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Rufus Shinra, the President's son. It was an honor, being the Vice President of a company which had such influence all over the world. Rufus didn't really give a damn. He was twenty years old, and filthy rich. He had more important things on his mind.Rufus didn't have friends, he had lackeys, people who hung onto him for dear life, hoping to promote themselves through the son of President Shinra. He didn't have girlfriends either. Instead he had admirers, women who would do anything for the chance that he might marry them and immerse them in a life of luxury. Rufus took and used them all, but never displayed any emotion towards these blood sucking women. He knew they were only out for his money, and Rufus did not want to be loved that way.
His father threw the company's money around to please the people. Shinra would help out anyone in need. That was the Shinra way of life. A Gil here, a Gil there. Everyone loved money. Everyone but the President's own son. Even if the policy was working, Rufus didn't like it. There were better ways to rule then by dangling money over the heads of the poor. Rufus knew the pain of being wanted only for your money, and he didn't want any more phonies.
Rufus hardly even saw his father. His mother had died when he was just a baby, and his father shipped him away and put others in charge of bringing him up. Rufus was spoiled rotten, but he always wondered why his own father wouldn't see him.
The son of Shinra, Rufus thought as he strolled along by his house one day. I hate my father
"Hey! Hey!"
Rufus glanced up to see a beautiful, smiling woman waving at him as she advanced. She had long, wavy black hair and bright green eyes. She wore a short black skirt, and a black halter top. Great, Rufus thought. Another money grubbing floozy.
The raven haired girl reached him, still smiling. "Hey. Maybe you can help me--"
Rufus kept on walking. "Sorry. No handouts."
She laughed and stopped to watch him walk. "What? I was wondering if I could use your PHS. My buggy broke down."
Rufus stopped. Slowly, he turned around. "Oh. I'm....sorry. I thought--well, no. Never mind." He dug the device out of his pocket and handed it to the girl, who accepted it shyly.
She passed a chunk of hair back over her ear and looked at the ground. "You thought what?"
"Uh.....well, it's nothing, really. A lot of people are out for my money, because of who my father is--"
She interrupted him. "Who's your father?"
Rufus stopped dead. She hadn't even recognized him. "I'm Rufus Shinra," he explained in amazement. It had been so long since he had spoken his own name..."My father is President of Shinra Inc."
"Oh!" she exclaimed, somewhat embarrassed. "I wasn't even aware that President Shinra had a son."
"Well here I am," Rufus said with a grin, pushing back a strand of red blonde hair.
She smiled, "nice to meet you," and went to use the PHS. "Excuse me." She walked away a few steps and made her call. Rufus watched her with interest. When she was finished, she cursed and turned back to Rufus. She handed the device back to him. "Thank you."
He frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing major. It's just going to be a few hours till the tow truck comes, that's all."
"So where will you go?" he asked.
"Back to my buggy," she explained. "I don't want to leave it. It's at the end of this road."
Rufus shook his head. "This road's about two miles long. You can wait in my house, if you'd like, and I could drive you over when the truck arrives."
Her face lit up. "You would do that? For me?"
Rufus paused. True, he didn't make a habit of helping people, but he longed to be with someone other than another ever agreeing yes man. Rufus answered, "yes."
"But you don't even know me," she pointed out, crossing her arms.
Rufus sighed. "What's your name?"
"Vadra Branford."
Rufus smiled. "Well now I know you."
Vadra smiled as well. "If you insist," she gave up with a sigh.
"Follow me." For the first time in a long while, Rufus was happy.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $"Out. Everybody out," Rufus ordered, clearing out the rooms of his large house.
"But, Vice President Rufus," one began to protest, "we--"
Rufus cut him off with a gesture. "I don't want to hear it. Just get out."
With apologetic looks, all the followers cleared out.
"Well you're sure popular," Vadra commented when everyone had gone.
Rufus flicked back his bangs. "Of course," he answered simply. No sense in going into one's problems with a total stranger.
Vadra took the time to glance around the house in awe. "Well. I'm impressed."
"Money has power," he mumbled, heading into the room he always used to entertain guests.
She was silent a moment before she followed him in with the words, "there are things with more power."
Rufus spun around. Could is be possible that he found someone who did not prize money above all else...."Oh? Such as....?"
"Well, love," she replied, staring directly at him, "and fear."
"Fear...." Rufus agreed with a nod. "Fear is a very powerful emotion. People who fear something terrible will do nearly anything to prevent their nightmare from occurring." He smiled. "I like that."
"What about love?" she suggested.
"Love," he said with a tone of disgust and a wave of his hand. "It only leads to pain."
