So hi guys, and thanks for tuning into the next chapter of NR! :3

A big thank you to my reviewers, OscarMerrinoz96 and GCFarron, you guys are awesome. 8D

And also an extended thank you to everyone - NR hit the 1000 visitor mark sometime yesterday afternoon, and I really appreciate all the love you give this fic! It warms the cockles of my little heart to know that you guys care. o3o

So not a lot to say this time - in my opinion this chapter was more interesting to write than the last one, hopefully you guys feel the same way as you're reading it. Enjoy as always!

Chapter 16: Eternal Smiles

Grass crunched under Hope's shoes as he tagged after Lightning. They'd been walking for a good few hours now, and he could already see the faint sparkles of crystal dust in the spring sunlight in the distance.

"We're close now," he heard her murmur quietly. "Stay on guard - there could be monsters around."

He nodded, catching up to her quick stride. Snow and Serah were a ways off behind them, and that worried him a little. Serah couldn't fight - that much was painfully obvious, and while he had some confidence in Snow's abilities...

"Hey, Light?" He saw her turn her head slightly to show that she'd heard. "D'you think we should, um, wait for Snow and Serah?" She let out a snort.

"No, the 'hero' can take care of himself. And since he's so insisting on protecting Serah too, well, I can't really ruin that, can I?" That's just your way of saying you want them to spend time together... isn't it?

He rested his head against her shoulder - he felt her flinch at the contact, but she sighed, and allowed it. "Light?"

"Mmmhmm?"

"Are you... well, scared of what's going to come?" He hoped she wouldn't get angry at him for asking such a personal question. She moved away from the contact and turned around to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Huh. I really can't say. On one hand, I really wouldn't mind kicking the crap outta those creeps, and on the other..." She paused, and a hesitant look entered her eyes, and her voice dropped significantly in volume. "I don't want to see what happened to me happen to you or Serah. Ever."

"Light..."

"Come on, we're wasting time." She turned to go, her right hand resting on her weapon. But Hope had seen the look in her eyes the moment she mentioned Serah and him. Pain. Fear. Light...

Her boot crunched a shard of cement in the setting sunlight. Kicking it aside, Lightning strode into the ruins of Oerba. She didn't want to look at the gaping hole that still existed - just the thought of the place made her want to crouch and hold her head between her hands. Frustrated, she turned her attention to watching Snow and Serah clamber up the last stones leading up to the town. This freaking place is messing with my head.

"So, Sis, see anything?" Snow had come to stand beside her. She resisted the urge to elbow him.

"No more than you do." Her voice shook a little, but she didn't want to let Snow know how much the place unnerved her. She sensed him look at her oddly, but she wasn't going to give in to his probing so easily. She tightened her hand on her omega weapon, hoping that it would conceal the slight shaking of her fingers.

"Alright, so, guess we're camping here for the night, then." Snow flung himself on the rocky cement ground as Serah giggled. Lightning rolled her eyes.

"Snow, there are perfectly good homes that weren't demolished somewhat. I don't see why we have to sleep on the ground," she snapped at him. Snow turned hurt looking eyes on her, clearly not expecting the reprimand. Huffing, she turned away to look for a viable place to sleep.

"Awh, Sis, don't be like that..." She heard his whine fade away as she crunched through the dust. Most of the houses in this area of Oerba had been crumbled, but she could see some in the further parts of town that were more than suitable. Serah's bell chime giggle sounded after her as she and Hope ran after her.

At this rate we'll be up all night.

Serah snuggled up against Snow, wrapped in his big coat. Her head was on his shoulder, and he was absentmindedly stroking her pink head with a big hand. Lightning was pointedly not looking at them, staring outside the cracked window at the darkening skies. She felt Snow open his mouth, and then closed it, obviously thinking better of it.

