The Low- Hanging Moon ( Lightning/Snow/Serah )

[Serah Farron]

The look in her sister’s eyes showed she was worried and Serah nodded with a small smile to reassure her. "I am fine…. Thank you…. That’s what I wanted to say."

She paused to gather her words. "You always stood by me ever since our parents died you held my hand and protected me….. I was afraid if I told you the truth I would lose the only sister I had."

She feared her sisters reaction when she was a I’Cie what would she do she wanted to tell her in the past but kept that a secret. In the end with Snow’s help she found the courage to show her sister her I’Cie mark and just like she always did Lightning stood by her side protecting her with her life.

At first she feared her mark but now Serah knew she would find a way out of this somehow…. with Lightning and Snow by her side she knew she would make it through this.

[Snow Villiers]

Snow Villiers

Snow was still a little perplexed that with such odd circumstances, he had bumped into a man looking for his future sister in law. What were the chances of that with someone that wasn’t hunting her….them…? very slim, no wonder he had felt the need to talk to the man instead of just disappearing and probably never seeing him again. What had prompted him to speak about the man’s clothing? He was sure it was more then just chance. He began to wonder what he was doing looking for lightning. Though they didn’t see exactly eye to eye, Snow would never wish to bring harm upon her. Not just because she was Serah’s sister, but because…well…since they were all members of the I’Cie, they were in this together, whether they liked it or not.

He sighed, “Well, if she only goes by Lightning…were thinking of the same woman!” Readjusting his hat, he rotated his shoulders to get the kinks out of them. He could tell that now this Noctis had some surprise and probably curiosity at his reaction. He had pulled out of that now, but he was still surprised that this Noctis was looking for Lightning for some reason other then to try to destroy her. “Yes…many dealings…” He looked away down the street, before glancing at Noctis once again. Should he tell him anything else? He seemed to be alright, not a threat to them as members of the I’Cie, but one couldn’t really tell.

“To most confronting her is seldom…but not for me...” Rubbing his forehead, he remembered how many times he had to deal with Lightning being furious at him. “I am tied into her life whether we like it or not…” He didn’t know if he should tell the man that he was engaged to Lightning’s sister. He didn’t want anyone to harm Serah, and if this stranger did indeed wish them harm, he didn’t want to say her name and get her pinpointed as a target. “At this particular moment, no I do not know exactly where she is, Lightning isn’t one to let someone keeps tabs on her…” Shrugging he nodded, “I saw her simply about a day ago…is that recent enough?”

He did have contact with her a lot more then she would probably like. Snow mainly spoke with Serah, but he did see Lightning, for all she disliked him. It wasn’t his fault she hated him, yet it was. He didn’t wish to have the relationship they did, for he loved Serah. The looks Lightning gave him sometimes could make you die instantly. “However, I am probably going to be meeting up with her soon…where do you know Lightning from?”

[Lightning]

Lightning rarely smiled or even talked unless she had something important to say but sometimes she even surprised Serah who though she knew her so well. Her actions were even a mystery to her sister, but aside from Serah, no one really knew her. Lightning never really never really gave anyone the chance to come close.

With her sister though it was different she smiled around her and talked more, but apparently her sister didn't know her that well or she didn't know her... Serah feared to tell her of becoming a I’Cie. Could it be that she though Lightning would choose her job as a soldier of Cocoon over her sister?

‘My job as a soldier is something I did for living my real job is to protect my sister Serah. I am the only one who can right now. I don’t care if the whole world is against us I’Cie. I will save Serah and Cocoon... I will do that for her.’ Lightning thought.

She cared a lot about her sister and wanted her to be happy. She discarded her name and her past life to take on a new one ‘Lightning.' Growing up too fast she changed dramatically over the few years. Her real name was no longer her... that now belonged to another girl a weak one in Lightning’s eyes who could not take the responsibility of protecting Serah.

"Thank me….?" She asked with a faint smiled walking to place her hand on her s sister’s shoulder. "Now why do you think you need to thank me for doing my job?" Lightning asked. Seeing the regret in her sister’s eyes was enough to show that she cared. No more words needed to be said.

The wind blew in their direction and Lightning turned to scan their surroundings two figures appeared in the distance but too far of to tell who they were. Could they be PSICOM? 'Possibly…' She though reaching for her weapon and held the handheld of Blaze Edge welding it slowly as she pulled it out of its hostler. "Stay behind me" She advised her sister turning to Serah for a brief second preparing herself for a surprise attack.

