Disclaimer: I don't own any of FF VII characters, only Flay-chan.
Setting: ½ year after Advent Children
Summary: Reno gets a new trainee with mysterious powers who sometimes really tries his self-control and patience. Before Crisis Turks are also included. Mainly OC's POV.
Pairings: Reno/OC, one-sided Rod/OC and Rude/Tifa, later Rod/Gun, Rude/Martial Arts, hints for Tseng/Elena
Warnings: Nothing for this chapter.
Author notes: Sorry for my grammar mistakes.
Mellow and Cold Hues of Red
Chapter1: Midgar
The next morning I put on my training clothes, tidied myself up, and at about 10 began my journey. In Junon I got a small discount from the fuel's price.
- And good luck with your new job!
- Yup. Thank you for everything, oji-san.
- Take care.
- You, too – I sprang on my motorcycle and continued my journey in the direction of Midgar.
I reached the city in an hour. Although it'd been only a couple of months since I had been there the city had been greatly changed. The most of the ruins, scraps had been removed and many houses had been done up.
I'd heard that the past half year was eventful for the city, but I'd never thought that the transmutation could be this spectacular.
The Shinra Company got straight again, all the Mako Reactors had been pulled down, and the use of a new energy source had been started. Lower and Upper Midgar existed no more. The plate what separated the two parts of the city had been fully pulled down. I had to say: the company and the citizens did a good job.
Some things hadn't changed though: kids were playing in the front of the old church, some pickpockets were still active.
I parked my motorcycle in front of the bar. Five kids were playing tag. One of them suddenly ran behind me, clung into my clothes and shouted:
- Safe! Nyeh-nyeh, Marlene-chan, you can't catch me! - I lifted my right arm to look at that person who was hiding behind me. The little girl hardly reached my waist. Her fuzzy long blond hair was combed in a ponytail on the top of her head. On her turned-up nose small moles lined up. She blinked at me cheerfully with her big green eyes. She held a plush chocobo in her right hand.
- Oi, Celine-chan. I can't remember if I was a fort.
- That's right! - shouted Marlene – Let Flay-oneechan go! It isn't fair! - reaching by me she tried to catch Celine, who was turning from left to right trying to avoid being caught not letting her grip on my clothes.
- Oi, I'm not a yo-yo!
The game had been ended by a familiar voice:
- Marlene, Celine, let Flay-san go.
- Gomen ne, Tifa.
Tifa put her hands on her hips:
- I'm not the one whom you should say this.
Celine put her hand on her lips:
- True. Gomen ne, Flay-oneechan.
I stroked the top of their heads:
- It's alright.
- Celine, Marlene, I've a big mission for you – both of the girls ran toward her.
- What, What? What?
- I've prepared Cloud's lunch and I need two smart girls to take it up to his room.
- Roger!
- You can find it below the bar.
- Roger! - the two kids disappeared behind the door.
Tifa gave me an embarrassed smile:
- Sorry if they caused you trouble, Flay-san.
- Not at all, Tifa-san.
- The usual refresher, perhaps?
I chuckled a bit:
- No, no, now not. I've come in a business matter.
- Oh, I see. But can I offer you a refresher anyway?
- Okay, I would like to take one.
- Please, come in.
- Thank you.
The bar hadn't changed. Only in that it was almost empty. But if we look at the time, well, no wonder. I looked around: only 3 hard-hats and a blond girl in a business suit were there. The hard-hats looked at me, then returned to sipping their beers.
The blond girl's vision settled on me. She smiled and waved at me:
- Flay, over here!
- Elena? - her hair was long when I last saw her. Her big brown fawn-eyes and her curious visage were the same.
I sat next to her.
- Hi. Sorry, I could hardly recognize you. You've changed.
She put a curl what fall in her face behind her right ear.
- You think so? - I nodded.
- I'm happy that you came.
- Me, too.
- Aw, I have so much to tell you! - another impresses: rave and babble. Without these she couldn't be Elena – I thought.
I didn't want to bring her down, but I really wanted to know what was going on.
- Uhm... Elena, could we talk about this later? I've come in a business matter.
- Oh – she answered with downcast eyes – Sorry.
- It's okay.
Meanwhile Tifa arrived with my refresher.
- Thank you.
She nodded with a smile, then returned to the bar and turned on the radio.
- Well?
Elena cleared her throat and leaned in closer:
- As you could see with your own eyes, many things have been changed in this city. We've pulled all of the Mako Reactors down successfully. The only thing for we use Mako energy is producing Materia. A producing of a new type of Materia is under way, by this the use of the new energy source is included as well.
- What kind of power source is it exactly?
- I know that it sounds too easy and unbelievable, but light energy is transformed to a power source, so this way the planet isn't harmed.
- I see.
She took a sip of her coffee then continued:
- Shinra-san employed many people to help by the rebuilding of the city. Many people from the late slums are working at the buildings, too. The city hasn't been so flourishing even by the time of the late President Shinra.
- True. But say it clearly, Elena: why has your boss chosen me?
- Well, once he was holding a meeting with us, the Turks, he said that we needed some reinforcement of the new Materia's shortly completion. Rude is an awesome instructor, but the newbies are still... lame. We need someone who is strong and learns quickly. Well, when I mentioned your talents to my boss, he wanted you. He insisted on me to call you and ask you to join us.
