Characters: Lightning, Fang/Implyed FLight Time Period: During XIII Rating/Warnings: K+/Childish boob humor?

A simple re-write of a in-game scene

"Hey, Lightning."

"Call me Light."

"Did you see Vanille's brand?"

They were safe, for now. They had come to a little, quiet back-passage, and had stopped to catch their breath. Lightning only needed a moment to think about Fang's question before answering.

"No." Vanille did have a mark, but Lightning had never seen it. She couldn't even be sure where exactly where it was on the girl's body. Maybe it was on the leg somewhere? She couldn't be certain.

Fang sighed a little. "No, huh?"

She sounded disappointed. They continued down the path a little way, ready to start the uneasy stroll to Hope's house again, but then Fang stopped once more. She turned around on the spot, to look at Lightning straight in the eye. "Wanna know how long 'til it's Cie'th city? Just look at your brand."

Lightning's eyes widened and she gasped a little. She didn't know about this until that moment, but it made sense somehow. She used to think that the brands were just that: a label to show people who they were. She didn't think they had another purpose. She turned around, facing away and she pulled down the zip of her sweater. That black mark was still there, resting off-centre on her breasts, slightly hidden by her brassiere.

"You start getting more arrows," Fang explained, "and then finally an eye. Once it opens all the way, you're done." And she was right. It had been a while since Lightning looked at her brand, but there was a subtle change. The brand seemed to have grown a little larger. It was like ivy, and she felt, slowly but surely, that it was going to take over the whole of her chest, that its black leaves and thorns where going to wrap around her and suffocate her one day soon.

"Let's have a look." Suddenly, without warning, Fang grabbed her firmly by the shoulder and spun her around so they faced each other once more, and she stooped down a little, so she was staring straight at the mark. "Don't be shy." If Fang hadn't been so quick to act, Lightning might have cover herself up again, and given the woman another slap across the face, but she was still in a slightly shocked state, and couldn't do anything beyond being dumbfounded and agreeing.

"…O-kay…"

It only took a moment for Fang to smile up at Lightning's face again and give her verdict. She makes a soft, pleased noise.

"Hm. Nowhere near. You got time…" But as she stood up straight again, the smile quickly faded, and she folded her arms. "Still, you never know." She turned away, giving Lightning a chance to zip her clothes back up, making herself look a little more dignified again. Fang continued. "Some people, doesn't take so long… You get a nasty shock; it can speed up the process."

Lightning didn't know that either. With all the times they had been ambushed and chased, she wondered if some of them were now farther along the process than others. It was a scary thought. Fang talked on, returning to her favourite subject of conversation. "Vanille's brand must be pretty far along by now… I've gotta save her and get her home."

"To Pulse, you mean?" Lightning asked.

"To Gran Pulse… I heard the Sanctum prevents people from leaving Cocoon…" Fang smiled a little. "I'd like to see 'em try and stop me."

"So, that's your plan?" Lightning sighed.

"Hm?"

"I wish I had one." She didn't look at Fang at all as she spoke; rather she stared at nothing, lost in thoughts and memories. "Without Serah, without a future, there's nothing to plan for. There's no way out of this mess, and no way to fight it… I'm stuck trading blows with the Sanctum, but that's no plan… Even if we topple the government, where's that leave us? With nothing to fight for? I might as well be dead."

"Your sister!"

Lightning gasped, and finally looked at Fang again. The woman had a gentle smile on her face, looking as if she knew more than Lightning did. "You've got plenty to fight for. Think about it." She put her hands on her hips, like a stern but loving mother. "Don't you want to see Serah, after she wakes up? That's your future right there! All you've gotta do is survive!" She let out a little laugh. "Ha! It's simple."

"…Right." She had a point, but Lightning didn't let on too much. She had a feeling if she let Fang know she agreed with her, she might not have heard the end of it. After a moment, Fang walked around her so she's right up in front of her again, and flash a little cheeky grin.

"Anyway," she said, "it would be a shame if a beauty like you got cut down in her prime." She folded her arms and lend back on her heel, taking in Lightning's confused expression. "By the by, you have a cracking cleavage."

The crack of that leather-clad hand smacking her bare face was loud and harsh, and it hurt more than the last time, but Fang could do nothing but laugh. She laughed and laughed as a red flush spread around her abused cheek and laughed some more as Lightning held the neck of her jumper tightly and scowled, refusing to believe her own cheeks were burning pink.

The airships came roaring by…