A/N: I don't own Final Fantasy.
~~~Space~~~
"Electra," Light said, struggling to keep her voice even and unrecognizable.
Snow slapped the table with a hearty chuckle. "Welcome aboard, Electra!" his boisterous voice bellowed.
Snow stood up and pulled Light up as well. "Come on, come on! I'll introduce you to the rest of the group!"
As much as Light disliked it, she went along with Snow and met people she already knew. She stuttered purposely, added a cough here and there, saying she was "sick" so her voice was a bit off that day.
Like usual, NORA was welcoming towards Light, greeting her with "hello", "how are you", and "nice to meet you". No one gave a second thought to Light, and for that she was thankful.
Fang, however, was a bit different from the others. She sat in a corner of the bar, drink in one hand, head propped up on the other. Vanille sat beside her, chattering merrily and animatedly. Both turned their attention to Light and Snow as they approached.
"Hey Fang, Vanille," Snow greeted with a nod.
"Hello!" chirped Vanille with her light accent. She tilted her head at Light. "A new person?"
"This is Electra," Snow said with a gesture towards her. "Electra, these two are Fang and Vanille."
"Nice to meet you!" said Vanille. Fang simply grunted and took a sip of her colored drink, likely containing alcohol.
Snow pat Light's back. "Don't worry, Fang has been a little upset after her best friend vanished for a second time. A lot of us have been upset. She was important to everyone, no matter how cold she was."
Light felt a surge of guilt. Fang? Drinking? She'd only seen that once or twice, and even then, never more than one drink. But judging from the colored glasses scattered around Fang like a demented rainbow, she had been drinking for a couple hours. At least, Light hoped that was the product of multiple hours.
"I can't tell you how, but Serah knows she's alive. We'll all be waiting here for her to come home and we'll welcome her with open arms. We'll have a party too!" Vanille added.
Fang snorted and turned her face away from the others, mumbling. Snow might not have heard her words, but Light did.
"As if she'll come home. You didn't know her at all… none of us did."
~~~Space~~~
What was it that went wrong?
Vanille stopped her stream of light-hearted conversation and looked at Fang. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," Fang immediately responded. It was becoming natural now, to say "nothing" without thinking. Was it this way for Claire too?
It seemed like so long ago that she fought her best friend. Still, questions filled Fang's mind about that night.
I would've helped you if you had let me, Claire…
Fang took another sip of her drink, enjoying the burning sensation as it flowed down her throat. She believed this was the only thing to keep the burning from her eyes. This isn't the time to cry.
"Actually," Fang started. Vanille stopped talking immediately. "I think I'm going to head out early."
Fang saw the sadness in Vanille's eyes as she said that, but she wanted to be alone after meeting that Electra. Something about the girl was familiar. Vanille wouldn't have noticed, but Fang had hunting and detection in her blood. That blood was telling her Electra and Claire were somehow connected. Maybe she would talk to that Electra the next day.
"Oh, okay Fang," Vanille forced a smile, to others it may have looked real. Once it would to Fang too, but no longer. "I'll see you later then."
Fang nodded and, finishing her drink, left the bar for her own little apartment.
The couch felt especially welcoming today. Fang turned the news on, mostly for background noise. Maple and Cid were chatting about the new velocycles.
"What's gotten into you?" Fang was growing desperate. The last face she expected to see behind the mask killing everyone in the ballroom was Claire, yet there she was.
"There are still no new leads about the mysterious woman that caused the Masquerade Massacre. Survivors claim to have only seen her mask and were unable to provide any details useful for identification when asked."
Claire didn't respond. Fang kept her eyes locked with her best friend's. Deep inside them, Fang could see the sadness behind the emptiness. It was like someone had sucked the life out of those once bright eyes that most people saw as cold, but Fang always saw that warm, welcoming glint. It was gone now, though.
"Sergeant Claire Farron, after having been found for a few days, once again went missing and has remained so."
Fang looked at the picture of Claire displayed on the screen. She seemed so serene, sitting cross legged on the white couch in her uniform, gunblade lying on her lap. She stared directly into the camera with calm eyes and an expressionless face. Fang called that expressionless face "Sunshine's Soldier Mask".
"Seems Lady Luck isn't with her, wouldn't you say, Maple?"
"Indeed I would, Cid. It's always a shame when a young lady goes missing, especially when she's an important member of the Guardian Corps."
"I bet her smile would be beautiful, it's a downright shame that she isn't smiling in her picture."
"Her disappearance has surely left a void in the lives of those who knew her. Our hearts go out to them."
"Yes they do, Maple."
Maple and Cid continued talking, but Fang changed the channel. "It's even harder knowing where she likely is," she said to her empty apartment.
"I'll go with you," Fang offered, she couldn't stand the thought of losing her best friend and she couldn't stand that best friend becoming a murderer.
