Rufus did not allow much time for Senna to gather her thoughts before he stood and pulled out his phone. She watched with worried interest as he started speaking nearly immediately. "Something has come up, and I will not be leaving my rooms for the remainder of today or tomorrow. No one is allowed to enter other than when delivering food."
There was a slight pause as a frown flitted across his face, but he erased it before he continued, "No, I will not be attending the war meetings. My father does not need an excuse." His jaw clenched once, and his tone turned a little harder as he said, "Continue to post a guard at the door and at the end of the hall until further notice. Also, have someone discreet on hand for any errands I might have."
As soon as the last instructions were out of his mouth, he hung up and turned to Senna with a frown. She was expecting him to be in a foul mood after his father's visit and subsequent demand, but that was not all she got. She was given no time to react before he leaned over and grasped the arms of the chair on either side of her. His gaze turned intense as he closed the distance, which caused her to involuntarily suck in a sharp breath and hold it as she tried to make as much room between them as possible. Not that it helped.
There was barely an inch between them when he finally stopped and said, "If my fate is to be tied to yours, there is one thing I want a straight answer to. Do not think to lie to me."
A dozen different scenarios immediately started running through her mind about what he could possibly be so intent about. It was obvious that his next question wasn't going to be one she liked, but she still swallowed thickly before she gave him a curt nod. It wasn't like she had many options. Thankfully that seemed to be enough for him to continue. "I am unsure if you have skirted around this purposefully or not. Tell me, are you an Ancient?"
That single question brought everything crashing to a halt in Senna's brain. Her mouth was open with a scoff on the tip of her tongue, but she snapped her jaw shut and swallowed it before it could escape. Her initial reaction had been to deny the claim, as she wasn't an Ancient, but that wasn't the entire truth either. The claim might as well be true enough if Minerva was to be believed. That thought was immediately followed by another—one that brought her hope for the first time since she came to Gaia. Maybe the answer to his question would be the best way for her to buy the time she needed.
Thankfully it did not take long for all of that to pass through her mind. Before Rufus could get upset, she rolled her eyes and pushed on his arm. He only resisted for a moment before he gave and stood. Though he did cross his arms as he gave her an expectant look.
It took all Senna had not to roll her eyes again as she stood and said, "I had thought that was understood. I don't believe the average human can talk to the planet, no?"
Her answer seemed to have thrown Rufus off-guard for a moment, but he didn't take long to recover. "Why should I believe you? The Ancients supposedly disappeared thousands of years ago."
Senna's response was to raise one brow as she said, "If you didn't already suspect I was a Cetra, which is the preferred term, by the way—why did you ask me?"
Rufus didn't respond right away, so Senna took advantage of the momentary silence to press the second part of her plan. It was now or never, and she hoped like hell it would be enough. "How else do you think I know possible future events? You have made it perfectly clear that you don't buy into the idea that I am psychic, but that doesn't mean my connection with the planet hasn't allowed me to look beyond the veil of time. Have you never heard of the theory that time is not as linear as humanity has been led to believe? Is it so hard to grasp the idea that perhaps the combined knowledge and strength of all the lives that have passed into the lifestream would allow glimpses into what may be?"
Part of Senna cringed internally at how that sounded. She had never been one to ascribe to the belief in the metaphysical. However, she had also never met a goddess before. Maybe there was a little room to shift how she thought. At least it seemed to be enough to get Rufus to stop frowning at her.
Even though he was no longer frowning, it took him several seconds before he responded. "I am still unsure if I should believe any of this."
A tingle of fear crept into Senna's chest, but she didn't let it show. She had no intention of giving up without a fight, and this was only the first step. "Fine. I won't keep trying to convince you with words. I understand they hold little weight without proof—that is the premise of my career, after all. However, you won't get the proof you need until you are able to investigate what I tell you, correct? If that is the case, then we should table this issue for now and focus on the immediate problem."
Senna had to fight not to hold her breath while she waited for his response. If that wasn't enough to convince him for the moment, she wasn't sure what would. A soft sigh escaped her when he finally gave her a curt nod. Her relief was short-lived, as his following words were not what she hoped to hear. "If you are truly a Cetra, then you can tell me where the Promised Land is. Finding it before my father would make everything else insignificant."
Despite her best efforts, Senna's shoulders slumped, and her gaze fell to the floor as she said, "I can't."
Her eyes were drawn back to Rufus as he took a step closer. His stance was meant to be intimidating as he said, "Have you forgotten that your life is in my hands?"
His attitude was enough to spark Senna's anger. Her fear was pushed to the side as she put her hands on her hips and leaned forward slightly as she said, "Will you stop already? There aren't enough threats in the world that could make me show you a place that doesn't exist. At least not in the sense you believe it does."
Whether it was her stance or her words, it was enough to give Rufus pause. His frown fled to be replaced with curiosity and perhaps slight disbelief. "Are you trying to tell me that every document our scientists have dug up is wrong?"
