☈ 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

[Action]

[asobouyo]

[Standing a ways behind Lightning and clutching her small pink umbrella, Elicia isn't at all sure what to do at the sight of this. She... just wanted to come get her scarf before papa picked her up.

... why are you so upset?

Are you okay?]

...What's wrong?

[Action]

[thestormishere]

-- What?

[ Startled, Lightning turns abruptly towards the little girl with widened eyes, then stares at her like she's never seen such a being in her entire life. Needless to say, this really isn't the young woman Elicia's already acquainted with, who's always so sure to keep a particular front in place- especially with sheets of paper laying all around her and with her white dress and hair in muddy disarray... ]

Re: [Action]

[asobouyo]

[She's a little frightened by the look, but... mama cried a lot after papa went away, and Elicia always made it vital to give her mama hugs. Lightning's probably not as big a fan, so she opts for just moving quietly toward the teenager.]

Are you okay, Ms. Lightning? You gotta get out of the rain, or you'll get real sick...

Re: [Action]

[thestormishere]

[ That's a little too much to ask right now, Elicia. Lightning's expression flattens, and then she just turns back and away, arms crossed and head bowed. Her emotions about the child were already kind of conflicted to begin with following that 'story' thing, and after spending time in a state that puts regret above everything else, it's near impossible to put together anything resembling an actual response to the girl... ]

Re: [Action]

[asobouyo]

[She'll just... run over to where she left her scarf, and then moves over toward Lightning, putting the umbrella over her head with one hand while she reaches in to wipe at the mud on Lightning's cheek, all the while saying:]

You gotta come over here, under the roof thing, Ms. Lightning! It's not good to stay in the rain!

Re: [Action]

[thestormishere]

[ For a moment Lightning thought the girl had gone ahead and left, but then-- she's right in front of her and touching her face in a way that makes the young woman gasp and flinch away slowly. ]

Wh-- ah... [ She stiffens, then pushes Elicia's hand away-- thank goodness she has enough sense to not go violent right now, though her mind is certainly tumultuous enough otherwise to make up for it. ]

Elicia... I'm sorry, just-- go away.

Re: [Action]

[asobouyo]

[She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head at the command, keeping a tight grip on the umbrella over Lightning's head while her pigtails seem to lean heavier in the rain.]

You're scared and alone and you'll get sick and I don't wanna go!

Re: [Action]

[thestormishere]

Go! [ Lightning presses her hands into the ground, deeply agitated... although actually, she is going to get to her feet now, though if only so the girl will stop bothering her about it...! :( Little telling what she might do once she's up. ]

Re: [Action]

[asobouyo]

[By this point Elicia's pigtails are flattened out, but she doesn't move from her spot. She's gotta make sure Lightning gets out of the rain before such a thing is possible; her frown deepens and her face grows red at the sharper command, but she just grips her umbrella in a hurt shiver at the tone.]

Re: [Action]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning takes a step back, glancing around her for the first time, noting distantly the location, the apparent time... but then doesn't move away any further. She turns and stares down at Elicia and then the deconstructed journal blankly, crossing one arm over to the other. No, she actually has no idea what she's supposed to do now, even if sense is very, very slowly starting to make a reappearance in the absence of any other triggers. ]

Re: [Action]

[asobouyo]

[Oh, will she be alarmed if Elicia reaches for her hand like so?]

I don't know why you're sad and all alone... but it's all gonna be okay...

Re: [Action]

[thestormishere]

[ Be a little bit alarmed, yes; offer major objection, no. Her teeth clench, body stiffening- needless to say, she doesn't give any help towards maintaining Elicia's grip. ]

Mnh... [ Well, she was going to apologize or something there again, but... too stubborn. That's actually a good sign, though. ]

Re: [Action]

[asobouyo]

[Elicia manages the tiniest of smiles.]

Come on. There's a bench, right over there! Rain can't hit it, so you'll be fine there...

[Forget that we're both pratically soaked at this point.]

wb, elicia @_@

[thestormishere]

[ ... Being pulled along and taken care of by a child. For someone like Lightning... there is something terribly wrong with this picture. Her lips press together and then, quietly: ]

Why are you out here?

;~; I missed her so

[asobouyo]

[She pauses, worried.]

I left my scarf out here, s-so I came to get it.

[It's kind of a dirty mess in one of her hands, now.]