Chapter 11 is here. Sadly there won't be too much fighting here.


Somewhere in Eden

Pete and Barthandelus watched how the l'Cie, the Keybearer, and the mako infused SOLDIER fought their new enemies back at the top of Taejin's Tower. Barthandelus was obviously confused but also showed an interest for the three newcomers. Pete on the other hand was totally lost for the silver haired swordsman who wielded the seven foot long katana Masamune. He never met Sephiroth in the first place, but surely from what he had seen; Sephiroth is one of those who shall not to be messed up with.

"Uhhm, so what do we do next Bardhy? Any ideas?" The big cat asked the fal'Cie in disguise.

"It's time for us to play our role, follow me Pete." Barthandelus replied as he raised his staff, his owl bird then came to them and teleported them in a flash of light, transporting those two to Oerba to greet the heroes.


Meanwhile inside the cylindrical tube like vehicle

Everyone stood silent; most of them leaned against the wall since there were no seats inside. They didn't expect a long trip inside the tube towards the Oerba. It was too silent for everyone that could make especially Sora bored very much.

Too silent for everyone inside.

"Say Vanille, you said that destroyed thing was fal'Cie. What is a fal'Cie actually?" Sora asked the red haired Oerban. His question however made the others (except Cloud) stared at him confusedly; how could he don't know about fal'Cie while most of them already lived together with those supernatural beings.

"Well, they are kinda hard to be explained, but all I can tell is we live together with them." Hearing Vanille's answer, Fang couldn't help but facepalmed herself for hearing such a ridiculous answer.

"Nah, to put this easy, the fal'Cie are the beings that supposed to take care of Gran Pulse or Cocoon from any threats, but instead they use the servants known as the l'Cie (shows her brand) who are distinguished by this freaky tattoo. Get it now lil' spiky?" Fang explained as she crossed her arms.

"I think I understand that." Sora replied at her answer while he put his hands behind his head as usual.

Another silence.

"I think we're almost there." Vanille said, breaking the silence. Vanille's guess however was right, not too long after that the cylindrical tube vehicle was stopped.

As the Keybearer, the ex-SOLDIER, and their l'Cie companions got out from the tube, for their surprise. Oerba wasn't like what Vanille told to them before; there were no colorful flowers, green grass or any warmth. Instead the place was deserted, only pure color of white snows that could be seen. Even Vanille and Fang could only watched it in disbelieve, their home village, the once beautiful village had been reduced into dust. The red-haired Oerban almost couldn't hold her tear any longer, but she had to keep herself strong.

"It's all gone." Vanille said disbelieve after watched the Oerba that she and Fang had known before.

"Every trace of color. We're chasing shadows. This whole idea of losing our brands is hopeless!" Fang replied sarcastically, could their journey so far mean nothing? Even for finding a small clue to get rid their brands? What in the name of Etro did the fate have for the l'Cie fugitives?

Feeling not giving up yet, Snow tried to encourage the two Oerbans from their despair. "We can't give up yet. There's got to be a way."

"Let's keep on looking. That's what we came here for. We all agreed, and now we're here." Hope tried to reassure Vanille as he held her hand.

"You think... you think it's really possible?" Vanille asked the silver haired teen, unsure if they still had a hope or not. It was somewhat ironic, she and Fang felt that their only hope was lost, but Hope was the one who reassured her for not give up even on the slightest hope yet. "Sure. Anything is." was his reply to her.

"There's no going back." Lightning reminded the blue robed woman.

"You don't think I know that?" Fang replied her sarcastically as they walked through the snowy hill. When Sora was about to follow them, suddenly Cloud stopped him by holding his shoulder. Confused, the spiky brunette turned his head to the ex-SOLDIER.

"What's wrong Cloud? We should follow them." Sora asked him.

"Sora. It's about Sephiroth. There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Sephiroth, he's after your power to wield a Keyblade. He wanted it too, Sora." Cloud's explanation made Sora's eyes widened. Now he understood the meaning of Sephiroth's words back at the Dark Depths in Radiant Garden. Sephiroth wasn't testing him whether he was qualified as the true Keyblade Wielder or not. He actually was AFTER the power to wield Keyblade too.

"What?! Is that why he teamed up with Xemnas and Ansem then?" Sora asked back in disbelieve. Could the Organization XIII want to make Sephiroth as their 13th member? Sephiroth is a darkness being, there was no light inside him. If Xehanort wanted to make him as one of his incarnations, then it would mean a big trouble! Sephiroth himself already proved a tough challenge for Sora.

"A man like Sephiroth usually will make his own way and he would do anything for that, even if that means backstabbing the others. Better be careful, he could be in nowhere." The spiky blonde SOLDIER explained him based from his own experience with Sephiroth. Cloud was actually feeling guilty for Sora. He knew that Sora already had his own nemesis, but he didn't expect that Sephiroth would end up as one of the Keybearer's enemies too. Maybe if he could, he would switch his position with Sora to face Sephiroth himself. He couldn't involve the others again, until finally he came into one conclusion.

