Violet: Oh dear! I am sorry I've taken so long to get this chapter out. School and family have been consuming a lot of my free time. I finally had a moment to finish this recently. Maybe the fact that this chapter is long will make up for the wait in some way?
Reno: Is that supposed to be an excuse? Does "school and family" include watching Korean dramas, reading romance manga, surfing deviantart, sleeping in, being lethargic-
Violet: Okay, okay! Just tell them my life story why don't you!
Reno: You brought this upon yourself.
Violet: (Slaps a piece of duct tape on his mouth) Lethargic? Really? *Sigh* Guess I have to do the disclaimer. I don't own Reno, Vincent, or anything Square Enix related. Enjoy!
Nightmares had overwhelmed me again, leaving me out of breath. Perspiration gives my skin a light sheen. The room is spinning when I open my eyes. I feel a stray tear slide down my cheek. Not wanting to get up, I pull the white linen covers over my head to encase myself in darkness.
That is when I notice something is wrong. The last thing I remember is collapsing. When did I climb into bed, or go home for that matter? Was the whole ordeal just a dream? That would be a first. I have never recalled a dream so vividly.
I throw back the sheets to find the bed surrounded by a paisley blue curtain. I realize there a few cords, an IV, and several bandages are on my arms. Could I be in a hospital, one of my least favorite places?Carefully, I stand up to roll the curtain to the side. Sunlight filters through a large window overlooking a crowded city street.
The smell of antiseptic smothers me, confirming my suspicion that this is a hospital. The door to my room is wide open, letting me observe the doctors and the patients passing by. A nurse, probably in her thirties, steps into my room with a clipboard in hand a scream escapes her lips as her eyes meet I honestly look that bad?
"Get back in that bed this instant!" Her hands began to tremble.
I do as I am ordered with a furrowed brow. Frantically, she calls for a doctor. A swarm of white coats crowd into the room. They gently push me back onto the bed and begin to fuss over me, much to my dismay.
"Someone please explain what's going on!" My voice is lost in the commotion.
The entire assembly takes an abrupt step back in sync. I find myself plastered with even more needles and patches.
"I came as soon as I heard!" Someone exclaims out of breathe.
Turning my head, I see Patricia squeezing through the crowd. Thank goodness someone is coming to my rescue.
"Ah, Ms. Carpenter I presume," One of the taller doctors offers his hand, "We determined it would be best to call you. You seem to be the only contact on her record."
"I just want to know what happened," She grits her teeth in impatience, frowning at his outstretched palm.
"A woman named Mckenna checked her into the hospital two nights ago after finding her unconscious. She was rushed in suffering from malnourishment, sleep deprivation, and some bodily trauma. She was in critical condition with a one hundred and seven degree fever," He states rather calmly, "Fortunately, a nurse recognized her and was able to grab her file straight away. I'm glad she was treated before her symptoms could have induced a coma." He holds out a wrinkled, black suit jacket along with my clothes.
"You waited a whole day to call me? Never mind, she looks perfectly fine," Patricia basically growls as she takes up the clothes, "I would like her to be discharged tomorrow if not earlier."
The entire room gasps. Today must be a slow day if this many doctors can be here at once.
"Are you out of your mind? What part of symptoms could have induced a coma do you not comprehend?" The doctor's eyes are wide open now.
"Honestly, I only feel a little feverish. I wouldn't mind leaving," I interject. I could not have been out cold for almost two days!
"See? The girl says she's fine! You can prove they are just overreacting, right Megan?" Patricia gives me a sly grin
With a sigh, I loosen the bandages as the onlookers stare in dismay. Instead of revealing minor cuts and bruises, only unblemished skin appears. I snatch the clipboard from the nurse who had screamed at me earlier. Turning over a few papers, I display that my health results were all at a stable state. The crowd begins muttering to one another.
"But…" It is the only word the doctor manages to utter.
"Sometimes a little rest goes a long way," Patricia flashes a smile at the speechless doctor.
I really hate how this happens every time I end up in a hospital. Thankfully, Patricia has been there to get me out of these situations over the years.
