Seriously guys, I am trying to be good with updates but Avengers. That's my excuse. SO FUCKING GOOD. And I'm trying to write a Clint Barton origin story. Can't think of a title, and it's driving me insane. GAH. And I watched Hannibal Rising and Red Dragon and now I love Hannibal even more than I did and - STOP GIRL, STOP RIGHT THERE.
Ahem.
Warnings for the fic: language (of course, Reno comes with his own warning...as does my Raine :D), smut (^_^) and violence.
Warnings for this chapter: Torture (psychological and physical), language and violence, a dash of romance and angst (not from where you expect! Eheheheh...), psycho and downright cruel Kadaj and some risqué mentions of rape in memory - please feel free to skip that bit if it bothers you, it's the paragraph in italics.
Second section is Reno's PoV.
I don't own Final Fantasy or any of the characters apart from Raine...God knows what would happen if I did...
There's one thought going round my head, and that thought is why don't I know any better swear words that 'shit' right now? Kadaj has vanished again, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Or thought. Which leads me to the conclusion that I am probably in shock, since I am fervently wishing I knew Wutainese so I can swear in another language. Definitely not a good sign. I force myself to reassess the situation I am in. Since I have no idea how long my time limit is, or how much of it has elapsed, I have no idea whether even attempting escape is a good idea. I just hope to Ifrit that Reno and the others don't agree to whatever Kadaj has demanded of them. I would gladly die if it saves everyone else.
Would you, though? says a snide voice in the back of my head. Would you give up your life so easily? Just lie there and die?
I shake off these thoughts, hating how that voice sounds an awful lot like Kadaj. Gods forbid he could get into my head, that would be terrifying.
I freeze. What if... what if Kadaj could get into my head? We still don't know everything that the Remnants can do - and Sephiroth got into Cloud's head...
This train of thought makes me tremble violently. The last person I want in my head is Kadaj, for several reasons. I know there are things in my past that I have deliberately forgotten and not thought about in years - and I knew the damage Kadaj could do if he unearthed those memories.
"I am not letting that creep get into my head," I mutter, pressing my bound hands to my forehead harshly, hitting it a few times. "I will not!"
"Let's not damage that little head of yours, hmm? We don't want you missing out on all the fun."
I'm fairly certain I pull a muscle in my neck when my head snaps up to see that Kadaj has returned silently and is watching me intently, that horrible little smirk on his face and the equally if not more horrible sword dangling deceptively casually in his hands. The cuts on my face and arm sting again, and I cringe away from the blade without even meaning to. Kadaj's smirk widens, tilting the blades so that they glint in the dim light.
"Do you like it? I do, it is quite a useful and exceptional weapon. And very... very sharp."
I swallow convulsively. His voice is soft and dangerous, but an echo of memory makes it sound more aggressive and deep - a flash of remembered pain. I blink rapidly, forcing the memory back to the recesses of my mind, and manage a weak smirk of my own. "Are you, uh, compensatin' for somethin'? 'Cos, two swords in one... or are you suggestin' somethin' else?"
The sword twitches and I flinch. Okay, maybe not a good idea to taunt Kadaj when he's holding a sharp sword... I change tack, forcing calm on myself. "So, how long are you planning on keeping me here, hmm? Because I happen to have important plans to carry out that don't include being tied up in a pathetic attempt to regain Jenova's damn head—"
"Shut up," Kadaj hisses, suddenly right in front of me and I am on my feet, held up by his hand and sword at my throat, the blades pressing into the skin just enough for it to be very obvious how sharp they were. Against my will, my heart pounds and that unwanted memory strains to be seen again. My mind wants to take me back into my years in the Slums, and all it's taking is a sharp sword and a dark room. I desperately cling onto my self-control, pushing the memory back as far as I can. Kadaj is smiling evilly and his hand tightens slightly. "Scared, are we? Surely not. You're a Turk, aren't you? Turk's shouldn't be scared of anything."
