Hooray for Chapter 2! The story is finally beginning to come together, I think. Please read and comment!
Disclaimer: Final fantasy VII characters are the property of Square Enix.
Author's Note on FORMAT: Chapter 1 was a bit messy with all the bolding because I had trouble inserting asterisks and lines to divide the scenes. So in this chapter, I've decided to eliminate the bold lettering and attempt the use of IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII whenever a new scene pops up… My apologies if the format becomes confusing…
Chapter 2: Lucky!
Footsteps echoing down the hallway. The start of a new adventure?
Must find Tseng. Must find Tseng. Must find Tseng. These were the words constantly revolving within Reno's mind as he sprinted down the hallway towards Tseng's office. Aside from nearly slipping across the wet floor and smashing his head on the steel door, crashing into ShinRa employees sending paperwork and specimens flying in all directions, and receiving a blow to the head by Scarlet, Reno finally spotted Tseng's office door in view and Heidigger stepping out of it. Gasping for breath while he approached the bearded man (and hoping he wouldn't give off one of his hyena laughs), Reno attempted to squeeze what little speech he could muster out of his system while clinging onto Heidigger's ankle, "Must… find… Ts…".
"Wah? Oi, what do you need?" Hedigger's booming voice vibrated in Reno's ear canal, "And let go of my pants, you're going to dirty them!"
"Tse…"
"Eh? Out with it boy!"
"…Tseng…"
"Tseng? What about him?"
"Ugh…"
"Come now! Hey!"
Finally regaining his strength, the redheaded Turk straightened himself. "Move it yo!" With that, he charged forth towards Tseng's office only to have his entire self thrown back onto the floor as he collided into Heidigger's massive potbelly. "Hey, did you not understand the term, move it?" Angry and bit dazed, Reno clumsy got back on his feet a second time. "Guh… I said MOVE dammit! OUT OF M---"
"---Whatever business you've got with Tseng, postpone it. He's just left on an urgent assignment about fifteen minutes ago."
"Wh-what? Mission? N-noooooo! This can't happen to me!" Reno cried out.
"You? An assignment?" Heidigger boomed. "Tough luck. Whatever has gotten you this shaken up must be pretty good. In any case, what did Tseng whip up for you anyways?" Before Heidigger had finished his sentence, Reno took off towards the elevator. "HEY! LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS SOMETIME EH?"
"F!#!#" Reno cursed. Never had he been this unlucky in all his years as a Turk. Never! The elevator doors opened and Reno entered. Still muttering profanities under his breathe, a sudden movement alerted Reno that he wasn't alone in the elevator. Turning his head, a man with blonde hair and a crisp white suit stood between two guards. "S-Sir! I.. er… I apologize for my um… language…" Reno stuttered. Standing within the elevator next to Reno was the most powerful man in Midgar, Rufus Shinra. Of course, he only became the new president after his father was murdered by the notorious and renowned first class SOLDIER, Sephiroth.
"… no need." Rufus calmly stated.
Oh geez… of all people to be in an elevator with…Just at that moment, a small voice popped within Reno's head.
This is the president here… surely he could adjust your assignment…
Tch, that's what I was going to say, don't interrupt my thoughts!
Idiot, I'm the essence of your thoughts.
Alright then, let's see… how do I go about this? How about, "Hey President, I was just wondering, whether you could do me a favour?" Wait a minute… that's not the type of words to use with him… ugh…help me out here would you?
I will, but what will I get in return?
What? Oh geez, I'm compromising with my own thoughts. Find then. Work for me and I'll give you all the booze you want!
Deal!
"I thought Tseng would have given you an assignment seeing that you're now up and functioning properly." Rufus stated.
"W-what? Oh… yea… he did… uh…" Reno said, still trapped in the tiny argument raging in his head. Ding! The doors reopened and Rufus stepped out into the first floor lobby leaving Reno behind, obviously not concerned with what he had just asked the Turk.
C'mon Reno, you're letting him get away!
I'm aware of that!
Here just say this…
As the doors began to close, Reno quickly jumped out. Looking in all directions to see where Rufus had gone, he finally spotted him entering numbers onto a pad by a large arched doorway. "Right, here goes nothing---" taking a deep breathe, Reno shouted across the lobby "PRESIDENT SHINRA, COULD I HAVE A WORD WITH YOU?"
"Hmm?" Rufus turned around to see the redheaded Turk jogging up to him. "What is it?"
"Uh, well… you see, the mission that Tseng gave me earlier… well, it's just that… it's not to my taste…"
"Since when have these assignments been created to suit your taste?"
"Never, sir! But the thing is, this assignment is quite different… um… how do I say this?..."
"You have thirty seconds to explain"
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Sitting in the ShinRa pub, Elena and Rude continued to drink.
"So anyways, this guy comes up to me and says, 'what's your problem bitch?' and I'm like 'Nothin' and he's like 'Hah! Is that so?'…" As Elena continued to babble onwards, aided by the after effects of the alcohol she consumed, Rude quietly sat paying no heed to whatever she was saying but replying with the occasional, uh huh, really, and yea. Finally, Elena passed out and Rude slung her across his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes and marched out of the pub.
Guess I should just drop her off in her office, he thought to himself. It was lucky that both of them weren't assigned anything for today. Otherwise, in Elena's current drunk position, and Rude's I'm-still-tired-from-yesterday's-assignment-and-paperwork, they were in no condition to carry out any tasks.
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"And that's how it is." Reno finished without stopping in-between his sentences for air.
