When looking for his ideal love, Leon wanted someone who was hot. Not cute, not handsome, hot. They had to practically worship the ground he walked on and not question his authority. He also wanted them to be his height and they would be solely supported by him, just because he could afford it. He wanted someone with dark hair and dark eyes and a devoted personality.
Zack Fair had all these qualities, except one. He was straight. Like a line, or an edge of paper, like a ruler. And he had a girlfriend, so there would be no opportunities to seduce the man into changing his mind. With a sigh he entered the complex of his business, attention briefly diverted to his secretaries desk as he heard someone growl, "Look lady, I'm just the delivery boy. I'm not responsible for the care in which it was or wasn't packaged. Call whoever you ordered it from and complain to them. I have more work to do."
"I'm not finished! You come back here!" Scarlett rose and began to chase after the blond man who stalked toward the door. Her heels however gave her a serious disadvantage and Leon had to chuckle as she tried to move quickly in them, taking short little steps.
His amusement attracted the furious glare of blue eyes. Of course, Leon continued to be amused, but closed down his features and went to halt Scarlett, since it was clear she wasn't going to be able to stop the man.
"Scarlett, has the mail come in yet?"
"Well, um, I'm not sure, Mr. Leonhart. I've been arguing with that . . . that man!" She knew Leon disliked swear words and since the first time had never used another one in front of him.
"Well, what happened with the delivery he made?"
"It's broke!" Scarlett led him back to her desk and showed him a box that contained pieces of a snow globe.
"Is this all that was in it, where's the packing?" Leon knew that Scarlett's mother was fond of snow globes and Scarlett ordered one for her every year on her birthday.
"There wasn't any." She pouted and Leon was reminded why he was gay. Women were such a pain, never thinking before acting.
"I'm afraid the delivery boy was right. Call the company and complain and make them send you a new one." Leon left a stunned Scarlett at her desk and began making his way up to his office.
"Leon," It was his research director, Shalua, "Valentine Industries has donated one of their researchers to our cause. Apparently, he's quite the gun expert. I contacted a new delivery service this morning because Almasy's simply wasn't timely enough. This one is smaller, but Miss Lockhart says the man is efficient and timely. The V.I. man will be here this afternoon to help me with plans on the weapons, but Leon," She paused and sighed, her synthetic arm swinging with the motion, "I really need a sword expert. Zack is a wonderful instructor in its use, but since Genesis retired I don't have anyone who really knows the ins and outs of making such a weapon better. And Shinra has no interest in sharing their weapons expert. Oh, and I finished that bit of research concerning mako infections. I've come up with a cure, however, we don't have the materials to mass produce it and Shinra has the monopoly on the source."
"Which is?"
"The Chaos Lands."
"So that blue stone actually worked?" He pushed open the door for the stairs. He hated taking the elevator.
"Yes, Shelke will never need another mako treatment."
Leon turned on her, "You used it already?"
"I had to test it and Shelke was a willing subject."
"She's your sister-
"And now she's better. Leon, I knew it wouldn't hurt her. Now, don't forget, you're supposed to meet that V.I. weapons master at one. I've already told Scarlett to call the moment they drive in." With that she hustled off, leaving Leon staring after in mingled awe and frustration. The woman was a powerhouse of work and motivation and the main reason his science department was expanding and nearly monopolizing the industry. Now if only they could get a contract on the chaos stones they'd have it made. Mako poisoning was a serious problem everywhere and if Shalua had found a cure-Leon clenched a fist-they'd be able to heal so many people. This information had to be kept strictly secret though, if Shinra found out about it, they'd make a cure only the rich could buy. Leon didn't want that, but there was no need to tell Shalua to be quiet and as long as Reno didn't find out about it they were in the clear.
Continuing to his office he ran into Yuffie.
"Hey, Squall!"
"I told you to call me Leon." He growled.
"Oops, forgot. Anyway, had like a million complaints already about your swords again. The battle arena in Greece wants something better, not just bigger."
"Tell them we'll make any necessary replacements." Leon opened the door to his office.
"They said the next time they'll start sending the medical bills to you." Yuffie's voice halted him in the doorway.
He heaved a sigh, he had no choice, he was going to have to halt that part of his production until he could get a new manager for it. Shiva freeze Genesis for leaving like that! His cooperation was called GunBlade for a reason! Not just for his famous gunblades, but because he manufactured both. He was shutting down half his operations for this. People would still be paid, but he could only fund such a situation for so long before money ran out. Most of his profits were going to his science research. Perhaps with this latest break through- he'd have to somehow purchase a section of the Chaos Lands so he could supply Shalua with what she needed.
Slamming his office door shut he took a deep breath. One thing at a time, Leon, one thing at a time. There was already a sheet on his desk with three sword replacement requests. Yuffie had even found addresses. Bless the girl's energy, just never let her know.
Punching a line on his phone, "Scarlett?"
A flirty giggle answered him, "Scarlett!"
"Oh, damn." She muttered before picking up the receiver, "Yes, Mr. Leonhart?"
"First, don't curse, second give me the number for that delivery service." Leon ordered.
"But Leon, it was bro-
"Scarlett." He purred threateningly.
"278-7433." Quickly Leon dropped the phone on its cradle, certain that the bang would leave Scarlett unable to hear a single thought in her head, much less anything uttered by useless dullards.
