Healin Lodge, Monday Afternoon/Tuesday Morning

[raspberryturk]

Healin Lodge, Monday Afternoon

Healin Lodge wasn't much of a substitute for their former headquarters, in the Shinra building. But the Shinra building was no longer standing and the company was a mere shell of itself, so there was no point in complaining about details.

Tseng was filling out paperwork and wondering at the futility of that when he heard the knock. "Come in."

The first thing to enter the room after the door was cracked open was a red mop of hair. Followed shortly afterward by the rest of Reno's head, complete with grinning mouth. Largely whiskey-scented grinning mouth. And his eyes weren't quite grinning like the rest of him.

Reno hoped that if he managed not to wobble, Tseng might mistake it for jet-lag.

"Sir," he said, and gave a nod, pushing the door open the rest of the way and stepping into the room.

"Reno," Tseng said, setting down his pen and taking in his underling. "Welcome back."

He had to admit, he'd missed Reno's presence around the lodge. It was a bit jarring seeing him again; perhaps because part of Tseng's mind had already placed him with the other Turks who he didn't see any longer. The ones who wouldn't push a door open reeking of whiskey and jet-lag.

He seemed to be strangely maudlin today.

"I trust your flight was well?"

"Was nice to be in a chopper again, sir," Reno replied, glancing around the room. Good old Healin. Like he really missed spending all his time in a freaking sanitarium. "Can't say much for the in-flight movie, but the stewardesses were a nice touch."

Reno wondered at the fact that he was always a little more full of shit when he was drunk around the boss. Technically perhaps maybe he could convince himself that he wasn't on duty just yet.

"I'll send them your compliments," Tseng said dryly. No point objecting to it, Reno was just Reno. Like always. "Have a seat."

Reno found his way to a seat with minimal stumbling (he wasn't that drunk, dammit) and turned it around backwards, resting his arms on the back as he straddled it. "Place hasn't changed a bit since I left," he observed.

"Six weeks is hardly an epoch." Tseng was now studying Reno's expression. There was something curiously off about this conversation, but he couldn't place it. He had expected Reno to be elated about the possibility of returning. "Full debriefing will be tomorrow morning. I expect you are tired from the trip and will need time to arrange your presentation."

Yeah. Right. Tseng just wanted him to sober the hell up before they talked. Which was okay by Reno. He needed time to 'arrange his presentation.'

Which, of course, meant that he was going to harrass Rude until they took the trip back into town to hit up the bars. Or the clubs. Or whatever the fuck had something cold on tap.

"I'll be here bright and early, boss," Reno replied with a nod.

"I'm looking forward to it." Tseng nodded, and then hesitated. Should he ask? Perhaps he'd interrogate Rude, later. "Dismissed, then. You may consider yourself off-duty until our meeting."

He'd spent two months in high school; it was only fair to give him the evening off.

Reno nodded and stood, turning the chair around and pushing it back in toward the desk. He wasn't raised in a freakin' barn, after all.

"Thank you, sir."

He was going to get so fucking drunk tonight.

