Author's Notes: Please enjoy the chapter!

Words: 2,230

Chapter 9

The Archylte Steppe - Year Unknown

Determined to stay far from Oerba, Hope had been traveling the Steppe moving from the Eastern Tors to the Central Expanse in a matter of days. For all he knew, when he left Fang and Vanille they had gone back and reported him to who knows what. This was a war time after all it would be strange for them not to mention the event at all – even if they were Vanille and Fang. They were a Fang and Vanille he didn't know. A Fang and Vanille from the past.

Slowing his pace as he finally felt the heat of the Steppe getting to him the director of the Academy finally took a rest. Unbuttoning his jacket he pulled it off and tossed it next to the side of the lake. If his memory served him correctly he was in the Central Expanse of the Steppe. It was a place he knew quite well from his time as a wanted L'cie.

"Almost feels like nothing has changed…" he mused to himself as he compared his situation. To Hope, he knew deep down the Oerbains would come, whether it be in a few seconds from now or a few days. There was no way they'd let him off easy, especially Fang.

"Looks like the only thing I can really do is avoid them." He mumbled to himself as he finished taking off his shirt before heading over to the cooling waters of the lake. Bending down next to it he scooped some water up into his face and began to wash himself. He had been in the past for several days now… and there was no telling when he'd find himself by some water again. Looking down at the water cupped in his hands he couldn't help but worry a little.

"Vanille…" he began as he flashed back to their fight that happened days ago. "I wonder how her arm is…" he said wearily as he let the water drip off the ends of his platinum hair for a few minute. I still can't believe I actually threw it… he told himself in disbelief the event playing over and over in his mind. Yet, no matter how hard he tried to find some kind of hole in what he could've done differently there wasn't one. She wasn't the Vanille he knew, no matter how he looked at it. She was a stranger – for the most part. A stranger who made him as giddy and nervous as a middle-schooler contemplating on confessing his first love for the first time; but a stranger none-the-less.

Hearing Noel's warning once again in his mind though, his decision was clear. "Enough, I need to find that artefact." With that the young Director got to his feet, re-buttoned his white shirt, and placed his jacket back on before heading back out into the Steppe.

"Honestly, I don't know what to do with you," Fang scolded her as the two Pulsian girls made their way into the welcoming streets of Oerba. Lowering her voice she gave the red-head a stern glare as she leaned closer and whispered, "He could've captured you."

Biting her lip Vanille glanced down at her arm; she wanted to tell Fang she was wrong. That there was no way she was in any danger with Hope. But after what happened she didn't know. She wanted to trust him she really did, even if he was the enemy, she just didn't know how to go about it. "E-everything would've been fine," she finally chirped out a false smile playing on her lips as she jumped down from the chocobo the two had been sharing.

"Vanille!" Fang called down at her. Stopping in her tracks, the red-head slowly turned back and kicked her yellow booted foot on the roadway. Looking up she waited for her sister's words, expecting more scolding's, however what she heard caused her smile to falter as her emerald eyes widened.

Report it….D-did she really just say that!? She asked herself a bit frantically as she felt her chest tighten at the thought. She knew that Fang could be rash, especially when it came to her but to actually report Hope's presence out on the Steppe seemed too much, at least to her. She knew he was the enemy and that the safest thing for everyone would for him to be captured, but the thought of what might happen to him afterwards was what scared her. She didn't want to be responsible for that, and deep down she knew Fang didn't as well.

However there was no stopping, while she had been in her thoughts, Fang had already departed to make her way to the council. "H-hey! Wait, Fang!" she called out after her as she started running down the streets to catch up.

The Archylte Steppe - ? AF

Hearing the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer the red head didn't move a muscle. To her, it was just Noel or Fang probably coming to check on her. Especially since the way she up and left them all so suddenly. She hadn't shown them the boomerang, nor did they hear her words she'd mumbled only moments before they had arrived.

Sitting there, her grip tightened on the boomerang as she took in its age. The once prominent yellow was now chipping away and faded from years of rotting in the sun, while several cracks had begun to form over its once smooth exterior. It wasn't a boomerang from this time, she was sure of it. Even still, she knew it was his. Hope… just where are you? She asked herself in her head as she ran a hand over it.

"Vanille…" she heard him call out. Hearing his voice the red head instantly looked up; her emerald eyes staring over in disbelief. It was her first time seeing him as a 24 year-old. Even still she recognized him instantly. He had the same face, the same hair, and above all the same yellow bandana tied around his wrist. He was Hope… the same boy she left all those years ago.

"H-Hope…" she breathed out getting to her feet as loosened her grip on the worn out boomerang in her hand letting it fall to the ground with a small thud as it crushed the grass of the Steppe beneath it.

Keeping her eyes on him, she slowly began to smile over at him while tears of joy began to well up in her eyes. "I found you…" she called out between her sobs which were beginning to come faster and fast as she raised a hand to her eyes and tried to compose herself.

