Author's Note:

Still don't own FF.

Chapter Twenty Three

Second Warning

Rufus dreamed.

A field of green stretched out around Rufus in all directions. Spotted all about the verdant grasslands were bright flowers in a multitude of colours, swaying every so slightly in the peaceful breeze that lazily touched on everything in its path. Closing his eyes, Rufus allowed his mind to feel the grass, to feel the flowers, and to feel the breeze. A soft smile touched his lips.

This all felt right. Not just right. Perfect. It felt like this was the way things were supposed to be. The way things were meant to be.

"This isn't you."

Rufus tried to ignore the voice. It was always there, taunting him, prodding at him with comments meant to discourage or insult or bring him down. Always it sought to defeat him, make him into something else, something lesser than he was.

"You're not like this, Rufus. It's the Cetra blood in you. It's affecting your thinking, changing you. You have to realize this! Snap out of it!"

Despite the peace he felt, his fists clenched. Always the voice tried to tell him what he was, what he was supposed to be. Always with messages of conformity, and accusations against the long dead Cetra, the race that he had unwittingly joined by using a Cetra's DNA instead of Jenova's during the Mako enhancement process.

"You are not an Ancient! You are better than them!"

Rufus' eyes snapped open, and he whirled to face the owned of the voice, screaming his defiance in an unintelligible shout. Rage filled him, giving him strength, the strength he needed to face the one who always tried to convince him that he was something he didn't want to be.

Tobias Shinra, former President of Shinra Incorporate, also known as Rufus' deceased father stood before the young man, a cigar clenched between his fingers, and smoke wafting about his head in a small ring. The man was shorter than Rufus, and more than a little overweight. A look of contempt was on his face as he lifted his cigar to his lips and took a drag. When he was finished, he said in a condescending tone, "So, I see that you've decided to grace me with a response. I expected something a little more eloquent, son."

"I don't have to listen to you. You are dead."

"Yes, I am dead, aren't I? But I know your dirty little secret, Rufus. Only something that I and one other could possibly know. And the other is now dead as well. How... convenient."

A growl erupted from Rufus' mouth. This taunting had gone on for long enough. "I am not like you, Father. I am something more than you could ever be. I have a purpose. And it's not just a silly company. That was your dream. Get money, get power."

"A good dream. One you should consider following."

"No, Father. Something I should never consider following. Because unlike you, I realized that the acquisition of wealth and power are only a means to an end. The application of it is the important part. And while you would consolidate your company, I will make an Empire!"

Tobias smirked. "Yes, Son, you will make an Empire. Built on blood, and murder, and Mako. You will kill the Planet in order to make your so-called Empire, the Empire where man and nature live in harmony. A Cetra concept, a Cetra dream. But you are not a Cetra. You are my son."

"Not by choice."

"Yes, by choice, Rufus! You have chosen your path. You seek to become something because you're being influenced by an alien taint. But your actions in the past, and your methods of the present show you for what you are. My son."

Rufus howled in rage. "No! I am nothing like you! I always hated you, Father! Always! I promised to never become you!"

"Instead you became worse than me. 'I will rule through fear.' Do you remember those words, Rufus? They were yours. You made yourself hate me when you were a child. You made yourself despise me. And grew cold, and empty, all so that one day you could overthrow me. But when I was murdered, you became worse than anything I ever could be. Ironic, isn't it, boy?"

"Shut up! I am... I'm trying to change. I..."

"You are weak. You always have been. You are a disgrace to me, Son. You seek to be the Planet's protector. And yet you are the same person that fought so valiantly against the Weapons, the Planet's real protectors. And why? Because one almost killed you? Defeated you? You know nothing of defeat, boy. Nothing at all."

"What are you talking about?"

Tobias took another puff on his cigar, as if considering, then tossed it aside. He began to walk away, but gestured after him. "Follow me, boy. I will show you what awaits."

Rufus followed, and a bright white light flashed. He took a deep breath, stepped...

