(3,227 words) Okay it has been exactly two months an two days since my last update, don't question why I know that but sorry for the time it took to get this out. I took a month off FFN from recommendation from my doctor and mother who were both worried over my clearly obsessive habits with this. I'm trying not to let this take up all my time so updates are probably going to be a little slower maybe.

Also I'm going on holidays tomorrow to Queensland and even if my sister decides to take the laptop I've decided to stay off it so I don't spend all my time writing. I'm going to Dreamworld for the first time since 07 (I think it was). It and Movieworld are Australia's best themes parks so yay. So no writing until around the end of january probably, and on the 31 school starts up again so that's another thing to slow me down. I'll try to not let the gap between updates get too big, two months at most.

I'm not too sure what to do with Fang's side of the story, not much happens for a little bit but I'm trying my best to make her chapters enjoyable, I want to write Lightning's more since that is more interesting but I'm sticking to switching perspective each chapter.

Enough of this, hope you enjoy and please give a review I love reading them so very much.

Dance against the wind

Chapter 12: Dreadful news

Fang stretched and pushed back the covers. She'd quickly gained a habit of sleeping in later than usual since coming here. If she was to notice one difference about living in Cocoon and Pulse was the difference of the sunlight and heat. By this time of the day back on Pulse the heat would be already getting unbearable and the room bright from the light of the sun shining in. Here the wind would sweep in and the sun blocked out by trees, making it dramatically cooler. It was messing with her head and making her completely unable to tell what time of day it was anymore. And because the sun went down earlier and it was dark most the night she found herself getting tired far earlier as well. She knew it would take time for her to adjust, but after almost a month already she was getting sick of her messed up body clock.

Gradually she pulled herself out of bed and made her way out of the room. She found her way to the stairs and then to the kitchen. As she found Jane was having the same problem as her and thanks to them waking up at similar times the teen would make a breakfast large enough for the both of them knowing that around the time she finished Fang would be waking up and coming downstairs. This became something they did alone because the two men in the house did not sleep in late because of the different weather, which convinced the others of it being earlier than it truly was.

Fang sat down at the table and rested her head and arms on it, falling back into a slight sleep. She slowly fell deeper into a sleep which was promptly disrupted by a high-pitched voice which appeared from behind her.

"I don't think you should do that Fang, might sleep for the rest of the day and that spot don't look comfortable." Jane supposed.

Shifting her position she sat up and shook herself awake. "Didn't even notice." She mumbled under her breath, wiping sleep out of her eyes. "Maybe it's the bed that hates me but I never stop feeling tired."

"It could be the change of sleeping patterns; it also could be the different bed. I sat on your old one back in Pulse one day and I'd have to say it was far softer." Jane Reckoned as she placed a set of plates on the table.

"Why do you know what my bed's like now? And why three plates when it's only us?" She pointed to the third plate the teen had set down.

Jane walked back into the kitchen to fetch the food she had cooked whilst replying, "First, from when I woke you up when you slept hours past noon, and also big brother is still in bed. He said he was up a few hours ago but he hadn't eaten anything, so I promised when I made us lunch I'd make some for him as well."

Fang nodded and toyed with a cowlick she'd spotted into a corner of her sight, earning an odd look from Jane when she started complaining when it stubbornly stayed out-of-place. "That's nice of you. He say where Cid is?

"Saying 'work' is too vague for me when I don't know what he does. And on that subject, what does he do surely you of all people would know."

"Nope, haven't a clue, don't care, it doesn't bother me whatever it is." She answered as she dug into the food Jane had set before her.

The teen half chuckled, half sighed as she began to make her way to the door to wake her brother, "Somehow I'm really not surprised."

Fang sighed and eyed the golden sky out the window. She had sat down on the cushioned sill not long after breakfast, and seeing as she had had it at noon by the time she sat here the sun was already falling behind the horizon. She had absolutely nothing to do, simple as that. She didn't get much of a chance to talking to one of the few others in the house seeing as after eating Jane would disappear into some corner of the house unable to be found until nightfall. And for Ben he'd either do the same or if Cid was home he'd be talking with him, and Fang didn't even want to be in the same room as them whilst they were with each other much less actually be rude enough to randomly barge into a conversation of theirs. Sure she would for other people, but it was different when it came to them.

She hadn't a thing to do here, back in Pulse she had a million things, none of which her parents allowed but a millions different things all the same. There was a library, but she didn't care much for reading, truly she wasn't the best at it either. When she was a kid she'd ignore her tutor half the time, he was boring and her child mind decided that made him not worth listening to. She regretted it a little, seeing as in the academic sense she wasn't near as smart as she could be. It was something she refused to speak about because of how much she despised the idea that women aren't as smart as men. She knew Jane had a habit of strolling around the house to pass the time, but that didn't interest her either. And on account that her only friends were living as slaves in Pulse, she didn't see a reason to go outside; no one to visit, no place to go, not in a town like this.

