A.N. Here's Chappy 4!
Time Traveler
Chapter 4: The Eyes of Etro
Once the three flew through the Historia Crux they finally arrived the next time. They landed softly on the ground and looked around. It looked as if they were in a kind of jungle. „Isn't this Sunleth Waterscape?", asked Hope, while looking around with Lightning. „Yes. But why are we here?", she asked. „It seems like something important is going to happen here...let's look around." Lightning nodded and then looked to Mog. „What year is it now?"
„Uh, we're in...300AF, kupo."
„300AF...", repeated Lightning took the lead. „I think it's really fascinating to see what 's happening in the future.", said Hope excitedly and followed her with Mog. They'd hardly gone a few steps and could see a giant, fiery flan monster. „Real huge, kupo...", said Mog as they were lurking behind a bush. „Yes...", agreed Lightning and looked around carefully. „Look!" Lightning pointing at something shiny, which is in front of the monster. „This is the crystal pillar that's holding up the Cocoon!"
„...It looks like as if it's melting...", said Hope as he saw the steam emanating from the crystal. „This flan is to blame, kupo!" Lightning nodded approvingly. „Exactly. He wants to destroy the pillar."
„We have to stop it!", said Hope ran carelessly to the flan. „Hope!", called Lightning after him, and tried to stop him, but he was already out of her reach. „Damn...!" Then she ran after him, Mog was close behind her. Hope ran to the flan, took his boomerang and attacked him to tempt him away from the pillar. The flan turned to Hope and attacked him with his long, massive arms. The silver-haired man would've been crushed if Lightning hadn't pushed him out of the way. The pink-haired woman lay with, or rather on, Hope a few meters away from the arm of the flan. Lightning leaned herself up, to look angrily in Hopes eyes.
„You idiot! What did you think you were doing? That was totally irresponsible of you! Have I taught you such things? If I didn't know better I would think that you were with Snow too often!", she snapped at him angrily, her lecture was interrupted, however, as Hope turned them both around to dodge his next attack. „Save that for later.", he said as he stood up and tugged her so violently with him that she slammed with full force against him.
Before she even knew what had happened, he took her hand and dragged her with him to dodge another attack. Hope ran away from the pillar and provoked the flan so much that he followed them. Mog was flying behind them. Once they were far away from the pillar and because there was an abyss in front of them, they stopped and turned to the flan to fight him. Mog quickly turned into the bow, Hope caught it and attacked the flan.
Lightning took out her gunblade and shot at the monster too. The flan didn't react to normal attacks, and then they tried to defeat him with magic. Since the fall of Cocoon everyone could learn magic, if they wanted to, l'Cie or not. No one knew why this is suddenly possible, but the former l'Cie appreciated it. After a few tries, Hope found out the weakness of the monster. „I've found his weak spot!", he called to Lightning, as he carefully watched the reaction of the giant flan. „Well done, Hope.", she said and give him a small smile. Hope smiled back and then they both attacked the flan with a magical attack that hurts him twice as much as normal attacks. „Light, you have to finish him off!"
„How?", asked Lightning and looked at him confused as he pressed her the bow into her hands. „Shoot the arrow on the right spot.", he said, then he knelt down and held his hands together for a bandit leader. „Go!" Lightning understood what he wanted from her and put her left foot in his hands, then he flung her up, high enough for her to shoot an arrow into its mouth.
It amazed Lightning again how incredibly strong he's become, Snow would've normally been capable to do this. Lightning focused on the attack and drew the bow. She send a lot of magic into the arrow to strengthen and enlarge it, then shot at the flan and defeated him. Lightning wanted to land again, but she was caught by Hope. „We better leave.", he said, and ran away with her still in his arms.
The flan shrank, but wasn't dead, then more flan monsters came and fused with the big one. „Shit, it regenerates itself...", said Hope, as he turned briefly to see why so many monsters appear so suddenly. Mog had been turned back and sat on Lightnings stomach, while Lightning herself was kind of stunned and looked at Hope with wide eyes. It wasn't just the fact that he was strong enough to throw her up that high and being able to carry her like this, but that she actually WAS in his arms. She almost didn't want him to put her down again and forgot her anger briefly.
