Author's Note: Arystillia used to love someone who looked a lot like Hope but now, in her dreams at times, her comes back and taunts her. Will she ever find happiness? In case no one has figured it out, Arystillia and Hope are meant to be a couple but not at the beginning since he's still so young. Lightning ruining the moment is how I am with my friends when anyone gets lovey-dovey with each other so don't mind it. This story is actually progressing. Omg! I never actually believed I would actually get this far. As for reviews and views rate recently, I've been noticing a major drop. Is it because I don't update much or is it because my writing style is boring? I would like to know so I can improve. Thanks a lot for baring with me. I'll be updating a lot since I don't go back to school until Monday due to thanksgiving break. How has everyone's Thanksgiving been going? Ok, I'm going to stop distracting you readers from reading. Please review?


"I am getting tired of fighting these behemoths." Arystillia complained.

"Well, get used to it." Lightning bluntly replied. Arystillia sighed and struck her lance into one of the behemoth's legs.

"It's just one after the other. Are the just eager to die?" Arystillia asked as she pulled her lance out and the behemoth cried out in pain. She shook the beast's blood onto the ground but a few drops landed on Lightning's arms.

"Hey, watch where you shake that stick of yours." Lightning snapped. Arystillia grumbled and charged at the main body of the beast.

"How do you even fight with a lance?" Hope asked as Arystillia pulled her weapon out and turned it to a staff. She used it to cast a series of spells on it, first staring off with Firaga, then Blizzaga, then Thundaga, then Waterga, and finally Aeroga.

"It takes a lot of practice and fail attempts. I got yelled at by my instructor a million times each time I missed a target." Arystillia told the younger boy and he looked down in defeat, "If I were you, I would stick to that boomerang because I doubt you would be able to wield it."

"Enough chitchat you two. Focus on the target." Lightning broke their conversation. Arystillia spun her staff in her hand a few times and turned it back to a lance. Lightning jumped up into midair and started slashing at the behemoth. Arystillia joined in but instead of just slashing the monster with normal attacks, she used magic slashes. Mostly Sparkstrike since that one was the most effective. After a couple of launches, the behemoth fell to the ground and stopped moving.

"Please tell me that was the last behemoth we'll be fighting." Arystillia said.

"Not sure about that but there's something up ahead." Lightning stated the obvious. Arystillia gripped her weapon tightly as they started to go towards the object up ahead. It was a platform and it seemed to go up, most likely to the top floor. The sinking feeling that Arystillia felt when they first got here came back again and the closer they go to the platform, the stronger the feeling got.

"Finally, we're going to get this over with." Arystillia said as she got onto the platform, along with Lightning and Hope.

"That doesn't mean it's the end of our fight. We still have our brands." Lightning quickly cut off Arystillia's hope. Such a killjoy, Arystillia thought. The platform finally stopped moving and as they were moving off the platform, a massive beast came towards them.

"What the hell is that thing?" Arystillia asked, shocked.

"Pulse Armament." Lightning responded as she drew out her blade.

"Another one?" Arystillia asked as she pulled out her staff and it transformed into a lance.

"This is it. Operation Nora!" Hope yelled as he pulled out his boomerang and ran towards the monster.

"After this, we'll be in Palumpolom right?" Arystillia asked.

"You sure know your places on Cocoon." Lightning remarked.

"I'm not stupid, you know." Arystillia retorted and got a scoff in response.

"Damn. These people are really going after the meat aren't they?" Arystillia asked as she slashed at the monster with her lance. The monster started heading towards Hope and tried to hurt him but Arystillia didn't allow that to happen. She quickly charged towards it, swept her lance on the ground in a circle and swung it at the beast, sending it into the air. She jumped and kept slashing at it as Lightning shot at it from the ground. No one or nothing will ever hurt Hope. If any of them do, I'll make sure they go straight to hell, Arystillia cursed the foul beings in her mind.

"You're asking for your own grave!" Arystillia shouted as she stabbed the beast with her lance and as she fell back down to the ground, she dragged her lance as it was lodged in the beast down with her, causing the beast to cry out in pain. She spun and then pulled her weapon out so quick that neither Lightning or Hope saw it. She turned her lance back into a staff and cast a bunch of spells on it, making sure it was dead.

"You took on that whole thing by yourself." Hope spoke in disbelief.

