Hollow Dream - Chapter 4
a/n: Not a lot of Fiala here, but some nice bonding between Serah and Hope (I hope...).
And I kind of remembered this a bit too late... But uh, Disclaimer: I am certainly not the owner of Final Fantasy XIII or else this is how the game would've turned out, of course :P
"So, Commander Hope," said Snow, inclining his head behind them. "What's the plan of action?"
"I... I didn't have one," answered Hope honestly. "If we got here, and we couldn't do anything, or if we ended up in danger... I didn't wanna feel like a failure, you know?"
"It's alright. Like I said - Heroes-"
"-Don't need a plan," Hope said, rolling his eyes and trying to suppress a smile. He glanced at the group he'd accumulated going through the Vile Peaks as they all awaited instruction. He sighed and shook his head. "I came here to try to find my dad. I hoped maybe he was back home..."
"I'm sure he's okay," said Snow, clapping his hand down on the boys shoulder. Hope nodded with a terse attempt at a smile. "Tell you what - if you need to get to Felix Heights, it's practically the other side. You and Serah head over there and meet us at a rendezvous point - close to the boarding area."
"Me... and Serah?"
"Yeah- I'm trusting you with my girl; so don't do anything funny and don't let her get hurt."
"Why me and Serah?"
"She knows where Felix Heights is, if you're worried about that. And besides, you said most of these guys were newbie's to battle, right? So, I'll take care of them here instead of going with you, but you and Serah can keep each other safe and stick together. If you got in danger along the way and no one was with you, you'd be stuck."
"Right, got it," Hope nodded.
"Mr. Snow..." said a delicate voice behind the bear of a man. Hope bobbed his head out to see who was talking, eyes widening as he found Fiala's stark eyes.
"Yeah kiddo?"
"I would like to travel with Hope, if I may?"
"... Hope?"
"Uh... uh, sure!" he stammered, surprised by the request. "She'll be fine with us," he confirmed.
Snow gave Fiala the thumbs up and told Fiala to find Serah to bring her over. Serah, with her naturally caring and generous streak, was checking over everybody for injuries and illness, even if there was a limit to what she could do.
"Did you get a girlfriend without telling me about it?" muttered Snow, pulling the young boy into a headlock that was heavily resisted.
"She's not my girlfriend!" blustered Hope, trying to escape. Snow dragged his knuckles carefully over the expanse of ash blonde hair.
"Seemed like it to me, little hero!"
"Get a grip! You one of these who thinks guys can't have female friends?" Hope sneered playfully.
"I've got Lebreau, so... no. Tell me about your girlfriend."
"We barely know each other-"
"So, you move fast-"
"Snow!" whined Hope, pulling a sour face. "We've just stuck together since she helped me out and pulled me into a hiding spot when I was running from the trooper guys. Who are they, anyway?"
"They're bad news. They change their name every other week; first they were the International Defense Force then they were Cocoon Liberation Force. I think they've settled on Pulse Guardian Committee for a few weeks, but they're sure to change. They're the defacto government - bunch of people who decided that we needed order and gave it to the people. But their methods are poor. Their armed forces are the dregs of PSICOM, or otherwise people paid nice money and given guaranteed bonuses on Pulse when they finally settle there. It's dangerous though - who knows what kind of people are lurking amongst them. But they brought clarity and organization to everyone, so naturally they're the little ray of hope for everyone. Frankly, I disagree."
"Frankly, I think you have a fascination for opposing governmental units," answered Hope with a falsely diffident smile, earning a shove from the older man. "No one who was being reasonable would behave the way those guys are. Remember the times when they used to wet themselves at the word 'Pulse'? They're just selfish, can only see the advantage for themselves and no one else."
"You mean - you didn't lose bladder control at the mention of Pulse?"
"Hey!" glowered Hope.
It was awkward, travelling with a girl who looked almost like the spitting image of your departed best friend. And yes, Lightning had been the best friend he'd ever known in his life - he'd believed they held each other up and had an unspoken vow to always protect the other. It'd started when she pulled him into an embrace, right here in Palumpolum. Though he had only uttered "Oh... my" at the time, it had heavily impacted on his mind; the stone cold stoic soldier, wrapping her arms around him in relief and sympathy. He was even willing to say that at that point, he had truly come to love Lightning.
When Hope looked at Serah, he saw the way Light would have been if she didn't try to carry every burden on her own two shoulders. A cheerful, much more evened out personality with the ability to switch seriousness on and off like a light bulb. But if Light hadn't been who she was then there maybe he wouldn't be here anymore, crushed, instead, a long time ago.
"Hope, I don't want to dampen any high spirits, but if your father isn't there - what'll you do?" asked Serah, reasonably.
"There are no high spirits," scoffed Hope, knowing it was her way of trying to take the pinch off what she was about to say. She was incredibly considerate. "I don't know though... I had no idea where he was before I came here, I'm just hoping he's here."
"The Pulse Guardian Committee didn't exactly think of anything to reunite people together. In fact, they're more likely to tear families apart than bring them together with the rash actions they keep taking. No one knows what to do anymore now we have no fal'cie to instruct us for everything..." sighed Serah.
Hope decided that Serah was someone he found very agreeable from the moment she said that. She was selfless and caring and... strongly maternal. Always, he had craved that comfortable sense of a strong figure to lean on when he needed, and found Serah appealed to him that way.
"What about your family, Fiala?" asked Serah quietly, turning to the other female in the party. Fiala let out a long sigh.
"Deceased," she replied. "Has been for the longest time, however. I am good at coping alone."
"You should come to New Bodhum when we get to Pulse," offered Serah. "We can set you up with somewhere and you won't have to be alone."
"That sounds nice," whispered Fiala with the faintest of smiles.
"Dad!" called out Hope, checking every room to the fullest. Fiala was out in the garden, keeping watch but Hope suspected she had quite a green thumb, hence why she was so eager to remain out there. There was a lot of rubble around from the scrap that had taken place the last time Hope was home, but he wasn't sure it mattered to Fiala too much.
Serah met him halfway in the hallway with just room to check. Her eyes cast a sad look, as if to prepare him for what he knew was surely true once they opened the door. He sighed and pushed the door open, looking around carefully, opening all doors and checking under everything but he knew he was kidding himself - his dad would've rushed out as soon as Hope had announced his presence.
"Hope..." said Serah gently, hands cusped together at her waist as she tried to silently convey her sympathies. Hope nodded and sighed.
"He's not here..."
"I'm sorry," she said, approaching him swiftly.
"Don't apologize, it's not your- ... fault," he muttered into her shoulder.
She'd pulled him into such a tight hug, but he felt comfortably smothered by it. He tucked his head under her chin, and clutched onto her for support. But he couldn't hold back the lurch of regret in his heart that reminded him he hadn't reacted like this when Lightning was the one hugging him in the midst of frenzy, that time in Palumpolum.
If he had held her back, would his hold have been tight enough to keep her anchored to the world to this day?
a/n II: Now, I will say I'm not one to make a big fuss about getting reviews, I care more about knowing at least 1 person is reading this and hopefully enjoying it whilst they do. BUT... as it gets more into the story, I think might need guidance if there's anything that you read and think particularly badly of or think could be better or even stuff you want to see more of, I suppose. Lets not be all negative, after all! ^_^ So yeah, what I will say is that if there's anything reaaaaaaally pressing you, please review and let me know! Dōmo Arigatō!