Final Fantasy Medley featuring Lindsey Stirling!

Because this beautiful medley needs to be on my blog. Lindsey Stirling and Final Fantasy!

Soulmates

Picture by Hihazuki

http://hihazuki.deviantart.com/art/Transcending-Humanity-448528914

"Maybe soulmates are just two ordinary people who are too stubborn to let the world pull them apart." - Unknown

A beautiful quote about love and a great story spark ^_^

Orginal source here: http://its-a-pack-thing-babe.tumblr.com/post/110407843686/because-rainbowserenity-wanted-to-see-this-insp#notes

Sounds of Hope and Light: A Hopurai fanmix on 8tracks

I made this fanmix after learning what happens in Lightning Returns. 

Some of the songs could be spoilerish for those who haven't seen/ played Lightning Returns. 

I'm also open to suggestions. 

If you have recommendations for Hoperai songs, please share them :)

Listen to the fanmix here: 

http://8tracks.com/sarahbelle624/sounds-of-light-and-hope-1

Music tracks : in chronological order

"Save the Hero" by Beyonce

- This song is Lightning's theme song. She's so focused on saving the world, and even though she would never admit it, she probably wondered who would save her. 

"The Gapra Whitewood" from the FFXIII soundtrack

- This music represents the moment that Lightning first started to believe in Hope, and she listens to his troubles. I chose the piano track for a softer tone.

"Wait for you" by Artist VS Poet

- This song is Hope's frustration on trying to get closer to Lightning. Throughout the first game he deals with her coldness by asking questions, and his admiration of Lightning is obvious. 

"State of Grace" by Taylor Swift

- This song seems to be Lightning's thoughts after meeting Hope, and the adventure they go on. She never saw him coming.

"My Hands" by Leona Lewis

- This song is pretty straight foward. It plays at the end of FFXIII when Hope and Lightning are standing next to eachother, smiling at their success to save Coccoon.

"The Garden of Everything" by Maaya Sakamoto

- This song is Hope's theme song in FFXIII 2. He's always searching for Lightning, and truly believes that he will find her. 

"Save Me" by Nicki Minaj

- This song is Lightning's theme throughout FFXIII 2. She's constantly battling Caius and she seeks out help. 

"Anywhere but Here" by Safteysuit

- Hope would rather be anywhere but where he is. He wants to find Lightning, and bring the team together again. He tells Serah in the second game that he's lonely. He misses Light. 

"Madness" by Muse

- When Hope becomes a pawn of Bhunivelse, he goes through torture after torture, and the only thing that kept him alive was thinking of Lightning.

"Not Alone" by Red

- Lightning is back, and Hope wants to be there for her, just glad to be with her again. No matter what, he will help her.

"Only One" by Alex Band

- Hope has realized that he only has so much time to live. He must make his time with Lightning something special. Regardless of the roles they have to play, Lightning and Hope can accomplish anything. 

"Lifeline" by Imogen Heap

- Lightning is grateful to have Hope as her partner again. With him there, she can feel a little more human. Hope is her lifeline.

"Up in the Stars" by Swimming With Dolphins

- Hope will be wherever Light is, even after the final battle. 

"Closing In" by Imogen Heap

- This song fits the epilogue, when Lightning steps off the train, she's on her way to Hope. Where they can live a happy life together, free from the Gods. 

Lightning Farron Polyvore set

Due to my excitement over the near release of Lightning Returns, I decided to do a Polyvore set for Light, and I'll probably make a Hope Estheim set next. 

I added the lightning bolt earrings for obvious reasons, but the set is actually based off her new look in Lightning Returns, with the exception of the red cape from the first game. The leather arm band is one of her trademarks, and I wanted to include a picture of her from the first game, to reflect the human she once was. 

View the entire set here: 

http://www.polyvore.com/lighting_farron/set?id=106089791

Lightning Returns theory

Because I have one.

Warning: Spoilers from FFXIII and FFXIII 2 

So I just completed Final Fantasy XIII 2, and during the annoying (intense) boss fight that ends the game, I actually paid attention to dialogue (instead of wanting to throw my game control at the TV screen like last time) and discovered that Serah hints at her death several times. She also tells Noel "Thank You" before dying. So my first theory is that Serah knew she was going to die once the Yuel incarnations told her she was like them. 

