Nathen Micheals was an avid video game player who loved the Final Fantasy game series big time to say the least. When Final Fantasy XIII-2 was released he had already put in a pre-order a month in advance, and on release day, raced home from school as fast as he could.

“Hey mom did my package from Amazon come in yet?” Nat yelled at his mom as he came through the door.

“It’s on the table. Make sure you do your homework before you touch any of your video games young man!” his mother yelled from the livingroom.

“Ok mother,” he muttered as he grabbed the box off the table and ran upstairs to his room. His mother had become quite a drunk, not abusive, but a drunk none the less after his father passed away two years ago, so he knew she would probably pass out long before she bothered to check on him.

Entering his room, he threw open the box to find something he wasn’t totally expecting. It was his pre-order of Final Fantasy XIII-2, but it was in a gold box rather than the usual Xbox 360 green. He quickly tore through the game’s plastic packaging and gathered his codes for his pre-order items with a huge grin on his face. He ignored the handwritten letter that fell to his floor and swept under his bed.

Nathen threw his backpack into the chair and sat down, opening the golden box and pulling out the game. To his surprise it was a blank looking XBox game disk with no writing on it. He studied it a bit puzzled. At first he considered searching online to see if anyone else got a similar box, but the weird, gold box really piqued his curiosity.

“Maybe it’s like a first off the line special deal?” he asked no one in particular as he stared at the blank disk.

“Well here it goes,” he answered himself and opened the xbox tray, placing the game on the tray and closing it quickly. The game started to load into the Final Fantasy Loading Screen, when suddenly the lights start to dim in the house.

“The graphics look so much more realistic then the last one!” Nathen grinned as the game started through its intro movie. He selected “Start new game”, and suddenly the power in the house blew, and everything went dark.

“Damit!” he shouted, startled, racing for the bedroom door. He flung it open and bellowed, “Mom did you forget to pay the damn electric bill again?”

“Watch your language young man,” she scolded. “It’s probably a blackout. I’ll call the electric company and see what happened. In the meantime come get a candle from the pantry so you can finish your homework.”

Nathen grumbled as he went to grab some candles and headed back upstairs, sitting down at his desk and lighting one to start his homework. “Might as well get this done then since I can’t play my new game.”

Finishing what homework he had, he walked back downstairs, “Mom whats up with the power?”

Glancing up from a half-finished glass of wine, she shrugged. “They’re sending someone. Meantime I ordered Chinese, since I probably shouldn’t be driving,” she continued, staring into her glass with equal parts desire and disgust.

Nathen sighed, “I’m going to go lay down then. Wake me when the Chinese food gets here ok Mom?”

“Okay. Hey,” she called after him as he turned to leave. “I love you.”

Nathen rolled his eyes and turned to head back to his room. “Whatever,” he mumbled as he closed the door and collapsed on his bed causing the handwritten letter to waft back out, but he didn’t notice it, rolling over onto his side facing the wall as a storm began to brew in the distance. He also didn’t notice the dvd drive on his XBox suddenly spin up, despite the lack of power.

His Xbox started to boot into Final Fantasy XIII-2, or what he thought was just the game. Unknown to him, the game he happened to place in the machine wasn’t an ordinary game, but the world itself...

Nathen felt like his head was spinning. He couldn’t tell if he was asleep or awake, when he suddenly felt solid ground beneath his bare knees. He cautiously opened his eyes.

“Hey girl, what the hell are you doing behind these boxes?” a very pretty woman with medium link, light pink hair, carrying an odd sheathed sword at her side barked in a military-like tone.

“What?” Nathen asked, staring blankly back at her for only a split second before clutching at his throat with one hand, covering his mouth with the other. “Was that..” he whispered, then covered his mouth again. That lilted, childlike and girlish voice was certainly not his. He stared, bewildered and frightened at the woman, as well as her sword.

“Come out from behind there. You’re safe with me,” she instructed as she offered her hand. Nathen stared blankly back at her for just a moment before he rose to his feet.

He wasn’t quite prepared for the next two shocks - long hair touching nearly bare shoulders, and the distinct feeling of his feet and legs angled slightly forward by his shoes, about two sizes too large. He was too confused to focus much attention on either just now, stumbling into one of the boxes he had apparently been kneeling behind. “What... Who... Where...” he fumbled.

“First what’s your name?” the woman stated. “You’re in an alleyway of Palumpolum“

“P-P-P-Palumpolum?!” he practically squealed. “That’s impossible! I have to be dreaming!”

The woman scoffed. “You’re awake, and this is Palumpolum. I was about to take leave to Bodhum till I found you, but now I have paperwork,” she sighed.

Slowly looking down, Nathen jumped slightly. “I-I’m a girl... What the hell’s going on?”

“Yes you’re a girl, and I did ask your name?” the woman continued to stare expectantly at the young girl in front of her.

Nathen slowly reached out her hand, touching the woman’s arm before pulling back again. “Shit. This is real. And you’re really...” he, now she, paused, catching herself. She knew Claire “Lightning” Farron when she saw her. “Real. Then that means I’m really in... Holy shit.” She paused and giggled. “Oh, umm... I’m... Nat, I guess? My head’s still spinning...”

“Nat as in Natali? Ok, follow me young lady. I need to take you to someone who can help you find your parents or guardian.” The woman turned around.

Nathen, now Natali, hung her head. Between the rather loud echoes of her low heeled shoes against the hard street, and the slight breeze rustling the short dress she was apparently wearing, her cheeks burned fiercely. She shut her eyes tight, opening them again, only to be greeted by the same scenery once more.

“Come on, wake up Nat,” she whispered more frantically. “Shit shit shit. Come on, Mom, get off your drunk ass and wake me up!”

“Do you recognize any of this stuff now young lady?” the woman asked as she led her down the semi busy street.

She wanted to answer truthfully. She recognized the city from Chapter 7 of the original game easily enough, but they’d never believe her if she told anyone. Part of her wanted to cry. Being in Lightning’s custody meant if she tried to run, she’d definitely get caught, so she reverted to her moody teenager nature instead, pouted, and shrugged. “Whatever. You won’t believe me anyway.”

“If you don’t know the area here, then where are you from? And if I have to take you on my leave with me you’d best drop the damn attitude. I have a kid sister myself and I know that attitude.” Lightning sighed.

Natali actually cracked a smile at that comment, mumbling quietly, “I always wondered if that went any deeper.” She paused to cover her mouth. “Shit.” She was growing more nervous now, and fleeing began to seem like a much better idea, especially as they passed another alleyway.

She edged away from Lightning, hoping the powerful woman wouldn’t notice as she began to lag behind, easing her way toward freedom. Lightning reached back and grabbed the young girl and pulled her along.

“No falling back. Keep up and things will go smoothly.”

“I can’t help it. These shoes are killing me. Can we stop for a second?” Natali whined.

Lightning sighed and stopped, turning to the girl, still holding her hand. “Take those damn things off and go barefoot. It’s only a block.”

“THANK you,” she answered honestly, even if she did have other ideas. She backed her backside up against the facade of a nearby building and quickly stepped out of her over-sized shoes. She looked up at Lightning for a moment as she massaged her toes, bent forward slightly, and took a deep breath, sprinting off down the alleyway.

Lightning shook her head and walked to the alleyway’s entrance stating casually, “You went the wrong way girl. If you wanted to run from me, you should have went down the other alley.”

“Shit!” she growled, looking around frantically for a side-door. Finding none, she backed against the wall and cowered. “Please don’t hurt me?”

Lightning walked up to Natali and grabbed her, pulling her gunblade. “If you ever run from me again, I will use this on you, but for now I promise you, I won’t hurt you. Just let me do my job so I can go see my sister.”

Natali hesitantly nodded. “I’m sorry. It’s just, I don’t belong here. I want to be here, but this isn’t my body, and... and...” Tears welled up as she hung her head, “But I don’t wanna keep you from Serah.” She sighed, holding onto Lightning’s arm more tightly. “Just get me somewhere less exposed, and I’ll tell you everything I remember.”

“I didin’t mention Serah’s name,” Lightning gave the girl a sidelong glance, but actually grinned, if briefly.

“Oh, um, well, you’re Lightning, right? Everyone knows about you and Serah, and Snow and...” As the pair walked out of the alley, Natali’s stomach rumbled. She frowned. “Mom was supposed to order Chinese... God I’m so hungry.”

“Here lets get you something to eat, and you can tell me everything including what ‘Chinese’ is.” Lightning looked down at the young lady. “And maybe we can get you to stop talking like you’re a member of NORA.”

“That sounds great, but … what about your leave? And your sister? I don’t want to get in the way. I mean, what you do is like, world-saving crucial,” she babbled. Male or female, Nat was still just a kid, and Lightning was more of a hero to her than her own mother would’ve ever been. Besides, moody teenager almost got her shot. Maybe awe-struck fan girl might work instead.

“Look, I’ll take you down to New Bodhum when I go. You can stay with my sister, and maybe find your family ok? My next patrol is in that area after I get back anyway. I might be able to help you. You seem like a nice girl.” A pained expression seemed to cross the woman’s face for a second as she turned away. Her visions told her she couldn’t tell Natali the truth just yet, so she had to continue pretending not to care, no matter what the personal pain.

“Yeah right,” Natali mumbled then covered her mouth. “Shit. Don’t take that the wrong way. It’s just... Ahh, fuck. It’s a long story. I mean it’s not really “long” long, but-” but before she could continue, Lightning turned to glare at her.

“Sorry. Shutting up.” She sighed, pausing just long enough to grab her shoes and carrying them along with her.

“Here, kid.“ Lightning pulled out a big military issue knife and extended it hilt-first. “You can keep this, as a token ok?”

Staring at the large blade, she blinked a few times. “You’re serious?”

Lightning ruffled the girl’s hair a bit and nodded. “Yes it’s yours as long as you need it ok? And Serah and I will help you find your way home. I promise you that.” That faint expression crossed her features again, like a flash, brief, but intense. Natali didn’t notice it, busy examining the high polish of her new knife in the mid-morning light. She clutched it close, like a security blanket - a very sharp one.

“I dunno if I want to go home,” the girl sighed, shaking her head. “I mean, this is all so weird, but it’s not like I’ve got anything to go home to. I dunno what I want.”

“Well kid, I’d say I would force you home, but I’ve changed, after the war. If we cant find your parents, Serah and I will take you into our family I guess. No choice really, since I found you didn’t I?” Lightning smiled down at her.

Natali’s cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson. “This isn’t a nightmare. This is a dream. I’m not sure I want to wake up anymore,” she whispered, clinging a little closer to Lightning’s side.

Lightning reached over and gently pinched the girl with a big grin on her face.

“YEEEEOUCH! HEY! What the fuck was that for?!” Natali squealed then blushed even more brightly at the utterly girlish outburst, mixed with a bit of boy in the language..

“You really need to stop swearing like a member of NORA, but now you know your not asleep, huh?” Lightning continued to grin as they walked to Lightning’s office. Natali couldn’t remember Lightning ever being this cheerful. Whatever she missed in the sequel, it must’ve been huge.

“You really have lightened up since the war.” Natali giggled to herself.

“You have no idea what I’ve been through kid, but you might not want to either.” Lightning frowned a bit, “I almost lost my sister twice you know.”

Natali nodded. “I never got past the loading screen.” She paused, biting her lip. “It’s... a long story.”

Lightning looked confused, “You’re a strange one, but you and Serah will get along just fine. She’s a teacher; got herself a school set up in New Bodhum now and everything.”

“Wow,” Natali whispered. “I guess she’s a lot older than I realized.” She stared up into Lightning’s face and tilted her head. “I’m not stupid enough to ask you your age, but how long has it been? Since the war I mean.”

“This is year 6AF sweetie. You should know that.” Lightning smiled. Natali blushed slightly at being called ‘sweetie’, but on subconscious level, she was smiling brightly at it.

“I didn’t,” was as far as she could let herself get, shaking her head. “Maybe I should start from the beginning. Just … promise you won’t lock me up in a mental ward when I’m done because it’s all completely true.”

Lightning laughed. “I wont be doing that. You do know Serah traveled through time to find me right?”

Natali stared blankly up at Lightning, but smiled. “Like I said, I didn’t make it past the loading screen. I heard there was some time travel involved though. Oh it’s not like I was spying on you or something. Well I mean, I guess I kind of was but... Yeah, okay I’m just going to start from the beginning before I dig myself any deeper.”

“Keep it simple kid. Most people can just watch the holo’s of the war and figure out my role in it. I don’t care how you came across the information.” Lightning opened the door to let the girl in, and the guard in the front saluted Lightning.

“Commander Lightning”, he nodded afterward.

Natali eyed the guard nervously, quickly hiding the knife Lightning gave her as best she could, which wasn’t very well considering she had no belt or bag of any sort.

“Bring your daughter to work day is it Ma`am?” the guard gibbed at Lightning, and she smirked at him. Natali, hiding just slightly behind Lightning, stuck her tongue out, but kept close to her bodyguard.

Lightning scoft slightly, “Yeah you can say something of the sort. I need the room for a few minutes so I talk to her about how to behave around here. Shes been with her Aunt Serah and NORA a bit too long, and has gotten the language part from them.”

Natali practically giggled at the ‘Aunt Serah’ comment, grinning innocently as she tried hard to portray the bratty kid line, which admittedly wasn’t a stretch from her usual attitude anyway. “There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun though,” she insisted.

“So whats yer lil one’s name?” the guard asked as she and Natali headed into the private room.

“Her name is Natali, and she’s a bit young for you to be flirting with, Private.” Lightning gave him a look.

Natali’s jaw dropped as she looked from Lightning back to the guard, then back to Lightning, practically scampering to keep up. She whispered, “He wasn’t... really interested in me was he?”

“No sweetie, he knows you’re too young, just a child even. It’s just a bit of office ribbing is all. Anyway into the room with you.”

“Oh thank God. Because I feel self-conscious enough in this outfit,” she sighed, hurrying into the room.

“Ok, first order of buisness, put your hand on here.” Lightning pulled out a flat, square device and set it in front of Natali. The top, a faint greenish black, looked like it might be made of glass or some other hard, clear substance.

Natali stared at the device for a second or two before slowly reaching her hand out. She hadn’t noticed before how perfectly manicured her fingernails looked. At least they weren’t painted pink, but the bright aqua was just as bad. She lowered her small, delicate hand onto the device.

The machine lit up and began quietly humming, and a moment later a voice spoke in a crisp, matter of fact nature. “Name - Unknown, Family - Unknown, Age Eleven, Birth place - Unknown. Please input valid information.”

Natali jerked her hand back, staring in utter shocked silence at the machine, and then at Lightning. “What?! I’m not eleven! I’m fourteen! I’ll be fifteen in a few months!”

“The machine doesn’t lie sweetie. So, lets get your name entered. Machine, this girl’s name is now Natali Farron, daughter of Claire Farron. Age, 11, from New Bodhum, Father - deceased.”

Natali cringed at that last part as she folded her arms against the desk, resting her chin on them. “Mom said he died in a plane crash...” she trailed off. Lightning glanced down at her and frowned.

The machine lit up again and voiced, “Accepted. Please reinsert your hand for final verification, Natali Farron.”

“Fine,” she sighed, slapping her hand down onto the scanner again.

The machine made a few more of the noises it made earlier, then spoke again, “Name, Natali Farron, daughter of Lightning, no Father, age, 11, home New Bodhum. Database reconstruction complete.”

“I guess if I’m gonna be stuck here awhile, at least I’ve got a cool Mom now,” she giggled a little, trying to lift her spirits. “Ever since Dad left, my real Mom stays drunk more often than not.”

“Well you don’t need that, but now you have a mom that’s hardly ever around, and an Aunt that will spoil the hell out of you?” Lightning laughed a bit. “Oh and we really do need to work on your language. No daughter of mine will talk like a Member of NORA. It’s bad enough Serah does.”

Natali stuck out her tongue, but smiled a little. “Fuck, I have to get used to this body.”

Lightning frowned when Natali swore again, “Please atleast try to refrain from swearing in the office?”

“Sorry,” she apologized quickly, a rather stark contrast to her initial attitude.

“It’s fine. Let’s go get you fed. You said you were hungry? Also lets get you a proper outfit. You can’t be wearing those and be my kid.” Lightning winked.

“For once, I agree. I don’t know who the he--” she caught herself, clearing her throat. “I don’t know who picked this out for me, but I feel like I’m not wearing anything! An hour ago I was sitting in my bedroom in my shredded jeans and a nice, baggy sweatshirt. Power went out when I loaded up my new copy of Final Fantasy XIII-2, I laid down to take a nap, and woke up here.” She paused, shaking her head as she looked down at herself then adding as an afterthought, “Oh, and I was a dude.”

“You do not look much of a guy sweetie, and well, The dress is cute, but its a bit big on you and those shoes I found you in where a size or two to big as well, Lets get you something comfortable, its a long trip down to New Bodhum, and your going to need a new wardrobe anyway.

“That’s what I’m afraid of. I’ve seen the local fashions. Yuffie had a cute outfit in FF7, but this new stuff is... Well it’s cute, but it’s weird.” She outright lied. She adored the girls’ fashions in the various Final Fantasy universes. She just never thought she’d actually get to wear anything so unusual - or girly.

“Who is Yuffie? And what is this FF stuff your talking about?” Lightning looks down at her, confused.

Natalie sighed, then shook her head. “Okay, so here’s the deal. Where I’m from, you, Serah, NORA members, even that surly guard dude outside? You’re all video game characters. This whole world is a video game.”

“Sweetie, This is real, I pinched you remember and you felt it, it’s not a dream, nor a nightmare, you live here now.” She tried not to sound upset, but her serious tone had definitely returned. “If there’s a way to send you back then someday we will find it, but for now forget about that other world and enjoy this one.”

Natali sighed again, but hesitantly latched onto Lightning and buried her face in the woman’s midsection. “Maybe you’re right. It’s not like I have anything to go back to. This is what I always wanted. Just... not exactly how I wanted it. I used to fantasize about marrying Serah,” she added, blushing. “Don’t tell her I said that. It’s gonna be weird enough as it is.

“Part of me really wants to know how I got here, why I got that special golden box with the blank DVD, but... But you’re right. I should try and enjoy what I’ve got. As long as I don’t have to wear something skimpy like Serah,” she concluded, laughing quietly.

