A/N: Inspiration hit me after the first prompt and I decided to continue.

If you haven't read the first story, this has the potential to confuse you a bit. You can find it here if you're interested (just delete the spaces in the browser): http:/ / www. fanfiction. net/ s/6747108/ 1/Forbidden_Friendship

This is a hop, skip and a jump from baby and toddler times though. I base this loosely, but the picture in my mind is of Fang as a child (almost twelve or so at least) and Vanille around the same age, but obviously a few years younger. I get all of my information from here: (just delete the spaces) http: / /dilly-shilly. blogspot. com/ search/ label/ Final%20Fantasy%20XIII

Also, the titles of the chapters are all lyrics that can be found in "Sticks and Stones" by Jo'nsi which is also on the "How to Train Your Dragon" soundtrack. I know. I'm obsessed.

Disclaimer: I only claim this fic.

Forbidden Friendship: The Paths We Take

Scream and Shout

The smell after it rains…I hate it.

To me: it smelled like worms, dirt and fish. And, personally, I believe that particular combination was never meant to work; and, take it from me: it didn't. Also, I didn't particularly enjoy tracking mud all over my body due to rain if only because my mother and father didn't approve of dirt in the house. Being dirty didn't bother me, but having to take baths did.

There were upsides to rain though. Like how it made flowers grow; flowers that smelled beautiful, looked beautiful and happened to be one of Vanille's favorite things; one of her many favorite things. And right before it rained it smelled absolutely refreshing. Like morning dew, baby plants and, to be honest, a little bit like Vanille's hair when she got out of the shower. In her terms the smell before it rained smelled 'very naturey'.

She would say the same for the soap she used.

At this moment, though, that smell laced the air.

Standing on a small hill littered in these pink flowers, I inhaled, my shoulders lifting and then sagging as I exhaled in harmony. Once the rain would start, the smell would begin to recede, leading only to the terrible fish smell. I wanted to cherish the beauty for the few moments that I could; the few moments where gray cloud cover eliminated the viper's nest from the sky.

I decided then that I loved gray clouds.

"Fang!"

I stayed in my stance; eyes closed, breathing in the aromatic winds. Besides, Vanille was the only person who would try finding me. Even my parents weren't that worried. Or that devoted. I never blamed them though; being in charge of a clan was hard. Vanille would say so as well. My parents were head of the 'Yun' tribe; hers the 'Dia'. I supposed you could call our friendship some sort of a 'peace-offering' or, depending on how you looked at it, 'forbidden'.

"Fang! I was looking all over for you!" she whined lightly, her smile outshining her disappointment. "Da Pa said you would be here…he always knows where you're at, you know that?"

Yeah, I know he did. Da Pa was always like that: very wise. He said I would grow up one day to become wiser than him. Of course, I didn't believe that. No one was smarter than Da Pa.

"Fang!" Vanille waved her hand vigorously in my face, causing me to back away slightly when I finally opened my eyes. "Oh good! I thought you were sleeping there, for a minute."

I smirked "And what's it to you if I was?"

"Don't be mean." She huffed, placing her hands on her hips for a slight second before changing her position again. Vanille never was able to sit still. Turns out as a baby she always wanted to be doing some sort of activity and I would literally have to come over just to wear her out so she'd get some sleep. Well, that, and Vanille always cried if I wasn't there when she was being put to sleep. It'd been years since then, but I never ceased sleeping in the same bed as her. If I didn't, she would cry.

"Anyway…" She continued despite my wandering thoughts "I found something at Da Pa's house. He told me to give it to you since he can't move from bed—uh…"

My face visibly dropped.

Perhaps one of the only things in the world that could get to me so badly was that my Da Pa was dying. I knew it, but I refused to face it. If that wasn't bad enough, I began ignoring him. I couldn't stand to see him suffering. It hurt so bad watching him wither away in a bed when I had known Da Pa for so long; and this…decaying, pale body that could do nothing except lie in a bed…was not my Da Pa.

For a time now, Vanille had tried her best to avoid the subject. She knew how close Da Pa and I were from the stories he told her (some were a bit far-fetched, but I never let Vanille in on his white lies. After all, he was allowed to have his fun).

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to say that like…" she saddened, her brow furrowing before she shook her head and smiled again "Anyway…I brought you this from him. He also told me to tell you something when I handed it to you."

I gazed at the item Vanille held in her hands.

It was large; much larger than her. It expanded sideways and was rather long. The two ends were more bulbous than the middle which was a stick in comparison. In fact, I'd say it was a stick with two balls attached to the ends of it if I had to make a guess, but it was hard to discern as it was wrapped in brown paper.

Nodding I held out my hands and waited for her to drop the object in them; she looked like she was having a bit of a difficult time carrying it anyway. "So…what'd the ole man want you to tell me?"

Vanille grinned. Sometimes that girl could be so transparent. "Happy Birthday, Fang!"

My eyes widened slowly, but then I smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me!" she pouted, smacking my shoulder. Needless to say: it didn't hurt. "Thank Da Pa!"

