Alright, I just recently got into this game and I haven't made it very far (if what I've read on here is any indication). I'm not sure how this story will go, that will be determined by the game's outcome, yeah?

This is... part one, so it's following the canon. And when I say that, I mean, I had to go back and play some parts over, just to get the quotes used in this fic. But it has a lot of internal thought process and I didn't copy everything word for word.

I don't OWN Final Fantasy XIII, I'm simply using it for recreational purposes. It belongs to Square Enix, not me.

Enjoy. :)

CHAPTER ONE: Fang, Lightning. Lightning, Fang.

Lightning heard footsteps behind her and turned, blade drawn, nearly slicing into the throat of the woman Snow had with him. "Why are you following me?"

The woman shrugged with a smirk. What is she smirking for? "I dunno. You seemed like the type looking for trouble so I decided I'd come along for any assistance you might need."

Lightning huffed. "I don't need help."

"You never know." the woman told her. "Something too big may come along."

"Then I'll fight until it gets smaller."

"Always lookin' on the bright side, eh, Sunshine?"

"My name is Lightning."

"Lightning?" the woman asked. Interesting choice. "Sounds more like a Yun name than a Cocoon name."

Lightning didn't answer.

"So what is your Cocoon name then?"

Lightning stopped and bowed her head. Claire. "A thing of the past." She replied softly, continuing on.

"Well, my name's Fang."

"Good to know."

Fang watched her curiously as they strode on. Well, she seems very welcoming indeed. Wonder what her problem is. And what's with the uniform?

"What's with your clothing?" Fang inquired. "I mean, the jacket doesn't have any sleeves, your skirt's so short it nearly shows your butt, there's a pack on one of your legs, your sheath waves behind you rather than at your side, you've a heavy brace on your shoulder and what's with the cape? Not to mention all those belts you wear, wrapped around you like snakes."

Lightning stopped and Fang waited, wondering what sort of answer she'd get.

"Sleeves impede arm movement when they get too small, my skirt allows my legs to move and I have shorts underneath, my thigh pouch carries supplies, your sheath is attached to the back of your waist, my brace helps my antigravity device as well as showing my military status and my cape... well, that's an addition all my own that the other members of my squad took up because they liked it. And it's not so much the belts as it is... the buckles. I like them. They add style."

Fang raised an eyebrow as Lightning began moving again. Practical answers, almost all of them. She's good.

As they snuck through Palumpolem, Fang wondered how Lightning was made into a l'Cie anyway. Might as well ask. What's the harm that could come?

"So, uh, you get turned into a l'Cie with Snow?" Fang asked, feigning nonchalance.

"Yeah. I attacked Anima first and then they joined me." Lightning stopped to peer around a corner. "They've set up a small barricade at the moment. We'll have to wait for now."

"Oh, good. Gives me time to call Snow." Lightning watched the tanned woman as she dialed the number and waited.

The pink-haired woman rolled her eyes when she heard Snow's loud cheerful 'What's up?', but she raised an eyebrow when Fang shouted, "You damn well know what's up! Why haven't you called in?"

Lightning walked a little ahead, keeping an eye out for any incoming soldiers while Fang kept up a short aggravated conversation with the big idiot. When Fang handed her the phone, Lightning's first intent had been to warn him about Hope, but the moron wouldn't stop talking. When she finally managed to get a word in, the line cut out. Fang smirked as she took the phone back. Lightning glared at her suspiciously as the brunette gave her an order.

"I've got point, you fall in behind. And see if we can't cool down that head of yours."

I don't TAKE orders anymore! The blonde grumbled as she followed Fang through more backstreets. And my head's cool. How else would I not have simply killed every Guardian Corps soldier we passed? Treasonous bastards, working with PSICOM.

Lightning's attention fell on Fang and her gaze went to the brunette's swaying behind. She and Vanille walk the same. Wherever those two are from, swaying must be a womanly trait.

"It's not polite to stare." Fang called back. "Not that I mind considering how hot my ass is, but still."

Lightning cocked an eyebrow, a very slight blush tinting her cheeks. "I wasn't staring. At least not at your ass. I was watching your weapon."

