Grim Realities
Chapter One: Events and Explanations
By Auto-chan
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FFVII and all related therein owned by Square and affiliates.
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"Long time no see, Lockheart." The voice was familiar to Tifa, achingly so, stirring something in her soul from the past, where it was safe to go see a movie at night. She looked up, back going rigid in the hard chair, her hand released the book to let it thud resoundingly on the wooden floor.
"... Reno?" Tifa whispered, the sound rather small as it escaped her lips.
"No, it's me, the spirit of Sephiroth, come back to hau~nt you, Tifa." The now identified figure grinned, limping out of the doorway into the bar. Reno may have been older, but he seemed to keep his past outward appearance; his flaming red hair, still confined in the ponytail, spilled down his back freely. Sunglasses hid aquamarine eyes that were always laughing, whether they be taunting, mocking, or just enjoying a good joke. The dark, navy Turk suit was replaced with a raven black suit, but it was still un-tucked, a sloppy reminder of Reno's personality.
The twenty five year old woman sighed, leaning back in her chair once again. ".. You're one of the last people I ever expected to see again, Reno," she spoke, eyes looking him over, then up back to his face. "Do you want me to get you a drink? Times may be hard, but I can still make drinks better than anyone on this continent."
The ex-Turk greatly favored his right leg, slowly, almost painstakingly, making his way towards the stools next to the bar and sitting down with smirk-turned-genuine-smile on his face. "Sure, Lockheart. ... One of the last, huh? Didn't think I'd survive that whole Virus ordeal? You have no faith, babe."
Tifa allowed a small smile to play across her features as she stood, mixing one of her stronger drinks. "Still up to your old womanizing ways, Reno? Why doesn't that surprise me?"
Reno grabbed the drink and took a heavy sip from it. Tifa took her seat, placing elbows on the bar top and peering at the slightly older man, hands rested in pale palms.
"So. .. Are you alone?"
"Yep. Didn't pick up any more partners after Rude and Elena bit the dust. My leg's been pretty bad too."
". . . . ."
Reno blinked, almost surprised at Tifa's silence. "My leg's was rendered useless, Tifa. I got hit by the virus, too. Survived it. Lucky, huh." There was a dry humor present in his voice, leaving the ironic message unsaid. Yeah, I was lucky. I got to live to see all of my friends die.
"Oh."
"I guess the reputation's been the only thing keepin' me alive nowadays. ..." Pause. "Well, my leg might be lame, but I still pack a punch. ..." There was another beat of silence. "... Why am I reminding myself of that old pilot?" The man blinked, realizing that he had been rambling.
"Cid, you mean?" Tifa asked, already knowing the answer.
"Do you happen to know any other old pilots?"
"... No. Cid's dead, though. Massive cardiac arrest," Tifa spoke slowly, as if these words were somehow painful to her.
Reno took a shot of his drink, then pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a fluid motion. "So. How's the rest of the old team? I think everyone in Shinra's dead. Excluding me. Of course."
A flicker of almost pain wrenched Tifa's face, but Reno stayed silent. "Reeve. .. So Cait Sith's gone now, too, huh?"
Reno nodded, acknowledging, then took another drag of his cigarette. "Go on."
"Yuffie's back in Wutai. Godo died from the Virus, of all things. Yuffie's doing her best to run the town, but I don't think things are as easy as she thought they were gonna be.."
"So ninja-chick lives."
"Reno! .. Vincent.. Vincent left. He went to the waterfall with Lucrecia. You know? The woman that Hojo had Sephiroth with? Said something about how the Jenova in their cells not letting them die easily..." Shrug. "That's about all I know about him."
"He was always strange. Pretty good Turk from what I saw in old files."
"Red XIII's back at Cosmo Canyon, pretty much the only place untouched by all of.. this.." Tifa gave a curt nod to the door, where the loud noise of an outside brawl was beginning to drift in.
"Cloud? And what about that.. black guy? Bart?"
"Barret. Barret's dead, too. The Virus took him. His daughter.. Marlene.. is with Elmyra. Elmyra and Marlene live over in Cosmo Canyon. .. It was crowded once the Virus hit. I was able to get.. permission from Nanaki to allow them a permanent home there. " Where it's safe, she added silently.
"Cloud. Where's Cloud?" Reno took the last drink of his liquor and set the glass down.
"He's gone, Reno. Just gone. Don't ask about him." Tifa's voice echoed with a pang of what sounded like the last remnants of regret, or maybe anger. But her voice also held a pleading, final tone.
"Okay. Get me another drink, will ya'?"
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Hate ta' end here, but I'm pressed for time. Tell me if you want more! .. Excuse errors, I didn't have time to proofread. See ya'.
