Toying with his prized EMR, lying down on the comfy sofa, lounging at the cozy living room, Reno had to admit that he never really knew much about his boss.

For one, he didn't even know that Rufus Shinra actually had friends. But then, said friend's a big-time (and of course, Shinra-affiliated) banker in Junon. Y'know, Evan Armante. So perhaps that bit's not so awesomely shocking.

But to dine willingly (the Prez wasn't exactly a people person) - or, as Rufus would usually term it, "to engage in an uninteresting, unprofitable social interaction" - with the said friend?! And to stay a night there? And to think that he would visit Mr. Armante's household regularly - and always with an escort of Turks?! Okay. Now that Reno couldn't comprehend.

And whenever Reno couldn't comprehend things, he'd usually ask his buddy Rude about it.

...Only, Rude's in Bone Village, miles away from Junon, doing so-called diplomatic talks (which really consisted of "..."s and sheer intimidation), so he couldn't help.

At least Tseng, the annoyingly impeccable ray of sunshine from hell, wasn't with them. He's busy with office work, being head Turk and all.

So all he could ask was the junior Turk assigned with him.

That overeager chatterbox, Elena, who was sitting on a plushy chair near him. She was already beginning to doze off.

So as to not weary his ears with hours of angry words sprouting from a grouchy, 'you-shouldn't-have-woken-me-up-just-for-that-shit' Elena, Reno decided not to ask.

...And laughter ensued in the guest's bedroom. Apparently one of the Armante kids had been telling some sort of funny story to his boss.

Wow. And since when did Reno ever hear Rufus Shinra laugh?

(As in laugh without a hint of sarcasm or whatnot... you know, just a plain "'Coz-I'm-happy" laugh.)

So of course Reno got curious. He fine-tuned his ears to "extra-sharp" mode.

And this was the conversation inside the guest room:

"What are you reading, hmmm?" It was a crisp, sharp voice - his boss', Reno was sure of it - that asked the question. However, it wasn't the usually cynical tone Reno was oh-so-familiar with.

In fact, it was kinda... warm.

A young male voice answered. "The same book she's been reading, over and over again." That would be the firstborn, sixteen-year-old (in Reno's reckoning). That lazy drawl the boy had acquired by crossing Rufus' mocking tone with Reno's ever-bored voice. Living testament of how long they had been visiting this family.

"You ought to know better than to rile your younger sister, Evander," the older voice reprimanded. And then Reno assumed that the Prez was already talking to someone else, because he added, "Won't you say what you're reading?"

"...It's a... s-st... um... s-story..." came the halting response. Heh. That would be the girl. The very shy girl who'd always get six kidnapping threats a day. Yeah, well, the Armantes were that rich, apparently.

"Care to tell me about it?"

Swear, either Rufus was bent on making her life a living hell (which would be the best guess, anyway) or he was actually trying to be kind to the kid.

"...I-It's about... the Cetra... and... J-Jenova's... a-a-arival..."

Oh... so people've already made stories about that? Reno thought.

Needless to say that Reno got interested with the kid's tale.

"...Once upon a time, there ...were... the Cetra. They were... um... people... who came from a... um... different planet..."

Heh. Wonder what that flower girl would have thought of that, Reno mused, remembering the half-Cetra who used to fight with Cloud and the second AVALANCHE.

Pity. That girl, last of her kind, died. That was five years ago.

And it seemed that the Armante daughter had gained some confidence in her tale.

"It all began in …Nolaia: the Peacehaven, their … um… Mother Planet. It was a beautiful world of seas …and cool blue waters …and spiraling cones …and shells of all colors, shapes and sizes. And there …in that beautiful world …dwelt a vast people: tall, upright, very much like what humans are today. Yet their race was far more beautiful, far more knowledgeable, and far more powerful; they had the ability to converse with the earth, with the wind, with the sea, with the stars, and everything else.

"They were under only one society. They had no rulers. They had no empires. They had no nobles. They had no slaves. They were all equal.

"They led happy lives."

Reno chuckled in spite of himself. Such a utopia. The writer of that story was either a blind man or an ironic fool who still remembered the old Shinra Empire.

Back then there was a ruler listening to classical music, sitting on his high throne atop a tall building on a giant pizza plate atop a dungheap that barely merited the term 'slums'.

And that man controlled the world.

Psh. Equality. Fuck that.

Back then, if your name's Shinra, then you're definitely not equal to the lowlife mortals Down Below.

"But it all came crashing down 4000 years ago.

"The Hardalo Mayi, the senseless War of the Magi, began. Terrible fury was unleashed by the warring factions. They set Power against Power, Force against Force, and monstrosities fought each other until the seas dried up, the sky turned red, the cones and the shells shattered, their race dwindled, their dreams were broken, and their Mother Planet was on fire."

Funny how that story reminded Reno of the Sister Ray, the WEAPONs, and Meteor all at once.

"And, when all were ruined, Agnur, whose name meant wisdom, had a vision. He saw Nolaia, broken by war and evil, collapse at last. And yet a calm, soothing voice commanded him to build great ships, ships of such size and strength that thousands would be held safely inside. And, as a final order, the voice told him to search for Minwi-tera: a Promised Land wherein they can live in eternal peace and happiness."

That Promised Land crap. Old Shinra was nuts enough to chase after it. And that chase brought only more misery, not happiness.

"And so this Agnur built the ships, the arks, as commanded. The arks were tall and graceful, and such Power was in them that they could navigate the skies and beyond. And as Nolaia burst in her dying flames, he and his followers embarked the arks and sailed away.

"At length the Cetra – for that's what they began to call themselves: wanderers – landed on Gaia. Led now by Minerva, a powerful lady chieftain, they settled in the northern region (the Knowlespole). But then…"

Yeah, yeah. The Calamity came.

"Evan! Jen! Bedtime, now!"

Oh. That would be Mrs. Armante.

"You better do what your mother says, now."

And that would be the Prez, who was probably smirking (good-naturedly, Reno hoped… kids' egos do tend to get shattered easily) as he said that.

"…"

So the boy was already asleep.

"G'night, Mr. Shinra."

"Hmph. Good night, Jenara."

But Reno didn't hear – for it was only spoken in Rufus Shinra's mind – the next sentence.

"Stay safe."

Yeah, I know it sounds kinda random, and a little OOC perhaps for Rufus (But I hope Chap. 1 gives adequate explanation). But, well... I did my best (I think), and this part(more conjecturing here) is actually very much connected into the plot.

You know the drill! Reviews are loved, flames are tolerated, and swearwords are ignored!