ARGH!!! I AM SO ANNOYED AT FANFICTION!!! THEY LOGGED ME OUT WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF EDITING THIS!!! Grrrr...
Anyway, to recap what I was writing, I hate this chapter. I promise the next one will be better.
Disclaimer: (A la Tarzan) Sunflower no own Final Fantasy XIII. Sunflower no own Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Sunflower says no Square Enix lawyers sue her.
Noctis hated hospitals. He hated the smell of them, the stench of bleach, disinfect, and something far, far worse. He hated the chairs, half of which were broken. He hated the doctors and nurses, who smiled sympathetically every time you caught a glimpse of one of them in the corridors. He hated the stuck up, unhelpful secretaries.
But what he really, really hated was the fact that his friend was lying unconscious in one of the claustrophobic rooms, after having a bullet removed from his ribs.
Lexus, Placido and Noctis were just sitting in the room, not daring to tear their eyes from Felix's form. As if looking away would make the slow rise and fall of his chest vanish.
"Who was she Noctis?" Placido asked, half an hour after they had been let into the room, the first words spoken between them. Noctis flinched as if Placido had hit him.
"An assassin called Lightning. She shot councillor Vere." He replied slowly. There was a long silence.
"How do you know her name?"
"What?" Noctis looked up at Lexus.
"How do you know her name? No one else knew it."
"She told me."
"Liar." Lexus stood up. "I know you're lying Noctis, you're terrible at it. How do you know her name?"
"She did tell me!"
"When?"
"Before... before..." Noctis sighed deeply. He had to tell them the truth. Not telling the truth had led to this. "Before Councillor Vere was shot."
The silence was only broken by the beep of the machine's monitoring Felix.
"You knew who she was, and you didn't tell the council? Why not?" Placido asked calmly.
"Because.... I just couldn't." He knew it was a stupid answer.
These are your friends. If you can't tell them the truth, who are you going to tell?
"I went to get some air, and she was outside. I talked to her for a bit." Noctis explained. "I didn't know she was an assassin then-"
"I bloody well hope not." Lexus muttered darkly. Noctis glared slightly at the older man before continuing.
"- So I just... talked to her. Then I gave my speech... I talked to her again....." The memory of exactly what happened next replayed in his mind.
"Then?" Placido filled in the gap. Noctis took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
A problem shared is a problem halved, right? Besides, Lexus and Placido might be able to give me a hand...
"I..... I...." Noctis searched desperately for the right words. "Kissed her?"
"WHAT?!" Lexus and Placido screamed at the same time.
"I didn't mean to! I grabbed her, and she pulled back, so I sort of fell forwards..." Noctis trailed off. There was a long pause.
Placido chuckled slightly.
"That's one way to get information."
"You think I like it that I kissed someone who is responsible for putting Felix in hospital?" Noctis yelled. "I hate it! I hate HER!" He leant back in his chair, the energy draining out of him.
"You've got to tell the council Noct." Lexus said. "They need the information."
"You think I'm going to leave this up to them?" Noctis shook his head furiously. "I'm dealing with this."
"What are you going to do that the council won't?" Placido countered.
"I'm going to kill her." The Prince replied. There was a long silence.
"I presume you mean that literally." Placido mused.
"Yeah, I do." He kept his gaze on the machines that monitored Felix. Their vigil fell silent again.
"............... Mind if we help you?"
"What the HELL did you think you were doing!?" Lightning yelled at Snow, now having arrived back at the crumbling building. "I could have gotten him! I could have completed my mission, if you had just let me be!!"
"Oh don't be so arrogant Lightning!" Snow snapped. "There was no way you were going to be able to get him! You would have gotten yourself killed, and you know it!"
"I wouldn't, because I'm not as weak as you are!" Lightning bellowed, clenching her fists. Snow scowled, annoyed at Lightning's stubbornness.
Vanille and Sazh were crouching in the doorway, unseen by the two soldiers, listening in on the argument.
"Weakness has got nothing to do with it, it's to do with the fact he had three friends with guns – Well, until you shot one."
