Chapter Six
The Dream
A/N: So, to progress with the story, I had to seriously update this specific chapter before I can edit and post the following chapter. One individual left a comment stating that if Alia is one of the people who saved the planet and fought Sephiroth, then she should be more badass in this fight scene. And I agree so I completely changed the fighting scene. I hope it's to everyone's liking :)
Edited and Reposted: 5/27/23
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII does not belong to me, I personally own Alia, any other OCs, and this fanfiction. I hold no Copyright over any direct quotes used from FFVII, FFVII: Remake, or FFVII Advent Children.
~ oOo ~
Darkness was all she could see, it was all she could feel; it surrounded her very existence until it made her feel completely numb, cold to the bone. Alia glanced around for any source of light she could find. On instinct, her feet began to move, not knowing what direction she was going as she still couldn't see. Alia ran as far as her body allowed her. Sweat trickled down her brow, breath coming in short gasps as her muscles began to cramp. Seconds, minutes, hours, even days could have passed and she would not have noticed. Time was elusive in this hell; Alia was on the verge to scream.
All she wanted was her redheaded male.
"Reno!" she screamed into the everlasting darkness. But all she heard was the echo of her own voice. Stopping in the unknown spot where she stood, Alia turned, only to find she was swirling in all directions. She didn't know where to look or what to do.
"RENO!" She screamed, her voice bouncing off the invisible walls that surrounded the darkness. Taking a deep breath, Alia wiped her forehead, unsure whether what she cleared was sweat or tears.
"…Alia."
Alia turned. She swore she heard something other than her ragged breathing. There was nothing around her; only the impenetrable darkness.
"A-Alia…help me."
She had heard it that time!
"Reno?! Where are you!" She began to run again, the mumbling and groaning only grew louder. Whoever it was kept repeating her name until it was vibrating within her ears. "I'm coming, Reno! I know that's you! Where the hell are you?"
"Alia!"
The sound of his voice made the woman stop dead in her tracks. It was definitely Reno – she
knew his voice anywhere. "Where are you?!"
"I'm r-right…here…"
Alia didn't know why, but something made her turn around one more time, and part of her wished she hadn't. She could see something form in the dark. The outline was all she could see, it was taller than her and the more she concentrated, the more defined it became. A crisp white shirt, black trousers, and jacket, along with flame-red hair came into view. She sighed in relief until the straightened figure collapsed to the ground. A gasp escaped her lips as she fell to her knees, hands forming around his face.
"Oh my god…Reno! Reno, what happened to you?"
Glancing down at his body his white shirt was now practically ripped to shreds while blood oozed out of several deep slashes. Looking further down, a tear leaked from the corner of her eye as she realized Reno had several stab wounds in his lower abdomen. Pulling off her jacket, she all but slammed the fabric into his wounds to stop the bleeding.
But something deep within her told her it was too late.
"Alia…"
"No…" she replied, tears unwillingly flowing from her face. "This is not the end, I won't let it be the end."
"Alia…" His hand pulled her face to look at his. Even in the darkness, Alia could see how pale and defeated he looked. "You have to let me go…If you let me go, that means you could live."
"Reno, what are you talking about?"
"I…need you to run away from this place, Alia. Please, I'm saving you, but you need to trust me."
"You're saving me by dying?! Why do you think that'll help me in any form?!"
"…Alia."
"No!" She squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't…I can't live without you Reno…"
"Yes, you can. You are so unbelievably strong-willed and independent…you can do anything without me."
"Don't say it."
"Alia…let me go. I don't…have much time left."
"No, no, no, no!" Blood was now soaking through her shirt, leaving nothing behind as it stained her fingers. Her stomach began to grow queasy, worry gnawing at the thought she might lose the man she loved most. She skimmed her blood-drenched fingers across his pale cheek, unable to believe how cold his skin was. In the wake of moving her fingers, a trail of thick blood fell behind, dripping from his cheek as it trailed to the ground below.
"Alia…please remember…that I will always love you…with all…my heart…" His body grew limp, Alia now unable to accept the fact that Reno had just perished in her arms.
"No…please, Reno, don't leave me. RENO!"
Screaming, her head fell to his lifeless chest, his body withholding from moving as the man was now dead. She screamed and cried, thrashing her bloody hands against his body, hoping that her hits would bring the man back to life. Minutes passed as tears continued to fall from her eyes while Reno lay motionless beneath her. Deciding it was time, as there was nothing she could do to turn back time, Alia straightened, keeping her sight downward as she could only gawk at the blood staining her hands.
The moment she dared to glance up, however, was when another blood-curdling scream escaped past her lips. Reno's body had been before her, and when she dared to glance up, she assumed that was the image she'd have to face. Except, Reno was now nowhere to be seen.
Replacing his body was now her own.
In his stead, her perished eyes peered straight up into her own. Unable to look away, Alia was faced to stare into her own dead eyes, the smear of blood in the same location where she had touched Reno, the same cotton fabric covering the wound upon her abdomen. Not sure what to do, not understanding what she was truly witnessing, Alia reached her hand out, needing to know…had she even seen Reno die? Or had it been her this entire time?
Fingertips barely brushing the softness of her skin did Alia harshly pull her hand away as if she had been burned. The head snapped in Alia's direction, eyelids suddenly opening to reveal her exact pair of eyes: one red with a black, vertical slit and the other being her mako blue-green. They stared on as Alia stared back, completely perplexed. Not knowing what else to do, the female extended her hand once again, needing to touch what lay before her very eyes. Just as she was about to do so, two different circumstances occurred.
The first: the body opened its mouth and said, "You're next."
The second: the body immediately disintegrated, plumes of dust following behind the evaporation as the woman once gazed upon herself, but now was left to stare at nothing.
~ oOo ~
"NOOOOOOOO!"
"Alia, Alia! Wake up – damn it, wake up!" Her shoulders were shaking and a cold drench plastered against her brow but finally, she had the strength to open her eyes. A blurred vision was all she could see. Seconds passed before the obscured images gradually became clearer.
The moment she could truly see, there was barely any light, the only source came from the lamp beside Reno. It cast an eerie glow across the room as a shiver was sent down her spine. She could see the window along the far wall, the darkness outside still emanating from the night. It seemed the sun hadn't risen yet.
"Alia, can you hear me?"
Blinking a few more times, the redhead came into view, his face etched with concern. The moment their eyes locked was when she lost her self-control. She could see everything once more. His blood-drenched shirt, the stab wounds, her bloodied hands, his last words before he died in her arms. It was enough to send a wave of nausea up through her throat and she had to breathe in deeply to keep her stomach in tack.
