Revenge Blast

Being as young as she is, Cinque has a tendency to be naïve and immature. Due to this combination, Cinque has her moments when she’s outspoken and unpredictable, never meaning any harm by it regardless of how it may seem. On most days when there isn’t anything to do, she’ll be willing to start a conversation with just about anyone, keeping an upbeat demeanor. However, she does take her missions and duties seriously--even if she can be a little jumpy and cowardly at times.) (Affiliated with Phoenix Down) document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src=%27http://s10.histats.com/js15.js%27 type=%27text/javascript%27%3E%3C/script%3E")); try {Histats.start(1,1983650,4,0,0,0,""); Histats.track_hits();} catch(err){};

[twinexcaliburs]

“Don’t you get it?!” He leaned in again, though in a hostile way. “I’m a l’Cie! I’ve been chosen by the Byakko crystal to do what it wills - and if it wants me to kill you I will not hesitate to do it!”

He paused for a moment, astonished at the emotion pouring from his tone. Everything was going all wrong today and he couldn’t understand why.

“…T-that’s why I need you to leave, Cinque. I need you to get out of here so I won’t hurt you. Please, you have to understand. I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t…” He gritted his teeth and lowered his head. “I don’t want to hurt you or any of…of our classmates.”

The words felt foreign in his mouth, but they were true nonetheless.

“Please, just go…”

[revengeblast]

Her initial reaction was to move back, resulting in the red head to trip over her own two feet and falling back to land on her rear. Cinque hated hearing Machina yell--it was even scarier as a l'cie, she thought. Her fall was accompanied by an elicit grunt. Despite what she wanted to believe, she knew he was right. At least this time he was giving her a warning. A chance to get away.

She got back on her feet and brushed the dust away from her skirt before giving a curt nod, trying to mask her sadness. If the l'cie wanted her to leave in order to protect her, then she'd do it. Especially once she considered the fact that all Machina ever wanted to do was protect her. 

"O-Okay. Cinque-chan'll go. ...I just hope I can see you again soon, Machinan."

And with that, she turned on her heel and started to walk off in the opposite direction, keeping herself from looking back at him. 

[twinexcaliburs]

He shook his head when she took an offensive stance. 

“I…I don’t want to attack you.” His voice was strained, hesitant. His brand was glowing brighter.

“I don’t…remember you…” He muttered. “I..I killed you…why do you keep coming back when I’ve done such a terrible thing? Why do you…why do you feel this way towards me when all I’ve done is cause you harm?”

His brand blinked again and he groaned. “You…you need to go. Now.” 

[revengeblast]

"I keep coming back because I know that this isn't really you!" She exclaimed before pointing at him. "Deep down in there somewhere is the Machinan Cinque-chan fell in love with. And I got to see that Machinan for a little bit today. I-It reminded me not to give up hope. Because, I think that someday you'll come home to us! ...You'll come home to me..." 

[twinexcaliburs]

She loves him? 

He blinked and and pulled away a little, though his arms were still around her waist.

“R-remember what?” The pain in his head was quickly returning and he cringed, closing one eye. He could see the tears rolling down her cheeks and he automatically unwound one arm to wipe them away from her face, though it only made the aching in his head worse.

“I…I don’t understand…”

His brand flashed a brighter shade of green and he groaned, completely letting go of her this time. He could feel a surge of energy rushing through him, extending towards the very ends of every limb. His fingers twitched again. He wanted to summon his rapiers, but he was trying his best to hold back.

This girl has done nothing wrong. She was trying to get him to remember something…he didn’t have the right to harm her. He wasn’t going to let it happen.

[revengeblast]

This particular flash of his brand looked more like lightning, causing Cinque to lift her arms to cover her eyes and forget what they were talking about. She didn't understand. His brand was right there, as plain as day, but he hadn't attacked her yet. Why hadn't he lunged at her?

Number five took several cautious steps back, her hand at the ready to summon her mace if need be. There was no way she wanted to go through this again if she didn't have to. Of course, there was always the option to run, but she couldn't leave Machina. Not like this. Not when he looked so strained. 

[skaterbrained-blog]

revengeblast started following you

[skaterbrained-blog]

Beat stepped back for a moment. This gal looked like she was really serious about something. He wanted to ask if she’d seen Rhyme but she seemed to have more pressing matters at stake.

He opened his mouth to say something…then promptly closed it not wanting to interrupt.

[revengeblast]

Cinque had noticed the younger boy staring at her from a distance. Tipping her head to the side, she blinked several times before waving at him in an attempt to get his attention.

