Game of Power
By: Zavijah
"It is one of the worst of errors to suppose that there is any path for safety except that of duty."
"You have your orders." Cool and crisp.
"You can't be serious, Tseng." Angry and unbelieving.
"Why can't you just do your job?" A small growl and a glare of black.
"Have you lost your edge? It was you who assigned me to protect her. Now you want me to bring her here, into the hands of a madman? Isn't that what we wanted to prevent from happening?"
"Reno, since when did you begin to care?"
"When did you stop caring?"
"Bring her in. Your job depends upon it." A rush of wind and the other was gone.
"Tseng.."
The shadows within the church were always the worst. They cluttered together as a thick mist rolling in from the pits of hell. When the place was fully lit it was beautiful and holy, but when it laid forgotten, abandoned was when the sinister darkness swarmed hungrily over the empty pews and fallen altars. The moonlight that did manage to filter through the thick stained glass windows didn't quite reach the floor because the shadows were too dense.
The darkness was nearly tangible, standing in long black curtains that hid the church walls. It created an unsettling illusion of no walls; as if it was like a thin dark veil that could be pushed aside and reveal an unknown world which would swallow a man alive to be forever lost in the sea of black.
Reno hated that place; both because of his atheist beliefs and his unhealthy fixation with death. But there he was anyway, leaning against one of the invisible walls and completely shrouded in varying layers of shadows. The darkness was so thickly coated around him that he might as well have been choking on it. But instead he was dangerously silent as he watched them—but mainly watched her.
How many times had Reno stood there in the past and watched Aeris tend to her garden of night blossoms? She would hum a content tune to her flowers, and Reno would swear that sometimes he heard the plants sing back. But that was when Reno was very tired and on the verge of collapsing from fatigue. This was not one of those moments.
Aeris was kneeling in the dirt, pruning the dead leaves and crumbling them over the ground so they once again became part of the soil. Cloud was standing nearby, leaning against a broken pillar and silently watching the flower girl work. He looked as impassive and cold as always. In a way it reminded Reno of Rufus—uncaring, aloof but always watching and mentally noting down the smallest of details for later examination. Golden blonde hair and masked blue eyes—but in their outward similarities is where Reno found the biggest difference. Rufus' eyes were always glowing with a luring darkness, a mixture of brilliance and madness. However, Cloud's eyes were flat and dead. Cloud was soulless—Rufus may have had a hollow soul, but at least he had one. The only thing that showed life in Cloud was the eerie radiant glow that signified the presence of Mako in the blood.
Reno pulled a beaten pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. He slipped one out of the package and brought it up to his ready lips. A lighter was retrieved from his pant's pockets and Reno paused before he lit his cigarette. Listlessly his green eyes gazed at the metal piece in his hands.
"Reno, you shouldn't smoke." Aeris, the flower girl, turned away from her plants and frowned at her unwanted bodyguard.
"Whatever." Reno lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply to prove how much her words meant nothing to him.
"Cigarettes are bad for your health," She stood and brushed away the dirt from her faded jeans—her gardening clothes.
"So is this mako-poisoned air but I'm not going to stop breathing." He smirked while exhaling the nicotine rich smoke in her direction. Green eyes glowed with his internal laughter, but they faded to a more painful, distant tinge as they met with Aeris dark brown. She looked sad, but not because her feelings were hurt by his words, instead she looked sad for –him-.
"You have control over what you smoke. Those things will kill you," Aeris eyes never strayed. It made Reno uncomfortable. He didn't like the way her gaze tore through his defenses as if they never existed.
"I will die one day anyway," The Turk said as he flicked ashes off his cigarette and onto the church floor.
"Do you want to die?" Aeris finally looked aside as she clasped her hands to the front of her chest.
Reno shifted against the wall. The question had caught him by surprise. Sure, he led a destructive lifestyle, not caring what happened to his body in the process. Sometimes he did find himself wishing he would get shot during a mission or that he would fall asleep and never wake. Yet every morning he woke up and every mission he came out unscathed. Reno felt like his life was meaningless—he drifted from day to day with no purpose. Did he really want to die? "Why do you care?"
"I don't like to see people in pain." Aeris whispered before turning her gloomy eyes back onto the Turk.
