Not So Different

by Requiem's-Razor

Genesis & Reno find out they are not as different as they first thought. As their friendship grows, so do other feelings. GenesisXRenoXSephiroth, RufXTseng, Pre-Crisis Core, Yaoi, Language, etc. Lousy summary, sorry.

32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, scenery, or towns; Square Enix does.

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32 – Contact

"Now what?" Rude asked, hopping out of the helicopter and eyeing his partner.

"Guess we snoop around yo."

"What about heading into town?"

"Why? You need somethin' SOLDIER?"

"No but maybe someone saw something," the raven haired SSC replied, jumping from the chopper and landing close to Rude.

"Highly doubtful," the redhead said. "We ain't dealin' with amateurs here yo."

Rude and Angeal nodded and the trio turned toward Mount Coral with almost identical expressions of dismay. This is gonna suck, Reno thought, eyeing the steep mountainside comprised of sheer cliffs and treacherous footing.

"Why couldn't we land closer or take the monorail again?" inquired Angeal.

"'Cause there ain't nowhere to land the bird closer and takin' the rail would alert anyone nearby of our presence. Fer that matter so would the chopper if we got to close."

"If I die I'm going to haunt you," Rude said, grabbing a rucksack out of the chopper's cargo hold. He eyed it for a moment, then handed the pack to Angeal and watched the SCC shoulder it before sliding the door closed, hoping it wasn't the last time he was able to perform such a mundane act.

Reno chuckled and walked forward, wondering how long it would take to reach their destination. He also hoped he was up to the task because he was still feeling a bit weak from his recent illness. Suck it up.

Yesterday after the retrieval program had completed its task Reno's curiosity had gotten the better of him and he opened a file named 'MCR'. It had taken a moment for his mind to make sense of what he was seeing, but once he had, he'd gone to the reactor site and had Tseng meet him there. He'd told the Wutain his suspicions and opened another file named 'GR'. A quick scan of the blown reactor and Tseng had agreed with his conclusion: the files on the second disc were blueprints of Shinra Mako reactors. 'GR' was the Gongaga Reactor, 'MCR' was the Mount Coral Reactor, and files named 'S5,' 'S6,' and 'S7' were likely Sector reactors around Midgar.

Since it was believed a former member of AVALANCHE had left the discs behind while fleeing the group, it wasn't too farfetched to assume that AVALANCHE had access to the blueprints and had studied them, probably extensively. At the moment AVALANCHE was a prime suspect in the explosion of the Gongaga Reactor and it wasn't hard to conclude that the group might be planning another attack. Based on their limited intelligence both Reno and Tseng believed the Mt. Coral Reactor should be investigated immediately. Now Reno, Rude, and Angeal faced a long, dangerous climb into what may well be the enemy's lair.

At the base of Mt. Coral Reno sighed and began his ascent. On one hand, he hoped that if AVALANCHE was planning something here that the trio was in time to stop it. On the other hand he really, really hoped AVALANCHE wasn't actually here or at least if they were their small group didn't stumble straight into their camp. The three of them were good but they couldn't take on a militant group like AVALANCHE alone.

Making matters worse the maps they had weren't the greatest but Reno was undeterred. Being outnumbered and ill informed hadn't stopped the Turks before. They'd managed to slither out of worse situations than this so the redhead had hopes that if things went south the trio could make a break for it. If nothing else maybe Angeal could get out and go for help. Oh that's just grim.

Rude followed Reno as he started up the mountain and smashed his apprehension down as best he could. When Tseng had given him the orders to fly with Reno to Mt. Coral and search for AVALANCHE or clues to their whereabouts, he'd thought the man had lost it. What the hell did their boss expect two people to do against a group like that? Tseng had taken him to the side and told him he wasn't happy about it either, but with the situation in Gongaga further personnel couldn't be spared without sufficient reason. Their job was to find that reason and there was evidence to support that AVALANCHE may be in or near the Coral reactor. Rude persisted, citing his partner's recent illness and decidedly flighty attitude. Eventually Tseng had called for Angeal and the SOLDIER was asked to go with them. The SSC had jumped on the opportunity, claiming if there was even a remote chance they could prevent another disaster he was all for it.

After that Tseng, Rude, Reno, and Angeal had gathered to share information. The Turks learned that SSC Hewley and the two Thirds were sent on a mission to investigate monster attacks in the desert surrounding the Golden Saucer. After spotting Zack and learning of the disaster in Gongaga they'd been side tracked, however the SSC had concluded that while Zack could be the source for some of the monster deaths and sightings he couldn't be responsible for anything north of the Saucer. The SSC explained that Zack hadn't gotten very far into the desert but that it was likely a few deaths were due to the youth. However a fast moving and well-stocked group such as AVANALCHE would probably have no trouble in the rough terrain so they could very well be responsible for the majority of the deaths and sightings.

It was also common knowledge that tensions between the tiny town of Coral and the Shinra Company had spiked recently. While it was true not everyone in Coral liked the reactor and some were dead set against it, the town had ultimately authorized the construction of the reactor and tensions had dropped significantly after that. Yet in the past two weeks tensions had become so bad that Shinra had issued travel warnings for Coral and its surrounding area to all its employees. Basically the warnings were 'approach at your own risk' and 'you've been warned so don't call us if you get into trouble'. It was possible that if AVALANCHE was in or near the town that the group was using the existing tension to their benefit. The tension would effectively keep most Shinra personnel out of the area and if the town sided with AVALANCHE, the townsfolk added to the group's numbers. Even if they were mostly just cannon fodder they'd make a good distraction.

