It's well kinda OCness like. It was inspired by the author of Enigma who's name eludes me at the moment. Anyways its got a deception theme Oh and it was a plot bunny. You know how insistent they can be.
Author: Ithilian Fandom: Final Fantasy VII Genre: Angsty ish Characters: Reno, Rude Title: (can't think of one yet lol) Warning: Turks are Turks and do the whole bad thing with the killing. Death of an innocent
nobody knows, nobody cares
that I died on the inside
nobody knows sees the lie that is me
because I smile, on the outside
(Amy Studt - Nobody - False Smiles)
There's a secret about Reno. One that he keeps, even from Rude. It's so well kept, the mirage portrayed so keenly that even he forgets sometimes.
Reno, a Turk, a murderer whose blood stained hands taint everything they touch. A mere graze leaves a mark, an unremoveable smear upon a person's soul.
Reno was toxic.
Many a people couldn't stand to be around him. They found him brash, rude, unbearabely loud and obnoxious and sleezy. They failed to look behind the crude comments, the leacherous gaze and the wandering hands. Many didn't bother to look deep into his eyes, see the patterns in Reno's speech just weren't quite right. The damn near imperceptible imperfections fooled almost everyone and those that did notice daren't comment. They were the ones that noticed the sorrow and the anger lingering far behind those eyes.
They saw the intelligence.
You had to look deep and you had to look hard. It was too much effort for most for Reno rarely slipped his facade. Too put off by his constant prattling they never stopped for a moment. A single moment could be all that it takes to glimpse, just for a fraction of a second that there was something remotely human remaining about him.
No one saw the regret.
Years ago Reno knew he had made a mistake. A rebellion gone too far. But he couldn't turn back now. No way out. To leave meant certain death and although Reno did not fear it, he didn't want to be terminated. That wasn't the way he wanted to go. Long discussions with Rude, promises of going out together with a bang....perhaps not heroics they were long established thugs and trouble makers but it would be something special.
"Hey partner...." Reno started arm draped over the larger man. "If you go, I go,"
Rude didn't reply. He was his usual stoic silent self leaving Reno to babble knowing it would wear off like it always did and his slim redheaded colleague would shake his head and declare they had to be elsewhere.
"No...no I mean it," Reno protested to the silent accusations he knew Rude's eyes were making. They knew each other far too well to hide quirks and deny obvious patterns in behaviour. Although Reno had tried often enough. Sometimes, just sometimes, the skinny male threw him off bahving oddly on purpose just to keep him on his toes. To keep him off the scent. But just now he was revealing a tiny sliver of heart. It was quite touching really....even if it was drunken declarations.
"You're bladdered Reno,"
Reno shook his head a bit twitchy. "You're my best friend Rude. I ain't got nothing besides you,"
It could have been a confession of love. It could have been a confession of unconditional friendship, forever lasting, unbreakable and binding. But truly it was a fear of loneliness, a fear of starting over with the happy memories inlaid thick in his mind. Reno would never tell a soul, but he had started over too many times to do it again. He had risked everything for this job.
And so it was done. Convinced Rude agreed that they would all go down together whether that be tomorrow or in five years time. Live for today because tomorrow could bring either death and destruction or the happiest day of your life.
And being a Turk the former was far far more probable.
In the beginning things had been fantastic. The thrill, adventure, adrenalin. I was quite possibly the best job of his entire life and he was loving every second. Family be damned, he would show them. Reno would always look down, shake his head and plaster a smile on his face when family, parents or sisters were mentioned. They weren't there to see what he had become and Reno was relieved and hated it simulataneously. Relieved they didn't have to see their son as a cold blooded killer with enough blood on his hands to paint the town red several times over - literally. Relieved he didn't ahve to see the horror, disgust and disappointment etched in the expressions as they scanned him, denied being related and walked out the door. Happy he was free of such ties weighing him down and reeling him in just like a Turk should. Turks have no family, no ties, no bonds except the contract they sign. He hated them not being there too. Reno was actually good at something and there was no way to deny it this time. His parents would have to conceed and he'd get to deny them this time, the concession, although undoubtedly horrified, would be far far too late. Of course, he just knew they'd tell him he was still taking orders.
It was partly why he left in the first place.
Scrunching his face in an annoyed manner, clenching his fists Reno would light up a cigarette and smoke to his heart's content. Reno didnt' smoke often. He'd tell those who asked it was his job. It didn't cover cancer, getting wheezy and out of breath would be disasterous on missions, especially the long undercover espionage types. He couldn't be gasping for breath while bullets were flying towards the President, his boss, or the Chief. That was a one way ticket to the Life Stream. And being drunk...or intoxicated as they preferred to say was also a big fat nope. Don't you dare or you'll wind up with a bullet in your head. So instead of getting cancer, he was occasionally maxing out his liver, curing hangovers as best he could before wandering into work and covering it up. Everyone expected him to drink, do drungs, smoke, get laid often. The world lived by their perception of him and what they believed was the truth.
