--Chapter 1.o--
January 14, 2012
Four years later
The Eastern Continent, Edge
--
She navigated the ruined streets of Edge like a minnow swimming deftly amongst its schoolmates. She didn't slow down one bit, even as the crowd pressed on around her; She just weaved in and out, dodging elbows and shoulders and the like. She was a woman on a mission. It was 10 minutes to 2 o'clock and the bar was scheduled to open at said hour. She'd spent the better part of the morning doing her morning training in the city's one remaining park and she'd lost track of time. Yet even though she depended on the bar's business to make a living in this shabby city, she couldn't duck out of her training regime. She needed to be in top shape. You never knew what might happen.
She approached her destination and fished around in her left pocket for the property keys. She was startled by a group of young people who came barreling down the street, shouting and knocking over a bunch of trashcans that had been placed out on the corner the night before. She groaned and rolled her eyes as they continued on, not concerned with the mess they'd left in their wake.
"Just another day!" she said with a sigh, pushing her way into the now unlocked building.
Ever since the fall of the Eastern Continent, things had been almost completely out of order. Gangs ran rampant in the streets, terrorizing anyone with whom they crossed paths. The citizens lived in constant fear. The government's laws were strict and if you disobeyed, you were murdered—often in the streets so that others could see the consequences of being disobedient. The government soldiers, otherwise known as the Policia Militar (or PM for short), made sure the laws were enforced, but they were a cruel bunch. Often times, they would take women and rape them.
Some businesses were to remain open, though now a hefty 15 tax was placed on all citizens and businesses, to be surrendered monthly or face the penalty of death. The people who had survived the fall were still stuck in the refugee camps of Sector 5 and weren't permitted to return home, since more than half of the homes had been completely destroyed.
Because of these harsh laws and inhumane treatment of citizens, many rebel groups and coalitions had surfaced. They remained in hiding, but were at the top of the government's most wanted list, dead or alive. Dead was probably better, however, because rebels who had been captured alive and taken back to the prisons were brutally tortured for days before tasting death.
However, in comparison to Midgar, Edge was a stroll in the park. It certainly had seen the least amount of executions, gangs, and PM and it also had the most amount of businesses. The people of Edge were frightened, to say the least, of the new leader and his subordinates. He was known to be a sadistic man.
Edge had been cleared of "terrorists", which is what the government was calling the rebel groups, long ago. Only few remained, the most notorious of which was the Crimson Archangels. But they were said to have been wiped out a year ago with the successful capture of their leader, Hahn Domo, and his eventual execution.
Come to think of it, Edge hadn't seen a big battle in quite some time.
While Edge and the Eastern Continent weren't what they had once been, she still had her bar--her pride and joy. Tifa's Seventh Heaven; Manager and proprietress: Tifa Lockheart.
Tifa flipped on the lights and took a look around. Octavio, the guy she'd hired to clean up after closing had been worth the money, apparently. The place looked spotless and orderly, not a single dust bunny remained. She went into the back room and opened the safe to pull out the minimum amount for her till. After preparing the register, she made sure the glowing "open" sign was active. It was 2 o'clock already. Time to boogie.
So the first couple of hours of Tifa's shift were uneventful and ordinary; Her regulars came by for their early afternoon drinks joined by the alcoholics, and soon after the regular Joes who worked the morning shift. She had just finished serving a customer a Paralyzer when a familiar character walked through the door. She sucked in a quick breath and turned around, hoping to sneak out back before she was noticed.
"Hey, there, Lockheart!"
"Shit." she cursed, transforming her frown into a bright smile before turning to face the person who was addressing her.
He was a regular who came by nearly every day around 4 o'clock, which is when he said he got off of work. Though what work he did remained unclear. Not that she cared, really. He was a repulsive character, creepy to say the least. He might have been attractive if he wasn't always being so indecent. She figured the less she knew of him, the better. But she did know a little about him after all.
She knew his drink of choice was a Black Jesus with Johnnie Walker Black Label and Jager herbal liqueur. She also knew that he would probably end up drinking himself into near unconsciousness by the end of the night; He often stayed until last call. He'd had a few late nights that had eventually resulted in his being tossed out on his drunken ass. She also knew his first name was Reno. He hadn't given a last name and she never bothered to ask.
