XP
For just a moment Rufus forgot his humiliation and rage and confusion and Reno and simply absorbed the fact that he was seeing Tseng. He straightened unconsciously, chin rising and hands falling loose at his sides. A corner of his lips twitched up without his knowledge, even as he returned Tseng's business-like nod.
Then he registered the uniform, and reality crashed rudely into place again. His expression completely impassive, the President gave Tseng a quick once-over. No words needed here: only acceptance.
ShinRa was dead. Long live the WRO.
Panic threatened, a sensation like free fall, and Rufus dodged it for the moment by focussing on the present. Tseng was alive, and he looked well, but he was here, and for all that Rufus was genuinely happy to see the man something absurdly selfless in him wished Tseng hadn't been brought to this place. After Meteor, among the first things Rufus had done once he could access his funds was ensure that if anything should happen to him, the Turks would be well taken care of. The only people he ever told about the arrangement were Tseng and Reeve Tuesti (because for all that Reeve was Commissioner of the WRO and therefore a rival, he could be relied upon to be the oxymoronic intelligent bleeding heart.) If Rufus died the Turks would receive a third of his estate. If he disappeared and was not found within 90 days, they would be given partial access to their share. After a year, the full inheritance came into effect. So while he highly doubted any Turk could be content living off an inheritance, they would at least be free of ever having to worry about money. Tseng wouldn't have been happy, but he would have been free to live his life.
And Tseng might have kept ShinRa Company limping along for a while more; long enough, perhaps, for Rufus to find a way home, retake the reigns, and save his birthright.
Panic again. Silent, blank-faced panic, not helped in the least when he looked about for something else to focus on and his eyes landed on Reno. A puff of air left his lips, almost a laugh.
"And then there were none." And with that final kick from his loosened tongue forget about that? Rufus dropped his head and sighed. "Hello, Tseng of the WRO. Welcome to hell."