I clamp down on the urge to spit at him - I have a clear idea of what that could lead to. Instead, I keep silent and just glare at him, managing to keep my mind and fear in check for now. Kadaj's smile fades; he isn't getting the reaction he wants. He makes a disgusted noise and slams my head into the wall before letting me go. I gasp in pain and slide down the wall into a heap, dazed. My vision swims as I look up into Kadaj's glowing green eyes.
"You are the pathetic one, Raine," he hisses, crouching to look me directly in the eyes. My heart falters - too close, too similar to that time... I shake my head, both to clear it and to dispel those poisonous thoughts. Kadaj is laughing. "You can deny all you like, but you cannot escape the truth. You are pathetic, clinging to others who would protect you - others who even now are putting their own interests and lives before yours. Why do you think you are still here? They don't want you, they will not save your life. You mean nothing to them."
I squeeze my eyes shut, keeping in the tears that threaten to fall and shake my head roughly. "That's not true."
"Isn't it?" Kadaj grabs my hair, pulling harshly to make me look at him again. "You lie to yourself all the time, Raine. You lie to others. Why would anyone care about you? You've stolen, you've killed, you've hurt others to better yourself. Who would want you after they knew all of that? The President will not, surely, you are far too filthy and common for him. And your brother, he would be much happier without the complication of a sister in his life."
My breathing is coming in harsh gasps and tears are falling freely. He gets his other hand around my throat and squeezes, pulling harder on my hair. I can't focus enough to stop the memory anymore; it is crashing down on me, something I have tried so hard to forget, to erase from my mind.
Rough, uncaring hands, more than one pair grabbing at me, brutal strength pushing me down, pinning me in place. I wriggle free, try to run and am grabbed by the ankle, I come crashing down on my face. Being pulled back, pinned down with more force, bruising force. I struggle and am hit in the face; I taste blood. I thrash wildly, trying desperately to escape, to stop what I know will happen if I can't get away. Jeering laughter, another hard punch in the face that breaks my nose and a knife is pressed into my throat. I lash out - it cuts, once twice, again. It rips at my clothes, tears them apart. I cry, I beg, I swear kick punch bite scream but they don't stop and it hurtssomuchandIcan'tbearitanymore—
I scream and scream and Kadaj laughs.
I pace back and forth in frustration, wanting very badly to hit something. Rufus, Tseng, Cloud and Rude are discussing various plans to get Raine back and avoid handing over Jenova, while Elena is still being tended to by medics. Which leaves me alone with my guilt and frustration.
I curse under my breath and go outside, wanting to clear my head a bit. It's getting darker and it's difficult to see, but at least it's quiet. I lean against the stair railings and sigh, rubbing a hand over my face wearily. We have a little under six hours now to get Raine. With every hour, every minute, every second that passes, my guilt and fear increases. I shouldn't have let her go alone. I should have made sure she had her gun and her phone. I should've offered to go with her.
"I'm a terrible brother," I mutter miserably, hanging my head. "And I can't think of anything that will get Raine out alive..."
Tseng's smooth voice floats from the half open door, calling my name, and suddenly, I have an idea. A crazy, brilliant idea that might just work. I grab my phone and dial up a number I've only ever called twice in my life.
"Hey, Vincent, I'm cashing in on that favour. How do you feel about saving a damsel in distress?"
When I come around again, someone is sitting beside me, shaking my shoulder gently. I crack my eyes open, for a moment forgetting where I am and thinking I've just slept late and Reno is trying to wake me up. When I can see, I see Denzel. I bolt upright and my head spins.
"Woah, be careful Raine," he says worriedly as I sway. Small hands grab my arm and help me lean back against the wall carefully. I groan and he peers into my face. "You gonna throw up?"
"Not yet, kid," I reply hoarsely after a moment. I blink hard, trying to clear my vision. "What are you doing here?"
"The guy with the silver hair brought me." Denzel brings his knees up and wraps his arms around them, leaning his chin on his knees and looking at me sadly. "I wanted to help you, but he tied me up. I had to watch, or he'd kill you."