She really wasn't being herself at the moment, some days she just felt like sleeping and nothing else. She didn't know what she could be doing at all, some days she would think about her sister and want to do something about her situation, but then she'd remind herself that she had no way to go about it. She had known from the start that she couldn't immediately try to do what she intended, she needed to first have a connection to someone, anyone, that could get her in contact with the Asylum where Vanille was held. Cid had promised he'd try to help her, a promise which so far proved worthless.

"Fang? Are you still with us?" Jane's voice appeared suddenly.

Unexpected of it Fang jumped and banged her head on the wooden sill behind her, she groaned and rubbed where she'd been hit hoping there wasn't a lump forming.

"Fang? Your head's still in this world isn't it? You looked really deep in thought, what're you thinking about?" Jane cocked her head.

Fang pushed herself off the sill, and eyed the straw basket the teen held for a second before deciding to give her an answer, "A lot at once it doesn't really matter. So what're you doing?" She asked, seeing as she had nothing better to do.

"We're short on food so I'm going to buy more. You can come with unless you have anything better to do. I know people will find it rather strange for someone to be treating their maid like a friend out in the open."

"Jane, I'm yet to find out if there is anything to do in this house."

Fang received a momentary strange look. "I'll take that as a yes."

Fang jumped on the opportunity to talk with someone and to also be able to leave the house at the same time. She quickly became absorbed with her conversation with Jane that she took no notice of the odd looks she received from the people they passed, and certainly failed to notice one woman whose eyes were firmly locked onto her with deep interest.

She wore a frilly black and green dress, tattered at the ends from age. Her eyes were a deep brown with a tint of gold that shone bright when she faced the sunlight. Her raven coloured hair was tied up into a bun atop her head, a mite messy after a full day of work. She had a violet tucked into her fringe, which she constantly adjusted less it fall out.

A young blond boy stood by her, watching as well the disappearing figure of the woman his friend seemed to be so interested in with curiosity. They stood in the shade of a building, in front of a faded sign saying 'Rose Lovers'. It was the saloon she had owned for longer than he'd known her. So when he realised the one that held her attention was a woman clearly of high-class, the first emotion he could feel was none other than confusion.

"Hey Lu-" He began to say but got wracked on the head by her gloved hand. Ready to complain he lifted his head to hers and was greeted by a cheeky grin.

"I already told you Maqui, its Dẻteste Amour now alright? People like me shouldn't be calling themselves by name any more okay you understand right?"

He nodded and faced ahead; trying to spot the woman Dẻteste had been watching. "So who was that woman? I haven't seen her around here before."

Dẻteste strode past him and stood at the entrance to her Saloon, "Frankly I have no idea, but last time you disappeared on me I tried to get her to help and she called me lazy." She shook her head and chuckled. "But come on, it's going to be busy tonight. Some guys down at the mines struck gold last night and tonight they're gonna celebrate. Better stay upstairs tonight, they're inviting all their mates and I know for a fact one or two are policemen who ain't going to be happy about some kid working at the bar. Some of my girls can replace you, they have the skills to."

Maqui nodded again and entered before her. "Why would you be interested in someone just because they called you lazy anyway?"

Dẻteste walked right past him thanks to a faster pace but she didn't forget to say, "Because she seems like an interesting girl."

Fang kept in a conversation with Jane for the whole time till they stood on the doorsteps of their house. Fang had by far put more into the conversation than Jane who had been for the most, silent. Though it was partially the other's fault for not allowing her a moment to speak, that she had at all was a miracle. For the loud talkative person that Fang was, being shut up in that house in total silence did no good for her, so when she got the chance to speak she said as much as she could almost fearing the comeback of the silence.

They entered the house quietly as Fang had finally decided to shut her mouth, and the first thing they noticed was Cid sitting on the spot Fang had earlier in the day. She said hello but all he gave in return was a slight nod of his head to show he'd noticed her presence in the room. Jane pushed past her and stood by the man's feet, head lowered timidly as she continued to do near Fang from time to time.

"Do you know if my brother is still asleep? He was going to come with me but when I went to go find him he'd retired to his bed again."

Cid lifted his head to meet her enquiring gaze, he nodded and said a quiet yes; she smiled in response and left the room to go put the food she'd bought in the cupboards. When they were alone Fang walked a mite closer to him and leaned her left shoulder against the wall, she looked at him closely, inspecting him to see if she could figure out what was running through his head by his expression. When she got nothing she instead asked,

"Why're you so silent, what the crap are you thinking about? I think you weirded out Jane back there. Not like she'd actually say so but you could see it."

Cid twisted his head to look up to her, even seeing his whole face did nothing in helping her figure out his thoughts. He was hard to read, at least for her. "Five things at once I guess." He joked without a laugh, she frowned when she realised he'd gone and repeated to her what she used to always reply when he asked her what'd she'd been thinking back when they were kids.

"Oh haha." She rolled her eyes, she scowled getting annoyed now and continued to ask, "Seriously Cid, you're quieter than usual and from personal experience I'd say something is up."

