A tale of two brothers (Rufus & Rikelus past)

There's a saying in Cosmo Canyon that's where she's from anyway but that's beside the point and another story all together....

Bughenhagen spoke about a battle that rages inside every man between the two wolves inside us. One was evil, twisted with anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, greed, resentment, and ego.  The other wolf was good and was joyous, peaceful, hopeful, serene, kind, benevolent, truthful, compassionate and faithful. The trick was that you had to feed both wolves because everyone needed a little bit of both to survive. If you fed just one wolf he'd consume the other. 

He remembered back to the day when they were kids that Rufus first begun to hate their father. He had been about 13 at that time and Rufus was 8. In one of the numerous rooms of the building he had spent many hours of his time sat at a piano, eyes scanning the music in front of him and his fingers tracing out the melody on the keys, just as he had been taught. On one such day, his father had walked in, surrounded, as always, by a swarm of SOLDIER's.

"Rufus, your teacher says you haven't been to your lessons these past two days." Winston ShinRa spoke to the by condescending with a large cigar flopping in his mouth. Rufus stopped playing and looked up unable to concentrate on the melody and answer the imposing man at the same time.  "I'm practising. There's a competition. If I play well I could win! I will win! The ShinRas do everything they put their minds to!" He had smiled in his childish enthusiasm, and just for a moment, the president had smiled back. Then the expression fell from his father's face to be replaced only by indifference.

"Admirable, but you need to learn your lessons. The history of our great empire, and how to look after it when the time comes, are not lessons that should be neglected. You are Rufus Shinra. Your place is not playing the piano for a living. You know what happens when you disobey." He snapped his fingers and the azure haired half-brother was cast onto the ground and Winston began beating him senseless with his oversized belt. " He had raised an eyebrow at the dismay on Rufus' young face as he continued to inflict physical punishment on the other sun. That's what he did when either one of them made a mistake there was always someone that paid the price.  

"The piano lessons were a gift, boy for your mother's amusement.  It was a mistake to presume to take it this far and a price must be paid for all mistakes. Your brother *can't* pay for all your mistakes in this life." The president had given a light-hearted laugh and waved a hand at his son to stand and follow him.

"What? Where are we going, father?" His father had ignored him, instead signaling to the SOLDIER's. "Burn it you always were the stronger one maybe one of you will kill the other like Cain killed Abel and I'll have a son I can be proud of." He said flatly, indicating the piano tossing Rikelus a zippo lighter. The boy flipped open the top of the zippo lighter striking down on the wheel lighting it.

Those glowing crimson red eyes complemented the flame and he looked towards the blonde haired brother listening to his pleas "No..." Rufus had gone pale at his father's intention. "No! You can't!" He rushed at the man, but two of the SOLDIER's had held him fast and Rikelus closed the lighter tossing it back to the old man. "NO I won't." He pushed one of the SOLDIERs out of the way and delivered a punch that to the other's stomach that caused him to bend over and he pushed him down onto the ground. It was an admirable attempt which caught Winston's eye causing him to take notice before he pointed at the boy saying, "Well looks like one of you has grown some balls take him down with that damned piano and burn it deliver the boy to the military academy."  

Rikelus had been dragged away, yelling, down to the ground floor and out onto a small patch of waste ground. His father had appeared again before they had time to set the wooden frame of the piano alight. "So boy, think of this as one of life's little lessons, hmm? If you insist on protecting people you have to suffer the consequences of your actions. Mistakes will not be tolerated, not even those with honorable intentions behind them." He had smiled smugly as Rikelus struggled again to free himself, desperately wanting to wipe that smile from his father's face. "You see this place isn't yours anymore your mother's brother joined the rebels in Wutai. Therefore, I can't be associated with you anymore-you understand right? This is the last lesson I'll treat to you boy and make sure you watch it."

  The president had remarked on leaving. "Hold his head in place, if necessary, and if he shuts his eyes..." He shrugged indifferently looking to the SOLDIER and a young Turk who seemed slightly disturbed by what was actually going to occur.. "Veld--You'll think of something, I'm sure." Veld reluctantly grabbed onto the boy holding him in place as the SOLDIER walked forward soaking it with gasoline; he used Rikelus's hand to strike the hammer on the wheel again illuminating the zippo with the flame. The SOLDIER tossed it onto the piano lighting it on fire and there was anger that burned inside the azure haired man now.

