Learning My Roots (Hope Estheim Love Story)

Chapter 14: Pulse and Feelings

Disclaimer: Everything besides Bella and her family belong to Square Enix.

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We came across a Pulse airship. Fang notice something in the air. A gate to Pulse. We were going to take our chances and go to Pulse. Snow thought maybe we would find a way to get rid of the brands there. "If nothing else, Cocoon is safe for the time being. I'd say its worth to go take a look," Hope said. I stood next to him. "I agree with Hope. We should take this chance. For those of us who are from Cocoon, maybe going to Pulse may change our perception that we grew up with," I said. "Maybe. But, what about your dad Hope?" Lightning asked him.

Snow and Sazh though it was a dilemma. Hope turned to Lightning. "I made him a promise. I promised to keep going and do what I had to. He said only I would know what that was. The world's full of lies. There's no way of knowing what's right. All we can do is believe in ourselves. It's easy to sit back and let people trick you. Like the Sanctum had us all believing that a l'cie was some sort of monster. I'm done with their lies. Fal'cie. This whole focus. Here on out I use my eyes. Think. And that," he said.

He was really thinking on his own. I was proud of him. "I might not make all the right choices. But as long as I am the one who decides on what to do...there's nothing to regret," he said. He looked at all of us. "Okay," Lighting said. Sazh went up to him. "Alright lets do it," Sazh said to him with him point a finger towards Hope.

Hope said that Pulse was hell. Fang questioned him about it. He really wanted to go. Lightning turned to me. "What about you Bella?" she asked. I gave it some thought while everyone looked at me. "Everything that had happened to me had been very interesting so far. Throughout this journey, I was learning about the world that my mother came from. I may not have been born in this world, but it is a part of me through my blood. I found everything interesting. I will tell you guys about the whole truth about me at a later time. I really want to go to see and learn about Pulse through my own eyes," I said to them.

Hope gave me a smile and I smiled back. "Besides. I made a promise to Hope's father that I would take care of him. I plan on keeping it," I said to them. They all smiled at me. So we all went aboard onto the airship. Hope and I sat next to each other.

Sazh got it to work and flew through the portal. It was a bit crazy and bumpy until we saw the sky. The world below was green. Then, something flew above us. It was coming towards us again and it created a whole and Hope and Vanille flew out. I hanged onto a seat. "Hope!" I yelled out.

"Fang get them," Snow said. "I got it," Fang said and jumped off the airship. Lightning followed after her. I decided to get Snow and Sazh off the airship. I summoned my crystal out. I went near the whole and threw it in the air. I took my chakram and threw it. I summoned Phoenix. I caught my chakram and jumped onto its back. 'You guys get on," I said and they did while the airship fell to the ground below.

Fang and Lightning got on Bahamut and caught Hope and Vanille. "Home sweet home. Welcome to Gran Pulse," Fang said as we flew. I followed Fang. We landed on the ground and our eidolons disappeared into thin air. Hope came over to me. "When did you get your eidolon?" he asked. "I got it at the same time I got my brand," I said. He gave me a nod. "Are you okay?" I asked him. "Yeah. I'm fine," he said.

It was time for us to look around. I went with Hope to get some supplies. The chocobo chick went with us. It sat on the top of my head. I didn't mind. We stopped at a tree. Hope ran into a tree and the fruits fell to the ground.

I gathered the fruits from the ground. I saw him fiddling with something in his pocket again. "Is something wrong?" I asked him. He turned to me in a bit of surprise and nervousness. "What? Oh um....there is something that I wanted to give you," he said. "What is it?" I asked. He pulled a bracelet out from his pocket. "I really like you Bella. I hope you can accept this bracelet as a way to accepting my feelings for you," he said.

I looked at him. "I like you too Hope," I said to him. He gave me a smile. I showed him my wrist and he put the bracelet on for me. "It's beautiful," i said and gave him a hug. He hugged me back. Then I saw him grab his brand. He hissed in pain. "Hope. What's wrong?" I asked worried. Next thing I know, he started to fall and I held him. "Hope!" I yelled out.

I turned to the chocobo chick. "Please go get the others," I said and it went away. I put his head on my lap. I rest my forehead against his. "Please Hope. Be alright," I whispered. Soon, the others came to us. Snow carried him to the campsite. I put his head on my knees.

It was nighttime and he was still not awake. Sazh was having some doubts now about the whole l'cie thing since we came to Pulse. There was no one here. Vanille suggested that we go further. "Oerba," I heard. I looked down. "The place where it all began. The first place where the Pulse fal'cie laid dreaming," he said as he opened his eyes. "Hope?" I said to him. "Vanille and Fang's home. Maybe. Just maybe the place where we find the answers that we are looking for," he said as he lift his hand up to the sky.

"You're right if we can get there," Fang said. "Go ahead without me," he said as he sat up. I helped him sit up. "We can't leave you Hope. Especially me," I said to him. "It's okay. I'll be alright. You guys taught me so much. You showed me how to fight," he said. Hope struggled with his balance and Snow caught him before he could fall to the ground. Snow helped support him.

"I'm scared," he said. "We understand. You are not going through this ordeal alone you know," Lightning said and put her hand on his shoulder. She tried to cheer him up. "That's what scares me. I don't...I don't want to see you get hurt because of me," he said in fear. He bend down and covered his face with his branded hand. "It would be better if I stayed behind," he said. His brand started to shine and his eidolon appeared.

It was huge. The eidolon was a gift. He couldn't give up. "Hope. You can't give up. You are a part of the team. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. You need to believe in yourself and get back on your feet," I told him.

He managed to tame his eidolon. I was proud of him. He realized that he wasn't going to through things alone. He had us around. I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You're going to be okay," I told him. He returned the hug. After a while, we pulled apart.

It was getting late. We all decided to get some sleep. A couple of us would stay awake to watch for a few hours and switch. Hope and I slept next to each other.