A/N: Yay for another chapter =D and yay, after I overcame my short block I managed to write this quite quickly and it was A LOT of fun! I managed to not make this one ultra-fluffy, and you get a little bit of Fang in it as well ^^ but there will still be enough Lanille-cuteness in it!
Weee, so many great reviews for the last chapter, THANK YOU and SHOUT OUTS to all of you! (Lightarcana, Major Mike Powell III, jacques0, Goobah, HBHound, MurasakinoMonogatari, Yunner, Sick leave, and mooncanvas) … You know you guys keep me going! (you rock!)
Oh, and I can't agree more … FANG, WHY DID YOU INTERRUPT?!
Happy reading now =)
Disclaimer: I do not own the game, Final Fantasy XIII, or the characters used in this story! They all belong to Square Enix.
Storm Driven
a Final Fantasy XIII Fanfiction. (slightly) OOC, (slightly) AU, Lanille
Together
I hear faint voices … I can't really make out what they are saying … and I feel like the earth is moving in weird angles … I try to open my eyes … I barely manage … the only thing I see is grass and dirt … and it seems to be moving … is the grass moving?
"Fang, you gotta listen!"
That voice … that pleading and sad voice … it sounds so familiar …
"Fang, please!"
Of course … that was Vanille … looks like she's alright. I can also hear footsteps now. They're everywhere … looks like … I'm being carried or something … I try to move … but I don't have that much control over my body yet … the only thing I can do is listen … and watch the grass move …
"No, Vanille! She's got you brainwashed or something. You will rest up in the camp, then we can talk."
The deeper voice again … that Fang person … that … l'Cie … she sounds angry …
"And what happened to your arm?! Did she hit you?! Did she try to cut it off with that toothpick of hers?!"
Who does she think she is … calling my sword a toothpick … I swear to Etro, when I regain my strength I will show her what this toothpick is capable of …
"No! I was attacked, back in Oerba, by a Gorgonopsid! She saved me, Fang! She took care of the wound!"
Yes, I did … and I am so glad that I found her back then … I hear Fang talking back … but I can't make out the words … even though I'm trying so hard … my consciousness is fading once more … my vision turns black again …
ooo
I'm running. Running through a dark place. There's junk everywhere. Junk I can't identify. Large pieces, old and rusted machineries, pieces of cars, planes, ships. I've been here before. I know this place. It looks familiar …
Guardian Corps soldiers are running along with me. Guns in their hands, ready to shoot. But … where are we running? And … what are we supposed to be shooting?
"I can't believe they made it into the Vile Peaks!" one of the soldiers says. That's it! The Vile Peaks. The place where junk from Pulse is gathering. But who is he talking about? What is going on? I open my mouth to say something, but in this moment I see a glimpse of red in the corner of my eye … and I stop, while the soldiers keep on running. But I don't care about them.
I turn my head to spot a familiar person. She's not wearing a uniform, but the outfit she's been wearing for the last few days. Her red locks are bouncing softly on her shoulder. She's skipping through this dark and miserable, not to mention dead landscape as if it were a pretty meadow. "Vanille!" I call out to her.
She stops and turns around, greeting me with a broad smile to which I immediately feel relieved. But my features turn hard again and my body tenses as I see a dark figure right behind her. "Watch out!" I yell … too late. A hand presses hard against the redhead's mouth, her eyes widen in shock and fear. She's struggling to break free from this dark figure, but they are simply too strong.
"Sergeant Farron! Let us help you with this Pulsians!" soldiers suddenly appear beside me. A deep and throaty chuckle can be heard from the black person. They lift their hand high up in the air. Sparks are erupting from the hand and they easily take down all the soldiers beside me. "No!" I shout. I try to move but it's like my feet are stuck, or too heavy. I try to move my hands and arms to aim my gunblade at this person, but it's the same as with my feet. I can't move them.
"Aw, stuck, are ya?" the black figure has a voice … a teasing one … a familiar one … "Show yourself!" I demand, fletching my teeth. Vanille lets out a sound of terror, muffled by the hand pressing against her mouth, and the figure chuckles again before stepping into some ray of light …
Fang … I knew it … "Let her go!" I shout over to her, my voice firm and loud. The dark haired woman smirks at me, but her gaze is ice cold, threatening … vicious … and dead serious. "Why don't you come and get her?" she simply asks.
I feel the blood boiling in my veins while anger washes over me. I try hard to move, so hard that I begin to sweat, but my body just won't respond. Not in the slightest. "Damn you!" I curse at her. Whatever she did so I can't move … she will pay once I can free myself!
"Oh, and Sergeant Farron … " she stretches my title and name, the smirk on her face growing even wider, " … I have a surprise for you." What is she talking about?
Suddenly another person appears. That person is kneeling right beside Fang, tied up, not able to move, struggling to break free. As I take a closer look my eyes widen in horror and I feel all the blood leaving my veins. It's a girl … blue eyes … pink hair … just like mine … "Serah!"
