Chapter 19 Discoveries
The aftermath of the day prior had been swarming around in Lightning's head, causing the young sergeant's heart to ache. However, having Fang with her helped Lightning through her ordeal.
To avoid a screaming match with Serah again, Lightning had said her congratulations but vowed to watch Snow like a hawk, which leads her to leave the house with Fang, and the two went to the Oerban's house where she would stay for a few days.
The case was back openly dealing with her parent's murder. Still awaiting forensics' observations and autopsy. Lately, her feelings have been clouded with uncertainty. While Lightning had been assigned to a murder case, she was also dealing with a new fear, and that was letting Serah live her life the way she wanted to.
If Serah wanted to accept Snow's marriage proposal even after an apology that Lightning didn't believe, but this was to fall into Serah's good graces again, and that was trusting her sister but also letting her live her life. Serah wasn't a child, and Lightning had to accept that, and this was for the best.
However, when she sat up in bed, she realized her wrist wasn't any better than it had been the night before. It still hurt, and Fang noticed the discomfort as Lightning tried to pick up a glass in her lousy hand.
"I'm anxious I broke my wrist last night." Lightning grumbled.
"Well it was splinted last night, I don't think it's broken. Might be sprayed. I'm also surprised it turned a bit purple, though." Fang said, eying the sergeant's wrist and moving it gently.
"I need to see a doctor, probably." Lightning sighed carefully, pulling her hand back from Fang, wincing from the pain.
"Sunshine, you need to stop punching everyone," Fang admits, carefully holding out a hand.
Lightning looked at it, and then looked at the Oerban. "What did you want?"
"I want to see your wrist one more time. Trust me on this," Fang said sternly.
Though Lightning didn't fully trust the seriousness in her girlfriend's voice, she carefully placed her wrist in the hand of the Oerban.
Fang took a moment and unraveled the splint and medical tape. Taking a second to look at the wrist, she noticed Lightning's wrist was, in fact, purple and black.
"You use your gloves next time you decide to pop someone in the face. You clearly punched dirty and missed it. Though I didn't really see the punch, I'm surprised you didn't break it." Fang said, watching Lightning grit her teeth.
"Fang seriously, it hurts. Please stop touching my arm." Lightning growled before Fang shook her head.
Keeping a steady hold on the soldier's wrist, Fang placed a hand over the top of the wrist.
"Please do not panic. I need to concentrate." Fang said lowly.
Lightning looked at the Oerban, who gave a look of nervousness before Fang gently rubbed at the purple skin, and Lightning noticed something weird.
Fang rested her hand on the skin, her hand started to produce a blue glow. The blue light was bright, but as it glazed over top of Lightning's skin, she felt relief? Whatever Fang was doing was causing her hand to heal, and it wasn't the same as if she had taken an elixir or potion, there was no nauseated, sick feeling of foreign medicine. This was Fang's hand ghosting her skin, and healing it!
"Oh, my gods!" Lightning nearly yelled, watching as the blue hue started to disappear, Fang looked at her as if she did something wrong.
"Did I do something bad?" Fang asked, noticing Lightning's eyes looking wide-eyed at her wrist. The purple and black were replaced with pale skin as Lightning moved her wrist without pain.
"How?! What is this love?!" Lightning nearly yelled Fang clamped a hand over her mouth to silence her, noticing two fierce blue eyes looking into her green.
"If I let your mouth go, promise me you won't scream. Nod your head once if you understand what I mean, Sunshine. Please… I don't want you freaking out because of something I did." Fang looked a tad frantic.
Watching Lightning nod, Fang quickly removed her hand.
"You're a spellcaster?" Lightning asked, fear in her blue eyes.
"I don't really consider myself a spell caster, but that of a summoner. I know some black magic, but I also know some white magic. Heh… Surprise…" Fang looked down, noticing Lightning looking sort of nervous.
"Oh, my gods!" Lightning was trying to keep her excitement contained.
"You seem more excited than you do angry. I just can't tell by you acting this way." Fang admits looking at Lightning, who seemed both shocked and excited.
"I didn't know. How? How do you know spells? There has to be an explanation for this phenomenon." Lightning struggled to find a conclusion.
"It's an extremely long story. There is another thing I can do that would be better to show you than have you sit there if you aren't mad at me; however, I need to know, are you mad at me?" Fang asked, watching Lightning avoid the question, the soldier girl was up and pacing talking to herself, causing Fang to look extremely confused.
"That's not good. If PSICOM gets whiff of this, that'll paint a target. You've hidden it all this time, and I didn't know! I'm just worried about you even more now, but you healed my hand… You actually healed my wrist! You—!" Lightning was stopped midsentence before Fang shook her slightly, causing the sergeant to look into her eyes.
"Lightning snap out of it!" Fang growled, slapping the other gently to cause Lightning to shake her head and look at her stunned.
"You slapped me!" Lightning sounded surprised.
"Yes, because you were acting weird because you found out I can use some spells," Fang said, looking annoyed.
"I'm so sorry. I just was in shock slightly. I didn't know you could do that. However, I suppose I accidentally panicked." Lightning admits.