Tears build up in my eyes. "Oh, Denz... I'm so sorry you had to watch that." I put my bound hands on his, mentally putting Kadaj through every imaginable torture I could come up with. Considering how I'd spent the last two hours, that wasn't very hard to do. Kadaj hadn't settled with bringing my worst memories back to the surface of my mind, he wanted to see how much pain he could put me through until I begged. I was proud that I hadn't been forced to, that I had held on long enough not to beg for mercy that wouldn't come. I wasn't pleased that the reason I didn't was because Kadaj had received a message from Rufus, asking to meet and discuss terms. I try to smile at Denzel. "Hey, how come you're not 'cuffed, huh?"
Denzel looks slightly scared. "He's in my head, Raine. If I try and run away, he makes me come back. But if I do what he tells me to, then he won't hurt me."
Anger boils up inside me. "How is he in your head?"
"The stigma," Denzel replies morosely, moving his fringe aside so I can see the black sheen across his forehead. His bottom lip trembles. "I'm scared, Raine."
I close my eyes briefly, then loop my arms around him, squeezing tight."It's okay Denz, I'll get us both out of here, I promise."
He hugs me back for a moment before leaning away and asking, "Raine, who did you kill?"
I sigh and take my arms away, rubbing my eyes. I'd really hoped he wouldn't ask me but I wasn't about to lie to him. "I killed someone who did very bad things to me and a lot of other girls and boys."
Denzel nods and hugs me again, this time not letting go. "Okay. When did you become a Turk?"
"About... eleven months? Give or take a week or two. Reno picked me up - you know, the red head loud mouth?"
"The one that Cloud fancies?"
I snort. "Ha, I told him everyone knew. Yeah, him. He's actually my brother."
Denzel stares at me, wide-eyed. "Really? You have a real brother?"
"Yup. 'Course, you're still my little bro, Denz," I smile, rubbing his arm. "And you'll always be my little bro, 'kay?"
Denzel smiles and ducks his head shyly. "'Kay."
We sit in silence for a long moment, just taking comfort from each other's presence. After a while, Denzel falls asleep. I smile softly, remembering old times when we used to do this in the Slums. We'd often fall asleep in the street leaning on each other, keeping each other company. The wave of nostalgia almost make me tear up but I blink the tears away and gently kiss Denzel's head. I make a silent promise to him, that I will do anything I can to get him out, even if it means I end up dead.
I'm woken up by sudden cold. I jerk my eyes open to see that Denzel is gone and I am alone. I curse vibrantly, blinking the remnants of sleep from my eyes and trying to focus. My back hurts from the odd angle I've been sleeping at, and my wounds hurt too, stinging like mad. At least they've stopped bleeding, mostly, although the dried blood feels awful and stings when I stretch and pull at the cuts. Probably the most annoying thing about Kadaj's method of causing pain is that the wounds are never deep enough to be fatal, or even life threatening, but are shallow enough to hurt like hell.
I hear a creepy laugh from somewhere in the gloom ahead of me. Peering into the dark, I catch a glimpse of a person. Not Kadaj, this one is slightly taller with longer hair. For a split second, I panic and think it's Sephiroth. Then I realise that the hair is only just over shoulder length and the person, now moving closer, has a gun. Yazoo. Great.
"Quit with the sneaking, I know you're there," I mutter in frustration, just wanting the pain to be over with. Because I was pretty sure that he was here to join in on what Kadaj started. Much to my surprise, however, Yazoo vanishes, just as if he'd never been there at all. I blink and frown into the gloom, trying to find him again.
Nothing.
I sigh and lean back awkwardly. I must be more tired than I thought. Just as I'm thinking that, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and turn to see a smaller shadow, this one the size of a child.
"Denz?"
Again, I hear a short, quiet laugh and the figure vanishes. I straighten up, mind racing. I can't decide if they are actually there and just well hidden, or if I'm imagining them. My peripheral catches the bigger one, Loz before he too vanished. I snap my head around, searching desperately for a solid figure that won't disappear. I find none, just shadows and brief glimpses that vanish as soon as I try and get a closer look.
