Oh look. A story weeeee. FF13 Crossover with 7 and Versus? Hoho. That's just a sign that I have no life to attend to.

It took me a while to write this. I know this probably sucks. I haven't written a story in well over 5 years or more I believe. Very rusty indeed. This is a romance action adventure Alot of AU story. Yes there will be some Nocty Noctowl in the future chapters. Teeheee. Yeah you guessed it right. He will be Light's love interest. Snow will be Serah's.

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Prologue

Aerith Gainsborough was giving her two daughters history lessons today, but one of the two girls, was very unhappy with the lesson their mother was giving them.

"Mama..." The young princess puffed her cheeks. She was not satisfied with any of it.

"Claire, Serah...please just listen." Aerith smiled softly at them. Serah giggled at her sister's face. She was amused, on how unsatisfied Eclair was with this lesson their mother was giving them. "Come on Claire, this is really fun!" Claire puffed her cheeks more. "Its not! Why do I have to learn about an ancient civilization that doesn't exist anymore? This is boring." Claire crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks again. Aerith giggled at her daughter. "Come now, Claire. All three of us are the last of that ancient civilization. The Cetra. That ancient blood runs through your veins."

"I don't care. Its not that special anyways." Aerith smiled at her daughter's stubbornness.

"Claire, Serah, close your eyes. Relax, forget your surroundings, and listen carefully." Hesitant, but she followed her Mother's orders. Serah obliged quickly, she was rather excited with this history class her mother was giving them.

"Now...tell me..what do you hear?" Claire and Serah listened in carefully. "I don't hear anything." Claire and Serah replied at the same time.

"Keep listening darling." She closed her eyes again and listened carefully. She could hear it, faintly, but she heard it. It was that of a small cry. Startled Serah opened her eyes. "Mama, who was that? Who's crying?"

"It sounds really sad..."Claire added. "But...all those people dying...where are they going? Who are they? What did we see Mama?" Aerith smiled again. "Listen closely. This gift given to you, its the gift of our people, the ancients, the cetra." She paused.

" We can hear the cries of the planet, and the cries of those returning to the planet..."

"What do you mean...returning to the planet mama?" Serah was confused. She didn't know that the planet could cry, or the fact that if she concentrated hard enough she could hear it cry. Claire looked over to her sister, she watched the confusion in her eyes. She probably knew what she was thinking. The questions spinning in her sister's mind, where probably the same as hers.

"When people die, they return to the life stream, the planet calls for them to become apart of the planet." Claire looked up at her mother.

"Mother...why are you teaching us this?"

"Because it will be useful to you someday" She smiled at her daughters again. " I want you two to know the best you can. I'm sure that this will come of great help to you in the future." Both girls listened carefully. Claire had a lump in her stomach. She felt uneasy. Like if something bad was about to happen, but she brushed that feeling off. Before she opened her mouth to speak, a young woman burst into the room.

"Pardon my interruptions my lady Aerith, but the King requests the presence of her young Highness Claire, in the courtroom." Aerith nodded. "Not to worry Elena. I was just finished with my two daughters." Elena bowed. "Yes of course my lady." Claire looked up at her mother. "Go on, dear. Your father needs you. " Claire nodded in obedience and left her mother and her sister behind.

She held her head high, proudly she walked into the courtroom, to meet with her father. The king. Her long satin dress, flowed elegantly. She stood in front of her father and bowed graciously. "Your Majesty?"

The king stood from his throne and cleared his throat. "As I was saying earlier" He added. " If anything were to happen to me, or my Queen, My daughter, Her young Highness, Princess Claire Farron Strife, will take our place to rule the kingdom. Husband, or no Husband." Claire listened in king turned around to face his daughter. "Claire, how would you feel accepting an arranged marriage?" Claire was taken back for this."I...I" She stuttered. She couldn't speak. All this coming to her, was too sudden. She was ten. Her father awaited her response, he raised an eyebrow at her. Expecting her to come up with a quick answer.

Claire didn't know what to do. She glanced back at her father, then to the courtroom. There was an abundant silence. She took a deep breath. "I would refuse." She replied to her father's words, then turned to face the courtroom.

"This is my reply, I would refuse." She stated with much confidence in her voice.

