thestormishere | ☈ strike #14 (action / voice)

☈ strike #14 (action / voice)

[ After the whole fiasco with having to take down Jack Horner's dragon form, Lightning's been thinking a lot lately-- namely, about her own trouble with maintaining a human form and fallout from failing against her will several months ago- both things which, frankly, she's been trying to avoid.

However, she can't just keep ignoring it forever, can she? Especially considering that ever since then, even if she's continued to grow slowly stronger and is currently safe from the ramifications of an active l'Cie Brand... the 'penalty' she was saddled with makes using her powers a lot harder than how it used to be.

And so she practices, attempting to get a handle on the magic that's there but no longer instinctive like it once was. Healing magic is fairly easy to figure out, the weaker elemental things like Thunder and Water are simple enough if difficult to aim now, but as for the more complicated spells...?

As for learning new ones...?

She can be found alternately in the battle dome and outside near the edges of town quite a bit during these last few days, with and without her gunblade and various other weapons from before and during her time spent here. She's not really doing much actual fighting, though; it's obvious she's trying to do something, concentrating for sometimes minutes at a time, before casting something that just seems to flicker in the air around her, or light up the edges of her weapons with bright-colored energy.

After some time and a lot of deliberation, she turns to the journals. ]

-- Filtered to House Lucky occupants --

Hey. Have a minute?

-- - --

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...I think I like the idea of trying it out, then!

[Heck yeah, power enhancement! He's looking forward to this now.]

Thought so.

[ Not hard to predict that a guy like him would probably jump at the chance- he's a lot like Snow, in that regard. Buuuut in any case, let's take a look at what's in this battle dome room, huh? ]

This is the same simulation that Aerith and I were using a few months ago, but... I've changed it around since then. [ A short pause and a little frown, though it quickly fades. ] Today I just turned off all the AI for the combatants, since I don't think fighting back's really what we want here.

[ Not now, anyway. She looks at Zack a long moment, thoughtfully. What to try first...? ] How about some Water? [ It's her secondary element, so it should be pretty easy. It's... also less likely to go horribly wrong. Hopefully. ]

[He follows her in, glancing around briefly before focusing on her again. Water? Sounds safe enough.]

Sure thing. So you want me to let you do your thing, and then attack these guys?

[ She gives a single nod, momentarily putting both hands on her chest and heaving a breath. She's distracted and unsurprisingly, that isn't really much of a help here. ]

... You might want to hold your sword out.

[ Which she'll give him a chance to do, though she's already going through the motions mentally- it feels like Aquastrike but isn't, and she needs to focus on making this benign to him...

She takes a step back right before casting it, bracing her feet, and then throws it at him. It should work, covering his weapon with the bright, bubbling blue-green magic of Enwater.

Just don't drop it or something, dude. ]

[He doesn't drop it! He does oogle it though, because it's all shiny and win. He's never had an effect on his sword that reacted like this before - the accessory mods from SOLDIER just wered the same - so he's interested in how it works.

He doesn't waste the whole time admiring her spell, though; after a few moments, he goes to work attacking the dome's simulated drones, tearing through them with ease.]

Whoa, that's a nice boost!

[ She herself might have been tempted to drop the weapon the first time she had it done to her- it's strange to have something you're holding covered in what looks like it should hurt but doesn't!

But in any case, interestingly enough, Lightning actually looks kind of pleased for once! She follows after Zack at a slow walk, watching him take out the simulations with admittedly impressive ease; at the remark, she's... actually smiling?? ]

I think... this could be pretty useful, yeah.

[ Lightning: on her way to becoming COMPLETELY INVINCIBLE. ]

[He's smiling right along with her as he works his way through the enemies, fascinated by the way his blade tears through the simulation with ease. And look at her! He hasn't seen her this please since- ...actually he's not even sure now. Maybe the experiment. But we don't talk about that.]

No argument here! This is awesome, Light!

[ "This is awesome" = definitely not something Lightning hears very often. "Good work" or similar, maybe, but nothing like that, which immediately causes her eyes to widen slightly-- and a flush to appear on her face before she has the chance to realize what's going on beforehand.

...

