Lightning opened her eyes. It was still dark. She sighed and closed her eyes. She opened and sat up. Fine. I guess I won't be sleeping again tonight. She slipped silently out of her room and up the stairs. When she reached the roof she sat down. She hugged her knees close to her chest and studied the horizon. The wind toyed with her hair, blowing it into her face. She ignored it. She grabbed her iPod out of her pocket and turned it on. With her music loud enough to be heard but no louder the night slipped by.

Lightning opened her eyes and sat up. What? She sighed, "I fell asleep on the roof."

"Noticed."

She whipped around to glare at Noctis who sat behind her.

He smiled at her, "What? You were asleep when I got up here."

She growled and clenched her fist, "You didn't wake me up?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Why not?"

He shrugged, "You looked peaceful so I watched over you instead."

She took a deep breath and lowered her fist, "Fine, thanks."

He nodded, "You've done it more times then you should have."

"So you were just repaying the favor," Lightning concluded. Her tone was icy cold.

"No!" Noctis lifted his hands up and shook his head quickly, "That's not what I meant. I'm okay with—oh whatever. No matter what I say you're going to hit me."

Lightning punched him in the jaw.

"Ouch," he muttered.

She growled. Her fist was still clenched.

He saw it and scooted backwards, "Sorry."

She sighed and unclenched her fist, "It's fine." I can never stay mad at him. Why?

He turned to look at the mountains.

Lightning took the opportunity to study his face. His eyes were the blue of the night sky at the moment. His dark hair was messy and yet not and in his face. He didn't seem to mind the way the wind pushed it into his eyes. It was in his eyes anyway. Her hair barely covered her right eye and the wind was driving her nuts. It messed it up and made it go everywhere. She growled and pushed it back again.

He glanced at her, "Having difficulties?"

"Smartass," Lightning muttered.

He cocked his head to the side, "I was just asking if—"

"No," she corrected, "You asked 'Having difficulties' you pain in the ass."

"Oh," Noctis shrugged and turned back to the mountains.

Lightning sighed and turned to them as well. I hadn't meant to fall asleep. I wasn't really tired. "Where's my iPod?"

"It's beside you," he motioned to where it sat with the headphones neatly wrapped around it beside her.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

She grabbed it and put it back in her pocket. The sky was brightening and Rosa and Laguna went in from watch and were replaced with Celes and Snow. She nodded.

"Lightning?"

"Yes," Lightning turned to face him.

"What do you think the future will be like?"

"I don't know," Lightning shrugged, "I doubt many of us will live to see the future we create."

Noctis nodded. His gaze shifted to the roof top, "Probably."

"I didn't mean it like that," Lightning sighed, "I meant the decisions we make now could change something that's so far in the future we won't live to see it. It'll be a while of calm before people start to move back here."

"The military ordered a full evacuation last night," Noctis said, "The entire area's been cleared. They don't dare intervene but they're helping us out."

"They're making sure as few people as possible get caught in the crossfire," Lightning nodded, "Good."

Noctis nodded, "What about Kefka? What are we going to do about him?"

"I don't know yet. An offensive attack could be dangerous and it's too risky. If we try to go after the Yuels then we have to know where they are. We don't. Kefka's only locating them one at a time. We can't sit here but I'm not sure of what to do." Lightning shook her head, "Any decision I make could destroy us all."

"'As long as we die for what we believe in then we have not died in vain'," Noctis said, "It's something my father always said. I didn't quite understand it until just recently."

"Wise words," Lightning nodded.

"Meh. That depends on who you ask," Noctis shrugged.

Lightning rolled her eyes, "For you everything depends on who you ask."

"It does. Everyone has their own opinions. That influences how they interpret something," Noctis insisted.

She glanced at him, "It does, doesn't it?" She nodded, "Everything makes sense now."

"What?" Noctis asked.

"Kefka's out to destroy the world," Lightning reminded him.

"Yeah?" Noctis looked confused.

"Alright, so," she felt excitement coursing through her. She smiled, "He doesn't care what happens as long as he gets to destroy the world."

Vaan walked out looking worried, "Hope's gone."

Lightning's face hardened instantly, "What? Where?"

"I don't know," Vaan shrugged, "We found Maqui unconscious this morning and the cameras were wiped."

Lightning's eyes widened, "No."

Noctis got to his feet, "Okay, so…"

"We have to find Hope," Lightning said, "Dammit. I completely forgot about that! Shit!" She growled as she stood.

"C'mon, Light," Vaan urged, "It wasn't your fault."

Lightning glanced at him and nodded.

Noctis knew she was just doing that so he wouldn't press her anymore, "Where would Hope have gone?"

"I don't know," Lightning shook her head, "C'mon." She led the way down the steps with Noctis and Vaan behind her.

"Light!" Snow said. Celes was lying on the ground unconscious.

"What happened?"

"Hope walked out," Snow began, "So we asked him what was up and he told us he was going somewhere. When we pressed he wouldn't tell us so Celes told him he wasn't going anywhere. He attacked her."

"That parts all on the cameras," Ignis said, "Maqui was wiped. We won't know what happened to him until he wakes up."

"He will wake up, right?" Vaan asked.

"Yes," Terra nodded, "It wasn't the slave crown. He was here the whole time. It was something else."

"More like someone else," Lightning muttered, "We're officially picking a fight with God."

"What?" Ignis looked at her like she had gone mad.

"You heard me."

"Lightning," Vaan stared at her, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Lightning nodded, "He took Hope. He did it last time and I wouldn't be at all shocked if he did it this time. Did you get a good look at Hope's eyes?"

Ignis showed her the camera footage.

"That's Bhunivelze," Lightning nodded, "That's the exact same look he had on his face last time."

