Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy Seven: Shadows of the Light ❯ Arc One: Rebirth of ShinRa ( Chapter 7 )

Arc I: Rebirth of ShinRa

Part VII:

Silvara stopped and stared at the ShinRa mansion, her eyes taking in the massive structure while looking for any possible threats. Nothing. No guards, no patrols, no servants either, there was nothing to signal that something was amiss. Still, something just didn't seem right and she hesitated. She'd approached the mansion openly, taking pains to leave herself open to any possible ambush but everything seemed calm, in fact as she stood a few yards in front of the main gate, there wasn't even any indication that she'd been seen. "Okay, so chalk one up to paranoia, but where is everyo.."

Suddenly, a black shape came out from a thick cluster of trees and a questioning "whark" floated to her but instinct and training kept the chocobo from rushing towards her and betraying her position. Silvara smiled slightly, if there were any immediate danger Siydi wouldn't be so calm so she pursed her lips and sent out a trilling call. With a piercing reply, Siydi mimicked the sound and came hurtling towards her, nearly knocking the massive gate from it's hinges as he kicked it open. Stroking the bird's neck, she ran a practiced eye over his body, other than a chipped claw, he seemed fine. Of course, he was also furious, his large red eyes narrowing as he glanced back at the mansion as he hissed menacingly.

With a chuckle, Silvara swung up onto his back. "My sentiments exactly, lets go call on our host." Drawing her sword, she rode through the opened gates onto the grounds. Subtlety had never been one of her strong points, but then again, if Ferris were anything like his brother he wouldn't be able to ignore a direct challenge. Especially one made by the woman who'd killed his brother. With a fierce little grin, Silvara rode Siydi slowly towards the main entrance and took a deep breath. "NOTHGALEA! FACE ME, COWARD!!" She chuckled to herself as her voice echoed in the distance. 'Overly dramatic, but it should damn well get his attention.' she raised her chin haughtily. "Your move."

*

Ferris had laughingly dismissed the fledgling idea of using the chocobo as a hostage, Siydi was, if anything, just as crazed as his mistress and at least as dangerous. With a yawn, he tilted his head back against the frame only to open them at the loud crashing noise from the front gate. A disbelieving grin spread his lips as Silvara came riding across the grounds and bellowed out her challenge. "Well I certainly didn't expect this."

Shaking his head in grudging admiration, he left the study and made his way to the main entrance. He was tempted to call a greater wind to hurl the doors towards the cocky woman, but out of consideration for Rufus, he merely flung them open. "Coward Silvara? Now what would make you say that, after all, I'm not the one hiding behind my pet."

Silvara smiled sweetly. "Where's Raven, aren't you going to at least try the hostage bit with me? I would have thought hiding behind woman was a family trait with you Nothgalea." She laughed as his hand flew to his sword and his face-hardened with anger before he relaxed. 'Strange,' her eyes narrowed. "Oh, I see. Riya's not here to protect you. Well don't worry." she drew her sword. "no poisons, no daggers. Lets

just finish this."

Ferris felt rage bloom inside of him at her taunts and it was only by great effort that he kept from leaping towards her. Still, his voice was low with anger when he finally trusted himself to speak. "Much as I would love to kill you Silvara, I no longer have the luxury." He chuckled at her expression. "It would seem that we're on the same team, bounty hunter, since my friend Rufus has joined your little band of mercenaries." He smiled mirthlessly. "I've decided to help as well. In fact, we've been waiting for you to make our next move."

Silvara didn't lower her weapon as she stared at Ferris. "Cheap trick, don't you think?" Without taking her eyes from the man, she called to her chocobo. "Siydi, go find Raven, don't hurt anyone. Just find her." The chocobo glared balefully at Ferris as it barreled past him into the house and Silvara laughed when the man had to leap aside.

Ferris merely leaned against the doorjamb, a brow cocked in bored inquiry. When he made no move to attack, she was intrigued. Sword at the ready, she tilted her head in acknowledgement. "Go on. I'm listening."