"Oh yeah?" Fang turned then, smirking at the blonde with a knowing twinkle in her eye. "Wanna try 'er out? I keep her well-kept, perfect condition."

Lightning waited, unsure of whether or not that warranted an answer. Fang removed the double-edge lance and handed it to her. Lightning slowly took it, sheathing her gunblade before twirling the lance in one hand, tossing it to the other and repeating the process, effortlessly getting a feel for the weight and speed of the large red weapon. It's beautiful. She thought as she finally handed it back.

Fang had watched, not expecting the ex-soldier to be so skilled with her lance, barely breaking a sweat as she twirled it about. She's got hidden skills. The warrior woman mused to herself, taking up the lead again.

When they finally stopped to rest for a moment, Lightning noticed the burnt out brand and felt compelled to ask- "Who are you?"

Fang hummed to herself before turning to explain. "I've got a few screws loose, but I'm a l'Cie, same as you."

Screws loose? As in mentally? Must be, she looks physically fine to me.

"Difference being, I wasn't born on Cocoon."

Not born on Cocoon? Then that means-!

"I'm from Gran Pulse, the 'world below' you all hate so much."

Shit!

"My partner and I'd turned to crystal there and gone to sleep."

Crystal stasis. The vestige!

"But, when we came around, here we were."

Yup. The Vestige.

"The reason Cocoon's in such an uproar is the same reason you're here now."

Serah?

"Vanille and I woke up."

Right, I knew that.

Lightning pondered on this for a moment, but Fang didn't give her much time to think, heading off once more. Lightning glanced back to be sure they weren't being followed before taking off after the warrior woman. Moving swiftly through the shadows, the two women passed numerous Sanctum soldiers, some herding civilians to safety, some patroling the area and some just standing guard. Lightning stopped them near sunset, in a secluded place beneath an overhang where some of the Guardian Corps members were stationed. Checking to make sure the soldiers were occupied, the pink-haired woman turned to the brunette with her usual stoic mask in place.

"Alright, you've got some explaining to do."

Damn! Knew it was coming. Fang sighed and sat down on the nearby bench. "When we came out of crystal stasis, we didn't remember our focus or what we'd done. All we could do was wander Cocoon, looking for what we'd lost."

They didn't remember their Focus? That's gotta be tough, especially on Vanille. Poor girl could end up a Cie'th.

"Vanille was heartbroken that such a small boy was made into a l'Cie, but I pointed out that, if we didn't do our Focus, the fal'Cie would just make more. Like the girl we found when we woke up, I believe that was your sister, since you have the same hair."

Lightning gave a curt nod, eyes narrowing at the knowledge that Fang knew Serah had been turned into a l'Cie.

"I promised Vanille that I would find her no matter where she went."

There are tons of places on Cocoon. That's dedication if you're willing to look through all of them.

Wouldn't you? For Serah if she were kidnapped or lost?

Of course, she's my sister.

It's the same thing for Fang. Vanille's like her sister.

"I vowed that she wouldn't end up Cie'th." Fang's fists curled for a moment and her eyes grew hard. "And I planned on pulling through, but..." she sighed. "By the time I'd finished with those PSICOM troops, Vanille was long gone. After that, Raines and his Cavalry found me. I never stopped searching for Vanille, but I couldn't find her. Her or our Focus.

It must be rough though, searching through so many places, even with the Cavalry's help, Vanille's one redhead of many in a large planet like Cocoon.

Lightning cleared her throat slightly, coming out of her slightly pessimistic thoughts. "So, you're telling me, Serah will come back to life someday too?"

"Yup." Fang sighed wearily looking briefly up at Lightning before back down at her hands.

"We didn't do our job right. That's... why it made her a l'Cie. We messed up. Sorry."

Lightning glared for a mere second. How is it that when she says everything else, it comes out sincere, but the one word I'm looking for comes out sounding nonchalant, forced and almost mocking? Anger building, the blonde calmly walked forward to stand in front of Fang before backhanding her as hard as she could without breaking her jaw.

