Title: North of Wutai
Author: Mikkimikka
Rating: M
Summary: Right after Meteor Reno is sent to Wutai on a private mission to investigate a strange disease which is rapidly spreading. There he teams up with an unlikely ninja princess sidekick to get to the root of the matters.

01.

The true sign of the downfall of a town was the lack of any proper place to get any liquor. Or at least, that was Reno's perspective. Wutai post meteor and the Turtle Paradise still stood like an oasis in the landscape of the city. He used all of his self restraint not the weep for joy. His favorite establishment in the place was safe and all was well.

Suppressing a grin the red headed Turk slouched and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his over-sized suit pants and sauntered towards the entrance ready to indulge in the wares. Of course he was in the city for business but that never stopped him before. Why should the meteor change any of that?

He noticed, just as it was in other parts of the world, there were several sick people shambling down the streets cloaked and covered in bandages. Their number however was fewer there than other places he had been and whatever heart was left in the Turk did feel a bit relieved to see it. The sight of suffering rarely held his sympathy but he knew he would hate to die so slowly and helplessly as those infected with that strange disease.

One of the afflicted sat at the side of the door a tin can grasped in his bandaged hands. Reno stifled his gut instinct to kick the man aside when those frail fingers began to pull at his pants leg. The diseased wretch outstretched the other hand and rattled the can as he did so pleading in his strange foreign language – the language of the Wutai people around him. Of course Reno's patience began to wear thin.

He was saved from having to take any action as the pub's door flew open and an angry man – short stature, round face, dark hair and eyes, perfectly indistinguishable in the masses of people dwelling in the city – began squawking in his language at the diseased bum until the vagrant was forced to retreat. Reno watched the cloaked figure disappear over the bridge and into the crowd. He then turned and followed the worker into the building.

The bar was just as it had been when Reno had last been a patron there. There was no sign it had been hit badly by the worldwide recession and Reno had to chuckle to himself at that taking it as proof that yet another theory of his had been proven right. Where there was booze there was life.

He followed the bartender to the bar and sat at a stool. It was his usual space and felt a bit lonely with Rude or Elena at his side. He'd take it however without complaint. After all, their department was short staffed at the moment and he was the lucky one who was able to get out and stretch his legs a bit with a solo mission. He wouldn't look that gift horse in the mouth at least.

"It's been a while since I've seen one of you types here," the bartender said coming towards him and leaning forward on the counter.

Reno couldn't be sure if the man meant one of his types meaning foreigner or a worker for Shin-Ra. He supposed either would be rare at that moment. He hadn't seen a person of non Wutai decent since having landed in the city. A bit different than before all of that shit hit the fan.

"It's been awhile since I've seen a mug like yours too," Reno retorted with a smirk. "You missed me, huh?"

Reno knew for a fact that "missed" was quite not the word that the bartender would use but the man was too eager to keep his customer with deep pockets and the alcohol tolerance to go with it pleased. Reno ordered something to start, a bottle of sake, warmed, and dismissed the man with a flippant wave of his hand.

He had a long trip and he needed the drink and he could use something stronger too. He fidgeted in his pocket for a cigarette while mentally making a note to himself to look into getting some hard drugs when he could. If he was away from Rufus' urine test for awhile the least he could do was take advantage of it. His nose twitched in anticipation and he spun in his stool to survey the bar, not bothering to say even a thanks as the drink was placed by his elbow. He took it and enjoyed the feel of it warming him from the inside with the first sip then lit his cigarette. He relaxed after taking a long drag.

The place was near desolate. After all it was still petty early in the day. Reno contemplated his mission and was unsure when he would leave the city towards the north. It was territory he wasn't familiar with but that was something a Turk had to deal with. Being thrown into unfamiliarity was part of the job description. What wasn't part of his typical job description was human rights investigation and he recognized the irony in his being placed in the situation.

Either way it was best he start as soon as possible. He allowed himself this diversion at the Turtle Paradise but he would be a fool to believe his presence was not already spotted by people and word of it being passed along. He wondered if they were getting antsy, perhaps worried, his reputation, or at the very least that of the organization he stood for, wasn't exactly the best no matter what sudden crackpot bout of philanthropy and humanitarian urges Rufus was suddenly into. A sudden "change of heart" didn't clean a reputation as dirty as theirs and honestly Reno didn't mind a bit.

