BAND OF BROTHERS
CHAPTER 4
It´s midday, the sun high up in the sky, sending them their strongest rays, but for some odd reason, the sun in this dimension doesn´t really burn her skin. It barely makes her warm. Thankfully, because with all the rocks and lack of shade, Dissidia could´ve been a real inferno. Instead, the world around her is calm and quiet, and somewhat refreshing, as it always is in between their travel through magical worlds of memories, she and her comrades always cherishing these quiet moments like water in a desert.
The tall pinkette is currently sitting in a boulder, enjoying such quiet times, her long, strong legs crossed one over the other, her posture a little bit relaxed… but only a bit, because she is always on high alert. The beautiful Overture is lying at her lap, already clean, polished and sharpened, while baby blue eyes of its owner are lost over the imposing red castle in the horizon. But though the Savior is looking at the impossible construction, her eyes aren´t actually seeing it, her mind lost in a sea of thoughts and possibilities.
Without previous warning, her posture goes more rigid, her eyes closing like slits, though, after a moment, she relaxes her shoulders and a ghost of a smile is drawn on her pink lips. Immediately after, a pair of soft but well-toned arms envelop her, accompanied with a small giggle that reaches her ears.
"Guess who it is?!"
Lightning smirks, though can´t hide the amusement in her tone.
"Please, Tifa, I heard you coming a mile ago. You suck at stealth, did you know that?"
The addressed woman moans in disappointment, and after giving the pinkette a small squeeze, lets her go. Lightning turns to look at her, but the first one to appear on her line of vision is a smaller brunette, dressed in a ceremonial suit, and who kneels in front of her with soft, elegant and well-studied movements, and whose polychromatic eyes are fixed on crystal blue ones, while she makes herself comfortable in the uncomfortable ground.
"I don´t like it when you´re sulking, Light."
This time the addressed woman chuckles.
"Please, Yuna, don´t tell me you´ve taken Kain´s place at pestering me with that. You don´t fit the pestering type."
"That´s what I told her." The third brunette, Rinoa, intervenes, whose long, raven mane tosses wildly in the wind, and Lightning looks to address her.
"On the other hand, you do look like the perfect image of a pestering kid."
"Hey!"
Tifa laughs out loud while Yuna only giggles, the former sitting on the ground next to the latter, cross-legged.
"But seriously, Light, you are sulking," Yuna redirects the conversation, "and it hurts us every time we see you like that."
"So we came to cheer you up." Riona finishes as chirpy as she can get.
A delicate eyebrow rises. "Really?"
"Yes! Of course, we do! We are friends after all!"
The vivacious attitude, as well as the all-out declaration, makes the other brunettes falter, Tifa doing an obvious sign with her hand to make her friend stop, knowing full well the infamous temper of the pinkette, but Lightning only shakes her head, entertained.
"Are you all hipper like this all the time? Now I understand why Squall refuses to talk at all. You truly talk for both."
"Hey! Would you stop picking on the beautiful girl?" Rinoa growls but then laughs at Lightning´s first attempt at a joke. "If you keep behaving like this, we won´t tell you what we did for your benefit."
The pinkette smirks, entertained. "Really? Then, I pray, do tell what have you three been doing in my benefit?"
The brunettes´ interchange amusing looks, until it´s Tifa the one to speak up, her words reinforced with a punch in the air.
"We kicked Kain´s ass!"
Lightning´s eyes open wide at the declaration. "You did what?"
As if not noticing the glare she´s received, Tifa keeps the explanation going. "We heard the way that jerk behaved with you, how he treated you. Therefore, since we´re friends, almost sisters, we stood up for you and gave him your regards in the form of our fists!"
"Or magic." Rinoa continued, but Lightning only sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Please Yuna, oh please tell me you weren´t with them."
"I was with them." The smaller brunette looks apologetic. "But in my defense, I completely disagreed with their plan."
Lightning shakes her head, but for the love of Etro, she can´t find it in her to be angry with her friends. "Well, thank you guys, for thinking about me when doing such a stupid thing. I´m just glad he didn´t hurt you."
"He never would! Kain is such a gentleman, he took the blows like a true man after we told him the reason for his punishment." Rinoa speaks, almost reverential.