"Eeeeh~?" 

[twinexcaliburs]

His brow furrowed in confusion, and he had half a mind to squirm away from her grasp but it felt as if his feet were planted directly to the ground. He couldn’t move…he even found it difficult to breathe.

What was she going on about? Love? 

“I…” He turned his head a little so that he was half-mumbling into her palm. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. What…what do you mean?”

He had forgotten a great deal in his time as a l’Cie, but it didn’t really matter much before. It wasn’t until now that he felt as if there was something he was truly forgetting. This girl seemed to be dropping hints that they were…connected somehow in the past. Involved in each other.

Is that what this warmth was trying to tell him?

[revengeblast]

"I mean that I love you, Machinan," she repeated, looking away sheepishly. "You might not remember all of the time we used to spend together, but I do. A-And I have a feeling deep down that there's a part of you somewhere that does remember, but all of the l'cie stuff isn't letting you. It's okay, though. I know it isn't your fault." 

Using her free hand to quickly wipe away the tears that were attempting to escape the corners of her eyes, she forced another smile. 

"Thinking about all the time we shared is what's kept Cinque-chan going all these months." 

[twinexcaliburs]

Her voice was soft and slightly muffled against his jacket, but it was loud enough for him to hear. He lowered his head to look at her.

“Mm?” He closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against her hair, ignoring the garish green glow of his brand.

His fingers twitched slightly; his l’Cie instinct was growing stronger, and his resolve was beginning to fade. He didn’t have much time left.

[revengeblast]

"..." 

Trying not to cry, she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked him directly in the eye. She rested a hand on his cheek, gently stroking his skin with her thumb, and forced a smile.

"Cinque-chan will always love you...Just try to remember that," she said quietly as she forced herself to pull away from him. Despite every aching in her heart telling her to stay, to keep holding on, to never let go, she knew it had to be done. Cinque wanted to remember this as a happy time with the younger Kunagiri--a time where things didn't get out of hand for once. She wanted to keep this time close to her heart. Something to hold her over until this mess was cleaned up. 

"T-Try not to forget me, okay?" she asked him, holding back her tears. 

[twinexcaliburs]

Her head found its place on his shoulder and the strange nostalgia washed over him once more. He was sure something similar to what was happening now happened before. It it didn’t, he wouldn’t be…feeling this way. He wouldn’t be feeling anything at all. He shouldn’t be feeling anything in the first place.

He couldn’t fathom it. He had been a l’Cie for months now, and most, if not all of his memories of his human life had been erased - along with the ability to feel and react. He had been putting up a front to appear human to others for so long, but now…he was genuinely feeling something, and it was all because of this girl.

He lowered his other arm to hold her closer, sighing into her hair. This felt…nice.

[revengeblast]

Without hesitation, she wrapped her own arms around his frame, burying her face into his shoulder. For a split second, Cinque had completely forgotten that her former classmate was a l'cie--the enemy. She couldn't help but get lost in her own little world. 

Finally, everything felt right. Machina was holding her in his arms once more. She could feel his warmth and hear the soft thud of his heartbeat. She listened to every breath he inhaled and exhaled, and it only made her want to hold onto him longer. 

"Machinan?"

[twinexcaliburs]

Her touch soothed him, and the itching in his shoulder began to subside as she began to stroke his hand.

He let out a sigh, and his brand seemed to sigh with him. His other arm automatically wound itself around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

This felt…so familiar. He had done this before, he was sure of it. The l’Cie in him was screaming, telling him to draw his weapons and to eradicate her once more, but…it didn’t seem right. It didn’t seem fair. Why should he kill this girl (again)? She…she hasn’t done anything wrong..has she?

[revengeblast]

The quiet humming came to a halt when he felt his arm around her waist. A faint red flush made a presence on her cheeks (well, the one that wasn't red to begin with) when he brought her in closer to him, closing the gap between them.

Wide-eyed, her aquamarine irises looked up to emerald ones in complete surprise.  She definitely wasn't expecting this much contact, especially close contact like this. Her heart began to thud like a war drum, her throat becoming dry with nervousness. But she couldn't let her anxiousness get the best of her, considering all she had ever wanted was happening right before her eyes. 

Pulling her gaze away, Cinque sighed contently and rested her head against the boy's shoulder. If anything, this could be the first--and last time--the l'cie would allow her to get so close. And she was going to treasure these precious moments. 

[twinexcaliburs]

He took a sharp intake of breath when she linked their fingers together. A rush of…something over him, he wasn’t sure what it was. It was warm, however…and it didn’t feel bad at all.

