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:

Flashback.... other than that, none really.... finally a break. Reno is livin’ off the land, if you can call it that, in Midgar slums... hehe


My Road

~Chapter 7~

He’d lucked out, finding a way to leave the sector. Usually the opening was only accessible by train. But he’d found the next load that would go out, of scrap. And knowing the basic routine’s of these drivers personally, Reno knew he’d have a chance while they filled out paperwork after the cargo was inspected.


He had Kit duck down aside one of the quieter businesses, considering this was a veritable metropolis compared to what Reno had only known his whole life. Kit was staying quiet in the shadowy side of the building and staying silent, thank the goddess.


Reno hadn’t figured out what they’d do about food. For rations they had a list and they would mark you off in your assigned neighborhood. You had to let Shinra know if you were planning on moving to a new sector. Yet another one of the things the adults would discuss while Reno had worked with them and speak of how the Company that held the monopoly over energy and also complete control of this mega-city, wanted to know where and what every resident was living and doing, thus the control of the rations, and everything else. And train stations had built in fingerprint readers EVERYWHERE. They would know, no matter where you were on that train, when you got on, where you were going, and where you got off. Let alone immediately know every detail about your life.


The people in the slums had the upper hand in some instances. Even though their food, air quality, water, and every other basic necessity was controlled by Shinra… They’re lives weren’t catalogued the same way as people from the top plate or anywhere else on Gaia were for that fact. The true Slum-rats… if they could break away… had a more aspiring chance at making a fresh start than anyone else on the planet.


Learning all of this had helped to feed Reno’s obsession with the urge to flee despite the circumstances of emotional and physical dependency of wanting to be loved by his father, also his sense of responsibility to the man. But it was behind him now. This was the 1st day on the road of many to come for his new life.


Yes, food would be an issue. But, there had to be a way. They just needed to check out some other areas. The Idyllic conditions of Reno’s imaginations in this situation were… He and Kit somehow hitched a ride directly out of this city, till he was older and could make his own way back. It was a pitiful dream really. No one even with FULL identification and history had an easy time coming and going.


He had to focus on the here and now. His eyes narrowed on the truck. It looked like the army was just finishing up the inspection, when the driver followed them inside to fill out the papers he’d make his move. He got up to wait by Kit now.


They hunkered down in the shadow of that building for what felt like an hour. But when the door to the small army booth closed if felt like Reno could finally stop holding his breath. Now they needed to get across as inconspicuous as possible.


Reno pussy-footed his way along the most shadowed areas. Kit was darker colored. In fact he was a tad darker than his siblings had been, so getting him to walk directly beside Reno with natural body language and acting as smooth as possible was made a bit easier, by having the more natural camouflage. Reno felt like he was going to throw up, his nerves were on fire. It was the same nausea that had hit him when he’d had that ‘feeling’ about his father returning home. This was pure over doses of adrenaline.


The entire situation since this afternoon had been sensory overload for the poor boy. But he was being a true trooper; he had a high tolerance to stressful situations, even though it didn’t feel it to him directly. The drain had been constant for hours now though, so it would take its toll on his body soon. That’s not even mentioning the amount of damage it would due on his soul.


It was like a miracle when he and Kit reached the back side of the truck, though it looked more like a mini train. There were three boxes hooked to the front main truck. Reno decided the middle one was the safest bet for them to sneak into, less likely to be checked and a bit harder for the driver himself to access also. With a small jump for both young creatures they were up. And a small amount of shifting rendered them a usable, and semi safe seat in the load of scrap.


The little red headed boy felt a surge of excitement when he heard the driver saying thanks to the army men and well wishes all around. This was real. It was real. They were leaving the sector! There was absolutely no sense of loss when Reno felt the world around him rumble and come to life with the truck being started. Another rush of adrenaline hit Reno as they began moving upwards on the ramp and over the debris and rubble the ancient town that the slums were built upon.


Oh my goddess, they were moving! Reno looked down beside him at Kit, who was curled up in a ball as close to the boy as he could be. He guessed Kit didn’t share in his complete joy and rapture at being in a moving vehicle for his first time ever. He dreamed of finding out how these things worked, and driving them himself. And something he hoped he lived to see was flight! The rumors at work, or one of the many he’d heard, had been about a twirling engine that flew, and ships in the sky, and all such fabulous hard to believe things as that. He wanted to one day know how real they were. And pray to Shiva, that he be given the blessing of being in one if they were!


