Hello everyone, and here's the twelfth chapter of ET for you.

I'm so sorry for not updating sooner, I feel horrible about it. I'm really bad with procrastination. Though not all of it was procrastination, I've started year 11 at school and homework and assignments were crazy for a little while. Luckily this term I've mostly just got tests so I don't got tonnes of assignments taking up my writing time. But the next chapter might get delayed a little because I've got homework for English extension that might take up my writing time for a week, hopefully not that long. I hope.

Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy.

Powers

Claire ran her hand against the tree, feeling its rough bark under her hands. Drawing her hand away, she looked over her shoulder at the woman standing silently behind her. Stepping back from the tree she asked the woman, "Is this okay, Lye? Are you alright with leaving this place? Aren't you scared that Zai won't be okay by herself?

Lyella smiled somewhat sadly to her, looking up at Claire she answered more surely than what her expression gave away, "It's not so much a question of whether I'm alright with it, I don't have much of a choice, we need to leave. Especially you Claire." she said fixing her with a hard stare, "People with a power like yours can't stay in a place like this with no protection."

Claire averted her eyes from Lyella face. Self-blame welled up in her stomach. Powers, her own little secret she'd hidden from those close to her. She wasn't the only one with powers like the ones she wielded, Lyella herself being one of them. Only it was the need to protect certain ones she alone had that warranted this escape.

Seeing Claire's face fall Lyella changed her smile to a more positive one, "Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault. There was no stopping this, it was going to happen eventually. Besides," Lye added with a shrug, "Zai's got her aunt to look after her, she'll be fine."

Her facial expression improving for the better hearing this, Claire put on a cheeky smile, "And how is this sister of yours taking having to look after a kid for you while you go off goddess knows where."

"Oh you know" Lye replied nonchalantly, "She's not so happy with it. I mean she loves Zai and all but the whole going off to someplace she doesn't know worries her. I could worry to the worlds end about her but she'd worry about me ten times more." Adopting a more serious expression Lyella finished, "She gets it though, she's always got it. She knows there's no stopping this, she won't try to stop me."

Pushing off the tree Lyella began to walk off meaning for Claire to follow. Only Claire didn't just yet. Smiling sweetly at the thought she said out loud to Lyella, "Your sister's a really nice person."

"I know." Lyella responded, smiling too. Of that fact, she couldn't be gladder.

Running her hand along the tree one last time Claire sent a pray to the heavens that both their families would be safe. That done she hurried after Lyella.

…:…

Time passed, somewhat uneventfully for Claire and Lyella. It all depended on how you defined uneventful. They were at constant threat from all the common terrors associated from traversing Pulse. Fiends on endless supply for one, but they weren't the problem. Lyella was strong, and so was Claire. The biggest trouble they faced on their travels were the Valhallans they occasionally met. But these too, were dealt with quick. None seemed to realise the threat of Lyella's strength before it was too late. As strong as Claire was, she wasn't as strong as Lye. Among a range of other abilities, the woman was a seasoned warrior. A relic of a culture long lost, for before the sparse remains of Pulsian tribes learned to hide from them, the Valhallans butchered their warriors.

Lye was just lucky to escape the culling.

It didn't take long for Claire to learn to truly appreciate the woman's strength, the true bounds of which she was sure she had never seen. She would be a great asset to the main fight against the Valhallans instead of this background work she did. But Lyella didn't do fighting in the limelight. She preferred this type of working.

Claire was pretty sure it also had something to do with a few choice people who just didn't like her. Though Lye didn't like them anymore than they did her, so it was probably for the best that they were kept apart like they were.

There was another reason for Lyella's shadow work though, one she'd been kind enough to tell Claire. She was helping out a friend she said. This friend was in a very specific bind and they needed a very specific person to help them. Only no one really knew where to find this person. Lyella knew enough about how to track them down but their exact location was utterly unknown. What's more was ample evidence to suggest that this person had no wish to be found. It was quite an irritating situation.

Claire couldn't see herself putting herself through such a situation on a favour for a friend. But she knew too, just who this 'friend' of Lyella's was. They had a lot of history together, and Lyella would do much more than just this nigh impossible favour for them. It was a sort of, die for them without hesitation deals. Not that Claire fancied Lyella dying on her, but it was a consolation that she knew this friend wouldn't hesitate to do the same in return.

Breaking out of her thoughts Claire looked up at the darkening sky. It'd be night soon, she must seek some shelter.

…:…

Claire stood watching a field that stretched out ahead of them. In the middle there lay a military base, or at least it used to be before the thing got overtaken by Valhallan scum.

Pulling back from the twisted log she was hiding behind she said to Lyella, "Why do they do that? Take over the bases?"