"Please don´t let Squall hear you saying that. He already doesn´t tolerate him much. I don´t know how much glare he can endure if he gets to hear your opinion about him." Lightning scolds her, trying her hardest to hide a smile.
"Well, what´s a girl supposed to do?" The chirpy brunette shrugs, not quite apologetic. "I know I´m with Squall, and I really love him, but that doesn't mean I can´t look at the menu, right?"
"Oh yeah! I totally agree! I mean, I adore Cloud too, but girl! You can´t deny Kain has that thing that can get you all crazy just by looking at him!" Says Tifa while she winks at Lightning, and then does a high-five with Rinoa. Yuna blushes at their exchange, looking apologetic once more, while Lightning shakes her head and chuckles. As goofy as they are, being around them always lifts her spirits, if only for a moment.
"Look, girls, I´m thankful for you trying to defend my honor, but I´d love it if, instead of kicking my ex´s butts, start fighting with me against our true enemies."
"Well, actually, that´s why we´re here for." Yuna finally speaks her mind. "We came here to accompany you, to be your teammates instead of the boys. We girls should be united, don´t you think?"
Lightning feels thankful for the offering when an intruding memory of Sephiroth hurting Terra with such ease invades the pinkette´s mind, and she feels worry creeping up her spine at the possibility.
"I really wouldn´t want you to be around me when Sephiroth decides he wants to end our battle."
"You think we can´t handle him? I´ve already fought against him, remember?" Tifa speaks up, her tone rather offended.
"Yeah, and you lost, remember that one?" Lightning answers back, her tone a bit accusatory. "Cloud can barely keep him at bay, but whenever he gets all excited during a battle, it´s almost unbeatable."
"About that…" Yuna intervenes, worry plastered on her countenance. "Cloud told Tifa what Sephiroth said about you."
The pinkette sighs. "How many times do I have to tell that blond he shouldn´t believe all of Sephiroth´s lies? He was just trying to take him off guard, and mind you, he did it quite magnificently. Cloud should never believe a word he says."
"But… but if what he said is true…" Yuna protests.
"And that mad man is after you…" Rinoa follows.
"Then you should be protected all the time…" Tifa finishes with determination.
"By your group of best friends!" The three girls declare in unison.
A vein throbs in the pinkette´s head, but Lightning is a force of nature no-one should take lightly, so she raises her voice, trying her hardest to get inside their thick heads.
"Do you know what my group of best friends will do during a battle against him?" The pinkette sends glares at the trio as if reinforcing her statement. "Make me so very worried for every blow he sends your way, it´ll distract me and make me even more vulnerable, weakened, and endangered. You´ll be the death of me if you insist on staying by my side whenever I fight against him."
"Are you trying to tell us we will be a nuisance more than a help?" Tifa asks, trying to sound offended, a tone that makes Lightning sigh and shake her head. How stubborn can they be?
"Look…" She sighs, growing tired of all the insistence. Why can´t she just send them away, like she used to? "I know you are strong, very, very strong, all of you. But Tifa, you well know the deep shit this man is, how incredibly powerful he is and how he would never stop from hurting any of you, even when you´re already defeated, even when he might be severely injured. His madness, his utter obsession for torture, drives him forward and only someone as crazy as he can keep him at bay."
"You mean like you?" Rinoa asks, trying to make a point but hesitating when the light blue orbs ablaze with warning glare at her.
"I don´t know if it´s me. I don´t know whether I´ll be able to keep him at bay long enough next time, because I´ve tried, and most of the times, I´ve failed."
"You can´t call it a failure when all the times you´ve fought against him, you´ve come victorious." Yuna intervenes, trying her hardest to look for the positive side, but Lightning knows better.
"I couldn´t call it victorious either when he´s already brought me so close to my death."
"Oh Light, please!" Tifa is growing tired of this conversation. Of the pinkette´s refusal. "We want to help you! We promised the guys we would be the girl-power who would be your safeguard!"
Lightning´s eyes soften a little at her friend´s voice.
"I know, Tifa. And believe me, I´m deeply touched by your sweet intentions. But please try to understand too. If I were to fight against one of the strongest of our foes, it would be very hard for me not to worry about any of you. Very hard indeed."
