Introduction:
As you can tell by looking into my profile, I have started a few stories already. As much as I enjoy writing for Hope and Light as a main pairing, I needed to do something a little different. Largely to gain more ideas, and not get burned out writing for the same pairing.
I enjoyed writing this chapter, just as I hope that you, my readers would enjoy reading it and the updates to come.
Reviews would be appreciated. :)
Genre: Final Fantasy 13
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters appearing in Final Fantasy 13.
"Tell me again, what are the rules Snow?" A motherly figure asked, something that she grilled him about every time he left the house. Rachel Watson was a friend of the family, someone who took in Snow as a toddler. His parents were killed by some dude with purple hair. Snow's real mother had barely made it to Rachel's doorstep with her son.
"Don't look a fae in the eyes. Don't run or they will chase. Don't eat anything that a fairy gives you." He answered, bored with the questions. Snow tried to be patient with his adopted mom. The red haired Irish woman who was in her fourties really did care about him, and his safety was something that she worried about every time he went outside. If it weren't for the fact that she raised him, Snow would have probably lost his temper a long time ago. "I promise I will be home around midnight. I will call if something comes up."
"Keep it on you at all times," Rachel reminded Snow. She knew he was a strong and capable young man, but she loved him as if he were her son. She didn't want anything to happen to him. Especially if it would take him away from her. Fairies are dangerous folk, and she didn't want Snow to get hurt just because he could see them. She could feel relief since they usually don't take interest in normal humans.
Snow waved as he walked outside, where he was met by his friends, Lebreau and Gadot. It was then that the young man had rolled his eyes. "I totally get the fact that she cares, but does she always have to grill me about being paranoid of the world around me?"
Lebreau shrugged her shoulders. Black hair rolling off her shoulders. She was one of the popular girls in schools with most of the guys, but she was with Gadot since their freshman year. "I don't know. She grew up in Ireland, so it makes sense. You won't be there forever, so just take it as it goes. Your still planning to go to college in Nautilus aren't you?"
Snow chuckled while Lebreau given him a critical glance. Not only was she one of the cutest girls in school, but she was the smartest of the group. You wouldn't know it by interacting with her, but she had straight A's. If not for her, then their group wouldn't have grades as high as they currently are. "Yeah, I am thinking about enlisting in the Guardian Corps first. You know, get more money to pay for it."
"No surprise, Snow." Gadot had pitched in, heading for the driver's seat of his Mustang. Snow made for the backseat while Lebreau took shotgun. "You and your desire to be a hero is going to get you in trouble. Hell, knowing me, I will be watching your back asking if we are having fun or what!"
"Men..." Lebreau stated, in a tone that suggested that she didn't mean what she was about to say. "Always the blowhards."
Snow and Gadot chuckled as the driver turned on the music. Snow watched the buildings go by, losing track of actual time. Gadgot checked his rear view mirror and took notice of the daydreaming expression on his buddies face. Gadgot spoke up. "Hey man, what's going on? Something other than dreaming about heroic stuff?"
Snow snapped back to reality as the car turned a few blocks from Bodhum High. "Me? Nah, it's nothing."
Lebreau raised an eye brow. Her words may have been in debate with that nothing, but she wasn't mad. "Oh, we know you better than that Snow Villairs. You only get like that when something's on your mind. Is it a girl?"
"Nah," Snow tried to deny it, but lacked the conviction to be convincing. Instead, it was only half hearted. Realizing this, Snow smiled aquardly. "I have been seeing this girl in my dreams lately. She said her name was Serah, and she would be coming to meet me soon. I know how pathetic that sounds though."
"We need to getcha a girl," Gadot confirmed, grinning like a fool while Lebreau smacked his arm.
"Be nice!" she chided him. She gave him what the guys had defined as the look. Before anything else could be said, Snow noticed just where they were at.
"Hey guys," he asked, concerned that Gadot's brain must have slipped. "What about Maqui and Yuj. Aren't we supposed to be picking them up today too?"
Gardot shook his head while he pulled into the school parking lot. "Nah, they are taking another route to school today. They said that what they needed to do could cause them to be late, and told us to get there. That way they don't get us in trouble."
"Fair enough," Snow replied, unbuckling his seat belt. When the car parked, Snow grabbed his bags and headed up to the school. About halfway up the stairs, he stopped and stared. There she was! That girl he seen in his dreams! Dressed in what most would call the school girl style, with her hair pulled off to the side. "It's... It's her." he said out loud, to no one really, but Gadot and Lebreau looked at him as if he were going crazy.
