(A/N)
Well it's me, a day late (At least according to my clock) but here it is. It's a little shorter then my usual fare, running just over six thousand words, but I think it'll tide ya'll over till the next one.
There is a lot going on right now, fixing to start school back up Monday. I've been put in charge of my church's youth group (it's weird, I'm seventeen people... that's a lot of responsibility…) so that's going to keep me busy. I've started working for my dad, he's a photographer. And to top it all off the girl I really like is in love with another guy… sigh, it's one of those months isn't it?
But at least I can say writing this is keeping me pretty darn happy so expect more soon.
Now for everyone's favorite section, the reviews! On a side note all reviews are for the current chapter unless otherwise stated.
LaurenTheresa13 (a review for chapter one): glad you liked it.
Brokensunglasses:
Not that fast, just had a day with nothing to do. I didn't think what you said about fight scenes was standoffish, I thought it was helpful actually. And thank you for bringing it up. I always appreciate constructive criticism, it helps me get better.
That was kind of funny wasn't it? Hope (darn it…_) I didn't get you in trouble over their.
And as for that… (looks to the left, looks to the right. Whispers in a conspirtal tone) actually I didn't think of it until you said it. Then it was like one of those eureka moments, rewrote the whole plot. But it's better now… more serious then I meant it to be (I just can't seem to write continuous romantic fluff, sorry) but a much better work of fiction.
Also thank you for reviewing so much and offering constructive criticism.
It feels so weird being part of a writers community like this… It's inspired me to pick up writing again (before I started on fanfiction about a month ago I hadn't written anything in about a year) and to try and participate in the community. I can't say I'm that great, I don't have practice giving criticism, but I'll try.
Another factoid. Aside from my two little brothers you're the only people that have ever read anything I've written… it feels so weird looking on my profile and seeing that so many have read and reviewed… not used to that, makes me want to keep getting better. So a big thank you all for that, and a hug (note, if it's a hug to another guy then it's a man hug. The word man automatically makes it manly and awesome… proven fact… in my head at least…)
Disclaimer.
Plot bunny's, why have you betrayed me? You haunt my sleep but you couldn't even give square enix a few nightmares, maybe a little mental suggestion, so they'd give me the rights to Final Fantasy? I'd settle for just Final Fantasy XIII? How 'bout just Lightning and Hope?... plot bunny's say no… stupid bunny's…
"…No Maqui that's wrong." Hope said, aggravated. "Put your hand here, yes now lead."
"Hope this feels so weird…" Maqui complained.
"It's the only way you're going to learn how to dance in time for Friday!" Hope scolded. "Now hand on my hip!"
Hope was teaching Maqui how to dance. Normally Hope would have delegated this job to someone else. However due to him being the shortest person in NORA the job of teaching Maqui how to dance fell to him, despite his rabid complaining.
"This looks so bad!" Maqui complained. And he was right.
Off to the far side of the training building Jo, Ryan, Reiner, Steve and Justin sat watching their squad mate. A bag of popcorn was being passed from one to the other as they reveled in their friend's humility.
"They make a cute couple." Justin sniggered. "I mean Hope could look like a really hot girl if… you know." Justin made vague gestures around his chest to indicate breasts.
"I know." Ryan agreed. "It's a wonder so many girls are attracted to him…" Ryan said this with a sad sigh. "If I had half the girls he did I'd never have to sleep alone…"
"Pervert." Reiner said shaking his head. "It's much better if you focus on finding that one." Justin shook his head, agreeing with his brother.
"Have you two ever slept with a girl before?" Ryan said, eyebrow half raised. Both Reiner and Justin shook their heads. "I thought so, come back when you have and tell me that…"
"Shut up." Jo said, punching Ryan across the room. "And watch. Maq's getting better by the minute."
Steve, Justin and Reiner exchanged looks. Then in unison they turned to Jo.
"You like Maqui." The trio said it in a sing song voice, and somehow managed to sound fairly nice.
"Shut up!" Jo's face was turning red. "Doesn't matter anyways, he likes this Lebreau girl…" The men exchanged glances. They had all been to Lebreau's bar and had all met her.
"We'll see if it lasts." Ryan said, returning his gaze to Maqui. "Long distance relationships don't normally turn out well."
