Breaking Free chapter 7
The pain came in waves, born from the fresh wounds on her shoulder and back, traveling throughout her body in needle-like shivers which, as bothersome as they were, at least they kept her awake, since the blood loss seemed to be taking its tool on her system, threatening to shut her brain down at any given minute. She felt cold sweat forming on her forehead, as well as the warm caress of her own blood gushing out of the torn flesh, and tracing paths along her arm and back, traveling in a stream that ran downwards into her fingers, dripping down from her fingertips, and forming a crimson pool on the grass at her feet.
The excruciating pain and the constant blood loss were making her feel as if her body was ready to give up on her. She felt numb, she felt exhausted.
She felt her veins boiling in rage.
Lightning clenched her teeth as another wave of pain washed over her. She came to realize the throbbing feeling matched the rhythm of her own heart, and it was deterring her in such a way that each beat made her plead to the Maker for the powerful muscle to slow down its pace, if only for the sake of her mental sanity. Unfortunately, her ungrateful heart seemed to have a serious problem with obedience, since, instead of doing what she was pleading, the treacherous organ seemed to be accelerating even more as time passed by. It seemed as if it increased its pace by a beat with every drop of blood that left her body.
Omega Weapon started to grow heavy on her left, healthy arm, but she forced her fist to grip the gunblade tighter. Holding her ground, she had to make all the effort she could to prevent Fang from finding out about her nasty wound. The soldier wouldn´t like to see the emerald orbs darkening out of worry for her.
Well, honestly, she didn´t like anyone looking at her with worry in their eyes, not only Fang. As the proud soldier she was, she loathed pity to no end, no matter whom it came from.
She shook her head slightly to get rid of such depressive thoughts, and instead concentrated on the enemy up front.
The two female fighters had run straight at Raines, trying to prevent him from recovering completely, and now were surrounding the General, stalking him, eyes locked in his figure, while steely gray orbs traveled from one lithe form to the other, sometimes lingering on the smaller frame, noticing how the younger one´s movements were becoming slower by the minute, a piece of information that had caught his eye immediately.
As seconds ticked, it had impressed Raines to realize the Pulsian´s progress seemed to match her partner´s weary movements, apparently without her knowing it. Noticing the similarity, and after witnessing the fall of the young mage, his eyes fell as slits at finally dawning on him the reason why was Lightning´s death so important for Barthandelus´ goal: the bond between these two l´Cie was strong enough so that, by severing it brutally, the pain from the loss could drive the warrior into blind rage… and then into Ragnarok. But he knew the Pulsian´s link with her fellow Oerban was by far stronger than the one she held with the soldier, so he couldn´t fathom Barthandelus´ reasons for choosing Lightning as the designated target, instead of Vanille.
It dawned on him at that moment.
If the stubborn ex-sergeant were to die, her death would not only bring the demise of the tanned warrior, it would make the rest of the l´Cie fall into mourning and sorrow, certainly, but also into chaos, without their leader to guide them… and that would take the rest of them closest to despair and hate as well, making sure that, at least one of them would transform into the monster of destruction. He hadn´t believed Dysley before, but now that he could see the full repercussions, his loath for the treacherous fal´Cie grew a scale.
Raines clenched his teeth in fury. Bastard… he´s gonna break them down and then make them do his will.
Nevertheless, and even though he understood now the reasons for the fal´Cie´s orders, there was still something else niggling at the back of his mind, a faint thought he just couldn´t take a hold on. He had seen the way both fighters moved to ready their attacks. He had watched the way they reacted to one another, as if knowing what movement the other was going to make, their coordination almost perfect. He had seen it up close in their first encounter, and was able to bear witness of their improved prowess now.
There was only one thing that he couldn´t quite place a finger on, and it was their apparent lack of interest at taking the first step, in spite of knowing on first hand, how fierce their attacks could be. They had defeated him before. Why weren´t they attacking him now? What was keeping them from searching for revenge?
Both women softly moved under his scrutiny, and at that moment he was able to notice the difference.
