This is a short story of Vanille and Fang during the War of Transgression, sometime immediately after they become L'cie.

None of the characters used belong to me. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Enjoy!

The wind blew fiery locks from her face. Her hair was getting long. She would need to cut it. But no time for that now.

Removing her loose linen shirt and tossing it aside, she felt the harsh cold wind against her torso. The spray decorated her skin in a way that made her glisten like crystal, causing her to shudder, for more than one reason.

She unhooked her short silk sarong, letting it fall to the ground at her feet, and braced the landscape in all her nakedness. The cold pulled her skin taught, and she felt stiff. Solid, like a stone.

Vanille shuddered again.

Standing at the base of the steps, she dipped her toe into the Oerban lake, and watched the black abyss ripple out, until it disappeared beyond her field of vision.

Slowly she lowered her foot to the next water-immersed step, and continued in this way until she felt her feet touch the gravelly base. Now waist-deep, she dived under, and swam.

The cold was breath-taking; Vanille could feel it everywhere on her body, with cool water swirling in her ears. For a moment she felt truly fluid; flowing whichever way the water took her. It was like freedom. Liberty.

And then the overwhelming sense of disappointment. Contractions in her chest.

You need to breathe, Vanille.

The sweet, husky voice in her head.

No, not yet. I'm so happy here.

The feeble reply.

Continuing her dance in darkness, Vanille ignored her urges. Soon she would be greater than them.

Oh so suddenly the fire ripped through her chest. All the water in the world couldn't quench it. A fire needs air to live, and it burnt the inside of her chest with malevolence and depravity.

You need to breathe!

"Ughhh!"

She gasped as she broke the surface. Everything crashed into her brain, all the sorrow and fear and rage. The mark felt alive on her skin, wriggling and squirming in protest at her weak attempts to damage herself.

Annoyed, she reached down to touch it, and felt the black embossed shape. It was still.

"So there you are..."

A sweet melody.

Turning her head towards the steps, Vanille saw the familiar silhouette.

"I've been looking for you all over. What are you doing out here so late?"

Fang lifted her pale skirts and sat on the cold stone steps, looking out towards the shining beacon of cocoon in the night sky. A peaceful sphere. An ethereal glow.

How could such a simple thing cause so such pain?

"I needed to think," Vanille croaked, still breathing heavily from her lack of air, "I...needed to be by myself..."

She turned back out to face the water.

Fang sighed, and pulled back the hair from her face, feeling the press of the tepid wind on her face.

"We have to face this, Vanille."

No I want to run away!

"We have to tell them..."

NO!

"But our focus..." Vanille breathed, "Our focus..."

"Will end the war!" Fang interrupted, her voice echoing out across the water.

"And it will end us with it!" Vanille cried, louder than she intended to. She could feel the hot tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of her, but it was beyond her control. She watched as the drops disappeared into the body of water, becoming nothing.

She heard the rush of fabrics behind her, and felt the caress of the moving liquids around her ribs.

Cold hands touched her hips, rose up over her back, and rested on her shoulders.

"I won't let you become a C'eith, little one" Fang whispered into her ear, "Whatever happens. Whatever it takes. Being a l'cie does not mean losing everything."

Vanille felt Fang's raven hair brush across the nape of her neck. A butterfly kiss touched her shoulder and trailed along incarnadine skin.

"You will never lose me..."

The petite girl turned and looked up into Fang's eyes, before letting her gaze fall to her brand on her upper arm. Perhaps there was one more arrow than before...

The thought made her stomach turn.

"Hey," said Fang, using her index finger to raise Vanille's eyes back to hers, "None of that. No more tears. We made the right choice, Vanille..."

The zephyr tousled their hair as they touched hands, and pulled each other into a loving embrace.

"Fang?"

"Yes, love..."

"If I fail..."

"You won't."

"Yes, but if I do..."

Vanille closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Fang's cheek.

"Promise me that you'll...end...it"

"Vanille?"

The tears were coming again.

"If I turn C'eith...I want you to promise that, you won't let me suffer...You won't let me hurt anyone..."

"It won't happen!"

"But if it does!"

Maybe she saw the beginnings of a tear in Fang's ebony eyes. A crystal drop forming, and falling, round and perfect, seeking the mass beneath it. Surely it would not be bad, to be crystal. To be still and peaceful. To sleep in her arms forever.

"If it does, I want you...to kill me. I don't want...monster..."

Sobbing furiously now, Vanille fell fully in Fang's grip. She felt her nails prick her spine.

"Never..." Fang croaked. She'd lost her all her family during the war's progression; all but Vanille. There was no way that she would let her die. There was no way that she would stand back and let it happen. If it is within my power, then I will take it all upon myself. She will not suffer because of me. If I have to become Ragnarok, then so be it.

This time, I will be the only one to suffer.

She let go, holding Vanille at arm's length.

"I'll never let it happen. I'll never let you go..."

Tilting her head down, she brushed her lips against Vanille's, and breathed gently on her skin.

"I'll never let you go..."

With a vehement gust from the prevailing wind, Vanille melted into Fang's kiss.

For a moment, she forgot to breathe.

Thanks for reading!