Final Fantasy XIII: Slaves of Fate

No sooner had Omega Weapon entered, Omega walked out with a bloody Masamune in hand. With a snap of his fingers, the portal to the Rift closed. Not there either. Then again, I haven't even scratched the surface of that place. Three days isn't enough time to scout the entire area. He looked up at the three Crystal L'Cie before him. "I apologize for Model VI's...ramblings. It can't be helped. Now what did you want, Cid?"

Shinryu pushed himself away from Lightning and distanced himself from her, as what she was doing reminded him too much of that woman. Was that his mother? He can't recall. Those memories shouldn't even exist within him. At any rate, they should be joining with the others up ahead. Wiping the tears out of his eyes with his arm before glancing over at Lightning for a second, Shin picked up his lance and moved on.

 

Lightning smiled slightly to herself and followed Shin. "Alright then." Walking felt good, it stretched her aching muscles and the flat ground soothed her headache. "Shinryu....isn't there anything you want to say? You haven't spoken all day."

Akira dragged Ryou with her as she walked. Her blue eyes searching for Lightning or the others. "Where could they be!? Ryou! If we don't find them soon, we'll be killed!"

 

"Naivete and innocence. Such is the mind of youth."
"I don't get it..." Leo muttered as he watched Belias run towards Grey. The fire and earth Eidolon completely ignored Fenrir and simply raised its staff and brought down, intending to cut Grey in hall. "My own Eidolon won't even fight me...am I that weak?" Leo wondered, dropping his Gunblade. Ignoring the clang of metal hitting the ground, he simply watched. "At least he'll take out Grey. I couldn't do it, there's no way Grey can take on two Eidolons at once..." He looked at Grey, wondering if he was about to see his friend finally defeated and cut in half, but deep down, he hoped not.

​

As long as I have a want. I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.

Cid ignored Linegia and Alice and even Omega's question and ran forward at Omega until his face was only inches from Pulse's l'Cie. "What the hell are you, Omega?" Cid asked as Linegia's spells slowly healed him. Even though he could heal himself, that was the last thing on his mind. "Transforming into these Weapons of yours? I know your powers, Omega, or I thought I did, but rambling about FATE and talking down our leader, our fal'Cie, our goddess like that? Pulse or no Pulse, it's time for answers."

 

Omega didn't flinch or even move when Cid approached him. He did seem to stare down at him, though, but that was unintentional. "You know that FATE is just a sentient computer and not a fal'Cie, right? That's why it's called 'FATE' and not 'Fate'. It died with the city it was developed in anyway. Although they did drill open a path to the planet's core to power it, which was a few days before...time crashed." He looked at the other two l'Cie there, remembering Linegia's comment on his own past failures, before returning his attention to Cid. "And our leader? More like yours. I'm more of an independent third party that only agreed to help you. If you have questions, I might have answers."

Shinryu didn't answer. It's not like he could, anyway. But maybe he just might someday, given time of course. If his dream truly was a memory hidden deep within him, perhaps his ability to speak is somewhere there as well. Meanwhile, he had a feeling that they were pretty close to the others. They should be seeing them any moment now.

 

"Calm yourself down for one thing Akira!" Ryou said as he was most notbly dragged by the woman, it was kinda frightening in a sense, but he didn't care at this point.

"It's no use just rushing, we have to think clearly, besides, the others have probably continued on their own so there's only thing we can do, we try to warn Cocoon about what has happened so far or we waste more of our time trying to find the others with our I'Cie brands being a helpful reminder that we can turn into Cie'th." He said and knew he got a glare.

"Look, I don't like this as much as the next person, being branded and being told what to do by some higher deity, it's like what Light said, we control our own fates and we decide what we want to do..." Ryou trailed off. "I can see why she was so adamant about those words, it's actually resolving you to do the same." he thought to himself

 

"I wish I had your confidence." Ren said, slightly quietly. He needed to work out what these peoples foci are, and preferably quickly, though he had no idea of how to do so without becoming suspiscious. Then it came to him.
"Where do we go from here? I assume you have a plan?" he asked the loud one, presuming him to be the leader.

~

Slowing himself down as he neared an area with enough room for his plan, Byron thought through just how he would go about it. He needed a creature of some sort, preferably something strong. Pity I didn't think this through back with Alice. She could've had Cid summon something up for me he thought, knowing that his message had likely been passed on by now. Still, this is Gran Pulse. There should be something nearby willing to attack me. He began to walk around the area, hoping that something would be able to detect him and attack.

 

Akira sighed. She shot a glare at Ryou for reminding her of her brand and their fate if they didn't figure out what their focus was and how to complete it in time. Straightening her shoulders and hardening her resolve, Akira planted her feet and gave a short nod to Ryou, "Alright then....you're right Ryou. I have to stop this before I get out of control. Lightning wouldn't want us to become Cie'th and I don't either. Though...if we go to Cocoon, what would we say? A lot of the people there are still afraid of l'Cie. What if they attack us like they did Snow?"

Lightning's smile stayed small and hidden on her lips as she followed Shin. He did remind her of Hope. Silent and yet willing to give it his all. Such a brave boy. Curious to her own thoughts, Light wondered if Hope had any descendents she could meet. "You look like someone I know....or knew." she didn't know how to say it any other way than to just blurt it out. Though her voice was quieter than normal, she figured he heard her and it felt good to say it out loud.

