Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Fang woke up with Vanille curled up next to her, their wrists tangled together like they always did while they slept soundly. The warrior woman peeled her hands from Vanille, who scrunched her nose up as if to protest, and stretched out her body, cracking and waking her bones and muscles. The group agreed not to go on further for the rest of the night, nearly falling off the very cliff side from exhaustion. Snow and Lighting were sleeping with a rock between them, and for good reason, it seemed like Lighting's disapproval for his marriage still rocked her in her sleep, occasionaly kicking who ever dared sleep near her, which was usually Snow. Sazh and his little chickadee were sleeping snugly in their own corner, the old man look at peace. And Hope?
Hope was lying not so far away from Vanille, sleeping alone with his eyes twitching occasionally. The bright emerald green eyed boy liked to stick around the two Pulseies, but he always shied away once Fang took notice of him trying to talk to Vanille.
"I think little Hope has got a crush on my girl." Fang grinned at the thought.
The boy would be to shy to try anything with her, he'd be kind to her. Best of all, Fang just had to look at him to make him leave if she didn't approve.
But she has a different fate, A voice brought her back to reality, Once this is done the both of you will exist no more.
"Then she'll have her fun until then," The older woman snapped aloud, soft enough for the rest of the camp to not hear, "Let her have something she couldn't before."
Worried now, and annoyed she took her spear and headed out into the grassy meadow. Her feet bare and fertile soil stuck to her soles, bringing back memories of Oerba, her hometown. The warrior woman took a deep breath and set on a smile, at least she was back on Pulse, where she belonged. Her new friends weren't that bad of company either. Lighting had taught her new strategies for battle, more defense and less running in straight on as Fang was used to. Sazh was kept up with her old humor, Hope with his shyness kept Fang from becoming a rock of a warrior with no emotion and Snow gave her a good fighting partner.
"Morning is up high, why aren't they up yet?" Fang had her hands on her hips and turned back to the far away camp, their bodies sleeping soundly underneath the sun.
"I think it's the time difference." A deep voice made her jump, dropping her lance by her side for the moment.
"Holy s-" Fang bit back her swear and found Snow at her side, gloved hands on his hips and a new bruise under his cheekbone from Lighting's night punching, "How's a man your size get around so quietly?"
"If you hadn't noticed, Cocoon isn't very grassy, sneaking around on white tiles is harder than sneaking in dirt." Snow grinned, bright stubborn blue eyes looked over at the field before them, "You get?"
"Does this Cocoon boy think he's better at sneakin' around a trained warrior?" Fang cracked her neck, the sharp sound making his gaze flash toward the woman.
"How does Vanille live with you without getting threatened every so often?" He raised an eyebrow.
"'Cause she's my precious little diamond," She flicked the chain on his necklace, "Would you ever step on that charm of yours?"
"Never." The fierce protection in his voice was almost as much as the very kind that ran through her veins for Vanille.
"Then I think we know my answer." Her rough voice ended with a short, coughing type laugh.
Together they stood staring at the open field of Gran Pulse, creatures of the plain were staring to awaken. In both of their chests there was a deep pain as they stood silently. For Snow, it was Serah, her tear in his hand as he kept it in his pocket. For Fang, it was for Vanille and their fate. Both of them hated to stand so still, thoughts of future responsibilities and failure would cloud their judgement, thicken their distaste for this journey to come to an end.
"Should we go wake the others?" Snow said suddenly, wanting to get out of the silent pause.
"You wanna do somethin' better?" Fang's green eyes hid her fear well as she suddenly got the most brilliant idea.
"It's almost sun rise they'll be up a few minutes." He was intimidated by the look.
"And for the rest of the day we'll be walking into death traps with heartbeats and hungry stomachs," Fang put her hands behind her head, relaxing as she spoke, "No fun in that, is there?"
"Fang...this is a bad idea..." Snow warned, but his thoughts were racing at her untold idea.
"Come on, the second strongest person here shouldn't be afraid of a little fun." She teased, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Second strongest?" He was taken back in surprise.
"Aye, you heard me," Dark green eyes narrowed, "No Cocoon city boys are gunna surpass a Pulseie. And certainly not during this journey."
"And if this Cocoon city boy were to take your offer on this 'little fun' will he be able to prove himself stronger than this Pulseie?" Blue eyes meet the challenge.
Fang had won the fight already and Snow didn't know it yet. The warrior queen brought out her Eidolon charm and threw it high in the sky, with a skilled throw of her bladed lance she broke the charm and the sky above them turned a dangerous gray, a familiar purple summoning symbol appeared and the sound of a roar broke the sign before the beast came through.
"Bahamut!" She let out a war cry and leapt off the cliff side.
"Hey!" Snow cried out and followed after her with stubborn defiance.
He heard her give out a loud laugh, a rush of air breezed past him as Bahamut flew right past him, thick purple folded wings brushed by him as the Eidolon went to fetch his master. With out another loud woop Fang landed on the back of Bahamut. Snow landed not so soon after, with a pained groan he pushed himself up right and seated himself behind Fang, who was already standing up on the flying beastie.
