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003. Making History
The streets were paved with the the eager citizens as their children weaved in and out of the trees of legs along the sidelines, laughing and catching the small paper rain that fell from what they presumed was the sky. The sounds of marching boots in unison filled the air, intermixing with the shouts and praise of the people. Mothers held their small children on their hips, pointing to the red banners that fluttered with Rufus' motto of the 'New Era'. The words inspired hope and change, no more would they be under the ruling of the late ShinRa President, the very one that thought rake hikes were the answer to their problems. Rufus found the strategy foolhardy. Suppress the people enough and they would rise to terminate their oppressor. As a line of infantry men marched in front of him, holding their rifles and darting their eyes here and there to ensure the safety of their new leader.
Rufus was driven in a car slowly while one hand reached up to the sky in a casual wave to the people on the sidelines as well as those who opened the sash of their windows. The newly appointed President was definitely a poster child with his blond hair and blue eyes, that suit of his pressed and preened to perfection. The embodiment of ShinRa entirely but very much an enigma. Not many even knew of him, other than the CEO's of ShinRa. There was a time that every soldier got an email announcing the promotion of him being appointed Vice President. This was sent shortly after he went under house arrest, a guise to ensure the betrayal of the company was concealed.
But the public fancied a beautiful face, they trusted his profile pictures more than they ever did his father's. It made it easier for him to flash a small smile, nodding his head do the adoring crowd as he traveled slowly by them. They thought of him as a savior to the people and he in turn thought of them as nothing but sheep. They all would be easily manipulated but first he would act as if he was for their best interests. The tax on Mako would decrease but enforcing fear in them would be the replacement. After much speculation and observation behind the illuminated glow of the computer screens, he learned that fear made people shrivel into nothing, rendering them to make quick decisions based off the flight or fight reaction. They just had to be 'pushed' towards that general direction.
How would he enforce fear? Well, that was simple. It would be easy for him to propagate a terrorist group, sending the huddle masses to look up to their savior. Those who opposed his reign would meet the gas chamber. Public executions always roused the crowd in history. If he could squash the AVALANCHE group he would be free to turn the name around and construct his own Eco-terrorist threats. A few reactors could easily be rebuilt, no rate hikes would be established like before, just the people and their wide eyed stares while forcing lies down their throats.
As the shouts and cheers of the crowd slowly died down the further they traveled the Junon street, he noted the men in uniform take their position facing a wooden podium on the platform. The door was opened for him and he climbed down with cautious steps, placing himself in front of the crowd as the boorish Heidegger announced for them to perform their show. The men raised their rifles while pivoting right and left, gracing the gun on their shoulders in between. It was all in unison and although this display was nothing more than show for the President he found it to be entertaining. It depicted discipline and Rufus relished at the thought of it. There was one bumbling idiot in the crowd however and Rufus brought his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose. He had seen enough of this display, the vision of their first act was nearly perfect he didn't want to see the image spoiled on the account of one ignorant person. "Good work." Lifting his fingers away from his face, he posed his blue eyes to the uniformed men before him. Heidegger knew better than to take the praise to heart. It was returned with a rebuttal of telling him to end his grating laugh. As the President turned his back to enter the offices of Junon, Heidegger lashed out at the subordinates having been publicly humiliated.
It wouldn't be the last time.
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