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Imagine if “Lightning Returns” had a sequel which would have a logo in Yoshitaka Amano’s art style of Lightning looking over a balcony or just standing somewhere in the New World and reaching out her hand to the sky while Caius reaches his hand down from the Unseen Realm, trying to touch her.
Wicked Games
Chapter 8: Retrospection
“Action will remove the doubt that theory cannot solve.”
-Pehyl Hsieh
—
“It’s midnight, I think you should go and get some sleep since everyone is sleeping.”
Lightning turned around to see Mike looking at her with his arms crossed.
“Huh.” Lightning looked at a clock located on one of the shelter’s walls. “Oh, right, yeah I should-” Pause. “Wait where is my room located?”
Mike chuckled. “Just walk until you see the room 47. Have a nice rest.”
Lightning nodded and headed for her room when Mike called her again.
“Uh, Lightning!”
“Hmm?” Lightning half-turned.“
“You’ve been too loud when speaking with Colin and I’ve heard you want to see the man who destroyed the world. Is that right?” Mike asked.
“Ah, well. I said that just to make Colin go to sleep, but…” Lightning looked down and held her hand on her cheek, remembering Caius’ touch.
“I understand you, Lightning. You are just having doubts about one thing you’ve never felt.” Mike half-smiled.
“If you are talking about lo-” Lightning turned her back to him. “No, I would never feel like that. Never felt it and never will.”
“Well, you are arrogant, aren’t you? You remind me of him.” Mike ran to Lightning and placed his hand on her shoulder.
Lightning turned to him again to see him looking at her in a serious way. “Huh, of who?”
“Of Caius, of course. Who else were we talking about.” Mike chuckled.
“Wait, what.” Lightning paused for a second to examine his facial features. His hair was as black as coal and his eyes were green. He was slightly tan and he reminded her of Gran Pulse people- Pause. “Are you from… Gran Pulse?”
“I didn’t think you were this intelligent but-” Mike looked around to see if anybody else was listening and lowered his voice. “Yes. I am from Gran Pulse and as well as my brother. To be specific, we’re from Paddra.”
“You… Paddra was deserted by the time I arrived there. If you were from there, you wouldn’t be alive now.” Lightning cocked an eyebrow.
“Well, crystal stasis was a thing, you know.” Mike still touched her shoulder.
“You-” Lightning was shocked by his words. “You were a l'Cie?!”
Mike rolled his eyes. “Yes, I was a Pulse l'Cie.”
Lightning’s heart started beating quicker when she heard about Pulse. It was what turned her life upside down and made her sister suffer, as well as her companions.
Without second thought, she jerked her shoulder out of his hand. “Right. Enough shock for today. See you tomorrow.” Lightning headed to her room.
Lightning was walking, when she turned again and realized that Mike was still there standing and having a big grin on his face, mumbling something.
“…Your happiness will be fulfilled, pal.”
—
As soon as Lightning fell to her bed and closed her eyes, she fell into a deep snooze.
“Savior.”
She heard a young girl’s voice through the back of her head.
“Savior of the World.”
Lightning slowly opened her eyes to find out she was in a dark forest again. Then, she turned her head slightly to see that behind her was Yeul, smiling genuinely at her.
“Oh, hello.” Lightning returned the smile.
“I’m here to show you something.” Yeul grabbed Lightning’s wrist and started running.
Suddenly, the forest she was in turned into a place similar to Gran Pulse. Full of light, full of flowers, full of-
“Paddra?” Lightning opened her eyes widely.
“I am very glad you guessed right.” Yeul slowed down when she approached the entrance of the city of Paddra.
“I used to live here. It was rather peaceful and I was happy.” Yeul turned to Lightning and smiled wide.
“I know that, but why bring me here?” Lightning scratched the back of her neck.
“You’ll understand soon. You need to know the truth.” Yeul exclaimed.
“The truth?” Lightning tilted her head. “I thought I knew every element of the Old World.”
“Not really.” Yeul then turned to the square of the city and hovered her hand over it.
It revealed the colours of the city and soon, the city of Paddra was full of people.
Lightning gasped at the view, being suprised by how alive Paddra looked.
“Let’s go!” Yeul still having her grip on Lightning’s wrist, ran inside a small mysterious building.
“What is in there?” Lightning tried to peak.
