~ Watch Me ~

Bright Lights

After her meeting with Lazard, Rose all but ran back to her room, grabbing her new Third Class uniform on the way. She threw it dismissively onto the bed when she got back, dropping her clothes, and jumping straight into the shower.

It wasn't long before she had to meet Kunsel and Zack down in the lobby.

The hot water washed away a lot of the aches she'd acquired over the past day, not to mention the overly ripe smell. By the time she stepped out, she almost felt human.

Water dripping from her skin, she padded back quickly into her bedroom, the sword in the corner catching her eye, as she made to rifle through her wardrobe.

"Why is Hojo so interested in you?" She said to herself, tearing down a vest top and jeans, before tip-toeing tentatively over.

She crouched down beside the blade. Curious, she tilted it in the dim light of her room, her finger running carefully down the steel as she examined it. It didn't make sense. Sure, it was infused with Mako, which was rare, but a good weapons shop would be able to offer a similar process. Hojo didn't know it was organically infused, or of her connection to it and what she could do.

So what was it that had caught his attention?

The runes.

Rose got to her feet, pulling the sword up in front of her as she inspected the handle. Had he recognised them? The shapes and symbols were completely alien to her, but it would be fair to admit, that Shinra's Head of Science may have knowledge she did not.

Rose sighed. It didn't matter. Knowledge or no, he still wasn't getting his grubby little hands on it. She'd figure it out on her own.

She put it back in the corner.

Zack and Kunsel would be waiting.

XXXXX

Once down in the lobby, Rose found the boyish pair ogling the vehicles in Shinra's showrooms. Their interest seemed particularly held by an incredibly flashy looking motorbike. She rolled her eyes, Zack was running his fingers down the smooth body like it was some delicate flower. Kunsel stood bent over beside him, listing off all the upgrades it had undergone since the previous model.

She smirked as she came up behind them.

"Did you guys still want to head out, or will you be wanting some alone time?"

They turned suddenly, looking confused. Whether by her sudden presence or her statement – she wasn't sure which – and she glanced pointedly at the bike.

Zack shook his head. "Rose you don't understand!" He began defensively, his childish delight only too entertaining. "Do you know how fast this thing can go?"

Rose shrugged, feeling playfully contentious. "Is it faster than a Chocobo?"

Zack blinked. "Is it... are you serious?"

Kunsel laughed. "It's Shinra's fastest machine yet! What do you think?"

Rose thought about it. She'd seen a wild herd move once, and they'd been gone from her vision with barely enough time for her to blink. It was possible enough.

She pulled a face. "A Chocobo would win."

Grinning, she turned on her heels, happy with the disbelieving expressions she'd brought to the surface.

"You can't be serious?" Zack pressed again, throwing Kunsel an incredulous look. They jogged to catch her up. "A bird's not going to be faster than a machine, Rose, especially one of Shinra's."

She shrugged. "If you say so."

Zack made an unintelligible noise of incredulity, and Kunsel laid a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Easy, Zack. She's just toying with us, hoping to get a rise. Don't give her the satisfaction." He said, playfully pulling her jacket hood over her head.

Rose huffed loudly. "Do you mind!" She moaned, yanking it back, irritated. "It's not my fault the bike's inferior."

Kunsel chuckled lowly. "Now you are just being an asshole."

Rose giggled. "Maybe. I've got no idea if your bike's faster than a Chocobo, all I'm saying is, it might not be."

She sighed, the fresh air suddenly hitting her skin. Rose turned her face up to the clear night sky above, only to be faced with a vast depressing blanket of black.

Mental note: downside to all the artificial light of Midgar? No stars.

"So." She began thoughtfully. "Where are we heading?"

Rose had absolutely no idea about the city, where was good to go, where was safe to go. There was far too many choices. Back in Banora, she was used to one crappy bar and a shop.

From her companions faces, she had an idea that one of them had already formulated a plan.

"Well." Kunsel began slowly, drawing the word out almost hopefully on his tongue. "I was thinking..."

"No." Zack cut him off, a serious mask pressing itself firmly onto his features. "Absolutely not."