No one ever stopped to think about it. No one ever stopped to ask or to get to know him.
Reno didn't do drugs. No questionable foriegn substance had ever entered his blood stream unless it was by force or by the psyco Hojo. The very mention of the creep brought shivers down his spine. No, Reno didn't do drugs. He liked to be perfectly aware of his surroundings. Taking in details was difficult when high. You never knew who or when the enemy was going to strike. but he was ready for when the did.
When he smoked he reflected. That was why he rarely did it. Remembering wasn't something Reno ever wanted to do. To recall the bitter disappointment, being ignored and pushed, and pushed and pushed. To watch his sibling get all the glory and attention and to have his parents scorn and pat him on the head. To remember the anger and the sorrow and the determination. To remember the screaming, the kicking and the spitting, the screaching, the slapping, the tearing of hair and the pleading. No one but Rude knew of the time he slipped and bared his heart to him. And Rude never metioned it. Rude was the only one alive to know that small flame burned on and realised why Reno has so many barriers in place and why it was so difficult to get past them.
Turks don't have hearts you see. Reno was an oxymoron of his existance.
Reno the soul less apathetic Turk who would sooner torture you to death than simply fire a bullet into your brain and have grey matter splatter out. Reno who laughed at the face of danger and lunged right into it head first and encouraged mental, physical and emotional torture. Who lived and breathed by the way of blood and bones who had no heart left except for it to beat his crimson liquid through his veins so he could accomplish his filthy questionable deeds.
Reno was many many things but soul less, heartless wasn't one of them.
It was the same old thing. The pleading, the high pitched stratchy voice telling him all the reasons why he had to live. A child, a mother, a father, a husband a mentally disabled nephew that lived in Kalm....it meant nothing to the Turk covered in patches of scarlet. There wasn't a shade of red quite like blood. And boy did Reno love the shade of blood and the tangy coppery smell.
"Please Mister Turk. You gotta let me live you just gotta!" He practically screamed at him, holding on with a tight fisted grasp onto his crumpled clothes.
"Hey dead man. You're ruining my uniform," Reno dusted the guy off, brushing his clothes down, paying the soon to be dead male as much attention as an irritating insect.
Rude shook his head. Reno's clothes weren't exactly crisply ironed to begin with.
The target shook his head emphatically, tears brimming.
"Gaia you're such a wimp yo," Reno said in an annoyed voice.
"You're about to kill me!" The guy squeaked. "I was so good to ShinRa I did everything they asked, I haven't done anything wrong,"
"Besides Treason. We don't like treason," Reno informed him of his crimes. "You did, we have proof," Reno said before he had to listen to anymore snivelling. This was getting boring.
The man changed snarling. "And I told them everything! You destroy people's lives and I told everyone who would listen and Gaia did they lap it up. ShinRa's set to fall you piece of ****. You and your fat ugly boss and his powerhungry crazed..."
He never got to finish the sentence. Reno had already shot him through the head. If there was something that angered the Hell out of Reno it was people flaming ShinRa. "Bastard didn't know when to shut up,"
Rude stared at Reno for a moment taking in the irony of that statement and wondering how the hell his partner couldn't see that his own gob lacked a latch. If the fiery redhead had an off button, or even a snooze faculty, Rude had yet to find it. And he would highly honour the day he did. He would mark it down on the calendar. In bright red capital letters...he might even throw in a smiley.
"Come. let's get outta here and hit the pubs," Reno said turning his back onthe scene and calling Clean Up. It was then the discovered the baby.
A wailing started. It pierced the ears causing both men to cringe and grimace. The gun shot must of woken it. Reno and Rude looked at each other before following the irritating sound. "Gaia I wish it would shut up," Reno muttered.
"Soon," Rude replied hand still tense around his gun. NOrmally his fists were hsi preferred method but here it wasn't wise to give the impression he lacked weapons. The slums were a dangerous place.
Reno just half glanced at Rude. There lying in the cot was a pretty baby girl, bawling her eyes out. Her blanket was a perfect shadeof pink, if not a little dusty. A little grey rabbit lay with her, big ears small body. It looked a little deformed but you could tell she was fond of it by the fraying of the sewing. Reno just stared at her. In turn the bald man stared at his partner. Reno had never hesitated before. By now he would have fired, sighed and turned awayclaming that perhaps a double shot was in order. He had killed kids for simply getting in his way. He had broken their necks and silenced them when they asked their innocent naive questions. He had watched Reno reassure three year olds, put them back in bed and end their short lives after lulling them to sleep.
