And so, it begins

The sun had long since gone down and Hope Estheim trudged wearily up to his room, ignoring his father's faint snores from the bedroom opposite the passage. In truth, the house was very large but it often felt empty-there being only two people who actually lived in it. Hope moved through the empty corridor quietly and entered his bedroom, letting out a long sigh and slumping on his bed. Tomorrow was his sixteenth birthday, and it was going to be awesome. The presents were no big deal, but he couldn't wait to go out with his friends, and have all their attention on him. He clasped his hands behind the back of his head as he stared out of his window and up at the cloudless sky, and into the stars that flashed and shone in their own dance he could scarcely comprehend. His friends. A guilty flush boiled up, and his face turned red as a nasty ache wormed its way into his stomach. It had been two years. Two years since he had last seen his l'cie friends- Sazh, Lightning, Vanille, Serah, Snow, and he missed them all terribly. They called all the time, yet whenever they suggested meeting up he always had an excuse. Lightning had called last week to talk of a birthday party for him, yet something in her voice told him that she already knew what his answer would be, and it seemed to frustrate and anger her to no end. She had been stunned when he had told her he would think about it and maybe give them a surprise visit. He slapped his head in irritation-he did not intend to see any of them and now that they would be expecting him, it was only a million times worse. His father strongly disapproved of what he was doing, but Hope had no choice. Being there, with them would bring it all back. So far, he had managed to convince himself it was all in the past, and that is where he wanted it to stay. Thinking back to the younger boy he once was, the fourteen year old who had just reunited with his father, Hope snorted. He was so different it was as if he was someone else. In the last two years, he had grown a surprising amount and he was one of the tallest people in his class at five foot eleven. He was still slightly weedy, but that was starting to change and his clothes hid most of that.

Something was vibrating in his pocket, and it snapped him out of his thoughts. He pulled his phone out and answered it. It was Jessica. Hope smiled and nodded his head in an amused way. Early birthday wishes?

Hope reluctantly got out of his father's vehicle, slowly walking forward, with each step being harder than the last. His first day at school was definitely going to be terrible. He wanted Lightning to be there. He refused to look back, concentrating on the path ahead. He was already late, but he could not find the energy to care. Sighing, he pulled a scuffed up map from his pocket, walked up the stone stairs and entered the building. His classroom was down the corridor and on the right. He heard giggling behind him, and saw a group of girls staring at his back with wide eyes. Red suffused his skin and he walked slightly faster.

He finally reached the classroom and stormed in. He stopped when a heavy silence descended, but he took no notice and walked straight up to the teacher.

"Hope Estheim, sorry I'm late" he said. The teacher gave him a long stare and raised her eyebrows. Hope wondered if he was meant to be intimidated. After all he had gone through, she expected him to be shy around a bunch of school kids? Fool woman.

"Yes Hope, take your seat, next to that nice young lady. I'll let you off now, but if you are late, again you will get a detention. Don't expect special treatment from me, even if you are a damn fine hero in my eyes." A big smile crossed her face, and an excited murmur sprang up around the class. Hope took his seat next to an attractive girl with blonde hair.

"You're Hope I take it?" She smiled at him. "Hi, I'm Jessica." Shoving thoughts of Lightning from his mind, he concentrated on the girl next to him. Maybe high school wouldn't be so bad after all.

"High Jess, what's up?" Hope breathed.

"We're all here"

"Where?" he replied.

"Look outside"

The connection terminated, and he frowned at his phone, eyebrows creased in confusion. Shoving it back in his pocket, he rolled over until he was close enough to the window to be able to look down. It was midnight, what could possibly be the matter? There he saw them-his best friends from school, along with his girlfriend looking up at him. Hope smiled and pumped his fist in the air, signalling them to wait a minute, whilst he dashed off and slipped on a coat and some trainers. Peeking out of his bedroom, he assured himself that his father was sleeping before sprinting back opening the window and leaping out, all in one move. He landed hard on the soft grass, and the wind was ripped out of him. Everything was dark for a moment, but they shortly cleared and he stood up and looked at his relieved friends.

"So, where are we going?"

"Charka? How? There's no way we can get drunk. No bar or pub on Pulse would ever let us in. Moreover, you know what? If they did, I'd be concerned."

Hope glanced at his complaining friend, but settled his eyes on Charka. "You know he is kinda right. It doesn't matter any way." Hope looked at his watch. "It's five past three-nothing will be open this early in the morning. We shouldn't have had that extra bowling game."

"We're not going to a stupid pub, we're going to my house. My parents aren't here and there is a ton of alcohol. It will be awesome." Charka replied.

"Whatever"

Hope opened his eyes, and blinked as sunshine blinded him. "Argh fuck!" he groaned. He noticed he was sleeping on a couch, and as he turned, he saw Jessica curled up on the inside with her arms around his neck. Rolling over again he saw his friends lying, in various uncomfortable positions on the floor, table and why the fuck was John sleeping in a fucking wardrobe?

His head pounded, and he tried to throw something at Charka. "Why did you open the blinds? Close them you douche!"

Charka shook his head and tried to pull Hope up. "Hope, my parents are coming back early. We have to clean up. Well maybe you don't, birthday boy, but help me get everyone else up."

Hope groaned and rolled off the couch, wincing as his knees hit the floor. "I can have everyone up in five minutes, but we really have to hurry up. My dad will probably wake up early so he can get my present ready and put the candles in the cake."

