Kai: Hey guys! DUH DUH DUH!!!! WOOO TWO MORE CHAPTERS! YAY! I is happy! BTW for that review who wondered how Fang and Vanille found Hope, they are animals O.O They sniffed him out. And just followed Chocobo's tracks in the snow XD Isn't that hard. You guys shall hate by the end of this chapter :D You shall see why BWHAHAHAHA!

Lightning: -.-;;;

Kai: BTW someone said I should do a Lemon on these two o.o (since you know there isn't many) I only do lemons as requests XD since I never ever do them o.o.... and have my cousin do it XD I don't know, Anyone want me to do one XD?

Lightning & Hope: What?! O_O

Kai: Moving on ^-^

Chapter 11: The Battle

Lightning watched as villagers broke through the front door of the castle. She calmly stood watching as Serah came running inside the room in a panic.

"Light! The people have gotten through! What will we do?" Serah asked, worried and scared.

Lightning didn't turn around as she stared out of the window. "Let them come." she answered as she watched the rain pour down.

~Meanwhile downstairs~

"Attack!" yelled Snow then led a mass of animals and moogles to attack the villagers. Snow tripped a few men and bit their legs.

Sazh flew and dived down, pecking a man in the skull repeatedly. There was a mass of fur, feathers, and claws as the animals defended themselves against the intruders. The villagers yelled out in panic as the animals attacked them. The people tried desperately to hit them with their weapons but it was to no avail. The animals and moogles overpowered them and pushed them back. Of course, Cao and Ruby went up the steps for something much bigger. The Beast. Side by side, they wandered through the dark hall. Cao held a sword in his hand while Ruby held a bow and arrow. When they opened a door that led to the Beast's room they instantly pointed their weapons to it.

Lightning simply glanced behind her to look at them. Calmly looking at the weapons that were pointed directly at her. Normally she would of easily taken the two out but right now... she didn't care if she died. She turned her head to look back at the window. Ruby huffed then shot a arrow right into Lightning's right shoulder. Lightning let out a roar of pain then she was tackled by Cao, and they crashed through the window and both rolled down the roof. Cao took swift slashes at her and kicked her in the side. Lightning rolled till she was at the edge where she would plummet to her death. Cao smirked as he lifted his sword and Ruby walked beside him.

"What's wrong Beast? To kind to fight back?" sneered Ruby with a laugh.

Lightning simply looked at them then brought her blue eyes downcast. Waiting for the final blow as Cao raised his sword to slice her neck off. Her ears then perked when she heard a familiar voice come from below. There she saw Hope on his Chocobo, Fang running beside him, heading toward the castle.

"Light! Cao no!" Hope yelled out and Lightning stared at him in surprise.

As Cao sent his blade downward, Lightning swiftly caught the blade in her hand and tossed it. Suddenly gaining new strength and hope, she charged at them and hit Cao to the ground. Cao yelled then broke off a club off a statue off a gargoyle then swung it at her. Lightning was too fast though, she easily side stepped and grabbed the club, hitting him in the gut with the hilt. When Ruby made her way to shoot Lightning with another arrow, Lightning turned and grabbed the red head by the throat, doing the same to Cao and held them both over the edge of the roof. Threatening their lives.

"Wait! Wait! Please don't.... don't kill us please!" Ruby choked out pitifully.

Lightning's cold blue gaze pierced into them angrily. Yet, she took a deep breath after a moment and pulled them back over the roof safely. She growled in their face threateningly as she put lifted them up so they were face to face with her.

"Get out." she growled then threw them to the ground.

Lightning then looked up towards her room to see Hope standing on the balcony. She blinked and then started scaling up the roof, using her sharp claws to reach him. When she reached the edge of the balcony, she put her hands on the railing to push herself upward and look at Hope. Giving him a rare smile.

"You came back..." Lightning said quietly and hesitantly reached out her right hand to him.

Hope smiled as he took her offered hand with both of his. "Of course." he said then gasped when Lightning suddenly let out a roar of pain.

Ruby and Cao had stabbed her in the back with both of their daggers. They grinned evilly but their eyes widened in fear as they lost their balance after Lightning's struggling actions. They both screamed loudly as they fell down and off the castle, falling to their doom in the bottomless pit. Hope had managed to grab onto Lightning's clothing and pull her up and onto the balcony. She lay on her back motionless. Hope looked at her in panic and tried shaking her.

"Light?" he asked timidly and he saw Lightning's eyes slowly blink open and look at him.

"You came back...." she said slowly, not really believing he had returned.

Hope nodded sadly. "Yes... I came back." he replied.

Lightning softly smiled. "At least I got to see you.... one final moment." she said, her breathing becoming softer.

"Don't talk like that! Your not going to die.... your not..." Hope said sadly then his eyes widened when Lightning slowly closed her eyes.

"Don't be... stupid...." Lightning mumbled. "Live long.... Hope.... you deserve that name because you brought hope into this castle... and to me...." she said slowly before she closed her eyes. Her breathing halted and her heart stopped

"Light? Light?! No! Don't die! Please!" Hope begged as tears started falling and mixing with the rain that fell. He buried his face into her fur and cried softly. "I love you..." I whispered out.

In that instant, the last rose petal had fallen.