☈ strike #13 (action / voice)

[thestormishere]

[ Today, Lightning's doing something fairly unusual in comparison to her normal - and recently even darker than normal - behavior. For once, she's outside and yet doesn't seem busy, merely watching as her puppy Baldr frolics about in the general area of community housing 4 in search of sticks to defeat, things to dig up, and nearby people to greet. In fact, the young woman and dog look pretty safe to come 'visit' with today- especially since there's also no gunblade in sight, and as she sits down to lean against the outside wall, she makes a pretty inane-seeming public message. ]

These seasons... usually last about three months each, right? How much warmer does it get?

-- Filtered to Sigmund --

Sigmund. About earlier... when and where?

-- - --

Comments

[action]

[contempsi.livejournal.com]

[More questions and skepticisms arise in the boy's mind, though he remains silent in the moments that follow, fixing his gaze on the strange object that Sigmund pulled out. Both of the things he mentioned seem wholly foreign, and it has his nerves a little on edge. All he can think of now is what he'd witnessed on the journal months ago, when Aerith and Lightning attempted to somehow seal off her brand and it backfired horribly.

Yet still, when his mind passes over the last time his brand advanced—the shock of learning of what happened on the battlefield, a result of never figuring out how to suppress it, even if only temporarily—it all seems fruitless but what else can he really do? Hope briefly lifts a hand to press his fingers to the bridge of his nose, somewhat wearily, before reaching to undo the band of fabric shrouding his wrist.

The brand's moved along considerably since his arrival; Hope can't even bring himself to look at it anymore. The eye is round and bright in the center, almost fully awakened, the surrounding arrows almost at completion. His days are already numbered.]

I don't get how there can be a connection. But here. [Turning his face away slightly, eyes flickering toward Lightning in the process, Hope extends up his wrist so Sigmund can get a better look at it.]

[action]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning's eyes linger on the things Sigmund brought for a second, but then she moves closer to Hope instead, arms crossed. By now, he's sure to know just about everything she does, and though she's curious... the immediate is more pressing. ]

... It's hard to know until we try.

[ She gives a slight, encouraging smile at the teen, her voice deliberately level even though it's difficult after the Brand is revealed- even a newly-made mark is discomforting, but one that's that far along... it's not a stretch to say that his is far more agitating to her than even watching hers finish off had been. Especially since she now knows personally what lies in store at the end of the road.

She's far from forgetting the incidents with Aerith, of course, but it's not like they can just do nothing, right? All she can do is pray that Sigmund's attempts to help aren't invasive enough to kick off a similar reaction.

Particularly given her promise to the young man about what may happen. She doesn't want to be reminded about that, either. ]

[action] sorry about that

[chaincutter]

[Sigmund takes Hope's wrist in one hand and... for a bit, just seems to frown at it, eyes half closed. Internally, he's pushing at his glyph - or at that part of his spirit that's been altered by the glyph - to try and force it to tell him something useful. It doesn't seem to be reacting... but this is important. This is someone's life at stake. If there's even the slightest chance... He'll do everything in his power. Finally, his lunaglyph seems to... to burst; a flash of red light in an ornate sigil across his chest, there and then gone.

He lets go of Hope; pulls his hand away like it was burned and clutches it to his chest in a fist.]

Sorry. I shouldn't have- Did you feel anything?

[action] It's okay!

[contempsi.livejournal.com]

[But if he had felt anything, Hope wouldn't know it just yet—his attention's immediately caught by that bright flash of light. At first he'd thought it to come from himself, for an instant, but then he realizes it had flared up from the other man somehow. A fraction of a second for him to catch it before it's gone.]

What was—

[The brand on his wrist seems to throb with an uncomfortable warmth, and that's when he directs his gaze toward the marking. It shines a faint golden hue, pulsing brighter. The colour it normally glows when magic's involved— but it's supposed to be the sort that comes from him. He's not hurt in the slightest, but Hope draws it to his chest, cradling that wrist in his other hand.

There's a brief flash of panic, brief like that glowing sigil. What if a reaction is just the shock he needs to make it advance further? He's not sure if he can last another impact like that. Hope can feel his stomach lurch, and his fingers tense like a vice around his own wrist. Obscuring the entire thing - though the illumination can still be seen, faintly, subtly lighting his pale skin.]

I really don't think this is a good idea. [His voice is even, but there's a sharp, wavering intake of breath.]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning tenses immediately, then with a stressed, gusty sigh, rounds to sit heavily on the edge of the couch. Her first priority is reaching for Hope's arm, to make sure the teen's okay and that the Brand hasn't actually progressed any, though she also glances to Sigmund with more of a frown tugging at her lips as well. She's already seen his lunaglyph looking bad during the course of the experiment; as desperate as she is here, possibly hurting himself for the benefit of people he barely knows isn't really something she's expecting out of him. ]

It's like they're trying to protect themselves. [ Great. Just what they need is to find out is that there's some sort of actual will involved here or something, and that what happened to her wasn't just a fluke.

Hope hadn't lost consciousness or anything like she had, though. Yet. Lightning grits her teeth, frustrated and uncertain... then turns, pressing a hand to her chest. ]

There's my Brand too. It still works, just... doesn't change any more.

[chaincutter]

[Sigmund isn't quite ready to take his hand away from his chest yet. He wasn't expecting that; but then, he'd never pushed his glyph like that. He didn't use his glyph at all. Thankfully, he learned something useful from this. Possibly two useful things. He looks at the suppressant thoughtfully.]

No, I... think I've seen enough. [He glances around; he'd really like to sit.]

I think the suppressant will work, if you wish to try.

[contempsi.livejournal.com]

[Hope's gaze lingers on Lightning for a long moment, and then he heaves a sigh, settling back against the couch and closing his eyes.]

...okay. We can... we can try it. I-I guess.

[Though he doesn't actually verbally offer Sigmund a seat, he shuffles over to make room on the couch anyway, opening his eyes and letting them flicker over the man's form—as if trying to see where that strange glow had come from, and then his gaze falls upon the suppressant again.]

So you... you have some kind of brand too? Or... well, you said it was called a glyph. Is it a curse like ours?

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning kind of grits her teeth at being rebuffed, but then tries to let it go as best she can, replacing her hand on Hope's shoulder in the few seconds of conversation that follows.

... And then she frowns deeper when he isn't looking, while listening to the questions he has for the man. With Sigmund's earlier behavior in mind, out of courtesy she's been careful in talking with Hope, to avoid much mention about whatever ailed the man... ]

From what I understand... sounds like it's a long story.

[ Because if anyone should know the meaning of that, it's her and Hope (and just about everyone else in Luceti too - heaven forbid anyone have a normal life here, for some reason). ]