So hey guys, and thanks for tuning into the next chapter of NR!

Once again, my love for my supporters is eternal: Mylaervain, Lightarcana, that one reviewee, H-thar, Zapper90, thewhitespirit, and Erifrats101! You guys are awesome. 8D And of course, props to LadyAlaska (All I can say is... Hope is really too adorable in game).

We finally hit some action about two thirds of the way through this chapter! Wheee~ It's been awhile since I've written some, and let's just say, if you've been waiting for a certain Eidolon, you won't be disappointed. :3

Enjoy as always!

Chapter 52: The Place of Sin

Disquiet and shadows played over the sharp, jagged edges of rocks, casting ominously cheerful shapes over the high ridges of walls as Lightning slowly, carefully, picked her way down the side of the rocky hills, trying not to stumble over the mess of rocks left in the wake of the landslide. The task of getting down the hillside without falling was thankfully a task that took quite some concentration - if she was absolutely honest with herself... she had no idea what, exactly, had happened and she suspected it would be quite some time before she sorted that out. Still, no matter how hard she tried, the thoughts pressed down on her like fluid pulled to earth by gravity.

I... I don't know what to think anymore. She no longer had any idea what she and Hope were supposed to be, but it was painfully obvious even to her that it was no longer the mentor-protege or even the surrogate mother role she'd played for him anymore. It went much, much deeper than that - he reached her in a way only Serah had ever scratched the surface of that part to her. Serah... Is this... what you wanted?

It hurt that she could allow herself to feel warmth, to feel some form of the word 'happiness' in a world that Serah no longer existed in. Am I supposed... to feel this way? Serah's death had never really let her go; she had never stopped feeling pain that her sister was gone, but... But with him, I can almost let it be a part of me without letting it be a part of me. Was that wrong? It had only happened a few times, and in those times, it had only lasted a few seconds, but the weaker, fragile part of her, the part of her that selfishly wanted to stop hurting, had embraced those moments and allowed them to continue into something she hadn't been able to foresee.

The warmth of those moments was undeniable. That much she knew, and that much she wouldn't be able to push away. No matter how cold and stoic the fragile, newly resurrected soldier part of her was... she couldn't do that. Not when she wanted and needed his support, not when he as good as told her he needed the exact same things from her. As pathetic as I am at the moment...

Shaking her head to dispel the thoughts, Lightning tried to focus on one thing at a time... and right now, it was to get off the hill without hurting herself. I can figure that out later... we have time, don't we?

She'd been about to suggest they take a break - her side aching dully again and she suspected it had something to do with her running with the stitches still in, when a second explosion showered her hair with stone dust - she raised her arms above her head and she heard Snow curse somewhere in front of her. Staggering away from the rock face, for a moment, all Lightning could do was clutch her side with her left hand, arm wrapped protectively around her abdomen, while she tried to force all other thoughts from her brain. She didn't realize she was backing away until her back hit the rock wall of the other side of the pass, pressing against the back of her legs uncomfortably.

Snow had already moved his fists up, but she didn't see the point in that; the stone dust was so thick she couldn't see anything except the large shadow of Snow and the smaller silhouette of Hope just a few feet in front of her. Then she heard the slow crunch of chips of rock being crushed under pressure and she caught the sight of a curved gleam in the moonlight.

The creature that emerged from the dust left in the wake of the explosion wasn't something she expected: it looked like the scythe clones they'd fought, but Lightning could make out a small, vestigial wing protruding from its left shoulder. What the... It didn't seem to notice they were there as it slowly lumbered past Snow into the open. She heard him curse again, readying his fists to attack it.

"Wait," she rasped out, moving forward, ignoring the pull of pain down her middle. "Snow... just wait." The big man lowered his arms hesitantly, shooting her a suspicious look.

"What?" He sounded dubious and irritated that she'd told him to stop. "We're supposed to beat these things up... aren't we? Why-"

Hope cut in before the blond brawler could continue. "It's not attacking us. I don't even think it knows we're here." There was a long pause as all three of their gazes followed the figure - it was shambling down the ravaged hillside pass and showed no sign of knowing that they were there. Hope echoed the question she was thinking. "Where's it going?"

