AN - I know I know. 11.45pm on the night before my wedding and I am posting a chapter. I am mental but also GOSH DARN IT I AM COMMITTED. Or should be committed. Either way, here's a chapter.
The blue-haired teen walked through the halls, accompanied by Snow who was chattering away about the various classes and training that were on offer. Yuj spied the two Farron sisters out in the field, working away and pointed towards them. "Hey, can we go check them out? I'm interested about the training you guys do here." It had been just over a month since he arrived, but most of the training had centred around controlling and suppressing the flare ups of his abilities. While essential, it was boring. He wanted to see the cooler stuff.
"Sure, buddy. Good to see how we work here." Snow replied, leading him outside. The blonde tried hard not to stare as Serah paused and wiped the sweat from her brow, catching her breath from the self defence classes her sibling was putting her through. "Hey guys, Yuj wanted to see how we do some of the more intensive training here."
Lightning nodded and threw a bottle of water towards Serah, signalling her to take a break. The younger Farron eagerly flopped onto the grass with a loud sigh, falling onto her back with a flourish. Serah closed her eyes for a few moments while listening to her sister discuss self defence methods. The training was different here, less focus on their powers and more in ways to diffuse without resorting to them. It wasn't like anything she had been subjected to at Valhalla. When she trained there, she learnt as much as she could about her abilities, and was taught about how the elementals worked with each other, as well as against.
A low, quiet laugh caught Serah's attention and she opened her eyes to find Fang looking down at her with an amused expression. "The resident electrician runnin' you ragged kiddo?" She asked with a twitch of her upper lip, sitting down beside the young pinkette. Serah huffed and sat up, drawing her knees to her chest.
"I haven't really used much of my powers, not lately." Serah sniffed, feeling surprisingly cooped up despite the huge, open grounds. A gentle claw took her by the jaw and she found herself staring into Fang's concerned eyes. The shifter rest the back of her hand against Serah's forehead and hummed.
"Ah. Thought you looked off this morning." Fang commented with a frown, leaping to her feet. "Come on, up. We're going to sort you out before you blow this place to Pulse and back."
Hex wandered over just in time to see her sister dragging Serah up and tugging her away from the rest of the group. Lightning's attention was drawn to them and she raised an eyebrow at their retreating forms. "Hex, what is your sister doing with my sister?"
"Fixing her up before your lack of powers-focused training puts a crater in your front fuckin' lawn." Fang yelled back, shaking her head in annoyance. "The fuck has Sazh been teaching you lot, honestly."
Lightning had to admit she was intrigued by where this was going, so wandered over to investigate. She figured that Valhalla's teachings would be more... hands on... And a part of her wanted to be shown. But she couldn't let go of her pride enough to ask. At least this way, she could live vicariously through her sister and keep her pride intact.
"Alright, little one. Close your eyes, focus on your breathing. Let's make some fireworks for everyone, don't be afraid to show off a little, Ok?" Fang added with a wink. Serah giggled and squared her shoulders, focusing a large ball of bright energy between her hands that grew with every breath. It skittered about in the air and the young pinkette struggled to keep it steady, a grimace appearing on her face. Fang hummed and tilted her head, curious. "Migraine, sweetheart? We have left it too long haven't we? Hold it steady. Snow? Come here a sec."
With a hesitant step, Snow lumbered over and nearly tripped over his feet as Fang grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him onto the ground next to them. "Right, I want you to visualise your hand dropping to about the temperature of the fridge. Don't go all ice cube on me, just enough to make your hand real cold." She instructed, Lightning watching on curiously. Fang kept prodding at his hand until she was satisfied, then guided his wrist over to cover Serah's eyes with his hand.
An audible sigh escaped the younger Farron, her posture relaxing immediately with Snow's hand against her face. "Feels good, don't it? Ok, Snow just keep your hand there for a moment darlin'. That's it. Good. Right. Serah? Let it fly."
The ball of energy shunted into the air before splitting off into smaller spheres, then again and again. They exploded into glittering lights that everyone watched in awe. Lightning couldn't help the amazed smile on her face as the energy dissipated, seeing a L'cie's abilities used to make something so beautiful. She saw how much her sister appeared far more relaxed, the posture far less rigid than when she'd first seen Serah in the morning.