"No, you really panicked Sunshine. You panicked a lot." Fang admits.
"Love if PSICOM finds out that could mean danger for you. They want to destroy everything of magic decent: moogles, spellcasters, and even the church that took care of spellcasters. You really need to be careful with that power. I am thankful you healed my wrist, and I'm sorry I freaked out…" Lightning looked down.
"Sweetheart, I've kept this power secret for a long time. No one ever found out. However, I only use them for protection if I cannot use my lance. However, the final piece of my power would be better if you saw it for yourself. I want to show you. I just need to know if you're okay with me being the way I am. It's a matter of are you mad because I kept this secret?" Fang asked.
"Fang, I don't hate you for keeping it secret nor keeping it from me. You surprised me, yes, but I won't let that feeling get in my way for how I feel. Continue to keep it safe, do not use the powers unless you have to. However, what is it you have to show me?" Lightning asked.
"Come outside after you get dressed. I'll go clean plates." Fang said, looking at the empty plates from breakfast.
"That'll be fine." Lightning admits, starting to gather some clothes and heading towards the restroom, Fang looked at her.
"Wear something warmer. It might get cold." Fang said as Lightning noticed the mischievous smile on her face.
After both were ready, they stood in the driveway. Fang took a breath and looked at Lightning.
"Okay, this is gonna probably come as a shock, but I have a summon spell under my arsenal," Fang admits.
"You can summon? What is it you can summon? This I have to see." Lightning admits, "The only summoners are those protected and though you are protected by Guardian Corps, doesn't mean you are protected by the summoners or PSICOM in that regard." Lightning admits.
However, as Fang placed a hand along with a tattoo on her arm, it glowed a fantastic pink and orange hue, as a mineral-like rock appeared. Taking it in one hand, Fang tossed the mineral up as purple rings formed in the sky. Breaking through a barrier type gate, an entity flew down, and Fang was greeted by a dragon clad in iron metal. The powerful looking entity looked at her before she hopped on its enormous back.
Lightning looked impressed by the metal dragon, but there was fear in the young sergeant.
However, Fang reached for her hand. "Sunshine, do you trust me?" Fang asked.
"I do." Lightning admits taking her hand before Fang pulled her up onto the dragon's back, as the great dragon took off into the sky. Lightning was not prepared before she wrapped her arms around Fang tightly, closing her eyes. There had been a sense of fear as the dragon ascended high up above the clouds.
"Isn't this great?" Fang asked, hearing Lightning's panicked breathing, "Hey, it's all good love. Bahamut won't let you fall. Promise. Open your eyes, and I'll face you." Fang said, shifting on the great beast as it kept a steady flight in the sky.
Lightning kept her eyes shut tight but then opened them once she felt Fang's hand along her face. One blue eye opened, then the next. "We're in the clouds?!" Lightning nearly screamed.
"Surprise again!" Fang laughed, "Wow, lucky you get three surprises today. A flight on Bahamut, breakfast in bed, and healing your wrist, lady luck treated you well today." Fang joked, noticing Lightning hyperventilate slightly at flying.
"I didn't know you could do this!" Lightning said, trying to gain composure but failed miserably as Fang chuckled at her.
"The more you fly, the better you'll like it." Fang admits, "Just keep calm. I won't let anything bad happen to you." Fang admits, "We flew the opposite direction from Bodhum, so we're probably set on course to Palumpolum." Fang admits.
"Please don't fly around Eden or Bodhum. If word gets around a giant dragon was seen flying, PSICOM would do everything in its power to take down such a beast, or even the Calvary." Lightning said, looking at the city below, as she felt slightly nauseated.
"Up here, there are no rules. Up here, we're safe, and up here we will fly safely. Going up is slightly jarring if you aren't expecting it, but the descent is just as fun as the ascent." Fang smiled.
"I'm surprised you kept these powers from me all this time. I'm surprised you didn't use them against me when I tried to apprehend you back in the day." Lightning admits.
"Believe me, I would have. I had to give you a chance, though. I had to figure out if you were going to hesitate or strike. The fact you hesitated back then was the only reason I couldn't. One person I used a flame spell on was a man who had tried to harm Vanille, and I vowed to never use those spells unless I was being harmed or if I was in dire need. However, I had to show you this power, because I couldn't hide it anymore. Also, you were injured. I wanted to heal you because we trust each other enough." Fang admits.
"I'm just shocked, love." Lightning said, looking at the clouds, "How was it that you have this power?"
"How about when we make it to land that I tell you that story?" Fang asked.
"I would enjoy that very much." Lightning said, keeping hold of Fang as Bahamut carefully flew through the sky.
The more that Lightning had been in the sky, the more exhilarated she felt. It was a feeling of joy, a sense of being carefree. This was better than riding motorcycles with Squall! In the clouds, with Fang and a giant metal dragon, Lightning was having the time of her life. Except for the descent back to land as she kept her arms around Fang tightly as she screamed on her way down, while Fang laughed.
The soldier and the Oerban had the time of their lives while flying, and Lightning had a new appreciation for the Oerban. Especially now that she understood that the other had such powers that Fang had kept hidden away for all this time.