Lightning laughed slightly, but not at the girl’s expense. “Serah would take honor of that, but you know she’s married to Snow?” she smiled.

Natali shook her head. “I knew you’d given your permission, but I didn’t know they actually went through with it. He’s lucky,” Natali sighed whimsically as she smiled.

“Oh yeah. After Serah died giving her vision, and I used the goddess powers to revive her, a year later they where married.”

“Yet another reason not to mention my crush. I mean, besides me apparently being an eleven year old girl now. I swear whoever brought me here had a sick sense of humor.” She paused again to stare back at Lightning. “You said I looked a little like you and Serah? I haven’t seen myself yet.”

“Yes, the guard really did mistake you for my daughter sweetie. Well, our daughter,” Lightning chuckled, but it almost came out as a giggle.

Natali slowly raised her hands to touch her cheeks. Her skin definitely felt softer, her features more feminine than she remembered. She pushed at her hair, letting it feather back onto her shoulders again. “I’m Lighting’s daughter. Holy sh- Um... Wow.”

“That’s what the identification device says” Lightning grinned. “Anyway, would you like to hold my sword?” she unsheathed the gunblade.

“Oh my God,” Natali nearly squealed. It wasn’t as though she were trying to act like the biggest fangirl on her new planet - at least not anymore, but somehow her normal reactions were being translated by her new body, as if it were perfectly natural for her to squeal and laugh like an eleven year old girl. She didn’t seem to mind though, when she wasn’t focusing on it.

She slowly reached out to touch the weapon, as if it might explode if she weren’t careful.

“It’s ok. You’re my child now. You’re allowed to touch it when I say you can. It won’t hurt you.” Lightning handed the hilt of the blade to her. “It’s a might heavy, but not too bad. Even you should be able to lift it.” Smiling still, she added, “I’ll let you use it in the practice hall, while I call Snow and Serah to let them know about your arrangements.”

“Wow. I’ve wanted to hold one of these for a long time. I almost won a replica on eBay, but I had to let the other guy win because it was that or steal some money from my Mom.” She paused and frowned. “Wow. I do sound like a thug when I put it like that.”

“More of that talk from your world huh? Ebay now.. whatever that is. You won’t have to steal from us to get what you want though. I’m a commander, and make good wages, your Aunt is a teacher now, and, well...” Again she half-chuckled, half-giggled. “There’s still someone else for you to meet, but she’ll be along soon enough.”

Natali smiled up at Lightning as she accepted the blade, balancing it in both hands along with the knife she was already carrying. She carefully removed one hand, holding the weapon aloft.

“Marrik, take the lil one out to the training hall so she can learn to use her mother’s sword. I’ll be in there in a few to collect her for the trip. I have to make a call.”

Merrik nodded, “Yes Ma`am, right this way please.” Merrik smiled. “So tell me, is she hard at home or is it just an act?” he asked, not really knowing that the girl was just adopted. She did look so like her mother.

Natali giggled as she propped the heavy blade on her shoulder to keep from dragging it along the ground. “She’s … Strict but fair. She just hates that I keep picking up habits from aunt Serah and Snow.” She lied, but built it on what was already said, hoping it would be convincing.

“Ah Commander Snow from NORA, the protectors of New Bodhum. He’s a nice fellow. Serah couldn’t have gone wrong in marrying him.” Merrik nodded. “How’s it having him as an Uncle? He’s changed since the war.”

“I think he’s a little restless at times, but I think he likes the peace to the alternative,” she continued to weave her little lies.

“Well you should still be a bit worried when you go back down there. Still loose monsters around. New Bodhum is protected by NORA of course, but that doesn’t stop everything.” Merrik smiled as they entered the training hall. “Here you go”

Natali giggled, staring at the weapon. “God I don’t even know how to hold this thing right. I’ve seen her do it a thousand times, but it feels different than I thought it would.”

She carefully lay her new knife aside as she fidgeted and fiddled, trying to find a comfortable position to wield the unique weapon, turning it this way and that.

Lightning stood back, watching the girl with her gunblade, making sure not to disturb her. She could see herself at that age, wanting to become a soldier. She smiled brightly. Finally things were working out the way the goddess had told her they would. She quietly thought to herself, ‘I think acquiring one of those for her was a good idea. She’s just like me at that age; I can hardly believe she’s really mine.’

Sizing up one of the targets, Natali leveled the blade, preparing to squeeze off a round. She hesitated, realigning her shot. “Hey, Merrik was it?” she called over her shoulder without really glancing back. “Is this right?”

A woman with longish red hair, dressed in strange clothing, walked up next to Lightning and smiled as she rested her head on her shoulder. “So that’s our new daughter then?” she asked in what sounded like a British or Australian accent.

Merrik smiled at Natali, “You’re close. Hold it like this,” he instructed, showing her the proper way to hold a gunblade..

“Oh, that feels more natural,” Natali admitted, squeezing off one round and nearly dropping the weapon in the process. She started to laugh. “Jeeze!”

Vanille walked into the training Hall and pulled out her bow to use on the targets setup there. “Hello there Natali. Lightning tells me that you’re here to stay for a bit?” in her Australian like accent.

Natali looks up, a bit startled. “Oh, um, yeah, I guess,” she answered shyly.

“It’s ok. Hey Merrik, Lightning needs you to do some errands before we leave for New Bodhum yes? I’ll take care of our daughter from here ok?” She smiled sweetly as Merrik nodded, taking his cue to leave the two alone.

“So Natali, do you think you can handle having two mums that are military?” Vanille laughed a little, “Well one that’s a commander, and one that’s not really part of the army, I just lend my bow now and again.”

Natali just stared in silence up at Vanille, not really disdain or fear, but quiet awe, not unlike her first encounter with Lightning. Eventually she found her voice though.

“I... I... Wow.” Verbose, that one was. “This isn’t a dream. This isn’t a dream,” she whispered to herself.

Vanille, being the silly person she was did exactly what Lightning did and gave Natali a smart pinch. “No dream, see?” She giggled.

“YEEEOUCH! Would you people stop DOING that!” she groussed, but then giggled. “I guess I had it coming though.”

“Hey now you should not yell at your mother. Very bad manners for such a young lady.” Vanille smiled.

“It’s just... Well she told you right?” Natali asked.

“Lightning tells me everything sweet one, and we also talked with your Aunt, and both agreed you will be staying with her for a bit to get some learning ok?” Vanille smiled as she continued, “But Lightning has a gift for you before we leave for your temporary home.”

“As long as it’s not some itchy school uniform. I know aunt Sarah’s a teacher,” Natali whined.

“Oh no , no no no, nothing of the sort!” Vanille giggled. “No , you will love it, you will look so much more like her when you put it on.”

Natali wrinkled her nose. “If you say so, ‘Mom’,” she almost had to force the word, but once she did, she kind of half-giggled.

Vanille giggled as well. She wasn’t much older then Serah, but she knew she would love being this girl’s new mother, just as much as she loved being with Lightning. For some reason, awhile ago the two hung out and weirdly became an item and then got married.

“Oh! I know”, Vanille grinned and pulled something out of her pocket and put it around Natali’s neck. “Now you have a necklace like your mothers lion head.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say,” Natali grinned. “Like I told Lightni-- I mean, Mom earlier, if I have to be stuck here, then she’s right, I should enjoy it. I mean it could be worse. If she hadn’t found me God knows what creep might have.”

Lightning came back to the training hall holding a bundle of clothes, part cloth and metal, and a smaller version of her gunblade. “Put these on.” She looked a bit serious when she gave the order.

Natali looked from Vanille to Lightning, a hint of fear in her expression as she quickly offered the woman her weapon back.

Vanille smiled leaning over to whisper in Natali’s ear, “You’re fine. She’s just acting. She wants to show the guards what you said, that she’s strict but fair.”

“Yes ma’am,” Natali answered sharply, suddenly regretting that little white lie as she accepted the strange bundle. She muttered, “Thank God, it’s not pink,” as she glanced around. “Uh, where can I change?”

“Didn’t Merrik show you where the woman’s changing rooms are?” Lightning frowned, “Private, why did you not show my daughter where the restrooms were?”

“He was showing me how to hold a gunblade, and then Momma Vanille asked him about some errands, Ma’am,” Natali quickly leaped to the poor guard’s rescue.

“No excuse, but I will forgo the usual punishment, since my daughter Natali has stuck up for you Merrik. Next time I wont be so easy.” Lightning smiles at Natali, “Anyway child, the woman’s changing rooms are over on the other side of the hall, behind the double wall.”

Natali quickly nodded. She smiled up at the two, swinging her free arm around Lightning’s waist, and then Vanille’s, before racing off toward the changing rooms. “Should’ve said she was totally relaxed and never strict. God that was like dealing with my own mother sober,” she mumbled, laughing to herself as she unfurled the main piece of the outfit to take stock of everything.

“Oh my God!” she gasped. “It’s just like Lightning’s! Girl or not, I don’t think I ever want to go home!” she excitedly announced to herself, not really bothering to check if she was alone in the changing room as she stripped.

After she squealed two female guards entered the changing room, “Oh hello; are you new to the guard?” one of them asked.

“Ack!” she squealed, startled by the two women. She tried not to stare as she grabbed her new uniform, holding it up to cover herself up. “Oh, hi there.”

“That’s Commander Lightning’s uniform, you must be her daughter then?” they both smiled at her.

The girl quickly nodded. “Yes, I’m Natali Farron.”

The brown haired girl, the quieter one smiled at the girl, “You must be proud of your mother, if you want to dress just like her. I envy you. I want to be just like her someday as well.”

Natali giggled as she pulled the uniform into place. The material felt as though it were made for her, and she had to wonder just how Lightning got such a perfectly tailored piece on such utterly short notice. “Yeah, it’s just such an honor to be here, and to finally hold a gunblade. I just hope I can live up to her legacy.”

The blonde smiled. “Big shoes to fill. Lightning is a war hero, took down the Fal'Cie and the Purge. Creating this new world.”

Natali wiggled her toes at the mention of big shoes, trying not to laugh at the inside joke that would’ve been if Lightning were there, as she pulled her heavy boots into place. “She calls herself an absentee mother, but don’t tell her I said that. The truth is, I don’t care if she’s gone a lot. She’s the only one who can do what she does. I get to see her often enough, plus I get to spend time with aunt Serah too.”

“I miss Serah. She and I grew up together in the old town of Bodhum,” the brown haired girl sighed.

“Oh, wow. Really?” Natali asked even as she finished pulling her gloves into place. “I’m going to see her soon. Do you want me to pass on a message?”

“Yup, I can’t wait for this excerise trip to New Bodhum, so we can visit some.” The two women both smiled, and then the blonde piped in.

“Me too, because I have a cousin down there.”

“Oh, you’re going too.” Natali giggled.

“We are both part of Lightnings unit, yes. We get to go down on leave as well, and then we do some training with NORA,” the blonde answered.

“Cool!” Natali practically bubbled. “I guess I’d better get back out there though. Don’t want to get you guys in trouble with your Commander.” She giggled.

“Oh it’s ok, I’m more worried about you. We are off duty now: just came in to shower and go home,” the brown haired girl smiled, “To pack for the trip anyway.”

“It’s not so bad, as long as I can remember to stop talking like one of the NORA guys.” She grinned innocently.

“Your Uncle Snow is a bad influence I take it?”, the blonde giggled. “Too bad he married Serah, I sure would have loved to pick up a hunk like him.”

Natali snickered quietly. She would’ve loved to look like a ‘hunk’ like him. Maybe then she wouldn’t have felt so... She quickly dismissed those thoughts. Now she could look like her hero, after all. “I do love his hair,” she admitted with a quiet laugh.

Vanille poked her head into the changing room. “Your mother asked me to check on you to see if you got lost in here,” and she giggled after saying that.

“Oh, um,” Natali smiled sheepishly. “Tell her my uniform got stuck, but that I fixed it? I’ll be right out. Promise.”

“Ok sweetie, but don’t take much longer, Lightning may have more patience than she used to but she wants to get a little practice with you in before we leave ok?”

Nodding, Natali turned back to the two with an innocent grin. “I won’t tell if you don’t, hey?” She giggled and turned to dash out of the room.

Shortly after Vanille brought a tray of food for their daughter, Lightning and Natali trained in the hall for several hours, Lightning teaching her the basics of how to hold the blade, and the basics on how to use it as a gun, and the mechanics of switching it quickly between the the two functions.

Looking down at her wrist device, she smiled. “Ok I think you have the basics sweetie. It’s time to shower then go back to our home, to get ready for the trip to New Bodhum.”

“Oh when you get into the house, please, make sure you take your boots off; your new room and everything in it should be ready when we get there.” Lightning grinned mischievously, a smile that nobody had really ever seen on her face before, least of all Natali.

Natali gave Lightning a sidelong stare. “That... That definitely wasn’t in the animation budget before,” she teased then laughed. “Thanks for doing all this, for taking me in. I know I seemed ungrateful at first because I was scared, but... I mean this is kind of what I always wanted - to get away from all the crap and just escape and live here.”

“You are here, sweetie, and you look too much like my family for it to be a coincidence. That’s why Merrik mistook you for my real daughter. The goddess already told me about you. I knew I’d find you in that alley way, and I knew you would run from me and get caught.” Lightning grinned.

“That’s why you were so patient when I tried to run, and why you took me in... Now it all makes sense.”

“Yes I knew most of it, but not everything. I was just told that Vanille and I would have a child, and I would find her behind those crates in the city here, and that you would be scared and try to run.” Lightning explained. “You’re supposed to be here, Natali. That much I’m sure of. You belong here, and in that body, you are my and Vanille’s daughter.”

Vanille giggled. “She’s right kiddo. You do look a fair bit like Light, but you’ve got my eyes!”

“You know, I thought it would matter to me, getting stuck with a girl’s body, and at first it did, but now I’m not so sure.”

“I think somewhere when the goddess brought you here, from your world, you secretly wanted to be a girl?” Lightning asked in a gentler tone than she’d used previously. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be one.” Lightning pulled Natali into a hug, causing the girl to giggle as she wrapped her arms around her new mother.

“Maybe? I mean... With Dad gone and Mom drunk all the time I repressed a lot of things,” she whispered, and then started to sob quietly as the flood of emotions finally broke through.

Vanille came up on the other side of Natali and put her arm around both girls, “Hey no crying, we did enough of that during the wars ok?” she giggled, “Well I know I did after Sazh got his boy back anyway.”

Natali turned back to Vanille and leaned up to kiss her cheek before wrapping an arm around her. “You guys have to get me caught up on what I missed. I don’t think spoiler warnings exactly apply anymore,” she laughed quietly, resting her head against Lightning, but clinging to both women as though if she were to let go, it might all disappear.

Meanwhile back on Earth

“Oh my God, officer, where is my boy!?” Nathen’s mother sobbed almost incoherently, the strong scent of cheap wine on her breath.

The burly man tried to reconcile the middle-aged woman. “Ma’am, we’re going to do everything we can to find your son. Usually runaways stick to familiar paths. Did he have any friends he could stay with, or any hangouts where he might be able to hide out after hours?”

Nathen’s mother was in hysterics, tears streaking down her face as she tried to think. “No Nathen didn’t have any friends I know of, and, well, he was kind of always playing video games officer I don’t know.”

A female officer, with straight brown hair pulled into a tight bun stepped into the room holding a hand-written letter. “Sir. I found this under the bed. It looks like he ran away to look for his father.”

Nathen’s mother sobbed even more. “Travis is dead! He died a few years back. He … he worked for a video game company, and on his way home from some convention or other, his plane crashed.”

The male officer frowned as he looked over the letter. “Well, according to this the boy thought his father never died.”

Nathen’s mother spun about and stormed to her bedroom, pulling open a drawer, and grabbing out several papers about her husbands death including his death certificate, which she shoved out for the police to examine. “He did die, and this is proof!” The woman was in hysterics again.

“If he’s smart,” the woman finally interjected, seeing her superior only making the situation worse, “then he’d probably go straight to a local library to look for records. I’ll personally head for the nearest one myself, and we’ll start putting out APBs. Do you have a photo of the boy ma’am?”

“Yes I do.” The woman grabbed the latest school photo of her son off the wall in the hallway and handed to the officer.

Back on Cocoon

“So how do you like your room?” Vanille asked from the door, as Natali explored her large room in their Palumpolum home. “It won’t be this large at your Aunt Serah’s home, but you can take some stuff with you if you want. You should bring some clothes at least.”

“THIS is my bedroom?” Natali gasped. “It’s... It’s huge!”

Vanille giggled softly, “If you’re uncomfortable with all these plushies we can remove some?”

Natali started to answer, but spotting the small, furry white moogle plush doll on the nearby dresser, she nearly squealed and raced over to pick it up. “Oh my God. I’ve always wanted a moogle, ever since Mog in Final Fantasy 6! He was soooo cute. You probably have no clue what I’m talking about, since moogles change in every generation though,” she added with a half-frown. “But they’re always adorable and friendly.”

Vanille giggled and shook her head. “I’ve met some moogles in my time sweetie. I’ll leave you to pack your stuff; just don’t take long. Lightning will get upset.”

“Okay. I just need a minute to kind of soak all this in since I won’t see it for awhile. My old bedroom was a cracker box compared to this.” She giggled as she hugged the stuffed moogle to her chest. “You’re definitely coming with me. I think I’ll call you Kupo.” She giggled again, setting it aside as she started opening drawers in her dresser and vanity to take stock.

“God, I don’t even know what to bring.”

Lightning stood in the open doorway and smirked. “Knowing my sister, you’d better bring a lot of those skirts, and tops, otherwise she’s going to take you on a very long shopping trip.”

“I thought everyone did their shopping online now?” she asked glancing back at Lightning.

“After the fall, we went back to the old fashion shops. It seemed more personal that way, and I tend to agree.” Lightning smiled.

“Wow. Things really have changed,” she admitted, throwing open her closet doors to look for a suitcase. Suddenly she reemerged again. “Oh my God, I just realized something. Do I get to see a real chocobo at some point?”

“If you want sweetie, and beg your other mother really hard, I’m sure she will buy you a baby chick,” Lightning laughed as she walked out of the room.

