Lightning gripped her cup of coffee tighter and buried the pink on her cheeks down into her jacket, it was probably snowing outside, not that she could tell with being locked under a metal dome and all. Lightning grinned as she took a sip of her hot beverage, surprised that her luck for once was a good thing. The city's heating system called the quits and died the month prior, hence the freezing cold weather they were having and not a week later the capital called out for reinforcements. Lightning was all too happy to see her name at the top of the list, although.. With a sigh she looked up to her younger sister who was smiling at her, her words falling deaf on the soldiers ears who nodded and pretended to be listening.
"Claire! Urgh!" Serah pouted and leant over, her scowl intensifying as she gripped Lightning's cheek. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Mpf." Lightning replied, her face still awkwardly pulled to one side.
Not releasing her cheek, Serah huffed and glared at her older sister. "I said Claire, to be careful and come back in one piece okay? Don't be too stubborn and don't get in fights."
Lightning pried her cheek free and scowled back at her sister, stubborn? Lightning? She wasn't that stubborn, half as stubborn as Serah that's for sure, not that she'd mention it to her, again. "Serah I'm a soldier. I can't go getting pushed around by every soldier who thinks they're better than me."
"BETTER THAN YOU?!" Serah shouted in disbelief, earning a few looks and a lonesome chuckle from the other soldiers sitting around the train station. "Lightning anyone so much as looks at you strange and you go straight to punchy punchy stabby stabby. Remember Snow, the bakers' apprentice?"
Lightning shivered at the mention of the idiot, hoping to never remember him if she could help it. she couldn't when Serah was all too determined to have Lightning get along with that dumb oaf. It didn't however mean she couldn't still hope. "I... he.." Lightning fumbled for words, she'd learnt that arguing with her younger sister was like navigating a minefield while blindfolded. "He grabbed my ass." Lightning said sternly and crossed her arms.
"He was drunk and thought you were me. He apologised for like a month." Serah threw her arms in the air as if summoning some manner of spirit to back her up. "He baked us bread for a month."
Lightning conceded victory, he did after all bring them bread for a month. The good stuff too that annoying idiot, not the stale loaves the ration office handed out either. "And I didn't punch him for a month."
"No you just death glared him away. Jeez how am I supposed to pick up a guy with lurking over my shoulder every moment." Serah pouted and leant back in her chair.
"It's not my fault if they can't stand up to my standards." Lightning mumbled and to her surprise the younger Farron gripped her fork and brandished it at her.
"No one can stand up to your standards Claire! Do you want me to marry a behemoth?"
Lightning snickered and cursed herself for laughing at the thought of the poor behemoth at her sister's mercy.
"So how long will you be gone?"
Lightning's focus turned back to the much more dangerous of the two. "A month or so."
Serah threw back her coffee and quickly drank it all before beaming a smile at Lightning. "Well then I want plenty of souvenirs, snacks too." Serah said finally getting to the most important topic of the conversation. "The capital is bound to have the good stuff so don't cheap out on me Claire."
"There we go. You know Serah you could at least pretend to be concerned about me." Lightning stabbed at her sister's lack of concern. "What a cold cruel world, I've been replaced by that walking loaf of bread."
Serah huffed and shook her head. Sometimes Lightning could just be so.. "Claire I know better than most you can hold your own. Plus you wouldn't leave your innocent little sister all alone with the big bad Snow would you?"
Lightning shuddered, innocent and little weren't the words Lightning would have chosen. More like horrifying and yet somehow cute, but Serah was right. Even if Lighting had to fight a pack of behemoths off with a pocketknife she'd manage and beat the hell out of Snow before he proposed to her little sister. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone. Unless you accidentally shoot Snow with your bow." Lightning perked up at the thought. Actually that wouldn't be too bad, given her sister was anything but intimidating too she could easily pass it off as self defence. Or not. Lightning quickly changed her mind at the sight of the look Serah was giving her. Dropping the attempt to visually bore ' don't kill snow' into her sister, Serah's deep blue eyes glimmered with an even more terrifying realisation. "Wait I get your coffee rations while you're gone."
Putting on her best older sister tone, Lightning spoke. "Fine but no Snow."
Serah pouted at her sister, she had cards up her sleeve. "Fine! What about Jihl?"
Lightning reddened at the mention of the blonde and quickly buried her hands in her jacket. "What about her?" Lightning said trying her best to hide her disappointment. Unfortunately news had spread earlier that week of Jihl's division being deployed, sending her far away from the capital for the duration of Lightning's stay, and with her went Lightning's plans to see her since she'd left Bodhum. "She won't be there, she got deployed this month remember." Lightning let out a deflated sigh and with a tad more feeling then she'd intended. It had been after all the highlight of travelling to capital, finally a chance for revenge at Jihl for pouring her heart out to her and then skipping town a week later. Lightning tensed her fist, earning a concerned look from Serah who all too knew that look, Snow did too. Lightning was going to punch something. She was going to punch something that would regret ever getting on the bad side of the older Farron.

