I lived with Cari for two years. When I turned to eighteen I went home to see what I could pick up. My parents couldn't stop me then. I got a job I knew they'd all hate me for. I decided to become a bar tender in Sector Seven. Cari had picked up a job as a lab tech in Shin-Ra, or as she put it 'An Evil Pawn'. She had to find business somehow. I always wondered why she'd work at a job she hated she did. She muttered about sabotage at some point.
I was working a late shift at the time, cleaning up the bar. Most of the usual clients had left for the night when I heard laughter. A large group was approaching.
"Hey Jessie, need some back up. Large group approaching..." I froze suddenly as the door swung open. Yelling towards the back of the group was a certain cocky red head.
"Keep Cissnei back-she's underage!"
"Hey!" Clearly Cissnei, darted under his arm. She too was a Turk with an amazing shade of light orange hair and amber eyes. It was the Turks, they all wore the suit uniforms. Cissnei blinked for a minute, looking at me.
"You look really familiar..."
"So..." I stated. "You the new underage fantasy?" I spat as Reno turned around. With that I turned on one foot and scurried into the back.
Jessie blinked as I darted in, running to the sink and hyperventilating.
"Elena, you okay?" She exclaimed, running over to me as I bit my lip.
"I...I need to end my shift early." I whispered as I grabbed my coat.
My wardrobe was different those days, baring a pair of black jeans, a blue tank top, and a black denim jacket. My shoes were fairly useful, a pair of black leather boots. I'd applied for a kick boxing class, so I could handle myself against most thugs these days. Before Jessie could stop me, I was outside and beginning to leave.
"Hey! Elena!"
My sister's voice cut through everything, the sharp blade I now knew it as.
"Haven't you said enough?" I hissed as I faced her. This was our first conversation since I fled the car, fled our home. Fled that past life. She sighed as she approached me.
"Are you still...angry over that? I was just trying to-"
"I swear if you say I 'protect you', you are dead to me!" I screeched, my fists clenched. My sister faltered, falling back slightly.
"Elena..." She whispered as I began to walk away. She groaned slightly and called out. "There are better men!"
"But I'm not better! You prove that!" I screeched, not facing her. "Mom and Dad always thought you were the better one! I was just the left overs! I could never hold up to the example left by you!"
"That's not-"
" Tell me it's not true!" I shouted, my fists clenched again. My sister faltered, unable to speak.
"You can't, can you?" I whispered and began to run.
When I returned to the apartment, there sat Cari with a gallon of ice cream waiting.
"I got this feeling...something was wrong." She whispered as I collapsed in my seat, clutching my crucifix. It was not the one my father had gotten me, that one I had tossed for donations to the needy. I had bought myself that one, made of mythril. Cari proved to me that God existed because if he didn't, then where had she come from in my time of need?
"So. Not sure of flavor, I got chocolate and vanilla..." She slid a spoon over to me. "And for entertainment we have Kill Bill I and II."
"...Cari?"
"Yeah?"
"...thank you."
"...you're welcome. Now eat before it melts!"
With that I did so, each bite nullifying the pain I felt. Once the gallon was gone I placed my head on the table.
"...the Turks have started hanging out at the bar."
"So ignore them." Cari replied as if it were that easy. I blinked for a minute and realized it was. That's all I had to do. Treat them like regular customers.
"...it's a plan."