Natali cheered excitedly as she grabbed her suitcase and threw it open. The fashions of this world were certainly bizarre compared to what she was used to. Sometimes it seemed like clothing designers arbitrarily attached bits of different pattern or material, but the overall effect only served to remind her that this was, on so many levels, her fantasy come to life. She had no real fashion sense, either on Earth or here, so just grabbed what she thought would look cute on a video game character, until she could squeeze no more into her suitcase.

“Guess I should pack some shoes too,” she mused and began to unpack a few things to make room. “God this is so cool!” she bubbled at random from time to time as she rifled through her new things, eventually picking up the overstuffed suitcase and dragging it along, lifting it as best she could to not scuff up any floors.

“So everyone’s ready? The transport will be here in a few minutes to pick us up and take us to the Elevator so we can go down,” Lightning said in her official tone.

“Yeah. I had to take out a couple of pairs of socks to make room for Kupo, but I got everything to fit,” Natali answered cheerfully, for once without so much as a hint of the rebellious girl that had arrived here earlier.

“Thats a cute name for a moogle.” Vanille smiled, “I’m sure Kupo will enjoy a trip down to New Bodhum.”

Natali giggled. “Hey, if I’m going to be an eleven year old girl, I might as well milk it while I can, right?” she tried to act like she was joking, but she meant it. She absolutely adored having a stuffed animal collection, and more, a stuffed moogle to cuddle. “It’s not so bad though. I mean at least I didn’t get dropped in here as some fifteen year old piece of a--” She stopped herself. “Ahm... A...ttractiveness with boys all lining up to say hi to her.” She smiled, satisfied with her avoidance of cursing.

Lightning got all serious again. “I’ll kill any boy who touches my precious gift from the goddess,” clearing her throat, “You’re the one piece I have at normality sweetheart, to have an extended family other than my sister, which is now in the hands of that Snow!”

Natali frowned and leaned into Lightning. “What about Vanille? I mean, not that I’m complaining,” she corrected herself and grinned. “I think I’m going to like it here.”

“We love each other, but we are both women and can’t have children together, to pass on our legacy.”

“Oh.” She frowned at her own social misstep, biting her lip. “Sorry. I didn’t mean...” She trailed off and shook her head.

“No you’re fine,” Vanille replied and grinned. “Hey no frowning. You don’t want frown lines do you?”

Natali smiled a little. “I wonder if I’ll ever date. In my old life I didn’t even have friends, let alone someone ‘special’.”

Lightning sighed and walked off for a moment, and Vanille smiled as she shook her head. “Not for a long time. Your mother Lightning will be a bit overbearing to any boy or girl you bring home.”

Natali giggled. “I think I’d prefer that to being too drunk to give a damn if I even exist. Um, hey, Vanille?” she asked more softly.

“Yes sweetie?” Vanille smiled at her new young daughter.

“Would it be weird if I … if I stopped talking about the world I came from? I really just want to forget about it for awhile. It just hurts too much.”

“Nobody would think twice if you did sweetie. I think it bothers Lightning a bit when you do. She was so excited when she told me about you, and when you talk about your home, it kind of depresses her a little. She thinks you want to leave her and go back.”

Vanille walked up to Natali and hugged her close. Natali wrinkled her nose at the thought, even as she embraced Vanille.

“I don’t really think I do. It’s going to take some getting used to, but I’ve got nothing to go back to. No friends, no real family. This world was where I escaped to, to forget “reality” for awhile. And now that I’m here all I talk about is going back.” She sighed whimsically. “It’s so perfect here though. I really don’t ever want to leave.”

“It’s not that perfect here, love. Down on the surface world, there are a lot of monsters roaming around. It’s not safe unless you’re in the cities.”

“But fighting monsters is fun,” Natali exclaimed, before really thinking about the implications of that comment.

Vanille just giggled. “Just like your other mother! What am I going to do with you two?” She turned around to go talk to Lightning for a moment, and Natali giggled to herself. Part of her really wanted to follow. She almost did, twice, but resolved to give “the grown-ups” a few seconds alone.

She turned away, staring at her hands. “Yuck. This nail polish has to go. Maybe aunt Serah can help me pick out a less... flashy color.”

Lightning looked over at her daughter and smiled hearing her ask herself a question. “Not unless you like pink sweetie; transports here. The PSICOM and the Guardian Corps Soldiers are here loading our stuff.

Natali reached out to take Lightning’s hand, pulling her down to hug her neck. She whispered, “I’m sorry Mom. I don’t want to leave you.”

Lightning ruffled her fingers through Natali’s hair, “You’re fine sweetie. Vanille told me what you said. I promise you that I will protect you, and won’t let anything bad happen to you ever ok?”

The girl nodded, fighting back tears. “It’s just still so new. Everything is so... sudden. Part of me feels like I don’t belong, but I know I do. I love it here.”

“No more talk of this other world of yours ok? You told your second mother that you would stop,” Lightning grinned.

She giggled and nodded. “I know. But I had to apologize first. You’re my hero. You’re everything I ever wished I could be but wasn’t, and now suddenly being here, being your daughter, it’s just overwhelming, but you deserved to know.”

“You will be expected to act like my daughter, and bring great pride to the name Farron ok sweetie?” Lightning instructed, but that grin never left her features..

“All I can do is try,” she answered honestly.

“Trying is how you accomplish your dreams.”

“So does everyone in NORA know that I only just arrived, or like, what’s the story we’re going to be giving them? Everyone here thinks I’ve been staying with Serah.”

“Well the story I told Serah and Snow is that Vanille and I decided it was time we had a child, so we went to the old Cloning facility to have our DNA’s mixed into a child for us. We also decided we didn’t have time to raise a baby, so we had you aged to the age of Eleven.”

“K.i.s.s. right?” Natali giggled, adding, “Keep it simple, stupid.” She grinned innocently at the pair. “Easy to remember, hard for me to slip up.”

Lightning grinned, “I’ll have to remember that one; mind if I use it with my troops?”

Natali blinked several times. “You’re serious? Yes, of course! I think I saw it in some old war mov--Uh, holo, or maybe a video game or something, but it’s good advice.”

“The story I told them could happen though. We wanted to make it really believable so people didn’t think you just appeared here from nowhere. Besides, like we’ve been telling you already-”

“I look just like you,” Natali answered, giggling as she leaned into Lightning, then looked up.

“So, I have just one other question before we go.” She paused to grin at Vanille, then turned back to Lightning. “Do I get to fight monsters too?”

“I’m sure we can setup something sweetie,” Lightning grinned, and thought to herself, ‘she is defiantly my daughter.’

“Awesome. So how long does it take for a chocobo to grow? I’ve only ever seen the fully grown ones.” She giggled.

“Close to a year, I think we can ask Sahz when we go to buy you one ok?” Vanille smiled as she continued, “It will be good to run into him again.”

Natali blinked a few times. “Well that was easy. Okay, what about moogles? Obviously they exist because you mentioned meeting them,” she added, nodding to Vanille. “But what’re they really like? Do they really eat nuts? And do they like to dance?”

Lightning just grinned, “You will have to wait and find out young lady, now get your rump moving. The transports waiting outside for us.”

“Oh!” she smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I forgot for a second there,” she quickly added, racing outside, back inside to grab her boots, then out again.

Vanille and Lightning both giggled as they stepped outside and locked the door, getting into the transport. They looked at each other with love in their eyes.

“Shes going to be a handful you know, just like you Lightning.” Vanille grinned as they both stepped onto the transport so it could leave to the elevator.

Natali pretended not to hear the remark. After all, she knew she was Lightning and Vanille’s in both appearance and spirit. She could be free, be herself here. No school bullies to push her around, or popular girls to laugh at her expense. She was well-and-truly ‘home’ now. She just sort of grinned, watching her mothers as the transport took them to their destination.

Lightning turned to Natali as she wrapped her arm around Vanille’s waist, “I think we should start giving you an allowance don’t you think? You’re Eleven now, and you might need to have some Gil to buy things with.” Turning to Vanille she smiles, “How much do you think we should give our little Princess?”

“Princess...” Natali practically cackled, clearing her throat and trying to calm herself. She continued to quietly giggle.

Vanille giggled as well, “Well I think that Princess Natali Farron should get a decent allowance, since she comes from a rather well to do family. Hmmm how about 500 gil a month?”

“Fi-fi-five hundred...” she echoed, quickly doing some math in her head on the conversion rate, as closely as she could compare to Nathen’s world’s dollars. Even at a conservative estimate it still felt like a lot. After all, she didn’t have to worry about things like equipment upgrades or consumables, being in the world rather than observing it from the outside, through a video game interface.

“Oh I think she thinks that’s not enough! Well then hmm how about One Thousand a month, and thats as High as I will go,” Lightning grinned.

The poor girl’s jaw slackened. She vigorously shook her head. “I don’t even know what I’d do with five hundred!” she squeaked.

“Put it away. You may need it someday sweetie.” Vanille smiled. “Maybe you can go off and study at the Academy under Hope. That would be so nice to have a daughter who is well learned.”

“Oh, crap,” the girl groaned. “I didn’t even think about the mountain of homework I have to catch up with. I mean besides learning what’s different about history from what I remember.”

Lightning smiled, “You’ll have plenty of time. I think they are on their last two months of Summer holidays down there, and you’ll only have to do building learning for four months then we head home. At home you can learn from the holo’s.”

Natali giggled to herself. “And somehow the thought of Serah freaking Farron as a teacher, even if she’s not my teacher, just having her there, is just awesome. Oops, I mean, amazing.” She giggled.

Lightning laughed, “Serah freaking Farron-Villers sweetie she’s married now.”

“Serah freaking Farron-Villers,” Natali stuck her tongue out playfully and giggled.

“You can be excited now sweetie, just you are expected not to be when you meet her. Just act like you two have meet before, it’s supposed to be in the memories the cloning facility gave you for your age ok? Serah will pretend shes known you as well even though this is her first time, it’s how cloned family members are supposed to act with each other.” Lightning smiled as she explained ‘the rules’.

Natali giggled a little as she nodded. “Okay, but she’s still getting a hug like I haven’t seen her in awhile. God this is like, still so overwhelming. I’d say I can’t believe I’m not dreaming, but I’ve been pinched twice today. I don’t want to make it four.”

Vanille and Lightning both laughed, and then Vanille spoke, “Oh yeah, your allowance” , she reached down to her purse and pulled out a small device that resembled a debit card with an electronic readout, and handed it to Natali, “We had already decided what you were to get for an allowance. There is three months on there right now”

“Wow,” she whispered quietly. “You’re seriously trusting me. I mean, not like I plan on abusing that trust, but... Wow.”

“Why shouldn’t we trust you? You’re not a thief or hoodlum. The goddess wouldn’t have given you to us if you were.” Lightning grinned.

“Thief no, but three thousand gil... I could probably buy a car with that.” She paused to giggle. “Again not that I plan on it.”

Lightning laughed, “No not really, you will have to save a year’s allowance to buy a transport, and even then you will need me to instruct you have to use it; got that missy?”

Natali giggled. “Yes ma’am. I think I’d like to get a nice bike, when I’m a little older. I mean an eleven year old on her own motorcycle would just draw waay too much attention, even if I am your daughter.”

“Serah had her first hover board when she was six. Ask her about it when you see her.” Lightning laughed slightly.

Natali snickered. “I bet she got her first trip to an emergency room shortly after.”

“Close just ask her about Ms Kitty and her Hover board, I promise you your Aunt Serah will turn white really fast, especially if she asks you about your cooking skills being better then mine. Promise ok sweetie?” Lightning chuckled, with a hint of a mischievous grin..

Giggling, she nodded. “Sure thing. But um, I don’t know how to cook at all?”

“We can fix that later. If anything you can just tell her you got my cooking skills, after you ask her,” Lightning winked and Vanille giggled.

“Yay! I always sorta wanted to learn. I mean it’s kind of a self-sufficiency thing. I don’t mind letting people do things for me? But it’s nice to at least know how to do it myself too.”

Captain Joanes turned around and looked at everyone on the transport, “Ok Ladies and Worms, we are now at the Elevator. By the time we reach bottom it will be dawn. We all have 1 week of Leave then we meet at the new Guardian base for on Pulse training, got that?”

Everyone but Lightning and Vanille said “Aye”, Natali had to catch herself before she said it as well, since she wouldn’t be part of the military for a long time. She settled a little closer to the wall as she looked around at the others, envying them on some level.

“So when will I see you again after you.. um.. ‘deploy’?” she whispered, so as to not get herself into trouble with the apparent commanding officer of the transport.

“Vanille will be staying with you, Serah and Snow while I’m away. You will get to see me on the weekends however.” Lightning tried to smile. “There will be at least three weeks near the end where Vanille will be with us for training as well, and I might be able to get you in for some training as well sweetie. I am the commander after all.”

“Don’t look so sad Mom,” Natali finally spoke up, squeezing her hand. “The reason I took so long in the lockers getting ready before was because I was telling a couple of soldiers how proud I am of you, of what you’ve accomplished. You shouldn’t feel sad about leaving me. I’ll get to see you more than...” she paused and smiled, stopping herself from mentioning her past life. “More than enough.”

“Thanks sweetie, that means a lot, But I just got you in my life, and I only get to spend one week with you before I have to drop you off to the wolves. Remember though; do not act like those wolves! I don’t want to hear you swear at all anymore.” Lightning grinned.

“Yes ma’am,” she answered and smiled.

Vanille just grinned and then turned to wink at Natali as if saying I wont tell if you don’t, then turned to the Captain. “Dawn is when we arrive, you said? The bells will announce to New Bodhum we arrived right?”

“Yes Ma`am that’s right, It’s going to take awhile to descend, and the people of New Bodhum will get a warning we are coming so they can prepare a greeting for us.

“A greeting?” Natali whispered. “Oh this is so cool.”

“Yes, the people of the Pulse like to greet their guests. It’s been a tradition since the Elevator was built three years ago.”

Natali drew her feet together slightly and settled back, stifling a small yawn. “Sorry. I haven’t worked that hard in … well, ever. But it was fun.”

Everyone departed the Transport, and it was loaded onto the underside of the elevator as the soldiers plus Lightning, Vanille and Natali boarded the topside. “You can take a nap if you want,” Vanille smiled as they got into their private room.

“Thanks,” Natali answered softly. “Promise me one thing though,” she asked. The beginnings of fresh tears had already begun to glisten in her eyes. “Promise me you’ll be here when I wake up.”

“We don’t plan on going anywhere without you sweetie, One of us will be here at all times with you ok?” Vanille tried to reassure her..

Natali nodded quickly. “I’m more afraid that I’ll ‘leave’. I don’t want to go back. I want to forget that... nightmare ever existed.” She sighed, but hugged both women tightly.

Both Natali’s mothers hugged her and set up one of the benches as a bed for her to sleep on, when Lightning added, “Don’t worry too much. If the Goddess wanted you here sweetie, you aren’t going back to your world anytime soon.” She grinned, even though it pained her to say call that awful world Natali’s. She knew.

She had seen the life the poor girl led before in her visions, and ached for the burden of tortured memories she carried. In some ways, Natali had lived through her own wars. They weren’t the same, but she carried battle scars inside, just like her mother.

Natali smiled and nodded as she settled in. It had barely been a day, but already she’d gone from fear to disbelief to acceptance, to fear of being ripped away. She quietly chewed the material of her glove, trying to calm her mind before rolling over and shutting her eyes.

A few hours after Natali finally went to sleep Vanille got into the young girls suitcase and pulled out Kupo the plushie she named, and placed it next to Natali with a smile, “That’s where you belong, to watch over mine and Lightning’s precious li’l girl.”

Natali stirred, but only slightly, latching onto the stuffed moogle and squeezing it close to her chest, almost as though her body knew how much her fragile mind needed it. A smile slowly crept across the sleeping girl’s face.

Vanille giggled under her breath and leaned over to gently whisper into Natali’s ear, not loud enough to wake her, but to give her something to dream about, “Kupo.”

“Moogie likes Natali, Thank you Lightning and Vanille for giving Moogie to Natali,” a new, young female voice said outloud.

“Just remember she’s not used to the idea of you being her weapon yet,” Vanille advised, but giggled, “But judging by her reaction to the stuffed one I think she’ll absolutely adore you.”

“Moogie can’t wait to introduce herself to Natali, can Moogie do it tomarrow?” the young girl’s voice asked.

Vanille glanced casually at Lightning. “Well, you’re the responsible mother. What do you think?” she half-teased, grinning.

“Well I don’t see a problem. You and Mog, Serah’s bow can both come out and talk to the young one. You know how much Serah loves Mog. I’m sure it will be the same for you Moogie. Natali will love you just as much.” Lightning smiled.

Vanille slowly ran her fingers through Natali’s hair. “She’s so scared of losing us now. I can’t believe this is the same kid you told me tried to run away from you, even knowing who you were.”

“I know it’s like she took a total one eighty on us,” Lightning chuckled as she smiled down at her. “I think she will be fine once she’s settled in sweetie. It’s been rough on her. She doesn’t want to go back to her mother, and from the vision the goddess gave me of her life, I don’t blame her.” Lightning nodded.

Vanille stood to sit beside Lightning, pulling her into a hug. “I know one thing. She meant what she said about you, about us, and about wanting to forget. She’s not ready to say the words, but I do believe with all my heart that she loves you, Claire.”

The young gunblade moogle floated over to Natali, “Moogie thinks she looks like her mommies, Moogie will protect her ok?”

Lightning smiled at both of them, first to Vanille, “I know she will say it eventually, and Moogie, thank you for looking after Vanille and my daughter. It’s a great task to become a moogle weapon, and I know that is the only way a moogle can be born here, but thank you sweetie.”

“She does have some interesting notions about moogles, doesn’t she?” Vanille giggled.

“She’s going to be shocked when she meets Mog and Moogie isn’t she?” Lightning laughed to herself as Natali stirred. The young gunblade moogle turned back into the weapon, returning to her side..

Natali practically sat bolt-upright, looking around frantically. After a moment or two she carefully lay back down again, rolling onto her side as she caught her breath. “Thank God. Or... Goddess,” she managed.

Vanille smiled, “We are still here sweetie. We are almost at the bottom. I was going to wake you up soon so you could look out and see Pulse for yourself.”