He slid into a vacant stool and rested his elbows on the table. He leaned in and leered at her in that trademark way that made her skin almost crawl; Blue-green eyes that she considered his best feature, disheveled red hair pulled into a low ponytail, Ray-Bans perched atop his head, rumpled black suit, unbuttoned and un tucked white dress shirt--his usual appearance.
Before he could even utter another word, Tifa had already prepared and poured his drink. She slid it towards him and made a move to leave, but he stopped her with a grab of her wrist.
"What's up, babe?" he asked, feigning offense, "Don't wanna stay and chat? I've had a long day. Could use some company."
Tifa smirked and moved close to him, so close their cheeks almost touched. "Reno, we both know that I am a couple of steps above the 'company' that you prefer."
"Ouch." He winced, "C'mon, Lockheart. I can be a sensitive guy, too."
"Yeah, right." She rolled her copper colored eyes and stepped back.
Reno tossed back his drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand after. "Can I get another, sweetheart?"
Tifa drew a long, hard sigh and poured him his second Black Jesus. "Are Jose and I going to have to peel you off of the floor like we did last time? You're starting off quick!"
Reno chuckled. "For your information, Miss Lockheart, I am perfectly capable of peeling my own self off of the floor, thank you."
"Just don't go starting shit with people, all right?" She warned him, "Or I'll have to get my muscle to throw your ass out on the street where it belongs."
Reno sighed, downing the second drink. "You're too hard on me, babe. What can I do to convince you that there's more to me than good looks?"
"Hah!" Tifa barked, "That's a step in the wrong direction right there."
"Whaddya mean?" He asked, holding out his empty glass so that she could refill it.
Tifa performed the simple task without a pause or a blink. "I mean that you're way to into yourself! Not exactly a turn on."
Reno nodded for her to go on.
"And that dirty, I-just-rolled-out-of-bed look isn't that sexy either." A sparkle of mischief appeared in her eyes. "Do you shower on a regular basis, Reno? Or are you one of those guys who bathe once a week and wears the same dirty dress shirt every day?"
Reno made a face. "You're the first woman to complain, sweetheart."
"Don't even put me in the same category as those girls that you take home."
"Being a little judgmental, aren't we?" He cocked a playful brow.
"Oh, please!" she grabbed the now empty glass from him and filled it again; "I'm not blind. I see the chicks that you parade in here with and the ones that you bring home, Reno."
"Everyone deserves a little lovin' every now and then." He said, raising the glass, "Who am I not to give it to 'em?"
"So, if they're free and easy, take 'em to bed?" Tifa asked nastily.
"No, no. If they're free, easy, and not fat, underage, or over 40, then bring 'em to bed!"
"You are something else." She said, almost laughing.
"Here, here!" Reno raised the glass a little higher before bringing it to his lips and swallowing it in a quick gulp.
Tifa turned her attention back to another customer who called out for a Heineken. She nodded and reached beneath the bar to retrieve the order from the cooler. Reno tapped his empty glass on the bar, getting her attention. She frowned, taking the cap off of the bottle with an opener and sliding the beer towards the other customer.
"Seriously, babe." Reno began, ignoring her obvious frustration, "Why haven't we gotten to know each other better? What's it been, hm? Four years?"
Tifa sighed, pocketing the tip that the other customer had left for her on the counter top. Reno had been a customer of hers since the opening of the bar. "3 and a half. Bar wasn't open until 6 months after the Fall."
"That's a damn long time!" Reno said after a long whistle, "So how come I don't know anything about you? Well, besides your cup size…"
She whacked him on the arm. "You pig!"
Reno couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, hey! I'm sorry, babe. I couldn't resist!" his laughter died down slowly, "For real… How come you and I don't talk?"
"We talk all the time, Reno." Tifa insisted, "We're talking right now."
"I mean really talk." He said, grabbing her hand, "It always seems like you just wanna get rid of me every time I come in here."
"Something like that." Tifa said, her eyes drifting to his fingers. He had begun caressing the back of her hand lightly with his thumb and forefinger.
"I meant it when I said there was more to me, Lockheart." He said softly, "Who knows, maybe if you give me a chance, I could be the one you've been searching for."
