Noctis heard everything Lightning muttered to herself from the entrance of the garden. She feels alone? He thought. So she wasn't angry as Gladiolus commented, just... sad. He couldn't bear to see Lightning so upset. He got an idea.
He approached Lightning. "Hey..." He shyly said. She looked over at him with an emotionless expression. Noctis wasn't sure how to ask her. He tried to act cool.
"That slap hurt, you know." He teased. Lightning's wasn't fazed. Well then, Let's try plan B. He walked over to her and took a seat on the ground next to her.
"I can see why you're so confused about everything. It was foolish of me to throw you into all of this so quickly." He told her sympathetically.
"Why do you give a damn?" She responded, her voice cold and harsh. Truly, Noctis didn't know why yet. He was so concerned for her happiness. But why? He barely knew her. She just reminded him of something, someone... But who?
He pushed the thought aside and answered, "What Gladiolus said was uncalled for. I wouldn't take what he said so lightly either." Lightning was puzzled. Why was he being so nice? Lightning thought to herself. Wow, I really am too paranoid. Gladiolus was dead on. Lightning mentally slapped herself for thinking that way. She was a soldier. Never could she become so soft.
Noctis finally got the courage to ask her, "When I'm in a rut, there's a place I like to go to clear my mind. Would you like to go?"
Lightning was stunned. No one here showed her such kindness towards her. Why him? Why now? She thought it over. This could be an opportunity to pry some information about this world out of him. "Fine. Anything to get away from here."
Noctis didn't expect her to actually accept his offer. But he was glad to get some time to know her.
"Follow me."
Noctis lead Lightning through the castle and out a back door that went to a huge backyard full of trees, flowerbeds, and small ponds. A red wooden building similar to a barn was nearby. The red facility was where all chocobos were held. He started walking over to it when Lightning asked, "Just where are we going now?"
He looked back at her before responding, "A plain that is not too far from here. It's easiest to go there by riding a chocobo. You have ridden before, right?"
Lightning shot him a glare. "Of course I have," She snapped.
Noctis smirked. He believed it was funny when she got mad over silly things like that. He loved to tease her, too. "So I shouldn't expect you to fall, or are you just trying to sound tough?" Lightning punched his arm as he laughed.
He signaled for Lightning to wait outside the corral while he got two chocobos. Lightning didn't expect seeing Noctis come back with one white and one black chocobo!
"Aren't all chocobos yellow?" She wondered out loud. Noctis thought that was a yet another strange question. She seemed to ask a lot of those. "Actually, they come in many assorted colors. Didn't you know?"
Lightning felt sheepish for voicing her inner thoughts. All the chocobos on Pulse and Cocoon were yellow and yellow only.
Noctis decided to let the odd question slide and handed her the reins to the white chocobo. It wasn't quite as large as the chocobos from Pulse, but the bird still stood at a good seven feet. Noctis climbed onto his black chocobo.
Lightning hopped onto hers while Noctis said, "This is Cinis. He's been with me since I was a little kid."
"So... Why are you telling me this?"
Noctis felt a little stupid for introducing his chocobo as if it was a human being. "Well... He's just been my chocobo for so long. I guess he's special to me, that's all.
She understood what he meant. "What's this one's name then?" Lightning asked.
"She's Snow."
Lightning frowned. Damn coincidence has to remind me that I don't even have my idiot brother-in-law to annoy me anymore.
Noctis noticed her discontentment. "Something wrong?"
Lightning came out of her thoughts, "I'm fine, I was just thinking."
Noctis whipped Cinis' reins and made him start running after he kweed. Lightning did the same and followed.
Lightning never knew there was such a long field so close to the castle. She thought there would be a fence or something behind it. The field had few trees apart from a forest to the far east. Dandelions and other weeds littered the rolling hills just as lush green grass did. It was spring, so many bees, dragonflies, butterflies, and other bugs fluttered about. It was a couple of hours away from noon, making the field seem to glow in the morning sunlight. No clouds covered the sky, allowing the beautiful blue to engulf everything below it. A warm breeze flowed through the air.
Noctis said the place he talked about wasn't too far, but they had ridden for some time. A tall hill soon approached them. Noctis slowed down and stopped Cinis at the hill's base. He jumped off Cinis and tied his reins to a tree close by. Lightning did the same with Snow. Lightning's waist and shoulder burned from the bumpy ride. She didn't want to show her pain in front of Noctis, so she ignored the pain.