Lyella shrugged, "Well there are a few good reasons for that. One it's a show of strength. And it was always important to them who was the strongest. Another is that is gives them a big advantage over our side. Walk across that field now and those guys up on the walls there will shoot you full of arrows. Of Couse," Lyella paused, "It was never a defence that was meant to hinder 'our kind'. People like us could easily deflect those arrows right back at them."

Getting up off the ground she tacked on, "Of course if we did the latter action it'd inform them that 'our kind' are near and they'll be on us like nothing else after our heads. Men like those at that military base always liked to kill for trophy."

Staring back at the base behind her, Claire mumbled, "So a detour then."

Lyella nodded in response, moving off.

"Someone should really do something about these pest and their bases. People of our kind would fit that bill quite right, wouldn't you say?" Running her finger along the log behind her it cracked.

…:…

Claire sat amidst the roots of a great tree in wait. The sun was high in the sky marking the noon hour. For her though the greater events of her day had scarcely begun. All that was left for now was to wait until Lyella returned for them to begin.

The woman was out someplace meeting with someone from their side so she could get her hands on some information. They had their hands on little of it lately. Not much had come their way since news of Aaia's appearance on Pulse. So Lye had taken it upon herself to show some initiative and go after it herself. If luck was on her side Claire wouldn't have to wait much longer.

This much longer became half an hour hence before Claire spotted Lyella's figure approaching on the horizon. Within ten minutes the woman reached Claire's side.

"Good to see you today." Claire joked, it had been a day and a half since they'd split ways and had agreed upon a place to reunite.

Lyella 'hmpmed' and leaned against the tree, "Could say the same to you." Letting a pause pass between them Lyella directed her eyes to the distant western horizon. "So we headed off on a charming escapade this fine day.

"That we are." Flicking her eyes up to Lyella, Claire said, "Seeing as you've returned alone can I safely assume no one on your information route offered to help us."

Lyella laughed, "Same as always."

"No one then." Claire replied back in a knowing voice, getting up off the ground, "We'd best be going then, don't want to be late for our date with screaming Valhallans."

Laughing again, Lyella followed and walked after Claire as she set off in a westerly direction.

...:...

Later that afternoon found the pair kneeling in the branches of a tree watching over a wretched looking military base 'infested' as they would have put it, with Valhallan pests.

Lately they had given into a little divergence from their original mission. An altered mission from the original that incorporated the main plain of action with another activity. Nothing much, just something that boosted the overall convenience of all their side who fought this war.

Smiling as she shifted her vantage point Claire asked Lyella, "So how we tackling this one?"

"Easily enough. Get to the core without being seen best we can, same old routine from there. Destroy it." Lyella replied with a shrug a smile tugging at her features, like the whole thing wasn't so big a deal.

Not that it was. Since this small little divergence had come about, this was the fifth military base they had destroyed so far. Who better than them? People with powers out of the human norm suited this work perfectly

"Ready?" Lyella whispered

"As always." Claire responded.

Jumping from the tree, a single scout heard the noise and turned in their direction. Upon sighting them he opened his mouth to yell a warning to whoever was in hearing distance. Only as the slightest sound began escaping his lips Claire clenched her hand shut and it vanished. The first example of this power of hers for today. Not so much magic as most people called it, but a manipulation of nature around her.

In the grasp of her powers, surprised fluttered in the man's eyes as he grasped his throat and fought to makes noise. His eyes so intently locked on Claire as she flashed him a smile he didn't even notice Lyella come up behind him and knock him out cold.

"One down." She muttered.

From there, it was easy.

Ascending a steel pipe on the side of the building Claire swung in through a window. Surveying the immediate area real quick she ascertained that there was no immediate danger of enemies. Moving away from the window Lyella jumped through and landed by Claire.

"'Kay," Lyella said excitedly, "Time to do this."

Moving forward, Claire took the lead soundlessly. Pausing at a corner, she looked around it cautiously. There were some men a ways off, but none were looking in their direction. They were easily avoided.

Though their strength and large statues made Valhallan men like these dangerous enemies in a legitimate fight, they were easily exploited. That is to say, they were extremely arrogant. Just because they were strong they thought themselves unbeatable. That their defences could not be beaten. So they never placed enough guards in any given place, leaving their overtaken military bases open to attack. It was their luck that few people existed who were of the right calibre of crazy to try and fight them in any way.

Only it was Claire's luck that her and Lye were just two such people that'd they'd attempt a feat such as this. She smiled, only their 'crazy' wasn't quite the common use of the word.

Slipping past some more men too distracted with what they were doing to bother to look in their direction Claire whispered back to Lyella, "So, you know where the core of this place is yet?"

"Not quite. But I'm getting there." Lyella mumbled back.

