Devil's Bargain

Story I just made up, I hope it gets popular

Snow x Lightning, don't like don't read

"Why the hell do you want me to get in a relationship with Lightning of all people?" Snow practically yelled at the winged man.

"Allow me to explain, Mr. Villiers, you see, one of the only ways to keep Ms. Claire from becoming a goddess is to have something to live for other than Ms. Serah, if you succeed, Etro will never have even try to recruit Ms. Claire, and I won't have to make you pay an extra price that you can't really afford. Secondly, you do remember why Ms. Serah was in the Vestige in the first place, right. Simply put, her Focus was to gather a group, well my friend; it's not going to happen this time. I will prevent her from ever becoming a l'cie, though everything else will happen in the same timeframe, instead, you will have multiple Focus', starting with gathering the other l'cie, defeating Barthandalus, and ending with freeing Fang and Vanille." Lucifer explained with a smirk.

"You mean I have to get together with Light, just so I don't have to pay some price. I don't care I will pay the damned thing!" Snow shouted.

"The alternate price would be to sacrifice Serah on an altar built to me, so yeah, I like to think you will go with the alternate solution." Lucifer said, obviously becoming annoyed.

"K-k-kill Serah…" Snow stuttered, "How is that a fair price?"

"Etro is very powerful, in order to alter Etro, I need a significant payment. Making Ms. Claire fall in love with you is more effective, and increases the chances for another plan of mine to occur. Plus, I believe you will find the experience far more enjoyable than you think. After all, you did meet Ms. Claire first, so you simply have to avoid Ms. Serah and not show reactions to her name that would give away your previous relationship with her." Lucifer explained, now looking completely bored.

"What are you really getting out of all this?" Snow asked.

The Devil turned up his head and, with a wicked smile, said "Thousands upon thousands of human souls were denied to me thanks to Pulse's fusion with Valhalla. Besides, the soul of you or anyone who was on the adventure to stop Barthandalus' soul is worth around 279 human souls, with yours and Ms. Claire's being the most expensive at nearly 400, which is four times what Barthandalus' soul was worth."

"Alright," Snow said with great reluctance, "I'll do it."

"Then all that matters now is for you to sign your name on the dotted line." Lucifer's grin had turned completely maniacal, but Snow didn't care. He had to save Serah, even if it meant he would be with someone else. He picked up the pen that appeared next to a scroll that Lucifer rolled out over the desk.

Snow awoke to something he hadn't seen in over 500 years. The NORA gang was passed out all over the room. He was in a state of shock, NORA had been gone for over 500 years before the fusion of worlds, and he was still having trouble processing what he was seeing. He knew that man sent him back but, but this is beyond what he expected. Snow hadn't thought about NORA in a long time, over 300 years had passed since he last thought of them. That was when it hit him, this was going to be a lot harder than it seemed back when he made the deal. He looked down, damn, he still had the l'cie brand, he quickly got up to find something to cover it up with.

Snow saw Gadot get up from the couch and head for the bathroom, had they thrown a party last night, damn, he hoped he drank enough that he could get away with not remembering. Lebreau got up shortly after. She gave him a grin and said "Hey boss, you ready for that GC inspection today."

Snow realized what today was, the day he met Light. Just yesterday NORA was informed that a Guardian Corps member would be inspecting their operation. He remembered how unimpressed Lightning was when she saw the shoddy state their headquarters on the top floor of Lebreau's was in. "I see you forgot, well, I have to get to work at the bar, so it's up to you boys to clean this place up.

Snow groaned, he was remembering the look of disgust Light had when she saw the mess he and Gadot had left the place it. Well, he figured, might as well try to impress her if he had to get together with her.

Two hours later Snow had the apartment that most of NORA shared looking spotless. Gadot had a hangover and had moaned about it not being fair that Snow seemed to be fine. Snow looked around the apartment. At least she won't dismiss us out of hand this time, he thought, maybe I'll even be able to get her approval on the operational side itself, even if she has a problem with what we stand for.

Not even 15 minutes later there was a knock at the door. "Guardian Corps, open up." Snow opened the door up and was shocked. Lightning Farron was standing at his door glaring at him. "Corporal Farron, I was sent to do an inspection of the organization NORA, in order to decide if they are a danger to the people of Bodhum."

While Snow mentally berated himself for being so shocked to see her, he knew she would be here so he didn't understand his shock. He moved out of her way and said, "Come right in ma'am, I am NORA's founder and leader, my name is Snow Villiers."

She briskly walked into the apartment, scanning the room with critical eyes. She said, "I thought NORA stood for No Orders, Rules, or Authority, so how do you lead them."

Snow remembered the first time she had done this, and he was being an idiot at the time and answered all of her questions with bravado, an attempt to impress her he thinks. Fortunately he knows better this time around. "No one in NORA is above anyone else, however most of our junior members defer to our senior members judgment on assignments, and I am the one who decides everyone's roles in combat, therefore there are no orders, but still we have a strategy. I encourage them to stick to the roles they are good at, like Gadot usually being in the front, creating a distraction with larger weapons while Lebreau stays in the back with a rifle. I myself use hand to hand combat, small arms, and the occasional explosives. As for no rules, Lebreau interviews anyone who wants to join NORA, Gadot gives them a fitness test, and then I myself judge their skills. If any one of us determines they won't cut it, we don't allow them in. Lebreau usually weeds out those who would do something against our morals, so we don't need rules after people have joined. Finally, we are civilians, therefore we have no authority."

She pulled out a report pad, "Reports indicate you are reckless in your fights with the fiends, saying things like, 'Heroes don't need plans,' explain that."

Snow damned himself in his head as he chose his words carefully, "Well, I said there was a strategy, but there really isn't a plan. We don't have anyone who can think like that in the actual situations, so we do seem a little reckless. Really that's just a line, I always liked playing the hero since I was a kid in the children's care center here in Bodhum. That's actually where me and Gadot met."

"I don't need your life story, just the facts." she said while typing something into the pad, "O.K. I'll be back tomorrow with orders, don't screw this place up."

Snow became confused, she was coming back? That sure as hell didn't happen last time. "What are you talking about, I thought this was a one stop and done thing," he remembered that he had to try and get together with Lightning, "Not that I mind a visit from a beautiful woman, but I thought this was just an inspection?"

"Don't be cute," she said coldly, "Lieutenant Amodar sent me to see if there was potential to use NORA as an extension of the Corps, and then potentially expand it to other divisions as an organized militia that could bolster Guardian Corps numbers when needed. We are going to see a lot of each other, but don't try hitting on me."

Snow just laughed, "Can't promise that babe."

Snow quickly found himself on his ass.