"Serah?"
"Yes Claire?"
"Remind me not to get sloppy with the Historia Crux again."
"Sure thing, sis."
Serah sent a positively beaming grin at her sister. Claire received it with all the warmth of a blizzaga spell.
Sure, it had been a normal day in Valhalla for the esoteric pink-haired knight. Overcast clouds, shallow tides on the longest stretch of grey sand known to humanity, and a giant ruined castle populated by exactly her and thousands of stones made for a pretty dull experience at the end of all time. Caius didn't even visit that often to try and destroy her. Apparently he was now more pre-occupied hunting Noel and generally making the boy's life the tiniest bit more miserable.
So on this particularly dismal morning, after having engaged in a recklessly life-endangering variation of arrow roulette with the Eidolons, Lightning had decided to spy on her sister. It had consisted of her eyes slowly glazing over for the course of an hour as Serah and Noel hopelessly struggled to solve a clock dial puzzle in an anomaly dimension. The Eyes of Etro were seemingly not suited for any foresight beyond five seconds. Neither were hers for extended usage. At one point, Lightning caught herself dozing off while standing.
Half out of her mind with frustration, she finally summoned a portal to their approximate location, only to end up at the Coliseum. In a duel against a carbon copy of herself, complete with attitude.
Now Serah and Noel were on either side of her, weapons drawn and ready as they'd ever be.
"Remind me why I'm fighting myself?"
"Oh, that's simple. This is an exact copy of you from the past, minus the soul, so it has all the ferocity- but none of the Claire I love..."
To her credit as a teacher, Serah made the remark with the plainness of a textbook.
"Also, to avoid mixing you two, I'm going to call you Claire."
She dared a wink at her sister, who only managed to sigh with exasperation. A flurry of feathers announced the materialization of her blade in her armored hand.
Not a moment too soon as a hail of thunder immediately followed Lightning's battlecry of "dodge this!"
Classy work, Farron. It even has your own catchphrases.
Claire inwardly groaned, already charging her copy with all the speed of her former alias. Noel was still deciding which role to undertake. The ravager would stagger Lightning faster, but the Comma-
"Get your butt in gear or you're not getting any gil!"
Unsurprisingly, Claire's copy was not the greatest conversationalist. Being the very embodiment of the cool and quiet soldier she used to be, coupled with her lack of a- well, soul- meant she spoke about as much as she smiled. Which was to say, next to never.
Was I really like that?
Claire suppressed a shudder, imagining herself in some distant future with that countenance. The air conditioning made the room slightly chilly.
As long as Serah's eyes don't flash, I don't have to worry about that.
Claire reclined on the comfortable floating seat, armor unclasped and off, and took in the subtle luxuries of a suite 500 something stories above ground where the only things that flew were her punches.
I've got to hand it to Hope for setting the foundation for Academia, this place is amazing.
Besides her charmingly silent copy standing as still as a pulsework statue next to the large windows- they offered such a breathtaking view of the city below, really- Claire found herself relaxing. Since no one else was around at the moment, she even weighed the idea of talking to Lightning.
That takes talking to yourself to a whole new level.
Serah had mumbled something about not wasting her time in that endeavor before leaving for the district below to shop for potions.
"Enjoying the view?" Claire called out softly.
Lightning nodded almost imperceptibly, not even disturbing the evenness of her cape.
Claire bit her bottom lip, examining the strange feeling that arose from trying to start a conversation for the first time in over 15 years. Without second guessing herself, she stood up and strolled over to the window, taking a position next to Lightning. They both stared at the organized swarm of floating cars that darted between skyscrapers to a location unknown.
Claire stole a quick glance at the reflection of Lightning's eyes, finding them to be exactly as they were supposed to be. But… they were missing something. She mulled it over for a moment until it dawned on her.
They're missing warmth. They don't have the distinct focus of a sentient being capable of making its own decisions.
