AN - I AM ON A GODDAMN ROLL. Zooooooooooom!
"The finest medhi in all of Gol'use, my new snake friend!" Khosrow said, refilling Lightning's glass before she could protest. The alcohol was sweet and potent, which meant it was too easy to enjoy and too late to stop the inebriation from settling over her state of mind. "Some traditions never die out, little snake. I respect the battle field, the strength that comes from the courage of your convictions. Not just the steel of your blade but your resolve as well. That isn't what won me over about you, little snake."
The hall was a wide expanse, richly decorated with many traditional fabrics, motifs and statues. Long tables raced each other to each end that were filled with food, wine, mead and far too many Pulsian officials. The light came from a fire pit in the centre of the room, reminding Fang of her many nights in the village square growing up in Oerba. The room swayed a little and Lightning felt Fang's steady hands on her back, bringing a warm and loving smile to her face. She turned to kiss Fang on the cheek, amusing herself with the blush that appeared across the tanned skin.
"Aye, that is why I know you aren't like your viper-toothed ancestors, Lightning Farron. You love one of us like they were your own, you care not for their origins, their past, only with building a future together." Khosrow's voice tightened and she stared off at the others in the hall enjoying the feast. "I may be a little biased. Your fire, it reminds me of my daughter. She was a fine warrior, her skill and temper quite like your own."
"May I ask, Khosrow, if there is no war with Cocoon here, what do you fight?" Lightning queried, immediately noticing the room falling silent. She winced, thinking she had severely overstepped, especially given the past tense the General was speaking of her own daughter.
With a heavy sigh and a long drink, Khosrow placed the glass back down on the table and gestured grandly around the room. "We have a long, proud history of keeping this place safe and sacred from any outside influences. Yours, is the first we have allowed in the city for centuries. We may have escaped the warfare with Cocoon, but the beasts of the west are unlike anything our ancestors anticipated, not to mention the Fal'Cie that followed us out here, looking for more souls to brand."
Fang nodded and took a sip of her drink. "Like Arachna, right? We had a run in with it a few days back east. He was alright, for a big fella." She said with a slight slur in her speech. The collective gasp from the others in the hall could have made a vacuum in the space. One of the Pulsian officials leapt from their seat and pointed at Fang accusingly.
"You invite the wrath of the Fal'Cie upon us by stirring its interest!" He bellowed, the murmurings of the others around him growing in volume. Fang stood slowly, gripping the back of her chair as she swayed to her feet.
"Now come on, we had a chat and he's fine to sleep. Arachna holds no interest in Orphan's old plans to destroy everything. Reminds me of Titan, back home. He helped us get strong enough to defeat Orphan, as he had no intention of following through with any of the bullshit the other Fal'Cie had planned."
Khosrow's eyes narrowed and she regarded Lightning with a curious gaze. "You… You've actually Spoken with the Fal'Cie? How is that even possible?" Before Lightning could answer, Lucyn leant back in his chair with a growl.
"More viper tricks, I'm certain." He snapped, smiling at a few cheers in the room that appeared to agree with his assessment. "If you were all pets of the Fal'Cie, surely you still heed your master's beck and call?"
The outrage was obvious, not only in Lightning's fiery glare but Fang's as well. "Come on Lucyn, that's a bit below the belt. Besides, I was the one speaking with Arachna. So what exactly does that make me?" Fang argued back, a warning tone evident in her voice.
Khosrow held her hands up and slammed them on the table, drawing everyone's attention back to her. "Closed minds such as the old one here do little to improve on the present and won't take us towards the future. Closed minds will only drag us kicking, screaming and bleeding back to the past. I trust this one, this Lightning Farron. Furthermore, as she is leader of her people, the others will follow her beck and call."
"Why? Because you sparred with her once? Is that all it takes to slake your thirst?" Lucyn bit back, getting in the General's face. Khosrow's spine straightened, refusing to give any ground and put a forceful hand on his shoulder, forcing him to sit back down. She glowered at his bitter words and shook her head, pointing at the two women at the centre of their argument.
"Because I see the love in her eyes every single time she looks at the Yun, you idiot. Even when she looks at the Dia. She considers them family, something no viper of the past could ever had done. If you are blind to that, then no wonder our ancestors lost the war."
