Finally! Yes, I know it's been a long time since I've updated, but I've been very busy. Finals come before stories, unfortunately. I've been RPing a lot with Becca, and I've got much more story left to write, so this isn't the end. Keep that in mind. Mwuahaha. Thanks to all that review, you give me the fuel to continue. R&R!
Reno groaned as he headed toward the door of the cabin. It had already been noted that he couldn't exactly go against his conscience most of the time. And he didn't have a very big one, just enough to make him pity pretty girls and losers such as himself. Therefore, he found himself reluctantly heading out after Yuffie, to call her back inside. Damnit, how come I can kill people when they're starin' straight up into my face, but I can't tell a girl to scram? I'm gettin' weaker. Damn, that's hard to do, you know? His shoulders slumped slightly as he walked up on the young ninja girl, who had her back turned to him. She sniffled, her shoulders shaking as she stared straight ahead, not looking back at the sound of him coming. Reno noticed a small moogle nearby, sniffing at her hand. Its pompom waved in the slight breeze that rustled through the forest. He knew he'd messed up somehow, just couldn't pinpoint exactly HOW. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he sat there and watched her for a short period of time.
The moogle twirled and danced, bouncing its pompom up and down to seemingly amuse the sniffling girl. Reno was always fascinated at how the creatures managed to not get eaten in the wilderness. Considering they looked like marshmallows to him, he was surprised that they existed at all. Most people only saw moogles in fairy tales, but he'd known they existed long before then due to some of the odd missions that he'd gone on throughout the world. People would be shocked and amazed at all of the shit he'd seen.
Yuffie turned slightly and gave a soft hiccup as she got up and dropped something on the ground. A red piece of materia, summon materia. Reno raised a brow as she simply walked off into the forest, leaving it for him to pick up. It was as if she'd lost her best friend, and he felt a strong surge of guilt as he leaned over and picked up the carefully tended piece of materia, weighing it in his hand. He knew it was powerful, and he knew that it was her prize, probably her Leviathan. Half of his mind told him to pocket it, yet the other half of him screamed to follow her. Shut up, mind. I don't need you tellin' me what to do. Oh, but you do. Don't forget I own you.A chill went up Reno's back as that second voice boomed through his mind, very much different from all of the rest that he'd ever heard. He tried to shove it out of his memory as he started to walk forward after Yuffie.
"Hey, Yuffie, uhm, you dropped your materia? You want it back?" Turning, the ninja girl was petting the moogle that had climbed up into her arms. She watched him for a few seconds before a broad smile broke out across her face.
"Sure I want it back. I left it to see if you would follow me, Turkey! WHEE! I'M WAAAAAANTED!" Reno felt his eye twitch as the girl dove at him and squeezed him, nuzzling her face against his chest. "So when do we leave, Renny-kun? Huh, huh?"
"Soon. Just get ready to go." He couldn't figure out why the girl's touch made him feel better about himself, but he found himself smiling as she drew away. She squealed and twirled again, then bounced off to go find Rude and Elena. Shaking his head, Reno lowered his gaze to the ground, still holding the soft smile on his face. "Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought? Meh… Sick." Shuffling off, Reno held his stomach as odd cramps started to roll through it. "Great, now all I need is to turn into a woman." My God, Reno, how do you foreshadow?
Thirty minutes later…
Rude was not a good driver. That was established by both Elena and Reno long ago, but Yuffie just served to really clarify that point. She squeezed the moogle that she'd picked up in the forest close to her chest as she stared at the back of Rude's head. It was absolute CHAOS. He was darting and swerving, taking curves at sixty and hitting things along the way. Reno was curled up in the fetal position on the back seat next to Yuffie, eyes closed and in a slight slumber. "How the fuck can he sleep through this?"
Elena was clutching the dashboard. "He's used to it. Reno drives worse, so trust me, I'd rather have Rude driving by far." Elena turned back around and winced as a tree swooped by, or rather, they came close to swooping down the side of a tree. The moogle was clutching on tightly to Yuffie, huge eyes as it stared at Rude's head. Elena stared back at it. "Its eyes are so human, aren't they? I halfway expect it to start talking at anytime."
The moogle shot her a glare that clearly said 'Dumbass'. "Who says I can't talk, you bimbo?" Elena paused for a moment as she stared at the moogle.
"It talked, Yuffie! IT TALKED!" She turned around as Reno woke up and glared at her. "RENO, THE FUCKIN' MOOGLE WAS TALKING!"
"I think you've gotten into my drugs again, babe."
"You jackass, IT TAAAAAALKED! YOU SHOULD'VE HEARD IT!"
Yuffie smiled down at the moogle. "Of course she can talk. Moogles are smart, isn't that right Andine?"
The moogle Andine nodded, pompom waving slightly. "I sure as hell can talk. Hmph." She surveyed her surroundings and watched as Reno slowly closed his eyes and went to sleep. "What's wrong with him?"
"Cramps and sickness. His stomach's used to being filled with alcohol, so now it's working against him. I almost feel sorry for him right now."
