AN:Sorry it took so long to update, Dragon Age kept my attention and still is actually. Great game i highly recommend it. As for the new chap, i realize this does break my pattern that i've established. But I never really planned such a straight forward pattern in the first place. Don't worry the story format won't get all willy nilly. As always enjoy~

PD: Dinner Time

[Blue POV]

Pops always used to tell me that the truth hurt, but he stipulated it was always worth finding. "Better confront it early and get it over with then wait too long. Just remember Blue it's like dealing with food, wait too long to eat it, it'll go rotten." Pops always scared his crew by conveniently mentioning the fact I had not only inherited my mother's looks but her aim as well. Phew that kept many unwanted suitors from my door, having a mother who can shoot a Gil at 50 paces made many reconsider their bid for my affections.

Mom always tried to get me to laugh, praise Lindzei I have her sense of humor or I doubt I would have made it this far. "Haha! Take it from this old' salty sea captain my darling, life is an adventure, make the best of it!" Pops the respectable yet stern career sailor who ended up married to my mother, a mischievously eccentric former pirate. I miss them so much, but I know they're dead. They weren't L'cie, no way they could have lived this long…wait how long has it been? NO! No don't even bother getting my hopes up me, by Lindzei. I can sense the world is different; no one needs to tell me that it is.

I want to know what happened…with everything but so far the memories have been far from pleasant. Serah's angry voice breaks my train of thought. "And you! Fang…aren't even supposed to be in here!" Serah…she looks like her sister, only in a smaller form. They aren't opposites it seems, considering how protective Serah is they must be close. I can only speculate Fang and Vanille's connection; I shook my head dispelling some of my brains less than innocent ideas.

I let out a deep sigh, rolling over and kicked my feet off the side of the bed. I should probably be a good guest and go eat dinner with my hosts. I wonder what Juokas has remembered if anything. Whelp only way to find that out is to ask, I chuckled to myself making my way to the door and downstairs. I stand on the last step looking the area over; Juokas was seated next to Fang, facing Lightning in the kitchen. Only two people were seated in the living room, a man with an afro and green jacket along with who I assume is his son. The boy looked up at me and smiled tugging lightly on his father's jacket as he pointed to me.

I tipped two fingers to my head in a light salute, before I hopped down the last step. The man looked uneasy, of course I can't blame him, I am a stranger after all.

"Hey Lightning! Do you have another guest in your house?" He asked still eyeing me with suspicion. Lightning looked over, "Oh don't worry Szah, she wouldn't be here if I thought she was a danger to anyone." Szah nods, I introduce myself quietly to the both of them. Dahj attempted to say my name a few times before giving up, "You name is too hard to say!" I chuckled "Then you can call me Blue like everyone else." He brightened up immediately, "Alright!"

"So where did you come from?" Szah asked brows perked up in question. I scratched the back of my head, "Well at this point I don't think it's a question of where so much as when." "Alright, were you in the War like Fang and Vanille," he tapped a speculative finger on his chin. I nodded slowly, "I was, I was on Cocoon's side of things." He looked me over, before he could utter another word Vanille popped out of the kitchen shouting that dinner was almost done. Fang, Lightning and Juokas moved into the living room and plopped into the available seats.

I took a deep sigh before I asked, "I'm guessing you all have questions? I'll gladly answer them to the best of my abilities, given my spotty memory." Lightning leaned forward in her seat propping her arms on her knees, "You are a Cocoon L'cie, which Fal'cie branded you?" I frowned slightly, "Hum that's a tough one, it would make more sense to just show you." I removed my gloves but kept my hands palm up. Fang laughed in confusion, "No how in the world is that gonna explain anythin'?" I flipped my hands over exposing two brands on each hand.

[General POV]

Blue was deathly still for a few moments, she noticeably darkened at the sight of her brands. She kept her head down when she said, "In Bodhum there was a Fal'cie that went by the name Siren. She was…a…friendly Fal'cie, one who helped but didn't control. She was the first Fal'cie to brand me." She flexed her left hand, lifting it for us to see. "I don't remember much from my first brand right now, but I'll happily tell you when I do remember." Fang frowned, "Because you look oh so happy right now tellin' us about it."

She covered her face as she laughed bitterly, "They're reminders of where I've been, what I am, what is lost and what could never be. One brand is my constant reminder of my failings, my lost dreams and shattered hopes. The other my punishment and forced retribution. For one I was bound yet free, the other I was a chained pawn forced to suffer torment for past actions." She shook her head laughing again but with genuine mirth, "Sorry, the irony of my situation never ceases to amuse me." She shook her head continuing, "The other brand was given to me later, by the Primach. Who turned out to be Barthandelus."

Juokas asked, "Wait, how did you get branded twice? Once you complete your brand you go into crystal stasis." Blue looked over to her, before leaning back in her seat with an expression of contemplation. "Well I would have to assume that I completed the focus of Siren's brand. Shortly after something happened or I woke up from crystal stasis and got branded again. It's all a little fuzzy. But despite the fact that the images aren't there the emotions are. I remember exactly how I felt, so much hatred and rage."

"Whelp no worries friend Barthandelus is dead." Fang said with a firm nod. "DAMMIT" Blue launched out of her seat startling everyone. She faltered before sitting down with a bashful smile, "Never mind." Fang looked to everyone else before she turned back to Blue, "What the hell was that about, all outrage then nothin'? You do have all your screws don't 'cha?" Blue laughed, "Of course I do I just remembered that being a Cocoon L'cie I couldn't have killed Barthandelus myself. I doubt I could have scuffed that outer shell of his smug Fal'cie face!"