Pain? He was in no pain. Reno tried to smirk but instead he frowned. His eyes became dark as they reflected his years of regret. Deep down inside Reno wanted to change who he was. The drugs, the booze, the fights, the cutting, the killing, the meaningless sex—he hated himself so much that he wanted to cry. Where in life had he stumbled off course to wander blindly through the darkness with the stench of blood and ash clinging to his skin?
But Reno had hidden that part of himself so well, even to himself. How was Aeris able to make him dwell upon the thoughts he had burned away long ago. How come he felt so dirty when Aeris soulful brown eyes were upon him? What was it about her that made her so special?
"Let's make a deal," Aeris heartbreaking smile caught Reno off guard for a second time. The twisting pain in his chest immediately disappeared. "When you are around me, you don't smoke. Okay?"
"You don't want to watch me slowly kill myself?" Reno gave a sly smile while stubbing out the cigarette.
"I want you to be happy Reno."
What did she mean?
"Whatever."
Maybe he wasn't meant to understand the flower girl.
A bitter smile formed as Reno lit the cigarette between his lips. The action broke the darkness around him, the fire breathing life to his face for a few seconds. He inhaled a lungful of the sweet nicotine. Cloud and Aeris had finally noticed the Turk due to the action—or rather, Cloud had finally realized they were not alone. Aeris knew he was there all along. She always knew.
Reno exhaled, the smoke escaping his mouth with the slithering motions of a gray snake. The redhead was a corrupted man. He knew well of his power to wither and taint everything around him be it as simple as a puff of smoke. He stood straight and began to make his way towards the staring couple. Cloud pushed away from the pillar and placed himself as an obstacle between the Turk and Aeris.
"Please don't mind him," Aeris voice pleaded softly but went unheard.
As Reno neared, step by step, Cloud narrowed his eyes in a silent threat. Green eyes returned the gestured but accompanied it with a challenging smirk.
"I know you.."
Reno paused at the mercenary's words. A few drags were taken from the cigarette as Reno evaluated the meaning of the statement. He had never dealt with Cloud in the past—hell, he never knew the man existed until the blonde brat had gotten involved with Aeris. Reno had been there the very first day when Cloud and fallen through the roof into the middle of Aeris' flowers. Yes, Reno had been watching from the shadows in his usual spot against the wall. He was always watching from afar. But where did Cloud know him from?
".. that suit. You're a Turk." Cloud's voice was dead, devoted of all emotion. It made Reno wonder if the man truly knew what he had said, but at least it answered his question. The blonde brat only knew him by profession.
"So?" Reno snorted in response. He sneered and looked past Cloud's frame to see Aeris still sitting amongst the plants. "He's a strange one, Sis. Mind calling him off before he gets himself hurt?"
"Cloud, it's okay, Reno is ju—"Aeris began to stand but paused when Cloud sliced his arm through the air in anger.
"No. He's a Turk Aeris, you can't trust him." Cloud's hand hovered dangerously close to the hilt of his sword.
Reno planted his feet firmly into the ground at the first signs of a fight. He took one final drag off his cigarette before dropping it to the floor and crushing it beneath his shoe. No one was going to get in the way of him and his target. All Reno had going for him was this mission; he had nothing to lose, but everything to win. Cloud didn't have a chance. "Step aside boy."
The large sword was drawn. The metal was barely visible in the dark church because it matched the hues of the darkness. Reno smirked at his opponent, knowing a battle would never ensue. "I'm here to take her away. It's just not safe here for a young girl like Aeris."
Brown eyes peered inquisitively at Reno. The redhead slowly nodded his head, an action that went unnoticed by Cloud. The flower girl knew what he meant. –She was in danger-
"Don't fight here, you'll ruin the flowers!" She burst before making a dash for the backroom of the church. Cloud shot one last glare at the Turk before following after the Ancient.
Reno didn't chase them. Instead he walked over to the small flower bed. The white petals were glowing under the moonlight that streamed in through the hole in the roof. Reno brought his heel down on the nearest blossom and smothered it into the dark soil. He felt like destroying something beautiful at the time. When he lifted his shoe, Reno saw only tatters remained of what had once been a flower.
It bothered Reno to a degree—not the ruined flower, but what Cloud had said. On most occasions Reno was untrustworthy; a cold bloodied killer. But when it came to Aeris, a mysterious girl that was like a sister to him, Reno only wanted her to be safe. He wasn't lying then.
