Breaking Free ch 5

BREAKING FREE CHAPTER 5

Lightning walked furiously towards the riverside, Blaze Edge already on its holster, slim fingertips gracing its handle from time to time, as if undecided whether it needed to be withdrawn. The young woman felt completely lost in turmoil, kicking some stones on her way, fists clenched and eyebrows furrowed in frustration. She was still rummaging about her partner´s pretence of knowing her heart… and the thought raised a scale her already boiling temper, because she knew… She had to admit the Oerban had been quite right on her lucky guesses about her.

"Tch…"

She took a rock from the ground and tossed it angrily far away into the river, the plunking sound of the rock plummeting into the water reached her ears, but didn´t seem to have any soothing effect on her encountered emotions. On the contrary, it actually made her struggle even more, her anger reaching a boiling point, so she started walking in circles, huffing, crossing her arms and then bringing them into her hips, then pressing her fingers against the sides of her nose, then on her hips again and back across her chest… it was a routine that started to wear old by the minute, until finally she huffed in defeat and plummeted into the fresh grass, sitting quite similarly as the Pulsian had been just a few moments ago.

"Tch…" umpteenth time, and she hugged her knees tightly, stressing all her muscles in that grip, as if through the tensing of her muscles she could release the tension in her heart. A moment passed by and she felt the aching protest of her body, the familiar sensation soothing her at last, and after a few minutes later, her pounding heart seemed to be settling into a less laborious rhythm, and the strawberry-blonde allowed her chin to rest on her forearms, closing her eyes as the soft breeze and the sweet song of the river reached her, finally easing away the last drops of anger from her system. "How dare she?" were the last angry words that fell from her lips before her mind was finally settled enough to really process the Oerban´s demeanor and apparent feelings. Lightning had to admit, the raven-haired woman had seemed rather concerned about her, and the young soldier had also to admit that the explosive reaction she had experienced before was due to one thing and one thing only.

The ex-sergeant was afraid of her heart being called. Afraid of having someone who could read her like an open book.

"Am I really this predictable?" she spoke again, although this time was indeed a question, not anymore a reprimand. The wind seemed to bring the answer as a whisper, and she smiled a lopsided one, a gush of understanding and trust warming up her chest, her mind traveling back to the moment she had first met the Pulsian warrior, and a soft smile reached her lips. Because she did know how it was possible. They had commuted since the very beginning. They had understood and supported each other, even when they barely knew each other´s names.

Her mind still traveled deep within the realms of her memory, while her body rose seemingly on its own accord, making her feel the fresh wind that invited her into the river, and with automatic movements, she took her garments off, and allowed her naked feet to be enveloped by the cold water, a chill of pleasure navigating through her body. She submerged her forearms into the pristine water and splashed some of it onto her face, as she remembered the way Fang had opened up to her during their first conversations, how she had confessed her guilt and remorse, blunt honesty coming from her words. Even now, the soldier had the feeling that the warrior didn´t know how to hide her thoughts and emotions. Or that she even cared to try.

Lightning took off her beige jacket and rinsed it on the river, trying to wash away the already clotted blood that clung to the fabric, the automatic movements and the soft whispers of the nature around her seemed to ease her tensed muscles a tad more. She noticed that part of her skirt and red top were dampened already, with all the splashing she was making, so she decided it would be a good time on refreshing some more. She needed the time for herself, after all. Her outburst a moment ago allowed her to see just how much.

With her mind still mulling over the past, she turned around, searching for anything that would give any intruder away and, confident that she was all alone, zipped down her top and the brown skirt, finding herself wearing only her dark bra and short, but they followed suit not long after, and she completely submerged into the water, the cool caress enveloping her body, like the embrace of a lover.

She closed her eyes and started to swim underwater, and thought again about the bond that was taking shape between her and the Pulsian warrior, growing stronger every day and in every battle. Lightning now knew that, even when they didn´t have anything in common at the time, other than being a l´Cie, she could understand the warrior´s notion of loyalty, sympathize by the way her determination was set into protecting Vanille. And everyone else as well. Lightning closed her eyes and let the warm of the sun, the soft kiss of the breeze and the dampening smell of the plants around her invade her senses and transported her to a place where none of those sensations were experienced, were everything felt cold as stone and as metal. But where she could feel, instead, someone else´s warm reach narrowing towards her.