"I-I-is there a-a family m-member I could v-verify this with?" The nurse grabs the clipboard from me, repeatedly flipping the papers back and forth.
"My mother is no longer with us," I whisper softly.
As I clench my hands, Patricia's eyes gloss over with sympathy.
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The hospital ended up discharging me the next morning. The doctors could not keep me confined to that bed if I only had a cold. They did, however, issue me quite a few prescriptions just in case I reverted to any deadly symptoms. Patricia had finally found her excuse to extend my vacation and gave me another week to rest. How am I going to kill time for three weeks?
My eyes wander over to the glass face of my alarm clock. Its neon green numbers glow 3:00. Rolling onto my back, I face the stark white ceiling, wondering if I have insomnia. Somehow, I manage to drag myself out of bed and slip on my glasses.
Descending the long flight of stairs, I pray some sleeping pills will help me drift off to sleep. Pale moonlight penetrates a window, lighting the way. Rain begins to pelt my roof, creating a soothing "pitter-patter" rhythm. Maybe that will help me sleep. Thunder soon cracks violently in the distance. Oh forget it…
The lights refuse to turn on as I flick a switch over and over again. While stumbling around in the dark, I try to find the kitchen without bumping into anything. Aggravated, I give up and blindly grope around for a glass. Another loud crack echoes outside. The noise sounded a bit too loud to be thunder. It reminds me of the gunshots from that man's pistol a few nights ago. I ignore the notion. I am still not completely sure anything happened a few nights ago. For all I know, I could have been delirious because of my fever and sleep deprivation.
Soon I hear a frustrated yell outside. My body stiffens with rising fear. Maybe moving into this house alone was not such a great idea after all. It has taken me long enough to finally move in here though. Thinking positively, I conclude that my exhausted mind has played a trick on me and I need to stay calm. I head over to the medicine and sift through it for sleeping pills. Everything seems to be out of date.
The sound of knocking interrupts my search. I poke my head out from the kitchen to face the hallway. A shadow looms over the frosted windows of my double door entrance. I am 100% sure unsavory characters don't knock when they need something at 3:00 AM, but I could be wrong. Despite my better judgment, I tip toe over to the door anxiously.
"Who is it?" My voice manages to squeak out. I wait in silence as another shadow appears against the glass panes.
"Where the hell are we? Wait, don't tell me. We're lost!" A man says over the sound of the rain.
"I…We are….A force drew me here. I cannot explain the sensation, but I felt I had to abide by it," Another man with a deep, impassive voice whispers in reply.
"Why did I end up with you of all people?"
At this point, I wonder why I am even bothering. They are probably lost and will leave in a bit. As they continue to quarrel, I decide to eavesdrop. Their conversation is more enjoyable than throwing away expired medications. I am going to get myself killed one of these days because of my curiosity.
"Who is it?" I state more confidently as their conversation ends. No one answers and I watched in confusion as the shadows start to glide away.
Irritated by my lack of sleep, I stomp over to the door and roughly unlatch its locks. A strong blast of wind, along with some ice cold rain, buffets me. My eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness. From the darkness, I can make out a man in a tattered cape stepping into the shadows of the night. His jet black hair and clothes are soaked to the core. Without a doubt, it is the gunman from the other night, but at this moment his name escapes me. It's on the tip of my tongue!
"Vincent!" My voice resonates into the surrounding forest. I shiver as icy wind pushes me backward.
The gunman stops in his tracks and turns his head, making two crimson orbs visible in the gloom. Stepping back, I am startled yet again by their menacing color. He steps toward me, his red cape fluttering in the wind. His weary strides give me an idea about his condition.
When he is only a few meters ahead, I slap myself to make sure I am not dreaming. Ouch! This time around, I am determined to get an explanation for the other night. I need proof that this is not just another figment of my imagination. Unexpectedly, the man, or Vincent I believe, clutches his chest and drops to his knees.
I run over to him and kneel down, only to have him fall back onto my lap. Immediately, I placed my hand on his forehead, but ended up whipping it away from the intense heat. I fervently began blowing on my hand. That high of a temperature had to be melting his brain! I wrack my memories for all the remedies my mother taught me to ease fevers. I know I at least need to get him inside to dry him off and put an ice pack on his forehead.
