#fang x light x serah

[phoeny]

[givelightningherharem]

Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy Text Posts Part 3

[razieltwelve]

Individual Differences (Final Rose)

Vanille frowned. She was stuck on a deserted island with nothing except some coconut trees, a few rocks, and some seemingly random debris from the shipwreck. Oh well. She’d be fine.

A quick trip around the beach allowed her to find a suitable stick and a good piece of wood. Using the stick, the piece of wood, and some very dry coconut fibres, she was able to start a fire. Using that, fire she was able to harden a bigger stick that she found further down the beach. Using that stick, she was able to break some of the rocks with a well-placed strike and some Aura.

By lashing some of the pieces of rock onto the stick, she was able to make an axe. Using that axe, she chopped down some coconut trees before using some coconut husks to make rope. With that rope and those coconut trees, she was able to lash together a raft. A trip down the beach revealed some debris that she used to create an improvised sail that she attached to the mast of her makeshift raft.

She spent a day gathering supplies and testing her raft before sailing her way back to civilisation.

X     X     X

Yeul frowned. She was stuck on a deserted island with nothing except some pointy rocks, some angry crabs, and a couple of coconut trees. Thankfully, however, help was at hand. In precisely twenty-three hours, Vanille would be sailing past on an improvised raft. All she had to do was light a signal fire and gather supplies to help with the voyage back to civilisation.

X     X     X

Serah frowned. She was stuck on a deserted island with literally nothing on it. Well, there was plenty of sand. Oh, and there was also the skeleton of a whale on the beach. Wonderful.

With nothing better to do, she fashioned a spear out of some whale bone and set about catching some of the fish that lurked in the shallows near the island. At least, she wouldn’t starve to death although dying of thirst was a definite possibility. Thankfully, she’d managed to kill a large shelled creatures of some kind - Vanille would probably know what it was - and she was able to use its shell as a pot to boil water in. 

Now, without any wood, starting a fire was basically impossible. However, Aura could be used to heat water when circulated through it very rapidly. It was something she had practiced for survival situations, and it was coming in handy now.

More exploration of the shallows allowed her to find and kill a fish with particularly shiny scales. She ate the fish and attached its scales to a piece of whalebone. The result was something that reflected sunlight very brightly, almost like a mirror. If there was anyone in the air nearby, they should be able to see it.

X     X     X

Lumina was not stuck on a deserted island because making a giant Aura construct bird to fly around on was trivially easy. She immediately took to the air and surveyed her surroundings. There were several deserted islands scattered over perhaps four or five hundred miles of ocean.

It the others had survived the crash - and she was certain they had - they should have washed ashore on those islands. As she was flying over the first island, she caught sight of something shining below her. She swooped lower and breathed a sigh of relief.

It was Serah.

“Hey.” Lumina grinned. “Need a lift?”

Serah nodded. “Oh, yeah.”

The two of them were making their way toward the next island when Lumina spied something moving on the surface of the ocean below them. It was a raft with a sail, and Vanille and Yeul were on it.

“Why am I not surprised,” Serah said. “Trust Vanille to have a functional raft with a sail in less than two days.”

“Let’s go say hello,” Lumina said. “So I can fly the four of us out of here.” X     X     X

Author’s Notes

In a survival situation, Vanille is actually a really high pick. She has the ability to very rapidly improvise tools to improve her situation, and she can build just about anything with minimal outside support. Sure, she’s not as tough in a fight as someone like Fang, but she’s tough enough to fight off most things without much difficulty and lucky enough to avoid everything else.

[scottymcgeesterwrites]

Final Fantasy XIII Review

Year: 2009

Original Platform: PlayStation 3

Also available on: Xbox 360, PC, Android, iOS

Version I Played: PlayStation 3

Synopsis:

On the planet Cocoon, those who come into contact with anything from the planet Pulse are purged to that planet. Pulse is a feared planet full of monsters and strange creatures. Both planets are ruled by fal’Cie, mechanical godlike beings who sometimes brand humans as their servants for specific tasks, called a focus. Those who fulfill their focus are turned into crystals and obtain eternal life. Those who do not fulfill their focus turn into mindless monsters. Lightning is a former soldier whose sister, Serah, is branded by a fal’Cie and taken to be purged. Lightning sets off to rescue her.

Gameplay:

Going to say this now – the worst gameplay in the entire Final Fantasy series.

The battles are Active Time Battles but instead of you inputting individual commands, there are what’s called paradigms. Paradigms are somewhat like Job Classes from the old Final Fantasy games, except less fun and more automated. You can switch to a Medic paradigm in battle and every time you press “Auto-Battle” your character automatically performs a series of necessary cure and restore spells, based on what’s going on in the battle. The Sentinel paradigm specializes in keeping the enemy at bay. The Ravager paradigm uses magic. The Commando paradigm uses physical attacks. You get the picture.

As a result, the gameplay could be best described as:

With occasional switching of paradigms whenever you see fit. You can set up a number of combinations across the characters. Two Commandos and one Sentinel. One Sentinel and one Ravager and One Commando, etc.

The party automatically heals after each battle – you can even press start during a battle and restart the battle.

I probably only used an item once or twice. I honestly don’t see why they bothered putting any items if you hardly ever use them.

You can upgrade your weapons with pieces and junk you find after battles. You find so many of them that you hardly ever think about what you’re upgrading so long as whatever you make upgrades your stats. Is this better? No? What about this? Okay, good. Moving on.

Like Final Fantasy X, the game is linear. Much more linear. You follow a long hallway for about 30 hours of the game before you can do sidequests. The sidequests involve completing other people’s focus. That’s about it. There are no towns, no inns, no villages. You are entirely on the road, constantly in battle (Okay, there’s like one time where Sazh and Vanille are in a casino or something but that’s about it).

I wrote a blog piece a while back about what exactly was wrong with Final Fantasy XIII, and it’s not that it’s linear. We play really great linear games all the time. It’s the automation – the feeling that you’re not really doing anything.

There isn’t an ounce of customization. Leveling up is similar to the Sphere Grid of Final Fantasy X. It’s called the Crystarium but it follows a strict path. You can’t actually stray anywhere or customize anything. If that’s the case, why bother making you open the menu to level up through the Crystarium? Why not just automatically do it? I guess they want to give you some ounce (more like a milligram) of control over the game.

Basically – you’re watching a long movie and occasionally get to move the people around. That’s how I see it.

Graphics:

PLAYSTATION 3 HD GRAPHICS HOMG DO YOU HAVEA BONER YET? LOOK AT THIS. FIRST FINAL FANTASY GAME IN GLORIOUS HD.

Everything is pretty in this game. Everything. There is nothing wrong with this at all.

Story:

The characters appear to reference those in Final Fantasy VII. Director Motomu Toriyama wanted Lightning to essentially be a female Cloud Strife. She’s a no-nonsense, athletic female lead. While Cloud and Squall were introspective and antisocial, Lightning is slightly different by actively ordering people around. She comes off as a dick to everyone, and that’s due to her ex-soldier background. Think of your stereotypical ex-cop/ex-CIA/ex-military action movie hero, like Liam Neeson (Bryan Mills in Taken) or Bruce Willis (John McClane in Die Hard). That’s basically Lightning.

Can we go on a short tangent for a moment to talk about how weird it is that Lightning was also used as a model for advertising in Japan?

Here she is driving a Nissan.

And wearing Louis Vitton.

Cool? I guess? Unless you start to realize that Toriyama wanted to design his own personal waifu, and that he’s completely obsessed with her. That gets really weird. And sad? A little? Anyway.

Vanille has some reminiscent of Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII, although with more character via her inner monologues and narration. Fang is vaguely like Vincent Valentine. Sazh takes the place of Barrett as the token black dude, except instead of being aggressive he’s more like the comic relief and wants nothing to do with anything. Every time you control him, jazz music plays, because black people I guess. Hope doesn’t appear to be reminiscent of anyone – he’s just this boy who yells and complains a lot with Lightning. Snow meanwhile is a ripoff of Zell from Final Fantasy VIII, except somehow even more annoying.

(Every time I see his picture I think about your typical dude bro at a frat.)

The story starts of a bit choppy as you follow almost each character separately, then they run into each other, then separate again, then join again. The first 30 hours or so gives flashbacks of 13 days prior- BECAUSE IT’S FINAL FANTASY XIII GET IT? Vanille actually narrates some events but it’s not exactly clear why or from when – but that’s a spoiler. Along the way, I got really confused because I didn’t know why some people were fighting each other when they were on the same side a moment ago. The concept of the “focus” is really weird and sometimes confusing. People with a focus simply have visions or a general idea of what they’re supposed to do, but they don’t actually know for sure unless they actively seek it. If the gods granted them a focus, wouldn’t it make more sense if the gods just told them what to do? Seemed to work in Final Fantasy XII. 