But it wasn't just Reno she was remembering. Alia could still see her body saying "You're next" as her mirrored self disintegrated right before her very eyes.
She tried blinking to clear her head, but as she looked at Reno who reached out his hand to stroke her cheek. A cry escaped her lips as she leaped forward, arms entangling around Reno's neck, choking him as she stiffened her grasp relentlessly. Reno stumbled back slightly from her force, still holding the woman in his arms. Her cries grew louder, her crying harder, and her pain threatened to break his very being.
Reno rubbed up and down her back, trying his best to calm her shot nerves. Her shoulders slightly slumped downwards as her body began to relax after several moments, but the crying wouldn't cease nor would her grip around his neck. Minutes continued to pass and the two stayed in their positions, neither one backing down. Reno's heart broke. He couldn't stand to see Alia in such a state as he wondered what the hell she had been dreaming about. He couldn't imagine what had made her scream in such a manner.
Eventually, Alia's cries turned to trembling sobs, her tears began to stop soaking his shirt. Reno held her in his arms, carefully laying her back down, her whimpers still echoing throughout the otherwise silent room. When on her side, Reno reached to turn the light off but Alia snatched his hand away before he could even touch it. "Please," she said hoarsely, her voice barely a whisper. "Don't turn off the light."
He was taken aback by her words; Alia was never one to be afraid of the dark. If anything, she always embraced it. Cradling her cheek did he gently ask, "Why not peaches?"
"Please, I just…I just don't want it to be dark…" She threw her face into her hands and the tears flowed once again. Not as heavily this time though Reno knew something must have scared the living hell out of her, he had never seen her so frightened, especially not from a mere dream.
"Shhh," he whispered, thumb cradling the side of her jaw, softly rubbing the skin as she gradually lowered her hands, reddened eyes seeking his. "I'll leave it on just for you."
"It was so dark…You, I couldn't find you anywhere, and then…she, I…?" Water flowed slowly from her eyes as sleep began to take its course once again throughout her body.
Not knowing whether he should nudge the woman to explain her statement, Reno opted to not say anything. Instead, he grabbed the covers to pull them over her slender body, wanting her to fall back into a deep sleep, hoping that whatever it was she had been dreaming about would not disturb her slumber again. Alia's eyelids gradually closed though she forced them open several times, always ensuring her eyes found his. Understanding, Reno curled her body into his, hand grasping hers, his words the last she heard before finally succumbing to sleep.
"I will always be here for you, Aliana."
~ oOo ~
Cold and warm were the first sensations Reno experienced as he awoke from a deepened slumber. Since being awoken by Alia's screams, Reno spent most of the night switching between sleep and being awake as he wanted to keep an eye on Alia, double-checking if she would suffer from another nightmare. It was about two in the morning when Alia started screaming, close to two-thirty by the time she fell back asleep, and it was nearing six when Reno decided to finally close his own eyes.
Blinking his eyes open, Reno rolled onto his side to toss an arm over Alia. Or, instead of her warm body, his arm was met with the empty bed space she claimed as her spot. Eyes fully opened, Reno stretched his stiff limbs, arms raised above his head as he looked around the room, seeing how she wasn't in bed nor anywhere else in the room. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the male opened his lips to call for the woman when the bathroom door opened. Alia walked out into the bedroom, pinning her hair up into a messy bun, her body halting as she noticed the redhead was awake. Watching her boyfriend smirk caused Alia's lip to lift into a smirk of her own. Stepping inside the closet, she emerged, having replaced her pajamas with black running shorts and a matching sports bra. Catching Reno's sight again, the female cast her head away, not wanting the man to see the heat cascading across her cheeks.
Well hello, the redhead thought.
"Good morning, Reno," Alia's smooth voice entered his ears. As she searched through a drawer to find a pair of socks as Reno continued to stare in wondrous awe.
"Well, good morning peaches." Finding what she was looking for, Alia walked towards Reno's side, quickly pecking a brief kiss upon his lips; Reno could taste the mint on her breath. "So, I see you're going for a run."
"…yeah," she replied, sitting on the edge of the bed to place both her socks and shoes on. "I just…after last night, I need to go let off some steam."
"You remember what happened?"
She nodded as Reno stood from the bed to stretch his tense back, a few pops echoed from his spine, causing the man to sigh in relief. He understood Alia's reasoning, but with everything going on about the strange group that was for some reason tracking her down, he didn't like the idea of her being out on her own. Yet, he couldn't stop her. The man wanted to protect Alia but Reno didn't want it to become obvious that something was going on while keeping her from doing the activities she loves to do.
"Listen, you do what you gotta do, ok? But," he kneeled in front of her as she put on her second shoe. "Do you wanna talk about what happened peaches?"
"Y-yes…" she pulled a few strands of loose hair behind her ear. "But, first I'd like to go out and think about what happened. I'm still kinda scared at what I saw."
"I can only imagine, peaches," he leaned forwards and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Where are you running to?"
"Probably to Zack's sword again, I know it might be pretty far but it's a good run. I won't be around any civilians so I can just let loose."
Reno smirked. He especially didn't want her going that far but refrained from saying anything on the matter. Alia could do whatever she damn well pleased; no one could stop her. Sighing as he stood, Reno walked toward his nightstand opening the bottom drawer. Removing several items only to be placed on the bed, Reno finally grabbed what he was looking for and then walked back to Alia who was now standing.
Extending the item in his hand to Alia, Reno said, "Here, it'll make me feel better if you took this with you."
Taking the item, Alia glanced over the object, smiling when she realized it was her special weapon. The small, metal rod was roughly four inches in length accompanied by an attached belt. When extended, the weapon would then increase to over three feet in length. Smiling as she immediately knew what it was, she cried, "My EMR! Did you get it fixed?"
"Of course I did. Fixed all the faulty wiring so the electricity works again and I added a special feature to it. Here, I'll show you." Alia handed the weapon to Reno and took a few steps back. With the EMR in hand, Reno flicked his wrist downwards and the metal rod went from its tiny form and expanded in the familiar three-foot weapon that resembled his. Swinging the weapon around, Reno pushed a tiny button on the side and it retracted back to its smaller form in less than a second. "See? The button makes it easier to retract the weapon to its smaller size." He noticed the smile creep upon her face. "Pretty cool, doncha think?"
"Hell yeah, it's pretty freaking cool!" Taking the weapon into her hand, she inspected the material, familiarizing herself with the item as Reno had kept it to be fixed for several weeks. Looking closely to inspect the weapon, she was surprised to find he had neatly cleaned all nicks and crevices on the device. Additionally, what caught her eye next, was the engraving print along the side. She had never seen it before, leaving her to deduce this had recently been added.
