A.N. Here's Chappy 3!
Disclaimer – I don't own Final Fantasy
Time Traveler
Chapter 3: Paradoxes
Lightning woke up the next day in the early morning. It was sunrise and if she wasn't already accustomed to get up around this time Lightning would've slept for a few more hours. Just like yesterday Lightning slept in Hopes bed, with the only difference that Hope slept right next to her. In the middle of the night, when she returned from another round of her much needed training, she realized that Hope was still working on the plan.
He refused to sleep, so that Lightning had to drag him to his quarters and practically chained him on the bed so that he could get some sleep. Then he wanted to argue with her that she should sleep in the bed and he'll look for something else, but Lightning didn't argue and decided that they would share the bed.
And after Lightning threatened him to cast a sleeping spell on him, he suddenly became very quiet and cooperated. Snow and Serah got a free quarter in the district that they can use from now on. Lightning looked to her left and saw the still sleeping Hope. During his sleep, Hope looked even cuter than usual, but Lightning would never admit it, of course. Just as she wanted to get up, the silver haired man turned to her and put his arm around her waist and buried his face in her neck.
Lightings breath was caught in her throat and her heart beat so fast that she thought it'll jump out of her chest any moment. The pink-haired ex-soldier told herself that it's just the sudden shock and tried to calm herself down. She took a few deep breaths and felt her heart beat more slowly. Good thing that she learned in the GC to get her emotions under control.
Then she heard that Hope muttered something in his sleep and thought that he would again call her "Mom", but instead he just said her name. Lightning told herself that it doesn't mean anything, and slipped away from him. However, he held her pretty tight, so that she couldn't escape. Even in sleep he was pretty strong...„Hope, let me go.", said Lightning and felt that he shook his head.
The pink-haired raised an eyebrow. Was he awake? „Hope, you're awake?" Then she got no response. No head shaking, or any other reaction, which could confirm that Hope was awake and heard her. Lightning sighed and tried again to get rid of him. When he won't let go of her, she would probably have to wake him up.
She tried again to free herself from his grasp and pushed him away, but Hope held her tightly in his grip. „Hope.", said Lightning and shook him. Hope gave no reaction and the ex-soldier shook him stronger. „Hope!" The silver-haired man groaned annoyed, as if to say "Be quiet, I want to sleep!", but Lightning continued on. „Wake up, Hope!" Finally, the silver-haired man opened his green eyes, but didn't realized the position he was in. Lightning saw that his eyes were open and sighed in relieve. „Good, you're awake. Could you let go of me now?", she asked and sighed again. She wanted him to keep sleeping, but she had no other choice. Hope's vision cleared and when he realized how close he and Lightning were, he immediately let go of her and slid back to the wall.
„I-I'm sorry!", he said quickly, while looking at her anxiously, as if she would beat him any moment. Lightning, however, stood up and stretched herself. „I didn't want to wake you up, Hope, but you've left me no other choice." Hope said nothing to her, he was still too embarrassed to say anything. Lightning put on her remaining clothes and didn't even deign to look at Hope.
„What time is it?", asked Hope sleepily and rubbed his eyes. „6Am.", replied Lightning, once she looked at her cell phone, whose time she changed the previous day. „And you get up so early?"
„I'm used to it. In New Bodhum I've often kept guard around this time.", she said and turned back to him. „Go back to sleep. I'll go for a walk."
„But I still have so much to do..."
„GO-BACK-TO-SLEEP", she said with a strict tone in her voice and emphasized each word. „Okay, okay...", sighed Hope and laid down again, while Lightning went away. Hope closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but he couldn't. His bed felt somehow cold and lonely. He knew that it's the fact that Lightning was no longer beside him, but he tried to ignore this feeling. After he lay a few minutes awake, he turned around and was on Lightning's side of the bed, with his face buried in the pillow. He immediately noticed that her scent still clung onto it and took a deep breath. The pillow smelled of roses and strawberries.
He knew that smell from back then. At that time, he was very close to her often and was always able to inhale her scent. This could be the reason why he likes roses and strawberries so much...Hope closed his eyes and focused only on Lightning's scent and imagined that she still is next to him. Minutes later he was fast asleep again.
