Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or its characters. It belongs to Square Enix. I do own my original characters and plots, though.
Author's Note: I just can't stop thanking you guys. I'm too thankful. So, yes, thanks again, all of my readers and reviewers. Well, here's Chapter 7 for you all. I know it's long, but I find it necessary. LOL, I love the title. It's a weird, mixed-up title I came up with around 12 AM while listening to a piano version of "J-E-N-O-V-A." (That's the song when you fight Jenova and Hojo. I love it.) See if you can find the bizarre irony and bad puns in the title. XD This chapter actually has less action than the previous ones, so it's a breather. However, that changes near the end. Enjoy, everyone!
Oh, and to Howard the Duck: The two Shin-Ra SOLDIERs in Chapter 6 weren't Zack and Cloud. If you recall, Zack and Cloud were in the entrance hall of the Shin-Ra mansion, injured. In the game, Hojo performed experiments on them (and I stay true to that), but in my story, Aphrodite and Ares went right before them. I hope that clears it up.
Chapter 7: Violet Kicks, Greensleeved Punches, Sweet-smelling Tackles, and Cure Carnations
Someone was singing…Singing softly to her as she slept… Like a lullaby… Rescuing her from her truthful nightmare… She smelled violets and carnations. Sweet-smelling cologne soothed her troubled, painful soul. And he was singing…
"Greensleeves was all my joy,Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady Greensleeves…"
Aphrodite opened her eyes. A familiar face smiled down at her, stroking her forehead. His piercing blue eyes gazed warmly at her. Ares! Who else could have known her favorite song since childhood?
She remembered his cologne. He wore it everyday. On the small table beside her hospital bed was a glass vase bursting with fresh white carnations (her favorite flowers) and violets, and they smelt of rapture. She licked her dry lips and smiled up at Ares, glad to be awake. She didn't want to remember the past…
"How do you feel, sister?" Ares's deep voice sounded friendly and welcoming. "I knew your favorite song would wake you up."
Aphrodite's smile widened. "I feel…" She began to sit up, but an excruciating pain in her abdomen pushed her back down. "…Tired."
"You were in terrible condition, Aphrodite. I thought you were a goner," said Ares, frowning at his heavily bandaged sister. "You wouldn't stop bleeding. Neither would that Reno fellow…" He trailed off, glaring across the room.
Aphrodite tilted her head at him. "It was pretty serious, I gather…" She turned to look in the direction Ares was scowling, and her eyes widened.
There, in a bed on the other side of the hospital suite, was a sleeping young man with fiery-red hair.
"Reno!" Aphrodite was relieved. He was sleeping very peacefully, though he looked rather humorous in his teddy-bear printed hospital gown… "I'm glad he's alright…"
Ares sighed, shaking his head. "I just can't keep you away from him, can I?"
She grinned, looking back at her older brother. His expression said that he wanted her undivided attention. Ares looked thoughtful for a moment, and then he spoke. "I really want to give you the third degree for what you did to me, but I'll cut you some slack for now. Look, Aphrodite, I noticed that you looked…troubled…in your sleep. What was wrong?"
She chewed her lower lip, shaking her head. "Nothing. Nothing at all, brother." She forced a smile, and just as Ares was about to speak, the door opened. They looked up, anxious to see who entered.
Two men strode into the hospital suite. They were both clad in blue suits that seemed familiar to Aphrodite. One was an oriental fellow with long jet-black hair, and the other was a large, bald man with dark glasses obscuring his eyes from view. Turks? Reno's co-workers, perhaps?
Aphrodite stared at them. The two blue-suited men observed Reno's slumber for a short moment, and Ares gazed at them apprehensively. A deafening silence hung in the air for a few minutes before the black-haired Turk cleared his throat, fixing his dark eyes on Aphrodite.
"And how is Reno? Mighty fine mess you two have gotten yourselves into, hmm?" said the oriental man, folding his hands behind his back. The slum-girl guessed that he was probably from Wutai. He hadn't even bothered to introduce himself…
She saw the bald man shake his head and make a 'tsk' sound before she cleared her own throat. "He is…much better now, I believe," she said, shifting her weight. This hospital gown, though hideous (teddy-bear print?) was really quite comfortable. Maybe the hospital workers would let her keep it for pajamas. She almost giggled at the thought of wearing a teddy-bear printed hospital gown to bed, and struggled to keep a straight face as she observed the two blue-suited men. Ares was looking wary again…
"Not a good enough answer, but I'll take it," said the Wutain Turk, narrowing his dark eyes at the slum-girl. With close observation, she noticed a strange dot on his forehead. The bald man, she found, wore over half a dozen hoop earrings in a single ear. How strange! Most of the Turks seemed to have odd, distinguishing features: one bald with many earrings, another with a dot on his forehead, and Reno with his two red cheekbone scars.
