Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy Seven: Shadows of the Light ❯ Arc One: Rebirth of ShinRa ( Chapter 8 )

Arc I: Rebirth of ShinRa

Part VIII:

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Midgar Slums 6 years ago....

Raven sighed and stepped into the large city, leaving her past behind her. She did not want to remember the unhappy home that she left behind. She had left Gongaga unable to bear being alone with her father and stepmother any longer. When her brother Zack had left to become a SOLDIER she had been so lonely and the situation had grown worse every day.

Shaking off the bad memories she looked around her. The city was dark, the sun had only just set and there was no one around. She passed by an old church and into the slums. She needed a place to sleep, the journey had tired her. She had no money to find a room at an Inn and groaned, knowing that she would have to find a nice hiding place to rest in peace. Spotting a place off to the side she hurried over to it before someone would spot her and curled up under a large piece of metal that was laying in a scrap heap.

" What the?!" The jolt woke Raven from her slumber and she realized that she was moving. She tried to sit up but her hands were tied behind her back and her ankles together. She struggled against the ropes but they were really tight. "Hey let me out of here!" she screamed.

" Sorry but Don Cornea needs more women," Someone laughed.

" Who the hell is Corneo?!" she raged. "Let me go!!" The carriage came to a stop and a strange looking man pulled her out the back roughly. Only then did she notice that she was wearing a black silk dress and her hair had been taken out of the braid she kept it in. They pushed her into the mansion where I had to stand next to two other girls who were very pretty.

A rather large man came down the stairs and when she seen how fat and sloppy he was and idea came to her. She flashed him a big smile and he immediately told the guard to take her into his room. "Hot momma!" he said jumping on the bed. "Come to papa and gimme a kiss!"

"Okay," She smiled again and sat on the bed. He puckered his lips and closed his eyes. She grinned mischievously and smashed the table lamp over his head. "Never let your guard down," she told the unconscious Don. Raven hurried to tie the man up with his own silk sheets and shoved a dirty sock into his mouth. She struggled not to laugh as she raced out of the room and down the steps.

"Hey where do you think you're going?!" Raven's eyes widened when she spotted Don Corneo's thugs start after her. She burst through the front door and rushed through the city with them close on her heals.

"Ahhh!" she cried out when she hit something solid, just outside Wall Market. He fell backwards and she landed on top of him. Her green eyes locked with clear blue ones.

"Ha! We've got her now!" she heard one of the men yell. Her eyes widened with fear as she struggled to get to her feet.....

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Rufus looked up from the screen. He looked over at her sleeping form. Sighing he tried to get his mind back on the plans he was making and off of her. But it didn't work and he got back up out of his seat and walked back to the window. He looked out at the distant ocean remembering.

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Shin-Ra Building: 45th floor, Midgar: 6 years ago

Rufus dropped to the blue mat on the floor as the blade of a katana sailed though the air where his neck had been moments ago. He rolled backwards then jumped to his feet. Watching the black-haired Turk closely he black flipped away to where his weapon lay. Picking his shotgun up, he aimed it at the Turks chest where the heart would be.

He fired.

The katana came up and deflected the bullet. Then the Turk leaped at him his katana poised to strike. Rufus reversed the gun and swung it towards the Turk. The Turk cut his leap short and his katana met the stock of the shotgun. The Turk then stepped back and lowered his sword, he bowed to Rufus once then straightened up. "You're getting better. Draw that time. " he said.

Rufus nodded once and said, "Thanks, Tseng." Tseng smiled faintly, and asked if he wanted to go out with the other two, Reno, and Rude for a drink. Rufus nodded and Tseng left the room to inform the other two Turks.

Later after he showered, he walked out of his bedroom wearing a pair of black pants and a black turtleneck. He pulled his white trench coat on, leaving the suit jacket on the back of his couch. He left his apartment and took the elevator to the lobby of the building.

After meeting with the Turks they left the ShinRa Building and boarded a train for the sector seven slums. Reno grinned at Rude then said to Rufus. "Rude has a girlfriend in the bar we going to.." Rude just stared straight ahead. Reno tried again.. "He really likes her.. don't you Rude?" he said. Rude remained silent. Reno shook his head, and stopped trying to get a sentence out of him.

They went to a bar called 'Seventh Heaven'. After awhile both Tseng and the rest of the Turks and Rufus heard the smack of skin meeting skin. Rufus turned to look, and saw a rather drunk man hitting on a woman who was trying to leave the bar. He turned back to face Reno and Tseng. "We should teach him a lesson ...right guys?" he asked them.

Tseng's greenish-blue eyes flicked over to look at the man then back at Rufus, they went stone cold as he said. "Yes, a man shouldn't treat a lady that way." Reno smacked his Nightstick into the palm of his left hand. His face seemed to have both an ice cold and wicked gleeful look at the same time.

Rude's face was emotionless behind his sunglasses, and he said, "No one should be allowed to get away with that." Reno, Tseng, and Rufus looked at him. They got up from their seats and started walking over towards the man.

"Excuse me..." Rufus said as he walked up to face the man holding the woman. Rude went to the man's left, Reno to his right, and Tseng was behind him. "I think you should let go of that woman now, it's plain to see she wants to leave, I suggest you let her." The crowd behind them started to scoot their tables and chairs away from the man. Some of the people started to leave.