Pity pricked Claire's heart with a cactuar needle as she began to remember her time as a l'cie.
I wasn't so different, before I took Hope under my wing. Quiet, distant and… harsh. When Anima branded us, I became a slave to my focus… Did I have the same dead look in my eye? I was no better than this Lightning. I know how she must feel… if she feels at all.
Even though this was supposed to be a soulless recreation of herself for the single purpose of combat, Claire didn't think badly of her. If it wasn't for Lightning cocking her eyebrows with curiosity, Claire wouldn't have noticed she had been staring into the reflection of the woman's eyes for a long time already. She blinked and darted her gaze elsewhere, embarrassed at the slip.
Hope chose the perfect time to relieve Claire's unwanted tension by popping into the room and offering to take her out for a walk. She nodded and followed him to the doorway, only pausing for a moment to take one more sidelong glimpse at Lightning before the door slid closed behind her.
"So… Light."
"Claire."
"Right, sorry. Claire. What is Valhalla like?"
Claire stopped walking, catching Hope by surprise. He gave her an anxious look, expecting a serious answer.
"It's emptier than Snow's head."
She resumed walking past him. Hope looked crestfallen, taking a moment to crack a grin and then start laughing, hands on his knees. Even she offered him a light smile before cutting the jokes, looking longingly at the sky.
"It's far removed from the peace of a place like this. The only thing you can count on in Valhalla are the tides of time flowing in… and yourself. From there, I can see across all of history. What is-" here she paused with a fragment of regret, "-and what could have been. Trust me, it's not someplace you'd want to be forever."
Hope seemed to understand, willing to quell his scientific urges to question her further and gather precious data. He jogged up behind her, giving her a quick squeeze on her shoulder. She appreciated that.
"We'll beat Caius and put the timeline back to how it was supposed to be."
He said with a nod of his head.
I guess I rubbed off on him with the confidence.
She nodded her agreement as well.
"And, uh… what's the deal with her?"
Hope flawlessly changed the topic of conversation like a practiced paradigm shift.
"You mean the look-alike of me?"
"Yes."
"Serah said it- she, is a copy of me from the past. We fought and caught her, just like the other monsters in the wild." Claire considered adding in that fighting an adamantoise would have been easier, but kept it to herself. She would soon confirm the theory.
"Wow… fighting yourself. Must have been weird."
"You have no idea." Claire deadpanned.
Hope grinned cheekily.
"Does she even yell out your catchphrases, like 'wide open' ?"
Claire inwardly groaned for the second time that day before reluctantly nodding her head. Hope's explosive laughter was cut short by a swift punch to his arm.
"Hey- ow!"
He gingerly rubbed the bruise.
"Now we'll have to buy an extra potion…" He muttered.
"Keep it up and you'll need a phoenix down."
The blood in Hope's face rushed out at a dangerous speed. He decided it wise to start observing the weather just long enough to spot Serah strolling through the district with Noel in tow and fell back on the perfect excuse to draw attention away from himself.
"Your sister is still scary…" he whispered to Serah.
"Naturally." She giggled. "Make sure she doesn't hear that."
He quickly edged away with a nervous whistle.
Noel, on the other hand, seemed perfectly in his element with the goddesses' warrior.
Then again, he hunted behemoths for lunch. I don't think the word 'dangerous' really registers with him.
Yes, Hope too had come a long way in hunting prowess since the Purge, but his tastes did not: he still preferred enemies that were only twice his size and half his speed. Understandably, that narrowed the list quite a lot.
"How did your shopping come along?"
"Perfect! We've got all the items we'll need for a while, and at a great price!" Serah was genuinely proud with her skill as a bargainer. Even Mog gave a kupo!
The positive vibes and cheery moods flowed like a smooth rainfall, touching each of their hearts with its golden drops. The whole city radiated peace on that sunny and cloudless afternoon.
