Intrigue of Reeve

by TyrantChimera

Reeve sees a boy out in the rain, a trooper called Cloud Strife. He has a lot on his mind. But time travel, assassins called Vincent Valentine, and the end of the world undone? It's a little more than he bargained for, yet he only had himself to blame. Even the river that is time can overflow... and wouldn't you know it, saving the world still takes paperwork. Time Travel, Oneshot.

1.

Reeve Tuesti. Head of urban development. Politician un-extroardinaire, tinkerer of toys, short stick of the budget meetings. There's a few things he could be called, he supposed, depending on who you asked. Some of these titles could be more insulting than others.

Today, he thought to himself, as he watched a blonde haired trooper sit on a bench, he was going to add "wannabe therapist" to that list of titles.

The poor boy looked utterly distraught. Confused. Reeve couldn't help but feel a pull at his heartstrings at the sight of him (and wasn't that an accomplishment to still have some of those, working in Shinra). The young man was hunched and miserable, staring into the distance as the greenish rain of Midgar pelted down upon him mercilessly. Harsh rains soaked through a too-thin uniform. The blonde's scarf had fallen down, and Reeve could see him frowning in despair, his mouth slightly open, uncomprehending. Or perhaps, comprehending too much. He had a lot of his mind, of that there was no doubt. The weight of the world on his back.

"You look like you could use a shoulder, there," Reeve begins, his voice calming. The boy looks up at him in shock.

"Reeve?!"

Now it's Reeve's turn to be a little shocked. Not many people know him by name? But he's not the one in distress here, so he plays it off. "Ho ho, so you know my name? My, it's nice for someone to finally recognize me. Head of urban development for all of Midgar, and I can count the number of people who know my face on one hand." He sits next to the poor trooper, testing his boundaries. Despite being startled to the verge of bolting (what an easy face to read, poor thing!), the youth seems oddly familiar with the older man as he sits. Reeve continues, knowing his voice is a weapon as deadly as any other. His unassuming face and calm tones were ruthless when it came to making others relax around him, relax and forget that he held a decent chunk of political power. Not that this didn't backfire on occasion. When it comes to making others feel reassured, Reeve knows he's very good. "I sometimes think the only ones who recognize me are the contractors. Even some of the board members won't give me the time of day!"

He says it with ease and humour, true as it may be, and he can already feel the blonde beside him begin to relax. Perhaps against his own wishes, judging by his baffled expression. Reeve turns to him with a smile, calm and gentle, "It looks like you have a lot on your mind, young man. And we are, for the most part, strangers. I've sometimes found that the best person to confide in is one I'm likely to never see again. Speak up. It looks like you've got a rather hard burden to deal with."

"You have no idea, Reeve..." the trooper says, looking away shyly. Reeve merely cocks an eyebrow and waits. Ah, so the strong, silent type? But this one needs to unload, and Reeve considered himself nothing less than a very good citizen. There was much trouble that could be avoided just by lending an ear. And so, he waited for the young man to speak.

Even so, Reeve had to wait quite some time. He was rather soaked through already, but he really didn't have anywhere he needed to be right now, so he waited. And waited. The air between them was tense, waiting for something to fill it. Reeve's patience paid off when the young man acquiesced, "I... I just... You're right, but... you're no stranger to me. But... but I can't..." He faded into silence.

Reeve decided this man needed a bit of a push, "Can't... what?" He smiled benevolently, catching the young trooper's eyes and, with the way his eyes softened, perhaps a bit of his heart. "I find that when we say we can't do something before we try it, we don't try at all. You have something that needs to be said. I'll listen." He coughs a little, clearing his throat, "I may be a stranger, but I'd like to think I'm a trustworthy one."

"Ja. You're very trustworthy. And you're no stranger, not to me," the boy huffs with a mild accent, catching Reeve's curiosity. How mystifying a response! "But... but I can't just... say it. I can't. It's too weird and I... need to be careful..."

"I'm sure you can. I've seen many weird things," Reeve laughs quietly, "I enjoy weird things. I doubt you'll catch me that far off guard-"

"I'm from the future Reeve. I-!"

