3

Jennin

The bar had got nicely full by mid-evening, the children were still there, although they were less occupied by staring at Reno, Elena and Yuffie by now. Reno had tried his hardest to limit the amount of drinks he consumed. He was now slumped over the table; everything was spinning. There were seven empty glasses in front of him that the barmaid had not kept up with and taken away yet.

Cid was talking to a drunk guy and Elena was asking a woman who had come in alone about the mysterious deaths:

"Oh, yes. It's terrible. My uncle Brendon just never woke up about three weeks ago, he's still alive, but in a deep coma. People are saying it's Mako poisoning from the lifestream." That was perfectly possible, the town was quite close to a high amount of Mako energy. She wasn't sure exactly how close it was. She didn't see the lifestream when they had come in earlier, and planned to check out the distance tomorrow.

Yuffie was talking to another couple, who didn't think Mideel was close enough to the lifestream for it to be Mako poisoning.

"Besides, We've lived here ever since Mideel was rebuilt and not been effected. There are people dying here who just stopped by for a holiday or visiting relatives. It's The Children I tell you, The Children."

"The children?" Yuffie had asked. The woman nodded, wide eyed.

"They live somewhere on the island, No one knows where. But they come to Mideel a lot, whenever they come, people die or disappear. People die when they're not here too." Yuffie didn't really understand what she meant, her husband saw her puzzled look and realised Yuffie was an outlander who didn't know anything of recent events.

"The Children are not the kin of anyone in Mideel that we know of. They just came here about a year ago. More come all the time. At first there were only a few who rarely came into Mideel. But recently they come in gangs and cause trouble, stealing things and beating people up. They must have a hell of a lot of matreria kept at where ever it is they live, they're really powerful.

"Some are clearly not children, some are adults, you see that group over there, they are some of The Children. Many call them 'The Indigo Children.'" He gestured towards the kids still sat at the far end of the room.

"Everyone's scared of them and their magic. I just dunno." He shook his head, staring at them. "They're just kids, the eldest I've seen is not much older than that one." He nodded towards the one who looked the same age as Reno; about twenty five.

"They're mostly just kids. How can they be the one's causing the trouble?" Yuffie couldn't understand it either. She thanked the couple for their information and returned to the table. She jogged Reno, who sat up suddenly, yelling a muffled "…Buffy!" looking confused as to where he was. She retold Elena and Reno what she had found out before going over to Cid who was now alone, and told him about it too.

"Myeah, that's what a few people have been saying. Others reckon it's Mako poisoning."

"Which one do you think it is?"

"How the hell do I know?" Yuffie shrugged meekly. "I reckon we should just hang on here and try and get some solid evidence that's it's these Children causin' the trouble. Everyone I've spoken to has no proof it's the Children stealing and killing. Often people can put the blame for shit like this on strangers who scare 'em and they become blind to what's really goin' on."

The music was suddenly put on louder and tables and chairs were pulled out from the middle where there was a polished wooden dance floor. A group of drunken friends started dancing and Yuffie went back to Reno and Elena, her eyes falling onto The Children. The guy was right, they were just kids, prating about. The one's old enough to drink had started dancing. Reno tapped his feet to the beat, unaware that Elena and Yuffie were there at all, or the mission. To him he was just spending another night pissed out of his skull so he didn't have to face up to how much he hated his life and the things he had done in the past that he was less than proud of. For now these things were forgotten and the music took him away to another place. He stumbled over to the dance floor. Elena cursed that she hadn't brought a camera as he danced. But Yuffie had to admit; he was a good dancer despite his drunken state.

"Hey! Reno's binge drinking and like of the ladies could just work in our favour for once!" Elena exclaimed as she saw him dance close to the older member of the group of children who looked to be in her mid twenties.

"Yeah, but do you reckon he'll question her? If he does he'll probably forget what she gives away."

"Let's get closer to them." Elena suggested, getting up. They went and sat on a table on the edge of the dance floor near where Reno and the girl were dancing. The girl seemed just as out of it as he was, dancing energetically, and closer to him than Elena or Yuffie liked. If these Children were dangerous, they didn't want Reno getting on the wrong side of any of them.

For every miss placed hand Reno gave to the girl she gave one back as they danced ever closer to one another.

"What's your name?" Reno slurred.

"Jennin. Yours?"

"Reno." She had messy brown hair that tumbled down her shoulders, her form was slim, but she wore baggy trousers and a t-shirt that was neither tight nor loose. A multitude of black and brown leather, and silver bracelets hung around her wrists, three black necklaces and one delicate silver one hung around her neck.

And man could she dance, or at least Reno thought so. She wasn't the usual type he'd go for; she was clearly not a girly girl, yet she retained feminine features despite her almost tomboyish ways of moving and holding herself. He had never met a girl as forward as she; he had trouble keeping up with her. She was almost like the female version of himself, almost.

"Well, you're cute Reno." She smiled, running her fingers through his feathered red hair, making shivers go up his spine. Her scent filled his nose and her soft touch made his skin prickle. He'd never felt this strongly for a girl before, it was an odd feeling as much as a nice feeling. Soon they were embracing one another, she softly kissed his pale cheeks, moving round to his left ear, softly nibbling the lobe and gently pulled at his small looped earring with her teeth. His breathing was disjointed as she did so, his eyes closed and a soft smile was on his lips.

"Gawd this is gross!" Yuffie exclaimed as the music had picked up a little, they had been dancing for hours and were one of last on the dance floor, Elena had drifted off to sleep. Just as she was about to call it a night, the other five children went over to Jennin and Reno. Jennin gently pushed Reno away from her and turned to her friends. To Yuffie's annoyance she couldn't hear what was said and hoped Reno was sensible enough to remember what was said between them.

He didn't want her to pull away from him, he tried to latch on, but she firmly placed him a foot or so away from her, and seemingly stared at those kids she was with.

Something was said, but not out loud, unless Reno really was so drunk that he couldn't hear or see lips move anymore.

A meaningful silence passed where Jennin looked at a boy of about fourteen in front of her like he was speaking. She nodded to the boy and looked back to Reno.

"I've gotta go babe." He grabbed her hand softly and pleaded that she stayed.

"I have a room here you can stay over the night with me." She shook her head and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Stick around Mideel and maybe I'll take you up on that offer when I know you better. Here, have this for now. I want it back mind, but see it as my claim on you. While it's in your possession you're not to look at another girl if you want to get to know me better, you know what I mean." With that she and her pint-sized friends were gone. He stood in the middle of the dance floor, his heart beating hard and an electric feeling pumping around his body. He looked down at what she had given him. It was a necklace with a finely linked silver chain, there was a small pink orb encased in a thin silver wire wrapped delicately around it. He pressed it to his cheek and closed his eyes. A hand rested on his shoulder, and for a moment he thought it was Jennin come back to him, but it was Elena.

"Are you ok?" She asked, concerned, Reno was never usually phased by a girl. He nodded and attached the necklace around his neck.

"Just peachy thanks." He murmured, suddenly realising how tired he was.

"Did you find out any information?" Reno didn't understand what she was talking about, forgetting what Yuffie had said about The Children earlier.

"Wha'?" Elena rolled her eyes.

"Who was the girl? Where does she live? Why are seven year olds hanging around with her until midnight? Who and where are their parents? Anything?" Reno shrugged

"She's called Jennin." He almost whispered, savouring her name, letting it roll off his tongue. He pushed passed her, not in the mood for talking; he went straight up to his room and collapsed into his bed. He didn't notice how uncomfortable it was, all he could think about was Jennin.

TBC...