A little early for a normal day's worth of classes to begin, two sisters stood at the entrance of Bodhum High. One of them was an early adult with the other looking almost eighteen years old. Watching from a bit of a distance, a brunette dressed in Blue stood guard. The student body ignored the trio of strangers, it was as if they weren't there.
"You know Serah, you don't have to do this." The older sister commented, unimpressed with the current situation. The pink haired soldier type woman stared at the students, a critical glare at each one of them that passed the group by. "You can just come home, and not deal with these humans at all."
The younger sister smiled. She was used to Claire's criticism of humans. Claire followed their father's footsteps of protecting their tribe. Alexander Farron had been killed by a human that found out about what they were. The human was one of those that feared what they didn't understand, Serah wanted to think. There are some fae that believe that humans only want their power, but Serah didn't want to be so cynical. She wanted to believe that there was good in the human world.
"It's okay. If Matron Esthiem is correct in her prediction, then this will benefit our tribe better than anything else we can do. I have been watching over our 'his' dreams, and I honestly believe that he's different than most humans."
Claire scoffed. She had been watching over this Villairs teenager just as Serah had. She would agree that this Snow Villiers wasn't as bad as a lot of humans that she's observed, but she still wasn't impressed with him. He was loud, obnoxious, irresponsible, and his heroic dreams were full of something. "He's tall. That's the best trait about him. I don't see why we have to have an outsider in the first place."
"Oh sis," Serah replied, patiently. She knew that the real problem here with Claire accepting Snow is that she didn't want her treasured little sister having to mingle with some human. "It will be alright. Noel will be here to protect me if Snow isn't going to be what we think he is for some reason. Besides, it will be an honor to serve our people."
Claire wasn't quite convinced. Soon Serah and Noel will enter the school as students and finish the enrollment process. If it was just a simple mingle with the humans to spy on them, she would be more accepting of this. No, their beloved oracle HAD to suggest that they bring in a human that was born with the sight to their world and help them face a powerful foe. She wasn't impressed with the idea, and the concept of her sister being the chosen one to enlist his aid was even worse! If Snow Villiers even looks at Serah wrong, she would love to fry his guts!
"I promise I will be vigilant in protecting Serah," Noel spoke, trying to help ease the situation. He couldn't really argue with why Lightning was so distrustful of humans. The best he would be able to do is promise that he won't just let anything happen to Serah.
Serah picked up on the attempt to ease her sister. Taking a breath, she got a serious and pleading look, then spoke calmly. "I also promise that whatever order Noel tells me, I will listen to him. We are supposed to present ourselves as cousins after all."
Claire sighed, recognizing that her sister intended to go through with this. Didn't help any that she watched the car with the human that they were talking about pull into the parking lot. Just removing Serah from this human's school wouldn't help matters any. Only thing she could do at this moment is stay close and keep an eye on things. Noel would be inside and in all of Serah's classes, so she would trust him to watch for danger. "Alright. Fine. Just remember to be careful."
She kept watching the human as he climbed up the stairs, making sure that the expression on her face summed up everything that she thought of him. Crossed arms, glaring a hole into his forehead, Lightning was pleased when he paused to watch them. Yeah, this is the one with the sight, the humans that were walking with them were asking what he was looking at. This at least was amusement to her. If he hurts Serah in one fashion or another...
Serah had more of a welcoming smile, light in her eyes. Her mission required Snow to like her, so she needed to be appealing. Part of the reason she accepted the assignment without complaint, she actually found Snow to be interesting for a human. If she didn't like him at all, she would have been upset to set herself up to be courted by anyone. "Sis!" she complained, noticing Claire's pointed glare at Snow. "How am I supposed to make any friends if your going to glare at everyone!"
The older fairy turned to her sister with a neutral expression. Uncertain experession in her Aqua eyes. "I still don't want you here, but if you insist, make sure you keep your word and listen to your cousin. You know how to reach me if you change your mind."
"Love ya sis," Serah hugged Light, for a moment before letting the elder start walking away. She stepped to the side, to allow the trio of humans to walk on past. They were still invisible to the normal human's sight, to suddenly appear would do nothing but cause trouble. She watched as the man they were discussing walk inside, watching the two of them out of the corner of their eyes. Finally, when they were inside, Serah nodded to Noel.