“Pulse,” Natali echoed, scurrying to sit up again and rolling her feet off onto the floor, while clinging tightly to her stuffed companion. “From what I remember the place is supposed to be savage - or it used to be. I know you guys mentioned monsters and stuff. Is it still that bad?”

“Yeah, but the cities are safe.” Lightning smiled reassuringly.

Natali carefully picked up her gunblade and held it alongside her stuffed moogle. “I still feel safer with this thing close by.”

“Have you thought of a name for your blade yet?” Lightning asked out of the blue.

Natali stared at the weapon, then glanced up again. “A name? You mean like, Old Reliable or Lulubelle or something?”

“Close; my blade’s name is Blazefire,” Lightning smiles.

“Oh that’s right,” Natali answered with a lilt of a giggle. “Hm. Well it totally has to live up to Blazefire for one thing. Oh um, how does upgrading work? Like will I be able to increase its size when I’m older and stronger, or will I have to eventually replace it?”

“That’s a very special gunblade Princess. For one, it will never need upgrading. As you progress in your training your blade will become stronger with you, and as you grow older your blade will grow to full size.” Lightning smiled, “Oh and its a girl gunblade, not a boy like mine.”

“Oh, wow. Well hum.” She paused, giving Lightning a strange look. “How do you tell? LIke, is the firing mechanism pink instead of blue?” she giggled.

“It’s just something I know, You can’t tell by looking at them, but it’s just something I can feel about a gunblade.” Lightning smiled.

“If it were anybody else saying that I’d think they were crazy, but you and Vanille, and maybe aunt Serah, I have no problem believing that,” she answered quite seriously. “Well a special weapon deserves a special name. I don’t want to go through life regretting that I named my gunblade something silly like ‘Firedance’,” she giggled, but paused. “Actually that’s not half bad, and it kind of rolls with the whole second-coming of Lightning theme. Well, I hope I am anyway,” she added, giggling more.

“Your aunt’s bow is called Odinbolt, and my gunblade’s Blazefire, and now your blade will be known as Firedance.” Lightning grinned.

“What about you?” she asked, glancing at Vanille. “Any special named weapons I’m not remembering?” she giggled.

“Oh its called Heavenly Axis..” Vanille smiled, “Its a Rod Bow; nothing too special”

“Firedance,” Natali smiled as she gave the weapon a little flourish, careful of the weight and direction then sheathed it..

Lightning smiled, “I slipped a cleaning kit into your suitcase. If you’re going to be wielding her, I think you should also take pride in her cleanliness. A clean blade is a happy blade.”

“Not to mention it sort of says something about a person if they don’t take care of such a special piece of equipment,” Natali added. “I mean anybody can swing a sword around, but a self-upgrading weapon’s a whole different matter.”

“Exactly. I hope you take the same pride in keeping your room clean as you do your blade then, young lady.” Lightning winked.

Natali groaned, laughing. “God I walked right into that.”

Vanille giggled. “Your mother Lightning is a clean freak. She may not be able to cook,” glancing over at Lightning, “But she takes pride in a clean house.”

“Well its a trade off. Your mother Vanille is a good cook but a slob around the house,” Lightning chuckled a little.

“So where does that leave Serah? Good cook, lousy housekeeper too?” she asked, trying to keep a straight face.

“Pretty much,” Both Lightning and Vanille answered at the same time, “That’s why she lives with NORA”, Lightning added in.

“Oh, I get it. Make someone else do the cleaning while she repays them with delicious home-cooked treats?”

“The guys yeah,” Lightning answered.

“I guess I should be careful about how I say things like that around them though,” Natali admitted, a little guarded. “I wouldn’t want to offend anyone by accident. A lot of them are kind of my heroes. Not as much as you though.”

“Oh I’m sure they will figure you quickly for awhile, they will chock it up to my DNA or something”, Lighting laughed.

“Still, I’ll try and be careful. Lightning’s daughter should know better than to just toss around insults,” she puffed out her chest and giggled, quickly adding, “I’m kidding! But I promise to try and be careful though.”

“That’s all we ask sweetie, but be yourself too. Even a clone is a unique person of their own ok? You don’t have to pretend to be either one of us.”

The elevator bings, “Welcome to Gran Pulse, please exit calmly and in a timely fashion your lugguage will be waiting for you at the lobby office outside, and thank you for visiting Gran Pulse.”

Natali hugged her stuffed moogle close to her as she rushed to the door, pausing to wait for her mothers, but excited to see Pulse firsthand.

The two older women follow behind Natali closely, Lightning straightens Blazefire and when she gets behind her daughter, she fixes the position of the military knife in the belt strap on her new outfit, “There we go, while you where sleeping the knife moved, that’s much better”

“Oh, thanks. I keep forgetting it’s there. Hopefully I’ll never have to use it, but I feel safer having it, like my gunblade.” She smiled up at Lightning then stepped off to the side, hoping to hide behind her as they departed.

“Your knife is last defense, “Lightning smiled as they exited the room, “And its more for survivle in the wild, in case you need to skin something to cook the meat.”

“Ewww.” She wrinkled her nose.

Lightning looked over at Vanille, “And she said she was a boy back home?” and they both laughed.

Natali stuck out her tongue. “I was more the lazy do-nothing play video games all day type, not the big man pound innocent animals into hamburger with bare fists type.” She nodded defiantly, but cracked a smile.

“Oh ok I belive you”, Lightning grinned, “Anyway, to Survive alone, you might have to do that, I’m not saying you will ever have to, but you may someday sweetie, when you get older.”

“Can’t I just call in a delivery?”

“Call in a delivery?” Lightning and Vanille both looked puzzled.

“You’ve... never heard of takeout?”

“Nope sorry I have not, have you Vanille?” Lightning asked and Vanille shook her head no.

“You’re messing with me right?” Natali asked, more nervously.

“Nope there is no such think here, that I know of.” Lightning looked Serious.

“It’s like... well, it’s when a restaurant makes the food and then … you know, delivers it.” Natali shook her head.

“Nope don’t have that here, but we do have restaurants, and I’m sure tomorrow after your Aunt spoils you on her home cooked food, we might take her and Snow out to the one in New Bodhum”,

“Now I wish I had learned how to cook. I might die without pizza,” she moaned dramatically, resting the back of her hand against her forehead for extra effect.

We have pizza here.” Vanille grinned.

“Oh thank God,” Natali clapped her hands together excitedly, nearly dropping Kupo.

The three exited the main doors and headed over to the luggage rack to gather their stuff. Two big men, one Natali knew from the game as Snow and the other Gadot were holding Lightning, Vanille’s and Natali’s luggage.

Natali gasped to herself, ducking behind Vanille. “Oh my God. I didn’t expect someone so tall.”

“What did you expect sweetie? You’re just a young girl. ‘Course the men will tower over you.” Vanille smiled, then looked over at the two men. “Thanks for taking our stuff Snow, Gadot.” she nodded to them and so did Lightning.

“Hey Vanille can you take Natali over to Serah’s for a bit? I have something I need to do in town; I’ll meet back up with you two there ok?” Lightning smiled.

Natali quietly clung to Vanille’s arm with one hand. It felt like every time she met someone knew, her fight or flight instincts kicked in, sending her scurrying for safety. “God this is so embarrassing,” she mumbled. “I wonder if Momma Lightning was ever this pathetic,” she whined.

Serah looked over from behind Gadot with a reassuring smile, “Oh I believe she was. We are only three years apart, but I remember when Claire was Seven years old she would always hide behind daddy’s legs whenever someone new came along.”

Natali glanced at Lightning, trying not to giggle. “Wow. Weirdly that makes me feel better.” She smiled a little as she hesitantly approached Serah to hug her, as Lightning had instructed earlier.

“So Natali sweetie, it’s good to see you after so long,” Serah announced. She believed Lightning’s story and knew how to treat a clone child, to make it feel like it was part of the family all the time, giving Natali a big hug.

“It’s good to see you again aunt Serah,” Natali whispered as she hugged her tightly, adding, “I bumped into one of your childhood friends yesterday. I didn’t get her name, but I know she’s looking forward to catching up soon.”

“Oh great! I can’t wait! I love guests, and you’re going to have so much fun. There are two new kids that live in the NORA house with us now, since we started growing.” Serah smiled.

Natali giggled, taking a moment to really push the clone story at Lightning’s expense. “I’m looking forward to it too. Mom says that after you...” she paused, as if trying to remember, “spoil the hell out of me, that you might teach me to cook.” She grinned, equal parts innocence and mischief.

“Oh yes! I hope you’re a better cook then Lightning. She could burn water you know.” Serah giggled.

Natali giggled. “Oh, there’s something else I want to ask you about later. Something about Ms. Kitty and a hover board?” She shrugged gently.

Serah turned white at the mention of the Hover bored and Ms. Kitty, politely clearing her throat. “Let’s not talk about that ok sweetie?”

Natali, fighting withe very ounce of strength to keep an innocent smile on her face, nodded.

“So let’s get over to the NORA house, get you ladies settled in and introduced ok?” Snow smiled at Vanille and Natali.

Natali for her part just smiled sweetly, not entirely sure how a clone was supposed to behave, and after a moment or two finally just stopped trying, instead glancing around and taking in the sights around her, as she stayed close to Vanille.

Not far from the lobby, they reached the NORA house. As they entered there were a few people in the main room, and what looked like a bunch of other guys inside a smaller room off to one side moving furniture around. Two young girls stood next to a lovely looking lady with blue hair. The two girls both had light blue hair as well, and were wearing dresses. Both of them looked a little older then Natali but not by much.

Natali smiled quietly as she looked around. She’d had about as much luck when she was Nathen with meeting others her age as a pit viper would have, so resolved to just stay put for now and see what happened next.

The two girls approached, and Vanille smiled as she moved out of the way. “Hey you look like Lightning dressed like that!” one of the girls asked, and the other asked, “Is that a real gunblade or a toy?” and at the same time they both ask, “How old are you anyway?”

Natali giggled a little. “The outfit was a gift from Mom, as was the gunblade. She taught me how to use it, and yeah, it’s definitely real. Her name’s Firedance,” she answered proudly.

Serah and Vanille smiled at Natali as she talked to the two girls, then went back to talking to the other adults as the two girls surrounded Natali.

“So how old are you? You kind of look about our age, I think?” said one of the girls.

“Oh, um, eleven,” she answered more sheepishly, still trying to wrap her young brain around that concept herself. “I feel older sometimes, but I still sleep with stuffed animals so... whatever, you know?” she giggled nervously.

“So it’s true your mom is Lightning then?” the both ask at the same time, “And can we see your plushie?!”

“Oh, sure,” she answered, offering it. “I called it ‘Kupo’ because … well, nothing else seemed to fit. And yeah, Lightning’s my mom. She...” She paused to catch herself, forcing a giggle for appearances’ sakes. “She trained me and everything.”

“Oh God that is soo cool that your mother is Lightning, and this Moogle is soo adorable! Mindy has one too, and I have a Rabbit. Is your Moogle a boy or a girl?” the one thats not Mindy asked.

“I wondered about that. Mom says that gunblades are like that, boy or girl, that she can just tell. I’m not sure about Kupo though,” she giggled.

“You can give it a gender, if you want, I’m sure either one and your Moogle wont mind. It will still love you” The girl named Mindy replied, “My moogle is a boy and his name is Krupa.”

“Krupa,” Natali echoed, slowly grinning. “That’s a great name. I love it.”

“Oh I’m Alexa and that’s Mindy, we are twins but not totally identical, close though, and we are Twelve almost Thirteen years.”

“I’m Natali,” Natali answered. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

“The other girls in town are a lot older, so we don’t have to many friends here, but they are nice for older girls.” Mindy smiled

Natali frowned. She knew exactly how that felt, not having many friends. “Wow, I’m sorry. Well, um, I really don’t know anyone here, so I guess I could be your friend if you wanted,” she replied nervously.

Both girls grinned, “Your room is next to ours, we have to share, but you get your own because you’re Lightning’s daughter, and Serah’s Niece. God I envy you,” Alexa said with a smile.

Natali blushed, shaking her head. “They really didn’t have to do all that for me.”

“They were going to put you in our room with us, but there is no room with all of our stuff in there, Sorry” Both girls said to Natali.

She giggled, shaking her head. “It’s okay. You guys can store anything you want in mine. It’s not like I really need more than a bed, maybe a dresser.”

A woman Natali recognized as Lebreau came over, “Well hello there Kupo! I hope my nieces aren’t giving you to much trouble”, she grinned cheerfully.

Natali squeaked, a bit surprised, but shook her head. “No way! They’re great!”

“You two keep out of trouble. She just got here today, and if you guys go outside stay inside the city gates. Do not go outside ok?”

Both girls answered at the same exact time, “Yes Auntie Lebreau!”

“Your aunt is LeBreau?” Natali gasped quietly. “Er, I mean, I’ve seen some holos of her in action. She’s no slouch either.”

“Yeah Auntie is New Bodhum’s military, under Uncle Snow’s command. He’s not really our Uncle but he likes us to call him that.” Alexa smiled as she explained..

Natali giggled at that, a slow grin crossing her lips. “I guess that makes us cousins?”

“In a way I guess,” Mindy smiled. “So, you want to go out to the beach and find some shells for my collection?”

Natali’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I’d love to,” while in the back of her mind trying to remember the last time she even saw a beach. It had to have been years.

The Two girls led Natali outside and down the sandy way to the ocean. It was mostly beach everywhere, but with a lot of buildings all around the area however, all nicely constructed except a few beach houses along the shore.

“I wonder if I should’ve changed,” Natali mused idly as they walked along. “I mean this stuff is okay for being up on the transport with all the soldiers around, but I feel kind of conspicuous out here.”

“Hey it will keep Tommy and his two bully boys away from us, if you look like your mom that is,” Mindy bubbled.

“I guess wherever you go there are meatheads who feel the need to put somebody else down to make themselves feel better,” she mused.

“What’s bad is Tommy only seems to pick on us girls. He usually leaves the other boys alone.” Alexa added.

“He’s totally jealous,” Natali started to giggle.

Both the other girls giggled as well, “Tommy wants to be a girl!” Alexa teased, then Mindy piped in, “So does Yuj, but we don’t make fun of her...”

Natali paused a moment. “Shi--I mean, oh. I forgot about Yuj.” She smiled at her two new friends. “I’m sorry. I think it’s great if a guy wants to be a girl, or vice versa. I just hate when it leads to them lashing out at others instead of just, you know, being honest.” She was speaking the truth, too. She probably lashed out more than she realized, as Nathen.

Both girls nodded, “Auntie says we need to respect others , in whatever they want to do, and Yuj is so nice to use, she even got us ice cream yesterday!”

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Natali giggled. “And if this Tommy kid gives you a hard time just let me know. I don’t know how much I can help, but it’s worth a try. I bet Tommy’s problem is that he just doesn’t know how to talk to girls though. Or he’s just an idiot. Either way.”

“We both like you Natali, so we will probably be hanging around you a lot more if that’s ok?” Alexa smiled, “And it’s not because your mom is Lightning. We both think you’re cool.”

Natali glanced between the two, blushing a little, then she did something she’d never done before with someone her own age, and leaned over to hug them both. “Thanks guys. You really know how to make someone feel welcome.”

“You know when we were told you would be here today, we expected some robot like thing, because Auntie said you were a clone, and we never met one before, but you’re nothing like that, and well even though you’re a year younger then us, you’re just so cool!” Alexa cheered as they reached the water.

Natali giggled to herself. “I kind of wanted to do something silly like ‘I am Lightning Phase Two - please enter directive’ or something, but I’m awful with meeting new people, so I totally backed out. Aunt Serah says I get it from Mom.”

The two girls giggled and then Mindy spoke, “Your mom was scared when she was little? Lightning’s not afraid of anything! She took on gods!”

“Just shows what you can do if you’re determined, I think. She went from being more timid than me to … well, you know.” She giggled, kicking off her boots and letting her feet dip into the sand.

The three girls wandered the beach looking at different shells, some very pretty, a lot of coral pinks, and some blues, all different sizes. They seemed to lose track of time as they got really close to the gate of town.

Natali reached down to pick up a medium sized piece of pink coral shell, when she heard a boy shriek from the other side of the gate. Without even thinking, she sprinted off toward the gate, at least having by now pulled her boots back on again. She reached for her knife at first, then remembered her gunblade, drawing it and shifting to ranged mode in one swift motion before she’s even passed through the city gate.

The two girls followed in pursuit. Both girls loving adventure, they were just like their Aunt, and even so much like Lightning’s group as they followed Natali across the gate. Alexa pulled out her small sword, and Mindy drew a small Rod Bow like Vanille’s but not so spectacular.

Not entirely sure what to expect, Natalie clutched her gunblade close to her. Her heart raced as she whispered, “Don’t let us be too late.”

“Hey Faggy boy, you need three sissy girls to help you fight one Meonekton? Your such a fag!” three boys jeer from a platform onto the gate area.

Natali glares at the three, starting to say something, but Alexa touched her arm. “Um Natali, I think you should worry about the Meonekton first before you jeer on the boys.” Alexa nodded to the monster fast approaching them as the scared boy runs past the three girls.

“It doesn’t look that tough,” she lied. She was as terrified as the boy that just ran past. This, after all, was no game. She set her stance though, leveling her weapon. “Okay you big ugly... whatever you are.. You want to dance? Meet Firedance!”

“Hey Sissy girls, if you kill that thing I’ll leave you three alone for a week!” the older boy yelled.

Natali tilted her head slightly. “Ignore him. He’s too much a coward to get in the fight,” she growled, squeezing off the first round at the monster as much to get its attention as to try and kill it. The bug-like creature let out an almost unearthly screech as it stopped dead in its tracks, literally, and collapsed.

Natali stared in utter silence, cautiously approaching. “I-is it... Did I kill it?”

The two girls raced up to Natali, “OH MY GOD! Did you just see that shot you just did?! You took this thing out with one shot! Oh wow! I can’t believe we’re part of a team with a sharpshooter like her mom!”

Natali carefully reverted her gunblade to its compact form and slid it into its sheath as Alexa examined the bug, “Hey there’s something on it.” She pulled out her knife to pry out the item - a very small metallic box, and handed it to Natali, “I think you should ask your mom what that is.”

