☈ strike # 22 (filtered voice / public video / action)

[thestormishere]

[ Again.

For the third time now, someone Lightning has cared for has left; unfortunately, despite it being a major staple of life in Luceti, it doesn't get any easier-- especially given the identity of the absent person in question.

But it is different this time, if only because her explosiveness in reply to it seems sapped... when she speaks up on the journal, her voice is flat and quiet, deceptively even. ]

-- Voice only, evening of the 8th, filtered to Hope & Noel --
I thought you should know... Serah's gone home.

[ ... And that's all; with that she's gone- locked in her room if anyone cares, without answering, touching, or even looking at her journal...

It's not until well into Thursday afternoon that Lightning makes a reappearance to the 'public.' That said, it would be hard to pinpoint anything's wrong at all for those who don't know her fairly well, save for a sort of distant demeanor- evident in her averted gaze and too-smooth voice.

She's sitting on a beach in her transmitted video, but it's not Luceti's beach, given it's clearly night where she is, in contrast to the real sun still shining away cheerfully outside. ]

I'm looking for people wanting to spar-- maybe help me test something. Weapons, hand-to-hand, anything. Send me a message. Or just come to the battle dome.

[ "-- I don't care." There's a short pause, while she briefly taps her fingers on her knee, tries to think of anything else worth mentioning.... ]

Magic is a bonus too, if you've got it.

[ And then there's an abrupt end to the 'feed' once again. Anyone who doesn't catch her message or decides to just go ahead and wander over to the battle dome will find her fiddling with the simulation controls, armed with an unusual, bulky weapon - looking somewhat like some sort of gun - hanging holstered behind her hips.

... No, there's really no words for how much pain she's in right now, but perhaps distraction may help. In any case, no matter how much she sometimes seems set on it, she knows quite well by now that cutting herself off has a very low chance of making her feel any better. If nothing else, this is at least worth a try. ]

Comments

[burningdownfate]

Test what?

[thestormishere]

[ It takes her a minute to reply, in order to figure out some semblance of how to explain that offhand piece of her request... ]

Essentially? Dodging.

[ Although obviously, her Luceti-found ability to produce explanations that aren't painfully to the point has momentarily stepped down. ]

[burningdownfate]

What kind of stuff are you looking to dodge?

[thestormishere]

Pretty much anything. [ You can practically hear her pinching the bridge of her nose as she speaks, before deciding to hopefully cut off any more questions in that vein. ] What can you do?

{ filtered voice to lightning & noel | 8th, evening }

[bereavement]

She's gone?...

[That's something that's come as a bit of a shock. She just up and left, just like that? Did something else pull her away into the annals of Time? Why did she go alone, and not with Noel?

... But he can't voice these concerns aloud.]

{ filtered voice to lightning & noel | 8th, evening }

[thestormishere]

[ Even if she hears Hope's message, it's going to be a while before Lightning feels anywhere close to responding. She doesn't want to talk about it right now, as painful as it is- she'd missed Serah for so long and then finally received the chance to see her again--

But everything had been so odd, with Noel there and then Hope as well...

Regardless, the time they'd been reunited was far too short. And for Lightning, pretending that she doesn't feel like she's suddenly been dealt some sort of grievous blow isn't something she's up to right away. ]

{ filtered voice to lightning & noel | 8th, evening }

[bereavement]

[Hope draws in a deep breath, thankful for the inability to see his face right now.]

Lightning, I'm... sorry.

[It doesn't matter where or when Lightning's from. Her love for her younger sister is as clear a fact as the blue in the sky. Now it's gone grey, and he can't help but ache in sympathy. Empathy. All of it.]

filtered voice just to hope

[thestormishere]

It happens.

[ Her voice remains extremely low in her (eventual) reply, although this time it's lacking that defensive matter-of-factness, something she'd adopted just to get the message out in the first place; addressing Noel at the same time is one thing, but Hope alone is a little different-- even if he is now different too.

But, she's far from selfish too, and she hasn't missed noting that Hope himself has lost far too many in the last however long- a fact that quickly pushes her into this particular response...

She takes a deep breath, and even without a visual it's obvious she's shifting her weight, straightening a little even if it also involves throwing an arm over a raised knee, bumping shoulderblades and wings against the nearest wall. ]

We'll see each other again; I know that.

voice | filter

[handmotions]

[Upon hearing that Serah's gone home filled him with a strong sense of grief. Noel promised Lightning he'd keep Serah safe, so he couldn't help but worry for Serah. ]

No, Serah..!

[His voice was covered with incomprehensible sobbing. It was somewhat difficult for him to hide his own feelings. ]


Did she say anything to you?

