sup guys, this is the end of chapter 2. whew, that was a pain in the $$. I suffered the longest period of writer's block in this chapter's final fight. But it was worth it. This is by far my second favorite scene in the game, just so you know.
Part 7: Pulsian Menace
"So this is the fal'Cie." Hope whispered after following the group into the room. It didn't look impressive. It was just a giant metal dome with the top portion removed to allow cables in through the top. On either side of the fal'Cie were turbines installed into the ground. Two pillars sat next to it with multiple monitors attached. Across the top of the fal'Cie were the words 'Anima, fal'Cie patron and protector of Oerba'.
"Serah's a crystal now." Snow told the fal'Cie, "You gave her a focus, and she did it! You got what you want! Now let her go!" he shouted.
The fal'Cie remained silent. Snow sank to his hands and knees.
"Please." he pleaded. "Turn her back!"
Suddenly a thought struck him. He looked up at the fal'Cie and placed a hand on his chest. "I'll be your l'Cie instead!" He offered.
Again the fal'Cie remained silent.
"Fine, you go on begging." Lightning snapped at Snow. She drew her gunblade into blade form and charged at Anima. "Like this thing gives a damn what we want!"
She brought the blazefire down hard on the fal'Cie pouring all her anger into each swing of her sword and sending sparks flying. Finally she brought her gunblade down on the fal'Cie hard enough to send her stumbling back a few steps leaving her panting and hunched over.
"Lightning!" Snow shouted.
"It's this things fault the Purge started, and it's people who are dying." She stood up straight and looked back at Snow. "Serah told us to save Cocoon. That means this thing needs to die!" she said.
Suddenly the room began to glow a yellow color, and gears in the wall began turning as if the fal'Cie disagreed with what Lightning said. The turbines began to raise from the ground and spin. Finally a blinding white light flashed from inside the dome as the opened. Steam issued from the ground as the fal'Cie's true form was revealed. It had no head or legs, but a machine chest with a gleaming purple crystal in the center and one bulldozer like arm attached to its right side.
Lightning and Snow stepped back in awe. Hope turned and ran, while Vanille watched with a pained look in her face. Hope stopped running to take notice of the vestige. The whole interior was buzzing to life as gears began to spin and pistons began pumping. This only proved to enhance his desire to leave the room even more. Anima noticed this and it's crystal let out a spark. Hope slammed face first into a barrier bearing the fal'Cie brand. Vanille quickly rushed to Hope's side. Lightning recovered from her shock and assumed a ready position.
"Come on, now." Sazh tried to reason. "You really think you can kill a fal'Cie?"
"I'm doing this for Serah!" she responded going into the same position she had used on the warmech with her blade tucked just above her chin.
Snow assumed a ready stance, agreeing with what Lightning said. Sazh stared sadly at the ground. He wasn't there for the girl, but he was doing this for someone as well.
"Dajh." he whispered.
Finally the moniters around the fal'Cie lit up with the fal'Cie symbol against a background of digital snow. The Chocobo chick resting in Sazh's hair tucked her head out of her nest and seeing the fal'Cie disappeared with a surprised chirp.
"I'm in. As long as you don't mind an amateur." Sazh said with a determined look set on his face, while drawing his twin pistols. "I've got these things. Might as well us 'em!"
Lightning glanced at him and uttered a quick thanks before returning her attention back to the fal'Cie. She leaped at the fal'Cie's exposed crystal, the heart of all fal'Cie, only to find herself flying across the room as one of the turbine manipulators slammed into her.
"Lightning!" Snow shouted, suddenly finding himself leaping to the side as one of the manipulators crashed right where he had been standing a couple of seconds ago. Where they struck the ground spinning, a shower of sparks flew, singing him and setting the sleeve of his trench coat on fire.
"Damn." He muttered and quickly patted the flames out. "How are we supposed to attack the fal'Cie if we can't even get close enough to hit him?" he wondered out loud.
"Leave that to me!" Sazh shouted, and locked his pistols together to form a shotgun. He fired a shot at the fal'Cie, only to have it deflected by the manipulator that had taken out Lightning. The other manipulator was busying itself by driving Snow farther and farther away from Anima.
"What the hell!?" he shouted as he found himself next to Sazh.
