My Road

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, It’s original characters, places, etc. Nor do I make any money from this fanfiction. The only things that are mine are my own original added characters. And the situations or new places added to flesh out my own story.

Warnings: Angst... and a poor re-start to writing after not doing so for almost 3 months....


My Road

~Chapter 23~

If the feeling of the planet weighing down on you was anything like this, then Reno knew what it felt like, for sure. His whole body ached but not as bad as he thought it would after last night. Though he sure felt where each bruise, abrasion, and cut were. His pride felt far more bruised than his body though. Who was he to complain though. He was a thing, a belonging now. Who was he before. had he been a good kid, with great parents. Somehow he doubted it. He was from below the plate, so there couldn’t have been much of a background for him.


Even laying with his eyes closed hurt but as he tried to imagine what parents would have been like for him he had a flash of brilliant and beautiful eyes. a soft face... soothing features and warm sculpted lips as a melodious voice sang to him. Daydreams of fantasy for him, or reality turned into dreams and myths today? Did he have a warm and sad feeling of loss from a mother that loved him, or from the sadness of longing for what he'd never had?


Reno sighed, breathing in as deeply as his sore back and ribs would let him, he lay on his stomach, it made it a little easier for his sleepless dream state to grab him last night... the closest he'd feel to sleep for now. He didn’t think he'd even get used to the vast crispness in the air of being outside of the city. It seemed almost as if his body was in withdrawal without the poisonous air that he'd grown up with. His senses craved so much more. He imagined the hum of the inner groaning’s of the cities works. the plate above offering the comfort of familiarity. he'd been ripped unknowingly from a life he'd known for what? 13-15...20? years.. he didn’t even know. And right now, the sound of the cries of some water bird felt and sounded so far from comforting.


The day was well under way, because Reno could hear the bustling movements of servants. there wasn’t many that were here but they did their best to see to any and all of Tseng's needs. Reno wondered why Tseng hadn't come bursting in, to be sure that he was up for his chores or to study with Tseng in some language again. The few and far between times that Tseng was home, he always insisted on Reno learning. Reno's gut twisted at the memory of last night. What did Tseng want of him, did he care for him? Maybe Tseng was playing some sick and twisted game to test Reno to see how far Reno's loyalty would go? Reno shook his head, what would come of wondering...


He slowly made a check of his extremities testing and feeling if each one moved as it should, before he dared try to roll over. When he finally did so, it didn’t hurt him hardly at all. there was only a slight soreness that remained. Must be your pride can make the physical pain so much worse when you lie and wonder. He grabbed his head as he sat up though as a splitting headache bloomed fresh with the movement. But something else was also there... a slight sense of foreboding... Why did he have the aching feeling that something else was wrong or not the way it should be? He shook his head and instantly regretted it as the headache raged on even worse. No matter, he needed to be up, He had responsibilities and could get a cup of tea that might help his head once he was up.


Reno pulled on one of the traditional robes that Tseng supplied him with and closed it up the way he'd been taught, and made his way carefully out of the room. There was a quiet peace about the estate this morning. It may have been a bit later in the morning than he normally arose but it was still very early. The sun had only just risen a little ahead of him. The slight hustle of the servants was a lull that helped ease Reno a bit. But it was still far too quiet for him here. He rounded the corner of the foyer with the expansive vaulted ceilings and braced himself. Something told him that Tseng was there, he didn’t know what. But he needed to listen to his gut.


Tseng knew that Reno approached and erased all feeling from his face... The intensely emotional night had left him sleepless. but to be effective in teaching his new fledgling under his care, he needed to be a blank slate. No regret, no wonder, no appreciation...nothing. Reno quietly and almost elegantly made his way around the corner. Tseng had all he could do to keep from gasping at the wondrous site that Reno made.


