Chapter 36 The Eidolon Problem

As 3 a.m. rolled around, Lightning found she could not go back to sleep. Eventually getting up from Fang's arms, she went down the stairs and grabbed a glass of water. Standing in the dark kitchen, she placed a hand on the counter as she sighed.

She placed a hand along her left breast where her tattoo was, clutching at her shirt. She found herself glowing slightly before it started to dim down. It was like Odin knew she was feeling anxious and frustrated.

'You don't understand. Having you could compromise my position in the Guardian Corps. I'm frustrated. I actually hate you more than anything right now, Odin.'

Lighting sighed as she took a seat in the living room, just trying to keep herself calm.

'You know eidolons come when you're stressed, sometimes they can even come from when you're angry, frustrated even. I'm not saying all the time, but they have their way of coming to protect you. It takes a lot of self-control, but that shouldn't be a problem for you Lightning,' Zelda's advice was still fresh in her head.

'What if I don't have that self-control?' Lightning thinks as she sipped on her water. The thought sort of made her anxious. She'd have control up to this point ever since finding out that she had Odin, but with how work has been, especially with people like Jihl and now Raines even. She felt worried, like she had been making more enemies than friends. However, she didn't really need the approval of anyone except in her inner circle of people.

As Lightning got up, she went back upstairs and listened to Fang's steady breathing as the Oerban slept. She eventually got back into bed beside Fang and curled up on her side. However, Fang finally curled up closer to the soldier, as Lightning felt the warmth of Fang cuddling into her once more. Closing her eyes once more, she would sleep until her alarm would go off.

When Lightning awoke the second time, she carefully got up from Fang, whose viridian eyes opened slightly, looking exhausted. "You going to work, Sunshine?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get ready."

"I'll go make your coffee and breakfast," Fang yawned, "Then you can go to work."

"Alright, Fang. You know you don't have to do that every time I go to work when you are clearly this exhausted."

"It's fine. I'll be fine. I'll go back to sleep once you leave."

"I love you," Lightning admits before kissing the Oerban on the forehead as Fang pulled her down to kiss her on the lips as Lightning pecked her gently. "I'll give you a better one before I go. I'm going to go shower." Lightning did a few stretches before entering the restroom after grabbing her uniform bag.

Getting in the shower, Lightning felt pretty good. Her earlier night time thoughts only plagued her briefly. Things seemed to be looking up for the soldier.

After getting ready, applying a little bit of make-up, and putting on her uniform, she was greeted by her girlfriend, who gave her a kiss on the lips before Lightning set down for breakfast and coffee, fulfilling her efficiency.

"Thanks for everything, Fang. You're actually the best when it comes to making mornings efficient."

"Well, that's because I love you. And I know what you like. Think it goes to show we have great times when you stay in casa de Fang."

"Well, it means a lot to me. I know you have an off day, but I thought we could watch a movie or something tonight. Just something to do."

"That'll be fine. Just let me know what's playing, or I can purchase something. Just give me a genre, and I'll surprise you."

"How about an adventure? That sounds like a lot of fun."

"Got it down. I'll see what I can find."

Lightning finished eating before noticing the time, "I gotta get moving, or I'm gonna be stuck in traffic."

The two shared one more kiss as she was out the door.

Fang smiled, just happy her girlfriend didn't forget anything in her quick escape from the house.

"I'll message you later!" Fang called before hitting the button as the gate opened, watching as Lighting pulled out of the garage onto the road.

Lightning had a pretty relaxing day at work until after her shift when she had scheduled the training room to have several spars with her teammates. She was supposed to be conducting assessments of her troop's attacks and even some of their abilities. They were starting to become a lot better with their fighting.

However, when Lightning entered the training room with her group, she noticed Jihl yelling at several new recruits as they ran past Lightning and her group.

Several didn't even pay attention to the Guardian Corps members as they entered, as Jihl continued to scream, pushing the troops to do their best.

However, she noticed Lightning,

"What are you doing here? I was supposed to be assessing my troop at this time."

"You're staring, Farron. You have a problem? I was assessing several people with Rosch. Apparently, the training room was double-booked because I'm here now."

"This is my timeslot. I was supposed to spar with a few of my squad today."

"Oh, was this your timeslot?"

"Yes, so get out."

"How about we wager over it? Beat me in a spar. Not like you'd throw a punch my way."

"You wanna bet? I'm sick of you thinking you're so much better than me. If I win, you'll leave me alone and stop walking over me when I'm just trying to do my job."

"Alright. If I win, I'm keeping my training up; PSICOM is here now. I'll wipe that smirk off your face Farron. Don't get over-confident."

Rosch looked at Jihl, who showed him she was serious.

