bleh, halloween has come and gone and i'm still working on Cocoon's own version X)

also guys, i'm actually considering ending it here truthfully. i'm sure if i think hard enough, i might figure out a continuation, but it will probably be just a couple chapters more. this chapter seems like a good end for it. if there are disagreements, i'll give it a month to think over and try to add more, if not, i'll probably be calling it complete.

in case this is it, i thank you for reading it, sticking with it, and reviewing it. when i first wrote this, it was just supposed to be a simple Ch 1 story and completed right then and there. some reviewers wanted more, and it was a story i didn't mind experimenting with.

i think it was a pretty good run X)

so (in case this is the last, which it will probably be) my sincere thanks to the reviewers that helped kept this story going.

Thank you

OPFAN
Ks5
July5
The Clawed Butterfly
Only C
Rhyka
The Random Guest
ZeldaTifa
Kikko
myoochan
NoctaLightx
CrystalHeart27
reader
Raikiri 80
Kai Kai PANTS

thank you all so much!

"Come on Vanille," Fang called out, a dark impatient frown on her features as she glared up at the house, "you look fine."

"Just a little longer," Serah shouted out, "make up is a very delicate process."

"Oh for the love of Etro," Fang grumbled.

Lightning chuckled, a rare smile stretching on lips. She could understand Fang's feelings, but due to her situation, she has learned a little more patience about it. A shuffle of feet tickled her keen ears, and the familiar scent wafted up her nose. She could feel the brush of body head behind her as a cool voice whispered into her ear.

"Do girls always take this long?"

Whether it was directed at Serah and Vanille, or at all women in general. Either way, a small spark of light annoyance swept through her. her arm shot out, purposely stabbing him in the ribs, leaving him with a bruise. A regretful grunt puffed by her ear and she felt the heavy weight of a head pressing against her shoulder. A weak, "Ow," probing at her pitifully, almost as if it was trying to tug at her guilt.

Lightning shook her head at him, brushing it off and purposely ignoring him, perking up when she heard the double tap of feet, followed by the light slam of a door sealing closed.

"Are we ready then?" Lightning voiced out, already turning and walking off just as the whole group answered with an excited, "Yes!" A quick shuffle of feet alerted her that someone was running up to her side, and she tilted her head, recognizing the pattern and feeling hte light brush of hair on her bare arm as a head leaned lightly against her.

"Think you'll see Odin tonight?" Hope wondered.

"This is the night Eidolons and humans can mingle," Lightning offered, nodding to him, "there is a very good chance that we will cross paths tonight, as it is with every year."

"Odin?"

She could hear the light, probing mockery in Hope voice as he addressed Noctis. "You don't know Odin?"

"Hope, be nice," Lightning chastised. Turning around, she explained, "Odin is a war Eidolon, Etro's general. He's the military's idol, and said to be the guide of all generals, both in GC and PSICOM. My father was a general in the GC, and there was a story he told once that he had gotten separated from his troop, and and declared to be dead to the world. He said Odin appeared before him, carried him back to the GC.

"No one really believes that Odin came to him, but they don't really have any other way of explaining how he survived. To this day, because of my father, they say that the GC is Odin's favored."

"Some would go so far that the Farrons are Odin favored," Hope put in, lightly curling his hand around her wrist and keeping them together. He went on, and Lightning could hear the excited admiration in his voice. "Odin might appear before Light, Serah and some of the GC think that Odin will give Light her sight back."

"Really?" Noctis's surprised voice whipped out from her other side, making her jump her head, she met his curious stare head on. "Do you think Odin will really give you your sight?" he asked, almost sounding like a wide eyed child to her ears, hearing about the wonders of Carbuncle for the first time.

Her lips twitching up slightly, she offered him a light shrug. "Its hard to say for sure," she said. "I'm nor a general in the GC."

"But you were a sergeant a couple of months ago," Hope pushed.

"At your age?" Noctis wondered, impressed.

"Just flew up the ranks," Lightning stated simply, shrugging it off.

"You say that like its an easy feat," Noctis mused, smirking as he stared ahead.

