Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Fragments ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
//I've decided to postpone my FF8 fic, 'Never Forget', until I get this story done. Speaking of *this* dang fanfic... All jokes aside, I have *no* idea where the plot is going. But I'd like to thank Sorceress Fujin, magnum opus, Demeter, Scarr, Queen Vegeta, and everyone who's been faithfully following along and reviewing. ...And don't give up. It'll be over soon.//
Chapter 7
Catching a chocobo proved far more difficult that Rufus Shin-ra had anticipated. If he had known what stubborn, easily frightened animals they were, he would have taken Cloud's gold chocobo, or Yuffie's bird Hibiscus. He hadn't thought to bring any greens, in case he chanced to encounter one of the gangly creatures, and now he was sorely regretting it.
*Just remember who you're doing this for, stupid,* he told himself harshly, trudging through the Midgar Plains, which had turned wet and soggy after a spring rain. He figured if he could make it to Kalm before nightfall, he would spend the night at an inn and rent a chocobo in the morning.
Inevitably, the boy's thoughts drifted back to Yuffie, lying there in her bedroom, worrying feverishly about two of her best friends she both lost in a matter of months. He hoped Reno would keep his word and take care of her if he didn't return. He had a feeling that the flame-haired Turk would obey an order to jump into Junon Harbor if it was coming from his young president. He felt some kind of bizarre comfort in the fact that Yuffie would be well-cared for if he died.
Rufus closed his eyes, a weariness that had nothing to do with travel washing over him. *Yuffie,* he thought sadly. *I'll bring Vincent back to you.* The thought of the tall, dark ex-Turk brought a rush of anger. He didn't know what reasons Vincent had for leaving. They very well might have been understandable, had Rufus been aware of them. All he knew is that the man had hurt Yuffie in some way, and she deserved better. But he would find him... for her.
The warm shades of orange and crimson grazed the mountains as the sun began to set, and after a while Rufus could barely make out the faint outline of the sleepy town of Kalm. He blinked at the sight, surprised. From his earliest memories, although few in number, he had been accustomed to the large, bustling city of Midgar. To lay eyes upon such a tiny, secluded village was something he had never experienced. Or at least, he didn't think so.
His aching feet almost had minds of their own as he drug himself into Kalm, whereupon he found no activity. There was another thing: the streets of Midgar were busy all night long, but this town seemed to fall asleep at sunset. He wandered the cobblestone streets, looking for an inn, until he found a quaint little cottage with an intricately carved sign that read:
Wallace & Co.
Bed and Breakfast
Rufus' shoulders slumped in relief as he shuffled through the door, causing a bell tinkle overhead. A pretty, middle-aged woman with long auburn hair stood behind the counter. Hearing the bell, she smiled gently, looking up from the desk.
"Hello, my name is Elmyra. How can I help..." The woman's smile faded as hazel eyes met ocean blue one. "...you?"
Rufus tranferred his weight from one foot to another, then back again. Why was she staring at him so uneasily? "I'd like a room for the night, please," he tried, smiling amicably. "And do you know where I might rent a chocobo?"
Elmyra averted her eyes to the counter once more. "I'm sorry, sir. I can't help you. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
"What?" Rufus cried. "But I just walked all the way from Midgar!" His weariness and impatience was beginning to take over his attempt at politeness. "I couldn't catch a freakin' chocobo, I have no idea how to get to Nibelheim, and I--"
"'Myra, what's goin' on? We got a troublemaker?"
The young man turned to see a hulking figure walking toward him. He had dark skin, a buzz-cut, and a formidable-looking projectile weapon attached to his arm. His appearance was so intimidating that Rufus took an instinctive step back.
"I-- I j-just wanted to rent a room... Just for to-tonight," he stuttered, craning his neck to meet the man's irritated face. "I didn't mean to c-cause any trouble, sir."
Angry recognition shone in the man's brown eyes. "Rufus Shin-ra," he said through clenched teeth. "I don't got the slightest clue how you survived that blast from WEAPON, or how the #%$* you're even standin' here in fronta me, but you got some nerve comin' here, boy."
