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WHO: Lightning and Hope Estheim
WHERE: Residence #20
WHEN: February 24
WHAT: Reunion!
WARNINGS: None, except for FFXIII spoilers.

Very little of this scenario surprises her. Very little of it catches her off-guard in a way that it should. The folder with the information on her past, of every aspect of it, brings her back; according to their assignment, she is not some great hero in this world, but someone meant to advise people militarily, and to provide lessons in self-defense. A teacher, that's what she'd be, and the very idea makes her huff softly.

Some teacher she'd make. Lightning doubts her ability to do the job well, even with Hope's recent words playing in her mind. She had taught him to look forward, to always trust those who would fight alongside her, but still—a teacher. An instructor. It's different from her recent "careers" as both protector of Valhalla and Savior of Nova Chrysalis. Then again, maybe it's because that's Serah's job. Serah had always wanted to become an instructor, and from Lightning's place in Valhalla, she knew that Serah achieved that goal ... albeit with some sadness.

After all, Lightning wasn't there, was she?

It isn't Lightning who is absent now, but Serah—as far as she can tell, that is. The desire to seek out her sister is strong, but she knows she needs to check the place out first. Her recent experiences have taught her some (some) level of caution, and it is because of this caution that she heads to the address provided to her, folder still clutched in hand.

Lightning takes a decent survey of this world as she moves, and of the various oddities presented to her until she enters the residence. Some part of her feels like she's invading some personal space, even if it's her home now.

The very idea of a home strikes her as a little strange. When was the last time she properly had one of those?

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Hope paces as he wishes he can stop being so anxious about this entire situation. He really does, because this? This is a new world, a new opportunity to do something. But he's mourning for his old one, and at the same time, he's scared because of how much his new circumstances reminded him of his l'Cie days.

There's a mark on the back of his wrist. Very different from his l'Cie brand, but it still brands him as something, makes him something that he now has to fulfill. He has some of his magic back, and he's not going to lie to himself that he's missed having it all these years, but he still cant help but feel some of that old dread, like something terrible is going to happen now that he has it and a new "Focus".

At the very least, the people here are more forthcoming about what they want with him, rather than leaving vague images in his mind. And they're more cordial too, if a little stern. But stern he can take, considering he's spent years growing up around and commanding soldiers at the Academy.

Hope pauses in his tracks when the door to the residence opens, and he remembers that he's not the only one who lives here. It's been a while since he's had to share rooms with other people, since one of the perks of being Director was having an entire apartment to himself. But he remembers how it's supposed to go, and he puts on a polite face for whoever it is.

Which promptly disappears when he actually sees the person coming through the door. He associates pink hair with one of the most important people in his life, and this woman most definitely has pink hair...

But there's only one person he knows with that hair style, with those eyes, with that face. The clothing may be different, strange even, but only one person has the kind of stance that she does. Only one person who can create a reaction like the one Hope's insides are doing, a reaction he has never been able to parse.

"Light?"

This has to be some kind of hallucination.

His voice is recognizable, perhaps even more so as he was, in many ways, the sole individual to help him the last thirteen days. Hope had always been there, guiding her, helping her, ensuring that she knew what would come next; of course, Lightning knew that wasn't really Hope—not entirely. Some parts of him weren't a lie, some parts of him weren't a sham, but for the most part, that hadn't been him. But at the end, he had returned, and had ensured that she wasn't left wandering and alone.

Strange, then, that she should find him here. She blinks at the sight of him. Lightning knows what Hope looks like grown up. She'd seen him from Valhalla, but it's strange to be mere feet away from one another.

Somehow, the fact that he's here doesn't surprise her. But it does make her suspicious—suspicious of these circumstances, suspicious of everything—but it's a faint thought in the back of her mind. He's grown up. And she knows more than anything that this isn't their rebirth, that rebirth doesn't quite go this way.

The fact that he's here, though—that can't be a coincidence, can it?

"It's me, Hope," she says carefully. And then she adds, "You're grown up again." But somehow, while it's not a question, there seems to be an inquisitive tone.

Hallucinations don't talk, do they? He's never had one (well, that he's aware of), so he doesn't know. Dreams do, though he knows he's not asleep because he hasn't slept in a while, and is not about to do so any time soon. So he has to conclude that this is in fact real.

