Fang was walking in a fast pace with her lance grasped tightly in one hand. She had been dying for a good hunt, and she was tired of eating the shit Snow always brought back to camp. She was going to catch that damn cactuar and use him for bait. She knew that there was no better bait for catching some good quality fish. "Ah there you are, you sneaky little bastard!" Fang whispered under her breath. She had been looking for one all day on the Archylte Steppe, while the others were with Lightning searching for Cieth stones.
She knew how fast the cactuar could be so the best bet was to trap it. She waited till he wandered into a shaded curve of one of the many plateaus. "Ah I've got you now." She snuck up on him quietly and pierced his back swiftly. "Poor fellow never saw it coming, but you are going to make my belly happy tonight, trust me your death was for a good cause." She spoke to the dead creature as she picked it up, and carried it to a fishing spot.
Fang cut through the creature's hard, spiny, first layer of skin, to get to the fleshy part, of the plant. She tied a part of it to one end of her lance. She had the piece of cactaur dangling in the water, when a fish would try to claim its meal Fang stabbed her lance down and caught it. After about 30 minutes Fang had caught almost a dozen and a half well sized fish. She knew she had caught more than enough, but she got carried away in the hunt. Fang was notorious for becoming bored easily. She was the predator, and was tired of not getting her prey.
Fang was getting frustrated, with a certain team member, that called herself Lightning. Unfortunately for the fish and the cactaur, Fang's frustrations had been taken out on them. Fang wanted Lightning, but she kept slipping right through her fingers. The woman was as fast as her name described. She had always appreciated a good challenge, but chasing Lightning was almost damn near impossible.
As soon as Fang got an inch to close for Light's comfort, she would go on the offensive, and a sparring match would ignite. Fang had tried talking to Light, but it was pretty much like talking to a wall. Light's external shell was damn near impenetrable. She wanted to know what was going on in the sergeant's brain. The most effective tool Fang had was her wit. When she caught Farron off guard, with a flirtatious and unnerving remark, she saw an opening. She also was able to strike a nerve by being slightly narcissistic and challenging, and got under the sergeant's skin. She pushed every boundary the pink haired woman had, and hadn't made much progress.
Lightning would occasionally lose her temper, but it was just a defense mechanism. She was adamant on not letting any one in, especially Fang. Fang knew that there was something about herself that made Lightning nervous, but she couldn't figure it out. She knew that Light was pretty much like a scared animal that, was bound to bite anything that got too close.
Fang continued to think about the group's appointed leader, as she made her way back to the camp. She had to figure out that woman if it was the last thing she ever did.
"Fang! Oh goody! We are actually going to have an edible meal tonight! Gosh Fang there are only six of us. There must be close to 16 fish here!" Vanille greeted her friend "17 actually, I figured Snow could easily eat three of these sucker, and hope is a growing boy." Fang trailed off. "Or you just got distracted, like you do when you get frustrated. Is that a cactaur?" The bubbly red head asked as she inspected the basket full of fish.
"What's left of him anyway, yeah." Fang answered honestly. She knew her friend had a soft spot for the creatures, but Vanille knew as well as Fang, nothing caught fish better than a cactaur. "Okay… Well I'm going to get started on cooking these, while you continue to torture yourself over Lightning." Vanille smiled sympathetically. Fang just let out a weak growl under her breath.
"Hey Fang did you catch anything good?" Snow greeted the warrior as she walked through the camp. "Yeah I did actually, how did the hunt for more cieth stones go?" She asked curious if they would, have any good mission's tomorrow. "Great actually we found twelve more, we could only take on a couple with out you today though. So Light will probably want you and hope to help her take out the big guys tomorrow." Snow said while scratching the back of his head.
"Hey speaking of our cheerful leader, where is she?" Fang was intent on finding the woman who made her heart ache. "Uh taking a walk, she never sits still. I think she went to the springs." Snow said cautiously. He was weary of getting in between Lightning and Fangs quarrel's. The first time he tried to intervene in one of their fights was the last time he would ever try it. He got knocked out, and stayed out for almost an entire day. Fang had an unreal amount of strength, and Light and an unreal amount of anger, when those two fought, the results were catastrophic.
