A/N: This chapter doesn't have much action, but it is essential for the rest of the story. Also, sorry for how long this chapter is. It is about twice as long as my first chapter I posted. XD. Some new characters also make an appearance as well. Well, I hope you enjoy the newest chapter!
Disclaimer: I forgot to put this in my last chapter, but I will add it later. I do not own any of the Final Fantasy 7 characters from either the games, the short anime, or the movie. I do, however, proudly own Silvia and Shadow and all ideas pretaining to them except for anything pretaining directly to Deepground.
Chapter 1: Familiar Faces
Bright lights bore into Silvia's eyes as the young girl finally awoke. She groaned and lifted an arm to cover her eyes from the harsh glare of the light. After a while, she removed her arm and looked around her surroundings. Her heart almost stopped when she saw the pristine white walls, hospital beds and medical tools of all types lying on shelves and the tables in the room. Old memories of mako chambers flashed through her head. She forced herself to take several deep breaths to get her nerves under control. Soon her heart stopped racing and she sat up gingerly in the bed.
Silvia gazed around the room. She tried to rake her brain to figure out what had happened. But all she came up with was a total blank. Suddenly, as if a flood gate had opened, she remembered. She had followed Weiss and the other man when she had seen them from her vantage point. They had ended up in the Forgotten Forest but their conversation was one she definitely didn't understand. Then the woman's voice had said something about "slowly dying," and "second chances". The last thing Silvia remembered was the bright, white light. 'What had happened? And how had she gotten here?' she thought to herself, looking around the hospital like room in confusion.
Glancing around the layout of the room, she found her clothes sitting on the small table to the left of her bed in a neat pile. She picked them up and started to creep towards the bathroom just a little way from her bed. Her head hurt badly and she felt a little light headed but, she shrugged it off. Half way to the bathroom she realized she could hear two male voices coming from the other side of the door across the room. Silvia presumed it was the exit to the room and decided to get dressed before going to find out.
Suddenly, memories flooded her mind. She remembered this room. The cold, hard ground digging into her cheek and the feeling of peace was the first thing she remembered. Then came the images. Her laying on the ground, looking out toward Midgar, just a hazy outline in the distance. She remembered feeling totally helpless and unable to move as blackness began to slowly steal over her vision. But, she hadn't felt afraid. She felt free, finally able to breathe the air of the outside world; see all its vibrant colors and the creatures that roamed Gaia. It was better than the smell of Deep Ground she was so familiar with: The scent of iron and mako. But, then the vehicle had come and the voices she had heard that had come to her rescue.
That memory would forever be etched into her mind. Silvia knew exactly were she was. But, what the heck was happening. She shook her head and finished her trek to the bathroom.
She quickly dawned her black tank top and black pants that stopped just above her knees. She grabbed her empty sheath and frowned. Thantos was not with her. Its familiar weight that always hung from her left side absent but she shrugged it away and hung the empty sheath to her hip. A series of small sheaths were also found empty, but they too were strapped on. Reaching over to the diminishing pile she pulled on her short-sleeved, dark purple jacket that reached just above her ankles. Next were her black gloves that reached almost to her mid forearm with laces that tied from the bottom of her forearm to her wrists. Lastly, she pulled on her black, knee-high boots and tied the laces. Satisfied, she left the bathroom and returned to the room main room.
The male voices were still talking on the other side of the door. She knew the voices well. It was Tseng and Rufus, but Rufus sounded…younger. Did she travel back in time? Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Could the feminine voice she heard actually have the power to send her back in time? But, why her? The tall, tell sign of a headache began to pound behind her eyes. She sighed. Only one way to get the answers she wanted. Taking a steadying breath she crossed the room, grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open.
Immediately the talking stopped and both men turned to face her. She was right, it was Tseng and Rufus and both looked younger than she last saw them. Surprise and confusion covered both men's faces, but the expression was soon wiped away and replaced with cool, collected ones. It almost made her smile seeing such familiar expressions on their faces. But, these men were completely different than she remembered when she had seen them last.
. "I see you're awake, miss…." Tseng spoke first, turning to her.
Silvia stared at him as her mind stumbled over itself. This couldn't be happening. Could it? This was the day she was saved by Rufus and Tseng and the start of her new, hidden life.
She shook her head to clear the thoughts from her head. Both Rufus and Tseng were staring at her, waiting for her to answer.
"Silviana…..my name is Silviana the Violet. But…My real name is Silviana Lark." She answered softly. Her voice carried a slight accent just barely noticeable.
Tseng smiled slightly at her, a smile that most of the time was rarely seen on the Turk commander's face. But, just as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by a cool indifference in seconds. "I am Tseng of the Turk's and this is the vice president of Shinra Electric Company, Rufus Shinra." The Turk informed her.
"Well, Silviana, as you know you were left to die in the waste outside Midgar." Rufus explained, sitting down in a chair. He steepled his fingers in his lap and turned his attention fully on her. "I am aware of you being apart of Deep Ground." Here his lips curled in distaste. She remembered that look from all the things Rufus discovered over the years that she had known him as he continued to find things his dad either turned a blind eye to or gave the okay for them to stay hidden. "When I found out that professor Hojo was going to get rid of a test subject, I ordered the Turks to find you. Though, I was not expecting someone as young as you."
Silvia frowned slightly. After all the years she had finally got the others to call her Silvia now she was back to being called Silviana. The name was just another reminder of her past and those she was taken away from. It would definitely take getting used to. Suddenly, an idea came to the blue-gray eyed teen. Well, it didn't hurt to try.
In the past, it had taken her almost a year and a half for her to come out and explain how she felt about being called Silviana all the time. Yet, it had taken Rufus and the others a long time for them to just call her Silvia. This could be her chance to jump start the process.
