well, after getting a little bored of writing Naruto and Digimon fanfiction, i'll try my hand at this story again. it's been such a while since I've written anything for this so you'll likely see many things that dont make sense.

anyway, i'm no good at stuff like this, so on with it then

Disclaimer: Don't own Final Fantasy, but I do own several of the games now. Lovin' that Dirge of Cerberus.

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Chapter 3

Now Toby had seen some messed up shit. He'd been forced to sit down and watch the goriest, bloodiest, stupidest movies ever made in the short history of mankind. He'd seen people with deformed faces, amputated limbs, and birth defects. He felt safe to say "I've seen it all". How wrong he was...

"Aaaahh! My leg! My leg!"

LCpl Sae ducked down and turned to look at Cpl Miguel Lopez and saw a sight that pushed bile up into his mouth. There was a clean hole through his leg and it was quickly draining his life's blood. Sae jumped down on Lopez and forced him to look away from the critical wound and dragged him into a decimated building.

"Corpsman! Corpsman! We've got a man hit!"

Sae tried to calm Lopez down and at the same time tried to restrain him. The Navy Corpsman dived inside the building, barely missed the bullets that riddled the walls. He immediately got up and began to try to apply a tourniquet above the wounded leg.

"I need more guys in here! Go get someone!"

"Jeremiah! Jeremiah, get in here!"

PFC Jeremiah didn't answer but Machado came rushing in instead. The Corpsman directed him to keep pressure on top of Lopez's wound as he wrapped the top of the leg in a belt tightly so it would stop the bleeding.

"Sae, this guy's not looking good. He's gotta get out of here and fast if we want him to survive."

Sae nodded and briefly ran his hand over Lopez's head before going to look after the rest of his team. He tapped the shoulder of the radio-operator sharply and signaled to him to radio in for an evac. Not wanting to wait any longer, he jumped over a few decimated walls and reached the rest of his team. Machado jumped in next to him a second later, only to curse in futility. Sae now knew what had happened to Jeremiah. He was currently pinned down lying down flat behind a short wall. The wind was starting to pick up and a bunch of sand, dirt, and trash was flying around. Sae pulled his goggles onto his face and quickly signaled to his fire team telling them to listen in.

'Okay, now I've seen it all.'

Again, wrong.

Mushroom Rock Road

Yuna and her party of guardians were currently walking along the High Road to meet with Maester Seymour. They killed time by defeating the fiends that never seemed to wait more than a few seconds after another fiend was killed to jump out and attempt to ambush them, and by questioning Toby and trying to understand him. What Toby learned from them was that they didn't know that his swear words such as "fuck" and "shit" and phrases such as "son of a bitch" were inappropriate language. That explained why he was not chastised when he spewed it out unreasonably in front of present company. He decided to cut low on the cussing. He didn't want to start a trend.

At first Wakka didn't seem to like him much. He kept calling Toby's weapon a "machina", whatever the hell that means. He also kept trying to look closely into Toby's eyes which was a disturbing action. Toby was able to stop his attempts by simply saying,

"Sorry, bud. I don't play for that team."

Apparently this phrase was not beyond the comprehension of the bulky Blitzball player. And speaking of Blitzball; Toby got excited when he heard the description of Blitzball and when he had gotten a live demonstration and a short clip from when the Besaid Aurochs completely thrashed the Luca Goers at the Blitzball Final. Toby played soccer and hockey and wasn't too shabby at swimming either. Toby's eyes had gone misty as he considered the possibilities of committing so many moves that would be deemed fouls in his world and move them over into Blitzball. Tidus began to edge away from him when his misty eyes had achieved a glint that Auron would be proud of and a dark chuckle that would keep fiends at bay easier than a spell or ability ever could.

Toby took his fair share of fiends down. He finished blasting the remains of what he called the 'Drake Reject' with an M240G Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). Ever since Rikku had slapped that device on his arm, she had been teaching him how to use it.

A Day Ago

"A Dress Sphere Grid, you say?"

"Yeah! Isn't it cool?!"

"I'm not wearing no fucking dress. No way in the seven levels of hell."

"But-"

"NO."

"B-"

"NO means NO damnit."

"It doesn't have to be a dress! It probably works differently for guys than it does for us girls!"

"N-Wha?"

"Daddy's working on a new kind of Dress Sphere Grid based on the making of that age-old one you've got there, except he said he's making it "for my sweet little girl"."

