~Fang's POV~

I study the stars from where I lay on the ground. I've never needed much sleep, and after sleeping for centuries, I really shouldn't need it at all. These are the same stars I viewed at home, only at a different angle. If I look hard enough, I can see the tale the stars tell about the battle between Odin and the Shiva sisters. I can also see the galaxy that sparkles bright greens and blues every once in awhile back in Pulse. The silent man next to me pokes at the burning wood in the fire, the flames slowly fading out as the minutes pass. "You're gonna need more logs for that, mister," I say boredly, bouncing one of my crossed legs.

"You'll be alright here alone?" He stands.

"Who says I'm alone? I'm coming with, you moron," I grin, rolling to my feet, spear in hand. "I haven't seen any action since we've gotten here, and the most gore I've seen was while Spiky was attention to dissect a deer."

Vincent remains silent, leading the quarter mile walk to the woods. Every so often, he would have to shoot a monster that got too close, and always in the same spot on the forehead. He's a pretty good marksman for someone who remains so still.

"Cmon Vincent! I can hold my own in battle, just let me try!"

"Fine," he shrugs, holstering his gun as a pack of wolves near. There's close to eight of them. Well thanks buddy. Nice to know you trust my skills already. I smirk and give my weapon a sharp jolt to bring out the twisted red prongs at the ends.

"You're mine!"

Slashing at the animals, I manage to get four down before one get a bite out of me. Instead of yelping and crying like a wimp, I yell out some colorful words from the ancient Gran Pulse language and kill it with one blow. The last three also manage to claw at me, but they're dead before too much damage is done. Then I turn to Vince, an idea forming in my head. The bring my spear up and swing the pole part at him. He quickly raises his golden claw to parry the blow and raises an eyebrow.

"You could've warned me, you know."

"Am I that unpredictable?" I smirk, rolling behind him to slash again. He avoids it with a perfected front flip, a challenging look in his eyes.

"Rather the opposite, friend." Annoyed that he even thought of me as predictable, I rush forward and he moves, right where I wanted him to. My spear swings out and knocks him to the ground and I pin him down with my body, faces inches apart.

"You were saying?" Suddenly, I'm dizzy and blinking and his head is looming over mine, a sly smile on his pale face.

"That you are a very predictable person." Then he stands. My face is warm and flushed, but I blame it on the battling, not on the fact that a vampire was shoving his face all up in my bubble.

"Let's just get the wood before I kill you, Vampire." He scoffs and gathers the logs that he needs up in his arms and before following me back to camp. As he feeds the dying fire, I cast occasional weak water spells on my spear to clean the wolf blood off. I was always a terrible magic user, and now isn't an exception. I constantly miss the weapon or cast it too strongly so that It splashes me in the face.

"I hate magic," I growl, setting my spear aside. Vincent says nothing, only continues to put dry sticks into the flames. "Oi! Vincent! I'm bored, tell me a little about yourself."

"What would you like to know?"

"I dunno. Your past maybe? From all I've heard so far, you all have a pretty interesting story."

"Okay," he watches the fire silently a moment longer. "I was a Turk before I... Slept. And... You don't know what a Turk is." I shake my head. "They're technically highly trained assassins that do Shinra's dirty work. And I was one of them. Supposedly second best of all time, second to Veld, who was my leader."

He goes through the whole story as briefly as he can with a flat tone, trying to give off the feeling that he doesn't care about the awful experiments that Hojo man put him through, but I can see and hear it with all the experience with this stuff I have. He stops when he gets to the point where Avalanche woke him up, mainly because I already know the rest.

"So that'd be what Vanille was sensing off you."

"Yes. There are four demons, all of which I are pure evil and make me inhuman," he looks away irritably.

"But she also said there was a light trying to break through. She must've meant your humanity," I point out.

"She is young and doesn't understand what she is taking about."

"Excuse me?!" I stand. "Vanille is a very smart girl that is centuries older than you, so don't you go criticizing what she says. She is not mentally challenged and she knows what she's talking about. I don't need anyone else getting down on themselves around here. I know we've just met, but I consider you all friends, and I don't let any of my friends criticize my adopted family."

"... I did not mean to offend you. I simply meant that she acts immature." I huff with annoyance and glare at the fire. This guy is annoying. Then why are you still around him? I... Because he's good company!

"I'm going to sleep, so don't be checking me out with your bloody eyes, 'kay Vince?" He just grunts in response, not even bothering to look up as I get comfy on the grass, my lance held between my fingers so that I can easily reach it in case of an attack in the night. Not that I don't trust Vampy but... We kinda just met these guys and I don't know if they want to kill us or not.