Fang's head snapped to the side with the force of the blow. She wiped her cheek to be sure there was no blood before looking back up with a slight glower to her own eyes.

"That it?" There was an underlying tone of danger to Fang's voice and a lesser man or woman would have balked at it.

Lightning simply glared back and growled, "You sure better hope so. But whether we're square, that's up to Serah."

"You sound exactly like Snow." Lightning rolled her eyes and turned away. That idiot? No I don't! "And he didn't hit me."

"Wait, he already knows this?" Of COURSE he does, he met her first. Must have been what he was trying to tell me. Figures he'd get to know before I did.

Instead of answering, Fang stood up and began stretching herself out, sounding much too cheerful for Lightning's liking.

"Wow. That's a load off. Glad I apologized."

"You apologized so you'd feel better?" Lightning asked incredulously, folding her arms.

"Guess so. How bout you? Feel any better now that you hit me?"

Maybe if I'd hit you the way I wanted to, but Guardian Corps has me trained not to punch unless you want a real fight. "Ugh! It didn't change anything."

"Uh huh. Tell that to my jaw."

As they walked toward the gate, Lightning sighed softly. Fang took notice but decided against saying something about it. Instead, she attemmpted to call Snow, but the line was still static.

"He can take care of himself."

"We'll just have to believe that." Trying not to show weakness, Lightning slowly asked if the others were safe.

"Yeah, they'd have to let everyone know that the big bad l'Cie can't hurt'em no more."

Lightning's mind reeled at the thought. "If it weren't for Serah, I would have been out there too, hunting l'Cie. Would have just been a bunch of targets to me."

Fang made a half-comforting gesture, by explaining that Gran Pulsians thought the same about Cocoon that Cocoonians thought about Gran Pulse: that it was an invasion waiting to happen. Standing, the tan woman tried wracking her brain for her Focus once more, Lightning simply waiting for a moment, to see if she would find it.

"Urgh! Why can't I remember that part?" Fang stared at Lightning through half-lidded eyes, her thick eyelashes throwing shadows over the visible parts of her eye. Lightning cocked her head just so as she listened to the warrior woman. "Then there's my brand. It's all messed up."

"And now you wanna find them? Be a Pulse l'Cie? An enemy of Cocoon?"

Hell no! "Pulse and Cocoon can rot for all I care. If I don't figure out our Focus soon, Vanille's gonna be a Cie'th. I'll tear down the sky if it'll save her."

Lightning's eyes widened slightly. At one point in time... she'd said almost the exact same thing about Serah, when their parents died.

What will we do now, Claire? Who will look after us?

I will. And if anyone tried to stop me from looking after you, I'd fight them off. I'll rip Cocoon apart if it meant keeping you safe.

Lightning was jarred from her flashback by Fang calling out to her. "Hey Lightning?"

"Call me Light." Why do I always give permission before they can call me that, but they don't ask permission to call me anything else?'

"Did you see Vanille's brand?"

"No."

"No, huh? Wanna know how long until it's Cie'th city? Just look at your brand."

Really? Lightning's mind reeled when she heard this information, but she took an unnoticeable breath to calm herself, turning to check her brand.

"You start getting more arrows and then finally an eye. Once it opens all the way, you're done." As Lightning turned, Fang grew curious as to where her brand actually was.

Her breast maybe? I don't think the fal'Cie are THAT cruel. "Let's have a look. Don't be shy."

"O...kay." Lightning felt her cheeks flush as Fang gazed at her chest.

And she sounds exactly that, shy. Fang internally chuckled as she straightened up. "Nowhere near. You got time."

Fang paced for a moment, sighing unhappily as a thought came to mind.

"Vanille's brand must be pretty far along by now. I've gotta save her and get her home."

"To Pulse, you mean?"

"To Gran Pulse."

Right. Forgot they liked the name to be pronounced correctly.

"I hear the Sanctum prevents people from leaving Cocoon. I'd like to see'em stop me."

"So, that's your plan. Wish I had one. Without... Serah, without a future, there's nothing to plan for. There's no way out of this mess and no way to fight it."

