The Aftermath: A Final Fantasy Story

Chapter 7: The Cavalry on Cocoon

(Noel P.O.V)

It was getting close to sunset when we got to Cocoon, Sylph gladly departed after we landed, "Thanks!" Serah said as she waved goodbye to the fairy. I walked up to where a statue of Lightning and co stood, the bottom said 'The L'Cie that saved us, and the saviour that gave us a second chance", I smiled as I read. "Okay Noel, it's time we start looking in Palumpolum. Raines could be there" Serah said, Mog flew up from behind us as we started to walk, "Kupo! I don't remember visiting that town" he said, "Well it wasn't one of the stopping points in our journey, and it was one of the cities that was the least damaged when Cocoon begun to fall." Serah explained, "Thank god, we better hurry if Ardyn's got Caius under his control." I said and we headed towards the nearest map. It seems that Cocoon had the chance to rebuild a few cities, or even make most of them better. I've never been to Cocoon all that often, only when Serah and I went on our journey through time, it was good to see the continent thriving just like we were on Pulse. 

We saw that Palumpolum was alright, and pretty close to where we landed, which was in the Sunleth Waterscape, it looked kind of like the forest we found on Pulse, which we still haven't given a name for. "Okay Serah, how are we gonna do this if this Raines really is there?" I asked, "Oh you haven't met him, Cid Raines was the leader of the cavalry before he was made Primarch, but he was a puppet as we all were before this new world. Lightning's not even sure he made it, but it would be good to see him again." Serah said. I looked around at the entire waterscape, "To think we fought the Royal Ripeness here" I said, "Yeah, Snow was really surprised, and you stuck up for me that day too" Serah said. I was blushing a little, I let my emotions get the better of me that day, and I must've made Snow pissed. But since the New World happened, we became on good terms, I remember when Serah told me that she and Snow broke up.

(Flashback, New Bodhum Woods)

I was hunting on my own, looking for a deer, or a bison for a meal. I was in a steak mood so I had to go after meat, but my concentration was interrupted when I heard humming. I turned to see Serah walking alone, she looked sombre. "SERAH!" I yelled, Serah saw me and she climbed up to me, she sat down on a rock as I put my sword away, "What're you doing here?" she asked, "Hunting, I thought you were with Snow." I said clearly confused, that's when she grasped her necklace, "We broke up" she said, "Aww no, why?" I asked, "We're different people Noel, I became stronger because of our journey, and Snow became more egotistical ever since I came back, he wouldn't let me fight at all" Serah said. I took a moment to think, I was waiting for her birthday, but now's the time, "Hey, I know how you can fight again" I said, "How?" she asked.

I whistled and a familiar cry came flying, "KUPO!" a voice yelled, I smiled at Serah's reaction to when Mog showed up, "MOG!" Serah said and they hugged, "How is this possible?" Serah asked, "The other Yeul's wanted me to go back, they said that magic is returning to the earth kupo, and I needed to come back. Plus I missed you kupo" Mog said, I smiled at the moogle, "Glad you're back little guy" I said, "I missed you too Noel kupo, I missed doing this" Mog said and he started hitting my with his staff, Serah started giggling as I called out, "Okay, I give!" I said in-between laughs. Mog even laughed a little as he flew back to Serah, "So Snow took his necklace off, but I'm keeping mine on, but it makes me think of Snow before all this happened" Serah said sadly, "Hey I got an idea" I said and I took off her necklace, I replaced the diamond in the ring with the stone we found on our journey, a white moonstone that looked like it came from Valhalla itself, and I even gave the necklace a new chain, it was silver with an easy-to-handle latch, I was gonna give it to her on her birthday but why not. "There, something different" I said as I put the necklace back onto her, she smiled at me and we hugged.

We pulled away when we heard footsteps, "Ooh this could be a big one" I said as we stalked in the trees, we eventually saw a behemoth feasting on some meat. "Are we really gonna do this Noel? He looks huge" Serah said nervously, "I'm not alone anymore, remember what I taught you" Noel said, "Don't ever lay down and wait to die" Serah said as Mog turned into her weapon, I smiled when Serah said that and we charged towards the beast, he roared at us as we got into position. I soon ran on his back as Serah jumped into a nearby tree and shot at him, I stabbed the beast in the back, and he fell over, I nearly got crushed but Serah saved me by swinging in on a vine, we jumped down onto the beast and we were stabbing it in the heart, killing it instantly. "I don't think we can steal his prey anymore" Serah said, "He's our meal Serah" I said and Serah smiled.