[Why did Serah leave so suddenly? Questions presented themselves in front of him along with his genuine concern.]

voice | filter

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning doesn't hear this until quite a bit later-- and then, isn't sure what to say. Is he crying? At first she's a touch annoyed by the display of emotion, but then she's... not sure. Rather than letting her knee-jerk reaction be the first he hears back, she simply stays silent on it, stewing in her own thoughts. ]

voice | filter

[handmotions]

[Noel sniffled down his own tears. He wasn't exactly a person who can cope with the idea of people leaving so easily. ]

Oh no, Serah. Will she be alright? No...[A string snapped inside of him when he realized that she might have to face Caius alone. ]

Serah. Serah, please. Don't do this.

[Part of him felt helpless for being unable to change anything about this event. However, there was a stronger feeling residing within him. That feeling is called responsibility. He did tell Lightning that he'd keep Serah safe. How could he possibly explain her disappearance? This may not have been the Lightning he met in Valhalla, but he still made the promise.

The silence pressed onward as he tried to recollect his thoughts once more. ]

voice | filter

[thestormishere]

[ It doesn't take long for Lightning to go from awkward, perhaps sympathetic, to annoyed at the young man, his words grating on her ears. What is wrong with him-- is he eighteen or eighteen months? ]

She hasn't died, Noel.

[ As far as she knows. Despite her own pain, it only frustrates her that he's upset and showing it much more messily here, even if it's unlikely he's as up-to-date with how this sort of thing works in Luceti anyway. It strikes her as selfish amongst a whole slew of other negative things, causing her voice to be harsh in reply. ]

[luredbypower]

Any reason why magic is a bonus?

[thestormishere]

Yes.

[ Er. Were you... expecting to hear it? ]

[luredbypower]

[Yes, he was. Because he wants to know what specific sort of magic would be a help.]

And that is...?

[thestormishere]

The same reason why any other skill here is useful. I'd like the practice.

[ She's still not sure if this guy actually has some magic or is just asking questions for whatever reason. ]

[voice]

[presumablyalone]

I'll spar with you, Lightning! [Good timing too. He's been wanting to train with someone for a little while now.]

I don't know any magic... but I can fight with a katana if that's okay. What are you testing anyways?

[voice]

[thestormishere]

[ ..... Seto plz. ]

When did you learn how to use a katana?

[ Forget him already having asked his own question- she doesn't remember him using one of those before, so... what'd he do? Look into someone else's memories and steal the knowledge?? e_e ]

[voice]

[presumablyalone]

It was a while ago, back when Jin and Terra were still here. Both of them taught me how to fight properly. Jin even gave me a katana of my own, see?

[He's going to be holding up a sheathed katana ot the camera now for her to see]

[action] imma prance in here all late and shit

[wingenvy]

[The downside of late nights at the bar means morning for Zack is generally lunchtime, so unless she makes a lot of noise when she discovers Serah's absence, he'll wander tiredly out of his room in search of her around then. Either way, his first goal before breakfast is to find her and offer up a greeting.

Where oh where could she be?]

[action] trophy unlocked: fashionably tardy!

[thestormishere]

[ Nope, the heartbreak is much quieter this time; it seems the more times that this happens - and the harder the blow it is when it does - the less energy she has to react violently.

Just because the pain is emotional doesn't mean it hurts any less... and unfortunately, magic doesn't work to cure anything that can't be seen...

It's probably not a good sign that the house in general hasn't been touched since last night- even if neither of the Farrons are really morning people, one of them still should have been up for a breakfast before noon at least. And between one empty room and the other one being closed up tight...? ]

[action] how many points do I get

[wingenvy]

[...Oh dear. That's a bad sign. Zack spends a moment in the first room, lingering in the doorway with lips pursed, then slowly turns away and heads for Light's bedroom. They've crossed this bridge before, but that doesn't mean it gets any easier when it happens; he knows that all too well.

He takes a moment to try and figure out what to say, and when all his options seem stupid and/or empty, he just goes ahead and raps his knuckles against the door. He'll have to wing it.]

Light?

[Voice]

[voidseeing]

Oh? What kind of a test did you have in mind?

[Voice]

[thestormishere]

[ At least by now she's leveled out enough - and gone over what she's trying to do enough - that it's a little easier. This guy might still be the first who hears more than just a few words at first contact, though. ]

I have some abilities that continue to grow stronger. I'm curious on how they work in Luceti.

[Voice]

[voidseeing]

[Abilities, huh? Now his curiosity is piqued.]

Sounds interesting. I'll help you test them-- it's been a while since I've sparred with an actual partner instead of those machines. I wouldn't want to lose my edge because of it.