A/N: Well, here you go: the long awaited sequel to "Something in the Air." I'm not happy with it, not in the least, but I'm hoping you guys can enjoy it. There is a tense change somewhere near the end. I won't say why - that would spoil it. Anyway, if you have not gotten past the Fifth Ark, in game, this will have both location and plot spoilers. The latter only concerns the end-game, for the single reference I had to a certain word. Those of you who have played will recognize this, and probably find it ridiculous.
Anyway, while I recommend you read the first fic, you don't have to, as this will make sense without it. Other than that, if you have, you will recognize the time related reference that is somewhere in the beginning as an indication of when this fic took place in relation to the last one, and also, I DO NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY!
Enjoy!
"Hope, where's Vanille?" Fang asked, a bouquet of white flowers tucked under her arm. She'd picked them on a Cie'th hunting excursion, practicing her skills. She threw in an extra smirk with the question, hoping to make Hope answer more quickly - she was anxious to get Vanille those flowers. They were her favorite, after all. Vanille always had a penchant for yuri, no matter how hilarious the circumstances they had come to imply.
Hope shrugged, standing under a dilapidated windmill in the square. "I think she's playing with Bhakti or something." He didn't sound too interested. Fang doubted he'd even looked up. She didn't care; she wasn't really looking either.
"Okay, thanks kiddo, catch ya later," Fang said as she continued walking. Hope glanced up for a moment, the bouquet catching his eye.
"Wait- What's with the flowers?" He asked.
She stopped for a moment, "A gift."
"You're giving flowers to Vanille? Why?" He came closer, curious.
"Don't worry about it - you wouldn't understand." She waved the boy on and resumed walking, trying to signal that she didn't want his company. She huffed, muttering under her breath, "Kids these days..."
"Wouldn't understand?" Hope repeated. Fang jumped a little as she realized the was still being followed. She furrowed her brow in annoyance, walking faster. The boy did not seem to take notice of her steadily exhausting patience. She let this go on for a few seconds without answering before stopping in her path and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Take my word for it, alright?" She said, trying not to snap at him despite the annoyance. He nodded. She held the gaze for a moment and released her hold, turning and walking off in the direction of the ancient abode she and Vanille had once shared. It was only a few strides before she reached the rusted set of stairs.
Lightning and Snow brushed past her on her way up, heading out to check the area for monsters. Sazh sat on a railing nearby. She took a deep breath as she reached the top. Her heart pounded in her chest wildly, but she calmed it with a sigh and a hard swallow, stepping in the oblong doorway and putting up her spear. She could hear sounds of Bhakti playing a familiar recording and beeping from the living area.
"Vanille?" she called from the doorway, waiting on an answer. No such luck. A light breeze blew her hair forward, tickling her nose. She resisted the urge to sneeze and tucked the stray strands behind her ear as she gripped her lance again. Something didn't seem quite right.
"Anybody home?" Fang asked, voice giving only a slight indicator of her suspicion. No response. Fang peeked around the corner and breathed a sigh of relief.
Vanille was curled up peacefully on the rug next to the robot. The girl gave a light snore as Fang approached, putting away her weapon once more. Bhakti waggled his antenna at her when she got close, voices reverberating throughout the space.
Fang recognized them instantly. How could she not? After all, she certainly knew her own when she heard it, and there wasn't a voice in the world that could match that of Vanille's. If five hundred years couldn't make her forget it, she doubted anything could, even Bhakti and his horrible microphone. She smiled.
"Say it again!"
Fang shuffled in the background, "What's in it for me?" she asked.
"Hmm . . I'm not sure," she paused, "Come on, just once?"
Fang could be heard sighing and muttering inaudibly. Static overtook the sound.
"Fang! Say it so Bhakti can hear you!" Vanille pleaded, bringing their footsteps closer to the robot.
"Oh for the fiftieth time already.. I love you, Vanille!" Fang shouted, huffing in both exasperation and sincerity.
The two shuffled in what sounded like Vanille hugging Fang.
"Fang!" she squealed adorably.
The two giggled in the background as the recording faded into white noise, and a file corruption error appeared on screen, accompanied by a low bloop. Bhakti's headlights flipped closed.
"That's it, huh?" She asked the thing, "A couple centuries has really gotten to ya, eh?"
