With him around accidents just seemed to happen

It seemed like an easy enough assignment, personal guard of the president. Fighting off the occasional daring/stupid - depends on the point of view, really - terrorist and mostly just look intimidating, an easy feat when you wore a dark blue suit with matching glasses and had the general appearance of a giant.

Really, it should have been easy and it should have earned quite a few Gil , too.

But never mind the should-have-beens, reality was always different than you'd expect it to be and it was nerver, ever easy. And that's why Rude found himself continuously challenged by some injury or another, caused not by underestimated opponents, but rather by a careless move of his insane partner, Reno. The redhead was a genius when it came to fighting, wielding his electric rod like a sword, he almost never lost a match. But with him around accidents just seemed to happen; a lot. Therefore it came as no surprise, that he also spend most of his salary on new sun glasses -- to replace the ones that 'accidentaly' got broken.

And now, surrounded by aforementioned daring –stupid really- protestors, securing the safety of their president, he knew that his strongest threat was none other than his own partner, the one man he also trusted most to have his back.

He probably had the easiest and most exciting assignment imaginable. Guarding Rufus- a man that actually didn't even need that much protection- from simpleminded fools, who were usually more entertaining that threatening. A means to stay in training and in good spirits, really. But with Rude as his partner he mostly didn't even get a chance to show the more impressive moves, he seemed to stumble over his partner now and again if he tried. At least Rufus had said he did and Rude did look at him funny, almost annoyed from time to time. Ah well, accidents just seemed to happen around him, but who was he to worry about that.

All he had to worry about was keeping the president safe and earning his salary. And having fun while doing so was just what made this job all the more enjoyable, well that and the fact that it was neither too taxing nor too dangerous a job.

The few walks that the president took through the streets of Edge were rare and far inbetween and they didn't usually end like this one. Ambushed in a sparely used alley they were outnumbered and at a disadvantage. Really this hadn't happened in a long time –it never happened often enough.

It shouldn't have been this exasperating, they were supposed to be his body guards, efficient and most of all silent. Well they were good at their job, but their little accidents –or rather Reno's accidents –could be taxing at times. He sometimes wondered how Rude could take all that abuse so calmly, never even telling his partner off, and Reno never even noticed. And despite all that, they were a great team, almost invincible. Like they were now, forming a two-man-protective-circle around him, one Turk in front of him and the other at his back- they fell into their respective battlestances with practiced ease. Their six opponents searched in vain for an opening in their line to get a clear shot at him. Even while they dodged their opponents attacks, they always had his safety in mind. –They were professionals after all.-

Reno did a backward flip, drawing his elecric rod while doing so and landing purely by chance on Rude's left foot, who stumbled towards one of his opponents. Said unfortunate villain was so taken by surprise that he had no way to dodge the blow that Rude dealt to his head, using the advantage of the momentum. Reno, never once noticing the uneven ground his feet had met, propelled forward, catching one of his opponents right in the chest, with his favourite weapon. While the villain crumbled to the ground the redhead used his momentum to do a backflip. While in the air he extended one of his legs and with painful percision placed a solid kick right at his other opponents jaw. The next followed merely seconds later, he never stood a chance against the trained fighter. The remainign two adversaries pointed their weapons at Rude, trying to catch him unaware after he fell their colleague. But they were sadly mistaken, for a man of his build Rude was amazingly fast, he dodged their bullets and in one fluent moment threw himself forward, arms extended and caught both of them square in the stomachs. Just like their opponents before them they crumbled to the ground, barely making a sound. Within seconds the whole fight was over, all their opponents sorry heaps on the ground. Reno looked at their handywork and stretched his arms behind his head, in a relaxed gesture, accidently smacking Rude across the head while doing so. Rufus looked at his bodyguards. Reno's ignorant happyness and Rude's unhappy patience- whatever their antics, they certainly were professionals.

The End

A/N: another story written for my little sister, my lucky charm. She got me hyped on advent children so you owe this story to her!

My thanks to anyone who has been reading this, reviews would be very much cherished and appreciated

All the best to all of you, sehellys