Paper Tiger Burning

I respectfully credit all Original Creators, namely Squaresoft, which became SquareEnix,for these characters. In this way, I pay homage to my Fandom's Original Creator, and illustrate my Community's belief that Fan Fiction is "fair use". I do not claim to own these characters. I do not make money or gil from using these protected characters, nor do I wish to make money or gil from them. In other words, I am borrowing these characters to entertain the adult fanfiction community, but I am doing so with the highest degree of respect to the engineers, game designers, music makers, and voice actors.



This is a short chapter. I didn't want to split up the action.


“It has been decided.” A red haired woman stood in the doorway of the annex, her hands behind her back. Her grey eyes roamed the room, seeming to rest on my father a little longer than anyone else. “You will not be required to return to the courtroom for the sentencing as none of you were charged with any crimes. However, you may return to witness the handing down of sentence in ten minutes.”

The curvy woman paused, looking over the Turks. “My name is Sakura Leijanna; I have been placed in command of the Turks by order of Adjudicator Laelin, though only for long enough to appoint the appropriate person to take my place.” Her restless eyes stopped upon me. “General Sephiroth, a word if you please?”

The children did not want to let go of me. I gave one to Hojo and one to Aerith, temporarily satisfying them. Quietly, I joined Miss Leijanna in a secluded corner of the room. She looked up at me, curiosity and caution in her pewter gaze. “You already have a candidate for Turk Leader,” she surmised. “I could see it in your eyes when I made the announcement.”

“I do.” I smiled at her. “You really don’t want the position any longer than a few minutes, do you, Miss Leijanna?”

“Of course not,” she answered. “Who is your candidate?”

“Eldon Garchae.”

Miss Leijanna’s eyes rested upon my secretary. “I’ve read his file,” she said quietly.

“His file is corrupt,” I replied calmly. “His information was compiled by people prejudiced against his abilities and strengths. Ask any Turk here if they would follow Garchae and their answers will be in unity with mine.”

Miss Leijanna smiled. “But that leaves you without a secretary, General Sephiroth,” she said lightly. “And of course you know the leader of the Turks will be the new head of Shin-Ra Company?”

“Yes. There is no man more suited,” I persisted. “I may find a new secretary. Though none will be as suitable as Eldon, I will survive, I’m certain.” Of course I’d known what the nomination of my secretary meant; the government would want the new head of Shin-Ra decided before anything else so that the establishment of inner government within the company would withstand growing pains.

“Apparently you are very, very good at surviving,” Miss Leijanna joked quietly. “Very well, General; I will speak with your father now.”

I went over and leaned over Hojo. “Miss Leijanna wants to talk to you now,” I told him.

Tired but alert black eyes rose to mine. “Does she?” he asked rhetorically. He stood, giving me the children in his arms. “I don’t know why she wants to talk to me; I’m not a Turk, thank Shiva.”

I took Hojo’s chair, watching him walk swiftly to the blonde woman. Leaning in, I put my lips close to Aerith’s ear. “While he’s gone, won’t you tell me what you did to Laelin?”

Aerith blushed furiously. “Priapism,” she whispered. “He suffered from priapism.” She wouldn’t look at me.

“And that is?” The condition didn’t ring a bell.

Aerith shook herself a little. She murmured something to the children and they slid out of our arms one by one, joining Reno and Valentine on the far side of the room. When she turned her face back to me I saw her blush had only deepened. “Priapism,” she said quietly, “is a condition in which a man has a sustained erection unrelated to sexual interest. It is painful and embarrassing.”

I bit my lip against a surge of hilarity. “Poor flower girl,” I crooned softly, inching closer. “Confronted with hard-ons no matter where she goes.”

She slapped my arm, a smile spreading out on her full lips.

My father came back, a bemused expression on his face. Without taking note of the change in seating, he perched in my old chair and stared at Miss Leijanna. “She’s a botanist,” he said almost to himself. “Recently graduated top of her class.”

I smelled his interest.

Grinning, I leaned closer to him. “Like what you see, dad?” I teased.

Hojo slapped my other arm. “Be respectful,” he admonished, deadpan.

**************************************************************************************

We gathered in the courtroom informally, standing instead of sitting. Hojo on my left and Sephiroth on my right, I felt flanked by masculine power. For a minute I considered each man, father and son, while their attention focused on the crowd. I had an alpha male mate and an alpha scientist guardian. They both reached for my hands and I accepted their gestures, smiling because neither one seemed to notice the other also had me.

Adjudicator Laelin brought his gavel down. “Rufus Shinra, step forward,” he commanded.

Rufus, his head tilted defiantly, shuffled toward the bench.

“Do you have any words for the people of Midgar before your sentencing?” Laelin asked.

“No.” Rufus smiled. “What I have to say will make no difference.”

“You are likely correct,” Laelin replied. “You are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with the eligibility of parole in thirty years.” He gestured to the nearest bailiff. “Take him away.”

The crowd roared their approval as Rufus was dragged away.

“Sheila Shinra, approach,” Laelin ordered.

Sheila, eyes shooting daggers at all of us, walked huffily toward the judge. For a moment she singled me out. Pure hatred lived in her gaze. I felt Hojo and Sephiroth tighten their grips upon me.

“I have nothing to say to any of these commoners,” Sheila said before Laelin could ask her. She tossed her head and stared proudly into the nearest camera.

“Twenty years hard labor,” Adjudicator Laelin said without preamble. “Eligibility for parole in fifteen years.”

Again the crowd gave their blessing. I heard Sephiroth chuckling wickedly underneath all the noise. Oh, he was pleased. He radiated a gleeful, hateful joy. I shared his pleasure to a much smaller degree.

That would teach that bitch to put her hands on my man.

“Lucas Havars, step forward,” Laelin said, his voice more stern for the scientist than for either Shinra. “Any words?” he asked simply.

Havars pulled a sideways grimace at the camera in his face. “I don’t expect the public to comprehend my inner workings or my scientific endeavors. I worked for a future that none of you can imagine.”

Hojo gave a little shudder at hearing this, his palm growing slick with sweat. Hearing words so close to words he himself once uttered hurt and disturbed him. But he straightened his spine and leveled his dark orbs to the front, functioning through his guilt.

Laelin stared down his nose at Havars, his face sober. “Mr. Havars, you speak truly. I cannot imagine a future like yours. Without children we have no future, and you have done your best to waste our children.” He pulled his shoulders back, drawing a deep breath. “Your behavior prompts a most unusual and unorthodox punishment.”

“You can only kill me once,” Havars snickered.

Adjudicator Laelin seemed to smile. “On the contrary, Mr. Havars,” he replied quietly, almost gently. “With Professor Hojo Kanaye’s cooperation, we can kill you as many times as we wish.”