“My old self, my former guardian and my current guardian.” Yeul started walking towards the room where apparently these people were.
As soon as Lightning tried to open the door, she teleported with Yeul to an empty room. Suddenly, two silhouettes appeared.
“-I can’t do this.”
This voice sent shivers down her spine.
“You need to. We can’t postpone your guardianship anymore, the war will intefere.”
Lightning shook her head to see the two silhouettes slowly clear and reveal Yeul’s former guardian and another person in sight.
“Caius Ballad?!” Lightning’s heart suddenly started beating quickly.
Lightning looked into his eyes. For the first time in her life did she see fear in his eyes. It was nearly unbelievable to her as she was used to seeing him looking like an empty husk.
Abruptly, another silhouette appeared in the room, revealing a young girl around the age of seventeen in the room.
“-I have stored my vision to the Oracle Drive. Now it is clear for anybody to see.”
That girl was Yeul. Probably the only Yeul who lived up to her late teens.
“Alright, Yeul.” The man looked over to Caius. “And you, come with us. As a future guardian you need to know about some of Yeul’s previous visions.”
Caius stood silent for a moment, then nodded and ran to where the former guardian of Yeul and Yeul headed to.
The image cleared.
“Huh?” Lightning looked at Yeul who was still smiling. “I still don’t understand why would brought me here.”
Yeul looked at Lightning. “You were thinking about him.”
“Of who, exactly?”
“Of my guardian, obviously.” Yeul smiled even wider. “Your memories of him made me reminiscence the lives of my current and my past selves. I realized my past mistakes. I must thank you for that.”
All of sudden, Yeul hugged Lightning tightly and whispered some words that weren’t audible to her.
Lightning looked down and placed her hand on the top of Yeul’s head while still confused of what’s happening.
Yeul let go of Lightning, taking some steps back and bowing her head to her when she suddenly disappeared into thin air, leaving some floating orbs behind.
“Huh?” Lightning grabbed one of the orbs.
Her surroundings changed again, revealing Caius Ballad, the former guardian and Yeul standing in front of an Oracle Drive.
“-Alright, there it goes.” The former guardian said.
He hovered his hand over the Oracle Drive, soon to see some familiar images coming from it.
Subsequently, she saw the Old Bodhum and a crowd.
“That looks like Cocoon, right?” The former guardian asked.
“Yes, it is Cocoon.” Yeul said.
Then, he saw the image slowly become full of lights and fireworks, close to which many people stood and watched them.
“Looks like they are having fun.” the man said.
The Oracle Drive image changed again, revealing Hope and his mother Nora watching the fireworks.
After that, it showed Sazh and his son Dajh smiling while talking.
The image of the vision changed completely, now revealing Snow proposing to Serah.
Lightning couldn’t help but smile. The thought of them being now married made her so happy.
“Yeah, they do look like they are having the time of their lives.” Yeul said.
Then, the image of the Oracle Drive changed again, now showing herself looking at the fireworks.
“What do you think about that, Caius?” Pause. “Uh, Caius? You there?” The former guardian shook his hand over Caius’ eyes.
“Oh, excuse me. Wh-Who is she?”
“A soldier of some sort.” Yeul replied.
“She looks rather tough and-” Caius smirked and looked down.
“Caius, do not get your hopes up. This is centuries into the future and chances are you won’t be alive then.” Yeul’s former guardian said.
“No, no. It’s not like that!” Caius shook his head.
“Caius. Seriously.” The former guardian gave him a serious look.
Caius suddenly turned his back to the man looking at him.
“I’ve known you since you were a toddler and I know that you don’t just lose your thoughts and smirk because of a woman and ask about her who you’ve never met. You are interested, you can’t fool me.” The man brought his hand to Caius’ shoulder.
"-And you know that you should let go of your wishes to be a guardian of the seeress. I'm sorry but that's the sad truth."
Caius looked back to the former guardian with an angry look, jerked his shoulder away from his hand and the ran away.
Lightning’s surroundings changed again, however still in the same scenery.
Now, she saw Caius sneaking to watch the vision in the Oracle Drive again.
The image changed again. Caius was running to the Oracle Drive again.
… And again, and again, and again-
—
“Lightning! It’s time to eat!”
She slowly opened her eyes to see Zach waving his hands over her.
“What time is it-”
Mike approached Zach.
“Stop with that.” Mike said seriously.