Suddenly everything became crystal clear. He wasn't welcome here because the receptionist, Elmyra, and this frightening individual standing not six inches away from him knew who he was. Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie had told him that his was a household name, but he had no idea *everybody* knew who he was.
"I'm sorry, sir," he mumbled, staring down at the floor. "I guess I'm not the most well-liked person around. I'll go."
As he walked toward the door, he felt an enormous hand tighten on his shoulder. He slowly turned back to the man, who now wore an expression of bewilderment.
"Y-yes?" he whispered, fearing for his life.
"There's somethin' different aboutcha, Shin-ra," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Like you're not the same person. How did you survive the explosion?"
Rufus hung his head. "I'm not sure. All I remember is waking up inside some office building." The last thing he needed was a reminder of his worst memories: wandering the streets of Midgar with no idea who he was, waiting for starvation to take its toll, then finally meeting a pair of Mako blue eyes that had brought him out of his nightmare.
The black man studied him a while longer. "What's my name?"
Rufus blinked, beyond confused. "How would I know what your name is? I just met you!"
The man suddenly dropped his hand from the boy's shoulder, genuine befuddlement in his stony features. "Elmyra," he called to the receptionist. "Get some coffee ready. Me an' Rufie-boy are gonna have a nice, long talk."
"All this time, you been livin' with Spike, Teef, and the brat?" the man who had introduced himself as Barret Wallace asked, almost to himself. "This is too much."
Rufus warmed his hands on his coffee mug. "Yuffie's not a brat," he said defensively.
But Barret had apparently not heard him. "Too much," he repeated. He straightened in his chair. "An' now you're gonna go find Vince, 'cause he disappeared?"
The boy nodded and sipped the hot black liquid, enjoying the way it warmed his tired body.
"Yeah, I haven't heard from Vampy in a while," Barret mused. "He just left?"
Rufus nodded again. "He left a note saying he was a bad influence on everyone, and no one's seen him since." He didn't bother mentioning the fact that the ex-Turk had hurt Yuffie. He had the feeling he didn't want to fuel the mercenary's already volatile personality.
"Too much."
"Yuffie came down with pneumonia," Rufus continued, fingering the mug's handle, wondering why he was divulging everything he knew to a man he had just met, and had been terrified of. Then again, if he was friends with Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie, that was good enough for him. "I asked Reno to take care of her while I'm gone--"
"*Reno*?" Barret repeated, slamming his coffee mug against the dining room table. "How'd ya meet up with *that* piece o' crap?"
*Piece of crap?* "I'm not sure what you have against Reno, or Rude and Elena," he said slowly. "But he said he'd take care of Yuff, and I trust him. I guess I used to be their boss or something, because they listen to every word I have to say."
Barret sank back in his chair, shaking his head. "You really don't remember anything, do ya, kid?"
"Not really," said Rufus sincerely.
The black man took a long swallow from his mug, then sat in down carefully. "Your buddies, Reno, Rude, Elena, and another guy named Tseng were a group of assassins who worked for Shin-ra, called the Turks. They worked for *you*, Mr. President."
The blonde stiffened. "No," he whispered.
"'Fraid so. They were your personal henchmen, killin' everyone you thought a threat. In fact, you had ordered them to take out your old man. But of course, Jenova made their work a lot easier." He looked at the young man, who was staring blankly out into space. "You okay, kid?"
A revulsed shudder passed through Rufus as images flashed across his eyes. He remembered. He remembered ordering the capture of the Cetra, Aeris Gainsborough. The last Ancient that Cloud cared so deeply for. He remembered looking on his father's corpse, a maniacal laugh escaping his lips as he realized he was the new president of Shin-ra. He remembered fighting Cloud, his best friend. Fighting with such malice and arrogance.
He remembered.
As if from miles away, he heard the shouts of Barret, Elmyra, and a little girl he realized must be Marlene; concerned voices as the room spun crazily. He felt a sharp pain in the back of his head as his eyes languidly fluttered closed. As one last thought entered his mind, he felt a deep ache in his heart.