Though now how he should go about this is beyond him. He's imagined a lot of reunions when he was younger, Lightning suddenly coming through the door while he and his father celebrate his birthday, just the two of them, followed by Vanille and Fang, and then Sazh and Dajh and Snow and Serah and then his mother, and suddenly the birthday is less lonely because the entire family is there. But that's a wish, and this is reality.

"It's you, and you're here," he affirms, putting his hands on his hips just so he resists the urge to fidget. "Which means they brought you here, and... Are you living here too?"

What are the odds? Not long after he arrives, he comes across her. He's not sure if she's just arrived, or she's been here longer than he has, but... This cant be a coincidence, and Hope doesn't believe in those. It's not in his nature to take things for granted.

But when all of her words finally sink in, he has to wonder at her choice, and has to stand up straight, to look at her properly, because this is a mystery he needs to unravel. "What do you mean 'again?"

There are a number of obvious solutions to his question, but more than anything, Lightning is used to disparities in time. Her travels over Nova Chrysalis only made that even clearer, people who lost track of loved ones because of the chaos slipping in and swallowing people up, and the conceptualization of time being confusing. And then, of course, there is that time when she spoke to Serah, despite coming from a point in the future, a point where she worried that she could change little.

His words confuse her, because she's not certain what the cause is for the question. Did he forget everything with Bhunivelze because it was never truly him? But she's certain it was, at least to some degree; Lumina had been right: the only fake all along had been Serah. But perhaps there's something she missed, something she couldn't understand. She had missed what should have been the obvious with Lumina, hadn't she? Lightning herself had forgotten something important.

Lightning huffs and looks away. "Bhunivelze. Not the world you created but god himself. You don't remember being his eyes and ears? You were younger again." It's a factor that Lightning and Hope had never figured out, not entirely. But he was younger, and it was something she had come to accept. And honestly, it hadn't been too difficult, either: accepting that he wasn't real to some degree had made her brush off certain remarks.

And his lack of empathy, thought, or care. Their feelings had been expunged, but when she looks at him now, she knows that isn't the same, even if he's reserved. Older.

"Wait, Bhunivelze is real?"

The name he's planning on giving to his new Cocoon is just... something. Something he'd taken out of the really, really old legends, the ones not about Etro but something more. He thinks it's an appropriate name for a new world, but to hear that this god is a real thing... it's downright shocking, and it probably shows.

He mentally berates himself, because he of all people should know better than to think that legends are just stories to tell the children at night.

But how can Lightning know about the project? It hasn't even been finished yet. He'd gone to sleep fully expecting to wake up in 500AF, but instead he'd ended up here, and the project is... the project's permanently on hold.

"Light, how do you know about the New Cocoon project?" Should he be asking that? The whole of Gran Pulse knows about it, he's fairly sure. But does she know about it, wherever she's been these past several years?

So much weight is placed on the Bhunivelze reveal that Lightning doesn't know what to say. Her kneejerk response is very straight-forward, because after Etro, after everything with the fal'Cie, her approach is a pessimistic one. Sure, god had built a new world, but he hadn't understood anyone; he hadn't cared to, because people were just meant to be pawns.

The same thoughts and feelings had been there from the very start. Why Lightning took down Bhunivelze was the same reason why they had taken down Orphan. (Of course, she hadn't done the former alone, but much of that was her own power.)

So she goes with the less complicated answer, even if she knows Hope will wonder. "Unfortunately, he's real all right." It's a statement that's even more complicated after what he did to Hope. She gives a roll of her eyes and crosses her arms. "God had big plans for us, and enacted some of them. Turns out he isn't any different from the fal'Cie we met before."

Lightning pauses, thinking how to approach the rest. That means Hope comes before she came to him in his sleep, telling him that he was doing the right thing. And it had, at the time, been the right thing. But if he doesn't remember now, what does that say? Some part of her wonders if they can change it. Though Lightning herself could never feel those souls crying out personally the way Vanille would, preventing it would be some help ... even if she wonders if all things are an inevitability. Caius is and will always be a factor, after all.

"I come from a lot of years after that, Hope." That's a simple enough answer. It's not that she's even being evasive. Some part of her feels pressured to be different in that arena. It's complicated, and the last thing she wants is Hope to know how he was used again. How his efforts went to waste because of her mistakes. The idea of telling him that right after their reunion is like a heavy weight on her heart, because she knows he tried to protect and save humanity with his efforts.

