The Turks

Rudes story- Worlds falling apart

Chapter 1

"Who do you like?"

What was this, the ninetieth time?

"Tifa" Rude replied, wishing that Reno would get a life.

It's been years now...

"Goddamn it Rude. Still?" he paused "Doubt the feelings mutual. I mean, She, Cloud and the ancient kicked your ass at Gonaga"

"You were there to Reno" Elena chimed in, with her usual good timing.

Oh PLEASE don't piss him off

"Damn it Elena, I couldn't make Rude look bad. If he'd just shape up I would've killed those damn rebels" he added "besides, we stuck around. I notice when they turned up you did your roadrunner act"

Elena went bright red, which really helped her hair stand out. She had pissed Reno off. It was likely he was going to go to the bar and drink until he forgot about her challenging him.

"I'm gonna go have a drink" Elena went to say something so he added "On my own! I haven't a chance of pulling with you two tagging along"

With that, he turned and walked out of the room. Elena turned on me.

"If he does pull, it'll be a disgrace on women everywhere"

"That's hardly true"

She seemed surprised at that response.

"How can you say that? He...He treats you like shit Rude. Blames all his failures on you, claims the credit for all your work, you should be leading us"

"No, Tsengs good at the job"

"Tsengs only leader by name. Anyone here can see Reno runs the show"

This was true, the shinra only appointed Tseng because someone needed to oversee the work. Reno took the lead whenever we went anywhere. I was behind him all the way.

"Maybe you're right. But I don't want to challenge Reno. He's my friend"

"You...You really call that a friend?" she asked, shocked

"He only acts that way because he's been through a lot, okay?" I realized I was shouting "Sorry" I added

"That's alright...I guess, but that's BS Rude. People use their pasts as excuses. You know that. You remember Zell? He did that too"

"But it's true. He'll probably tell you one day... we'll go down there later. The bar. He can handle his drink. He won't be completely smashed; we'll ask him why he joined up. You'll see what I was talking about."

"Fine I guess... Say Rude" she considered "Why did you join up?"

I stood and looked out the window.

Wutai come a long way since the war.

"Rude?"

So have I, I guess.

He sat again.

"Sure, why not. It's a long, boring story though. Sure you're interested?"

She nodded and took a sip of her coffee.

"Well I was always a city kid" I began "When I first met him I was a fifteen year old loser. A street punk, in the slums it was the law of the jungle when you-"

"Met him? You talking about Reno?"

"Who's telling the story?"

"Oh right, sorry"

"Anyway, when you were homeless it was the law of the jungle so-"

"You were HOMELESS!"

"Elena? Were you there?"

"Huh?"

"Then shut up and let me tell the story"

"Sorry"

Chapter 2

Rude sat up with a start. It was morning.

Damn it, worst night's sleep I ever had

There was a war on. Shinra's troops were away fighting in Wutai. This was his chance, he knew.

He stood and entered the Shinra's headquarters, right away trampled by a squad of troops

Probably off to Wutai

The receptionist tried to stop him but he just kept on walking. The security was a lot lower since the war had begun. Who would have known those damn Ninja's would have put up such a fight? There was ONE town in Wutai. That's all. The rest was grassland and cliffs.

The receptionist gave up. He waited for the lift to arrive on his floor and went to the gym floor. In he changing rooms he hid in a shower cubicle, waiting. It paid off. Eventually one on shinra's "finest" came in. Rude had always been a fighter. He knocked him out with a quick blow to the back of his head

Not long after that he was in shinra troop gear. He had no time to waste. After grabbing the semi automatic he had been carrying he sprinted to the roof. That was like, twenty more floors. Didn't even occur him to take the elevator.

When he arrived he was just in time to board a Gelinka. One of the shinra's light aircrafts. Just large enough to carry the Special Forces, soldier.

He boarded without a great deal of trouble. Everyone thought he was simply one of the three backup troops.

Why am I doing this?

It wasn't until they were in the air that he chanced a glance at the rest of the crew.

Oh shit

This transport was carrying, not just Special Forces, but shinra's fucking best. This meant they would probably be right in where the action was. To put it bluntly, he knew he was screwed. There were two other troops, like they thought he was. Two other people that he assumed were members of SOLDIER. SOLDIER was comprised of the best and only the best. They were for special operations. A few members of SOLDIER, it was rumored, were powerful enough to take on the rest of Shinra. He also saw the Reno of the Turks, laughing at something a guy beside him had just said.

Rudes eyes widened.

Sephiroph.

He was SOLDIER, first class. Apparently the Shinra's deadliest weapon. He had defeated entire armies before apparently.

"Sephiroph?" Elena was shocked "You guys knew SEPHIROPH? THE Sephiroph?"

"Yeah, THE Sephiroph. Back then it was a huge thing. I meant to board the other ship. I was too late. Didn't realize I was going to be working Special Forces until I was in the air and I saw the others" Rude sighed.

Elena was silent for a moment. Rude spoke up.

"You know, Reno and the troops were only there to have the shinra troops retreat and regroup, the members of SOLDIER were to lead the battle, without the aid of our army, until Reno finished regrouping them of course"

"So you guys never had a chance to fight alongside him? The great Sephiroph"

"I didn't say that"

"You did?"

"Let me continue"

About halfway through the trip, when they were passing over Cosmo canyon, Reno called the troops together.

"Okay boys, I want you to work the regrouping for me, got it?" he added "Sephiroph not invincible, I'm going to support him"

That got a salute.

"SIR" the other two hollered. Their feet snapped together. I followed a moment two late. Reno was eyeing me suspiciously.

"Dismissed" but as we walked out "Not you" he said grabbing my shoulder "Wait here"

He left and came back with Sephiroph. They locked the door. Now I was nervous.