"Thanks Noel. If you hadn't volunteered to be my 'cousin', I don't think she would have let me do this." Serah said, dispite her resolve to serve her people, she was nervous. There were humans in their world, but they weren't a threat. It was still in their home world, and they were brought there for one reason or another. The rare exception to the previous presumptions of the human race. Some were tried mates of the royal family, others were tricked or coaxed into their world.
Snow was going to be different from most of the humans. He has a light in his heart which set him apart from most humans that their court had taken notice to. His destiny, if he were to accept it would mean the realization of the dreams that he had since he was little. Being a hero to a people that would need his protection.
"It's all good Serah," Noel replied, being the first to make himself visible to the humans. He had been itching to do something different, and helping Serah was a good idea to him. Like Lightning, he found Snow to be on the annoying side, but he understood the human. The Villiers were blessed by Nora Esthiem's grandmother for a deed done in the aid of their clan many years ago, but they had lost track of how they got the gift.
Snow's parents getting killed by Caius was just a coincedence. Caius is a part of the problem that their tribe faces, but wasn't some destined the boy who lived sort of thing. The father was able to see Fae, and Caius didn't like it. No prophecy that they knew of told him to go and kill the family.
Serah had followed suit as she went towards the door. "Lets get our enrollment officialized. We can't do anything by standing out here."
Snow took a seat before the first hour bell rang. That had really been a strange experience. That girl, not the one that looked like she was ready to tear off his head, but the other one. That was the girl from his dreams! Looking exactly like how she appeared to him! He tapped his pencil on his desk. Of course she would. Snow had forgotten for a moment that they were invisible. He knew that because Lebreau and Gadot didn't see them.
"Well," Snow mused to himself as the seats around him started to fill with various people. Each doing their thing. Talking on their cells, texting, quick study. Not paying any attention to him at the moment. "Since it's apparent that one of them hates my guts already, I guess this means I shouldn't pretend to not see them."
First hour was Math. Today would be a test. Fortunatly for Snow, Lebreau had burned the different formulas into his brain. Except for the appearence of that girl whose name he didnt know, math proved to be a very boring subject to dream about. At least he can get this hour put behind him, and move on to second hour. Math in the morning sucked, but at least it beat Home Economics.
First hour bell rang, signaling the five minute break in between classes. Snow couldn't get out of there fast enough. "Ooph!" a soft grunt suddenly made herself heard.
Snow turned around, and his heart nearly bumped out of his chest. There was the girl! She had bent down to retrieve her belongings. Snow flushed for a moment. His mom would be having an aneurysm if she knew what he was going to do! He reached down, and started to help her collect her things. "I am sorry, Miss. Sometimes I don't pay attention to where I am going. Are you okay?"
Noel was a bit of distance behind, staying quiet. Watching the situation. He thought the guy was reckless, but didn't have a reason to think that he would harm Serah. His role to be and harming his charge wouldn't coincide. It was the other humans that he needed to keep the sharper eye on. Besides, can't fault him for running into Serah when she orchestrated it.
"I am okay." Serah had picked up her books, then straightened herself up. Snow had picked up her notebooks and offered them to her. "Thank you. Nothing to apologize for. It was my fault. I should have checked my schedual before leaving class."
"I had a feeling you were new," Snow answered, trying to decide just how far to take introductions or not. He was talking to a fae. She didn't seem to be particularly dangerous, but mom would insist that the most dangerous ones are the ones that don't. The young adult decided that since he was eighteen, he could actually take a risk. Besides, it would look bad if he didn't act like himself. "Welcome to Bodhum High. I am Snow Villiers."
Serah had laughed, a sound that to Snow sounded like ringing bells. She felt nervous still, but things were going along pretty well so far. She believed in Madam Nora's judgement about bringing Snow into their circle. "I am Serah Farron. My cousin is around here somewhere. I think he got lost."
"Your talking about the guy in Blue?" Snow asked, scanning the crowds. He figured that she would feel better if he pointed out where he seen the guy. "He's actually headed this way. Do you guys share any classes?"
"Yeah," Serah answered, still smiling gently. "Principal Northington had graciously allowed us to share classes this year. We decided to share classes since this is our first semester here, and it would help us feel more comfortable in a place full of strangers."
"Good to know," Snow replied, giving the guy a welcoming grin. When Noel caught up, he offered his hands. "Snow Villiers, welcome to the school."
