Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mako Eyes ❯ "Bring on the Demons" ( Chapter 12 )

Vincent opened his eyes and found himself lying in a bed in what looked like the infirmary at the WRO Headquarters. Moaning softly, he sat up and swung his legs over to the side of the bed. He looked around and saw a few other men lying in beds but other than that, there was no one else. He stood up carefully and was grateful to notice that his strength was close to fully returned. He walked out of the infirmary and was nearly taken out by Yuffie.

 

“Vince!” the young ninja squeaked, looking up at him with wide brown eyes. She then grinned and tapped him on the shoulder. “Glad to see you up and moving. For a while there, you were looking all corpse-like.”

 

“Thank you, Yuffie,” Vincent said softly. “Now where is everyone?”

 

“They're all in the computer lab, discussing the next battle plan, which will be on Midgar.”

 

“What?”

 

“Oh yeah, you don't know yet,” Yuffie said, slapping herself on the forehead. “Well, let's just say that a very pissed off James attacked Midgar and Shinra Company a day or so ago, completely unexpected. He has control over the city now and poor Rufus's been crying over his now-destroyed-partly-rebuilt Shinra Company building. Let's just say that there is no rebuilding now on that pile of ashes.”

 

“A day or so ago?” Vincent asked, eyes widening slightly. “How long was I out?”

 

Yuffie twisted from side to side slightly, hands clasped behind her back. “'Bout three days now… whoa, Vinnie! Where're you going?”

 

“I need to catch up…” Vincent told the ninja who was hurrying alongside him. “I've been out too long…”

 

“Umm… you were poisoned and tortured by a mad dragon and nearly burnt by dragon fire, and you're complaining `cause you've been out for three days? Man, any normal person would be out for a week or more…” Yuffie's eyes widened and she jumped in front of Vincent, walking backwards as she waved her hands in front of her. “Not that you're not normal or nuttin'… well, you kinda aren't, what with Chaos and all… oh boy, I really need to stop talking…”

 

“Yes, please,” Vincent said as he turned a corner and walked into the computer lab. He saw Reeve, Cloud, Tifa, Cid, Barret, Rufus Shinra, Reno, Rude, Red XIII, with Cait Sith on his back, and Aneilla. The Dragon Child was wearing mid-thigh black leather shorts, knee high, laced, black leather boots and a black leather halter top that had a low back to accommodate her wings when she shifted to her half-dragon form. Her long hair was pulled up in a high ponytail and Sirius was in its holster at her side.

 

Everyone turned when Vincent came in and looked slightly surprised to see him up and about. “Like, yo, shouldn't you be resting?” Reno asked.

 

“I've rested enough,” Vincent said, before looking at Reeve and asked, “What's the plan?”

 

Reeve sighed and said, “Same as it was before, only we are having more soldiers in this battle than we last planned to.” The man ran a hand through his hair and said, “James has more monsters on his side, no doubt they are following the dragon demon inside of him, and the weapons he has are immense. I have a feeling that this is going to be a slaughter.”

 

“So we've decided that Aneilla will take out the weaponry while our squad takes out the Mako Reactors, which will be their only source of power,” Cloud said. “And if we fail at accomplishing that, Aneilla can take them out…”

 

“But as a last resort,” Rufus added. “Cloud and the others will just be deactivating the power. If Aneilla takes them out… well, let's just say that Midgar will be out of power until we can rebuild them again, which will take some time.”

 

Aneilla nodded and then said, “James will come after me, and that battle will be in the skies. Until then, I'll fly with Cid and the other airships once I've completed my task.”

 

“But other than that, the plan is the same,” Reeve said.

 

Vincent nodded and then asked, “When do we attack?”

 

“Tomorrow, so we will leave in the morning and get there by the afternoon,” Cid said.

 

Vincent nodded again and said, “I'll be ready.”

 

“We all will,” Aneilla said, looking up at Vincent. “We have to be, if we want to win this.”

 

Vincent looked at Aneilla and asked, “Are you sure that you will be able to take him? He is much larger than you, and powerful.”

 

Aneilla gave a short nod. “I'm sure I can, and if I can't, well,” she gave a slight shrug, “I'll be sure that he's weakened enough so you guys can take him out.”

 

Vincent couldn't help but feel something inside of him willing for Aneilla not to fall, for her not to make that last attempt. He remembered how, when they were in James's clutches, how she had covered him with her warm wing, how she held his hand while he fell asleep. No... I can't... “Alright…” was all he said, interrupting his thoughts.

 

“Alrighty then,” Cid said, sticking another toothpick in his mouth. “Let's get going then. We got ten hours `til take off.”

 

*~*~*

 

James sat at the top of the Mako Reactor plant, his long tail curling around the base. His golden eyes gleamed as he stared into the horizon as the sun rose behind him, towards the direction where his enemy would be coming.

 

“Come to me, Aneilla...” James hissed venomously.

 

It ends tonight... the demon inside of him snarled.

 

*~*~*

 

Aneilla stood at the front window of The Shera, staring out at the landscape rushing past below them. The planet is relying on us now... on me... to save it, to protect it...

 

Again...

 

Aneilla sighed and looked behind her. Cid, standing at the helm, gave her a nod of encouragement, which she returned before turning back to look outside. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, staring out at the world she had been destined to protect.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Aneilla jumped slightly as Vincent stepped beside her. She looked at him from the side and gave a small smile. “I'll be alright,” she told him.