"Dumbass," Reno growled as his eyes flicked towards the back doors. Sometimes Reno was jealous that his guardian job had been taken by Cloud. That lifeless lump, why did Aeris bother with the soulless mercenary? Reno had asked once, Aeris had replied that she wanted to help him remember who he was. That was typical, Aeris always wanting to help everyone but herself.
Slightly stressed, Reno raise his fingers to his lips for a drag—only to realize he had already disposed of his cigarette and only the smell of the toxic substance lingered on his skin. He ran his fingers through his fiery hair to play off the move. Reno then grabbed the cell phone from his waist and dialed in a familiar number.
After the first ring someone picked up, "Hello?"
"Do you ever sleep, Tseng?" Reno teased while brushing away dirt from one of the empty pews.
"Reno? I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to hear from you until you completed your mission."
"What makes you think I haven't finished already?" Reno laid himself out on the wooden bench with the darkness as a blanket.
"The fact that I am sitting by the elevator, waiting for you."
Reno smirked, even though the action went unnoticed to the man he was talking to. "Aw, you were waiting up for me. That's so sweet Tseng."
"Cut the crap Reno, I'm not in the mood. Why are you calling?"
"Holyhell Tseng, when are you ever in the mood for anything," a sly smile on Reno's behalf. "I only wanted to hear the sound of your voice."
"Tseng?" Reno stilled to listen, afraid he might have lost the connection.
"Reno, get to the point already."
"I regret to inform you that I have to abort my current mission and immediately follow my new orders." Reno casually spoke as he bounced his leg off the side of the pew.
"New orders? Who gave you new orders?"
"The little voice in my head," Reno purred into the cell phone.
"..What are you planning, Reno? You've never gone against orders before."
"Tseng," Reno tsked the name, "I'm not going against orders. Really I am doing exactly what you want me to do."
"Reno! You –will- bring the girl to ShinRa headquarters."
"'the girl'? Com'on Tseng, her name is Aeris. You've known her since the day she was born. Stop trying to distance yourself." Reno sat up, brushing bangs from his eyes.
"I will and so will you if you know what's good for you!"
"Sorry Tseng, you're break up," Reno lied. "I gotta go. Talk to you later."
"Re--!"
Reno ended the call—possibly ending his career as well. He turned off the phone to ensure he received no future calls. There was no way Reno was going to hand over Aeris after years of keeping her safe and making sure her name or picture never got added into a report. Now one slip was going to cost him everything. Who had done the report on Cloud? Reno was sure that Rude wouldn't have slipped the photo of Aeris the file by accident. Tseng never did bother with paperwork. Reno was absolutely positive that he never made the mistake—but there were others in the Turk organization. Who was so stupid to add that one particular photo? Reno would have to find out. That is if he still had a job after the stunt he was going to pull.
Reno stood up in the darkness and slowly swaggered his way out of the desolate church. The outside was really no different than the inside when everything was hidden in the shadows of the night. The Turk knew his way around though. He had followed Aeris tracks many times and they always ended at the same place.
The rushing of water sounded from the background as Reno walked along the beaten dirt path. There was no regret in his steps as he strolled up to the red-tilted roof house. He pushed open the door and silently crept through the dinner room until he came to the small kitchen. The light was on as a woman stood over a sink of dishes. Reno moved towards her like a shadow of death. He loomed up behind the woman, inches from reaching out and grabber her neck. Suddenly the woman spun around to face the Turk.
"Oh!" Her hand flew up to her chest as her breath caught in her throat and her heart appeared to stop beating from a few seconds. Her shock was clear and for that Reno smiled. "Oh!—Reno! I asked you to not do that to me!"
"Sorry. I just couldn't resist." Reno continued to grin, which earned him a strong slap on his side from the flushed woman. Her hands were still wet from the dish water so the soapy liquid was flung about the kitchen as she continued to hit the Turk's arm.
"You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days!" She fumed before finally settling to just glaring at the red head. "What are you doing sneaking around in the middle of the night scaring the living daylights out of people?"
"Did Aeris come home?" Reno wiped the soap bubbles from his jacket.
"Yes," The woman left her dishes to dry her hands on a nearby towel. Her faded eyes turned onto the Turk with question. "Are you hungry? I could make you something if you are."
