I really love Hope but god, I hated Acadamia 400AF and Acadamia's general layout. I also hated Augusta Tower. Which are pretty much the two places Hope designed.

No but Acadamia 400AF was a nightmare even with DLC Com Lightning

also spell check doesn't think butt is a word

"Augusta Tower, huh?"

Snow grinned at the immense building before him, whirling with blue flourescent lights. The tower would be opened to the public in a week, but hey, he was an old friend of the Director's, wasn't he?

"Crap, when was the last time I saw that kid?" Snow took him out for lunch once, right? Sometime in...uh... 2 AF? Or was it 5? 3?

Well, anyways, it's been too long. Snow was at Archylte Steppes, around probably 20-60 AF, cleared out a couple paradoxes there, before he was whisked here.

"Hey, you! Yeah, in the uniform! What year is it?" Snow called out to a girl about to enter the building.

"13 AF." The girl smiled, a bit concerned. Drifters and people opposing the Proto Fal'cie plan had been gathering around the entrance last week, before they beefed up the security around the tower. It also helped keep all the Director's over-enthusiastic fans away.

"Oh, right. I knew that. Thanks,"

"No problem! I hope you visit the tower once it opens!"

Speaking of Hope, he really needed to get in contact with him. It's been a while since he saw any of the others, though he could swear that he met a blond guy who was practically a male version of Lightning after going through a suspicious looking gate. He even had a similar name, something like rain or thunder or something to do with weather.

Anyways, Hope would be about what now? Like, twenty something? The boy was smart but god, he was practically the ruler of Pulse by now. How did he create an artificial fal'cie anyways? Whatever, he'd ask him once he sees him. Now how to get to Hope?

"Hey, I'm here to see Hope Estheim?" Snow addressed the bored looking receptionist, some girl in her twenties.

"Your ID please?"

"Umm...Yeah...About that.."

"Sir, ID please?"

"Well, I don't exactly have an ID, but if you tell Hope that Snow Villier's waiting for him, I'm sure he'll come down!"

"..."

"Come on! Just try it at least!"

"Security, yeah, we have another fanboy. Thinks himself that one guy from the six Pulse l'cie. No, not the handsome one, he's the douchey one! No, of course it's not the Director! Why would Hope be his own fanboy? Look, just come down here and get this guy out!"

"What? No! I'm not Hope's fanboy, I'm Snow Villiers!"

"Yes, sir. Please wait here until security arrive, sir."

"Aww come on! No wait-no! Stop! Hey wait!"

"Stay out!" Snow was promptly thrown on his butt on the curb outside the tower. Nice to see people are still just as friendly as they were before!

But that still didn't solve the problem about how he was going to meet with Hope. There was only a limited amount of time he could stay here, this might be his last chance to see Hope. And besides, he wanted to see how the boy was doing. Did he get a girlfriend yet? Get over his adoring worship of Lightning?

"Oh, you're here again?" Snow looked up to see the blonde girl from earlier.

"Yeah, I tried to meet with Hope, but they kicked me out." Brushing his coat off, he stood, NORA necklace jingling in place.

"That necklace...Are you Snow Villiers?"

"None other! How'd you know?"

"The Director has a picture of you on his office wall!" Aww, that was sweet. Looks like Hope really did remember him, after all.

"He throws darts at it every time he gets frustrated." Nevermind. "Alyssa Zaidelle, at your service. I can get you in to see Hope, if you'd like."

"Really? That'd be great!"

"Yeah! Come with me." Alyssa entered the building, flashing her ID at the receptionist and mouthing 'he's with me' when the guards pointed towards Snow.

"What's your relationship with Hope anyways, Alyssa?" Snow asked as they entered the elevator.

"Oh, I'm just his private assistant. Nothing scandalous or anything." That was a shame. Though with Hope, it was impossible to imagine him with any girl. Maybe he's interested in boys?

"The Director's married to his work anyways," Alyssa explained, as if reading Snow's thoughts.