*

She laughed. Ferris frowned at Silvara and shook his head when he noticed that the crazed woman actually had tears in her eyes and was gasping for breath. Annoyed, he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed with disgust before drawling out. "Whenever you're ready."

"I...I'm sorry, Nothgalea, but you want to do what?"

"You heard me." he growled. "I want to hire you." He tossed a glittering object at her feet and Silvara kept her eyes on him as she knelt to retrieve the gem. "You have experience in this sort of thing and I've heard that you always fulfill your contracts." He shrugged. "Think about it Silvara, Sierra is undermined, and you get paid." He cocked a brow. "What more could you want."

Silvara smiled. "Well your head on a platter would be nice, but that's not part of the deal now is it?" Sheathing her sword, she examined the ruby. "So that's it? A full truce while I'm under contract...sounds simple enough, and like you said, we're on the same side now."

Ferris turned back to enter the mansion. "Excellent, now we don't have long to prepare, you'll need to see the blueprints. So just..." Some instinct made him duck just as the faceted missile sped past his head, leaving a small cut where it grazed his ear. With a curse, he whirled to face her and clenched his jaw at her cheerful grin.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe you, to trust you with MY life?" Silvara chuckled and narrowed her eyes. "While I'm sure I'd be fascinated by your idea of a *truce*. I'm just not interested." Silvara shifted her stance and flexed her hands within the taloned gauntlets. "Just one last thing. Was that your idea, or did Rufus help you come up with this brilliant plan?" She gave a slight shrug. " I just want to know how many people I'll be killing today."

Rufus shook his head and stepped out of the shadows. "I thought you a lady's man Ferris. And as for the plan to retake Junon.." he said turning towards Silvara. "I came up with it. I have no quarrel with you as of now, but I wouldn't try anything." He finished as he looked over her shoulder at the five shadowed figures behind her. Two of them stepped out revealing themselves to be Tseng and Reno.

He looked at Silvara again. "As you see I have my own ways of dealing with threats." A slight growl followed this statement. He looked down at his side, Dark Nation was standing there beside him glaring at Silvara. He laid a hand on her head, and looked up at the woman again. "I heard you were good at getting into places.. but if your not then I don't need you with us getting in our way. Which is it? Are you as good as he says, or not?"

As Rufus spoke, Silvara glanced disdainfully at the figures lurking behind her and seethed with frustrated anger. 'There's no way...one group will take me out while I deal with the others.' Turning back to Rufus, she raked his form with scornful eyes before allowing bored amusement to mask her emotions. With a small smile, she answered his question with one of her own. "Are you always this arrogant? I thought Ferris was bad enough, but you..." She gave a graceful shrug and crossed her arms across her chest. "I don't know what you heard, but I've had experience traveling through," her mouth twisted wryly. "restricted areas." Silvara frowned slightly as her eyes locked with his. "Of course, why should I want to help you?" She glanced pointedly over her shoulder before glaring at him. "Or do I even have a choice?"

Rufus watched Silvara with narrowed blue eyes. He flicked a lock of reddish-blonde hair out of his face. He reached inside of his white trench coat, pulling out a small sack he threw out in front of her. Ignoring her rudeness replied. " I won't force you to go with us.. I don't need you with us if your not willing to help us retake the ShinRa Building in Junon. You'll only get in our way, but that," He pointed to the small sack he had thrown. "is yours if you decide to help me. Also there are three other just like it for you when Sierra is gone from Junon." He turned slightly, as if to turn around to go back inside.

"In case you're worried about Raven, she is perfectly safe here.. perhaps.." he turned to look at Silvara over his shoulder. "perhaps she is even safer here than with your group. If you decide to go, I'll be in my study." With that said he walked back inside the mansion. Dark Nation looked at Silvara and Fenris. She bared her teeth at Silvara and growling at Fenris she turned slowly to follow Rufus inside.

Reeve watched Rufus walk back into the mansion. He walked up to stand beside the woman. " Excuse me for interrupting, but who are you?" he said looking the armed woman.

