thestormishere | ☈ strike # 22 (filtered voice / public video / action)

[ Again.

For the third time now, someone Lightning has cared for has left; unfortunately, despite it being a major staple of life in Luceti, it doesn't get any easier-- especially given the identity of the absent person in question.

But it is different this time, if only because her explosiveness in reply to it seems sapped... when she speaks up on the journal, her voice is flat and quiet, deceptively even. ]

-- Voice only, evening of the 8th, filtered to Hope & Noel --
I thought you should know... Serah's gone home.

[ ... And that's all; with that she's gone- locked in her room if anyone cares, without answering, touching, or even looking at her journal...

It's not until well into Thursday afternoon that Lightning makes a reappearance to the 'public.' That said, it would be hard to pinpoint anything's wrong at all for those who don't know her fairly well, save for a sort of distant demeanor- evident in her averted gaze and too-smooth voice.

She's sitting on a beach in her transmitted video, but it's not Luceti's beach, given it's clearly night where she is, in contrast to the real sun still shining away cheerfully outside. ]

I'm looking for people wanting to spar-- maybe help me test something. Weapons, hand-to-hand, anything. Send me a message. Or just come to the battle dome.

[ "-- I don't care." There's a short pause, while she briefly taps her fingers on her knee, tries to think of anything else worth mentioning.... ]

Magic is a bonus too, if you've got it.

[ And then there's an abrupt end to the 'feed' once again. Anyone who doesn't catch her message or decides to just go ahead and wander over to the battle dome will find her fiddling with the simulation controls, armed with an unusual, bulky weapon - looking somewhat like some sort of gun - hanging holstered behind her hips.

... No, there's really no words for how much pain she's in right now, but perhaps distraction may help. In any case, no matter how much she sometimes seems set on it, she knows quite well by now that cutting herself off has a very low chance of making her feel any better. If nothing else, this is at least worth a try. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'll spar with you, Lightning! [Good timing too. He's been wanting to train with someone for a little while now.]

I don't know any magic... but I can fight with a katana if that's okay. What are you testing anyways?

[ ..... Seto plz. ]

When did you learn how to use a katana?

[ Forget him already having asked his own question- she doesn't remember him using one of those before, so... what'd he do? Look into someone else's memories and steal the knowledge?? e_e ]

It was a while ago, back when Jin and Terra were still here. Both of them taught me how to fight properly. Jin even gave me a katana of my own, see?

[He's going to be holding up a sheathed katana ot the camera now for her to see]

I see.

[ It's uh... it's nice, really. Just ask again Lightning's flat expression here. ]

So... is it all right if I use it? [HEAD TILT.]

....

I don't want you to touch me, Seto.

[ WELL, at least she's honest about her feelings, even if it's not exactly the nicest thing for the poor kid to hear. Once she feels like her trust has been broken, it's very, very hard to win her back over.

Not that she actually hates him or will pretend like she does beyond her coldness (even when hit by a bout of agitation she can still sense sincerity if it's strong enough), but... but yeah. Her eventual attitude from their encounter in the rain, where he saw the memory of Serah being taken from her, hasn't faded.

Especially since ... Serah was just taken from her. Again. ]

[That... catches him a little off guard a little. Okay so more than just a little but really, he should've been expecting it or something along those lines. After he saw into her memories she suddenly became even more distant with him than usual--more physically than anything.

It seems he broke something--her trust in him. It makes him feel guilty to the core that he's lost a friends trust, his fault or not. But he'll do anything to restore it. So he nods, despite her not being able to see it.]

...I won't. I promise. [He pauses] I can't see memories anymore. [At least not accidently like before] I'll still keep to my promise though. I just thought I'd let you know.

[ Awkward. However, Lightning's stubbornness is stronger, and really, although she'd be happy to acknowledge that some things are wrong - and Luceti has taught her a lot while she's been here - there's no doubt that life time's worth of training her to judge people based on things they can't control is taking some effect here.

She still needs some time to get over it. ]

[ ... ] Is it okay if I still come to spar with you?

[ Does she feel bad about this? Yes, though ~~less so than her player~~ still, after a moment- ]

You'll have to find someone else.

[ Her voice is low. She's upset, but it's mostly because the facade she's thrown up to deal with the rest of the world so soon after Serah's disappearance from Luceti is slipping a little. The memory she now associates with Seto is... obviously, doing nothing but making it worse. ]

[There's a long pause.

It hurts.

But he can handle this, it'll all be okay in the end. She's like Chiyou, he just has to gain her trust again, no matter what it takes.] Alright. Good luck with your training, Lightning! I hope some other people are able to help you out.

☈ strike # 22 (filtered voice / public video / action)

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