Well. Here was the other idea zooming around in my head. I had this idea for weeks and wrote it down. Disclaimer!
Rufus: Laili does not own anything in this fic except for the ninja squirrels not present in this chapter.
Enjoy!
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Chapter 6
Cash Cab
It's raining, its dark out… and it made Rufus's day even more worse. The Turks and himself stood outside of a expensive place where a party was held. And it was just horrible for Rufus.
Let's name what happened today, he overslept, had a horrible meeting with the executives, he lost his lunch thanks to one of Hojo's experiments he had to check on (I mean… he ate it and you know. I won't go into details here), had a migrane, had to come to this dinner party, got glomped by rapid fan girls, Reno got drunk and embarrassed him in front of at least one hundred other rich people like himself, and the limo broke down when it started.
And so, he stands out in the rain, no umbrella, cold, with one drunk Turk and the others nearby, as Elena was calling down a taxi in which he must pay for. Today just sucked for the President of the Shinra Company.
"Are you alright sir?" Rude asked. Rufus glared at Rude.
"No. I am not Rude. Thank you for asking." Rufus growled. "Can today get any worse?"
"Once we're back in Shinra, we're done for the night." Tseng looked at his watch.
"Good. I'll grab a hot shower, something quick to eat and go to bed early." Rufus sighed in relief. "Maybe read a book."
Elena was calling for a taxi. A wave in the air and a "Hey! Taxi!" wasn't doing the job.
"Heya!" Reno hobbled around. "The day couldn't get any worse yo Prezzy Boy."
The drunk Reno took a sip out of his bottle of whiskey. Rude took the bottle and tossed it to Tseng.
"Hey! Dude! It was mine!" Reno hiccupped. Elena was still calling for a taxi. She then went to plan B.
"HEY! TAXI!" Elena shouted at the top of her lungs in anger and stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled so loud, all the men had to cover their ears. Except Reno who was singing like a happy drunk.
A taxi, almost like a van, pulled up to Elena. Elena hopped for joy and clapped her hands.
"I got the cab!" Elena called out. "Let's go back!"
She opened the door and hopped in, greeting the driver. Reno hobbled over and was suddenly kicked into the cab by Rude, who then dragged him into the back. Rufus went in and sat with Reno and Rude, Tseng was last in and closed the door.
"Shinra Building please." Elena told the driver.
"Okay." Said the man. He then looked over to his radio and pushed a button. Game show music and lights blew through the vehicle as Elena jumped in her heat, Rufus gasped, and Tseng and Rude whipped out pistols. The driver then turned around and smiled.
"You're in the Cash Cab it's a… can you two put the guns down. I'm not going to harm you." The driver spoke. Tseng and Rude looked at Rufus. Rufus nodded. Both men placed their pistols back into their blazers.
"Ahem… You're in the Cash Cab. It's a TV game show that takes place right here in my taxi." The driver smiled as he restarted. Everyone just stared at him.
"Your point?" Rufus asked. "I'd like to go to the Shinra Building NOW."
"I'm your host Ben Bailey and--"
"WILL YOU JUST GET TO YOUR POINT!" Rufus shouted. Reno lingered in his seat over to Rufus, who Rufus just pushed into the window. All other Turks remained silent.
"I will be asking you general knowledge questions to your destination--" Ben started.
"Why aren't you driving?" Rufus asked.
"I'm explaining the rules sir. Hold on. Almost done." Ben held his hand up. Rufus crossed his arms.
"I will be asking you general knowledge questions to your destination, earning gil on the way. Get three strikes and I will have to pull you over and kick you out." Ben explained.
"You wouldn't dare kick the President of the Shinra Company out into the rain." Rufus growled.
"You do have 2 shout outs, a mobile and a street one, to help you if you're stuck on a question." Ben explained.
"Okay. We done now?" Tseng asked.
"Yes. Are we ready to play?" Ben asked.
"Yes!" Elena jumped in her seat for joy. "I saw this on TV. We don't have to pay any money for this at all. We get a free cab ride as long as we don't get three questions wrong."
"The lady knows the game. Lets go!" Ben began to drive. "Names?"
"Tseng."
"Elena!"
"Rude."
"President Rufus Shinra."
"Hic. Reno yo." Reno drooled on the window.
