Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII: Shadowed Illusions, Final Destination ❯ Chapter 4

“You need to stay alert, especially now,” the man spoke after a ten minute silent period. “If you see him again, get help as quickly as possible. You don't want to wait around to see him perform his pain.” His voice was soft, but Salira could tell he wasn't all too happy at the moment. The more she walked with him, the more she thought he was the person in her mind. Everything she heard, rumors and all, fitted so easily with this person. Every now and then, he glanced back at her.

“May I ask a question, sir?” Salira asked after he spoke, looking up at him as they continued. “Or maybe two?”

“Depends on the question if I have the answer I wish to give,” he responded in the same tone. “Or should I say answers.” The man gave a small smile in Salira's direction. “Go right on ahead, since I do know who you belong to.”

“That's exactly one thing I'm wondering…you seem to know a lot about me. Like where I live and who I belong to. How's so?”

“I'm assuming the next question as `And, who are you?' correct?”

“Well…umm…yes….” Salira replied calmly.

“Heh, you'll find that out when we reach your house.”

“Oh…ok…”

Salira became rather confused the rest of the way, as well as keeping to herself. They continued to walk on in silence. Almost every five minutes Salira could see the man clench his gun as if an enemy was nearby.

Stopping, he gently pushed the girl behind some boxes in an alley and hid among them as well. Voices were heard coming from the direction they were heading in rather shortly. Familiar voices to Salira, and soon familiar faces once they came into view. Turks. Two of them again, and the same ones she encountered before a while ago, both Naki and Reno.

“Damn…” the guy mumbled softly under his breath. He looked at Salira and whispered in her ear, “Whatever you do…don't move…and don't make sound…we'll wait until they pass.” With that, the girl nodded.

Apparently, the Turks seemed to favor staying at the one spot that lead into the alley. They stood there as if looking for something, as if they saw the man and Salira move into the alley. It wasn't long until the young one began talking. “Why doesn't the boss realize that we can't just get the damn girl alone even with bait, such as that kid she hangs out with all the time that Hazar got?”

“And why are you bringing this up with me and not Rufus himself,” Reno sneered with a glare. “I'm already fed up with you, don't push it any further.”

“Whatever…” Naki remarked. “It's the same response every time, no matter who the hell you are with, female or not.”

“There are some I don't mind, kid,” was the response given. “The newer ones I have a problem with like yourself. I'd rather work with Tseng if he were alive more than you.”

“First off, I'm no kid,” argued Naki, seeming to be a bit offended. “Second, You don't even know half of the newer people. So what are you talking about? Third, I was bringing up the subject because, one, there's nothing else to fucking talk about with you since you're such an ass about every damn thing I say, and, two, seeing what you had to say about it.” He paused for a second before making a joke that would anger Reno more, “But no, might as well make a god damn law where all new Turks stay away from Mr. Great Reno or shoot him until he dies.”

Reno glared, seeming to not be pleased with Naki currently. In response to his words, Reno drew his gun from his side and aimed it at the teen. Naki did the same thing, knowing that he got on his nerves, with a smile.

During this commotion, the man that was with Salira was observing the alley that they were in, waiting for the right time to take off running further into it. He nudged at Salira and showed her where to go on his mark. He wanted to go deeper until the third alley that linked to the one they were in and take a left there. Understanding, she nodded, and then waited for his response. However, the beginning of the Turk's conversation is what made her uneasy.

“So you plan to shoot me, no?” Naki continued to taunt. With the taunt, Reno was about to pull the trigger.

The figure pushed Salira gently for her to go first deeper into the alley. She took off, but not before the Turks' attention was changed. Noticing it, the figure took off as well, behind Salira.

“Shit…” Reno mumbled before he started to follow. Naki wasn't to far behind him, pulling out another gun in the process. “Naki, get a hold of Hazar for back up. Tell him to take the alley behind the market place. My guess is more than likely they're heading in that direction.”

Without any response back, Naki held both guns in one hand and brought out his phone, continuing to follow Reno. He dialed a number and reached it up to his ear, and before long it was answered.

“'ello?” a male's voice answered.

“Hazar, get your ass down to the market place,” Naki replied.

“Already there, why?”

“You know that alley in the far back near the west exit?”

“Yea.”

“Take it. We have our target and an unexpecting guest with her.”

“Got it, Naki, be there in a few.”

“Better be.” Naki lowered his phone and shut it off. Putting it away, he speed up to keep Reno in his sight. “Give him a few. He's already there,” Naki told Reno. But he didn't answer the teen back. Reno occasionally ran faster, just to keep up with the two ahead of them. “I want no one to escape,” he eventually said.