She nodded slowly as she closed her hand around it. “We’d... We’d better get back before they find out we’re out here. I mean we were just trying to help that kid, but we could still get in trouble. If we do though I’ll take responsibility. You guys were just trying to keep me out of trouble after all.” She smiled, even though she was shaking badly on the inside.

“There’s no way we’re going to let you take all the blame! We followed you over here,” Mindy said as she and Alexa turned to head back to the gate and stop suddenly.

Natali, still staring at the creature, shook her head. “But you said yourself, I’m LIghtning’s daughter. I have to set a better example.” She smiled a little as she turned around, looking up at her mother and the others. “Oh crap.”

“I think you did a fine job protecting your friends, and from what I hear, these three hoodlums egged you on and you ignored them. I’m sure we can overlook this little escapade this time,” Lightning winked at Natali, as she turned around and drug the two boys off to their home. Snow chuckled as he took the other boy to his home.

Natali held the strange item in her palm as she slowly walked back toward the gate. She shook her head slowly. “Well that went better than I thought,” she giggled.

The two girls followed behind, “Oh my God Natali, you have such a cool Mom!”

“She’s strict, but fair,” she beamed, pulling the two into a hug. “Thanks for showing me such a great time today. Cute seashells, monsters... You really know how to have fun,” she teased, winking.

“Hey no problem, want to go back to the beach tomorrow for more shells? I need two more!” Mindy smiled, “Oh and I think we should come up with a name for our Adventure party,” she added.

“Every legendary group needs a legendary name,” Natali giggled. “I still can’t believe what just happened. I mean shooting a practice target is one thing. That thing was coming right for us.”

“You are your mother’s daughter,” both girls giggle, “Seriously, how can you not be good with a gunblade if you’re hers! It’s in your blood.”

“I guess that’s true. Lightning’s skills and Vanille’s sense of humor. You’re both doomed,” she teased, giggling.

Both girls mock groan, “Oh hey, we should go back and beg Serah to let us play with Mog!”

“Mog?” Natali asked curiously.

“Yeah it’s Serah’s moogle, we should so go back and ask her!”

“Oh my God!” she squealed happily. “Aunt Serah has a real moogle?! That’s so cool!”

“Yeah she lets us play with Mog sometimes, but we cant take her outside at all; it’s forbidden by your Aunt.”

“Aww, poor moogle must get bored being stuck inside all day,” Natali mused, feeling sorry for it.

“I don’t think she minds; she loves Serah, and she gets to play a lot anyway.” Both girls nod.

“I think Mog goes outside with Serah when she goes outside.”

“Does she ever dance? I know, that’s a stupid question, but I had this really weird dream while I was taking a nap on the elevator, so I have to ask.”

“No she spins sometimes, and carries a wand, and says Kupo! like your plushies name,” Mindy replied.

“Kupopo!” Natali giggled, adding, “Remind me never to do that around a real moogle. For all I know it could mean something really bad.” She laughed..

“Auntie and Serah have a contest every morning to see who can say Good Morning Kupo! the most cheerful,” Alexa giggled.

Mindy giggled too, “I think Auntie has a thing for Moogles, more then we do.”

“They’re just so adorable,” Natali bubbled. “I want to learn all about them, where they come from. It’s weird that I can’t remember that stuff.”

“That’s like the Chocobo. Auntie said they never used to exist here, but all the sudden they are everywhere.” Alexa smiled as the three of them approached the NORA House.

“Really? Wow. Hey, do they ever have chocobo races?” she asked excitedly as NORA house came into view..

“Sometimes at the Casino they do, but we cant go; we aren’t old enough, but you can also watch the race on holo.” Mindy smiled.

“Oh, I have to try and find some. I love chocobo racing. Could care less about the gambling part. They’re just really fun to watch,” she nodded.

“I Think your Aunt Serah owns two at the Casino that race for money.”, Alexa smiled as they walked through the open door of the NORA House into the livingroom. Three adults were sitting on the couch, and Yuj, in a sundress busied herself in the kitchen.

“Hopefully nobody’s heard about what happened yet,” Natali whispered.

Lebreau smiled cheerfully as she came up the girls, “Have fun looking at the sea shells girls?”

Natali spoke up first, nodding. “The sand felt so great between my toes. We might go back tomorrow if nobody has any other plans for me,” she giggled.

“That’s right, you’re a Cocoon girl aren’t you? Never seen the ocean before. Well as long as you three stay away from the gates, you can go out to the water anytime you want Kupo!” She smiled casually. Natali just kind of smiled innocently … or at least tried to.

Serah stepped out of Natali’s new room and smiled at the three girls, “Hey you three. You staying out of trouble or you causing more?”

“Oh, um, no trouble here, right?” Natali answered as she glanced between her two friends. “We were just telling Ms. Lebreau about our relaxing visit down to the beach.”

Serah smiled at her niece, and Lebreau laughed as she ruffled Natali’s hair, “You can just call me Auntie like you do Serah! We’re all family here you know? None of that ‘Ms.’ business.”

Natali giggled a little as she nodded. “Yes ma’am - Oops, I mean ‘Auntie’,” she corrected herself.

“Exactly what I expected from Lightning’s daughter: military mannerisms. It’s ok sweetie; they are hard to break. I know how big of a drill sergeant your mother is.”

Natali giggled. “She’s worried that I’m going to pick up too much of Uncle Snow’s bad habits.”

Lebreau laughed, and Yuj overhearing the conversation laughed as well. “There is an uneasy peace between Lightning and Snow. Those two are always finding new ways to piss each other off, and they only keep it cool because of Serah.” As she said that, Serah blushed a little.

“Oh boy,” she giggled. “He’s never going to let her hear the end of it after tonight then. Um, wait, forget I said that.”

Lebreau grinned as she leaned closer and stage-whispered, “They only get along really well when they have common goals, like punishing those three boys.” She winked.

Natali hung her head. “I guess you already know. I felt bad about getting Alexa and Mindy involved in that, but I couldn’t just stand there with someone in trouble you know?”

“Oh God sweetie, you three aren’t in trouble! We just give that warning to not go past the gates because its not safe out there, but I know my two girls can handle themselves, and well, from what Light told us, so can you!”

Natali’s eyes lit up. “Oh that reminds me! Alexa found this on the monster.” She quickly held out her hand, opening her palm.

Lebreau took the small device, squeezing it. The device opened to reveal a pair of silver earrings. “Those things tend to eat random crap out there. Most of the monsters do, but here you go; a pair of silver earrings.”

“Oh, wow. They’re beautiful!” Natali gasped.

Serah gently grabbed Natali’s ears to see if they were pierced, “Oh you poor girl. Lightning never had your ears pierced, and shame on Vanille for not sticking up for you and getting them done anyway! I’ll have to take you to the store later and have them pierced for you sweetie.”

“Oh,” she answered reluctantly. “It doesn’t hurt does it?”

Alexa and Mindy both smile, “Nope they put the thing up to your ear and you don’t even feel them go in.”

“Oh, neat. I always wondered... Well I mean, you know what I mean.” She giggled, concocting a swift lie. “They gave me some memories, but other stuff I have to figure out myself if that makes any sense.”

Lightning piped in, “Serah you’re not trying to put more holes in my li’l girl’s head are you? Two, not four oK?” she laughed.

Natali giggled. “Oh hi Mom. How’d it go?”

Vanille looked over at Lightning before she could answer Natali, “Two? I have six - three in each ear. Why not let her do the same?”

“Because shes not a pin-cushion Vanille. When she gets older and wants more she can have them, but I believe it’s only proper for two at her age.” was Lightnings response.

Natali stayed out of the discussion entirely, quietly wandering into the kitchen to watch Yuj cook. “Don’t mind me. I think it’s just safer in here.” She giggled.

The two women argued over how many holes Natali could have in her ears as Yuj fixed lunch, “Hey there sweet cheeks, want to help a little?”

“Sure, but... I have to warn you, I have my mother’s kitchen skills.”

“We will see about that. You might be just like Serah in the kitchen!” Yuj smiled, handing her a spoon, “Go ahead and stir the soup on the stove for now ok?”

“God that smells really good,” she bubbled, dipping the spoon into the pot to slowly stir the steaming liquid. “What kind of soup is it?”

“Its Mushroom soup so its safe today,” Yuj smiles at Natali.

“Unless you’re a mushroom,” Natali giggled at her own bad joke.

Yuj looked at Natali seriously, “I don’t think the Mushroom people would take kindly to you saying that about them.”

“Mushroom... people?” she asked, turning a shade paler as she looked into the pot.

“Yes, and if they heard you say that about them, they would so put you into a pot to soup,” Yuj continued to look serious.

“I think I’ll just have a carrot instead,” she mused more softly.

Yuj started to laugh out loud, “Oh I had you going didn’t I? Mushroom people!” he slapped his knee.

Natali giggled, sticking her tongue out. “And they say I got Vanille’s sense of humor!”

“Oh God, I’m sorry” Yuj grinned.

Natali, still giggling, reached over with the dry end of her spoon to lightly goose Yuj’s side. “Don’t mind me. I’m still a little on edge I guess,” she mused, returning to her nice, gentle stirring.

“Oh want to tell , hmm Aunt Yuj.. or Uncle Yuj depending on how you care, about why you’re on edge sweet cheeks?”

“I like ‘Aunt Yuj’, but it’s whatever you prefer, y’know?” she grinned, glancing down again.

“It’s whatever you feel comfortable calling me. The two girls call me Aunt Yuj, and everyone else just calls me Yuj, but you lot are the tots around here, so you can’t just call me Yuj,” she smiles.

“Yeah well... No offense, but you’re too pretty to be “Uncle” anything,” she shot back with a quiet smile. “And as for me, I’m just kind of freaked out about that monster earlier. It’s one thing to see them in the holos or whatever. It’s quite another to have one pissed off and charging right at you. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She shook her head. “I heard someone scream and I knew what it had to be. I just kept thinking that I had a better chance than some dumb kid. Sure didn’t expect it to just fall over like that.”

“Want to know what you do when faced with a monster outside the gates Natali sweetie? What you do is think about it this way; no matter what, they are creatures, they eat meat, and they are hungry, and you’re food to them, so it’s either you kill them or they kill you. Never feel bad for defending yourself or others against them ok?” Yuj smiled reassuringly.

Natali blinked, smiling a little brighter. “How... did you know that’s really what was bothering me? I’ve never killed anything. Not even a fly.”

“First time I went out in the field I had the same problem as you sweetie. I wasn’t a fighter; my mother was, but I wasn’t. Hell even my sister was, but I just couldn’t kill anything. You can even ask her,” she looked over at Lebreau.

“So... does that mean we can have roasted meonekton tomorrow?” she teased.

“Oh heck no, we don’t eat those things, ugh, nasty, barf girl!” Yuj grinned at Natali.

Natali grinned impishly. “Got you though, didn’t I?”

Yuj smiled and bowed to Natali, “I admit defeat,” and laughed a little.

Vanille came into the kitchen with a big smile on her face. “Well I won that fight.”

Natali giggled. “I wasn’t about to get in the middle of that one.”

Vanille hugged Natali. “You can have as many earrings in your ears as you want sweetie. Your mother Lightning won’t stand in your way. It’s part of my people’s customs to have more then one set in each ear anyway.

“Wow, really? I was thinking about sticking with just one until I was older, but... Now I might do two just for that.”

“When we go meet your Aunt Fang at the weapon shop tomorrow you will see. She’s got more then I do.”.

Serah stepped into the kitchen a moment later. “Yuj, you don’t need Natali anymore do you? Alexa and Mindy are in my room playing with Mog and wanted to know if Natali could join them.”

“Oh, I completely forgot,” Natali giggled.

Yuj gently smacked Natali’s butt with a stirring spoon, “Go on and go play. Vanille can help me with lunch.”

“Ow, hey!” she laughed. “Thanks Auntie Yuj, for the good advice. I really needed it.” She added with a smile, turning to hug her before racing out of the room.

When Natali entered the room, Mog stopped playing and turned to look right at her, stopping in mid air holding her wand out, “Kupo?”

“Um.. Hi?” she answered hesitantly, staring as if not quite believing her own eyes.

Mog pointed her wand at Natali’s gunblade, “Kupo!”

Natali blinked, looking from the moogle down to her weapon. “Um, I’m not going to use it on you?” she responded nervously.

Mog continued to point at Firedance, “Kupo!” then pointed to the bed, “Kupo Kupo!”

“Oh I get it. Not sure why, but okay.” She carefully, almost reverently unsheathed her gunblade, setting it down on the bed. “Like that?”

“Kupo!” Mog smiled broadly, and suddenly Natali’s gunblade turned into another moogle.

“Kupo! Hello Mog kupo!”

“Jeeze!” Natali squealed, stumbling backwards.

Both the other two girls squeeal as soon as Natali’s gunblade turned into a Moogle then spoke in Common with that little girl’s voice.

Natali managed to get to her knees again, cautiously poking at the new little moogle.

Mog smiled at Moogie, “Mog says hello Moogie, how has Moogie been kupo?”

Moogie twirled around a little, and smiled back, “Moogie been good, Moogie takes care of Natali now kupo!”

Natali half-squeaked, half-squealed. “Oh my God. You’re... I’ve been... Oh my God.”

Moogie turned to Natali. “Moogie loves Natali a lot. Alexa and Mindy ok too kupo.”

“How is this possible?” she finally managed to put together a coherent sentence, despite the utter shock in her voice.

Mog looked down at Natali, being the oldest moogle in the room, “Mog asks what do you mean by that Natali kupo?”

“My gunblade … is a moogle. It’s not something that we covered in basic training.”

Mog smiled and twirled a bit, “Moogie is a rare moogle. Moogie is a gunblade moogle, and Mog is a Bowblade moogle kupo. Not so strange to Moogie and Mog kupo!”

Looking at the twins, Natali started to speak, but paused, then started again. “Did... you know about this?”

Both girls shook their heads no. “We didn’t even know they could talk. All Mog ever said was Kupo!”

Mog giggled a little, “Mog says more then Kupo, Kupo!”

Natali giggled, running her finger quietly over Moogie’s tummy. “She’s so adorable.”

Serah poked her head into the room, “Unfortunately, moogles speak in third person, but that’s easy to get used to, because they are just so darn cute, Did Claire give you Moogie, Natali?”

Natali quickly nodded. “Yeah. She said she was a special gunblade, but she didn’t warn me about this.”

“She gave a person Mog to give to me, and never said anything about it either, I think she does that on purpose.” Serah giggled.

Natali laughed. “This is just so incredible. God I had like, ten thousand questions I wanted to ask yesterday and now I can’t think of one.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Enjoy your Moogle; love your gunblade, and it will always love you.” Serah smiled, calling over her shoulder as she turned to leave, “Mog, play nice ok?”

“Do you guys like being weapons?” Natali asked, tilting her head slightly.

Mog smiled and answered first, “Mog loves Being Serah’s Bowblade. Mog kill anything that will hurt Serah kupo.”

“Kupo,” Natali giggled quietly. “Moogie, right? Um... Was that your doing that made that nasty beast’s head implode earlier?”

Moogie smiles, “Moogie helped, but Natali did most work kupo! Moogie will do anything for Natali to help protect Alexa and Mindy kupo!”

“Wow,” she answered softly and giggled. “Okay, last question, I promise. But it’s kinda important. Do you have to stay in your weapon form when we go out? Or for that matter do you prefer one form over another?”

Moogie grinned a very cute Moogle grin. “Moogie and Mog no have to be weapons all the time Kupo. Moogie can be moogle when Moogie wants kupo!”

“Oh, cool,” Natali giggled. “I’d feel guilty if you never got to have any fun.”

“Moogie has fun just being with Natali, kupo!” Moogie did a spin and floated up to Natali, nuzzling her.

“Awww,” she giggled, giving the moogle a little kiss on her nose. “You are SO adorable. I always wanted a moogle, even just a plush toy..”

The moogle twirled around, “Moogie is free to be Moogie, Kupo!”

Natali giggled as she pulled Moogie into a gentle hug. “Yes, you’re free to be you. If anyone asks, I’ll tell them the truth. You’re my friend and my guardian.” She grinned. “Kupo.”

Authors Notes:
A bit of Fluffy stuff some action not much, Next part I promise more, some more characters introduced Enjoy.

One week before Summer holidays, Natali had been living on Cocoon in her parents’ big house for almost a year. She had been going to school via holo’s and Serah’s class so she didn’t have to go to the public school. She had also been doing a lot of practice with her gunblade, and learning how to shoot a bow. During the time away from her Aunt’s place she had been keeping in touch constantly with Alexa and Mindy though, and all three of the girls missed each other very badly.

During her stay on Pulse, Natali , Alexa and Mindy managed to get three chocobos which now resided in a stable outside the NORA house. Unlike her mother Lightning, Natali had begun letting her hair grow after the summer. She kept it the same lovely shade of pink, but it now reached past her shoulders in a style somewhat like Vanille’s; she insisted it was because she liked it however and not out of some desire to honor either of them. Truthfully it was, if anything, a fangirl thing.

That, after all, was what the double-set of earrings were for. She had two sets of piercings done - one lower, where she always wore the silver earrings she received from defeating her first monster, and an upper set to honor her mother Vanille’s people. For months, she woke up from terrible nightmares, screaming about not wanting to go, but in time, like memories of her old life, they faded. The changes were remarkable. No longer a scrawny, frightened little girl - or boy - she had really come into her own over the past year.

Natali’s comm unit in her room started to ring while she was out in the living room enjoying a warm drink with her mother Vanille. Natali squeaked just a little. “Oh I bet that’s Alexa and Mindy. Can I go see?” she asked politely.

Vanille smiled at Natali, “Sure sweetie; go on and go talk to your friends. I’m sure they miss you.”

“Thanks Mommy,” she bubbled and kissed her cheek. “I miss them too. I wish we could see each other more often,” she sighed, setting down her mug and racing for the bedroom. “Don’t hang up! Don’t hang up!” she chanted.

Natali reached her comm unit before the girls decided to hang up and on the other end, and the two twins fought a bit to be seen on the video screen. “Hey girl your birthday’s tomorrow right? Well when you get here, we have a gift for you ok?” Alexa managed to get out.

Natali giggled. “Hi guys! Yeah, I’m super-excited. I’m still working on my Moms about the trip. Aunt Serah’s pregnancy kind of threw a wrench into things. It’s not that they don’t trust me, they’re just worried about Serah, y’know?”

