A/N: Awww, poor Hope. Still couldn't get a break with those concert tickets. Well, things about about to get much worse. This is part one of the story, where Yuna becomes kidnapped by Cain O'Neil. But she's not the only victim of his sinister plot. After all, Xever wasn't just making a normal delivery at the Farron house. With special guest star: Yuna from FFX/X-2.
It's an early morning in Bodhum. Darkness still takes the sky as the slightest shade of blue and red flies over the horizon. The sun is beginning to raise. Yuna rides on the Hover car on the streets of Bodhum. She makes her way to the hotel she's temporally staying. It was hard to book a room in the place since a lot of people are on vacation to see the fireworks in three days. That and those who were involved in the train accident are still around trying to get to their true destinations.
As she rides, Yuna looks out the window, legs crossed, an elbow rested by the door arm and resting her chin on her hand. She still remembers when she was in Bodhum when she was young, it was a happy memory for the Songstress, before she became famous.
She still remembers the lovely sunsets and raises, making sand castles, the ocean breeze, and most of all: Being with her family. Just watching the ocean view brings it all back. Oh how she misses it.
"Ms. Akimura." Yuna returns her mind to reality as the driver drops the hover car. She gives a simple hum as a small reply to say that she's listening. All though turning her attention to the driver would have given it away too. "We're here."
Yuna looks out the window on the other side of the Vehicle, to see a large hotel that's like twenty stories up. "Oh, thank you."
Yuna is about to get out of the car, then the driver speaks. "Are you okay, Ms. Akimura."
Yuna gives a single nod. "Yeah. I'm fine. I was...my mind was else where. Sorry to have you worry." Yuna leaves the Hover car. When she's out, she reaches in her for bags, closes the door. "Thanks for the ride."
The driver salutes with two fingers and then drives off. Yuna now stands in front of the hotel, looking up at the tall building. Yuna takes a deep breath and walks right in. The people in the lobby were surprised and shocked to see the Songstress enter the building. Some of them fainted, others couldn't believe their eyes, as if they're seeing Yuna as an illusion trying to deceive them.
Yuna walks up to the manager behind the counter, rings the bell on the desk. The manager turns to face Yuna. At first, he's surprised it's the Songstress, but he tries his hardest to hide it, keep on his serious work face.
"Hello. I'm Yuna Akimura. I'm staying here a few days." Yuna says.
"Uh...yes, of course, Ms. Akimura." The manager does his work, searching on the computer for Yuna's room. When that's done, he hands her the key card. "Here you go, finest room in the building."
Yuna smiles as she accepts the card. "Thank you."
Yuna makes her way to the elevator, as it takes her to her floor. When she's gone, Xever raises his hat up, it was pulled pretty down to cover his face. He takes out the tracking device. The red dot, which is Yuna, is moving upwards on the monument picture of the hotel on the screen.
Xever moves his wrist close to his mouth, talking to someone on the wrist communicator. "Songstress heading to destination. Be vready."
"We're on it." Someone in the other line says.
Xever stands up and then moves on as well. The elevator takes Yuna to the top floor. She walks down the hallway, she walks past the other rooms, reading the plaques that reads the room names. Yuna arrives at the 'Primarchial Suite' She slides the key card into the slot, deactivating the security lock, and goes right in.
Yuna's amazed at her room. It's really big and very comfy. It should really be known as the "Primarchial Sweet". Ha, ha. Good one Kataang9. Yuna sets her bags on the bed, walking around the room, just taking it all in. She walks up to the glass doors that leads to the terrace. She opens the door and walks out, stopping at the the very edge. She rests her hands on the railing, looking at the lovely ocean view and taking in that sweet fresh air of ocean breeze.
"Ah. This brings back so many memories." Yuna says.
After taking the moment, she walks back in to unpack her staff. The first thing she does is take out her family portrait and sets it on the nightstand. She smiles looking at the picture of her young self with her parents. She wishes they were around when she made her big break.
