And got some more for you

Chapter 9:

As she walked into the desolate ash covered wasteland, Light just took a deep breath and stopped her trek. How long had she been walking? Was it days? Months? She couldn't tell. Looking up into the sky she could see the same sickly grey covering it just as much as it covered the land. There was no way to tell if it was even day or night at this point.

The grey just encasing the world as a whole. She supposed that is what made it just dreadful. The constant assault of grey on grey. The only reason she knew that she wasn't walking in circles was she hadn't ran into any footprints in this stagnant grey hell.

Taking another deep breath, Lightning knew that she'd eventually find where she was meant to be. She just had to stay on this path. No matter how long it had been. She'd get to where she belonged.

Fixing her gaze back onto the path ahead of her, she just took a small breath as she raised up her foot before placing down.

Looking further down, she had to squint to see a mass of black and pink nearly skipping towards her. Had this really been the first person she had seen since she set out on her journey? She couldn't remember. She couldn't even remember what had happened to cause this mess.

Entering into a full sprint, Lightning could feel the wind biting into her as the blob started to gain detail. She could make out the pink was just the hair, the dress she had taken to wearing seemed to be a delicate black lace.

Coming to a stop just in front of the person she bit her lip as she looked into the soft face of her sister. Opening her mouth to scream, Lightning could feel her voice having vanished as the woman in front of her just laughed.

"Sorry Light. Your princess is in a different castle. But if you want to go to a castle anyways... you should think about waking up."

Bolting upright, Lightning could feel her breath coming in short gasps as she scanned the room. Trying to put together where she was. The feeling of lost isolation wasn't a new one to her. Especially when she could feel wherever she was was moving.

Taking a gulp as she seemingly caught her breath, Lightning raised a hand to rub her eyes, to force the sleep out. She couldn't even think about getting to sleep after what had just happened. The assault of her dreams. The one place she thought that same voice would never be able to touch.

Laying back down, Lightning tossed an arm over her eyes as she tried to calm down her raging heart beat. The fact she didn't know where she was, should have been worrisome. It couldn't hold a candle to the silence that filled her head.

She was used to the former, but the latter. She never had anything close to true silence; to just be left alone with her thoughts. That was the far more terror inducing than anything else could be.

"No witty comment from me nearly jumping awake?" Lightning asked the void that was the room. Just hoping that even the voice and the happiness of her sister being with her again was all just a cruel dream.

'I couldn't think of anything witty. Especially after that dream. I never thought of myself looking like your sister... I should feel insulted.'

Smirking at that, all that remained for Lightning was for her to collect her thoughts to figure out how she was in this situation. She supposed the easy option was to talk to the devil, but that didn't make it any better really. But she could bring herself even start that conversation.

Sitting up once again, Lightning flicked the blanket that was covering her off as she jumped off the top bunk. Hoping as she looked around to jog some memory. As she looked at the table shining in the midday sun that was when it clicked to her.

"Right... I'm on my way to the looney bin..."


Glancing down at her notes, the heterochromatic psychiatrist started to spin her pen around her hand as she tried to gather the facts of the situation. That was still confusing her deeply. How was she meant to get anything done when she was worried about how she was meant to help the woman she will be travelling with.

Eyes flicking to the phone resting on the table. She knew she could get help easily. It wouldn't even be hard but she didn't know how Lightning would handle if the information drifted further than what it was needed. And if when Yuna met her for the first time was anything to go off of, she couldn't really afford something like that happening.

Raising the pen to her lips, she bit down on the far end as her eyes resituated on her sparse notes. How did she only have half a page of writing? She had long conversations with Lightning. Deciding at this point until she had more to work off of. Namely the tendency for self harm. She didn't know where it came from but she was positive that she didn't want it to continue.

"Okay. Next time we have a talk, I'll try and figure out the root of that." Yuna said as she looked up to see Lightning walking towards the table she sat at. The only thought as Lightning took a seat was that at least there was a chance she could scratch one thing off the 'to-do' list early.

"I thought you were going to sleep?" Yuna asked as she started to close the folder over and gestured for a waiter.

"I got some. I told you I'm not much of a train person." Lightning said rubbing her eyes again as Yuna just gave her a lopsided smile.

'Every time you lie Light, it just hurts us and your family...'

Seeing the bags starting to set in under her eyes, Yuna couldn't help but feel terrible for the woman. She didn't want her to get into a worse state than she already was. Hell at this point Yuna was tempted to call Light's parents and chew them out for not telling her that their already damaged daughter didn't feel comfortable with trains.

