Chapter Three

I'll Never Forget

Val's Note: Yay for chapter three! We're back to Hope's POV. Hopefully the changes don't bother you guys. I like getting different perspectives from my characters and I wanted to explain what was happening with Lightning. It also makes writing longer stories a whole lot more fun for me since I get to play around with the minds of different characters. :)

This chapter has now been beta read. =D Yay~

The sun was shining brightly and the air was significantly cooler when Hope woke up that morning. The solar clock on his nightstand informed him that it was 7:30 AM.

He rolled out of bed, his feet touching the cold stone floor of his bedroom. He walked into the hall and peered into his father's room to see that he was still asleep.

He walked back to his room and pulled out dark green cargo pants and a black t-shirt. Hope wasn't very fashionable to begin with so he stuck with what he knew. He outgrew his orange and yellow jacket quickly but was able to find similar shirts and pants that fit him.

Hope grabbed a towel from the hallway closet, went downstairs, and left his house.

The little town was quiet that morning. Most children were still sleeping in as well as the majority of the adults due to it being the weekend. The few people that were out were working away on the never ceasing repairs. The work ethic of the people of Paddra always amazed him. They were so devoted to creating a superior life for their families. For a second, Hope didn't want to leave. The feeling only lasted a second though. Hope knew he had a much more personal task ahead of him.

Hope stepped into the men's bathhouse to find it deserted, which he was grateful for. Sure, he had gotten used to showering with others; they had no choice. Still, he liked to have his privacy.

The white stone which composed the bathhouse was cold on his bare feet. He quickly tossed his towel on the floor, stripped off his clothing, and stepped in front of one of the showers. He turned the faucet on and shivered under the cold water. It took his body a few minutes to adjust before it became comfortable.

The cold water raced down his fair skin and drenched his silver locks. The water was typically enough to clear Hope's mind but it was racing with questions and concerns. How long would it take to find her? He wasn't even sure where he would start looking. He figured he would pay Serah and Snow a visit in Oerba. It made sense to him to start his journey where she started hers. After that though, he was clueless.

The sound of the running water was starting to annoy him so he ended his shower earlier than he usually did. He picked up his towel, wrapped it around his waist, and walked over to the only full length mirror in the bathhouse.

Hope stared at his reflection, his reflection staring back. It was amazing how much he had changed in four years. He was no longer the short and scrawny boy of his past. His muscles were toned and well defined due to the heavy labor and training he did for the Calvary. He stood around 5'8, a height he was satisfied with. His layered silver hair remained the same as well as his blue-green eyes. Everything about him gave off a much more mature aura. The childhood innocence had been erased from his eyes long ago.

He had changed on the outside, but on the inside as well. The past years took a toll on him. While he did his best to be optimistic and hardworking for the others, he battled an internal war every day. The constant uncertainty of not knowing her whereabouts or how she was doing ate away at him. He could clearly remember the day he got the news that she was missing.

It was a week after they had separated. Hope and his father were living in a temporary tent on the Tsubaddran Highlands with other Calvary solders. They wanted to make sure that they were protected until the public found out that they weren't a threat.

Hope was thrilled to be reunited with his father. He would relay the events of their journey to his father who was amazed by what had happened. He would talk in great depths about everyone. He'd talk the most about Lightning though, and his father took notice.

"You wouldn't have feelings for this Lightning girl, now would you?" his father teased as they sat together in the grassy plains of the highlands.

"Dad! What are you talking about? Of course I don't!" He was quick to deny it and his father chuckled at his son's obvious lie.

"When are you going to see them again?" he asked and Hope's face fell.

"I'm not sure…I was going to tell them where we were going but the solders wouldn't let me go back. I hope I'll see them again soon," he mused and leaned back onto the soft grass. "They are all really special to me. We're family."

"Hope!"

He shot up and looked around for the familiar voice that called out his name. All he could see were Calvary solders bustling about the Tsubaddran. Suddenly, his eyes locked on the familiar afro and green coat of his good friend.

