Lightning wasn't going anywhere by the look of things so researching the Lightning cosplayers wasn't gonna be easy. The last thing I wanted to do was to piss her off and then suffer some cruel obscure torture that she would probably come up with. I did however find a way around this problem, I did all my research in the bathroom which was one of the few places Lightning wouldn't enter. Surprisingly she was a well-mannered person when she wasn't being a cryptic one-liner bitch, which was a majority of the time. Seriously it's like she thinks she's the protagonist of some multi-million dollar long running video game series, that's just dumb. Anyway as I did my research I came across a few interesting pieces of information which unfortunately only made my job harder.

"There haven't been any cosplayer deaths recently? Her cosplay and acting is way too good to not at least have been known somewhere. She could have been a private cosplayer who uploaded things online and never appeared anywhere. No then she would have come out when I was researching. She could've been one of those people who cosplay in private just for fun….it could've been a sex thing too."

As I was deep in thought perched upon my porcelain throne really hoping that this wasn't a sex thing I was interrupted by a knock on the door by the other piece of shit in my life.

"Hey are you done in there! You said you had a meeting with Estheim today and I'd rather you not be late."

How can someone so graceful be so rude? "Yea I'm done I'll be out in a bit stop worrying. The campus is just a bus ride away and her office isn't that far from where I'm dropped off."

I opened the door only to be greeted by Lightning's face as she stood in the doorway hovering over me. Menacingly.

"What were you doing in there? You've been spending an awful lot of time in the bathroom lately."

Shit I can't have her know that I've been researching Lightning cosplayers. It'll piss her off and she'll do something mean I know it. If I gross her out maybe she won't ask anymore.

"You really wanna know Lightning? It involves my hand and vigorous thrusts."

"Masturbation? That's what you've been doing this whole time? Good for you but I'd rather you not be late for your meeting with Estheim."

Didn't even faze her. Then again the real Lightning probably wouldn't have been fazed either. Being a soldier she would've seen worst and probably heard worst.

"You've waited this long right? What's a few more minutes? Anyway I'm heading out try and stay out of trouble."

"I'm coming with you."

"What?"

"I never got a chance to see the schools that Hope built. Now seems like a good time to start."

"Ughh kay?"

One hostile bus ride later we found ourselves at my school which Lightning immediately set out to explore the weird thing is that she smiled. She actually smiled, not a sarcastic asshole smile but a genuine warm smile. She has a soft side after all I guess.

Elise being the descendant of Hope had been offered the best office on campus but she turned it down for some hole in the wall office. She said she wanted to work her way up and earn the office, quite modest really but then again Elise was perfection.

Once again Elise had no one at her office hours but then again being a history professor you don't really get many visitors unless you're working on a paper or something which we weren't at the moment. All I had to do was say that I wanted to do my final paper on the Six Heroes too and Professor Estheim jumped on the chance to help me, said she wanted me to have the best paper possible and that she could make that happen. If I didn't have an angry spirit harping at me then this would've been the best thing ever. Man I could've probably made myself Mr. Elise Estheim this semester if it wasn't for Lightning.

"Come in Adam take a seat and we'll start"

"Don't mind if I do." As I set my stuff down I started going through the questions that I wanted to ask. Most of them being about Lightning. If she just happens to pop in then she'll see that I'm actually working at it. Plus all this information will definitely help me with my paper. I figured I might as well actually write it if I'm putting this much time into it.

"So Adam is there any particular point that you wanted to start at?"

"Actually I wanted to get some information on all the Heroes first before I get into their journey."

"Sounds good. Anyone in particular?"

"Lightning."

For a brief second I could see something in her eyes, sadness. However she immediately put a happy look back on her face and opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a book. It was unmarked so it was probably her own personal notes on the heroes.

"What would you like to know about Lightning?"

"Well mostly just stuff about her life after the establishment of the new towns. She seemed to slow down after the town of Balamb was established which was pretty surprising considering that she was still pretty young."

"Yes after the establishment of Balamb Lightning had decided to spend less time with the Corp and only wanted to be called upon if she was truly needed. The reason being that she wanted to spend more time with her family but also so that she could begin training her daughter."

"Training? For the Guardian Corp? Wasn't Luz only ten at the time though?"

There it was that happy smile again, she really did like it when people knew about the heroes. "Yes she was! Not many know that Luz started her training at such a young age, most assume that she had started when she joined the Corp but in reality she had been training for years with her mother. By the time she joined she was already as skilled as most special operatives at the time?"

"Mosts?"

"Yes, most. Luz had received excellent training from her Mother and had accompanied her and Fang on hunts for various monsters but that's where the problem was. Luz was always in a situation where her life was never truly at risk, Lighting and Fang always made sure that she was protected. The combat experience that she had was not comparable to those of the special ops who didn't have those safety nets and understood what real danger was."

"So basically she was never put in a sink or swim situation like the special ops guys?"

"Yes, which led to her being a reckless fighter in her early years since she didn't know when to run away. Of course over the years she would develop that experience and learn when to run and when to fight but that reckless attitude of hers never truly left her. Luz the Brave was true to her name but only because she didn't take anything she faced as seriously life threatening."

Interesting information but this doesn't help me with Lighting.

