Timeskip

…

Like I said before, we stopped anywhere possible, which makes like almost no where! Palumpolum is flooded with PSICOM!

"Hey guys," Fang said.

I looked up at her, "What's up?"

"Did any of you see Vanille's brand?" She asked.

I shook my head as Lightning told her no.

"No, huh?" Fang sighed solemnly.

I sat down again, my body still ached. All of this fighting and running around was starting to get to me, but I wasn't going to give up. Not yet, anyways.

Fang turned around and looked at us, and said, "Wanna know how it is until Cie'th City? Just look at your brand."

Lightning looked at her with an awkward look on her face. That made me wonder: Where is her brand?

Lightning turned from us and zipped down her undercoat. Oh.

I unbuttoned my sleeve, and looked over at my brand.

Honestly, I didn't have a clue what to look for. I just noticed it was slightly different, nothing to major. Although, it's on my shoulder, I can't get a good look at it.

"You start getting more arrows, then finally an eye. Once it opens all the way, you're done," Fang explained to us.

So THAT'S what I'm supposed to look for.

Fang walked over to Lightning, "Let's have a look."

Lightning mumbled an okay to Fang.

I mentally laughed, this was actually funny to see Lightning a little embarrassed.

"No where near, you've got time," Fang told her.

Whew.

"Okay, now for you," Fang pointed at me, and I stood up.

She examined my brand, and gave me a reassuring smile, "Same for you, except your sister's brand is a little more progressed."

"Why would that be? I mean, we've both been l'Cie for the same amount of time." I asked.

"Depends on how hard you push yourself. One nasty shock can really speed up the progress of your brand," Fang replied.

Well it's a good thing we have Fang, because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't know a single damn thing about ANY of this.

"Vanille's brand must be pretty far along by now, I gotta save her and get her home," Fang looked up to the sky.

Lightning walked around the small area, "To Pulse, you mean?"

I saw Fang roll her eyes, "To Gran Pulse," She corrected Lightning, "I hear the Sanctum prevents people from leaving Cocoon. I'd like to see them try and stop me."

"So, that's your plan? I wish I had one," Lightning sighed.

What?

"Sis, if this is about Serah, she's gonna wake up. You heard Fang, she and Vanille woke up!" I walked in front of Lightning and gave her a smile.

"But what going to happen before that? We still have a Focus of our own to finish," Lightning sighed, "Let's say we do topple the government. Where does that leave us? With nothing to fight for."

I looked down. She was right, if we did do what we had to do, wouldn't that still leave people hating us?

"We'll have nothing to fight for. Might as well be dead," Lightning said.

Dead? Might as well be dead?

I mean, I could hear that coming out of my mouth, but coming out of Light's mouth?

What's gotten into her?

"Serah," I heard Fang say.

Both me and Lightning jerked our heads up at her.

"You've got plenty to fight for, both of you. Think about it. Don't you want to see her, when she wakes up?" Fang asked, "That is your future right there. All you've gotta do is survive." She chuckled, "It's simple!"

"Right," Light and I said at the same time. We looked at each other, and I actually laughed myself.

Then, there was a familiar sound above us. Skyfleet!

Wait, the way they were headed…

"Snow," Lightning whispered.

"They found 'em," Fang said.

An explosion erupted.

Oh Maker, please let those two be okay.

We ran as fast as we could in that direction.

…..

I huffed as I ran. I heard my heartbeat in my ears. I pumped my legs. I almost slipped on every sharp turn.

I've never been this overwhelmed in my life.

But this was Snow and Hope, two people we needed for our Focus, and two friends that I cared about.

In the distance, I saw a huge orange robot, and a figure with platinum colored hair. Hope.

We reached him.

"Not bad, kid!" Fang complimented him.

"Where's Snow?" Light asked.

Hope looked over at her, "He's okay!"

Fang readied her lance, "Sure your up to this?"

Lightning and I got our weapons out, "Thing'll never know what hit it!"

Battle Commenced.

…

Afterbattle

…

The battle was over, and I was just gasping for air.

"The thing could've at least went easy on us!" I complained, but laughed at the same time.

Fang walked over to a limp Snow on the ground.

I ran over to Snow, and examined him.

"Well, seeing that Hope is all in one piece, Snow shouldn't be that bad off," I said.

Fang nodded her head in a agreement, then looked up at the other two, "Don't forget about this one."

Fang and I lifted Snow up slightly, he was a heavy man, that's for sure.

"That one will be alright," Lightning said, "He's too stubborn to die." A ghost smile appeared on Lightning face for a second, but long enough for me to notice.

I smiled at her comment, and watched as she lifted Snow's arm onto her shoulder.

I put Snow's other arm on my shoulder, and we walked all the way to Felix Heights.

…..We'd finally reached Hope's house.

In front of his house was a little sign that said 'Estheim Residence'.

Hope's front yard was circular, with a small garden in the middle, and a larger garden surrounding it.

You could see almost all of Palumpolum from his house.

Hope rang the doorbell, and the door was quickly slid open.

A man, who must've been his father, was at the door, "Hope!" He looked so tired, but happy to see Hope.

"Mom's gone," Hope told him.

