"So, you're Zack, the new 1st class SOLDIER?", Reeve Tuesti began the conversation after the two entered their room. Zack turned to him and responded with a salute: "Yes, sir!", the way he had learned to address his superiors. Reeve Tuesti laughed and said: "Call me Reeve. I heard you arrived yesterday. How do you like Wutai?" Zack nodded. "I think it's really nice. I mean", he added quickly. "I know they're our enemies and all, but the city is really clean and beautiful. I think it's much nicer than Midgar in some ways." Realizing that he was speaking to the man in charge of developing Midgar, he quickly corrected himself: "Not that there could be anything greater than Midgar, but this place is really interesting, too." Reeve laughed again. "Don't worry, I'm well aware of all the shortcomings of Midgar. The Department of Urban Development is working hard every single day to make Midgar a nicer and safer place to live for everyone, but sometimes it feels like we are fighting a losing battle." He shook his head. "Midgar has a mind of her own."
Zack nodded with his arms folded. He had had no intention of offending the Department Head and was glad he could take it with humor. "I visited Wutai once, a long time ago, before the war started", Reeve continued as he opened his first suitcase and started to unpack. "Not just the capital. Other cities, too. I want to keep an open mind about different ways of life and that is sometimes difficult to do if you are stuck in one place." Zack sat down on the floor with his legs crossed to be at the same level as Reeve. "What's it like in the other cities?" Reeve looked over his shoulder. "There are lots of forests, hills and fertile valleys. The towns are much smaller and they produce their food locally. If you ever get the chance, you should go on a trip to see it."
Zack nodded again. "Do you think that we'll make peace with Wutai?" Reeve turned away and did not answer immediately. "That depends on a lot of things." Realizing that Reeve did not want to answer that question, Zack leaned his head back against the wall and observed Reeve's demeanor. Reeve Tuesti was a middle-aged man, perhaps around 40 years of age, with black hair that fell a little longer in his neck, a cropped black beard and a serious face. Zack remembered Reeve from TV appearances, where he always appeared very sincere, rational, and on point. He had imagined the Head of Urban Development to be a strait-laced man who hardly, if ever, laughed, and kept a tight rein on rank and propriety. Seeing him laugh so freely and take the offense so easily completely shattered the image Zack had built of him in his head.
He seemed very different from the other Shinra department deads. Due to the nature of his own occupation, Zack had somewhat frequent contact with Scarlet and Heidegger, neither of whom took any criticism whatsoever, and dismissed objections or conflicting opinions with ridicule or outright hostility. The only other department head Zack had met before was Professor Hojo, who was so scary in his ways that his mere presence was enough to silence anyone who might just think of voicing any sort of critique, ask stupid questions, or waste his time. In comparison, Reeve seemed not only approachable, but perhaps even nice. He could imagine worse people to guard.
A hard knock at the door disturbed Zack's wandering thoughts. The door slid open and revealed Tseng's dark figure. "Did you forget that you're on duty to guard the vice president?", he asked. Zack quickly stood up. "Sorry, are we going somewhere?" Tseng shrugged. "We'll see." Reeve nodded. "I'll be fine. See you later." Tseng looked at him and responded: "I'll send Sephiroth to you. Please don't be reckless, sir." Reeve waved at him. "Thank you very much!"
Zack joined Tseng and Cloud and followed them to the vice president's room. Tseng knocked and waited for a response from inside before opening the door. From his position, Zack could only see Sephiroth, who was leaning against the wall with his arms folded. He looked up when the door slid open and their eyes met for a brief moment. Zack raised his hand and waved at him. They had not had the opportunity to talk since Sephiroth's arrival in Wutai, which Zack found regrettable. Sephiroth, however, looked away.
"Mr. Tuesti is by himself right now", Tseng said to Sephiroth and stepped away from the door. Sephiroth took the hint and pushed himself away from the wall and past Tseng and Zack, without glancing at either of them. Zack looked after his tall figure as he walked off toward Reeve's room. Tseng stepped into the door again and addressed Rufus Shinra: "You said earlier that you would like to go somewhere, Mr. Vice President?"
"Most definitely", came the answer from inside the room. Before Tseng made way for him, he uttered: "Just for the protocol, Mr. Vice President, I strongly advise against leaving the palace. We are literally surrounded by enemies. With all due respect, it's not safe, sir." Nevertheless, he stepped aside and let Rufus pass, who responded with a smirk: "It is noted. Let's go!" Zack agreed with Tseng, but was very confused about the latter smiling to himself as he turned around to follow the vice president. Though he had not felt actually threatened walking around the city, he could imagine that the Vice President of the Shinra Electric Power Company would present an easy target being out in the open. "I'll ask for a car, sir", Tseng announced as they walked along the hallway, but Rufus shook his head. "I could use the exercise." Tseng looked up and responded after a short moment: "As you wish, sir."
Oh well. At least Zack's services were actually needed today. Zack, too, could use the exercise. He turned to Cloud and instructed him to guard their rear. When they left the building, he stepped past Tseng and the Vice President and said: "I think I should walk ahead, sir, if I may." Rufus looked at him with a bewildered expression and responded: "Suit yourself." Zack did not really know what to make of this, but he proceeded to walk ahead. He managed to find the way to the front gate, where Tseng exchanged a few words with the guard, who halfheartedly attempted to dissuade them from going out on foot, but ended up letting them out after Tseng insisted.
Once outside, Zack assumed his position at the head of the file, followed by Rufus with some distance. Tseng was walking just behind his right shoulder, and finally, Cloud was guarding their rear. Out on the street, Zack stopped and looked around. He actually did not know the way to the Tea House or whatever Cloud had mentioned. To his surprise, the Vice President walked past him and said: "It's this way." Tseng chuckled as he passed Zack, who ran to catch up with them and put himself at the head of the column again.
