☈ strike #16 (action)

[thestormishere]

[ Whenever there's an experiment, it always seems like Lightning gets a few days to contemplate the rest of the village going mad before anything happens to her too, doesn't it? It's not very amusing to her at all, especially considering she's spent the last few days fretting and waiting. She's been trying to stay out of trouble, but...

A Farron is not easily cooped up for long. Before she knows it, she's pacing her entire residence, messing in the kitchen for no reason, sitting on the floor with Baldr while staring at the ceiling, and-- ugh, stepping outside for just a minute won't hurt, right? Just as long as she avoids any weirdos who might attempt to pull her into something. Besides, everything seems normal right now. She feels normal.

With marked determinated, she walks out the front door and-- FGFDUAGFA, SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY FALLS ON HER HEAD??

And yet as soon as she leans down to see what it is, the woman goes stiff, looks up to gape at the cloudy sky, and then takes off at a sprint in the direction of the village square. Shortly afterward, if you happen to be anywhere outside: ]

Oh! Don't go!!

[ Hello, there is a woman with feathers stuck in her hair and dressed all in horribly clashing yellow trotting up, looking quite upset. And a little annoyed too, but... that's to be expected, given who this is. STOP BEFORE SHE FORCES YOU TO!

(Lightning is imitating Chocobo Loco/Chicken Little/Henny Penny for the event, sooo... characters are welcome to be either an innocent or the Fox in the story, if you wish. Alternatively... she will also probably play along as well, for those already affected by their own thang.) ]

Comments

[markofthewise]

[Why is she asking him?]

Who's 'we'? [Still. Strength in numbers. Probably. Right now she doesn't seem any use in fighting giants.] Well, we'll need magic beans.

[thestormishere]

I can fight.

[ -- Oh, she seems kind of annoyed about that... and her irritation only increases as she stays in place with her hand held to her face. Something's definitely wrong with her- it doesn't matter how 'right' it feels to play along, because what she's doing and saying don't match up with what she would do normally. ]

[markofthewise]

Well that's great, but fighting is kind of pointless with no one to fight. [Just... considering his options now. Giants causing the sky to fall isn't what he signed up for, but as long as he can send the head of a giant to the king, that's all that matters.] Where's a magic salesman when you need one?

[thestormishere]

I don't know. [ She only very slowly pulls her hand back, her voice thick. ] Maybe there's one in the plaza?

[markofthewise]

Maybe. Feel free to suggest one. But we'll need something to trade first. A cow, perhaps.

[thestormishere]

[ She crosses her arms; come on, man! ]

Surely we can argue for a discount.

[markofthewise]

And if they decide not to accept it? Then we missed out on getting a beanstalk. Great plan.

[Only not!]

[thestormishere]

[ She's not trying to be difficult, Sokka! You're the one being difficult! Have a head shake, complete with grimace. ]

It'd be a lot more efficient to figure out what they'd want as payment first, anyway.

[ And to... you know, ensure that this salesman even exists in the first place. ]

[markofthewise]

My mother wants me to sell the family cow. [Lightning, he's starting to wonder why he's letting you tag along!]

[thestormishere]

So... you've already got a cow you can trade?

[ WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO? ]

[markofthewise]

I've... seem to misplaced my cow.

[So yeah. He needs a new one.]

[thestormishere]

... Great. Just... great.

[ Hrrgh! There goes her hand to her face again, fingertips rubbing lightly at the junction between eye and nose. If she knew she was going to have to deal with this clusterfuck, she wouldn't have consulted him...! ]

[markofthewise]

I'm going to look for one at the farm. Are you coming?

[This might be her best chance to find better help.]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning pulls her shoulders back- she doesn't want to, and yet... it's also then that she looks up into the sky, and she can still feel the shape of the blueberry in her hand. With a sigh, she closes her eyes a moment, replacing the portending fruit in one of her many mismatched pockets. ]

If you really think that'll work.

[markofthewise]

Of course it will work. I'm Jack. I know these things.

[... Jack? He looks confused for a moment.]

[thestormishere]

[ ... Jack? Lightning looks confused for a moment. ]

Alright.

[ Again, like, if you say so, man. ]

[markofthewise]

[TIME TO GO FIND A GODDAMN COW.

He's heading home for that. Not the farmlands. In the opposite direction.]