Chapter 4. Anime? Secrets and Threats!
The next day at school, Lightning was acting as normal as usual. Joking around with Lyra, watching over me, it seems like the night before was firmly in the past for her. I couldn't get her to tell me what it was, unfortunately. When I got there, we talked about the day...and before I knew it, she was asleep beside me. Her head on my shoulder. In any other circumstance I would have been elated.
Moondancer heard footsteps as she wrote, quickly closing her journal as her dark haired friend joined her at the lunch table. "Good morning Moondancer, how are you?"
"A little tired...but I'll be okay."
"Were you up late?"
"You...could say that. How are you?" She asked, quickly changing the subject.
"I must admit I'm not quite at one hundred percent myself." She covered her mouth to hide a yawn. "Oh dear, my apologies, how unseemly."
"Its okay." Moondancer giggled. "But why are you not one hundred percent?" She asked, thinking over how clunky the repeated phrase sounded.
"Derpy and I were up late on Chaos, she kept me up until three in the morning…" She said. "And then that little...she isn't even here yet." She grumbled.
"You're on chaos? Isn't that more of a gamer thing?"
"I suppose it is. But video and voice chatting on there is better than the others…" She shrugged. "My orchestra actually has a group that we keep up with...and another thing, who's to say I don't qualify as a gamer?" She crossed her arms with a faux indignant smirk.
"Oh, I didn't mean to imply…"
"Relax, love I'm teasing." She assured. "Though I have a few channels on there for an online game I play." She explained.
"Oh? Which one?"
"Have you ever looked into Final Fantasy XIV?" She asked. "Its quite-"
"I play that."
Octavia's reserved expression lit up. "How...far are you?" She asked.
"I'm caught up through the story." She said. "I main a Scholar." She pushed up her glasses with a grin.
Octavia's reservation shifted to excitement. "Oh my gosh, how excited are you for the next expansion?" She asked.
"Very! That last fight where you had to hold off the big bad until your character showed up was so cool…" Moondancer said with a smile.
"My fellow warrior of light...you have no idea how good it is to have you." She put her hand on her shoulder.
"What do you play?"
"Red Mage." She said with a proud smile. "Grace, elegance and magic. The perfect balancing act."
"Hmm. Fitting...do you have a pocket bard?"
"Support is fun." She crossed her arms.
"I like healing...but I have a few other classes I play. I like how casters feel. Melee isn't my cup of tea."
"That's understandable." Octavia nodded.
They looked up as a messy haired Derpy ran through the doors, slowing as she made it to the table. "I...made...it…" She panted, falling into her chair.
"Love, your shirt's inside out…" Octavia sighed. "You overslept. I told you we shouldn't have been up so late!"
"But we never watch anime together any more...it was nice to do it again…" The blonde poked her index fingers together, looking down sheepishly.
"You watch anime?" Moondancer asked.
"I do. Not enough to be a connoisseur...but I have enjoyed my fair share of them."
"Yeah! And we've been watching the latest volume of RWBY." Derpy added excitedly. "I don't care what anyone says. It counts." She crossed her arms.
"I'll have to look into that."
"Its free to watch online." Octavia said.
"What's it about?"
Octavia cleared her throat before explaining the backstory of the forces of light and dark. The grimm and dust, and even giving snippets of episodes without spoiling too much.
"Wow. This sounds pretty neat."
"It is! Oh man, you'd love Yang." Derpy smiled brightly. "She's a hothead...but she's got a heart of gold. Sometimes her anger gets the better of her...but she's always trying to help." As Derpy spoke, the personality traits she was listing off caused Moondancer to find herself glancing to Lightning. "And she's funny! At least for a while. She's a little more serious as it goes on...oh yeah, she's like super hot." The blonde grinned. "I'd totally date her if she were real."
Octavia giggled. "Certain people would take issue with that, I'm sure. But she is quite appealing."
"Who's your favorite?"
"Weiss. I found myself drawn to her…" She said with a distant look in her eye. "Perhaps it's a bit of my own head canon...but she met a girl who changed her life and showed her she doesn't have to be what she was being groomed to be…and became part of a group that felt more like a family than she'd ever known before…"
"Sort of like you meeting Vinyl..?" Moondancer ventured.
The reserved girl blushed lightly, clearing her throat. "Anyway. I would recommend watching it. We're always the 'nerds' for watching anime." She crossed her arms with the most eloquent pout Moondancer had ever seen.
"I'll start tonight." She assured.
"Oh! We can watch together, what's your chaos id?" Derpy asked with an excited smile.
"I suppose I should make one of those as well…" Moondancer chuckled.
