Genetical Curse:

Chapter Three: Another Advance

Katfreak: MIOW!!!!! This should be a monumental occasion! I have updated!!! Finally!!!

Yazzy-Chan: YAY!

RoloPolo: It took you long enough; at least you didn't leave me out this time! Evil Stare

Katfreak: Since when have I left you out?

RoloPolo: In a certain story!

Katfreak: Opps! Ears flatten and she hides behind Yazzy-Chan I thought you wouldn't find out about that

RoloPolo: Well it's not like I'm not a member here!

Katfreak: Er sorry?

RoloPolo: Can I kill you now?

Katfreak: Well I gotta answer my fans first, so here for those who reviewed last chap:

HannahBannana A.K.AHannah-C..: Thanks Bannana! You didn't need to review twice though…But I will help u out with ur fanfics when u start writing…

Aimed mischief: Thanks! I kinda thought the story wasn't going well but that was a nice surprise! Thanks again!

What2callmyself: Whoa, u ask alotta questions, they should be answered by the end of the story so please be patient with me!!!

Katfreak: Oiy! Yazzy, can u do they disclaimer?

Yazzy-Chan: Sure: Katfreak doesn't own Final Fantasy VII and never will!!!!!

Katfreak: Damn u! Thanks though, enjoy folks! Runs away

RoloPolo: Noticing Katfreak's cowardice OIY! Get back here!!! Runs after her

Dark neon green light melted out of the darkness, filling his senses. He felt powerless, his arms and eyes were heavy as he floated.

As he weakly forced his eyes open, a bright white spark blinded him; suddenly creating alarming scenes…

A scream caused him to whip around, panic filling him, jerking in response as strong hands on his shoulders forced him forward.

His eyes fell on the unfortunate victim; a young girl with cornflower hair, roughly his own age, was being forcibly strapped to a wall restraint. Her canary yellow eyes met his, sending a silent plea for help as her eyes watered with overwhelming fear.

He felt powerless as his eyes narrowed in fear, watching the men in white coat surround her, that emotion vanish from her eyes as she screamed, a needle was forced into the artery in her neck…

A blow sent him flying, crashing hard against the wall.

He gripped his bruised shoulder as he glared up at the Prussian blue haired boy advancing towards him. Lifeless, Ivory eyes appeared to sneer at him, an irritating smirk on his features, that contrasted grotesquely with his eyes.

"He's well built," he mused darkly as the brutish boy raised his arms to finish him off.

The brute underestimated the wily boy as he ducked the brute's arms and launched a counter attack at him; a loud sickening crack filling the air as he collided with his chin…

A viscous lash caused him to cry out as leather sliced at his already bruised skin.

Curling into the foetal position as another lash rained down, he felt his warm blood down his back.

He forced himself up, sending his violet eyed torturer a hate filled glare.

Their eyes met and he was suddenly yanked to his feet by his ruined shirt; forced to stare into those catlike eyes in defiance, unable to do anything else.

"You're a defiant little cur, aren't you?" was hissed into his face, infuriated at the disrespect in water eyes.

He was thrown back harshly to the wall, making him unprepared for the lashes he received across his face.

He cried out again and curled, protecting his face from the cruelty.

As pained overloaded his senses, he slipped away, not feeling anymore...

"Reno?"

…

"Reno?" asked a gentle voice.

Opening his eyes, he felt pain under them, making sight very difficult. Yet though the haze he saw ice blue hair, a quick flash of silver and tell tale white coat, he knew who it was.

"Ch-?"

Reno jerked awake in alarm, almost falling out of his seat. His breathing was hoarse and erratic, sweat trickling down his brow.

He sighed in frustration before rolling over.

Those damn nightmares…

Since the attack they had been steadily gotten worse, new scenarios plaguing his mind coming unbidden. They had frightened him, he loathed to admit and seeing his nightmare man didn't really help matters.

Who was he? And why-?

A loud snort cut across his musings and caused him to look for the source of the noise.

He smiled, it was merely Rude. Rude had lent up against the couch Reno was currently lying on and was sleeping in the sitting position.

That's so gonna hurt when he wakes up, mused Reno with a smirk.

Tseng and Elena were also there, occupying the single sofa chair between them; Elena curled on Tseng's lap.

It was now early Wednesday morning and they all had crashed around Rude's apartment the night before after work.

