A/N: Hey everybody! It's me again, starting up with the next chapter. Thank you all for the reviews, follows, whatnot so far. Though its not much its actually big for me since it means my fanfic is doing well. Anyways now I'm going to reveal something's from Mel's past, Lightning's, what's going to happen next and with a sort of twist in the plot when they go to rescue Sahz and Vanille from YOU KNOW WHO?! Dysley... Aka: Barthandales... I hate him so much... Anyway enjoy the story! :D.
Omni POV:
The Palamicia ran smoothly through the clouds and looked deeply terrifying as the sun had become dusk with the shadows now making the aircraft ominous and eerie in its unique way. The Soldiers on the craft were all relaxing in their bunk rooms and entertainment areas right after they left the amusement park Nautilus, they just apprehended two Pulse L'cie and are now hanging down below deck being guarded by the feral and flan creatures they had at their control. They weren't the only special cargo the army were handling. The Primarch Galenth Dysley were in the main control room watching and waiting for any news of the remaining fugitives they were hunting down. In the small dark room with only several monitors arranged to his liking projected light inside of the room.
"Where are you slaves?" He muttered to himself, his dark eyes scanning over the screens over and over as if waiting for something to grab at him.
"Grrrarr! NOTHING! Nothing has revealed itself to me since the night before... Why?!" Dysley had roared out of anger to himself as he slammed his fist against the large keyboard spread before him, the sound of his fist slamming echoed in the little hovel room.
"I have been able to track their movements, my tools of destructions whereabouts and what they planned on doing. Whomever is the one supplying me these visions I should personally thank... For they had aided me in capturing two of the needed six servants of Anima at that 'Park Of Dreams'. So far the visions had ended when the two L'cie we have on board were brought into our care..." Now the Primarch narrows his dark eyes to slits and starts to mull things over.
"My plan would have gone well if only these simpletons who wave their trained and highly manufactured weapons around as if children with toys wanting to impress those who don't know the basics of such tools. Now all I must do is to lure the others out... But how to do so...?" Dysley starts to contemplate, gathering his thoughts together, wanting to come with a solution for this strange and annoying anomaly presented before him as he begins to pace back and forth in front of the blank, blue and white light screens.
"KNOCK!KNOCK!KNOCK!"
Dysley halts in place and glares at the door before he answers,
"Who dares disturb the great, and powerful, Voice Of Cocoon?!" He hisses out of hatred with a deep scorn in his eyes that it could actually burn through the metal door.
"Forgive me Milord but we have news that there are now seven L'cie fugitives wandering about in Cocoon." The woman's voice said through the metal.
This caught the false man in disguise in by surprise for he knew that there were mainly six that were needed to fulfill his plans to eradicate Cocoon, Gran Pulse and their inhabitants. Surly this must be someone who was seen with them, unless...
"Come forth Jihl, I have something's I wish to discuss with you." The man says urgently, urgently enough that the Lieutenant Coloneil enters with haste. She bows respectfully and adjusted her thin glasses from falling from her face.
"Your eminence, what is there you wish to discuss?" She asks calmly but inside she is terrified of the man she swore to protect and serve, something about him made her feel uneasy but would only shrug the feeling away.
"This seventh L'cie reports have stated were running around with six others intel had gathered, whom is this new L'cie?" He asks nonchantly but his eyes show they are very eager to know.
Jihl cleared her throat and pulled out a few files she had on her since she received them.
"Sir, the seventh L'cie, as reported, is merely a child of sixteen who seems to be very resourceful. From what PSICOM recon and intelligence have gathered the child seems to know our every move long before we make them and, though looks are deceiving, is much stronger than we had thought. With this child alone they had wiped out most of our forces without so much as trying that the other L'cie seem insignificant compared to this L'cie."
Dysely replays the words in his head before speaking.
"Are there any distinct descriptions this child has Lieutenant Colonial?"
