A/N: I have been struggling a lot lately, what with trying to do my Avatar Fanfiction requests and trying to complete that FFXIII story I've been talking about. That story isn't really this one. This is different. I got a thought about this story at work. Making an Alternative FFXIII story.
Read for yourself:
DAY 1
Bodhum. The Seaside City. People say it's a place of paradise. Every year, they have a festival where they launch fireworks in the large dome spare in the very heart of the city. Most people from around Cocoon come to visit Bodhum for the festival. The festival is happening in a week.
In this building is the home of two young girls.
Lightning Farron: Bodhum Security Regiment, and the oldest of the two Farron sisters. Turning twenty-one in just three days. She goes by the name Lightning. She abandoned her first name when she was forced to take charge after her parents died, to look after her sister.
Serah Farron: Lightning's younger sister. She's very sweet and kind, usually never a bad thought in her head. She usually hangs out with this group known as NORA. She's even in a relationship with their leader, Snow Villiers. Lightning doesn't appreciate Serah dating him, but even after denying him, Serah's still dating him.
Lightning works with the Guardian Corps, as Sergeant. She's usually in charge of training rookies, doing paperwork and doing guard duty around Bodhum. She rarely gets to go out and rescue people from trouble, or as an escort. You know, Guardian stuff.
"Strike hard!" The soldier girl orders. Lightning is currently working with five trainees, who are attacking target dummies with their weapons. The trainees attacks the dummies. Only not so hard. Each of the dummies was barely slashed, cut in half even.
Lightning sighs in disappointment. "Stand down!" The trainees steps back from the dummies, standing straight. Lightning walks by in front of them, barely making eye connect with them. "I am disappointed. If this was a real fight, all of you would have made easy pray."
"Uh, Lightning-"
Lightning turns and glares at the soldier talking. "That's Sergeant Farron to you, rookie!"
The rookie salutes. "Sorry, ma'am. Aren't you being a little unreasonable?" Everyone turns and gasps at the soldier. They can't believe he said that to Lightning. "We are still training. I don't think-"
Lightning punches the soldier in the face, knocking him down. "This is the army, soldier! If you are going to be too soft and weak to toughen up, then you can call it quits!" The soldier doesn't say anything, too overwhelmed in fear of Lightning. Lightning looks ahead at the rest of the soldiers. "Anyone else have anything to say?"
All the soldiers shook their heads and speak.
"No thanks."
"I'm good."
"I got nothing."
"I'm scared of you."
"Good." Lightning calmly says. Lightning steps back, out of the way. The knocked down soldier stands back on his feet. "Again!"
Lightning tries her hardest to toughen up the soldiers. The next two hours have been tortured to the girl. All she got today are a bunch of girls, and that kind of thought just offends her since she's a girl, but she's also a tough soldier.
The first five minutes of practicing, the soldiers can't seem to kill their own targets. One of them managed to break the wooden sword it was holding, but that doesn't really impress Lightning. After that came the training course. Running on the track, jumping fences, chins ups, push ups, lifting weights, so on. With each course, Lightning is...disappointed. She's more then disappointed. She's so disappointed and annoyed that...that, I have to make up a new word.
She's...Disap-nnoyed.
Finally, her training duties are over. Lightning gets called into do some paperwork. "All right, boys. That's enough for today." All the trainees just collapses and sighs in mega relief. Lightning just shook her head. "Pathetic...Tomorrow, you guys should take the kids training session...for little girls."
They all argue as Lightning makes her left. Lightning makes her way to her office. Upon arrival, there are large stacks of paperwork on her desk. Lightning sighs in depression, she's not fond with paperwork, but it beats training children. Oh how lightning wishes she could have a little action. The things she does to take care of herself and Serah.
Lightning sits on her desk and gets started on the paperwork.
Palumpolum, the largest city of Cocoon. Most of the people here enjoy the city. There isn't really much to do for kids. So far there's only a few parks, and it's pretty dangerous to leave the city for there are feral creatures just outside cause of the large forest that's just outside of the city.
People who arrive or leave the city could only make travel on the train. At the Estheim Residence, is the home of Nora and Hope Estheim. Mother and son. The man of the house, Bartholomew, he died a couple of weeks ago. Nora was pretty upset about it. Hope...he was sad, but only a little. He didn't get along with his dad very well. He sometimes thinks it's better if it's just him and Nora.
Hope and Nora are getting ready to pack up. They are going on a little vacation. For Nora, she could use it to help get her mind off of her late husband.
"Hey, mom. Where are we going?" Hope asks.
"To Bodhum." Nora says. "We're going to go see the fireworks festival."
"Isn't that next week?" Hope asked.
"Yeah, but I think it's nice to get there early. You know, just to look around, relax a little." Nora closes her suitcase and sighs looking down. "I just wish your father could be here to join us."
Hope isn't too happy to hear that. "Why bother? We don't need him."
Nora turns to look at Hope. "Hope, don't be like that."
"Why? He never listens to me. Our family is better this way." Hope says.
Nora sighs, she knows there's no point to talking him about of this. Nora picks up her suitcase. "Let's just go. Our train's arriving soon."