The rest of the trip to whichever sector was next on this truck’s lists of stops went by slowly but uneventful. Reno had to wait and see what this next stop would look like before he and Kit could figure out a plan of action but if they made it past this stop; they were a giant leap from where they had started. This would be a huge accomplishment especially for someone who was born and raised in the slums.


Surprisingly, this stop was even easier than when they’d gotten on to the load. It seems the driver was parked in some sort of storage aisle. Probably waiting to be checked, but instead of army people coming out, the driver parked and shut down and locked the front end of the rig. Maybe he had a place to stay. The way Reno figured it, just by how long he guessed they’d been riding, they were well into night now. This was such a turn of luck.


The young pair made their way yet again by shadows. This sector felt a lot bigger, maybe just because the buildings were built up higher. If Reno didn’t know there was still a large plate above their head, he would swear they were already in the major city. It was so new to him, to have more than one level of homes. Reno couldn’t force his eyes to shrink down to size at this moment if his life depended on it. He saw three rows of crummy windows on one building, THREE! Not just one floor! It was so amazing.


The whole feel about this sector wasn’t that deviated in a whole though, aside from the obvious height different now when Reno noticed the subtle quality’s, still poor, still starving, and still very strict control on water, all the basics. This sector was FAR more populated. And there were at least double the businesses, and that was only on this side of the sector that Reno could see from the loading ramp area. Maybe he could walk to the far side and see if the farther from the loading section, and train station that he got, if it was more Cuahl friendly.


He gave his companion a rub. At least he didn’t need to worry about food and water for Kit, he seemed to somehow naturally absorb and release energy from the planet and city around them. In fact he’d never fed Kit anything. That really lightened the stress for Reno, but even just worrying about himself scared the boy. Was this going to be too much?


~~~A few hours later~~~


Reno had thought that his legs were going to fall off, or he’d faint before he found them shelter for the night. But finally right before the farthest wall from the train station… it was a lot of bare dirt and abandoned trash and a couple of small buildings that looked like sheds half standing and half leaning on some ancient stone remains, which made up 1/3 of the little building’s structures. They must have been storage buildings for workers, or perhaps shelters that had been abandoned or the owners were deceased. Either way the door to the more cozy looking shelter of the two was practically rusted shut, it obviously hadn’t been a recent abandon.


This place was quaint. The wall to the outside world, so tantalizingly close, yet no way through it. And the abandoned dry ground around their find was just begging to be run upon and played on, a kids dream home and a Cuahl sanctuary under any other circumstances. Reno and Kit were simply unknown worthless beings in a dry dead under city world though. They were refugee’s from abuse, trying to feel out this new way of life. They only were beginning to scratch the surface though, of how hellish living on their own in the slums would really be.


Misplaced, jobless, hungry, tired, Reno knew he had to look inside before he’d determine the safety of the hiding place. He motioned Kit to stay put and slowly pushed the rusted door open. It creaked on its almost frozen hinges. Groaning as Reno kept pushing.


The false light filtered slowly into the dust ridden shack. As Reno’s eyes adjusted to the even more muted light he slowly took in a breath. He took a hesitant step forward and let his eyes scan every inch of the small enclosed place. He noted from the inside that there was a small dirty window; it must be boarded up from the outside. There were some old shelves on the wall to the left around the corner from the door, that side wall was maybe 7 feet long.


All in all the side the door was on was maybe 5 feet across. There looked to be some sticks or metal poles standing behind the door in the corner to the right. That wall met up with the stone ruins. The ruins were pocketed with chips and cracks and holes, some of which might be handy for setting things on and storage. That wall actually curved, along the whole right side and back of the small enclosure, meeting up eventually with the left side wall with the shelves. It had bumps and juts to it, most likely in ancient times it was part of an ornate carved or Megalith.


This had to have been a home for someone in the past, someone who knew how to make use of something already there. Smart, Reno thought. There was some stuff on the shelves; he’d have to check all of it out another time. He made a light whistle sound and Kit was bounding in past him in a second. There was some wood on the floor near the back curve of the stone wall. Maybe Reno could make a bed there, they’d get to be off the dirt, and use his large blanket as bedding. He always slept with full clothes on. That habit was a sealed routine for him; he’d listen to his mother’s most urgent rule before she died.


It was dirty, very dirty. The whole small enclosure needed cleaning badly. Cleanliness was something that’d been instilled on him since birth. His mother used to say that, though they were poor, it didn’t stop them from caring endlessly for the few things that were theirs. He was always to clean up before food, or sleep. The clothes they had were washed and repaired. Always making what things they possessed, last.


“Yo, Kit. It’s our home now, huh?” Reno gave the feline a small grin, though the animal was already curled right up under the shelves on the left wall. “You gonna be my watchdog huh?” He asked the lightly sleeping animal. They were both exhausted, he should follow suit, and worry about food and cleanliness tomorrow.


The boy took some of the boards in the corner and standing them up to tap off the accumulated dirt and dust, he then laid them down beside each other to make a suitable bed platform. He unfolded his larger blanket from the bundle of cloth he’d thrown into his father’s pack when he’d left. Then, laying it down folded I half on the platform, he took the smaller blanket that’d been his mothers and folded it into a pillow, like he’d done for so long now.


Reno’s body didn’t allow him to think a minute longer about anything that had happened in the previous 24 hours, or any other time for that matter. Exhaustion claimed him almost immediately. And the small home was filled with the sounds of deep breathing of the two sleeping creatures.

