Chapter 5

For Hope it felt as if they would walk through the tunnels of the Mahabara stollen for days now, every tunnel is similar to all others.

Like laboratory rats in a maze, build by Fal'Cie he thought.

,,Could we please take a break, I am to old for hikes like this" Sazh moaned

,,Do you prefer to become a Cie'th? We have to keep moving". Fang answered with a annoyed tone in her voice.

,,Come on Fang there is no way that we find the exit when we're not able to give hundred percent in the fights that still await us here" Snow threw in.

,,Alright, but not more than half an hour, we don't have all day"

Hope thought that even someone so tough like Fang needs a break from time to time, there is no way that one of them could make it without some recreation.

He was glad, because he could just sit down and relax for a while now, he wondered about Vanilles sheer endless sprightliness, she seemed as lively as always and wanted to explore the next tunnel with him.

,,Hey, let's look around over there" she asked him and points to the dark way in front of them.

It was almost impossible for him to say no, when he saw the enthusiasm in her face.

Well, so much for the break he thought, but he couldn't let her go alone through this dark tunnel.

,,Sure, but we should't go to far away from the others, ok?" he smiles slightly.

,,Alright, lets go" she giggled, grabd his hand and ran away into the darkness with him, without anyone noticed.

The lamps on the walls were smashed and only the lights in the distance were proofs that the tunnel continued there.
They arrived in the middle of the darkness, that made it impossible to see what waits on the next meters.
Vanille walked gracile through the dark tunnel and soon it was difficult for Hope to see her. He almost ran into her when she suddenly stopped moving.

,,Do you hear this?" she asked him.

It wasn't easy but he heard the deafening sound too, it seemed to get louder every second.

,,Yes but what is this?" Whatever made this sound, it seemed to get closer

,,We should probably go back" He felt uneasily while the sound was getting louder and closer to them.

She giggled and said: ,,It's all ok, thats nothing but just a bit loud, don't wor-"

Suddenly something really big rushes past them with an incredible speed, maybe just five meters away from them.

,,This must be Atmos" Vanille said after the silence came back.

Hope wondered where the tunnel, Atmos left them, would lead. He wanted to say something but his words were interrupted by another loud sound from above them. Big rocks were falling down and Hope shouted:

,,Vanille! We have to get away from here!"

They ran away from the massiv rocks that came down, after a while they looked up from there hide, their hearts were beating quickly from the danger and adrenaline.
They slowly stood up to go back to the others, but they stopped in front of a big wall of rocks that blocks the way through.
Hope realized that they were isolated from their comrades now.
They were both looking speechless to the inpenetrable wall, then they heard Fang, Snow and the others were calling out for them.

,,Vanille! Are you two behind that rocks? Vanille say something!" Her voice cracks with worry.

,,Yes we are!" Vanille slowly began to despair, when she realized what happend and what that means.

Hope heard a muffled noise from the other side, it was probably Fang who tried to smah the wall with her lance, she sounded desperate when she cursed, while fighting against the massiv rock.

,,Damn stone you won't seperate us, not now!"

Tears began to form in Vanilles eyes when she heard her friend who was fighting so desperate for her, Hope took her in his arms to comfort her.
On the other side he heard the others who were discussing what to do now, Fang had finally stopped her unsuccessful try and involved herself to the conversation:

,,We have to find another way, quickly!"

,,Fang calm down, they're both strong too and I am sure it won't kill them to be alone for a short time" Snow said reassuring ,,But don't worry we will find a way to them, before it's even possible for them to get in danger" He added this when he saw that Fang wanted to start shouting around again, now she calmed down slowly.

Hope heard Lightnings voice while holding Vanille.

,,Hope, you both have to find another way out of here, Fang said there is a small place with plants and stuff, that splitts the Mahabara-stollen in two parts, from your part of the tunnel it shouldn't be a long way to this place, get there and wait for us to appear we will get there as fast as we can, but if you two can't manage to-"

,,This is not a question of can or can't Light, remember?" He interrupted her with a line Lightning told him in Piz-Vile.

,,Be quiet" She said with an audible smile.

,,Alright kids, stay calm, Sazh is going to save you" Sazh called out to them

,,We'll see who saves who later" Hope said teasing

,,Ok you have won, see you later then" Sazh answered jauntily.

The voices got quieter before they eventually ceases.

Vanille calmed down a bit for now

,,What should we do now?"

,,Well, I think we should search for the exit, even if I am not even sure if there is one somewhere"

,,We didn't find one before and we haven't much supplys just a few heal potions and one antidote, why should we find the exit just now, it's kinda hopeless" she was desperate, but fortunately her eyes remained dry this time.

Hope took her hand between his own hands and said:

,,I know this is a bad situation right now, but we stil have us and that is enough for me to keep fighting until we find what we search for, please keep fighting too"

She slowly seemed to gain new hope again

,,Yes you're right we can do this" She managed to smile again while saying this.

,,Glad to hear this, this is the Vanille again who I..." He blushes barely visible "...like so much" He smiles at her to hide the real reason of his blush.

,,Thank you" she giggles.

That was close... she really turns my head