So can you guess what happens if I say the name of the next chapter? lol probably but i won't be that cruel.
Nonetheless, it's kinda a long chapter. But I have a ton of school assignments to do before I go back to school on the 16th of August. So after that, updates will slowly make their way out. But I won't disappear like I did last year. But I have a little less than a month and I would love to get these stories done, I won't rush, but that's my goal.
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Chapter 3: Fear Equals Pain
Vincent Valentine steps in front of me and raises his gun, Cerberus, to aim at the person leading the other three. The hooded head angles toward our small group and laughs, "You really think we're the enemy?"
"You're the one who just made the hole in the wall." exclaims Tifa, on the verge of infuriated anguish.
The man, or so I'm assuming by the deep voice, laughs. "The real villain is amongst you at this very moment. He's entered your friendly circle and isn't meant to be there. Now tell me, who do you think that is."
Eight pairs of eyes reflect onto Axel and I. Hands grip the shirt on my back as he buries his face into the fabric, not wanting this to be real, and I can only agree. Yet the anger in me begins to bubble and I push myself up next to Vincent and leave Axel barricaded behind us.
"Yo, you with the big mouth and the fat head!" Even though I can't see his eyes, I know he's looking at me and it takes all I can muster, not to shrink away but to keep talking. "Why don't you just back off and crawl into the hole in the ground that you came out of. You don't know what you're yapping about, so buzz off!"
"Very well. But I leave you with a warning; Either send that thing back where it came from or we'll rip him out of your broken arms."
A blast of smoke and flash goes off and by the time that it clears, they're gone without a trace. Rufus quickly takes control of the situation by commanding everyone to get out before we inhale too much of the fumes and smoke. Once out, I can only glance back as the black plume raises from the home that I'd been to so many times in the past.
I begin walking away from them and toward the first one who had exited, Tseng. Passing by Tifa who is, not one to cry, sobbing into Rude's chest as he holds her, I hear his soft words in an attempt to calm her down, "It's alright. You can rebuild and stay with me for now."
The sadness pecking at me does no good as Tseng's eyes fall on the two of us. "Reno, what is going on?"
Before I can open my mouth, Axel bravely steps up to the plate, saving me. "I came from the stars to help him, which you clearly haven't been doing, and to help him get his life back into gear. But that group of killers, the Warriors of Night, are murdering my kind. If you weren't so blind you would have seen that the girl Reno found, Kairi, was actually a sister of mine from the stars." Huffing from the load of emotional words, Axel grabs at my hand and drags me away. As we near Cloud I let my wordless mouth form two words...'help us'.
Trudging down the endless winding sidewalks, only a block away from Tifa's and a while away from mine, I feel my legs begin to turn to jelly. Thoughts swim inside my head, colliding together, creating a headache that is as persistent as Yuffie can be.
Coming to my aid unbeknownst to me, Axel bends down and lifts me up onto his back, piggy-back style. I rest my head on his back, angry with myself for letting him be found so easily and depressed to the point that thinking this night could be our last together even though it's our first.
I must have passed out last night as Axel had carried me home. That's the only way I could've gotten back into my bed and woken up with no one by my side.
Sitting up in bed I immediately clasp my hand to the side of my neck, hoping to stop the throbbing pain that resides there. Shaking away the feeling, I let my mind focus on more important matters that rest at the forefront of my mind.
At first I wonder if it was a dream but then the panic leaped into my heart, knowing it wasn't. I scramble out of bed and dash down the stairs as if I was on fire myself. I skid around the corner and into the kitchen to see my dear red head at the stove, shoveling another pancake onto a plate. He turns to smile at me, that lopsided grin hanging on his lips, "Hey, good morning sleepy head. What's the rush? Want to try my cooking that bad?" My pulse slows considerably at the sight of him before picking up again.
He's here. He stayed with me...Axel didn't leave me. I...
"I don't want you to leave Axel."
The news nearly makes him drop the plate of steaming flap-jacks as well as the spatula, "What did you say?"
"I would miss you if you left...so don't leave me just yet." Sliding the dish and utensil away, Axel strides over to me and envelops me in a hug. "Promise me right?"
The answer comes in the form of a kiss to the cheek before he spins away and begins pulling out duo plates and glasses and silverware. "Now let's eat. I'm starved!"
After breakfast was done, Axel shooed me upstairs to get changed while he cleaned the dishes. Which honestly, is more than I could've asked for. None of the men or women in my past ever did a thing like that...never.
I pull on a worn out pair of light blue jeans and a black long sleeve shirt and a pair of socks. I had noticed that he had just grabbed something from my drawers...and naturally I'd be a little angry but not when it's him. Running a comb through my hair I stop the second his alarmed voice rings up to where I am, "Reno?"