"Well I'm going on ahead, see ya at the chocobos Light!" Hope said, releasing Lightning and running off, not before casting a glare at Noctis.

"Chocobos?" Noctis asked.

"We like to go chocobo riding," Lightning explained.

"Never rode one," Noctis admitted cautiously.

"You'll be riding one tonight, Fang will make sure of it."

"Should I be scared?" he asked.

"Perhaps."

"Oh goody..."

Etro's Eve was a whole different world through his sheltered eyes.

At night, on this traditional Eve, Bodhum changed. To a point he thought he was in Nautilus, allowing the rare chance to forget his own reality and escaping into the magical one the Eidolons there offered. For this night, Noctis found himself reliving his childhood, similar to the time his mother took him to Nautilus.

Lights were found every where, shining down on Bodhum, casting the city into an ethereal glow, along with the many occupants here visiting. Specifically the woman beside him. In the bright light above, Lightning's skin glowed in a flawless shine, her hair seemed white, and the fog in her eyes seemed have been blown away, boldly bringing out the teal blue of her eyes against her own glow.

Then there were the few discoveries that flashed and danced by when he was able to tear his gaze from her. Eidolons, some he know, most he had never even heard of flew and danced above the people. Some preforming their own natural abilities to wow the many crowds below, their own exotic eyes shining in content, others merely walking around through the crowd, mingling as if they were just as human as the rest. Above them all, fireworks flashed through the night, filling the black sky with color.

Noctis was constantly turning his vision around, trying to catch it all, and see all the Eidolons that graced Bodhum tonight. For each and every Eidolon he saw, he would whisper the description of them, and Lightning told him which one he saw.

Tonight, he had seen Carbuncle, Bahamut, and many others that had graced the night; even the enigmatic Fenrir, that he had only the graced second to see over looking the crowd on a high roof before the wolf like creature jumped away, disappearing into the active night.

Not long after, Fang bombed them, grabbing them both and whisking them away to the chocobos, where Noctis rode his first chocobo...

"He looks angry..."

"I can assure that it is near impossible to anger a chocobo, Caelum."

"I don't know Oerba... Its a giant, fluffy, yellow bird with a huge ass beak. I don't want that coming at me."

"Oh for the love of, get your whimpy ass on that giant fluffy bird of cuddleness! And its not the beak you should worry about, its the feet!"

"The feet?!"

"If you don't get on that bird, I will put you on him myself!"

"I never rode a chocobo before!"

"How old are you?"

"I'm a grown man..."

"I thought you were a little old for a baby. Look at your girlfriend! She's blind and you don't see her whimpering about riding a chocobo."

"But it just seems..."

"Seems...?"

"Undignified...?"

"...ok princy, I'm going to spear you up that bird."

...he had found that it had been an... interesting experience, especially with Fang Oerba so graciously teaching him. Thankfully, he had a pretty mild and patient steed that was hardly bugged by all his mistakes. Once he had finally been settled enough to simply ride next to Lightning, simply talking and enjoying the calmness that came with the ride, with a few of the others galloping ahead.

Once Fang was satisfied with their riding hour on the birds, she had released them, letting Noctis whisk away with Lightning into the still lively night, maybe even taking the chance to reveal feelings.

Or so was the plan.

While Lightning had no troubles dismounting; Noctis found that he didn't share the same predicament. Ten minutes was wasted away trying to figure out how to dismount the bird. It finally got to a point that he had pushed the bird's patience enough that the chocobo suddenly bucked up, sending the wide eyed man off the steed, and to the hard, cruel ground below.

When he was finally able to walk off his bruised bottom, he had discovered that Lightning had disappeared. The realization hit like a fist.

Lightning was gone.

He had jumped up, searching frantically near the entrance of the ranch, searching for any sign of the lightly pressed pink haired woman.

He almost went back in to ask Serah to call her or something.

Almost, Etro seemed to have been on his side tonight.

Just as quickly as that frantic feeling came though, it had also just as quickly dispersed.