A guard walked to the centre of the platform and sounded a bell over his head, shouting as he called for passengers. The black cap on his balding head bore a silver train shaped badge pinned to the front, signifying his post as a stationmaster in the second of the three great legions, his being the Railroad. "The train bound for the Palumpolum is now departing. Anyone heading to Palumpolum, this is your last call."
Serah shot to her feet and threw her arms around Lightning before she could manage to escape to the train. "Hold it, you're getting a month worth of hugs."
"More like a month of torture." Lightning mumbled and squirmed to try and free herself, however futile it may be. Sadly she was powerless to her sister's assault, and powerless to really try. Despite her outward expression of discomfort, Lightning was quite fond of Serah's hugs. Serah knew it too.
"Aww embarrassed? Claire you know I'll stop if you let me see Snow for breakfast."
"I'm going to miss my train." Lightning complained. After a silent minute of awkward looks from the other Guardian Corp soldiers, Lightning caved. "Fine but only for lunch and I don't want him staying at our place."
Serah giggled and kissed Lightning on the cheek, she'd won before she even asked. If Lightning really hated snow then he would have just disappeared to another city and Lightning would have found way to make it legally happen. "Claire you're the best! Don't forget snacks."
Regaining as much dignity as she could, Lightning grabbed her things and hurried before she actually missed her train.

Lightning stowed her bag in the overhead compartment and seated her rifle in the chair next to hers. Her usual cold demeanour scaring away anyone courageous enough to try and occupy a seat next to her. Sitting down she looked out the window to Serah who was waving at her. Lightning smiled and waved back. With a final whistle blow the staion master jumped on the train which began with black plumes of smoke that sailed into the air. Giant gates of scrap iron opened with the distant shouts of 'heave, ho!' from the men working the giant cranks and pulleys that allowed them to rapidly manoeuvre the hundred ton masses of metal. The labourers leant against the wall and watched from the top of the three hundred foot walls as the train hurried off into the wasteland with the two hundred of Bodhum's finest soldiers packed inside. "All right boys get this thing shut." One of the men shouted and the labourers complained as they lumbered back to the cranks.

Lightning pursed her lips as she looked back to Mega City Seven: Designation Bodhum and everything she had ever known. It was all disappearing into the distance and the thought of ever reaching home crossed her mind more than once. Curiosity had her begging to know, had Jihl shared the same fears when she'd skipped town? Turning a lighter over in her hands, Lightning let her consciousness escape from the confines of the train. Lightning had served under Jihl back when the woman commanded a unit in the Guardian Corp and she knew the blonde well. In fact she was one of the fewer people that had the chance to know Jihl better than well. Not that Lightning was overly proud of dragging her drunk captain through town with the woman verbally declaring her love of Lightning's assets to the whole town. Lightning snapped the lighter shut. With a deep breath she repressed the bubbly feelings back down underneath her glare. Rising from her seat she quickly strode passed the soldiers standing in the aisle and to the back of the train. Throwing open the door she filled her lungs with fresh air, or well as fresh as air could get in the remains of the Cocoonian Wasteland. Taking a cigarette in her fingers Lightning shut her eyes and smiled. Envisioning the flowing blonde hair of the woman she remembered. "Jihl, I'm going to kick your ass." Lightning snarled and fumbled angrily with her lighter. Stupid blonde idiot, worse than Snow.