He recalled fixing a 1/35^th SOLDIER for Rufus with glue after he broke it for the 14^th time and he wouldn't know it but after he watched what happened he snapped that figurine for the last time.  He wanted nothing to do with SOLDIER at this point and the Turk leaned down speaking to the anger filled azure boy who watched as Rufus's dreams went up in flames. Rufus watched idly through the window still and silently filling disgust for his father. The beautiful instrument was reduced to charred scraps and both brothers understood the full consequences of what they'd done.

~~~~

Eight years later Rufus and his Halfling brother met with eyes wide open to ShinRa's cruelty amidst a huge crowd of people; their empty chatter rang through his ears. He also discovered a crystal wine-glass held between his fingers, filled to the brim in the luscious, purple drink. Rufus beheld this festive pandemonium in silent awe: the people had no faces, just grey shades smudged onto their obscure visage; ghosts of no substance, loud and chaotic. They were dressed in the best fashion, men in smart suits like himself, ladies in elegant dresses. They never ceased talking but that didn't matter to him.

He knew not where he was. He recognized no one. The place appeared to be some grand ballroom, amidst some sort of party. He drifted amongst these strangers, nodding here, smiling there. Clever wit to prove one's worth; speech intended to impress, with a confident sweep back through the hair. It's form that counts, not content. Despite his estrangement to social outings, he fitted in perfectly. He belonged among these silly spirits. Yet while part of his being haughtily dictated the proper actions, another half seemes to observe him from afar, invisible but still detectable. He didn't find this torn feeling new at all.

"Now then, Mr.Rufus," suddenly called a merry voice from behind, "Enjoying the banquet, I hope? It's not every day you drop by from busy Junon to see us did you come for the graduation ceremony?"

Rufus turned around to face a short, corpulent old man. Though his flabby face had been blotted over by a cloudy haze, this stranger bore an appearance of prominent importance, from his impressive suit up to his filthy cigar. "I didn't come for the graduation ceremony." 

The man strained Rufus' eyes into a sour, cold gaze, but they shifted towards a piano sitting there in the corner and he turned to the short man and he focused on the ivory keys taking a seat and slipped off his gloves flexing his fingers. His hands lifted up, and played the first song that came to his mind. He never once lifted his eyes, even though he discerned the attentive gentleman linger behind, as watchful as a vulture. Instead, Rufus watched his own fingers glide along, sweeping out an allegro of sweet-sad music. Both hands moved in graceful elegance, every movement timed perfectly with each note. Indeed, he knew this famous piece too, too well.

...I don't like this song...in fact, I never liked the piano either... it reminds me of the day I lost my mother. On that same day the piano was burned Rufus lost his mother to a terrorist group representing a rival company who were in weapons manufacturing. Rufus shook off the ghosts of his past and another familiar presence was lurking around him watching him. He listened to the music swirl into this ghost monologue. They both haunted the abandoned corners of his brain alone as he fell into deep thought about his mother. He'd seen her a handful of times when he was younger before the piano incident...

 One night, there was this big dinner party at our house...so many people...so much talk, food, and wine. I guess I was five. I was supposed to be in bed, but intead, I snuck past Rikelus out of my bed-room, and tip-toed to the ballroom to peek inside. My mother... she was playing the piano for all the guests...this song, I think. That was one of the few times I saw her happy. I know I watched her for a long time...The sound of music was inaudible now and his hands slid across the keys, all ten fingers in an incredible sweep downwards, hardly aware of any effort. Yet to him, there was no sound. There was quite a scandal later on. That same night, after all the guests had went away, my mother left the house, and never came back. She took all her money, and disappeared. I suppose I was sad because when she took all the money and left she didn't take me. She left me and my older brother to fend for ourselves with an abusive father.

"I see you haven't forgotten how to play. " He spoke to the brother who paused with both of his hands frozen on the keys with the last musical note still echoing in the air. All this time, he had been unconscious of his own movements.

"Things we lost in the fire we can never get back." Rufus responded to the halfing with a tone devoid of any emotion and Rikelus listened very carefully and he could still hear a lonely child wailing deep beneath his words.  He hadn't been the same since she had been gone because his mother had taught him the finer things in life such as ballroom dancing for example. Maybe that's what broke him inside and unleashed a crescendo of an endless cold snap.