Safety

Disclaimer: Hey...news flash, its not mine!

A/N: Another Rufus Drabble, hope everyone likes it.

Life isn't the same without it. Society is based on safety, on the ability of society, of the mass of sheep protecting against the wolves. It's the reason law enforcement exists to protect the many who can't defend themselves.

People without safety are afraid, forever wary and on edge. Prone to violence, predisposed to eventual revolt.

But Rufus ShinRa did not believe mere sheep capable of such things. Of such strength. Only the wolves deserved to lead, those who could instill fear within others.

It proved people thought more of him than a mere spoiled brat. It meant everyone would know about his ruthlessness, his genius.

His father had certainly done well in the vein he'd chosen. The world was mostly sated, money was plentiful. The sheep were fat and well fed.

Rufus longed for something different, new. He had passed days feeling the curious wanderlust, the desire to go somewhere he had never been before, see what he had never seen. To create his own reality.

So he planned, waited for the day he could instill fear within the masses. He'd been thankful when Sephiroth had killed his father, he'd been thankful when AVALANCHE had destroyed so many of his father's reactors. It had been an excuse to instill martial law. For him to finally take the wheel.

It was only later he became resentful. People feared Sephiroth, feared AVALANCHE, feared the strength of Cloud Strife – no matter how grateful they were to him. No one feared ShinRa, feared Rufus.

They resented him, what he stood for. Resented his arrogance. Who was he to decide who were wolves and who were sheep?

Suddenly, not only was he not feared but even the quiet, content respect of his father's regime no longer existed. Safety was no longer his, the future no longer sure.

For the first time in his life Rufus knew the fear of those who no longer hold ultimate power. To be a sheep.

Nothing could have been more intolerable, nothing more terrifying. So Rufus would grasp at any chance to reclaim his power, no matter what the risk. He would bandy words with Cloud Strife, knowing the man could split him and his bodyguards in two without effort.

He would hold on to even Jenova's head for power. Harnessing her would return him to his former glory, ultimate power would once again be his. Even if every other attempt had failed.

It was his last chance.

Even Rufus knew there would never be another supersoldier, the glory of Sephiroth and Cloud Strife destined to become the stuff of legend. Days never to return.

ShinRa's glory days. Gone. ShinRa itself? Scorned.

The ingratitude of those who it had made rich, those who owed ShinRa everything, infuriated Rufus. Even if it had been them who had made him something.

Even if Rufus had never been forced to rely wholly on himself, had always had someone else to lean on. To be his safety net.

Rufus had never truly been a wolf. He'd never stood on his own, never fought in the frontlines. Never had to choose between his dignity and his life.

Had always been able to stand a safe distance away, even in combat he had backup, a bodyguard, safety.

Rufus ShinRa might not have been a wolf, but he swore to himself that he would never be a sheep.

Never.

As if he was still all-powerful. As if he had a choice.

A/N: Review. Its the only reason I post the damn things. So review. Please.