Chapter 2 - They Meet Again
I think I was on the floor until I felt strong hands lift me up. I was so exhausted still, I just stayed limp until finally Rude (just like his name) kicked me, and said, "Get up, we're not dragging you to Rufus, as long as you've got legs, you're going to walk on them."
I grunted softly, but did as they commanded. I wasn't about to resist. I was in their territory, already I saw quite a few dozen Shin-Ra soldiers lined up in the ranks, and there wouldn't be anything I could do without a weapon. So all I could do was stumble along weakly, occasionally being kicked in the shins to speed up, until finally we made our way up the elevator to the 69th floor in the elevator.
Immediately, I stood straight up, and put a defiant look on my face. I wasn't about to look weak in front of Rufus Shinra himself. Reno chuckled. "So you want us to think you're a weak piece of shit while you're alone with us, but when you're in front of President Shinra you want to look independent and strong."
Elena and Rude halted their movement at Reno's command. Before we ascended up the tall flight of stairs to the 70th floor, Reno stepped close in front of me, then pulled me closer, reaching out with his warm hand wrapped around my neck. "You're going to listen to Rufus's every orders. Obey every command. Do exactly what he says. And if I see a single glint of hope in your eye, any slight bit of defiance on your face, or any movement of resistance, I'll have you shot on the spot." With that, Reno stepped back, smirking again, and motioned for Elena and Rude to continue escorting me up the steps to the 70th floor.
The doors opened and there he was, sitting there, his hair slicked back and wearing that white leather jacket. Elena and Rude immediately released me, and I jolted forward, rubbing my arms, looking back at them hatefully. Finally I managed to compose myself and look up at Rufus, staring him in the eye even though we were a reasonable distance away, and he only smiled back at me. I awaited his first word or motion.
"Reno, your services are no longer needed. Thank you." Rufus raised his hand and shook it at Reno, and with that Reno spun around and motioned for his Turk friends to follow him. The all left the room and then I continued to stand still as a rock, with the anger showing from my eyes.
"What do you want from me?" I said angrily in a monotone voice.
"Oh, dear Aerith, we meet again. It seems ever so long that we last spoke to each other."
I said nothing.
"Aren't you going to welcome me with open arms? I welcomed you warmly."
I continued to say nothing.
"Don't be that way, Aerith. You know I had no hard feelings when I had you kidnapped."
I quickly spoke up, the anger and tears seething in my voice. "You know you almost had me killed," I said, clenching my fists. "Reno snapped my staff and stole my materia. I want it back!"
Rufus smiled, and swiveled in his chair a little bit. "Ahh, my dear Aerith, there is nothing I can do about that. If you want something from the Turks, you've got to deal with the Turks."
"You're the head honcho here, where'd all your power go?!?!" I snapped spitefully.
Rufus sounded slightly angered and his voice rose quickly. "Mind your tongue, woman!"
"Do I have to remind you that I am not just a woman, I am an Ancient? You'd pay millions in Gil to have me! And you do! But I'm not going to stay. I'm leaving." I hesitated, but turned around and began walking to the door.
"You stop right there, and turn around!"
I froze, then spun around, and continued to spit hateful remarks. "It's because of this damned company that your father is dead! It's because of your damn greediness that the earth is dying! And if you hadn't been jumping over the idea of stealing Mako from the planet, you'd probably be in the Promised Land too! But your people had to take the earth from my people. You were all so greedy! Even now! And the people of your kind that try to help out the planet, doing the right thing, are getting killed! You call them slum trash but they actually could make a difference! We already did! You, you're the scum! You should be the slum trash-"
"SHUT UP!" Rufus shouted, standing up. His voice was harsh now, and his face was rough and twisted.
"I was going to offer you a job position as secretary in this building, seeing as you're wandering the world alone with no purpose-"
"I DO have a purpose! To find the Promised Land and take over this earth-"
"-but you seem to want to be in the jails with your 'human' friends." Rufus sat down now, a little calmer and more controlled.
"..jail?" I said softly, almost at a whisper.
Rufus nodded, an evil smile crossing his face, seeing that I had been defeated. "I took good care of them though. They have the best suites, the best toilettes, and the best iron beds." ".this is typical of you," I muttered.
"Hmm, typical or not, it is essential if I wish to continue producing Mako for the fools out there under the plates and around the world. So if you'll excuse me, I've got some work to do." Rufus spun around so that his chair was not facing me, and it seemed like he pressed a button at his desk or something because right as he spun around two strong arms grabbed me by the shoulders again and yanked me away. Before I was dragged out of the big doors I shouted, "You'll never get away with this! I'll find Sephiroth and we'll take what belongs to us back!" And the doors slammed shut.