Hopefully, Zack is distracted by the fact that the Enwater spell doesn't last forever- while it quickly begins to glimmer and fade out, Lightning blinks and then ducks her head, smile faltering, gaze aside.

Must be the heat getting to her or... something. Otherwise, she's really not sure what to make of that reaction- it's been... quite a while since she's been in any sort of position to get abruptly flustered by compliments. ]

[Zack pauses as the spell fades away, glancing over his shoulder at her. Why's she looking down like that? Was it not what she expected?

Though Luceti does tone down abilities- maybe it's supposed to last longer than that.]

You okay over there? Do you want to try it again?

[ Well, it should last longer, but thaaaat's not her problem. Again her hand goes to and presses down on her still-sheathed gunblade, in the same odd gesture from a few minutes earlier... and then she finally looks back up, forcefully smoothing herself out.

It's something she's got a lot of practice in. Maybe too much practice, really, but... it's not like she has time to stand around acting strangely when Zack's expecting something more. ]

Maybe another element. Fire or Thunder? [ The more flashy and potentially dangerous ones, in other words. She strides closer, considering the options once more. ] Or... we can try a Protect spell, too.

[He can't quite shake the feeling that something is bothering her, but now isn't the time to ask. After training, maybe... yeah, he'll get back to that. For now, he steps back over towards her, glancing around as some of the digital enemies return to "life", so to speak.]

I'm game to try them all, if you want. How about Thunder? I always liked that materia.

[ Might be because while she's still being pretty open, she's also not really smiling any more? She'll just be... relegating any issues to later, too. There's also just a hint of a pause at the suggestion (or rather, the way it's worded)... but then she nods. ]

Easy.

[ Easyish, though hopefully it's no surprise at all where the strength of a woman who goes by Lightning lies when it comes to the various magical elements of her world.

In fact, when she concentrates and then adds that effect to him, although technically there shouldn't really be a difference in power level, the way this one literally hums with energy is... probably kind of noteworthy, there. He might actually be able to feel it a little, too...

Also, it happens to be bright purple. Water magic might be fun to look at and make an amusing noise when thrown at something, but the electricity-imitating stuff? It's... well, pretty striking, even as just an enhancing status effect.

... At least Lightning sort of thinks so. ]

[Figures, the Lightning spell that Lightning casts is the most fun. Zack can't help but laugh a little, feeling the thrum of electricity powering his sword, and he sweeps his way through the fake enemies even more efficiently than the last time. It's pretty obvious that he's a fan of this particular element. The weird colour is different, but it doesn't seem to slow him down at all.

Kind of goes with his uniform anyway |D]

[ ~~She'll have to remember to try it on Cloud if he ever shows up again- it would be most pretty on him! 8D~~

This time, Lightning is careful to pay attention to how long the spell stays in place- she kind of... absolutely forgot with the last one. Oops? Her expression is thoughtful as she watches, lifting a hand after a moment to worry at a fingernail with her teeth-- before realizing what she's doing and letting it drop in irritation. Several months after finding herself having to quit a smoking habit she didn't even start on purpose, and she's still doing nasty stuff like that!

Anyway.

... She lost track again. Annoyed, she shakes her head to herself.

But well, if she's supposed to be practicing this stuff, might as well present herself with a challenge, right? She watches Zack as he moves, knowing her aim kind of sucks now, but... ]

Hey, Zack... [ Catch his attention, and then she attempts to throw up a green-tinted Protect on him too, in addition to the Enthunder. Back home it was possible to stack stuff like crazy; hopefully it's no different here. ]

[Zack blinks at the sudden, doubly-stacked techniques, lifting a hand to look at it. This... hey, this is a familiar feeling! Finally, one he knows!]

We have this spell, too! Barrier, right? Or is it Shield?

[He has the sudden urge to go run into something and find out. He loves this spell.]

[ Funny that, the similarities. They might not be part of the group from some version of this 'Earth' place, but you'd almost think that their worlds still sprang into being with deliberate parallels in place or something... ]

Protect; because it 'protects' against physical damage. At least, that's what we call it. [ A short pause, and then she steps forward again... and sets her feet, letting her hands swing out to either side of her. Wuh oh... ] Probably only one way to find out if it really works, though.