Oh. Reeve blinks, looking at the trooper, who seems to have realized that he just admitted a huge mistake. At least, that's what he seems to think. Reeve can see him tense up. But Reeve is a curious man, and a curious man who doesn't like seeing such regret on a young man's face. "Time travel?" he says joyously. The boy looks at him, startled once more, but it seems he was expecting a different reaction. Reeve blunders ahead, all too curious now, "Oh, there was some theories a while back on that! They never got anywhere with the experiments, but oh! Isn't that a wonderful thing!" He smiles at the trooper, "It must be quite interesting, then! I wonder what you know that I don't? How bright the future may be? Oh! Maybe you even knew me?"

No matter how unbelievable all of this is... if it's false? Who cares. It's a fun conversation. If it's true? Oh! He can feel the inventor and child inside him that he never let die having an utter field day. But judging by he look on his friend's face, he was perhaps getting ahead of himself. Apprehension, upset. Oh dear. Reeve blinks, then catches himself. "Oh! Oh, I'm sorry. Being from the future. I imagine this is all quite overwhelming?"

The boy blinks. "Uhm..." he's baffled. "You... er.. believe me?"

"There's many strange things in this world," Reeve begins, "I'd be foolish to disbelieve based on my own stubbornness and lack of experience." Reeve tilts his head, curious like a cat.

The other hums, thinking aloud. "Well, that's... you can keep a secret, right?" He looks at Reeve, a bit of terror in his eyes. Reeve just nods sincerely. Another hum. "Okay... okay. That's good."

The boy lets out a sigh, relaxing. Finally, Reeve smiles to himself, finally getting somewhere. He comes to a conclusion, judging by the news he's been given, and by the reserved tones of the young man he sits near. "Are you worried that something will happen if someone finds out?"

The boy nods, and before he even realizes it, he's started on a tangent. He's trusting Reeve. (Score! The politician thinks to himself) "Yeah. I mean. There's... a lot that goes wrong. I'm here to make sure it goes right." He looks away, "Me and... some others. But. I... I don't know. There's supposed to be four of us. I only know one of the other two that came back already. And there will be one more, but... Minerva said I had to pick which one that was. I just..." Minerva? Wasn't she the one who some people called the goddess from LOVELESS? "I have to pick the last person who comes back. But I... don't know who! We only get one chance at it. The future. It's paused. And it'll disappear when I pick the last person. But. Who do I pick?"

The boy seemed genuinely distraught. Reeve feels sincerely for him. But clearly, there's something going on. Something big. "Pardon me for asking... but you need to pick one more person? And... what happens to the rest? If this... maybe, if it's like one of those exam questions they keep foisting on the poor cadets over in SOLDIER... perhaps I could help?"

Reeve doesn't miss the way the kid flinches at the mention of SOLDIER. But the boy looks at Reeve, and the steel in his eyes shows that he's made a decision. A decision to trust Reeve. "Yeah. You're right. I'm... not good at stuff like this. At thinking. I'll... I could let you know the basics." He explains slowly, cautiously, as if he's worried about freaking Reeve out.

Well. Reeve has to deal with an overweight abusive army wannabe, a blood coloured and blood covered weapons maniac of a seductress, a fat incompetent blob who couldn't fly a paper airplane much less the space program, an actual mad scientist, and who knows what else on his board meetings every other day. Helping a time traveling trooper with a question like this wasn't only a cakewalk, it was far more interesting. And rewarding. Even just the concepts being brought up were far more intriguing and enlightening than getting shoved to the side as inconsequential by their not-so-illustrious company president. "Go on, hit me with it. I'll do my best," Reeve grins.

He earns a grin back, and that alone makes Reeve feel vindicated. "Well. Okay. Because it's you..." the blonde says, gaining confidence as he continues, "well, the future... it sucks. Bad stuff happens. It's... basically ending. The world, everything." He says, suppressing a sob and a surge of dark memories. He braves it, forging onward, "The goddess... the planet... apparently wants to send some of us back. Four total. Only... she already decided on three. One, a champion of hers, but I don't know who that is." He sighs, "The second, was me. Because apparently I'm pretty experienced at this saving the world thing." His sigh is followed by a huff, derisive and amused. "And the third, er... was.. uh. Well. He also has some experience, at saving the world. And is also connected to the lifestream and stuff, being connected, to a... a WEAPON." He fidgets, leaving Reeve a bit of time to think about what he's heard.