"Yeah, I thought so."

"So... You're really Snow Villiers?"

"Yup! One of the Pulse l'cie, all that stuff."

"Where have you been these past few years?"

"Somewhere in the Archylte Steppes. Went looking for Lightning there, but I never found her. Solved some paradoxes though, and found another gate. Next thing I knew, I was outside Augusta Tower."

"Did you bump into...Any purple haired men there?"

"No, can't think of any. Why, you like purple haired men?" Snow chuckled, and Alyssa gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, something like that."

"So how's Hope been all these years?"

"Doing fine, I guess. He's a powerful politician now, and since Rygdea stepped down three years ago, Hope's practically the leader of the Academy now. And he's got quite the following."

"Oh? How so?"

"You wouldn't believe it." Alyssa rolled her eyes. "I used to work as his secretary. He gets more mail than I ever thought possible. Most of it's fanmail and love letters, but I've seen a few nasty messages."

"What's he like now?"

"Smart. Determined. Creative. Stubborn. Stays up too late. Forgets to eat. Won't clean up his mess of an office. Doesn't realize the whole city's female population are flinging their panties at him."

"Um. Okay?"

"Sorry, went on a rant there. Ah, look, we've arrived. Stay here while I go get him, okay? You won't be able to pass through the barriers without an ID."

"Ah, I'll wait here then." Alyssa hurried out the elevator platform, passing through the ethereal blue gates. Snow took the time to look around as he waited.

The tower was massive, evident in the time it took to arrive. Large, boxed cubicles sat floating, connected by stretches of orange paths. The walls hummed and shifted, reminiscent of Orphan's Cradle. It was oddly calming in the center of the tower, the lights gently illuminating everything around.

"Director! Director!"

Alyssa disappeared through one cubical and reappeared out of another. Snow could just spot Hope, standing in the center of a group of scientists. The boy had grown, and stood much taller than his 14 year-old counterpart. He was handsome in a soft, delicate way, white hair making him look much paler than he already was.

"Heh, the boy's all grown up." Snow smiled. Hope wasn't as cute as he remembered.

"Go see what's happening." Hope commanded, and a scientist strode off, only to be struck down with a blast of lightning.

"What is this?" Hope yelled, as dozens of machines surrounded them. Snow watched, horrified.

"No," Hope cried, and Snow pounded on the walls. Damn things wouldn't let him through!

A shrill scream filled the air, and a lower pitched one joined it. Snow could only watch as Hope threw his arms in front of his face, in some desperate attempt to protect himself and Alyssa.

It didn't work.

"NO! HOPE!" Snow tried shoving his way through the gates, all in vain. The air hummed with a familiar sound. A gate whirled into existence behind him, blocking sight of the machines. A bell sounded in the distance, and Snow recognized it instantly. It was the sound of a paradox.

"Dammit!" The gate glowed blue, as if sensing the wild artifact on Snow. It shone brightly, reflecting off the white walls, drowning out everything pass the gates.

Four tolls. He was running out of time. The very edges of the tower seemed to fray, as if threatening to disappear.

"I can't- Hope," Snow cried out to no one in particular. The scene of the boy's death played out in his mind. Wasn't there anything he could have done to stop it? Was that why he was called here?

Eight tolls. By the thirteenth, he'd be forced in. Did he fail? Was Lightning trying to tell him something, sending him here?

Ten tolls. "Keep hope alive." Did she say that? He can't remember. Or was it to someone else, muffled by water and clutching two hands?

Twelve. "I'm sorry, Hope." Snow apologized as he offered the artifact to the gate and stepped in.

A flash of light, and the Historia Crux opened in front of Snow. The opening closed behind him, as if it had never existed.

"Ow," Snow landed awkwardly in a grassy, shady place. Sunleth Waterscape?

Speaking of that, where did he come from anyway? Didn't he just solve some paradoxes in the Archylte Steppes? Or was it somewhere back on Cocoon?

He hoped it was.