The Forsaken

Prologue

A/N Helllloooo readers. Sorry i have been gone. I blame it on the the springtime of youth. Wait it is summer so it must be the summer of youth. Anyways here is a prologue to my new story. It has been sitting on my desk for days now so i finally decided that enough is enough. So I typed it out and published it. Heads up. my grammar and spelling maybe bad since i do not have a beta so i guess you have to deal with my terrible Engrish. Anyways enjoy!

Disclaimer: I will only put this up once. I do not own Final Fantasy XIII. If I did do you think i would be writing this?

A young Hope Estheim stands resolute at the base of the crystallized Cocoon looking towards the plains of Gran Pulse. He told everyone that he had gone to search for his father but as he look back towards them, who are now dots on the landscape, his expression becomes sullen. Hope lied; he was not going to look for his father he was leaving to complete his new focus. The other's I'cie days may be over but his are going to continue, Hope looked down at his left wrist. The old red and black gone brand was replaced by a new one; it was a red eight point star surrounded by black chains. What the hell is going on? He could not ask the others because they did not seem to have this new brand type. Hope had even went to go check to make sure; he saw that Sazh's chest was brand absent as well as, Snow's forearm. Lightning's identification was harder since it was concealed but Hope saw her unzip her vest and look at herself then let out a relieve sigh. Hope was sad that his was alone but more relieved that the others were safe from this new doom, though that did little to strengthen his resolve. He did not know what his focus was and he was alone in the endeavor, which scared him. Hope was afraid of what his focus was, that he was alone, that he could become a C'ieth or get eaten by a monster, but most of all, that he would never see his friends again.

Hope clenched his right fist and punched himself in the face. The force that he put behind it knocked him to the ground with a thud; he laid there on the floor looking at Cocoon. The sunlight reflected off the surface of the giant crystal. The side of his face throbbed giving off a dull pain but he quickly casted a cure over himself to make the pain go away, as well as make sure he did not have a black eye in the morning. As he looked towards the sky he got flashbacks of his previous adventure with all his L'cie friends. I, We, fought against fal'cies and won…yet Fang and Vanille are crystalized…mom is dead…Cocoon is well a giant crystal…now I got this, a new brand and a new focus. An air of depression surrounded Hope but there was a light of determination that was getting bigger and bigger. He then jumped to his feet and looked towards the wilds of Gran Pulse; he no longer gave off a depressing aura, instead, I gave off fierce determination. I, Lightning, Snow, Sazh and everyone else has lost so much and I will make sure no one has to lose anything else. Reaching behind him, Hope took out his Airwing examining all the dents and scratches on it. Next Hope readied himself to throw it but instead of sending the boomerang in front of him Hope threw it at the crystal base.

Thud

The Airway lodged itself in a crystal and broke into two pieces; one part stuck in the pillar the other falling to the floor. I guess won't be needing that anymore. The next thing that happened was that a light shot out of the crystal Cocoon racing across the sky. Hmm…might as well follow that. Hope set out, with hands in his pockets, into the once known hell. He then took a final look back to where his ex-L'cie friends once were.

"I'll see you later guys."

"Hope?"

Lightning looked around for the silver hair boy, but he was gone; she panicked for a moment but realized that he left to go find his father. However she could not shake the feeling that he was in deep trouble but she shrugged it off for later because Serah was tugging on her arm. Lightning looked down to her sister and gave her a smile. Everything was finally over and they could get started on picking up the pieces of their former life. There was a twinge of sadness because so many where lost in their ordeal, Hope's mother, Fang, Vanille, tons of soldiers and civilians and Cocoon. On top of those losses they had to also rebuild civilization of Gran Pulse, which to most people it still remains as hell. There was so much lost and so much to do it seemed impossible to get back to their once "normal" life, but they had to try; they had to move forward. Serah was looking at Lightning with concerned eyes; she could see the emotions that flashed through her eyes.

"It's all over Serah. Everything will be fine and I will make damn sure it stays that way."

Serah just gave her a stern look.

"Just make sure you don't burden yourself more than need be. You already saved the world once."

Lightning was about to retaliate but was interrupted by a shout. The whole group turned their head to the direction of the voice and saw a well dress middle age man. Snow and Lightning recognized him instantly; it was Bartholomew Estheim, Hope's father. Lightning was half expecting for her silver hair companion to come out from behind the man but the searching face of Bartholomew made her push off Serah and run straight to him. She was on him in a flash, grabbed him by the collar all the while giving him a cold glare.

"Where's Hope?" Lightning snarled out.

"I-I-I don't know. Your c-c-chok-"

Lightning tightened her grip on the man, knowingly that she was choking him, but that was when the 'hero' came to save the day. Snow also recognized Bartholomew instantly and waited for the silver boy to run out from behind him and go to Lightning, however it was Lightning rushing and choking the man that startled him. The next few words coming out of their mouths is what made him intervene. The tall blond went to the two and separated them from each other, earning him a glare from the soldier and the rasping from the man in question.

"Calm down sis, choking the man won't answer your questions."

Tch. "It helps though."

Both then turned and focused on Bartholomew who was inching himself away from Lightning, which caused Lightning to give off a huff and a look of victory. Snow just went to comfort the man, because he sympathized with the man, Lightning may be a woman but she has one hell of a grip.

"Are you okay ?"

"Yes, I'll be just fine."

Lightning clicked her tongue and eyed the both of them, bout to ask the question that was on all their minds.

"Now that you are fine, tell me where Hope is?"