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It was getting close to twilight at Palumpolum, Cocoon´s commercial city, while two lean, graceful and desperate figures were in a runaway, looking to avoid the patrols that were displayed in order to arrest them. Or kill them.

Both knew that the imminent approach of night was a blessing for them, darkness would be on their side, but it also could mean danger, because it would force the army to redouble their efforts on their pursue.

In every step they took, the strawberry-blonde felt the frenetic pumping of her heart, and closed her eyes in an attempt to keep her raging emotions at bay, then took a glance at her companion, concerned about the dark-haired one´s well being, hoping that this tribeswoman could keep her cool just as much.

After several minutes of running, both women found themselves almost face to face with a patrol, so they jumped to hide just around the corner, and were still panting while pressing their backs over the cold wall, Lightning stealing glances around the corner from time to time, thinking as fast as she could of a way through without having to confront the party. It wasn´t that she was afraid of them or something, or that she felt they wouldn´t make it. Her new partner had shown herself quite powerful so far, therefore she was confident they could pull it through. But she still felt the pang of responsibility for this woman, this new comrade she had to protect. Although the warrior had proven herself to be trustworthy, the strawberry-blonde´s overdeveloped (and just recently accepted) protective senses still told her that it was her duty to avoid as much battles as they could, so that the emerald-eyed wouldn´t get into unnecessary danger. Even though she had to admit it was a lot easier to breathe around this woman, especially compared to little, weak, although hard-headed, Hope.

Hope.

A pang of worry made her chest ache, making her experience once more that feeling of emptiness, of pressure bulging into her chest as she thought of the silver-haired kid that she had left with the blond baboon that wanted (rather PRETENDED) to be her brother-in-law. Her brow furrowed in worry at the two of them, together. All alone.

"Fang" she turned to address her partner, who was forcefully jerked out of her reverie and quickly turned her attention to the soldier. "Can you try to communicate with them once more?"

The taller woman raised a delicate eyebrow. "Aren´t we getting a bit too worried, Sunshine?" Light raised an eyebrow at the nickname, and pressed on by glaring at her, which made the warrior sigh. "Fine, fine. But don´t think I do it because ye´r pushing me, alright? I´m doing it because I´m myself worried." She huffed in defeat, and Light stood silent, although on the inside her anxiety dropped a scale.

Fang took out the small device (which looked so much like a very thin cell phone) and tried again to communicate, but static met her once more. After many tries she gave up and sighed in frustration. Light clenched her teeth and, unable to control her emotions, she hit the wall next to her. "Damn!"

The other woman studied her, lost in thought, while the ex-sergeant tried to regain composure. "Rather short-tempered, aren´t we?"

The soldier sighed, closing her eyes and leaning against the wall, answering without opening her azure orbs. "I´m just concerned about Hope. That´s all."

The warrior leaned against the wall too, crossing her arms over her chest. "And what is it that has you so worked up over this little guy? He seemed quite smart from where I was standing."

After a moment pounding whether her partner was trust-worthy or not, azure orbs found their way into emerald ones, which were filled with interest and what seemed to be honesty. So she made up her mind and took her chances with her new partner. After all, the conversations they held so far had been pretty much amusing. And very much informative too. The tanned woman seemed to have a sharp and determined way of thinking, something that appealed quite a lot to the stubborn and headstrong soldier. "The boy is smart, I agree to that." Lightning answered. "But he´s not a warrior." She sighed. "Besides, I´m worried also about the guy he gets to travel with. I should´ve never let him alone with Snow." Her brow furrowed a bit more at that last statement. She didn´t trust the man. Not even an inch.

For a moment, the warrior stood silent, still studying her new comrade and her words until, finally, she closed her eyes and leaned her head backwards. "You should trust him more. I mean, the kid."

Lightning eyed her. "You say that because you don´t know the man that walks alongside with him."

Fang smirked. "You´re right. But what I did learn about him, is that Snow won´t let that boy get hurt. Even if he has to risk his own life to protect him, ya´ know? He´s a sentinel, after all."

Lightning huffed at that and took a similar position the other held, azure eyes closing tightly in worry. The raven-haired woman stole a glance at her, smirked, and closed her eyes once more, allowing the silence to envelop them. After a moment, she broke the stillness again.

