Final Fantasy XIII: Episode Zero -Promise-

"Friends", Chapter Three

"Friends", Chapter Three

Inside the airship everyone raised their voices in excitement. Below them shards of light scattered across the surface of the lake, glittering. Everything was colored in various shades of green. They had just passed over the residential area of the Sunleth Waterscape, which was next to the largest natural forest in all of Cocoon.

"Is that Lake Shela?"

"Hey, what's that big tree over there?"

"Is that a mountain?"

The voices of the children were so loud it almost seemed they would break the windows of the airship.

"Alright, would everyone please be quiet!"

Their teachers voice echoed across theirs. After ten years of doing this the teacher didn't blink an eye, but the airship staff were looking askance at the children. This airship usually only took on passengers that could pay their high price. Which means usually they would only see members of Sanctum on important business. Watching over children was out of their area of expertise.

The nature preserve was in an area that could only be reached by a special access point, for which they hired the latest civilian vessels. The result of which was that the the staff of the airship only had to deal with it a couple times a year, and were unused to it.

The airship gradually dropped altitude, and Lake Shela grew closer. The surface of the lake filled the view from the windows, and the children started talking excitedly again. Their teacher clapped her hands and raised her voice "Pay attention!" and everyone quieted.

"The airship will be landing soon. We will not be landing beside the lake, and there is only a temporary landing facility set up. Please take care not to run about. If you understand please raise your hand."

Okay! Everyone said, raising their hands as one. Hope heard a voice beside him say "Oh wow..." It was Kai. Hope kept his hand raised and asked him quietly:

"What is it?"

"It's really hard to land somewhere that doesn't have a landing strip."

"Oh?"

"And this airship is huge, only a specialist pilot could land this here."

Hope didn't really know what he was talking about. Kai wanted to be an army pilot when he grew up, so he knew all about that sort of thing, but Hope knew nothing. But if Kai said the pilot was amazing, it must be true.

"What are you two talking about?" Elida said. She was standing beside Kai, leaning over him.

"You're being loud." Kai frowned at her. Elida was the best singer in the class, but she also had the loudest voice.

They had met during the opening ceremonies when they had first entered elementary school. The teachers had sat them together. They sat together in class as well, and the three of them became close. They were always doing stuff together.

Their interests, likes and personalities were completely different, but sometimes a external closeness matters more than an internal one. They lived close by each other, and often went home from school together. Both Hope and Elida were the only children in their family, but Kai had a little brother who was three years younger. His name was Hal, and the four of them often played together. Year after year, they always ended up in the same class. Though they weren't always seated together, during trips and events like this one they always got together.

"He says the airship's pilot is really amazing." Hope leaned on Elida to whisper in her ear.

"Amazing? What is?" Elida tilted her head. Kai was about to give a detailed explanation, when the teacher ran over.