Part II: More Magic, More Fantasies

Chapter 26- Quick Like Silver

You were just about to sit when a high-pitched screech filled the air and a giant bird-creature... thing flew over the village. You had no idea how you could tell, but it looked hostile. Like in addition to the hungry people sitting around, it was hungry as well. And a bird that big had to be carnivorous.

"Um, should we be worried?" you asked Noel.

He stared up at the sky for a few moments. "...Yes."

"Don't you worry about that thing, we can get it from here if you want that," Maceida consoled him. "I mean, I wouldn't want to be violating some unspoken village rule."

Noel laughed. "No, no, you're fine. Take him out."

"Right, then. Light!"

Lightning pulled out her gunblade and switched it to gun mode, and Maceida drew a gun as well (what type, you weren't sure. Guns were never your strong subject)

Everyone cleared the space as the two women started to make short work of the malicious bird. It started to sink steadily toward the ground, creating the illusion of it dying, when suddenly it flapped one wing, taking everyone by surprise, blowing them back a bit.

"Holy shit, that scared me!" complained Maceida as she readied her gun again. "You're gonna pay for th-" Her gun made a clicking sound, signifying she was out of ammo. "Shit. Lightning! Kill this guy!"

"I can't! The bullets that go in a gunblade aren't strong enough on their own, they're mostly made to stun or make flesh wounds..."

Before Maceida could swear about that, a shot rang out from the other side of the area and the bird fell dead. After a few moments a boy emerged from behind it, of average height, skinny, with blond hair and blue eyes, and a few freckles.

"You're welcome," he said, smirking, hoisting his gun over his shoulder. "Lightning. It's been a while."

Maceida's eyes went to her underling. "You two know each other?"

"We went to school together for a few years," she replied. "His name is Prompto."

"Prompto Argentum, and it is a pleasure meeting such a fine lady as yourself," he took Maceida's free hand and kissed it gently. "Light, friend of yours?"

Lightning looked kind of disgusted. "...She's my boss."

"That I am, and the name's Maceida." She gently slid her hand out of Prompto's. "I am a lieutenant of a security regiment, and I would thank you to treat me as such."

"You look awfully young to have such a high rank."

"I'm nineteen, and I learn fast. You look awfully blond and freckled to be Pulsian."

"Nineteen? We're the same age. And I'm not, I spent my last year of high school as an exchange student here and I just... continued living here." Prompto smiled. "I like it here; and after a while here you'll like it here too, Maceida."

"That's Lieutenant Cambridge to you, and we are not the same age. I turn 20 in less than a month." She frowned, "You should learn to show some respect."

"Meh, ranks just complicate everything," Prompto said with a shrug. "Besides, you could stand to learn a lot from me; I downed that thing with one hit, and you emptied all your ammo on it and didn't even kill it."

Maceida looked offended and disgusted at the same time, before she turned on her heel and walked away.

"Well... good job pissing her off," Lightning said sarcastically. "If that comes out of my paycheck, I am personally going to-"