Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Children of Shin-ra ❯ The Rescue ( Chapter 5 )

The Children Of Shin-ra

Chapter 5 - The Rescue

James, Leo and Joey had hurridly made their way to the beach, and were now kicking up clouds of dusty sand as they ran, the two Eastern men in their shoes, James bare-footed. The play was at its interval, and the listless spectators crowded around an ice-cream stand about a hundred yards away from the stage. None of the cast were around. Nimblely, the three men sprinted behind the stage, hiding themselves in the black curtains as they heard voices:

"You need to pull your act together in the second half, Fool -"

"I have a real name."

"- but, of course, you'll never be able to out-do my superb performance as the king."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Ha ha! Well, I'd better go and prepare myself."

"Good riddance." the second voice said, after a pause, and then nothing more was said. James dared to unravel himself from the curtain, and stood in front of a door. Leo and Joey appeared beside him, and looked up expectantly.

"Let's go in, then." Leo said in a hushed tone. James slowly turned the knob, and, to his surprise, found that the door swung open, making no creaks. Joey breathed a sigh of relief.

"I guess they're in there." he said, nodding to the room inside. James cautiously peered into it, his eyes having to adjust to the gloom, which was a huge contrast to the glare of the sun outside. there was another door on the right, and the stage lay was on the far side. Everything was very still. James stepped inside, hearing the floor give a little sqeak under his feet. He very nearly jumped back, but Leo put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok, man." he said reassuringly. And then, they all heard a tiny sound, coming from the corner; like a mumbling.

"He - hello?" James croaked, bracing himself. Nothing happened. He let his breath out in a whoosh.

"Mmmm-mmph mmmph."

This time Leo jumped. It had definately come from the corner.

"Oh, for the gods' sake. It could be one of 'em, ya know." Joey said, exasperated, and brushed past James and Leo. He stopped in front of a great black mass that was slumped in the corner. The others could not see the grin emerge on his face.

"Guys, I think we've found two of 'em." he said, turning around. His glasses flashed from some shaft of light coming from a gap in the ceiling. Relieved, James rushed forward.

"Eddie, Rouge, I'm so glad you're alright." he said, helping Joey to untie them. They both gasped for air when their gags had been taken off.

"Thanks." was all Rouge could muster. Eddie suddenly started to point around the room frantically.

"Thomas ... over there." he said to James. He looked, and saw a figure attached to a chair.

"Umm, could you ..." he said to Leo, who headed over to the chair. Once Thomas had been ungagged, he stared at Leo in shock.

"But you're ... Leo" he said.

"Hi bro."

"Bro! Well fancy that! I haven't seen you since you were ... just a kid!"

"Ha, I've grown up. Oh, and you remember Joey?"

"What, your little friend that you always used to hang around with? Yeah, that's him alright. How've ya been, Joey?"

"I'm ok, Thomas. Man, you're so much more talkative than I remembered."

"Errr, I haven't changed, really." Thomas said, regaining his composure.

"Thomas, you have ... another brother?" James asked, eying Leo with sudden interest. Thomas sighed.

"He's my half brother. We have the same Mom." he explained. Something suddenly clicked in James's mind.

"Inglai ... I thought I recognised that surname from somewhere." he said wistfully. He was then distracted by Eddie yanking on his sleeve.

"James, James! Blossom was captured too!" he screamed. James clutched Eddie's slight shoulders.

"Where is she?!" he cried.

"I don't know ... first they tied her up and left her in here, but then that leader guy, Zak or whatever, took her away ..."

"I'll kill that bastard!" James growled loudly, striding out. Eddie started after him, but Rouge held him back.

"Don't, Eddie. You know what James can get like when Blossom's involved ..."

Blossom, meanwhile, was lying face down on the floor, in a rather cramped tent. She didn't really

know why she was there, but somehow she was. And there was a shadow looming over her as well.

"Well well well." said Zakiran, "What do we have here? Blossom Shin-ra ... I have heard much about you, and I must say, photographs of you do your beauty no credit ..."

"What do you want?" Blossom seethed, attempting to prop herself up on her elbows. She was not scared, as most would be in her position, but very, very agitated and rather annoyed. Zakiran bent down, and began to stroke her silky blonde hair.

