[Fanfic] To Learn Something New (ch 23)

Title: To Learn Something New

Author: Vianna Orchidia / Annasthacy Chashyme
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIII Series
Character: Lightning Farron, Hope Estheim
Rating: K
Genre: General
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy XIII is property of Square Enix. I do not own the series and the characters, and I do not gain any profit from this fanfiction

Warning: set during the ending of LR.

understand /un·der·stand/ v to know the meaning of (something, such as the words that someone is saying or a language); to know how (something) works or happens; to know how (someone) thinks, feels, or behaves

The crystal shattered into waves of light, afloat and swimming into the lifestream. The group of saviors laughed and tried to follow the current with their eyes, mesmerized. It was when Mog turned his body and said sadly, “I'm going with them, Kupo,” that they broke out from the daze.

The eidolons, the trustworthy ally who had fought with them right until the end, materialized then. Hope was able to flash a smile to his big friend—one so full of gratitude and perhaps melancholy because he knew this meant farewell—as Alexander drifted further from his body. Each of the eidolons gave a curt nod to their respective master before dispersing into the lifestream as well. Suddenly there was an odd relief, a hollow space inside Hope's body, the place Alexander just left open. It's sad, but farewells were necessary for embracing the new world.

The last eidolon to vanish was Odin. The white knight spent more time to bow respectfully before Lightning. They were comrades, fighting arm in arm for a distinctly longer time after all, Hope thought. As Odin stepped back, Hope watched Lightning close her eyes in deep reminiscence. There were tears cascading her cheek, and he stared in wonder. This Lightning was not afraid to show her soft side, and for him, she looked a million times stronger than before. Something bursted in his chest—and then he saw Lightning turning to them, her eyes still glassy but her lips curled up into the slightest smile. She was so beautiful.

"It's time," she said. With gentle movement, she beckoned the others to her—which, of course, Snow responded by poking Serah forward first. They floated upwards, in a way that made the rest of the group believe that yes, they were finally going to the new world after years of endless battles. Sazh and Dajh, Yeul and Noel, Snow and Hope, and Fang and Vanille—they all followed the Farron sisters.

Hope was surprised, also a bit annoyed, when Snow also gave him a push while flashing a knowing grin before taking off himself. Hope couldn't deduce right then what that smirk meant. Only when he turned his head did he realize that while Serah was obviously reaching out for Snow, Lightning was opening her arms for him. So that's why Snow was grinning that much. Hope wanted to say some rebuttal to him but well, Lightning was waiting and there's not really any time left, so he decided to just ignore Snow and focused his eyes to the rose-haired savior.

She was smiling, ever so slightly, when Hope's hand touched hers. Somehow, if he were to describe her smile then, it was one of nostalgia. It made Hope choke back, his chest twisting in a lovely feeling of finally reuniting with the one he missed all these years, and he just needed to say something to find his sanity again.

Their surrounding was quickly dissipating into light particles. He knew he needed to be quick, before they too leave the old world. But he couldn't find his voice. It was like all feelings suddenly came back crashing to him, sweetly overwhelming his not-yet adult form. In his struggle, suddenly Lightning clenched his hands, not hard enough to hurt yet enough to halt the thousand gears running inside his brain. She flickered her eyes. Just like that, he calmed down instantly.

She understood.

And then, their souls were swept away, embracing the brand new world.

A/N: I have actually wrote something about this quite a while ago, and when I saw this prompt I just thought the idea would match well. But I didn't remember, like at all, where I put that scrap of paper from the while back so I had to start from a scratch. It was annoying, lol, so I got kinda held back. In the end I still think the (lost) original version is better! /sobs