"Sazh!" the young boy exclaimed and ran up to greet him. They met in the middle of the field. Hope smiled up at the man. He was so relieved to see him. He was afraid that it would be months before he heard from any of his friends.

"Hey, Hope," he said, forcing a smile.

He couldn't tell what was wrong. Sazh looked extremely tired with bags underneath his dull brown eyes. Something was off about the man. The two of them should have been happy about reuniting but that obviously wasn't the case. There was something more to this meeting and Hope felt apprehension rush over him.

"What's wrong?" he stated bluntly as he stared up at him. Sazh dropped his gaze, unable to look at the boy in front of him.

"There is something important I need to tell you, Hope," he said weakly and Hope could feel his heart rate quicken. The blood was pumping through his veins and the longer Sazh was silent, the more panicked Hope became.

"Tell me. Please, tell me what's wrong!" he exclaimed, causing a few Calvary solders to stop and look towards their way.

Sazh remained silent for another minute, searching for the words. "It's about Lightning. She's been missing for a few days now and no one has heard from her. There was no note, no nothing. She's just…gone," he stated. His eyes were wide as if he couldn't believe the words coming out of his own mouth.

"No…" Hope muttered weakly. He looked at his trembling hands and clenched them closed. This couldn't be happening to him. He had already lost his mother, Vanille, and Fang. He would not lose her too.

"We've got to look for her!" he demanded and started sprinting away only to be stopped by Sazh grabbing onto his arm. "Let go!" he shouted at the man who only tightened his grip.

"There's no point, Hope! We don't have a clue where she went. There's no way you would be able to survive on your own out the-"

"Then come with me!" he cried as he tried to pull away from Sazh.

"I can't. I have Dajh to look after. I can't leave him now. I'm…so sorry," he said and let go of Hope who fell to the ground on his hands and knees.

"No…this can't be." His body shook uncontrollably and tears welled up in his eyes. "She can't be gone. She just can't!" he shouted, the tears now streaming down his cheeks. "I've got to find her. I've got to do something!" he wailed and tried his hardest to get up off the ground only to fall down once more.

"There isn't anything we can do. All we can do is hope that she'll come back…" Sazh said in defeat.

"What about the Calvary or the Guardian Corps? What about them! Isn't it their job to look for missing people!" he asked, anguish resonating through his voice as desperation overtook him.

Sazh slowly shook his head. "We reported her missing but because so many people are disappearing due to monster attacks, they're focused on keeping the present ones safe."

"I'll find her. As soon as I'm strong enough I will find her," he vowed as he wiped the tears off his red face with the back of his hand. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Sazh looked upon the boy with sympathy in his eyes. He knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his back.

"Never forget that promise, Hope," he said and Hope was instantly reminded of the promise he made to her back in Palumpolum. He promised to keep her safe and he had failed her. He had to make things right.

"I'll never forget…" he whispered as a single tear fell from his eye.

Hope turned away from the mirror and dried off with his towel. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about the past when he was finally about to do something about it.

He put on his clothes, grabbed his damp towel, and went back to his house. He opened his door to find his father standing by the door, looking really anxious.

"Dad…what is it?" Hope asked as he shut the door behind him. He threw his towel on the sofa and directed his attention back towards his father.

"You're leaving today. I can't help but be a little worried about you," he admitted and adjusted his glasses. "I'm just proud of you, Hope," he said and wrapped his arms around him. "I know your mother would be proud too. You're so brave…just like her," he said and released him.

"I'm going to be alright, Dad. I'm going to go upstairs and get ready," he told him and ran up the stairs. Hope was already having a hard enough time leaving as it was. He didn't want to see his father so worried.

