A New Era for Shinra!

Indie RP blog of Rufus Shinra from the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series!

[axnewxera]

"You're a SOLDIER, aren't you? Which, of course, would mean that I own you."

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[accala]

It astounds me the loyalty the Turks have for Rufus Shinra and the Shinra corporation. I know that Rufus saved the remaining Turks from execution, which lead to their loyalty to Rufus, but what made them stay in Before Crisis? What made the remaining Turks (Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Cissnei) decide not to desert along with the rest of the Turks (aka fake their deaths)? Tseng was still clearly loyal to their department considering he faked the other Turks' deaths, but was it Rufus alone that made them stay? What backstories did they have that would explain their choice of occupation? Why did the Turks stay with Rufus to rebuild Shinra in Advent Children when Shinra was clearly a shell of its former glory? (and I imagine they weren't getting paid as much as before)

I do hope Square Enix gives us more stories about them and their motivations.

[axnewxera]

// Sorry I fell off the grid again

As I sort of spelled out in my last post, I've been going through some life-shattering rough times in the last few months. I'm slowly getting back on my feet, but I'm still not in a great place. I owe a lot of replies and I'm sorry for that. My mental health has just been... oof.

But, with that said, HOW AMAZING IS THAT REVELATION TRAILER???? THE HYPE IS REAL

[axnewxera]

// I'm REALLY starting to feel hopeless and I have nowhere else to vent so, I'm sorry, gonna trauma dump a little bit

For 7 years, I had a supervisor job working with kids that I was REALLY passionate about. I loved it, I found a LOT of value and purpose in it, and it kept me going. My entire social life revolved around that job as well. A few months ago, in January, I unexpectedly got fired from that job due to petty office politics and power plays.

I lost my meaning of life, my friend group, AND my insurance - which means I no longer could get therapy or meds for my depression or anxiety. I also don't currently have a car and was Ubering to work, so without income to pay for Ubers, my options for a job are limited to places within walking distance from my house until I can get a car on the road. I've applied to a few places, but haven't heard back from anyone. I'm about to start settling for gas stations and fast food places if I need to. Whatever job I do land next, I NEED to get myself a friend group and a life outside of that job. At my last job, I put ALL my eggs in that basket and I can't do that to myself anymore.

I had a little bit of savings to get by on, and I applied and got approved for food stamps so that helped. But I'm at a point now where I'm about to lose my food stamps because I haven't worked in three months (which is apparently some new rule they implemented recently), my bank account is overdrawn, my phone is about to get turned off because I can't pay the bill (though I guess all I'm losing there is the 40,000 phone calls I get from bill collectors every hour) and I don't know what I can do.

I recently got approved for Medicaid, it went into affect on 4/1... and I've fought myself every day since to call my old therapy/meds place and make an appointment with them. My depression fog finally lifted enough to do it today, but they can't see me until fucking JUNE. It's mid-April now.

I can't do this. I thought if I could at least get a handle on my depression and get meds again, it would lift the fog and make everything else easier to deal with. I even just now called 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and they were absolutely NO help.

My life is HOPELESS right now. I have no money, no job, I'm about to have no phone and no food stamps, and I'm so depressed I can't even get out of bed and I have to battle myself for 16 days just to make a phone call. Though, soon that won't be an issue because I won't have a phone to call with. Or food to, y'know, survive.

FUCK EVERYTHING

[signspin]

me on the dash every 5 minutes:

[bewitchedmuses]

The corners of his lips curl up in a sly grin and he steps forward until his chest is right against the barrel of Rufus's shotgun. "Do it, go ahead and pull that trigger if it'll make you feel better. But you can't kill me. Not you, not every SOLDIER under your command." Sephiroth told him calmly.

"I have no personal vendetta against you Rufus, you had no hand in my suffering. I would take no pleasure in killing you, if you want to save the company so you can run it I'd be willing to talk with you." He stated and tilted his head, curiously if the new president would consider it. Though he could understand the negative emotions, the former first class was basically a one man army that has waged war against the company and killed Rufus's father.

[axnewxera]

Rufus kept his steely exterior, hardly believing anything that was coming out of Sephiroth's mouth. The murder of President Shinra, surprisingly, only helped Rufus's schemes and moved up his timetable... but the man was hardly his ally.

"From what I can gather, your intent is to destroy all of humanity," he said coolly. "How do I run a company after you've murdered all its employees and the commonfolk we watch over?"

[fatumimpera]

Cloud felt like he had jinxed himself when the Vice President decided to make a beeline towards him. He had hoped that the other male would simply ignore him, but lady luck was never on his side. He should've really known better by now.

He had been worried that there were Turks lurking in the shadows – even if he hadn't detected any, but was quietly relieved when it turned out that the Vice President was out on his own. It was a risky move, but the Rufus he knew from his own timeline had never been one to play it safe, so it made sense.

Cloud would also bet that the other had a weapon hidden on him somewhere.

"None of your business," he replied, a rather reflexive response. The answer was more complicated than one would assume, though Cloud supposed there wasn't much harm in telling Rufus his name, even if it made him wary.

