Tears of Rainfall

I'm going up to New York for the weekend, so I won't be able to post. But I'm going to post two or three chapters today; atleast attempt to. I'm fixing up Chapter 6 right now, and then that means that I'll probably have to fix the beginning of Chapter 7. By the way, did anyone else see The Last Airbender movie? :D Hah okay, enough chit-chat; go ahead and read up! :D

Chapter 3: Crystallization

I followed Vanille and Hope, participating in battles against monsters as we searched for the man that was responsible for my brother's and Hope's mother's deaths.

"Serah! Your hero's on the way!"

My head snapped towards the ceiling. I recognized that voice; it belonged to the man.

Some beams of light appeared, and then a set of stairs moved into place in front of us.

Hope glared as he stared at the stairs. "He is here…" he said angrily.

"How dare he call himself a hero," I growled, following Hope's gaze.

Vanille looked at us both, and then walked up to us, leaning forward with her hands behind her back. "He's coming our way."

Hope looked at Vanille, and his expression turned from angry to scared, as it seemed.

"What should I do?" he asked.

I decided to stay out of their conversation, and stared up the stairs. I knew what I was gonna do; I would confront the man and ask him why he let my brother die. So I already had it planned.

"Rhayne, c'mon!" I heard Hope yell.

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Hope and Vanille running up the steps and through the door that was up top, and Hope was slowing down a bit as he tried to get my attention.

I ran after them quickly. I wanted to stay and confront this man, but I also wanted to stay with Hope and Vanille; so that's what I decided.

We fought through more monsters, eventually making it to a platform. But then we were sealed off from any exits, and yellow electrical gates formed at each exit.

I gasped as more monsters walked through the gates, twitching and walking slowly. They looked like humans, but they were black with rough crystals all over their body, and they had claws.

"What are they?" Hope questioned with a hint of fear in his voice.

"Cie'th; l'Cie who failed!" Vanille answered as we all backed up into each other.

"I think…this is what happens when l'Cie don't finish the focus that fal'Cie give them." I said, grabbing for my guns, which were hanging from my belt.

Suddenly, a man came running up the steps. He punched one of the Cie'th and ran over to us, getting in a fighting stance. "Let's even these odds!"

We started battle against three of the Cie'th. I shot my guns twice at one of the Cie'th, damaging it. Vanille followed by flicking her rod, the same four wires shooting forward and damaging the same Cie'th that I injured.

The battle ended as soon as it had started, and Hope fell to his knees, panting. I almost fell over too, but I stayed standing; I needed to be strong.

The man turned to the three of us and said, "How did you three get in here? You have to leave."

Vanille looked at the man, and then at Hope, who was looking up at the man angrily.

The man sighed and put his hands on his hips. "Okay, listen. Just go hide someplace and keep quiet. Got it? Once I find Serah, we're all leaving together."

I glared as the man laughed before he said, "You'll be home in time for dinner, don't worry." And with that, the man turned to go down the steps.

"You…" Hope started.

"Wait a sec!" Vanille said.

The man stopped and turned to us.

Vanille hesitated, but I cut in quickly. "Who's…Serah?" I asked.

The man stared at us for a minute before answering, "My wife…future wife, I mean."

"She's a Pulse l'Cie," he continued.

Vanille put her hands to her mouth as she mumbled, "Oh no…"

I tensed slightly, and I was pretty sure that Hope felt the same way that I felt; angry.

"She's here…somewhere… Along with that fal'Cie," he continued again as he turned back towards the stairs. "I have to find her. Set her free."

Hope stood up on his feet, staring at the ground.

"What's wrong with you?" Hope said; I couldn't tell if he was sad, or angry… "Why do you want to help a l'Cie? They're the enemy!"

I listened as Hope continued on; "How can you save a l'Cie…and not…And not…"

"That's just…insane!" I cut in, glaring at the man.

The man looked guilty, but I was sure it wasn't guilt.

"Probably," he said. "But…I have to do something. Right?" He waved as he turned around and walked down the stairs. "I'll be back!"

Hope fell to his knees again and Vanille stared after the man. I just stood still, trying to relax.

"Maybe…we should wait for him…to hitch a ride?" Vanille suggested.

Hope stayed silent, and Vanille went to touch his shoulder, but Hope suddenly banged his fists against the ground.

"I'd rather go to Pulse!" Hope growled. He calmed down a bit before saying, "Why is this…happening to me? When they found the fal'Cie the other day…we were only visiting Bodhum. But that army took us. They threw us on the train."

He clenched his fists as he stared at the ground. "And so, because of that guy…mom… is—"

I frowned at Hope and kneeled down. I was on the verge of tears, but I kept them back. "My brother is dead because of him too, Hope…" I looked at the ground, avoiding Hope's and Vanille's eyes. "We were visiting Bodhum…me and him…to see his friends. But what happens? The army takes all four of us, and throws us onto the train…"

I held back a sob and closed my eyes so the tears wouldn't escape.

There was a small moment of silence before Hope continued again. "And he wants to help…a l'Cie…"

Vanille frowned at us and looked at the stairs to see the man run back up to us.

"Uh, hey again," the man said with a small smile and a wave.

Vanille nodded and walked in front of us, kneeling down as she grabbed my left hand and Hope's right hand.

"C'mon, let's go with him!" Vanille said.

Hope looked up at her with a confused expression.

"What…why?" I asked, looking up at Vanille.

"You've gotta talk to him," she paused before continuing. "Both of you. If neither of you take this chance, then…you'll regret it forever."

Hope hesitated, but then nodded. "Alright."

I sighed, but nodded as well.