"I can't," was Claire's simple response.
Fang knows Claire says what she means, no more no less. Saying she can't really bothered Fang. It wasn't that she didn't want Fang's help, she couldn't take it. Something held her back.
"What's keeping you, Claire?" Fang grumbled. None of it made sense to her. Claire would never leave Serah. She hoped that maybe Claire wouldn't leave her either, but Serah was her reason for living. Just as Vanille was her reason for living, and if it came down to having to choose between the girl that means the world to her, and her best friend. Well, she would be crushed, but Vanille would win out…Is that what Claire's going through?
Also, did she steal a Thunder Manadrive? Fang was certain she saw lightning sparking around that room. Maybe she just snapped?
Fang slapped herself. "She didn't!"
Sighing, she was out of ideas. However, the echo of a voice remained in her mind.
"I'm sorry," said Claire, her voice sounded strained like she was trying to hide emotions threatening to overwhelm it. Fang felt a sudden pain, but it soon faded away as the darkness closed in.
"Your apology isn't accepted until you give me some answers, Sunshine… And they better be damn good answers."
~~~Space~~~
Noctis found himself staring into lackadaisical green eyes. "I need your help," he mumbled, unable to remember the last time he actually asked for assistance instead of forcing it.
Yeul raised her eyebrow, but said nothing. Noctis took it as his signal to continue. "I can't remember what happened after the Nautilus Massacre. I can't remember the last time I could remember what happened. I only know that it's something important."
Yeul nodded. Her eyes began to emit an ethereal glow and the area around Noctis changed.
That high-pitched laugh pissed him off. Jihl Nabaat clapped her hands while Noctis panted from their latest test. "Bravo. You are indeed much more promising than the other one."
Each inhalation hurt Noctis, but he managed to gain enough breath to speak. "Who is the other one?" he asked. Inside, he hoped it was that girl with the pink hair. The one he had seen unconscious just before he entering a similar state.
"Oh," Jihl walked closer to Noctis, each step accentuated by the heels of her boots. She kneeled down in front of him and smiled. It was the first time Noctis had seen a smile so cold and uncaring, but not the last time he would ever see it. "Perhaps I've said too much? It is classified PSICOM knowledge, after all."
"Just tell me!" Noctis shouted as blades manifested. The swords spun around him for a moment before disappearing. Noctis fell to the ground in exhaustion.
"There's a good boy. If you cooperate, I may just give you the information you desire," Jihl stood and gave one command to the two other soldiers in the room before leaving the room herself. "Get him back to his bed, would you? Remember, make the straps nice and tight. We wouldn't want him escaping, now would we?"
"Understood!"
'I wonder what her name is…' The image of the girl with electricity buzzing around her occupied Noctis's mind.
~~~Space~~~
After introducing her to everyone, Snow left Light to do as she wished, saying he had some important matters to attend to. While she didn't question what kind of matters, Light was still curious. Maybe it's something to do with Serah.
Light stared into a glass of water. She couldn't tell if the reflection was staring back, she did have sunglasses on, but still, it just wasn't her in that reflection.
Maybe they're working on their wedding? They are engaged after all.
Light felt an incredible sadness grip her heart and had to use all of her willpower to not clasp the fabric of her shirt to try to settle the feeling. Would they really have their wedding without me?
Even though she wasn't fond of Snow, when Serah announced their engagement, simultaneously asking for Light's blessing, Light imagined the day as being full of Serah's smiles and her being near Serah to see it.
Now, to imagine Serah's grand wedding day without her there sent a pain through Light's heart. Surely that wasn't the case, right?
Shaking her head, Light almost chuckled to herself. I don't even know if that's what Snow went to do. I'm simply being paranoid.
A few moments passed and Light was about to get up and leave the bar. Serah had not shown up and she didn't want the Nightingales to realize where exactly she was. Before she left her seat, a bubbly redhead set herself next to Light, much to the latter's dismay.
"Hello!"
Vanille's high-pitched voice was not what Light wanted to hear at that moment. In fact, the farther away from the redheaded girl and NORA, the better off she would be. But, deep inside, she felt a longing to stay. Just for a little while.
Light met Vanille's green eyes, always so full of excitement and glee. Just a little while, for Vanille.
Light nodded her greeting.
"Your name's Electra, right?" Vanille asked with genuine curiosity.
Light nodded again. Even though she said no words, Vanille never showed any signs of discontent.
"That's a very unusual name. I like it!"
"T-thanks," Light mumbled. She felt absolutely absurd stuttering and faking her voice, but she knew that if she didn't want anyone to know she's truly Claire, she better shut up and bear it. It was like when Light told a new GC recruit that instead of complaining about the training, he should bear with it or bear with her gunblade shoved so far up his ass he can taste. He didn't complain near her ever again.