On the side, it said: Forever yours, peaches.
"Oh, Reno…" Alia said slowly, running her fingers over the engraving as tears welled in her eyes.
She looked up to find his eyes staring deeply at her. Reno was mesmerized by her beauty, the way she was basked in the early morning sunlight pouring in from the windows. The way she looked up the engraving he had put onto her EMR had his heart skipping a beat. He knew she would be surprised by the gesture; he just didn't know how much. "Reno…I absolutely love it." She stood on her tiptoes, kissed his lips then wrapped her arms around his neck, tightly hugging him. His arms encircled hers. The two of them basked in the warm, morning light filtering through the window.
Alia eventually pulled back to examine the casing, the hard leather would withstand attacks from monsters or people depending on the situation. Wrapping the leather band around her waist, she buckled the strap until it was tight, slightly dangling off to one side. Once in a comfortable position, she placed the tiny EMR into the pouch against her back, thrilled at what Reno had done to her returned weapon. She twirled, testing to see whether it would move as she did but was impressed that it didn't. What made this small gesture even more lovely was how this specific EMR was the one she took that night on top of the pillar in Sector Seven. Although she had given the weapon back to Reno when she learned he had lived through the attack on Midgar, he had gifted it right back the night he asked Alia to be his girlfriend.
"You approve, babe?"
"Hell yeah I do, this thing is awesome! I can't believe you did something like this for me it's…" Alia swiped at her eye, feeling moisture collect in the corner. She was flabbergasted at this simple but wonderful gift. "I absolutely love it Reno, thank you so much." She leaned on her tiptoes to give him another kiss as she cast her eyes to the clock on the nightstand. Before she could speak, Reno opened his mouth first.
"Hey, can you…please take this with you when you go?"
"Huh? You want me to take my EMR with me on my run? How come?"
"I heard that there might be an increase of monsters roaming in the direction you're headed and I want you to be prepared." He held up his hand as she was about to counter. "Yeah, yeah, I know you've learned much from Tifa about hand-to-hand combat and can take care of yourself, but I'd feel a lot better if you took it with you. It's a lot smaller than your blades, wouldn't you say?"
Glancing down at her side, she sighed and smirked at the same time. Alia was completely confused about the situation. She hasn't heard the same news Reno stated about the monsters but, maybe he had been looking it up while he was waiting for her at Healen yesterday? Smiling, she stepped forward more into Reno's space, smiling upward at him. "All right, because you asked so nicely, I'll take it with me. And with that, I'm gonna get going. You know me, I like to get started early rather than later." She headed towards the door and then took a peek back at Reno who was still clad in his boxers and nightshirt. "Wanna join?"
Reno laughed. "Me? As in…go running, with you?" She nodded, the smile bright on her face. "You're real funny babe. There's no way in hell you could ever get me to go running for fun, yo." They both walked through the door and made their way downstairs.
"All right, but if you're ever in a pinch and need to get away, don't blame me when you realize your fat ass can't run as fast as me."
Reno snaked his arm around her waist, pushing the woman up against the front door, her minty breath mixing with his morning one. "…what did you just call me?" He dangerously whispered.
"You heard me," she countered slowly.
He chuckled, absolutely loving it when she threatened him back. Reno had never before met a woman who openly challenged him as much as Alia did, not giving in just so he could get what he wanted. "Oh, you'll pay for that one, Alia."
"For what? Calling you a fat ass?"
"Oh, that's it." He silenced her with his mouth, hands reaching for her wrists to hold them against the wall above her head. Alia struggled beneath his grasp though she almost gave in. Their lips molded into one and Alia had to bite her tongue to keep from gasping out of excitement. There it was again – she was completely aroused at what Reno was doing to her but she just couldn't simply give in to the feelings. Reno could sense her inner confusion and let go, Alia's lips were red and slightly swollen at his passionate kiss.
She was confused and blinked several times. "W-why'd you pull away?"
"What, did you want to continue, peaches?" Reno leaned in closer until their noses were barely touching.
"What? I-I, well…"
He kissed her forehead. "It's ok, babe. I won't do anything until you want to, remember that." Opening the door, he held it open and watched as she grew even more confused; Alia then stepped outside of the apartment. "Look, just go for a run, stay safe and I'll see you what…in two, maybe three hours or so?"
"Yeah…something like that."
"You ok babe?"
"Just thinking, I just…" She shook her head. "Nah, we can talk when I get back." She gave him a swift kiss on his cheek before leaving down the hall towards the elevator and Reno's sight.
Shutting the door and then glancing around the apartment, Reno wondered what he should do in his spare time. Should he shower, clean, or do whatever the fuck he wanted? Knowing Alia, she'll be gone longer than an hour so….if I'm not lazy, I could do all three, Reno thought as he rubbed the back of his neck. Walking back up the stairs, he opted to first take a shower so he knew for sure that he would at least be clean by the time Alia came back. After that, he didn't know what the fuck he would do.
~ oOo ~
Out in the open air, Alia once again felt the breeze graze her face as she bound through Edge, soon making her way out of the city. She wasn't relaxed as she had been yesterday; there was more than enough on her mind to keep her from enjoying a favorite pastime. But today, she just needed to get out of the apartment – not necessarily to get away from Reno, but the feelings she had experienced within the last twenty-four hours.
Alia thought she would still be bothered about what transpired between her and Reno about their sexless relationship but, especially with what happened right before she left, she knew Reno truly wouldn't do anything until she was ready. And god was she hoping it wasn't far off where she would just give in to her desires. Deep down, Alia knew she was ready to join herself with Reno, but there was that one thought holding her back. And she was getting sick of it; although Reno would never admit it, she knew he wanted to make love to her, to have sex with her, to fuck her. She knew he wanted to do any and everything she felt safe with. And the more she thought about that, the more selfish it made her feel.
Speeding past the outskirts of the city, Alia made her way towards Zack's sword, this time, contemplating on the dream she had. Too grotesque, in my opinion, she thought. What the fuck was it supposed to mean though? Yeah, I'm fucking scared about losing Reno…scared more than anything else. But why would I dream…about something murdering him? Seriously, what the fucks up with that?
And then…what about the end? What was that, seeing Reno turn into me? But it wasn't just him becoming me, it was the fact that it was the same. My mere image had the same bloody wounds in the abdomen and across the body as Reno had. My discolored eyes were the same, down to the black vertical pupil I gained from Professor. Hojo's experiments. What was worse was my voice at the end, saying that…I was next?
Head shaking violently, Alia cast the memory away. She wanted nothing to do with it until she decided to explain everything to Reno later in the day.
