Hey! Long-time no see, stranger!
Sorry for the delay, life got in the way.
I know of the many grammatical errors in the previous chapter, sorry about that, English isn't my first language, but take it for what it is. I'll probably get back and correct it later on.
This chapter is similar to the previous one, I hadn't intended for that to happen, it just did.
I hope you'll like it none the less.
Ps: Kudos to the one who finds the Monty Python reference.
…
Long Time
"You always wake up with the sun." That was the statement Nora Esheim had used during Hope's childhood. It rang true no matter how late he went to bed, he'd always wake up early, even if he'd need more sleep. Hope had never given it much thought. He had a busy schedule even back then, and it had turned much busier when he grew up and started his own company.
To sum it up: Hope Estheim had never slept beyond 8 AM, not even on a weekend. Time had always been too precious to waste sleeping it away.
Hope was therefore surprised when he woke up the following morning on the Livingroom couch and saw that it was already 10:37 on his wristwatch. "That's new", he said to no one in particular.
He sat up and stretched his back, trying to recall what had happened the previous night. And why did I sleep on the couch? Am I that overworked? Falling asleep just like that.
"Good morning", a voice called from the kitchen.
The voice caused Hope to spin around and stare at the woman making her way towards him with two steaming cups of coffee in her hands. He kept his eyes fixed on her as she made her way around the couch and sat down next to him.
It wasn't a dream… she's really here. Lightning wore a simple shirt and a pair of black pants, nothing special in any way, but she pulled it off anyway. Her hair was a bit unkempt and damp, probably from a recent shower. And her scent… like freshly picked roses.
"Hey, do you want the coffee?"
The sudden question brought Hope back to reality. "Yeah… sure, thanks", he said and accepted the cup from her.
He took a sip from it to test the taste. It was a bit on the weak side for him, he liked his food and drinks to be strong and make a real impact in the mouth.
"So, what's on the agenda today?"
Hope didn't really know what else to ask. They had met up last night and had a nice chat long into the night, but what now? He didn't have any right to expect her to stick around. And going home to his private lab was also out of the question now. He had lost all focus and inspiration after meeting her in the reception last night. Damnit!
"I was thinking of going to Normandy", Lightning said. "There's this nice place with lots of nice people there. They'd love to meet you as well."
Nice people. Hope grinned when he realized which people she referred to. "I'd love to see them as well. When do we leave?"
Lightning drank some more coffee. "After you're done with that cup… and made yourself presentable."
He began drinking his coffee in earnest. "How will we get there?"
Lightning relaxed into the couch. "I didn't bring my car to the city, but I know this guy. He could probably borrow one from his company."
Hope chuckled. "I'm sure he can, anything you'd like in particular. So I can tell him."
She smirked. "Something fast and practical. I don't really care about fancy stuff."
"You won't be disappointed", Hope said and made his way towards the bedroom.
The Paris Office was the one Hope frequented the most, hence why he had his own wardrobe with a few set of clothes in case he needed a new suit or simply had forgotten to bring any luggage on his numerous business trips. He picked a dark grey suit, not too fancy but fancier than something a parent would force a reluctant teenage boy to wear on graduation either. It was one of several suits he'd wear for board meetings and casual interviews.
Then again, most people would consider this fancy, Hope thought as he brought the clothes to the bathroom and undressed.
The shower was probably the most thorough and quick shower he'd ever taken. He couldn't stop thinking about meeting his former friends, spending more time with Lightning and worrying that all of this still was a dream or a figment of his imagination. What if it is like the phantom again? What if I'm manipulated like before? Hope shook his head. No, those thoughts didn't belong in his life. It was real, all of it. His accomplishments, this free world, even Lightning was real. He was no longer a hollow shell, a puppet used by the divine for their whims.
Hope all but threw his new set of clothes on and made his hair presentable before leaving the bathroom, eager to see Lightning again.