In short, the narrative weaves around a lot. If you stop playing in the middle and pick up the game again months later, you’re bound to forget what’s going on. I know I did.

The characters didn’t annoy me as much as you would think they would on paper. They all have character development and that’s good. The only character that effectively got on my nerves was Snow. Snow is Serah’s fiancé, and Lightning hates him because of course you need some family drama. I don’t blame Lightning though. Snow shouts cheesy lines left and right, like “Heroes never die!”. He shouts Serah’s name the same way Christian Bale shouts Rachel’s name in the Christopher Nolan Batman films. Snow is quite possibly the most irritating character of all the Final Fantasy games. He will not shut the fuck up about what it means to be a hero.

The rest of the cast works well in that their motives and desires clash with each other. But I’m still sore about the wasted potential for a great character in Jihl Nabaat. Sazh wants his son Dejh back, who was taken to be purged by the sinister and extremely hot Jihl Nabaat.

 Goddaaayyyum. Seriously, look at her.

Too bad, because she’s only featured in a handful of scenes and then dies. Her death isn’t a major spoiler, at least one that I consider, because she hardly does anything except get in the way for a moment. You don’t even fight her. How lame is that?

Then you have this annoying bastard – Primarch Dysley.

When I think of him, I think of Mitch McConnell.

Old. Disagreeable. Been in power for too long. Always in the way of progress.

Primarch Dysley happens to be as annoying as Seymour from Final Fantasy X, so expect to be overjoyed every time you run into him.

Overall, the story isn’t as bad as you’d think. You just have to pay close attention. The gameplay is far worse than the story. I could easily slip into a coma while playing this game and still make it pretty far.

Music:

Final Fantasy XII saw the departure of Nobuo Uematsu (well with the exception of the pop song “Kiss Me Goodbye”). Final Fantasy XIII continues to head into the unknown without the beloved longtime composer. This game’s score is composed entirely by Masashi Hamauzu, who if you haven’t been paying attention, already partly worked on Final Fantasy X.  I immediately saw how “Saber’s Edge”, the boss theme, is similar in nature to the boss theme of Final Fantasy X.

Final Fantasy XIII made the most radical changes to the score. There are no signature themes from the series. No “Prelude” theme, no “Main Theme”, no “Victory Fanfare” theme. Instead, we get a theme called “Fabula Nova Crystallis”.  It plays frequently throughout the game, and almost acts as Serah and Snow’s love theme. In some portions of the game, some woman is singing along. Yes – this is the first time where you roam around a world in a Final Fantasy game with actual pop music playing in the background – “Sunleth Waterscape” to be exact. Final Fantasy XIII’s music gets pretty poppy.

Not saying it’s a bad idea.

Just.

You got pop music playing in the background now.

“Lightning’s Theme” is pretty sick. Her theme plays during the battles in a rendition called “Blinded by Light” – HA GET IT BECAUSE SHE’S LIGHTNING. SO CLEVER.

But Hamauzu was a good choice – the entire score holds up well and sounds like a movie score, with varying motifs running across. It can be a bit more subdued but that’s how contemporary instrumental music is nowadays, especially with film composers like Hans Zimmer.

 Notable Theme:

“Blinded by Light”

Really epic, unique song. I always scat along to it as it plays.

Verdict:

Uff. 

Look, if you just search on YouTube for all the cutscenes, there you go. That’s the game. And it’s entertaining to watch. But it has the worst gameplay that doesn’t feel like you’re even doing anything. No sense of customization or originality.

Direct Sequel?

Yes, two.

Final Fantasy XIII-2.

I started it around the time it first came out, but I’m still in the middle of playing it and I have no idea what’s going on in the story. NO idea. NONE at all. They use time travel but none of it makes sense. Apparently changing things in the future can change the past. I don’t know how. I only understand a vague semblance of a plot with the bad guy Caius. While it doesn’t tarnish the dignity of the original like Final Fantasy X-2 did, it’s still offbeat with its metal (yes, metal) music and utterly confounding story. It’s infamous for this metal rendition of the sweet and innocent Chocobo theme.

Then there’s the third game, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

I plan on playing it after I finish Final Fantasy XIII-2, if I don’t already die from an aneurysm by then. It’s supposed to be better than Final Fantasy XIII-2 but lacking in graphics.

[miss-tc-nova]

