☈ strike #04 (voice / action)

[thestormishere]

[ It takes a while before Lightning finally attempts getting in touch with those she interacted with the most (and who she assumes probably figured out who she actually was) while aged down and in Zack's body. When she does, it's filtered to those mentioned, but not particularly secured against hacking or anything, clearly having been 'posted' quickly and with a tone of voice that's very short and to the point. ]

Zack, Aerith, Cloud- we need to talk.

[ And after that's all been taken care of, well... all that's left is to gather up her dignity and try to move on from the whole damn mess, right? Get some fresh air and cool her head, pick up something from the grocery that isn't in a can and won't choke her with flavor....

Problem is... the experiments' effects are far from done with her.



One of these is what Lightning is this evening, instead of the pink-haired ex-soldier she should be. And as if suddenly finding herself as a chocobo isn't bad enough, that's when that oh-so-nice random teleportation kicks in too, sending her... oh, who knows. The middle of town? Your front porch? Who wouldn't want a massive eight foot tall yellow bird in their bathroom? Look at those long curly eyelashes and huge killer claws! ♥ ]

Comments

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ Hey... burn 'em well enough, and you could totally pick them up and eat them instead of having to use a fork or whatever! Much more efficient. ]

... Not really.

[ Kind of got derailed there... was there anything else she can think of? Well, there's the whole rose thing, which is hard to entirely forget when surrounded by flowers, but. Kind of awkward for Lightning to bring up herself right now. ]

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

All right. Then, I have something for you.

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ ... Uh oh. ]

What is it?

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

It's over...here!

[And she's off to another part of the flower patch. So Lightning can probably guess what this is!]

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ Aerith you are so seriously weird. 8| Lightning can take a guess, yes; she frowns slightly as she sort of... slowly follows but doesn't quite keep up. ]

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Aerith sees that when she looks back.] Oh, don't make that face. I won't make you take it, but I think this one would like to go with you.

[...She's not crazy. Honest. Anyway, she's fingering the stem of another rose, this time pink (http://www.balidailyphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/pink-rose.jpg).]

Did you figure out if you like flowers? You seemed to like roses as a girl.

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ ....... Dammit, no fair. Lightning's gaze falls on the rose for a long moment, before finally looking back at Aerith. ]

I did.

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[That and the gaze is enough answer for Aerith; she carefully cuts the rose from the plant, holding it out to Lightning.]

There's no harm in enjoying natural beauty.

[action]

[thestormishere]

Hmn.

[ Lightning's careful in taking it- she knows all too well about thorns on roses recently removed from their original source, after all. Obvious symbolism is extremely obvious, yeah? She stays silent, however, despite obviously contemplating something else. ]

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Do you want a vase for it?

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ YEAH, THAT WAS SORT OF THE POINT FOR A LONG TIME. She actually just ignores the question at first, focusing on what Aerith just thought instead with brows drawn and eyes off to the side. ]

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Aerith leans a little to try catching the other woman's eyes, but without looking up she's not really aware of when her thoughts display or what's showing.] Hey, Light, what's wrong?

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ -- OH. Lightning blinks in surprise, but then the evasive expression quickly returns anyway before she continues on: ]

You're thinking I'm hard to read, right? So... what do you think?

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes widen momentarily and she looks up--but the thought bubble's gone by now. Still, she knows Lightning must have seen something.]

I think you have an awful lot on your mind. But that's only natural. Just try not to get lost in there! And I figure it'll be easier as we get to know each other.

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ Fair enough. She inclines her head, but that's still sort of a weird thought to agree to, for her. She sighs, smiling a little in irony. ]

... Spent so long trying to be someone, maybe even I don't know any more.

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Is she opening up a little? Aerith returns the smile, but there's no irony in it.] You'll figure it out. You're the one who decides who you are.

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ MAYBE. It's a straaange mood she's in right now- one that probably wouldn't exist if the whole Claire thing hadn't happened, actually.

A moment after Aerith's comment though, she suddenly turns serious once again, her body tensing. ]

Yes. I know that.

[ EVERYONE'S ALWAYS TRYING TO CONTROL HER FAAATE! ]

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Another change in mood, that Aerith doesn't fully know what to make of--but if serious soldier is being serious, then...it can be like a mission?

She smacks her fist lightly into her open palm.]

Right! So there's no way you can't do it!

[...flower girls do not treat missions the same way battle-hardened soldiers do.]

[action]

[thestormishere]

Hm.

[ Yeah they... definitely don't. And also, doing that is kind of complicated when she's trapped here- for example, that timebomb tattooed onto her chest. That's probably a problem. ]

... I'll figure something out.

[action]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Good luck.