Academia, being a paradise among the wild, was not above Pulse's iron fists; specifically, the beasts that roamed its' land and called it home. Hope had long since made preparations for impressive defensive measures around the city, and up until then they had worked flawlessly with minimal assistance from their creators. Today they just wouldn't cut it.
Hope's com-set beeped urgently into his ear.
"I'm listening. What's going on?"
Everyone stopped, the sudden pang of apprehensive worry evident in their eyes.
"What? How far out are they?"
This doesn't sound good.
"Roger. We're on our way. Send a liftship over to the entrance."
Hope clicked the device to standby, turning to the group. His tone was grim.
"We've got bad news. A large herd of Adamantoise are heading straight for the city." Mog fainted. "They've already smashed up some of the spires that were supposed to be repellants."
"When you see large… how many are we talking about here?"
Noel asked with a shaky grin. Hope could only look him in the eye with the utmost seriousness.
"Twelve. Twelve Adamantoise."
Noel's face dropped. Even he had never faced that grand a challenge.
"We're going back to the Academy. A liftship will pick us up to meet the oversized turtles head-on. Are we all ready?"
They all voiced their approval. Serah gave Mog a quick pat on the bobble, urging him to get up.
"Let's go."
Adamantoise were… large. Very large. Small, compared to the skyscrapers of the former Cocoon, and smaller still compared to the ones found in Academia, but easily one of the toughest enemies found on Pulse. When they were mad, they annihilated. And when a herd was mad, settlements and cities disappeared overnight.
Claire recalled one of their encounters with one when they were l'cie. Hope had been on the ground when it stomped and gave a deafening roar. The poor kid was knocked out in a flash. The worst possible thing could happen- the monster began to prepare Ultima. One blast would kill him. Claire hastily summoned Odin and with all the rage of a thunder storm, crushed its' legs. Fang watched on, hopelessly trying to slap him awake. Claire singlehandedly slayed the Adamantoise and was henceforth awed in a mix of fear and respect by the others even more. Even by Fang.
Claire chuckled at the memory.
This shouldn't be so hard compared to then.
Then she spotted a Long Gui in the distance.
Wait, nevermind. This is going to be hard.
"Are we all ready?" Hope asked, boomerang drawn.
"Ready!"
"Let's go."
"Bring it on!"
Hope smiled, turning to the pilot.
Everyone was surprised. Even Claire. She was especially surprised, which was saying something. Mog was eating a candy bar.
Of all the monsters that Serah and Noel had tamed to fight by their side, none even earned the right to be considered any kind of competition to the one that had just fought alongside them. They paled all kinds of white to her.
Lightning was a force of fury. When they had landed, Claire summoned Odin to make her travel easier. They all expected Claire to make the situation a breeze, and for a little while, she did. Thundaga storms showered from the sky everywhere Odin galloped, and Claire's deft bladework left the cleanest and most concise damage ever witnessed.
And then Lightning joined. Her strikes were rapid and crushing, her magic elegant and pure. A quick combo, followed by an aeroga and a firaga that exploded with it. Another combo, then waterga and a trembling thundaga. She was her own army, and she was on par with Claire. Whereas Serah and Noel focused on working together to face an Adamantoise, she took two on herself and emerged the victor, running off to the next.
Serah would never in her entire life forget the sight she saw that evening. Only the Long Gui remained and it had been wreaking havoc. From opposing sides, Lightning and Claire rushed the monster. If it could comprehend what was about to happen, it would have fled as fast as its oversized legs would allow. Then again, it was about to lose them.
In perfect harmony, Lightning unleashed a flurry of hits on one leg as Claire did the same on the other. They moved like dancers, and when they met, they spun together, weaving between its huge trunks. Glints of steel dotted the ground around the Gui like small stars. Still, it held.
And then, they stood together, side by side.
"The storm is here!"
The air perceptibly warmed, tingling her skin. From the sky above the Gui, a swirling hole tore open, sending out a mighty wind comparable to a hurricane.