While Snow and Sazh were both preoccupied with the manipulator, the other had switched its attention from Sazh's bullets to Lightning, who was ducking and weaving to keep out of the way of the massive drill-like machine, every so often firing a few rounds at the manipulator, all three attackers had completely shifted attention away from the fal'Cie and were completely focused on the manipulators. Finally, the manipulators had succeeded in driving the three together into a corner.
"What are they playing at?" Sazh asked.
"They're driving us together for some kind of special attack." Lightning answered.
No sooner had the words left her mouth that the manipulators began to spin in the opposite direction. A ball of magical energy formed in the center of each manipulator, and grew bigger and bigger as they span faster and faster.
"Well, I won't let 'em!" Snow shouted, and without warning plunged his fist directly into the center of the ball of energy.
The fist didn't do much to phase the manipulator, but Snow suddenly ducked and covered, a grenade pin looped on his thumb. Lightning putting two and two together, grabbed Sazh's coat and dragged him down, shouting "YOU IDIOT!" and with that, the first manipulator exploded, both the magical energy and grenade, sending Lightning, Sazh, and Snow, along with the other manipulator flying across the room. The force of the explosion interrupted the other manipulator charge, and soon exploded before it could even hit the ground. Thankfully, Lightning and the others were already several feet away from the second explosion when it happened.
When the smoke cleared, Snow surveyed the damage.
"Aw man, that was my last grenade." He said rubbing his head. He turned around and walked straight into Lightning's oncoming fist.
"You stupid idiot! You could have killed us!" she shouted.
"Hey sis, calm down. I took care of the arms." He whined.
"But you almost took care of us too! And I'm not your sister!" she argued.
Vanille and Hope carefully walked up to the group.
"Is it over?" she asked.
"No," Sazh answered. "We still have the fal'Cie to take care o-"
Suddenly, a great bolt energy leaped from the crystal on Anima's chest towards all the pieces of the manipulators. The pieces rose into the air glowed a brilliant gold color, and began to assemble like a 3D puzzle.
"What now?" Sazh shouted in exasperation.
"He's regenerating the manipulators" Vanille explained "They are his only defense, so it would only make sense to regenerate them."
"I don't suppose you have any more of those generators do you?" Sazh asked Snow, not taking his eyes of the quickly regenerating manipulators.
"No, I already said I used my last one before Light punched me." He said guiltily.
There was a flash of pink hair in front of them, and they turned their heads to see Lightning sprinting towards Anima, gunblade at full draw.
"Grenades won't matter if we don't wipe out the controller!" she shouted. "And if It's gonna be anyone it's gonna be me!" she shouted.
Anima saw her coming, and tried to move his still regenerating manipulators in time to knock lightning out of the way before he was done, but the manipulators seemed to move slower while being regenerated. Lightning easily slid under the manipulator and used her momentum to launch herself in the air. Her feet landed on the face of the violet crystal, and she plunged the blazefire as deep into the crystal would let her. There was a deafening shriek, like a tea kettle blowing steam and the crystal began to crack and glow a brilliant white light. Lightning leaped back and closed her eyes as the crystal's light enveloped them.
Part 8: Bound in Darkness
Lightning heard music. She opened her eyes and saw that she, along with the others were floating weightlessly in a huge circular black room that didn't appear to have a top or bottom. She could hear voices singing somewhere all around her, but could not make out where they were coming from, or what language. But it sounded mournful and sad. In her line of sight floated a giant blue crystal. She twisted around and looked around to make sense of her surroundings but saw nothing to explain where they were.
"Where are we?" she asked.
Suddenly she heard the sound of church bells ringing around them.
"What's going on?" Snow asked.
Suddenly on the thirteenth gong the crystal shot higher above them and exploded in a brilliant white light, and the ringing of the bells became more frequent. From the light appeared an immense being covered in a beautiful blue light. He had a metal face half covered in armor, with glowing cables flowing from an elaborate headdress, and a glowing white eye surrounded by glowing swirling tattoos. He was clothed in a great metal robe like armor covered in an unknown writing, with metal wings attached to the top above of the headdress, along with many arms along him. He had no feet, but under the armor was the source of the church bells.