"Then don´t." Rinoa pushes harder.
"It´s rather impossible for me not to. You´re my friends and I…"
"I don´t mean don´t worry." Rinoa cuts her off, an unknown determination embedded in her voice. "We know you, or at least the girls seem to know you, to know how deeply involved in the others´ safety you are. To be honest, I had never met anyone who worried about her partners as much as you do. Believe it or not, I do understand your need for fighting all by yourself, because you can´t prevent your need of protecting the rest of us at any cost, even during your hardest moments. I know someone who is almost like you, believe me, I´m quite familiar with the type. But I have something to propose to you." Dark eyes are ablaze in determination, just like the baby blue ones, and the pinkette grows curious.
"What is it?"
"Let us show you we are strong enough to fight by your side, strong enough to prove you there´s no reason to worry about our safety. We´ll be a good match."
Lightning hesitates a moment but then smiles. She would never believe that, because she has seen them fight, or at least most of them. But she can at least offer them that much. So, without words, she nods softly, and Tifa jumps up in glee, while Rinoa hugs Yuna tightly, and the latter, once she´s freed, takes the pinkette´s hands.
"You won´t regret it, Light, you´ll see we´ll be able to protect you."
"Okay, Yuna. I believe you."
"Yeah! You´ll see!" Tifa yells and walks forward, followed closely by Rinoa, while Yuna pulls Lightning from her seat, prompting her to follow them. The four girls walk towards the camp, the rest of their peers already making groups and choosing paths. Lightning allows them to keep walking, while she stays behind, looking at them, uneasy when Y´shtola approaches her, and Lightning welcomes her with a smile. Both women stay silent for a moment, accompanying each other while contemplating the ruckus the camp has become until the Miqo´te interrupts the tall woman´s thoughts.
"Such a fine display of friendship and care we were able to witness."
"Oh? So you did witness it?" Lightning can´t help but smirk, and a mirror of such gesture appears on the other tall woman´s face.
"Quite hard to miss, given the fact that such young women are hardly silent or even discreet."
The pinkette huffs, entertained by the truth behind such words. "Point taken."
"Instead, there are a few who speak fluently through their silences." Y´shtola eyes meaningfully towards Lightning´s back, forcing her to turn her head around, only to find Kain´s eyes fixed on her form. Lightning´s eyes become like slits, but Y´shtola´s lips come uncomfortably close to her ear, distracting her of her objective.
"Silence is bliss, but sometimes it hurts a lot more than it heals." The Miqo´te smiles at the woman, and walks away, leaving her to her thoughts.
Kain´s eyes are fixed on the pinkette´s form. Since the moment his eyes had lied on her again, he hasn´t been able to keep his thoughts away from the raging Valkyrie, and his heart is a turmoil of pain and confusion.
He loves her. He truly does. The indomitable soul, the blazing fire of her temper, the sheer passion burning inside her heart, one that manifests in the destruction she leaves in her wake, or in the bloodied path she creates whenever she´s determined to protect.
But he knows his heart belongs to Rosa, he´s always known, and it´s a pull he just can´t ignore. The moment his eyes meet with hers, his heartbeat quickens, even more so at noticing her stare full of rage, of demands he cannot answer.
"It must be very hard when you want something so dearly, and that something just keeps pulling away." Squall speaks, startling Kain slightly.
"Well, we are lucky, then," Cloud answers, as if it were only the two of them minus the Dragoon, "that our girls are quite fond of us. Fond enough to tolerate our inability to reach out to them."
Squall nods, his eyes fixed on the form of the raven-haired beauty dressed in blue, and his countenance darkens. "Yeah… if it were for me and my stupidity… I´m not good at reaching out. I´m not good at reading her… if it were for me and only me, I´m sure I would´ve lost her forever."
Kain´s eyes open wide at the cadet´s statement, realization hitting him full force, and he sees, with a sudden awareness in his head, how Lightning´s eyes close and she turns around, her back facing him, and her movement prompts him into action. Kain runs towards the woman, and her two female friends (Tifa and Rinoa) place themselves in his path, unwilling to let him pass, to let him reach the Savior.
But not this time.
Kain is just too determined on talking to the woman, so he jumps high in the sky, and lands in front of the pinkette, startling her and effectively blocking her path.
