Forget Goodbye

 

Disclaimer: I don't own FFXIII and the characters in the story aren't mine. They belong to their respected owners, I do however take ownership over the plot of this story but not on the plot of the original story in the FFXIII game nor the Fabula Nova Crystallis lore. Thanks... :)

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Forget Goodbye

Snow x Hope

Chapter 6: Fight or Flight

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Snow, Light, Vanille, and Fang had been reunited but it wasn't a happy one. It hadn't even been one second after they met each other again that they noticed Hope was keeping up what was left of Cocoon. With Vanille and Fang's crystallization gone, Hope, or rather, Ragnarok was the only reason they were all still standing and not crushed underneath the giant paradise. Hope was holding up the remains of cocoon by what looked like a swirling mass of energy. At that, they turned to Kirin for answers. Everything that happened finally gave Light the answer that she needed about him. Seeing him handle Ragnarok only proved to her that he was a Fal'cie, nothing else could handle that amount of sheer force. Kirin then went on to explain how it was that he came about to ask Hope's help and how he could freely change his body. Even with the facts surfacing, nothing gave them any assurance that Hope would be fine. They were all worried that if his strength runs out, everything underneath the gigantic structure will perish.

By now, it was getting more and more obvious that the tremendous amount of energy needed to hold up cocoon was taking a toll on Hope's body. The smallest of flickers between a steady stream of energy clued them that the breaking point was near. Snow felt hopeless as he watched Hope take on the world alone. This had him thinking. Hadn't he always assumed the role of a hero? Hadn't he always told Hope that he would protect him? Why was he so weak now? If only he was stronger.

Those thoughts swirled around his head, but it was Kirin who had a plan. He started gathering energy at the palm of his hands. Each hand glowed angry red. It almost looked as if molten lava was being compacted onto the palm of his hand.

"Hope! If you can hear me, hold on just a little longer! I have a plan!" shouted Kirin at the top of his lungs. It might have been the faintest of voices as it reached Hope, but it was enough of encouragement to renew his waning strength.

It could have been a couple of hours later or merely just minutes, but to everyone there every second felt like forever. Kirin's preparation for his attack was taking quite a bit of time as the energy he needed would exceed anything he has ever used before. Hope on the other hand was growing tired as the minutes dragged on. Until finally the last of his strength left him and he fell. His body was too exhausted that his ragnarok form dissipated as his body fell from the sky. At that moment, Cocoon started to fall with increasing momentum and it was only thanks to Fang and Light that Hope wasn't crushed when he fell. It was only by mere split second later that Kirin let loose his gathered energy and fired it straight to the ruins of Cocoon.

The impact was so strong that it completely engulfed the artificial satellite and reduced it to ashes. And just like Hope, Kirin's strength was completely sapped which caused him to pass out. The least the others could do was take care of their wounded. They set up camp and guarded the two from the wild life, which wasn't necessary due to the fact that the surrounding wild life dared not to come around due to fear from the awesome display of powers that Kirin and Hope's ragnarok unleashed.

As the next morning rolled in, Hope awoke to the beginnings of a sunrise. It was Snow that stood guard as the rest of the party slumbered.

"Good morning," said Hope as he sauntered up to the silent man. The only hint of acknowledgement that Hope got was the slight nod and small smile that played across Snow's handsome features. It was almost heartbreaking that the smile could seem so happy and sad at the same time.

"Sorry," said snow almost like a whisper that it was almost entirely missed.

"What for?" asked Hope who was entirely confused at the direction the conversation was going.

"I couldn't help you." It wasn't just Snow's ego that was crushed by his lack of power, but he was also truly remorseful that he wasn't able to protect anyone like he promised. Hope, on the other hand, knew exactly what Snow was saying. As to what happened next, Hope himself couldn't explain it. As Snow looked away to face the rising sun, Hope draped his body onto Snow's back and ended it with a tender hug.

