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Name:: Rufus Shinra (Rufus means ‘red’ in Latin and Shinra means ‘new evil’ in Japanese. Interesting considering that the colour for all the Shinra logos and all seen through the games and series are that bright crimson. Red also stands for power and strength in Japan, another reason why it is fitting for his name meaning as well as the ShinRa logos. One could also take it to mean that despite his father’s attempts against the fact that Rufus was meant to take over. If the last name is hyphenated as in Shin-Ra, it means ‘new era’ or ‘new god’ depending on whose translation one uses. According to kabalarians.com, the name of Rufus indicates that he is a methodical, practical man with a life ruled by logic and precision. Fitting considering how he can be and conducts himself.) For his name, it is Shinra, but for the company itself, it is ShinRa or Shin-Ra.
"I've heard that no one's ever seen him bleed or cry." -Aeris
Age::27
Gender:: male
Physical Appearance:: Compared to how he was in Advent Children, he has changed as in he is moving under his own power once more and all. That wheelchair was destroyed in a celebration.
When around others, Rufus is the very picture of neatness whether it is going into a board meeting or about to introduce someone to the business end of his shotgun or handgun. His manner of attire is what is called ‘White Lotus’ in Japan. White is worn to distinguish one from the crowd, as well as mark them as one who believes themselves above the law or out of the reach of courts. For Rufus, this consists of (going outside to inside) a white outer coat, reaching down past his waist but ending before the top of his thighs. The second layer is a black sleeveless vest, buttoning about stomache level. When his outer coat flares open, one can see three black belts running across this, leading to his gun holster on the side. Third is yet another white dress shirt, made of a thinner material than the other one to lie against his body instead of bunching beneath the first at the sleeves and shoulders. This one is left untucked. Fourth layer is one more black vest, once again made of a thinner material than the other one. Finally, at the bottom of that stack is a white silk dress shirt. For pants, he relies on his same theme of white, going with a material that doesn’t rip easily unlike what normal ones are made of. He deviates from the businessman look with his shoes, going with utilitarian ankle-high leather shoes with thick black soles. Getting in and out of helicopters as well as some of the more physical activities he does requires a sort of footwear where a thin, slick sole won’t send him sliding or throw him off balance. When one fires a shotgun as a weapon, it’s best to have a solid stance. Occasionally, he will exchange the outer suit jacket for a white longcoat instead. Makes it easier to hide the shotgun. His clothing is always very clean, neat, and pressed although left a little loose around his chest to hide the lump that carrying a sidearm would make. All of it is custom-tailored to fit him precisely and yet allow for carrying his weapon.
Despite the rumour that Rufus wears white to look taller (he already stands around 5’8), he chose it to stand out and be noticed. Businessmen on the whole generally go with muted shades such as tan, brown, or black. For most of his Vice Presidency, he was in his father’s shadow, his suggestions or plans going ignored or ridiculed. He sought to distinguish himself and be someone people acknowledged and the first place he started was his wardrobe. White is also a colour that’s difficult to keep clean. It shows some of his precise personality, with everything needing to be in its place with no smeared lines.
Rufus’ hair is of a very light blonde shade, having paled out due to his Geostigma versus the vibrant gold-red shade it was during the events of Meteor. He keeps the bulk of it carefully combed back from his face, slicked down with gels to keep a neat appearance. The strands above his forehead are left to fall loose, framing his face down to the cheekbones. His eyes are a sharp blue, coldly intelligent and revealing nothing of his inner thought processes. His entire demeanor is one of a man who expects to be listened to and obeyed. He rather smiles, and when he does, it’s usually mocking or more of a smirk of amusement.
Beneath his clothing there are a few scars from Geostigma, white patches spreading across his skin instead of the usual shade. The ones on his face were corrected via plastic surgery although he would deny having such vanity. Rufus will always wear long sleeved shirts and pants with those scars in mind. He has no desire to have others see them or have to look at them himself.
Personality:: Hearing of Rufus and his ways, most people are of the opinion that he’s nothing more than a bratty, spoiled rich man. That suits him just fine in the end. There’s nothing better than catching an enemy off-guard and sending them into a tailspin. In reality, Rufus is a viciously pragmatic man. If something gets in his way, he will attempt to remove it.
