Feral
Chapter Four
It was Saturday night.
Fight night, rain coming down in buckets and lightning flashing over Eden City, setting it alight with flashbulb brilliance.
Cid was on his way to the ring, still unmoved by Jihl's warning. He simply refused to be concerned, and it wasn't due to the likelihood or unlikelihood of her following through. She surely would, but it was bound to be something that fizzled and failed miserably. Her vengeance consistently had all the potency of a wet napkin. He found confidence in his own inability to foresee any real danger from that spoiled brat.
Due to certain legality constraints, the location of the fights had to change every single week and were never held in the same venue twice. Though, in a city as big as Eden, I can't say that was ever a problem. Tonight, everyone who was in-the-know would be converging on a nigh on ancient arms manufacturing plant, long since condemned by the city. It would be more than sufficient as it was nearly as large as a standard sports arena. More people could come, more people could bet, and that meant more money.
And that made everyone happy.
The van came to a stop, not too suddenly, and the driver put it in park. Per usual, Cid told him to stay put, something the driver was just fine to do. He was in the middle of a mystery novel he was very eager to finish. Cid grabbed the umbrella from beneath his seat and popped it open just as he stepped out of the car. He went to the sliding door at the side of the vehicle and called to Lightning. She responded accordingly and together the two walked into the dilapidated depot.
It was already so noisy, wall to wall bodies crushed together in a teeming mass. Cid pushed his way through, one hand secure on Lightning's shoulder, looking about with his eyes without turning his head. He mentally noted all of the faces. Drug dealers, hookers, even a chosen few from his own company. Hell these were the lot who could actually afford to be here, so why be surprised? Though he didn't see a trace of Jihl, not even one of her little shlepping boys she sometimes sent about to keep tabs on certain people. Cid began to wonder if she had bothered to come at all?
A match was in progress, which was made evident by the surging uproar of the crowd and the erratic heavy pounding of bodies that echoed throughout the great space and iron rafters. It had been only a minute or two since it began, but even now it looked to be nearing its end. Blood streaked the floor of the pit, a smaller one than usual, and the brilliant spotlight overhead let it stand out in grim definition. The hole might have been ten feet squared, but just as tall as any other. These pits were strewn all about the factory, having once stored raw materials when in operation.
The two combatants below tore away at each other, relentless, mad, until one of them simply dropped dead, his head caved in. Cid was able to catch these last few seconds as he reached the heart of the crowd, one eyebrow raising. Part of him wished he hadn't missed it, though he wasn't all that put out that he had. In the end he shook his head, stepping away just as the next fight was about to begin. He needed to find the organizer to pay his fees and get Lightning on the list.
The organizer was different every week, and I suppose that was half of the reason the secrecy of this sport had been so successful. They were picked once they showed up without previous notice, they weren't paid until everyone else was gone, and they typically never came back. That, and no one else was told who the organizer would be either, so finding him was almost a test of sorts. Couldn't get in on the big bucks without him. Still, anyone who had been to these enough times could pick them out. Maybe it was how they usually carried themselves, constantly looking about, and always with two very large security-type gentlemen standing not too far off.
"I suppose you're the man of the hour this evening?" Cid asked when he was rather certain he found him.
"You got your entry fee?"
"Right to the point, eh? Yes, here it is, fifty grand." and he pulled a brick of bills in a brown envelope from his jacket pocket, which the young punk took greedily in his bony, snatching hand. Part of him felt as though he should know who this kid is. Maybe he'd seen him before, hired him for a small job or something. It would come to him later, he was certain.
"You're up last." the organizer sniffed, rubbing his nose between his thumb and index finger like it was a nervous tick. Probably a coke-head. He looked up at Cid, perhaps wondering why he was still standing there. "What, you got a problem with that?"
"Not at all." Cid dipped his chin, and then excused himself. "Little prick." he said under his breath.
Cid would wait patiently, not watching the following matches and standing away from the maelstrom of writhing bodies. He was quiet, cool and composed. Cid Raines had never been much subject to nerves, he or his dog. And his dog was still, standing, not pacing or shifting her weight from one foot to the other as so many often do in waiting. She was stock still, rigid, ready.
