Wild Rose

Lightning and Firion stood across from Garland as their fight came to an end, a fierce look still clear in Lightning's eyes. They both stood ready for more – though they personally preferred to have it end here. There was too much other stuff going on to waste their time with any of Chaos' warriors.

Still, due to his choice of words before their battle had begun, Lightning had to bring up the usual subject – despite that even she felt it was stupid to do so this time around.

"Alright now. Give us the rose!" she demanded, still staring him down as she pointed her gunblade at him.

Garland only laughed once again at his young adversaries.

"While I'd hate to disappoint you, I don't have your precious rose. What would I want with something of no absolute value? I am not bothered with such petty details."

Lightning bit her tongue as he spoke, trying her best to refrain from lashing out at him – verbally or physically. The way he mocked and taunted them to no end – she really wanted nothing more than shut him up for good. However, due to the current circumstances, she still held back. It just didn't seem as worth it right now.

Firion, however, grumbled at the warrior's snide remarks.

"Petty details"?"

He balled his fist at those words. Never in his life had he been so angry – at least not that he could currently recall. He didn't understand how Lightning could keep her cool during a moment like this, but he certainly wasn't going to hide his anger. The rose may have no meaning or value to anyone else, but it mattered to him – to them. To listen to him talk about it as if it was some utterly worthless trash, was not something he could stand to take lightly to.

However, Lightning noticed his reaction and tried to calm him down.

"Firion, don't let him get to you. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Just let me handle this, okay."

She slowly retracted her blade back into its holster and looked back at Garland intently.

"If you have no concern for us or the rose, then why are you here anyway?" she asked.

Again, Garland just emitted a laugh under his breath – which didn't really help ease Firion's anger towards him. For whatever reason, he saw Cosmos and her warriors to be amusing, in the least. What was there not to laugh about – especially when they dared to set aside the real issues at hand all for something as trifle as a rose.

"It really is rather amusing, isn't it?"

Lightning looked at him with aggravation and annoyance, her teeth nearly clenched as she glared at him even more.

"What are you talking about?" she grumbled, her fist almost balled beside her.

Garland looked at them and they could sense his smug, undying grin.

"The pride you two take in something so…insignificant. You'd truly fight and risk your lives all for some worthless flower? It comes as no surprise why you stand no chance in this conflict." he said, another slight laugh emerging from his mouth.

Lightning had heard enough and nearly gave up trying to hold back her anger as she stopped him right there – barely restraining herself from whacking him with a hard punch.

"Who asked your opinion anyway?" she said, raising her voice.

Firion looked at her – a little stunned by her reaction after she had just moments ago talked to him about keeping calm.

"It may be nothing more than a meaningless flower to you, but it means a hell of a lot more to us! You couldn't even begin to understand what we've been through up to now!" she yelled.

She wanted to strike him down right there – just finish him off until he couldn't laugh anymore. All of the anger she'd been piling on: the fear, pain – all emotion to this point was coming out at once in a single moment and she found herself nearly crying for once in her life. It wasn't until now that she realized just exactly how much the wild rose had truly meant to her. As ironic and infuriating as it was…she actually had something to thank Garland for – not that she was willing to even come close to admitting it. Still, just the same…this whole event had let her see the rose's value in a new light - and her determination to find it had now grown to a whole new level.

Firion looked at her with concern as he saw how much Lightning was holding in: how much she was suffering – all from losing the wild rose. This didn't help his guilt in the least and he wished they could just find it already. What else could make everything better for either of them than that? He felt a near unbearable regret – for losing the rose, for causing Lightning so much trouble as well as what was happening now, and worst of all…for ever having dragged her into this in the first place.

"If I'd never gone to Prima Vista…could I have avoided this whole thing, I wonder?" he thought to himself, as he stared at the ground in shame.

Seeing their faces, Garland decided to take his leave from the scene.

"Very well. Why should I even bother with such hopeless beings as you? Do what you will: ignore the will of the gods and carry on with your pathetic matters. It all means nothing in the end anyway."

He let out one last laugh as he fled the scene – his voice echoing through the air.

Lightning stood in silence for a moment as she fought to hold back any further emotion. It had already been embarrassing to have had Firion see her in such a vulnerable moment. She could only imagine what he must have been thinking upon witnessing it.

She turned to look at him only to see his eyes locked on the ground and his head stooped in such a way that she couldn't see his face without actually ducking under it.

"Firion?" she asked, a puzzled look on her face.

He lifted his head at the sound of her voice.

"Oh. Lightning. My apologies. I didn't realize you-"

"It's okay. I understand. Really." she said, nodding at him lightly as a smile formed on her face.

Firion nodded lightly in response as they stood in awkward silence for a moment. Then, without a word, Lightning started moving forward – her feet carrying her to whatever destination they chose.

"…Right." Firion said, quietly, nodding as he followed her without a second thought.