Bhakti made a noise, sounding insulted.
"Relax, relax – I'm not complaining or anything, you crazy bucket of bolts, but I thought I told you not to record that. It was embarrassing!" She hissed, looking down at the girl as she thought back to their time as humans.
He beeped again, less loudly, and shut down.
Fang smiled at the memory, thinking back to their childhood as she gazed at the girl's sleeping form. She sat down next to Vanille, still holding the flowers gingerly. Light played about her on the scrappy carpet, giving life to her curves as she breathed. A soft glow graced her skin.
"What am I going to do with you?" she muttered as she brushed a stray lock from the red-head's face. She was simply adorable - so adorable that Fang had to fight the urge to squeeze the stuffing out of the girl. She retracted her hand from its position over her quickly as Vanille's body twitched and sprawled out on the carpet in a stretch, settling gradually back into a relaxed position once a satisfying crack was heard. A sigh escaped her lightly parted lips. Fang wished it was for her sake. She hadn't heard one of those in almost a week. It was driving her insane.
Vanille's eyes soon fluttered open to meet the older pulsian's, widening significantly, then squinting, "Fang?"
The raven-haired woman's gaze locked with hers. "Look who's awake," She joked, taking the flowers from behind her back, "I got you a present." Vanille wiped the crust away from her tear ducts and leaned over to take a look at the object Fang held. It took a moment for the realization to set in. She was most definitely not a morning person.
Once her mind registered the data, Vanille squealed, "Fang! They're beautiful!" She took the lilies in hand, squinting again as the sunlight from the window hit the white petals, resulting in near blinding light. "Where did you find them?" she asked, her mood instantly bright and cheery. She twirled the bouquet in the light absentmindedly.
"Not as beautiful as you," Fang murmured under her breath in her usual flirtatious manner, just loud enough for the younger girl to pick up on; she loved a good round of teasing every now and then. She continued, "I found them same place as always."
The warrior stretched out in the dusty carpet casually, taking in its greatly diminished, but still familiar scent. The pink walls glittered around her. She rolled on her side, facing Vanille, who flashed a smile.
Vanille blushed, "How did you know?"
Fang smiled, cherishing the occurrence, "Always have - we used to pick them all the time, remember?"
Vanille nodded, an involuntary pout beginning to form on her lips. She wanted to cover it up, to say that she wasn't depressed, but she couldn't ignore the facts. Still, she missed those days, when she and Fang could frolic in the flowers as long as they wanted, not having to worry about the problems of being l'Cie. She missed her friends, the villagers, tourists even, but now, all of them were gone.
Fang's smile faltered. "What's wrong?" she asked, already knowing the answer - the very same problem stared her in the face with likewise intensity, but that wasn't the important thing. Since they'd come to Pulse, Vanille just wasn't being herself, and Fang was determined to fix that.
Vanille sniffed and sat up further, feeling her eyes beginning to well up with tears. Her voice was timid and raspy as she stuttered an attempt to form a coherent answer. She knew she didn't have to outright, but the question was there and she needed to answer it. Fang coaxed gently; comforting, though she'd grown used to it, wasn't exactly her forte.
"I just-" she stifled a gasp, "I just wish that-"
Fang stopped her, "I know, I know. It's hard for me too, coming home to see all of this - everything gone. It's crazy, and I-" She was cut off by the long sob of a voice coming from Vanille.
"-just wish everyone was back!" Vanille's face flooded with fresh tears, staining the remnants of what could have been a happy moment, if not for the current situation.
"I wasn't finished," Fang sighed, "I know what you're talking about, and we can wish all we want, but you know as well as I do, all the wishing in the world won't change a thing," she said, watching Vanille's heart sink. "I'm sorry." She hugged the younger girl tightly, hiding the pain in her face for her sake. She wanted to cry too, but they'd done that more than once already, and though it got them as far as it did, no amount of crying would be able to change their fate. She had to put a stop to it while she could. Though, even as she thought that, the tears still fell.
"No, it's okay. You didn't mean it." Vanille's voice squeaked, "I got us into this mess."
