Here's another chapter. It's been what, two weeks since the last chapter?
Not bad, don'cha think? Anywhoo, enjoy!
Disclaimer: Again? No, I don't own the friggin rights to the game, but the storyline is *mine*!
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*Two years later*
"Vice President Rufus." A guard saluted the young blonde.
"What is it?" he looked up from his paperwork.
"The Turks are here to give you something. Shall I let them in, or are you busy, sir?"
Rufus waved his arm, giving the go-ahead. "Whatever."
A moment later, a tall lanky red-head with glowing mako-infused green eyes accompanied by a tall muscular man with a shaved head, eyes shielded by sunglasses, strolled into the spacious office. "Hey Ruf, happy 18th birthday! Me and Mr. Rude here, we're here to give you a gift. Well, two gifts, but you'll have to wait for the second."
Rufus' eyes glanced up from his paperwork once more only slightly interested. "Yeah?"
Reno set a rather heavy package on his desk. "Here ya go! Hope you like her."
Rufus quirked an eyebrow. ". Her?" He looked at the package, the lid moved. He opened the top and a small dark fuzzy creature leapt at him. He caught it just before it latched its needle sharp claws into his turtleneck. Two large, gleaming emerald eyes peered back at him. His surprised expression was greeted with a tiny lick to his nose.
"Aww, I think she likes you, man. Good, 'cause when we tried to put her in the box, she tried to rip my hand off. You always did have better luck with the ladies, Ruf." Reno nursed a scratched hand.
"Uh, thanks guys, but where am I gonna keep a cat?"
"One, she's not a cat, she's a black panther. Two, you have plenty of room, this is your *floor*. Three, she's potty trained to use this lovely litter box we brought you also. I think she'll manage just fine. So, what's her name gonna be?"
Rufus smiled for the first time in months. "Hmm. Nations. And since she's black, Dark Nations."
Reno shook his head, grinning. "That sounds evil." Rude nodded, emphasizing his friend's remark.
"Ah, I think it sounds find. But why did you get me a gift? You've never gotten me a gift before. What do you two want?" he asked, setting the kitten in his lap and going back to paperwork.
The two Turks glanced at each other. "Oh nothing."
"You're planning something, I know that look, Reno."
The redhead shrugged. "Nah. Say, Ruf, what are you planning on doing tonight?" he asked, nonchalantly.
The blonde rolled his eyes, knowing where this was heading. Probably another plan, trying to get him laid. But Rufus didn't have time for that. Also, that was his father's arena, meaningless flings, especially at the Honeybee Inn. Plus, there was only one girl that could ever catch his eye.
"Hello?" Reno waved a hand in front of his friend's face.
"Look Reno, I really don't feel like playing hooky tonight. I can't afford to get caught again. You know I have training with Seph at 6:00." The vice president warned.
"Aww, but Ruf, I wanna show you something. You'll get out of HQ. Take some time off. You've been working too hard.
The redhead taunted him. "..." Rufus silenced. He hadn't gotten out of this god-awful place in forever.
Rude shook his head and grinned, knowing those were the magic words, knowing that his boss was going to break down and say yes. He also knew what Reno had up his sleeve, and didn't like *that* part of the plan. He had already decided not to go on this little excursion.
"Fine. Tell the department that I have a meeting to attend and cannot go to training tonight. Give them these papers; they're details on a meeting that's going on tonight." He felt he was going to regret this.
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A pair of jeans, a grungy gray t-shirt, sunglasses, and a cap was all that Reno gave him. He took all the gel out of his hair and messed it up. Rufus hadn't worn casual clothes for over a year, the training department had taken them away. He stood by the elevator on the first floor, leaning against the wall; eyes open, watching for trouble. Reno hadn't shown up yet. He was always late. "Figures." Rufus looked around. No one even gave him a second glance. As far as they were concerned, he was a homeless kid from the slums, trying to seek warmth and shelter from the chilly October winds. He sighed; surprised that no one had kicked him out.
A hand clamped on his shoulder.
"I spoke too soon..." he thought.
"Hey man, whatcha so jumpy for?"
Rufus turned around to see a young man about his age, wearing an outfit similar to his own. He couldn't tell who he was by his hair or eye color, both were covered. But his smooth baritone laughing voice gave him away. "Where's Rude, Reno?"