(She remembers now her words to Noel. If she had her emotions, her ability to react to guilt, she'd be crushed under the weight of it. She certainly feels that way right now.)

Edited 2014-02-26 06:08 (UTC)

He shouldn't be surprised, he tells himself as he brings up a hand to press two fingers to the bridge of his nose.

There's a time discrepancy between them and he shouldn't be surprised. Why should he? Serah and Noel had been traveling throughout time, so of course there had been some things they worked out every time they met.

But he's still staggering under the weight of being somewhere else and so far away from home, and seeing one of the most important people in his life again, and his mind can only process so much. His natural instinct is to want more information, to question until he has all possible answers and he knows as much as he can without actually being there, but...

There's a lot to take in right now. So he quiets down, carefully filing information away neatly, like he's always done. Compartmentalizing. Searching for the most beneficial topic to go on right now, based on what they've said to each other so far.

"He's real, and you've met him, far into the future. And he somehow turned me into a child again, for the sake of these plans of his." He cringes at that statement, because while there had been some good moments, being a younger him again? That's horrible, and he'd been such a terrible brat back then. "There are more problems in the future, then."

This reunion is definitely shaping to be completely unlike every single one of his day dreams, that is for sure.

"They've been dealt with." As everyone tells her, she's never been very good at mincing her words, and she doesn't bother now. The fact that Hope might worry about the future tears at her a little; Lightning knows he's sharp enough to put it together. If Bhunivelze stepped in, it can only mean bad things. Now that they're here, the last thing Lightning wants is for Hope to worry about that.

No matter how conscious Lightning is of her tendency to lock away her feelings, she can't help but do the same now. She doesn't want him to worry. It's a simple desire, but it's a very strong, very real one. If they can change the future here, then they'll have to talk about it.

But not now. Not if he's from a time when he hadn't seen her for all those years.

"Either way," she presses on, knowing full well that Hope will catch on to her evasion. Lightning has always been more transparent than she'd like, though she's always counted on Serah being the only one to see through that. Some part of her realizes that isn't the truth. Didn't Fang? Didn't Hope? Didn't all of them? "We're here now. What happens then doesn't matter here."

She's hiding something from him. A lot of things, actually, because there's so much about that particular future that she definitely knows. Is it something about him? She did let slip that he's become a child again for whatever reason, and it's probably not good, because he imagines he's more useful as he is now, with all that he knows-- which tells him that Bhunivelze's probably not interested in what he knows or what he can do. He knows her, even if it's been over ten years for him, and who knows how long for her. He should probably ask her that, actually. Maybe later.

But in deference to her, he'll go along with her abrupt change in topic. He's letting the matter go (for now, because he's not going to let this go, not completely, because he needs her to fill in the blanks that he cant figure out for himself) and focusing on the here and now. Because she's right-- they're here now, no matter the situation, and even if the rest of his family isn't here, Light's here and it's a start.

"... Yeah." Questions can come later. He has a reunion. "It's just-- It's been thirteen years, Light. I spent two of these years thinking you were dead, and the rest looking for a way to bring you back, along with everyone else."

Meaning, he has absolutely no idea what to do. Should he hug her? He wants to, just to make sure she's really there. Is that awkward? What can he do that's not awkward?

Thirteen years. It's been much longer for her, even if she remained in stasis; she hadn't even dreamed during all that time, awakening with the feeling that some part of her had been ripped away, and nothing more. Lightning reflects on that briefly, and she knows that the years have changed her. The guilt has changed her, swallowing her up and making her into someone else.

But at the same time, she's more comfortable with social normalcy and behavior, and the understanding of what it is, exactly, that she should do in these situations. Lightning has and will always be a touch awkward, but her goal as the Savior was to reach out and help people find what they wanted, and to understand that. Some part of her ability to do it was a gift from Bhunivelze himself, and some of it very much wasn't. She claimed she couldn't see people's hearts anymore, but she could act on memories and intuition.

The two combine here now, and Lightning realizes, making a soft "oh" sound before she strides over, wrapping her arms around him in an awkward stance. And of course it's awkward, but it's right: it's a reunion for him, and in a way, her as well. This is a Hope that's untainted by god's acts, by what he chose to do to him. But Hope is always Hope, isn't he? In his farewells, in what he tries to do to ensure she isn't alone.