"Serah, that was so Pretty! How did you learn that?" Hex asked, clapping her hands with glee.
"Oh, Fang showed me back at Valhalla." The young pinkette answered with a light blush.
"Fang showed you?" Lightning repeated, incredulous. The shifter leant back on her hands with a look of mock offense on her face.
"You're lucky I'm startin' to like you, ya damned annoying transistor, or I might take that as an insult." Fang drawled, happy with the Lightning's appropriate level of embarrassment. "Just because Caius didn't teach me to hone my own shit doesn't mean we didn't sort out the elementals... You lot are the most bloody troublesome, after all. No wonder you're all so damn pent up and cranky all the time." Tapping her claw against her knee, Fang hummed and spied Sazh watching them from the edges of the field. "Oi, Sazh! Gonna take the kids for a swim in the river in the forest, that alright with you?"
The winged mentor tilted his head and shrugged. "Don't see why not, just be back before sundown so I can get help for dinner."
"All right! You heard the chicken wing, go get your bathers and get back here in five."
"Stop calling me that!"
The others all raced each other back to the mansion, leaving Lightning staring at Fang with a raised eyebrow. "That means you too sparky, go on," Fang urged with a wave of her claw. Lightning folded her arms with a twitch of her lips and stood there for a few seconds before vanishing in a blur. She reappeared seconds later in a pair of shorts and a white bikini top still in the same pose. Fang barked out laughter, trying to maintain eye contact. It wasn't easy, but she managed. Barely.
Lightning caught the struggle and suppressed a nervous cough. "So, what about your swimwear?"
A casual shrug was all that Fang was willing to give up for the time being, a calculated grin across her face. She waited in silence, forcing her eyes away from the exposed abdomen on display until everyone came back, towels and all. The group had even managed to wrangle Hope, who had reluctantly made an appearance.
They all wandered down towards the river, Yuj unconsciously speeding up the closer they got to the river. He ignored the knowing smile that spread across Fang's face and came to a stop by the water, suddenly feeling calmer than he had in weeks.
Lightning nudged Fang in the side and gave her a smile. "You seem to know your way around an elemental, Fang." She quipped, only mildly regretting the words when her unintended phrasing seemed to finally break the shifter's otherwise focused discipline of not letting her eyes wander. Fang's gaze raked over her form, and Lightning could even see her internally chastising herself for the break in concentration.
"I uh... Honestly the elemental L'cie caused us the most grief so we had to learn early on. The energy types need to release every now and again or they blow their lid, the ice and water types need to submerge or they get too sluggish."
"Hm, so where do I fit in, then?" Lightning asked, annoyed at Fang's apparent theory that she and the others like her were all slaves to their elements.
"You're in the same boat as your sister. Hence why you fuck up the electrics in the house when you don't ground." Fang replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. She moved forward and put little space between them, tapping the pinkette's sternum gently with a delicate claw. "It isn't just about getting rid of the excess energy, love. It's also about giving yourself the release you need."
Lightning grew uneasy at the closeness, but more so her regarding her body's own reactions to having Fang so near. She wanted her closer and it scared her. Instead, she took a step back, her defensive walls climbing back up rapidly as she folded her arms. "So, what's with the impromptu excursion to the river?" She asked curtly, electricity flicking off her skin.
Fang sighed, knowing she'd pushed the elemental too far from the small zaps jumping off Lightning's arms. It was usually a sign of nervousness or agitation. She shrugged and shifted her left arm back to a human form, sticking her finger and thumb in her mouth to give a whistle. The shrill sound drew everyone's attention and Fang stood a little straighter. She gave a sly glance towards Lightning and winked. "Now you get to see a true professional at work. Alright Yuj. First rule of elemental school is that it's all in your head. You elemental L'cie are visual creatures, which means the stronger your visualisation skills are, the more control you're gonna have on your powers. Observe. Serah? Charge your battery."