"Aw, you can tell it's me? Rude didn't want to come." "Why?" Reno shrugged. "I don't know."
"Reno, can you just tell me where we're going?"
"Nope. You'll see!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "And don't come back ya bums!" A laughing guard yelled after them.
"Gladly." Rufus muttered, adjusting his cap.
Reno chuckled. "Man, just for laughs, you should go back in there and tell them who you are."
"They wouldn't believe me anyway. I'd need my suit and stuff." Rufus said resentfully. "Apparently the suit makes the man. Now, where are we going?" He asked, eyeing his surroundings as they strolled farther from HQ. The living conditions gradually began to worsen from rich apartments to the lower dirty slums. Music from Wall-Market filled his ears.
"Just follow me." Reno said, as if he lived there. Hell, for all Rufus knew, he probably did when he was young. Reno looked back at him. "So, how long you in Midgar for?"
Rufus shook his head. "Not long. Father doesn't want me here. As soon as I clear up some business, he'll ship me back off to Junon. Probably in... 2 more days I think."
They kept going through Wall-Market, soon walking by the Honey-Bee Inn, and Rufus could've swore he saw his father just inside the door, but chose not to say anything.
A young woman stared at them with large brown eyes and shimmering blonde hair, close to the shade of Rufus', only paler. She was about 17; her features included a facial structure that was also like Rufus'.
"Rufus, that girl kinda looks like you." Reno whispered.
She advanced toward them. "You look familiar..." she said, boldly reaching for Rufus' sunglasses. "Hey! -" She gasped. "Rufus ShinRa?! What are *you* doing down here?"
He looked down at the shorter young woman. "Do I know you?" He asked, rather coldly, surprising even himself.
"Well I guess not, Dad probably wouldn't tell *you*. *You're* the lucky one."
"What are you talking about? Does your dad work at ShinRa? Lucky one?" Rufus was more than confused.
She shook her head. "Brace yourself. I'm your sister. My name is Elena ShinRa. My dad is the president of ShinRa Inc."
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A/n: DUN DUN DUN!!!! *Gasp* Rufus has a sister? What else could happen? Find out next time in Chapter 9 of "Ice". In the meantime folks, Read and Review please!!! Oh, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! And any other holiday you celebrate, I hope it was a good one!
Disclaimer: Again? No, I don't own the friggin rights to the game, but the storyline is *mine*!
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*Two years later*
"Vice President Rufus." A guard saluted the young blonde.
"What is it?" he looked up from his paperwork.
"The Turks are here to give you something. Shall I let them in, or are you busy, sir?"
Rufus waved his arm, giving the go-ahead. "Whatever."
A moment later, a tall lanky red-head with glowing mako-infused green eyes accompanied by a tall muscular man with a shaved head, eyes shielded by sunglasses, strolled into the spacious office. "Hey Ruf, happy 18th birthday! Me and Mr. Rude here, we're here to give you a gift. Well, two gifts, but you'll have to wait for the second."
Rufus' eyes glanced up from his paperwork once more only slightly interested. "Yeah?"
Reno set a rather heavy package on his desk. "Here ya go! Hope you like her."
Rufus quirked an eyebrow. ". Her?" He looked at the package, the lid moved. He opened the top and a small dark fuzzy creature leapt at him. He caught it just before it latched its needle sharp claws into his turtleneck. Two large, gleaming emerald eyes peered back at him. His surprised expression was greeted with a tiny lick to his nose.
"Aww, I think she likes you, man. Good, 'cause when we tried to put her in the box, she tried to rip my hand off. You always did have better luck with the ladies, Ruf." Reno nursed a scratched hand.
"Uh, thanks guys, but where am I gonna keep a cat?"
"One, she's not a cat, she's a black panther. Two, you have plenty of room, this is your *floor*. Three, she's potty trained to use this lovely litter box we brought you also. I think she'll manage just fine. So, what's her name gonna be?"
Rufus smiled for the first time in months. "Hmm. Nations. And since she's black, Dark Nations."
Reno shook his head, grinning. "That sounds evil." Rude nodded, emphasizing his friend's remark.
"Ah, I think it sounds find. But why did you get me a gift? You've never gotten me a gift before. What do you two want?" he asked, setting the kitten in his lap and going back to paperwork.
The two Turks glanced at each other. "Oh nothing."
"You're planning something, I know that look, Reno."
