The night engulfed Pulse, quieting the clearing in which the X5 rested and shrouding everything in a thick darkness that somehow silenced the very environment. A banging broke the silence, causing a few birds that had been resting in the trees nearby to fly up startled. After several more bangs a panel flew away from the craft and fell loudly to the forest floor. From out of the new hole in the side of this craft fell a man. He landed on his back in the snow and lay there for long minutes, his breath misting in the air above him.

"We have a job for you."

An older, bald man is speaking to him. Head of the Sanctum, he's a very public figure and even someone as reclusive as he is knows who this man is. For him to have need of his services is an interesting development. "I wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise."

He slides a picture across the table to me. The picture is of a soldier, she looks young but perhaps that's just her hair which is a shade of pink. She is saluting the camera wearing combat fatigues yet her face holds no expression, as if such things were beneath her. "This woman is a fugitive. She is currently in the village of Oerba in Pulse. The job is to eliminate her."

I look over the picture again, committing the face to memory. "My price is ten thousand."

The man smiles, to a man of his status this must seem a paltry sum. "You shall have it."

He slowly sat up, his body gradually adjusting to the cold. He stretched his limbs, the loud popping sounds reverberating through the empty space around him. After over a day of being locked in that cramped storage bin he was happy to breathe the fresh air again. He stood and scanned his surroundings, looking for shelter. Nearby stood the maw of a large cave, a cave that had been previously occupied by a behemoth but was now empty, and started towards it.

The sound of footsteps could be heard nearby and he prepared himself. From out of the shadows of the trees a deer stepped, it's ears perked up and eyes scanning the clearing. It found nothing out of the ordinary and took two more tentative steps forward before a well placed shot struck it's brain and killed it instantly. The beast hit the ground and he stepped forward to survey his kill. Satisfied he drug the beast into the shadow of the cave and, using some of the underbrush as kindling, lit a fire. Drawing his favorite knife he fileted several pieces of meat from it's shanks and set them over the fire.

Step one, survival, was complete. Now step two was ready to begin, the hunt.

-SAVAGE-

"Why don't we all just calm down?" Snow had his hands in the air as several armed Oerbans held weapons to him and shouted at him in their strange language that he couldn't begin to make out. Sazh stood nearby, a pair of pistols in his hands, and Serah stood defiantly beside him. "We come in peace."

"E tuh'd ihtancdybd oui." One of the men shouted at Snow. "Kad Yun Marko."

One of the men ran in the direction of the village while the rest continued to brandish weapons at the three Cocoonians. It took a lot of convincing but Snow managed to convince Sazh to put down his guns which caused the Pulsians to lower their weapons and their voices. Five minutes later a large, tattoed man strode from the main gate and towards them like a bullet. As soon as he spotted them his face turned to a scowl. "More of you Cocoon rats come here?" He stopped and stood before them, he stood as tall as Snow but broader across the chest, his muscled arms rippled under the few furs he wore to fight off the cold. "Explain to me why I shouldn't execute the lot of you."

"Well..." Snow scratched his head trying to come up with something but he couldn't think of anything good enough. Serah was also at a loss for words, her tongue felt thick in her mouth and she was almost shaking from fear.

It was Sazh who saved them. "We bring news of an imminent attack."

"An attack?" The large man scoffed. "Why should I fear that?"

"The whole of Cocoon is preparing for war. The Sanctum has been inciting hatred against you and is preparing to march as we speak."

The man seemed to mull over this fact, all the while the fate of the three of them hung on his words. They waited as he made his decision. "Pnehk dras ehceta."

The man turned his back to them and walked away, the guardsmen circled the three Cocoonians and prodded them to follow him into the town proper. What they saw inside was far different from Bodhum or anything they had ever seen. Snow and Serah looked around themselves, captivated by the simplicity of the structures in Oerba. Sazh had seen a Pulsian village before but was still impressed by Oerba's size and the strength of it's construction. The walls looked sturdy enough to defend against anything short of a behemoth attack.

They followed him down roads now covered in deep snow. While he wore snow shoes that easily allowed him to walk on the snow the Cocoonians didn't and found it difficult to keep up his quick pace, Snow had to nearly carry Serah down a particularly difficult hill. He led them to his own house, one of the largest in the village of Oerba. Even from a distance she could tell it was different from every house around it, it's solid, red brick construction was very different from the other houses near it, the large fence was built to keep out all but the hardiest of men and the gates were guarded by two large men wearing a dragon head crest on their chests. These men nodded to Yun Marko as he approached and opened the gate for them to enter.

Inside they found the Yun house to be more spartan than it looked on the outside. Most of the grounds were occupied by training areas for hunters and the large hunter's lodge that sat in the shadow of the brick building, a smaller wooden affair that seemed more a shed next to the main building. Several straw replicas of wild animals were spread along the fence, some with many holes from arrows and spears where the hunters would most likely practice their skills before taking the field.