Family is not something Rufus ever has or will hold as important, especially now that he’s the only one of his line left. There was no sorrow or mourning for him when news of his father’s death reached him. When he stepped off the helicopter to greet Cloud and Company, he told them of his new way to run the company without any concern of the death of his sire. This springs from the fact that his father was a distant figure to him for his younger life and a rival of sorts as he grew older and more capable in terms of being the Vice President. Business is a cutthroat world, and he was quickly taught that family meant nothing. He had entertained thoughts when he was younger of being an asset to his father but after his ideas being ridiculed and then sent all over the planet for meaningless business matters, he realized that his father was keeping him well away from the reins of power, the man perhaps afraid of just how capable Rufus could be. One can only take so much before they snap, and for Rufus that moment came when he stepped off a transport in another city only to be met with his contact’s secretary who was clearly bored and wanted nothing more than to be rid of this ‘kid’. After that incident and the obvious brush-off he had been given by the higher ups, Rufus put all of his abilities into learning the business practices and succeeding.
Despite being rich enough that he could literally do anything, Rufus enjoys his own little games against others. In ordering the plate dropped on Sector Seven, he shifts the blame for that onto AVALANCHE, cutting them off from the very people they’re trying to help by restoring the planet. Even against his own father, he wields other people as pawns, moving them across the board to try to put another into checkmate even if said pawns aren’t aware they are such. People are disposable in his eyes, although the Turks escape this fate due to their training and monetary value to him. In essence, it costs too much and takes too long to get people to the level that Tseng, Elena, Reno, and Rude are. While Rufus trusts no one completely but himself, they have his trust to an extent given that he was/is the head of them. Unlike his father, Rufus does not rely on SOLDIER but instead on his own Turks to get things done.
For a long time, Rufus preferred to rule by fear, going with the old idea that he’s rather be feared than loved since fear lasted longer. He was very outspoken about this, going so far as to brag to Cloud’s group that he would be changing things now that his father was dead. While he does still think that fear is the best way to go, he’s more precise now in how he uses that. Masses of people that are frightened do nothing but create hysteria and problems. Turks going out and breaking kneecaps did nothing but gave his company a darker aspect and distrust from the common man. After Meteor, he began trying to rebuild, finding alternative means of providing energy that didn’t rob the planet. Supposedly, all of this was because he and ShinRa itself owed a ‘debt to the planet’. This, of course, makes for great PR but isn’t exactly true for Rufus. He’s grown up some and become more secure in his position. After all, most of his enemies within the company itself that could unseat him are dead. He can afford to be the benevolent helper of the planet in the public’s eye even if inside he’s not above having someone assassinated if it suits his plans. He plays the chameleon rather well, swaying those he needs to.
Once Rufus gets an idea in his head, trying to get it out is like trying to pull a particularly tasty bone from a pit bull. Someone might actually get it away, but they’re going to pay a heavy price for it. Driven, Rufus won’t give up on a plan until he sees it through to the bitter end or the cost either in bad PR or money becomes too high.
Contrary to popular belief, Rufus does have a sense of humour. It’s just very dry and he usually refuses to show that things amuse him. He likes to be seen as someone above the rest of humanity, an idea that was reinforced by his childhood training of what he could and could not do in the public eye.
Rufus has a presence about him. Even those who don’t know him tend to sense that in how he carries himself and act when he enters a room. He’s the President of one of the planet’s most powerful companies even if it is currently in ruins. His power and wealth in his own world is unrivaled. He’s used to being noticed, listened to, and his orders obeyed by this point in his life despite the ruin that Shin-Ra fell into. He sees this as the chance to bring it all back, the phoenix arising from its own ashes.
History:: The only son of who was disputably the planet’s wealthiest and influential man, Rufus had all the benefits that came with the position as well as the restrictions. His mother died shortly after he was born, rumoured to be a victim of Mako poisoning. She had done her duty by producing an heir, so there was no longer a need for her. This was the world he was born into and shaped a good deal of whom he became. His early childhood was ruled over by a platoon of nannies and governesses, educating the young Shinra heir as well as teaching him how to conduct himself in what his place in society would be. From a young age, his sharp intelligence was easily seen with his ways to get around them as well as his easy grasp of concepts such as reading and writing. Upon seeing and hearing of this, his father was caught between approval and a mild worry that instead of having a son he could control, he had a willful child who wanted things done his way. The powerful are often paranoid, always seeing in the shadows others that could take that power from them.