WEAPON? There was some strange emphasis on that, a verbal prominence or echo he couldn't quite explain. It must mean something. Reeve looks to his comrade in conversation, only to find him silent. He's said his piece apparently, leaving Reeve to puzzle the question. Puzzles. Ah, those were fun. "So, to summarize. There's supposed to be four people sent back. Three are already here. The fourth, to be decided by you. After that, no more? The future... well. Dies? Resets? Something like that?"

The boy nods, then his voice comes out, frustrated, "Yeah, and I don't know who to pick! Whoever I don't pick... I'll never see any of them again! But I have to only pick one, and I have to pick someone with the best chance of saving everything. Because if we don't save everyone, they'll just die again. I don't get to see any of my friends again anyways, but... I don't want to see their other selves die again, either..."

The boy is upset, so very upset, and Reeve can certainly understand why. It's a big decision, and blast his conscience, he doesn't think this boy should have to be making it. But Reeve braces himself and decides to help anyways, no matter how real or not this situation is. "So. We've got to focus on who can save the world, then?"

The trooper looks up at him, almost a bit relieved, "Yeah. I... I don't want to lose my friends. But. I can't risk everyone over being selfish." he's heartbroken at his own admission, but he's also determined. So. A good leader, then perhaps? Reeve ponders. "But, still... I can't help but keep turning things over in my head. And maybe if I don't pick my friends, they'll get to be happier this time around. It's. It's hard."

Reeve nods along with him, then grunts, "True I suppose. Sad, but true." The rain still drenches down from overhead, but he can't be bothered to acknowledge it right now. "So it's... a little like a mission then?" The trooper looks up, watching him almost eagerly, attentive as the engineer continued, "If we look at it like that... yes. That might be for the best. so. A mission. Rather than focus on these people as your friends... It's hard that way, I know... but think of them as your squad on a mission. Who you would choose to bring with you into enemy territory. Their strengths and weaknesses." He looks over at the trooper, who has a light in his eyes at the sensible strategy. Reeve nods firmly, "Yes, a mission! We can ignore the first time traveler, since you don't know him. You have you and a friend. What are your skills? Your abilities? Strengths and weaknesses?"

The blonde sets his jaws determinedly. This is clearly something he can do. He's already in what Reeve would call 'mission mode', a state of mind he'd seen troops and SOLDIERs in often enough. "You're right Reeve. Right. Focus on that." He looks away, thinking aloud, "Okay, first... Vincent. I guess he'd be the assassin. Intelligence gathering. He's a Turk, and a WEAPON. He'll be able to take on anything we need done quietly and quickly.

A Turk? Oh my. Reeve is starting to wonder what he's gotten himself into.

"And then me. I... well. I... don't think I have my enhancements right now. Or maybe I do...?" He suddenly leans over, gripping the bench's armrest with a strong grip. As he lets go, the metal is left dented. "Ah. Well. I've got that. Thank Minerva. Okay." He huffs, "Okay. I can do this. I... wasn't a SOLDIER,. But I've got enhancements. I'm not as strong as I was. This is a problem. But. I can work with this. I need a sword, but I can be good with materia. I'm strong." he said, more to reassure himself than anything else. "I am a... everyone says I'm a good leader. Maybe I am. But I also know a lot about what things went wrong, so. I have good knowledge. We're going to need that."

