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Etro's Boon

Chapter 3: The Heroines' Return

"That hurt…" The bronze skinned figure groaned, turning over to face the equivocating soldier.

Lightning's azure eyes widened as it met striking green.

Words died on her lips.

I-it can't be...!

"Long time no see...Lightning." Fang greeted calmly, with a smirk.

The soldier was overwhelmed with emotion. She wanted to grab the familiar figure in a fierce bearhug, and yet, also felt the strangest urge to punch the living daylights out of her.

Sheer practicality stepped in.

"Are you naked? In my clean sheets?!"

Fang laughed softly. "Lucky you, huh?"

The brunette pulled herself into a sitting position, one hand supporting the thin white sheet draped enticingly against her creamy flesh. She smiled at the pink haired woman, who hesitated.

"Did you miss me?"

Lightning snapped her reddening face away. Her next words came out more gruffly than she intended. "How did you escape?"

Fang laughed. "You haven't changed one bit, have you?"

But Lightning remained resolutely silent.

The huntress sighed, her green eyes growing distant.

"Well, you know the part about me being in crystal stasis. I had been spending my days and nights with Vanille- just dreaming. Peaceful, blissful dreams."

A shadow crossed Lightning's face.

"But then...I started having strange visions. And a voice..."

Fang's eyelids drooped.

"I heard a voice that kept calling out to me. It made my heart ache terribly."

Lightning's eyes flashed.

"But I was incapacitated…my hands were tied – well, so to speak…" The huntress continued, a wistful smile on her face. "…then one day, She came."

"She?" Lightning quickly interrupted.

"Etro." Fang replied seriously, staring her full in the face. "Goddess Etro. She said she came to me with the purpose of granting a boon."

"A goddess came to you in your dreams and offered to grant you a wish." Lightning repeated flatly.

Fang hesitated. "That's what I thought at first."

"So I told her I had everything I needed...with Vanille by my side. My life was already complete, I - "

"Yeah, you've made that point crystal clear." Lightning interrupted sullenly, crossing her arms with a scowl. "So what happened next?"

Fang continued, ignoring her. "Well, I told her I had nothing to ask for."

"But she said I was quite mistaken. The boon was not for me."

The pink haired soldier faltered. "I don't understand."

Fang's sheet parted, flashing her very long, sensual legs as she moved to step off the bed.

Lightning quickly averted her gaze. The sight made her jumpy for some inexplicable reason.

"She sent me back, Lightning." The huntress continued, sauntering towards her.

Fang placed a hand onto her shoulder. Lightning flinched, despite her gentle touch.

"Back to you."

Oerba Yun Fang.

Do you remember me?

"What are you?"

I am the Goddess, Etro.

"Hmph, a Goddess? Well…what do you want with me?"

I am here to grant a boon.

"A boon? I have no need of one."

You misunderstand. It is not you I wish to help.

"Huh?"

...can you hear that?

"That voice..."

She's been waiting for you.

"You can hear her too?"

I can hear everything…

Lightning choked.

"Back to me?"

Fang backed the pink haired soldier against the wall, and leaned in boldly.

"You've been calling for me, haven't you? I would recognise your voice anywhere." The brunette whispered, cradling the soldier's cheek lovingly with a hand. "Well, now I'm here."

Lightning's azure eyes widened.

"Stop that!" She spat, pushing Fang back roughly.

Taken by surprise, the huntress let go of the single white sheet that protected her fragile modesty; it slid off her flawless skin and fluttered to her ankles in a crumpled heap.

Lightning could not tear her eyes away in time, and choked.

"What the hell?!"

The huntress looked down casually.

"Y-your a–!"

Fang grimaced.

"Damn." He remarked.

"No."

You must reconsider.

"I'm not leaving Vanille! Either she comes along, or I'm staying."

Your heart has never longed for another?

"What, so you read minds too?"

Yes.

"Hah! I'd have to be straight as an arrow to not be the slightest bit attracted to her."

Yes.

"But I could never leave Vanille's side!"

You will feel differently soon.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

You will see.

"What the hell happened to you?!"

"Calm down, Lightning." Fang placated. "Believe me, if there's anyone who should be complaining…"

"You expect me to believe that a goddess did…that to you?!"

"I think that would be the only reasonable explanation given the circumstance, yeah."

"C-cover that…thing!" The soldier spluttered, turning her face away in disgust.

Fang reached down and snatched at the white sheet.

"Vanille's not going to like this very much." He sighed morosely, wrapping the sheet around his taut waist.

"I must be dreaming." Lightning muttered to herself, wringing her hands as she paced feverishly about the room. "It's all a dream…it's all a dream…"

"Look, I've promised Vanille that I'll be with her for all eternity."

You may return to her side once you have fulfilled your purpose.

"Ah, finally getting to the point now, are you? So tell me, O Goddess, what is this grand purpose of mine?"

The two friends were now at opposite ends of Lightning's bedroom; an awkward silence had fallen between them.

Lightning sat in the corner at her table and stared determinedly away from the half-dressed brunette who stood by the window.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She studied the chocobo clock with intense concentration, her blue eyes chasing the baby bird as it raced in a circle.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She glared at the fat one that was glued lazily to the twelve hour mark, willing it to move for no apparent reason. It did not so much as twitch its stub of a tail.

Lightning sighed.

The clock was completely ridiculous, but Serah had gotten it for her as a parting gift and she could hardly have refused, could she?

"It's...cute."

"I'm glad you like it! I'm giving it to you so you'll think of me every minute of every day that I'm gone! Hah!"

"..."

Every minute of every day.

Lightning felt a sudden pang of guilt. While she adored her sister - and knew it had all been said in jest anyway - she had to admit that it was really someone else who occupied her daily thoughts. A certain tall, full-figured brunette...

Her gaze inevitably traveled to the silent figure by the window.

Fang was staring pensively into the night sky. Half of her - his - face was cast in shadow, forming a elegiac profile against the dusty velvet black.

I've really missed you.

She - he - was as breathtakingly beautiful as Lightning remembered...even if the picture was marred by Fang's broad pecs. The pink haired woman silently protested the absence of a couple of Fang's more fascinating features, shocking herself, in the process, at her brazenness.

Disturbing images of the latest addition to Fang's nether regions crept into her mind yet again, despite her efforts. It was a definite turn off, she agonised, and it made it hard for her to reconcile her feelings for Fang- but there it was, pecs and all. She just could not wrap her head around it.

It was all so surreal.

"Say, Light." Fang murmured suddenly, causing her to visibly start in shock.

Thankfully, the brunette had not noticed. He had still been staring out the window, a faraway look in his smoky green eyes.

"...yeah?" Lightning replied warily.

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"For thinking of me."

Fang tilted his head towards Lightning, and smiled. The simple gesture made her heart race.

She responded by turning her head away slightly, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.

"We're...friends, aren't we?" She murmured hesitantly.

A shadow crossed Fang's face.

"Hundreds of years from now, Grand Pulse will meet its doom."

"..."

A young man named Kreiss will be one of the last few still standing.

"..."

And he will be Grand Pulse's last hope to save the world. Your world.

"..."

Will you not protect the 'eternity' you have promised Vanille?

"Alright, alright, you have my attention. So spit it out and tell me where I come in."

Oerba Yun Fang, you must father Kreiss. Tonight. With she who names herself Lightning.