Breadline

            The sun had risen like on every morning at about 6 in the morning.  It slowly crept over the ocean, silhouetting the purple mountains in the Nibel area against the red of the sky.  The mist slowly lifted over the swamplands and the Zolom began to stir under the murky water.  The port in Junon saw its ships out and everyone in the Icicle area began to stoke their stoves and reheat their awakening houses.  The sun would slowly rise over everything and touch everyone's faces at some point.

            All those who didn't live in Midgar.  Most hadn't seen the sun since the plate construction had finished nearly 20 years ago.  The only ones who saw it this morning were the ones waking up in the barracks in the headquarters of Shinra, Inc.  The sun slowly filtered into the windows of the topmost offices; maroon and ruined through the veil of smog.  It was still warm though and stirred the sleepers who decided to ignore their morning duties.

            One in particular wasn't used to this sort of thing.  He hadn't had a stable job in as far back as he could remember and even those that he did have didn't call for him to wake up this early.  He mumbled something into his pillow about turning off the sun and rolled over, letting this sickly rays that seeped through the blinds warm his back instead.  His radio turned on softly from across the room, a song that once rang so true to him lilting softly over its twin guitar riffs.

            Reno slowly rolled onto his back, sighing loudly at the ceiling.  His aquamarine eyes slowly peeled open and he tried to clear the thick haze that covered them with the back of his hand.  He groaned and sat up.  The joints in his neck popped like bubble wrap and he yawned softly.

            His legs slid over the side of the bed and he stood up, his ankles popping in similar fashion to his neck.  He yawned again, rubbing the back of his head.  Upon examination, Reno found that the gel he'd slopped into his hair the previous day had, with combination of the tossing around during the night, created strange gnarls and twists strangely akin to that of fire.  The fact that it was almost painfully red probably furthered that idea.  The longer portions had stayed relatively tidy though as he had taken the time to braid them before bedding.

            He hadn't slept that well in a long time.  The fact that he had actually found a job that wanted him seemed farfetched but the simple matter of room and board had been taken care of as well was just almost too good to believe.  The Shinra had taken him in and given him his very own room.  It was small but he didn't need that much room anyhow.  They'd given him a neat blue suit (though he really didn't care for the suit and tie bit) and he even had a bathroom adjoined to his mini-apartment.  He probably wouldn't end up wearing the suit, maybe just the shirt and pants.  If they wanted him to wear the tie, he would put it around his forehead in defiance.  If he was that damned important to be taken in and thrown into such a high rank on the first day they would just have to deal with it.

            He hadn't questioned why they wanted him.  That was pretty obvious.  He was street smart and knew Midgar like the back of his hand.  He'd lived on the sidewalks since he was young and could win a fight against any given opponent.  You had to when you were no higher than the rats.  It wasn't that hard once you knew how to hit them in the right spots.  He had infinite knowledge about that.  He wasn't strong by any measure but he was quick.  And arrogant.

            Reno didn't really seem to understand the concept of being late for work and took his time making it towards the bathroom.  He nearly fell asleep again while waiting for the water to warm.  The whole getting up early thing wasn't working for him.  He just stood beneath the water for a few long minutes, staring into the facet and letting his wild red hair fall back into jagged chunks on his scalp.  He could feel the gel slowly melting from his spiky locks and run down his back.  He shivered a little and rubbed his hair erratically until it felt clean.  It didn't make any sense to be that thorough; there would be gel in it again before he walked out of the bathroom.  He did it anyway.

            There was a soft knocking at the door of his mini-apartment.  Reno ignored it to start with, passing it off as the radio on his alarm clock.  It sounded again though, a little louder then before.  He tried to yell at it but his voice gurgled thickly in his throat.  He swished some of the hot water in his mouth and gargled it a moment or two before trying again.

            "What the hell do you want?" he called, grabbing the green deodorizing soap from the shelf.  It, like every other random object, bore the diamond shaped logo of Shinra, Inc.  It foamed quickly and smelled fresh.  What quality.

            The voice took a few moments to respond.  It was deep and quiet, the same voice that had approached him on the street the day before.  According to everyone else, it took forever to get it to speak but it seemed to speak freely around Reno.  "Reno..." the voice called softly.  "I suggest you get to Heidegger's office soon.  If he sends Tseng to find you, you will be out of luck."

            The redhead sighed irritatedly.  "Thank you, mother," he muttered sarcastically.  The voice at the door had obviously heard his less than quiet comment and responded with the tone that usually meant there was a small half-smile attached.  "You're welcome, dear."

            Reno stepped out of the shower, wringing out the longer parts of his hair.  The water beaded off his skin and fell to the floor.  Small puddles looked up at him from their short lives and glowed softly in the halflight.  He grabbed a fluffy red towel and wrapped it around his waist.  It too bore the logo that was Shinra.

            Upon opening the door, the ruddy haired man crossed his arms.  The bald owner of the quiet voice was still standing just outside, his back to the wall.  He turned his head a little at the sound and his face bore the same blank expression as usual.  Reno leaned against the doorjamb, scowling slightly.  "So, the old Cossack wants me to be on time, huh?" he inquired in a mockingly sweet tone.  The bald man turned his head back to realign with his body.  The only response was a minute nod.  "What's he gonna do, fire me?" Reno continued, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face.  The cueball shook his head a little with a soft sigh.

           "Reno, if I had known you were going to be this much trouble, I would've left you outside.  You should be happy to be a Turks.  It's a serious business and I hope you realize that."  Reno laughed softly, reaching up to rub the bare skin on the man's head.  He frowned slightly, turning to the redhead.

            "Don't worry about it, Rude.  I'll be out in a second.  I just ain't used to waking up this early."

            "Ain't isn't a word."

            "Then why the hell is it in the dictionary?"

            The bald man sighed, stepping away from the door.  "Be there in no less then five minutes.  Any more and you're likely to be out on the streets again."  With that said, he walked down the corridor and disappeared into the elevator.  Reno slid back into his mini-apartment and took the navy pants from their plastic hanger on the back of the bathroom door.  He slid into them and shook his head wildly.  He pulled the longer portion back into a ponytail and snatched the bottle of gel.  The crimson points of hair returned from their uniformity and stood up at their own accord, seemingly uninterested in being the same.

            He pulled the pressed dress shirt from the hanger and slipped it on.  He didn't bother to tuck it in or even button it until halfway down his chest.  As an afterthought, he grabbed the black tie and looped it around his forehead.  With a satisfied nod and a lopsided grin, Reno walked out of the bathroom.

            He lingered a while around the radio before shutting it off.  Just before leaving his new room, he grabbed the jacket from the hanger and threw it over his shoulder.  It was time to go see his new boss Heidegger, the new age Cossack.