“But it’s time to eat!” Zach growled and grabbed Lightning’s blanket that covered her and pulled it from her.
Mike then suddenly turned away from Lightning and covered his eyes. “You’re intruding a person’s privacy again.“
Zach looked down to see Lightning having a rather shocked expression and as soon as he saw what he just did, he turned red, throwed Lightning’s blanket to her and turned away while covering his eyes.
“I didn’t know you slept like that!” Zach yelled.
“I don’t have any other choice, actually. When I get sleepwear, that will change.” Lightning tried to keep her voice intact without panicking.
“Alright, Lightning. Now, we get out and you will get changed because all the occupants of this shelter are having their breakfast and so need you.
"Right.”
Mike and Zach rushed to leave her room, while still trying not to look at Lightning and closed the door behind them.
—
Excuse my inactivity for some days. I was extremely busy with other things.
Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and stay tuned for the next one!
;);););););) Admit it though, they would look so good as a couple. (By the way, I nearly died when I found two pictures of them in the same camera angle and them having the same-if not, similar- face expression.)
Wicked Games
Chapter 7: Doubts
“I know this world’s a broken bone, but melt your headaches and call it home.”
-Panic! At The Disco (Nothern Downpour)
—
“She hasn’t come yet, has she?”
Caius turned around to see Yeul looking at him with her head slightly tilted. “N-No. She hasn’t.”
“Huh.” Yeul sighed. “Maybe she isn’t dead. Or maybe something brought her back to life.”
“Something brought her back to life?” Caius was concerned.
“I don’t know, Caius. Maybe someone in the new world truly wished her welfare. Maybe she found a lover there, who knows.” Yeul said.
“A-A lover. Humpf.“
“… Caius. She has a new life. Of course she is going to be with someone sooner or later-” Yeul expressed while sighing.
“I-I don’t believe your nonsense unfortunately, Yeul.” Caius knitted his eyebrows.
“-And you know that I’ve got the eyes of Etro which make me see the events in the New World, while you only have the Heart of Chaos that makes you feel certain things. Any wishes you have, I see them. Stop being foolish.”
“I-I…” Caius turned his back to Yeul and crossed his arms. “Humpf.”
“Jealousy won’t help you.” Yeul asked.
“Me? Jealous? I-I would never be jealous of such a thing and you know that, Yeul.” Caius exclaimed with an irritated tone.
“Yeah, of course you wouldn’t.” Yeul asserted while disappearing into thin air.
Caius waited a moment or two for Yeul to completely disappear when he started to kick whatever he saw in front of him, punching any wall he met and when his energy was drained from the anger, he sat down and looked at the sky sighing.
—
Lightning was approaching little Colin’s room when suddenly she started thinking about Caius. Why had he been so loving to her? Why did he save her from death? And mostly, why did she accept it?
As she was about to open the door, the realisation hit her. All those smirks, all those compliments. That poor man had never been with a woman romantically. It screamed that he wanted a relationship, but somehow she ignored it.
“Stop with these foolish thoughts, Lightning. You are assuming things that are proved false.” she thought to herself.
She opened the door after touching the doorknob with her fingertips to see little Colin already being awake.
“Huh, I was told you were sleeping a bit ago. Why are you awake?’ Lightning looked at little Colin curiously.
“I wanted to sleep, but I was curious about one thing.” Colin said.
“What is it?” Lightning approached him.
Colin looked at Lightning “You were screaming a guy’s name when you were sleeping-”
“Little Colin was a child, of course he wouldn’t think I was sleeping and not dead.” Lightning thought to herself.
“-And I was wondering who is that man.”
“Ah, well.” Lightning cleared her throat and sat near Colin’s bed. “That man was my enemy in the previous world and we battled for a long, long time. Then at the end of the old world, I tried to bring him to this world so he could perhaps get a second chance but he refused because he was trapped.”
“You wanted to help an enemy?” Little Colin rised one of his eyebrows. “I’m not really suprised, because my mommy married my daddy who was her rival in the Old World.”
“A rival?” Lightning asked curiously.
“Yup! My mommy was a general of one army and my daddy was also a general of another army which hated the one my mommy was in!” Little Colin said excitedly.
“Where is your dad though?” Lightning asked.
“Well, my mommy and my daddy went to war together and when my mommy was about to die, he risked his life for her!” Colin said while clapping his hands.