Hope had settled himself in a corner, and he exchanged a glance with Serah - she could see her own amusement mirrored in his eyes. Claire was so uptight and modest about everything... Snow didn't even know she had a navel piercing until we told him, and she always makes a point of looking away or walking to a different room when I'm with him. She's so modest about everything that I wonder, well, if she's ever going to fall for someone. Because anybody who knows her... even a little, would know that she would just claim she's 'not interested'.

But Claire... you need to live your own life too.

"So." It was Snow, who was trying again in his attempt to talk while Lightning was very obviously not looking their way. Serah just snuggled closer to him; Claire could think what she wanted to think. She wasn't the one married to Snow.

"So what?" she snapped back. Serah saw her fingers drumming impatiently on the worn, rusted steel of the windowsill. She could feel Snow tense at her sister's irritated tone, but the big man ploughed fearlessly on anyways.

"Tomorrow we're investigating the Oerba Ruins, right? What's left of them anyways?" Snow's voice was a little more pacifying, like he was trying... very very hard not to make Lightning more irritated than she was. Serah saw the involuntary shudder pass through her sister's body, and the way she tightened her hand on her weapon.

"Yeah...okay." Claire's voice had lost its harshness, replaced by what Serah could only guess as guarded conviction. But she hadn't been the only one who'd noticed. Hope had, too.

"Light... you okay?" His voice held the tint of concern that Snow's voice didn't - clearly Snow hadn't noticed anything odd because he was glancing back and forth between her and Hope, evidently confused as to why they were giving each other worried looks.

"Yeah... I'm fine." It's just like Claire not to admit that something's wrong. But before Serah could reprimand her sister for keeping her emotions bottled up inside her, Hope had already spoken.

"No, you're not. Light, you haven't looked alright since we got here. I think we all know something's wrong... and now that we're travelling again, you have to tell us." His voice was firm, and Serah saw Lightning glance back once, her expression filled with guilt, pain... and she was surprised to see, uncertainty. Like she was scared to tell them she was feeling.

"Claire... Hope's right, you know..." Her voice trailed off when Lightning snapped her head back to the window again.

"I don't... want to worry you about it, okay? Just forget it." Her voice was still snappish, but this time Serah could tell she was fighting to keep it that way. I think I know what's wrong... but Claire, you just don't want to admit it. Suddenly, Serah was unsure if she wanted Claire to admit it - it hadn't been a happy experience, and there was obviously something deeper involved in it that Lightning had clearly conveniently left out.

"Sis... if you don't wanna tell us you don't have to. But I know all of us are willing to listen if you do want to talk... even though I know you say you can't stand me." Snow... I know you try really hard to care about Claire, and I know she doesn't take you as seriously as she does the rest of us, but she does care... in her own way. She leaned against his warmth, feeling comforted when Snow wrapped an arm around her slim waist.

"Thanks." Her sister's quiet mutter was almost too quiet for Serah to hear - but it was there. And her heart warmed to think that Claire knew that they cared - because they did. See? Opening up to us... isn't so bad, is it, Claire?

The descent into the ruins was harder than she'd thought. Every single step painfully reminded Lightning of the last time she'd been here, the last time she'd gone down the steps. Everyone expected her to take the lead, and so she had, wearily accepting the leadership role pushed onto her. It wasn't that she was scared of monsters or enemies that still could very well lurk the place - those she could deal with. What she was scared she couldn't deal with were the memories that were crowding her consciousness at this very moment.

All I have to do is to think about that fucking rune... and then everything comes rushing back. The pain, the despair, the desperation... Shit. This place has really messed with my head.

She pulled out her omega weapon - Lightning knew she didn't need it - but it made her feel better, even though what was tormenting her at the moment couldn't be physically damaged or dispelled. Her footsteps echoed ominously on the stone floor - it was too freaking quiet in here, even with the dim lights that were still flickering and the heavy stone dust that had settled.

"Light... any idea where they kept their information?" Hope's quiet voice sounded behind her somewhere. She resisted the urge to snap back - how the hell was she supposed to know where they kept their stuff? It's not like I was allowed to wander around. But he didn't need to hear her lose it over such a simple question - she shook her head, hoping he could see it in the gloom.