Her father smiled proudly. One of the nobles in the courtroom stood up. "You are refusing my young princess, but what if arranging your marriage is essential to end the waging war? An alliance would surely bring great power and fear to the enemies, my lady." The young princess was angered, they couldn't understand she was still a kid, princess or no princess. The king stood next to his daughter, eying her every move. He noticed the glint of anger in her eyes..

"Oh, but is it not the responsibility of the King to try and end the war? Tenebrae will surely attack here next. We need an alliance. If we arrange her marriage, even if she gets married in the later on years, the arrangement would complete the alliance between Pulse and cocoon. "

"Lord Rufus Shinra.." Claire paused, the Nobleman whom she had spoken to, was none other than her uncle. She was still slightly afraid of speaking. " His Majesty knows his responsibilities. I know mine too. I'm young, but, I'm getting there. But I wont do anything by force!" She yelled at them. The courtroom was surprised by the young princess' behavior.

"You've heard my daughter, We know our responsibilities, but our jobs as parents come first. I won't force my daughter into anything. You should respect that decision, all of you. Or are you forgetting that she is your future Queen? You're future ruler, and the one who will rule this kingdom and lead it in my place?" The King spoke with such confidence and authority in his voice, that those in the courtroom had no choice but to bow before the young princess. Rufus said no more, he bowed his head. "My apologies Your Majesty, and Forgive me your Highness." With that bow he left the courtroom. All the nobles in the room left. Until the two were left alone, with the exception of the guards and soldiers in the palace.

Claire sighed softly. If her day started out like this, she knew it would also end horribly. The young princess turned around to face her father. "I'm... Forgive me.."She replied softly. The king smiled softly. "No, I'm glad, even at such a young age to make such a bold speech..-"

"you will make a great queen. You'll make me proud..no... I'm proud of you already. " Claire blushed a tad bit again.

"Thanks Your Maje-" She was cut off by her father again. "Claire, how many times have I told you, enough with the formalities, I'm your father."

Claire blushed again. "Forgive me." She smiled at her father. "Thanks Papa." She smiled brightly and ran to hug her father.

A couple Days later

"As the king its my duty to protect this Kingdom, I'm going in.."

"Be careful Cloud." With that said, Vincent left.

Claire had heard the news. Cocoon was at war with Tenebrae. Something she had in her power to avoid. She entered the garden, to hear her parents talking. She knew it was wrong, but she wanted to see what was up, she stood behind the bush and watched her parents talk.

"Cloud..are you sure?" Aerith asked. She couldn't even look at him. Eclair felt horrible. The look of sadness on her mother's face killed her. Cloud looked back at his wife. "I have no choice. If we don't fight back, we'll be ruined. We have to try our best to protect our land, our home, everyone's home."

"Will you be back?"

"..." There was no response from him. Aerith looked away. "Cloud?" He nodded his head. "Yeah...I'll be back.." Aerith hid the sorrow she felt, and smiled. "Hmmm? Are you sure?" She asked again.

"Yes, I'm sure." He saw the smile on her face, he wanted to return home to that smile. Aerith giggled. "Okay, no dilly dallying?" She said as a reminder to him. Cloud managed a smile. "Okay." Claire couldn't take it anymore. She ran up to her father to hug him, as if it was the last time she would see him. She had a terrible feeling, that everything wouldn't be okay. "Please...Papa...don't..this was my fault.."She cried. Cloud kneeled down to hug her tightly. "Claire, believe in yourself, You made the right choice, no one should force you into anything you don't want to do." The young princess had tears running down her pale cheeks. "But if I hadn't refused..." she cried.

"Claire, I'm proud of you." Cloud broke the embrace and kissed his daughter on the forehead. "I'll be off now." He stood up and smile d at Aerith. He waved and turned his back and headed off to war.

Months Later

Several months had passed, the war waged on. Letters from the King was all that Aerith received. Claire got a few from the king as well. Each and everyone she treasured and kept hidden. Every now and then she would have her sister read them, she was too scared for the worst. Every time Serah read them to her, she felt at ease. Her sister was calmer than she would ever be. Serah was just like her mother. Eclair admired that. She wanted to protect that so much.

Claire's world came tumbling down so soon. On her way to the gardens, a man rushed past her. Eclair glanced up to see Vincent Valentine, one of her father's most closest friends. He was talking to her mother. From what she could tell, the news were bad.

It was announced that the King was killed at war.