Meanwhile, Lightning walked for the hundredth time through the Yaschas-Massif and the ruined city of Paddra. She still felt weird, because of what just happened with Hope, but she always told herself that it doesn't mean a thing and tried to ignore these strange feelings again. A few hours later it was time for Lightning and Hope to go. Hope explained Snow and Serah his plan about the Proto fal'Cie and also how the Oracle Drive works. Then Lightning, Hope, Snow, Serah and Alyssa went to the time gate. „Ready?", asked Lightning the silver-haired man, who just nodded. Before they could make a move, Alyssa held tightly onto Hopes arm.
„I still think that this isn't a good idea! Director, you can't just go like that!" At this action Lightning felt another stab in her chest and the feeling to kill Alyssa right on the spot, but because of her professional mask, no one could guess her feelings. The feeling stopped though, as Hope freed his arm and pushed Alyssa away from him.
„Serah and Snow will take care of everything. The plan is foolproof.", said Hope. „Let's just hope that Snow has understood it.", said Lightning and looked at Snow, who played her little game along. „Yes, sis, I got it.", he said and grinned, as Lightning glared at him again. Then she turned back to Hope and looked at him seriously. „Are you sure that you can do that, Hope? Can you leave your time like this to travel with me through the time to fight more battles and perhaps even die?" Hope looked at her and grinned broadly. „It's not a question of can or can't. Some things in life you just do.", he quoted the ex-soldier, who now had to smile a bit. „So, you remember."
„I would never forget this." And that was the truth. Everything that Lightning has taught him was burned into his memory. „Let's go then.", said the pink-haired impatiently, while Hope nodded once again. Once they've said good bye to the others, Serah didn't even want to let go of her big sister and gave her a bone breaking hug, they both went through the portal. For Serah, Snow and Alyssa, it looked as if they would dissolve in the golden light.
Lightning opened her eyes, she was forced to close by the bright light and found herself with Hope in a strange place. They floated through formations that looked like giant rings and around them was a red and orange light. „Where are we?", asked Lightning and looked around carefully. „That must be the time line…", guessed Hope and hovered beside her. After a while the light came closer and closer and soon they arrived their destiny. They came out of the portal and landed on their feet. Lightning got up and looked at her surroundings. She knew this place all too well. „Oerba...", she said quietly, but loud enough for Hope to hear. „Are we really in Oerba?"
„Yes.", said the pink-haired woman and looked at the sky. „Cocoon's still there.", she said and turned back to Hope, as he began to speak. „What year is it now?" Lightning shrugged her shoulders, she had no idea. „Let's look around." Hope nodded and then they went into the still deserted city. „Nothing has changed that much...", said Lightning and moved on.
„Yes...Lightning! Look!" Hope ran in another direction, while Lightning followed him. „What is it?", she asked, but stopped as she saw what he meant. „That part is gone.", said Hope, and looked at the missing part of Oerba, which looked like it was swallowed by a black hole.
Then they saw column that shined golden and looked like a crack. „Maybe we can find out what's going on here, when we go in there?", guessed Hope and looked at Lightning. „It's worth a shot.", she said, while nodding and went through it, Hope followed her closely. The next moment they found themselves in a strange pale blue room. They stood on crystal plates.
In the middle was a large square of these plates and only Lightning had the chance to access it, because Hope was on a single plate, away from the scene. On some plates were crystals and on the other side of the square was a time gate. „Where are we now?", asked Lightning. „I don't know...", replied Hope, while looking around carefully.
„You see how the crystals are arranged?", he asked and pointed at them. „Maybe they have a meaning…" Lightning entered the square and then all the crystals began to glow in different colours, while a pair of these crystals had the same colour. Hope thought for a moment. „Go to the yellow one.", he said, and pointed to it. Lightning did what she was told and as she touched the crystal white thread of light stuck to her hand. „And now touch the other one." She went in silence to the other yellow crystal and also touched it and then the light connected these two crystals, which changed their colour again. „I knew it...This is a riddle. You have to connect all isochromatic crystals.", said Hope, while Lightning already combined the next crystals. „I've also have noticed it, thank you, Hope.", she said sarcastically.