'Good enough for now', Claire thought. A quick scan of the exterior of this base had revealed it to be considerably large. The two of them wouldn't have to worry for a couple more minutes now about finding the true core. It'd give Lye time to locate it.

Moving through the base silent as can be both girls traversed corridor after corridor of similar architecture sometimes barely avoiding getting caught within someone's sights. The level of guard in this place was laughable. They had two intruders on their hands and they weren't any the wiser. It was a testament to their joint stupidities. Not that all of their kind were this stupid, the Untundra, their leader, was in fact quite cunning. So were many of his close confidants. Sadly for them the drones of this beehive could resemble them more.

Well, not for Claire and her side of course, but it was a constant thorn in the Untundra's side. This she knew. And she found it no end of hilarious.

Coming to a halt, Lyella took the lead, checking the place for anyone she walked up to a door. Placing her ear against it she listened in to the voices coming from the inside. "Here." she murmured.

"The core?" Claire inquired, coming to stand at her side.

Lyella nodded. Stepping aside Claire took up her previous position in front of the door. Looking up at Lye's face Claire waited. At the slightest nod from her friend she returned her attention the door.

Tapping her finger on the door it blew off its hinges and flew into the face of a man standing opposite. He was pushed off his feet and slammed against the wall. The strength with what it hit his head almost made Claire feel sorry. But she didn't have time for feelings like that right now.

Recovering first a single man charged at her only to spontaneously burst into flames. Flicking her eyes back to Lyella Claire saw the woman's eyes were locked intently on the man. Elements were her thing.

Turning back she walked into the centre of the room. The men in return charged forward at her so she raised her arms and flung them outwards. The men were thrown off their feet and smashed into the wall. If not knocked out on impact they were left either too dazed or too scared to try to charge at her again.

That was the problem with their arrogance. They fancied themselves so strong, that when an enemy defeated them they grew scared. So pathetically scared Claire thought as she eyed them with disdain. She cared not for cockroaches like them.

The sound of footsteps signified Lyella walking up behind her. Without turning around Claire knew that her target was dead. Looking over her shoulder at the taller woman her eyes spoke a final permission.

Directing her eyes back to the front, Claire's gaze landed on a specific man lying still conscious opposite her. Smiling at him with an expression void of humour, eyes tinted with malice she clicked her fingers. All around them the walls screamed in response. They cracked and fell apart, slowly collapsing. The sound grew louder, and soon more sounds burst into life to accompany it. Everywhere the sounds of dying walls could be heard, everything from plaster to steel screeched as its life was snuffed out and it tore and broke apart. Clenching her hands Claire concentrated deeper. It was a task easiest from the core of a building; to do it from any other position was likely beyond her. For even with a clear circle in her mind to follow the path of destruction, the amount of protracted concentration the task required was immense. The strain it put on her body too huge. Not so good for her then that this military base had been sizeably bigger than the others.

Clenching her hands tighter as the destruction worsened Claire heard Lyella draw closer to her. Feeling herself weakening under the strain her knees began to give out. The blackness began to gather at the corners of her vision. Shaking violently now as she fought to stay upright Claire put what was left of her strength into concentrating just a few seconds more. She was rewarded with the sound of the roof collapsing above them. Knowing her job done her legs gave out beneath her and everything went black. Her last sense was that of Lyella catching her as she fell and then nothing more.

...:...

Opening her eyes slowly, Claire came to. Noticing first Lyella's close proximately to her she realised her head was on the woman's lap. Doing her best to sit up she tried to shake some feeling back into her body. Looking around her she saw that she and Lye were still in the middle of the collapsed military base. All around them were scattered remains of metal structures and debris. Along the scene she spotted specks of blood. Most if not all men inside should have been killed. Turning her eyes from the scene she thought how she called so little for Valhallan men like these. They weren't human no, but still living beings. Yet that meant nothing to her, she saw them only a pests. Not that she was the only one that did so. She knew Lyella's view to be easily worse, if at least more complex. Though it had to be conceded that it was hard to feel for these men when they would not feel for the people they inflicted horrors on. They were men of worse calibre than her that was for sure.

Turning to Lye she asked, "We going?"

"Sure," Lyella answered lazily, "if you're up to it." She said with a smirk.

Raising her arms Claire hit a road block, "Ah, I seem to have no strength in my limbs."

Getting up Lyella sighed, "If you knew that big a base was going to knock you out you could have at least let me help. You've done yourself in as is."

"If you could do what I do you'd do it yourself Lye. Besides your way is too loud." Claire said smiling.

Her eye twitching hearing that name, Lyella reached her hand out, "Want help?"

Staring down at her slightly raised hands and then back at Lyella, Claire replied, "I think I'll need a little more than help. I can't particularly feel my legs."

