Hi again!

First off, I'm super glad lots of you enjoyed the last chapter, and I do apologize, not a lot of action and a whole ton of emotional content dropped onto your heads. Glad you guys think I got it right though. n_n

Shoutouts to ziel101 and OscarMerrinoz96, you guys are amazing.

Yes, Serah doesn't really like listening to Light, does she? Ah well, tis how the story goes. So I'm proud of myself this time around because Hope finally gets a part, and I've been dying to get around to seeing stuff through his eyes for ages. Teehee, hope you guys think he is in character.

So since I know all of you are dying to know what happened to Light, I'll shut up now and let you guys in on the chapter. Once again there are some dark themes in this one, you've been warned.

Chapter 9: Crimson Wings

Hope tried to get his bearings. Light told me to look after Serah, but I couldn't even do that. I know she trusts me... she'll be so angry when she finds out... Searching had turned up nothing around the Guardian Corps building, and he had a nasty suspicion that Serah had gone out to look for Light.

Dodging the people still filing in, Hope ran to the entrance of the building. Hopefully...
If Serah really did go looking for her, Light's gonna kill me... He shuddered just to think about Lightning's rage if that did happen, and Light found her first. That's why I gotta find her first... and spare us both Lightning's wrath. And he was so busy obsessing about this he didn't even realize who he'd bumped into until he bounced back from the impact.

"Sorry—Snow!" The big man was rubbing the spot on his stomach Hope had bumped into. Hope looked down, embarassed that he'd actually bumped into such a big target. He felt a big hand rumple his hair.

"Hey kiddo. It's okay, don't worry about it. Where's Serah?"

Uh oh. He's gonna get mad too... if I tell him Serah's gone to chase after Light.

Hope tried to avoid the man's gaze, but it wasn't easy. Snow just wasn't all that easy to ignore.

"Uh, kid? Something wrong?" Snow's voice held concern in it, but also suspicion.

Hope shuffled his feet, trying to keep his voice flat. "Well, see, Light told me to keep an eye out on Serah because she brought us here. Serah told me she was thristy so I went to get her some water. But when I came back, she was gone. I think... I think she went to look for Light." Hope glanced at Snow as he said the last words, hoping that he wouldn't be angry...

But Snow looked more confused and shocked then angry... at the moment.

"So where... was Lightning if Serah went looking?"

Hope put his hands behind his back, one hand closing on the boomerang, just in case Snow snapped and he happened to be the closest breakable thing. He closed his eyes before replying; he didn't want to see Snow's reaction.

"She went... looking for Amodar. You heard the announcement, and well, you know her."

Hope braced himself for the blow he was sure was coming. But it didn't – instead, thumping footsteps that launched themselves off the steps made him snap open his eyes. His eyes opened in time to see Snow barreling off the steps and onto the street.

"H-hey, wait!" He jumped off the steps after him, glad that Snow's white coat was distinctive enough to be seen even in the gloom. A clap of thunder sounded above his head, and Hope spared a heartbeat to glance up.

Rain clouds. Hopefully they'll put out the fire that's started, and we can find Light and Serah before a real downpour starts. Then we can all go home... right?

Hope pulled up at a corner as Snow stopped, almost bumping into him again. His hand tightened on the boomerang, seeing Snow tense.

"Monsters," came the hiss in front of him. And then Snow charged forward, fists swiping at an Amam that was snapping its jaws at the air. A Cie'th call sounded close to his ear, and Hope threw his boomerang at it, directing it to more airborne enemies that were surrounding them. He joined Snow at the center of the combat, their backs to each other. Thumps behind him told him that Snow was taking out the enemies on the ground, so he focused on those in the air. The Wights weren't much of a problem; a hit in the right spot felled them easily, but some of the other monsters, of which he had no name for, were harder to hit. They seemed to instinctively know how to dodge his boomerang, and frustrated snarls coming from behind him told him that Snow was having much of the same difficulty.

Hope let out a startled gasp as more monsters swarmed around them. There were too many, much too many for them to deal with on their on. Light... help me...! The instinctive thought flashed across his mind before he angrily pushed it away – he couldn't rely on Light all the time. Especially when she wasn't here... Fingers of dread reached for him when he realized she could be in the same situation, and with Serah to protect...

As a second boom of thunder sounded above his head, the monsters suddenly melted into wisps of black smoke, quickly torn away by the rain that was gently pattering down at first, and then became harsh, like cold needles.