As she finally connected all the crystals and created a constellation of a monster, Hope was able to go to her, as a few more plates appeared on his single one. Then they went through the portal and arrived Oerba again. „Kupoo~!" Lightning and Hope looked around to see where this noise came from, until a white Moogle flew against Hope. „Hey, careful.", said Hope and held the Moogle.
„Watch where you standing, kupo!", said the white Moogle and held his head. This Moogle looked different than normal. It had, instead of a big red ball, a purple crystal as a bobble. „Uh...I'm sorry?", said Hope and let it go. „What are you doing here?", asked Lightning and poked the Moogle. „I have no idea, kupo...I think something has sucked me in, kupo..."
„Then you're not the only one...", said Lightning with a sigh. „I'm Mog, kupo! Who are you, kupo?"
„I'm Hope. And this is Lightning."
„Hope and Lightning, kupo? You have so strange names, kupo!", said Mog and had to laugh. „Lightning is not her real name though."
„Oh, okay, kupo."
„Let's keep going.", said the pink-haired woman and was about to go, but was stopped by Mog, who flew in front of her. „Can I join you, kupo?", it asked. „I can be a great help for you, kupo! With the staff here, I can manipulate time and can track down time-shifted objects, kupo! I can even turn into a weapon, kupo."
„No thanks, we already have weapons.", said Hope. „Are you sure you want to keep fighting with this boomerang, Hope?", asked Lightning and looked at the Moogle. „Show us what weapon you can transform into."
„Kupopo!" Immediately the little Moogle transformed into a white and purple bow. Hope caught it and looked at it. „Can you handle it?", asked the pink-haired woman, while Hope tried it. He strained the bow, and then a white magic arrow appeared. As if on cue, a few monsters appeared out of nowhere. Lightning pulled her gunblade from its holster and went into her fighting stance.
„You attack first, Hope." Hope nodded and shot at the nearest monster with the magical arrow and hit the bullseye. „Well done.", said Lightning and then attack them herself. Hope shot more magical arrows until he unleashed a mechanism and the bow became a sword. „Light, it's also a sword!" he called out to her and kept fighting by their side.
„Who'd have thought it?", said the ex-soldier, as she defeated the last monster. When the fight was over Mog turned back to a Moogle. „You can come with us.", said Lightning, while Mog flew around happily and said "kupo, kupo!". As Lightning passed them, she put a hand on Hope's shoulder. „And you have a new weapon." Hope looked after her and nodded, although she couldn't see him. „Yeah.", he said and followed her.
After they had to manage other tasks, they arrived their destination. They went to the roof of the former town hall, and there was a sort of garden. In the centre stood an Oracle Drive. The three went closer to the device. „Shall we take a closer look?", asked Lightning, while Hope only nodded and then stretched out his hand. „Stop.", called a girl who suddenly appeared behind them. She apparently had watched them.
They turned to the girl, who had long, dark blue hair and bright green eyes. She wore a white shirt with crystals and some jewellery, a white and purple skirt and a variety of braided bracelets off with jewellery in them. Hope's hand was still directed to the Oracle Drive and activated it. It showed them pictures of the battle they've already seen in Yaschas-Massif, but this time their enemy and the place where they fought was in a better quality. The place was a rather dismal town, but they still couldn't guess what and where this place is. Their enemy had shoulder-length purple hair and wore a purple headband, which had some feathers and wore a black armour that also had a few purple parts.
His giant sword looked like a wing and on the handle was something that looked like an eye that gave dark energy off. Hope was on Alexanders Hand and was thrown away. Mog was with them and was the bow and then Hope attacked him with Lightning head-on.
Hope and Lightning wore white, shining armours and Lightning even had white feathers on her left hip. Finally, they saw the fall of Cocoon again, before the Oracle Drive went out. Then Lightning, Hope and Mog turned back to the girl. „Who are you?", asked Hope, while the girl walked towards them. „My name is Paddra Nsu-Yeul."
„Yeul?", repeated Hope slightly shocked. Yeul nodded and stood directly in front of them. Her hands were behind her back. „I knew that you would come here. I've watched you three for a while.", she said. The group didn't respond. „You can ask me what you want." Hope and Lightning immediately snapped out of their trance. „Uh...what year is it now?", asked Hope.