Lightning hadn't wandered off far from where the chocobos were, but he still would have missed her if he didn't glance over towards a beach near the ranch. From that quick glance, he saw her with a large, horse like animal that he guessed to be anther Eidolon.

Calming his rapid heart, he nearly slumped in relief. She was fine, and hadn't gone far. The Eidolon must have attracted her over. Adjusting himself and brushing off any dirt and feathers he might have picked up, Noctis made his way over, intent on joining her on the beach and learning what Eidolon graced them tonight.

While he crept up to the two, his gaze traced over them, noting every detail; finding himself to be as awed as the first time they had met.

In the dim light of the moon casting over the beach, Lightning stood out like a goddess, even more so with the majestic beast by her side. Her skin glowed in the light, her hair shining a gracious silver, the long curls brushing and hugging her neck and shoulders, and each strand danced with every shift of her head.

His eyes traveled down her smooth neck, following down the shoulders to her bare, scarred arms. Scars his fingers have always twitched to trace, time to time. Each mark that had been marred on her skin, he always found he wanted to trace them, feel and compare the smooth skin around to the rough skin that nicked her. He wanted to learn each story each scar held, learn what she put herself through, what she struggled through.

Learn what she had to go through in her life.

Despite what he thought, no parents greeted him on this night. Just Lightning, Serah, and the rest of the people that the two Farrons declared to be their family.

The pictures found scattered around their home told him enough though. The few that were up, showing Lightning and Serah when they were younger, were faded, and time to time, there was a man and a woman in the photo, though the woman was seen more often. Especially in the pictures of them older; the man was only around when Lightning and Serah were young, very young.

But the pictures with Lightning around sixteen and Serah around fourteen maybe, the woman wasn't seen the again.

He could only guess then that their parents had passed a while ago. And those scars... they were the effect of that loss.

He was sure, so very sure. Especially at the photo of Lightning dressed in a GC's uniform at the ripe age of seventeen, her arm crossed her chest, a stern and sure expression on her face. It was probably the pride, and sorrow of the Farron's, that one picture. It was a symbol of change for them, wasn't it?

Noctis paused, standing a few feet from them, merely soaking in the ethereal sight in front of him, now turning his gaze to study the great beast in front of Lightning, allowing her hand to run along its jaw as its four jeweled eyes stared into her own.

The beast stood on four hooves, with ivory armored skin, four pale blue eyes, with what looked like a gold and green saddle on its back. It had a long flowing tail behind it, twitching every so often.

Next to Lightning, it was a fitting steed.

The Eidolon shifted, turning its gaze towards him, staring at him neutrally with those four, aged eyes. Beside him, Lightning turned as well, and Noctis's heart skipped a beat, almost pulsing in his throat in uneased excitement.

Teal blue eyes stared directly into his own.

Clear, teal blue eyes.

Her eyes widened, and her unsure hand slowly dropped away from the Eidolon. Her lips moved, struggling to form a word. Finally, an unsteady voice whispered, ringing in his ears. "Noctis?"

"Light," he whispered, shakily stepping closer, scarcely believing how clear those eyes were. "You, you can see, can't you?" he wondered, his hands drawing up, cupping her face, and moving lightly over the smoothness of her cheek, relishing it and the warmth that came off her cheek, all the while, he was unable to tear his gaze away from her eyes, finding them to be clear, not a traze of fog in her eyes, dimming the color as he was so used too. With these eyes so haze less, the color gleamed bright and bold against her features. To his fascinated eyes, he saw many shades of color swimming in her eyes; overpowering the blue in her eyes with tints of gray to green.

"Wow," he whispered, watching the colors change in her eyes as Lightning struggled with her thoughts and emotions, even more baffled than Noctis was. Just like him, her hands rose up, sliding over his face lightly, the muscle memory automatically forming an image in her mind, and her disbelieving eyes coloring the lines her hands traced.

His face was clear and visible before her, and with her hands resting on his features, distantly brushing against the thick, dark hair; it clicked in her head that he was real. She was really seeing him.

"Noctis," she breathed, "I can see you, I really can see you..."