A sigh sounded behind him, and Hope turned to see Snow sit on the wet pavement. His blond hair was slick with sweat and rain, but he cracked a smile.

"Nice job there kid. Thought we were goners for a few moments there." Gesturing up at the sky, Snow jumped to his feet again. "Guess the rain saved us. C'mon, we've got people to find." And with that, Snow dashed off again, large feet splashing in the puddles forming on the ground.

Sighing, Hope chased after him, trying to ignore the wet locks of platinum hair in his face and the constant dripping of wet droplets down the back of his jacket.

Nothing ever stops Snow, does it?

Snow had run ahead of him for awhile, but the big man was beyond easy to track. It was easy to see where he had stepped in the mud, and he wasn't exactly discreet either. A strangled yell up ahead stopped Hope in his tracks for a moment, before he plunged on. He saw Snow's distinctive coat just around the next corner, and raced to catch up with the man.

By the time he'd gotten there, Snow was kneeling on the ground, a limp pinkette form in his huge arms. Oh Maker, no. Please, no.

"Serah, Serah! Wake up!" Snow was desperately shaking her, and Hope saw his big hands tremble as he rubbed her cheeks, trying to warm her. Serah's here... where's Light? Kneeling down beside the girl, Hope took off his neckerchief, and gently wiped the raindrops off her face. It wouldn't do much, but he couldn't sit here and do nothing while Snow grieved over her. A small flutter of eyelashes disturbed the skin on his hand, and he moved it, his fingers gently finding her arm so he could help prop her up.

"Snow..." The light, faint voice held the smallest bit of warmth as she registered who was helping her. The relief on Snow's face was obvious – he'd broken into a brilliant, Snow-y smile.

"Hey baby, it's okay now. Everything's okay now. We'll find Sis and go home, okay?" His voice was soothing and calm as he held the girl to his chest. "We'll be alright, baby."

But Hope had seen Serah flinch the moment Lightning was mentioned, and he let go of her arm, scared, as she tensed. Her entire back arched against Snow as she let out a scream.

"No! Claire! Claire... Snow, they took her, you've gotta get her back..." Serah's voice quieted from hysterical cries to softer, desperate sobs as she clung to Snow, oblivious to the downpour that surrounded them.

No... No, they couldn't have gotten Light. She said... she'd come back! She said she'd always be there for me... said she'd protect me. No!

He crumpled to the ground, arms wrapping around his knees, as if curling together would make the pain in his chest go away.

A rough push made Hope glance up – Snow was glaring at him while holding Serah to his shoulder. The glare reminded him so much of Lightning that he flinched back. "Don't panic in front of her," he hissed.

He watched as Snow pulled her to him again, shifting so that she could face him and he could see her face. Using his big hand to wipe away the tears, he watched Snow try to calm her down.

"Baby, shhh... Crying won't help... Who took Sis? What happened?"

But Serah didn't stop, only burying her face in Snow's coat again. Hope could still hear her soft, now muffled voice. "Snow, you gotta... find Claire... You have to get her back..."

Lightning woke to a dim light flickering in the darkness. At first, she was confused – she was lying somewhere soft, and it wasn't cold. A pale blanket covered the lower half of her body, but she didn't appear to be in any pain. Reaching for the back of her head, she couldn't find the spot where she'd been hit, but the stiffness in her muscles told her that she'd been out for more than a couple of days. Where... is this? Gingerly, she got to her feet, wincing at the small twinge of pain that still attacked her shoulder.

A quiet voice sounded behind her. "Looks like our little l'Cie is awake."

She whipped around angrily, feeling empowered by the fact that her shoulder didn't bother her that much anymore. Tightening her slender hands into fists, she stalked towards the figure standing beside the flickering light, which she now saw to be a single candle.

"What... do you want from me?" she snarled, enunciating every word slowly, letting her anger take control. She knew they'd probably taken her omega weapon, but the man looked unarmed whereas she was quickly moving into the range of a punch.

"Well well, looks like we found ourselves a fighter this time around. Larcell will be pleased to know that." His voice was smooth, and she watched his red eyes follow her as she took a step forward.

"I don't really care what you want," she hissed quietly. "What I want to know is why the hell I'm here. You people keep claiming I'm a l'Cie, but do you see a brand?"