He turned his head to return his gaze to the ground. "You'd be right in saying that then. Your parents are dead." He said in a calm and steady voice not even remotely shocked or saddened by the knowledge.

"HA!?" Fang pushed herself off the wall and gaped at him in disbelief, "What? Am I hearing right?"

"If that's how you're reacting you have. Your parents have died, and a handful of slaves to go with it." He informed her of the extra bit of information he'd also received.

"But…what…eh?" She shook her head, eyes wide, unable to digest the information. "How…why?" She questioned loudly, though she already had a clear idea of what must've happened.

"Rogue Cocoonian soldiers wanting to have some fun. According to some of my father's businessmen what they'd heard from what slaves they did find was that eleven soldiers had snuck away from their camp near the battle field at the Steppe. They'd attacked a handful of houses, both of rich folk and plantations. They didn't burn down your house as they did the others but I was told they had mighty fun smashing it to pieces."

Fang was silent, her overwhelming thoughts and emotions nailing her to the spot. She shook weakly and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She felt anger at the reckless soldiers who had to have killed a fair few innocents that night; she felt sadness for the slaves that were killed for something that could never have been their fault; and she felt confusion, for not even being able to understand what she felt at the loss of her parents. Unable to make herself ask for any information on the hated couple, she forced out a different question she didn't care about,

"Did your father get attacked?" By the end it'd turned into a weak whisper as she lost her ability to speak in its entirety.

Cid shook his head, "No, I've heard no word of any damage done to him or his house. He's fine."

Fang nodded as she continued to try to get her head around everything. Too sudden, way too sudden. Those people who'd worked at her house as slaves were more a family to her than her own, minus her precious little sister. Just knowing even one had been hurt hurt her in turn. She hadn't been close to all of them, but they'd at least been a friend to her, all of them old enough to think. She'd grown up in that house regardless of what she really felt about it. Being away from it created a strange feeling in her that she couldn't help but hate and hope for it to go away, knowing it was gone forever deepened that feeling and made her know it wasn't something to up and leave. And her parents, they were dead. What she felt about that? She didn't know, she was too confused to make sense of her thoughts. She wouldn't say they raised her, the slaves did that, but even so they had always been there even if it was in the shadows in the corner. She hated them she despised them for all they'd done to those she loved, but the knowledge of them having been murdered, brutally no doubt caused, though tiny, a peculiar sense of sadness. She was sad, actually sad, that they were gone.

She ran her thoughts on a loop, trying to take it all in. It truly had been a lot. And when she'd run it through five times over, a certain thought appeared in her head and made her worry.

"Hey Cid?" She whispered as she still had trouble with her voice.

"Yes." He eyed her with a look a mix of confusion and concern. Worry was not something he was used to seeing on her face.

"Do you have any idea what's happened to Sazh? And Annette too."

He said nothing, knowing if he was to answer he'd have to answer carefully knowing how Fang felt about them both. They were more like parents to her than her real parents. She had even seen their son as a little brother, and if she had had the chance to get to know Annette's baby she would have seen them in the same way.

"I've heard nothing about two adults with a young son and a baby, as Annette would have had to have had it by now. But I can tell you that the slaves that my father's acquaintances got this information from did make mention that the slaves who also died were young. Obviously neither Sazh nor Annette fits that description so what I can say is that they should be safe. But if we ever are to hear anything of them again is up to the future."

Fang nodded, and kept her head low. "That's good." She mumbled in a strained voice, he could make out a small smile on her lips. She toddled past him with her head staying low.

"Fang?" He questioned, not looking in her direction as it was clear enough she was heading to the staircase.

"I think I'll retire early okay?"

"What about Dinner? It's extremely early you know, far too early to sleep."

"It doesn't matter I'm fine. Don't wake me. I just want to sleep."

Giving up on making her think differently, Cid nodded yes despite that she had her back to him. She trudged up the stairs in silence odd for her. He felt no need to question; she didn't want him to see her tears, simple as that. Whether she was crying of happiness knowing Sazh and his family were alright, or for sadness for what had been lost he did not know; and did not want to question. This was something she'd have to deal with herself, and hopefully the sleep would do well for her.

I sometimes make this up as I go along and hope for ideas to come, I do better that way than plotting out each little thing as I've attempted to do for two of my other stories. It worked fine for one because it was already 20 chapters in but I've wrote myself into a corner with DL, so if anyone is reading this that also reads Deceiving Love, could you give me a little assistance? The flashbacks that happen in it are fine I know what I'm doing there, but for the present time in the story I've no bloody idea...help?

Hope you enjoyed and if you could please review? 3 out of 1000 people reviewing is unbelievably inconsiderate I think. This is my most popular story, and it's ten times more popular than my second most, and this isn't too popular. Trust me I don't get very much reviews all up, it'd really make me happy, you can even give concrit that's fine. Just don't tell me to kill Hope and go on and on and on about FLight as everybody had been doing annoyingly enough. Comment on the story, that's what matters.

Seeya next time my darling fans,

~Serah Villiers Valentine