Thank you so much to my first ever reviewer, Athenaion. Here's the update. From now on more's happening, so the Rufus Reno chapters will alternate. No warnings for this chapter except Rufus being precocious.

Rufus, Six, at School

There were four other boys in Rufus's class, and he didn't think he was going to like any of them. They were all the sons of Midgar high society –Mayor Domino's twin boys Sacha and Seb, Dominic, the sulky son of some high-ranking Shin-Ra executive, and Frederick Haughley-Something whose parents were connected to the diamond trade. Sacha and Seb probably needed no-one but each other, Freddy was amiable but incredibly stupid, and Dominic was sneering and sarcastic. Since it was his first day Rufus tried to be polite. Sacha and Seb shook his hand formally, told him their names and ran away. Frederick "call me Freddy" Haughley-whatever grinned and said, "Good to meet you. You're the Shin-Ra president's son, aren't you? Cool!" Dominic looked him up and down and commented, "You're small for your age, aren't you?" Rufus disliked his tone. "What's that got to do with anything?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just saying."

"Well, don't."

"Or what?"

Rufus had no idea what to make of that reply. No-one had ever challenged him before. "What do you mean?" he asked. Dominic laughed. "You're stupid!"

"I am not!" Rufus was more astonished than angry. Dominic poked him in the chest. "You're small, and you're dumb."

"Do you want me to fight you?" asked Rufus, understanding beginning to dawn. "You can try," sneered Dominic. "Okay," Rufus shrugged. He rolled up his sleeves and assumed a confident right stance, fists raised. Dominic launched himself at the smaller boy. Freddy hovered at a distance saying, "Cool it guys! Calm down, Dom!" Rufus ducked Dominic's wild punch, grabbed his arm as he had been taught, and rolled him onto his back. The bigger boy went down hard, and lay on the floor panting for a moment before struggling to his feet and trying again. This time Rufus landed a left hook and Dominic staggered back clutching his cheek and howling. "It's not fair!" he yelled. "You've learned that Wutaian martial arts crap or something!" Rufus glared at him. "You said you wanted a fight."

"Yeah, but…"

"What? You only wanted a fight you could win?" Dominic said nothing, just sulked. "If you want to win fights, fight someone else," Rufus told him. He left Dominic scowling and went to his room. Staff had unpacked everything, and Rufus sat on the bed and wondered what to do. There was only one thing he wanted to do, so he set up his music stand and opened his violin case. As he took out the instrument he found Foxy squashed in underneath, and one of Mizuki's little birds. The bird had writing on it. Carefully, Rufus unfolded the origami crane. Mizuki had written, "Sorry I couldn't tell you. I will always remember you, Rufus. Love, from Zuki." There were three Xs under her name. He wondered what those meant. He held Foxy against his cheek for a moment and stroked his soft tail. Then he hid the toy under his pillow, refolded the bird and slipped it back into the violin case where no-one would find it, and took out the violin. As he tightened the bow and stroked the rosin along it, he felt like crying. Instead he concentrated on the instrument, tuning it by ear thanks to his perfect pitch, and feeling the vibrations sooth him almost at once. He wanted a piano in the room. He would ask someone about that after he'd practised. He didn't rush the tuning, wanting everything right. When he was ready, he settled the sheet music on the stand and began to play, frowning in concentration at first. This was a new piece, and Mr. Giarelli had told him it was difficult but worth the hard work. He wondered what the music teachers would be like here. Then he found the rhythm of the piece, and began to understand it, and to see why Mr. Giarelli thought it was beautiful. After that he thought about nothing but music for hours. It was growing dark outside, and Rufus hadn't eaten anything since arriving, but he hadn't noticed the dimming light or his hunger until he found he couldn't read the notes on the stave. As he went to switch on the lights there was a knock at the door. He opened it, cross at the interruption. One of the twins stood there – he couldn't tell which one. "Rufus – the house master sent me to get you for dinner." The dark-haired boy peered into Rufus's room. "What have you been doing all this time?"

"Practising, of course," said Rufus, nodding towards the music stand and the violin on the bed. "Wait a minute. I'll just put this away." Carefully he packed away the violin and the bow, and the twin looked anxious. "We'd better not be late."

"Are you Seb or Sacha?" Rufus asked.

"Seb."

"How can I tell?" Normally Seb might have tried to trick a new boy, pretend to be Sacha just for the fun of causing confusion, but something about Rufus's serious manner told him that might not be a good idea. He said, "I have a scar, here, above my eye. Look." Rufus looked and nodded gravely. "Thank you," he said politely. "That's helpful." Without further comment he followed Seb Domino down to dinner. Before the meal started the head asked Rufus to stand up. He did so without embarrassment – he was a Shinra: of course everyone had to be introduced to him. The head addressed the assembled school – about thirty boys whose parents controlled most of the world between them, and twelve teachers – all men. "Please welcome our newest member, Rufus Shinra." Everyone looked at him, and he nodded formally and said, "Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here." There was polite applause and it seemed that was all that was required. While the boys ate, Seb Domino asked him questions cheerfully and Sacha occasionally chimed in. Rufus decided that the twins weren't too bad. He began to think he could manage school quite well, as long as no-one was going to be difficult about music.

