Title: Bahamut fight; or rather, Lord of the sky
Story: So Starstruck
Author's Note: So I omitted everyone's Eidolon fight save for Snow and Balthier's (aka, the Shiva Sisters and Ultima), though the Bahamut fight was actually one I could have written, but I didn't have the time. This would have taken place after the first fight with Dysley on the Palamecia and after the fight with Cid Raines. So, for your enjoyment, this is the full scene plus more. I miss this story so much...
Balthier's legs were screaming with resistance by the time Lightning stopped her mad and endless march.
Though, as if to spite him, she decided to keep going and headed up the stairs, ignoring the rest of the party's complaints. Eventually, Balthier threatened to stab himself should their journey continue, and, fearing for the sky pirate's sanity, Snow ended up carrying him on his back. Balthier was content with this; as long as he didn't have to walk, he was fine. Vanille gave him a somewhat envious glare, then pranced away after Hope and Sazh. He could have gone without Fang's snarky comments, though.
When Lightning did stop walking for good, it was because of—damned Pulsians—a dead end.
Balthier hopped down from Snow's back and waltzed over the the edge of the platform, where Vanille was happily perched and 'aw'ing at the massive, black hole below. The pit looked as if it would swallow one whole if they chose to jump. Balthier stood on the railing, leaning over the edge, and continued to ponder this idea until Sazh gave him a look that said, 'don't you dare jump'.
"Looks like it's a dead end," Hope said, stating the obvious.
"If the stories are right, it's a maze..." Vanille breathed, touching a finger to her chin.
Fang wasn't as impressed as her partner. "This place is a boot camp for l'Cie. All kinds of challenges from Gran Pulse are waiting to get us all ready to wipe Cocoon. But we can wait here if turning Cie'th sounds better."
No one answered. Balthier sat down on the railing, head resting in his palms as he watched each of his companion's try to figure out just what to do now they'd met a dead end. Vanille looked a tad bit downcast, for once, and both Hope and Lightning were glaring at the abyss below. Sazh was pacing, cursing under his breath.
"I have had enough of this!" he shouted. "Where's the way out?"
"Way out? Who said there was one?" Snow asked, looking determined and speaking up for the first time in a long while. "Bring it on. My mind is made up. Maybe I will end up a Cie'th, but until that happens...I'm gonna make Serah proud. I couldn't bring myself to admit that this tear meant good-bye." The sparkling blue crystal was bright in his gloved hands. "And that's why I kept searching for her. But I didn't need to, because Serah was here the whole time. Right here, watching over me.
"Now I get it. What this tear's been telling me is to not let our Focus win. It's not the fal'Cie we should listen to. It's Serah, and Raines. Do you know why? Because our Focus doesn't matter! What matters to me is that we protect Cocoon, whatever it takes!"
"Same here," Vanille chimed, skipping toward the tall man. "I'll help you do it."
Snow held out Serah's crystal, a smile on his face, and Vanille placed her hand on top of his. Hope followed in suit, nodding in agreement. Not long after the chocobo chick flew over, chirping and hopping onto Hope's hand, though in its excitement, it fell off. Balthier grabbed the foolish creature, setting it down on his shoulder with an exaggerated sigh.
"I mean, come on!" Snow said. "When a chocobo agrees, you know you're on the right path!"
"Well, count me out." Fang's voice was scornful and full of anger, a contrast to her usual sarcastic drawl and witty attitude. She took slow steps toward Balthier, looking at him through the corner of her eye. "If you all want to go it on your own, then so will I!" She whirled, drawing her spear and holding the sharp end of it against Balthier's neck. Vanille gasped, covering her mouth, while Snow took a furious step forward.
"Let Cocoon get what's coming," Fang continued. Balthier leaned away from her spear, though his fingers were close to slipping from the railing, casting him down into the gaping hole. "They hate us for being l'Cie and outsiders. What's it to me if they die? Better that than watch a friend go Cie'th. If you don't have the nerve for it, I'll do it myself. How 'bout you give up, too: go on alone, get stronger, and smash Cocoon out of the sky!"
