The Mountain King [Closed: Tseng, Elena]

The driver leaned out having heard Elena’s question. “About three hours if we don't run into any critters.” He motioned to the SOLDIERs. “What with the lifestream out of sorts after the fall some animals have gotten particularly nasty. Wouldn't want them to bite you neither.” He leaned back in and started the truck.

His words caused Rufus to turn his head away, his gaze locked on to the horizon. It was their fault these changes happened, that they could not easily get back their livelihood. It was bit due to lack of trying, but the creatures that now lorded over the mountains had wrest them from the grasp of man. He could admire the mountain village’s lifetime of work. Or, at the least, what remained of the once growing rival to Shinra energy. While with stable foothold in the Midgar Continent and an unquestionable hold on the Wutai Islands it had not been until Junon that they were able to start trade with the continents across the sea. They were not dependent on Makou, but coal. Mount Corel has been a natural source of the fuel. Workers dug deep into the mountains and created networks of tracks that carried minecarts from deep into its caverns to the city where the stone was shipped off across the remaining way, as far as Cosmo Canyon and Gold Saucer.

It was not until an unrefined vein of Makou was discovered dis Shinra seek to push in. Much of it left Rufus to wonder that without his father's agitation of the proud locals or instigation of his AVALANCHE, if Barrett would have fought, would have anything to believe in. Now the man had his home to lead. They were returning to their lives as minors and had discovered oil. It was a crude source of energy derived from the carbon left behind by ancient fossils. But it wasn't enough. They had to refine it to create a useful source of energy. It involved basically blowing up the chemical cocktail in a controlled environment. While they had the raw oil, they lacked many of the means on site to refine it. That was where they came in. In the stead if selling the barrels to Shinra or the WRO, Rufus would give them the means to do it themselves, allowing them to refit the Makou Reactor into an oil refinery. Not only that but special soil filtering machines to help clean the contamination.

The very contamination that increased the aggression in much of the wildlife as well as irradiated them making their bites toxic to humans. Such irony. As soon as they cleanse themselves of Jenova’s maladies there are still more to contend with. “It's the folly of man.” Rufus spoke aloud as he sat in the back of the truck, the window open to allow a cross breeze. He looked back to Tseng and Elena. “We are the only ones with the power to change it.” He mused at his position of not only office but financial superiority.

The very system that created their fall was what allowed Shinra’s continued hold on the political climate across Planet. While they were a more transparent company there were still heinous associations to words like Makou and energy. They were looked upon as the ones who kept Planet’s economy afloat during the crisis, but also its cause. It was the position of a criminal trying to acclimate back into society. While a new man, learned of his wrongdoings and punished there are many who look onto him with hesitation, a fear he may revert to his ways. Rufus’ words had caught the gaze of the driver.

The SOLDIERs, the remaining few of a dying breed bow that makou therapy was frowned upon would soon see revitalization, rode beside them on motorbikes. Rufus chuckled and brushed his bangs back, turning to look to Tseng. “If you had the choice between life in a miserable world or death with banishment to a void you may never escape, which would you choose?” The nightmares were not something he spent a night without.

It was ever loathsome when he was within the main cities. It www why he chose to hide away in Healin Lodge while he was ill. The closer to the source he was, the worse the night terrors of. The screaming, the explosions and than the darkness. The inescapable darkness for days. He had found himself waiting for the Turks, his loyal dogs to find him. It would have been a touching reunion, but the world was in turmoil. They had been trained to handle events such as thing. Perhaps foresight on his father's part, perhaps a self fulfilling prophecy which held this world on a timer. Regardless he had to save himself. This miserable life, was the one they had and they had to fix it.

Rufus had already given up once.

Never again.

It was not long. The President, with his small entourage arrived at the miner town. North Corel was as busy as ever. With the new discovery of oil and Shinra's hold of the mountains gone, they had reclaimed their old ways. Their arrival was not without notice. SOLDIERs, Turks and the President himself? The cold looks were expected. But the armed miners were not. Following behind the elder were workers armed with crowbars and some even with rifled. The beast problem has been bad enough that they needed to arm themselves in such a way.

Rufus looked to Elena and motioned his hand. It would be up to her to talk to the elder and let them know why they were there. He got out of the truck and would expect Tseng to follow him as the SOLDIERs followed Elena. “This,” the patted the crate. “This can wait, what we need to do is get to the old reactor.” Tseng should have read the reports. Corel’s Reactor was still active for some reason as unlike the others which were shut down across Midgar by the calamity this one remained active even amidst the chaos.

His tone was low, urgent. It could be why the wildlife wasn't as it was and this could contaminate the oil as well if left to run rampant.

“What the hell do you want?!” The Elder was not one to mince words. “Ain't the world in deep enough shit without you wading about in it?!” He seemed gruff but at least it was ask questions first, shoot later. “Don't give a damn if’n it was you that done saved us from shit, but it wouldn't have happened if that far slob had his--” the mane moved to put their hand over the elder’s mouth. Elena was a lady after all.

“Sorry about the old man. He was around during the senior’s reign.” The fellow seemed younger, around Elena’s age and wore a bug cap that covered his face. “I worked for a rescue team that Shinra’s soldiers organized. I worked for a short while with WRO until I got injured.” He smiled. “I'm Taking, the elder's son.”

The Elder pushed them off him and scuttled off cursing to high heaven. And headed back to his work, accusing the youngins for being too forgiving.

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