A/N: Chapter 24 of Howling Star: Dance in the Shadow of Light. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own. FFXIII belongs to Square Enix.
Special thanks goes to those who have reviewed this story.
Chapter 24: Execution Date Set.
Star's POV...
I haven't heard of the group's situation until I was watching T.V. with Emily. We were sitting together, eating popcorn while watching a movie when this news broadcaster interrupted the good part.
"Hey!" Emily pouted, "We were in the middle of a good part!" She threw some popcorn at the screen hoping that the anchor person gets hurt by the projectile popcorn kernels.
"Wait..." I stopped her action, staring at the screen. "This is important." Grabbing the remote, I turned up the volume a bit.
"We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news." The voice spoke. "The Primarch has captured some l'Cie and plans to execute them in the public square. According to our intelligence unit, 6 l'Cies were apprehended and taken to the confinement to await their punishment. The Primarch has dealt the blows in order to break their spirits but, the l'Cies kept their heads up in defiance. The Primarch himself assigned their execution days soon and we know that the first one will be two days from now. We still haven't receive word on which one he is planning to execute but until we do, we'll get it to the public immediately."
I turned off the T.V. and sat down shakily, my mind wrapping itself around the information I just got.
"Are they your friends?" Emily asked me and I absent mindedly nodded. She smiled and went to the kitchen to talk with her mom. After a few minutes the two of them walked over to where I was. I gave them a faraway look as they sat down opposite of me.
"Star..." Susan gripped my hands gently. "I know that this piece of news is shocking to you and that your mind is full of thoughts on how to proceed with this new information." I nodded, glancing at the blank T.V.
"However, I understand that your friends are important to you. If you need to go, than go."
"Susan..." I looked at her, my eyes rekindling their glow. "Is it possible for me to go to my friends? I don't even know if the Primarch is searching for me and if so than you guys are in danger!"
"That doesn't matter." Susan placed a hand on my shoulder. "Your friends are the ones in danger. If you were a true friend, a true companion then you must go back."
A true friend? A true companion? My mind flashed back to the times I had fun with the group, how much each and every one of us shared a bond together. We were family and family sticks together, through the good and bad times.
"Star Wolfie..." I looked as Emily handed me my backpack. " I took the liberty of packing stuff for you. You must rescue your friends because they need you."
"But...what about you? Will you be ok without me?" I was saddened because I had to part with a family I grew accustomed to during my stay.
"I'll be fine so don't you worry." Emily smiled and she hugged me tightly. "I put the headphone set in your backpack, you can keep it." I sniffed lightly as I hugged her back, unable to let her go. I walked out of the door and shouldered my backpack. Turning around, I bowed deeply.
"Thank you for letting me stay here when I was wounded."
"We can't thank you enough Star, for everything you've done. Have a safe trip." Susan told me as she kissed my forehead lightly.
"You promise to come back once in a while and play with me again you hear!" Emily said, smiling happily.
"Yeah...I promise with all my heart." I smiled.
"Pinky promise?"
"Pinky promise." We held our word and I left, waving goodbye to the family.
I'm coming you guys. I thought as I bounded down the road. I was wrong about...about...whatever I did wrong. Please hang on until I arrive.
Lightning's POV
"Did you hear the news yet l'Cie?" Dysley's voice shook me from my slumber and I squinted into the dark at the silhouette of the man I hate.
"Dysley you sick man, how are we suppose to hear the news if we are cooped up in here?!" Snow's voice answered angrily. After the torture, all of us were chained together in one cell. Before we were chained in separate cells now we are together. Of course Hope's back on the floor; Sazh, Fang and Vanille are hanging from the ceiling and that leaves Snow and I chained to the wall.
"Oh don't fret about it," Dysley waved his hand dismissively. "I'll tell you than. One of you," He points a finger at every one of us, "have a date with the executioner two days from now." He laughs and left the chamber.
"Damn it!" Fang growls as she looks up at the shackles. "Now we're crow food waiting to die."
"Is this really it? Is this how it all ends?" Hope mumbled from the floor.
"All I wish before I die is to see my son Dajh again." Sazh sighed as he hung upside down. "I don't want to die until I know he is in safe hands."
"You thinking about giving up already?!" Snow snarls angrily. "Are we giving in to that old man? We still have the energy to fight so why not fight?! We have dreams right? We have to endure as long as we can so that our dreams come true."
"That's not possible." I answered, closing my eyes.
"Light? Not you too..." Snow looks in my direction, his voice full of hurt. "You're our leader and you're giving up already?! What happened to saving Serah? Where did all of your courage go? Have you turned into a spineless wimp?"
"YOU THINK I WANT TO GIVE UP?!" I roared back at him, my voice full of authority and power that everyone shut their traps immediately. " YOU THINK THAT THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU AND SERAH?! Don't. Make. Me. Laugh. Who do you think you are Mr. Hero? For your information, we are hanging here with nothing to do except wait for our execution dates and you think we can get out of this mess with just a snap of a finger?! Get your head out of your ass because that's impossible to do since our hands are tied up so do us all a favor and BE QUIET!"
Snow was taken back by my furious, harsh tone and he stayed silent like the rest as I catched my breath. Yelling can be very hard to muster and I was starting to get weaker and weaker. No doubt, Dysley was about to get his wish after all.
No, I can't think like that. I angrily shook my head to clear the thoughts. Dysley will never win. Wait...with what's going on in the world outside us, maybe Star's heard of our situation. Maybe she'll rescue us...oh who am I kidding? Right now she won't talk to me so I figure she's still mad. There's nothing I can do, there's nothing anyone can do. My best option of saving everyone is to make sure that the execution date two days from now is mine. I am the leader as Snow said so as leader...that execution date will be mine alone.
A/N: Done with this chapter, hope it was ok. Please take my poll because it will help with the development of this story in later chapters.