Rose frowned, curious. She didn't share Zack's ability for reading his friend's mind. "What's wrong?"

Kunsel waved her off. "Oh he's just being overly ridiculous this evening. She'll be fine!" He added knowingly, gesturing over her with a kind of vigour. "It's not like she's helpless. Besides, we'll be with her. It'll be fun!"

"Kunsel, no. I'm supposed to be looking out for her. Angeal will kill me if he finds out we took her there."

"Took me where?" Rose looked between the pair of them with barely concealed frustration. She wasn't a child for goodness sake, she could make her own decisions. Zack remained silent, and she turned her steely stare onto Kunsel. "Well?"

He gave his friend a strained look, but his hesitation didn't last long, and another excited grin broke out across his freckled features. "Wall Market!"

She nodded slowly, like she was supposed to know. "Wall Market, great. What's that?"

"It's where you go if you're serious about enjoying yourself in Midgar, Rose." Kunsel said, throwing his arm eagerly across her shoulders. He steered her away from a flustered looking Zack, and pressed on. "The atmosphere alone – it's amazing!"

"It's also a complete moral vacuum without any laws." Zack grumbled, appearing dutifully at her side. "Anything can happen there."

"Which is why we would never let you go on your own." Kunsel added, throwing Zack a 'stop-being-boring' look. "But together, it'll be a laugh! Go to some bars, check out some food places. We'll be back before midnight." He finished, as if that clearly settled the matter.

Zack made a frustrated sort of snort, but Rose had to admit, she was intrigued. Wall Market sounded like the complete opposite of her home, and somewhere her brother would really disapprove of her going. What wasn't there to like?

As she thought about it, a slow purposeful smile crossed her lips. "Okay, I'm down with it. Let's go."

Kunsel fist bumped the air. "Yes!"

Zack groaned. "Rose..."

"Zack, I'm not a kid." She rallied quickly, already following Kunsel toward the train station. "And I am more than capable of looking after myself. If you don't want to come, then..." She shrugged, throwing him a playful flash of white, before excitedly linking her arm around Kunsel's outstretched elbow.

"We're back by midnight." Were the final resigned words she heard behind her, before a roaring train whistle cut the night air.

XXXXX

Wall Market. Nothing could have prepared her for it. The sights, the sounds, it was like nothing she'd ever seen before. The sector was awash of colour, a buzzing hub that had no business ever being anything other than thriving. Rose found herself staring wide eyed and child-like, as Zack and Kunsel lead her through the varying crowds. There were so many different kinds of people, many undeniably intoxicated, bubbling happily in the streets around her. She was enthralled.

"I feel really underdressed." Rose noted suddenly, her eyes falling on yet another group of women, wearing revealing, glittering ensembles. "You two could have warned me."

"Rose, you look fine." Kunsel remarked indifferently, checking the street signs for where he wanted to go. "This way." They followed him up a narrow side alley. "Besides Rose, you're hardly offensive on the eye."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She rallied hotly, almost tripping on a particularly inebriated gentleman.

She saw Kunsel roll his eyes, and he turned to Zack.

"See. This is the problem you will always have with women. You say nothing, it's because they look like shit. You give them a compliment, suddenly you're a sexist pig."

Zack snorted.

"I didn't say that!" Rose rallied defensively. "I just might have wanted to dress up, is all. I wasn't fishing for a compliment."

"Right, right." Kunsel nodded, now leading them up a set of stairs to a shuttered building. Rose could hear the sound of muffled music coming from inside. He stopped for a moment. "And do you have any outfits like that?"

Zack and Rose followed his eye to two women in giggling conversation. A sheer material clung eagerly to each of their curves, perfectly accentuating both of their finer assets. The fabric looked like it was made for them.

Rose shuffled awkwardly in her dusty biker boots. "I could have gone shopping."

Kunsel laughed once loudly. "We'll remember for next time." And with that, he ushered them into the building.

Inside was a bar, although admittedly like not like any bar Rose had ever seen. It was hard to see, dark and smokey. Multi-coloured lights did light various corners, and the music somehow managed to play louder than the conversations being held by it's occupants.