Lightning charged when they it was least expected ready to attack with her gunblade in hand though stopped a few feet away once their faces came into view. "Noctis…" The last person she expected to run into in Cocoon. A small smile appeared as she looked at the stranger she came close to calling a friend. "I see we meet again... though I didn’t think I would run into you here of all places."

She let out a sigh turning to the other standing there Snow. The one person she wished never to meet again. Lightning didn’t really know him or ever gave him a chance, every little thing he did seemed to irritate her and soon she wanted nothing more to do with him for her and her sister. If alone she wouldn’t let the opportunity to attack him for a warning slide but Serah was there.The alternative was to turned and stare with a frown showing her disaproval and reminding Snow of her warning to stay away from her sister.

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Snow Villiers was a familiar to her... Had he been right about what ends he'd opened to lead him to a couple of conclusions on their relationship, he wouldn't have the same expression he did now.

Before a puff of smoke had dispersed from his eyes, he had been fogged with wonder whether Snow was either family to Lightning or even her beau. This man, he had not imagined to be any less powerful than her, through what he could judge could potentially have won her over like Noctis wanted to.
He had tried hard in his alone time, waiting on a way to open up some things and discover how to be friends but they were alike so why would he force that; ienforcement was also going to be light years out of reach too. Snow seemed to know precisely Lightning's personality or at least what he himself had presumed to understand and a day ago was more recent than he could think anyone not one of those two things he'd decided Snow could be, should be allowed to be in her company for. After all, she was a master of vanishing magic to him...

These thoughts somewhat made him cold, but at the same time they were excuses he'd formed in his head to tell him why he was failing to get in touch with her. She was preoccupied and what would confirm it would be the first line she would speak to him if he found her again...

"... in my world..." His world alright, she'd gone there and almost stayed, just in his mind; it was so weak of him... but everytime he thought of it and then told his mindset off, he was upset and could only focus on the crystal clear responsibilities that lay in wait for him. The sentence was barely audible as he'd murmured it to reply Snow and gazed out at what was so show stopping.

Low and behold, she greeted him with the same smile she had when she left, and only repeated those courteous times they exchanged when he'd shown her his crystal. It blew away his speech until he saw that her initial friendly approach had faltered upon seeing Snow. At that, Noctis was puzzled with his wrong ideas, thinking he was ever rarely wrong... even less likely to have expected her to find them. It was like a heaven sent message that he didn't have to worry about entering the heart of Cocoon nor owe this acquaintance assistance; confirmation that his earlier doubts were all just stressfully foolish.
He waited to explore the interaction between the woman and the man, then studied the other figure behind her, noticing she had to be her sister from just appearance alone. Having been told about her, he was almost glad for some thing and though he had been correct with what he feared Lightning would say to him the first time they revisited eachother, he was no longer dismayed. Noctis was merely oblivious to the pricelessness of a smile on her face.

The expression he had now continued but the corners of his lips curled in a boyishly innocent smile that reciprocated hers; it expressed amusement for the dumbfounding he had found Snow to be in when he mentioned her, and that he finally had found voice again.
"I'd said I'd someday know your world as you found mine... and I see that it is not yet destroyed..." Not yet destroyed was a far cry from what he meant, she had been torn between destroying a home that hated her or saving it and he tried to convince her not to throw what hopes her sister gave to her away... only because he shared the same tormented indecision until awhile back.

Hinting that she had found her sister in the end, he was smug with how correct he was and laughed at his wrongs from just now, inwardly, as he took a step towards her, forgetting Snow's reaction would not be one he'd like to miss, seeing that she'd pulled her gunblade out again; Nostalgia drowning him.
"With all due respect, I came here in the hopes to run into you... it is a big world, your home and made it no easier than I'd expected from how you are... to find you. Much less, have expected to be fortunate enough to meet Snow here... whom I would've have owed sincere help to if you'd not arrived so soon. I see you have been well..."

[Serah Farron]

Serah should have known that would be her sister’s reply. She knew Lightning always did everything she could to protect Serah she gave up everything for her in the past. Serah asked to let her in but Lightning refused saying that it was her job as her guardian. She even gave up her name and never cried in front of her even when she wanted.