 

Salira turned the corner and suddenly stopped running. The figure was right behind her, and also stopped. An older teen stood in front of them with a smile and a few knives in hand. “'ello target,” he chuckled, “The name's Hazar and I get to be your guide.” Salira went to turn around, but stopped again because Reno and Naki soon blocked the other way.

“Damn…how many newer Turks did he get recently,” the figure next to Salira mumbled to her.

“Many…” Salira responded back.

“The only way to get out of this is to fight them,” he continued, “I hope you're up for this.”

“Lets just see, shall we?” Salira grinned.

“Do you even have a weapon of any sort?”

“I can get one or two,” she replied, picking up a long, thin metal pole in the process. “Besides, I do have some Materia with me this time.”

“That's good…”

“So,” Reno interrupted, “How are you going to get out of this one, Salira? You might as well give up now, even with the famous Vincent you stand next to.”

“Vincent?” she questioned as she looked at the one standing next to her.

“Introductions aren't necessary, Reno,” Vincent replied, not looking at Salira, but straight into Reno's glare.

“I say we just get on with it, kill Valentine and get the girl,” Hazar remarked.

“I agree,” said Naki. “She can't battle worth of shit more than likely, so this will be simple. Just take out Valentine first and all would be good.”

“How much you want to bet, Naki?” Salira taunted back to them.

“Oh…so you're saying you can fight?” Naki replied, “This should be entertaining. Very entertaining.”

“I'll worry about those two, can you get the one in front of us?” Vincent mumbled to Salira.

“Yea, shouldn't be a problem. He uses knives, I can avoid them ok,” Salira answered back quietly.

“Good luck then.”

Naki, however, was the first to fire. With Salira's back turned to him, she was his target. Vincent pulled Salira away in time, when Hazar decided to take his turn and ran toward them with two knives out. Salira took her chance and headed in his direction. The two began their small battle. Reno started to fire at Vincent, along with Naki. Vincent occasionally fired back, though none of the shots actually hit any of them.

Hazar charged at Salira with his knives out and ready to puncture her. She blocked the first one automatically, and the other came for her arm, but she ducked in time to miss it. The older teen tumbled over her as she slipped away, falling onto the ground. Taking her chances, she swung back around with the pole to attack Hazar. Hazar foresaw this and rolled forward to evade it. Again, he headed for her, but Salira blocked the attacks. Only once did he made her fall backwards during the attempt, but she countered back with a strike from the pole she held in his back.

Vincent continued to evade more bullets as he fired his back at Reno and Naki. Eventually, the two Turks got him in the center. Naki, secretly drawing a dagger out from his coat, dashed toward Vincent, as his attention was more to Reno at the time. Reno saw this and held out his gun at Vincent. The Turk behind Vincent went to throw the knife at him, and the one in front fired. To dodge, Vincent jumped over Naki and shoved him forward, letting the bullet embed into Naki's lower right arm. The knife headed in Reno's direction, but it only grazed him at his side when he dodged it.

All three Turks at this point were somehow wounded. Reno's side was bleeding a bit from the knife his partner threw, Naki was shot in the arm, and Hazar was smacked in the back with a metal pole.

However, Reno's wound didn't stop him from firing. He shot four more bullets in Vincent's direction then two in Salira's. Vincent, to Reno's disappointment, avoided all the shots and managed to get Salira out of the way of the last two. At this point, Salira's attention was on Reno. She could care less about Hazar, because he was just lying there anyways and currently was no threat. Naki stood next to Reno, waiting for his next order. “You're turn, Naki,” Reno replied shortly. “I'll take care of Vincent myself, hopefully get him away from here or distract him while you get the fucking girl.”

“Have fun with that,” Naki stated, in a joking manner. “May I use daggers with her, or just guns?”

“Whatever you prefer.”

Naki took off toward Salira, while Reno went for Vincent. Reno circled around Vincent until Vincent stood on the opposite end of the girl, in which Reno started to fire at Vincent. With this distraction, Naki restrained Salira from behind. “So nice to see you once again, now let go of what you have,” he replied, holding a knife at her throat.

“You honestly think I'm going to listen to you?” was her response.

“It would be wise,” he smirked.

“Bolt2!” Salira yelled shortly after. On her command, a lightning bolt flashed down, causing Naki to let go of the girl, and slitting the side of her face with the knife. He backed off a bit, cursing her in the process, “Damn you.”

Salira took her chances and started to run off, jumping over Hazar as well. Vincent saw this and he began to go after her, allowing one more shot at Reno before his leave. Reno dodged the shot and stood there. All three Turks watched as the two left the scene. Naki slowly got up and kicked Hazar, “You asshole…” Hazar continued to lie there.

“Hey it fuckin hurts when you get smacked by a pole!” Hazar commented back harshly.

“You big baby…” Naki replied out of breath. “I got hit by lightning, so shut the hell up…” He began to walk off, soon to be followed by Reno, then a while later by Hazar, though holding his back in pain.