"You know, I don't see your father in you." he said.

"So?"

"Well, maybe in looks. But not in your mind or your personality. Not like your brothers and sister. They're all, in their own ways, selfish and stuck up."

"How do you mean?"

"Take Rouge; so obssessed by her looks. Eddie; solely dependant on material goods. Thomas; cold, arrogant and vicious. And James -"

"No! James is not bad in any way! He has a completely good heart, he would never do anything to hurt anyone, and he cares about everyone too!"

"That's where you're wrong, Blossom. He's the one to worry about; I'd watch out for him, I would."

"Why?"

"Have you ever noticed his fascination with you?"

Blossom blushed, but tried to conceal it from Zakiran. He noticed it anyway.

"You're more than just a sister to him. He's infatuated with you, he can't ever stop thinking about you. That's what comes with ignored as a child; you get strange thoughts. Oh yes, he acts all normally now, but really, he's quite insane. He's a rampant maniac, inside. Cool exterior, mad interior. Surely you've noticed something? Ahh, I can tell that you have. Watch out for James, Blossom; he'll get you, one day -"

"NO!" bellowed Blossom, waving her arms in the air, "No, you're lying! It's not like that!"

"You little whore." Zakiran said nastily into her ear, "You enjoy his attention, don't you? You want him to like you, don't you? Don't you realise what he's gonna do, one of these days?"

"I, I, he won't. No - never."

"Oh, but he will. Mark my words. And when that day comes, you're gonna want it. You won't resist, in fact, you'll lead him on. It's not good to toy around with men, Blossom, especially mad ones like him. Flirting doesn't just stop at flirting with them, it'll go all the way."

"No ... no ... no." Blossom whimpered, tears falling down her face like rainfall now. Zakiran gave her a handkerchief.

"There's no need to be upset, Blossy."

"How do -"

"I know a lot about you and your family, including your little nickname. Cute, very cute. Just like you." he said fondly.

"So what do you want?" she repeated, drying her eyes. Then, after a few moments, Blossom started to scream.

It was convenient that James burst in right then and there.

"YOU!" he shouted, lunging at Zakiran.

"YOU?!" Zakiran cried, "But you're dead! I killed you already."

"Oh no you didn't!"

The two men began rolling around on the floor, James's hands wrapped around Zakiran's neck.

Blossom had gotten off the floor, and stood, stunned and as still as a statue.

"How dare you -" James panted, as he lauched a punch straight into Zakiran's face. As he screamed in pain, James got up onto his feet and started kicking him in the side.

"Stop, stop!" Zakiran shrieked, his hands over his face, trying to roll out of harm's way. James relented, his breathing noisy and heavy, shoulders heaving.

"If you ever, come near us again, especially Blossom, I'll -"

"That's enough, James!" Blossom snapped. She started to tug at his sleeve, desparate to leave.

"We should go now!" she urged further. James looked down at her pleading face.

"Alright."

They left, side by side, Zakiran still recovering, from his attack, on the floor. When the pain quelled in his stomach, he smiled.

"I knew I was right. He does ... she does ... it's perfect. If we can't hurt them physically, we can ruin their reputations and therefore destroy their minds." he said to himself. Jemaro then entered, flustered.

"Zak! The Shin-ra -"

"I know, I know."

"What happened -"

"Jemaro, shut up. I need you do me a favour."

"But your nose is bleeding -"

"I don't care. Listen; tell Lieuna to get me the phone numbers of the editors of all the Midgar newspapers; tell Bruce to think up some brilliant love letters; and you, help me up."

As Jemaro took each of his arms, he asked:

"What about Dresdin?"

"Give him his money and tell him to piss off."

Jemaro accepted his errands with a nod, but something still nagged at him; what was Zakiran thinking of? Was it the blow to his head that knocked some of his sense out of place? Whatever it was, Jemaro didn't like where the whole thing was going ...

Back at the mansion in Midgar, life resumed as normal for the five siblings. They had seen Leo and Joey off at the harbour; they were taking the sea-way back to the desert area. Thomas had asked them (in Eastern tongue) to send his regards to his mother and his other relatives. Rouge and Eddie were impressed no end by his speaking a different language, and requested lessons, which Thomas turned down; he said had that it would be a time consuming affair, time that none of them had. Eddie moaned the whole way back home.

