Rufus and Cloud

"Strange. . . I can't reach the Vice President." Heidegger frowned and lowered the phone from his ear, staring at Palmer and Scarlet. Reeve and Hojo had disappeared from the building hours ago, and no one knew where they were now.

". . . Cloud? You can't reach Cloud?" whispered Palmer, unbelieving. "D-- did the Weapon. . .?"

"Don't say that!" the scarred general snapped, glaring at Palmer. "It's just not possible!"

Scarlet gave the two men a sneer that just didn't fit her face. "Oh, it's very possible. . .," she cackled, eyes glittering maliciously. "The Weapon hit the seventieth floor with a fireball. Everyone up there was incinerated."

"Wh-- what?!" gasped Heidegger, his wide eyes on the woman. "Scarlet, how do you know that!?"

"Miss Cassidi cannot hear you." Palmer and Heidegger's jaws dropped as the all-too familiar voice came from Scarlet's mouth.

"Hojo?!!"

A wicked giggle wracked Scarlet's body. "Why so surprised, gentlemen?" queried Hojo. "You should have realized a long time ago that I was too dangerous to turn your back on. Miss Cassidi's unfortunate accident on the Highwind allowed me to manipulate her. . . And through her, I manipulated Cloud Shinra."

"You bastard!!!" roared Heidegger, reaching forward to strangle the red-dressed woman in front of him. His burly hands found her throat, but weren't able to begin squeezing.

"Would you kill her, Heidegger?" Hojo asked, greatly amused by the man's action. "You can't stop me! You idiots, there's no way you can keep me from doing this!!"

"Damn you, Hojo!" screamed Heidegger, going red in the face. "I'll stop you -- no matter what the cost!"

"Heh heh heh . . . ha ha ha ha. . .!!!" Hojo's laughter rang through the meeting room. "I really don't think so. Sephiroth will rise and take this world! And I will assist him! This wonderful Sister Ray will help me accomplish just that."

"You're CRAZY!!" screeched Palmer, eyes as wide as dinner saucers.

"Not crazy, but . . . enlightened. And now . . . the beginning of the end shall . . . commence."

With those last words, Scarlet crumbled to the ground. Heidegger grabbed her as she fell, supporting her as her eyes flickered with awareness again. ". . . Heidegger. . .?" she whispered weakly. "W-- what. . .?"

"Take it easy," Heidegger suggested. "Hojo's been controlling you; he's planning to help Sephiroth."

"Sephiroth. . . NO!" Scarlet stiffened at his words. "We-- we can't let him do that! Where's the President? Where's Rufus?"

". . . Rufus is in the hospital," Palmer replied, swallowing hard. "Cloud was in charge . . . but he's-- he's. . ."

"Dead. He's dead, Scarlet . . . and we're left to fend for ourselves." Heidegger's face was a grim mask as he spoke. He shook his head as Scarlet paled. "Palmer, I want you to order the evacuation of Midgar; the whole city's in danger with Hojo in the Sister Ray. I'd have Reeve do it, but he's . . . gone. Scarlet, get the Turks. I'm going to need their help."

Palmer nodded, scuttling from the room to get to the closest intercom. Scarlet took Heidegger's phone and proceeded to call the Turks. ". . . . . Heidegger, there's nothing."

"What?" snapped Heidegger, narrowing his eyes on the blond.

"Nothing. I'm not getting an answer. They must have been wiped out by the Weapon."

"Dammit!" Heidegger pounded his fist into the table, creating a visible dent in it. "Scarlet, call a helicopter and get yourself and Palmer out of here. I'm going to stop Hojo myself."

"You idiot!" Scarlet gasped, grabbing his arm. "Do you have a death wish?! If I know Hojo, he'll probably send his damn specimens after you! You can't go alone."

Heidegger snarled, then allowed his face to soften a little. "I'm not taking you with me, Scarlet. I could never live with myself if you got hurt because you came with me."

"How do you think I'd feel if I stood by and let you get killed?!" retorted Scarlet. She then frowned slightly, the rage dying. "At least. . . At least take the Proud Clod."

"Your war-mech?" Heidegger blinked. "But . . . that's your life's work -- your treasure!"

