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[ The rain was beating down across the planes of the land between lands - the land the 012ers had been forced to cultivate, to protect the multiverse. It was never a thankful job... but, at least, nothing had gone wrong for a while. People still came here, on their way to whatever world they were meant to go to. Normally not staying for long, and not remembering it. Only a few stayed... and it felt the world seem more lonely.

Hope had been running for so long - even after entering this land, all she did was run from them. She didn't know quite where she was - but she was away from... her family. Her steps slowing, Hope let out a sigh... before noticing a tent, pitched near to a cliffside, protected from the rain. Anything was better then this rain and tiredness... even if there was somebody inside. Letting out a tired sigh, Hope entered... and froze up. That looked just like Lightning. What's going on. Sleep deprevation? Hoping for her big sister back?

...Perhaps she could sleep here - until this other person awoke. At least that might be a little bit of rest, a bit of time to let her feet rest. Nuzzling up to this lady, Hope couldn't help but smile a little.

...She smelled like Lightning. ]

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[Two steps ahead, Lightning also stops. Hands open at her sides, she turns back to look at Hope. Tiny, small, bright Hope. Not hers, but...someone close enough that this explanation hurts her, too.]

I told you. I was caught in a Conflict.

[Left behind to die when Kain's plan actually worked. A thousand years of wandering and fighting and wanting to die later, here they are. Slowly, she shakes her head.]

A Conflict is a never-ending war, Hope. I haven't seen Cocoon or Pulse in almost a thousand years.

...I didn't know, Lightning.

[ Still not calling her Light - she's really not his, she might not like it - he almost called her Claire, though. This just cements it. But before thinking, Hope came up to her - and held onto her. ]

I was stuck on Pulse - but not for too long. [ She can't imagine being away from home forever, for that long. Especially if they'd been running... but this world doesn't seem to have much to run from. That's worse, though - it would hurt.

Her grip was loose, though. Unsure. ]

[Of course she didn't. It's not like she'd said anything about the duration and--

--She tenses. Hugs from Vaan or Tifa are one thing, but...a strange yet similar Hope? That's another thing. She doesn't shove back, barely reacts were it not for her body going almost rigid and the quiet sigh that ruffles soft pink hair.]

Long enough to end up alone.

[It's not meant to be accusatory. Her family is gone and that's no fault of Hope's. She shakes her head.]

Does my past really matter right now, Hope?

[ A moment passed - a tense moment - as Hope let go, shuffling away. ]

...It doesn't.

[ It really doesn't. This is a stranger. They're not Claire Farron - they're not Light. They're just a stranger. A stranger who she opened up to. She shouldn't have. And now she'd dragged this stranger into their issues.

Hope didn't notice, but the blackness covering their arm had grown a little at these thoughts. The blessing of Beoulve... it was glitching, being affected by the emotions Hope felt.

They should just keep walking, though. Just keep walking, travel with this stranger, and leave them as soon as possible. To not burden her with anything else. They were strangers, and they'd part as strangers. ]

[There's a part of Lightning--of Claire Farron--that still longs for her family. That aches harder than any forming crystal can ache. As Hope shuffles away, the ache pulses, a shard of crystal piercing flesh from within at the emotional pain. She watches the teen go for a couple of steps, but then follows with a quiet sigh.

This isn't her Hope. She knows that. But to see her hurt still aches.]

Keep your eyes front. Don't look back.

[Not quite what she'd said all those years ago, but...maybe it'll be enough anyway.]

[ It doesn't even seem to resonate with Hope - internally, that is. She gives a slight nod, however - of course she knows.

She can survive on her own. She doesn't need to get tricked by this.

Her ears twitch, though. She can hear something in the distance - it must be dangerous. Having lived as a lone hunter for so long, that was the first thought.

Without a word, she looked in the direction of the sound. ]

[Hard to miss that noise. Hand reaching back to her Gunblade, Lightning unsheathes her weapon just as the source of the sound rounds the corner of a cliff.

And that's when her heart, crystal and flesh alike, shudder to a halt. It's a shambling creature, black flesh and gleaming dark blue crystal, a red eye smack on its left arm wide open for the world to see.

It's a Cie'th.

Terror putting ice in her veins, Lightning surges forward and grabs Hope by the shoulder, pushing her back as she brings her blade to bear. What is this thing doing here?! How'd it get in?!]

Stay behind me!

[Her voice is high, uneven and almost terrified. This is so not good.]

