So, here's what happened to Lightning that landed her in the situation she is in in Animal Mystique. After being told that the long explanation in chapter two could have been written out I decided to do just that. The idea of Dr. Stone came to me from Alien Resurrection. Dr. Jonathan Gediman (I think his name is) is just creepy and I'm pretty sure you will see the similarities when you get to that part. So read and enjoy! Oh and thank you to ShiroiNeko-sama on Deviant art for letting me use the pic. Also, if there is ANYONE reading this, please give it at least one review. It needs some love! I don't care if its just 'sup' or something.
Sergeant Lightning Farron strode down the halls of the Sanctum on a call from her Lieutenant, Amodar. He had told her to meet at his office. She had a feeling she knew just what it was about. After being a part of PSICOM for a week she wanted out. The things they did to innocent people were unfair, cruel, and unnecessary. Nothing like the Guardian Corps she was a part of before. So, she asked to step down. Now, she was on her way home to break the news to Serah, except Amodar caught her on the way out. She turned a corner and passed a few doors before she was pushing open the door to his office. He greeted her with a nod of his head and then turned back to the other man present. Lightning shut the door behind her and took in the situation with a frown. The man was dressed in a lab coat which told her he worked in the lab department.
"Lightning glad of you to join us. I'm Dr. Stone and head of the new project concerning the Fal'Cie. I made a meeting with Lieutenant Amodar pertaining to him and his troops. You see, I've been looking for some elite fighters and it seems there are only a few. I tracked down Lieutenant Amodar's team from the shut-down Guardian Corps to the new entries for PSICOM. You are exquisite fighters and I wanted to ask if his team wanted to volunteer to be subjects in the project," the doctor explained. Lightning gave him a calculative stare and then turned to Amodar. Whatever they had planned, she knew it wasn't good.
"Sir, have you agreed?" she questioned. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"No not yet. I'm unsure on the situation so I wanted to ask you. I always trust your judgment in important matters," he answered. Dr. Stone shifted his eyes to Lightning and then back to Amodar. He had a smile on his face that Lightning knew must have been faked. She walked over to stand by her Lieutenant and then faced the doctor.
"I think the team should stay under PSICOM. Any project we aren't entirely aware of is a misguidance," she said honestly. Amodar nodded slowly in thought. He knew that she personally did not agree with anything the Sanctum did recently but he also knew that she knew the team had no choice but to stay in PSICOM. Any other choice would land them in hardship. He also believed that this new position would only bring more unfair beginnings for the people of Cocoon. Still, he wanted someone else to openly agree and he knew it would be Lightning. After all, she already did what the others were too uncertain to do, throw away her loyalty to the Sanctum.
"Well, I think I can agree with that. We kindly step down from your offer doctor," Amodar said.
"Thank you for your time," Dr. Stone said with a bow of his head. As soon as he left the room, Lightning turned on Amodar.
"Is that all he wanted?" she asked.
"What he just said to you is all he said to me. Their starting something and I agree with you. Their being shifty and I don't like it. I'm going to get a hold of the others and tell them to back down from the offer," Amodar said, moving behind his desk to grab his communicator.
"Then I'll be going home if you no longer need me. I was on my way out when you called me in," she told him.
"Oh yeah, it's time for you to get home to Serah huh? Well, have a good day Lightning and I hope I see you around. Say hello to your sister for me," he responded. She nodded, giving him the last salute he would see from her, and then left. She took the elevator down into parking and then headed home. Serah practically attacked her as she came in the door.
"You're home early! Why?" Serah inquired. Lightning unclipped her gunblade and set it aside on the stand in the living room. She ran a lingering hand over it and then sighed. Serah walked up to her sister, a growing frown on her face.
"Lightning?" she asked hesitantly.
"I quit PSICOM. I'm going to try and find another job away from the Sanctum. They are nothing but trouble," she told her little sister quietly. Serah had nothing further to say on the subject. She knew Lightning was slowly sinking into a planning mode that involved the power of survival and what she would do to keep them afloat.
"I made dinner already if you want to eat," she suggested. Lightning nodded and then left to their room. She got out of the PSICOM uniform and replaced it with her Guardian Corps uniform. She missed it every day since it was shut-down. She decided on eating so she backtracked to the kitchen. Serah looked at Lightning sadly when she saw her but said nothing. She worried intently when she got quiet. Dinner was silent and both went straight to bed after. Serah fell asleep fairly quickly as always but Lightning could not. She lied in bed facing her sister's bed and wondered what to do next. At the same time, she had an odd feeling of foreboding. The Sanctum was up to something, and she knew there was no escaping it.