Suddenly, Vanille knew where they were. They were in the Gods' Domain, and the being looming above them was none other than the fal'Cie god named Pulse. She knew what was coming next and it spelled distaster.
Pulse waved a hand, and glowing blue tendrils shot from his body and wrapped themselves around Lightning and the group. They struggled to free themselves, to no avail. He raised a hand and shot a beam white magical energy down at the group. Striking them in different places. Lightning, and Sazh in the chest, Hope on his right wrist, Snow on his right forearm, and Vanille in the thigh. A white hot pain seared where the beam struck them, as if the area was on fire, and an image began to form. Finally, Pulse spread his arms outward, and the team was released to fall into the darkness.
As they were falling, Snow saw a terrible vision. A hulking beast forming from a swirling cloud of black, a hundred arms wrapping themselves around Cocoon, and Cocoon falling, before Snow passes into unconsciousness, one memory fights to the surface of his mind.
Outside the vestige, things weren't looking good. Spears of crystals were crashing through the walls of the vestige, to the bewildered eyes of PSICOM, until the entire vestige was covered in blue and green crystals. There was a shockwave, as the fal'Cie exploded, and sent the entire Hanging Edge cascading to the lake below it, and freeing itself from Protera's grip, the vestige fell alongside the Hanging Edge. As it struck the water and waves formed outwards, another shockwave flew from the vestige, and the entire lake was transformed into crystal, the waves frozen in time. And with that last shockwave, the Pulse fal'Cie Anima died.
When I couldn't see a future, and I was afraid…
When the future was clear, and it hurt to see…
I'd just close my eyes, and lose myself in happier days.
Day 11: The seaside city of Bodhum
It was nighttime, and Bodhum was having it's famous annual fireworks festival over the water. Friends and family from all over Cocoon would come to watch the dazzling light show. It was what made Bodhum a famous tourist attraction. And NORA was hosting the celebration. Maqui was in charge of the fireworks, Yuj was serving drinks, and Lebreau was manning her famous bar, while Snow was supposed to be overseeing the festivities. But his mind was set on finding a certain person, almost bumping into a couple of girls.
"Whoa! Excuse me!" he apologized with a smile.
"Kay, see ya!" one of the girls said before prancing off with her friend to discuss the handsome stranger they bumped into.
Snow scanned the heads of the crowd, using his height to his advantage with no such luck.
"Oh, you just missed her." Lebreau called at Snow, "She said she'd be at the 'usual' place." she winked.
Snow laughed guilltily.
"Thanks." he said rubbing the back of his head and leaving.
"Sorry about that," she said to the mysterious woman she was serving. But it didn't bother her. Bodhum was always getting mysterious newcomers, but this one was strange, with an unknown accent, and strange clothes. "Now who'd you say you were looking for?" she asked setting a cocktail in front of the woman. The woman picked up the glass, swirled it's contents and casually took a sip, before continuing her story.
Snow happily leaped down the last few steps to the beach, and excitedly bumped his fist together, a bad habit he picked up in his youth whenever he felt excited.
"Here goes!" he said to himself and raced over to where he would meet Serah, on a railing overlooking the sea.
He found her facing the fireworks, hands clasped to her chest, and head bowed in deep concentration.
"Making a wish?" he said.
Serah jumped at the sudden sound of his voice next to her, and laughed. She looked up at the fireworks, and leaned back with her hands gripping the rail.
"Maybe I was." she said sadly. "I was hoping that tomorrow I could tell my sister. She'll be so mad, knowing I hid it from her."
"Don't worry." Snow reassured her. "I'll take the blame for you."
Serah smiled at him. Snow would always look out for Serah, and stick up for her no matter what, but it would do no good in this situation. They turned their attention to the fireworks overhead and were silent for a moment
"You know," Snow suddenly spoke up breaking the silence "You should ask for something bigger. These are wish granting fireworks, like in the stories." he said, trying to cheer her up.
Serah massaged the bandage around her left arm and stared at it sadly.
"Stories, huh?" she said quietly. "L'Cie who fulfill their focus-they become crystal and gain eternal life." she said, siting the stories she'd always heard from her sister about fal'Cie and their human servants.