Another Pulsian stood and drew his blade, pointing it straight at Lightning in a threatening manner. "Your bias towards the viper is making you blind Khosrow! Just because she reminds you of Kajav-"
"Don't you dare disrespect the spirit of my daughter by using her as a weapon, Yoram!" Khosrow snapped, whirling on the Pulsian so quickly the table lurched forward from her movement. He merely snarled and rushed the table, blade raised towards Lightning to strike her. He would not even get close, when a massive clawed hand gripped him by the wrist and lifted him clear off the ground. Ragnarok stood in the centre of the hall, growling aggressively at the man who hung limply from her hand. The room fell silent, save for the few gasps and screams that erupted from the tables.
Even Khosrow was taken aback, immediately sitting down. "I knew the stories but never believed… By the gods, she really is Ragnarok." She whispered. Lightning stood calmly and walked over to the beast, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Ragnarok's head snapped around with a snarl, though the expression softened as soon as she laid eyes on the pinkette.
Khosrow motioned to the guards to start clearing everyone out of the hall, the evening thoroughly finished after the altercation. Vanille rushed over to her two friends and stayed close to them, eyeing off any of the other retreating Pulsians in case someone else wanted to start something. With the great beast of their legends acting as a centrepiece to the hall, she doubted anyone would try anything.
When Lucyn tried to stay, he was shoved forward from Khosrow with an angry glare. "You can retire for the evening as well, Lucyn. You've done enough for one evening, inciting such bitter hatred in the stubborn minded fools in the council." She clipped, practically daring him to argue when she placed an obvious hand on the hilt of her sword. He narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue in frustration before leaving the hall, his eyes on Fang and Lightning the whole time.
The guards came over and bowed in reverence of Ragnarok, humbly and timidly requesting that the Pulsian be released to be taken into custody. Lightning smiled at the purring sound as the beast released the man and crouched down to be closer to her partner. "It's ok Fang, you did well. Impressive as always," she whispered, reaching up and running her hand through Ragnarok's mane. Khosrow approached and stared in awe at Fang's newfound appearance while Lightning stood and whispered something to Vanille. The young Oerban blushed and nodded, running off to the hallways beyond and returning minutes later with a fresh sari for her adopted sibling.
"Sorry," Fang grunted, her tone and clear words catching Khosrow by surprise. "Didn't mean… To spoil… Dinner…" She said slowly, her skin shifting slowly to a tanned colour. Realising with her shrinking form that Fang had shredded her clothing upon her transformation, Khosrow yelped and turned around. The fresh sari suddenly made a lot more sense.
"No apologies necessary, friend." The general threw over her shoulder, waiting patiently for Fang to return to human form and preserve her dignity. "It was the most entertainment some of these stuffed cloths have seen for some time."
Fang laughed and stood with the help of Lightning, the alcohol long since burned from her system, though the exhaustion of turning into Ragnarok on instinct left her ready to hit the floor regardless. "Khosrow, I have to ask… The warship we arrived on was salvaged from a scrap yard on Cocoon. There was some rather… Interesting graffiti scratched and painted over a mural of Ragnarok. Will it cause problems, my being here?"
A defined eyebrow arched high on Khosrow's face at the question. "Why would you think that?"
"The graffiti was… Not painting a flattering picture of my failure to destroy Cocoon."
Khosrow scoffed and clapped her on the back, helping her alongside Lightning to stagger out of the hall and to the arranged room for the trio. "Worry not, child of Yun. From what I had read many people blamed many things for the downfall of our empire. There are those like that idiot tonight that hold onto that rage despite never living in the time of war. Thankfully, there are many more who have far more level heads to shoulder the entire burden of victory on the shoulders of one person… Even if their shoulders were big enough to pluck the nest out of the sky with their hands."
They stopped at a door in the western wing of the building, and Khosrow opened the door for them. There were two beds, modest furnishings and Pulsian carvings adorning the walls. A dim light gave the room a warm, cosy glow. "You're in the soldier's barracks, I have sent for trustworthy guards to mind your presence this evening. They will remain outside the doors so as not to disturb you. Rest, friends. Tomorrow we will address the council properly to discuss treaties to ensure the world doesn't fall apart all over again."