Fang's devilish laugh echoes in my head loudly. I close my eyes tightly and then open them again …
ooo
"Serah!" I call out. But she's not there. Neither is Vanille. And I'm not even in the Vile Peaks. I'm in a tent, it's dead quiet, and it's night time … it's almost pitch black inside, though I can make out the outlines of objects. My legs, arms and hands are tied up, so I'm unable to move. I feel a sharp pain in the lower right side of my stomach, it's where that mad woman hit me with her magic. I see that my stomach is bandaged, though, and I'm not wearing my uniform jacket. Scanning the room shortly, I find it. It's lying on the ground in one corner of the tent, along with my gunblade and the pouch I usually wear around my left thigh.
"Who's Serah?" I hear a voice from beside me, and I swiftly turn my head to look at the person. Even though I couldn't see her face properly, I know it's Fang, her voice is still ringing in my head. Just right now, it sounds almost gentle. I frown at her. "None of your business." I reply in a cold tone. I'm so glad that it was only a dream. Serah is safe … at home, on Cocoon.
Fang just shrugs, not seeming interested anyways. I sigh and return my gaze to the floor … this fight … it must stop … if the Pulse inhabitants really manage to invade Cocoon, Serah might be in danger. I cannot let this happen! Vanille and I we … we must stop this … this war … this fear of Gran Pulse …
I see movement in the corner of my eye and turn my head again. The dark haired woman just stood up and is walking closer to me. She stops right in front of me and crouches down, so that we're almost at eye-level. I just glare at her.
"Tell me, viper … " she almost spits the last word with disgust, making clear she disapproves of me, "What is the stupid Cocoon Army's business on our land?"
"Tch … that information is classified." I retort, regretting it immediately when I feel a sharp pain on my cheek, where Fang just hit me with her spear. I grit my teeth. I won't give in that easily. "You want to try this again?" she demands, her tone now annoyed.
I decide to avoid the question. "Can I speak to Vanille?" My question makes her growl a very low growl. It does sound threatening, but I'm not afraid of her. "Please." I add, almost sarcastically. Instantly I feel Fang's spear colliding with my cheek again, on the same spot. This time I feel a warm liquid running down my face … blood …
"You won't see anyone before you answer my question, you scum!" she threatens, sounding more annoyed by the second. I sigh … what choice do I have? Tell her and try to convince her that I'm – more or less – on her side, or at least trying to stop the war … or die because she will chop my head off if she keeps hitting me like that.
"Fine … " I finally give in, not wanting to mess up my face anymore. "I will tell you."
"Good choice." she says, sitting down in front of me, giving me her attention, but still wearing an annoyed frown, and she's clutching her weapon tightly.
"I don't know how or why … but some time ago gates from Gran Pulse started to appear on Cocoon. And through these gates came monsters from your land. Our Sanctum's orders to prevent these monsters from coming are simple; go through the gates and kill every living thing in sight." there's really nothing more to tell, or go into detail. I don't think that Fang wants to know that much more.
She raises an annoyed but also suspicious eyebrow at me. "That's it?" she asks, not quite sounding like she believes me. I just nod as a reply. She shakes her head and snorts. "So the reason you're attacking Gran Pulse is because you're paranoid?"
"Looks like it." I reply, looking at my feet. Yes, I've come to the same conclusion. Cocoon is paranoid. Always afraid that some lower world would invade. When I think about it now, I never had to save one citizen from a Pulse creature. I sigh again … great … so the Sanctum really started this because of some stupid paranoia. I should've seen this earlier …
Fang chuckles softly all of a sudden which makes me look back up at her. Even her features have softened a little. "I can't say that Gran Pulse is any different … we were always afraid of Cocoon, the 'floating nest of vipers' … we never knew if or when you'd attack, so we prepared for a battle, so we'd be ready when you attacked." Her gaze then turns serious again, and her voice a lot firmer when she continues: "And this should be a warning to you … you might have caught a few of us off guard, but our best soldiers are waiting. I'm not the only l'Cie around here. You can tell that to your Generals."
I have to smirk shortly at this … "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I doubt that I can do that." She frowns in confusion, so I continue to explain: "I neglected my task to destroy life on this planet to continue my task of protecting people."
Her look is still confused. "Care to explain this a little further?"
I nod, my features turning serious. "When I heard from Vanille that we destroyed villages and families because they were overrun by monsters who's habitats we destroyed, I knew I couldn't continue attacking this land. When I completed my training as a soldier I vowed to protect the people of Cocoon, not to go out and kill. And if protecting them means preventing this upcoming war from happening, then so be it."
Her eyes bore into mine as I tell her this, desperately searching for something. "And why should I believe you, viper?"
Again I smirk and reply: "I helped Vanille to return to you, didn't I?" Fang's eyes twitch at this. And sick of being called viper I add: "And my name is Lightning."
The remark makes the other woman growl again. "I will call you whatever I want, viper." She pauses again to take a short breathe, looks like she's trying to ease her nerves and to not freak out on me instantly. "Why did you help Vanille in first place?"
"I already told you. I didn't come here to kill people or destroy families. I spotted Vanille back in Oerba and tried to talk to the lieutenant to investigate a little further, but he wouldn't listen to me … so I investigated on my own, and I found her, wounded in a house. I couldn't just let her die like this." It pains me to think back on a blood-covered Vanille. I still get a look of disbelief from Fang. "You helped her at the risk of losing your job … just like that?"