Summer was coming to a close when Blossom received the letter. She was alone in the house, for Thomas and Eddie were at the movies, Rouge out shopping with her friends and James at a summer training course. She had completed a round of ironing and was putting things away in her wardrobe as she noticed a plain white envolope on her dresser. It had only one word on the front:

Blossom

Curious, she tore the envelope open and took out the contents, which were a letter and a sprig of cherry blossom.

'Ha, pun on my name, eh? Must be a smart-arse.' she thought jovially to herself. She placed the blossom of the dresser and carefully unfolded the letter:

Dearest Blossom,

My hand shakes as I write, as I think of you, my muse for this confession in writing. It has always been hard for me to talk openly about my feelings, so it is easier to write them instead. Do not think me a coward, because for many years now I've wanted desperately to tell you the truth. Sometimes, I even get the impression that you already know. Blossom, you must know how I deeply admire you, in every way possible. You have been the only thing I have lived for these past twenty three years, as long as you have been in this world, and in my life. I cannot stop loving you. I would not even want to try. I know it is wrong, but for one thing, I know this; that we are soul mates. It does not matter that we have the same blood. If I am right, then we are meant to be together. And if you can accept this, and feel the same way too, please stay in on Friday night; the others will be out of house, and then we can talk in private. Please, I'm begging of you.

Yours forever,

James

Blossom stopped reading and put the letter down. She then picked it up again and re-read it three times. Each time she took more note of what was written, and finally she ran something through her head;

'This is James that sent me a love-note. My own half-brother ... JAMES ... LOVE-NOTE ... HALF-BROTHER ... oh god!'

She had to lean on the dresser in order to stand, because her shoulders were shaking so violently.

She felt sick to her stomach, her brain throbbing with a burning head-ache. But then it passed, for Zakiran's words returned to her in a fleeting moment;

I'd watch out for him, I would ... you're more than just a sister to him. He's infatuated with you ... watch out for James, Blossom; he'll get you, one day ... and when that day comes, you're gonna want it ...

Blossom was now worried. She did want it. She knew that somehow, through all the events of the past couple of months, she had developed a love for James. She loved James. He loved her. All she could do was wait for Friday, when both their morals would be put to the test.

James threw his keys down on his bed, and lay down wearily. His course at University was beginning to take a lot out of him, with the constant studying, day and night. Not that his lectures were too taxing; just embarrassing to be in. One in particular was to do with reproduction, and as soon as James had heard about it, he wished it was about cells or plants. But no. Humans. He had to put up with jeering from his peers, which really, they should have grown out of years ago.

"I bet they're doing this lecture for James's sake; he probably has never seen ... you know, a woman's anatomy up close!"

"Ha, yeah, what woman in her right mind would dream of degrading herself with that loser?"

'Blossom would.' James had thought to himself. This had made him sit up. Would she? And where had such a thought come from?

"Are you listening, Jamesy-boy?"

"Yeah, wake up, sunshine!"

"Argh, leave me be." James had murmured, packing his books away.

Now, lying on his back, his hands behind his head, he reflected on this meeting of humiliation. Was he expecting too much that people would stop bothering him? Or would it be something he'd have to put up with for the rest of his life.

'I'm going to be a scientist. Of course I have to be prepared for this kind of treatment.' he realised. He stuck out a hand to his bed-side table, feeling for his watch. But instead he felt paper; he sat up, and saw a pink envelope, sitting on the table top.

James

There was a distinct aroma that rose from the envelope, and James got a whiff of it. It was definately Blossom's favourite perfume. His heart skipped a dozen beats as he opened the letter.

To my dearest James,

I must seem a coward not to be telling you this to your face, but I fear that if I did, I would cry for almost shame. But no, I am not really ashamed of what I must confess to you. Please believe me when I say how much I love you, deeply, truly. If there is one person in this world you can trust, it is me. You said that yourself. Do not take offence, but on this Friday evening, we shall be alone in the house, so I decided that we should have a talk, just you and I. I hope that will be alright with you ...

Love Blossom

James was, to say the least, taken aback by Blossom's declaration in the letter, and had to sit down at once, his head spinning.