Spark of Light, Flash of Hope

Fang sat, leaning against a large tree trunk, watching her orange-haired companion shuffle about near the recently built fire. The sky had grown dark and the air have become cooler—much cooler than the warrior ever remembered it getting. More than once she'd caught herself shivering.

She looked down at the piece of fruit she'd just finished eating. Vanille had managed to find a bush full of what looked like engorged berries sporting small flowers blooming out the top. After a rather amusing scene involving Vanille making sure the flowered berries weren't actually critters of some kind, the smaller Oerban had declared it dinner for the evening.

Fang dropped the remains of the fruit in her hand to the ground. It had only been one of three that she'd eaten. It wasn't that they tasted terrible she just hadn't felt like eating. Besides, she couldn't have had any more even if she were hungry, the small pile they'd picked that had sat by the fire were now a pile of flower tips by Vanille's feet.

"Do you think we'll make it to the crystal tomorrow?" Vanille's voice brought her eyes up to see Vanille staring skywards towards the dead planet, "It didn't look too far away when we started but it doesn't look like we're getting much closer either." Fang didn't disagree, the pillar of crystal hadn't seemed to have gotten any bigger as they'd made their way towards it during the day. The logical explanation was that it was much larger than either of them had initially thought.

"We'll make it there eventually." Was all she said, the softness of her words not hiding the determination behind them. Judging from the silence that followed, Fang assumed Vanille was content with the answer. Finally looking away from the towering figure in the sky, she found the other woman staring at her. Well, had been, she'd quickly averted her eyes as she met Fang's. It didn't take someone knowing Vanille since she was 5, to see that she obviously had something on her mind. Something wanted to say.

"Vanille."

"Yes?" Came the squeak of a response. Fang waited patiently—as she always did—for the smaller of the two to eventually break the facade and say what was on her mind. But as the forced silence continued, Fang noticed Vanille didn't just look like she wanted to say something. She looked worried, concerned—disturbed even. Upon seeing the very rare expression on her friend's face, instincts developed over the long course of their friendship kicked in.

"Hey," Fang began, motioning Vanille over, "c'mere." Vanille didn't need to be asked twice. She all but bounded over.

"Everything's changed." The taller Oerban silently cursed at herself when she heard the sadness in Vanille's voice, "Again."

"I know." Fang wrapped an arm around Vanille protectively.

"Everything except us."

"I know."

"We don't even know if there's anyone else left." Vanille went on, her voice cracking with sorrow, "What if there isn't? What if... what if we're the only ones left Fang? I don't-"

"Hey, hey," Fang soothed, tightening her arm around the smaller woman, "We'll figure something out." Her head now buried in Fang's shoulder, Vanille nodded, "We'll be fine, we still have each other."

"I know." Came a muffled response, "Just..." Vanille lifted her head to look at Fang, "I miss them Fang." The warrior's heart just about broke when she saw a look of anguish on Vanille's face. It went past unhappiness and was more than just tears. It was hopelessness and fear. It was a look she'd only seen once before and when she had, she promised she'd prevent it from ever appearing again.

"I do too, Vanille." Fang pulled the now-crying Vanille back into a hug, "I miss them too."

Continuing to soothe Vanille, Fang slowly began to feel the other woman relax. Eventually her breathing slowed and evened out and Fang realized she'd fallen asleep. It shouldn't have been surprising, they'd been walking practically non-stop for the entire day. Once again, Fang kicked herself mentally at being too wrapped up in her own mind to remember Vanille was in the same situation.

Fang frowned as she played back the day quickly in her mind. She mentally kicked herself, realizing she may as well have disregarded Vanille completely, the way she behaved. Yet Vanille continued to be Vanille, always smiling, always seeing the bright side. They'd been together for so long, Fang had just grown accustomed to it—taken it for granted. She'd forgotten that Vanille was just as susceptible to pain, sorrow and grief. She was just as fragile and vulnerable as anyone else—if not more so.

Fang placed a gentle kiss atop her friend's head in silent apology before turning her eyes toward the sky again. She hadn't lied. As hard as she tried not to—as much as she willed herself to avoid thinking about them—she shared longing to see their friends. Snow... Sazh... Hope...

"Lightning." The name left Fang's lips in a soft sigh.

Lightning Farron. As graceful as she was fierce; strikingly beautiful; wise past her years, with the stubbornness of a child. The Cocoon soldier had imprinted herself in Fang's mind over and over, each time inciting a new realization for the Oerban warrior. Like how she rubbed the bridge of her nose when she was irritated; or shifted her weight when she wasn't being completely honest. How she never spoke unless it were needed—or something managed to annoy her enough.

Lightning's voice was strong and firm but had a delicacy to it that Fang found addicting to hear. This sparked Fang's endless quest of annoying the soldier as often as possible. The warrior never got tired of hearing Lightning's voice—be it serious, angry or sad.

The Oerban felt another frown form on her lips as another memory occurred to her. One of the last things she remembered before falling into her crystal sleep. The voices of her companions as they woke from theirs. The words were unclear, she couldn't remember any of them. What she did remember was Lightning's voice. Whatever it had been that she'd said, Fang heard something she never had before. No pain, no sorrow, no anger. The words were filled with joy and relief—they were said through a smile. Fang had accepted her fate. Accepted the fact the cost of saving Cocoon, saving her friends—saving her—would mean saying goodbye. But what Fang wouldn't have given to see that smile on Lightning's face.

Feeling Vanille shift in her arms Fang found herself sending a silent prayer into the night sky. A prayer for a chance to do anything to bring their friends back.

Then, as if sent as an answer, something flew across her line of sight. Fang blinked a couple of times in bewilderment. Yes, it'd been only for a few seconds but that wasn't what had surprised her. From what little she saw, she could make out that it couldn't have been anything natural. Too close to be a shooting star, too bulky for it not to have wings. Lit from the inside with a quiet hum as it'd flown by—it was a small airship or shuttle.

Fighting against the tiredness in her body and mind, Fang took into account that the airship had come in the direction of the crystal pillar. This meant they were not only heading in the right direction but that there was a chance they'd find more there than ruins. Something more than memories of the past.

With the thought of seeing the Vanille's face when she told her the news, Fang finally allowed herself to relax, giving into sleep. Inklings of hope began to grow and suddenly, it didn't seem so cold.

A/N:

Oh look! More Fang and Vanille!
Yes, yes, yes, we all know Fang's gaga over Light but I've apparently developed a soft spot for Vanille so I needed to include some of her emotional distress.

In other news, RL may start kicking my ass again soon so updates may not be as uh... what's the word...
Steady? Mmm frequent? No... consistent! Yes, that one.
This doesn't mean I won't be writing anymore. If anything it just means that chapters may be posted in batches for a little while.

So don't hurt me! X3