Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Children of Shin-ra ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

The Children of Shin-ra

Prologue

James Shin-ra walked down the school hallway, noticing all his siblings as he passed by. He saw his younger brothers, Thomas and Edward (although everybody called him Eddie) surrounded by a sea of pupils (well, Thomas was, Eddie just hung around him like an annoying fly). His sister, Rouge, was amongst the pupils, chatting to everyone around her. And Blossom, his favourite of all his siblings, was with her group of friends, at the end of the hall. And he, James Shin-ra, the President's son, the heir to the whole Shin-ra company, was totally alone. No one would want to hang around with a geek like me, he always told himself. His father hated him, and his mother was dead. All he had was a few people in his science class who would talk to him, and Blossom and Eddie at home. Thomas simply taunted him, and Rouge just ignored him. James sighed, and headed off to his next class as the bell rung.

Thomas snapped the fridge door shut. Rouge was talking to him,

but he wasn't really listening. He pulled the ring pull on the coke can, before taking a long swig of the cool drink.

" ... and like Ami said 'why sure, I'll go out with you', and it was like sooo cool, 'cause they make such a cute couple ..." Rouge went on and on. Thomas nodded, while surveying the other children around the room. Blossom was playing on her piano, with James listening, applauding when she finished each piece. Eddie was upstairs, taking a shower.

'I bet,' thought Thomas, 'that if Geek-boy and Cute-girl weren't

related, they'd be going out by now.' He watched as James asked Blossom if he could do a duet with her, and she turned him down. Thomas raised a dark eyebrow.

'Actually, I think Blossom might have a bit more taste than that.' he thought. Rouge was calling his name, and it snapped back his attention.

"Hey, Thomas, Thomas! Hello! Were you listening, or day- dreaming?"

"Err ... I was listening. Carry on." he answered quickly. Rouge smiled.

"Now where was I ... oh yeah, so now Shelly has two dates for the school dance, and she's gotta decide between them ..."

At that moment, Eddie came bounding down the stairs, drying his chestnut brown hair with a rough blue towel.

"Howdy there!" he grinned. Thomas observed the towel. It had Eddie's favourite symbol on it, a gold star.

"My momma is comin' round for dinner tonight y' know. I'm sooooo excited!!" Eddie told him, flinging the towel into the wash basket. Thomas nodded.

"Hmm, I like your mom. She's ... nice." he said, chewing on his lower lip. Eddie laughed.

"Of course she's nice, she's Tifa Lockheart for gawd's sake." he said proudly, walking off towards Blossom and James. He slapped James on the back, and complimented Blossom's piano playing. He was just like his mother, the eternal optimist. Thomas was much like his mother as well. She was Alex Beijing, a witch from the city of Eastgate, which was in the desert near the Gold Saucer. Actually, they were all like their mothers, except, in their own way, they had their father's pride.

As it turned out, their 'proud' father walked into the room that very moment, straightening his white jacket. Blossom stopped playing, and all the kids turned to listen to him.

"Alright then kids, you know the routine. It's seven o' clock now, so I want all of you dressed up by quarter past. Then you can go to the bathroom and all that, then by half past, I want you all back down here. Oh, and Eddie - get rid of that chewing gum."

Eddie grinned momentarily, then pulled out the sticky wad from his mouth. Rouge curled her lips in disgust.

"Ewww, that's gross, I don't want to see that." she proclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. Their father cleared his throat.

"Ok, get moving then." he said. The children scarpered upstairs.

Thomas, as it turned out, was the first one ready. He greeted his father at the living-room doorway, who looked at his watch.

"Thomas! It's only ten past! Are you sure that you're ready?"

Thomas nodded cheerfully.

"Yup, I sure am pa. Hey, as I'm early, can I ask you a question?"

Rufus raised a thin, blondish ginger eyebrow.

"Fine then. What?"

Thomas looked his father straight in the eye. Rufus felt a strange, uncomfortable feeling run through him, as his son's piercing black eyes met his own blue ones.

"How come you never ask my mom to dinner?" Thomas asked bluntly, his voice stern. Rufus looked away.

"Well, you know that your mother hates me -"

"How can you be so sure?" Thomas cut in. Rufus looked back at him, staring at his eleven year old son with an inquisitive look.

"We've spoken to each other, you know son. And what's more -"

A quiet footstep interrupted him. James peered around the doorway, his deep blue eyes behind large, round glasses showing a little fear in the presence of his father.

"Um, dad - I - I can't, um, find my jacket ..." he stammered. Rufus turned to him, forgetting about Thomas's quiery.

"You what - LOST YOUR TWO THOUSAND GIL WORTH DINNER JACKET?!!" he screamed at the quivering boy.

"Y - yes - I'm so sorry dad I -" James sqeaked. Rufus balled both his fists.

"You -"

"Leave the geek, pa." Thomas said calmly, flipping through a magazine while perched on an antique book cabinet, "He's not worth it."

Rufus let his arms drop. "Alright then. But you, learn to look after your expensive clothes better!"

James flinched, scurrying away.

"And you, get off that family airloom!" Rufus pointed at his other son. Thomas shrugged, jumping off and moving to the couch, leaving a trail of dry mud from his shoes on the polished floor.

"Whatever you say, pa." he said.