“Oh Uncle Snow and Gadot said they would make sure we were safe you know!” Mindy bubbled.

“Oh cool! I’ll tell Momma Vee when we hang up,” she giggled.

“Oh hey Tommy isn’t picking on anyone anymore. There’s this big kid that moved into town with his parents, and he kinda trashed Tommy.” Alexa grinned.

“Ouch!” Natali tried not to giggle. “I guess he figured out the hard way that there’s always a bigger fish. Hope the bigger kid’s leaving you guys alone?”

“Oh yeah, he’s a nice boy. He’s your age, but almost as tall as Yuj!” Mindy bubbled.

“Oh God. So which one of you is he going to ask out? Hmmm?” she teased, grinning from ear to ear.

“Oh God no way! Ugh!” Both girls giggled. “There is no way I’m ever going to date a boy,” Mindy smiled as she nodded.

Natali laughed at that as she leaned back in her chair. “Just teasing.”

Alexa stared at Natali for a second then asked bluntly, “Did your boobs grow, girl?”

“They’ve been kind of itchy for awhile. I guess I hadn’t really thought about it. Do they look bigger?”

“Serah! Your niece has boobs now!” Alexa called across the room.

“Oh Gawd!” Natali blushed. “Just don’t do that when Mom’s in the room or she’ll never let me come back to NORA house!” she teased.

“Well at least we didn’t call them tits. Maqui might embarrass you and tell you that your tits are growing in nicely!” Alexa and Mindy both giggled.

Giggling, Natali shook her head slowly. “God I love you guys. I can’t wait to see you again.”

“We love you to Natali, and miss you so much, Mindy’s been feeding your chocobo for you like you asked by the way,” Alexa informed Natali, and Mindy just smiled.

“Oh, thank you. I’m so scared he won’t recognize me. We only had a little time together when he was just a chick and all.”

“They always remember their owner. They have the best smellers on the planet you know!” Alexa smiled. “At least that’s what your Aunt Serah says in class.”

“Oh, that’s good. I’ll have to ask Momma Vee or Momma Light if there are any exotic greens for sale up here. I’ll bring some down for them if there are. Not like I’m using my allowance for much,” she added with a giggle.

“Hey I wish we could stay longer Natali, but it’s getting late and Mom just pointed at the clock telling us it’s almost bed time.” Both the girls frowned.

“Oops. Hey, no problem! You guys take care, and give your mom and everyone down there a hug for me!” she bubbled cheerfully. She hopped up from her chair, her bare feet echoing in the hall as she raced back to the living room.

Vanille was still sitting on one of the chairs on her second cup of warm liquids. “Have a good conversation sweetie?”

Natali nodded as she bounded over to hug her mother, seating herself again. “Alexa and Mindy said that if I still wanted to come, that Uncle Snow and Gadot promised to keep take care of us. I know Momma Light already said no, but I promised them I’d bring it up.”

She smiled, trying to hide her sadness as she picked up her hot tea and sipped it. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about sneaking down there. But number one, I’d be spotted before I got halfway down, and two, I just couldn’t do that to Momma Light,” she giggled.

“That’s a good girl, for not going on your own. Hey I’ll talk to Light, but I won’t mention Snow. I think I’ll tell her that nice boy Yuj and Gadot said they would watch after you girls and make sure you three don’t put too much stress on Serah.” Vanille smiled.

Natali giggled. “I could even help around the house, you know, keep Uncle Snow in line,” she joked.

“You know Snow is afraid of you? You’re just like your Mother Light in the aspect that you don’t take crap from him.” Vanille laughed a little.

The girl laughed as she shook her head. “Afraid of me? Don’t tell Momma Light, but I kind of like our little banter. I mean it’s nothing like watching them go at it, but it’s all in fun for me. I’m really proud of him and NORA.” She paused and shook her head, taking another long sip from her cup before continuing.

“God she’d threaten to disown me if she heard me say that,” she giggled. “But I won’t be running off to join them or anything. I really want to join the military like her someday. Anyway, I can’t believe tomorrow’s my birthday already. Alexa thinks I’ve … um, ‘grown’ a little,” Natali blushed brightly.

Vanille studied her daughter closely with a big smile on her face, “Well not only are you developing a chest, you have actually grown in height as well.”

“Yeah, that first one was what she asked me about. … And proceeded to scream at aunt Serah about. God half of Bodhum probably heard her,” she giggled, shaking her head.

“That friend of your Alexa is pretty loud.” Vanille laughed, “But she is a sweet girl.”

“Yeah, she’s got a good heart. She and Mindy are both great, but I swear it’s hard to believe they’re sisters sometimes.” Natali shook her head.

“I’m thinking of taking Moogie for a walk tomorrow morning after practice, just to get some fresh air, then maybe see if they’ll let me use the training room for awhile. I feel like if I can just get some more time in I can tighten up my swordplay some more,” she changed the subject, trying not to think about how much she missed her friends.

“So why don’t you go to the new clothing shop, and get yourself a pretty dress for your birthday party?” Vanille grinned.

“Ooh. I haven’t gone shopping in awhile. It’s just not as fun alone. I don’t suppose you’re free tomorrow?” she asked, giving Vanille the puppy eyes.

“No, I have to go help Lightning at the new facility tomorrow, but maybe you can ask the neighbor girl, Erika? I think that’s her name, to go with you?” Vanille smiled at Natali.

“It was worth a shot,” she teased. “But I guess I can see if she’s interested. We haven’t really talked much with all my training and stuff. I guess I have been pushing myself too hard.” Natali absentmindedly pushed her fingers through her bangs, causing them to flutter back down, framing her face.

“Natali honey, are you okay?” Vanille finally asked, setting her cup aside and standing to pull her daughter into a hug. Natali nodded into Vanille’s shoulder.

“I’m okay. I’m just restless I guess.” She smiled.

“Just like your mother Lightning.” Vanille sighed. “I really should talk to her about letting you go down there this holiday.”

“After my birthday, though. I want to spend as much of it with you guys as I can, even if that’s just watching you work,” she added and giggled.

“What kind of cake do you like? This is your first birthday with us. We don’t want to get it wrong you know.” Vanille kissed Natali’s forehead.

“Gysahl,” Natali teased, giggling. “Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

“Chocobo food eh? No it’s not bad made into a cake, but Lightning is going to fall over when I tell her,” Vanille giggled to herself.

Natali shook her head and giggled. “Really I’m okay with anything sweet though. Weren’t you just saying the other day I don’t eat enough sweets for a girl my age?” She added with a laugh. “Ooh, maybe something with berries!”

“Yes I did, when I was your age, I ate a lot of chocolates!” Vanille giggled. “You know I know the perfect cake to make. You’ll love it.”

“Sounds great! Do you need any help, or is this one of those surprise things?” Natali teased.

Vanille grinned as she shook her head. “Go out and enjoy yourself. Let me worry about the cake. I promise you’ll love it.”

Natali smiled as she nodded. “Oh okay. I guess I should go get ready for bed.” She leaned up to kiss her mother’s cheek, hugging her. “Good night Mommy,” she whispered and smiled brightly.

“Sleep well, Princess,” Vanille answered, giving her backside a gentle, playful swat. As she walked away Vanille returned to her chair, a proud smile on her face. “Just like her mother,” she echoed her earlier words, giggling to herself and picking up her mug again.

The next morning, following her morning exercises and a shower, Natali exited her bathroom to find Moogie hovering up and down over her bed, smiling happily.

“Moogie says good morning Natali, kupo! Is Natali taking Moogie for more practice today, kupo?”

“No practice today, kupo,” Natali giggled. “Today I’m going shopping for a new dress for my birthday.”

“Oh, how exciting kupo! Can Moogie come too kupo?”

“Of course you can! I’m going to ask the neighbor girl if she wants to come too.”

“Neighbor girl kupo? Neighbor girl doesn’t know about Moogie kupo. Should Moogie be Natali’s gunblade kupo?”

Natali giggled as she snuggled the little moogle closer. “No sweetie, you can be Moogie if you want.”

“Moogie will be Natali’s gunblade for now kupo, then surprise neighbor girl if neighbor girl turns out to be nice kupo,” she responded, transforming herself into her weapon form.

Natali hadn’t really noticed, but Moogie’s Firedance form had taken on a few extra silver embellishments here and there in addition to the slightly increased size over the last year. She hummed to herself as she picked up her blade and sheathed it then turned to leave.

Natali approached the large house next door to her own, and knocked on the door. A rather large man answered the door. “How can I help you young lady?”

A year ago Natali would have been terrified. She was frightened of Snow after all, but today she simply smiled warmly and offered her hand. “Hi there. I’m Natali Farron. I live next door. I know it’s going to sound weird, but my Mom said there’s a girl my age that lives here, and... Well, I was wondering if she might want to go shopping with me?”

“Ah you’re Lightning’s kid. My wife is in your mother’s unit. Eh, but yeah, Erika is here. Let me go get her.” The man smiled down at her then stepped back inside.

“Big man kind of scary kupo,” Moogie giggled quietly. Natali laughed.

“God, I thought he was going to bounce my rump down the street for a second there.”

A moment later a young girl with long strawberry blonde hair came to the door, wearing a pink plaid skirt and a pink top. “Hello, I’m Erika. My daddy said you wanted to talk to me?” She looked a bit confused.

“Hey, nice to meet you. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself before. I’m Natali.” She smiled just a little nervously. “Um, do you maybe want to go shopping or something? Mom wants me to find something nice for my birthday party, and I could use some company. I hate shopping alone.”

“Oh, um, um, ok, I guess?” she replied softly. “Well, I should ask my daddy. Mom’s off training. Um hold on ok?” She turned around and went inside for a moment or two.

Natali folded her hands neatly behind her as she stepped back away from the door. She used to feel conspicuous about carrying a gunblade, whenever Moogie didn’t want to reveal herself as a moogle, until Lightning explained to her that she need only act like the weapon belonged on her hip.

‘Act like a nervous hoodlum, and people will treat you like one. Act like a proud warrior and the same will hold true,’ echoed in her mind as she quietly watched the passers-by on the street, waiting for Erika’s answer.

Erika quickly came back. “Daddy says it’s ok. Um, Natali, why do you carry a sword?” looking at Firedance a little nervous.

“Oh,” Natali giggled. “I’m training to be a warrior like my mothers, Lightning and Vanille,” she answered matter-of-factly. “I was thinking about doing some training today, if you had decided not to go with me so... I hate going to these big social places alone, but my only other friends live down in New Bodhum, so I never see them.”

“Oh wow, that must really be awful, being so far away from your friends. So It’s your birthday? Can I come?” Erika kinda bubbled then blushed.

Natali giggled. “Oh my God yes! It’s just going to be my parents and maybe some soldiers if I’m lucky, and a quick video call from my friends on the surface, and, maybe one other friend if she decides to show herself,” she added with a giggle. “But I’d love it if you could come.”

“Thank you. We just moved here a month ago when mom transferred units to here, and I don’t have many friends, and well in the public school it’s so hard to make any friends.” Erika blushed.

“Wow, I’m sorry. I should have come over sooner, but I’ve been feeling kind of mopey lately about missing Alexa and Mindy, and throwing myself into my training to take my mind off it. I’m in a private tutoring program so I’m not in public school, or I’d try and introduce you to people.”

“They sound really cool, maybe someday I can meet them, and we all can be friends?” Erika smiled for the first time since the two started walking to the mall area.

Natali giggled. “I’d like that so much. You’d love Mindy. She’s a little quiet. Alexa’s more … Well, loud, but not in a bad way. She just thinks private things like breast growth should be announced to half the neighborhood.” Natali giggled again and blushed just a little.

“I might - emphasis on might because Momma Light already said no once, be heading down to the surface to see them soon, and check on my chocobo Tweezer, but when I get back I promise to come hang out again. You seem way too nice to not have any friends. I’d even offer to ask your Dad or Mom if you could come too, but aunt Serah’s having a baby so they’re already worried about me being there.”

“Oh, well I probably can’t go anyway, my mom wants to send me to my aunts house for the summer too, except I hate my aunt’s. My cousins are such bitches.” Erika frowned.

“Aw, I’m sorry. You know we should totally get our picture taken together so you can show them.”

Erika smiled. “If I told them I’m best friends with the daughter of Lightning, then they would defiantly leave me alone, Sally, my best friend Natali Farron would stomp you if you pulled my hair again!” gigging after finishing that.

Natali giggled loudly. “Oh we so have to get our picture taken together now!” She grinned.

Erika looked over at Natali, “I would never ask you to stomp my cousins, I mean um, you know, And well thanks for being my friend.” she smiled.

“Not like I could anyway, but ever since I blasted that bug monster, the one bully that might’ve given me trouble stayed far away,” she giggled. “Probably because of Mom dragging his butt home by the ear though. But I still want to get a picture with you to remember my new friend while we’re both away.”

“Thank you. Hey um, while we’re in the big shopping district, can we um, stop and get something to eat too?” Erika smiled.

Natali held up her Gil card and winked. “Sure. My treat. My parents, my aunt, everyone tries to spoil me. It’s not every day I get to pay it forward.”

Erika looked at Natali blankly, “I can’t let you do that. Daddy gave me some gil to spend.”

“Oh, fine, but you have to come to my birthday now,” she answered with a grin. “Since you won’t let me treat you to lunch, then you have to try my Momma Vee’s cooking instead. But don’t worry, unlike Momma Light, she’s a fantastic cook.” She giggled.

Erika giggled, “Ok, I wouldn’t miss it, and not being you’re a Farron either, but because you’re my friend.”

Natali giggled as she gave the girl a light hug. “Thanks for coming out with me. I’ve been going out of my mind with boredom lately.”

Erika smiled, “Thanks for asking me. I was going to sit and watch Holo’s all day if you didn’t. Daddy hates when I do that.”

“You remind me a lot of a boy I used to know a long time ago, you know. Not that I’m trying to say you’re a boy, just that he had the same kind of tendencies.” She giggled.

Erika wrinkled her nose when Natali mentioned that. “I have a secret to tell you when we eat lunch ok? But you can’t be mad at me when I tell you.”

“Okay, I won’t be mad,” she answered honestly, still smiling. “Hey, I didn’t offend you just now did I?”

“No.. um, so “ trying to change the topic, “What store do you want to go to first?” Erika looked around the big shopping center.

“Mom Vee wants me to pick out a nice dress, but I’ll be honest with you. I’m still trying to figure out what girls our age are ‘supposed’ to wear,” she giggled.

“Oh! Let me help you with that then? Clothes are my specialty, unless you don’t like pink..” Erika trailed off a little.

“Oh my God, girl, we have got to introduce you to my aunt Serah some day.” Natali giggled, practically bubbling. “She looooves pink. I’m a bit of a fan in the right shades too,” she added, tossing her hair to illustrate the point.

“Someday I am going to be a big fashion designer. I really love clothing.” Erika smiled.

“I wish I could do creative stuff like that. I know we all have our own talents and stuff, but I just think creative people are really cool,” she added, glancing around. “Let’s see. Clothing or food first?”

“Lets shop first, that way we can build up our appetites. Mom says ‘Shopping helps a girl get hungy’” Erika giggled.

Natali laughed softly. “Oh, good advice. I wonder if I’ve met your mom? But I guess it’d be a pretty slim chance since she’s only been here a month. Sorry you had to leave all your old friends behind by the way,” she added sympathetically, as she ducked into a clothing shop with a pretty pink dress hanging in the window.

“It’s ok, I still talk to them when I can. I didn’t have too many there either. But I had a few.” Erika smiled as she v-lined for the pink dress. “I think this would look so wonderful with your hair color.”

“Really?” Natali giggled. “I wasn’t really sure about the shade, but I like the style.”

“Yes and it might even accent your eyes a bit too.” Erika continued to smile.

Natali hurried over to the counter, smiling warmly up at the store owner. “Hi, can I try on that dress?”

“Let me get you the key card for the dressing room miss.” The young lady behind the counter smiled, and grabbed a key card from under the counter.

“Thanks!” she announced cheerfully. “I’m not sure if it’ll fit, but my friend says it would look great with my hair. Plus my aunt Serah would just die if she saw a holo of me in something like that.” She giggled.

“Oh Serah, as in Serah Farron?” The girl behind the counter asked.

Natali nodded, smiling. “Yes ma’am. My mom’s Lightning Farron.”

The young woman winked, “Then well, welcome to the family sweetie. I’ll be at your birthday party later tonight.”

Natali blinked up at the woman a few times. “Wow, really?”

“Yes ma`am. I think we’re cousins if I’m not mistaken.” she giggled.

“Oh my God. That’s so cool! Erika!” she bubbled, pulling her friend closer. “I have a cousin I didn’t even know about.”

“You have a lot of family around these parts, but Lightning tends to stay away from us all. Lately though, and I think this is due to Vanille making her soft, she’s been talking to some of us.”

“That’s a shame. Family should stick together. I mean without my Moms I’d be lost.”

Erika nodded. “If only. My cousins hate me, like I said before.”

Natali nodded. “I guess I’m just really lucky. Alexa and Mindy are like my adopted cousins back on Bodhum, and Serah and Snow and Yuj and everyone else was super nice to me and took me in even though I’m “just” a clone. Well, mixed DNA from both, but still,” she rambled. “Anyhow, I can’t wait to see you there.”

The young woman smiled as Erika handled Natali the pink dress to try on, “Does it fit or do I need to get a different size for you?”

“Hmmm,” Natali hummed critically after a moment or two. “I dunno. What do you think?” she asked, stepping out. “It feels a little loose in the bodice, but I dunno if a size down would be too tight elsewhere?” She spun around once, slowly, then paused, wiggling her butt at the pair. “I like the way it hangs though. It’s more comfortable than I expected.”

“Well it looks almost perfect. I don’t think we can get any other size that will fit you. I think you should get it, and when we get home I can hem it up a little and make it fit better.” Erika smiled brightly.

“Great!” Natali giggled then covered her mouth. “Dear God, I’m excited about shopping. I’m turning into Serah.” She laughed as she stepped back into the changing area. “I think I have a nice pair of shoes that I can wear with it. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces though,” she added.

Erika giggled as she was holding something so Natali couldn’t see it. “So you want that dress. It looks so pretty on you, I’m envious.”