She sat on the couch, combing her hair.
Lightning smiled. "That was quick. You ready to head out?"
He nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
…
Hope called for a car on the way down. They were given a silvery Audi with a full tank of gas. It took them almost an hour to leave Paris because of the heavy traffic. Hop would've normally scoffed at the delay, but Lightning's presence seemed to calm him down. He frankly didn't mind as long as he got to spend some more time with her.
"So, why Normandy?" Hope asked as they reached the countryside.
Lightning leaned back in her seat next to him and smiled softly. "Because Serah wanted that. You remember how she is, right? She always gets what she wants."
Hope chuckled. "Yeah, she knew how to get her will across. What is she doing nowadays?"
"You'll just have to wait and ask her yourself", Lightning said with the same mischievous smile she had worn last night.
"Aw, can't you give me a hint at least?"
"No, keep your eyes on the road, that's the only hint I'll give you."
"Duly noted", Hope said.
…
Lightning guided him towards the end of the journey. She seemed more than a little familiar with the area and knew exactly where to change road and when to slow down due to hidden dangers newcomers wouldn't now about.
"I've been here a lot lately", was the only answer she'd give Hope when he questioned her about it.
Their destination turned out to be a big chateau with a grand garden located on a cliff overlooking the English Channel. It was a beautiful building with many centuries worth of history to its name.
"Welcome to Château de Falaises", Lightning said with a warm smile… and was it longing as her eyes scanned the decorated walls and the large garden with colourful flowers.
"What's going on here", Hope asked. The entrance was crowded by a large mass of people, far more than a meetup for a small group of friends would've required.
Lightning smirked. "I'll let you take a guess."
The parking lot in front of the chateau was just as packed full of cars. Some more fancy than others. An attendant was luckily there to help them find an empty spot. Hope was surprised that he recognized the man, it was a security guard working for his company, though not in his own security detail.
"Nice to see you, director", the guard said when Hope stepped out of the car. "We were starting to think you'd be late."
"Late?" Hope asked. "Late for what?"
Lightning intervened before the guard could speak. "We're here now, so there's no reason to panic. Is everything going as planned?"
She had the same commanding aura Hope had witnessed on Cocoon and Pulse. The soldier still lived on in her today despite her new career as a fashion model. Hope smiled fondly.
The guard was taken aback by Lightning but quickly regained his bearing. "Yes, all guests are accounted for. The two of you were the only ones missing. Your sister's been very anxious I might add."
Lightning nodded. "I'll go speak to her." She turned to Hope. "Well then, shall we?"
"To find out what this big mystery trip is? Yes, please."
The first person Hope picked out from the crowd gathered outside the entrance was a certain big oaf. His appearance surprised Hope. The big man wore a neat suit, complete with a necktie and a clean-shaven face. That was a combo Hope never thought he'd see in any lifetime. Had he really changed that much?
"Hey there, little bro", he called out as Hope and Lightning got closer.
Hope grinned as he was crushed into a bear hug. "Hey there, big guy."
No, Snow hasn't changed at all, Hope thought.
He heard Lightning chuckle behind them. "Well, you seem to be in good hands for now. I'll go and Serah, see you guys later."
Snow released Hope and turned after Lightning. "You better hurry, sis. Serah is tired of waiting."
"Don't push your luck, Snow", Lightning said with a smirk. "She hasn't said 'I do' yet."
'I do', Hope thought as realisation dawned on him. He stared at Snow as Lightning disappeared into the building. "Sorry if I'm out of the loop, Snow but I have to ask… is this your wedding?"
The big man grinned. "It sure is. Welcome by the way. I would've given you a fair warning, but she-who-must-be-obeyed wanted the wedding to coincide with our reunion with you. Both of them, actually."
Hope let out a laugh. So both Light and Serah planned this… could be worse I suppose.
He quickly regained his composure. "I'm honoured to be here, Snow. I just wish I could've brought a wedding gift to the two of you."
