Author's Notes: Alright guys here is chapter 4 of Another Lifetime finally! I hope you all enjoy it. ^_^ Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to get up since my colds' subsiding and my final semester is winding down.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used in this fanfiction.

The Archylte Steppe - Year Unknown

With one final blow, the Leyak came crashing down to the ground just as Vanille reeled in her binding rod.

"YAY US!" she called out victoriously as a broad grin spread about her face; her emerald eyes lighting up.

It was a familiar phrase, one he remembered all too well especially after they had came out of an impossible fight victoriously. He could feel his heart tightening up a bit as his eyes locked onto her on the Cliffside, where she stood in all her glory as she jumped up and down excitedly.

'If you change the future you change the past and if you change the past you change the future. The effects ripple up and down the timeline, remember that Hope…' he could her Noel saying in his head as he stood there in silence, his boomerang still extended out in his hand.

If that's true… I need to start looking for my artefact. If I stay here too long, there's no telling what might happen.

''''''

Calming down a bit, Vanille finally put her binding rod away on the back of her hips. Sure it wasn't much of a catch, but at least no one would be mad at her back in Oerba.

Looks like I'm saved, she told herself with a bit of relief. Turning around slowly her eyes fixated on Hope. I still have so many things about Cacoon to ask him too… But if I'm not back soon Fang'll worry.

"Vanille?" she heard him say, his voice breaking her thoughts in an instant.

"Yeah?" she asked a bit surprised as she looked up at him.

"You're going to let me go now…aren't you?" Hope asked solemnly as he brushed past her on his way over to the lifeless Leyak; picking it up gently by the wings he handed it over to the Pulsian.

Glancing down as the Leyak in her hands she gave a small nod of her head, "Of course…A promise is a promise," she told him as she kept her eyes down at her catch. In all honestly she didn't want him to leave just yet but… at the same time she knew she had to be getting back or else the whole hunt would've been a waste.

''''''

His own expression faltering at her tone, Hope kept his eyes glued to her. It was clear she wasn't too thrilled about him leaving, which caused his own heartbeat to hasten; But it's for the best. Or at least that's what he kept telling himself as he began to get lost in his own thoughts.

If what Noel was talking about is true if I spend too much time here I might be re-writing history… Feeling his own heart begin to ache as a frown crept across his face; he let out a small sigh and looked away from her. If that happens there's no telling what might change.

"Then I guess I'll be off," he finally replied with a heavy heart. Turning to leave he took a few steps away before he found himself coming to a stop. Feeling his heart beat pick up again he slowly turned back around, his eyes locking on her face, "Hey…Vanille…Thank you."

"Ah….For what?" she asked her mouth a gape.

"You know… not telling anyone about me."

"Oh… I-it's nothing really," she replied with her accent a faint smile gracing her lips, "After all it's what we agreed, didn't we? You'd help me hunt and I'd help you stay a secret. Remember?"

It was the truth technically, but Hope really didn't know that Vanille originally had no plans to reveal him to her people. After all it wasn't everyday a person from Cacoon made his way to Pulse. And she still wanted to know what kind of place Cacoon was from the inside. So far he's nothing like the people the Paddra warriors described…

"Right," he smiled back as he looked down at the ground before giving her a small wave, "Well then, I guess I'll get going now. Good-bye…"

With that he finally departed leaving Vanille there in the valley.

"Bye Hope," she breathed out as her smile faded and he eyes focused down on the Leyak in her hands, "Guess we better start getting back, huh?" she told herself teasingly as she began to leave the valley and the event of the day behind, just as the sun was beginning to set on the Steppe.

''''''

Academia500 AF

Pressing a hand on the window of the airship, Vanille looked out at the darkening world. The future they had all fought so hard for seemed so bleak.

Almost on cue Vanille felt a pat on her head as her pigtails go ruffled around a bit, "We'll make things right, don't you worry."

"I know, Fang," she replied with a small smile, "We have to"

Just then the door opened and Sazh, Noel, and Dahj came walking in. "You kids ready?" Sazh asked as he went to the pilots chair and plopped down as Chocolina flew out of his afro and landed on Dahj's shoulder with a playful peep.

"I'll take that as a yes," he chuckled as he took the controls, "You guys better sit down its going to be a bumpy ride."

Taking his advice, Noel, Fang, and Vanille all took a seat just as the airship began to jump and jerk in the air. The world around them was being re-written. Buildings began to erase right before their eyes as they scanned the skies for some kind of paradox.

"So what are we looking for exactly?" Vanille asked curiously as she pulled her face away from the window.

"Not sure," Noel told her, "Serah and I actually used the time gates that had appeared through the ages. But from what Sazh told me about his experience, it was just a bright light that appeared out of nowhere and pulled them in."