"Kain! You moron, I almost attacked you!" But his pained expression lessens her complaints. Though her anger lingers.
"We need to talk."
"There´s nothing for us to talk." She tries to walk past him, but he gives a step in her direction, blocking her path again, and taking her softly by the arm. The warm gesture makes her shiver, and, angry at her response, she withdraws her arm as if his touch had burned her. In a way, it had.
"Please, Light. Let me go with you, let me fight by your side."
"I don´t need you to protect me."
He shakes his head. "I´m well aware you don´t, and believe me I´m not trying to protect you, I just want to be fighting by your side, just like we used to."
Her tone is still serious. "Well, let me tell you your company is not quite well taken among us if the punches of my friends in your face gave you a clue about their feelings for you. Besides, haven´t you heard? We made a girl-team. We don´t need you."
Kain´s brow furrows at the new information. "You very well know you won´t be able to defeat Sephiroth if you go along with the girls." Her glare makes him realize his mistake. "I-I mean, you´ll put them in danger with that mad man coming after you. And I know you don´t want that."
Lightning sighs. He has touched a sensitive spot and they both know it.
"Please, Light. Just let me go with you. I promise you I won´t interfere; instead, I´ll help you protect the rest."
Realizing he´s touched the core of her worries, he risks a move and gets closer to her, his hand once more taking her arm softly, and his lips almost touching her ear, making her shiver. She can feel his warm breath on her, his warm body so close to hers, his chest almost touching her, and notices his breathing has become labored, realizing he is falling intoxicated by the perfume in her skin. She knows him too well. And when she sees his hand reaching for her chin, she realizes one more thing: she, too, is falling for him, inebriated by his proximity.
"Light…"
"Don´t move, Kain. Don´t you even dare." Even when the words are said in a whisper, a trembling hesitation embedded in them, the commanding tone never leaves them, so the Dragoon knows all too well they´re a warning, one that if he were to unheard it, the repercussions will be grave. Especially when they´re followed by a glare that cancels the wet invitation of her lips and the pink in her cheeks.
"If you touch me, you´ll lose that arm, I can promise you that."
"Lightning, please… what can I do to make you forgive me? I´d do anything."
"Why would you want me to forgive you, Kain?" She spats at him, raising her voice. "Please first ask yourself this. Why do you want me?"
"I…" He lowers his head, and his other hand reaches out to hers, but she pulls it back, freeing her already entrapped arm and unwilling to let him touch her further. "Please forgive me, Lightning. I´m such a stupid fool for not giving you what you want, what you deserve. It´s just… I feel my body aching, my heart throbbing every time I see you without being able to touch you. Forgive me if I need you like this, as I do, but I… I can´t stop..." He doesn´t finish his sentence, growing concerned that he could hurt her further, could make matters worse.
His words clench her heart tightly because she needs him too, she can feel that pull inside her body. A pull so hard to ignore. But she won´t let him see weakness in her eyes, never again. Her heart breaks, but her voice is steady.
"I forbid you to speak to me, Kain Highwind, unless it is to tell me you don´t love Rosa anymore, that you won´t be searching for her ever again, even if we´re apart, never to meet in Dissidia." The strength and determination in her voice grow with every word she speaks. "I forbid you to even look me in the eye unless it is to tell me your heart is free of such burden."
Kain looks at her with pain in his eyes, hers digging holes in his soul, and then baby blue orbs close in disappointment, knowing full well he just can´t give her what she´s asked of him. Kain can´t stand the hurt in her countenance, so he gives a step backwards, allowing her some space.
Lightning looks up at his sad visage, and is about to come closer to him, already missing his proximity, but her will, her still aching and angry heart, prevents her from it.
"You know what´s the worst part of this sick game of yours?" She asks him, venom and sadness dripping from her every word. "That you very well know you´re in love with another man´s woman, with someone who will never be yours. That alone is the worst evidence of how much you hate yourself. And you know what else, Kain? I might not be good enough for you, but I definitely will not be part of this ill game of torture." And with that, she walks away from him, leaving him rooted in his spot, determined on not looking back.
"Way to go, girl!" Rinoa approaches her, palming her back, while Tifa gives her a high-five, both drawing a small smile from the taller woman, while they walk away from the camp. But three figures prevent them from taking any step further.
