The Future

Gif by [x] “I can't turn back now, not anymore. In my world, you no longer exist. A world without you is no world at all.” Application|||Apt I-5|||Ruin x3 |||Wooden Swords

[crystaliaknight-blog-blog]

Yet another fist smashed into his cheek before he could finish speaking. This encounter strangely reminded her of Snow. How he kept spouting such optimistic words that drove her to the edge. She had also punched him. Either way, Lightning didn’t care how hard her hits were, or how the steel-plated knuckles cut into his skin. 

She wanted him to understand.

"Really?! Then tell me: how the hell are you going to do that?! She hasn’t died in your time, but she will. And there is nothing you can do to stop it. Any changes you make, and she will still see her final vision."

Her voice lowered to a normal octave, with a hint of sorrow, “You can’t do anything to save her.”

[paladinofthefated]

Noel let out a small 'oof' as he was punched again, the already sore cheek now throbbing from the former soldiers punches. Hissing in pain, but not daring to retaliate, the brunet lifts a hand to his cheek and just grazed the reddening skin with his fingertips-- damn it hurt. Putting away he saw just a small smudge of red upon his fingers-- blood seeping from his cheeks from the woman's steel-plated knuckles. 

Lightning was more harsh than Noel gave her credit for.

“You can’t do anything to save her.”

"I know that...! I know..." It hurt, it hurt almost as much as watching Yuel die in his arms not once but twice... Twice he was to watch her fade...

"I must have sounded like Caius... or Snow, huh?" He asked with a weak, forced chuckle, but looked back down in grave disappointment. Noel's chest tightened as he clenched his teeth, bruised jaw screaming in pain under the pressure, but he didn't care This... this was his fault. Just another life lost because of him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't save her."

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

lose your mind, {closed}

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

       Was someone talking to him? Nero thought he heard something or someone move, saying something his mind couldn’t quite set down as an understandable sentence. Shit, he really needed to get up. He knew sitting down here was dangerous but if his own head wasn’t such a screwed up mess, dragging him with it, he wouldn’t be down here practically dead to the world.

                        [ hey— wake up, are you drunk or something? ]

       Nero’s automatic response was to push away the hand that tried to shake him awake as soon as it touched him as he muttered a tired “don’t touch me”.

       So there really was someone talking to him. Nero didn’t recognize the voice, and it was obvious that he wouldn’t because he knew almost no one in this place. The frown that Nero always wore returned to his face if not a bit more sullen than usual. It took effort to stand up but Nero managed to get his legs to cooperate with him. Once up, he blinked a few times. His vision was still as bad as it was a moment ago.

       The wall held most of him as he tried to get his bearings back. Nothing changed with his headache, so he probably wasn’t out of it for too long. That was relieving, at least. Still no change with his memories, though. His scowl deepened.

       “I’m fine. Leave me alone.”

       ‘Fine’ was the last thing Nero would be today but he would never admit something like that even on his best days and especially not to a stranger, or whoever this guy clad in blue was. Nero could handle this on his own and even if he couldn’t, he’d just have to suck it up and deal.

[paladinofthefated]

The brunette looked down at the other with skepticism, a brown upon his lips as he watched the maybe drunkard struggle to regain consciousness. It would have been amusing if it wasn't so damn pitiable. Noel let out a sigh, ready to help the other to his feet when he was slowly able to stand by himself, when then something else popped int the hunters mind.

"Are you hurt?"

He hadn't really thought of it before, since there were no monsters in Hive CIty-- or ones that he had actually known of yet anyhow. Perhaps the man had gotten a concussion from a fall-- he didn't reek of any sort of wine or spirit, therefore injury or narcolepsy were the last two reasons that Noel could think of for the strangers behavior. Just as he was to speak again the snowy haired man cut him off with a few snide words.

And just like that, as if the weather were spiting the injured man, it began to rain from the constantly grey clouds overhead, not seeming to roll or tumble any more than they usually it. It was as if the scientists were watching and wanted to give the pallid man and even worse day then he was already having. Noel had to stifle a chuckle before walking closer.

"Alright, come on, you don't seem too bad. I think you have a concussion.From what-- well I'm not gonna pry."

Putting the others arm around his shoulders without much permission, Noel helped drag the albino male out of the alley and into the streets were cars drive by and kicked up the already-forming puddles.

"You may not want my help but you kind of need it. Unless you're willing to tel me where you live, my apartment is your only choice. I'm not leaving you in the rain. I'm not that mean."