With this comment, Tifa withdrew her hand. "Cut it out, ok? And who says I've been searching for anybody? How do you know I don't have someone waiting for me at home?"
Reno snorted. "Babe… You're joking, right?"
She shook her head.
"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" he pointed at her, "You look like you haven't gotten laid in months. Maybe even years!"
She filled his glass and shoved it towards him violently, spilling some of the liquid on his pants. "Goodbye Reno! Enjoy the rest of your night!"
Tifa didn't wait for a response. She called out to Jose, the other bartender, and told him she'd be making the rounds on the empty tables. The dark-skinned man behind the bar nodded and went back to attending the customers. She ignored Reno, rounded the bar and attended to some dirty tables in the lounge. She hooked a couple of mugs around her pinky finger by their handles, pulled out a white rag and began wiping the round tables down.
"You know, speaking of sex, I'm sensing a little tension between you and I."
Reno's voice was smooth and silky in her ear, slithering like a snake through the grass. She jumped a little, shying away from him and slapping him with her rag.
"This may come as a complete shock to you, but I actually need to work tonight." she gestured around with her hands, "You know, I need to get stuff done. Can't really accomplish much with you breathing down my neck or making comments about my sex life!"
Reno shrugged, grinning, and leaned toward her. Tifa made a face. He smelled of liquor and cigarettes. She preferred Irish Spring and Old Spice. She tried pushing him away, but he was persistent.
"You work too hard." he said with a sigh, "Don't you ever take a break?"
She snarled at him. "I'll give you a break, Reno!"
"Ooh!" he mocked her, "Is that a threat, Lockheart? Are you gonna beat my ass?"
She grimaced. "You'd love that, wouldn't you."
Reno recognized one of the songs that began playing on the jukebox. His eyes lit up and he grinned wickedly. While Tifa was bent over a table, swiping her damp rag across the polished surface with one hand while rearranging glassware with the other, Reno's arms snaked around her waist and turned her to face him.
Her eyes grew wide as Reno gracefully removed the rag and empty mugs from her hands, placing them gently on the table behind her. He then took one of her hands and guided it until it was placed on his shoulder. He took her other hand in his and extended her arm out straight while bringing his other arm around her waist, his palm resting on her lower back. To Tifa's surprise, he began twirling her around the floor, swaying his hips to the rhythm of the song that played. A few of Tifa's long time customers watched in amusement as she was sashayed this way and that by her flame haired dance partner. She flushed bright red before wrenching herself out of his grasp.
"I don't have time for this!" she cried, laughing nervously. She made her way to some of the other tables, scooping up her mugs and rag as she went.
"Aw, Lockheart!" Reno whined, "You're breakin' my heart here! What's a guy gotta do to get into your heart, huh?"
"Trust me, a guy like you will never have access to my heart." She muttered, continuing her sweep of the lounge.
Reno followed the barmaid all the way to the row of tables that lined the back wall of the bar. By now her hands were full, but there was only one last table left to clear. She didn't feel like running the glassware back to the bar, so she passed them off to Reno.
"Make yourself useful." she said, "Since you've decided to follow me around."
"Hold on, babe..." he began to protest, "I don't get paid for this shit--"
The redhead was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a gunshot followed by the shattering of glass. Tifa sprang to attention, quickly scanning the customers in the bar. People started panicking almost instantly; they were screaming, swearing, and scrambling for the exit.
"What the hell...?" Reno made a face.
"Get down!" Tifa shouted, turning a table on its side and ducking behind it.
She couldn't believe it! Edge hadn't seen a fight in a long while and she'd since gotten used to the relative sense of peace around here. As much as running a bar included its fair share of drunken scuffles and fistfights, none had ever included guns—maybe knives, but never guns. No one had ever died inside of her bar and she'd hoped it would stay that way.
Reno had ignored her. He watched the entrance as a trio of silver-haired, leather-clad men burst through the door, knocking over frenzied customers as they went. All three, Reno noticed, were brandishing large-caliber, ivory-plated, silver guns. The man standing in the middle of the three raised his weapon into the air and fired off a few more warning shots, sending the fleeing customers into a deeper craze.
