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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[ Lightning managed to stay checked out long enough to miss the conversation with Hope over the journal, but in the time it takes the teen to get there, she's at least hit the realm of semi-consciousness. She's really, really weak though, and continues opting for staying on the ground while she regains her bearings.

That is, until she hears Hope sounding distressed through the cracked-open door of area #4- something she's very in-tune with. Despite lingering disorientation, she immediately starts trying to get up, looking alarmed. ]

-- Hope!

Light-- [Aerith reaches to offer Light support, since it's rather obvious she's still disoriented and probably moving too fast, even for herself.

For the moment, though, she doesn't respond to Hope himself.]

[Lightning's voice cuts through the mayhem around him. Hope stops dead in his tracks, then spots the pair, immediately running toward them.

She's awake now, and that causes a flood of relief to wash over him, through his chest.]

Light...! Lightning! [Hope reaches her, and grabs her hand, looking like he isn't sure whether to cry or start yelling again. He can't lose her. Not in this place, not ever. He can't lose anyone else.

Hope does neither, though, the exhaustion from his run catching up to him and he nearly doubles over. His breath seeps from him in ragged gasps. Who knows how long he'd been running; time tends to slip away from you when someone's in peril.]

W-what... what happened... glad you're— all right—

[His eyes dart in Aerith's direction, too, seeking answers.]

[ Chances are Lightning really shouldn't be standing at this point, but it's not like that's going to stop her- she scrambles up anyway, using Aerith as a brace since she's nearby.

And she just stares at the teen, again not sure what to do or say.

This is what hurts. Not really the fact that she had one last chance and now it's gone. Not really the fact that unless she somehow miraculously manages to make it through the draft without being set off, she's probably going to turn Cie'th and have to be taken down. This: the knowledge that that damn Pulse fal'Cie's influence on her is going to hurt other people. It's going to hurt Hope who's already lost so much. ]

Hope... we had to keep trying.

[Hello, she's a ladder. Not that Aerith protests; she does her best to keep herself steady for Lightning, momentarily touching the other woman's hand.

After, she stays crouching a few seconds longer before rising evenly, her head slightly bowed.]

The brand reacted to my magic. ... It's progressed.

[Her eyes are barely meeting Hope's, and the words have to be forced out, but still, she does her best to keep her gaze level and her voice calmed; maintain some note of peace in this painful situation.]

Progressed...!?

[After catching his breath, the boy lifts his head, fear and worry painted all over his face.]

What... what does that mean—

[Wrapping his arms around himself, the emotions swirling inside him from this entire ordeal thus far give way to confused anger. He soon drops them, hands clenching into fists instead as he raises his voice.]

What were you thinking?! And you both... you both have to... [His voice cracks a little, but he ignores it.] I knew this was a stupid idea! What if you died!? What then?! You can't just... throw magic around like that! This is serious!

Edited 2011-03-03 14:43 (UTC)

[ And had this been any other time, Lightning likely would have risen to raising her voice or growing agitated right back at the teen. But she can't. That fact loops through her head over and over, even as she narrows her eyes slightly, turning her face away from the bluntness of Hope's anger. ]

... What was I supposed to do? Just give up? Wait for something to happen? [ She wraps her arms around her middle, voice low and purposefully steady. ] We had to do something, Hope. Because the ones in charge here aren't helping any. [ He's not the only one who tried to reason with the guy behind announcing the draft and come up short, after all.... ]

[ Aerith flinches at the anger, but Lightning's voice carries the sense of reason, why they both came out here in the first place.]

We are taking this seriously. I don't want to see anything bad happen.

[Hope calms himself, shutting his eyes and drawing in a deep breath. Shouting at them won't really fix things, and it's not exactly helping him feel better anyway - cathartic as it supposedly may be.

He exhales.]

I saw what happened... over the journal. I don't know what happened, but... you shouldn't try anything else. I—

It just doesn't look safe.

We need to stay calm... [ Said half-muttered, although a little too late, after Hope's already begun smoothing himself out. Emotional agitation? Yeah, not a good idea here for any of them, and especially not for either of the l'Cie present.

But it's also something that's hard to avoid when, without warning, Hope pulls out that he saw what happened. For a moment Lightning's temper definitely flares- of all the times for something to accidentally get out, it had to be now?!

... She gives another sigh, but no answer while she tries to regain her internal composure. Hope is at least partly right, though 'not safe' is an understatement. She's now even worse when it comes to her Brand; the possibility that she could change during the draft is now basically a certainty. Like she said, however, they had to try. ]

We won't try anything else, Hope. Don't worry about that.

[... The real thing to worry about is that they don't have anything else to try, she thinks, but she's hardly wanting to point that out.]

☈ strike #09 (video / action)

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