Fang instantly began to walk towards the spring. She passed Hope and Sahz, playing with the chocobo chick. She gave them a nod and continued her pursuit. Hope frowned at the woman. "What's wrong kid." The man asked in a concerned father tone.
"She never leaves Light alone, I just wish she would leave her alone. I don't like Fang very much. I don't know why, but I just don't." The boy spoke in frustration and confusion.
"Don't worry about either one of them kid, they can't do any harm to each other, they are equally matched. And the sergeant can fend for herself. " Sahz was carful not to step on Hopes toes. He could tell that the boy was just jealous, and it would eventually pass. Hope had anger issues, and powerful magic. It was not a good idea to get him emotionally distressed, Snow knew that first hand. The boy just nodded and continued to play with the bird.
"Fancy finding you here." Fang announced herself when she found Lightning sitting on a stone near the spring. "What do you want?" Light asked in a very unemotional tone. Fang was about to answer when she saw that Light was holding Serah's tear. "You miss her." Fang stated plainly as she sat next to the sergeant. "I failed her." Light retorted slightly irritated with herself, and Fang.
"That idiot Snow stayed by her side, when I abandoned her. She asked for my help, and I said no. Then when I tried to help I was too late." Lightning's voice was disgusted. She gripped the tear tightly, and balled her other hand into a fist. She was about to strike the stone they were sitting on but Fang caught her wrist.
This is the moment I was waiting for, as soon as I was about to give up, soldier girl lets me in. Ha! Imagine that! Fang thought to herself
"Let go of me." Lightning spoke in a warning tone, but Fang being Fang didn't acknowledge the warning.
"I'm not going to let you blame yourself for something that wasn't your fault. Don't go getting all defensive on me now. I am no threat to you Light." Fang spoke while looking Lightning right in the eye.
"Tch! You don't know what happened." Light replied. She broke eye contact by looking up.
"Your right, but I do know that you are doing everything in your power, to get her back and believe it or not I can relate!" Fang said in a demanding tone and grabbed Lightning's chin to keep her eye contact.
Lightning jerked away and stood up. She put the tear drop in her pocket and then crossed her arms, turning her back to Fang. " You can't relate to failing, the one person that you should have protected no matter what." "Yes I can! I failed Vanille. I told you I would tare down the sky for her, and you would do the same for Serah wouldn't you?" Fang stood up as she spoke.
"It isn't the same." Lightning muttered under her breath. "It's very similar though." Fang countered. The warrior walked up behind the soldier, so close that she could see Lightning shutter slightly. Fang had never gotten this close to the eldest Farron before. The raven haired woman's heart beat was slowly increasing. She had her right there, right in front of her. Lightning never turned her back to Fang.
"You should no better than to show your back to a potential threat. You're off your game soldier." Fang whispered in the Soldier ear. This time Light shuttered much more noticeably. "I make you nervous I can smell it. Why do I make you nervous?" Fang spoke seductively in her husky tone. She caressed both of Light's arms when she started her last question.
Light closed her eyes nervously and then shot one of her elbows into Fangs stomach. "Don't touch me!" Light barked as she pulled away from Fang.
Fang growled and rubbed her stomach in the tender spot Lightning had created. "You're jumpier than usual… what's eating at you?" Fang growled again. "Why must you constantly get so close, and say the things you do and, and look at me like you're going to hunt me down! Just stop it!" Lightning expressed angrily.
"Why are you so afraid of me? Why are you afraid of letting me in?" Fang roared angrily at the soldier. "Why waste the time on emotions when there isn't any time to spare! It doesn't matter. Why become close to some one if it is inevitable, that you're going to lose them!" Lightning's voice cracked at the end of her rant. She turned around and walked to a wall. She put both her hand above head and on the wall, as she looked down. "It doesn't matter" She muttered under her breath, as she hit the wall with one of her fists.
"So, then you would rather never have what you want, because you are going to end up losing it? So you would rather live never knowing what it would have been like to have what you wanted, even for a little while. Why cause you would be afraid that there would be more pain if you lost what you had, than if you never had it at all.?" Fang stood up straight. "Yes." Was all Lightning had to say to the warrior.