Everyone stopped, transfixed. The sky flashed, and a tempest of uncountable thunder bolts rained upon the monster. Hundreds upon thousands of them, seemingly without end. The sun itself seemed to descend from the hole, it was so blindingly bright. Mini brush fires came to life around it instantly.
A final crescendo of thunder climaxed with an implosion above the Gui.
The show was over.
It stood for a few trepid moments, swaying lightly on its feet, before it collapsed to the ground with a boom. Their final challenge had been felled in just under half a minute.
Claire turned to Lightning, gazing at her softly.
"You did good today. That was a great fight."
Lightning smirked faintly.
"I've got to put that skill to use for something."
"You know, there's more to life than just surviving from one fight to another."
Claire caught her by surprise. She could see it in the flash of her eye, and she knew herself.
"I used to be like you. All I thought about was how I could get to Eden to kill the Fal'Cie, or avoid PSICOM when possible."
Lightning's eyes dipped sadly.
"Our focus was to destroy Cocoon, and out alternative was to become Cie'th. We didn't even know how to bring our loved ones out of crystal stasis. The world hated us. The government hunted us. It was hopeless."
Claire paused for a moment.
"Do you know what we fought for? Why we kept going?"
Lightning stared straight ahead at the sunset.
"No."
"…It was love."
Lightning blinked. Steadily, she turned to look at Claire.
"We fought to protect each other. Even if it cost us our lives, we refused to doom millions of people to death! We refused to give up on Serah, and Dajh! In the end, our focus wasn't to destroy our home- it was to do the impossible, and save it."
Claire was breathless. Lightning was speechless. They stared into each others' eyes, seeing their reflections.
Claire saw a goddesses knight, beautiful and strong, a protector of all. Lightning saw a lonely soldier, fighting as a way of life, as a way to keep living.
A single tear formed in Claire's eye and rolled down her cheek as she grabbed out and embraced Lightning, sobbing quietly. With a shaky breath she whispered into her ear.
"Don't lose sight of who you are. Don't be overtaken by your name, and the despair of a hopeless future. Live for the ones you love- to protect them-"
Claire squeezed her. Lightning's fingers gently ran up Claire's back, returning the embrace.
"Together, you can face any enemy."
Claire pulled back a little, holding her shoulders. Both their faces glistened with fresh tears; not of sadness, but joy.
"Your name…" Claire quietly breathed. "… is not Lightning. It's-"
"Claire."
Lightning whispered her real name for the first time, a blossom of warmth spreading through her body like a cure spell. A newfound light dawned upon her, blessing her with its mythical truth.
Claire's hands dropped from her shoulders, and Lightning stepped back, dazed.
"There is no can or can't… some things in life we just do."
As she put her hand up to her heart, thin tendrils of light weaved their way up from the ground around her. They enveloped her, and in a bright flash of light-
Lightning turned to crystal, immortalized in the same pose Claire had taken when Orphan was slain.
She looked down, mixed feelings bubbling inside.
"Her focus."
Claire turned around, startled. Hope stood there.
"It was to do the impossible."
"What did she… do?" Claire asked, confused.
"You mean what did you do. You helped her find a soul."
Hope strolled over to Claire and gave her a quick hug.
"Still making miracles, huh Claire?"
He smiled, wiping her tears away.
"Wouldn't be the first time."
Her eyes twinkled in the dying light.
"Claire, look she's-!"
Gone.
The crystal statue of the redeemed being was gone. Not a single speck of crystal dust remained.
Later, when Serah heard of what happened to her ally she was… well, upset.
"All that fighting to catch her and for what?"
Her face was red. It devolved into misery.
"Now whose going to fight with us…? None of the monsters we have are as strong…"
And finally, acceptance.
"I'm glad you did that, Claire. It was the right thing to do."
Serah's eyes were misty, her heart overflowing from the idea of such a romantic encounter.
"Kupo!"