An Adventure To Never Forget

He sat in an uncomfortable chair, icy green eyes watching out of the window boredly. Although he wore casual clothes and looked at ease, the man felt odd. He had never worn jeans like these, and the black hooded sweatshirt was too bulky for his liking. He had never done anything covert, it was all out-and-about killing before. His hair was still long, he refused to cut it short because that was too much change, and in a ponytail, long crimson bangs framing his face. Twin cross scars were beneath his eyes, which were a lovely shade a mint ice green.

"Sexy," a female voice said in the form of an adjective from the doorway. He looked up and shook his head at her. She always looked at ease in whatever she wore. The fact that the baggy jeans and tight tank top looked positively normal on her was driving him insane. Why did he look like such an idiot in the clothes she bought him?

"Glad you think so," he replied. "I feel like an idiot in street clothes. I prefer my suit."

She gazed at him with something between pity and love, maybe a combination thereof. "You know that you didn't have to-"

"I know," he interrupted, standing and walking toward her. "But I did it for our future. Elena and Rude know how to get along without me. I wasn't their leader, y'know."

She smiled as he straightened the baggy sweat shirt. When he looked back over at her, their eyes met and he knew that she would always see him as he was... A tall man with a good heart and crimson tresses that most women would kill for. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his middle, looking up at him with love in her eyes. He looked down at her, that same love reflecting in his icy green eyes. They were made for each other in every way. They fought and feuded, loved passionately, hated each other continuously, yet stayed together through thick and thin. She wanted to move around and see the world, he was a Turk...

Needless to say, their dreams clashed until she told him she was leaving town, with or without him. Elena and Rude were upset, but agreed completely to their friend's wishes... He was going to stay with the Turks...

"Reno, are you sure that you don't want to be with her?" Elena asked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her left ear. "You're made for each other, y'know."

Rude silently nodded his head in agreement, but Reno threw a paper wad at the two of them. "Naw, she's too adventerous for me. I like to chill every now an' then, y'know?"

Rude stared at him doubtfully.

"Yeah, yeah, so I haven't had a vacation in three or four years, that don't mean nothin'." Elena and Rude rolled their eyes and went on about their business on their own computers. The red head looked down at the time on the bottom right side of his computer and sighed. 11:42 AM, she was probably getting ready to leave... Without him...

He continued typing up a brief report about some mission involving a terrorist, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the picture in his wallet. She was wearing a tank top and khaki-colored shorts, her legs drawn up close to her body, arms wrapped around them leisurely, and a goofy grin on her face. It was a "top-performance" photographer that had taken the picture and Reno had thought that it captured her in her best moments - looking like herself. She had written a note to him on the back, much like a high-school friend might do. Her note, however, was what Reno had found to be the most interesting.

I love you, Reno. Never give anything up if you truly don't want to! -Yuffie K.

Short, sweet, full of love, and perfect. She had known even then, three weeks before, that she would not stay in Junon for much longer. It was not her style...

As he thought about this, he wondered why he had decided to settle down in Junon. He had always wanted to travel, so why stick around with the Turks? Other than the fact that he did not want to be killed for walking out on them. He knew too much... And Rude would be the bearer of death. He was unsure as to whether or not his bald comrade would kill him, but Elena certainly would not. She had told him as much.

He stood then, ready to leave. Grabbing his jacket, he tossed it at Rude. He removed his gun from its holster and set it on Elena's desk. "Next time we meet," he said seriously, "You won't recognize me..." With that, he ran out the door.

"I love you," she told him in an informative voice, looking up at him through too-long chocolate bangs.

"Ditto, kiddo," he replied, swiping her bangs out of her eyes. "You ready to get goin'? I mean, we've been here for, what, two weeks?"

She rolled her eyes and let go of him, looking out the window. Kalm was too... Well, calm for her liking. She needed something interesting to do. And they had already visited the hottest places on the planet. That got her thinking. "How's about... Icicle Town?"

He raised a fiery eyesbrow. "Icicle Town? That place is... Well, it's fucking cold, Yuffie!"

She shrugged, walking toward her bags. He stared at her for a moment, noting the sway in her hips. She knew just how to make him follow her. Growling with something between frustration and the want for something that he could not have until they were behind closed doors, he followed obediently, grabbing his bag. Luckily, they both travelled light.

They left the inn, Yuffie skipping happily out the door and running into something rather large. Or, rather, someone rather large. She looked up and blinked a few times. "Eh heh... Sorry 'bout that," she apologized, stepping around the tall bald man and hoping that Reno would not run into him as well. Instead, Reno laughed his ass off at her, then grinned roguishly at the bald man.

"How ya doin', Rude?"

The man looked taken aback for a moment, then gaped at the red head. "Reno..."

Elena jogged over, obviously suspecting something wrong since her gun was drawn. "What's going on- Yuffie! Reno!"

The couple looked at each other before scratching the backs of their heads in unison and nodding. Surely they had not changed very much in a few months...

"I like the new look, Reno. You look good," Elena commented.

Yuffie nudged Reno in the ribs, reminding him of their plans to leave and that Rude had every right - in accordance to Turk code - to shoot him on the spot. Elena and Rude both noticed this nudge and guessed as to what she was trying to say without saying it. Rude looked at ground, hands still at his sides. "Get out of here, Reno."

The former Turk looked at his once-best-friend, then nodded slowly. He grabbed Yuffie's hand and they sprinted down the road. "I'll be coming," Rude called to the red head. "And it's only because I've been hired."

Yuffie could sense the pain and squeezed his hand comfortingly. They were on the run. He glanced over and saw the pity in her eyes... And for once, he was willing to accept the fact that he was on the run. Before, he had someone to back him up. This time, he was on the run with his girlfriend. Whatever came next was up to them. If they got caught, they were thoroughly screwed. If they went into hiding... Well, he just could not see Yuffie staying in hiding for very long.

The wind picked up around them and they looked to the sky. Yuffie grinned as they came to a halt. The Highwind II hovered above them, a rope ladder tossed down for them. She looked at Reno, then the two ascended the aforementioned ladder. Cid Highwind stood on the deck, glaring at the two.

"Here that you're bein' hunted," he told them in a fatherly fashion. "They called o'er da me an' Shera's lookin' fer ya. Lena slipped up and said they were gonna huntcha down fer gil. Worst slip-up ever, cause she wanted me ta know and save yer scrawny asses."

Yuffie grinned and hugged the older pilot. "Love ya too, Old Man!"

"Old Man? Fuck! God dammit! I'm not that fuckin' old, ya bitchy-ass brat!"

Reno grinned... Yes, this was going to be an adventure to never forget.

Dracon: Needs work, but it's not too horrible, right?

Surka: Seph shoulda been in it for kicks and giggles.

Ray-Z: Welp, there ya are! I might be doin' some FF8 stuff for the heck of it this summer! Ciao!

RayZor, Dracon, & Surka