Chapter 13
A/N: Since it already seems connected to Cloud in cannon, I'm going to be (very loosely) tying Norse mythology to the residents of Nibelheim.
…
"Thank you for flying 'Air Turk'," Reno said jovially with his sticky street drawl over the headset "Now get off my Helo Yo!"
Reno smirked at Rude as they heard Tseng's soft groan echo back. He lived for getting any reaction he could out of the boss. A shake of his head was worth 20 points, a sigh 50. Groans were worth a cool 100 points but the prize was when Reno could get Tseng to say his name in that weary-fond exasperation. That took it all at a 1000 big ones! Rude looked as passive as ever, but Reno could tell that his partner was keeping score of his game. That was how they worked.
Together, they started the shut off procedures while their passengers disembarked. As he flicked switches and turned dials with automatic precision, Reno listened in on the conversations. He paused to focus while Rude carried on. His partner knew he'd fill him in on what he learned when they were alone.
"I need to report to the Doc Tseng, can you take Tifa to my room?
I trust you know where he put me."
"Of course. Zack, do you want to come with me? The medical ward for
Angeal and Genesis will be on the way."
"I-uh-I what…"
"It's alright Zack. He's your mentor and friend. You should see him."
"But what about…"
The group quickly moved out of hearing range. Tseng led the way off the tarmac with the hot mountain girl prancing right behind him. The blond psycho and Zack were following her, Zack still stuttering away, with the strange guy with the red cloak stalking right behind them.
They were an interesting and unique pairing, the psycho blond that attacked Rude and the red shadow that followed him. There was something about him that set Reno on edge. The way the blond commanded the others without barely saying a word to them. The way that Tseng yielded to him all of a sudden. The way he seemed to already know their 'package' and the shadowy man know him back.
The red shadow moved in an eerily familiar way that sent all of his Turk senses haywire. Reno may like to play the plucky comic relief of the department, but he didn't get to his position by being a fool. It took a special skill to stand out like that and not get noticed. One Reno practiced himself. To be seen yet ignored was a special talent. Talent and training… specifically Turk training.
Reno took off his headset and hooked it carelessly on a peg above him. He turned to his partner as he hung his own headset. Bruises were popping out from under Rude's collar where that psycho had pinned him. He'd have to return the favor when he got the chance.
"How's the neck Yo?"
"…swell"
He snorted with wry humor "That's what you get for lookin' at Hojo's psycho pet's bird."
Rude gave him a nasty look which he just shrugged off since he deserved it. He couldn't see the full look through the shades, but he definitely felt it. Reno grinned in the face of his partner's ire and jumped out of the cockpit. He finished tying his helicopter down and waited for Rude to make his way around to him. They then started strolling towards the entrance the group earlier took.
As they headed for the door Reno eyed his partner suspiciously. It was pitch black outside with only the surrounding buildings' lights to guide their steps, but it was enough for him to see a slight smile on those normally stern lips with a little too much swagger in his steps. His partner was showing a little too much emotion for him.
"What are you thinkin' Yo?" Reno asked suspiciously.
Rude remained silent, but Reno saw a bigger twitch on his lips. Reno glared at him in the dark. Whatever thoughts were going through Rude's head meant problems for Reno later on…and there was only one thing recently that could cause that trouble.
"Tell me you're not plannin' on messing with that psycho's bird."
The twitch grew into a full smirk. Reno shook his head in despair at Rude's senselessness.
"He's gonna kill you Yo."
"I have a feeling she might be worth it."
"Fine, whatever" Reno huffed disparagingly "I'll be sure to say something nice at your funeral."
They reached to door and Reno entered the code in the keypad automatically before pulling the door and holding it open for Rude to enter first. From there it was a short walk to the elevator that would lead them to their office. He was practically dancing in his excitement to be done with this day. All that was left was to file the paperwork and close up and he would be free for the nearest dive in Sector 8 that had no limit on booze and birds maybe even a few honey bees, off duty of course…Reno don't pay to play. The doors finally opened and they entered and pressed the button for the 'administrative research' floor.
It was a long day of flying and waiting and flying again. The flying parts didn't bother Reno. He loved and lived in the clouds, when he wasn't living it up in the slums. But the waiting, that was a whole different matter. Standing around doing nothing wasn't what he called a good time. Especially when waiting in a dusty hick-town in the middle of nowhere halfway up a freezing mountain while Tseng got to play in the spooky mansion.
Although, the boss didn't look so good coming out. His suit was wrinkled and dirty and he had hair out of place. Tseng was very particular about his appearance and never showed in public less than impeccably groomed. Reno had seen him fight and kill a man with his own hands and still looked perfectly pressed.