It wouldn't be a long wait, I'll tell you. Maybe an hour, and there were times when it had been much longer. In the earlier days of the sport when every two-bit hotshot on a street corner thought he was hot shit in a champagne glass, thought he had what it took to make it out alive. Cid and Lightning went casually to the pit, showing no hurry or desire to rush things. People were already cheering, knowing they were going to get a show after having to wait all damn night. It was after midnight after all.
Cid kept one hand secure to his dog's shoulder, looking down into the pit to see what opponent had been dredged up only to be knocked down. He was only slightly surprised to see the contender, a six foot (most of it in his legs), well toned man in shorts with short cropped hair on his head and face, already covered in blood. But slightly. He was more so intrigued. Maybe it would actually be a challenge this time. Maybe, just maybe, his Lightning would break a sweat. The man looked up at Cid and his dog, gesturing with his bloodied hands for them to come down and play.
Cid's fingers tightened, Lightning's cerulean gaze settling on her target. Then she felt a tiny shiver across her skin as her master's hand eased over the clasp of the collar.
"Kill him."
Always kill.
Cha-click...
The crowd roared in a grand surge of sound as Lightning leaped into the pit, landing on her feet, and going after her opponent without even a flicker of hesitation. Her lips pulled back in a snarl, body pounding with adrenaline, fists tight. A hoarse cry ripped out of her as she lunged at him. Normally this would send the other competitor on the offensive, but not this one. Something was different about this one. He was fully composed, fully focused, like a professional you would see on television. He didn't flinch, easing into a ready stance seemingly at his leisure while Lightning drew ever closer.
The dog threw herself at him, one knee coming forward to strike him in the face. He stepped aside. Lightning landed and twisted sharply to face him again, refusing to let up. She threw punches, kicks, lunging at him only to hit air or the cement of the barrier surrounding them. She split her knuckles on the wall.
Cid didn't like what he was seeing. Not at all. He stood near the cusp of the pit with his arms crossed, his brow knitted tight and one finger tapping on his arm. This was taking far too long. Lightning had yet to land a single blow. This was not right. He chanced to look up, his eye catching something directly across from him.
Jihl. That smug smiling whore.
She was mimicking his pose almost perfectly, arms crossed and otherwise motionless. But she met his gaze, and she was smiling. Like she knew something he didn't, like she waiting for him to figure that certain something out and enjoying every second of his bewilderment.
Jihl, unlike the few times before she had threatened Cid, had actually managed to come up with a plan that would work. She realized over a glass of wine a couple of nights ago that she had been going about Cid all wrong. She finally accepted that she couldn't beat him at his own game. So she needed to do what she did best and break the rules. No dog she could ever breed would beat his, not in this lifetime. So she thought it time to stop fighting fire with fire. Jihl searched tirelessly for the best fighter's Eden's streets had to offer, and she found him.
Cid trained his dog to fight, not to think. And most certainly not to fight opponents who could do what it couldn't.
Lightning took a hard blow to the face, the sound of bone cracking ringing through her senses. She staggered back, the earth moving under her for a moment. She shook her head clear, just in time to avoid another heavy attack. Lightning could just make out her master's voice, screaming at her.
"Kill him, Lightning! KILL HIM NOW!"
But how? She could barely touch him. It was like he could read her movements before she made him, steps ahead and able to keep her back. And if she managed to get so close, she'd take a hit to the body with one of his powerful legs. Christ that hurt, her torso radiating with pain the surged every time she took a breath. The first kick she took the ribs had the crowd groaning as if every single one of them had felt it. They had most certainly heard it, have no doubt of that.
"Damn it all, you stupid mutt, Kill him!" Cid was still screaming.
Jihl was still smiling. She had to fight to keep from laughing at his behavior. He was being such a sore loser. That, and she was very pleased with her fighter's performance. He was doing exactly as she told him.
"I don't care if you win or not. Just hurt it. Put that little bitch to the floor and make sure she stays there. If she leaves, I want her to do it limping."