Reeve is really starting to wonder if he's in over his head. But he gamely presses on, invigorated as much as he is apprehensive, "So. To be straight. We have one unknown, one Turk-assassin type, and a... well, we'll call you a well rounded soldier type. Magic and swords. Right?" He receives a nod. "Okay. So you have knowledge and skills, but... hmm." Reeve ponders, "you have to save the whole world, but so far, it seems you have a team whose strengths lay in... perhaps guerrilla missions? You've got the brawns to hit whatever you need to, but," Reeve raises a finger to make his point, his voice firm, "from what I can see so far, you sound like you have some very specialized individuals for attack tactics. But only for a small scale. Perhaps I shouldn't doubt your ability as a leader. But there's only a small force of you. Do you know someone or somewhere you can hide or retreat to? Or someone who can manipulate those in power? Do you have a healer? Will your leadership skills be able to sway enough people to your side? Will your Turk be able to confuse any large organizations that may come after you? And if not..." Reeve hums, "yes, if not... are your skills with materia going to suffice? Can you save yourselves if something goes wrong?"

Reeve was rambling at this point. It was like he was a teenager playing his tabletop board games all over again. "I think... you need a healer or support person, or maybe a manipulator of some sort, to keep enemies off your backs. I can't even begin to imagine the scale you need to operate on to save the world." He turns to the trooper, engaged with the problem at hand. "What scale do you need to work on anyways? Small scale, or large? As a leader, I take it, you're the strategist? What kind of scale are you working on?"

Reeve intended to ask the question to know more parameters about the question, but whatever he'd said apparently had drudged the trooper into a decision. He was looking at Reeve like he'd had an epiphany. Like he'd made his choice. "I'm not the strategist. But you are. This runs deep, Reeve. Vincent and I can kill where we need to, but we're small time. This is big time. I need a politician, Reeve. I need you."

Reeve look over at his friend in his trooper uniform, sodden and firm, and something stirred at the back of his mind. He realized something, "You need me, Cloud? What for? And since when-"

Since when did he wear a Shinra trooper uniform? Since when did Reeve know him? Since when were they both sat on a bench in the middle of Midgar, getting soaked in the rain? Wait. What?

Something clicked into the back of his mind, like two separate personalities had found each other and found that they weren't separate at all. Just two parts of a zipper coming together, or perhaps, the last piece of a puzzle being slotted, ever so satisfyingly, into place.

Reeve blinked. Cloud blinked.

The decision was made.

"Oh, Hel."

Well, Reeve. You've really done it now, he thought to himself.

The paperwork alone was going to be atrocious.

2.

Troopers were the laughingstock of Shinra. Meatshields and disposable minions, thugs on a payroll. So when Reeve pretty much kidnapped trooper Cloud Strife into his services, no one batted an eye. He was just a trooper after all. No big loss.

Behind the scenes though, Reeve was building up to a rampage of truly epic proportions. He had fast tracked his Cait Sith project, made several in fact, and made a flying dragon mount called the Mog mk II, rather than the first version of Mog he'd planned. That had been sent, with Cloud, to Nibelheim to "check up" on the reactor there. Reeve also sent out a Cait Sith unit to Cosmo Canyon to confide with the locals over alternate sources of energy. Cloud soon returned with a very miffed Vincent Valentine (apparently that coffin room was rather more difficult to break out of when you were A) on the inside of it and B) unable to get the key). Vincent immediately left to deal with the AVALANCHE threat that was apparently still going on, but would probably subside sooner rather than later when on Dr. Fuhito was treated to a free, personalized lobotomy via Galian's claws.

Cait came back, communications were being established, and Turk and scientific mainframes were being hacked by a man (and an AI) who were literally years ahead of any peers with their knowledge of technology and programming.

Discussions over an infiltration of DEEPGROUND were on hold for a moment, as Vincent was eavesdropping on the very same meeting that Reeve and his new, totally inconsequential bodyguard, Cloud, were attending with the rest of the Shinra brass. The hacking had been noticed, but no one really realized how deep it had gone. No one gave it much stock, sure that it was just a prank by a Turk trainee, seeing as it was obviously unsuccessful and nothing had gone missing or even been stolen.

Reeve had to try very hard not to laugh.