"Thanks," Noel answered. Not really certain about the guy, but he wouldn't let his feelings interfere with what needed to happen. "I am Noel Kreiss. Thanks. Good to be here."
Snow grinned as the men shook hands. Things were going well for the first time that he talked to a fae. Villiers was aware that he held their attention already. Maybe if he didn't present himself as a threat, no harm would be done. His mother wasn't going to like this if she found out about today. She's threatened to finish his senior year in home school, and Snow found that to be a social bore. "So, where are you headed?"
Serah would be the one to reply, "We have English Lit with Professor Lauren. Would you happen to point us in that direction?"
"Yeah," Snow answered, kinda shyly. "That is where I am headed to. We probably should hurry, or we will be late."
As the school day passed, Snow found that the cousins were in more than one of his classes. Noel seemed to be more interested in watching the fellow students while Serah had focused on the class. Snow's attention was half watching her, aware that she could be using her glamour ability to look beautiful. He wouldn't say that he was enamored, but she had his attention.
They would meet soon, her form in his dreams had said. Sooner than he thought they would meet. How would he explain this to Rachel? If there was one thing he would be grateful for, his adopted parent didn't have the ability to tell supernatural beings from normal folk. Maybe if he had to introduce Serah to her, she would agree to stay visible.
After school, Serah and Noel had began their trip to their pocket of the world. A house three blocks from the school that appeared to be in bad shape served as a portal between their worlds. The pinkette was in a great mood! Walking along, invisible mode, Serah couldn't help but to talk about the events of today as if Noel didn't see it first hand.
Noel was doing his best to be patient with his guarding charge. Serah had wished years ago that she could do more to serve her people. She was a seamstress, but she was frustrated with the job. It was just making garments while others that she knew had more important roles! To be the one to bring their future champion to their world was an exciting prospect, and a great chance to see the human world for herself!
"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed, turning towards Noel and walking backwards. "Today went better than I thought it would! I was afraid that I would fail on day one!"
Noel shook his head, not able to repress the smile. He actually could place where Serah's excitement came from. He remembered being as ghiddy when he completed his first assignment. "Well, you are one of the most beautiful and talented girls our world has to offer. Of course he wouldn't be nice to you."
Serah laughed. "Well, I don't know about talented, but if you think that way of me, I won't argue. Nobody wants to be told that their ugly."
"Well," Noel had stopped in the doorway that they would disappear into. "Well, ladies first. I believe that we have a status report to make. Check in with your sister before she hands me my head."
Snow met up with his gang after school. He was still thinking about the events of today. If he didn't believe it sooner, he would now. Fairies were interested in him. He didn't know how to talk about this with his mom, or if he even should. He was an adult, and could make his own decisions. The girl he met today was pretty, and charming. How much of the impression that he felt was his emotions naturally or her glamour, Snow had no way of knowing.
"I still can't believe Snow stood us up at lunch to sit with the new kids." the electric blue haired youth by the name of Yuj teased. He wasn't really offended, Snow didn't actually stand them up for anything. The new kids probably wasn't ready to meet too many people in one day. He just wanted to tease the hero.
Lebreau picked up on it. "Don't mind that Yuj. Snow's been in a trance all day. Are you doing to try ask the new girl out Snow? That boyfriend of hers looks pretty tough, but nothing our hero can't handle." Following her tease with a whistle, making Snow blush.
It was his turn. "Hey, hey, hey," Snow stammered, sighing with exhasperation. "That's her cousin, not her boyfriend! I don't know if I like her that much yet."
The runt of the litter, Maqui had shook his head. "Psh! You like her already. In Biology, you kept staring at her. Fortunatly today's lesson was a boring and easy one."
"Alright," Snow had decided to indulge their questions. Serah Farron was really the first girl he paid any serious attention to. He had to admit that there was something about her that caught his attention. While he had his suspicions on the origin of these emotions, his friends knew nothing about the world of fairies, other than Tinkerbell. "She is a cutie. I dunno if she would actually be interested in a guy like me."
Just as much as he couldn't stop the flow of teasing, he knew one thing. Glamour or not, she did seem to be human enough. She was smart, pretty, and seemed to be kind. If Serah was as she presented herself today, then he could actually see himself asking her out. If not... Live and learn, Snow would have to see this through.
He had a feeling that he had no other choice than to see what becomes of this. Serah Farron, he repeated her name to himself. If anything else, a part of Snow recognized that his future rested in her hands.
