Sunleth Waterscape: 400 AF

The green bush Serah had picked clean was nothing more than a small-looking shrub now. Back when it still bore all of its colorful fruit, it had looked much larger and impressive.

"I guess that's what happens when you're covered with so many little bright berries. You look much more imposing than you really are!" Serah said with a smile as she finally managed to successfully harvest the last grape-sized fruit. They looked like grapes anyway…Serah wasn't sure exactly what they were. They definitely weren't the fruit grown in New Bodum's small garden, that was for sure.

"Kupo!" Was Mog's only response. He too was carrying some berries, his stubby arms lugging as many as he could. He floated a few inches away from Serah's pink head; his purple wings flapping as if he was carrying two times his body weight.

"C'mon Mog," Serah occasionally turned her eyes back towards her Moogle as she talked, but mostly kept her eyes in front of her. It was getting darker with each step she took. Soon much worse monsters than that of the little flan would be out and prowling, hungry for a hefty meal. "I don't like how dark it's getting. Noel's probably being a little worry-wart as well and wondering what's taking us so long."

"Kupokupo…"

The young time-traveler did not answer him. She was far too busy thinking about Noel. He had said he hated Snow after only talking with him three times…because he was just like him. Sure, the two were quick to act in dangerous situations, but Noel did not consider himself a hero. He was also dependent on those around him-like Serah herself.

"I can't but help feel like he's trying to hide things from me…I know his memory is fuzzy, but I wish he'd just tell me a bit more than he has…" Serah talked aloud, not knowing if she was just letting her words flow out or if she was talking to Mog. Knowing the Moogle, he'd just say what he always did.

"Noel has had a hard life, kupo."

"Oh, you actually talked! I thought you only did that for giving us super important information…" Serah said, trying to hide the general surprise of Mog's actions. It had only been a couple days since the start of her and Noel's journey to find Lightning in Valhalla. It seemed like so much had happened since then…

So much…

A silence fell upon the girl and her Moogle. It was an odd yet needed silence; one that was not awkward one bit. The two were just thinking their own thoughts, lost in their minds.

Mog was busy thinking of Gil and how nice the cloud shaped like a heart was.

Serah was thinking of how abnormal she felt seeing Snow again.

It wasn't like spark was totally gone. No, it never could be totally gone. Not after everything those two had been through. Not after all those 'I love you''s. Not after promising to marry.

Yet, upon seeing his face again, Serah felt like something was missing. Her heart didn't beat as wildly as it did three years ago. The pink-haired girl didn't feel her cheeks glow, and she could hold back smiling in his presence.

It was still there, there was no doubt, but it had definitely simmered down greatly.

"Kupo!"

Mog's gem glowed brightly as he rushed over to Noel and Serah's little camp. It was nothing more than a campfire with a few items scattered here and there, but it was home for the night.

"Hey, you're back!" Noel patted Mog's head and cast his gaze back at Serah, who was still straggling behind. Her deep thoughts had made her legs slow down as her brain sped up. "C'mon Serah! What are you doing back there?"

Serah's blue eyes blinked rapidly before she chuckled. "Oh, sorry! I was lost in thought!"

Noel gave a smile before rolling his eyes. "Just get over here before some Behemoth spies you and tries to attack you. You'll be safe over near the campfire's light."

"I know that." Serah furrowed her brows and marched to their little camp at her own pace. "Are there even Behemoth around here anyway? I didn't think they were…"

"I'd rather not find out whether or not they're here." Noel poked the fire he had made with a stick before feeding it to the flames. "I'm too tired to fight anything for the rest of the day."

"I can second that." Serah sat down next to Noel and offered him one of the fruits she had gathered. "I'm pooped from all this constant combat. Snow used to always defend me himself, so I'm not entirely used to fending for myself."

Noel examined the fruit before plopping it into his mouth. "Well, you'll be happy to know that I think you're doing an amazing job at fighting, especially for someone who has just started her journey in the combat world."