"I'll get the drinks. Go and find a booth!" Kunsel yelled, already disappearing into the crowd.

Rose glanced up at Zack at a lost, and he gestured lightly toward the wall. "This way!"

They managed to find a table with only a few empty glasses left behind, though the floor was incredibly sticky. Rose also noted a few suspiciously coloured stains at the end of her bench, but for her own sanity decided not to dwell on them.

She turned to Zack. "It's different to the Shield and Sword, isn't it?" Referring to the bar she'd found her brother in when she'd arrived in Midgar.

Zack winked. "More fancy!"

She laughed. "Something like that."

Zack rolled his eyes. "I'll admit, bars above the plate aren't quite as fun as the ones down here. Especially Wall Market's. It has it's price though. You wouldn't want to be caught alone here. It's gang crime central."

"Why doesn't Shinra do anything about it?"

"You see that wall as we came in on the train?"

Rose nodded.

"Shinra put that around the sector with the aim of sealing off all the crime within."

She scoffed. "Well that seems like a flawed idea."

Zack shrugged. "That's Shinra."

Rose giggled.

"Is that why Kunsel likes it so much? Is he secretly head of some illicit gang?"

"Oh no. Kunsel has his own more selfish reasons for dragging us down here." He replied lightly, nodding discreetly over her shoulder.

Rose followed his gaze. Through the smoke, she could make out Kunsel talking to some guy up at the bar. They were clearly talking in low tones, but it wasn't until Kunsel's hand grazed the guy's spine, that she realised it was anything other than something conversational.

"Oh!" She gasped, suddenly feeling as though she were eavesdropping. The guy bent low to Kunsel's ear and she hastily turned away. "So that's why he was so eager to come."

"Yep." Zack sighed, brushing some forgotten food particles from the table. "I mean, don't get me wrong, he genuinely does love it here, but he's got a real thing going on with that guy. It's the fourth time we've been. Think Kunsel said his name was Michael? He owns the place."

Before Rose could say anything else, Kunsel returned with a tray full of drinks. Sliding in beside Zack, he placed them pointedly on the table.

"I come baring gifts from the house." He grinned, eagerly passing out the glasses. "Well friends, what shall we drink to?"

"How about Rose's first day in SOLDIER?" Zack offered, lifting his glass high. "And to many more?"

"If I pass the assignment." She rallied.

Zack dismissed her immediately. "You're with me. You'll pass."

"Yeah, he's a proper teacher's pet." Kunsel added. "Just make sure you outshine him for me. His ego could do with the hit."

Rose rolled her eyes, but that didn't stop the smile that spread happily from ear to ear. She was grateful for the two of them. They barely knew her, but they'd treated her like one of their closest friends from the start. It was a gesture she wasn't going to forget in a hurry.

She raised her glass. "To SOLDIER."

They downed their drinks in one, only Rose wasn't quite as prepared for the fire that hit the back of her throat. When Zack and Kunsel were slamming their glasses back down, Rose gasped for breath, fighting the urge to wretch as she blindly groped at her throat.

She threw tear blurred shade at a laughing Kunsel. "What the hell is that!?" She coughed, not thankful for the hearty slap he gave her back. "Fricken' petrol?!"

"In hindsight, maybe I should have got you something softer." Kunsel rallied, offering a slightly apologetic smile. "Want me to grab you a soda?"

"Maybe they've got some bleach I can try!"

Now he was laughing again. "Okay, okay, I'll go back up to the bar. What shall..."

He trailed off, his gaze captured on something across the room. Rose followed his line of sight, assuming his attention was held by the two black suited gentleman, that had just walked through the door. One was wearing shades, despite the room's lack of light, and the other was crowned with a head full of long crimson hair, sauntering through the bar like he owned the place.

Behind her, she heard Zack give a heavy sigh. "What are they doing here?"

Rose turned back to the guys. "Who are they?"

Kunsel flopped back in his seat. "Turks."

She frowned. "What's a Turk?"

Zack folded his arms, for the first time since they'd met, he looked a little deflated.

"Ask them yourself. They're coming over."

R&R!

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