Reno's Story

Chapter Two

Feeling a certain pain in his arm, he winced, coming out of a restless sleep. Eyes opened, he looked at the white ceiling, frowning. How in the Planet’s name had he gotten here? And where was here?

“You really shouldn’t have gotten between them and that guy,” he heard a voice off to the side.

Looking over, he saw a blond guy and a black haired guy, both with hair defying gravity, talking. The blond was sitting in a white sheeted bed while the other guy was straddling a chair, smiling widely as the blond bowed his head.

“They were going to kill him,” mumbled the blond.

“So? You can’t really afford to be set back in your training, you know. You’re barely passing as it is,” said more seriously the black haired guy.

“Why don’t you go bug someone else for a change?! I need to rest,” snapped the blond, glaring up at his superior.

The guy gave a shrug before getting up and leaving. The blond looked back down, biting his bottom lip, as if holding back a sob. Reno decided to help him forget about his misery for a few seconds.

“Where are we?” he managed to rasp out, wincing at the pain it came from using his voice.

Another bout of pain came from the wincing, making Reno remember someone had cut his cheek bones just about his eyes, making all facial expressions painful.

“Oh. You’re awake,” whispered the blond, looking over at Reno.

“For now. So?”

“Shinra Infirmary, in the Shinra building on the plates. You were out for about two days.”

“Really? And why do I have the pleasure to being here?” he asked sarcastically.

The blond actually shrugged, laying back down in his own bed. Reno raised a brow at that, regretting it a second later. Hearing the door open, he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing to look as if he was asleep.

“Cadet Strife, do tell first class SOLDIER Blacke to stop dragging you into bars until you are of proper age or that he learns of a way so you don’t get found out,” said a stern voice, though it was clear there was amusement in it.

“Yes sir,” mumbled the blond.

It at least gave Reno an idea as to what to refer to the other guy the next time they had the chance to chat. Hearing the footsteps come besides his bed, Reno let his arm tense up just slightly, to block a blow if it came or push himself off from the bed.

“I know you’re not sleeping, so do stop pretending so we may get down to business,” the man told him, amusement having left his voice at this point.

Curious to see the man, Reno opened his eyes, blinking as he saw a Wutainese there. Weren’t Wutainese people edgy about Midgar?

“Seeing as I have your full attention, I would like to know what your name is,” the man cut in his thoughts.

“My name, eh? It’s Travis,” lied without even covering it Reno.

“You don’t look like a Travis to me. Tell me your real name.”

“Why should I? I was told Wutainese sorcerers were able to use your name to kill you in a heart beat, or control your body to do what they want,” he replied defensively.

That’s what you got for being raised in the slums of Midgar; absolutely no trust in anyone, especially not if your family just got raped and murdered right under your own powerless eyes for reasons unknown to you. Reno didn’t hate his defence mechanism either.

“Only witches do that and I can assure you that I am no sorcerer. My name is Tseng, if it helps you any.”

Reno looked at the man in the eyes and saw no malice there, meaning it was the man’s actual name. Sighing, he slumped in the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

“My name’s Reno Drizden,” he whispered.

“Good. Do you remember what happened at the bar?”

“Parts of it. Why? Am I going to be charged for any damaged done to it? ‘Cause I ain’t got no money to pay.”

“Not at all. The people you were after worked for Shark Loaners and they were more then glad to pay, seeing as they were the start of the whole fiasco.”

Reno hummed, closing his eyes before he remembered a very important detail.

“What about the guy I stabbed with the knife? He still alive?” he asked briskly, fire flashing behind his eyes.

“No, he died before they could even get him to the hospital, not to mention that all of the agitation made it almost impossible for anyone to get out without have a bruise or other injury. Like first class SOLDIER Blacke that you so kindly broke two ribs to when he tried to restrain you.”

“Shows he should have minded his own business,” huffed Reno.

“Maybe so, but he was worried about your condition. It’s quite the miracle you were even on your feet, much less able to sustain even more damage to your body. I must applause you for such a great feat.”

Reno didn’t reply, simply looking at the ceiling once more. So, his revenge was achieved in the end. But it didn’t explain as to why he was in the Shinra building at all.

“So, why am I here?”

“Because you have potential. Great potential, I believe, that could be put to great use.

Have you ever heard of the Turks before?” asked Tseng as he sat on the chair by Reno’s bed.

“Who hasn’t?”

“I am presently a recruiter for that division and am seriously thinking about having you join in on the training program, to see if you could make it of course. You have already shown great ability at survival and fighting, not to mention the Turks often recruit people from many regions, to make a better diversity. Would you be interested in trying out?”

“You’d want me in there? Why?”

Tseng looked to be annoyed for a second.

“Because I just explained to you that you have potential and you are probably a natural fighter. Or was there another profession you had in mind for yourself?” almost sneered the man.

