A/N: Enjoy! Quick question: Reno or Genesis as love interest. I'm leaning heavily towards Genesis, but wondered if anyone else had an opinion. Hopefully there are no grammar/spelling mistakes in this one.

Thanks to: Kuon and Mina111 for reviewing, I greatly appreciate it!

Chapter 3:

The following three days were by far the most torturous hours of Kendra's entire adult life. Never had she felt so humiliated and downtrodden as she did then. Beauty technician upon technician would comment on how drab she looked, how terrible she looked and how difficult their job was. Of course this meant she was automatically on the defensive and striking with harsh justice upon anyone who dared to taunt to her. It didn't help the pig headed men around her were completely oblivious to her torture or rather far too amused by it.

"Ah, I see the baby rats have been purged," Genesis commented smoothly as he walked by. To add insult to injury he had a large turkey sandwich in his hand; to maintain whatever figure she had, Ambrose had put her on a low carb, low protein (basically low everything) diet, she had received water and some cucumber for lunch. The water she drank and the cucumber she had used to beat Reno with earlier. Essentially she hadn't eaten in hours.

"Drop dead Rhapsodos." A small dagger was thrown at his head, which Genesis deftly dodged. It sailed nearly the length of the room and imbedded itself in the wall. The entire room stared at the dagger in the wall and then back at Genesis who was still smirking.

"That was your last weapon, wasn't it?"

"I hate you so much."

"Genesis perhaps you should double check the perimeter," Angeal suggested cleverly, sensing that a fight would break out if he didn't intervene. She had already injured a manicurist and a man who had tried to wax her...well let's just say Kendra was not happy. With a final cocky glare, Genesis strode off, taking a pointed bite out of sandwich.

"Look on the bright side, Kendra," Zack suggested with his mouth full of chocolate cake at the moment. Any other person would have sensed danger, but not Zack, "After this, you'll probably be hot enough to get laid." Everyone in the warehouse took a step back, except the oblivious Zachary Fair while Kendra narrowed her eyes to near lethal levels. This idiotic young shoulder was straying very close to the dangerous realm of her hit list. Once one was on the hit list one did not last long in the realm of the breathing. Before Angeal could save him, the boy was cornered. Out stretching a hand, she yanked him close with the collar of his shirt.

"Are you saying I'm not hot right now?" she hissed in a menacing tone, "And bear in mind that Genesis was wrong, I happen to have a paperclip on me which is more than enough of a weapon, believe me." With a swallow, Zack looked at her. Currently there was tin foil in her hair, wax strips on her legs and a strange green paste on her face. Not to mention she had whitening strips on her teeth and one of her fake eyelashes was slightly askew because she picked at it.

"N-No, you look...so...fantastic right now," Zack back pedaled as fast as he could. With another growl, she let go of his collar and Zack scrambled away almost tripping over his own feet.

"Perhaps you should get some fresh air Zack," Ambrose suggested after a few minutes, "Blood is impossible to get out of clothes and we happen to have some expensive garments here." Looking scarred, the Third Class SOLDIER quickly escaped the room.

"She's going to make a fine SOLDIER," Angeal commented proudly and then hastily shut up when she glared at him. A shudder swept the room.

"We've been waiting for nearly an hour, where is she?" Genesis asked getting impatient. The meet with Corneo's head of security was in an hour, and all the preparations for Kendra to infiltrate had been set. The only thing that was missing was the woman herself. No one had seen her since that first day other than Ambrose who had been parading around with an air of self satisfaction all morning. They had decided to leave Kendra alone to get dressed for the big meet and everyone was waiting impatiently.

"Here she comes," Kunsel pointed at the warehouse door which was slowly opening. One by one, every member of the beauty team dispersed and stepped aside and from the shadows a pair of spiked high heels emerged, "Damn..."

"Holy shit." Reno was standing slack jawed. This was surreal; there was no way that was...

"Is that Kendra?" Angeal squinted disbelievingly as he took in the sight before him. Dressed in a short plunging V neck dress and a pair of shoes that looked like a walking death trap strode Kendra. Her hair was smooth, her skin was glowing, her eye brows looked gorgeous and her lips had the perfect pout. Her eyes were narrowed to snake like slits, but even that didn't look faintly unattractive thanks to a copious amount of makeup. She had cleavage, actual honest to goddess cleave that looked a little bit oiled up if they were to guess.

"Dear god, we don't pay you enough Ambrose," Genesis commented with a raised eye brow.

"You most certainly don't," Ambrose agreed with the first.