He's Hope.

Lightning doesn't let the hug linger, drawing back in just a few seconds to place her hands firmly on his shoulders, to squeeze them, and then draw back the rest of the way with a faint smile. There are no words, not yet, but she figures he'll have something to say.

The hug comes as a surprise. He's used to people grabbing him for something, pulling him along because they need him and he does shake them off when he can, but a hug? something that affectionate? It's been a while since he's last had one of those.

Since his father, in fact.

But he returns the hug anyway, even if he's not at all sure where to put his arms. Instead he clings, holding on to her as much as he can. He's missed this. It's been too long, and he's missed this. He probably made a small lie by saying it's been only thirteen years, but he's been asleep for centuries, and he doesn't count those years as part of him. To him, it's been thirteen years, but they're long enough to be a lifetime.

(And secretly, he's glad that he hadn't been awake for those three hundred-some years, otherwise it would have been agony.)

Though he's fairly sure he's made an embarrassing noise in his throat when she draws away, unless of course he's just thinking he did so. But if he did, hopefully Lightning wont notice? Or reference it. Because the contact's too short because it's been too long. It's still embarrassing though, and he feels like a silly little child again just because he hasn't had simple gestures of affection for a long time.

So to save face, he opens a new discussion. "When did you get here?"

She notices it, but doesn't remark on it—then again, she notices more of Hope's quirks these days, if only because the circumstances are different. It isn't a rush of time to protect the world, and it isn't her time in Valhalla where she tried to protect everyone from a distance. Hope, or "fake" Hope, still had some semblance of being him, and those moments would slip through from time to time.

Even if she figures that Hope after Bhunivelze wouldn't seem to crave any kind of affection that way. Lightning's not even sure that he could.

Her body language tenses as she turns away slightly, looking upward at the ceiling. After everything, the oddest thing about this new world is how much it reminds her of aspects of Cocoon. The light fixtures, the architectural design ... it's similar enough to grab her attention. "Just today," she tells him. "I didn't see any point in waiting out coming here. What about you?"

He's surprised by her answer, because this is looking like something more than just coincidence.

"The same. I arrived hours ago. I haven't had the chance to get familiar with the city but..." What are the odds. "It's strange, isn't it? We arrive here, on the very same day, and give us the same rooms."

He doesn't want to ruin this, but it's all so suspicious, and his mind just refuses to stop working, not when there are so many questions and very little answers. He's a scientist, it's in his nature to question until he has everything.

Should he be worried about more from their home arriving? Fang, Vanille, Snow, Sazh and his son? Serah or Noel? He probably already is, but at the same time... he misses all of them, because it's been too long. He's been waiting for a reunion for years. If there's a place where they can all be together, it might just be here. It sounds terrible, stuck somewhere that's not home, but he'll damn well take it if it's his only chance to have everyone again.

"You saw the folder, right? All those details about us in one place. " All that information compiled about their home lives. Lightning knows it's no coincidence that they gave her a job with the military, but she counts herself lucky, too. A position like that could give her insight, and she knows she'll be in a position to reach out to others, as well. That much is important, and she understands it, especially after being the savior. Having to extend her hand to someone and ensure that things are okay is easy now.

"Before I came here, we worked together," she adds. That's the simple, less convoluted reason. "You were my eyes and ears while I completed my mission for Bhunivelze. Come to think of it, it makes sense that you're here now." The timeline differences don't, but she's working up to swallowing that down.

"I've read the folder, of course. It's just that I question several things about this world and our presence here, including how long it will be before the others arrive. Someone in the military must have been following our world closely to take such an interest in us."

When he latches onto a train of thought, he's holding onto it. It's something, a lead, and when he starts, he forgets about his past anxiety and the awkwardness of the situation in order to air his questions based on... well, everything.

She said he's a child again in her timeline-- but why? He can only think of one answer to that, and it's because they're more familiar to each other that way. She's always been the adult to her, the older one, his elder sister. Bhunivelze had plans-- Lightning's missions, obviously, and Hope thinks she probably wouldn't have done them unless there was some incentive, not after what the fal'Cie had put them all through. She says he's her "eyes and ears"-- like mission control. So he is (or was?) that incentive.

