AN: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! I'm struggling a little with plot so this weekend I'm going to sort it all out. If all goes well there will be a double upload next week! So, wish me luck!

DFTBA & Enjoy!


"Why is it always carnations? And yellow ones at that!" the Dream Reaper complained as he plucked one of the blooms from the bouquet and crushed it in his hand. "Have they no sense?"

The Arctic Fox tossed his duffle bag on the expensive hotel bed closest to the large, wall-length window. "It's just a flower."

"Just a flower? Just a flower! Yellow carnations, my dear imbecilic friend, represent rejection, disdain, and disappointment!"

"Nothing's going to go wrong."

"If that was true they would've given us different flowers."

"Y'know, sometimes you make me wonder why you're even here."

Dream Reaper looked at him, his dark eyes cold, but his thin lips smiling. "Because I care about floriography?"

"Because you're a drama queen." Arctic Fox smiled. "Now, go shower and get ready. I'll get rid of the disappointing flowers."

"Alright, but leave me one. I want to leave it with our disdainful target."

Arctic Fox rolled his eyes but gently plucked one of the flowers out of the bouquet and set it on the table before lifting the rest out of the vase. He then proceeded to take them down to the dumpsters using the servants' elevator. There were fewer cameras on that path. As he tossed the flowers into the kitchen dumpster he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket and read the text: Abort. Dream Reaper turned l'Cie. You're the target.

"Shit," the Arctic Fox whispered and bolted back into the hotel. He had to get his things, especially his sniper. Everything would be ruined if he left them behind.

Quietly, he slipped into their hotel room. His heart was pounding but he calmed his features. He could hear the shower running. He could make it out. The Artic Fox snatched up his duffle and then turned to grab Dream Reapers. The bathroom door opened. He heard the click of a gun. He froze.

"Leaving so soon?" Dream Reaper asked. He was still fully dressed.

"Why?" Arctic Fox turned to his partner.

"Because I'm tired of being a disposable military dog. They don't care about us!"

"And Sanctum cares about you?"

"The Cie'th are the only ones who care! They were the only ones who were there when my brother went MIA. They tried to find him! And our precious military, what did they do? Nothing!"

Arctic Fox could see the rage in Dream Reaper's eyes, but the gun remained steady. He kept his voice calm and tried to reason with the l'Cie. "There was nothing they could do. Wolfhound was dead."

"Dead because they never looked for him!"

"No. I was there. Wolfhound was shot in the head."

"LIAR! If you were there you would've brought him back, Hope! I know you."

The Arctic Fox frowned. "I tried, but he was too heavy for me to carry and remain stealthy. I wasn't as strong then as I am now."

"If that's true, then the yellow carnations really were the right choice for you." He pulled the trigger.

Arctic Fox screamed out as his shoulder felt like it had burst into flames. He stumbled backwards, dropping the duffle bags, and then steadied himself before he charged forwards, tackling the l'Cie. The gun clattered to the floor as the two soldiers wrestled each other for the upper hand. Punches. Kicks. Jabs. Grunts. Growls. They rolled across the floor, smearing blood across the pristine carpet.

Eventually, the Arctic Fox got the upper hand and began punching the l'Cie in the head. One. Two. Three. Five. Eight. The l'Cie stopped moving, but the Arctic Fox did not stop punching. His blood was on fire. His heart was racing. His shoulder screamed in pain. Yet, he did not stop for several more punches, when his need for air forced him to.


Lightning rested her head on her desk. Why did there have to be so many different meanings to flowers? Fucking cryptic criminals! She had skipped breakfast with Fang and had instead opted to start researching. After several hours she had a mess of notes and an oncoming headache. At least, however, she had a list of people to question as soon as Hope arrived.

The door to her office opened, and Light looked up in time to see Agent Snow slip into her office with two cups of coffee. He smiled at her and gestured with the coffee. "Thought you might need some sustenance."

She took the cup he offered her. "What do you want?"

"Heard you got a Cie'th case."

"Yeah, so?" Gently she sipped the hot liquid, thankful for the caffeine, but would never admit that to Snow.

"And a new partner."

"He's not my partner, just a recruit."

Snow rolled his eyes. "Yeah, the one recruit that doesn't need any training. I saw him shoot yesterday and sparred with him this morning."

"Any bruises?"

Snow lifted up the bottom of his untucked dress shirt. Besides the toned muscles and six-pack that she had been expecting, there were also several large bruises. "Wish I could say he looked the same."

"I suppose you should be glad he wasn't anymore precise or you'd be in the hospital."

Snow grimaced. "I'm well aware."

"So are you here to complain then?"

"No, just to tell you keep your eye on that one."

Lighting raised an eyebrow and set her coffee down. "What do you mean? I sparred with him myself, he wasn't violent."

"Yeah, I saw, everyone did, but this was different, he didn't swing at you."

"What are you getting at, Snow?"

"I know to get in he had to have had a clean psych report, but I think something's going on."

Lighting frowned. "Like what?"

"I don't know." Snow ran a hand through his hair. "But you know how it is, out there."

Out there on the battle field. Sighing, Lightning nodded. "I'll keep an out for him."

Snow nodded and made to leave.

"Snow?"

He stopped and looked at her. "Thank you."

"Soldiers have to stick together, right?"

He left. For all his self-righteousness and arrogance, Snow Villiers really wasn't a bad guy. He just had a tendency to annoy her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad for Serah to settle down with him. Lightning scrunched her nose and shook the thought from her mind. Yes it would.