"You'll be training under Reno, 2nd in command."

She nodded glumly, feeling his increasingly warmer flesh, as her hand continued to be held against his.

"That means you'll have the apprenticeship title. You'll be given a keycard that will give you access to most of the building and to your room."

"My…room?"

"Also, you'll be going to the labs every day for Mako injections." Tseng smirked, dropping her hand and walking around his mahogany desk.

"I'll have your suit cleaned and pressed and sent to your room. I just need your sizing. Amanda can get that on your way out. She's at the end of the hall. Blonde hair." He sat in his chair casually, hands clasped together on his wooden desk.

"This is….all moving so fast…for me." She swallowed, looking up at him through her bangs. Her tone was quiet, solemn for the first time she had been there. Her life was about to be signed away to the very people who had kidnapped her.

Tseng saw her change in disposition and almost looked at her apologetically. She was a young girl, frightened no less of the fate to befall her.

"I understand this is…a change in your usual lifestyle. But believe me when I say, you're better off here rather than out on the streets or…signed off as an experiment."

She swallowed again at the mention of Hojo, and she shook the thought of him from her mind. Taking a deep breath, she brought her mind to think of other things….Aeris….the woman, the pink dress, she had talked to her in that dome. The people who had tried to help her escape.

'Are you an Ancient…just like me?'

'Just stick with me you two!'

'You may call me whatever you wish. I've been called many things. Red XIII seems to be one of my names.'

'You mustn't give up…even if it's hopeless.'

"The others." She blurted out, looking at him wide eyed.

Tseng jolted, looking at the young girl curiously. "Hm?"

"The other people, the ones who I was escaping with. Where are they now? What'll happen to them?"

Tseng looked at her for a few moments, calculating.

"They're being detained. For attempting to remove and steal Shinra property."

"Aeris and I aren't property, we're human-"

"And,' Tseng interjected, "Attempting to kill the President of the company."

"Oh, I doubt that. We were on our way out! Why bother waste the President when we're trying to make a getaway, not get caught!"

Tseng shrugged, smiling in an almost playful manner. "The only thing that matters now is that the said criminals are detained and Shinra's property is back where it belongs."

She glared daggers at him and spun around, facing the door. "Eat. Shit." She hissed venomously, slamming his office door behind her, and stomping down the hall to the receptionist.

Tseng merely chuckled at the girl's antics and continued his paperwork.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi!" A bright eyed young blonde smiled brightly up from her desk.

"H…..Hi." She answered, rubbing the back of her neck, still pissed off from Tseng's comments.

"I need your measurements for your new uniform!" She continued on, pulling a pen from behind her ear and a sheet of paper from her top drawer. "Standard Turk uniform! You must be awfully excited to be joining!" Her head bobbled excitedly, her thick glasses perched on the end of her nose.

"Ah….well….not….exactly-"

The blonde haired girl known as Amanda, stood up extracting a measuring tape from God knows where and proceeded to wrap it around her middle, her chest, and other areas not needing to be mentioned. Writing each number down on her slip of paper, and a bright smile to go with each, and finished up quickly and scurried back to the other side of her desk.

"Well! I think I have most of what I need from you. Your suit will be delivered to your room soon!" Another bright smile. She winced at the exuberance of the woman. How could she be so happy? Working for pigs who kidnapped people and did with them as they pleased.

"About this…room everyone keeps mentioning. I was sorta dragged here by someone else, so I don't know exactly where the detaining rooms are anymore…"

Amanda blinked in surprise, adjusting her thick glasses. "Oh no no no, miss, I think you're mistaken! Your room is on the upper floors now. You have your own little apartment!"

"…What?"

"Surprised? There are a lot of places in the Shinra building. Like a hospital, a mental ward, training school, wrestling room, recreational rooms. It's like a whole other world in here of its own! The Turks have their own set of rooms on the upper levels. "

"Huhn….it looked big from outside but…uh…"

"Here, I'll help you up to your room!" She beamed at her and stood up, crossing from behind her desk. She took quick short strides, pulling her along to the set of elevators. "Your keycard?" She blinked at her confusingly and then realized, pulling the small plastic card out. Amanda took it, smiling and swiped it through the card reader, plugging in the correct floor. "There we are." The doors slid open and the both boarded. The doors slid shut and brought them up to their destined floor. "Here we go." Amanda handed back her keycard, with an even smile. "Your room is number 9, miss! You'd be…hm….right next to Reno, I believe!"

"The annoying red head?"

"Yup, that'd be him." She gave off a short giggle and she gently pushed her out.

"But…w-wait, what am I supposed to do?"

"Check out the view!" She whispered, giggling again as the doors shut close.

The elevator closed and the young woman was out of sight. She frowned in thought, looking over her shoulder at the rows of doors. It looked a lot different from the rest of the building. It looked so apartment-like. As if she wasn't in the middle of a diabolical company bent on using her for its dirty work. She sighed, wanting to run out of it, as fast as she could and never look back, but everything seemed pitted against her. She shoved her hands into her pocket and proceeded to approach her new room. She turned the knob and entered, hoping it wasn't prison like, and was as 'homey' as Amanda had described it.