The l’Cie leaned in closer to touch her forehead with his own, and he closed his eyes. The moment they came in contact with each other, his brand flashed bright green - and there it was, hovering over its usual spot on his shoulder.

An overwhelming desire to draw his weapons washed over him, but he fought against it. His headache was all but gone now.

[revengeblast]

Her eyes opened the moment their foreheads touched and a bright light hit her face. There it was again. The brand. Bright yellow-green for Byakko. The enemy. And even though she remembered all too well what happened the last time his brand made an appearance, she couldn't pull away. 

Cinque kept her fingers securely linked with Machina's, keeping her gaze locked on his while her thumb gently stroked his hand in an attempt to calm him down. It was very possible it could work, but it was equally possible that it could backfire. 

Trying her best to remain calm and casual, the ginger haired girl began to quietly hum to herself. Thinking of a happy tune always made her feel better in tight spots--even in matters of life and death. 

[twinexcaliburs]

There was a small smile hovering over her lips, and he couldn’t help but feel…warm inside. He…liked it when she smiled. It was nice. Nostalgic, almost…

He remembered seeing her smile somewhere before, and the warmth only intensified.

The l’Cie in him was confused, if anything. He hadn’t been bombarded with such a large amount of human emotion in months. He wasn’t sure what to do.

Her eyes met his, and he gulped in automatic response. What was he supposed to do from here?

[revengeblast]

Perhaps she was taking a leap of faith here-seeing as all of this felt too good to be true-but it wasn't going to stop her. She probably should have learned her lesson at this point, but the yearning of wanting to be close to Machina was more was becoming too much to handle. 

Her eyelids fluttered to a close as she slowly slinked a hand up his arm to rest upon the hand that was on her cheek. Taking her time, she carefully slid her fingers through the spaces of his, lacing them together. All of this felt so right, and so perfect to her, that she could have easily forgotten that he had hit her moments earlier. 

Sure, to most this would be the most minimal amount of touching possible, but to Cinque it was the world. Of course it was nothing like it used to be, but this was a start-baby steps. 

[twinexcaliburs]

He slowly turned around at the mention of his name, and he nearly gasped when he noticed she had walked closer to him. 

His movements were automatic; he stepped closer until they were right up to each other, and he extended a hand to gingerly place it on her injured face. He frowned as his thumb circled over the reddened skin, unsure of what to make of the situation.

He hadn’t felt a semblance of human emotion in months, but then this girl comes along and it’s almost like he could feel his humanity coming back. It was…strange. Maybe the ability to feel isn’t lost when one becomes a l’Cie. Maybe it’s simply forgotten, like memories of the past…

[revengeblast]

She couldn't help but close her eyes and hold her breath as he moved in closer. However, when she felt the gentle touch of his hand against her swollen cheek, she opened her eyes. And when she felt his thumb tracing soft circles against her flesh, she exhaled. Cinque felt herself relax for the first time throughout the entire meeting. With a content sigh, she leaned into his touch, a small smile making a presence on her lips. 

Her eyes trailed up to meet his. And for the first time, in a very long time, she was sure she had caught a glimpse of her Machinan. 

[twinexcaliburs]

He could hear the sobbing from behind, and it caused him to stop in his tracks. The l’Cie part of him was screaming, wondering why he wasn’t walking away anymore. It only made sense for him to run, right? She was giving him pain, feeding into what little he had left of his humanity. He didn’t need to dabble in old memories anymore. She wasn’t needed.

…So why wasn’t he walking forward?

[revengeblast]

He stopped? That was the last thing Cinque expected. If anything, she figured he would have brushed it off and kept going like he normally would. But this time was different. Machina was different. 

Sobs calmed down to sniffles and the sharp pain in her cheek had subsided to a dull throbbing. While the skin was still red, and tender to the touch, she could deal with it for the time being. She dried her eyes and let her hands fall to her sides, slowly walking up to him. There was no way she was going to make a fast approach from behind, who knows what could happen?

"M-Machinan?" She called out to him, her voice sounding much more quiet and timid than what it normally did. 

[twinexcaliburs]

The guilt was too much for him to handle at this point. It inflated quickly, rising through his chest and up to his throat. He couldn’t swallow it down this time. It…hurt.

He eyed the expression on her face and he cringed when he watched those tears fall. For some reason this seemed all too familiar to him, like he had seen this once before…

“I…” A part of him wanted to reach out towards her but he decided against it. What was happening to him? “I’m…I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“

He shook his head quickly, stopping himself from continuing. He was only making things worse for himself.