Dialing the number he gathered the addresses before him so he could read them off quickly.
"Strife delivery service, you name it we deliver." A woman's voice answered the line.
"GunBlade Corporations, I need three swords dropped off at three different addresses as soon as possible. Today would be best." He then rattled off the addresses and asked her for the fee.
"Hmmm, he's on a run right now, but he can swing by and pick them up in about an hour. It'll take him at least one and a half to deliver, so 10,000 gil should cover the rush."
"Excellent. I'll have the payment downstairs when he arrives." He hung up and began to wade through applications. He had received several since putting out an ad for a sword smith, but most of them were half-way hopefuls who would never be any good because he didn't need someone who knew how to work a cash register.
For hours he tossed aside paper after paper, hope shrinking as the discard pile grew. Wasn't there anyone who knew how to work metal properly anymore? Sure there was plenty in that pile that could weld, meld and mold, but Leon was looking for something special, someone who could 'talk' to the metal as it were and know what it wanted to be made into. He scoffed at himself, that sounded just as silly as some of . . . he let the thought trail off.
"Hey, Mr. Dead guy!"
He was ready to berate Yuffie as she continued, "The V.I. guy is here, oh man is he here! You're supposed to meet him, remember. It's okay if you don't want to because I'll take him on a tour of every hotel in town!"
Exiting his office he sighed, "Thank you, Yuffie. That won't be needed. Stay here and finish faxing those orders."
"Yes, boss." She was already off in dream land about the man. If Leon hadn't seen the same act before, he'd think she was serious.
Instead of taking the stairs, Leon took the elevator to the ground floor, hoping that Valentine's gun expert wouldn't be kept waiting too long.
When he arrived, the man appeared in need of rescuing. Scarlett was at it again, he needed to find someone new to man his front desk, he really did.
"Scarlett. You haven't seen your mother in a while have you? No. I didn't think so. Take a vacation and go see her. I'll have Yuffie arrange your flight." Then he shoved her out the door and deactivated them.
Pinching his scar he shook his head thinking, that woman!
"It's about time you did that." Shalua was walking into the lounge, "It's a good thing I know just the person to take her place." She flipped open her phone and sent a quick text message before turning to address the visitor.
"Hi, I'm Shalua, head of scientific research. If you find you need medical aid and/or maintenance come see me. Until then, follow Leon." With that she rushed off again.
Leon heaved another sigh at his implacable staff. How could they all do this to him in one day?
"Forgive me, just a moment while I contact my personal secretary. He picked up the phone at the front desk and punched Yuffie's number, "Kisiragi?"
"Yo?"
"Arrange cab, flight and one week's paid vacation for Scarlett. Then notify maintenance please." They would change the name plate on the desk.
"Alright! I been waiting for this one!" Leon held the phone several inches from his ear at the girls' enthusiastic reply.
"Thank you, Yuffie."
"Oh, my pleasure, Leon." Then she dropped the phone with a click.
"My apologies about Scarlett. That won't happen again. I'm Leon Leonhart, please just call me Leon."
He finally paid notice to his visitors' attire. The man wore a red cape draped about his shoulders, the collaring hiding much of his face. The reason for the cape was obvious in the form of golden prosthetics. His tousled long black hair was restrained by a red strip of material and his eyes were as red as his cape. Yuffie was certainly right about the man's good looks.
"Vincent Valentine." Carefully, the man extended his right hand, this one covered from shoulder to fingertips in black.
Leon took the hand without hesitation and was pleased that while Mr. Valentine's grip was firm it wasn't crushing. As Leon recalled, the elder Valentine still ran V.I. and was actually going to pass it to some young and cunning doctor by the name of Crescent. Vincent apparently wanted no part in running the show.
Leon didn't believe in beating around the bush, so he jumped right in as he lead the way to his gun department, "What I want is to create something better. Your father recommended you for this. What I want is to improve my guns, making them lighter, more durable, yet still just as accurate and capable of holding as many rounds." Leon halted in front of Snow's door, "This is my current gunsmith, he should be able to get you up to speed on what all we have. If Snow can't answer something, call me and if you need something you have my authorization to order it. Just hand the list to Yuffie Kisiragi for now until I can get someone else to man the front desk."
"There won't be any need to swamp Yuffie. You're new desk manager is here. Leon, this is Xigbar. Xigbar, this is your new boss, play nice." Shalua must have a transmuter device on her somewhere as fast as she got around the building some days.
"Yeah, yeah, Shalua. Wouldn't be here otherwise, besides I need the money and where else am I going to be able to play with all these toys." Xigbar was busy looking over an order list of supplies that Snow currently needed, "Hey, he can get better quality of this from Hearts Metals and it won't cost you an arm and a leg to get it. This piece here on the bottom won't be easy to find unless you want Shinra stuff, which I'm guessing you don't. However, I'll call Luxord and he might be able to track down a better model within forty-eight hours."
"Good." Leon was going to have to get Shalua a free update on her prosthetics for finding someone who knew what they were doing. Scarlett had been a desperate replacement and a terrible one at that. Snow had been doing his own orders for the last few years and he didn't like wasting valuable time on paper, something he hadn't let Leon forget.
"You owe me one, Leon." Shalua called as she sashayed off. Shalua-12, Leon-2. Lovely.
When had a leisurely day at work become so busy?