I frowned ever so slightly and set the gift against my leg. I was grateful, but I couldn't go see him now. Not after ignoring him for so long. I was…pathetic. I loved Da Pa so much that I was afraid to see him. I'd turned in to a coward. "I can't."

"And why not?"

"I just can't. You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, wouldn't I?" she crossed her arms and grabbed the present. "You know what I don't understand? Why you've been avoiding Da Pa for so long! But you know what I do understand: Da Pa loves you. And he misses you…a lot."

"Vanille. Stop it." I growled. I didn't want to hear this. I already knew that I was stupid for avoiding him. I scolded myself every night before I fell asleep. Actually, I hadn't gotten much sleep because of it. At night it was easier to admit to myself: I missed him.

"Not until you decide to go see him!" she yelled, swiping the object back from me and swinging it wildly.

"Woah! Watch it, Vanille. You can't carry that thing very well!"

"At least I can still try to! You won't even try!"

I raised my brow. "Lifting the gift?"

"You know what I'm talking about! Don't play stupid, Fang!" she huffed, tears racing down her cheeks. Vanille was always quick to cry, but she always had reason to. It was never out of pity or selfishness. She usually cried…for me. Sometimes I think she cried in my place; because I never had. "Go see Da Pa! He's wasting away, Fang! Every time I go there, he always asks how you're doing or if you're coming. I hate telling him that you won't come so I've started telling him: 'she might come later.', but do you ever? No, you don't!"

"Vanille please…"

"I don't like seeing him like this as much as you don't…but…it makes him so happy when he sees me. I can't imagine what kind of smile…you, Fang, would bring to his face. Do you know what's wrapped in this paper…" she asked gently, pulling the brown cover away "A double-edged spear. See? Da Pa still worries about you and he still forgives you; even though you're being selfish by avoiding him!"

I slowly inhaled.

She might as well have punched me in the gut; actually I would have probably preferred that to feeling this pain.

No one had ever scolded me for avoiding Da Pa; they just accepted it and said it was my way of coping. They were right, but to cope that way…I wasn't coping correctly, not that there was a right or wrong way to cope, but I should have enough strength to see my Da Pa and be happy just knowing that I can make his day that much better.

Instead I was hiding in a corner, despairing selfishly; waiting patiently for the day that he really would be gone and I'd never get to see him again.

"I don't know what I'd say to him…besides 'sorry'." I whispered, afraid that if I spoke any louder my voice would tremble and give away how frightened, how sad, I was.

Vanille smiled through her tears and hugged me. "Tell him everything that you've told me. You're stories about Da Pa…speak volumes of how much you love him, Fang."

She was right. Da Pa was always there for me when no one else was. Even when Vanille wasn't around, Da Pa was. He showed me the way, even helped me along. I never walked my paths alone because Da Pa was beside me. And then when he knew he couldn't be, he gave me a friend that I could walk beside. I was never really alone; and Da Pa was the one who gave me that gift.

I squeezed Vanille and ran in the direction of Da Pa's abode. I vaguely heard her screaming about my gift in the background, but I missed whatever she truly said. My mind was focused on seeing Da Pa.

In a haze I stumbled pass the villagers, through the town and to Da Pa's. I was urgent; people were in my way. There were too many things going on around me at once. I had questions being thrown at me, accusations and admonishments. Somehow, I ignored them all and was able to reach Da Pa's house within a few minutes.

I stopped at the door, heaving to catch my breath. The adrenaline, I knew, would be fading soon as would Vanille's words. If I didn't act now, I'd probably never get the nerve to see him ever again; or to tell him how much I loved him.

Raising my hand I went to knock on the door when I realized: what the hell am I doing? I shouldn't be knocking! I should be barging in there and hugging the one I missed the most.

Still, even though I decided not to knock, I cautiously opened the door. "Da Pa?" I called when I heard no response. I wasn't going to enter unless I knew he was awake. He had to be awake. I wouldn't let myself believe that he could be…I couldn't.

A grunt came from the covers and the sheets fell away from the body. Da Pa raised his head. His blue eyes, still as light and glossy as ever, opened and my presence robbed his face of a smile. He was too surprised to do anything other than gape.

"Da Pa…I…" I started, still outside of the doorway, unsure if I had permission to enter.

Da Pa smiled, his eyes wide as he moved to the edge of his bed to get up and see me. He grunted, wobbled, walked towards me…

…and was gone.

The entire house was gone; or rather, crushed right before me, a giant foot looming atrociously on top of the building that once was my Da Pa's abode.

I was in shock. How? When? Where? Why! I was barely able to register the screaming in the background, but it was clear what was in front of me: A demon.

A demon sent from the viper's nest.

I couldn't believe it. Da Pa was so close. He was right there. I was just about to tell him everything I never had the guts to say before. And he was gone. Anger welled up inside of me. That…that thing! That demon stole my Da Pa from me! He stole my Da Pa, he stole my words. It was more than I could bear. I couldn't focus on Da Pa being killed; I couldn't fall in to despair now. So I channeled that sadness in to hate.

Screaming, I lunged forward wanting to kill the giant beast that came from the sky, from that den of demons in the sky! But a hand grabbed mine.

