Destiny of the White Devil
Prologue
"Get me all of that man's blood that you can!" Rufus had all bit screeched at the soldier before him. It likely hadn't been Sephiroth that came with Harmony; He wouldn't have left Sukai's side, and that crafty little whore would be too sick for a job like this. Even if she wasn't, Harmony would never risk blinking with a geostigma infected pregnant woman.
It was likely Kadaj's blood, and it would do well to start. Kadaj, other than Cloud, was the closest genetically to Sephiroth that Hojo had been able to get. It was a shame that Vincent had disposed of the scientist – how many times was this now – in Harmony's world, because the best he had now was Hollander. However, having been dead in the timeline before, which the man remembered, perhaps he would make better decisions this time around.
.
Rufus hunched over the tattered desk in the center of the metal room. The smell of raw mako lingered around him, gave him a headache, but the news of his army's defeat in Wutai and the strength of Avalanche proved too dangerous for him to stay in Edge. Not only that, but his most trusted assassin had deserted and betrayed him to the unruly terrorists, and likely told them exactly how they could get into his new offices around any security measure he had.
Old Midgar. That was the best place. Deep beneath the ruined metropolis, in the center of DeepGround's old base. Rosso and Nero had gone in first, dispatching of any remaining soldiers unwilling to follow their old leaders, and recruiting any left willing to submit. At the very least, it added to their numbers.
War was never what he had wanted. Killing Sassi and Aerith had never been on his list. The Promised Land wasn't something ShinRa was trying to reach anymore – after the information gained in Harmony's world, he knew that it wasn't something he could even use. His father had been stupid and arrogant, and Rufus wasn't going to make the same mistakes.
Sephiroth was too dagerous. The Remnants were too dangerous. Hell, all of Avalanche were too dangerous to roam freely if he was going to lock in his rule. It would never have been like his father's tyranny; Rufus would rule with an iron fist, absolutely, but an iron fist covered in a velvet glove.
And Avalanche had ruined those intentions. Now, Rufus would have to openly fight, and needlessly lose many otherwise innocent lives in the process.
Did they not understand the need for a creature like Jenova, to keep people as powerful as Sephiroth in check? What if he did decide that this planet was hopeless and 'Mother' had been right all along? No! One must be vigilant, and eliminate the threat before it becomes one!
A loud clatter and heavy thud broke his musings, and piercing sea-glass eyes shot up just as the metal door burst open. He prepared to snarl, to bark reminders that he was not to be disturbed and put a bullet in the gut of whomever dared.
Instead a slow, wicked smirk curved his lips, and he thought that just maybe, the tides had turned in his favor once again.