Senna shrugged halfheartedly as she said, "I am sure every single one had something along the lines of the Promised Land is where the Cetra are allowed to go when they choose to end their journeys after a long and fruitful life."
Rufus lifted one brow but didn't say anything else, so Senna continued, "It isn't the documents that are wrong—only the interpretation."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
It was apparent that Rufus's curiosity had nearly overtaken his disbelief. At least he wasn't dismissing her out of hand, so she answered, "There are many things that set Cetra apart from humans, but the one in question here is the fact that when we die, we are given a choice. We can continue to hold our consciousness and help the planet from within the lifestream, or we can choose our promised rest. We can let go of our burdens and become a part of the lifestream with the rest of the life forces of the planet—to contribute our energies to sustaining the life of all living things."
For a brief moment, Senna wondered if that would be true for her as well. Minerva had said she was essentially a Cetra. Still, that was a thought she could explore when she wasn't so overwhelmed. Instead, she refocused on Rufus to see he had shifted and had one hand on his chin as he appeared deep in thought. After a few seconds, he looked up as he said, "So the lifestream is the Promised Land? And why can you not show me the way there?"
Senna did scoff that time before she said, "Don't play dumb. I know you must have heard the term before. You can't tell me that you aren't very well aware that I am talking about the mako this company is sucking up and using as though there are no consequences. Well, let me set you straight. That is precisely what I am talking about and one of the most unsustainable things this company is doing. If you don't want to admit it, then explain how a fourth of this continent has become a barren wasteland in less than thirty years?"
Instead of responding, Rufus simply watched her. Finally, she had enough and waved him off as she rolled her eyes. "Fine. Believe what you want. It won't change the truth, and you'll see it eventually. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
If he was perturbed by her action, Rufus didn't show it. Instead, he gestured to the chair she had vacated earlier. "This is an issue that we can discuss again later. If we are to make a plan my father will approve of, we don't have time to waste."
Senna desperately wanted to yell and release her frustration at the way the man in front of her seemed to always say just the right thing to piss her off. Unfortunately, he was right, so she took the seat and braced for what was to come.
Senna had barely settled when something occurred to her, and she jumped up. She ignored the look Rufus shot her as she went back to the study to retrieve the notebook he had left when his father first showed up as well as a couple of empty ones. He lifted one questioning brow when she returned with them in hand but didn't ask anything. Instead, she sat down and handed them over as she said, "Honestly, I don't think I have anything written in there yet that will help us with this, but maybe it will help as a reference as we try to figure this out."
Rufus took the offered notebooks but didn't bother looking into them. Instead, he focused on Senna as he said, "Does this mean you were not just bluffing? Do you have a plan to help me and the future of this company?"
It took a quick count to ten in Senna's head before she was calm enough to answer. She had no idea what it was about the man that irritated her so much, but that was an emotion she didn't have time to indulge. "Actually, yes, that is the whole point of me sharing my knowledge. However, what I plan to share won't go over very well with your father, so why don't we focus on finding something that will."
Her response prompted Rufus to set the notebooks aside as he pinned her with another frown. That was an expression that she was already tired of seeing, but she kept it to herself as he said, "If your information will not be acceptable to my father, what makes you think it would be acceptable to me?"
Instead of giving in to her aggravation, Senna lifted a brow and met his gaze directly as she said, "Because you are not your father."
Senna was shocked when her response caused the edges of Rufus's lips to turn up the slightest bit. It was enough to break the palpable tension between them and helped to nearly erase her building irritation. However, she didn't give him a chance to say something else to piss her off. Instead, she grabbed one of the empty notebooks and said, "While I don't condone your father's way of doing things, we need to think like him if we are to make this work."
"Agreed." Rufus's simple response had Senna's undivided attention. He smirked at her raised brow as he said, "While I do not trust you entirely, I cannot refute astute logic."
She watched him for another second before she looked away with a little shrug and said, "Okay then." His quick response had thrown her off guard, but it didn't keep her mind still for long. She already had many things swirling around her brain and trying to take shape. When one of them finally coalesced, she said, "Well, if we are to talk about what he might find reasonable, there is something I want to bring up."
"Oh? And what is more important than trying to formulate a plan?"
Rufus's jab served to remind Senna that she couldn't relax around the man, but she didn't let it keep her from responding. "Actually, it does have something to do with our current objective."
When his only response was to raise a brow, Senna continued, "I am well aware that you do not like your father, nor do you care for the way he does things. In one of my 'visions', I saw you say that you were no longer interested in doing things like him—that you planned to rule with fear instead of buying the people's loyalty."
Rufus chuckled dryly before he said, "That does indeed sound like something I would say. What is your point?"
Senna tried to keep the exasperation from her voice as she said, "My point is that while I think the way your father does things is despicable, you are wrong that he doesn't rule with fear. Honestly, I hate saying it, but he is damn brilliant."