I start dragging him to the house by winding my arms around his waist. Then the redhead appears out of nowhere. He grabs Vincent's arms, wrapping one around his shoulders and the other around mine. It is unquestionably the guy who saved me from certain death. Redheads with long ponytails aren't something you see every day. We grunt as we lift Vincent in order to haul his body into the house. Inside, I hurriedly lock the door while trying to suppress a sneeze. The rain is doing wonders to my cold. Reno pants lightly, but he quickly urges me forward.
"Can't you tell me what's going on? Shouldn't we take him to a hospital?" I really did not want someone to die in my arms.
"That would make matters worse! Less talking! More moving!" He shakes some water from his hair, reminding me of an aggravated dog.
"I don't know if you remember me, but I didn't catch your name the other day." I try to sound civil. I secure Vincent's arm around my shoulders and reluctantly obey his command.
"I'm Reno. Head to the nearest bedroom."
I point to the third floor. Reno sighs heavily as he marches forward. My legs feel like jello when we reach the top. I want to collapse right then and there. We somehow managed to place Vincent on a bed in an empty bedroom.
"So, what's your name?" Reno manages to rasp out, despite his heavy breathing. Oh, so now he cares…
"I'm Megan," I mutter.
Before he can respond, his head lolls to the side, giving in to fatigue. He starts to snore softly as I leave to grab some towels and blankets. Quietly, I step back into the room and lay them on my unexpected guests. A steamy shower sounds heavenly right now. As I walk over to my bathroom, I suddenly find myself stopping in my tracks.
So after all that commotion, I am about to take a shower like this is normal? Something tells me I am desperate for company. Shaking my head, I take a shower and sort things out. After dressing, I devise a way to deal with this rationally…Well, sort of.
This could just be an all too vivid continuation of a dream. I could be confusing reality with fantasy. All of this could just be a symptom of my sickness. So, if I simply go to bed and try to relax, everything could possibly work out on its own. Either my guests will still be here or they won't. That is all there is to it.
Sleep encompasses my distressed mind the moment I hit the bed. As my vision blurs, I look out my window to see a silhouette against the twinkling sky. A graceful black wing gliding toward the horizon is framed by the moon. Before I completely black out, I watch the shadow become nothing more than a speck.
"Slumber will not help you escape…"
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"Rise and shine! Its 7:00 AM! There's a 50% chance of showers tonight, but for now it'll be nice and sunny. Also-"
I punch the top of the radio, preventing the annoying woman from announcing another word. Why did I forget to turn off my alarm? I don't think I can survive another day with only four hours of sleep and a cold.
Early rays of light shine through my window, forcing me to duck under the sheets with a hiss. After tossing and turning for about a minute, I give up on sleeping. I trudge over to my bathroom in defeat. I had one heck of a dream last night. Something about helping a guy in the rain…
With a glance at the mirror, I am greeted by dark circles and frizzy hair. I run a comb through my wavy hair. Much to my dismay, it takes the right position but clumps of hair are puffing out in odd places. Ignoring my uncooperative tresses, I freshen up and get dressed. Makeup is not my forte, so I keep it natural. I am not going anywhere anyway.
As I walked down stairs while buttoning up my shirt, I hear the sound of humming coming from the kitchen. Silently, I peer around the kitchen wall to see the refrigerator doors open, covering the body of an intruder. I grab a nearby broom and begin brandishing it around.
"How dare you break into my house! I'm calling the police!" I fling my weapon around carelessly, afraid to open my eyes and lose what little nerve I have.
"Yo! You've got a nice place here. What are you…? Stop…OW! It's…OW! Reno…OUCH! That's a tender spot!" Ignoring his protests, I hit him forcefully in the groin. That should do the trick.
He yells and doubles over in, most likely, excruciating pain. I ecstatically twirl my broom in a skillful fashion and even strike a pose. After basking in my triumph for a moment, I take a good look at the perpetrator. Noting his red hair, I hastily turn the man over to see a pained expression in his blue-green eyes. He looks like the man from my dream….oh wait….
