I hate to say it... but expect delays. It's prime training time in Japan for newbies so and thus I am busy. But! This story should be updated once a week to two weeks as it was mostly written last month and just needs editing.

Anyways what you're really here for:

Noel had managed to sneak his way into one of the nature reserves. He sat on a low ridge and looked out over the plains. This particular reserve was made to resemble the Archlyte Steppe and it allowed him to relax. His swords never too far away he just looked across the distant and watched the monsters roam. He rather missed hunting and had a passing thought of doing so. Usually you needed permission but the Academy was practically in shambles now. No one to stop him.

"Lightning told me what happened." The soft voice had Noel turning around quickly. He hadn't thought someone would come looking for him that fast. It was only maybe two hours ago that things had went down with Lightning. "You know she didn't say that to hurt you."

"She didn't hurt me." Noel grumbled. "I'm just scared... The last time I felt this useless Etro granted me the ability to travel through time. To at least try to save Yeul. I need a miracle... or at least stupid Snow to let me actually search for Hope."

Serah sat down beside him and took his hand. They were silent for a few moments and then she tugged his hand gently to get his attention.

"Promise me you'll never give up on him." Her voice was serious in a way he hadn't heard it before. "Just like I never gave up on Lightning. It took us over 500 years to be reunited. And I believe you can find Hope faster then that."

"Hey! Don't down talk yourself. You worked hard." Noel stated as he turned to face her.

"I... Before you I never fought. Even as a l'cie I had all that power and instead of fighting I pulled my sister and Snow into it instead of standing up for myself. It wasn't until you came that it even occurred to me to try and fight my own battles." She admitted shyly. "In a way Hope was much better then me. He got thrown in to but he didn't lay down and die. He fought."

"Serah... don't say that. You've done a lot. More then enough... Everyone has." Noel clenched his hands into fists, a watery chuckle escaped him. "We can't all be crazy like Lightning. Bhunivelze won't awaken. He would have done it by now if that were going to happen. Hope is out there somewhere. And I am going to find him."

The earthquakes were growing steadily worse. Noel felt sick with motion sickness from the frequency but found there was nothing he could do. The Academy had announced evacuation plans, which had caused panic and disorder to reign. It was only a matter of time before full scale violence broke out. There was no where to start though. What was there to do in face of the inevitable?

The others had moved into close proximity incase terrible things happened. Snow had put together what he called 'go bags' and forced everyone to carry them everywhere. Pilfered potions and other medical goods from the Academy. Manadrives and anything else they could find so that they could at least protect themselves and others in the outside world.

A low shudder moved through the Ark. and Noel clenched his teeth willing himself not to throw up. He knocked on the door to Sazh's house. If he remembered correctly he had the stuff for motion sickness. And then the whole world shook harder then it ever had before. Noel barely managed to fling himself through the open door when the great continent released a great cracking sound.

Noel heard screaming around him as Sazh curled around Dajh to protect him. The hunter unable to grasp anything slammed his head against the ceiling or was it the floor? He screamed in pain and gasped at anything or nothing. At least Noel though blankly as the Ark fell faster and faster. He wouldn't have to wait any longer.

"Hey! I need help over here!" Sazh called as he curled his good arm around Dajh, his other broken rather badly. The ark had hit the ground surprisingly softly for how fast it fell at the end. It seemed that most people around them were alive actually. Which also bothered Sazh a bit. As if whatever dropped the Ark had wanted to make sure that they were safe if a little bruised. Like a careless child dropping a pet.

Snow appeared in the broken shells of the house and saw Noel, blood leaking from the side of his head. He gingerly picked up the hunter and nodded to him. "We're trying to get through to Arcane but it looks grim. The Academy HQ collapsed on itself. Everything seems unsteady now it's just evacuation I guess."

Sazh nodded and gestured Dajh to walk ahead of him. The little boy was quiet as he followed his dad's orders. It was shell shocking to say the least. Cocoon had fallen but not as far, not as hard and without such detrimental consequences thanks to Vanille and Fang. The outside world looked like hell, even the ruins of Pulsian villages had never inspired such a feeling of loss in Sazh before.

As they trooped to the remains of Serah and Snow's house Sazh couldn't help but suck in a bitter breath. Refugees again as it was. He was definitely too old for this shit.

Lightning met them at the door and ushered them inside. She then took station at the largest opening as a way to protect them. She was unharmed, goddess power's protecting her greatly. Inside the others looked worse for wear. No one injured as badly as Sazh or Noel. But all the same looking worse then they had even in their l'cie days. Noel was laid out on the couch and Serah reached out for him with what was left of her powers.

Everyone needed to be up. They had no options now. Every delayed second could mean death. The other surged awake with a gasp and sat up. He was reaching for his swords before he knew what was happening. Serah grabbed his hands and murmured soothingly until he was calm enough to take a deep breath. When the other finally calmed down enough she removed her hands and moved on to Sazh.

