Chapter 37 Termination
As Lightning entered Amodar's office, he motioned towards the seat in front of his desk. Neither said a word as Lightning kept her head down.
"Farron, how long have you known, and how long were you going to keep it from me?"
"I… don't know. I thought I could keep it contained, and then I was triggered. I let my anger out, and, in the process, I summoned Odin."
"You summoned Odin? You call that THING, Odin?"
"He was my father's eidolon before he came to aid me during the transgate malfunction."
"That answers the first question. However, why didn't you tell me?"
"I couldn't. I was in shock and had no way of saying what happened. All I know was that I summoned whatever, and it killed the behemoth that tried to kill me."
Amodar sighed, looking at Lightning, "You know, I thought you were going to become my lieutenant. I can't do that right now, Farron."
"If this is because I have an eidolon, I can get the paperwork from the summoner's guild, and then it'll be normalized and—I…"
"No, Farron. You kept this for several months and weeks. How can I trust you if you couldn't tell me when it happened? Instead, you acted fearfully and kept this news from me. You practically hit Jihl. Lately, ever since that murder case, you've been losing your edge. Pointing the fingers at Jihl, pointing the fingers at Raines who just returned for your sake, and now you are trying to find a way to weasel out of the hole you dug. I can't help you right now, Farron."
"But sir… I've been leading my troop. I've been researching, and I've been trying to solve this case. It just keeps adding up, the murder of the scientist, Reks, the transgate malfunction!"
"Enough, Farron. I could have you executed for having magic, but I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to do something different. I want your badge and your pauldron. For now, I'm terminating you from your job in the Guardian Corps until I can see you aren't a danger to me, a danger to others, and most importantly at all until I can trust you again."
"You can't trust me?!" Lightning shouted, looking at her former commander.
Amodar let out a small sigh, "No. That summon is dangerous and could have sliced through Raines."
"But he was flirting with me! Does that mean nothing to you?"
"No, you're an adult. If you have problems like that, you need to find ways of solving them. Stop acting like a child when things go wrong. Look, I know you lost your father and mother, but surely, they taught you something in that thick head of yours, Farron. Know when to keep quiet. Talk less, and hand over your badge. Go pack your things because you're going home."
"You're making a mistake, Amodar."
"Maybe. Until I can trust you again, this is the course of action I'm going to take. I could have you executed by PSICOM, but I won't do that, not after you proved to be an important asset at my disposal."
Lightning looked at her commander, not even meeting his eyes as she removed the pauldron, uncinching buckles before placing her badge and pauldron on his desk.
"Here's what I think. You were mentored by my father. You knew well that he had that eidolon, yet you terminated me for having the same one. You know what?! You're making the biggest mistake by firing me. Things won't be safe."
Amodar's face was red, "That was before the new laws from Dysley and PSICOM came out. I don't make the rules! Right now, you are considered an enemy of our troops. Go get your things and get out!"
Lightning stormed out of Amodar's office, slamming the door in the process of going to her office, and started to pack up. Boxing her things, she tried to hold her tongue, knowing the whole building was against her currently.
Once she had her entire office packed, she started carrying her things down towards the elevator noticing Jihl Nabaat, Rosch, and Raines all starting. Rygdea had entered the office and saw her carrying each box, passing her without a word.
Passing the trophy case, she noticed the picture of her family standing together and tried to keep from crying, but the tears just slid down her face from frustration and anguish.
Brought to her attention was the picture of her father and his friends. Grabbing the picture frame, she took it as well as the family picture frame. She wouldn't forget such important mementos.
By the time Lightning entered the parking lot, Hope had noticed her, "Light! What happened? Where are you going?"
"It seems this is where I have to leave you, Hope. I got fired. Don't let this discourage you from moving forward, but doesn't mean we won't see each other outside of the office. I just won't be your Sergeant anymore."
"But what happened? Why are you fired? If it was for that knight, that's stupid! I can reason with Amodar and get him to let you keep your job!"
"Sorry, it won't work like that." Lightning's head lowered, fighting the urge not to let him see her cry. She placed the last of the three boxes into her back seat.