By the time she was close to the familiar cliff, the sun had steadily risen, the warmth casting itself onto Alia's skin, knowing she'd have a nice tan within the next few days. Running the familiar, winding path up the hill leading to her old friend's, and her brother's, sword, Alia slowed her pace until she gradually came to a stop. Beads of sweat drench her face, leaving her to wipe her forehead with the back of a hand. Tears or sweat she couldn't tell the difference, she just wiped it all away. Walking towards the edge of the cliff, Alia looked across the vast distance that stood between her and where Reno awaited.
"Gaia, I just can't lose that man. If anything were to befall unto him, I have no fucking clue what I would do." Kicking a nearby stone off the cliff, she listened to the echoes it made as it tumbled downwards, bouncing off the rock face as it fell.
Looking back on their relationship, she knew deep in her gut that Reno Sinclair was the one. Her spunky redhead was, whether she realized it or not, everything she had been looking for. From the moment their hands linked in Sector Five when he found in laying in a rubble of steel, she could feel an electrical current flowing through their beings. The stolen glances, the touches, and the notes they left for each other had meant the world to her as they were running to defeat Sephiroth. Even when Diamond Weapon's final attack seemingly destroyed the Shinra building, Alia could not contain the distraught she felt in believing Reno had died in the incident. In the following weeks when she learned he had survived, she knew to never let the man go.
In the two years following Sephiroth's death, Alia and Reno established a loving relationship, one that was built on trust, love, and companionship. She adored Reno as she had with no other man - besides her brother and friends. In their time together, there was only one truth she had hidden from her redhead, and with the conversation they had last night, it seemed the discussion to finally divulge that truth was soon to occur. Wholeheartedly, she did believe Reno would never leave her. But this truth was the deepest, darkest secret she kept from everybody. The only reason Cloud was the only individual on Gaia to know is that he's the one who saved her, he's the reason she fled to Midgar in an attempt to escape. If he had not convinced her to try and join SOLDIER in Midgar, she would have been a shell of her former self forever.
She would have been lost because of Zane for the rest of her life.
Crunch.
"…hmm?" Turning around, Alia scanned her surroundings, not sure what would make a sudden sound. Besides the wind, it was always deadly quiet when she was out here. Peering over the edge, she tried to see if there had been something at the bottom of the cliff where a rock had possibly fallen to cause such a noise. But there was nothing. Could it have been a monster?
…or a person? Maybe she wasn't as alone as she thought she was.
Hairs upon her arms beginning to rise, she rubbed them down, suddenly self-conscious about her surroundings. "Whoever is out there you better show yourself!" Facing the area behind her, Alia was left confused. Surely there wasn't anything, or anyone, out here besides herself, there just couldn't - shouldn't - be. Nothing was out here for miles and it was also in the complete opposite direction of both Kalm and Healen. It was only when she turned back towards the sword memorial that she heard -
"Oh my, the fair lady does have a bite!"
Whipping around, a small gasp escaped Alia's mouth as she noticed a man standing behind her some distance away. Black jeans, tight black shirt, short black hair with deep set eyes. This man's outer layer screamed nonchalant but Alia could tell that there was something off about this person. This man held a darker side than what people could visually see. There was roughly a twenty-foot gap between the two but the man decided said gap wasn't good enough and took a few steps forward, followed by Alia taking a few steps back, realizing that she was ridiculously close to the edge.
Didn't matter, she could always jump down when needed, but at that moment, she was still slightly scared of the current situation. She blinked as the man still drew toward her, closer than he had a mere half a second ago.
"Come now, Alia. I heard you always had perfect manners. Why haven't you said hello?"
She swallowed; he knew her name. How did he know her name? "Who the hell are you?"
"Now, now, that wasn't very polite, my dear. My name? It doesn't matter – but what is important is that I would like to spar with you. Care to join me?" He held out his hand and waited patiently for Alia to grasp it. The man's voice was low and smooth. There was an eerie calmness about this man that raged war within Alia, telling her to get as far away from him as possible. But her legs wouldn't move, there was a stupid part of her that wanted to know how this man suddenly appeared and why he wanted to fight her. Why fight, above all things?
"…why?" was the stupid question she ended up asking.
He laughed. "'Why,' she asks. You see, my darling Alia, I just want to test your strength. I know all about your infamous abilities. Your ability to use mastered materia without any effort, for starters," he took a step forward. "Your ability to use dual scythe blades as your main weapon," and another. "You rarely require the aid of any potions," another. "And, most importantly, you're the twin sister of Cloud. Your body has been completely infused with mako, far from the simple injections SOLDIER candidates use to take; I'd love to test that out," and finally, he took one more until he was only a few feet away. Her heart quickened as her eyes widened. "Ah, I see I've scared you. Now you must be wondering how I know all that information. Well my dear, when you're a former member of AVALANCHE and one of the people who saved the planet, you become quite famous."
"I'll ask you again," Alia gritted her teeth together, this person suddenly pissing her off. "Who the hell are you and what do you want with me?"
"I was told you were smarter than this. Alia, I want to fight you."
"Leave me the hell alone. I don't know who you are or why the fuck you want to fight me but please leave."
"Ah, language my dear. Not good for someone who's destined to save the planet."
"Now who's the 'not-so-smart' one, eh? I saved the planet two years ago with my friends. I don't know what you're talking about having to 'save' it again." Reaching to her side, Alia's fingers graced the leather casing of her EMR and she mentally thanked Gaia that Reno had told her to take it this morning. Sliding it from its case, she flicked her wrist, expanding the weapon to its full length.
The creepy, though admiringly handsome man, if she had to be honest, grinned and reached down to pull two daggers from sheaths connected to each hip, the tips of each blade were curved and deadly sharp, even from her vantage point. The man's grin widened as he held a weapon in each hand. "Alia, if you're so bent on not fighting me, why is it you have a weapon in your hand?"
"The same reason you grasped yours. I had a feeling you would attack me and I was told to be prepared today for monsters."
"I am no monster, my dear."
"Not through my eyes."
"Don't fret my lovely, I plan to attack you as long as I need to learn everything about your skills."
Alia's grip tightened on her EMR, the other hand clenched tightly into a fist her fingernails created crescent-shaped cuts into her palm. "Seriously, what is this with you wanting to fight me of all people? What good will come out of it?"
"Good? Knowing that my master will be pleased with the way you fight?"
She lowered her weapon slightly; confusion and shock riddled her face. "…m-master?"
