Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Who's John ShinRa? ❯ Falling from Grace ( Chapter 7 )

Note: I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

A/N: A bit of Reno vulgarity.

Chapter 7: Falling from Grace

 

Rufus was thoughtfully looking out the window of Casey's jalopy at the beautiful night sky. They had been making good time through the rough terrain and Casey entertained him with his wild stories of all the crazy things he did as a youth.

 

“You know they say that it's dern near impossible to catch a chocobo without some chocobo lure or greens cause they're too fast, but when I was your age some of my friends and I wanted to see if we could catch one,” Casey said trying to talk louder than the buzzing of the radio.

 

“Did you?” Rufus asked, highly doubting that the old man had been able to succeed even when he was in his prime.

 

“Nah, wound up all battered and bruised from trying to chase those suckers down. But we did almost catch a baby chocobo until its mother chased us half-way back home,” Casey laughed.

 

Rufus also laughed trying to picture Casey running way from an angry mother chocobo. He never had been able to laugh by such a crude story before because he had never heard any. Even the rustic sounds of Casey's country music blasting over the radio added a certain charm that Rufus was enjoying for the first time.

 

Their moment of gaiety was ended when the distinct beeps of the emergency broadcast system blared over the radio. Rufus and Casey stopped their laughing to listen to the important message that was about to be played.

 

“We interrupted this broadcast to bring you an important message from ShinRa, Inc. Ladies and gentlemen, a national alert has just been issued for the retrieval of Jonathan Adacus ShinRa who usually goes by the name, John. He is a male Caucasian standing at five foot nine inches with brown or blond hair and blue eyes. This man is considered harmless and should be brought back alive and well the nearest ShinRa facilities. If you have any information or facts that can lead us to Mr. ShinRa, please do not hesitate to call our toll free number 1-888-555-TURK. This concludes our emergency broadcast.”

 

Rufus sat in deep thought as he listened to the broadcast. He thought that John had died in the blast at the ShinRa Tower, but it was possible that he had survived and escaped ShinRa after they found out his true identity. It was also possible that they thought Rufus was actually dead and needed John to take over. He couldn't figure out exactly why they wanted John, but he knew that he couldn't let anyone turn him in as John ShinRa until he knew why.

 

“Jonathan ShinRa? Did I hear that right?” Casey asked confused as country music blarred back on the radio.

 

“Yeah, they said Jonathan ShinRa,” Rufus said flatly.

 

“Hmm, that you John?” Casey joked.

 

“No, that's not me,” Rufus played along, knowing that he was supposed to be John ShinRa.

 

“Oh, come on, you can tell good `ole Casey the truth. I ain't gonna turn you in, just curious, that's all,” Casey said sincerely.

 

“It's true Casey, I'm not John ShinRa,” Rufus said with a smile, knowing that what he said was a partial truth.

 

“Sure you ain't boy,” Casey said jokingly. “But not like it matters. I wouldn't turn ya in even if you were Sephiroth himself.”

 

“You wouldn't turn in the most wanted criminal this planet has ever seen?” Rufus asked bewildered.

 

“Nope. Don't believe in doing things like that.”

 

“But his capture would save hundreds of lives,” Rufus tried to reason.

 

“Yeah, but then his life would be kaput once they lock `em up. I say that if it doesn't help someone, you know . . . really help someone, then don't do it,” Casey said with a wink before he started to sing along to the song that happened to be on the radio.

 

“You're a strange man Casey,” Rufus shook his head and smiled.

 

Rufus wished that he had met him a long time ago when he was younger. It would have given him hope that one could still keep their naivety even as an adult. Rufus tried to stretch as sitting in the jalopy was getting tiring for his body.

 

“You know how to drive John?” Casey said while trying to stifle a yawn.

 

“Huh? Me, drive? Uh, yeah, I know how to drive,” Rufus said trying to recall the last time ShinRa allowed him to drive one of the company issued cars.

