A/N Hey guys, I know you'll be pissed off that I'm starting another fic even though I haven't completed the other 2. I just couldn't wait to finish them though, not when this idea was so fresh in my mind. And to those of you wondering about the title, this has nothing to do with Lightning Returns at all. It's strictly for XIII-1 and XIII-2. A note, this fanfic will revolve around my O.C. which is basically myself if I was in FFXIII. Also, my home-life is nothing like my O.C.'s. Also, I don't remember every single line in FFXIII, so some of the dialogue will be modified. With that out of the way, I don't own Final Fantasy XIII, all rights go to Square Enix. There will be a more detailed summary below. Please R&R and maybe even favorite me or this story. Hell, you can even flame me if you want. They just crack me up anyway. Please criticize how you see fit, and thank you for checking this out. Also, I know the cover picture is Lightning and Noctis, but this is not a lightis story. In fact, Noct does not make an appearance at all. I apologize for being misleading, but it's the closest I could to look like my O.C. I apologize again.
As always, cheers,
Stryke

Summery: I've always wanted some kind of excitement in my boring routine of a life. Maybe that's why I love video games so much. Being a sixteen year old with a fortune and parents who are always out-of-country, I just picked up a system and some games after hearing my friends talk about them. This was...the beginning of this year. I picked up a Ps3, a special edition copy of Final Fantasy XIII, and the special edition strategy guide. I paid the cash up front, which was well over $300, and the clerk's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Anyway, as soon as I got home, I plugged it into our hundred inch T.V., and started the game. Approximately five to seven hours later, I had dinner. I was enthralled by this amazing game. The world, the graphics, the music, characters, just everything about it was amazing. However, after the hundreds of hours I put into that game and finally beat it, I was still...unsatisfied. So unsatisfied that I restarted the game, and made it harder on myself by setting weaker paradigms to my party. This lengthened the amount of time it took to beat the game due to the many, many deaths that followed this suicidal plan. However, when I did finally beat it, I felt like I had actually accomplished something with my life. That brings us to the present. It's finally here, summer break. I walked home from school, dropped my backpack on the floor, and started up Final Fantasy. I believed I deserved some gaming time after I completed the eleventh grade with the highest GPA in my entire grade. Besides, I needed to test out the gaming headset I created as an extracurricular project. It boosted sound and visuals from the T.V., and I'd been dying to use it. However something went wrong. When I put on the headset, I felt light headed, and I must have passed out. When I awoke, I was inside...

Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Strikes

Chapter I: Is life a game?

It's finally here, Summer. The best time of year besides Christmas. At least during Christmas, I can actually see my "parents". I thought bitterly. I was currently walking to my house, though calling it that would be an insult. The sheer size of the mansion rivaled the White House, and its library put the one in Harry Potter to shame. The first sign of the mansion that was visible was our mailbox with the name Aethon engraved on its side. Even our mailbox was large. I guess now would be a good time to introduce myself, as you know my last name now. My name is Icarus Aethon. It's Greek, obviously, and I guess my father found it ironic to name me Icarus, as our last name means flame in English. I'm sure we all know what happened to Icarus's wings when he flew too close to the sun.

Now, my appearance is as follows: I'm tall, with a height of 5' 11". My hair is onyx black, and I keep it in a low comb-over that covers my left eye. Speaking of which, my eyes are a very light silver color. My skin is pale, so much so that people have told me multiple times to get outside more. However, as I have told them before, I don't care at all. In fact, a super computer that has been computing data for over a thousand years, could not even come close to the amount of fucks that I do not give. My body is also toned, thanks to the amount of sit-ups I do daily, as well as the cardiovascular activities that I work into my schedule. Just because I'm addicted to video games, doesn't mean that I sit on my ass all day.

I took a moment to review what I was wearing in case it was ripped or stained, not wanting Nelly to think that I got into a fight or something equally trivial. She would grant a hour long lecture about how violence is wrong after spotting a red stain on me that just happened to be ketchup. That being said, it doesn't mean that I'm not man enough to fight for my beliefs, I just think getting in a brawl over social and economical differences between fellow adolescents was pointless. I had on a collared white button-up underneath an unbuttoned black blazer. My black slacks were spotless as well. On my feet were my best pair of black converse. I suspected that most people believed that I was an emo bachelor. If you wish to know how much I cared about their opinion, then refer to the third to last sentence of the previous paragraph. Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I walked down my exhaustively large driveway. After about fifteen minutes, the gate that separated the Aethon Manner from the world outside came into my field of vision. Taking the electronic gate opener from my blazer's inner pocket, I held down the button.

I smirked as I spoke in my smooth voice, "Open sesame." The cast iron gates slowly swung open, allowing entrance to the mansion that I have lived in since birth. I walked forward, knowing most people would be awed by the sheer size of the onyx painted mansion. For me however, the building lost its wonder as I matured. The feelings of impression and disbelief that had been so strong as a child, were now only distant memories in the back of my mind. In fact, I could say these emotions died in me entirely, at least until Final Fantasy resurrected them. I put my hand on the cool metal of the right entrance door, and pulled it open. Expecting Nelly to be home, I was surprised that she wasn't there to greet me at the door like she did almost every day. I walked through the grand entrance hall with a chandelier overhead and a red carpet that went from the front door to the top of both spiral staircases. As you can observe, my family is very modest.

