Vanille walked up the front steps, and she smiled when Mog wagged his tail at her from the porch. She reached out to open the door, walking in to close the door after Mog.

"Fang, come smell this!"

Serah bit back a laugh. "Now that's something you never want to hear..."

Vanille hopped into the living room with the mail clutched in her hands, and Serah paled at the sight of a certain letter. Vanille held it up after a moment, handing it to Fang.

Fang narrowed her eyes. "This had better not be a prank, Van..."

Vanille shook her head. "I recognize it from somewhere."

Fang held the letter to her nose, and she inhaled. It was suddenly as if she was very, very far away, and Fang's pupils dilated. Her breath caught, and she took another whiff of the scent, her breath short.

"Fang... Let me see that?" Serah asked, "I think it might be from Adam."

Fang inhaled once more. "I know this scent..." She handed the letter over to Serah, but her gaze remained distant.

Serah's heart raced; above the seal of the envelope was an intricate symbol, the letter 'A' drawn in swirling ink. Serah pulled open the paper, removing a single sheet of text, to which she read aloud.

A force clouded behind the rain,

Siblings torn, frozen in pain.

Where do you stand within the storm?

I've the key for a passage to norm.

Serah sighed. "They send Noel information, but we get poetry..?"

Lightning looked at the floor, narrowing her eyes. "It's either a puzzle, or they're trying to mess with us."

Serah glanced over the letter again, before checking her email. "Noel's not online, but I'll try the channel anyway."

Fang stood, her gaze still out of focus. "Can I see that again..?"

Serah nodded, handing over the letter. Fang took it after a moment, careful not to tear the paper with her claws. She held it up to her nose and took a deep breath. After a short while, Fang shook her head, and she offered the paper to Lightning.

Lightning inhaled, closing her eyes. "It's interesting... Some kind of perfume?" She opened her eyes after a moment. "I've never smelled it before, though."

Fang turned to Hope, holding the page out to him. Hope took a breath as well, but he shook his head.

Serah narrowed her eyes at the screen, and she entered a message into the channel.

Adam, are you still there?

Serah waited for a moment, before her heart skipped a beat.

Yes. Is this still Serah?

Yeah. We got your letter; care to explain the poetry?

That would defeat the purpose of writing it.

Serah sighed, her fingers hovering above the keys. "They don't want to explain it."

Lightning narrowed her eyes. "Then tell them to quit wasting our time."

Serah laughed under her breath, turning back to the screen.

My sister thinks you should stop wasting our time.

Thinking is never a waste. Do you know what is a waste?

What?

Idling. There are things that should be done before we rest.

Can you stop with the secrets, then? Just tell us.

There are those in need of aid, and I know where they are. I also have something that your friends might find useful.

What do you think we should do, then?

I am willing to put my life on the line to meet your friends, for it may save more lives than mine.

Serah paused, and she looked from the screen. "Adam wants to meet you."

Fang still held the letter in her hands, her gaze locked on the swirling text. "How do I know them?" She looked up at Serah. "Will you ask?"

Serah nodded, moving her fingers upon the keys.

One of my friends recognizes the scent on your letter.

I'd nearly forgotten how powerful their noses are; they may recognize me if we meet. Please tell them that I am truly sorry.

Serah relayed the message to Fang, who narrowed her eyes.

Lightning stood up, her hands clenched into fists. "Ask them where they want to meet."

Serah frowned. "You know how dangerous this could be."

Lightning shook her head. "I'm done ignoring it, then... I'll keep a good distance before approaching."

Fang stood up as well, turning to face Lightning. "You aren't going without backup, at least."

Lightning nodded, and she looked back at Serah. "Ask them."

Serah hesitated for a moment, before typing in her message.

Adam, they want to know where to meet.

I will travel to you. Expect a phone call a day or so before I arrive, and another when I am near. All I ask is that you give me a chance to speak.

We can do that.

Until then. Goodbye, Serah.

Serah kept silent, her eyes wandering over the keyboard. "They're coming here..."

Lightning walked in front of Serah, waiting for her to meet her gaze. "Then we'll be ready."

Noel winced, pain shooting through his upper leg as he gripped at the edge of his bandages, tearing them away. He glanced down, frowning at the mass of twisted flesh; his bottom leg was almost entirely gone, as the muscles were torn apart from the knee down.