After the next few minutes, I blacked out.
I think I was on the floor until I felt strong hands lift me up. I was so exhausted still, I just stayed limp until finally Rude (just like his name) kicked me, and said, "Get up, we're not dragging you to Rufus, as long as you've got legs, you're going to walk on them."
I grunted softly, but did as they commanded. I wasn't about to resist. I was in their territory, already I saw quite a few dozen Shin-Ra soldiers lined up in the ranks, and there wouldn't be anything I could do without a weapon. So all I could do was stumble along weakly, occasionally being kicked in the shins to speed up, until finally we made our way up the elevator to the 69th floor in the elevator.
Immediately, I stood straight up, and put a defiant look on my face. I wasn't about to look weak in front of Rufus Shinra himself. Reno chuckled. "So you want us to think you're a weak piece of shit while you're alone with us, but when you're in front of President Shinra you want to look independent and strong."
Elena and Rude halted their movement at Reno's command. Before we ascended up the tall flight of stairs to the 70th floor, Reno stepped close in front of me, then pulled me closer, reaching out with his warm hand wrapped around my neck. "You're going to listen to Rufus's every orders. Obey every command. Do exactly what he says. And if I see a single glint of hope in your eye, any slight bit of defiance on your face, or any movement of resistance, I'll have you shot on the spot." With that, Reno stepped back, smirking again, and motioned for Elena and Rude to continue escorting me up the steps to the 70th floor.
The doors opened and there he was, sitting there, his hair slicked back and wearing that white leather jacket. Elena and Rude immediately released me, and I jolted forward, rubbing my arms, looking back at them hatefully. Finally I managed to compose myself and look up at Rufus, staring him in the eye even though we were a reasonable distance away, and he only smiled back at me. I awaited his first word or motion.
"Reno, your services are no longer needed. Thank you." Rufus raised his hand and shook it at Reno, and with that Reno spun around and motioned for his Turk friends to follow him. The all left the room and then I continued to stand still as a rock, with the anger showing from my eyes.
"What do you want from me?" I said angrily in a monotone voice.
"Oh, dear Aerith, we meet again. It seems ever so long that we last spoke to each other."
I said nothing.
"Aren't you going to welcome me with open arms? I welcomed you warmly."
I continued to say nothing.
"Don't be that way, Aerith. You know I had no hard feelings when I had you kidnapped."
I quickly spoke up, the anger and tears seething in my voice. "You know you almost had me killed," I said, clenching my fists. "Reno snapped my staff and stole my materia. I want it back!"
Rufus smiled, and swiveled in his chair a little bit. "Ahh, my dear Aerith, there is nothing I can do about that. If you want something from the Turks, you've got to deal with the Turks."
"You're the head honcho here, where'd all your power go?!?!" I snapped spitefully.
Rufus sounded slightly angered and his voice rose quickly. "Mind your tongue, woman!"
"Do I have to remind you that I am not just a woman, I am an Ancient? You'd pay millions in Gil to have me! And you do! But I'm not going to stay. I'm leaving." I hesitated, but turned around and began walking to the door.
"You stop right there, and turn around!"
I froze, then spun around, and continued to spit hateful remarks. "It's because of this damned company that your father is dead! It's because of your damn greediness that the earth is dying! And if you hadn't been jumping over the idea of stealing Mako from the planet, you'd probably be in the Promised Land too! But your people had to take the earth from my people. You were all so greedy! Even now! And the people of your kind that try to help out the planet, doing the right thing, are getting killed! You call them slum trash but they actually could make a difference! We already did! You, you're the scum! You should be the slum trash-"
"SHUT UP!" Rufus shouted, standing up. His voice was harsh now, and his face was rough and twisted.
"I was going to offer you a job position as secretary in this building, seeing as you're wandering the world alone with no purpose-"
"I DO have a purpose! To find the Promised Land and take over this earth-"
"-but you seem to want to be in the jails with your 'human' friends." Rufus sat down now, a little calmer and more controlled.
"..jail?" I said softly, almost at a whisper.
Rufus nodded, an evil smile crossing his face, seeing that I had been defeated. "I took good care of them though. They have the best suites, the best toilettes, and the best iron beds." ".this is typical of you," I muttered.
"Hmm, typical or not, it is essential if I wish to continue producing Mako for the fools out there under the plates and around the world. So if you'll excuse me, I've got some work to do." Rufus spun around so that his chair was not facing me, and it seemed like he pressed a button at his desk or something because right as he spun around two strong arms grabbed me by the shoulders again and yanked me away. Before I was dragged out of the big doors I shouted, "You'll never get away with this! I'll find Sephiroth and we'll take what belongs to us back!" And the doors slammed shut.
After the next few minutes, I blacked out.