"You hesitated back there" Reno mused "You have a problem with orders?"

"N-No SIR"

Sephiroph laughed.

"You're not fooling anyone kid, take that helmet off"

"Why?"

"Maybe we weren't clear enough" Reno chuckled, taking two revolvers from his jacket

I hastily removed my helmet. I tried so fast I ended up dropping it. They couldn't stop laughing. I looked like a scared little kid. I figured they'd radio ahead and speak to the men on the field, have someone ready to escort me home, but I was wrong.

"Think he's a danger?" Reno asked his taller war buddy

"He better be" Sephiroph mused "since we already had a perfectly capable soldier"

"Why you here?"

I lowered my head

"I just wanted to help, but you won't let me, will you?"

They started laughing again, and for a long time they wouldn't stop. Eventually they subsided and Reno took my gun

"Try and grab this back" he threw it into the air

Me and Sephiroph jumped for it, he beat me by centimeters. Now I was pissed off. Here they are testing me and they put me against the most powerful weapon they have.

"Punch me" Reno ordered

I wasn't sure I had heard right

"Punch me" he insisted

What the hell?

I drew my fist back and got him square in the face. He tried to avoid it but wasn't fast enough. His head snapped back. He was bleeding. But he just laughed. Sephiroph handed me back my gun.

"Welcome aboard kid"

This really cheered me up, but I was still sure I had heard wrong.

"You even HURT me" Reno laughed, apparently unconcerned about his blood flow "You can fight for us"

"Thank you"

"We just got to do a bit of a survey...Name?"

"Rude"

"Age?"

"16" I lied

"Weapon of choice?"

"These fists of mine, but I'll take the gun just in case"

"Fair enough...Materia?"

"Err...no"

"That won't do. Sephiroph'll fix that. You got spirit kid; we want you fighting with us on the battlefield, okay?"

I burst with happiness. There were so many things I wanted to say. I was going to fight alongside Sephiroph, THE Sephiroph, and Reno too. I wanted to ask what Materia I was getting, what the plan was, weather or not this was going to be a permanent position, instead I just said...

"Show me where to start"

Chapter 3

"I don't believe it Rude, I really don't"

"Believe it"

"You...You were on the frontlines in the war fighting alongside Sephiroph"

"So was Reno"

Elena's mouth was hanging wide open. She had been listening with rapt attention.

"So then what happened?"

"Reno went to speak to the pilot. To radio ahead so they knew that only two troops would be authorizing the retreat. Sephiroph gave me some materia. I walked out of that room with Master Fire, healing magic, and barrier defensive spells. Still got 'em all. I only use Fire offensive magic in battle now, you know that" I laughed "But I never entirely trusted materia. I got in the habit of linking it with my attacks, rather than just using it normally"

"That's right" Elena giggled "I always wondered why you did that. I wasn't sure you knew how to use it or something"

Rude didn't reply.

"You there buddy?"

"Yeah, let me get on with it"

The aircraft landed and Rude didn't even have a chance to catch his breath. Wutai soldiers swarmed them, but all of them put together were no match for Sephiroph. Reno and Rude were essentially watching. It didn't look like Sephiroph needed the support.

I came here to fight. That's not going to happen if I stay with Sephiroph.

Reno laughed. It was the first, and not the only, time that Rude got the impression he could read his mind.

"C'mon kid" he chuckled "He's fine by himself. Lets go clear the valley"

Reno tuned and ran. Rude followed. He had been briefed in the Gelinka. Dragon Bone Valley leads to a small beach. Wutai had reinforcements to be delivered by sea, but obviously wouldn't risk coming onto the island from the west. The shinra fleet was docked there.

The moment they got into the valley they were attacked. Reno took it all in his stride, dispatching one opponent after another. Rude didn't think he was FAILING; he was actually amazed at his own ability. By the time they arrived at the beach however, he was exhausted, whereas Reno seemed fine.

Disaster struck right then. Another group of soldiers attacked, but Reno seemed more preoccupied with the adamantoise beside him. He killed it, and it fell. Right on top of him. Reno was trapped, with only his face visible. He was unconscious.

I'm on my own

So he fought on. Of course he couldn't last forever. Eventually he decided he had to run.

I can't just leave him behind

Rude ran for the fallen adamantoise, and with a great deal of effort, tipped it over. He slung Reno over his shoulder and ran. He didn't look back. He passed Sephiroph.

He'll deal with them for me I guess

Back on Gelinka, Reno awoke. When Sephiroph and Rude told him what had happened, Reno was extremely pissed off.

Right then Rude decided something. He made an oath to himself that he would carry to his death.

I have to make it up to him

"My god" Elena closed her eyes "You joined because you felt guilty for saving his life?"

"Yeah"

"...and you make up for this by protecting him and...Saving his life"

"Yep"

"Before I saved him he had pride at least, but then his life was saved by a fifteen year old rookie" Rude added "To a guy like that it's worse than death"

"But-"

"He lost everything that day. His pride, his reputation, his spirit for this work, even his enthusiasm for life himself. You don't know the Reno I knew" Rude laughed "He would always talk about his many admirers back then as well. Maybe he hasn't changed that much"

Elena seemed shocked. She opened her mouth to say something, but clearly thought better of it.

"So anyway" Rude continued "I figured if I had already screwed his reputation over, what could it hurt to keep helping him?"

"But surely-"

He waved his hand impatiently.

"I don't care. Tomorrow though, you can tell me why you joined up. People don't just get into the Turks for the pay. Reno's got an interesting story too"

With that he left the room, and he could have sworn that he heard Elena mutter under her breath "I'd rather forget my reasons"