“Yeah, definitely,” she answered, hanging it on the door before slipping back into her old clothes. “Doesn’t look too cute with these clunky boots I’m wearing, but like I said, I think I have some nice shoes that should look okay. I should pick up a few more things while we’re here, just in case I get to go down to Bodhum.”

“Sure I’ll meet up with you in a second ok?” Erika looked a little sheepish with a grin on her face.

“Sure, no problem,” Natali answered and smiled, turning to browse through some of the shop’s other selections.

Erika went up to the counter and paid for a very cute set of Chocobo earrings thanked the young woman and hid them inside a box in the bag, and as she returned to Natali, “Oh! Look at this dress!” she gushed, holding it up to herself.

“Oh that’s gorgeous. It really makes your eyes pop - and for once, I understand what that means,” she added, giggling.

“You think so?” Erika smiled then looked the price on it frowning, “Well I’ll have to wait till mom gets paid to get it.”

“You know that offer’s still open, if you change your mind. I have more Gil saved up than you really want to know.” Natali grinned. “And it really would look so good on you. You could wear it to my party.” She added with an even broader grin.

“I couldn’t let you do that, We only just became friends, and I don’t want to mooch of my friends.” Erika frowned as she put the dress back.

“Well, okay. But I don’t really have many friends. Just Min and Lex, and Moogie, who you might meet later. I just wanted to do something nice for you.” She smiled warmly.

“Thanks for the offer Natali, I do really appreciate it, but Mom says we have to earn what we get and not take from others.”

“I guess that’s why I don’t do this very often - going shopping I mean. I have a lot of gil saved because my parents give me a lot for allowance, more than I need, and other than keeping my room clean and keeping my grades up, I don’t do much else to earn it. It feels kind of weird, you know? I know they mean well, but I don’t make a good spoiled rich brat.” She giggled.

Erika smiled, “I think they are just looking out for you, and you come from a rather famous family you know. I think it would be neat to be in your shoes. At least then I would be me.”

“Huh?” Natali asked, confused, but shook her head. “Listen, just promise me one thing okay? Promise me you’ll let me see you when you do get your dress, or if I’m away or whatever, you’ll send me a holo?”

“Sure I promise! My Mom will get it for me, but I have to wait since it’s between pay right now, and when we are between pay it gets a little crunchy at home. Daddy is going to open a shop here in town soon to help Mom out.” Erika smiled.

Natali giggled, hugging her. “Yay! Thanks. And I hope your dad’s shop works out too.”

“Daddy makes jewelery; well he did back home, and he wants to do it again, here. He was just waiting to find a perfect place to open shop.”

After ringing up her purchases, including a couple of skirts and tops with her new dress, Natali turned back to Erika. “So has he found anything yet?”

“Yeah, there’s an empty shop here in the shopping center hes going to get. “ Erika’s tummy grumbled, “Ok now see, shopping does make a girl hungry.” she giggled.

Natali laughed. “I’d try and talk you into at least letting me split the bill on lunch, but it’d be unfair in my favor because I burn a lot of energy, so I have to eat like a chocobo,” she teased. “C’mon, let’s go find some place quiet to chow down. I’m starved.”

The pizza shop was definitely ultramodern at least in terms of the kitchen. The oven looked to have a high-polished glass or crystal door set to a pristine brick frame, and every surface looked so clean Lightning would’ve been proud, but it also had a certain kind of old-world charm. The tables, each carved from some sort of dark hardwood and covered in matched red-and-white checkered table cloths had sets of matching chairs - two for the smallest tables, and eight for the two largest.

A small group of boys began whispering as the girls brought their pizza to a far two-chair table near the back and settled in.

Natali rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry. I get those stares sometimes. ‘Oh my God is that Lightning’s daughter’ or ‘Sign my neck slash hand slash hoverboard’.” She giggled, tearing into a bite of pizza. “I’ve gotten used to it, but if it bothers you I’ll ask them to go find someone else to oggle.” She smiled.

“I don’t think they are looking at you Natali, they are trying to place me. “ Erika sighed, “At school, I don’t dress like this, I wear the schools boy uniform. and go by the name of Eric”

“Wow. Really?” she asked, surprised, adding barely a moment later, “I never would’ve guessed. You’re way prettier than Yuj, and she looks pretty good.”

Erika blushed, “Well I’ve been doing this all my life, I just can’t get the courage to do it at school. “

For the first time in what certainly felt like years to Natali, she thought back to her life before Natali. Part of her suddenly, deeply wanted to confide in Erika that she wasn’t really a clone, but she swallowed her pizza bite, setting the slice down and reaching out to squeeze Erika’s hand, letting her talk.

“There’s doctors here in town that can help me, it seems that this issue isn’t only mine , and they have been studying for awhile now, which is good.” Erika smiled.

“God, you poor thing. I wish I could help somehow.”

“Just being my friend is cool” Erika smiled, “I couldn’t ask for a cooler friend then Natali Farron” she giggled.

One of the boys from the other table finally stood up and walked over. “What’s a Farron doing with a freak like Eric?”

Natali stood, staring the boy right in the eye. “What’s an animal like you doing in a civilized place like this?”

“Oh, a smartass bitch huh?” The boy smirked, “You know if you wern’t a girl I’d kick your ass, but I think I’ll settle on beating the shit out of Eric instead.” The boy pushed Erika out of her chair, but as he lunged for her, Natali stuck out her foot, causing him to tumble to the ground.

“Get her!” he shouted at the three still sitting a few tables over. They looked at each other, and Natali spun to face them. The first threw an awkward punch which she avoided easily, thrusting her hip into the boy and using his momentum to send him to the ground. The second and third boys started to gang up on her as the instigator who attacked Erika got to his feet.

The second boy grabbed Natali as the third tried to punch her, but she lifted her feet, kicking him square in the chest and knocking him into an empty table. As she struggled to break free, the instigator took a swing. She managed to force herself just far enough out of the way for him to punch his friend instead.

“Uh... I-is that thing real?” the second boy asked, staring nervously at her gunblade. Natali nodded seriously.

“Yeah it’s real!” Natali shouted.

“Shit!” he squealed as he scampered to his feet. “Man this ain’t worth it! Let’s get outta here!”

The third boy released Natali and followed hot on the heels of his friend.

“You fucking cowards!” the instigator bellowed after them, ready to take another swing at Natali. She tried to dodge his swing, but grunted as his fist landed squarely in her shoulder, knocking her back into the table, and causing it, along with the pizza to go flying.

Just as she got back to her feet, he swung again, and this time she caught his arm, twisting his wrist around behind his back as an armored guard raced inside, weapon drawn..

“That’s enough!” he barked, as Natali pinned the boy to the ground. Erika sat up, holding her bruised face as she sobbed quietly, and the guard frowned. “Young lady, I’m going to have to ask you to let the boy up.”

Natali immediately complied, letting go of his arm as the pizza shop owner stepped around from behind the counter.

“Excuse me sir. I saw the whole thing. That little hoodlum,” he pointed at the boy, “attacked that poor little girl for no reason, and this nice young lady fended off his three friends and him to protect her.”

The guard nodded as he grabbed the boy by the arm. “You three are coming with me. I’ll take your statements at the PSICOM facility.” He paused to glance at the pizza shop owner. “We’ll be in touch about the damages.”

Natali knelt beside Erika, wrapping her in a hug and helping her to her feet. “Don’t forget your bags,” she managed through tears. Natali smiled at her, picking up both their bags off the ground, dusting them off, and handing Erika hers as she hung her own off the hilt of Firedance.

“Sorry sir. We’re ready now,” she offered respectfully.

The two girls embraced as the guard moved the boy along, knowing that it was him that caused the mess, but needed everyone to come along as it was.

“I promise I’ll talk to your parents, whatever happens, okay?” Natali spoke softly. “You’re not going to get in any trouble if I can help it. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Erika sniffled and nodded, then the guard spoke again as he left them into a building that looked extremely familiar to Natali. “Ok you two girls wait here, and you boy wait over there, if you try anything any of you, I’ll put you behind bars now.”

Natali stepped well away from the boy and shook her head. She started to speak, but realizing it would only make things worse, stayed quiet for now. “Mom’s gonna kill me,” she mumbled under her breath.

Lightning stepped out from the hallway and looked the three over, then looking at her daughter with a certain look in her eyes, then she turned her head to the boy, “You, in that room over there now.” She turned back to Erika and Natali as the boy disappeared into the room with a slight smile.

“I’m not happy with you, but somehow I know it’s not your fault. Since you’re my daughter, I’ll have to get one of the other guards get your statement.”

“I understand, ma’am,” Natali answered softly. “I did what I believed was right, ma’am,” she added.

Lightning gave Natali a kind of ‘I understand you want to stick up for people’ look and smiled then turned serious as she entered the room with the boy.

Natali turned to give Erika another hug. “Erika I am so sorry for dragging you out into all this. I never dreamed crap like this could happen here. When I met NORA and saw how laid back everyone was about Yuj, I thought it was the same with everyone. I mean I didn’t even realize you weren’t... I mean...” she fumbled, trying to find the right words. “I hope you can forgive me.”

“It’s not your fault Natali; I guess things are different for this Yuj but in public school its bad to be different. To that boy I’m just a sissy who draws.” Fresh tears rolled down Erica’s face.

“I guess some things never change, no matter what world you’re from,” Natali frowned as she tried to comfort her.

The guard pointed at Erika, “You in the room over there, now.”

Natali let her new friend go, standing with her hands neatly folded in front of her as she waited for further instruction. Living a year in a military family had taught her a few things: when in doubt, respect authority, don’t talk back, and follow orders to the best of one’s ability.

Moments later the boy came out of the room with Lightning, looking like he was in tears, wearing manacles on his wrists. “Merrik, get over here and take this boy down to Cell Block C, then come back and take Natali into this room and get her statement.”

Natali frowned slightly as she looked away. She had hoped things might end without more violence, but she couldn’t question her mother’s methods. At least the boy had all his fingers intact, but she couldn’t fathom what possessed him, or anyone, to act that way either.

Moments later Merrik came back to the main room, “Natali, in the empty room now,” he ordered.

“Yes sir,” she responded crisply, not at all mockingly or jokingly as she might on a normal day. These were far from normal circumstances. She walked swiftly into the room then turned back to face Merrik, waiting for further instruction.

Merrik entered the room behind Natali and closed the door. “Sit down there and relax. You’re not in trouble, but I do need to take your statement.”

Natali relaxed, but she didn’t smile either. Just below the calm surface, a raging volcano rumbled. She pulled the chair back just a bit and sat down.

“So tell me from the start what happened in your own words, Do not lie; you know the drill hon. I have to do this. It’s part of the regulations.”

“I understand. Do you want the whole recap, or just the incident?” she asked.

“The whole thing hon, even before you got to the pizza parlor because there might be details in what happened before that led up to this attack.”

“Alright. I have to ask for confidentiality - as much as possible because Erika is … She’s a special girl, and she’s been hurt enough today.”

“We know all about Erika’s case Natali. Her mom is part of our Unit.” Merrik nodded.

Natali’s lips curled into the beginnings of a smile at that, and she nodded. “Okay. I just had to say that upfront because... Frankly I’m still on edge and I don’t know what the fuck.” She flinched.

“I’m sorry. That slipped. Okay, this all started this morning. Well no, actually it started last night. Mom Vee - I mean, Vanille, said I should go shopping today and take a break from my training. She couldn’t go so she suggested I ask Erika if she wanted to go. So this morning I went next door to ask if she wanted to go shopping.”

Natali proceeded from there to explain, in almost painful detail, exactly what had transpired that day, visiting the clothing shop, trying to get Erika to let her buy that dress for her, meeting her new cousin, everything. As she drew closer to the incident though, a noticable scowl crossed her features.

“And when he knocked her off her chair I lost it. It took all I had in me not to pull my gunblade on him honestly. He started to reach for her, and that’s when I confronted him. He had two friends with him who tried to hold me down while he attacked me, but I kicked one of them in the lower region to buy myself some time. When they saw my gunblade - still sheathed - they fled, leaving me to deal with the instigator, whom the guard found me pinning to the ground when he approached.”

Merrik nodded, “Well it’s defiantly a good thing you didn’t pull the gunblade on the boy, and from the sounds of it, you’re going to make a great soldier someday. You can go out and wait for Erika if you want. I’ve got all I need from you. We’ll check the security feed, but I don’t doubt that your story will line up with it. We should be able to pull his cohorts’ faces and get a positive ID on them as well.”

Natali nodded as she stood. “I’m sorry about all this. Even if he did start it, I did push him too. I shouldn’t have snapped back at him.” She frowned.

“It’s just words Natali. When someone gets physical that’s when we have to step in. You did a good job detaining him, and Lightning will be proud of you when she hears your statement.” Merrik smiled.

Natali smiled a little as she bowed her head respectfully. “Thank you.” She quietly turned to leave, stepping out into the hall.

Lightning was talking to Erika in the waiting room as Natali stepped out to join them, “Do you want to press charges for assault?”

Natali stood back away from her mother and Erika, not wanting to influence either her decision of the conversation. Actually, she wanted to very much influence the conversation. She wanted to encourage Erika to press charges, but she felt she’d done enough already.

“If I don’t how long will he be away from me?” Erika’s makeup was all dried but ran down her face.

“Well, for assaulting an officer of the Guardian Corps, he could be in that cell for at least 2 years.” Lightning responded. “If you press charges you will get compensation for distress, and he won’t see the light of day till we deem him fit to be released.”

Natali turned just a slight shade of pale at her mother’s revelation that he tried to attack her as well. She shook her head slowly as she quietly listened.

“The severity of this crime Erika is, that boy attacked you. That’s a hate crime in Palpolum because your gender wrong, and it’s not your fault that you have this issue. Nobody should be able to attack you for it like that. I recommend you press charges, but if you want to talk to your mother first I can go get her.” Lightning watched Erika.

Natali couldn’t take it anymore, and finally approached. “Erika, I’ll stay with you if you want her to go find your mother. I know it’s a big decision, and you’re probably feeling pretty violated right now, so it might help to talk to her before you decide. I’m partly responsible anyway,” she added softly, “So I want to try and make this right.”

Erika nodded and hugged Natali tightly, “Thank you for sticking up for me.” She looked at Lightning, “Can you go get my mom please?” She looked like she was about to cry again.

Natali held her close, in an almost motherly or sisterly gesture, lightly stroking her hair. “I shouldn’t have let him get near you in the first place. Erika I am so sorry.” She saw so much of her old life in Erika, but she never even had the courage to step outside on a weekend dressed like that. Erika at least had that much courage, and Natali, feeling like she almost took that away from her for her own selfishness, nearly burst into tears herself.

Erika’s mother came out from the back area, with Lightning. She looked like an older version of Erika in her, her strawberry blonde hair pulled into a tight bun. She went over to her daughter, smiling at Natali. “Mind if I take over the hugs sweetie?”

Natali quickly nodded, letting go of the distraught girl and stepping back out of the way. She scurried to Lightning’s side, but thinking Lightning hadn’t seen her statement yet, simply folded her hands behind her rather than leaping into her arms as she so wanted at that moment, chewing her bottom lip.

Lightning wrapped her arm around her daughter she looked down at Natali and smiled, kissing her forehead, “I am proud of you.”

Natali threw her arms around Lightning’s waist as she nuzzled into her side, whispering, “I shouldn’t have let him get near her. Everything’s in my statement, but I left out the part about feeling horribly guilty for even bringing her out and exposing her to that jerk.” She sighed as she rested her head against her mother’s shoulder, watching the pair.

“You did fine,” Lightning whispered. “She wanted to go out. Erika’s mom told me all about it. She needs a friend like you, Natali.” Lightning smiled still. “I’ve been teaching you, and you choose your battle fine; sticking up for peoples rights is what you’re supposed to do.”

“How do you... What do you do in that situation, when you want to say something to someone like that, when your gut emotion takes control of your mouth before your brain can engage?” She cracked a smile.

Lightning looked down at her daughter again, “In time you’ll learn that sometimes actions speak louder then your words, and to not let your words get the best of you,” she answered, squeezing Natali close to her.

Nalai smiled at that. “I’m kind of glad you didn’t let me go to Bodhum now. Erika’s going to stay with her aunt soon, but until she does, I’m glad I can be here for her.”

“Your mother Vanille, I and Marriete have been talking about a trip down to New Bodhum, actually. Erika and you will be making a trip down there for summer holidays, just the two of you.” Lightning smiled.

Natali’s eyes lit up as she stared, shocked, up at her mother. “Really?” she tried hard not to exclaim too loudly, not wanting to interrupt Erika and her mother.

“Yes really sweetheart. You can go , and Erika will be joining you, if you don’t mind?” Lightning smiled, “Get your rear home, and I’ll be there shortly so we can start your birthday party.”

“Yes ma’am. Erika was going to help me hem my new dress,” she added in a low whisper, “But I think we can safely forget about that. I still would love it if she can come, but I won’t hold it against her if she changes her mind,” she added with a sympathetic smile, and gave her mother a quick hug. “Um... Just one really quick question. Did he really attack you?”

Lightning frowned a little. “Yes, he tried to grab my gunblade, and then hit my shoulder plate.”

“Wow... So like, no matter what I did or didn’t say, that wasn’t going to end well. I can’t believe I was able to stop him.” Natali almost scowled, shaking her head. “Anyway, I’ll head home right away.”

Natali turned, pausing beside Erika and her mother. She didn’t say a word, but stepped closer, giving the girl a quick hug and an apologetic smile. Erika hugged her back before she dashed out of the building, her nearly forgotten shopping bags still dangling from the hilt of her gunblade.

The streets were empty, and rain started to fall as Natali started to head home. She groaned, using her hand to shield her eyes, and ducking under awnings as often as possible while trying to keep her shopping bag closed. She practically jumped out of her boots as soon as she got inside her house. She paused, glancing around.

“Momma Vee? I’m back!” she called as she stood by the doorway, letting the worst of the rain drip off her clothes and onto the small, rugged mat.

The house was empty but smelled of freshly baked cake. When Natali entered the living room on the Entry table were a bunch of wrapped boxes. “I guess she stepped out,” Natali mused to herself. The front picture window’s drapes, a rich, deep rose red, hung closed tight, and the thought crossed her mind to strip down right there to keep her wet things from dripping on the nice, clean floors, but she thought better of it, and raced for her bedroom instead.