I hadn't realized how starving I was until this moment, so I made my way to Nelly's second room in this humble abode, the kitchen. Now, I know that most kitchen's are part of a larger dining room usually. Here, the kitchen is almost as large if not the same size as the dinning hall. After passing many a hallway, corridor, and doors in general, I came to the kitchen, but there was still no sign of Nelly. I sighed, hunger forgotten, and decided to go to the living quarters and try out one of my own inventions that was inside my backpack. Walking through the bottom floor, I spotted the first sign of my second room: the giant ass T.V. My father had shipped from Tokyo. It was one hundred inches, and Anything played on it made you question yourself why you didn't have one. That's when the piece of outside stimulus scotch-taped to the television caught my attention. Looking at it, I realized it was a note written in familiar handwriting.

Your emoness,
As I'm sure you have noticed, I am not here, and will not be until late. I suggest you order pizza or some other type of delivery food to sustain yourself instead of attempting to cook something and fail...miserably, resulting in the destruction of your manor and your pre-mature demise. Listen to this twenty-nine year old, your life depends on it. I don't want to be the one that has to explain to Mr. and Mrs. Aethon that their only child perished in a cooking flame. Until dinner, you have your Play Station, and I put your fake ID on the counter so that you don't have to bug me about allowing clerks to sell you M rated shit. Anyway, I'll be home around nine or ten, and if you're still awake, we'll go have a celebration dinner at your favorite restaurant for having the highest GPA in your grade. Before you wonder how I know, the Dick-I mean Dean-called to congratulate my parenting skills. If he only knew that underneath your cold, emo, and moronic exterior, there's the heart and soul of a true scholar.
Love you kiddo,
Nelly

After reading and re-reading her note, a smile found its way on my lips. Nelly may make quips and jests about my appearance, but I know that she cares about me a lot. I mean, she pays me more attention than my own mother does. I mean, she's been watching me since she was fifteen. I've known her my whole life, and when she turned eighteen, my parents offered to let Aethon Manor become her new home. I was glad that she accepted it, and still am. As to where she was, she was most likely at her boyfriend's house. I've also known him my entirely life, due to their relationship now lasting fifteen years. I shook my head at the thought. Everyone thought it would only last about five, and when that number of years passed, with them still together, they bet it would last only another five. I'm betting now, and I cast my vote that it would last ten more years. Only five more to go and see if I win any money or lose some.

Putting the note on the large ottoman, I turned my Ps3, and already knew what game to test my invention out with. Pressing the eject button on the system to check if said game was in it, I watched as the figure of Lightning greeted me. Smirking slightly, I lightly pushed the delicate disc back into the system. Slipping off the backpack that I had almost forgotten was on my shoulders, I unzipped the largest pocket and pulled out a solid black, full-faced headset. Now, I of course knew it worked, because I tested it out on a computer. All I had to do was find the USB plug-in for the Ps3, and then find the headphone jack on the T.V., and my work was done.

Five minutes of cussing, electric socks, and naughty plugs later, my precious headset was plugged in. I turned on the controller, slipped on the headset, and lay down on the leather couch. Through the headset, I saw the opening sequence of Final Fantasy, and I was amazed at my own work. I could move my head freely around, and as I did so, the images matched where I was looking. This was, in all simplicity, just an upgraded version of the Oculus Rift. I created it, and it worked. I could scarcely contain the emotions swirling in me. At least until I saw the game glitch out to just a white screen. I stared in confusion, and then horror as the same thought bounced around my skull like a gas molecule: IT BROKE!

I nearly tore off my failed invention. Nearly. What stopped me was black words rolling down the screen. And shortly afterward, a robotic and low pitched voice spoke through the headset.

"ICARUS AETHON, YOU ARE THE ONLY ADOLESCENT IN AMERICA TO COME UP WITH, DESIGN, AND CREATE A HEADSET SUCH AS THIS ALL BY YOURSELF. BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN. I WILL NOT SAY ANYMORE ABOUT THIS. PLEASANT DREAMS, MR. AETHON."

I didn't know what to think, and even if I did, it wouldn't do me any good. The reason for that is simple. After he finished speaking, I was overwhelmed by a terrible pain coming from behind my eyes. Just when I thought I couldn't endure it any longer, I disgorged the contents from my stomach, and everything went black.

A/N: So, how did you guys like it? I actually posted it the day I started it, how 'bout that? I'd say that's an achievement. Anyway, I'll start chapter 2 tonight, and hopefully finish tomorrow. I also hope you enjoyed reading, 'cause I enjoyed writing. Feedback is greatly appreciated, so please, R&R if you want, and please do criticize me. It'll just improve my writing, and your enjoyment.
Cheers,
Stryke