 

Vincent nodded and neither spoke again for some time. Finally, Vincent said, “Aneilla, about what happen between us… at the Reactor…”

 

Aneilla looked up at Vincent, blinking her eyes slowly.

 

“…it won't happen again.”

 

She didn't understand why her heart felt crushed when he said that. She looked back out the window and found herself nodding. She wanted to cry, to scream, but her body wouldn't let her. She sighed softly and said, “I get it…”

 

“What?”

 

Aneilla shook her head and said, “Nothing… it doesn't matter now…”

 

“Aneilla…”

 

“Look, Vince, you said it wouldn't happen again, so it won't,” Aneilla couldn't understand why she was becoming so agitated, well she did, but she wasn't going there. “Right now, we need to concentrate on the battle at hand, not other pointless things.” With that, she brushed by him and walked towards the launching bay where the squads would be taking off. What was I thinking, thinking that things would be different... Some people will never change, no matter what Spartan said, if they don't want to change.

 

She found Yuffie and parts of the other squads down at the launching bay. The hyperactive ninja waved to Aneilla and said, “Hey, you almost ready to kick some demon ass?”

 

Aneilla gave Yuffie a small smile and said, “I guess…”

 

“Oh boy, what's wrong…”

 

Aneilla shook her head. “It's nothing… just… Vince said something and I guess it got under my skin a little, but it doesn't matter…”

 

Yuffie frowned and nodded slowly. “Okay, if you're sure…”

 

“Alright listen up!” Cid's voice yelled over the intercom. “We're coming up on Midgar within a half hour. I need to all to be prepared and ready to fight. The planet's counting on all of you, so don't fuck up!”

 

Aneilla laughed at the last part as she removed Sirius and its holster from her side. She was beginning to wonder where to place it when a black gloved hand grasped the barrel from behind her. “I'll hold it for you,” Vincent said as he took her weapon.

 

She looked at him as he attached the holster onto his other side and nodded. “Alright,” she said, “but you mess it up, I'll roast you.”

 

Vincent grunted and looked at Aneilla. His crimson eyes bored into hers and she found herself unable to look away. Damn hormones... “Aneilla… look, about what I said…”

 

Aneilla rolled her eyes and poked him in the chest. “Don't. Worry. About. It,” she said, poking him with each word for emphasis. “I get it, alright, and although it kinda hurt, I'll deal. It's not like I'm gonna knock you off your hover board just because of what you said.”

 

Vincent grimaced and said, “Thanks for the reinsurance…”

 

“No problem,” she said with a grin. She then allowed it to fade and tilted her head back as she shifted to her half-dragon form. She felt raw dragon power flow through her and the dragon inside of her crowed with anticipation of battle. She looked at Vincent and nodded, but as she turned Vincent grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. “Vince…”

 

“He threatened to kill you,” Vincent said, the grip on her arm tightening slightly. “When he was… he kept telling me that he would kill you if I tried to hold back. He also threatened to do other… things… to you if I didn't do what he wanted. Some of the things they did to me they had me inflict on myself. That's why… I can't allow myself to become attached…”

 

Aneilla looked at him and said, “What do you think he did to me? Exactly the same. He forced me to listen to you scream because I didn't sit with him at dinner, Vince! It wasn't just you… and don't tell me that that is the only reason, because I know it isn't. There is more and maybe you won't tell me and that's fine, but don't hold yourself back for the fear of what may happen. Let come what may, Vince, and don't try to change it. But it's your decision.” With that, Aneilla took Vincent's hand in hers and gave it a quick squeeze, releasing before he could protest. “Now, come on, I'm really in the mood to kick some demon ass.”

 

Vincent chuckled and said, “You're starting to sound like Yuffie.”

 

Aneilla shrugged and said, “What can I say: it rubs off.”

 

*~*~*

 

“Alright, this is it!” Cid yelled at the helm. Down below him, he could see the city of Midgar and the large mass of enemies that surrounded it. He punched a hand into the other and growled behind his unlit cigarette. “Let's show that bastard just who he tried to mess with! GO!”

 

*~*~*

 

Down on the ground below, Cloud leaned forward on Fenrir, giving the large bike more gas and speed as he and the hundred or so trucks behind him propelled forward towards the enemy. Bullets from the large machine guns began firing and he weaved the bike back and forth to avoid getting hit. It's payback time, he thought with a slight smile as he led the ground force towards battle.

 

*~*~*

 

The doors opened in the launching bay, revealing the ground several hundred feet below. Yuffie, leading the first squad, looked over at Vincent and Aneilla and gave them a salute. “See you guys later,” she said before she and her squad took off on their hover boards into the fray that was starting up below.

 

Aneilla went towards the edge of the exit and looked down. She caught a glimpse of Cloud on Fenrir before he was covered from her view by an explosion of dirt and dust. She looked up and she could see one of the large weapons firing at the first squads below. She rose up a hand, her aura glowing brightly around her. Red fire burst around her arm and she smirked as the machine several hundred feet away on the ground below exploded within a burst of Dragon Fire.

 

“Good going, kid!” she heard Cid yell through the intercom as the second squad behind her cheered and Vincent gave her a small smile. Aneilla smiled back and said softly, “Bring on the demons…” She then turned back and jumped down to the ground below.

 

*~*~*

 

Aneilla jumping was the signal and as Vincent pushed off on his board and towards the exit, he saw her fly up quite close to the ship, roaring proudly. He and the second squad exited The Shera and Vincent immediately lifted up Cerberus and began firing at the enemy.

 

The battle had begun.