The creepy man took his chance. Just as Alia lowered her guard, the man leaped towards her and slid his daggers in front of her, meaning to shred the skin on her chest. Seeing right through his attack, Alia threw her weapon before her just in the nick of time, cutting off the man's attacks. Thrusting the weapon forward, she flung the male backward several hundred feet, his body skidding into the dirt creating a dust plume surrounding his form. Immediately bouncing off the ground as soon as he landed, the man pounded toward Alia who crouched, waiting to take down this unknown assailant. As he flew straight towards her at an extremely quickened speed, the woman was ready to aim her attack when the man instantaneously vanished from her view, leaving behind nothing but footprints in the dirt. Blinking, Alia held her guard keeping her sight forward, using her ears to cast around her for what she couldn't see. For a moment, nothing surrounded her.
"You forgot to look behind you!"
As she turned, Alia was to be kicked in the side when she lifted her leg. Limbs colliding, the force shoved both participants backward, leaving the male closest to the edge. Skidding across the dirt, Alia nearly fell though she quickly regained her balance. Across from her, the man was eyeing her suspiciously. Staring right back, it was now Alia's turn to make the first move as she used her quickened speed, zigzagging her way toward her opponent. Just as she faced him, Alia twirled, jamming her EMR into the man's side, sending him flying off the cliff towards its base.
Standing there, she breathed slightly heavily. Legs at a widened stance, Alia cocked the weapon over her shoulders as she peered over the edge, unable to see the bottom due to its angle. Clicking her tongue, she was left wondering what the fuck was happening and whether the man would return. Several moments passed and nothing happened, leaving Alia to chuckle as she stepped backward.
"That was fucking pathetic."
A hand suddenly clenching her hair, Alia's face was thrashed into the dirt, rocks piercing her skin as sand made its way directly into her eye. Grunting, she was met with the man jamming her face further into the ground as he brought one of his daggers toward her skin. Dragging the sharpened edge along her cheek, he wasn't polite as he etched a line from her chin up to her temple. Watching from below as the asshole brought the blood-covered tip to his mouth, she could only gawk as he licked the small amount of blood from the darkened steel.
Gasping in disbelief, Alia twisted her frame, ignoring the threat of his second blade as she curled her body, forcing her knee into his side. Falling to his knee, the male saw straight through her attack as he thrust his second blade down right to her face though Alia also saw through his actions, sparring the threat by blocking the weapon with her own. Sparks ignited, flashing around them as they stared heavily at one another.
"Give in," the man suddenly stated, sneering down at her.
Growling, Alia spoke through clenched teeth. "Never, you fucking bastard. Besides, wasn't this whole ordeal just to see me fight? Why are you acting as if you're trying to kill me?"
The man dared to laugh. "Well, my master did tell me not to kill you but he didn't say that I couldn't play with you."
"'Play with me'? You…FUCKER!" Shoving her knee straight up to where the sun didn't shine, Alia slammed her limb into the man's balls, effectively causing him to produce a high-pitched groan, collapsing to the side. Taking advantage of the situation, Alia straddled the man, one knee bent upward, ready to run if need be. Jamming her EMR horizontally into the man's throat, she pushed down on the weapon, causing the man's face to instantly turn red from blood loss. "Tell me the true reason why you're here! How do you know who I am? What master are you referring to?!"
Coughing, the man wheezed against her strength. "Psh, you think…I'll reveal everything to you…because you asked?" She applied more pressure, the man was barely able to breathe at this point. "All right, a-all right! Just…loosens the weapon and-and I'll t-talk!"
It was her time to sneer. "Ha! You think I'm gonna believe that? Think again."
Taking a moment to breathe through his nose, the man was surprisingly calm when he replied, "Heh, you're one…tough little shit. Good thing I'm tougher." Raising an eyebrow, it was this moment of two seconds where the male gained the upper hand. Lunging his elbow against her cheek, Alia staggered, eyes briefly closing as this provided the man an opportune moment to raise a single dagger, jamming it directly into a specific spot in her shoulder.
Screaming to the high heavens, Alia shoved herself away, effectively jumping backward to put a good amount of distance between her and her attacker. Fingers immediately formed around the blade still jammed into her shoulder, Alia felt her blood slither past her fingers, leaving a river of red as it dripped into its pool upon the ground. Knowing she ran the risk of leaving the blade inside, she reached for the blade, delicately, but quickly, pulling the damned thing out, hissing as her muscles released the metal invader. Blood spattered onto the ground, gushing even more from the open wound as she held the blade in her hand. Now that it was removed, Alia dared to steal a glance at the weapon, noticing right away how it glistened with another substance besides her blood. Bringing the blade to her nose as she carefully watched her attacker stand to his feet, she sniffed. Iron coursed strongly through her nostrils, though there was a direct scent she could not recall. Although, as the scent wavered through her nose, the putrid, disgusting smell caused Alia to rip the blade away from her face. From the additional smell did the fighter understand what she was smelling.
Oh fuck, that's…!
Poison.
Eyes widening at the man, she grew sickened upon seeing his grin widen evilly. Since being stabbed, it had been roughly one minute since she had put enough distance between the two of them but it had only taken that much time for her to feel the poison's effects. Instantly her stomach began to feel nauseated, acid already forming within her throat; beads of sweat dampened her forehead, trailing down her skin as it stung the cut along her cheek; and she could already feel her body grow weak. Dropping to one knee, she never relented her gaze from her attacker though her eyes did grow blurry. Blood continued to pour from her shoulder wound, despite the wound itself being rather small. Something within the poison must also increase the effects of bleeding, she thought.
At that moment, Alia knew she had to call Reno - and fast.
It wasn't that Alia couldn't take care of herself, no. She had been in worse situations, even with others by her side. But here she was, out in the middle of nowhere, roughly an hour away from Edge with no materia or items to heal her current status. Alia knew she needed help. If she didn't receive any, she would succumb to the poison damaging her blood and if that were to happen, who knew what the hell her attacker would do with her body if she succumbed to unconsciousness?
Clumsy reaching for her phone, Alia swiped blood across the screen as she tapped Reno's speed dial number, holding the device to her ear as she suffered through the insistent ringing.
"Oh, tsk, tsk, my dear. Do you need a hand with all that blood?" Seemingly fine, despite the knee to his fucking testicles, the man was up and walking just fine, taking slow, deliberate steps in her direction.
"No, thank you, you fucking asshole. You saw me fight, you happy?" The phone continued to ring as she stepped backward before the call promptly ended. Why aren't you picking up?! Calling him again, Alia was met with the same ringing, her eyes swelling with tears as she did not know what to do. The woman would keep fighting, of course. If anything, there was one aspect of her life that had pushed her through the darkest times in her life: never give up.
Never had she given up before despite wanting to nor would she give up now.