"... I admit, it does make sense for both of us to be here, as you've described." He goes back to his pacing, but this time he's thinking. "But why didn't they take me from your time as well? Because I'm likely not useful to anyone when I am small and can only serve to be a guide. They probably need my experience and work as well, even if I could be more useful to you if I came from your time, because we work together."

Though it brings him a bit of insecurity, because he has no idea how he'd measure up to the Hope of her time. Or maybe she's far too used to seeing him younger and seeing him like this is going to make things strange for her.

The thoughts that Hope provides are different from Lightning's own, and they also force her to think more deeply about the situation. It's good, in a way; Lightning has always been so straightforward in her logic that picking out those intricacies and questioning them hasn't always been her strong point. Hope was even good for that while she was running around. He'd helped solve a number of problems when she otherwise wouldn't have been able to accomplish very much.

Why was he older? Lightning figures that even if he was younger, he'd be easier to "swallow" this way, and while they don't know what that machine that plucked them in is capable of, it might be impossible to reverse the effects of Bhunivelze's power. But plucking him from a different point in time altogether—that does open up some possibilities.

If that machine is like a gate, then it makes sense.

But then there's the other aspect of it: the illusion of choice. They haven't offered any bargaining chips aside from their home and their jobs. There is no Serah, so Lightning wonders how much power they truly have—and how much they need the extra help. The lack of power might make it very apparent how much they were needed.

"You won't be as limited as you were before." It's her first thought, the first thing she decides upon. "You'll be able to help. Not just as my guide, but as a scientist. You can do that, right?" Though Lightning wonders how different this world is, and how much Hope will have to come to understand.

"As for me, I bet they just want someone obedient." Lightning does find herself coaxed on by Hope's thinking. "I'll play along. At least they aren't asking me to destroy a world." Not yet, anyway, but she thinks back to Fang's words—she really is better at killing gods than being some pawn. Lightning has her doubts in how long this arrangement will really last.

"You're anything but obedient," is his automatic reply. She's the one who decided to attack Eden out of revenge. She's the one who led them all the way to saving themselves and changing their fate. She was one of the loudest voices to rail against the fal'Cie when they were still branded. Lightning is not the type of person to ask how high when someone orders her to jump. And they should know that, since the file on her is bound to be extensive, if his own is anything to go by.

But then again, she told him just seconds ago that she'd been fulfilling missions for Bhunivelze himself, and he cant understand why-- unless something happened to her.

And the people here want to take advantage of that.

But what is 'that', exactly?

Hope knows Lightning is being evasive about what happened to her before being pulled here, so he doubts he can get an answer from her-- right now, anyway.

"But yes, they need me for my mind. They made me an engineer, and they're hoping I can do something for their energy-- which I can do, considering what I've done with the Academy." Like the New Cocoon Project, and maybe even the Proto Fal'Cie project. He just hopes they wont ask him to re-create the latter, considering how problematic it had been for Serah and Noel in that alternate future. "And I'm not about to let them use you the way the fal'Cie had used us."

Her lips quirk upward twice at what he says—first, the remark about her obedience, and second, the bit about how the fal'Cie had used them. Lightning has a feeling he'll put together how things with Bhunivelze truly ended even without her spelling it out. That much should be clear: Lightning can't help but go about things a similar way. And it was almost inevitable. Too inevitable, really, considering.

"I'm not planning on letting them use me either," she states easily. "But having insight on their operations won't be so bad. But the moment they get ahead of themselves, we pull the plug. Same as before." Thus far, though, Lightning hasn't heard anything about god or fal'Cie being in charge. What are the odds that this really falls into the hands of the people?

Then again, it's not as if people aren't capable of causing grave things to happen. Caius had changed, had been around for all those years, but he was still far from being on the same level as Etro and Bhunivelze. (He was, at any rate. Things change.)

"Which means we do what's expected of us."

He's wary of doing so, but Light does have a point-- it's the only way to know something about the new people holding their leashes. And Hope would rather not become a fugitive again. Running away as a l'Cie had been a mess, even if it had been some of the best days of his life in some ways. He expects running away in this situation is far more difficult, in any case, given that these people probably know what to expect. There's probably something about the brand-- tattoo as well.