"Yeah Ryan's right." Reiner reassured. "I was engaged to this girl but she had to move to Nautilus, back when Cocoon was in the sky, and she broke of our engagement because she met someone else…" Ryan and Steve gave Reiner a reassuring pat.
"So don't worry Jo, I'm sure you'll get a chance." Justin said.
"Yeah, just ask 'em out." Steve added sagely. "Maqui's a sucker fer perty girl's."
"Are you guy's actually giving me dating advice?" Jo gave them all strange looks. "The worlds coming to an end, a painful end…"
"What's going on?" Lightning asked, walking up behind them.
"Lightning!" Ryan and Steve got up and quaked at Lightning's appearance.
"Yeah?" Lightning gave them both a frown.
"I think you scared them boss." Reiner said.
"They'll have to get used to it." Lightning's eyes were watching Maqui and Hope dancing. She briefly thought they would be a cute couple, if Hope was a girl and if he wasn't hers. "Once Hope's promoted I'll be taking over his unit."
"What!" Steven and Ryan exclaimed at the same time.
"Are you two hard of hearing?" Lightning asked. "I'm going to be your boss when Hope gets promoted."
"That's what we feared you had said." Ryan sighed and sat down heavily on the floor. "Man we're so screwed…"
Lightning and everyone watched Hope and Maqui for a moment. Maqui then slipped and knocked him and Hope over. The pair landed in an awkward tangle of limbs, and to add insult to injury Maqui landed on top.
Lightning let out a sigh and walked towards them. It was clear that Hope knew how to dance, but not how to teach someone to dance.
"Maqui! Be more careful!" Hope yelled as he pushed Maqui off and rubbed his injured rear end.
"Sorry…" Maqui said blushing and quickly scooted away from Hope. "I'm just not built for dancing…"
"Your not bad." Lightning said, pulling both Hope and Maqui up. "Hope's just not a good teacher. At least when it comes to dancing."
"And you are?" Hope asked, sounding frustrated.
"Actually yes." Lightning positioned Maqui. "I had to teach Serah. Now Maqui square your shoulders…"
Thirty minutes later Maqui was dancing like he had done it all his life. Leaving Hope and his men watching them in amazement. Not even Hope knew that Lightning could teach something so gently, it was truly a humbling experience.
"There." Lightning and Maqui separated, Maqui bowing and Lightning giving him an imaginary curtsy. "Now you can dance to impress."
"T-Thank you." Maqui said, voice filled with awe.
"Don't thank me, Hope's the one that wants you to dance." Lightning headed towards one of the room exits. "Hope I'm taking my lunch break."
"Thanks Light." Hope called after her. Lightning just nodded as the door closed behind her.
"You know I miss her mini skirt." Ryan said next to Hope. "Now she just wears those damn canvas pants, no form or anything…" Ryan doubled over in pain as Hope hit him.
"You really pissed him off." Reiner observed as Hope walked out of the room. "Huh, I never really pegged him as the short tempered type."
"Normally he ain't." Steve spat at the ground, frowning as he noted how little distance his phlegm achieved. "But talk like that 'bout Lightning 'an you'll find yourself hurt some'in fierce."
"So…" Maqui said, looking expectantly at his comrades.
"So what?" Jo asked, sounding annoyed.
"Did you guy's tell him about Alex?" Maqui asked.
"Yeah…" Ryan rubbed the back of his head. "Well you see…"
"You didn't tell him." Maqui looked at them exasperated. "Come on guys, we need to tell him…"
"It's not so easy Maq." Jo whistled and the strange animal from yesterday came out. It's eyes looked between the group as it panted, huge grin plastered to its dog like face. "I mean how do you explain keeping something that so closely resembles a gorgonopsid?"
"Well he's cute, doesn't bite and just look at those eyes? How could anything bad have eyes like that!" Everyone stared strangely at Maqui. "What?"
"You sounded like a chick." Justin said.
"And it was kind of weird." Reiner added.
Everyone nodded in agreance. Maqui just sighed and Alex whined and licked his hand comfortingly.
"At least someone's on my side." Maqui patted Alex's head comfortingly. "And since he's on my side that means one of you has to tell Hope…" Five questioning eyebrows were lifted at Maqui. "Hey I've got a lot to do today." Maqui said, he sounded kind of happy about it. "Hope's helping me pick out a tux and getting me a good table at his promotion ceremony. And I'm…"
"Alright we get it." Jo interrupted, a little too hastily. "Just go, we'll ell Hope about Alex just get yourself ready for your date." Maqui nodded and jogged off. Leaving Jo to sigh and look towards Reiner. "Beer, when I come back I want beer and lots of it…"
"Whatever you say ma'am…"
The mess hall.
