Okay, against my better judgement i.e. the sane part of my brain (yes, it does exist), I decided to carry this story on.
I hope you guys like it!
Lightning frowned at her image in the mirror. She pulled up the back of her top and winced inside as she gazed at the cuts, criss-crossing her back. The vivid reds and pinks stood out on her pale skin.
Thank God Vanille took that White Magic course.
She pulled down her top, remembering Vanille's strict instructions not to touch them in case they got infected.
"And that," She had lectured Lightning. "Is something no amount of white magic could fix if you got a bad enough infection. So don't freaking poke it, or I'll get Snow to sit on you."
She shut her eyes for a second, and remembered Noctis staring at her.
Out. Get out of my mind, you stupid arrogant prince.
"He's a target." Lightning snapped. "A target. Nothing else. Just a target."
She remembered lying in wait for one of the counsellor's to appear, leaning over the edge of the fire escape. One of them did appear – She recognised him from the file she had mentally absorbed. She pushed the bullets into her gun. He had a woman with him, their arms wrapped around each other. She'd have to be careful not to hit her – She never harmed the innocent.
Eventually, they untangled from each other, and she leapt.
Six shots, and he fell. She landed and ran as the woman's screams echoed throughout the abandoned streets.
'' '' '' '' '' ''
"You killed one of the counsellors." The leader muttered, tapping his finger on his chair. She didn't know his name – no-one did. It was the most closely guarded secret in Pulse. Some even speculated he didn't have a name. His face was covered too, the lighting of the room kept him in the shadows. But she could feel the heat of his gaze on her.
"Yes." She dug her nails into the palm of her hand. She hated this place – But she didn't have anywhere else to go. She couldn't run, she was in too deep for that.
"However," Another senior man stood up. He was the planner of the organization, Phobos. He had long, greasy blonde hair and serious grey eyes that glared at Lightning with something close to contempt. "The Prince was unharmed, correct?"
Shit...
"I couldn't find him." Lightning said calmly, coldly. There was a silence.
"Such lies, Lightning." The leader whispered after a second. Before she could react, two soldiers grabbed her arms, disarmed her and pulled her backwards. "We do not tolerate lying. And we do not tolerate failure. Thirty lashes."
Lightning scowled. Her back stung at the memory of the leather piercing her skin.
"He's just a target, just a target, just a TARGET!" She punched the mirror in front of her, shattering it. She breathed out sharply, and examined her hand. It was cut, but no glass seemed to have gotten in. Seven years bad luck, she noted bitterly. As if she needed anymore.
"Light?" She spun around to face her door. "Light, I know you're in there. I can hear you breathing, you're pissed off. Again."
"... Just a sec." She pulled the mirror of the wall and shoved it under her bed. "You can come in Snow."
The taller man shoved his head around the door.
"Vanille told me what happened. You okay?" He asked, genuinely caring.
"I'm fine. Just been told not to pick at them." She gestured to her back, and flopped down onto the bed. He sat next to her.
"You didn't lie, did you?" Snow wrinkled his nose. "I mean, you just couldn't find him, right?"
"Snow, why the hell would I lie about something like that?" Lightning muttered, discreetly managing to dodge the question.
"I guess... what happened to your hand?!" Snow yelled, grabbing it.
"Oh... I got a bit worked up."
"What did you punch?"
"... A mirror."
"Seven years bad luck and a sliced hand. Way to go." He looked at the cut closely as Lightning glared at him. "I don't think there's any glass, and it's not bleeding too badly."
"So it's fine."
"No, it's not bloody fine, you punched a mirror." Snow sighed and shook his head. "You have issues."
"Snow, if we didn't have issues, we wouldn't be here." She lay down and shut her eyes, signalling the end of the conversation. Snow stayed put for a moment, before shaking his head again and leaving.
The Kingdom of Tenebrae was in mourning. The assassination of one of its counsellors by another country was a terrible shock.
Noctis was in the back of a car, being sped towards the castle that was his home. An emergency meeting was going to be held there. He knew what would happen – They would negotiate a deal with Pulse. And then when that failed, they would launch a war.