She fell asleep with dreams of fighting off PSICOM soldiers to keep her sister safe. In the morning, she had breakfast and spent the day with Serah. She made sure to do whatever made her happy before she had to go job searching again. They ended the day with a hearty meal and then knocked out. This time around, Lightning had dreams of living a much simpler life with Serah. The thought of no longer having to hurt another person made her feel a lot better. She woke up in a better mood and only then decided job hunting could wait. The feeling of freedom from her demons made her see things differently; if not for only a while. Lightning and Serah had sat down to a game of checkers when there was a door slamming outside. Lightning immediately fell on the defensive but Serah looked at her questioningly.
"Stay here," Lightning told her before getting up and peeking out the window. A PSICOM van had pulled up outside and soldiers were getting out.
"Damn, I should have known," she whispered to herself.
"What's wrong Light?" Serah questioned her, feeling the sudden change in direction the atmosphere had taken.
"Serah, go to the room and stay there," she replied urgently. When Serah didn't move, she repeated the command.
"Hurry, don't make a sound. I'll handle this," Lightning said as Serah did as she was told. Lighting pulled out her gunblade from its sheath on the stand and held it at the ready before putting space between her and the door. By the time she distanced herself enough, it burst open. She held up her gunblade and pointed it at the nearest intruder. Seven soldiers had entered the house, each holding the standard gun.
"Lightning Farron, you will come peacefully under the orders of the Sanctum!" the commander said. Lightning slipped into her fighting stance without replying.
"Drop your weapon!" the commander ordered. When she didn't comply, they held up their weapons.
"If you don't heed this warning we shoot!" the commander spoke once again. Her response was a shot to the head of the nearest soldier. He collapsed and they opened fire. Fortunately, she had moved from the spot already and was making her way to the group. She reached a soldier and flipped out her gunblade to slash across the soldier's chest and then move into a flip that took her over another soldier which she took down on the way. When she landed, she jumped back from an incoming attack, flipped the gunblade back, and shot him. The next time she landed, a bullet grazed her arm. She ignored the stinging and returned the shot, downing the one responsible.
"Circle her!" The commander shouted. She managed to take down one more soldier with an upper hand swing before another slammed his gun into her back, sending her stumbling. The commander opened fire on her while she was distracted. Searing hot pain spread through her leg and shoulder. Thankfully, it wasn't the arm she used to wield her gunblade. She dug her weapon into the back of a soldier and then spun away to face the commander. She held up her weapon in its gun form and aimed at him. Her arm was slightly shaking from the pain but she intended to pull the trigger. A bang echoed through the room and Lightning dropped her gunblade. Blood spread over her back and stomach. Her legs collapsed under her and she fell on her hands and knees.
"Find the sister," the commander said. She turned her head enough to see the soldier who had shot her was the one bearing a slash across his chest. He jogged down the hall to their room. She gritted her teeth and then looked up to glare at the commander. He only leveled his gun on her.
"I've got her sir," a voice said from behind. Serah was held tightly in his grasp and seemed unconcerned by her flailing attempts to be freed.
"Good, take her out to the van. I'll handle this one," the commander responded. The soldier dragged Serah out.
"Lightning!" she cried, tears running down her face. Lightning watched her reaching out to her and tried to get up but the pain forced her back down. She fought back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Don't worry Serah, I'll find you," she coughed out. Her arms finally gave out and she fell to the floor.
"This would have been easier if you just came quietly Farron," the commander said, picking up her gunblade and strapping it to his back. He dragged her to her feet and out of the house where he laid her down in the back seat. Serah was held in the sectioned off space in the back of the van accompanied by the semi injured soldier. The commander hopped in the passenger seat and gave orders to the driver. Lightning barely registered anything because she was in the middle of consciousness and unconsciousness. The last thing she heard before blacking out was the sobs of her sister. Lightning came to on a hospital bed. Rhythmic beeps told her the heart monitor was recording the beats of her heart at a normal pace. She groaned and spied a familiar face.
"What are you doing here?" she growled at Dr. Stone. He smiled and stood from the stool he had been sitting on.
"Just came to check on you. They managed to fix you up pretty fast," he replied.
