Relearning

Chapter 5: A Fal'Cie

In all honesty, Ace was at a loss of what to do. When a set of stairs appeared out of nowhere, they didn't have much of a choice, seeing how it was the only way to move on. Hell, he was pretty damn sure that he wasn't supposed to be here in the first place...and yet, he felt like he was home. Hope made it clear that it was flat out stupid to waltz (and when he said "waltz" he meant crash) into the Pulse Vestige with the high risk of turning into a l'Cie.

For some odd reason, Ace couldn't help but feel something didn't sit right with him. Sure, he understood that becoming a l'Cie was a bad thing... but was it really that way? Despite living a life of near eternity, l'Cie were supposed to follow their will; the Cry-

Ace blinked when his thoughts suddenly came to a complete blank. Confusion and slight panic stirred in him as he came to a slow stop in the middle of a platform, Vanille and Hope not noticing his halt. He knew he was on to something, and yet... he couldn't reach it. It was just right there-!

"What are those things?!" Hope's panicked voice snapped Ace out of his thoughts. Vanille was already pulling out her weapon as Hope did the same. Ace took a quick glance and tensed, pulling a card from his deck and holding it ready. Weird, deformed beings were passing through some sort of gate and heading right toward them, blocking any sort of escape... Well, he could jump, but he doubted that Hope could jump eight feet high.

To his own surprise, Ace answered Hope's question before Vanille could. "Rursus...?"

Immediately, Vanille shook her head. "No, they're Cie'th!"

Hope shared a look of confusion with Ace as Vanille continued grimly. "All them were once l'Cie. This is what happens with l'Cie that don't complete the Focus the Fal'Cie gave them."

The three slowly grouped up, backs facing each other as the Cie'th came closer.

"Wh-what now?" Hope asked, his grip tightening on his boomerang. Ace was saved from answering when a battle cry sounded out of nowhere. He watched in slight amazement as a recognizable person barged through the crowd of Cie'th and rolled up to him. Snow had his fists ready to fight with a grim grin on his face.

"Don't worry! We'll be fine!" he said. Ace turned his attention away from Snow and mentally shook his head as he leapt at their enemies. He couldn't help but wonder if Snow was an idiot or...

Ace already took down four of the Cie'th, cutting the sickly pale skin with his cards and placing well-timed kicks with ease. He stole a glance at the white-haired man, who wrestled with a nearby Cie'th, and recalled all the times the NORA leader acted like a fool. He made his final conclusion of Snow.

...Yup, he was an idiot through and through.

When he focused back on fighting, he couldn't help but feel like everything was just completely wrong. The very fact that he was actually kicking the monsters, and rolling on the ground to dodge was just...out of place. It just wasn't his style either.

Ace blinked for a second as he threw his card at a Cie'th gunning toward a preoccupied Hope, killing it instantly.

...Since when did he have a style?

In a matter of minutes, the Cie'th were all slain and everyone regrouped at the platform. Ace was grimacing as he flicked off the sticky residue off his card. It kind of bothered him how he only used a single card the entire time. He knew he could fight with more but without ma-

His thoughts were cut off again, leaving him a bit frustrated. Why was it so hard to finish his thoughts now? Was there something wrong with him...?

"What are you doing here? You need to make a run for it. This place is not for kids." Snow practically scolded them as he approached the teens. Hope was on the group, trying to catch his breath while Vanille rested her hands on her knees doing the same. Ace returned his card to its rightful place in his pouch and looked right at Snow, not feeling winded or anything.