"Sora. After this, maybe we should leave them." Cloud suggested the spiky brunette as he tapped his shoulder and looked their l'Cie companions. "The reason why we're here in the first place is only to find Sephiroth and to find the Keyhole of this world for you, isn't it?" Cloud however didn't realize that he just said 'our'. Usually Cloud didn't care about the other's business, could that because now Sephiroth was after Sora too? Or had he changed to become more open with the others?

"Yeah, that's true. But why do we have to leave them? They're my friends too, Cloud." Sora replied him pleadingly; he wasn't a type who would abandon the others when needed. Cloud could understand his hesitation to leave the l'Cie, but that wasn't the point. In fact, Cloud just worried if they stick together with them, Sephiroth would involve them too.

"And Sephiroth would drag them in this matter. We only brought more trouble to them than before." Cloud said as he followed the l'Cie. "Maybe you should consider my words, Sora."

Sora looked at the ground. He was very unsure whether to leave them and continued their first objective or not. He knew that tagged along with Light, Snow, Sazh, Vanille, Hope, and Fang would also drag them into their problems as well, but he just felt that he needed to help them aside from his own personal goal.

"Cloud." Sora called the SOLDIER, making him stopped and looked at the Keybearer back "You know. I'm just following what my heart says. And right now, it's telling me to help my friends no matter what. And I'll do it."

"Then follow it." Was the only Cloud's reply before he walked back, followed by Sora.

As they finally made their way inside the village, for everyone's surprise. Not only the village was deserted, the Vampire, Taxim, Varcolaci, Chonchon, Seeker, and Vetala Cie'th could also be seen fighting the Large Body, Fat Bandit, Neoshadow, Defender, Gargoyle, and Invisible heartless. Sora's eyes widened, there's no way that heartless would appear with the same number as the Cie'th unless someone controlled them to make them appeared with the certain amount.

"(Sigh) Now our home had been turned into a brawling area for heartless and Cie'th." Fang commented sarcastically at the view.

"But they seem ignore our presence which is a good thing for us, right?" Hope asked Fang back.

Lightning stepped forward as she looked at the 'now turned into a street brawl' village. "We should split up; we'll meet again here after thirty minutes. Search for anything that could be a clue for us." Everyone nodded at her suggestion. Even though crawled with heartless and Cie'th, they didn't notice the presence of the l'Cie and the spiky duo.

"But who goes with whom? There are eight of us." Sora asked the pink haired soldier as he scratched his head.

"How about make it into four groups then? One group consists two people." Sazh suggested the others. "I'll let you decide to go with whom, I'm fine with anyone."

"I'll go with you." Snow answered first.

"I'm with Vanille." Hope answered too. Vanille, however was quite confused, why he wanted to go with her? He could choose Lightning or Fang or even Cloud who definitely was stronger to protect him.

"I guess I'll with Sunshine then." Fang answered as she patted Light's shoulder.

"Then I'm with Cloud." Sora answered too as he looked Cloud with his friendly smile. Cloud however only gave him a slight nod with his idea.

Finally settled, the group began on their search in four different locations. Fang and Light were searching at the old schoolhouse, Hope and Vanille were searching at old house nearby, Sazh and Snow were searching at the abandoned mill, and finally Sora and Cloud searched at the bridge that appeared to be rust eaten.

"Say Hope, why did you pick me as your partner?" Vanille asked the silver haired teen, making him turned his head towards her.

"I don't know, I just did it. But you know Vanille, at the same time, maybe I picked a good choice too." Hope replied her with a smile. "And you know, back then when I said that that it makes me happy when you smile, I-I wasn't joking. I really meant it." Vanille was taken aback with Hope's words, so he really liked it when she smiled.

"O-oh, I-I didn't know you really meant that. A-anyway let's keep searching okay. Maybe we-we can discuss it later." Flustered, Vanille quickly turned back searching for something while Hope only chuckled a bit at her reaction. Was he really serious or did he only want to tease her again? But then again, Vanille's smile always gave him the spirit to keep on. Maybe that was the reason why he picked her as his partner.


Meanwhile with Sazh and Snow…

"Say pops, how did you end up with Vanille on Palamecia?" Snow asked the afro haired man as he moved away some rusty things.

Sazh could only sigh while he searched something from what appeared to be used as a tool box. "Back then at Nautilus, I was ready to give up myself to PSICOM. I thought by doing so, I could meet again with my son Dajh. But Vanille prevented me to do that."

"Whoa, what happened then?" Now the trench coat finally stopped and crouched down, wanted to hear more about his story just after they parted away back at Lake Bresha.

"We were chased by the Guardian Corps, in the end I finally reunited with Dajh, but then he turned into a crystal. It turned out that his Focus was somewhat to find us, the Pulse l'Cie."

"Focus?! You mean your son is l'Cie too?" Snow was surprised after he heard the Focus part.

"Yeah, but different. He's the Cocoon l'Cie. Anyway after that I finally knew the reason why Dajh turned into l'Cie was because back at the Euride Power Plant, the fal'Cie there turned him into l'Cie because of Fang and Vanille's presence as the Pulse l'Cie. I was devastated, anger, and broken at the same time after learned that Vanille was the reason why Dajh was taken away from me. Then PSICOM troops captured both of us and the rest, well you know it."

