Kai: Wow, 2 chapters in one whole day, I'm on a roll!
Reno: (pouting) you made me get beat up
Kai: What can I say; you look sexy covered in blood
Satoshi: Kai, you're twisted
Kai: (grins) I know, isn't it wonderful!
Reno: (blinks) Kai-chan doesn't own FF7 or the Turks but it would be nice if you fed the review box!
Italics flashback
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Rude sighed as he entered the Shin-Ra lounge claimed by the Turks. No employee dared to enter the Turk's domain without permission with the exception of Rufus, but that was only because he was the boss. "There you are," he stated after he spotted his leader laying on one of the couches, his arm draped over his eyes. "Rufus wants to see you."
"Then he can drag his lazy ass down here and tell me himself," Tseng growled, as he sat and reached for his drink.
"Hey don't kill me I'm just the messenger," Rude protested, throwing up his hands as if he was surrendering, "He wanted to know something about the last mission."
Tseng glared at the bald headed Turk. "What's there to tell?" he questioned sarcastically. "Elena is dead and Rufus is going to let that skinny little shit get away with it."
"Elena saved Reno; no one forced her to do it."
"He was being cocky and almost got himself killed," Tseng reminded, as memories of that night came flooding back into his mind.
"Reno, Elena!" Tseng called out, as he and Rude ran down a hallway after they heard gunshots fired. "Where the hell are you guys?" Seeing that he got no answer the Turk leader began to fear for the worst.
"Tseng, over there," Rude commented pointing to a corner of the room they had just entered that had blood spatter covering it. Under all the blood lay two bodies lying in a pool of blood. Upon closer inspection Rude and Tseng realized that it was Reno and Elena covered in blood.
"Reno….hey Reno," Rude called out pulling the younger Turk into a sitting position, the response he got was Reno's head rolling around like a rag doll while Rude checked for his pulse. "Well, he's out cold but managed to survive another job."
"That's more then I can say about, Elena," Tseng muttered though his voice was no more then a whisper, as he clutched the girl's body close to him.
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"You wanted to see me, Boss?" Tseng inquired, as he entered Rufus's office.
"When I tell you to do something, I expect you to damn well do it!" Rufus yelled glaring at the leader of the Turks.
Tseng gave him a confused look before he finally caught on to what he was talking about. "Reno's fine," he protested, "it's not like I hurt him."
"I don't have a use for someone who let's his emotions get the better of him," Rufus growled. "Now get out!"
"Yes sir."
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Reno grinned as he dodged the blade of his opponent. "Wow, for someone who was an Ex- SOLDIER you really suck!" he leered, as he twirled his electro-magnetic rod in his hand.
"Oh just finish him already you obnoxious little air head," Elena growled rolling her eyes.
"Your wish is my command my queen," Reno joked, as he finished off his target with a powerful blast of electricity.
Elena was just about to chew the red headed Turk's ass for playing with his prey too much when she heard a familiar clicking noise coming from behind them. "Get out of the way you idiot!" she yelled pushing Reno out of the way of the oncoming bullet.
"No, Elena!" Reno yelled as he bolted into a sitting position, but immediately wished he hadn't because of a wave of dizziness that overcame him. Sighing Reno sank back against the pillow waiting for all his senses to return to him. "Where the hell am I?" Reno's eyes darted around the room as he tried to piece together what had happened.
"You're in Cloud's room," a voice stated, Reno turned his attention towards the door to see Tifa standing there holding a bowl that had steam rising from it. "Good to see you're awake, Reno."
"And I'm sure he's thrilled," Reno joked, as Tifa sat by the bed and set the bowl on the table next to her.
"I'm ecstatic," Cloud remarked entering the room as well. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit, yo."
Tifa giggle at the Turk. "That doesn't surprise me, you've been out of it for awhile, though I suppose we should take your cursing as a good sign," she said taking a spoonful of the soup from the bowl and holding it in front of Reno's face, who gladly excepted the offering being too tired and in pain to really care that someone was spoon feeding him. "I see this isn't the first time someone's had to stitch you back together."
"Nope," Reno replied before enjoying another spoonful of soup, "I got most of those scars from bar fights or missions."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cloud muttered rolling his eyes.
Reno smirked and continued. "Well, there was that time when Rufus shot me for hanging his boxers from the flagpole on top of the Shin-Ra building," he said grinning like an idiot, "then he kicked me to make sure I was still alive and told me to get back to work."
