B/N: Hello to whoever may be reading this. I'd just like to say that this is my first time writing a game fanfiction, there could be some casual OoC. I must say when I picked up FFXIII earlier this year, I had no idea I was going to enjoy it as much as I have. There will be FLight in later chapters and it will probably get smutty ;) What can I say?

For the purpose of this story I have given Fang a rank for it to make sense and flow a little easier. Enjoy.


Chapter 1

The sun hung low in the Bodhum sky, glazing every surface it touched with a dull orange glow. Lightning stood staring out of the window of her family home at the clouds that passed overhead. There was a brisk chill beginning to descend with night fall. She gently leaned herself against the window sill, letting her fingers feel the chipped and cracked paint. She hung her head and sighed before looking back out the window. Her cerulean eyes stared back at her as she mulled over her thoughts.

"This is going to be tough."

"Claire!" Her younger sister broke what was left of her scattered thoughts. The door gently closed with a bang and Lightning heard hurried footsteps approaching.

Serah Farron: a young, rose color haired, middle school teacher and Lightning's only family.

"I can't believe you are home early! Did the Corps let you off because of your birthday?! That's so nice of them."

Serah placed a neatly wrapped present on the dining table. "Snow helped me pick it out, I hope you like it!"

"Well shit…" Lightning had forgotten all about her birthday.

Serah frowned, noticing her sister's lack of reaction.

"Claire? Is everything okay?" Serah took some slow steps towards her troubled sister.

"Serah, you might want to take a seat." Lightning gestured to the table and chairs.

"What is going on Claire? You're not pregnant are you?" Lightning let out a snort of laughter.

"No Serah. Don't be absurd. It's about work."

Lightning had joined the Guardian Corps when she was quite young. The tragic death of her parents pushed her to be protective of what was left of her family and as she grew older, the protection of society. Rising quickly through the ranks she had reached Sergeant before today, her Twenty First birthday.

Guardian Corps had grown and changed since Lightning had first joined. Guardian Corps, the Cavalry and Psicom collaborated when poor political decisions and the deaths of innocents caused war to break out between the already fragile Cocoon and Pulse.

Serah waited for her sister to continue. The younger sister had always detested Lightning joining the Guardian Corps. There were often sleepless nights worrying about what might happen to her sister whenever she was away from home.

"I am being sent to Pulse tomorrow." Lightning tried hard to avoid her sister's eyes.

"No. You can't go Claire. You of all people should know how dangerous it is there." There was already pain in her voice.

"It's not a question of can or can't. I've been given orders." There was a brief silence before Lightning continued, her eyes now fixed on Serah.

"There has been an escalating threat on Pulse. A threat that if not brought under control will mean the death of many more civilians here in Cocoon."

All Serah could do was shake her head. Tears began to fall as Serah lost control of her emotions.

"And what about you? You can't leave me Claire! You can't. You know what happens to soldiers that are sent there… They don't come home!" Serah stood and walked towards Lightning, grabbing her in a tight embrace.

Her younger sister's sobs reverberated through her chest.

"Serah I promise you, I will come home. You will see me again." Lightning steeled her voice so her own emotions could not show through.

"Do you mean it?" Serah created some distance between them.

All Lightning could do was nod and showed a small smile while her inner monologue chugged away.

"Worst birthday ever."


0200 hours, Gran Pulse – 500 miles North from Yaschas Massif

A young male's voice crackled through the tall brunette's ear piece.

"Major! We have a Cocoon air ship off the Western horizon. Proceed with instruction."

"Damn Cocoonians. Ya'd think after all the soldiers they have lost they would have come up with a better tactical strategy or at least stop trying. Especially with all that technology they have." Major Oerba Yun Fang stood in the dimly lit temporary posting unit.

A hive of activity began whirled into action around her as she moved towards the radar communications section.

"Soldier, do you confirm one air ship?" Fang was not sure if it was a faulty reading or not. She slapped the monitor with the palm of her hand. The Private at the control panel winced.

"Yes Ma'am. Scouts confirmed just one air ship, Ma'am. They say its medium sized and looks as if it's ready to land."

Fang flipped it through her mind. "Probably just a Recon unit..."

"So Cocoon wants to play huh?" Fang smirked.

"Let them land. Arrange Alpha team and Beta back up, silent and stealthy is the play here. I want updates as soon as something happens. Even if someone sneezes I want to know about it. Game on."


Short and sweet. Please review and let me know what you think.