"You being here is a gift in my book", Snow said. "It's damn nice to see you, Hope." He chuckled. "Though I have heard you're doing decent at least."
Hope snickered. "Yeah, I'm doing alright. You to it seems", he said and gestured to the chateau. "Just renting this place must've cost you guys a fortune."
"A fortune and then some", Snow agreed. "But neither I nor Serah paid a single dime."
That peaked Hope's interest. "Really, who's paying for this then?"
"That would be me", a very familiar voice chimed in. "Or rather both of us if you're picky."
Hope turned around and faced his second in command, the one who had helped him establish his company and had shared his many burdens over the years. The same one who had been in contact with Lightning. "Hello, Alyssa", he said, no longer surprised by anything.
The young woman wore a purple gown of silk, something you'd see at a fancy wedding. Something like the one they were attending. She gave him a hug despite the two of them seeing each other at least once a week. He hugged her back, having grown accustomed to it some thirteen years ago.
She released him and took a step back. "Hey Hope. Nice of you to stop by."
"Are you in on this?" Hope asked, despite already knowing the answer. He wasn't mad at her or anyone involved. He felt happy, happier than he'd been for many years. It was just… overwhelming.
"Yep, about as involved without being the one standing at the altar", Alyssa said.
"It was actually Alyssa here who gave me Serah's address", Snow chimed in. "About… two years ago?"
"On the day", Alyssa said. She smirked at Hope. "I couldn't stand the thought of your friends not reuniting in this life. So I nudged some of them in the right direction, so to speak."
Snow looked a little embarrassed. "Yeah… I responded to an advert for parts for my motorcycle. I was instructed to visit a certain address at a certain time." He smiled at Alyssa. "Turned out it was a fake ad meant to get me to the Farron residence."
Alyssa looked proud. "That was one of the most difficult jobs I've ever done." She met Hope's eyes. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get her parents out of the house without her leaving as well? I managed though."
"And we're both thankful you did", Snow said. "I didn't remember anything about our previous lives before Serah opened the door. It all came back in an instant. The strife we endured, the hardships, the loss… but also our love. I've never been happier in my life."
Hope thought Snow was about to cry. That would've really been a first. He was the kind of person who'd shove his own well-being and emotions aside at first notice if someone else was in need of his help.
"Did you nudge someone else as well?" Hope asked Alyssa.
She assumed that coy stance she always wore when she had a secret. "Well… someone may have directed this boy who used to hunt to a girl he didn't know he was looking for. But that was quite recent, just a couple of months ago. I may also have matched up a certain pilot and the woman who ended up bearing his son. A really nice kid by the way. Then there were these two girls with funny accents, but they managed on their own pretty much. I just had to make a small intervention."
So this is what you've been up to. Hope knew Alyssa had taken much more time off from the company ever since they founded it. He had never questioned it since she had managed her duties with flying colours. Not everyone was married to their work like Hope was.
"How… how did you find everyone?" Hope asked.
"By spending lots and lots of time on the internet", Alyssa answered. "It was all about the finer details, finding clues and matching them to what I already knew. I got fed up when you couldn't be bothered to do what really was necessary to get results."
Shame. Hope felt ashamed. He had no one to blame but himself for not finding his friends himself. But he had let his fear prevent him from doing so and had given up before even putting some real effort into it. Hope knew then and there that no recompense would be enough to Alyssa. She wouldn't ask for anything, but what she had done for him and his friends… he could never return the favour no matter what he did.
"C'mon, don't get all gloomy", Alyssa pouted. "This is as much for you as for your friends. At least for me it is. Get going, mingle with the guests, get reacquainted with your friends, all of you deserve it."
She turned to Snow. "I have to get back to it. Good luck by the way, cowboy."
Alyssa winked at Hope before she left. "Save one dance for me, that'd be enough to pay me back."