"Whoa, I never know that you had a quite hard time. Sorry for that." Snow apologized to him after he heard his story; in fact Snow mentally slapped himself for asking him such a question like that.

"Nah it's okay. With what Vanille told to me, I know that one day Dajh will wake up from his crystal stasis, just like your Serah. Okay I already told mine, so what about you? How did you meet with miss grumpy and her friends again?" Now it was Sazh's turn to ask him about what happened after they left him with crystallized Serah back at the Lake Bresha.

"Well then, after you left I was ambushed with the PSICOM soldiers. They almost had me at first, but my Eidolons Stiria and Nix made a short work for them. Not too long after that I met Fang and the Calvary unit. After learned from Fang that Serah would wake up again, I was relieved. I decided to help them finding the l'Cie at Palumpolum who turned out to be sis and Hope. Then when we heard about your execution news, well you know it pops." Snow explained him.

"Sounds like you had busy hours back there." Sazh was about to lean against the drawers, but it suddenly fell. "WHOA! Didn't see that coming."

Just before Snow helped him to stand up, he noticed something that appeared to be an old book covered in dust. Snow grabbed it, wiped the dust, and then began to read it, however…

"Man, it's written in Pulse language. I don't even understand a word."

"What have you expected from the Pulse properties? Come on, let's head back. Maybe Fang or Vanille could translate it for us." Sazh suggested as they returned to their rendezvous point.


With Fang and Lightning…

The two women were inside a now broken classroom. Lightning remembered how Serah wanted to be a school teacher for kids, but seeing the destroyed school made her a bit sad. As she was in her thought, she could hear the footsteps sound descending from the ladder.

"Yo Sunshine, found anything yet?" Fang asked the pink haired soldier.

"No, not yet."

"Well, I found this one." Fang replied as she showed her a slate which already crumbled at the bottom. "The top here says l'Cie, maybe it had anything to do with our Focus."

"Well then, let's go back with the others." Just before Light left the schoolhouse, Fang chuckled behind her.

"What's so funny?" Light asked in her stern voice again.

"Admit it. You want to go back immediately, so you can see that spiky blondie again, am I right?" Fang answered her in her teasing tone, making Lightning flustered and angry again at the same time.

"What are you talking about?! We will back because you have found that thing! Now stop daydreaming and go!" Lightning replied or more likely commanded her to drop the subject. Sighing, Fang only followed her behind while she held the slate to their rendezvous point.


Meanwhile, Sora and Cloud…

"Found anything yet?" Sora asked with his Keyblade in his hand after slayed the Vetala Cie'th.

"Not yet. This place is sure such a mess." Cloud replied him as he watched the whole Oerba from the top of rusted building. He couldn't help but remembered how Nibelheim was burned down into ashes. Even though his hometown had been rebuilt, he had no more reasons except remembering his horrific past before Sephiroth went to rampage the whole village.

"We should head back, maybe the others already found something. Nothing we could find here." The spiky brunette Keybearer said as they jumped off from the top and walked back toward the others.

As they finally met up, they could see that Fang was carrying a slate, Snow was carrying an old book, Vanille was carrying a pet-like robot that she found while Sora and Cloud didn't get anything at all.

"Okay, so let's see what we have now." Fang said as she put the slate, followed by Snow with the old book, and Vanille with the strange robot.

"I can't believe you got Bhakti instead the clue for our Focus." Fang facepalmed herself after she looked at the robot pet that only made the robotic sound at her response.

"Bhakti?" Sora asked, confused with the name that he just heard.

"My robot pet. Oh look Sora; he wants to say hi to you." Vanille answered as she pointed Bhakti who was circling around Sora. "Umm, nice to meet you I guess?"

"Okay, so we got this book. Think you can translate it for us, Fang?" Snow asked, handed over the book to her.

"Hmm, the title says "Analects", maybe we could find something here. Oh, and I found this crumbled slate too; the top here has 'l'Cie' word written on it." The blue robed Oerban replied as she put the slate down and began to read the book. However just before she could read it, they could hear someone's voice echoed around them.

Ragnarok. Come Day of Wrath, O Pulse l'Cie...

Embrace thy fate, thine home to burn...

That fallen souls might bear our plea...

To hasten the Divine's return.

O Piteous Wanderer, Ragnarok...

Make of this day a brave epoch.

Deliver the Divine.

Ragnarok.

As they turned around, everyone was surprised whose voice it was. Before them was a girl who was about eighteen in age with the pink hair similar with Lightning's with a curled ponytail on her left side. She wore red plaid pleated skirt lined with black lace, a white sleeveless dress shirt, a semi-transparent pink sweeper, a hair tie on her left wrist, a pair of black thigh-high stockings, and ivory ankle boots.

She was Serah Farron, Lightning Farron's younger sister and Snow's fiancée.


Yeah, I'm into HopexVanille here after watched their cute scene at Yashcas Massif area. Next chapter will be the end of their journey on Gran Pulse and I'll put some actions. And for additional info, I put the analects from the game into the book.