The Last of The Real Ones - Noel Kreiss x Fem!Reader Pt 7

This chapter very closely follows the game, so a lot/most of dialogue is straight from the game. Very much just “here’s the OC btw” kinda chapter...Sorry. 

~~~~~

Part 7: The End of Infinity With You

                Severed weapons in hand, I race through the hall. I have to get to Lightning before she can stop Vanille. Rounding the last corner, I see the two women I’ve been expecting.

                “LIGHTNIIIIIIIIING!”

                She turns back just in time for me to barrel into her. We tumble through the doors into God’s Sanctum. The Chaos is swirling about overhead, the dead souls flying about. Lightning kicks me off her and I stand between the women and the steps that lead towards the Sacred One.

                I hold up my weapons. “I will not allow you to interfere!”

                Fang shouts to her friend. I’m afraid of what might happen when Vanille hears her voice. “Vanille! Open your eyes! You have to stop this, you hear me?”

                “Fang!” The women charge and I clash with Lightning. “Don’t stop me!” That causes them to hesitate. I ward off the two women while Vanille speaks. “The souls have been trapped in the Chaos. They’ve been suffering without any hope of being reborn. I have to do something. I can’t leave them like this.”

                “That’s right!” Lightning shouts. “You can’t forsake them, which is why you have to stop this.” I swipe at Lightning, but she bounces back, away from my attack. “Vanille, this ritual is going to destroy every one of these souls. They’ll be forgotten, as if they never existed.”

                “She’s telling the truth. No one will know they ever lived,” agrees Fang. “The Order has been lying to you, from the beginning!”

                Unfortunately, their words seem to have gotten to Vanille. “But the Soulsong is supposed to help them. If they end up being forgotten, they won’t be saved!”

                “Vanille, they’re trying to stop you from making this sacrifice,” I call out to her. Lightning gives me a glare, but Fang’s is even angrier. “I understand their selfishness in wanting to keep you here. I don’t want you to die either, but we have to look at the bigger picture.”

                “YOU LIAR!” Fang screams, taking a swing. Ducking beneath the weapon, I spin and knock her back with a foot across the face. “This is not what she wants! Tell her the truth!”

                “I said I would take care of her! That’s what you wanted, isn’t it!”

                “Vanille, if you go through with this, your sacrifice won’t mean a thing,” Lightning adds.

                “I don’t care what happens to me. It doesn’t matter. I just want a chance to make up for what I did,” Vanille mutters. “So many people died because of me. I can hear them, even now. They’re crying out, all the time. Their grief and sorrow…I feel it all.”

                “Dammit Vanille, you weren’t responsible!” Fang tells her. I won’t argue with that.

                “I was!”

                “Regardless of whether it was your fault or not, this needs to be done, Vanille!” I shout. I hold a furious Fang back, only for Lightning to slip past me. Thankfully the guards are doing their job and stop her.

                “Vanille. I get it. You want to atone for something. You think this Soulsong is your chance…And if you purify the dead, and die with them, you’ll have made everything right again. But listen! Not to me. Listen to the dead. Yes, their pain is real…But do they really want your sacrifice?”

                The saint doubles over in pain. A pair of Set rise from the ground stalking closer. Fang breaks away from me and I bolt up the steps to pull Lightning back to the bottom. “Please! For everyone’s sake, we need you to do this! Put their souls at ease! I’m begging you, perform the Soulsong!”

                “The dead have spoken!” roars Fang. “You’re going to destroy them for a convenience—and they want justice!”

                While she’s busy with the Set, I rush in on Fang and knock her to the ground. “You need to keep quiet!”

                She kicks my feet out from under me and we roll apart. “What the hell is wrong with you?! You’re supposed to be our friend! Why are you pushing Vanille to die and destroy all these souls?!”

                “I’m trying to save you! And you’re getting in the way!”

                The Set recaptures Fang’s attention and before I can join in, Lightning comes at me. I hold up a blade, blocking her. She retreats to avoid the second blade. I flick the end of a chain at her but she manages to swat it away.

                “Do you even realize what you’re doing?”

                “Do you?!” I snap, letting off another set of attacks. “You were supposed to collect souls for the new world to bring Serah back! Instead, you’re here trying to ruin God’s plan!”

                She looks both shocked and angry. “How did you know?”

                “You think God can’t come up with contingency plans?!” The green light from my eye shines on her face. “You failed and now I have to pick up the pieces!” I force her weapon aside and strike again, only to be blocked by her shield. “Step aside, Lightning!”

                Lightning darts in, clashing blades with mine. With the hooks of my weapons, I catch the sword and twist. The sword comes out of the Savior’s hand and gets tossed aside. Repeatedly striking against her shield, I’ve got her on the defense, meaning she doesn’t see my chain coming for her leg to pull her down. Fang forces us apart with a dive attack and my heart stops. I can’t back away. A shell of ice encases my boot. The next thing I know, Fang’s weapon is coming at my face; she strikes me down with the flat side of her weapon and sending me across the ground. A split second later, lightning courses through my body, searing my nerves.

                “Are you done?” Lightning asks.

                Heaving, trying to overcome the tingling numbness from the electricity, I struggle to my feet.

                “I’ll take that as a no,” growls Fang, coming for me again.

                A wave of energy leaves me, engulfing the two girls in the tornado I summon. I lunge through the wind, slashing a target as I fly past and repeat. Having done significant damage, I skid across the ground just as the spell ends. My mistake comes from my thought that they had enough. Before they even hit the ground, Fang and Lightning collide. I just realize what’s going on when Fang launches Lightning in my direction. The shield slams into me and we roll. Each time my head makes contact with the ground; the shield is on the other side, increasing the damage.

                The world is spinning around me when Lightning breaks away. Pain is throbbing in my head and I feel sick. I see the two staring down at me with what looks like pity before I black out. 

[ao3feed-noctluna]

Final Fantasy Smut Requests

by Firstone33

Series Of Smut Shots from your Requests!

Words: 71, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VI, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XIII Series, Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Type-0, Dissidia Final Fantasy

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F, F/M

Characters: Final Fantasy Series Ensemble

Relationships: Cosmos/Warrior of Light (Dissidia), Firion/Maria, Luneth/Refia, Rosa Joanna Farrell/Cecil Harvey, Kain Highwind/Rydia, Bartz Klauser/Lenna Charlotte Tycoon/Faris Scherwiz, Tina Branford | Terra Branford/Celes Chere, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough, Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart, Garnet Til Alexandros XVII/Zidane Tribal, Tidus/Yuna (Final Fantasy X & X-2), Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca/Rasler Heios Nabradia, Balthier/Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca, Penelo/Vaan (Ivalice Alliance), Balthier/Fran (Ivalice Alliance), Lightning/Oerba Yun Fang, Serah Farron/Snow Villiers, Hope Estheim/Oerba Dia Vanille, Noel Kreiss/Paddra Nsu-Yeul, Noctis Lucis Caelum/Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Aranea Highwind/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Cindy Aurum, Iris Amicitia/Prompto Argentum, Monica Elshett/Cor Leonis, Crowe Altius/Nyx Ulric, Nyx Ulric/Original Female Character(s), Ramza Beoulve/Alma Beoulve/Agrias Oaks, Sice/Seven (Final Fantasy Type-0), Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Various Pairings, Aera Mirus Fleuret/Ardyn Izunia, Lyse Hext/Y'shtola Rhul, Ysayle Dangoulain/Estinien Wyrmblood, Aymeric de Borel/Lucia goe Junius, Alisaie Leveilleur/Alphinaud Leveilleur, Ryne | Minfilia/Thancred Waters, Minfilia Warde/Thancred Waters, Crystal Exarch/Lena (Final Fantasy XIV)

Additional Tags: Romance, Nudity, Explicit Sexual Content, Consensual Underage Sex, Underage Sex, Shameless Smut, Creampie, Futanari, Magic Cock, Girl Penis, Impregnation, graphic smut, Consensual, Requests, Rarepairs Included, One Shot Collection, Lunoct, FangRai, Cloti - Freeform, Clerith, Zerith - Freeform, Noel x Yeul, Yuffentine, Ramza loves Both Alma And Agrias, Let those three be happy!, Yes I will even do Aerdyn, Amalia Claudius Aldercapt My Oc, Sibling Incest, Twincest, Big Cock

source http://archiveofourown.org/works/20966612

[bold-lady-boss]

Growing Old

Fang x Vanille (past) | Post-Canon | Words: 2000 | Hurt/Comfort | Lightning POV Concerned for her wellbeing, Lightning pays Fang a visit.

**trigger warning: character death, depression, and suicidal behavior**

Read on AO3 or below the divider

Lightning anxiously glanced at the dashboard of her car. ‘Calling Fang’ shone bright across its surface, the flashing phone animation cycling over and over again as the ring emanated through the confined space. After the seventh tone a message kicked on, and the soft and friendly voice on the other end made her chest ache.

“We’re not available, leave a message!”

“Fang, I’m coming over,” Lightning told the machine. “I should be there in about an hour … See you then, okay?” She pressed the end-call button on the steering wheel and brought a hand up to pinch her brows, forcing her eyes to concentrate on the road. Fang was a three-hour drive from where Lightning lived. The area was mountainous and heavily wooded. Normally she would avoid the winding pitch black roads after dark, but Lightning couldn’t shake the feeling inside of her.

She was worried about Fang. She’d seemed like she was doing better, enough so that everyone let her be, but now Lightning was losing her confidence in that assumption. Fang wasn’t responding to anyone’s calls or texts; she hadn’t been in over a week. Lightning called half a dozen times throughout the workday, before she decided to leave early and make her way over to the woman’s home personally.

To be honest, she was more than worried. She was afraid. Afraid of what she might find once she arrived. Afraid of what she knew Fang was capable of.

Death won’t keep us apart.

Fang had said it to Vanille on the last day of the old world, with the severity and conviction of a blood oath. It was after they’d broken the Saint from the deathgrip of the Soulsong, but not before it’d cleaved precious, countless years off the woman’s life. One, two, ten, twenty … Vanille woke up beside Fang for nineteen years in the new world. Then one day, she didn’t.

Tears pricked the corners of Lightning’s eyes and she blinked them away, the memory from two months prior unwillingly flooding back to her. ‘She’s not breathing’ Fang had whimpered into the receiver, and Lightning listened helplessly from the other end as she broke down and wailed like an animal dealt a death wound. It was a sound she would never be able to forget.

“Please be safe,” she murmured out loud. Despite the tricky roads she leaned her foot on the gas, speeding up to race her growing panic.

-

Knocking on the door she stood back and waited impatiently, throwing her gaze over to the parked car in the driveway. The lights were out, but she knew Fang was home. After a minute with no response Lightning thumbed through her keys and found the spare the couple had given her a while back. She unlocked the door and stepped through the threshold. The interior of the home was as cold and dark as the early spring night outdoors. Cautiously she flicked on the lights, glancing around the vacant living space.