I push my self into a standing position, planning on running at the next shape to appear. I feel the cold, sharp press of a double bade on the back of my neck and whirl away, spinning to find nothing behind me but empty air. My heart is racing, panic starting to rise. Shadowed figures prowl just on the edge of my vision, sometimes the Remnants, sometimes Denzel, or Cloud, or Reno, but none that I can fix on or find seconds later. Every now and then, the cold touch of Kadaj's swords touch somewhere on my skin and vanishes again as soon as I turn. The fear of what that blade brings if it properly connects fuels the hysteria threatening to bubble over. I try desperately to ignore the shapes after a while, but that sets off whispers of my name and pleas for help that echo in my head, screams from my memories, phantom touches of long dead hands.
It's not real, it's not real, it's not real, I chant to myself, switching to saying it aloud when the mental mantra doesn't work. The sound of my own voice helps a little until the whispers grow louder and more insistent. I crouch on the floor, covering my ears futilely, trying to block out sounds that are resonating in my mind. I squeeze my eyes shut, flinching every time I feel something brush against me.
"It's not real, it's not real, it's not real..."
The next time I feel the sword, it's real. I know this because it cuts and I throw myself backwards away from it, just about managing not to scream. Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo are standing above me, wearing identical evil smirks.
"Play time," Loz grins, raising his fists even as Kadaj raises the sword again. I close my eyes as it comes flashing down.
At first, I think the gunshot is from Yazoo. Then I wonder why I haven't felt it hit me. This confuses me enough that I crack my eyes open. A flash of red catches my cautious gaze and much to my shock, there is someone actually fighting the Remnants. And, so far, winning. I sit there and stare dumbly, unable to believe what I was seeing. I wonder if they have managed to drive me mad, and I am imagining that Vincent Valentine, a man I had met once and been ultimately freaked out and confused by, is here to possibly save me.
"Raine, move out of the way now!"
Nope, not mad. There's not way my imaginary saviour would sound so angry. Or, well, he might, but - oh right, moving. I roll myself out of the way as Loz went flying backwards into the wall. I'm not quite quick enough, however, and his boot catches me really heavily on the side of the head, which in turn knocks it against the floor just as hard. I gasp in pain and everything goes black. Again.
This time, when I wake up, I'm not handcuffed and I can see light filtering through my still closed eyelids. I can feel that I'm propped up against something hard. I feel a breeze as well. And a horrible throbbing on the side and back of my head that makes me groan.
"Would you like some water?"
I nod carefully without opening my eyes or moving anything else - the throbbing in my head just seemed to be getting worse. A hand filled with water is placed by my lips and I gratefully gulp it down, along with the next three that follow. Eventually, I feel better enough to open my eyes.
"Hey there Vincent. Long time no see, huh?"
Vincent raises an eyebrow. "Regretting joining Shinra yet?"
I grin. "Nope."
Vincent smiles - I think - and proceed to check the injuries I'd almost forgotten I had. I sit patiently through his examination, wincing every now and then when he presses too hard on a recent wound. I'm still feeling quite light headed, although he assures me that I don't have a concussion. As much of a relief that is, something a little more important suddenly occurs to me.
"How did you know where I was? Or that I was even missing?"
"Reno."
I nod carefully. "That's all I need to know. Wait, no, how did you find me?" Vincent just looked at me silently. "Oh, okay, fine. Silent type, huh? Makes a nice change. Reno never shuts his mouth." A pointed look. "Yeah, yeah, I got that from him too." I look around me for the first time and take in my surroundings. Trees, lots of trees. Uh, white trees? ...glowing white - the Forgotten City! I frown, wondering why the hell we are in the Forgotten City instead of back at Healen, or even somewhere actually in Edge. When I ask Vincent, he doesn't answer - obviously - and I'm left wondering something else as well.
"So, um, why'd you come when Reno asked?"
"I owed him a favour," Vincent replies quietly. "He's had that favour for three years now. He told me he'd save it for the most dire case that even he could blow something up to solve. He chose to use it to save his sister."
I stare at him silently, mouth gaping. "He... what?"
Vincent stands. "I need to send a message, I will be right back. Try not to move too much."