- I see – I drank my refresher quickly – So, you're working as an employment agent, too?
She chuckled:
- Only for you. We're friends for after all.
I smiled at her:
- True.
- Well? - she drank the rest of her coffee with one sup – What do you say?
- You've written in your letters on the whole about what field of work are you in, what are you doing, and according that you've just told me... I like it.
Her smile got wider:
- Hurray! So you're going to join?! Cool! - she walked round the table and gave me a bear-hug. I was surprised at the sudden gesture, but returned it.
- And when can I start?
She let me go:
- Today.
- Wow, isn't that a bit rash?
She shook her head:
- Not at all.
I noticed a bag in her hands.
- What is this?
She pointed at the bag:
- Your uniform.
My smile grew:
- Your boss sure is confident.
- True – she handed the bag over – Go change.
I turned to Tifa:
- Tifa-san, is there a place in this bar when I could change?
She nodded:
- Sure. Please, follow me – Elena and me caught up with her.
Narrow stairs led us to the upper floor. The narrow passage's walls were decorated with framed children's drawings. We stopped at the fifth door on the left. Tifa smiled at me:
- This is my room. Here – she unlocked then opened the door.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome. I have to go back to the bar. Would you lock the door when you're finished?
- Sure.
- Thank you – she bowed then went back to the bar.
Elena smiled at me:
- I'll watch over. Go ahead.
- Thanks – I closed the door behind me.
The room wasn't overcrowded: a wardrobe, a bed, a night-table and a desk with a chair. That's all. There were children's drawings on the walls in this room, too. I could recognize some of the people on them. On one of them there was a big brown-green blot with dark beard and an eggbeater-like right arm?! Next to the brown blob a smaller blob in pink clothes. That must be Marlene's drawing – I thought. Next to that drawing I could see an another one of her masterpieces: a yellow-black blur and a brown-black blur. He-he, that must be Cloud-san and Tifa-san. I didn't have any time to admire the other works, because I heard an urgent knock:
- Flay, do they fit on you?
- It hasn't turned out yet. A second – I quit the staring and put the bag's content on the bed. I unlaced then took my boots off, then took my top and short pants off as well. I started with the white shirt. It was followed by the black tie. I was impressed that I could do it up properly at first try. The lower article of clothing highly surprised me. I rubbed my temple nervously. Okay, okay. I'll put it on – I thought then drew the black miniskirt on. Only the black jacket, the long white socks and the black shoes were missing. I wove my hair in a strong ponytail. Looking at the big mirror I had to settle: I looked more like a school-girl than a Turk. Whatever. I doubled my clothes up and put them in the bag.
I opened the door. According to Elena's face something was definitely wrong.
- What's wrong?
When my friend looked at my miniskirt, the remaining colors disappeared from her face. But as soon as she turned white, as soon turned to red from the anger:
- That bastard!! I know it in advance that I should have checked on the bag!
- E-Elena?
She started to yell:
- Aw, if I catch him!!
- Elena, I don't understand anything: what's wrong?
- Just – her face was still bright red from the anger – that the local funny guy sabotaged your uniform: he switched your pants to a miniskirt.
- It's okay. We're going to beat him to a kabob later.
- Definitely!
- Let's go.
She calmed down a bit.
- Okay.
I locked the door, then we both went back to the bar. I handed the key and the price of the refresher over to Tifa. We both said goodbye. Elena got in a black car, I jumped up my motorcycle and both left.
Less than 15 minutes we reached the HQ. Being a country woman I wasn't used to see huge buildings. I'd seen the company's building in the local newspapers and on TV, but I hadn't believed that it was this big. My neck almost cramped up just from counting the floors.
Elena's chuckling got me back:
- Is something wrong?
- Nothing wrong, just... looked around.
- Come.
At the assembly hall the smell of fresh paint hit my nose. Two stairs led to the upper stairs. Near to the right one there was a cylinder-shaped elevator with walls of glass. I didn't want to catch flies, instead of it I caught up with Elena. We entered the elevator. She inserted a keycard to the hole and pressed the 70th floor's button.
We were holding our tongues for a while waiting for the floors to disappear below us. This silence was broken by Elena:
- Cool, isn't it?
I smiled at her:
- Yes.
- The new building has been made by using the old one's design, but there are some differing changes on it. At the beginning it was a bit hard to get used to the new one.
I looked at the huge city below us. It was beautiful. I couldn't find any better words. I couldn't wait to see the night city in flashing lights.
The elevator suddenly stopped.
- Come. We're there.
I followed her obediently. In the small forefront a secretariat was typing busily, at the door two watches were looking at us deadpan.
Elena greeted the secretariat cheerfully. A middle-aged woman with fuzzy brown hair looked at us from behind her glasses.
- Ah, Elena-san. Welcome. To the President?
- Yes. We have an appointment.
- Alright. I'm informing him of your arrival.
- Thank you – Elena took my arm cheerfully – Come.
The watches saluted and let us go in. The hexagonal office's walls were made of glass. In the middle of the room was a huge mahogany desk, next to it there were some plants on the right and on the left.
- Ah, Elena. Welcome – a low voice broke the silence. A man was standing by the opposite window, with his back turned to us.
End of Chapter1