Chapter 10
The Battle for the Ship
Jei and Leon led the attack into the docks followed by Yuffie and Jeiko then Sora and Rikku. Kairi and Selphie followed the warriors closely with their arms full of medical supplies that might be needed. Jei made the best of his condition by acting as a shield for the rest and allowing bullets to imbed themselves into his flesh. Jeiko sprinted forward and slammed his pink fist into a soldier's face as he shouted "Yuffie, find the weapons!"
The young ninja darted down a row of crates and barrels at the order. A blue-clad squad captain yelled his squad to fire on her. She jumped and rolled as bullets whizzed past her small frame.
Jei surged forward slamming meaty fists into the faced of soldiers. Leon had commandeered a short sword from a fallen soldier and was slashing away behind Jei as Jeiko threw balls of fire into the fray. The three ran across the crowded docking bay towards a row of Gummi ships on the far end. Jei suddenly cut left noticing a large cannon ahead; Jeiko nearly fell on his face trying to complete the turn while dodging a cannon balls and making sure the girls were safe.
Yuffie found the barrels almost bursting with weapons taken by the authorities. She quickly spotted her belt of ninja tricks and wrapped it around her waist on its accustomed spot then located Leon's old gunblade. She grabbed the weapon and sprinted off to find him.
"Aeris!" Leon yelled when he saw the young woman cornered by a group of soldiers. Jei heard his cry and barreled into the group. He held the frenzied soldiers at bay, Aeris ran by him and joined the other two girls healing efforts. The gunblade glinted in the moonlight as it met Leon's hands. He gave a wicked laugh and went to help Jei, who was taking more and more lead into him by the moment. Yuffie gestured for Sora and Rikku to help her get the rest of the weapons and they were off again.
* * *
The small blonde boy brushed off his new blue uniform and as he and a tall boy slowly walked to a small gummi ship awaiting them above the clock room in the square. His eyes glinted in the moonlight much like Leon's gunblade as he laughed at the gunfire coming from the docks.
* * *
It had taken a joint effort of Sora and Rikku to carry Jei's sword to him. Yuffie reunited Jeiko with his sword and flung a ninja-star at a soldier trying to sneak up on him. Jei and Leon again took the lead and the group pushed onward to the Archimedes. Aeris yelled in alarm, Cloud flew down from the sky and swept away three soldier with a sweep of his blade,
"Thanks for helping Aeris," he said, then took up a position in the rear of the charge. A blue gummi ship glided over their heads as it took flight, the ship banked to the left and Cid gave a wave from the cockpit. Jei smiled and winced as he felt more lead drive into his skin. Sora arrived at the ship first and threw the door open. Yuffie and Selphie had taken a pair of guns from fallen soldiers and took to providing cover for everyone else boarding. Jei stood by the two, acting as a shield. Leon let out a shout as the Kairi darted aboard and Jei shouted for the girls to run into the ship. A lone soldier leapt from atop a ship next the Archimedes and moved to slash Yuffie with a small knife. Jei slammed a fist into his face, knocking him to the floor; he was no longer providing cover for the girls. Leon shouted but it was too late, a well-aimed shot dug its way into Yuffie. Her eyes went wide and she fell forward. Jei swooped in from behind her and lifted her gently into the ship while Leon took aim with his gunblade and hit the soldier who shot Yuffie dead between the eyes.
* * *
A commando dressed in blue walked briskly up to the two boys about to depart in a gummi ship,
"Sir, two ships have just taken off from the dock,"
"DAMN! We were too slow..." said the blonde boy,
"All is well sir, we will await their return for the body," said the redhead.
* * *
Yuffie let out a scream as Aeris tried as hard as she could to gently extract the bullet from her shoulder. Leon sat with her cradled in his arms while Aeris did her work comforting her and kissing her forehead. Jei sat across the cabin staring at them while silently digging bullets out from his arms and legs with his bare fingers and dropping them on the floor in a bloody pile. The rest of them were up in the cockpit or in the galley trying to regain energy lost in the siege. Aeris finally pulled the bullet from Yuffie's wound and began dressing the wound,
"You okay now?" asked Leon as he kissed her again,
"Been better" a weak smile, "Did everyone make it?"
"Yes, thanks to Jei," Leon looked over at the silent man with gratitude, "He protected all of us from bullets, we wouldn't have you here if it wasn't for him... as much as I hate to say it," he finally moved in for a real kiss,
"Jei..." Yuffie pulled away from Leon, "Leon, not now, okay?" Leon lowered his head,
"Yea, I understand," He stood and went to wash her blood from his arms. Aeris still fretted over Yuffie even after finishing her dressing but Yuffie finally pulled away from her to thank Jei. He had finally finished getting the bullets out of his arms and had simply laid back and fallen to sleep. Yuffie kneeled by him and touched his face with her fingertips. He was so cold, his face looked like he was in pain, he couldn't feel the wounds, could he? Her eyes welled slightly, she still didn't understand why she felt this way about this boy who had just shown up not two days ago. She stroked his face again and went to find Leon, as she walked away Jei opened his eyes but didn't call after her as he desired too.
* * *
"Oh, Jeiko! You were so brave!" cooed Selphie,
"Hey, don't put it all on me, that guy over there had a lot to do with it to" he gestured at Leon, "Let's go get some food and leave these two together," Yuffie had just walked in. Selphie agreed and her and Jeiko rose to head to the galley. As Selphie rounded the corner a slight gust of wind blew her skirt high and Jeiko cheered.
"Is he alright?" asked Leon,
"I don't know, he looked like he was in pain, but he's sleeping," She replied, taking a seat next to him,
"I owe him. I thought I didn't like him at all, but those two are special... they seem to just fit in with everyone else like they've been here from the start,"
"I've noticed it too," she looked down at the floor, "Leon-"
"You don't need to say it. I don't like it at all, but I guess we should leave it alone for now," She looked at him and smiled then kissed him on the cheek and changed the subject.
*notes: It's been a while... I know. This chapter was written a while ago but as I was wrapping it up my word processor decided to be illegal so I lost it all, pretty dumb for not saving it earlier, huh? Anyway this a little less than half of what I had written before, I'll try to update soon, k?