"Light… But you're our Sergeant…"
"No, I'm not, and I won't be. I'm sorry, but I gotta get out of here."
"But Light!"
"AT EASE HOPE!"
Hope snapped into a salute looking at his ex-Sergeant, "But Light."
"No buts, no more words. I can't do this, Hope! I gotta go, Goodbye." Lightning got in the driver's side, buckled up, and took off.
Hope broke his salute when he saw her pull out of the garage. The rest of his squadron came out of hiding. Noel, Tidus, Rikku, Alyssa, and the others all watched as Hope ended up on his knees.
"Light…" Hope repeated her name once again.
"She's gone?" Tidus asked.
"Looks like it." Noel sighed.
"I'm gonna miss her." Rikku looked down.
When Lightning drove halfway home, she pulled over as the tears actually formed in her eyes, eventually sliding down her cheeks as she let out a frustrated scream.
The tears continued to slide down her face as she stayed pulled over. Taking her phone and dialing Fang, she sighed, trying to keep herself calm.
"Sunshine?" Fang's voice came through.
"I'm here, sorry."
"You got nothing to be sorry for. What's wrong? You sound like you've been crying."
"What gave you that impression?"
"You sound very hoarse, for starters. What happened?"
"I was fired, Fang."
"Fired? Why?"
"Amodar found out about Odin. Raines started flirting with me, it got heated, I got angry, and then Odin appeared to protect me. I tried, but it just happened…"
"I'll be over. Where are you? Did you get home?"
"No, I'm pulled over at the Chocobo Café."
"Focus on getting home, and I'll be there soon as I get showered."
"Alright. I'll see you later. I love you, Fang."
"Love you too, Sunshine. Text me when you get home."
"Alright."
The line eventually went dead as Lightning purchased a coffee and then started her drive home.
Upon returning home, Lightning noticed Serah's car in the garage with Snow's motorcycle.
Letting out a small sigh, Lightning grabbed a few boxes and carried them inside before going for the final one.
Serah eventually noticed that her sister had returned home but made a noise as Lightning just walked past her, carrying two boxes toward the stairwell. "Claire, where are you going?"
"To my room. Now leave me be."
"Stop avoiding me. Please answer the question. You look miserable!"
"If you must know, it doesn't concern you, Serah."
"Don't start this again! I hate when you try to avoid me when you're upset! At least talk to me!"
Lightning felt the tears starting to slide down her face as she sidestepped her sister and started on her ascent up the stairs. However, when she was going up, she overlooked Snow as Lightning bumped right into him, as she dropped both of her boxes in the process. She heard a frame shatter in one of the boxes before letting out a frustrated scream.
"What is all this stuff, Claire?" Serah asked softly.
"It's my work stuff! MY entire office in three boxes!"
"What happened?"
As Lightning fought the tears, she placed her head down, "I was fired, now get out of the way, Snow!"
"Fired?" Serah asked.
"My services in the Guardian Corps are no longer needed. Gone, out the window, like a bird in flight."
"Oh, sis…" Serah muttered softly, and before she could say another thing, Lightning had moved past Snow, and they both heard the door slam.
"Amodar fired Lightning?"
"Apparently, but I don't know why. Claire is an excellent detective, she did start using vacation days when she started dating Fang, but I don't think that's it." Serah muttered, opening Lightning's boxes and pulled the shattered frame. It has a picture of Lightning and Fang in it, the two smiling with Fang's arms around her waist from behind. "Luckily, I have another frame I can put this in."
"That's good. I wasn't expecting that news." Snow removed a framed picture of the Farron family and smiled at it.
After a few hours, the door rang, as Fang stood at the door with a bouquet of pink roses and a bottle of wine.
"Hey, Fang. Lightning's in her room; she hasn't come out since she came home."
"I figured that the moment she called me that she was fired earlier."
"You're free to try and help her. Really hate seeing her that upset," Serah sighed, "I tried to reason with her, and she ended up dropping her box, stormed up the stairs, and slammed the door. She's not left since then."
