Final Fantasy XIII: Cursed Past

Chapter 1 of my Final Fantasy XIII story, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XIII belongs to Square Enix.


Chapter 1: New Arrival

"We are now approaching Bodhum Central Station; we will arrive at 08:41 AM, Eden Standard Time!

The young, five foot nothing, teenage boy sitting on the train sighed as he heard the announcement. The boy's named was Hope Estheim, Hope was fifteen years old and a Freshman in High school, he had short messy silver hair, fair skin and light blue-green eyes. He was currently dressed in a simple pair of black jeans, a dark grey T-shirt, his favourite green neckerchief and a black jacket as well as black socks and simple black and white trainers. Hope was currently sitting on the train which would take him from his home in Palumpolum to his school in Bodhum, as usual he was not looking forward to it, he never did. He was distracted from his musing because at that moment he saw two of his friends approach him, both were female one was sixteen the other eighteen making them a Sophomore and a Senior respectively. The Sophomores name was Vanille Dia and the Senior was Fang Yun. Vanille was five foot three and had long bright red hair which she wore in two curled pigtails, smooth tan skin and bright green eyes. She was currently dressed in a pair of denim jeans, a white tank top with lace edging and silver flats; she also wore silver hoop earrings on both ears. Fang was the tallest of the three at five foot nine, she had long wavy dark brown hair, a small section of it braided behind her left ear, her skin had a deeper tan than Vanille's and her piercing green eyes really stood out. She also had a small beauty mark beneath her right eye, she was also dressed casually in a pair of fashionably ripped jeans, a black tank-top with a black leather jacket over it as well as black knee high boots, she also wore purple, claw shaped earring. Vanille smiled and sat down on the seat next to Hope, Fang stood in front of them, resting her arms on the railing of the luggage rack.

Vanille gave Hope a cheerful smile and he smiled back, but it was forced, cheerful was the last thing he'd be feeling at the moment, Vanille however noticed this.

"Hope, are you okay?" She asked concerned.

Hope just shrugged and Vanille shook her head.

"Having a bad day already huh?" She continued to question him. Hope sighed and then nodded, "Yeah".

Vanille and Fang shook their heads smiling, they knew why Hope was so grouchy, it was obvious that last night all he had done was study.

"You know, it's really not good for you to study so much, you need to have fun once in a while" Vanille stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Really, I'm not so sure" Hope replied, Fang smirked and shook her head, "Trust us kid".

Hope looked up at the older woman as she continued.

"Listen, having fun is good for you, look at me and Vanille; we're happy and had a great night's sleep" Fang stated. "All because we had lots of fun last night", she added tipping Vanille a saucy wink.

Vanille blushed and lowered her head, Hope rolled his eyes. Much to the disappointment of many, especially the jocks at school, Fang and Vanille were off the dating list for two reasons, firstly, they weren't into guys and second and most importantly, they were seriously into each other and had been dating for a year now. Fang had, had a crush on Vanille ever since Fang had been a Sophomore, but it wasn't until the following year that they stared dating as Vanille was confused and uncertain about her orientation. While they were now happily together Hope just wished Fang didn't make such suggestive comments in public, apparently Vanille felt the same way.

"Fang, what have we said about discussing our…love life in public?" a mortified Vanille asked, Fang laughed and shook her head. The train then slowed down and finally stopped, the automated female voice came over the PA system again.

"We have now arrived at Bodhum Central Station; the time is 08:41 AM, Eden Standard Time".

Fang smiled and straightened up, the other two stood and together they all got off the train and began the walk to school, Fang and Vanille holding hands, their fingers intertwined, unaware they were about to have an encounter that would change their lives forever.