Hope and Lightning sat across from each other in one of the benches in the corner. Hope was staring disdainfully at today's special, pork chops. (or the Pulsian equivalent) He was never very fond of them, regarding pork chops much like someone would regard something inedible.
Lightning on the other hand ate them quickly. A little smile coming to her face as she enjoyed the flavor of it. Hope just watched her, amazed that she could stomach the slightly burnt, nearly flavorless, pieces of meat that Arsenal passed off as pork chops.
"Hey Hope you going to finish that?" Lightning asked once she had cleared her heaping plate of food, all but licking it.
"Go ahead…" Hope pushed his plate over to her and watched her begin again.
For Hope it was amazing to see Lightning eating something so quickly. Normally when they ate together she was calm and well mannered, not this ravenous animal that sat across from him.
"Oh man." Lightning wiped her face with her arm, very un-lady like. "That was way better then what they served in Bodhum." Hope shook his head sadly. "You NORA goons sure do eat good, guess that's why so many of you look like Snow."
"If this is better then what they served in Bodhum then remind me never to visit." Hope grumbled, laying his head tiredly on the table. "I don't think I could survive…"
"Man up Hope." Lightning said, smirking at Hope's dejected look. "It's amazing to think you'd eat almost anything back when we were L'Cie…"
"I was a stupid boy, I didn't know any better." Hope complained. "Now I know good food, and this isn't it." Lightning rolled her eyes at Hope.
"You know your being a baby right?" that got a reaction Hope sat up straight and eying Lightning strangely.
"Am not." Hope pouted.
"yeah, you are…"
Lightning teased Hope for a few more minutes, just until she was done with her food, before moving on to a more serious subject. How the hell were they going to get Lebreau to enjoy a date with Maqui?
"Huh." Hope leaned back in his chair and thought about it. "Beer?" Lightning snorted.
"Yeah, get her drunk. Do you remember who got hurt last time she was drunk?" Lightning smirked as Hope rubbed the side of his head, as though remembering some distant pain.
"I got hit, pretty hard to." Hope muttered. "What if we just make it real romantic and trust Maqui to handle it?"
"You think he can?" Lightning asked. "He's not exactly the most… how do I say this? Romantic man I've ever met. And around girls, especially attractive girls, he tends to put his foot in his mouth… and what's with the smile?" Hope was grinning at her.
"All guy's put there foots in their mouths, especially around pretty girls. And even more so around pretty girls they like." Hope shrugged. "Well most guys, I'm sure every now and then you find a Fabio but in NORA? Yep, they're going to screw up."
"I knew a Fabio once." Lightning said. Hope gave her a wide mouthed look. "Wasn't that romantic, jack ass was a stalker. Well was, I took care of him though…"
"Should I be out looking for a body?" Lightning rolled her eyes at Hope.
"No he's not dead. Just not a he anymore…" The evil smirk that Lightning developed made Hope scoot as far away from her as the small bench allowed. "You don't have to worry. Unless you try to come in the bathroom with me on purpose. Then you'll hurt, no your future children will hurt." Lightning was enjoying Hope's discomfort far too much, but apparently turnaround is fair game.
"But aren't my future children yours?" Hope asked. He grinned broadly as Lightning face took on a shade of pink similar to her hair.
"Shut it." Lightning muttered at Hope as he started giggling. "And for the maker's sake laugh like a guy! It's bad enough everyone thinks you and Maqui make a hot couple…"
"What?" There are few ways to deflate Hope's ego and ruin his day, that was however one of them. "Who said that?" Hope was grinding his teeth in anger or frustration, Lightning wasn't sure which.
"Everyone, except Maqui." Lightning had to suppress a laugh as Hope shot murderous glares at the empty mess hall. "And me, but I was thinking it."
"Et tu Light?" (translated: you to Light?) Hope sighed. "Oh well, if that's what you want I'll pour my heart and soul out to Maqui!" Hope said with a dramatic flourish, which earned him Lightning's spoon bouncing off the side of his head. "Ow Light!" Hope rubbed the injured place furiously, "That hurts you know!"
