Rude awoke on Reno’s couch with the sun shining into his eyes. It took him a moment to realize what had awoken him. His phone was ringing loudly, and he reached for it he realized how much his body hurt from sleeping on the couch. He flipped the phone open with his thumb.
“Rude,” he answered gruffly, and slightly pained. As he expected, it was Tseng.
“The President wants him here now,” he said, his voice strange. Rude could tell the Director was unhappy with the situation, and it made him feel strange. The Director almost never let it show when the orders he received made him upset. That was why he was such a good Turk. Or at least, that was what Rude had thought. But with recent events, he wasn’t sure what to think.
“Okay,” Rude said. He hung up, standing and trying to stretch his sore muscles. Perhaps the President would change his mind? Rude shook his head, walking over to the door of Reno’s bedroom. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. Chances were extremely slim. He opened the door silently and looked in on the pair. Yazoo had his arms gently wrapped around Reno, who had twisted himself up in his sheets. Not being one big for words, he wasn’t exactly sure how he was going to wake the two up. Especially since he didn’t want to.
Tseng sat across from Rufus Shinra and a scientist, glaring at the blond man intently. Rufus merely smirked. Tseng was finding that he hated that smirk more than anything at the present moment. It had been like this when the Remnants had attacked as well. How could he even dare smile in such a situation?
“They’re coming,” Tseng said tersely, sliding his phone back into his pocket.
“Good,” Rufus said, his smile widening. “Then we can put an end to this.”
“Sir, you have no idea what you’re doing,” Tseng said trying not to lose his cool.
“On the contrary my friend, I know exactly what I am doing. You’ve know me fifteen years at least Tseng, you know I am not one to change my mind.” He looked at Tseng oddly, as if he were trying to read his thoughts. “Then why do you try so often, I wonder?”
Tseng looked away from the President, unable to stand his nonchalant behavior. He instead focused on the scientist next to him who had a large syringe filled with a liquid that would kill Yazoo in a manner of seconds.
“Do you know what murder is?” he asked the man.
“You’re one to talk… Turk,” the scientist replied venomously. “You’ve killed hundreds of people for this company, don’t try to act superior.”
Tseng gritted his teeth and looked to the floor.
“If you do this,” Tseng said, looking up. “I’ll quit.” Tseng stared defiantly straight into his boss’s ice blue eyes, which narrowed.
“Then give me your ID and I’ll tell Reno he’s been promoted,” Rufus Shinra said coldly. Tseng reached for it, and then hesitated. Could he really do that to Reno? And Elena and Rude as well. The company they worked for might be evil, but giving up wasn’t the answer. And on top of that, there was no way Reno could assume the duties of Director in his current state. “Well?” Rufus asked.
“I despise you,” Tseng said, his glare intensifying. Rufus grinned.
“I knew you’d understand, Tseng. There’s a reason I trust you with my life.”
‘Just watch out next time a bullet comes your way, I might not be so keen to jump in front,’ the Director thought to himself. The three waited another five minutes before the door opened and Elena entered.
“They’re here,” she said. Her eyes were red and her voice shaky. Tseng caught her eye and frowned. She cried too easily, but he wasn’t going to tell her so at a time like this.
After Elena came in and sat down next to Tseng, Rude was the next to enter the room. He held the door open for the two people behind him: Yazoo, his head held high and his eyes burning and Reno, seemingly a faded shell of the man he normally was, his lower lip bleeding excessively as he chewed on it even more. The redhead clenched Yazoo’s hand until his knuckles turned white, and he stumbled behind his lover as the Remnant strode over to the scientist and sat before him, looking him right in the eyes.
“Go ahead,” he said, presenting his moon pale arm. “Get this over with.” The scientist suddenly looked uncomfortable, as if Yazoo’s glowing eyes had disconcerted him somehow.
“No,” Reno said, clenching Yazoo’s hand even harder yet. “Please don’t. Please don’t.” Yazoo looked over to him, placing a hand on his lover’s face.
“It’s okay,” he said smiling. “I’m always going to be here Reno. That’s the thing about the Lifestream; I’ll never truly be gone from this planet.”
Reno was hardly comforted. His blue eyes overflowed as he shook his head.
“I love you. What am I supposed to do when you’re gone?”
“Live your life,” the Remnant replied gently. He then turned back to the scientist and nodded. The man swallowed, and then plunged the syringe into a vein in Yazoo’s arm. Yazoo saw the room around him begin to dissolve into a swirl of colors. He felt the blood in his veins turn to ice water. The Remnant was faintly aware of Reno’s hand still clenching his own, and he gave it a gentle squeeze before drifting into absolute nothingness.
In the room, Rufus Shinra stood, ignoring his second best Turk, who was now holding Yazoo’s lifeless body as he sobbed. He went to leave the room, but before he did, he turned back.
“Tseng. Reno. Take the body to the Church in Midgar and lay it to rest.” He left without another word, the scientist not far behind him. Tseng gave a look of absolute loathing to the men’s receding backs. He then turned to Reno, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Come on,” he said quietly. “I’ll fly the helicopter.”
It wasn’t long before they had reached the Church, and approached the pool of water at the altar. Tseng looked around. The place brought so many painful memories to mind. He’d spent so much time there when he was a younger man, and he could hardly recognize it. He looked over to Reno, who held Yazoo in his arms. The redhead walked into the pool of water, which came up to his waist, and let go of the Remnant. For a moment, his silver hair spread out in the water like a sheet, and he began to sink. Then blue green sparks began to envelope the body, and when they had dissipated, so had Yazoo. Reno turned to Tseng, his face dirty and tear stained, but not even able to cry anymore. The whites of his eyes were bright red, and he looked almost tired of living.
“Kill me,” he said to Tseng.
“I can’t do that,” Tseng replied.
“Why not?” Reno demanded angrily. “You have a gun, yo! I want you to! Kill me Tseng, please.”
Tseng walked up to Reno, looked him straight in the eye and smacked him across the face.
“Yazoo even said he wanted you to live your life. Now snap out of it.” Reno just stared at Tseng for a moment, shocked that his boss had done such a thing. After he had recovered slightly, he punched Tseng in the nose. Despite the fact that his nose was now bleeding, he smiled. “Glad to see you’re feeling a little better at least,” he said, turning to leave the Church. Reno watched him leave, his breathing ragged and heavy. He climbed out of the pool and went to follow him, and despite the fact that every fiber of his being was filled with an intense sorrow and anger, he felt the will to live once again.