"Now what? What is it you want to show me?" Lightning impatiently asked. The ride had gotten Lightning to let her mind wander away from the event with Gladiolus. However, she still wasn't in a very good mood.
"It's just over this hill. I stopped here so we could take in the view." It was already a beautiful day. Just how amazing could this sight be?
Noctis and Lightning strolled up the hill. It wasn't to terribly big, although the trip was still slightly tiresome and annoying. Lightning didn't mind though. She had been through tougher training than a walk up a hill. Neither of them spoke on the way up. Noctis, however, was excited to see Lightning's reaction once they reached the hill's peak.
Just before they made it to the summit, Noctis halted, and turned to Lightning. "Okay," He said with a hint of joy in his tone, "Close your eyes."
"No way. That's ridiculous." Lightning grumpily implied.
"Please?"
Begging? She asked herself. I can have a little fun with this. In a sly voice, she said, '' I don't know."
Noctis knew she was toying with him. He started to think this was a bad idea. He still wanted her to come with him. He decided to play her little game.
"If you close your eyes and come, I'll answer every question you have." Noctis complied.
Just what Lightning wanted. "Fine," She concluded. She closed her eyes. Noctis took her hand and began walking her to the top. Lightning thought it was weird: His hand felt warm to her, even though he was wearing gloves. Not only that, but she liked feeling his hand intertwined with hers. She shoved the thought away, thinking she must not have gotten enough sleep and was hallucinating.
Noctis ushered her slowly, savoring the time he had to hold Lightning's hand. Her fingers felt soft, gentle. Not what he expected from the hands of a highly skilled fighter.
Lightning felt him stop. Noctis released her hand before telling her, "Okay, you can open your eyes." She gradually obeyed.
Lightning was shocked by what she saw. The breath taking scenery of endless hills filled her view. The green foliage met the blue sky at the horizon with an accompaniment of flowers of every color. The wind created a symphony of rustling leaves. The sunlight enlightened every hue of the vast plain. "Wow," was all Lightning could utter. Noctis was glad. And, hopefully, things would get better.
"Told you it was cool." Noctis gloated. Lightning answered with a glare.
Noctis thought he should play with her just as she did earlier. "Well,
He said, "This isn't the place I told you about, just a stop on the way. We better get going."
Lightning would rather stay closer to the castle just in case this creep would try anything mischievous. "Hold on a minute!" She shouted. "Why should I keep following you? How come we can't stay here?"
Noctis grinned, "This wasn't the place I told you I liked to go to. You agreed to come with me..." He paused. "You are free to go back; it's not that hard to find the way. But..." He fished something out of the pouch strapped around his waist. "...You'll have to leave this behind."
Lightning's eyes automatically grew wide with anger as she saw him pull out a folded up knife. HER knife! The same one Serah gave her for her twenty-first birthday: The same day she announced that she was a L'Cie and engaged to Snow.
"How the hell did you get that?" Lightning barked.
"You dropped it in the garden we were at before we left. I meant to return it to you, but it must have slipped my mind." Noctis gave her a coy smile.
Lightning didn't think Noctis was so tricky. "Give it back!" She demanded.
"You'll have to come with me then." He replied with an evil snicker. He advanced down the hill with Lightning at his heels. She attempted to wrestle the knife from him several times before he started running from her. She chased him down, trying to regain her knife. It was the only thing she had left from home.
Noctis laughed at his game. His playful teasing humored him. Not because he was a bully, but he wanted to have some fun with her. She, on the other hand, was probably ready to wring his neck.
After a few minutes of Lightning pursuing him, he slowed down and prepared to give her knife back. Instead of just retrieving the knife like a civilized person, she kicked his feet from under him then picked it up from the ground after he let go of it.
"Ow! No need to be so rough!" Noctis complained. Lightning paid no attention to him and looked around. Now she had no choice but to go with him; She wasn't sure where they were any more, let alone how to get back.
Noctis stood and dusted himself off. "The place is just over there." He turned his head to the right. He began walking towards a gazebo-li structure. Reluctantly, Lightning followed.