"Sounds like Rufus," Cloud stated raising his eyebrow. "Why did you hang your boss's boxers from the flagpole to begin with?"
"I lost a bet with…" Reno's voice trailed off as he turned his head downward suddenly becoming very interested in the sheets on the bed.
He's hiding something, Cloud noted to himself when he saw Reno's odd reaction. Oh well, not my problem. Cloud was about to take his leave when Reno began to speak again.
"I couldn't save her," Reno mumbled tears streaming down his face, only this time he didn't bother to wipe them away. "Elena's dead because of me." Tifa and Cloud exchanged confused glances as Reno continued. "It was just a normal hit and then I got careless and she ended up taking a bullet meant for my head.
"I'm sorry, Reno,"
Cloud stared at the Turk for a long time after he'd finished talking. "So the Shin-Ra Turk responsible for dropping the plate of Sector 7 is capable of remorse," he remarked eyeing Reno.
Reno growled as he moved to attack Cloud, only to fall flat on his face in pain because he wasn't strong enough to stand on his own. "Don't judge me!" he spat holding his side in pain as a little blood seeped through onto his fingers. "It's not like I wanted to do that, I was just fallowing orders."
Tifa glared at Cloud as she helped Reno off the floor and back under the covers. "If you'll excuse us for a minute," she announced grabbing a hold of Cloud by his ear and dragging him out of the room. "That was uncalled for, Cloud!"
Cloud rubbed his ear as he gave Tifa a glare. "He's a killer," he reminded her "You expect me to feel sorry because one of the Turks is dead?"
"It doesn't matter, you could at least be compassionate," Tifa argued, "that was his friend and you just shrugged it off like it was nothing."
Cloud shook his head. "It's not my problem," he stated walking away.
"What was that about?" a dark voice questioned from behind Tifa.
Tifa jumped and turned around to come face to face with Vincent. "It's nothing major, just Cloud being stubborn," she lied.
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Tseng growled in frustration as he paced back and forth in the Turk's lounge. "He thinks I'm not useful?" he muttered to no one in particular, as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Well, I can see his point," Rude stated he had been watching the Turk leader pace back and forth for the last hour and been beginning to doubt his sanity, "you aren't exactly in the best frame of mind."
"When I want your opinion Rude, I'll ask for it!" Tseng snapped glaring at the bald headed man. "Until then, I suggest you shut your mouth unless you'd like to end up on the wrong end of my gun!"
Rude simply shrugged as he watched Tseng load a new clip into his gun. "Where are you headed now?" he asked.
"To make Reno atone for his sin," Tseng replied cocking the gun and stalking out of the lounge.
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"Are you awake, Reno?" Tifa inquired, as she entered the darkened room to find Reno sprawled on the bed with half of the covers kicked off and his arm draped over his eyes.
"Yah, I'm awake," Reno answered a weary tone in his voice, "my head hurts too much to do anything else."
Tifa walked over to the bed and sat down beside the Turk. "No wonder you're burning up," she replied, as she changed the bandage on his forehead.
"So that's why I feel hot and cold at the same time."
Tifa got up and walked into the bathroom adjacent to Cloud's room and returned with a damp, cold cloth. "This should help you feel a bit better," she stated placing the cloth on Reno's forehead, "You really should try to get some sleep."
Reno sighed. "I can't, I'll I can see when I close my eyes is Elena's blood staining the walls and my suit coat," he replied sadly.
"You and he are a lot alike, you know," Tifa noted, as she covered him back up with the blankets he had kicked off.
"What are you talking about?"
"You and Cloud," Tifa clarified, before Reno cut her off.
Reno snorted and shook his head, making himself dizzy again in the process. "I'm nothing like Chocobo head," he replied. "Don't compare me to him."
"Both unable to forgive yourself for the horrible things that have happened," Tifa replied. "Am I right?" The only response she got from the Turk however was him snuggling deeper into the covers and shutting his eyes.
"Goodnight Tifa and thank you."
"Sleep well, Reno," Tifa replied, as she shut off the light and left the room.
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"Boss, we've got problems," Rude stated entering Rufus's office.
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Kai: Well, that's it till next time
Reno: Why am I liking this less and less?
Kai: (evil grin) Just wait till the last chapter.
Reno: (holds up shot glass) That's what this for
Kai: (smacks Reno) Not funny!
Reno: (rubs head) Please read and review!