"Well, that's a bit of a mess. I'll go up and see if I can get Lightning's attention," Fang sighed, going towards the stairwell. She eventually went up, leaving Snow and Serah in the living room. Walking the hall, Fang stood outside Lightning's bedroom and knocked on the door slightly.
"Go away, Serah!"
"It's not Serah," Fang said.
"Fang?"
"Mhm. I'm finally here."
Lightning sighed, going towards the door and opened it.
Fang looked at the pinkette noticing her eyes were red and puffy, dressed in a tank shirt and shorts. "You look miserable."
Lightning sighed, "Come to gawk? Serah and Snow did."
"I don't think that's what they were doing, Sunshine. I'm gonna stay with you until you feel better."
"I don't think it'll be that easy."
"Well, I got lady luck on my side, so hopefully I can get her to at least calm down a bit more than she had been."
Fang knew that getting Lightning to feel better was her top priority. Seeing her girlfriend this miserable for losing a job, only made her feel worse.
However, through everything, Lightning was just grateful that Fang had stayed with her throughout. Though she had the worst day in her life, Lightning was able to relax for a bit, step back, and look at the future with an open mind.
"You know, Sunshine, don't think of this as the end, but a new beginning. We'll find you a new job, a fabulous house to live in, and then we'll see what happens. Just be grateful for what you could do while you were in the Guardian Corps. I'm proud of you, so is Serah. Your father would've been proud, and so would've your mother. Think of this as a new start. I wanted to talk to you about something, though."
"You're right Fang, I need to look forward to life. But what is it?"
"I just wanted to say," Fang started moving a hand behind her, using it to keep herself upright on the mattress, but ended up sliding.
"Yes, Fang?"
"Uh… never mind. Let's watch a movie and take a nice nap. I think it'll help. Then we can go get dinner somewhere."
"That'd be fine."
Fang cursed under her breath, as in her pocket was something special, and she had chickened out, something Vanille would mock her about later.
Lightning's ringtone went off, alerting the ex-soldier as she popped her head up, looking exhausted, from her nap.
Fang groaned, "Who is it?"
"I don't know, gimme a minute," Lightning sighed, looking at her phone, scrolling through messages.
Fang curled up on her side, pulling Lightning closer as she placed her head on the pinkette's shoulder.
Lightning looked at the message, "Zelda wants us to go to their place; she has some information for us."
"Alright, Sunshine. Let's get ready and then take your car to their apartment."
After the two got ready, Lightning and Fang went down the stairs, noticing Serah and Snow lying together watching a movie.
Serah sat up slowly, "Claire? You finally came downstairs. Thank you, Fang."
"You're welcome, Mini Farron, but we're heading out. We gotta go to Eden."
"Sis, at least stay, have some dinner or something before you go."
"We can't. We're gonna stop for some food on the way to Eden."
"But Claire… We can work through this. We can call Amodar."
"Amodar won't help! He said he could've executed me! Stop trying to help Serah!"
Serah looked at her sister and sighed, "Then at least tell me why he fired you?"
"I summoned Odin when my co-worker was trying to flirt with me. The summon I have once belonged to our father. I almost attacked Cid Raines until I stood in the way but got in a fight with Jihl Nabaat. Amodar found out I have magic, which to the Guardian Corps and PSICOM, I'm an abomination and a freak. I'm a danger to you; I'm a danger to Snow. I'm even a danger to everyone who ever crossed paths with me."
Serah looked down, "But you aren't a danger. That's a load of phooey! If that is a phony offense, then you were persecuted without reason! You've worked with Amodar since you were 18, and you find out you have a summon, and he basically tosses you for the trash?"
"Serah, shut up…" Lightning looked at her sister.
Serah got the hint letting out a small sigh looking at Fang and Lightning as she ran a hand along her stomach, "Sis, just be safe. I really fear for you."
"I know you do, Serah, but for once, we actually need to go. This could be a breakthrough, and I can actually put the mystery to rest. I don't care if I'm ex-Guardian Corps or not; I've come this close; too close that I'm not backing down at all. Just you gotta trust me."