Lightning saw the small grin cross Snow's face, anger instantly wiped as he stared after the thing. "Why don't we follow it? It's gotta be going somewhere." The blond looked around for their consent - when no one argued, he cracked his knuckles. "Excellent! Then let's get going." He took the lead, staying about two yards behind the thing as he set off after it. She felt Hope pull her arm - realizing too late, once again, that she'd been staring off into the distance at something.

"Light... you're okay, right?" He'd noticed the way she was holding her side. Shaking her head to dispel the thoughts that crowded in whenever she wasn't doing something, Lightning tried to force herself to look into his concerned viridian gaze and not flinch. Taking a steadying breath, she tried to let it calm her before speaking.

"I-I'll be okay." There was no way she was going to admit to him that their earlier 'moment' was getting to her in the worst ways possible. I know... I shouldn't be... But inside, she knew she needed, and... what was the point of trying to deny it anymore? She wanted it to continue and that just left her as confused as she ever had been. When he didn't let go of her, she tried to make her voice more forceful then the quiet, hoarse rasp she'd managed earlier. "I'm fine... look, Hope, don't worry about me..."

He didn't look like he believed her, and his green gaze was intense when he finally replied. "Light... I know you remember what I told you. I need you too. So... don't try to downplay things... okay?" His voice took on something of a scared plea when he continued. "I don't want to lose you again..."

Slowly, she raised a hand to push off some of the errant platinum locks that had settled in his eyes. Mustering the willpower to say something coherent, Lightning choked out the two words she thought would be the only things that she could say and not cave into the mess of emotions inside that even she had no idea how to sort out yet. "I know."

Hope had opened his mouth to say something when Snow's slightly angry yell echoed off the stone walls. "Are you two coming or not?"

Glad for the distraction, she pulled him after her with her free hand, for once, thankful to Snow for breaking in on the conversation before it twisted into something that would no doubt break down the delicate emotional balance she'd managed to find and coax out the inner fragility that she had no intention of letting show to him just yet.

It was only when they had caught up with the big man did Lightning realize what she had just processed. Just yet? That means I...

She didn't want to think about it, pushing those thoughts down somewhere onto the same level as her continued grief and emptiness in an attempt to stifle it. She couldn't keep either at bay for long.

Pink streaks were beginning to claw their way into the large expanse of deep blue when the figure finally stopped. Lightning had absolutely no idea where they were - they'd followed the thing off the hills and onto some other rocky outreach until it had turned onto a side path that wound deeply in the canyons. The soldier sense that was beginning to return nagged at her - it was so confined, so enclosed here and they were a million miles away from any sort of help: it felt like a trap.

She didn't voice that suspicion though; no one needed to be unnerved more than they already were. Snow was still in front of her, and she'd insisted Hope stay in front of her as well. She had been unsuccessful in dissuading the concerned looks he gave her every now and then, but she had been glad for the silence that had been allowed to permeate through them.

The emptiness that tore at her was still there, and every painful pull at the stitches that still remained on her abdomen reminded her of Serah. That much... hadn't changed, and briefly, Lightning wondered if that would ever change. She didn't think so. Serah had been such an integral, central part of her that when she was gone... Lightning had no idea what was left. The only reason now... I can continue to keep going is... I want to finish this. That much was also painfully obvious: the only thing that was currently driving her forward was to see that no one would ever get hurt by him again... that no more lives would be taken. It was a stupidly 'Snow' thing to think, but it was the truth. She had to finish what they'd started... for Serah's sake if not her own.

And when this is over... what will I be? The depression consumed individual she wasn't sure she wasn't yet? Even now, the same urges lurked behind every motion - indecision clawed at her at everything she did. It was only easier to press down when she knew she was doing this, in part, for Serah. It was impossible not to feel the painful, yawning chasm inside even when she had other things to think or do. The only time it had felt less dominant was when... When Hope was there.