The drink was downed faster than Reno would have liked but it served it's purpose. Slapping down a bit of gil as he stood Reno didn't bother to straighten his even more rumpled suit and ran his fingers through coarse red hair. Break time was over and now was when business began. His boots thudded loudly against the wood of the place as he made his way towards the exit and upon pushing open the door he couldn't help but feel satisfaction by the small yet curious crowd that had gathered nearby.

He didn't understand their words but he could gather enough from their wide gazes. They were worried. Why was a Turk there? What did he want with them?

Damn, he felt good.

He stuck out his tongue and whipped out his electro rod spinning it briefly in front of him and then resting it against the crook between his neck and shoulder and drawing a fearful gasp from the crowd. He took a step forward and the locals seemed to move backwards in unison. He took another and the group bristled with fear. Now pumped up enough with pride Reno marched forward even quicker but unfortunately things weren't always as cool as he planned them in his mind.

There was a loose floor board which he managed to notice and step over (like the boss Turk he was) only to lose his footing having underestimated the distance to the steps. It was like slow motion, really, as he threw his hands in the air and boy it felt like such a long way down. His legs both gave out from under him and his mind couldn't even process the moment fast enough. Down he went and his bottom hit the stairs and slid down hitting the next one, and the next one and even further down to the next one until he had slid very ungraceful like to the bottom of the Turtle Paradise steps right onto the dirt of the road.

Reno groaned as he rolled to his knees and picked himself up.

"Smooth," a familiar voice said.

The red head Turk glanced over as he got himself back on his two feet and noticing the way the crowd seemed to dissipate, the previous tension all gone, and instead he was approached directly by a teenage girl in much to short shorts and a cropped top, not that Reno was complaining, that he was damn sure he recognized from somewhere. Those were not a pair of legs he would forget after all, though they could be considered skinny there were just the right amount of tone for him to admire even a bit.

He struggled to come up with the name.

"What do you want, Brat?"

The girl bristled and her face, which was at first neutral, turned into a glare at the name. The expression finally made it click into place for him. AVALANCHE: the girl was a member of that group, he was sure of it.

"I'm no brat," the girl said planting hands on her hips. "I'm Yuffie Kisaragi the single white rose of Wutai."

Reno rolled his eyes as he dusted his pants off and tapped his weapon again on his shoulder.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" he asked.

"You aren't wanted here," the girl said, raising her chin haughtily. "So scram."

Reno chuckled. Scram was never a word that intimidated him. This girl was no match for him without her party members. He didn't mean to underestimate the girl but he easily had her beat in strength just from body build alone not to mention he had way more experience accumulated over his many years in the service.

He began to walk past the girl, away and over the bridge. He didn't have time for the girl and he didn't have enough alcohol in him to convince him to humor her either. Unfortunately the girl didn't take the hint. She began to follow and he heard the irritation in her voice without even having to turn.

"Hey! I'm talking to you, you know."

'How can I not?' the red head thought. 'You're basically screaming in my ear.'

But still he did not stop and he heard the sounds of her feet as they pattered behind him over the wooden planks of the bridge. She ran past him and then stopped again at the foot of the bridge arms akimbo and cheek puffed in anger. Reno was forced to stop.

"You're not supposed to be here!" she accused, raising her hand and pointing with a finger.

"Yeah? Well I have orders that say otherwise."

"What orders?" she asked.

"That's classified," returned the Turk though they were not.

"Don't you have things to take care of a bit closer to home? Wutai is none of your business."

"My mission is my business no matter where it may be. I have a job to do. Now move," Reno nearly snarled, patience wearing thin.

His boss may have grown softer since his injury but Reno wasn't of the same disposition. Nothing mattered to him except doing his job and getting his pay check. That's how he was before the meteor and how he would be until the day he died. He considered him simple enough regarding that.