Reno grinned at the woman and Reeve. He walked past the watching them out of the corner of his eye. Standing next to Ferris he said. "She is a real fire-eater eh?" he brushed his red hair out of his face while watching Reeve try to talk with the woman. Shaking his head he continued. "I have some information you might like to hear.. but not out here." he looked at Ferris to see if he was listening to him.

Tseng was still standing just behind the woman watching her, ready for any violent move she might make towards either Reeve or them. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rude and Elena walk up to stand next to him. He looked over at Reno for a moment. Seeing him speaking with Ferris, he returned his gaze to the woman, Silvara. He knew about her, a dangerous adversary to be sure. He respected her skill though. 'A killer to know a killer, as the saying goes..' he thought to himself.

Silvara narrowed her eyes at his parting shot. Cold anger swept her and she clenched her jaw before forcing herself to relax as half-heard voices swirled in her head. 'she'll get us all killed...a danger to us all...can't trust her...Silvara, the council has decided...banishment.' With a soft snarl, she used her anger as a shield against the painful memories and managed to push them aside as she knelt to retrieve the pouch.

As quick as it had arrived, her anger faded away, replaced with a grim melancholy. 'He's right. It was my arrow that trapped her, Raven probably is safer here.' She sighed sadly. 'At least he was able to save her when she needed rescuing, no matter what his reasons, I owe him for that...if she'd been killed because of me...' Yanking herself away from those thoughts, Silvara opened the small leather sack and stared at the contents, 'Impressive...and three more like it.' with a wry grin she tucked it away into the larger pouch riding her hip and slowly turned to face the approaching people.

She'd heard enough about them to recognize the woman and three of the men, 'Tseng, Reno, Rude, Elena...Turks, but who's the guy with the goatee?' She watched with cold detachment as the stranger walked towards her and graced him with an icy stare as he stopped beside her. She'd been expecting some sort of attack, and found herself at a slight loss when he just stood there and quietly asked her name.

Sensing her confusion, Ferris chuckled, and Silvara drew her pride around her like a cloak, whatever happened, she would not show them how unnerved she was by the whole situation. Turning back to the man beside her, she hid her thoughts behind a mask of boredom and answered in a calm steady voice. "Silvara Airedale, and just who might you be?"

Reeve ignored the glare and quietly answered her. "Reeve...." he looked back at Tseng for a moment, then he looked back at her. " Banon. I am honored to meet you, Airedale. I have heard of your...skills. I was wondering what you here for.. but I believe I know now. The President hired you to help him with something right?"

He crossed his arms to keep his hands away from his goatee. That habit would get him in trouble one of these days. He had quit a number of things that would make people remember him and he didn't want to be remembered.. that attracted the wrong attention. He had already abandon one base because Sierra's men had found out about it somehow.

Not again.. these days it was false names and codes to keep the people under his command safe. He didn't think about what Sierra would do to them once he got his hands on them or him. He tried unsuccessfully to suppress a shiver that ran down his mind with that line of thought. He turned his attention back outward towards the woman again, another bad habit. He shouldn't let his mind wander like that, it would more than likely kill him one of these days. "Can you tell me who that man is talking with Reno? I think I know.. but I'm not sure. Could you..?" he made a gesture for her to complete his sentence for him.

Ferris leaned against the doorjamb, frowning thoughtfully as he watched Silvara. Her reaction to Rufus's offer was strange. 'Thought she was going to cry for a moment there.' He crossed his arms over his chest. 'Why was she so upset?' Turning, he smiled a friendly greeting at Reno and chuckled at his question. "You don't know the half of it." The smile faded slightly as Silvara's eyes brushed his as she glanced around

her. 'She's nervous.. but hiding it well.'

He watched her for a second longer grinning with grudging admiration as she ignored the Turks and glared at Reeve. "Maybe we should stick around for a minute or two, if Reeve isn't careful," he chuckled darkly. "things could get interesting. What's he doing with the Turks anyway? Thought he was leading some resistance faction somewhere," he shrugged. "no matter." He sobered and turned to walk into the mansion with Reno. "So, what is this information?"

