[Back here again. And Lightning hates being back here, in this too-quiet city, being used as a battery that generates power with hugs and handshakes from other living, breathing batteries.

That burns her inside, because the last time, she was in the middle of trying to change her life around and fix things. This time? This time she's in a war, and one that will change the course of time. Literally.

But now she knows what Steve was talking about, when he disappeared and came back after only three days, despite having experienced years in his home. Lightning cant say she's been gone for years but if time moved in Valhalla, she might as well have been there for years. Or centuries. Or simply just days. Who knows.

And she does know that she really would be returned to the exact point that she'd been taken from, so she wont miss anything of value.

It still stings though, that she's here, walking about the Welcome Center-- with, almost ironically, actual newcomers to the city-- because she had to see if the helpdesk personnel are still there, just to get her caught up with everything that she's missed. Now she's done though, she's scanning the area for familiar faces. Someone from home, maybe, or even someone she knows from here.]

[One of the first things Lightning does is not to change out of her armor despite there being perfectly serviceable clothes back in her room, but to visit the chocobo barn and the park, because she hasn't forgotten her job-- she watches the chocobos after all.

... Imagine her surprise when the progenitors look smug as all hell, and she knows it's because they had eggs during her absence-- she has checked the network after all, having used the first street terminal she came across while on her way to the barn.]

I'm not your owner. [Yes, she's really talking to them.] I'm not going to tell you what you can or cant do. I'm just here to guard the barn. [And apparently now to make sure the chicks are okay. Well damn. She'll make a post to the network about that later.

Meanwhile, in the park, she visits the strays. Apparently they all remember her, and come running the moment she sits down on a bench. Or it's probably the influence of her new abilities, considering the beasts of Valhalla are drawn to her and obey her as well.

Nevertheless, she doesn't bother shoving them away, and lets them do what they want, short of jumping on her and attempting to lick her face-- or in the case of the cats, simply jumping on her. She's still not the hugging type, even if they're just animals.]