A/N: In the Second Time Around universe, a St. Patrick's Day event at the Guardian Corps make it a family affair. This takes place AFTER Celes and Terra adopt Relm, with the romantic pairings from this universe being the same.
A/N #2: The title of this is the same as the last story but the entire plot is COMPLETELY different than the last story - my friendly disclaimer to everyone here.
A Family Affair (Take 2)
Lightning couldn't believe it. Somehow, and some way, the oldest Farron sister was wearing all green, just like everyone else in the living room, as they're all heading out to the annual St. Patrick's Day event at Guardian Corps HQ. It was Lady Luck who felt that the pinkette looked VERY good in what she chose to wear, because Fang could NOT take her eyes off of her wife. "Looking as beautiful as ever, Sunshine..." was all the brunette had to say, which made Lightning not only feel better about herself, but her heart also melted from the sincerity as Fang gave her wife a hug filled with love an promise. Their son Kurasame also joined in on the hug, to him it only felt right with the theme of the GC event: St. Patrick's Day, one holiday the oldest Farron sister loathes more than almost the rest of them put together. It would be Celes that gets everyone at the Yun-Farron household really ready to get going to the event, for Y'shtola, Lyse, Maria, Firion, Hope & Porom were all already there, waiting for them with Rydia and Edge. Leon and Minfilia would meet everyone there later due to an issue with Leon's car. It was while Terra was driving in one of the cars that she saw Lightning lean on Fang's shoulder in appreciation of the gesture from before, knowing that everyone is giving the Bodhum native the moral support she really needed. Terra could only smile at what she saw, because Lightning wasn't one to say words, but her actions more than made up for that.
As for the overall ride to the event, it was oddly quiet, because of the antics that usually go on during St. Patrick's Day. As much as some would think that this is Lightning's request - it's actually Fang and Snow's idea more so than everyone else. Not to forget that Lyse's allergy to alcohol is an important factor in their reasoning. With the ride, everyone made it fun despite the quiet nature of the such. Lightning's gesture meant for quick nap to help her be more alert at the event, while Celes and Carlyn had to keep it together to not get pissed off by some random dipshidiot cutting them off while headin to the event. Thankfully, it was Relm who made things alright for everyone during the drive to the event, making Terra even more grateful that she and her wife are Relm's legal guardians. Gotta love that kid, Relm sure knows how to help us when we can't help ourselves, and heading to a St. Patrick's Day event at the GC with Sis and Fang... Serah mused to herself a short time after the entire issue resolved itself thanks to Relm's sassy antics. Seven and Sice, by Etro's Miracle, chose to completely keep themselves out of that mess. To Sice it wasn't worth it, and Seven... she was sound asleep the entire time, not knowing what was going on with the people around her at all, something Snow found hilarious, although the oaf felt that the silver haired lass needed the rest after the rough week she's had on an overall scale.
It was in record time that the group made it to the event, and on time no less. By Lady Luck's fortune, Leon and Minfilia also made it to the venue, albeit a very short time before the rest of the group did. After pleasantries were exchanged, the entire group went inside to greet those who were already there, waiting for them - all of who were head to toe in green, even Y'shtola herself!
The event would be one to remember.
XXX
Amodar and Rygdea - dressed in green like everyone else - welcomed the attendees to the event, where a surprise announcement was that there are people who are slated to get a promotion in the GC. Lightning knew that she wasn't up for a promotion as the oldest Farron was giving hints to people about possibly retiring from the GC to go back to school to finish her studies in music and hopefully become a musician, yet no peep from some of the others regarding their plans with the GC, regardless if they plan on staying with them or leaving for whatever reason. Celes knew that she's staying put with the GC, although Rydia and Edge have been talking about one of them leaving the GC but the other staying put for some time, for reasons unknown - this piece of information being very well known in the circle. In the meantime, everyone was having fun at the event, mingling with people, eating or drinking something, as the only beverage there that wasn't water being Ginger Ale - something that has no alcohol in it, as the event had kids as attendees. Seven, who is more alert at this point, was keeping her eyes open for a certain group of people who gave Y'shtola trouble at that Halloween party that gave Lyse a black eye, while Leon was just happy to be at the event with Minfilia, as he allowed her to all the talking for him, as Leon has never been good with words, something Sice can relate to here. As for the older two Farron sisters, Serah managed to get Lightning to try the Ginger Ale that was offered at the event, as the oldest Farron sister wasn't fond of the taste of Ginger Ale. To Light's surprise, the Ginger Ale was very good.
Fang and the others were talking about who would be getting a promotion, with the hints they've known lead to Hope and Rydia getting a promotion in their respective departments, and Celes getting a promotion to be Lightning's equal. However, none of them knew for sure, which why they were sure to use phrase such as 'rumour has it', 'according to [insert random name]' or 'speculation from so-and-so' when they revealed the hints they were given by whoever. The conversation was not only civil, but laughs were also shared at the way some things were said between the group. It was Maria and Sice who had everyone else laughing their arses off at how some of the information was revealed, and it was for great reason. With that being said, there was a name that was in the talks for a promotion for some time, and it required a thorough investigation into the matter, and that was Leon. Lightning, according to everyone, has had put in an excellent recommendation for him to get promoted since he was able and eligible to do so. Sadly, he kept on getting overlooked by others. It was during this event that they all had hoped that things would change for the better with Leon, because he's been so damn deserving of his promotion with the Dark Knight section of the GC. In a twist of fate, it was Y'shtola and Firion who has been helping the oldest Farron sister with getting Leon promoted in the GC. For those who are the closest to Leon, they all felt that it was a matter of time before Leon got the promotion that he worked his fucking arse off to get.