It took Snow by surprise. He felt flustered and almost out of breath by the crushing force of overwhelming desire that he felt. He was distracted by the small even breathing that hit the back of his neck. It took all he had not to move lest he ruined the mood.

"I'm sorry for this. Just think of it as my selfishness," whispered Hope as he started to let go. It surprised both of them that Snow's body seemed to act on its own as Snow twirled around and pulled Hope's face down to his only to give him a crushing kiss. Heat spread across Hope's face as the action finally dawned on him. He was kissing an engaged man. Not only that but it was Snow. The man engaged to be married to Serah.

Hope broke off the kiss with a slightly horrified expression. He was feeling guilty and disoriented. He was completely out of his element. In his sudden panic, his eidolon was summoned. The head knight grabbed Hope and switched to gestalt mode as it sped away in its tank form.

The commotion woke the rest of the party, but it was Light's blazing eyes that caught everyone's attention. She walked up to Snow and slapped him right across the face.

"Why can't you think for once?" shouted Lightning. It became obvious to Snow that Light must have seen what transpired between the two and what caused the ruckus just moment ago. "Fix this." Lightning was beside herself in the matter. She didn't know whether to let them be or let them work it out, but if Hope's L'cie mark got any worse then the end product wouldn't have meant much after all.

Snow ran after the eidolon without another word. Fang and Vanille were confused but dared not to ask. With Snow and Hope gone and with the heavy atmosphere lifted, Fang and Vanille went to check on Kirin who, in the middle of everything, had not yet woken.

Hope was taken out towards Yaschas Massif by his eidolon. The eidolon must have sensed that he needed to flee and since he was unable to do himself, the eidolon acted on its own. It's not that he wasn't grateful but his mind kept replaying the image in his mind over and over again.

He wanted to blush, to cry, to scream for joy but everything was jumbled up that he couldn't discern which one he really wanted to do. So he did it all, he started laughing like a madman as a soft red colored blush was painted across his face from the tip of his ears and even down to the neck. Without truly meaning to cry, tears were starting to fall down his cheeks. He didn't bother to wipe them as they just seemed to run down like a small steady stream.

"What do I do now?" asked Hope to the eidolon who stood by his side. It wasn't as if he was ungrateful to his eidolon but he sorely missed Alexander. The first eidolon who came to him at his time of doubt and need.

"I am always at your side."

Hope was taken back. He just heard Alexander's voice. He was sure of it. It wasn't uncommon for the eidolon to speak through the minds of their summoners when a bond was established, but he didn't think that he could talk to an eidolon that wasn't in the physical world.

"Where are you?" asked Hope, secretly wishing for the other to appear once more. The answer came in the form of his current eidolon. The tank like gestalt form started to undo and once the 13 knights were assembled, they knelt down and bowed their heads.

"Are you really Alexander?" asked Hope once more anticipating the answer.

"Yes, I have shed the form of the rook, a mere vessel of protection, and assumed the role of a knight, a cradle for justice."

"Is it even possible for eidolons to change?"

"We are a reflection of our charge, we change as our summoners do. You are no longer the child I was to defend, you are now a young man that longs to protect therefore I am made."

Though the explanation may be simple, it was enough to grasp the concept. However, it served to give him the answers he needed.

"Thank you." Hope was feeling better now, but still did not have the desire to stir from his spot. He laid down the soft patch of grass. He could remember the time when he was talking to Vanille in this very same spot about having made a promise to see Gran Pulse. The conversation might have made sense to Vanille, but he was secretly talking about something else entirely. When he had told Vanille that sometimes you have to lie to protect someone else so they don't get hurt, he was really talking about himself. He had to lie about his budding feelings for Snow to protect Serah and himself from getting hurt.

Now things are bound to unravel, and with his limited time he doesn't know if he has the courage to travel alongside someone who can mess with his emotions simply by looking at him. With the eidolon's time at its end, it started disappearing in front of his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Hope whirled around only to find the pained look on Snow's face. He was powerless against that look. He had once been set to kill the man in front of him as revenge for the death of his mother, and now he couldn't even hate the man who stands in front of him. "It's you."