"Reno! I thought you were…never mind. Are you okay? Do you need some ice? Oh wait, maybe not for there…" Stooping down beside him, I apologize further as he composes himself.
This confirms that all that has happened to me was real. I don't think anyone could have guessed everything would be proven this way.
"Are you insane? They need to license brooms if people like you are handling them! A guy can't grab breakfast in peace," Reno groans as he stands up.
"It was a safety precaution! I didn't hit you that hard did I?" I pull out a chair for him at the table.
"I have been bruised by a mere girl," He cringes from the pain, "If the guys at work heard about this, they'd never let me hear the end of it. All that Turk training down the drain," Reno hangs his head limply for emphasis.
"What do you mean by Turk?" I yawn. What a drama queen...
"Ah, well, as long as you know what Shinra is we're good," He laughs nonchalantly.
"I don't…" I wonder what country he is from. I am not very cultured.
"This is some kind of joke right? I've never heard of Gaian joking about something like this." Reno taps his fingers on the table in a wave.
"I still don't know what you mean." I give him a blank stare.
His tone abruptly becomes low and agitated, "You know, I don't particularly like being taken for a fool."
I am too afraid to say anything else. My mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass echoes from upstairs. Immediately, I stand up and run to the second floor. One of the large windows has a jagged hole in it and a pool of shattered glass sits before it. My eyes shift around nervously when I hear the stairs creak. A hand grabs my shoulder, so I grab the person's arm and throw them to the ground with all my strength.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Reno rubs his back as he sits up.
"Well you shouldn't have snuck up on me," I roll my eyes.
Reno pulls out his gun and aims it at me. Oh come on, I just rolled my eyes!He yells at me to duck as he pulls the trigger. Something falls to the ground behind me and screeches in pain. The high pitched noise shoots pain into my head. I turn around just in time to see a scaly tale slither down the staircase.
"The question really is; are you trying to kill me? You could have warned me sooner!" I glare at him, but he just pushes past me.
Something tells me not to follow, but I don't want to abandon Reno with that thing. It was as surreal as the beast I saw a few nights ago. As I head down stairs, I am horrified that my front door is missing. Apparently the beast felt the need to ram down my entrance, tossing my hand carved antique door somewhere into the surrounding field. I sprint through the opening, following the sound of Reno's fighting outbursts.
I tear through the long grass, striving to keep up with Reno. He and the monster have already headed into the forest once I reach the other side of the field. Out of breath, I stand before the soaring tree trunks, debating on whether or not I should step in. The woods have always, I'm embarrassed to admit, scared me, especially at night. Hesitantly, I weave through the thicket. The area becomes quiet as I wander in deeper.
"Reno! Where are you?" I call out, assuming Reno has won the battle.
Leaves rustle in the brush before me. I inch forward until a huge animal lunges at me. Hastily, I turn around and sprint for dear life. It is right on my heels before I know it. I struggle to climb up a tree as it gains on me. Splinters dig deep into my palms, but I need to avoid becoming a morning snack at all costs. I successfully climb up seven branches before the limbs are too far apart to reach.
My heart skips a beat when the beast snaps at my feet and shreds the bark off the tree. It is around four meters long from beak to tail, and it is covered in scales and pink flesh. Sharp, boney extensions protrude from its back, appearing to be the skeleton of wings. They are probably for stabbing, but I don't want to verify that.
My eyes frantically seek out something I can hurl at the monster to scare it off. They rest upon something reflecting sunlight over in the next tree. I take a deep breath and hop onto the adjacent branch. Simultaneously, the animal leaps forward and manages to bite my shoe off, tearing it to ribbons as I land on the branch.
Holding onto the trunk for support, I reach up into the leaves for the object. As soon as my fingers brush against it, the branch snaps under my weight. I squeeze my eyes shut as I fall to my doom. The animal pounces on me when I collapse onto the foliage below. Screaming, I attempt to kick the animal away. Its weight slumps forward onto me.
Soon, I realize it has become still. I wriggle out of its clutches, backing up cautiously until I am sure it is not playing dead. I sure am having a lot of near death experiences lately. After I get up and brush myself off, I notice a blade sticking out of the beast's back. Surprisingly, the shiny object I had pushed out of the branches is a sword.