She didn't want to get into that either. The only thing now she could safely admit was that he didn't make her feel like the useless, pathetic individual she thought she was. Maker... if he could make me pull out my gunblade again... to save him... that can't be nothing. The overwhelming consumption that she could have lost him in a moment of her weakness was so terrifying, so utterly painful, that her body had reacted before her mind told it not to. That was how powerful his hold on her was. Briefly, Lightning wondered if it was okay... to let someone else hold such a huge part of her, before she realized there was nothing she could do about it anymore.

And that was also where the whole confusion started eating at her mess of emotions. Do I want him to... or not? There was no denying he'd pulled her out of the bottomless whirlpool of depression when she had needed it... and there was also no denying that she needed him to keep... living. There was also the matter that he was still just a kid... no matter what his mental age was, she had no business tearing away the rest of his childhood like that didn't matter. And suddenly, Lightning was afraid she already had.

I've let him see death... more than a couple of times, the whole corruption of a government that ruined our lives, the dangers of fighting constantly... and what crippling depression can do to someone. It bothered her that it was her depression he'd had to see... that it was the person he'd looked up to, looked for guidance, that had utterly caved under the overwhelming desire to not accept reality anymore. He even heard me say... I didn't want to live anymore. Did he even remember that? Lightning found herself wishing to the Maker that he didn't.

Then there's the whole... hugging thing. That it was wrong, she had no doubt. That she should have stopped herself before he had whittled her down to the very innermost of her emotions, there was no doubt. But just like she'd realized before, he'd gotten to the point of her where the weaker side of her slipped out... the side that wanted his support. She felt like holding her head between her hands and screaming.

"Hey, Sis... you okay?" Snow's words jostled her out of her own mental world, and she forced herself to look at him. He was standing awkwardly with Hope - both of them were looking at her with concerned, apprehensive gazes. "You're not going to... you know, lose it, again, are you?"

Lightning closed her eyes, pressing a hand to her face. "No..." The word sounded as convincing as if she'd tried to convince them that Cocoon wasn't round. "Just... tired." She was tired... of her own pathetic mental condition.

"You need a break?" She'd been about to open her mouth to refuse before Snow pressed on. "Look, Sis, we can see you're holding your side... does it hurt?"

It did hurt... but she could deal with that. "No, Snow... just... I don't want to hear it, okay?" She removed her hand from her eyes to see both of them give her and exasperated, disbelieving look.

"Light... I told you-" Hope started before she broke in.

"I know! I know..." The repetition of the words were gentler and softer, closer to how she actually felt. "I'll be okay... alright?" She saw Snow elbow Hope before he could argue with her.

"If you're sure then, Sis, let's go." It was tantamount to how much scant attention she'd paid to her surroundings when the big blond started down into a cave that yawned open from the mountainside. This time, Hope waited for her, refused to keep going until she slowly made her way to him. She didn't have the strength or will to pry his hand off her right wrist when he closed his fingers around it, letting him pull her into the darkness.

There was absolutely no light other than the strings of small bulbs strung at the ceiling, lining the walls around them. Instantly, she felt claustrophobic, and Lightning felt her breathing accelerate into unsteady gasps as they went deeper. To his everlasting credit, Hope said nothing - perhaps he knew she would snap if he did. The surroundings were too familiar... it was impossible not to think of the dancing blue light of the Ice Cliff Palace when she was underground again, a million tonnes of rock above her head.

Snow stopped at the end of the tunnel, and she could feel fresher air blowing past them now, pushing sweaty pink bangs off the sides of her face. He appeared to be leaning over something, and it was only when they reached him was she able to see what was sprawled beneath him.

A large space, filled with tables and lab equipment, with scientists and clones alike milling around. That wasn't what instantly made her feel like being sick, though. In the far reaches of the room, underneath a long hanging stalactite, was a figure, enclosed in some sort of blue crystal. Even from here, Lightning could see that it was the source of the clones. This had to be where they were all created, as the words from so long ago began to push into her mind.