Yuffie yawned and started to pet Andine as she nestled up against the red-head. "Oooh, he's warm. I think I'ma go to sleep. Wake me up if we slam into anything, okay?" With that, she curled up against Reno and fell asleep, mewling softly.
Rude smiled. "So what do you think Reno's gonna do with the girl when he gets her back to Midgar?"
"Eh, they'll probably either part ways or become instant enemies. Well, worse enemies than they already are. I don't think they like each other."
Rude looked up into the rear-view mirror, grinning. "The way she's cuddled up against him I wouldn't say that." This caused Elena to twist around and get a good look at them. "They look mighty happy with one another right now. Reno needs a girlfriend, I think. Let's try to get 'em together, why don't we?"
"I don't know. I don't like the thought of that, because they might strangle one another in the night. Wouldn't want to bury another Turk now would we?"
"You may be right. I doubt Reno would hurt her, but she looks like she sure as hell would strangle him with his own intestines. You women give off that cute kinda deadly and it's scary as hell sometimes, you know? It's evil."
"We are not the cute kinda deadly. We're the beautiful kinda deadly and don't you ever forget it." She glared at him, then looked straight ahead. "OH GOD! RUDE LOOK OUT FOR THE CAAAAAAT! NUUUUUUUUU DON'T SQUISH IT!" (Disclaimer: No cats were harmed in the making of this fanfic/RP/oddity.)
Splat. "YOU BASTAAAAAAAAAARD!" It wasn't Elena who said it, though she was tearing up as she glared at Rude. Andine leapt for Rude's head. "Bald fucker! I KEEEEEEEL YOUUUUUUU!" Rude gasped and started to struggle to keep the moogle from scratching his head up as the car swerved left and right, finally coming to a stop at the side of the road. This caused the passengers to get thrown forward slightly, Reno bumping against the seat, Yuffie falling against him and Elena caught by the seat belt that she was thankfully wearing.
Reno opened his eyes slightly and groaned. "Yuffie, please get off… Hurts…"
Yuffie blinked and opened her eyes as she was still cuddling against his shoulder. "Nu, soft…"
"GET OFF!" Reno bumped her so hard that she was knocked back up onto the seat. "Rude, you careless fuck, why am I in the floor?"
"Cuz her dumbass moogle is scratching me. GET IT OFF!" The bald guy wailed and tried to get Andine loose from his forehead, only to find that the moogle was clinging on hard. Its little claws were pinpricked into his skin, clinging on for dear life. "Off, you BASTARD!"
"YUFFIE, HE SPLATTED A CAAAAAAT!"
Yuffie stared up at them then suddenly her eyes watered. Whimpering, she stared at Rude then burst into tears. "You hit a cat? HOW COULD YOU?" She wailed loudly, causing Reno to growl and curl up tighter in the floor. He felt like crying himself.
Somewhere…sometime…
Reno, sometimes I wonder about you.
Huh?
Lately, you seem to have gotten so weak against him. Why can't you fight anymore? Use alcohol and drugs to escape the problem? Child, you have to SOLVE the problem, not run from it.
What the hell are you talking about and who are you?
Don't worry about that right now. I just know that you need help. He's going to try and get out one day. You know who I'm referring to. You just don't know him by name. He is the voice inside of your head, the male one. He will be your demise and your rebirth.
I don't know what the fuck you're talkin' about. Get outta my head!
I don't know why you won't listen. You're stuck here for a little while, anyway. You need to listen to me. Pay attention, Reno. You're in trouble. You're in danger. You're in the hospital, did you know that?
What? I am not, you stupid bitch. I'm headed back to Midgar with my friends…with Yuffie…and Elena and Rude… What happened? WHAT THE FUCK'S GOING ON?
Please calm down. Just relax. Try to fight him. Fight against him, because he's going to gain control. Fight the sickness. Fight the depression and the anger. Please don't let him win, because when you do the entire world will collapse. Even in death, don't you dare give up. The world is depending on you for once, Reno Kisaragi.
Why the fuck did you just call me that? Holy shit, WHAT? That's not my name. I don't have a last name.
You are Reno Kisaragi, whether you believe it or not. Believe in yourself and don't give in, whatever you do.
I… Don't know who you are… WAIT! DON'T LEAVE, I NEED YOUR HELP! NO!
Blinding white light hit Reno straight in his eyes as he opened them. He saw a flash of Rude and a flash of Elena as they walked toward the hospital room. "Huh?"
They looked back at him, as if he was crazy. "Reno, are you all there? Come on, bud."
He heard Yuffie bouncing around next to him, giggling as she talked away to Andine. He drew his attention to his surroundings, noticing that it was indeed the white walls of a hospital, but not in the manner that he'd been led to believe he was in there for. They were walking toward a private room, and he knew that it had to be something mission-based. "Rude, what's all this about?"
Rude frowned and looked at Reno. "Rufus got shot while we were headed to Midgar. Weren't you listening? Damn, kid, keep your head on your shoulders." Frowning, he turned back around and continued on to the room.
Rufus shot? That was something new. Reno frowned as well when Rude opened the door. There in the bed lay the blond President, talking away to his current boyfriend, Reeve. The two looked like they weren't too happy and Reno didn't blame them. Rufus had IVs hooked up, probably some strong painkillers that would numb the throbbing pain that he felt through his chest. "Damn, how'd they get to him?"
