Chapter 1: Have I Got a Match for You

Tseng had said he had 'news.' Rufus hated the way he'd said it because it was vague enough to mean anything. It could be good news or it could be bad news. Certainly, it had to fall into one of those categories, so why couldn't Tseng have given him some hint, some indication of what it could be.

Rufus wasn't the sort to let himself hope. Better to expect the worst and be prepared. If you expected things to go wrong, things either went as expected or were pleasantly surprising, which seemed a much better way to live your life than hoping for best and constantly facing disappointment.

The knock came and Rufus called for Tseng to enter. He didn't like opening doors for others and beckoning them in. This was a professional meeting; he'd sit behind his desk and hear the news.

The leader of the Turks entered, followed by Reno. The latter didn't bother to approach the desk, but found a section of wall to slouch against, his arms crossed. Rufus looked at him. None of the Turks were easy to read, but in general Reno was easier to read than Tseng. Reno wasn't happy, or perhaps he knew whatever it was wouldn't make Rufus happy.

Reno's expression clearly said: He's not gonna like this, yo.

Rufus fixed his gaze on Tseng. "I'm not getting out of here anytime soon, am I?" It wasn't really a question. Rufus knew the answer. His father might have freed him, but he wasn't going to let Rufus anywhere near his seat of power. Understandable, considering Rufus had tried to kill him.

He supposed he should be grateful he'd been released at all. His current exile in Junon was certainly better than the four years of confinement he'd spent courtesy of the Turks. But the fact remained that Rufus was still in many ways a prisoner. The cage had changed; this one was gilded and offered more relative freedom but Rufus was as powerless as ever.

Why couldn't things be simple? Why couldn't Tseng be here to tell him his father had been killed, preferably in some gory and embarrassing manner? Struck down by one of his own soldiers turned rogue? Perhaps struck down in his own office while Palmer cowered in the corner? Yes, that would have been nice.

Unfortunately, there hadn't been any notable defections since the Nibelheim incident and Sephiroth was long dead. The remains of Jenova had been destroyed, impossible to recover. So that chapter was closed.

Well there was that Strife person. He claimed to be a Soldier first class and from all reports had the eyes and strength of a SOLDIER. Shin-Ra had actually managed to capture them in December, but they'd escaped and fought their way out.

It was January now, and from every report he'd read things had been quiet. So there was little reason to hope his father had suffered a sudden and humiliating demise.

"Actually," said Tseng. "I have some good news. Your father is making a political arrangement with Wutai and he needs your help. In exchange for your cooperation in this matter he'll allow you to return to Midgar."

"Political arrangement?"

"Your dad wants you to marry the princess of Wutai," said Reno.

"What?" asked Rufus. He realized his shock was evident, and while ordinarily Rufus prided himself on being impossible to read at the moment he couldn't bring himself to care.

"She was seen working alongside anti-Shin-Ra terrorists," said Tseng.

"Anti-Shin-Ra forces? Was it Strife's group?" Rufus refused to call them AVALANCHE. They weren't AVALANCHE; they were a copy-cat organization inspired by group's first incarnation and not nearly as much of a threat. Really, his father should have squashed them by now. "Funny, I didn't see her with them when we met."

Tseng sent him a look. He was still angry about that business down at the docks. Rufus shouldn't have been out unguarded. You could have been killed! Do you have any idea-

Rufus tried to push the thought away. He didn't want to think about the anger that had blazed in Tseng's eye when he had confronted Rufus about it or the disappointment that had chilled his gaze once Tseng anger had cooled. How could you have been so reckless?

It had been an accident, really; AVALANCHE had been trying to sneak aboard a boat in Junon and they'd stumbled across Rufus while running from some troopers. Coming to Junon had been brazen on their part. As if they could waltz through a military base and sneak on a ship... The only way such a plan had a remote chance of being successful would be if everyone in Junon were somehow distracted by a flashy diversion.

When the group ran into him, Rufus had tried to stall them until the troopers caught up with them.

You risked your life.

The memory of Tseng's reprimand was still running through Rufus's head, and perhaps through Tseng's, too; Rufus saw that his mouth had formed a hard line.