"Uh oh. Are the nerds sucking you in too?" Lyra asked, leaning into the conversation.
"Lyra, we watch anime too…" BonBon huffed.
"Shh, Bonnie don't tell them that."
"I'm the only clean one." Lightning boasted.
Vinyl reached over to poke Octavia, signing a few words.
"What about 'My Hero'?" Octavia translated.
"Traitor!" The blonde crossed her arms.
"So we're all nerds to varying degrees." Moondancer shrugged. "I think it's comforting, I don't have to try being cool."
"Fucking brutal." Light held her chest. "She just called us all losers."
"I did no such thing!" She defended.
The bell for the first class rang.
"Welp. Let's get going ladies." Lightning stood, waiting for and then walking beside Moondancer to her class.
"Thanks for last night…" She said, mussing her hair as she left her at her door.
Moondancer smiled softly, turning to step into the room.
Lightning turned the corner at the end of the hall, watching the floor. She felt a sudden pain as she bumped into someone, knocking her to the floor.
"Oh shit. Sorry." She held her hand out. "I wasn't watching where I was going." She recognized the red and yellow hair. Not only for her having been a terror at the school some time ago, but she was constantly at soccer practice, ogling Rainbow.
"It's okay, I wasn't-" Sunset began, taking her hand, her eyes flashed white momentarily.
Time slowed for the redhead in a flash. A younger Lightning, barely able to reach the door handle, got up from her bed. The blonde called for her mother, opening the door to the kitchen, nothing. The bathroom, nothing. Finally she opened the door to the living room... finding the woman...lifeless, hanging from the ceiling.
Sunset was overwhelmed by the shock, pain and grief in an instant. Her emotions firing in the same pattern as the small girl who fell to her knees and screamed. Tears running down her face as she memorized the time...the way the room looked...everything as it scarred into her mind forever.
“You good?” Light asked.
She blinked a few times, her eyes returning to normal as tears began to fill them. She cleared her throat, wiping her eyes. “Yeah! I’m great, just…”
“Dang, did I hit you hard enough to hurt you?” She asked, concern filling her voice.
“No! No, it’s uh...allergies!” She sniffled. “Darn things just seem to pop up out of nowhere sometimes, y’know?” She chuckled. “Sorry again!” She waved as she rushed past her.
Lightning shrugged, turning back to the hallway leading to class.
***
“Rainbow, I need to talk to you.” Sunset spoke, catching her as they exited the classroom.
“What’s up?” The athlete asked, tilting her head, Rarity and Twilight joining them at the door now.
“Uhh...in private, sorry girls.” She said with a sheepish smile.
“Oh, I understand, darling.” Rarity gave her a knowing grin, taking Twilight’s hand and leading her away.
“They’re going to be around the corner…” Rainbow said flatly, crossing her arms.
“That’s why we’re going to the band room.” Sunset turned, leading her away.
“Do I have to wait until we get there?”
“It’s pretty sensitive information…”
She opened the door, letting Dash in before closing it and locking it behind them. “Okay…” She took a breath. “This...is gonna sound weird, but follow me, there’s logic here.” She cleared her throat. “How...much do you know about Lightning Dust?”
“She’s my second on the soccer team...and she keeps to herself a lot of the time, I guess. She’s pretty reserved, but not standoffish...most times.” She crossed her arms.
“Nothing about her home life? You guys are friends, right?”
“I know she lives with foster parents...when we had to get forms signed she asked if ‘legal guardians’ would count. I sorta guessed. Maybe she was just staying with them at the time.” She shrugged.
“Oh boy…” She frowned. “Rainbow...I kinda...accidentally read her emotions this morning.”
“...The way you’re acting, it must be big.”
“I can’t blurt this out...but I’m-. Do I go to her about it? She’ll likely be upset that I know.”
“I’ll go with you, but yeah. You should probably talk to her if its got you this shaken up.” Rainbow moved to put her hand on her shoulder. “Was it that bad?”
She nodded, frowning. “Very bad, Rainbow.” She sniffled. “I can still feel it.”
Rainbow put her arms around her, rubbing her back. “It’s gonna be okay.”
“Right...thanks.” She leaned into her. “Sorry, you know I’m not normally like this…”
“Well, normally your powers don’t last this long, how can you recall emotions you never felt?”
“I felt her emotions when I saw what she was thinking of.”
“I need a crash course in your powers.”
“It's never done that before.” She assured. “But what worries me more...is that she’s feeling a lot like I was after the fall formal.” She explained. “I felt like I didn’t belong, and that no matter what everyone said, I was just an observer. It was only after we stopped the dazzlings that I felt like I wasn't a burden."