At the same time as the train arrived at the station a car drove along the road towards the school, sitting inside were three individuals. The first was a sixteen year old Sophomore called Serah Farron, she was sixteen and was five foot five with fair skin, she had long pink hair which she tied in a ponytail on the left hand side and soft blue eyes. She was dressed in a simple black skirt along with white tights, black flats and a simple white shirt. She was sitting in the front passenger seat; the driver of the car was her seventeen year old boyfriend, Snow Villiers, a Junior. Snow had medium length blonde hair and a stubble beard, light blue eyes and stood at six foot seven inches tall with fair skin, he was dressed in a simple pair of denim jeans, a white T-shirt with a red decorative logo on it, black boots and a black bandana. The final occupant was the most mysterious, Serah's seventeen year old sister who was known and called by everybody she knew, including Serah, as Lighting. Lightning was slightly paler than her sister yet she had the same hair colour although Lightning's hair naturally fell to the left without the ponytail. Lighting also had aqua coloured eyes and was five foot seven inches tall, she was dressed in black jeans, a simple black T-shirt, dark grey hooded sweatshirt and brown boots. Ever since three years ago Lightning had dropped out of school for an unknown reason, not even Serah knew. She had been home-schooled but Serah thought socialization in a school environment would help Lightning with her lack of social skills. So at Serah's request Lightning was coming along to enlist at Bodhum High School as a Junior, she wasn't looking forward to it, she sat in the back seat, staring blankly out of the window of Snow's car, her arms folded across her chest.

Serah smiled as she looked back at her sister.

"Cheer up Light, I'm sure you'll have fun", Serah claimed, Lightning merely rolled her eyes.

"I really doubt that Serah" She responded in a dismissive tone.

Snow laughed at the exchange and glanced at Lightning in the rear view mirror briefly before turning his attention back to the road.

"You know, Serah's right, it'll be good for you make some friends, I can introduce to some people". Snow offered.

"What, like your friends from NORA, no thanks" Lightning scoffed, Snow rolled his eyes and continued to drive.

The rest of the journey continued in silence and finally they arrived, Snow parked the car and they got out.

"Okay, let's go Light, I'll show you where the main office is", Serah said, Lightning nodded and followed her, despite knowing he would be late for class Snow tagged along too.

They headed into the building, it was huge, Lightning knew however that once she had been to a class once she wouldn't get lost. Finally they arrived at the main office; one of the women who worked there looked up as they walked in.

"Serah Farron, Snow Villiers, what are you two doing here, not in trouble I hope" the office worker stated with a smirk.

"No ma'am" Serah answered politely before explaining. "My sister's just started today and we're here to help her enlist".

The woman noticed Lightning for the first time and smiled.

"Very well, if you could just fill these forms in, Miss…" The woman asked, trailing off at the end, Lightning sighed and answered "Lightning, that's what everyone calls me".

If the woman was surprised at the name, the only indication she gave of it was her raised eyebrows. Lightning sat down at the desk, the woman placed the forms in front of her and handed her a pen, Lightning then began to fill them in.

Finally, after Lightning finished she handed the forms back, the woman looked them over and then eventually Lightning was presented with her schedule. She read it over, it ran as follows.

English

History

Physics

Lunch

Maths

Biology

Gym

Lightning thanked the woman as Serah looked over her schedule.

"Cool, Light we've got English, Maths and Biology together" Serah exclaimed, she continued explaining as they left the office, Serah was going to guide Lightning to the English class. "Snow's in our English and Maths class too".

"Great" Lightning responded blankly.

They headed for English and arrived ten minutes late, the teacher looked up as they came in and glared.

"Serah Farron, Snow Villiers, you're late!" He barked at them. Snow shook his head, Serah on the other hand politely explained.

"I'm sorry sir, my sister just transferred here today and we were helping her enlist" She explained, the teacher's expression softened as he noticed Lightning.

"Very well, take your seats, now then Miss…" He asked.

"Lightning, Lightning Farron" Lightning answered, he nodded and handed her the books she would required for the class and directed her to sit next to Serah.

As she sat Lightning realized her prediction was right, this was going to be a long, boring day.

Throughout English the teacher gave a long-winded boring lecture to which Lightning listen with only half her mind, yet still taking excellent notes, the other half of her mind was occupied with thoughts she kept to herself. Finally English was over, as it was on the way to his next class Snow showed Lightning the way to History. Lightning entered the class and approached the teacher's desk. The old woman looked up.

"Can I help you miss?" She asked politely.