Rude had uncharacteristically offered, saying that his was the closest and it was too late to get back after work and they were all tired.

But Reno knew differently. It was really that they wanted to be close if the mystery man struck again, and try, if they could, to protect him.

The smile disappeared from his lips. While he didn't want them to go all out to help him, he had to admit that it was comforting to know that they were there.

But what do these dreams mean? What's going to happen now?

He sighed, he didn't know. Suddenly, Rude shuffled next to him, blearily opening his shade-less brown eyes and looking around before his eyes met Reno's.

"Morning Reno" he mumbled.

Reno smiled. "Mornin' Rude, yo"

----

Looking around, Reno's water eyes scanned the area, anticipating a fight.

This was a small urgent mission, reports from one of the abandoned Mako reactors said there was a shady creature hanging around.

The guards were unable to chase it off because of its speed. No-one was able to catch a glance quick enough to describe it, yet one thing was certain, it appeared human.

So ShinRa had sent the four Turks to investigate.

"Reno" called Rude from below him.

He turned and jumped off the platform he was standing on, down to the others.

Elena and Tseng were examining something he couldn't see, Rude looming over the pair, curiosity faintly on his face.

"So what we got, yo?" asked Reno, trying to peek over Tseng's shoulder to have a glimpse of the unseen object.

Tseng turned, a frown set on his face as if something eluded him.

And it annoyed him as much as Reno could. That was rare.

"I'm not sure; I don't recognise what this is."

Turning to the other two, he asked "Elena? Rude?" Both Turks shook their heads.

"First, what is it?" asked Reno impatiently, "'Cause I haven't seen it yet, yo."

Elena stared at him for a moment before looking at her partner, whose nerve was twitching on his forehead, Rude simply raised an eyebrow.

Reno failed to notice the looks he was getting due to his latest catchphrase, apparently not noticing it himself.

Sighing in exasperation, Tseng handed Reno the object: a small, rectangular metallic silver box.

Reno stared for a moment before shivering, the pang faintly throbbing to life. This object was familiar... really familiar...

"Reno?" asked Rude worriedly, touching the silent redhead's arm to try to get his attention.

Reno's eyes were focused solely on the object, his skin paling to a whitish colour.

Getting no response, the bald man shook Reno gently.

"Reno?" implored Elena after exchanging a look with Rude and Tseng.

A click sounded suddenly as they looked back at Reno, who had made a subtle move that made the box crack open.

"What the-?" started Tseng who jerked the box out of Reno's hand, causing the redhead to snap back to reality. He shot Rude a curious look when he felt his hand on his shoulder.

"What is it?" asked Elena, looking intently at the box.

"Let's find out," murmured Tseng, who pushed the lid back with his thumb to reveal...

"Glasses?"

All the Turks shared a dumbfounded look; Tseng's face becoming more annoyed by the second.

"Yes those are glasses. Mine to be precise."

The Turks jumped in alarm as a voice came out of nowhere, before spinning to defensive pose.

A loud chuckle to Tseng's left made the Turk leader exhale sharply as the box was snatched out of his hands; a shadow leaping up onto a higher platform.

The reported man stood easily above them, and caused Reno's blood to run cold and a pulse of pain accompanied it.

It was him; the nightmare man.

"Thank you for finding my glasses, I really should be less careless..."

"Who the hell are you?" asked Tseng; hand in position to grab his gun.

Chale raised an eyebrow, "I could be asking you the same question. Reno, be a dear and introduce me to your friends, please?"

Reno jerked, a silent growl of pain coming from his throat before stepping back. This surprised them, Reno never backed down from any confrontation, regardless of whether he could win or not.

Rude's eyes narrowed as something occurred to him, before turning to Chale.

"Reno is this the guy that attacked you?" Reno nodded, without looking around.

"Attacked?" Chale smiled, "My dear folliclely-challenged friend, how wrong are you?"

A nerve twitched on Rude's head.

"It was merely a get together between old friends, eh, Reno-kun?" Chale winked cheekily at Reno, savouring the reaction he got.

Reno had frozen, his expression torn between freaking out or being furious.

Rude stepped before Reno, to stop Chale seeing him like this; the sick bastard loved it, compared to him who hated it.

"Get lost, or else" warned Rude, venom apparent in his calm tone.

Chale chuckled. "How rude. I'm not here for you, so stay out of my way."

"Then what are you here for?" asked Elena furiously, but also warily.