 

It had been a few years since he'd driven a car, but he had never had any experience with a jalopy. Rufus felt the vehicle slowing down and watched as Casey pulled over to the side of the road and got out of the jalopy. The next thing Rufus knew, Casey was opening up the passenger side door and motioning for him to step out.

 

“Go ahead and take a whiz before you start driving,” Casey said directing his thumb towards some bushes.

 

“Um, sure,” Rufus said while climbing out of the vehicle.

 

He had heard enough crude language from Reno to know that Casey was asking him to relieve himself in the bushes. It seemed so primitive and uncouth that Rufus was tempted to ask Casey for the nearest restroom. But Rufus took a deep breath and as he knew that he needed to start blending in more with the local folk and if using the restroom in the bushes was what they did, then that's what Rufus had to do.

 

After defecating the local shrubbery, Rufus walked back to the jalopy only to find Casey relaxed and half-asleep in the passenger's seat. Rufus took a quick breath while mentally reviewing everything he ever remembered from driving a car. He carefully strapped himself in the driver's seat and surveyed the control panel to figure out where everything was located.

 

“Keys are in the ignition,” Casey said while pulling a hat over his face and propping his legs on the dashboard.

 

“Um, it's been a while since I last drove, so I'm going to be a little rusty,” Rufus said hesitantly.

 

“You'll pick it up quick. It's like riding a bike but without the pedaling,” Casey yawned.

 

Rufus kept quiet not wanting to disclose that he had never learned how to ride a bike. Saying a silent prayer, Rufus turned the keys to the ignition. The vehicle sputtered at first, but eventually vibrated with the rough murmur from the engine. He put the jalopy in gear and felt the jerky movement of the vehicle lurch forward from pushing his foot on the accelerator a bit too hard.

 

After a few minutes of uneasy movements, Rufus was finally able to drive the vehicle in a consistent smooth motion, occasionally stealing a glance at Casey to see if any of his driving had woken up the old man. Luckily, Casey didn't stir one bit and slept soundlessly as if used to the jerkiness of Rufus's driving.

 

Suddenly, Rufus realized that he had no idea where they should be driving and was about to wake Casey up to ask for proper directions.

 

“Just keep on driving East until you get to Fort Condor, then head North from there and follow the road,” Casey answered Rufus's question before he even got a chance to ask.

 

“Ok, thanks,” Rufus answered with a wary voice.

 

“No problem, jus' keep yer eyes on the road and don't go faster than the speed limit. You're doing fine,” Casey muttered half-asleep.

 

Rufus smiled, grateful that Casey seemed to always help him, even though he should be asleep. The road was going to be long and bumpy, but he didn't mind traveling it. He felt like he was in control of his life: leading himself to unexplored places solely for himself. He never dreamed that the simple task of driving could be so invigorating.

 

* * *

 

“Do you really think that your announcement will work?” Reeve asked rubbing his brow with confusion.

 

“Of course it will! If I know Rufus, he'll come running to our doorsteps because he thinks that his Turks are out searching for him,” Reno said with a smile.

 

“But you don't really know Rufus very well,” Elena said.

 

“Oh, shut-up!” Reno said angrily.

 

“Yeah, but why ask for John? Wouldn't that seem a bit false?” Reeve inquired.

 

“Well, everyone in the world pretty much thinks that Rufus ShinRa is dead, so if we go around asking for Rufus, people will start to think we went loony and protecting ShinRa's integrity is part of our job,” Reno answered, knowing that Reeve would ask that question. “It also makes intimidation much easier for a Turk.”

 

“But what if Rufus thinks that we're actually looking for John and not Rufus himself. He doesn't know that we know he's still alive,” Reeve interjected.

 

“Oh, I never thought about that,” Reno said with his mouth slightly agape. “Well, we did ask for him to be brought back alive, so he couldn't possibly think that we want John ShinRa so we can execute him, could he?”

 

“You did give the Turk hotline and that is what we do best,” Rude said to further dampen the mood.

 

Reeve chuckled as he saw Reno's face turn into ghostly white. “Don't worry about it too much Reno, I don't think we would've been able to find him in the short amount of time we have. Thanks for trying.”

