Author's Notes:

Reeve: You just captured Yuffie.

Reno: Woo! Yai me! Rufus will give me a pay raise to be sure!

Reeve: You know what this looks like? You just captured a character that has expressed interest in you. This is so much like the Rude kidnaping Tifa thing from Search For the Promised One, it ain't even funny.

Reno: Wait. Yuffie expressed an interest in me?

Reeve: ... Never mind. The point is, you're an idiot. Wait, no. The point is, Tyramir is being unoriginal.

Reno: No no, this is totally different. I don't like Yuffie, and I captured her. Rude liked Tifa and kidnaped her because he didn't want to kill her. This is waaaaay different.

Reeve: If you say so. Tyramir doesn't own the rights to Final Fantasy or any of its characters.

Chapter Seventeen

Decisions

Rufus stalked from the medlab to the brig in a near fury. People dodged out of his way as they saw him coming, preferring to press themselves against the walls and show their fear than to risk a confrontation with their President this day. No one knew why he was angry, and no one really cared to ask. The important thing was that he was angry, and no one feared the wrath of Rufus more than his own employees.

As people dodged and ducked out of his way, Rufus couldn't help but feel disgusted. Fear was a tool to be used, to be cultivated. It inspired people to do better, to become better. But this type of fear was sickening. His own men and women were nothing but spineless fools, too terrified to even look into the eyes of their own leader. There was such a thing as too much fear, and this was well over that edge. Either he needed to step down his authoritarian method, or his people needed some more steel in them. Suddenly, Rufus began to appreciate Reno all the more. At least he had something to him that said he was willing to stand up against something any ordinary man would balk at.

First Reeve had been seriously injured by his own creation, and now... this. And the fact that Reno had let it happen. Actually planned for it. And hadn't even notified him. So like him. Rufus didn't know if the man was brilliant or a complete idiot. At the moment, he was more inclined to believe the latter.

The guards at the brig didn't even try to identify him. They, like everyone else, knew him on sight, and made way, opening the door for him. One followed after, obviously not liking the prospect from the way he hung back. When they reached the cell in question, Rufus stood to one side as the guard opened it.

Stepping inside, Rufus motioned the guard to shut the door behind him. The man didn't hesitate, or even question the decision. He merely did it.

Inside the cell stood Reno and Elena, each to one side. Reno was negligently holding his electro-mag rod, and Elena had both hands clasped behind her back. Both were watching the prisoner who was chained to a chair in the middle of the room. Her head was slumped down, and her body limp.

"Is she awake?"

"Not yet," Reno said. "I hit her pretty hard."

Rufus frowned, then walked to the chair and lifted the girl's head. There was no resistance, no strength in her as he did so. He had to stop himself from slapping her awake.

"Yuffie Kisaragi," he said. "You will stop pretending to be unconcious now. If you don't, we'll take the Leviathan Materia we took from your weapon and have it sent down to processing in the Underwater Reactor."

Her eyes immediately snapped open, and she let out a fierce growl. Rufus released her chin and stepped back. "That's better. What were you doing in my office?"

The girl shrugged, or at least as much as she could encumbered in chains as she was. "Just snooping, seeing what was what. I was curious."

"You broke into the most secure building in the Shinra Organization just to... snoop?" he asked incredulously. "Somehow I don't believe you."

"Most secure?" she said, giving a chuckle. "You've gotta be kidding me. This place was a joke. Any ninja from Wutai could've broken in here without any problem. Even the first year students, and they're only eight years old."

Reno grunted. "You got captured, didn't you?"

"I... uh... let myself be captured. Just so I could taunt you." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Rubbing his forehead with one hand, Rufus began to feel the comings of a headache. He motioned for Elena and Reno to follow him, then knocked on the cell door. The guard opened it, and the two went into the hall way. Distancing themselves from the cell so Yuffie couldn't overhear, Rufus asked, "What really happened tonight?"

Reno shrugged. "I sent out a recon bot to explore the vents looking for Cait Sith and found her instead, napping in there. Figured she'd try to cause mischief soon as she thought out guard was down, so I had everyone evacuate that section of the building, and changed all the clocks to make it look like it was after hours."

"There is no after hours with Shinra. There's always someone working here."

"Yeah, but I figured she wouldn't know that. Anyway, I disconnected all the computers from the main network so she wouldn't be able to do anything there. After that, I figured she'd try to make it to either the Turk office or yours. So I waited in your office, and Elena was at ours. Just waited her out at this point."

Rufus nodded. Thoroughly professional, so unlike how he imagined Reno. The man was somewhat intelligent once he actually got to work.

"What do you really think she was here for?"

Elena answered, "I think I know, sir. After the last Jenova incident, Yuffie engaged me in... uh... some girl talk."

"Girl talk?"

The woman nodded, blushing a little, almost as if she were embarrassed. "We spoke for a while, and I got to understand her a little more. I don't think she was here to cause any real mischief. I think she was here to spy on Reno."

