A/N: Hey guys, sorry for not updating in a while. I'm in Maui right now, and it's awesome. The water is beautiful, and the view from the rented house I'm staying in overlooks the ocean. I just got a phoenix Henna tatoo, and it came out great. Things are definitely looking up, I mean this is my first time on an island, so that's definitely fucking awesome. Anyway, I've been trying to forget about my ex and meet a nice girl...no real luck yet. So I decided to nurse my recent testicular injuries and write the next chapter for you guys. Hope you all enjoy and please R&R, follow and/or favorite, and flame. Also, if there are any comments, questions, or concerns, feel free to PM me, and I will answer ASAP. And yes, I am still grounded.
Cheers,
Stryke

Chapter XIV: Fighting, Fighting, More Fighting, and Regrouping

My blades seemed to spark with the same amount of anticipation that flowed through me. The screeching sound continued, and in the next moment, the metal soldier skidded to a halt in front of me, trying to knock me off-balance. You're going to have to better than that, fuck-bot. I glared as I rolled to the right, narrowly escaping injury. I lifted my head just in time to see a fireball engulf the Pulsework Soldier. It merely twitched slightly before charging towards me again. I dove diagonally, slicing my blades at its leg. My blades ricocheted off in a shower of sparks. Rolling into a crouch, I sheathed my left blade, then aimed my palm at the hunk of metal. It was on fire, courtesy of Sazh, and as soon as I locked eyes with Hope, he acted immediately. He hurtled a Watera spell at it, and right when it connected, I let a stream of lightning flow throw my palm.

The Pulsework Soldier knew then, that water and metal are great conduits for electricity. Sparks ran through its body making it twitch repeatedly. It turned towards me, and I could hear the angry roar of uncoiled gears spinning before it planted its feet in the ground like it was readying a charge. I pointed my blade to the ground and sprinted towards it, ready to jump over it when we were on top of each other. It merely stayed there and I leaped over it swinging my sword...and and the Pulsework Soldier's metal head slammed into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. I gasped for breath as I rolled off it and ungracefully face-planted in the dirt. Gasping, I turned on my back and I would've smirked if I could breathe, because right in front of my face was the glowing core of this Pulse piece of shit. Grabbing the bades next to me, I sat up and thrust them forward, then sheathed therm. It stopped making that horrible metal screech, and pieces of it shot off in all directions, making loud pings. I knew immediately what was happening, and tried my best to clear the vicinity. I knew I wouldn't make it away in time when all sound died.

BOOM!

The explosion blasted me off my feet, and I tumbled down the mountain pass. Groaning, I lifted my head, searching for any sign of my comrades with blurred vision, however I couldn't see anything save smoke.

As I moved to my legs, I began choking on the dust that filled the pass, and called out, "Sazh! Hope! Bubbly!" I then began smirking as I spoke, "Speak if you're okay!"

A small, weak voice answered, "I'm not okay..." That must've been Hope.

"Oh, that's a relief." I had to stifle a laugh as I heard his sound of indignation.

"I'm alright kid, however, I'm more worried about you. It seems after every major fight, you get fucked up worse than a PSICOM jarhead who picks a fight with Soldier Girl." Sazh chuckled at his own words.

I was about to retort, when an Australian accent piped up, "I'm alright, Stryke. Though...shouldn't we see what happened to Hope?"

"Finally, someone acknowledges my pain. Jesus, I can't decide who I hate more: Stryke, Lightning, or...anyway, can someone help me the hell out?!"

The smoke began to clear, so I had somewhat better vision, even though it was still blurred. Moving towards the sound of shuffling feet, I picked out the shape of a human silhouette with a ball on his head and a smaller one next to him: Sazh and Vanille.

"Hope, where are you?" Vanille asked as she moved around flutteringly.

"Unpher ooh!" A muffled voice called out. Vanille jumped away from the noise underfoot, and I looked down to find Hope's blackened and cut face sticking out from a pile of debris. He then went through a coughing fit and tried to move his head to glare at Vanille. "Thank you for finding me, but I didn't need to find out what your boot tastes like...God, that's something he would say!" He jerked his head towards me.