The board eventually adjourned and began to file out, but it was a good meeting room all the same and Reeve and Cloud had stayed behind with Reeve's excuse of "It's got more light and table space than my own office and I'm using it while I still can." Reeve had even come prepared with some very significantly sized, and significantly boring, looking blueprints. Being the inconsequential and un-intimidating person that he was, no one spared him a second glance, nor payed attention to the fact that the room had no cameras. Obviously, Reeve was little threat. Nothing bad could happen in an unsupervised room. Obviously there was little that a single Shinra trooper and an almost inconspicuous director could do if left to their own devices. Obviously.

They waited a few minutes. Reeve and Cloud were sat down in a corner and hiding behind some appropriately atrocious-looking paperwork, which they held up like newspapers to cover the grins on their faces. Really, sometimes it was just too easy to fly under the radar. Vincent was no doubt rolling his eyes at watching the increasing amount of incompetence on display by the board members, a mental image which never ceased to be hilarious. They'd wait a little longer until the room was confirmed secure by their Turk-in-the-vents, then have a meeting of their own. It reallydid have more table space and lighting in here, after all. Trying to fit three people in Reeve's office was difficult on the best of days.

Only, suddenly, the room wasn't secure at all.

With a dramatic slam of the door, a man dressed in red flamboyantly flung himself into the room, growling as he lamented at the two following behind him. "I'm not THAT bad! What is with you-"

"No, WHAT is with YOU, Genesis! You've been acting strangely for the past week!"

Three first class SOLDIERs walked into the room, and not just any three. THE three. Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley, and...

Sephiroth.

Reeve and Cloud were suddenly hiding behind their papers for a very different reason.

As the three bickered, Cloud began to tremble. Reeve silently shuffled closer to him, keeping his body between Cloud and his not-yet mortal enemy. They both know that Reeve was using one of his body-double dolls right now, anyways. Better to take a hit on his fake self than the real Cloud, if it came to that.

"What is the meaning of dragging me up here anyways-"

"It is private, there are no cameras, or scientists. Even the Turks leave this room's sanctity intact. No one can overhear us here," came the silverette's smooth drawl.

It was a good thing Vincent was the one up in those poorly placed vents. No one else could laugh their ass off quietly enough to avoid the enhanced hearing of a SOLDIER. Genesis, the red headed SOLDIER, was being backed against the table by the other two, who were clearly teaming up on him, seeking answers, and he was throwing the most atrocious not-quite-a-temper-tantrum that any of them had ever seen. Cloud and Reeve just kept their noses down, huddled in the corner, apparently overlooked.

"I'm perfectly fine!" Genesis complained, gesturing angrily.

Angeal, stern as ever, folded his arms and grimaced with concern, even as he and Sephiroth silently stared their friend down. The two remained silent at Genesis' increasingly outrageous complaints, even as the two eavesdroppers sunk lower and lower into the overly plush chairs of the meeting room and tried to camouflage themselves as paperwork. Heavens forbid why it was working so well so far. Guess no one really wants to look at the stuff.

The flustered Genesis tried again and again to make excuses, how he couldn't do tell them or that there was nothing to tell, or there was nothing wrong, but it was quickly becoming apparent that THIS was the showdown, and he was NOT getting out of it. He finally relented, "You won't believe me anyways!"

Sephiroth lifted an eyebrow. Angeal did too.

Genesis, apparently deciding on his strategy, then boldly proclaimed, "I'm a time traveler!"

No one said anything.

"What?"

This was said by one SOLDIER second class, Zack Fair, as he snuck in through the door. Cloud gave a choking sound. Angeal stared at his puppy, frowning. "I thought I told you to keep guard and make sure no one overheard."

"No one there," Zack grinned nonchalantly, "plus, I can't guard you against eavesdroppers when you choose to talk in a room with a pair already in it." He points, then, at Reeve and Cloud, whose valiant attempts at pretending to be processed tree pieces finally failed. Reeve, bless his heart, just gives them a look like THEY are the ones being rude. Cloud continues to pretend to be paperwork. Zack just gives Reeve a cheeky grin and wave, then brings the conversation back on track, "So, time traveler? Eh? What's with that?"

