Author's Notes: So here it finally is. I've had it in my notebook for far too long I guess. Glad I'm finally getting to it right? And oh, what is this? Shock of all shocks, is that one of those dream paragraph openings I haven't done in so damn long? I think it is. Well, I hope it isn't a bit to rusty considering how long it has been.
Chapter 8: The Fiancée
Sometimes when you dream, everything is far less than it seems it should really be. The love you came to know and depend upon wasn't even there in the first place. Each night you yearn to avoid the dreams that bring the worst of your fears to you, the dreams that cause tears you wish you never had to shed. In the dreams your callous words drive your love so far away from you. And sometimes…
You can never escape it.
It was a nervous habit of hers to play with her hair while she waited for something big to happen. She would shift and twitch and otherwise figuratively 'twiddle her thumbs'. A binder labeled in her neat handwriting rested in her lap. Inside of it were many other papers covered in calculations, vague ideas, and most of all, years of her dreams. Yet the whole project would not rely on her decisions in the past, but upon those of the new, and quite young, executive. So it was really obvious why she was so nervous.
"Miss Scarlet," came the voice of her future sister-in-law, "Mister Tarshil will see you now."
The woman rose and smiled kindly at the other blonde, "Thank you Elena."
"Always a pleasure Scarlet."
Pushing her wire frame glasses up a bit, Scarlet took a deep breath and entered the now open door to meet the young Tarshil. Reno sat at his desk, hair redder than her name was crowning his head. His eyes were downcast and he seemed so thing and sad and maybe lost in his own mind. Obviously the news of the poverty in the slums that was delivered with the Midgar Report had not gone over well with him.
"Reno, thank you for seeing me on such a short notice."
The youth smiled. She knew he was almost amused that a meeting scheduled the day before was 'short notice'.
"Do not worry Scarlet, it is a pleasure to have this chance to work with you," the young man said, a wide and warm smile upon his lips and in those icy blue eyes. "I read your book on the human desire for adventure and the yearning for space."
At this the timid woman turned pink with embarrassment. "You read 'An Ode to the Stars'? None I know has read it before."
"Well, now you know someone that has," Reno said with a wide grin.
"I guess I can say that I have," she admitted.
"Now then, what exactly is it that I can help you with Miss Scarlet?"
"Oh," the woman said, attention finally snapping back to where it belonged. She placed the binder upon his relatively clear desk, which she soon assumed would become messy once he had the time to settle in, and opened it up. From the open binder she plucked a few papers to turn for his inspection.
"As you know, my department is attempting to finally open up the undiscovered vastness of space to human exploration."
"Of course I know about it Scarlet. My father was often ranting about it, but I have always supported the idea. Imagine what things we could learn about ourselves by taking a step back…"
She smiled. It was not often that one like her could find someone who not only agreed with her ideas, but seemed to be as consumed by them as she was.
"In fact, while I was in school in Junon I took the chance to go to the research center you set up in the city and I was quite lucky enough to meet your intended pilot, a Mister Cid Highwind…"
"Yes, Cid, interesting man isn't he?" she laughed. "A vile mouth, but one could almost say that the whole of the sky was in his eyes."
"They are a rather nice shade of blue, but do not get me wrong. That man should have been born with wings, not arms."
Both chuckled at the idea for a while before growing serious."
"Well, you see Reno, we require an outpost near the area where we are setting up the rocket. It would be housing for the mechanics, technicians, scientists and all others involved with the project. A veritable town of those seeking space. Sadly, for it to be effective…"
"It must be built to withstand the projected turmoil that would be created with the liftoff of the rocket, and at the same time comfortable enough to maintain the feeling of a home away from home?"
The smile upon the face of the woman only succeeded in widening even further. "Precisely. I've got all of the pertinent data with me, and I was wondering…"
"If I, as head of Urban Development, and the most experienced architect, engineer and city planner available to Shin-Ra, would care to design your town?"
"Yes Reno, that is exactly what I wanted to know."
The youth smiled very shyly, "It would be an honor to do this for you Miss Scarlet. If you would but leave the data I need here, I'll start on the rough design the first free second I have. I never thought that settling in would take me so much time."
"Don't worry," she said, standing and closing the binder, "You'll get used to it with time. Here, I made this copy of information for you."
He took the proffered binder and stood up, holding out a hand for her to shake. As she took it he bowed his head, "Don't worry, just leave it all to me Miss Scarlet."
The timid woman nodded and turned away, heading for the door to his office. Yet she paused in his doorway just before she was out of the office. "Oh, you will be joining Rufus and myself for dinner tomorrow night, correct?"
Reno smiled and picked up a small invitation from his desktop. "I never really expected to be invited to dinner by the President and his girlfriend…"
"Actually," she cut in with a smile, "He proposed last night. We're engaged now."
"Congratulations my dear," the young executive replied. "I can't wait to spend dinner with the President and his fiancée then."
Scarlet nodded and turned away. With one last smile she slipped out. What a nice guy that Reno was… Too bad it was obvious that Reeve and Palmer both had their eyes upon him.