"It wasn't that difficult." Arystillia told him, "By the way, what was the name of that Pulse Armament because I am positive I have seen it in my past."

"I believed it is the 'Aster ProtoFlorian."' Lightning told her.

"Hmmm, odd." Arystillia mumbled as she stretched and placed her weapon back in it's carrier.

"What's odd?" Hope asked. Arystillia looked down and bit her bottom lip befor shaking her head.

"N-Nothing..." Arystillia responded, still avoiding his eyes.

"If it's bugging you, then you can tell me." Hope said, reassuring her.

"Thanks but Lightning will think it's a stupid reason to get upset over." Arystillia told the younger boy. Lightning glared at her before turning away.

"I won't listen." Lightning deadpanned. Arystillia took a shaky breath and then looked back up to meet Hope's worried green eyes. Why do his eyes remind me so much of his? Arystillia asked herself.

"Back then, long ago in my past, I used to know someone that was very important to me but I can't remember his name no matter how hard I try. He was very kind to me and treated me like I was everything to him. I loved him but I didn't want to marry him because I knew that one day, he would end up dying before me... One day, he went out hunting with a crew of hunters in my tribe and when they came back, he was no where to be found. I was devastated... I told my sister to come with me and we went out looking for him. To my own horror, I saw him lying in the pass to Paddra, lifeless. I was so angered by the fact that I wanted to go find the monster responsible for that.

It wasn't long before I came across a monster that looked identical to the monster we just fought. I was desperate that I wanted to full on kill the monster but I knew I couldn't. The hunters went out again a couple of weeks later and none of them returned..." Arystillia told the younger boy about her past experiences, " And the worst thing is, he looked almost identical to you, Hope. Except that he was older... I keep trying to forget him but he keeps coming back and taunting me about how I never saved him and how he was stupid to fall in love with me... "

"So that's why you protect me? Because I look like someone you love? Is that the reason why you treat me this?! If that's so, then I don't want to talk to you again!" Hope yelled at the older woman.

"Hope..." Arystillia began.

"No! I hate people like you! People who see someone they loved when they see someone else! I can't believed I was fooled to actually trust in you. You never cared for me! You're only using me for comfort!" He spoke hurtful words to her. Arystillia only stared back in horror as her eyes became more and more drowned in sorrow.

"No, you're wrong..." Arystillia whispered.

"What am I wrong about? Isn't it obvious that you don't truly care for me?" Hope asked, still angry.

"Stop! You're so stupid! Can't you see that I'm trying to forget him? He's in the past, Hope! I really care about you. I couldn't protect anyone dear to me so I'll protect you to atone for what I've done? What do you know about me? All you want to do is kill Snow to get your revenge but do you even realize how many people would hate you for that? What would your mother think of yo-" Arystillia argued back but he cut her off.

"Don't mention my mother!" He yelled.

"I don't care if it hurts you! I am going to speak the truth! Your mother and father would be disappointed in you if you killed Snow! Hell, even Light would be disappointed in you. And you want to know why? Because when you kill someone, you'll feel guilty for the rest of your life! I know because I was forced to kill one of my friends in my past!

Every time I look at my hands, I can't help but see her blood on my hands, no matter how much I wash them. I don't want you to bear the same guilt that I do! I was only forced to kill her because she was a l'Cie and her Focus was to kill off the leaders of my tribe so she begged me to kill her since she would rather die than become a Cie'th! Hope Estheim, I truly care for you and I don't want you to have someone's death on your conscience, so please... Don't kill him..." Arystillia begged him as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I can't promise you that I won't kill him..." Hope told her.

"But why?" she asked as her voiced cracked.

"He killed my mother..." he responded. Arystillia wiped away her tears before pulling the young boy into a hug, running her fingers through his hair.

"Don't be afraid to face reality..." she spoke with a hushed tone. Hope didn't understand what she meant.

"Is your guys love scene over yet?" Lightning asked as she returned.

"What the hell?" Arystillia asked and gained a smirk back as a response.

"Let's head to Palumpolum." she told the crew. Arystillia nodded and gestured for Hope to follow her.

Boy, today was hectic. I got into a ridiculous argument with Hope over nothing. That poor boy. But I think he shouldn't kill Snow. I can't change his mind so I'll see what Lightning has to say. I wish you were here since you're good at convincing people and giving advice.