The Forgotten Hero

Chapter 36

                To her it was like watching her body perform actions she had no idea what she as doing. Her fingers gripped the short blonde hair and held the body up. A fist struck against the female Turk’s jaw. The Turk fell to the ground, bound by the various ropes wrapped around her body. The one who struck her glanced over to the other Turk. He was already wounded and couldn’t do much, but take the torture that was soon to befall unto him.

                “Just tell us where Mother is and you won’t have to take this,” one of three brother’s spoke smugly. Who it was, she wasn’t sure.

                The Turk remained silent, he wouldn’t betray the President. He would die before he let that happen. A grunt escaped his lips as he was punched in the nose. Then, came a kick to the gut. He lied on the ground. He thought himself pathetic for not being able to do anything, but he took it all. He took all of the torture from the girl.

                “Stop it!” She screamed at herself as she watched her body hurt Tseng. “Why are you doing this!? Stop!” She tried to tackle herself to the ground, but she only went through her body. Tears streamed down her face as she couldn’t do anything, but watch.

“Rufus…? You’re alive?” Verna whispered. She tried desperately to reach out towards him but she couldn’t.

                “Do you remember the first time we met?” Rufus questioned beneath his cloth. “It was on the ship going to Costa del Sol from Junon. Heidegger gripped you roughly after Sephiroth snuck on board. Your helmet fell off and revealed that you weren’t one of my men. You fled after that. Our actual formal introduction was at Rocket City after you hit Palmer with a truck.”

                “I remember,” Verna’s soul tried to talk to him, but he couldn’t hear her as he tried desperately to break through.

                “What ever happened to Dark Nation?” Rufus spoke. “Surely he’s still alive? Did you give him up?”

                “No!” Verna’s soul walked over to him, “I wouldn’t do that! He’s still at Seventh Heaven, Tifa’s bar. If only I didn’t go outside.”

                Rufus sighed and he closed his eyes, “What about when Shin-Ra’s building exploded? How did you react to that? Reeve told me that you were a mess at first, but you quickly got over it and started giving him orders. He said that you weren’t going to let my company fall and that you were going to take care of Heidegger and Scarlet. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

                Verna’s hand twitched. Her eyes flashed to their normal hue. A hoarse sound whispered his name. Rufus’s head shot up as he looked at her with a small dash of hope. Just as quickly as Verna broke through whatever magic that the remnant placed on her, her trance fell back over.

                “I’m glad you’re not lost,” Rufus sighed as he realized he’d have to make painful memories make way.

                “When I was in the explosion I really thought I was going to die. I fell to the ground from the impact, but something caught my eye. It was a mark my Father left to signal an escape route was there. I pressed it and I fell into darkness. I started laughing, though I’m not really sure why. Multiple bones were broken, but I still laughed until I fell face first into a new room. There was medicine and I took it without thinking. It made my vision blurry and I couldn’t think straight. I had to put in a code to get out of the room. I tried almost every number combination that would be important to my father. Then, without thinking, I put in my birthday. The door opened, and there was Rude and Reno. I blacked out after that.”