"So, he's the leader, huh?" Reno snarled to himself. He turned to Tifa. "Get up!" he ordered.
"What? Are you crazy?" She asked in disbelief.
He clucked his tongue, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her out from behind the table. It was in that brief moment, as they ran to the bar, she noticed that Reno was packing his own deadly weapon. Before she got a chance to comment, he was throwing her over the bench; her skin was broken and wounded by shattered glass as she landed on the other side.
"You!" the leader said, pointing the barrel of his gun in Reno's direction, "Where the hell do you think you're going, man?"
Tifa peered hesitantly over the top of the bench. She watched as Reno's fingers tightened around the base of the electro mag-rod at his waist. She heard herself scream, but didn't remember doing it, when the man took a shot at Reno.
The redheaded man dodged the first shot and, with one swift motion, drew the rod to full length and swung it at the gunman. The clash of metal upon metal and the hiss of active electric energy rang through the air as the gunman brought his weapon up to meet Reno's.
She thought she heard Reno barking at her to get down, so she did as she was instructed, barely ducking out of the way of a speeding bullet that hadn't necessarily been intended for her. She scrambled into the back room, crawling on all fours the entire time. She pressed her back up against the wall and waited.
What else was she going to do? Reno was still in there, fighting with the crazed gunman. She figured he could probably handle one gun-wielding maniac, but when the other 2 stopped harassing the customers and went to the aid of their companion, she was sure it wouldn't be good for Reno. The muffled sounds of gunshots, screams, and fleeing footsteps filled her ears.
Reno, who was still wrestling with the one gunman, found himself in a bad situation that only got worse. The other 2 gunmen had finished clearing out the last of Seventh Heaven's customers and had rejoined their leader inside. They pointed their guns at Reno and stopped him.
"Hey, Cowboy." the man with short hair and sideburns said coolly.
The other man, whose hair was about as long as Tifa's, shook his head. "Why are you trying to be a hero?"
Their leader, a man with chin-length hair and strange, greenish-yellow eyes, glared at Reno menacingly. "Drop your weapon or you die." he hissed.
Reno sighed and allowed his EMR to fall to the floor. "I'm fucked." he swore under his breath.
"What was that?" the long haired man asked, tilting his head to the side.
"I think he was just about to apologize for bruising my face." the leader said, pushing the barrel of his gun against Reno's temple.
"Bull shit I was!" the stubborn redhead shouted.
The man brought his weapon upward swiftly and brought it down again, hard, against Reno's face. Reno recoiled in pain, hiding his wounded mug behind his hands. The three men began laughing.
"He's a brave one, this." one of them said.
"We'll make sure he dies a very beautiful death. Fit for a hero." another commented.
Reno looked up, glowering at the trio. "What the hell do you whackos want?"
"Whackos we are not!" the leader pressed the barrel of his gun against Reno's forehead this time, "And since you are in a very precarious situation right now, I think you should be a bit nicer, hm?"
"We're looking for the girl." the long-haired man said simply, his voice calm and smooth.
"What girl?" Reno asked.
"Where is she?" The short-haired man, who was also roughest looking of the three, asked.
Reno swallowed. Could they be here looking for Tifa? On the other hand, why would they want her? As far as Reno knew, she was a regular, run of the mill barmaid trying to keep her business going in a city that was falling apart. These guys seemed seasoned, like they'd done this before. They definitely weren't amateurs. They knew what they wanted and they were more than willing to kill anyone who stood in their way to get it. Reno decided that protecting Tifa's identity was in her best interest, as well as his.
"I don't know who you're talking about." Reno shook his head, "On the other hand, if you're looking for girls, my buddy Cosmo could hook you up with some of the best pros in town. Granted, some of them haven't completed their gender reassignment surgery yet..."
"A funny guy, huh?"
This voice was new, male, and caused all four--gunmen and hostage--to look up. Standing in the doorway was an unkempt young man; He appeared to be in his 20's and his head was thick with spiky black hair. His eyes were a shockingly deep shade of violet. He was accompanied by five others, all armed with assault rifles and pistols. They were all wearing black jackets with a red insignia displayed on the sleeve.
