A/N:
This took waay longer than expected. I blame losing my flash drive right before I finished the chapter, thus leading to my not wanting to rewrite it for a while. But, here it is! Enjoy.
Word Count: 2,085
Warnings: (Language)
Pairing(s): Mild RenoxCloud,ZackxAerith, and a hint of one-sided RudexTifa
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. This venture is for fun and not profit.
Reflection
By Catsitta
'A transformation in which the direction of one axis is reversed or which changes the sign of one of the variables'
Act IV
"What are you doing here, Turk?"
Reno rolled his eyes and continued his self-assured saunter through the ruined remains of Aerith's church. He wasn't going to be intimidated by some overconfident puppy of a SOLDIER, no matter how much the brat bared his teeth and growled. Of all the people for Aerith to fall in love with, it had to be Zack Fair. The only comfort the Turk found in the pairing was the fact that the raven-haired First Class would protect the flower girl until his dying breath.
Unfortunately, Aerith seemed to have left out a few details when retelling her life story to Zack.
"Hey! Stop it right there," the SOLDIER snarled, drawing his Buster Sword and stepping between Reno and his none too amused girlfriend. "What do you want with Aerith?"
With grunt, the redhead drew to a stop and leaned up against a wooden beam. Zack was in guard dog mode and Reno wanted to keep all of his limbs intact, thank you very much. Thus he lazily eyed the First Class for a long moment, saying nothing, before allowing a sly smirk to creep onto his lips. "How you been, Aer? This moron takin' good care of yah?"
A giggle escaped Aerith's lips, breaking her cute pout and all semblance of anger,"He's been good, Reno." She then reached over and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. How frail and tiny she looked against the muscle bound SOLDIER. The man was capable of snapping her in half between his fingers like a twig! But if he so much as left a bruise on that pale skin of hers…
"Wait. How do you two know each other?"
"What do you mean Zack?"
"I know you have a Turk crew protecting you, but I didn't think you knew any of them personally…" The puppy looked honestly confused and was glancing between Reno and Aerith with wide eyes. Gaia he looked like a moron! "And Tseng said that as long as you were happy, none of them would interfere with…us. You know?"
Refraining from voicing his thoughts, Reno chuckled with amusement. "You really don't know nothin', do you Fair?"
"Hey!"
"I'm not here 'cause I'm a Turk. In fact, as long as Aerith is safe and happy, I am obligated to keep a distance from her and those affiliated with her." The redhead stuffed his hands into his suit pockets and gave Zack a hard glare, shifting the mood of the conversation dramatically. "I'm here 'cause Aerith is my little sis and I'll be damned if I let anything, or anyone, hurt her."
Zack's mako-blue eyes widened and his jaw momentarily dropped,"Y-you are…but?" He turned and looked at Aerith desperately, "He's your brother? Reno of the Turks, is YOUR brother?"
"Yes." she piped. "Adopted brother, of course, but we've known each other since we were very young."
"And as her big brother, it is my duty to make your life a living hell," Reno quipped with an evil grin. Then he glanced at his PHS,"but I'm afraid my time for harassing you has come to end…for today."
"Bye Reno! Are you coming to dinner tonight? Mom is making your favorite, Everything in a Pot Stew."
"Is numbskull here going to be there?"
"No…Mom doesn't trust him very much…but Tseng will be there."
"Wait! Why is the leader of the Turks joining you for dinner?" Zack looked as if his head were about to implode from confusion.
"He's a family friend…and I may have to thank him for saving my life."
Reno grunted and shook his head,"Your life would've never been in danger is it weren't for him and the others…"
"Oh shush. Forgive and forget, Reno…and don't you have someplace to be?"
"Right," the redhead eyed the brunette. She was getting huffy again. Maybe it was that time of the month? "Just take care of yourself, okay Aer?" With a wave, he left the pair behind. No matter how much his brotherly instincts told him to loom over and threaten Zack, he knew he had to let things take their natural course. That, and he had other matters to attend to.
Like Cloud.
It'd been six months since the incident with the General, and since then, a lot had happened. Commander Hewley had officially defected from ShinRa and was missing. Genesis copies were popping up all over the place and causing trouble. Zack was promoted to Sephiroth's second in command. And Sephiroth was starting to display signs of anxiety, depression and paranoia—just like he had the first time, before his fall into madness. Rumor had it that the General was considering defecting ShinRa soon. If things played out as they had before, in less than six months, Sephiroth would go on his final and fateful mission into Nibelhiem.
Also, on a more positive note, Reno had helped set Cloud up on his feet. Pulling the blond from the SOLDIER program had been the first and most difficult step in the process. After that it had been a matter of pulling strings and getting the kid set up with a cheap motorcycle and a PHS. Cloud was a natural at being a delivery boy! He had a knack for numbers and was good at remembering names and locations. With the money he was earning, Cloud had even managed to buy a cheap bangle with materia to go in the slots and a lump of metal he could swing and call a sword.
The boy positively glowed with pride whenever Reno saw him.
This was the right path for the kid. But it left Reno with a predicament. If Cloud never went to Nibelhiem, then if Sephiroth fell victim to Jenova's thrall, no one would be able to stop him. The insane General would not only raze the town, but he would launch an assault on the Planet. He had taken the Planet's hero out of the equation…
Then again, Aerith told him that he was the hero. The Planet wanted Reno as its chosen. It hadn't been Cloud that was sent back in time to change the future, it had been Reno. Thus it was time to put his haphazard "plan" into action.
'I'm doing everythin' I can to make things right.'
