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Chapter 5:
Sighing gently as she accepted the cup, Lightning tilted her head back as she gave it a quick shake as she could see Vanille just laughing. At her expression. "It still never fails to amaze me how you can take that with no water..." Vanille said with a smile as Lightning just shook her head. "Now come on... we need to get some new books... then you have that phone call... then we have dinner. And then you have reading to me time, which side note is one of my favourite times of the day... and then right before bed I have pester Rosa to give in time. Which is not my favourite part of the day."
"Then stop arguing with them every day. I'd also strongly suggest against pestering Rosa. She seemed a bit green around the gills today when I was talking to her. And seemed a bit fearful that I'd let her husband watch stuff." Lightning said as she spun around and they started to walk towards the stairs.
"I know that to you Light it is nothing much. But I think with Rosa and Yuna your... what was that word you taught me... begins with a b... you said it meant not caring. But I said that sounds a lot like a top women wear on Cocoon."
"Blasé? I wouldn't say it means the same as not caring. Apathetic would be closer. Or in terms you might understand, indifferent." Lightning said as Vanille just stared at her with a blank expression. "Right... now this is ringing some bells. I suppose if you split hairs, it does mean not caring, but not towards yourself but the world."
"Yeah... that is kind of your attitude... but... if it can disgust Rosa and Yuna... as well as the conditions you had disgusted Bahamut... then it has to be bad." Vanille said as they entered into the library where she was just amazed as she watched Lightning walk over towards a selection to collect some for herself.
Skipping towards one of the shelves, Vanille tilted her head to the side as she stared at the blue spine. "That looks like... a... 'D'... then the one after that is an 'i'..."
Feeling something about the colour, Vanille grabbed the heavy book as she started to look for Lightning just because she could pronounce it a lot easier than Vanille could with her basic understanding of what Lightning had shown her. Quickly finding her, Vanille held it out to her as she had to resist the urge to smack Lightning for the gentle chesty laughter that had started to come from her.
"I know how mean that seems Vanille. But that isn't a story book. It is a dictionary." Lightning said as she took a deep breath. "It is a book filled with words alphabetically and what each word means. And sometimes the origin of the word and how to say it phonetically. That is it. It is just something so fresh in you bringing it to me."
"I thought you said that was in those big thick ones... that I swear one of them weighs as much as me."
"The encyclopedia isn't really the same. An encyclopedia is more so for information. Like for example the parts of a chocobo's wing. Where as a dictionary is just flat out what words mean. Like blasé for example. An encyclopedia wouldn't have that." Lightning said as Vanille looked at the book. "Why don't you go to that one section I showed you last time."
"But those books look thin..." Vanille said softly as Lightning just smiled down at her.
"They are, but they are also meant to help people who are learning how to read. So they don't use big words, or words that are tricky to pronounce like anatidaephobia. Which before you ask is the fear of ducks." Lightning said as she could see Vanille just staring at her.
"Okay that has to be made up. Who is afraid of ducks? They are adorable." Vanille said as Lightning shrugged her shoulders. "Can't even think of anything traumatic that ducks could do... at least your fears make sense given your history... but ducks?"
"You'd need to ask the doctors Vanille, but in general, what makes a phobia a phobia is that it is irrational. Here, I'll go and help you pick out some books. I've got enough non-philosophy books to read to you for a week." Lightning said in a soft tone as she started to walk with Vanille down a different aisle.
"So if I didn't know what a word meant... and couldn't find you... this book has the meaning of them?"
"Yes. It will have what the word means and it will try to explain it in simple terms." Lightning said as she picked the book up and slipped it into the clear place for it. "But I don't think you'll encounter many difficult words in Rosetta Stone's books or any of the ones he published under different names." Lightning said as they walked towards the small selection that Lightning had discovered after Vanille had expressed an interest in learning how to read and write.
"Just, there are some that stump me... like what is a 'Who' meant to be? I always thought that was the start to a question... or that one music group that I've seen Fang listen to begrudgingly." Vanille said as Lightning just shook her head with a smile.
"They are a made up race of people in the context of those books. It is also a band and a question. Which book do you have there?" Lightning said as Vanille started to shake her head as if she was trying to figure out the words. "Sound it out... remember what I showed you."
"H... h.. ho... hope?" Vanille said as Lightning just smiled at her and gently shook her head.
"There is no 'e'... that 'o' makes a surprised sound."
"So it is... hop?" Vanille asked as Lightning nodded her head sagely. "oon... pop?" Vanille asked as Lightning shook her head from side to side again.