But this time Reno didn't move.
The crying continued for what seemed like an Age before the Turk moved. "Kill it," He ordered Rude brushing past him and not turning back. With a moment's pause the deed was done.
Turk Reno couldn't end a baby's minute life. Where was the empty hollowness now?
Any mention of the incident had Reno pulling rank on his best friend. On silent agreement the order was left out of the mandatory reports and the recounts given to Tseng. Day in day out the same thing. Boring paperwork just like the essays at school. Churn them out, get them back, rewrite them three times before they were acceptable and Tseng no longer wore that exhasperated expression.
When bored he played the most amusing of pranks but prankees tended to yell at him. Another form of attention seeking, elaborate, well disguised and sometimes even Reno himself forgot. Forgot that he was running and never stopped not daring to look behind. He hid his heart so well from the world it often slipped his mind that he even had one slightly broken but mostly whole.
Reno hid that from everyone. He hid the binging on food after a mission to make up for the lost lives who would never see the light of day again and complain about the congestion to and from work every single day, get home and collapse onto the bed after a hard day's work.
Once a year Reno would donate part of his salary to charity and three times a year hold an up market dinner party playing host and benefactor in the costa Del Sol. It was the few times he could scrounge a day or two off work when he'd clean up, get dressed in a proper Tux and speak like he used to when he was a child.
Reno knew things about the slums the others didn't. They put it down to living there and being a crafty little bugger. They all ignored the sly smirk plastered over his lips as he recalled memorizing every nook and cranny of the place to make himself more authentic. No one ever thought for a second that loudmouthed skinny Reno had only lived in the slums for a measly two years before being picked up by the Turks. Or that his accent held the most interesting of twangs.
Strong youthful emotions weren't always the best to follow especially in festering rage, the kind that lingers for years after the fact but when it dies leaves a dull emptiness making you wonder what the hell you were so mad about in the first place. He knew if he saw them again it would all come flooding back. It was perfectly fine with him if he never saw them again. The past was the past. And the past was where it would remain.
-- Edited by Ivory on Saturday 4th of April 2009 09:15:07 PM
Me likey. :) I think it's very in-character. So bitter, but it's nice. The spacing, though admittedly huge, is alright. It doesn't take away from the 'wholeness' of the fic.
Title: A Discovery Genre: Humour/Friendship Characters: Sephiroth, Kitty (OC) Warnings: Crack!fic Summary: It's a long day at work for Sephiroth who, when he goes home finds a surprise waiting for him. The day isn't quite as over as he thought Author's Note: Ummm....the only dangerous thing is that I haven't played Crisis Core so I'm not entirely sure how true this is. It starts off more real and descends into the sillyness. Ownership and credit for Kitty goes to NathanialRoyale who has kindly allowed me to borrow him.
He asked the Deities mentally what he had every done to deserve this? Both Angeal and Genesis were out in missions and usually they caught the small niggling offences before they got out of hand. He was always grateful. It meant he could focus on the really important business rather than disciplining two ****y 3rd class SOLDIERS who would rather do things they considered fun. If only either Angeal or Genesis had been floating around and they would have had a couple of firm words planted in their brain and a soft consequence so ensure they'd think twice before behaving recklessly.
He sat silently allowing them to stew - a nice simmering temperature, not too hot, he didn't want them to burn after all. His long tapered fingers were interlocked in a contemplative manner. He sighed, enjoying the squirming reaction this induced. They at least had the decency to be uncomfortable.
"What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Silence.
It was to be expected. Those called into his office occasionally decided to play dumb and see exactly how much he knew. Others were sharper, knowing that nothing slipped past the General. He noted down on their sheets their reluctance.
"It has come to my attention the two have you been...goofing around, being lazy and a general nuscience. You haven't been paying attention on guard duty, not questioning those entering the facility or taking any notice at all to potential suspicious individuals. You have several harrassment claims against you both - an offence we take extremely seriously in this establishment - mostly the females and been picking fights. Do you deny this?"
Silence.
Good. At least they weren't going to go down that rather sticky road.
"The conditions to keep your jobs are as follows: 6 months docked pay, an apology to every member of staff you have ever filed a complaint against you and attend traning session every night and weekends and be reviewed every week over your job performance until I deem it uneccessary. Do you understand?"
"Yes General Sephiorth,"
"Pardon?"