Once they arrived a safe place to rest, Hope let Lightning down again and she remembered to be angry at him. She came a step closer to him, put her hands to her hips and looked at him sternly. She said nothing, and that wasn't even necessary. Hope could hear the lecture by the very sight of her glare. „I'm sorry...", he said. „But should I just let him destroy the pillar?"
Lightning crossed her arms over his chest and shook her head slowly. „I know you're disappointed in me, but..." Lightning remained silent and Hope kinda wished that she yells at him. „But what, Hope? I know you want to protect Cocoon, but to plunge blindly into battle without any plan, is simply irresponsible and quite idiotic! Damn it, you could have died out there!", she finally said, while Hope only nodded in agreement.
For the first time in many years, he felt like a kid again, which was rebuked by his mother for something. The three were silent for a while before Lightning flicked his forehead. Hope looked up at her and saw that she smiled at him slightly, which made him even more confused. „What would you do without me?", she asked with a bit teasingly, while Hope smiled back.
„I'd be crushed by the flan, life happily ever after in my own time...?" Before Hope could give more examples, Lightning poked his forehead again. „That's enough." Hope grinned at her and continued talking. „It was just a joke. Except for the first...Anyway, I couldn't have a happy life without..." Hope stopped, as he noticed what he wanted to say. „Without what?"
„Kupo?"
„Without..." Without you being by my side., he finished the sentence in his mind, but quickly sought an alternative. „Oh, forget it, it's not so important." Lightning raised an eyebrow and looked at him intently, but Hope let the topic fall. „Anyway, we must defeat this flan.", he said and turned to the ever-growing flan. „Do you think we could beat him?"
„No, first off we have to kill the flan army.", said Lightning. „There has to be an end of these monsters...Maybe it works when we beat him repeatedly until they are all dead?"
„Okay, let's be honest. How many times have you met with Snow?", asked Lightning and again crossed her arms over his chest. „Why?", asked Hope back, while turning back to her again. „Only Snow would say something this stupid. Without developing a plan and simply slap on."
„Uh, we've only met a few times...", he replied. „And now you're acting like him? You urgently need a better accompaniment, who's a good example."
„You mean somebody like you?"
„Exactly."
„What are we going to do now, kupo?", asked Mog to return to the subject. Lightning thought for a plan and watched the flan army. For a moment she thought that Hope's idea to simply kill the giant flan as often as possible was good idea. All of a sudden she got a pretty strange feeling and tensed. It was the same feeling as the one she had in the Bresha Ruins. Hope noticed it and looked at her anxiously. „Light?" Lightning didn't answer him, she could hardly perceive its voice and she felt like as she was going to faint, but instead of seeing black, she saw pictures again. In these pictures Hope and Lightning were disguised as monsters, and they wanted to kill the Royal Ripeness with poison and the flan army was bigger than it already is.
Hope stood in front of her and looked into her wide eyes. His eyes widened as well, as he saw a symbol on her eyes. The same symbol Yeul had. It shone golden and had a peculiar shape. If you would describe it very simply, you could compare it with the shape of an onion. He'd already seen this symbol in the ruined city of Paddra. Underneath it was written in an ancient text "The eyes of Etro", "Etros Symbol" or "Etros Gate". There were countless pictures with this symbol and they all had something to do with the goddess. „What's wrong with her, kupo?", asked Mog and flew closer, to see what happens.
„She...Lightning!", he called, without answering Mogs question. He took her by her shoulders and shook her. If his apprehension was right, then she's a farseer! The golden symbol in Lightnings eyes went out after a few seconds. She closed her now normal, crystal-blue eyes and leaned on Hope. Hope held her tightly against him, so she won't fall. „Lightning!", he called again and then the pink-haired woman opened her eyes again. „What happened...?", she asked confused and held her head. Hope didn't answer the question. „Did you...see something...?" Lightning put a hand on Hope's shoulder and pushed him away from her, then looked down at herself and sighed in relief.