". . . And that's why you better come back alive!" the woman explained, firming her chin. "If you don't bring back the Proud Clod, I'll hate you for as long as I live."

Heidegger let out a ragged sigh. "Scarlet, despite your habits . . . you're a good woman."

Tears pricked the edges of her eyes and she managed a weak smile. "Yeah . . . I know." She grasped one of the big man's hands in her two. "Don't get yourself killed."

"I swear on my honor. Shinra may be lost, but our hope still survives. Maybe we'll be able to start over."

Scarlet clutched his fist, her whisper carrying one word. "Maybe."

Rufus Shinra coughed as he awoke, feeling himself being dragged to his feet by the front of his shirt. He opened his eyes to stare at the frowning Cid Highwind. "Are you here to torment me?" Rufus whispered bitterly.

"No, you #%(*# bastard, but that doesn't seem like a bad idea," Cid replied gruffly. "C'mon."

"Not like I have much of a choice," growled Rufus.

Cid practically dragged him through the airship, forcing him to climb down the rope ladder on the deck. The rest of AVALANCHE, including the traitorous Reeve, stood at the bottom of the ladder, grimly awaiting for the two men. Rufus turned from the ladder to gaze out at his surroundings . . . and paled.

The metal-plated city lay in the distance, darker than anything he could possibly remember. Smoke trailed off the top of the Shinra Building, sections of the great structure crumbling and falling down to the plate below. Fires danced on the top of the plate, spreading to engulf the city. The fallen city of Midgar.

Rufus suppressed the urge to cry, instead striding forward so that his back was to all the members of the rebel group.

"You better not be trying to leave, Rufus," Zack Ebony began, frowning at the President's back.

". . . Leave?" whispered Rufus, his shoulders shaking. ". . . Where am I going to go?"

Silence hung in the air at his cryptic question. Not even Yuffie dared make some snappy remark.

"Are you happy, AVALANCHE?" Rufus queried, allowing venom to slip into his voice. "You've won. Shinra Incorporated is no more." His hands clenched into fists as he spoke.

"Your brother still controls the company," the beast, Red XIII, reminded.

Rufus frowned and bowed his head, shutting his eyes for a long moment. "My brother is dead." His voice was firm and sure, although his heart ached for some shred of doubt.

Although he wasn't looking, Rufus was almost sure the AVALANCHE members were gaping in shock at his statement. The surprise in Reeve's voice confirmed his suspicion. "Cloud is . . . dead?" he managed.

"Yes," Rufus hissed, opening his blue eyes and glaring straight into the heart of the chaos-wracked city. His eyes burned as something welled up in the back of them. "But you wouldn't know that, would you, Reeve? You, who had so little faith that you'd turn your back on us. I thought we meant something to you. . . . If you can't tell that something died in my heart, then it appears that we didn't mean enough to you." His unbroken fist tightened to the point where he could no longer feel his fingers.

Reeve stared at the young man in front of him, regret immediately lining his face. He turned away in shame, earning glances from Cait Sith and Tifa Lockheart.

"I ain't seein' any tears, Shinra," spat Barret Wallace, banging his good arm against his gun-arm. "You never had a heart to have die."

". . . You want tears? You want to see my tears?" Rufus' voice was now a rasp, and he spun to face the rebels. Eyes widened, muffled gasps ringing at the sight of his tear-streaked face. His eyes glistened as more tears spilled forth and he thrust his hands forward, revealing small rivers of blood where his fingernails had driven right through the flesh. "Now you've seen Rufus Shinra cry and bleed. Now you see that I'm not a heartless monster that doesn't feel pain. . . But it doesn't matter now. Cloud's dead . . . everything I cared about is gone."

Tifa felt her own tears rush forth, unbidden. She would have taken a step towards the President of Shinra had a blast of fire not erupted between them and Rufus. "What the--!?" Zack gasped, reaching for the sword strapped on his back. Another fireball zoomed past Rufus, striking Zack's sword away with deadly precision.

A car was rolling towards them in the distance, clouds of dust and dirt being kicked up as it continued. It swerved and cut between the young President and his captives. As its passengers burst out, a voice cut through the tension with such malice it was barely recognizable.

"You stay away from him, you bastards."

