.:Just an Illusion:.
One-shot...or maybe not. I don't know yet. Please tell me if you want me to update this.
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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters or anything that you recognise. Characters owned by Square Enix.
"Stella! Stella, wait for me!"
A young blond girl stopped running and looked at her friend.
"C'mon slow poke! We have to hurry if we want to see the fireworks! Lightning, hurry up!"
Another young girl with strawberry pink hair stopped beside her and frowned.
"It's no use. Even if Father could drive us, we wouldn't make it."
"Light…" Stella paused and turned to the dark forest beside them. They weren't supposed to go in there. No one was. There were many bad rumors about that place. "Hey Light, what if we take a short cut and go into the forest? We'd make it for sure!"
Lightning gasped. "You know we aren't supposed to go in there! Don't you remember what Father and Mother told us? Never go in the woods."
"You scared?" a smirk appeared on the blond girl's face
"N-no! I just don't think we should go in there. Isn't that place is suppose to be haunted or something?"
"So you are scared!" Stella giggled, and Lightning glared at her
"Oh well. Race you to the forest!" Stella laughed and ran towards the woods
"Hey wait!" Lightning yelled and ran after her
Both girls were laughing, Stella still ahead of Lightning, but only by a little.
She was so close to beating her until… Stella disappeared.
"Hey what the… Stella? Where did you go?"
Lightning looked around. No one was in sight.
"Stella? Where are you? Stella?"
Ice blue eyes flew open and Lightning shot upright. Her chest was heaving and she was panting. She calmed herself down and sighed.
It had been three years since her childhood best friend disappeared. No one knew where she went, or what happened. Just…gone. In front of her very eyes. They were sixteen at the time.
"Stella." She whispered the name and closed her eyes.
Something tugged at Lightning's hair. She grumbled and untangled the necklace in her hair. On that necklace was her crystal. Rose-red in colour and pulsing in time with her own heartbeat.
Lightning was a crystal guardian. Stella had been too until she vanished.
Her words echoed in her head.
"Don't worry Light. I will always be here, even when I'm gone. You see I am like your shadow. I am always with you, always at your side, no matter what my friend."
Stella often said that to her when they weren't allowed to see each other or they had too much homework and couldn't play. But now that was just a memory.
How she missed her friend…
Groaning, she stepped out of bed and got dressed.
The sun was rising and morning was imminent. Night faded away and the light took over. The sun's light was everywhere, except for the forest. That forest was always dark. Obviously because it was a rainforest and rainforests were always dark.
While putting her gunblade in her holster, she felt something…an aura of some sort. It felt, familiar. She stopped what she was doing and looked out the window. Nothing but a beautiful sunrise. She continued getting ready.
Lightning walked out the door and looked at the forest.
Today was her day off and she had nothing to do.
She could always talk to Vanille, but then again today was a beautiful day to go and have a walk.
Lightning began to walk towards the forest, unaware to what was happening.
It had been an hour since she entered the large, mysterious woods and nothing had been too terrorizing.
The trees swayed beautifully with the wind and Lightning stopped.
Closing her eyes, she felt the cool breeze on her face. It had been ages since she had been here.
Lightning opened her eyes and continued to walk.
"Ooff."
Lightning bumped into something and caught herself before she fell over.
"What the…"
A letterbox came into sight. Past it was a huge, old mansion. That was strange. She didn't know that someone lived here. Most people wouldn't have liked to live here because it was so dark and wet. Many preferred the city. Cocoon and Pulse were popular hotspots.
But who would want to live here of all places?
She reached the front door and knocked. No one answered. Curiosity got the better of her and Lightning decided to see what was inside.
Opening it, she stepped inside.
Before her was a grand hall. It was huge, dark and there were two rows of steps on either side of the room. It looked abandoned.
Could she be here?
Moving up one of the arched staircases, she saw a large, dark blue door.
For some reason, Lightning felt like someone was inside.
She opened the door and walked inside.
On the ceiling was an impressive chandelier that illuminated the room. In the middle of the room stood a figure with blond hair. She wore a white dress and white high-heels. It was Stella.
Noticing a presence, Stella turned around, smile on face. But when she saw Lightning, she frowned and quickly turned back.
"Stella?" Lightning ran to her.
Stella turned around again, but her expression did not change.
"Stella…" Lightning whispered, "You're alive…"
Still no reply.
Why wouldn't she say something? Was she mad? Did she hate her?
Then a thought struck her. Stella eyes! Her eyes never lied.
Stella's green eyes seemed to say 'I've missed you too.'
"Why haven't you said anything? Stella?"
Stella merely looked at her. Slowly, she closed her eyes.
Didn't she remember her? Was she upset with her?
As she reopened her eyes, Stella looked pained. She glanced at something and mouthed, 'I'm sorry' and vanished in a dark blue light.
Lightning's eyes widened. "Stella!"
Lightning turned her head, and gasped as she saw a man staring at her.
A man, about the same age as her, was looking at her. He was sitting on a throne of some sort and his hand was resting on his cheek. He looked slightly bored.
The man had spiky dark blue hair and his eyes were an amber-yellow colour. His face was pale and he was wearing all black.
The man stood up and stared at her. He looked familiar...
"Who do you think you are?" she demanded, "And what have you done with Stella?"
The man merely continued to stare at her.
Hand on her gunblade, she scowled and glared at the man. "Who the hell are you? Answer now!"
His cold lips parted. "I am Noctis Lucis Caelum."
How was that?
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