Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy Seven: Shadows of the Light ❯ Arc One: Rebirth of ShinRa ( Chapter 1 )

Arc I: Rebirth of ShinRa

Part I

Rufus pulled himself to his feet using the shotgun in his hand, as he stood he felt something cold pressed against one of his one hands, and looked down see a familiar black shape look up at him. Leaning against a ruined piece of metal, he looked down at the ebony feline. "Hello girl." he said softly as he slowly knelt down next to his friend and protector, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I thought he had killed you, Dark Nation," he whispered quietly. He let go of her and stood again looking around at the ruins of what he knew to be Midgar.

His Midgar.

He wondered silently if everyone assumed that ShinRa's rein was over now. Did they think that there wasn't an escape route planned in case something like that had happened? Fools. He looked around once more at the empty shell that had once been the great city of Midgar. Turning away from the ruins, he sighed softly and began to walk away with Dark Nation at his side once more.

*

Rufus glanced back at the gate he had just walked though silently for a moment before looking up at the fallen building he could see rising above it. 'How the mighty have fallen' he thought suddenly. Shaking his head, he lowered his gaze to the ground where Dark Nation was laying beside him. They had had to fight their way out of the city after they had entered what used to be the Sector 4 slums. The sector now had become a breeding ground for monsters it seemed.

He slapped the side of his leg to call Nation's attention to him. She stood up looking at him with golden eyes. "Time to go girl." he told her, turning to walk towards where he knew a town called Kalm had been, from there he would see about getting to Junon somehow. Once he arrived at Junon he could go to his other mansion behind the cliff that the city was built into. He would be able to change his clothes and retrieve his other belongings, his weapons, money, clothes, and a decent meal. Then after he took care of himself and Dark Nation. He'd see if he could revive ShinRa.

'No.' he thought to himself, 'the world has not heard the last of ShinRa.' He smiled grimly as he walked on with his shotgun over his right shoulder, Dark Nation at his side. 'ShinRa will rise again and this time it will be greater and Phoenix help whomever stands in my way.'

*

Rufus watched the people he was passing out of the corner of his eye. So far, no one had even given him a second look. Interesting...so had they had forgotten him already it seemed. Walking under the arched entrance to a bar, he noticed the only real stares were directed at Nation, not him. He smiled slightly as some people got up and left as he passed their table. Taking an empty seat at a table close to the bar, he watched as Dark Nation sat down beside him, watching the rest of the room.

Glancing over at the men sitting at the bar, he overheard one speaking to the others. " --yeah and I hear those Mercenaries are in hot water for starting that war with Sierra." Interest caught he stood up and walked over to where they were sitting.

"Hello." he said as he tapped the one he had heard speak on the shoulder. The man turned around and gave him a dirty look before seeing Dark Nation glare at him from Rufus's side. He swallowed hard and then looked back up at Rufus.

"What do you want? And *what* is that thing?" he said pointing at Nation who snapped at them. The man yanked his hand back.

Rufus watched at him with his face emotionless. "She isn't a thing. She is my friend and a unique breed of feline, who is trained to protect me. I wished to ask about what you just said about the war. Who are the mercenaries that you were talking about? And who is Sierra?" he waited watching the man for an answer. He then noticed that everyone was now staring at him and the bar was deathly silent. The men looked at him strangely.

He waited silently for something to happen, glancing at Dark Nation out the corner of his eye. She was glaring at the men and beginning to snarl. She noticed the hostility that seemed to be directed towards them and was reacting to it. "Sierra," the man began. " is the ruler of this continent. He was attacked by the mercenaries, so he counter attacked." The man seemed to shiver for some reason. Rufus couldn't believe what he had just heard. Ruler.... he was...the ruler of his continent. His Cities and His Land. 'How *Dare* He...' he thought suddenly, furious he turned away from the man.

Rufus stalked out of the bar, forgetting that he had wanted something to drink and eat only moments before. He stalked though the city, Dark Nation at his heels watching him and snarling at anyone who even looked in their direction. He walked out of Kalm's town limits not really noticing that he had left the town. His mind kept repeating the words the stranger had said. '"Sierra is the ruler..." `.... Ruler...'