Because Serah had a vison of the future, she died, but because she is like Yuel, in my opinion, that is proof that she is Yuel, or at least has part of her soul.

Now, Lighting is shown at the very end of the sequence, after Cauis cheats by forcing Noel to stab the heart of Etro. 

There are many theories that Lighting will replace Etro, and I agree, but I also disagree with them. Lighting becomes Etro's protector at the beginning of the game, and she watches the world from Valhalla. In my opinion, it is posible that Lighting, like Cauis gained a small piece of Etro, and that piece allows her to collect souls in the third game. 

Also, Light didn't die at the end of FFXIII 2. She turned to crystal, which means that a FalCie might be behind this. 

Now, to back up, I have a theory about Cauis. Cauis is immortal, and he has watched over Yuel for centuries. Because he was once a human guardian, becoming immortal probably drove him mad, and caused him to go looking for a way to prevent Yuel from dying and being reborn. 

We all assume, and it's hard not to, that he is the main bad guy of FFXIII 2. But where did he get the idea of warping time itself? My guess is that a FalCie or God told him. He might have made a deal with this God to warp the entire timeline and create the world that is now Nova Crystallia. We know that there are three "Makers" or Gods in the mythology behind the FFXIII world. One of these Gods, must be behind Cauis's insanity and his sucessful plot. 

Bhunivelze is possibly the culprit. But there's another story we have yet to know about.

Snow's. Snow becomes a Lcie again, for a different FalCie. We also know that he has gone mad, granted with immortalitty and he is broken because Serah, the one person he swore to protect, died. But what deal did he make? It is possible that Snow, like Lighting has become a pawn of the Gods as well. While he created fragments at different locations and different times, he may have been helping the destruction of the timeline the entire time, thinking he was going to bring Lightning back and keep Serah safe. Clearly, that didn't happen. And we only see him twice in the main story line of the game, where he clearly has his own agenda.

Now we bring in Hope, who has been searching for the original Lcie gang since they disappeared. He changed the future, found a way to go to the future without becoming a Lcie again and he managed to create an entire world for humans. He is also immortal.

Hope and Lightning both appear to no longer be human and it is confirmed that they are servants of Bhunivelze. By his actions alone,  Hope practically became a God and defied rules of the timeline, going to these extremes to bring back the people he missed. Lightning swore to protect the realm of Valhalla  and gained the godlike power of seeing everything, at all times, and summoning the eidolons for her battle. 

Many people say they believe that Bhunivelze is going to be a boss fight in Lightning Returns, and I agree. If you consider the mythology, it's not so far fetched. 

We still don't know which of the Gods was evil, and which was good. Like the beginning of FFXIII we are given a story, and then close to the conclusion of the game, that story is turned on its head. I see this pattern in Lighting Returns already, just within the most recent trailer. 

It's clear that Lighting and Hope believe that they are helping the souls of the world, which we want to believe because they are the main characters. It is also clear that there are many prophecies, once again foreshadowing that the Lcie chosen will become pawns of the gods. Noel was tricked into the same thing when he fought Cauis. 

But before we go further, we need to talk about Serah again. and the mysterious character Lumina looks very similar to her.

Serah has been confirmed to be like Yuel, and based on what is revealed in FFXIII 2 I believe that she IS Yuel. In other words, she is Yuel's original soul reincarnated.  This theory alone confirms two things. One, that Lighting is walking into a trap. Two, Lightning has replaced Etro entirely. 

Etro and Yuel are connected. So are Lightning and Serah. 

It is already confirmed that there was more to the reason the original Lcie were chosen, and it was probably the same reason that the Falcie tried to make a giant human sacrifice. To awaken the Maker. Now, if Bhunivelze is the Maker, then the Maker was awakened once Noel/Cauis destroyed Etro's heart. Now he needs pawns to replace the gods he created. So the battle between Snow and Lightning, and even the prophecy that Noel believes that Lighting will destroy the world are both events in the battle between the three main gods. 