The PSICOM leader nodded firmly,
"Yes sir, reports state that the seventh L'cie has both the appearance of male and female, the brand is on their right shoulder and that the most distinct description is on their entire left arm to their shoulder, palm and fingers is burn marks resembling natures strongest force: lightning."
'This child intrigues me, lightning shaped burn marks... I wonder...'
"Thank you Lieutenant you may return to your duties now..." Dysley commanded calmly.
"Sir!" Jihl saluted then made her way out of the room and the Primarch is now all alone once more. His eyes are closed and is lost in deep thought, he stood in front of the monitor screens thinking and then looked at the blank screens once more.
"I wonder if this child is the 'one' I had called forth from the 'other world', the chosen interloper from the world beyond our own world...?
Mels POV:
"So, please sir. Forgive me... I failed to protect your wife from the Army because she protected me, I believed that I could do anything to make it up to her was by saving everyone. She also, before she died, asked me to bring your son home... At the time I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I had ignored his pain, even though he stood right beside me and I remained oblivious to his feelings..." Snow began to pour his heart out into the words he spoke to Hopes dad, Bartholomew Estheim, about the events from Hanging Edge and what happened to his wife, Nora Estheim. Everyone in the room was silent and somehow motionless, never said a word throughout Snows explanation. He sat there looking at the kneeling man with calm, teary eyes and listened intently. Hope sat beside his dad with that guilty look on his face and the same pain he showed when he saw his mom fall to her death, it wasn't anyone's fault that she died the way she did if the military didn't start the purge she would have been fine but this is only the beginning of that cursed Fal'cies plan to destroy everything to summon the Maker anyways... Besides this is what I heard when I first woke up, cries of pain and sorrow crept themselves into my ears especially while I was still asleep. I looked at the scene before me and they continued.
"No, you have already fulfilled Nora's final wish. That was all that you needed to do in order to make everything up to her, Nora. You have brought our son home, I thank you on our behalf." Bartholomew says to Snow who gets down on his knees on his own floor and bows before the large man in gratitude, Snow looks speechless and seems to be fidgeting in place looking unsure of what to do. Hope looks at his dad with sadness in his eyes again and ultimately kills the mood in my opinion.
"We'll be staying for awhile and then we will leave. The army is tracking us and we don't want, I mean I don't want anything to happen to you dad..." Hope stares at his dad who stares back at him in silence but I didn't stick around long enough to see what they were going to do or say but then again I already knew. Instead I walked right outside, even though the enemy is searching for L'cie like me I felt that tonight is a good night to sit outside under the starry night, yet I need to watch the amount of time I spend outside anyways for the Sanctums in a way failed preemptive strike.
The metal, wooden replica, door slides open upwards as I came nearer and stood a foot away from it. It clicks and buzzes then rises upwards letting me leave, the cool night air greeted me as I went outside and the crickets chirped peacefully too it made the atmosphere have that calm feel to it that I felt my anxiety melt away and that the army felt vey far away too.
"Goddess Etro had called me in my sleep this time, a new power has been granted to me. She said it in a strange language, Potestatem, or the power of control. I am able to control anyone and anything physically, spiritually etc. to my will and the one who I control has no recollection of the events that occurred while under my spell, so to speak. But that conversation we had back in Valhalla it frightens me now and I don't like it...
Flashback-Valhalla:
I stare at the golden light upon the crystal throne in disbelief, my heart pounding from inside of my throat that words would not form nor could I breathe.
"Why do you seem shock young one?" The divine voice asks me almost innocently as if it already forgot of what she had just told me!
My lips quivered as I tried to speak, it took me what felt like hours to actually say the words.
"My memories are already fading?! But where do they go?! What has become of them?! My memories are practically key for me to remain sane in this strange yet unique world! Tell me what has become of my memories!?" I cried out to the light in anger that could not be contained.