Szah shook his head, "You're not what I expected, I was expecting you to be a devout Sanctum devotee." Blue scowled at Szah then leaned back into her seat, "Ha as if! Ramstis had enough faith, trust and belief in the sanctum to cover for the both of us. She was the true believer in our family, so firm in the belief she could actually make you doubt yourself."

"Ramstis was your..?" Lightning asked quietly. Blue's appearance took on a stern appearance, "Ramstis?...She was my older sister. A colonel in the Sanctum's Army. Before you ask, yes she served in the war but she didn't make her appearance on the battlefield until two years after the war started. I had a dream that she shot me… I think I was reliving my memories in my dreams. She hated me for a long time, we never got along we always fought bitterly. Thinking about her makes me feel this burning sense of injustice. I wish I could remember what happened…other than the whole she shot me because the Primarch told her and I quote, 'End her miserable existence'."

We sat there quietly and watched her, there was nothing we could say. She smiled weakly before sighing, "Ha look at me getting all worked up, it's over and done with now, best just to let the old feelings go there is nothing I can do about it now." Blue looked over to Szah, "Weren't expecting a disillusioned former law enforcement lieutenant turned army captain were you?" She laughed before letting out a low whistle, "That's life for you." Fang laughed along with her, "Vanille n' me can relate to that real well. I bet Juokas can too."

[Blue POV]

Juokas nodded laughing as well, before long we were all laughing. Serah and Vanille popped their heads around the corner attracted to the sound of laughter. Sobering up I smiled, "I suppose now would be a great time to tell you about old Cocoon if you're interested, it wasn't all bad I assure you." Serah sprung forward from the kitchen, "Oh that'd be great! But could you wait until Snow and Hope get here? I'm sure they'd want to hear too." I nod, "No problem I can wait. Are there any other pressing questions I can answer in the mean time?"

Fang waggled her finger at me pointing lazily, "Yea is your hair always like that? I cocked an eyebrow, "Like what?" "Like this!" Dhaj shouted as he made a slant gesture with his arm. I chuckled shaking my head, "Yes it is I've accepted the inevitable. So much for a pressing question though." I rolled my eyes. Lightning looked to me, "You wield duel gun blades correct? I didn't recognize the design they were much shorter than any gun blade I've ever used."

"They were nicknamed Short Shots; not very many people used them because they kicked like behemoths. But if you could get past that, there was no better weapon at the time…besides you know explosives. The design was a prototype created by a Nautilian designer by the name of Hugo Gemini. I think in the end only three sets were produced. Hugo was a friend of my father's, they both fought in the civil war together. Once I got older and Hugo saw me in action with my old pistols he gave me a set of Short Shots. I practically grew up with those gun blades in my hand, beautiful pieces of machinery. Each of my Short Shots has a name, Smuggler's end was my right hand gun blade and Novasurge was my left gun blade.

Fang laughed, "Smuggla's end eh? What brought that on?" I grinned, "Back in the days of my service in the Bodhum SSR one of my favorite past times was hunting down smugglers. Petty crime lords the lot of them. By the time the war started there were no smugglers brave enough to venture within twenty nautical miles of Bodhum. My left gun is called Novasurge because it tickled my fancy."

Fang looked disappointed at my lack of a supplied extravagant explanation for the second name.

Serah yelled that dinner was ready as she answered the door. Two men entered, one young the other one a several years older. We all took a seat where Serah pointed us to; which led to me sitting across from Fang and Lightning with Juokas on my right and Vanille on my left. Dhaj sat in a high chair at the end of the table with Szah sitting next to him, Serah and the new arrivals sat down at the other end.

The young man kept eyeing me from down the table as we began eating. I turned to him raising my eyebrows, "Are you eyeballing me kid?" I morph my poker face into a mock scowl slamming my fist on the table, catching everyone's attention, "BECAUSE IF YOU ARE I'd as you why you thought I was interesting enough to stare at." I smiled chuckling before returning my attention to my food satisfied by the terrified look on his face. He fumbled with his words few a few moments before he managed to squeak out, "I'm just curious! I haven't seen you before and suddenly you're having dinner with us."

"You need to relax Hope she's jus' teasin' ya. Call her Blue, she told the rest of us that's what everyone has always called her. The one next ta' her is Juokas. They were both in the War of Transgression and they woke up from their crystal stasis sometime this mornin' or yesterday night. We found them earlier and brought'em here." Hope nodded before turning back to his food.

Dinner proceeded from there without a hitch until I felt the sneaking sensation of someone touching my leg. I glanced around nonchalantly looking for any sign of guilt, from those surrounding me. When I looked at Fang she met my casual gaze with a smirk before she tore into her steak. Both of Fang's hands were visible it didn't make sense; I could see all their hands. "Alright who or what is touching me?"

Serah whipped her head around instantaneously glaring at Fang as soon as the phrase left my lips. "FANG, so help me…!" She barked pushing back her chair abruptly to stand up. "Hey! My hands have been tabletop this entire time, thank you, ask ya' sista'." Fang pouted. Lightning nodded in affirmation. I glanced over to Juokas, she held up her hands as if to say, "Wasn't me." Vanille was utterly absorbed in her food both hands firmly holding utensils. Serah continued to stare daggers at Fang as I scooted my chair out peeking under the table. I saw a small flash of yellow and heard a chirp them it was gone.

I looked over in time to see the small chocobo chick burrow into Szah's hair. I guffawed in disbelief, "You let a chocobo live in your afro?" He nodded taking a bite out of his potato cakes. I laughed again, "Are you serious?" He looked up again, "I'm DEAD serious." I shrugged my shoulders finishing up my food, "I should be more surprised by that but…I'm not…So Serah what's for dessert?"