Whee, Chapter 5!

I finished early yet again. I started writing this last night after I finished Chapter Four, and today I got off work early. (I work at a medical clinic, so if the doctor is done early I get to leave early) So, with all the love I got for Chapter Four, I was spurred on to finish Chapter 5 for you guys!

Speaking of the love for Chapter 4: thank you all so much, review monster feeders - you guys rock. Special shoutout to GCFarron, ziel101, and Sniperrolf.

Glad you guys seemed really amused by Lightning being all touchy over her room - she seemed like that kind of person to me. And yes, GCFarron, I suppose she would have to make her house Snow proof sometime soon, eh? Light isn't very happy she had to pay the bill for repairing her walls and the windows.

One last thing before I begin the chapter. This is the longest chapter I've written so far, but it's also the most Lightning centric, and has almost no dialogue because of, well, I won't ruin it, but I'm sure you'll see why Light doesn't have a chance to talk much in this chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own XIII.

Chapter 5: Blaze Edge

Lightning lazily cleaned her omega weapon, brushing on more layers of polish before putting it down on her desk. Methodically, she checked her new grav-con unit, making sure it worked before reattaching it to her index finger on her left hand. It had been a week since the monsters had invaded their home, but apart from the sinister piece of cloth left behind, she hadn't gotten any new leads.

She'd reported the power issue to Amodar, and he'd tried to look into it, but as she predicted, he hadn't been able to find anything out. Obviously Pulse Management wasn't going to be easy to investigate, but then again, when did she ever let difficult and dangerous stop her?

So she was going to have to take things to the next level – and by herself. She'd secured herself a delivery job to Pulse Management; the building was a ways outside New Bodhum, as Management people came from all over – New Palum, Eden… Amodar had been surprised that she'd wanted to take a "boring" job – usually she liked to be out hunting Gran Pulse monsters. But what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him; he'd recommended she not look into Pulse Management by herself.

Fat chance.

Stuffing her gunblade into its holster, she called a goodbye to Hope and Serah (thankfully, Serah had sent Snow on some errands so she wouldn't have to endure his usual comments) and walked out the door, picking up the pace as soon as she was out of view of the now repaired windows.

Of course, the person who was responsible for breaking half of them didn't cough up his share of gil. Why am I not surprised?

Dropping by the Guardian Corp building, she picked up the bag of letters, weapons, and new reports that were sent bi-weekly to Pulse Management. Data transferring was not yet available – trying to transfer stuff across Gran Pulse's mountain ranges was proving a little tricky for the techs, so usually it fell on some rookie to make the trip. Of course, she'd let the rookie off the hook this time – for a good reason.

Hoisting the bag over her right shoulder, she started down the path in the direction of Pulse Management, her thoughts drifting off as she hiked along the trail.

Who could have gotten our information? Where I live, who, or what – I was, where I work, heck, even where my locker is. Also smart enough to know that I was a l'Cie, and clearly, knew about my Focus. Someone close to Barthandelus? Or Raines? They're the only people high up who I knew that knew about our Focus. So who could they have told?

PSICOM was disbanded, but that doesn't mean its members couldn't still be alive…

Serah glanced worriedly at the door. Claire hadn't acted like herself this morning.

She was little too eager to go to work.

And she was afraid that Claire had cooked up some dangerous plan to figure out about the note, the scrap of cloth, and whoever was after them. It wasn't that she didn't know Claire did dangerous stuff; after all, this was the woman who'd voluntarily Purged herself, but it was…

Claire doesn't exactly have people's normal standards of "dangerous". She doesn't see stuff as over her head until, well, until she can't fight anymore.

Serah bit her lip again, glancing worriedly at the window. Hope was upstairs, and Snow wasn't back yet. She made a mental note to give her sister a call this evening when she was due to be off duty.

She had better pick up her phone. Oh Claire, I hope you're not doing something dangerous…

Lightning had dropped the delivery package off at the office of the manager in charge of records. Luckily his office had been on the third floor, and she had never been there before, so it gave her an excuse to poke around some – she could always say she was lost if she was caught snooping where she wasn't supposed to.

Quickly flipping through the directory at the third floor elevator, she noted that research labs were in the basement. The only thing in the basement.

Crap. That means there's no "lost" excuse if I snoop around there.

Oh well. That just meant she couldn't get caught. A small smile formed on her lips – she didn't have the rough brawn her sister's husband had, but at least she didn't stomp around like an elephant with four left feet.