Serah nodded at the code word and brought her hands together, her brows knitted in concentration. The bright sphere grew in between her hands like before, but this time kept growing and growing until it was as large as a car. Yet the young pinkette balanced it effortlessly between her hands like it weighed nothing at all. At the snap of Fang's fingers, Serah made the sphere of energy condense until it dissipated into the air. Serah gave a hopeful glance at Fang and beamed at the appraising nod.
"Very good, little one. You have worked so hard to get to where you are. I'm real proud of you."
Lightning's jaw clenched at the words, and the affectionate ruffle of her sister's hair. While Fang went to chat to Yuj, Lightning watched her sister alongside the shifter and bristled. While it had been some time since she felt that way, seeing how familiar Fang was with her sister still infuriated her. It should have been her congratulating Serah. Her saying how proud she was. Lightning realised it wasn't Fang she was angry at, but herself. For leaving Serah in the first place, for just communicating via cryptic texts so as not to give away her location. She could try to convince herself as much as she could that her absence was to protect her sister, but Lightning knew in her heart it was because she was scared. By controlling just how Serah was still present in her life, she could avoid the heartache if her younger sibling hated her for being a L'cie and vanishing. It wasn't until Lightning had seen the news of her old school roof blown off that she realised just how stupid she'd been.
Hex stood beside her in silence, and used one of her many arms to subtly clasp Lightning's hand and hold it gently. The elemental looked down and realised that she wasn't the only one having sibling issues. "Do you think it gets any easier, Hex? That one day your sister will look at you without flinching? That Serah will be able to forgive me?"
There was a barely audible huff as the redhead let go of her hand and for a moment, and Lightning was worried she had said something wrong. "Fang will stop looking at me like she's terrified of hurting me when she stops being terrified of herself, and you will have your forgiveness when you forgive yourself. Serah's already forgiven you a million times over. It's you who refuses to forgive yourself and push everyone away because you're scared of them leaving you." Hex replied as she prodded Lightning with at least two of her index fingers. "You can't always be the one to run, or to not let anyone else in. You say you see how Fang flinches every time she's around me? You flinch every time you find yourself getting close to my sister. To your sister. To anyone."
Whatever answer Lightning had anticipated, the surprisingly biting response threw her off balance. But what made her swallow hard was that when she glanced back at Fang, the shifter's eyes darted pointedly away. Lightning knew that Fang had heard every word. But was the young Pulsian wrong? No. Lightning knew that Hex was right. She and Fang had gotten more familiar over the last while, even so much as engaging in Fang's often flirtatious banter, much to Lightning's own surprise and fear. And like clockwork, every time she stepped in and became a little too familiar, Lightning reeled back and pushed Fang away. She was beginning to suspect it wasn't just a friendship she feared with the shifter. The last time she had any sort of inclination towards anyone was her stupid childhood crush on her friend, which was close to the same time her family abruptly moved away, back to Pulse. Lightning had vowed never to feel for anyone else again, to avoid getting hurt. But lately... It was getting harder and harder to keep her distance. She couldn't stop her heart from picking up a pace whenever Fang gave that ridiculous lop-sided grin of hers.
She watched with disbelief as Yuj managed to conjure up a steady stream form the river, floating through the air. Snow cheered and started turning it to crystals, making an ice rose to give to Serah. Lightning watched on, knowing she just needed to open the door and keep it open, not shut it every time someone tried to step in. Stop doubting herself and pulling away every time she started to enjoy herself.
"Now for something real cool, and you all better stand back for this. Light, come here." Fang called out, pulling the elemental abruptly from her thoughts. With a curious expression, Lightning moved over to Fang and held her breath, trying not to flinch when the shifter took her by the hand. "Ok, so Yuj, over here next to her. Right. So, next lesson, elements working together. You two are going to be a prime example. Water and electricity aren't normally a good mix, but in certain circumstances they can work together. Lightning, I want you to uh… Strike… That tree over there."
Biting the inside of her cheek to stifle the groan at yet another terrible joke at her expense, Lightning sighed and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "My range isn't that far yet."
"I know. But his is. So Yuj, send a jet of water at that tree over there, and Lightning, I want you to hit the water instead."