The firey red hair was cascading around the chiseled face and features of the stone saddened boy. The hair only half being held back by a tie wrapped in haste around the errant strands. His fine and lean neck showing down to the expanse of his chest where it widened out but was there-on covered by the silk robe that was one of many that Tseng had gifted the boy with since he'd been here this way. The elegant ripples of silk hung around the lean frame of the filling out yet still youthful body in the most breathless way. the lines of the robe accentuating all of the fiery boy's features. His long fingered hands slid down the sides of the robe, which was the only sign of his nervousness. When he entered and sensed Tseng's presence, his eyes had immediately fallen and remained lowered as he walked up to the master of the grounds they were on.


Reno felt the appraising eyes running over his body and with it he felt the nerve endings of his very soul light afire. if only he had a voice he'd cry out with all that he had in question as to why Tseng was doing this. But instead all that found its way to his lips was silence. The sun streaking into the room was casting shadows on the floor and the ocean's breeze outside the walls of this brilliant mansion was causing the trees to dance thus leaving the most amazing shadowed waltz on the floor that Reno could study with his eyes. He wanted to be a-tune to the world around him, not the steady and heavy beat of Tseng's heart so near yet so far away. And his own that danced in rhythm to the fear and sadness inside his own pent of emotional state. Couldn’t he be anywhere but here!? He felt so close to panicking and fleeing... just running and never stopping. But the silence stretched on.


Tseng sensed the fear ready to rear its ugly head before he saw it written on the pale face of the beautiful spirit he'd begun to break last night. along with the Tightly woven threads of manners, responsibility, and finesse that he'd been interweaving since the boy awoke. Now was the time to implement the next player in the game that toyed with this boy's soul. Or was it a life giving act, yes.... Tseng far preferred to think of himself the savior rather than the enemy in this play of life.


"You've done well in my household so far, Reno... you need to be commended" The rich tones of Tseng’s beautifully cultured voice with the intones of the saturation of Wutain mixed into the common language of Gaia, formed the most melodious balm to Reno's soul. but the words surprised him. "Yes, I believe its time I begin your training..."


Reno finally raised his eyes up to look into the deep almost black-brown eyes of the mysterious man in front of him. And saw nothing that he thought he would, he only saw acceptance and focus, not the shame he thought he'd see. If only Reno knew that his own swam with a brimming look of innocence itself. The poor boy had been through more than a lifetime of hardships and now was lost as all could be, yes was free of all the impurities of hardened life at the same time. He was moldable clay in the right hands destined to become great, and that was what Tseng sought. He wanted to make Reno something great. his star ... his pride... his belonging...


"Wha... What training would that be...?" Reno's young curiosity got the better of him.


"Follow me and you'll see." Tseng replied. This was of course, yet another test of a sort. How deep did Reno’s sense of responsibility lay?


Reno looked off towards the entry to the kitchen and then again towards the doorway to the library. he bit his lip ever so slightly. "What about..." He only had to begin before Tseng waved a hand, cutting off his statement.


"You'll find a way to fit in your responsibilities" Jackpot... his little redhead was truly so predictable. "Follow me and we can see where your strengths lie." Tseng began walking towards the little used sliding doors to the back hallway. He knew Reno would follow like the good little flowing puppy that he was.


Reno watched as they passed the hallway he'd been down very few times. no one in the staff here had need to use the back doorway to the estate with all the side ones and the main door leading where they needed to go. the back, lush, and expansive yard that faced the mountains was more foreboding than enjoyable. But as they made their way out those doors Reno began to wonder if the small building back there was their destination. sure enough Tseng nodded at the gate latch. Reno gently lifted it and pulled the towering gate open to reveal a sandy courtyard hidden by the tall boarded fence. and a small kendo style building beyond the courtyard.


Tseng stepped in just past Reno and reached for something leaning against the fencing. without a blink he tossed a firm pole towards Reno... And with a knowing smirk he remarked while reaching quickly and smoothly for a second one. "Your training begins now"...


~~~End Chapter~~~


A/N: I'm back.... vacation from work since I work for the school system. YAY!!! time for the demented author to return ;)