A simple question that's brought on way too many memories.

She heard Snow crack his knuckles. "Alright then! Time to get searching." Before she could stop him, Snow barreled past her with Serah tagging along at his heels, as he started kicking in doors that lined the circular looking halls. Exchanging a dubious and exasperated look with Hope, she followed him.

The first doors that had been kicked in didn't offer them anything in terms of information, but contained plenty of useful things otherwise. Lightning bent down to examine several glinting claws in the dim light. What the hell... She picked one up, closely looking at it - the edges were serrated, and she knew she didn't want to face whatever monster these had belonged to... Except why didn't they still belong to a monster? Why were they...

The realization hit her the moment she thought about it. Those monsters... all came from some sort of summon portal. So that means they... created them? She felt sick - the urge to puke was definitely there. So they took apart monsters and put them back together like some jigsaw puzzle? That's...

Throwing the claws away from her, Lightning backed away slowly from the other contents in the room. She really didn't want to know.

"Sis? Anything useful in there?" Snow was calling from where he was searching in a different room across the dark hallway. She carefully closed the door behind her as she left her room - no need for Serah to see that.

"Nope." She felt a tug on her arm, and looked down to see Hope's wide eyes. "What?"

"Light... I think you need to come see this." There was a scared, apprehensive look in his eyes and she stalked lightly after him into the room he'd been looking in.

In the room, there were shelves upon shelves of paper. Some were in the ancient Pulsian script, which she couldn't read, but the others were legible... barely. There were several scattered around on the floor - evidently Hope had been looking through those. She picked one up, quickly scanning the page.

A few words told her all she needed to know.

"Hope. Get the rest that you've found off the floor and get Serah and Snow in here," she hissed quietly.

"Okay." She heard his reply, but most of her attention was fixed on the piece of paper before her. Reading quickly, she felt her fingers beginning to tighten around the thin page; her hand was starting to shake. Urgh, you're supposed to be a soldier. Get a grip. Berating herself quickly, Lightning forced herself to take a deep breath and continue.

The page crumpled between her fingers as Serah and Snow burst into the room behind Hope.

"What did you guys find?" Wordlessly, Lightning held out the now scrunched piece of paper. Snow snatched it from her hand, face growing longer with every line.

"Are you serious?" His voice was a deadly whisper. While Snow was staring at the wall just beyond her shoulder, Serah snatched the piece of paper out of his big hand.

"Spread out, we're combing this place for any information we can get." She was glad her voice came out the way she needed it to. Moving over to another shelf, she was glad that her back faced everyone else. Snow hadn't gotten the implications of the piece of paper. But she had... and it ate at her completely to know that it was true.

I'm an easy target... because I'm vulnerable. I'm vulnerable because I know I have to protect the people I love. And when they're as defenceless and innocent as Serah...

Serah shifted through her pile of paper - it wasn't easy because some of the writing was illegible... at least to her. But she'd found some important things... hopefully it would be enough information. She'd seen the look on her sister's face when she'd held out the piece of paper. Oh Claire... I already know if must be hard for you to be back... and now...

A thump on the table made her look up as Snow dropped a pile of paper on the small desk in the middle of the room.

"So, let's share," he announced. It was automatic for Serah to go over to him, and she felt his arm drape over her shoulders."Sis? Find anything?"

Lightning stalked over to the table, and slammed a map flat on its surface. "This." There was a moment of silence as everyone leaned over to see what was on it before Snow let out a yell of victory.

"Yes! Sis, you have no idea how much easier you made things." Lightning raised her eyebrows at Snow, but didn't make a comment. Leaning against the table, Serah watched her sister rest a hand on her hip, the other fingering her weapon.

"Alright, so now that Sis has found the map, it'll make explaining things I found much easier." Snow's smug voice and expression made her giggle, and she saw Hope shake his head, exchanging an exasperated look with Lightning. Snow pretended not to have seen them, and shuffled through his pile of paper, squinting at one of them as he picked it up.