Barreling down the stairs as I tie my hair up, I stop short when I see the two people standing in my entryway...Rufus and Tseng. Slightly furious that they would show up here, I stomp forward, glaring at them, "What do you want?"
"We think it would be safer for both of you if we help. Just come with us and hear us out. We'll treat you both to lunch." Tseng tries to bargain, knowing a way to me can usually be found through my stomach...or explosives.
"Sorry but we just ate."
Rufus immediately jumps at my response, "Then we'll pick you up and treat you to dinner. All you have to do is hear us out Reno."
From over my shoulder, Axel answers before I can, "It's a deal."
The second the door shuts I turn to Axel, "What are you doing?"
"We need their help Reno. I really don't think they'd throw us to the wolves, they are your friends aren't they?...I don't want you to get hurt."
"Okay, okay you win we'll go."
"Show me around the city for now?"
"Yeah, not like Midgar is special though."
"As long as you're showing me I don't care."
I walk into the living room and grab my keys off of my table. Giving a quick glance out the window, I decide that the weather is nice enough to walk around the city. After locking the door behind us, I begin the tour, not skipping a single detail from my first joining the official ranks of the Turks to helping out to take down Kadaj and his gang. Before I know it, the sun is beginning to set and the colors shooting across the sky are so calming and peaceful.
Talking about everything and having someone listen, actually wanting to know, helps release all that pressure that had been building up inside me, making me want to explode at any given moment. But...he makes me want to believe in myself, that I could do anything.
A sleek black car pulls up. The driver gets out and opens the door for us just as I'm about to stick my key in the door to get into my home. Noticing that the guy works for Rufus, I motion for Axel to climb inside, which he does, and I follow suit. Sitting in the back of this compressed limo, I can't help but worry about what their conditions could be.
Axel's hand rests on top of mine, which sit in my lap. I turn to him and at that moment, I couldn't have cared less if everyone in the world knew my thoughts or saw me for who I really am. I twist to around and pull him forward by the collar of his shirt, pressing our lips together. As I pull away, he scoots toward me, so that we're pressed against each other's sides, and rests his head on my shoulder. I link my arm around his waist and lean my own skull on his...glad I can have this one moment...even if it's only one.
All to soon, the vehicle halts and the driver opens the door for us to get out. The restaurant Rufus and Tseng picked is one of the most expensive and one only higher up people usually go to, mostly for privacy for discussions.
The man that works here walks up to us and smiles politely, because it's his job to smile and nod, "You two must be meeting Rufus and Tseng. Please, follow me." The man leads us to a booth that's enclosed in the far back, where no one can overhear. "Would you like anything to order now?"
I shake my head and let Axel slide in first. The second my rear touches the plastic, Rufus starts talking. "Now Reno, I think it would be better for everyone if you and him both come back to headquarters and are placed in a safe house. That is, until we can locate these 'Warriors of Night' and capture them."
"One, he has a name and two, how do I know you won't try to test on Axel?"
Tseng let's a small smile show, "As observant as ever, Reno. But you'll be with Axel the entire time and it wouldn't give us a chance to. I personally wouldn't want to get on your bad side anyway."
The waiter returns to our table, "I'm sorry to interrupt gentleman, but there is a man here saying he's with your party. Should I show him back here?"
Rufus contemplates this but doesn't get a chance to answer as said man strides up past the dumbfounded waiter. Short shaggy chocolate hair hangs around equally mud shaded eyes while the simple attire of cargo pants and a raven colored hooded jacket adorn his frame. "I'm sorry to barge in but I think you'll understand once I've stated my business." Rufus nods for him to continue. "You may not recognize me without my usual attire."
His sentence drones off as I seem to daze off into space, that is until he yanks me out of my seat by the wrist, twists my arm behind my back, and points the barrel of a pistol to my temple. "My leader informed you all that we'll be needing the obtainment of that thing and if it's not provided then drastic measures will be taken."
If this guy gets ahold of Axel...I...I'm afraid of what they'll do to him before his foreboding death by their hands.
Rufus goes to say something but I let my eyes plead for him to not do a thing. He sighs, apparently understanding what I want, "We'll need time to think this proposition over. I assume if we do indeed provide Axel, that you'll return Reno, is that right?"
"Yes, that is so. Master thought you would say this, he's informed me to tell you that you all have one week to decide. By that time, we will contact you. For now, this one is our's."
The man backs me out of the restaurant and into the parking lot where another car awaits. I'm shoved inside between two buff cloaked figures as the original guy goes to the front to drive back to their headquarters.
