A/N: School got the best of me . can't believe exams are coming up so fast…*is scared*, oh and if you haven't figured out, this story is a bit AU ^^

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"Reno!" a voice made him turn his head as he pulled out his EMR.

"What yo? 'm busy here in case you can't see" sarcasm yeah…it made the world go round.

"Then pay the fuck attention and stop throwing your limbs everywhere!" Rude said, or just frowned, it was enough to get the message anyway. Reno turned back to his task at hand, deciding to ignore the remark till later. "Oy, just die!" he shoved the far end of his gun in the man's forehead and then turned around to avoid the bullets, using the deceased's man body as a shield. He heard Rude shout something but didn't actually care. He was having fun now and he wanted it to last for a while. "Brats, they should teach people how to handle a gun these days, that way I'd have more fun" he threw the body aside and started walking towards them with a smile on his face. The EMR was placed securely under his jacket. He didn't need that to handle such lowlifes. Now and then he dodged a bullet or two sent in his direction, because, mostly, he didn't want his new suit messed up. Tseng would have a really good time scolding him for that. And Rufus, yeah the boss will complain about the expenses Reno brought back with him from a mission. He picked up the metal pipe left by one of those guys on the ground and smiled some more. "Out of bullets? That's what you get for messing with Shin'RA" the words were left behind as he charged at them. The cold metal hit one of them in the nose and as Reno ducked, it impaled another's stomach. "Far too easy boys" he pulled it out and stared at the last standing man in front of him, as the other two tumbled down.

"What the fuck are you?"

"If I were to be cliché, I'd say, I'm your worst nightmare. But I'm not. I'm just….changing" with that he swung the pipe once and hit the man in his knees. Upon falling he directed his fist to the other's nose making a direct hit. It was over faster than he hoped for. "Oy Rude!" he called hoping that his partner was nearby and could hear him, but no answer came though. Grabbing his cigarettes from his pack, he lit one and looked around. No one was there, no one moving at least. "Rude!" he started walking between the bodies, scouting for the slightest movement or sound. "Rude you fucking piece of shit! Where the fuck are you? If you left me here I'm gonna…" his words were stilled by a movement to his right. "Oh ok, playing games are ya? Good cuz I need some more action!" Reno started running to his left, on a narrow street, after the person he just saw. Longer legs did have their advantages so he caught up to him (yes it was a male but as sure as hell it wasn't Rude) in no time. "Oy buddy, did ya grow hair?" at the sound of his voice, the man stopped and so did Reno.

"Why are you here?" he was asked with a cold tone.

"Oy blonde punk, this is Shin'RA business here it is, what the fuck are you doing here? Wanna die or something?" Reno glared at the kid but received no answer. "Oy bone head!" he was pushed out of the way though by a strong hand, and in time too. Not because he was in mortal danger if he stood in front of the blonde, but a fight seemed to go on between blondie there and another man. He came out of nowhere, or Reno was too pissed to notice his approach. He didn't want to get caught in the sword exchange. Added that they seem eager to cut each other's throat.

"You lost" the taller man between the two pointed his sword at the blonde's neck.

"But…"

"I told you not to get civilians involved. You lost"

"But he…he followed me, I didn't…" blondie there was trying his best not to cry it seemed.

"Oy oy, the kid's right you know. I ran after him thinking that he was my partner. It was a mix-up" Reno looked at both of them measuring his chances. Blondie seemed pretty strong, but this other dude…he waved that sword around like it was a feather. The grace of his movements indicated that he was a pro at it and maybe it wasn't best to annoy him.

"Cloud, we're leaving" shiny green eyes turned from him to the blonde in a slow motion. He didn't make any move to go though.

"What? 'm so pretty you can't get your eyes off me?" Reno mocked at the ignorance he was treated with. Silver hair flew around the man now standing in front of him as the wind passed through it.

"No, but I was just wondering why would Shin'RA send a petty dog like you to do such a job. I saw the bodies, nothing special about them" the man's grin was even more sadistic than his. If Reno wasn't pissed for the insult he got, he would consider the silver haired dude an idol.

"Look here pretty!"

"Sephiroth"

"Don't care…oh…OH" he mentally slapped himself. Of course he knew about Sephiroth, he just didn't have the slightest idea how he looked like. Now he did though.

"So…what business did you have here pet?" Sephiroth's voice was stable and cold. Two words that described it perfectly.

"Look here yo, I don't care who the fuck you are, but ya can't go around insulting people that're doing 'eyr job ok?" Reno didn't back away when the tip of the sword almost touched his nose. Blondie, or Cloud as he was called, seemed alarmed though. He came forward and, with his own, lowered the sword that was threatening to slice Reno.

"You said we needed to go" blue eyes were piercing green, as they seem to have a will battle.

"I did" with one last glance, Sephiroth turned and started walking with Cloud at his side.

"Well that was a little more adrenaline than I needed" Reno let his back fall against a wall and gave a loud sigh. He lit another cigarette and looked at the clouds above him. Suddenly he started to laugh. "Oy…Rude!" he called between the fits of laughter that hit him. "Rude man!" still there was no answer. After a while he got up and started walking on the same path Cloud took with his superior. When he reached the main street and saw the stares the people gave him, he remembered about the blood on his clothes, and realized why he was laughing.