"Found me?" Hope replied in confusion as he looked back over at the girl before him. She looked no different the then the one who he was just with but something was off – in the horizon. The landscapes around the both of them, they were different.

"We've been looking all over… for you." She finally managed to get out as she lowered her hand – her eyes no longer dropping tears; instead they gleamed over at him with a look of relief.

"We?"

"You know, Fang, Sazh, Dahj, and Noel."

"W-wait a minute. V-vanille ar-are you saying that you're with them right now?" Hope replied back his eyes wide in shock. After all the Vanille he'd been with the last few days had been all alone – for the most part. But she didn't know him. Let alone any of the others she'd named.

"Yeah," she replied as she looked over at him worried and confused. "W-why do you ask?"

He let out a sigh of relief as a smile slowly began to spread across his 24-year-old face. Vanille… This was the Vanille he knew, the one he'd been working to save every since she turned to crystal to save the world when he was just a boy.

"N-no reason." He replied shaking his head as he took a step closer to the rift. He could see the changes in the landscape behind her. Even though they would see and speak to one another, they couldn't touch. It was some he'd learned when studying them. Hearing the sound of grass crunching; he snapped out of his own thoughts and saw Vanille coming closer to him; a smile of her own showing on her face.

Stopping right before him, she placed her hands behind her back and kicked her booted foot a little as she glanced down a little. "I…I missed you."

Hearing it sent his heart soaring. Why wouldn't it. He'd only been waiting for her for ten years of his life; yet it felt like a lifetime – perhaps it was all his time traveling getting to him. "Me too, Vanille" he replied as he smiled over at her; reaching up without thinking to lay a hand on her cheek. But, it went through – rippling through the rift causing the image of her to distort.

Her heart sunk as his hand went through her. They couldn't touch. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't reach him, and he couldn't reach her either.

"I'm sorry." He began to say as he dropped his hand back down to his side as it balled into a fist. "I-if I had just stayed away when Noel told me to, I…I wouldn't be here right now."

Shaking her head she glanced over at him. Something in her gut was telling her that it wasn't true. No matter what future they got to – Hope traveling to the past, it was something that was supposed to happen. Why though, she wasn't sure.

"No, I'm sure you would've round up here eventually." Just then the rift began to stir; the images distorting once again. Her eyes looked on in panic the rift was closing. No, not now! She cried to herself as she watched the image fading.

Reaching out she tried to grab onto him, regardless of what she knew about the rift. Calling out his name, she fell straight through him and found herself on the ground of the step as he called out, "V-Vanille," once more before the image dissipated.

The Archylte Steppe - Year Unknown

"Another sunny day," she chimed out as she exited her bedroom and entered the sunlit streets of Oerba. Vanille looked up at the blue sky, her smile faltering slightly. It seemed like days had passed since Fang and her had reported the incident out on the Steppe, and the village had become restless. Rumors seemed to have sprung up overnight about the silver-haired beast who'd come to Pulse to destroy them all.

However, she knew the truth. Or at least she wanted to believe she did. Hope… he wouldn't hurt anyone, not unless he had to. Like back then… she told herself as she recalled when he struck her with his boomerang to get away. Dropping her head, she shook it from side-to-side; her red pigtails bouncing right along.

"He should be long gone now," she told herself openly as she swung her hands down by her sides and proceeded down the metal steps. However, what she saw next stopped her in her tracks. The streets were crowded with onlookers as the Oerbain guard pushed through the streets with a familiar face behind them. It was him. Her breath caught as her emerald eyes stared down in terror.

"H-Hope.." she breathed out in surprise as she saw the Oerbain guard dragging him out of the council hall; his hands bound. "W-what's happening?" she asked not even taking notice to Fang who come out as well to see the commotion.

"What do you mean what?" Fang commented as she tousled her hair. "Can't you see? A prisoner of war is getting taken to the cell block. He's lucky if you ask me. Why, if I had caught him I would've got him back tenfold for you."

She heard Fang's words. She did, however, her eyes never left his figure in the distance. She didn't know why, but she was mesmerized by him. Even if he was the enemy – to her he was kind enough to saver her even if just that once.

Watching him go though, she was uneasy, like something big was about to happen. However before she dwell on it much longer Fang's words cut through her thoughts.

"Now you listen here, Missy," Fang began as she marched over towards her. "He's the enemy! For all you know he's down here gathering intelligence for their invasion" Letting out a sigh she continued as she rested a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what went on in the Steppe, but you have to promise me you won't go near that cell block. Vanille, promise me."

"F-Fang…" Vanille mumbled out as she found her gaze drifting from her sisters in guilt. She wanted to promise her. She really did, but there was just something about him that intrigued her and she wanted to know why. Faking a nod, she let out a feeble "All right."

"Good. Now, let's go get some sleep. I'm sure you could use a good night's sleep after sleeping out in the Steppe the last couple of days." With that said Fang put her arm around Vanille's shoulder and led her to their home.