Author's Note: I suppose the exact contents is pretty vague at this point in time so I figured this next chapter might clear things a bit about the premise of the story somewhat. Leave a review if you feel like it.

Title: IRL

Rating: T

Description: Final Fantasy is the latest and most popular large scale MMORPG released by the L'Cie Corporation two years ago. Millions of players have joined and participated since. All are completely unaware of the game's biggest secret except for one Hope Estheim. Chancing upon that secret led to an encounter with a frosty eyed woman with eye-catching rose colored tresses.

Disclaimer: Nah. Moogles are way more eligible owners.

CHAPTER 1

Contact

The beginning of Hope's troubles was something frustratingly simple.

A lone empty tube of toothpaste.

About a week and a half after his online encounter with UN Lightning, Hope found himself staring at the empty tube of toothpaste on his bathroom sink his toothbrush already on hand. He put down the brush and opened the side cabinet, finding no spare box in its usual pile. He visibly frowned at this.

He stood up and stared at his reflection in the mirror for a few moments trying to decide his next course of action.

He didn't want to go out and he could just order the other stuff online – but that would still take quite a while to be delivered to him and he had a lot of deadlines to meet today.

The question was whether or not he could bear going through the next few days without brushing his teeth.

Sighing, Hope reluctantly picked up his mouthwash and gargled a mouthful before heading back into his room. He changed into a dark blue hoodie and white shorts, all the while inwardly cursing his ingrained proper hygiene from his mother.

He couldn't stand getting to work without brushing his teeth in the morning. Just the thought of how unclean his teeth would be made him shudder. He was supposed to shop a few days ago, but the memory of the pink haired woman he encountered was so vivid that he couldn't take a single step out of his home.

Until now.

He glanced at the clock. 6:04 AM. It was too early for most people. Hope believed he could drop by the nearest 24H convenience store and get back without running into any mishaps.

"I can't believe I'm throwing caution away in favor of a tube of toothpaste," he grumbled to himself as he made his way to the front door.

A quick glance at the mirror by the door brought about another small frown on his face. Hope paused and ran a hand through his hair – failing miserably to tame his bedhead. He promptly gave up after a few more unsuccessful attempts. He gave another sigh and popped a breath mint, to be sure, before picking up his key and heading out. The door gave an audible beep as he pulled it shut and Hope boarded the elevator with practiced ease.

Once outside, he put on a pair of shades and moved quickly. It was easier since there wasn't much of a crowd on the streets at this time.

The door chime tinkled as he entered the store a few blocks away and Hope moved with purpose. He got what he needed and just as quickly, he was at the counter paying the cashier. All of a sudden a very bad feeling washed over him – it was like the feeling when he was on a mission online and a PK suddenly locked onto him out of the blue. He turned his head towards the door just as it opened to reveal a familiar face. Hope froze as he took in the whole figure.

At the door smiling pleasantly at him was a petite girl with short blonde hair in a light blue sundress.

Hope fished out her name from his memory like a doctor squeezing out pus from an infected wound. Not something you wanted to see.

Alyssa Zaidelle – Hope's resident stalker.

Hope cursed under his breath and hardened his expression. He glared at the smiling girl and didn't shift his gaze as the cashier handed him his change and his purchase with a puzzled expression.

"You're not supposed to be here, Alyssa." He said icily. "Or anywhere near me, as a matter of fact."

She took a step closer and Hope took a step back.

"Oh, Hope," she said airily with a laugh and Hope hated hearing his name from her. "You think a single restraining order will be enough to keep me from you?" her eyes were glittering with mirth.

The clerk looked a bit alarmed at her words and turned to Hope. "Sir, do you need me to –?" the clerk began to ask, gesturing to the phone and Alyssa turned to him with a vicious glare.

"Don't you dare! Do anything more than breathe and I'll gouge your eyes out." She said venomously. The clerk also took a step back and raised his hands in front of him as a sign of surrender.

Hope gritted his teeth, "I hoped it would be better than the alternative." He responded quietly.

Prison.

The word hung silently between them.

"Still such a softie," she said affectionately. "Of course, that's one of the reasons I like you so much." She uttered with that same pleasant smile, taking another step towards him.

"Stay away from me!" he bellowed, feeling the fear creep up his spine. He wasn't sure what this girl would do to him this time. He had just barely recovered from the last incident and here she was trying to push him over the edge again. He had forgotten his beeper on the table by his bed so he couldn't call for help from anyone.

"Is there a problem here?" a calm and steady male voice suddenly intruded from behind Hope.

Hope glanced back in desperation and found a brown haired youth, slightly taller than him looking at Alyssa questioningly. Hope eyed the name tag on the youth which read, "LEON". 'Leon' briefly glanced at Hope, seeming to see something in Hope's eyes before he turned back to the girl.

"Miss, I'll have to ask you to leave. You're bothering our customer." He said coolly, addressing Alyssa.

Alyssa still held her smile. "But I'm a customer too, Sir."

Leon stepped in front of Hope, blocking him from Alyssa's view. He cocked a brow and gave her a look, "Our customers don't usually come in here concealing a weapon," he said wryly.