"You're sure? How do you know?" Charka asked.

Hope shrugged. "It's what he did last year."

"Quickly go then. I'll deal with this." Charka replied.

Hope almost laughed. "You think I plan on leaving you to wake these idiots up and clean this place by yourself?"

"But your dad-"

"Then we better get to work quickly." Hopes tone left no room for manoeuvre. "Now have you got a bucket?"

It was eight-thirty, when Hope finally left Charka's house and headed home. He had promised to meet his friends in the evening, but he was feeling more and more guilty. He wanted to see Lightning and the rest, and the thought of them waiting for someone who had no intention of going, the look of disappointment when they realized he had blown them off again. Serah had a child now- Hazel, and Hope desperately wanted to see her. Maybe it was time he stopped running from the past. Yes, he decided. He owed them that much at least. As soon as he got home, he would pack his bag. Hope entered the transport station, and was surprised by how many soldiers were around. The Guardian Corps usually did not come in such numbers unless something major happened. Dismissing it from his mind, Hope carried on walking.

Something was wrong, very wrong. Guardian Corp surrounded his house, milling around. There were the press, flashing cameras, microphones, and the fervent activity of a bomb squad? That was when he noticed that half his house was missing, and the Guardian Corp milling around were also entering his house where windows used to be. The air had a taste of smoke, and Hope found himself feeling sick. Dad.

"Mr. Estheim." A deep voice said.

Hope spun around and saw a Guardian Corp soldier walking to him, with a covered white stretcher being carried behind press that were filming him, jumped at the sight of Hope, and turned their attention to him. Murmurs sprang through the crowd, and soon he could hear shouts, asking for a word; cameras flashing and the hum of recorders.

"What's going on here? Who the hell are you and where's my father?" Hope was proud that his voice did not shake one bit. If he had to be on national news, at least it would be in style. He would have time to laugh at it with his father later. First, though, he had to find him.

"My name is lieutenant Rayed, Guardian Corp. Barthol-Your father, I mean, was declared missing this morning. We believe someone set fire to the house, in an attempt to cover his or her tracks, after the kidnapping." The man said it so matter-of-factly that Hope nearly screamed.

"Just what the hell are you trying to say?" Hope tried to unclench his fists. Unsuccessfully.

"As of 0800, this morning Mr. Bartholomew Estheim was changed to a missing person, after we received a call from Black Reid, holding him ransom." Rayed said, hands respectfully behind his back. "They made mention of you as well."

"Me? What? What the fuck would a terrorist organisation, specialising in advanced biological warfare want with me? Cut the shit!" Hope screamed the last word and tried to run off. Rayed stopped him, with his huge arms.

"This is very important Hope. Very important, so I want you to listen to me. We are taking you into protective custody, where we want to ask a few questions," Rayed said, his hand tightening around Hope's shoulder.

"Are you serious? Go fuck yourself. You should be finding your dad! Pay the fucking ransom! Whatever it takes!" Hope didn't even realize he was shouting.

"Calm down sir! You're on national television!" Rayed said alarmed. Hope almost giggled madly at the absurdity of the situation. "Besides we can't pay their ransom."

"Why the fucking hell not? Hey let go of me!" Hope tried to resist the two burly GC soldiers that had appeared out of nowhere, but it was to no avail. They escorted him inside the burning house, and sat him down on the wooden dining table, that was miraculously untouched.

"We can talk here Hope," a mysterious voice said, from behind him. Hope turned around and was confronted with the sight of a blonde bombshell who was so hot; Hope actually blushed despite the circumstance. "Away from the press. Now to business."

"We cannot pay the ransom, Hope, because it's you." She said. Hope looked at her in surprise, before turning back to look at Rayed.

"Wh...What?" Hope said faintly, all aggression fading away; only to be replaced with bone-numbing weariness.

"I am General Kayla De Silva, and the GC has been watching you for many years. We haven't much time, so I'm going to be as succinct as possible. Please forgive me-I am reading the relevant points out to you. You were kidnapped for two weeks, when you were fifteen years old, on October the 8th. You were returned, with no memories, back in your bed on October the 16th. The suspected kidnappers were Black Reid, a bio-terrorism unit, with suspected medical and genetic technology thousands of years ahead of our own thanks to the discovery of a Class-1 Ancient Biological Depositary, which we have been unable to locate. Although countless tests were run on you, nothing was ever found. Yet the symptoms of change were clearly evident. Your hair turned even stronger silver, your eyes a fiery red and green, your height has changed in the last year, so that now you are currently 5 feet and 11 eleven inches and you seem resilient to diseases. I believe that covers all the symptoms that have currently been exhibited."

"I'm not going to let you experiment on me!" Hope said defiantly, anger returning.

"We are suggesting nothing of the kind. In fact we want to make sure you're safe,"

Hope left the house around an hour later, with a goal-a destination in mind. He felt exhilarated and excited. Everything would be alright; he would find his father again. No matter what it took.

The rain was falling hard. Hope's coat was not waterproof, and he could feel the water trickling down his skin. He walked up the stone stairs to the house in front of him, and knocked. The sky was dark, and thunder was in the air; though it would be many hours until night.

The door opened, and he saw the one person who he knew he could depend on, no matter what. Lightning.