Inside the house was well decorated with furs and even some silks, curtains and tapestries lined the walls of the opulent house. They were led into a room with several pillows on the floor for sitting and it was indicated that the three of them should sit, which they promptly did as neither wanted to cause trouble here. He muttered something to one of his guards as he sat down on an opulent pillow before the three Cocoonians. There was silence until a tall woman, with long dark hair who had a vague resemblance to Marko entered. Her eyes scanned the room and widened when she saw Serah. "Cocoonians? What's going on, father?"

"These...vermin were caught outside the north gate. I'd like to know what they're doing here and since you seem to have a way with them I thought I would let you ask nicely before I ask roughly." The way his lip curled as he said the last word made him seem predatory, like he would enjoy it.

The woman looked immediately to Serah. "What brings you here, Cocoonian?" Serah didn't immediately answer and the edge of the woman's mouth curled up in a vague smile. "I've seen that look before and I think I know why you're here, as for the other two...bodyguards? Lovers?"

Sazh smirked. "Pilot."

"I see." The woman approached and spoke quietly into her father's ear. What she said seemed to resonate with him and he nodded. She quickly left the room leaving the gathered in silence, his watchful gaze never leaving them until she returned nearly ten minutes later with a familiar face in tow. As soon as their eyes met Claire's widened and Serah stood up in surprise. "Claire?"

"Serah?"

Serah ran into her older sister's arms and buried her head in her chest. Claire wrapped her arms around her sister and held her close. Serah was sobbing, her voice was choked up. "They told...us you...were dead."

Claire couldn't fight the tear that gathered in the corner of her eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again."

The reunion put a smile on everyone's faces except Marko. His face remained stoic, a mask of stone. He turned his attention to Sazh. "I would like to discuss this attack you mentioned. How can I be sure you were telling the truth?"

Sazh took a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and held it out in front of him. One of the guards took it from him and handed it to Marko who read it wih a concerned look on his face. "So, you speak the truth." He looked across the room to where his daughter, Claire, Serah and Snow were all gathered. "Yun Fang." He tilted his head to indicate that she should join him. "Find them lodging in the town and convene the council for an emergency meeting."

"Yes, father." Fang left the room in a hurry and before long returned with news that she had found a place to keep the Cocoonians and that the meeting was convened for later on in the evening. He thanked her and she approached the three of them. "Follow me, please." She turned her head to the soldier still sitting on the pillows. "You too, if you want."

He grunted and lifted himself up, several joints popped in his knees as he did so. "Alright, alright. I'm coming."

They followed Fang out the door and around several corners until they came up to a small house that sat empty on the end of the street. From the outside they could tell that it hadn't been inhabited in some time. "For the time being, you lot can stay here. We'll have some bedding and food brought around for you but we can't offer much else at this time."

Claire interrupted. "I'll pay for anything they need."

Fang smirked. "That's up to you, sunshine. Now I've got other business so I'll leave them to you, alright? Keep them out of trouble."

Fang walked away leaving Claire with the other Cocoonians in front of the empty house. As she walked away she thought about Vanille and wondered how that was going to play out. She contemplated telling her about it but found that she had too much to do with the upcoming council meeting. Her father would demand that she be there.

With Fang gone, Claire led the others into the house. It was empty but soon several of the local men came with furnishings, some bedding and furs for blankets, a some changes of clothes and a few pillows to sit on. Soon the main room was furnished and they sat down. Claire got right to business as usual. "Why did you come here?"

Sazh answered the question. "I got a tip that you might still be alive, to spite the Sanctum's claims otherwise, so I looked up NORA and Snow here and we decided to mount a rescue mission. We hijacked a Sanctum transport and made our way here."

"Why did you bring Serah?"

"Well..." Snow scratched the back of his head. "We kinda got busted for stealing that transport. We had to get out quickly and Serah got dragged along."

"Enough about us." Serah turned it back on her sister. "What have you been doing here? Why haven't you tried to contact me? I was so worried."

Claire motioned around her as if the answer were obvious. "Have you seen this place? I couldn't just pick up a phone and the snow made it impossible to leave. I..." Claire's mind went over the events of the passed two months and she started to realize what she had been doing. Finding work, making friends, her love affair with Vanille; she had been building a life here and seeing her sister here reminded her once again that she was a foreigner here and she always would be. "I've been waiting." Her face grew somber before she changed the topic. "Are you guys hungry. I could get us something to eat."

"We should all go." Snow spoke up. "We need to stick together, who knows what these people might do."

Claire stood from the pillow with a practiced ease. "That's not necessary."

"Claire, these people want us dead. For all we know they're just waiting to out a blade in our back."

Claire found herself getting angry at Snow's insinuations. Her lip curled up in a grimace. "They're not just going to attack us in the street, Snow. They're better than that."

"These people are savages..."

"And what the hell would you know about it Snow." Claire raised her voice, shaking the walls of the old house. "You've been here for all of an hour. Sit down and shut up." She turned her back on the stunned blond, who did as he was told and quietly sat back down. "I'll be back."