Sighing Lyella put her hands on her hips, "Have it your way then." Reaching down she lifted Claire up and swung her over her shoulder.

Screaming in surprise Claire banged on Lye's back, "Hey, hey, hey I think piggy back is a bit more traditional. Couldn't you just pick me up that way?"

"And I could also pick you up bridal style, but I'm more used to this." Lyella replied good heartedly.

"Really?" Claire mumbled questionably.

"Yeah. I used to carry dead animals like this all the time." The woman answered without missing a beat as she began to walk towards the distant horizon.

"Oh so I'm a dead animal am I?! You couldn't make a nicer comparison?" Claire complained loudly hitting on Lye's back again.

"Why not?" Lye hit back, "You're 'bout as heavy as some of those little boars I used to kill. You're a small little thing but you're so tall so you're much heavier than you look. Just like those good old boars." Laughing at her reminiscence Lye readied herself for Claire's next wave.

The younger girl stuck her tongue out at Lyella and kicked at her chest still begging her to stop calling her an animal. The more she argued, the more Lyella laughed and the more she added to her comparison. All in all, it made some fine conversation for travel.

...:...

That night Claire sat by a tree near the borders of a forest. Her strength was returning but she wasn't quite back to her old self. She hoped by tomorrow she'd be well enough to walk as she didn't love the idea of Lye having to carry her again. The argument was fun though, but it wasn't like she'd admit it. Lye probably already figured that anyway, the two of them got on well. Claire couldn't remember any real arguments between them ever really happening. Save perhaps on account of Claire calling Lyella by that specific name. She had no love for it and it showed.

Staring over at the woman in question Claire's mind wandered to different subject under the moonlight. Gazing up into the sky where the moon shone bright she asked, "Do you reckon mum is alright?

Stirring at the question Lyella said, "Her?" Pausing, she answered with a good level of sureness. "She should be, considering Aaia's with her and all. Why do you ask?"

"Just asking." Claire said quietly. Word had reached them recently of Serah's short capture and imminent rescue. "I'm just worried for her."

Giving Claire a friendly smile Lyella said almost as if it was funny, "Claire if you're going to be worried about someone, at least be worried about your father. Your mum's got Aaia to look after her, he's by himself."

A smile came to Claire's face, "You know even though I probably should, I'm not afraid for him. I feel that he's alright. That old tank would be fine in most any circumstance."

Leaning back Lyella conceded the win to Claire, "I guess you're right. Predictions have always been your forte anyway, I won't argue with you."

Letting a silence raise between them for a while, Claire finally spoke. "Hey, Aaia, she's one of the strong ones right?"

Staring at her strangely for asking something she'd already known Lyella answered her, "Of course."

"Stronger than me?"

Once again staring at her strangely Lyella thought over then question hard for a few moments. After a time she replied with, "I don't know, you're too different. She's just older I guess."

"Just older." Claire mumbled under her breath. Getting up she wandered over to a tree farther away and leaned against it. From here she had a clear view of the night sky unobstructed by branches of any kind.

"Why are you so worried? Even the girl our side sent to help Serah escape from her capture is strong. Not like Aaia, but strong. Our kind is always strong, and considering there are so few of us, you should be thankful our side sent one of us to help Serah."

"I guess." Claire mumbled, looking down, she lifted her eyes to Lyella, "Only not all of 'our kind' is on our side to help us like she did," pausing Claire's eyes returned to the sky. "They are on the other."

...:...

'Achoo!

Wiping her nose a woman with long blonde hair and black attire stared up at the sky from where she was lying on the ground. Lowering her sunglasses that no longer had any use, vibrant velvet blue eyes gazed into the black depths of the night.

A single sneeze she thought, someone must be taking about her.

Hope you liked the chapter.

Off topic but my sainted nan has brought me a new laptop. Which I needed so bad because I was just using my brothers old shitbox that had got up to the point that I couldn't even watch anything on it anymore. Word died on it too so I couldn't write or do my school work unless I stole my sisters school laptop (Since mine died ages back) So yeah, my nan is amazing, because my family could have never afforded buying a laptop right now if hell froze over.

Also you know you've watched to much Naruto lately when Claire did that thing where she flung all the men back and all I could think of was Shinra Tensei. Way, way too much Naruto. I almost feeling sorry for Itachi and Gaara too because they've been caught up in my friends retarded inside jokes. Meaning Itachi is now a princess and Gaara is a queen now called Goku. Go figure I don't know how that happened.

If any thing in the chapter confused you just PM me or leave a question in a review and I'll explain. I'm convinced I could have explained things better in the chapter, but I don't whether I'm just being paranoid or not.