"You know," said Rufus, pushing his hair back, "it wasn't as if I set out to meet them. If I'd run I doubt they'd have just let me go. If I'm going to be shot, I'd rather it not be in the back." At the time Rufus had thought that if he kept them engaged until reinforcements arrived they could bag the lot. What great news to tell his father, AVALANCHE captured on his watch thanks in large part to Rufus himself.

Instead, reinforcements had arrived just in time to spare Rufus a gruesome death. One group covered Rufus, leading him away to safety, while another tried to apprehend AVALANCHE. Everyone who'd faced them had fallen, some grievously injured, others killed.

Tseng sighed and turned away. It seemed Tseng didn't want to have this argument again any more then Rufus. Rufus was sure there was plenty Tseng could say; their previous conversation on this topic had been interrupted by a phone call from the vet. After the bad news concerning Dark Nation, comforting Rufus had taken priority. Tseng had always been there to comfort him, to support him, but not now, apparently. Tseng didn't seem upset about the news Reno had given them. Until the moment Rufus mentioned his little run-in with AVALANCHE Tseng had seemed calm as anything.

"Executing the heir to throne of Wutai could inspire unrest, so your father-"

"Intends to solve the problem by marrying her off to me. The heir to Shinra and the heir to Wutai, our lands forever united. And a big showy wedding to distract the people from his incompetence."

Reno smirked at Rufus's assessment. Rufus was always quick on the uptake, if not a step ahead. It was something a Turk could admire. "That's our boss," said Reno, "you got the whole plan down."

"Yes, and what's our plan for getting me out of this?" asked Rufus. He looked at Tseng, locking eyes with the Turk leader. "If you think I'm going along with this..." He got to his feet and began to pace.

"I think it would be in your best interest if you did," said Tseng, "I've given it a great deal of thought since I was informed."

"Have you?" asked Rufus, sarcasm dripping from his words like venom from a zolom's fangs. "And your solution is to just agree? Couldn't we arrange an unfortunate accident or something?"

Their eyes met and Rufus thought he caught a hint of a smile at his joke. "Oh yes, from what I've read the princess was always fond of sneaking out her bedroom window, I'm sure she's an accident just waiting to happen. I'll admit the thought may have crossed my mind, but joking aside, you know it's the best course of action." Tseng moved closer to Rufus, and put a hand on his shoulder. "You know I only want what's best for you."

"And marrying a total stranger is what's best for me?" asked Rufus.

"It's what's advantageous, and you know well enough that-"

"I must do what's pragmatic. That what I want doesn't matter. Has never mattered! Not to anyone, not even you! And here I thought you were on my side."

"I am," said Tseng. "Rufus, you haven't even met her yet. Who knows, you might get along. From what I've gleaned from her file and my observations you could be a great match. She's young, energetic, bright, optimistic - if a little naive, but that could be useful - at the same she's spirited, she won't be passive but I think you need someone willing to stand up to you sometimes. Better than most of the socialites you've dated, at least."

"I didn't want to marry any of them either," said Rufus. "Even if I do like her, she couldn't give me what -"

"She could give you children."

"She is a child!" snapped Rufus.

"She's sixteen, and she'll agree to the marriage," said Tseng. "That's all the matters to your father. If you agree to marry her, you'll be granted more power in Shin-Ra. You want that, don't you?"

"I need that," said Rufus, "we all do. Someone has to check his stupidity and Reeve's too spineless to do anything useful. Still, this plan won't be as easy as my father thinks. Wutai hates Shin-Ra, and this marriage won't change that. And as much as I want power, I'd like to get it on my own terms. What good is power if you can't have what you want?"

"You're being childish, Rufus."

"Oh good, all the better to get along with my bride. Now tell me, why did my father send you two instead of coming here himself," asked Rufus. "Surely you have more important things to be doing."

"He's meeting with Godo," said Tseng. "He wants to ensure this arrangement is made civilly, so going to Wutai in person was only appropriate. Reno and Elena are being dispatched to pick up Yuffie as soon as Godo signs the contract."

"By pick up, you mean kidnap, I take it?" asked Rufus, "And kill the terrorists while you're at it."

"We'll do our best," said Reno, "but we can't risk hurting the Princess. And she's only with half of them, Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa are in a separate group. Hopefully after we nab Yuffie we can follow Bugenhagen's dog and the terrorist leader to the others. Rude will be on that while Elena and I bring her to Wutai so her father can tell her the good news."