If there was. A way to fight, Serah might've had a chance.

"I'm stuck trading blows with the Sanctum, but that's no plan. Even if we topple the government, where's that leave us? With nothing to fight for, I might as well be dead."I've already failed as a sister.

Nothing to-? Really! "Your sister." Fang called to the soldier. "Think about it. Don't you wanna see Serah after she wakes up? That's your future right there. All ya gotta do is survive. It's simple!"

"Right." Lightning murmured, noticing the hovercars flying overhead. "Snow."

"They found'em!" The two women took off to help their friends. Racing through the streets without bothering to conceal themselves, Lightning and Fang paced themselves and arrived just in time to help Hope finish off the machine monster after him.

Fang walked over to check Snow as Lightning comforted Hope and took back her survival knife. Lightning helped Fang carry Snow the rest of the way to the Estheim house and waited in the shadows for Hope's father to answer the door. When it was clear that the man wouldn't attack them, the trio stepped from the shadows and Hope traded places with Lightning so she could ask permission to use his home as a safe-ground to rest and heal.

Batholomew agreed, ushering them all inside before the neighbors could catch sight of them and call PSICOM. He gave Hope's bedroom to Snow to rest in, letting Fang and Lightning share the guest room and Hope could sleep with him. As Lightning patched up Snow, Fang settled into their sleeping quarters, slowly removing her sandals and laying back on the bed. She had begun to doze off when Hope knocked.

"Hey Fang, my dad, uh... he wants to speak with you."

The warrior woman slowly got to her feet, her sandals slipped on and strode out to the living room, watching as Lightning guided Snow out as well. All four sat around and waited for Bartholomew to speak before Snow caved and got down to his hands and knees asking forgiveness. Fang eyed him with a slight hint of contempt, knowing she would have gone about it a different way. But all let out a breath of relief, even Lightning as Fang noted, when Bartholomew seemed to forgive Snow for his mistake.

"The entire world is scared to death of you l'Cie. No, not even just you. People who've helped you. They want them all Purged."

"I'll stop this. Take down the Sanctum and save Cocoon!" Snow shouted vehemently.

Lightning resisted the urge to smack the large blonde man as Bartholomew spoke her very thoughts out loud. "And you've thought this through?"

Hell no.

"If l'Cie take down the Sanctum, fear of Pulse will only get worse. It won't stop at fear, people will take up arms and stand against you."

What the hell do we do then? Fang snarled inwardly. Sit around like ducks?

"When the government's control is gone, the citizens'll revolt." Lightning murmured speculatively.

Fang had had enough. "So what then?" she demanded. "We're supposed to just smile and eat a bullet? That means you too."

"I know I'm part of this." Bartholomew assured her. "I'm on your side of the fence. Harborer of l'Cie and a public enemy. We're all here. Let's figure this out together."

As if on cue, the lights cut out. Lightning began freaking out, Fang watching as the blonde looked in all directions for the source of the electrical interference. What? Is she afraid of the dark?

Within seconds, Fang understood why Lightning was on edge as her hunter's hearing picked up the sound of heavy footsteps outside the house. At the same time this registered, Lightning shouted, "Head's up!" And drew her cape over her face as smoke bombs fell through the ceiling.

That girl's got a great sixth sense. Fang thought absently as soldiers burst through the windows.

Fighting in smoke actually proved easier than Fang thought, even with the added darkness to further impede them. These guys have gas masks and we don't. They have night vision goggles and we don't. They're getting their asses kicked and we're not. The warrior laughed at her own joke as she smashed her foot into the stomach of an incoming soldier.

Finally getting all of the uniformed men either unconscious or retreating, Fang noticed Snow and Bartholomew coming. She turned as a bright light illuminated the room from outside. Hearing Lightning's huff, she turned and looked outside.

Oh great. Just what we need, another fight. Oh well, more Sanctum troops to beat the crap out of. "Who ordered the Battalion?" She asked sarcastically, looking around at all the soldiers stationed outside.