Yuna suddenly feels uncomfortable as she sees shadows casting over her. She turns and screams seeing two goons behind her. Her screams only stopped when they grabbed her and one of them puts a hand over her mouth. Yuna struggles to break free, but they're both too strong. One of them holds Yuna in place, arms behind her back, while one of them goes for the door.
"Hey! Let me go!" Yuna says. "Who do you think you are doing this to me!"
The second goon opens the door, revealing Xever. Yuna is surprised to see the man. "Thank you." Xever says as he walks in.
"You...You're the man from the concert!" Xever stands in front of Yuna. "Just what are you-"
Yuna's words were cut off as Xever puts some breathing mask over her mouth and nose, and it unleashes the gas. "Don't fight. Only make things vorse."
Yuna struggles as she holds her breath, trying not to let the gas knock her out. After a few moments, Yuna was forced to inhale due to her lungs being empty. Her body starts to calm down. "Dat's it. Give in." Yunas body starts to settle, until the Songstress loses conscious and her head drops.
Xever removes the mask, he faces the goon. "Mission complished. Take her to hideout."
One of the goons taps Xever on the shoulder. "Sir." Xever looks back, noticing the goon's pointing at something. He looks at the camera that's recording everything. Xever takes out a long pistol and shoots directly at the camera.
"You think anyone saw dat?" Xever asks.
"Let's hope not Mr. Bulgaria." The second goon says.
"Just in case, let us leave vith haste." Xever says.
It's morning and Hope is starting to wake up. He hardly got any sleep, the image of the word "Sold Out" kept playing in his mind and he couldn't turn it off. Lightning sits on the couch, flipping through channels, just trying to find something interesting.
Hope walks into the living room, yawning. Lightning turns to notice the tired boy. "Hope? You doing okay?"
"Yeah." Hope sits next to Lightning on the couch. "Just tired. I...didn't get much sleep."
Lightning sighs. "Those tickets again?"
Hope nods. "Yeah...But I'll be fine." Hope slowly leans to Lightning. "I just need to..." Hope is now laying on Lightning, his head on her shoulder, snoring.
Lightning looks at the boy, annoyed but also concern. She just rolls her eyes and sighs. "Still just a kid."
Lightning flips to the next channel, which is the sanctum news.
"We break you the latest update on Bodhum. Just two hours ago, the Songstress, Yuna Akimura, arrived at the Lake Shore Hotel." Lightning seems curious, why would they mention that on the news? Hope still heard it and he opens his eyes to see what's happened. "The moment she arrives, she was kidnapped." Hope shot his eyes open and sit up straight, giving the screen his full attention. "Everyone from around the world are concern about the disappearance of the Songstress."
Just then, the phone rings. Lightning goes towards the phone and answers it. "Hello?"
"Farron. You watching the news?" Amodar asks.
"Yes I am sir." Lightning turns her attention to the screen. "The Songstress being kidnapped."
"I know. I need you at base right away." Amodar says.
"I'm on it, sir." Lightning hangs up.
Lightning moves around the house, grabbing her weapon, her bag. Hope turns to notice Lightning's doing something. "Li-Lightning? What are you doing?"
"I'm being called." Lightning says.
"It's about Yuna?" Hope says.
"Probably." Lightning is by the door when Hope runs to her side.
"I'm going with you." Hope says.
Lightning looks surprised. "Hope. I can't bring you on a criminal case." Lightning says.
"I'll be fine. I can help." Hope says. "Besides, someone's gotta watch your back. Remember what happened in Palumpolum?"
Lightning knows the kid's right, but she still doesn't want to bring him in. In defeat, she sighs and rolls her eyes, opening the door. "Fine. Come on."
Hope runs out the door, making his way to the hover car. Lightning was about to out, but Serah calls for her. Lightning looks to see Serah coming down the stairs. "Lightning. Where are you going?"