Taking a deep breath, she smiled as the waiter came over and smiled at them. "Can we have two mochas please?" Yuna asked as the man started to tap away at the tablet in his hands, Yuna quickly turned to Lightning and just took in her appearance once again. "And... I know this is an odd request given the time of day... but do you have anything sweet like brownies?"

'I just got a great idea Light! A marvellous idea! Dessert nachos... but instead of cookies use brownies... ah we need to try this. Just need to find the kitchen.'

Slumping down on the table, arms wrapping over one another, Light just knew she couldn't ignore this. "That wouldn't work. The brownie would need to be too dense or become logged with everything and become mush." Lightning muttered as she could just see the man walking off as she turned her gaze to Yuna.

'Oopsie... someone said something out loud that they probably shouldn't have... now we have to play twenty questions... go with the Spanish Inquisition. Nobody expect the Spanish Inquisition.'

As Light waited for a response the woman across from her leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and her head into her palms. "What wouldn't work?" Yuna asked with a smile on her face as if she hadn't just heard the woman talking to herself. Not that she was overly concerned about it.

That fact alone seemed to boggle Lightning's mind further. That and the smile starting to slip a little as she met the teen's gaze. "You aren't thinking about hurting people again are you?" Yuna whispered as though she had just seen seven magpies.

'Eighteen more to go...'

"No... just something the voice said... it was a stupid idea that even on paper would never work." Lightning said ignoring the tutting sounds that the voice had started. She already knew what it was about. Namely her ruining the game the voice thought this was.

There was actually something to Yuna that just made Lightning spoiling the voice's fun that much more satisfying. She had no idea as to why it was, but that was the case. It was actually a little funny in its own right to Lightning.

She knew that there was going to be some form of retribution but, that wasn't nearly as bad to Light. Something she wouldn't mind putting up with really if it just meant that she could get some laughs at the voice's expense.

"That doesn't really answer the question." Yuna said as she could see Lightning just chewing her lip as though she was contemplating telling her anything.

"Promise not to laugh at how childish it seems." Lightning said as Yuna just smiled at her once again.

"I pinky promise."

Hearing that single comment, typically would have caused Lightning to punch anyone that wasn't her sister, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to do that one thing. She had promised her sister inadvertently that she'd be able to visit in a matter of days, and this woman could tank all that. Possibly without feeling bad about it.

"It wanted me to make dessert nachos substituting cookies with brownies." Lightning said and tensed up, just expecting laughter but was surprised when she looked to see Yuna chewing her lip as though she was trying to figure out how to process that. "It is a dish apparently my sister and I would eat... it is where you use the cookies as chips, layer up sundae stuff on top... and that is about it."

Giggling a little at the clarification, Yuna held her hands up to mean she meant no offence but the sight of Lightning tensing up at the action was clear as to what she was assuming. "It isn't at what you think. I promise." Yuna said as she raised a hand to cover her mouth, hoping that would correct the laughing a little followed by some deep breaths. "It is because that sounds wildly unhealthy and you don't seem like the type. You seem like the type that would eat nothing but superfoods and do hours of working out every day."

Sulking further as she slumped down in her seat, Light just stared at her. She wasn't exactly happy with that answer but she had to continue the mantra of 'Serah's visit' over and over. It was the only thing that was holding her back at this point.

"I'm sorry, that was very rude of me. I promised I wouldn't laugh and I did. I'm sorry." Yuna said lowering her head a little as Lightning felt her eyebrows shoot up at that gesture. She didn't know someone could legitimately do that to her besides Serah.

'Why does an apology for a broken promise seem to hurt so much? I mean... it isn't just me right? You've got to admit that it is weird too.'

'It is weird now shut up. She might explain why she did it.' Lightning thought as she forced her eyebrows down from sheer force of will as she could see Yuna looking back up after what felt like hours but was probably a matter of minutes.

As she was about to speak, Yuna was cut off by the waiter coming back with a large plastic tray and started to place the white dishes down onto the table. Lightning couldn't help but feel like Yuna was thankful that the waiter was back with the dishes. But it still felt like it rubbed Lightning the wrong way.

Staring at the plate of brownies being placed down, as well as two mugs filled with what Lightning had no idea but was just thankful that it was probably soothing to all hell.

'Right well, seeing as you are being a meanie poopy head... I bet you can't slam that hot drink.'

"I don't want to, plus Yuna would be mad if I did anyways." Lightning muttered as she reached for the cup. Just taking her gaze off the older woman and towards the mystery drink. Hell she wasn't even sure if she should tell Yuna what was being discussed between herself and herself. But she had to admit that without context it would be a very confusing thing to hear. "Sorry... I'll try and remember to not come off as too crazy."

