Final Fantasy XIII: Episode Zero -Promise-

"Tomorrow (Future)", Last Chapter

"Tomorrow (Future)", Last Chapter

"We'll be together forever... no matter what happens, we'll never be apart."

That's what I promised so long ago, Vanille whispered as she walked along the promenade, looking out towards the ocean. In the distance you could see the temple. Fal'Cie Anima was still inside there.

"I'm sorry I have to break that promise..." She apologized to Fang, wherever Fang might be. Perhaps she was at the temple, even now. Surrounded by Cocoon soldiers, no one would be able to get in or out.

Yesterday she saw it on the news. A Pulse fal'Cie was found in the Bodhum Vestige. She had stopped at a rest area in the shopping mall. A screen was on the wall, and on it the temple could be clearly seen. Surrounding the temple were army vehicles and armed soldiers.

During the middle of the report, the people around her began to panic. Knowing that she must get to the temple, Vanille ran toward it, only to look up and see airships above them.

The news ran on every screen and blared from every speaker. Bodhum would now be barricaded for the protection of Cocoon's citizens. Their worry turned to anger, then the soldiers began making threats against the civilians.

This so frightened Vanille that she fled the shopping mall, running along the promenade, returning to a place where she could see the temple. But what she found there...

All the roads leading to the temple were blocked off. This was something that hadn't been shown on the news. Military vehicles surrounded the place, there was no way to even get close to it anymore.

No, she didn't even think she would be able to stay here for very long, even to look at it. Soldiers were coming closer, had they seen her? Not taking any chances, Vanille turned right around and ran back to the shopping mall.

They hadn't followed her. That must mean they hadn't planned on capturing her. Perhaps they had just wanted to tell her that the area was off limits.

It was too late now, but she wished she hadn't left her weapon behind in the temple. Now she was all alone in a city she didn't know, unable to protect herself. She felt like crying.

Fang... where are you?

At the energy plant Fang had acted as a decoy to allow Vanille to escape. She had run straight at the soldiers, all alone. Vanille had managed to escape, but ever since then she had seen no sign of Fang.

I want Fang...

Vanille walked, hardly realizing where she was going, that thought circling her mind. When she looked up, she found she was now at Bodhum Station. Then Vanille thought, perhaps Fang hadn't returned to Bodhum after all? She could still be somewhere in Euride Gorge!

I'll be able to find her if I go to Euride!

Vanille ran towards the station, but again was surprised by what she found. The walkway was completely blocked off. Then she remembered hearing on the news that the whole city had been barricaded. There were people in front of the station, they looked like tourists, arguing with the soldiers.

"We aren't Bodhum citizens!"

"I have to return to Eden tomorrow! I have an important meeting."

"We're from Palumpolum! At least let my son return home."

Everyone was trying their best to make themselves heard. I've seen something like this before, Vanille thought. But then they knew if they waited they would be able to return home. But they still had looked worried...

It was eight days ago. After the accident both Euride Station and the airship landing strip had been closed off. Armed soldiers had come, and the people there had argued with them, demanding to be freed. Though they had complained that they needed to get to work, or that they were going to miss their airship flight home, they still followed the soldiers' directions. Because the soldiers told them that once they had gone through an ID check, they would be put on the next train to Bodhum. So they gathered at the plaza in front of the energy plant, and waited in the tents that had been set up for them.