"...So...you're saying I won't be in a dress?"

"Ugh, no, you won't be in a dress."

Yuna was currently beside herself in giggles and Tidus had to bury his face in the dirt to muffle his laughter. Lulu was shaking her head, Wakka was coughing up a storm, Auron smiled just a little at the duo's antics, and Kimahri was, well, Kimahri.

"Now, let's see what the Sphere Grid made of you."

"How's that?"

"This thing generates a few dress spheres based on data it reads about you."

"How does this thing read my data?"

"I don't know, I just know it works. I don't like to question it. Dad's inventions always seem to go haywire and blow up in his face whenever I question how they work. It's like it's some kind of conspiracy."

"Riiiight..."

"Hmm...this is really weird. I've never seen spheres with this kind of make-up before."

"I'm not wearing no fucking make-up either!"

"Oooh, you dummy! I meant how it's structured."

"Oh..."

"I really don't get it, why don't you try them on, just to see what they do?"

"Eh, sure. I just tap the sphere, then?"

Rikku nodded the affirmative so Toby hesitantly tapped the first glowing sphere smartly. Nothing happened for a few seconds and Toby opened his mouth to complain when he was suddenly enveloped in light. Rikku jumped back in surprise and everyone stopped laughing, sans Kimahri, to look at what became of Toby. When the light died down, there didn't seem to be much different about him. He was still in the sand colored camouflage uniform and carrying a bulky pack that rattled whenever he moved. What they did notice immediately was the large and menacing looking weapon hanging off his shoulders. Toby looked down and gave a whoop of joy.

"Oh sweet! It's an M240 Gulf! I love these things!"

Everyone couldn't understand, even Rikku, Tidus, and Auron, why he made such a big deal out of that supposed weapon. They were also a little creeped out when Toby sat down and began crooning and softly stroking the weapon and odd, thin, pointed cylinders the color of brass that were linked together. They guessed it was a "Maw-reene" thing.

Present

"See, Toby! I told you that the Dress Sphere Grid is awesome!"

Toby finished revering the heavy machine gun long enough to give Rikku something between grimace and a smile. He took off his helmet and replied,

"Yeah. You were right. I've gotta admit, I'm really loving this Dress Sphere Grid. I got to be a SAW gunner, a Sniper, and Recon! Wonder what else I can get out of this baby."

Yuna pulled Tidus over to her and began to whisper to him,

"Don't you think that Toby and Rikku make such a cute couple? I've never seen Rikku so excited...and, well, angry, like this before! And it looks like she got Toby to open up a bit more, don't you think?"

Tidus flushed a little under his tanned skin when she mentioned the word couple but it thankfully went unnoticed due to his darkened skin. He looked back at Toby and Rikku opening up another fight as they walked towards the magical pillar that led to the encampment. He couldn't help but smile and he noticed that both Rikku and Toby were smiling underneathe their shouts and gestures.

"Yeah, I think they would. But I'd really hate to see their kids, haha. From what we've seen here, I'll bet they'll fight even through the wedding ceremony."

Tidus didn't miss the odd flash that shone through Yuna's eyes quickly. He quickly feared he had done something wrong and tried to correct it.

"Yuna-?

Well, he tried. They had reached the magical pillar and it began to rise quickly. When they reached the top, they saw an enraged Crusader rush into the camp.

"Hey! Wasn't that-"

"Yes, but we should be moving. It is not prudent to leave Maester Seymour waiting for us any longer than necessary."

Wakka grew a little subdued as the Maester's name was mentioned. Everyone had noticed that he grew steadily grumpier when he met Maester Seymour and saw him allowing the use of Al Bhed machina and blessing the Al Bhed in the name of Yevon.

"I still say that the Maester's lost his marbles. Too many bad chocobo eggs if you ask me. To even think to use Al Bhed machina, when that's the reason that Sin's here in the first place, yah?"

Everyone looked a little shocked. Wakka, the ardent follower of Yevon, cursing a Maester of Yevon. Toby stayed blissfully ignorant. They soon reached a tent and Maester Seymour came out to greet them. Toby and Wakka grew rigid with more than a little distrust in their eyes. Toby didn't like this "Maester Seymour". He was too smooth of a talker and seemed a bit too powerful and too good to be true. Not mentioning the fact that the odd veins that converged on his forehead to between his eyes. Toby's "Jody" senses were tingling. That was never a good sign. Seymour turned his eyes upon Yuna and then on Tidus and then on Toby. Toby saw a little curiosity and what might pass for triumph pass his eyes for a moment. Seymour soon left and said that "Operation Mi'ihen" would begin in about a half hour. Everyone notably grew more subdued and a little distracted.

