This is a 1x1 based on ffxiii. We will start at the beqininq of our story which is were the civilians are boardinq the train to be purqed.

 

"Alriqht, keep movinq!" The soldier yelled out to the line. Airra stood there hooded and keepinq quiet. She kept her winqs tucked into her cloak and qot to the soldier. They inspected her then motioned her onto the train. Airra boarded and sat in a chair. ("Gettinq purqed wasnt the plan! Uqh! How could i mees up!") She thouqht as she clenched her fists.

"All of Raines soldiers are here." Airra said as she headed towards the back. Camron gave Airra a charm that would make it easier to ecape. She grabbed her weapon and opened the back door. As soon as she opened it, she was confrinted by Raines.

"Do you really think we're stupid, Ms. Angel." Fang pulled up beside him and sighed,ance in her hand. Airra looked at her with huge eyes.

"Fang..."

"Sorry kid, its orders." Fang said quickly. Airra sighed and put a hand to her face.

"You? Following orders?" Sarmen said, his voice given a hard, muffled edge by his helmet's filters. "That's a first."

He walked up beside Airra.

"Explain the why to me, General." he said in a cold tone.

He knew Airra had something up her sleeve and was determined to give her time to use it. Plus, an answer to his question wouldn't hurt.

"You had my complete trust. You could have earned Airra's. Why throw that away to destroy us when you could have directed us to help people?"

While Sarmen and Raines talked, Airra kept thinking about a plan.

Nothing came to mind.

Airra sighed as Raines laughed and said, "General, you know things are sometimes better left unsaid. Even in this case." Airra looked at Fang who had started to approach her. Fang got behind Airra to cuff her, when Fang leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"Just come with me. I'll get you guys safely out Raines command, all of us." Fang whispered so only Airra could hear, Raines and Sarmen had still continued to talk. Airra thought for a moment when Fang said 'all of us.' Airra looked in the distance behind Raines and saw the others. They had already come up with a plan. Airra nodded and willingy gave Fang her hand. As Fang cuffed her she hoped that Sarmen would get the idea sooner or later and wouldnt do something completely opposite of the plan.

Sarmen was calculating the best time to jump Raines to take him as a hostage. Getting him would get him and Airra leverage to get out of this. Maybe.

"Direct you?" Raines quoted. "If it were only that simple. While a l'Cie can choice to do his mission or not, you two are no normal l'Cie. Destiny beyond what the fal'Cie can dictate controls your actions. I can not allow that kind of unpredictable power to run free."

Sarmen greeted his teeth, preparing himself to move when he saw a large figure move outside the doorway. Snow Villiers winked at Sarmen and gave the former Sargent a grin. Sarmen paused a moment, cutting his eyes over to see Fang whispering into Airra's ear. They had a plan. Sarmen let out a breath and forced his body to relax.

"You're making a mistake." He told Raines as two Calvary soldiers cuffed him.

Raines had a huge grin on his face as Sarmen And Airra were escorted out. He stopped in front of Airra and said, "What are we going to do with you? You rthe whole peice to this puzzle right?" Airra didnt look at him, instead she turned away and Raines narrowed his eyes.

"Escort them out Fang." Raines said. Fang nodded and nudged the two iut of the house.

"What is he going to do with Camron?' Airra said looking back.

"Nothing, your brother is safe." Fang said as she led the two over to the bushes where the others.were hiding. Fang looked back to make sure Raines had no eyes on tjem, Fang uncuffed them and they scurried behind the bushes.

"Snow, whats the plan?" Airra asked quietly.

"Well, we've done step one." Snow said, making sure Sarmen and Airra got there weapons back. "Lightning and Vanille are keeping an eye on Raines while Sazh and Hope are working on transport."

"How far is the transport Raines had for us?" Sarmen asked.

"About ten minutes from here." Snow answered. "So, we've got some time, but not a lot."

Airra considered the plan as she got her weapons loaded and onto her belt.

"We have to move quickly." Airra said folding her weapon and pushed it into a slot on her belt. She looked over to Raines, who was in a deep conversation. Fang put her hand on Airra's shoulder.

"Hes going to be safe. I know your worried, but imagine how he felt when he let you go off?" Fang said as she back away from Airra, who sighed and nodded. She got out her blade and said, "We gotta keep an eye out for Raines, he doesnt have any soldiers currently with him, but he sure as hell can call up alot in a split second.

"And he's not exactly a push over himself." Sarmen added. "You don't become the leader of Calvary by just a winning smile."

