Reflections of Reno Chapter 10

One Victim's Almost Vindication From That Nasty Nostalgia

By Christina Bruno

"And though I know who I'm not I still don't know who I am
But I know I won't keep on playing the victim…

These precious illusions in my head did not let me down when I was a kid
And parting with them is like parting with a childhood best friend"
- Precious Illusions, Alanis Morrisette

Nibelheim had been Shinra's scam. Until now, the entire planet had over-looked its tragic end and phony beginning. Sephiroth had burned the town the ground, and Shinra had rebuilt it to cover up its mistakes. Then, they single-handedly rebuilt it, paid their employees to inhabit the town and denied that anything had ever happened.

It was an exact replica of the original town; all had been rebuilt except the Shinra mansion. The decrepit mansion had stood on its feeble foundation for years, how else would the former Turk - Vincent stay asleep in his coffin for such a long time?

But soon Nibelheim would be no more. It was being torn down. After the Meteor Incident, the Shinra employees stood in the town and decided they would keep their company's pride alive. Several of them headed for Mt. Nibel in an attempt to dig up as much Mako energy as they could. However, the people of the planet wouldn't have it. People came from far and wide to stop them, and the people eventually desisted.

Now, those people decided to make Nibelheim their own and protect the mountain from the few people that still followed the nonexistent, taboo Shinra. They thought that if they had left the town in its original state, they would be catering to those dissenters. They decided to destroy Nibelheim, because there should be no trace of the Shinra on the planet. These people called themselves "New Avalanche", but they did not span past Nibelheim. They were basically good, but at times a little too extreme.

The people of the group were contemplating on knocking down the Shinra mansion, but they could not argue with the rest of the world. The planet agreed that knocking down the lie was Nibelheim was fine, but knocking down a historical building was plain ludicrous. Shinra was still part of there history and they could not change that. "Christine" was the leader of the campaign against knocking the mansion down; she still loved Shinra in her heart. Shinra was Tseng to her.

Tifa drove up the town entrance warily. She had read about its reconstruction in the papers but she never did see it with her own eyes. She thought it would break her, but surprisingly it didn't. She felt as like she would be able to drive right through the town.

"Sure you don't want me to drive?" Reno said. He was a man, and men always had the desire to take the wheel of a car it was their instinct. That wasn't it though; he feared Tifa would be watching the construction and not the road. They had made it this far, he didn't want to be face down in the middle of Mt. Nibel.

"I'll be fine." Tifa took in a breath, as the vehicle rolled over Nibelheim's charcoal colored cobble stone path. She placed her eyes on the spot where the well was. She smiled to herself. It was gone, the beginning of her problems with Cloud. She took it as a good sign.

Tifa jerked her head to the side suddenly, as she saw a bulldozer positioned near her home. It was one of the last left standing; Cloud's had already been knocked down. She closed her eyes tightly and twisted the wheel to the right, making a complete U-Turn.

Reno held on for his life. Something told him that she would be driving in this town out of control. He could feel gripped unto the seat and watched her drive.

"Open your fucking eyes!" He screamed, grabbing unto the wheel with her.

The car made a sudden stop in front of her home.

Tifa didn't have a reason for her reckless driving. She just couldn't bear to feast her eyes of her hometown in ruins. First it was Midgar, now Nibelheim again. It was as if everything she touched had gone rotten.

"That's my house!" She cried, pushed the door of the car opened.

There were three construction workers there, all young men, with yellow hard hats atop of their heads. Dirt stained their tainted cheeks, and they all stared in amazement at the young vixen that had come out of no where. Many of them took a double take, and then they realized who she was.

Now Tifa was well-known around the world, but in Nibelheim any member of the original Avalanche was revered and recognized.

"Tifa?" One of workers said admiring her ardent beauty. To those who lived there she was a celebrity, the most beautiful of the planet's heroes and her she stood before them.

"I know you're being paid to knock it down, but please. Let me have one last look."

Tifa was no fool, she knew she could not stop them. She didn't want to; she wanted Shinra's lies to disappear as much as they did. However, this place was a model of her home. She wanted to say goodbye.

The one who had spoken nodded to her. She nodded to him in turn, and swung to door opened to her house.

Reno stood in the car, wondering if he should surface. He knew that if he did, it would cause an uproar. He grinned to himself, and emerged from the car. The three workers looked stunned as Reno walked past them.

"…Bastard." One of them muttered.

Reno shrugged his shoulders, not caring what the young man had thought of him. He turned to see the fool charging towards him. Reno cackled coldly and stepped out of the way, watching him fall to the ground.

"Calm down you prick." Reno looked down at him.

The others stood in silence. Reno hated this "New Avalanche" bullshit. It was the stupidest thing he had ever heard of. None of the original members were even affiliated with it. In fact, most of them abhorred it more than he.

He made wiped his hand gently across his forehead, for a few stray burgundy strands were getting in his face. He walked into Tifa's old home to see her standing there in silence.

"Don't start crying again…" What he had really meant to say was that he it hurt him to see her cry, but none of his words would ever come out right. Besides, it wouldn't make any sense to her.

Tifa was just scanning the kitchen. This was where she had first learned how to cook. After her mother had died, she was designated the chef of the house. She would constantly cook her father wonderful meals. Oh how she missed her father.

She remembered what she had said when he died, "Sephiroth…Shinra…SOLDIER…I hate them all." She turned to see Reno standing behind her and she wanted to tell him that she no longer hated him. But she couldn't it was too unethical, she knew how he would react. He would probably shun or laugh at her. She wasn't in the mood.