That's hardly enough. Hope wanted to stop his friend and thank her… but nothing would be enough in his mind. One day maybe…
"Alyssa's been a big help", Snow said. "Don't worry about her, she seems to be in her element now. All of us appreciate what she's done for us, the past is in the past after all."
Hope was ready to let it go, he had just one more question on the subject of Alyssa. "She said, 'we payed for this', what did she mean by that?"
Snow shrugged. "She contacted me and Serah when we announced our engagement and promised to pay for our wedding, no matter how expensive it was. I was reluctant to the idea, but Serah wanted to be wed at a castle with a nice view of the ocean. This place fit the bill quite nicely."
Hope had to agree with that. This place was perfect for the occasion. He didn't even mind if Alyssa had spent money and recourses from the company to make it happen. Money well spent.
"But enough about that", Snow said. "It's great to have you here, little bro. Both of us insisted on it."
"'Little Bro?'" Hope asked. "I am older than you, you know?"
Snow laughed. "Yeah, I know. But you'll always be our little brother, no matter the number on your licence."
"Gee, thanks." Hope scanned the crowd. "Care to tell me who's here?"
Snow grinned. "A better question would be 'Who's not here', Hope. Most are friends or family of mine or Serah, but some are people who Sis met during the final days. I'm sure you recognise some of them." Snow made a waving gesture towards a small group of people in the crowd.
Hope recognized them as those friends Snow had founded New Bodhum with, the NORA gang. One of them was pointing to his wrist and motioning for Snow to come to them. Snow let out a deep sigh and turned back to Hope. "Hate to ditch you like that, but I have some things to attend to. Go on and mingle, little bro. We'll talk more later."
Hope could sympathize with the big guy, he was the groom in this wedding after all. There were probably lots of things he had to attend to before the bells struck.
"No problem, Snow. Go do what you need to do."
Snow grinned again and gave Hope a thumbs up.
"And good luck!" Hope shouted after Snow before he disappeared in the crowd. Not a small feat for someone his size, Hope mused.
Hope scanned the crowd for familiar faces and saw two which he immediately recognized. A tall tanned woman with dark raven hair and a smaller girl with red pigtails. Both wore matching blue dresses, a colour which Hope thought suited Fang just fine, and Vanille managed to pull it off as well.
Fang waved him over. "Look who decided to show up! Just in the nick of time!"
Hope chuckled and was almost suffocated when Vanille brought him into a crushing hug not even Snow would've been able to rival. "Heya, Hope!" She said excitedly. "Snow told us about their scheme to get you here, but we started to think that you'd be late."
He chuckled again and managed to free himself from his friend's grip. "Yeah, you're not the first one who's told me that."
Fang proceeded to give him a short but friendly hug. "At least you got here in time." She stepped back and looked him over. "And look at you! The kid turned into Mr. Fancy-Pants!"
This is Fang alright, Hope thought. "Well, not everyone can dress for the wild like you", he teased back. "But I'd say you're not in a position to discuss my clothes. Both of you are quite dressed up as well."
"But that's because it's a wedding, Hope", Vanille said with her most girly tone. "You have to wear a dress today."
"Pardon her, kiddo. Vanille's been working herself up into a frenzy over the last few days." Fang made a sweeping gesture towards the other guests. "But she's not alone. There are lots of girls like her around here today."
Hope looked at the two of them. They looked at easy despite Vanille's excitement and didn't seem likely to disappear into the crowd. The realisation kicked in. He actually had some time to talk to them before the wedding started. He could ask them whatever he wanted to know. All the questions he had thought of over the years since he remembered his previous life… but none of them managed to manifest in his head.
Fang snickered. "You look like you're at a loss for words, kid."
"Can you blame him?" Vanille whined. "He just got here. Bet he doesn't even know where to start."
"Fine", Fang said. "Both of us live in Australia. We Take care of wounded animals and lead guided tours in the bush. We have this nice little place close to our workplace, and like buttered scones for tea on Wednesdays."
