☈ strike #09 (video / action)
[ Lightning looks particularly tired today, although even with it obvious that she's got her journal open, she's clearly not looking at it- something that might explain why she doesn't seem to notice that she's 'recording' herself. ]
I'm not tired.
[ She seems pretty frustrated, too. After a moment, she literally tosses the journal aside ( Read more... )
I'm not tired.
[ She seems pretty frustrated, too. After a moment, she literally tosses the journal aside ( Read more... )
After returning Baldr to the apartment, he stops and leans against the door, opening the book like he had done several times before. Just in case. Flickering over a clip that seems to be from the ground, he almost skips past it-that is, until Lightning's voice catches his attention.
Watching the entire scene unfold, dumbfounded, he's entirely silent until he hears that scream-it's a horrible sound that cuts him to the core. He presses a hand to his chest, his own book slipping out of his hand.]
LIGHTNING!
[Panicked, he darts his head this way and that, sizing up the distance between here and there...
Then Hope decides he's not waiting for a response. Snatching up the journal, he bolts from the community building toward the river, over the bridge to the path that would lead him there.
Whether he'd be welcomed in the dome or not is irrelevant as far as he's concerned.]
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Hope, she's -- [Okay? No she's not.] --she's alive. Don't panic. [She shakes her head. Are words any good right now? What's most important is healing Lightning, and she bites her lip as she continues to do that.]
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I'm on my way there right now! [He's breathless, frantic, rapid footfalls of his feet on the path and then grass as he cuts through the bit of forest surrounding the dome. His hands are shaking so much that it's a wonder he doesn't lose his grip on the journal.]
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I was trying to seal the brand, it didn't work-- [Obviously.] --I'm sorry, I didn't think it would--!
[Her words die off as she shakes her head.]
... Okay. We'll be here. [They aren't exactly going anywhere like this.]
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He bursts inside, looking around frantically for the pair of young women. There's so many people in there, training and fighting... anxiety wells up within him.]
Lightning!? Aerith!
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That is, until she hears Hope sounding distressed through the cracked-open door of area #4- something she's very in-tune with. Despite lingering disorientation, she immediately starts trying to get up, looking alarmed. ]
-- Hope!
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For the moment, though, she doesn't respond to Hope himself.]
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She's awake now, and that causes a flood of relief to wash over him, through his chest.]
Light...! Lightning! [Hope reaches her, and grabs her hand, looking like he isn't sure whether to cry or start yelling again. He can't lose her. Not in this place, not ever. He can't lose anyone else.
Hope does neither, though, the exhaustion from his run catching up to him and he nearly doubles over. His breath seeps from him in ragged gasps. Who knows how long he'd been running; time tends to slip away from you when someone's in peril.]
W-what... what happened... glad you're- all right-
[His eyes dart in Aerith's direction, too, seeking answers.]
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And she just stares at the teen, again not sure what to do or say.
This is what hurts. Not really the fact that she had one last chance and now it's gone. Not really the fact that unless she somehow miraculously manages to make it through the draft without being set off, she's probably going to turn Cie'th and have to be taken down. This: the knowledge that that damn Pulse fal'Cie's influence on her is going to hurt other people. It's going to hurt Hope who's already lost so much. ]
Hope... we had to keep trying.
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After, she stays crouching a few seconds longer before rising evenly, her head slightly bowed.]
The brand reacted to my magic. ... It's progressed.
[Her eyes are barely meeting Hope's, and the words have to be forced out, but still, she does her best to keep her gaze level and her voice calmed; maintain some note of peace in this painful situation.]
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[After catching his breath, the boy lifts his head, fear and worry painted all over his face.]
What... what does that mean-
[Wrapping his arms around himself, the emotions swirling inside him from this entire ordeal thus far give way to confused anger. He soon drops them, hands clenching into fists instead as he raises his voice.]
What were you thinking?! And you both... you both have to... [His voice cracks a little, but he ignores it.] I knew this was a stupid idea! What if you died!? What then?! You can't just... throw magic around like that! This is serious!
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... What was I supposed to do? Just give up? Wait for something to happen? [ She wraps her arms around her middle, voice low and purposefully steady. ] We had to do something, Hope. Because the ones in charge here aren't helping any. [ He's not the only one who tried to reason with the guy behind announcing the draft and come up short, after all.... ]
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We are taking this seriously. I don't want to see anything bad happen.
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He exhales.]
I saw what happened... over the journal. I don't know what happened, but... you shouldn't try anything else. I-
It just doesn't look safe.
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But it's also something that's hard to avoid when, without warning, Hope pulls out that he saw what happened. For a moment Lightning's temper definitely flares- of all the times for something to accidentally get out, it had to be now?!
... She gives another sigh, but no answer while she tries to regain her internal composure. Hope is at least partly right, though 'not safe' is an understatement. She's now even worse when it comes to her Brand; the possibility that she could change during the draft is now basically a certainty. Like she said, however, they had to try. ]
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[... The real thing to worry about is that they don't have anything else to try, she thinks, but she's hardly wanting to point that out.]
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