[ Yes, she can indeed look at a big tough SOLDIER, carrying a huge electrified sword and buffed up by Protect, and think... hey, I think I'll try and kick that guy in the face. THEY CALL HER LIGHTNING. ]

[The scary thing is? He was kind of hoping she'd do that. The kick sends him flying, and whether by miracle or experience he twists himself into a roll without cutting off a few limbs in the process. The roll becomes a crouch, then he stands... wearing a stinking big grin on his face.]

Ha! I didn't feel a thing!

[ Lightning felt it! When she steps back, it's with a little obvious gingerness, careful before she puts her full weight back on her foot. Not painful, though. Rather- ]

That... feels weirder than I expected.

[ But she certainly has an odd, almost amused expression on her face again at his reaction. Plus, she's... also starting to really realize: this stuff definitely has the potential to help her when solo, yes, but with her playing support, even just the two of them have the potential to be UNSTOPPABLE. It's kind of like when she and Fang had been on the run through Palumpolum... only better because now she can play 'Medic' and 'Synergist.' All she needs now is 'Saboteur' skills and...

Yeah. This is what happens when you present a military-minded woman with a new opportunity. She starts making plans for how to change their sparring practice into working towards becoming The Perfect Machine. ]

[Ahaha, and here he almost asked for a repeat performance. Glad he didn't, now; that looks like it hurt.

He gives her a moment in that deep thought she's got going - and he has a feeling she's probably thinking the same thing he is, namely how badass and unstoppable they'd be with this kind of enhancement. Kind of scary, when you think about it - before speaking up again.]

Does the spell work on the sword, too, or just my body? We could just use weapons until it wears off.

[ It's kind of scary, alright. This is why the people of Cocoon fear the Pulse l'Cie - why just the knowledge of a group of six of them is enough to practically tear the entire world apart all by itself. It doesn't matter that none of them want to hurt anyone. Just the fact that they could and... continue to exist while doing so. ]

Both. [ Another beat of pause, and then she simply inclines her head, reaching for her gunblade and snapping it out with a precise, unusually tense gesture. ] It shouldn't take long.

[...Ha. Awesome. Zack just grins again, shifting his body to face her, sword lifted. Yeah, bring it on- he's so ready. He figures it'd be smart for her to make the first move, since his body has the enhancement.

...Hopefully this won't end badly, eh-heh...]

Ready when you are!

I'm not trained for this.

[ Forewarning for her unfamiliarity with... non-lethal combat and the fact that it's bound to show; before now she's undoubtedly refused to draw her weapon, and even now she has to wonder just what she's gotten herself into, with both participants here holding very live steel in their hands.

Backing down isn't really in the list of her defining traits, though. Therefore, there's little hesitation as she swings the gunblade up into position anyway, poised for just a moment as she considers her strategy before springing forward- not as fast as she could be, but that's going to take a little more trust and time than whatever's left for the buffs.

... At least if one of them gets hurt, she can heal too...? ]

[He's not terribly concerned, in part because he trusts her, and in part because he trusts himself to be able to handle whatever she dishes out. He shifts his sword to meet hers, pushing back against her attack with as much strength as he dares. Let's get dangerous, shall we? ~~this is almost like a date~~]

[ Lightning's gunblade is pretty hefty for something that's supposed to be designed for using a single sharp edge, but there's no way she really stands much of a chance against the brute force and weight behind Zack and his choice of sword! It's sort of like running into a brick wall. With electricity.

Even if she is used to it, considering the sort of stuff she regularly slammed her weapon into back home too... still. She grits her teeth as she slides a little, willfully ignoring the sting of her own spell, then slips to the side, hoping to force him into paying more attention towards going against her speed rather than just throwing her off with... what not even fal'Cie-given strength can face head-on. ]

[She's still faster than him, and that's something he's had to pay close attention to in a number of battles he's fought in the past- Genesis, Sephiroth, the Third Party soldiers. And if he were to compare them, only Sephiroth could probably have beaten her speed. Probably why he lost that fight, anyway.

His concerns about her speed are exactly why he's primarily focused on shifting to the offensive, his blade lashing out to follow her- because she can dodge it, because she's good enough to get around his slower, heavier movements. If he lets her attack too much, he'll just get overwhelmed by her speed.]

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