A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to the 2nd chapter of Heart of a Soldier! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XIII and its characters rightfully belongs to Square Enix
Claimer: Heart of a Soldier and its OCs belong to me
*Re-edited 4/5/2014
Heart of a Soldier
Chapter II: Acceptation Without Doubt
"Hey, Nick!" Looking over my shoulder from reading a book- a history book about Pulse to be exact. For some reason, Pulse interests me. Back to Alexis, I noticed her walking out of her work space where she tinkers with machinery. Whenever she got the chance, she would take our gunblades and upgrade them in any way with the components that she would purchase from Lenora's Garage. Alexis handed me my sheathed gunblade.
"What did you do this time?" I asked, placing my gunblade at the end of the couch that I was sitting on before going back to reading. Although before she could tell me, Alexis gave me a look that she wanted me to test out the gunblade. Complying, I placed the book on the coffee table of the living room before grabbing the case and unsheathed my weapon. The gunblade originally had a metallic silver coating as its base color but I decided to customize it with heavy tinted gold and medium grey. On the surface, feathers were itched into the surface.
Looking over to Alexis, I noticed a sparkle in her eyes as she gazed upon her finished work. I change my gunblade into its sword and began swinging it around. It feels as light as a feather…
Like she had read my mind, Alexis smiled "I was able to decrease the weight so that makes it easier to wield during battle- which also adds a bonus to your attack speed. But you know what they say 'There is more to life than simply increasing its speed'."
Sheathing the weapon, I ruffled my twin sister's hair "Thanks." Several knocks came to the front door, Alexis and I looked at each other "Who can that be?"
Walking up to the door, I opened it to reveal a group of three PSICOM Wardens "Nicholas Cross," The one who knocked acknowledged "We're here to bring you to Eden, Lieutenant Colonel's orders."
My brows knitted together, "What for?"
"The Lieutenant Colonel will tell you everything once we arrive at Eden." The PSICOM soldier told me "He has received permission from Lieutenant Cross of the Guardian Corps to take you."
Alexis then came into the conversation "If Nicholas is going, then I'm going to." The PSICOM soldiers looked amongst themselves before sending a nod our way. To be cautious, our mom always said to bring our weapons whenever being taken somewhere by the military- it's always best to listen to your military parent. As we walked out, I closed the door behind us and we followed the PSICOM soldiers towards the landing pad.
As we walked through Bodhum, I began to notice that we were getting attention. I don't blame the civilians for their curiosity. If I saw a group of soldiers escorting two kids, I would definitely stare as they passed by.
The PSICOM soldier that was in front of us came to a stop in front of a fenced area and on the other side of the fence was the airship that came in by. A soldier on the other side of the fence opened the gate for us before locking it behind us. The hatch of the airship opened and we entered with the soldiers behind us.
Once inside, Alexis and I resided within the bridge where the soldiers brought us to "This is Pyro, our destination is Eden. ETA: approximately three hours." The pilot said over the intercom of the ship. The Pyro began lifting off of the ground of the docking area and began its way back to Eden.
"Nicholas, can I talk to you for a minute?" Alexis asked me.
Alexis's POV
Nicholas nodded. The door to the bridge swished open and we stepped out into the hallway "What is it?" He asked.
I scratched the back of my head before replying "I don't if this make any sense to you but-" I noticed my brother raise an eyebrow "Earlier this morning before mom left for work, she got a call from Derek." Nicholas made no reaction by far, so I continued "I heard them talking over the phone about coming to PSICOM's headquarters in Eden- apparently, the Primach is looking into the new recruits and seeing how they've been shaping up."
"What does this have to with me? I have nothing to do with PSICOM- let alone not being a recruit." He said.
"Actually, you are involved." I said "Mom told me that the Primach knows much of the family and military history. With Derek bringing you up between him and the Primach, the Primach took an interest in you and wishes for you to be in the hands of PSICOM. The only thing that was enough to convince him was your academy records and our father being Jackson Cross." Nicholas's jaw clenched and his eyes became a darker shade of blue. I looked down at the ground. I may not know what Nicholas went through when Derek suddenly enrolled him into the academy but it's obvious that he felt anger and betrayal.