I wonder if she'll be in the war.
Noctis' blank face turned into a scowl. Why was he thinking about her? She murdered one of the most important counsellors in the entire Kingdom. Why wasn't he furious?
He was. He was furious, obviously, otherwise his eyes wouldn't have turned crimson, like they did whenever he was annoyed, frustrated, fighting, anything that involved anger. It annoyed him even more, however, that it was hard to direct the anger at her. It just stayed inside him, ticking away.
He shook his head slightly, wiping the grimace from his face.
Tell the council what you know. One woman for the sake of a war? It's a simple equation.
The car swept along the highway.
Noctis had listened to the same man drone on for the last half an hour. He had lost the thread of the conversation some time ago. It was along the lines of not negotiating with terrorists, the crystals, and peace. The same speech given every time so kind of disaster happened, even if it had nothing to do with terrorists, peace or the crystals.
"Would anyone like to interject?" His uncle, the current king asked in his usual, business like tone. Noctis felt his uncle's gaze land on him, as if expecting some kind of magnificent speech. The problem was, he didn't have one.
Tell him what you know. That's the most useful thing at the moment – information.
His hand felt severed from his body. It refused to put itself up, even as he tried to force it. He tried the other hand, only to be met with similar resistance. His mouth point blank refused to open and speak.
What the hell?
Instantly his mind re-winded to the fire escape, to her, to her difference, anger, and bitterness. It then fast-forwarded to the kiss.
She's an enemy. An enemy. Nothing else.
Just another enemy.
Lighting opened her eyes and stared the ceiling. It was very clean, she noted with slight amusement. Probably the cleanest thing in her room – She was too busy to pay attention to tidiness.
Too busy with killing people.
Phoenix – That was the name of their organization. Rising from the ashes to reclaim the crystals.
She was a soldier. Fighting was what she did, it was her fate. She couldn't think of a time when she wouldn't have to fight.
In a way, she didn't want to. Fighting had been the one constant in her life. Take it away, and it would be like taking the foundations away from a house. She'd crumble.
Stop it. You are stronger than this – just ignore it. It's a mood. It'll pass.
She pushed herself off the bed and walked to where she had left her weapon, resting against the wall. She picked it up confidently, and swung it slightly a few times.
Lightning breathed out slowly, and in her mind she saw the prince. She scowled.
"You're just a target."
"Enough." The King rested his chin on his hands. "We must work out how we settle these negotiations."
"With all due respect, sire." One of the counsellors, Arminius, spoke up. Noctis had never liked him – He had a bald head that glistened and a face like a racoon. "I believe that negotiations are not the way to go." Everyone turned to face him.
"Oh?" The King sounded almost amused. "And why would that be?"
"It was an unprovoked attack!" Arminius spluttered. "An unprovoked attack on a counsellor!"
"They may not consider it unprovoked." Noctis muttered, earning a glare from the older man, which he met coldly without flinching.
"Did we attack them? No! That is the meaning of unprovoked." Arminius scowled. "Enough is enough. I think I speak for the majority when I say we have no other option but war!"
"I disagree." Ireneus commented. A moderate middle aged man, Noctis had never really noticed him before. He blended into the background. "Diplomacy is the best way forwards in such situations. Charging into a dangerous country like Pulse, with guns blazing is hardly going to calm things down."
"We should not calm them down, we should get rid of them!" Arminius bellowed. Noctis resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This was becoming ridiculous. King Timaeus nodded slowly.
"I see." He looked up from the table, which he had fixed his gaze on throughout the exchange. "Who agrees with Arminius?"
Noctis stared at the table, unsure if he wanted to know what the answer was.
"And who agrees with Ireneus?" Noctis desperately wished to raise his hand – but those in line for the throne had no vote in the council. In fact, Noctis was there for decoration more than anything else.
"I think there is a clear majority." Arminius' voice was smug beyond belief. Timaeus sighed deeply.
"How long will it be before the troops are in position?"
