All she wanted to do was get out of the house...

The house that moaned like dead men...

The house that was dark as a starless night...

That's all she wanted. Pure and simple. And that's also how it started......

Mitsu Bishi never liked Reno's, non Arthur Rainwater III's new home. It was no secret that she didn't like it either. The tension she felt in the new home was like the tension on a taught string. She hated that feeling. She also thought this new household didn't suit Reno.

Reno...

Not Arthur Rainwater III...

Reno is too simple, he didn't need all this luxury. That's what she would tell him. But he knew, he knew she was scared and uneasy in his home. She was always trying to find a way to get out. If there was no reason to be out of the house she'd be around Reno or his mother. She didn't like to be alone in the household. It was too big, it felt like she were the last person left alive on the world.

She couldn't stand it...

She had asked Reno if they could go away somewhere. To get away from this towering colossal giant know as the Rainwater estate. The estate of great renounce. It sicken her. She needed to get away from it and for a brief moment forget it existed. She wanted to go home, to her hometown of Wutai.

She had begged and pestered Reno for countless hours until he gave in. She knew he would, he was always like that. She knew he would refuse her so many times just to make her angry. He had done so so many times before this and he would continue to do so. She didn't know why she even put up with it. She knew she could always leave, but for some unseen reason she always came back. But that's not what mattered, she was going home. To a home she knew she would feel welcome in. A home that was bright and warm. And most importantly, to a home that was full of life.

She couldn't stop talking about Wutai since they left the Rainwater estate. How it was so old fashioned, how it kept all it's traditions, how the elders restored it to it's former glory. She was proud of her hometown and she was loyal to it. She was as loyal as a swan's mate. She would die to protect it. she almost had, too. she looked down at a scar on her right forearm. She defended her ground, her family and friends against ShinRa. A power-hungry fool that, it could be said, died by his own sword, in a figurative sense. But it is well known that Wutai's people never got along with ShinRa. But that was in the past. she needn't worry about it, she shouldn't worry about it. She was on vacation. She put up her feet in relaxation. She was happy. Reno smiled warmly at her.

She was overjoyed at the sight of Wutai. She would show her best friend everything this town had to offer. Maybe even a drink or two. The only problem was where to start. she remembered the beaches she used to play on, the old temples, the old relics. There was just too much to see. Too much to say, but for once in her life she was speechless. That alone astounded Reno.

She wanted to get started right away but Reno suggested resting first. She was impatient and restless but she knew he was right. She led him to a hotel in a dismal disappointed manner. She couldn't wait much less sleep, but somehow she managed.

The next day she jumped on Reno's bed to wake him up. He growled at her and pulled the sheets over his head. She, in turn, grabbed his leg and dragged him out of bed. It was a rude awakening but he was know awake. And hungry. Mitsu offered to take him to take him to the marketplace as she pushed him out of the hotel. They walked along the crowded streets. Reno looked around and received cold stares from old men. they knew he worked for ShinRa. He didn't let it bother him though. He thought if he didn't start any trouble there wouldn't be any trouble. He just smiled and continued on his way.

They came to a little shop that served bread and other breakfast items. There was a seating area for visitors and daily commuters. They both received stares from the few people who were in this shop. Mitsu thought nothing of it. Reno, on the other hand, sat down uncomfortably across from where Mitsu had taken a seat. The few others in the shop looked on in disgust. A few left while the others that remained tried to ignore the two. They finished their breakfast in dead silence. There was uneasiness but no one would admit it.

Mitsu took Reno on a tour of Wutai. Showing favorite hang out places, entertainment, introducing him to friends, and showing him the history of Wutai. She always had a mine of phrases for every single little thing that they had laid their eyes upon. And it seemed that the people around them were never at a loss of words either. All the pointing and staring had Mitus a bit uneasy but she didn't care. She did not want to be at that big estate.

After what seemed like weeks of sight-seeing Mitsu took Reno to the temples of Wutai. she told him about all the customs and traditional practices of that was a part of Wutai. She told him about all the gods they worshipped. About the most important of all the gods Da-Chao. She told him of the sacrifices that were apart of the ceremonies. She told him of the brave men that would die for their faith. And the defeated enemies that were put to death. She told him how an old saying said that Da-Chao's fire would burn fiercest when it was a defeated enemy put to death. Reno found this very horrific but Mitsu reassured him not to worry. They had been using animals instead of human flesh to sacrifice to Da-Chao for a long time, for as long as she had known. She didn't quite like the idea of sacrificing a human. It almost sounded like cannibalism.