The man looked at Rufus, "You pansy ass, I won't. Bug off!" he swung his hand at Rufus who caught it easily. At the same time Rude grabbed the man's left hand that was around the woman's arm. He broke the wrist and the fingers to get it off her, Rufus took the arm he was holding, he held it tight though the man was trying to jerk it back and kick him, and brought his knee up sharply. The crack of the braking was drowned out by the man's scream. Both Reno and Tseng moved next. They picked him up and took him outside. A bartender then yelled at both Rufus and Rude to leave.

Leaving the bar, they waited and soon Tseng and Reno reappeared. They left the Sector and headed for Wall market. On the way there though Rufus stopped to study something thus losing sight of the Turks. He started to track them down, when he was violently shoved to the ground. His clear blue eyes met green ones, and he heard someone yell. "Ha! We got her now!" He picked himself up, and turned to see the thugs who had said it. Drawing his Shotgun from under his coat he aimed at the nearest and fired.

As the man fell he said. "Who wants to go next? The next one who steps near me will drop."

Raven hugged her knees to her chest and dropped her head down. She did not like the violent scene that was laid out in front of her. The sight of the dead man had unnerved her somehow. When she heard the footfalls of the living thug race away into the distance she pulled herself to her feet and looked at the man who had helped her.

He couldn't have been much older than her, she observed as she looked at his young face. A lock of blond hair had fallen in front of his eye and her eyes followed his hand as he swiped it away. "I... I'm sorry I knocked you down," Raven stumbled over the words, having difficulty finding the right ones.

Rufus looked back at the young girl behind him. He holstered his gun and turned to face her. Managing to keep the scowl off his face as he looked her over. "No harm was done...are you alright?" He realized his voice had an edge to it. He tried to soften it as he spoke again. "Do you live somewhere around here? Why were they after you?" He brushed at the lock of hair that had fallen back into his face, then lowered his hand to brush the dirt off of his trench coat while waiting for her response.

Raven looked up at the blond haired man thankful that he wasn't angry with her. He knew that it had been an accident and forgave her for her haste. "I came here to look for my family, if I even have any. My brother joined SOLDIER and I was told that I had a sister.." Raven explained. She looked down at her feet. "Those guys were Don Corneo's men. They captured me when I made the mistake of sleeping outside." She bit her lip to hide her shame.

Rufus listened to her story and for some reason he didn't really understand he stepped closer and asked "What's your name? Also would you like to a good job? My name is Rufus ShinRa, if you worked for me or my father, men like those would leave you alone and I might even be able to find your brother since SOLDIER takes their orders from my father." He flicked the offending lock of blonde out of his face again, and shoved one hand inside the pocket of his trench coat while waiting for her answer.

Raven's eyes widened and she quickly glanced away. 'Why do I feel like I have butterfly's in my stomach?' "I- I.. well, my name is Raven," she bit her bottom lip. "As for a job, well I really can't do anything. I never completed my training because of my brother's leaving so I can't really fight that well either. No, I don't think so. I can't do anything but look stupid."

She gasped when she realized that she had said that last part out loud and cursed under her breath. 'Making myself look like a fool, that's what I'm doing!' "What did you say your name was? I could have sworn you said ShinRa but that couldn't be right... I would be dead by this time. I have heard the things people say about ShinRa... I'm sorry... I talk a lot when I'm nervous. I'm sorry again that I knocked you down." Feeling embarrassed Raven turned around to leave. For some reason she didn't want the stranger to see her cry.

Rufus waited till she was done talking, but when she turned to leave he stepped forward and stopped her with a gloved hand on her shoulder. "Wait.. you don't look stupid to me." he stopped then took his hand away as he realized what he had just said. Shaking his head he looked back up at her. "And some of the things you hear about ShinRa aren't true.. I am Rufus ShinRa, and your still alive so.." he stopped when he realized he was talking nonsense..

'Why was he acting this way around her-- she wasn't any different than other girls and he had managed to keep his cold attitude intact around them without any problems.. so why..' He shook his head again in half anger, half frustration knocking his reddish blonde hair back into his face again. Sighing he walked up to her and around to come face to face with her again. "We don't need more fighters.. I was thinking something more along a secretary. You could help with some of the paperwork.. I'm sure you are smarter than some of the people my father has already hired for that purpose.." he trailed off again waiting for a response.

Raven smiled, almost laughing, but she held back not wanting to offend him. "I would certainly be honored to have a job working for the biggest company in the world but... I have to keep searching for my family. I was told that I had a sister and that this would be the best place to start looking for her. I have a feeling that I won't find her..." she suddenly stopped talking, realizing that she was pouring her life out to a total stranger. And not just any stranger but the richest one she ever met. It was better to stay away from him or else it might cause trouble for him.

She knew how rich people were with their kids. But there was something in his blue eyes that wouldn't let her walk away from him. Something... she just couldn't quite place it. She suddenly wanted to be near him and the new feeling made her tremble. Not even knowing what she was doing, Raven stepped forward and brushed aside the unruly lock of hair that kept falling over his eye. 'He has such beautiful eyes...' Her green eyes widened when she realized what she had done. 'What is wrong with me?!' "I-I'm sorry..." she whispered pulling her hand away.

Rufus watched her quietly. He wasn't sure want he was doing here with this young woman named 'Raven'. Without thinking he smiled at her.. not coldly like he had in the past at the people who came to his father's parties, but sorta of warmly and then without realizing it he bent saying, "Shh.." and kissed her softly on her lips.

Raven's eyes widened then her dark lashes gently lowered and she put her arms around his neck. 'What is happening to me?' the words played over and over in her mind as he head spun and a feeling of being light as a feather washed over her. 'This is it, this is where I belong. Now and forever....'