I smirked at him, "Glad to see that I'm corrupting Cocoon's impressionable youth." He opened his mouth to spew a pointless rant, so I cut him off, "You want me to dig you out of there?" He snapped it shut. I nodded, "Good. Bubbly, would you care to help me and-without stepping on his face-remove this debris with an aero spell?" By the expression on Hope's face, I'd say he would've face-palmed for not using one himself. She walked to side go him, aimed at the rocks covering him, and a large gust of wind blew them off him.

Hope sat up straight, groaning slightly, "Thanks Vanille. I really mean-Hey, where you going?" He yelled at me as I moved farther down the pass.

I turned my head and spoke, "Onward. We have to keep moving."

"And getting covered by rocks isn't a reason to rest?"

I glared, "Wasn't it you who said you were too weak? Don't you want to get stronger? Then come on! I've said I'd never leave someone behind. However, every minute we waste is another minute that she's ahead of us. I have a feeling that we a lll want to give her a piece of our minds." I received no argument from him except for slumped shoulders, but he moved forward.

We continued on, and Hope uttered a small squeak, "They're above us!"

I turned to him, and saw him pointing right over my head...I looked up and immediately jumped back, my hands going for my blades. Where my head was a moment before was a large metal beak.

"Be careful!" Vanille was already beside me, binding rod already flying towards the bird monstrosity. When it dropped from it's perch above, I got a better look at it, and I remembered what it was immediately: a Blue-winged Incubus. A metallic body and legs, but blue feathered wings and one hell of a pecker.

Sazh moved forward and leveled his guns with its eyes, sending sparks flying everywhere and leaving two large holes in its cerebral circuitry. "What is it, kid? Afraid of birds?"

I would've made a witty retort, but I caught sight of another Incubus ahead of us. I sprinted forward, my blades held at an angle of either side of me. The Incubus reared up, and charged towards me. Playing chicken with a chicken...oh the irony. I made myself stay on the course till the point of collision. Just like last time, right before we crashed into each other, I jumped over the Incubus, landed in a crouch and thrust both blades behind me. The sounds of animatronic squealing told me I hit the bull's eye.

I turned to Sazh, and spoke, "That answer your question? And you still owe me that gil." His expression was...disturbed and wary. "What's wrong Sazh?" I grew confused. Vanille also looked at me as if she couldn't decide whether to be scared or worried. "Bubbly, what is it?" Hope came last, and his young, cut up face was...cautious? "Hope...why are you all looking at me like that?"

Sazh spoke first, "I've seen you fight before, but you never grinned like that except when you lost it back in Lake Bresha. But your eyes...those weren't yours."

"What are you talking about? What's wrong with my eyes?"

"They're...tinted. Not fully silver. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with you, I'm just cautious. If you snap, I want to make sure you don't come after us."

I widened my eyes. "Sazh, I'm fine, okay? I know you have enough reason to be wary, but I'm not going to snap on you. The only time it happens is when we're about to lose. When we're up against something hard to handle. Incubi are nothing."

Sazh looked like he was about to say something, but Hope cut him off, "How do you know what they're called, Stryke?" I mentally bashed my head in. I slipped. "How do you know that they're called Incubi? I didn't know what they were called. I study-studied-monsters when I could. I have information on just about anything, but not those. I'll ask again, and you better get it right. I mean, for all we know, you could be PSICOM. How do you know?"

My mind instantly thought up something, "Because I worked with PSICOM scientists. I studied everything I could. I was on the Purge train, because I went to Bodhum for a small vacation with my dad. When I heard about the Fal'Cie, it was already too late. I have no ties to PSICOM any longer. Like you, I'm part of Cocoon's six-most-wanted."

He narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth but Sazh stepped towards me, "You're through with PSICOM? Really? How do I know you won't stab me in the back?"

