☈ strike #15 (action / video)

[thestormishere]

[ For Lightning, because of the circumstances at the end of the last time she'd been drafted, this is actually the first time since her arrival she's ever had to go and try to readjust back to 'normal' life so suddenly- to go from experiencing days of battle and worry, thinking critically, ready to kill or order to kill at a moment's notice... to sleeping in a bed she's used to, eating breakfast in the morning, running for exercise, trying to figure out what else to do for the day...

The village might just be getting started on a whole new New Feather cycle, but Lightning doesn't really find it easy to care that much. She pays attention but mostly ignores what doesn't concern her-- aside from even more random strangers wandering through her yard, that is. Apparently that's just the price of living at house #41, so close to the plaza.

... Of course, something is still pretty off, too. Regardless of somehow managing to do a passable job before, she'd really rather not be having to go out and water the flowers around the house again-- Aerith's flowers. Especially since, like it or not, the guilt over not keeping an eye on the other woman that last day of the draft continues to plague her. She still doesn't know what happened to her, aside from the fact that she suddenly disappeared and just never came back... and yet she does know that others will probably be wondering where she is anyway. In a weird way, the l'Cie kind of considers handling it her duty... even if she'll still be eyeing anyone who gets near with obvious suspicion.

Unless your name happens to be Hope or Zack, of course, the former which has an upcoming birthday laying on her mind, and the other which... she needs to... kind of figure things out with. After that conversation right before everyone was sent off. Ohhhh boy.

If she's not caught in her yard, eventually she does leave her own territory, though, restless and looking for something to do. And after some time, she turns to the journals with a dry, vaguely annoyed-sounding inquiry: ]

Just... out of curiosity, who all is even looking after these fruit trees north of the village? [ A short pause, and she's clearly looking off, studying something a little bit overhead. Unsurprisingly, she's standing right alongside an apple tree, bearing a prodigious load of readying round fruit. ] Look about ready to harvest, out here...

Comments

[originaljackass]

[Jack isn't usually the type to worry, but when his favorite lady in Luceti just ups and stops showing up in her usual haunts, Jack grows... curious. Concerned, even. He didn't remember seeing her after she saved his bacon on the battlefield. So when he spies Lightning tending to Aerith's flowers, he saunters on over and finds something to lean on a respectable distance away.]

Never pegged you for a gardener.

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning sure does frown when, not only does Jack come into her yard, but he just happens to do it right in the middle of her kneeling on the ground and trying to figure out whether she should even try figuring out what is and isn't a 'weed.' She glances at the man for just a moment, pointedly withholding her answer at first. ]

... I'm not.

[originaljackass]

I can tell. [Hey, he started his life as a hero. He can sort of tell.]

Is Aerith home?

[thestormishere]

[ -- Hey. Just because it's true doesn't mean he has to say it like that. Irritation wells up in Lightning as she straightens up and then twists slightly to really look at him... but regardless, she works to keep it from showing too much in her voice or face. ]

Why?

[originaljackass]

Haven't seen her since the day before the draft ended. Not even at the flower shop. I figured she might have got hurt and could use some cheering up.

[And who better to cheer a girl up than Jack Horner?]

[thestormishere]

[ Yeah, right. As if... Aerith could be kept inside even if she was hurt, anyway-- which isn't all that likely for long in the first place, considering 2/3 of the people living with her are also magic-healing-capable. Lightning shows off a bit more of a frown - she doesn't trust Jack at all - before her gaze slowly begins to drift. Her answer is reluctant. ]

She isn't here.

[originaljackass]

[Jack can pretty easily spot a liar and he can tell something is up. He has a sinking feeling he knows what it is, too.]

... where is she?

[wise_maiden]

[If the woman is wandering around, or even still outside her house, she might see Raine on her way to the square to take care of some errands, the flower shop being her direction in particular. Their houses aren't particularly far from one another.

Raine hasn't seen much of her since their talk on the draft--perhaps here and there, in the midst of everything, but not enough for talking properly. So Lightning will get a nod and a wave.]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning hasn't really talked to anyone since then-- at least in the way of conversation that doesn't fall under the description of absolutely necessary. But with Raine-- the l'Cie knows she's at the flower shop sometimes, so... although she's reluctant to return the silent greeting, she also doesn't look away when she sees it.