"Yuna! You don´t mean to go with them, right?"
"And why would you think she wouldn´t follow us, Tidus?" It´s Rinoa the one demanding.
"Because it will be us the one accompanying Lightning, not you." Cloud responds, though his eyes are fixed on Tifa. "Sephiroth is too dangerous for any of you, and you know it. We three will be there for Lightning, to help her to defeat that monster."
"And why would you think I need any help?" Lightning intervenes, offended.
"Please, Light. You know what we mean." Squall speaks to her, his eyes full of worry, one that she has never seen behind her friend´s usually calm exterior. The look of his countenance disarms her. She understands and knows they´re right. Kain tried the same with her, understanding her concern for their well-being. So she shakes her head and walks past the three young men.
"Take a decision already. Whoever wants to accompany me, I´ll be waiting up ahead."
Lightning tries to walk away, but Rinoa jumps at her and takes her by the arm.
"No way, missy! You´re not getting rid of me!"
"Rinoa!" Squall takes her by the arm, but the maiden forces his hand off of his. "Please, I´ve seen what he can do, and you´re no match for him."
The brunette glares at her boyfriend. "I really feel offended by your words, you know? How can you be with me if you don´t trust me?"
"But…"
"If you speak up again, we´re done." The determination embedded in her dark eyes makes the cadet hesitate. It´s a cheap move, but he knows her too well to know she means it.
"I won´t be able to protect you."
Rinoa clenches Lightning´s arm tighter. "I don´t need you to protect me, Squall. I´ve got my pals. You will see, we´ll defeat anyone who stands in our way."
"Rinoa," the pinkette tries to intervene, "I think you should hear what he says."
Even though she doesn´t let her arm go, the brunette sends a deep glare to the tall woman. "You didn´t let Kain convince you. Why would you want me to hear him out, now?"
Lightning sighs and shrugs, glancing apologetically towards her cadet friend, who´s at a loss of words.
Tifa pushes Cloud lightly by the shoulder and tries a smile. "I really hope I don´t have to threaten you like that."
Cloud looks mortified. "I only worry about you. You´ve fought Sephiroth before, I don´t need to tell you stories about him. I just don´t understand why you´re going along with this."
She winks at him and kisses him lightly on the lips. "Then don´t try, and just trust me." With that, she walks towards the pinkette, grabs the other arm, and pulls her forward. "C´ mon, my friend! Let´s defy destiny!" Both brunettes pull Lightning by the arms, forcing her to walk forward and away from the group of boys.
"Yuna! What will it be?" Rinoa yells at the third brunette, whose hands are entrapped by Tidus´s bigger ones.
"I´m coming!" But the blond wouldn´t let go.
"Are you sure? Please think it through." The youngster is really concerned, but Yuna uses Tifa´s tactic. Gives him a soft, though lingering kiss on the lips, and then pulls away.
"The girls are right, you should trust us a bit more. We might not be as strong as you are, but that doesn´t mean you have to take care of us all the time." And with that, she runs towards the group of girls, ready for their next adventure. Lightning and the rest welcome her with a smile and cheers, but the tall pinkette refuses to look back, knowing full well they´re leaving behind a group of very concerned and very weary hearts.
Feelings that she shares with them.
Don´t worry, guys. I´ll make sure your girls stay safe, even at the cost of my life.
ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo
They´ve been walking for a few minutes now, their previous camping already lost in the horizon, Tifa´s and Rinoa´s chatting and bickering entertaining the other two friends, while Yuna smiles at them, sometimes trying to settle things among the chirpy brunettes, and others just enjoying their company, while Lightning walks a few steps behind them, enjoying them as well but all too aware of their exposure. She does trust her friends, but she´s unwilling to trust their luck.
And that luck is about to run out.
The friends pass through the luminous gateways, and find themselves in an asteroid of some sort, with green grass and small rivers that shine their pristine waters. The girls are awed by the simple beauty of the place.
"It reminds me of something." Lightning says.
"Have you been in here?" Asks Yuna, while the other two brunettes walk beyond them, playfully enjoying the view.
"No, no, but I think Y'shtola told me of this place. It looks like the place where Onion Knight was born."