 

Salira began to bang on her door as hard as she could. She paused only to catch her breath from running so much and to wipe the blood off from the side of her face. Vincent was behind her about twenty feet. “Daddy, open the door, please!” She yelled as she banged again. It wasn't long until the door was opened. Cloud stood in the doorway, shocked to find his daughter in fear. Yuffie appeared shortly after. However, the two didn't exactly realize that Vincent was there as well.

“Aeris, what happened?” Cloud immediately asked as he kneeled to Salira's height. That was when he noticed Vincent behind her. Silent, he stood back up and faced him. Salira, as well, faced Vincent. He motioned for them to come in. Salira was one of the first to run into the house, Yuffie followed her once she came in, Cloud wasn't far behind, nor was Vincent. They all relaxed in the living room. Yuffie, Cloud, and Salira on the couch, Vincent in the chair across from them.

“Vincent, what's going on?” Yuffie was the first to ask. “What brings you here?”

“Two reasons,” Vincent replied, “Both reasons explain why I came with her.”

“First, explain why she's cut,” Cloud questioned.

“Ask her,” Vincent stated calmly, “I was busy with another person.”

“It was the Turks, three this time,” Salira answered as her father looked at her. “Naki got me with a dagger after I used Bolt on him. Originally it was at my neck.” She whipped blood from her cheek again, as it continued to bleed. “Reno and one named Hazar were there too.”

“And the other reason?” Cloud turned to Vincent, assuming he knew more on it than Salira did herself.

“Sephiroth,” was all he said.

“What?! You're kidding!” Yuffie exclaimed. “I thought he died!”

“Apparently not, or so I'm hearing.”

“What do you mean?” Cloud asked.

“Its big news in the ShinRa business. Whenever I see the Turks, majority of the time they are talking about him and how he has been seen. I've seen it to be true myself, as well as her.” Vincent pointed to Salira. Cloud's eyes widened, as Yuffie's mouth dropped. But before Cloud could say anything, Salira interrupted, “Daddy, Rufus has Lega in hostage. I heard the Turks say that!”

“This isn't turning out good, Cloud,” Yuffie remarked.

“I realized that, Yuffie,” Cloud responded, “But right now there isn't much to do about this. She's had two encounters with the Turks within the past two days, let alone fought them. We can't afford to go after them right now, that'll blow our cover. And with Vincent about, they're bound to be searching the streets. Especially now.”

“Whatever happened to Tifa and them?” Vincent asked curiously.

“Reeve, I don't know. After the incident at the crater I haven't heard much from him. RedXIII is the leader of Cosmos Canyon now. Tifa and Barret are in Midgar somewhere, probably in Sector 7 still with AVALANCHE and all. Cid's up in Rocket Town,” Cloud answered.

“Can't you send her to one of them until we get the other back?”

“He made a good point,” Yuffie agreed.

“I could, and I would…” Cloud started, “…but it's to risky. To get her to Tifa and Barret would mean traveling Midgar, which we need to avoid as much as possible. Either way for the other two, Cid and RedXIII, means that we would need to take a boat. And they are still under ShinRa's company.”

“Send her to an academy or something then,” Yuffie suggested next.

“Where's an academy that isn't run by ShinRa?” remarked Cloud, “ShinRa is what I'm worried about. And now the whole Sephiroth issue too.”

“And you don't want to use the cell because of the signals that is might give off,” Vincent added in, noticing some flaws.

“Yes.”

“Daddy, if you're gonna get Lega, I want to come too,” Salira pushed herself into the conversation.

“No!” Cloud demanded, “I'm not going to allow you to get hurt anymore. I won't stand for it. You need to stay away from Rufus and his company as much as you can.”

“Then what are we going to do, Cloud?” Yuffie came in. “We can't just sit here and let all this happen in front of us! We might just have to risk getting her safe somewhere. No matter where she, or even us for that matter, goes, it isn't going to change a thing!”

“I know!” Cloud remarked. “I just don't want to lose another one who is close to me again.”

“Then two of us go, and one of us stays here to watch Salira.”

“Three of us are needed, Yuffie, if we want to intrude the building again. And even so, it risks the cover of where we are living at.”

“Cloud, risks are necessary to get through things,” Vincent pointed out. “Whether you like it or not, you know you have to take them. I know you are trying to prevent them from coming, but it will come harder if you don't do it now.”

“Daddy, it's ok, I can take care of myself,” Salira stated. “I've wondered Midgar before, it isn't much different now as it was before.”

“Salira, I said no!” Cloud retaliated. It was silent. The only time Cloud had ever used her real name was when he became mad. Saying nothing, Salira ran to her room and slammed the door shut. And for the next ten minutes, the room was silent.