outside the Slums. I slowly fall silent as the gravity of the situation suddenly dawns on me. Oh Gaia, I'm stuck in a chopper with two Turks. Oh CRAP I'm gonna die.

"Just...just tell me somethin'," I say shakily, looking at my hands. "Are you gonna kill me?"

Another half smothered laugh from Reno. "Course we're not gonna kill you, kid. We're not the soulless bastards we're made out to be."

I raise my eyes to look at Reno sarcastically. "That makes me feel sooooo much better. And I am not a kid."

"Well I suppose eighteen isn't a kid," he agrees peaceably, "but you do look younger."

I gape at the back of Reno's head. "How the hell –?"

"I'm good at guessing ages," Reno says, sounding slightly smug. "And I guessed right. Even though you look like a twelve year old."

"Oh shut up." I know I look younger than eighteen – it's quite useful if I need the sympathy factor. But I never liked people pointing it out. I squint at Reno suspiciously. "How much do you actually know about me, huh?"

Reno is silent, although I'm not sure whether it's in avoidance of my question or the fact that we seemed to be landing. I tense, ready to run at any moment. Unfortunately, the silent Turk second guessed me and had moved right behind me. He takes hold of my arm as the chopper touches down, so my escape plan is ruined. I'm half led, half dragged off the chopper, Reno trying not to laugh at the outraged expression on my face.

"Hey, Rude, I think she likes you."

"Like hell I do," I snap, trying yet again to pull away. I'm being led through a building with lots of corridors, and I don't like it. It's too claustrophobic, even for me. And I'm used to living in the Slums. "Where are you takin' me?"

"To Tseng," Reno says, grinning at me. "We've got a sort of...proposition for you, yo."

My heart sinks about a million miles. "I'm not goin' back, am I?" I say quietly, looking down at the floor. No one answers me, so I assume they either didn't hear or care. I finally give up struggling and follow meekly, feeling my last traces of hope quickly fading. Kidnapped by Turks. Probably gonna be in some sort of experiment or somethin', like those SOLDIER guys Denzel told me about before... Another almost-smile tugs at my mouth at the thought of the little orphan. I know he's been taken in by Cloud Strife, everyone's hero. Haven't seen him much since then, but I'd been quite friendly with him before. He'd told me all about the SOLDIER experiments. I shudder violently. Hell no am I letting' them experiment on me – not without a fight!

Just as I have made up my mind to try for another escape, we stop. Reno knocks on the door and opens it. The silent Turk – 'Rude' sounds about right – pushes me ahead of him into the room beyond. I stumble slightly and turned to glare at the two of them.

"Nice," I snap, not aware of the other people in the room at that point. "Why don't ya just shove me into the damn –"

Someone clears their throat subtly and I freeze, slowly turning my head to look behind me. I groan quietly. More bloody Turks. This just isn't my day.

"Well done, Reno," says one of the men, sounding slightly sarcastic. "You got her here in one piece."

"Shut up." Reno rolls his eyes. "I've never failed yet, Tseng, and I ain't planning on it anytime soon."

Tseng smiles at me. "Hello Raine, nice to finally meet you."

I glower, anger back full force now. "Oh, so you know my name. Brilliant. Were you lyin' then, Reno?" I say, shooting a black look at him. He shrugs.

"I didn't get told your name, yo. Just a description."

"Hmph." I turn back to Tseng. "What the fuck do ya want with me, huh?"

For a moment, Tseng looks taken aback. The other one laughs quietly.

"I think we've found Reno's long-lost little sister," he says, obviously hoping for a reaction from Reno. He gets one from me instead – two fingers. "Oh, most definitely. I wonder how else she's like Reno?"

"Vincent," Tseng says, frowning. "A little courtesy, please."

Vincent salutes – a little mockingly I thought – and stayed silent, watching me with shadowed eyes. I feel a shiver run down my spine as I meet his gaze. There is something not quite right about this guy. It looks like he's pondering whether or not to eat me alive. Why are all the Turks so creepy? I think to myself, examining him out of the corner of my eye. Actually... is he even a Turk? He looks different. No suit.

"I must apologise for the impromptu pick-up, Raine," Tseng says sincerely, interrupting my thoughts. "But it seemed like the situation was getting a little out of hand. We were planning on waiting until you were older to contact you, but you seemed to be gaining a lot of enemies where you were, so I thought it'd be in your best interests to get out of there as soon as possible."

I gape. "You what?"

"Sorry," Tseng says, smiling. "I forgot to mention we've been monitoring you for a while now."

"The fuck?" I say angrily, feeling heat rise in my face. "You've been spyin' on me?"

"We have." Tseng is utterly unashamed, which makes me even angrier. I narrow my eyes and clench my fists.

"Hey, Reno, mind if I borrow your EMR for a second?"

Reno starts laughing, as does the creepy non-Turk, Vincent. Tseng can't stop a smile as I stand fuming.

"I wasn't kiddin'."

"I'm sure you weren't," Tseng says, nodding slightly. "And you have every reason to be angry, but before you go berserk with Reno's EMR, I'd like to ask you to consider something."