"Yeah, well, you've still saved me more times than I can count." Serah said as she shrugged. "I really owe it to you…"

"You don't owe me anything." Noel gave a smile before taking another fruit and plopping it into his mouth. "Really. You've saved me a good amount of times as well, with that Medic magic of yours. I better learn that stuff, huh?"

The pink-haired time traveler averted her gaze from Noel's smile. For a man who liked to keep things moving and wasn't the biggest fan of wasting time, he sure seemed to have a pleasant time whenever the little brigade of three decided to bunker down. He was always the one to tell stories of heroes and fairytales before they all fell asleep, telling them each with bright eyes and that giddy smile. For such a seemingly happy guy, he sure did have a rather sad aura.

"Well, maybe when we have time, I could teach some to you." She replied, spinning her side-tail with her pointer finger. "It's a lot different than all that offensive magic you love using."

"Ah, I bet it can't be that hard." Noel said as he grabbed yet another fruit, this one stolen from Mog's paws. "I'm a fast learner."

Serah nodded and finally smiled back at her companion. "I'll teach you in the morning then, before we head out to wherever the next gate leads. That sound good?"

"It sounds great! Thanks, Serah!"

"No problem!"

"Night, everyone." Noel waved his hand up to bid everyone farewell for the night, but only very faint movement could be detected by Serah's eyes.

"Goodnight." Serah responded, turning her head in the general direction of where Noel was.

A bit to the right of her was the remains of the fire. Noel had not fully dowsed it as a precaution. Monsters would still be prowling around, no doubt. The only way to even remotely keep them at bay was to make sure it was still cackling to an extent. Serah didn't mind though; it was actually pretty comforting.

To her left was Mog, already fast asleep, probably dreaming about Gil and other Moogles. Even farther to the girl's left was Noel, half-naked and sleeping in a patch of grass. He had insisted that Serah get the single blanket this night, as he had slept with it the night prior. It still smelled of perspiration.

Without sitting up, Serah undid her side-tail and laid the band keeping it right next to her. Her curly hair spread apart as she briefly let her gloveless fingers comb through it.

Despite the existence of her gloves, Serah noticed she had calloused hands and blisters on palms. This was all do to her inexperience with handling a bowsword. The thing was heavy!

Serah had never fought a day in her life. Before she had her dear sister, Lightning, to do such deeds for her. After she met Snow, he took over the position. But, now, they were both gone. She had to stand up for herself now…with a lot of help from a certain brunette boy from the future, of course.

"Hey, Noel, are you still awake…?" Serah asked as she stared above her. A faint glimmer of Coccon's pillar shone in the dying firelight, its reflective surface shining like a gem. "Say something if you are…"

…

Serah sighed as she heard Noel begin to loudly snore as the response. Once he was past that point, there was no waking him up with just feeble words. It would take a whole family of Moogles to wake him up now, all yelling "KUPO!" at the top of their itty bitty lungs. Noel was out for the night.

"…I'm going to take a walk…" Serah muttered aloud, gently laying the smelly blanket over Mog before rising to her feet. The magic creature only twitched as his mistress brushed the dirt off herself and began walking.

Surprisingly, the Sunleth Waterscape had grown cold without the sun. The chilling wind swept through the tree branches above Serah's head and whistled through the dead ones. Above her, the full moon shone brightly, surrounded by heavy gray clouds.

"Do I…Do I no longer love Snow…?" Serah barely managed to get the words to escape her lips. It was unthinkable. How could she ever say that!? She and Snow were meant to be! They were perfect together…right?

Serah continued her walk, aimlessly now. She never had a destination in the first place, but she felt more spaced out than anything. Her heart pounded; her hands shook. Serah stumbled over her own feet, but luckily, a large tree was within reach. She leaned against it, her breath shaky.

"…Is now not a good time?"

A low, powerful voice broke Serah out of her odd trance-like state. She knew only one man who owned that voice.

"C-Caius!?" Serah exclaimed, fear setting in for a different reason now. "W-Wha-?!"