No one knew that Seven would make Leon's wish a reality.
XXX
It was a good amount of time into the event where Amodar, Rygdea and Lightning - all dressed in their current rank with the GC (Lightning was informed by Amodar early on that she needed to change into her GC uniform for a promotion that's tied to one who knows her, but that's all the oldest Farron sister knew at the time) - were on the stage, about to announce who exactly got promoted to what in their respective departments in the GC. What some that are tied to the group suddenly saw was that certain people in the group had to make a change of clothes as well, as it appeared that some of the speculation they have been told about were confirmed to be true. All the while Seven had a face that was impossible to read by anyone that wasn't Sice or Lightning. The question on everyone's mind was who got promoted, and to which rank if that was also the case. If they all had one thing in common with this, it would be that Leon FINALLY got that promotion with the Dark Knight sector of the GC. No one was more fit to lead them than Leon, Maria's older (and only) brother. Even Lyse and Porom felt he needed to be promoted above some of the others. The first name that was revealed to getting promoted in the GC was, in fact, Hope. According to everyone in the group at the event, Hope actually was in line to get promoted for his works being well liked and known by governing bodies all over the globe, and this was the right call for the slender lad to get promoted for his work.
The promotion for Celes to be the same rank as Lightning was both surprising and not surprising at the same time. Why is this the case? The surprising part is the fact that Celes has been with the GC shorter than almost all the others, but the unsurprising part is that her background from Vector transferred over to the GC, meaning that when she started in the GC she was at the last rank when in Vector. "We both can work from home if we want to, Light..." was all Celes said upon getting her new uniform, which matched the one that Lightning's been wearing. "Thanks" was all Lightning said in reply to that, for Celes knew that Light wasn't one who said many words but is more known for her actions to do the talking for her. The thanks from Light was all Celes needed to hear, if anything. Everyone there was smiling their best smile at the event, for every good thing was coming their way after an interesting set of events from recent times. What was somewhat overdue was Rydia's promotion for the Summoners, but it was from the lack of Summoners in that section of the GC for anyone to get promoted. Oddly enough, one item that caught their attention was the promotion for Edge. Like both Celes and Lightning, he can work from home when needed, which was a massive sigh of relief for His Young Highness.
There is he. Leon. Rygdea and Amodar finally announce that the Fynn native is being promoted after all this time. In Rygdea's eyes, it was WAY overdue, more so than the rest of the promotions that were announced between those in the group and the other attendees at the event. You're a brother to me Rygdea, and nothing will change that for years to come. Thank you and Amodar for seeing my older brother for who he is and what he can be in life... Maria mused to herself with a pride those from Fynn would be an idiot to miss. What about Seven, Firion was asking some of the others in the group, for he couldn't read her facial reactions to this at all... until the potent Farron Smirk showed up on her face all of a sudden, where Sice and Y'shtola were laughing their arses off upon seeing that smirk. The duo knew that Seven had something to do with Leon's long overdue promotion at the GC, but what none of them knew was the extent of the silver haired lass's role in the promotion. It was then revealed that Seven, of all people, was the one who suggested that Leon gets promoted at the GC... with a little help from Minfilia! Minfilia and Seven exchanged a fist bump over the matter, for it was a secret the duo knew about but was sworn to secrecy by both Amodar and Rygdea for an unknown amount of time.
"Sevsky, how were you able to get Leon promoted, and with Minfilia's help...?" Snow, Serah, Carlyn & Vanille - the latter was quiet the ENTIRE time, one must add - finally had the guts to ask the Rubrum native that question, now that they know about Seven's role in this being much bigger than they anticipated. Seven and Minfilia's answer to that quesiton? They were asked by Amodar and Rygdea directly after an investigation revealed that Leon was responsible for the death of a wanted enemy two years ago, which that enemy was the same one who inflicted so much pain onto the sibling relationship with Leon and Maria by badly brainwashing Leon for years. Once Leon's name was cleared for that, it was that whore (in Fang's opinion) Jihl Nabaat that prevented Leon from ever getting promoted at the GC. It was Jihl's sudden death toward the start of the year from unknown circumstances that finally cleared the path for Leon to getting that promotion. Seven and Minfilia helped Leon to get to the truth of Jihl's role in the fiasco with him, and Leon saving varying but innocent civilians from an attack staged by one tied to Y'shtola and Lyse, where the married pair were the intended targets of said actions.
Leon stood by the people in his circle, and the others who got promoted, with a gentle smile on his face, knowing that his hard work more than just paid off for the better of everyone around him. Maria, in the months after the event, would spoil Seven Farron rotten for her birthday.
To Maria, Firion, Minfilia and Leon - Seven is family to them, as is the rest in their circle.
Family, to them, protect each other.
FIN
A/N #3: Next story is in the Paying it Forward universe where Celes and Lightning have a heart warming conversation about their respective spouses.