"Exactly that, time travel. My future mind and memories, sent back to merge with my present day body and self," Genesis sulks and huffs, and waves his hand in dismissal. "But I CANNOT say more, the literal Goddess herself said I could not act until I found the other three-!"

"Say we believe you," Angeal begins incredulously, "and honestly I'm not sure I don't believe you with how ridiculous you've been lately... but there's three more time travelers? Really?"

"That's what I was told," Genesis pouts. He then straightens up, turning to glare scathingly at the two trying to hide in the corner, "As you can IMAGINE, this is a very SECRET thing that should be kept SECRET... or else! Only myself, and my friends, and the other time travelers, need be concerned! You'll say nothing of it!" he points, shifting his hand to rest on the handle of his blade. "Is that clear?"

Reeve just smiles serenely, "Absolutely clear. The only ones to speak of time travel can be you, your friends, and the time travelers themselves." Cloud gives the director an aghast look at his apathetic impudence towards the SOLDIER. And also a slightly jealous look, because Reeve has a poker face to kill for.

Genesis misses the flippance completely, however, "Good! And keep it that way. If I hear you've leaked anything that you've heard here, there will be consequences. Ripples form on the water's surface..." he turns to his companions, "So yes, time travel. Ridiculous, isn't it?"

"And there's three more." Angeal repeats, flatly. A question.

"Yes! Yes, there's three more! And they know more than I do about all this, probably!" He flings his hands up in the air, paces and rages and throws the most dignified temper tantrum he can. Again. "I wake up, everything goes to shit faster than I can comprehend it, suddenly time travel! And now have to find three other time travelers to tell me WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED because I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about why the world suddenly decided to go tits up!"

Angeal and Sephiroth both blinked at their friend's uncharacteristic language (the temper tantrum was very characteristic, unfortunately). Zack pipes up, "Hey, it's probably fine, the Goddess would've told them to find you or something!"

"Oh yes," Genesis growls, "and they'll totally find me, like they haven't done all of the last two weeks! I'm sure all I have to do is close my eyes and count to ten and poof! They'll be there! Problem solved!" he roars sarcastically.

Angeal huffs. "Well, then. That's what we'll do. Close our eyes and count to ten."

"Excuse me!?"

"You heard what he said, Genesis, " Sephiroth states plainly, "you're stressed. You need to take a moment to breath."

"Oh, so I'm a kindergartner now?" Genesis snarls.

"No you're not. We're all stressed. So. Everyone. Close your eyes, deep breaths, and I'll count to ten. Because I am also stressed, and if you don't do this, I think I'll be even MORE stressed," Angeal commands.

Sephiroth and Zack close their eyes instantly, Genesis grumbles and mutters, but soon all four are taking deep breaths and counting.

"One..."

Cloud looks at Reeve. Neither say anything, but they both know they need to do something. Escape, probably.

"Two... three..."

That's when Vincent leans his head out of the vent. He stares at Cloud and Reeve. Cloud is still trembling from the presence of Sephiroth.

"Four... five..."

Cloud's throat constricts in terror as Vincent gets out of the vent. With a breeze of red and a soft flutter of fabric, he stands within arm's reach of the four SOLDIERs. Cloud looks at him, horrified. Vincent just looks back casually, but there's a glint in his eyes and he shifts his shoulders to cover his face a little more, using his collar to hide the unholy grin they all know he's sporting.

At first, Cloud can't understand it. Reeve is having a hard time with it too. This is so far out of Vincent's character...! Except it isn't. Because Vincent, perhaps not as politically minded as Reeve, is still intelligent. Cloud has been in a near panic this whole time, perhaps a PTSD flashback, and needs to be broken out of it. Preferably without attacking Sephiroth. Cloud needs to be snapped out his mind, and only a mental shock of some sort is going to do it. A shock where Sephiroth is not the most obvious target. A shock, like seeing Vincent Valentine act like the little shit he is when he's been around Yuffie too long.

"Nine...!"