Both raised their eyebrows at her, and then Hex for the delighted squeal she let out. With a shrug and a slow inhale, Yuj conjured water up and let it fly towards the tree. At the same time, Lightning focused her electricity on the stream and watched it crackle all the way up and hit the tree, singing it from leaf tips to roots.
"Woah." Yuj said, amazed and exhilarated at getting to let his powers loose. Fang smiled and gave him an approving clap on the back.
"You're damn right, mate. The beauty of science. And a little luck. If you're not forcing the direction of the current forward, Light… It can spring back and hurt you both so always be aware of the momentum and don't let it be forced backwards."
The others ran over and dragged Yuj over to the river bank, cheering and chattering excitedly. Lightning smiled softly at Fang and began to walk away with a glance behind her that she hoped would be interpreted to follow. Fang thankfully got the hint and gestured to Snow to mind everyone for a moment. The duo walked in silence for a while, Lightning seemingly debating with herself whether to air her thoughts.
Her mouth decided for her before her brain could catch up. "So what about you, then?" She asked, biting her lip as she realised just how dangerous this line of questioning was for both of them. Fang's lip curled a little but settled down. It gave Lightning the courage to continue. She slowed down and came to a stop which caused the shifter to pause in her own steps as well.
"What about me, Light? Like I said, we were good with training the elementals back at Valhalla. Caius never saw fit to train me to control my powers properly, said there wasn't a point." Fang replied with a sigh, fidgeting with her claws.
Lightning watched her and held her own breath for a moment, contemplative. Stop closing the damn door, Farron. She chastised herself and shook the fear from her mind.
"But what if they could be controlled? What if you didn't have to fear your own instincts? You say an elemental's biggest weakness is their own elements, then by that logic a shifter's biggest weakness is their own instincts. We're slaves to our elements as much as you're a slave to the instincts, right? If that is what you truly believe..." She stepped forward and uncurled Fang's claws to hold her hand. "I know it isn't, because you can train the elementals to get a hold of themselves, to reign in their abilities and even grow them without overtaking them. Surely the same rings true for yourself?"
"I…" Fang suddenly found herself at a loss for words. It all made so much sense in its complete simplicity. Lightning suddenly shot backwards with a grin and stood several paces back from the shifter.
"Your powers aren't something that need to be feared, Fang. When was the last time you just cut loose?" Lightning asked, using electricity to launch herself off the ground and high into the air. She twirled in an acrobatic fashion before landing in a crouch in front of the shifter. Fang stared in awe, impressed at the level of control.
"You've been practicin' I see."
There was a crackle of electricity that shot out from Lightning's eyes as she grinned. "Come on, let me see it. Let me see you. Everything that you are."
Fang swallowed hard at Lightning's words and wondered if there was something more behind them. She held up her hands in front of her and let them shift blue, all the way up to her face.
Once Fang had kicked off her boots she let her feet stretch out from the arches, standing even taller on the balls of her feet. She hadn't let her shift go this far before, and her breathing quickened with her raising anxiety. Fang gasped as Lightning stepped forward, giving her a once over with a concerned look. "Hey, it's alright, take your time." The pinkette said quietly, her hand on Fang's arm in support.
"Sorry... I've never... Taken it this far before."
Lightning observed the shifter and suspected she was still holding back. She leant forward and flicked Fang on the nose, a sly grin appearing as an idea formed in her mind. "Tag, you're it."
"… Did you just…?"
With a chuckle Lightning disappeared in a flash of electricity, leaving Fang looking dumbfounded. A growl rumbled in her throat, though with a somewhat playful tone. She removed her jacket and pants, exposing more shifted skin now she was down to just her underwear and her cropped black bra. "You wanna play, do ya? Well let's see how you like this." With a flash of teeth Fang set off, racing into the forest after the elemental. She found herself just moving on instinct, chasing the scent she had picked up from Lightning. Claws dug into the ground, into tree trunks as she propelled herself forward, faster than she'd ever moved in her life. The leaves whipped by her and her breath trailed from her chest as she ran.