They had reached the steps of the temple. They rang the gong that was in front of the big double doors. A priest came to answer their call. He opened the door for Mitsu but would not let Reno pass. He said he was too dishonorable. Mitsu protested saying that Reno no longer worked for ShinRa. She knew that was the root of all the stares and the pointing fingers. She and Reno just choose to ignore that they were being discriminated. Reno more than Mitsu. The priest said it was no excuse. Reno had been an enemy to Wutai. He and the company he worked for disgraced Wutai and it could not be forgiven. Mitsu had to accept this whether she liked it or not. It was Wutai's tradition and belief. It was her belief. She did as her elders told her to do. They were just trying to preserve the traditions. Reno had said he didn't mind and that Mitsu shouldn't be discouraged by what happened.

As they walked back to the main part of town the whole city was talking about the ShinRa employee that would dare show his face in Wutai again. It was beginning to get dark and the two decided to get dinner. An old favorite of Mitsu's sparked into her memory. They walked to her old hangout as they heard loud laughter ringing through the air. They went into a restaurant and saw a few men in their inebriated stupor. They were quickly seated by the hostess. One man watched Reno ever since he walked through the doors. He was waiting And he continued waiting until Mitsu and Reno finished their dinner. Waited as they paid for their dinner. He watched them leave the restaurant and then proceeded to follow them.

They had walked out of the restaurant and had almost reached the hotel when the intoxicated man tackled Reno to the ground. As a reflex to protect himself Reno swung and knocked the man off his feet. After letting a few obscenities slip from his mouth the man took a switchblade from his pocket. He lunged at Reno but was too drunk to keep his balance. Reno carefully sidestepped him and tripped him. The man was infuriated. He stood up and grabbed Mitsu's hair and spat a few uncompressible insults to Reno. The man started to walk away with Mitsu in his grasp. Reno ran to him and grabbed him by the neck and yanked him back. The drunk man let Mitsu go. She kicked the downed man once and hugged and thanked Reno. They looked over at the man lying on the floor. Reno took his pulse and found that he had snapped the man's neck. He looked up and looked around a t all the spectator that had witnessed their brawl. Reno was speechless. All he could do was stand and wait for the authorities to come. And come they did, but instead of having a peaceful resolution Reno instead got arrested and wasn't even allowed to say one word.

Wutai being as traditional as it was had the elders and priests decide what was to happen to Reno. It had not gone well at all. They had quickly ruled that Reno was guilty of murder. Mitsu took Reno's side of defense by saying it was on accident and that the man attacked him first. The priest argued that Reno shouldn't have come in the first place. He wasn't welcome. The elder, at one point, talked of a treaty signed by ShinRa and the Wutai elders stating that no ShinRa employee retired or not shall set foot on Wutai and be welcome. And ne person from Wutai shall be welcomed in Midgar. She knew that the elders wouldn't listen to her, All she could do was listen to what the elders decision would be. If worse comes to worse she could get an attorney from Midgar for Reno. But for now she just hoped for the best.

The priests and elders went into a private room to discuss punishment. They soon came out with Lord Godo leading the way. She bowed to him to him her respect. She looked up to him with great reverence. Most of all people in Wutai did. He was their leader. She looked to him hoping the words her would speak would be good ones. But to her dismay they weren't... Lord Godo had been a man of tradition and he tried to get Wutai back to what it used to be. And he proved this with Reno's punishment. Reno was sentenced to be sacrificed to the God Da-Chao. The crops of Wutai had been failing the past couple of years and there had been a drought for mouths. The priests were convinced that the gods were unhappy with the animal sacrifices and that they craved human blood. Reno would be the first human sacrifice in years. He was the perfect sacrifice wasn't he? He worked for ShinRa and he had disgraced Wutai. And to Lord Godo he was an ideal candidate to be offered.

Mitsu was in shock, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to help Reno but she couldn't go up against what she stood for and believed in. If she couldn't do anything she thought someone else could. She called a friend to see if they could talk some sense into Lord Godo. Mitsu called Sephiroth and asked him to come right away. She told him not to bring his Masamune, she didn't want anymore trouble, she wanted this to be peaceful.

Sephiroth came as she asked as soon as he could. He walked to the hotel Mitsu was staying at. He had also received the stares Reno had. He also had worked for ShinRa. He led to war against Wutai, he was even more unwelcome. Mitsu was sitting alone in her room, Reno was in a prison. Mitsu told Sephiroth to negotiate with Lord Godo. They had to do it quick because Reno was being sacrificed later in the evening.

Lord Godo would do anything for his people. The sooner this got over with the sooner the gods would reward his people. He didn't want to see his people die and suffer like they had in the war so long ago. He hoped that the ShinRa employee he was going to sacrifice would appease his gods. He knew they would want someone that caused the pain of the Wutai people. The man he had now did not cause the war but he was here and he would be the one to bring life back into the crops of the Wutai village. It was better that one man die that a whole village. He knew he was doing what was right for his people. His calm meditation was interrupted by one of the priests. The priest told Lord Godo of the ShinRa army general that had come to see him.