"Aphrodite—" began Ares, but the bald man cut him off.
"Are you that slum-rat Reno said he was going out with the other evening?"
Aphrodite raised her dark eyebrows, taken aback by his sudden interrogation. Her nose wrinkled at the "slum-rat" insult. "Indeed. But it's not my fault…sir. It was three thugs. They assaulted us while Reno and I were on the way to his place."
The bald Turk shook his head. "Reno can take down three men single-handedly. He shouldn't need some dirty little girl helping him. Right, Tseng?"
The Wutain man was silent.
What nerve! How dare he! Aphrodite clenched her fists and glanced at Ares. Her elder brother narrowed his eyes at the Turk, and he finally took his opportunity to speak.
"Don't you talk to my sister like that," growled Ares. He stared down the bald man, and the young woman saw the ice in his sharp blue eyes. Mother's eyes. "You haven't any right. You're a Turk, and you are ten times dirtier than my sister will ever be."
"No right? Maybe under Shin-Ra I do," retorted the giant man, and he crossed his large, muscular arms. The Turk named Tseng watched this argument with an amused smirk, his hands folded behind his back like a sergeant.
"C'mon, leave 'Dite and her brother alone, Rude. It's not their fault," said a groggy, irritated voice suddenly, and Aphrodite jumped.
Reno sat up, but fell back on his pillow again, tangled in his sheets. He looked like a burrito, all rolled up in them. Aphrodite couldn't help but giggle at the comical sight. He looked so funny in his teddy-bear patterned hospital gown, all mixed up in white bed-sheets. He reminded her of a child.
All attention focused on Reno.
"So Sleeping Beauty has awakened," said Tseng, his lightly accented voice dripping with sarcasm. "How are you feeling, Reno?"
Aphrodite observed Ares's reaction to Reno's ungraceful awakening. He watched the redhead in disgust, thinning his lips. He squeezed her injured shoulder—probably without thinking—and she cried out in pain, reflexively inching away from her elder brother. He frowned and uttered a swift apology.
"I'm perfectly fine," said Reno, sounding cocky as usual. He glanced towards Aphrodite after her exclamation, and smirked. "Hey, 'Dite."
Aphrodite felt Rude's eyes—hidden by his dark shades—linger on her in disgust as she attempted a smile at Reno. "Feeling better?"
He shrugged. "Same as always. Quick healer." He seemed to notice the clash between the Turks—especially Rude—and Aphrodite and Ares. "Rude, Tseng, this is Aphrodite Sorrows. She saved our lives."
"Charmed," said Tseng, sounding mildly sarcastic. Rude was silent. So was Ares.
"'Dite, meet my co-workers: Rude and Tseng of the Turks, Shin-Ra, Inc. Don't let them intimidate you," said Reno, and Aphrodite noticed the redhead cast a dirty look at his fellow Turks as if saying, "Cut her some slack, okay?"
"No worries," replied Aphrodite, waving her hand as if to dismiss the hateful, apathetic behavior of the two Turks. "Oh, and this is my brother, Ares. Pardon him, he's a bit hotheaded and jealous," she introduced her overprotective elder brother to Rude and Tseng, smirking apologetically.
She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Ares, who scowled at the Turks, Reno included. Ares didn't look like he enjoyed their presence; but then again, the blue-suited men (including hospital-gown Reno) didn't seem to like Ares, either. Nor did Tseng and Rude seem to be to keen on Aphrodite. Oh, well.
"Man, I'm broke," mumbled Aphrodite, frowning at the measly twenty-five gil in her hand. She had just finished counting her savings, and looked at Reno in humiliation. How embarrassing. He must have thought lowly of her by now. "I have less than thirty gil, and I desperately need some clothes," said the slum-girl, glancing down at the men's shirt and pants Reno had lent her.
The two sat in chairs at a table in Reno's vast apartment that morning, sipping coffee. This place was colossal to her, but she could tell that the Turk was not very organized or at least inclined to clean regularly. They had just left the hospital after recovering there for five days; Ares and Aphrodite had argued over the young woman's freedom again, but she won once more, and ran off with the red-haired Turk. She told herself she wouldn't ever go back to the slums.
"Well, at least you took the first step and used my shower," joked Reno, grinning. "You smell so much nicer now." He leaned closer to her, sniffing her long, damp curls and stroking the soft, clean skin on her arm flirtatiously.
"Re-no!" complained Aphrodite, smacking the Turk on the head. "Do try to keep your distance!"
Reno put on a strange expression: a pouting lower lip but cold eyes. "It's hard to stay away from a goddess…"
"Oh, shut up," said the young woman, giving him a Look. "Anyway. Hey, what's up with those co-workers of yours? They're such thick-skinned…things," she finished lamely, trying to refrain from using a curse word on those men.