"So…" Nicholas finally spoke as he kept himself cool and collective "This isn't how I imagined my life would go." He muttered before walking away "I need some time to think…"
Letting my brother be, I headed back inside the cockpit and gazed upon the unchanging passing scenery of clouds and blue sky.
Time passed and Eden was finally in our sight. Turning on my heel and walking out of the bridge, I navigated my way through the ship as I searched for Nicholas- however, there were times that I got lost. A PSICOM soldier then came up to me and asked if I needed assistance, I nodded, and asked him if he saw a doppelganger of me except being a male. The soldier nodded and led me to the hull where Nicholas that entered after we boarded. I gave the soldier my thanks before he went back to whatever duty he had.
The door leading into the hull swished open as I walked through. Glancing around the hull to see nothing but piled crates, I then heard a faint snoring. I looked around a stack of crates near the door to see Nicholas laying on the ground and sleeping with his scarf covering his face.
"Nicholas?" I stood over him "Nicholas!" The only answer I got from my brother was 'five more minutes…'. Sighing, I drove the toe of my boot into Nicholas's right side and it was then that he immediately sat up with his scarf still covering his face.
Uncovering his face and looking up to see me, he yawned loudly "Alexis? Where did- how did you find me?"
"I asked a soldier and he directed me to the hull, that he saw you entering." I told him and Nicholas began stretching his limbs "What are you doing in the hull? I was expecting you to be thinking about what I just told you instead of sleeping." Nicholas stood up and strapped his sheathed gunblade around his waist.
"I did exactly that before taking a nap to pass the time." He told me "Just thinking about it makes me question how stupid Derek is…" I said nothing nor comment about it "Derek should know about my feelings towards PSICOM and why they're like that…but who am I to say? Besides, he wasn't even there when a PSICOM soldier told us that father didn't return and proclaimed his body dead."
The voice from before sounded on the intercom "We have reached our destination. I repeat, we have reached our destination."
"C'mon," Nicholas began walking of the hull "Lets see what the Primach and Lieutenant Colonel Derek Cross want with me."
Nicholas's POV
After the Pyro landed in Eden, Alexis and I were escorted out of the airship where a man with messy charcoal colored hair and a goatee met us. That is Lieutenant Colonel Derek Cross, our older brother. Instead of his usual bulky armor, Derek wore simple dark brown trousers, a white sleeveless tunic with a high collar, a sleeveless blue hoodie, and black military boots. At a closer look, he had scar from the corner of his left eye to his to the left corner of his mouth. He also had a tattoo on his right forearm of a black inked dragon wrapping itself around his forearm.
"Alexis and Nicholas," He spoke with a bright smile on his face and eyes twinkling. Alexis smiled and hugged him "Damn, two years sure make a difference when it comes to appearances." Derek then went over to me and ruffled my hair. I mentally growled at the action "You two certainly grown!"
"So, Derek," I spoke "What's the deal of having some PSICOM soldiers coming up to the front door and bringing us here?"
Derek made a sheepishly smile "Honestly, I was expecting you to come by yourself, Nick. But knowing Alexis," He looked at Alexis "She'll want to come along. Anyways, come along you two, there's someone who wants to meet you Nick."
Before going inside PSICOM headquarters, Alexis and I gave each other a look. Seems like meeting the Primach is true.
Heading inside the building, we followed Derek through the lobby and towards the elevators which are located at the far right corner of the first floor. Derek pressed the button and called the elevator to the first floor. The elevator dinged and the door swished open, we entered and Derek pressed the button for the 5th floor. The doors closed and the elevator began moving.
I turned back my towards Derek and Alexis and looked out of the glass window to see ships passing by at cruising speeds, "How's everything back at home?" Derek asked.
Seeing my reflection within the glass, Alexis told him "Oh you know, walking about the malls, hanging out with mom at work, sparring, and other things."
"Meet anybody interesting?" Derek asked the both of us. My eyebrow twitched when Alexis told him that I developed a crush on Sergeant Farron, Derek made an amused smile towards my direction. I adjusted my scarf so that it was covering my flushed cheeks. Geez. The elevator came to a stop at the 5th floor and we stepped out. Continuing to follow Derek, we eventually came to a sparring room where a man dressed in white and light purple stood with a blonde woman standing beside him on the left, hands behind her back. On the man's right was a man dressed in PSICOM armor.