"LIGHTNING!!"
The woman woke up with a start, and turned to glare at Snow.
"What is it?"
"Time to go." He grinned at her look of confusion. "To Tenebrae? Kill the Prince, etcetera?"
"What, now?" She stared at the older man, who nodded. "They whipped me within an inch of my life yesterday, and today they want me to go kill someone for them?"
"Like you said. They have issues." Snow gestured to the door. "Come on. I'm going to help you out."
"I don't need help." She muttered darkly.
"Not my diagnosis." He left the room as quickly as he'd arrived. Lightning pushed herself off the bed and grabbed her gunblade.
Just a target. Just another target.
She shoved the weapon into her holster and left her room.
You haven't got a choice.
This time, he's got to die.
He's got to die.
"They really are the world's most stupid people, aren't they?" Felix waved his hands in the air. Lexus ducked slightly to avoid the youth's flailing arms. "'Hey, let's go blow some stuff up!' 'Yeah, okay!' IDIOTS!!" Felix kicked a stone angrily.
Noctis leant against the wall with a heavy sigh. He was used to hearing Felix's rants against the council.
"Felix, calm down a little bit." Placido pushed his glasses up. He smiled weakly. "I don't think complaining is going to make a lot of difference."
"So... I should go hit the council members?"
"Are you suicidal?" Lexus asked.
"No."
"Then don't."
"So what should we do?"
"Uh..." There was a long silence. "Noctis? Any ideas?"
"There's nothing we can do. Not yet anyway." Noctis shut his eyes slightly.
"So what?" Felix piped up. "We have to wait until everyone is getting blown up?"
"No, we have to wait until something changes." The Prince pushed himself up and turned to glance across the abandoned bridge they had met on. "Or someone."
"Someone changes?" Placido frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."
"I mean someone changes their mind."
"Oh, okay." Felix gave a sigh of relief. "I thought you were going to kill your uncle and take the throne, like in Hamlet." Lexus pulled him into a headlock as Noctis and Placido rolled their eyes in unison.
"The guy killed his father in Hamlet, genius!" Lexus laughed.
"He killed his brother actually." Placido explained.
"Get off me Lexus!"
"Uncle, father, brother, all the same thing."
"No it's not!"
"Yeah it is! They're all related." Noctis looked down at the ground and smirked as Lexus, Felix and Placido argued about why there was or wasn't a difference between brothers, uncles and fathers.
Brap. Braaap. Brap. Braaaaap.
The group jumped slightly as Placido fumbled in his pockets for the phone.
"Your phone has a hideous ring tone."
"Shut up Felix." He muttered, pushing the phone against his ear. "Hello?" He listened for a moment. "Ye... N.... Oka...." He turned away from the phone. "Paranoid servant one is requesting on behalf of the King that the Prince returns to the castle."
"And why should I?" Noctis challenged. Placido turned back to the phone and listened.
"He needs to talk to you about something 'important'. I'd use that term loosely, if I were you." Placido stage-whispered. "He'll be there."
"No I won't."
"He will, because Felix, Lexus and I will drag him there kicking and screaming if necessary."
Lightning left the shining white building, and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Vanille?"
"Hi Light!" The younger woman smiled. She was sitting on Snow's motorcycle, holding her bow. Her smile changed to a smirk as she saw Lightning's confused expression. "You really think I'm going to let you and Snow go running into what is soon to be a war zone?"
"I hoped." Lightning replied dryly. Vanille snorted.
"And people say I'm the naive one."
"Vanille, get off my Shiva now." Snow yelled, walking over to the duo.
"Your Shiva?" Vanille snickered. "I think they'd take offense to that." She got off the motorcycle though.
"Are you coming as well?" He asked, reaching the motorcycle. Vanille nodded.
"And don't," She said as Snow opened his mouth. "You dare try to leave me out of this. Someone needs to make sure you and Lightning don't get arrested. Again."
"That was ONE time Vanille!"
"Can we just go already?" Lightning snapped. "I've gotten whipped once, I don't want to fucking get whipped again!" Vanille and Snow raised their eyebrows in unison.