Rufus stared dully as Reno jumped into view, his face contorted with rage. His electrical nightstick flared with energy, apparently having been used to produce the fireballs. Barret cursed. "Turks!?" he growled out. "Damn, 'shoulda known you'd show up!"

"Neo Turk Light!"

Eight fireballs sprouted from the tip of Reno's nightstick at his shout, striking each of the AVALANCHE members. Rude stepped next to Reno, as cold and unmoved as ever. "Grand Spark!" He knelt and punched the ground with one fist, a orange streak of intense power flowing forward and sending Barret flying backwards upon impact.

"You damn #%)*#@$!!" cursed Cid, his spear held at a threatening position. He was prepared to spring at the two Turks when a third blue suit appeared from behind the car.

"Not so fast!" Elena brought her arm back and forward again, letting loose a black grenade that landed in front of Cid. The pilot was barely able to jump out of the way before it exploded.

Reno ran to Rufus' side, grabbing his good arm with one hand. "Come on, Ruf," he said. "We're getting you out of here."

". . . I'm not going." The voice was small -- strangled.

Reno's green eyes widened in shock. "W-- what? Ruf, what was that? Why??"

Rufus met his horrified gaze, his blue eyes glazed with a sadness Reno had never ever seen before in his life. Such a hopeless, defeated look. . . It wasn't like Rufus Shinra. ". . . He's dead, Reno. . . He's dead."

"Reno!!" Elena screeched, holding two small grenades in her hands. She hurled them at the AVALANCHE members, forcing them from advancing on them. "Hurry up!"

Reno frowned, snapping his eyes on his tall friend. "Rude! Get Rufus in the car!" Rude nodded without hesitation, striding forward and gripping Rufus by the shoulders. The red-haired Turk watched as Rude picked up Rufus and carried him to the car, then spun to face AVALANCHE. He saw a familiar man standing among them for the first time. "Reeve!?!"

Reeve paled and shrunk back, hiding behind Cait Sith. "R-- Reno . . . oh, God. . .," he whispered, eyes wide with trepidation.

Oh, Reeve. . . You didn't. . .!! He shook his head in disbelief, unable to accept the fact that Reeve had betrayed them for the rebels. Reeve. . . They needed you. Damn it, you abandoned them. . . Flicking his black shades over his eyes, Reno allowed his anger to mold itself into a destructive strength he rarely released.

A red fountain of power exploded at his feet.

"Burning Circle!"

Everyone present watched in awe as red, electrical sparks shot from the ends of his nightstick, making it appear like someone's demented thought of a firecracker. Reno ignored the blazing embers that crackled from his weapon, spinning it in his right hand to his left side, then right side. Left. Right. Left. Right. It became a hypnotizing pattern, freezing everyone as they gazed on. Reno dashed forward suddenly, leaving a crimson blur in his wake as he rushed a target. As he closed in on his victim, Reno leapt up and thrust one flaming end of his nightstick into the midsection of his enemy. Then, with all the agility of a cat, he flipped backwards, right next to the car. The fire of his nightstick abruptly died out as he flicked his shades back into his hair.

Before the eyes of the AVALANCHE members, Cait Sith exploded in a burst of flame.

". . . Let's go, Turks."

Nodding grimly, Elena and Rude leapt into the car -- Rude in the driver's seat, Elena in the back. Reno strode into the passenger's seat, shutting the car door before nodding at Rude. The tall Turk stepped on the gas and they bulleted from the scene, leaving the stunned members of AVALANCHE in their dust. After a few moments, Reno gathered up the courage to look over in the back seat.

Rufus lay on the seats, his head cushioned in Elena's lap as he whispered in near-delirium. Tears streamed down his face, though his eyes were shut tightly.

"He's dead. . . He's dead, Reno. . . He's dead. . ."

He silently moved up the stairs of the high, towering structure, his gun clenched tightly in one hand. His eyes were everywhere, taking in every object that he saw as he climbed upward. The frown upon his face would not waver -- his thoughts were so intense.