"You should let me help you sometimes Lightning I am your sister it’s also my job to help you…." Serah stopped and glanced into the distance at the two figures and tried to guess who they were as she followed behind Lightning.

Once she got closer to get a clear view her face light up with happiness as she spotted Snow standing in front of her. She smiled waving at him before walking closer. Serah glanced to look at her sister hoping she wouldn’t do anything….. Lightning knew how she felt about Snow and she hoped that someday Lightning would accept him.

Serah glanced at the one next to Snow. Noctis she heard his name from her sister did she know him? They seemed more than acquaintances like friends. Serah wondered what he did to gain her sisters trust knowing that wasn’t an easy job she was still trying to get her to trust and accept Snow….. She smiled turning to introduce herself "hello…. I am Serah Lightning’s sister."

[Snow Villiers]

Snow Villiers

Snow didn’t speak for awhile as Noctis seemed confused and deep in thought. He wondered what the man could be thinking about. He knew Lightning, or else he wouldn’t have asked about her, yet how did he know her? Lightning could take care of herself, that he knew, but he also knew she didn’t trust all that easily…or rather…at all! She didn’t trust him, that was for certain. He often wondered why she hated him so much, she claimed it was because he couldn’t take care of Serah, but that’s what he lived to do. He would never let anything bad come upon Serah if he could help it! No matter how many times he told that to Lightning however, she wouldn’t listen to him. She thought he would run at the first sign of trouble, but he hadn’t ever done that…and never would.

Snow nodded, yet he wondered what this Noctis’ world was like. Was it like Cocoon? Or more like Pulse? Shrugging, he suddenly felt a presence of people by the look on Noctis’ face. It was an odd look, one Snow didn’t know what to think of. Turning, his own eyes lit up when his gaze was drawn to Serah! She looked beautiful as always, and she was what captured his eyes. She gave him a beautiful smile, her eyes lit up with happiness. He loved her so much, which was why he had asked her to marry him. She had said yes, but she had been apprehensive about them being together. With all that had happened, she had said they couldn’t be together, with the I’Cie being a curse. He said he would find a way, and he would!!

He hated the way she always had to glance at Lightning, hoping things would be alright between them. He had never wanted to fight with Lightning. Her being Serah’s sister complicated things, since she hated him for some reason. She hadn’t every really given him a chance, some day he wished she would. He didn’t care about her opinion except for Serah’s sake. For Serah, he was trying to patch up the relationship between himself and Lightning, but things weren’t going so well. That was known by the look she gave him. She had told him to stay away, but he loved Serah to much to obey that order…

Nodding politely as he tried to be to Lightning with Serah around, he spoke just her name. “Lightning…” He hoped that this Noctis could distract her enough so that she wouldn’t become hostile, he hated to fight with her. Once again, only because of Serah. He knew Lightning was and should be extremely protective, but going to the point of hatred…she made him wonder.

Another thing he had always wondered about was how Lightning and Serah could be sisters and be such complete opposites. While Serah was sweet and caring, Lightning was cold and distant, yet he knew she cared about Serah a great deal. He had fallen in love with Serah the first time they had met, and had only had eyes for her. The way her eyes lit up, sparkling, he had never felt what he did around her. As she introduced herself to Noctis, the smile on his face was that of adoration for the woman he loved. “Serah! I’m so glad your safe!” however much he and Lightning didn’t get along, he was man enough to admit she was a strong woman, yet if she could only become less cold…maybe she could stop hating him!

[Lightning]

Lightning returned her Blaze Edge to its holster, there was no need for it now though she was fighting the urge to attack Snow there, but with her sister around to see… it wasn’t the best option. It would only make things worse so for now she would do nothing more than glare at him… that is if he didn’t provoke her to do more

Hearing him pronounce her name only added to her anger, though at least this time he was polite she thought not like before but still somehow it just got on her nerves. Everything about Snow seemed to irritate her, and she regretted ever meeting him. Lightning wanted nothing to do with him and the same with her sister but convincing her sister to leave him just because she disliked him wouldn’t work.

No she needed to prove to her sister that she is right about him that was the only way. ‘He is just a worthless unemployed man… I don’t know what she sees in him.’ She turned away from him so not to punch but she couldn’t guarantee that if he tried anything even if Serah was around.