 

“Uh, yeah. Sure. See, that's why I don't want you to go dying on me. I can't even fucking find our President,” Reno said lighting a cigarette to calm his nerves.

 

“That's ok. But now that you've put out the announcement, I want you three to help evacuate everyone to the underground city. We need to get them down there in case Meteor falls,” Reeve said in a business-like voice.

 

“Understood,” the three Turks said in unison before quietly making their way out of the makeshift office.

 

* * *

 

“Unhand me you ruffian!”

 

“Listen lady, we need to evacuate everyone down to the lower levels, President Reeve's orders,” Reno said almost ready to zap the woman with his lighting rod and carry her down unconscious.

 

“I won't take orders from someone who isn't the true heir to ShinRa, Inc.,” the woman seethed.

 

“Hey, kid! Why don't you help me get your grandma out?” Reno asked the young man standing in the corner.

 

“For your information, I'm probably a few years older than you are and that woman is my mother,” Nicholas said narrowing his eyes venomously.

 

“Grandma, mother . . . whatever, just tell her that she needs to evacuate,” Reno said dejectedly, wishing that Rude or Elena were with him so they could drag the two out of their home and down to the underground city.

 

“I thought a Turk would be more intimidating than this,” Nicholas said with a smirk.

 

“Yeah, well I wasn't exactly sent to kill you now, was I?” Reno flashed his teeth as his blue eyes glowed maliciously from the mako coursing through his veins.

 

“Hmph! I'm not amused,” the man said while walking towards his mother. “Come, mother. We should do as the man says and take our leave.”

 

“Very well, let me get my things,” the woman said snobbishly leaving Reno with her son.

 

“So I heard your announcement. Tell me, who's John ShinRa?” Nicholas said with a hint of interest and mockery.

 

“Tell me, who's going to be the dead man no one's gonna miss if he doesn't shut the fuck-up,” Reno said mimicking the man's tone.

 

Nicholas's lips twitched in frustration from Reno's reply. He knew he wouldn't get any information from him. He wanted to lash out at the Turk verbally and physically, but his mother finally returned with her belongings and they walked out of the house before an altercation could ensue. Reno watched to make sure that the pair were headed towards the elevators and quickly locked the door behind him. He looked down at his address sheet and noted the man's name.

 

“Matilda King and son Nicholas King. What a prick! Nick the prick who can suck my dick! I hope I meet him in a dark alley one day,” Reno said while taking a pencil and crossing their names off his list. He scanned down to the next name of many and made his way towards the next house.

 

“So he was one of the Turks,” Nicholas said curiously.

 

“Very unimpressive. Not like the Turks in the days when your father was in his prime,” Matilda said with a snort.

 

“True, but he was smart enough not to tell us who this, John ShinRa is. He still poses as a threat to my rise to power, mother.”

 

“We'll figure that all out in due time. Even if your father had other sons, we'll seek them out and kill them all so there will be no one left to oppose you. We'll start with this, John ShinRa that the Turks are trying to find,” Matilda said with a hushed voice.

 

“How do you plan that?”

 

“By using the same tactics as the Turks, but we make an announcement that we'll pay over a million gil for anyone to find Mr. ShinRa dead or alive, but preferably dead,” Matilda said emphasizing the last word.

 

“Very clever indeed, I just hope that you have that million you seem to be promising or are you projecting our income for when I claim ShinRa, Inc.?”

 

“I never said that we'd actually give them the money. And I'm sure we could use Meteor's chaos to our advantage, we'll just have to see how everyone else plays their cards so we can play ours,” Matilda said with confidence while clutching her bag of belongings tightly.

 

Matilda King was a conniving woman who would do everything in her power to get what she wants. She had once murdered a co-worker at the HoneyBee Inn to win her night with Augustus ShinRa, which eventually lead to their love affair. He had the power and she wanted it, letting him impregnate her so she could have a stake at his fortune. Though ShinRa, Inc. had covered up all public records of her relationship with the president, there was one shred of proof they had not destroyed. Matilda was no fool to leave behind the last piece of evidence to prove that her son was Augustus ShinRa's first son, born and conceived before Rufus ShinRa. That was the ace she intended to play.

