Final Fantasy XIII: Those of the Purge

Intro

Explosions continued to fill the sky, and all I could do was sit and watch Maya cry until she would get tired and sleep. Most of us stayed behind while the group that called themselves NORA went out to fight off PSICOM. I wanted to walk to their leader, and tell him it was hopeless at that moment he was trying to rally volunteers, but I wasn't willing to speak out during the time. All we could do was sit, and hope that everything would turn out alright. The young girl that held the weapon that the leader of NORA left behind was looking at him, and I hoped to god she wouldn't hurt herself with it. Most of us that stayed behind where either woman, children, or just incapable of fighting against PSICOM. Despite the fact that PSICOM is out to kill us, I wasn't willing to hurt another Cocoon born man. We are all fine, I know that. All of us are not I'Cie. And if I were, I would have asked that young girl holding the gun to give it to me, so I could just end my misery right there, and hope that Maya could find a better protector than a I'Cie older brother.

"I want…..I want Mama and Papa…." Maya said, finally calming down, laying her head into my lap. I grabbed her short black hair, and began to stroke it. She had our father's hair, and I had our mother's blonde hair. I whispered to her, and told her that everything was going to be okay, and that our parents are fine. I couldn't break it to her. I couldn't tell Maya that our father was out to search for us, being in PSICOM. I couldn't tell her that our mother was already gone, at the mercy of a PSICOM soldier we encountered from our escape. I had to cover her eyes and tell my eight year old sister that everything was going to be okay. I had to tell her that her fourteen year old brother could stand up to the whole world, while I wished I could. I felt that her breathing has slowed down, and noticed that her eyelids were shut. I took the jacket that we were all forced to wear on the train that Maya took off, and put it over her. She seemed at ease, and I only wish I could do the same. All I could do was wait and hope for a miracle.

"Cute little sister!" I looked up, and bright blue eyes greeted me. I moved back, startled, and I saw more of the stranger. She looked about my age, with short and straight dark blue hair. She smiled, and sat down next to me.

"You're a part of the Purge too then. We all went to go see those fireworks, and this happens! Who would have thought…" The girl said, looking towards where the fighting was happening. She was right. We weren't from Bodhum, just unlucky tourists.

"Who are you?" I asked, continuing to stroke my younger sister's hair. She looked at me, no longer smiling.

"Neysa. Neysa Venette." She said calmly, looking at Maya.

"I'm Darren Brooks. This is my sister, Maya." I said, feeling that she should know our names as well. I could tell that she heard, but she looked over towards where the fight was happening. I tried to look over her shoulder to get a better view, but her head jerked in my direction, and she was smiling again. Neysa stood up, and looked in the direction of where the leader of NORA took the volunteers. She looked at me, as if she was asking me to stand up with her eyes. I looked at Maya, and noticed that her eyes were open again. I felt the tears on my shirt, and I looked at Neysa, and nodded my head no. Neysa walked over towards me, and looked at Maya.

"It's alright, Maya. We'll be okay. You just need to stand up and have your older brother hold you up, okay?" Neysa said, looking at me. She smiled, and I sort of almost laughed too, knowing how much Maya loved to be picked up. I stood up, and Maya quickly jumped into my arms, almost knocking me over. Neysa giggled, and I almost smiled for the first time since the Bodhum fireworks. The cheer quickly vanished as an enormous boom filled the skies. Neysa quickly looked over towards the sound's origin, and I heard several cries of surprise and loss as we all saw the volunteers fall off the nearby bridge into the abyss.

"NO!" A boy shouted on the other side of our bridge. We all took a look, and noticed the leader had lost the hand of a woman that had unexpectedly stood up. I silently cursed to myself, wishing that I could stop this and save everyone. I silently cursed myself again, knowing that it was not possible without bringing harm to another of my kind. I decided at this point, it would be best to just blame the Pulse fal'Cie. Our mother would often tell me and my sister that blame did nothing. That you were responsible for all of your actions. But I knew that this wasn't my own fault. Everything that happened to us, the ones who weren't Pulse I'Cie, it wasn't our own actions that brought us here.

"You doing any better?" Neysa asked me, looking at me. I sighed, keeping Maya in my hands, hoping by some chance, we could get out of this alive.