Wild Rose
Lightning's feet led her to the Planet's Core – an unsettling site for Firion. It felt to him that something could easily ambush them there and he didn't want to know what…or who.
He looked at Lightning, staring at the ground in silence as she appeared to be thinking to herself. This time…it was her turn to have doubts. He wanted to speak, but was afraid it might be a bad time. Still…he couldn't help but wonder. He was curious nonetheless, and if he could help, he wanted to.
"…Light?" he asked, softly.
Lightning didn't reply to him directly. She just seemed to be thinking aloud as she spoke. The first thing she said, mumbled…but, still catching him off-guard after all this time.
"Maybe this is pointless…"
Firion was a bit confused, and taken aghast by her words. This whole time she'd been the one to encourage him to keep moving forward; telling him that they'd find the rose no matter what it took. Now, here she was, contradicting that very belief. He didn't quite know how to take it.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Lightning turned her head to the side a little, her back still turned to him.
"This whole thing is ridiculous. Everything is. We've been called here to fight a losing battle and on top of that, now we have to find a rose – something that everyone has practically claimed is an irrelevant matter."
She scoffed as she paused for a moment.
"Then there's Cosmos. I could go on and on there. Always filling us up with false hope and security, and us being stupid enough to continue under her lead. But, when it comes down to it…she's just as useless and hopeless as the rest of us; nothing more than a pawn herself, if you ask me."
Firion was shocked by her words. They were so harsh – especially towards Cosmos. Did she really deserve such a verbal thrashing? The whole thing with the rose was excusable as far as she was concerned, but as far as the conflict they were in…maybe there was a point in there somewhere. Though, he didn't want to admit Cosmos could be to blame. He trusted her and didn't want to just thrust such thoughts towards someone he couldn't claim to know well enough to judge so. He couldn't believe Lightning could so easily place blame on someone though – especially Cosmos. He'd had no idea how she truly felt about the goddess of Harmony until now. It was a lot to take in at once.
"Do you…truly feel that way?"
Lightning turned around to face him – her expression said nothing short of "yes".
"I don't know what to think about anything anymore. This world, this realm: like I didn't have enough to worry about. It's just full of endless struggles. The more you fight to find a way out…the deeper in you get yourself." she said.
She looked at Firion closely.
"…There is no hope in anything here. Not in this battle – or in this search. I'm sick of fighting in vain."
She lowered her head and went silent.
Firion was at a loss for words and now understanding exactly how much Lightning struggled…he hated that he had no way of reassuring her. He felt for her, but nothing more really. His deepest trouble now was that he couldn't do anything to help her when she needed it most. What was he supposed to say? How does one react to such thoughts and emotions?
"So…you're giving up on the rose?" he asked, his voice clearly revealing he was greatly affected by this revelation.
Lightning sighed as she looked at Firion again.
"I don't know. I don't want to. I just…don't know where to go from here. I've been fighting for answers, and nothing ever comes – no matter what I do to get them. I don't know where this road will end either. I can't believe this is worth it. Nothing in this world seems certain."
It was an awkward and uncomforting moment between the two. Silence filled the air and only the sound of the rising, green falls could be heard. Firion wanted to speak; wanted to say something to might give Lightning the hope she'd been seeking all along, but pretended to hide such. She'd been pushing him along - and now it was his turn to do the same.
He collected himself and looked ahead at Lightning.
"Light." he said.
She slowly lifted her head to look at him.
"You're right. Maybe this is an endless struggle - one that doesn't guarantee our survival or victory. Fighting for answers is clearly no way to go either. However…" he said.
He took a breath as he closed his eyes for a moment.
"…It's not why you fight. It's what you fight for. Everyone has doubts. Everything comes with the good and bad. But, I'm not letting that stop me. No matter what the issue at hand is – this conflict…or something as simple as finding the wild rose. I know where I stand in the long-run and that's enough for me. Even if I have doubts and don't always know where to go or what to do…I'm not giving up until I'm certain there's nothing I can do. Even then, however…I may still not give up. I haven't known you to ever either."
Lightning looked at him in surprise by what he was saying. She never knew Firion had it in him to be so motivating. A deep thinker, maybe…but, she never knew exactly how deep until now. Though she wouldn't admit it just yet…his speech was working on her. Already, she regained her usual self and was embarrassed she'd ever let herself fall into such despair. She'd felt that before, but never so badly.
"Firion." she said.
He looked at her calmly as he spoke again – his next words fully doing it for her.
"Please…don't give up just yet."
She stared at the ground and sighed as she thought on his words for a moment. She smirked lightly, but nothing more as it quickly faded and she lifted her head again.
"It's funny really. Rather ironic even." she mumbled.
She nodded lightly at Firion – quietly thanking him as he nodded back in understanding and a smile formed on his face.
Right on cue, that inspiring moment was shattered by Firion's worst fear – at least in this location. A warrior appeared before them – a Chaos warrior, at that.
"Well, well…this day just got interesting." he said.
"You. Sephiroth." Lightning said, drawing her gunblade.
"Figures…" Firion mumbled, as he prepared to fight, too.
Sephiroth just smirked at the sight.