"... name's Cloud Strife."

The Vice President could be a powerful ally, but also one that could turn against him if things didn't align the way he wanted. Cloud knew he had to be careful, even if he found Rufus to generally be more pleasant than the current President.

"Should you be out here on your own?" not to say that he was worried or thought Rufus couldn't handle himself to an extend, but many people likely wanted him dead – and if Rufus died, then who would be in line to take over ShinRa?

... Would it be Heidegger? Scarlet? Hojo?

Yeah, no thanks. Cloud would sooner get rid of them himself before such a thing could ever happened.

[axnewxera]

Rufus couldn't help but chuckle as the stranger gave a dismissive retort, but then told him his name anyway. Maybe not an assassin, then, but clearly not someone thrilled to be spotted by Shinra's VP... and not afraid to show it.

"Worried about me?" Rufus asked with a smirk in response to Cloud's question, giving a soft shrug. "I'd ask the same of you, Cloud Strife. You're a long way from your leash. Seems like we both need a chaperone, hm?"

[axnewxera]

@therapardalis

Continued from this post!

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's because you can't think of twenty minutes' worth of reasons."

[axnewxera]

"So ... about my working holiday in Costa Del Sol ..."

"Prepare a 20-minute presentation on how it would increase your productivity in the long term, and then throw out that presentation. I'll see you in the morning."

[phantomyre]

The sound of old systems and computers buzzed and bleeped within the security room; the monitors flickering in and out on occasion. One of the men monitoring the systems was fumbling with the camera settings that had been taken out, cussing a few words here and there. Just as he was about to get up and check on the cameras himself, the camera began working again. Thinking all was well, he happily sat back down to finish his Midgar Special sandwich. Unbeknownst to him, someone had hacked his system. "Aha! There! That oughta keep things nice and snod. Now where in the blazes did those troops scurry off to?" Cait Sith jumped off the moogle and darted off to another monitor to see if he could recover some of the downed cameras. Much to his dismay, they no longer worked. "No, no, not now old lassie. We've got to warn Vincent!" After a desperate attempt and nearly smashing the computer with his small doll fists, the screen started working again. It caught a glimpse of the chamber Vincent was supposed to enter, but it was empty. Something was wrong. He was only able to salvage some of the recordings but what he saw were strange soldiers in glowing mako suits, carrying something and then several clips later, the camera went static. No sign of Vincent anywhere. Cait's ears went down as dread filled his core. "Was... was that... D-D....Deepground?!" His white gloved hands clasped his muzzle in shock. "They must have gotten Vincent." Frantically, he hacked into the code once more to connect with the chamber he knew Barret and Tifa were being kept. Surely, that's where they were taking Vincent as well. The camera flickered on. But... something was dreadfully wrong. They were both gone. "Whaaa--?!" A frustrated fist suddenly slammed down onto an office table, causing several coworkers to look up from their cubicles. Reeve looked up apologetically, realizing what he had done and rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh uh, sorry. It was uh-- just a mosquito." ------------

As with any dungeon, the room was dingy and cold, assisted by the fact that both the bed, walls and flooring were all made of metal. Several soldiers lined the walls-- Deepground soldiers. Vincent had never seen such types of soldiers before. Had Shinra created a new secret militia? Though he knew nothing of them, one thing was for sure. They were a lot stronger and had much higher tech than the main SOLDIERs. All had their guns trained on Vincent, serving the man in the large white trench coat. Scanning the room for a moment, Vincent sat up on his arm, clasping his head as a rush of dizziness came over him. Whatever that gas was, it had left a burning sensation in his chest. Possibly altered mako fumes. The gunslinger remained silent. Rufus would allow him to go free on one condition... of course. Rufus had learned much from his father when it came to negotiations. Shifting his position, he sat up and allowed his legs to move off the side of the bed, facing Rufus more fully; his eyes trained on Rufus with the usual skepticism of one well versed in Shinra's ways. "Say on, then."

@axnewxera

[axnewxera]

Rufus took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he cleared his head. There was a lot that could be said... but where to start?

"That day, at the Northern Crater... It's safe to say my priorities have changed," he said coolly. "I am about to have my hands full with those creatures that Sephiroth awakened. There's no avoiding that. Shinra is the only force on the planet with the firepower to combat those things."

He stood from his chair, beginning to pace the room.

"Whatever is going on with your friend, Cloud Strife, is clearly of vital importance to the planet. Between you and I, I have no intention to actually execute your friends. Cloud needs to be drawn out, and broken out of whatever spell Sephiroth has on him. If that means I play the part of the villain to make it happen, it's a price I am willing to pay. While I take on WEAPON, you and your friends get your shit together and go for Sephiroth... with our resources to help you, of course."

[hoshinierabareshimono]

"Sure," Cloud deadpanned. "They're such a pain for you to deal with too. Your former company hero turned into a real PR hazard and your favorite scientist's way too motivated about his research and keeps running out of test subjects. But why replace him when he's still useful to you, right?"

