"Iridescent"

Chapter One

The whole entire planet shook with such power, it's insides began to crumble. This all began after Orphan had finally fallen to it's knees. The six people who had taken it down still remained inside the crumbling planet. They began being lifted into the air. Not all of them... all but two. The other two, Oerba Yun Fang and Oerba Dia Vanille, began to sink. Sink down to the bottom... sink down to their ends, to their beginnings, to their pasts and to their futures. Sink down to whatever lay ahead. The others above looked on in bewilderment. None of them knew what to say, for they knew what was happening.

The dark haired woman, named Fang, realized what was happening all too quick. She didn't know what to do, not that she could do anything at all. She stared up at the others. Lightning Farron, Snow Villiers, Sazh Katzroy, and Hope Eisthem all stared back at her with the same face. Disbelief.

She looked back at Vanille, seeing a very pained expression upon her features. It made Fang's stomach churn at the sight. But, seeing this, made something in her brain spark all of a sudden. A new light had entered her vision, a new idea had formed. She finally found what she had been searching for. An answer to all of the pain that had laid ahead. No... not any more. All she can see now was pure light, and happiness. Like a glimpse into the future. If she could at least help Vanille make it out of here, then that would be good enough. It would make Fang happy.

In one quick instant, Fang grabbed Vanille's wrist. Vanille jumped at Fang's rough grip. Fang began to absorb the energy from Vanille, the energy needed to hold up Cocoon. They both knew that they had to be crystalized in order to keep up the planet, but Fang wasn't going to let this happen. No, not to Vanille... she didn't deserve this, it was her own fault after all. Vanille stared down at her wrist, and then back up at Fang. She had no idea what was going on.

"Fang, what are you doing!" Vanille yelled at her, confused. Fang smiled as a single tear rolled down her tan cheek. "I'm doing what's best, Vanille."

Vanille gave her a strange look, before slipping into unconsciousness after all of her enegy was drained away. Her body began to float as well. Just as planned. Fang thought. She looked up at Lightning. She knew deep down in her heart, that only she would be the one. The one to protect and take care of Vanille. After seeing Lightning go through all of this, just to save her sister, Fang knew she would be the prime candidate.

"Hey, Sunshine!" Fang yelled loudly up at Lightning. That was her special nickname for the pink-haired woman.

Lightning gave her a strange look, as if asking her what the hell she was doing, only with her eyes. Fang smirked, then passed Vanille's limp body toward her way.

"Take care of her..." Fang said, loud enough so that only Lightning could hear.

Lightning's eyes almost bulged out of her head. She indeed had heard her correctly, but she just couldn't believe it. She caught Vanille's waist with her free arm. Soon, the five of them all began to glow a strange color.

"Aye Farron! Hurt her and I'll come back for you!" Fang laughed as they all started to fade. Lightning gave a nod. Fang had trusted her with her best friend's life. That was a promise that she'd have to keep and never break, no matter the cost. They all disappeared in a swift movement of vanishing light, leaving Fang to do the rest on her own.

"Here goes..." Fang whispered as she transformed.

Cocoon had been crystalized. It looked beautiful with the sun's light reflecting off of it. Down in the grasslands below, stood five crystalized figures. They too, looked magnificent in the sunlight. They all began to shatter. One by one. They revealed the frozen-in-place bodies underneath. Lightning, Snow, Vanille, Sazh, and Hope.

Lightning stared up at the planet above, thinking, that all of that was being held up by one person. A single human-being. Fang. This reminded her of... Vanille. Lightning quickly turned around, and found Vanille staring up at the planet as well. Tears started to form, and that was Lightning's cue. She walked over to the red-headed girl, and rest her arm lightly on the girl's shoulder. Vanille just looked at Lightning, and the next second, she had wrapped herself around the pink-haired woman's waist.

"Why is Fang such an idiot?" Vanilled sobbed into Lightning's chest. Lightning, not really knowing what to do, just wrapped her arms around the girl. This had not been her forte, and the last time she had done this was about five years ago with Serah. Serah had been upset about their parents' death. She would have periods in her life that would bring her back to her parents, and remind her of how much she misses them.