Feeling the ache increase to numbing pain eventually transpired into agonizing torture. Her body protested, her second knee dropped, her hand nearly dropping the phone until she tightly clenched her fingers around the device. On what seemed like the last ring of her second call did the redhead finally pick up his damn phone.
"Hey babe what's up? You done with your run already?"
Her tongue beginning to grow numb and Alia was barely able to create words, let alone produce her voice to speak. "No…" she was able to state, although weakly. The ailment from the poison was kicking in faster than she anticipated, different than anything she had experienced before. "Reno, please…"
Reno could instantly tell something was off. "Alia, what's wrong?"
"Hey!" The man was now standing a mere six feet away from her. How he had gained such a distance without her knowing was mind-boggling. Nearly dropping the phone from being surprised, Alia squealed, her fright getting the better of her as she scurried away. "Who said you could call anyone, my dear? This fight is between you and me."
"Do you…honestly believe that I wouldn't call someone?! You, you were the one who came…out of nowhere…and demanded a fight with me!"
"Alia?!" She could hear Reno's voice frantic in her ear, but she was growing more afraid by the second the man who was gaining speed on her. She'd held fear numerous times in her life, but none like this. Not since Zane…
Gasping, the woman was mentally thrown backward in time. Here she stood close to her new home, Edge. But this…no. What she now saw before her was that of her hometown, Nibelheim.
It was dark outside, the stars blinding from the heavens above. Alia sat nestled close to the water tower in the center of town, legs dangling off the edge as she lovingly stared upward at the sky. Here, she could see every star, every constellation, every shooting star that could be seen for miles. Smiling, she heard a creak behind her, only to find Zane having used the stairs to join her. Taking a seat by her side, he grasped her hand, tightly curling his fingers around hers. Blushing, Alia cast her head away, loving the warmth of his hand around hers.
They stayed in that exact position, conversing with one another for what seemed like hours. It was past midnight and everyone else in the town and inn were already fast asleep. Hell, her mother and brother would be furious if they knew she had snuck out to be with Zane. Her mother was always polite with her friend, though Alia knew otherwise. And her brother, well…Cloud was not on friendly terms with Zane and quietly disdained the male from a distance.
Out here, they were alone.
Tugging on her hand, Zane wanted Alia's attention, and he'd had it the moment he admitted his crush on her several weeks prior. "Hey, how late are you able to stay out?"
"I'm technically already in trouble so I don't think it matters. What's up?"
"There's…" Zane cast his head away, a blush creeping on his cheeks as he then turned back to face her. "There's something I'd like to show you. Can I…take you now?"
Nodding, she smiled brilliantly, not knowing exactly what his words had meant at the time. "Of course! Where we going?"
"I kinda want it to be a surprise, can you place this on?"
Staring at the blindfold, Alia shrugged, taking the material in hand as they made their way down the tower. Helping the female, Zane wrapped the dark cloth around her eyes, securing it with a tight knot. Grabbing her hand, he gently tugged her toward the outskirts of town. Alia knew they were leaving the main area of town when she could no longer hear the water tower or the chickens in the distance. If she had to guess, Alia would say they had only been walking for maybe ten minutes when they stopped. A lock and key could be heard followed by the screeched of metal. Taking her hand once more, Zane led Alia deeper down the blackened path she could not see.
Upon a door opening, Alia was led inside something and then the same door closed behind her. Confused, she then asked, "Zane, where are we?"
"Shh, it's just a little more, I promise. Do you trust me?"
"I trust you."
"ALIA!"
Pulled from her horrid memories, Alia could hear Reno in her ear, wondering how long she had been trapped in the past. Noticing the man raised the dagger close to his face, an evil smirk still plastered on his thin lips did the woman finally jump into action, but not before the man was able to speak.
"I understand the poison's taking effect. See? That's what you get when you don't push yourself as hard as your potential allows."
"My…potential…?" Trying to follow along with the conversation, Alia blinked, the desire to hurl whatever remained in her stomach was strong but she willed the sensation to disappear.
"Alia! What the fuck is happening?!"
Knowing she had limited options, Alia did the only thing she could. Firmly grasping the man's dagger in her hand, she felt the power she'd grown accustomed to surge within her body. Raising the weapon just as she had, she took a step forward and then flung the weapon straight toward his chest. She was able to find the weapon with enough strength and power that it vanished and reappeared right before the man was able to block his weapon with its twin. Taking this chance, Alia ran straight toward her attacker, EMR at the ready. Using whatever strength remained, she slid, knocking her legs into the man's, causing him to collapse in confusion and rage. Her feet instantly moved into gear as she flipped on the ground, making her way to stand, and then seemingly jumped straight off the cliff. Behind her, she could hear the man scream with rage, cursing at her with whatever word he could think of.
As she dropped to the base of the cliff, there were three words she said to her loving boyfriend. "Reno…help me!"
"Aliana Rae Strife, what the fucking HELL is going ON?! You need to tell me!"
"I'm being…attacked…"
"By who?!"
"I-I don't know, he wouldn't…tell me. Reno please…come save me…I'm hurt, I'm bleeding, and, and…"
"Hurt how babe?! What exactly has he done to you?"
Just as her feet landed at the base of the cliff, Alia let out a suffered grunt, falling to her knees, eyes wide and pooling with unshed tears. Hand holding her EMR, she moved it over her open wound that was still gushing blood down the length of her arm. Her breathing was labored, her vision fuzzy, and her pain was now on the brink of slipping into unconsciousness. "Shoulder…stabbed…" At this point she could barely form words, all her focus was ensuring she wouldn't pass out from the pain. "Blade covered…poison," was all she was able to speak, hoping these words were enough for Reno to understand the severity of the situation.
"Poison?! Alia, where are you?"
"Base of cliff…Zack's sword…"
"Alia hold on as long as you can I'm leaving now!"
"Please…hurry…"
"There you are, you little sneak!"
Not knowing what to expect, considering considering she didn't even attempt in hiding herself as best as she could have, Alia still gasped. Trekking backward until her body was firm against the jagged rock wall of the cliff, she stared as best she could at the man. "Seriously what is it you want with me? I do not know you therefore I have done nothing to warrant such attacks against me!"
"Oh, I'm aware. I have nothing personal against you, Aliana Rae Strife, trust me. It is my master who had placed these orders upon me. I am simply following what he has asked."
"But…why? What constitutes you to…attack and fight, merely…killing me in the process?"
"Like I said, I have nothing against you. But I cannot deny my wish to play with you some more. You may have not caused me suffering, but you have caused turmoil to my master, and I will not tolerate that."
"Then t-tell me…who is…your master?!" Breathing becoming ragged, Alia dropped to a knee once more, surprised she was still able to keep the phone close to her ear.