Leaning back on the bed, Noel swallowed, reaching for a letter that lay upon his bedside table. Opening it, Noel re-read a certain section for what felt like the hundredth time.

And finally, a gift for you... I have enclosed it within. Simply inject it within your upper leg.

Noel exhaled, gripping the syringe, watching the millions of tiny organisms that flickered within the tube. Gritting his teeth, Noel winced when the needle pricked at his flesh, before he pushed the plunger.

Fang ran her claws through her hair; Serah had insisted that she get as much grass out as possible before joining them for dinner. After she felt satisfied with the pile of leaves, twigs, and other such plant-life that had been removed, Fang stepped back, looking at herself in the mirror.

Her reflection stared back at her, a face comprised of interlocking carapace, unmovable shell. Fang blinked, opening her mouth to exhale, while she reached up to place her hand on the glass. She closed her eyes, concentrating as a slow burn spread through the muscles within her face.

Fang clenched her teeth, pain twinging in her jaw as the carapace trembled, folding in upon itself. The shell crumbled, and when she opened her eyes, soft skin caught her gaze, running all the way over her jaw, only to stop beside her neck. Fang pushed with all her might, forcing the carapace back even further, and she bit her tongue when the pain became too intense, but she pressed on, allowing the bone no choice but to disintegrate. Fang struggled to catch her breath, and she slowly raised her fingertips to run them over her skin, staring at her face.

Fang almost jumped at a knock upon the door.

"Are you alright in there?"

"Light..." Fang laughed, tears running down her face. "Come in."

Lightning hesitated for a moment, before the door opened.

"Look..." Fang reached over to take Lightning's hands in her own. "I'd nearly..." She laughed, moving Lightning's hands to touch the skin upon her face.

Lightning's mouth opened slightly, her eyes widening. "All of it..."

Fang nodded, grinning. "Hurt like hell, but yeah."

Lightning ran her index finger over Fang's nose, careful to keep her claws at bay. She trailed up between Fang's eyebrows, tracing along her forehead.

They both nearly startled when Serah called out from downstairs, and Fang chuckled.

Lightning pulled her hand back, and she let her arm drop to her side. "Let's stay for dinner, tonight." She trailed off, glancing at her feet. "It'll make Serah feel better."

Fang nodded, a grin still drawn over her lips, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

Snow stepped out from the truck, the city aglow before him. His eyes went wide as he watched the winding streets bustle along in the dark, still awake in the dead of night.

"Might want to head inside; I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." Rygdea smiled as he walked up beside him. "Colorful, ain't it?"

Snow nodded. "There's so many people..." Closing his eyes for a moment, Snow turned to face Rygdea. "Can I speak to him tonight?"

Rygdea frowned, but he shrugged after a moment. "Alright, but it might not get you very far."

They walked up to the Cavalry building, soon entering through a side door. After climbing down several flights of stairs, Rygdea gestured at a metal doorway.

"He's in there." Rygdea said, "There'll be bars between you, but keep your distance... Just knock when you want out."

Snow nodded, and Rygdea opened the door.

A rectangular area awaited him, sectioned off by a wall of metal bars. Most of the room lay beyond the barrier, but Snow could make out a pacing figure within. The door closed behind him, and Snow walked up to the bars.

"Hey, remember me?" Snow asked, "I'm here to try and help you."

All that Snow received was a low, rumbling growl, and a pair of eyes quickly trained upon him.

"I know that you can't really think straight," Snow said, "but I'm going to do everything I can to get you back."

The growl raised in volume to a snarl, and the figure turned away from him.

"Just get some sleep." Snow turned to knock on the door. "I'll be back in the morning."

Lightning sat atop a pile of blankets and pillows, which were arranged in a bed-like shape. Fang shared the room with her, an old family study.

Lightning looked out from the window, her gaze locked upon the night sky. She could hear Fang rustling with her own blankets on the opposite side of the room, but Lightning kept still, staring up at the stars.

"Light?"

Lightning looked over, watching as Fang frowned; the carapace was beginning to shift back upon her face.

"You'll get it back again." Lightning yawned, her eyelids drooping shut. "Just give it some time."

Fang nodded, but she ran a hand through her hair, hissing under her breath. "I just want it to stay."

