Cetra Reunion: Chapter 7
Dire NewsCopyrighted to Astian Leslie Hannan 2005.
Disclaimer: The characters contained within this fanfic, Cetra Reunion, are entirely fictitious and in no way resemble people in real life. All resemblances are entirely coincidental. Square-Enix owns all rights to the characters and locations of Final Fantasy VII. All other characters and locations belong to me.
Author's Notes: I know. Spank me, because this has been awhile in coming but I have just been so damned busy. I can't promise that the next update will be soon because I am still deciding on which perspective to write from next. Know that all the chapters will eventually convene to where there will be a few from the same perspective/party but for now I need to establish the charaters. And man, do I have to play FFVII again. I need to find a copy of it TT. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
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The breeze that blew in off the harbour of Junon was one that even reached the dizzying heights of the opened window that Rufus now stood before. Far below his room, the ocean churned and boiled, reminding him of the condition the ocean was in when Sapphire Weapon had attacked on that fateful day. He had survived that attack, and also the attack of Diamond Weapon. If none had called him lucky before, then they surely would now. In that time, true to his nature, not a single tear had been shed. It was often said that no one had ever seen him cry or bleed. The former was true, but the latter seemed of late, to be a lie. He would have to amend that.
A gentle knock upon the door took his attention from the violent ocean to the plump figure that entered through the opening doorway. Once more it was Palmer and this time he not only bought tea, but also bagels. A fitting distraction from the injuries that Rufus was currently recovering from. With a little effort the President moved back to his poster bed where the blankets were in disarray from his attempt to exit them earlier this morning. His palm found the corner of one of the sheets and lifted it off the floor, lifting his leg to slip in beneath it and allow it to fall upon his form. A gentle click was the only sound that came from Palmer as he placed the tray he carried upon a polished wooden table and set about distributing the right amounts of sugar, lard and milk into the two ornate cups to brew an aromatic tea.
"What news from below?" Rufus broke the silence, shifting his weight around in the bed until he found a position that was comforting.
The executive member of the ShinRa Space Program stopped what he was doing and placed the small silver tongs upon the tray then turned to meet the President's eyes.
"Everyone is in a state of low morale. Not many know that you are alive. The news was passed off as a mere rumour to try to win power back to the ShinRa Company. Riots have begun over the last week so the damage repair team can not get close enough to the shutters for more than five minutes without being disturbed. It seems that Reeve has disappeared too. Of the board of directors, only I remain. It seems we are finished-"
"Silence!" Rufus cut him of with a crisp single word that rang in the room even after the man's mouth had closed. His hands tightened upon the sheets below them, cuffing them into a crinkled mess. He commanded a great presence, of respect and dignity. Though things looked bad for his position now, he knew that to rectify the situation, he would have to prove to his people that he still existed. He needed to bring fear back into their hearts. In his present condition he knew that no such thing would be happening any time soon. However there were ways around all difficulties. One but had to find them. "Have the Turks arrived yet?"
Palmer dry washed his hands, as he was often want to do when nervous. It was a trait that annoyed the President much like the laughs of both Heideggar and Scarlet, but they were gone now and he needn't worry about that pestilence anymore.
"Well, yes they have. They wish to see you, but I told them that you were in no condition to-"
"Go get them now! Get the boardroom prepared. I'll see to them myself. Make sure you have refreshments provided, and the windows open. The fresh air is doing me good, I think."
Palmer jumped to attention immediately, without so much as a single word spoken against Rufus' wishes. He moved rather quickly for a man of his bulk and was out of sight before Rufus had a chance to say anything more. The man may be whimsical and lacking in common sense at times, but when the situation arose and a need came for logical, rational thought Rufus knew that he could depend on the man. After all, he was the only one that hadn't gotten himself killed or abandoned post. Although he had come close to dying once that time in Rocket Town when the ShinRa truck had hit him. Rufus guessed that the man's size was what had saved him, and perhaps the lard that had been packed into the man's tea prior to his attempt to steal the Tiny Bronco from Cid's house. Rufus could not picture himself as being so lucky were he to be in that situation. As it was, he was no moron, slapping his ass in front of Avalanche. How very prudent of Palmer that had seemed. He had quite enjoyed reading the incident report for that case.
A sly smile twisted the President's lips. Everything would fall into place and he would be restored to power. The Turks would be his voice and his strength. They would make sure that order was restored to Junon. After all, wasn't Reno's favorite bar located within the precinct of the large metallic city below? He would be enraged to hear that it was under siege by mere peasants. Oh yes, ShinRa would prevail. Rufus' eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze back toward the sea and to the north where the power that had once surpassed ShinRa had existed. Maybe he's father's vision had not been so stupid after all. The Promised Land… a place full of Mako abundance. Yes, it was all beginning to make sense and clarify itself to him. It would be there that he would end up. The chocobos had been set in motion and the ultimate destination was within sight upon the horizon.
Rufus rose from the bed once more and closed the window, setting the curtains to stillness. He had a meeting to attend. It was one that would accelerate his plans. At least Avalanche activities had died down and that was one less thing to contend with.
"Avalanche, perhaps they died in that infernal Crater?"
His lips twisted into a smirk. It had to be so. It was a certainty.