Foreword:

This story takes place after Sephiroth.

ShinRa is trying to rebuild themselves. Reno recently found out who he is. (which is a long story but he used to be an orphan) But ShinRa and his family had been waring companies when ShinRa was first coming out and his family posed a threat to them. So ShinRa killed them off and Reno quit working for them and found a new perspective on life.

And in the ballroom scene has a victorian theme and didn't have to have the victorian feel it's just it's one of my favorite era's so i made that scene have that type of style but its still an important part of the story non the less no matter what time it was set in. But the victrola did have some use because CD's dont really have those sad tunes and sounds that a victrola can get. It added more atmosphere so I guess the victorian theme did have a part in it, it all depends on how you percieve things because im not a very good "explainer" or storyteller because sometimes I just babble and I make absolutly no sense.

The Last Goodbye

As soon as she had found out her mouth was left gapping open. It was almost too unreal to believe, but she was glad she came to the future, for the knowledge she gained. She had found out that her most intimate companion, Reno, was going to be killed. She couldn't let that happen, she wouldn't let that happen. She thanked her future informant and made her way back to the present to prevent Reno's' death.

Tiao was constantly by Reno's side watching over him for the next couple of days. She was worried; she had been told this unfortunate event would happen soon. She wouldn't take any chances.

Reno, Tiao, and another friend Mitsu, had gone out for a walk. They hadn't gone but a few miles before six people jumped out in front of them. They were from ShinRa. Ever since ShinRa had found out that Reno was Arthur Rainwater III they had tried to assassinate him. Only because of who he was.

Reno's family had posed as a threat to ShinRa and its success. It was a company feud and ShinRa won out in the end. ShinRa had fought dirty to win this rivalry. They killed off Reno's family, leaving only himself alive. He had a scar over his right shoulder to prove it. And now ShinRa sent its toadies to finish the job. Luckily Tiao, Reno, and Mitsu knew how to fight and wouldn't go down without a nice healthy brawl.

All the words of warning came back to Tiao almost instantly. This is when it would happen, this is the moment of time she feared and hoped would never come. But here it was.

A few shots rang out and Tiao tackled Reno to the ground while telling him to stay out of the fight. The shots went over their heads and shattered the glass of a store near by. Two of the six men went after Mitsu to keep her away from their business. Another man picked up a shard of glass and went after Mitsu. Reno saw the man with the piece of glass and knew his intention right away; he got up and ran to Mitsu. Through Tiao's own personal horror and myriad of emotions all the events that were described to her were playing right before her eyes. Reno was to get killed by a shard of glass to the abdomen and into his liver. The wound would prove to be fatal and even more so because of his habit to drink. He had died in his own pool of blood within ten to fifteen minutes. She wouldn't let him suffer like that. She didn't want to see him in such excrutiating pain. She didn't want to see him lying in his own pool of blood. She ran to the man attacking Mitsu, she saw Reno was almost in front of Mitsu and right in the path of the culprit shard of glass Tiao took out a knife she kept for protection and stabbed the attacker in his liver. He fell to the ground. Tiao looked up at Reno; she saw blood on his arm. She smiled and was happy to learn that the shard of glass had only nicked his arm and nowhere vital. She looked at the five armed persons behind her. She attacked them and had the intention to kill. She massively wounded two and the attackers backed off. Tiao looked back at Reno and Mitsu, almost proud of what she had done. Reno looked down at the dead man at his feet. He looked up at Tiao with disgust upon his face and thanked her for detaining the assailant.

Reno went home with Mitsu and locked himself in his room. He laid in his bed and thought of the events that just occurred. Of course he was thankful to Tiao but she didn't have to go as far as she had. After what happened to him and his family he regarded life as a treasured possession, no matter who it was. He knew that there was someone who loved the man that was killed and the other two that were hurt. Was it really worth three people for the price of just one? These thoughts kept racing over and over in his head, they just wouldn't leave him alone. He felt guilty for the unfortunate undermined deed that had befallen the three men.

A few days had passed and Mitsu had begun to feel lonely. Being lonely made her feel scared in such a big house. The house was so enormous it held a ballroom. Mitsu decided to host a grand party in the ballroom. She had found old Victorian clothes hidden in the basement along with an old Victrola. She arranged a party where her guests would dress like people from the Victorian ages. She needed something to make the place livelier.

People began arriving and Mitsu lent out old gowns and tuxedos. She had invited Tiao to celebrate with them and to get Reno out of his depressed slump. Tiao went upstairs to change as the music from the old phonograph drifted upstairs and into her ears. She quickly changed and headed for Reno's room. She looked at the wooded door and took a deep breath. She knocked. No answer. She tried the doorknob and found it was unlocked. She walked in and found Reno lying on his bed. She asked if her wanted to go to the ball. He responded by closing his eyes and looking away. Tiao noticed he hadn't changed since the last day she had seen him. She called his name and her inquiry was met with his silence. She sighed heavily and said she was sorry. She sat on the edge of his bed hoping to receive some sign of recognition. She didn't. She leaned over and said she was sorry again and kissed him. He opened his eyes and looked blankly at the ceiling as if nothing were happening. She pulled back and looked upon his face one last time to see if he would acknowledge her presence. He simply looked out the window and licked his lips as if a bitter taste had lingered there. She stood and left the room. After all she had gone through to keep from losing Reno, she still had.