Creeping down the emergency stairs, Lightning carefully eased open the well oiled door to the basement, a harsh reddish glow suddenly striking her eyes. Slipping out from behind the doorframe, Lightning quietly shut it behind her, and looked for something nearby to hide behind so she could inspect her surroundings.

A column was a little way to her left, but that was all she could see that would offer some form of protection. Quickly stepping to it, she drew her gunblade.

Well, probably not the most discreet if I slash someone with it, but…

Footsteps somewhere in front of her made her freeze. She barely drew breath as the footsteps came closer – whoever it was must almost be at the other side of the column already. Pressing her slender form against the stone, she hoped the dim reddish light would help hide her.

As the footsteps passed her, she noted who it was – a small, balding man dressed in a lab coat. The swish of the coat caught her eye – it was definitely missing some cloth at its bottom, and it didn't look like it had frayed either. No, it looked like something had ripped part of it.

All of her senses screamed to rush over and demand answers from the man who hadn't even turned around to look behind him. Lightning forced herself to take some calming breaths, letting her soldier instinct kick in.

I can't attack him here. If I do, I'm in deep shit if I'm found out, which I inevitably will be. But this lab doesn't look like the type of lab that breeds those monsters, if this is him I'm looking for. I can't even be sure that this is the guy – maybe this is too easy... But... he's the only lead I've got; I can't back down now.

Creeping silently after the man, she followed him out of the lab room. Clearly, the stairs didn't lead to the elevator entrance of the lab. Hiding behind some sort of hideous pot plant, Lightning eyed the man's passcode as he entered it to get on the elevator. And as soon as the doors closed, she darted out, punched in the man's passcode, and watched the light turn green.

Thanks for the password to Pulse Management.

She carefully observed the elevator the man had gotten into, watching the red numbers tick on the display.

Fifth floor, here I come.

Lightning knew she couldn't attack him in Pulse Management. And in times like these, she missed being a fugitive… almost.

When you're already chased by the Sanctum, it really didn't matter that I attacked their creatures, and if I happened to take out a few PSICOM guys while I was at it? Well, that was just another bonus – less people chasing after me.

So she hid herself in some sort of closet of cleaning materials; conveniently placed so she could watch the man's office window from the tiny opening in the outer wall – some sort of vent, she supposed. Either way, she would have to watch him till he went home. So Lightning turned over a plastic bucket, sat down, and rested her chin on her hand, pulling the other through her hair. Pulling her cellphone out of the red pack on her thigh, she turned it off. If Serah called at some inopportune moment…

It was sunset before she noticed movement – the lab coat in white had gotten up. Instantly, Lightning pulled herself up from the bucket and made her way over to the vent, peering through it. It didn't seem like the man was in any hurry to go anywhere, nor did it seem that he'd noticed her. She watched as he exited one of the side doors, heading in the direction away from New Bodhum.

Odd. Most people who work at Pulse Management live in New Bodhum – it's too far for most people from New Palumpolum or Eden to commute everyday. And we haven't gotten rails down on Pulse yet – so that means you either walk or ride a stinking chocobo. And he doesn't look like a chocobo would be able to hold him.

She waited until she was sure he wouldn't hear her following him. Lightning went out into the now darker hall – the lights had been turned off now that most of the people had gone home. She opened a window, and snapped two fingers on her left hand to activate the Grav-Con Unit.

Jumping down, she landed soundlessly behind a few bushes. Well, her landing was silent, but the leaves of the bush rustled as she brushed by them. Through the spiky leaves, she saw the man turn around at the sound.

Thankful for the cover, she waited until he had turned around again, and that there was at least fifty yards between them before moving out of the bushes. Quickly, she set off at a brisk walk, mindful that she was stalking the man, which meant she had to be aware of her surroundings, but not taking her eyes off him.

Night had fallen, and this man was still walking.

Just how far does he live from Pulse Management?

Lightning was careful not to kick or disturb any of the wildlife that lined the rocky trail they were walking on now, but night crawlies were beginning to come out. And those monsters were certainly more observant than the man who she was following – her scent would betray her even if she was silent and concealed. And if something came and attacked her, well, there went her cover. Keeping her gunblade out, Lightning began to grow uneasy the further he walked.

Is this man really this unobservant? Or has he been aware that I've been following him since hour one?