*I am Rufus Shin-ra, and I don't deserve Yuffie...*
//Yep, I thought I'd put Barret in there, just for kicks. He's a fun guy to write about. And if you'll remember correctly, Elmyra is Aeris' adopted mother. I had such a great time writing about Rufus, though, let me tell you. He is so interesting! Not to mention a cutie. Read and review please!//
Chapter 7
Catching a chocobo proved far more difficult that Rufus Shin-ra had anticipated. If he had known what stubborn, easily frightened animals they were, he would have taken Cloud's gold chocobo, or Yuffie's bird Hibiscus. He hadn't thought to bring any greens, in case he chanced to encounter one of the gangly creatures, and now he was sorely regretting it.
*Just remember who you're doing this for, stupid,* he told himself harshly, trudging through the Midgar Plains, which had turned wet and soggy after a spring rain. He figured if he could make it to Kalm before nightfall, he would spend the night at an inn and rent a chocobo in the morning.
Inevitably, the boy's thoughts drifted back to Yuffie, lying there in her bedroom, worrying feverishly about two of her best friends she both lost in a matter of months. He hoped Reno would keep his word and take care of her if he didn't return. He had a feeling that the flame-haired Turk would obey an order to jump into Junon Harbor if it was coming from his young president. He felt some kind of bizarre comfort in the fact that Yuffie would be well-cared for if he died.
Rufus closed his eyes, a weariness that had nothing to do with travel washing over him. *Yuffie,* he thought sadly. *I'll bring Vincent back to you.* The thought of the tall, dark ex-Turk brought a rush of anger. He didn't know what reasons Vincent had for leaving. They very well might have been understandable, had Rufus been aware of them. All he knew is that the man had hurt Yuffie in some way, and she deserved better. But he would find him... for her.
The warm shades of orange and crimson grazed the mountains as the sun began to set, and after a while Rufus could barely make out the faint outline of the sleepy town of Kalm. He blinked at the sight, surprised. From his earliest memories, although few in number, he had been accustomed to the large, bustling city of Midgar. To lay eyes upon such a tiny, secluded village was something he had never experienced. Or at least, he didn't think so.
His aching feet almost had minds of their own as he drug himself into Kalm, whereupon he found no activity. There was another thing: the streets of Midgar were busy all night long, but this town seemed to fall asleep at sunset. He wandered the cobblestone streets, looking for an inn, until he found a quaint little cottage with an intricately carved sign that read:
Wallace & Co.
Bed and Breakfast
Rufus' shoulders slumped in relief as he shuffled through the door, causing a bell tinkle overhead. A pretty, middle-aged woman with long auburn hair stood behind the counter. Hearing the bell, she smiled gently, looking up from the desk.
"Hello, my name is Elmyra. How can I help..." The woman's smile faded as hazel eyes met ocean blue one. "...you?"
Rufus tranferred his weight from one foot to another, then back again. Why was she staring at him so uneasily? "I'd like a room for the night, please," he tried, smiling amicably. "And do you know where I might rent a chocobo?"
Elmyra averted her eyes to the counter once more. "I'm sorry, sir. I can't help you. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
"What?" Rufus cried. "But I just walked all the way from Midgar!" His weariness and impatience was beginning to take over his attempt at politeness. "I couldn't catch a freakin' chocobo, I have no idea how to get to Nibelheim, and I--"
"'Myra, what's goin' on? We got a troublemaker?"
The young man turned to see a hulking figure walking toward him. He had dark skin, a buzz-cut, and a formidable-looking projectile weapon attached to his arm. His appearance was so intimidating that Rufus took an instinctive step back.
"I-- I j-just wanted to rent a room... Just for to-tonight," he stuttered, craning his neck to meet the man's irritated face. "I didn't mean to c-cause any trouble, sir."
Angry recognition shone in the man's brown eyes. "Rufus Shin-ra," he said through clenched teeth. "I don't got the slightest clue how you survived that blast from WEAPON, or how the #%$* you're even standin' here in fronta me, but you got some nerve comin' here, boy."
Suddenly everything became crystal clear. He wasn't welcome here because the receptionist, Elmyra, and this frightening individual standing not six inches away from him knew who he was. Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie had told him that his was a household name, but he had no idea *everybody* knew who he was.