"Put your eyes back in your head Zack, I still have that paper clip," Kendra growled as she walked past him. Every SOLDIER and Turk stared with their mouths open.

"If you must kill him, just don't smudge your lipstick or dirty your clothes, that's all I ask," Ambrose informed her curtly, "And don't glare, you look like a cobra when you do that."

"How do you feel Kendra?" Angeal asked congenially.

"Every inch of exposed skin...and some unexposed skin has been treated and dehaired," she retorted darkly, "I feel like a pin cushion that's been run over by steam roller that's been scratched by a Bahamut."

"Marvelous," Genesis smirked, "You'll do just fine."

"Dead man walking Rhapsodos," she hissed the threat, though some of the fire was lost because her shoes picked that moment to ruin. The heel was just too large and Kendra face planted hard on the cement in front of her, "Ugh, kill me now." Several of younger men jumped and moved forward in an attempt to help her up but were quickly shooed away by Angeal who sure she would kill anyone who tried to touch her at the moment.

"Come on, we have meeting to get to," he held open a car door for her and Genesis followed. Reno, Zack and Kunsel took a black SUV behind them.

"Where is our silver haired Rapunzel?" Kendra asked dully, glad to be off her feet.

"Sephiroth is at a peace talk with the Wutain heads of state," Angeal replied smoothly, "Focus on your mission, you're a young up and coming dancer who wants a job at Corneo's club, John Felips is a local con man and our informant, he's got you a meeting with the head of security."

"So I just show up and look pretty," she clarified.

"Yes, for now."

"Great, as long as I don't need to actually dance, we should do fine," Kendra actually felt a little relieved that today was going to be low key and simple. Imagine her irritation when everyone around her exchanged glances, "I'm not going to have to, am I?"

"No right away," Angeal replied slowly.

"Don't worry, I've hired a most fantastic teacher," Ambrose replied quickly, while Kendra groaned loudly. Yet another way for her to end up dying on this job. Before she could retort, a bag, wallet and switch blade were handed to her.

"I get a switch blade?" she raised an eyebrow.

"For emergencies only," Angeal stressed but no one missed the smirk on her face. It was slightly demonic. Another face she probably shouldn't make; it made her look like a clown, "Your cover is in there."

"So I'm a struggling dancer wearing a pair of 1000 gil shoes? How does this make sense?" Kendra asked as she rifled through the bag and wallet. Thus far she had found a lipstick, lip gloss and eyeliner. There was 300 gil for emergencies and gum. Essentially the most useless things she could have asked for on a dangerous mission. She then found her ID ; "Crystal Chandelier?" she looked up to see if this was a joke, "Why do I have a stripper name?"

"To answer your first question, you needed to look foxy, fancy clothes are a part of the package and fit with your cover since you're supposed to be a runaway from a well off family." Ambrose replied resolutely. Not much of an explanation because he didn't have one; upon being handed a ShinRa credit card with no limit he decided to go wild and produce the most expensive cover he possibly could, "The rest of your cover was decided by the Turks."

"The Turks? As in Reno, you let that rat bastard decide my cover?" incredulously, she turned to the two SOLDIERS who looked a tad guilty, "Well fuck."

The back car was lucky it swerved off like it did otherwise Angeal didn't doubt that Kendra would have caused a seen in the middle of a busy roadway just to kill Reno.

After nearly twenty minutes of driving, the car stopped, with a restaurant nowhere in sight.

"Are we dining with the power of our imaginations?" Kendra asked raising an eyebrow.

"Actually, since your a jobless dancer, we felt it wouldn't be appropriate for you to show up with a chauffeured ride," Angeal explained with a slight blush on his face. Narrowing her eyes to near slits, she glared at the three men that were staring at her expectantly. She now had to walk with these feet killing death traps.

"That is very unattractive," Genesis commented dryly.

"It's unfortunate we didn't have time for behavior modification," Ambrose added lightly from the back. Grumbling darkly, Kendra climbed out of the car. She was beyond annoyed. The restaurant, if you could call it that, was really a decrepit looking old shack. Even Kendra felt it below her to dine there, that was how bad it was. A few of the windows were cracked, and the grimy tiles looked like a breeding ground for disease. So did most of the visible surfaces in the place, but she digressed.

"You the fresh meat?" a skeazy voice asked from the corner of the restaurant. A man who looked like he truly belonged in this place was sitting in the booth farthest away from the door. He was as greasy and unappetizing as the dull, dirty room around him. A chef in the back was watching them with a keen interest.

"Dear god, it talks," Kendra muttered icily. Gingerly she sat down on inside the booth, "Where's the head of security?"

