Just Focus (FFXIII)

12) The Gapra Whitewood

Long leaves traced with blue veins of energy glow brightly all around us, filling the research facility from top to bottom with artificial life and illuminating the nursery of newfound PSICOM beasts. The walls are iron, bolted together to prevent escape, not entry. Lit by the same mysterious glow as the plant life, the floor leads a guided path through the facility, disappearing in all sorts of winding directions. Lightning charges in first, gun raised as she runs to the nearest shadow. Silently, she motions for us to follow her, seeing nothing around. I hold my breath, falling into a low crouch by her side. Hope ducks his head, staring hard at our strange surroundings. Everything is so familiar, and yet, so alien at the same time.

"Can't believe we made it," he says, eyes alight with life I haven't seen before. The ground rumbles as the gate closes behind us, sealing our fate.

"That'll slow pursuit," Light comments.

"But aren't there troops on this side?"

"There're troops everywhere," I point out. "It's just a matter of how many we can handle."

"Still, we can't relax just yet."

"Right," Light nods. "We press on. I'll take point. You watch our backs."

"Actually..." Hope cuts in. I frown. This is going to be stressful. "Why don't you let me take point?" He laughs uncomfortably upon seeing our faces.

"Can you handle it?" Light asks. Hope laughs again, running ahead of her and looking back.

"It's not a question of can or can't." I roll my eyes.

"Now you're learning." He turns to lead the way and she barks out her instructions. "Keep your eyes front. I'll watch the rear and Amarhi will keep an eye on the rest." He nods.

"Got it."

"And be careful," I add, desperate to stay alive. Light scoffs, her own way of laughing I guess, and I draw my daggers, ready. Under my breath, I speak to her as Hope takes off. "I want us all to survive this in one piece." She nods curtly.

"Anything happens up front, you rush in to help him."

"Gotcha."

Hope tentatively leads the way down the path, watching the gleaming wood pass with wonder. Light keeps her eyes sharp, finger ready to pull the trigger should someone come up behind us. Between the two, I make sure to keep my eyes on it all, checking for anything and everything the others might miss. The pace is so slow that I nearly trip over Hope several times, impatient to get through Palumpolum and reach Eden. Realizing the problem, Light speaks up.

"Be wary, but don't be afraid."

"O-Okay."

"What should we be looking for in here?" I ask, glancing up to see the sky. "I was always told to stay away, but are we just searching for soldiers?"

"No," Light replies. "This is where they develop the monsters that PSICOM uses as crowd control."

My mind flashes back to the behemoth that inadvertently caused the death of Hope's mother. In the end, it was Snow that made the final call. Still, PSICOM is nowhere near blameless for this. They killed many more than her. They killed my family. Gritting my teeth, I bring myself back into focus upon seeing Hope pull his boomerang free, seeing a collection of brilliantly colored slugs up ahead. Not threatening in the slightest.

The creatures hiss, leaping into the air and diving at Hope before anyone can get to him. Ducking his head, he raises his arms as the slimy creatures slam him, knocking him back toward us. I slice through one's soft flesh, flinching when hot, acidic goo pours from the wound. Grimacing, I fling the stuff off my arm and watch my skin blister from the burns. Frag leech. Lightning takes my spot, cutting a leech clean in two with her blade. At least they're easy. Hope sends a wall of flame toward the pack of slugs and they shriek as their skin crackles, drying out. I cut down two stragglers before stepping back, ready for another monster. There are none. Lightning sheathes her sword, nodding at us.