"Fang!" Vanille cried. "Don't do this!"
"You turn Cie'th, and there's no coming back!" Fang stumbled a bit, eyes drooping as if weary. Her inactive l'Cie brand started to glow a deep red color when she dropped her spear, and Balthier stepped down from the railing, the chocobo chick chirping wildly. "I'm not...letting it end that way!"
A flurry of violet lights erupted around her in a flush of magick and Mist. Fang cried out, hands running through her hair, and Vanille made to run forward to help her, tears striking her eyes as Lightning held her back. A burst of wind marked the entrance of an Eidolon, wings unfolding like dark blankets draping the ceiling and red eyes glimmering in the darkness. The magick faded like dust in the wind, and Bahamut drifted above its summoner in shadowy essence. Vanille ran to Fang and touched her companion's shoulders, while Balthier stood between Sazh and Hope.
"What's he doing here?" Fang shouted. "Come to take pity on me? Come to take care of a broken l'Cie?"
Balthier gaped at her. "That beast is here to help us?"
"Yeah, 'help'. That's what Eidolons do: they help us. Eidolons are our salvation; if we can't decide what to do next, they come put us out of our misery!"
"Wait," Snow said, grinning, "so you haven't made up your mind yet!"
Bahamut let out an thunderous roar, a beam of magick shooting out from its mouth like a flash of bursting light toward Fang. Snow dove in front of her—that fool of a Villiers—while Lightning drew her gunblade and sped forward, ready to take on any challenge that came her way. Bahamut's attack disintegrated when Vanille cast a Vanishing spell, and Fang appeared stunned by her comrades' actions, green eyes sparkling like dying stars.
"Why are you protecting me?" she demanded, voice like venom. "What are you doing?"
"Protecting one of our own," Lightning snapped steadfastly. "We can do without their brand of mercy. And we don't need a fal'Cie's orders, either. I'm fighting this Focus until the end. We all are." She lowered her weapon, gaze softening as if she were facing a lost child. She extended her hand, though Fang remained kneeling on the floor. "So please. Fight with us."
At this point, Balthier was skeptical. Not only had Fang threatened to depart from their ranks, but she also meant to kill him. Or that was what it seemed like—all this talk of Ragnarok, fal'Cie and betrayal made his head ache. Now would have been a good time to run, but he couldn't. He was fighting their Focus.
Fang took hold of Lightning's hand and stood up, smirking with a confident air about her. She, Lightning and Vanille took the lead in fighting Bahamut, while Balthier hung back with Sazh, Hope and Snow. He couldn't help notice the continuous routine Fang had throughout the fight: she would switch between healing the other two and teasing the Eidolon with various attacks. But she always made sure that Vanille was out of harm's way, even when she was inflicted with a Doom spell.
It was starting to make sense: Fang was not with them to fight against the fal'Cie, nor to find a way to Ivalice. She was there for Vanille, no one else.
When Bahamut swore allegiance to Fang, her brand ceased to glow and reverted to its inactive state. Fang glanced at it with a fastidious expression, the corner of her plump lips twitching into a scowl. Vanille gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder before perking up and pointing at something below the platform.
"Look!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "A new path!"
A ghostly, blue-white path materialized in a downward fashion and created an exit from the hell awaiting below in the abyss of shadows. Balthier, adjusting the goggles on his forehead, peered from around Lightning's head to get a better look. It didn't seem that it was a trap, lest the gods had more beasts lying in wait in yet another maze. Vanille touched her chin, pursing her lips.
"Maybe that thing did save us..."
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to call it a sign of me being right?" Snow asked, smirking proudly at Fang, who paid no attention to his failed charms (Balthier made a mental note to teach that fool a lesson or two on how to treat women). In fact, no one said a thing. "No? Okay...Listen: keep our eyes on the goal, and we'll figure something out." Again, silence. Lightning rolled her eyes and turned away, muttering something under her breath. "All right, let's do this!"
Their journey continued, though where the path of fate would take them...no one was quite sure.