... She should tell someone who 'works' there about Aerith's disappearance too, right? So there aren't schedule gaps or... whatever. Sighing and shaking her head internally, she moves to walk up closer to the other woman. ]

[wise_maiden]

[She hadn't expected the other woman to approach, so she remains where she is so that Lightning can catch up with her.]

How have you been doing?

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning just kind of... makes a face instead of a response to that, pressing her lips together slightly. Once she pulls up to conversation-distance, she crosses her arms loosely. ]

Hey. Listen, Raine...

[wise_maiden]

Hm...? [There's something about that tone, so she waits for her to continue instead of pressing too hard.]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning doesn't usually act quite like this, with her tight frown and averted gaze- although to be fair Raine's probably seen more of it than most people in the village, on account of her and Hope's l'Cie troubles...

The tendency not to dodge all around the point is still intact, though- ]

... Aerith... didn't come back with us, from the draft. So...

[fierybluebird]

You mean the mikan trees?

Oh. [Sees the apples on the tree.] Huh. I guess if no one comes forward, they're free, aye?

[thestormishere]

... What's a mikan?

[ Said somewhat distractedly as Lightning continues to step through the trees, glancing around as if she's looking for something in particular. ]

[fierybluebird]

A type of citrus fruit. Kind of a cross between an orange or a clementine.

[thestormishere]

Can't say I'm really a fan of the citrus here.

[ With their bizarrely difficult peels and intensely-strong taste... what the heck, man. ]

[fierybluebird]

So don't eat them? Those belong to someone anyway.

[thestormishere]

... Thanks. [ Sarcasm central - someone here doesn't really take well to being condescended to, even in the slightest bit. ] I guess I'll just check the library.

HI YOU MEANT THIS ONE RIGHT wow am I ever late.

[wingenvy]

[Lightning can catch Zack while he's just arriving at home for a nap- he's been spending more time at Shizuo's while the wingless idiot is recovering from his fun little maiming incident on the draft, so between that, the stress of Aerith being gone, and his usual shifts at the bar, he's a bit stretched.]

juuuust a little

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning is on the couch when he comes in-- on top of the couch, actually, sitting on the edge of its back and with her bare feet on the actual seat. The way she's been feeling the last while isn't easy to sum up at all - 'stressed' doesn't really cover it. Guilty, maybe, or perhaps just generally pained, or...

In short, not a very happy house right now, is it?

She wouldn't be out in the main room if she was intent on just brooding, though. Regardless, when she sees him she makes an odd face, like she's fighting down something else, before it fades into plain uncertainty instead. She straightens in place. ]

Zack...

let's just call it fashionable

[wingenvy]

[No, not a happy house at all. But he does try to perk up when he sees her, offering a smile despite her expression. He's not sure what's on her mind just yet, but he has a few guesses, and none of them are particularly happy. Still, he's not about to turn tail and run from this.]

Hey, Light. How're you doing?

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning looks down, silent for a moment, but then... well, hopefully Zack's hand-eye coordination is in working order, because there's only about a second while she holds an apple up in her hand - just long enough for him to see what it is - before she tosses it across the room at him underhanded. ]

Okay.

[ "Uncomfortable," more like, if the look on her face is any indication. She's kind of atrocious at hiding that kind of thing, if she doesn't have a reason to be angry for veiling it that way. ]

[wingenvy]

[Whoa, suddenly apple. He catches it out of the air, eyes widening. "Okay"? Well. "Okay" isn't good but it isn't bad, either, so Zack'll take it. Even if she doesn't really look okay. He nods slightly, lips pursing as he tosses the apple idly into the air.]

It looks like you've got something serious on your mind.

[Certainly enough going on to be serious about...]

[thestormishere]

Yeah.

[ Short answers seems to really be her thing today, huh? But with what had been in her hand relinquished, she leans forward until she can rest her forearms on her legs; pressing her lips together slightly, she glances Zack over. ]

... And you look tired.