"On his way," the man replied giving Kendra the once over. His probing gaze felt like ants crawling over her skin. This situation was quickly starting to infuriate Kendra. First of, the idiot had picked the back of the restaurant for their meeting in an attempt to look inconspicuous. Instead, he had boxed them in. If anything went down, they were trapped and weaponless. Secondly, he was trying to play footsie with her under the table. The third time his booted foot slid up her leg, Kendra slammed her hand down on the table.

"Listen fool, your foot touches me again and you're going to lose something real precious." The words were hissed viciously at said scum bag.

"Hey, wasn't me that shot that chocobo."

Realization took a few seconds to hit her.

"Reno!" she glared at the man, now seeing the scum that lay underneath the sleaze. The disguise was impeccable and Kendra had no idea that it had been her red headed arch rival underneath that disgusting jacket and that obnoxious blonde wig, but now she could see it clear as day, "You're Jon Felips?"

"Cover ID, yo."

"Oh Shiva." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kendra attempted to remain calm.

"Since I'm your handler and all, I got to read your file-" fuck "And I learned some very interesting things..."

"Reno."

"You're from Costa Del Sol, you were engaged to your father's business partner and your middle name is-"

"Finish that sentence and I will stick a dull knife in your dirty rotten-!"

"You were engaged?" Genesis's voice commented on the other end of the earwig and sounded intrigued. Frankly, it was astounding to him that she had ever been engaged, but as he back tracked and did some math in head, he realized she would've been very young. Even more intriguing.

"Oh Shiva, please strike him down," Kendra stared upward.

"Oh come now, I'm simply acquiring information-"

"Shut up, Genesis!"

"Head of security's walking in," Angeal's voice sounded urgently on their ear wigs and both agents snapped to attention. Dressed in a leather feather duster, the man was the epitome of cool, you know in an 'I'm evil as all hell, come love me' way. with slicked back hair and a tall stature he was formidable. Definitely head of security material.

"What've we got Felips?" He asked slipping into the seat across from them, "Make it quick. This place reeks of unnecessary STIs."

"Curt Malloy, this is Crystal, she just ran away from home and needs a job," 'Jon' explained quickly, "She knows absolutely no one in town and is a talented dancer." The pointedness of Reno's statement did not go unnoticed. Malloy turned his gaze to the woman sitting in front of him. Thin, toned, and slutty. She seemed to fit the general requirement of what his boss looked for.

"And why did you run away from home?" he asked, his eyes lingering on her form a little longer than was strictly appropriate. If it had been anyone else, Kendra would've kicked him under the table, as it was, she put on her best 'I'm an innocent, yet incredibly seductive young flower' face.

"My dad had his own opinions on what I should do," she explained leaning her arms on the table, squeezing them just enough that the already low neck of her dress slipped down a little further, "Marriage wasn't really for me." He was now blatantly ogling and she was sufficiently grossed out, "Please sir, I really have nowhere else to go."

Hook. Link. And sinker.

"My God, where the hell was this version of Kendra hiding?" Genesis's voice sounded over the earwig.

"Underneath the dirt, grime and excessive hair, every woman has the power to seduce," Ambrose sniffed, "It just takes a genius to find that seduction under all those...layers."

Note to self: kill them once mission is complete.

Kendra turned her attention to Malloy who was still deliberating.

"We'll start her at the club and then promote her in a month to the house if she's any good," with that, the deal was sealed and Malloy slid out of the booth leaving Reno and Kendra alone.

"Excuse me while I shower the shame off."

After being debriefed and meeting with the SOLDIERs again, Kendra was finally allowed to go back to her tiny home. She was to start working at the Corneos' club on Friday, that gave her four days to learn how to dance, but first she desperately needed a day of rest. It was well past lunch and the first she did was strip out of those shoes and that ridiculous dress. They made her feel like she was plastic, like she fake, like a doll. That wasn't something she ever wanted to feel like; it was how Kendra had spent her childhood in Costa del Sol. She loved that city, but her parents had made an atmosphere unbearable to her nature. So of course she did what any child would and did the exact opposite of what they wanted. They wanted her to buy a doll, she bought a toy tank.

"Ken, you in here?" Zack called, entering the apartment as though she had always lived there. Just home from a training session with Angeal, he too was weary and a little hungry if he was to admit. Dressed in a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt, he found Kendra settled on the couch, with the day's earlier outfit on the floor in a heap, "We're going out drinking tonight, wanna come?"

She sighed for a second, "Do I have to look hot?"