---

... and found himself standing on a black platform in sunlight, overlooking a great plaza filled with people. All below him were masses of people, so many people. And they were all calling his name in exultation. Beside him stood Reeve, and to the other side, his father. The portal was gone, as were the grasslands. This was somewhere new... a place he recognized from the last dream.

Buildings were all around him, made of crystal and ivory. It was a small city, and parts of it were in ruins. This was to be his. This was his destiny.

Once more, he looked down and saw himself being held aloft not by a black platform as he originally thought, but instead by a great, dark hand. His eyes traveled upwards, and once more it was the shape of Obsidian Weapon holding him up.

"Look," his father said, gesturing to the crowd below.

Rufus looked down, smiling down on his people. This was as it should be. The people of the world worshipping him while he stood on high. He would be their leader, their saviour, their everything. He looked down to his subjects, and frowned.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the colour began to drain from the people below. They cheered and worshipped, but some stopped as they were totally leeched of colour, left completely made up of white and grey, as if they were some sort of albino.

And then Obsidian's hand was gone, and Rufus was among the people. Everyone clustered around him, grasping, touching, trying to make sure that he was real, that he would save them. And everywhere, colour disappeared. Rufus panicked, and called for help. Reeve was instantly by his side, carrying him away from the throng of people, to an escape, to somewhere else, anywhere else...

Blades glinted from the hands of the people now. Those completely drained of colour slashed at him, but narrowly missed. He ran, Reeve by his side, who was half carrying him. It looked as if they were ahead of the albinos, pushing through the crowd of people who still held a pigment. Rufus felt safe, felt as if he had escaped, when suddenly, a blade sunk into his back. He arched, pain lacing through him, seeking to cripple him. He whirled about, nearly falling. Reeve held him, making sure he didn't hit the ground. Rufus looked about, and saw no nearby albino that could possibly have stabbed him.

He suddenly felt sleepy, and realized it was from blood loss. He had to... had to... he wasn't sure what he had to do. But he knew it was important. He just had to close his eyes first...

"This, Son, is how it will end if you seek to be a true Cetra. If you seek to survive, then you will fight not like an Ancient, but like a Shinra!"

---

He opened his eyes, jerking violently and standing up from the chair he had been sitting on, looked about frantically. He was in the Shinra medical center, standing next to the resting Reeve who was about to go through a series of massive Cure spells in order to fix the broken limbs. Materia as powerful as the type that would be used to heal Reeve was rare and expensive, and the people adept at handling it even more rare, their fees astronomical. But it was worth it.

He owed Reeve that much. He sat back down, sighing, and buried his face in his hands. He had been so sure of himself! And now that dream... that same dream, only different. Was everyone against him?

Growling in frustration, he gave a start when he heard Reeve groan. He looked over to his ... friend and saw the man stirring awake, the painkillers slowly wearing off.

"Uh... where am I?" he asked weakly.

"The Shinra medical facility. You were badly injured by a Cait Sith unit that computer logs say you attempted to activate."

Reeve groaned again, then said, "After you told me... what you did... I was angry. I don't know why I did it, I just did. I thought the implant was fixed, but I guess it wasn't. The damned cat had its mog attempt me while it ran away."

"The Turks are after it now with orders to dispatch it on sight. It shouldn't be long before it's dead."

Reeve nodded, or at least, as much as he could with every part of his body either strapped down or held suspended in the air with a cast or brace on. He looked as if he were about to say something, but was interrupted by a guard entering the room.

"What is it?" Rufus demanded irritably.

"Sir," the guard said. "Yuffie Kisaragi has returned."

"Did she bring anyone with her?" Rufus asked intently.

"Yes, sir," the guard answered. "Two women. Aeris Gainsborough and Shera Cole."

Reeve made a noise akin to surprise, and Rufus sat back down in his chair, a cold grin spreading across his face. The first two parts of his plan were now settling into place. But, what to do with his plan? Be a champion, or a Shinra?

Author's Note:

I've said it before, I'll say it again. My favorite chapters to write are always the ones with Rufus. Especially now that I'm trying to force some good onto him and his subconcious is revolting.