"Dude, why didn't you talk to us about this?"
"Well...the scars were still pretty fresh," she pouted. "And you guys kept poking them..so I figured you weren't over it."
"We poked at them?"
"You'd bring them up constantly. You stopped eventually, but being reminded about it wasn't a very good thing for my self esteem. No matter how many times you added 'no offense'."
"Geez...I didn't realize it was hurting you...I thought we were at the point of poking fun at it." Dash face palmed. "And despite all that you still thought I was worth your time?"
"You didn't do it on purpose, I know that now. Besides, you've more than made up for it." She kissed her cheek.
"And...you think Lightning is going through that?"
"I felt it, Rainbow. She needs someone to listen...but she's not willing to talk."
"I'll keep an eye on her at practices...you come up with a way to bring this up to her."
"Sounds like a plan." She nodded.
***
Moondancer sat back, having watched the first volume of the show Octavia recommended. She joined the chatroom Derpy invited her to, seeing all the girls were in it. BonBon, Lyra and Lightning Dust were absent from the group chat, Octavia chiming in first.
"Well, what did you think so far?"
"The fight scene was pretty good, unique ways to use their weapons."
They saw the notification of Vinyl typing.
'Man that animation is pretty jank, though.'
"It gets better Vinyl." Octavia smiled in the video chat.
'You seem pretty jazzed about it, so I'll trust you on that. But you owe me.'
Octavia rolled her eyes. "I'll play that game you keep going on about."
'Deal!'
"So are we starting volume two?" Derpy chimed in, "or should we be getting to bed?"
'It's only 10, Derpy.'
"Vinyl can be up until the early hours...you don't see the rings under her eyes."
"Because you're the only person she willingly takes her glasses off for." Derpy crossed her arms.
"That...Hm, I suppose you're right." She cupped her chin.
'Hey, not her fault she knew me pre-glasses. What's the sense in hiding it from her?'
"Why would you hide them at all?" Moondancer asked.
'It's part of my dj image. Got that mystery and intrigue factor.'
"Are they prescription?"
"Yes." Octavia answered. "When we were younger she wore glasses, but complained of their lack of aesthetic." She crossed her arms with an eye roll. "So I found a pair she liked."
"You got them for her?" Moondancer asked, the question making the cellist's eyes widen.
"I...suppose I did…" She said as if only now realizing it.
'Octy's been my most supportive fan.'
"Shut up, Vinyl." The dark haired girl groaned, covering her face.
"Think those glasses would help my eyes?" Derpy asked.
'Probly not, but I bet you'd look pretty bitchin' in them. I'll bring my spares tomorrow.'
"Awesome!"
"Um, I've been wondering, what happened to cause your eyes to be like that?"
"Oh, it's a genetic thing." She said. "It just progressed to this point. My eyes can focus...I just can't always control one of them."
"I see. I didn't know if it was going to be rude to ask."
"Psh. We're friends. It's all good." She waved her hand with a giggle.
'Derps used to be in a lot of sports clubs before her depth perception started to go.' Vinyl typed. 'You'd be surprised at how athletic she still is.'
"Oh, do go on." She waved her hand with a grin.
"Wait, shouldn't you be telling her to stop?" Octavia asked.
"I know, it's just nice to be praised."
'You're doing great, sweetie.'
"What are you, her mother?" Octavia sighed.
Moondancer giggled.
***
"So...you called her over last night?" The musician asked, taking a seat opposite the blonde.
"Yeah...she came over right away." She scratched at the back of her neck. "I know she's smart enough to know something's up. This was the second time she's helped me."
"Second?" BonBon asked, looking to Lyra.
"Good on you, dork. I didn't think you'd keep your promise." Lightning smirked at Lyra.
"You have such a unique way of thanking me for being a good friend." Lyra pouted. "She had a freak out after getting out of the gym yesterday." She huffed, crossing her arms.
"Lightning, this can't be healthy. You really need to talk to a professional." BonBon frowned.
"Don't have the money to do that."
The girls looked to one another. "I know...you don't like asking for favors...but you know that Octavia would help if-"
"No." She huffed. "I'm not her friend because she's got money."
"Light, we're not saying that, no one is saying that…" Lyra said.
"No. People say that." She sighed. "I don't speak up, but I listen. I don't fit in. I'm the outlier. Jock, poor grades, bad attitude...meanwhile you girls are smart...and friendly, not saying you aren't fit, but I'm the only one in a sports club."
"Dude, c'mon." Lyra said. "That's so not true. You're like one of the foundations of our crew."
"Had I not spotted those girls who were beating you up...I don't think we'd ever have spoken."