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

lose your mind, {closed}

       He should’ve stayed back in his apartment.

       It was a few days since his memories disappeared and he already spent the majority of that time holed up in his room. Only fragments came back, but almost nothing of ‘her’. Nero remembered a necklace, but nothing of its significance. He was getting sick and tired of staring at the barren walls of his room and the continuous struggle he had with his memories so he opted for going into the city.

       It was a choice he was starting to seriously regret. Nero left the complex with a small headache that grew into a pounding pain by the time he was a good distance into the streets of sector five. Funny, the only thing that came out of this city was these headaches and ever since the memory loss Nero was frequented with migraines he didn’t need. It wasn’t long before his scrambled mind demanded his attention and steady steps turned into stumbles. He needed somewhere to recollect himself unless he fancied his face hitting the pavement.

       He stopped by an alleyway because god if he was going to hit the ground in a foreign place like this with wood to defend himself with he’d rather take this desperate attempt at staying hidden. Maybe someone wouldn’t notice a guy slumped in an empty alleyway. Yeah, fat chance but it was better than the open street.

       Nero’s back hit a wall and he slid down to the ground. He just needed a minute. As soon as his head cleared up and his blurred vision returned to normal, he’d be out of here. Heavy eyelids closed and Nero felt his consciousness waver.

       He just needed a minute…

[paladinofthefated]

Everyone around seemed to be fretting horribly, running around; as if they had lost their minds are were searching frantically for them. 

My memories! They would cry, for it seemed they had lost complete track of their histories entirely...

Noel counted himself grateful not to be one of them, all of-- well... Most of his past in tact, besides the ones that were changed entirely from his and Serah's bouncing along the timelines, flying through the Historia Crux time and time again to make things right. Fixing paradoxes and untangling the strings of time... He was foolish to even think that it wouldn't effect the odds of his birth of all things. Now he was unsure if his mother and father even mat, and in 700 AF... Maybe there was no more Noel Kreiss.

He didn't like thinking about it.

The people-- he focused on them, their seemingly eternal despair as they sobbed over friends they could hardly recall, of ones they knew so well that had suddenly vanished, ghosts-- perhaps paradoxes themselves. The entire being of Hive City, it was like a Valhalla all on its own.

No death, but no real life either.

It was out of the corner of his eye that the brunet saw someone stumble into an alleyway and slump down, drunk perhaps? Still, it wasn't like he could go on without a care... With a sighed his sandals scraped against the concrete into the thin alley, droplets of water from drain pipes dripping into puddles in a steady rhythm.. Steam from a vent in an apartment building poured out onto the ground, smelling like stagnant water and clean linen from laundry.

"Hey, you alright?"

Noel rested his hands upon his hips as he looked down at the white haired male, his consciousness obviously on it's last limbs. His head nodded something fierce, eyes drooping with every passing second. Letting out a small, frustrated noise, the brunet crouched down to the other males height and shook his shoulder.

"Hey-- wake up, are you drunk or something?"

[crystaliaknight-blog-blog]

His harsh words earned his such a menacing glare that could freeze one’s blood. How dare he suggest that her duty in Valhalla made her useless. Lightning walked towards his until they were mere a few feet apart…and drove her fist into his face.

"SERAH DIED!" she bellowed each word, the pain settling deeper within her as she revealed the terrible truth," Are you satisfied now?! She died because of the visions! So tell me, time traveler, how the hell can you save her?! Even if you tried, the timeline would change and she’ll die!"

[paladinofthefated]

Just as the words came out of his mouth, the brunet realized what he had said and what it might have implied. Of course he didn't mean it that way-- Lightning had a crucial part in the reformation and restoration of the timelines, but Noel hardly had any time to explain that before a fist collided with his cheek.

The bite of the punch was no match for her words, and they hurt because Lightning... Lightning was right. Trying to save Serah time and time again.

It would parallel Caius and Yuel.

"I didn't-- I..." He cursed under his breath, shaking his head and grinding his teeth. "She hasn't died in my timeline, maybe there's still a chance--!"

[crystaliaknight-blog-blog]

Still, she wouldn’t budge. She turned to face him again, giving one of her trademark glares. It was hopeless. He may be capable of the impossible, however this was something too difficult for her to bring up. No, he would have to continue along the timeline to find out. Better to see for oneself than have another speak of it.

"I said it’s nothing. Even then there’s no way for you to change it, so what’s the point in telling you?”

[paladinofthefated]

Oh this was just annoying. Did she really think a glare would scare him off, the final human being alive in his time? Please, he had gotten worse from Yuel. Glaring right back the brunet refused to budge, hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. 

