Here is a new chapter. Enjoy

Chapter Thirty

Truth behind the dream

Splash…splash…splash.

The rock skids over the sea water before disappearing below the waves. The afternoon sunset was giving an orange glow, causing the water to shine like the amber diamonds. Standing upon the water's shore, was Vaan Bartholomew.

The young silver haired man was holding a handful of rocks in his hand as he threw them one after the other into the seas. It had been nearly an hour ago since Éclair had collapsed from whatever happened to her. Since they had nothing else to do but to wait for Éclair to wake up, he decided to go by the beach and throw some stones.

Just like he used to do on Cocoon.

Thinking of his home, he glanced toward the sky and there floating above him probably thousands of miles away was the bronze planet. He sighed softly before throwing another stone in the water.

Splash…Splash…Splash.

"Vaan?"

He jumped a little at the voice since he hadn't been expecting it. He glanced toward the silver haired girl that was approaching where he was. He simply stood there, watching her. The last few days had taken its tolls upon the young pilot in training. With a gun hanging around her neck, Paine truly looked like a soldier.

When she reached him, Paine turned her eyes back toward the ocean in front of them.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

Vaan threw another stone.

"Just thinking," He said, "and also worrying about Éclair."

"I think we all are," Paine said, "Thought no more than Lightning."

Vaan had to smile at that.

The soldier had decided to stay with the Pulsian, and refusing to leave her side. It was ironic thought, considering she was the one that was hunting them before they got to Pulse.

"I am also thinking about where to next," Vaan said, "I mean...this place was my great-grandfather's last stop before he goes back to Cocoon. I don't see any airships around here we can take back up here."

His eyes were on the floating Cocoon above them.

"We'll find a way," Paine told him, giving him a light push.

Vaan chuckled.

"Maybe."

They stayed quiet as Paine approached the waters that were washing up on the beach.

"Vaan, can I talk to you about something," she asked.

The young man looked back at her, feeling some confusion.

"Sure, what is it?"

Paine didn't turn around to face him.

"Do you like Éclair?"

That shocked Vaan.

"W…What?"

"Just answer it," Paine told him turning around facing him.

Vaan stayed silent. Did he like Éclair? Sure, the girl was a great friend to have, thought his mind was fantasying about leaving the friend zone, but he was sure that Éclair didn't like him that way. And so far, he was glad to have her as a friend.

"I don't like her in that way if that's what you're asking," he told her, "Why were you asking me that for?"

"It's hard not to think so since you were so focused upon her back on Cocoon," Paine told him vehemently.

Vaan was taken aback by the tone.

"Paine, you know why I decided to help Éclair," he said, "that decision hadn't changed. It's just that this thing had become something larger than I anticipated…I mean, who would've thought that the person I decided to help will help uncover one of Cocoon's biggest secret?"

The silver haired girl looked down.

"I know your decision," she said, "I…I just can't help feeling jealous…"

That threw Vaan off for a few moments. Why would Paine be jealous of Éclair for? But…it couldn't be that…could it….

"Paine…do you have feelings for me?" he asked, almost daring to believe it.

The girl looked at him, the shock visible in her eyes and to Vaan utmost's surprise, and a blush grew on the girl's cheeks as she looked away from him.

No way… this is not possible…

"How…why didn't you ever…since when?"

Paine was red in the face as she spoke.

"Since back then, around when we first joined AVALANCHE," she said, "I…I always had a soft spot for you, but I didn't want to say anything since I didn't want to ruin our friendship…but then crazy girl got into the picture and you were focusing your whole attention upon her."

Vaan stared at her. Now the odd tension between Paine and Éclair make senses. He never truly understood why Paine had been so cold toward Éclair sometimes. He stared at the girl in front of him, truly stared at her.

With Paine's tough girl attitude, he had never once thought that she might have feelings for him. Sure, he had considered Paine one of his closest friends and…didn't he almost lose it when he thought that she had gotten mauled by that wild Pantheron in the Whitewoods?

Maybe he did feel something for Paine…but what it could be, he doesn't know right now.

"Paine…," he started.

"VAAN, PAINE," Zack's voice yelled.

The young man was standing a little farther away from them.

"ÉCLAIR'S AWAKE," he yelled.

Vaan sighed, inwardly wishing that Zack would have arrived at another moment but before he could do anything, Paine had answered for him.

"Okay, Thanks Zack," she said waiving at him.

The young man started to walk back leaving them to follow.

"C'mon Vaan," Paine said, quickly walking away.

But Vaan took hold of her arm, causing the girl to look back at him.

"This conversation is not over okay," he said, "We will continue when this business is over with. I haven't given you my answer yet…"

"I know," Paine whispered, turning her head away from him.

Vaan raised one of his hand to touch the girl's cheek, to bring her attention back on him but Paine had gently pulled her arm out of his grip and was walking away leaving him standing there with his hand in the air.

Closing the hand into a fist, Vaan let out a sigh before following after her.

Lightning was looking at the Pulsian who was seating up now. She looked oddly pale but otherwise was fine. She wanted to ask what had happened back there on the bridge but restrained herself. The soldier knew that something was up.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked her.

Éclair gives her a nod.

"I'll be fine," she said, "trust me."

Lightning nodded and crossed her arms staying silent.

"W…where are we?"

"The same ruins we arrived in an hour ago," Lightning told her.

"Zanarkand," Éclair whispered.

Lightning frowned slightly at that. How could Éclair know how that place was called…unless…

"You remembered," she said…more like whisper to herself.

Éclair glanced at the soldier.

"What?"

Lightning glanced back up at her.