For the first time in a long while, Lightning's blood smeared the pit. It was coming out of her mouth, nose, from a gash on her chin, and it was thick. Her chest was painted with it, the sweat causing it to spread in smudges of crimson down her front. Everything was starting to fizzle out of focus, the world refusing to stop spinning. It was like her first fight. She'd gotten the shit kicked out of her then too, but she still won. She hadn't been trained to quit.
Good dogs don't quit.
And she wouldn't quit now, not even as her opponent snatched a handful of her hair and pulled. She fell across his knee as it came upward, cleaving into her ribcage. Again and again, blood coming out of her mouth as a mist with the heavy, forced exhales that came with every impact.
The audience was going nuts, I mean bat shit crazy. The bets roaming about now were in the seven digits.
For the moment, after he felt like he had pounded her enough, the man lifted her up, made her straighten, and looked up at all the vague and screaming faces looking down at him. It was like he was presenting them with his life's work, oh so proud of the mess he had made. And the crowd ate it up.
Then he shoved Lightning, more like hurled her into the nearest wall. She hit it face first, blood spattering loudly with a PASH, her head snapping back as she stumbled backwards. He caught her, this time by the neck, his grip tighter than what was needed to keep control. How she was still standing was anyone's guess. She couldn't hear, she could barely see with half lidded and wandering eyes, and her arms hung limp at her sides.
He didn't throw her this time, but instead pressed her cheek hard into the concrete wall. Then he pulled, he dragged her tender flesh across the pavement, leaving a long streak of blood and tattered skin like a rainbow against the gray. He then jerked, shoved her to the floor just as another chunk of skin was ripped away from her face. Down she went, on her stomach, hardly moving.
The crowd was on the verge of a riot.
"Lightning, get up!" Cid demanded frantically from where he stood. "Get up, you'll get yourself killed! Come on, Lightning! Stand UP!"
Jihl had started to giggle to herself. This was too perfect. Finally she had hit him where it hurt the most. His pride.
Lightning could feel the pain buzzing through her, both sharp and dull. The earth was still churning beneath her, and now only one eye would open. The other had swollen shut. She tasted her own blood and somehow couldn't connect the dots as to why. It hurt to breathe, and that was all she could do to stay aware. Breathe, though it felt like she had knives in her chest. Every inhale stabbing.
"STAND UP!"
Her master's voice seemed so distant, a thousand miles away and fading. It echoed and died.
But still she heard. Lightning forced herself up. First to her hands and knees, then to her feet. The teeming mass of bodies above were deafening in their revelry. She straightened, and somehow, in spite of all the pain, focused.
Her opponent was baffled to see her standing, his brows near his hairline at what he was looking at.
"I'll be damned." he laughed. "You're somethin' else, ain't ya?"
She said nothing, only stumbled forward with a single, uneasy step.
"God damn." he shook his head this time. "Okay, I'll bite. I'm gonna kill ya anyway...so I let ya have one, okay? Yeah, just one, give me your best shot." And he put out his chin.
The biggest mistake anyone looking into those cerulean eyes could ever make. I guess he just didn't know.
Lightning was a good dog.
She took her one shot, though so beaten she was still so full of fight. One shot, one blow. A punch to the throat that moved faster than a thought. It knocked him off his feet. He rolled on the floor for a moment, choking, almost smirking as if to show it didn't hurt. But the choking didn't stop, it got worse, and soon he was coughing up blood. It was dark, thick, and it wasn't stopping. He drowned in it from the inside out. Lightning had hit him hard enough to rupture the jugular vein and he bled out.
That was the fight.
(II)
"Sorry to keep you waiting so long, officer."
Yun managed to lift herself from the offensively uncomfortable chair in the hospital lobby that she had been waiting in for gods know how long. It was easily in the A.M. now, which means several hours to you readers. Sazh had fallen asleep in the chair next to her, an empty box of Doughnut Truck doughnuts in his lap.
"Not a problem, Dr. Jennings, I know you're a busy man." she shook the doctor's hand, trying her damnedest to suppress a yawn.