After dinner the head asked Rufus to come to his office. Rufus sat upright in the leather chair and regarded the man calmly. The head was a lean, large man with broad shoulders - bald, and serious looking, with heavy, dark eyebrows and grey eyes. When he spoke his voice was measured and steady, but Rufus sensed that he was nervous. "Rufus. It's an honour to have you here."

"Thank you, Sir."

"I hope your time here will be happy."

"It will – as long as I am allowed to practise my music enough. I'm going to need a piano."

"A – piano?"

"Yes. I'm sure my father will pay for it. I need a piano."

"We have pianos in the music room and the practice rooms." Rufus looked at the head pityingly. "Yes, I'm sure," he said. "But I need a proper piano."

"Well – why don't I introduce you to the music master, and he can show you the pianos we have here, and if you like one of them I'm sure we can have it moved into your room." Rufus barely concealed an irritated sigh. "All right," he said, with forced politeness, "Thank you." He looked at the head expectantly. "Oh," said the head. "You mean, now?" Rufus was beginning to think the man was an idiot, but he remembered what his mother had told him about dignified behaviour in front of inferiors. "If you don't mind," he said. The head picked up the phone, feeling trapped by the steady blue gaze of the angelic-looking six -year old sitting in front of him.

The music master, Mr. Lloyd, was a small, dark man of about forty. He opened the door of the music room with a little flourish, but the boy did not seem unduly impressed. "I like the space," he commented. "That's the only piano in here?"

"Yes. It's a Aspani grand."

"Hmm. I find Aspanis a little over bright, usually." Rufus shrugged. "Of course, it's a matter of taste." He went to the instrument, lowered the stool and sat down, ready to play. Lloyd turned away to conceal a smile. The child behaved like a professional musician with a serious case of artistic temperament. Well, President Shinra's son had doubtless been so mollycoddled and over-praised all his young life that he was bound to consider himself some kind of musical prodigy. Look at the way he sat – the way his fingers hovered over the keys as if he were about to play a concerto to a packed auditorium! He played the famous opening five chords of Tsai's Sea Concerto, and the teacher almost laughed aloud. Who had taught him that trick? Then he played the opening bars. And continued. The teacher's smile faded. But surely – he had been taught to play mechanically – he was a performing monkey – because no child his age…The music master gazed at Rufus's rapt face in astonishment. The boy's eyes were closed, and it was clear that he knew this music, understood it, loved it. Some of the chords were too great a stretch for his hands, and he either chose what seemed the salient notes or occasionally split the chord. Other than that and the slight difficulty he had reaching the sustain pedal, his playing was flawless. He finished the first movement and opened his eyes. Lloyd was about to speak, but Rufus played a few bars again, listening intently. "It's a good piano," he said. "Better than I expected. But listen…" He played three bars. "Just too…"

"Bright?" suggested the dumbfounded music teacher, remembering Rufus' earlier judgement on Aspani pianos. Rufus looked at him as if he were insane. "No! Too hard. Too…oh, I hate it when I don't know the words for things. Too like something hitting metal – like a …a…very quiet crash. I can't work with it." The teacher shook his head. "This is our best piano. But if you want to try the others…"

"Yes, please." The teacher led Rufus to the practice rooms, and watched and listened, enthralled, as the boy tried each instrument in turn. The first piano was dismissed after a few bars with a wince and a damning, "It would still be awful, even if it were in tune!" The second and third lasted scarcely any longer, but the fourth seemed to please him. He played three Breamann preludes one after the other and then looked at the teacher. "This is your best piano." Then he sighed. "But it's still not right. Not quite. It has a lovely tone, quite…beautiful…but it's too…closed in. The sound can't escape it enough, you know?" The music master shook his head. He could hear that this piano was far superior to the others, and it amazed him that he'd never noticed it before, but the exact quality that troubled the boy eluded him. He said, "I think we'd better contact your father and set about finding you an instrument you can…work with." Rufus Shinra smiled at him, and said, "Thank you. I knew you'd understand. I'll use this one until I can find the right one of my own."

"Shall I have it sent to your room?" Rufus was about to agree, but then he shook his head. His father had wanted him to get on with other children. How would they feel if he took the only decent piano in the school? "No – the others need to be able to use it too. I'll come here." The music master smiled a little sadly. "That's kind," he said. He didn't add, "But pointless. Apart from Sacha Domino, there's not another boy in the school with a scrap of real musical talent." Rufus was looking at him earnestly again. "Now, about lessons. How do lessons fit in around all the other school work?"

"Well, most of the boys who take lessons have them twice a week for half an hour," began the master. Rufus stared at him. "But that's nothing! How do they learn?"

"It's usual."

"But not me! I can't learn anything in that time!"

"No Rufus. I think you'll be a special case. I'll have to discuss this with the head. You go off to bed now. You'll be starting normal lessons tomorrow." Rufus nodded. "Yes, Sir," he said. Lloyd watched him closing the piano carefully. When the boy was gone, he sighed. The first really talented pupil he had ever had was the son of the de facto ruler of the planet. He doubted very much that music would figure heavily in the boy's adult life. Feeling disorientated, he went to explain matters to the head.

In bed, Rufus took Foxy from under the pillow and held him tight, the soft fur of the toy's tail against his cheek. He thought that school would be bearable. The music master seemed to understand him, and he was sure that the head would arrange things as he desired. It wasn't very different from home really. Except – Mizuki. He whispered, "Goodnight Zuki. I'm all right here. I'll write to you tomorrow. Love, from Rufus."

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