"It is always a mystery to not know where our memories come and go, even we the divine beings are puzzled by this. Though it is not something I would do for just any human I have carried your forgotten memories that you have given up in exchange for the use and gain of your powers and have stored them here within my crystal throne. See how it no longer glimmers brightly to my light?" Etro explains and I looked at her throne, it doesn't catch the light and shine brightly like it did the first few times I came here.
"When you no longer possess your memories and you are called forth here to become the shield to protect my champion from harm the replica of this seat will shatter and return your lost memories entirely. But be aware that once they return they will rush at you all at once and it will be a battle of will power, a test, to see if you deserve to possess what you have lost once more. In the mean time I shall keep your forgotten memories safe."
I stared at the light and it shimmered and glowed brightly that my eyes had to squint and I used my hands to block out the brightness. Once the brightness faded I lowered my hands and I swear that I felt my eyes widen.
"Why do you look so surprised, Interloper? Is there something that surprises you so your eyes suddenly widened?" The female figure before me says in the same divine voice as Etro. I felt my face flush and then burn and my body suddenly felt like it was shaking, the figure starting walking toward me and I covered my eyes and turned away.
"What is the matter with you? Why are you looking away, are you embarrassed by something?" She asks in a confused tone, not sure how she looks because I am not looking directly at her anymore.
"C-could you p-please put s-something on! Your full on exposed!" I stuttered to the figure without looking.
I hear a confused sound like a muffled 'hmm?' and a small chuckle.
"Oh, I see you turn your eyes away because I am not clothed properly."
"Not clothed properly, you have nothing on at all! Please show some decency your a Goddess for goodness sake!" I cried out of instinct and I really didn't want to see the woman like that it was so weird...
"Alright I shall be back." With that I heard footsteps, flesh walking upon the floor nearly silently it was close at first then it began to fade. When I no longer heard a sound I reopened my eyes and slowly turned to the crystal throne. I walked slowly to it, it grew larger and magnificent under the pale light that shined down upon it. But like Etro had said it no longer gleamed and glowed like it would have, like crystals do when light shines through the surface. On the inside I saw floating carnations of darkness and carnations of light in that throne swirling around one another like in some sort of graceful dance, I was mesmerized by the sight but I felt sad. These were my memories, locked away outside of me outside of my own thoughts! They were the only things I have in this world and I no longer will possess them, I will become a shell of false memories like those people from the movie "Rekall" where you can live in a world that you want instead of the reality you live in. I felt my eyes begin to build up water but nothing was shed from them.
"I have returned Interloper, come I have much to discuss with you while I am still in contact with your psyche. The connection will grow stronger but for now we are on as you mortals would say on a 'time limit' even though my world is timeless and non-existent." This time I turned and I swore that I gasped.
Etro's human form was a beautiful fair woman with long flowing silver blond hair in silver armor almost similar to Lightning's armor in 13-2 only with a sun like crown rested on her head, a white cape flowed from her shoulders down like a brides veil, the shoulder guards were rounded but were spiked outward with lone spikes. Her complexion was stunning and flawless, her unnatural green and sea blue eyes were amazing and they seem to be looking through me it made me feel cold for some reason but they also had a warm pull on them too. The Goddess folded her arms across her chest as she did with her legs she reminded me of the concept art of Megurine Luka from the Vocaloid Wikipedia just because of her stance.
"Okay, what is there to discuss?" I asked politely.
Etro waved her hand and began to walk, I followed beside her. We were walking within the threshold of her temple and it looked like a well kept, well maintained, forgotten castle but I didn't really pay attention to the buildings details nor structures I simply listened to the Goddess's words intently.