"I'm sorry, sir," he mumbled, staring down at the floor. "I guess I'm not the most well-liked person around. I'll go."
As he walked toward the door, he felt an enormous hand tighten on his shoulder. He slowly turned back to the man, who now wore an expression of bewilderment.
"Y-yes?" he whispered, fearing for his life.
"There's somethin' different aboutcha, Shin-ra," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Like you're not the same person. How did you survive the explosion?"
Rufus hung his head. "I'm not sure. All I remember is waking up inside some office building." The last thing he needed was a reminder of his worst memories: wandering the streets of Midgar with no idea who he was, waiting for starvation to take its toll, then finally meeting a pair of Mako blue eyes that had brought him out of his nightmare.
The black man studied him a while longer. "What's my name?"
Rufus blinked, beyond confused. "How would I know what your name is? I just met you!"
The man suddenly dropped his hand from the boy's shoulder, genuine befuddlement in his stony features. "Elmyra," he called to the receptionist. "Get some coffee ready. Me an' Rufie-boy are gonna have a nice, long talk."
"All this time, you been livin' with Spike, Teef, and the brat?" the man who had introduced himself as Barret Wallace asked, almost to himself. "This is too much."
Rufus warmed his hands on his coffee mug. "Yuffie's not a brat," he said defensively.
But Barret had apparently not heard him. "Too much," he repeated. He straightened in his chair. "An' now you're gonna go find Vince, 'cause he disappeared?"
The boy nodded and sipped the hot black liquid, enjoying the way it warmed his tired body.
"Yeah, I haven't heard from Vampy in a while," Barret mused. "He just left?"
Rufus nodded again. "He left a note saying he was a bad influence on everyone, and no one's seen him since." He didn't bother mentioning the fact that the ex-Turk had hurt Yuffie. He had the feeling he didn't want to fuel the mercenary's already volatile personality.
"Too much."
"Yuffie came down with pneumonia," Rufus continued, fingering the mug's handle, wondering why he was divulging everything he knew to a man he had just met, and had been terrified of. Then again, if he was friends with Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie, that was good enough for him. "I asked Reno to take care of her while I'm gone--"
"*Reno*?" Barret repeated, slamming his coffee mug against the dining room table. "How'd ya meet up with *that* piece o' crap?"
*Piece of crap?* "I'm not sure what you have against Reno, or Rude and Elena," he said slowly. "But he said he'd take care of Yuff, and I trust him. I guess I used to be their boss or something, because they listen to every word I have to say."
Barret sank back in his chair, shaking his head. "You really don't remember anything, do ya, kid?"
"Not really," said Rufus sincerely.
The black man took a long swallow from his mug, then sat in down carefully. "Your buddies, Reno, Rude, Elena, and another guy named Tseng were a group of assassins who worked for Shin-ra, called the Turks. They worked for *you*, Mr. President."
The blonde stiffened. "No," he whispered.
"'Fraid so. They were your personal henchmen, killin' everyone you thought a threat. In fact, you had ordered them to take out your old man. But of course, Jenova made their work a lot easier." He looked at the young man, who was staring blankly out into space. "You okay, kid?"
A revulsed shudder passed through Rufus as images flashed across his eyes. He remembered. He remembered ordering the capture of the Cetra, Aeris Gainsborough. The last Ancient that Cloud cared so deeply for. He remembered looking on his father's corpse, a maniacal laugh escaping his lips as he realized he was the new president of Shin-ra. He remembered fighting Cloud, his best friend. Fighting with such malice and arrogance.
He remembered.
As if from miles away, he heard the shouts of Barret, Elmyra, and a little girl he realized must be Marlene; concerned voices as the room spun crazily. He felt a sharp pain in the back of his head as his eyes languidly fluttered closed. As one last thought entered his mind, he felt a deep ache in his heart.
*I am Rufus Shin-ra, and I don't deserve Yuffie...*
//Yep, I thought I'd put Barret in there, just for kicks. He's a fun guy to write about. And if you'll remember correctly, Elmyra is Aeris' adopted mother. I had such a great time writing about Rufus, though, let me tell you. He is so interesting! Not to mention a cutie. Read and review please!//