It took a lot of effort not to smirk at the memory.
"I've never seen you around this part of town before, did you just move here?"
Another nod.
"Oh, why's that?"
"Work."
"What's your job?"
"I, uh, I do odd jobs," Light took a sip of her water, using it as an excuse not to maintain eye contact with Vanille for a moment.
"That sounds like fun! Is it fun?"
"It's not really my thing…"
"Are you looking for a different job?"
"You could say that."
Vanille continued to ask questions, and even though most answers were blunt, she seemed satisfied. The only time her smile faltered was when she asked Light about family, to which the reply was that they're dead. (It was mostly true, Serah was the only living relative of Light.)
After about an hour of Vanille's interrogation, Light excused herself. She made sure to be polite and thanked Vanille for the conversation, said they should talk again, etc.
Light felt a little happier after talking to Vanille, not that she would admit it, but she was still disappointed that she wasn't able to see Serah. Maybe next time.
~~~Space~~~
Noctis was strapped to a device he did not like. It was cold. He was burning.
His head was drooping down now, but he knew that Jihl Nabaat and her lackeys were standing on the side of the room across from him, the former likely sporting a polite, but terrifying, grin.
Countless wires were attached to him and made their way to the machines near Nabaat. With one press of a button, Nabaat could send electricity straight to Noctis. Usually it was done for thirty seconds, with a five minute resting period between each shocking period. Nabaat claimed it was an exercise to test Noctis's stamina and resistance. He personally believed it was for their own pleasure. That they envied him because he could use powers freely that they could not. They looked at him as something that wasn't human, and therefore inferior.
They were currently in the middle of a resting period. Noctis was already out of breath, gasping as much air as possible despite the constant pain and occasional twitches. Sweat dripped down his face and back. 'Please end it soon,' he pleaded in his mind.
"Now, now. If you're still conscious after this one, I'll take you to see that girl you're so curious about."
Noctis found the strength to lift his head from the statement and stared into Nabaat's eyes. 'Why not just kill her now?' he wondered. 'Find out where the girl is first, and then escape with her in tow.'
With his plan in mind, Noctis felt prepared for the electricity shooting through him moments later. This time he didn't scream. He maintained eye contact with Nabaat the entire time. Slowly, her grin faded and she seemed nervous. He was glad.
One of Nabaat's lackeys had to carry Noctis, but she kept true to her word and took Noctis to the pink haired girl's room. 'S002' was written by the doorframe. Noctis made sure the identification was engraved in his brain.
The girl was strapped to her bed, unconscious, and appeared to be a little worse for wear. "She's not been able to call upon her powers again. So we've had to attempt to draw them out. Shame, she could avoid punishment by cooperating," Nabaat commented nonchalantly.
Noctis spent the next few days truly trying during their studies. He wanted to be able to rescue the girl and himself. To do so, he needed a form of attack and a form of protection. His powers provided just that.
Even when he was in his room, he would practice. Use the swords as a barrier. Conjure one more sword, then another, until there were double digit numbers of swords surrounding him. He couldn't care less if PSICOM was watching him in his room. If they were, it was never mentioned. Maybe they kept it a secret, so as to not make him stop using his powers in 'secret'. Maybe it was how they recorded the true progress of his power.
It didn't matter. What did matter were the small updates about the girl that Nabaat gave him every now and again. "She hasn't made nearly as much project as you. In fact, she hasn't made any progress at all."
"It seems she can only use her powers under life and death circumstances at this point. It makes it difficult because you two are too precious to die. Especially you, my prized subject."
"She doesn't eat much anymore, only what we force her to eat."
"Now she hardly eats at all, even when we try to force her. She does sleep an awful lot though."
With each statement, Noctis would grow more and more worried. He knew that the time he had to get them both out of the horrible PSICOM facility alive was growing shorter and shorter. His chances of escaping were high. Each day, he was given a little more privilege, nicer food, more food, clean clothes, showers, blankets, and much more. His room that once looked like a hospital room now resembled a bedroom. He was certain that it wasn't the case for the girl.
It was during the night that Noctis decided to make his move. The restraints still kept him on his bed, but they were much looser now. It didn't matter anyway, Noctis focused on a point of the room near the door and summoned his power. He appeared at the spot a moment later. He repeated the same process, with a bit more difficulty. To get outside of the room, he had to focus on a clear image of the space outside of the room.
He walked down the hallway, making sure he didn't make much noise. He knew where the girl's room was, he had been taken there a couple of time, though he never entered it. Once he had found the door labeled with 'S002', he focused on the image of the bed with the girl sleeping, he hoped, peacefully.
Inside the room, he could tell that the girl was fairly injured. Even in the dim light that glowed in the room, he could see her cuts and bruises. She was extremely thin and pale.