"I did change" he whispered and started walking again.

~*~

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST HIM?!" Rufus' voice echoed around the room.

"I yelled and I yelled and I called and I called but he wouldn't answer yo. So yeah, I lost him" Reno kept looking at the ceiling, sprawled all over the chair.

"Reno, you do not lose a person!" Tseng's voice could be heard this time. Somehow, one couldn't go without the other…Tseng and Rufus that is.

"Yeah you do…you lose yourself too" he wouldn't look at them. The smoke rising from the lit cigarette in his mouth was far more interesting.

"Reno!" Rufus' hand was now massaging his temples. "You are to go back and look for Rude, you hear me?" the tone was fare more serious than Reno deserved. It wasn't like he did anything wrong now was it?

"Yeah, keep your pants on Boss, I'll look for him yo. He owes me a drink" with a heavy sigh he rose from his comfortable position and took his time heading for the door.

"Reno…" Tseng called him just before he exited the room. "He may be…"

"Neah, he's too tough to get beaten by those idiots"

"Was anyone else there except you and…?" Rufus joined in the interrogation but Reno was having none of it. He closed his eyes and exhaled softly, barely noticeable.

"No, you worry too much" he closed the door, letting the words linger in the air, creating a web of thoughts and memories. He was a big boy, he knew when the situation got worse and he knew how to escape from it too. That is…they were thought how to do that at least. The thought of Rude being in trouble didn't even cross Reno's mind. Not until now. "Sheesh, fuck it!" he hissed as soon as he entered the narrow street. "RUDE!" and history repeated itself. Again he shouted but no answer came. "Rude you fucking twit where the fuck are you?"

"I guess Shin'RA doesn't train you Turks how to escape death does it?" a cold voice came behind him. He knew it and it sent chills down his back.

"If you know something pretty then I suggest you spill it" of course he knew that those words could get him killed and no questions were even necessary for his death, but still, if he wanted to kill him, Reno would be dead by now. A hand rested itself on his shoulder but didn't turn him around.

"You are an interesting specimen, you know that?" the warm breath came near his ear, almost making him shiver. But Reno only laughed.

"And here is the second one. People are gathering more guts everyday yo" he turned around to stare in Sephiroth's eyes. "So what is it? Why did you follow me?"

"Your partner got an ugly hit and he was dragged a couple of blocks away" those eyes never left his. They seem…interested in what they could find in him.

"That doesn't explain why you helped me. Are you so fond of the Turks?" a malicious grin extended on Reno's lips. Sarcasm, yes they all loved it.

"On the contrary. I hate them"

"Oy, I'm also a Turk so why help me?" Reno backed away a bit and lit a cigarette. So Rude had a bit of trouble. He'd find him…eventually. As Reno knew him, he would be up and drowning his sorrow in a bar or something.

"Hmm" his question was answered with a curve of Sephiroth's lips that had to be a smile. "You should go" the words were accompanied by a small cut on his cheek. Though he didn't have time to return the smile, he was sure pretty there saw it before he disappeared.

"Mako got to his head yo" he said to no one in particular and headed down the street towards the place indicated. His thoughts started gathering. Fragments and fragments started falling together as he remembered what happened during the day. Cloud seemed scared when Sephiroth pointed his sword at Reno, yet he interfered. And Rude got hit. Something in that sentence didn't make sense. Rude knew when to back out or when to call for help. Maybe he was outnumbered. That had to be it. The smile still lingered on his lips as he entered the first bar. He knew Rude, he was his partner after all.

"Oy buddy, got me scared there ya kno', don't go doin' shit like that yo" Reno took a seat next to Rude and ordered a beer. He didn't get an answer, thing which made him take a better look at his partner. Indeed, he took a rather nasty hit, proven by the dried blood on the back of his head. "You ok?"

"Fine" Rude finally spoke but didn't look at him. The eternal sun-glasses were placed next to him and his eyes drifted aimlessly.

"C'mon, let's get ya to the doctor at Shirn"RA base" Reno gulped his drink in one swing and then grabbed Rude by the hand. He didn't object, just let Reno carry him down the street. "Oy buddy, so ya got a hit, who cares? Don't be so down, happens. Even you aren't invincible" of course he didn't get an answer, but at least Rude put back his glasses. "See? That's the spirit yo"

"How can you be so cheery? Aren't you ever overwhelmed?" Rude surprised him by saying such a thing.

"Of course I am" the smile disappeared for a few seconds, and it failed to return, at least, not fully. "But smiling gets the enemies down yo, remember that"

"You're a weird"

"Oy oy, 'm not the one making his partner worry." Reno sounded offended. The rest of the way, they walked in silence. Rude will be ok, he was sure of it. And with this Rufus and Tseng will get off his back now, if he was lucky. "Yo pretty! See ya 'round" he shouted before he closed the door to the Shin'RA building. This time, both smiles returned to their places.

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