"Well your wrong it will hurt more, when what you wanted is gone, and you never got the chance to have it." Fang said in a confident tone. Lightning just scoffed.
Fang approached the soldier again this time more cautiously. "Light…" She spoke softly, into the shorter woman's ear. "I'm not going anywhere." Fang said as she placed her hands on Farron's waist. The pink haired woman turned around and looked the older woman in the eye. Fang's hands still remained on the woman's waist. Lightning had never looked so scared or vulnerable.
She raised her hands and rested them on Fang's chest as she looked down and to the side. "Fang…" Lightning sighed heavily. "Look at me." Fang said in a soft yet demanding tone. Light hesitantly looked up at the warrior. As soon as she did Fang seized the moment she had been waiting for. She kissed the soldier deeply, yet gently, and to her surprise the soldier kissed back. Farron wrapped her arms around Fang's neck and leaned into the stronger woman desperately.
Fang held the young woman up and continued to kiss her like, she would die with out, the feel of Light's soft supple lips on her's. Light broke the kiss so she could breathe. When the younger woman caught her breath Fang tried to kiss her again, but Light turned her head away, and lowered her hands back to Fang's chest. "Fang we can't, I can't do this." Light's voice was strained.
"Why not you want this, just as much as I want it. Give yourself a break for once." Fang replied. She kissed Light on the head and then held her close. Light gave into the embrace. "I don't deserve a break, I have to keep everyone safe, and get us through this." Lightning whimpered feeling weak. "Shush now you aren't alone any more you have me." At Fangs words Light looked back up in to the warrior's blue eyes.
Light couldn't help but kiss Fang again, she needed to feel safe, and Fang made her feel more than just safe. Light rested her hand's on Fang's strong shoulder's. The two continued to kiss in a desperate manner, but not in a lustful way.
They had both been longing for each other since they met in Palumpolum. Light had talked to Fang when they first met. It was scary to her, how she could talk to the warrior so easily. The two continued to kiss for what must have been over 10 minutes. The simpleness of just one kiss, was all it took for them to lose track of time.
"What are you doing!" Hope yelled angrily when he saw Fang with her tongue down Light's throat. Fang nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the boy shriek in anger.
Lightning was his! Two girls couldn't be like that! It wasn't right it didn't make sense. It was supposed to be a boy and a girl together. It confused him and hurt him, he thought Lightning cared, how could she do this.
"Hope calm down, just breathe, okay? It's okay." Vanille was standing right next to him. The two were just trying to find Lightning and Fang to tell them dinner was ready. Hope began to shake with uncontrollable anger. "NO!" He yelled. He had balled his hands into fists. "IT'S NOT OKAY!" Fire began to erect from Hope's hands. "Hope you really need to calm down. Ouch!" Vanille tried to put her hands on his shoulders but, he was so hot, it burned to touch him.
"Kid you need to chill out literally." Fang said getting very worried about the current situation. "SHUT UP!" He screamed at Fang as the flames around him got brighter and larger. Light tried to run over to him when Fang grabbed her wrist. Light looked up at her new lover confused. Fang shook her head. "It's too dangerous, he is angry at both of us I can't risk him hurting you on accident." Fang explained. "Let go of her! DON'T TOUCH HER LIKE THAT!" Hope yelled desperately.
When he yelled the flames around him grew larger in a flash almost hitting Vanille. This cause her to yelp and jump away. Fang immediately obeyed the boy's order, and put her hands up where he could see them. She couldn't risk him hurting himself, or Vanille, or any one for that matter.
"What's going on we heard shouting!" Snow yelled startled as him and Sahz ran into the frightening situation. Sahz and Snow immediately ran to Vanille, to protect her from the boy who looked like he was literally about to explode.
"We came to get Lightning and Fang for dinner, and we found them kissing. Then Hope just lost it." She explained quickly and quietly. "GO AWAY! JUST EVERYONE GO AWAY!" He yelled and sobbed at the same time. They all began to obey him immediately. "NO! Everyone except Lightning." His voice grew weak and quiet but, he was still on fire.