A full smile bloomed, his own thrill spreading and bubbling up in her. She could see. She could see! She could see Noctis, as clear as crystal. She could see the dark, thick hair she felt, she could see the red of his eyes, the one true thing that remained a mystery to her; she could see the flush of skin tones filling up the face she had drawn out in her head.

She could see him clearly.

And the rest of the world...

Lightning's gaze tilted away, seeing the world that had disappeared from her eyes for the first time in a while. She could see the light and colors of the city, the active Eidolons and people lurking around. She could see the flush of stars against the dark city, she could see the waves as they slid up and back on the loose sand of the beach.

She could see Serah...

"How is it?" he asked gently. "How is it, seeing everything again?"

"Overwhelming," she whisper, one hand sliding down to rest in the crook of his neck and shoulder, while the other fell to her side as she turned around slowly, taking in the sights all the while, she kept herself anchored to the man beside her.

Licking her lips, not even bothering to stop the smile rising on her face. "But its better than I had ever imagined."

Noctis grinned, taking the hand that rested on him, and holding it securely. Turning his head, about to point to the Eidolon that had stood with her. Only to blink, pausing when he realized that the horse like creature was gone, not even prints in the sand to assure them that the creature was there.

"That was Odin," Lightning answered, her back to him as she slowly turned around to gaze out at the world.

Noctis chuckled, "So he really did give you your sight back. Farrons must be Odin favored."

Lightning snorted, her own lips twitched up. "Perhaps," she mused.

"Do you want to see your sister?" he asked.

"I do," she said, turning around to face him, the flush of her eyes catching and drawing him in again. "I want to see her again," she went on. "I want to see everything and everyone again."

He pulled her close, closing his eyes and feeling a sense of calm collapse over him as her body slid up against his. Licking his lips, he said, "Lets go. Lets go see them all."

Lightning hummed in response, keeping her body closed to his and she sorted out the colors of the world, familiarizing herself with the memories that supported her.

THey didn't leave each others side throughout the rest of the Eve.

Fenrir is a summon that hasn't been seen since FF6 i believe, i hope the bring that wolf back sometime. Fenrir is up there with Odin and Bahamut as one of my favorites.

what do ye know? i was able to squeeze in noct riding a chocobo! sort XD truthfully, i really can't see noctis on a chocobo, unless i really do see him on one. but as a prince, i really doubt he would be given that chance to interact with the large birds, though he might have as a kid, but its hard to say.

i've always have a difficult time trying to describe the color in lightning's eyes, the color always seems to shift and change. in FF13, they were a light blue, though not exactly Mako like, though sometimes, they did look like a silver color. in FF13-2, it looks like there is a little more green in her eyes. *shrugs* teal is a blue green color, i think it works.

i am aware that noctis's eyes are blue and change red when he fights, but since red eyes don't really appear that often with noctis, i had thought why not? he and light could have purple eyed babies! XD i wouldn't mind having purple eyes.

also, eyes do change in color, usually, it depends on what you wear. blue eyes usually have a mix of green and gray in their eyes; browns have green, amber, gray; ect. it varies and changes all the time.

as a heads up readers, i am working on two other FF13/Versus crossovers, one for NoctisxLightning, and for PromptoxLightning (i've grow fond of the pairing)

i don't know when they will be posted up, probably when i'm 5 to 10 chapters along, it'll show up.

the stories are:

falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus: false in one thing, false in everything. Like the false tales of heroes and monsters, good and evil, life and death. False like their glory and words. Even if the world believed such things, they knew the truth, and will always know. Always remember. LightningxNoctis

credo quia absurdum est: I believe it because it is absurd. It was decided for him, he could do it, he wouldn't put up much of a risk as the rest of them, he was that nobody that was always in the background, unnoticed and forgotten. According to Ignis, he was the best for this job. Thanks a lot Ignis. LightningxPrompto

i hope i'll see you reviewers again in these stories when they do show, and i hope that you all have enjoyed this story.

again, thank you all for reading, especially since this is likely the last chapter.