Tseng picked up his pen and resumed his paperwork. Perhaps Reno hungover would be more forthcoming with details than Reno, drunk.


~~~~~


Healin Lodge, Tuesday Morning

Tseng was standing at attention in what passed for his office these days, hands clasped firmly behind his back.

Reno was ten minutes late, which meant that so far, Reno was perfectly on schedule. He cleared his throat and watched the door.

Reno felt like crap. Reno looked like crap. Reno's mouth tasted like he had been up all night drinking liquid crap.

Which... wasn't too far from the truth, really.

But Reno was going to make it to the meeting. And he was going to walk in there and he was going to wow Tseng with those miracle rocks that Rikku had handed him, and he was going to do so with a throbbing headache and the strong desire to vomit every time the word 'whiskey' flitted through his mind. Like usual.

He knocked on the door. And decided that if he ever met the person who decided that knocking on things to create noise was a good way to grab someone's attention, he'd kick their ass.

"Enter," Tseng said. Good. Right on time.

Reno pushed the door open and walked into the room with less than half the drunken enthusiasm that he had last night. Which... really didn't say much, all things considered.

"Sir," he stated, nodding faintly. Nodding was not kind to his head, either.

"Reno." A twitch of his lips was the only indication that Tseng was, perhaps, amused. "Did you enjoy your night off?"

"Best night ever," Reno decided. He couldn't be sure, really. He didn't remember much between starting the bar crawl at the new 7th Heaven and waking up that morning with a pocketful of what was probably a half-dozen black-market status-effecting items and no idea where his left shoe had gone. "Thank you, sir."

For the hangover. Much appreciated. It didn't matter if Tseng hadn't made him drink himself to the floor. He was going to be irrational and blame him for it anyhow, dammit.

"You're welcome," Tseng said coldly. "If you're not too indisposed, perhaps we could start your debriefing?"

"Whenever you're ready, yo." Reno put his hands behind his back and was doing a pretty admirable job not looking nervous. Mostly because, if nothing else, it was difficult to be nervous when one's skull was attempting to liquefy. "Where should I start?"

Tseng was pacing now, hands still behind his back. "You left Edge on January third, which means you have been on assignment at Fandom Island for seven and a half weeks. Most of your reports have been sparse on details - and late, might I add - but your findings thus far seem to confirm what we had suspected. A dimensional nexus of some kind. Is that correct?"

Reno nodded. It was a small nod. Less likely to contribute to the conversion of his brains to tapioca. "Yes, sir."

"Good." Tseng afforded him a brief nod. "However, there has been no indication that this nexus is immediately useful to us, or our purposes. A nexus which may contain answers to our questions is not helpful if finding that information requires sifting through a year's worth of chaff."

The red-head swallowed a mouthful of what had to be the most nasty spit he could remember, his lips twitching into a bit of a frown. "There does seem to be a good deal of... chaff. Yes, sir." He licked his lips and tilted his head faintly. "Place still has some potential, though."

"Quite a lot of potential," Tseng nodded, glancing up and taking in Reno's expression. "That does seem to be the problem, doesn't it? There is no cure for geostigma."

The President was still in fair health. For now.

"No known cure, sir." Reno didn't have to try hard to keep his expression relatively even this morning. This wasn't exactly the sort of conversation that most people looked forward to waking up to. "Doesn't mean it ain't out there, yo."

"It means we're running out of time." Tseng leaned back against his desk, folding his arms in front of him. "This mission was the President's idea. I was initially against it. I believe you were, as well."

It was a statement, but there was a question there, hiding in Tseng's raised eyebrows.

"Not against the assignment, sir." Reno gave a bit of a wry grin. "Against going to high school. Ain't my place to say no to an assignment, is it?"

See. High school was the problem. Everything else was just fine. Better than just fine. He was a Turk. Went out and did his job and everything, like a good little peon.

"Nor is it mine," Tseng acknowledged. "But I felt your talents were best used elsewhere, and I would be surprised if you did not say you felt the same."

"Anyone can sit in a classroom, get hit with a paralyze, and get their faces painted blue during a lecture," Reno mused, shifting his weight to one foot as though the movement was going to somehow help his aching head. It made it worse. "Doesn't mean just anyone can get chummy with their classmates and find out shit about places they didn't have any notion existed in the first place, yoto."

Tseng exhaled. "Reno. Do you have any productive leads on a possible treatment or cure for geostigma?"

Reno's lips pulled into a tight frown.

"No, sir. Not geostigma, specifically. I was under the impression that I was keepin' my eye open for anything that might be useful. Found a lot of 'useful.' But seven and a half weeks just ain't enough time to cure the incurable."