“H-He risked his life?” Lightning was suprised by how little Colin was talking about death so easily without bothering him.
She remembered how her brother-in-law would do anything for Serah. He did anything to bring her back, even locked himself and was depressed in the same place for a long time.
“Hey, Claire. I wanted to ask you something else!” Colin excitedly clapped his hands again.
“Huh?”
“Since you were in the Old World grown up, I wanted to ask you about a myth I’ve been told.” Colin cleared his throat. “It’s a myth about a man who was a guardian of a seeress-”
“Here we go again.” Lightning thought to herself while rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.
“-And how when the savior came to save him, he refused, to help her-”
“Huh?” Lightning’s attention fully turned to Colin.
“-so she didn’t have to stay behind without having a normal life by becoming a Goddess. He became a God instead of her to make her happy-”
“Wh-What?” Lightning blushed.
“-So basically he sacrificed himself for her happiness.” Colin finished his speech and gave Lightning a big grin.
“Uh-uh well…” Lightning blushed more.
“You know why I told you that? I’ve overheard you were the savior! I knew it!” Little Colin jumped around.
“Uh-Ergh-” Lightning couldn’t speak.
“Claire, do you think he was madly in love with you?” Colin stopped jumping and tilted his head to Lightning.
“N-No! Why would he?!” Lightning knitted her eyebrows.
“I was being sarcastic, haha!” Colin started to jump around again. “Of course he is in love with you! According to the myths, he was trapped by a seeress and when he saw the ‘Knight Of Etro’, he was so attracted to her that he couldn’t function properly, making him do these foolish acts! My daddy did the same thing, he was in denial of his love for my mommy!”
“Right, Colin. I think it’s time for you to go to sleep. Stop jumping around.” Lightning grabbed little Colin’s shoulders and forced him to stop jumping.
“I will go to sleep if you answer one thing!” Colin smiled brightly.
“Ugh, sure.” Lightning rolled her eyes. “But first, go to bed.”
“Alright!” Colin ran to his bed and layed as quickly as he could.
Lightning closed the lights and when she was about to leave hoping he forgot what he wanted to ask, Colin called her.
“Do you want to see him?”
Lightning couldn’t help but think of this for a second. Obviously she had a small desire to see him and tell him that she has been thinking of him lately and being sorry for him not being able to come to the New World, but overall she didn’t care.
Lightning caught herself blushing, smiling slightly and touching her cheek with her fingertips, remembering Caius’ touch from her quietus dream. “Yes, Colin. Yes, I do want to see him. A lot.”
“Then why not go and find him?” Little Colin said while yawning.
Lightning approached little Colin to stuff him in the bed sheets. “I would but, unfortunately, it’s impossible.”
“But you’ve achieved the impossible in the previous world, you can surely do that again.” Colin said.
Lightning thought about this for a moment. Yeul said that this New World was made out of wishes so if she truly wanted to see Caius one last time, she would.
“You are right, Colin. I’ll think about it, okay?” Lightning patted little Colin’s head and headed for the door.
“Hey.” Little Colin said.
“Yeah?” Lightning turned around.
“Goodnight, Claire.”
Lightning smiled. “Goodnight.”
—
Woo! Things are getting more and more interesting finally! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and stay tuned for the next one!
GUESS WHO IS MAKING A CAIRAI DRAWING
((The way they’re just standing there, I feel like Lightning is about to slap his face and then kiss it lol))
"How can you ship cairai? They are enemies!" How can you possibly NOT ship cairai??? They might be enemies but you can clearly see sympathy in both of their eyes due to them caring for a very dear person to them. Then, come on- do you really think that Light would be good for anyone else except Cai? She's tough as hell and there's nobody else normal near as tough as her but Caius. Just imagine them doing... YeahyouknowwhatImeanlolnvm and I know that even if say you don't ship it, you have doubts inside that are screaming cairai every day of the week of every month of every year because come on, they would be amazing together. Perhaps the fact that you can't create a shadow without a bright light makes cairai even stronger ;)
Other shippers: "Oh my god my otp hugged each other!!1!!1!!" Cairai shippers: "My otp had a normal discussion without trying to kill each other... once."
This ship made me feel emotionally unstable
Whoever ships cairai, want to be friends with me? I feel lonely being the only person I know who ships them… Please?
