AN: Man it's been a while! Well here's another FF7 story. It follows the same cannon as Vicious and is actually a prequel to the story. Both can be read together or apart.
Disclaimer: I do not own FF7. I don't even have the game anymore T.T I still have Crisis Core though xD
Tseng followed his commander, the blue suit he donned looking completely out-of-place among the colors and liveliness of the outside world. Tseng had never seen this side of the Shin-ra building, although he's spent the past two years following the orders of those that work within it. Executives and assistants from all departments filled the buzzing hall, carrying papers or rushing to meetings. It was completely different from the silence he had grown accustom to on the Turk floor. The quiet teen wondered why he was brought here to drown in the constant waves of color and light. He always thought that creatures like him should remain in the dark.
"Chin up boy," Veld said as another group of people parted to allow the man passage. Tseng didn't even notice his chin was down. "I know Genesis taught you better than that."
Genesis. The other was always a touchy subject for Veld. The commander felt that only he should have a hand in what his Turks were taught and for years that had always been the case. He felt threatened by the red-headed, flamboyant general that wanted to rearrange one of his best disciples.
Tseng only hung his head further, hearing the jealousy loud and clear in his mentor's voice. "I said chin up boy," Veld repeated. This time the Wutain did as told. The two turned a corner and stopped in front of huge wooden doors, the color and liveliness of before bleeding out to nothing. However, this nothingness was different. It wasn't the collection of colors and devious lifestyles that created the black shadows that Tseng usually worked in. It was instead devoid of all color and life, leaving nothing and nowhere to hide. Tseng was not sure which was worst, to drown in darkness or to be exposed by the light.
He didn't have time to think on it, though, as the doors opened to reveal a child with blond hair framing a round face. He was young, only a having a few years in his teens under his belt. The boy was covered in layers upon layers of clothing, dressed in white, just as the halls behind Tseng. The young Turk silently wondered if there was anything the boy was trying to hide behind all the cloth.
The blond looked up at the Turks in front of him, revealing startling blue eyes. The orbs shined achingly clear to Tseng in spite of the massive amount of hair that hung in the boy face. He simply stepped aside to let the others enter, as if expecting them, and Tseng followed Veld in as they took the silent invitation. The Director of the Turks sat in the small chairs in front of the desk as the boy dressed in white sat on the other side. The chair was visibly too large for the boy, but it never threatened to supersede his presence. It wasn't as if it could. As soon as Tseng saw the boy, he was instantly the center of the Turks attention. This boy was someone important. This boy knew he was someone important.
He now sat with his hands resting on his crossed knees, blue eyes cold and calculating. Veld sat calmly across from him as the other examined him. The scene was strange for Tseng to watch. A boy of no more than fourteen was mentally interrogating a man who spent his entire life hiding his intentions from others. However, the boy must have found what he was looking for. He sat back leisurely with a smile on his face.
"So this is my new bodyguard?"
Veld answered, "He will be whatever you want of him."
The boy raised an eyebrow as Tseng did the same. He had no clue why Veld brought him here. What was he suppose to be to this boy? Why would this boy even need a bodyguard?
"Whatever I want," the boy questioned, "How so?"
"That is up to you." Veld then motioned to the silent teenager behind him as Tseng nodded in greeting, "Rufus, this is Tseng. Tseng this is Rufus Shinra, the son of the President and the future heir to his position."
Tseng eyes widened a moment in surprise before remembering Genesis' training and calming himself. He bowed to the Shin-ra prince, finally understanding the office, the clothing and the strong lingering presence of importance.
The boy looked at the bow unimpressed, before reaching out his hand to be shook, "Sorry, Wute, but we do not bow here. You want to acknowledge me, do so as a man and not as a slave."
Tseng straightened himself watching the hand but not shaking it. He was a Turk. It was his job to be this boy's slave. Anger swept across the boy's features as his hand remained lingering in the air.
"Shake his hand, Tseng," Veld commanded.
Tseng looked to the director, forgetting for a moment that the other man was even there. He was too caught up in the prince in front of him. His overwhelming presence and silent demand to be obeyed cause an urge of defiance in Tseng as he continued to ignore the hand. For some reason his teen-aged mind convinced him that he wanted to be the first to say no to the all-powerful Rufus Shinra.
The hand finally dropped as the young Shinra turned his back to the others. "This is the best you have Veld," he questioned, "My father wouldn't be too pleased."
"Sir, I apologize," Veld responded. It was clear in his voice that he was irritated. Tseng had thoroughly embarrassed him.
"I however," Rufus carried on as if the other hadn't spoken, "Am quite intrigued." The prince turned with a smile that was dark and wicked.
Veld raised an eyebrow, "Are you now?"