He stopped suddenly and looked around him, the plains went on for miles in every direction he turned to look. He cursed himself for not paying attention to where he had been going and turned back to go to Kalm again. 'He may be Ruler now...but not for long now that I'm back. No. He'll regret it ...I'll make sure of that.' He looked up to see Kalm again on the horizon.

***

Izlude went to the base's loudspeaker. "I have a very important announcement. I want everyone to get all of your stuff and board the airships. We are going to find a new place, and then try to recruit more members, then we'll bomb this base to make it look like we have died. First, I need a team of ten or so people to go with me to a nearby town's bar. We can find some jobs and get some cash, or just hear what's being said about ourselves."

After the announcement Izlude turned back to Matt. The blonde watched him searching for an answer. Izlude sighed. "Ok then, go if you must. Where will you be going?"

" Junon" Matt answered. "Rycliff told me that someone for there knows a alchemist who might know the antidote for materia poisoning. I shall keep you updated through the PHS and tell you where we can meet up later." After he finished, Matt turned to leave.

*

Since the conference, Silvara had wandered around the base, amusing herself by studying the others while she decided whether or not to involve herself further. So far, no one could connect her to these mercenaries, she could move on to her next job, but...if what they said about Sierra was true... Her thoughts were interrupted by the announcement, but it didn't matter, she had already made her decision. Silvara hopped of the rock she'd been sitting on and flashed a cheerful grin at the others as she made her way over to Izlude. "Count me in, no one knows I'm helping you so I could scout the town, make sure there's no nasty surprises waiting for your arrival." She shrugged. "Might even be able to find out exactly what you guys are all worth, but that's about all I can do to help."

*

"So, what did he say?" Rycliff asked.

" He said we could go." Matt replied. "Do you want anyone else to go with us?"

" Not if it's that pest Raven" Rycliff responded coldly.

" What's the deal between you and Raven anyway?" Matt prodded. "She is Cetra after all."

"She just asks a lot of questions." Rycliff said dryly. "Let's go. We have no time to waste."

Stepping in front of Izlude to get his attention, Clyde spoke quietly. "Izlude, I'm up for anything right now. All packed up and everything." He patted his camera pouch with one hand. "Besides, I don't want to miss anything... That might be worth while, I mean." Turning away from Izlude, he took a moment to silently think everything over. 'I definitely do not want to miss my first chance in town. ' A slight smile swept across his face and his eyes drifted from the ground he was looking at and up to Silvara. "This will be great.... hmm?"

Raven scowled at Rycliff as he and Matt exited the large room. She adjusted the crossbow on her back and stepped towards Izlude. "You know I'll help," she told him. "I would like to go into the bar with you." She grinned mischievously. "I have a way with people."

****

Rufus walked into the Inn. Standing in front of the desk, he glanced down at the clerk behind. "Excuse me. I would like a room for tonight."

The clerk looked over her shoulder at him. "Alright. It's 30 gil for one night." He searched the pockets of his trench coat and set the money on the desk. She took the money, and set the key where it had been. He left, walking around the desk to head up the stairs. There wasn't anyone else upstairs, thankfully. He sat down and looked down at Dark Nation who sat at his feet looking back at him with those golden eyes of hers.

"Well." he sighed. "you keep watch and I'll get some sleep. Then we'll leave in the morning to find a way to Junon." he said softly to her, standing back up to take his suit jacket and trench coat off. Laying them both on a chair, he turned and sat back down on the bed.

Nation had position herself at the top of the stairs, she was watching down the stairway like a hawk waiting for a meal. He smiled slightly knowing she would let no one up here until he told her it was okay to do so. Taking off his boots, he laid down on the bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

*********************************************

Rufus woke, picking himself off the paved road he had been laying on; he looked around him at the wreckage that had been Midgar. His head felt like someone had beaten him over it with a 2x4. He felt the back of his head with one hand. There was something wet matted in his hair, he took his hand away and looked at it. Blood, he had been bleeding. Lowering his hand, he started walking away from the road to a house that seemed to be in halfway good shape. Pulling the door open so he could get inside. 'Maybe the water still works.' he thought silently as he tried to make his way to the house's bathroom.