Her stomach knotted in dread when she realized this could very well be a trap. Out here, he knew where he was going. She didn't. He knew the lay of the land, and she didn't. He could lead her right into one of the numerous cliffs and she could walk right into a trap.

Suddenly, the land began sloping downwards, and she began to make some lights out in the gloom. There was only one thing she could imagine being out here.

A lab? How the hell did he manage to build a lab so far from New Bodhum? Who would have sponsored this?

But Lightning didn't get to finish her thoughts before something large, much larger than her sprang in front of her with unnatural agility. She didn't even have to think before slashing down with her omega weapon, aiming for the shoulder. She'd seen the glint of claws in the moonlight, and she knew it wasn't one of the monsters she and Hope had so easily taken out in their living room. This one was engineered to fight, and to fight well.

Bring it on.

Blocking a swipe from the monster, who vaguely reminded her of a Cie'th, Lightning got down below it, and aimed a slash of her own at its legs. Putting a well aimed bullet in its thigh slowed it down considerably, and she aimed for its head next. But just as her gunblade entered the temple of the monster, claws caught her from behind.

Lightning resisted the urge to cry out as she felt warmth spread from the back of her shoulder. Wrenching the omega weapon from the now dead monster, she whipped around and quickly swiped the weapon at whatever had its claws in her back. A low moan through the air told her that she'd gotten what she'd aimed for, and the monster slumped over backwards. Hearing more steps, Lightning raised her eyes to the horizon again.

There were five more silhouetted in the moonlight. And now that she was in the shadows and they were in the light, she could see them clearly. Ominous red eyes glared at her, their claws unnaturally large for their lithe shapes. And even though they looked slender, they were bigger than her. Their snouts created drooling sounds as they advanced slowly – a hunter's pace.

These were no ordinary monsters. Nor were they the Cie'th that still wandered in great numbers in Gran Pulse. In fact…

They look like someone merged a Cie'th with a Silver Lobo.

Lightning didn't even bother wondering if that was possible. She let her instincts fly on the assumption that they could both attack and cast magic – she couldn't afford to let another bury its claws in her shoulder, which was beginning to throb now.

Jumping into the air, aided by the Grav-Con Unit, she landed on the back of the one that was in the lead. Aiming her gunblade at its head, she fired a round into the back of it, not taking any chances. The other ones had rushed over by that point, claws swiping for her. Kicking away the closest one, Lightning used the momentum from the kick to drive herself forward; her omega weapon found the ribs of another, and she dragged the blade up.

Two down, three to go.

Dodging a Aerora from one of the other ones, Lightning used the few seconds she'd gained herself to reload the gunblade. The remaining three had mindlessly launched themselves forward at her at a flat run, red eyes now blazing with a feral hunger.

Quickly sidestepping, she buried three bullets into the shoulder of the closest one, causing it to stagger and hit the ground with a whine. Taking advantage of it being on the ground, she fired three more at its head. A thump told her she'd gotten what she wanted.

The other two had circled around by now, once again rushing for her. Switching the omega weapon back to sword mode, she ripped the blade downwards as one of them raised itself to its back legs to swipe at her with its claws. But the other monster had crashed into her, and while its claws had missed her, it knocked her forward, and Lightning stumbled to her knees.

Thinking fast, Lightning rolled over onto her back, and thrust the blade up, throwing the monster off of her. It landed with a squeal on its back, and she didn't waste any time burying the rest of the round into its head.

Panting, she stopped to regain her breath, her left hand gripping the shoulder the monster had clawed.

A voice sounded in the darkness beside her.

"It looks like the l'Cie has lived up to her reputation."

Cliffhanger ending once again! (Because I'm just that evil) So now that Light has killed all those monsters, who's the person expecting her? Scientist dude from Chapter 2?Or is it the guy she's been following the whole chapter? Muhahaha, you guys will have to wait and see.

Speaking of monsters, those were some things I had Light have to fight. What are they? *wiggles fingers evilly*
And also, that was my first take at action (something I failed at in Chapter Three). Hopefully it was believable - I had some practice and went to read some action novels a guy friend recommended me.

So the next chapter will definitely not be up before Monday - it's gonna be a long one as well, and I have work again; maybe I'll get lucky again but I doubt it.

Feed the review monster with speculations and comments! A potential Beta Reader has contacted me, but this chapter was not Beta'd, so please point out any mistakes I made.

Cheers.