If Fang´s movements sought to match her leader´s in a subconscious way… it also meant that the raven haired woman wasn´t aware of her friend´s injury, and therefore was waiting for the soldier´s signal to make the first move.
Gray met azure again, and if he hadn´t been looking with such intent, he would´ve missed the slight flinch in the crystal orbs, and the pain shimmering behind them, which finally made him understand. The signal would never come. It was his time to move.
Lowering his defensive pose, Cid locked eyes with Lightning, giving a single step towards her.
"She hasn´t noticed. Am I right, sergeant Farron?"
"What?" Fang´s delicate eyebrow rose slightly at his words, at a loss of the meaning, while Lightning´s crystal eyes closed a little and became like slits, piercing warningly at the imposing General, without addressing the tall woman´s question.
"Shut up, Raines."
He smirked a bit, something particularly odd coming from this cold, stone-like man.
The gesture only helped to give Fang the creeps, making her wearier of his words, as her eyes traveled to one soldier to the other, desperate to find out the meaning of their exchange.
"What do you mean, Raines? Light, what does he mean?"
Neither of the soldiers addressed the woman, and the man gave another step forward, his body open with his palms facing the younger one in a conciliating gesture, but his eyes shone threateningly, almost mockingly.
Silence met the trio, and another step from him made Lightning´s eyes open wide in surprise, as understanding reached her. She could read now his intentions, and she felt warm blood invading her face and neck, irritated by his intromission and worried that Fang would find out too.
At his next step, the ex-sergeant´s weapon rose threateningly on gun mode, its aim changing from the General´s heart to straight at his face, the gun barrel now barely inches from his nose. He did smile this time, in response to her threat, but didn´t move.
Witnessing their exchange, emerald orbs traveled from one enemy to the other as the Pulsian fought to understand the reasons behind their actions, when suddenly her eyes locked on her partner´s graceful form, and Fang was finally able to see.
Lightning´s already pale skin looked even paler, wearing a sickening yellow tint; her shoulders were slightly slumped, and Fang could notice all the lean muscles strained intensely, in spite of which the soldier´s posture wasn´t perfect. The Pulsian could notice a slight teetering of the slim body, as well as the tiny but multitude sweatdrops on the younger one´s forehead and neck, and in every inch of her exposed flesh, making her ivory skin shimmer. But what concerned her the most, was the barely noticeable tremor in the arm that held the deadly weapon… and that became increasingly more apparent by the minute.
"Light, what´s going on?"
The younger one didn´t move, didn´t even show any sign of hearing her.
Fang finally lowered her weapon, her body turning towards her friend, and that´s when she noticed the small pool of crimson liquid forming at the strawberry blonde ´s feet. "Lightning! You´re hurt!"
The young woman flinched a bit at the Pulsian´s discovery, but her eyes remained adamantly trained on the man in front of her, who hadn´t moved a single inch either.
Confused by their attitude, the Pulsian gave a step forward, but then she noticed a barely noticeable, almost warningly shake of head from the strawberry blonde, and she understood. Even if it unnerved her, and also frustrated her to no end, she knew that Cid and Lightning were now engrossed in battle. A battle of wills between two fine soldiers, and therefore, although it was obvious that Lightning was hopelessly losing, Fang didn´t have the right to interfere. She wasn´t a soldier, but nevertheless she understood perfectly what honor in wartime meant. The two soldiers were siblings in arms, after all, and their honor was the most important issue for both of them.
"Damn…" Fang cursed on the low, her muscles tensed in anger and frustration.
"Kill her, Cid." Barthandelus stood close by, right behind Fang, his voice startling her, and she jumped backwards with a guarding pose immediately fixed, placing her body protectively in between Lightning and the fal´Cie. "You know what your focus is." The man was smirking at them, his eyes leeringly fixed on the raven haired one. His words sent shivers down both women´s back, but although Fang let it show, Lightning´s still form remained impassible but by the slight tremor of her muscles.
Raines didn´t move at his command, his eyes focused on the younger woman, still silent a minute longer, until his lips opened slightly to speak to her in hushed tones, as if his words were only for her to hear.