That day, the entire kingdom mourned the death of their King.

Eclair couldn't understand it. None of it. She closed herself in her room, reading her father's letters, over and over again, trying to find some comfort in his words. She hugged her knees and cried silently. She was feeling sorrow, guilt, and anger. She was angry at herself for crying in front of everyone, she was angry that they just assumed him dead. But they tried to prove it. No one could survive something of the sort.

She clung on to that ray of hope. But she didn't know what to believe. Serah walked in to see her sister hugging the letters their father had written. Serah hugged her sister. The tears releasing from her eyes as well.

Cloud and the soldiers that were with him were attacked by an Eidolon. The only thing found was his buster sword. They had assumed him dead. But deep down inside. Aerith had the ray of hope that he was still alive. She had heard the planet, and she knew Cloud had yet to return to it. That ray of hope led her heart on, at least she hoped she wasn't wrong about it at all. With her husband gone, she had no choice but to put an end to the war. She was going to travel to Tenebrae, to come down to an agreement with the King. She didn't want anymore lives lost. The war needed to stop.

Claire walked out into the gardens at that time, contemplating the garden. She was somewhat excited, it was almost her birthday. She would turn 11. At the same time it saddened her. She never had celebrated her birthday without her father. She sighed deep into thought, She was alone in the palace with her sister. Her mother had left to Tenebrae on peaceful terms, so she was alone. No one but anyone in the palace knew that the Queen had left. Her last string of peace was disturbed when she felt a lump in her stomach again. She thought of her mother, and somehow she felt that her mother was gone.

"Your highness...there was a great explosion on the Alexander." It wasn't Vincent this time, it was Reeve. Another of her father's friends. Claire knew the response to this. "And the Survivors?" She knew the answer, but she just had to ask anyways, she could have been wrong. "None, my lady. None. The Queen didn't survive either." Claire held her tears back. "Funeral will be held tonight. Afterwards we must prepare you for your coronation ceremony." Reeve bowed and left. She let the tears loose.

The day the funeral was held, the kingdom mourned the death of their queen. In such a short time, the Kingdom of Cocoon had lost both their King and Queen. Many knew that both young princesses were left alone. They felt pity, yet they felt the need to protect them more. Claire was devastated. She would soon become Queen. She awaited this day, but not so soon. She held her tears back. Claire being stubborn, shook off her sorrow to show Serah she was strong enough, even though she was actually weak. Whenever Serah managed a smile she could feel her eyes getting hot. She wanted to cry, but fought the urge and smiled back. She wouldn't allow herself to cry.

That day, it was announced she would be crowned queen. Claire would become Cocoon's first 11 year old queen. She wasn't ready.

The night before the coronation ceremony.

It was the middle of the night. Claire tossed and turned in her bed. Unable to sleep at all. She missed it. Her father kissing her goodnight, her mother telling her stories, old legends. She closed her eyes and cried. Serah lay down next to her, snuggling closer to her older sister. Eclair sat up on her bed, looking down at Serah, she saw the tears on her cheeks. Eclair kissed her on her forehead. "I miss them.."she whispered and cried some more.

Suddenly, explosions were heard from outside her windows, she glanced outside to see large ships, dropping soldiers down to the ground, bombs were also being dropped. There were large eidolons over the City of Eden, spreading fire about. Eden was burning down. Claire's eyes widened. She felt scared. She no longer had her parents to protect her, her first thought was to escape.

"Serah wake up! We have to get out of here!" Serah sat up rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Claire...whats wrong?" She was scared. "There's something headed straight for us, lets go!" Serah heard the panick in her sister's voice. She followed her sister. Both rushed out of bed and left the room. They ran down the corridors only to bump into Vincent Valentine. The young girl felt relief, at seeing him.

"We're under attack. You're not safe here any more your Highnesses." Claire understood. "Tenebrae?" She whispered softly, Vincent heard her. "Yes, Tenebrae, and they're after you both. We have to get out out, so follow me. We've provided you with an escape route."Both young girls nodded and followed Vincent. It was all coming down so quickly, first her parents, now them. She couldn't understand why Tenebrae was after them. If they were after them, that meant Serah too. She couldn't afford to lose the only thing in the world she had left.

They were not far from the destination. It had been an hour since they left the palace. They had used a secret escape route that was in the King's armory. No one had known but the most trusted people of the King and Queen.