"Your memory…it had returned," she said.

Éclair sighed before nodding.

"Yes, it had come back," she said, "But also…there is something I would like to say when everyone had returned."

That brought out the soldier's curiosity.

"What is it?" she asked.

Éclair shook her head.

"I would like to say that only once," she said.

Lightning frowned again, wondering once again what had happened to the Pulsian while she was knocked unconscious. They didn't have to wait long for Zack had entered to room they were in followed by Tifa, Vaan and Paine.

"How are you feeling?" Tifa asked her in a worried tone.

Éclair smiled at the girl.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," she said.

Then she glanced around at the room.

"I have something that I want to talk to everyone about," she said, "that my memory had returned."

Vaan was the first one to talk.

"Returned? You mean you remembered your first Focus?"

Éclair nodded.

"Yes, I was a Protector of a Fal'Cie named Seraphelim…but that was before Cocoon was created," she said.

"Wait a minute…back up here," Paine said, "You said before Cocoon was created. Cocoon is about a couple of millions of years old isn't it? How is it that you didn't age a day?"

"When I was protecting the Fal'Cie, time had no meaning," Éclair said, "As a Protector I was given a special kind of brand that tied me with the Fal'Cie's power. As long as they are alive, I will continue to live until I was relieved of the brand and turned to crystal…or the Fal'Cie dies."

"Then what is it that you have to tell us?" Lightning asked.

"Cocoon was created by the Father Fal'Cie," Éclair said, "A long time ago; the Fal'Cie Ragnarok was send down to deliver a message to the people of Gaia since they have turned their back against the Fal'Cie Father. But things didn't go as planned and Ragnarok destroyed Humanity, and the Father had to intervene to save what was left. So to save them, he created Cocoon, and imprisoned Ragnarok."

"Are you telling us that…"

"Yes, all the people on Cocoon are descendants of the peoples that used to live on Pulse a long time ago," Éclair told them.

"That's it," Vaan whispered.

The group looked at him.

"That's the connection between Cocoon and Pulse," he said, "This is the most asked questions about the familiarity between Pulse and Bresha Ruins on Cocoon. This event that had happened led to connection of the two worlds."

"We're all descendants of the world we were thought to fear and hate," Lightning said, "that'll make a few head turns."

"Yes," Éclair said, "Your family Lightning is a direct descendant from mine…indirectly speaking, I'm your ancestor."

The look on the soldier's face was almost comical in a way.

"You're kidding?" she said.

Éclair shook her head.

"But there is also the Focus we were given," she said, "Both you and I, Lightning. The Focus about Cocoon's destruction."

"The one we are trying to find a solution to prevent it from happening," Lightning said.

"It's going to happen," Éclair said, "Even without us involved into the situation."

That caused a shocked silence.

"What do you mean?"

"The vision that we had that day when we were both branded," Éclair said, "It was the vision of a future we have to prevent from happening. The one who is keeping Orphan asleep is growing weaker and weaker as the years go by. We were chosen to be l'Cie to stop Orphan."

"The one keeping Orphan asleep?" Tifa repeated.

"The Fal'Cie Eden," Éclair told them.

"Eden is a Fal'Cie?" Zack said shocked, "The city?"

Éclair shook her head.

"No, the city was named after her," she said, "The Fal'Cie Eden's task is to keep Orphan from awakening, but her powers are diminishing and soon she will die. With her death, Orphan will be awoken from his sleep and without him sleeping; Cocoon will be torn apart by the very being that was keeping it afloat in the sky."

"Hey doesn't Dysley know that is going to happen?" Paine asked.

Lightning gave a nod.

"He did tell us of the Prophecy," she said.

"Dysley won't be able to stop Orphan," Éclair said, "The visions never changed…in all of them Cocoon is destroyed."

"Visions?" Tifa said.

"My dreams," Éclair told her, "The past few days I could sleep without seeing Cocoon's destruction and lately they have been coming faster and faster. That also means that Orphan is going to wake up soon."

"But…how do you know all of this Éclair?" Zack asked her.

"When I was unconscious, a voice spoke to me," Éclair said, "I felt its presence…it was almost divine in a way. It spoke to me about Orphan and why she had chosen us for this Focus."

A silence fell over the group. Everyone was thinking the same thing. This was simply insane to take on something powerful enough to hold up the world.

"Okay Éclair," Lightning said, drawing attention toward her, "Say we do this and stop Orphan…what about Cocoon? If Eden's destroyed, it's light out all of Cocoon…the end of the world. What will be done about it falling into Pulse? What about that?"

Éclair looked down.

"It's a sacrifice we'll have to make," she whispered.

"That's bullshit," Lightning exploded, "You want to sacrifice the entire world. They have to be another way of ending this Focus."

"We don't have any other choice," Éclair told her.

"There is always a damn choice Éclair," Lightning yelled, her anger visible upon her face, "Why would the one who choose us go through all that trouble instead of letting Orphan wake up and destroy the world? What is the point in choosing us as l'Cie…huh, tell me Éclair?"

"I don't know alright," Éclair retorted, "I don't know what's going to happen if Orphan's defeated. The visions always ended there."

Lightning's face hardened. She didn't want to believe what was happening right now. She didn't want to believe that was the only way…

"Fine," she said coldly, "I'll find how to save Cocoon on my own. I'll do it. I'm not letting my sister become one of your sacrifices."

With that the soldier walked out, leaving the room in a heavy silence.

An heavy truth fall...what will be the consequences?

Next time: Return to Cocoon.

Yeah this fic is almost over.

Jacques0 out.

R&R.