☈ strike #10 (video / action)

[thestormishere]

[ It's really just the icing on the cake that, after everything's that happened to Lightning here- trapped away from her home, failing her Focus by force, conscripted to fight in a war she has little stake in, turning Cie'th on the battlefield of all things... she's finally returned to Luceti, not a week following her eventual death like what's

Comments

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[its_troublesome]

[...he was curious if you'd be coming back. It's not like they've talked much - their only conversation was about oatmeal.

But he doesn't like killing in the first place, and it's harder to put that behind you when it wasn't just an enemy you helped bring down.

He stares at the video feed, trying to make out where she is, and whether or not she's in any danger.]

Oi. Calm down.

[Filtered]

[thestormishere]

[ Yeah, she's back, although definitely not quite up to par yet with her normal self. As a Cie'th, even the sound of people's voices drove her to try and attack them, and as such, she's far more 'interested' right now in trying to take down this particular source of discomfort than... really noticing if anyone is actually talking to her.

Shikamaru's comment really only makes it worse, though- he was there. She breathes harder as she just pins the journal to the ground and looms over it, continuing her impromptu attack. ]

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[its_troublesome]

[He takes note of her other responses, and doesn't bother to say anything more. This isn't going to work. Luckily, he noticed some features in her surroundings before the picture was blocked out by her figure.

Her friends will probably be able to handle here better than he can, but he has no idea how soon they'll find her. He'll keep an eye on the journals as he makes his way from CH1 to the playground.

...he keeps the line open, though it doesn't show what he's doing. Just quiet.]

[Action]

[thestormishere]

[ She's not inclined to realize the difference, of course. However, by the time Shikamaru makes it to the playground, she has progressed (or regressed, depending on how you define it) to simply kneeling in the rain, her journal clearly cast aside and arms wrapped around her middle. Best bet is to approach with caution, though. ]

[Action]

[its_troublesome]

[Caution is any good shinobi's middle name. He's keeping just on the edge of sight for now, observing. He's continued to watch her conversations over the journal, noting that others have had better luck. No one else got quite the same reaction as he did when she heard their voice.

He gets the feeling that she remembers what happened - at least enough to know he was one of the people who helped kill her.

He's tempted to use a henge. It'd be easier... but it's too troublesome. He's not cowardly enough to slap a simple bandaid like that over the problem and look at it another day.

What he will do, though, is make sure her friend is at least headed in the right direction before he edges a little closer. He'll be in her line of sight now, if she looks up. If she doesn't, which he's hoping, he'll just be close enough to make out if there's anything physically wrong with her.]

[Action]

[thestormishere]

[ Calming down a little lets Lightning at least try to compose herself, even if her mind's a mess and not much is helping right now. She's still disoriented and on-edge, and doesn't notice the newcomer at first...

But then she does, and looks up with a start; in the next moment, she's on her feet, stance defensive... but doesn't do anything. The risk here is that the magic she displayed as a Cie'th didn't come from nowhere, and as a human she should be far more versatile in using it (and without anyone else here to distract her, there should also be little chance she'd miss this time).

However, although it's entirely possible she might have fired off a warning shot to keep him away in this case... something is wrong. She just stands there, tense and silent with her left hand poised loosely in front of her chest. ]

[Action]

[its_troublesome]

[Hesitation is a good thing in his book. Shikamaru's still hesitant to speak lest he set her off again, but it's a little difficult to convey you're not here to fight without words.

Difficult but not impossible. Shikamaru takes his hands out of his pockets and holds them away from one another and out in front of him, palms open and fingers spread; not a weapon in his hand.

Besides being a somewhat universal symbol for 'please don't kill me, kthnx', it goes double for him. He needs to make the handseals to use most of his jutsu, and a part of him is curious to know if she remembers that.

If not, and she decides to blast him anyways, he's hardly defenseless this time around. Ninjas move a lot faster when they don't have a jutsu to control and keep them stationary.]