"Your mine." Lightning said, grinning at Hope. "And I don't share well."
"Tell me about it, you stole all the covers last night…" Hope ducked a fork. "Hey now that thing has points!"
"Watch what you say in public." Lightning scolded harshly. "We know we didn't do anything, but other people wouldn't."
"Okay, I'll be good." Hope picked up the fork and gently set it out of Lightning's reach. "Just stop throwing cutlery at me, you could really injure me doing that you know."
Lightning rolled her eyes and gathered the plates and silverware, save the fork Hope was keeping out of her reach.
"When are you and Maqui leaving to get him a tux?" Lightning asked Hope, who was walking beside her.
"In about ten minutes or so." Hope said, checking the clock on the wall. "Then when we're done their I have to go set up city hall for my promotion ceremony tomorrow. I have Ryan and Reiner cooking what they promise to be a five course meal."
"Your going to trust a couple of guys to cook?" Lightning shook her head. "Make them waiters, I can cook."
"By yourself?"
"No, you'll join me when you can." Lightning said.
"I don't have a say in this, do I?" Hope asked, Lightning seemed to think for a moment before she shook her head.
"Nope, your helping me." Lightning looked at Hope with a small smile. "You don't have a choice." A soft kiss to the forehead. "You never have…"
A small men's boutique in Palumpolum.
"…No you may not have the blue one…." Hope sighed in exasperation. "And that one's too loose, you need something that will fit you better."
Maqui was apparently someone who was hard to buy tuxedos for. He liked the pants far too loose. The vests he chose hugged his upper chest far too tight (which was awkward for the both of them) and his coats didn't fit his shoulders squarely. And to top it all off his color's clashed terribly.
"What's wrong with blue and green?" Maqui defended. "I think it looks good!"
"On a three year old maybe." Hope muttered. "Look I'm not saying there's anything wrong with green and blue being together, but not when they're that brightly colored, makes you look like a clown!"
"Hey that's not nice at all!" Maqui and Hope locked gazes, both trying to stare the other one down.
"What about a nice traditional black suit?" Hope offered, pulling one off a nearby rack. "It's really hard to find something that doesn't go with black…"
"But it's so dark!" Maqui said, very childlike. "And Lebreau's bright and vibrant…" Hope sighed.
"Bright and vibrant, not clown like." Hope said, taking several deep breaths to calm himself down. "What about white then? I know it won't be white by this time Saturday comes around but it's a much brighter color, wouldn't you agree?"
"But…" Hope held up a hand.
"No buts, you're going to try it on." Hope was not asking. His tone of voice was the commanding tone of a soldier.
"Damn it…" Maqui grumbled. He eyed the white suit before taking it from Hope and clomping off to the dressing rooms.
As soon as Maqui was out of sight Hope let out a long sigh. Hope hated shopping with Maqui. His sense of fashion was influenced heavily by Yuj, who Hope thought dressed horribly.
"Do I really have to put it on?" Maqui whined. A vein in Hope's head popped.
"Damn it Maqui you are putting that tux on our I'll shove it so far up your ass you'll…" Hope stopped mid sentence when a surprised gasp came from behind. A glance over his shoulder told him he should be even angrier. "What are you doing here Lexis?"
Hope turned away from the dressing room, which the noise of someone changing like their life depended on it came from, and looked in the face of an amused Lexis.
"Oh come on Hoppy."
Hoppy? Like hoping? Wouldn't Hopey make more sense?
"You know Maqui's never going to get a girl like Lebreau." Lexis was speaking in her best sultry voice, she was admittedly very good at talking that way. "So why don't we blow off your loser friend and get something to eat, or we could always just skip to dessert…"
Hope turned away from her. Lexis for whatever reason had something of an obsession with Hope. This was to Hope's annoyance and everyone else's amusement.
Lightning would kill her. Hope thought to himself. If she sees Lexis flirting with like this she would kill her... and I'd really hate for that to happen…
It wasn't that he particularly liked Lexis, normally he couldn't stand her, but having ones second in command ripped apart by his best friends would be a problem. And the last thing Hope needed right now were more problems…
"Come on, you know you want to." Lexis had slid up behind Hope. Her slender arms wrapped around his frame causing him to stand straight up.
"Lexis remove yourself this instant." A distinctive low growl interred Hope's voice. "I don't have time for your childish antics today."
