☈ strike #11 (backdated action / video)

[thestormishere]

[ Okay, so thanks to Luceti, Lightning has now accomplished the impossible: not only coming back from the dead, but coming back after becoming a Cie'th- something that is not supposed to happen under any circumstances. Despite that, however, everything is not as peachy as you'd think. Now? She's left in the aftermath, trying to sort things out

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[wingenvy]

[Zack's got the afternoon shift at the bar today, so once he's done cleaning up and his replacement arrives, he heads out of Good Spirits to get home for dinner.]

[thestormishere]

[ And guess who's waiting for him when he does, leaning against the outside wall of the establishment with arms crossed across her chest and legs crossed at the ankle? Lightning, of course, though she doesn't say anything when he finally appears-- just looks at him. ]

[wingenvy]

Whoa! [Zack jerks back a bit at SUDDENLY, PERSON, but relaxes as soon as he recognizes her. He blinks in surprise, though, lifting a brow.] Light? Were you waiting for me?

[thestormishere]

[ .... Mmmmmaybe? She frowns slightly. ]

Is that a problem?

[wingenvy]

No, not at all. [Lighten up, uh. Light. Yeah.] How have you been? You look a lot better. [Though it wouldn't take much to get that far. A compliment is still a compliment, though. Or a reassurance? Man, he's not sure anymore. She's just had a rough time, so technicalities aren't important.]

[thestormishere]

[ "Better." Because she's not dead or because she's not looking as half-dead from the stress on either side of that stupid draft? She pushes off from the wall but... says nothing for a long moment. ]

... Better.

[ Yeah. Okay, this is already much more awkward than she would have wanted. ]

[wingenvy]

That's good. [Well, she's not really one for small talk, and it looks pretty serious, so let's just cut to the chase.] You need me for something?

[thestormishere]

[ But the thing is it isn't really that serious at all-- or it is, but... she doesn't even know, man. At the question her expression remains trained, but then annoyance flickers across it- annoyance, only thinly veiling uncertainty. Her head tilts slightly, following her gaze which drifts off to the side. ]

Just to talk, I guess.

[wingenvy]

Oh, really? You should have said so, then! [Zack relaxes, lifting his hands to clasp them together behind his head.] How's Hope doing? Aerith and I were checking on him while you were gone, but I bet he's relieved that you're back.

[thestormishere]

[ ... They don't hand out awards for understatements, Zack. Lightning frowns just a little more- his easy attitude about all of this definitely grates on her nerves. ]

It's been... pretty rough for him. [ And great, now she's doing it too. Her tone is far more guarded, though. ]

[wingenvy]

[Prepare to be grated, then, because he'd rather keep the mood as casual as he can for as long as possible- or at least until she says what she really wants to say to him. Small talk doesn't seem like her thing, and he has a feeling that something's up.]

I'm sorry there wasn't more we could do.

[thestormishere]

[ Long, somewhat indirect stare before she turns her face away entirely. Yes, she's a little agitated still, but at the same time-- ]

All things considered... you did enough. Thanks, for that.

[ Aaaaand Lightning proves she's capable of the 'say one thing, mean a dozen things' deal- it's not just taking care of Hope while she was 'gone' that she's looking at here, but stuff before that too. Chances are she'll be getting to more of that shortly though, yeah. ]

[wingenvy]

[Oh double-meaning sentences, how he knows thee. Personally he's not a fan, but hanging out with Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis (when he had to) made him more aware of them, at least.

It's never really enough, but... well. Not much else he could have done.]

Next time, I'd like to fight with you guys. The worst part was not being there.

[thestormishere]

Hopefully, there won't be a need for that. [ Though yeah, Lightning can hardly imagine what it would be like to get held back from a fight you thought you deserved a part in- pretty horrible, probably.

However, her views are a little skewed right now. Of course she had zero desire to be out there-- as would pretty much anyone who knew they were not only about to fall to a senseless death, but that it had a high chance of being by the hands of allies. Right in front of your friend. ]

... It was bad enough with just Aerith there, Zack. [ She's not sure how much he's been told... but she's definitely not talking about all the regular fighting and enemies they took down there. ]

[wingenvy]

[Zack's quiet for a long moment at that, walking in silence as he mulls it over. He knows what she means- and it's something he knows all too well, at that. Fighting people you should never have to fight... killing them, or watching them die...

It's not something people should ever have to do.]

Would've been better... if it was me. I've had to do that before.

[thestormishere]

[ ... It seems everyone here is like a hidden library of awful stories, doesn't it? At that, Lightning makes a sort of surprised, pained sound in her throat, but then goes silent as well as she considers that, horrible as it is. ]

Maybe you're right, I don't know. I tried to think things through, but... [ Another pause as she thinks, her head down and hands lacing together in front of her, not even trying to hide her uncertainty now- she's tough, yeah, but she also knows now how much posturing can actually hurt more if you're not careful. And it's hard to stop talking once she's started. ] I don't think I was ready to accept what might happen, even then... and so when it happened, it took three other people to take care of me- people I hardly even know. They could have been hurt or killed if they hadn't already known what they were doing.

... Maybe I should have told someone else, too. [ A breath. ] I should have told you before I did. I'm sorry.