Alyssa's smile melted at that statement and she pulled out the knife sheathed on her thigh.

"Don't get in my way!" she said angrily. "I won't let anybody get between Hope and me."

"See here, I don't like repeating myself." he said with a sigh, "either you leave or…"

"or what!" she taunted, pointing the knife at his direction.

Hope couldn't see the other guy's expression at this moment, but he saw how Alyssa's stance had gotten more rigid at his silence. Hope could also feel goosebumps just from standing near the employee called Leon.

"I'm only here for Hope." She didn't lower her knife but her voice was less sure this time. "This has nothing to do with you." She spat out. Hope could detect a note of fear in her voice this time.

"I'll give you 3 seconds to make your choice." Leon said quietly.

Alyssa simply glared at him and held her place.

"1."

Hope tried to move but a single side glance from Leon made him pause mid-step.

"2."

Hope swallowed and kept his eyes on Alyssa whose stubborn nature he knew all too well.

"3." He said with finality. "Don't tell me I didn't give you a chance."

Hope was shocked as he watched the brow-haired youth abruptly rush towards Alyssa. She screamed at his approach, slashing wildly. Hope held his breath and watched as Leon effortlessly grabbed her flailing wrist, disarmed her, and knocked her out all in less than a minute. Holding her unconscious body, he looked back at Hope.

"What do you want to do with her?" he asked simply.

"P-police station." Hope was barely able to choke out a response.

"Alright." Leon nodded and shifted his gaze to the cashier. "I'll be back in a bit, think you can handle the store on your own?" The cashier guy nodded enthusiastically.

"Dude! That is totally worth a pay raise!" The cashier exclaimed with a laugh, he looked disbelievingly at his co-worker.

"I doubt the Boss's going agree with you on that." Leon chuckled and shook his head as he swung Alyssa over his shoulder.

"Coming?" he asked Hope who was still rooted to the spot.

Hope slowly shook his head. "Just tell them she tried to attack me again. I don't like talking to policemen."

"So a physical offense against…?"

"Hope. Hope Estheim." He understood that Leon had been asking him for his name for the report. "I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It's all good," he said nonchalantly, "Subjugating crazy women is all in a good day's work." He joked as he made his way out of the store.

Hope heaved a sigh of relief and glared at the toothpaste on hand. This thing had better be worth all this trouble.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seated at the wheel of an inconspicuous black car was a pink-haired woman, tapping her finger on the steering wheel in perfectly sync with each passing second. Her eyes were closed and after a few more silent taps, the door to the passenger seat opened.

The same brown-haired youth from the convenience store seated himself and shut the door behind him with a casual greeting for his companion. The pink-haired woman opened her eyes slowly and glanced at him from the corner of her eye as he settled into his seat.

This was also the same pink-haired woman Hope Estheim had encountered in the online game Final Fantasy a few days ago.

UN Lightning.

"What was all the commotion about?"

'Leon' shrugged his shoulders and took the name tag off his black shirt.

"The target's stalker appeared."

The woman's brows furrowed. "I remember a restraining order was placed on his stalker six months ago. The other divisions can't even enforce a simple restraining order?" there was a hint of displeasure in her voice this time.

"On the bright side, it allowed the perfect opportunity to initiate contact with him." He answered easily as he began to dress himself, somehow being able to pull on a white long sleeve polo despite the cramped space.

"What do you have to report about the target?" Lightning asked in the same no nonsense tone.

"He seems like a pretty normal guy." He carefully buttoned his cuffs. "He showed fear when faced with a threat, normal reaction." As he pulled on a black double breasted coat, he gave a sardonic smile. "Also, he didn't seem to like dealing with the police."

"That's unfortunate." She responded lightly. He hummed as well, a smile playing on his lips.

"He'll most likely come to see you to express his gratitude for your help."

"You mean for 'Leon's' help, of course."

Lightning threw him a withering look. "Yes to 'Leon', but I'd like to remind 'Noel' to stick to the plan."

"Roger, Captain." Noel responded promptly. "I feel a little guilty manipulating him like this, especially if he turns out to be a good guy," he added quietly.

"It can't be helped. He's the only one who can help us now." Lightning let out a sigh as she gripped the wheel a little tighter. "There's not much time left. It's taken long enough for us to even find him." In her usually indifferent voice there was a note of exasperation and irritation.

Both of them were silent.

"You know what's at stake, Noel." she said with finality.

"I know." He answered, a resigned expression on his face.

A phone buzzed and the Lightning answered a call.

"All right. Call me if anything else happens."

She glanced at Noel. "We're switching out with the others. We have to head back to HQ to report to Amodar."

Noel just nodded as she shifted gears and drove away, her gaze steady and firm on the road.

End note: I'm actually more used to writing really long chapters which is probably the reason why I always take so long in updating. I figured I might as well try the short chapter more frequent update this time around to sustain this fanfic as compared to my others which are always on indefinite hiatus. I know how much it sucks waiting, so I hope this approach would be better.