The final point was Coral's location in relation to Gongaga. It wasn't confirmed that AVALANCHE had actually entered Gongaga but it was confirmed that their last known location was about 100 miles west of the village. While the Coral and Gongaga weren't close together, they were closer than any other reactor site whose blueprint AVALANCHE had. On top of that, the Turks had never found evidence that the group used anything aside from a few battered vehicles and chocobos to travel with. That meant most of the group was on foot and even if they were heading to Midgar there was a good chance they'd have to restock some of their provisions beforehand. Stopping in Coral would draw less attention than stopping in a place like Costa del Sol. It was true That Costa del Sol had more travelers and visitors, however they were vacationers, not warriors. Given Coral's location in the mountains and its surrounding area, battered journeymen were probably commonplace in the village.

Under most circumstances such scant intel might not be enough for an investigation, but the truth was that they had no other leads and were getting desperate. That combined with the possibility of another Gongaga and even Tseng couldn't argue that although personnel were scarce, Coral needed to be looked into.

"You alright?" called Rude as his partner climbed atop an overhang and stopped. The redhead didn't reply. Instead he placed his goggles over his eyes, fingered the right earpiece, and slowly began to look around.

"I'm fine yo," Reno finally said as his partner made the climb and stood next to him. "Just scannin' the area."

"You can see better with those things? Bit dark aren't they?"

"The lens darkness is self adjustin' and they have a zoom function."

"I take it those aren't Shinra issue."

"Eh, not exactly," Reno grinned, turning the zoom off and sliding the goggles back to his forehead.

"Good to see you spend some money for a change," said Rude as Angeal popped up next to him. Somehow he didn't think the SOLDIER had climbed up, just jumped. While that would be nice it still wasn't enough to make him want to be a lab rat.

"Heh, they were a gift yo."

"Then I take back my previous statement," the bald man chuckled. "What functions do they have?"

"Auto adjusting lens darkness, night vision, thermal imaging, zoom, and one hell of an optic stabilizer."

"Nice. Someone must like you."

"Yeah, Gen."

"No shit? Didn't know SOLDIERs got paid that well," Rude commented, pleased with the STC and his gift.

"After we get over these fallen rocks it looks like the climb should be fairly easy for awhile," Angeal said, ignoring the topic of money.

"Easy for you to two maybe," sighed Rude, watching as Reno scaled a 25-foot rock that was almost vertical. Looks like a spider.

"Didn't peg ya for a whiner Rude," Reno called, head poking over the edge of the rock.

"I'm not whining. Remember what happened the last time I was on a mountain?"

"Heh, yeah. Ya turned into a bowling ball and Gen was the pin yo," Reno chuckled.

"Look on the bright side, we only have to climb halfway up," said Angeal. He flashed an encouraging smile at the bald Turk then jumped and landed next to Reno atop the rock.

"Showoffs," Rude muttered, finding holds and joining the pair.

Reno eyed the mountain and noted Angeal had been correct. It did appear things would be easier for a while. They still had a long way to go. "I've had enough fuckin' mountains to last me a lifetime," he sighed, thinking of the mountains he and Gen had climbed during the Turk Desertion. Great, now I'm whining. "Let's go yo."

An hour later found the trio laying on their stomachs and peering down at a cluster of footpaths. One path was larger and more worn than the others, running mostly east to west. Reno assumed that particular trail ran from Coral village to the reactor site. There were three less worn trails that bisected the east/west path. From their location one trail ran northeast, one ran northwest, and one ran north.

"Which way?" Angeal whispered.

"No idea," replied the redhead, voice low. "None of these small trails are on the map." Reno eyed the trails for a minute in thought. "We're gonna stay here and lay low until dark."

"What if someone comes along?" Angeal asked.

"Depends. If we know it's a villager we might approach yo."

"What if it's not a villager? For that matter, how would we know if it's a villager or not? AVALANCHE could change their appearance in order to blend in."

"You ask a lot a questions SOLDIER," chuckled the redhead. "Coral is small and the population don't change much. Me and Rude have been here several times before so we know most of 'em by sight." Reno stopped and sighed. "As fer AVALANCHE I know what most of 'em look like. If they come along we stay low, don't breath, and pray like hell they don't spot us yo."

The apprehension Rude had squashed rushed back to the surface. It was possible the small trails were nothing but remnants left over from the reactors construction. Hell, they could have been made by travelers or kids out playing for that matter. For some reason he didn't think the explanation was that simple though. Never is.

Angeal unwrapped bread from a towel that Zack's mother had given him, broke pieces off, and handed some to the Turks. He watched as they settled in with a knowing look. Though this operation wasn't ideal, it was interesting to get a firsthand look at the Turks in action. They were much more laid back than those he was used to dealing with but they still didn't miss a thing. In fact, they were probably more observant than anyone he'd worked with thus far. The biggest difference was that they didn't seem to get as stressed so easily. Or they hide it well.

The hours passed in silence. To alleviate boredom the three took turns playing tic-tac-toe in the dirt. As expected most of the matches ended in a draw but every so often someone would slip up and lose. A loss resulted in quiet snickers and grins that helped keep the tension level down.

"Guess we got no choice," Reno said hours after the surveillance had started. He shut off the thermal imagining on his goggles with a sigh. They hadn't seen anyone and his many scans hadn't revealed any life forms, let alone anything resembling a human. "We're gonna have to split up."

"Split up?" Rude said.

"That's what I said yo. Rude take the northwest trail, Angeal the north, and I'll take the northeast. Be quiet, be careful, and be prepared. AVALANCHE is here somewhere."

