One's Love, One's Pity
By: Bishojo Beauty
Prologue
Pain was the only word to describe the moment. Rufus Shinra laid, sprawled, over the concrete floor. Or what felt like the remains of the Shinra Building. He dared to crack an eye open. What he saw was amazing. The top floors of the Shinra Building was completely blown off as he looked at if from below. From below? Suddenly the idea struck that he had fallen some 60 floors? And survived? Voices rang in his head. He was being lifted by unfamiliar hands. His back ached, his head ached, every part of him ached. It felt as if his skin was torn from him. Literally. The voices became clearer and clearer. He soon made out that the voice that belonged to the person dragging him along was female?
"Damnit, why can't you walk? God, you try to kill me and here I am helping you, saving your life, and you don't even want to show your thanks by helping and walking?" The feminine voice continued to babble on as Rufus was being dragged along. Rufus tried to speak just to shut this person up, but when he went to, he found his lips numb, unmovable. The rest of his body followed. Then came darkness.
The next thing he knew he felt gentle hands, and cooling water working at his burns and cuts. He reached over and grabbed the wrist of this stranger. He peeled the lids of his eyes open, and waited for his vision to clear and focus onto a beautiful brunette with crimson eyes, dressed in a skimpy outfit. She was extremely familiar.
"I've seen you from somewhere," Rufus finally spoke. He looked directly into her eyes, boring into her very soul. Something he worked up to...daunt his employees. He watched the girl squirm as he continued to glare at her.
"Yes...we have met before. Under odd circumstances...," She finally said. Rufus raised one eyebrow, questioning her response. Rufus nodded once. Glancing around the room, it seemed quite nice and cozy. He guessed it to be somewhere in a small town.
"What happened to Midgar?" Rufus questioned, breaking the silence. He looked out the window. The sky was visible. This was not any part of Midgar.
"It was destroyed by Meteor," the girl looked down at the ground. Afraid this news might make the former president go insane. But to her relief, he only nodded in acceptance.
"Um...are you hungry?" She asked. Rufus glanced at her and then turned back the window.
"Not really," Rufus mentally slapped himself after he answered her for giving her such a dumb response. Not really. Hah. Maybe he had relaxed a bit since his father died. No more shouting, beating, nothing.
"I'm Tifa Lockheart, and I think you are...Rufus Shinra? Correct?" Tifa questioned. Tifa was her name. Tifa Lockheart of AVALANCHE.
"Yes, Rufus. Why did you help me?" He asked her. She just looked at him for a long time. After a long while, Tifa broke off and went to the kitchen. Rufus could hear her preparing some food. Rufus took that time to stretch out. Or at least try to stretch out. He found it difficult to move. He looked down and realized that practically all of his body was bandaged. But, he ignored the pain and continued to walk around. He stopped at the window and placed his hand against the cooling glass. The chilling sensation vibrated through his body from his fingertips. Fire. It burned inside him. He remembered now. The bright flash. And the burning. The hellish fire engulfing his body whole. No...I couldn't of had lived through that... Rufus Shinra looked deep into the reflection on the glass window. Something was wrong. Something was different. My eyes... His eyes were...red.