No one would have believed that he, Vincent Valentine, had managed to sneak himself into the heart of Midgar. After leaving AVALANCHE in Junon two weeks ago, Vincent slowly made his way back to the plated city. He had been in the city for three days when Diamond Weapon attacked, kicking him into action. Something inside of him told him to go to the Sister Ray, and Vincent obeyed it; rarely were his instincts wrong.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Vincent came face to face with the one man -- no, monster -- he had joined AVALANCHE to meet up with. Grinding his teeth together, he rasped out, "Hojo."

The scientist spun, blinking his dark eyes at the red-cloaked man. Then, after realizing who stood before him, he threw back his head and laughed. "Valentine! Ah, you foolish Turk . . . I never thought I'd see you again!" he exclaimed. "Are you here to try to stop me?"

Vincent lifted his gun, getting the sickly-looking man in his sights. His eyes seemed to glow as he frowned. "That's exactly what I plan to do."

A confident smirk found its way to Hojo's face. "I am untouchable by your petty bullets." He pulled an empty vial out of his pocket and waved it through the air. "My newest formula . . . Mako and Jenova cells!" He giggled like the maniac that he was. "Do you understand what this means?!"

". . . You're no better than Jenova now," whispered Vincent, glaring angrily. "You've sold away your own soul, Hojo!!"

". . . . Perhaps. . .," shrugged Hojo, "but it was all in the name of science!!" He giggled as he bent over, arms wrapped around his chest. When he looked up again, his entire face was a pale green. His black eyes glowed with Mako.

Vincent took an involuntary step back, his shock getting the best of him. It must have been a large dose of Jenova cells. . . This is nothing like what Sephiroth went through. . . At least he looked human. Shaking his head, Vincent pulled back on his trigger, firing at the creature Hojo was quickly becoming. Just like Hojo had said, the bullet did nothing against his body. Tentacles shot out of Hojo's back, wrapped around Vincent's golden claw and pulling at it. Gritting his teeth, Vincent reached for the tentacle with his other arm, only to yell out as his skin burned at the touch. Acid. . . Forgetting the pain, Vincent again fired, blowing the horrid appendage away with one bullet.

"You're not as invincible as you thought!" he rasped, trying to remember which materia he had brought with him. Restore, Magic Plus, Gravity, Fire. . .

"A good scientist will admit when he's wrong," murmured Hojo, reaching into his tattered labcoat and pulling free two vials. He threw them to the ground, smoke rising as two plant-creatures grew from the containers. "I hope you don't mind me bringing out my little pets to play, Valentine. . ."

Vincent scrutinized the monsters for a moment. "Not at all. . . Fire 3!" His powerful fire spell incinerated one creature instantly, but left him open to the attack of the second. It practically flew at him, it vine-appendages wrapping around his neck and shoulders in an attempt to strangle him. He fell backwards, hitting the ground with a clatter of as metal met metal. As his breath escaped him, Vincent struck at the creature with his claw, watching green substance spew from Hojo's specimen at the attack. The red-caped man growled as he pulled the dead carcass off of him, wiping green from his face as he returned to his feet.

Hojo cackled, his eyes having shifted into a reptilian slit. A forked tongue shot from his mouth as he spoke. "Sssso much power!" he explained, raising clawed arms to the sky. His laughed remained the same despite his transformation, much to Vincent's displeasure. "Now I am like Ssssephiroth."

Vincent frowned at the mentioning of silver-haired menace. "Unfortunately, you may be right," he replied, again leveling his gun in Hojo's direction. Hojo only cackled, knowing there would be no way the bullets could hurt him. Inwardly, Vincent was slowly beginning to panic; he was nowhere near a Limit Break to hurt Hojo, and he doubted his magic would actually hurt the monster.

Abruptly, a whistling sound filled the air, ending with an explosion between the two that sent them reeling backwards -- Hojo towards the Sister Ray's controls and Vincent towards the stairs.

"Gya ha ha ha!!" came a familiar laugh, echoing through the area. The two fighters snapped their heads up in unison, staring as a hulking red giant hovered into view. "I've got you, Hojo! You'll pay for what you've done, you bastard!!"

Vincent blinked in surprise, aiming his gaze at Hojo as another missile zoomed at the man-monster. Hojo howled in fury as it met, gripping himself in agony. A hail of gunfire erupted forth, riddling Hojo with bloody holes. Black blood -- not red -- spilled from the horrendous wounds, making Vincent grimace in disgust.