"I know..." Lightning closed her eyes. "Maybe you can show me how you did it, tomorrow."

Fang looked up at her, and she exhaled. "Sure."

Lightning kept silent for a moment, turning to look back outside.

"Hey, Light?"

Lightning tipped her head to the side.

"Cuddle?"

Lightning looked over at Fang, nearly melting upon catching sight of her hopeful gaze. She stood from her bed to walk across the room, lowering into Fang's waiting arms.

Fang purred, and she drew Lightning close as they settled into place. "Stay, tonight..."

Lightning nodded against Fang's chest, curling up against her. Fang leaned closer as she attempted to inhale Lightning's scent, but the strange aroma from the letter clung to her nose, making it nearly impossible to focus on anything else.

Fang soon drifted off to sleep, but the scent nagged at her memories, until it even seeped into her dreams.

Cold fingers prod at her face, the movement calculated and precise.

"Pulsian descent, I would assume."

A second voice echos in the background, soft in tone. "Jihl..."

Jihl ignores the voice. "This is good... It broadens the diversity of the group." She smiles, soft, yet cold. "Perhaps we'll see extended variety between the results."

Fang struggles to open her eyes, and her gaze soon meets with that of a blonde woman, her eyes framed by a pair of glasses. Fang tries to speak, but she finds her lips numb and unresponsive. Jihl examines her for a while longer, before leaning back to stand upright.

Fang tilts her head to the side, realizing that her arms are bound to a chair. Panic seizes her body, adrenaline rushing through her veins as she whips her head around, her eyes wide and frenzied, before Fang freezes in place.

Vanille's eyes are closed tight, tears running down her face. Her arms are bound to an identical chair, her hands clenching against the restraints.

The second voice speaks again. "Jihl... This isn't right."

Jihl narrows her eyes, turning to face the figure behind her. "We've already gone far beyond right, and you know it."

Fang tries to see the second figure, but they stand facing the hallway, and she can only make out a head of shoulder-length, dark blonde hair, nearly brown in color.

"I don't care! Unwilling test subjects?" The second voice pauses, a bitter tone seeping into their words. "Are you serious, Jihl?"

Jihl exhales, tapping her foot against the ground. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

"And let you tear their lives apart!?" The voice rises, no longer soft, as the figure walks in front of Fang, gesturing down at her. "You can't do this! I know how important it is to you... But they could die, Jihl!"

Jihl turns away, silent for a moment. "They very well might." She whirls around, ramming her hand against the second figure's neck. "But that's a risk I have to take..."

Fang's eyes widen, watching as the second figure collapses beside her, twitching slightly.

Jihl stands up after a moment, holding an empty syringe in her hand. Her shoulders shake, but she reaches for a phone upon the wall. "Security, please. My associate needs to be removed from the building... And from the program, as well."

Fang's thoughts meld together, the scent drifting out from the letter, as well as from the fallen figure... Something clicks, registering in the back of her mind, but her dreams soon shift to different things, far away from the mysterious scent.

Lightning runs through the grass, her hair flowing in the wind. Fang chases after her, reaching out to take her hand, human fingers intertwining with each other.

Fang keeps still as Lightning's face stares back at her; soft, human skin reaches over her entire body. Lightning tilts her head to the side, and Fang glances up to see that her horns are still in place, albeit smaller. Fang reaches up to touch one, her lips spreading into a smile.

Lightning leans forward, pressing her forehead against Fang's shoulder. Fang closes her eyes, wrapping her arms around Lightning's back to draw her close.

Lightning tenses after a moment, and Fang pulls back to look at her, but she finds that her arms are empty. Fang whirls around, searching the field, before finally spotting her.

Lightning stands upon a boulder, her body rigid, no longer human. Fire blooms out beneath her, and Lightning leaps down from the rock, racing into the forest.

Fang follows after her, but she finds that her nose can no longer pick up a trail, nor her legs keep up with the pace. Fang looks down; her feet are human, toes touching down upon the fire.

Fang runs, racing until she can't bear to take another step. She collapses, gasping for breath. Lightning appears from the smoke, walking within the flames, her gaze on the sky. Fang reaches out, grasping for her, but Lightning ignores the gesture, intent on searching the stars.

The smoke soon over overwhelms her, and Fang woke with a gasp.