Reno just tilted his head to the side as he looked at Tseng before sitting up, not making any noise as he felt a sharp pain go in his abs.

“Not that I doubt your reasoning, but you’ve got the wrong kind of guy if you’re asking me to do this. I’d most likely just get myself killed. If that’s all, I’d like to go back in the slums and burry my mother and sister. Thanks anyways.”

“Burry them?” asked Tseng, actually interested in what Reno had to say.

“Yep. Bastards I killed were the ones that murdered them, and you said they worked for Sharks, then that means my ass of a father had a reason to run the fuck away when he did five years ago. Now, if you don’t mind,” said Reno as he got up, closing his eyes as he was attacked by a wave of dizziness.

Tseng watched him closely, also standing up. It was clear that he was assessing as to how he could get Reno to stay.

“If your mother and sister were Evelyn Layover and Jena Drizden, I’m sorry to tell you they were already found and buried, yesterday to be exact. You don’t have anything to do anymore.”

Reno looked sharply at Tseng, eyes narrowed. He winced an instant after, cheek bones burning like all the flames of Hell.

“So, you already knew who I was?” he hissed, taking a step closer to Tseng.

“It’s only polite to get a person’s name from that very person. And it showed me you could come up with at least a bit of trust by telling me.”

“Asshole,” whispered Reno before heading for the door.

Tseng just shrugged as Strife raised a brow at him, as if asking him what he would do next. Reno didn’t notice any of this as he tried not to puke because of all of his pain that seemed to decide to come back with a vengeance.

“Mr. Drizden, you should try and stay down, at least until you are in a better shape,” said Tseng, as if trying to excuse himself.

“Fuck you! I’ve got places to go to! I don’t give a rat’s ass about anything you want or expect and I don’t give a fucking damn about this goddamned place!”
Tseng sighed before moving over to Reno and just placing his hand on the redhead’s shoulder, pinching the nerve there. Reno passed out immediately, Tseng catching him without much effort.

“So, I’m rooming with him for the next few days?” asked Strife with a smile.

“You could always ask to be transferred to your room and have Blacke watch over you,” teased Tseng.

Strife made a face.

“I like it better here, thank you.”

Tseng placed Reno down on his bed and left, to go do his job, having wasted enough time already for one day.

It was only the next day that Reno woke up once more, able to sit up without feeling much pain at all. He was even able to yawn widely and not wish that his face would be soaked in liquid nitrogen.

“Still here, eh?” Reno asked when he saw that Strife was reading a book on the other bed.

“Hmm,” replied the blond, clearly about to fall asleep because of his boredom.

“How old are you?”

“Sixteen,” was mumbled out.

“Really? Damn, you look younger. Heck I’m fifteen and I look young for my age, but-“

“Awake?” asked a definite voice Reno really wished he didn’t have to hear at the moment.

“What of it?” he growled.

“Time for a little test. If you can get out of this building without someone arresting you for trespassing, you can leave. But if you do get arrested, you have to join the training and do as if your life depended on it,” said Tseng as he moved over, a little bundle of clothes in his hands.

He placed them on the foot of Reno’s bed and moved back, closing the white blinds so Reno would have a bit of privacy.

“What are those for?” called Reno, yet still getting dressed.

“So you won’t have to wander around naked, or in that horrid hospital gown. That would surely get you arrested here, unless you were a black haired first class SOLDIER by the name of Zack Blacke.”

“That was only once, sir. And it was because he had forgotten to turn off his oven before stupidly leaving for a guard round,” came Strife’s reply.

“Yes, stupidly would be a good adjective to fit him. I still wonder why General Sephiroth humours his presence.”

“Because you just can’t get rid of him, short of killing him, that is,” snickered Strife.

Reno raised a brow and wondered if someone could ever be that stupid. Most likely, since he’d done some pretty stupid stuff himself, either when he had been suffering from a fever or having had a concussion. He finished dressing and pulled the blind back to see Tseng sitting on the chair besides Strife and reading the book the blond had previously had almost dozed off on.

“So, just gotta escape from this Hellhole and I’m free to go?” he asked with a raised brow.

“Yes, that is correct. And just to inform you, we are on the fiftieth floor and if I happen to see you, you are to give up with no resistance whatsoever. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts.”

Tseng stood and left, Reno turning to Strife with a raised brow.

“He being serious?”

“About what?”

“Me enjoying this?”

“He’s never really joking around. You’ll not catch him ever telling a lie, but he’s renowned for half-truths. See you later?”

“Doubt it very much. Bye.”

Strife nodded and watched him leaving, turning in his bed and going to sleep. Reno, as soon as he had determined where Tseng had headed to, ran off in another direction, not afraid at all to get lost in the huge building of doom. In fact, he was quite confident he could make it out of there inside of two hours.


TBC....

Well, here is another chapter. Enjoy and please review.
Maelik