Fang pulled back for a moment, red in the face, "Don't start that - not this time." She dabbed the salty streaks on the other girl's cheeks carefully, tempted to give in and kiss them all away. She would have, if she were sure Vanille would accept it. Five hundred years of togetherness and she hadn't confessed a single thing. Perhaps she wouldn't want those kisses, even if Fang offered. Perhaps she loved another - perhaps. The thought stung.
Vanille's expression twisted in confusion, "This time?"
"You don't know what I'm talking about?"
She shook her head, "What is it?"
Fang's thoughts rolled around to the night they'd shared by the pond, a memorable occasion indeed. She blushed involuntarily, something she didn't often do. "Er, nothing - it's nothing," Fang spoke quickly, hoping to dodge that situation. Vanille's expression went from inquisitive to chiding. Her left eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
"Oh, you too. That's great." Vanille crossed her arms. "I thought you said there weren't any secrets between us. I guess you're a liar too, just like me."
"No, really, it's nothing!" Fang blurted, trying to save the moment and failing.
Her breath hitched, I don't like where this is going...
"Right, just like everyone else is nothing as long as you get what you want."
"Where did that come from?" Fang asked. She couldn't believe what was happening. Vanille stood up and turned to leave.
"It doesn't matter. Here, you can have your stupid flowers!" She tossed the bouquet carelessly at her. Fang caught it as the girl ran out the door.
"Everyone else is nothing as long as you get what you want..."
"What? I don't.. Everyone else isn't... shit."
Fang realized what was going on and jumped to her feet, chasing after her. "Vanille, wait! You've got it all wrong!" She clutched the flowers to her chest tightly, shoving her way past a twice-agitated Lightning on the stairwell. Snow just gaped as she jumped the railing, running full speed.
"Did I miss something?" she heard him ask the pinkette, but it only made her run harder.
"What's wrong?" Hope asked as she passed through the square, "I saw Vanille, she was-" She didn't give him time to finish his sentence before she bounded over the wall and down to the street, trying to gain some ground. Hope tried to follow, but soon fell behind . . hopelessly. Fang could barely make out a small figure heading for the bridge.
"Vanille!" she cried, to no avail. The girl raced ahead, still going for the giant rust heap. Fang grunted in annoyance and sped up, just barely dodging a low tree branch and punching through a flying Cie'th, hating that she hadn't brought her spear along. She turned on a dime and hopped over a gear in the path, nearly tripping in the process, but still managing to keep Vanille within her sights. She was sure the flowers were all but beaten to death by that time, but she knew it wouldn't matter if she didn't hurry up and catch her. She was already passing the docks.
Vanille leaped past a couple of tree roots and climbed a set of stairs. Fang kept her eyes wide open, watching intently. A couple of slug-like beasts and seekers lay in the street along the path of the great tree - pathetic little creatures, weak things. Vanille was half-way there. She'd have to pass that to get to the bridge. Fang knew what came next: Vampires, giant Cie'th, hell bent on smashing all there was to smash, living or dead. There was practically a herd of those creatures up there. As Vanille dodged the monsters left and right, a new terror filled her chest - What if one of those things goes after her?
Fang didn't let herself finish that thought. Instead, she ran with all her might, until she thought she would stomp holes in the ground. The world around her was a blur of orange and yellow as she gradually caught up to Vanille. She was nearly in arms reach, just a bit closer and she'd have her. Fang grunted, grasping hard. It was no use; her fingertips brushed against flesh in vain, reprimanding her for making the attempt. If her arm had been an inch longer, she might have snagged her, but as fate would have it, whenever there was an 'if' involved, things always turned out for the negative in Fang's case. She tried again.
Only a step or two ahead of her now, Vanille had no idea what was about to happen. As Fang expected, a large crystalline arm swung from afar, Vanille's only saving grace being the strong jerk backward that pulled her just out of the creature's reach. Fang narrowly escaped the same fate as a blue and black blur lodged itself into hard wood, twisting it brutally and sending pieces of bark flying. The monster was made of raw power, a brawn beyond that of other beasts, an earth-shaking strength borne from centuries of pure frustration.
The Cie'th stepped from behind the gargantuan tree, which was only slightly more impressive in size than itself. Using its other hulking appendage as a counterbalance, it attempted to dislodge its only usable arm from its trap. Before it could rip itself free, Fang launched her body at the creature and delivered three sound kicks into its huge crimson eye.