Yuna is about to respond when a voice startles her.
"Well, well, guess who´s come out knocking at our door?" A voice above their heads startles the group of friends. "Sephiroth´s beautiful pet!"
The unwelcomed innuendo reaches their ears, and Lightning´s group of friends turns around to meet their matching foes. Four enemies are coming behind a massive rock in the middle of the asteroid, with Garland at the very front, followed by Jecht, Vayne, and Kefka´s always-loathed face leering at them from above the rock.
"Who are you calling 'pet', you buffoon?" It´s Tifa the one sending the first challenge, while everyone takes their battle stances.
"Yes, please do clarify. Who´s supposed to be my pet? The strawberry blonde or the brunette?" The devilish voice coming from behind them sends shivers down every friend´s back, and slowly, all too slowly, they turn around, except for Lightning, who closes her eyes, gathering her composure as well as her strength.
Because right in front of them, standing on top of a boulder, it´s the tall form of the silver-haired mad man, with the frame of his large Masamune flashing bright under the sunlight, and a devilish smirk plastered on his features.
Lightning looks intently at each foe, and then allows her eyes to meet the silver orbs of her enemy, whose smile becomes larger the moment he fixes his stare on her.
"Right…"
ooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo
A/N: this is a rather calm, easy-going chapter. I´ve liked the way the girls interact with each other in the game, though I miss Yuna´s and Tifa´s interaction with Lightning (and can easily imagine Rinoa´s playful attitude around Light! She kinda reminds me of Vanille), so, this chapter is in honor for those fantastic girl-friends of my life, who have always cheered me up, at least as much as I allow them to. They´re truly a treasure!
I hope you didn´t think the chapter to be too lame, because I promise the next chapter is full of action (and blood), and it´s almost done, so don´t worry!
Here are responses to your fantastic reviews:
i: Oooh thank you, thank you so much for your beautiful comment! I´m so excited to know you´re liking the story so far! Honestly, I was going to leave Kain off the story, but you´re right, he´s Lightning´s perfect man! Though I won´t let him an easy path, so, just as I´m making Lightning suffer a bit, he´ll have to earn his way to her heart again, right? I´m sorry I haven´t continued Arms Wide Open, but you know, author´s block, though I´ve got the next chapter almost finished, so I hope I´ll post it soon enough. Thank you again! Your comments keep me writing!
Henry: I agree with you, Sephiroth is very, very creepy, and he´s gonna get creepier around her with each chapter, hehehe… I´ll try to keep the grossness at low levels, though I can´t really promise. About Kain, I´ve seen many people like him, that being the reason why he stayed around, even when I had planned on taking him out of the story quite sooner. So let´s see if he wakes up and earns her heart back, shall we? Thanks for your comment!
Queenee: Welcome to this fanfic, then! I honestly don´t like Rosa much, but it´s rather for Kain loving her than for her character per se, so I´ll try to be gentle with her, I promise. I like Squall too, being the first FF character I loved, but as you said, I can´t picture them in a romantic relationship, rather on a student-mentor one, so we´ll see how it plays in here. On the other hand, thank you so much for the suggestions! Because it could link this story to another one! I owe you, pal! Thank you so much for your comment! Tons of hugs!
Jolly P: Hahaha oh man! I do adore Kain, but I really hope you don´t get mad at me for making Lightning sweep the floor with his face whenever he tries to talk to her. As you said, she´s heartbroken, and just like strong women like her, betrayal means the worst of the world, so earning her trust back will be a long and uneven path for him. So let´s see if he endures. About Sephiroth´s expressiveness, you´re right, he´s rather reserved, not showing his emotions much and even less through words. But I thought it would be creepier if it were him the one explaining his feelings rather than a third person doing it for him. Because it would feel more… I dunno… real? Because, to be honest, I´m trying to get inside his head, and show you all what´s like to be in there, how creepy and rotted his mind can be. I´m actually excited to show you that. So be aware that he might talk a little bit more in this story, show a little bit more of his sick desires. I´ll twist him a bit, just to make Lightning and the rest more terrified of him. I hope you still enjoy. Thank you so much for your beautiful comment! You totally cheered me up!
I don´t own Final Fantasy. I just write this out of fun.