"Don't you dare bring that up." Lightning's voice went icy cold, the sort that even sent a chill up the top people in Phoenix.
"Did you forget to aim?" Snow ploughed on. "What the hell were you thinking? You engaged a target in head on combat? One of the first rules of assassination-"
"He engaged me." She replied.
"What, he pulled out a sword and attacked you?"
"Something like that."
"Why would he engage a total stranger in combat?"
"I don't bloody well know!" She snapped, clenching her fists even tighter.
"You're lyi – Hell." Snow stared at her. "You did lie to Phobos! Bloody hell, what were you thinking -"
"I didn't lie!" Lightning yelled. Snow pretended he hadn't heard this.
"You're going to get yourself killed. If not by Tenebrea, then by Phoenix!"
"Like you care!"
"I do care, actually!" Snow looked at her angrily... but there was care in those eyes. "I went through a lot of shit for you Lightning, and I don't want it to be all for nothing-"
Snow was cut off by Lightning punching him in the face. He fell backwards, sprawling onto the floor. She was breathing hard, her anger barely contained.
"I owe you nothing." She hissed, almost silently, before turning on her heels and leaving the building. Snow sat up and rubbed his aching jaw.
Sazh turned to Vanille, who was watching the retreating Lightning. With a sigh, he stood up and walked over to Snow.
"You okay?"
"She has got one hell of a left hook." The blonde man smiled, although sadly, and avoiding the question, a trick he had picked up from Lightning. Sazh sat down next to Snow.
"What was all that about?"
There was electricity in the air – Pulse was in the middle of the monsoon season. Rain was falling heavily, the air was thick, moist, warm and heavy.
He was in one of the few large settlements on Pulse, trying to buy supplies. He had taken a wrong turning somewhere along the way – He was stuck in the old, twisting, abandoned back streets.
He swore under his breath as he looked for a sign post. Those that had been there were covered in what looked suspiciously like ash. He hated to think what happened in these streets when it was dry. Now it was wet, and no-one sane or not lost would be out in these streets – They'd be hiding where there was shelter.
Looking around, he saw someone was insane or lost. A pair of legs could be seen, sticking out from under a cardboard box. They were skinny, bruised, tired. He walked over to the box.
"Hello? Hello? Are you okay?" He knelt down and looked under the box.
The figure's eyes were closed, as if at peace. But the arms told a different story – the truth.
Cuts running across the wrists, bleeding heavily.
Suicide.
Swearing heavily, the man pulled the person up from its slouching position against the wall. He could hear their breathing, slow and shaky. He examined the wrists – They'd need serious medical attention. Until he worked out where he was, never mind where the nearest hospital was, he'd have to do his best.
He pulled off his coat, and wrapped it around the wrists, almost tying them together. He felt like he was taking a prisoner.
"Get a grip." He told himself. "There's a life a stake."
Sazh's mouth fell open.
"That was..." He couldn't finish the sentence. It seemed ludicrous, yet it was the only thing that made sense. The only reason he'd be telling this story. Snow nodded slowly.
"Yes. That person was Lightning."
Noctis couldn't understand his uncle at points.
The underpaid nurse had shuffled into the room a few minutes after their conversation had ended, to let 'His majesty' know that 'The king' had been on the phone, demanding he continued to give his speech.
Noctis was muttering various curses under his breath as he was speed along the roads of Tenebrea.
Your friend has just been shot and HE wants you to give a damned speech!
Noctis had never had the smoothest relationship with his uncle. He was too... reserved, conservative. Too set in the old ways of Tenebrea, the old values and traditions. Honour and duty came above all else.
For Noctis, it was his friends that came first. Honour came far down the list. Duty was high up.... but that was nowhere near as important as Felix.
The car pulled up at the building, where the press were gathered outside, taking photographs of the car pulling up. Noctis groaned audibly, before opening the door. Instantly he was almost blinded by the camera flashes.
Here we go......
"Your highness-"
"Your majesty-"
"Excuse me, let me through!" A woman with a very angular face pushed her way in front of the other reporters. "Joanne Smith, Minerva Reporter, is it true you are against the conflict in Pulse?"
Stupid bloody media.