Then I remembered what I said when I first met Sazh. "Have you ever thought why my father didn't make it? He tried to stop those bastards from purging everyone. They killed him. That's why you can be sure I'll butcher anyone associated with them. I hate them more than you do."

Sazh looked at me, then at his boots, "Right...right. Sorry, kid. We're all a little jumpy is all. Let's just find Lightning and get the hell out of here."

"Amen." Hope mumbled as he followed Sazh out.

Vanille looked at me, "Stryke?"

I raised my head, "Bubbly...do you believe in inner devils?"

She cocked her head at me, "What do you mean by that? I believe that some people are evil and some are good. I also believe that those who are both evil and good choose their path. Evil doesn't worry about becoming evil, if that's what you're trying ask me."

I nodded, "It's nothing V-bubbly. Just forget it, alright?" Without waiting for an answer, I jogged after the rest of the group. Smooth, Icarus. Real smooth. Jesus, you really are a moron. My self-deprecating thoughts were interrupted once again by guess who...Bublly.

"Isn't that a-" SHe pointed at a giant wrecked ship a few feet away. It seemed that while I was insulting myself, we moved into an opened area.

"Pulse warship." Sazh finished.

"They made it this far?" She looked amazed.

"Of course not. Not during the war, not since. They might've tried, but none of their forces made it onto Cocoon. They only damaged the outer rim, then the Sanctum's Fal'Cie pushed them back. What, did you sleep through History?"

She giggled, "More or less." She turned towards Hope. "So, what's a ship from Pulse doing here?"

He looked to the side, "Once the war was over, people couldn't live near the rim anymore. In places like the Hanging Edge. So the Fal'Cie, they gathered the scrap from Pulse, and used it for rebuilding here. This is what was left: a bunch of garbage"

"And all the metal monsters from Pulse. It's a great area for kids." I couldn't help myself saying.

"Who'da thunk? A Pulse Fal'Cie and who-knows-what, mixed in with all the trash."

Vanille clasped her hands together and looked at her boots, "Who'da thunk..." She then turned around, "I'm going to go peak ahead." She ran towards the ship

Sazh groaned, "Do me a favor: stop wandering off and stay where I CAN KEEP MY EYE ON YOU!" This was, as always, unheeded.

I moved next to him and tried out my best Sazh impersonation, "Damn kids these days and their not following of directions. And masking me pay them gil for proving me wrong."

Sazh chuckled, "You need to change your tone. Make it a little deeper. Anyways, c'mon. We should try to keep up.

XXXXX

Forty-five minutes of cussing, getting lost, climbing, and fighting countless odds of Incubi later, we came to wooden rickety bridge overlooking a chasm...our luck is just amazing. Slowly and carefully, we went one at a time across the rotting wood. All I can say is thank Etro I'm not acrophobic. We finally regrouped at the other side, and a thud sounded around us. My blades were already in my hands, and as I spun around, a familiar red blade was at my throat.

"Hey Light. Sorry about the hostility, but I'm a little jumpy."

Sazh spoke, "Hey, welcome to the party!" She sheathed blazefire, and I returned my blades as well.

Vanille asked, all smiles as always, "You miss us?" Light only turned from them and continued along the path.

"Would it kill her to smile?" Sazh asked looking at us. I shrugged and followed her. "Oh, that's cool. Yeah, just shrug and become silent. Who are you trying to fool?" I merely shrugged without looking over my shoulder.

"Time to move!" Light yelled as she began running, the rest of us in tow. Well, at least we were hurrying to an annoying boss battle now, instead of walking to it...great.

A/N: It's finally done! I told you I'd give you chapter 14 no matter what. It's done! I know it sucks. I'm sorry. Due to the grounding, I had to write this over the span of a couple months, and it shows. I'm sorry. But I did it, and that's what matters. The next chapter will be better and, hopefully, up sooner than this one. Please don't forget to R&R, Follow and/or Favborite, and Flame(This chapter deserves it the most)