Delivery 26: Piano Trickery
Rufus was getting dizzy watching the chase around his desk, consisting of Reno running for his life and Cloud trying to take it away. The president cleared his throat and the world seemed to freeze under his icy glare. Both Reno and Cloud could merely turn their heads towards the Rufus from the same places where they stood. "Where is my piano?"
Cloud's stiffness disappeared and his body felt like jelly. Rufus was holding all the cards and Cloud didn't want Tifa, Marlene and Denzel to be left without electricity and who knows what else. "I... he dropped it," Cloud pointed at Reno.
Reno raised his arms in defense, "I did not! You let it go first!"
"Enough!" The two bickering men were silenced by the president again. Rufus sighed and massaged his temples. "If only I had a cargo elevator this wouldn't have happened. No matter how many times I tell the World Restoration Organization that Shinra is reformed, they won't believe me. Reeve keeps saying that we don't need cargo elevators if we're only working with managing data; he thinks we're going to hide weapons up here if we're given the means. I even had to hire the carpenters to come up here and build my desk in the office, just so I could have a decent sized desk to work on." More like a gigantic desk, but at least that solved the mystery about how it got there without a cargo elevator.
"The piano..." Cloud stared at his feet, "and Tifa's electricity bills..."
"It's alright, even if I was the one who proposed this deal, I fully intended on paying those bills. In fact, would you give this envelope to Tifa? It has the receipts that certify that her electricity bills have been fully paid up to date." Rufus stepped around his huge desk and handed the envelope to a shocked Cloud. "Don't worry about the piano; I'll have someone take care of it. Oh, if only Reeve had been more reasonable about the cargo elevator..." Rufus dramatized.
xoxox xox xoxox
Some time later, at the WRO headquarters, Cloud persuaded Reeve into letting Rufus have a cargo elevator at the new Shinra headquarters. By persuaded I mean he criticized Reeve's cruel mistrust, despite Rufus' acts of kindness which proved that he had changed, while making choking motions that made Reeve feel very threatened and intimidated.
Cloud would have waved his sword around for effect, but the unfortunate delivery boy found that it was missing. The receptionist testified that it was confiscated in a random security visit from WRO, while Cloud was battling it out with Reno and the piano on the stairs. "I want my sword back too!"
"I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about," Reeve truthfully replied.
Then the door to Reeve's office was opened and two men walked in carrying a large sword together with great effort. "Mr. Tuesti, where do you want us to put this?"
Cloud glared daggers at Reeve and grabbed his sword. "I thought we were on the same side! I thought you really wanted to help the planet!" He was having a horrible day and finally snapped in an emotional breakdown. "Are you just searching for power?" Cloud yelled.
"No, of course not! I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding! The cargo elevator... consider it done. In fact, we will not only authorize it, but the WRO will also finance its construction as well!" Reeve pleaded.
"Fine, just make sure you don't go back on your word," Cloud stomped out of Reeve's office and left the WRO headquarters.
xoxox xox xoxox
Later, Rufus was at his office when he received a call from Cloud. "Is that so? Then you were able to reason with him? Wonderful, I commend you on your skills as a negotiator. No problem; don't worry about that, and thank you." Rufus hung up with a wide grin on his face. "Reno, you can tell the Junon division we will be ready to receive the new shipment as soon as the cargo elevator is complete."
xoxox xox xoxox
Meanwhile, at the WRO's headquarters, Reeve had calmed down enough to demand an explanation from the two employees that brought in the sword.
"He said it was an antique decoration for your office, a gift," one of the employees stammered.
"Who said that?" Reeve asked.
"The man who brought the sword, we don't know his name," the other employee replied. "It was a bald man wearing a suit and sunglasses."
Reeve twitched, they had been deceived. "Tricky Shinra..."
End of Delivery 26
The piano saga was inspired by kikofreako and it includes Delivery 25, Mission 57, Mission 58 and Delivery 26. Disclaimer, I don't own Final Fantasy VII.