"Should I kill you, sergeant Farron? Do you want me to do that?"
At hearing his question, Fang stole a glance at the female soldier, concerned for her answer.
"Tch. I´d love to see you try" she challenged. The ex-sergeant smirked and the warrior mirrored her expression, basking in the idea that her bad influence on the tough, seemingly emotionless woman was starting to show.
The General tilted his head, his steely eyes shifting into a softer glare, almost compassionate.
"I see your spirit is still high up, I´m genuinely impressed, sergeant. But I fail to see your body could follow the threat in your words. Tell me Farron, if you can barely stand, will you have the strength to pull the trigger?"
The younger one softly growled at his taunting and raised her weapon even more, menacingly steadying her aim and turning her body slightly… unintentionally revealing to Fang the nasty wound on her back.
"By Ethro´s sake Lightning! What the heck happened to you?" All the danger forgotten, the warrior turned towards her friend, towering over her, hands hovering all around the smaller frame but unwilling to touch the strawberry blonde, as if afraid that, by touching her, she would only make their plight worse. Nevertheless, in spite of the warrior´s efforts, the lithe form remained impassive.
"It´s nothing, Fang. Don't worry." She told her in a soft, soothing voice, without losing eye contact with the man. But the blatant lie only made Fang´s short temper to reach a higher point.
"Don´t worry? You have a freaking hole in your back and you want me to be calm? Do you have a hole in your head too?"
Lightning sighed exasperated at the outburst, and this time turned to address the angry woman, her posture relaxing slightly. "Look Fang, I-"
But she never got to finish the sentence, for the arm that was holding the weapon was wrenched away by Cid´s slap, taking the younger soldier by surprise. The General followed the momentum and threw a powerful punch aimed at Lightning´s ribs, which never got to touch her, since Fang read his movement on time and kicked his arm away from her wounded friend, counterattacking with a blow from Kain´s Lance that tasted blood from his flesh, although giving him only a shallow cut on his abbs, since he had jumped backwards just in time to prevent a deeper cut.
Raising his body slowly, he now stood from the friends a good distance away.
But Fang´s attention wasn´t on him anymore. She stood her ground in front of the smaller woman and locked eyes with her, a furious countenance displayed on her tanned features, so intense that made Lightning flinch.
"Fang… I…"
Before the soldier could finish the apology though, the warrior took her by the shoulders and made her turn around, taking a good look at the ghastly wound on her back, which was still bleeding, although barely by now.
The movement brought pain to the strawberry blonde, but the tenderness she felt from the tanned fingers holding her surprised the younger one, the overwhelming and foreign feeling making her stutter.
"I-I´m… Fang… I… didn't want you to worry and…" to her annoyance, her words sounded so much like timid Vanille, but felt powerless to prevent it.
"I know, Light." Husky voice halted her rant, and the seriousness of it made her turn around, searching for the Pulsian´s eyes, which, surprisingly, were a dark green tone. "But that doesn´t mean I will allow you to do this to yourself."
"What do you mean?" a delicate eyebrow rose, completely lost on the meaning.
The tall woman sighed, and immediately after steeling her posture, as if preparing herself for what was about to come, emerald orbs locked with the azure pained ones, her body language strongly reminding the soldier when the warrior had confessed her she was born on Gran Pulse.
There was a pause, until Fang inhaled deeper and steeled her resolution.
"You´re no use for me now, Lightning, not wounded the way you are. I need you to step back and cure that wound, otherwise you can die."
Rage ran through Lightning´s body at Fang´s declaration, boiling her blood once again.
"What? How dare you say such things?! Fang!"
But the tribeswoman gripped her shoulders tighter, making the soldier squirm under the intense gaze, and struggling to hide the pain that the touch brought to her flesh.
"Listen to me! You´re a soldier, Light, our leader, so I´m sureyou can understand me! You already know that a wounded, weakened warrior is nothing but a liability!" the word hit a soft spot, and the younger one flinched, recognizing the words as the ones she herself had used on Hope. "Do you think I will be able to fight these two while worried about you, thinking that you could die? Fight while trying to protect you? You´re perfectly aware that this kind of battle will only lead us to both our deaths. How can you do this to me?"