 

Jaden looked at the new guy. "Well of course there is a plan. One of the things Lightning and Snow told us was, if we ever become seperated... we head back to Oerba. So, we'll head back there and meet up with the others when they get there.
Wherever the old lady is, I'm sure she'll head back there too."
Jaden stopped and thought to himself. "Hang on a second... Who are you? he asked, having realised that he still had no idea who he was speaking to.
This guy had helped them against the Crystal L'cie... but... he was also the one who had been dropped off by Cid's dragon.
Of course, he might have just been forced here by circumstance and be in the same boat as them.


OOC: Just so everyone knows, Bueno told me to get everyone back to Oerba, so don't think I'm making stuff up here when Jaden says to go back there lol :P

 

Shinryu kept walking. Finding out whoever Lightning was speaking about would have to wait for later. He turned the corner to find Jaden speaking about returning to Oerba. How long has it been since he, well, raided Oerba? He wondered about what has changed since his last attack on the village that happened so long ago. At least there he'll have a chance to get some new clothes. Of course, that's if the place is still standing.

 

"...that's right, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself." Ren finally realised. "Ren Lawson."
He looked to the loud one, and then to the others he had just fought alongside. "And you are...?" he asked all of them.

 

"Well, that's true, but perhaps we should regroup... back in Oerba, if anything it's a spot where everyone would think to gather, so we head back." He said thoughtfully. "And Akira, it's okay, everyone thinks that way naturally so you aren't alone." he reassured her and looked around as he tried to remember the trail back, Light and SNow usually took the group not far from the village in case of a fallback plan, he highly doubted there were any Chocobos around either to hasten the journey.

 

Lightning growled, losing her memories and focusing on Jaden. "Who're you calling 'Old Lady'? Jaden!" Her blue eyes pierced through Jaden as she fixed her usual scowl on her face and slowly approached them. Her head still rang slightly from the impact and her body felt exhausted. "You got something to say to me, say it to my face."

Akira nodded, "You're right...now that you mention it." Akira focused on the task at hand before thinking about how Ryou could remember everything Light ever said. Her attention went to evening her breathing and measuring her steps.

 

Mya jumped and turned towards Lightning's voice. It sorta shocked her and also made her glad seeing that she was still alive. Cmon Jaden she's not THAT old. Just because she was sent through time does not make her older then what she is. She hoped to find Grey or Leo, but not seeing them made her down a bit.

 

Ryou rubbed his hair messily. "Yup, definitely takes after Light... but nearly as cute as her." Ryou concluded in this thoughts abotu Akira and immediately followed her while looking around at all times to keep his guard up, just only two I'Cie travelling togther is strong but you could never eb too careful as Light once said, you may not have that allies so all you can do is protect yourself and those who are nearest to you.

"...I just had to compare the two didn't I... hoo boy, thank Oerba women can't read thoughts." he thought to himself, then again the women were a force to be reckoned anyways and Ryou wasn't afraid to admit that, in fact, he hate to see the poor guy who ticks off Lighting before she'll give one of he rinfamous glares.

 

Jaden smirked. "Glad to see you're okay Old timer." he joked and received more glares.
"Oh come on! I made that joke loads of times before, and only now are you getting mad at me for it?
Snow thought it was pretty funny." he scoffed.
He looked around at the others and heard Mya's comment."I know that, it was just a joke..." he sighed, and held his hands up. Jeez... I get the feeling everyone here either dislikes me or finds me annoying... he thought to himself, scratching is head.

 

Mia and Angel turned to Lighting when she spoke. Running up to her, Mia showed her that Snow's bandanna was okay and smiled, but sighed. She mouthed, 'We had an encounter with a Crystal l'Cie. She was rather crazy and acted like a child, her name was Alice.' She gripped her spear as she remembered Alice speaking about Snow.

 

Lightning watched carefully as Mia mouthed words and yet still didn't speak. "Hm...a new Crystal l'Cie...Alice. Understood. Jaden," she fixed him with another glare before sighing, "We have no time for jokes. We have to get back to Oerba. Everyone should be going there. I told them to...it was....Snow's plan. Move." Without another word, she set her hand on Mia's shoulder and guided her back towards Oerba. Glancing back at everyone she tried to assess them all but her thoughts still swirled with the knowledge of more Crystal l'Cie. "Is anyone hurt?"

 

"Jeez... but joking is my thing. I mean... there's nothing wrong with trying to bring a smile to people faces, especially in times like these ya know?
I mean... telling me not to joke around is like telling a flan to not be made of gooey jelly stuff." he mumbled...
and then he sighed.
Anyway, it was damage report time. "I don't think anyone was hurt... it's like the Crystal L'cie was just messing with us." he told her.
"We also have a new guy." he said gesturing to Ren. "Len Rawson was it? Or... flip that..
No wait... that'd be Rawson Len... I meant Ren Lawson...
Or maybe it was Len..." he said going off on a complete tangent.
"Gah! Whatever. Point is, he's a L'cie too, and I'm guessing he wants to travel with us since... well... he IS following us." Jaden said stating the obvious that no one else had actually really seemed to notice.
It had been a big day though and people were tired... it was expected they would all miss things.

 

Mia simply followed Lighting as she led her back to Oerba. Her mind tried not to think about Snow when Lighting said it was his plan to return there for a backup plan. Angel watched them leave and followed them. As she had no home to call her own for the past eleven years, she didn't want to be left alone again. It seemed at this Snow person meant a big deal to Mia, and she wanted to help her.