"Achooo!' Jihl Nabaat sneezed. Wiping her nose with her glove she wore a troubled expression that caught the attention of her right hand. Lebreau cocked a brow as she looked to

Jihl. "Ma'am are you okay? You haven't caught a cold just before our big battle have you?" Lebreau's said in her usual cheery tone, hiding the sinister smile underneath. Lebreau had developed a somewhat experimental cure to the cold just in times for this, unfortunately it was more of a preventive then a cure as the sick rates of the troops plummeted rapidly afterwards. Her captain falling ill just before they were to storm the city was the last thing they needed, it would just top off the terrible week she was already having. First it had been a tunnel collapse that hard pushed their expedition behind schedule. Then an ambush by bandits in the Gapra Whitewood. The worst of it all was the fact that the rare liquor that only went on sale every three years arrived last week and it barely touched the store shelves before it was sold out, hopefully a certain bartender had acquired some for her. With a pout and a frown, she turned her concern back to Jihl.
Jihl shook her head and gave Lebreau a reassuring smile. "No. I highly doubt it. It's probably just Lightning talking about me again."
"Ah I see." Lebreau nodded, not hiding her distaste for this Lightning woman. She was a colossal pain in the backside, doubly more so than the colossal walls ahead of them. Whenever her name was mentioned things got complicated. "Megacity two ma'am. Apparently impenetrable."
"The bandits found a way and so shall we." Jihl unveiled the cold green eyes from behind her glasses. Her mind already deep in thought as she looked over her troops to the smouldering ruins of the city. Closing her hand around the pendant hanging from her neck, a finger traced along the lightning bolt as her thoughts turned back to Lightning. If she had been counting days right then Lightning should be on route to the capital. Jihl tightened her resolve and raised a hand towards the city. "Men we're gonna take this city by nightfall!"

"Hey Cutie. Another beer?" Tifa said despite already filling a glass with beer. Lightning nodded and without a word took a seat at the woman's bar. It was homey and Lightning found the break from the hustle and bustle and sheer insanity of the capital a welcome retreat. Reaching into her pocket she put the the coins for the drink on the bar and began to unwind. Tifa slid the beer in front of the soldier that had been visiting her bar every day for the last two weeks and stared at her. It was her rule to know everyone that set foot in her bar and this one was no different. "So Guardian Corp, how's the city?" Silence. Tifa bit her lip and frowned, trailing off to a talking customer yet keeping the woman in her mind. Tifa lockhart didn't give up easy or else she wasn't the best damn bartender on Cocoon. Tifa liked to consider she was.

"You know there's nothing better than ending a long day with a cold one."

Lightning's ears peaked up and her gaze rose from her beer. She knew the voice that followed the sound of boots across the wood floor towards her. It was annoying and deserved a good punching.

Jihl hurried over and dumped her things next to the seat beside Lightning, unable to contain the excitement that spilled across her face. "Hi."

The woman following Jihl split off and took a seat at the other end of the bar, sharing a kiss with the bartender who stopped and gave the woman all her attention.

"Okay?" Jihl said and sat down beside Lightning. "I thought you'd be happier to see me. I know I'm happy to see you. You look good, even with your uniform on."

Lightning clenched her fist and fought off the urge to turn and deck the woman, she damn well deserved it. With a long exhale she took a sip of her beer. Turning to Jihl, Lightning had the deadliest Farron death glare to date. If the laws of physics hadn't prevented it then the very air would have turned cold and fled out the door. Lebreau narrowed her eyes at the woman, uncomfortable from the wave of trouble emanating from her.

"Jihl, why did you kiss me back then?"

The blonde kept stirring her drink. "Because Cl... Lightning, I'm selfish." Jihl smiled at the puzzled and bear mangling look she got from Lightning. "I couldn't have anyone snatching you up while I was away now could I?"

"That's bullshit! You kiss me and then nothing at all. You could have said something, anything. You had months just to write me a letter."

Jihl gulped and snarled back. "Well I couldn't find the right words okay and I, I was scared too." Jihl whispered the last part and started stirring her drink again. "I was afraid that you wouldn't want me all the way over here."

