Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XII, just the OCs.
Recommended that you read Connection: New Game through to Pieces of Time.
Summary: So many people are thrown into events unwillingly are forever changed and Grace Buffay is put under these circumstances yet again. She is joined in the struggle but the War against the Empire isn't her main concern as deeper conflicts grow to a head as history is written once again. This story contains violence, sexual themes and swearing.
The Reins of History
Prologue: Bottom of the Barrel
"Fresh meat coming through!" Oh this is ridiculous. At least I wasn't the only woman down here but I still felt the eyes of deprived males leering at me. Any of them try to touch me I will launch their testicles back into their body so fast they'll pop out their mouths.
The armoured soldiers threw me onto the sand and left, locking the gates. I got up and started to look about my surroundings. Hot, unpleasant and sandy. I won't even begin to try and describe the smell. Rotting flesh and flies in some places. Ugh I was stuck in this place too.
"Another poor soul left to suffer in this pit," One guy muttered, making me take notice of him. "What are you in for?"
"I looked at a guard funny," I answered. The man laughed briefly.
"I wouldn't be surprised."
"Was pickpocketing actually," I explained calmly. "I was stuck in the desert, no weapons, no money and probably left for dead. Nabbed some gil to survive but clearly I wasn't subtle enough." I looked around the area again. Of course I was only telling him half the story but I'm sure the bastards left me in the desert for dead.
I vividly remember clinging onto Lysander for dear life. We thought that as long as we didn't get separated we would be fine no matter where we ended up. The Superiors had different ideas and wrenched us apart. He fell into one void and I fell into the other, waking up in the desert at night. I stole some money to try find a weapon for myself, got caught and here I am.
"So what's the deal around here?" I asked. "Take it there's a pecking order?"
"If you're lucky, and keep your head down, you'll not be taken to the arena," He pointed to the iron bars which held a pit. I could hear a man screaming and getting beaten. "The Seeq dungeon masters drag in whoever they please, whoever looks helpless, and beat them to death," I nodded, opting to sit down with the man. "My name's Edgar, might I know yours?"
"Grace," I responded. I noticed grotesque, overgrown pigs leave the pit. I assumed they were the Seeqs he was talking about.
"Well, Grace," Edgar continued. "If you were left for dead in a desert you'd best learn from your mistakes and not anger people in here. There are many who would throw others to the dogs to save their own hides."
"I'll keep that in mind," I nodded. "But I'm not going to stay for long, I'm gonna find a way out."
"A way out? If it were that simple," Edgar chuckled.
"I see we've got ourselves a new girl here," I knew that tone meant trouble. I looked up at some guy who looked like a creeper and a lecher. He was with three other guys who all had the same expression. "Not bad, not bad either. How about we give you a nice, warm welcome?"
"It's a desert, I've already had a warm welcome," I said back with strained politeness and mockery. They didn't seem too happy at my tone. Edgar kept his head down while others look on with interest.
"Well you're a feisty one," The front man leered. I held my gaze firm and unafraid. By the look of him I could tell he was high up in the pecking order, got his way all the time, threw others to the wolves and if anyone tried to knock him off his pedestal he had his boys take care of them. "We'll change that, love," He reached out to grab my arm and hoist me up but I was quicker, sweeping my legs under his and making him collapse. "Bitch! What are you waiting for?" The three guys all went for me at the one time so I backed up quickly, throwing sand into their eyes. I leapt over them and bolted for it, leaping over the front man's attempt to grab my ankles.
He went after me while the lackeys rubbed sand out of their eyes. I knocked some of his teeth out and dodged his right hook. Keeping to my silent promise when I got thrown in here I gave him a strong, hard, kick in his nads.
The other guys had come back into the fight. My strategy was to keep at least one down so I can easily fight the others. It seemed to work well but I still got several bruises from stray punches when I was outnumbered. I had burst their noses and roughed them up a fair amount. I crouched down beside the front man, my hand at his throat.
"Like I said, I've already had a welcome," I spoke calmly. I got pulled up by one of the guys and he tried to restrain me, unaware of how flexible I was. I feigned defeat as the front man grinned in victory.
"Not like this, love," He sneered. He hit me in the side of the head and they let me fall to the floor. I spat blood out my mouth as they laughed. As soon as his lackey reached out to grab me again I shot up and slammed his head against a stone pillar, killing him on contact. For a moment they were stunned and I took that chance to grab another and punch him to the ground. I slammed my fist into his chest, hearing a crack and left him, strangling the other to death. I then let my eyes shift to the leader, still thinking he had a shot. I beat him to the ground, wrapped my arms around his neck and then snapped it.
The other prisoners, who had been staying out of the way throughout the fight, emerged and grumbled about how unbelievable it was to see me take out one of the more notorious prisoners on my first day here. I relaxed and left the bodies. Edgar sighed as I went back to him.
"You'll get yourself into a lot of trouble," He told me.
"I'm not gonna be someone's bitch," I shrugged. "It's survival and I'm gonna fight for it until I find a way out of here. I won't go looking for fights, it'll only be if they throw the first punch."
"You're a bold one, Grace," Edgar stated. "The dungeons may just get a little more interesting around here." I gave him a smirk and stayed around the main area. I had the feeling I was going to get dragged into that arena for the duration of my stay.