"No way am I leaving you here! Don't even think of asking me to leave. I know he doesn't want to hurt you but he is out of control." Fang shook her head and began arguing with Light. "Fang just go, you are going to make him mad, and I can handle myself." "But…" "Fang!" Lightning snapped. "GO AWAY!" Hope screamed at the warrior. As he spoke a fire ball shot off towards the older of the two.
"Fine! Fine…" Fang unwillingly gave in. "Hope calm down, okay? You need to breathe." Light spoke to him softly. "I Thought you cared about me!" He cried out painfully. "I do Hope." She said calmly. She had a soft spot for the kid, he had been through a lot. "Ugh! You're, YOU'RE LYING!" The flames grew uncontrollable as he screamed.
"Enough!" Fang yelled and hit the boy on the back of his neck, instantly knocking him out. The flames disappeared and he fell unconsciously, but Fang caught him to keep him from getting hurt, from the fall.
"That was beyond ridiculous! Why is he so unstable?" Fang asked as she picked the boy up. "He is a teenager that saw his mother die, had to leave his father, and saw his first crush kissing a girl, meanwhile he got turned into a L'cie and could go cieth at any minute, and his focus is to destroy his home. You can't blame him for not being able to control his magic." Lightning said quickly as she ran to see Hope.
"Fang we can't…" "Now wait a minute Light, you aren't just going to give up on me just because.." "FANG! He could have killed himself he needs stability! He is just a kid and he can't catch a break!" Lightning interrupted.
"Oh so the first chance you see an out you take it before anything has even started! He has a crush on you, it happens! You are just going to up and leave, what you want because he had a break down!" Fang was enraged by Lightning's supposed solution.
"He is more important than me I can't put myself in front of him. I need to think about the others before me. I knew this was a bad idea." "What about me then? You aren't going to think about what I want? You just drop me just like huh? Well fine you take him, and the other's and put yourself last." Fang handed Hope to Light and began to leave.
"Fang!" Light called out but, Fang was already gone. Light walked back to the camp with Hope in her arms. When she arrived she put Him onto a make shift bed and found the others by the fire. "Hey Light where is Fang?" Snow asked noticing Lightning only came back with Hope. "She left…" Light said in as stable of a voice as she could manage. "She'll come back, she probably, just needs to blow off some steam." Vanille said quite sure of herself.
"What happened to him?" Sahz asked as he nodded towards Hope. "Fang knocked him out, then we fought and she left okay? I'm done with the question's." Light said in an irritated tone. The others caught on that Light was not in the mood to talk. The soldier drifted back over to the boy, and sat on a rock near him.
"Wow so Fang and Lightning who would have seen that one coming! Things never get boring around here." Snow said in an amused tone. The other two just looked at him like he was an idiot. "What! I honestly would have never guessed…" he trailed off in to silence.
"Oh Snow, it's okay you probably had other things on your mind. I just can't believe Hope almost exploded, its got to be rough. I can't imagine what I would be like if all those things happened to me." Vanille patted the big man on the back. The three of them were sitting by the fire, eating their food slowly. The sun was beginning to set. "I hope Fang gets back before it gets to dark…" Vanille spoke mindlessly.
"Fang will be fine kiddo, I think I would be a little flustered if that had happened to me. She'll be back probably before tomorrow. I wouldn't know what to do honestly. I wouldn't blame the kid, but I'd be angry at the situation. Fang seemed really protective of Light, even in the short moment I saw them across the spring, and knowing the soldier… Well she probably, decided to call it quits with Fang, that's my guess any way. If I was our leader I would definitely think about it at the least." Sahz spoke mindlessly
"Ohh!" Vanille pouted. "F. Y. I. Fang has been drooling over Light since they met, I think it was in Palumpolum? But what happened back there, I think was the first time anything has happened between them… Fang is more sensitive than she lets others see, I'm worried she'll do something stupid…" The young girl explained worried.
"Like what?" Snow asked. "Oh I don't know, maybe… well… It isn't very uncommon of her to want to kill something…" The red head explained wearily.