"So roughly speaking, you're here to ensure I'm not dead right? I know you're here for that Fal'Cie project. I'd rather die than help the Sanctum," she replied. He laughed and walked over to stand by the head of her bed. He looked down at her and then reached out to put a gloved hand under her chin. He raised her head and then smiled knowingly. Her hands clenched into fists, ready to deck him but they were restrained. Instead, she snatched her head away and gave him the dirtiest glare she could.
"I know you are a pure fighter Sergeant Farron. You will be a perfect test subject," he told her happily.
"Test subject? What the hell are you people planning to do?" she demanded.
"Research on what exactly the Fal'Cie can do has led us to some very useful knowledge. You will see this power in action for yourself in just a few hours when you are deemed ready to leave," he replied simply. The door opened at that moment and both of them looked to see a doctor come in. He checked Lightning's status and then relayed information to Dr. Stone before leaving again. Two soldiers came in to unstrap her and then restrain her.
"Take her to her cell and give her the standard clothes," Dr. Stone told them.
"Yes sir," they replied together.
"See you soon," Dr. Stone said, waving at her. She was forced from the room and down the hall. They hit an intersection and turned right. As they walked she scanned her surroundings. It was a place she had not been before and knew it was the restricted laboratories in the basement of the Sanctum building. The two soldiers threw her in a cell lined with steel and complete with a thick steel door which immediately slammed into place. She ran up to the small window in the door and looked out. One soldier returned to shove some clothes in a drop box by the door. He pushed on it and it slid through the wall to open in her room. She pulled out the clothes and looked at them. They were only a matching set of dark grey linen shirt and pants. The shirt bore a number: 3165. She changed into them and then sat on the stiff bed in the corner.
"Serah, I hope you're ok," she muttered, putting her face in her hands. She put a hand over her stomach and then pulled up her shirt to check instead. She was indeed all patched up and felt better than ever. She let the shirt fall and then lied back. The only thing to do now was to wait until she was needed. She guessed no more than twenty minutes passed when they came for her.
"Let's go 3165 and don't try to pull anything," one of the soldiers told her. The other one pulled her arms behind her back and cuffed them together. They pushed her out of the cell and down the narrow passage. They entered a room that was dark except for lines of light pulsating in the floor, walls, and ceiling. A contraption sat dormant at the back of the room by the wall. Dr. Stone stood in the middle of the room with clasped hands. The soldiers shoved her forward and then left. She ran at the doctor the minute they released her. She was no more than three feet from him when she was halted by a volt of electricity that coursed through her body. She cried out and fell to her knees.
"I see you haven't noticed the shock collar," he spoke calmly. He walked forward and showed her a small switch in his hand. She jumped at him and bit into his hand. He cursed and yanked free. She glared at him and he returned it, holding his bleeding hand. His blood tasted awful but she was glad to finally hurt the man.
"Already acting like an animal and I've done nothing to you yet," he spat out followed by a flip of the switch. Lightning's body was paralyzed for a few seconds before falling over. She hit the floor on her side, panting. Dr. Stone wiped his hand on his coat and then turned to face the machine at the back of the room.
"Diesel was a success and there are more to come. You said you can alter more if we wish so I have brought you another. She will be the first of her team to learn no is not an option," he said. Lightning struggled to her feet to see Dr. Stone talking to the machine. She was surprised to see it open up to reveal a Fal'Cie inside. It hovered off the floor and two identical parts separated from it to spin on the left and right side of it.
"Fal'Cie, show this insolent soldier what you are capable of," Dr. Stone said with excitement. It looked at her with its bright eyes that flashed red. The spinning parts sped up and sparked. Neon blue streaks of lights shot from them to wrap around Lightning's neck and legs. She tried pulling away but they held on. Her cuffs fell away when one thread of light struck them and then took hold of her hands by the wrists. It spread out her limbs and held her above the ground.
"What animal will fit you I wonder? Only the Fal'Cie will know for sure," Dr. Stone mused. He backed away from the Fal'Cie and stood by the door. Lightning looked at the Fal'Cie and then spat at it. Her last ditch idea to anger anyone and anything that had a hand in this. It silently watched her and then tightened its hold. She gritted her teeth but made no sound until the thread of neon blue light lit up brighter. Her body burst into newly wrought pain. It seemed to tear her apart and burn her at the same time. She screamed in agony while the light added to her suffering by burning the skin around her wrists, ankles, and neck. She fought the rapidly approaching blackness as it threatened to consume her.