Reno shook his head at Ferris. He looked at him grinning slightly. "It seems you already know half of it. Anyway.. inside the mansion is safer than outside so.. if you catch my meaning lets go inside to discuss it. And Reeve has changed some since his time with ShinRa. He can take care of himself, believe or not." With that he stepped past Ferris and turned back toward him while standing in the doorway. "If you're coming.. meet me in the Library." Finished he turned and walked further into the mansion.

Tseng watched Silvara closely. She seemed to have two different sides to her. First she acted hurt then as soon as she remembered where she was she hid it behind her violent side. Though he hated to admit it he was interested in her. She turned toward them and looked at Reeve. He tensed for a moment when she had glared at him, but just as quickly realized if she was going to do anything she would have already done it by now. Still he watched her like a hawk.

*

Ferris frowned in annoyance as he glanced back at Silvara and Reeve before turning and following after Reno's departing figure. Not a cruel person by nature, he found himself touched by the girl's bravado, Silvara had to be terrified but she continued to stare down the Turks with a defiant glare. 'She doesn't bend to anyone,' he thought with a chuckle. 'even surrounded and outnumbered, she refuses to give.' He shook his head as he turned and walked down the hallway, replaying the scene in his mind. The emotions in Silvara's eyes before she wrapped herself in a cloak of anger, he cursed softly as he stalked down the hall, the vicious bounty hunter had seemed so young...and vulnerable. The curse was louder this time and he welcomed the rush of anger that followed his thoughts. 'Don't fall for that, she was old enough to butcher your brother and murder his bride. Who knows how many have fallen for her little act?' His eyes hardened as he swept into the library and the smile he flashed Reno did nothing to lighten them. "So what is it you wanted to tell me?"

*

Silvara caught the slight hesitation in Reeve's introduction but gave no outward sign that she had noticed. Evidently, he felt the need to use a false name and the Turks were willing to let the deception slide. For a moment she ignored his question and just stared into his eyes, for some reason she felt her anger ebb and gave him a small nod. "Yes, I'm under contract with Rufus and as such, I will obey his orders." She stressed the word contract as her eyes locked with Tseng's in silent challenge. 'Strictly business, not loyalty or a desire to restore your leader to power.' she couldn't be sure, but it seemed that understanding flashed behind his sharp gaze before being quickly buried. Silvara let her eyes linger on him, reluctant approval warring with annoyance at the way he watched her. 'The one to be wary of...' She let the anger fade away completely, the hostile gleam in her eyes fading but not quite disappearing as she spoke to Reeve. "The man with Reno is Ferris Nothgalea." she actually smirked in amusement. "I'd introduce the two of you but I'm afraid that could prove awkward since he plans on killing me in the near future." She smiled coldly as his eyes widened. "Unless I get him first. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go speak with Rufus."

***

Siydi obeyed Silvara. At times...

This just wasn't one of them. Instead of running into the mansion in search of Raven he'd merely ran through the mansion until he caught her scent and felt the strange sensation she evoked in his mind. The dark woman was here and unharmed.

That was found enough his woman needed him. The sudden spark of fear/hurt/anger sent him dashing towards the large open doors, but as the fear gave way to challenge/anger, Siydi paused in the shadows and watched. Fear in his woman required a response, but he would not interfere in a challenge of dominance.

Still, he was there. The man's presence within Siydi's mind was so similar to his woman's that the chocobo longed to attack. He was a challenge and a threat to his woman, fights of dominance and submission were one thing, but the sense of threat and danger surrounding the man was another. Siydi was extremely intelligent for a chocobo and realized that even if he tried to protect or fight for his woman, there were too many humans. The steel woman could help, she was a pack mate to his woman...what the humans called friends. She would have to be found. Whirling he tore out through a side entrance to the mansion, busting through the heavy oak doors and fled across the grounds towards city.

***

Raven slipped into Rufus's study so quietly it only gave up the sound of a light breeze. Still she knew he would sense her presence immediately. And he did. When he looked up at her angry face, her green eyes flashed. "I heard you talking outside. I am going with you whether you want me to go or not." She put her hands on her hips. "I can fight just as well as any of you and I think that my stealth could be put to use. No sense in arguing, I won't let you go knowing that you're putting your life in danger." She sat down on the footstool in front of him and awaited his reply.