My anger recedes somewhat, curiosity getting the better of me. "Consider what?"

Tseng looks pointedly at Reno, who is still sniggering. "If you don't mind, Reno."

"Sorry, yo." He shuts up. Tseng looks back at me very seriously.

"How would you like to become a Turk, Raine?"

I stare at him, shocked into silence. I can't believe what I've just been asked - my mind refuses to process it into anything logical. Because there is no way I was just asked to become a Turk. Not me, no way. Tseng must have made some sort of mistake; got the wrong person. Why would he ask me?

"Raine?" Vincent asks quietly, his expression carefully blank. "You know you don't have to."

"Vincent, I think you should leave now," Tseng says pleasantly, but I can hear the underlying irritation in his voice. Vincent raises an eyebrow at the Wutanese man but says nothing as he stalks past me to the door and vanishes. I blink, still in shock.

"I think..." I say slowly. "That you just asked me to be a Turk."

"I did," Tseng says, a confused frown on his face. "Do you have an answer?"

"I don't fuckin' know, do I?" I cry, throwing my hands into the air. "I've just been dragged from the closest thing I have to a home. I've been given no explanation as to what the fuck I'm even doin' 'ere. I don't even know how the hell you know my name and where I was - and I don't like it. I don't like the fact that you creeps have been followin' me around for Gaia knows how long, and I really don't like the fact that you just expect me to jump at the chance to be part of the company that screwed the rest of us over!" I pause, breathing hard, very aware of the heavy silence around me. But I can't stop, I blunder on recklessly. "I'm eighteen. I'm barely a legal adult, and you're askin' me to be a fuckin' Turk? What kind of heartless bastard does that, huh? Well?"

Tseng looks very surprised. He blinks and averts his eyes, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "It wasn't my decision, Raine."

"Then who the fuck is it?" I spit, clenching my fists. "Cos whoever it is, I'm gonna kick their face in."

A snort of laughter from behind me earns a glare from Tseng. I am silently glad that Reno obviously isn't as uptight as the rest of them, but I'm still supremely pissed. The silence stretches on for about a minute before I sigh and drag a hand through my tangled, waist length hair. Part of my mind tells me I seriously need to find a hair brush. Then that leads me to another train of thought that I didn't want to go down, but makes me pause and really think. I've just been offered a job - a well paid job. A chance to escape from the Slums for good. Even if it's for a company I hate, it's a very, very good opportunity for me. I half turn to look behind me at Reno.

"Can I have a minute to think this over?" I ask quietly. I'm not sure why I'm asking Reno. Maybe it's just because he's not as creepy as the other two. "Please?"

Reno glances past me at Tseng, who must have nodded because Reno then nods to me. "Sure. You wanna go outside?"

After a brief hesitation I nod. Reno opens the door and I walk slowly out of the room. He follows me, which annoys me until he shuts the door and turns to me with a small smile.

"You okay kid?"

"Not really," I say morosely. "I mean, would you be in my position?"

Reno scratches the back of his neck, looking a little awkward. "Uhh, actually, I have been in your position. Like, almost exactly."

"Huh?" I stare at Reno incredulously, not quite grasping his meaning. "What d'you mean?"

Reno half grinned. "I lived in the Slums as a kid too. Got picked up, like you, but I'd always wanted to be a Turk. So, I said yes straight away." He sighed. "I've never regretted it much, until..."

I nod slowly, understanding what he is talking about. I couldn't help the resentment I felt towards Shinra - after all, the company destroyed a lot of lives through its actions; Sephiroth didn't do so much damage without a head start in my opinion - but I could see the sense in me working for them, if only for a little while, just to get somewhere in life. Not a lot of kids from the Slums got a chance like this. I say as much to Reno, and he smiles and nods.

"You got that right, yo."

"So..." I think for a moment. "D'you think I should?"

Reno looks slightly taken aback. "You're asking me?" I nod. "Uh, well... It's a personal choice, Raine. You've gotta live with it... But in my opinion, I'm not sure it was a good idea for the President to ask for you so early..."

"Rufus Shinra?" I scowl. "Hmph. Well..." I think in silence for a while longer. Reno leans against the wall, looking at the ceiling. I appreciate his efforts to not distract me, but I'm still not sure what I want to do. I run through everything in my head: everything I know about Shinra and the Turks (which isn't a lot), my life in the Slums so far, and the possible pros and cons to being a Turk. After about five minutes, I sigh and look at Reno. "Okay, I've made my decision."

He just nods silently and opens the door, holding it for me as I go through. Tseng and Rude turn to stare at me as I enter, and I look back at them defiantly.

"Have you made your decision Raine?" Tseng asks quietly.

"Yeah," I say after a short hesitation. I take a deep breath. "Okay. I'll do it. On one condition," I say quickly as Tseng smiles. He pauses, eyeing me warily. I can tell he's expecting something extravagant, but I raise and eyebrow and say, "there is no freakin' way I'm wearin' a tie."

There ya go, first chappie done. Reviews make me happy, and make my work better. Just sayin'.