Lightning noticed Jihl wasn't wearing her glasses, "Don't you need your glasses to see?"

"I'll be fine. Don't you worry about it? I got contacts."

Lightning didn't buy that, Zelda had said something about Jihl's glasses, but right now, she couldn't think as she focused on Jihl.

The two ran at each other in a flurry of punches. Each punch thrown was countered as the two kept an even match-up.

Each punch thrown was countered as the two moved like wolves. Circling each other, sizing each other up, barking insults at each other.

Raines entered and watched and noticed the two locked in combat. Several PSICOM and Guardian Corps members alike watched as Jihl and Lightning threw punches at each other.

However, Jihl threw an uppercut knocking Lightning off-balance as she ended up down, teeth-gritting.

"You should've stayed down instead of challenging me. You're no better than a dog that was pulled from her leash. Go back to your commanding officer, go back onto your leash, because I clearly won this."

Lightning was up once again, earning another uppercut as she ended up down once more. "I won't lose this!"

Jihl smirked, "You see, I've actually won this. You can keep trying, but you'll keep ending up down there."

There was a cut along Lightning's cheek, but she didn't care, "You see, I never thought you'd actually accept fighting me. However, you knock me down, I'll be up once more. You act suspicious, and people around you don't like you. I say this for everyone else, but I won't back down." Lightning was once up on her feet again.

Jihl smirked, "You know, it's actually cute, you think you can beat me."

However, as Lightning walked closer towards the commander of PSICOM, she got in her face.

The two squared each other up as Rosch and Raines both watched.

As Jihl continued to smirk, Lightning felt her hand form into a fist at her side. "It's cute, really you wouldn't hit a commander. You're too loyal, you bit—!"

Before Jihl could finish the word, Lightning had punched her in the face. The darkness in the Sergeant's eyes started to subside. Lightning looked at the commander on the ground in front of her. Her fist slowly fell to her side near her gunblade sheath as she noticed her tattoo was starting to glow, very dim at first, but began to grow in brightness.

The commander ended up to the ground, with a stunned expression. The shocked expression turned to a smirk, "I was waiting for you to do something that stupid!"

"I don't care. I'm sick of you walking over me. I'm sick of you walking over my family name! I am a Farron, and I'm proud of it. Just because you don't have an ounce of respect for my father, even your second in command shows respect! Also, my name is Lightning! Not SPARKY! Not THUNDER! LIGHTNING FARRON!"

Jihl noticed as the Guardian Corps Sergeant was glowing red, as the smirk remained on her face.

Raines watched with amusement. "This was supposed to be a friendly spar. Farron, you better take a walk."

Lightning ignored Raines, still standing with a hand atop her tattoo, as she stood there frustrated.

"One thing Farron. Did you know you're glowing? Something you want to tell us all about?"

"Stop trying to back out of this! You started this since you met me! I'm frustrated because you are such a vile woman! Always putting someone down because you keep your rank and wave it over another person's face! You don't care if someone dies or even if someone is of a lower rank. You just care about yourself! I see how miserable Rosch acts around you! Stop being a miserable woman! Wise up as a commander! And leave me alone! Stop being a burden to me!"

However, Lightning felt the glowing was starting to become persistent with her frustrations as she felt slight anguish and pain. The frustrations had her glowing a red color until three points formed as Odin came to her aid. The green knight stayed by her side with his Zantesuken at the ready.

Jihl's face grew dark as she looked at the summon. However, it was replaced by fear as the giant knight kept his sword raised with the intent to kill.

Lightning wasn't going to let it happen as she removed her gunblade from her sheath to stand between Odin and Jihl, using all her strength and might to block his sword! "You know what! Get out of here, Jihl!" Lightning yelled behind her shoulder, "You get out of here, or he will kill you!"

Jihl couldn't move as Odin and Lightning clashed again.

Rosch returned to the training room with Amodar.

When they both entered the room, everyone noticed the giant summon, as Lightning kept her blade locked with her eidolon's.

"Farron!" Amodar's voice boomed.

The eidolon disappeared in a cloud of gold and the scent of roses as Lightning felt her heart beating heavily in her chest.

Jihl smirked, looking at Lightning still on the ground, from her punch, "You're in trouble, Farron. Not only for punching me, but that thing that tried to kill me too."

Amodar sighed, "My office now, Farron."

Lightning lowered her head, "But sir…"

"Office… NOW!"

"Yes, sir," Lightning grumbled and started to walk away. However, she noticed Jihl slide her glasses on.

'You use glasses for correctional usage? Why haven't you worn them all day?' she thought, not even meeting the eyes of Rosch or Raines. However, she kept her head low as she went with Amodar into his office; Lightning didn't know how she'd get out of this mess. All she knew she was in trouble.