Reno's Life: Chp 25

"Are we there yet?"

"Not yet, yo"

"Well, when can I open my eyes?"

"When I open mine"

"Reno!"

"Relax, 'Lena! I was just kidding! Close your eyes again"

"…That's not funny"

"Calm down, Rude. We're almost there"

Reno safely landed the helicopter in the middle of a snowy field and carefully led Rude and Elena out onto the ground.

"We're here, yo!"

"It's freezing!"

"…Can we go back?"

"Aw, c'mon! You guys will love it. Now open your eyes!"

Elena and Rude opened their eyes and gasped. Reno had led them to the entrance of Icicle Inn. Little children were playing on their sleds and building snowmen near cozy-looking cabins. Rude remained silent and Elena cringed.

"I remember this place. I tried to hit Cloud and I ended up rolling down a hill", muttered Elena. "I don't like it here".

Reno walked back to the helicopter and pulled out a big red sled.

"Don't even worry about that. We'll have fun here with this!", Reno said cheerfully.

"A big sled?", Rude asked.

"That sled is bigger than the hills around here", Elena commented.

Reno shook his head. "No, we're not sledding with the children here. We're going over there", he said, pointing at the biggest slope at the edge of town.

"No way, Reno", said Elena. "The only person who will enjoy sledding there will have to be crazier than Sephiroth".

Reno scoffed and ran towards the slope, dragging the sled behind him. Rude sighed.

"I'm going back to the helicopter", he said, walking back towards the snowy field.

Elena followed Rude, but stopped. She could not just let Reno do something so stupid. He could really hurt himself.

"Reno, wait!", she called out.

Reno was already sitting on the sled, waiting for his fellow Turks.

"Alright, 'Lena! I knew Rude would chicken out!", Reno said happily.

"No, Reno, I'm not here to sled down this crazy mountain", Elena said. "I'm here to stop you from doing something that could kill you".

"Oh, you're just chicken, yo"

"I am not!"

"Are too"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Oh, grow up! I'm going back to the helicopter", Elena said, turning back.

But as soon as the blonde Turk took a step towards the helicopter, a small rodent-like animal scurried out from a bush and right into her path. Elena yelped, jumped back, and tripped over her own feet. Reno swiftly caught her before she hit the ground.

"Are you alright, 'Lena?", he asked.

"I think so…", said Elena. "But…um…are we moving?".

Elena was right. The sled was slowly sliding forward. The two Turks scrambled to get off of the sled, but it was too late. The sled dashed down the slope at a blinding speed, narrowly dodging trees, boulders, chocobos, and snow-moogles. Reno and Elena were screaming as loudly as they could as they swung around corners and ducked to avoid low branches.

They finally hit a snow bank the bottom of the slope, flew off of the sled, and landed face first into the snow. A few seconds later, Reno sat up and crawled over to Elena, who looked dead.

"Elena! Elena! Are you alive!", Reno shouted.

Elena sat up, shook the snow out of her hair, and glared at Reno.

"I am sooooooooooooo sorry!", apologized Reno.

Elena's angry glare soon turned into friendly laughter. She laughed and laughed while Reno just stared. The red-headed Turk moved back a few inches. Maybe the hit on her head made her go crazy.

"Are you kidding? I had the time of my life!", Elena said. "Let's do it again!"

Reno looked shocked. She enjoyed it? The red-head shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"Alright, 'Lena! Let's do it again, yo!".