"They'll take out the whole building next." Lightning murmured, motioning for Snow to get closer to them. Fang glanced down and saw her giving them a 'why the hell are you still over there' look. While Hope made sure his father was alright, Snow decided to try a new tactic. Fang and Lightning stared at him incredulously as he held his jacket up in front of the window. It was full of bullet holes within seconds.

Lightning had her hand on the butt of her gunblade and Fang gripped her lance tightly as Snow walked out, hands raised to show that he meant no harm. Lightning felt like laughing at the fact that Snow was actually giving those men a serious speech, no comments on heroism or banding together, simply letting the l'Cie do their job.

Who knew he had it in him? Lightning thought in wonder as a gray-haired man stepped out of the crowd of troops.

"General Rosch, PSICOM division. I understand your plight, but do you really think your life is worth more than the lives of millions of Cocoon citizens? I do not."

That wasn't his point! Fang snarled inwardly.

"And so, it is up to me to order your execution. It is my responsibility to see you put down!"

What like some animal? Lightning wondered.

I'm not a fucking animal! Fang raged, her thoughts unknowingly matching Lightning's. You can't just 'put me down'!

"Cut the crap!" Snow shouted angrily. "You want l'Cie, then kill l'Cie. Why do other people have to die! They're as innocent as you are in this mess!"

"Do you think we want to Purge our own people?" Rosch demanded, spinning back. "If any trace of Pulse remains, the populace will erupt into chaos. Without the Purge, Cocoon will die!"

Lightning heard a faint clicking and heard coughing guessing someone had thrown a gas bomb. She nodded at this, hearing shooting and soldiers going down. After tying up Hope's father, the chaos outside created a perfect distraction for Lightning, Fang and Hope to rush to Snow's aide.

Taking out the battleship was hard work, the soldiers coming in waves, but it was a small victory when that ship sank. Short-lived was that triumph when another ship took its place.

"Again?" Fang groaned, glaring at the aircraft. "There's no end to these guys!"

Just as the words left her mouth, the ship was shot down. What the hell? Lightning wondered, looking around for the source. Another airship was floating not too far away. Out stepped five or six troops, dressed as PSICOM soldiers.

"Heya Fang." Rygdea called, removing his mask. "Need a ride?"

Thank God! Fang breathed a slight sigh of relief as she mock-glared at the man.

"Don't get cute." Turning to the others, she took a breath. "Come on, let's move it."

Climbing aboard the ship, the quartet sat to catch their breath, well, Snow and Hope sat and caught their breath. Lightning stayed standing and stared around at her surroundings suspiciously while Fang spoke with Rygdea.

At last, Fang nodded with a sigh. Walking over to the other l'Cie, she called, "Alright, you lot. We're headin' to the Lindblum cause Cid wants to have a chat. Rest up til then, cause somethin' tells me it's gonna be awhile til we rest once we're there."

Hope and Snow immediately collapsed to the floor of the airship and began dozing. Lightning stayed standing, continuing to watch the soldiers around them.

"That means you too, Sunshine." Fang told her.

Lightning sent her a reproachful look. My name is Lightning. "I don't sleep when there's danger nearby."

"Whether there's danger or not, you still need to sleep. We're safe for the time being."

Lightning cast a doubtful eye to the soldiers around them whose guns were still held in their hands with the safety switch off. Fang groaned.

"You lot!" She called to the soldiers. "Ya mind turnin' your weapons off so the sergeant can get some sleep?"

"What does her sleeping have to do with our weapons?" One man called.

"She's a soldier too, you idiot." Another told him. "Would you sleep if you were a few feet away from people who could kill you?"

"Guess not. Alright then, Fang."

There was a whirring sound as all of the weapons were turned to safety and, to be fair, Lightning did the same with her gunblade. As she sat, she sighed and cast a glance up at Fang before leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes.

Fang smirked. She'd interpreted the look easily.

Thank you.

Alright, so, there's the first chapter. It may take me a bit to write the next one. As a side note, Part Two will actually be more Alternate Universe (AU) than canon because I, sadly, don't have the second game. So, for that, I'll see what I can dig up on the second one, but for the most part it's going to be completely out of my head. Thanks for reading and I hope ya stayed tuned. :)