thestormishere: (something that's missing)
☇ Lightning ([personal profile] thestormishere) wrote2012-11-21 07:08 pm

☈ strike # 25 (video / action)

[ After quite a while with nothing of special importance happening in her Luceti life, some time of relative peace rather than any events worthy of anything like bouts of anger or mind-consuming frustration... Wednesday morning, Lightning wakes and finds herself freezing. She's not in her own bed, and even though that in itself is not so unusual...

Zack's gone, and she knows it even before she's managed to sit all the way up. His room's gone bare, a sight way, way too familiar to her by now.

She doesn't cry, even though she's dealt with this sort of thing enough times during her stay that she figures it's bound to happen eventually. In a way she always knew that one day this would happen, had it on her mind even back when the two of them were just friends. Knew that even if they managed to keep from hurting each other somehow that their time here had an astronomically better chance of getting cut off abruptly than... whatever else.

Unsurprisingly, it's just as unpleasant as she feared, and since she can hardly do anything without visiting Guilt Station, she hates the thought that he must have felt like this when she'd disappeared a few months ago too. Worse is the fact that given the circumstances, she feels certain that, like Aerith's disappearance, this can't be anything but permanent.

She needs something to do and - she can't stay in this house alone she can't - so, she starts packing. There isn't much left; she didn't 'inherit' many things from the others, and her personal stores took a hit when she lost everything- aside from Zack's own weapons, what is here now is mostly what she happened to recollect since her return. Needless to say, it doesn't distract her for long, and before afternoon has much of a chance to take hold, she's forced to make the decision between finally leaving the house or... ]


Zack Fair has gone home.

[ The woman's voice is flat, her face expressionless but unhidden for the journals, her pride refusing to allow anything else. Even so, there remains an all-too-telling pause after she's gotten that most important part out, her tongue tied by the knowledge of just what going home means for him in particular. It takes her a moment to press on towards the rest of what she intended to say, but then- ]

The leadership of Brave Vesperia is left to Sokka, Luke, and Emil... under the concession that the name remains as it is. Everything else will need to be sorted out... as well as his bar shifts.

[ ... Another brief pause, but then there's just nothing more to add without prompting; lips turning down for just a moment, she cuts the initial message off right there.

And once that's done, there's not much else to do aside from what she probably should have done before gathering up all her belongings: scoping out somewhere else to go that's not the house she shared with her friends here for so long. Accompanied by her doggy shadow, she wanders the village with apparent purpose but... without an actual goal in mind.

At least a conscious goal, that is. By the evening, she's there at Good Spirits anyway, even though technically she doesn't have a reason to go any more. She simply slips in and finds a table to frown at, eventually wondering herself why she feels a need to be in public at all, when most people in her position (especially with a personality like hers) would be hiding away.

The answer's not too hard, but it keeps her mind occupied well enough. ]
knightofratatosk: (I don't get it)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-11-22 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
... me? I mean, not that I won't do it-- actually, I'm really honored he listed me, but... there isn't someone who would do a better job?
knightofratatosk: (Curious)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-11-22 05:54 am (UTC)(link)
That's right.

[...]

Are you Lightning? Zack told me about you. He said he'd introduce me to you someday, but...
knightofratatosk: (Determination)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-11-23 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry. But... I promise to do the best that I can to keep Brave Vesperia running. I know he and Yuri would want that much, and if he thinks I would be a good leader, then I'll give it my best.
knightofratatosk: (Blue sky)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-11-25 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
I will. I don't know Sokka all that well, but Luke and I are friends, so I think the three of us will be able to handle it. No... I know we can.
knightofratatosk: (Curious)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-11-29 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
[... she still sounds sad.]

Will you be all right?
knightofratatosk: (Ehehehehe...)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-12-04 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. I don't think he'd want us to be sad for that long... Zack isn't that kind of person. In fact, he'd probably laugh at us if he saw us acting all depressed over this.
knightofratatosk: (I don't like this)

[Voice]

[personal profile] knightofratatosk 2012-12-10 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
[Did he say the wrong thing? Maybe he said the wrong thing. He can't really tell.]

I guess you're right, but I still think he wouldn't want us to be too upset over it.
herotypical: [ angry ; neutral ; arms folded ] (✝ turns her voice into)

[ video ]

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-11-22 01:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[ another domino falls. zack has been a pillar for her -- a constant presence. or, perhaps, an inconstant one. he'd been in town when she'd first arrived. he'd been an early friend.

and then he'd forgotten her.

but they'd started over and they'd built something beautiful in those four walls. an inviting space. a social space. a space she truly believes the village needs.

firmly: ]
I'll look after the shifts, Lightning. Leave it to me. I'm sure you've enough on your plate as it is.
herotypical: [ neutral ; sad ] (✝ he kindly stopped for me)

[ video ]

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-11-23 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
No need to thank me. I'm -- I'll be honoured to make the arrangements. Wait. That's a funny way to say it. I only mean that it's kinda...cathartic. To help. Whatever way I can. Because he..

Well. You don't need me to say it.
herotypical: [ sad ; neutral ; maybe happy ] (✝ but we're cheating cheating cheating)

[ video ]

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-11-25 01:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[ there isn't actually much else to say, and so buffy moves to close the journal. her fingers linger on the book's spine -- cautious.

her throat tightens. she won't cry -- she's so beyond tears, lately. but another little chunk of her heart has shattered at this news. for she does indeed know zack's fate -- she'd known it the last time he'd left, too. ]


If you need anything else...

[ lame. ] Even if you don't need it! Even if you just want it. I -- well, you know where to find me. Me and others like you and me who've walked this supremely ache-y path before.