"I do, Claire," Serah muttered and was surprised as Lightning hugged her.
"Don't worry about me. All I gotta say, Serah, if something happens to me, I want you and Snow to leave far from Bodhum. I want you two to keep safe. Find Rowan and Zelda if something happens to me."
Serah started to cry, "Claire… what do you mean if something happens to you?"
"I don't know, Serah."
Snow sighed, "Lightning, you're not leaving!"
"I have to! If my contacts have useful information, I'll be one step closer. Then we can put this behind us and actually have closure on Mom and Dad."
Serah looked at Snow and then towards her sister, "Claire, I made peace with that. I honestly don't want to know. Think of this as a break. I can maybe talk to someone at the university to see if you can get a teaching job. They're always looking for Criminal Justice professors…"
"No, Serah. Not when I came this close only to stumble into a roadblock. I need to do this."
Fang sighed, "I'll keep her safe, though."
Snow looked at Lightning, "If you do this, this is just you being selfish again. You're causing problems here, Lightning."
"I was 15 when my parents were found dead! You didn't even know yours, Snow, instead you were always galivanting with a group that was causing trouble."
"Take that back about NORA!"
"I won't! I don't care if this is selfish! I can't stand aside without finding the truth! Yes, I have slipped up quite a few times, but you know what? I am so close to the truth, I want to put it away because I need that closure. It's okay if you don't want closure. I do. However, I need to get a few things in the office," Lightning said, walking towards their father's study that was locked.
Fang felt conflicted, "I might not like all the things you do, Sunshine, but we're a team. I'm going to help."
Serah looked at Snow, "Sorry, but Claire has a point."
Snow sighed, "Alright, fine. All I can say is be careful. Not just for me, not just for Serah or Fang, but you be careful to Lightning. I never really knew how much it meant to you, but to see your determination, I suppose I'll support you too."
Serah had followed Lightning leaving Fang with Snow.
Once opened, Serah entered after her sister. There was a strange feeling forming in her heart. "I feel a draft," Serah remarked, rubbing her shoulders to keep warm.
"There are no windows in here, so I don't know why you'd feel a draft. Maybe it's from you being pregnant?"
"Maybe you're right, Claire."
Lightning looked at her sister, struggling to find the words.
Serah sat down at the desk, "I hate saying this, but lately, times have been extremely rough between us, but I know that's considered normal in your eyes."
"I don't like doing this to you, Serah. I never did like hurting you."
"Then why can't you accept the past?"
"Making peace is hard."
"Well yeah, it's not supposed to be easy, Claire."
"If you can crack the mystery, do it. Just I want you doing something safe after you're done."
Lightning looked at Serah as she extended her pinkie before wrapping her pinkie around her sister's, "That's a promise Serah. Plus, I think after this, I'm going to settle down, find a nice job somewhere, and move away."
"And marry Fang," Serah grinned.
Lightning found herself roll her eyes slightly at her sister's comment, "Okay, Missy, do we need an evasion?"
"Don't push it, Claire. You'll never be Mom," Serah chuckled.
"I love you, Serah."
"Love you too, sis," Serah noticed the sadness in her sister's blue eyes.
Lightning lowered her head, writing something down. "I need you to keep this safe. If anything goes wrong, use this number and call. They will ask you for a password. Tell them that Oerba didn't fall because this is Zelda and Rowan."
"Alright. I will, but nothing bad will happen. You'll be safe!"
"I will."
Lightning walked out of the study after grabbing her gunblade and several things. She eventually went out into the garage, getting in the car with Fang as the door slid open.
Before Serah could say another word, her sister pulled out of the garage as she stood there with Snow at her side. 'And we were unsure of the events that could play out. Our futures, our destinies, the future looks uncertain. We can pray for safety, but we stand you're my sister. Strong, ready for anything, and yet you're learning from your mistakes, but you still fall on one. May your future change, Claire. Not just for me, but for Fang and Vanille too.'
"Serah, are you okay?" Snow asked.
"Yeah. I am. Lightning's going to be just fine. Just gotta trust her."
