Crimson Fury

Disclaimer - I own what I own - Final Fantasy isnt in that category.

Cloud sighed as he continued dragging his feet up the ascent of the Great Glacier. His feet were killing him, he hadn't been able to feel his hands for a few hours because of the cold and he had a pounding headache that went by the name of Yuffie Kisagari. She had used her very loud voice to express concerns about the cold. In his ear.

"Serves her right… Should wear more suitable clothes instead of age 5-6 stuff." Cloud muttered under his breath when he was positive she couldn't hear him. Cursing silently when he realised he had spoken too loudly, that was the ninja's fault too, she had almost deafened him with that exploding voice of hers. It was just his luck that her ears worked just as well, she heard him.

"Excuse me spikey boy! My clothes are NOT age 5-6 and it was your idea to walk up this ice block in the first place and let me freeze to death!" She jumped in his way and stuck her face up close to his and glared him in the eye.

Cloud was fed up. He would have gladly taken Cid instead of her, at least the pilot kept quiet once in a while. Yuffie never gave up, she was on overdrive almost permanently, and it seemed to form itself in arguing or complaining, which she excelled at. He ignored her and kept walking, treating her like some small child, if you ignored it, eventually it would give up and find something else to do. Yuffie wasn't some young child though. She was a big child, that tactic didn't work on her. She kept jumping in his way to try and get his attention. Finally, he snapped.

"Listen. If you hate this so much, then maybe you shouldn't have even come with us. Icicle inn isnt far back, go and wait there." He sidestepped the ninja and continued walking. Yuffie was taken aback for a moment, that was more of a reaction she had ever got off Cloud – the usually impassive guy who hardly ever raised his voice.

She glanced at their other companion, a large, straight shouldered man crammed into a blue suit. The icy sun bounced off his close shaved head and his eyes were concealed behind tinted sunglasses. He walked silently up the hill, not even aknowledging their presence, taking long strides that would have taken Yuffie three to make up. His large fists were clenched in some sort of determination to complete his mission. Rude of the Turks.

He hadn't said much during their journey, less than usual. Yuffie supposed it was concern for his partner and friend so she hadn't pestered him - that and the fact he was about three times bigger than her and could probably crush her skull in his fist. Yuffie shivered at the gruesome mental image and watched him up ahead of them. Periodically his head would twist as he seemed to study his surroundings, searching for any clue as to his friend's disappearence. Yuffie felt sorry for him, he must have been torn up with worry, well, if he wasn't so stoic. She shrugged and began trudging up the hill again, complaining every now and then to remind them of her existence.

It had been three days since anyone had heard from the crimson haired leader of the Turks. There had been rumours of a mako leak at the Northern Continent and the newly instated President Reeve needed someone to investigate. Since Shinra had been taken under new management after the Meteor incident the Turks had become unemployed, since Reeve didn't believe in their justification.

Rude had been working tirelessly trying to restore Midgar to some kind of it's former state, if just to house the survivors currently over crowding Junon. Elena had been elected Vice President shortly after Reeve reformed ShinRa. He knew of her office skills, since that is what she had to do before the opportunity had been given to join the field Turks. Reno had been stuck. He was intelligent, but with no education, and having "Professional killer" on a CV didn't really inspire people to employ him. Reeve had offered him an office job at Neo Shinra but he declined, stating he didn't need some pity job. The ex Turk leader had still stuck around though, in case he ever was needed.

When the news about the mako leak in Northern Continent came around Reno was overjoyed. Not that he showed it. Reeve asked him to check it out for a pay check. Reno didn't need asking twice. To his fellow Ex-Turks the redhead had told them he was going only because Reeve had begged him too, and that the fresh air would clear his hangover. The former leader didn't want to reveal his delight at finally going to work again.

After deciding to go, Reno had grabbed his EMR and boarded the nearest helicopter and set off to Northern continent. A few hours later Elena had called his PHS checking if he had found anything, there was a sound of fighting, something roaring and a yell. The other line had been silent after that except a feeble curse presumably directed at the monster or whatever had attacked Reno, then the grunts of some beast and Reno's laboured breathing were all she could hear. The sounds gradually grew distant yet Elena didn't hang up, it was only after the battery died did she put the phone down.

Reeve had ordered search parties to find him, surprisingly several members of AVALANCHE had volunteered to help including Cloud, Yuffie, Tifa and most surprising of all Vincent. Cloud said it was because of the help Rude and Elena had done for them since Meteor and Reno's disappearence had tore at them. So it was that three days later Cloud, Yuffie and Rude found themselves climbing an icy slope in search of the young Turk.

They had asked around Icicle Inn whether anyone had seen him and quite a few people had. A barman told them that a red haired fellow with a long metal stick had walked in, downed a few glasses of beer, paid and walked off, no questions asked. 'So much for clearing the hangover,' Yuffie had mused. Also a young kid with a snowboard had spotted the Turk walking up to the glacier but hadn't seen him return.

Yuffie had been silent for a few minutes. Shivering slightly, why was she even bothered that Reno had got himself attacked? he was a Turk! Let him find his own way out of this. Yet, she had become close with Elena and had been in her office when she had rang Reno.

It wasnt a nice thing to witness.

The normally composed vice president screaming down the PHS sobbing her heart out. Elena wouldnt put the PHS down until Yuffie had to practically force her.

Yuffie was dragged out of her thoughts when she caught a glimpse of something that shouldn't be on an icy mountain. It was half buried by the snow but she could make out what it was. something metal and pole-like.

She yelled and took off in the direction of what looked like a metal rod. Cloud and Rude watched her figure with cocked eyebrows until their eyes glimpsed what she had seen. Immediately they sprinted towards it as well. They all stood around the metal rod silently as Rude bent down and uncovered the rest of it from underneath the snow. As he lifted it up he frowned, It was Reno's abandoned night stick.

Reno: Howdy! I'll be the muse for this story, would you please care to take your eyes for a stroll to the little button next to review and press 'go' Thanks

Shakai: wow…He behaved!