"Neato. So after Luz had joined the Guardian Corp what else did Lightning do? Since her daughter didn't need training anymore it would've made sense to get involved with Guardian Corp missions again but she didn't. What else kept her busy?"

"Contrary to many stories Lightning was actually quite the gentle person. She only appeared stern and stone-faced because she had to be strong for everyone else but in private Lightning was a soft kind-hearted person who cared greatly for her friends and family, almost to a fault sometimes. She was a bit of a jokester too but she had a very dry sense of humor so it was dark humor most of the time.

Yea no kidding Lightning made a dead puppy joke the other day. A dog got hit by a car while I was walking to the supermarket and the moment we saw it in the most serious tone possible she looked at me and said "that dog is deader than I am."

"It was this kind-hearted nature of hers that kept her from re-involving herself with the Corp. Spending all that time with her daughter and taking her around Pulse to see the world and travel with her friends again had made her quite happy. It also made her realize that she never had those experiences for herself since she forced herself to grow up. She was never able to have mother daughter bonding moments, she was never able to spend time with her father, she was never able to have any experiences like that. It saddened her greatly. She missed her parents but had never allowed herself to express it. Which is why she chose to not re-involve herself with the Corp and instead focus on her family, particularly her son whom she had a strained relationship with."

"Strained? Was she able to make things right with him?"

"To a certain extent yes but not completely. Lux wanted to live a normal life and not the one of a soldier. When Lightning learned of this she had begun focusing a majority of her time with training Luz. Lux didn't have the experiences that Luz did with their mother, in fact they hardly spent any time together. Which is what lead to them drifting apart. When Lightning had begun spending time with him again it was difficult since he learned to grow up without her, he didn't need her. It was a difficult time but they were able to establish a somewhat okay mother son relationship."

Lightning was a bad mother huh? Well I got a few points to start with now at least. I'm can't write to much about Lightning being a bad mom though, I'm pretty sure Professor Estheim wouldn't like me talking bad about one of the heroes. This'll definitely keep fake Lighting at bay for a while though.

"So he was alone growing up? What about his dad?"

"Oh Lux had a wonderful relationship with his father, Luz did as well. I'm quite sure that if it wasn't for him Lux would have ran away from home at a young age."

Good for him at least he had one good parent.

"Hm so Lightn…."

Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Lightning was standing on the opposite end of the window staring in. I thought she would still be wandering around but I guess she got bored and came looking for me. The professor must have caught notice because she had a confused look on her face.

"Lightning? Yes? Is there something in the window?"

"N-no not at all"

I could tell she didn't believe me but as she was turning around Lightning walked away. She was fucking with me, I'm trying to help her and she fucks with me.

"There's nothing here? What were you staring at Adam?" She turned around and started eye balling me. She must've been weirded out or something

"Oh it was nothing Professor I just had to sneeze and I ugh freeze up when I sneeze. It's gone now though."

"Oh! I have a friend who does that too it's quite entertaining." She let out a soft giggle and I knew I was back in the clear.

"Although I could've sworn I saw pink hair for a second, I suppose all this talk about Lightning has me seeing things."

Hm so the Professor can see her too? Then again I wouldn't expect anything less from a Hero's descendant.

"I would love to continue our talk Adam but I just remembered I have to run some errands today, we'll have to continue this another time."

It was unlike the Professor to cancel office hours so suddenly but I got more than enough information to keep the fake at bay for the time being.

"Oh it's alright Professor I have to do some research on my own after all too. Can't let you do all the work now."

She smiled and let out a soft laugh, "Yes can't have that now."

I grabbed my stuff thanked the professor and headed out towards the bus stop I figured I'd meet Lightning somewhere along the way.

As I arrived at the bus stop I noticed Lightning sitting on the bench with her eyes closed being all serious and what not I could tell she was awake because the moment I sat down she grunted at me. Seriously for someone so graceful in battle she could be really uncouth sometimes. Then again she was just some cosplayer I guess even she gets tired of staying in character sometimes.

We arrived at my apartment complex a few minutes afterwards, the whole way Lightning more or less interrogating me about the meeting. She already knew what I just learned so this meeting was pretty much a waste of time, information for my paper I guess. This cosplayer keeps surprising me with how much she knows about Lightning even if she does break character from time to time.

"I'm just saying if you would've told me what you know already I could've started at a different place and learned what you really wanted to know."

"How was I supposed to know that you didn't know? You're a history student aren't you? Don't they teach this to you in school?"

"They do but not about your personal life we just learn the bare minim…."

"I knew it!"

Lighting and I turned around and from down the hall near the stairs was Professor Estheim staring at us.

"Professor Estheim?"

"Elise…."

"Lightning I knew it was you! The moment I saw that shade of pink I knew it was you!"

Elise and Lighting know each other? She knows this fake?

"Professor you know this person?"

"Yes, I've known Lightning for some time now. All of the hero descendants know her."

"Uhh, you do know this a fake right? There's no way she's the real Lightning."

"No Adam, she is. She is the real Lightning."

Holy shit she's actually Lightning? This whole time the real Lightning has been hanging around my apartment? I got my ass kicked by THE Lightning.

Lightning turned slowly to me with a blank expression on her face. I don't know why but I'm half expecting her to put me in the wall, "You ass you still thought I was a fake?"

Ah Lightning, true to yourself even in the strangest of situations.