"How do you know that?" queried Angeal quietly. "We haven't seen anyone all day."

"That's just it SOLDIER," the redhead replied. "Sometimes what ya don't see is just as big of a clue as what you do yo."

"Oookkaay…"

"Think about it. Why the hell ain't the villagers workin' at the reactor? Why ain't kids playin' and explorin' the area?"

"Maybe the parents took the day off and everyone stayed home," Angeal shrugged.

"More like days," Reno said, pulling out his EMR and checking the charge. "You see any footprints on the main path?"

"No, but the wind could have covered them."

"Nice try, but no. Fer starters the trail is mostly protected from the wind. Secondly it rained recently, probably yesterday by the looks of it. The rain wasn't much so it woulda just made footprints deeper and there ain't much dust flyin' around, least not enough to cover all the workers it takes to run the reactor. I'd say no one's been there for at least three days."

"Oh," Angeal replied, wondering why he hadn't noticed any of this when he'd been staring at the same area as Reno for the better part of the day. Perhaps when he got back to Midgar he should talk to Director Lazard about training SOLDIERs to be more observant. Tracking classes. "So you think the villagers are steering clear of the reactor and have warned the kids to stay home?"

"Now yer gettin' it," grinned the redhead.

"Could it be because of the rising tensions against Shinra and the reactor in general? Maybe they abandoned it to prove a point."

"No," Rude said. "There were only a few holdouts that didn't agree with the reactor. We're talking less than five. That leaves around 20-30 people who pushed to have the thing built. They fought hard for its construction so it's unlikely they'd just abandon it now."

"'Sides if a reactor is left unattended fer to long… well it could be bad and the villagers know it."

"How bad?" Angeal asked, squinting suspiciously.

"No, that ain't what happened in Gongaga," sighed Reno, reading the SSC's expression. "The thing won't blow but if the pipes and other systems aren't maintained it could start leakin' raw Mako that could harm natural resources like plants and animals or it could even drift right into the village. If the villagers suddenly started hatin' Shinra again they know they can't just shut the reactor up and walk away."

"Couldn't they shut it down?" Rude asked.

"No," Reno replied, shaking his head for emphasis. "There's a specific sequence and protocol to shut down a reactor and it ain't taught to locals. Only Shinra scientists and a few trusted people know it. The villagers could initiate an emergency shutdown but Shinra would be notified immediately. I checked with Rufus before we left Gongaga and the reactor here is online."

"What happens if they try to shut it down without following protocol?" the SSC asked.

"Then it might explode and yeah, they're told that. Even if they think we're pullin' their leg who the hell would risk it yo?"

"Oh," replied the raven haired man, speechless. He never knew how tricky reactors where and suddenly realized how much he didn't know. As much as he hated to admit it books weren't really his thing, especially when it came to science. He'd read the material but half the time he wouldn't understand it. Nonetheless when he got back home he was going to do some refresher reading. Or ask Genesis. His auburn friend was probably the only reason he had made it though the academic aspect of SOLDIER training. "So you think the villagers have a reason to stay away from the reactor?"

"Exactly," Reno nodded. "I think somethin's scared them off. Maybe AVALANCHE is even posin' as Shinra scientists or somethin'."

"You said the reactor is online, what if it was rigged like in Gongaga?" Angeal asked.

"Then it would still be AVALANCHE now wouldn't it?" replied the redhead. "We do have sat photos from two days ago so we know it ain't blown to hell but that's about it." There was a pause and he added, "I don't mean ta be a dick but we really need to head out yo."

"Alright," the SSC said, staring at the trails.

"I know ya don't like it Rude but I don't see any other way," Reno said, patting his partner on the shoulder. He could sense his partner's uneasiness about splitting up but couldn't do a thing about it. The redhead wasn't fond of the idea either but they were here to do a job and if that meant taking a risk then so be it. It wasn't like he wanted to throw his life away, it was simply that risk was part of being a Turk and he had zero other options that he could see.

The redhead reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a small case. It was about six inches long, four inches wide, and an inch deep. He flipped two small clasps, popped the lid open, and plucked an earpiece out of its velvet-lined depression. "Here," Reno said, handing the device to Angeal. The SSC took it and he handed an identical device to Rude before pulling out yet another one and placing it around his ear.

"Haven't used one of these before," Angeal said, fitting the thing to his ear.

"Seriously?" blinked Rude. "How do you usually communicate on missions?"

"PHS."

"That's it?" Reno asked, as surprised as his partner.

"Yeah. Don't Turks use PHS's to communicate?"

"Sure but not on shit like this. What happens if ya can't get to it or it gets taken? Hell what happens if the thing breaks or you lose satellite coverage?"

"These can break too. Or it could get lost, taken, or you may not be able to get to it."

"True, but at least ya ain't got to dial out so it's a hell of a lot faster and even if it gets taken and smashed me and Rude are still gonna know yer in trouble 'cause you won't answer." Angeal nodded. "These things are always on and are set to only communicate with each other. Their frequencies can't be traced either nor do they ring so they ain't gonna give you away. Keep it in yer ear at all times and report anything unusual immediately. Aside from that stay quiet or ya might end up givin' yerself away."

"Do I have to press a button or something?"

"Yeah, tap it and it'll activate. When one activates they all activate and they're programmed to break the connection after one minute of silence yo." Once again the SSC nodded. "Also once they're on it's like a conference call. Ya don't have to press the button again to talk and both of us can hear ya. Any more questions?"

"Not at the moment," Angeal replied. Rude shook his head.

"Move out."

