Mrs. Shinra, Rufusâ mother. Younger in age than her ruthless business prowess suggested, with premature frown lines and back straight as a board. Impeccable fashion sense all in monochrome colours, but a resting expression of light disdain. Despite the era, surrounded by grey men of her fatherâs generation, nobody - nobody - ever dared tell Ida Shinra that sheâd be âprettier if she smiledâ.
âMadamâ, as she became known around HQ, owned two Blood Tastes - genetic variants of a hound type traditionally bred to attack rather than guard. But she tamed them well, and they adored her, following her everywhere and intimidating lesser members of her board and coworkers. Shinra himself would never tell, but they intimidated him too - and the petty gossip of the day hinted that Ida preferred to sleep with her dogs rather than her husband.
Both entire males, they protected her and aided her image for five years before both died in the same accident that killed their owner. Rufus remembers them with fondness⌠which is more than can be said for his mother.
Allusions to Ida and her dogs can be found in the last doujin I did.