"You had some questions for me?"
"Actually, yeah. I talked to Dr. Fortesque over at the coroner's office about a body we're investigating, saw that it had some peculiar scarring on it, and he told me to talk to you. He said they were old burn marks, but he couldn't tell me what might have caused them."
The doctor nodded. "Do you have any pictures for me, by chance?" he'd worked with the police before, and usually they did. Though sometimes they didn't.
"A few." Yun had printed copies of the files from her computer, and had them folded neatly in one of her pockets. She unfolded them and passed them to him.
He scrutinized them for several minutes, Yun waiting patiently with her arms crossed, curious for his answer.
"I think the coroner was right, these look very much like burns. I see these rather frequently, actually."
"Do you now?" best thing she'd heard all night.
"Sure. You see, damage like this comes from repeated short bursts of high voltage electricity."
"...it's late, doc, can ya put it in dummy terms for me?"
"Sorry." he laughed a little. "These are wounds more commonly associated with overexposure to a tazer. If you put it to someone long enough it will actually start to burn."
"So you see this type of injury a lot?"
"Almost weekly. Seems like every girl with an ex-boyfriend has one and has no qualms using it."
Yun laughed a little. "Can't be too careful these days, can ya? Never know what comes out of the dark."
"Too true. But this isn't what killed them, is it?"
"No, though I had a feeling it was related. They didn't look too old, and supposedly they died maybe a week or so ago. Just a hunch."
"Well, glad I could help. Any chance I could ask about the case you're working on?"
"Depends, what do you wanna know?" Yun knew sometimes you had to reach out to get the information you needed. Yeah, it wasn't proper protocol, but fuck protocol.
"You wouldn't happen to be apart of that...that task force thing the mayor implemented, would you?" he had toned down his voice to nary a whisper, like it was some big secret.
"I could be." she wouldn't say yes or no, just in case this came back to bite her in the ass later.
"Well...in case you are," he paused, checking over his shoulder. "I think we've been getting patients that come in from those fights."
"Really?" her brows vaulted, a small smirking tugging at the very edge of her mouth. He had her attention now.
"Just young folks mostly, some older men, come in all busted up. They say it's gang related, but both you and I know we don't have much of that. Right?"
"True." as far as Yun was aware, there were only two gangs in Eden, and they were fairly quiet with only minor disputes every once in a while.
"I see bite marks on these guys, officer, bite marks. And it just seems too...too regular, you know?"
"And when do these guys usually show up?"
"Typically it's Sunday morning, though the more serious ones tend to show up right about now."
Yun thought about it a while, let the info roll about between her ears. "You know...I don't mean to impose, but you suppose I could ask you a favor?"
"Sure."
"You think you could get in touch with the doctors at the other hospitals and ask if they've had similar cases at around the same time?"
"I most certainly could. I'd be happy to help."
Yun smiled. "Thank gods for folks like you, we're would the force be without ya?" and she chuckled lightly as she wrote down her number at the station and her name to give him. "Try and get in touch with me soon, yeah?"
"As soon as possible." he took a moment to put down his own number and give it to her. "Can I do anything else for you?"
"That's all for now. You have a good night."
And the two separated. Yun went to retrieve her partner and brave the horrible storm outside to stuff him into the car.
She needed to get him home.
(III)
Cid was less than pleased, though he had won, and was leaving with an astronomical sum. But go figure. You always enjoy playing the game until it stops going your way, right?
He was in a hurry to leave, in a very large hurry to get his dog home and tended to. She was hurt terribly, the worst he'd seen. Her recovery would set him back weeks. And all he could do as he walked to the van was curse Jihl's name under his breath, his teeth grinding together.
Lightning tried to keep up with her master, her body now stiffened with pain and fatigue threatening to put her down. The cold, cold rain felt good on her heated skin, but it hurt the growing bruises with its descending force. Though she knew Cid wouldn't like it, she cringed, even whimpered when the pain was just too much. But she did so discreetly, quietly as not to draw his attention.
Cid yanked back the side door of the van, slamming it with enough force to threaten it off the hinges.