Snow sighed and leaned on the railing. "Would help if they gave you some clue about what you're supposed to do." he said quietly. Serah shook her head and began to cry.
"We'll figure this out." He said quickly placing his hands on her shoulders. "You will never be one of those monsters." he said firmly.
Serah removed his hands from her shoulders, and turned away hiding her tears.
"So what will I be?" she asked, her voice beginning to shake. "A crystal?"
Unable to hold it in any longer, Serah began to cry. Tears flooded down her cheeks, and fell to the ground. She tried to wipe them away, but they were coming to fast to stop her. Snow nervously began to rummage through the many pockets on his trench coat. He found what he was looking for tucked away in one of his inside pockets.
"Yesterday when I was at the store, I got us something." he said.
She turned around to see him holding a pair of pendents resembling Cocoon with swirling silver tails glistening in the light of the fireworks. Her eyes stared in shock at what they meant.
"Don't know much about jewelry, but...I hope you like it." he said nervously.
He fastened one around her neck. She turned around to see that he had done the same and now had a determined look on his face.
"I will stand by you, no matter what happens. I'm yours forever." He started struggling to get the next few words out. "Serah. My one. My only." He knelt down on one knee and placed his hand over his heart. "Will you marry me?" he finally said.
Serah stared at Snow in shock, letting Snow's words sink in. She knew this was coming, but still the words came as a shock. But she already had her answer.
"Yes." she said happily.
Snow stared up in disbelief. Then his face lit up. He jumped in the air cheerfully, thrusting his fists in the air.
"She said 'Yes'!" he shouted happily, as if trying to make sure all of Cocoon heard what was happening.
He grabbed Serah in his arms, and began to spin her around, both of them laughing joyfully.
Later they were on Snow's velocycle with Serah in his lap, flying around the AMP field containing the fireworks. Snow found a spot close to them and stopped to admire them.
"Got to love those fireworks. They granted my wish." he said happily.
"Your wish?" Serah asked.
"Before I asked you to marry me." he explained "I wished that you would say 'yes'."
Serah thought for a moment before speaking.
"Then maybe they'll grant mine too." she wondered.
"What's that?" Snow asked.
"To have the courage to tell Lightning that I've become a l'Cie." she said quietly.
"Hey," Snow said quickly not wanting the moment to go away. "Our engagement is way bigger news!" he said.
He suddenly grinned at the idea of telling Lightning about the engagement. He could just see her shooting him her famous disapproving scowl that could make the toughest of men shrink away in fear.
"Man, I can't wait to see her face." he laughed before realization dawned on his face. "She'll be my new sister." he laughed.
Serah giggled. "Yeah"
Snow laughed and suddenly banked his velocyle to the right, directly into the AMP containment field, and flew through the fireworks. It was one of the most exhilarating and beautiful sights anyone could see. Flying through exploding shades of reds, and pinks, and blues. It's a memory that could last throughout someone's life, and Snow was sharing it with Serah. They watched in awe as a pink firework exploded in front of them and watched as the sparks fell around them. Suddenly, Snow got a faraway look in his eyes, and Serah noticed.
"Hey Snow?" she asked, breaking whatever faraway thoughts he was having. He immediately pasted a smile on his face.
"Yeah?" he said,
She leaned in to kiss him, and just before they're lips met a firework exploded right underneath them, the force of the explosion jarring the velocycle.
"What the-" he shouted regaining control of the bike and flying out of the AMP field.
Snow let out a sigh and watched the fireworks below them from a safer distance.
"That was close." he mused.
Serah burst into a fit of laughter, and soon Snow was laughing alongside her. Serah looked down at the fireworks as they exploded below them.
"Gorgeous." she breathed. "Our own private heaven."
"All we need-" Snow whispered "Just you and me."
Serah looked into his eyes, and they kissed, hovering over the fireworks, with nothing to interrupt them. A tear slid down Serah's cheek as the thought that in a few days, she would either be a crystal, or a monster. Snow pressed her head to his chest and flew away leaving the Bodhum fireworks festival behind.
Snow clung desperately to this memory as he faded into unconsciousness. His arm felt like it was on fire, and he could feel himself fading away. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he thought he heard Serah's voice whispering 'thank you' before falling into the darkness.