"Besides, if you don´t trust him, how can you pretend he´ll trust himself at all? And if he doesn´t get a hold of himself, how can he win any battle? A kid like that needs someone to believe in him. That´s the way he´ll get confident about his own strength. And that´s the only way he´ll survive as a l´Cie" Light opened her eyes wide at her, while a picture of Hope´s determined face, confessing her about 'operation Nora', crossed her mind.

"But… he´s just a kid and…"

"And he totally worships you." Light eyed her again, angered by that last statement. Fang opened her eyes and shrugged at the piercing glare. "What? I´m just telling what I saw. He really ached the moment you left his side, ya know? His face showed as much. So you can imagine what it would do to his pride the moment YOU, of all people, show a bit of confidence in his capabilities."

When the younger woman didn´t answer, Fang sighed and straightened. "Look, Sunshine. You might be right not to trust in his strength now. But he´s a kid, and is growing quite fast, I´m sure. Therefore, it could be in your hands whether he becomes a great warrior… or a useless coward."

Light looked away from her partner, again the furious look of Hope´s crystal eyes crossing her mind.

'Hope…'

Fang sighed once more, and gave some steps forward, peeking around the corner to find a way to pass through and, in the process, stealing a glance towards the soldier. "But what do I know about kids, ne?" She turned around, meeting the light-blue eyes of her new partner, and winked at her, drawing from the soldier a lopsided smile. "Let us hurry so that you can meet up with that kid of yours. And the silly blond that accompanies him."

With that, they rushed forward, with Lightning trailing a foot behind, her heart still clenching, but feeling a bit lighter after the Pulsian´s words. Indeed, her new partner seemed to be trustworthy.

So far.

&&

Light shook her head, fighting to suppress the soft smile that was playing on her lips at the recollection of the memory. 'Amazing… We didn´t know each other at all and she could already see through me. Why didn´t it bother me before? Why does it now?'

The water covered her completely except for her head, azure eyes set on Cocoon´s beautiful form, and a longing feeling washed over her. Grasping tightly a broad root deep into the water, the strawberry blonde allowed the soft current of the river push her body away, floating freely, with the root as her only support, and closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the water overflow her ears and the feeling of flying to seep all around her body. With the soothing sensations that played through her entire being, it finally dawned on her the concern in the Oerban´s intentions. Fang had been worried about the ex-sergeant long before the Behemoth; the dark-haired one had read her completely from the start, but instead of acting on it, she had waited, respecting her personal space, maybe even confident that the soldier could pull it through, up until the moment it had reached dangerous levels.

"Tch…" Even though she wanted to be angry, a faint smirk played on her lips. She had been so consumed in her despair for Serah, in her growing apprehension at the dangerous and seemingly helpless situation she and her newfound family were in, that she had failed to notice the stress she was placing over her friend´s shoulders. Not even once the idea had crossed her mind that the Pulsian understood her so perfectly because she most probably felt the same way. "Guess it means I should apologize to her…"

Her heart rate dropped a scale after taking that burden out, and she was close to fall asleep, soothed the way she was, when she opened her eyes and saw the sun was starting to set. "How long have I been here?" It seemed like hours, but whatever it was, she knew time had come to return to camp. The rest would be concerned about her well being, especially in the state of mind they had last seen her. 'I don´t think that would be a problem. I´m sure Fang told them I was alright.' But was she? The answer reached her instantaneously. "I am now." She smiled sincerely this time, closing her eyes, as she straightened and rose out of the water, walking slowly towards the river side, the level of the river still reaching up into her thighs. Her smile grew wider as a chill traveled down her back, feeling the sun bathing her body and evaporating the waterdrops from her cream-like skin. She sighed in contentment, her gaze locked in the crystalline water that caressed her feet and bare legs lovingly. She moved some wet tresses from her face, when she suddenly heard the unmistakable clicking sound of a gun, although couldn´t place the origin.

Her head jerked upwards and, just like her taken name said, she moved fast and dove straight into the water, resurfacing after a moment, barely below the level of her mouth, and with a murderous expression on her face. 'If this is a sick joke, Sazh can consider himself a dead man.'

"I would advise you not to move any further."

"What?" Her eyes opened wide in surprise and horror. That definitely wasn´t Sazh´s voice. She finally found the source of it, and the sight that met her made her blood froze.