Then there was the fact that he just let the psycho choke Rude. It didn't make any sense.
With Tseng in charge while Veld's away well, it left the man very protective of his Turks when he could afford to be. Veld was an asshole who had no problem throwing Turks' lives away. Reno heard enough horror stories from that time that he would be more than happy for the position to go to Tseng permanently. Tseng took his responsibility very seriously and did everything he could to keep them away from the council members who would use and discard them like they were nothing. It just wasn't like Tseng to let someone blatantly threaten one of his own in front of him, and yet…
"Hey partner" Reno drawled "Any idea on what's going on with Tseng?"
Rude pondered thoughtfully on it while Reno paced before answering, "I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with who we picked up. As well as what the Professor did to the blonde."
"He seemed normal going into the house and when they came out well, you saw him. Do you think they're connected? The 'Project Chaos' guy and the psycho."
"They did seem to know each other, even if their styles were completely different."
"Exactly!" Reno exclaimed, his flailing arm striking Rude in the side "That psycho is obviously Soldier stock, and that 'Chaos' guy moves like a Turk."
He suddenly stopped and stared hard at Rude "Do you think that the Professor is grabbing Turks for his experiments?"
Before Rude could reply, the elevator stopped and opened its doors. Both Turks snapped up and moved aside to allow Sephiroth room to enter. They watched as he selected the medical recovery level then turned to acknowledge them.
"The Nibelheim mission was successful?" Sephiroth asked blandly. Evan as he admired the First's complete lack of inflection, Reno felt ice shards pierce down his back. While it wasn't unusual for his path to cross with the 'Silver First', those encounters rarely led to conversation and every one left him feeling like he barely escaped with his skin intact. It was a skill he both envied and feared.
The Soldier was never violent as far as Reno knew; he never attacked anyone he wasn't ordered to. Even when he was provoked, he maintained his control and used words or his reputation to settle the score. However, that didn't stop people from shying away. Sephiroth didn't need to lash out for everyone to know just how dangerous he was. Reno often wondered if it was a deliberate act to mess with people or a needed defense mechanism.
Of if he simply was that dangerous.
"Yeah, we did what we were there to do." Reno said. He went for a lazy confidence and thought he did a credible job of it, until he caught an amused glint in his slitted eyes. Yeah, he messed with people.
Asshole
"How did the Professor's new project handle in the field?" Sephiroth asked with his head tilted curiously towards them. Reno knew his partner would be no help for this conversation. They had their system down solid, his brash loudmouth to Rude's stoic silence. Sometimes their dynamic really screwed him over.
"Ya should have a complete report available in the morning. Either that or talk to your Soldier buddy Zack. Most of what I saw was how he was in the air, and he spent that sleeping."
"Most? But not all." Those cat-monster eyes pinned Reno down and he cursed his partner all kinds of idiot. If he said something damning he was definitely blaming Rude for it. Now he needed to give him intel with some meat on it.
"Well" Reno started with his working profile "He's used to being in charge, and obeyed."
That worked "Explain."
"When we picked them up from Modeoheim, you' Soldier decided he wanted to tag along. The boss told him 'no' and the blondie demanded that Zack come with." Reno shuddered as he remembered "then the creepiest thin, his eyes…shifted."
"What do you mean?"
Reno cursed silently. He didn't mean to tell him that. He didn't even know why he mentioned it. It was almost like something was pulling the words out of him.
"For a second, just one second, they looked exactly like yours. All green and elongated. Shook the boss up and freaked me out just a bit to be honest." Reno hesitated. "Whatever the Professor has been cooking up with that one, it's doing something with his genes."
Sephiroth's gaze froze to ice and Reno couldn't hide his wince. He shouldn't have mentioned the crackpot or experiments in the First's presence. He took barely a second to regain control of himself, and that freaked Reno out almost as badly as his icy rage.
"What else." Sephiroth demanded.
"Ya know what we were doing in Nibelheim?" Reno asked trying to change focus.
Sephiroth nodded once "Pick up a package labeled 'Project Chaos'. I am aware that a girl and a man came back with you."
"The girl is blondie's home town bird. He invited her back with him."
It seemed to work as Sephiroth simply cocked an eyebrow in confusion.
"Tseng allowed it?"
"Yeah, not that the psychopath asked. The man is the package, or he's linked to it. Never got his name, just that 'Project Chaos' designation."
The elevator finally reached the 'Turk' floor not a moment too soon. Any longer and Reno would have spilled all his secrets to the First. Reno shoved Rude in the shoulder and they edged past Sephiroth.
