Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Legend of the Final Materia ❯ Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Shukera lowered her sword and glared at Reno. "Now you have me, what the hell you're going to do??"

Reno walked towards a door and opened it. "Let's go for a long walk. I'm sure by the time we reach Shin Ra; all of your friends will be there. I wouldn't want to miss the show we have planned for them." He began walking down the hall, leading Shukera to the Shin Ra headquarters from underground.

Closely behind her were Squall and Rinoa walking silently and not to far behind them were Fujin and Seifer, who were keeping an eye on Squall and Shukera. Even though Squall had decided to fight next to Rinoa, Seifer didn't trust him.

Shukera wanted to slash them all, but the innocent dead eyes that stared at her stopped her from doing so. This was her punishment, of which she was beginning to accept. She walked behind Reno and held her head high despite the disgust she was feeling inside. Everything in her life was built on lies and now she had nothing.

Ahead of her Reno stopped and pressed a few buttons in a special sequence. He pressed the last number and large metal doors opened with a groan. A few minutes passed before the doors locked into place with a metallic clunk. Smirking, Reno motioned for Shukera to follow.

The group entered a long and winding hallway that led to an elevator. They boarded the elevator and the doors closed with a hiss. Moments later the doors opened to Quistis pacing back and forth angrily and Scarlet casually filing her nails. When the group stepped off the elevator and into the office, Quistis paused and walked directly up to Shukera. She drew back her hand and smacked Shukera in the face as hard as she could.

"YOU!!! You brought this all upon yourself for betraying Sephiroth!!! And after all the things he did for you!!!"

Shukera just stared back at Quistis with her hand clutched in a fist. Before Reno could catch her, she drew her fist back and slammed it into Quistis' face, splitting her lip and breaking her nose. "Don't you ever lay a hand on me again!!!"

Quistis spat blood as she stumbled back. "What?? She broke my nose!!! YOU BITCH!!!" She charged Shukera once again in a fit of rage and Shukera just stepped to the side. Quistis hit the opposite wall and shrieked. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"

A male voice shouted, "I think that will be enough!! How much longer will you allow these shows of idiocy continue?? This is nothing more than a waste of time really."

Squall folded his arms as he wondered the same thing. This was a waste of his time and it had nothing to do with him. He stood with his arms folded not to far from Rinoa.

Shukera looked up and spat, "You son of a bitch!!! You lied to me all my life!!!"

Reeve shrugged, "I only did what I was paid to do. It was my job to watch over you to make sure you developed appropriately. I kept detailed reports for Professor Hojo all through your life."

Shukera turned away from him. "I don't give a rat's ass about what you were paid to do!!!" She folded her arms and shook her head. "This game is going to come to an end!!"

Another male stepped into the room and spoke. "You're right; the game will end soon, very soon." Shukera spun around and froze. Sephiroth offered Quistis a cloth and helped her stop the bleeding. A sickening feeling filled her as she watched Sephiroth attend to Quistis; knowing her sister and niece…his own daughter…were lying somewhere dead. She wondered if he even gave a rat's ass about Aerith.

"It will end with your execution."

Shukera shrugged, "So, what's that going to do?? Why not kill me here and now??" Her gaze locked with Sephiroth's, challenging him. "I know how much you hate me Sephiroth. Why bother with keeping me around longer than you wish to??"

Sephiroth replied coldly, "Scarlet wishes for a public execution and for once I agree with her. You were Soldier's top officer Shukera and you betrayed us, an act only punishable by death!!"

Shukera laughed, "Oh I see, you went from being Jenova's puppet to Scarlet's lap dog." She shrugged, "No matter, since I will be dying soon, I say this with a clear conscious. Scarlet is nothing more than a replacement for Jenova in your life! Something tells me you don't know how to live your life without having someone telling you how to do it!!"

Sephiroth raised his hand to hit Shukera but stopped as his hand hung in the air. For an intense moment their gazes locked. Sephiroth dropped his hand and drew in a deep breath. "Take the traitor to the prison. Her execution will take place precisely at 6 PM during sunset." He turned away from Shukera as Seifer and Reno grasped her hands and forced them behind her back. They began dragging her away as she shouted, "Sephiroth you are nothing more than the puppet you used to be!!!"

Reno and Seifer dragged Shukera out of earshot of Sephiroth. He stood silently staring out the window with his arms folded. Quistis ran her hand over Sephiroth's shoulder. "Don't worry what she says, she knows nothing." She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. "Soon she'll be out of our lives for good and we can move on as planned."

Reno threw Shukera into her cell and locked the door. He looked at her through the caged window and smirked. "Soon you will be just a bad memory." He turned away from her and walked away laughing.

Shukera listened as the laughter faded away, leaving her in the silence. She drew in a deep breath and rested her head against the cold steel wall. She closed her eyes as memories of the past began pouring into her mind at lightening speed. As soon as one memory would fade, a new and more painful one would take its place. Shukera had nothing left but the memories that now plagued her.