"The last word you got right. The middle one. Remember vowels are tricky and make lots of sounds. That 'o' makes the same sound as the 'a' in all."
"Hop... on... pop..." Vanille said as she just took great joy from Lightning nodding her head in agreement as Vanille just seemed to smile brighter. "I still maintain words are stupid. Who decided vowels get to make all the different sounds... and who decided that some letters can be silent?"
"Couldn't tell you. But people can make the same argument over all kinds of languages. Be glad I'm not going to teach you counting in some of the languages I know. One of them has all kinds of issues once you get past twenty. And when you get to eighty dear god does it get more confusing." Lightning said as they walked up to the counter. "Just be glad that it is a language you already speak because otherwise you then need to add in translations and it is even harder." Lightning said with a calm tone as the librarian quickly marked the books.
"I'll be happy with one language. It is already making my head spin." Vanille said as she could see the man just smiling faintly as he checked the book out for her. "How can you keep what... five... six in your head and are able to speak and read in all of them... three of which you can read to me in..."
"It's five and it isn't that hard. At least to me and my family because we are expected to know by the time most people are learning their alphabet. So it is just second nature to me." Lightning said as they started to walk out of the library. "And I can actually read to you in all. Just the other two I'm not one hundred percent sure about some translations. But in the context I can get by... I just don't want you to suffer all that." Lightning said as she started to walk up the stairs.
"Still... so much confusion... actually hurts my head a little. But when you call your mother I say you should totally tell your mother about the new people that will be tagging along with us for a while until they can find some friends. Because the last group drove you a bit batty until you told her." Vanille said as Lightning placed the items onto the nightstand of her room. "And, also tell her that my reading is actually coming along pretty well. Mostly because my teacher is so good. Even if she is a bit distracting."
"I'm not going to tell her about them because there is no telling how long they'll be here... and Rosa and Yuna are more interested in it." Lightning said with a smile as she gently hugged Vanille. "But I will tell her about you getting better at it because I know you actually feel self-conscious about it and the fact that one of these days you might be brought into the circles my family is known for stooping to."
"Your family gets curtseyed to... and has so much money that it actually could and probably has actually burned money." Vanille pouted as she wrapped her arms around Lightning. "And your Mom, while very nice you said was a princess... and meanwhile I'm just some bum and is from the back end of nowhere."
"My Mom isn't considered a princess anymore. She is a Farron by marriage. And technically that is a higher honour... but she wants me to be happy... and doesn't actually have any power... Serah does and she actually really enjoys being around you because you've made me come out of my shell and I'm paraphrasing here, 'forcibly opened me up as so I can become slightly more normal.' which is all kinds of confusing if you ask me."
"Your sister is nice. And so unlike you in every way. I don't really like her. At least not like I like you. She seems like she'd be a nice friend... but she also doesn't seem like she is as nice as you."
"Now that is something that I'll never get used to no matter how many times you say it. I'm meant to be the terrifying person people fear to be in a locked room with." Lightning said as she placed a kiss on Vanille's lips. "Now come on. Don't you have something to do? I mean you are a trustee... Which also sounds pretty weird with all the stories I've heard."
Smiling as she looked at Lightning as she walked towards the door. "Yeah everyone finds it odd. But it is also only four days old. But have fun calling your Mom... I'm going to go talk to Rosa and see if she can help me with reading."
"Come down with me Vanille. I can still help you. Just remember you need to actually read out loud and sound the tough words you haven't seen before out." Lightning said as Vanille nodded her head happy that Lightning was going to help her.
"It was actually really nice to hear from you Light... Serah has been talking with Regis and he has been just as mad at Noctis as she was... but you didn't harm him." Mary spoke as Lightning just smiled faintly as she could see Vanille's brow furrowing.
"I didn't harm myself Mom. I was just in solitary to prevent that." Lightning began as Vanille quickly tugged on her arm. Glancing over, Lightning followed her gaze to it. "That is Constantinople. And the other is Timbuktu. I don't expect you to be able to sound those out. They are cities on Cocoon." Lightning said with a smile as Vanille just nodded her head quickly.
"Like Constantinople and Timbuktu." Vanille said as she turned the page.
"What is Vanille reading again?"
"She is reading Hop on Pop. She is getting along pretty well with the reading, I wouldn't want her to move beyond for a while longer." Lightning spoke as Vanille triumphantly closed the book. "And she is done." Lightning said as Vanille just smiled and hugged her. "We need to get going soon Mom. Vanille is meant to be helping some new people settling in. And I'm starting to get the slightly shaky feelings in my hands."
"Okay Light. I love you dear, and I know if Serah could have come to the phone she would have."