Slowly, I pull the sword out of the monster's flesh. A murderous look is still present in its gaze. I secure the handle in my palms, examining the black fluid on it. The blade is fiery red with an ornate handle embedded with lilac crystals. Using my limited knowledge on weapons, I assume it is a rapier. I can't imagine how it had gotten stuck in the boughs of the tree.
I swing it around for the thrill of it, imitating a few stances I had seen in movies. Only a professional could forge something so versatile plus deadly. Before long, I am aware that Reno is standing by a close tree. For a split second, he seems to give the blade an uneasy look, but I am not entirely sure.
"Did you kill the beast by yourself?" He strolls toward me.
I swiftly point the blade at his chest and hold his gaze. He hardly blinks. One of his eyebrows is raised when I take a deep breath.
"Ever since I have met you and your caped friend, nothing but trouble has come my way. I was finally able to get a grip on the fact that fantasy can't be real, and then creatures like this thing show up," I whip my finger toward the animal, "I want to know who you are and what you're doing here. Don't I deserve that much?"
"So, no one helped you?" He looks to the sky as if he is expecting someone to appear.
"No, okay? Ugh! This is hopeless. " I jam the weapon into the ground. I'm all bark and no bite. Why am I so pathetic?
"I think it's time for me and Vincent to leave," He says warily.
"It's Vincent and I," I scoff. What can I say? I basically write and edit articles for a living.
Reno scowls at me before turning away. He strides over to my house with me stomping after him. He heads up to the third floor to Vincent's room with a somber look on his face. He makes an effort to wake Vincent by prodding him, shaking him fiercely, and yelling at him. He tops it all off with a punch in the stomach. You would think Vincent is some kind of super-human after seeing this. Vincent doesn't stir whatsoever and keeps on breathing slowly as if nothing has happened. Reno is all out of breath in the end.
"I take it he's unconscious. Are you sure we shouldn't get him to a hospital?" I watch Vincent as he inhales a few shallow breaths.
"He's going to be fine. He isn't your average cape-wearing guy." Reno crosses his arms in reluctance.
"Listen up, by the looks of it you have nowhere to go. I can't believe I'm saying this, but you can stay here...one more night…maybe two. I'm only doing this because you saved my life the other day. I guess I should return the favor," I huff. Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?
"Is that the only reason why?" There is a devious gleam in his eyes.
"What are you trying to say? Ah, it doesn't matter,"Does he think I am hitting on him? That is the furthest thing from my mind right now!
"Wait just a moment. Are you trying to change the subject?" He smiles charmingly.
Reno walks over to me. His face is only a few inches from mine as he approaches. He proceeds to move my dark hair out of my face, placing it behind my ear. I blink a few times, trying to figure out what he thinks he is doing.
"First of all, I don't feel obligated to answer your question, considering you haven't bothered to answer any of mine. Second of all, wipe that goofy grin off your face," I move out of his reach calmly, "I could kick you out and let Vincent stay you know." What? Did he expect me to blush or something?
"Well I guess I'll accept your offer then," Reno shrugs.
"There are some bedrooms on the second floor. Take your pick. They are all full of junk so you will have to do some rearranging." I step out of the room. Reno exits right after me to go down the stairs.
I have a feeling this is the beginning of a very strange and somewhat uncomfortable …acquaintanceship. What am I getting myself into? They are decent enough to save my life, so I should be okay. But then again, I didn't anticipate Reno suddenly becoming flirty.
"Did you just move in?" Reno says from a second floor room.
"You could say that."
"Hey!" Reno calls again after a few minutes.
"What now?" I look over the banister.
"What's your name again?"
"You forgot my name already?"
Reno: Agh! My lip! It burns!
Violet: It seemed like you were having a hard time taking the tape off.
Reno: That didn't mean you had to yank it off.
Violet: No pain no gain Reno. Besides, it would have been worse if I had done it slowly.
Vincent: I concur.
Violet: Thank you for reading and I hope you review! Ideas, compliments, and critiques are welcome. Have a great day!