"It can also lead to happiness," she put in. "A person in love will do anything for the object of their affection."
Rufus laughed. "Fools."
A smiled played upon her lips. "I'm glad you find it so amusing."
"Have a seat," he offered, settling himself on the couch.
To his surprise she sat right next to him.
"Uh...." Rufus sputtered.
"Oh? Is this making you uncomfortable?" She went to get up. "I'll move."
"No." He grabbed her write and pulled her down again. "You can stay."
"I'm glad."
What was *that* supposed to mean? Was this all a mistake, inviting her in? Was he grasping at straws, desperate to find someone who thought of things other than money?
"So, Mr Shinra--" Vadra began, bringing Rufus back to reality.
He interrupted her. "Rufus, please. You're not an employee." Or a suck up....
"Rufus...." she began slowly. "What exactly do you do?"
"What do you mean? I told you I was Vice President of Shinra Inc."
"I know that," she rushed, "what I meant was, what exactly is it you do as Vice President."
Rufus was about to answer. He had his mouth open and everything but then he realized he had no answer. He didn't *do* anything. Rufus couldn't bear to answer with the truth, so he quickly replied, "I'm afraid it's too much to go into."
"I see," she replied softly.
There was a momentary silence before Rufus posed the question, "what is it you do? And what brings you all the way out here?"
"My job," she admitted. "I see materia." She shrugged. "It doesn't pay too well, but that hardly matters to me. I just enjoy to travel."
Rufus grew curious. "Have you ever been to Midgar?"
Vadra nodded. "Many, many times."
"I know the man who designed the city," Rufus told her. "What is your opinion of it?"
"Not the most beautiful place I've ever been," she sighed, "and the slums are terrible."
"Oh, I've never been there," he said quickly, "in the slums, I mean."
"I wish I could say the same." She shook her head.
"You've never lived there, have you?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. I'm from Junon."
Rufus nodded. "Ah....Junon. Lovely town."
They talked for an hour or so more, on nothing truly important, but it was special to Rufus. Here was a person who chose to express their own opinions, who didn't always agree mindlessly with him. He didn't want her to leave. He didn't want to go back to that world.....
Vadra checked the time. "Oh my, the time!" She got to her feet. "I should go."
Rufus stood up too, but said nothing.
"I've enjoyed talking to you."
He nodded. "As have I." More than you know....
She was silent for a moment before she prompted, "you said you'd drive me...."
"Oh!" Rufus exclaimed, coming back to reality. "Sorry...." he took two steps before turning around again. He couldn't let this woman out of his life. She was exactly what he needed...."Vadra, may I see you again?" he rushed.
She looked taken back. "Rufus? You would want to see me....again?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't," he pointed out seriously.
"Well then yes," she answered right away. "My answer is yes."
Rufus gave her a half smile, but said nothing.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $For the next several months, Vadra was a frequent guest at Rufus' house. Their relationship had been only based on friendship, but she was despised by his lackeys and admirers alike. The Vice President preferred this flighty materia seller over their undying loyalty? She did not go out of her way to please him like the did, yet why did he speak so highly of her? How much longer would this last? The yes men and women were growing tired of this always honest Vadra Branford.
Rufus adored her and always looked forward to their time together. Vadra always made him feel better, as though someone cared for *him* and not just his money. Rufus had never felt this way about anyone. After all, he had never allowed himself to get attached to anyone. But in this case he could not help himself. With Vadra he had hope, hope of being a person and not a walking dollar sign.
One particular visit they sat in the usual room, talking about childhood memories.
"So what was your first kiss like?"
Rufus shrugged and looked away. Something as simple as a first kiss brought bad memories flooding back. "That's not something I like to remember," he said.
She frowned. "I'm sorry I asked."
He shook his head. "It just didn't mean anything to me....." he glanced up at Vadra, who looked back with concern. "A shame."
She nodded. "Well, I hope you've had meaningful ones since then."
No. No he really hadn't. But suddenly he could. "Not until now." With those truthful words he leaned forward to kiss her, gently at first, just to test her acceptance. She returned it, and held her face in his hands, overrun with feelings he had never felt before. This had meaning. She saw him like he wanted to be seen, and he had grown, as a person. Rufus Shinra thought he could never find love, but he had.
"Rufus," she spoke as he moved down her neck. "Let's go upstairs."
And they did.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $"Where's my wallet?"
"Huh?"
"My wallet. Have you seen it? It's not in my pocket."
Vadra sat up in bed and glanced around the room. "It's over there, Rufus."