"I am not fond of anything that may lead to a loss of life." Noctis said bluntly, trying to find a path that would lead him past the least amount of reporters.
"Excuse me, oi, move it or lose it sister!" Noctis shuddered involuntarily. He knew that voice, it rang in his head, bringing back anger Noctis had reserved for Lightning. A weedy man with blonde hair and brown eyes slid right next to the Prince.
"Nicomedes-" He began to introduce himself.
"I know who you are." Noctis replied, sounding bored in order to hide his anger.
"You remember me then." Nicomedes smiled smugly.
"I'm hardly likely to forget."
"Well then, perhaps you can answer a question for me." The reporter pushed in front of Noctis, meaning he had no choice but to stare at this... scum in the face.
"I'd rather not."
"Is it true one of your companions is in a critical condition in hospital?" The reporter grinned as Noctis' face paled considerably. "Is it fatal? Is it just a matter of time before he passes?"
"Shut up and get out of my face." Noctis hissed.
"Could his death be the first of many?"
"He's not going to die."
"I remember you saying those words a few years ago-"
"If you ever come near me again," Noctis whispered. "Near my friends, my family, I will make sure the only thing that ever get's published with your name will be your obituary."
"The truth always comes out, your majesty."
"Get out of my way." Noctis shoved past the reporter, knocking him to the ground. 100 odd digital clicks were heard as a 100 odd photographers caught the moment. "Shame about these uneven pavements, isn't it?" Noctis smiled cruelly and walked on.
"She tried to commit suicide?" Vanille was sitting next to Snow, determined to get to the end of the story.
"Depression. She got it really badly.... she couldn't cope." Snow trailed off slightly.
"That explains it!" She said after a moment. "Finally!"
"Explains what?" Sazh looked at the young woman, who smiled slightly.
"Well, you've always been really protective of Lightning."
"I'm protective of you as well!"
"Yeah, but not in the same way." Vanille stood up, clearly warming to her theme. "You see Snow, you are protective of me as in you don't want me to get shot. You're physically protective. Whereas with Lightning, you're mentally protective. You know she can look after herself physically, but you worry about how she's feeling, and if she's upset. See?"
"Since when did you become a scholar?" Sazh grinned. Snow stared at the floor.
"I have my reasons for that."
"I'm not saying you don't have a reason, or that it's a bad thing, I'm just saying it's finally an explanation." Vanille smiled sadly. "Cheer up!"
"How am I supposed to cheer up?!" Snow asked. "If they nearly killed her when she failed the first time, what the hell are they going to do to her now?!"
"I'm sorry I can't take you any further."
"That's fine." Lightning undid her seat-belt and climbed out of the truck. She pushed some gil into the man's hand. "Thanks."
"No problem. You take care of yourself." The man smiled at her as she closed the door and walked away.
Hitch-hiking wasn't the wisest move Lightning had ever made, but she was tired, she had walked all the way from the city to the border, sneaked across it, and then nearly got hit by the driver of the truck.
After his rather unnecessary apologies, he offered to give her a lift. Sheer exhaustion made her agree.
She still had a long way to go though; she thought rubbing her calves as the man drove off. It had begun to rain, cool water splashing down on her.
Shame it's going to make things harder...
With a barely audible sigh, she walked into the jungle of Pulse.
Noctis slipped silently into the hospital.
The press conference had turned into a witch hunt over him pushing Nicomedes. No doubt he would soon get the raging phone call from his uncle.
But if anyone thought he would be civil to Nicomedes, that bastard that had haunted his every step as his parents vanished from his life, they were the biggest idiots he'd ever encountered.
Noctis walked through the maze of corridors, remembering every step he had taken that morning.
Was Felix okay?
He HAD to be. He was Felix, the consummate survivor.
Still, his fingers remained tightly crossed as he walked into the small room. His eyes darted instinctively towards the bed.
"I'm unconscious for a few hours, and you assault a reporter!" Felix was lying in the bed, a small smile across his face. "You're useless without me!"
Noctis returned the smile, unable to summon any words.