Rufus looked up and glowered at Reno when he heard the red-head's voice. "Well I just felt like receiving a bullet in my chest and LET them in." The sarcasm dripped from his voice as he glared at him. "Why the hell didn't you designate people to act as my body guards while you were away? This is your fault!"
Reeve sighed softly. "Please be quiet, Rufus. They were away because they needed time to cope with something. It was a fluke in security. At least you're okay." He rubbed the blonde's shoulder as the young man continued to glare up at Reno.
Reno glared right back, shoving his hands in his pocket. "Well maybe if you wouldn't piss everyone off we wouldn't have to guard your little sissified ass every fuckin' second of the day. You're into too much shit, you little asswipe."
"Hmph… Who are you to tell me what I need to do and not? You're not exactly qualified for the position of President, seeing as how you can barely remember where you wake up sometimes, you inebriated slumrat."
"I remember where I wake up often enough. Fuck you if you don't approve of my 'habits'." Reno crossed his arms, glaring down at the younger man who was shifting in his bed. "Besides, it don't look like you're in the position to say anything about my drinking habits."
"I just don't want you fucking up when you're supposed to be guarding me. Now get your red-headed ass outside of my room and GUARD it like you're supposed to. Or I'll dock your pay more than Tseng did that time you TPed the executive mens' toilet."
Reno rolled his eyes. "I could've done MUCH MUCH worse, you know? I'm known for doing everything I do to the extreme, meaning that if you ain't prepared, then that's just too damn bad, ne?"
"Just GET OUT!" He looked like he was about to blow a gasket. Reeve reached around and stroked his lover's hair back out of his face, cooing softly to him to try to get him to calm down. Reno whirled and shrugged, walking out of the room to do as he was told. "My god, I can't get a peaceful moment's REST around here… What with smartass employees waltzing in and out of my room. You would think they OWNED ShinRa with the way they prance around."
"Love, just calm down. You need to be a little bit nicer to Reno and Rude. I mean, after all, they do hold your life in their hands more often than not."
"And what a lovely idea that is. They're screw-ups. They can't do shit right, Reeve. I wonder why we even keep them around."
"Because they are your right and left hands, correct? They do what no one else will do, including murders, kidnappings and bombings. Plus, they do as you say without question. They might give you grief now, but they're by far the most loyal employees you have. I'm just trying to figure out why you treat them the way you do, Rufus."
"Because they're nothing but dirt beneath my feet. They don't deserve to be in my presence. Why did Tseng recruit slumrats for Turks? That's something that father insisted on, but yet I never understood either."
Reeve sighed and held his head in his hands. The young man was a lot of trouble and always had to have an explanation for everything. "Reno knows the slums. Rude is a good fighter and he uses his bulk to throw our 'ideas' around. Elena… Is just Elena. She's the 'brains' of the Turks, though I'd probably say she's probably got as much sense and streetsmarts as a thimble." Reeve shifted around in his seat. "Just let them do what they do and get away with it, love. They've saved your life more than once."
Outside the room…
"I bet ten dollars we can shove an entire package of those tongue depressors up the little fucker's ass."
"I bet fifty you can't fit 'em in for the stick."
Reno and Rude grinned at one another, holding a stance on either side of the President's door. They knew that they had to guard him, because Reno had a good idea that whoever shot him would be back to finish him off. Then again, it wasn't exactly hard to imagine someone coming back to finish him. Hell, Reno wanted to finish him for them, but didn't have that option unfortunately. "So what do we do?"
"I don't know. I'm hungry. Wanna leave the blond bastard to fate and go get some food?"
"Not really. Cuz just as sure as we leave, he'll get killed."
"Damn, what a tragedy."
"I'm tellin' ya. Midgar might even wail in despair for lack of their beloved President." Reno barely got the last word out before he heard glass shattering. It flew everywhere as bullets started to rip through the vicinity. Groaning, Reno reached into his suit jacket for his gun as another bullet whizzed past his head, shattering the window. He heard Rufus screeching something and Reeve dropping down in the room. "Boy, don't this seem familiar?"
"The bastards are feelin' lucky today, aren't they Ren?"
"I guess so. Let's finish 'em off and then go get somethin' to eat. I'm tired of playin' with people."
The two Turks stepped forward into the fray, lifting their guns. Unfortunately, they weren't as fast as they believed themselves to be. Reno's head spun as he was suddenly knocked for a flip. He felt the blood splatter on his face before he felt the pain of the shoulder wound, but he attempted to ignore it. Several more bullets ripped through his body as he attempted to turn around. He finally hit the ground and raised his gun, taking careful aim. On instinct, he pulled the trigger, the nearest teenager that was firing at them screaming and dropping, blood splattering against the wall.
Somewhere to Reno's right, he heard Rude shooting, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Somehow, he remembered Yuffie through it all. I wonder if she's safe… Damn, I screw up a lot, don't I? Reno didn't remember anything but red and black as he passed out, blood pooling around his body. Little did he know, people were freaking out over him.