"Start the car," he barked to his driver as he helped Lightning inside. His brow quirked when there wasn't an immediate answer. He was expecting it. And he looked up.
Where was the driver?
Cid was yanked backward, hard, by the collar of his shirt. He swore as he hit the pavement of the parking lot, water splashing upward and his suit getting soaked right through. Before he could get another word out he was decked across the face, the blow centering on his jaw, putting him right back down just as he had tried to sit up. Something, someone still had him by the collar, now in the front, and was hovering over him.
"I warned you, Cid."
"Jesus Christ, Jihl," that someone hit him again, this time straight on, breaking his nose. Blood gushed down his face, seeming to run much heavier because of the rain.
"You should have listened. You and your little bitch should have just stayed home."
Cid blinked through the rain, the sheet of pain, and could just see Jihl's silhouette in the diffused glamor of a lamp post's light.
"Now I'll only give you one last warning, Cid." she crouched down beside him, wanting to be sure he heard her. She fished something out of a pocket. Or maybe her purse. Did she have a purse? Or had she hid it in her bosom? "If I see you at another fight, I'll expose you. And don't think I won't. If there's anything I'm good at, it's being a tattle-tail.
Cid was about to protest, his mouth working to tell her to "fuck off", but the words didn't make it. He felt something press into his ribs just as the "f" was on its way out and he felt the most horrible pinch of pain in his life. Like getting stabbed slowly yet it only taking an instant, and there was a loud SNAP that echoed through the stormy air as he tensed with a hoarse cry.
As he lay there, helpless, Jihl fished into his coat, snatching the amazing wad of cash he had stashed in it. That she did stuff it into her cleavage, smiling.
"You can have a little more fun with him, just don't let him die." she told that looming darkness that still held Cid's collar. And she started to walk away.
Lightning was horrified. She didn't know what to do. Part of her said to attack, defend the master, but her collar was still on. She wasn't supposed to do anything unless he said so, or if she had the collar off. So she sat there, tight against the inner wall of the van, unmoving, wide eyed and afraid.
"Grab the mutt and let's go." was Jihl's barking command.
They dragged her out of the van, across the riverbed of pavement by the collar, nearly choking her as she held tight to herself, her body still so sore.
The lot of them, Jihl and her three men, loaded up into a dark navy SUV, and the tires somehow managed to squeal on the pavement as it ripped out onto the main road.
Jihl wasn't done with her payback yet, however. Though she was nearly satisfied. She'd be able to sleep tonight once a certain thorn in her side was put down. She knelt in the spacious back end of the SUV, the tazer still tightly gripped in one hand. And there was Lightning, powerless.
"This is for all the money you made me lose, you stupid, filthy mongrel."
And though the dog didn't scream, like she had hoped, Jihl knew it hurt. She could see it in those dull blue eyes as they rolled back. Again and again until she was slaked, until there was a blistering mark in the middle of Lightning's chest, the electricity having burned right through her clothes.
Eventually, after Jihl grew bored, she simply opened the back doors of the vehicle and shoved the mutt out, just lingering there long enough to watch the body bounce on the street before closing them. Finally, that little mess was done and over with.
Jihl laughed a little. Impressed with herself.
(IV)
Yun went out of her way to stop the car suddenly, the shaking enough to jar Sazh awake. It was nearly two A.M., so she couldn't blame him, but that didn't mean she had to be nice about interrupting his nap.
"This is your stop, old fella."
"Yeah," he groaned as he reached for the door handle. "You be careful driving home in the mess, ya hear?"
"You know me, safest driver in the city."
"Bullshit."
"Just go to bed, like a good senior citizen." she encouraged him along. "I'll see ya bright and early on Monday."
He pushed the door half open, rain pouring in to soak his forearm and thigh. "Yeah, see ya Monday. G'night, Fang."
"Don't call me that," she protested.
"All right, Fang."
"Asshole."
And he laughed tiredly as he disembarked. Yun waited for him to walk inside, the porch light coming on just as he reached the door and pushed it open. Once the door shut behind him she put her piece of crap car in gear and drove on, the wipers swishing and engine whining.