"Alright. These questions are worth 25 gil a piece." Ben started. "What color is summon materia?"
Elena leaned over. "It's red."
Tseng looked up. "Red."
"That is correct!" Ben cheered for joy. The lights turned on for a moment.
"Pretty pretty lights…" Reno drunkly said.
--
They gained up to 300 gil. No strikes.
"Okay. These are worth 100 gil a piece." Ben stated. "How many Kupo nuts total does it take to make Mog fly in the famous Gold Saucer game?"
Everyone looked at each other. Elena grew worried.
"Oh… Reno played that game in Gold Saucer." Elena looked the drunk Reno. "But he's too intoxicated to remember."
"I think it was eight total." Rude spoke. "I was next to him while he played it."
"We'll take it." Tseng nodded. "Eight."
"Eight is correct." Ben Bailey cheered. "And we have reached a red light and that triggers a 'Red Light CHALLEEEEEEENNNGGGEEEE!'"
"Okay. This is how it goes. You have thirty seconds to get all parts of this question right in order to get another 250 gil." Ben explained. "Name out anything you can think of, alright."
Everyone nodded.
"Name five out of six colors of chocobos. Ready… go." Ben started the timer.
"Yellow!" Rude spoke up.
"Green!" Elena clapped.
"Blue." Rufus answered. So far, everything was right.
"Gold." Tseng answered.
"You need one more." Ben spoke. "You have 20 seconds left."
Everyone looked at each other. There was one more?
"Red!"
"Orange!"
"Purple!"
Reno spoke form the black seat. "Black."
"Black isn't right!" Rufus shouted.
"You got them all! Black was correct!" Ben spoke happily. "You also could of said white."
Everyone looked at Reno. He was right yet drunk at the same time.
"I ain't stupid yo." Reno slurred. "I lurve chocobos."
--
"Okay. We have one more block to go. This is your last question. You have two strikes and used up all your shout outs. This one is worth 200 gil." Ben spoke. You are at 850 gil."
Everyone nodded but Reno. Their street shout out gave them a strike, but their mobile shout out to Reeve saved them.
"What happens in the Final Act of LOVELESS?" Ben Bailey asked. "And we are at your destination, so this is your last question."
Everyone looked at each other.
"Anyone read LOVELESS?!" Rufus asked. Rude shook his head. Tseng shrugged. Elena looked at them.
"I never even read it. I have a copy at home." Elena said.
"Nothing." Reno slurred. "There was no… Final Act."
"Reno. There has to be a final act!" Tseng shouted. "Don't listen to him."
"They never get the Gift of the Goddess?" Rufus asked. "I heard that a few times. I think it's the answer."
"Okay. Everyone agree?" Tseng asked. Everyone nodded.
"They never get the Gift of the Goddess." Tseng answered. There was a moment of silence. Everyone leaned forward, waiting to see if it was right.
"Should of listened to the drunk red head." Ben sighed. "That's three strikes. Time to get out."
Everyone but Reno's jaw dropped. They lost 1050 gil for that!?
Rufus's blood pressure was going up. "WHAT?!"
"Reno was right." Ben shrugged. "But… you did get a free cab ride out of it."
"He's right sir." Rude adjusted his sunglasses. "It was fun though."
Tseng opened the door. "Let's get going. Thank you Mr. Bailey."
"No problem." Ben smiled. Everyone got out, Reno was shoved out by Rude and Rude closed the door. Everyone then headed into the Shinra Building.
"Turks. I have your next assignment." Rufus started as he stopped. All the Turks turned around, Reno just spun and collapsed on the ground.
"We are all going to read LOVELESS." Rufus smiled. "You are all dismissed. Good night."
Everyone nodded. Rude grabbed Reno and dragged him inside.
--
Ben sat in the taxi as they went out.
"And sadly… no one listened to the drunk red head. But they did… get a free cab ride." Ben smiled at the camera, turned, and drive off into the night.
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Okay. Cash Cab is a real show that plays on the Discovery Channel. Ben Bailey is the host, and he drives around NYC quizzing people who get in his taxi to their destination. I thought I put Rufus and Turks into this situation.
I'd like to thank my dear friend Reiji for helping me come up with questions
Well. Enjoy and see you later!