[axnewxera]

Rufus sighed. Hojo was... a complicated matter, to be sure. But Rufus was certain that firing the man was only going to cause more problems than solutions. Everything that was happening, it was clear Hojo had at least some part in it all. The closer he kept Hojo, the more Rufus had access to answers. He could kill Hojo as soon as he got what he needed out of him.

"Leave the business decisions to me," he chose to say instead, flicking back some strands of his hair out of his face. "Unlike previous leadership, I know how to swallow my pride and keep better minds than my own around. My results will speak for themselves, in time. I don't have the option of running from my past and becoming a mercenary."

[axnewxera]

@blacksuit-gai153

Continued from this post!

“Operational, then,” Rufus nodded with a small smile. “I like to think the team puts on their best behavior when I’m present. I can only imagine the torment they put each other through without the boss around. Keep up the good work, Cissnei.”

[soulsfractured]

@axnewxera cont from here

"Stuck in three meetings, at least two dozen email and paperwork responses." As if he isn't standing there with two fresh coffees, as he lists his work. "And the line for coffee was quite long, they had a rush. This is yours. Fresh pot."

[axnewxera]

"I guess I can forgive you," Rufus smiled, reaching for the coffee. Ever since he took over the company, a lot of extra responsibilities had been placed on Tseng. But if anyone could handle it - more than the cackling lunatics the former President Shinra trusted - it was Tseng. "Anything I need to know from those meetings and emails?"

[axnewxera]

@bewitchedmuses

Continued from this post!

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't after all you've done."

Rufus pulled out his shotgun, pointing it directly at Sephiroth.

[fatumimpera]

@axnewxera liked ♡ for a starter

Cloud cursed under his breath as he ducked behind a wall, despite knowing it was likely a futile manoeuvre. He hadn't meant to lock eyes with Rufus, but he also hadn't expected to see the current Vice President down in the slums.

Sure, the guy had put on a decent disguise, but he was more than easy for Cloud to recognise; considering that he had met with the man more than he'd sometimes have liked back in his own time.

Cloud could only hope that Rufus would ignore him, but considering the fact that he was an unknown entity with mako-bright eyes, Cloud honestly doubted it. He also wasn't wearing a SOLDIER uniform, which would likely flag him as a threat instead.

Now the question was: how was he going to deal with it? Rufus could be a powerful ally, but also an unpredictable one.

He'd just have to wing it, based on how the Vice President reacted.

[axnewxera]

The great President Shinra. Always pampered and sitting in his comfortable office in the sky, never bothered to mingle with the commonfolk unless it was to satisfy his urges at the Honeybee Inn. It was a tale as old as time, so Rufus was confident that no one would expect to see the Vice President out and about.

He was unguarded, wearing a navy t-shirt and jeans. Never one to go anywhere without some kind of security, he had a small handgun tucked into the waistline of his jeans. He felt so... plain, the lack of belts and skirts on his outfit feeling noticeably less flowy. Commonfolk were so dull.

It was important, Rufus felt, to gather intel. Get a sense of the culture of the people he was destined to rule over. Oversee operations on a more local level throughout Midgar. He learned a lot, and had certainly seen a far different side of Shinra's workings undercover than he would from a bunch of "yes sir"s.

Eventually, the unmistakable glow of Mako caught Rufus's eyes. The man looked vaguely familiar, but wasn't wearing any kind of SOLDIER or Shinra gear. Either this man was undercover like him, which would be much harder with those glowing eyes... or perhaps some kind of traitor out to assassinate the Vice President.

He made his way over to the man, locking his eyes with the stranger's as he walked. It wasn't until he was a mere inches away from the possible assassin that he finally spoke, his hand ready to pull out his pistol at a moment's notice if the need arose.

"Who are you?"

[axnewxera]

Sephiroth: "You've finally found me, but you won't be able to drag me back."

"Quite bold of you to assume I have any intention of bringing you back."

[axnewxera]

@turkishgcld

Well... this was annoying.

Even under lock and key at the second biggest Shinra fortress on the planet, Vice President Rufus had been kidnapped by... well, some group or another.

It had all happened so quickly. He was on his way to inspect a weapons facility - under guard, no less - and suddenly found himself in the back of a truck heading who knows where.

He was blindfolded, his arms bound in front of him, but the Vice President still refused to show any fear. No, he wouldn't give these people the satisfaction of breaking him. He sat, his legs crossed, in the back of the truck, his posture still immaculate. There was dignity to be found even in situations such as these.

"...You do realize, of course, what a spectacularly idiotic idea this is?" Rufus muttered. Truthfully, he wasn't even sure if anyone could hear him. If there was anyone in the back with him, they were being extremely quiet. "What you're doing here is waging war. On the largest military on the planet. Let's see how that turns out."

Rufus was so used to putting on a brave face that he wasn't sure anymore if there even was any actual fear for him to show. The Vice President was incredibly confident in his own abilities, and was sure he would find some means of escape eventually. But beyond that... he had utmost faith in his people. The finest agents in any agency had his back. There was no scenario his agents weren't trained and prepared for. He would be out of this mess by dinner.