The store became quiet as its occupants intently watched the two well known NORA leaders stare each other down. Even Maqui, who was wearing the tuxedo and looking every bit the part of a refined gentleman, was watching fearfully.
"Whatever." Lexis sighed as she turned away from Hope. "I'll see you losers some other time." And with that she walked away, leaving poor Maqui with a seething Hope.
"Brat, she acts like she's still in high school." Hope turned his glare towards Maqui. "Looks good, that's what your wearing." Maqui nodded, swallowing hard. "Now pay for it and we'll head over to city hall. We need to help set everything up for my promotion tomorrow…"
City hall.
There were many things that Lightning have frustrated Lightning over the years. Most of which involved Snow and Serah, more specifically Snow being around/talking about Serah. And even Snow wasn't so frustrating anymore, not that she'd admit that to him.
"No Reiner use the damn tape!" Coordinating soldiers to set up a party was one of these things. "Jo your folding the napkins wrong, like I showed you. Neat triangles." Lightning sighed in exasperation.
City hall was a massive concrete domed building with five floors. The part was on the highest of these four floors. Hundreds of tables with pure white table cloths were set on the golden tiles. Each one had six oaken chairs with velvet red cushions pushed up to them.
The tables had a smaller red square cloth placed on them. Silver plates with golden plated silverware were position in front of each chair. Also the middle of each table had a single candle extending out of a bouquet of flowers.
It's a fire waiting to happen. Lightning thought with a sigh as she looked around the room. Someone like Hope's going to knock the candle over and burn city hall down…
A loud crash brought Lightning out of her thoughts. She shot a glare towards the raised stage as Steve and Justin tripped and took the podium down. The wooden, movable, podium made a loud thunk as it and the two grown men crashed into the ground.
"I told you two to be careful!" Lightning bellowed at them. "The next person to wreck something is getting their ass kicked, understood!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Lightning decided whoever wanted soldiers, no not soldiers 'these' soldiers, to set up a promotion ceremony was an idiot. A sadistic idiot.
"Hey boss why are we hanging banners?" Ryan asked. "I mean it's just a promotion and we're decorating this like it's some damn prom…"
Now that Ryan had said it she had to agree. Whilst it didn't look like a prom per say it did look like a party. Not the kind with loud music and wild dancing, but rather a more refined affair.
"Jo don't you have a copy of the schedule?" Lightning asked, crossing the room towards Jo.
"Yeah." Jo locked her knees around the ladders top rung and bent her body backwards far enough to hand a slip of paper to Lightning. "Haven't taken a look yet, me and the guy's stopped when we saw the menu…" Lightning could believe that.
Lightning unfolded the piece of paper as Jo went back to hanging the banner. Lightning glanced at Jo, wondering briefly how she could by that limber, and then read the schedule quickly.
"It is a party." Lightning confirmed. "Who made this anyways?"
"Snow." Jo said. "He emailed it to Hope's office last night…"
"How did you know that?" Ryan asked suspiciously.
"Hacked his computer. Was wondering who's unit I'd be in and saw it was sent by Snow." Jo said simply. The men of the unit exchanged glances.
"You were checking to see if you were in Maqui's unit." Justin said. All the males shot him surprised looks. Jo may not have been as deadly as Lightning, but she didn't pull any punches when she was angry.
"I-I was not!" Jo yelled, face flushed, at Justin.
"Maqui and Jo sitting in a tree K I S S I N…" A stapler bounced of Justin's head, cutting his chant off.
"Watch it Justin." Jo growled, her face and most of her neck a bright red. "Unless you want to die…"
"Understood ma'am!"
Lightning shook her head. These were her soldiers, the most hopeless bunch of idiots the army, and NORA, had.
But I guess I really wouldn't have it any other way. A small, almost unnoticeable, smile graced Lightning's lips. They're unprofessional, idiotic and perhaps the worst listeners I've ever met. But they're loyal. And loyalty counts for a lot…
"NO!"
A cracking sound was the only warning there was before one of city halls massive, expensive, glass chandeliers came crashing to the ground. It's shattered pieces flew in all direction, covering the once clean floor in glass dust.
Forget everything I just thought. A vein started to painfully pulse in Lightning's forehead. Their loyalty is outweighed by their incompetence… I bet that's coming out of my pay check…
An aura of death surrounded Lightning as she stood. As her soldiers looked at her the air seemed to drop twenty degrees.