"Well that's not so bad she's hunter, she'll be able to fend for herself right?" Snow asked.
"No… Snow, she hasn't been known to be smart about it. She could do something like oh you know… Go after a behemoth king, all by herself." Vanille mumbled under her breath.
"What did you just say?" Sahz said after he choked on his food. "When Fang is upset she tends to want to hurt something, which isn't uncommon for most people, but what makes Fang different is that… Well she gets no satisfaction out of hurting something weak. The more upset she is, the stronger her target becomes… A behemoth is actually kind of small compared to what she is feeling I'm sure…" Vanille said even more worried, when she thought about her friend.
"What are you saying?" Sahz became concerned at the look on Vanille's face. "I'm saying lets hope, that she decides to go with the behemoth king, compared to what she could choose… And its getting dark different creatures come out at night, and they are usually way worse than what we see during the day. I just hope she comes back soon." Vanille's voice was barely higher than a whisper.
"If she doesn't come back soon, we will go look for her okay? I don't think that is unreasonable." Snow spoke in a comforting tone. Vanille only nodded and set her food down.
"What happened…" Hope groaned groggily as he came back to conscience. He sat up and rubbed his head, with his eyes still closed.
"Lay back down." Light said to the boy, with her back to him. She was sitting on a rock, staring up at the sky with her legs and arms crossed. "What happened, I don't remember…" Hope asked when he opened his eyes. He saw Lightning, and three figures over around the fire. There were two men, and a very girly figure, that made five. Some one was missing..
"If you can't remember than don't worry about it, if you want there is food by the fire." Light informed the boy, who was still gaining coherence.
"One of us is missing… That has to be Vanille so… Where is Fang?" After he ended his question Hope stood up abruptly as his memory flooded back to his mind. He stood so fast that he stumbled a little before he gained balance. He clenched his fists and looked at the soldier, who was now facing him, and standing with her gun blade in hand.
"Sit down!" She said in her usual commanding voice, but this time it was slightly angry. He sat down, when he realized that Lightning saw him as a threat now.
"I didn't mean for it to happen…" He said weakly, but honestly. He really didn't mean to lose control.
"I know. You need to learn how to control, yourself especially now that you have magic." Light said as she put her gun blade away. She sighed and began to walk away from the camp.
"Where are you going?" Hope called after her but she just kept walking. He sighed and decided to join the others at the fire. He was really hungry, and even though the food was cold by now, it looked amazing compared to what they had been getting.
"Hey how you feeling kid?" Sahz patted a place for Hope to sit in between him and Snow. Vanille handed the boy some fish, and Snow patted him on the back. "Aren't you mad at me?" Hope was genuinely confused as to why they were being so nice to him.
"It wasn't your fault, none of us blame you. You lost control, we have all lost control before, we just didn't have magic at the time. We aren't going to be angry with you just cause you were upset. It happens." Snow explained nonchalantly.
"Okay…" Was all the boy said, as began to eat. Time past slowly, as the 4 made small talk. It had been about an hour since Hope had woken up when Light came back to the camp. She seemed calm, but she was walking extremely fast. She grabbed Snow's brawling gloves and threw them to him.
"Get up you are coming with me. Vanille grab your staff, and you two stay here." Light ordered the team quickly and calmly. "What is it?" Snow asked slightly confused that Lightning chose him to go with her. It must have been bad, if she had willingly picked the brawler.
"It's Fang now lets go." And with those words she Left the camp. Snow and Vanille had to run to catch up to her. Light always got straight to the point, but this time it felt wrong. Something really bad must have happened.
"Well kid, looks like it's just you and me tonight." Sahz patted Hope on the back. "Why didn't she pick me to help… She doesn't trust me any more…" Hope said in a depressing manner.
"I don't think that is it kid. I think she just figured that you need some time to calm down still, and refocus. Plus you said it yourself you don't really like Fang. They will be fine." Sahz always knew what to say around Hope. He cared for the kid and, the kid listened to him, unlike the rest of the team members. Besides Sahz was a dad, and Hope had to leave his dad, so Sahz was a good temporary.
The two sat and waited until, they finally fell asleep.