towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Reno
Setting: The days following the evil league meeting
Format: either
Summary: Dealing with the aftermath and general "wtf reno" catch all.
Warnings: It's Reno

All around the Tower: Various places

Reno was going about his business, almost a bit too normal, though he did look confused once in a while, pausing and looking around. Of course, he was keeping his eye out for Xion to talk with her about what happened, but so far, he hadn't seen her... he wanted her to know he was all right, that nothing bad had happened, just some torture and a death. It seemed like the best thing to do, considering the circumstances.

And the fact he couldn't find her, or Elena for that matter (hadn't Ganondorf said something about a blond friend?) that had him just a bit worried. Nothing was wrong, right? They'd both escaped, so she... should have been somewhere he could find her, at least. Right?

.

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T-this was news. Not the part about Xion being used to try and call Reno out. But she had no clue that she had been used as well. That made her feel sick to her stomach.

"....I had no idea. I knew that after I got mini-ed that I was trapped in a crystal. I didn't know that he..."

Well, that thoroughly explained why he had scolded her for attending the event. Had she not been there - well, it still wouldn't have stopped what had happened, but she'd at least not been used as a pawn in a game she accidentally fell into and made six inches tall.

"I'm very well aware of that. The horrors that our 'hosts' put us through, we can expect it. But I'm talking about the danger that you're purposely participating in. Willingly."

Stepping forward, she carefully pulled herself up and out of her ball, standing haphazardly on the lip of the ball.

"Give a girl a lift?"

Holding out a hand for her to climb up on, he sighed. "I got a question for you, Elena. Did you ever think it wasn't gonna be dangerous in the Turks?"

She's careful when she climbs on the offered hand, eying the long fall if she were to slip. Once safely seated in his palm, legs hanging off one side of his hand, she grinned and shook her head slightly.

"Of course not - don't forget I've been watching you all since I was a teenager. I knew danger was part of the job when I signed up. But there's a difference between a job being dangerous and being self-sacrificing. Weren't you the one who told me that a pro isn't someone who sacrifices themselves for a job - that's just a fool?"

"Yeah, but when you come back the next day after dyin', why not?" He slowly brought his hand in closer and held it up to his shoulder. It'd probably be a more stable ride up there. "I sure as hell don't intend on sacrificing myself for these assholes. Dying just... don't have that kind of hold anymore."

"...."

Elena frowns slightly, not quite sure how to answer his question. Yes, it did help that death was not a permanent state here, but the effect of dying over and over had to have a negative impact on a persons's psyche.

"Thanks." Her voice is lower, softer even, as she moves from hand to shoulder. It was, by far, and easier and safer lace to be when being carried around by Shion and Xion.

"But you are. While its admirable that you're willing to die for a good cause, that type of experience can't be good for you. How many more times will you have to die before something breaks? What good will you be then?"

He put on that low, stern tone again. "I'm not going to end up like..." but he let the rest of his breath out in a huff. They were different people, but the same basic core. "I have you guys. I'm determined that these people aren't going to break me. So what if there's pain. I've dealt with pain, and it isn't like we actually die. For all I know it's just me passing out and going to a hospital."

"End up like...?"

Little arms spread out as she balanced on his shoulder, moving closer to his face. "That's what I have been trying to beat into that hard skull of yours - that you don't have to do this on your own. The kids aren't ready for this type of work, but I am. I can deal with a hell of a lot of pain if I have to. So if you don't plan to let me help you, then I'm afraid I'll have to force my way into your plans. And that, as we've seen, doesn't always end well."

Stopping at just beside his ear, she reached over and gave him a little smack on his cheek. "Now, for Gaia's sake, stop being so stubborn. You've been through enough. Let me have a turn at helping you - especially with the Tower's most dangerous person. Two Turks are better than one."

"You're not a child... but if you start on this with me, you'll end up with more scars." That was one thing he had hoped to spare her, leaving her in the background. "You haven't really dealt with the ones you have..."

She frowned at his avoidance of her question, but let it go. For now. She'd find a way to get him to spill, one way or another.

"And if I don't start, you'll end up with more as well."

That was a bit of a low blow, even if there was some validity to it. Yes, she'd been avoiding thinking about them and what had happened by keeping herself busy. And she was fine with that - it meant that she didn't have to go into that terrifying black part of her mind. She didn't want to go there and be forced to remember, to experience what happened. If she had it her way, it'd be left buried and forgotten.

"Those aren't my priority right now - surviving is. When and if I find the time, then I'll deal with them. So let me help you - what's another scar atop of those?"

"It isn't as simple as that. Sometimes those kinda scars have a habit of coming back at the wrong time. I've seen it too many times to a good Turk. IF you think you can handle it, fine." Reno would have shrugged, except she was on his shoulder. "But that part of the mission's over with anyway. I've been found out... so we're stuck without being able to spy on him. Any ideas?"

"....I think this is a conversation that should be saved for another day, Reno." Her voice is a little lower, strained with conflicting thoughts and feelings. He had been the first to see them, save Tseng since he was forced to watch them be made, and she wasn't sure how she felt about his knowing the full extent of the damage. Pushing the thoughts to the side, her voice picked up again. "But, yes, I can."