"You were looking for anything useful." Tseng's eyes narrowed at that frown. Reno was easy enough to read, by now, but the reasoning behind his reactions eluded Tseng. "Or possibly still are. I haven't decided yet. I felt it best to hear your opinion on the matter. Any information you could contribute would be enlightening."

Deep breath. Okay, Reno. It's all good. Moment of truth, here.

"In the time I've been on the island, I haven't heard mention of geostigma, not once. The school's got a good library. Hit it up tryin' to find some old newspapers. Might have to sift through the biology books to see if anything in there's got a clue." Here he was, talking like he was on the chopper headed back already. "I've run into people who can do some pretty amazin' things. Couple kids who use magic without usin' materia, stuff like that." His hand drifted into his pocket, fingers toying with the gems that Rikku had given him. "And some pretty... impressive shit that I didn't even know about until after I got your e-mail, yo."

"You've mentioned magic-users," Tseng nodded. "No real indication given of how they came into those powers. How extensive is this library? And what's the new development you're dying to tell me about? The one in your pocket."

It was helpful, now and again, to remind Reno that Tseng was not a complete idiot.

"How these kids learn this stuff is different for each one. Some of 'em are born with it, some of 'em go to school to learn it like it's freakin' math. Some of 'em..." He shrugged his shoulders a little. "Pick it up as they go along, or whatever. The library is, like, huge. More books than I ever had any interest in lookin' at. And the new development," and it was very difficult for Reno to wrestle back his shit-eating grin, "would be these."

He pulled one of the gems from his pocket.

"This one's called a Shining Gem. One-use item, casts Flare. Got another one in my pocket, a Shadow Gem. One-use Demi spell." Okay, he was grinning now, dammit. "You're gonna shit a brick when you find out what the other one I got on me does."

Reno was damn sure of it.

"Flare?" Tseng lifted the purplish colored stone carefully. Like a Fire Veil or Swift Bolt, then, but Flare was what the summon Bahamut cast. Intriguing. He nodded, setting it down again. "This black one? What spell does it contain?"

"That pretty little black rock," and now Reno's hangover was all but forgotten, "casts a little number called Holy. I think you've heard of it, yoto."

Tseng's hand hovered in mid-air above the stone, and he cast a sharp look at Reno. "You can't be serious."

"That's what I said."

He was still reluctant to touch it. "How sure are you?"

"Gamble my life on it." Reno closed his hand around the gem, tilting his head and suddenly looking very serious. "Not gonna give that one a test-run. They don't grow on trees, yo." And it was Rikku's rock. "But if you got your doubts, there's probably somethin' runnin' around out there we can toss a Flare at, at least."

"If you're certain, I shall take your word." Reno wasn't one to lie about such things, nor to be easily misled. "How did you obtain these?"

Aw, crap. Reno didn't suppose 'they just fell into my lap before sex one day' was going to be a good response, here.

"Friend of mine. Comes from a place where this sorta thing is normal." He was trying not to sound too obviously conversational about all of this. "Gems that cast different spells from the crap our items cast, people who cast things without materia. Cheap phoenix down and expensive hi-potions. Apparently they got mages there who can cast Holy without the rock, too, like it's nothin'."

Tseng pressed his fingertips together. "Borrowed, bought, or stolen? Does this friend have an avenue for obtaining more items of interest? Can he perhaps cast Holy?"

He wouldn't ask if Reno was sure he hadn't been sold a few shiny-colored useless rocks; Reno was a Turk, after all.

"Can't cast Holy, nah. That's why-" fuck "-she had the gem. Stole 'em all off some fiends... monsters. Stole 'em off some monsters in her world. She, uh. Knows someone who can cast it. But that person ain't a student at the school or anything."

This was the part of the conversation that Reno had been hoping he could tiptoe around, even though he damn well knew better. And now as a result, he was sort of barreling through it like a chopper with no rotor.

There were two avenues to pursue here. One could wait a few moments; the other would slip away if he didn't press forward.

"She?" Tseng asked.

"Yeah, and? Never heard of a female thief before?" Reno was not on the defensive here, dammit. Nope. There were plenty of female thieves in the world. Like that annoying little perky kid from Wutai. And so on. And 'she' wasn't a big deal, and he wanted to finish the conversation now, dammit. "It happens, yoto. Girls that steal things."

"You have yet to clarify the conditions under which she gave you these gems," Tseng said.

Hate. Reno was expecting this question and he still hated Tseng for asking it.

"Mine to borrow. I owe her big if I can't get the Blessed Gem back, at least. The other two, not a huge deal. Holy is." Obviously.

"How kind of her."