A small chuckle came from him as he moved towards her. "Kalin told me you weren't the most friendly person on Cocoon. Really, Lightning, acting so aggressively isn't helping your case. And to answer your question, yes, you are a l'Cie. Your brand has just been helpfully hidden, but we'll help you solve that soon."

She let out a small growl. "Don't call me that... like you know who I am."

"You really aren't in a position to make demands, you know... Think of your sister."

And as his words, Lightning froze. Serah. What happened after...? Trying to regain her grip on the situation, she clenched her fists again. The images kept flashing before her eyes; Serah wandering down the dark street, no doubt looking for her, the monster charging at her as soon as she came into its range. She only hoped she'd screamed out in time for Serah to get away. If Serah had actually been hurt by it... I don't think I could ever forgive myself. Not this time. Not after I promised myself Serah would never see anything ugly in this world again.

A cold grasp on her slim wrist pulled her back from her memories. She tried to pull her wrist away, shuddering at the cool contact, but the grip was firm, and try as she might to get away, she felt like it was gluing every single one of her limbs to the spot.

"See? You do have people you care about... and if I were you, I'd cooperate, unless you'd like them brought here too." The fingers of his other hand travelled up the arm he was keeping suspended in the air, and rested on one of the black armbands she wore. Feeling disgust rise in her stomach, Lightning tried to wrench her arm away. Hearing a small chuckle at her attempt to get rid of his hands, he let go of her arm, but kept the other hand firm on her wrist.

"Larcell is waiting to meet you." She didn't like his tone of voice; it reminded her of the way someone would present a particularly hungry monster with a helpless at his words. But a small smile formed on her lips for the first time in what felt like days. This Larcell guy, whoever the hell he is, clearly doesn't know who he's dealing with.

Finally in the confines of their living room again, which had thankfully escaped the fire and bore only a few marks of monsters, Snow set his wife down on the couch, rubbing her clammy hands furiously, trying to put some life back in her eyes. A cold knot had formed in his throat the moment she mentioned someone had taken Lightning, but sitting out in the rain in a deserted street wasn't going to solve that. So between him and Hope, they'd brought her home. The rain was still pounding down from the skies, but at least they weren't wet anymore. He'd dispatched Hope to call Sazh while... I attempt to reason with Serah.

"Serah, Serah, baby, can you tell me what happened?" His voice shook, but he tried to keep it steady. Falling to pieces like Hope did wasn't going to make things better. I'm supposed to be her hero, the person who takes care of her. And I'll be damned if I don't get Lightning back. Serah'd been hurt too, he knew that, by the way she clutched at her side when Snow had picked her up. I wasn't there for her when she needed me.

Finally, Serah raised her eyes, almost as if she was ashamed to look at him. "I went... looking for her. I didn't know where she was... She shouldn't have been fighting... There was a monster, and she called my name, but she was taken by this person wearing black... and then the monster got me..." Serah's voice trailed off as she broke into a fresh round of tears. Snow gripped her shoulders tightly. Awh, hell, Sis... Someone really came after you?

"Serah... listen. Crying isn't going to help us find Sis, okay? Anything you saw that was familiar about the man?" A small shake of the pink head, as she tried to wipe the tears away.

"He was dressed all in black... but I only saw him for a moment because of the storm..." Snow felt a tide of frustration rise in his stomach - this wasn't helpful at all. It had already been several hours if not a full day since the storm started - none of them had really been keeping track of time. And a vague description of a person she half saw was as good as nothing.

A clatter of footsteps announced that Hope was on his way down from the stairs, as Snow and Serah both looked over to the silver haired teenager. He looked tired too, but Snow saw the barely hidden pain in his eyes. Man, Sis really means a lot to the kid, doesn't she?

"I called Sazh, he's coming. He's left Dajh with Yuj and Lebreau, who are safe, by the way." His tone was oddly flat; Snow could tell he was trying to keep it in control, but the boy was shaking slightly. "So... what happened?"

"Like she said earlier, Sis was taken by someone, but we don't really know who." Snow hated how pathetic his words sounded. Like I think we can't do anything to take her back. And evidently, Hope thought the same of his words; Snow caught the rage in his sea green eyes and braced himself.

"So we're just not gonna do anything? Snow, Light is out there somewhere, probably still hurt, and we're just gonna sit here and do nothing because we don't know anything? Since when as Light given up because we didn't know anything?" Snow hated the way Hope had compared him to Lightning, hated the way he picked out exactly why Lightning had first left him on their journey in Lake Bresha. Everyone knows no one can top Sis in that kid's mind, but this is totally not fair!