The gazebo standing at approximately fifteen feet tall was made completely of stone. A pointed roof was supported by rectangular pillars. A short stone barrier covered about four feet of the ten foot arcs created by the pillars. Once inside, Lightning could see that there was plenty of room, enough to fit ten people inside without being cramped. She could tell the gazebo was old, due to the decaying stone and plants growing in every crack. The floor was covered with dirt and small pebbles. Lightning felt nervous to be inside the secluded building alone with Noctis. "What is this place?" She questioned.
Noctis explained, "A long time ago, I don't recall when this country was at war with another to the North called Niflheim. These fields were an easy route to the palace; therefore, soldiers from the opposing side would try to sneak into the city unnoticed. In order to protect the citizens, the war leaders assigned military officers to be stationed here to keep watch and warn the king if anyone was spotted. There are more posts around the area; this one is just the closest.
"This war ended many years ago, so no one comes here anymore," Noctis continued. "We've had recent problems concerning the crystal with Niflheim, but a peace treaty was made in order to settle our disputes. Although, things are still a little shaky. Anyway, there isn't anyone around for miles. It's so quiet and peaceful here, also a good place to clear your mind."
Noctis was correct: The scenery made Lightning feel relaxed, even though Gladiolus' comment was still in her thoughts. Noctis leaned against one of the pillars as he examined Lightning closely. She looked out to the horizon, unaware of his watchful eye. The sunlight hit her in a way that emphasized her beauty. Her icy blue eyes sparkled while her pink hair glistened, reflecting the sun's rays. She was already good looking without nature making her features even more intoxicating. He wanted her to talk to him. He craved to know everything about her. All he had to do was get her to speak.
Noctis hesitated, then managed to state, "Gladiolus can be temperamental when it comes to our group. He's always the one defending us or getting worked up first."
Lightning didn't answer.
He tried again, "He didn't mean what he said. We were all under a little pressure. A bit uneasy."
Lightning finally averted gaze over to him, "Really? How so?"
"Umm..." He began, "There's still some tension between all of us. We just want to make friends and put everything that's happened aside. None of us were really positive about how to do it, though." Lightning thought for a moment. Maybe she had gotten carried away earlier.
"I guess I can let it go." Lightning sighed.
"Why did that get you so upset anyway?" Noctis wondered aloud. Bad idea. He pretty much opened up closed wounds. Lightning looked down at the red pouch tied to her left leg. She pulled out the knife Noctis taunted her with and flipped out the blade. "It made me think of how little I have." Noctis was bemused. He furrowed his brow to signal for her enlighten him.
"I mentioned I had a sister, right? She waited for Noctis to nod so she was sure he followed. "She's married. I don't have any parents. Everyone I care for has somebody to be with them. Like family or childhood friends. That is, everyone but me. They all have someone to spend their days with..." She lowered her head. "This knife will be all that I'll have left of anyone that meant anything to me. They'll all leave me behind someday, especially if I can't get back home."
Noctis felt her pain. Getting attached to someone could be joyous for a time, but in the end, it might result in a damaged heart. He had suffered that feeling when...
His thoughts were interrupted by Lightning's sudden anger. "Dammit!" She cursed.
"What?"
Realizing what she did, Lightning sat down on the chilly floor. "Me." She plainly said.
"I don't understand." Noctis sat next to her on her right side.
"I'm going too soft. Way too soft. Getting so sentimental, letting out my emotions; I'm becoming weak."
"Don't say that!" Noctis exclaimed without thinking. Startled, Lightning gawked at Noctis. He could feel his face flushing and looked away.
"Why shouldn't I?" Lightning asked, wanting an explanation for his outburst.
In a small voice, he said, "You're the strongest person I've ever met. And having emotions doesn't make you weak, it..." He trailed off.
"What?" Lightning insisted.
Noctis slowly turned his head back to her, "...It doesn't make you weak. It makes you human."
Lightning was stunned to hear what he said. Their faces were only inches apart. Lightning could feel his breath on her face. She wanted to move closer, to get a better look at his deep, dark blue eyes.
Noctis abruptly broke their gaze before hastily standing up. He appeared sadder now. "Of course, I wouldn't know anything about being human."
Lightning was confused. "What do you mean?" She became cautious.
Noctis took a few steps forward, away from her. "I've never been treated like a human. I'm a prince after all. So I'm given great respect. Everyone has seen me as a god, or..." Noctis shied away before finishing, "or a monster."