Fang was starting to feel the long hours too. She was having to fight to stay awake. She turned up the stereo, slowing down a tick in order to look away and turn the knob on the radio. Iced Earth came blaring out of the speakers as the dial settled on her usual station. But that only worked for a moment, forcing her to roll the window down a little and let the wet and cold in. Home was only a few minutes away, thankfully. Then she could curl up with a good book, a good bottle, and get some sleep. And she just drove on, seemingly on auto-pilot.
Until...
"Gods be damned," she cringed abruptly, "missed the turn."
She hit the breaks, hydroplaning slightly and giving herself a small scare. Still, it stopped. Taking a breath she threw it into reverse, not even looking back before tapping the gas pedal. She knew there weren't any cars coming in behind her, so why look?
WHAM.
That's why.
Fang tensed, her shoulders hiked up to her ears. Then the realization of what could have just happened sank in.
"Shit, what did I hit," she scrambled for the flashlight under her seat after turning on the distress lights, scrambling out of the car and rounding to the rear end where she felt the impact. On came the light, and there she saw a heap in the road just shy of the bumper. She could tell straight away that it was human.
"Son of a bitch," she said through clenched teeth. "Damn it, damn it, damn it,". Tucking the flashlight in her pocket, only able to rely on the yellow flashes to see by, she knelt down and gathered whoever it was into her arms. Not as heavy as she expected, it was easy to put them in the back seat. As she sat down in the driver's seat once again, she went searching for her cellphone instead of starting en route to the nearest hospital.
Fang pounded out the numbers without thinking, having done it enough times by now. She waited, waited, almost nervous. What was she gonna do? Whoever it was wasn't quite dead, but what if they did so suddenly, and in her back seat?!
Click. "Fang...it's two A.M." Vanille groaned quietly from the other end.
"How did you know it was me?" way to keep your priorities straight.
"It's two A.M."
"I don't always call you this late,"
"But you're the only one." and there was a heavy sigh. "What did you hit this time?"
"How the hell do you do that?!"
"It's raining...your driving sucks when it's raining. So, what was it?"
"Well," Yun twisted in her seat, looking back at her passenger, "looks like a woman, smells like a wet dog, and is dressed like she's homeless...I think I just backed into Hobo Barbie."
"Very funny. So why'd you call me?"
"She's hurt pretty bad,"
"You should take her to a hospital."
"I don't know if that would be the best idea. I don't think this was some accident." some of the injuries she could see in the washed out glow of the cab light looked consistent with some domestic abuse cases she'd dealt with. "If someone's out to get her, I don't wanna make it any easier for them."
There was silence for a moment, then another heavy sigh. "Fine. I'll wait up for you."
"Thanks, love, you're an angel."
"You owe me big for this."
"Yes I do, see ya in a few minutes." and she hung up and stuffed the phone into the cup holder beside her. Then she resumed her original intent to back up, turning down the street she meant to in the first place.
"Don't you go dying on me back there, okay? Hold on just a bit longer, I'll get ya some help."
But there was no answer.
Fang was relieved to see some of the inside lights on when she pulled onto the curb in front of the house. Quickly she got out, rounding to the side and managing her fragile cargo carefully into her arms. Vanille was waiting in the open doorway, a robe over her nightgown and her arms crossed to show her clear displeasure of having to be up at such an hour. But that displeasure seemed to tuck itself away when she got a look at who her sister carried inside.
"Good heavens." she gasped quietly. "Get her on the sofa."
They had to shoo the cat, Baha, off his favorite perch before letting their guest lie down. Vanille had what she called a gig bag, something she took with her to school with all of her medical doo-dads in it, sitting on the coffee table. She immediately dove into it, searching for what she needed.
"What can I do?" Yun offered, having gotten her sodden coat off. Now she was anxious, unwilling to just stand about and watch.
"I need more light...and we need to clean up all of this blood."