One other thing that might be a little farfetched, but possibly it will make sense. 

Lightning must guide souls to the next world. And the next world is beyond Valhalla. It could very well be that Etro and Bhunivelze's mother are still alive, within that next world, manipulating events to bring about the world they want and be granted more power. 

So my predictions of the next game are as follows:

Lightning is a goddess now.

Hope is practically a god.

Lumina is Serah's soul mixed with Bhunivelze's mother.

The new world is where they will meet the Maker.

Snow is the pawn of one god while Lightning is the pawn of another.

Noel didn't kill Etro completely, because Lightning replaced Etro and possibly contains a manifestation of her.

The final boss fight will be a god, or the Maker himself.

Cauis has been the pawn of this god, or Cauis is this god.

The entire world of Nova Crystallia is actually the world of the dead, which is why any souls lost will be lost forever.

Bhunivelze's mom will still be alive.

There will be a happy ending (This was confirmed)

The chosen Lcie will become the next cycle of Falcie or gods.

Each Lcie plays an important role in the prophecy and the battle of power between the gods.

Lake Bresha

The stationary Falcie stares at me, seeming to laugh at my situation. Ten minutes ago, the Falcie held you captive, and we got there, just in time to see you complete your focus. Serah, you're frozen in crystal now. Your fiancé is driving me up the wall, talking about becoming your hero. Who is he kidding? We're not heroes. With the entire lake glittering in crystal, time itself has stopped, and hope has faded. Serah, if only I had listened to you. 

Why? Why did the Falcie choose you? Why a Falcie from Pulse? Now there are five of us, one just a kid, branded as a pawn to the gods. Branded as an outcast, just like you. The white surrounding us feeds the blank slate of my mind. This wasn't supposed to happen! My feet move on my own, without a thought. I don't even know where I'm going. 

I was supposed to reason with the Falcie, protect you from these Cieth and the people who would abandon you. You believed in me, and I let you down. Now what can I do? If we follow this road, if I team up with this kid named Hope, and your "hero" will we be able to save you? No matter how many battles I fight. No matter what I say to Snow, I have no choice but to keep going. If your "hero" says anymore crap about destiny and being your hero, I'm going to punch him in the face. 

Haven't I known you longer than he has? Don't I have a say in what you would want? I don't know what you see in him. He's like a child, always running in trouble, believing in empty promises. Why did you choose him? How could he possibly save you? Our days are numbered. Now we only have two choices. Follow the advice you gave us, or follow the Falcie's bidding. 

How can we save Coccoon? 

I walk past a giant wall of crystal and see my reflection in the cold cruel substance. How do we get out of this? What should I do? 

Hope starts introducing himself, and we start walking away from the ships hovering over the lake's remains. We're as good as dead if they find us, but that doesn't scare me. You're gone, and without my sister, I'm nothing. One stupid fight lead to this. How is that even possible?

They're talking, but I hardly hear the words. If I could escape this, if I could find a way to bring you back, it wouldn't happen here. For some reason, they all turn to me, Snow daring to call me "sis." It's enough to make me sick. The air gets colder the more we walk on. They want me to make a decision? Am I their leader now? Fine! If I have to go through this. If I have to redeem the wrong I did, then it's best to keep moving. I start walking, Hope following behind me like you used to, when you were my little sister, and that was all that mattered. 

Before I created this shell, mirrored by the crystal statue you've become, and the towering titan of stone staring down at me, I was a good person. My goal, to protect you, and be a good sister. Now, can I go back to that version of me? Hope expects this. He stares at me like I'm the only person in the group who knows what I'm doing. Has this outer shell become so real to other people. Even Snow seems to buy it. 

So be it. I'm a Lcie now, and I going to find a way to free you from your prison. It's better than doing what the Falcie expects me to do. This vision means nothing to me, but if I can save you, if I can become your big sis again then the journey I was forced on, would be worth it. 

"Let's go" I tell them. 