The tall, purple-haired man was standing in front of Serah, his shadow cast from the moon looming over her. His tribal beads clacked against one another as he took a step closer towards the young time-traveler. He was just as impressive and menacing as the last time Serah saw him.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Caius boomed, his sword out to the side of him. The way he tightly gripped its hilt indicated he was not here just for idle chatter. "Then again, I suppose you just were not prepared to see me."

Serah has nowhere to go. She was stuck between a frightening man and a large, old tree. All she could do was gather the strength to talk and prepare for when she could run. "Caius…what do want? We're not trying to get in your way."

"Pfft." Caius gave her a bored look before replying. "All you humans do is say you never meant it. I'm so sick of it…Sick of all of it."

Serah gave a small step to the side. She took one more before deciding that was too bold. She had to keep him talking. "W-Where is Yeul?"

"She does not know what I am doing." Caius said, flexing his free fist when Serah mentioned the name of his darling Seeress. "I acted for myself. I must do this; I must stop you from creating the Lost Fragments!"

Serah was in the middle of another side step, but the immortal man had figured her out by now. He swung his mighty sword at her with little effort, aiming at her throat. Serah barely managed to duck out of the way, but Caius had anticipated her move. He swung once again, and this time, hit Serah squarely in the back.

Serah screamed as she felt her skin open on her back she tumbled face first into the grass. She felt blood begin to ooze from the wound. It wasn't too deep, she knew that, but it definitely hurt. "W-What do you m-mean about the Lost Fragments?!"

"I've already said too much." Caius said coldly as he raised his sword high above his head. "You'll die only knowing that much!"

"CAIUS!"

Like some sort of sorcery, the purple-haired man stopped his at the exact moment his name was called. He swiftly got to his knees and bowed down at the incoming girl. "Y-Yeul, I-"

"Rise, Caius." Yeul commanded. Her voice was much colder than the few Yeuls Serah had come into contact with before. Using all her might, Serah turned her head and saw the two.

The Yeul, for the most part, looked much like the others. She had sea-blue hair and a petite form. If anything, she seemed younger than the other Yeuls Serah had meant. It wasn't until she turned to face Serah did she see a difference.

This Yeul had a massive scar across her left eye. From the look of it, Yeul could no longer see out of the eye at all. The way she oddly tilted her head in order to see Serah better only confirmed what she guessed.

"So, this is her, huh…?" The scarred Yeul walked over to Serah and got up close and personal with her. Serah's eyes widened as she got a closer look at the scarred Yeul's destroyed eye. It was clouded over, yes, but Serah could see the distinct sign of the goddess Etro embedded where her pupil should have been. The eye also no longer moved, so it looked like she had a lazy eye. "Hm…She looks just like how I saw her the day she ripped me of my eyesight…."

"W-What?! What are you talking about!?" Serah attempted to run, but the scarred Yeul had a firm grip on her. She was not like the others, not at all. The aura she let out seemed on par with Caius's. "I've never met you! I-I mean, I've met Yeuls, but not ones with-!"

"Listen to me." Yeul's voice was like ice. She seemed even more devious than Caius. "You are going to create a completely new timeline if you continue acting this way and feeling these things…I am not allowed to tamper with my fate any further, but, know this…"

Serah felt her heart skip a beat as Yeul said, "If you fall in love with Noel...And if he falls in love with you…This world will be doomed forever."

Caius then proceeded to kick Serah's head, leaving her both unconscious and bleeding from a gash on the side of her head, where his leather boot made contact.

The scarred-faced Yeul clung tightly to Caius's arm and said with a quiet voice, "…Do you think she won't heed my warning…? It'll all be for nothing…?"

"I am not sure." Caius wrapped his free arm around the young teenager. Her body was shaking widely, and her strength was rapidly fading. He gently ran his fingers through her hair as tears began to fall from his eyes. "We've done all we can, Yeul…Now, be at peace, and let your body go limp…"

The clouds blotted out the white moon as the scarred-faced Yeul abruptly died in Caius's arms.