"Heh, no, Shinra didn't corrupt me," a cocky tone announced, words muttered out of one corner of the speakers mouth, as a cigarette butt occupied the other half. "They hired me because I was already corrupt."

"Humpf." A prissy, rather delicate tone returned. "You don't follow orders, you show up for work drunk, you smoke in the building, I don't see why Shin-Ra would want you in the first place."

That statement resulted in a rather wry smile, as a pair of icy blue eyes gazed across the table to the blonde female, staring though a few stray strands of fire red hair. "They don't want me, they need me. I'm just that damned good."

A slight cough was heard, it sounded like someone was trying to smother a laugh. Those blue eyes quickly shot to the towering form beside him. "Shut the hell, up, Rude!" the red head snapped. The dark skinned male quickly regained control of himself, pressing those dark glasses further upon his nose, giving a slight nod to show it would not happen again. He knew Reno, and his dirty little undertones, far too well.

That blue gaze quickly returned to the female, pulling one black, fingerless standard-issue Turk uniform glove from his hand. "Fine, you wanna know why I'm so damned 'corrupt,' Elena? I'll tell ya a story, but it's not what you wanna hear."

That blonde head bobbed, brown eyes curious. Nodding once more, the red head lifted his drink to his lips, taking a long drink before setting it on the table, pausing a moment before he spoke again.

"Midgar Slums, Sector Five, I was sixteen years old..."