Gone? I didn't know his mother was dead.

…..

Mr. Estheim let us in. He led Lightning to the guest room to bandage up Snow.

Fang and I went into the main living room, and turned on the T.V.

I sat down, and watched the news that was on. Just a bunch more crap about us, no biggie.

"Must be the kid's family," Fang said, and pointed at a picture in a frame.

I looked over at it. I saw Hope, Mr. Estheim, and…her!

I remember her! She was the woman who saved Snow from getting a nuke launched into him.

I felt guilty. I didn't know that was Hope's mother.

Maybe that's why Hope was wanting to talk to Snow a while back.

"Hey," Lightning walked in, "Meeting in the front room."

I looked at the picture for another second, then followed Fang and Light into the room.

…..

It was quiet.

Not that peaceful quiet that you'll hear at a park.

Not that quiet teachers like once her students have shut up.

No, this was the quiet you'd never want to be in. This is the quiet you'd hear at a funeral.

Snow stood up from his chair, and got down on his knees. "The blame is mine. I couldn't save her."

Mr. Estheim rested his head on his hand.

Hope spoke up, "If it weren't for Snow. I wouldn't be here right now."

Well that changed the course.

"Snow," Mr. Estheim said, "Did Nora…Did she say anything to you?"

Nora? But isn't that the name of Snow's group? What a major coincidence.

"Hope. She said to get him home," Snow replied.

"And that's exactly what you've done," Mr. Estheim said.

I sighed in relief, along with the others. The mood had lightened up, which is a good thing.

"Face to face like this, it's hard to believe you're all dangerous fugitives. The entire world is scared to death of you l'Cie. No, not even just you. People who've helped you, bumped into you. Sometimes it's people who've just walked by you. They think their 'tainted' any want everyone of them Purged." Mr. Estheim explained.

"The Sanctum's a puppet of the fal'Cie!" Snow was raged, "To them, our lives don't mean anything at all." Moment of silence. "We'll stop this. Take down the Sanctum, and save Cocoon."

Another moment of silence.

"You thought that through?" Mr. Estheim asked.

That sort of brought Snow's hopes down.

"If l'Cie take down the Sanctum, fear of Pulse will only get worse. It wont stop at fear, people will take arms and stand against you. Can you imagine it? The rampant violence?" Mr. Estheim explained.

Lightning spoke up, "When the government's control is gone, the citizens will revolt."

Fang stood up, "So what then? We're supposed to just smile and eat a bullet? That means you too," Fang pointed at Mr. Estheim.

Mr. Estheim gave a chuckle, "I know I'm part of this. I'm on your side of the fence. Harborer of l'Cie, a public enemy."

Again, that silence was there. Not as long as before, but that doesn't make it any better.

"Coming here was a bad idea," Hope said.

Mr. Estheim put his hand on Hope's shoulder, "This is your home," and he stood up, "We're all here. Let's figure this out."

Then, the electricity went out.

The rest of us stood up.

"Oh, well this is great!" I yelled sarcastically.

Then, "Heads up!" Lightning yelled.

Right after she said that, the ceiling window broke, and smoke bombs were dropped. Soldiers broke threw the other windows once the bombs went off.

Snow yelled something to Hope, I didn't understand what he said over the smoke and wheezing and beating up soldiers.

I could barely see anything, and I tripped over something.

I got up as fast as I could, and then I heard something. A bullet came flying across my face, and went into the wall beside me.

I yelped, and someone grabbed my arm, "Come on!" It was Fang.

The smoke started to fade off, and we could actually see what we were doing.

…..

After fighting off what soldiers were in the room, we hid beside the broken windows, and waited for more.

I looked outside, and there were more than I expected!

"Who ordered the battalion?" Fang wondered.

"They'll take out the whole building next," Lightning said, and looked over. She did a hand signal for Mr. Estheim and Snow to come back.

Hope and Mr. Estheim greeted each other again while we kept look out.

Snow came over, "My turn." He took his coat off, and stood by the window.

Okay, what the hell is he doing?

He shown his jacket to those soldiers, and they shot like crazy at it.

"Don't shoot!" He yelled at them, "I'll show you what a l'Cie looks like!" and they stopped shooting.

He put his hands up, and walked out there.

"Snow! What are you-?" Lightning shushed me, and I was silent.

I heard him yelling at the soldiers, but then there was another voice.

The man said his name was Yaag.

Oh, I've heard of him. And I didn't like him one bit, either.

He just kept blabbering about the nonsense of Pulse and Cocoon.

Then, that word again.

Execution.

After that, there was the clanking of metal being dropped.

There was yelling, then smoke, then wheezing.

I heard bombs exploding and guns shooting.

Lightning stood up, "We're leaving! Hope, tie up your dad. We threatened you and forced you to help us. Got it?"

Hope nodded his head, but Mr. Estheim didn't understand. Hope talked him into doing it.

"Come on! We have to go!" I yelled, and we ran out there.

A huge Skytank was out there.

Snow was out there, wheezing and coughing because of the smoke.

"Lay low, Snow. You gotta stay alive for Serah!" I told him, and ran up with the others.

Battle Commenced.