"All right." Fang stood up from where she was squatting near the back window with a radio transmitter. "Everything seems to be fucked at The Academy. I'm still not able to get through to Arcane even on her private line. I guess at this point it's best to assume that she's dead."

A grim silenced followed her words. It could mean that the whole leadership had been taken out. The world was bound to descend into chaos. After a few minutes Lightning reentered the room. She shook her head grimly. "Something bad is coming. It'll be in our best interest to get off the Ark now."

"And the other people?" Vanille asked quietly.

"Are heading to the checkpoints for evacuation. Whatever is left of the Guardian Corps will take care of them. We need to get off the Ark and see what the chaos looks like." She explained tersely and they nodded in agreement.

Together they trooped quietly through the broken city towards a point where Lightning could use their powers to teleport them without getting the attention of the Guardian Corps of the remaining survivors. Lightning took point and Snow took up the rear with Serah. Both noticed the shaky way that Noel was walking.

Sazh had recovered just fine, though too much pressure on the arm would cause it to break again. But Noel, Noel walked as if he were concussed. He listed off to his left side and occasionally brought a hand up to his temple. Snow gently pushed Serah forward to go talk to the ailing young man.

"Is something wrong?" Serah asked as she meandered next to Noel trying to look him over without being too obvious.

"Just a little headache from having to get up so fast." The brunette replied weakly. Serah didn't believe that for a second, she touched his head and he shook her away only to trembled violently. His body began to falter and his eyes rolled up into his head. Serah grasped his arm but she was took weak. Fang was quickly on his other side grasped him as he sunk to the ground.

"What the's problem." Lightning asked, she had stopped but didn't look back, too on high alert.

"A concussion maybe?" Serah asked as she looked him over with both eyes and magic. "It's definitely a brain problem."

"Shit." Lightning bit her lip roughly. "Fine. No point in getting him up to suffer further. We'll teleport here."

"Is that safe?" Vanille asked quietly.

"Nope. But no choice." Lightning responded as she gestured them to gather close around Noel's prone body. Once they were all close together she called upon their powers and moved them to the outside world.

The lands of Gran Pulse were nothing of what they looked like before. The crystal dust had reformed into giant jagged sculptures and rock formations on the landscape. The were still patches of chaos but they seemed to pay them no mind. Singularly focused on the Ark or each other. They were in a forest actually. Lightning realized with a start that time must have passed differently for them with in the Ark. It was obvious that hundreds of years had passed out here. And yet in the Ark it had only felt like a few years.

Noel awoke a week later with a jerk of pain. He was inside a strange tent and outside people were working round the clock to build. He pushed himself into a sitting position. The pain in his head increased and he bent forward to allow it to relax him. After a while he took a deep breath and released it. The last thing he remembered was trying to find a way out of the fallen Ark. Connecting the dots slowly he surmised that he was on Gran Pulse. Which meant a chance to find Hope.

That name sent another course of pain through his head. Lowering his head further he clenched his eyes shut. He could remember now. His history, his everything. Caius' betrays, Yeul's dreams and wishes. Even Alyssa, but most importantly he could remember the time that he'd spent with Hope before. In 400AF when things had seemed so much easier.

"I thought I heard some noises in here." The door swung open unceremoniously. The voice clicked after a second through the pain. Fang. "Looks like you're up but not better."

"How long have I been out?" He asked licking his dry lips.

"You lay back down, drink some water and I'll tell you anything you want." Fang replied and Noel followed her orders slowly, afraid to make his mind hurt more. Once he was down she came over to the bed and sat next to him and handed him some water.

"Now." He stated firmly.

"Well... We're on Gran Pulse for starters. Hope's Ark is... well it's gone." She crossed her arms as she looked towards the door. "Basically the world has fallen apart as far as we've know."

"Sounds fun." He grumbled and she laughed light.

"It could be. The world is so different from what it was before. Right now you're in a settlement called Yusnaan... Snow wanted to build a safe haven for us..."

"But?"

"You'll hear all about that later." She waved her hand. "There's another settlement to the North. Last I heard they call themselves Luxerion... Anti-Academy folks basically." She snorted. "They are gonna be a problem."

"Then we'll be a problem right back." Noel replied, he was already feeling better.

"That's the spirit!" She replied happily. "Anyways. You rest and recoup that youthful energy. Snow is building a city that should hopefully be done in a month."

"A month? That's crazy." Noel sat up for real and Fang pushed him back down.

"He made a deal with a Fal'cie... And well... nothing ages here... not even the seal so... It's not safe but it's not bad you know? He thought it was better him then the rest of us... So the city is whatever Snow will want it to be."

"Seems like a bad idea."

"Everything at this point is a bad idea." Fang shook her head. "Go back to sleep."

Noel stood in what had been named the Patron's Palace and shook his head. Fal'cie and L'cie powers indeed. The city of Yusnaan was great and beautiful really. A place that according to Snow was supposed to bring back people's hope. Noel found the sentiment annoying. Once the parties had started, Sazh had checked out, him and Dajh moving out into the wildlands away from everything. Sazh hadn't wanted anything to do with anything anymore. His most important thing was Dajh and he claimed to not want to fight anymore.