“Fang?”

No answer. She walked into the kitchen and again turned on the lights. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. There were a couple of dishes stacked in the sink, and a calendar had fallen down from the fridge. Or had it been thrown? Reaching down she picked it up, examining the fluffy chocobo chicks on the cover of May. There was only one date noted on the calendar. ‘38’ was written in marker on the twenty-third, along with a smiley face with a dot nose. It looked like Vanille’s handwriting. Fang must have seen it when she flipped to the new month. That was nine days ago.

Having a probable explanation as to what triggered Fang, Lightning set the calendar on the table and advanced further into the house with a heightened sense of apprehension. She tried to keep herself calm. As disturbing as it was to note, there was no scent of decay in the air. Fang was alive, at the very least. She hoped.

Coming to the end of the hallway she found the door to the bedroom partially open. “Fang,” she called again, and used that to announce her entry into the room. Like the rest of the house it was pitch black. Only the dim light from the open window illuminated the silhouette of the woman lying in bed. Lightning walked over to the blanket covered form. The first thing she did was check her breath with the back of her hand. It was there, however shallow. She sat down on the mattress and reached for her shoulder, giving her a gentle shake. “Fang.”

The older woman was unresponsive. Stretching toward the lamp on the nightstand Lightning switched it on, getting her first good look at her long-time comrade. Her hair was a mess, but that was nothing new. What unnerved Lightning was just how gaunt her cheeks looked. Pulling her hand from underneath the covers she checked her pulse. Unsurprisingly it was quite faint.

“Fang,” she said, much louder this time, and swatted lightly at the side of her face. Fang’s brows knitted together almost painfully, and she groaned and turned away from the light source. She opened her eyes just a sliver, then shut them again.

“Light?”

“Yeah,” the other woman confirmed softly. “When’s the last time you ate something?”

“I don’t … remember.” She grimaced, looking utterly dazed. “I don’t feel good … Why’re you here? M’where’s Vanille?”

Lightning thinned her lips. Fang was delirious. From what she could assess she hadn’t moved in days. Was it from fatigue, or something more deliberate? Leaning closer she hooked her arm around Fang’s back, pulling her up as her other hand removed the blankets from atop her.

“I’m taking you to the hospital,” she said calmly.

Fang, suddenly gripping some vague sense of reality, shook her head irritably. “No,” she croaked. “Leave me.”

“Tough.” Getting her arm beneath Fang’s knees she hefted her off the bed, alarmed by how much weight she’d lost. The older woman grunted but didn’t resist. Couldn’t resist, as her limbs dangled as useless as a ragdoll’s. It made Lightning feel sick, to see what strong, confident, powerful Fang had been reduced to. She shouldn’t have left her alone. She should have known better.

As gently as she could Lightning carried Fang out of the house and into the passenger seat of her car. She strapped her in and hovered, brushing away a trail of moisture that had trickled down from the woman’s shut eyes. She looked like she was in agony.

Closing the passenger door she took a quiet moment to herself, leaning her elbow against the roof and rubbing a hand over her face. Dual sides of her personality warred within her mind and she wondered; was she really doing the right thing?

Vanille would tell her yes.

-

Lightning listened to the rhythmic beep of the EKG as she sat in silence. Fang was still out of it, lying in the hospital bed with an IV strapped to her arm. The disadvantage to living in a new, free world was that there were no cure-all spells to remedy her symptoms. Nor did they possess the advanced technology she once took for granted on Cocoon. Fang’s recovery would take days, physically. Mentally was another story.

Lightning decided to call off from work for the remainder of the week. She told the others that Fang was alright, and that she would be looking after her for a few days. She spared the details regarding the hospital visit. It wasn’t her place to tell them, lest she upset Fang further. Bringing her eyes up from the floor she studied the woman, watching the gentle rise and fall of her breath as she slept.

Out of all of them, she’d never expected Vanille to be the first to go, especially at such a young age. She couldn’t begin to understand how Fang must have felt. Lightning loved Vanille too, of course, but to Fang … Vanille had been her everything. Did she think she had nothing, now that she was gone?

Fang stirred, the EKG picking up a pace as she did so. She lifted her head from the pillow in confusion, then brought her attention to the IV. Lightning leaned over and stilled her hand before she could rip it from her arm. Fang looked at the rose haired woman with half-hearted anger, the burst of energy already depleted, and fell back against the hospital bed again. She clenched her jaw and stared hard at the wall in front of her.

“You should have left me there.”

Lightning shook her head dismissively. “You’re sick, Fang. I brought you here so you can get better.”

“I’m not sick, I’m tired,” she hissed weakly. “Tired of putting up the charade. Tired of pretending that life is worth a damn without her in it.” She gritted her teeth, fresh tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “I wanted to go … Why couldn’t you just let me go?”

That was all the confirmation Lightning needed. Fang had intended to waste away in that house. Nauseated by the thought she bowed her head, momentarily unable to speak. What could you say to someone after you thwarted their suicide attempt? And of all the horrific ways to go about it, she chose to starve herself to death? Was she punishing herself for what happened to Vanille?

She could almost hear the chain of reasoning. If only she’d destroyed the clavis sooner. If only she hadn’t taken so long to reach Vanille and break the spell. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t save her. She couldn’t save her. She couldn’t save her.

“We were supposed to be together forever. We were supposed to grow old.” The tears leaked down Fang’s face now, her bottom lip trembling. “What am I still doing here without her?”

Lightning cleared her tight throat, her own eyes glossy. “You’re living. That’s what Vanille would want.”

“Vanille would want us to be together,” Fang challenged. “She needs me. She’s all alone … I’m all alone.”

“We need you,” Lightning argued back, her voice cracking. “Sazh and Dajh need you. Serah, Snow and the kids need you. Hope. Noel. Yeul. We all need you. I need you.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away with her palm, steel blue eyes never leaving the other woman. “You’re not alone. We’re your family. We didn’t have a choice with Vanille, but with you we do. Please don’t go. We can’t stand to lose the both of you.”

Fang dropped her chin, that look of agony spreading across her mature features again. Quiet sobs began to rack her form. Lightning moved to sit on the edge of the bed and pulled her close, crushing the broken woman tightly in her arms. “I miss her so much,” Fang wept. “It hurts. It’s tearing me apart.”

“I know. I know.” Lightning stroked the back of her head, tears of her own freely shed and streaming down to her chin. “We’ll get through this. We just have to be brave.” As she embraced her she thought of Vanille. The woman who had made her cheerful disposition and generosity the forefront of her personality. The woman fueled by fun, who had celebrated her thirtieth birthday by convincing Lightning to lop off her pigtails into a pixie cut (and subsequently giving Fang a minor heart attack). The woman who had always been there for them, unquestionably, and made each and every one of them feel wanted and loved. This was Lightning’s chance to return that kindness.

I’m glad that she’s out there somewhere. Living. Laughing.

Recalling the words from so long ago, Lightning knew Vanille would never want Fang to go on like this. She wasn’t the Savior anymore; hadn’t been for nearly two decades. But she swore, right then, that she had one last wish to fulfill. A promise to Vanille.

‘I’ll keep her living. I’ll keep her laughing. Until she’s old and grey, and I can hand her safely back to you.’

[fheythfully]

fanfic author meme

my friend tagged me to answer all the questions in a fanfic author meme, and it is primarily for the Final Fantasy XIII fandom, so it’s located under a read more. :)

Fanfic Ask Meme

A: How did you come up with the title to [fic of your choice]?

Most of my fic names come from lyrics in songs that have to do with the story content, no matter how vague. Poetry also makes its way in there, and on the very rare occasion, something I come up with that sounds pleasantly appropriate.

A Series of Firsts was the only one in the past five or so years to get a title that accurately and simply described the story, something which I typically never do.

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

No, actually. I write primarily angst and I have a very satisfying and healthy life, so… it all just comes out from somewhere? I am not entirely sure where.

C: What character do you identify with most?

Most recently, maybe Makoto from Persona 5? Growing up I felt that I had all these expectations on me from my family and the adults in my education (which I totally dug myself into by being smart and eager to please) and I always wanted to just say “fuck it” and stop caring about pleasing others and being the perfect student. Which took me until my third year in university to actually achieve but hey, better late than never.

D: Is there a song or a playlist to associate with cause I’m a vampire smile (you’ll meet a sticky end)?

The title comes directly from the song ‘Vampire Smile’ by Kyla La Grange and it entirely fits so well for that fic. I definitely had it on replay the entire time I was writing.

E: If you wrote a sequel to Serendipity, what would it be about?

EDITED because I wrote for A Series of Firsts instead oops.

Serendipity would have a much shorter sequel - just lots of the gang being happy, of Fang and Vanille traipsing around the world, Yeul living in a big city and being amazed by all of it, Serah and Snow in a small French village with rose bushes and a kid or two and Light living in the same village with Hope being the Cool Aunt. Snow would have a motorcycle (and try to modify it to have a baby seat). Sazh would have a farm with chickens and livestock and live with his son and finally get the life he deserves. Maybe he runs into the reborn version of his wife and she remembers him. And live happily ever after. 

F: Care to share a favorite hurt/comfort fic?

I don’t have one :( I even went through my favorites on both FFnet and AO3. I just like anything that makes me cry, and I cry easily, and sad fics make me happy.

G: Care to share a favorite crack fic?

I rarely read crack but an amazing one I’ve been reading is Sincerely, Me by Ignis_Sassentia and SharkbaitHooHaHa on AO3. It is a FF15 texting fic and just phenomenal.

H: How would you describe your style?

Lots of run on sentences and disjointed narration. I prefer writing drabbles because I feel like that format lets me get away with using the style better. I like using metaphors and a good balance between simple and more flowery language.

I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)?

Angst. All the angst. Also, if a fandom has some sort of divine figure in it, then you can bet it’s gonna be worked into my fics – usually as either a passive or active antagonist. This is a big reason why I still love writing for FF13 so much, because thank you, Bhunivelze. And Etro. Mwyn too. I need to write more Mwyn.

J: Write or describe an alternative ending to any Bhunivelze!Hope and Etro!Light fic.