There were approximately thirty PSICOM soldiers at the riverside, almost all weapons pointing at her, and the three that didn´t, were pointed at a very scared silver-haired teenager, who was being dragged from the bushes and pushed down forcefully on his knees, arms on his back, most probably tied up.

"Hope!!" She gave an involuntary step towards him, the water now barely covering her shoulders.

"Lightning!! I´m sorry!! They took me by surprise!" His look of sheer terror made her heart clench and her frozen blood started to boil.

"If you just harmed a single hair of Hope´s head…" she threatened the soldier that was closest to her, and who bore the rank of a sergeant over his shoulders. "I swear I´ll make you pay."

"Tsk. Too much of a threat for someone who isn´t even wearing clothes, not to speak of weaponry."

The comment made Lightning blush, realizing now her full predicament, and desperately turned around, searching for her garments, finding them gone.

"What now? Are you looking for these?" The male sergeant sneered at her under his helmet, and she could almost see his smirk, when he brandished in front of her the skirt and top she had been searching for, finding Blaze Edge lying at his feet.

"Hand them back. Now." She spoke as menacingly as she could, but the man just chuckled, pacing around, as if making fun of her threat. Without moving a single muscle, Lightning followed his progress, analyzing the whole situation at the same time. But every conclusion she came around always turned out to be the same.

She was screwed.

"Aaah… let me get this straight." Spoke the man after a moment. "You´re outnumbered, blissfully naked, afar from us, no weaponry whatsoever, and one of your friends is held hostage. And you are the one threatening US? Tsk. How naïve of you, sergeant, to think that you can defeat us all. L´Cie or not." The male sergeant took his helmet off and revealed himself as a man around his forties, dark hair and dark, dull eyes that Lightning couldn´t recall seeing before. Why was he doing this? What was he after?

"So." He kept on. "As a matter of fact, and since I´m a very merciful man, I just can´t stand to see you in such a predicament and do nothing. So I do have a proposal for you." The strawberry-blonde raised a delicate eyebrow, growing impatient by his rant. The coldness of the water had started to grow into her, and she held herself tighter under the water, shivering, her teeth about to start clattering. "I´ll give you your clothes back, and won´t shoot you, if…" the man eyed her menacingly, a devilish smirk wide on his lips, his dark eyes ablaze with something Lightning just couldn´t place. "If you come all the way here and fetch them from my 'girl'." With that, he let the wet clothes hang loosely at the end of his rifle, and mockingly offered it to her. The rest of the soldiers snickered and chuckled at the request.

"What???" The proposition set her anger afire. She knew no matter how fast she might be, there was no way to get her belongings back but to step out of the water completely naked. To all of the soldiers´ delight.

The proposal was totally humiliating, and she clenched her teeth in fury and frustration, since she knew he was right. The odds were completely against her, and even though she could take out the idiotic bastard in front of her (which she was dying to do) and a few more in the process, she could never reach Hope in time. And she wouldn´t risk his life for anything in the world. Not even her pride.

With the dying of the evening, the temperature in the water had dropped some degrees, but Lightning couldn´t be aware of it anymore. The anger, the fear, the humiliation rose her inner temperature into a boiling level, and she hoped the man in front of her could feel the murderous intention blazing in her azure orbs, but it seemed as if, the more she glared, the more the bastard enjoyed the moment. He started swaying his prices in front of her, as if inviting her in, and the strawberry-blonde greeted her teeth at the point were it had become painful.

"What? Not coming? Need an incentive or something?" the man sneered some more and made a waving motion with his left hand, and as if on cue, one of the soldiers that held Hope captive hit the teen´s head with the back of his weapon.

"Argh!"

"Hope!!" Lightning gave a step forward, and her rage reached peak levels, almost drawing tears of anger and desperation on the process, the moment she saw a thin trail of blood coming from behind the silver locks.

"Don´t worry about me, Light! Save yourself! I´ll be alright!" Sheer determination shone from his light-jade eyes, and the woman felt she couldn´t hold the pain in her chest any longer. This was the boy she had bowed to protect, and here he was, fighting to protect her instead. At the risk of his own life.