"Hope... I'm sorry... I know how much Claire means to you too..." Serah's small voice peeped up as she tried to get up. A flutter of something sparkly fluttered to the floor as she rose to her feet. More sparkly bits fell to the floor as Serah dusted off her skirt awkwardly as she tried not to bend over too much to avoid moving the side that had gotten hit by the monster.

"Hey... what's that?" Hope had noticed it too, and the teenager rushed over to pick it up off the floor. He rubbed it between his fingers and held it out to Snow. Silver smears on the pale fingers stuck out immediately to Snow. He'd seen sparkly stuff like this before. And both their hushed voices came out at the same time.

"It's like... from Oerba and Orphan's Cradle, where we fought Barthandelus. Those same sparkles..."

The realization hit Snow like a impact of three monsters. "No one can go back to Cocoon just yet... The monster who attacked Serah must have come from Oerba!"

"No, that's not it." Hope's voice was quiet, but intense, his green eyes blazing with the determination Snow had seen in them after the kid had gotten Alexander. "The attack on this city was planned. They were after Lightning from the start. And because they had this planned, they either used a summon portal or just had hordes of monsters. But the monsters disappeared after they got what they wanted, so they must have dispelled them. Those summon portals can go both ways. Wouldn't it make sense to transport the monsters back to your base so you could use them again if need be? That means..."

"They've got Light in Oerba." Snow finished Hope's thoughts. He smacked his fist into his other palm, feeling the sense of empowerment that came only with figuring out a plan and putting it into action. "Those bastards will really regret messing with us," he snarled.

"It's not going to be that easy... Oerba is on the other side of Cocoon's crystal, and on top of a mountain. But we have a place to start looking," Hope's voice sounded behind him.

"I'm coming with you..." Snow whipped around to see Serah limping to him. "I have to apologize to her... Claire..." He enveloped her in his arms, feeling her smaller body relax slightly against his. He buried his lips in her hair, inhaling her soft scent.

"We'll get Sis back... I promise." And that's a promise I intend to keep. For sure.

Lightning arched her back, and screamed. The intense burn where her brand used to be choked her breathing, and she felt claws of agony rake up and down her spine. Grasping at her chest desperately, she tried to claw at it, as if she could scratch it off of her. Collapsing to her knees, she gripped the cold floor, struggling for breath, not sure how much more she could take.

"You know... this would be a lot easier if you consented to us experimenting on you." The cold voice sounded from somewhere behind her, but she didn't really care. Her pulse was pounding so loudly in her ears everything else sounded dim.

"Fuck... you," she spat out. "I won't become your little l'Cie puppet..."

She felt something kick her side, and powerless to prevent it, she hit the floor on her elbows. Still holding her hand to her chest, Lightning tried to get her bearings, tried to hang onto her soldier training.

Pain only takes ahold of you if you let it. Don't give in to it, sit it out, separate yourself from the situation, deep breaths... And her realization that she couldn't. She couldn't separate it from herself when every other breath and every single heartbeat painfully attacked her lungs and throat.

"You see?" She knew it was the one they called Larcell. Their leader...? "If a normal human had stepped onto this rune mark on the floor, they wouldn't have felt anything. But you, you reacted to it almost instantaneously. Join us, Lightning. We know you hold Odin's power in you somewhere. You could be great, you know, if you joined forces with us. We'll give you the fal'Cie's power too, the fal'Cie that has lain sleeping underneath Oerba since the War of Transgression. And together we can bring about the Eclipse." At the end of his sentence, his voice grew higher, almost as if he was embracing the very power that he spoke of. What the hell... is the Eclipse?

Forcing herself to her knees again, Lightning looked up at the man who had moved in front of her. Short blond hair, silver eyes that had slits like a cat's. He had vestigial wings on his back, bony and gnarled, proof of the fal'Cie power he had absorbed using some new manadrive, as he had explained to her. The smirk on his face reminded her so starkly of the look Dysley had worn when he had disguised himself as Serah that she wanted to puke.

"I don't want... any part of whatever plan you have," she hissed through her teeth, trying not to let her pain show in her voice.

A cruel laugh that echoed throughout the cavern that made her senses go on overdrive. It was too familiar, too much like Orphan's laugh...