It didn't take Hope very long get ready for his departure. He quickly pulled on his knee high leather boots and secured the steel knee guards. He slipped his torso harness made of leather around his head and adjusted the straps. The green pauldrons fell perfectly onto his shoulders. The two yellow stripes placed on them signified his newly appointed role as sergeant. He buckled the belt of the harness and slipped on his black gloves. He then secured his gunblade in its harness on his back. Finally, he took his green scarf off his bed and tied it around his neck.

His attire was the new standard for both the Calvary and Guardian Corps. The old uniforms of the Calvary were too impractical for Gran Pulse and they didn't have enough to give to the new recruits. As a result, all Calvary and Guardian Corps members wore the same uniform. It didn't matter to either of them. The Calvary was always a division of the Guardian Corps. The main difference between the two was that the Calvary dealt with airships and transportation.

Hope returned downstairs to see his father waiting for him. Bartholomew stood up and walked over to the front door. He opened the door for Hope and smiled at him.

"Time for you to go," he said and nodded his head. There was no need for a goodbye speech or tears. Everything that needed to be said was already spoken. It was time for the both of them to move forward.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Dad," Hope reassured him as he walked to the door.

"I have faith in you. Just promise me you'll return safely." Hope could see how worried his father was but the man did his best to hide it with a proud smile.

"I promise," Hope told him, his voice strong and definite.

Hope turned his back on his father and walked out the door into another bright and warm day on Gran Pulse. It was just like any other day; kids out playing, men working on repairs, women chatting in front of their homes. It was a normal day for everyone but Hope. He was about to go off into the unknown to find someone who was extremely precious to him. He turned around, taking one final glance at his home.

"I'll be back," he softly whispered at the white towers and people going about their business, completely unaware of the expedition he had before him.

He faced forward and walked out of Paddra, unsure of when he would return.

"Took you long enough," Sazh teased as Hope arrived at the highlands. "What took ya so long?" he asked and ruffled Hope's hair.

The air was cooler at the top of the highlands. People were out and about just like in Paddra. Many were tending to their gardens and taking care of their children. It was the perfect place for Sazh to raise Dajh. The chocobos wandering about made it even better.

"Sorry. Just saying goodbye to my Dad. Was my mission application approved?" Hope asked.

As a newly appointed sergeant, he wasn't allowed to get up and leave without requesting it from his superiors. A week ago, he filled out a document requesting leave so he would be able to search for Sergeant Lightning Farron.

"All approved. Everything is arranged for your departure," he informed Hope with a large smile. "I see your father gave you your new toy," he commented, eyeing the gunblade on Hope's back. Hope reached behind his back and pulled it out. With a jerk of his wrist, the gun opened to reveal the blade.

Sazh whistled low, clearly impressed. "Looks like you already know how to use it well, huh?"

Hope nodded. "They trained us a few weeks ago before I was promoted. Only a few people received them though," he said and looked down at his sleek black gunblade. He gently ran his fingers over the dull part of the blade. "That and I had the opportunity to watch her use it and study her technique."

"You were always watchin' the girl. No denyin' that," Sazh said with a small chuckle. Hope looked up from his blade and smiled at him. He couldn't deny it himself.

Hope peered behind Sazh and noticed a large bag behind him.

"What's that?" Hope asked and Sazh turned around and picked up the bag.

"Oh, this?" he asked rhetorically and held the bag with two hands. "This is your survival bag. It has blankets, food, medicine, water, some clothes, a partially completed map, matches, and Gysahl Greens."

Hope stared at Sazh with a raised brow. "Gysahl Greens? You mean chocobo treats? Why would I need those?" he asked, knowing only too well that he would not be eating them.

"What, were you planning on walking? That'd take years. You'll be borrowing one of the chocobos," Sazh told him, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Hope honestly hadn't taken transportation into much consideration. He figured he'd be traveling by foot, just as she had. As he thought about it, he realized taking a chocobo would make much more sense. They were extremely fast and powerful. They could run for hours without tiring. He could make it or Oerba in a day with a chocobo instead of the five days it would take walking. This was a good plan.