There were so many things she criticized about Snow but she didn’t say anything and remained quite. He once said he was hard headed … he wouldn’t listen it will just be a waste of breath and it wouldn’t make a different. He wouldn’t change so the alternative was to keep her sister away from him.

Though all that ran through her mind she seems unperturbed. Only the ones who knew her could see the change in her mood. Looking back at Noctis still surprised by this unexpected visit and greeted him with a smile. "You did… but also said you needed a reason to leave your world and come to Cocoon. For that I didn’t expect to see you here… " She paused at the word destroyed glancing at her sister then back at Noctis.

When she visited his world she was lost between two decisions and left Cocoon to find answers. Should she complete her mission as a l’Cie and destroy Cocoon, or grant her sister the request to save it? Though upon her meeting with Noctis and the chance to explore his world and see another world’s crystal gave her the answer she needed. To Lightning that world and the ones in it weren't worthy to be saved... her exacts words were…. ‘Humans are tools I am not going to die for one of them’ but then her sister asked her to save it. How she wasn’t sure yet, but was determent to do this for Serah.

"You came here to meet me... The problem is I cannot walk freely here as I did in your world. I am sure by now you have notice the difference between our worlds..." She paused with a sigh everyone in Cocoon wanted them dead. They were viewed as enemies and always had to fight whatever Sanctum and its army threw at them. "Yes and I found my sister and I would say the same to you. It’s been a while…"

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Haunting, he had been to places and sown the seeds of his time, going the distances to pay his dues; here was the next stop where he bid tidings. He was shown the way to try again, differently, to how he had been with her, now that he had found her again.
The colours that painted the rainless sky dyed his emotions as his hair tinted an uncommon shade of dark brown that shone slightly copper rather than the deep chocolate it was when he was comfortably calm. Those lightened eyes had mixed hazel specks in pale blue, the tone of powdered sweets during a mythical Easter.
The smile amazingly remained and he seemed to have opened himself to how he would, being with Storm and the likes of Alex, even in front of acquaintances; he was being taught to speak with the voices that usually fled him in circumstances like these.
Not only had he gone out of his way to explore what she had left him intrigued by, he had ventured in the hopes to find this enigma of a woman; it should have disconcerted him because the consequent reasons to do such things were not theoretically good enough, to bring him out of his well stitched skin.

Noctis at last, turned his head to observe Snow and her sister, a very cute and dissimiliar figure to that of Lightning, he had never imagined to exist; he could see the adoration in Snow's eyes and what allure she hooked him by, written all over his face. The picture of the expression represented more than a thousand words to him and he gathered that he had been so horribly wrong before; Snow was the man captivated and captivating the precious sister she had risked everything to find.
The scowl she had shown with the outward annoyance explained this much to him, that, she didn't favour their love or relationship one bit if it meant Serah was no longer completely under her surveillance.

In many ways, Lightning suddenly amused him because of what he perceived from just the brief five minutes and he tilted his face to pan his vision from Snow and Serah to her, a barely audible laugh in a sigh, escaped him; the loud statement Snow made to Serah about safety just added to his entertainment because the Lightning he had met was relatively dangerous, herself.

When Serah spoke to him, he had paused to have Snow speak to her in between those seconds; he now returned to it and took a step towards Serah, nodding once in as courteous an acknowledgement as he desired. She was the first L'cie... and he knew more about her than she did of him; it was all something he would keep secret, and Noctis blinked at her introduction, opinionated.
So gentle she was compared to the deadly aura he had once again witnessed from Lightning as she turned away from Snow even after the man had addressed her. " I am Noctis... Lucis... Caelum..."

Was he no longer cold as a dying stone?
His answer had not proved he could steer away from non committed self introductions and he took a breath to add, gazing down at Serah from his height with some tense uncertainty about his approaches he was debating with the cool facade he had and the familiar generosity he was meant to show.
"A pleasure..."
What a curious pleasure it was to see a face with the figure who would remain empty of a profile, in the end. He contemplated this, as he saw the necklace around her neck, crystalline and very intricate; it radiated some supernatural quality and he turned away to cut of the focus, beginning to speak before he ultimately faced Lightning.
"I had reason to leave my world... it has been a wonder of mine to see this place ever since and thus, reason enough on some levels... we've expected the unexpected; today is no different, to do so, from then..."