"Well, using me as the new spy is out - he easily identified me as a Turk and, well, you know how the rest turned out. I'm thinking that, for now, we regroup and reassess the situation. Look over what resources we have and build a plan from there."

"Sounds like we need to get a meeting with Zelda and Gandalf." He let the other be, he'd made his point and anything more would have just been cruel. "Now, worry about something else for the moment? How about getting you fixed? I don't exactly have any mallets handy..."

"Yes, we do." Because she was more than eager to meet the pair who were supposed to be supporting his efforts and, well, weren't. "Somewhere quiet and secluded - maybe the storage room on the 40th floor?"

And she's more than thankful that he doesn't press the issue. "Ah, yes. The pressing issue of my even shorter stature. Do you have - wait, mallets? Why in the world would you need a mallet? I was thinking more of using an Esuna, if you had one."

"What? Ya never heard the legend that the only remedy for mini was being hit by a mallet?" Reno was teasing, of course, but he set off slowly, in his smooth walking gait. "I think Cloud's got an Esuna, but I haven't talked to him recently..."

Trying to fight the grin that, of course, could not be stopped, she shot him a mock-angry look. "Is that so? Must explain how you got so tall - kinda had a negative effect on your brain, though."

Teasing is good, yes. Standing on his shoulder wasn't easy, but she was at least able to use the collar of his shirt to keep upright.

"Really? I'll have to reach out to him and see. I'm sure its been a while since he had a good laugh anyway."

If he could give her a dark look, he definitely tried, but all she probably saw was him scrunching up his nose. "Nothin' wrong with my brain that wasn't wrong with I joined up with the biggest wingnuts on the eastern continent."

That wasn't saying much, unfortunately. "Maybe I should put ya down on a terminal. I could find him quicker if I feathered it. You could look over stuff on the network."

And she'll just give a short laugh at what little of his angry face she could see, rubbing his cheek lightly. "Oh shut up, you know you're not any more crazy than the rest of us. You know I'm just messing with you."

There's a little pause, a nodding of the head. "That sounds like a good idea - I know there are a lot of terminals in the library. I'll see if I can catch his attention that way while you check his normal haunts."

Edited 2012-10-12 16:32 (UTC)

"Yeah, I'll take ya down there. Shion might be around to keep an eye on you." Yes, yes he did just say a turklet would be keeping an eye on her. It was the safer option with her being this tiny-esque. "Anything else ya want me to do before I drop you down there?"

Was that a little 'harumph' sound coming from her? It was already bad enough that she had to depend on him, Shion, and Xion to get around, but to be babysat? The humiliations did not seem to ever cease. "No, its okay, we don't have to bother Shion. I doubt anything will happen while we look for Cloud." A short pause later. "I think that's it for now. Just keep yourself available for me in case something comes up."

Snort! He held back laughter at the cute way she harumphed when she was tiny. "Sure thing, but I really think ya should be with someone just in case someone else decides you're an interesting looking bug and decides to squash you." Reno was teasing again.

She's nothing but a grumpy frown, half tempted to pull on his ear as punishment. "Because we all know that bugs have blonde hair, wear a suit, and are this good looking. Besides, I sure as hell don't plan to get caught back in a glass case again. Damn thing was cramped..."

"I'd make a crack about how ya mind need to cut down on the sweets if ya can't even get into a glass case, but you'd probably stick something in my ear." This one seemed a little thin, like it was getting harder for him to be happy and teasing. "It won't happen again, I'll make sure of that."

"And you'd be smart not to. At this size, I can do quite a number of horrible things and not just to your ear."

There was no ignoring the change in his tone, the underlying strain. She had hoped to keep the mood light - this was her own doing after all - and not let him feel responsible for her mistake. When she touches his cheek again, its a soft, reassuring caress. "...I know you will. And, believe me, I'm not going to put myself in the same situation twice. So, please, don't worry so much. I am a Turk too, you know."

"It's still hard seein' ya like that, you know..." And the one time he had attempted to let her handle a situation, it'd wound up with her hanging upside down from a cliff. Secretly, he blamed himself for that, but sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that. "Thing's I heard don't really help with that."

"Could just be that your eye-sight is going, old man."

Its a quick jab, an instinctual response to make jokes in a serious situation, and she instantly regrets it. Hands move off the skin of his cheek to hold back onto shirt collar, frowning a little.

"...Sorry. Bad habit. Its not exactly easy being like this either - I feel a little...useless. But, given the man and the Tower, I have a feeling I got off pretty lucky."

And for the first time since being mini-ized, she's thankful for her small-size. Its obvious what he was alluding to, and the just the thought of the icy caverns of the north and the ethereal glow of the forest was enough to make her entire body shudder. If she was lucky, he would have thought she was either trying to maintain balance or missed the reaction entirely. It takes her a few moments to trust that she doesn't sound wounded before she speaks.

"All depends on what you heard and from whom. But the fact is that I'm still here, which means I can manage to survive despite the situation."

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midgarhorizon - 2012-11-06 00:30 (UTC) - Expand

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