Disclaimer- When these morphed into my author's notes as well, I shall never know. Anyway, same as the last chapters with a brief note: just replayed the Temple of the Ancients in the game and Tseng is sitting in the entrance when they get back. Before putting in the Keystone, if you talk to him he says "I'm still alive". I am under the impression that what Aerith saw in the fountain thing was a flashback to what happened to Tseng. Anyway, my point is that if he could get past all those puzzles to crawl back to the entrance, it's not so inconceivable that he could crawl the last few yards back out before the Temple collapsed into the Black Materia. And when you meet Elena at Icicle Inn she says "you worked over my boss pretty good", causing Cloud to speak in his own defense. She implied Tseng was still alive. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Second Coming
By A Guy Named Goo
Chapter Three: Masks, Donned and Discarded
Special Thanks to Sqwiggley for beta'ing for me
It seemed like the entire world was gathering to view the press conference and the revelation of the new Shinra president. At the very least, all of Midgar was. People in the slums who didn't have televisions went to bars and other public places to watch the television there, or went over to neighbors' homes, or stood out on the street when there was access to a public screen there. It wasn't what President Shinra had to say that had captured the attention of the public, however: it was actually seeing what their new leader looked like that had drawn everyone together and around their television sets.
At AVALANCHE headquarters, Yuffie and Cloud had once again taking their places in the beanbag chairs, while Barret as on the table in the center of the room. Tifa was sitting on a chair at the table, and Cid was across the room sitting in another chair (between profanities, they had gathered something about Shera and a broken television). Vincent was lurking in the hall, having decided against going back to sleep when someone was making an attempt on his life, but after hearing the state of affairs regarding Shinra he had decided to get a glimpse of the new enemy as well.
"When's this thing gonna start?" Barret asked, glaring daggers at the television as if that would make the press conference start sooner. "Just like the Shinra to keep people waitin' after they get'em all worked up..."
"It's not supposed to start for another five minutes," Tifa pointed out, consulting the clock on the wall. "Look, some people are already showing up..."
Everyone leaned forward a little as the camera zoomed in on the line of figures that were marching to the seats lined up behind the podium: a man in a neat gray suit with graying, tastefully cut black hair, narrow blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed gray mustache; a man wearing a brown suit with a green tie with brown hair surrounding a bald spot and wife-framed glasses; a tall, scrawny, and oddly bird-like woman with short, slightly spiked steel gray hair, beady black eyes, and a white lab coat with the sleeves rolled up past her elbows; a bored looking young man with his red dark hair tied back in a ponytail and green eyes wearing a dark blue suit; a tall, slender woman with short blonde hair that framed her face and just barely touched the back of her neck and blue eyes, wearing a black suit with a double-breasted jacket; a bald man in a red suit with a profound limp and wild gray eyes; and lastly, a man in a white suit with a black trench coat on over it, his brown hair messed up beyond taming and his eyes covered with aviator sunglasses. All seven figures sat down in the chairs in the order that they came in.
"So who do you think is who?" Yuffie asked, examining the people who had just stepped in.
"Well, the one in the lab coat has to be the head of the Science Department," Cloud said plainly, squinting to see the figures as the camera zoomed out to show all of them sitting in a row.
"Thank you, Captain Fucking Obvious," Cid said bitterly. "Think they brought back the Space Program? Better not have. They'll all be shit outta luck if they think they can find a goddamn pilot even half as good as I am!" No one acknowledged Cid's tirade, mostly because he'd already let his objection to a new Space Program be known multiple times.
"So which one do you think is the president?" Tifa asked, also going over her options.
"That guy there on the end," Barret ventured. "He looks all cocky and presidential, damn bastard..."
"I'm going with the old guy with the bad comb over," Yuffie wagered. "Presidents are always some old, ugly guy that can't get anyone to like them any other way."
"Rufus wasn't," Cloud pointed out.
Tifa nodded. "I am going with the guy in the sunglasses. I think he's trying to throw us off."
The man with the graying hair that Barret had bet on stood up, and the crowd of reporters and camera men fell silent.
"Heh, told ya," Barret said smugly, only to get shushed by Tifa.