Reno shook his head as he glanced outside the kitchen by force of habit. The relationship between him and Aeris' adopted mother had not always been on friendly terms. In truth, the woman was not supposed to know he even exist, but Reno had a habit of bending the rules for his own benefit. At first Aeris would tell her mother that Reno was a stalker—that did not go over well with the mother. It was only after a few months—in which Reno saved Aeris from muggers, rapists, and the usual riff-raff of the slums—that Aeris mother began to tolerate Reno. In short, she didn't threaten his life anymore. A few weeks later Reno had been sitting on the fence, boredly tossing stones into the stream when the woman came out and asked Reno if he wanted to come in for dinner.
Since he was hungry at the time, Reno accepted but let the woman taste test everything to prove it was not poison. After eating an awkwardly silent dinner, the mother thanked Reno while Aeris beamed about her bodyguard. Reno felt accepted and he liked that feeling. From then on the woman, learned to be Theresa, made sure to say goodbye to both Aeris and Reno. She would make extra food incase he wanted to join them for a meal. She treated him like a son, which included both teasing and scolding him. One time she had yelled at Reno because he wasn't wearing any gloves or hat on one particularly cold winter's day.
Reno liked being cared for. He clung to that feeling as if it was the only thing keeping him alive. There was no way that he was going to lose that woman's trust because of his sense of duty. Being a Turk was the reason he felt so dead all the time. He killed and murdered people that he knew once in his past, other times they were complete strangers. In the end they were the same lifeless bodies lying in the dark alleyways. Their dim, foggy eyes haunted his dreams every night—then during his waking hours. Reno had to kill them, only then after he had killed them again did he fell at ease. Over and over he killed in order to remain sane. It developed into a blood lust with a mixture of alcohol and simple pleasures. Reno was a monster, a living breathing monster that lurked the shadows beneath children's beds—and to have someone actually like and care for him—him! A cold bloodied killer. How was it possible to accept him when he reeked of aged blood and cigarettes?
But in the end Reno didn't want to know why Aeris and her mother cared for him. The fact that they did care was all that Reno needed to make it through each day without resorting to more dangerous means of comfort; such as injecting his arm with psychotics, or slicing open his skin just to prove to himself that he was alive.
He was not going to hand over the Ancient girl to Rufus. These people were his. They were his light in the darkness. So in a way Reno was possessive over the individuals. It didn't matter who they were, only that Reno liked the attention he received. It was a healthier drug to him to which he was addicted and not willing to share. Rufus was not going to take it.
"Reno, is something wrong?" Genuine concern. Theresa was the mother Reno never had.
"No—well, yes." Reno forced his thoughts out of his mind so he could concentrate on his mission. "Where is Cloud?"
"I sent him away," Theresa responded, not bothering to hide her distaste for the blonde man who claimed to be formerly of Soldier.
"I assume Aeris is up in her room?" Reno glanced again at the dining room to assure they were alone.
"Of course," Hands were once again plunged into the warm water of the sink.
"I have to take her away from her." Reno watched as the woman visibly tensed but did not turn around.
"Why?" Sadness echoed in her voice.
"They're looking for her. I need to take Aeris somewhere safe until things change." Reno's fingers twitched. He wanted a smoke.
"For.. h-how long are you going to take her. When can she come back home?" Theresa's wet hands were gripping the sink's metal edge.
"I don't know, but you have to trust me. I will keep her safe." Reno tried to smile to reassure the woman but it turned into a smug smirk instead. Reno wasn't any good at being nice.
"I do trust you," the woman stated before letting out a heavy breath. Her back was still directed at the Turk, but he knew she was crying. "Be careful, Reno."
"You know the drill.." Reno trailed off, his green eyes keenly focused on the woman.
"Yeah yeah—I never saw you, never talked to you.."
Reno ducked out of the kitchen and drifted through the half-lit dining room until his foot landed on the first stair that would lead to the second floor. He hoped Aeris would take the news as well as her mother. She really had no choice.
End Chapter.
I know that I haven't update in a while. All I can say is that school has been keeping me busy, and that I have become more interesting in role-playing than working on my stories. This chapter has actually been done for a couple of weeks, I just was too lazy to type it all up. Nothing on Rufus, but... I did state at the beginning that this story doesn't really have direction.