Bright blue eyes looked out the window, even if darkness was all that could be seen. Wearing white slacks and a black turtle neck sweater, he spent the majority of the last three days doing the same thing. Reaching his hand up and flipping a tendril of blonde hair from his eyes he sighed. How stupid he felt for getting himself caught by The Wolves. A sad disgrace of a terrorist group, that of which only made him feel worse for being caught by such imbeciles. Looking down he stroked the small creature which lay in his lap. It, like he, hadn't moved much either, since he'd arrived any way. Though the worst thing about being caught wasn't that he was stuck in a room with god knows how many thugs outside just wishing he was dead, but rather the fact that the Turks, his friends, were planning to come and get him out. There was no question about it. No more was it their duty to protect him, but rather their will as friends. The male shook his head and closed his eyes, how things had changed, his father's brainwashing had been wiped clean after an encounter of death. Even he didn't know how he'd survived such, but what an impact it made. He didn't care how he had survived, but only that he had.
His thoughts were interrupted and he opened his eyes, a gruff voice spoke, then the sound of the door to his confinement being thrown open and banging off the wall.
"Hey pretty boy, here's a room mate for ya, she's a spunky one, I'd watch out if I were you." yelled the fiend.
Thud. Slam. Click.
The sounds of the body hitting the floor, the door closing and then being locked. The blonde just shook his head, not saying anything, then looked at the figure on the ground as it started to move.
"Ugh.. whet mwe oft! argh!" the figure sat up and looked around. Darkness, except a little light coming in from the moon though the window. She squinted harder, a figure? She saw blue eyes looking back at her, glowing a little. Mako? "Ugnn?" she tried to speak, but couldn't.
Finally deciding to move, the male lay the creature which was in his lap onto the floor, then scooted himself over to the figure. He could make out the figure rather well, from sitting on the dark his eyes were used to the near to nothing light.
"Hmm... now you my dear are one person I never expected to see while I was in here.." sighed a voice void of expression.
Before him sat a female, she wore a pair of denim shorts, and a white tank top. Long hair flowed down her back, chocolate brown in color he recalled. As well as a pair of reddish brown eyes, which he was sure would be surprised to find out who her roommate was. Her feet and hands were bound by rope, and a gag was in her mouth. Untying the rope around her wrists, the blonde got up and returned to his place at the window, the creature crawling back into his lap.
The female took the gag from her mouth and coughed, "finally, take your time why don't you!"
".. Don't mention it.." the male answered, as he watched the woman hatefully untie the rope around her ankles, obviously quite frustrated and annoyed.
Surprised by the voice, the female rose and walked over the where he sat to get a better look. "...Shinra...?"
"The one and only.. Lockheart." replied Rufus with emphasis on tagging on the last of his words. Though he sat looking out the window and she could not see his scowl at her reference to him.
"Tifa," she corrected in an annoying tone.
"Rufus," he stated simply in reply, he saw her realization of his point through the reflection in the window, he smirked at the sight.
"Fine," the brunette replied, "I heard rumors you were alive but I... well I guess I couldn't really believe such until now." Tifa said as she leaned back.
"So they got you too, huh?" Lockheart questioned, trying to ease some of the tension, even if she had caused most of it.
"Obviously. Though I'm definitely surprised to see you of all AVALANCHE members to be brought in. You're the last person I would've expected." Rufus explained, finally turning to look at her.
"Other than Vincent, yea I have to agree with that statement. You've changed Rufus," stated Tifa bluntly as she looked away, half embarrassed by her confession, not to mention less vicious mood change.
"Shaking hands with death seems to do such to you. The same to you, you haven't tried to rip my head off." Rufus grinned, then let it fade as he looked back out the window. "So will Strife be coming to save you?"
"Why do you ask that!?" Tifa snapped.
This caught Rufus' attention, "Isn't Mr. Hero always supposed to save the day?"
"I don't know where he is, and he doesn't know where I am," she stated with indifference as she averted her eyes from his gaze.
Rufus observed as Tifa took a sudden interest in the end of her hair," Hmm.. so you've been alone all this time?"
"I wouldn't say that. Vincent showed up a few months ago, he's been staying with me, helping me out with my new bar in Kalm.." The brunette looked up, "so what about you Rufus, where have you been all this time?" She was surprised at herself, trying to start conversation with the so dubbed ‘enemy.' Or perhaps she was just starting to mature more, even if she did think such was impossible previously. Her attention snapped back to the man before her as he spoke.
"With the Turks.. as you know them any way. And a new friend named Karia. Yet, if my instincts are right, Vincent will be joining with them, and they'll be coming here to save our sorry asses..." Rufus explained with little expression.
"How do you know? You seem almost sad about such," Tifa questioned with wonder.
"I know, because I know my Turks. Vincent used to be one of them, and I'm sure his loyalty still stands, now that Shinra itself is gone. They'll come, because they give a damn. And that's why I'm not so happy about it, I don't want anything happening to them." Rufus started to pat the creature in his lap again.
"I see your point.... you really... have changed, Rufus." Tifa commented, then froze as she saw something move in Rufus' lap. "Uh.... don't take this the wrong way but um.... what's moving in your lap....?"
"A kitten... well... sort of.." Rufus lifted the creature out of his lap and set it on the windowsill, " she's a monster really, but can be trained much like a house cat. She's the same breed that my old pet was, Dark Nation. I'm not sure where she came from, was in this room when I got here."
The kitten moved closer to Tifa and started to purr, she could now see the kitten was black in color, and it's green eyes shone brightly.
The eyes from the kitten reminded her of Rufus' mako eyes. "I was wondering Rufus.. I know that Turks, and those in SOLDIER, are branded with glowing eyes, due to the mako.. Yours do too though, why's that?"
"Father's idea.. the mako makes you stronger, he wanted a perfect heir, so I was injected with mako as well. Any way.. right now she looks like a regular feline" explained Rufus as he changed subjects back to the prior, and patted the creature, "although look closely and you'll see the beginning of the tentacles and such. Very elegant creatures. They grow to about the size of your felinic friend.. I can't recall his name, my apologies."
"Nanaki, or RedXIII.." Tifa stated. "I still can't get over how much you've changed Rufus... it's, odd. But good." Tifa mentally cringed at her amazingly chummy talk with someone she should be wanting to kill.
"Oh you think? Muhahaha, I shall take over the world with fear!! And with a full troop of Turks like this, and no Sephiroth, it shall all be mine!" he laughed.
Tifa rose and backed away, ".. Rufus..?"
"Tifa, I'm kidding, don't be so up tight.." he quieted back down, grabbing the creature with him. Content with his self made amusement he smirked. "You should help me with something.."
"Rufus you know I ca--" Tifa was interrupted.
"Help me name the kitten.." Rufus stated blandly, somewhat like an order, as he flipped his hair out of his face.
"Oh.." Tifa shifted, her face slightly blushed. "Well... how about.. Riane?"
Rufus smiled and passed the kitten to Tifa, "perfect.