Note: So glad everyone's enjoying Hope. The power of his cute compels you to read on! Also thanks to everyone taking the time to read this!

Tenth Entry

My stamina's getting better now. Not that it's a huge improvement from before, but I don't fall to the floor wheezing and begging for mercy anymore. My magic spells are getting better, stronger, and with that my nerve and confidence. I got to take point when we reached the Gapra Whitewood. I wanted to do it. If I want to become strong, I have to make important tactical decisions that may put our lives in danger due to my inflated teenage ego and ignorance.

I'm still learning.

I learned that you don't break into a run, yelling a battle cry while attacking an Alpha Behemoth. I learned two things. One, my boomerang is useless and two, Lightning kicks so much ass. Once it was defeated, I decided we should move on and find another one to fight. Sure, an Alpha Behemoth is strong enough to kill me in one hit or maim me by robbing me of my face if I barely manage to dodge its sharp claws, but I am the leader and what I say goes. Lightning has no choice but to follow because at the moment, you can't change party leader from the menu.

I also learned about Snow. He's engaged to Lightning's dead popsicle sister. I'm just shocked Snow got that far with Lightning as an older sister, but then again, her sister is a dead popsicle so it goes to show how much she cares about protecting her. She dislikes him as much as I do, but I hate him more because of the whole 'killing my mom' thing. Still, I can relate to her. She, like me, doesn't think much of Snow. In fact, Lightning was kind enough to give me her knife, a gift from her dead popsicle sister. She said I should use it to keep me safe. I took that to mean 'here, use it to kill Snow.' Lightning is so supportive.

I wonder how the others are doing. Sazh and Vanille are probably on the run like we are, but they're probably not trying to take down the Sanctum. I'm glad I followed Lightning. With her, I know I can get stronger. I know I can kill Snow. Speaking of which, I wonder what he's doing right now. Probably still trying to get his dead popsicle girlfriend out from the crystal. Or maybe he's been caught by some rouge military ship that won't kill him or maybe he's dead. He better not be dead. I still need him alive to kill him.

He's such a reckless guy. Lightning says his group, the one that shares my mother's name, NORA, is about no rules and no authority. People, young and old, flock to him without knowing what he's really about. They follow him blindly, as though he knows what he's doing. Don't they know he doesn't care about them? That he leads them into these impossible battles with little regard to their safety and lives? That he doesn't think twice about sacrificing them, that he's a wink and a smile away from turning his back on them and walking away as though their deaths didn't happen. What about them? What about the people who fight? Who sacrifice their lives? What about mom? What about her? Why doesn't he care? Why doesn't he act like he's sorry? Just thinking about his goofy smile makes my blood boil. What sort of hero turns his back on dying comrades and acts as though it was all a victory because he's the only one left standing?

I can't. I can't let him live. I can't, not when I know he's willing to sacrifice others in his stead. He's not a hero. He's scum. And I'm going to be the one to stop him from hurting anyone else.

Lightning is back and wants to know what we should do now.

We're going to fight. And I'm going to get stronger.

It's the only way.

To make Snow pay.

I just made that rhyme because I'm serious about this.

I'm practically a grown-up now.