There was a laugh from her left side as the pinkette rushed in and tapped her on the nose again, before disappearing further into the track. Fang sniffed at the air and smiled, enjoying the hunt. As she came into a clearing her head craned up to see the waterfall she had caught the sounds of a few months back, and Lightning standing atop it with a mischievous grin. Fang eyed the area and decided this would be a nice place to come to get away from everyone. A deep pool at the base for a swim sounded like a perfect afternoon. She wondered if Lightning would join her.
"How are you doing all the way down there, Fang?" Lightning jeered from the rocky outcrop high above her. "Why don't you show me your big bad shifter powers and come get me?"
Fang eyed the rocky surface and considered her options, when a bolt of electricity exploded the dirt by her feet, making her jump back with a start. "What game are you playin' at, power grid?"
"Power grid? Nice, haven't heard that one before. Come on. You don't have time to think, Fang. You have to move on instinct and not be so afraid to give into them. You have to start trusting yourself!" Lightning called out, throwing another couple of wide shots to get the brunette moving. Fang growled and started to climb the cliff, her claws piercing sections of rock as she climbed, narrowly avoiding the arcing electricity that sent her adrenaline flooding through her system. She leapt up the last twenty feet of distance, landing on the top with ease. She gave Lightning a once over as the pinkette stood lazily on the cliff edge, resting her weight on one foot and her arms folded comfortably against her chest. "See? That wasn't so bad. You're still you, even if you're looking a little meaner at the moment."
"Huh. Well whaddya know." Conceding the point, Fang sighed with relief. She hadn't felt this comfortable in her own skin since well before her abilities manifested. The furthest she'd ever shifted, the most she'd ever moved on instinct and Lightning still stood in one piece, not clawed half to death like she had done with her sister so many years ago. She supposed one could teach an old shifter new tricks, after all. That wasn't to say she wasn't going to get her own back for Lightning's antics, however. Fang eyed the elemental and a new plan of attack formed in her mind.
"So tell me, light bulb," Fang said with a toothy smile, "What do you do when you don't have your powers?"
"I'm never without them so it's a moot point." Lightning replied, though her heart rate picked up at what appeared to be a calculated glance from Fang.
"So you say..."
Lightning swallowed hard before dashing to the right, yelping in surprise as a long tail whipped around and caught her by the mid-section. It curled in and brought her crashing into Fang's chest, where she was caught in an iron grip.
"You have a tail. This is... New information."
"For you and me both, Sunshine," Fang replied, waving the tip of it around but using the new appendage to keep the elemental close. "But I can work with what I got." She gave a click of her tongue at the new predicament Lightning found herself in and smiled. "Always favouring your right side, Light. So. Care to answer the question?"
Considering how close they were to the cliff edge, Lightning didn't like where this was going at all. She tried to struggle in Fang's grip, which only made the brunette grasp her tighter. Fang stared down at the wary cerulean gaze with a knowing smile.
"If you're thinking about doing what I think you're thinking..."
Fang laughed and slid her hands down to Lightning's lower back, pressing her even closer. "Well it's like you said, Light. No time to think." She drawled, leaning all her weight back as they both tilted off the edge of the cliff.
"Faaaaang!"
The shifter released her as they fell, allowing them to both twist around to land safely. They hit the water with a splash, Lightning the first to swim to the surface with a gasp of air. "You son of a... Fang... Fang?" She glanced around and saw no sign of the Pulsian. Beginning to panic, she dove under water and nearly screamed at the cheeky jade eyes meeting her gaze from beneath her. They both broke the surface, panting for breath, Lightning glaring at Fang all the while. The rest of the bestial appearance slowly melted away, leaving a human-looking Fang smiling softly from beneath the matted hair plastered to her face.
"Are you insane?" Lightning exclaimed, the water dripping off her own hair as she tread water in the natural pool.
"Quite likely. See, now you're in a position where you can't use your powers. Elemental type L'cie can both work with and against each other, like you saw when working with Yuj. In that instance, the conductive nature of the water worked with you. But, in this instance? It's working against you. You can't use them in this space without killing me. So what are you going to do?"
"I could still use them at this point after that stunt..." Lightning muttered, and Fang held up her hands in surrender. Her hands were decidedly human, and for the most part, all of her was. The elemental eyed off the myriad of scars covering her body and her lips thinned. A brutal story likely lay behind them, but now wasn't that time. Fang cleared her throat and wiggled her fingers.