The trio made their way onto the main path and after a round of nods they split up and quickly vanished down their assigned trails. Though it was dark, the moon was almost a quarter full and provided enough light for the Turks to see by. Both had night vision functions built until their eyewear but neither liked relying on it unless required. With it on, one errant light in the face would temporarily blind them, leaving them momentarily helpless. Never a good thing when on unfamiliar ground and facing the unknown.

"Reno?" Angeal's voice sounded 30 minutes later.

"'Sup SOLDIER?"

"I've got movement up ahead."

"Same here Red," Rude chimed in.

"Can either of ya tell what it is yo?"

"Human is about all I can tell," Rude replied. "I can't tell exactly how many but going by night vision I'd say there's at least either or nine of them. No idea who they might be though."

"Alright. Angeal?"

"I can see at least five people, no uniforms or weapons that I can see. Could be travelers or villagers."

"Okay. I ain't seen anything yet but I'm almost positive this trail's gonna join the one leadin' to the reactor."

"You want us to pull out and join you?" Rude asked.

"No. I want ya both to lay low and observe. Be nice to know who's out there and why yo. Radio and fall back at the first sign of trouble. Got it?"

"Understood," Rude replied.

"Copy," said Angeal.

Reno sighed and leaned against the mountain. His path had twisted downward and become narrower. Now it was only wide enough for two normal sized people to walk side by side. One side was a sheer drop-off while the other was the mountain itself. Least the footing is ok.

Once a minute had passed, the redhead heard his connection with Rude and Angeal break and he sighed again. Five people huh? Angeal could probably handle himself well enough against that many opponents. Unless they're Fuhito's SOLDIERs. He was also worried about his outnumbered, unenhanced partner but knew Rude well enough to know he'd stay out of sight and not initiate anything. Whoever was near him would have a hell of a time spotting him and if they did the man would do what he had to do, including run if that was the best option.

The redhead finally propelled himself off the mountain and continued forward, eyes roving this way and that. He trusted Rude and Angeal and were confident in their abilities so he pushed his emotions aside in order to concentrate. A big part of being a Turk was knowing when and what to focus on. While it might seem callous to outsiders, thoughts and emotions could make your attention waver and that could get you killed.

Before continuing, the redhead flicked the left button on his goggles and scanned the area in both night vision and thermal mode. He still didn't see any movement and wondered if AVALANCHE was up to something. If the group was holed up at the reactor site and he was headed for it why were Angeal and Rude reporting movement yet he had nothing. Was it possible the group had already set charges and moved on? Maybe they're just buying supplies. Or regrouping for some reason. Scouts. The possibilities were endless and there was only one way to get answers: keep moving.

Reno started forward, staying close to the mountainside both for cover and because he didn't want to risk plummeting off the edge. He'd taken no more than 20 steps when he heard a hissing sound behind him. The redhead simultaneously spun, pulled his EMR, and took a defensive stance. Facing the opposite direction, he didn't immediately see anything but a faint red glow fell upon the area. His eyes snapped upward and finally found his foe. Bomb.

Eyes locked on his target the Turk skid backward, following the curve of the mountain. The narrow path was a bad place to fight an aerial monster period, let alone one that liked to expand and explode when it was hit. If the thing blew the shockwave could easily push him into the black abyss that was now on his right side.

Much to Reno's annoyance the bomb paced him as he shuffled backward. He'd hoped the thing might take off if he didn't attack it but that obviously wasn't going to happen. The redhead crouched, launched himself upward, and brought his EMR down on the bombs face. He grinned as it was knocked backward but the grin vanished as he came face to face with a second bomb.

"Sshhiittt!" Reno yelped as the second bomb slammed into him. It knocked him on the ground and he kept sliding backward. His arms flailed about until his left hand curled around a hunk of rock protruding from the mountainside. He gripped it for all he was worth and managed to stop his momentum inches from the edge of the path. The bomb floated upward with an evil sneer. "Ah hell. Can't ya cut me some slack yo?" Both bombs stared down at him and grew in response. "Guess not," the Turk said, standing and brushing his suit off.

The redhead took two steps forward, preparing to jump the bombs again when the first one suddenly exploded. The explosion trigged the second bomb and Reno found himself flying backward once again. Thankfully his body was twisted in such a way that the shockwave sent him toward the mountain. His back slammed into some previously unseen boards and he broke through them before slamming into solid rock. Winded, he slid to the ground, glad that he hadn't lost his EMR in the flight.

After regaining his breath and using a faint Mako glow to check for injuries Reno pulled a penlight out of his jacket and gave the cave a closer look. It was wide enough for maybe three people to stand side by side and only about 12 feet deep. Off to one side was a set of boards similar to the ones he'd broken through and there were pickaxes and shovels in one corner. Old coal mine.

Reno blew out a puff of air and exited the cave, finding himself close to the monorail tracks leading to the reactor. Looks like a roller coaster. The Turk heard a noise behind him and winced. He dropped his head until his chin was almost touching his chest and sighed. Just what I need, more bombs, he thought, spinning. As the redhead looked up, the blood drained from his face and he froze, EMR halfway to his shoulder. The world seemed to stop, although that might have been caused by the mental paralysis of coming face to face with one of Fuhito's SOLDIERs.

Before he processed his actions Reno found himself running at top speed along the trail. The path changed directions and he realized he was no longer on the path at all: he was on the monorail tracks that led to the reactor. How the hell'd I get here so fast? He picked up speed as he came off one of the monorail tracks hills and had to fight to stay on his feet. The hills would be fun in a cart or train but on foot they sucked.