Raven chewed on her full bottom lip as she watched the emotions play on Rufus's face. Something inside of her told her that he was going to tell her that she couldn't come. 'Well then if he says no then I will have to follow him right?' she asked herself. 'I'll follow him no matter what, he saved my life. I owe him!.... I owe him for so much more than saving my life... I owe him for making me feel like I'm actually worth something to someone. The way he looked at me outside earlier made me feel so special....' Raven blushed as those thoughts entered her head. Thoughts she was sure that she would never speak out loud. "Listen." she said lowering her eyes to the floor once more. "I overheard Silvara say something to Ferris that kinda makes me nervous. She asked him if he was going to take me hostage. Do I have anything to fear from Ferris?"

Rufus looked up at her. "Ferris..? No.. I think that's just between the two of them." he said, turning he sat down at his desk again. After flipping the switch on the side of the desk he studied the blueprints on the screen of the monitor. He then looked up at her and his face was cold when he said. "And if he does try anything.. friend or no.. he'll pay dearly." As he said this he looked at Nation who was lying beside the door. She looked at him with those equally cold golden eyes and as if she could understand what he had just suggested she grinned showing her fangs. She for some reason didn't really care for either person Ferris or Silvara.

He looked back at the monitor, then made a beckoning motion towards Raven. "I am going to assume if I tell you I would wish you would stay you wouldn't...and that you'd follow me and then get yourself hurt. So...I am not going to try, but I want you to either stay close to me or one of the Turks the whole time we are there until the attack is over and done with and Sierra is gone from Junon." He looked up at her and for a few seconds there was an almost tender look in his eyes as he told her. "I don't want to see you hurt again." The look faded as he turned his attention away from her then. He studied the blueprints and as he did his face seemed to grow hard and cold. "I will retake Junon back from Him.. I swear."

Raven smiled, happy that she got her way, as she moved to stand next to him and look at the blueprints. A strange feel washed over her when her hand brushed against his, she bit her lip and hid her emotions from him. "If taking back Junon is your wish Rufus then I will do everything that I can to help you." she told him. Raven turned her attention back to the screen. The light from the monitor played on her features making her eyes seem even greener. She chewed on her bottom lip as she memorized the map of the ShinRa Building. After seeing how large it was she was thankful that she had a good memory.

Turning her gaze back to Rufus, she sighed. She hated to see such an anguished look on his face as he looked at the screen. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the window hoping to get his mind off of it at least for a moment. Looking up into his blue eyes, she gave a weak smile. "I never got to thank you for saving me Rufus." She swallowed hard, not used to telling people her feelings. "You don't know how much it meant to me to see you come to my rescue. How much it meant to me to know that you actually care.... People have told me such cruel things about you. They told me that you don't have a heart. I can see now how wrong they were."

Rufus stood beside her looking out the window. 'Heartless...yes, they would see me that way.. they weren't half wrong sometimes I think..' He thought looking out at the view of the distant ocean. He looked back at Raven. 'Maybe..' he thought quietly looking at her. 'it was because my heart was left in Midgar with you..' he quickly snuffed that train of thought and turned back towards the window staring out at the ocean.

'It went wrong the first time..' he told himself silently. 'It won't be any different this time either.....But if..' he shook his head, then leaned it against the glass trying to get her off his mind and get it back on the raid tonight. He couldn't though, she kept coming back.

Raven watched in silence as she watched Rufus move back to the desk and sit down to stare into the screen. She thought she had seen something in his eyes. She shook the thought away as she plopped down in the soft chair and propped her feet on the stool. Luca curled up on her legs and stretched to go to sleep. Raven smiled at the moomba and quietly called Dark Nation to her. She got up from where she lay and moved under Raven's hand so she would stroke behind her ears. Raven sat there watching Rufus for a while before the exhaustion from the long day got the better of her and she fell asleep sitting up, her head dropping to one side.