„Good...we're not monsters.", she said, which confused him even more. „What do you mean?"
„We were little monsters and we wanted to poison the Royal Ripeness by a trick. And the flan army was huge."
„What does this mean, kupo?"
„Maybe this will happen in the future when we really beat the flan as often as possible...There will be even more flans if we do this." Lightning nodded and let go of Hope, who didn't let go of her, though, in fear she might fall. „I'm fine, Hope.", she said, but Hope still held onto her. „What happened to me?" Hope told her that she had these golden symbols in her eyes when she saw these pictures.
„Yeul had the same symbols and I've also seen it quite often in the ruins. They call themselves "The eyes of Etro". Only the farseer have them, so the question is why you have them as well..." Lightning was silent, and let his words sink in. It seems like she became a farseer...but how? „Did Yeul mean this? She probably saw that I have the same ability as her. Is that why she said that we're the same?"
Hope nodded approvingly. „I just hope that..." He stopped and looked sadly at the floor. „That what?", asked Lightning and urged him to continue. „That you won't share the same fate as her..." She looked at him quizzically, put a hand under his chin and lifted his head so he looks into her eyes. „What fate?"
„That you lose a part of your life force, whenever you have a vision, and..." His voice cracked, but Lightning and Mog knew exactly what he meant. „Don't worry. I won't die so easily.", she said, while smiling at him to act more convincing. „And what if you'll die because of this? Maybe you'll be reborn as well to die an early death, just like Yeul..."
„Don't worry.", she repeated, and let him go. Then she turned back to the monsters. „For now we have to find out where these flans come from.", she said, while looking to the flan army. „Maybe they come from another time, kupo. Because I don't think that there are so many of them in this time, kupo." , said Mog thoughtfully. „Look, they all go in the same direction, as if they're drawn to anything."
„Maybe from an artifact, kupo?", guessed Mog and looked at the monsters. „Yes, quite possible. Let's follow them.", said Hope and followed with them, the small flan monsters. The monsters have taken them down a ravine, and just as they expected an artifact was floating there, but shifted in time. „I can sense an artifact, kupo. It's right in the center of the monsters, kupo."
„No problem.", said Lightning and took her Gunblade. „They'll be dead in no time, right?" She looked at Hope, who held the bow in his hands and looked determined at her. „They will never know what hit them." Lightning nodded and then they rushed into the battle. To defeat the little monster flans was much easier than the big one and they won the fight within a few minutes. „Your turn, Mog.", said Lightning, as Mog again changed back.
„Kupopo!" Mog then turned around and then an energy ball came out of its staff, that devoured everything around it. Then it disappeared as quickly as it came and suddenly the artifact appeared in front of them. Hope took the artifact and turned back to them. „Well done. Now let's get out of here." Lightning and Mog nodded and went back again. During the artifact-seeking, they've already found the next gate and went straight to it. „Let's see where we end up now.", said Lightning, as the three went through the gate.
After they crossed the Historia Crux they arrived at a really foggy place. „This is the Archylte-Steppe, right?", asked Hope, who couldn't really see through the fog. „Yes, looks like it. Mog, what year is this?", asked Lightning, which also had difficulty to see through the dense fog. „Uh...Unknown, kupo.", asked Mog and sighed. „What ever time it is, I'm sure here are many paradoxes as well.", said Lightning and took the lead, while Hope and Mog followed her. „Where are we going?", asked Hope, once they went a few meters. „Until we see anything suspicious—Ah!" Lightning suddenly fell to the ground and Hope and Mog were immediately by her side. „What happened, kupo?"
