01 [video]

[titanite]

[ The video feed opens to Fang sitting on the ground and sifting through her backpack. As she pulls things out she sets them to one side, where a Bagon is also inspecting them. ] Y'know, I'm getting kinda tired of waking up someplace completely different. Once is enough, even if there's a welcome party this time 'round.

[ She starts to put the

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[Video]

[soggypastry]

[Sup, Fang. Have a pink-haired ex-soldier staring at you through the gear. Looks familiar, doesn't she? Well, if you take a couple inches off her hair, anyway. Been a while.]

Fang?

[Surprised? Most definitely. She never expected to see anyone from home again.]

[titanite]

[ Yeah, like she'd forget that face, even with the longer hair. ]

Well don't get all teary-eyed on me. Just how long have I been out this time?

[soggypastry]

[Definitely Fang. Breathe, Farron.]

I'm not actually sure. I've been here for over a year, but it was only a few days back home when I last saw you.

[titanite]

A year? [ Now she takes more notice. She's examining you more critically, Lightning, trying to see if there are any other differences, because that doesn't fit with the time line in her head. Not...that she totally trusts her own head in this instance. ]

Mmm. Least I see you've survived. [ A small smile, because she's only brain damaged when she can't tease anymore. ]

[soggypastry]

Almost fourteen months, if you want to be exact. [Noticing that examination, and just holding still. Longer hair aside, she looks almost exactly the same. Maybe a little thinner, but also just maybe a little more content.]

Could say the same to you. Crystal stasis isn't death, remember? [Tiny smile right back; she's glad to see Fang again.]

[titanite]

[ A snort. ] Done it twice; even my thick skull can remember that much.

[ She notes all these changes, and it reassures her more than any amount of words. Hell, if a place can loosen up Lightning it can't be that bad. And she is glad to see Light as well - add another thing to the list of things she never expected to do again. ] 'm glad you're here too. Fourteen months? Think that makes you older than me.

[soggypastry]

[Smirk.] Good to know. If I had to run you through everything we did back home we'd be here all night.

I'm only older than you if you don't count the centuries you and Vanille were sleeping the first time--[she stops suddenly, as if remembering something important. How'd she forget in the first place?]

Vanille's here, too. Has she gotten into contact with you yet?

[titanite]

[ And that stops her. Frankly speaking, Fang had sort of been assuming that if she was awake than Vanille would be as well. Here she would have full freedom to look for her, and with that luxury and the benefit of hindsight, she'd decided to get her bearings before mucking up the whole thing. But Lightning's talking like Vanille's been around for a while.

Bahamut stops what he's doing to look at Fang, noticing the change in her demeanor. She doesn't trust this place just yet, and so she can't quite figure out if this is a bad thing or not. ] No, she hasn't. ...How long?

[soggypastry]

[Lightning's talking like that because it's the truth; she knows Fang would want to know, just like Lightning herself would want to know if Serah or Hope were here.]

A couple of months. She got here in August but I haven't seen her around much since then. We've been in different cities the entire time.

[titanite]

[ Fang accepts that; she wouldn't expect Lightning to babysit Vanille, especially in a place that seems peaceful enough. And Lightning herself doesn't seem worried - after everything they've been through, Fang trusts Light's judgment.

Finally she lets out a soft breath, shaking her head and relaxing. ] I was already planning on looking for her, so it's not like anything's different.

[ Actually, speaking of Lightning's judgment. Fang looks at Lightning, and it's more a statement than a question: ] You like it here.

[soggypastry]

[Lightning never sounds worried---okay, sometimes she is worried about her extended family, but there's not much she can do without even a trace of where Vanille is or an idea of where she could be. Can't even give Fang a hint.]

The good news is there aren't any soldiers trying to kill her here. You don't have to worry about that.

[And then there's that statement. Is it that obvious?] Yeah. After over a year here, I've got a few reasons to like it.

[titanite]

I'll find her. And we've got these things [ meaning the gear ] to help out this time. Hell of a lot easier than running all over the place.

[ It isn't obvious, but then again Fang's never really known Lightning except in crisis control mode. It's not exactly hard to be more relaxed than any of them were while pursuing their Focus. Same way Fang isn't compelled to go attack the local power plant to figure out what's going on. Not high standards to meet! ] Good.

[ Because few people deserve that more. Fang's not going to press her on the reasons; if Lightning wants to tell her, she'll tell her. ]

[soggypastry]

It is, unless you two somehow end up on the same route but pass by each other without noticing.

[Fang may have only known Lightning in crisis control mode, but she should be able to recognize annoyance when she sees and hears it. Yes, Lightning is speaking from experience now.

Also, there's a pause. She knows Fang won't push her for answers, but she still deserves something.] Made friends here.

[titanite]

Then I turn around and keep looking. [ She does hear that annoyance. ] That happen often?

[ Even if Lightning seems reluctant to share that, Fang has to smile genuinely at that. No teasing here - it's good to see her doing (apparently) well. ] 'm glad.

[soggypastry]

Often enough.

[One time. One time and she never forgot it. Then again, it was Serah who she missed, so...it's kind of understandable.

She's not reluctant to share so much as unsure how to share; no one can say her social skills are good even after all this time.] It's hard not to. You can't really last on your own here. Not for long, anyway.

[titanite]

[ Definitely understandable.

However, the second part makes her raise an eyebrow. ] I thought this place was supposed to be nice and quiet.