 

* * *

 

Rufus stared in horror as he turned the bend, which brought him to Kalm. Along the horizon the sun couldn't be seen though it was well past dawn. Instead, the menacing sight of Meteor looming dangerously overhead had blocked out the sun's warm rays. It looked like Meteor was mere inches away from smashing into the ShinRa Tower.

 

Casey woke up in time to see the fearsome sight as the reality of the situation nearly brought tears to the old man's eyes.

 

“So that's the big `ole rock,” Casey said seriously.

 

“Yeah, that's it,” Rufus replied.

 

The two men stared at the calamitous sight for a few minutes before continuing the remainder of their trip to Kalm. They were tired from driven for two straight days but needed to unpack the boxes from the back of the jalopy before their work would be completely finished. Casey told Rufus to stop in front of a small clinic that faced Midgar. It would be the first place refugees would come to when they needed help and it looked like some people had already made that flight from Midgar to Kalm.

 

As they got out of the car they were greeted by the many eyes of tired travel-worn people surrounding the clinic. Some had escaped Midgar with only the shirts off their back while others were lined up with their families, eager to get the supplies the two men were about to unpack. Rufus could hear the sounds of babies crying for their mother's milk and the elderly sobbing while staring up at Meteor's slow decent.

 

“Come on, John, gotta unpack these supplies before I cut ya loose,” Casey said without his usual cheer.

 

Rufus brushed his fingers through his hair before helping Casey carry some of the boxes. He had never had to do any sort of hard labor before and the weight of the boxes was straining muscles he didn't even know existed.

 

“Take it one at a time John! Don't try to lift as many as you can like you're some muscleman. You've been driving all night, take it easy!” Casey said with concern.

 

Rufus followed Casey's advice and lugged the boxes into the small clinic, trying to avoid the stares of all the helpless people sitting along the clinic's walls. He was afraid that the people around him would panic and rush the small jalopy that was now parked right in front of the clinic, unguarded.

 

Casey and Rufus both entered the clinic with their boxes and were greeted by a plump elderly black woman who quickly took the box from Rufus effortlessly.

 

“It's about time you got here Casey, we were starting to run low on our supplies with all these new people coming in from the city,” the woman said boisterously.

 

“Don't worry Donna, we've got everything under control. Look, I even found me a helper,” Casey said placing the box on the nearest table.

 

“Well, well. Look what we have here. Another underfed city-boy, didn't your mama ever feed you? That box was about to crush you, you poor skinny little thing,” Donna said while putting Rufus's box on the table and shaking her head at his lank figure.

 

“He maybe skinny and he may be a city-boy, but he's not half-bad. He can carry a box, just let the man do his work,” Casey said jovially to Donna while walking out the door for more boxes.

 

“There you go again Casey, always trying to do everything yourself. Let me get some more help for you,” Donna said while pushing ahead of Casey and walking out the door.

 

Casey winked at Rufus and put his hand on his shoulder, “Don't you worry about Donna, she always tries to be everyone's mother.”

 

Rufus couldn't find any words to express his amazement at the woman's vigor and forcefulness. He followed Casey out the door only to be witness to one of the most amazing sights he had ever seen.

 

Donna was pointing at random refugees who happened to be waiting outside the clinic and ordering them to carry some of the boxes into the clinic. She called each one of them by name and they all promptly did was they were told without any bickering or reservation. In fact, the refugees that were working almost seemed pleased to be able to help. Rufus had never seen any of his high-ranking generals or commanders give out orders with such power. She knew what she was doing.

 

“Here, let me help,” Rufus offered.

 

“You ain't touching a thing! We're going to get you something to put some meat on those bones,” Donna partly scolded. “Go on and get inside so I can fix you and Casey something good.”

 

Rufus looked to Casey and pleaded with his eyes for any help, but found none.