„200AF." replied the farseer. „Can you tell us something about time travelling?", asked Lightning, while Yeul nodded and began to explain. „Since the fall of Cocoon, two hundred years ago, the space-time has been distorted and partially destroyed. You two were chosen to restore the space-time. The place you enter when you travel through time is called Historia Crux. And as you already found out you need a special artifact to open a gate." Then she gave them a crystal that she held behind her back and handed it to Lightning.
The pink-haired woman took it. „But be warned.", continued Yeul. „If you change the future, you change the past. You can remold history as your heart desires." The three let her words sink in. Suddenly Yeuls eyes began to glow golden, but it ended as quickly as it began. Then she pointed to Lightning. „You and I are the same.", she said, while Lightning looked at her confused. „What are you talking about?" Yeul didn't reply and turned away. Once she got a few steps away from them, she replied. „You, too, can show others the way."
„Wait!", called Hope, and saw that she stopped, but didn't turn around. „Why was Oerba about to disappear? And what were—"
„It was a paradox.", interrupted Yeul. „And the other portals that you have seen are called Temporal Rift. Through them you can solve the paradox by riddles, you have to find out on your own how you can solve the other paradoxes."
„Paradoxes...I see...", murmured Hope. „You will soon understand what these paradoxes are."
„Who was that guy we saw in the Oracle Drive? And what was that place?", asked Lightning, while Yeul looked over her shoulder to them. „This place is called "Valhalla". And his name is Caius Ballad. You're going to meet him soon enough." And then Yeul left the roof and the three time travellers were left alone. „Wow...", said Hope after a long moment of silence. „We've just got to met the seeress Yeul."
„Yes...", agreed Lightning and placed her free hand on her hip. „But what did she mean that we're alike?"
„Who knows, kupo..."
„And it looks like we're going to fight Caius in the unseen realm...It's kinda exciting. I mean, we're gonna be the only living people there." Once he saw that Lightning and Mog stared at him in silence, Hope began to explain. „The unseen realm, or Valhalla, is like an afterlife. You only can enter it if you're dead. When you die a gate opens, that leads into this realm. And the Goddess Etro is there too, she was..."
„Stop.", interrupted Lightning. „That's enough. Everyone knows the story of the gods." Hope nodded and grinned at her innocently. „Well, we're certainly going to find out soon.", said Hope, while smiling at Lightning in order to lift the mood a bit. Lightning just nodded and looked around. „Where is the next gate?", she asked as she went down the stairs and through the parish hall to the exit. „It must be somewhere around here. But do you really want to go now? We should rest, don't you think?"
„You falter, Hope." Hope stopped abruptly with an open mouth. He was totally speechless by her statement and the last thing he wanted was to be reminded of his childhood, where he couldn't keep up with Lightning and was even abandoned by her. In order to appeal at least a bit stronger than back then, he put on his most determined face and went past Lightning.
He stopped in front of her, to stop her. „I'm not going "soft". I just think logically." Lightning looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, because he stood upright and was extra tall in order to seem even more convincing. „Logically, huh?", said Lightning and put a hand on her hip. „Yes."
„Then tell me what you've planned." Hope's eyes widened a little, he'd expected her to walk past him and do what she wants. „Um...", he began and quickly put a plan together. „We should rest before we go, we don't even know what awaits us next." Then he looked at the sky, which slowly darkened. „And it seems to be really late..."
„But as we left it was still forenoon.", she countered. „Well, yes but..." Hope was running out of arguments and sighed deeply in defeat. „Okay, let's get going." Lightning couldn't resist a small smile and looked at him. „We're going to rest.", she decided and looked for a safe place where they won't attacked by any monsters. Hope followed immediately and smiled at her brightly, while Mog watched everything in silence. As they found a safe place to rest Lightning and Hope sat next to each other on the ground and leaned on a wall. Mog had made itself comfortable on Lightning's lap. „Kupo kupo...", it said exhaustedly. „You seem to be pretty exhausted, huh, Mog?" Mog nodded. „I flew all the time, kupo. I thought I'll never get out of this paradox, kupo..."