The surroundings of the palace appeared to consist mostly of the estates of wealthy Wutaian citizens or nobles (not that Zack knew the difference), majestic and surrounded by walls and tall wooden gates. A few people were walking along the streets, going about their business or simply enjoying their days. A group of girls in long Wutaian-style garments with parasols caught his eye, who whispered behind their hands and giggled as they walked past. Zack tried not to get distracted by the beautiful young women, but he could not resist smiling and waving at them. To his disappointment, they ignored him completely. Behind him, he could hear Rufus saying to Tseng: "It seems even here, only girls wear that." Zack turned his head again to look at the girls and see what he was referring to when the Turk responded: "There can never be too much beauty in the world, sir." Zack had no idea what they were talking about, so he focused his attention back on his surroundings, but did not spot any potential threats. Although they made easy targets, he supposed that no assassin could have expected them to simply be out and about in the open, and so they were not challenged on the way.
A few streets away, the reached a large park with artistically planted trees, hedges, a pond, and a small stream crossed a tiny wooden bridge painted red. In the middle of the garden sat a small one-story building with the typical Wutaian-style sliding doors all around the building, which were open for the most part, revealing small rooms facing every way toward the garden surrounding the building. Zack had to admit that the prospect of drinking tea or having dinner in this tea house in the middle of a beautiful garden was quite appealing. No wonder Cloud had recommended this place over the Da-Chao statue, which was essentially just a humongous stone representation of the grotesque many-faced and many-armed guardian deity of Wutai, chiseled out of the face of one of the mountains looming over the city. Or was it several deities referred to by a single name? Zack did not know, but he felt that it was best admired from far, far away.
As they stepped on the narrow stone-paved path, a middle-aged lady in formal garments reluctantly stepped out and bowed to greet them politely, but warily. Zack stepped aside to make way for the vice president. When she realized who was in her presence, she flinched and bowed again, even deeper this time. Rufus copied her, apparently attempting to lower his head even further, but ultimately failing because she was simply more experienced at bowing. Tseng sighed audibly while shaking his head with his palm covering his face, stepped next to the Vice President and bowed, not quite as deep.
"Please forgive our vice president. He does not understand your customs", he explained after the both of them had stopped attempting to outdo each other at bowing, and continued: "We heard about the exquisite tea that you serve in this beautiful establishment". She gave a curt bow again and retreated in visible discomfort while responding: "Please follow me." She turned around and walked ahead, with the four of them following. She led them into a spacious room with a rectangular table placed in the center, surrounded by small pillows that Zack knew were meant to be sat on. She moved on toward the sliding doors leading to the garden and opened them, revealing the view onto the pond.
She disappeared without waiting for them to be seated, and Zack could not help but feel as if she could not wait to leave their presence. Or perhaps she had to summon the cavalry to deal with the crisis of the vice president of the Shinra Electric Power Company visiting the establishment she was in charge of. Tseng picked up one of the pillows, placed it at the head of the table and gestured for said Vice President to take his seat there. After Rufus was seated, Tseng sat down at his right hand. Zack could only scratch his head in wonder about the intricacies of intercultural etiquette and wondered if he was supposed to sit at the table with them or rather stand guard at the door. At his side, he could tell that Cloud was wondering about the same thing. Finally, Tseng asked impatiently: "Are you going to sit down or not?" Zack and Cloud both hurried to sit down, with Cloud taking his seat next to Tseng, and Zack sitting across from Cloud.
Rufus took off his shades and asked with a wink: "So what did I do wrong?" Even with his little knowledge of Wutaian culture, Zack understood what the vIce president had done wrong, and it was hard to believe how unprepared he was, although he was supposed to lead the peace talks starting from tomorrow. If his goal was to offend Wutai, he would probably succeed at doing that. Tseng sighed "You may not be Wutaian, but your formal rank I would say is akin to the successor of Lord Godo. And you are also a customer, which means that no matter how deep you bow, the waitress is supposed to bow deeper than you. And you are also the representative of an enemy power." Rufus nodded very slowly in understanding. "She would have gone down on her knees if I had not stopped you." The vice president nodded again and noted, with slightly more excitement: "I do enjoy it when people get on their knees. Maybe I should try that next time."
At this point, Zack could not help himself but rub his forehead and look out into the garden in embarrassment. He wished to be in Sephiroth's place now, who was guarding the good-natured and approachable Reeve Tuesti. Or maybe he would rather be at home with Aerith. Perhaps even training would be a great option. Heck, even following a little Wutaian girl through a cave of overly powerful monsters sounded like a great deal in comparison to having tea with Rufus Shinra. Because he was looking the other way, he could not see the amused look on Tseng's face when he responded: "I could not imagine anything more degrading. But I am certain the waitress will not appreciate it."
Finally, said waitress entered the room again, carrying a large tray. She was visibly confused upon entering the room, perhaps due to the altered seating arrangement, but quickly overcame her surprise and knelt down next to Zack to place a pot of tea and four small cups on the table. She poured tea for each of them and finally addressed Tseng again while keeping her eyes down: "Would you be interested in ordering food as well?" Tseng appeared somewhat surprised at the question, staring at her with an expressionless face for a second, until the Vice President interjected: "I think dinner will be served at the palace later. We just came for tea." Tseng nodded slowly. "That is correct. Just tea is fine." She bowed again. "As you wish", she said as she hurried out of the room.
"I prefer coffee", the Vice president stated after he finished his first cup and Tseng poured more for him. "Though the view certainly is fantastic."