He fitted his blades back on his wrists, keeping an eye on where Raines was.

"Then let's get a' going." Snow said, jerking a thumb behind him.

"I'll take the rear." Sarmen said.

Snow nodded and started off down the alley towards the port Sazh and Hope were getting transport from.

Fang nodded.

"Me and Airra will stay here abd keep an eye on Raines until Hope and Sazh get here." Fang said Airra nodded and sunk back down into the bushes. Airra checked her belt and pockets to make sure all her weapons were loaded and there.

"Dont worry, when all of this is over we'l find a way to free you from your focus. Its simple, if we think long and hard about it." Fang said with a reassuring smile. Airra nodded and smiled back.

"Thanks for the encouragement."

Sarmen and Snow started off in the direction of the port when Snow stopped.

"With Fang and Airra keeping an eye on Raines's movements, I'd better let Light and Vanille know so they can meet up with them." Snow said.

"Got it." Sarmen said with a nod. "I'll help with the transport problem."

Snow smacked Sarmen on the arm and grinned before he speed off to find the others. Sarmen quickly ran a mental picture of the area through his mind and mapped out a route to get him to the port. Starting off with a jog, he headed for Sazh and Hope.

Fang nodded and turned to look at Raines, who had seemed to be confused. Camron had noticed the girls in the bushes and tried to keep the conversation going, but Raines began to become impatient.

"what should we do Fang?" Airra said. Fang took in a long breath.

"I've got an idea, but we won't be able to come out of this one, but we can for sure as hell save the others-"

"Just tell me what it is."

"Alright, I put these cuffs back on you, and I take you over to Raines. We can convince him that the air crafts are running a bit late and let's see where that takes us. Plan?" Fang said as Airra sighed.

"worth a shot, but if don't get out of this, I blame you." Airra said as she smiled. Fang patted her on the back and she placed the cuffs around Airra's wrists.

"Show time." Fang said as they both stepped quietly out of the bushes and approached Raines.

"How big do we need it?" Hope asked Sazh.

"Big enough to get eight people out of here." the pilot said.

"And fast enough to out run most pursuit craft sent after us." Sarmen added as he can to a stop next to Hope and Sazh.

Both Hope and Sazh were startled by Sarmen's sudden appearance, but the shook it off.

"Right." Sazh agreed. "And, add on that doing this all without getting caught. A bit of a tall order."

Sarmen smiled under his helmet.

"But not impossible. I've got a plan."

"Ahh Fang, where is the other prisoner?" Raines asked as he looked around with suspicion.

"Uhh, they went out to the air craft, i believe its here. Its down that way." Fang pointed in the opposite direction in which Sarmen and the others went.

"Ahh, very well then Fang." Raines said as he turned towards the way pointed out. Camron looked at the two girls and smiled he threw Fang an orb.

"Use it, it will help you get out of that mess." Camron mouthed as they nodded and followed Raines down an unknown path.

Hope ran past a port guard.

"Hey." The guard said, turning to keep an eye on Hope.

"Get him." Sarmen said as he ran past the guard, chasing Hope. The bewildered guard saw Sarmen's rank and followed orders and joined in the chase. The other guards there also followed. Sazh used their absents to make it to a courier ship. She would be fast and maneuverable, if a little cramped with all the people she was suppose to transport.

Sarmen caught Hope and both launched into a story of Hope being a thief and a run away till Sarmen got a double click from Sazh over the radio. After that, Sarmen dragged the cuffed Hope out of the space port. Several streets, Sarmen took off the cuffs.

"Light?" Hope said into a radio. "We've got a ship."

 

Lightning acknowledged and moved towards Fang and Airra.

"We have transport." She said.

Lightning walked up to Fang and Airra. Fang nodded and looked to Airra, she then looked to Raines, who continued to walk, hands behind his back.

"How much farther Fang." Raines asked, not even bothering to turn back to notice Lightning.

"Just further up and then turn to the right." Fang said uncuffing Airra. Fang pulled out the orb and handed it to Airra. Camron had been watching them from the house and smiled at them. Airra nodded and held the orb in her fists.

"I guess this does something." Airra said softly. They turned around and ran for the transportation they had yearned for.

Edited June 10, 201213 yr by khfreaker01

Sarmen and Hope took up a position along the path to the port the others would take. When Sarmen caught sight of the first of the other l'Cie running towards them, he keyed up his radio.

"Fire her up." he said through his radio.

"Got it." Sazh replied and turned on the ships engines.