"I thought he was still with you."

"No he left to go find you." answered Snow.

"Then where is my son…"

Lightning and Snow looked at each other and feared for the worse. Lightning hardened glare was gone and her face was lined with worry. Serah noticed this emotional change in her sister and wondered who this Hope was. She went up to her fiancé and tugged him away from the group.

"What's going on? Who's Hope?"

Snow looked at her then at Lightning who was glaring at him while Bartholomew talked on his phone. Then he turned back to Serah and shrugged.

"Hope is well…a 14 year old boy who became a L'cie with me and Sis. Now he is missing."

Snow looked dejected at the last part. Serah just looked between him and her sister who was annoyingly tapping her foot; she looked worried and impatient. Worry was an emotion that she has not seen on Lightning in a long time. This boy must be special to be able to bring out Claire's emotions. Bartholomew gave off a defeated sigh and spoke.

"The Calvary has no idea where he is."

"Alright since no one seems to know where Hope is at, we just have to look for him right sis?"

Lightning shot Snow a glare no doubt to retort on him calling her sis, but then her expression turned serious.

"Snow you take Serah and search for him over at the evacuation ships, Sazh and his boy as well. Me and Mr. Esthiem will look for him near the base of the crystal; just in case he wandered off."

Everyone broke off. Lightning headed straight for the base of Cocoon not wanting to converse with the business man because of the guilt. She felt guilt from not being able to protect his son who he entrusted to her, as well as, breaking the promise to Hope to keep the boy safe. Don't think like that Lightning, Hope is just missing not dead. You can still find him. Lightning tried to reassure herself but all the worst case scenarios kept on crossing her mind. To make matters worse the man behind her started taking.

"I thought you people were going to keep him safe?"

"…"

"I should have never let him left with you if this was going to happen."

"…"

"I blame this situation on your incompetence ."

Lightning then quickly turned around and punch Bartholomew in the face causing him to fall to the floor with a broken nose. She was giving him the fiercest glare in her arsenal while he laid on the ground clutching his bloody nose.

"Shut it! If it wasn't for me Hope would be dead and it's not my fault that your idiot son wandered off."

Bartholomew just glared at her as blood dripped off his chin. Lightning meant everything she said, she cares for the boy but wandering off without telling anyone makes him an idiot. I thought I taught him better than that. Bartholomew was now on his feet complaining about how there was blood all over his suit the only response he got from the pink haired soldier was an annoyed eye. Hope when I find you I am going to put you through hell for doing this. Getting back to the matter at hand, Lightning started for the base of the crystallized Cocoon. After a few steps she notice that no one was following her, which made her turn around and look Bartholomew dead in the eye.

"What's wrong now?"

"Nothing. I am just going to go look for my 'idiot' son elsewhere."

"Fine."

Repeating what Lightning said about Hope stung a bit but finding him took priority and now that the person slowing her down was gone Lightning quickly went to the base of the crystal orb. Arriving there showed no evidence that Hope was there immediately but as she started to look around she found part of a boomerang, Hope's boomerang. Just as she was about to investigate some more, the rest of the group showed up. Snow and Sazh saw what she was holding and rushed towards her.

"Sis is that what I think it is?"

"Yes it is."

Snow turned away from and covered his eyes; Serah immediately went to him to console. On the other hand Sazh looked like he could not believe the sight in front of him, neither could Lightning. The old man was the first to say what was on all their minds.

"We finally managed to be released from being L'cie, we lost Fang and Vanille in the process, and now Hope has gone missing with a broken boomerang left behind. This does not feel like the happy ending that we wanted."

Lightning thought, Happy ending huh? In the beginning my one and only happy ending would just getting Serah back, but this past couple of days has changed that. The only way I can have a happy ending is if Fang, Vanille, and Hope are here to share it. She would not admit it to herself but the adventure they all had has changed her, for the better. Now some of the people that helped here change are gone and they need her help. She then switched back into 'soldier' mode to get things moving.

"A broken boomerang means nothing. There is no evidence of a fight around here so that must mean that Hope must have voluntarily left."

Snow then turned towards.

"Why would he just leave? And from the looks of it there are no tracks anywhere; how can you explain that?"

Lightning just shot him a glare.

"Snow, people just don't just disappear he must be somewhere and he probably needs our help."

"Yea big guy, soldier girl is right. We just got to keep looking."

Lightning nodded in agreement but soon after everyone fell silent. No one knew where to start, had no idea why and where Hope ran off to. What if he was taken by a monster and is lying dead somewhere? The image of a dead Hope flashed before her eyes. His eyes dull, his pale face as white as paper, his clothes torn and blood soaked, and his hair a silver crimson like mess. No! I cannot. Will not. Think like this, he is out there somewhere. The sun was setting and stars where appearing in the sky. The group turned their heads to see the coming of night to their new home. However, instead of being filled with emotions of joy and relief the darkness enshrouding them came with sadness, guilt, and anxiety.

'Where are you Hope?'

A/N Kind of has the Final Fantasy XIII-2 beginning when Lightning goes missing huh? Well hoped you enjoyed it because I sure didn't. I mean did. Chapter 1 will be up soon after I confess to the girl who haunts my dreams, which will be within the next two days or so...Wish me luck. Review if you may I like reading comments I makes me all warm inside, even the bad ones.

Extra. For my readers: Hope's Afterstory

Sorry it is taking so long it just that I been busy but i assure you sexy time is on the way. So try to keep yourselves dry until then. If you know what I mean *wink* *wink*