"Yeah, my name's Lightning Farron, I just transferred here" Lightning explained and the teacher smiled.

"Ah yes of course, here you go" The teacher responded, giving Lightning everything she'd need for the class before speaking again. "Just sit anywhere I don't mind".

Happy with that Lightning sat at the empty desk at the back of the class, ignoring the eyes that were following her. She shook her head at some of the males staring at her; it was obvious they were undressing her with their eyes, too bad for them she wasn't the least bit interested in any of them.

'Narcissistic pigs'. She thought bitterly.

The class continued as normal, Lightning ignoring the whispers that were flying around, knowing they were mostly about her. Although one she couldn't help overhearing.

"That's Serah Farron's sister?" One of the students asked another, confused.

"Must be, they do look alike" Was the reply.

Lightning rolled her eyes at that.

'They think Serah and I look alike, okay we've both got Mom's hair colour and Serah even got Mom's eyes but I've got too much of Dad in me to look like Serah'.

She shook her head and focused on what the teacher was saying. Finally, during the last ten minutes of the class the teacher allowed them to talk. Lightning sighed and began staring out of the window. Just then a shadow fell across the desk, she looked around to see two boys, both Juniors, standing their smirking at her, the first one had short rather messy dark hair and black eyes as well as finely tanned skin, the second was also tan, had short neat blonde hair and blue eyes, both were dressed in typical jock fashion, good jeans and T-shirts as well as Football Jerseys.

"What?" She spat out, angry that they had interrupted her musings.

"Hey, since you're new here, how about I show around huh?" One of them offered in what he must've though was a suave seductive voice, Lightning was not impressed.

"I'd rather be set on fire" She responded coldly.

They both looked at her shocked, as if they couldn't believe she had turned them down, the second one tried to speak.

"Look-" he began.

"I'm not interested and I'll never be interested now get lost" She cut across him, her anger showing now.

They sighed and the second one walked away, the first however remained standing there.

"My name is Hiroshi Arikado". He said, smiling.

"Good for you" Lightning replied, rolling her eyes.

Hiroshi glared; this wasn't going as he planned.

"Look, Lightning Farron, you obviously don't get it" Hiroshi said irritably before explaining what he meant. "I'm Hiroshi Arikado, the coolest best looking student in the school, I get whichever girl I want, those are the rules".

"Well if you want me, too bad, I'm not interested in stuck up obnoxious jocks like you" Lightning replied nonchalantly.

Hiroshi sighed and then leaned in closer.

"Listen Lightning, I don't care what you think, I want you and I will have you before this year's out, got it" He growled at her before leaving.

Lightning rolled her eyes, not in the least bit intimidated.

'Idiot, he obviously needs to be brought down a peg or two' She thought darkly as the bell rang.

When she left the class however she realized she had no way of knowing how to get to her next class, the physics class. She groaned and began to walk down the hallway when suddenly she collided with someone, knocking them both down. Lightning quickly stood up and observed the person she had knocked down, it was a boy about fifteen with short messy silver hair and blue eyes, he looked up at her surprised before standing up.

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going" He stammered nervously.

"No, it was my fault, I'm the one who wasn't paying attention" Lightning stated.

The boy looked at her and noticed her lost expression.

"Um, are you new here" He asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, why" She replied, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Well, it's just…you look kinda lost, maybe I can, help" He continued.

Lightning didn't reply for a moment, she was thinking, finally she relented.

"I need to get to the Physics class" She explained, the boy smiled.

"I can show you, that's a joint class, Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors, I'm in that class too" He explained.

Lightning nodded her thanks and followed the boy to the Physics class. Deciding to at least make an effort at socializing, and for Serah's sake, Lightning decided to introduce herself, besides she felt she could trust this boy. He was different from Hiroshi and his friend.

"I'm Lightning, Lightning Farron" She said.

"Farron, do you know Serah?" He asked, surprised, Lightning was surprised too.

"She's my sister, how do you know her?" Lightning asked, the boy smiled and explained. "She's one of my friends".

Lightning nodded and then asked.

"So, what's you're name?" They boy smiled and introduced himself.

"Hope, Hope Estheim".


End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.