"So. The Farseer Tribe of Gran Pulse. Oerba wasn't the only village of l'Cie, but it was the only warrior village. It was the only village that dared start the War of Transgression with Cocoon, while the other tribes on Gran Pulse chose to stay out of it. The Farseer Tribe was the most prominent of these, living past the Everleece Mountains... Glad Sis found a map."

"Interesting history lesson, Snow, get to the point, okay?" Lightning's irritated voice cut through Snow's bumbling.

"All right, all right, keep your hair on, Sis, I'm getting there. Okay, so, you know the Eclipse those creeps told you about? Well, it's got something to do with the Farseer Tribe, because their l'Cie apparently have the power to see the future. It doesn't sound like they can use magic or anything - unlike our definition of l'Cie. But the main point is, Farseer Tribe l'Cie can see the future, and sense those crystals the creeps were after. That's probably why they were after you, Sis."

"Nice story... except I can't see the future, can I?" Lightning did not sound impressed, but one look at her sister and Serah knew that at least some of the frustration had vanished off her sister's expression.

"I think... I can explain why." Hope piped up from the corner of the table where he was perched, holding several pieces of paper in his hand. "We only knew of two types of fal'Cie - Cocoon and Pulse. However, there were more types of fal'Cie on Pulse than just the ones we encountered, because Gran Pulse is so big. Like Snow said, there are different types of fal'Cie - Anima just happened to be a "warrior fal'Cie". But the Farseer tribe that was mentioned, they're under a different type of fal'Cie, but I can't really read the name... Either way, their l'Cie have different powers." Serah saw her sister put her hand where her brand was, slim gloved fingers tightening around the white cloth of her vest.

"Anyways," continued Hope. "Light, I don't think they knew what kind of fal'Cie branded you... us. Either that or they weren't sure of the difference, because you can't see the future."

Serah opened her mouth. "I've got a question... The Eclipse they keep mentioning? If it happens every hundred years, why didn't it affect Cocoon?"

"I found the answer." Snow's voice was smug again. "The Cocoon fal'Cie protected Cocoon, and because Cocoon was a floating paradise, nothing that happened on the ground affected it. But that's probably why Gran Pulse was deserted when we first reached it - after the Oerba Tribe was annihilated in the War of Transgression, no one was left to counter the horrors introduced by the Eclipse." His hand tightened around her shoulder when he said it, like he was trying to protect her from it now.

"But that doesn't mean there can't be anything left. I say we go and see if we can find this Farseer Tribe - looking at the map Light found the Everleece Mountains don't look that far away." Hope's voice was steady, and Serah could see the determination in his eyes. He's really a little mature for his age... isn't he?

Snow moved over to ruffle the teenager's head. "I like your plan, kiddo." Hope laughed a little, squirming out of reach of the man's hand.

"Light?" Strangely, her sister hadn't said a word since Hope had talked about the fal'Cie. She turned her head back to them, and shrugged.

"I don't see why not." Her voice was crisp again, the tone of the soldier she'd put on every time she went to work.

"Excellent." Snow rubbed his hands together, clearly anticipating the moment. "Let's gather up what we think is useful and let's get outta here."

"Not so fast, hero. Ever consider that we need food as well?" Lightning looked critically at Snow, contempt clear in her eyes.

"Uhhh, yeah, forgot about that," he mumbled sheepishly, trying to avoid her gaze. Lightning let out a huff as she passed him, Hope tagging along behind her.

"Looks like the heroes still need help occasionally."

Oh Claire... I know you pretend you can't stand him, but I also know that you can't really express yourself either.

Lugging the food they'd found lying around in one of the supply rooms, Snow pushed the bandanna on his head up his sweaty forehead. It was getting close to noon now, and they were preparing to leave soon. Lightning had shot daggers at him when she saw him lug a jug of water up the stairs outside to Oerba. She'd brushed past him, fingers playing over the other little jars until she found the one she wanted.