"Clones of an entity I will never meet." Was she meeting it... now? For a moment, something other than pain and emptiness ravaged her emotions. They had to destroy it... whatever it was. They had to win, and this was an inevitable step to winning.

"You ready?" she heard Snow hiss to one side of her. The big man was looking at her with 'his' determined look - she'd seen it too many times to be unsure of what it was.

"Yup." Hope's quiet whisper somehow empowered her, and soundlessly, she nodded. Consciously closing her fingers around her omega weapon was surprisingly easier than she thought it would be. The same rush of indecision and guilt slammed into her all the same, but Lightning found, that with a purpose so clearly spread beneath her, it was easier to push away. It was easier to concentrate on something she had to do when it was right before her. Slowly, she slid the weapon into sword mode, and she saw Snow give her a fleeting grin.

"Let's go, Sis."

Snow jumped off the ledge the moment the words left his lips. For a heartbeat, all he could feel was the dry, musty cave air rushing past his body, pushing the blue scarf behind him before he landed on the lower level of the ground, pulling his fists up before him. He heard Lightning and Hope hit the ground a few seconds after he did - it was empowering to know that they were both just behind him.

There was a moment of utter silence before all hell, quite literally, broke loose. Punching aside a scientist that had somehow decided that he could take on a l'Cie, Snow sank an Aquastrike into one of the half completed clones that had lumbered their way, sending it flying into the scythe wielding, injured one that they'd followed here.

"Sis, Relentless Assault!" Her gunblade caught the one that had ventured too close to them - the slice was clean and it fell back into the horde of clones and humans alike that were pressing to them. Snow found that they were being pushed back to back in a tight triangle as the circle of enemies tightened around them. "We have to make it to the other side," he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

"Got it." Hope's reply was quiet but determined, and he saw Lightning nod. He cracked his knuckles again, pressing the back of the fingers of his left hand into the palm of his right.

"Aight guys... get ready on the count of three." Snow waited as the throng of enemies closed in around them; he could hear the short gasps of breath that was Lightning, and the calmer breathing that was Hope. Feeling his own heartbeat hammer in his throat, Snow forced himself to calm down. There's an optimal moment to strike... come on... It had to be the moment most of the enemies entered the range of their spells, but they had to be far away enough not to be in the range of several claws and weapons alike held by clones of varying degrees of completion. Just a bit further... "Three."

He heard something being clicked into gun mode. "Two." A stray clone surged ahead of the others, only to be flung back by an Aerora from Hope on his left. "One!"

The Blizzaga and Thundaga crashed into the ground around them at the same time, sending chips of ice flying in every direction. Snow waved his arm to send another Blizzaga over his shoulder as he watched the ice bloom into indefinite, twisting shapes only to be blasted apart by the thunder that assaulted the ground. Hearing the echo of gunshots in the large, spacious cavern, Snow scanned the area quickly, still sending the spells from his left hand. Come on... there has to be an opening here somewhere...

After a few moments of searching, he found it. His right hand closed on Hope's right arm; pulling the teenager forward, he trusted that Lightning would follow them as he bolted for the momentary opening their attacks had created. He let go of Hope the moment the teenager twisted out of his grip, and he saw a Firaga slam into the ground behind them, creating a large black flower on the ground. Pausing to kick aside a scientist wielding some part of twisted metal, Snow sank another Aquastrike into the face of a clone that looked almost complete - the red eyes were bright enough to be seen in the dim light of the hanging lanterns above.

Looking up again, he saw that Lightning had somehow made her way in front of him, trying to fend off some of the clones that were throwing themselves at her now that she was in front. A burst of panic invaded Snow's consciousness when he realized that she couldn't keep up with the amount of attacks coming her way - her left arm was clamped around her middle again and she clinging precariously to her weapon with only her right. Goddamn, Sis, you shouldn't have gone in front if you're still hurt! He heard her gasps of effort as he caught up to her, sending a Watera in the face of one that had been about to sink some aspect of its incomplete body into her. She shot him a glance that was half grateful, half exhausted, and Snow could see pain and doubt lurking at the back of her expression.