Lightning closed her eyes in fury, her determination set, and after inhaling deeply, gathering all her inner strength with a deep sigh, she allowed her arms to fall to her sides and her body rose to its full height. Her perfect nakedness exposed, she rose her chin up high in pride and grace, a defiant stance, and then blazing azure orbs locked with the dull dark ones, the intensity of her rage coming into them full force, piercing him like a knife, which made the man give an involuntary step backwards.

'You can try to humiliate me.' She thought defiantly. 'But it´s up to me, and me alone, if I feel ashamed at all.' She clenched her fists tightly and showed her teeth in a threatening gesture, almost as if she was ready to growl. 'I won´t allow you to take my pride.'

The woman walked determinedly towards the man, menacingly, as if she were measuring all the possibilities to deliver him a painful death, which made every single step she took seem like a threat to his life. The man held his place out of sheer will, but nonetheless, he couldn´t prevent a sweatdrop from trailing through the skin in his face.

Even when the dirty sergeant had intended to amuse himself and his peers with her naked body, the outcome had been completely different. He couldn't keep his eyes away from the cold-blooded azure ones, afraid that she could take that split second in her advantage. And then cut his throat.

The rest of the soldiers were completely immobile, as if cursed by a stopga spell. The beauty, grace and power displayed in her lithesome movements, in her perfectly carved forms, had stripped them all from every single coherent thought. Her cream-like skin glistening in the sunlight, and the soft curves in her body accentuating with every step she took, made them all feel as if they were witnessing the rise of a goddess.

A goddess of death.

Even Hope was mesmerized by his mentor´s display of strength, beauty and determination. Even he had his mind gone blank at her nakedness. Again. His pounding heart was resonating through his ears, and he had lost any command over his own body.

Lightning realized the effect she was having over them, and smirked. The tables had turned, and now she had the opportunity she needed.

'It´s time.'

The male sergeant felt like frozen in place with the piercing look, giving another step backwards under her murderous countenance, when a cold pressure on his right temple and a clicking sound brought him out of his spellbound.

"Dirty trash! How dare you do such a vile thing to a woman like her? Give the lady her garments back, or you´ll have your brain spilled on the grass." The male voice was low and menacing, but when the sergeant recognized the owner, his blood dropped to his feet.

"Y-yes… s-sir." Without hesitation, the man tossed the clothes towards the woman, who was barely able to catch them before they fell into the river, her eyes impossibly wide at the sight of the tall male that threatened the PSICOM soldier. The imposing man stole a glance towards the strawberry-blonde, and steely gray eyes found their way towards the azure ones.

"Raines!!" Lightning screamed, completely taken aback by the sudden apparition. "That´s impossible!! You´re dead!!" Her azure orbs were now locked with gray, almost colorless ones of the former General Brigadier, trying to understand, to form a coherent question, but before she could muster any word, she saw, in a split second, the shadow of an emotion crossing the cold eyes. Remorse… guilt… and then rage, the moment the General turned to the sergeant and slapped him hard on the jaw, making him fall onto the grass. Raine´s body was now facing Lightning, his attention completely focused on her, eyes locked, although this time his countenance void of any emotion. The young woman wondered if she really saw what she thought she had seen.

She felt numb, completely at a loss of words at seeing him standing healthy and powerful in front of her, her heart beating so fast she could almost hear it, but suddenly the skin in her back prickled by the well known feeling of her sixth sense going on rampage. She knew something worse was coming a fraction of a second before another sound reached her.

A sickening chuckle that she immediately recognized made her spun around, and she found herself face to face with her archenemy walking over the surface of the river.

Barthandelus.

"Well, well," he spoke with mockery in his voice. "I have never seen someone protect a lady´s honor just like he did now, have you, sergeant Farron?" He chuckled at his own joke. "Just like a knight in shiny armor, I should presume. Well, not that it matters. After all, Cid has always been the gentleman type, as well as such a fine soldier."

Startled by a splashing sound, Lightning turned her gaze around and found that Cid had walked a few steps towards her, and now she found herself trapped in between Barthandelus and the General.

"But don´t get your hopes too high, my child." The old fal´Cie kept on, still mocking her. "No matter how chivalrous Cid might be. He´s still willing to kill you."

The woman clenched her belongings against her body, fighting with all her might to prevent sheer terror from showing on her face, and failing miserably.

'No… this… cannot be happening…"

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