Lightning tore her gaze away from her friend, angry with Fang and refusing to meet her eyes. Those words were completely true, but that knowledge didn´t make her heart less aching.
Fang sighed again, releasing the slim, although well toned arms and giving a step closer to the young woman. The hand that wasn´t gripping the lance softly rested on the light-skinned neck, and gently brought the soldier´s forehead to her shoulder. Lightning jumped slightly at first, resisting at the foreign touch, but the ease and tenderness made her walls surrender without her consent, and her body willingly relied on the taller woman´s frame. She couldn´t understand why, in the middle of such deadly plight, she could feel this relieved. The younger one allowed her forehead to rest on the silk clad shoulder and closed her eyes, as an unbidden calmness washed over her.
"You know I trust you so much, Light." The warrior whispered at her partner´s ear, trying to ease the struggling heart. "I´ve entrusted my life and Vanille´s in your hands, and I don´t regret any of the moments I´ve followed your lead. But a true leader knows when to step back and recover, in order to win a battle." The woman paused for a second, as if waiting for the words to sink in, before she continued. "Please Light, I could never fight with my head spinning around your wound. I can´t play sentinel and charge forward at the same time: either I protect you or attack. But I can´t do both."
Lightning made a movement as if to pull away and protest, but Fang held her closer.
"I know. Believe me, Light, I know." She paused, seeking the words that would get through the stubborn soldier´s head. "But I also know you can see it too, because I´m well aware you would do the same for me, wouldn´t you? You would try to protect me while I´m wounded, even if it´s against my will. You can´t deny that."
The strawberry blonde sighed in response, a faint smile gracing her lips.
Yes.
She would do anything to shield her friends from harm. To shield Fang from any danger. Hadn´t she tried to do so just some moments ago? Hadn´t she made a bow about it? With her healthy hand, she gripped the Pulsian´s silk sari, and nestled deeper into the embrace.
The movement made the raven haired one smile, feeling the iron walls of her friend dropping a tad more.
One part of the younger one´s mind was reeling, while the other was basking in the feeling of calmness that enveloped her being.
Is this how it feels like to have someone to support you? Someone you could truly trust? Her eyes closed tighter, striving to ignore a prickling sensation on her eyelids. Is this what a true friend feels like? She had never felt this way before, at least not after her parents died, and the thought warmed a deep core inside her chest, a warmth that spread throughout her body and into her limbs, and made the air almost choke on her throat.
The touch didn´t linger much, but it served the purpose of lifting the heavy weight from her shoulders. Even the pain from her wound was forgotten during the few seconds the embrace lasted. Fang patted lightly the strawberry head and smirked, releasing the younger one from her grasp.
"Now, please, step back and let me handle this. Anyways, you have a pupil to save, don´t you? Hope is waiting for you."
Lightning met the emerald eyes and grinned, nodding in agreement. "Just don´t die, ok? Wait for me ´till I come to the rescue."
Fang winked at her. "Of course Sunshine. You´re the leader, after all. Snow´s a sucker to think he is the hero." The raven haired one poked playfully the forehead of the strawberry blonde, and turned towards the General, her body immediately acquiring a defensive stance.
Lightning nodded at her and eyed Cid, giving a few steps backwards. She then turned around, walking determinedly towards her pupil, right fist clenching Omega Weapon´s hilt as hard as her wounded arm could, and eyes focused at her front, as her left hand produced the blue light of a cure spell that struggled to heal the ghastly wound on her back. Focusing her thoughts on this task, she tightened her muscles, trying as hard as she could to prevent her instinct to take over. To control the intense need of turning back and protect one of her allies. One of her friends.
Meanwhile, Cid grinned at the emerald orbs stabbing through him. "That was very sweet, what you did back there."
Fang smirked in response. "And it was very chivalrous of you to wait for us to finish. Guess I should be thankful."