"And you're here now to give me my 'good news'." Rufus took this to mean that his opinion on the matter meant so little to his father that he couldn't be bothered to come in person. Not that he expected to be visited. In the four years he'd been locked away his father hadn't so much as contacted him. Shinra Senior had only remembered Rufus's existence when he began to suspect the Turks of treason. Then Rufus suddenly mattered because the President didn't want a hostage situation. Rufus thought the likeliest explanation for his father's sudden and unusual concern was fear at the prospect of the Turks taking something of his away. Losing anything hurt the old man's ego, and losing his only son and heir would have been too embarrassing a loss to stand.

Not that Rufus had ever been in any real danger; they were Rufus's Turks. It had been Rufus who had argued to save them when his father was bent on their destruction, and it was Rufus, as much as Shinra, whom they served.

"After all my father's talk of how progressive and forward thinking Shin-Ra would make the world, he's off arranging a marriage contract like this is some medieval soap opera?" asked Rufus. "And if I do refuse?"

"Rufus Shinra refuse a chance at power?" asked Reno. "You gotta be kiddin' me. Come on, you know you hate it here."

Tseng sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry to have to remind you of this, but your future is entirely in your father's hands. Should you refuse he could make your exile indefinite or disinherit you."

"He didn't disinherit me after I tried to destroy Shin-Ra and have him killed, does he really think I'd take any of his threats seriously now? I'm the only heir he has. He wants Shin-Ra to stay in the family, or else he'd have had me executed after Corel."

"You're lucky he didn't. Anyone one else would have been killed!" snapped Reno. "The President still ain't happy with you and he don't trust any of us. Way I see it he's making us all jump through hoops to test us, hoping we'll give him an excuse to kill all of us."

Rufus sighed and spun his chair to face away. "I have no doubt Sector 7 and the capture of the Ancient were ordered in part to provoke a mutiny. You both performed admirably, and I commend you for carrying out your orders. However, I –" Rufus fell silent. What could he say that wouldn't sound childish? I'm more important than you. I don't want to, so there! They'd made sacrifices and now it was his turn and he balking at it. He was so sick of everything, of all of them being forced to go along with plans that were the horrible and idiotic besides. "This is ridiculous."

"I thought you said you understood his reasons, yo?" asked Reno. "Solves a problem, not just for him, but for Shin-Ra."

"Publicly executing her and any who rise up in protest as a result would also solve the problem," said Rufus. "Wutai belongs to Shin-Ra, the war's over and they lost. Shin-Ra should send a message about what happens to those who cross us. Even their princess is not exempt. If she can be killed, none of them are safe; fear would keep the peace. Hell, if my father wants to be old fashioned, I'd say mount their heads on pikes. Then we could be thoroughly backwards."

"You know, Boss," said Reno, "sometimes I can't tell if you're being serious or not."

"That was sarcasm, Reno."

"Oh good! For a minute I thought you actually wanted to kill her. Talk about a bad basis for a marriage, yo."

Rufus groaned and pushed his hair back. "I meant about the beheadings. I'd be perfectly fine with her dead. Why reward a dissident with marriage to one of the most powerful men of the planet? Because my father's too lazy to keep the people in check? Shin-Ra has razed villages to the ground, we can crush any resistance, but my father refuses to send a message. He prefers cover ups and spectacle, a big royal wedding to waste money and keep the people distracted."

"You realize executing their Princess, who is little more than a child, could lead to insurgency?" said Tseng, "The Wutai war lasted for years. Do you really want another long drawn out conflict?"

"Oh. now you care what I want?" Rufus laughed again. "Don't worry, I understand what I need to do. I'll find a way to put the girl to use. My father will get his wedding, Wutai will get a future heir with Shinra blood, and the girl will get to bed a man she hates for the rest of her life. Isn't it a perfect fairy tale."

Rufus was done arguing. No point, really; his only choice was to go along with this fatuous little scheme. Well, if he was anything, he was a good actor. He would be the perfect suitor to the princess. He would be polite and play the role of dutiful son and husband. Focus on making it through the wedding. He couldn't stand the thought of what would come after that, so he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. Surviving the living hell that would be the wedding of the century would give him more than enough to deal with for the time being. Then of course, there was a matter of his father using him as a pawn in his game. Rufus was no pawn. He was a player in this game, and somehow he'd win, even if it meant sacrifices.