Scars of Battle and Betrayal (Rated T for Teen for Violence and Blood plus some mild language)

"Not long" Kyle said as he pulled out his ID and swiped it through the card reader.

"Welcome back Kyle Ravenscroft"

The gate opened up and Kyle walked through. Soon they were in a large hall where numerous people were walking around. Several nodded in his direction.

"Welcome to I.C.R.S. Headquarters, defenders of Bodhum especially against Fal'Cie and the threat of L'Cie. We make it our business to fight and rid the world of the Fal'Cie" Kyle said.

"Yeah well you still don't get how cruel they can be. Trust me I know that all too well." Natsume said showing a bit of sadness in her eyes. It was the first bit of emotion she'd shown in a while since the escape.

"Well the director will want to see this, I'm not the one you need to show the cruelty of the Fal'Cie to if anyone you need to talk to him. He's the one you want to see" Kyle explained.

Kyle walked over to an elevator and pressed a switch.

"I'll take you straight to him" Kyle said as the doors opened up.

"Then let's go...I was silently hoping you'd come to rescue me on your own decision...guess I didn't make a good enough first impression." natsume said as she followed Kyle.

"Um..." Kyle said looking confused.

They walked inside the elevator and Kyle pressed the switch that led down to the directors hall. Kyle's eyes were closed and he had his arms crossed. He was thinking about what Natsume just said.

'What did she mean by that?" Kyle thought.

Soon the doors opened up and they stepped out. Suddenly Kyle heard his name and looked up to see someone coming.

"Kyle, welcome back"

A girl with blond hair and a white lab coat greeted Kyle and Natsume.

"It's about time you got back"

Natsume looked over the girl not sure what to make of her. "friend of yours?" she asked. Her thumb was just under the cross guard of her sword in case a trap was being sprung on her. She wasn't going to get caught again not by anyone.

"Yes, the smart and annoying Gabrielle Knightly" Kyle said as he held his hand to his head.

He ignored the pouting coming from said girl.

"I'm not annoying Kyle, if someone would pick up the slack I wouldn't be on your case every day"

Gabrielle turned to Natsume.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Gabrielle as you've already heard.

"Natsume Yumiko is the name though most call me Battousai the Manslayer. Though the men I've slain were pawns of the Fal'cie not that the fact does much for my conscience." Natsume said looking down to the ground as she said the last part. She wasn't a fan of fighting others who flocked to protect the Fal'cie but had to do what she did to make headway towards slaying the monsters that hide as deities.

"Never heard of anyone by that sort of title" Kyle said.

Kyle walked past Gabrielle who was stunned at Natsume's introduction.

"Um...okay"

Gabrielle turned her back on them.

"Director Xavier is waiting on you two, Natsume it has come to our knowledge that you have information that can help us finally bring an end to the Fal'Cie and their unjust rule"

"It's more of a testament to how they ruin people's lives...you'll understand when you see the time stamps for the video feeds...." natsume said as she held her necklace close to her chest. For the first time since she was a little girl she looked vulnerable even sad.

Kyle opened a door and walked in beckoning Gabrielle and Natsume to follow him. Inside was nice office with the traditional Japanese garden feel. Sitting behind a desk was Director Xavior. He stood as soon as Kyle entered his office.

"I can guess that you have brought Natsume Yumiko with you?" Director Xavior said.

"Yes sir, she's just outside the door" Kyle said.

Kyle took a seat and rested his chin on his hands and closed his eyes.

Natsume walked in. Seeing the look of the office only made her feel homesick as the video files would soon make them understand her torment. "I guess I have you to thank for Kyle saving me...arigato..." she said bowing a bit.

Gabrielle joined them and sat down saying nothing.

"Yes, we had to get you out of the clutches of the Liberators, they indeed are misguided fools under the direct order of the Fal'Cie. Please have a seat and show us what you have of their foul intentions" Director Xavior said.

Kyle opened his eyes but said nothing.

"This necklace is more than a keepsake from my life but has video files I managed to steal when I finally got free from captivity at their hands..." Natsume said activating the necklace.

It showed how she came to be captured as she had been a child in the age of fuedal Japan. She'd been given to them as a sacrifice by her village though the village was later shown in flames. As the years passed in the files it showed all the experiments the Fal'cie performed on her. "As you can see they made it to where I am almost completely immortal...only serious wounds can threaten my life...they took my home, my life, and everything else precious to me..." she continued tears in her eyes.

"Another experiment from the Fal'Cie, Natsume you aren't the only one. The Fal'Cie have abducted numerous people and conducted experiments on them but out of all of them only two survived the experimentations and you're both sitting in this room" Director Xavior said.

His eyes shifted to Kyle who wasn't looking at Xavior or Natsume.

"It still doesn't make it right...torturing and testing on me only to have me escape and find myself in a world that is like some sort of demon realm!" natsume said snapping at the director. "Not to mention your decor is making me homesick!" she said with tears still in her eyes. She missed her world as it was as flawed as it may have been. it was her home she knew its ins and outs.

"I never said anything about it being right. What the Fal'Cie have done and what they plan on doing will be stopped. Which is why we had to get you away from them. A battle is coming, and sooner or later you're going to get wound up in it. Natsume now is the time to choose sides" Director Xavier said.

"How are you so sure that the Fal'Cie can even be defeated, half of them are fucking gods" Kyle said.

"Because we have their two greatest weapons at our disposal. Think about it Kyle. Why do you think you and Natsume were abducted by the Fal'Cie. In you is something they need to make the ultimate weapon, the downfall of all human kind. They attended to use you to bring about destruction and chaos. If you two turn against them using the powers they gave you then they can't prepare for a battle for which they've already lost" Director Xavior said.

"Sorry but I would need more proof that you're committed than some fancy speeches. You've only seen the stuff from video files you've never experience the sorts of pain that I went through only Kyle would. And it would take more than the two of us to bring them down but there are still people who think them gods." natsume said angry at how the director was spinning tales.

"The enemy of my enemy isn't always a friend. Sometimes you have to fight with and eye trained to watch for a knife in the back." she added.

"Well I'm committed to taking down the Fal'Cie" Kyle said as he stood up.

He pulled up his shirt showing off his muscular build and dead on his chest was the L'Cie brand.

"If this isn't proof that I want to take the bastards down then nothing else will. I'm hitting the showers" Kyle said as he placed his shirt down.

He walked out the door and disappeared.

"You want commitment, then here" Director Xavior said.

He pressed a switch and pulled up a hologram of a very beautiful woman with red hair.

"My wife was killed by the Fal'Cie three years ago as part of their experimitations, and ever since I created this organization to put an end to them. Whether you trust us or not I really don't give a damn. But I know what I'm fighting for. So don't dare come in here and accuse me of being someone not trustworthy. Gabrielle please escort her to a room. Whether you stay here or not is your choice, no one's pulling your leg" Director Xavior said as he turned his back on Natsume and stared out the window.

"This way Natsume, if you please"

Gabrielle turned to the door a d walked out.

Kyle walked into his room undoing the harness that allowed him to strap Ravanger to his back. He placed it on a table. He flicked on the light. He undid his gloves and tossed them on his bed. Sitting down he pulled off his boots and placed them on the side of his bed. He then caught sight of the picture sitting on his bedside table. It was a picture of his younger sister, Cassie. She had died in the destruction of his home when he was younger. Both his parents and sister were dead and he taken away to be experimented on by the Fal'Cie. Kyle pulled his shirt off and grabbed a towel from the closet. A necklace was visible around his neck, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door.