I said to the sun, tell me about the big bang is my favourite out of the few (two?) I’ve written where both take after the divinity. Alternate ending to that one would be, their friends catch on and end them before they can succeed in destroying and recreating the world.

For just Bhuni!Hope, of which I wrote more, eve as my latest one – I considered Light actually realizing what’s happening within the fic itself and being the one to kill him. She would realize this in the midst of a relationship Bhuni!Hope has succeeded in constructing with her, and there would be lots of tears, and horror, and the symbolic knife stuck in Hope’s torso.

Gosh, I just can’t give you guys happy things, can I?

K: What's the angstiest idea you've ever come up with?

The premise in A Series of Firsts, where Hope and Snow have to come to terms with failing the world, and Light dying and becoming the Goddess, and then having to witness Light and Serah as children and then take them in, and do all in their power to prevent Orphan, and having them be family and Hope has a child with Light and then… they fail. And have to start all over again.

I’ve always appreciated time loops.

L: What's the weirdest AU you've ever come up with?

I discussed an idea with RainbowSerenity about a texting crack fic in the new world about the gang placing bets on how long it will take for Light and Hope to get together, and just being little shits in general (with a very liberal use of emoticons) and then Light and Hope are just there, like… should we tell them? When do you think they’ll realize we’ve been together for months now?

Also, an appearance by Bhunivelze via repeated friend requests to Light’s Facebook through a multitude of accounts. The sentence “how the hell does he have service in the deep ass of space!?” is written down in my phone.

I have to be in a very specific mood to write something of this sort, haha.

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you'd care to share?

The AU fic above. Hope finding the temple with Light’s statue in 13-2, and ritually visiting it before it becomes inaccessible. Also, a fic I will shortly be releasing on – once again – Bhuni!Hope.

Outside of the 13 fandom, I have further ideas for my 14 OCs and how they meet, fall in love, and then go their own ways. An idea for an original fantasy story I’ve been sitting on (I have the entire plot written out, too…).

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

If someone could read my mind and finish that one FF8 fic I started in 2007 and never finished, despite rewriting like three times, it would be a miracle. The OC I created for it has grown alongside me all this time and I treasure her deeply, even though her story will never be properly finished.

O: How do you begin a story--with the plot, or the characters?

I usually start with a plot idea I want to write about and then the characters usually write themselves.

P: Are you what George R. R. Martin would call an "architect" or a "gardener"? (How much do you plan in advance, versus letting the story unfold as you go?)

The way I write my oneshots, the most planning I ever do is I have the final sentence in mind and then I have to write to get to that point. When I write (wrote) multi-chaptered stories, I typically had the plot mapped out and sometimes things would just write themselves in the process.

Q: Do you have any discarded scenes/storylines/projects?

That FF8 fic. I don’t even want to talk about it, haha. Also a Narnia fic I was writing and had like, two sequels planned for. I am just horrible at finishing things.

R: Are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

Not really? I always write however and whatever I want. I really admire attica on FFnet, though – their writing takes me breath away.

Also Sylvia Plath and E.E Cummings make my heart skip a beat.

S: Any fandom tropes you can't resist?

Bhuni!Hope, and Etro!Light. As has been made obvious.

T: Any fandom tropes you can't stand?

Whenever Snow is being written as useless or dumb. That’s my biggest one.

U: A pairing you might like to write for, but haven't tried yet.

…Light and Snow, very brief in the original 13. I actually had something written down when the game first came out, but never properly wrote it.

Don’t kill me. It would be very sad where they share their angst over Serah and then realize what they’re doing and part ways.

V: A secondary (or underrated) character you want to see more of in fic?

Yeul. YEEUUULLL. I love Yeul. So much.

W: Do you like more general prompts, or more specific ones?

Specific ones.

X: A character you enjoy making suffer.

All of them. Primarily, Light, Hope, and Yeul.

Y: A character you want to protect.

All of them. From me.

Z: Major character death--do you ever write/read it? Is there a character whose death you can't tolerate?

I love reading it if it’s written well, and I’ve never written specifics just background plot. There aren’t any deaths I can’t tolerate, because if done well, it can throw things into a nice twist.

[yunhuntress]

@duellicae continued from [x]

The hit to her collarbone only caused her to watch Light more closely. She as furious and rightly so but Fang didn’t hide things either from other people. The woman was upfront and honest. Hearing the anger pour our from Light only made Fang feel the anger well up inside of her as well. There had been more than a kiss. Words were exchanged as well and it seemed Light didn’t truly care after all. Each growl stung but the huntress continued to take it despite the anger glares in her direction.

Heat burned through her chest at the anger but there was no pull of magic to flare. She thanked the unknown for that as she was certain she’d explode herself.

‘There is no us’

It repeated over and over in her head until Fang felt things begin to crack but she took it.

“I don’t hide my emotions easily and what I told Serah I meant. Even if you don’t like it, I don’t hide things either from people I care for and Serah is also a part of that circle. You won’t have to deal with me then. I’ll see myself out and you won’t see me again.”

‘So much for caring about me’

The woman brushed passed the glaring Lightning shoving into her shoulder as she did so.

[theusualspotcafe-blog]

Other Characters

Ienzo Minami: 20 years old, works at The Usual Spot as a chef, is studying biochemistry

Demyx Wells: 20 years old, sometimes performs at the café, is studying musical theory

Isa Elena: 21 years old, Lea's best friend from Radiant Garden, will sometimes visit, studying astronomy

Marluxia Blum: 21, dating Larxene, studying botany

Larxene Burakgazi: 20, dating Marluxia, cosmetology

Xehanort Chi Jr.: 24, studying to be a heart surgeon, often called X by his friends

Ephemer Shumatsuki: 19, education, in a study group with Ven

Skuld Norn: 19, education, in a study group with Ven

Lightning Farron: 21, campus security, dating Fang

Oerba Yun Fang: 21, dating Lighting, cultural studies

Hope Estheim: 18, studying chemistry

Oerba Dia Vanille: 18, nursing

Serah Farron: 18, dating Snow, nursing

Snow Villiers: 21, campus security

Rinoa Heartilly: 20, Squall's girlfriend, works at Caelum Enterprises on finding clean energy

Zack Fair: 23, Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa's boyfriend, SOLDIER 1st Class

Aerith Gainsborough: 21, Cloud, Zack, and Tifa's girlfriend, works at a small flower shop in Insomnia

Tifa Lockhart: 20, Cloud, Zack, and Aerith's girlfriend, works at a bar in Insomnia

Tidus Shuyin: 18, blitzball player, gen ed on blitzball scholarship

Yuna Lesca: 18, dating Tidus, religious studies

Rikku Kiynt: 18, mechanics

Paine Knight: 18, writing

Gippal Ranu: 18, engineering

Wakka Orvill: 23, blitzball captain

Lulu Amaro: 23, engaged to Wakka, psychiatry

Ravus Nox Fleuret: 28, Luna's brother, works in their family company, visits Daybreak University to check up on his little sister occasionally

[sacred-one-vanille-blog]

Vanille x Fang :D

General:

Rate the Ship -  Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs

How long will they last? - Forever XD

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - Very quick since they had known each other forever 

How was their first kiss? - Nice and sweet

Wedding:

Who proposed? - Fang

Who is the best man/men? - Snow, Hope

Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - Serah, Lightning

Who did the most planning? - Vanille

Who stressed the most? - Vanille

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - -pulls out a list- 

Sex:

Who is on top? - Fang

Who is the one to instigate things? - Vanille

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head

How long do they normally last? - Couple hours 

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - Mhm

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.

Children:

How many children will they have naturally? - None

How many children will they adopt? - 3 or 4

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - Vanille

Who is the stricter parent? - Fang

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Fang

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - Vanille

Who is the more loved parent? - Both 

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? Both

Who cried the most at graduation? - Vanille

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - Fang after giving them a bad time

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - Fang

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - neither 

Who does the grocery shopping? - Vanille

How often do they bake desserts? - eh not that often

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - both

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Fang

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Fang

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - Vanille

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - Vanille

Who is really against chores? - Neither

Who cleans up after the pets? - Vanille

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Both if they are running out of time

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Vanille

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Fang

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Both :)

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - Fang

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - not that often since Fang dosen’t want to clean up so much

What are their goals for the relationship? - To never stop loving each other

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - Vanille

Who plays the most pranks? - Fang 

[thewild--flower]

[Doujinshi English Translation] I wish I could see you in my dream. by パパンダ

Story Summary: Still on the run from their pursuers, the XIII gang convince Lightning to let them take a short look around Nautilus Park for some well-earned R&R.

The artist mentions in a note on pixiv, that the title spoils the meaning of the story, which could lead to a different interpretation of the ending depending on how you want to see it.

Credit: Original pixiv link. Artist’s tumblr. (please check out her wonderful Hopelight art!)

View the pages in full view here at pixiv (can still be viewed without a pixiv account, just hit the x button on the log in box), the full translation is below.

I wish I could see you in my dream. ~a story of everyone having fun in Nautilus~

 p.1

City of Dreams Nautilus

 Lightning: …Hope, are you OK?

Snow: We walked pretty far, huh.

--

Hope: …I’m sorry. Um, I’m alright.

--

Snow: Shall I carry you on my back?

Hope: No way.

--

Lightning: If you’ve still got that type of energy, you must be able to keep going.

Hope: Yes…

Snow: Sheesh, Sis sure has toughened you up pretty well, huh.

Lightning: Of course. Not to mention…

 p.2

Lightning: Our pursuers might be coming after us. Be prepared to leave soon.

Fang: Light, aren’t you pushing it?

--

Vanille: I’m tired- Let’s rest for a bit!

Sazh: Papa has also had it…

--

Lightning: …Can’t be helped. We’ll take a break here.

Vanille: Yay-!

Sazh: Sigh…. Thank goodness…

Lightning: We’ll meet up at XX o’clock. Don’t forget.

Hope: OK.

--

--

Hope: …Huh? Light-san, are you coming?

 p.3

Hope: Everyone is going to leave you behind, you know…?

Lightning: …Hm? You’re right, I’m sorry. I’ll come later.