"You all…" With a single smooth motion Lightning's gunblade was drawn in blade mode. "Are about to die…!"
"Hell." Hope exclaimed as he walked in the room. Lightning froze mid threat and glanced at Hope.
If her aura was dark then Hope's was something like pure evil. It was like meeting a demon, Lightning, and the devil himself, Hope.
"H-Hope calm down." Maqui said from where he stood, boots shaking, next to Hope.
"All of you have five minutes to get this clean." Hope's voice was a whisper. "And if it's not done…" Hope let his sentence trail off.
Perhaps it was Hope's use of a cussword, or his evil aura, that scared his men into action. But more than likely it was that calm whisper that scared the soldiers.
"Light I need to talk to you." Hope was still talking in that same whisper, but Lightning saw a slight smirk to his face.
"Alright." Lightning followed Hope out to one of the balconies.
Hope shut the door behind them and as soon as he was out of his subordinate's sight let out a long sigh.
"Their going to be the death of me." Hope groaned, leaning on the balcony's railing.
"shopping with Maqui couldn't have been that hard…" Hope gave her a look. "What it's not like he's Yuj…" another look.
"Yuj is his best friend. Whatever sense of style that Maqui has is long buried and any sense of color coordination that poor Maqui had…" Lightning interrupted Hope's rant with a flick to the forehead.
"You know you whine an awful lot." Lightning said teasingly.
"I saved the world, took down the evil Fal'Cie rulers and had to put up with a less then friendly Lightning for a while. I think I've earned the right to whine a little bit." Hope pouted.
"Get over yourself." Lightning and Hope both laughed a little bit at that.
The laughter died down after a moment and the two stood out on the balcony, enjoying mid afternoon weather. A cool breeze started up and blew Hope's hair in his face. Lightning smiled as she watched Hope try in vain to blow his hair out of his face.
"Here" Lightning brushed the hair back with her left hand. Their eyes locked and Lightning blushed slightly when she realized what she was doing.
"Thanks' Light." Hope put his hand over hers a moment before he finished brushing his hair back.
"Nothing to thank me for." Lightning looked back out at the beautiful city of New Palumpolum. "I was just moving your hair…"
"No thank you for opening up to me." Hope could feel Lightning gaze looking at the side of his head. "I don't know what I'd have done back then if you hadn't…" They were quiet for a few seconds while Lightning collected her thoughts.
"Hey Hope." Hope turned his head towards her, giving Lightning his full attention. "What is this new operation Nora? You said something about Christmas. I've kind of been wondering what you meant, you know since the last didn't exactly go as planned."
"That's an easy one." Hope's face turned beet red and he had to swallow. "the goal of operation Nora is to marry…"
Hope was interrupted as a second loud crash sound came from city hall. Hope sighed and poked his head out the door, Lightning watching him with a strangely melancholy look.
"What… how did…" Hope threw the doors open and stormed into the room, which was now chandelier less, yelling.
Lightning watched Hope for a moment. She then steeled herself and entered the room in, much to everyone else's dismay, soldier mode.
"What is this?" Hope was pointing towards Alex, who sat innocently amongst a pair of ruined chandeliers.
"Um well…" Ryan.
"It's." Steve.
"Kind of." Reiner.
"Our." Justin.
"Mascot…" Jo.
The five of them were standing innocently behind Alex, who was sitting happily with his tongue hanging out.
"Mascot?" Hope looked from the animal to his team and back again. "Why… what…"
"I believe it's my problem Hope." Lightning said as she stepped beside him. "Since I'll be the leader of this unit after tomorrow." Hope gave her a look.
"What do you propose to do about this?" Hope asked, trying to be calm.
"I propose that my team get their asses moving and clean up this mess!" Lightning yelled. "Maqui, Jo get the animal out of here!"
"Does that mean he's our mascot?" Maqui asked hopefully.
"As long as you can take of it then fine." Lightning gave Maqui a nod and glared at the rest of them. "Now move it!..."
Over the course of the night Hope swore his blood pressure rose, and that he would be in debt the rest of his life.
Hopes house, late that evening.
"so tired…" Hope whined as he all but fell off his velocycle. "whole team, morons…"
"It wasn't that bad." Lightning pulled Hope up as she gracefully dismounted the velocycle. "We managed to set everything up, and save one of those expensive chandeliers."