Just as the Turk was about to step foot on level ground he was tackled from behind. He plunged off the track and fell 20 feet to hard packed dirt with his attacker still attached. Before Reno had a chance to catch his breath he found himself sailing through the air again. This is gonna hurt, he thought seconds before he struck a wall. Once again amazed he still had his EMR, he staggered to his feet and charged his assailant. His weapon was stopped inches from making contact and a hand latched around his throat.

Dangling six inches from the ground Reno watched unknown emotions slither across the modified SOLDIERs face. Maybe they do think. Running out of air, he managed to shift his EMR enough to make contact with skin and flicked the switch. Electricity arced from the weapon and he had little time to prepare himself before being shocked right along with the SOLDIER. His thumb twitched backward, shutting off the EMR just as the SOLDIER dropped him. Thankfully his assailant had taken the brunt of the shock and he was able to scuttle backward before the SOLDIER was able to move. "You're… Sixty-Two," he panted, muscles still twitching from the shock.

"Yes," Sixty-Two replied, shaking off the effect of the EMR and reaching for his weapon.

The next thing Reno knew he was up against a wall of rock with Sixty-Two less than 12 inches away. The SOLDIER suddenly vanished and only then did he see the sword sticking out of his shoulder. "Shit," he muttered, trying to pull the thing out so he could get free. All he managed to do was slice his left hand open.

"You should be dead."

Reno jerked his head up at the new voice and the fire that had started in his shoulder and hand disappeared in the face of his terror and shock. The voice was pleasant, musical, and echoed in his worst nightmares. "Fuhito."

"How did you survive?" Fuhito asked. "You had seconds of life left when you were abandoned."

Reno's only response was to glare at Fuhito. Minutes later the scientist filled his vision and he felt a sharp pain in his left side. He didn't bother looking, knowing the proximity of his attacker meant he'd been stabbed. His suspicion was confirmed as the scientist withdrew the weapon and licked the blade. Sick bastard, he thought, hoping nothing vital had been punctured.

As Sixty-Two yanked the sword out of his shoulder adrenaline surged through the Turk's system and his body moved of its own accord. Without thought, he turned his EMR on and swung, making contact with the right side of Fuhito's face. The redhead enjoyed the man's surprised look as electricity slammed into him. Unfortunately he had to break contact as Sixty-Two's sword came crashing down at his head. He managed to dodge the blow but was off balance and the SOLDIER was fast. The man changed tactics mid-swing and there was little he could do but brace himself as the weapon once again sliced his way.

Everything slowed and came into crystalline focus as Reno played limbo with the SOLDIERs sword. He folded his legs and dropped until the back of his head touched the ground. He blew the air out of his body and saw the weapon crack through the air an inch above his face. As the sword vanished the redhead kicked his feet off the ground, did a back flip, and landed facing his opponent. He saw movement out of the corner of his right eye and quickly darted his gaze. Another SOLDIER was running down the steps to their location. It ran toward Fuhito, who pointed in his direction. Immediately the newcomer pulled his sword and joined the battle.

"After my Ravens slice you up I'm going to kill you with my bare hands," snarled Fuhito, eyes blazing with hatred.

Ravens huh? "I'll fuckin' shove myself onto one of these bastards' swords before I let a fuckin' coward like you take me out," Reno sneered, sounding far more confident than he felt. Somewhere along the way he'd lost his comm device but even if he had it Angeal or Rude wouldn't be able to get here anytime soon. Here goes nothin', he thought as Sixty-Two charged at him.

Reno hopped back and to the left, almost running smack into another Raven. Fifty-Eight. He jumped and used Fifty-Eight as a springboard then bounced off a wall. He sailed over a third Ravens head and landed about 15 feet from the trio. They stared at him rather stupidly for a few heartbeats then charged all at once. Sixty-Two veered to the left, Fifty-Eight came down the middle, and the third went to the right. Three against one…

The redhead spun and came face to face with Fuhito. Make that four against one. Wasting no time he cranked his EMR up to full power and hammered it against the scientist's head. He couldn't help but chuckle as the dickhead crumpled to the ground. His amusement was short-lived as Fifty-Eight suddenly appeared in front of him. The Raven angled the blade of his sword backward and stuck him in the side of the head with the hilt. Reno twirled sideways and hit the ground hard and slid, coming to an abrupt halt as he crashed into a wall.

"Is he still alive?"

The Turk froze at Fuhito's voice and fought like hell not to move as Sixty-Two bent to check his pulse. When the Raven was close enough he sprang up, shoved his EMR down his throat, and turned it on full blast. The redhead smelled burning flesh as the man twitched and jerked before bursting into flames. Holy shit.

"He's just a human you godsdamned worthless fools!" screamed Fuhito. "How the hell can you let him best you?"

"Shut up ya fuckin' pansy," Reno snickered, dislodging his weapon from Sixty-Two's throat. It came free with a sickening tearing sound. Fuhito humphed in response and he chuckled. He pointed his EMR at the two remaining Ravens, eyeing the blackened flesh covering it. Yum. "Let's do this yo."

With that the two Ravens rushed forward. When they were close enough the Turk pulled his arms in close to his body with his EMR sticking out and jumped. He spun like a top and clocked both his attackers in the process. Fifty-Eight recovered quickly but Mr. Unknown fell to the ground like he was having a seizure. Must have a weakness to electricity.

