Eh, just a short ficlet I did a while back that turned into a bit of a challenge between me and my newly acquired room-mate to see if we could take the same prompt, same couple, and same basis to make different fics. Currently, there is another ficlet with this prompt still in the works, and it will probably be much longer, better and blah blah blah. It started out as an accident, so I doubt I'll be making this into anything more than a two or three shot at best, and as for progression, well, if I finish the next ficlet, it has the same prompt and all, so that's pretty much out of the window. It'll probably be just a set of different takes on the same thing; of course, not the SAME, but close.

Anyway, enough of my babbling, here is the fic; I in no way own FF13! If I did, there would be MOAR LESBIANNNNZZZZZZZ! ... lol.

EDIT: I changed my mind, to make it easier to organize the challenge fics. Now, they will be actual stories, instead of just oneshots, since this was really confusing to people.

Enjoy! :)

Lightning - two words about her, stunning - and absolutely ruthless. Vanille admired the soldier from afar, not paying attention to the battle they were fighting. After all, there was no need; Lightning and Sazh had it covered. Vanille was just there for comedy relief, or whenever Lighting decided it was time to declare war on all things cute, romantic, or even remotely alive. Then the woman would turn to her, and with fire in her eyes, proceed to call her every name in the book; worthless fool, clumsy deadbeat, some other words that made no sense, but it all meant the same and like always, Lightning stood in front of her now, glaring hatefully.

Lightning spoke; Vanille felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "What were you thinking? You could've gotten us all killed!" she raged coldly. Vanille was beginning to look like a caged animal, getting poked with a very large, very pointy stick. She looked at the ground.

She was indeed at fault. In the midst of battle, she launched herself at the enemy, unleashing a clumsy barrage of spells. She left herself open, like a fool. Then, as if on cue, Lightning rushed in on the attack, awing the girl to no end. She stood like a practice dummy, watching the beauty slash her way across the field. The very image of the woman incapacitated her. The enemy pounced.

"Watch out!" Sazh had cried, but it was too late for her to try and evade. Lightning paid the price for her mistake, jumping directly in the savage beast's line of fire to protect her from the blow, something that undoubtedly would have killed her; she was far too frail to withstand such power. A stamp of Lightning's boot wrenched her consciousness back into the present.

"I - I . . I'm sorry." she whimpered, hoping to avoid Lightning's wrath. It wasn't the first time she'd made such a mistake. Lightning's blade had yet to be sheathed.

Lightning made a guttural noise, "Sorry doesn't cut it if we're dead, idiot."

"Oh come on now," came Sazh's voice, "Give the poor girl a break."

"Why should I? It's not my fault she's a fool, is it?" Lightning snapped.

"Well, it's not her fault you're a raging psychopath, lady," Sazh said as he took Vanille's place in the proverbial shooting gallery.

Lightning snarled, "Stay out of my way, Katzroy." A tear rolled down Vanille's cheek.

"She's just a kid!" Sazh yelled, keeping himself between the two. His hands hovered over his duelers, anticipating action.

Lightning raised her gunblade with a growl, "Kid or not, that's no excuse for folly!" She paused, breathing out harshly. "Let me repeat myself," she said, as Sazh drew his Mega 42 pistols in defense, "I said-"

"Stop it!" Vanille threw herself in front of Sazh, sobbing. Lightning's eyes softened for a moment, watching the girl sink to her knees in the dust. The look on her face was pitiful. As insensitive as she were, she couldn't shoot her, not now that they could relate. The air grew heavy as the realization hit her. Despair – that was something she could understand.

"That goes for you too, squirt," she lowered the barrel slightly. Her voice was slightly less threatening than before. Sazh holstered his pistols and stepped back, realizing it was pointless to face off against her, seeing as such a conflict would most likely involve his and Vanille's deaths. Besides, he could've sworn she actually smiled.

Vanille opened her eyes to the sound of Sazh's fading footsteps in the distance, peeking through her hands as she slumped over. Lightning sheathed the Blazefire and stepped closer to the red head, who cringed. After a few seconds, she brought her hands back down to her lap, daring to share a gaze with her. Emerald seas met blue skies, both being endless, worlds apart.

"Y-you're not going to shoot me?" Vanille asked, watching Lightning closely. Fresh tears trailed her reddened cheeks.

"Would you rather I did?" Lightning asked in an uncharacteristically cheerful manner.

Silence.

"Thought so." There was a long pause, "Now pick yourself up and let's get moving. We have a lot of ground to cover." Lightning extended an arm to the shorter girl, lips upturned ever so slightly. Vanille couldn't believe her eyes.

"Right."

It was so familiar, that smile. She figured she remembered it from somewhere, perhaps on the face of a friend she'd known, a very strong, very stubborn, very masculine friend. Yes, familiar indeed. However, at the moment, she couldn't think of a name, too many distractions fluttering about in her chest for that, but one thing was for sure; perhaps Lightning was human after all.

fin

Sorry about the lack of blatant femmeslash, but I chickened out, what with it being about 2 AM when I finished it. Sam wouldn't shut up until I did, and this is the finished result. Anyway, if you want in on the challenge, well, I don't mind. It's by no means exclusive. =D

Cheers!