Reno and Rufus both asked at the same time, "Why?"

"She has a crush on him, sir."

Reno sputtered, and Rufus had to force the smirk that demanded to be let loose not to show. "You're certain? This isn't just a feeling, or woman's intuition speaking?"

"Absolutely positive, sir. She outright told me."

Reno was bent over and beginning to make gagging noises. When he finally stopped and came up for air, he asked, "Why the hell does she like me? What did I do to deserve this?"

"Remember when you rescued her from Corneo at Da Chao? Or when you rigged your 'mag rod to disrupt most of the Soldier army? She does. That, and she thinks you're cute."

"Ug... the ladies always liked me. My blessing has finally become a curse."

Rufus had to resist the urge to laugh. He knew exactly how to solve this. And it would kill many birds with one stone. At least four that he knew of. He turned away from the two Turks and went back to the cell. The guard opened it for him again, and the three filed back in.

"Yuffie..." Rufus said, "Whatever am I going to do with you?"

"You could let me go," she said, shifting slightly in her chains. Rufus' eyes narrowed as he noticed something, and he smiled coldly. This would work out perfectly.

"Yes, I suppose I could. Do you have any idea of the mess you've put me in? By breaking into Shinra headquarters, and my office specifically, I have to make some sort of example out of you. However, there are two reasons that I can't do just that. The first being that you're the daughter and sole heir of Lord Godo. Shinra isn't at full strength as of yet, and it can't afford a second war with Wutai just now. In a year, yes. But not now. The second being that the leader of Avalanche, a group you're a part of, sent me a treaty of peace. I've decided to accept this treaty."

Reno coughed, caught off guard again. Elena made no noise, but he saw her shuffling uncomfortably out of the corner of his eye.

"In it, Strife clearly states that Shinra is not to harm any member of Avalanche for any reason. In response, Avalanche is not to hinder Shinra in any way. It's a rather pitifully outlined treaty, but I'll revise it soon enough. Since I'm assuming you acted without any prior knowledge of this treat, I can safely assume you did not knowingly violate it. But that doesn't mean you didn't. So I'm willing to offer a compromise, of sorts."

"A compromise?" Yuffie asked, almost eager in her tone to hear her lesser punishment.

Rufus steeled himself, knowing the objections which would shortly be raised. "As punishment for breaking into Shinra headquarters, and as a gesture of good faith towards Cloud Strife and Avalanche, your punishment is as follows. You will enter service into Shinra as a member of the Turks--"

"No fuckin' way!" Reno said. "I'm not taking a kid on--"

"Silence yourself, Reno, or I will do it myself. Remember respect. Now, as I was saying. You will enter service into Shinra as a member of the Turks for one year. During that year, you will be provided with a place to stay, as well as food and clothing. You will receive one quarter pay of normal Turk commission for all missions performed by you during that year. If you wish to remain with the Turks after the year is finished, you may. If you do so, full pay will be given to you for every mission done thereafter. All of your belongings will be given back to you save your Leviathan Materia. I know of its importance to both you and your people. It will be kept for the year to ensure loyalty. I'd rather not have it sent to processing, but if you break this compact, I'll do it. Do you understand?"

The girl nodded weakly.

"Good. Now, Reno, I will listen to your objections."

"She's just a kid."

"As were you when you first joined the Turks," Rufus said. "Next?"

"She's annoying."

"Yes, she is, isn't she? But the same could be said about yourself. Was there anything else?"

Reno seemed to be struggling, as if groping for a reason not to let her into the Turks. "She's not good enough to make the cut. I mean, c'mon... she got captured and went down without a fight. She's sitting here all helpless and in chains. No Turk would put up with that kind of thing."

Rufus nodded, "I will merit that objection. However, I have a counter argument. If I can successfully prove to you that she's not as helpless as she seems, will you cease your resistance and let her into the Turks?"

The red-haired man looked a little dubious, but after a moment he nodded. "Sure, what the hell? I don't believe you can do it, though."

Rufus turned away from Reno and looked back to Yuffie. "Ah, Ms. Kisaragi. If you will...?"

The girl rolled her eyes and let out a sigh, then stood up, the chains on her falling away. She casually brushed herself off. Rufus glanced back at Reno, who stood staring with his jaw hanging open.

"Do close your moth, Reno. Now, Yuffie, do you accept the terms as I've stated them? One year of service as a member of the Turks in exchange for a full pardon?"

Yuffie didn't even hesitate. "You bet. This sounds like fun."

"Splendid. Now that that's over and done with, I have a mission for you."

Author's Note:

Bwuahahaha... I seem to be having far too much fun with Yuffie. And not only did I like writing Rufus this time around, I had fun. Normally it doesn't go that far with ol' Roof. All right... the pieces are more or less in place. Now I just have to start moving them around.