Noctis was dismissive to whatever it was that questioned his motives; he wanted to be here and so he had gone through with it, even after inner conflict almost made him give up all thinking. It was contradiction people would never tolerate, and he listened to her sigh as if doomsday had come, in spite of what seemed to him to be positive. She had found Serah... no matter what Cocoon wanted... it would disappoint her less with her around...
"Yes... it is beyond what I... had comprehended in my mind and from images... in this while you have not walked freely here? Our position right now... must be regrettable then..."

His gaze averted from her face to glimpse the rest of the street and how the stood out as a group and as individuals; there was no hope that they could walk here without life being a morbid game. It suggested, they were to move out before detection could happen and ruin everything in untimely fashion but he could not be the leader; subsequently, he ensured the bond of their friendship would not be one without sincere consideration on his part.
"Know that my world is always welcoming of you..."

[Serah Farron]

"Its nice to meet you...." Serah added with a smile before glancing at her sister. That was the first time she met Noctis but Lightning seemed to know him could they be friends? That would be good for her sister, to have a friend and maybe that would help her open up and someday even accept her being with Snow.

She knew how Lightning felt about Snow but she wasn't going to give up till she finds the way to convince her to accept him. It would mean a lot to Serah if those two could be friends. Lightning and Snow were the most important ones to her and she needed them both in her life.

Serah smiled standing next to Snow. "Its good to see you are too....." She added. He meant everything to her and was also her future husband but Lightning didn't know about that. Serah was thinking of how to break the news to her sister but Snow said he would handle it and tell her alone that did help but it also worried her. What if Lightning over reacted, would it be better if she was there?

[Snow Villiers]

Snow Villiers

Snow watched the Blaze Edge return to its holster slowly, but Lightning wanted to attack him, her posture breathed that fact. How could she with Serah standing there though? He smiled a bit, his eyes friendly, yet they were a little taunting as well, or what Lightning might take as a taunting look. He raised his eyebrow at her gaze and smiled a little bit. He hadn’t told her yet that he and Serah were engaged. Soon…he had promised Serah he would, but he hadn’t found a time yet. He was busy, she was busy…and hated him…

He shrugged, he would do it soon. He knew how angry she would be, probably try to kill him. He was ready for her to do that. When he tried to be polite it only seemed to make her angrier, so lifting his shoulders a little bit, he decided that it just wasn’t worth it. So he was now himself, not polite as he had tried to be for one of the first times in his life. He didn’t like being polite and quiet, it just wasn’t his way. He had told Lightning once that he was hard headed and that he wouldn’t leave Serah alone…which had only succeeded at pissing her off more at him.

He stepped close to her and took her hand in his, smiling down at Serah. He watched Noctis and Lightning converse, they seemed to have met before, at least once. Snow knew that Serah didn’t want Cocoon destroyed, and that Lightning had wished to destroy it. He didn’t wish for Cocoon to be completely destroyed, and since Serah didn’t want it destroyed, nether did he.

However, if Serah didn’t wish them to save Cocoon, he could find it in him to hate the place. Those that thought themselves so much better then those that were ‘different’ he hated it! Looking down at Serah, all his anger washed away. How could she not hate Cocoon? With all that they were doing, hating her, Lightning, him…they treated her horribly.

Lightning and He had become members of the I’Cie as well now, as well as Hope and the rest. Gently squeezing Serah’s hand, he smiled down at her. His blue eyes sparkled as he stood beside her. She meant everything to him. He would tell Lightning within a few days that they were engaged. He couldn’t wait for them not to have to hide it from her. As Lightning seemed to be concentrating on Noctis, He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “I love you Serah!”

His mouth turned into a smile as he looked down at her. He had been overjoyed when she had said that one word to him after he had asked her his question. He had been nervous, picking out her ring he had been worried she wouldn’t like it. Thinking about telling Lightning about them seemed to be nothing compared to how nervous he had been asking Serah to marry him. “Noctis…where exactly is your world? Do they not have…members of the…well…people that they shun as well there? Would they not shun us as well?” He didn’t exactly want to speak out loud about the I’Cie, if someone overheard, PISCOM would be there soon. They were trying to as under the radar as was possible. He knew that Noctis had told him where he was from, but he didn’t know where it was, and since it wasn’t from Cocoon or Pulse…where could he be from?