"What's wrong?" Snow asked bluntly.
"Nothing's wrong, I just want to get this over with!" She hissed.
"Liar." Snow grumbled, getting onto Shiva, followed by Vanille. Lightning just rolled her eyes as she climbed onto the back and grabbed the sides of the motorcycle.
I don't want to start second guessing.
I just want this over with. Before I start changing my mind.
Noctis lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had to give yet another speech. Something comforting and encouraging to the people about the oncoming war.
Oh yeah, and he had until tomorrow night to write it.
My people, I am sorry that the powers that be are bored and have decided to throw us into a war for giggles.
He had a feeling his uncle would be annoyed if he gave that sort of speech.
Noctis turned onto his side and looked at the faded photograph of his father and mother.
He could remember them. They died when he was sixteen... his father in an assassination attempt, and his mother wasted away from cancer.
An assassination attempt...
Everyone kept commenting on how he looked so much like his father. Could he die the same way as his father?
"Shut up!" He told himself angrily. His mind refused however, and continued to throw up ideas and memories from the past.
He pushed himself off the bed and walked towards the window, feeling in his pockets. His room was dark, like the rest of the castle. It was empty, plain, which was fine - he spent little time in it.
He pushed the old window open with some difficulty. The air was once again bitterly cold, and the rush of it coming into the warm room felt like a slap.
He leant out of the window, not far enough to fall out, but enough so the majority of his torso was leaning out. He found what he was looking for in his pockets and pulled them out.
A lighter and a cigarette.
He very rarely smoked. He didn't want to turn out like the counsellors, who coughed every time they moved, or his mother, who smoked like a chimney, up until she went.
The smell of the smoke reminded him vaguely of his childhood, when things like assassins and heirs were unheard of. He had lived in a world where the only divisions were boys and girls, adults and kids. Different countries, races, species... it had never mattered before he was thrown in line for the throne.
He frowned as he attempted to get a light. It had been over a year since he had last smoked – Lexus had caught him, and slapped it out of his hand. Since then, he hadn't even considered it. But now, in times of upmost stress, he really wanted one.
Damned cravings.
He smirked slightly as he finally got a light. He lit the cigarette and took a drag.
After his parents had died, his uncle took him in. It was his mother who had been the royal blood in him. Even though she was older than his uncle, who was in his thirties now, she had been ousted for the throne because she was female.
Still she had given speeches and was an important role in the Kingdom – Speaking of speeches...
Noctis breathed out in a cloud of smoke and thought to himself. The silence was pounding his eardrums.
My people... People of Tenebrae... People... People who are about to lose people they care about. Friends, fathers, children, brothers.
He sighed and stared out at the dark city. The sound of an engine finally broke the silence.
"It's freezing." Vanille shivered as the trio disembarked from the motorcycle. They were in a dark street in Tenebrae, with several shadowy buildings surrounding them. She hugged herself to keep warm.
Lightning felt slightly sorry for her – it was cold, and she and Snow were wearing suitable clothing, not tribal wear.
"Oh stop moaning." Snow grinned as he looked around. "This is the right street, isn't it?"
"I don't know, they all look the same to me." Lightning sighed. "What an idiotically designed city." At this point, Snow pulled out a map.
"Okay, so we are... here." He pointed at the map with one finger. "So... yes, this is the right street."
"'Stop moaning'" Vanille grumbled. "Easy for you to say, you've got a coat."
"Shush!" Lightning hissed, examining the map. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"
"Yes."
"Then where the hell is he?"
"Patience is a virtue." The group turned around to see an older man standing behind them.
"Sazh!" Vanille smiled and ran to give the man a hug. He chuckled and hugged her back.
"That's my name." He smiled at Snow and Lightning, who were hanging back slightly. They both knew the man well, but Snow was focused on stopping the motorcycle from falling over, and Lightning wasn't the hugging type.
"Do you know where we're staying?" Lightning asked, stepping slightly back into a fighting stance. It was almost a natural way of standing for her. Sazh nodded.