Edited 2015-04-06 09:44 (UTC)

[ It's not just any Cie'th. Hope gives a grunt - of course he followed them, of course he'd show up here - but suddenly shoves back at Lightning, almost barking at her. ]

I can handle him!

[ Him. Gendering the Cie'th, Hope? She suddenly draws her boomerang in one hand, her survival knife in the other.

She can handle him. She simply needs to distract, slice, and run. Hack off some more crystal, keep on trying to make all of them unable to move. But with Lightning here, it's going to be harder. Perhaps she could use her as a distraction-- no. She still looks like Lightning. She can't just abandon Lightning, even if she... ]

[As if Lightning's going to give her the chance to leave her behind. Rather than stay back and let Hope handle this on her own--oh what she'd give for Magic right now!--Lightning charges forward towards the Cie'th, blade in hand.

The placement of the eye is odd. Normally it's on the chest, or whatever's left of one, and serves as a target. But this one? And Hope called it a him? ...Something's wrong with that picture. The only l'Cie Lighting had ever known with his brand on that arm had been Snow or Hope, and if Hope's here, then...

Snow. By all that's still good this is Snow!

Eyes wide, Lightning rolls under an ungainly swing and stares before she can get her voice back.]

Hope! Is this Snow?!

Of course he is!

[ Hope shouts back - cursing slightly under her breath, arm burning... burning? It hadn't felt like that before. Was something happening? All she had to do was fight now. Fight until there was an opening.

Throwing her boomerang, Hope... hoped it would at least distract Snow. Stop the fighting if only for a moment. Hope couldn't have Lightning fight to kill. There had to be a way... ]

[Of course he is. Dammit. She can't kill Snow! Even like this.

Even if the Snow she knows would have rather died than become Cie'th. They all would have. It never came up, but if one of them had turned, then...she banishes the thought, forcing herself to move. They can't kill him, but turning him away and running for it? That could work.

Especially since Snow--the monster he's become--turns away to swat at the boomerang. It gives Lightning the chance to run, clamber up his back, and hit the ground on his other side rolling. She runs for Hope, reaching to grab the teen's arm.]

Come on! They're slower than we are!

[ Hope grabbed the returning boomerang, and nodded. But first -- ]

There's something I need to do!

[ Charging towards Snow, grabbing out her survival knife, and a quick slash. A tiny bit of the crystal skin flaked off. Before Hope could rush back, though, she was hit, she couldn't... huh?

Suddenly, there was static, gripping Hope. Nothing could move. ]

[ And hovering slightly over the Cie'th? That Beoulve. He had been watching, seeing how Hope was growing as a being like him. ]

It is pathetic.

[ It really was. Somebody gifted with powers like this - and they still couldn't do anything to change the world? How childish this Hope was. ]

I will make it easier.

[ He will. With a static sound - surrounding the Cie'th - Snow seemed to appear. Carved from crystal, Manikin-looking. Colour returned to him, but he was still a crystal. Ramza was smiling at his handiwork - this might end up with them not just fleeing like cowards. ]

[It won't end with Lightning continuing to flee, no. It'll end with her turning around and seeing red when she sees Ramza.

Him, she has no qualms about killing. Especially as she realizes just why Hope has frozen up, and just what has caused the odd static to flicker across her arm. Deep in her chest, Odin begins to stir despite the crystal that forms an ocean between them.]

Beoulve!

[And then she's running, speed letting her leap up the crystalline facets that make Snow's frozen form and sending her leaping up towards Ramza, blade in hand and face contorted in anger. He's so dead.]

[ He doesn't move. Of course he doesn't move. He's never dodged a blow - being unable to feel pain does that to you. Even as she jumped, Ramza simply spoke. ]

Hope is my child.

[ ...That even made Hope look, before dashing to try and get Snow out of there. Snow wasn't attacking anymore, Ramza wasn't her father, and-- damn. Why is her arm not working! Though she couldn't see it, her hand had been covered in that blackness, under her gloves.

And Ramza was struck, damaged. But still simply standing there, looking back to Lightning. As if he wasn't bleeding. ]

Hope is like me. But you do not attack it. Why?

[Lightning lands on her feet, face curled in a heavy snarl. Odin continues to stir, trying to reach a place where she can reach him and summon his wrath upon the monster who would dare threaten his child of storms.]

Hope isn't a monster like you! She'll never be like you!

[She may not be the Hope that Lightning knows. And maybe there is a connection between Hope and Ramza. But no Hope could ever be so cruel, so callous, as to become like Ramza. With a wordless yell of rage, Lightning charges forward again. If it kills her, she's going to kill him.]