~|~|~|~|~

A crunch in the grass moves me to roll to my feet quickly instanly awake and holding my spear readily. Cloud pauses midstep, startled by my sudden movement. Huffing, I sit down on the grass, glaring at the dozing form of Vincent laying on his side on the ground. Must've fallen asleep last night. I smirk and stand silently plucking a blade of grass and creeping toward him.

"If you know what's good for you, you wouldn't mess with him," Cloud says quietly.

"I ain't afraid of his strange getup," I scoff, turning to scowl at him.

"I didn't say you were. He just... Loses control of himself sometimes."

"Don't we all?"

"He's .. Different."

"The demons or whatever?"

"Don't mention it unless you really know what you're talking about."

The sternness in the blonde's tone is very different from his gentle and friendly voice, and almost makes me want to salute. This guy must have some military experience to scare me with that voice and look. Then I look down at sleeping Vince. Oh leave him, Fang. No good will come out of it.

"Morning Fang," Vanille yawns, emerging from her tent and stretching. "Up at dawn, eh? At least that's normal."

"Didn't forget anything overnight?"

"Nope!"

"Good," I nod. "Hey, you think I could go exploring later today?"

"I don't see why not! Yuffie told me all about this planet last night. It's got such an interesting past!"

"And I'll hear it all sometime later, Missy," I smile. "Right now I've gotta go make sure Lighting doesn't laze around until midnight."

"Oh let her sleep, Fang! She hasn't had a break from it all since she was a little girl."

"Fine. But if you think for one moment I'm gonna let her.."

"I know you too well to let that happen," she giggles.

"So is this like day one on Pulse all over again?" Sazh emerges next, struggling to tug his green coat on. How the men in this group can survive with so many layers really amazes me.

"Could very be," Snow grins, already clad in his trenchcoat. "Hopefully Hope doesn't disappear while hunting down some food this time, eh buddy?"

"Yeah, Hopefully," he scoffs. "Ha ha, you're so funny, Snow." Vince's eyes flicker open in a crimson glare before he rolls over and tugs his cape over his shoulder like a blanket, long leather clad legs curled up.

"Uh-oh, made Vampy grumpy, Hope," I smirk.

"I'm shaking," the boy shoots back sarcastically. Such a fun person to tease in the morning.

"What drug did you give her?!" I look at Tifa in bewilderment when she comes over with an actually smiling Lightning.

"Excuse me?"

"This chick never cracks a smile," Cloud says through a mouthful of bread. He can tell and he hasn't even known us for twenty four hours. Lightning doesn't say anything, just continues her conversation with Boobs. Too crowded. Vincent must feel the same, finally up and hanging off a little farther away. Surprisingly enough, I find the mysterious man to be good company.

"So," I swallow a bite of the cinnamon bread that Barret dude gave me. "I was thinking maybe someone could take me on a little exploration today, since we obviously don't know the area."

"If you want to explore around here, Tifa's a good guy. Anywhere else, hop on the Highwind with Cid and Vincent can show you anyplace. I swear the guy has a map in his brain," Cloud nods toward me.

"I'm never going to get used to that," I rub my temples with a groan.

"What?" Yuffie cocks her small head to the side.

"There was a traiter among my men named Cid that tried to kill us, then there's this attack I learned called Highwind. It's just weird."

"Cid's Highwind attack involves calling in his airship to bomb someone," She snickers and Barret laughs.

"Yup. Hey look, man! Mar an' Dajh playin without a care in the world. Wish I was like that!"

"Me too," Sazh smiles at his son and the other man's daughter. "All sugar an' rainbows, right Vanille?" My practical sister nods with a big smile and skips over to Yuffie and Hope, leaving the poor boy to listen to the girls' ceaseless chatter.

"Alright Vampy," I stand, grabbing my weapon. "Let's go exploring. Shall I call you Dora from now on?" Everyone laughs except for the man toward whom it was directed. He furrows his eyebrows and frowns, blinking at me.

"... Dora?"

"He's a little technologically challenged," Tifa offers sweetly.

".. I guess you could put it that way," the man shrugs.

"Come on. I want to go adventure or something. I hate staying in one place too long."

"I'm coming too!" Vanille stands, beaming at us when we approach. Vincent's mouth twitches into a slight smile in her direction, making me... What, jealous? That he probably hates me and loves how amazing Vanille is? Nah. Who wouldn't choose the sweet girl over a cold hearted warrior? I sound like I'm describing Light... Hmph. No way am I like her.