Disclaimer: Read the Prologue

Scene 3: Gran Pulse

Fang awoke the next morning feeling decidedly refreshed and revitalized. She angled her head slightly to the left to check on the slumbering Vanilla, and rose carefully to avoid waking the latter.

The girl had had a long night and needed a good rest for the day ahead.

Oerba village…I wonder how much has changed… She thought to herself, suddenly dreading the prospect of returning to her hometown.

"Ngh…ngh…"

The brunette quickly turned to the figure slouched against a rock. Lightning, who appeared to have fallen asleep on her watch, was groaning in distress.

Fang rushed to her, concerned. She knelt down beside the squirming pink–haired girl and gently shook her awake.

"Light!" She said sharply. "Wake up!"

Lightning opened her bloodshot eyes at last and winced under the glare of the morning sun. The image of the beautiful huntress swam dizzyingly into view.

"…what?" She demanded harshly, shielding her eyes from the brutal sunlight.

"You were having a nightmare." Fang replied promptly, unperturbed. "Are you alright?"

Lightning grimaced and pushed herself up to her feet unsteadily, coldly brushing away the help of her comrade.

"They're still asleep…" She muttered tonelessly, surveying the area about her.

Sazh and Snow were snoring in sync with each other, sandwiching the peaceful–looking Hope on their shared mat. The three of them had taken the watch till dawn together, and were completely tuckered out. Her eyes carefully avoided a certain sleeping Pulsian…

"Light, are you –"

"I'm going to scout about the area a bit," she began briskly, turning her back to Fang, "and chart out our course for the day."

The brunette sighed softly.

"Fine. I'll just tag along then."

Lightning swiveled around to protest, but was quickly hushed.

"I'm more familiar with this terrain than you are." Fang said pointedly, gesturing reasonably to her. "And you'll have the backup you need in case anything happens."

The Cocoonite shook her head and turned to walk away.

"Whatever you wish…"

Fang sighed again.

"What fun."

The dark–haired beauty hurried to keep up with the long, swift strides of her comrade, silently lamenting the waste of a good opportunity for a leisurely morning stroll. She cast meaningful glances at her aloof friend but kept her comments to herself. The pink–haired girl appeared to be in a foul mood as it was and didn't need further aggravation.

Light, she concluded, wasn't much of a morning person.

"So, what was it about?" Fang asked at last, breaking the tensed silence. "The nightmare."

Lightning quickened her pace, ignoring her completely. They continued on in silence, but it was barely a few minutes later when Fang spoke again.

"Hmm…" The brunette mused aloud to herself, seemingly unbothered by the silent treatment. "It must have been a dream about Serah."

Lightning's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. She gritted her teeth and steeled herself from delivering a sharp retort.

"Mhm…" Fang nodded knowingly. "That explains it..."

Lightning clenched her fists.

Don't you dare…!

Fang threw a sly sideways glance at the fuming pink–haired girl.

"Snow was dreaming about Serah too last night –"

"Stop saying her name!" Lightning finally burst out, spinning around to face her.

Fang stopped and regarded her comrade calmly, folding her arms in anticipation.

"You're the reason –" Lightning broke off abruptly, blue eyes widening in consternation.

"– that she's in crystal stasis?" The taller woman finished quietly, her voice throbbing with remorse.

Lightning snatched out her gun blade and swung it over Fang.

"Light–!"

"– brace yourself!" She hissed, pulling at Fang roughly with her free arm.

The brunette caught herself in time and wrenched herself out of Lightning's grip. She let out an involuntary gasp and steadied herself as the first tremor hit her from beneath her sandaled feet. The ground was shaking violently to rhythmic thuds that sounded dangerously familiar...!

Alert, she quickly turned, whipping out her bladed lance dexterously. A great bestial roar reverberated thunderously through the air. Her eyes hardened when she caught sight of the gigantic black form that swelled in size as it approached at a deadly pace.

"Behemoth King!" She growled, thrusting forth her crimson lance in battle stance at the bounding black beast.

"Huh?" Lightning blurted out, momentarily confused.

"This one's trouble…!"

The ex-soldier blinked. "Trouble"? By Fang's standards?

Too late to run… She thought calmly, fixing a calculating gaze on the advancing beast.

Looks like there's only one way out of this.

Lightning glanced over to Fang, gun blade poised to attack.

"You ready?"

"Hmph!" The bronze–skinned warrior sneered in reply, her green eyes bright with zeal. "Let's make it cry."

A brief smile crossed Lightning's face.

Don't get ahead of yourself now…