"There's an abandoned building not too far from here. Everyone stays out of it because it's condemned. It's not due to come down for weeks though, more than enough time for you..." His voice trailed off slightly. "To get it over with." His voice hit a slight catch, making Lightning roll her eyes to heaven.
Do not start crying you idiot.
"Good." Snow grinned. "Let's go then."
"Noctis?" The man stiffened and turned to face Felix. "Hey!" He slapped the cigarette out of Noctis' hand. "You're smoking?!"
"I hadn't noticed."
"Don't be an idiot!" Felix yelled. "Smoking?! Have you not seen the adverts where the little girl walks through her grandpa? It's chilling!"
"Good thing I'm not a grandpa then." Noctis replied, stamping on the cigarette to put it out before it set the carpet on fire.
"Stop taking the piss already." Felix crossed his arms. "Noct, we're just looking out for you. Do you really want tar in your lungs?"
"No." The Prince shut the window with a loud bang that vibrated throughout the room. "There are a lot of things I don't want."
"Like giving that speech?" Felix smirked. "Maybe you should put a non-smoking message in there."
"You don't get it."
"Yeah I do Noctis! I lived on the streets, in case you forgot! Do you really want to end up like those old men you see who cough every time they breathe?"
"I haven't smoked in over a year!"
"Yeah, so don't smoke for another year. And then another, and another, and all the years until you die, NOT due to lung cancer-"
"I am not going to get cancer, alright?!" Noctis yelled, storming over to his bed and landing head first onto the covers. Silence reigned for a while.
"Sorry Noct." Muttered the blonde after a moment. "I forgot."
"Yeah, well I didn't." He grumbled. "Just... leave me alone Felix, okay?"
"... Give me the cigarettes first." He walked over and sat on the bed. No response. "Give me the cigarettes or I'll take 'em by force."
"Fine." Noctis felt in his pockets and pulled out of packet of cigarettes. "I'm keeping the lighter though."
"Okay." Felix grabbed the cigarettes and stood up. "Night Noct." And with that, he left.
The Prince turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling once more.
People of Tenebrae....
I'm sorry.
I'm going to end up helping to pull away your loved ones.
I'm going to be responsible for their deaths.
How am I supposed to glorify war when it's the complete opposite?
The building was derelict, and in ruins.
But it was shelter.
Vanille, Snow and Sazh had fallen asleep hours ago.
Lightning was on edge, her nerves anxious with being in a new location.
It was icy cold, she thought to herself. Vanille had about three blankets thrown over her. Sazh had two, and Snow, as his name implied was used to cold conditions, so he only had one. Lightning too was using just one. The cold kept her alert. She examined her gunblade, the dim light from the street made the metal glisten.
How many lives have I taken with this at other's command?
And now another's got to be added to the list.
Noctis... I don't have a choice.
You may not be a bad person, but it doesn't matter.
You've got to die.I know not a lot happened in this chapter, but I kind of needed it here - Like a stepping stone.
Okay, lots of new people, so here are the names:
Phobos - Greek. Means fear.
Placido (Glasses guy)- Latin. Means calm, quiet. I think he's going to be the 'mature' one.
Lexus (Scar dude) - Latin. Short form of 'Alexus', meaning defender.
Arminius - Latin. Means Army Man.
Ireneus - Latin. Means peaceful.
Timaeus - Laitn. Means honor.
Okay, just to stem any complaints - Noctis smoking. I do not support smoking in any way, shape, or form. I think it is a vile, disgusting habit. I know someone who died of lung cancer due to smoking.
But I had a dream where Noctis was smoking due to extreme stress. And I really wanted to put flaws in both Noctis and Lightning - Smoking will be one of Noctis'. Lightning will lash out quite a bit, so that'll be one of her's. There will be other flaws, but you'll have to wait and see for those ones.
Please oh please review! I think I reviewed to all the reviews for this story - If not, let me know. But thank you all for them! I love you guys so much.
Now - FLY MY PRETTIES! FLY!!