"Rude happens to be my friend. He's not really a bad guy to me. Turks gotta be that way, though," explained Reno, shrugging. "Pitiless. Brutal, I say. They have few friends. Few lovers. Though I might be an exception to the 'few lovers' principle," he winked suggestively at the last wisecrack. "I love my job. Not sayin' I love the Shin-Ra, but the pay is well worth it."
Aphrodite nodded, holding her mug of coffee, and watched Reno prop his feet up on the table. "What…kind of stuff do you guys do?"
"We do whatever we're told. We follow orders, and most of these orders concern killin', stealing, kidnappin' and all that dirty shit. Pretty fun, really. Almost everyone's scared silly of you when you're a Turk." Reno smirked at Aphrodite, flipping his bangs. "Occasionally there's a dumb report to write or file on some noteworthy event, or records to keep." He grinned. "Why, 'Dite? Interested?"
The slum-girl raised the mug to her lips, gulping a hefty dose of French vanilla-Irish cream coffee. Her favorite. Blinking, she examined the red diamond-shaped Shin-Ra logo glaring at her from the ceramic of the mug. Company gift, perhaps? She looked back at Reno, holding the warm mug in her hands. "Interested? Curious, maybe."
Hmm… To be honest, this Turk job didn't sound too shabby. "What's it take to become to a Turk?" inquired Aphrodite suddenly, her gray-green eyes widening with renewed curiosity.
Reno scrutinized her for a few moments, as if searching for her reasons. He then cleared his throat, running a hand through his fiery-red bangs. "You've gotta be strong. Good fighting, good thievery, and stealth. You can't let your background, your emotions, or beliefs get in the way of your mission. You do what you're told: no questionin' anyone's authority. The higher-ups hate it," he explained, and quickly sipped his coffee. "And when you're ordered to steal, kill, or kidnap, you do it without pity for the victim. It's a tough job alright, and not only is the pay real good, but it has its benefits."
Aphrodite nodded, absorbing Reno's explanation with raised eyebrows and wide eyes. She never thought it took so much! A question struck her, and she gazed at the Turk wonderingly. "Reno, why did you choose to be a Turk, paycheck and benefits aside?"
The red-haired man averted his blue-green gaze, seemingly fascinated by the off-white wall now. He bit his lower lip, and Aphrodite cocked her head, surprised by his sudden behavioral chance. He was acting like the young woman did when she remembered Nibelheim. And then Reno spoke. "That's…somethin' I'd rather not talk about, Aphrodite."
"O-Oh, I'm sorry," apologized the slum-girl, tilting her head, curls framing her face. "Hey, Reno," she said suddenly, diverting the subject. "Do you think…that I'd make a good Turk?"
Reno lifted his head and gazed into her eyes, flabbergasted. Aphrodite wondered what he was thinking as he perused her with those eyes of his…
"I think, with practice, you'd make a great Turk," complimented Reno thoughtfully. He seemed so serious! So, he was deeper than she thought… Aphrodite analyzed his response and the intent way he looked at her. This was strange. "But…why, Aphrodite?"
The young woman shrugged almost passively, tucking a light, damp ash-brown curl behind her ear. She lowered her eyes, and fiddled with her fingers. "I…I'm not sure. I…would like to learn money to support Ares and me, but that's not really it. I think it's because…I want to be stronger?" She furrowed her brow as she gazed down at her fingers, trying to understand why she asked the question. Was it because of Reno himself? Was it her? Ares? The past? She was tentative. "But, I don't truly know why…"
Reno arched a red eyebrow at her and leaned forward in his chair. Lightly he tapped his long, tapering fingers on the wooden tabletop, and narrowed his luminescent eyes at her in contemplation. He cleared his throat. "Well, then. Say, 'Dite. Maybe I can get ya into the Turks. I think you're tough enough."
She lifted her head, her eyes wide and bright. "I can…? You'd…do that for me?"
"Why not?" shrugged the red-haired Turk, smirking at Aphrodite. "You're my pal, right?"
A sheepish grin accompanied a light flush on the slum-girl's face. "I suppose… Wow…thank you, Reno! When do we start my training?" she asked, almost hopping out of her chair. A look of both gratitude and excitement gleamed in her eyes, and she folded her hands over her chest as if in prayer. What joy! Reno would teach her all (?) about Turkhood and give her the proper training. She still couldn't understand why she desired to be a Turk, or even if she really seemed the Turk-type, but she decided to think about that another day. The answers to these questions would come to her all in good time.
"We can start today if ya want," Reno shrugged again, flipping his bangs.