The Sunleth Waterscape

Noel and I fell from the time gate onto soft green moss. The Sunleth Waterscape. I remember Sazh telling me about this place, when he traveled with Vanille. It was not as green as he described, a soft orange tint was brushed on the leaves, and blue flowers grew instead of the red ones he mentioned. I looked at Noel who stared at the mini flan, as red as Sazh mentioned, but not as tall or threatening. This place had changed over the course of 300 years. Without the control of the falcie, the plants grew wild and even the crystal structures seemed taller than Sazh said. 

I looked at Noel, tense and stoic. Every once in a while I wondered if he smiled, or had even smiled in his life. The future he told me was grim and sad. A while ago, Snow and I realized he didn't even know what an amusement park was. Mog hovered by me, and uttered a soft "Kupo."

It was a wonder, this place, and even for a brief moment, I wanted to enjoy this time, traveling to different places and learning about them. 

Lightning, when I was sleeping in crystal, you went to different places, fought many battles and created a miracle. I know you're still alive, and that you sent Noel and Mog to me so I could find you. Noel reminds me of you, you know. He's so serious. You would laugh, but he's the polar opposite of Snow, and even when we travel to new and amazing worlds, he's always focused on the task at hand. I hope, even if he hides it, that he enjoys himself  even for a little while on this journey. We're going to change the future, I'm going to bring you back. After all, you saved me. You never gave up on saving me. Now it's my turn to save you. 

Becoming (like) a diamond

I came up with this quote from a writing prompt, but now I find it to be true more than ever. It's important to believe in yourself, understand that you can be strong and you have every right to stand up for yourself.
I used to allow everyone to walk all over me, and I told myself that I didn't have the right to be brave, stick up for myself and just be myself.
It's one of those moments in life where you know that in order to get by, you have to create your own armor. And that armor can't be too weak or too strong. It has to fit you: your personality and your thoughts and dreams. It's an important lesson to learn that you deserve respect and that you have to be strong to deal with many obstacles in life, but you need to shine at the same time. Enjoy yourself! Become a part of something that you could only dream of and show the world what you are capable of.

FF 30 day challenge day 18: Least Favorite Job

Being a Lcie

Seriously you only had two choices. Follow your focus and become crystal or rebel your focus and become a ceith. The Falcie controlled what you did, but they wouldn't help you. You had to do their bidding, but on your own. The only positive thing about having a job as a Lcie was gaining the ability to do magic. Other than that, you had no control in your life and people wanted you dead. Not a fun occupation, particularity if you were branded from a Pulse Falcie and had to fight Cocoon Falcie in order to survive. Even the Falcie's gift of an Eidolon came with a price. They challenged you once you sunk into despair, and you'd either die, or gain the ability to summon them.

FF 30 day challenge day 4: Least Favorite Character

Vanille

She was pretty obnoxious throughout the game. I couldn't get past her voice, and I didn't like battling with her at all. Every battle cry was annoying. I did feel sorry for her character, and I didn't mind her narration as much as her constant dialogue that reflected her pretending to be happy all the time. She was almost always fake, and I couldn't respect that. She was just a very strange character who said random things most of the time. Once her true role in the story is revealed, I felt sorry for her, but I couldn't deal with her obsession with happiness and randomness. It was too much.

FF 30 day challenge day 3: Favorite Protagonist

Lightning (Claire Farron)

Lighting is a strong character, but she is also very vulnerable. This is what makes her easy to relate to. The name alone, Lightning, she created to be stronger, but then she realized how damaging lighting can be. She was hard core on the outside, but inside she was scared. Scared to lose her sister forever, scared to be a pawn of the gods and scared of her inevitable future. The way Light dealt with her fear, was to act like she conquered it. The only time she could be herself, and not the warrior she always tried to be, was when Hope needed guidance.
As a big sister, Light took on the responsibility of being a role model to Serah, but she became so focused on her image, that she lost sight of what was important. She detached herself from reality and only focused on the goal. This perseverance is part of Light's strength, and yet it is also a weakness. She isn't exactly impulsive, but she does become focused on one thing and forgets all the other important factors.
I guess Light is my favorite protagonist because she is very human, and even when she loses that humanity, she doesn't lose who she is.