„I think I stumbled over something.", she replied and looked behind. At her feet was one of the sheep, that live here. „It's just a sheep.", she said and stood up again. „Through the fog, these creatures are almost invisible." The silver-haired man helped her up. „Yes, we should be more careful.", he said, while grinning at her as if he would make fun of her. Then she looked at him sternly and held her index finger threateningly in his face. „Watch it, Estheim. If I were you, I wouldn't want to mess with me."
„Would never come into my mind.", he replied, his grin grew even wider. They went on and a few minutes later they arrived a Nomad Camp. „A Nomad Camp...Shall we go in and look around?", asked Hope, while Lightning nodded and went with him through the gate. The people who where at the gate looked at them suspiciously and whispered. „Looks like we need to win their trust, before we get some information from them.", whispered Lightning to her companions.
They went on and finally met up with the leader. „Who are you?", asked the leader, whose name was Tipur. „Lightning Farron and Hope Estheim. We only have a few questions.", said Lightning in her business-like tone. „That will cost you.", he replied. „How much do you want?", asked Lightning immediately, even though she knew that they haven't so much money. „I don't need your money, but you could defeat a monster that terrorized us here for weeks." Lightning nodded. „What monster? And where can we find it?"
„It's a giant Goblin, and he roams around here quite near. You can't miss it.", said Tipur while Lightning nodded again. „We're back in ten minutes.", she said as she walked past Hope. Mog and Hope remained at this spot, before they followed Lightning. „You can make good business.", he said, as he caught up. „As long as you're stout, everyone will believe you. Now stop the chit chat and search for the Goblin.", she commanded, and went ahead. The small group was searching around the whole area of the Nomad Camp, but they couldn't find it. „Such a huge monster can't be overlooked...Or did that guy lie to us?", said Hope more to himself as he kept searching for the monster. „I don't think so. What do you think why no one's out here?"
„Because of the fog?", replied Hope, while Lightning hit him softly with her knuckles on his head. „No, because they are afraid." Then Hope grinned at her. „Sure, I know."
„Concentrate." Hope nodded and continued his search. They walked past the burned time gate and found themselves a little further from the Nomad Camp. As they arrived a small gulch, Mog felt something. „Here's something, kupo...", she said and looked at carefully. „The Goblin?", asked Lightning. „I'm not sure, kupo." Then there was silence. Lightning tried to take every single sound that shows any sign that the Goblin's near and makes itself ready for the attack.
„Behind us...!", called Lightning suddenly and turned to the little gulch, where the Goblin appeared out of nowhere and attacked Hope. „Look out!", said Lightning, as she ran to him and pushed him out of the way. However she was hit instead and was thrown against the nearest wall. „Lightning!", called Hope, as he still lay on the floor and had to watch Lightning fell unconscious to the ground.
Hope clenched his fists tightly and pulled out a few blades of the wet grass, then he got up and looked at the monster. „You'll pay for that!", he yelled and grabbed Mog, which was transformed into the bow. Hope attacked the giant monster, but then many little Goblins came out of nowhere that attacked him. Hope kept distance between them and attacked the small ones with arrows and magic and defeated all of them.
During the battle with the many little Goblins, Hope was growing weaker, not even his healing magic could make any affect. With his last strength the silver-haired man attacked the giant Goblin. The monster blocked all the arrows though and he let the bow turn to a sword and decided to attack him head on. He never really had fought with swords before, but if you look at how he's fighting, you can see small similarities to Lightning's fighting style. He'd learned more from her than necessary.
The big Goblin pushed Hope away from him and the silver-haired man crashed hard on the floor. He quickly stood back up again to attack, but saw that the Goblin had raised his arm to attack. Hope raised his sword to block the attack, but then he felt a hand on his left shoulder that pushed him away. The fist of the Goblin struck directly next to Hope and he saw that Lightning jumped on its arm, still holding onto his shoulder.