Toby was confused when everyone had first told him about Sin. At first he thought it meant like the sins in the Bible. But he was told that it was actually a creature, a manifestation of the sins of Spira. He was told of all the destruction and sadness that Sin had wrought and how Sin could only be defeated by a summoner only to return once the Calm was over. He couldn't grasp it completely but he supposed that he would now find out just what Sin is. Toby went for a little walk and saw how everyone seemed to be so focused on defeating this "Sin". They were checking all the weapons, their gear, and the chocobos (the first words out of Toby's mouth when he first saw chocobos were, "I bet KFC, Popeye's, and Church's Chicken would love to farm these things.").

Everyone sported a grim look as they worked hard. Toby heard several motivational speeches going on and loud cheering and odd bits of a language that he couldn't understand a word of. Toby wondered if this "Sin" really was such a big deal as everyone was making it. He never mentioned it to the party because every time the subject of Sin came up, everyone darkened considerably. Even Tidus seemed a bit down, though not as much as the others.

Unable to handle the tension anymore, Toby returned to the tent and prepared himself. Seymour had left with a not so subtle hint that battles might break out, even up on this cliff, and Toby wanted to be ready. He pulled out a camelback and filled it up to the brim and put it on over his flak jacket. He was glad that the Dress Sphere Grid seemed to generate ammunition whenever he needed it. He slowly began to load rounds into his magazines and cleaning his weapon to pass the time. He felt his good luck charm move against his chest and couldn't help but wonder what Angel was doing.

The Other Side of Mushroom Rock Road

Angel had to admit it to herself. She couldn't coast through life on good looks and popularity. Well, not anymore anyways. Ever since she dropped into this weird place, she'd been attacked by monsters left and right and people had been looking at her funny whenever she asked them a question. Even worse, her cell phone was gone and these people didn't seem to know what a "phone" was. So when she was confronted by two guards she was beside herself in anger. She had to be led away, they said something about "Sin" and an operation going on beyond there and that it wasn't safe.

But common sense be damned, she was mad and she wanted to keep walking until she found something that made sense. So when the guards went to check something, she quickly dashed past them and arrived at the top a cliff overlooking a beach. There seemed to be a lot of people shouting and moving about, spewing more nonsense about that "Sin", while fixing what looked like cannons.

"Oh, good. Cannons, this must mean that there are some people around here that make sense."

She spotted a man walking towards an important looking tent and quickly ran to catch up with him. She lightly tapped him on his shoulders to get his attention.

"Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me where I am?"

The Crusader looked at the girl as if she were the stupidest person in the world.

"What do you mean "where are you?". How did you get in here? You have to get out of here, now! It isn't safe!"

By now, Angel was tired, sad, angry, hungry, tired, hungry, tired, angry, hungry, tired, angry, and angry. And she was frustrated. Out of a fit of rage she began screaming at the Crusader in a fit of rampage.

Beyond the wall of the tent, Toby shuddered for no reason at all. He passed it off as nerves and continued maintaining his weapon while making small talk with everyone.

"Shut up! You despicable, spoiled little child! Don't you understand I'm just trying to make sure you don't get hurt! Fine! You want it your way?! GRIFF! Take this girl into the tent and make sure she SHUTS UP!"

Griff came and calmly led Angel into the large tent. Angel was currently in shock. She was used to being called a spoiled little child, but not in the way that guard had been doing it. While she merely brushed off comments like this back home, she, for some reason, couldn't bring herself to do the same here. She didn't hear Griff telling her to calm down and stay quiet and that if a fight should break out, that she should quickly run to the reinforced dugouts they had made at the back of the tent. She continued to stare at the wall of canvas in front of her, her mind wading in thoughts. She vaguely heard voices beyond the wall of canvas running up and down the center of the tent.

"Hey, Toby, whatcha doin'?"

"Cleaning my rifle."

"You know, I'm all for good looking weapons, but are good looks really important if you're gonna fight?"