"Tsk, tsk, Alia. If I told you that, then you'd know exactly who was after you. And considering you're on the phone, with whom I can only guess is a certain redheaded Reno Sinclair, then he and the people of Shinra would know too." Stepping before her, the man placed both daggers into one hand as he raised a fist. "I am not sorry about this."
In her weakened state, she wanted to fight; she needed to fight. But there was nothing she could do. At this time, the poison had fully reached and attached itself to her bloodstream, and the effects finalized to its full potential of being lethal. But staring upward at this man stirred something within Alia. Blood-red heat boiled within her poison-infused blood. White fire coursed through her veins, instantly rushing from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Just as the man moved to strike Alia with his fist, she dropped her phone and grasped his hand, clenching her fingers with such might that the power even surprised her in her weakened state. The fingers beneath hers instantly snapped, and several bones tore through the skin as his blood was able to flow freely now.
Screeching, it was the male's turn to fall to a knee, hand cradling his broken hand as he dared upward and watched as the woman stood, red eye flaring with a power he had not expected.
"What…what the hell are you?! My master told me you had power but…you should have succumbed to the poison by now!"
"Oh, trust me…the poison is working, I just…" Coughing as blood began spilling slightly past her lips, it was now Alia's turn to smile wickedly at her attacker. "I just…don't give up."
"ALIA!"
~ oOo ~
Reno screamed Alia's name over and over as he frantically thrust his hand into his hair. After a few minutes, the line went dead, Reno unsure of what the hell was going on. Closing his phone, he raced upstairs and thrust his feet into combat boots. Once done, he made his way into the closet and unlocked the safe the two of them used to store their materia. Reno grabbed Alia's Mastered Cure then made his way to the hallway cabinet where he grabbed numerous Hi-Potions and Antidotes, and any other medicinal liquids he thought Alia might need. Throwing the items into a bag and placing the materia within his arm, Reno raced out of the apartment and down to Shiva.
Starting its engine and racing through the city, Reno could barely contain the rage within himself to the point where his vision was becoming blurry, obvious from the way he almost hit several pedestrians before making his way through the blusterous city.
God fucking damnit! How could I let this happen?! Alia doesn't know who's attacking her but I do…I know for a fact this person is working for whoever is after her. Reno growled in frustration. Oh Alia, please be safe. I'm coming to get you!
Reno pushed the gas even farther, the once humming engine burst to life as it roared with power, pushing the redhead to the edge of the city where he was met with the vast wilderness he now called home. Eyes focused on the road, Reno guided his way toward Zack's sword, exactly where he expected Alia to be, the place where she said she had been. As he drew closer, he looked above the cliff and could see the faint outline of two individuals. Narrowing his vision as if they were binoculars, Reno noticed it was one male and Alia, though he couldn't tell who had just been thrust across the way, skidding across the vast, open space and landing on their side. The closer he grew the more he was able to ascertain that Alia was the one who had been thrown.
She didn't stand.
Pushing the bike to its limit, Reno gunned the machine up the hill. Rounding the corner, he pulled his own EMR from behind him and pushed the button, igniting the electricity, his favorite part. Finally, atop the cliff, he only saw the horror before his eyes as the man sustained in kicking Alia throughout her body as she lay helpless on the ground. He could not refrain from kicking her legs, her waist, and especially her shoulder, Reno assumed it was the same one that was already injured. Staring madly at the man, Reno cursed under his breath, steering Shiva in his direction, aiming right at his body. Upon hearing the sound of the bike, the attacker halted his movements to finally acknowledge Reno making his way toward them though the man was late in doing so.
Just as Reno was about to pass the man entirely did the redhead, combining the force of both the bike's speed and his thrust, push the man completely off the cliff. Having jammed the tip of his EMR into the man's stomach, Reno was now the attacker as the magnitude of the electricity caused the man to shake violently, electrical bolts visibly protruding from his body. Just as Reno would have bounded off the cliff as well did he come to a complete stop, the bike swerved until it was parallel with the edge. Glancing over the side, Reno was satisfied considering he couldn't see the attacker anywhere. Taking that as a decent sign, he sped back toward Alia's position, jumping off the contraption the moment it halted. Upon skidding on his knees to Alia, he was surprised she still lay there unmoving.
Snatching a bottle of antidote from the bag, Reno gently pulled Alia into his arms, cradling her in the crook of an elbow as he used his other hand to pry her mouth open. Tearing the cork off the bottle with his teeth, Reno chucked the stupid cap away, slowly pouring the contents into Alia's mouth, less than half spilling passed her lips. With the required liquid slowly trickling down her throat, the man pleaded, hoping he wasn't too late. He didn't have the full details but the redhead knew his woman put up one hell of a fight before she had lost consciousness.
Starring into her eyelids, Reno was hoping to see some form of life from her, but after a few minutes, he saw nothing. Hand thrust inside the bang, he found another bottle of antidote and was about to tear the cap off when a ragged cough escaped Alia's lips as she hacked more and more. Hand cradling her cheek, Reno found her eyes just as she peered upward at him. A tear made its way to the corner of his eye, even allowing the damn thing to almost fall.
"Alia, peaches…are you all right? Do you need another antidote?"
She shook her head but then whispered, "No…I'm just…really tired."
"I'm gonna lay you back down, ok? I brought your Mastered Cure, I'm gonna try and fix your shoulder. Do you think you can handle that?" She nodded once more, eyes switching between his hand and her newly acquired wound. "This…might sting so grab my hand if you need to." Gently placing her back onto the ground, Reno held his right hand directly over where the blade had cut through skin and muscle, somehow missing the bone entirely. Though the wound was surprisingly still bleeding, the moment Reno activated the materia did it gradually slow until it finally ceased to. As his green, glowing hand hovered over her shoulder, Reno was able to finally look around and see what had happened before he arrived.
There were scuff marks, indentations, and even holes in the ground from not just a scuffle but a full-on fight. Ignoring their surroundings did Reno glance at Alia's body. She was covered in bruises upon bruises, scratches - some bleeding some not - and the wound on her should he was attempting to heal. He was thankful the bleeding had finally stopped though it had left its mark. The thick, red trail had traveled from her shoulder down her arm and chest.