"But you did, Light. You can't live your life based on 'what ifs'. That'll only lead you to more and more unreasonable expectations."
"I know...its...I just-" She clenched her fists. "It doesn't feel real. I'm scared to go to bed. It feels like one day I'll wake up and be alone again."
"You're not gonna be alone anymore. I promise." Lyra smiled, standing to join her, giving the taller girl a hug. A second set of arms joined them.
"I promise too." BonBon smiled.
"You two…" She bowed her head. "You two are so lame." She sniffled.
"Take your time...but I have to point out, Moondancer is very concerned, so leaving her in the dark for longer than necessary may only hurt your relationship, friend or otherwise."
"Oh...did I tell you that I asked her out?"
"You did?" Lyra asked with a brighter smile.
"Only to Vinyl's show...but I'm not sure if she considers it a date…"
"I dunno if that counts, Light." Lyra pushed her gently.
"Baby steps." The taller girl crossed her arms with a pout.
***
The next day, Lightning arrived to find more than half of her friends barely sitting up at the breakfast table.
"Uhh…"
"I'm awake!" Octavia blurted, sitting up suddenly before processing she was in the lunchroom.
"Am I gonna get an answer for what happened if I asked?"
Vinyl shook her head, though the effect wasn't as noticeable since her face was firmly against her folded arms on the table.
After a yawn, Moondancer attempted. "We binge watched as much RWBY as we could...I'm almost caught up." She held her thumb up.
"O...kay. Why didn't you just watch it over the next couple of days?"
"We were having a good time." Derpy mumbled.
"I mean, I can understand, but you know you had school today."
"Why are you acting like the responsible one?" Octavia asked.
"And why are you the bad influence, Octavia?" The athlete crossed her arms.
She sat up a little straighter, frowning. "Oh...you're right." She said. "Sorry, Moondancer."
"Its okay, it's okay." She assured, patting her shoulder.
***
Across the room, the girl with the scar across her eye sat, watching Lightning. She tapped her foot as she waited, hoping to learn something. A black jacket and white undershirt...jeans and black skate shoes with electric green stitching adorned her, not the most fashionable girl, but what'd that matter?
"Still mad she hit you back?" Her friend said, taking a seat, the girl had slicked back light gray hair, light blue skin...and those striking darkish...pink eyes? Whatever color they were...they stood out. This girl was a part of the track team, and the PE uniform she wore for her next class added to the look.
"Yes and no." The accented girl huffed.
"So what's got you bent out of shape then, Roll?"
"That blonde bimbo thinks she's untouchable." She crossed her arms. "She punched one chick hard enough to send her into the lockers, and she didn't even get in trouble for it. How unfair is that? Now she's dragged that Moondancer chick into her group away from her gal pal."
"But..why?"
"Dunno." Roll shrugged. "Just know that the girl who got decked asked for some help defending herself. Bet she wants to get back at 'em."
"You don't know the name of the girl who's asking you for protection?"
"Fleetfoot. If I paid attention to all the small details, I wouldn't be me. Wouldn't have this sick scar and wouldn't be Rolling Thunder." She smirked.
"You're absolutely right. You'd be a competent person with no lack of mental stability."
"Ow. And you're my friend? Can only imagine what Blondie says about me in that case."
***
"You girls excited for the show tomorrow?" Lightning asked.
Vinyl managed a thumbs up without moving her head.
"You sure you're gonna make it?"
"Hey girls what...uh…" Another voice spoke up as Lyra and BonBon joined them.
"Up all night doing nerd shit."
"Oh. That's fair, I was up late studying."
"Studying?!" Derpy's head shot up.
"For...our English test today?"
"Oh, come on!" She planted her face on the table with a groan. "I knew I was forgetting something!"
Vinyl lifted her head, concern in her face...maybe? The glasses hid her eyes still.
"Worry not, we're all capable students." Octavia said with a smile that was just a little too wide.
"You forgot too, huh?" BonBon asked as the cellist's eye twitched.
"It'll be okay, girls." Moondancer smiled, attempting to ease the concern.
"Says the scholar." Lyra held back a laugh.
"Change the subject. I'll have plenty of time to think about how bad I'm gonna fail." Derpy whined.
Lyra shrugged. "Vinyl. You gonna be staying over at Octavia's tonight?"
Moondancer tilted her head.
Vinyl nodded before elbowing the muttering girl beside her.
"Whuh? What?" She looked around. "Oh, yes. I help her store her equipment. The last bits will come with us to the concert tomorrow."
"Plus Vinyl likes to stay over with Octavia when she has big shows. Wonder wh-OW!"