Rufus glanced over to where she was pointing. Sure enough it was lying on a chair across the room. "How did it get here?"
She shrugged.
Rufus checked the contents, but everything seemed to be in order. "Curious."
"Where are you going?" she asked.
He smiled at her and slid his wallet into his pocket. "I'll be back soon. Stay right there."
She laughed and pulled a blanket around herself. "Easy for you to say."
Rufus left his bedroom, closing the door behind him with smile.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $"Hmmm.....I wonder if she would like this...." Rufus held a jewel covered necklace up to the light. Rufus knew no other way to show his feelings than with a gift. And what woman wouldn't want an expensive piece of jewelry? Vadra did not care about the money, and that was why she would get a taste of it.
"That's a one of a kind piece," the shopkeeper said, eager to make the sale. "Any woman would be lucky to have it."
Rufus smiled and place the piece back in the box. I'm lucky to have her. She's one of a kind. "I'll take it." He took out his bank card and handed it to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper ran it through the machine, and glanced at the screen. He frowned and ran it through the machine again. His frown remained.
Rufus frowned too. "Is something the matter?"
The shopkeeper cleared his throat. "I don't know how to break this to you, Mr. Shinra, but....you don't have enough money."
Rufus suddenly grew cold. "Excuse me?"
"Your account it empty," the shopkeeper handed back the bank card with regrets, "I'm sorry."
Rufus took the bank card and stared at it in disbelief. Empty? How could it be empty? The account had millions in it last time he made a deposit. He had accounts in other banks, and millions more where that came from, but....had he been robbed? Who could have possibly....then suddenly it all came into place. Rufus Shinra wasn't stupid.....the wallet on the chair....the bank card....a useless account...Suddenly he didn't need to buy anything afterall.
Rufus had been robbed not only of money, but everything.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $"Vadra!" Rufus stomped up the stairs and shoved the door to his bedroom open violently. "How could you do that to me?" There she was, packing, leaving. That phony bitch.
Vadra whirled around, a gun in hand. "One more move and daddy won't have a successor." she seethed.
Rufus stopped dead in his tracks. "Vadra, you betrayed me! How could you? After I trusted you so much?" He sounded more hurt than angry.
"You're smarter than I thought," she snapped, continuing to hold the gun unwaveringly at him. "You're not getting your money back, so don't even bother asking."
Rufus shook his head sadly. "I don't even care about that." He flicked his bangs back. "Do you have *any* idea what you've done to me?"
"Awww...." she said with phony sympathy, "did I break your heart, Dufus?"
Rufus clenched his fists.
"I've had this planned out since the first time I approached you," she continued. "You'll never find someone who sees you as anything more than a walking dollar sign. Learn to live with it."
Rufus felt hot tears creep up on him, but he never had cried, and he wouldn't now. Not in front of her. "Get out of my house," he seethed. "Get out right now."
She shrugged and continued to point the gun at him as she backed towards the door. "It was fun, Rufus, while it lasted."
"Just shoot me or get the fuck out!" he yelled with increasing anger.
With one more flash of bright green eyes and a flurry of black hair, Vadra Branford, if that was even her real name, was out of his life.
Rufus Shinra sat down on his bed, a wave of emotions flooding over him. There were too many to sort out. The only person he had ever cared out had turned out to be yet another person just out for his money. She was probably right, no one could ever love him as a person. It would always be about money, and he would never escape it. And that suddenly made everything so hopeless. He sat there and cried, feeling even worse for being so vulnerable and so weak. His first memorable kiss was just another painful memory.
Money. He despised it. Money may rule the world now, but someday, when his father had gone to his grave, and Rufus rose to the Presidency, fear would overcome money. It was just as Vadra had said. Fear could conquer anything. The same could be said for love, but that was an emotion Rufus Shinra would make sure he never felt again. Oh, Vadra had changed everything all right. More than he even knew.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $"Mr. Shinra, I'm sorry to inform you, sir, but your father is dead."
He could hardly stand the words. So soon? So unexpectedly? Could it be so? He wasn't expecting it. "Pardon?"
"Your father is dead," the words were repeated. "You're the new President of Shinra Inc."
Rufus Shinra was besides himself. He couldn't meet the eyes of the messenger. His father---dead? It was almost too good to be true....
"Your helicopter is waiting, sir," the bringer of hope went on. Rufus heard him in the background of his thoughts. "We're bringing you to the headquarters in Midgar."
Rufus somewhat nodded and distractedly followed the messenger to the waiting helicopter. It had happened so suddenly. He was not daddy's little boy anymore. He wasn't the sitting duck Vice President anymore. He had power. He was in charge. He could change things.
