Chapter 4- ShinRa Revisited
President Rufus loved to talk with Reno, especially whenever Reno was unfortunate enough to be sober. The red-headed step-Turk practically lived drunk. Rufus had heard tales before of times in which Reno had performed missions while heavily influenced by his one true love, expensive wine. At least no one could say that the Turks were cheap drinkers. The message that Rufus had to deliver was very difficult, and that was just the good news.
Yes, there was also a bit of bad news, and it would be quite disheartening indeed. As Reno walked in, Rufus could see that he was wearing a white button-up shirt with dark blue slacks. His hair was spiky, as usual. Behind Reno, Rude stood boldly. His bald head and earrings were only slightly more cliché than his government-style suit. Rude had earned the right to stand as boldly as he currently was. It was no small feat that a man of color such as himself held this lofty position.
Rufus looked rather sharp himself. He dressed in stark contrast to Rude, donning an all-white suit that complimented his short blonde hair very well. It had been a year since Rufus began to walk without a wheelchair, but he still had a little trouble every now and then. The Geostigma had hit him harder than anyone else, and it seemed that he was the only person in Midgar for whom Aeris' holy rain could not fully heal. Rufus had eventually begun to accept his weakness. After all, he had tried to kidnap the last Cetra. If Aeris intentionally held back her power from him, Rufus needed only to remember that his actions were a good enough justification. However, something in his mind seemed to say to him, 'Aeris is better than that, and you'll be convinced after this mission.' Rufus could only hope that this voice was right.
When Reno and Rude had gathered before Rufus, he greeted them, "Hello, gentlemen. How are my two favorite policemen?" Reno flashed a smile and replied, "Aw, come on. We're more of the bounty hunter variety than your normal officer. Surely you've noticed that already." Rufus smiled back as he said, "Yes, I've noticed. But I have a job for you two. I have received an odd piece of information from some very reliable sources within Midgar.
It seems that Sephiroth is back, but he has changed his identity. He now has short black hair, and goes by the aliases of Dr. H. Torihpes and Haros. Your mission is to apprehend him, and lock him up in the Midgar Prison. Once there, we will decide whether or not to pursue the death penalty for his past actions." Rude raised his hand and interrupted, "Sir, Sephiroth is way too powerful for just us." Rufus continued, "That's the odd part. As of yet, he does not appear to be hostile. I hate to say it, but he seems to be turning his life around. All of that is unimportant, however. He must still be jailed for his past crimes.
Now I understand your loneliness as a Turk, now that the city of Midgar has basically turned us into a makeshift police force. But I have the feeling that this mission will require some extra help. Therefore, I have hired a new Turk to help you. You both know who this person is, but don't be quick to judge this person based on past behavior. Your new coworker has grown up a lot since the last time you saw her. Welcome your new teammate."
When Rufus had finished his introduction, the new Turk entered the room. She was an excellent substitute for Elena. She still wore her trademarks: green shirt with tan shorts, armguard, and headband. But there were two things in particular that had changed about her. For one, she was taller, and had developed a slightly more curvy body than she used to have. Secondly, she had trained in more modern self-defense techniques, allowing her to put her old weapon down and use a gun instead.
Rufus gladly announced, "Your new partner is Yuffie Kisaragi." The first comments by the two Turks were quite alike. Rude raised an eyebrow and said, "You've sure grown up. I hope you've dealt with your personal demons well enough to be of use to us." Yuffie replied, "I have, sir." Reno, on the other hand, stared with his mouth practically agape and exclaimed, "Wow! You're hot now!" Normally, Yuffie would take exception to that kind of remark, but she bit her lip and kept silent. Seeing her silence, Rude asked, "Are you comfortable with your new weapon? I know that the Shuriken is a big part of your culture."
"It's no big deal." Yuffie replied. "My family would be upset, but that's not important. I'm just glad to escape that small town." Eyeing Yuffie's new gun, Reno asked, "Where did you get that?" "It's a gift from my fiancé, Vincent Valentine. He gave it to me one day before leaving to go fight some personal battles. Until he's finished, I've vowed to fight mine as well. So, let's go get Sephiroth." As the new Turk trio left, Rufus couldn't help but pat his own back concerning his choice to bring Yuffie to the team. She would be a fine addition indeed.