Disclaimer: see chap 1…I'm too lazy to keep repeating it….

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"Why Reno, you didn't tell me the new Turk was so cute"

Cloud turned to see a very voluptuous blonde female in a red dress standing in the doorway. Cloud also noticed the full body shudder made by Reno at the sound of her voice and rolled his eyes…really how bad could one person be?? Reno, he thought, was just overreacting and went to check on the supplies in the truck.

"Hands off Scarlet…He's only 16. I'd hate to bring you in for statutory rape."

"Come now Reno…that didn't stop us now did it?" Came the smug reply from the Reno-labeled evil.

Cloud seemed surprised at this comment as he quickly turned away from the truck to stare down Reno with a single eyebrow up at his hairline, just begging a question without words.

"Hehe…well you wanted to know how I knew"

"I never asked, and really never cared to know…plus Zack gave me some "horror stories", as he calls them, and I'm sure I can handle one female executive…no offense ma'am"

"Oh! He's smarter than you too!"

"Hey, I resent that!"

"You see Reno…I only scare those who find me frightening…haven't you ever noticed how Tseng never complains about me?"

"You know Tseng wouldn't complain if you told him to go shovel a pile of chocobo shit into his own office."

"True, but the fact remains that I could still get to you anytime I want to…"

"Uh huh and how, pray tell, do you plan to execute said deviation?" Cloud, at this point, decided to have some fun with his superior.

"Well, Reno, for one, you shouldn't try to copy me. Big words just don't suit you. Not to say you're stupid, just well, …uneducated… Secondly, I would use your fear of dogs and absolute love for kittens to my advantage and probably tie you to a chair, tape your eyelids open and make you watch dogs chase and mangle your precious little felines on Monster Planet.

"I'm not afraid of dogs!!" Reno didn't sound too sure of himself at the moment

"Wolves then, whatever!" Scarlet could see where this was going and decided to step in and find a new ally in the young blonde.

"And if that didn't work Reno, I believe I have some blackmail of Palmer and a fat hooker earning her money that I'm sure would leave you scarred. Hell why do you think Genesis went crazy?"

"You wouldn't!" Reno looked positively petrified at the moment. And his protégé had turned on him…speaking of which, Spiky just had to compound it.

"Well Zack told me that he heard that Palmer has a fetish for lard and rockets…Cant you just imagine it Reno?"

Said redhead could take no more and bolted for the door. Cloud and Scarlet watched him leave in silence before looking at each other…and proceeded to fall to the floor laughing.

"Oh Gaia, that was too good!"

"Gods I just wish I had gotten a picture of his face!"

"Then remind me to get the security feed off of the truck cam after the mission…I could use some blackmail…"

"Finally we get another Turk that isn't silent or idiotic…Cissnei is a great friend but she has no sense of adventure! What's your name?"

"Strife, Cloud Strife"

"Well, pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Strife, I am Kaci Cassini, otherwise known as Scarlet."

"So why do they call you Scarlet?"

"That's a long story for another time…plus my choice in clothing"

"Fair enough…now if you don't mind, I've got a womanizing redhead to find before we leave…after that we've got a 5 hour truck ride that I've got to try to not get sick on"

"Well you could always ride in my limo"

"Well…um…I'm really not supposed to…"

"Its no big deal…I'm supposed to have a personal escort and well I was gunna take Reno and well…have some fun making him piss himself…but I think you'll be more interesting"

"…Okay then. I'll be back in a minute"

Cloud found his way through the building to the bar that Reno had most likely retreated to. Well at least that's what Cloud figured, which left him awfully surprised when said bar contained no carefree redhead. Instead there was a too familiar figure slouching over the bar that Cloud could not ignore. Cloud walked up and sat next to the man who had yet to notice him or didn't care to

"What would you like" came from the bartender. An older, slightly overweight man asked him while wiping down a glass.

Cloud thought about it for a second. Drinking was never really his thing but…well he figured it'd all come up on the trip anyway.

"Give me somethin' hard" …well that otta get his attention.

