. . . Vanille's Voiceover . . .
It was about in hour in when I felt the first jolt. It was like the train made contact with something hard but it regained balance. I darted my eyes to the people around me. A couple people seemed to notice the jolt but most were sitting with their eyes closed, trying to think this was all just a dream. If only it was.
I focused again on my arm sleeves. This robe kept me from using my hands but if I could get my knife, I could cut myself out. All I needed was another jolt. A door opened – startling me for a second – and a soldier began walking down the aisle.
His presence gave me another idea. From the door he walked through, I could see a tiny window and a force field coming closer on the track.
I smiled and gave a small chuckle. The soldier heard me and turned, his gun pointed at my head.
"What's so funny?" He asked me.
I sighed. "Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking . . . a strong soldier like you. It will just be sad when a little girl like me finishes you." I looked at him and before he could react, we had gone through the force field. I jumped up and kicked him in the head. The remote for the handcuffs got squashed under him so everyone's arms were free. I stood up straight and pulled off my robe. I grabbed my daggers and ran towards the door. I locked it and began helping others out of their robes. The adults grabbed guns from over them while the younger ones stayed with me.
I grabbed everyone's attention. "Ok! I got only a few seconds to talk so this is how it will go down. I can get you out of here but it is only one trip. Anyone who wants to stay and fight can but I must warn you, it's a hell of a ride." Almost all men stayed but the women with kids gathered around me. I grabbed some bands from my pouch and placed one on each of their wrists. I also gave an electronic map to one of the adults.
I looked at them. "Ok, so here's how this works. These bands have the power to get you to the top of this mountain. From there, you will have to walk to Lukir. You have a map and there, you can hop on the next train to go home. Now, grab each other hands and when I say jump, you jump. You will land on the side of this cliff. When you hit the rock, run up. Don't stop. You ready?" They all nod and grab hands.
I walk to the door and push it open. I saw the wall of rock coming ahead. The first person came to my side, ready to jump. Finally, at the last moment, I yelled, "Jump!" They did and I saw them safely run up the mountain. I turned to the others.
"Now, be ready, because you're about to meet hell." They nodded and I grabbed my robe from the ground. I began to walk away from them.
One man came to the front and asked me, "Wait! Where are you going?"
I turned to them. "I'm going find my brother. Sorry I can't be here with you." I put on the robe and open the door. I made it through the doorway before the train suddenly turned on its side. I reacted fast enough to not fall but I still was surprised. I grabbed a pole and held on to it tightly.
Suddenly, another thing exploded and a hole appeared above me. I grabbed the ledge and hoisted myself up so I could see what the hell was going on. I saw ships attacking the train. I looked back and saw part of the train was left behind, two people on top of it. I recognized one of them.
"Lightning?" I muttered. Before I could look further, I noticed something was fixed on me: another ship. It looked at me.
"Surrender now or die!" The pilot said over a speaker. I snickered and gave them the finger. I began to sprint down the side of the train (or what was left of it), missing bullets by inches. I dived down to a near platform. When I landed, I found many other victims standing around. Then I finally found him - Snow.
He was pretty busy talking to his friends. I crept up and hid behind some rubble, throwing on my robe. I watched them until they began to run towards another group a little way away. I followed them, keeping myself concealed.
When we finally reached the other group, I snuck around to the group and sat down next to another cloaked head. It was a girl, I think.
She whispered to me, "Are you scared?" I looked ov
I replied, "No, I'm never scared."
Snow gave them an inspirational speech, talking about NORA. I rolled my eyes. I knew what NORA was but that group seemed more like an idea than a real thing. He began to recruit people. That's when I noticed two people in front of me. It was a boy my age and his mom. I don't know why but that boy's voice so familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. The mom decided to fight, leaving the boy. He seemed so sad and lost, like a lost puppy not sure what to do. I decided to keep an eye on him for now.
While people were getting guns, Snow was talking to his friends. He was looking up to the L'Cie domain.
"Who are you thinking about?" One friend asked, "Your sister?"
I listened closer. They were talking about me.
Snow looked confused and then he shook his head. "No. Why would I think about Dawn? She's not here." That made me take a step back. He wasn't here for me? I thought he was. He didn't even know I was only a few feet away.
Another smiled. "Ohh, so your fiancé."