"What I wished to discuss is your strange arrival and your powers. You see after defeating a difficult challenge that had presented itself in this world you gain what are called 'Fragments' in my world. Each fragment is different, like Materia. Materia are mediums that hold a special key power but your powers are very different. Anyway like I had asked you in the beginning if you knew of the term Equivalent Exchange it is meant to tell you that you gave up something precious to gain that new power, it is never optional it takes from you to give you what deems worthy to your feat. Like this new power, I have logged into my Beastiry or log book. This power is listed as "Potestatem" or the power to control the mind. All you need to do is to look at the person, group or beast or simply touch them and you have accessed their mind. Give them an order and they will follow it, the one or those you have control of will not know they are under your control and will not have any recollection of the events not during it nor after. Now about your arrival. It seems that you were actually dragged from your own dimension through many others to be here."
"Wait, something pulled me from my own reality, from my own world through other worlds? Is that even possible? How come I was chosen? There are many more candidates than me who is more qualified for this sort of thing!' I said as I try to think through my confusion.
"There was a tale of which I heard from days before I was made and chosen to be the Goddess of Death and Time; Long ago they said that the Maker created a beast in form of a canine, a simple mutt that was loyal and brave and very powerful. They said the beast would watch the world in place of the Maker and to report of any dangers that would befall upon the world of mortals. One day the beast wandered the world and came across a mortal man named Lindzei. He spoke of lies and hate that it corrupted the dog's mind and when it returned to the Maker he saw it changed. The beast was stripped of its powers and was sealed away, and legends say that the beast had swore that the one who is worthy to its powers will one day summon the Maker and destroy the worlds with its powers. They said that the worthy and powerful could use the beast's powers to cross through time and space, through many dimensions than its own. It could take, twist and bend anything from the world it took from, not only that but the canine was a puppeteer and the one who has its power to bend and twist reality could call forth a puppet to command. And I believe that someone or something saw you were special. The storm from your world was no ordinary storm, lightning and thunder sounded and flashed but that was merely the test. And you passed it, you bear the mark of the chosen and lived. But who called you that night I have yet to figure out..." Etro says to me with a deep gaze in her eyes a sort of far away look as she spoke.
'I have an idea of who might have taken me from my own world but only because Etro said the one who wants to summon the Maker and wants to destroy Cocoon and Gran Pulse all the same. If we do confront him there is a chance for me to get answers from him.' I thought to myself as I thought of the suspects that came to mind that I think could be the one who pulled me out of my own world. But the purpose of why they would want to bring an outsider to their home world puzzled me and why did it have to have been me to survive that lightning strike that night? What was it about me that made me special that I lived?
"It seems that the time limit has been reached, time to return to your body now. Until we meet again, farewell Interloper." Etro says to me as I looked where she looked, a swirling dark vortex appeared out of nowhere a few feet in front of us. It looked like it was inhaling dust and debris yet the pull from the portal was light as a gentle breeze. I looked at the goddess then nodded, I walked casually toward the portal until I was close enough to feel the pull become stronger. Once I was barely a foot away I was lifted a few inches off the ground and then I was pulled back into the darkness.
Present Time:
Since I woke up in the same room Snow was in while he was resting because his wounds were fatal but not life threatening he was the first to greet me. I felt like I was in a daze since then but with my senses awakening again I couldn't get my mind off of the conversation since.
'Shsh-Ttnk!'
I heard the door open then close and footsteps were right behind me, light ones, then they stopped.
"You sure have guts to come out here in the open. Either that or your just crazy!" Someone says behind me, but I didn't have to be a genius to figure out who has an Australian accent at this very place and moment.
"Hello Fang, need something from me?" I asked her without having to face her.
The footsteps began to pick up again then I looked to the side to see the huntress take a seat beside me. One leg was straight while the other bent close to her chest that she could rest her arms on it while her head rested on her arms.
"Nope, Lightning and Snow asked me to come check on you. Said you looked blank and troubled at the same time if that was ever possible, ya know?" She says casually. I just stared at her.
"Light and Hope told me you know where Vanille is right now, and that you're just like me and Nille. Not born on Cocoon but not from Gran Pulse either, hmm... Where do you come from?" Fang suddenly asks me.
