A/N: I have undergone through a very severe case of writer's block that it has affected my writing hobby as well as my RP responsibilities, and by the time I have recovered, I realized I had already become a Noctis maniac. xD I knew about Versus XIII when it was announced and I have been a fan since then but it wasn't until recently that I have come across the news that Versus XIII was changed to Final Fantasy XV that I really became obsessed with Noctis to the point where he's already second to Kadaj on my list of fiction heartthrobs. :P I have made plans since then to write a fic for it and because this story plot has been bothering me since summer started, I might as well get it out of my head. Also, this story is written due to a sincere request from a very special friend, who is also—might I add—head over heels for Prompto. (I can't blame her, because the dude's pretty hot as well! xD) I thought I might as well include her here since her support is part of the motivation that I get to write and follow through with this. Also, I am aware that Stella's name has now been changed to Luna. (?) [Either they changed it or just completely ditched her character.] Either way, FFXV isn't out yet, so I'm still going with Stella. Why? Because I'm the author and I say so, and I like the name 'Stella' better. I might write another FF15 fic in the future, and I might use Luna then. But not now. :P :)

This story is set in an alternate universe (AU) as well. The setting is different—of course, the education system is different, and so will be everything else.

Warning: The characters may be OOC, and I did that on purpose. :)

Disclaimer: Any Final Fantasy character mentioned in this story does not belong to me. Noctis, Stella/Luna, Prompto, Gladiolus, Ignis, etc all belong to Square-Enix. I also do not own the main OC named Alisha Lene. She belongs to my friend who requested this fic. So basically, I own nothing but the plot and the other insignificant OCs scattered about in the story.

I'll continue based on how much feedback I get, so I'm posting up the first two chapters for you to read. :)

Chapter 1

"Yes, well I hope you have had enough of your vacation, dear students! It is time to wake up, wake up, wake up! Summer is over, and you are all back in the real world!"

There was a happy lilt to her voice that was a tad bit creepy, before a loud snap echoed against the four corners of the white-washed room. Some students groaned, others buried their faces in their hands, or in the crooks of their elbows. Yes, the woman standing before them was their worst teacher ever.

"Now, now, children. You are graduating college students; crops of this magnificent establishment's labor!" She waved her wrists in the air, causing a few of her bangles to start clanging. "Your alma mater deserves nothing but the best out of you. You will venture into the adult world, filled with trials and problems; all of which you have been equipped to handle." She exclaimed dramatically moving about the room in a flair of emotion.

Some students rolled their eyes at this comic display of overreaction. It was quite amusing, but the irritating quality of the entire show completely overrode that amusement.

"Just get to the point already." One student murmured, shooting a few glares at the older woman standing on the platform that was a foot above the floor.

"And I thought my days in high school were worse." Came another comment, uttered in an exasperated groan.

"And as future media practitioners, you should be quick and firm in your write-ups; exposing nothing but the truth in all its shining glory!" She crooned, completely oblivious to the heated glares and exasperated sighs being sent her way. At that, the woman turned to face the white board and began writing. She turned back to her students with a very horse-like grin on her aging face. "Therefore, I am requiring you to create a video documentary that has never been seen before!"

Her announcement received loud groans of disapproval. She merely clucked her tongue at them and shook her head.

"This makes sixty-five percent of your grade, young ones. But it is entirely up to you to comply." She sang. "Worry not however, for I have decided that this is to be done in pairs. Feel free to choose your respective partners; ones you can work with perfectly, might I advise."

Even the statement did not give any form of consolation at all. She watched as her classmates gaped at the older woman standing before them, announcing an output that was most likely close to impossible. There were no duplications allowed which most likely meant that each student had to come up with a unique topic and claim rights to it by way of an announcement to avoid the pesky situation they were likely to find themselves in.

Stella glanced at her best friend sitting a few seats away from her. There was simply no doubt in her mind that the two of them would work on this together, and they both knew it. As if sensing the current train of her thoughts, her best friend whirled around in her respective seat to look at Stella. They shared a knowing glance and affirmed each others' thoughts with a curt nod. Alisha mouthed a 'later' at Stella before turning around again to listen to what their teacher still had to say.

vVvVv

"So Alisha, any fresh topics in mind?" She asked the dark-haired girl who was currently sipping on her drink with a bendy straw. Both girls were seated on one of the many steel camping tables littering the grassy field just outside of the cafeteria.