Thankfully it was and he was able to find a towel to gently dry his hair with after he washed the blood from it. He felt his head again but could find no trace of a cut or gash where the blood had to of come from. He found a mirror above the sink turning the water on in it he washed his face, and looked up into the mirror. His reddish-blonde hair fell in front of his eyes -- his eyes. 'What in the world.' he thought as he looked into his glowing blue eyes. 'How...' His mind was in shock now. 'No.'

***********************************************

Rufus woke up in the Inn with a start. He looked around him quickly. Slowly he realized he was still in Kalm Inn. He saw Nation look at him quietly as stood up and walked into the bathroom. Walking over to the mirror, he studied his face, more importantly his eyes -- they weren't glowing. 'It was only a nightmare.' he thought. 'A stupid nightmare.' It had shaken him though because he couldn't remember when he had awakened after the meteor had been destroyed.

****

"Ok, Junon always has the best jobs, so we'll head there first. We'll take the Storm wind, and let Sid work on the one we captured. So, the party I'm taking is Raven, Clyde, Silvara, and 6 soldiers from the base. If we separate, meet at the Junon bar. Oh, make sure to use fake names. We are wanted. I'll be--Pablo Contrearan. So, the plan for now is to get money to fund our group, recruit more members, and then kill sierra. That's pretty much the only way to clear our names. Everyone's so terrified of this guy, that they kill anyone who opposes him just so they don't look like traitors, sad, because in the end, he'll just take their land anyway. Be ready to leave in a half an hour. Everyone else stay at the base until we get back, then we'll find a new hideout, and move there." Izlude grabbed a trench coat, sunglasses, and a baseball cap, as he headed to the hanger.

Silvara laughed softly, drawing a look from some of the others, and then waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "No disguise for me, I'll serve better by drawing the attention away from the rest of you, and as for money." she shrugged. "A city that size, it'll be easy for me to find a job." She grinned "In fact, I ought to be able to pass one of you off as an apprentice, at least until you find something else." She smiled coldly "No one asks too many questions when you're in my line of work." The harsh edge faded from her smile, replaced by genuine amusement. "Anyone game?" She giggled and then turned and trotted after Izlude, pausing long enough to call over her shoulder. "Lemme know before we get there!!"

"Hey Pablo!" she caught up to Izlude and giggled when he didn't answer. "Pablooooo!!" she smiled as he turned to her. "Just give me a chance to scout the city before the others head into it, okay? A friend of mine lives in Junon." she shrugged. "If she's in town, I know she'll help us out, but it'll take an hour or so for me to find her." She yawned hugely and then blushed through a sheepish grin. "I need a nap, wake me up when ya need me, kay?" With that, she clambered up the Storm wind's ladder and looked around the deck, yawning again as her eyes fell on a cargo net. With a grin, she shoved aside the few crates and plopped down on her makeshift hammock, within moments she was fast asleep.

****

Rufus was well away from Kalm, standing inside the huge barn on a small ranch arguing with a small boy about the price that a black chocobo could be rented for. "Like I said mister, a Black chocobo like Kahn over there is hard to come by I can't let take him without some kind of damage fee in case -- you know...Ya lose him or he gets eaten." Rufus rubbed his forehead while glaring at the boy as he continued to ramble on about all the dangers one of the large birds could face. He saw Nation peek in at him from the doorway of the barn. The boy had even made him leave her outside for fear she would eat one of these birds.

He then thought of something, looking down at his armlet he saw a small yellow orb. Touching lightly he realized it was a manipulate type of materia. He smiled slightly and whispered the word "manipulate" as he looked at the boy. The boy stopped talking and turned to face him again. "So, what can I do for you?" he asked. Rufus smiled coldly and proceed to tell him that he wanted a black chocobo and how much he was willing to pay. "Ok. He's all yours," the boy said taking the money and handing Rufus the reins.