Vanille and Fang had left as well. Both following Sazh not too long afterwards. Neither were ones for big cities. Heading into the Desert Dunes because they'd heard word from the excavators that the ruins of Gran Pulse had been buried there. A good place to look for things to aid human kind. A redemption of sorts that Serah had grumped about.

It made Noel angry to be honest. They were all moving on, more concerned with themselves then with Hope. He understand what Serah and Snow were doing, building a society. A city for humanity to thrive in that was what the mage would want. But everyone else seemed to care about their own affairs.

Or maybe he was being unreasonably bitter.

As he stood looking out over the happy people Lightning came to stand beside him. The two of them, in the past three months since Noel had awoken had come to somewhat of a truce over their bitterness about Hope. She gestured out into the city.

"It's strange I think... but kind of nice." She leaned forward on the rail. "But also depressing. It feels like Cocoon again being at the mercy of a Fal'cie to provide the things to keep the city running."

"Hope wouldn't have wanted that right?" He asked quietly and she nodded in agreement. She took a deep breath.

"I want to apologize. For not protecting him. For wanting to abandon not just him but all of you." She shook her head. "I was so focused on Serah that I was going to abandon everything I stood for. Everything that we all believed in. Back then we had formed a family... A deep bond."

"You all are still family." Noel replied as he turned to face her. "And it's not as if there is no reason for what's happening. Everyone is moving on. Forgetting." He spat the word like a bad taste.

"I don't think they are forgetting." She spoke gently as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think we are trying to continue his work. We will find him. But if he came back and this place was in shambles..."

"Our ears would be ringing for days. But it can't been any worse then the shit that Snow's going to get." Noel bit his lip roughly. Snow had and would always been one to do too much. He had exchanged his brand from Cactaur with seemingly the world's only remaining Fal'cie. A brainless creation monster. It had a rather sad existence... Just chugging out things for mankind. And Snow had given up his new found freedom to keep that Fal'cie here. Caring for them.

Even those ungrateful fools in Luxerion.

"We are all family." Lightning squeezed his shoulder firmly. She brushed at his shoulders and then turned back towards the horizon. "I'm going to find a clue one day. And when I do we will pursue it. Don't give up."

"You don't have to tell me that." He grouched. "I can't stand this place. I think I'm going to go look for Hope myself."

"You just have to hold on." She insisted. While anyone would say that Noel resembled Snow the most in personality, Lightning saw a lot of things in him... at least now that reminded her of himself. He was sinking in grief and locking them all out. And she had done that once. Lost herself instead of focusing on what was important.

She refused to allow herself to sink down and become that person again. She touched his shoulder and knew that he really wasn't going to stay. She squeezed it again and forced him to look at her.

"No matter how far you go. You can come back here. Never forget that. We are all... no matter what it may seem like. We are all fighting for the same goal."

"Do you really believe that?" He asked quietly and she nodded her head firmly.

"We make the impossible possible. We will find Hope and we will save the world."

Noel nodded weakly. After all, they had accomplished so much in the past. In all honesty he was the one that had screwed everything up. He turned away from her and headed back further into the palace. Lightning sighed deeply feeling troubled. She didn't think he would leave yet, but she knew that when he was gone, there would be no one there to keep him together.

As she turned to go back into the Palace a bright light cast into the sky. Like a sun or bright moon something rose into the sky. She swallowed hard, it seemed like a bad omen. She moved to report to Serah. Whatever they were up against might have made it's move.

Noel sat on his bed inside the the Patron's Palace. The city was vibrant and full of people trying to live happily. It made him feel sick. Pretending to have this farce of a happy life as things literally were wrong. No one was dying. There was no new lives. The cycle had been broken and furthermore their leader was dead. The resentment was something new to him but it was either that or the guilt and pain. He held his gladius in his hand and looked out into the horizon.

It wasn't much and it would be dangerous, but the chaos was the only place that could hold any answers. While Yusnaan was safe from the chaos for now it was only a matter of time before it would began invading the city anyway. He sucked in an angry breath. Serah would be angry with him. But Hope had been right. They weren't people who could sit back and do nothing. Nearly everyone was doing something, even if it was what had once been termed 'boring work.' Ruling over cities, searching for answers and preparing for the battle to come.

Nothing that Noel had been able to do so far. At first, waking up had been hard. Horrible even. Remembering all the time he'd spent with Hope, falling in love and experiencing things he hadn't even thought he'd live long enough to know about had been hard. And afterwards when Snow had made the deal with the Fal'cie… Noel's skills came from a much more primitive word. While he understood so much in theory, there was not much he could apply to actual life. To the building of a new life.

He was a man of action. A good leader but only of small groups and units. He wanted, no he needed something to do other then to drown in the grief. He wasn't afraid of the outside world like the others were. He might not have had the same powers as Lightning but he had all the training that Caius had given him and he had, absolutely had to do something.

Welp that's it for today... Not a lot of Hope but more coming soonish.