video.

[guarded]

[ A transmission will flicker on, broadcasting a blurry sight. The netbook is shaken one, two times (old habits die hard) before Lightning notices the change in the device and evens it out. Initially she doesn't know that she's actually being recorded, so the focus is set on a majestic looking chest plate. ]

... Huh. [ It then pans out a little and adjusts to show the user's face as she catches on. Pale skin, light blue-green eyes and that pink hair... might actually look sort of familiar to some. ]

Think I got it. [ She seems to say over her shoulder. ]

[And from over her shoulder comes the sound of movement, including what should by now be recognized as the snap of a netbook closing, as well as footsteps before a new face moves into the screen over Lightning's shoulder. The face is young, male, lightly tanned with a pair of sky blue eyes, topped with almost shoulder length brown hair. The face is also quite interested in the small screen.]

You're gonna have to show me how you did that sometime.

[Noel hasn't even guessed that these things can record what they're showing on screen, let alone broadcast it. Lightning almost seems to smirk before she turns to Noel and forces the netbook into his hands, making sure to have the camera facing him.]

Why don't you say "hi" first.

[No expression could speak the words "It was recording?" any clearer than Noel's expression right now as the netbook is shoved into his hands.]

Uh. [He is the most eloquent. But still the camera gets an awkward smile.] Hi.

[And then he's all business-like.] There are some people we're looking for. Hope or Yeul, or-- [He cuts himself off here and hands the netbook back to Lightning, upside-down.] Here. 

[ When the device is handed back to her there's still a ghost of a smile on her face, but this time it almost seems sad. The netbook is adjusted and she continues. ]

—Sazh, Snow, Vanille and Fang.

[ There's one more name that should be included - she wants to say it, wants to hold on to what little hope she has, but she and Noel both know there will never be an answer. Her lips purse in a moment of hesitation. ]

If you know any of them, tell them Lightning and Noel are looking for them.

[ Without much pause afterward, she reaches forward and disables the recording. ]

Comments

video;

[matured]

Noel, and Light too. We're certainly arriving here in pairs, it seems.

Long time no see, some more than others.

video;

[toprotect]

[Sure he heard you were here, but he's relieved to see you anyway.]

Hopefully not another 490 years. [Hasn't been that long for him but... well he'll take the strange things from this place in stride. Probably.]

It's good to see another familiar face in this place. [Except you're kidnapped. That's not supposed to be good.]

video;

[matured]

Only a few months, actually.

Mm, same. Serah is here too. ( He pauses, remembering neither of them had mentioned her but figures that -- maybe -- perhaps they had already met up with her. ) And we'll have to introduced you to Fang and Vanille.

video;

[toprotect]

I saw you just before I got here. [Curiouser and curiouser.

That his smile falters a bit is all your imagination, because it's back soon enough.] So she really is here... [...ah I mean. Don't mind him.] I think they might beat you to it, if they find us like you did.

video;

[matured]

Back home, I had just seen you not that long ago too, but I've been here for almost two months now. And Is... that surprising? ( His own smile falters, but more out of confusion. ) Serah being here, that is.

Ah, yes, probably -- especially Vanille. I'm sure you'll like them.

video; haha ow my heart, I really thought Noel wasn't gonna talk about it.

[toprotect]

So this place is independent from our timeline... [Best explanation he has.] You could say it's... complicated. [he'll sort of look away.] I'm starting to think I'm from your future.

That seems to be the common opinion. [A smile.] I'm sure you're all right about it.

video; /plays tiny violin for all our hearts and hope's sad face

[matured]

Yes, exactly. It's disconnected from our world in every way.

( Okay, Vanille and Fang aside for now. He isn't just going to let things end on 'complicated', Hope has lived with complicated for far to long. ) I... don't understand. From my point of view, Serah and yourself had just left to fight Caius. Serah, when she arrived here, said you had defeated him. Just what else could have happened?

( There's a million and one things currently circling through his mind, none of them any better than the last. )

video; Oh no Hope don't make that face ;A;

[toprotect]

[No way can he get out of explaining it... but far as he can tell this is public.] I'll tell you but... is there a more private way to talk? [Short of face to face, anyway.]

video; but his sad faces are so great ;u;

[matured]

Yes, of course. Have you moved far from the armory? I'll come and find you.

video; His face is always great. But I may be biased.

[toprotect]

Just outside and around the corner to the right, there aren't a lot of people around.

video → action;

[matured]

Right, I'll be there soon then.

( And sure enough, he is. Time spent figuring out the layout of this city was time well spent it seemed. Although he has a list a mile long full of questions for Light, his focus is on Noel for now. Noel's words and manner, well, it was worrying. )

action;

[toprotect]

[He doesn't move from where he told Hope he'd be, instead leaned against the wall with his head a little bowed. He had already explained this to Hope once back in their world...and while he was used to timeline differences, this isn't one he'd ever want to go through more than the once.

