OH MY GOSH I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY! I can't belive it! My computer died on me when I finally got it fixed! I should be beheaded! Everyone must really hate me…! I am so sorry, once again! I will happily give you people an ax after I finish the story so you can chop me up to little pieces… okay? (Nervous smile)

Reno and Elena glared eye-to-eye for a few seconds.

"They hell are you doing here!" They both shouted, pointing at eachother with angry eyes.

Reno stared at her ludicrously. "I have a reason to be here! I should be asking you why the hell you are here!"

"What idea are you getting? He asked me to come here, idiot!" Elena burst. Reno rolled his eyes.

"Sure, I believe that… believe that you are here for something else!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh you know very well what the means!"

"Why you dirty son of a –"

They fell silent as Tseng walked in. "I thought I heard you two." He said tediously, "I can hear you all the way down the lower floors – even in the elevator."

"Sorry, sir." Elena breathed out apologetically. Tseng settled himself down. Reno watched him intently.

"So…?"

Tseng looked at him as he shuffled his folders. "What?"

"What happened when I was gone? I heard Rufus spoke to you."

Tseng's expression went dark. "Oh, disregard that, I do not wish to speak of it. All is well. But that is not why I called you to come here…"

Reno then looked at Elena with a rather ridicule look. "Alright, darlin'. You can go now."

"I beg your pardon?" She snapped. "I think you… are the one to leave."

"Actually…" Tseng began. "I ordered both of you to come here."

Reno and Elena stared at their boss, wide-eyed

"…What." Reno said in disbelief, pointing a finger at Elena. "You also ordered this thing to come?"

"'This thing'…?" Elena twitched deadly.

Tseng sighed. "If I had the choice, I would not have chosen you two together in this next mission.

"Mission?" Reno droned inwardly. "Who the hell said so, anyway? Who's the wiseass?"

"Rufus' orders are Rufus' orders." Tseng calmly reputed. Elena couldn't help but let out a snicker when she saw Reno's 'oops… my bad' look on his face.

"Can't I take Rude?" Reno protested. "I mean, come on! It's always been 'Reno and Rude', not 'Reno and Elena'… doesn't have that vibe in it."

"Oh, thank you." Elena scowled sarcastically.

Tseng sighed. "Now, don't be that way. I would actually consider this an opportunity for you two to get to know eachother more clearly." Tseng went quiet when Reno and Elena gave him a steady, hard wide-eyed glare. "…I didn't mean it that way, but let us proceed to your mission…"

Tseng then reached into his pockets, and finally retrieved a key. The two tilted their heads, fixedly watching Tseng pull out a small, pink box with a big yellow bow. The sight was unexpected, and the two Turks had blank looks on their faces.

"…Who's birthday?" Reno teased lightheartedly. Tseng sighed.

"Yes, I know it is a perplexing sight, but it is kept like this so it would not draw too much attention. Its contents are very important."

"What's in it?" Elena asked.

Tseng shrugged. "I am sorry, but it is confidential; your only concern is to deliver this package to the Turtle Paradise bar in Wutai." He stood up from his chair, stretching his numbing legs.

"You are to go to Junon and take a ship. When you arrive in Wutai, spend a night in the inn. The following morning, go to the pub. There should be a man there wearing a red and yellow outfit with a blue hat; he should stand out. Go sit beside him and greet him. He should say 'Good morning to you, my fellow child of the world. The sun god has truly granted us a spectacular morning'… Reno, are you listening?" Tseng said annoyed, irritated when Reno started making paper cranes with his business folders.

"Yeah yeah yeah yeah. I got it." Reno completed his 13th paper crane while Elena slapped her forehead.

Sheesh… This is going to be my partner…?

"…In response." Tseng started again, "You should say 'Yes, the dragon has granted the gift of skies of gold'… he should bring you to Chai-Xang, the man whom you are to make a trade. He will trade with you, then you are going to come back and report to me."

"Interesting." Elena exclaimed. "But sir, why do you need two Turks for this assignment? Surely one would be enough."

"Yeah. Send Elena to do the 'Pink Present Project'." Reno said sluggishly, finishing his 23rd paper crane and got onto his feet. "I'm outta here – "

"Wait just a minute, Reno." Tseng snapped sharply. "I'm not done with you yet. Get back here – RIGHT NOW."

Reno paused, a bit surprised from Tseng's sharp tone, but returned to his spot anyway.

"Well… you sure aren't in the mood."

"Nevermind that." Tseng heaved a deep, stressful sigh. "But it is necessary for you to do this task. Chai-Xang is a very dangerous man – if you cross his boarders, you will be fried. That's why Rufus wants two on the job – he wants you two to look out for eachother."

"With all do respect, sir." Elena hesitated. "Reno would leave me dead on the shore if he could."

Reno cooed. "Damn right."

"…Just please for once, cooperate." Tseng grumbled. "Just once, do your jobs and stop fighting…!" He then shoved the pink present to Reno accidentally. Reno blinked, feeling strange holding something so… pink.

Rude suddenly opened the door slightly, just enough to pop his head. "Sir, the helicopter has arrived. In twenty minutes or so, please be prepared. The pilot has requested that…?" He eyed Reno ludicrously when he saw his friend holding the pink present, and cocked an eyebrow, and gave a small mocking smile.

"…Don't say anything." Reno muttered, tucking the present behind his back.

"Thank you, Rude. Now if you excuse me…" Tseng then paced towards the door.

Reno blinked. "Where you going?"

"Rude and I are going to take care of some… business." Tseng replied bluntly. Rude disappeared from the door, and when Tseng was about to leave –

"Hey, Tseng."

"What?"

"What's wrong?" Reno asked darkly. "You seem… a bit out of it."

"It is nothing." Tseng stressed. "I appreciate your concern, though."

He then left. Elena looked at Reno. "I guess you aren't blind. You see it too, huh?"

"What, Tseng? Probably is one of his worse days." He said, surprisingly considerate. He looked at the pink package. "Now… to get this down to the bottom floor without anyone thinking I'm going gay…"

Don't worry Wasabi; Reno and Elena won't become a couple… well at least not now; I haven't planned it that way, but it depends what you people think.

Sheesh… I really can't stress out how sorry I am. You may think I'm lying, but I don't blame you. My computer still is crap… I really need a new one, I've had this thing for almost 7 years. Anyway… yes, I will continue to update but once again at a slow pace. As you can see, I have put up a few more new stories that I will need to tend as well (I should of waited… sigh…) there's another Reno fic (Broken Mirror) you can read, but its more serious then this and darker – it's about Reno's past. Anyway, I am truly sorry for causing you much frustration.

As for the next chapter, yes it is surprisingly shorter then the previous ones; once again, I apologize, but I really wanted to put something up because I am going to be busy writing a couple of essays. Not to mention math, French, and socials exam coming back on June 21 and 22… two exams on one day... my life is complete crap right now… (cry) I think I might take out my stress on Reno, though… (evil grin)

Hence, I WILL continue, I grant you that, no matter how pathetic and strange this fic is... haha.