Vanille smiled and pulled us to our feet.

"Alright, let's go!" the man said, turning to go down the steps. We followed him as he ran down, Hope and I filled with regained confidence.

XxXxXxX

I looked around as we went down an elevator-like platform, and gasped as we came down to three people; two women and a man.

"Serah!" the man said; I figured out that his name was Snow Villiers.

Snow jumped from the platform before it stopped, and ran to the two women, grasping the one girl's hand when he got to them.

"Serah…" Snow whispered.

I heard the girl named Serah say, "Is that…my hero?"

Me, Hope, and Vanille walked over to the group. Vanille put her hands to her mouth when she got a good look at Serah. I just frowned sadly; this girl was a l'Cie, and she looked so innocent.

"Let's get you out of here, alright?" Snow said.

The girl holding Serah glared at Snow as she said, "Hands off. I'm taking her home."

Snow looked at the girl, still holding Serah's hand.

"Sis, I—"

"I'm not your sister!" the girl growled. She looked back down at Serah sadly. "It's your fault…You couldn't protect her…"

"You can…save us." Serah said, looking up at the girl.

"Serah?" the girl said, staring at her.

"You can save us…" Serah repeated. "Protect us…all."

I had to clear my thoughts in order to hear Serah finish with, "Save…Cocoon."

"Save Cocoon…? Serah… Was that your focus?" the girl asked.

Serah closed her eyes. "Anything… I'll do…anything."

Snow stared at Serah before saying, "Leave it to me…You'll see. I'll save Cocoon! I'll protect everyone!"

The girl glanced at Snow before looking back at Serah. "Somehow, I'll make things right."

"Just relax." Snow finished.

Serah smiled and opened her eyes one last time.

"Thank you."

I nearly flinched as Serah started glowing blue and floating into the air.

"Serah?" Snow mumbled. "Serah!"

Serah's hand slipped from Snow's as she floated higher. She put her hands together as she crystallized. I thought it was beautiful, but then I realized that it was probably bad.

"Why is she turning into crystal?" Vanille asked, staring at Serah.

I looked at Hope as he answered, "L'Cie who complete their Focus are transformed into crystal, and given eternal life."

"Just like the stories say…" I mumbled staring back at the now crystallized Serah.

"Sweet dreams…Serah…" Snow nearly whispered.

The girl must've gotten angry at this. She pushed the still-unidentified man as she walked up to Snow. "Sweet dreams?" The girl grabbed a hold of the collar of Snow's trench coat.

"She's not sleeping!" the girl said angrily. "Serah's…She's—" She let go of Snow roughly and turned to Serah's crystallized form.

"She's alive, though." Snow said.

The girl looked at Snow and mumbled, "No…"

"Remember the legend." Snow answered quickly and sadly. "It's the same with Serah! Eternal life…So she's not dead!"

Snow calmed down a bit before he said, "Sera's my wife-to-be. I promised to be hers forever…I don't care how many years I have to wait—"

The girl suddenly punched Snow in the face, causing him to fall back and hit the ground roughly.

I flinched at the sudden action. It was all sad for a moment; and then it was so sudden.

"It's over!" the girl shouted. "Open your eyes and face reality!"

Snow stared at the ceiling, probably too stunned.

Serah…I thought. Does becoming a l'Cie…mean you'll give up everything? Just lose it all?

Suddenly, the room shook. I looked around, nearly falling over along with Hope, Vanille, and everyone else.

"What now?" Vanille said. Hope got to his knees and put his hands over his ears.

The other man looked around too, and a thought came to him. "The army!"

Snow and the girl huddled over Serah as they covered their ears, protecting her.

Vanille and I looked around as thick wires cut through the room.

"What's happening?" Vanille nearly shouted over the noise.

"This must be a Sanctum strike!" the man yelled. "Bring down the Vestige and the fal'Cie with it!"

Vanille ran over to the man and grabbed his forearms. "Aren't they taking it back to Pulse? Isn't that what the Purge was?"

I got on my knees next to Hope, putting a hand on his back as I tried to stay steady.

"All they care about is getting everything from Pulse off of Cocoon!" the man shouted. "Dead or alive…It's all the same!"

Hope grabbed my hand and looked at me, and then looked up at Vanille. "We can't stay here… They'll kill us!"

I stood up, taking Hope with me. Then, the shaking stopped as a door ahead of us started glowing red. I thought it looked like the mark on Serah's upper arm.

The girl and Snow got up, and we all stared at the door as it stopped glowing and opened up.

Snow leaned over and put a hand on Serah's hands as he said, "Just hold on. I'll be right back, alright?" He walked around Serah and started his way towards the steps.

"Trench Coat, where are you going?" the man questioned.

Snow stopped walking and looked back at the man. "A date with the fal'Cie… Have some things to talk about." He walked up the steps and the man raised his hands in the air.

"What?" the man said confused, and put his hands to his side. "You're going to ask that to help her? Are you really out of your mind?" He sighed as he continued. "That thing wants to chew us up, and then spit us out."

Snow glared and turned to the man; in fact, all of us.

"What do you want me to do, then?" Snow shouted.

The girl ignored him and walked passed him, up the steps.

"Lightning?" Snow asked, confused by her actions.

The man sighed and followed the girl named Lightning and Snow. "Here we go…"

I looked at Hope, who was suddenly clinging to my arm. I was older than him; only by a year. I looked at Vanille then and sighed. "Let's follow them, I guess."

I hope you liked this chapter. I really like imagining how things would go with Rhayne there, and I have my own idea for a later chapter. But it's going to be a filler chapter I think. Okay, anyways, review! :D