Reno landed on the ground facing Fifty-Eight, his EMR held before him like a sword. The Raven attacked, forcing him into a defensive stance. He parried the major blows but it was becoming harder to grip his weapon. His hand was becoming numb and it reminded him that he'd sliced his palm open earlier trying to unpin himself. While he was ambidextrous, he favored his left hand and the repeated blows combined with the injury were taking their toll. The redhead waited for an opening and quickly switched hands. Unfortunately it wasn't enough of an opening as Unknown suddenly came up on his left. Having moved his EMR to the right he did the only thing he could; he blocked the blow with his left arm. Amazingly the Ravens sword didn't slice his arm off but his skin was flayed off in a three-inch strip down to the bone.

The Turk quickly leapt away from the two Ravens. He was preparing for another head on attack when he felt a cold rush of air and heard a crackling sound behind him. The redhead turned one hundred and eighty degrees just in time to see Fuhito cast an Ice spell. With no time to react he was literally frozen to the ground as the spell hit him.

"I'm getting tired of this. Finish him!"

Unable to move Reno glared as the two Ravens landed in front of him. He tried to break free from his ice prison but couldn't move a centimeter. His heart beat frantically and he swallowed an unhealthy amount of fear and panic, refusing to give any of his opponents the satisfaction of seeing it. The Turk watched as Fifty-Eight raised his sword and swung. He took a deep breath, straightened himself as best he could, and closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow.

Reno heard the sword chime as it sliced through the air and swallowed thickly as the sound moved closer. There was a thump and suddenly the whistling turned into a screech. He winced as the sound of metal scraping against metal became almost deafening. His nose was assaulted by the smell of heated metal and Mako, which popped his eyes open in confusion. The redhead's mind rushed to make sense of what he was seeing but failed. A second later his vision went red and his ice prison collapsed around him.

"Who the hell are you and where the fuck did you come from?" Fuhito choked out, shock and fright vying for control of the words.

"Irrelevant."

"Irrel-irrelevant?" barked the scientist, angry and nervous. "If a man's appearance out of thin air is irrelevant then tell me, what is relevant?"

"Your death."

Though the block of ice had melted, Reno's limbs became immobile at the newcomer's voice. It sounded as though the person was using some kind of voice modulator, and a poor one at that. Instead of being smooth and completely changing the person's voice, this voice had layers to it, almost as though multiple people were talking in perfect synchronization. There were layers that sounded feminine and layers that sounded male. Underneath he felt there was something vaguely familiar about the voice but he couldn't place it and while he knew it was probably something technological altering the speech, it was eerie as hell and the hairs on the back of his arms and neck were standing straight up.

As the conversation continued, the redhead wildly swiped at his eyes as his mind attempted to process what was happening. His fingers met with a sticky substance that felt all too familiar. Blood. He grabbed the bottom of his jacket and rubbed it across his face. When he thought most of it was gone he once again opened his eyes. After a few furious blinks his vision finally cleared and his mind screeched to a halt, yet again at a complete loss.

20 feet in front and facing Reno stood Fuhito. His face was an odd mix of curiosity, disbelief, and fear. About ten feet from the scientist was a man a little shorter than the redhead. His short hair and clothes were being whipped about by a misty green cloud, almost like he was standing in the midst of a Mako tornado. In his right hand and pointing at Fuhito was one of the Ravens swords. Whatever force was stirring his clothes and hair seemed to have no effect on the weapon and it remained unerringly straight. Though the Turk couldn't see the man's face he knew exactly who it was. Genesis.

The Turk mindlessly took a step forward and almost tripped as something bounced off his foot. His head jerked down, eyes' landing on Fifty-Eight's severed head. During the confusion he'd forgotten about his attackers and chided himself. The redhead recoiled, eyes frantically looking for the second Raven and finally spotting him in a heap against one of the walls. There was a gaping, jagged hole where his heart should be. It looked like someone had literally rammed a hand into his chest and ripped the organ out. Son of a bitch…

"Stay where you are Sanguine one. This battle is no longer yours."

Sanguine one? Reno thought as the voice addressed him. The Genesis... thing… turned and pierced him with such intense eyes that he fought a shiver. They were the color of raw Mako and as brighter than a full moon. Behind the glow was an intelligence that wasn't human. Instead of being afraid, an odd calmness settled over the redhead and he took a step back.

"An acquaintance of yours?" called Fuhito, regaining his composure.

"Nope," Reno replied. Though the being looked like Genesis and he could hear his voice mixed in with the others, it was clear that the auburn himself was not in control. Possessed? It didn't seem possible but his mind latched onto the idea.

"That so? You suddenly seem so calm."

"He may be lookin' at me but he's only got eyes for you yo."

"Meaning?"

"Yer fuckin' dead. You just ain't bright enough to realize it yet," Reno chuckled.

"I don't think so," replied the scientist, a malicious smirk playing on his lips. "Ravens! Kill them!"

Abruptly Fuhito was hidden behind a mass of Ravens. Reno did a quick count but stopped at 10. 10? Two were bad enough!

"Shit," the redhead muttered at the end of his rope. Like it or not his injuries were starting to catch up with him. The blood on his face didn't belong to him, rather to Fifty-Eight, but he'd still been stabbed twice, had a hung chunk of skin missing on his arm, and had been hit more times than he could remember. He was literally a walking poster boy for the phrase 'battered and bruised'. It was true the Genesis being had killed two Ravens in a heartbeat, but could he take on over 10? Even if he could, he was bound to be occupied and the Turk was going to have to fight for himself.

Suddenly Reno realized he was no longer holding his EMR. Double shit. A quick glance didn't reveal the weapon but he spotted Fifty-Eight's sword. Guess it'll have to do. He started to bend to retrieve the blade but was stopped by the Genesis being, who was now standing less than six inches in front of him. Reno's clothes and hair were whipped about and his skin and eyes stung from the Mako tornado. His eyes once again locked onto glowing Mako colored orbs.