With a bow she took her leave, and Vanille leapt for the nearest bed. "Dibs!" She yelled as she flopped down on the mattress, removing her shoes and scurrying under the covers. "Well that went well, don't you think?" Vanille said aloud while dialling in the communicator to touch base with the ship. Lightning shook her head with mild amusement and walked out to the balcony.
Strong arms wrapped around her and she found herself leaning into the familiar embrace. "Etro, what a day." Lightning exhaled, smiling when Fang's lips pressed against her neck with a hum of agreement.
"You're telling me. Think I probably scared half the delegates to death this evening."
"Good, it'll make the talks tomorrow quicker if there's less of them."
Fang chuckled at Lightning's grumpy response and continued kissing at her skin. "Come on. Let's go get some sleep. Won't be able to get up to mischief while Vanille's here."
"I heard that!" Came the younger Oerban's angry reply from inside. Fang grinned and coaxed the soldier inside, leaving the doors open to let the night air in. She fell asleep snuggled in close with Lightning, unaware that the pinkette was still wide awake and staring at the ceiling with a terse expression on her face.
The moon drifted into view from the balcony door, bathing the room in an ethereal dull radiance. The city beyond was mostly silent, and the only things that could be heard was Vanille's light snoring and the occasional night atmosphere of wildlife and distant vehicles.
Lightning's ears twitched at the most subtle of sounds, a soft sliding noise coming from beyond the balcony. Her eyes remained closed, the other two Pulsians out to the world as well. She feigned a stretch and rolled over slowly, extending her senses as far as they could go. Sliding her hands underneath her pillow with a soft sigh, Lightning held her breath and waited. There it was again, closer this time. Inside the room. The tang of metal on the air, slithering slowly out of a leather sheath.
Sending a silent thanks to Fang for those months on the steppe where the brunette taught her about how to narrow the focus of her senses, Lightning shot up in one fluid motion towards the intruder in the room. She extended her hand and let a small dagger fly, striking the man in the chest and sending him careening into the wall. Fang and Vanille sat upright with a start, just in time to see Lightning leap off the bed and tackle the trespasser to the ground.
Guards burst into the room, armed and at the ready to find the Pulsian man bleeding out on the ground. "Gods, we should have had someone posted on the balcony or had it sealed! Are you alright?" One of them asked, racing over and kneeling down to inspect the now dead man on the floor. Shouts rang out across the compound outside and down the hallway. Before too long, Khosrow was in the doorway in her nightwear, not caring if she had to face down an army barefoot and in an oversized cloth shirt that ended at her thighs.
"What is the meaning of this? You were meant to be guarding the door!" She snapped at the guards, angry at the close call. Lightning stood and brushed herself off, sighing at the situation they found themselves in.
"It's not their fault, Khosrow. The assassin came in from the balcony." She explained. Fang's lance suddenly skewered the floor behind her and she jumped forward, startled. Khosrow caught her before she fell and Lightning turned back with a glare. "The hell was that… For… Oh." She trailed off when she saw the snake speared at the neck, lying dead on the ground.
"Gods, that's a Balnozan. Highly venomous snake… They're not subtle about their distaste in you lot are they?" Khosrow queried, poking at the snake's head with her sword. Her expression darkened when a guard handed her a note that was hidden in the assassin's jacket. "I'm going to find out who was responsible for ordering this, and then I'm going to slit their throat." She growled, throwing the note on the bed as she stood and straightened the shirt that fell from her shoulder.
Vanille picked up the paper and glanced over the words and winced. Fang plucked it out of her hand and gave a similar twist of her lips. "Ouch. Low blow for everyone." Lightning's head tilted in query, Fang knowing full well she wasn't going to be able to read the note. "It says that the people will have freedom from treacherous vipers, traitorous heroes and false leaders. The mother of Kajaveh is blind to the truth and unfit to lead. We will have justice. We will have vengeance."
Khosrow snarled and gripped the hilt of her blade tighter. "Bastards." She spat, kicking the corpse in the face for good measure before turning to the guards. "Have the attendants make up the room in the east wing next to mine, and have the balcony doors sealed. I won't have any further interruptions to our sleep."