"This is us Yo!" Reno turned and threw in a sloppy salute as the doors closed. Just before they completely shut, he thought he heard faint chuckling come out of the hold.
…
Tseng quietly led the girl to the rooms Professor Hojo placed his new pet in. Although, it seems that Strife is less the pet and more the master hiding his actions behind the scientist. He still didn't quite know what to think of what Strife told him. Not that he told him a whole lot. It was just enough to get his compliance and no more. Regardless it was impossible to believe, time travel and mythic Weapons. Evil alien parasites that want to take over the world. It was stuff from a fairy story, not real life. Yet, he knew his name, he knew his family. Only one person knows his name anymore, and he disappeared on assignment a while ago and would take his secrets to the grave and beyond.
"I knew joining Shinra would change him, but I didn't think it would be so much." The girl, Tifa interrupted his inner turmoil.
"How so?" he asked.
Tifa shot him a weighing look. Tseng turned to her briefly, keeping sure to hold only mild interest on his face as they continued down the corridor. Tifa merely raised her eyebrows at him. It seemed she was not as dumb as she appeared. Even the president was fooled by that look.
"I only ask because I'm curious about his youth. I only know him from his military time." Tseng hedged "What was he like as a boy?"
Tifa smiled mischievously "He was quite the troublemaker. He was always fighting, always angry at anything that stifled him. If I am the 'village princess', he was very much the 'village bad boy'. But that's to be expected if you court chaos." Tifa made full use of finger quotes when describing their positions in their hometown, as well as a fair bit of contempt.
Tseng knew all about village norms. Wutai was full of them, but 'courting chaos'? Was this the connection to the mysterious Vincent? Did she know more than it seems? Was she a part of it?
"May I ask, what do you mean by courting chaos?"
Whatever it was, it was an uneasy topic for her if her sudden shiftiness was anything to go by.
"What do you know about the religions of Nibelheim?"
What did hokey beliefs have to do with anything?
"Not much."
Tseng quickly held open a door for her to enter a new corridor. She smiled sweetly up at him in thanks.
"In Nibelheim, we have a whole pantheon ofGods, but we only serve one. When we turn eight, we go to the temple and swear our loyalty to one Patron God. No one can control who you choose for your Patron. For instance my father wanted me to follow Ēostre, the Goddess of Spring. I chose Hlín, the Goddess of consolation and protection." She had a rather smug smile about it "Cloud chose to follow Loki, God of Chaos and Mischief. Loki is not one of the more popular Gods."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, you noticed his wolf heads with the chain-link in their mouth that Cloud was wearing?" Tifa asked.
"What about them?"
"That Fenrir, one of Loki's sons. Legend says that the great wolf was so powerful he had to be chained down or he would devour everything. It says that when he finally breaks free of his chains, it'll be the start of the end of the world."
"Interesting." Not connected after all. Just superstitious nonsense. Ah well, he might learn something interesting about Cloud he could use in the future.
She shrugged and flicked her hair back. "If you say so. Truth is, the reason a lot of people don't like him is mostly my fault. I did something rash and stupid just after my mother died and Cloud took the brunt of the blame. The village ostracized him for it and he never once tried to shift it off of him. He never blamed me even though it was my fault. I've never forgotten that, and I never will."
It was an interesting history, but not very useful. Still, if their 'Gods' were as important to them as Tifa indicated, it might lead to some insight to Strife's character. Tseng made a mental note to look up everything on the god Loki when he had some free time.
Tseng paused outside a door that looked identical to all the others in the hallway. It was actually in one of the better areas of the Shinra building, Tseng wondered why Hojo would bother procuring such luxury for one of his pets.
"This is it, Strife's rooms. Do you want a tour?"
Tifa's eyes went from young and cheerful to sharp and calculating in half a second before she grinned a poisonously sweet smile at him. She put her back to the door blocking him from entering.
"It's alright. I can figure it out well enough. I'm probably just going to crash on his bed or something. It's been a long and exciting day after all. Thank you though!"
She pulled the key card from his hand and used it to unlock the door and slip into the room without letting him a chance to even peak and shut the door firmly in his face. Maybe she's not as silly a girl as he first thought. She might have the potential he looks for.
Tseng shook his head and chuckled softly as he walked back down the corridor. Gods of chaos and projects of chaos. His life was never not interesting.
Still, there was a lot to absorb regarding the apparent time traveler. Makoto…he hadn't heard his given name in years, never expected to hear it again. Tseng hated Cloud Strife a little for bringing up long buried emotions. For Cloud's sake Tseng hoped he was telling the truth because if he found out that this whole thing was an act, he would make the boy regret ever learning his name.