"It's working," Dr. Stone said in joy. She wanted to call the doctor every hateful phrase she knew but at that moment spots began dancing in her vision. Her body began to shift. It felt almost like it was collapsing in on itself. A particularly strong wave of energy hit her and she spiraled into unwelcomed darkness. When she next awoke, she was on her side. Her body ached everywhere. When she tried to get up her body didn't respond.
"Look at you. You are a fascinating creature," a voice said. It sounded far away at first and then it was so close she flinched. Her head was swimming and cloudy so she couldn't hold a single thought. The voice sounded familiar but she couldn't place it. Dr. Stone walked over and picked up the pink furry animal lying sprawled on the floor. He held it up to be inspected and then laughed.
"Thank you. Another good job," he told the Fal'Cie who had already retreated into its shell. Lightning looked at the man before her. She was slightly confused about where she was until the name Stone surfaced from her conscious and then the rest followed at an uncomfortable pace. She let out a hiss and swung at the man. Claws caught him across the face and he dropped her. She landed on four legs, tried to run, stumbled, then fell. She wondered how she obtained four legs. A quick look at her body made her freeze in horror. She was a cat.
"You stupid beast!" Dr. Stone yelled, making her jump. He snatched her off the floor and held her captive with her paws restricted by his arms. Two guards entered the room hurriedly.
"Take her back to her cell and keep an eye on her. Inform me when she returns to her human form," he told them. One of them grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and took her back to the cell. She didn't fight them. She was too lost in the shock of being an animal yet feeling the same way as she always did just in a different body. She understood what was being said. The only difference was what she felt emotionally. The shock her mind knew she felt translated to fear. They tossed her in the cell and despite her clumsiness before she caught herself easily on her feet.
"Now be a nice kitty," the other soldier told her snidely before slamming the door. She heard them laughing on the other side. She took time to familiarize herself with this new body she found herself in. She ran around the room, jumped up and down from the bed, and used her claws on a few surfaces. All of this came naturally to her even though it was new. Her ears swiveled around to point at the door where she heard footsteps and muffled talking. She let out a meow and waited. Then she yowled loudly. This was followed by a bang on the door. Her mind knew she was smug in arousing frustration from the soldiers but all she felt was happiness.
When that ran out and a feeling of anger, which her mind knew as frustration, took its place she found herself yearning to be human again. She scratched at the door and then jumped up on the bed where she dug her claws in the sheets. They tore quickly. She sat down and returned to the thought of being human. A strange pull made her sway and then the world was gone in a flash that blinded her. She opened her eyes to see arms extended from her again instead of paws. The weird sensation of a tail was no longer present. She sat up and grabbed at the sheets. She just managed to wrap them around her when the lock clicked and a soldier looked in.
"Go tell Dr. Stone she's back," he said to the other soldier. He looked at her once more and then shut the door. Lightning leaned back on the cold wall and closed her eyes. Vertigo was making it hard to sit up. She was exhausted in a way she hadn't felt since first signing up for the Corps when she was young. She dozed lightly until she picked up on someone outside the door. It opened and Dr. Stone walked in.
"Feeling like yourself again?" he asked.
"What the hell did you do to me?" she growled, sounding surprisingly like an animal even though she was no longer in that form. He smiled, warping the cuts on his cheek. She vaguely remembered being the one to give him those.
"I have altered your DNA by combining them with an animal's by use of the magic from a Fal'Cie. Amazing isn't it?" he answered.
"No," she responded. She could feel a rush of anger rise in her. It was unlike her to be unnerved so easily. Her teeth ached and she groaned. Her tongue moved to feel them and came into contact with fangs and pointy teeth. Her shock must have registered on her face because Dr. Stone laughed.
"You might find some changes while you're in your human form. I like to think of them as your new tools for survival," he told her. She stood from the bed and bared her newly acquired teeth at him. An angry hiss slid from her mouth. She flexed her fingers and her nails grew into points like claws. Her gaze zeroed in on his throat. How she wanted to tear it out and watch him writhe on the floor. A force of thought pushed her to do just that but she remained where she stood.
"I came to check up on you and give you back these. Once you're dressed I'm taking you to another room where you will be tested on strength, stamina, endurance, and skill," he explained. He threw the bundle of clothes he brought on the bed and then turned to leave. As soon as he was gone she put on the clothes. Ten minutes later he returned with soldiers who cuffed her. They took her to a room filled with various gadgets and machines. Three other men stood in a circle talking about something Lightning could care less about. At the moment her eyes were scanning for a way out.
