The Hidden L'Cie
Prologue
Beeping, followed by a man's voice over the intercom—notifying everyone of their arrival, had woken the brunette. She then heard train doors opening, latching themselves onto the platforms to disembark. She roused her head from the train's tough backrest, wiping the remains of her drool—hoping no one had seen her in such a state. Her eyes flittered on and off, and eventually they dawned into awakening.
Lightning saw the bustle of other passengers, mostly military, carrying luggage the size of family members past the corridor glass. She too, opened the cabin drawer beneath her, fetching out her small suitcase. So, she's finally here. Her sister and everyone were waiting for her.
She joined the bustle, as they made their way to the brightest of lights. The heavily-armoured, mesh windows of the train—its purpose: protection against wild Pulsian beasts, namely Svarogs; their sharp claws bashing against the metal roofs, and frightening even and most stoic aboard—kept everything inside dark and cool. Stepping outside, she embraced the sun.
There were people everywhere, but she removed her hood—revealing her long, black hair, then turned towards the tunnel exits. The excitement she felt looking at her life, the horizons right there in front, bubbled within her. The decision to live here had felt so right, nothing could compare to it. These years, she felt she was missing something. It would lead to a blank feeling she'd find in herself.
She left a good job, that made her (and Serah) a lot of Gil, where she did something she was good at, and that they needed her for—a, all blemishes (dangers) considered, comfortable existence. Albeit, here she was, failing to suppress her smile. She'd come here, once and for all, following the strangeness of her heart.
The entrances to Tonberry marketplace were long arches that followed all the way to the end of the platform: peculiar stone structures receding backwards at an angle; one could climb them easily.
The many stalls around her were interesting. The market was lively, with different colours of people moving through, browsing the many stalls, chatting within their groups of families, or friends, or travelling on their lonesome. Maybe she would start her own family here too, like Serah suggested.
Find herself a date, someone well-mannered, with a kind heart, who would take her through a marketplace such as this. To buy candy floss. That would be fun.
She lifted her hand, inspecting a junk trinket masquerading as a piece of emerald jewellery. The necklace had a fancy design but had a cheap band. The colour reminded her of Hope. She didn't know why, maybe because of the similar colour of the boy's crystal—but there was something more to it. Her arm jolted when the stall's attendant spotted her just beyond it. The older woman gave her a smile, and Light lowered her hand, returning the smile reflexively, before turning back towards the crowd. But she turned around again.
"How much for this?"
"500 Gil, love." Things were quite expensive in the Rest. But her day had been pretty great so far... very much unlike the previous one.
"I'll take it."