FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic
Chapter 7: Fiendish Experiment
"It would be so easy to end this," A figure watched from a bank of Machina monitors as the four who slept soundly in the the old bunker, "So exhausted from their battle they don't even have one wake eye to guard them."
The figure stroked his chin, as he paced, "But they have a power unlike the other nations, each one able to take on the training of diverse schools, and alone they have breached one of my strongest Aeons and half the monsters who infest the land."
There was a pounding on the door behind him, the sound of claws scraping against steel. The man turned quickly, "I can't let theses...fiends...breach the control center, I must survive."
His hands moved swiftly over the controls, and beyond the barrier the sound of gunfire and explosions were matched with the sounds of screeching Fiends.
"The Machina won't hold forever, I must make my my move, destroy these enemy agents, or turn them to my side." He moved quickly to a bank of consoles as liquid filled tubes began to bubble, "I must act quickly!"
"Wake up!" Rikku was in a panic as she shook the Star of the Zanarkand Abes and Paine from their rest. "Yunnie's gone!"
Paine was on her feet first, blade drawn as the warrioress scanned the horizon, "What do you mean gone?" he said skeptically.
The master of the Jecht Shot looked around quickly as well, "Where do she go?"
"I don't know," Rikku said peeking her head out of the hole in the wall, "No fiends around."
The Blitz Ace, shoved Rikku angrily, "Why weren't you keeping watch!"
Paine growled and narrowed her eyes, "Why weren't you!" she accused.
"Paine! Yuna! Stop fighting," she said on reflex, quickly covering her mouth as the Blitzball Ace leveled a odd look at her.
Rikku flustered a moment then coughed, "S-Sorry."
Pain was out of the hole, already moving, looking about, "Where could she have gone? What direction?"
The Slayer of Sin emerged next, twisting his head as he head the cries of fiends in the distance, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions. "Y-Yuna!"
Rikku and Paine said nothing, following after, On reflex he cast Hastega, granting the group a boost in speed. But was caught quite unready as he saw Paine take on the form of the Berserker, dropping to four limbs to sprint ahead, "Is that a good id..." he began just as Rikku did the same slipping under him like a mount.
"Hold on tight," Rikku warned as she moved to match Paine pace.
"Rikku? What..." He shouted but could not get much more in before he was forced to grab her furred shoulders and hang on for dear life.
A trio of flying fiends dropped down in front of them, Paine shifted into a white uniform, a semi clear visor forming on front of her eyes as she blasted the trio with a burst of psionic energy from her hands, momentarily confusing the trio of fiends before she returned to berserker, to make up for lost time, coming up on Rikku and her rider's rear, but they skid to a halt as a black clad iron giant formed in front of them, the trio of fliers appearing in their rear. They were trapped in a pincer. The Blitz Ace groaned, launching himself at the giant, but his blade did little damage, "I hate these kinds." But as he turned back to look at the others for support he found himself on the receiving end of Rikku's claws, while Paine stood gray as slate and still as stone.
"Grrrreat," he sighed, "Rikku's confused and Ms. Personality's petrified."