It was all so dreamlike. He stepped onto the helicopter, and took a seat by the window. The vehicle took off and headed towards its destination.
Rufus looked out the window and saw all the possibilities that lay before him. There was hope, hope that people would change, that money would lose its appealing glow. Ah, the fear. It would reach far and wide, blanketing the landscape. Fear would keep everyone in line. It was just as he had planned since Vadra had drunk up his love and left him empty. Everyone would fear Shinra Inc. so much that they would do absolutely anything that was desired. No one would look to Shinra and see dollar signs any longer. Instead they would see a massive enterprise that invoked fear. People would fear him, and avoid him. Power would be his companion. Power was always an ally. It couldn't make you love it, then run away with everything like that heartless bitch had. Well, perhaps he was bitter. No one could ever see the real Rufus Shinra for what he was. Whether anyone could or not was irrelevant. He wouldn't let anyone come close enough to stand a chance.
"We're coming upon Midgar," the pilot announced.
Rufus glanced over at the other men seated in the helicopter. They all sat stiff and solemn faced. Perhaps they grieved for his father or perhaps they just thought he was. Almost laughable. The old man's death was perhaps the best thing that had ever happened to him. For the first time in his life he had an identity all his own, and a responsibility. A responsibility to rule the world and make people forget about money.
LATER.....
Sephiroth. The legendary SOLDIER first class had killed his father. Rufus would have thanked him, if there wasn't so many questions surrounding his sudden reemergence. Strangely, Professor Hojo, head of the Shinra division of chemistry, had resigned. Rufus felt the move was extremely suspicious, but right now there were more pressing matters at hand.
It was a new age, the age of fear, and a parade was held for him in Junon. No, I'm from Junon...Vadra....it could have been a lie, but she claimed to be from Junon. If he spotted her....
Slowly he was getting his life back, but he could never get it all. He couldn't go a day without thinking about her. It always made him so angry....how foolish...how trusting.
But now he had to get a boat and chase Sephiroth across the ocean. He was expecting some kind of send off at the dock. But his mood was ruined.
LATER....
The reunion. A meeting of all the Sephiroth clones at the North Cave. Rufus had been drawn to attend, only to witness Cloud Strife, a failed clone without a number, hand Sephiroth the black materia. Now meteor was coming, and WEAPON was on the rampage. But still there was hope. He had come this far, to a place he had only dreamed about, and he had become someone--someone important, someone no one dared to take advantage of. He kept no one close to him. He wouldn't take any chances.
LATER.....
Fear was working. Just as he had planned, the Gil had been forgotten. Everyone was far more concerned over the looming presence of meteor in the sky. Sephiroth.....the Jenova filled monstrosity. He to be defeated in order for meteor to be destroyed. The other plans had failed. That bastard Cloud Strife and his team of rag tag rejects had concentrated on sabotaging Rufus' every plan. They were not afraid, but that was inconsequential. The Turks would seek out and kill them soon enough.
Rufus felt there was hope. The planet would survive, and Rufus would tighten his fist and have complete control over everything. And Sephiroth believed he would be the one ruling all? Hmmm.....almost laughable.
The Sister Ray, a weapon of immense power, was set to destroy Sephiroth's barrier at the North Cave. Scarlet, Shinra's weapons developer, was to be given credit for this ray of hope. Rufus despised women, but gave credit where credit was due. Women....he couldn't help but think of Vadra, and it stung terribly to do so. He hoped she was happy with her millions.
Was Rufus happy? In some ways he was delighted. Everything he had inherited from the company was working out just as he had always hoped. In other ways he was completely miserable. True, he was no longer seen as a walking monetary unit, but the price of using fear was loneliness. Still, but staying inside his shell no one could ever hurt him again. He was invulnerable. But sometimes he felt as though he was missing something.....
No matter. The Sister Ray was first on the agenda as of this moment. As soon as the command was given the Sister Ray would destroy Sephiroth and that pesky WEAPON that thought it could play with his city. It didn't stand a chance.
"....Fire."
The firing of the Sister Ray was a sight to behold, and Rufus observed it all from the window of his office. His celebration was interrupted with a warning that WEAPON had fired upon the city before meeting it's fate.
If only I had given the command sooner, Rufus thought regretfully.
It was then he realized that the shots were heading directly at him. Rufus narrowed his eyes. Just as there was hope, it all crumbles. Damn fucking WEAPON.
As he shielded his face from the blaze, a last thought flew through Rufus' head. I've never been happy....Almost laughable.
The world went black.