"Yeah. Real... good." Reno was at a loss, here. First instinct informed him that if be were to punch Tseng in the face and run, he could at least run faster scared. Second thought reminded him that he wasn't really in the mood to die today. And punching the boss for asking about a girl with pretty rocks wasn't exactly a good idea. So he stuck his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight uneasily. His head hurt. "One of the perks to ... bein' able to get to know the other students."

"I see." Tseng cleared his throat. Reno had charmed these out of some girl, then. He wasn't usually shy about saying so. "Familiarity does have its advantages. It seems perhaps you need more information from her. How her friend learned to cast Holy, for one."

"I'd have to go back for that," Reno said, perhaps jumping on that point a little too quickly.

"That you would," Tseng said. "If I were satisfied with sending you, and if you were convinced to return."

Tseng's sarcasm was the subtle variety. Such as that.

"Might be real tough, gettin' me to go back to the place where the teachers assign sex for homework and squirrels with rum and little hats make me read the news on Tuesdays,"

If Tseng couldn't guess, the rum was clearly a real selling point for Reno.

"I had noticed the great occurrence which rum had in your reports," Tseng noted dryly. "It's good to see that you're getting the most of your education."

Reno stuck out his tongue at that.

"Seriously, boss, if you don't like the Blessed Gem, I can see what the hell there is that I can dig up sober."

Yeah. That was a laugh.

Tseng even smiled. "Am I to understand the influence of Everclare was involved in this?"

Reno was a horrible typist when drunk. Not all that much better sober, really.

"Everclare, Everclear, still fucks you up the same," Reno replied with a pretty cool shrug. Which was a direct contradiction to the desire he had to run to the corner and puke his guts out on a potted plant. Too much booze talk. Too much hangover. "But I got the gems in one of those rare moments of sobriety, yo."

"Do try to stay on her good side, if you're to get information from her," Tseng said. It wasn't as though Reno was known for his tact with his ... liaisons.

"Not gonna be an issue," Reno replied. Mentally kicking himself some more. A lot. Right, then. Direct order from the boss to take advantage of the girlf-- female who he saw frequently. That was always great. "That all?"

"Are you in such a hurry to return?" Tseng countered.

"Got radio tonight. Wouldn't want to miss out on all that free rum." There was no way Reno was making it back in time for the broadcast. But it was a decent counter, he figured.

"Radio," he nodded. "Another distraction which keeps your reports from being on time?"

"They hand me notes on everything that happens on the island on any given Tuesday," Reno countered. "You tell me that havin' that passed to you ain't convenient."

He wasn't going to mention that everyone on the island wound up with the same information after the broadcast.

"This is an assignment, and an important one," Tseng said, his voice hardening. "Not a vacation."

Reno was torn between jumping up and down, waving his arms around, going 'hellooo? Holy?' and just standing there and taking it. He decided that jumping was going to bugger up his headache issues even more. So he gave a bit of a nod instead.

"Yes, sir."

"So long as that is understood." Tseng took a deep breath. "Excellent work, finding these stones. We need more of them. And I have to ask you to leave those here."

"Yes, sir." Reno figured as much. Fine. He'd owe Rikku one. He kind of felt like he owed Rikku a lot right now, letting Tseng think that she was being manipulated through sex for this shit. He opened his hand and held the gems toward Tseng. "Don't go usin' 'em all in one place or anything."

Tseng examined the three carefully, then nodded, placing them in his top desk drawer. "I hope that we won't be using them at all."

"Is that all?" Reno was getting antsy, now. No more girl-conversation, okay please.

"Am I keeping you from your exciting social life?" There was a very dry look to go with that.

"Was there anything else?" There was a slightly pained look to go with that.

Tseng exhaled, and considered.

On the one hand, he was sending his best Turk back on a long-term assignment, one that he was objecting to more as it progressed.

On the other, Rufus Shinra supported the assignment - had suggested it himself - and Tseng was not in the mood to cross the President. And Reno himself was eager to rejoin it, for what were presumably very different reasons.

And it was a dimensional nexus, with items such as Holy gems lying in the street. Or in the pockets of trusting young girls, which was nearly the same thing where Reno was concerned.

"Your reports are to be on time from now on," he said.

"Yes, sir." Reasonable request. Reno was pretty sure Tseng knew it wasn't going to happen. But it was a reasonable request.

"Very well," Tseng said. "Rude will be flying you back there tomorrow morning. Today you are to assist him with his research."

Tseng smiled, somewhat evilly. "Dismissed."

Reno couldn't scramble his way to the door quickly enough.


[[NFI, NFB for distance, OOC is welcome, the_merriest makes a damn fine Tseng, and Reno uses a touch of coarse language behind those thar cuts, yo. My apologies for the small novel on Tuesday morning.]]