At the age of five, Rufus was enrolled in boarding school, a move that was not uncommon among the higher set. He returned home on the weekends, finding himself left to the care of his ever present nannies and the house staff than seeing his father. Telling himself that he needed to do better and earn the presence of a man who was always busy with more important matters, Rufus put himself fully into his studies. This was a cycle that would continue with their relationship into adulthood. The harder Rufus would try, the more distant his father became. It wasn’t until he was older that Rufus grasped the idea that his father was afraid of him, or more importantly, what he represented… a changing of the old guard for the new. By the time he graduated early and came back to ShinRa to take over as Vice President, Rufus was well-aware of that fear and began sinking his own claws into the company to hold on and weather whatever storm his father would send his way. He began with the Turks, moving on then to the rest of the board members. Once his father realized just how much power Rufus was gathering being there in Midgar, he began sending him all over the planet on business trips which were nothing more than ways to keep him out of the loop. Angered by this, Rufus began funding the first AVALANCE group to assassinate his father. This failed, but he wasn’t anywhere near ready to let go of the idea of killing the man to get his position.
Fate smiled on him briefly in the form of Sephiroth. Briefly because soon after that came Meteor. In the short time before the world was supposed to end, Rufus managed to get things moving for his company, showing his force of will and determination to see what he wanted done despite the fact of what was going on in the outer world. He found out soon enough that his plans to build a Neo-Midgar were useless, the ‘Promised Land’ being nothing more than a barren wasteland, not to mention Meteor coming. It was at this point that he was forced to change his rule of fear concept. Instead of being the one to terrorize the masses, he found himself stepping into the role of needing to defend them, although honestly it was mostly to defend himself and his company versus any desire to help the common man. There was no one else in the world (besides Cloud’s group) that could defend the planet from Sephiroth’s Meteor as well as the WEAPONs that would basically end life. Thus, the Sister Ray. With the Diamond WEAPON approaching, Rufus ordered it fired to break the Barrier and destroy the WEAPON even as he stood on the seventieth floor of his building and watched one of the WEAPON’s blast heading towards him.
In the chaos following, Rufus managed to survive the drop from such a height down into the rubble with a Barrier spell from a copy of Reno's EMR. Emergency workers and his Turks dug him out of the rubble, further cementing his line of thought that they were among the few he trusted. Recovering from the destruction and his own injuries, Rufus put his driven nature into rebuilding his company. This, of course, meant playing nicely with those such as Reeve Tuesti and his World Regenesis Organization. Funding that group with as much money as he could spare while raising ShinRa up from the ashes, he began researching alternate energy forms that wouldn’t require Mako. One day while working on his laptop, he noticed a black stain around and under his fingernails. More of the spiderweb patterns of blackness began to appear around his left eye and along his hairline.
It was Geostigma.
The mad scramble to first identify and then cure the disease began. Staying at Healin Lodge during this time after being released from the hospital (since he could well afford his own medical staff), Rufus continued on his plans. The one thing he was forced to use that he disliked was the wheelchair. He could walk, but it tired him out quickly and his doctors advised him that such could be dangerous to him. If the Geostigma was given more of a foothold, it would sink deeper into him and eventually kill him. In order to try to cure himself, Rufus ordered the remains of Jenova to be brought to him. Shortly after this, Kadaj arrived and although the man tried to threaten and intimidate him, Rufus kept his calm. Clutched in his hand hidden beneath was the very thing the other sought. In his eyes, the man was nothing more than a weak child attempting to bully him. He listened as Kadaj told him everything, taking all the information in to use at a later date if necessary. Sending them off on a wild goose-chase, he bought his side (and Cloud’s as well) as much time as he could. Should Jenova’s remains fall into Kadaj’s hands, it might very well be game over for them.
When Kadaj returned, Rufus was ready for him. Throwing off the sheet and his own weakness, he tossed it out and follow, firing at the box to try to destroy it. He had no idea that Tseng and Elena would be there to keep him from splattering all over the street. Finding himself still alive, Rufus took control quickly, sending Reno and Rude out after the brothers armed with the best explosives ShinRa could produce, he hoped for the best even while preparing for the worst. In the end, the Great Gospel rain from Aerith cured him of his Geostigma along with everyone else.
For the past three years, he's been consumed with rebuilding Shin-Ra. Everything and everyone else has come second. Supporting the WRO is the means to an end, wanting Reeve Tuesti right where he could control him. Or at least Rufus thinks he does. He tends to forget at times that Reeve is a brilliant man in his own right, not to mention the architect of Midgar itself. The man has been around longer than he has.
