003 - Hope! [Action]

[noras_boy]

[Hope is inbetween his morning and afternoon classes. He's got his books in his bag, with a crisp new pad of paper with incredibly neat handwriting just visible where the cover has not fallen over the lined paper in a straight line. Hope is looking up at the sky with his eyes closed

Comments

[brightsiding]

[ Lunch time, lunch time, oh yeah! Vanille's favorite part of the day, except for maybe when classes are over and she's done with her homework. But not much compares to that break in the middle of classes that usually means the hard ones are over, and the next few aren't so bad. Unlike Hope, Vanille definitely wasn't glad to be back in school, even if some of the classes she was taking were more fun than anything. The learning part, though... Reading and doing homework... That was boring. ]

[ But taking a break and eating? Now that was something she could get behind! ]

[ Speaking of being behind things... She's skipping her way to the cafeteria, when who does she see in front of her? ]

[ Why, Hope, of course. ]

[ Someone she has no qualms running up behind and throwing her arms around. ]

Hope..!

[noras_boy]

[It happens....

It always happens when you're least expecting it. Sure, you can be munching a sandwich in the cafeteria, looking over your notes quite happily... then it happens.

You're grabbed from behind by a mysterious force, and it scares little boys out of their skins and they let out semi-terrified yells, only to turn and discover it's one of their friends. Then they look embarrasedly up at them, before swallowing their bite and muttering...]

Hi Vanille. You made me jump...

[brightsiding]

[ Vanille just giggles, feeling a little bad that she'd startled him so much. The other people in the cafeteria had turned to look at them, just as startled by Hope's yelping, but turned back to their food just as quickly. She keeps herself partially draped on him for a moment to deliver a hug before leaning to the side to look him in the face. ]

Sorry about that! Didn't mean to scare you! [ With that, she slides her arms from around him and skips to the other side of the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down. ]

Having a good lunch?

[noras_boy]

It's okay. I shouldn't be so distracted.

[He shakes his head and smiles at her as she sits down.]

Yeah. The sandwiches here are good. What're you going to have?

[Man, being in the same school as Vanille too. There were just things he was going to like about this place.]

[brightsiding]

Mmm... Dunno yet!

[ She looks over to the lunch line and taps her chin with a finger, seemingly deep in thought. About her lunch choice, yes. ]

You think they have any more of those left?

[ She points to the sandwich. ]

[noras_boy]

I'm not sure. They're in the fridge opposite the hot meals section. You just take one up to the counter.

[... Why is he telling her this. She probably already knows that already.]

Uhh... they get snapped up fast, so I'd go see.

[brightsiding]

[ Either way, whether she knew it already or not, she's listening intently. ]

Aaaalright! I'm gonna try it!

[ She hops up out of her chair and practically runs to the counter, nearly colliding with a few students on the way. ]

[noras_boy]

[Hope shakes his head gently, a fond smile on his lips. Vanille was a very strange girl, but a fun one to be around. He looks back down at his notes while she's at the counter.]

[brightsiding]

[ A few minutes later, she returns, triumphant, a sandwich and drink in hand, plopping into her seat. ]

Got them~!

[noras_boy]

Well done!

[He laughs and takes a sip of his own drink, tucking his notes away.]

How've your classes been?

[brightsiding]

Ah- pretty good, so far! It's too bad we're not in any of the same ones, though, huh?

[ Takes a generous bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. ]

I'm, ah... I'm in a class with Lightning.

[noras_boy]

That's not Lightning.

[It spilled out of his mouth before he could control his tone. Another one of the issues he hadn't quite dealt with. He snapped at her... and that wasn't what he'd wanted.]

Sorry Vanille. It's... [He looks down into open space.] I miss the real Lightning.

[brightsiding]

[ She shakes her head. ]

No... You're right. She's... She's not the Lightning we know.

I miss her, too.

[noras_boy]

After... After everything. Lightning was the one to really look out for me... when we separated from you and Sazh. She taught me how to survive.

[His fist clenches on the table.]

I don't know what to do. Snow says we have to help her... but how do we help someone who believes we should die? Someone with a will like Lightning?

[brightsiding]

We can't just give up on her, either.

[ She leans forward a little, setting her food down on the table. ] She's still Lightning, even if she doesn't remember anything... Even if she's really different than what we remember. She doesn't... [ She shakes her head. ] She doesn't trust any of us and sees us as enemies, but... We can't just ignore the fact that she's here... Right?

I guess... For now, we should just avoid making her mad, you know? Let her know we don't want to hurt anyone... That we never did.

[ After all, it wasn't their fault they became l'Cie in the first place... It was hers. ]

[noras_boy]

Right. We can do that... but... It's hard. She's not m- She's not our Lightning... We don't know what she's been through.

[He looks down. Hope is kinda sucking at the optimism right now.]

How do we know... how do we know what the other versions of us did? If there are any. We- They might have hurt people. It's going to take time. And I'm not sure...

[He fades, his fists clenching.]

What was her world like?