"Gentlemen, I give you the second successful transformation," he announced. They turned to stare at her in awe. She pulled back her lips to show her teeth and growled back. Her shoulders hunched and she leaned away.
"Let us begin with the exercise tests first and then pain tolerance last," Dr. Stone told them. They separated to do as they were told and then the torture began. They made Lightning run multiple courses, lift sizable objects, dodge projectiles, and fight called in soldiers. She ran at faster speeds, picked up objects she knew she couldn't be able to before, moved with agility far better than before, and killed every last soldier she had to fight with fatal accuracy. Dr. Stone was proud as was his colleagues. Different tests were combined in long testing periods every day. She woke up early to be given breakfast and then taken to the bathroom. Then she began the many tests that included both forms and ended with a tired trip back to her room. She was fed dinner and then she gladly crashed for the night. The next day held more and more tests as it continued. She saw glances of people she knew but was never allowed to talk to them. She was only forced constantly into whatever test they had next by a series of shocks. Lightning lost track of time, and instead, focused on doing what they asked of her.
There were nights when they began leaving her in a small cage when she was in cat form. They wanted her to learn how to hold her form for long periods of time, because if she didn't she would return to her human form in the small cage and likely break something. It didn't help that small points inside the top and sides of the cage promised extra pain should she turn back. She quickly formed a plan to escape. She tried disobeying them numerous times both to understand what they reacted to and to learn to ignore the pain brought on by the shock collar. Besides making plans to get out, Lightning also spent nights in her cell thinking about Serah. She had to get out and save her sister. She almost always fell asleep with her on her mind and dreamed of finally breaking out. One morning, Lightning was called upon by Dr. Stone. She followed the soldiers without being bound, a reward she was given for cooperating. They led her to an office this time. She entered and the soldiers waited outside. Dr. Stone sat at his desk but he greeted her when she came in.
"Hello again Farron, I'm glad you finally agreed to let this new project of ours soar. You are the best subject compared to the rest. It seems we found a perfect animal match for you," he stated contentedly.
"Yes sir," she replied, focusing on his vulnerable neck. Her violent thoughts were scattered when he stood and walked over to her.
"So amazing, you astound me do you know that? I am more than happy that in the two years we have studied you, you are now ready to be sent out," he said, getting closer. Lightning's eyes widened slightly when she heard how much time passed, but she had long since schooled herself to hold back how she felt and deployed a decoy emotion.
"Ready to be sent out where sir, if you mind me asking?" she replied. He now stood right in front of her. She moved back slightly to distance herself from him but her back hit the wall. Her instincts screamed for her to take action like they always did when he acted this way. She strongly thought he actually liked her for being such a success and it sickened her to no end. He even had a habit of holding her in his lap when she was a cat and just petted her before he would return her to the cage.
"You will become an assassin unit soldier like the other subjects we have worked with. You will hide in your animal form to get close to the target and then kill when the time is right. It's why we undertook the task of fusing humans with animals. It's all meant for disguise and improved physical abilities. I'm proud to say my work with you is by far the best," he answered her. He moved forward to put both hands on either side of her head. She bristled at his close proximity but otherwise did nothing. Her now sharp scrutinizing gaze watched him as he examined her with hungry eyes. He was a thirty year old man, she had learned through scattered conversations, but he looked a little younger. He wasn't bad looking but his personality and attitude reeked of cruelty. Lightning came to hate him quite easily.
"I will do as you ask," she told him. His eyes seemed to light up at the words and she fought the urge to grimace. Instead, she kept the cold unwaveringly expressionless features she learned in the time she spent in captivity. His right hand moved to drag the back of his hand down her left arm and then flip over to grab her neck close under her chin in a grip that was hard enough to tell her he didn't want her to fight. It was a familiar hold he applied when she was resisting further testing on a long day whether she was in her animal form or not. His left hand ran down her stomach and stopped at her waist.
"I think I deserve a prize for my efforts don't you?" he asked rhetorically. He pressed his body against hers and she shuddered at the contact. He took it as a sign of pleasure and proceeded to pull her in for a kiss. She made no attempt to respond but when his hand fell from her hip and he let her go, she knew what he planned to do, shock her into action. So she grabbed him by the front of his coat and backed him against his desk. The small of his back hit and she pulled him close. The only thing that made her continue was the thought of getting out.
"You won't need to use force on me anymore sir. I'll do it," she told him, putting a hand on the switch in his hand. He smirked and tossed it over his shoulder. He pressed his thumb to the pad on the collar and it snapped open. He then grabbed her roughly and kissed her. Her hands braced behind him on the desk while his grabbed at her body. She allowed his tongue access to her mouth once before she pulled away and nuzzled at his neck.