"We need to get out of here!" Vanille cried, pulling me desperately alongside of her as though I were nothing more than a ragdoll.

"I'll kill them…" I kept chanting, disconnected.

Vanille shook her head and continued running, too breathless to speak.

We must have run for hours, for it felt like so. But I knew we hadn't when I started recognizing my surroundings. We were on the flower field again, watching as devastation tore our hometown apart.

That terrible creature which had flown down from the viper's nest, the one that killed Da Pa, was now destroying everything within its wake. With its right hand it tore the earth, splitting it into one thousand fragments which flew to strike the people; our people.

With its left hand it ripped down the mountains, crumbling them into more fragments which flew to slaughter the creatures.

With both of its hands it pulled up the river and sent it crashing down on both our people and the creatures, washing them away.

It devoured the fruits of our earth and took our fertile lands with it hands, rolling it up and carrying it away. Metals deep within the earth it tore out with its right hand, stole with its left hand, and then carried those away too.

It turned buildings to rubble and carried away without a trace left behind.

The only thing wasted was the countless lives of our people; friends and families. Screams of terror continued to plague the earth as its slaughtering continued, missing not one beat.

And when the demon finally flew once more in to the sky, back to its den of thieves and murderers, the only sound left in its wake was the silence of death.

Everything was still; as quiet as the death that just plagued our lands. Until finally sounds began to filter through my ears and I heard the small sounds of a single child crying.

Vanille screamed in to my back as she gripped my shoulders, tears streaming down her face like the river that washed our loved ones away. She knew.

She knew we were homeless now. Our parents…there was no hope for survival in the town. Vanille had reached me just in time to steal me away from harm. But two kids couldn't save an entire village.

I glared at the lurking nest in the sky. My mind focusing on the hate I felt welling up inside my heart. I wasn't sure how long I stood there; just glaring, but it must have been quite a long while because when I finally registered my surroundings: I was on the ground, my head lying against the flower beds.

Rubbing the eyes that itched as if I had over-taxed them by crying (though I knew I hadn't), I sat up and looked around. It was dark; moonlight burning brightly in to my retinas as I gazed up at the night pregnant with stars. And then I looked back down.

Nearest me was my weapon…the one Da Pa had meant to give me. I cringed and gripped it in my fist. Then I noticed the fire which had been lit, but was now very obviously out. Smoke rose from the ashes, meaning that the fire couldn't have been out for long. So why was Vanille missing?

"Vanille?" I whispered, unsure of myself. But my voice didn't travel far and at this time, Gran Pulse was a very lonely place to be. And that's when I thought; Gran Pulse was a lonely place. For what reasons did I need to whisper? The creatures were gone; the people were gone. For all I knew, Vanille and I were all that was left.

I stood, standing in an offensive position as I took a deep breath. "VANILLE!" My voice didn't echo; there were no longer any surfaces for it to sound off of, but it traveled and I could distinctly tell how loud a voice sounds on a silent planet. "VANILLE-!" I yelled once more, straining my voice, water flowing to the rims of my eyes as I had begun to assume the worst.

I shook my head and got ready to scream again, but my throat was hurting and I choked on my words as they exited my mouth "Vani—ck…"

The strength in my legs that had propelled me thus far left me and I hit the ground with a thud, grass shifting beneath me as if to lessen the blow. No, I wouldn't accept this. Yes, I was strong enough to make it on my own, but I wasn't strong enough to admit that I was the reason Vanille was gone. That Da Pa was gone. That my entire village was gone…wiped out by the swipe of a monster's one hand.

And that I was unable to do anything to stop it.

"Fang!"

I looked up, eyes stark-wide.

She giggled, scratching her head, a few twigs sticking out of her pigtails. "I heard you screaming. I knew you could be loud, but that was really…loud…"

"Vanil-…"I stopped, straightening my stance. This was no time to be weak. If Vanille needed to lean on me, then I needed to be here for her. I couldn't afford to let sadness slow me down. I had to drive myself forward and if that meant using anger as my crutch; I'd do it. "What were you doing out there?"

She must have sensed the change in my mood because she instantly looked as though I'd thrown her for a loop with the question. "I was looking for food…I was afraid to look for some in the rubble."

In the rubble that was our town; there must have been hundreds of bodies lying around there. Vanille not wanting to go was no surprise, but if that demon wiped out all the creatures, we had to find food one way or another.

"I'll go."

"But...we don't know if it really wiped out all the monsters. It's risky."

"No more risky than when you ventured out there. I'll go in to town, see if I can find salvageable food and when I come back I want a fire ready. Can you do that?"

Vanille simply nodded; a little more than intimidated by this newer, colder side of me. I tried to loosen up, placing my hand on her shoulder. "…it's okay, Vanille. There's no way that thing could have killed everyone. We'll rebuild when we find others, but for now, and until then, we'll stick together. I'll protect both of us…" I winked and turned, walking away as Vanille's worried gaze followed my shadowed form the entire way to the pile of rubble we once called our home.

"…and then I'll hunt that demon out of the sky; even if I have to rip out its wings."