Shaking her head, Yuna just continued to stare at the near broken woman before she spoke up. "I don't mind Light. You forget it is my job. But to be clear I'd be mad at what? Please tell me the voice isn't trying to get you to hit me because I noticed the way you tensed earlier." At the sight of the woman picking up a little, she couldn't help but feel a little bit better about the whole situation at the fact that even if it was only a little, she was helping Lightning's judgement.

"No. That was because of the laughter. I've never been able to get used to it." Lightning began as she continued to stare into the brown swirling mass that was her drink. She didn't really know what it was, but she had to admit that it looked at least good. "She was wanting me to slam... whatever this is." Lightning said idly.

"Have you never had a mocha?" Yuna asked, beaming a little at the notion she could show someone a great drink.

'Light hasn't even had her father's love before... safe to say she hasn't had many hot drinks. But stiff upper lip Light. I'm positive she hasn't been stabbed before... or choked... or beaten to an inch of her life... or cried... but to be fair I don't think you've shown emotion before let alone cried either.'

The way the voice interjected just made Light take a deep breath to resist the urge. To just punch herself in the face to try and silence the voice further.

Sensing that Light wasn't thinking of something else, Yuna just decided to continue her explanation. "It is mostly hot chocolate, with just a shot of coffee. It is really tasty and if I was being honest, I could drink nothing but this if I had my say." As Yuna spoke she felt a little disheartened at the sight of Lightning moving the mug out of her reach. Causing just a chorus of questions mentally of what she did wrong. That was until Lightning removed all doubt.

"I'm already having trouble sleeping and staying asleep. Do you think coffee will help?" Lightning asked rhetorically as she reached across to grab one of the brownies off the plate and breaking off a small bit before plopping it into her mouth. Glad that at least she could enjoy something like this. Even if she was in the one place she felt the most uncomfortable in recent times.

Pushing the mug back towards the pink haired teen, Yuna just smiled at her. "There isn't much in it for the amount there. Unless you are caffeine sensitive which I feel like your parents would have told me that at least, it will only keep you up until after lunch."

'She seriously over estimates how much your family cares about you. Ah well. Now drink up Light. It is rude to refuse gifts.'

Shaking her head as she took the mug and took a small drink as to make it seem like she was going to be genuine in her consumption of it, but the way the silky chocolate hid the bitter taste of the coffee, she had to admit that it was a strange combination that seemed to work pretty well.

Lowering her own mug, Yuna just had to restrain a laugh at the sight of the teen sitting there looking happy. To the point if she was being honest, she could have sworn that there was even the ghostings of a smile on her face.

"So Light... do you mind if I ask some questions? Just to try and make it less like we are taking blind stabs as to your future medication?" Yuna asked as Lightning lowered the items in her hands to look back at Yuna with a slight glare. It was as if she had just sprung up this topic out of nowhere. Grumbling a simple affirmative response, Lightning lowered the mug to break off another piece of the brownie for her to eat. It was probably the only thing that was going to get her through this questioning.

"Do you remember what happened when you first heard the voice? Like was it when you were with Dysley... or was it something that happened before the purge started?" Yuna whispered her questions just in case Lightning still didn't really favour talking about the topic out loud in the public.

Gulping in a vein attempt to try and remove the dryness of her mouth Lightning just took a deep breath and lowered what remained of the brownie into her lap. How was she meant to say that she has been hearing a voice so long that it feels as if it was always there? How was she meant to say she doesn't remember most memories of her time before the purge started? How was she meant to say anything that wouldn't cause this saint of a woman to look at her weird like everyone else has already done once they find out the truth.

Settling on a way, Lightning just took a deep breath as she looked into Yuna's eyes. "It was shortly after Serah was sent back to my father... when Dysley started to take his anger out on me with hourly beatings, filming it to send to my father... the stabbings, stranglings, the passing me between his generals to let them do as they please." Lightning started as she broke off another piece of a brownie and placed it into her mouth. "It wasn't full sentences at first. Just a word or two... but eventually by the time Dysley fell... we'd have long conversations. It was the only thing that made me not bite my tongue off."

'Ah Light... you remembered after all these years. You know how to woo a girl.'

Yuna was left speechless by that simple confession. Had this woman really been able to come to terms that much with what had happened? Or was this just the parts she was comfortable with. Either way Yuna had no doubt in her mind that she had just crested the top of the iceberg.

Author's Note:

Another chapter down... see you peoples next one. by the way, I'd like to thank a fellow author by the name of doomzoom for this sick cover image… like always please leave a review.