"What do we do then?" Serah asked.

"We have to find Hope. He'll lead us straight to Bhunivelze," Lightning said.

"We aren't going to try and help him?" Rosa asked.

"We are," Lightning said, "The only way to do that is to destroy Bhunivelze."

They nodded.

"How long did you know about Bhunivelze?" Sabin asked.

"I thought about it but cast it aside as not being possible," Lightning sighed, "I wish I hadn't. Serah stressed that there was a him so I decided that Snow and I would keep Hope close but I should've known it wouldn't fix anything."

"So you had a hunch but you weren't sure?"

"Sabin," Lightning turned to face him. Her tone was colder than ice, "If you are going to question then you can leave. We can't afford doubt right now. I did not know Bhunivelze was a part of this. I just had suspicions that he would want Hope again if he came up. I did not know he would show himself at all."

"Alright," Sabin nodded and remained where he was."

Lightning snapped her attention back to the cameras, "We're attacking Kefka head on. We need this to be over. We'll play it unfairly and he'll whine and complain."

"There's always munchkins," Laguna said.

Lightning turned to face him, an idea dawning in her eyes, "Manikins?"

"Yeah, those things," Laguna nodded.

"I think that's the first good idea you've had," Squall muttered.

"We could use the manikins to attack Kefka and then we can deal with Bhunivelze," Tifa nodded.

"It would even the odds and increase our chances," Kain nodded.

"What is a manikin?" Prompto asked.

Lightning smirked, "You will see."

"Just be glad you aren't fighting against them," Vaan said.

Prompto nodded, "Okay."

Maqui opened his eyes to find Vaan sitting next to him, "What's up?"

Maqui sat up, "Ouch."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"I saw Hope and then he attacked me," Maqui glanced at Vaan, "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know but we have a project for you," Vaan helped Maqui to his feet.

"What?" Maqui asked.

"Manikins," Vaan grinned, "We're gonna make Manikins."

"Okay?" Maqui asked.

Vaan showed him images of them on Google.

"I have to make those?" Maqui asked.

"No, you just have to reprogram them so they attack Kefka," Vaan's grin widened.

"How?"

"We don't know but you can figure it out," Vaan said.

"You really have that much faith in me?"

"You've given us no reason to not have faith in you," Vaan shrugged, "We believe in you. You'll figure it out."

"Alright," Maqui nodded, "I'll get started."

Vaan grinned, "Yeah! I'll go tell Light. Get started."

Maqui nodded.

Lightning nodded, "Good. We send the manikins to fight Kefka at his base and then we deal with Bhunivelze. Nice job Laguna."

"So it seems you aren't entirely useless after all," Squall smirked.

"See! I showed you so!"

"Told you so," Cloud said.

"Right that," Laguna glared at Squall as he chuckled. "Shut up!"

Squall nodded, "Okay."

"You know we're your friends," Rosa said.

"Eve Squall," Yuffie grinned.

"He'll never admit it though," Selphie stuck her tongue out at him.

Squall rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

"What is it with you and whatever?" Fang asked.

"It's his catchphrase," Rinoa smiled.

Squall rolled his eyes again but remained silent.

"You were going to say it again weren't you?" Tifa asked.

"So what if I was?"

"So it is your catchphrase," Prompto concluded.

Squall sighed, "I'm going upstairs."

"No!" Yuffie cried, "Don't go!"

Tifa choked back a laugh, "It's not like he'll be destroyed."

Yuffie winked at Selphie, "Maybe."

Squall looked at her, "What?"

"Just go up to the tower if you want to," Tifa shook her head, "Yuffie's being…Yuffie."

"Okay then," Squall disappeared.

"Man, Tifa!" Yuffie sulked, "You messed it up. He would have stayed if you hadn't destroyed it."

Tifa shrugged, "Sorry to rain on your parade."

They all laughed.

Maqui walked down the stairs, "I think I figured it out." He was followed by a manikin copy of Serah.

Serah stared at it, "It copies us?"

"Actually," Maqui said, "At first it doesn't have a shape. I programmed them to copy us because we have more diversity in our abilities then Kefka's forces so they'll be more challenging."

Serah continued to stare at it, "Okay."

Vaan laughed, "It's alright. If it hasn't attacked Maqui yet then we're okay."

"You figured out how to reprogram them I assume?" Ignis asked.

"Yep!" Maqui grinned, "They're all reprogrammed and awaiting orders."

"Good," Ignis nodded.

The manikin Serah hovered by Maqui.

"Why is it following you around?" Marlene asked.

"Because I told it to," Maqui explained, "I wanted to show you guys so I told it to follow me."

"Cool," Marlene giggled.

Lightning nodded, "Tell them to attack Kefka."

Maqui nodded. He slipped up the stairs and came back down a moment later. He held a device of his own design in his hands, "This'll open a portal and then they'll come pouring through like waves."

"Leave some here to defend the church," Ignis said, "I get the feeling we'll be gone a while."

Maqui nodded.

"We'll open the portal on our way so it doesn't attract Kefka to the church," Lightning said.

Maqui nodded. They all grouped together with a driver and drove away. About a week out Lightning stopped. The roads were deserted since no one lived in the area anymore.

Maqui set up the device and opened the portal, "Half of you are going to find and destroy Kefka. The other half is going to go defend the church where we live."

The manikins obeyed. They split in half and went to their respective destinations.

"When that's done returned here and go back home," Maqui said.

The manikins nodded to show that they had heard.

"Good, let's go," Lightning smirked.

"We could be driving for days before we find Bhunivelze," Tifa said.

"Yeah, well," Lightning shrugged, "We can be driving for days. As long as we find Bhunivelze before he scraps the world then we're good."

Tifa nodded, "Alright."