"Why so interested? To answer your questions yes I do know where Vanille is, she's with Sahz Katzroy in the amusement park Nautilus. But if we go now we will lose their trail. And before you ask she and the old man will be captured by the Army. If-" I began but was immediately cut off.
"If you know she is going to be taken in by the Sanctum then lets get her now!" Fang says as she she cuts me off, probably wasn't the best idea to tell her Vanille was going to be arrested...
"Fang! If you go now then we will never catch up to them, they will be taking them back to the Sanctum but once they release information of capturing the enemy then that will be the moment that we will go to get to them." I told her urgently.
"Why?! If we go now we won't need to worry!" Fang shouts at me, her eyes looked like they were full of concern and worry.
"Fang trust me I know what will happen if you go off on your own then everything will be undone. Everyone will die, you and Vanille everyone! Just wait, don't you trust me enough to understand why I try to convince you guys to not do the things that you do? It's to keep everything in order!" I shout to her in return.
"What makes you so sure?! You never lost anything before in your life, lost something, someone precious to you. If you have then let me know." Before she rushed her way inside I lost it.
"I HAVE LOST SOMETHING! EVERYTHING!" I screamed but loud enough for her to hear and to not let anyone else hear me. Fang stopped at the door when it opened and slowly looked back at me.
"You... Have? Like what?" She asks softly.
"Everything. I lost my home, my family, my friends, my future, my dreams. Fang I'm even losing my memories as we speak. My memories were the only thing I have in this world, memories of my home, but now I'm losing them the very key to my return to home... Look I'm sorry for sounding so nonchalant when I told you Vanille will be taken to the Sanctum but we will get to them... Soon PSICOM will come because they were able to track us here. Once we get rid of them we will move on alright?" I asked her once I finished telling her what I lost and what I will never have again... She just stands there with her back to me and mumbles,
"I'm sorry, later then..."
And walks inside. I return to gaze at the stars until I hear another set of footsteps, they are much more quiet then Fangs but still I was able to hear them.
"You and Fang had a fight?" I turned around this time to see Lightning. Her face looked full of concern while under the moonlight of Phoenix.
"Yeah, I told her about where Vanille is, I thought I should have let her know but I made it sound like it was no big deal when I told her that she and the old man will be captured at Nautilus. I made her upset but hopefully she forgives me for the I sounded to her, I'm so stupid." I looked back at the ground and turned forward, before I knew it Light was by me two.
"So the Army will come soon huh? We will be ready for them." She says in the same serious tone but for some reason her tone sounded softer like its not as harsh as before.
"This may sound personal but could I ask you something? I overheard you and Fang arguing... You said that you lost everything, even you're memories... Why is that?" She asks calmly. I looked into her foolhardy cerulean eyes and answered.
"You see my scars on my entire left arm?" I asked her as I raised my arm up.
"I was struck by lightning during a storm while I was still home, but the storm was not an ordinary storm. When I was struck my arm bore this and when I was taken out of my own world to be here I was granted powers, powers I used long before we were branded as L'cie. I was called by a divine voice and spoke to someone who was able to connect to me through the other world, the world beyond. I was in Valhalla... If you can believe that, anyways the voice told me that to use or gain new powers I would have to give something up in return. And what I was force to give up were my memories, the only thing I have left, I gained the power the control the mind and I lost two of my memories at least. But that doesn't matter, we need to get back inside before-"
"BOOM!CRASH!"
"What was that?!" Lightning asks me as she turned in surprise.
"It's the army, lets go!"
When we got inside there was a large gaping hole from the side of the living room, a few soldiers were swarming inside looking around for their targets. Light was looking through the dust and debris, she held her hand up without looking at me showing me there were about six grunts inside.
"See the others?" I whispered to her, but she held her hand firmly. Maybe I should stay quiet for now. I looked across the hall to see Fang and Hope doing the same as us, Fang is pointing to the ceiling and tosses something over. Light caught it before it could crash against the floor and gave it to me.