"Ah!" The leader of the three gunmen seemed amused, "If it isn't Zack Fair and his loyal followers."
"Crimson Archangels!" The long-haired man grinned, "How pleasant."
Reno's eyes grew wide. Archangels? Here? He'd heard stories about them: a group of rebels who had raised arms against the government and the PM during the Fall, refusing to bow to the will of the "tyrant" Sephiroth. They believed that someone inside the government had something to do with the assassination of Sir Dyne and Lady Eleanor. Bunch of conspiracy theorists, Reno thought.
But the true motives of the Crimson Archangels had remained a mystery. They were a selfish bunch of street urchins—punks trying to make their own laws and run with them. They had no respect for authority and no concept of loyalty. But one had to wonder why they had appeared now, in such a place, and what their motives were. After years of being dormant, why suddenly reappear now?
"Shut your mouths or become Fang food." Zack barked, pointing his gun at the men. He looked at Reno. "You."
"Uh... yeah?" Reno asked, cocking a brow.
"Where's the girl?" Zack echoed the question of the gunmen.
"For the love of Shiva..." Reno shook his head, "I don't know who you are talking about! I know a lot of girls!"
Zack chuckled. "Do you know who I am, vermin?"
"Dude…" Reno chuckled, "I have no clue."
"I'm the leader of the Crimson Archangels and you'd do well to listen to what I say!" the dark-haired man pointed his gun in Reno's direction.
"Whoa, whoa!" he chuckled nervously, "Take it easy there, Tonto! Look, there's been a really big misunderstanding here…" he addressed everyone, "You see, I just got off of work at 4—I had a really busy day—and I was just stopping by here for a drink when you all came in. So…" he paused briefly, "I'm sorry to have wasted your time. I'm just an average guy! I don't know anyth—"
"Hold your tongue before I cut it out of your mouth!" The short-haired gunman growled, pulling a large knife from a sheath attached to his belt.
Reno swallowed his tongue. "Ok. Let's just not be hasty."
"You sure do talk a lot." Zack said, stepping towards the trio and their captive, "What's your name?"
"I have a lot of names…" Reno said stubbornly, "Some people call me 'Jack Ass', others call me 'Fire Crotch'…"
Zack chuckled. "You really are a comedian, ain't ya?"
"I try."
"Well, funny man, I think you know more than you're letting on." Zack said, moving his gun from Reno to the leader of the gunmen, "And if you don't mind… I think we'll take it from here. Thank you for being so helpful, really."
"Zack, Zack…" The leader of the leather-clad gunmen began menacingly, "You know better than to tread on our turf."
"Your turf?" Zack chuckled. His companions followed suit. "I know these streets better than the three of you put together! You all are just a bunch of brain washed freaks, engineered to become deadly assassins because there was no other use for you!"
"I will not have you talk about brother that way!" the long haired man raised his voice.
"Yeah!" the tough-looking gunman wasn't looking so tough now with tears in his eyes, "You meanie!"
"Don't cry, Loz." the man with long hair said, his voice soft and quiet again.
"You should choose your words more carefully, Zack Fair." The leader said gravely, staring the dark haired man down.
"Let's take these assholes out!" one of Zack's overzealous companions suggested.
"Very well." Zack said, resigned. "Let's show 'em whose turf this really is!"
"Take us out?" the leader of the three gunmen was almost laughing. "I'd like to see you try!"
Reno was tossed to the side as the gun-wielding three took on the Crimson Archangels. Though they appeared to be outnumbered, the trio of maniacs were doing quite well. They brawled with the rebel group in a cloud of spraying bullets, flying fists, blood and saliva.
Reno was no fool. He didn't stick around to watch. He took the opportunity to slink away, crawling behind the bench and slipping into the back room. Tifa was huddled against a wall.
When she saw him, she gasped and almost hugged him. "Are they gone?" she hissed.
"No." Reno shook his head and grabbed the woman by her elbow. "We gotta get the hell outta here. Things just got a little more complicated..."
A/N: Ok. So sorry if this fic turns out to go in, like, 500 different directions. If there's any confusion or whatever, please do let me know.
There may be some OOCness. I apologize for that. Um... obviously I've tweeked a few things to make the fic work, so... yeah. That's it until next time.