"What do you feel for me?" asked Snow.

"Why does that even matter?" Hope was up on his feet in no time. Though the fast movement caused his vision to slightly blur, he stood his ground.

"Because it does to me, dammit!" anger was laced in Snow's voice, but there was something else there. Hoping, perhaps?

"I-" Hope couldn't look Snow in the eye as he continued, "I love you."

"Since when?" Snow was taken aback by the sudden confession, but he had to know.

"I don't know. Just leave please." Hope no longer felt like giving him more than a clipped confession. Just having said it out loud was enough for Hope. Never had he imagined that he'd even make it this far. With his back turned, he hoped for Snow to just walk away.

"I think I love you too." Snow was as sincere as he could. He could only count on his words to get the message across.

"We can't," said Hope.

"Why not?" asked Snow.

"You have Serah."

"I don't want to marry Serah if there was any doubt. She'll understand."

"What about me? Am I just something you try on, and if you figure out you hate the idea then you throw me out?" Hope was pained. He didn't know how to handle this. He was torn between betraying Serah and just giving in.

"That's not-" started Snow but was cut off.

"You're selfish."

"You knew that." Snow was beside himself, silently wishing for Hope to understand his side. It was heartbreaking yet eye-opening at the same time.

"I can't, I'm selfish too. If I can't have all of you then I'd rather give you up." Standing up to Snow this way was exactly what he needed. He had been able to get out all that he was hiding, and it suddenly dawned on him what he needed to do.

"So you're just going to leave?" asked Snow.

"You and I know it won't be long before I turn into a Cie'th or if I crystallize after I finish my focus." Hope started, "Plus with my L'Cie mark showing the red eye, I'm in the final stages. It must have happened when I used ragnarok's powers."

"Why do you have to leave?"

"This is my goodbye. I hope you and Serah live happily." Hope tried to smile, but his eyes told a different story.

"What will you do? Where will you go?" asked Snow. He was seriously concerned, but he didn't know how to stop Hope from leaving. He couldn't very well just throw out his vows to Serah just because he had stirring feelings for Hope. The fact that he even had one should have disgusted him, but the thought never even crossed his mind,

"He's coming with me." From out of nowhere, what looked to be like Kirin burst forth. It had both the human and Fal'cie traits visible. He was humanoid in looks, but his eyes were that of a cat, his cat-like ears protruded from the top of his head, and he had a tail coming out of his backside that split in two towards the end. His skin was also that of a human except for the cat-like parts which were covered in midnight black fur.

"Wha-" before Snow could ask what happened, a sharp icicle that was thrown formed from the tip of Kirin's fingertips and pierced Snow's left arm with such force that he was toppled a couple of feet away. Hope, through all this, merely stood in silence without moving an inch. Snow called out to Hope, but one look at Hope's face and he knew the silver haried young man was no longer in control. Hope's eyes were glazed over, and his facial expression left nothing discernible. There was no trace that the young man in front of him could have been the emotional young man they all knew.

"Stop this Buniberzei!" shouted Lightning as she approached followed by Fang and Vanille.

"You have no right to call me that human! You are a product of my failure! Tell Etro I have found my answer. All humans must perish!" Hope and the now revealed Buniberzei disappeared behind a swirling dark energy.

"Don't leave… I promised to protect you…"

With blood gushing out from his arm, Snow succumbed to the darkness. He fell unconscious in mere moments with the thoughts of Hope swirling in his head. Not even Light's shouts, Vanille's cries, and Fang's frustrated howl could pierce the darkness' iron curtains. Only death awaits.

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N: Wow, this was such a long time coming. I have been having a hard time trying to get what I want to say down with words I pretty much changed the plot at the last minute so now my original manuscript is useless... *sigh* I will be a better writer! *roar!* hehe :) Well, I hope to read what you think about this chapter! Leave me a review please! :) Thanks!