"VINCENT VALENTINE, you are a FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

That gets the attention of everyone in the room. All four SOLDIERs yelp (because They have enhanced hearing and Vincent STILL snuck up on them. In metal boots no less!), one unmanly scream in particular resounding through Reeve's skull, as they realize there's someone else nearby. Masamune flashes, Zack falls on his ass, and Vincent is already settling down on the table near Cloud and Reeve with an emotionless look on his face. One that is secretly Vincent-code for 'amused as hell but not showing it'. His cape flutters down, part of it covering one of the hands Cloud slammed on the table when he stood up to shout at his friend.

Everyone is staring at Vincent, mouths agape except for Reeve and Sephiroth. Vincent just casually turns to Cloud. "I was thinking we should gather some evidence from Icicle Inn before we take any further steps. We do need it eventually, after all."

Reeve blinks, gulps. "Ah. Yes. That makes sense."

"Oh. We'll... need a case for the videos..." Cloud monotones. Blinks.

Vincent turns to the head of urban development. "Reeve," he nods, before cocking his head to the side curiously, "doll?"

Reeve sighs, "Yes. Doll. I'll be fine and take of this here. You go handle Icicle..."

Vincent nods again, then sweeps up Cloud into his cloak and snaps back up into the vents before anyone can react. Reeve stands up, only to have the Masamune pin his hand to the table.

"You're not going anywhere." Sephiroth states, staring him straight in the eye with his cat slit eyes. If he were a normal human, Reeve would have been properly cowed. And injured. Instead, Reeve just looks down at his hand, or rather, the hand of the lookalike robotic double he's been remote controlling this entire time. Sephiroth follows his gaze suspiciously, then blinks at the lack of blood.

That's when Reeve falls apart. Literally.

Cait Sith frowns as he watches Reeve's false head roll away, and then looks up to see four well trained SOLDIERs mentally blue-screening as Reeve (or rather, his robotic double)... dies? Er? Hmm. "Oops!" Cait Sith grins, "looks like et's still a tad toochy. Ah weel! Ah suppose ye should come to mah office then!"

Cait Sith calmly leans the Reeve double down to pick up his own head and a piece of arm, plops it all back together, and has the double smile innocently at the SOLDIERs.

They stare.

Genesis blinks.

"Your office it is."

3.

Reeve, being the politician he was, only gave them the information he felt they needed.

Genesis, being the drama queen he was, did not appreciate that.

All four of the SOLDIERs (because there was no way Zack was letting them leave him out of this) had decided that it was THEIR mission, and that they were going to get to the bottom of everything. They were going to be the leaders of the operation to 'save the world'. Reeve and the others were to fall at their heel, as subordinates. Yet Reeve clearly was a dead end. He only told them what they needed to know of the situation, and gave the most annoyingly benign smile when they demanded more.

"There's a few things that probably should stay unsaid. If certain events never happen, all the better. In fact, I daresay that would be the point. I don't mean to hold it over your heads, but, it's best you don't know, for some of these things."

The SOLDIERs, of course, called bullshit. They demand more information, threaten him. And because of this, Reeve knew he couldn't give it. They were too volatile as it was. Reeve needed to know he could trust them, to know that they could work together under his plans, and not mentally break down like they had in the future-past. He was the politician, and this was his element in a way. They were troops, and there were some subtle points that would escape them no matter how hard they tried. Still, if they fought against him, rather than with him and the others, he'd never be able to control the societal fallout.

"We will work as equals, or not at all," Reeve offers.

"A trooper, a pencil pusher, and a costumed freak? No. YOU will work for US!"

Unfortunately, they thought little of him. He was just the head of urban development, or maybe the leader of some so-called "World Regenesis Organization". Nothing any of them had heard of, not even Genesis. The SOLDIERs wanted to be the main task force in this little mission. They were SOLDIERs after all. The best of the best. And what was Reeve, but a civilian? No, this was a task for fighters. For SOLDIERs. Who better to lead at such a quest?

Only they, as Reeve wisely kept to himself, had been the majority of the problem. And so he told them little. The two parties were at an impasse.

