Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sanctuary ❯ Chapter One: The Interview ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sanctuary

A fanfic by Iridal


The Interview

I'll hold my candle high, and then
Perhaps I'll see the hearts of men
Above the sordidness of life,
Beyond the misunderstandings, strife.
Though many deeds that others do
Seem foolish, rash and sinful too,
Just who am I to criticize
What I perceive with my dull eyes?

High Resolve - Author Unknown

The young successor of the Shinra empire looked out of the huge office window and surveyed his new territory. Rufus Shinra, the only 'legal' son and vice-president of the now-deceased Pres. Shinra, had to admit - Midgar hadn't changed that much in the 5 years that he was gone. The reactors still ran day and night, changing the once lush landscape into a wasteland, the plates still crawled with traffic as businessmen drove here and there on company related business, and the slums were still packed with the dredges of humanity.

Sure, some things had changed, the new president conceded...a few reactors were blown up in recent terrorist related incidents and suddenly reborn generals were sticking swords in the backs of company executives (mainly his father, Rufus noted with a smirk), but the important things had remained. He still hated this dirty, polluted trash-heap of a city...with a passion.

He missed Junon and everything about it. He missed the military formations that gathered under his apartment's window every morning for inspection; he missed the pounding of the surf and the cry of night birds in the evening as he drifted to sleep. That was his city - his sanctuary. A shelter from his father and everything that he related to.

However, like all good things, it had to end. He realized this when his father recalled him - called him back to Midgar and the role he was born to fill.

"President Rufus?"

A tired looking personnel director poked his head in the office. The weary faced man did not relish these times with the tall blond. It was his responsibility to provide Rufus with aides and attendants as befitted a top executive - most important of these was his secretary, someone to manage his schedule and meetings and to help in the mountains of paper work that accumulated.

Not that Rufus could keep one in his employ. In the two weeks since he returned to Midgar, he had gone through five secretaries...his cold demeanor and sharp tongue had run them off in no time. Members of the secretary pool had volunteered in droves when he first arrived, drawn by his good looks and charming public attitude, but now they couldn't even force the women to work under him. It had gotten so bad that the personnel director had to turn to a temp agency in the desperate hopes that someone would fill the position.

Lucky for him he had found someone gullible enough...

"President Rufus, we have someone here to interview for the position of secretary." He grinned nervously, even though his superior had not turned from the window. "If you find her acceptable, we'll have her start tomorrow."

Rufus sighed. "Very well, show her in."

The director hurriedly set the file down on the desk and scurried out. Glancing over his shoulder, Rufus noted the name that was listed on the file's tab.

Shinra Employee #487611579
Corliss, Aislinn S.


The young art student sat nervously in the Secretary's Lounge, absently rubbing at the paint stains on her fingers. Not only was Aislinn interviewing to be an employee of the most prestigious company in the world, but she was going to be working for its top executive, the President himself!

She silently reprimanded herself for worrying. After all, he was an intelligent, charming man with impeccable taste and a daring sense of leadership. And he's also a ruthless, cold-hearted bastard that cares only about himself and won't hesitate to step on anyone that gets in his way, she thought morosely. If the rumors are true, the man never even cried in his life...

In an effort to pull her thoughts from that worrisome track, she turned her attention to the other two occupants of the Lounge. The women were busy gossiping, obviously about Aislinn and her upcoming interview...never realizing that their words carried easily to the young woman's ears even from across the room.

A woman that sat with a cigarette in one hand and a cup of steaming coffee in the other nodded in Aislinn's direction. "What's with her?"

"She's going to be working under President Rufus." Her companion was busy eyeing herself in the mirror while she reapplied makeup. She smirked. "Won't be the first...if you know what I mean..."

The coffee drinker frowned at her friend's lewd comment. "From what I've heard, Rufus rarely takes a lover, and even then, he never sticks around after he takes her to bed. Why Opal was just telling me yester-"

"Opal?" the woman in front of the mirror interrupted. "Isn't this the same Opal that was Rufus' secretary was he was first assigned here in Midgar?"

The friend nodded as she put out her cigarette and lit up another. "Why yes. She used to be his father's secretary...and his mistress on the side, so she got first crack at serving the vice-president."

"And got fired within a day or two for trying to seduce him." She batted her re-mascara'd eyelashes alluringly in the mirror. "Walks up to him one morning as nice as you please and asks him, 'Is the son as good a lover as the father? Can I find out?' Then she goes on about the status she enjoyed as one of his father's mistresses and how she'd hate to give up that position now that he kicked the bucket. It's no wonder he got pissed and fired her."

The coffee drinker took a puff and rolled her eyes. "Opal's no prize...all it took to be one of Shinra's girls was to look good in a short skirt and not raise a fuss at the fact that he was cattin' around with a half dozen other women, in addition to being married."