Shit. We need to finish this fast before she starts losing her resolve again. He'd been about to call out to Hope when Snow realized that the teenager was not behind him. A second jolt of panic and terror wracked through his body - if they lost Hope now he could wave goodbye to the rest of Lightning's sanity and the possibility of getting out of here alive. Moments of searching didn't turn up the distinctive platinum head of hair, and a gasp told him Lightning had come to same conclusion as him.

"Hope!" The short cry was nothing short of a pained screech that echoed ominously in the cavern, but there was no response. Snow found his back pressed against hers as the enemies pushed them into a corner, and in this position, he could hear her ragged, uneven gasps for breath. The hand that held the gunblade was trembling. Fuck... Sis, don't lose it now... Maker, don't let her lose it now...

The response was an earth shaking rumble that threw both of them to their knees, sending rocks from the ceiling tumbling down around them. Pushing Lightning into a corner, Snow attempted to shield her before he realized it was useless - there was too much shaking and it was impossible to stay in one place without being jostled to a different position the next second. All he could do was grit his teeth, grip the ground and hope to the Maker that a rock didn't fall on top of him. Who...

A quick glance up told him, exactly, who: the metallic blue gold body of Alexander towered above everything else, its head almost reaching the ceiling, pummeling away at the ground with its giant fists. Even in their current situation, Snow couldn't help but admire Hope. The kid really knows how to summon when we need it. The thought was erased when large chunks of rocks that had to be at least double his size came crashing down from the ceiling, showering them all with stone dust. The only thing he could do now was close his eyes to the near earthquake and hope that the shaking world would stop soon.

Maker... if we make it through this alive, I don't know whether I'm supposed to hug or strangle the kid.

Hope felt his lime green crystal dissipate from his fingers the moment the blast of white light from Alexander had faded. Thank you... He remembered the utter desperation and panic the moment he realized he couldn't see either Snow or Lightning, and her scream several heartbeats later speared it home - it was then that the star shaped crystal had formed in his hand, and he had wasted no time in using it. The dust from the final attack had cleared some, and he looked around, desperately searching for her red cape.

Panic invaded his senses when he couldn't see it easily, and he started climbing over the concrete columns and chunks that had fallen from the ceiling and walls, his knees scraping awkwardly over the smooth white surfaces. Finally, he spotted a familiar hulking form in the very corner of the cavern, huddled against the floor. Running now, his footsteps echoing in the now silent cavern, he was desperate to reach Snow... and hopefully Lightning was with him. Please Light... you have to be okay! He skidded a little on the liquid that had spilled from the lab tubes around the edges of the place, the sickly silvery green liquid reminding him of slime. A large hand stopped him before he fell down, and Hope looked up, breathless, into the amused ocean blue eyes of Snow.

"Nice going there, kid. Way to summon at the last possible second." The tone was somewhat reprimanding, but the appreciation was in it just the same. He shook his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, well... I couldn't see you and then I heard Lightning, so... It sort of just... happened." Snow laughed.

"You saved our tails there, kid." From behind Snow, he could see Lightning curled with her back against the wall, one arm still pulled around her middle, the other holding her gunblade so tightly he could see the tension in the muscles of her upper arm. She made no move to get up, or to even acknowledge he was there, and instantly, several million horrible thoughts assaulted him at once.

Maker, please tell me I did the right thing... I didn't kill her... did I? She's okay, right? She has to be! He had no idea how he would react if he lost her now... didn't want to know, and hoped he would never find out what it would feel like to lose her. He was running in her direction before he realized that he was, dropping to one knee before her prone form.