"That's one way to break the ice", Hope chuckled. "How long have you known about… well, everything? You know, our previous lives, the crystal age, those events?"
Fang shrugged. "Little less than two years I suppose. I was visiting a friend in Melbourne when the train ticket on my phone was refused by the conductor. I ended up going to a ticket booth to complain." Fang smiled at Vanille. "This girl here was interning as the attendant."
"Everything came back when we saw each other", Vanille said. She had a dreamy voice. "Not even fate could keep us apart forever."
"It sure couldn't." But smirked at Hope. "But we do know that this Alyssa friend of yours did have something to do with it as well."
"Of course", Vanille said. "And we're thankful for that, but I like to think that it was inevitable for us to reunite."
"To sum it up; we're good, Hope." Fang clapped her hands together. "Now, time for you to spill the beans."
"I'm an open book, Fang. Granted, most of it is filled with math, but I'm an open book. Ask away."
"We already know about what you do for a living", Vanille said. "You're on the news from time to time, and information about you is abundant on the internet. We want to know the personal stuff."
That was a hard topic to discuss, since Hope's private and public life walked hand in hand. His work was who he was after all. He had to try to explain something more interesting though. "Sure, I have a nice Lakeview house complete with my own private lab. I like to go hiking in the Alps when I have some spare time. Though that rarely happens more than once a year."
"Boring!" Fang teased. "Can't you tell us something spicier? Don't tell me all of the tabloids are wrong. No steamy affairs with celebrities? Isn't it true that you bought a continent's worth of the moon when you got drunk a while back? That you use the casino in Monte Carlo to launder money? Please, tell us something!"
Hope laughed. He did have friends who were celebrities, and talked to several leading politicians on a first name basis. He also did own a small area on the moon, but that was because of research purposes. The Monte Carlo incident was pure tabloid though; he had simply visited the casino with some friends after a successful deal went through. No gambling, just some mingling and drinks.
But Fang didn't need to know that. He smirked. "That's for me to know, not you."
"Aw, now you have to tell us!"
He laughed "I don't have anything more to say about that."
"When and how did you remember the crystal age?" Vanille chimed in, clearly understanding that Hope wouldn't budge on the previous topic.
Hope laughed even more. "Pure coincidence." He looked at Vanille. "Or some might say destiny or inevitable."
"Tell us!" Vanille grabbed his arm and urged him on.
"Sure, it was thirteen years ago. I was a simple student in an overcrowded school. We had more than a thousand students, milling about the corridors between classes. Someone would always collide no matter how careful we were."
"So?" Fang asked.
Hope could see her impatience. This was much more fun than he had thought. "I'm getting there. So, people tended to collide, I was no exception. A fourteen-year-old kid with the head stuck in the clouds. One day I collided with another student with her head stuck in the clouds."
"Alyssa, right?" Vanille asked.
"Exactly", Hope said. "We were in different classes, and had never met before, but all of it came back when we got up from the floor and saw each other."
"I'd guess what happened next if this was a fluffier tale", Fang teased.
Hope would've blushed if he had been younger. "That's not exactly what happened. We stared at each other for a long time. Both of us tried to process what had happened, what we remembered. Then we skipped classes for the rest of the day, remembering our previous lives and trying to help each process it all. Alyssa was really sorry about what she did in the past. Helping Caius Ballad, trapping Serah and Noel, shooting me." He did leave many details out, but they would at least get the gist of it.
"Did you forgive her?" Vanille asked.
"Within a heartbeat. Everything is forgiven as far as I'm concerned."
"And then?" Fang asked.
"We used our newfound memories to take a good look at our new world and decided to make our mark on it so to speak. We took all of which we knew as scientists from the old world and started to apply it in this world. At first we published theories in the scientific community, then we used our knowledge to program better software for companies around the world to earn money, money we saved and used to start the very company we run today. That way, we'll change the world, slowly but surely." Once again, he left many details out.