In fact, Reno was actually having a bit of doubt as to how much his employer really had reformed Sure he was injured now but he was having trouble believing a brush with death would lead someone who never cried nor bleed to become such a softie. Reno didn't care either way but he wouldn't put it past the President to be doing this merely as a PR move. And who was Reno to complain. He still had his job and his weapon wasn't taken away from him which was a good sign that he'd still get to get his hands dirty.

His grip tightened on his rod as he readied for himself for the ninja's probable attack. He didn't know much about her but she seemed to have a volatile temperament. Not to mention ninjas were known for speed and he didn't want to have her get the preemptive attack.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what this is all about," the girl persisted. "Why are you here?"

She didn't trust him and to be honest he didn't blame her. He had put her through hell just months prior and that was even without everything Shinra as a whole did to her home. Still, he didn't allow that to drop his guard.

"I'm waiting," she called, crossing her arms and even beginning to tap her foot.

Reno rolled his eyes and continued to walk forward. He didn't have time to amuse the girl or humor her sense of entitlement. She let out a cry of protest as he neared and when she didn't move he went around her and he noted the way she actually shifted aside for him to pass.

"Hey!" she screamed against his back. "Get back here you idiot!"

He didn't turn back though. He figured it was best to ignore her cries. One thing was for sure, for a ninja she was way too loud.

The radiation levels in the city seemed normal. There were no abnormal levels detected anywhere that Reno had observed in the city with his counter. Currently he stood in an ally wedged between a housing complex and a shopping street as he noted the digits displayed on his instrument. The presence of contaminants whether it be mako or otherwise was actually better than it was back near his place that was for sure.

Reno pocketed the device, whipped out a small notepad which was then flipped open to a marked page and scribbled some more down. After which he replaced the book in his inner breast pocket and continued on down. He had spent the day measuring and recording his findings throughout Wutai and only had a few more places left to check before he could call it a day.

As he made his way back out of the ally way he paused taking a glance around before heading all of the way out. He exited the shaded area and continued on down through the ginza. It was crowded and many bodies pushed against him which made it a good place to disappear into. He didn't know for sure but he had a sneaking suspicion he was being followed. At the moment he cursed his red hair for making him stand out like a sore thumb. In Junon he wouldn't have this problem.

Still, he had a good idea of who he was being pursued by. Though he didn't fully detect her presence he had a hunch that it was her.

He made it out of the shopping area and onto a historic street lined with restaurants but decidedly less busy then into an ally where he scaled the wall of a red painted building and clambered onto the tiled roof. With a running start he easily jumped onto the adjacent building and continued on for some time keeping both ears open for the telltale signs of feet coming up behind him. Fortunately none came and content that he put enough distance between himself and his pursuer he change coarse towards the taller buildings. He scaled up another wall, making sure to keep his feet on the wooden beams and then jumping over onto the other side of what looked like the yard of a private residence.

"Hiya!"

"Sweet baby Ifrit! Where the fuck did you come from?"

Yuffie seemed pleased with herself for startled the Turk who now sat flat on his ass in the rocks of the garden. She grinned like a cat.

"I was waiting for the perfect time to scare ya," she said.

Reno grumbled as he picked himself up.

"I thought I lost you," he noted taking a glance behind him up the wall.

"One does not just lose Yuffie Kisaragi," the girl quipped.

"I see..."

The girl dived forward quickly and effectively stealing several items from him before he could even realize what happened.

"Wait what are you-"

He didn't even finish his statement before she was gone as quick as she came leaving him standing alone just as the owner of the house he trespassed upon turned on the lights and began yelling at him in their language. Reno didn't need to understand to know to high tail it out of there. Which he did.

Dressed in only her blue underwear and a large white cotton shirt that hung off her shoulders Yuffie sat in her room legs stretched out in a V in front of her and observing the things she managed to pilfer from that idiot red head Turk. She hated all Turks just as she hated anyone to do with Shinra in general. Her travels with Avalanche just managed to convince her even more they weren't to be trusted. Seeing the Turk on her lands roving about left her uneasy.

She frowned as she looked over everything. She had his wallet which she rifled through first. It hadn't contained his identification card much to Yuffie's disappointment. She was always curious of the Turks went by their birth names or not. She also had no idea how old that dude was and that was bugging her as well. At least there was money inside! She took the crisp bills of gil out and moved to toss the wallet aside before realizing that it was not only obviously expensive but also made from the softest leather she ever had the privilege to feel.