The dark-haired girl placed a thoughtful finger to her lip. And from the look on her face, Stella could easily see that her friend had come up with something, only she wasn't sure how to voice her ideas out. The blonde guessed it was going to be up to her to find a way. Alisha had a reserved nature, and it had taken Stella awhile to make the other girl completely open up to her. In the end, her efforts had been worth it.

"I... I've wanted to try out this idea for a while." The dark-haired girl mused, but upon catching Stella's perceptive gaze, she averted her eyes to stare at a more interesting patch of Bermuda grass on the ground.

"Let's hear it." Stella encouraged, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

Alisha peeked at her friend through the bangs that slightly covered her face. "Call me suicidal." She warned and sighed. "Don't laugh at me, okay? You know about the secret fraternities and gangs and other whatnot gossiped about, right?"

Stella gave a firm nod.

"Well, I want to know what they're like. What the Mafia is like." Alisha paused to see if Stella had anything to say, but since all she got in reply was an undecipherable blink, she continued. "I've been interested in them before, and I know it sounds dangerous and is very risky, but I think we can pull some strings." She regarded Stella with an inquiring gaze. "You have a friend who claims to deal with them, don't you?"

The idea certainly wasn't a bad one, but it was—as Alisha stated from the beginning—risky and dangerous, not to mention life threatening. One misstep could cause their lives, and if they were to both agree with this, she could not tell her parents, and definitely not him. He was way too protective, and even if they had only been going out for two weeks or so, she knew he would not hesitate to take her on a guilt trip and make her see how stupid this whole agenda was.

"I know certain people, but whether they would give us tips, I'm not so sure." Stella said.

"But it is worth a try, isn't it? For the sake of our grades and our diploma." Alisha smirked.

"Not a bad idea at all." Stella smiled. "But you can't tell him, Ali. No matter how hard he's pestering you to get an answer out of you. No matter how mad you get, tell him anything, but don't ever mention any word about this." She warned her friend, who she knew to be easily provoked and riled up by him.

He was nothing if not charming and very handsome. How he even found her to be his liking was beyond her. She did not understand why he liked her so much. So much to go as far as hold an ongoing flirtation with her for two straight years. How he even managed that, she did not know. He had his reputation among the student body, so of course it was only natural to feel suspicious about his true motives. They had never become friends though he mostly showed up within that span of time to let her know how much he fancied her. Soon enough, they had exchanged numbers, went out once in a while—though not always. She would be lying if she told anyone that she never liked him or found him attractive, because he certainly was in every sense of the word. They only had started dating two weeks ago. But even if she was already acquainted with him since her sophomore year in college, that did not mean that they had become the best of friends. As much as she hated to admit it, her college life was becoming an instant replay of a high school story.

"I solemnly swear." Alisha grinned.

She was going to say something until her phone started ringing. Rolling her eyes, she gives Ali a knowing look before digging into her shoulder bag to find the wretched piece of technology.

"Hello?... I'm sitting on one of the tables just outside the cafeteria..." She replied at the inquiry asked over the line as she glanced at Alisha who was heartily chewing at her ham and egg sandwich. "You'll be able to find me, I suppose. Did you need something?..." She asked, and fought a blush at the answer she received. "Quit it, Lucis..." She rolled her eyes. "I'm with Alisha... Yeah, I'll be here."

Sighing, Stella threw her phone back into the safety of the bag. She looked at her friend, looking almost bashful as his words replayed in her head. Trust him to make a comment that would stroke her ego. Alisha just shook her head at her and Stella promptly proceeded to taking her packed lunch out of the bag to at least fill her empty stomach. They had a long afternoon made out of consecutive class periods, and she was in no mood to starve at the duration of that time.

She was halfway through her lunch when she heard Ali say something and gesturing behind her to the black clad figure who was approaching them. She didn't look up from her lunch of moist macaroni and cheese, but silently waited for his presence to come at a rest just beside her.

"Hey." He greeted, and this time, she looked up at him and smiled.

"How goes it, Noctis?" Alisha asked, crumpling up a burger wrapper and throwing it in the general direction of the wastebasket, not really caring if the balled up piece of paper actually made it.

"Crappy morning, if you're sincerely asking." He replied with a cocked eyebrow before brandishing a brown paper bag.

Stella watched him as he carefully procured three lattes and put them down at their table. He smirked at her.

"I had a feeling you two would be needing this." He grabbed his and silently opened the Styrofoam lid to take a sip of the contents.

Stella had not been much for caffeinated drinks, but it was good to have coffee once in a while, especially right now since she was faced with an awful lot of subjects that needed her undivided attention.