„Lightning!", called Hope, happy to see that she's fine, but Lightning ignored him, ran on its arm to the Goblin. The Goblin raised his other fist to attack her, but lightning was much faster and sliced the monster crosswise. She landed behind the Goblin, which fell to the ground and died. Mog turned back again and together with Hope she flew to Lightning. „Light, are you okay? Do you need a healing spell?", asked the silver-haired man frantically and looked for any wounds.
„No, I'm fine.", she replied, and pushed him gently away from her. „I must admit, though, that this things hit was really strong. You fought very well, Hope."
„But...these little once were a real pain in the ass..." Lightning shook his head. „It doesn't matter. You have defeated all alone and didn't even need my help." Lightning had to think back, at the time where the little Hope couldn't fight the little monsters alone. When a large horde of these little monsters to attack, they can often be the major pest, but even if they fought against three or four of these little monsters he couldn't defeat them without her help. „I'm just no longer the little boy from back then anymore.", he said as he also remembered what a bad fighter he was back then.
But because he never fought in his life before these events, it was not surprising. „No, you're not. That's for damn sure.", agreed Lightning and smiled at him a bit before heading back to the Nomad Camp. As they entered the camp the people whispered good things about them and looked at them in amazement, as if they heard the fight or someone spied on them and told them everything.
After the two spoke with Tipur, he sent them to a woman named Myta who had another task for them, because although they've defeated the Goblin, most people were still suspicious of the strangers. Myta said that they had to get three bunches of wool from the big sheep, that were outside the camp. Lightning and Hope excepted the task and went to the gate of the Nomad Camp.
„Okay, let's catch some sheep.", she said as she saw the first big sheep. She went to the sheep, but once it saw her it fled. „Stop!", she shouted and ran after it. Either the sheep always flees for people, or it thought Lightning was a predator, because it did everything to leave her behind.
Then Lightning jumped at the sheep and finally caught it. „Got'cha!", said the pink-haired woman and took the wool of the sheep before she let it run again. She stood up and proudly held the wool in her hands, then she turned to Hope, and looked at him puzzled. Hope sat on the grass and was surrounded by sheep, that were snuggling up to him and Mog sat comfortably on his head.
„Hey Light!", he called and waved at her with a broad smile. Lightning glared him and the sheep that all wanted to be petted by him. She could've saved this chase! Still pretty annoyed, the ex-soldier went to Hope, who held the last two bunches of wool in his hands. And even if it annoys her that she had to chase the sheep, and the rest were surrounding Hope like he's their favorite food, she found the sight quite cute and she almost wished to have a camera.
Ten years ago, she even compared Hope with a sheep or a puppy, and the sheep thing still fit pretty well at this sight. But he was no longer a puppy. At that time he was depend on her and now he no longer needs her protection. It's almost as sad as with Serah. Since she has Snow she no longer needs her the way as back then when they were children.
Without him realizing it Lightning took out her cell phone and snapped a photo of him with the many sheep. She'd almost forgotten that her phone has a camera. „Come on, sheepboy, let's give Myta the wool.", said Lightning and went a few steps closer to him. „Yes.", he said and tried to get up, but the sheep didn't let him. „Uh...Help?" He looked at Lightning for help, while she crossed her arms over her chest and smiled slightly.
„Aren't you old enough to help yourself?", she asked, teasingly, while Hope playfully rolled his eyes. „Please.", he said and put on his puppy-dog-look. „Come on, you're way too old for this.", she said, while trying not to fall for that look again. When he was fourteen he often used this look on her to make her do whatever he wanted. Hope said nothing and kept staring at her like this.
„That won't wash with me Hope.", said Lightning and trying to remain steadfast, but this sight was so incredibly cute and yet so stupid, if she considered that he was twenty-four years old and still does this, that she'd almost laughed. Instead, she made another picture, before Hope could react. „A twenty-four old man with a puppy-dog-look. You don't you see that everyday.", she commented and decided to help him, otherwise they could never go.