Moondancer looked to Lyra who was holding her leg under the table, then to Vinyl who's cheeks held a faint red to them. With her pale complexion, there was no way to hide that.
"You sure those sirens are gonna be there?" Derpy asked, looking up.
Vinyl shrugged, and signed a few things quickly.
"She said she hopes so, but it's entirely on them if they want to come."
-BRRRRRRING!-
"And there's the bell. Good luck in class today, nerds." Lightning chuckled standing to wait for Moondancer. She looked around the lunchroom, spotting the purple skinned girl who threatened her outside the gym. She shot her a glare which earned a wave. Light took note of Fleetfoot sitting beside her.
***
"Ooh, that glare had some hate." Fleet smirked.
"C'mon. Watch my back." Roll stood, rolling her neck as she followed Lightning out, keeping her distance.
"Dude…" Fleet groaned, hopping up to follow her.
They rounded the corner as Lightning dropped off Moondancer. The shorter girl smiling up at her, despite the exhaustion on her features. Lightning leaned, on one arm that rested on the wall behind Moondancer.
"Our employer is jealous, simple as that…" Roll noted. "The fire ain't burning as brightly and that redhead has the hots for Lightning."
"'Our'?" Fleet asked. "I got nothing to do with this. Just gonna stop her from killing you."
"Thanks for the confidence, ya prick."
She pushed off with a wave before turning down the hall, headed towards the lockers. The small alcove of lockers with the blinking light. One of a previous bully's favorite stomping grounds.
As Roll turned to follow her, Lightning was facing them, directly under the flickering light. The image of the shadows across her face with the lack of any emotion other than anger and the shaking fists of someone that barely contained her urge to strike, cut a very intimidating profile.
"Who are you and why are you following me?"
Off guard, the taller girl cleared her throat.
"My associate and I-"
"I got nothing to do with this. You dig your own grave here, Roll. Sup, Light." She waved.
"Traitor!"
Roll felt the collar of her shirt be caught and she was roughly forced up against the lockers.
"Leave me the fuck alone or I swear to whatever god you pray to, that you'll wish I stopped at just beating the shit out of you, got it?" She asked, each word drew her closer until the shorter girl somehow loomed over her trapped adversary.
With a rough shove she felt her head hit the lockers, her body sliding to the floor as the presence was suddenly gone, glancing over Lightning passed Fleetfoot with a "Sup." And left the corner as if nothing happened.
"Hey, you good?" Fleet asked kneeling beside her.
"Holy...fuck." Roll's mouth curled into a smirk. "I get why redhead's into her." She said almost breathlessly.
"...what?"
Roll's cheeks reddened. "What?"
"Don't tell me you were into that."
"What can I say? I like a gal that can kick my ass." She chuckled. "This does make smacking her around a bit tougher..." She bit her lip as she stood. "Maybe if I get with her...then the brat can get back at the redhead and it's a win-win."
"Lightning will break your face, dude. You shouldn't test her."
"I know, I know...but did you see the fire in her eyes..?" She sighed happily.
"D-Did you just swoon?"
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Really enjoying this so far
9721845
Thank you so much, I actually finished the epilogue of this yesterday, so I made sure I wouldnt leave it on incomplete.
9722205
Excellent. Can't wait to read it
1. Loved the Discord name change to Chaos.
2. SQUEEEE! FFXIV! And Octavia and Moonie fangasming over the fight against Zenos at the end of Stormblood <3.
Loved this chapter.
9964245
I'm so glad you liked it! And I actually have plans to poke more into FFXIV...The Zenos fight was brand new when I wrote this, so I tried to be vague. xD
This was great. And curiously, even if in some part of the conversations it's not clear who is talking, I already know them well enough that I can recognize their way of talking. Don't know if it's intentional but if it is well done.
Also Roll is great. Funny and kind of pshycotic, and maybe a menace in two ways.
I'm also curious as to how Lightning has gained such a reputation that even confronting what appears to be a taller schoogirl hitman seemes like a fight she can win easily
PS: due to my apparent dislexia, I always read signing like singing, so Vinyl just sings words in my head apparently. (She's secretly a siren!
)
10442350
Light's just an intimidating chick. I kinda had her as someone who used to be a problem child until highschool. Sorta like Lyra's friendship pulled her from the darker side. I haven't really gone into her background fully yet.
Also, Roll is a lot of fun. I wanted her to be kinda off. Like she's there mentally, but doesnt exactly keep up, not through being dumb, just uninterested in trying.
What promise?
10834840
Ah! It took me a minute to remember this bit without rereading everything. It was an unseen conversation Light and Lyra had, implying that Lyra knew about her meltdown and promised not to tell anyone.