"Thank you all for coming," the man said, his voice a droning monotone that promised his speech would be a long and boring one. "The press has always played an integral part in educating the masses, and with a topic as important as the future of Shinra, Inc. and the people it serves, your importance is doubled- no, tripled." Below the man appeared the name "President Amunet Shinra" as he continued to drone on. "As we enter into a new age, in the wake of the most devastating Crisis our world has ever seen, the people have shown a need for a new leader. A strong and capable leader that can serve and protect the people as well as be served and aided by the people, and we thank you for choosing Shinra as that leader. In these times of need, in a time were faith in the company may be waning, it means a lot that you would set aside the sins of the fathers and look toward the future and the hopes that these sons and daughters of the old company promise to bring. And we promise not to fail you in this, your hour of need. We will hold your hands as you rebuild your lives and offer our aid whenever possible." He paused, and some applause was heard from the audience. He closed his eyes and nodded. "And it is the great honor that I, Vice-President Wilton Freely, have been given to introduce the leader for our new age, President Amunet Shinra."
All of Midgar seemed to ripple with surprise as Freely took his seat once more, and the blonde woman stood up, rising to the podium. Her blue eyes sparked with a fiery intensity as she took her place behind the microphones, waiting for the reports to stop whispering amongst themselves. When the voices died down, she began to speak, her voice reverberating with the passion that had always made the Shinra so great at making speeches.
"If it is one thing my critics have right, it is that in this time were you have chosen your new leader, it is not a time for masks and pretenses," Amunet started. "It pained me to adopt such a ruse, to hide myself from the public, but I had to be certain that the people would accept me for their leader based on my capability and what I promise and deliver, not dismiss me based on my sex. I wanted to insure that you were ready to welcome not a foolish old man as the father of your future, but a fierce and determined mother. I did not lie to you, but for deceiving you I sincerely apologize and I plan to make up for my misleading you by my acts. For that is what I am here to talk to you about today: what I plan to do for you all. What I want to do to help you through this difficult time and onward, for we can all agree that this is the dawn of a new era."
Amunet paused for a moment as the reporters snapped her picture, then she continued on. "Long, long ago, before mako was discovered, before Shinra was as much a guiding force as a weapons development company, a man named Meyer Shinra stood in an empty field and gazed at the land around him, and what he saw was this: a city where all those who wished to be protected and served by Shinra and it's wealth could live in equality and harmony. A city divided into towns and communities, where people would help one another and work with one another. And he accomplished his dream with the establishment of Midgar.
"But unfortunately, his dream was not to last: future generations and the discovery of mako lead to the establishment of Midgar's strictly defined society of classes. Those who invested in mako and became wealthy built on the backs of those who hadn't the money nor the foresight to invest, and the towns lost their names and their sense of identity. The rich shamelessly exploited the people of the slums, and my own predecessors were not any better, I will admit. In fact, they committed some of the worst infractions against the people. I will not defend their actions. No, I am here today to join you in condemning them. However, it is their mistakes and their downfall that I will rebuild Midgar as Meyer Shinra once imagined it: a place where everyone could live equally. And eventually, when this dream is realized, we will set up another, similar Utopian society elsewhere so that others may benefit.
"What I ask for today is your trust. As a way of extending the proverbial olive branch to the people of the slums, and to atone for the wrongs that were committed against them in the past, I announce today that with the completion of two new reactors, both taxes and mako prices can be reduced by half, and the cost of expanding Midgar will be shouldered entirely on the 'nobles' who robbed you of your land and your livelihood before. After all, it makes no sense to take money from those who do not have it and spare those that do.