Now he felt a little guilty. Throughout this whole operation, no one had asked Kendra once if she was okay, or how she was feeling. Not that the newly instated SOLDIER would ever share her feeling of course, but surely she would have liked to have been asked. Settling beside her, Zack thought carefully before speaking.

"It's not the first time people have forced me to be something I'm not." Her parents stood out in her memory particularly clearly.

"Maybe you could find a middle ground," he suggested carefully. Admittedly the over top the makeup, the sparkly, boob enhancing clothes where not at all Kendra's style, in fact as Zack understood it, most girls didn't enjoy those things, but most girls did have style, something which Kendra lacked. The clothes and style of Crystal Chandelier didn't have to be her own.

"That's stupid, I was fine the way I was."

"Ok, how about I put it like this," Zack stood up with an 'I've got an idea' gleam in his eyes. It was slightly less frightening that the gleam that Sephiroth got in his eyes, but still spoke of unimaginable levels of mischief, "The Turks are gonna be there. SOLDIER vs. Turks drinking contest." The main reason for his eagerness to have Kendra tag along was related to this drinking challenge. If rumor was correct, then Kendra had a legendary liver.

This piqued her interest somewhat, "I see. Turks in attendance?"

"Rude, Rod, Reno against myself, Kunsel and you."

A chance to humiliate the redheaded fool that gave her the name 'Crystal Chandelier', "I'm there."

"Good."

...

"Now get up, we need to go buy you some reasonable clothes."

Neither Kendra nor Zack were avid shoppers. The former only shopped when needed and only bought over sized, baggy, ugly things lest someone discover her feminine curves. The latter received a package from his mother every six months that contained a large supply of underwear, socks, and t shirts. A little embarrassing? Maybe, but Zack was saving more money than most of the men on his floor. One can only imagine their slight apprehension upon stepping into the upper plate's finest shopping district. Of course they migrated away from the upper end boutiques that sold expensive brand names and/or clothes covered in glitter. Thankfully, Kendra decided to be cooperative with Zack and quickly found an outfit form the women's section that was both suited to her personality but still somewhat feminine.

"Not sure what attracted you to the yellow pants," Zack commented as she emerged from the bathroom in her knew girl hipster outfit. She was still recognizable as herself, just more refined. Admittedly this was a change that Kendra could manage. The skin tight pale yellow slacks and black silk shirt were polished by a pair of black flats and her favorite aviators. Despite Zack's suggestion about lipstick, she had only put on plain lip balm.

"I'm not sure either," she looked down at the yellow with a small smirk. They certainly were a daring change, "Let's go. I need ethanol stat. "

Being a Wednesday night, the bar was mostly empty when they arrived at nine. There were a few patrons, but not many. However, Zack was well aware that this was a ShinRa hotspot, soon enough more employees would filter in. In a private corner of the bar, Zack spotted Genesis settled with some woman, which was no unusual sight. It also helped that a big game was on tonight between Midgar and Mideel meaning everyone would pour in to see the grudge match. Kunsel was already settled at the bar, nursing a pint of beer.

"How's it shakin'?" Kunsel sent Zack an imperceptible thumbs up over Kendra's head.

"I just want a drink," Kendra replied and turned to the barkeep, "JD on the rocks."

Straight bourbon?

The boys exchanged glances. Perfect.

"Scooch over boys, the men are here," Reno pronounced settled on a nearby bar stool with Rude and Rod sitting next to him. Pulling off his sunglasses, Reno surveyed Kendra. Hair loose in her natural curls, girl's clothes (Those pants, shiva) and oddly enough a small smile on her face. Kendra seemed to be a slightly different person than the one he had known. Like somehow being SOLDIER made her happier.

"You seem to have settled at your new post well," Rude commented, noting the change as well.

"Yup!" SOLDIER really was all she ever wanted and it was now sinking in that Kendra had achieved that goal. It was going to be a good night.

"This sucks!" the moan came out muffled by heavy covers and the all was silent again. A few seconds later, a head popped out and looked around wearily. Mussed up brown hair was smoothed fruitlessly and eyes were rubbed in order to be able to see. Once the fuzziness in her vision finally subsided, Kendra shut her eyes and crawled back under the covers again, against the light. The night had been awesome, but now come day she wondering if she would be able to remember anything beyond a few flashes. Risking it, she opened her eyes again and two things became apparent.

Thing one: This was not the apartment she shared with Zack.

Thing two: Those yellow pants of hers were piled on the floor instead on her body.

Alrighty, so Reno or Genesis as Kendra's love interest?