"This is how people like us forget about our problems for the short while!" She cried.
"People like us, huh? Now we're equals?" Snow shouted against the wind. The Bahamut sailed high over their campsite and flew over the plains.
"Hah," Fang scoffed, "We're stubborn and strong, Snow. We got the brawn but a little shaky on the brains."
"You calling us stupid now?"
"I never said that," The warrior woman gave a snort, "Me and you, Snow, we charge head first into battle without a second thought. Stuff like that gets people like us killed, you know?"
"What does this have to do anything with the little fun you promised?" Snow's gloved hands gripped the beastie so tightly the gloves almost broke.
"Well, what will you do about the little fun?" She grinned now, "Are you gunna sit and think 'bout bestin' a Pulseie? Or are you stupid enough to follow her and try to prove her wrong?"
"It's a wonder why the 'Cie relased you from crystal." The joke wasn't well thought out and Snow regretted it the moment it slipped from his lips.
"Lady Luck is always on my side, Snow." Fang, probably the fiercest Pulseie of them all, jumped from Bahamut with another original Fang cry of joy.
"Now that's a woman with fire." Snow grinned and jumped after her, his coat flapping behind him in the wind.
The tattooed warrior was flipping over in the air, crying out in joy as the wind pulled at her hair and made her dress sash snap around her. The vicious strength of fear was gone from her veins, this woman would destroy a hundred beasts just to satisfy herself. Snow followed in suit and twisted around in the air along with her, but before he could land right his back hit the Bahamut's and he gave out a yell of pain.
"Darling, be a dear and steer us back toward the camp. I think Cocoon boy has had enough of this." Fang didn't give Snow a second glance and patted the scaled side of the beast with affection. A loud roar echoed from from the beastie and he turned back, sailing toward the camp sight.
"It's only a bruise." Snow protested, gritting his teeth.
"Then you're up for one more, eh?" She grabbed his shoulders and together they flew off Bahamut.
Snow yelled in surprise and Fang could only laugh. They spun in the air, dangerously close to slamming into the ground. Blue eyes squeezed shut out of reflex but opened as soon as a smooth wing brushed against his back and his fall came to a soft landing, his feet touched the ground and he let out a breath of air. Fang whistled for Bahamut go back to his realm, quick as sound itself the beastie whistled back into the air and in Fang's open palm came her Eidolon charm.
"You closed your eyes, I saw that Cocoon boy," She pointed her lanced spear at him as if she were wagging her finger at him, "Second. Strongest."
"I'll get it right next time, Fang," He held his fist up to make the promise true, "The Cocoon people aren't as weak as you think they are."
"Hah. I'll believe that when I see the results." Fang teased him and met Vanille.
"What the hell was that all about?" Lighting made him turn.
Her light aqua green eyes were narrowed at the broad shouldered man. For a moment there was a thick silence between them, he could only give her a half done smile and rubbed his hand against his head.
"That was the two most stubborn people in the world competing over nothing." He gave the excuse as best as he could.
She only folded her arms gave a short heated breath from her nose, she walked off to the rest of the group.
"I guess I'm not any closer to that marriage then, huh?" Snow called out to her.
"You were this close," She pinched her fingers together but didn't look back, "Then it just went up in flames."
"Damn..." Snow could out recline his back to test its strength and get out a laugh.
"Where'd you go, Fang?" Vanille asked, she was holding onto Hope's arm. The younger boy looked uncomfortable in front of Fang, his face turning red as she met his emerald gaze, "We were worried sick! We saw you jump off the cliff with Snow!"
"I needed to prove something to him." She gave a warm smile at Vanille and Hope, the boy let out a smooth sigh, " Hey, Vanille, ain't he a bit too young for you?"
"Fang!" Vanille's crystal green eyes became wide with embarssment.
"Oh I'm just kidding!" Fang pinched her cheek and ruffled Hope's hair, "I'll be with the old man if you need me."
"I am not an old man!" Sazh shouted from behind her.
"Yeah, put a pipe in it, you old fart." She yelled back, walking up to him and rested an arm on his shoulder as they walked.
"Hope," Vanille looked at the younger boy, "Do you think Fang is okay?"
"She seems happy." He said, fixing his stark white hair with his free hand.
"Good, I thought I was just hoping for too much." She nodded confidently, "This is the first time I've seen her smile...Hope, you and the rest of them are good company."
"So are you." Hope gave a smile at the girl as she squeezed his hand.
"Thank you, Hope!" She let out a familiar small giggle, the corners of her mouth went upwards with her cheeks. She saw Sazh, Snow, Lighting and Fang get ahead of them and started to run after them, Hope running after her with his hand still with hers.
"Huh, would you look at that." Lighting said as Hope and Vanille ran past them, laughing.
"That could be Serah and my childr-" Snow started but Lighting shushed him with a look.
"Don't ruin it." She said but couldn't help but smile.