 

“Just do as the woman says, there's no use arguing with Donna,” Casey said with a smile before entering the clinic ready to feast on whatever Donna had planned on cooking.

 

Rufus stared up at the sky watching Meteor inch closer and closer to the ground and wanted to protest, but knew that Donna probably had an iron will and wouldn't relent even to Sephiroth. He shrugged and went into the clinic hoping that Donna's cooking was good, fearing that this meal could be his last.

 

* * *

 

“We did it, we finally did it!” the young ninja said with excitement.

 

“Cloud, is it really over? Is Meteor really stopped?” Tifa asked with tears of joy in her eyes.

 

“Yes, Tifa. It's finally over,” Cloud said with relief.

 

He had fought many battles to finally see the salvation of the world. Ever since he had killed Sephiroth and Jenova, he felt a heavy weight lift from his body. He also felt a familiar scar on his stomach start to ache more. Cloud fingered his shirt where the scar was and dismissed it as merely a tingle.

 

“Come on old man! Land this thing! I don't want to barf all over the place,” Yuffie whined, momentarily shaking her fist at the pilot.

 

“Hold your horses and shut your trap. I'm working on it!” Cid bellowed while blowing out some smoke from his cigarette.

 

The rest of AVALANCHE stared in awe as they watched the sun's rays gently warming the earth. Midgar slowly passed within sight and their awe was replaced with worry for the lives of the many people who were in the city when Meteor almost fell. They could all see the destruction Meteor left and they all looked to Cait Sith for any sighs of life. Unfortunately, the comical robot stood motionless as Cid slowly started to bring the Highwind down to the ground.

 

“Do you think everyone's alright?” Tifa asked hesitantly.

 

“Cait Sith did say that he put everyone underground. I'm just hoping it was good enough to protect them,” Cloud answered, still placing his hand protectively over the scar that was bothering him.

 

“I wanna go outside! I'm tired of being cooped up in here. Come on, let's go Tifa!” Yuffie whined as she dragged the fighter out of the Highwind.

 

Tifa tried in vain to protest, but gave into the young ninja's request with a smile, grateful that she had lightened their solemn mood. “Ok, let's go outside.”

 

The rest of AVALANCHE followed suit, also wanting to breathe the fresh air and revel in the beauty of the planet they saved. Barret had carried Cait Sith's inactive body out, hoping he would reawaken and inform the rest of the members that he was safe. Nanaki and Cid padded out together while Cid tried to light a cigarette with Nanaki's tail. Even the stoic Vincent Valentine walked outside to bask in the warm sunlight.

 

They all stood in peaceful silence as they each thought about the lives they had saved and the many lives that would need to be saved. Barret gently shook the robotic doll, hoping that it would spring to life.

 

“Wake-up ya fool. We've stopped Meteor yo,” Barret tried talking to Cait Sith, but to no avail.

 

“Oh, just kick the darn thing,” Yuffie said with frustration.

 

Just as the young ninja was about to kick Cait Sith in the knee, the robot suddenly sprang to life and knocked Yuffie over on her back.

 

“Watch what you're doing ya big oaf!” Yuffie said nursing her hurt bottom.

 

“Happy day! Happy day! The big old rock has gone away!” Cait Sith sang and bounced.

 

Everyone, including Yuffie all laughed and cheered knowing that Cait Sith was active. They wanted to hear the news Reeve had about the status inside of Midgar.

 

“How's everything in Midgar Reeve?” Nanaki asked.

 

“Things could be better. So far the underground ruins are keeping everyone safe. I hadn't checked to see if we can get out,” the robot's voice said.

 

“We'll be sure to get you out as soon as we can, right Cloud?” Tifa asked turning to her childhood friend.

 

Cloud stood clutching his abdomen as he heard Tifa speak to him. He didn't want her to see him in so much pain. Removing his hands from his stomach, he was shocked to see them covered in blood. His frightened mako-blue eyes met Tifa's and he could see the horror etched on her face. He didn't even had time to called for help as darkness overcame him and he fell into Tifa's arms.

 

(continued…)