And it did.

First there was an all over sudden tension like someone had just called Sephiroth girly, followed by a slight raising of his head that was buried in his arms, like he wasn't sure what he was hearing. Then he slowly turned until light blue mako eyes met with dark sapphire mako eyes.

"…3…2…1…"

"CLOUD!!"

That was followed by a full tackle-glomp leaving Cloud on the floor covered by Zack Fair, SOLDIER, 1st class.

"Where the hell have you been?! I've been worried about you! I thought you were dead!!"

"…dead?"

"Well Tseng just told me that you knew too much and were taken care of…" By this point Zack had gotten off of Cloud and helped him to his feet

"…Remind me to talk with him about that"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind…They…uh…made me a—"

"Hey Cloud!" An all too familiar voice called from the door.

"Reno…I'm surprised I beat you here"

"Meh…forgot my wallet. Had to go back to my apartment."

"…Don't you have a tab?" not to mention it's probably longer than the tax law books in the library…

"…Hey, I do don't I?"

Cloud just slapped his hand to his forehead.

"Well what's this," Reno said while eyeing the raven headed SOLDIER "Am I not a good enough drinking buddy for you anymore?"

"Wait a minute Cloud. You mean to tell me while I've been moping around for the last 4 months cuz I thought I got you killed by dragging you along with me and you were drinking with Reno of all people?!"

Zack, right then, sounded more angry and hurt then Cloud had ever seen him aside from the time when he learned that Angeal had defected to Genesis' side…and it even rivaled that one.

"…Reno…could you go wait at the truck…and no Scarlet wont do anything to you…I'll be there in a minute"

At Cloud's somber tone, Reno knew this was no place for him to shoot his mouth off and just nodded and left the room.

"Listen Zack…Sorry about not talkin to you but well…I couldn't"

"What do you mean 'you couldn't'? Did Reno threaten you? Im gunna kill that stupid redhead!"

"Zack!"

The raven haired SOLDIER quickly forgot his rant and pulled his attention to his friend.

"Haven't you noticed what I'm wearing"

"…no…they didn't…"

"Yes Zack, I'm a Turk now. They wouldn't let me out of the training facility during my training…otherwise I would have let you know."

Zack just looked at the ground, as if the news was worse than Cloud dying.

"Listen, I've got my first mission…its in Junon…I'll call you when I get back"

"I wont be here, gotta mission to Nibelheim…with Seph of all people"

"Nibelheim…well listen could you tell my mom hi and that I'll come to see her soon. And find a girl named Tifa. Tell her I didn't make SOLDIER but somethin just as good and that I'll keep my promise…she'll know what I mean"

"Ya alright, but we got some serious catching up to do as soon as I get back"

"Yeah"

Cloud got up and started to leave but not before Zack grabbed him and pulled him into a brotherly hug

"Be careful out there Cloud…and…don't let it…ruin you"

Cloud didn't really know what he meant but the strain in his voice just wouldn't let him do anything but agree with him.

"Ya…you too…"

"See ya around, friend"

"Bye Zack, I gotta go"

Cloud made his way back to the garage while thinking about what Zack had said. What did he mean by not letting it ruin him… He guessed it was something about the enemy and what they use or something. He brushed it off and focused on the coming mission.

"Reno, let's go…and I'll ride with Scarlet"

"As much as I don't want to, what if she gets attacked? I don't want you holding them off alone…"

"…I beat you" And with that the blonde ducked into the limo

"…Shit"

0-0-0-0

Well this was certainly a long time in coming…The next one will be the entire mission so it will be very long and probably have a long delay…but I'm out of school so I will be writing.

I was tired of Scarlet being just an evil Slut-a-saurus so I decided to make her cool…don't blame me, blame the muses…and plot bunnies

I have a poll up on my page now on who you think is more badass so if you fell up to it, that's there.

And I just couldn't keep Zack out for too long…he's just too cool and…well…he threatened me…with chocolates…

Now review before Zack does the same to you! (hey that rhymed!)

-Dis