"Got it, though don't get too busy with that latter one. I want to get some pictures just in case charges come out of this." she didn't like being such a ...cop about it, but it was in her nature. She couldn't help it. Thankfully all she needed was her phone do to that, which she set up while flipping on a few more lights. "I just need a couple," she assured, mostly to herself.
While her sister did that, Vanille began with the first steps of a typical examination. "Blood pressure's a little low, but not serious. That's a good sign." No internal bleeding at least. She managed a small pen light out of her gig bag, leaning forward on her knees. She lifted one bruised eyelid with her thumb to shine the light into the dull blue eye behind it, finding a slow reaction. "Maybe a concussion...you didn't look when you were backing up, did you?"
"What are ya, psychic?" Yun growled a little, not liking at all that her sister knew her so well.
"I'm just asking."
"I wasn't goin' that fast anyhow. Most of this...it couldn't have been from the car." she shook her head slowly. "I don't like the feel of it."
Vanille sat back, her legs tucked beneath her. She looked up at her sister, unsure. "What should we do then?"
"No, not about this, just...what might have happened to her. Kinda one of those...wanna know and yet don't wanna know."
"You're thinking she has something to do with your case, don't you?"
"I dunno. Honestly." and Fang was distant for a moment, fretting her own curiosity. "So what's the prognosis?"
"Too soon to tell just yet, I need to finish the exam, but...I think she'll make it through the night. If she does...well, there's hope then. Come on, I need an extra pair of hands." and she nodded, seeming cautiously confident.
Together they cleaned her up, assessed the full extent of the damage, and patched up what they could. The two even managed to Jerry-rig an IV out of a plastic bag and spare plastic tubing Vanille had in her bag. They let it hand from the standing coat rack that was near the door.
Fang dwelled on the collar all the while, once she realized it was there. How could she miss it, right? She couldn't recall having ever seen anything like it, not on a human at least. But there was a tickle in her mind that said otherwise. Something about it should be familiar. She tucked the thoughts away for later, it wasn't important right now.
Once all was said and done, their new guest appearing as comfortable as one suffering such trauma could be, they tucked a blanket around her. Then they stood silent for a moment, both thinking the same thing.
"So what should we do?" she asked again, sounding even less certain now.
Fang didn't answer right away. "Gotta take it as it goes, I guess. Can't do anythin' until she comes to, really. But...I think we should keep this quiet...for now. Yeah?"
"Maybe that would be best." Vanille nodded slowly, yawning. "I'll stay up and watch her."
"No, no, I ran her over, I'll stay up."
"You've been awake for over twenty hours, you need to go to bed."
"Yeah, but I don't have finals to study for. Up those stairs with you, missy."
"All right," Vanille wasn't about to argue. It was way too damn early, now almost five A.M. "But I'll be down in a couple of hours to check on her. And you if I have to."
"Yeah, yeah. Off ya go then."
"Goodnight, Yun,"
"G'night."
Fang watched her sister disappear into the darkness of the stairwell, taking a moment to switch off a few of the lights before settling into one of the recliners near the sofa. Baha was quick to come and settle in her lap, though he still looked a little peeved that they had usurped his perch before.
For a long while she simply sat there, her gaze wandering between various objects yet always managing to settle back on the sofa.
"Hope ya don't hate me for bumpin' into ya," she said quietly. "Though I'm startin' to think it was for the better. You'd still be wanderin' the streets if I hadn't. Still...try and pull through, yeah? Then we'll get the bastards that did this to ya."
Yun would fall asleep there, unable to fight it much at all. She still had her jump boots on.
It was the first night in many a moon that she didn't go to sleep drunk.
Author's Note: I felt like the language in this one was a little weak. Maybe it's because it's almost three in the morning and I'm still driven to work on this. Blech. Second chapter in a row, by the way, without an off colored joke. I know I haven't much explored Lightning's thoughts and feelings much yet, but that's about to change. Now, with her away from Cid, I have prime opportunities to explore that with you, my readers. Hopefully I won't turn Lightning into a Mary Sue...oh god. And, I just love the way the words "hobo" and "Barbie" sound together. It makes me giggle. See you next chapter!