'Not to self,' she thought as she replaced the money in the wallet and set it back down. 'The Turks make a lot of money.'

She was glad with that spoil and brushing her bangs back she moved to the next item: a switch blade knife. This wasn't so surprising. Nearly every street savvy person to the east carried one. She learned that in her times exploring that continent. It was also very nicely made and ornate indicating it was an item worth a bit. She set it down.

Next was a black box thing with two antennae, a few buttons and dials, as well as a wide dark green screen. That was the instrument she had observed the Turk using while he was walking around Wutai. She had not clue what it was but she found the power button easily.

After turning it on the green screen lit up and displayed a half moon meter of some sort from 0 to 1000. In the middle was 500 and the needle displayed was bouncing a bit around 250. Yuffie's brows knit and she turned pointing the thing around her room and watching as the needle moved a tad but not much from the original spot.

Pressing some more buttons Yuffie caused some functions to change. This time she was viewing a green screen with a wavy line horizontal across it. As she moved around the room the waves also moved. What the meaning of it was Yuffie didn't quite know but she found it nonetheless. This lead to the girl trying to out all over the place and even pointing it at her cats. One tried to swipe it with a paw and another licked the antennae before losing interest.

Returning to her room and her original place she turned to the last thing she found, a small spiral topped memo book that fit right in the palm of one hand. She pulled back the cover and found the sheet empty. The next page though had many squiggles. In sloppy writing she noted Reno had wrote the names of various places in Wutai as well as a number beside it. Most of them had number written down except two: Pagoda and river.

Looking between the pages and the instrument in her hand she decided that Reno definitely had been measuring whatever this was and writing down the results. But what it meant she really couldn't discern. The Turk had done good to not write exactly what the variables on the sheet meant, maybe in anticipation of losing it. She supposed for him to have been a Turk that long he had to have been at least a little smart.

Whatever the meaning of his business in Wutai was she felt she had the right to know and now that he had hostage his things he had a bartering chip to find out exactly what.

She flipped through a few more pages in the book and saw that more places were listed but immediately noted they weren't all in Wutai though of course they were on the continent. She noted that a lot of it was in Sai Machi, a city to the north. What business did he have there and what exactly was this device she held in her hand?

He curiosity was definitely peaked. Though Sai Machi was in her jurisdiction as well she had to admit she wasn't so familiar with the area. It was a big enough place, so she heard, but she also heard the people were sometimes stubborn and hostile to those from Wutai. What could Reno seek to gain from inspecting both areas?

Reno needed to get his shit back. That radiation detector was on loan from the company and it'd come out of his salary should he lose or damage it. That was not cheap! His switch blade too was pretty awesome. It was custom and one of a kind.

Fortunately though his identification card and other important things were carried even closer to his person than his wallet and therefore he wasn't left completely helpless after being robbed blind. He checked into a nearby inn and without bothering to turn on the light he collapsed backwards onto the bed. He folded his arms behind his head and let his feet off the edges. Only then did it occur to him that he hadn't yet eaten that day but he quickly shrugged it off opting instead to smoke a cigarette.

He sat up and reached for the pack and lighter which were left alone by his encounter with the thief of a ninja. The place was non-smoking and he didn't actually care as placed the butt between his lips. He swiped his thumb across the lighter watching as it illuminated his fingers and then the end of his cigarette. Then just as quickly he was once again bathed in the darkness.

"Aw damn," he muttered around the stick as he remembered the drugs he intended to get but forgot about during the course of the day.

He figured it was OK and he'd get it later. Knowing that he'd get his fix was the only thing that kept him from getting anxious about when he'd next hit.

Instead he had to focus on meeting the ninja again and getting his things back. He wouldn't say "no matter the cost" though. Reno was sure he'd be able to settle things on his own terms.

Falling back against the bed again, not caring a bit about the ashes getting in the sheets, Reno let his eyes fall shut.

-to be continued-

AN:thanks for reading and please review! I really appreciate it!