"Isn't it obvious my dear? I want Reno."

"Like hell you will" growled Rude before charging forward.

"Rude wait!"

"Rude!!"

The shouts had met deaf ears as Rude engaged Chale.

Rude had missed his target, as he charged forward Chale had neatly side stepped, avoiding any sort of attack on Rude's part with an obvious ease.

Exchanging a quick glance with Rude, he snapped his elbow down on the bald man's neck, knocking him out instantly but not before he crashed harshly into the wall behind them.

"RUDE!" shrieked Reno, ignoring Tseng's order of "Stay Back!" to dash to his partner's side.

Chale tilted his head as Reno did so, and aimed to grab the redheads arm when a pair of bullets cut him off.

Turning, Chale rose an eyebrow at the two sources of the shots.

"Leave them alone!" cried Elena; Tseng said nothing, yet his eyes were trained on Chale. Chale smile subtly turned into a smirk, his eyes closing.

"Well, well, a little girl with a gun, how scary," he chuckled, eyes opening slowly, almost vacantly, and disappeared.

Both Turks were cautious as they looked around trying to catch any sign of the enemy.

"Watch out little girl."

Elena cried out as she was forcibly knocked to the floor, Chale pinning her with his foot.

"Elena!" gasped Tseng in alarm.

"Watch it or I may lose my temper with you, little girl," said Chale calmly, grinding his foot on her back.

"Uggghhh…" gasped Elena, gently trembling in agony.

A shot fired again, aiming for Chale's chest, forcing Chale to move away. A smile was turned on Tseng, who met it with a serious expression.

"Leave her alone and let's go."

"Fine" agreed Chale. Both exchanged looks before charging forward.

The fight was fast paced and appeared as a flurried mixture of blocks, blow and the odd bullet, courtesy of Tseng, punctuating the fray. Elena could only watch in surprise as she forced herself to sit up.

They seemed perfectly matched.

That is, until Chale's foot collided with Tseng's gun holding hand. The force of the blow made Tseng drop his weapon, giving Chale an opening.

Chale swung both arms around, aiming to catch the Turk leader around the neck but Tseng easily blocked it with both arms. Chale smirked, that infuriating smirk again for some unknown reason.

Then, painfully, he realised why. Chale had kicked him harshly in his unprotected stomach, winding the Turk leader, leaving him unprepared when Chale attacked with the other foot, catching him around the face. This sent Tseng crashing to the wall, leaving him to crumple to the floor.

Chale advanced menacingly over the Turk leader, fully intent on finishing him off.

As he lent over to do so, a shot rang out and his glasses were blown off his face, shattering them to many thousands off pieces as they fell.

Faint annoyance flashed in his silver eyes as he turned to Elena, who had forced herself to her feet and now trembled in both pain and barely suppressed anger.

"You again?"

"Leave him alone!" spat Elena, her brown eyes defiant.

"As you wish."

He suddenly launched himself at Elena, surprising and alarming the young Turk.

She was even more so when she was forcibly shoved aside, only catching a brief flash of a fiery red mane and the spark of his weapon.

"Reno!"

Reno stood defensively, EMR in hand, blocking Chale's extended arm. His water coloured eyes, filled with anger and fear, met Chale's surprised silver ones.

Reno was trying desperately to ignore the pangs in his chest, filling him with the fear he despised so much. He desperately concentrated on his anger, anger that screamed for revenge, revenge for what Chale had done to his friends.

"Fuck off, yo," growled Reno.

Chale's expression changed instantly, to passiveness and faint amusement.

"Fine."

Chale gripped Reno's wrists in a tight lock, twisting them, causing Reno to gasp in pain and drop his weapon, which sparked as it hit the floor.

Reno looked up to Chale's eyes, trying to read his face but seeing nothing; then pain caused his eyes to close as he collided with the wall.

"RENO!!" he heard Elena shriek in fright.

But that didn't both him at that very moment, but those silver eyes did. Greatly.

He vaguely realised that Chale had pinned his arms above his head. The pangs now were becoming really painful now; staring into those silver eyes seemed to make it worse.

Ice began to flood his veins as he realised that this was really familiar, horrifyingly familiar…

…Please, no…

Unfortunately, he was proved correct as Chale pressed his lips against Reno's own.

God, not again-!

He trembled as he felt Chale's tongue force itself inside his mouth. This couldn't be happening, not again…

Regaining little of the ability to moved, he tried to force Chale away but was held fast.