The door shut behind her and silence reigned for a time. Snow was the first to speak. "What was that about?" Serah merely pursed her lips. If anyone knew her sister it was her. "Serah, what was that about?"

Serah stayed silent but Sazh had picked up on something as well. "So that's Lightning Farron. She's easy on the eyes, even if she can be a bit intimidating."

Snow didn't say so but he agreed. He took his girlfriend's hand and held it, telling himself it was to calm her but in reality it was to calm himself.

Claire returned a half an hour later with a few slabs of meat and a basket of vegetables. She quietly walked across the room and into the kitchen area where a few of the locals had brought in enough supplies to start a fire and cook the meat. Serah got to her feet and joined her sister in the kitchen, who had already started chopping vegetables for a stew. She grabbed a nearby knife and joined her.

They cut together in quiet bliss, both just happy to be with the other again. They chopped carrots, onions and a few potatoes, dropping them into the pot of water as they did so. "I missed you." Claire noticed a tear running down Serah's cheek. "When I heard you were dead I couldn't stop crying. I spent at least a week in bed." Her shoulders slumped and she started sobbing.

Claire pulled her sister into a hug and let her cry into her shoulder. "I'm here, Serah." She held her sister close and in that moment realized just how much she had missed her as well. "I'll always be here."

Serah wiped her eyes and regained her composure. "Sorry."

Claire turned her head and wiped the single tear from her own eye. "Don't worry about it."

They got back to work and soon had a large pot of stew and several bowls. Serah poured one for herself and Snow while Claire and Sazh served themselves. They sat together in the main room of the house and ate while chatting between themselves. Claire turned to Sazh. "I overheard something about an attack from Cocoon? What was that about?"

Sazh pursed his lips. "After they found your squad dead the Sanctum started a campaign to stir up hatred towards Pulse. They've been gearing up to strike at Oerba in the spring."

"There's no way they could get public approval up for something like this. The people have just been through a war and they wouldn't want to dive into another so quickly."

"The Sanctum's anti-Pulse campaign has been surprisingly effective." Sazh let out a sigh. "Pulsians were already unpopular with the masses and after showing photos of the dead soldiers the people are behind them. I don't think they know what it means to go to war."

"Of course they don't." Claire's face turned flush with anger. "None of them have ever had to fight. A war with Pulse won't change their daily lives."

"Yeah." Sazh hadn't known what to expect from Lightning Farron but he was pleasantly surprised. What he found was a grizzled veteran with a good head on her shoulders. "You're right."

Serah had fallen asleep with her head in Snow's lap and Snow himself was starting to doze off. Four bedrolls had been brought for them by the locals, Snow carried Serah to one and tossed some furs over her to keep her warm. He yawned and stretched his arms. "I don't know about any of that, but I know that it's been a long day and I'm going to bed."

Snow lay down and was asleep quickly leaving Claire to talk with Sazh about the political situation and the rising tension. "What do you think the Pulsians will do? Do you think they'll retaliate?"

Claire shrugged. "Why are you asking me?"

"Well, you've spent more time here than I have. I thought you might have some insight into how they think."

"Well I don't."

Sazh noticed a look crossed her blue eyes before being quickly suppressed by her stoicism. He didn't bring it up but he noticed how defensive of the Pulsians she could become. "I see." A yawn escaped him as his weariness caught up to him. "I think it's time to hit the sack."

Claire didn't say anything as he crossed the room and curled up in one of the bedrolls. It had seemed so far away before but seeing Serah and Snow and talking with Sazh reminded her that she would eventually be leaving Oerba, a place that she had come to like. Something Vanille had asked her came to her memory. Were you happy in Cocoon? She still didn't have an answer to that question but the time was growing near when she would be going back so the question was foremost in her mind. What other options do I have?

She cleaned up the bowls and washed them in the ancient sink before settling down in the last bedroll. She tossed and turned with her thoughts, thoughts of a coming war with Pulse, thoughts of returning to her home and thoughts of Vanille which came so easily to her. What other options do I have?

-SAVAGE-

The sun was going down and Vanille was walking up the hill towards the Mother's house. She had heard from Fang about the appearance of the Cocoonians and it had brought her mind to thoughts of Claire so she resolved to spend the night with her.

She couldn't fight the smile on her face as she neared the house and knocked on the door. She leaned on the doorjam expecting Claire to answer but was met by Reyna who opened the door and looked at her oddly. "Vanille? It's late."

Vanille's stomach turned and she was suddenly nervous. She hadn't expected to get caught like this. She straightened herself out immediately and cleared her throat. "I was just coming to see Cl... Lightning."

"She's not here." Vanille was disappointed to hear that. "I don't know where she is."

"Okay, thanks." Vanille couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice and when she walked away from the house her mood had gone from tentative to worried. If she wasn't staying in her own room she would most likely be staying with the other Cocoonians. The thought of asking Fang where that was and going to find her crossed her mind but she dismissed it, choosing instead to give Claire some space. I'll just see her tomorrow.