"That's if we can even get back to sleep after that wakeup call…" Vanille muttered, following the guards out of the room and down the hall to their new sleeping quarters. Khosrow watched her leave before turning back to the other two women eyeing her warily. She sighed and sheathed her sword, running her hands through her hair, tussled about from sleep.
"That my departed daughter is used as a tool of malice… She would not welcome her memory to be assaulted thusly." She growled, balling her fists in anger. Taking a breath and remembering herself, she exhaled and smiled at Lightning. "They're not wrong though. I see a lot of her in you. Perhaps I am a little biased." Khosrow mused, staring down at the body on the ground.
The door swung open again and everyone reached for their weapons instinctively. Lucyn stood in the entrance, breathing heavily and staring wildly about the room. He walked briskly over to Fang and hugged her tightly. "Thank the gods you're alright, I just heard what had happened. Where is Vanille? Is she…"
"She's fine," Lightning said from her place by Fang's side, "I neutralised the problem before it really became one."
"I… See. Your reflexes may well have saved my friends' lives this evening, Lightning Farron. Thanks are in order." He said, taking her by the hand and squeezing it gently. The action surprised Lightning, already used to the cold shoulder he had been giving her since the moment they laid eyes on each other.
"It… It was nothing. I always have the backs of my family, after all."
Khosrow clapped to get everyone's attention and yawned. "Alright, enough of this soft-hearted bullshit. Assassin's dead, snake's dead, I want sleep. Lucyn, go to bed. Fang, Lightning, with me." He bowed in acknowledgement and retreated from the room, sparing one last glance over his shoulder at his friend before he left. "Come on you two, get some rest. We all have a long day ahead of us of proving to the masses you're not out to start a war again, and making sure the council doesn't either."
The morning brought even more tiring problems than the night that preceded it. Lightning had to keep her wits and her sanity about her when the council devolved into an argument for the umpteenth time since the sun rose. She buried her head in her hands and stifled a groan. "Etro, this is why I'm a soldier and not a politician. I've had enough of this shit."
"You're telling me, sweetheart," Fang complained and nodded towards her sibling. "Vanille, why the hell did Hope stay behind in Academia? This is more his forte and you know it."
"Oh! That's a good point! Hang on." Vanille disappeared from the room, only returning when she brought her bag with her. She held her communications device up to her ear and was nodding away, talking to someone on the other line. She cleared her throat and stepped into the centre of the room. "Council, if I may, I would like to show you something."
Khosrow nodded in acknowledgement and silenced any dissenting voices in the room. "You wanted to call this farce of a meeting, give them the damn chance to speak!" She snapped, forcing the other council members into stillness. "Go on, Oerba Dia Vanille. You have the floor."
"Actually, I don't. He does." Vanille replied, flicking a switch on a small device she'd placed on the floor. Hope's face appeared on a hologram that grew in size to accommodate everyone being able to see. A few gasps and yells of outrage filled the room, and Khosrow slammed her ceremonial staff into the ground, the crash of steel hitting stone ringing in everyone's ears.
"Silence!" She roared, before looking back towards the projection and tilting her head curiously. "You are another viper I see, not unlike the angry snake here. I am Cal'Mah Zan Khosrow. Who might you be?"
Hope bowed his head in respect and put his pinky and index fingers together as Vanille had shown him. "Honoured General, my name is Hope Estheim and I am one of the descendants of Cocoon from the War of Transgressions. With your permission, I seek to show you the War of Revelations that occurred almost four years ago that freed us from the shackles of the Fal'Cie and their mad plans to destroy everything."
His face disappeared and was replaced by news footage of Sanctum, cameras surrounding Lightning and Hope in Palumpolum all those years ago. Fang felt Lightning's hand tense in her own, the grip as solid as iron.
"Start running. I'll keep 'em busy." Lightning said quietly, still seething at Rosch's cruel words. They aren't people. They're just targets. Though a bitter part of herself had been resigned to her fate, after all, a target was a target. She had made so many mistakes in pushing people away, for once she was going to stand her ground and stand up for someone that needed her help. She couldn't save Serah, but she could at least save Hope.