"You know what I learned through this experience sir?" she asked him in an offhand tone.
"What is that?" he replied, panting. She placed her left hand on his belt and her right on the side of his face. He looked into her clear ice blue eyes with his lust clouded brown eyes. She smirked and in a flash she had him by the neck. She threw him over his desk and held him there. Her claws dug into his neck and shoulder. She jumped on the desk and leaned over him on her knees, holding her weight on her hands and digging her claws in deeper. His eyes now showed plain fear.
"I learned to never trust your enemies," she said darkly. She tilted back his head roughly and sunk her teeth into his neck. He cried out but she silenced him by tearing out his throat. She raked her claws across his stomach as she slid off the desk. He made a sound like he was trying to talk and then became still. Lightning was breathing heavily from the thrill of the kill and smiled. She had hunted mice when she was a cat, lonely in her cell and found an increasingly effective way to pass time. She never ate them, just toyed with them. The soldiers she killed were like fish in a barrel so it didn't count, but this did. He was her first real target.
"Wouldn't you be proud?" she spoke sarcastically to the rapidly cooling dead body. She wiped off the blood on her mouth and then opened the door. Before the guards outside could do anything she had slit both their necks. She darted down the passage and wound through the different corridors until she came to the stairs she was told led up to the elevators. She took them two at a time and came to a stop when two more soldiers spotted her. They both wielded electric arc staffs that were designed to incapacitate but not kill.
"Get back down there 3165," one of them warned. She dashed at them without a second thought. She ducked a jab and then spun away from a swing, coming up behind a soldier. She jumped on his back and threw him to the floor. Once he was down she broke his neck with a quick twist. A strong current of electricity hit her in the back and she cringed but otherwise it did nothing. She stood and turned on the last soldier. He swung again and shocked her shoulder but she ignored it and snatched the annoying weapon away. She threw it aside and slashed at his neck. He fell and she jumped over him to reach the elevators. She mashed the first floor button and waited for the doors to close. She sighed in relief when they did. The thought of Serah came back to her and she sighed sadly.
"Forgive me Serah but I'll have to come back for you," she whispered. The elevator ringed and then the doors opened. Workers as well as wandering PSICOM soldiers stopped to stare at her. Time seemed to be frozen for a second before starting up again. She darted out and pushed past people in a desperate bid for freedom. The soldiers that tried to stop her were quickly thrown aside. A soldier blocked her path with a thick utility knife. He swung but she out maneuvered him and ran for the doors. Freedom was her number one concern. She burst through the doors and into the sunlight. She shielded her eyes from the bright light but didn't stop. She bounded down the stairs and lost herself in the crowd.
"Don't let her get away!" she heard someone shout. She weaved through the crowd and lost herself down random streets. She was starting to slow down so she turned into a side street and transformed. She landed swiftly and jumped the next fence she saw. She landed a little heavily in a back yard. A sound to her right startled her into the bushes. Someone had opened the sliding door to the house and was coming outside. In this form, Lightning's usual alertness transferred into being skittish. She peeked out of the bushes and saw a girl with pink hair walk towards her hiding spot. She darted out to hide in a new spot under a low chair.
"Don't run away. I saw you jump the fence and you look hurt. I won't harm you. I'm a friend," the girl said, crouching down a few feet away. Lightning took a step back. Someone else came out at that moment and stopped to stare at the girl critically.
"What are you doing Vanille?" the black haired woman asked.
"Shhh, be quiet Fang you'll scare the kitty away," the girl named Vanille replied, waving her hands at the other woman. The woman named Fang rolled her eyes.
"Don't forget the last time you tried to help an animal. You almost had your arm ripped off," Fang warned. Vanille gave her a frown.
"That dog was hurt and I just wanted to help," she responded sadly, rubbing a spot on her arm.
"Yes, well the dog didn't know that. What makes you think this cat will?" Fang inquired.
"I just want to help," Vanille replied stubbornly. Fang sighed but nodded.
"Ok, knock yourself out," she said. Vanille and Fang had paid no attention to Lightning since their talk began so she took the opportunity to crawl out quietly and run over to Vanille. By the time Fang agreed to leave Vanille alone, Lightning was already crouched down by them.