" This is an anti-gravitational device designed for climbing anything, like a glove shape Grav. Com. That I used before. The ceiling is pretty high up, see if you can do anything with the grunts while the rest of us takes care of the big ones." Light whispers to me, I looked at her then Fang and finally Hope and nodded. I slipped the black material gloves on my hands and the metal links on the back of the gloves hands began to glow light, soft blue grey. Not sure how to use this I put one hand on the wall then the other and began climbing felling lightweight. I climbed until I reached the ceiling and crawled on the ceiling, until I reached the first three grunts they were just pacing around, releasing my hold with my left hand I felt a small surge of energy coursing through my veins and the blue lightning became violet. The purple sparks bounced and crashed like normal but made no noise, at first something was crawling out of my palm then my eyes widened while I see appendages began crawling out of my palm. There were six of the tentacles, one per soldier. Once the light became stronger they saw me but before they could shoot me the appendages shot out and attached itself onto one soldier, once we were connected I felt something in my head like several tugs somewhere. Then I heard whispering, lots of them swirling around in my own thoughts it was hard to concentrate. But I held on as long as I could and thought of a command to give to these soldiers, the enemies I am forcing to become our allies.
"Buy us time to get away, shoot at our enemies and protect us. You will be doing the state a favor by aiding the heroes. You all will be rewarded the medal of honors by doing this."
The appendages began glowing a violent violet color once I finished the command and the soldiers took aim from our side aiming at their fellow comrades. I let go of my hold on the ceiling and landed on the ground after casting an aero spell to cushion my fall. I took my place by a wall and I see Snow outside trying to parley with Yagad Rosch.
"But we're from Cocoon! Haven't you thought that we wouldn't attack our hometown?!" Snow cried.
"Yes but you are still L'cie, we of the Sanctum control the populace by controlling their fear. The people fear what they do not know so we must protect them by doing what we must to be sure that the big, bad L'cie don't show up at their doorstep. It is better to save the lives of many than to spare the lives of the few. Execute them!"
Rosch's platoon raise their guns and were about to shoot at us through the remaining rubble and the gaping hole in the wall, instead I intervened and shouted to the soldiers under my control.
"Fire! Leave the commander alive! Shoot anyone of the enemies soldiers now!" The platoon on our side raised their own guns and fired quicker than Rosch's forces. Before more reinforcements came a gas was released and something took out the remaining soldiers that the Sanctum brought with them.
"Attacked from friendly fire?!" Was all I heard but I knew he retreated. The Calvary came and destroyed the first airship but that was it before they drew other forces attention away, just one airship remained fixed on us. The four off us jumped into the open and rushed to the platform to face the Haul ship. Snow was about to join in but Lightning stood by him before rushing into the fight telling him,
"Our turn Hero."
Then followed us. We all drew our weapons and stood ready, the ships left port side haul shot rockets at us and probably killed the soldiers I controlled, their thoughts were silenced, from where the rockets hit.
"You bastards wanna play?! Well then lets play shall we?! You have something we want and we are taking it back!" Fang shouts at the ship and spun her lance several times above her head, slammed it into the ground next to her and raised at fist at the ship. I raised my twin blades, one forward the other reversed, and got ready for a much longer fight..
"Enchant..." I quietly said when my arm was brought to life. I gave myself and my group a boost from my powers then as if rehearsed Hope and I unleashed an strong mix force of thundara and firaga and the four of us began to launch our assault.
A/N: Wohoo! This chapter is finally done! I finally updated. Well this chapter I say is the longest I have ever done so far. Well hope you all enjoyed it, like to that everyone who has read, reviewed, liked and faved my story just thanks everyone it's stuff like this that tells me this isn't a waste. I suppose. Okay now lets see what will happen later on, should anyone have questions of anything they wanna ask go right ahead, leave your question in the review box and I will try my best to answer it and as quickly as possible. Now until next time... Ciao!