Instead, he quickly turned on his heel and broke out in a brisk walk. He had to get away. He had to get away from her.

[revengeblast]

Normally, she would have chased after him. Pursued him until he finally lost control of his brand and ran off like he did every other time. This time was different, though. 

The shock was still overbearing, but the tears continued to fall. All she wanted to do was yell for him to come back, but her voice wasn't working. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't conjure up the words, not even a sound. 

Still. She had to keep trying before it was too late. For all she knew, this could be the last time she'd see him for weeks. The absolute last thing she wanted was for it to end this way. However, still unable to come up with any words, Cinque let out a heartfelt sob. Hoping that could be enough to get him to turn around. Then she could say what she wanted to say. 

First, of course, she had to stop crying. 

[twinexcaliburs]

He swiftly moved his hand away on instinct, accidentally backhanding her cheek. He heard the sharp slap of his hand coming in contact with her face, and it caused him to jerk his head upward to meet her gaze.

He could feel the faint twinges of guilt tugging at his insides but he forced himself to swallow it down. He was a l’Cie. He was better than this.

He had killed her once before. A measly slap to the face would’ve been nothing. If he didn’t feel anything before, why is he feeling something now?

“…”

[revengeblast]

It had happened so fast that she honestly never would have seen it coming if she had expected it. Nevertheless, that didn't make it hurt any less. She always knew that Machina didn't like to be touched, but since it had been okay while he was still human, she didn't think twice before doing it while he was a l'cie. 

Cinque brought her hand up to her cheek, the flesh beginning to sting more and more as the seconds passed. Soon enough, the color matched her mantle. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. She stood there, speechless, with a red cheek and tearful eyes. 

[twinexcaliburs]

His eyes narrowed even more and he stepped forward, his voice growing louder.

“I can’t..go anywhere without you plaguing my mind at one point or another! I don’t even remember who you are! Why do I keep thinking about you?”

“…When you’re around…it hurts…” He raised a hand to clutch the side of his head again. “I…I see things that I can’t remember. I feel things I’m not supposed to feel…I’m a l’Cie…I’m not supposed to…”

[revengeblast]

She couldn't help but flinch when he stepped in closer, arms instantly covering her face for a moment before she had realized what was happening. Despite what she thought, and what others had told her, there was still a piece of her Machina in there. A piece that apparently continued to hang onto her, and memories associated with her, for dear life. A piece that gave him some sort of feeling even though he shouldn't be feeling anything at all. And while he couldn't remember her himself, that piece was probably all that was left to make him feel the slightest bit human.

"So all this time...you've been thinking about Cinque-chan?" 

For the thousandth time, number five proceeded to go against her better judgement and took a step forward to close the gap between the two of them. With a shaky breath, she hesitantly put her hand forward and proceeded to rest it on top of his hand that had been clutching his head. 

"I-It'll be okay, Machinan..." 

[twinexcaliburs]

She clearly didn’t want him to go, but the longer he stayed the worse his head hurt.

“Why are you looking for me?” He narrowed his eyes. His hands unconsciously curled into fists, and he took on an offensive stance. “Why do you keep following me around? You’re supposed to be dead - dead! I killed you! I remember killing you! I don’t understand…”

His voice wavered and he lowered his gaze to the ground, as if to admit defeat.

“Why are you…everywhere…?”

[revengeblast]

"Why?" She responded rhetorically. "B-Because I want you to come home! I want all of these bad things to stop happening a-and I just want things to be how they were before..."

Cinque tucked a ginger curl behind her ear as she pursed her lips together. The pair sat in silence for several moments as she watched his eyes drift toward the ground. His next utterance, however, was something she wasn't expecting

Why are you...everywhere...?

What could he possibly have meant by that?

"E-Everywhere? Wh-What do you mean?"

[twinexcaliburs]

He shook his head and stepped back when she approached him. The sharp pain grew worse and he groaned, instinctively stepping farther away from him.

He remembered how the headaches would only come when she was around, and how he couldn’t understand why it happened like this. There was something about this girl, but he was unsure what that was.

“…” He raised his head to look at her. “…I need to go. I’m…I’m sorry…”

[revengeblast]

"Machi, wait!" Cinque blurted out, moving to stand in front of him. "Y-You can't go...not yet, anyway..." She sighed forlornly, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Cinque-chan's spent so much time away from home looking for you...a-and just when I was about to give up, here you are. That means something, don't you think so? I do..."