When the smoke clears

     It's getting hard now.  To keep on going, I mean.  Sometimes I wonder what the point is?  Sure, sometimes us Turks actually do good sometimes... but most of the time it's to further Shinra's reach.  Tighten his fucking iron grip on this piss hole of a city.

     Almost every night for the last week I've been sent out to kill people.  Innocent people, sometimes.  Like the kid of a family who didn't have enough to pay back the President.  Yeah, old man Shinra's a real son of a bitch.  I hope when Rufus is president, he'll do a better job.

     But the kid always looks like he's lost in his own little world.  Wandering around with that empty look in those fucking baby blue eyes.  He'll have to grow up fast.  Or maybe it's just a facade...

     Wonder if the kid's ever seen a man die.  Probably not.

     He's young.  Younger than me, but not by much.  Just two years, actually.  But I don't feel nineteen... I feel forty.

     What?

     You think that a "kid" like me doesn't know what it's like to feel old?  Well, Mr. I'm-so-high-and-mighty, you come back to me after you've killed hundreds of people, been shot at more times than you can count, and spent your early years growing up on the streets of the Sector Seven Slums!

     Anyway... you're really not in any position to bitch at me, are you?  You're the one with a fucking gun pointed at your balding head.  Aww... you think you'll scare me off by cursing me out?

     Think again.

     So, it comes down to this.  Just how loyal to Jonothan Shinra am I?  Shall we find out here, tonight?

     Heh... you look a little nervous.  Anything you wanna say before I pull this trigger?  Any last words?  And let me remind you, I don't take last requests...

     Don't shoot you?

     Sorry, man.

     Can't go against orders.

     Bang.

     Guess I'm still loyal as I ever was.  Oh, shit... the goddamned blood is getting all over my shoes... and these were expensive ones, too!  Ah well, time to get out of here.  The company'll pay for some new ones.  Too bad I have to leave a mess.  Don't have time to fix things up.  Gotta get running, now.

     Later, man.

~owari~

A/N: Just a short trip into Reno's mind... I like doing these. ^_^ Expect more to come.  R & R, everyone!