"You must live."

The Turk didn't know what to say so he blinked stupidly in response. I must live? Must implied it was a necessity and while he didn't exactly want to die here, he didn't think he had to live. It wasn't like some catastrophic event will take place if he died. Simply put, life would go on with or with him.

After a minute or two that felt like forever the Genesis being turned away from him and faced Fuhito and his Ravens. "I will release your puppets today, however know you are next."

"We'll see about that," the scientist replied. He leapt into the air and hovered for a moment before disappearing down the side of the mountain. At least five Ravens followed him but eight remained.

Reno's eyes tracked Fuhito as he vanished. He would like to have believed the fall would kill him but knew that probably wouldn't happen. Somehow the bastard would survive. Although the thought was depressing the redhead felt hope. Fuhito may have gotten away today but for the first time since the battle with AVALANCHE had begun he could finally see an end to it.

The Turk's eyes were drawn forward by movement. The remaining Ravens had begun to inch closer to them. Unsure what to do he decided to remain motionless until told otherwise.

"Enter the Lifestream and find peace."

Reno cocked an eyebrow at the formal words. They sounded like a sad apology. Weird. The faint light emitted by the Mako tornado began to grow. It became so bright that the redhead had to close his eyes, but even through the closed lids he could tell it was still gaining in intensity. Suddenly there was a flash as bright as a solar flare and everything went dark.

Completely night-blind Reno fought a bout of panic. He had no weapon and his vision was covered with dancing spots of yellow, white, and orange. If anything attacked him now he was dead and he knew it. Something touched his face and he jerked backward, smacking his head on a wall and sliding to the ground. He felt like an idiot, a frightened child, but he couldn't seem to help it.

"Do not be afraid. I wish only to heal you."

The spots finally started to disappear as Reno's eyes adjusted to the darkness and the overly bright light faded to memory. He heard bare footsteps in front of him and his head snapped upward, locking with twin moons. The calmness that he'd lost returned and he sighed. The Mako surrounding the Genesis being once again began to glow, but it was nowhere near as intense as before. It condensed and hovered lazily toward him.

The redhead watched the fog approach and escaping didn't even cross his mind. Somehow he sensed it had a purpose and that it wasn't a threat so he did nothing. It was like watching a ghost and he was completely fascinated.

As it got closer, he felt faint warmth and slowly reached his left hand out. The mist sluggishly encased his fingers then began to coil up his arm like a snake. An inch away from exposed bone it paused and condensed, wrapping itself around the injury until he couldn't see through it at all. He felt warmth on his right side and instinctively his eyes darted in time to see a larger cloud settle next to him. The Turk watched it for a heartbeat then looked back at his left arm. It was completely healed, as was his palm, and the threadlike mist had vanished.

The redhead closed his eyes and sighed as the mist enveloped him. By now he accepted the fact that its intention was to heal him and he gratefully let it. Unlike a Potion or a Cure spell the healing fog didn't hurt, rather it was soothing, like sitting in a warm bathtub.

"I have done all I can for the Mercurial one. The rest is up to you."

The layered voice pulled Reno from his torpor and reminded him that things were not as they appeared. He lazily brought his left hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Who are you?" he asked quietly, wondering what came next. Now that the adrenaline was fading he was tired. Dead tired.

"Re… no?"

The Turk's eyes snapped open and his hand flew from his face. The voice no longer consisted of layers and the eyes, once glowing Mako green and full of otherworldly intelligence, were sky blue and unmistakably human.

"Gen?" whispered Reno, taken aback. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting but that hadn't been it. Guess I thought it'd vanish. After all, the Genesis being had materialized out of thin air. Why wouldn't it leave in the same fashion? Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized he'd thought the being was a ghost of some sort, maybe even a summons, and that it had taken on a shape he wasn't afraid of. Guess not.

The redhead's thoughts were interrupted by a loud thump as Genesis dropped the sword that he'd been clutching in his right hand. The auburn began to fall, as though the weight of the sword was pulling him to the ground along with it. As the STC came down hard on his knees Reno sprang forward and caught him, preventing him from falling any further.

"Re… no?"

"It's me yo," Reno replied nervously. The auburn's voice, usually so clear and melodic, was hoarse and raw like he'd gargled with pebbles. His eyes were still bright, but they were his own and full of raw panic, confusion, and fear. Tears began to stream out of his eyes and the redhead gently used a thumb to wipe them away. "Where have you been?"

"I…" Genesis trailed off.

As Reno watched the auburn's eyes became dull and lost focus, then he went totally limp. He called his name and shook him several times but Genesis was completely unresponsive. Not knowing what to do the Turk's senses became hyperactive and he realized the STC's clothes were wet and had a faint green coating. Even his hair had a green sheen to it. The hell? Finally his mind caught up and he realized it was Mako. Duh! At the realization the acrid smell of the stuff became almost overwhelming. He knew it was a stupid thing to be focusing on but at least it was keeping him from panicking.

The Turk bent over and pulled Genesis as close to him as possible. He was miles from help, literally out in the middle of nowhere, and didn't have a clue what to do. Least he's still breathing. He didn't seem to be having any trouble doing so either.

Lost in thought, Reno heard a noise behind him and his anger soared. Seriously? Come on, fucking SERIOUSLY? His patience had run out and his ability to cope was running dangerously thin. Not even while on the run from Shinra had he had this much shit thrown at him so fast. Whatever limit he had he'd reached it and gone past. On his knees with Genesis pressed up against his chest, he heard the noise again and his eyes roamed the area, looking for the sword the STC had dropped.