"Doesn't matter." Hope muttered as Lightning had to all but drag him towards the house. "They're a head ache, broke more then they fixed and cost me my next two paychecks…"
"at least city halls still standing?" Lightning offered, finding the depressed pout Hope wore to be rather cute.
"Just wait, they have another chance to destroy it tomorrow…" Hope groaned.
"get over it." Lightning pushed the door open. The smell of dinner wafted over to her, causing Lightning's stomach to growl softly.
"Is that you Hope?" Bartholomew called from the kitchen.
"Yeah." Hope said, yawning the whole time. "What's for dinner?"
"Roast." Bartholomew called.
"You need any help?" Lightning called as she dragged Hope to the couch.
"That'd be great." Bartholomew replied.
"All right, just let me put Hope down for a nap…"
"Hey that's not nice Light!" Hope tried to struggle, but he was worn out. "I don't need a nap…" Hope yawned loudly as Lightning forced him to lay down on the couch.
"you've still got a little growing left to do, so don't push it too much." Lightning pulled the heavy throw blanket off of the couch and laid it over Hope. "I'll wake you up for dinner."
"but Light…" Lightning silenced Hope by kissing him on the forehead.
"Now go to sleep." Hope rolled his eyes, but complied and allowed his eyes to close.
As Lightning started to walk towards the kitchen Hope's soft snores graced her ears. Lightning smiled lightly as she entered the kitchen.
Bartholomew turned to Lightning as she entered. There was a parental look in his eye, one that Lightning used to give to Serah's boyfriends.
This is going to be interesting.
"What do you need help with sir." Lightning asked, leaning against one of the counters.
"Actually I just wanted to talk." Bartholomew, who was wearing Hope's apron, said.
"About Hope, right?" Lightning crossed her arms over her stomach and waited for Bartholomew to lean against the wall opposite her.
"Yeah…" Bartholomew frowned as he and Lightning locked eyes. He looked very much like a man that knew what he wanted to say, and didn't know how to say it.
"Don't worry sir, I'll keep him safe." Lightning promised. "It's not like we're fighting anything that strong these days, nothing like when we were L'Cie…" Bartholomew sighed and looked up at the ceiling, trying to compose his thoughts.
"I know you'll keep him physically safe." Bartholomew said after a moment. "But I'm worried about his heart. He really loves you and… I want to know how you feel…" Bartholomew was definitely uncomfortable, which brought a question to Lightning's mind.
"He's never actually been had a girlfriend before, has he?" Lightning took Bartholomew's long sigh as a no.
"Hope's shy. He never really pursued girls, especially not before Cocoon fell. I-I think it's because of me… we didn't really get along before, you know. So I never really got to talk to him about it..." Bartholomew's normally confident self seemed to crack a little bit. It was replaced by a father who was very much worried about his son.
"Don't worry about Hope." Lightning and Bartholomew locked eyes again, Lightning's gaze was one of pure honesty. "I'm going to protect Hope."
"Do you love him?" Lightning couldn't help but smirk a little bit.
"Yeah, I do." Lightning swallowed a little bit, emotions like these still seemed new to her around other people. "That's why I'm going to protect him sir, because I… l-lov…" Lightning couldn't say it.
She didn't know why. She had already told Hope she loved him. But now in front of Hope's dad she just couldn't say it.
"I know what you mean." Bartholomew was smiling a fatherly smile. "It took me forever to tell Nora I loved her, and then it took even longer to admit to anyone else I loved her." Bartholomew was smiling fondly. "At our wedding I stuttered it for almost a minute, the reverend was trying not to laugh and my best man was doing his best to help me along. In the end Nora kissed me before I could actually say it. I was so nervous, I wanted to be everything to her…"
Lightning nodded. She felt the same about Hope.
"I guess it's the same with you." Bartholomew pushed his glasses up his nose. "If that's, no since that's the case, I trust him to you… Well I trust him to you when he's eighteen. Until then…"
"I know." Lightning said, smiling lightly. "we agreed on the same thing… but um is it okay if we…" Lightning blushed. Bartholomew laughed.
"Yes, you can cuddle." The dinner buzzer rang. "In the living room." Bartholomew rushed to the oven. "it's not that I don't trust you but… oi!" Bartholomew had burned himself, his worn out oven mitts not protecting his hands.
