"You seem better" Elena said on Monday, when Turks had a meeting, including the trainees.
"Yeah, I… Made some exercises" Rude lied, hoping she wouldn't suspect anything.
"Where is Reno?"
"I have…" he looked around, realizing his partner was the only one missing from the room. "No idea."
"Maybe you should call him."
"He is probably still in bed, I won't be surprised."
At the very same moment red haired entered the hall and almost all eyes turned on him. There was something different about him, Elena noticed. He was moving confidently, almost arrogant, without his arm splint, surprisingly he healed too.
"Thank you for making time and stopping by, Reno." Tseng remarked on his lateness. Some laughed.
"Is that Reno?" two girls of the trainees whispered to each other. "Damn, he is so hot!"
"Look at his hair."
"Look at his eyes!"
Marlene was among them, she was the youngest of all, didn't miss the comments and found them pretty annoying. She thought it would be childish to point out it was her training with him.
In the group of the new ones were also two boys, one around 20, one maybe a few years older. This time they were all allowed because of the crisis situation Shinra had.
"Colleagues" Tseng stood before them, since he returned he was leading the department again. "Considering latest misfortune events, me and the president decided it would be wise for now to dismiss field training and do the classes of the trainees at the base."
Grunting and whistling came from the group of the new ones.
"Silence!" Rude shout and trainees kept quiet, looking shocked. Marlene was pleased.
"Elena and I will meet you in half an hour by the training rooms, you may find the location on the map on your devices. As for the others" he looked at Reno and Rude" there is some paper work on my desk, be kind and help me with it."
"You kidding me, man?" Reno raised his hands. "What the hell have we done to you?"
"Hey, guys!"
Marlene stopped before them. She looked so grown up and mature, wearing Turk's costume, with a black tie.
"Hey, my favorite trainee!" Reno leaned arm on her shoulder and gave her a wide smile. "You got from the first round, huh?"
"You look different" she noticed.
Rude's eyes squint behind the glasses.
"Am I?"
"Less dead than the last time I saw you."
They both laughed.
"You'll miss your training, Tseng will give you some more lectures, go."
"Glad to see you are alright!" she left, waving.
"You know him?" Both girls were waiting aside and jumped on her when she went to the door. "You actually talk to him?!"
"Yeah, well, I just…"
"You must introduce us to him, right away!"
"We have training, maybe after we…"
"Right now, girl. You go back now and let him talk to us. Now."
Marlene felt uncomfortable, she couldn't do that. Yet, those girls were talking to her only because they saw her with Rude and Reno, and didn't even speak to her before.
"Ladies" Rude saw the situation and came to help. "Director is waiting for you at the training room."
"Yes, we were about to talk with…"
"I believe it's time to go now."
He was strict and authoritative, watching them from above and showing them there was no place for kidding around.
"Yes, sir" both left through the door. He gave Marlene a quick, encouraging smile and turned back to Reno, who was complaining about the paperwork.
"It won't be done itself, let's go" Rude resigned. "I'll grab sandwiches, you get the coffee. See you there."
"Paperwork" Reno was cursing, signing the thousand of documents on the pile in Tseng's office, the one at right didn't decrease at all. "He gave us paperwork! Why didn't give it to the trainees?"
He drank the last of his third coffee and smashed the folder on the desk.
"Because we are the only authorized to do this" Rude was in his dark mood again. "The pleasure of being in a high position."
"Pleasure, indeed" Reno was chewing the pen, hoping his teeth would leave marks, it was an incredibly expensive pen.
"Kid seemed stressed" Rude brought up the question. "Hope new trainees won't ruin the experience for her. She wanted to be accepted so badly."
"She is too young to be here" Reno left the pen and raised his legs on the desk. "When we joined, we were twice her age."
"Times are difficult. Shinra needs every single unit it could afford."
"Not kids, man. I am also surprised Barret left her join after what happened with her parents."
"It is her choice, sooner or later she would apply. Not a good thing to stop your kids from making their own decision."
"Like you know something about it" Reno blew away the hair from his eyes and got the next paper. "We will get old here."
"Then keep signing."
It was late noon when Tseng came back from training.
"What have you done here?"
His entire desk was covered in sandwich wraps and empty coffee cups. Rude was sleeping on his chair, covering his face with a document, Reno connected three other chairs and lay on them, his legs still couldn't fit.
"Shhh, it's Sunday" red haired raised a hand.
"We've done all the work, you're welcome."
"You actually did all of it" he stopped by his desk, checking the documents. "Can't believe it. You can go now, anyway there's nothing else to do."
"You won't move me even with a drawing machine…" Reno was saying, when Tseng pulled the chair and he almost fell on the ground. "Ok, ok, nice attitude."
"How was it with the trainees?" Rude removed his glasses and pressed the space between his eyes, then yawned."
"Poor" Tseng was taking the trash out of his desk and started sorting the papers. "Three of five maybe will pass. They think this is a joke, like an amusement park. Tragic image."
"Tell me about the tragedy, since I've signed a million of papers" Reno left the room with the idea to find a quiet corner, maybe at some window, and continue his nap. "Why is he torturing us like this?"
"Maybe he knows about the reactor."
"He doesn't know about the reactor" Reno retorted.
"People notice a change."
"Don't be paranoid, Rude, people always talk, with or without cause. Seriously, I'm going to have some sleep. Hope they won't call us again."
"I can't sleep after that much coffee." Rude said. "Going to train a little."
"You do that."
Reno turned back to his room, shut all the curtains and didn't even bother reaching his bed, fell on the couch and covered his eyes with a hand.
