Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy Seven: Shadows of the Light ❯ Arc One: Rebirth of ShinRa ( Chapter 13 )

Arc I: Rebirth of ShinRa

Part XIII:

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Clearing in Island jungle not far from Esth-Tah Compound,

Near Mideel -3 years ago

The helicopter set itself down on the ground with ease. The door beside Rufus was opened and he stepped out ducking his head to avoid the still spinning blades of the helicopter. After he and the man who had helped him out was safely out of the way the helicopter took off again leaving him stranded on the small island. He turned to face the man standing next to him. "Name and Rank?" he said his voice filled with repressed anger. The man looked down at him, another thing that would get on his nerves he thought silently. The man then said, "Jorcen Jensen, Captain of the Compound." The captain then started to lead the way to the building in the jungle's woods. Rufus didn't move though and the captain walked back to him. "Something wrong sir?" he asked with a veiled edge in his voice. Rufus looked up at him with cold emotionless blue eyes, while silently thanking Tseng for teaching him how to keep his emotions hidden from view.

"Let me set one thing straight right here and right now..." Rufus started, his voice cold, filled with vehemence. "You are not in charge here any longer...I am. You will follow any orders I give without question. Understand?" Jensen nodded once though Rufus could see the man's anger building up in his eyes. "I said do you understand? I didn't hear you..."

Jensen seemed ready to snarl at him, but composed himself and simply said "Yes Sir." Rufus nodded, then waited till the captain started to lead the way back through the jungle to the Compound.

********

Esth-Tah Compound, Island near Mideel - 2 years ago

Rufus watched the helicopter come down and land. He waited until the pilot started the moves to shut down the machine. He made a motion for the man to keep it running, the pilot nodded and stopped what he was doing. Captain Jensen walked forward and opened the door for the person inside. A blonde woman wearing a skintight red dress stepped out of the helicopter. He waited for her to come to him. Which she did with Jensen's help, he frowned slightly, then replaced the taciturn mask he wore when he wasn't in his own rooms.

"Hello Scarlet. To what do we have to thank for this honor of you visit?" He was being deliberately insulting and by the scowl that flashed across her features she had caught it and she hated it. He smiled inwardly at her reaction, she was too easy to upset, as it seemed the smallest things could set her off. "Well..." he continued. " I assume you had a reason to come out here. What is it?"

She glared at him briefly before speaking. "Your father has decided to make you his Vice President. You're to stay here though until he sends for you to come back to Midgar." She finished her speech with a sick smile that made his temper flare up, he kept his face calm and completely unemotional so not to give her the satisfaction of seeing her little barb had found it's target.

"Thank you for telling me. Now if you'll go, I can get back to my own business and you to yours." As he turned away from her he heard her hiss, as she saw the veiled insult in his simple statement. He was ignoring her again and she knew it. He didn't care though and he showed it by walking away from her and back towards the Compound.

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Esth-Tah Compound,

Island near Mideel - 2 years ago: One week later

Rufus was sitting in on the edge of a table in the medic's office. Jensen was pacing in front of him talking a mile a minute it seemed. He tuned most of it out until Jensen slammed his hands on the table Rufus was sitting on. "Listen to me Sir! You almost killed those men out there...You did put two of them into the critical care unit, one had to be sent off the island because he needed better care than we have here. The two that stayed still could die. You could at least act like you care one wit for their lives... Show just a hint of remorse for Phoenix's sake..." Rufus glared at Jensen, and slid off of the table's edge.

"You didn't see what they had been doing...They were torturing it ...they had no right..." he was interrupted by the captain.

"You had no right to almost kill them...You could of ordered them to stop. I think I know you better now...you were itching for a fight. You wanted to attack someone...and they gave you the excuse you needed..." Jensen's raving was stopped suddenly as Rufus backhanded him hard across the face knocking him back against the table.

"Don't You Dare Judge Me." His voice took on a deadly edge as yelled at the man in front of him. "They deserved what they got...and I told you never to question me, didn't I? Yet that's all you been doing for this past week. It's time you stopped getting away with it. GUARDS!" Two men came running into the room at his shout.

"Yes, Mr. Vice President? What's wrong?" One of the two asked him. Rufus pointed at Jensen.

"Arrest him, cuff him and take him to the courtyard" He ordered one of the guards. He turned to the other one. "You. I want you to gather up all the personal and have them in the courtyard in ten minutes." The guard ran out as the other started to cuff and haul the captain out of the room.

*

Rufus walked out into the courtyard. He looked over all the personal that made the place work. He turned to look at Jensen briefly. Walking up to the guard standing next to the captain, he told him, "Give me your weapon."

The guard looked nervously at him as he slipped his pistol out of its holster. Rufus looked it over then turned back to the guard. "You have something better than this I know you do..." he handed the pistol back to the man who replaced it back in its holster. The guard swallowed hard as Rufus watched him with ice blue eyes. The guard then removed a small shotgun from his back and handed it over to the Vice President.

Rufus took the shotgun his fingers wrapping around its familiar form. He turned to address the people before him. "This man behind me has questioned my orders more than once...I will not allow this to happen any longer. Those who question me from now on will receive the punishment this man is about to receive himself." Rufus turned and in one fluid single motion he raised the shotgun and fired. The bullet hit the captain straight in the heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Rufus turned back to face the now shocked personal crew. "This is your only warning...heed it and you have nothing to fear. Disobey it..." he left the sentence hang. He turned then and as he passed the guard, he handed back the shotgun. "Clean that mess up now. I don't want to see his face again."

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Rufus shook his head to clear his mind as he stepped into the other room with Rude in front watching for anything that may suddenly jump out at them. He loosened his grip he had on the rifle, he had been holding on to it so tightly his knuckles had gone white. He sighed then felt something warm under his other hand. Looking down he saw Dark Nation looking up at him with those golden eyes of hers. He smiled slightly at her, then he turned his head to look back to see where Raven and Elena was.

*

As Raven stepped through the door alongside Elena and Vincentia she felt a sudden sense of foreboding engulf her as it always did right before she stepped into a battle. She knew better than anyone that she was strong and fearless in a fight but her Cetran nature did not permit her to enjoy the passion and thrill of it all. She pitied those she killed and always, silently, begged for their forgiveness for what she had to do. But this time would be different.

This time she had something to live for. A purpose. A task. No longer the empty shell that she used to be. Her life had some meaning to it now as it had before she left Midgar. She lifted her gaze to Rufus who was just as silent as she. She twisted the silver ring around her finger as she quietly watched him. 'One last time before we go into battle Rufus ShinRa. One more time to be near you.' Silently she approached him. Unnoticed, she slipped her small hand into his just as he turned to look for her. Her wide, green eyes met his blue ones as she willed him to understand. 'Just one more time Rufus. Please just let me have this one moment.'

Rufus stood there looking into her green eyes. Sighing once as he stared at her silently. Then suddenly without warning he bent and kissed her on her lips. Raven's arms went around his neck as she pulled him close. A menagerie of emotions swept through her, feeling freer than she had felt in years. She had been set free from the cold prison of her own mind. The kiss ended and she looked up into his eyes, her own were misted over with unshed tears. "Thank you..." she whispered before moving out of the circle of his arms to join Elena down the passageway.