"We understand General Sephiroth,"
"Make sure this never happens again Gentleman, good day,"
Sephiroth turned to the reports before him and dilligently completed the rest for the forms. It was an obligatory aspect of work with no other possible alternative. It was inevitable so why did so many complain and avoid it so vigorously? It wasn't so bad.
He put on the classical music, soothing strings reverberating softly with in his office. For a moment he sat back to savour the sound which surely would be dashed by a more comotion.
One painful phone call later he was sighing in relief that Scarlet was on the other side of the building and not next door. Sometimes it felt fitting to throw her into the slums but in the end Sephiroth always concluded that the slum dwellers did not deserve to be punished and tortured so horrifically.
The day dragged along, especially when Angeal reported in requesting a day’s extension on the mission due to complications with surprise materia. Naturally he now had to look into who obtained the information and how they could have missed something so vital. There were a few injuries and now they had to look into the mysterious materia as well as looking after their own. Clean up would be thrilled about the long trip.
A__D-I-S-C-O-V-E-R-Y
It was late when Sephiroth got home. The starts should have been shining bright but there was so much smog that it was just a hazy sheen. The only thing glowing were the massive Mako reactors at various key locations within the city.
Upon entering his home he hung his key upon the hook in the concleaed cupboard behind the door. You could never be too careful working in a company like ShinRa. Nor was he daft enough to label the keys.
It had been another long day at the office and Sephiorth was keen to relax for a while. It wasn’t until he nearly attacked a small black defenceless kitten sitting staring at him from his window sill that he knew the day wasn’t quite over yet.
He stared.
The kitten stared back.
When Sephiroth blinkd he had the nagging feeling the kitten smirked. Heading into the kitchen it wasn’t until he started preparing his meal that he felt a tug on the hem of his trousers. There, on his heavy boots, sat the kitten.
He stared once more.
“Go away,”
The kitten raised what could have been an eyebrow and the General found himself complying to the wishes of an over intelligent cat. He’d tell someone but he feared the poor mite would end up in Hojo’s clutches. Just yesterday he caught the man singing ‘I’m too sexy,’ whilst strutting down the corridor. The thought was both extremely amusing and horrifying.
Apparantly he had been snickering a little because the kitten was looking at him as though he were bonkers.
“I have a sense of humour,” he said defensively.
Sephiroth could have sworn the furball shrugged.
Minutes later the kitten was happily lapping up milk while Sephiroth edged away only to crash into the coat stand and cause it to topple over. At first he had satred incredulously at it thinking the hissing orginated from the horizontal stuck. Glaring at the kittne, he darinlgy took its dinner away. If he had realised how suicidal a move this was he would have left the terror alone.
The kitten pounced ravaging the hem of his perfect leather leg with wicked shapr claws and teeth. When the silver haired General attempted to lift the kitten away he found himself engaged in a tussle wit ha fully fledged monster. Smoke of effort billowed from the fight, a cloudy haze obscuring the battle. The only hint of who was winning were the grunts of pain and the hissing.
“I give up! I give up!”
“Meow,”
The fight was over and Sephiroth’s hair was tangled, his clothes ripped to shreds and his perfect face scratchd and bleeding. “Meow,” the kitten rubbed itself affectionately around his ankles.
“Creten!”
“Meow,” was the reply except it sounded distinctly amused.
A__D-I-S-C-O-V-E-R-Y
The kitten had developed an apparant interest in its short life, to both the history channel, philosophy and ZAP. Kitty hated the nature channel and would jump like crazy until the channgel had been altered and would burro himself under Sephiroth’s hand if Animal Hospital – or a similar programme – or Big Brother come on.
When ZAP and Gruesome Takes for Gruesome Kids came on Sephiroth swore the kitten was cackling away to itself as it sat nose pressed up against the screen, blue eyes wide and unblinking.
It had been a long day, a terribly long day and he didn’t get to sleep until 4 am and had to be in for 6. He gratiously slept on the couch.
Only because Kitty had commandeered his bed already.
At work a few hours later Angeal Hewely stood before him with a humoured smile. “You look tired,”
Very funny, Reno. Aw, but I can't help but feel bad for poor Sephy. Did you really have to torment him? But, either way, I'm too much of a sadist to feel really bad. Tormenting Sephy happens to be too amusing to not partake in. ^_^
Characters: Sephiroth/ Donald Duck, Goofy, Tifa, Cloud, OC Kitty, Sora.
Summary: paired with Discovery. Evil Seph is approachedby wibbly wobbly kitty on the Great Maw and makes a new friend. Stand alone.