"To the Guardian Corps. The Songstress is kidnapped and I'm needed." Lightning says.
Serah's surprised to hear the words 'Songstress' and 'kidnapped'. "Oh dear. That's not good."
Lightning nods. "That's right. Those criminals are probably still around. Lock the doors and close the windows, and answer to no one!"
Serah nods. "Can I bring Snow?" Lightning was about the protest, but Serah immediately say something that'll make her change her mind. "He can keep me safe."
Lightning knows that's true. "Fine. You can invite the doofus over. Just don't leave him touch anything."
Lightning leaves the house. As soon as she does, Serah does what Lightning ordered and locked the doors and windows, then she calls Snow over to protect her. Lightning gets into the Hover car and drives off.
Yuna starts to regain conscious. Her vision is still blurry and her body is still numb from the gas. The last thing the Songstress remembers was being in her hotel room. She can barely remember the ambush. Yuna tries to move, but noticed she can't get up, or even move her arms and legs.
Her vision comes clear and notices she's tied to a chair. Yuna struggles to get loose, but it's no use. She looks around to see she's in a spotlight of a dark abandoned warehouse. "He-hey! What's going on! I demand you people release me!"
The two goons walks into the light and slaps Yuna in the face. "Silence, you!"
"How dare you! You can't silence me!" Yuna shots him.
The goon takes out a mouth gag. "Then I'll make you silent!"
"Silence!" Xever says. The two goons turns and Yuna looks at the shadow man in between them. Xever walks into the light. "Don't vorry about Songstress." Xever points his thumb over his shoulder, telling his men to leave. "Get special target."
The two gongs salutes and then leaves, leaving Yuna and Xever alone.
"I remember you." Yuna says. Xever looks down at Yuna with a raised eyebrow. "You're that man from the concert."
"Da. Dat is vright." Xever says.
"So...everything you said about your daughter...it was all a lie?" Yuna says it like it was a total surprise or a total disappointment.
"Not vreally." Xever answers. "Daughter vreally sick. I vreally did hope signed poster make her better." Xever takes out a portable screen, which shows a sick seven year old girl in bed with purple dots all over her skin, coughing. Yuna slightly gasps at the sight of her. The little girl looks miserable. Xever takes away the screen, and then points at the necklace Yuna's still wearing. "Only necklace is lie. Dat's vreally tracker."
"I can't believe you! I would take back my signed poster!" Yuna says.
"You vreally vant to break daughter's heart?" Xever asks.
"Look who's talking." Yuna shots at him. "You're the one who's kidnapping her favorite Songstress."
Xever holds his hands in front of him. "Hey. Don't blame me. I'm just doing job."
Yuna just turns away. After a moment of silent, she looks back at Xever with a mean look. "So what are you going to do to me?"
"I'm only keeping you in place, until Abduction Agency takes you." Xever turns and walks away. "You're gonna make big money for us."
Xever opens the door and leaves. Yuna just looks down in depression. She can't believe that she's being abducted.
Lightning and Hope arrives at the Lake Shore Hotel. Lightning parks the Hover Car in the parking lot. She knows that Amodar would want her to investigate the scene of the crime for any clues of the criminals. From the Lightning heard, Yuna was staying at the Primarchial Suite.
Lightning and Hope took the elevator, to the highest floor. They walk down the hallway, pasting all the closed rooms, until they arrive at the Primarchial Suite. the door is opened but there are "Do not cross" Guardian Corps tape in the way. They make it past the tape and walk right in, where they find Luke and Gus talking to the manager.
The two soldiers turn and salutes at Lightning. "Lieutenant Farron." One of them looks past Lightning, noticing Hope. "What's the kid doing here?"
Lightning glares at Gus for saying that. "I don't want to talk about it." She answers. Lightning approaches the manager while Hope looks around the suite. "Lightning Farron. Lieutenant of the Guardian Corps."
The manage shakes Lightnings hand. "So I heard."