"Geez… well, in any case, I'll tell you that this is certainly some assignment you've got…"
Reno's face lit up. "Then you'll cancel it?"
Rufus thought a while. "I can't cancel an assignment once it's been given unless certain circumstances arise…"
Reno frowned.
"Well, in any case, I guess I could tweak this mission slightly…"
"Eh? How, how?" Reno asked.
Rubbing his hand on the back of his neck, Rufus thought a while. "…You can bring someone along… provided this individual agrees"
"Make that two!"
"Fine."
"Yes!" Reno punched his hand in the air, "That makes things a while lot better!"
"And also that you tell them the full details of this mission, no lying will be tolerated at all."
"Yes Sir! And Thank-you sir!" Reno saluted. With that, he turned around and sprinted down the hallway. Heh, I know exactly who I'll be taking along with me! Reno thought.
Watching Reno run off, Rufus raised his head and closed his eyes. "I… just did something really stupid there didn't I?"
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As the elevator rose, it stopped on the first floor lobby. Hmm…I was hoping to get Elena out of view before anyone could see her in this state Rude thought. The usual "ding!" chimed and the doors opened.
"Yo!" Reno said as he stepped into the elevator. "What a coincidence, I was just about to go look for you"
"You look happy," Rude stated.
"Sure am! You know why?"
"Surprise me…"
"Hehe…" Reno's grin turned wider.
"Somehow, I don't want to know now…."
"Too late! Beeeeeecaaaaauuuussssse you're going to accompany me on my little assignment."
"... says who?" responded Rude immediately.
"Rufus did." Reno often used the president's first name when he wasn't around seeing as it was easier to say than president this, and president that
"You're much too kind" Rude felt a rock drop to the pit of this stomach, there was no way he could get out of this one.
"I know! Okay! It's settled then---"
"What about Elena?" Rude pointed to the sleeping figure snoring over his shoulder.
"She's coming too."
Rude raised an eyebrow. "Even in this condition?"
"Sure! And a good thing too, otherwise I don't think I'd be able to persuade her to come along." Reno chimed.
"When she awakes, she'll hunt you down you know…"
"Uh huh…."
"When are you leaving?"
"Eh? Um, how about now?"
"Fine, better to get this over and done with…"
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Standing by a 4x4 vehicle, Reno opened the driver seat door and stepped inside. Jamming the keys to start the engine, he fixed his hair in the mirror. "All set partner?" he yelled out the window.
"Hold on." Rude replied, struggling to strap the seatbelt on the unconscious Elena.
"Something's wrong with these seatbelts," Rude stated.
"Huh?" Reno turned his head watching as Rude fidgeted with the seatbelt. "Just let her be."
"What?" Rude turned his head and bumped it into the car's interior ceiling sending his glasses askew. "Geez…" Rubbing his head, Rude glanced and Elena… "Somehow, I know I'm going to regret this…" Agreeing with Reno, Rude left Elena slouched over in the back seat while he climbed up into the passenger seat next to Reno. "Are you sure you should be driving?"
"Of course. You just had a drink yourself if I remember. So that makes me more sober than you are right now!"
"Hmm…." Rude highly doubted that.
"Okay! Ready?"
"Huh? Ah---" Before Rude could respond, the vehicle lurched forward and zoomed out of the garage. Although Rude had experienced Reno's driving plenty of times before, that didn't mean he was use to it. Grabbing hold of the seat, Rude's body felt as if it were compressing backwards onto the seat.
"Doesn't this feel great? Wish I could get the wind in my hair!" Reno said.
Rude somehow nodded at this and slowly turned his head to see how Elena was doing. Surprisingly, she was still in her seat, drool smeared across one side of her face. Everything seemed to be going quite smoothly as they drove until Reno's foot smashed onto the breaks.
"H-hey! What's going on!" Reno cried out.
Rude turned around, wondering why Reno had stopped the car. Looking ahead, he noticed the large number of cars that lined each lane.
"No way! What the hell's going on? Traffic isn't always this bad, right Rude?"
"Must be something serious to make such a mess. An accident?"
"Pfft. Yea right. Accident my ass."
At that instant, a large flash teared across the sky in the distance. Shielding their eyes from the light, Rude and Reno guessed what was happening up ahead.
"Hey, that was a ShinRa flare. I wonder if they're calling for backup." Reno quickly said while undoing his seatbelt. "Stupid, belt… there. C'mon, there's no way we'll be moving if we just sit in here. If there's conflict up ahead then traffic would definitely be halted for sure." Rude nodded in agreement. Although they were suppose to be on their way to accomplish their assignment, Rude felt he'd rather check this out than hurry towards… that place. Putting on his gloves, he got out of the car and remembered Elena was in the back. "Should we wake her?"
"Forget it, she'll probably get herself killed instead." Reno said drawing out his rod. "Hey, where you going, it's the other way!" Rude walked up to an individual on a motorcycle.
"Excuse me, could I borrow your vehicle?" Rude asked, trying to sound polite.
"Eh? What the hell? Who do you think you are demanding my motorcycle, do you have any idea wh---ARGH!" The man fell back onto the pavement. Reno removed his rod from the individual's back and looked at Rude.
"As always…" Rude said, taking hold of the motorcycle. "This time, I think I'll drive"
"Whatever, just get there before all the action is over," Reno grinned.
As both Turks got on the motorcycle and sped through the traffic, Elena blissfully slept, unaware of the ongoing crisis up ahead in the distant sector.
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Next: Chapter 3! (I haven't decided on a title yet, but let me assure you that this is where the action will start! So stay tuned!)