Number VII
For Rufus Shinra's frustration, his father - the President of Shinra - thought it would be best for Shinra that Rufus would be away from Midgar Headquarters, since Rufus' ways of thinking were not beneficial for the company. So usually, Rufus was travelling around the world and trying to prove his father he was actually the best man to rule the company after the President. But in secret, Rufus was planning to get rid off his own father. But he didn't dare to, especially because the people around him asked and warned him to be patient and wait. So he waited, expect for once, but luckily the plan failed and no one found out it was Rufus' plan.
Now, he had other plans. But how to put them in action, that was his problem. He sat behind his desk in his Junon's office and rolled a pencil in his hand, staring at the wooden table and leaning his cheek on his free hand. What to do?
---
"Are you sure?" the tattoo artist asked disbelievingly. He was holding his tools already in his hands, and Celes was getting impatient.
"Of course!" she hissed. "Now do it!" Her cheeks were all red with embarrassment and excitement.
The tattoo artist shrugged his shoulders and started his work.
---
Cloud Strife was sitting in their usual place, following how the waves were moving back and forth on the shore.
"There you are!" Zack said behind him and slapped his shoulder. "What's up?"
Cloud looked at the black-haired man quickly, nodded and started to follow the waves again. "I'm ok."
"Haa", said Zack, leaning a bit backwards. "Come on, man, is there something bothering you?" He sounded worried, and his eyes were watching the young SOLDIER anxiously.
"No."
"Hmm."
They sat there for a while in silence; only the ocean's whispers were breaking the silence between the two.
"Sephiroth and I are going to Nibelheim. You wanna come along?"
Cloud looked at the other man, totally surprised. "What?"
"Yeah." Zack scratched his head. "I mean, Celes said you're from there, so I thought you'd like to see your hometown. You haven't visited there for years by now, right?"
Cloud shrugged and stared at the ground. I haven't been able to face them and answer their questions, he thought and even tried to say it aloud, but in the end he couldn't. He just nodded as for an answer.
"So? How about it?"
How about it? "Do all the SOLDIER officers ask that?" Cloud asked before he could stop himself.
But Zack just laughed. "I suppose so!" His eyes were now shining as he looked at the younger man again. "Well?"
"Ok."
"Great." Zack stood up. "Get ready for the day after tomorrow, ok? I have to go now, so.. see you, Cloud!" He left, and Cloud followed him leave silently. "Yeah, see you."
---
"So you are going to Nibelheim, then?" Rufus asked as politely as he could.
Sephiroth nodded, without turning his face from the ocean view. Rufus felt himself frustrated again, and he remembered how Celes had once slipped that she hated Sephiroth's arrogance behaviour. As if he thought he's above us all, she had complained. Rufus had to agree to that statement.
He made his move. "Is Celes going with you?" he asked, trying to make it look like he wasn't really interested in the answer. The pencil was rolling in his hand again.
Sephiroth raised his eyebrows to his own reflection and turned his head so he could see Rufus from his eye corner. "Oh? Do you need her for something? Mister?" he added and smirked.
Rufus had to bit his teeth together so he wouldn't start yelling at the General. Damn him. "Well..." he said calmly. "Maybe." He stared at Sephiroth's back, wondering what that man was thinking about -. No. Why should he, the President's son, worry about a SOLDIER's thoughts? He cursed himself, closed his eyes and concentrated.
Sephiroth waved his hand. "Sure, go ahead, if she wants to", he replied, and for some reason Rufus was sure he was smiling. He's laughing at me! Me!
"Fine", he managed to blurt out. "Dismissed."
The silver-haired SOLDIER snorted, again, and left. Rufus found himself very angry, and as he managed to control his shaking body he realized he had snapped the pencil in two. His finger was bleeding; just a little bit, but enough to surprise him very much, since he hadn't bled for a while. He stared at his finger, and the plan started to take its shape in his mind.
---
"Ok, it's ready." The tattoo artist had finished his job, and he looked at his work with pride. Celes sighed with relief and looked at her hand. It was screaming red against her tanned skin, and the part where the tattoo had been done was aching a bit, but it was not like the pain the Mako energy caused to her. It was gentler, and somehow familiar.
"Thanks a lot", she said and praised the man to heavens, and he was beaming like a little sun in her words. Then the man gave her few instructions on how to keep the tattoo away from sunlight and water, and she should keep something on it for a couple of days before revealing it.
"May I ask you why you wanted a tattoo like this, Miss?" the tattoo artist asked before Celes left. It was a tiny and an easy to-do tattoo, and he thought there had to be some sort of symbolic meaning to the young woman.
Celes smiled. "They say I was the seventh", she said mysteriously and left the tattoo artist sit down in confusion.