"Maybe you don't... but perhaps someone else can convince you?" He conjured an image of Serah, crying and becoming a crystal, forcing her to look at it."Remember this? Remember how that was your fault? Whatever happens to her could be your fault too, you know..."

Fuck... No. Anything... but that. Serah... I promised myself after that that I'd never let you see anything ugly, feel any more pain. But I don't know... that you don't hate me. That you don't blame me for what happened... And maybe they're right... I won't ever know, because I'm too scared to ask you.

Feeling the beads of sweat meld themselves into her hair, Lightning tried to pull up the strength needed to get up, to run away from the rune circle, to run away from the words that were cutting into the very depths of the barrier she'd always constructed around her deepest feelings. I don't want to hear any more... from this crazy guy who's clearly just interested in what I can... what I could do as a l'Cie.

"Summon Odin. Now."

Lightning ignored the voice, trying to block it out from her hearing. How the hell do I even... summon Odin? I don't have a brand anymore... like I've been saying since this started... She heard him begin to mutter words she didn't understand, words that flowed around her that she ignored as she tried to bite her lip against the agonized pulsing of what used to be her brand.

And suddenly the pain increased. It reminded her of how her brand always hurt so much more when she was trying to summon Odin, except this was... The heat spread from her chest, and reached its claws into her stomach. Feeling her navel piercing tingle, this time she couldn't hold back the scream that clawed its way furiously up her spine. But as the rune circle glowed yellow, like how it did when she'd first stepped into it, a different circle was now superimposed on the first. Her fading vision registered it as rose petals began to drift through the air, and the sweet scent hit her nose.

The pain ended abruptly from the rest of her body, except for the place where her brand had been located. And it wasn't just the pain, it was every other abuse her body had suffered in the last few days. Feeling some strength return to her limbs, Lightning was able to push herself into a hunched standing position. And for the first time, her eyes registered her own summon circle. Odin...?

Her hand went immediately to the place where her brand used to be... except... the brand was there. Just like she remembered it last, before they'd fought Orphan. There was only one difference - it was white like Fang's had been. How...

She heard a cheer coming from somewhere in front of her, and she focused her eyes on the dancing... dancing? figure in front of her. Her vision was sharper now, and the longer the pink circle stayed the more strength she felt return to her body.

"Yes! Yes, that's it! Let your anger and despair summon your Eidolon!"

She didn't know how the hell the funny circle thing a hundred miles below the ground could have returned the brand to her chest, but at the moment, she wasn't complaining. Lightning didn't know if Odin was here... or not, but it was her against a room full of unarmed scientists who were bent on turning her into some l'Cie puppet for their own use. And as far as she was concerned, she was in shape and they probably weren't. Even without a weapon, even without magic, I can still... There's no more pain, not that I can feel, and without pain, I can fight and not listen to their garbage about Serah. Without realizing it, she had pushed herself into an attack position, and she heard the scientists' cheers stop. Know who you're dealing with now? Lightning bent her knees slightly, and prepared to spring onto the dark figure who was just outside the circles. Larcell.

Abruptly, the yellow glow of the rune circle disappeared, and so did her summon circle. And the moment the circle was gone it was like it had taken the strength it had lent her away, and Lightning sank to her knees again. She glanced up in time to see Larcell standing over her, something sharp in one hand.

"Can't have you using your l'Cie power on me, now can we? The rune circle is deactivated for now, but it's enough to know that whatever fal'Cie erased your brand clearly hasn't the power to keep it erased in the face of another. We've gotten enough data from you today, so, sleep for now, my little Lightning. We'll play again soon. And perhaps, next time, a little incentive might persuade you to be a little more cooperative."

And the last thought Lightning had before darkness crashed over her like a tidal wave was her sister's face, Hope, even Snow...

The people I care about...

*sits*

I feel like Light just about now, haha. I'll leave the interpretation of the events up to you (feel free to speculate via reviews though, but keep in mind I do know what I'm writing about, heh), and honestly, the next few chapters are not going to be very nice to Light. *pats her*

But onto a happier note since I don't want to spoil anything else, Sazh will make his grand entrance in the next chapter, and a very grand entrance/part it will be. *gleefully rubs hands together*

So, once again, leave love in reviews so review monster will be happy, and I'll do my best to get the next chapter up by tomorrow or at the very latest Saturday. I'll let you guys know when I'm having a certain chapter Beta'd so you guys know when to expect it being later than a daily update.

Cheers.