"Thank you." She murmured, wrapping her fingers around her latte and taking a sip as well.

"Where do you get all the cash for this ritzy stuff?" Alisha asked, cautiously sniffing the coffee before taking a satisfactory sip.

Stella glared at her, and Ali merely shrugged. Noctis actually chuckled at that.

"I'm loaded." He shrugged. "Not that much of a surprise when my parents are business men."

"Tss." Ali hissed good-naturedly, throwing a French fry at Noctis.

The bell rang at that moment, telling students that their lunch break was over and they had five minutes left before their first period in the afternoon actually started. Stella sighed at the pending homework that was sure to come after this long day. Alisha was the first one to stand.

"I best go. Wouldn't want to be late at Mister Wallace's class." She waved at Stella and Noctis as she disappeared inside.

"I guess this means you're off to class to?" He asked, tangling his fingers through her blonde locks as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I have a loaded afternoon." She sighed exasperatedly. "It's not even the weekend yet." She huffed.

"More to come as the days wear on." He agreed and gradually loosened his fingers around her hair as Stella began fixing her things.

He took one last gulp of his coffee before he was raising an eyebrow at her in question.

"I'll walk you to class." He stated, getting up and holding out a hand to help her out of the confinement from the tables.

She took it without complaint and easily maneuvered herself out, not really minding as Noctis' fingers subconsciously intertwined with hers. It wasn't a foreign thing anymore—not to him or her anyway. They didn't talk as they walked through immaculate corridors lined with dark gray lockers and into the wing where Stella's first class was going to be held. Students were already filing through the open doors and Stella looked up at her boyfriend to find a grim look on his face.

"Are you all right, Noct?" She asked, concern etched all over her face. It seemed to shake him out of his momentary daze because those blazing blue eyes turned to focus on her again and he smiled.

"I'm fine. Parking lot at four." He smirked, changing the subject abruptly before leaning down to press a soft kiss to her cheek.

"Okay." She agreed, her worry over him not completely ebbing away as she watched him take a couple of steps back.

"Later."

She stared after him and wasn't really shaken out of her stupor until someone collided against her shoulder in haste, causing her to stumble a step backwards. The other student mumbled an apology before briskly entering the classroom without giving her a second glance. She, having decided to follow everyone's example, decided to put Noctis out of her mind for the time being and entered the classroom, anticipating a pop quiz at any moment's notice.

vVvVv

The sun's rays slanting over the crowded parking lot was exceptionally beautiful to look at. Stella wondered why she hadn't noticed this in the first place. She was standing at an angle from it, off to the side entrance of the school's main building marked with stone archways. The clever stone pavement beneath her feet were one thing too. The looked ethereally surreal in the afternoon sunlight. She was done for the day, but no doubt had a ton of homework due in two days time.

While High School was evidently full of cliques and petty clashes, College was definitely a new experience. There were groups of tightly knit friends too, but it was unlike high school where everyone liked to meddle and bother other people's lives. There was an 'it' crowd, and while college certainly didn't have a lack of it, most of the student body just didn't care. Whether these kids were popular or not, nobody really paid total mind. Social life was something that mattered in one's high school years. Education and effective learning dominated college. She was just relieved most of the adolescent acts were lessened. Sure, people still took notice of other people, and there were names spoken on people's lips, but college wasn't exactly a holed up place like high school. Majority of the students minded their own business.

The university was located in the city, and although most of the students lived in a dorm, she often went home. Her house was in the city as well. Though, she had often wondered how it felt to live alone. She wasn't exactly well-off like Noctis. Her family belonged in the middle-class. Her father had a stable job—being the chief of the intelligence unit in the police department, and her mother was just a regular house wife, attending to the elementary needs of her younger brother, Stefan. Those factors alone guaranteed that she could never be alone in the house.

Her parents always made sure their children were sufficient, and she was more than thankful to both of them. She knew of the lack of family bonding in other households, and she is grateful to have such a responsible father and a loving mother. They most certainly did not spoil her and her brother, but they were fair when it came to dealing with their children. Stella thought about this for unknown reasons as she made her way to the parking lot in search of Noctis' convertible where she agreed to wait for him. She could do homework while she was at it. And speaking about parents, they had not been too happy upon discovering that their daughter had a boyfriend—a ritzy one and a 'Caelum' at that. Her father in particular had not been ecstatic when she broke the news to them. Noctis' family was actually known to be very successful entrepreneurs, and her parents were more than wary that the boy merely had a passing fancy for their beloved daughter. Stella didn't like to dwell on that though; he was adamant that he held an affection for her and although he never told her, she could plainly see in the way he acted around her. Well, he was flirting with her for two years, and...they had been dating for two weeks, but he assured her he was sincere.