The redhead shrugged. "Nah. Say, Ruf, what are you planning on doing tonight?" he asked, nonchalantly.
The blonde rolled his eyes, knowing where this was heading. Probably another plan, trying to get him laid. But Rufus didn't have time for that. Also, that was his father's arena, meaningless flings, especially at the Honeybee Inn. Plus, there was only one girl that could ever catch his eye.
"Hello?" Reno waved a hand in front of his friend's face.
"Look Reno, I really don't feel like playing hooky tonight. I can't afford to get caught again. You know I have training with Seph at 6:00." The vice president warned.
"Aww, but Ruf, I wanna show you something. You'll get out of HQ. Take some time off. You've been working too hard.
The redhead taunted him. "..." Rufus silenced. He hadn't gotten out of this god-awful place in forever.
Rude shook his head and grinned, knowing those were the magic words, knowing that his boss was going to break down and say yes. He also knew what Reno had up his sleeve, and didn't like *that* part of the plan. He had already decided not to go on this little excursion.
"Fine. Tell the department that I have a meeting to attend and cannot go to training tonight. Give them these papers; they're details on a meeting that's going on tonight." He felt he was going to regret this.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A pair of jeans, a grungy gray t-shirt, sunglasses, and a cap was all that Reno gave him. He took all the gel out of his hair and messed it up. Rufus hadn't worn casual clothes for over a year, the training department had taken them away. He stood by the elevator on the first floor, leaning against the wall; eyes open, watching for trouble. Reno hadn't shown up yet. He was always late. "Figures." Rufus looked around. No one even gave him a second glance. As far as they were concerned, he was a homeless kid from the slums, trying to seek warmth and shelter from the chilly October winds. He sighed; surprised that no one had kicked him out.
A hand clamped on his shoulder.
"I spoke too soon..." he thought.
"Hey man, whatcha so jumpy for?"
Rufus turned around to see a young man about his age, wearing an outfit similar to his own. He couldn't tell who he was by his hair or eye color, both were covered. But his smooth baritone laughing voice gave him away. "Where's Rude, Reno?"
"Aw, you can tell it's me? Rude didn't want to come." "Why?" Reno shrugged. "I don't know."
"Reno, can you just tell me where we're going?"
"Nope. You'll see!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "And don't come back ya bums!" A laughing guard yelled after them.
"Gladly." Rufus muttered, adjusting his cap.
Reno chuckled. "Man, just for laughs, you should go back in there and tell them who you are."
"They wouldn't believe me anyway. I'd need my suit and stuff." Rufus said resentfully. "Apparently the suit makes the man. Now, where are we going?" He asked, eyeing his surroundings as they strolled farther from HQ. The living conditions gradually began to worsen from rich apartments to the lower dirty slums. Music from Wall-Market filled his ears.
"Just follow me." Reno said, as if he lived there. Hell, for all Rufus knew, he probably did when he was young. Reno looked back at him. "So, how long you in Midgar for?"
Rufus shook his head. "Not long. Father doesn't want me here. As soon as I clear up some business, he'll ship me back off to Junon. Probably in... 2 more days I think."
They kept going through Wall-Market, soon walking by the Honey-Bee Inn, and Rufus could've swore he saw his father just inside the door, but chose not to say anything.
A young woman stared at them with large brown eyes and shimmering blonde hair, close to the shade of Rufus', only paler. She was about 17; her features included a facial structure that was also like Rufus'.
"Rufus, that girl kinda looks like you." Reno whispered.
She advanced toward them. "You look familiar..." she said, boldly reaching for Rufus' sunglasses. "Hey! -" She gasped. "Rufus ShinRa?! What are *you* doing down here?"
He looked down at the shorter young woman. "Do I know you?" He asked, rather coldly, surprising even himself.
"Well I guess not, Dad probably wouldn't tell *you*. *You're* the lucky one."
"What are you talking about? Does your dad work at ShinRa? Lucky one?" Rufus was more than confused.
She shook her head. "Brace yourself. I'm your sister. My name is Elena ShinRa. My dad is the president of ShinRa Inc."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/n: DUN DUN DUN!!!! *Gasp* Rufus has a sister? What else could happen? Find out next time in Chapter 9 of "Ice". In the meantime folks, Read and Review please!!! Oh, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! And any other holiday you celebrate, I hope it was a good one!