Only this time she lost his intimacy and everything that made their "togetherness" worthwhile. Even though his physical body was there the parts that made her love him and save him had vanished. She found history couldn't be changed. She still lost him.

Tiao went to the ballroom. She watched as the people had their fun and danced the night away. She sat in the corner and wished she weren't there. The music stopped and the record was changed. But it wasn't played. Tiao looked up, she saw Reno walking into the dancehall. He had cleaned himself and was dressed in a traditional Victorian tuxedo with a top hat to complete the look. He took the top hat off and bowed to her. His hair was nicely done, unlike his usual shaggy uncombed look. His face was nicely shaved and he was, to her, the most handsome man there. He offered her his hand. She looked at it for a moment and she placed her hand into his. It felt like a perfect, how her hand fit perfectly into his like a puzzle piece fitting correctly into place. He led her to the middle of the ballroom and a soft, fast, but sad tune played from the phonograph. They danced in circles and Tiao looked to Reno's face and saw his expression hadn't changed except for a false smile that played upon his lips. She knew how he felt; she could feel his "aura". His look scared her but the dance was very eloquent. She looked down away from his eyes and enjoyed the dance as much as she could. But she could feel his glazed stare burning into her. The music ended, Reno stepped back, and he bowed to her once again except, this time, with a crude benevolent smile. With that he turned and left the house through the French doors.

Tiao followed Reno out of the house. She was very confused; she wanted to know what all these messages he had been giving her meant. She also wanted to clear up any misunderstandings. He told her he was disgusted with the way she treated a human life with such levity. He didn't want to be the cause of another person's death. He explained to her his feelings he had that day when he was almost assassinated. He told her how he felt the guilt she should have felt. It didn't sit well in his stomach or his conscience. Tiao was still confused, she asked why, if he was so angry, he would dance with her.

He simply replied:

"It was my last goodbye."

She stood there with no response. How could she say anything after a statement like that? She went back to the house with mixed emotions. She sat in the chair she had previously occupied with moist eyes.

Reno walked father but his silhouette was still visible. Dark figures surrounded him. They brought him to his knees, Tiao stood up in horror, and she saw them hold him down and slit his throat. She ran out as he fell forward to the ground and yelled out at the dark figures. The rest of the party guests followed Tiao as the figures vanished just as swiftly as they had come. Tiao reached Reno's body. She found him lying in a pool of blood. She slumped to the ground, her eyes blurred by the tears growing in her eyes. She couldn't look at him. She didn't want to see him like that. The guests stay away from the scene just so they wouldn't disturb anything. Mitsu ushered Tiao and the rest back to their cars. Tiao didn't see any reason to stay anyhow. There was nothing for her. Mitsu stood watching the people go with tears held in her eyes. She said she would call the proper authorities but she knew they wouldn't help much since they worked for ShinRa. At least that's what she told everyone.

She walked back to Reno's body. She looked down and told him everyone was gone and held down a hand for him. He flipped over and grabbed it. He stood and looked at Mitsu's expression. She looked back at him with a look of hurt, distrust, and disappointment. He looked away and sighed heavily at the pale moon. She asked him why he had done such a thing, and how he could hurt someone he loved. He told her he didn't like the way things played themselves out either but he didn't want to know someone with no regard to the beauty of human life. He asked her how many people, that were surely loved by another, would have to die because one person could not regard them with any importance that Tiao regarded Reno with. How many would be killed so that one person could go on living. He didn't want this to happen, it had weighed too much on his conscience on that fatal day and if it were to continue it would add the weight and pressure on him. The gravity of it all would one day lead him to his actual self-destruction. Mitsu saw a certain truth in this. But he had died in Tiao's eyes. But she knew his presence died and an unknown number of loved persons had been spared from a vengeful temper. He told her that to make people happy and enlighten them you must give up something that is cherished and holds significance to your being. The person may never know of your sacrifice and may never thank you but in your heart you know that you have made them happy and they would be thankful if they only knew. He sacrificed his cherished possession to make others that didn't even know him or even knew of the deed he had committed so that they could live their lives in the comfort and happiness of their loved one.

He faked his own death. He made a deal with the ShinRa to play out his murder and in turn he'd stay out of their way and fade into the background and pose no threat to them. He never posed a threat to them but the ShinRa was to stubborn and filled with the lust of greed that they could not take a simple chance and let one man that held so much significance live. But he saved an unknown number of people. Sure he was being hypocritical and it could have been looked upon as a selfish act but his sacrifice seemed to be more logical in a way. He wasn't happy with himself but it gave him peace of mind in a sort of way. He faked his own death to save others from the hurt and pain he felt the day his family was taken from him.