~~~A few hours later… Mid morning~~~

Reno’s body felt like he’d been working for the last 24 hours. His muscles screamed at him, once again reminding him of his growth pains that he had each morning. And for the first time in a long time his left hand ached. In the time his hand had been broken, he’d learned to be ambidextrous so, it was normally not a problem. This morning felt like after one of his father’s beatings, only he wasn’t being held like after his father took him, usually after the beatings.


Yesterday came flooding back with vengeance. Reno grabbed his face and head. His father had killed himself in front of the boy. He’d talked so sadly of Reno taking Re’nocia from him. Then he’d taken his son, violated him again, but Reno had felt some pleasure along with the pain and sorrow in his chest… then shot himself in cold blood right in front of Reno’s eyes.


Reno let loose a groan from his throat. But he wasn’t sad, he was angry. Why did his mother have to be taken away, and because she was distracted, worrying about HIM. Reno had begun trying harder than ever to please the man that was his paternal parent, and then Reno failed at making his father happy enough to keep living. Maybe he was supposed to leave like them? Should Reno have taken his father’s gun too?


His thoughts were interrupted by the almost fully grown Cuahl licking his face. Reno knew the feline would want to go out and have some freedom.


“All right ya big baby… I guess I don’ ave ta tell ya to be careful Yo?” He fondly rub’s Kits head and stroked over his ears. His only companion now, but the cat-like being had been hiding since birth. The kit’s had all played with the kids of Reno’s area till Bonno hurt this particular little one that Reno had become so fond of, and after that point Reno was the only one they seemed to not hide from. The siblings had all one by one made their way to areas people of the sector probably couldn’t reach, but Kit had stayed behind.


Reno slowly opened the still very rusty hinged door, and peeked outside. All safe, he made a motion and Kit stealthily made his way out. Reno had things to do, but Kit being on his own would be better. Reno knew that as long as his belongings were here, Kit would return.


Reno rummaged through the pack and got all the Gil he owned and put them in the pocket of the pants that he wore now, they were long on him, but not for much longer. First things first… food. Then figure out some way of getting a hold of water, if Reno’s suspicions were right, he might just have a sneaky way of getting some, without shorting anyone that needed it.


He pulled a large tee shirt on over his head and pulled his hair into a severe ponytail twisting the tie wrap that had been his mothers tightly around the bundled tail. It would make him look older, he hoped. At least his height should help him this once. And stuffing his pack in the corner under his blanket’s on the wood, he then headed out.


Reno had to walk quite a ways to reach the business section, but when he did he was rewarded with the sight of even more places than he’d seen on their first way through last night, guess he was really tired. This would make things easier; he’d find a place to buy some food, and listen around for a way to maybe get pay, or a way to get food regularly. Somehow…


The first place that he went to had a small selection of freeze dried goods, and some cans of stuff too. The fresh food was way out of question. What Gil Reno had, he had to make last as long as possible because he didn’t know what would happen in the future yet. They had a couple army-like containers of water also, and Reno’s mouth suddenly felt like the desert that it was. Maybe he’d get those, on the outside chance he found no other source.


The shopkeeper eyed him warily. “I aint seen you round ere at all huh?” Then stood between Reno and the fresh foods.


“Naw sir, I’m new, Yo!” He said as brightly as possible.


“Ya got Gil kid? Cause if not ya better get a move on, huh.” The shop keeper said not so nicely.


“ya, here” he put his hand on the two water containers “How much for these?”