"Also, before I open the floor to questioning, I would like to introduce the men and woman who will stand with me during this new age." Amunet turned to face the line of people sitting behind her. "First is Vice-President Wilton Freely, who you have already met." Mild applause as the man stood up and sat back down. "Next to him is the head of Urban Development, someone you will be seeing a lot of in the days to come and who I will be working with directly, Orville Melchoir." More applause accompanied the man with the bald spot as he stood up, bowed slightly, and sat back down. "Next is someone who will play an integral part in improving Midgar and the world at large with her brilliant research, and who already has begun a project that promises to bring the people happiness and wealth beyond their wildest dreams, our head of the Scientific Research Department, Professor Jozene Sakir." The bird-like woman in the lab coat stood, gave a slight wave, and sad down as applause followed her. "And beside her is someone who I hope you can trust for defense, and not for the twisted purpose that my predecessors had established for this office, the new head of Public Maintenance and Order, Sharma Hammond." The man with the red hair seemed to wince as his name was spoken (and no one in AVALANCHE headquarters could blame him) as he stood, gave a mock salute, and sat down to applause. "To protect us during future crises, which Gods willing will not happen in our lifetimes, I have changed the duties of this office. No longer will the people be strong-armed by Shinra, but they will truly feel protected. The new head of Weapons Development, Berk Caerbhall, will be in charge of that." The bald man with the limp barely stood long enough to be seen, before sitting down once more. "And although it is some time away, one successful space launch as renewed our vigor for space exploration, and once our plans are more solidified expect to see much more of our head of the Space Program and pilot extraordinaire, Elrond Sterling." The man with the aviator glasses stood up smiling and waved at the reporters, sitting down after receiving his fill of applause. In AVALANCHE headquarters, Barret and Cloud had to physically restrain Cid to keep him from attacking the television with his spear.
"Thank you again for your tremendous support of me and my campaign," Amunet continued. "The floor is now open for questions." She pointed to a reporter that was close to the front row.
"President Shinra, Sir...Ma'am-" Some chuckling broke out through the reporters.
"Sir is fine," Amunet said with a smile.
"President Shinra, Sir, one of the five points in your famous Five Point Agenda is to relocate the people of the slums to the outskirts of Midgar. Where do you propose to get the money and the land for this?"
"An excellent question. The added taxes on the Plate will fund the massive relocation program after the reconstruction program is finished. Most of the land around Midgar is owned by Shinra, anyway, and barring a sudden population increase we have more than enough land to partial out to the residents of the slums. Next question, from you in back with the green hat?"
A woman in a green hat stepped forward slightly. "Yes, President Shinra, just curious: once the people of the slums are relocated, what are your plans for the areas below the Plate?"
Amunet nodded, looking down at the podium for a moment before looking up, meeting the eyes of the reporter. When she smiled, the sheer amount of charisma she possessed washed over the room. "We will be completely industrializing the areas below the plate, which will both strengthen the plate itself and make mako reactors faster and more efficient. The entire city would cost comparatively less to power, and the savings would be passed on to the people. You, sir, in the blue coat..."
The man held the microphone of his recording device out. "President Shinra, Sir, what if people don't want to leave the slums?"
The people at AVALANCHE headquarters leaned forward, definitely interested in the answer to this question.
Amunet didn't even seem ruffled, however. "It is important that the area below the slums be completely...evacuated, if you will. The incident in Sector Seven has shown us that life below the Plate is far too dangerous to risk. While we understand the people have a certain amount of pride in their land and we are very grateful to their allegiance to Midgar through the years, in spite of the horrible class system that rose on their property, we cannot let the objections of a few get in the way of the better good for all. I am not aiming for a 100% approval rating, and I understand some of my projects will not be appreciated in my lifetime, but you can't win them all. Any more questions?"
"I have a question!" a loud female voice said from the back of the room. Everyone turned to face the source, who continued to speak even though she hadn't been acknowledged. The cameras tried to turn to focus on her, but no one could seem to find her. "What about the issue of Shinra killing this planet? What of the immeasurable damage to it your projects will cause? And will it be worth the cost? You are not a leader. You are foolish, trying to claim to be God when our real, true God is hidden deep within your soulless corporation, gathering power to rise up once again! And what say you, President Amunet Shinra? What say you when your beloved company comes crashing around you when our true God rises to his rightful place once more!"
The reporters began to part so that the speaker could be obvious to everyone. Standing in the circle that had been cleared was a young woman, incredibly pale with white hair cut into a neat bob. She wore a black trench coat that didn't have sleeves, and though belted in the center so that it looked like a dress she still wore black leggings and black high-heeled boots. Shiny, patent black leather gloves with the fingers cut off extended up to her upper arms, and her eyes were concealed by dark sunglasses. In her hair was a hairclip with four red orbs, and another red orb was attached to a choker around her neck. She had several earrings, but unlike Vincent's assailant they didn't seem to have any Materia on them. Instead, she had an armlet on either arm; two green orbs, a blue, and a violet on one arm, and a green, a blue, a red, and two yellow on the other.