"What's the situation?" Lightning asks.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure what happened." The manager says. "I have my bellboy sent Yuna a fruit basket, you know, as a house warming gift. And when he arrived, the door was open and the Songstress is gone."
"That could have mean she was going for a walk and she left the door open by accident." Lightning says.
"I'm not sure. There were some signs of a struggle, and this was left behind." The manager takes out a diamond bracelet with an outlined star on it. Even the star is bejeweled with little diamonds on it.
Hope looks at the bracelet and takes it, looking shocked at it. "It's her lucky charm bracelet." Everyone looks at the kid. Hope looks up at Lightning. "She always wears this. There would be absolutely no reason for her to ever take it off." Hope holds the bracelet close to his face, inhaling deeply through his nose on the bracelet. "It has her sweet scent."
Lightning groans as she rolls her eyes. She slips Hope in the back of his head, as if what he's doing is pathetically childish. Snapping out of his trance, Hope just pockets the bracelet. "Okay. So we now know something has happened to the Songstress. What now?" Lightning asks.
Luke looks up. "Hey. What about that?" Everyone turns at the damaged camera luke's pointing at.
"Oh. I almost forget. My surveillance camera!" The manager says.
Lightning looks at the manager with disapproval. "You have a surveillance camera in your hotel?"
The manage nods. "Every single room." Lightning gives the manager a disapproval look. "Don't look at me like that. I'm only doing it for manageable reasons. Anyways..." The manager walks to the wall, reaches for the camera and ejects the CD in it. "Ah, good. The disc is unharmed. Let's go to my office."
The group makes their way to the managers office. When they're in, the manager inserts the disc into the computer. He starts the recording, but sense it's containing a ton of video, he has to fast-forwarded, up to the point where Yuna arrives. They all watch very closely. First, Yuna sets her bags on the bed, then goes outside on the terrace. Nothing happens then she walks back in, with the two goons sneaking behind her.
Lightning and the soldiers were surprised to see that. "Where did they come from?" Gus asks.
"They must have been hiding on the roof or something." Lightning answers.
Yuna sets the portrait on the nightstand, then the goons ambushed her. One of them walks out of sight of the camera to the door. Yuna looks surprised as Xever walks up to sure, and gasses her.
One of the goons points at the camera. Xever turns to face it then shoots it, and the fuzzy image happens. "Wait! Rewind it!" Hope says. The manager does what Hope says. "Pause it there!" The manager pauses it at the part where Xever faces and aims his gun at the camera. "Can you zoom in on that man's face?"
The manager nods and zooms in. Lightning and Hope are surprised to see Xever faces. "Lightning...is that..."
"It is. It's that delivery man from last night." Lightning says.
"I don't think he's really a delivery man." Luke says.
Hope realizes something. "Wait a minute! Lightning. Didn't that man have a package for you?"
Lightning's confused at first, but then she shot her eyes open, realizing what Hope meant. "Serah!"
Lightning bolts right out of the office. Hope chases after her. "He-hey. Wait for me, Light!"
Lightning gets in the hover car and turns it on, not even caring to wait for Hope. Luckily, the kid got in just as soon as Lightning drives off. Lightning drives very fast, regardless of the speed limit. It'll be ironic if Lightning gets a speeding ticket.
Hope clenches onto the hover car for dear life. Lightning's driving so fast, Hope's really worried getting into an accident. Thanking the Goddess, they finally arrive at the Farron house, unharmed. Lightning bolts out of the hover car, making her way into the house. She didn't bother to unlock the door, so she kicks it down.
"Serah! Serah!" Lightning waits for a response, but nothing happens. Lightning starts to worry. Hope walks right in.
"Is everything okay?" Hope asks.
Lightning looks up the stairs, and takes them. Hope follows her, not even questioning what she's doing. Lightning walks down the hallway and enters Serah's room. Just as she feared, everything's busted and broken. Big signs of a struggle. A window that's been broken open. And on top of all that: Serah's missing.