thestormishere | ☈ strike #09 (video / action)

[ Lightning looks particularly tired today, although even with it obvious that she's got her journal open, she's clearly not looking at it- something that might explain why she doesn't seem to notice that she's 'recording' herself. ]

I'm not tired.

[ She seems pretty frustrated, too. After a moment, she literally tosses the journal aside- the image spins wildly... and yet keeps going even after it lands. A view of Lightning's legs strolling away can be seen, and then Aerith, standing a short distance away and fiddling with the staff in her hands. Lightning stops next to her, hand on hip, but their conversation - if any - is seemingly too low to be caught.

They're in the battledome, and anyone who happens to be around out there or tuning in curiously will quickly see that what they're doing doesn't seem very interesting: like many others, preparing for the draft by fighting simulated Third Party combatants. Lightning takes point, wielding her gunblade with practiced ease as Aerith calls on the magic of the Filial spirits, firing jets of water and following up with her staff. Those familiar with spirit energy may also recognize that she's gathering and is close to unleashing it, a very faint glow of light around her body.

Eventually the last soldier collapses, the body fading away, and Aerith turns to Lightning. There's a slash on her arm, bloodied but shallow, but the brunette doesn't pay it mind for the moment, looking at Lightning with an earnest expression. ] All right, I'm ready.

Right... [ Lightning seems at once determined and uneasy as she folds her gunblade and slams it into its holster, shifting in place. Aerith pauses, then holds her staff in front of her, concentrating with her brow furrowed. The energy goes out from her, surrounding Lightning and surging forward as beams of light-- going specifically for her chest, from which a different glow starts to appear: bright blue, seemingly shining from a small but elaborate something beneath her sleeveless tunic...

But almost immediately after that, it's obvious that something is extremely wrong. The lights flare, almost seeming to clash, and what looks like it should be a magical healing of some sort causes Lightning to suddenly stagger back as if struck, pressing a hand into her chest.

And as if that wasn't enough, the pink-haired girl screams in pain. The sound abruptly cuts off just as the glow fades, Lightning wavers where she stands, and then just collapses, straight down with zero effort to catch herself- not a good sign, considering the former soldier could probably do that in her sleep.

OOC: Both video and action open! ]

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[And after Aerith checks breathing and pulse, well--well. She should heal her, right? Except the brand just reacted to her limit break--would it react to healing magic too? Was it--what was it doing, was it defending itself?

... Maybe she'll have a better idea if she checks the brand. Despite knowing Lightning can't hear her, she still murmurs:] I'm going to look at your Brand and see if I can tell anything. Okay, Light?

[And she really really wishes she'd hear a response, even a refusal, because it'd mean Light was conscious.]

[ Still nothing, save that her body is slightly tensed- if attempted, it may prove a bit difficult to move her... ]

[Difficult or not, the brand is getting checked now for Light's own good, even if there's a wrenching feeling in Aerith's gut of dread for what she might see. She struggles in moving Lightning over, opens the shirt...

...That feeling in her gut turns to ice. How could it have progressed like that? It's too fast--like that, with the toll the draft would take...

She won't make it.

Her right hand covers her mouth, stifling a sob, and then another awful thought comes: I made the brand do that. Tears drip on top of shaking knuckles before they rise up and scrub at her eyes. No, no. Lightning needs help now, she can't fall to pieces. She focuses on the filial healing magic, but it comes only weakly, her concentration faltering. She's too focused on the brand, horrified by the prospect that it might change any further.]

[ The healing might not be much, but that put with being manipulated is enough to finally stir some reaction out of Lightning- with a quiet groan she tenses further, curling so that she rolls a little of the ways back onto her side, pressing her arms into her chest. It's clearly a pained reaction, but though she grits her teeth and even blinks a little, any consciousness is still pretty debatable at the moment. ]

H--hey-- [For a moment, Nala's healing stops as Aerith's concentration is broken, her arm left hanging in the air. But she moves closer and focuses again, ignoring her cut for the moment to ease Lightning's pain as much as possible.]

I'm sorry, I didn't think that would--I'm so, so sorry, Light. [It doesn't matter if she can hear or not, the words tumble out anyway.]

[ The moment Lightning hits the lowest rung of being aware? Well, she can tell she's hurt somehow, and learned instinct defaults her to doing something about that-- even though it's not really physical pain she's in. Her Brand and the body and soul connected to it are fighting the Gaian magic like an allergic reaction, which is probably why the Filial variety seems to help at all... as well as the swirling rush of the blue-white healing magic she casts herself. It's working to erase the remnants of Aerith's attempted seal.

But even with that done, she still doesn't do much except to take in a long, deep breath, then cast another Cure as she lets it out. Disorientation is the name of the game right now- yeah, she can tell she's laying on the ground, but is still definitely too stunned to figure out why or even do much about it. She just keeps pressing her hand hard into her chest's arcane marking, wondering why Aerith is babbling at her. ]

[The rush of magic startles her--again she stops, waiting to see just what is going on before doing anything else. The brand's reaction has jolted and impulsiveness out of her for now. But as she realizes that the magic doesn't seem harmful, she relaxes. Healing magic... she knew that l'Cie could have all different kinds of magic, so it's not too surprising Light have it. If anything, it's the first reassuring sign: Lightning can heal herself.

But when she's holding her chest like that... again she calls upon the Filial magic, adding it to Lightning's efforts.]

Light, can you hear me?

[ Lightning finally lets out another groan and then pushes herself up on her elbows, head hanging. Right now, she just wants to sit up, doing so very, very slowly and trying not to shake. ]

What's...?

[ With her hands braced on the ground and legs being pulled beneath her, things are beginning to trickle back very gradually. Aerith is with her, they're in the battledome, apparently...

...and someone's partially undone Lightning's top.

Put with Aerith's obvious upset... the l'Cie doesn't even bother to look at the Brand herself. She just silently pulls her shirt back together, eyes on the ground. ]

Edited 2011-02-26 00:25 (UTC)

[That silence puts a lump in Aerith's throat. She hastily clears away whatever wetness remains on her cheeks--Lightning doesn't need that.]

It didn't work. [Lightning can tell that for herself.] It... how do you feel?

[ Stand by, Lightning is a little preoccupied for a moment. It's not just from Aerith's reaction here... she really can tell already, much like how l'Cie instinctively know how to use their magic without having to be taught, that there are no stops left between here and the last on the train to Cie'th City. In fact, it's probably a miracle it didn't go ahead and happen now.

But she refuses to get upset, to take the chance of pushing herself over the edge after coming so close and yet managing to come out still human, somehow. ]

... Like shit. [ Yeah, Lightning really isn't one to curse like that at all, but there really isn't a better way to describe the way her entire body feels weak, put along with a spinning head and ringing ears. That said, her voice is hoarse, but... remarkably neutral. ]

[That is remarkable, something that briefly astounds Aerith. Does Lightning understand what happened to her brand? How close she is? Does she just not want to think about it...? It's not like that will help Then--if this is business as usual--

The flower girl gives a small smile.] Don't push yourself too hard.

[ Pushing herself - often 'too far' - is what Lightning is known for though.

... Except... she can't now, can she? And that's just... awful, really. The young woman sighs, and raises a hand to rub at the base of her neck. ]

I know... I know.

☈ strike #09 (video / action)

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