Reflections of Reno Chapter 17
And He Shall Rise From The Sands of Time...
By Christina Bruno
"We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this"
- Alanis Morissette, Hands Clean
(2 Years and 5 Months Later…)
The navy waves rippled a bit, then rolled back, taking in the crisp air of the almost dawn. And then, they exhaled upon the white sands, washing away an indiscretions that might have remained their. It washed away any dirt, caste stones, and any names upon the sand. It left a clean slate for the man that was walking along that shoreline. He watched as the sea inhaled again, leaving a velvety trail of White Sea foam.
The man stopped and looked upon the sea in the dark. The waves were violent and undulating, cobalt and topped with bronze foam. The ocean's tumult in the darkness was somehow moving to him, a reflection upon his life. But this place, had given him a new start. He looked beside him. He had made footprints in the sand; at first they were deep and imprinted. Yet as the waves came and went, the footprints became less and less visible until they were gone. He smiled to himself for he would be able to make new ones.
He shifted his glance to a vision that was approaching him - the image of an ideal beauty running at him from the village in the darkness. Her figure was thin and her hair was long and flowing like a coffee cascade. Her deep eyes were almost unfathomable in such an obscure setting. She had a white flower behind her ear, blossoming beside her face.
He reached out to her. He brushed a few stray brown pieces from her pretty face and then softly slid the flower into his hands. She smiled up at him, and he grinned down at her. As he took the flower by his nose, he inhaled its fragrant scent. It was a soft scent of innocence and beauty, similar to her.
"You're a pain in my goddamn ass." He laughed lowly, wrapping his arms around her tiny waste.
He loved to joke with her, as always. As his fingers felt the soft material of her light and flowing dress he wondered how anyone could have ever taken him for granted (himself included). Especially, that spikey-haired fuck, we all know as Cloud. He was still as pathetic as ever. The couple hasn't seen him since, but he has been in the papers. There is a tiny blurb about him from time to time. He was making his way to Mideel in search of his beloved Aeris. He is still looking…
"I saved your life." She whispered, rubbing her nose against his. No matter hard how she tried, her attitude could never surpass his.
"And I saved yours." He tightened his grip, drawing her closer to him. Their lips were centimeters away from eachother.
It was true. He did save her life. That night, when he had defeated his father - he had taken her to the hospital. She was operated on, he was questioned. They had believed every word of it, because he had spoken the truth. (Except for the tiny homicide incident with the Paramount guard, which Reno claimed was self-defense.)
*-
Since he was still Vance's son, he inherited the Paramount and all of its money. But he didn't want that hotel, so he sold it. He sold it to Dio, who took a liking for him after the incident. Reno repaid him, they settle the score. He could never rule over his father's kingdom - too many bad memories.
She distinctly remembered walking out of the next evening with him. The press was everywhere, a sassy short-haired blond was in the front row. She had a sleek grin on her face as she stuck the microphone at him.
"Reno, as a former Turk, how has this venture changed you?"
"Well, it has changed my entire outlook on life actually - as a person. But as a former Turk, why don't you tell me, Elena?" He then shoved her out of the way with Tifa on his arm.
After Reno's comment, Elena retreated to Gongaga for a while. She was ashamed to be a former Turk, and the papers said she needed a break before she could get back to her career. In Gongaga, it was rumored that she had been seen - kindling fire between a certain cue-ball's sheets.
However, she eventually returned to her job and Rude moved the big city. With the money he had saved as a guard, he started up his own security business. At first it was small, but it had begun to flourish and soon he would be the most prominent security business on the planet. Unlike Elena, he used his past on a positive note. People hired Rude because of his Ex-Turk expertise.
Rude was even considering opening a branch in Cosmo Canyon. Cosmo Canyon had remained the same with the wise Nanaki as their leader. He still crusades against Mako energy, although it is not used, he is one of the main reasons why. His book (of course it has been dictated, and someone else has written it down for him), The Midgar Memoirs, has been the planet's best seller. It is a book about the evils or Mako energy, using the fallen city as its symbol.
"I'll love you always, Reno." She had been thinking for far two long
about the others, she had forgotten about herself. She resides in Costa De La
Sol, with her almost loving Turk as her companion. The two have their
differences, but they compliment each other immensely.
Tifa hardly mentions the not-so-pleasant parts of their past. Unless they are in their occasional fight, where they hit* each other with all they have. Tifa has put Nibelheim, Cloud, and anything cruel behind her. With Reno by her side, she towers over all with her confidence. She has developed it on her own, and he enhances it with his love.
Of course, in a moment of weakness Reno did admit to Tifa that he loved her. It is rare that he admits his feelings, but when they are alone together his affection is more abundant. He appreciates all that she has done for him. He knows that she could have very well turned him to the police that distant night. But she didn't. She accompanied him on his sentimental journey and helped him discover himself.
Occasionally, when he is alone at night he thinks about his father. But the hate has faded, he only tries to think about his father in his first years. The father that cradled him in his arms, the father that was not corrupt. He thinks of his mother peacefully now, knowing that she is alright. And she smiles down upon them, because she sees her boy's cup has finally been filled.
"And you'll always be mine."
Reno grinned placing a kiss on her soft lips.
And those clouds that rolled by, those sands of time that they stood upon, those foam crests that crashed upon the waves - they were all draped in an ebony curtain that we like to call darkness. Yet beneath that curtain, a glowing hand reached out lifting it up. The hand tossed the curtain aside, leaving only beautiful bursts of morning light. Light that shown upon their faces and glowing inside of their souls. The sun continued to rise up, in full form, deleting the darkness - because he knew it was a new day.
- The End -
(*Of course that is to be taken figuratively!)