"We'll register as their heroes and then... work for them." The word 'hero' leaves a strange taste in his mouth though-- it's usually a term reserved for Snow. Or at least Snow is the only one who uses that word. Using it is strange. Thinking of being one seems even stranger to him.

He thinks Snow would get a kick out of actually being recognized as one though.

The thought about Snow is one she has, too; the very idea of calling yourself a hero is ridiculous, but she knows it's their way of framing things. Words, titles, how it's presented to the public: it's all meaningless unless they give weight to it. That's why the public feared them as l'Cie. All those bedtime stories about the evil Pulse l'Cie helped everyone along when the l'Cie had actually existed. It made the public accept the possibility of shunting off an entire city to another world, just to keep everyone safe.

So if they want them to be heroes, fine. If that's how they want to do this, she'll take it. She's been a soldier, a l'Cie, a warrior and protector for Etro, and then a savior.

Would being a hero be any different.

"And see how it goes. Good thing Snow isn't here. If things hit the fan, he might not like leaving that title behind." He had changed throughout the years, that much had been clear, but he was still Snow. Lightning knows that some part of him would enjoy it, but she does expect that he'd look on it with some suspicions.

He did slow down a little because of all those years. That was a good thing—for him ... and for Serah.

Hope rolls his eyes-- yes, he's pretty sure Snow would object to dropping the title of 'hero' if push comes to shove and things get dangerous for them.

"I wont have a problem with literally dragging Snow along if we need to run." Size and strength differences be damned. Snow's never had the best sense of them, he remembers that, and he doubts much has changed.

Considering he'd gone to find Lightning, and then suddenly disappeared, leaving Serah alone with his gang? Hope thinks his sense has gotten even worse without more people to keep him in check. As formidable as Serah is, she's not enough to hold that man back from doing something incredibly stupid.

"I'll be sure to knock him out first. That way, the only thing dragging will be the toes of his feet because he never stopped growing." Because, in truth, part of Snow's annoying qualities is how loud, boisterous, and large. His size was especially apparent to him just as he started to change, leaving behind his original form to finally become a Cie'th.

Thankfully enough, all that went well enough that she can speak about Snow lightly, and even with a smile. In fact, it may be about the only time she hasn't been grim since first spotting Hope.

Still, some part of her is eager and glad to be able to speak of their friends (and her sister, especially her sister) as if they were on their way. This may not be their new world, but it's not bad for a test drive. And it's one way to prove something that they'd told Bhunivelze. Even if the gods try to remove them, to make their existences unimportant, they'll always win.

That's what they have to do.

"Actually, an unconscious person is more difficult to carry than one who's still awake due to their muscles being lax and in awkward positions, thus hindering someone to carry them around efficiently. Unless someone has an Eidolon around which them-- and I don't have Alexander with me."

He doesn't even realize that he's probably rambling about a topic that's only tangentially related to the current subject-- but then again in his mind, it all makes sense anyway. "It would be easier cover his mouth so he doesn't complain, and bind his arms to we can drag him along with us."

And Hope's never had a lot of physical strength, so making Snow walk is easier on his muscles. Fang could probably do carry him, but that's only if she gets here too.

She should, actually. It's been a while for him, but even he knows it's better to have a team of at least three people around. And of course, it's better if everyone comes.

"Well, technically." But what were the odds of actually getting Snow to agree to shut up long enough? She seems to be thinking that in a way. Lightning doesn't bother to point out that she's stronger now; after all, she has the same thought. Strong or not, she's never been as strong as Fang, and she's the only one out of their group who never had much difficulty throwing Snow around. Oh, Lightning had her moments of knocking him down, but that's entirely different.

There's a moment before she moves to sit down. This is her home, after all. This is where she'll be living for some time. That idea is still strange to her, like some bizarre realization that she has to adjust to.

A home. A bed. A kitchen. It's been so long since she had that. Brief stints here and there don't count.

"Wouldn't mind the rest of our family showing up." Which is an understatement, she knows, but she wants to vocalize it.

Hope smiles, but it's not quite a pretty one. It's a small sad one that's probably telling of years and years of not having that family around, looking over his shoulder and waiting for them to be there. Finding out that they're still gone and he's still here. Knowing that Serah was adventuring somewhere, and he was stuck unable to follow her because of his duties and inability to actually use the Time Gates.