She quickly dropped her shopping bags on the hardwood dresser, resting alongside Kupo, her stuffed moogle, and her smaller pink stuffed chocobo, as she pulled a pair of clean underwear from the drawer. She pulled her new pink dress from her bag and laying it across her bed then disappearing into the bedroom’s adjoining bathroom - painted in the same rosy pink as her bedroom.

Several minutes later, steam billowed out into the cooler bedroom as she emerged, dressed in only a white terrycloth bathrobe, her long, wet hair wrapped tightly in a towel on her head. She stepped into a pair of fuzzy house slippers and padded out of the room, intent on cleaning up the mess she made coming in before Vanille or Lightning could see.

Not much had changed in the year that Natali had lived in the big house. The furniture somehow looked as clean and new as the day she came to live with Lightning and Vanille - fine, hardwood tables, big comfortable chairs, and a lovely rug she might have called oriental in her old world, sat as centerpieces to the living room, raised about a foot from the entryway.

Natali grabbed a mop from the small utility closet just off the kitchen and began furiously mopping up the little puddles that she’d left behind on her way to her bedroom.

Vanille opened the front door as Natali was mopping up, “Oh sorry kiddo, I don’t mean to make a mess after you clean it up.” Vanille smiled, “Oh and it’s you’re birthday, why are you cleaning?”

Natali shook her head. “No, it’s my mess. I got drenched on the way back from giving my statement at the facility.” She frowned a little. “Erika was attacked by some boy, but he’s going away for a long time.”

Vanille nodded, “That’s how it works sweetie, if your a bad person, you go away for a long time, but there are ways to prevent innocent people from going away and we use them.” Vanille leaned over and kissed Natali’s forehead, “Happy birthday girl.”

Natali smiled a little. “Momma Light already spoiled your surprise. I guess she figured I needed it early.” She giggled and hugged Vanille. “Thank you so much. Erika and I really had fun before the incident at the pizza shop. I know Mindy and Alexa will love her. This is going to be my best birthday ever.”

Vanille smiled as she went into the kitchen to finish the cake with a topping and candles, and before Natali could get back to her room, the front door opened. Lightning, Marriete, Erika, the young woman from the clothing shop, and a few other people entered the house, including various family members that Natali didn’t recognize and a few people from Lightning’s Military unit.

Natali, still in her bathrobe and slippers, holding the mop in one hand, and her hair up in a towel, stared like a frightened wild chocobo as everyone piled inside. She could feel her cheeks burning, but she just couldn’t bring herself to move.

Erika came over to Natali and rescued her hiding her behind her as she took her to the bedroom, “This one yours?”

“Yeah, this is mine,” she answered. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“Lets get in here and get that dress of yours fixed up ok?” Erika smiled as she opened the door to let Natali inside.

The poor girl sprinted inside, backing against the one piece of bare wall she actually had, with the rest either occupied by furniture - desks, vanity, dresser and such - or chic posters of the latest in popular bands of the day-and-age. She shook her head and laughed. “God I completely lost track of time,” she added as she raced to her bed.

The pink of the new dress accented to lighter pink bedspead nicely. She blushed a little as she held up her birthday attire, straightening the lone wrinkle that had managed to work itself into the fabric.

“My moms went overboard on the pink when they decorated my room, but I kind of like it now. Hey, how are you holding up? You seem a lot better now,” she asked almost out of the blue.

“I don’t think its overboard in the pink. Your room looks really nice. I’m trying to talk my Daddy into letting me paint my room pink.” Erika grinned, “I’ll turn around and you can put the dress on and I’ll fix it up for you ok?”

Natali giggled. “Sure, if you want,” she answered with a reassuring smile that just screamed ‘You’re too much of a girl to be a boy’. “I just didn’t want half the city to see me in my bathrobe,” she added as she turned around, slugging her robe off and stepping into her new dress.

Unlike the typical fashions of the day it had a simple, elegant flow to the form. The hemline started at her knee on the right side, tapering to just slightly above it on the other side with a kind of long, flowing ripple effect that she fell in love with. The neck, while cut a little low, was still quite modest for a girl her age. “I wonder if I should wear a belt? Maybe something red, or white?” she giggled, adding, “Oh, you can look now.”

Erika smiled as she turned around, “Oh God a red belt would look so darn cute on that, and I think after a minor adjustment in the bust area this dress is perfect. You’ll look like a real Princess in that.” She then grabbed out of her pocket a small sewing kit.

Natali giggled. “Need me to change while you work, or do I just need to stand here?”

“Nope it’s easier to work with the subject in the clothes. I promise I won’t poke you with the needle. I’m an expert!” Erika grinned.

“You know,” Natali mused, mostly just making casual conversation as she watched Erika work, “I think our parents have been planning something for a little while now. Momma Vee just happened to suggest I invite you out, and … Well, I don’t know if you heard what Momma Light and I were talking about earlier, so I won’t say anymore.” She giggled.

“I think so too. Daddy was so quick at letting me go out as a girl. He’s always afraid of me being outed.” Erika replied. “And Momma told me I’m not going to my cousins this summer, but wouldn’t tell me any other plans.”

Natali just smiled innocently as she nodded. “That’s what Momma Light told me too. I mentioned being glad I could stay here and hang out with you until you left for your cousins’, and she told me you wouldn’t have to worry about that this year.”

“Oh guess what! I learned that I can create fire with my hand!” Erika bubbled as she gently sewed the bust of the dress with careful, expert precision.

“Oh my God. Seriously? Like, magic?” Natali gasped, trying not to move too much.

“Yeah! Momma says I maybe to do a lot more someday too, like create ice and maybe summon things.” Erika beamed trying not to mess up on the pretty dress shes working on.

“I guess you won’t need me to protect you anymore, huh?” she teased, but smiled softly. “I’m so happy for you. It’s an amazing gift.”

“Oh I don’t think magic would have stopped those boys,” Erika frowned, “But it might have slowed them down. I’m glad you were there to help me.”

“That’s what friends are for,” she replied cheerfully. “But I’m glad I was there too.”

Erika finished the last touch on Natali’s dress, hemming the bust line just right to fit her body better. “Perfect, You and I make a great team you know that?”

Natali giggled, pulling the girl into a hug. “Thank you. It feels perfect!” She turned to check herself in the mirror then grinned. “Wow. It looks perfect too! Okay, belt... Belt... Oh, I think it’s in here,” she bubbled, rushing to the closet. She pulled the faux-shutter-style white doors open to reveal a large walk in closet with two rows - upper and lower - of varying styles of skirts, tops, dresses, and pants hanging on all three sides.

“I have way too much stuff,” she sighed, pushing some of the articles aside so she could get to the hidden shelves. Despite the chaotic mass of color, a pattern could definitely be seen too. Shoes, belts, even purses, each seemed to have their place.

“I wish we were sisters,” Natali teased. “Because I have a lot of things that I think would look fantastic with that beautiful hair of yours. Oh here it is. And the shoes that go with it,” she added, emerging a moment later with a small, almost cherry red leather belt with little silver accents in one hand, and a pair of red flats in the other, stepping into the shoes even as she hurriedly fastened the belt.

“Goddess I’m going to have to come over here and borrow some clothes from you sometime,” Erika whistled. “That’s like a department store in itself in there.”

Natali giggled. “Now you know why I hate shopping alone. If I just go alone, it’s just buying more crap I have to find a place for.”

She paused, carefully poking her finger up under the towel on her hair. “Dry enough,” she nodded to herself, unraveling the towel. Her hair flew every which way, some matted to her head, some sticking out at a strange angle. She groaned, picking up a hair comb and trying to sort it out. “If it wasn’t so pretty I’d hack it all off,” she joked. Erika shook her head as she grabbed a brush, tackling the other side.

“No way. I love it. You can always just braid it if it gets in the way when you’re training,” she advised.

In no time the two were finished, and with Erika’s help, Natali had managed to style her hair into an elaborate style perfect for the birthday girl’s big day. Natali giggled as she stepped out of her room, re-emerging into the living room where everyone had gathered, some sitting, some standing, some drinking fruity beverages. All eyes settled on Natali as the room grew silent though.

Vanille emerged from the kitchen carrying a rather large cake, with twelve candles on it, with a big smile on her face as she set it down on the table and looked at her beautiful daughter.

Natali turned to Erika with a kind of ‘this is all for me?’ stunned expression before turning back to Vanille again, stepping closer, and wrapping her in a hug. “Wow. Thank you everyone,” she added, reaching up with one hand to dab at her eye.

Marriete grinned. “Well, young lady, what are you waiting for? Blow out the candles and make a wish!”

Natali giggled. “I wish Alexa and Mindy could be here.”

From the outside covered porch Natali could hear some giggling, as the door was cracked partially.

She blinked a few times. “I can’t believe that worked,” she giggled, causing a round of laughter from the gathered adults as she raced to the door and threw it open.

Alexa grabbed Natali as she opened the door, “Happy birthday you!” she cheered, hugging her tightly. “Mom said we couldn’t miss such a special birthday for you. It’s your twelfth birthday and your first rolled into one.”

Natali squealed as she hugged Alexa then grabbed Mindy in a hug. “Thank you so much. It just wasn’t going to be the same without you guys here! We have so much to catch up on, and I have a new friend to introduce you to as well. Come inside!” She motioned, as she returned to her cake.

She waited a moment for everyone to make themselves comfortable before inhaling sharply and closing her eyes, apparently making another wish for herself before blowing out all twelve candles.

“Happy birthday sweetie.” Lightning walked up to Natali and put a Guardian Corp dog tag around her neck, “You are now an unofficial member of the Guardian Corp.” She winked as she moved off to the side, and Vanille started to slice the cake for everyone.

Natali giggled as she lifted the dogtag to examine it. She grinned. “Oh, I don’t plan to stay unofficial. I want to apply as soon as I’m old enough. I like helping people. It’s...” she paused, searching for the right word. “I can’t explain it.” She smiled as she shrugged and sat down, still giggling quietly.

Mindy grinned as she quietly sat down next to Natali, offering her one of the two finely decorated dishes, with the larger slice of cake. “I figured you probably still eat like a chocobo,” she teased. “I’m so excited about the coming holiday. NORA’s grown since you were last there too.”

Natali grinned. “I can’t wait to see everyone again. Oh hey, Mindy this is my friend Erika,” she added as Erika shyly tried to edge away. Mindy giggled.

“It’s great to meet you. I’m glad Natali’s finally making friends up here. Alexa and I felt so bad about letting her go. We at least have each other, and the older girls in New Bodhum are nice enough.”

“Plus Tommy’s been awfully quiet lately,” Alexa added as she bounced over, offering Erika one of her two plates of cake as well. “Hi, I’m Alexa,” she bubbled. “Erika I love your shoes!”

Erika blushed, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear as she accepted the cake. “Oh, thank you. I love your dresses,” she answered, starting to smile.

“Erika wants to be a fashion designer,” Natali added. “She hemmed my dress for me, so it would fit better.”

“Wow really?” Alexa asked, inspecting Natali’s dress critically. “Where?”

“Right here,” Natali answered, pointing to the bustline. “It was too big here, but everything else fit.”

“Oh, you’ll have to let that out again soon enough,” Alexa giggled. Natali blushed as she shoveled a mouthful of cake between her lips. Her eyes widened. “Oh, this is great!”

Alexa grinned as she ate her piece of cake with her friends, “Hey how big did your boobs grow anyway?” she giggled.

“Alexa!” Natali gasped.

The other girls were giggling at Alexa’s question and Natali’s embarrassment. After a moment or two she started giggling. “Um, not enough to fill out this dress. I’ll leave it at that. I’m just glad Erika can sew. I may be asking her for a lot of favors with that needle before long. Momma Vee said I looked like I grew a little taller too.”

“Sooo,” Mindy finally couldn’t wait any longer. “Did you talk to your moms again?”

Natali giggled loudly. “Yeah, but shh! It’s still a secret.” She winked.

“Ohh,” Mindy giggled loudly, a little out of character for her, which caused her sister Alexa to snort and start laughing as well.

“Okay birthday girl,” Lightning finally came to her rescue, “It’s time to open your presents.”

“Oh, yay,” Natali cheered as Vanille held out the first of the brightly colored packages.

Natali tore the shimmery paper aside to find what, at first, looked like a bright pink purse, but Vanille simply grinned. “I figured you’d be able to use a new ammo pouch - pink, of course, to match your hair,” she added, before handing Natali the next of several gifts.

The process continued until only one box remained, and a mountain of plushies, clothes, an adorable snowglobe with a ceramic moogle playing with a chocobo sat close by, and a nice, silver ring set with a tiny purple crystal now adorned one of Natali’s fingers, as well as a new coral necklace around her neck courtesy of Alexa and Mindy.

Marriete giggled under her breath. “Oh, that one. That’s from all of us at the Guardian Corps” Lightning eyed the woman briefly. “Okay, ALMOST everyone. You wouldn’t believe the trouble we went through to keep this one secret!”

Natali giggled as she carefully pulled away the paper. On opening the plain, white box and pushing away the gossamer-like paper, a twelve inch tall Lightning Farron doll, dressed in the trademark uniform, complete with gunblade at its side, stared up at Natali. She squeaked as she pulled it fully from the packaging and held it up.

“Oh my God. I love it!”

Lightning’s cheeks turned just the tiniest hint of rosy pink, and she shook her head slowly. “Now I see why you had to sneak that thing around behind my back,” she said with a glance at Mariette.

“It was Merrik’s idea, ma’am,” she answered with a grin. “But we all chipped in.”

“Thanks everyone! This has been such a great birthday!”

The day wore on and the four girls talked and examined all the things Natali got for her birthday, as the adults slowly left for the night. Natali stood and approached Lightning and Vanille, “Can Erika stay the night with me, Alexa and Mindy? before they go home tomorrow?”

“I don’t see why not. Light?” Vanille asked, glancing at her. Lightning smiled and nodded.

“Sure, just let your parents know, Erika.”

She gave Natali a knowing grin, adding, “You can tell them now if you want, too. I’m surprised you held it in this long,” she teased, squeezing her daughter’s shoulder. “Happy birthday sweetie.”

“Tell us what?” Mindy asked cautiously.

“Well Momma Vanille and Momma Lightning agreed to let me go down to New Bodhum this summer, and Erika’s mom thinks it’s a good idea for her to come too!” Natali squealed.

Alexa and Mindy both squealed, though Alexa’s bordered on an excited shriek, as they bounced up and down, grabbing and hugging Natali repeatedly. Erika stared in utter disbelief, very nearly in tears.

“Y-you’re serious?!” she gasped.

“Yeah, that’s why your mom told you that you weren’t going to your cousins’ this summer.” Natali hugged Erika tightly and smiled.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, and started bouncing and giggling with Alexa and Mindy. “I have to go talk to my Mom about staying over and give her and daddy a big hug for this! Natali you just made this my best day in a long time!”

Natali caught her hand before she could go, grinning and whispering in her ear, “And the best part is no more pretending to be a boy. You’re you, and I won’t let you be anything but.” She grinned, letting her go, and Erika, tears streaming down her face, raced off, still giggling.

Later that night the girls, getting tired, pulled out their sleeping rolls. All four girls decided to sleep on the floor together. Alexa broke the comfortable silence that had fallen over the room. “Hey, I’ve been thinking.”

“Uh oh,” Erika giggled. Alexa stuck her tongue out.

“Really! We just all click so well together. Let’s stay a team forever okay?”

“Agreed,” Natali answered with a bright smile. “Whenever we’re apart, let’s continue to stay in touch via commlink. This summer is going to be the best ever.”

Erika smiled, dressed in a long pink nightgown, as she snuggled down into her sleeping bag. “Yeah. Being away from my cousins and with friends I really enjoy, no bullies, no school,” she yawned.

“And if anyone does give you trouble, we’ll kick the crap out of em!” Alexa pronounced.

Meanwhile back on Earth

A lone woman sat at a lonely bar on a corner of a lonely street. Outside, rain fell hard against the building’s weathered shingles. The bartender had seen the woman countless times since her son disappeared, but he knew the only comfort he could bring her was another bottle. She paid her tab, and never caused trouble, so he always left her alone.

That night though, another stranger had wandered in. The woman hadn’t noticed him, staring at her half-empty whiskey shot glass as he ordered his first and second drinks. Finally though, the black-haired gentleman approached her.

“They say misery loves company,” he said in a friendly tone. The woman pushed back her disheveled hair as she looked up. At first she glared, but something about his friendly smile disarmed whatever remark she had prepared for her intruder.

“Buy me another round, and I’ll share more misery than you know what to do with, buster,” she sighed, turning away again to down her glass.

“Oh, I’ve got plenty of my own,” he laughed, but it had a certain bitterness to it: a kind of pain that resonated with hers. “My kid’s been missing for awhile now. I try not to let it get to me but sometimes it’s just too much. You?”

“My... son,” she answered softly. “He ran away from home a year ago. He was so excited about that damn game of his, and then … gone,” she snapped her fingers, “Just like that.”

“My Amy did the same thing,” he remarked gently as he sat down beside her. “Left a note saying she was going to look for her mother. Her mother died giving birth to her,” he added, and for a moment, looked like he might almost break down into tears. He cleared his throat as she turned to stare blankly back at him.

“Nathen left a note like that. His father died in a plane crash a few years ago, returning from a convention.” She paused and cracked a small smile. “Well you were right about one thing. Misery does love company.”

He laughed a little as he offered his hand. “I’m Scott. Do you still want me to buy you that drink?”

“Katherine,” she answered, slowly looking down at her glass. “No, I … I think I’ve had enough. Scott,” she started to stand, stumbling right into him as her legs gave way. “Could you call me a cab? I think I’m a little too far gone to drive.”

He smiled as he helped her to her feet again. “Sure. I know this is going to sound cliche, but if tomorrow, when we’re both sober, you’d feel up for it, I’d like to take you out for coffee. You can tell me about your son, and I’ll tell you all about my Amy?”

She smiled genuinely for the first time in years, nodding a little. “I think I’d like that.”

The bartender smiled to himself as he watched the pair leave. “Never thought I’d be so happy to lose a customer.” He mused to himself as he wiped down the bar, getting ready to lock up for the night..