"NO!" Hojo moaned, his tentacles flailing as he raised his gaze to the red giant. "You cannot do thissss to me!!"

Regaining his composure, Vincent holstered his gun. "You did this to yourself, Hojo," he said calmly, although his eyes betrayed so much emotion it was frightening to behold. "You did this to yourself twenty-eight years ago, when you began your insane plans." He ran forward, his cape a bloody shadow as he hurled himself at the mutated scientist before him. He lifted his left arm and--

". . . . . . . . For Lucrecia and her son."

Hojo gasped and struggled for breath, unable to speak as Vincent wrenched his claw from the scientist's stomach. The red-eyed man stared at the black that dripped from his mechanical appendage. "Ironic, isn't it?" he queried. "You curse me with this arm . . . and with it, I end your life."

His only answer was Hojo's last gurgling breath, then a thud as his corpse hit the ground.

". . . . You are an AVALANCHE member, aren't you?"

Vincent turned, looking upward as a familiar figure stepped onto the hand of the machine that had saved his life. "Heidegger of Shinra," Vincent murmured.

Heidegger nodded, frowning down at him. "I should kill you for opposing Shinra Incorporated for so long, but the company has collapsed. There's no reason now."

That was certainly a surprise; intelligence didn't seem like something the man dressed in green fatigues would have. "What are you planning to do?" There was no harm in actually asking.

". . . . I don't know, but someone will have to tell Rufus that Cloud is dead."

The ex-Turk was unable to hide his shock. "Cloud Shinra is dead?"

Heidegger let out a weary sigh. "That damned Weapon killed him. We are evacuating the city; Meteor's destination appears to be Midgar."

"You would take the time to evacuate the city? I have heard that you dropped a whole sector plate to get rid of AVALANCHE. . ."

A frosty glare was his reward. "We are not completely heartless. Perhaps extreme, but not heartless." His dark brown eyes trailed over to the computer panel. "The Sister Ray must be destroyed. I won't feel safe until that thing is demolished."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

The former Head of Peace Preservation smirked. "The Proud Clod has enough firepower to take destroy five floors of the Shinra Building. I think it can handle the Sister Ray." He turned to reenter the machine. ". . . Come along. I'll get you out of Midgar after this."

Vincent hesitantly took a few steps toward the Proud Clod, then said, "My name is Vincent Valentine. I was part of AVALANCHE until they branded me a traitor."

If he heard his last statement, Heidegger didn't acknowledge it. "Valentine, eh?" he queried. "Any relationship to the Turk?"

". . . . . I am that Vincent Valentine." His voice was barely a whisper, unheard by any but Vincent.

Closing his eyes, the dark-haired man leapt up into the awaiting hand of the Proud Clod and followed the former Shinra employee inside. His sins had been atoned for with the death of Hojo. It was now time to put the past behind him and head into the future.

A bright future, hopefully.

A week passed after the destruction of Shinra Incorporated before Meteor struck.

It destroyed the entire city, leaving smoking ruins in its wake.

However, the blue streams of the Lifestream, along with unknown, green streams, rose from all around the Planet, saving the rest of the world from the same fate that had befallen Midgar. It would later be told that the last Cetra, Aeris Gainsborough, had prayed for Holy -- the magic that allowed the green magic to join with the Lifestream and save the Planet. Soon after that, the members of the rebellion known as AVALANCHE landed in Junon, their airship in horrible condition. They told of their journey to the Northern Crater and down into its depths, where they confronted the monstrous Sephiroth and saved the world by defeating him. They told of their narrow escape, barely escaping the erupting caverns with their lives.

The general populace of the world opened their arms to AVALANCHE, praising them as the heroes sent to deliver them from the chaos created by Shinra Incorporated and the menace named Sephiroth. No one would mourn the losses of Shinra -- its former President, its Vice President, its Leader of the Turks. No one would miss the plated city of Midgar, which had been titled "Capital of the World." No one would miss the Shinra executives that had disappeared off the face of the Planet right before the landing of Meteor.

No one would miss Shinra Incorporated.

On to Epilogue.

Back to Rufus and Cloud.