„Now you're with us.", said Lightning, while Hope nodded in agreement. „That's right, kupo." Then again there was silence between them. Hope sat there all tensed up and the fact that he and Lightning were so close, that their shoulders almost touched didn't make it any better, so he looked up at the sky to the crystallized Cocoon to distract himself a bit. Lightning felt his tension and looked up at him. „Hope, what's wrong? Why are you so tensed up?" Hope jumped slightly, as she spoke to him and looked at her with a smile to hide his nervousness. „Nothing's wrong at all. Everything's fine." Lightning raised an eyebrow, she obviously didn't believe him. „ You sure?"
„Quite sure! Don't worry, Light.", he said a bit too fast. Lightning looked at him intently. She wanted to search in his eyes for any signs of lies and the other hand to wait a bit more to see if he's going to tell her the truth. Lightning didn't need so much time to find the signs of lies in his eyes though, because she saw quite a lot of these signs that he lied to her. But when he still said nothing, she looked elsewhere and Hope sighed quietly in relief. „So you're rested enough?", asked Lightning after a few minutes of silence. „Kupopo!", said Mog and nodded. „Yes, let's get going.", agreed Hope and stood up quickly. Lightning also got up and held Mog on one arm, while the artifact was still in her free hand. „I saw something back there. Looked like these golden lights the gates are always shining. I'm sure that there's the next gate.", said Hope and pointed in a direction.
Lightning nodded and let go of Mog, so it could fly itself. „Well, then take the lead." Hope smiled at Lightning and went ahead. That reminded her of the Gapra Whitewood, where Hope asked her for the first time to take the lead and she agreed. Mog and Lightning followed him quietly. Lightning made sure they won't attack by any monsters from behind and this nostalgic feeling came once again. „Light!", called Hope from the front and Lightning turned to him to see what's going on and saw a horde Cie'th were about to attacked them. „Mog.", said Lightning to tell him that he has to change to the bow.
Then she took her own weapon and shot at the monsters. „Kupopo!", it said, flew to Hope and transformed. Lightning attacked and tried at the same time to protect the artifact, which was still in her left hand. Lightning and Hope attacked the Cie'th together, but then Lightning was knocked back and lost the artifact. „Hope!", she called and pointed to the flying artifact that was slowly approaching the ground. „Mog you have to catch it!", said Hope, while Mog changed back. „But I can't fly so fast, kupo!"
„Well then..." Hope didn't talk further, he just grabbed Mog and threw him to the artifact. „Kupo kupo~!", cried Mog alarmed, as it flew through the air. Then Hope took his boomerang and attacked the monster, that pushed Lightning to the ground and wanted to attack her. The Cie'th was hit by Hopes boomerang and stumbled away from her, while Lightning got up quickly and finished the Cie'th off. Then they turned back to Mog, who fluttered with its wings as fast as it could to catch the artifact. Both of them held their breath as the artifact came closer and closer to the ground, but fortunately Mog was able to catch it at the last second.
They sighed in relieve and went to the hero of the day. „You did it Mog!", said Hope, as he put away his boomerang again. „Well done.", said Lightning and took the artifact. Then Mog flew in front of Hopes face. „Don't throw me that way ever again, kupo!" Hope took a step back from the furious Moogle. „I'm sorry, but it had to."
„Let's get going.", said Lightning and took the lead again, while Hope and Mog followed her. „Say, Mog...just out of my selfish interests...Are you male or female?", asked Hope, and took a step back again, as Mog was angry again. „I'm female, kupo! Can't you see it, kupo?"
„Enough!", said Lightning and ended their argument and arrived with them the next time portal. The pink-haired woman opened the portal with the artifact and turned to the two squabbles. „Come on!", she said and went with them into the Historia Crux.
A.N. As you can see I didn't use the Bresha Ruins (NOW). Also the eclipse that's happening in 010AF won't happen (the only paradox I don't use) I just wanted them to meet Mog and Yeul to know what's going on now, 'cause they both don't know what's going on. It's not like in the game that Noel tells you everything^^'' Yeah here's also a bit fluff and teasing from Light *giggles* Also, I know that Mog's male (I mean in wikia, for example, they always said "he", but I wanted him to be a herxD Hope you don't mind.
PLEASE REVIEW! (update in one week from now)