Sazh deposited the heavy bag in Hope's hands. He struggled to hold onto it. The bag weighed well over a hundred pounds and he wondered how he was going to carry it.

"Here you go," Sazh said as he led a large chocobo over. The chocobo stared at Hope with two shiny black eyes. It ruffled its feathers and shook its head back and forth. "This is Quincy. He's the fastest chocobo we have. He'll get you where you need to go in no time," Sazh said as he gently stroked the neck of the large bird.

"Quincy? What kind of name is that for a chocobo?" Hope asked as he eyed the bird. The bird stared back and lunged forward to snap his beak at Hope.

"Easy there." Sazh reached out and rubbed Quincy's back to pacify him. "Don't make a bad impression on him on your first day, Hope. You two will be doing a lot of traveling together. Do your best to get along," he advised and took the bag from Hope. "This bag was made for chocobo transportation. You set it in front of his hump and clip it to the front of his chest with these two straps," he said and demonstrated for Hope how it was done. "Then you take the back straps which go under his wing and secure it around his back." He walked around the back and secured the straps tightly around the bird. "This will keep your bag secure while you run."

"Thanks. Seems simple enough," Hope said and tugged on the bag to see how secure it was. It wouldn't budge.

"Do you remember how to ride one?" Sazh asked.

"I think so…" Hope said and climbed on top of the bird. He situated himself right behind the hump on its back and grabbed onto the tufts of feathers in front of it. Hope could see the bird looking back and eying him critically.

Hope gently pulled his feathers forward. "Let's move!" he demanded of the bird. Quincy completely ignored him and continued to stare. "Come on, Quincy," he said as he tried to coerce him to move forward. He gave his feathers a forceful tug and Quincy reached his head around and snapped at Hope's hand. He quickly pulled his hand away and released the feathers.

"Why don't you try asking him nicely?" Sazh suggested with a smirk on his face. There was no hiding his amusement over Hope's struggle.

"The bird obviously doesn't like me," Hope admitted, feeling frustrated. "Can't I take another one? A calmer bird? How about the one over there?" he asked and pointed in the direction of a bird sleeping peacefully in the lawn. "That one doesn't look like it wants to tear me to bits."

"It's asleep. Of course it doesn't. I'm sure if you respect Quin, he'll respect you. He's your best option at this point. You'll just have to work with him," Sazh said and walked in front of the bird. "Hey, Quincy." He patted the bird's neck and lowered his voice. "The guy you have on your back? He's a bit of a brat sometimes. It'd really help me out if you could put up with him though. He has something really important to do so if you could just help 'em out a bit, I'd sure appreciate it," Sazh said in a low whisper. To Hope's surprise, the bird closed his eyes and nodded his head.

Hope gently grabbed the feathers once more and pulled forward. Quincy steadily walked forward with no resistance.

"You're amazing, Sazh!" Hope exclaimed in excitement as he lead Quincy around the grassy village.

"It was nothing. Just treat him with respect and I'm sure he'll do the same for you," Sazh told him with a distant look in his eye. "Hey, Hope."

"Yeah, Sazh?"

"Be safe," he said and Hope nodded his head. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What is it?" Hope asked. He knew this was hard on Sazh as well. Sazh had become something of an older brother to him and a best friend. He had no doubts that he was worried.

"Bring her home," he said with a gentle smile on his face.

"I will," Hope promised, his eyes glistening with determination. He gently tugged on Quincy's feathers. He steered the bird towards the exit of the highlands and to the long path that would lead him to the Archylte Steppe and then Oerba.

This was the start of his journey.

AN: Sorry about the delay on this chapter. Life got super busy all of a sudden but I'm hoping that things have calmed down now. Chapter four should be out in a few days.

Any comments are always loved. Especially since I plan on this being one of my longer fics. Comments are always a great source encouragement for me. :)

Thanks for reading! :3