"Just fucking leave me alone godsdamnit!" he yelled, frustrated and unable to find the weapon. It couldn't have gone far! "I really, really am not in the fucking mood! You hear me?"

While yelling the last sentence Reno turned to face whoever, or whatever, was approaching from the rear. He pointed in the direction to emphasis his point and suddenly felt like his hand had been ripped apart. Dumbfounded, he pulled the appendage back and blinked at it. It appeared to be intact and working properly.

"The hell is… Reno? Reno are you down there?"

"A-angeal?"

"Yeah. Where's your opponent?"

"My… opponent?" the Turk parroted, confused. He quickly faced the other way as a pebble dropped in front of him. Within a heartbeat Angeal's head appeared, hanging upside from the trestle above. "What are you doing here?"

"Eh, now's not exactly the time for that. Something just attacked Rude."

"There's no one here but me and Gen."

Angeal cocked an eyebrow, dropped from the trestle, and approached the kneeling Turk. "Reno Gen is… here. What on Gaia is going on?" the SSC amended, confusion and concern lacing the words.

"Like you said, not the time yo," Reno replied. He repositioned the auburn and stood, carrying him bridal style. "We need to get out of here. Where's Rude?"

"Up there," replied the SSC, pointing at the trestle above their heads while staring at his best friend since childhood. He started to add more but the redhead was already halfway up the stairs. "Reno wait!"

Reno had mostly tuned Angeal out as his mind focused on one task: getting to safety. At this point he wasn't about to discuss what had happened because honestly, he didn't even know himself. I know, I just don't understand it. His only concern was getting Genesis somewhere safe and getting the Mako off him. Can't be good for him.

The Turk's eyes were downcast to watch his footing and as he cleared the stairs he saw a faint golden light. Figuring there must be a lantern or light somewhere he looked up, stopping in his tracks at the sight in front of him. Had his hands been free he would have rubbed his eyes, but they weren't so he scrunched them closed, wiggled them around, and opened them, hoping that cleared his vision. It didn't. "Angeal?" he yelled. "What the hell is that?"

"I tried to tell you," Angeal replied, jumping and landing next to the redhead on the trestle, Reno's EMR in hand. "Something attacked Rude."

"Uh-huh. Any idea what 'cause I ain't ever seen anything like this yo," stated the redhead, so emotionally drained he couldn't even muster up fear or concern.

"No clue."

"Uh-huh," Reno mumbled, gently placing Genesis on the ground. He'd rather hand the man off to Angeal but if they were under attack he needed the SOLDIER. Standing up, the Turk noted SSC's concern and sighed. "I promise I'll explain later. For now please just trust me. He'll be alright." I hope. The SSC nodded and the redhead once again faced forward.

15 feet away and in the middle of the monorail tracks stood a large golden pyramid. It was somewhat transparent and Reno could see Rude inside the thing. "I'm gonna assume this is a spell. Which way did it come from?" asked the Turk, taking his EMR from the SOLDIER without looking. Relief washed over him at the familiarity of the weapon.

"Down below," Angeal replied.

"No one but Gen and me down there," stated Reno. As soon as he said it he thought one of the Ravens must still be alive. That stopped him as he realized he didn't know what happened to them to begin with.

"I didn't see anyone else, but then who were you yelling at?"

"I was yellin' at you! I thought you were another enemy!" Reno snapped, exasperated. As his frustration built his left hand began to ache and he shook it. The motion reminded him of Genesis and it took him a minute to figure out why.

While the pair had been on the run from Shinra, he'd seen Genesis shake his hands several times. At the time he hadn't given it much thought but later realized it was some type of warning just before the auburn cast a spell. Without Materia… "No fuckin' way," he whispered, staring at his hand like he'd never seen it before.

"What?" Angeal asked, snapping his sword into fighting position. He lowered it in confusion as the redhead slowly moved toward the pyramid.

Reno strode toward the pyramid and stopped six inches in front of one of its walls. Inside, Rude turned to face him and wiggled his tie before falling still. "Can ya hear me yo?"

"Yes," replied the bald man, sounding like he was at the bottom of a well.

"Fuckin' weird," Reno whispered, slowly walking around the thing. "Ya tried to hit it?"

"Yes," Rude called. "So did Angeal."

Reno nodded and reached out to touch it. As his fingers made contact the pyramid shimmered, then burst into thousands of tiny golden particles. Looks like it's rainin' glitter.

"How did yo-" Angeal began, trotting forward. The sentence was cut off as he ran smack into the wall of a new pyramid. Confused, he took a step back and eyed the Turks through a golden haze. Rude was staring at his partner, eyebrow raised. Reno was facing him with his left arm stretched toward him.

"Red?"

"Yo?"

"This something new?"

"Yep."

"You have Materia?"

"Nope."

"Alright then."

Reno snorted and smirked, surprised the bald man was letting the matter drop so easily. Probably hound me later. He walked toward Genesis, touching the new pyramid and freeing Angeal as he went. Reaching the STC, he bent down, picked him up, and faced his two companions. Rude moved toward him and Angeal stared at him, face part suspicion, part confusion. "Q & A later okay? Right now let's go."

"Shouldn't we investigate the area? And the reactor?" Rude asked.

"We got the proof we needed. I'll call Tseng and Shinra can send out SOLDIERs and scientists to investigate," replied Reno, adjusting the bundle in his arms. He tossed a look over his shoulder toward the reactor. "Fuck this place."

"Where are we going?" Rude asked, joining his partner with the SSC trailing behind him.

"Anywhere but here Rude. Any fuckin' where but here."