"Security," Amunet said into her microphone, but before any of the guards could come to the woman she raised her hand. One of the red orbs on her hairclip began to glow softly, and a symbol appeared on the ground before her. The reporters scattered away just in time for the demon to leap from it and through the floor, fire spilling from its mouth.
"That is your target, Ifrit! Destroy her!" the woman screamed.
Amunet ducked the blast of fire, as did the people standing behind her, the Barrier placed around the podium in case of an attack holding back the brunt of it. Sakir was the first to recover, standing up and reaching with her left hand into her coat. She drew out a pistol with a rather long barrel, and after making sure it was loaded, she aimed it at the demon. Amunet also stood up, shouting "Get her!" over the commotion of reporters running away and cameras clattering to the floor. She also reached for something, fumbling in her pocket for a moment before pulling out a flat, wedge-shaped object. Pressing a button, it turned into a razor-sharp ring that she threw at the demon, Sakir shooting for all she was worth next to the president.
Finally, Ifrit growled in rage and sunk back into the floor. When the commotion had died down, Amunet realized that the woman who had summoned the beast was long gone.
oooooooooo
For a long time, there was silence in the AVALANCHE headquarters, the television airing nothing but static with some muffled voices from the abandoned microphones. Finally, the action cleared entirely and all was silent, a card reading "TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES" appearing on the screen in place of the static with the familiar Shinra logo emblazoned on it.
Barret was the first to speak, exclaiming "What the holy livin' hell was that?!"
No one could give him an answer that was only recapping what they had just witnessed. The camera hadn't cut out until after Ifrit had been summoned and it's first attempt at the president's life. After that, they could only hear Amunet's orders above the commotion.
Another awkward silence fell over the room once more as they all tried to process this. Finally, Cloud spoke: "What do you think that girl meant by their God is hidden in Shinra?"
More silence. Finally, Tifa leaned forward and put her hand on Cloud's shoulder. "I'm sure it's nothing you have to worry about, Cloud."
"How the hell do you know?" Barret asked bitterly. "Shinra's tryin' to make himself- herself- a saint an' you just know who is gonna get blamed for an attack on her: us."
Tifa took her hand off Cloud's shoulder and sat back, looking at the larger man sitting on the table. "I don't know. But I don't think we should be getting worried about anything yet."
"And I think you should," Vincent said quietly. Everyone averted their gaze toward the man in the hall, who was facing the floor. "Someone tried to kill me. Someone in black with a lot of Materia. Now someone in black with a lot of Materia just tried to kill President Shinra. It can't be a coincidence. I think we have to consider the possibility that any one of us could be a target next. If they are targeting people with connections to Shinra, then it could be Cloud or Cid."
More of that disheartening quiet. Then Yuffie jumped to her feet. "Come on! We beat Sephiroth! We can take on a bunch of black-wearin' punks with some fancy Materia no problem!"
But no one seemed too inspired by these words.
oooooooooo
It was blatantly obvious that President Amunet Shinra was not happy as she stomped into her office on the 65th (and highest) floor, the chairs of the various Shinra departments following her, as were several guards. She closed the door on the guards after all of the executives were gathered in her office, taking a seat in her chair behind her desk and swiveling away, she stared out of the window, which overlooked the reconstruction of Sector Seven.
"Sir?" Freely asked after a few tense moments passed in the office.
"AVALANCHE was responsible," she said suddenly, not acknowledging who she was talking to.
"AVALANCHE? Sakir asked. "But they-"
"I know it wasn't them!" Amunet snapped, turning around and leaning forward on the desk. "I don't care. I have worked too long and too hard. I have rebuilt this company in the face of great adversity, and right now I am at a crucial point of my presidency that will decide whether the people embrace me or loathe me. AVALANCHE is an enemy that the public recognizes, but know we can deal with. If they believe it is someone new that could threaten their very way of life again, and that Shinra may be powerless to stop it, then all of that might as well be thrown away! They'll never trust us!" She turned to the redheaded man, who now looked far from bored. In fact, he looked concerned (most likely for his job). "Hammond!"