She took a deep breath. "Sir, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would like to be called Silvia. Silviana is….a reminder."
"We understand." Tseng answered stepping forward from his position next to the vice president. "We have a few matters to discuss with you as well."
Silvia nodded, encouraging him to go ahead.
"We saved you yes. But, we have some request we would like to make of you. Firstly, we would you like you to be the personal Bodyguard to Rufus Shinra, the Vice President of Shinra. This position is usually taken on by one Turk and one SOLDIER. But, because of your skills we believe that you would be an excellent choice for this position."
"You saved my life when you did not have to. I am in debted to you, and I feel I owe you my life." Silvia rolled her eyes in her mind at the words that she had spoken years ago at this exact same meeting. This meeting was the pivotal change in her life, was forever ingrained in her memory. She remembered every word that was spoken. Now she had proof that the woman's voice she had heard in the Forgotten Forest was speaking the truth when she said she would send her to the past.
Tseng looked at her, shocked by her words. He had been expecting her to reject the offer. In Deep Ground she was a trained killing machine. He had been expecting her to attack and try to kill them to escape. Her reaction was one that threw him through a loop. From his hacking into Hojo's personal files of the Deep Ground project, the girl was an anomaly from what he had read in the files.
She allowed a warm smile to grace her lips. It was one that Rude and Reno had worked on her for years to perfect. "I am not like the other Deep Ground members. I do not enjoy killing and I have a sense of freedom. And, thanks to you for saving my life, I am able to feel that freedom."
Both Tseng and Rufus didn't say anything after her little speech. It was Rufus who finally broke the silence. "Also, on top of being my personal bodyguard, you must keep your presence hidden from the Turk's, Soldier's and the science department. Only Hollander and Hojo will know of you existence unless I say otherwise. I may also have some personal missions to send you on as well. I may also send you missions." Rufus explained to her after her declaration.
"If that is all, I am okay with it. I will do my best to stay hidden from the groups you mentioned. I do not mind being your bodyguard or going on missions you assign to me. But, I have two conditions." Silvia answered.
"And what would this two conditions be?" the Turk commander asked carefully.
Blue-gray eyes sparkled mischievously and turned to a vibrant golden color, the words springing to the tip of her tongue. "First, I want to be able to explore from time to time. Like Midgar or the areas I am in when on these missions. I have never had that chance before. Second, you must be willing to except my friend and partner."
"Who's your friend and partner?" Rufus asked cautiously. Tseng moved protectively in front of Rufus.
"If you read my file then you know the experiment that labeled me a failure." At Tseng's stiff nod she continued. "Hojo tried to fuse me with a new type of monster that he either found or created, I do not know. But, instead, that creature became apart of my shadow. He listens to me, I assure you. He speaks to me at times and he won't be threat to you or anyone. But, if you do not respect him, then." She shrugged.
Tseng relaxed slightly. "May we meet this…Shadow Beast mentioned in the files?"
"You may." A rough voice answered from Silvia's shadow. Suddenly, a black fog like substance floated from her shadow and hovered about 4 feet from the ground. A shape started to form slowly. First, four legs grew and began to solidify. The body and head came next. Lastly a long tail formed. A wolf-like muzzle stretched from the head and the shape began to form into a semblance of a wolf. Red eyes blinked open and stared at the two men across the room.
The wolf made of Shadows bowed his head at the two men. "I am a Shadow Beast. I have no name that I can remember, but you may call me Shadow." He introduced himself.
"I see." Tseng answered completely caught of guard by the creature in front of them. Rufus, next to him stared in shook. After a few moments both men recovered and their expression turned into those of cool indifference once again. 'That had definitely not changed in the years that follow,' she thought to herself.
"Very well. If you can keep Shadow under control then we agree to your two conditions. "Rufus said.
Silvia nodded. "And I accept yours. I now work for you Mr. Rufus Shinra. I owe you my life and I am very grateful to you for saving my life."
"I don't really know what we should call you, either a SOLDIER or a Turk, so, for now you will be just Silvia. Though you may be my bodyguard I may also send you on missions when our Soldier's or Turks are too busy to handle." Rufus added.
Silvia rolled her eyes. She remembered this from before. But, if this really was the past could she change what had happened? Could she save the others in Deep Ground? Could she change the fate of those who had died during the attack? But, wait, what had the woman meant when she had said "Maybe you can help them find a better path to walk than the paths they chose that led to their deaths"? For the first time since finding out that she had indeed traveled to the past, Silvia felt unsure. Who had the woman meant? Was it only those in Deep Ground or could it also mean the friends the red haired man had been talking about?
Tseng reached behind his back and withdrew a strange, black weapon and handed it to Silviana carefully. The weapon reminded one of a Two foot long bundled of four black poles folded togther and a curved blade, attached to one end of one of the poles, folded along one of them. Silvia casually slid it into the sheath resting against her thigh. Next he pulled out a series of eight thin but sturdy daggers and handed them to her as well. These she secured to the small sheaths on her wrist, the back of each thighs, the back of her boots and two she slid into secret compartments in the heel of her boots. Finished, she stood up and stared at Rufus Shinra.
Rufus smiled slightly, but it was not one of happiness. The smile was a bitter one as he spoke his next words. "Then welcome to Shinra Electric Company Mrs. Silviana Lark."
A/N: It took me awhile to get Tseng and Rufus's characters down and I hope I did okay with them. I also know that alot of people use purple for the OC, but Silvia wears the purple coat for other reasons than the fact she likes the color. You find out later why she is called Silviana the Violet in Deepground, hopefully here real soon. Please read, review and comment! Thank you all for reading!