Why won't someone help me?

"HEY!!" roared an angry, yet familiar voice.

Chale grudgingly broke the contact and looked around, giving Reno the opportunity to both get his breath back and to see his saviour.

Rude stood tall behind them, his eyes locked on Chale, the look on his face making him all the more menacing. He had long since lost his much beloved shades when Chale had hit him.

Reno didn't care, frankly he was just grateful for the interruption.

"Let go of him, now," hissed Rude, aggression and anger mirrored in his face.

Chale smirk turned unpleasant. "No, not this time."

Rude launched himself forward at this statement, distrusting his tone-with very good reason.

A flash of silver eyes were the last thing Rude saw before the man jumped and disappeared, with Reno in tow.

"Reno!!" shrieked Rude, who turned on the spot after missing the two.

"Goddammit…"

A large group crowded the Seventh Heaven bar, as it hosted the former Avalanche faction reunion party.

Yuffie sat on one of the bar stools, hand wrapped in a visible white bandage, her damaged weapon lying on the bar counter.

Tifa was by her side, leaning on the bar behind her, Cid and Barratt seated on chairs nearby with Denzel and Marlene.

Vincent lent against the window, half shaded by the late afternoon light that poured through. Cloud paced the floor, silent anger on his face.

Yuffie smiled softly, which was very rare for her, and glanced shyly over at Vincent.

"Thank you Vinnie for rescuing me."

Vincent simply nodded, blood red eyes on the younger girl. He had never seen her act or look that way before; and though he would never admit it, he didn't like it.

"Hey, why were you in Wutai anyway, Vincent?" asked Cid, eyebrow raised, "It weren't a social call was it?"

Vincent turned his face forward.

"Cloud and Tifa recently contacted me, saying that Yuffie was trying to contact me, yet was unable," Vincent said emotionlessly, "They stated that they were worried because Yuffie sounded unusual."

"Really?" asked Barratt, turning to the younger girl, "What's so urgent, Yuffie? And since when do you have Vincent's number?"

Yuffie looked down, red dusting her face.

"Um…"

"Perhaps we shouldn't worry about that for now," said Cloud firmly, effectively ending that conservation, "Maybe we should worry about why and who attacked Yuffie."

Yuffie smiled gratefully at Cloud, while Barratt looked like he really wanted to continue but sighed and dropped the topic.

"Any ideas, Yuffie?" asked Tifa.

Yuffie momentarily froze before responding.

"No…," she muttered, earning many looks from her fellow team mates, "But I saw the guy that attacked me! He was really tall, as tall as Vinnie, Terracotta brown hair, violet eyes and wielding-"

Then a piercing whistling sounded outside and closing, causing many to look around before reacting.

Cid and Barratt forced Marlene and Denzel down, Vincent shielding himself with his cloak as the windows shattered as the offending items crashed through.

Tifa just had enough time to shove Yuffie off the bar stool and get down as the items crashed into the mirror behind the bar, showering her with fragments of jagged glass.

"Tifa!" cried Marlene, dashing away from Barratt's protective arms, with Denzel in hot pursuit to the young woman's side.

"Is everyone alright?" asked Cloud, who was brushing the fragment of glass off himself as he glanced around.

They all rose quickly, particularly Yuffie, to look at the offending objects.

Yuffie's eyes went wide, causing her to pale and step back.

"What's the matter Yuffie?" asked Cloud, reaching her side.

"It's him…" she whispered, eyes tearing from the embedded objects, which were well crafted knives, to gaze out the window.

Cloud crossed the room to look out the window, but was beaten to it by Vincent, who removed Cerberus from its holster as he looked.

Looking out, Cloud saw what she was talking about.

It was him.

The described man grinned ferally. "Come out and play, Miss Kirasagi."

Katfreak: Stops in her running with Rolo crashing into her Whoa done already?

RoloPolo: No not with killing you, you're not in heaven …or hell yet…

Yazzy-Chan: Poking a broom end between them Oh break it up in here! You need to finish this chap off!

RoloPolo: Its already finished!

Katfreak: No I see what she means; I gotta grovel for people to review!

RoloPolo: Bored now, I'll be back Weird accent;Walks off

Yazzy-Chan: Isn't that…?

Katfreak: …Yes… Opps! Thanx for reading folks and please please please review! I'm desperate!!!