"Oh look Fang, she trusts us. See, I told you," Vanille exclaimed. Fang only crossed her arms and fixed Vanille with an indifferent expression. Vanille carefully held out a hand and Lightning leaned forward to it. She picked up an odd scent that she remembered trailed out of the room the Fal'Cie slept in. It seemed impossible to her, but somehow this girl came in contact with a Fal'Cie.
"Be careful," Fang cautioned.
"Oh stop it," Vanille responded, scooping Lightning into her arms. She fidgeted but let Vanille hold her.
"I'm going to wash her up and then get her something to eat," Vanille said eagerly. She bounced happily back into the house and Fang followed. Lightning received a bath grudgingly and was fed after. Vanille seemed to shower her with positive emotions and Lightning couldn't help it when her instincts made her feel happy for being found by the two caring people. Days began to pass while Lightning constantly looked for opportunities to return to her human form but Vanille and Fang rarely left. When they did go out, only one would leave, always for only a short time. She spent her time playing whatever Vanillle thought was fun for a cat and Fang just pushed her around in an attempt to get her to fight.
It always ended with Vanille saving Lightning and telling Fang that she was being mean. Besides that, Lightning was trying hard not to appear smarter than she really was but sometimes she knew she failed. Lightning decided to consult the calendar when she felt time was keeping her from making a plan to go back for Serah and her team. She sat on the desk in their room and discovered that a year had slipped past her. The thought of all those conversations between Fang and Vanille she had listened in on told her the Sanctum had lost her. They were still looking but had no clue where she was yet. It was time she moved on. Fang and Vanille were in the living room when Lightning changed back and threw on some clothes she found in a drawer. She walked out slowly, ready for anything. Fang saw her first and laughed.
"So that's how you look. I knew something was odd about you," she exclaimed. Vanille stared with open mouthed shock.
"Were you the cat?" she asked unbelievably.
"Yes, I was using your house as a hiding place from the Sanctum," Lightning answered.
"You're running away from them too?" Fang questioned. Lightning nodded.
"We are L'Cie tasked with doing that Fal'Cie's bidding but we ran away," Vanille said.
"Yeah, we weren't going to hurt innocent people just so they stay in power," Fang added.
"How did you know who I really was?" Lightning asked Fang.
"No cat checks the time and calendar as much as you do," Fang replied.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Lightning responded. Fang looked thoughtful before answering.
"You were cute as a cat," she teased. Lightning sighed and shook her head while Vanille laughed.
"I didn't even notice anything," Vanille said in wonder.
"I should have told you earlier. I knew you were L'Cie when I first met you and I wasn't sure if you wanted to help or hinder," Lightning explained.
"Makes sense, but now where are you going to go?" Fang pointed out.
"I'm going to save my sister. She was taken from me when I was imprisoned. I haven't seen her since," Lightning responded, looking away at the floor. Vanille patted her arm.
"It's ok, we'll help you," she assured Lightning.
"Yeah, we can help you," Fang supplied. Lightning was just about to reply when she heard something outside. She tensed and Vanille and Fang noticed.
"They're here aren't they?" Fang questioned. Lightning nodded and stood in front of them.
"Don't be stupid. You're obviously high priority if they're still looking for you. Get out of here and we'll take care of PSICOM," Fang advised. Vanille nodded.
"Thank you," she told them sincerely.
"No problem, now get going," Fang urged. The door burst open but Lightning was already on the move. She pushed a soldier aside leaped into her animal form, and was out the door in a flash. She ran at break neck speed down the street, ducked under a car, came out the other side, and crossed a street. She leaped a fence, outran an angry dog in the yard, and crawled out through a hole in the fence. She paused to listen carefully and then took off again. A quick run through some sprinklers splattered mud everywhere and left paw prints down the sidewalk. Her adrenaline rush kept her running four more blocks before she stopped to rest under another car. She lied down and curled her tail around her, wondering where to go next. She still felt vulnerable. Her stomach rumbled and she remembered that she had last eaten early that morning. She tried to think where the closest street vendor would be and how long it would take for her to reach it.
Once she had the location in her head, she took off again. As soon as she found the vendor she stopped. The smell coming from it was nothing she liked so she ran off again. She was careful to stay out of sight but a little way down the street a kid playing outside spotted her. The little girl ran after her with her hands out and ready to grab. She sped up and took the next street over. She was disappointed with her ability to survive so far. She had pulled off harder feats in her Guardian Corps days and here she was, an animal with instincts, and she couldn't find shelter and food. Her ears went down as she walked on. A man's voice echoed back to her and she quickly ran behind a car. She was back in a neighborhood, she noted. The man walked up to a house speaking to a woman at the door. Lightning gazed at the open door the woman left when she followed the man out to his car. She watched them a while longer and then ran for the door.
