FANTASY TOURNAMENT

A/N: Sorry it's been a while but computers been spazzin up. A shame as I've been looking forward to this chapter. I'm rooting for my favourite FF7 character! Go Reno go! I've also taken advice from one of the reviews I got and looked a bit more into the characters and why they want the money.

Chapter 4

"Happy sixth Birthday Reno!" The banner read. All his family had shown up to celebrate his birthday. His mum and dad had given him a toy sword and shield and his grandparents had saved up and bought him a red bicycle. The party was being held at the very top of Fort Condor were he lived. Reno's mum had put together enough food to feed the whole mountain! They were all playing and laughing when suddenly a horn was blown from the direction of the port. Reno climbed up onto the table and saw an army of ShinRa troops marching towards the mountain. His mum picked him up and ran into the mountain towards the emergency exit tunnel.

"This mountain is now under control of ShinRa. Any resistance and you will be killed." A voice said over a loud speaker. His family had just burst through the door and there was a squad of ShinRa troops aiming their guns at them. Reno's dad jumped in front of Reno and his mum. The squad fired and Reno's dad and grandparents fell to the ground. His mother, still carrying him, tried to run but was shot. Reno screamed as the ShinRa troops surrounded him and picked him up and dragged him off…

Reno woke up sweating. He had had the same dream again. He got up and ran his fingers through his hair. He went down into the gym on the 3rd floor of the building. He got onto the treadmill and set it to full speed. He easily kept up with the machine. ShinRa had put him into the competition to defeat Sephiroth. He didn't mind doing that, but little did ShinRa know, he also planned to win and run from ShinRa and live his own life. As he ran the time seemed to whiz by until eventually a voice crackled over the loudspeaker.

"Would Reno and Squall please report to the main hall for battle." He jumped off the machine and put his jacket on. He picked up a short, sharp metal pole and Clipped a metal armguard on that covered his entire left arm. He was walking down the corridor of the third floor heading for the elevator. A door on his left suddenly opened. A man came out with a large gunblade hung over his shoulder. Reno read the name on the door and realized who this was.

"Yo, so you're Squall?" the man didn't answer. "I'm Reno I'll be fighting you." Squall still said nothing. "Geez this guy's stiffer than a gargoyle in the northern crater." Reno thought. They both walked silently down the corridor, Reno twirling his half sword-half pole around. They both stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the bottom floor. They were going down when Squall said "I won't kill you." Reno looked at him. "If I corner you with no weapon I won't kill you." Reno nodded.

"Same here. We don't want something like that last fight happening." Reno remembered watching on the plasma screen in the lounge as Vincent ripped Auron apart with the guns hidden in his jacket. There was a ding noise and the elevator opened and the two stepped out into the main hall. The presenter was there as always, but this time he had bags under his eyes and he was smoking a cigarette. "Um, yo, don't you think that sort of thing will ruin your career if we're on TV?" Reno said.

"Listen kid I've got a real hangover and we're just gunna play last week's recording of me speaking. Now let's just see where you're fighting and get to it." Squall was disgusted that this man would simply let these people go possibly to their deaths. He would be the last person they would see not including their killer. The man hit a button on a controller and the TV above them shone white before displaying.

"TERRAIN: RIVER."

"River!" Reno thought. "What we gunna do float down a river standing on boards and hack at each other?" he asked sarcastically.

"Precisely." The presenter said. He opened the door behind him and ushered them in before locking the door behind them. Reno and Squall looked across a lush countryside with a calm river running through the centre.

"Yo, maybe this ain't so bad." Reno said. Two planks of wood came down the river; they were just big enough for somebody to stand on. Squall leapt onto one of the planks as it passed and Reno ran after him just just making the jump onto the other plank. They both got their balance and drew their weapons.

"May the best fighter win." Squall said, almost trembling. Reno looked at his feet they were as far in as they could making sure not to touch the water.

"Dude, are you scared of water?" Reno had just finished speaking when a bell went. The battle had begun. The river unexpectedly sped up turning the gentle river into a frothing rapid. Squall yelled and dropped down to touch the plank of wood to keep his balance. Reno stuck his metal pole into the bank and once he got his balance pushed off towards Squall. Reno raised his weapon and went to bring it down on Squall. Seeing the attack at the last minute Squall raised his gunblade and parried the attack. He then kicked out and pushed at the board beneath Reno's feet, sending Reno spinning backwards. Reno regained his balance and control over the board he pushed down on the front of the board to speed up and catch Squall. He caught up with him and saw him clutching onto the board for dear life. Squall was definitely not acting normal. Squall looked up, over the frothing water and saw Reno, under complete control of his board speeding towards him. Squall took out his gunblade again and before Reno could attack he brought his blade down on the front edge of Reno's board. Reno was sent flying up into the air, Squall watched as Reno flew over the top of Squall and crashing into the water behind him. Squall watched the spot in the water which Reno had fallen in but Reno never rose back up. Had he won? Had Reno drowned? If so why hadn't the bell gone? Suddenly the board he was standing on came up beneath his feet. He yelled and jumped off onto Reno's board and held on with his eyes closed. Once he had caught his breath he turned around and saw Reno standing on his old board smiling. Reno had swam underneath him and pushed him off. Squall used his gunblade as a paddle and pushed his board in front of Reno's. He slowly stood up and raised his gunblade up defensively. He couldn't let Reno see he wasn't comfortable with his surroundings. Reno was smiling when suddenly his look of amusement was replaced by a look of dread. Squall was confused. He looked behind himself and saw a huge waterfall, about a 200ft drop. This couldn't be happening he thought. He tried to jump onto the bank to avoid the huge drop but missed, landed in the water and closed his eyes and yelled out as he tumbled over the edge.

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: This was a difficult chapter to write, I had an idea of this in my head but it was difficult to put in writing, I hope it wasn't to confusing. The next part of the story will be coming very soon, looking into Squall's past. Please keep R&R'ing!