[ And as Lightning tried to attack again... Ramza was gone. He did not feel like having to use a Phoenix Down on himself today. As he left, though, his words echoed. ]

She'll never be your Hope. S̞̝h̦̺e͙͎̱ ̡̥̜̘s͖̫̖̫̮̫̩h̙̜o̹̟̩̜͓u̼͍ḷ͙͓͜d̢̼͉n͇̗̬̼'̦͕̭̕t̶ ̹̦̩̠ͅe͘xi̲s̮̲͖̝t͈̥̯̥̜.͉͟

[ ...But he was out of there. He turned that Cie'th to Human. Those Cie'th weren't meant to follow - tsk. Ramza had to go cure the others. No time to play with Lightning. Maybe another time. They had forever. ]

[ Hope was gripping to the non-moving Snow, who looked completely human now, except for those empty-looking eyes. Except only one of her arms was gripping to Snow - the other was simply drooped. ]

He's gone again...

[ That playful monster. Everything he seemed to say was true - he spoke the truth when they last met. How did he know about her conflicts - along with rambling about redesigns and waifus. Whatever that meant. Bitterly growling, Hope looked to Lightning with a pang of fear. ]

[She strikes nothing but empty air, body bent from the force of the swing as Odin's stirring reaches her. They're still in this fight together.

Even if the enemy plays as unfair as Barthandelus did all that time ago. Straightening out, Lightning forces herself to loosen her grip on the hilt of the Blazefire, her other hand spasmodically twitching against her thigh. Ramza was right about one thing. She wasn't Lightning's Hope. But the rest...she snorts.]

He'll be back. He never takes no for an answer.

[Anger sings in her voice, but it's contained, and the look on her face isn't directed at Hope as she turns around. She doesn't even realize she's still glaring hard enough to put a hole in solid rock.]

You hurt?

[ She could have done that herself. And it wouldn't have resulted in this... this thing standing by her, stiffly.

But Hope can't show that weakness. She already showed too much - those words from Beoulve echoing in her head (it felt like it was coming from just behind her, more words echoing - more hatred), her glitched up arm limp, Hope shook her head. ]

I'm fine.

[ Nothing was hurt - a lie, but one Hope felt okay telling. Without another word - trying to ignore that stare - Hope started to continue walking, dragging the crystal-like Snow behind her. Snow, for his part, was walking rather normally. ]

[Not bleeding, at least. Lightning strides over, trying to ignore the ache of more crystal forming and the emotional pain of seeing Snow like this--not her snow still hurts make it stop make it stop make it stop--and sheathing her blade in the same moment. Beoulve will be back eventually, but for now they need to move. And move fast.]

Hope. We can't bring him with us. He'll only slow us down.

[He doesn't even look at her as she speaks, not even a twitch. That's not Snow anymore.]

We'll have to find someplace to put him. I'll come back with Vaan later.

[ Hope stops.

And stands her ground, eyes harsher then Lightning would have ever seen before. Even as Snow doesn't react, Hope is not leaving him. This is the closest to somebody Hope knows, somebody Hope doesn't need to mistrust. ]

If you want to bring Vaan... I'm staying with him. He might leave.

[ He wouldn't. He couldn't. There's a hint of fear in Hopes' voice - a small whimper. ]

Hope.

[She says it firmly, but her voice is softening. She turns, shakes her head.]

You can't stay here, either. If Beoulve comes back, he'll mess with you. Try to kill you. [A glance at the manikin-like creature, then:] You can't save him if you're dead. Is that what you want to happen?

[She steps forward, the softness leaving her voice.]

Do you want to die before you can save any of them?

[ Hope flinches. But not only because of Lightning - she felt something in her arm.

I don't kill ones who live.

That voice - Hope swore she heard it. But she shook her head - now why would she hear that Beoulve, the one who first messed with her? As Hope continued to try and keep up that serious look, though, there was that slight sound of static in her head.]

He wouldn't have come if you hadn't attacked Snow.

[ He'd never come before. When he came last time, Hope was already away from them! ]

You don't know that. You don't know him. Not like we do.

[Not that they know him well, either. Lightning sighs through her nose, holds her ground, says:]

He'll try to get inside your head. Play games with you. He'd have showed up to try and get you to attack Snow if I hadn't been here. You're on his radar now. [she shakes her head] Staying in one place is just going to put your family in danger. Do you want that?