He reached out for her wrist automatically, pulling her right hand away from her weapon. "Light... Light, you're okay, right?" Instantly, he saw her raise her head, some form of relief crossing her otherwise tormented expression. It only took him a moment to realize what had caused her earlier emotion state. The apology was out of his mouth before he could stop it. "Light, I'm sorry..." The last syllable caught in his throat. I didn't... Maker, what did I just do?

Slowly, she pulled herself into a standing position, not moving her left arm from around her middle. "Hope..." she finally managed to rasp out. "I..."

He didn't let her finish before pulling her into an awkward embrace, hearing her grunt of surprise at the moment of contact. She closed her mouth when he rested his head against her throat, feeling her ragged, uneven breathing and her accelerated heartbeat against his own. It was awhile before either of them spoke, but finally, she took a breath before continuing quietly, resting her hand hesitantly on his head, gently pushing away bits of stone chips and dust from his hair. "I thought I lost you."

The simple statement was impossible not to warm to, impossible not to feel appreciated by. For a moment, all he could do was stand there, feeling shock and warmth flood his frame, freezing his muscles into place. She... She pushed him back, away from her, snapping him out of the thoughts. There was some degree of her old self in her eyes as he let go of her, looking out of place and yet strangely, haunting familiar in the uncertain cerulean gaze. "Don't do it again... okay?" Her voice quivered on the last word, as she slowly bent back down to pick up her weapon, before pushing dust off her clothes and his.

He managed a small smile. "I won't," he promised quietly.

Seriously... you'd have to be stupid not to see what's going on here.

Humming loudly to himself, Snow made his way over the slabs of concrete, taking in the fallen and crushed bodies of clones and scientists alike with quiet satisfaction. One step closer... to finishing all of this. Serah... She was back - in everything he did, she was there. Like her presence had never left him, like she'd never been but a few steps away from him, always there but just out of reach. Baby, I promise... we'll finish this. Heck... if you were here... you'd be happy, right? To his surprise, he found that he was quite sure she would be.

Making his way around the sprawl of concrete and stone, he wearily approached the crystal orb in the very back centre of the cavern, relieved to hear the unsteady footsteps of Lightning and Hope just behind him. He heard a sharp intake of breath and what sounded like part of a dry heave behind him - Lightning had her hand over her mouth and Hope looked sick as they all stared at the sight before them.

A small figure, whose form was barely larger than that of a child's, lay in the middle of the glowing blue crystal orb, which, as they'd drawn closer, he could see wasn't really an orb at all. It was circular, and the sides rose above the ground, but the way it was spread made him think of a spindly flower. Slowly, he drew closer to the lip of the crystal petals, watching the silvery green liquid swirl around in the basin of the thing.

"What... is it?" Hope had stopped beside him, examining the still figure that lay inside, unmoving in the slow wash of the liquid that lapped quietly at the sides of the crystal. Footsteps sounded behind, then in front, of him as Snow watched Lightning make her way to the very back of the room, where large green columns full of the green stuff lined the walls.

"I dunno..." Snow scratched the back of his neck. "But whatever it is... I think it's the source of all these clones, isn't it?" For some reason, the thing in front of him looked innocent... childishly so. It was hard to think about it as the source of the clones that held the creepy red eyes and the claws... the scythes. It looked helpless against the bob of the liquid that held it afloat... like the petal that landed on a puddle, forever at the mercy of the elements around it, having no capabilities to movie on its own. This thing is... really creeping me out.

A small tap on the stone floor somewhere behind them made both him and Hope whip around.

Fuck.

Okay, I didn't really mean to end the chapter with what... the worst curse word in the English language (well, maybe I did...) but it sets the scene nicely for the next chapter, so... whatever. *crows with laughter* If you thought 'indecisive Lightning' was bad at the beginning of this chapter, well... let's just say the line "I thought I lost you." really, really sets the baseline for a scene two chapters or so down the line. Anyways, okay, yeah... n_n

I'm pretty busy tomorrow, so the next chapter won't be up before Monday I don't think (unless I pull off a miracle), so, leave love as always in reviews and I'll see you guys then~!

Hearts!