"We've arranged for you to live in Pulse." Claire looked up. "What?"

"Your parents ordered us to. If anything happened to them in this war, you would leave your lives as princesses and live a common life as normal girls." Serah and Claire kept walking. "Why is Tenebrae so desperate to destroy us?" She thought out loud. "Because, as the last ancients, they fear your powers. So as a threat, they want you out of the picture." Claire looked down. "So...it was my fault this war happened. "No. Tenebrae is a power hungry Kingdom. Don't blame yourself for that. They've always been a corrupt Kingdom." He answered. Claire still felt guilt anyways. Serah didn't say anything, all she did was listen, but she didn't feel guilt like her sister. "So that's why they killed mama and papa." She replied. Claire looked back and held her sister's hand squeezing it tightly, as if her life depended on it. Vincent stopped walking. "We're here." Claire didn't notice until she glanced up. It was an airship dock. Serah looked in awe. "I didn't know this was here!" She said excitedly.

"Bout time ya got here Vince." Claire recognized that voice. It was Cid Highwind. Aside from all that had happened. Knowing that she was among people she trusted comforted her. "Uncle Cid?" Serah asked. Cid grinned. "The Shera's all up an' ready." It was time. Time to board the ship and never come back to Cocoon. Claire was going to leave her home, her people, her friends for a new life with her younger sister.

"Hey Vince. Git the girls and git yer ass up here." Cid yelled. Grumpy and foul mouthed as usual, he muttered some inadequate words. Low enough so the two girls wouldn't hear. They boarded the Shera. Both girls stared in were greeted by Tifa. All the people on the ship bowed before the young princesses. "Your Highness." Claire and Serah both smiled, feeling much better than before. Both girls looked around the air ship,

It was huge on the inside, Cid had many people working in his ship. The young princess Claire smiled, but at the same time she felt sad that her first time on Cid's Airship would be her last.

"Ready?" Cid yelled.

"Yes sir! Ready for lift off!"

"Destination. Pulse."

"Remember to camouflage the damn ship you idiots!" Cid yelled again.

"Yes sir!"

"Camouflage?" Claire asked. "Yes my Lady, its a new system were our ship won't be detected by our enemy ships." One of the crew answered.

The ship had taken off. It would be the last time were both girls would see Cocoon. She would be alone with Serah. Her sister was the only precious thing she had left in the world. Their parent's were no longer there for them. They had to take care of themselves. Eclair glanced out the window. She noticed all the airships that were headed towards Cocoon. They were all from Tenebrae. Claire sighed heavily. She felt so useless. "We can manage on our own." Vincent said as he walked beside her. "Its better for all of us. Live your life freely."

"We've arrived at Pulse!" Tifa walked up to the two young girls. "Listen, we've arranged for you to live with a family. Don't worry, they will take care of you both." The young girls glanced up before getting off the ship. "From now on, you'll be able to do what you want. You don't have to worry about running a kingdom. Just be yourselves. Make new friends. I'm sure you'll do great." Serah had a tear stream down her cheek. Claire glanced over to her younger sister. "I promise, we'll be alright." She responded. Tifa smiled giving both girls a kiss on the cheek. Both girls hugged Tifa, and waved to Cid and Vincent.

"Goodbye Uncle Cid, Goodbye Vinny!" Serah waved. The young girl felt sad, but like her sister, she knew it was for the best. Both girls knew it would be their last goodbye. But even so, they felt as if they'd see each other again someday.

. As they walked off the ship There was a family waiting for them. "What are your names?" They asked. "Serah" the younger girl replied shyly. "Lightning." Serah looked back at her sister. "But that's not..." She smiled back. Serah could see the seriousness in her older sister's eyes. She nodded.

"Okay..Lightning, Serah, welcome to Pulse."

This was the person she would be, someone strong, and dependable. Someone that could protect Serah. No longer would she be the princess of Cocoon, no longer would she be the Queen of Cocoon. It was all discarded. She accepted her fate.

She would grow up as Lightning.

How was it? If it sucked well...doesn't matter. Just doing this for fun. Next chapter will be up next week. I will try to update weekly.

Disclaimer. I do not own Final Fantasy. It is copy righted to Square Enix.

Also I do not accept Flaming. Constructive Criticism please. R&R Please