Hope: …But, it’s dangerous to be on your own. I’ll stay…

Snow: No can do, Hope.

--

Hope: …Snow.

Snow: Sis will be OK. You’re the youngest, you should go have fun.

--

Snow: Come on! Get going! What will you see first? The chocobo pens?

Snow: Ah! You’re such a pain! Let’s see everything, all of it!

Hope: A-alright! I get it, okay, so stop pulling my hand!

--

Lightning: …When they’re like this,

(in the background) Snow: Sorry, sorry-

(in the background) Hope: You’re such an idiot!

Lightning: they seem like real siblings.

 p.4

Sazh: Vanille! Wait up a bit…

Vanille: Keep fighting, old man!

Sazh: Fight on! As if…

--

Sazh: But this is quite nostalgic. Still smells as terrible as always…

Vanille: You’re right! I wonder if those children are doing well…

--

Vanille: It was fun back then, but also awful too.

Sazh: Yeah. Chasing after this little guy…

Chocolina: Pii!

Vanille: You’ve been trying really hard, Sazh.

Sazh: And thanks to that, I’m beat.

Vanille: Yeah, yeah. And also…

--

Vanille: And also…

Sazh: …Vanille, what is it?

--

Vanille: Sazh… um, you know…

 p.5

Vanille: Up until now… I’ve caused you a lot of trouble.

Sazh: …Vanille, that’s…

Vanille: Because I was weak, even little Dajh-kun got caught up in it…

Vanille: But, I was a coward and only ran away.

--

Vanille: Even though I’m like this, everyone…including you, Sazh, believed in me.

Vanille: That’s why, even though we’re l’Cie, I thought that I wanted to spend more time together with everyone…

--

Vanille: I’m really such a fool, aren’t I?

Sazh: …Vanille, did you know?

Vanille: …Eh?

Sazh: We don’t call that foolishness.

--

Sazh: It’s natural to feel that way, because you’re a human being.

Vanille: Natu…ral…?

Sazh: Well, that’s how it is. …Talking about stuff like this is kinda embarrassing, sheesh.

Vanille: Got it…. Sazh, thank you.

 p.6

Girl 1: Sheesh, Sis… where are we going?

Girl 2: Hm… let’s go to both!

Girl 2: We’ve come all this way, after all.

--

Fang: …Oh. There you are.

--

Fang: Hey, so you were here, huh.

Lightning: …So it’s you, Fang.

--

Fang: Hope was worried about you.

Lightning: …..

Lightning: What about Vanille and the others?

Fang: Hey, you changed the subject.

Lightning: …He worries too much.

 p.7

Fang: It looked like… Vanille wanted to talk to Sazh.

Lightning: So you were considerate for once.

Fang: You ass… saying whatever you want, huh.

Lightning: …Pff, I was joking.

--

Lightning: …You’re a good big sister.

Lightning: Unlike me.

Fang: What’s that supposed to mean?

--

Lightning: Exactly as I’ve said.

Lightning: I… was always working, I didn’t believe in Serah.

Fang: Hey, Light…

--

Fang: You always think too much. The reason you were always working was to protect your sister, right?

Lightning: …Yeah.

Fang: It’s the same with us. Because of that, there are times we disagree.

Fang: But, you’re family, right? You can make up any number of times.

Lightning: Fang…

 p.8

Fang: Well then, I’d better get going.

Fang: You should also rest up properly too, OK?

Lightning: ….Yeah.

Fang: It’s not good to think too hard, you know?

--

Lightning: Got it.

--

(monologue) Lightning: …Until now, through putting myself in battle I’ve been dodging the issue.

(monologue) Lightning: I didn’t try to believe in my little sister… Even though I treasured her more than anyone.

--

Lightning: Would you…

Lightning: forgive someone like me?

--

Hope: I’m sure…

Hope: it’ll be alright.

p.9

Hope: Because…

--

Hope: The truth is,

Hope: you’re actually a kind person.

--

Lightning: ...Eavesdropping is a bad habit, you know.

Hope: I’m sorry… I overheard by accident.

--

Lightning: What about Snow?

Hope: Um… he said that he was going to look at souvenirs.

Lightning: Is he an idiot?

--

Hope: Light-san, you’re not going to go have some fun?

Lightning: I’m fine. Places like this… don’t really suit me.

 p.10

Hope: That’s not true at all.

Hope: We’ve still got time, so let’s go.

--

Lightning: H-hey…

fx: grip

--

Lightning: Hope! I didn’t say that I would come.

Hope: Don’t worry, it’s fine.

Lighting: ...This is… absurd.

--

Hope: It was… my dream.

Hope: To go out and have fun with you like this.

--

Lightning: ….? I don’t get what you mean.

Lightning: So, you… love amusement parks that much, huh?

 p.11

Lightning: …Sigh. Why do I have to do this?

--

Hope: Light-san, sometimes you need to take a breather.

Lightning: Even so…

--

Lightning: We’re still going to keep going?

Hope: Yes, of course!

--

Hope: Looks as if he likes you…

Lightning: What is up with… this thing…

--

Hope: Fufu…. Light-san, you’re covered in feathers.

Lightning: …Oi, you’re laughing way too much at this.

 p.12

Hope: Phew… let’s take a short break.

Lightning: You’re right.

--

Lightning: ……

Hope: Tired?

Lightning: …No, it’s just… I’m thinking it might be a good idea to head back soon.

Hope: Was it boring?

Lightning: No, the opposite, actually…

--

Lightning: ……

--

Hope: …Oh, looks like

Hope: it’s time for the parade to begin soon.

fx: boom

fx: boom

--

Hope: Since we’re here already, let’s watch it.

 p.13

Hope: …Wow, amazing.

--

Lightning: Yeah…

--

Lighting: …Hm? Something’s falling down.

--

Hope: I wonder what it is.

Lighting: …Who knows.

--

Lightning: I ended up picking it up, but…

--

Hologram: Welcome, miss!

Hologram: Please enjoy the parade!

--

Lightning: …..

--

Hope: You finally smiled.

--

Lightning: …..Hm?

Hope: You never seemed happy, Light-san…

 p.14

Hope: You always had your arms crossed like this

Hope: and walked so fast it was hard to keep up with you.

Hope: But you waited for me,

Hope: and so, I thought that I wanted to make you smile

--

Hope: Cos you’re always making a face like this.

--

Lightning: Quite the rude brat, aren’t you.

Hope: Fufu, I’m sorry. As an apology, I’ll go buy us some drinks.

Lightning: Alright.

--

Lightning: ……

--

Lightning: Hope…

--

Lightning: That is…

--

Lightning: Thank you

Lightning: for today.

--

Hope: I should be the one

Hope: thanking you.

 p.15

Hope (narration): Hey, Light-san. Please don’t forget that you’re not alone.

--

Snow: Oh, there you are.

Snow: You got it?

Snow: Si----s.

--

Lightning: …You’re late.

Snow: Well, you know. ….Come on!

Hope: ….Hey- don’t push me!

--

Hope: Um…

Hope: This is for you…. if you’d like.

--

text: I wish I could see you in my dream.

--

Lightning: …Thank you.

Lightning: I’ll take it.

Hope: ...R-right.

--

Lightning: By the way, what happened to the drinks?

Hope: Huh… drinks?

Lightning: …No, it’s nothing.

[razieltwelve]

Birth (FF XIII AU Snippet)

The gods did not birth children as mortals did. Instead, they combined their divine essences to produce a being that was essentially a combination of the two of them. Most of the time, the results were predictable. Other times, however, the results were... unexpected.

X    X     X

“Behold!” the little goddess cried, leaping atop the closest table and shaking her fist at the sky. “I have arrived! The heavens and earth shall tremble at my might!”

Lightning tilted her head to one side. “Huh...?”

Fang did the same. “Okay... I did not expect that.”

Averia, their first child, did what felt like the most sensible thing. She floated over to her new sibling and chopped her over the head. “Get off the table!”

“Augh!” Diana, their newest child, clutched at her head. “Who dares strike me?” She rounded on Averia. “Prepare to face my wrath!”

With a cry fit for a warlord, Diana leapt at her older sibling, and the pair rolled across the floor. This wasn’t a fight. It was more of a scuffle, not unlike the ones Serah and Lumina had sometimes engaged in during their divine youth.

“Well...” Fang began. “I know Averia takes more after you, what with the lightning and the scowling, but I’m pretty sure I don’t leap onto tables and threaten people.”

Lightning stared as Diana abandoned her attempts to outwrestle her larger sibling in favour of impersonating a barnacle as she clung onto Averia’s back and refused to be dislodged.

“Hah!” Diana crowed. “You’ve been caught in my Adamantine Grip! It’s only a matter of time before you succumb to my awesome power!”

“She has to get it from somewhere,” Lightning said. “And it has to be you because it definitely wasn’t me.”

A polite cough caught their attention. It was the High Mother.

“I thought I would visit and see how your newest child was doing,” the queen of the gods said. “I can see she’s settling in nicely.”

“Is that what you call it?”

Diana’s attempts to crush her older sister in her deadly grip were having no effects whatsoever. However, Averia still wasn’t having much luck in getting her off. Not far away, Thunderhoof, the Protector of the Divine Flock and a mighty Divine Beast, was snickering and cheering on the two squabbling children.

“You know,” the High Mother said. “This is quite nostalgic. It reminds me of you, Lightning.”

Lightning twitched. “I beg your pardon?”

“Technically, Fang is slightly older than you,” the High Mother Said. “The High Father and I created her first, if only be a matter of hours. When we created you, Lightning, the first thing you did was challenge Fang to a fight to determine who should be the most favoured of my daughters.”

“I have no recollection of doing that,” Lightning said stiffly.

“I am not surprised. It was only moments after you were created, after all.” The High Mother chuckled. “It was adorable. You leapt onto the nearest table and began ranting about how you would bring down the wrath of the heavens themselves on all who dared to oppose you.”

“...” Lightning looked at Fang. “Not one word.”

“But -”

“Not one word.”

X    X     X

Diana circle Thunderhoof menacingly - or as menacingly as a newborn goddess could be. “You must be the Divine Beast I’ve heard so much about. You don’t look so tough.”

Thunderhoof gave her a sunny smile.

“Take this!” Diana lunged.

A minute later, the young goddess was wailing for help as Thunderhoof sat on her.

“Help!” Diana cried. “Mother, help! This Divine Beast has gone mad with power and is trying to assassinate me.”

Lightning glanced at Averia and then gestured for her to go forward.

“You know,” Averia drawled. “You shouldn’t be challenging Divine Beasts at your age.”

Diana’s smile turned crafty. “Is that so, sister? I have already heard of your own attempts to defeat this fiend! We should join forces. Together we could finally defeat this tyrant!”

Thunderhoof saw the agreement pass between the sisters and hopped away before beckoning them forward with one hoof. He’d spent most of Serah and Lumina’s childhoods using them as piñatas. He’d be happy to repeat the trick on the next generation.

X    X     X

Author’s Notes

First of all, this isn’t the snippet I mentioned earlier. It’s a bit of light-hearted fun. And yeah, Lightning was a bit wilder when she was first created. She settled down somewhat as she grew into her role as enforcer of Divine Law. Naturally, she doesn’t remember leaping onto tables and threatening people. The High Mother does, though, and she’s only too happy to share the memory around.

If you’re interested in my thoughts on writing and other topics, you can find those here.

I also write original fiction, which you can find on Amazon here. I’ve recently released two stories, Attempted Adventuring and Surviving Quarantine, as well as two audiobooks, Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Army of Golems, Two Necromancers, a Dragon, and a Vampire, and The Hungry Dragon Cookie Company. If you like humour, action, and adventure, be sure to check them out.

[nebuvoid]

ffxiii x ffxv tho...

lightning is noctis. vanille is prompto. fang is gladio. serah is ignis since thats basically noctis brother. that or serahs and lightnings roles could be switched.

the story would be different,something about lightning traveling to marry prince snow and odfvoidfbiodfv god can you imagine her face. things happen and serah feels bad for falling in love with her sisters fiancee, meanwhile light is like i dont want to burden my sister with an arranged marriage even if i have to marry the stupidest man on earth

[miss-tc-nova]

The Last of The Real Ones - Noel Kreiss x Fem!Reader Pt 8

DRAMAAAAAA!

