025 [Video/Action for Saffron]

[soggypastry]

--I said stop that.

[Well. Someone sounds a little angry today, doesn't she? Lightning's not exactly known for her easy-going nature, but she's calmed down a lot here in Johto. Except it doesn't seem that way from the tone of her voice.

But at least the growling isn't her. No, that growling belongs to the Shinx who just happens to be chewing on the gear, keeping the feed in blackness until Spark pulls it free of his mouth and starts a bit of a Pokésquabble. This does let anyone watching see that Lightning has a cloth over her arm and is chasing Odin around, the horse prancing and...yep. Dancing around to avoid her. He seems amused, though, especially after she tosses the cloth over his back. It's a saddle blanket, and it's supposed to stay on, but Odin's not having any of it. Nope, he's just running away so quickly it falls to the ground and leaves Lightning in the dust. Amused horse is amused and...almost laughing.

Yep. A laughing horse. It apparently does happen, but Lightning is most certainly not amused. She's just picking up the saddle blanket and trying again. And again. And again. And each time, Odin just runs away and ditches the blanket, leaving Lightning shaking her head while Shinx and Spark continue to tussle, hitting the gear and ending the feed without her noticing it was even on.]


Private Text to: Rise Kujikawa

[About six hours after the video feed, Rise will receive this:]

Can you meet me at the Train Station? I have something for you.

Comments

[soggypastry]

[Thank Etro, fal'Cie, and the Maker for that. Because Lightning would be right there with Fang if she got into trouble and that wouldn't end well at all.

At least she doesn't protest the half-hug, though? It does catch her off-guard, but she doesn't tense up and instead almost leans into it a smidge. Almost.]

Something like that. I'd be worried if you didn't.

[lif]

[ The hug only lasts for a moment before Fang reclaims her arm. ]

Someone's gotta keep you on your toes, or make sure you remember to have fun.

[soggypastry]

[Once Fang's reclaimed her arm, Lightning stretches out a bit in preperation to stand up, but she does send a glance in Fang's direction.]

You've got your work cut out for you, you know. Not going to make things easy on you.

[lif]

That's what keeps it fun for me.

[ Her response is immediate, then followed by a laugh. ]

[soggypastry]

[To that, Lightning only shakes her head as she stands up, turning to offer Fang a hand]

We'll see if it stays that way.

[lif]

[ She takes that hand and stands. ]

Have a little faith, Light. The moment I give up you can tell me I'm old and have lost my touch.

[soggypastry]

[A nod, then...tiny smirk. Fang? Lose her touch? Say it won't be so.]

Maybe I will. But if you lose your touch we'll probably already have bigger problems to deal with.

[lif]

[ That, hopefully, is the point. ]

Count on it. And if I'm lucky we'll be too busy savin' the world again for you to give me the "told ya so".

[ Yes, she really would rather be fighting another Orphan than hear that. ]

[soggypastry]

[Well, it may just happen. Who knows?]

Then you'd better hope Lady Luck still likes you.

[This is a pretty big world, though...they probably would be really busy if it came time for ex-l'Cie to save it.]

[lif]

[ Anything's possible! ]

Not too worried. What's there not to like?

[ Fang knows that she's leaving herself wide open with that one and frankly doesn't care. The banter's moving them away from the tension of before, and that's all that really matters. ]

[soggypastry]

[True, true! Even Orphan showing up here would be possible.

...And, Fang? You really did just leave yourself open. Wide open.]

You want the short list or the long one?

[she might be joking. Maybe. Hard to tell with Miss Poker Face here.]

[lif]

[ She's apparently taking it on faith that Lightning is continuing to tease. That or she isn't too worried. ]

Short one. You've already accused me of goin' soft, don't need ya breaking my heart too.

[soggypastry]

[A long pause follows that, before Lightning shrugs. In for a gil, in for a pound.]

You're a lot like Snow sometimes. He didn't always make friends.

[Though, considering what Lightning thinks of Snow now, that might just be a compliment.]

[lif]

[ Fang can roll with the punches, especially a relatively soft one like that. It's true, it would've been very different coming from a time before Lightning was willing to let Snow marry Serah. ]

Heroes don't need to be popular.

[soggypastry]

[But since it comes from a Lighting who trusts Snow now....yeeeep. Practically a compliment.If it didn't mean reckless, worrying, and sometimes downright idiotic, anyway.]

It would help if they weren't, considering how many enemies we had.

[lif]

[ She can live with that. ]

Not exactly something we gotta worry about now.

[soggypastry]

[Good. Because Lightning's not changing it for anything.]

I hope you're right about that. Never know who's going to show up here.

[lif]

Think you got enough trouble without going and borrowing some. We'll deal with it if it happens.

[ She's confident that they can handle anything that gets thrown their way, so it's just that simple to her. ]

[soggypastry]

[Is it borrowing trouble if she tries to prepare for the inevitable? She doesn't think so, but she'll give Fang the point. Works better that way, really.]

Not like we haven't done it before, anyway.

[Even if they're missing half their "unit", they can probably manage anything. Probably.]

[lif]

[ It really is too bad Snow isn't here. Then Fang could have a partner in "screw it, let's just go with it and deal with the consequences when they come". The headaches they could give Lightning! ]

See? Nothing to worry about. Worst case is that Titan suddenly shows up and decides he needs to fix this place up too. Feeling up for some more trials?

[ Fang finds the idea funny, but she also thinks it has an approximately zero chance of happening. ]

[soggypastry]

[Oh, the headaches they'd give her and the punches they'd get for worrying her. It would be glorious!]

Only if there's no Undying at the end of them. Had enough of that back on Pulse.

[Approximately zero, huh? That's probably what any of them thought about ending up on a world like this one, too.]

[lif]

He wouldn't create them: he protects life, in his own way. They do nothing but destroy.

It's better that we killed 'em anyway.

[ Sooner or later, she figures, the gods will get tired of jerking them around. ]

[soggypastry]

Sure, but that doesn't mean any of us enjoyed fighting them. I'd rather not have to do all that again.

[Hopefully. Or maybe they won't get tired of puppets who don't end up dead and keep jerking them like toys.]

[lif]

You do what ya have to.

[ She says it with a shrug. She figures it's just a difference of perspective: Gran Pulse was hers, and she'd felt an obligation to it and all those accusing Cie'th stones. Killing an Undying was pretty similar to completing one of those tasks to her mind. ]

But I still don't think there's a lot of fightin' in our future, despite all your doom and gloom.

[soggypastry]

[The doom and gloom comment earns Fang a sigh and a headshake before Lightning steps off the sidewalk and back towards her horse, speaking over her shoulder as she goes.]

Don't count on it. We may have to deal with Team Rocket ourselves sooner or later.

[And goodness knows that'll involve a lot of fighting. Fighting Lightning is expecting Fang to be in on, really.]