I start to protest, but he's already gone. I blink a few times, trying to get my head around the fact that Reno used up a favour to Vincent godsdamn Valentine to save me. From what I knew about Vincent - and that wasn't a whole lot, since Tseng is apparently the only one who knows anything about him but refuses to tell - he didn't give favours out like sweets. And I know Reno, he'd only use a favour if he desperately needed to. My eyes fill up at the thought that Reno thinks I'm important enough to use it. I've never meant anything close to that to someone, ever. I wipe my eyes on my sleeve, embarrassed even though no one is there to see me crying. I resolve even further to get Cloud and Reno together, since I know that they are blatantly mad about each other, and this has given me another very good reason to make my brother happy.
Vincent appears just as quickly and silently as he disappeared. "They are on their way. How do you feel?"
"Not bad, thanks," I reply, making no effort to move. I'm too tired at this point, emotionally and physically drained. Vincent seems to understand and just sits on the ground in front of me, checking that I'm not bleeding anywhere or about to pass out. After a while of silence, he speaks.
"Could I ask you to pass on a message?"
"Sure. To who?"
"Tseng."
I raise my eyebrows. "Tseng? Why Tseng?" Silence. "Oooookay. What's the message?"
"Do you speak Wutainese?"
"Nope."
"Then listen carefully and repeat after me."
A few minutes later, I had the message carefully memorised. I repeated it several time to myself, making sure I got it all. Vincent nodded his approval and stood, helping me to stand as well. I suddenly hear a familiar voice yelling my name.
"Raine!"
"Reno!" I cry back, stumbling forward a few steps. Vincent steadies me until I stop tripping over. I finally see Reno's bright red hair, followed by blond spikes and several others. I almost feel like crying.
"I must go. Please remember the message, it is only for Tseng to hear. I will be in contact." With that, Vincent vanished, just as Reno burst into the clearing and pretty much body slammed into me.
"OUCH, jeez Reno, calm down!" I laugh, in pain but so deliriously happy to see him that I don't care. "Gods, I'm so fucking glad to see you."
"I thought that they might've killed you," Reno says seriously, moving back but not letting go. "Good to see you're okay kid."
I grin, tears threatening again as everyone else, including Tseng and Elena, come forward to hug me - Tseng hugged me, momentous occasion to be noted - and express their relief at my general living state. I'm surprised to see Rufus here, and I hug him a little harder than necessary for reasons I have yet to look further into.
"I'm so happy to see all of you," I mumble, wiping at my eyes that started leaking traitorously at some point in the hugging. I swallow and say to Tseng, "and I have a message for you, but it's private, so I'll tell you later, okay? Right now... I just wanna go home."
"Sure thing Raine," Reno says gently as I start to sway. He picks me up, despite my protestations that I can walk fine, and carries me to the helicopters waiting a short trek away. Cloud, I notice, doesn't stray far from Reno's side the whole time. I smile at this new development, wondering if Cloud even realises that he's doing it or not. Once strapped into the chopper - Cloud sits at the front of Reno's, with me and Tseng in the back, Rude, Elena and Rufus in the other - I am about ready to fall asleep.
"Raine?"
"Mmm?" I look sleepily at Tseng. "Oh! Yeah, um Vincent told me to give you a message." I repeated the Wutainese phrase slowly, making sure I pronounce it all right. I see Tseng's face go blank with shock for about two seconds, then a brief but warm smile before his usual expression returns.
"Thank you Raine. I assume you don't know what it meant?"
"No, but... well, he seemed a bit emotional - or as emotional as that guy can get. But it's personal, so I won't ask."
Tseng nods once. "Thank you. Try to get some sleep, you look exhausted."
I happily agree and close my eyes. Within seconds, I'm asleep.
Eheheheheheheh I AM THE BAD GUY. (Anyone understand that reference...?)
Bad ending, but if I'd carried on then it would have been about twice as long, and I'm not too fond of overly long chapters. So more in the next chapter! I'll try to be quicker with my updating.
"Don't make promises you can't keep Mr. Parker." xD The best kind, man, the best kind.
FYI: The scene right before Raine's rescue is based on Merlin, the TV series, where Guinevere is captured and tortured by Morgana :D