"Quite. It takes a brave man to stand up to me," he said as he stood and approached Tseng with a critical eye. His pools of blue followed each line and crevice, taking the other in completely. "And if he's brave enough to stand tall against me, he's brave enough to do the same to my father."
Tseng watched the other as well, his onyx depths able to take in more now that the boy was up close. The Shinra royal was wise beyond his years with a lifetime worth of cunning and intellect. He was handsome now and will only grow more so in the future. His hair of gold and eyes of skies will only make it easier for the rest of the world to respect him as they did his father, but this boy will earn it unlike the man before him. Tseng could see that this world was Rufus' for the taking and for some reason that frightened Tseng. No, it was the boy knew that the world was his to have that really frightened Tseng.
"Why would you need someone to stand up to your father? It seems like you can do that on your own."
The young Shinra and the Director both turned to Tseng in surprise. It was the first time he spoke during the entire conversation. Veld was about to chastise the boy for speaking out of turn before the heir raised his hand to silence him. He motioned his hand for Veld to leave them. Hesitantly the director did as was told, but not before giving Tseng a warning glare on his way out of the door.
"I'm happy that you can speak," Rufus said, "I thought by being a Wute you wouldn't know our language."
"I was taking from my homeland a long time ago."
"My father's doing, I assume."
Tseng did not answer, falling silent once again. He didn't want to speak of the day the Shin-ra military bombarded his home, taking his family from him and forcing him to flee. It was in the past. Though he will never forget them, he had a new family now.
"I understand," Rufus said taking the silence as conformation, "However, I don't care of your past. That is yours to keep. Everything else however, will now belong to me."
"I thought I was not a slave."
"I just told you not to behave like one," the blonde said.
"I refuse to be your slave." Tseng's voice was not threatening, was not raised or filled with malice; he was just simply stating a fact. He spent his life enslaved by the will of others, always too young to decline, but he wasn't doing it again.
"One day I'm going to rule this company," Rufus continued despite the others words, "And with it the world. However now, I am not strong enough to handle my father. I understand now that I will need help and the proper alliances. I want you to serve under me. Whether or not if it is as a slave, that is for you to determine. However for this to work you'll have to trust me and I have to trust you. Honestly I don't at the moment, but I feel that I can and I know you will trust me as well when the time is right."
Tseng stared at the Shinra questionably, doubt and confusion written on his face. Tseng led a life where trust was as lethal as Mako poisoning and he knew the Shinra boy lived the same. He was the son of the most powerful man in the world. Rufus must know of the lies that the world holds. He must know of the dangers of trusting someone. Why would he offer something that can make him so vulnerable to someone he met less than a few moments ago?
Tseng voiced his question and Rufus laughed. The laughter was not one of mirth, but it was one of irony, sounding much too old and tired for one so young. "I could say it is because you hold the strength that I would need someday. I could say that there's something alluring about you and the potential you hold," the Shinra stopped to look at the Turk with smoldering yet curious eyes, "There's something honorable yet tainted about you. It's like a man who would kill for his love ones. A man like that is capable of making a sin seem like an act of virtue. A man like that has no limits to what he can do. You honor your word, which means that what I say will be done, yet you lack moral boundaries, which means that there will be no limit to what I can say. I could tell you that I'm willing to give so much because you would be the perfect weapon."
"You can say those things," Tseng replied, "I won't any of deny it. I am the things you say. Though, I don't think that I'm worthy enough for you to make such an offer or such an effort. However perfect I might be, I'm still just a weapon. I still don't understand."
"I'm just as confused," Rufus admitted. Tseng watched as Rufus paused to think, sitting in his chair once again with his elbow resting on the arm and his chin in his hand.
"You didn't shake my hand earlier," the blond finally spoke, "And if it were anyone else, that act would have resulted in serious repercussions. However, the same cannot be said for you. You did it and it earned my respect – much more so than if you did shake my hand. I don't understand it now but I feel like I should give you something in return for the valuable services that you are to give me. So when you earn it, I will give you my trust, my most valuable possession, in return for your service and loyalty."
"What if I never earn it?"
"I truly doubt that, Tseng," Rufus said as he turned his back to look out of his window, "You may leave now. You gave me much to think about." Tseng turned to take his leave as he was asked when he heard Rufus' voice once more. "I'll be here waiting and when you're ready, we can do the exchange."
Tseng turned to leave once more before changing his mind and returning to the prince's desk. Reaching his hand over it, he left it to be shook, "Deal."
Turning in his chair, Rufus took the other's hand for the first time and knew instantly that Veld made the right choice and that he would one day trust the Wutain with his life, "Deal."
AN: I really hoped you enjoyed and I plan on making a series of oneshots with this cannon. Only time can tell. (And reviews) See you later!