I wish this Paradox Ending had been continued as an alternate ending for the game, I was pretty interested in how it could have turned out.
EDIT:I made some changes involving the interaction between Hope and Noel. I felt really uncomfortable with Noel just outright holding Hope like that, I felt like I was making Hope out to be weaker because he was hiding in a way. So the only real change to this is that instead of holding him, they are more or less holding each other's hands, which I felt expressed the support that Noel needed to show in this moment, the distress that Hope was feeling, and also did not make Hope seem 'weaker' and more in character by facing what was going on.
I also just want to throw in that this change is not due to any criticism (although I'm surprised no one commented on it, I thought it felt rushed...), but rather due to my own feelings on the matter. I feel much more comfortable with the change.
Thanks again for all the reviews and follows that you guys have given me, they are really appreciated. If you like the story, please favorite, follow, or drop a review, basically just let me know you're enjoying it.
Paradox Ending: The Future is Hope
They began pulling away, taking a step back, he felt all his muscles scream in protest from the action, halting him. He moved forward very suddenly, Hope jumped as he saw the man approach him quickly again, arms wrapping around him tightly, in denial, and it felt like he was going to suffocate not from the pressure of the hug but of the situation.
"DIRECTOR!"
The group all nearly jumped a foot at the shout from back at the Academy, the sounds of boots slamming against the walkways, soldiers sprinting towards them. Noel's stomach dropped as he recognized one man from the crowd, standing at least a head taller than the tallest man among them, Snow was barreling towards them.
"SERAH, DON'T GO!"
Serah had already started sprinting towards the man, she had no intention of turning around now. The two met up in the middle, soldiers rushing past her and continuing towards Noel, Hope and Alyssa. Noel felt a slight panic rise in his chest as they rushed towards him, only to run past and surround Alyssa.
"Freeze, you're under arrest!"
As they pushed her to the ground, pulling her arms behind her back, she screamed at them to let her go. Noel kept his arm in front of Hope, pushing the man back slowly from the scene as Hope seemed to be in shock, his eyes wide as he just watched.
"Give it up, sweet heart, we're on to you," Snow walked towards them finally, his arm around Serah, "Got to you guys just in time."
"What do you mean?" Serah asked, her voice worried as she watched the men continue to aim their guns at Alyssa, "What's going on? What do you want with Alyssa?"
"That artefact she gave you, Serah? It's booby-trapped."
Noel could feel Hope clutching at his arm now, not trying to push it away, not to protect himself, to ground himself. This was happening, Alyssa betrayed him. Noel felt his heart sink, realizing the catastrophic impact this would have on the other man. Gently, he lifted his hand, grasping Hope's and lowering it slightly, taking a step closer to the man, trying to be as reassuring as he could.
Hope didn't need to hide, he would not turn away, he was strong enough to face this and realize the deception he had been fed by someone so close to him. It wasn't easy, but Noel had long since learned that what Hope may have lacked in physical strength, especially since he was no longer a l'Cie, he made up for with knowledge and a certain mental strength that only came from experiencing true loss.
He recognized it, that gloom that would haunt the darkest part of the eye, he could see it in Hope's eyes because he had seen it in his own, in Caius, in Yeul, in Lightning, in Serah… in too many people.
"Someone gave it to you… Someone like Caius?"
Hands squeezed tighter, and all Noel could do was squeeze just as hard back.
"So what if it did?!" Alyssa snapped back at him.
"How did you know, Snow?" Noel asked, the other man looking at him and Hope curiously before smirking slightly, turning serious once more as he glanced at the Time Gate.
"Caius is on the move and up to no good, the past and the future are looking pretty bleak," Turning to Serah again, grabbing her wrist, "Give me a hand, Serah."
Hope suddenly tore away from him, looking up at Snow angrily, "You can't just drop a bomb like that and take off, you always just do what you want, even if it means leaving other people behind. You haven't changed at all!"
"Okay, okay sorry—at least I'm consistent," Snow chuckled at him, Noel frowning as he kept to right behind the other man.
He could see the tension in the young Director's shoulders, but it was not going to snap yet.
With all explanations out in the open, Alyssa was dragged off for questioning, as she had stopped struggling by that point. Hope had watched them take her away, and Noel watched him. It was like watching a plate fall in slow motion, knowing what is coming, but waiting for it to break.
But they couldn't wait. Snow and Serah were already planning to leave, to visit 13 different eras for some kind of crystals.
"What can I do?"
Noel smiled slightly, that was just like Hope. Already hit with all of this, Alyssa's betrayal and them leaving again, and all he wants to know is what he can do to help.
"Just stay alive."
Snow's face was dead serious, and Noel's heart suddenly exploded inside his chest, slamming against his ribs as he continued, "… You're going to be assassinated exactly three days from now."
No, he won't be.
"I'm staying here," the words tumbled out before he had the chance to even think of them, not that it mattered, because that was his exact intention anyways. He would not be leaving while Hope was in danger. The other times… those were different, he was safe, or at least he was not in immediate danger…
He couldn't leave, he would regret it forever if he did. He needed to be here.
"My thoughts exactly," Snow smirked, winking at the hunter, but Noel just scowled at him, "You keep Hope safe, without Hope we're done for."
There was no one who knew this more than Noel.
And they left.
But Noel stayed, and while there was a knot of nerves in his stomach because there would be an attempt on his life in a few days, there was relief in his heart from Noel's presence.
For now, at least, he still had Noel, and even if it's because someone was going to try and kill him, he was still going to take advantage of the extra time he got with the hunter.