"Drop that, Snow. Who's going to carry it, you?" Her tart voice reminded him she was still a soldier at heart.

He'd scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, don't we need water, Sis?" She shot him an exasperated look.

"Yes, we do. But not like that. Honestly... you'd never survive a real war." Ouch. She held up the three small glass bottles she'd found inches from his face. "All we'll need is this for water."

"Uhh, Sis? Mind telling me... what those are? Those don't look like they'd be a mouthful for anyone." He hoped he didn't sound as stupid as he felt right now, with Lightning's icy blue eyes glaring at him.

"That's because they're not for drinking, hero. It's iodine. You put drops in stream water, river water, whatever, and it purifies it, so you don't have to lug water around with you." The expression in her eyes all but screamed duh at him. "They're a lot lighter, no?" She stuffed the three bottles in her red pack on her thigh, and then turned to go.

He caught her smirk as she walked past him. Feeling inferior now, Snow followed her up the last stone steps and out into the sunlight. At least she looks better than she did this morning. If she's got the energy to insult me, then well, I guess that's a good thing.

Serah was busy stuffing the small cans of food in a backpack she'd found, and Snow went over to her. "Need help, baby?" He loved it when she smiled back at his tone of voice. It made her look like the princess... well, his princess.

She let out a soft giggle. "No, I'm fine, Snow. Why don't you go ask Claire if she needs help?" He laughed, patting the back of his head.

"Well, she just chewed me out for not knowing what iodine did, so... I'd rather not." He heard her giggle again as her fingers found his.

"Oh Snow, you know what Claire's like. She'll forget about it in awhile."

"You always say that," he murmured quietly in her hair. "I don't think so though." She giggled again, and turned her face to his for a kiss.

Urgh. Seriously, Serah and Snow... Lightning turned away from her sister and her oaf; whatever they were doing now, she didn't want to know. Settling herself on a warm slab of concrete, she glanced under her eyelids at the entrance to the ruins again... luckily she hadn't lost it this morning in there.

There was also what Snow and Hope had found out about her... So, they were wrong about me to begin with. Huh, figures. Still... Her hand closed over her brand. But this... I know Odin is there, and wouldn't that better prepare me to protect Serah and Hope?

She heard Snow calling her from the distance. Getting off the stone, she started in their direction. Hope and Serah were chatting animatedly, while Snow was picking up the large pack of stuff, and putting it over his back. Their faces looked expectant, almost happy. It was that she couldn't understand the sentiment - for the time being, they were safe, they had an objective... and she also knew how quickly resolve was lost in a moment of desperation and despair - she'd seen it happen too many times in battle.

Maker... give me the strength to protect them... because I never want to see them lose those smiles.

So yeah, a big history lesson for y'all in the middle of that chapter. Hopefully it was comprehensive enough for you guys; I had Snow explain it for a reason. xD So we're getting into some fal'Cie situations now... and the question of who saved Lightning & co at the end of XIII will be revealed soon. Stay tuned! :3

Also, I changed the "character" thing to Light and Hope... because I realized this fic is going to go Hoperai, and uhhh... yeah. n_n You probably read it in Chapter 3, and I didn't have it originally planned for this fic, but I was working out some plot details with a friend the other day, and I realized it's gonna be inevitable. xD (And let's face it - their relationship ingame was so cute!) Their relationship hasn't been erm... "progressed" just yet, but as I stated last chapter, we have a long ways to go till the end of this story, but well, just letting y'all know this is gonna go that way from now on.

One more thing. While this fic is rated M, it is rated M solely for dark content and language (and possibly violence). I'm alright with romance, but it won't go past fluff, so well, just letting you know. This applies for the SerahxSnow in this fic as well.

Feed the review monster as always - things are about to get interesting. *rubs hands together* Leave love, and I'll see you all tomorrow, my lovelies!

Hearts!