~~~~~

Part 8: The Last of the Real Ones

                “My Angel.”

                “Bhunivelze…” I mumble, fighting the headache pressing against my skull. “I…I couldn’t complete the Soulsong.”

                “Worry not, my Angel. Come to me.”

                My arms quiver as I sit up. “I don’t know if I can.”

                “Come to me. Serve as my Angel. And I will save your friends.”

                Those magic words are all I need. Against the screaming of my muscles and the sickness I feel, I stagger to my feet. I start for the door on the other side of the room when I see a familiar, floating, white creature.

                “Mog?”

                “Wah! You’re alright, kupo!” He flutters towards me, running into my chest.

                “What are you doing here?”

                “I’m here to help Lightning, kupo! You look like you were hurt pretty badly, kupo.” Before I can say anything, Mog produces a bottle and shoves it into my hands. “Take this and help save everyone, kupo!”

                Guilt fills my chest but Mog may have just handed me my saving grace. “Thank you, Mog.” I place a kiss on the moogle’s cheek and head through the door. The potion does its magic, relieving my pain as I hurry along the path. At the end, I can see lights off in the distance. I can sense all my friends, but I can also sense God. I see the Eidolons engulf themselves in light and fly at Bhunivelze. I race for them, determined, desperate, and using every power that God has given me. The attack gets deflected, blowing the Eidolons back at their summoners.

                “What?!” Snow exclaims.

                I look at each and every person, preparing myself for the fight of my life, but my eyes catch on the brunette—he survived. I begin to think it better that he didn’t. I don’t know if I can take him on again.

                Vanille cries out, “Please stop! We were wrong!”

                I take a deep breath, a pair of glowing, golden khopesh leaping into my hands. My old allies tense.

                “It’s over,” snarls Fang.

                Hope moves closer. “Please. You don’t want to do this.”

                I raise a weapon to halt his advance and they seem convinced of my stance now. Snow is the first to break and attack. When I throw him back, the rest join in. All of them have always been strong so I become overwhelmed. I start taking in oxygen at a faster rate and heat blooms across my back. Snow’s blow to the cheek reignites my headache, but is also the final attack to bring me to the edge.

                Using a trick I had learned from Caius, the fire erupts around me and the humans shrink beneath me as I become one with my Eidolon, Ifrit. Baring rows of teeth in my new form, I stare down at them. Snow and the Shiva sisters kick up the fight again. The eidolons make the fight significantly more difficult, but having used my body to summon Ifrit, I’m stronger than all of them.

                Fang quickly follows Bahamut across the space. Not a single one of them was prepared for me here, not in this state. The rose-haired woman kneels before me, exhausted. My hand engulfs her, raising her in front of me. A deep-rooted guilt fills my chest but this is for their own good.

                “Why are you doing this?” grimaces Snow. A low rumble leaves my throat. My silence is not enough of an answer for him. “Dammit! Answer me!”

                “For you.”

                Hope regains his stability. “What do you mean? How is this for us?!”

                “Don’t you understand what he’s doing?! What he wants?!” Fang shouts.

                Vanille adds, “He wants to destroy all the souls of the dead! They won’t be reborn in the new world if he gets his way!”

                “They don’t matter.” They gasp and look to each other. I look to the brunette who seems furious with me. “Only you.”

                “You have done well, my Angel. Now end this so everyone can live in blissful paradise.”

                “And Serah? Yeul?” I ask, making clear eye contact with the Savior.

                “Of course.” A pair of lights flickers between me and my opponents, taking form as the lost girls.

                “Serah?!” Snow exclaims.

                My heart quivers at Noel rushing for the second girl. “Yeul!”

                “See. Everyone is here. Now end this. Fulfill your duty and attain your happy ending.” My grip on the rose-haired woman tightens and she grimaces.