000X000
To Reno's surprise, the first thing that greeted him when he walked into Cloud's broom closet of an apartment (which he conveniently had a key to), was a wall covered in photos and newspaper clippings. Half-expecting a shine to one hero or another, the Turk was surprised to see, that, pinned at the center of the papery mass was a photograph of a girl. Tifa Lockheart to be specific.
He whistled,"Damn Strife. You got good taste." With a long fall of dark-brunette hair, sable eyes and a cowboy hat—Tifa was any straight, teenage boy's dream girl. Reno knew from experience that the girl may look soft with all those curves, but she had a hard right hook.
"Uh…hello? What are you doing here?"
"Cloud! Buddy. How yah doing?" The blond blinked at him, clearly confused as he stood in the doorway, his spiky hair nearly flat from sweat.
"I'm good." Cloud replied, offering a good-natured smile at last. "Need something or just here to say hello?"
The redhead sidled closer and swung an arm around the boy's shoulders,"Both." He then pointed at the wall of paper,"But, before I get to asking for a favor, let me congratulate you on getting such a fine lookin' lady. Where'd you meet her?"
The blush that overtook Cloud's features was amusing as was the stutter that colored his voice,"S-she…she…I…not…er…Tifa's not!"—he swallowed—"Tifa's just a friend. Just…a friend. We were neighbors back in Nibelhiem."
"Yeah right," Reno winked and nudged Cloud in the ribs. "But, back to business. I have a teensy favor to ask of you, kid."
"Favor?"
"Something simple. A little out of the way. You'll be well compensate of course."
"Spit it out already!"
"Fine, don't be snappy!" Reno ruffled Cloud's hair playfully. "I need you to run a couple errands for me. Personally. That's all you have to do to repay me for this sweet gig you got goin' on here." The blond arched a brow, clearly disbelieving. "What? I swear on my honor as a Turk that nothin' I send you out to do will put you in danger and for any lost business you will be paid for in full."
"Okay…I guess so."
"Sweet! I knew I could count on you kid." The redhead promptly swung the blond around, nearly sending Cloud tumbling. "Now, for your first mission, I need you deliver some parts to Cid Highwind in Rocket Town."
"Parts? Rocket Town?"
"Yeah. Rocket Town is the hub of the new space program. There are some replacement parts needed for the project but ShinRa is being cheap and is delayin' shipping the stuff in hopes Highwind will give up. I need you to make a run there."
Cloud's eyes widened,"Rocket parts? How I'm I supposed to even get a hold of that sort of thing, much less get them over the ocean?!"
"Don't worry. It's covered. Just follow the instructions in this envelope. You'll also find a ticket for a ferry and an advance on your pay." Reno fished he white scrap from within his jacket. It had taken a lot of research, some bribery and some hacking to arrange this. He had a plan, and for the love of Gaia it had to work, otherwise the world was going to be in worse shape than the first time around. "Got it?"
"Um…I guess?"
"Good," the Turk flicked the envelope in Cloud's direction and slipped through the door,"Oh, and it'd be a good idea to buy yourself some better gear on your way. Just to be safe, 'kay?" And with that, the redhead was gone, leaving behind a startled a somewhat flustered blond.
000X000
Three weeks later found Reno in Nibelhiem.
His new partner, Rude, was at his side, expressionless as they went about their mission. It had taken all of Reno's skill and smarts to create a fake emergency worthy of a Turk investigation. Now, it would take even more to lose his partner so that he could continue with his plan. What would distract the reserved and ever-vigilant Rude?
The answer literally came running up to them.
'Tifa Lockheart,' Reno thought slyly, 'perfect.'
If there had ever been one person that fazed Rude in the slightest it was Tifa. The man had a crush on her and if his memory served him right, even went on a few dates with the girl once the incident with Meteor was over. Of course, she had longed after the hero turned pariah, Cloud and what was between her and Rude never quite worked out. But judging by the way the bald man was watching the teenager bounce their way; love might have a second chance.
After all, the age difference wasn't that great. She was perhaps fifteen and his partner twenty. In a few years, when was eighteen or so, they'd make a pretty pair. And why in Gaia's name was Reno playing matchmaker in his head? He had a mission to do!
"Yo! We're on official business, Miss."
Rude glanced over at him, clearly perturbed by Reno's feigned seriousness.
"Oh," Tifa paused, looking a little shy as she adjusted her cowboy hat. "Sorry, it's just that you guys look like you're from ShinRa…and I was hoping you'd be able to tell me about someone."
"Miss, we aint here for a social visit."
"Reno…" Rude, despite his stoic demeanor, was just too easy to read like a book and play like a deck of cards.
"Awe, fine. You chat up the civilians while I take care of business." Reno grunted and rolled his eyes. He'd spent most of the flight here establishing that he was having a shitty day and was in a bad mood. It had required him to be uncharacteristically moody and quiet throughout the trip, but his charade was apparently working, because Rude shrugged and nodded his consent. "Good luck with crowd control. I know how much you just love to be at the center of attention."
The bald Turk shook his head,"Stop being a brat, Reno."
"Whatever. I'm outta here."
As he walked away, Reno smirked. He could hear Tifa chattering away excitedly and at the corner of his eye, he could see the barest trace of Rude smiling.
A/N: (You have to admit. When Tifa was supposedly 'thirteen' in FF7 flashbacks, she didn't look like any thirteen year old I've ever seen. Cloud looked like a little kid, but she pretty much looked like an adult. Girls mature faster I guess, but it seemed a little extreme…hehe.
Anywho, thank you for reading.)