Fang snickered. "That was a long monologue, or maybe a sales pitch."
"But he did tell us at least", Vanille said in his defence.
"Yeah, I did condense it quite a bit."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you did", Fang said.
The rest of the conversation was cut short when Alyssa called out to the crowd from the small flight of stairs leading to the chateau entrance.
"Can I have your attention please? The wedding is about to start. Please proceed to the garden and find your seats. Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful day!"
"Guess that's our cue", Vanille said.
"Sure is, let's go, Mr. Fancy-Pants", Fang winked at him.
It beats 'kid' at least. Hope simply chuckled and followed the heavy stream of people towards the garden.
Hope didn't know much about flowers or trees, but it did look like they had every flower and plant under the sun gathered in the garden. A large spot had been left empty however and was now filled with white benches which were neatly decorated. Further away close to the cliff edge was a nice altar made out of marble. Hope suspected that more than a few couples had been wed in this garden.
He quickly lost sight of Fang and Vanille in the crowd, but he did find two people he hadn't expected to meet at all in this place… his parents.
Both of them had aged well over the last decade, but Hope could see that age was starting to wear on his father. Bartholomew Estheim had lost almost all of the colour in his hair and his eyes were clearly tired from many long years of work. But he was even so radiating the same glow his wife and the rest of the guests expressed.
Hope took a seat next to them on the right side of the aisle, pretty far away from the altar but there were just too many guests to find enough space for three people any closer. It will do, Hope concluded and leaned back in the bench. The sky was clear and fair. The temperature was warm but not too warm, just enough to make most people comfortable. They couldn't have chosen a better day for their wedding, Hope thought.
"I was wondering what you were up to", Nora told her son.
"You're in on this as well?" Hope asked despite knowing the answer. Of course they were in on it, everyone but him was. Not that I complain, Hope mused. They had remembered their previous lives as well, shortly after he and Alyssa had regained their memories. The Estheim family had talked a lot about it over the years, but had decided to not let it define their future. They led better lives in this new world, as a more united and whole family.
"Alyssa told us about this a few months ago", his mother said. "We figured it'd be fun to play along." She grinned. "Just to see the look on your face. Too bad we didn't see you when you came here."
"Ignore her, son", his father said, smiling as well. "It's nice to meet everyone again. We're honoured to be invited to this wedding as well."
Hope suddenly recalled them telling him they were supposed to visit France this weekend and attend a wedding. He could've never imagined it would be Serah and Snow's wedding though.
"It was nice of them to invite you", Hope said.
"Definitely", Alyssa said as she sat down next to Hope. "They insisted that everyone involved in our earlier lives would be here today. Not just for the wedding, but also for a proper reunion."
"You look tired, Alyssa. Busy day?" Nora asked the young woman.
"Yep!" Alyssa exclaimed. "Organizing a wedding is much more difficult than I ever had imagined!"
"Leave it for someone else next time", Bartholomew said with a fond smile.
The Estheims had gotten to know Alyssa really well over the years and had come to see her as a member of the family. Hope appreciated that, everyone needed a pillar to lean back on from time to time.
The conversation as well as the buzz around them came to an abrupt end when Snow walked down the aisle and stopped by the altar. Hope recognized the best standing nearby as Gadot, Snow's best friend from NORA back on Cocoon and Pulse.
But everyone grew even more quiet and turned back towards the other end of the aisle. Hope followed their eyes and smiled. The bride had arrived.
…
Once again, it didn't turn out like I had intended it to, but that's how it is.
Lightning didn't get that much text this time, but she'll be back.
This will be a three parter, the final chapter will be out eventually, probably sooner than the time between the first chapter and this one. I had intended for it to be limited to two chapters, but the second one is already too long, so the final part will have to wait.
I hope you enjoyed this.
Best regards.