Continuing to hover his hand over the wound, Reno's had felt warm. Alia, however, had shut her eyes tightly, hand instantly finding his hand for comfort. The thing about Cure Materia is that, although it was designed to heal the pain within one's body, it can still cause the individual pain to heal the initial injury. Alia's hissing and groans caught Reno's attention. "I know peaches, I know. But it's working, only a few more minutes, I promise." And Reno was speaking the truth, Alia knew this. The more the materia glowed within his arm, the fast the healing process took. As he watched on, Reno could visually see the difference as her skin grew back together, reattaching itself back into one. The small, but gaping hole that was once there eventually disappeared after several minutes her skin and muscles reconnecting together until it formed a thin, straight line of scar tissue. Nothing remained of the injury except for the dried blood and the faint scar that told the story of her stabbing.
The moment Reno released the magic of the materia did Alia exhale, releasing a strenuous sigh. With the aid of Reno's hand against her back, she leaned forward, and as she straightened, her hand fondled the area where the wound once existed. Nothing was there besides the lumpy scar, proof she had been unwillingly attacked on this day, along with all her other battle scars and reminders. Grabbing one of the numerous hi-potions from the bag, he topped off the cap and handed it to Alia. She took the bottle without asking and downed the contents, coloring immediately flooding back into her paled cheeks. Her strength would return in full as well throughout the day, though Alia could tell that she would be sore for a few more hours. Glancing up at Reno, she gave him a reassuring smile to indicate she was completely healed, despite the scratches and bruises covering her skin. Compared to a few minutes prior, she was one hundred percent better.
Leaning down to drop a kiss on her forehead, Reno lovingly asked, as he moved strands of hair out of her eyes, "How're you feeling?"
"Much better, thanks to you." She diverted her eyes to look across their surroundings, unable to spot the strange man. As she tightened her grip on his arm she asked, "Where'd he go? Is he still here?"
"I flung him off the cliff with my EMR. Other than that, I dunno, peaches."
"Reno," she leaned into his embrace, never wanting him to let her go. "There's so much I need to tell you. That guy, he-he just came out of nowhere demanding to fight me and…"
"Oh, Alia…" Reno simply held her in his arms, staring at her mix-matched eyes he adored so unbelievingly much. Despite not showing, he knew she was scared. But Aliana Rae Strife was a fighter, she had always been a fighter, someone who would never quit despite the circumstances stacked against her. If her still-visible injuries were any indicator that she didn't give up this fight then that meant this asshole truly did want to fight her and nothing else.
Knowing they shouldn't stay in such a position for long, Reno carefully helped Alia stand to her feet, legs wobbly and still weak. Knowing she could stand without his assistance, the redhead dropped his arms but kept them close in case she needed any help. Still feeling slightly light-headed and nauseous, the woman was still in a better position now that the poison had dissipated. Taking her hand, Reno led Alia to her bike where she could take a seat, but just as she sat down against the leather cushion, the redhead quickly swirled, his own EMR raised, effectively blocking a sharpened dagger that had been thrown in their direction. Acting on impulse, Reno shoved himself in front of the female just in case another weapon was thrown in their direction. Watching as the blade fell to the ground, Reno grunted seeing the man floating over the cliffside to stand on its edge.
Though wobbly in his own right, the asshole held his severely broken hand, a streak of blood flowing past his lips. Holding his spare hand upward, the dagger at their feet jiggled before zooming away from them directly into the man's opened palm. Eyes narrowed, the redhead had no idea what would happen next but was caught off guard when Alia spoke behind him.
"Fucking shit, this guy doesn't know when to quit…" Peering over his shoulder, Reno noticed Alia was rubbing her face, more in annoyance than in fear.
"Well, isn't this an interesting find? The greatest female warrior I was told of is nothing but a fucking lie."
Shaking in anger, Alia moved to stand, except, Reno patted her knee, nonverbally stating for her to stay on the bike. Deeply inhaling, Alia let this one go, knowing she wasn't alone anymore and knew when she should accept help. At the moment, she would gladly accept the help offered by her boyfriend. Growling entering her ears, the woman felt Reno tense, his anger seething. Was it because the man attacked and injured her? Or was it from the man's words?
"What the actual fuck are you talking about?"
Guffawing at Reno's response, the male held his stomach as his laughter echoed across the vast, emptiness of the barren land surrounding them. "Tch, I was sent here to assess the power of one Aliana Rae Strife, for I was told she could indefinitely defend herself against any enemy. But from what I have seen, you, Reno Sinclair of the Turks, have more power than this little girl does."
Trying his best not to laugh at such nonsense, Reno was surprised once more when Alia stole his hidden laughter, her chuckles echoing behind him as her body struggled to hide such an action. Smirking, the smile quickly faded as the attacker's words finally delved into his brain. Vision narrowed to the asshole across the way, Reno focused only on him, one hand tightly gripping his EMR while the other occupied gripping Alia's knee in comfort. His voice turned wicked and dark. "Don't you fucking dare speak of Alia in such a manner. You have absolutely no clue what this woman has struggled through in her life, the pain she's experienced, the fights she's had to endure."
"Tch, seriously? You openly defend this woman, the same woman you love, and that's what you have to say? I'm disappointed in you, Reno, I thought you would finally see the truth in that she's nothing compared to what she could be."
This is what caught Reno's attention. "Hold up! What she could be? What the hell do you mean by that?!"
The male grasped his temple out of exasperation. "This woman is nothing without you, Reno Sinclair. Hell, you're the one that had the finishing move, not this bitch!"
Eyes narrowed in disgust, Reno was done. Dropping his hand from Alia's thigh the Turk stepped forward, igniting the electricity within his weapon, unafraid to battle this fucker once more. "You better watch your goddamn tongue. Just because I came here to save my girlfriend does not take away the power this woman has. Alia is stronger than you, me, and all others combined."
This made the man laugh hysterically. "Oh, really now? Because from what I can tell, she's nothing except weak. But, no matter, I shall report this back to my master and he'll decide what he wants to do next."
"Wait! Tell me who this 'master's is! What is the true reason you're here and what does he want with Alia?!"
The man stepped backward until his toes were the only source of balance upon the cliffside. "All in good time, Reno of the Turks. That girl," the male pointed using his good hand at Alia, who swiveled around the redhead to stare at the man who had attacked her. "Trust me. Before long, that girl will save the planet. But to do so, she needs more anger, and we can feed her that emotion. Until next time!" With his last words, the man jumped behind himself, seemingly falling to his death. Running after him, Reno's feet skidded against the edge, expecting to see some kind of body at the bottom or…the redhead didn't know, he just expected to see something. But within the few seconds between when the man dropped and Reno ran to the edge, the only thing the redhead could see were several black feathers filtering in the wind.
~ oOo ~
Let me know what you guys think! Was this chapter better? Are you excited for the next? I'm halfway done editing Chapter 7 so it should be up and ready to go within the next few days! I hope everyone is having a great start to their summer! :)
DragonGoddess629