"No. I wanted you to stay beside me. But you left me didn't you." Lightning pulled Jihl back from her drink and punched her. The blow sending the blonde staggering back over her chair. In a flash Jihl grabbed Lebreau. The brunette's overly happy aura was lacking from the woman who was now just short of putting a sword through Lightning's throat.

"Lebreau it's fine." Jihl reassured Lebreau as she got back on her feet. Rubbing her arm Jihl winced at the pain, more for theatrics than any actual damage sustained. "I had that one coming. Lebreau it's fine, go calm Tifa down before she throws us all out." Jihl chuckled and shooed the woman away. She couldn't make amends with Lightning if Lebreau turned her into a pin cushion. Looking to Lightning, Jihl smirked proud of the fact that she could still stand. Which meant that Lightning had either gotten soft or she was still pulling her punches. "Jeez you punch like a marshmallow. Gone soft on me Lightning?" Jihl teased as she closed the distance.

Lightning too busy fumbling between apologising or punching the woman away again to realise her face had gone bright red. Her cheeks flustered as Jihl's face hovered just centimetres from hers. Softly she whispered. "Claire I really did want you all to myself though."

"Idiot. Worse than snow." Lightning mumbled and kept her eyes on the boots.

"Ouch, that actually hurt more than the punch." Jihl frowned at being compared to Snow. "He's not that bad. He wanted to get strong enough to protect Serah so I trained him for months."

Lightning's eyes widened in surprise. "Did he now?"

"Mmm I figured if there was another dumb idiot to protect Serah then I could finally get you to myself for once." Jihl put her arms over Lightning's shoulders without a care for the icy glare Lightning was giving her. "Claire you're the only person I want."

"Stop." Lightning sniffled and managed a feint smile. "You're more embarrassing then Serah."

"Well I do try." Jihl laughed, cut short as Lightning pressed her lips to Jihls. "You forgive me?"

Lightning shook her head. "Not even close."

"Ah." Jihl said as she picked up her bag. "Well then in return let me be your official tour guide to the capital." Jihl grabbed Lightning's hand, her green eyes overflowing with energy.

Grabbing her bag Lightning couldn't help but smile with her. She could probably manage to put up with the idiot for a while without punching her again. She had more than enough experience doing so with Serah and the big loaf of bread around. "So you're the reason I can't kill snow?"

"That's right, I owed Serah a favour."

"For what?" Lightning asked, curious as to what her little sister could offer the killing machine that hummed in front of her.

Jihl winked and put a finger over her mouth. "It's a secret, between girls."

"Hey." Lightning scowl deepened. Offended at the stab at her femininity. "You're one to talk."

"Ahem." Jihl cleared her throat and motioned to the skirt she was wearing, sure it was made of a thick fabric and weaved with hundreds of small armoured scales but it was still a skirt, it counted.

"You know," Jihl poked at Lightning's side. "The capital has the best collection of dress makers in Cocoon."
"Jihl don't push it."

Lebreau shot Jihl a look that stopped the blonde in her tracks. "You gonna tell her ma'am?"

Jihl shook her head, it had slipped her mind. "Right, I forgot. So Lightning you're not angry with me are you?"

That was a hard question to answer. If Lightning was giving it value then it was definitely decreasing, albeit slowly. "Why?"

Jihl took a deep breath and gave Lightning the most uneasy reassuring smile she'd seen. "So we found some ancient transport jets in Mega City Two and well I might have put your name forward for an expedition to Eden, it was an accident I swear." Jihl winced for the next punch, that landed softly on her cheek, and could hardly be called a punch.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "You're both screwing with me right?"

Lebreau shook her head. "Nope the idiot's right for once. It's why we requested the Guardian Corp be brought on station here."

Jihl nodded enthusiastically and backed up against the bar. "It's why yes, not just because it was an excuse to see you again. Ahem but they wanted a group to set up a forward operating base and scout the planet and you're the fastest, meanest, and sexiest thing on two legs." Jihl eyes darted around as if the words to save her were scrawled in the bar. "And I got to see you again." Jihl mewled the last bit as adorably as a box of kittens in the rain.

Lightning crossed her arms. "So how long until you get rid of me forever?"

"You mean fly you to the moon?" Jihl corrected her. "A month."