"I think that's the first time you've EVER been speechless." Lexus commented, still sitting in the same place as before. Noctis scratched the back of his head and chuckled awkwardly.
"How did you know I assaulted a reporter?" Noctis couldn't help but wonder.
"News." Felix nodded to Placido who smirked.
"I was getting a coffee in the canteen and a story came on that crappy T.V. they have in there." Placido raised an eyebrow. "So?"
"It was Nicomedes." Noctis said as an explanation. Lexus stiffened in his chair, the smirk fell off Placido's face, and Felix made a noise like an angry cat.
"Okay, you let me at that bastard!" The blonde made an attempt to sit up, but winced.
"Sit down you idiot!" Placido ordered. "We've got enough issues to deal with, without you bursting something!"
"What issues?" Felix looked at his friends. "What are you guys planning?"
"Nothing." Lexus answered too quickly. Felix raised an eyebrow.
"Liar."
"Nothing that concerns you." Noctis explained. "Felix, please just rest."
"Noctis, I may be blonde, but I'm not dumb." The man crossed his arms, wincing as his ribs protested.
"Please just rest." The Prince repeated. Felix stared his three friends, continuing to fight off the remnants of the anaesthesia which made him want to fall back into the pillows and sleep.
"What are you going to do?" He repeated, feeling sleepier. Noctis just smiled sadly.
"Go to sleep Felix. We'll see you soon, okay?" Felix blinked.
"Look, whatever you guys are going to do..." He trailed off. "I'm fairly sure you shouldn't."
"We can look after ourselves." Lexus grinned quickly, before wiping it from his face. "Ur, not that you couldn't... It wasn't your fau...."
"You're going after her, aren't you!?" Felix suddenly yelled, showing another glimpse of quick thinking. "Are you guys insane?! It's a war zone there, well, almost! Have any of you ever BEEN to Pulse before? It's a big country, what makes you think you're going to find her?!"
The room fell silent.
But of course, Felix thought, slightly amused. They'll have already thought of that. And decided to go on the seat of their pants.
"See you Felix." Noctis left the room, followed by Placido, and Lexus, who gave him a quick hug.
Felix's eyes flickered shut as his mind drifted back.
The pain in his ribs would never completely leave him, no matter what the doctors said.
That bitch had left her mark alright.
"Oof!" Lightning slid down the mud drenched hill, ignoring the explosions of her namesake overhead. Standing up she looked at how far she had fallen.
Focus. Don't look back, look forwards! You're in PULSE. Keep an eye out for monsters.
Lightning smiled slightly as she walked on, gunblade drawn. The word monsters reminded her of her childhood, when she used to investigate in her wardrobe, looking for monsters or hidden worlds...
Her smile fell off her face as she remembered the day she found a real monster.
She reached the cliff face and quickly found the foot and hand holds she and Snow had made years ago. Snapping her fingers to create a gravity shield just in case she fell, she climbed to the top quickly.
The cliff wasn't high, just steep.
Pulling onto the ledge, she shuffled along the rock until she came to the crack in the wall. She slid into it, and half walked, half ran into the depths of the cave. She wasn't experiencing total cave darkness, but she still walked into a few rocks.
Eventually, the cave widened, and in the centre sat the object they had stumbled upon all these years ago.
With a sense of relief, Lightning walked towards the crystal.
We're on our way.
Next stop: Pulse.
Of course, Timaeus doesn't know. I doubt he'd approve of me journeying into a 'dangerous' country.
This isn't a war between our countries, Lightning.
This is a war between us.
You're not the only one who can kill.
Tenebrea to Pulse is a long journey.
Still, at least I'm here now.
But.... the Fal'Cie.... It's uneasy.
I can't help but think it's plotting.
No, that's stupid.
Isn't it?
God, I'm tired.
I'm just... so... damn tired.
That's all.
I'm just tired...IT SUCKS SO BAD!!! T.T
I promise, the next chapter will be better! I swear! Pinky promise!
And I know the Lightning/Depression/Suicide thing might seem a bit over dramatic, but it will make sense... eventually.
Now, to fly before Fanfiction log me off again.
Please review!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! (But not in a creepy way)