thestormishere | ☈ strike #03 (voice / action)

[ It may be snowing and looking like a good day to just take it easy, but life for this particular Luceti resident is... by no means very peaceful right now. There's a dull fwump as a journal falls open onto the ground with something heavy on top of it... and a moment later the sound of a horrified shriek and panicked panting pierces the air as someone scrambles to their feet up and off of it.

Unfortunately, the journal's view remains fixed on nothing more than the sky for several minutes, white flakes slowly falling onto the open pages, but then finally, lured in by the sound of voices, a rather alarmed-looking face sporting strikingly blue eyes and severely-mussed black hair appears. ]

Hello? Help! Wh-what's going on?

[ And anyone who's out in the snow right now might notice a particularly distressed and cold young man holding his journal close to his chest as he peers around him. He doesn't look like a New Feather, but he also seems... rather lost.

That would be because not only is Lightning Farron suddenly quite a bit younger, but she also happens to be in

wingenvy's full grown and very male body right now. Oops.

FFXIII spoilers only if you happen not to know Lightning's real name, which... isn't even plot-important anyway. Replies with

notfairron. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Confused stare, now upgraded to complete bafflement. ]

I don't... I think... I think you've got me messed up with someone else.

[Okay um. Cloud rubs his face one-handed.]

Maybe.

What's your name, then?

Uh... Claire Farron.

[ She looks away, attempting to smooth down Zack's notably more spiky hair. It's not very successful. ]

I... really don't know what happened here.

[Hey Lightning, this should be a familiar question.]

...Claire's a girl's name.

That's-- that's because I am a girl! Really!

[Oh come on, at least his crazy was somewhat plausible.

-okay, right. Weird things going on. This just...is another weird thing that makes Zack think he's a little girl. ...okay.]

All right, all right. I believe you.

What do you remember before waking up like this?

[ Highly worried look as she puts her hands together. Is this really the best choice of guy to have helping her? ]

... I was just at home. Um. I'd just gotten home from school.

Z- Claire, how old are you?

Almost nine...

[ And then because clearly this is important somehow: ]

My sister is six. I don't know where she is, either.

[This is so weird. But even Zack wouldn't take a joke this far. And he- she really does sound worried...maybe he should try and be gentler with her.]

I'm pretty sure your sister's safe. Um, as for what's going on with you...it shouldn't last very long. A few days, maybe a week or so.

This is... an experiment or something?

[ She knows that sometimes scientists do stuff like change the weather and bioengineer monsters into trained weapons, but... this is totally weird. ]

[Wait what? She already knows about those?]

Yeah, actually. That's exactly what this is.

[ It's an explanation, buuut on second thought not a very good one. Why would the government do this to her? A tiny bit indignant, that thought carries over into her expression as she frowns and finally really looks at Cloud, seeming to size him up. ]

Are you a soldier?

[Cloud recognizes the look and he automatically folds his arms, fighting to keep the defensive tone out of his voice. He knows he's not particularly impressive-looking, especially when standing next to someone like Zack. It's hard to remember there's a little girl in that head instead of a man around his age.]

Was. I left the military years ago. [More or less.]

☈ strike #03 (voice / action)

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