Snow smiled a little. "Yeah, I'm going to save her." I stopped listening and walked away. I had never been so angry in my life. Snow always told me he had my back but ever since Serah came to the picture, he has completely ignored me.
Whatever, I thought, I don't need him. I don't need anyone.
I began to walk with the others to a safe transporter. It was used to move large objects but it was able to house all of us easily. I sat on what used to be a wing of a ship and tried to control my feelings. If I get too mad, there's no way I can get out of here easily. I decided to focus my attention on the boy. He was still in his robe but I could feel his worry. That's something I'm good at. I can read people like that.
It seemed like minutes later when it happened. At this point, I moved away from the wing and watched the people fight, no more than twenty feet from the boy. That girl who I was sitting next to earlier was also there.
We all watched in horror when we saw the bridge collapse, everyone in our group was gone.
Including the boy's mother.
I could feel the boy's pain. It was stronger than anything I have ever felt. Then the sadness turned quickly to anger.
The boy screamed with the falling people, "NO!" The girl took a step back and then grabbed his hand.
"Come on!" She cried to him. He couldn't move, stunned in what just had happened. The girl had to resort to slapping him in the face. "We have to move!"
The boy nodded. "All right." They began to run. I followed behind. We ran to the other side of the walkway. That's when all three of us stopped. From the ceiling came a huge, diamond shape ship. Pulse Fal'Cie. The sight of it made my blood boil.
They finally took off their robes – the girl and the boy – so I got to get a good look of them. The girl was different then anything I saw. Her curly pink hair was held into two pig tails and I realized she had an accent. Weird.
The boy defiantly was the one I saw before, but I doubt he would recognize me. I would recognize that face anywhere. I was never into the fact of liking someone but something of this boy made me look at him longer than normal.
The boy looked at Fal'Cie. Obviously, he had never seen it before. Lucky him. The girl saw his face and grabbed her gun. She placed it in his hands.
"Here," she said and then she gave him a long hug while saying, "It's too much, isn't it?" She pulled back. "Face it later. Ciao!" She skipped away. Dropping the gun, the boy ran after her.
"Hey! Wait!" He called and caught up to her.
. . . You said it made you happy when I smiled, didn't you? But I was afraid. I was always afraid. And you, I will never forget your eyes when we first met: how they always seemed to have the answer to questions none of knew or didn't want to know . . .
Snow came back with Gadot on two air bikes. He was going to the Fal'Cie domain. I could see the two looking at him.
"That's him." The boy said.
The girl replied, "Didn't you have something to tell him?"
"Yeah."
"All right then!"
He looked at her confused. "But . . . I . . . " Wow, this kid is unbelievable. He's more talk than walk. Kind of like Snow.
The girl smiled. "I'll go with you."
"What?" Now he really looked surprised. Snow left before the girl could grab his attention. They ran quickly to the bikes, trying to hide themselves from Gadot.
He walked away and before they started the bike, the girl asked, "Say . . . you know how to fly this?"
"I do." They both looked at me, sort of stunned. I smiled and pulled off my robe. My hair fell down my back, a couple strands falling over my bright blue eyes. People say my eyes are kinda piercing.
I said, placing my hands on my hips, "Couldn't help overhearing but seems like you have a little beef with my big bro." The boy and girl look at each other. I shrugged. "I want to help. Besides, got nothing else to do so why not make myself useful." Both of their faces relax and they scooted back to let me sit at the controls. I started it up and it began to rise.
I turn my head around and winked. "Name's Dawn."
The girl waved. "I'm Vanille."
I look at the boy. "You got a name?"
"Hope," he muttered, not looking at my eyes. He carefully placed his hands around my bare waist.
I smiled. "Nice name." I started the bike.
"What are you guys doing?" All three of us turned to see Gadot running towards us, mad. I lifted the airbike and we flew up in the air. I looked back at Gadot.
"Hey, Gadot, tell everyone I say hi." I smiled at him like I do when I'm doing something I know I shouldn't.
He stopped running. "Dawn?" I saluted to him and we were off flying to Fal'Cie.
Vanille's finger pointed to it. "That way!"
Hope gasped. "No, no . . . If we go in there, that thing could - It could make us l'Cie. This is... I don't think I can – "
I turned around to him and looked at him straight in the eye for the first time. "You can do it. I know it." Hope looked at me and nodded. I then looked forward and accelerated.
. . . The Pulse fal'Cie. It held our future – and our fate . . .