Sephiroth and Genesis decided, then and there, that they needed to capture the other two and get their answers from them, since Reeve was certainly too good at holding his tongue. But they couldn't exactly kill the politician either. Reeve managed to pass on a warning though (oh thank and bless Cait Sith!), and Vincent, dear Vincent, went to work. He left Cloud somewhere safe, probably breeding chocobos or mastering materia for funds, something they'd all agreed they'd need for their covert operations. Then Vincent did something that had the entirety of Shinra tower cheering silently.

Well, almost the entire tower.

President Shinra was furious, face red as he ordered an emergency meeting, and yelled in everyone in ear's reach to find the culprit who had assassinated Hojo and Hollander in the middle of their own labs. The board members at the table were all cowed at his raging. That's when Vincent promptly dropped out of another vent, shot the president between the eyes, and bailed through a window as he saluted the SOLDIERs and Turks alike gawking at his audacity.

The Turks were too floored to react. The SOLDIERs weren't. They were outside in an instant, busting through the same window as Vincent and intent on their target. Vincent proceeded to dodge around Shinra tower, fleeing the three SOLDIERs hot on his tail. Angeal went to the helipad, Sephiroth went up the side of the building, and Genesis showed he no longer gave a damn what anyone said about propriety, popped out a wing, and shrieked in frustration as he flew at his foe. All three of Shinra's best versus one armour-and-cape clad assassin (who, with his ridiculous getup, appeared in no way subtle enough top pull off a double-to-triple assassination but, welp, there were the bodies). Sword swings and gunshots sounded. Three on one. In any other circumstance, the outcome should have been clear.

Except...

The ex-turk Vincent Valentine casually ran (or flew, thank you CHAOS cape powers!) circles around Shinra's best, leaving nothing but bullet holes and bits of shredded ego in his wake, before disappearing off the face of the earth down another vent on the exterior of the building, even as Genesis slammed into it like the human-turn-flamethrowing-bulldozer that he was.

By the time Vincent, and then a dust-covered Genesis behind him finally showed up in Reeve's office, hair and feathers in disarray, Reeve could only smile.

"I hate you," Genesis huffs, surrendering even as Vincent merely cocked an eyebrow at him. Reeve smiled again.

4.

"Oh come on," Zack says one day, once they've all finally agreed to pool their resources, "the future can't have been THAT bad"

Reeve, Cloud, and Vincent all turn to stare at him simultaneously, their eyes flat. Zack deflates.

"...Oh. Okay. It was that bad."

5.

DEEPGROUND wasn't nearly as tricky to deal with as they'd feared, thanks to them all working together. Vincent comes back with two heads. One, from a restrictor, the other from some random DEEPGROUND soldier, the chip in their skull still intact. In normal circumstances, the second head would be an unimportant loss compared to the helmeted restrictor. Deaths happened all the time in Sector Zero. They'd all be busy freaking out over a lost restrictor, not some random mook. A mistake. Reeve smiled, almost evilly. The chip was what they really needed.

A little reverse engineering and fiddling with programs, and Reeve had a way to nullify control, or force it if he had to. Cloud and Genesis stayed nearby the politician, just in case.

By the time Vincent went back down, Sephiroth and Angeal in tow for backup, DEEPGROUND had only just discovered the headless corpse of the restrictor. They'd had no time to prepare the kind of counterattack needed for their entire force suddenly rebelling under Sephiroth's command. Some went after the restrictors, others went after their comrades. A few aimed for the surface. Most just attacked anything that moved. In short order, DEEPGROUND had all but imploded.

Reeve would have been a lot happier about it if Vincent didn't suddenly reappear one day with Weiss and Nero in tow, Nero looking as if he was worshiping the ground Vincent walked on. Shelke was there too, riding piggy-back on Angeal's broad shoulders. Another Tsviet, with silver headgear, stares at them all, bored. Reeve blinked. Reeve stared at Vincent. Vincent stared back. All in attendance were quiet.

"It appears we have... made new allies," Vincent finally admitted.

Reeve just shook his head, pointed Nero and Weiss at Heidigger and Scarlet, and went back to his paperwork. Lab reports, various blueprints, exchanges with Cosmo Canyon over other energy sources...

Saving the world didn't end at just beating up the bad guys, after all.