The shop keeper raised an eyebrow. “You definitely not from round ere… that’s the cost there” He pointed his finger at a hand written note on the shelf. “The kids round ere are schooled in readin and writin at least. It’l be 15 Gil for them”


Reno thought for a minute and reached over and grabbed about 5 cans of food and 3 packages of freeze dried rations and one small container of coffee, also freeze dried. And asked again how much.


The shop keeper sighed then shrugged, figuring it didn’t hurt anything for him to help the kid. “It’l be 30 Gil total.” He finished with a warmer tone. Reno seemed a nice enough boy and well kept enough.


“Thank you sir. Didn’t mean to trouble you. Here” Reno handed him the three, 10 Gil pieces. It wasn’t as much as he’d been afraid it’d be at first. Must be those water containers were pretty expensive. “Yo, are these special?” he pointed.


“Yeah, they’re what the Shinra guys carry fer water. But these are brand new an pre filled. Ya can refill them as much as you want, they are handy.” This boy must be making it on his own. “Ya gotta place ta stay yet, cause this aint no place fer ya if not. Them traffickers are fuggin everywhere” He spat at the end. No one liked the underground slime, especially the slum people themselves.


Reno beamed, this was great! He’d be able to keep water for himself. And if he needed to go somewhere he could carry it easier. He nodded yes to the man’s question. He didn’t want to give any more information than was needed. But it seems the threat of the traffickers was even here.


“Alright boy, I won ask ya more questions, I know the feelin. Ya know it’s awful hard ta make it under the radar ere. May the goddess be wid ya” The shop keeper finished and gave the boy a nod.


Reno was feeling a bit uncomfortable. If he was that readable he’d be dead in no time. Or up a mako stream without a paddle…


He stepped outside of the small shop and almost ran directly into someone who was leaning on the wall only inches from the door frame. The taller man, young though he seemed, was the size of an adult and tipped his hat to look down at Reno.


“So, what have we here, huh?” The taller stranger had hardly any trace of a slum accent at all.


It took Reno a second to stop from staring. The taller man was dark, black hair brushed his shoulders from under his wide brimmed hat. He had a cigarette in his mouth and had the deepest dark brown eyes; they also almost looked as black as his hair. His arms were crossed on his chest. He had a brown shirt and a black sleeveless over coat that hung to his knees over the shirt. The black over coat had many pockets and chains on the outside of it. He wore dark green long pants that hugged his legs tightly and many belts around his waist and hips and even a couple that looked to go around his legs too. He had black boots that went up to about his shin, they looked like army boots.


Reno had to physically will himself to blink and answer the man. “Uh, y..Yeah. Um, Sorry. Sir? I didn’t mean ta run inta ya…” Reno answered the man sheepishly. Which was unusual, he usually had an air of cockiness and was absolutely sure before he opened his mouth… never stuttered.


The tall stranger pushed off of the wall. “Thank you, I’m glad you’re sorry, but that’s not what I asked, huh. I asked, what have we here? What’s your name kid, huh?” The man’s voice was so rich and smooth sounding. He couldn’t be from the slums. But he did have a slight speech mannerism that seemed to be from around here.


His voice was so different from what Reno was used to. Reno’s mouth was open as the stranger leaned down very close to the boys face.


“Well?” he asked again.


“R…Reno… Sir.” Reno stuttered again, and he could have slapped himself. WHY did he just give his name? Stupid!


“Well Reno, my name’s Talc… nice to meet you, huh. Well, so you are new around here. I figure you must have found some safe place to set up camp, why don’t you show me the way.” The man ran his finger tip under Reno’s chin.


Oh sweet goddess… Reno was dead. He was already dead. If this man asked him where he was living he must be a trafficker… Reno was dead… this man would kill him or take him for sure. But SWEET GODDESS his voice was nice. And why did Reno want to smile.

~~~End Chapter 7~~~


A/N:

Sorry I didn’t get a chapter out yesterday! I had a tough time getting past this part. I wanted to get all Swiss family Robinson on Reno… and couldn’t… there’s not much a boy could do to ‘live off the land’ in the slums of Midgar…. *pouts* and then I kept looking up info on the diagrams for the slums… and info on each sector… trying to figure out which sector would work best for him to be in…. so that it doesn’t contend with things in the near future….

… Hope ya’ll like it. I hope to work a bit on chapter 8 tonight… but am also to do the 2nd chapter of my coffee fic…. AND a new one I have in mind. Decisions decisions….