The brute fell backward and tumbled into the water with a wail, disappearing in a black puff of smoke as it sank below the surface. Fang landed on her feet and looked back to Vanille, who lay on the ground, stunned. She offered her hand to the girl and helped her up, holding out the flowers. The stems were crushed and dripping with fresh juice.
"Wait!" Fang's voice called, running after a much younger, much shorter Vanille, a bouquet of lillies tucked into the front of her sari for convenience. The oversized blue and white flaps fluttered in the wind behind her, hanging from her childish body like a tapestry. She chased her through the streets, dodging fruit vendors and villagers left and right. Vanille was nowhere to be found by the time she'd reached the old staircase leading down to the docks.
Fang had been fooled again. Vanille always had a talent for disappearing. She decided to stop and turn around when she reached the old school house, but as she was passing the great tree, still running, a pink blur came out of nowhere. There was no time to dodge. She fell on top of them, whoever they were, landing directly on the flowers.
Her eyes were squeezed shut. She opened them gingerly, afraid to see what horrible mess she'd created. The pink blur, she realized, was Vanille, springing from her spot behind the tree, hoping to surprise her. Alas, today, she was one second too slow. After all, Fang was the fastest in the village. The only way to lose her was to get a good head start, or cheat very, very hard. Neither of which Vanille had managed, apparently.
"Fang?" Vanille squeaked. "Are you alright?"
"Me?" Fang grunted lightly, "I should probably be the one asking you." She chuckled, covering embarrassment with amusement as she squinted at the girl below her. The sun was in her eyes. She pushed herself up, flower petals falling off of her in the process. Vanille blushed as she offered her hand. She took it in earnest.
The flowers were practically destroyed as Fang held them out to her. Half of the petals strewn about their figures messily, but it was the thought that counted, and all she could do was smile.
"You want 'em?" Fang asked, snapping Vanille out of her memories as she looked between the pitiful bouquet and the escape artist, having the vague feeling that this had happened before.
Vanille looked at the flowers and grinned, throwing her arms around the confused woman and squeezing her tightly. Fang's own arms were pinned to her chest. White petals fell to the ground between them, wrinkled and torn. Vanille pulled back with a playful grin.
"You're makin' 'em look worse you know," Fang said. Vanille giggled.
"That's the point; it's just like the last time you gave me flowers, remember?"
Fang's face reddened at the memory, something it didn't often do. She covered it up quickly, "This place did look awfully familiar, and here I thought it was just deja vu." A fond laugh escaped her lips, despite her serious tone. "You nearly scared me to death back there."
"Sorry about that." Vanille's cheeks radiated a pinkish color, her green eyes wide and hopeful.
"Haven't seen that expression for a while," she drawled, "Feelin' nervous?"
Vanille just laughed - a nervous laugh, of course. She took the woman's hand in hers, holding it loosely and smiling. "Do I look nervous to you?" It was a rhetorical question; of course she did, but she didn't have to act like it. The wind rustled around them in the background.
Fang sighed, not out of displeasure, but rather, something different. She gave the flowers a shake once more, causing a stem or two to fall forward and brush against Vanille's chest. "You never said if you wanted them," she reminded, watching the smirk on Vanille's face turn into a full blown bridle(1).
"I never said I didn't," Vanille said, smiling in her usual teasing manner. She wouldn't admit it yet, but she was grateful they were alone. She was sure Fang would agree. Vanille took the bouquet gently and kissed the woman's cheek with a giggle, the contact lingering a bit longer than it should have, probably due to the fact that Vanille had to balance on her tip-toes to be able to reach her target. Both of them would've liked to think otherwise. Vanille looked up to Fang, smiling, "Now, hold these, will you?" she asked, tucking the near-nonexistent flowers into Fang's shirt.
Fang sighed. "Didn't even have to ask."
"Rightfully so. I'd hate to lose 'em," Vanille chimed.
The former smiled lopsidedly for a moment, opening her mouth to speak, but closing it again after a second. Her hands fiddled with the belt around her waist as she avoided Vanille's gaze. She stayed like that for a good thirty seconds or so.
"Something wrong?" the red-head asked, a tinge of concern in her voice.