"But-"
Any protest wouldn't deter her. Lightning barely turned to regard him, wary of giving up any line of sight for the guards surrounding her. "You survive." She snapped, gripping the hilt of her blade tighter and preparing to take as many Psicom soldiers out as she could before she went down. Lightning spared a last thought to Serah, and sent out a silent apology to the crystal statue that had now become her sister and tensed her leg muscles, ready to fire. An explosion tore through the courtyard and-
A few hollers came from the chambers as Fang appeared on the hologram, putting bullets into a Cocoonian soldier. The sound ripped Lightning from her memories and she wiped the dampness from her brow. Fang gave her a knowing glance and moved closer so that their arms were touching along with their linked hands. "It's alright, sweetheart. Just focus on your breathing. I'm right here, we're going to ride this shit show out together, you hear me?"
They watched their history play out on the hologram, the stories told in the wake of Orphan's death and Cocoon's near collapse. The death grip they had on each other's hands when the hologram showed the crystal tower in the immediate wake of the fall of Orphan practically had their bones creaking. Fang's heart ached at the footage in the early days, seeing flashes of Lightning working or dolling out orders on the screen. How tired she looked, how exhausted. Fang knew now that it was because of her, that her absence had impacted on the pinkette so significantly.
Khosrow's gaze was torn between the hologram and the reaction of the trio that sat near her. She knew the battle sickness when she saw it, and she could see clearly that Fang and Lightning both suffered from it, more so than Vanille. "Enough," She said firmly, the hologram flickering back to Hope's face. "I have seen enough of the events that brought you to our shores, there is no need to have your friends re-live the trauma of war before our eyes as well."
While she understood the relieved glances that were sent her way from the two women, Khosrow refused to draw attention to it, to allow them to appear weak in front of the council. "What do you seek, Hope Estheim? What do you want of us?"
"That depends on you," he replied, with another bow of his head. "Whatever level of involvement we have with each other is on your terms. We seek nothing but friendship, if you wish it. We seek cooperation, if you wish it. The foundations of communication, opportunity for cultural exchange, trade… Or, if you wish for us to leave you be, we will heed your request and comply. We are new to Gran Pulse and are learning quickly of the laws of the land, and are respecting the ancient culture of the people who came before. If you wish for your land back, we will heed that as well and find new places to settle."
The murmurings of the crowd grew once more, but gone was much of the hostility, save for a few outliers. Hope glanced around this room and his eyes settled on his friends. He gave them a small smile and a nod before continuing. "The people of Cocoon have been caged and kept as sacrifices in waiting for centuries. Now we are free, we only want peace and to live our lives out of the influence of the Fal'Cie."
The hologram flickered again, showing footage of children playing along the beach, the fireworks festival in Bodhum, families toiling in the fields from the farming communities. Images designed to show friendship, peace, and cooperation. Lightning was suitably impressed, this was obviously something Vanille and Hope had been working on for some time.
Jano stood, giving a bow to Khosrow and the room fell silent. "If the descendants of the vipers truly want peace, then the people of Cal'Mah will work towards this end. Centuries later, the people of Gran Pulse will finally know closure." Nobody in the room dared object or protest his words. When the Qui warrior spoke, all listened. Khosrow nodded and bowed to the hologram.
"We will discuss what you have advised, and send our response back with your delegates when we are done."
Hope smiled and nodded, looking back at his friends once more. "We will await your answer, and the safe return of our friends." He replied, and the hologram flickered off. The room erupted into a cacophony of noise, the delegates equal parts arguing with resentment and gushing with excitement depending on the individual.
Lucyn had sat behind the trio throughout the proceedings, leaning forward to regard the women. He tapped Lightning on the shoulder and she turned, eyeing him warily. "Your friend certainly has a well-mannered way with words, Lighting. I hope he is honest in what he says."
"Hope? The kid couldn't tell a lie if his life depended on it, Lucyn. You bet your arse he's telling the truth." Fang replied with a roll of her eyes. The crowd dispersed and Khosrow came over with a broad smile. She clapped Lightning firmly on the back, sending her lurching forward with a cough.
"The council will be behind closed doors whinging and moaning for hours, and Jano has gracefully volunteered to keep them in line."
"So what do we do in the interim?" Fang asked, pulling Lightning into her with a lazy arm around her shoulder. The General merely smiled, pointing to the window in the chambers.
"Now, we hunt."