[Action]

[thestormishere]

[ Were he closer, he might have noticed the mark on her chest actually bearing a mild resemblance to the red one that was in the middle of the Cie'th's as well. Now, however, it definitely doesn't stand out as much as it once did- more like an alarmingly elaborate burn scar than anything else, white against the pale skin around it.

But she hasn't noticed the change yet, even if it has a lot to do with why she really doesn't attack, rather than any real logical hesitation on her part- the first thing she wants is to tear him to pieces. Not that she understands why... she remembers, but not with any sort of clarity at all, which means this encounter is running on instinct.

Although... while something tells her to be on-edge, another, conflicting instinct tells her to think about this. Confused at even trying, she shakes her head, and holds up her other hand as a warning. ]

Stay back.

[Action]

[its_troublesome]

...all right. [He keeps his voice low, staying where he is, but he's testing the waters. Because seriously, it would be really nice if they could talk some of this out.]

[Action]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning takes a step back, for good measure. Talking things out, while she's admittedly traumatized and currently soaked in freezing rain and mud? That's a lot to expect out of her right now, you know. ]

Why are you here? [ Her tone is relatively even, although her unease is definitely far from dissipated. If he has an eye trained towards that kind of thing, Shikamaru's bound to notice there's the slightest hint of her being unsteady on her feet... though not really because of anything physical. ]

[Action]

[its_troublesome]

[Well maybe not talking everything out, but he would like to be limited to more than just standing around waiting for her friends to show up and take care of her.

As it stands though, he does have an eye for that - detail in general, really. Physical or not, she shouldn't be out here right now.]

Honest answer? I wanted to make sure you were all right.

[Action]

[thestormishere]

... You mean myself. [ Seems pretty obvious to her, although her voice goes and only vaguely resembles stability on that note. Subconsciously, her mismatched wings fold closer to her body, and she regards him with narrowed eyes. Clearly this guy is just ready to try and kill her again at a moment's notice, right? ]

[Action]

[its_troublesome]

I mean you. [Her body language indicates she doesn't quite trust that, but he reiterates it anyways, just as placidly as before.] And maybe it's just me, but it doesn't look like you are.

[...he's sorry for that.]

[Action]

[thestormishere]

[ She's... not sure what to make of that. Her expression tightens in agitation, and then the hand that had continued to hover over the Brand on her chest finally moves to rest against it. Not herself?

It's only then that she notices the difference there, even without looking- the skin there is still raised slightly, but the edges less well-defined. She can also feel her heartbeat going wild under her fingers, but also... more importantly, can tell that something vital in her unwilling contract has been changed here. Right before she turned, she just knew how little time she had left- as if she could sense someone standing right behind her, but was incapable of doing anything about it.

But now that's gone, and she feels no different than when the mark had first been put on her. Baffled, she just looks down to stare at it, ignoring Shikamaru despite her wariness only moments before. ]

[Action]

[its_troublesome]

[He watches her, a little puzzled. He's curious though - he hasn't missed the fact that the spot where her hand is hovering around is about the same place that weird eye was on the monster.

Shikamaru gives her a few moments before speaking again.] Is something wrong?

[Action]

[thestormishere]

No... [ The response is immediate, even if on the surface her behavior seems to contradict it. But she has no idea how else to react- white means her Brand is sealed, like Fang's had been... it means the progression is stopped and the threat of turning Cie'th - again - is nonexistent.

And that her Focus, which her Cie'th form had been so 'obsessed' with, is no longer an issue in relation to her.

.... So has she gone back to the beginning, then? Without thinking, her hand leaves her chest again, tracing the air in a practiced gesture. However, what should come to her naturally, for whatever reason, simply doesn't. She tries again, an odd look on her face as she concentrates, and then again several times in succession, only to cause the slightest hint of purple-white light to flare once before immediately fading away. ]

I don't think... you've got much to worry about. [ Her voice is unstable, though whatever emotion is causing it isn't clear. ]