He would have liked to give them some time to warm up, but time, as it always seemed to be lately, was short. Ignoring the protests over the radio from the port authority, he took the ship out of the port.

 

Sarmen sent Hope ahead of him as he turned to face the others.

"Up to the roof!" he yelled.

He then followed Hope into an apartment building with a flat roof with a door on it.

Lightning, Airra, and Fang followed directions from Sarmen and headed towards the roof. The girls, were too afraid to turn around to see if Raines had picked up on the pla, they just kepy running. They followed Sarmen and Hope to the top of the building. Lightning looked behing them and sighed with relief.

"No sign of him! But we better keep moving." Airra and Fang nodded and continued throughtout the apartment building.

Sazh brought the courier ship into a hover over the roof top the l'Cies had gotten to. He opened a hatch and lowered a ramp to the roof.

"Alright, Everybody in!" Sarmen said.

Snow pumped you the stairs behind everyone else.

"Let's get out of here." The big man said as he and Hope ran up the ramp.

Lightning and Sarmen caught each other's eye.

"Last one on." She told him.

Sarmen reluctantly nodded and went up the ramp himself. Lightning waved Fang and Airra to go on board.

Fang and Airra nodded to Lightning as they boarded the courier ship. They greeted the others as they entered the ship.

"Hey kid, how have you been pulling through?" Snow said as he faced Airra.

"Okay. Thanks for asking." Airra said as she looked down the ramp. She looked over and saw Vanlle and Hope smiling at her. Airra waved a hand and they approached towards her.

"Hey there." Vanille said in the happy mood she always carried around.

"Hi." Airra said as she gulped.

"Don't be shy! Come on, lets get you talking to the others." Vanille said as she grabbed Airra by the wrist and pulled her to the other side of the ship.

Lightning got on board ship and closed the ramp.

"Everyone is on board." Sarmen radioed to Sazh. "Let's get out of here."

"You got it." Sazh replied, sending the airship up and out of the city.

"Thanks for the asset." Sarmen told Lightning.

"Us l'Cie have to stick together." Lightning told him.

He nodded and both former guards went to join the others. Sarmen removed his helmet and grinned at seeing Vanille drag Airra around.

"Just let her take a breath, Vanille." He said, humor in his voice. "It's not everyday you get a good ride in a ship like this."

Airra looked at Sarmen, and looked back to the floor.

"What's up with you party pooper?" Vanille jumped up and down in front of Airra. Airra sighed and walked away from the rest. She planted herself on a bench, on the other side of the ship and dusted her feathers off.

​ Inescapable focus....

Airralooked over the orb in her hands and stuffed it deep into her pockets.

 

Our inescapable focus....

Sarmen excused himself from the others and walked over to Airra.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked.

Airra looked up at Sarmen.

"Great as can be. I'm just worried about my brother, I'm afraid Raines will go after him for questioning." Airra was a horrible liar, but she didn't lie, in the back of her mind, she was worried for her brother, but she was mainly concerned with her focus.

"So where to now?" Airra asked. Fang approached the two and grinned.

"Can I see you for a second, Airra?" She nodded, Airra got up and followed Fang to back of the courier ship.

"What'd Camron tell you? Good or bad news?"

"Depends."

"'Depends?' What are you trying to imply?"

"Think about this, an inescapable focus, good or bad?"

"Bad."

"Exactly. Visit from The Goddess Etro?"

"Good."

"Exactly, that's what we need." Airra said as she crossed her arms.

Sarmen didn't really buy that her brother was all that was on Airra's mind, but he decided to let her go. He sat down and thought a moment.

"Any leads?" Lightning asked as she walked over.

"One." Sarmen answered. "Are focus is tied up with the goddess Etro. Downside is that me and Airra could be made immortal and driven insane if we do."

"The other way has you as l'Cieth for sure. Any chance of reasoning?"

Sarmen shrugged.

"Maybe. I don't know much about goddesses, but from what I've heard, they can be a bit temperamental."

Fang nodded.

"You can't let the rest of 'em know that, they'll do anything and everything they can to help."

"I know," Airra replied. "They need to worry about themselves." Fang sighed.

"Where is your brand?" Airra looked puzzled then moved her head to the side. For the brand was on her neck.

"You're not even close to Cieth, thats good." Airra nodded and fixed her wing.

"That crystal, Sarmen has it as well right?"

"Yeah. When do we get off this ship?"

"Be patient, we'll be there soon." Airra nodded and sighed.

"Hey, are you okay?" Snow asked placing a hand on Airra's shoulder.

"Im fine thanks."