Hope and Nora finishes packing up their things, then they get in the car and drive to the train station. They're train hasn't arrived yet, so they had to wait in the station for it. Nora and Hope have been looking forward to Bodhum for months. This is the first time they'll visit the city.
Getting to Bodhum from Palumpolum is pretty expensive, Bartholomew worked overtime just to make enough money for the three of them. He almost made that goal until Eden was assaulted and he was killed in his office. Now that he's gone, Nora and Hope still had the money to go. Nora wasn't sure if she should go since Bartholomew isn't around anymore, but she realized that he worked so hard to get the money. He would want her and Hope to go without him. She knows she would want Hope and Bartholomew to do the same if it was her that died.
The train arrives and Hope and Nora boards it. The train is pretty crowded, as if everyone from other towns are doing to Bodhum for the festival, or take a vacation on the city of paradise.
Hope and Nora takes their seats. "So mom. What's Bodhum like? You and dad ever been there?"
Nora smiles a little. "No we haven't. But we have heard of it. People say it's a city of paradise. It has a lovely ocean view, a nice beach, and there's also the fireworks festival. I'm just glad we can finally go there."
Hope smiles. "I'm excited too."
The doors close and the train takes off, making it's way to Bodhum.
Serah is sitting on the docks by the beach, with her feet in the water. Serah's watching the beautiful daytime sky. The young Farron is usually very lonely, since she's on summer vacation and Lightning's busy with her job in the Guardian Corps, and her boyfriend, and sometimes the rest of team NORA, are helping out the citizens.
NORA is a group of kids who fight without rules. Their little name is even an acronym, stands for 'No Obligations, Rules or Authority'. Their little hangout is a cafe shop. Serah sometimes hang out at that place because of her boyfriend Snow Villiers, since he's the leader of that team.
Serah stands up, picks up her shoes and goes for a walk. Serah walks down the shores of Bodhum. She's happy to be living in a lovely town like this. She use to have a lot of fun with her sister and her parents when they were little kids. How she misses those days.
Serah arrives at the NORA cafe, where she's greeted by Lebreau who's running the counter. "Hey, Serah."
"Hello, Lebreau." Serah says. "Is Snow in?"
"Not really. He's out with the boys." Lebreau says.
"Oh, okay." Serah sits down on the stool in front of the counter. "I'll have the NORA special."
"Coming up." Lebreau says.
Lebreau goes into the kitchen, getting ready to make the food. Serah waits patiently for her order. Lightning walks towards the NORA cafe. She's not too fond with team NORA, since they're just a bunch of kids to her, and she can't stand their idiot leader, but they make great meals, she'll admit.
Lightning walks in to find her sister. She's not really surprised to see her here since she hangs out with NORA. "Serah."
Serah turns and smiles to see it's her sister. "Lightning, hey. What are you doing here?"
Lightning walks up, taking the seat next to Serah. "I'm on lunch break, figured I'd stop by."
Lebreau walks out of the kitchen, with a glass of water. She sets it in front of Serah. "Lightning. Surprised to see you here."
"Whatever. I'll have the NORA special." Lightning says.
"All right, two NORA specials coming up." Lebreau walks back into the kitchen.
"Can I get a glass of wine with that?" Lightning asks, just before Lebreau is gone.
"So, how's work?" Serah asks.
"Ah, the usual. Lots of paperwork, training a bunch of idiot children. It's exhausting." Lightning sighs. "I'm just glad I can get away from it all to relax. Along with that doofus being out of this cafe."
"Hey, don't say that. Snow's a really nice guy." Serah says.
Lightning looks at Serah with disapprovement. "He's an idiot, Serah! I don't understand why you are dating him."
"Lightning, I'm eighteen, I don't need you looking out for me, even for dating other guys. I can take care of myself. I know you're just looking out for e cause you've had some...terrible experience with your old boyfriend." Serah says.
Lightning gives Serah a cold glare. "Don't you dare bring up that monster."
Serah raises her hands in front of her and Lightning. "Take it easy, I'm just saying. Snow isn't anything like Cain."
"I know that, Serah. I just don't approve of that Snow character." Lightning says.
"Because you never give him a chance." Serah says. "You know, sometimes I wish you would take it easy and find a man of your own."
"I don't have time for dating, Serah. I am perfectly fine." Lightning says.
Lebreau returns to the counter with the NORA specials, and a glass of wine for Lightning. The sisters eat and drink together in silence. Minutes later, Lightning's watch beeps.
"My lunch break's almost over, I'm gonna take my order to go." Lightning pays for her meal, takes it to go.
After eating, Serah returns to her home. She lays down on the couch, sighing. Of course as soon as that happens, someone's knocking on the door. Serah stands up and walks to the door. She answers it to find Vanille.
"Oh, hello." Vanille says cheerfully.
"Hello. Can I help you?" Serah asks.
"No. I'm actually new in the neighborhood. I'm Vanille." Vanille says.
"A new neighbor? That's nice." Serah reaches a hand out. "I'm Serah." Vanille shakes Serah's hand. Vanille stands aside. "Won't you come in?"
Vanille nods then enters the house.