Lord Godo knew what this was about and he was not about to let his tribute to the gods go. He told the priest to send this army general away. Lord Godo continued his quiet meditation but was interrupted again with the violent thrash of a door opening. Sephiroth stepped through and walked to Godo. Mitsu followed and tried to calm Sephiroth down, Sephiroth was known for having a bad temper occasionally. Lord Godo was infuriated with this disrespect and he stood to meet Sephiroth eye to eye. Sephiroth politely asked that Reno be released and was refused. Sephiroth felt frustrated and asked again in a different way and explained why this sacrifice shouldn't be done and got the same response. A few guards came into Godo's room when they had heard a bit of a ruckus. They saw and infuriated Sephiroth about to loose his composure. Sephiroth asked again more politely and with a different respectable manner and was refused again. Sephiroth lost it right there, he couldn't let a friend die in vain and for no reason he could see. And with that Sephiroth reached out and grabbed Godo'd collar, a sign of great disrespect. The guards grabbed Sephiroth and hit him in the back of the head. they knew Sephiroth was a great fighter and they should detain him when they had the chance. Mitsue protested and was thrown out of the temple.

She felt guilty. Guilty because she had gotten Sephiroth and Reno dragged into all this, and she knew that Sephiroth would also be sacrificed with Reno. She knew he would be a great to add since he had instigated all the pain and suffering Wutai felt during and after the war. She couldn't stand herself. She had to plead to Lord Godo one last time. she headed to the Da-Chao mountain.

Reno trembled as he climbed up the Da-Chao mountain with the priests. He didn't like the idea of being sacrificed, but at least something good would come out of it. The people of Wutai would get their long awaited food. He always looked for the optimistic point of view, even if it was in his own death. Sephiroth quietly followed, he couldn't do anything, he was on holy ground. Sephiroth was conceived by evil, this was just another point in his lifetime he regretted having Jenova cells. He was powerless, and now he was surrounded by more experienced fighters. Wutai was known for their skilled martial artists. Sephiroth wouldn't try anything, he couldn't he was shackled. For the first time in his life he felt helpless.

Lord Godo led the party into a cave in the mountain. Fire from the mountain lit up the cavern. the priests started the ceremony and Lord Godo started praying to Da-Chao. Mitsu barged in the middle of the ceremony and was restrained by a few guards. Lord Godo began to get frustrated with her. She begged him to spare both Reno's and Sephiroth's lives, she began to cry in front of Godo. Godo felt sorry for her, he didn't want to cause her this much pain but he wanted what was best for his people. He could tell she cared deeply for his people. He wanted to make her happy but he couldn't let the men go. He though hard about what he should do.

He didn't want to let both men go for the best interest of Wutai. But maybe he didn't have to let both men go. But which one? H told Mitsu she could take one of the men. One was better than none in both their cases. But Mitsu wasn't satisfied with this, she wanted both. She decided to take her chances and asked Godo for both. He was infuriated with her ungratitiude, he was letting one of them go and here she was asking him for both men. She had a lot of nerve and was biting of more than she could chew. He gave her an ultimatum to take one man or else he would constrain her and sacrifice both men.

She could not believe what was happening. Here she was deciding which one of her two friends to give life to and which one to give death. What a decision! How could Lord Godo do this to her!? She pondered for a long moment who to kill, who to save. The tension she felt was like the tension on a taught string. The same tension she felt at the Rainwater estate. The same tension she had tried to get away from, and it found her. She looked from Sephiroth to Reno and was reminded of the story "The Lady Or The Tiger" the only difference is she knew the outcome. She asked Lord Godo for the ceremonial sword. She thought it would be better for a friend to die by her hand than some complete stranger. She held the sword loosely in her hand, tears in her eyes. Sephiroth looked on without fear to accept his fate. Mitsu never thought she could betray her religion and all she believed in and stood for. She let the tears stream down her cheeks. Reno and Sephiroth looked on with anticipation. They saw her pain, they watched her closely. Reno watched as her grip tightened on the sword and watched her as she turned to look at Lord Godo...

It was the last thing he saw...

She couldn't turn on Lord Godo. That's what religion and beliefs did to you. She hated Lord Godo and she left Wutai, she never wanted to see Godo again. she wished him good luck and never laid eyes on him again.

She didn't kill Sephiroth because he was too important. He was a leader, a role-model, a husband, and most importantly a father....

He held too much significance....

Her only wish was that she hadn't seen the last expression on Reno's face...

The last thing he felt..

She wished...

...she hadn't seen his heart break...

All she wanted to do was get out of the house...

...and she left it forever.