Lightning decided to bring light to the girl's eyes, to look at the positive side of this.

"She did this for you, you know." Lightning whispered. Vanille cried a bit harder.

Smooth, Lightning. Now look what you did. Lightning scolded herself. Try again...

"She wanted you to be happy... " Lightning tried to soothe her again.

Vanille gripped onto her tighter, but her crying began to slow. Lightning took this as a positive sign, and decided to continue.

"She will be back, we just don't know exactly when." Lightning whispered as she rubbed small circles over the girl's back.

Vanille nodded as she listened to Lightning, agreeing with her.

"My brand... it's gone!" Hope yelled suddenly. Lightning and Vanille pulled away from each other. Vanille was sniffling as she checked under her skirt, and Lightning checked her chest. It's true. Their l'Cie markings had vanished.

"Alright!" Snow cheered.

Sazh laughed, his nice white teeth showing. His baby chocobo cheered along with him, giving little 'kwehs'. Hope smiled at the sight of clear skin.

Lightning turned back to Vanille, whose face still held a sad expression. Her face was still wet from tears. Lightning stretched her hand out and wiped the tears from the girl's face. Vanille's face turned pink from the woman's soft touch. Lightning leaned in beside Vanille's head, making the young girl blush even more. She could actually smell the woman's scent. Roses, lavender, and... strawberries?

"With Fang knowing that you're here, it makes her happy the most. So you should make the best of this... at least for her..." Lightning whispered into her ear. Lightning pulled back, and gave Vanille a small reassuring smile.

Seeing Lightning smile for the first time... it made Vanille smile. Vanille nodded, and looked back up at the crystalized planet of Cocoon. Lightning rested her hand on the small of Vanille's back as she followed Vanille's gaze.

"It's what she would want for me, right?" Vanille asked. "For me to be happy?"

"Yes... that's probably the only thing she wants-"

Suddenly, cheerful screams were heard. They turned around, and were met by two familiar faces.

"Daddy!" Dajh screamed joyfully he ran into his father's arms. Serah came running up to Snow.

"Serah!" Snow laughed as he hugged the small girl. Big smiles were plastered onto their faces.

"Snow!" Serah smiled as she was being twirled around.

Lightning let go of Vanille, so that she could reunite with her sister once again.

After so long, they could finally meet again...

Snow set Serah down, and she jogged over to Lightning. They instantly clung to each other.

"I missed you." Serah nearly cried, as she gripped onto Lightning even tighter.

"Serah," Lightning began softly. "I'm sorry..." Tears were on the verge of falling from Lightning's eyes.

Serah pulled away, and gave her a smile. "It's okay."

"Hey, hey, hey! No time for apologies... We have a wedding to plan!" Snow butted in with such enthusiasm.

As the families chatted amongst themselves, the two youngest of them all, Hope and Vanille, stood a distance away. They just observed what was happening, there wasn't anything that they could do. They had no loved ones that could greet them back. Lightning turned towards them, and saw them standing there awkwardly. She walked over to them, and gave them a small smile.

"Are you alright being over here by yourselves?" Lightning asked the both of them. Serah Snow, Sazh, and his son Dajh watched the three of them from a distance.

"Mhm," Vanille affirmed as she gave a small nod. "I just feel like I would be intruding if I was over there with you..." Vanille whispered truthfully.

Lightning glanced over at Hope, and he gave a small nod. So, he felt the same. Lightning looked back over at Vanille again.

"You need to be over here with us..." She said to Vanille. Vanille gave her a questioning look.

"Why...?" Vanille almost whispered. Lightning stared at her, thinking of a way to word it... You have no where to go so you have to stay with me. That sounded a little too... bold? No, maybe just too forward.

"You're going to have to get to know to us anyway," Lightning said slowly. "Because, you're going to be living with me."

Vanille's eyes widened in shock.

A/N: So, there's chapter numero uno for you ;D Hope you liked it. Leave a review, if you can.