Business As Usual:

Chapter 3

By Miyamashi

Miyamashi's Note: Hurrah! Chapter Three is here! I'm actually keeping up on my updates! Aren't you all proud of me? Note that part of this is a little goofy…okay, really goofy…as Reno finally starts to act Reno-ish (to the extreme). He calms down quickly as the excitement starts to build as Reno prepares for his first mission! Oh, and the word "rutabaga" is misspelled purposely, in case you can't tell…

To pewp: Yes, Rufus did jump personalities like crazy…that actually kind of annoyed me. I'm working it into the story, though. I also agree about the fact that hints and details that add to a story are much (infinitely) more effective than useless details. I'm trying to work up to that point, although I'm still not the most advanced of writers and probably won't do a perfect job at it...I shall try my darndest, though! Oh, and I'm not a huge fan of fluff either. Love at first sight isn't realistic, especially not when the two parties involved are a womanizer and his boss. I DON'T see the whole love thing just happening out of thin air.

Thanks for the comment!

To Roxi and Mashimaro-Byul-012- Thanks! I'm glad that you both like my Reno!

To udonluvr7: Thank you! I'm glad that you're enjoying it! The backgrounds of the characters will most likely pop up later, most likely during conversation, but I don't know yet. You're right in that it would add insight.

After what seemed to Reno like years of intense training, he had finally become a full-fledged Turk. He was finally going to be able to go on his first mission, partially thanks to that small, mysterious piece of metal that Reno had once thought to be a ridiculous and useless piece of crap…

Since the day that he had gotten his electro-mag rod, Reno hadn't seen Rufus Shinra. The Turk wasn't exactly sure what to think of this, as he both dreaded and looked forward to the day when he would see the man again and would thank him for the weapon that had grown so strangely close to him--like a part of his body.

How had Rufus known that the mag-rod would be his dream-weapon? Reno could only speculate, but he felt something odd in Rufus' presence, like the man looked into his soul and suddenly knew everything about him, from his best qualities to his darkest and most well kept secrets. This was not a feeling that Reno took lightly, as it, and Rufus' chilling eyes, had haunted his thoughts since the obscure night in the infirmary that felt like so long ago.

"Who is he, really?" Reno found himself asking to nobody in particular. Something about Rufus sincerely scared the Turk; yet, at the same time, the redhead found himself drawn to the blonde, wanting nothing more than to solve the mystery behind those cold, blue eyes…

"Who is who?" asked Rude, clapping a hand on Reno's shoulder. After the pyramid incident, Reno and Rude had managed to become close companions.

"Nobody."

"Well, Nobody must be pretty interesting to make you space out all the time."

"Shut up, Rudolph."

"Wrong again. You're never going to get it."

"Damn," Reno muttered, snapping his fingers. Trying to figure out Rude's full name had become one of his new hobbies.

"Plus, didn't you already try that one?"

"…Yeah, I think so, actually…Rudabega!"

"Uh…no."

"Rudeplestiltzkin?"

"…"

"What? You can't mean that that's it?"

"…No. Not even close."

"Well, I think that I'm going to call you Rudeplestiltzkin from now on, just because you won't tell me your real name."

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Fine, I'll just call you…Dale…or something. Rudeplestiltzkin is too long anyway."

"Dale?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Dale?"

There was a ding as Tseng stepped out of the elevator into Shinra HQ's foyer.

"Hey, Dot-Man. What took you so long?"

"I'm early," he replied, shrugging off the nickname. He had become accustomed to Reno's antics.

"No, you're…" Reno pulled back his sleeve on his already rumpled Turk uniform and peered at his watch. "…so you are early."

"A bit eager, are we?"

Reno dug his boot into the ground, effectively scuffing the toe.

"He insisted that we come about an hour early," Rude sniggered, "just like a kid waiting to go to the Gold Saucer for the first time…"

"Shut up, Dale."

"I'm not going to ask," stated Tseng. "Let's just get to the briefing. The mission is in Junon. Our objective is to take out the traitor who fled there. I felt that this would be a fitting first mission for you, Reno, seeing as this traitor is your old officer from SOLDIER, one Gerome Pulitz, and we wouldn't have found out his plans without your help."

"I was wondering if you'd bagged him yet."

"Reno, do not take this mission lightly. When we hacked into his mail messages, we found that his plan is to assassinate the Vice President, who is currently overseeing the construction of the city's self-defense system."

"How does that asshole plan on doing that with the guards around?"

"We traced the recipient of the messages. It turns out that Pulitz has a group of rebels from Wutai on his side, and they're meeting him at the city in hopes of being able to sneak up on the guards and kill them off before they get to the Vice President himself."

"Aw, shit! Aren't the Wutai creeps the ones who're into all of that sneaky Ninjutsu crap?"

"…Yes. That is correct." Rude grimaced as Tseng's expression became stony.

"Reno," Rude whispered, but loudly enough for his black-haired leader to hear.

"What?" Reno whispered back.

"Tseng's a…he comes from Wutai."

Reno paled visibly.

"I will not be attending this mission, as I may endanger it," stated the Wutai-born man.

"…because you may know them…" The redhead stared at a spot on the floor.

"Exactly. Though I have been thoroughly trained to conceal my emotions in situations such as this one, the magnitude of this mission requires that there be no chance of personal relations interfering."

"Sir, are you sure that Reno is prepared for such an important job?" Rude asked skeptically. "This doesn't seem like first mission material."

"I assure you, Boss…Tseng…that I'll give it my all," Reno interjected before Tseng could answer, giving him a quick, sloppy SOLDIER salute. "Hey, man. I'm sorry that it's people from your hometown…"

"There is no need to apologize. I became their enemy the day that I joined Shinra's ranks. It was…my choice."

"I see."

"Meet on the roof at 1700 hours. Dismissed." And Tseng left, all traces of emotion erased from his features.

Reno quickly decided that he hated the helicopter. He hated the slight vibration that it had in flight. He hated the way the vibration made the thing feel like it would drop from the sky at any moment. Most of all, he hated the noise. Even through the thick covering on his ears, he felt himself developing a massive headache.

Rude, as always, sat calm and expressionless beside him.

At first, he had been very excited about the prospect of being trusted with such a crucial mission, but, as the prospect dawned on Reno that he was just a novice, he found that his nerves had begun to take hold. To say that it was just this helicopter ride that was causing his heart to beat uncontrollably, trying to break free from its cage of flesh and bone, would be a lie.

He was afraid.

Reno Kiribani looked out his window to see the industrial city top of Junon looming at him in the distance. It would only be minutes before the helicopter would land and the mission would truly begin.

This would be his test. If he failed, it could mean the lives of him, Rude, the guards, and Rufus Shinra. He could see it. Tseng would spit on his grave.

'But if I succeed, this will be my thanks to the V.P.,' he thought to himself. What a way to meet again…

And the helicopter landed with an uneasy jerk that tightened the knots in Reno's stomach.

Miyamashi: I just HAD to do it! CLIFFHANGER!!!! Don't worry, though. I want to know what happens as much as you do (HA! It's true!) and will update quickly. It should take a day or two AT MOST for Chapter Four to be posted.