"What do you mean there's nothing I can do about it?! Light, in case you forgot, I'm a time traveller."

"If anything I can do more than someone whose been stuck in Valhalla. Tell me what happened." Ouch, maybe a little too far on that one Noel.

[crystaliaknight-blog-blog]

His concern made her heart ache. She understood that he and Serah had such a close bond, since Lightning was the one who sent him to the girl. Eyes downcast, she turned her back towards him.

"It’s nothing." 

The warrior cowered behind a brave face, unable to tell him of Serah’s fate. Besides, how would she? Simply telling him her sister died while chaos occurred between Pulse and Valhalla..No doubt he would go back to his time and attempt to avert the crisis. Either way, all was in vain.

[paladinofthefated]

Oh great, it was this act again. Noel crossed his arms and frowned in distaste at the others reply, canting his head to the side slightly as cerulean hues narrowed.

"Light, now isn't the time to be the dark and mysterious hero, I'm worried."

"Now spill it, what happened to Serah... Were the visions too much...?"

[crystaliaknight-blog-blog]

The cerulean hues snapped upwards to meet his gaze. Serah..was worried? No, that couldn’t be right. Serah was dead. Lightning remembered conversing with her ghost before she faded away. But then.

"Noel. What happened before you arrived here?"

Her lips pursed, the pink eyebrows knitted together with concern. If she was correct, this was the Noel of a different timeline. Not the one who held Serah once her life was extinguished by the vision.

[paladinofthefated]

Her question wasn't a strange one, but concerning to say the least. Why did she want to know what happened to him? Had-- oh no, did something happen to Serah too? Were the visions too much for her to handle after all?

"Serah and I had just said our goodbyes to Hope and Alyssa... Why? Did-- What happened to Serah?"

[paladinofthefated]

brightscaled started following you

[brightscaled-deactivated2014033]

Is he —-? Oh, this has to be a joke. The fact she can eat his head is but a choice, not part of the instinct!

{ Dare I ask why do you take me as some kind of barbaric monster? } Let us see how gladly he welcomes a somewhat angry voice in his head.

[paladinofthefated]

--Wait, what? The brunette paused for a moment before lowering his guard, cerulean eyes wide.

"H-hold on, don't tell me you can talk...!"

[betwixtarcher-blog]

Noire finds herself giggling at what he said, ‘Computer?’ Such an object was something she wasn’t yet familiar with. 

“A Komputer? No… Don’t know what that is… But its the number for your apartment. You got lucky not stuck in the districts… Well since we’re in sector 5 it shouldn’t be too far from here.”

[paladinofthefated]

"It's a weird thing-- I don't really even know how to explain it."

"But... What's wrong with the districts?"

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

What was he expecting out of someone who made a joke about slugging snails? He should have seen that one coming for him.

       "Fine. Nero."

[paladinofthefated]

"Alright, now we're talkin'. Nice to meet you, Nero."

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

       ”None of your business.”

[paladinofthefated]

"Alright... If that's what you wanna be called."

"Nice to meet you, none of your business."

[paladinofthefated]

[betwixtarcher-blog]

She keeps her distance, afraid that she might snap at him if he says something again… Not that it would be his fault of course. Always her fault.

“Oh! Did you get a piece of paper… Um… The paper should tell you where you live.”

[paladinofthefated]

It seemed they were both on their toes for the red heads outbreaks. That was good, at least.

"Huh? Oh-- yeah, it say's I-5 on it but I have no idea what that means. I thought it was some kind of computer code or something."

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

        "Ha. Ha. Very funny."

[paladinofthefated]

"Thanks! I'm Noel, and you are?"

[paladinofthefated]

brightscaled started following you

A dragon?! His hunter instincts immediately kicked in.

"Woah there, big fella. Take it easy, will ya?"

[betwixtarcher-blog]

Noire manages to stop crying, her face just a little red, “Ok No.. Im sorry again. My name is Noire by the way….. From the sounds of your statement before—not to bring it up again. It seems that you have been ridden to this place for the first time?”

She takes a few deep breaths, but she manages herself well.

[paladinofthefated]

Oh, good, she was alright. Shaking his head, Noel gave the strange girl a soft smile.

"I'm Noel, it's nice to meet you. Yeah... I think I've only been here for a couple of hours, actually."

[fortunas--knight-deactivated201]

        ”…”

[paladinofthefated]

"No need to thank me, I'm sure your day has brightened already."