"I know Mom. When is your next visit? I ask because I'm getting bored of philosophy and could you bring down something different for me to read? I don't care what. And I actually really want to get through a full visit with someone in the family without it getting cut short." Lightning said as she heard a chuckle on the other end.
"The week after next. Serah said she is going to try and get a break from all the paperwork and the work expected of her to go down as well... but you know how impossible that is."
"Tell her there is no rush. I'm not going to be leaving here in the immediate future. Bye Mom." Lightning said as she started to stand up just enjoying the way Vanille just smiled at her.
"Bye Light. I love you dear." Lightning could hear her mother say as she just took a deep breath.
"I can't say it back Mom... people are around. But you know I do... don't you?" Lightning asked as she could just hear her mother smiling at the notion of how she wanted to say it but she couldn't bring herself to say it with people being around.
"I do. Go on. I'll check the library here for any books that you would enjoy and I'll bring down some candy I started to make." Mary spoke as Lightning just smiled faintly.
"I'm sure it will be great, I'll try and get the letter sent off tonight. Goodbye again Mom." Lightning said as she just smiled at the sound of her mother saying goodbye once more before she hung up the phone. Smiling as she walked up to Vanille who quickly hugged her.
Smiling as she just hugged her gently, Lightning just took a deep breath. "Vanille, hugs... you seriously need to give me a warning..." Lightning said in a soft tone as Vanille just shook her head.
"And you seriously need to learn that I don't care if you tell your mother that you love her." Vanille said as Lightning just took a deep breath as she started to worm herself out of the embrace.
"I care though. You can't undo the years of being forced to be emotionally dead by just telling me I'm crazy. If that was the case the Voice would have done it a long time ago... back when it was a lot more active." Lightning said as they walked into the elevator "I'll get in line for dinner... aren't you meant to get to the two people and Hope?"
"Yeah. I'll drop off this book too... maybe get another one... are you sure I shouldn't read a different book? Like one with chapters? Or do you really think those are too hard for me?"
Smiling as she pulled Vanille into a one armed hug. "It isn't that they are harder. It is just the same principles apply from the ones you've been reading to the chapter ones. And the only major difference is the lack of pictures mostly. There are a few chapter books that you can read though that does tend to have some pictures... just sentences are a lot longer and can be harder to read. But it is ultimately up to you and if you think you are ready. I'll help you, just, I don't want to rush you. I know you want to read and find it a shortcoming that you can't and you can't run before you can walk." Lightning said as Vanille just sighed gently.
"I'll stick with the pretty picture ones for now. But here is your floor... we shouldn't be long. Just Hope might not join us. He is still being pig headed because of how he thinks you are a scary individual with no capacity to be nice." Vanille said sadly as Lightning shook her head as she disengaged from the hug.
"I keep telling you Vanille. It doesn't matter what others think of me. I know the truth about me and you know me better than him. You be the judge." Lightning said as she could hear the doors closing. She was just a little mad that her stomach had already started to rumble slightly more aggressively as if she hadn't eaten anything for the last day.
Walking into the thankfully open doors, Lightning just smiled as she could see the head chef standing behind the counter with his head tilted backwards. "Chef..." Lightning said softly as she could see the man holding a finger up to her as he gave his head a sharp jerk from one shoulder to the other causing a bunch of cracks as Lightning just smiled at the fact that she could see some of the other people behind the counter cringe a little.
"Right I feel a little better. What food you looking at right now, Light? We've got four types of stroganoff. Beef, chicken, vegetarian and vegan. With either rice, potatoes or pasta." The blond man said as he point to increasingly smaller pots as Lightning just chuckled.
"Beef... and I promised Yuna and Rosa I'd lay off heavy amounts of starches... so only pasta." Lightning said as the man just shook his heads. "They aren't happy about how it might be screwing with my blood sugar more than normal. Because that has been going weird recently."
"Don't need to explain it to me. Would make for an easier job on my part. Just remember I'm still under orders to not let you out unless your blood sugar is at a high enough level and until I hear otherwise." Kain said as he started to scoop the items into the large bowl. "Where is Vanille?"
"Doing her trustee stuff."
"I always forget she has that status nowadays... it is so weird. Like me serving a Farron and stabbing her a bunch and not seeing liquid gold."
"To you and everyone else the lack of gold is weird. As for Vanille being a trustee... that isn't much different from what I know about Vanille."
"Trust me if you knew her even a week before you got here... you would find it weird."
"I'll take your word. See you in a bit Kain."
"See you then Light."
Author's Note:
and here we have a fairly adorable chapter. Catch you all next one.