"Look, no claws. Even field. So let's go. And remember what I told you about your tells. Not everyone is going to be able to pick them but I'm not the only one out there who has seen you fight. If your left side is weak, strengthen it."
Fang surged forward in the water, going for Lightning on the right. It forced her to move on the left, and the elemental curbed her powers so as not to accidentally electrocute the woman who had somehow through all this madness become her friend. Though right now that friendship was tenuous considering that the Pulsian had just dragged her off a damn cliff.
"You gotta think more like a shifter, gorgeous. Find the weakness. Take it out." They traded blows in tandem, the water slowing both of them down. Then, there it was. Lightning finally saw one of Fang's tells. She was so used to the claws she still held her arms away from her body, leaving her chest exposed. The elemental darted to the right as she always did, but then shot into the centre, barrelling into Fang's torso. It caught the shifter off guard and she fell back into the water with a yell. "What did you see?" she asked as she resurfaced, Lightning still keeping a firm grip on her.
"You're so used to fighting in your shifted form you still compensate when you have your smaller, human form."
Kicking in the water, Fang hummed and moved them both closer to the bank where she could touch the ground with her back. She laid back in the shallow water near the bank with Lightning still on top of her. The elemental fell forward, her arms flying out to brace herself on either side of Fang's head.
"Very nice, Sunshine." The shifter purred, pleased with the outcome. "Seems we're teaching each other."
"Yeah." Lightning agreed, her eyes darting over the relaxed face of Fang. They stared at each other while catching their breath, both suddenly very aware of the skin contact as Lightning was unintentionally straddling her hips.
"You both certainly are! Unconventional teaching methods but it's getting the job done, nonetheless." Sazh's voice called out from above them as he circled in the air. Lightning rolled off the Pulsian quickly, embarrassed at being caught in such a compromising position.
"How long have you been up there for, you damn vulture?" Fang growled, annoyed at the interruption. Sazh landed with a beaming smile, giving the two of them a once over as they stood, dripping water off their skin.
"Long enough. You're a good teacher, Fang." He praised warmly, ignoring the scoff the shifter gave. "I've been watching you come into your own over the last while, and I've been impressed with how you've handled yourself. If you were willing, I'd like to see you and Lightning trialling a defensive course for the younger students."
The two women stared at each other in disbelief. "You serious?" Lightning asked, dubious of his intentions. Sazh nodded, though a sad expression remained on his face. He gritted his teeth for a moment before sighing heavily.
"Because I'm beginning to suspect you're right."
"Woah. Fuck, I should have been more prepared. I could have filmed that for posterity." Fang replied with a surprise, receiving an elbow to the ribs from Lightning. "I mean... What's changed? You were the eternal pacifist?"
"Once, maybe I was. But I can't keep thinking the world isn't changing, that we aren't in danger every time we leave the grounds of the Haven. Anyway. Think about my offer. You two work well enough together, I think it'd be good for you both." With his not so subtle hint, Sazh took off with a large flap of his wings, heading back in the direction of the mansion. Fang watched him leave before glancing back down to the elemental with a smile.
The heat of Lightning being so close still sent skitterings down her spine, and Fang began to consider that she was starting to feel something more than kinship towards her. Not that she thought the pinkette would ever consider a crazy shifter like her, but Fang realised that somewhere along the line the two had fallen into an easy friendship. Complete with competitive banter, quiet moments and frivolity, it gave her a moment to remember what it was like to be human. If only her best friend could see her now.
"Come on, Light. We've got a curriculum to plan." She finally said with a grin, pulling Lightning out if whatever faraway thoughts she appeared to be having.
"Huh? Oh. Right. Sure." The elemental replied, wringing out her hair from the impromptu dip in the lake. She followed Fang back down the trail towards the mansion, half listening to the shifter chattering away about ideas. Her mind was too far occupied at the thrill of being dragged off the cliff, sparring with Fang, landing on top of her in the water.
It was a different kind of electric feeling running through her, and gods help her it was just as intoxicating at the storm.