"Yes, Sir?" Hammond asked nervously.
"Make AVALANCHE public enemy #1 in the city of Midgar and spread this news to every town, city, and area that receives Mako electricity urging them to do the same. Mobilize SOLDIER and stress that anyone who turns a member of AVALANCHE over to them, dead or alive, stands to receive a substantial cash reward. Offer another reward for information leading to the location of their headquarters. Add that anyone who is harboring a member of AVALANCHE will have to answer to the Turks," she ordered. She glared at the rest of the chair people gathered before her. "You will all do your part to make sure that the Neo-Jenova Project or these....terrorists do not become public knowledge. This is an internal affair and will be dealt with as such. And those of you who compromise that will certainly wish that you had never even entertained thoughts of betraying our company. You're all in a position to gain a great deal, and you would be stupid to give that all up. Melchoir!" The bald man jumped at the mention of his name, but Amunet didn't give him an opportunity to speak. "Go down to Public Relations. Get a press release and wanted posters made up. I trust you'll come up with an adequate but not exorbitant reward. We'll pay whatever it takes to gain the public's trust, but if I throw away too much money I'll have to raise taxes again and they'll hate us once more. Now, you all have your jobs. Go do them!"
The chair people began to file out. Before leaving entirely, however, Sakir froze in front of the door to the office as the president lit a cigar. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you going to be doing?"
Amunet puffed her cigar for a moment, before rounding her hard blue gaze on the scientist. "You're overstepping your boundaries, professor. And you seem to be doing that a lot lately. Must I remind you again that your position isn't permanent?"
"Hojo wasn't the only one who had tricks up his sleeve to guarantee tenure no matter how much he pissed off his superiors," Sakir said threateningly. "I know too much to be fired, and I know things no one else does so I can't be killed without jeopardizing your precious project and any number of others. It's a simple enough question. Just answer it."
Amunet growled, chewing on the cigar. "Fine. I have tickets to the symphony in Junon tonight, and I am not going to stay here and worry people. I am going to carry on with life and try to figure out a way out of this mess."
"Heavens forbid the fate of the Planet interfere with your busy schedule," Sakir said, rolling her eyes and leaving at last.
Amunet violently mashed her cigar out in an ashtray on her desk, growling again in frustration before putting her head in her hands.
oooooooooo
"Well, I think that went rather well," the young albino woman said, stepping up to another black-clad young man. This one had jet black hair that stuck up from his head like a flame, and wore black leather pants, black boots, and a black tank top with a low neckline, eyes also concealed by black sunglasses. He had two armlets on one of his arms, with several green Materia, a few blue, and one yellow one.
"You sure do have a flare for the dramatic, don't you, Rosa?" the young man asked, although he was smiling as he did.
Rosa shrugged. "I had to make it look like we were serious, didn't I? After all, we can't have our fearless leader angry at the both of us, can we, Nat?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Nat scoffed. "I don't see what the hell the big deal was. I wasn't up to going so I picked a replacement. We do it all the time."
"But what the hell possessed you to send Nicki after Valentine?" Rosa asked him, disbelief tingeing her words.
"I thought he could handle it!" Nat cried out defensively. "He came back from a fight in berserk and close to a limit break. You know how rare it is for him to get such ideal conditions. It seemed like a waste to just have him sleep it off."
The white-haired girl shook her head. "This has nothing to do with the fact that you've wanted to see him get killed since you met him? You sent him to his doom, and you know he has some kind of bizarre affection for him. When he finds out-"
"He won't find out!" the young man snapped. "He's recovering nicely. Vinari's got him set up with some potions. He'll be up and in our way again in no time."
Rosa just shook her head. "He's supposed to be our healer and nothing else. Sending him into a fight alone was just asking for it, and when he asks me who was responsible for Nicki getting hurt, I am not going to defend you."
Nat turned to say something, but she was already gone, lost in the buildings in the slums. He sighed and slid into the shadows himself, making his way to their headquarters.
End of Chapter Three