She could tell that she lost him with that last statement. He scoffed and looked toward the window, but she continued before he could cut her off. "Just listen for a moment." She paused and waited until he looked back at her with a frown before she said, "I don't like saying it any more than you want to hear it, but it is still true. The fact of the matter is that he is manufacturing something for the people to fear. It may not be fear of him, but it is fear nonetheless. He does so for two reasons. First, it keeps their eyes off him and his administration. Secondly, it gives them even more reason to rely on Shinra."
The war with Wutai is the perfect example. You and I both know that Wutai is the victim here. They were attacked unprovoked just to satisfy your father's greed. Yet, in the eyes of those people under Shinra's rule, Wutai is nothing more than a nation of thieves and cutthroats that are after everything they hold dear. Tell me that isn't good propaganda."
Besides, there is something your father has obviously already deduced—tyrants are always overturned or destroyed. Historically, whenever people have enough of being pushed around, they eventually push back. Even if he has complete confidence in his armed forces, it would be the deepest folly to assume they can't cost him in the end. Even if they don't bring him down—it wouldn't be worth it—financially or image-wise."
By the time she was finished speaking, Rufus looked less than pleased. Still, he wasn't stupid, and his response reflected that. "I will admit that you have a point. However, I do not see what that does to help us in the current situation."
Senna felt a spark of triumph flit through her. It caused a smirk to form on her lips as she sat forward and slapped her hand onto the empty notebook. "Because understanding your enemy is the first step to defeating him. As long as we are on the same page about what he is capable of, we can easily develop a plan he will buy into. We don't have to mean it—we simply have to make him believe it."
Several seconds passed before Rufus chuckled. He cut the sound off almost immediately, but he was still smirking as he said, "I am unsure whether I should be impressed or worried."
Senna's first reaction was irritation at his continued doubt, though that didn't last long. If she stepped outside of her own worries, it was reasonable that he would not take anything she said at face value. At least not until he had proof. Instead, she caught his gaze and held it as she said, "Rufus, I am not your enemy. Or I don't want to be. You may not have any reason to trust that, but you can believe that I have a strong desire not to die anytime soon."
Their eye contact did not break when she finished speaking. The two of them sat there like that, staring at each other for an indeterminate amount of time. It wasn't until the clock on the wall chimed the top of the hour that Senna was startled from the intense stare-down. She sat back and studiously ignored the blush growing on her cheeks as she said, "If that is settled, why don't we get started."
She grabbed a nearby pen and opened the notebook to the first page without thought. Her focus was more on trying to ignore the way his intense stare made her question everything and less on actually minding the man across from her. However, that determination was challenged when his large hand pulled the notebook from her grasp, and his presence demanded her attention.
As much as she didn't want to at the moment, she focused on Rufus. Once he had her attention, he finally said, "I will not reiterate your position, as you seem to grasp it well enough. I still have no idea what to make of any of this, but I will trust your survival instinct. For now."
Senna's thoughts were still too scattered to get aggravated; plus, he had a point. So instead of trying to argue further, she picked the notebook back up and said, "I think we should start with ideas of how you can shift your current image. Although it is good that you seem untouchable, perhaps it might be good to try and make you more acceptable to the populace. Not necessarily approachable, but more human, someone they can see as having their best interest at heart."
Rufus cut in before she could get any more out. "I do not plan to change."
Her earlier aggravation started to shine through, but she swallowed it with a sigh as she shook her head. "While I think you should consider what I just said, you missed the point. I said we needed to make a realistic and believable plan. I don't give a rat's ass if you like it or not."
Senna snapped her jaw shut before she said anything else that might make things worse. Thankfully, Rufus only raised a brow at her vulgarity before he said, "Well then, if you are to be the one to advise me on how to shape my image in the future, please proceed. Maybe this is the test we need for you to prove your worth."
His attitude only served to prick her aggravation even more, but she did her best to redirect it. If he wanted proof of her worth, then by god, he would get it. Her jaw clenched once before she jabbed the pen to paper as she said, "While we do need to address your current image, we also talked about the future. Why don't we start with some possible scenarios that could come to pass and how you would take care of them? The most important will be those that revolve around your father no longer being president. He may not wish to step down, but things happen. It is best to be prepared."
Senna barely realized that she had gone into the same mode she used for troublesome witnesses, but she was entirely focused on the task at hand. So much so that she barely noticed that there was more than distrust in Rufus's eyes for the first time since she came to Gaia. Had she bothered to focus on it, she might have even called it respect. However, they both had too much riding on figuring out a plan, so she didn't dig any further as they got into a discussion of possibilities.
A/N: First, please let me apologize for such an extended absence. I did have some issues with writer's block that I was trying to deal with, but on top of that, I have several real-life issues. Namely, a huge change in my job that included a bunch of training and a drastic uptick in responsibilities. All that being said, things have finally settled, so I have a little more time again. Still not as much as before, but at least I can get things done. I hope this chapter was worth the wait, and promise that I will have the next one out within the next two weeks. I plan to do my best to get back to a regular schedule as soon as possible. Thank you for reading, and cheers!