Lightning grabbed a thick rag and pulled the roast out of the oven while Bartholomew ran cold water over his burn. Lightning almost laughed because of how much this looked like something that would happen to Hope.
"Are you okay sir?" Lightning asked.
"Yeah… Can I have some ice?" Bartholomew sounded embarrassed.
Lightning wrapped a few cubes of ice in a rag and gave it to Bartholomew. Bartholomew then pressed it to the burn.
"I'll wake up Hope, you should keep the ice on it for awhile. It'll help the burn." Lightning walked out of the kitchen and to the living room.
There she found a peacefully sleeping Hope, who was innocently sucking on his thumb. Lightning stood over Hope, smiling down at him.
Sometimes I think the only thing about you that's different is you height. Lightning grabbed the back of the couch. But I don't think that's a bad thing…
Lightning pushed the couch over with Hope on it. Hope made a loud thunk sound as he hit the hardwood floor.
"Attack! We're under attack!" Hope grabbed a cushion and swung it around like a sword. "Everyone get down!... Wait my house, the couch, Light!"
Lightning just smiled at Hope as he regained his bearings. She may not have known how to wake him up the first time, but now it was slowly becoming one of her favorite activities.
"Come on, dinners ready…"
Crystallized Cocoon, Crystallized Bodhum.
The ocean city of Bodhum had was frozen almost completely in crystal. The see was frozen forever with its rolling waves reflecting the little light that made it into Bodhum in a cascade of brilliant, water like, blues.
The beach's sand was now white crystal powder. On the beach's crystal stand stood two crystallized L'Cie.
"Another beautiful day."
A man with long white hair and bright ice blue eyes was walking amongst the crystallized L'Cie. He wore a sky blue long sleeved shirt over heavily worn blue jeans.
"Wouldn't you agree Fang?" The man asked one of the crystals. "No, I suppose not…"
The man smiled brightly at he stared at the distant crystal sky.
"Though I imagine Vanille would enjoy it, at least if the datalog is correct…" The man extended his hand out towards the sky and motioned like he was cupping the distorted sun in his palm. "You know I love this sky. It's the world's chance for change, a chance to rise above our Fal'Cie masters. And do you know who the maker has chosen to usher in this new age?" The man looked towards Fang, who was silent as expected.
"Us." The man was staring into Fang's crystal eyes. "He has given me and my follower's powers that rival the Fal'Cie. Really we're gods in the bodies of men…" The man sighed and looked over the sea. "Well, almost gods. Even I'm not strong enough to be God, and I never will be. But we've found one. Pyros saw him bring a woman back from death."
The man walked, almost skipped, across the sand. His arms moved about like a conductor and spun around. A laugh came from his throat as the world sun before his eyes.
"But he's not ready yet, he's just touched his power." The man tripped and fell hard on the sound.
A white cloud blew out around him and into the air. It sparkled and cast his body in thousands of pinholes of light.
The man laughed in delight. Utterly enjoying the way they sparkled around him.
"No, not yet… But soon…" The man was cut short as a strong gust of wind blew the sparkling crystal sand away.
"Lord Oran." A man wearing green robes called.
"Ventus! I was enjoying that!" Oran shouted.
Ventus stood five three. His hair was short and windswept, eyes green and fierce.
His forest green robes were tied about the joint's, ensuring maneuverability in combat. The robes had a golden eagle emblazoned on their backs, it's wings spread wide.
"Sorry sir." Ventus bowed low. "But it's time for Pyros's departure, you requested me to gather you before he left." Oran groaned before pushing himself to his feet.
"I'll see you later Oerba Yun Fang…" Oran looked up at the sky once again. "I'm sorry you won't be able to see the part tomorrow. It's going to be the most interesting new year that Pulse has ever seen, I promise you that…"
(A/N)
And thus it is done. For me this one feels like foreshadowing, especially the part with Oran.
The use of the name Ventus has no correlation to Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep.
So who are these mysterious 'followers?' What was Oran doing with Fang and Vanille? What's so special about Hope (aside the obvious)? And why don't you hurry up and get Lightning and Hope dating so they can kiss (One of my friends who is a girl asked me this)? And why am I asking you?
Well tune in next time to see if I figure it out!... Plot bunny's say please?