He grinned and closed his eyes, as if nodding. "You don´t need to be. We were friends after all."
The woman felt smoldering with rage at his words, a low growl escaping her throat, while her muscles tensed as the memory of his betrayal played in her mind. She hissed her response.
"Yes of course. Because friends tend to stab on the back, right? The more you care for someone, the more you baffle them with your lies. What a sweet way of proving your love."
Cid grew serious at the accusation. "You wouldn´t understand, Fang."
"Of course not, Raines. I don´t betray my friends."
His eyes closed slightly at the innuendo. "Sure thing. Because you weren´t about to stand against them the moment your Eidolon appeared, right? Because you never raised your weapon against your so called new family."
Her muscles tensed as her chest tightened out of guilt. "It´s not the same, Raines. You wouldn´t understand."
His lips twitched lightly at her words. "Exactly my point."
She sensed the mockery in his tone, and unavoidably, the guilt that still lingered heavy on her heart, boosted by the utter feeling of betrayal she felt for this man, ripped apart her control and made her whole body ablaze in rage, numbing her mind, as a feral cry escaped her lips.
"Aaarrgh!"
Her blood boiled at his taunting, and she lunged forward, murder intent blazing through her eyes. She swung her lance downwards and then up, desperately searching for his flesh.
But he moved fast, barely avoiding her attacks, taking advantage at her lost focus. His eyes remained emotionless, cold as steel, the sight of them cutting holes into her pride. She growled and swung again, but he easily blocked the attack and countered at her, hitting her jaw hard, the blow breaking her lip. She staggered, as metallic taste found its way into her mouth. Not granting her room for recovery, he took her arm behind her back and pushed upward, as she sank painfully onto her knees, feeling her shoulder about to pop out of its socket.
"Stop it, Fang! I don´t want to hurt you!"
"Hurt me? You betrayed me, Raines!"
She struggled to free herself but his grip was too tight, and every move made her arm ache even more, but she refused to acknowledge the pain.
Here, right behind her, was the man that had shown her what true betrayal felt like.
"I trusted you Raines!" she was yelling at him, hoping that the words could hit as hard as she wished her fist could do. "I entrusted you my true self! The one I was and the mission I had to carry on! Only you knew the whole truth! And my shame!" struggling to free her arm from the tight grip, overwhelming emotion washed over her, as she let the pent up frustration travel all around her body. She knew she was about to lose her wits but didn´t care at the time. She only cared about making him feel the way she felt, to slash his pride with her words, as a new wave of shame and hatred overwhelmed her. "I shared with you how scared I was of it all! How hopeful I was in finding her, finding Vanille and rescuing her! And you promised to help me!" her body was trembling now, sheer emotion running down her frame.
But his countenance remained impassible, no emotion seemed to cross his face. His stoic features remained as such, without changing, unflinching, as if he didn´t hear her. As if her words were nothing to him, and the thought made her heart clench the most, because she knew that, in the fleeting moment they had crossed paths, she had taken the risk of believing in him, she, who trusted no one but Vanille. And even when he had helped on rescuing the younger Pulsian, the betrayal still tore at her heart. His last words had destroyed every inch of trust she had dared to share with him… and the feeling burned heavy on her chest.
She struggled some more under his grip, pain waving from her shoulder, until without a word he let her go suddenly and she swiveled around, flying skyward and executing a powerful Highwind down at him. He moved fast, the attack forming a small crater under his feet.
Fang was breathing hard, her eyes ablaze with fury and seeking his demise. They locked eyes again, and his expressionless face only made her even angrier with him. And angry with herself too, for losing her temple in such a way. The boiling of her blood was high up, and she tightened her grip, ready for the next attack, when suddenly, for a split second, a fleeting idea crossed her mind as the strength of two words stroke her core: to protect.
She was a protector, a lot more than a murderer.
The thought slowly found its way deep into her mind, and she felt as if the knowledge smashed something cold on her head, dripping down her body and cooling her down. After that, Fang noticed she was finally able to think properly, her senses slowly coming back to her. She held her muscles still, breath coming in gasps, as she fought to reign over her emotions. She couldn´t lose it this way. There was so much at stake, she couldn't risk to break into blind rage again.