"Neither would I. It would be good to see everyone again."

Which is the biggest understatement ever-- he's aware of it, but he doesn't care. He doesn't know how to vocalize how good it would be. He's suppressed far too much.

"Heropa wouldn't be home, but... I doubt it matters when we're all here."

"There's no saying it's not meant to be." Lightning knows that they hadn't all left yet, that their souls still remained on the old world, but it's still almost too coincidental. A new world, a new direction—but it's almost too unclear. Besides, she's still not certain about the qualifications of rebirth.

The fact that so many people here

"It wouldn't be the first time we took something in stride." So much of what they faced before proved as much. The fact of settling down somewhere and accepting it as a good thing—well, it'd be strange, but they could make the best of it.

And if there's some force in the wake to stir things up and make them worse? Lightning would be prepared to keep that from ruining what they could have.

Hope hums in agreement-- he knows very well how to take a new world in stride and adapt, in order to survive. He did it back during the first few days after the Fall, picking up the pieces of a life turned upside down. Then again, after leaving Palumpolum and Cocoon for good to start living and working on Gran Pulse for good. And yet again in Academia, when the world had changed over the centuries while he slept in a chamber.

And of course, he did it in Gran Pulse, when he arrived there for the very first time.

Though now there's a roof above his head, available food, a bed to sleep in, and possible government support. In some ways, this might be easier, and more difficult in others.

"We're not alone, at the very least. We can pull the other up if one of us falls down. We're partners again, right?" Like what they did way back then, when it was just both of them making their way through piles of trash and then a forest that was more steel and stone than wood.

At those last words, Lightning offers a quick, if somewhat stiff nod, and says, "Right." While that specific statement is usually accompanied by uncertainty, it isn't now. Her assertion is completely genuine, and she does feel confident. In light of everything, Lightning has to accept that she is competent at some things. She is not just rushing ahead because she knows nothing else, because it makes the most sense to just keep going.

Her recent encounters with Lumina have forced her to examine herself. Everything that she said was a part of herself speaking to her, after all. It can do a number on a person. It can make her realize who she happens to be.

Lightning has a feeling it's going to inevitably alter how she approaches this world, but ... at least she's not alone. Hope is there. He's really there.

"Anything you need, Hope—just ask. I'll be ready for it." Everything, really, but it's implied.

That's a loaded statement, a dangerous one even, allowing Hope free reign with what he wants to ask her. He knows it, because he knows he wont stop questioning until he has all the little details, and they're wrung out mentally and emotionally from all the words and revelations. In fact, he wants to take advantage right now and ask her about the future.

"I want to know it all." What she's not telling him, what exactly he's done (does? will do?) in the future. What God really wants from them, why they were chosen specifically. If turning him into a child is a means for God to control her. "... But not right now."

Hope clasps his hands in front of him, staring Lightning right into the eye. "I'll ask you about the future, but not now. Right now, I just want to... savor this moment."

At those last words, she reaches out and squeezes his shoulder, letting go just a moment later. The future will be an ugly tale to tell, and she knows that a great deal of it won't be easy for Hope to swallow. Lightning also knows that it might haunt him, even knowing that they managed to somehow make things okay in the end. She wonders if that will be enough for him.

But she can prevent that, too. Or try to—it's the best she can manage right now. There's no wishes here to grant except her own, and she wants Hope to be happy.

"When you're ready, you've gotta promise me you won't blame yourself for anything." It's an ironic statement if anything. Lightning is more than willing to blame herself, and she can almost hear Lumina mocking her for it. But she pushes on all the same. "What's done was done, and it won't be easy to hear. But just remember this request."

Her words only confirms that something unexpected and terrible happened (happens? will happen?) in the timeline she had come from, and Hope somehow had something to do with it. Maybe somewhere down the line he had made a horrible mistake that cost too much, and she needed to fix it for him.

It's the only thing that makes sense, given Lightning's choice in words.

Lightning probably wont sugarcoat it just to keep the truth from him, because she's already given him her word, and she keeps her promises, even if she wavers just a little bit. He can trust her to tell him, but even so, he'll still probably blame himself for it, especially if it's something so big, something that had made her look at him with such a wary expression when they started talking.

"I'll try." That's what he allows himself to say. No guarantees, but not an outright 'no'.

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