"Hn?" Fang answered, snapping out of her previous state, "No- no, not at all, just ran out of words to say. I'm fine, you?" It was an honest line, to say the least. Fang was indeed fine, though Vanille didn't seem to buy it, so she tried again. "You know, the weather's nice today- isn't it nice today? I mean, I can't remember a sky this clear, can you?" she asked hastily. Her attempt at conversation floundered pathetically. Vanille cocked a skeptical brow. She took a breath, "Vanille, I'm fine, really - just fine, believe me."
"Are you sure you're just fine?" She drew the words out as if to emphasize how incredulous the reply seemed- like it was too good to be true. Fang nodded in response, whereby Vanille sighed in relief. The aforementioned brow returned to its usual position - mostly. It still quirked slightly upwards toward the middle, Fang noted, though that could've just been her reading too much into the previous moment to notice before.
"Fang?" Vanille called, looking worriedly at her, ripping her out of her eyebrow scrutinizing session.
"Huh? Oh. I'm perfectly alright, trust me," she sighed, "I'm just going a little insane . . possibly. That's all."
"Well, I can't have that. We already drove Lightning crazy. If you went nuts then we'd be doomed!" the red-head declared matter-of-factly, puffing up in mock authority.
"Oh come now, Vanille, I'm sure it won't be that bad," Fang comforted, "I mean, it's better than going Cie'th, isn't it?
Vanille pouted, "That's easy for you to say."
"Hey, hey! Don't get on to me – my brand's busted. You know what I meant," she said, pleading.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, sometimes you forget, what with everyone else going slap-happy and all. Same old song and dance. It gets boring, you know," Vanille chastised. She paused for a moment, lightening up, "but don't worry; I think it's kinda cute!"
Fang burst into a fit of giggles, "Pfft, don't make me laugh. You're the cutest thing I've ever seen. No way anything can top that."
"It's true. I mean, it's like you're mad, but in a funny way," she twirled around, as if that would demonstrate her meaning. Fang just laughed.
"Hey, that's not funny. That's serious business, little girly!" She said, smiling, but still meaning what she said.
Vanille stopped for a second, trying to figure out how to explain. She sighed, "Well, I meant funny, but you don't laugh because you know someone's going to give you a dirty look, funny – Like when Lightning hits people. It's hilarious!"
Fang let out a breath, "Not when you're on the receiving end, it isn't. That woman hits harder than Alexander!"
"She hit you?" Vanille asked, concerned.
She waved it off, "Yeah, but I was asking for it. We were talking about her sister," she said, "You can't blame her."
Vanille gasped, ignoring the last part, "Where?"
"Right in the kisser. Feels just like it was yesterday," Fang replied, "Why? She hit you too?"
Between the emotions and the hormones, she didn't know which was winning. Vanille pressed her lips against Fang's for the first time in what felt like forever, hands diving into her raven locks. Fang didn't protest in the least, and Vanille is happy, because that's the way it should be; that's the way it always will be, at least here, in the sanctity of her crystal dreams, where she can just kiss the girl and not have to worry about the rest of her world crashing down.
Here, even in the sanctity of sleep, she still can't shake that breathless feeling, like she's surfing on clouds. Though, that wouldn't make sense. How can she be cloud surfing if her head is attached to something so soft and warm? She shoots up from her spot, recoiling from the sudden headache brought on by the action.
"You were having a dream," Fang says, as she opens her eyes. Vanille's heart is still pounding from the sleep.
Vanille breathes a sigh of what feels like relief, "Yeah, a weird one."
And all Fang can do is smile. "I was having a dream too you know. Pretty interesting.. gave me an idea too."
"Yeah?" Vanille says expectantly. She absolutely can't wait.
Fang nods, "Mmhm, it's perfect."
"What is it, Fang?"
"The next time we're in Oerba," she smirks, "lets get you some flowers, kiddo."
Fin...
I'm not happy with the ending here, nor most of the story, really, so yes, you may request yet ANOTHER sequel out of me. Anyway, here's the definition of bridle as I used it, since most people don't know what I mean.
1.) Bridle - when used in referencing a smile, it refers to the round and wide upturning of the mouth, which when looked at, slightly resembles the side-view of the reins, when attached to a horse's bridle... Complicated, yes, I know.
Cheers!