Once she was inside, she ran into the kitchen. A quick scan told her there was no one around. She dug her paw into the crack of the fridge and pushed hard. It opened and she pushed it further. The first thing she spotted was a ham on a plate. She placed her forepaws on the bottom drawer and reached up to take a few bites. With a good couple chunks taken, she retreated. The voices outside had stopped and footsteps came closer. Her eyes easily picked out an open window and she jumped up and out. That was far easier to accomplish than finding food anywhere else. She walked around until it got dark and then she was forced to hunker down under a child's slide that sat outside a house. She curled in a ball and let herself sleep. Excited screaming made her jump to her feet in fright. A little boy was squatting down to look at her and then jumped happily.
"Mommy, mommy look! A kitty! Can we keep it?" he shouted.
"Honey let's leave it alone. I don't want you to get scratched," a woman answered. An idea came to Lightning but she didn't like it. She crawled out and let the joyful boy pet her harshly. The mom ran over and pulled him back. Lightning looked up at them and meowed in a way she hoped was pitiful.
"Oh, poor thing. She must be hungry," the mom said. She left the boy where he was and hurried to the house. Lightning walked over and seated herself by him. He patted her head, which made her tail twitch in slight agitation, but she let him. The woman came back with a dish of cat food.
"She likes Seline's food too doesn't she because she's a cat," the boy commented.
"That's right," the woman agreed. Lightning sniffed the food with her usual reluctance. She had eaten it before but she didn't like it. Being a cat didn't seem to change that for her. She finished all that was given to her and then ran for it. She heard the boy cry and felt bad but she couldn't stay. His mother comforted him and explained that she was a wild cat. Lightning went a block down and then began inspecting another house for any openings. A broken basement window caught her eye and she slipped in with the utmost care. She landed on a dusty couch below. There were no sounds so far so she looked for the stairs. To her luck, the door was open. She by passed the kitchen and went straight for the bathroom. Having no one in the house ensured that she wouldn't be caught. She stopped by the kitchen and discovered a left out bag of chips. She pulled them out with her paw and ate a few then looked around for something to drink. She caught sight of a water cooler and hoped off the counter.
She rose up to stand on her hind legs and used a forepaw to push the trigger. Water spilled out in a small stream and she lapped it up. When she felt better she left the way she came. In this way, she spent a few days on the run, stealing where she could or accepting food from the few people who wanted to help. Slowly she became better at finding places to hide which came in handy when it decided to rain off and on. She couldn't figure out how long it was but she had to come up with a plan to get back at the Sanctum. Her instincts had kicked in not long after she set out so thoughts connecting to what she really needed to accomplish further than surviving never really occurred to her. Any thoughts remotely human only came up when she dealt with any human contact. She was walking down yet another unknown street after a run in with another dog that sent her running into a thorn bush. After cutting her paw, she became angry and hissed at the annoying canine. She swung at it, scratching the muzzle and making it retreat. She waited for the dog to disappear before untangling herself to continue.
Down the street she stopped under a car. She was so lost in more ways than one by now and never rested out in the open. When she felt like starting up again she hesitantly crawled out and trotted down the street a few feet before her gaze landed on a bush across the street. Her ears swiveled around to catch any ominous sounds and her nose searched scents familiar to her. When she spotted no change in the surroundings she darted across the street as fast as she could. Her paw was starting to sting now that the injury was covered in grime. She finally made it into her spotted hiding place. She raised her paw and examined the damage. There was no way she was licking it as it was. She may be a cat but her dirty condition was attributed to the fact that she would rather run through water than lick herself clean. A sound nearby made her crouch down on her belly and listen. The leaves in front of her parted and she met clear deep green eyes. The boy froze for a second and she moved forward slightly to test what he would do. He then spoke to her in a soothingly kind voice.
"Come here kitty. I won't hurt you. Come here," he called to her. Her ears swiveled in his direction and then returned to their previous direction. He made no move to force her out so she decided to show herself. Unlike other people she had met in her time of being a stray, no one had made her feel as safe as he did. She found it odd but she wasn't complaining. Her instincts made no attempt to warn her of danger so she jumped from the bush and made her way over to him mostly on her belly just in case. She hoped he was as nice as she believed him to be and that she made the right choice in trusting him.