She stopped to scan the line of cars parked and easily spotted his. It wasn't that hard to recognize. It was the most expensive-looking one among the line. She made her way towards it to wait when she caught someone else fidgeting with their own car parked next to Noctis'.

"Cloud." She called out; definitely not in a loud voice, but enough to be heard. Perfect timing when she was wondering just when she would find the chance to contact him.

"Hey." The spiky-haired blonde replied in a quiet voice when she was near enough to actually have a conversation with him.

Never one for beating around a bush, she spoke her mind, deciding that she had to be straight to the point anyway. Noctis could arrive at any given minute and having him find out about her and Alisha's project and their plans would just be a big no-no. The man would never let her for sure, even if it was a guarantee for good grades.

"Cloud, can I ask you something?" She asked, a little wary but determined enough.

The blonde man finally got the car door open and he slid smoothly into the driver's seat before turning to her with inquiring blue eyes.

"What are the chances that I can find the Mafia's lair in the city?" She asked softly.

It was a crazy idea and she knew it. Her father would positively wring her neck if he ever found out his daughter was risking her life for the sake of a school project.

Cloud chuckled and shook his head. "You cannot seriously believe the rumors spreading around, right?"

"But wasn't it broadcast on national television?"

He gave her an exasperated look. "Stella, even you know how unreliable the media can be nowadays."

She rolled her eyes at that. Of course she was aware; she was a future media practitioner herself, but that did not mean the mass media did not aim for credible and reliable information. "I'm aware." She huffed, moving around, opening a car door, and taking a seat on the passenger side, shutting the door behind her to give them some privacy. "The media aims for credibility as well. Not everything is false. Besides, unreliability is much more rampant in the entertainment sector, not the current affairs."

He waved a hand at her. "I get it. So what were you going to say?"

"Merely wondering if you could pull a few strings for me."

At his look of understanding, she rushed to clarify when he sent her a glare.

"Cloud, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't need it. It's a requirement for my Communications class. We need to conduct an investigative journalism and create a video documentary about it." She reasoned. "You would do me a huge favor, and you are guaranteeing my right to graduate." She grinned.

"Hence why journalists don't live long. They usually die in their quest to uncover society's darkest and deepest mysteries." He says with a smirk, indicating his jest but she slaps his arm lightly anyway.

"Ow." The blonde man hissed in response to the assault and gingerly rubbed at the sore spot. "You women hit hard. I was just kidding."

"I know." Stella grinned. "It's a risk we're willing to take. And mafias are not so much of a mystery. They're widely known." She pointed out.

He rolled his eyes at that, uncapping a bottle of water to take a drink. "And the Mafia can very well kill you with a click of the boss's dainty fingers." He added. "Damn it, listen to you. You're acting like it's just a theater club you're wanting to interview."

"Cloud." She groaned.

He relented, sighing in utmost exasperation. "Alright, alright. If you need it that badly, I can introduce you to someone if only you promise to be careful." He warned and she nodded—a little too eagerly. He rolled his eyes. "It's not something you could shout at roof tops though. You would have to keep this in utmost secrecy. I had connections with them before and I'm not entirely sure if the person still uses the same number. You need a pseudo name."

Stella nodded again when her phone vibrated indicating she had a message:

Sender: Noctis
21-09-15, Monday
16:06

Ran a little late. On my way now...

She sighed and turned to Cloud who was looking at her like he wanted to ask but decided it was better to keep his mouth shut.

"I have to go. Thank you, Cloud." She smiled, making a move to leave, when he stopped her by suddenly speaking.

"Not a big deal, but not a word to your boyfriend, all right? And especially not a single word to your old man."

She nodded in total agreement before leaving his car to stand right by Noctis' and she watched as Cloud left the school premises, leaving white exhaust to twirl and dissipate in the late afternoon air. Noctis was gleeful when he found out that her father was a cop. He told her that it served to keep her out of trouble and harm's way. On the other hand, if her father ever found out about this, he would demand that she stop this errand of hers. At the most, if he knew it was school business, he would merely insist that she accept his help and to collaborate with his comrades. Well, she did not want Noctis knowing, and she most certainly did not want to involve her own family.