Still seething in fury, she lowered her posture, as if ready for an attack, eyes locked in the threatening frame in front of her. Her mind now in control, she could finally notice Cid taking swift glances at her back… most probably at Lightning´s retreating form. Anger and hate, met closely by fear for her friend, tore at her heart again, but she was now able to keep them in check, and she swayed her lance warningly at the General. "Hold it there, my friend. Your battle is here with me."
His burrow furrowed in response. "Step aside, Fang. As I told you before, you wouldn´t understand what´s at stake in here."
"Then make me."
He stole another nervous glance behind her, and this time Fang walked a few steps to the side, shielding her friend´s frame from his sight. In spite of the loath she felt for him, and the fear for her friend that niggled at the back of her mind, she still was able to keep her emotions at bay, and, pleased by it, she felt able to do some teasing.
"Now, now. Don´t tell me you had a crush on Light. Because I think you´re too far along into this, to make any move towards her. Besides, you´re totally not her type."
He smirked, and she noticed how odd the gesture fitted on his face. "And what do you know about her type?"
She huffed, taking in the challenge. "Well, for a start, I would bet that murderers are definitely off chance."
"Then I don´t understand how can you be her friend."
Oh… that hurt.
Fang growled at him and, noticing he took another glance at her back, she tried to take advantage of his distraction and charged forward, Kain´s Lance seething for his flesh.
But the man seized the opportunity she gave him, while the warrior didn´t realize his true intentions on time. The General, advantage already taken, writhed his body around and barely avoided Fang´s first attack. He then reached for her back, kicking her right in between the shoulder blades. The blow sent her reeling forward, but although she recovered quickly, the warrior wasn´t able to prevent the sprint he had already taken towards the strawberry blonde.
"Lightning! Look out!" She yelled in warning at her friend, desperately charging forward, straining her muscles to go faster in pursue of the General.
"What?" the younger woman was by now a few steps away from the teen, and at hearing the warning yell, her body swerved in a flash, ignoring the screams of protest from her still open wounds, her spell too weak yet to close them completely.
Lightning saw Cid running straight at her, and her arm reacted on its own accord, movement fixed as a second nature, and in fractions of a second she brought Omega Weapon in gun mode, the barrel aimed at his head. But suddenly, her body fell frozen as she felt her instincts going haywire. All sounds and visions, any exterior stimuli faded away from her as her back straightened stiffly, while overwhelming shivers shot up her spine. A devastating apprehension enveloped her whole as she turned around in slow motion, feeling as if time had stopped for her. And once her azure orbs found the source of her sixth sense skyrocketing, the feeling of terror washed over her.
Again.
"I´m sorry, my child." Barthandelus´ obnoxious form stood a few steps from her, a lopsided, evilly smile plastered on his face, while his staff pointed at her chest. "I promised you I would take your life, and now the time has come. Your head is mine."
Her eyes opened wide in surprise the moment his lance flared, but she didn´t have time to process the situation. Something hard rammed against her body, sending her flaying away, the pain the crash elicited made her close her eyes tightly, while for a split second she felt herself like flying, until finally her body hit hard against the ground.
Am I… dying…?
But, against everything she thought it would feel like to be murdered, the only pain she felt was the one coming from her back, triggered by the sudden movement… and once her senses focused, she could recognize a rather hard body bellow her, cushioning her fall, while strong arms were holding her tightly by the waist. Once the momentum was broken and she felt her body stopping, Lightning opened her eyes and fell astonished as she met with gray orbs searching for hers.
"R-Raines? What…?"
He loosened his grip on her waist, a painful expression on his face that softened slightly at seeing her worried countenance. "I´m glad… you´re alright…"
Still baffled, she disentangled herself from him as much as her injured body would allow and looked behind them, seeing the unbelievable trail of blood they had left behind. His blood. Her eyes opened wide as realization hit her.