The straps were binding her to the bed tightly. Noctis slid one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees. He had never tried teleporting with someone else, but it wasn't about to stop him from doing so now. Besides, breaking the straps was out of the question, they would probably set off an alarm. 'One more time,' Noctis thought before focusing on the hallway once again.
To his delight, Noctis appeared in the hallway with the girl in his arms. To his dismay, the girl was much lighter than she should be. He really wished he knew her name, then he could stop thinking of her as 'the girl'. Right now, though, his top priority was to escape their torture. They could survive the world together, search for others like them.
Travelling to the first floor of the facility was simple. PSICOM was very organized and had many signs and directions scattered throughout the hallways. On the first floor, there were guards by the door to the exit, not surprising. What was surprising was how few guards he saw during his travel to the first floor. Just one or two on patrol that he could easily avoid, which to him was better than fighting when he had two lives to protect.
These guards couldn't be avoided, he knew that. So, summoning swords for a barrier and swords for attack, Noctis went around the corner towards the guards and his salvation. The second he moved, he sent his swords at the guards, they didn't notice until it was too late and couldn't even utter a scream.
Noctis set the girl down for only a moment, long enough to retrieve a pass card from a guard to open the door without turning the alarm on, before picking her back up and opening the door.
Once outside, he took a large inhale of the fresh air. Knowing that he shouldn't stay near the building for too long, he set off to the only place he knew to go. Home, the empty building that he grew up in.
Returning home just as dawn came, Noctis felt relief like never before. Adrenaline still pumped though his veins, so resigning himself to the fact that he would be unable to get any sleep he set the girl on his parents' bed. It was large and had many blankets and pillows. She would be comfortable, Noctis always was when he would sleep on that bed with his parents after having a nightmare.
Noctis pulled a chair next to the bed. He brushed the girl's bangs from her battered face. They were both a little beat up, her more-so than him, but he could fix that when she woke up. For now, a break would be okay. They could plan what to do with their lives later. He hoped that the girl didn't tell PSICOM her name, he knew he didn't. It would make it harder to find people when they didn't know who they were looking for. The Guardian Corps was the branch that kept records of the locals. PSICOM could only access them with good reasons and proof. Wanting test subjects back was not a good reason and the proof isn't something PSICOM would want out of their facility. "Finally, some luck," Noctis mumbled.
With a sigh, Noctis felt the excitement draining from him. He looked at the girl's peaceful, yet bruised, face before closing his eyes. "I'll protect you. I won't let anyone else hurt you again… promise," said Noctis, before drifting into dreamless sleep.
Noctis blinked a few times before Yeul came into focus. He felt unbearable regret and guilt. How could he have forgotten making a promise? He knew now that the girl is Lightning.
Noctis pinched the bridge of his nose. Yeul stayed nearby, waiting to either continue the memory or to just leave. Sighing, Noctis looked at Yeul. "I fucked up, didn't I?"
Yeul nodded and decided it was time to leave the man to his thoughts.
Noctis felt the headache coming. He didn't remember how he was separated from Light after that, but it likely had to do with her family, as they were still all alive at the point… to the best of his knowledge. What am I supposed to do?
Even that horrible Jihl Nabaat kept her words. When she said she'd give Noctis information, gifts, or let him see Light, she did exactly that. Noctis had always thought himself better than PSICOM, despite his criminal activity. He didn't run rampant though, he set up robberies when they needed money or something needed to disappear, or murders when someone needed to disappear. Kidnapping and torturing Light was the first time he had set up something of that manner, and mostly because that bastard Caius left Yeul all by herself when she needs to be protected during battle.
First, get rid of PSICOM. It seemed reasonable enough. Maybe he'd send in Ignis to retrieve information. He knew that PSICOM was the cause of everything that happened to them and likely knew why they had these powers. They certainly had enough time to research it since the time Noctis and Light were captured to now. Did they ever find others like us in that time? It's not as though we would be able to tell. We don't know who has powers until we come in close contact with them. It was Noctis who, one day while passing Light on the street, realized she had power in her and then had Prompto observe her afterwards.
At that time, he had no memory of everything that happened after the Nautilus Massacre. Therefore, any method was free game to get her to join. He didn't want to resort to violent methods or to threatening her family. But he had to make her fear him since she was not cooperating. He had to use those methods to ensure the safety of his family, of Yeul.
PSICOM first. I'll work on things with Light along the way. Besides, I don't know if she remembers that time either. After PSICOM is taken care of, well, I'll figure it out when the time comes. Noctis left his room to settle in the main room, waiting for Light to return from wherever she had gone.
Let it be said that Noctis Caelum is a man who keeps his promises.
~~~Space~~~
A/N: Special thanks to Axel780 for the name Electra!
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