Aphrodite beamed at him, her eyes bright as the light of fireflies. "Alright!" She looked like a child.
The two stood up. Reno led Aphrodite to a room suspended in the main corridor: a simple workout room. It looked, really, like someplace he'd go to do some exercise. To burn off steam, perhaps. The tall redhead smirked at her. "I remember seeing you take out that last thug the other night. You're good with magic, obviously. But you've gotta learn how to fight physically."
"I can fight physically," said the slum-girl matter-of-factly. "I just wasn't prepared for that fight."
Reno raised an eyebrow at Aphrodite, as if mocking her. "Alright then. So, hit me. Show me your physical skill. No magic, no weapons. And no bitch slaps, ya hear?"
Aphrodite giggled, but quickly abolished the sound. She cracked her knuckles. Very unladylike, she knew. "And suppose I hit you too hard?"
"You can use Cure, right?" He replied, an eye lingering on the small green Restore materia set in one of the four slots of her watch.
The young woman nodded, also glancing at the four materia slots in her accessory. "And you're fighting back?"
"No. I want to see how hard you hit first," said Reno, and he curled a finger towards his slouchy self. "Show me your stuff, babe."
A sly grin crawled onto her mouth. "'Kay." And with that simple word, she landed Reno a punch in the face.
He staggered back, a hand over his bleeding nose. Aphrodite took this to her advantage by shoving the Turk into the wall and knocking the wind out of him with a kick.
"Okay, okay," exclaimed Reno, huffing and puffing as he slumped to the floor. He struggled to breathe. "That's enough. I…underestimated…you, 'Dite."
Aphrodite let out a 'hmph' sound, and crouched beside the fallen Turk, healing his wounds and killing his pain with a Cure spell. She mockingly patted his head. "I want to see you fight back."
Reno stood and stretched, adjusting the dark glasses on his head and throwing his bangs back. A wily grin curled up the corners of his lips, and he raised his fists. "I'll go easy on ya."
The slum-girl shook her head. "Don't!"
"Fine, then. Ladies first," said the Turk.
"Sure," smirked Aphrodite, raising her own fists. A…fun challenge, this would be. Reno was in for a few surprises.
The redhead braced himself for a right-sided assault.
She raised her eyebrows at this. She had an advantage. With that mocking smirk still on her face, she advanced on the Turk. She held her right fist in such a way so it gave off the illusion that she was going to punch Reno with it.
Instead, it was her left fist that caught him by surprise.
Reno placed a hand over his right eye and recoiled, staring at her.
"Didja forget I'm left-handed, Reno, 'huh?" mocked Aphrodite playfully, grinning. She threw another punch at him, this time with her right fist. The Turk easily caught it and deflected her blow with a kick.
The slum-girl was unwise to not expect this, and a sharp pain jabbed at her ribs. But she ignored it, deflecting a punch from Reno.
This little practice match soon became a full-blown melee. Reno and Aphrodite were nearly at each other's throats. They looked like angry husband and wife, or perhaps, brother and sister fighting over the last cookie in the jar. In the end, the young woman cried out for a broken rib, and Reno took this to his advantage by tackling Aphrodite to the floor.
"I win," gloated the redhead, and Reno didn't seem to notice—in all his cocky triumph—that he was right on top of her. Aphrodite struggled to breathe.
"Reno…" she gasped, her cheeks rosy both in exhaustion and embarrassment at their position on the floor. "Geroff…me…"
Suddenly the Turk seemed to realize this as well, and he rolled off of the young woman. "…Not bad," he said, flipping his long red ponytail. Reno hadn't won this battle unscathed, however. He sported a black eye, several bruises, and another bleeding nose.
Aphrodite sat up, clutching her gut as she cast Cure on herself and Reno. "That should do it," she said, and stood up. Their painful wounds evaporated. She wiped her brow. "Really? Am I good enough?"
"'Dite, ya gave me a black eye. Sure as hell you're good enough," he gave her a knowing look. "I'll take ya to headquarters tomorrow, then, so we can see what the boss thinks."
She beamed, her eyes bright. And once again, she looked like a joyful child on Christmas Day. She fought the urge to give him a bear hug and smother him with thankful kisses. "Oh, thank you, Reno!"
"Stop thankin' me, will ya?" Reno shrugged it off, plopping down on the sofa. "You can sleep in the guest room t'night. Though I wouldn't mind sharing my bed." He winked.
Aphrodite stood behind the Turk and smacked him upside the head. "Guest room's fine with me. I'm sure not going back to the slums and letting Ares rule my life again…"
"But ain't all your stuff back there?"
She blinked.
Aphrodite hadn't thought of that. "Oh, yeah… Well, I'll work that out somehow. We'll pick up my belongings first, later."