"You… you saved me? Raines, why?"
She felt utterly confused with his countenance since, even though she knew he was dying, his expression seemed soft, almost peaceful.
"You… cannot die…" he raised his hand, the deed noticeable an effort, and gently placed it on her cheek, as his sight became unfocused. "If… you only… knew…"
Completely in shock, she took the hand that rested on her face, but the same shiver on her back that had warned her before came back with a vengeance, and she looked behind her, finding Dysley about to strike a second blow aimed at her. Fang barely made it on time, receiving the full force of the impact, her guard raised a split of a second before the treacherous attack.
"Fang!"
The explosion had been so powerful, it drove the tribeswoman to her knees, out of pain and inertia, but after inhaling some air, the Pulsian stood her ground once again, and addressed the younger one without turning around.
"Don´t worry Light! I´m with you! Go raise Hope so we can battle this bastard!"
Lightning took a glance at the now motionless body of the General, feeling a tightening of her chest in gratefulness at his action, but she couldn´t linger on it. They had no time. The soldier took her gunblade and stepped at the warrior´s side, her wound open and aching again after the impact with Cid´s body, although the bleeding wasn´t as worrisome as before.
"What the hell are you doing, Farron?!" the Pulsian growled exasperated.
Fang´s response wasn´t at all surprising, but Lightning smirked nonetheless at being able to read her friend´s reaction.
"Tch. Helping you, of course, Yun Fang. Or do you want me to explain?"
The woman exploded into a rage at her response. "We had agreed you´d heal Hope first and then come to my aid!"
The younger one slashed at the air that surrounded Fang, making the taller woman jump backwards at the sudden outburst, and then locked eyes with her.
"Look Fang! If you haven´t noticed, Barthandelus is winning already, we are going to die here if the others don´t arrive in time to help us, they are our only escape from this. Therefore, if they can´t really make it, and if I am to die, then I choose to do so fighting." She paused a little, her eyes ablaze with determination and emotion. "We are partners, right? So if, in this battle I´m allowed to get greedy, I´d very much like to die fighting at your side."
The words crashed against the warrior´s whole body, the emotion in them slamming on her senses.
"We do this together, Fang." Lightning kept on, her heart slamming into her chest as the promise on her words seemed to lock their future. "Wasn´t that our promise? Together until the end."
The tall woman gulped, fighting to rule over her emotions, and then grinned in response at her friend.
"Fine. Have it your way, soldier. Hope you´re ready for this."
The strawberry blonde smiled at her and took an offensive pose. "Fine. Just stay out of my way."
The ex-patriarch raised an eyebrow at them, a mocking smile plastered on his features.
"Oh? Are you willing to fight me then? You want to risk it all?" He chuckled at the two companions, while the metallic owl flew straight at them.
He looked up and smirked, taking the chance to play a last game. "So tell me, sergeant Farron, do you still trust this woman?"
"Don´t start with it, Barthandelus." Lightning seethed. "It´s not going to work."
He scoffed at her, chuckling evilly as he addressed Fang. "Tell me, my child, do you still want to complete your focus, now that you know what Ragnarok is? Are you still willing to sacrifice yourself and transform into the beast, in order to save your friends from becoming Cie´th? I saw you thinking it over right before your eidolon appeared."
Fang´s eyes opened wide in surprise and terror, remembering the aching in her heart as confusion and fear had washed over her. "I don´t know what you´re talking about" she denied. But she did know, and as the memory replayed in her mind, a sense of extreme guilt once more overpowered her.
"Ah… But of course you know! I´m sure you were able to read the whole word on their eyes. On this woman´s eyes when she faced you on the battle field, the moment you were ready to strike them down. Do you know the word, my child? Do you know what they felt?"
The man dissolved into thin air as Lightning slashed at his form, uselessly hopping that it would prevent his words to sink into her friend´s mind. "Fang, don´t listen to him!"