"She was just worried that she'd lose her spot in the President's bed." The makeup wearer pouted to see if her lipstick needed a touch-up. "But she ruined it for the rest of us...now if we so much as make a pass at him, he blows his top."

"Well, it doesn't help that they always seem to mention that they were involved with his father...he seems a bit touchy about that."

"True."

The smoker flicked her ashes and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Though, when he fired Maxine, it was totally uncalled for..."

"Well, she did start to cry after he yelled at her for being incompetent...he doesn't seem to stand for emotionality much either."

With each comment, Aislinn's eyes widened and her anxiety level increased. As if her nervousness weren't bad enough...and now she overheard about how much of an asshole and a jerk her possible employer was. IF she succeeded in passing the initial interview, she still had to deal with weeks of his cold-hearted behavior.

But she needed this job so badly. Though she had managed to scrape together enough money doing odd art jobs over the past year to cover tuition at the Academy, she still needed the pay from this temp job to cover living expenses. As a temp, if she didn't make it at this job, she'd never be chosen for any other Shinra job in the future...and Shinra virtually owned Midgar.

The door opened, and the careworn face of the personnel director peeked in. "Ms. Corliss? If you will follow me, I'll take you up to the top floor. The President will see you now."

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she rose to her feet and followed the man to the elevator and up to her new boss.


Aislinn thought her heart would leap right out of her chest as she climbed up the huge curling staircase to the huge presidential office. Each step was sheer terror for her. The only things that kept her from hastily backing out and fleeing back down to the first floor were that she needed the money to complete her education...and that some stubborn part of her refused to chicken out now.

As she reached the top of the stairs, she took in the opulence of the presidential suite. It covered the entire floor, with huge glass windows in every direction that gave a commanding view of the city and surroundings. Opposite the staircase, a desk littered with paperwork sprawled out in a curved C shape, behind which was a large, overstuffed chair. And sitting in that chair...

"Is this Ms. Corliss, as I requested?" The serious looking man behind the desk looked at her intently, his blue eyes seemingly peering into the depths of her soul. He rose, not waiting for an answer from the cowering personnel director. "You may leave us."

Once the footsteps had retreated down the stairs, the young President, who this obviously was, studied her...sizing her up as if to analyze her weaknesses. She was pretty, in a wholesome sort of way, Rufus noted to himself. Not at all like the painted harlots that he normally saw in the office. Long chestnut hair was caught up in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her fair face was smooth and youthful, and her crystalline green eyes carried such sweet sorrow it looked as if one harsh word would send her fleeing. Although the skirt of her gray suit was cut short, the outfit was overall conservative and professional.

Flipping his blond locks out of his eyes, Rufus turned his attention back to the file on his desk. "Your credentials are quite impressive, Ms. Corliss," he said without looking up. "The supervisor of the temp agency that you work for gives you glowing praise, and your skills seem adequate..."

"Testing as highly as I did in secretarial skills does not equal 'adequate,'" Aislinn blurted out, forgetting momentarily that she was standing before the most powerful man on the continent, if not the world. Mortified, she pressed her hands to her mouth as her gaze dropped to the floor. Her cheeks blazing, she was sure she had just ruined her slim chance of being hired.

The young president riveted his gaze on the embarrassed woman with a raised brow. That was certainly unexpected, but... Rufus mused, oddly refreshing in this building full of ass-kissers and yes-men. Unnoticed by Aislinn, his mouth twitched as he vainly tried to suppress his smirk. "Well, I stand corrected. MORE than adequate skills."

Aislinn looked up and blinked in astonishment. "I...I'm sorry...I mean, I didn't..." she stammered out.

"You start tomorrow," he stated, closing her file. "I expect to see you first thing in the morning."

She could only murmur a thanks and flash him a grateful (if a bit confused) smile as he buzzed the personnel director again to escort her back down to the entrance.


Rufus watched from his window as the cab pulled up at the entrance and the woman in gray entered. Behind him, a shadow detached itself from the gloom of one of the corners of the office and approached the tall blond.

"Tseng, I'd like for you to do a background check on her," he asked the man in blue standing behind him.

"Do you think that's necessary, Rufus?" the Turk questioned. "She seems too sweet to be involved in the underside of this business."

Rufus smiled as he turned to the Turk. "You've been around that Cetra girl of yours too much, Tseng. You're becoming soft." He sat again at his desk and glanced down at her file. "But I agree. She doesn't seem the type...still, it doesn't hurt to do a little digging on our Ms. Corliss."

"Very well, sir." Nodding, Tseng left.

Final Fantasy VII and all characters thereof are the property of Squaresoft.