But never mind that, the sound of footsteps makes him raise his head. He doesn't speak until Hope's close enough he doesn't have to raise his voice. He would start at the beginning.]

You remember the seeress of the Farseers, right?

action;

[matured]

Yes. Yeul, right?

( He tries to think back to all the time he spent studying the Paddra seeress and just what it might mean. But there was far, far to many possibilities given everything. So, he remains silent and listening. )

action;

[toprotect]

Right. [He takes a breath.] The visions each Yeul gets are a gift from the goddess Etro. Or maybe you could call it a curse. Each time they see a vision, they lose part of their life. And every time something changes the course of the future, they see a vision.

[He stops himself for a moment, before he looks away. When he speaks his voice is a bit quieter.]

Serah had that power too.

action; return of the sad face, part ii: electric boogaloo

[matured]

( Hope listens, but he isn't sure he understands. Not because he can't understand what Noel is telling him, but more because he doesn't want to understand it. It doesn't take a lot to understand what Noel is trying to tell him happened, why they didn't mention Serah's name. )

And so, when you defeated Caius and the timeline changed. ( He pauses, really not wanting to state the obvious now. ) She died.

action; sad face reunion all up in this thread.

[toprotect]

[For a while, it's all Noel can do to nod in response. He'd thought maybe he'd grieved--if not enough...at least enough he wouldn't have this kind of trouble if he had to explain it... but having Serah die in his arms, just like Yeul... maybe he would never get over it.]

She knew what might happen to her. [His voice is a bit rough, but his face is calm--if absolutely sad.] But she chose to save the future anyway...

action;

[matured]

( A sigh, because for once Hope doesn't have the words to say. Its hard to place just what his thoughts are, for the longest time, Serah had been the only of his friends he had been in contact with. It was lonely, sometimes waiting centuries (for him, at least) until he saw her again. Still, in that time it made him realize just why Light and Snow had fought so hard for her that day against the fal'Cie, why they continued to fight long after. )

Then we make the best possible future we can make, for both Serah and the people she fought to protect.

action;

[toprotect]

[Noel doesn't have it in his heart to tell Hope the rest of the bad news. That because he killed Caius, the future that Serah gave her life to save is a thing of the past... with Etro's death and all turning their world into something like Valhalla.]

I'm sure that's probably what she would want. [Not even probably.]

action;

[matured]

Until we returned home though, we make do here. I'm sure Serah wouldn't like to see you down like this, even given the circumstances as to why.

action;

[toprotect]

You're right. It just happened so recently, I don't think I've had the time to accept it really happened.

[But he'll sigh and shift, his mostly down expression brightening a little. He didn't mean to drag himself back into those memories.]

I'll make the most of my time here.

action;

[matured]

I'm sorry, Noel. I must sound cruel, talking to you like that. Take your time, there's no sense rushing it. I mean, I'm certainly not one to talk... I'm still thinking about everything after thirteen years.

( He sighs again, rubbing his hands together. ) I have an idea, why don't you help at the clinic with Vanille and I?

( Hope not as familiar with Noel as Serah, but there are some things he pays attention too. And a time spent helping, instead of fighting... he thinks it might be a good road to take. )

action; trying so hard to not use 'hope' while tagging Hope. orz

[toprotect]

[He shakes his head, trusting Hope to believe him.] Don't be. I understand what you meant, saying that. I should -- ['be used to it'... no something else.] --I wont rush it, but I'm no good to anyone if I dwell on it. [Mourn, but don't lose yourself. It's hard, but he can do it.]

The clinic? [He hadn't even thought that far, but it sounded like a good idea to him. He's smiling a bit more, thankfully.] Not sure how much help I'd be, beyond the basics. But it can't hurt.

[Magic can't hurt either of course. And the thought of being able to help these people? It's a good one. The people here may be mostly strangers, but no way is that getting in his way.]

action; lol given the game throws it around like it's going out of style, it's hard

[matured]

I once learned something from: Vanille said once, "On Gran Pulse, we're family." We might not be there anymore, but it's where we're all from now. You're not alone.

( Hope laughs a bit, nodding. ) Nothing you can't be taught, our magic is helpful here too.

video;

[guarded]

Hope.

[ She smiles at his image — a smile from one partner to the other. Nothing can ever make her forget all of the sacrifices he's made throughout the years for the sake of the future they all sought after.

Seeing him now, after everything that's happened, Lightning couldn't be anything but proud. ]

Or should I call you "Director Estheim."

video;

[matured]

( He laughs, shaking his head with a returned smile. ) I'm still just Hope for family.

( It's nice, he thinks, to laugh again like this after what felt like so long. Vanille, Fang and Serah had all brought back pieces of familiarity into his life that he had long missed. Light brought back pieces too, filling in that loneliness he had covered in work with memories of traveling together and their promise. )

It's really great to see you again while I'm awake, Light.