                “That’s not Serah or Yeul!” My eyes snap to Hope. “They’re lies!”

                “It’s true,” Lightning chokes.

                Hope announces, “Bhunivelze can’t pull souls from the Chaos. He can’t truly bring people back from the dead. That’s why he created other gods, to find the door into the unseen world where the dead wait in the Chaos to be reborn.”

                “No…” I say in disbelief. “No! I was promised safe passage for all my friends!”

                “Do not listen to them. Remember your focus.”

                “He’s trying to destroy those souls with the Soulsong because he has no control over them. All he can do is create illusions to fool you.” My grasp on the woman loosens.

                “Are two little girls, who were not strong enough to have survived, worth losing the rest of them?” The two girls vanish. “Are those two worth these six? Besides, with the seeress gone, you’re free to charm the hunter yourself.” Noel’s eyes narrow and the guilt only rises in my chest. “Isn’t his companionship what you’ve always truly wanted?”

                “We can save them,” Fang interrupts. “If we stop Bhunivelze, we can bring the souls of the dead with us, including Serah and Yeul!”

                “You know this is wrong! I know you don’t want to do this!” Noel shouts.

                A hand rests against mine and I look to the woman in my hand. “We can all go together, but only as long as Bhunivelze doesn’t win.”

                Fighting the hot tears threatening to well up, I let out a heavy breath. I release my captive before turning to the god, releasing a roar. “YOU LIED!”

                His surprise turns to anger. “Do you forget who your master is?!” A blinding pain starts at my left eye, forcing a pained howl from me. “Do you forget what happens if you do not complete your focus for me?!”

                Fighting through the pain, I look him in the eye. “You truly don’t understand human hearts do you? If you did, then you’d know that there is nothing I wouldn’t do for my friends. You’d know that I would do anything to make them happy! YOU’D KNOW THAT I’D BECOME A MONSTER TO SAVE THEM!”

                “As you wish.”

                The pain suddenly spikes and I double over. I hear my name from my friends but my grip on my control is staggering. A crystalline parasite creeps across my skin. No matter what I do to fight it, I am being consumed. This is my failure to complete my focus and my fall to a Cie’th.

~~~~~ 

                It feels like I’m underwater, floating in a void of my remorse. This is my end; whether the world ends or my friends finish me off, it’s over for me. The darkness begins to envelope me, gnawing away at my consciousness. The last of me begins fading even from this abyss; I’ll cease to exist soon. I can only pray Noel will be happy with Yeul.

                A muffled sound amplifies the underwater effect.

                Is someone there? There isn’t; just emptiness all around. But I hear it again, a little clearer.

                “-to me!”

                Noel? He’s definitely not here but that’s definitely his voice.

                “I know you’re in there! You have to fight this!”

                “Noel?! Noel, where are you?!” The panic is slowly setting in.

                “If anyone can break out of this, it’s you!” A spark of light ignites in the distance. That’s where his voice is. I start struggling against the darkness. “COME ON! Are you gonna let that liar win?!”

                “I’m trying!”

                “Are you gonna let some pathetic god destroy everything you’ve been fighting for?!”

                I manage to break into a run. “I…I can’t give up now!”

                “Are you gonna leave after all the shit you put me through?!” The light grows closer but I don’t let up my sprint. “ARE YOU GONNA LEAVE ME HERE ALONE WITHOUT GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO SAY I LOVE YOU BACK?! ANSWER ME!”

                “NO!”

                The battlefield returns to me. The others are watching, waiting for me to make a move, but the weight around my neck draws my attention downward. Clinging to me is the only person who could have brought me back.

                “I didn’t think so,” he breathes. It may be marred by tears, but there’s a smile there—a smile for me.

                The destructive instinct of the Cie’th threatens to take over and I stumble back, fighting against it.

                “Woah! Hey!”

                “End this.”

                “What?!”

                A roar of pain tears from my throat. “END THIS NOW!”

                Noel’s hand, warm and comforting, rests against my arm. “It’ll be over soon.”

                These attacks are different from before, full of mercy rather than desperate conflict, but that doesn’t make them hurt any less. The Cie’th inside attempts to lash out but I make it endure this destruction with me.

                The javelin is pulled from my chest and I collapse, all pain and even the Cie’th will dissipating. The crystal encasing me begins flaking away, dissolving into nothing. Finally, all the shame and the burden of my focus hit me along with the relief of having failed.

                A hand rests against my face and I see Noel coming in and out of focus.

                “I just wanted to save you.”

                “I know. But it’s okay now.” His face clears up just in time for me to see him say it. “I love you.”

                Those words break my heart. I spent so long denying myself, but here, in the end, I just can’t. I love him; I really do and I always have. And perhaps, if I had admitted that sooner, it could’ve saved us all so much heartache. At least here, in the end, I finally tell him. “I love you too.”

                Noel leans, pressing his lips to my cheek. “I’ll see you again soon.”

                I cling to my consciousness until the last moment; I want to be with him, to keep him in my thoughts until the very end, to love him until my dying breath. And I do. 

[razieltwelve]

Entrance (FF XIII AU Snippet)

Lightning raised one hand toward the heavens. “To me… my sword.”

Above her, the clear sky darkened. Clouds gathered, and thunder rolled from one horizon to the other. Lightning flashed amidst the growing clamour, and from the vault of the heavens came a bolt that cut cleanly through the sudden twilight.

It was a sword.

It crashed into the ground beside Lightning, and its crystal edge gleamed as though lit from within by the power of a thousand storms. The ground quaked, and the scent of burning rock filled the air as the blade sang, an eerie, haunting rendition of the Divine Laws that echoed as much in the soul as in the ear.

Reaching to the side, Lightning grasped the weapon and tugged it free of the earth. “Behold,” she murmured. “The Sword of the Heavens.”

Diana rubbed her chin. “That’s really cool and everything, mother, but… doesn’t that take ages? I mean what if you need to stab someone right away? It seems kind of, I don’t know, inconvenient.”

“Diana, I am one of the most powerful goddesses in Creation. I have to conduct myself in a certain way.”

“I know but can you imagine losing a fight because it took like ten minutes to summon your sword? I’m sure most of the people you fight won’t mind waiting… probably because they’re doing the same thing, but what if they aren’t willing to wait.”

Lightning sighed. “In that case…” She tossed the sword away, and it vanished. The skies above them cleared, and the unnatural hush that had fallen over the land vanished. “I can always do it like this.” She flicked her hand out to one side, and the Sword of the Heavens reappeared in her hand. “See?”

“That is handy,” Diana said. “Okay… let me try.”

She raised her hand toward the sky. Immediately, the wind kicked up. A sharp, tearing gale ripped across the landscape, and the once clear sky was suddenly filled with dozens of spinning columns of wind that stretched from the ground up into the clouds.

“To me… my sword.”

There was a flash of light, and a trio of raccoons appeared with a sword held above their heads. They rushed forward only for one of them to trip. The sword tumbled to the ground, and Diana winced as the other two raccoons turned on their clumsy fellow and gave a series of aggravated sounds.

Lightning covered her face with one hand. “…”

“Come on,” Diana whispered. “You guys are making me look bad.” The raccoon looked at Lightning and then hurried to deliver the sword to Diana. “Behold!” Diana cried, raising the sword over her head. “The Sword of… uh… Tornadoes and Hurricanes and Lots of Wind.”

“That is not what it’s called.” Lightning sighed. 

“Okay, I’ll admit that didn’t go as smoothly as I’d like, but what about this?” Diana flicked her hand to one side. The sword vanished. She repeated the gestured and grinned. “Look at this…” She trailed off. Instead of a sword, she was now holding onto another raccoon. “Uh…” She flicked her wrist and raccoon vanished as another raccoon appeared. “Hmm…” Several tries - and several raccoons later - she finally had her sword. “Well… I guess that’s why I usually carry that around with me.”

“Diana, I think you need to practice more.”

X     X     X

Author’s Notes

Mastering divine powers isn’t always easy. Just ask Serah and Lumina. Heck, even Lightning screwed up, but it’s not like she’s about to tell Diana about the time she almost got hit with her own sword when it plummeted out of the sky. As for Fang, she’s made her share of mistakes too. She once summoned Bahamut on top of her instead of under her, which was incredibly awkward since he was already as large as a mountain. Oops.

You can find me on fanfiction.net, AO3, and Amazon. If zombies, humour, and action sounds interesting, check out my newest story on Amazon. It’s called Two Necromancers, a Dwarf Kingdom, and a Sky City. It’s the fourth part of The Unconventional Heroes series, and if you like my sense of humour, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.