"Lieutenant Colonel Cross," The man on the right said with acknowledgement.
"Sir," Derek saluted dutifully before turning back Alexis and I "Alexis and Nick," He began to introduce individually "This is my CO, Anthony Spears. The Primach, Galenth Dysley. And finally, Lieutenant Colonel, Jihl Nabaat."
"Pleasure to meet you," Alexis and I said simultaneously.
"Nicholas Cross," Dysley spoke "Come forward." I looked between Alexis and Derek before obeying and stood in front of the Primach "I went through your academy records and was astonished that you graduated at the top of your class." I said nothing "Should've expected no less from a child of Jackson Cross." I resisted the urge to frown.
"Excuse me, Your Excellency," I said politely "What made you interested in me? Besides my academy records and being the son of Jackson Cross?"
Dysley had a straight face before making a kind smile "Your persona, your ability, and your will." He replied "Those traits are what makes a strong soldier." Derek's CO cleared his throat, I turned around towards the entrance to see a PSICOM Executioner walk into the room with a spear in his hand at the ready "The strength on the body is what also counts."
I quickly unsheathed my gunblade as the Executioner charged straight towards me and our weapons clashed. My body shook at the pressure that the Executioner was placing. Glaring at the Executioner, I sucked in a deep breath and began pushing back.
What the hell does fighting have do with any of this?
The Executioner and I both jumped back. Standing back up, I managed to regain my composure before the Executioner made his move and thrusted his spear towards me but I sidestepped in time to avoid being stabbed. Making my move, I successfully landed a hard roundhouse kick on my opponent's left ribcage. The Executioner reacted and attempted to punch me but I dodged that fist by ducking, followed by knocking the soldier off if his feet. Flipping my gunblade downwards, I went to stab the blade through the Executioner but her grabbed my wrist and flipped me onto my back.
I wheezed as the air was knocked out of my body but I was able to move before the tip of the spear pierced my head.
Alexis's POV
I watched from the sidelines as Nicholas nearly dodged the spear that now stabbed the matted floor underneath their feet. Truth be told, I felt nervous because Nicholas has never been in a fight with an actual soldier- with our older brother as an exception. Nicholas regained composure and got into his fighting position.
The Executioner and my brother just stared at each other for a moment before resuming their fight.
Eventually, Nicholas got the upper-hand in the fight and turned the tables in his favor. With the Executioner on his back, Nicholas panted heavily and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his gloved hand. He began to falter in his balance but I rushed to his side in an instant, Nicholas nodded his thanks for catching him before collapsing onto the ground.
"Quite a show, my child." Dysley commented, walking up to the both of us "There's no question that you have your father's fighting style nor any doubt that you defeated the soldier." Nicholas didn't reply "Congratulations, young Cross," The Primach said with a smile "You have been recruited into PSICOM. Consider it to be an honor that you'll be following your father's footsteps."
"Thank you, Your Excellency," Nicholas said while trying to hide his sudden anger "I am most honored." With that Nicholas sheathed his gunblade and walked out of the room with me and Derek following close behind him.
We arrived back at the elevator that Derek just called. After opening its doors to us, we boarded and it took us back down to the 1st floor "So, Nick," Derek began "Got anything to say?" Nicholas didn't say anything except give our older brother a full on glare until the elevator doors opened up again. My twin then marched right towards the entrance and kicked open the doors "Nicholas, wait a second!" Derek rushed past me and placed a hand on Nicholas's shoulder but Nicholas instantly reacted by punching Derek in the face, and with enough force to damage his jaw.
PSICOM soldiers moved in with their guns trained on Nicholas and Derek ordered them to lower their weapons "Come on Alexis," Nicholas said in a low tone "Lets head back home so that I resume my now messed up life."
With that, we left Eden on the same airship as before.
A/N: So there's the second chappy of Heart of a Soldier! The updating schedule has been decided but I'm unsure about it. Basically, I'll upload a chapter every Saturday but as of today (Friday) I'll make it an exception because I got this chapter done early. Anyways, until the next time on Heart of a Soldier! See ya!
Don't forget to review~!
P.S. Thank you to those who favorite, alerted, and reviewed! It means a lot to me.