"Of course not. I'm cleaning the inside of my rifle so it doesn't jam or have anything interfere with it. The cleaner a rifle, the better it fires."

"Well if you say so, Mr. Lance Corporal Toby Sae."

"Rikku."

"Yes?"

"Shut up, will you?"

"Aww...you big meanie!"

"Hey, you little theif! Give me back my helmet! Don't make me have to chase you down..."

"Nneeeeeee!"

"You little-!"

Angel absentmindedly listened to the various crashes and slightly forced laughter until the proverbial light bulb lit up.

"Toby?"

"Huh?"

Toby looked over to the wall that said his name and noticed a shadow crossing towards the opening to his right. Toby trailed off to the side so he could see better and couldn't believe his eyes. Standing in the opening, looking just as surprised as he was, was a girl with long brown hair in a low-set ponytail, heart-shaped face, and brown eyes. A girl Toby knew well, and often saw much cleaner than she looked now,

"Angel?"

"Toby? Is that really you? Finally, a person that can understand me!"

Angel dashed over to Toby, fully ready to envelope her ex-boyfriend in a big hug when she unexpectedly hit what felt like the fist of God and hit the dirt.

"Whoopsie!"

Angel groaned but relaxed when a pair of surprisingly gentle hands helped her up. She opened her eyes and looked at Toby who was avoiding her gaze. Suddenly she remembered their situation and felt awkward.

"Umm...It's good to see you again Toby. But I thought you were still in Iraq?"

Toby turned around and sat down at his bench and resumed his weapons maintenance. The entire tent was silent. Everyone could feel the tension between the two foreigners. Toby took his time with his answer,

"I was, but my team and I were pinned down by insurgents and I fell out of a helicopter. Then I ended up here somehow and joined Yuna and her friends and now I'm here."

The silence fell again and everyone felt uncomfortable, even Auron, just a little. Unable to take it anymore, Yuna spoke up,

"So, um, Angel, was it? How do you know Toby? Are you two friends from where you come from."

"Yes, I guess you could say that. Toby and I used to date a little while back."

Toby kept feigning muteness. Anyone near him felt the tug of a blackhole as he kept oiling and scrubbing the same spot on his rifle.

"Used to? What do you mean used to?"

"Uh...well, we broke up a month ago..."

"So you're the one that made him so miserable!"

Everyone turned to look at Rikku who was pointing her finger at Angel. Rikku was glaring like nobody had ever seen her glare before. Everyone could see she was insanely angry and every female (sans Angel) could see righteous, feminine fury burning in her eyes. Angel wondered what the little girl was talking about.

"What do you mean, "made him miserable"?"

"What do I mean?! How could you break up with a guy like Toby? He's so nice, how could you just go behind his back and date another guy?!"

"Enough."

Everyone stopped and looked at Toby as he slowly stood up. Toby slung his M4 rifle across his body and walked to the center of the group.

"Enough. No more of this. Nobody needs to hear this. It's personal, just leave it alone."

"But-"

"I said leave it alone, Rikku. Don't worry yourself about it."

"But-!"

Rikku was cut off when Toby grabbed her shoulders and planted a chaste kiss on Rikku's forehead. Everyone stared dumbfounded that he had found such a simple method of calming everyone down. Toby let go and walked to the exit. He turned around just before he exited,

"Rikku, thanks for caring."

Everyone was silent. Rikku was blushing. Yuna and Tidus's mouths were hanging open. Lulu's eyes were slightly widened. Wakka was scratching his head. Auron took a swig from his sake jug. Kimahri adjusted his arms so they wouldn't go numb. Angel was confused and felt a little hurt at the display of affection Toby had demonstrated on Rikku. When a Crusader walked in a few minutes later, nothing had changed. He felt a little awkward and cursed being the new guy. He cleared his throat,

"E-Excuse me, Lady Yuna. Operation Mi'ihen is about to begin and Maester Seymour would like you and your party to meet him at the control center."

Yuna nodded, bringing herself out of her funk and collected everybody and left the tent. Several seconds later she returned to snap Angel back to reality.

"Would you care to join us? I'm sure there are many things to discuss."

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AN: Well, there it is. I'm hoping the story is starting to get a little more interesting and make some sort of sense. Writing Final Fantasy is HARD. It's something I have next to no experience with, seeing I don't read many Final Fantasy fics in the first place. I can only hope for the best.

go on, toss me a cookie...please?