"Yes." I reply, honestly. Yes, I did … for the most illogical reason in my life, I did …
"But … why?" Fang still doesn't understand … I don't either, but I don't care anymore. I am aware of my feelings, and I won't deny them. "Because I fell in love with her."
The other woman's eyes widen at my honesty. But I hold her gaze. I am sincere about this … with all my heart.
Fang snorts and shakes her head again, then stands up. She points to my stomach with her lance and says: "I'll have someone take care of this … " I look at the wound which was stinging the whole time, blood is seeping through the bandages. Great …
The dark haired woman is walking to the exit of the tent, but stops shortly, looking back at me and telling me: "We'll talk again soon … Lightning." My eyebrows shoot up, surprised. She just … she just called me Lightning. Does this mean … she believes me? "Tch … " I doubt it … I sigh a long sigh before closing my eyes …
ooo
I don't know how long I sat there, dozing a little, trying to bare the growing pain in my stomach. It could've been hours, it could've been minutes. I guess it is the latter, though, because Fang said she'll send someone to take care of my wound. I look up as I see the entrance of the tent shifting.
A curious and worried pair of eyes is peeking into the tent, and I can even make out red hair in the darkness. I feel immediately relieved, looking into those eyes. "Vanille … " I breathe out, even smiling at her. As soon as she spots me she quickly enters the tent and darts over to me. She falls on her knees right in front of me and throws her arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly. "Lightning!"
I breathe in her sweet scent … even in this short while I already missed it. It feels so good seeing her, holding her … or well, being held by her … I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders …
"Are you okay?" she asks when she pulls back to look into my eyes again. Those meadow green eyes I could get lost in every day. "I'm fine." I'm fine when you're with me …
"Fang said that your wound reopened." she says, immediately looking to my stomach, and her look turns concerned again as she sees the blood. "It's just a little scratch." I try to calm her nerves … and take myself into it, because it actually hurts. But I won't be weak in front of her. Never.
"Don't be silly, Light. I will fix this up for you." Vanille then takes the pieces of cloth she also brought, and some herbs I've never seen before. "You don't have to do this … " I say. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable with all this bloody mess on my stomach.
She then gives me one of the cutest smiles she's ever smiled, making my heart melt right there. She cups my face with one hand, letting her thumb stroke over my cheek, which was not injured by Fang's spear, a few times, before replying in a soft tone: "Hey … you've done so much for me, even though you didn't have to … let me do something for you in return, because I want to."
I can't help but smile at those kind words. Nobody has ever made me feel such feelings before. Vanille then leans in, gently pressing her lips against mine … and it feels like all of my problems are just melting away with this simple kiss … but unfortunately the sensation doesn't last long, Vanille pulls back again.
The younger redhead then starts getting rid of the dirty bandage, revealing a gash, which Fang obviously made with her sharp wind magic. When it's completely removed she wipes away most of the fresh blood and warns me: "The herbs will help quickly, but they will also sting a little." I just nod as a reply. I doubt that they can hurt more than the wound is, right now … Vanille then takes her prepared cloth with the herbs and presses it against the wound. I bite my lower lip at the contact … the herbs burn like fire … but I will stay strong … and I trust Vanille.
"Are you okay?" she asks, her look very concerned again. When I nod my head she starts fixing up the wound, with wrapping another piece of cloth around my waist which should hold the one with the herbs in place, making sure it won't just open like that. "Thank you." I say, honestly. I am very grateful for her help. She sits down right in front of me, placing her hands on my thighs, looking deeply into my eyes. "I'm sorry, Lightning … "
I tilt my head slightly to the side. "For what?"
"That Fang attacked you … and that you're tied up now … I didn't even know she was made a l'Cie … " she tells me, taking another piece of cloth and starts wiping away the blood from my cheek now as well. I shake my head, wanting to reach out for her face, wanting to stroke over her cheek reassuringly, wanting to push those bangs out of her face … but instead I just say: "It's not your fault."
"I tried to talk some sense into Fang … but she still thinks that you got me brainwashed." Her look is sad as she tells me this, and she shortly averts her gaze to the side. "She wouldn't believe me … no matter what I told her … not even when I told her that I … that I … " she trails off, biting her lower lip, she seems to be fighting back tears, her voice is shaky … she's struggling with something …
I try to encourage her: "That you what?" Another moment passes before she turns to look into my eyes again, her gaze dead-serious and determined. "I love you, Lightning." she says, her tone mirroring her features.
I'm surprised … even shocked a little. For a reason I didn't expect her to have the same feelings that I have for her. But then I smile the warmest smile I ever smiled, feeling completely overwhelmed, and despite the fact that I'm in a bad situation right now, I feel happy. Because the person I fell in love with loves me back. "I love you, too, Vanille."
Together … together we can make it …
A/N: ah, finally, it's out … ^_^ the power of love, will it help these two stop the fighting and the paranoia? Will it help Fang realize that she should stop hitting Lightning with her spear?
Leave your thoughts!