It was actually a quaint little living quarter. Straight through was a hallway leading to rooms further in back, most likely bedrooms. To the right, as soon as you walked in, was the kitchen, filled with small appliances and a wooden table. To the left was the main area, a long couch and a television set in front. There were book cases on either side of the television, and a long coffee table nearby. All in all, she'd take it over the little white room with a simple cot any day. She walked forward, feeling tired and miserable as ever and slumped down on the couch, needing a break and a way to sort her thoughts.

Was this any better than other fates to befall her? Could she really live this life? A life of imprisonment, a life of servitude?

Her father had made Shinra sound so wonderful to work for. He had always provided for his family because of Shinra. She never realized what it was or what it meant. It was some company far off in the middle of Midgar. All she knew was that it provided her electricity. She hadn't known a thing behind it. And now, she was being forced to work for them. The people who forced her away from her life. Was it a great life? No. Was it a better life?…..no.

….It…..wasn't any better, she realized. She hadn't been better off, in that café where they plucked her from. She was sick. She was dying. What they had offered her…in a way…was a chance at a new life. It wasn't a good way of living, but anything had to better than dying.

Right?

"Knock, knock!"

She spun around on the couch, looking over the cushions at the said owner of interrupting voice.

"Well hey. Enjoying your new room, huh? Pretty nice." He grinned cheekily at her. She glared.

"Whaaat? Don't be starin' me down, yo." He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "I just wanted to ask ya if ya wanted to go get something to eat. It'd be a good way to learn your way around, yo."

"…You're not going to send me down to Hojo…are you?"

"What? No. Wait, why? Why would I do that? Why would I want to go down to the abyss of hell to go see a crazy creepy ugly guy? I mean, even if it WAS to torment you, it wouldn't be worth it in my opinion."

"….Promise you won't? I already joined you know. You can't change your mind."

"Ehh? What's up with you? I know you joined." He kept his hand on the knob, eyeing her wearily.

"Just…promise me alright? Even if it means nothing. At least as your new…teammate."

"Promise ya what now?"

"That you won't send me back to Hojo!"

"Ok, ok! Yeesh. I won't send ya back to creepazoid, blah, blah….happy now?"

"…Yea."

"Come on, ya comin' or not? I'm hungry. I'm goin' whether or not you come with."

"Ok…"

She slid off the couch, feeling hungry at the mention of food. It had been a few days since she last had a decent bite to eat. And exploring never hurt anyone. It was better than moping around all day feeling sorry for herself.

Reno sent her a smile, sort of excited she wasn't being difficult for once.

"Stop smiling at me." She muttered. "Everyone's been smiling at me lately today and I hate it. There's nothing to smile about."

Reno stopped, "Why not? You're alive aren't ya?"

"Well…yea but…."

"And you're gonna get better soon."

"Maybe…"

"And you've got a job."

"…."

"And a nice place to live."

"……"

"So stop mopin'! I'd say you got a pretty nice life right now, yo!"

She crinkled her nose, hating the fact he had managed to make some very crucial points.

"And anyway, nobody likes a negative Nancy." He pulled his smile back on.

"My name isn't even Nancy."

"I wouldn't know, yo. You've never told me your actual name. The only one who knows is Tseng, and he don't tell me anything. Unless I snoop."

"Huh." She continued walking, sliding her keycard through the card reader at the end of the hall.

"So….that's uh….maybe the part where you say, 'Well, my name is...' and then I know it and we're on a first name basis."

"Nah. It'll give you something to ponder."

Reno made an 'o' shape with his mouth, nodding slowly. "Well how do ya know I'm not already busy pondering other things. I might not even have time to ponder about your name. Maybe I don't even care…" She punched in a few floor numbers, wondering which one was the lunchroom area. "Well, look at you. Tryin' to be a little pro. I could just tell ya ya know."

"Then what is it?" She barked out.

"Ahh…well I'd tell ya, but see, it's gonna cost ya."

"Should have known…" She rolled her eyes.

"So….how 'bout this? Your name. My knowledge."

"Oh yes, your infinite knowledge is so worth it. You know, I could always just wait here till you're really hungry."

His smirk dropped a notch. "This is very true. Food is a big part of what motivates me. But then again, I'm more curious about you."

"Suit yourself. But it's not important." She tossed her bangs out of her eyes, noticing how long they were growing for the first time she'd been there.

"Just give me the initials and I'll guess. Come on, it'll be fun."

"Why are you so bent on knowing?" She stifled a smile, hating the fact that he was succeeding in making her so amused.

"I dunno. You're like this mysterious being." He waved his hands around as if to symbolize just how magical she was.

She choked back a laugh and pointed to the keypad. "The number."

"The initials?"

She sighed, crossing her arms.

"Please?"

He reached over, pressing in the correct number quickly, and the elevators slid open. She was surprised at the fast acting kindness.

"Thanks." She mumbled, steeping in. He stepped in after her.

"I was getting hungry." He explained after a few moments.

"Oh, I'm sure." A smile curled at her lips.

After a few minutes of riding the elevator in silence she looked over at him.

"L.A."

He smiled.