Notes: Much shorter than the previous chapters so far, but something to segue the readers back for the next chapter. Yes, this will be the last part to Day 2 (hooray from those who got sick of action instead of more backstory). Also, it's my birthday in a couple of days, so early chapter present! I will try my best to update this monthly, but university has started again and I haven't time to write at all.
Chapter Title taken from Franz Ferdinand's song of the same title.
Day 2: What You Meant
"I'm going back." She nodded to the soldier. Brushing her hair back, she walked away to where her standard-issued airbike was parked. Crap, she also had her regular patrols to do. Well at least she wouldn't be going to the beaches again today. The sun fully came out already, and it was starting to get uncomfortably hot. A cackle sounded out in her earpiece, and her senses went on full alert.
"Farron!" Oh, it was Amodar again. Lightning wondered just what he forgot..again. Amodar had a tendency to forget the most basic of things, but Lightning usually picked up the slack. And she thought nothing was missing…
"Forget your patrol. I'll do it. Go back home today." This was new. Lightning paused, not really knowing what to say.
"…Why, uh, sir?"
"Don't question my order," A laugh could be heard here, "You seemed angry. Cool off, go home early. That's an order, Farron."
"Yes, sir."
Amodar has something up his sleeve. He usually hates patrolling. Maybe he knows something's up with Serah and me, and this is his way of helping.
Revving up the airbike, she planned to head back into headquarters to wheedle out something out of Amodar, perhaps another patrol in a different shift or day. Maybe even some overtime. Speeding towards the station, Lightning zigzagged through some traffic, eventually making her way into the parking lot of the Guardian Corps. The keeper there was a friendly man, nearing retirement. Because of a persistent ache from a knee injury years ago, he was assigned to more administrative duties.
"Welcome back, Sergeant."
"Thank you Cliff."
She had to show her identification card to the machine that registered all visitors and personnel at the headquarters. "Welcome, Sergeant Farron" could be heard from the voice, feminine sounding, as the majority of soldiers were men. Inside, there were some personnel dealing with paperwork; Lightning tried not to eavesdrop on the phone conversations going on. Overall, it was pretty quiet this time of day for headquarters.
Going up to one of these call takers, she mouthed, "Where is Amodar?" to which the person pointed to her left, where the individual offices were.
He said he was going to go patrolling, yet is he slacking off in his office, munching donuts or secretly watching television? Amodar thinks nobody notices, but probably half the department knows and like good little soldiers, we keep our mouths shut. Time to get to the bottom of this.
Lightning sauntered over to Amodar's office, bypassing her own little booth of "an office". To her, it couldn't be considered an office; it was more like a cubicle with a door and roof. After meeting Amodar, she would probably stop over and gather any briefs that needed to be reviewed at home. It was very rare she had some downtime, and she would make the most of it so that she can go home and –to this she smiled—eat a home cooked meal instead of eating it hours later after heating it up because it had been in the refrigerator for hours.
First things first.
Knocking on the door, Lightning waited for Amodar's hearty "Come in" before she did, closing the door promptly.
"Sergeant Major." Lightning would have said more, but Amodar was taking a call. Professional as she was, she waited while he continued, making that one finger motion that universally meant "please wait" at her, muttering into the mouthpiece. So she did, opting for staring at her boots. Which, now that she was analyzing her clothes, needed to be washed. There were grit from the battle on sandy ground—it was practically a damn beach—as well as some bloody green residue that Lightning felt on the bottom of her heels. At least she was assured that these boots were durable enough for anything, even that time when they were almost on fire from that Manadrive training gone wrong. No, she did not want to revisit that particular memory but she could admit to herself that it did help.
"What is it Farron. I thought I told you to take it easy. And...take a shower too," Amodar said with a twinkle in his eye. Spending most of the battle slashing at the Bloodbaths, Lightning Farron's uniform was dotted with blood.
"Forgive the appearance, sir," She smirked. Giving the jest a beat, she then continued.
"I was going to ask why you're sending me home early. Besides the obvious." Lightning made a belated salute, and added an equally belated, "Not to be rude, sir. Just asking, sir."
"No need to be so formal! We've known each other…for a couple of years now." Amodar laughed as he said it, sending her a nice pat on the shoulder without the insignia. "Listen," he continued, "your sister called me on my personal line. No, not now. She was worried about you and asked for a day off on your behalf ten days from now… "
She…did that? Why ten days from now—oh. It's going to be my birthday. I barely remembered it because it was so close to Mom's passing. I—that's in three weeks, the anniversary. Right. Now I have to make it up to her, but what exactly? I don't even know what she likes, besides history. I know she will be majoring in history when she's in college. But a book's not enough. It's not the right kind of apology gift. What do you give to your sister when you've been neglecting her for work, even when you don't even realize it?
"…and I checked the records, and you, Farron, haven't taken a personal day since almost when you joined the Corps! I think it was long overdue for a break, so I approved your sister's request." Amodar continued, unaware Lightning was paying more attention to her thoughts than his words.
"Unfortunately, you'll still be on sec detail during the fireworks display. Don't have enough people covering that night. Well, Sergeant? Request approved, and I won't accept you cancelling. I better not see you at work ten days from now."
"I—yes, understood. Thank you sir!" Lightning saluted again, partially to spite Amodar. She smirked when she saw him cringe a little from the overt formality.
"Did I not just tell you to stop being so formal?"
Her back was already to him, but she turned her head over her shoulders to address him. "Sorry sir. Force of habit." She then fully turned around and said, "Permission to be dismissed, sir?"
"That's not funny anymore, Sergeant. And go, time's a-wasting the more you talk to me." Amodar waved his hand to dismiss her, and she complied, almost grinning but careful to keep it out of Amodar's sight.
"Right." Lightning said and walked out of the office. Maybe she'll take up Amodar's offer earlier and take a damn well-earned shower while thinking up ideas for Serah.