Dislcaimer: All belongs to Square Soft/Square Enix
It was a fine day. The Heartless daren’t approach him, the evil exuding in waves from his pores. He didn’t just live in darkness, he was the darkness, its very essence and being. He was darkness personified, including dashing good looks for the ladies. Oh yes.
He sensed the poor thing before he saw the black fuzzy kitten stammering its way across the vast barron land.
“Are you challenging me?”
The kitten with bold ice blue eyes looked at him curiously as its wobbly legs buckled.
“Have you seen Cloud?”
“Meow?” “You haven’t? What a shame,” Sephiroth sighed and turned. “And I had such high hopes,” he lowered his gaze and was frozen. This little thing was...cute.
“Hmm,” he hummed a gooey smile on his lips. The kittem trembled as he lifted its tiny form and grinned. “You are going to help me take over the Universe...with candy floss and balloons!”
The kitten titled his head to the side and stopped shaking in shock.
Sephiroth plopped himself down crossed legged and sighed. “Silly Cloud just doesn’t understand. I changed you see. Aerith got me into this great rehabilitation program and all I wanted to do was give him that dreamcatcher I made – he’s been having horrible nightmares,”
“Meow,” Kitty nudged Sephiroth’s hand.
“There you are Sephiroth!” Came a young voice.
Oh it was the Duck, the Boy and the Dog. The young sky lad was ready to attack, his odd weapon all shiny and bright.
“So that’s a keyblade. I wants it! MY PRECIOUS!”
He had appearances to maintain you know. Plus he could lock anyone who disagreed with him into bright sunny multicoloured rooms painted in stripes and hypnotyse them into believing he is the best God in the Universe. As payment he’d demand candyfloss. Candyfloss is good. Whirling up in the air he zipped past the child lazily slashing and stabbing faithful Masamune – his only constant reliable companion. Now he had kitty to consider, his eyes always flitting to the spot where the frail animal stood watching their every move.
Why was it that the Duck and the Gangly Dog just stand and watch?
He got hit, his body hurling backwards as he had to defend himself against barrelling metal and sharp blade. Once he managed to get the Keybalde from Sora but it zipped straight back into his waiting hand.
“Woah, that was awesome dude!”
Sora hesitated, confused. Just what was going on here?
“Seriously that must be handy,” Sephiroth gushed.
“What?”
Kitty watched curiously. This was an interesting turn of events. Perhaps these three were important to the world dominating business. Maybe Kitty would keep them as pets. The Dog and Duck were entertaining. Just now, the duck was flapping wildly, quacking manically but the barrier prevented interference. Shame Kitty was in the danger zone. The upright Dog was tring to knock through the barrier and continually found himself several feet away. It was most definitely amusing.
“So if I get the Keyblade I an surely protect Kitty more efficiently and the plan will enter the next stage,”
Sora frowned. This guy was crazy that’s a given but he’d never spoken of protecting anything before. “Kitty?”
Sephiroth, the might ex General of Shinra, the greatest SOLDIER ever, the evilest insanest being to have walked on Gaia grinned goofily.
Sephiroth was uncharacteristically hesistant. “Kitty?” he called. He didn’t trust Sora not to take the opportunity to attack. He couldn’t take that risk.
Kitty was uncertain but moved forwards carefully and nudged Sephiroth’s ankle. “Isn’t he cute?” He gushed, crouching and scratching behind the small animal’s ears. “We’ve just met but he’s agreed to assist me in many important matters,”
Cracked.
Sora, Donald and Goofy all exchanged glances indicating Sephiroth had lost the plot. Despite this they cautiously approached the man who was doting upon the baby cat with adoring eyes.
“He’s very cute,” Sora said earning a nuzzle to his palm.
“Tiny. Could work with the Gummi’s” Donald suggested.
“Not everyone is Chip and Dale,” Sora commented.
Sephiroth perked. “They owe me some candyfloss,” He cried indignantly glaring at his companions with accusing eyes.
“They haven’t left the Gummi Garage since the Disney Castle,” “Sephiroth pouted. “They do so,” He muttered.
That was how Cloud found then hours later, not long after Tifa had joined them – laughing together, giggling and chatting whilst Kitten lapped up the attention.
“Tifa?!” Cloud exclaimed at the dark brunette who was eliciting purrs from the overly happy kitten.
“Sephy’s going to buy as candy floss. You coming?”
“Sure,” he answered sceptically. There were several moments of laughter before the group moved on to get their promised candy floss.
“Wait a minute...SEPHY?!” Cloud cried after them incredulous.
Oh and it was a plot bunny. You know how insistent they can be.
