Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Legend of the Final Materia ❯ Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Shukera was packing her things for the trip when she heard a knock on her door. Sighing, she stopped what she was doing as she mumbled, "That better not be Sephiroth!" Shukera opened the door to find Reno leaning against the doorway grinning at her. "Hey, long time no see."

Shukera smiled as she stepped back to let him in. "What's up?? Can I help you with something??"

Reno shrugged, "Nope. Just wanted to see if you needed help packing."

Shukera shook her head as she zipped up her suitcase. "Nah, I got it done already."

He looked around her living room casually. His gaze fell upon Seifer's picture. He stammered as he asked curiously, "Uh, who's that??"

Shukera turned around to see what he was talking about. She shrugged, "That's Seifer. The one Shinra is after."

Reno fidgeted nervously and wiped his sweaty palms on the sides of his blue suit pants. Shukera looked up at him after seeing him out of the corner of her eye. She put the suitcase down and gazed up at Reno. "You look as though you have something to say."

Reno snickered. She could always see though him, no matter how hard he tried to hide things. "As a matter of fact…" He stopped as he wondered if it was a good idea to tell her anything. Too late now, he had already opened his mouth then hated himself for it. He stood silently for a moment, pondering over his thoughts. Shukera placed her hands on her hips waiting till she grew impatient. "Well, what is it??"

Reno walked up behind her, scratched his head nervously, and stammered, "I just...Uh...Wanted to tell you that I...Uh..." He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. Shukera faced him waiting patiently. She knew it was something important by the way he was acting. "Reno spit it out." He grinned, "I am going to miss you."

Shukera's eyes widened with surprise. "I think you had too much to drink at the bar." She didn't know what else to say after the shock Reno gave her.

Before Shukera could recover from that surprise, he continued, "You know I have always watched over you, but I also grew to care about you."

Shukera was truly stumped now and the shock was evident on her face. This was the last thing she expected Reno, of all people, to say to her. She replied stupidly, "I didn't know that. I…thank you??"

Reno grinned, now on a roll. He was amused by the expression that showed on her face. "That's why I joined your venture." He turned and started walking to the door. Shukera followed him, still shocked from what he had told her. She didn't know what to make of Reno's words, or even if she should believe them. He wasn't one to just spill his heart to anyone, what heart he did have for that matter.

Once he reached her door, he stopped and turned around to face her. "By the way, Sephiroth is a fool. I would have given anything to be that close to you." He walked out into the hallway and quickly added before he lost his nerve, "Be careful Shukera. I love you, I always have. Good bye."

The words were spoken so fast that Shukera didn't have time to register exactly what it was he was saying to her. He quickly leaned over and kissed her before she could say anything. Overcome with more confusion, she just kissed him back.

Without another word spoken, Reno parted from her and disappeared down the hallway leaving Shukera standing numb in shock. What the hell just happened?? It all seemed to melt together as if it were just a dream.

Shukera reached down and pinched herself. "OUCH! So, I'm not dreaming. Reno really did say that he loved me."

Feeling overwhelmed, Shukera leaned against the wall for a moment. This was all too much for her. Shin Ra she could deal with, but Reno admitting he had feelings for her was something entirely different. In her mind she replayed the words never spoken to her before. "This is all too weird."

Emotional ties were something she didn't understand. Her own feelings were a mystery to her. Her heart felt heavy with…guilt?? Her mind raced filled with confusion. It wasn't supposed to be this complicated!

Shukera pushed herself away from the wall as she replied, "I don't have time for this!" She wiped the tears away that formed in her eyes and forced the thoughts out of her mind. There was time for thinking about this later. Now, was time to plan her actions, review her options, and mentally summed up what needed to be done. One thing was for sure: Shin Ra was going down by her and her friends' hands, and this time for good!

Deep in thought, Shukera made her way through the apartment to her bedroom. She picked up Seifer's picture and closed her eyes as her fingers touched the smooth surface of the photograph. Why did such a little thing bother her anyway? She opened her eyes and took a closer look at the picture. She studied it as if to burn the image into her mind. "If only you knew how much danger you were in."

Shukera was getting ready to discard the photo when something caught her eye. A freezing chill traveled up her spine as she froze in place. Slowly she brought the picture to eye level to get a closer look. "What the hell??? But how??"

Quickly she emptied a little box she had packed earlier and rummaged through the contents till she found what she was looking for. Her fingers wrapped around the cool metal handle of the magnifying glass. "There you are." She examined the picture closely with the glass, paying particular attention the eyes. A feeling of dread built up inside her. "I may be too late."

Seifer's eyes had a distinct green haze to them, which could only be one thing: a mako signature. Shukera wondered how he could have come in contact with mako to begin with. It was impossible! Still, the evidence was there in front of her, plain as day. Seifer had indeed come in contact with mako. Shinra was somehow already there.

Narrowing her eyes angrily, Shukera spat, "He's not yours yet Shin Ra!!" She slipped the picture into her pocket and threw everything she dumped out on her bed back into the small box. "Bastards are everywhere!! Even on a distant planet!! Damn it!!" She taped up the little box and tossed it in with the others. "Not for long! Shin Ra's days are numbered and what a sight it will be!! You would think after the Meteor incident they would have known better!!"

Shukera placed her hands on her hips as she scanned her apartment. Mentally she checked to see if she had packed everything she needed. Emotionally, she was a total wreck. Her growing feelings for Seifer clashed with the hatred she felt for Sephiroth and Shin Ra. Then there was the guilt. "Guilt for what", she thought, "I didn't do anything!!" The guilt mixed in with the clashing emotions, adding fuel to the fire that began to kindle inside her. All that was needed was something to spark the mixture. Her anger. She knew she had to keep her rage controlled or it was surely going to ignite a dangerous explosion inside her, and then the whole operation would be compromised.

Suddenly feeling tired; she sat in her window seat and stared at the sky. The images of what she saw on her way back from the meeting with Reno remained scorched into her memory. Shukera wore a mask of hate on her face mirroring what she felt inside. The people deserved better!! Hell, the whole planet deserved better!! Shin Ra was nothing more than a disease, a leech that drained the planet and people of their energy. Shukera made a fist with her hand and slammed it against the hard wood of her window seat. "Not any more!!" Finally she dozed off as she stared at the sky, resting in her window seat.