He appeared next to the Pulsian´s ear. "The word said traitor." Fang flung her lance wide at him, but he just vanished again, reappearing some steps away from them, unharmed. "Yes, my child, they felt you were a traitor to their cause, but they didn´t want you to know. They cared for you so much. Too bad you didn´t care for them enough to join them. And you called Raines a traitor?" the soldier shot at him, but the projectile never hit its target.
Dysley reappeared a step away from them both, his eyes still fixed on Fang´s form. "And because of your weakness, this one had to come to your aid, tend you a helping hand and rise you up. Aren´t you ashamed of that? You, the proud Gran Pulse warrior, the Chosen One, as your Pulsian peers used to tell you, the one who threatened her friends on destroying their home, was saved by this young one, a total nobody on her homeland. Don´t you feel shame on your heart?"
"Fang, please, it´s not true!"
But the tribeswoman couldn´t hear her friend. Yes, Fang felt so much regret, every time she crossed eyes with her new family, she couldn´t help but feel guilty at being so close on attacking them, and what made matters worse was that they had answered her challenge by protecting her.
Barthandelus allowed silence to reign over them, until he saw the fitting moment. "And does she know that you still would sacrifice her life, if it meant to keep your Oerban sister alive? Does she know you would still kill her sister to protect yours?"
At the words, emerald orbs searched and locked with azure ones, as if pleading, but immediately fell down out of shame. She couldn´t meet her gaze, because it would mean to acknowledge the words were true. Fang would never put Vanille under anyone. But it also meant that Vanille was more important than Lightning and anyone of them.
Taking advantage of the awkward silence that enveloped them, the silver owl that had been hovering around them made a dive towards its master. At its touch, a blinding white light enveloped the fal´Cie and a deafening sound that resembled a maddening laughter prickled both fighter´s skin. As the light faded, they saw Barthandelus had reached it´s fal´Cie form, towering over them, his guns at the ready and pointed at them, his metallic voice painfully filling their ears.
"Yes, my child! You would even kill this young one and her sibling if it was necessary to protect your sister, wouldn´t you? Have you told her? Does she know?"
"I… I…"
So, she´s really unwilling to be dishonest? The soldier was utterly impressed at the warrior´s determination. Will she rather fall into despair than tainting her honor? How revealing. She felt pride at her friend seize her soul and she clutched her chest, right on top of her brand. Oh, Odin... you have no idea how much I need you now. Lightning raised her eyes up to the sky, a pleading tone on her thoughts. Please, wherever you are, lend me your strength and let me save my friend.
Fang seemed lost in her own thoughts, in her own demons, but a gunshot took the Pulsian out of her reverie, as Lightning´s Army of One was released. A barrel of slashes, kicks and bullets found their way into the fal´Cie´s armor, and Fang was only able to stare in awe as the wounded soldier took strength out of rage, attacking as powerfully as she always did, caring very little about anything else.
But the rush of adrenaline didn´t last long on the overabused body, and her reaction wasn´t as fast as she would´ve needed the moment one of the fal´Cie´s imposing hands reached out to stomp her away.
"No!"
Lightning only closed her eyes, readying herself for the impact.
Serah…
But the blow never came.
She stole a glance the moment a barrel of gunshots stroke the air, and in front of her she found a huge frame clad with a rather dirty trench coat.
"S-Snow?"
He turned around just slightly, his guarding stance shielding her from any attack. "Hey Sis! Are you alright?"
But he couldn´t inspect her properly, since strong but delicate fingers took him forcefully by the cheeks, and he felt something wet and warm crashing against his lips, as the raven haired woman planted a hard kiss on the tall man. After a second, and making a loud smacking sound, Fang finally released a very baffled and very blushed blond, who by now stood in a trancelike position.
"For Ethro´s sake!" Fang yelled, her face showing the widest smile she had ever shown, as Vanille and Sazh found their way close to her. "About damn time you showed up!"
A/N: wooooaaahhhh... this took me like FOREVER! But I´m kinda proud of it, it was so much FUN!
Thank you SO much for all your comments and cheers! You have NO idea how much they mean to me! Hope you like this one!
Just the usual disclaimer, btw, I don´t own Final Fantasy nor any of its characters.