[ but before she can be rebuked for her presumption, she shuts the journal. ]
herotypical: [ action ; busy ; bar ] (✝ where's my lover -- where's the bar?)

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-11-29 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[ and she's there, scrubbing down dishes. and glancing at lightning with a waryish eye.

there has been so much loss, lately. and buffy's barely been able to cope with her own domino-trail of tragedy. her heart isn't quite in it when she approaches the other woman. ]


...Hi. Again. [ a few hours have passed, after all. ] Pick your poison.
herotypical: (Default)

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-12-01 12:23 pm (UTC)(link)
...That's a big decadent. [ she says with no criticism. in lightning's position, she'd have a tub of ice cream already cracked open. ] It'll just take a moment.
herotypical: [ snark ; action ; busy ] (✝ i won't let you choke)

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-12-03 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ with the same ease as she might take up her scythe, the slayer lifts a cocktail shaker from a shelf. ]

Dammit -- [ she swears softly as she works. ] This is the second time I've had to watch him leave.
herotypical: [ action ; arms ; neutral ] (✝ of losing all capacity)

[personal profile] herotypical 2012-12-03 12:45 pm (UTC)(link)
[ pouring the drink's parts is a little like second nature. something pleasant to keep her hands busy. ]

He was one of my first close friends, here. [ him and aerith and almost-cloud... ]
folklorist: (Downcast)

[voice]

[personal profile] folklorist 2012-11-24 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
I-I'm sorry to hear about that...

[ Even if he didn't exactly know Zack all too well. It's always hard to have someone you know leave this place. He isn't too familiar with Lightning but...it's always nice to have some consolation on these sorts of matters, isn't it? ] Are you doing alright?
folklorist: (Downcast)

[voice]

[personal profile] folklorist 2012-11-27 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
O-oh I see. It's...always a bit hard when, when some you know leaves this place. [ He doesn't know the nature of their relationship at all. But even if they were just friends it's still a hard thing to go through alone. ]

If-if you want anyone to, ah, t-talk to...I wouldn't mind listening. I've been told that I am quite the good listener. [ A light laugh. ]

But perhaps you could...plant some flowers in the memory garden for them. I-I know that, that helps me at times.
noexit: (☩ when you were young)

[action]

[personal profile] noexit 2012-11-24 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Misato happens to be behind the bar counter at Good Spirits when Lightning walks in. She doesn't give the other woman too much thought - Zack wasn't working now, but he's probably coming in later. It's when the evening starts ticking past and Lightning is still at that table by herself - no one, and no drink - that Misato starts noticing. She take the liberty of deciding it's not too busy, and she carefully heads over.]

Can I get you anything? [She hasn't checked her journal in a few hours, so she is unaware that anything is wrong.]
noexit: (☩ she had a lighter)

[action]

[personal profile] noexit 2012-11-25 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Just about everything. [It's not hard to tell that something is bothering the other woman, beyond the normally stoic demeanor. But Misato doesn't know her nearly well enough to begin to guess what it could be. For now, she'll just do her job.]

I can mix you up something special. Are you looking for something with a little bite, or something sweeter?
noexit: (☩ without the pretty pink)

[action]

[personal profile] noexit 2012-12-03 07:54 am (UTC)(link)
[Yikes...yeah, something is definitely bothering her. She can't help but wonder, tinged with a little concern. Okay, fgure out what she wants to drink first, then worry about whether or not it's her place to pry.] Something simple, then?
noexit: (☩ white paint plastic saint)

[personal profile] noexit 2012-12-10 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
Just a minute - I'll be riiiight back! [And she'll slip away to the bar. Soon enough, she'll come back and set a glass down in front of Lightning.]

Rum and coke, plain and simple.
noexit: (☩ where I held you tight)

[personal profile] noexit 2012-12-14 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[Her smile drops instantly, and suddenly everything makes sense but at the same time it doesn't make any sense at all.] ...I know this doesn't help anything, but I'm sorry to hear that.

[She didn't really know Zack outside of work, but it was always sad to see people go.]
notevenfate: (losing)

[Voice]

[personal profile] notevenfate 2012-11-30 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
[She can't help but be silent for a few moments even after the simple announcement. Eyes narrow at hearing the voice, Fang didn't know Zack but.... Light was living with the guy, that's gotta mean something even if she doesn't have the details of it.]

Sorry to hear that, Light.

[What else is there that anyone could say?]
Edited 2012-11-30 05:19 (UTC)
notevenfate: (On the phone)

[Voice]

[personal profile] notevenfate 2012-12-11 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
[There's not much in the world that Fang holds particularly close but after everything they went through together, Light's got one of those spots, a glance will be given around. She's got nothing she can immediately offer, no real words of support but she can try.]

Plans tonight?
notevenfate: (The long road)

[personal profile] notevenfate 2012-12-15 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
Mm. [The noise is simple, nonjudgemental, more of a confirmation than anything else before a bit of silence goes over the line for a moment.]

Figure we got two options then, yea? [Fang'll just let that settle in for a moment. Yes, it's clear she's trying to bait Light, anyone with half a brain should be able to realize that but she's never been shy with her intentions.]
notevenfate: (Default)

[personal profile] notevenfate 2012-12-24 06:30 am (UTC)(link)
Either ya can sit around. Not talkin and not doin much of anything or you and I can get out and do something. [It's not much, but right now, there isn't much she can offer. Light's more familiar with this area than Fang is and not only that, but Fang's still been feeling out precisely what does and doesn't fly around these parts. Though... It seems like most people can get away with a fair deal.]