"So we're just looking for something out of the ordinary then?" Fang called out from her seat on the left as she gave a small shrug, "Sounds easy enough."

Just as the Academy headquarters vanished the airship got hit with a sudden burst of air that sent it toppling through the sky,

"This is gonna get ugly!" Sazh shouted back to them as they all screamed and gripped onto their seats as best as they could.

Sazh using all his force, found himself pulling on the controls in an attempt to steady the ship. Just as he was regaining some control bright flashes of blues, whites and yellows began to illuminate the sky outside.

"Is this the paradox we were looking for?" Vanille called out as her eyes looked out her window in 'aw'

"I'm guessing," Noel replied as the shaking in the ship got worse and worse until suddenly it stopped.

''''''

The Archylte Steppe - Year Unknown

"Wha-What is that thing!" Vanille shouted out in fear as her emerald eyes gazed up at the large monster coming out of the space above the cliff, its red eyes glaring at her as it let out a ferocious roar.

Reaching for her binding rod slowly, she kept her eyes on it as she dropped her prey from the hunt on the ground. It definitely wasn't something she'd seen before on the Steppe, even so it didn't look like it had any intension of letting her pass through the valley. At least not without a fight.

''''''

Feeling the tremor, Hope felt uneasy. Looking back in the direction he had just come from, he found his legs darting back to where he'd been about 20 minutes ago. Reaching the top of one of the cliff sides he looked down into the valley.

His eyes went wide when they fell on the monstrous beast that he had encountered many times during his excavation in Yaschas Massif back in his own time.

No way… It's here too? He said to himself almost in disbelief. Wait…If he's appearing here then that must mean that there are new paradoxes re-opening somewhere else… If that's the case then I should be able to get back to Noel and others if I start my search around the area.

Feeling relieved at his revelation, a big a small smile crossed across his face until he finally noticed that Gogmagog's attention seemed to be taken by something down in the valley. Following the monsters gaze, he felt his heart stop.

It was…Vanille!

''''''

Taking a battle stance, Vanille held her binding rod out in front of her as her emerald eyes glared up at the monstrosity.

"You're gonna be sorry!" she called out to it her accent thick as she began her assault. Whipping her bind rod around as fast as she could, she managed to capture its left arm in the wires in the first strike. However it was no good. With one quick pull, Gogmagog managed to fling Vanille right off the ground and into a nearby cliff with her weapon.

Feeling the rocks break her skin, Vanille let out a small cry as her eyes watered a bit in pain. Feeling her heart beat quicken up, she sat up slowly as she tightened her grip back on her weapon.

What is this thing? It's definitely not like anything Fang and I've fought before. Looking up at the monster her mind began to race with question after question. Could this be the monster the seeress warned us about the other week?

''''''

Moving as fast as he could, Hope made his way down the ravine and into the upper levels of the valley. The orange skies of the sunset that had been illuminating the Steppe were soon replaced with the night sky.

Watching as Vanille was beginning to get back on her feet, he saw Gogmagog preparing to strike again. Panic driven he looked back to Vanille, eyes wide.

"Vanille look out!" he shouted as he jumped down to her just in time to push her out of the way of the jagged talons. Feeling the claws rip through his Academy jacket, he winced in pain as he hit the ground at heart stopping speed.

"Ho-Hope!" he heard her scream out in fear as his eyes began to blur from the pain. Get up! He practically yelled to himself as he gritted his teeth and made his way back on his feet. Despite the massive amount of pain that was ringing throughout his body. Reaching behind him he pulled out his boomerang and casted enthundara.

If this is the same one I've been fighting in Yaschas Massif, then this should do the trick.

Aiming it as best he could in the quick timeframe, he sent the boomerang flying straight as it gave the beast a few quick hits that caused it to roar out across the Steppe. Then just as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone.

''''''

Turning back Hope looked at Vanille clearly worried, "Are you alright?" he managed to ask her as he held out a hand to help her up.

Nodding Vanille hesitantly took his hand and got to her feet. Keeping her head down for a few moments, she finally managed to look him in the eyes, "But why? Why di-" she was cut off as a few growls escaped from the shadows sending chills through both of them.

This was certainly no place to talk. Especially with Hope's blood drawing attention to them. "Come on," he told her as he grabbed her hand with the intention of getting to higher ground.

''''''

City of Paddra - Year Unknown

"He has come…" Yeul mumbled out as her hand left the oracle drive she had just recorded; her green eyes falling on the warrior who stood behind her in the shadows.

"Who has come?" Caius Balled asked as he kneeled down to the Paddra seeress.

"The one who saves the future…"

Author's Notes: At this point in the story timeline, Caius is not immortal yet. Just getting that out there.

Also feel free to let me know what you liked, hated, etc. I love hearing from you guys!