Add A Little Lightning

Once the whole ordeal with Roman and his henchmen was over, Winter contacted Ironwood directly to give him the report of the mission as well as put in a request for a transportation unit to collect Roman.

Meanwhile, Blake and male monkey Faunus named Sun Wukong were left for Lightning to deal with. Blake, at this point in time, hadn't retied her ribbon leaving her black cat ears on full display.

Lightning: Blake, do you have something you want to tell me?

Blake: I'm sorry for hiding it from you and our team but I'm a Faunus! I-

Lightning: I already knew that part. I meant why are you here? At this dock, at this time.

Blake was momentarily taken back. She had planned for this moment by visualising this exact scenario thousands of times in her head. Even going as far as being prepared, if Lightning wanted to remove her from the team but to have such a non-reaction was completely out of her expectations.

Blake: You knew? But how...

Lightning: You didn't really expect a ribbon would fool me, did you? Anyway, answer my question.

Just as Lightning wished Blake went into detail about how they both attended a White Fang rally and later learned that they may be here smuggling Dust. So out of a vested interest in the White Fang, she staked out the docks with Sun.

An exasperated Lightning clutches the bridge of her nose while responding.

Lightning: Let me see if I have this right. Before you joined Beacon you were part of the White Fang and after finding out the White Fang was committing crimes more inclined for petty criminals. You came here for answers and here we are?

Blake sounding extremely apologetic mumbles as her cat ears start to fold downwards.

Blake: Yes

Lightning: One thing I don't understand, Why are you here with a random

Faunus instead of bringing our team?

This was something plaguing Lightning's thoughts. Team's at Beacon are notorious for becoming something akin to a second family and the fact Blake hadn't relied on them in her hour of need. Was making her feel extremely uneasy.

Blake: Hmmm, you see. Me and Weiss fought and it resulted in me... Running away.

She didn't stop there, she recounted about why they fought. Apparently, Weiss was making derogatory comments about Faunus and while tensions were still high, Weiss passionately explained why she had such a prejudice against them.

Weiss' hatred stems from Faunus extremist, killing board members of the Schnee Dust Company and the people close to her. Leaving her with a deep-seated resentment towards the entire race.

Lightning hearing a retell of Weiss' childhood felt compassion for her hardsh.i.p.s but couldn't bring herself to blame Faunus i. Blaming an entire race for the actions of a few just seemed narrow-minded to Lightning.

Lightning: (Sigh) Just what is Serah doing? She's meant to be acting captain.

Blake: Hmm, about that since you left she's been incredibly listless and she consistently complains about, how she's missing her "Charge of Lightning".

Lightning: 'Ignorance is bliss, Ignorance is bliss, Ignorance is bliss.'

Blake: Out of concern we followed her once and found out she's been stockpiling Red Dust.

Lightning: 'She's going to use that dust to burn Beacon down, isn't she? IGNORANCE IS BLISS!'

Lightning would normally find her non-blood related sister's actions amusing but this time she couldn't. She doesn't blame Serah in the slightest, captaincy was never her burden to carry in the first place. The blame only came down to one man and that one man was just who she blamed.

Lightning: If Ozpin didn't send me away I could've prevented this...

Lightning instinctively goes to hug Blake and whispers in a voice filled with animosity.

Lightning: If something had happened to you, I swear Ozpin wouldn't see tomorrow.

Blake didn't even realise she was being hugged as her concerns were fully focused on her captain's mental state. Blake had only ever seen Lightning's playful or serious side so seeing her angry was a first for her.

Blake: Light?

Lightning: I'm fine, just growing sick being played with. If I hadn't been here today because I was playing one of his little games and something unthinkable happened to yo-

Sun: Ahem!

Lightning and Blake who was still hugging separated and turned towards Sun. Blake was blushing due to embarrassment, she had only just noticed the position she was just in.

Sun: Are you two? Ya'know...

Lightning: Not yet

Blake: YET?!

After another interruption, this time courtesy of Winter. She approached the 3 youths to tell them an airship will arrive within the hour and Lightning will be able to leave once it arrives.

She had also given Lightning a sizeable Cheque courtesy of the Schnee Dust Company under the condition that Lightning doesn't spread any details of Roman breaking out to any media outlet. It seems the possible risk this may have on their reputation was more than enough reason to go as far as bribing a minor.

Time ticked by until it was time for Winter's farewell, She shocked all present Lightning especially with her actions before she left.

Lightning had honestly thought Winter just saw her as a capable soldier but the beauty which could even rival Lightning herself for stoicism, willingly gave her scroll number to Lightning under the pretext of Lightning calling once she's older, it left everyone speechless including General Ironwood.

Blake who had a front-row seat wore a conflicted expression. She couldn't explain why but she felt like something was being stolen from her. As she watched her captain happily put away her scroll.

Once the Airship took off with Winter inside, Blake's expression went from conflicted to a happy one. When it got out of sight Blake turned to her captain and asked.

Blake: So, what are we doing now?

Lightning: Guess it's about time I return to Beacon but I want to make a detour first. Fancy joining me?

The detour Lightning spoke of was dropping by Junior's club to give him a small cut of the money she received from the Schnee family. Junior while being a criminal was a reliable information broker. Having a good working relationship with him would be a bigger asset to Lightning than the money.

Once the three students reached Beacon's courtyard Sun was the first to speak up. He wanted to go check in with his team and let them confirm he's indeed safe, While Blake went to her dorm room to confront Weiss and finally Lightning went to the headmaster's office alone.

While waiting outside Ozpin's office, Lightning to kill time spoke to her system. Ever since Lightning first got the system she had always wondered what exactly she was talking to. The interactions are far too lifelike for it not to have its own consciousness leaving Lightning certain this "System" rather than being a what is a who.

Lighting: 'Do you have something like a name? I keep referring to you as System. For someone who is literally a part of me, it seems oddly distant.'

{It's about time, I've been waiting for you to ask for over a month now! Don't you normally ask for the other person's name straight away when having a conversation with them? What took you so long?!}

Lightning:'But you aren't a "person", right?'

{...}

Lightning:'Hello?'

{I'm going to be the bigger PERSON and pretend you didn't say that. As for my name, I did have one but I don't have any need for it anymore. Let me see... If you're Lightning, I guess that makes me Lumina}

Lightning: 'Lumina... So that's the name of the Goddess?'

{Hahahaha, When did I ever say I was a goddess? I can confidently confirm I am not any type of godly being or an avatar for one}

Lightning:'Seriously... You aren't the goddess which gave me my blessings?'

{Nope}

Lightning:'I was wrong this whole time... Then WHO are you?'

{I've already told you once!}

Lightning:'And that was?'

{I'm your system of course}

Lightning: ...