Try
by Meimi
He was there again. Only for a moment, just long enough for her to notice, and then gone again. Stalking her until the time of their "prophesied" battle, no doubt. Did it dredge up memories for him, she wondered. Did he remember that other place, another end of the world; before it all went to hell. She should feel some sort of regret for sending him on that fool's quest of despair. But she didn't. She didn't feel anything at all, just an empty echo of what should be there. Another piece of her that was unnecessary for her to do her job? Hmm.
"Light?" Static in her ear. "Lightning?" Hope. "Was that him again? The Shadow Hunter?"
No, that wasn't right, didn't sound right coming from him. He should be older, not another hollowed out servant for God's purpose. Not someone who could so easily count a friend amongst the ranks of their enemies. And they had certainly been friends, at the very least. There had been so little time for anything other than battle in Valhalla, but she had known of the young man Hope had become. The one that was lost now. He had loved Serah and Noel dearly, always waiting for them to come through the next gate. No matter how long it took for them to get there.
No. It most assuredly wasn't right.
"Noel."
"What?" He sounded confused. Could they still manage confusion? Or were they just playacting? Pretending to be human again because they didn't know what else to do. "Say again, Lightning? I'm not sure I got that."
"His name, Hope." Maybe they were just acting out their parts, but they should at least try. Maybe someday they'd find it again, that spark that made them something other than little puppets dancing on strings. "It's Noel."
"I'm... not sure I understand."
She smiled then. He genuinely sounded confused now. Maybe there was something left there after all. It reminded her of back then, back when they knew only of Cocoon and the terror of being l'Cie. How simple it had been. "Never forget, Hope. No matter how much he may have changed. No matter how much we have changed. The Shadow Hunter is just a construct, a title crafted for him by others. His true self is still in there. He's still Noel."
"I don't..." He paused then, the silence dragging into something that felt heavy and old. "I'm not sure I can do that."
Ah. Perhaps he had lost too much by being reduced in age. It stood to reason. But... it still mattered. Maybe what had once been couldn't be restored, but he could still grow up again. He would. And when he did, Serah would be there. And so would Noel. It would be all right. Somehow. Of course, that meant she would have to save Noel, but that was her job: saving people. She just had to be extra vigilant with this particular soul. It would be worth it. "It's all right, Hope. Just try." I'll do the rest.
"If that's what you want."
Yes. It was. Maybe she was just going through the motions right now, but that didn't mean her actions couldn't be significant. They had been friends. They had been family. Even if the feelings were no longer there, it didn't mean she couldn't fathom where they would have gone. Noel was important to Serah and the Hope that had once been (and would be again). That made him important to her. Noel would be saved.