She went to him and pulled her Gunblade out of its holster. „Don't hurt them!", said Hope quickly, as he saw that she reached for her Gunblade. „Who said I was going to hurt them?", she asked back and shot the air to scare the sheep. After they fled Lightning came closer to him and held her hand out to him. „Well come on, sheepboy." Hope took her hand and stood up. He almost didn't want to let go of her hand, but he had to.
„Let's get the wool to Myta, kupo! And hopefully we'll find out something about the flan army, kupo.", said Mog and flew happily around the two and head toward the camp. Lightning and Hope followed her and after they gave Myta the wool, they talked with Tipur again, who kept his promise and gave them the information they want. „What do you want to know?", he asked, as they were at a small shelter. „We just wanted to ask you if you've seen anything suspicious. Maybe...something that has to do with flan monsters.", said Hope, while Tipur thought briefly. „Yes, something really suspicious happened lately.", he replied, while Lightning came a step closer. „Tell us about it."
„There's a big monster that devours loads of flans.", he said, while Lightning, Mog and Hope looked at each other quizzically. „Where is it?", asked Hope. „It only appears when it's sunny." Lightning sighed. As dense as the fog is, it'll surely take a long time. „And when will that happen?"
„If you want right now.", said a hunter who had heard everything. „With this device here, we can change the weather, you have just to press the two levers.", she explained, while pointing to the large machine that stood in the corner. „The weather machine...interesting.", said Hope fascinating and immediately went to the device and examined it. Lightning pushed Hope aside and put both lever down. A little later it was sunny. „Wow.", said Hope, and was even more impressed by this invention.
They looked out and saw a dragon devouring all the flan monsters within his reach, but you could clearly see that they actually fell into a Temporal Rift. „So this is the reason why so many flans are in Sunleth...", said Lightning and went with Hope and Mog to the dragon, which bore the name Faeryl.
Mog changed back into the bow and Hope immediately attacked from a distance, while Lightning ran to the dragon. „Be careful, Light!", he called after her, who gave him only a "Yeah, yeah." in response. During the fight Lightning was in her element, because Faeryls weakness was thunder, so she constantly attacked it with thunder magic. Faeryl tried all the time to crush her with his claws, but Lightning was too quick and dodged his attacks and whenever the dragon raised his arm, Hope feared that she might get hit.
Eventually he couldn't watch any longer and switched his bow into a sword to fight by her side. „I'll help you, Light!", he called as he ran to her. „Stay over there!", she called back as she cast another thunder spell. „No!", he replied as he passed Lightning to attack Faeryl head-on. „Hope!" Hope didn't listen to her and focused a lot of thunder magic into the blade.
Faeryl attacked him with his claw, but Hope dodged and slashed his stomach. The silver-haired man jumped out of the way quickly before the dragon fell down and died. „Phew...", sighed Hope, as Mog changed back and they both went back to Lightning. But they stopped when they saw how angry Lightning stomped to them. Hope swallowed hard and braced himself for more than a lecture.
„You...! There are some times where I could...!", shouted Lightning and raised her hand when she was in front of him. Hope jerked back and closed his eyes tightly. He waited a few seconds for her to slap him, but it never came. He opened his eyes again and saw that Lightning's hand still hung in the air and then she clenched her fist. He'd been afraid that she'll beat him with her fist, but then she eased her hand and let it drop.
„Do you want to die?", she snapped and took a step closer to him. „Snow really isn't a good example for you, and I advise you to give up this ability, to get yourself into danger, right now!" Fortunately for Hope, he just got the lecture. A very long lecture...
A.N. dum dum duuuum. Here's another thing I've changed. Not Serah is the farseer, but Lightning! Dum dum duuum, once again! And I thought it's funny that Hope became a teeny tiny bit like SnowXD Lightning's right, he's not the best company for himxD My favourite part is where Hope's surrounded by sheepx3 I thought that they just catch the sheep and take the wool, but then inspiration struck me! That's so cute that I had to draw it, but it sadly looks too chibi-like v.v (And it's not finished yet, still have to color it)
PLEASE REVIEW! (Update in one week from now)