Specialized Abilities::
Double barreled shotgun (sawed off) - Rufus generally keeps this hidden in his longcoat when he wears it. Its name is Lucille.
Handgun - This is kept on a cheater holster, resting against Rufus’ ribs on the left side so it can easily be pulled by his right hand. This weapon rests just under his outer coat and against the first black vest. It is a 9mm.
Self-Defense - Rufus isn’t entirely helpless in hand to hand combat although it isn’t his favourite thing either. He will go into a fight with fists if his own survival is at stake or circumstances warrant it.
Materia - Rufus really doesn't use this oddly enough. There is a reason if someone cares to find out why from him.
Intelligence - This probably doesn’t need to be listed here, but I am anyways to get all bases covered. Rufus is a very smart man, educated to the best money can buy. Whether it be Wutian history and philosophy or the inner workings of a ShinRa plant, he can grasp and understand it. Despite his lack of physical force, he is a hard man to think around. Schemes and plots are something he can easily form up, adapting to situations as they come.
Rufus Shinra: People are ignorant. They'll feel better as long as someone is punished.
Control - Rufus must have control. To lack it irks him, and he will be driven to ensure that he possesses at least some of it somehow even if it’s just ordering someone around. He likes structure and meaning to things, not the random or chaos.
Sickness - After suffering from the Geostigma, Rufus became well aware of just how useless all his power, influence, and wealth can be in the face of a disease. It used to be that he would drive himself to near fainting by continuing with his heavy workload even when sick. Now, he will take the time out to heal before taking all that stress back on.
Powers - I put this here because compared to some of the other characters within the game, Rufus isn’t all that physically or magically powerful. Once his guns run out of slugs, he’s basically going to be weaponless. He’s not a martial arts master like Tseng or the like. His Turks are his main defense and while he can defend himself against one or two enemies, he’s not up there in power levels.
Third Person Entry:: Rufus Shinra's penthouse apartment was much like himself: cold and uninviting. At first sight, most would have taken his living quarters more for a museum than where a human being would live comfortably. The air was cool, bordering on sixty degrees at all times. No one had ever asked and Rufus had never felt the urge to explain to anyone why he preferred it that way.
White carpeting much like that of his office stretched from wall to wall, the floor beneath soundproofed along with the walls. He could have held a rock concert in his rooms and no one living beneath ever known. It was across these floors that Rufus walked, setting his briefcase on the empty glass table. His gaze briefly moved to the three glass cases on his walls, the outside lights catching on the metal within. Small plaques were attached to each showcase, reading 'Souba', 'Velvet Nightmare', and 'Dual Hound'. Rufus had been most disappointed to learn that the one labeled 'Dual Hound' was wrong, Cloud Strife having destroyed that one. In truth, there were two Velvet Nightmares. He had never bothered to correct the mistake. Displayed against a deep crimson backdrop, the remnants' weapons gleamed mellowly in the low light.
It gave him a low thrill to see them there, held in their prisons of glass while their owners were dead. It quieted it the nightmares that Rufus preferred to deny to know that he was still in control, still alive while they were dead.
Dragging off his suit coat, Rufus headed for his bedroom. This was the only room of his apartment that wasn't done in bright shades. The carpeting was a dark red, nearly black to match the comforter of the bed. Above the headboard carved with Wutian symbols of protection hung a fourth case. Within that one, beneath the glow of track lighting, was another sword. The tag on this one's case read 'Masamune'.
Of course, it wasn't the original, merely a very good copy that one of the clones of Shin-Ra's greatest general had carried, the one used to kill his father to be exact. Nothing in this world or the next scared Rufus Shinra, although getting sick again approached it. Sephiroth... Sephiroth was all he feared, the sum of all things terrifying put together in one package. The mere thought of him was enough to make Rufus want the nearest weapon in his hands. It was the only crack in his perfect veneer.
And here it was, perfectly contained in a glass case.
Hanging his clothing up carefully, Rufus' eyes strayed to the case, a small and bitter smile on his lips. Dead and gone, just like the remnants.
Turning away from the case, Rufus headed back into the living room. The television was turned on, its sound a low buzz as Rufus unfolded his telephone waited for his secretary to pick up.
"Inform Director Tseng that I will be staying in tonight. I do not require any bodyguards or Reno sitting around drinking my liquor. I would appreciate the files on Biofuse brought to me as soon as possible."
It was going to be a long night.
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