Snow was falling thickly enough outside that her parents had not suggested that she go and play the day away. If Yeul had been the type of person to be surprised, she might have been, but she wasn't. Instead, Yeul, who knew that they preferred that she stay out of their way, pressed her nose to the window sill and watched the snow fall.

Since that kept them from having to do anything with or about her, they left her to it. They had been leaving her alone more and more often, now that she was two this time around.

They left in short order for work--chocobos needed maintenance no matter the weather--and left her alone in the small house. After a while longer of watching the snow, Yeul felt sleepy and clambered down to doze on the couch.

[NFB! For Caius and Liara, please!]

Really, it was her own fault for even having entertained the hope that Caius's suppositions were correct.

That was what Yeul told herself after picking herself up off the ground, feeling shaky and weak for the first time in this life.

She'd been brushing her hair out, not that in really needed it, while getting ready to leave for her afternoon class, Ender's class, when the visions had hit. They'd bowled her over, all the worse due her lack of anticipation, and her hairbrush had fallen to the floor while her whole body stiffened, her pupils turning to hourglasses.

The visions were, as always, a jumbled mess of events. Impressions, disasters, seconds where change had/hadn't/hasn't yet happened/might not happen/is happening right now before--she collapsed, knees hitting the ground hard, and breathing heavily, feeling dizzy and sick and her head pounding as she pressed her palms over her eyelids and reviewed the past. Or the future.

She wasn't sure. Someone was changing it in ways that they weren't supposed to.

She had to contact Caius. It was already too late to stop them--Serah and Noel, her new/old/twisted memories supplied the names--because they were already gone, time had already started, was already bent where they'd passed through the timelines without concern for the waves they left behind.

Slowly, Yeul got to her feet.

Caius had been wrong. Being here did nothing to stop her visions. She didn't blame him--that would be ridiculous--but she, well, didn't know what to think about it.

She'd been a fool to hope, she realized now. The problem, as she took something for her head, and sat on the edge of her bed, was that she didn't even remember when she'd started to hope.

That felt like something she should remember, and yet…

[Mostly establishy, but open sure!]

"This," Yeul said, as they stared out at the sprawling metropolis, "is Academia. It is the capital city of Gran Pulse and more people live here than in the rest of the world."

Because monsters ruled most of the world, in case her guests hadn't figured that out by now.

Academia was a tangled warren of streets and automatic paths that were marked by arrows. The bridges and stairways were translucent and crossed deep drops, as the city was built upon itself, higher and higher.

"The Academy is the center of human government these days," Yeul said, gesturing at the tall building that loomed over the rest of the city. "The building is open to the public, as they have an open door policy," to a degree, "and there's even a restaurant on the top floor. They say the view is fantastic."

[NFB and for them that have been invited. Academia's theme song can be listened to here: Academia.]

Rather than remain in New Bodhum for the day, though they would return there for the night, Caius teleported them all to the ruins of a village. The buildings were made of metal (heavily rusted) and wood, which had held up surprisingly well under the ravages of time. Inside the buildings, personal things could be found: combs left on dressers, a few ancient photographs, and neatly folded blankets forgotten on the ends of beds.

A wide road cut through the village and a broad staircase led down to a murky beach. On top of one of the buildings, an overgrown fountain and the remnants of a garden could be found.

Powered crystal, which looked like snow from far away, and like sand close up, choked the side streets and surrounded the village.

"Welcome," Yeul said softly, "to Oerba."

[NFB and for them that have been invited. The theme songs for Oerba are: Dust to Dust and Ruined Hometown.]

Because newbies! And because I haven't done one of these in a good while due to lazy.

( 'I am one of many Yeuls.' )

( 'My ice is a little bit cold, but your crime has been put completely on hold!' )

( Sadly, I don't come with a quote! )

After classes and speaking to Cade, Yeul made another stop at the Perk before heading back to her room. Once back in her room, she straightened a few of the pillows and then settled down with a book, leaving the door half-open.

The book stayed closed in her lap though as she traced the lettering along the spine and let her thoughts roam peacefully.

She had not always been good at waiting. Yeul thought it was class that left her thinking of the times she had not been so skilled at it.

Thinking about it left her feeling a bit... nostalgic.

[Expecting one but open!]

Yeul had thought that spending the evening in her dorm room, reading a book while lounging on her bed, would be a peaceful, if solitary, thing to do.

She had not counted on the miniature reindeer that drifted in through her open door. Some of them managed to get up on her bed quite fine.

Now she was peering over the edge of her bed at one that hadn't managed to do the same. She reached a hand out to it. "Did you want to come up?"

It nuzzled her hand as the other reindeer made themselves comfortable on her bed. Since the one on the ground didn't seem to mind being there, Yeul went back to her book, leaving one hand dangling off the side of her bed to pet the reindeer.

It was still peaceful. Just not quite so solitary. She was hardly going to complain.

[Open door & post!]

It was not that Yeul was deliberately being contrary to safety. She had handwavily enjoyed both the early and late safaris over the course of their stay but had found them to be peculiarly stifling.

Yeul was not accustomed to feeling stifled. When the sun had begun setting and the stars were shining down, and knowing as she did that they would be moving on tomorrow, it struck Yeul as a dreadful thing to not get to walk around without a group of people even once.

So, without really considering if it was a) advisable or b) safe or c) permitted, Yeul slipped away from the Lodge, without even trying to pretend she wasn't doing so, and headed out for a walk. The night air stirred her hair and tugged at her clothes as she made her way slowly away from what was, presumably, where they were supposed to stay.

She took her time, just enjoying the night and listening to the sounds of animals, and entirely unconcerned about anything that might be out there.

Worrying was for people who weren't her. Clearly.

[For the worrier!]

How am I doing? If you think there's any problem with my characterization, writing ability, grammar, or whatever, feel free to let me know here. Anonymous commenting is on and screening is off, if you'd feel more comfortable responding that way. Please keep all criticism constructive, and tell me what I need to work on!