Tifa turned and walked right past him. She wasn't in the mood to speak to him at the moment. She headed for the stairs and ran up them quickly. She fantasized she was a child again, running up the stairs to jump into her father's arms. She would tell him her silly little secrets everyday. Which boy fancied her, and he would listen to her intently. He didn't say as much as he needed to, but she could tell by his eyes that he really cared.

She peeked into her parents' room for one last time and then headed to her room. She leaned over the piano. Her lithe fingers began to press softly on the keys playing a romantic tune…

Reno stood at the foot of the stairs. He was kind of aggravated. Tifa had ignored his crude comment for the first time. It pissed him off, was he just shooting them out of his mouth to get her attention? Why did aggravating her please him so?

He let out a sigh, as he heard the melodious sounds of the piano pour into his ears. Reno was never a fan of music, especially the soothing kind. He placed his foot on the first step of the flight and he hated to admit it but the music pleased him in a strange sort of way. The last time he had heard a piano play, he was in the lobby of a hotel. A woman was pressing her lips against his neck in an attempt to please him. He realized that he would much rather be here, something about it was much better.

He finally made his way up the stairs, placing his hands in his back pockets. He thought for a moment about when Tifa had placed her gentle hand in his pocket to reach for his cigarettes. He felt the same warm tingle up his spine as he thought about it. Then he shook his head, it was that goddamn music that was making him feel this way. Son-of-a-bitch…

He entered the room and just watched her. He saw Tifa's tiny hands grace the keys and play the romantic tune. Her eyes were closed tightly, and she gently bit down on her bottom lip. He watched her hair pour over her shoulders and down to its wine-colored leather clasp. He didn't know what had come over him. She found himself…attracted to her.

"Stop that music." He said coldly. He blamed the music on his amounting affections for her. He couldn't stand it. He took in a deep breath, when she suddenly stopped.

She placed her hands on her hips, "If you don't like it then get out."

Reno didn't care to answer. He couldn't tell her the truth, he just thought some things were better left unsaid.

"Stop being so smug." She said, running her finger gently over the keys consecutively.

Reno watched her finger slide over the keys, it was uncanny. It was the gentle way she had done it, it made him want her.

"Are you ready to leave, yet?" He turned away from her.

Tifa bowed her head for a moment.

"Good bye…daddy," She whispered softly.

Daddy? Ha…No wonder why she's so fucked up. Father's all full of shit. Reno just stood there waiting, he tapped his foot. He didn't want to hear anything about her daddy. He didn't give a shit at least that is what he told himself. His father was a bastard.

Tifa walked over to Reno, "What's your problem?"

Reno wanted to curse her for a moment, but he couldn't, "I'm just tired." He made up a quick excuse. Someone with a quick-witted mind like he was excellent at bull shit.

"Oh I'm sorry."

Reno shuttered to himself. There she goes again. He knew that she would never get of a slump if she kept on blaming herself.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." If anyone should have been sorry, it was him. He was letting his increasing fondness for her aggravate him. He was taking it out on her; it was having the opposite affect.

"Thank you, Reno."

Tifa had let her guard down. She finally let him know that she appreciated how he cheered her up.

Reno nodded, and the two walked out of the house together. The two stood by Tifa's car and they watched the workers mow it to the ground.

Tifa shuddered. Reality had hit her. Her hand began to tremble gently. She bowed her head and a soft tear rolled down her face. All of her childhood dreams they were gone, and they had never really come true. Tifa took in a deep breath. She wouldn't let this destroy her. She was sick and tired of being a victim. She was only her own.

"I can't…I can't…I can't watch them do this!" She turned quickly.

Reno grabbed her tightly by the shoulders.

"Don't freak out." He said softly. She couldn't believe his town as he tightened his grip on her.

Tifa just shook her head. All she could see was her father and her mother. She could see all of the times they had rapped her arms around her and kissed her lovingly. Now all she had was memories, and the house they had inhabited together was falling right before her eyes. And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"I want to go." She whispered, looking up at him.

He could agony claim her. The pain filled her eyes.

Reno nodded, in some form or another he could understand what she was going through. She was losing a part of her. It was how he felt when he watched Meteor plummet into Midgar, while he watched from a window in Kalm.

"But this time I get to drive." He smirked looking down at her.

Tifa let out a sigh of relief and laid her head on his chest. Reno was almost shocked; he hadn't felt real affection since he was a boy. He didn't exactly know what to do, so he just placed his hand softly on the back of her head and stroked her hair. He couldn't ignore the signs any longer.

Reno looked up to see the construction workers' jealous eyes being turned towards him. He snickered to himself, he enjoyed it.

"…Fags." He muttered lifting his chin towards them in disgust.

Tifa lifted her head off of his chest. She had fled to him for comfort without even thinking. She had felt ashamed, but when her dark-chocolate-raspberry eyes met his with a soft laugh it had all melted away. She loved the way he made her laugh.

She handed him the keys gently, as if to trust him. Reno grinned, he loved being in control. She could see it in his eyes. Correction…she only liked the way he made her laugh.

"Let's go…before these dicks start drooling." Reno casually sat in the drivers seat and waited for Tifa to get in.

She opened the door and slumped into the chair feeling relaxed.

"You jerk!"

Tifa squealed as she almost flew forward. Reno had pressed on the gas extremely hard. He hadn't driven since he was a teenager. Being a Turk, transportation was usually provided. Or if they did receive a car, nagging Elena would have to drive.

Reno grinned, he loved to scare her. He peeled out of the town heading for Mt. Nibel; it was going to be one hell of a ride.

Chapter 11