upon request, i have written an epilogue, this is the group's reaction to Lightning's returned sight
and again thank you everyone for reading ^^
"I still think you were a little harsh Fang," Vanille murmured.
"Oh hush, I did what had to be done. No really lives till they've ridden a chocobo," Fang declared.
"I think you were pushing it a little too far Fang," Serah agreed.
"Don't you two start ganging up on me," Fang grumbled. Sazh rolled his eyes as he loosely swung Dajh around, the giggling boy still riding out his fun on the large, yellow birds. "Chocobos might have been a large factor of your life before, Fang, but they aren't the top priority here," Sazh reasoned. "So you have no right to jump on a person just because they never rode a chocobo, or enjoy it as you do."
"They should," she grumbled stubbornly.
Sazh lightly waggled a finger at her, grinning. "That's the problem."
"Oh shut up," Fang hissed.
"Not only that," Hope uttered, "but Light disappeared too."
"Aw," Fang cooed. "The little chick misses his mommy?"
"No!" Hope snapped, his face flushing red. "I, I just don't know what to feel about this guy... he literally just came out of nowhere."
"I wouldn't worry," Serah eased, smiling reassuringly. "Sis has a good judgement of people."
"Yep!" Snow agreed. "Like me!"
"I don't know," Vanille hummed. "You two seemed to be pretty iffy..."
"We were not," Snow scoffed.
"Uh huh."
"Hey, we may have had a rough start-"
"Rough?" Fang cut in, smirking delightfully. "I don't know if I'd call that rough... maybe even a little more than rough."
"It wasn't that bad-"
"So she didn't smash your face in when you told her that you and Serah were engaged?"
"..."
"Point proven."
"Shut up," Snow grumbled.
"Kids," Sazh grumbled, amusement dancing in his rolling eyes.
"It is a bit curious that Light would disappear without letting us know," Vanille chimed thoughtfully, then her expression brightened in excitement. "Lets go spy on them!"
"That does sound fun," Fang purred.
"Woah, woah," Serah interjected, rounding on them. "You want to invade on my sister's privacy, and love life, not to mention, her first love life; and possibly risk getting killed if caught?"
"Pretty much," Vanille summed up.
Serah smirked. "Count me in!"
"It does sound interesting," Snow mused, grinning at the thought of spying on Lightning and getting away with it, never mind the chance that her super hearing could catch them.
"I don't know..." Hope said warily.
"Count me out," Sazh declared.
"I wanna spy!" Dajh exclaimed, the chocobo chick chirping excitedly.
"Oh no, no, no!" Sazh exclaimed. "You, mister, are going to bed."
"Whaa!" the six year old whined.
"Don't worry Dajh," Vanille cut in, "we'll tell you all about our little adventure after Lightning."
"What little adventer after Lightning?"
The whole group jumped, turning around to see Lightning and Noctis standing right behind them, hands joined together, Lightning's walking stick casually leaned against her shoulder, and clear, solid blue eyes staring at them. They all blinked, staring deep into those eyes, watching as those eyes slid over each and every single one of them, noting each and every detail.
A small, gentle grin bloomed up on the elder Farron as those eyes soften, glistening with water the longer those eyes traveled around the group.
"Sis?" Serah wondered.
Those eyes slid closed as Lightning took in a swelling breath. Setting the cane down and letting stand and balance on its own as she slid closer en-wrapping Serah into a full blown hug. "You look beautiful," Lightning whispered.
Serah froze against, a breathless gasp slipping through her lips. She drew back, pulling Lightning back to look her in the eyes, her hands holding the older's face as she peered into clear depths. "You can see," she whispered. Those eyes shined and gleamed, mirth dancing in the vibrant hues of teal. "How..."
"Odin," Lightning whispered.
Serah broke into overwhelmed smile. She pulled Lightning close, relief racking her body in chokes of laughter and tears.
"Serah, sis?" Snow pressed, along with all the other confused and curious stares of the group. Noctis stood on too far from them, smiling knowingly, his eyes gleaming as he watched the Farron sisters.
The sisters drew back, both hosting unrelenting smiles on their features as they turned towards the group. "She can see everyone," Serah said, her voice shaking as she struggled to hold in the bubbling emotions inside. One after another, their expression changed from shock, gradually breaking into smiles.
Hoots and cries broke as Lightning was charged, barely giving the woman a chance before she was caught in the middle, coiled in arms and bodies, cries and squeals filling the air, muffling Lightning's own cry of, "I'm going deaf!"
Lightning sighed as they stopped before their home. She was wary, worn, and ready to drop in bed, especially after spending the night recovering her hearing, and seeing her world again. Despite the sudden change, Lightning couldn't keep the smile off her face as her family practically dragged her around, showing her everything, like kids showing their parents their wonders.
Neither Serah or Noctis left either of her side, and Fang and Hope always hung close by, always an arm reach away, beaming as bright as the lights around. All the others hung around, close by, occasionally tugging her away to share their preference wonder with her.
By the time Etro's Eve was called for a night and all had to retire, Lightning was more than ready to slip inside and collapse on her bed.
After breaking off from the group, Serah and Lightning headed home, hand in hand, lightly musing Lightning's future over.
"So you'll send a message to Amodar tomorrow? Tell him the good news?" Serah asked.
"For sure," Lightning bid, smiling as she thought about returning to the GC.
Serah cast her a suave glance, grinning slightly. "So... you and Noctis huh?"
"Serah..."
"I'm so happy for you! I'm finally going to be a sister-in-law!"
"Hey! We didn't get that far, we didn't even start!"
"I saw the hand holding," Serah sang.
"You're such a brat," Lightning grumbled.
"But you love me," Serah cooed, leaning heavily against Lightning.
"So it would seem," the elder mused, reaching out and turning the knob, ready to just collapse in bed. She paused though as she stepped into her home, seeing it again finally after such a long time. Closing her eyes and breathing in, Lightning said the only thing she could.
"Serah. What have you done to my house?"
Since when she first became a soldier in the GC, Lightning always found this route to be different from the rest. It was hidden, so not many people wandered down it, if at all. And the few that did, always found the greatest view, especially at certain times of the day.
Because of the lack of people that come here, its become one of her favorite routes to wander on and relax on. Because there was hardly anyone around, Lightning could relax and forget reality. She could forget about her reality at the moment, just enjoy drifting in the here and now, with only her and the world before her.
It was times like these that she relished the feeling that came with simply drifting, not thinking about anything at all; forgetting reality. Eyes closed or open, it was all the same.
Lightning smiled, taking in the colors of the sunset for once, matching them up with her memory, seeing the refreshing colors of red, violet, gray, yellow, orange. All the colors that were painted and molded together to make this scene before her.
"Its a beautiful sunset," Noctis's smooth voice bid, lightly leaning against her on the railing. Lightning leaned back into him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder as she watched the colors.
"It is," she agreed, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment, "it really is."
On the other side of the park they were in, they both stiffened when they heard one specific voice cat call over.
"Looking sexy, soldier!"
"Prompto!" Noctis bellowed at the fleeing blonde, whose laughter echoed throughout the park.
Despite the annoyed flush on her features, Lightning couldn't stop her own bubble of giggles as she lightly held Noctis back from chasing after the blonde. After grumbling and loosely apologizing, Noctis wrapped his arms around her form again, allowing her to lean into his frame as she continued to watch the sunset, allowing herself to drift into the painted mass of colors.
For the moment, warm, secure, with eyes full of life, she found herself forgetting reality.
X) i couldn't resist including prompto in the end.
and again, thank you all for faving, reading, and following this story through and through! hopefully, i'll see you all again in my future stories!