[ The feed opens on Olivine beach. Judging from the bobbing, it's being held by a pokémon, one that doesn't have arms to stabilize it. A metal grating sound-Skarmory, then
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[Careful, Leon. There's a Lucario bounding down the beach and barking while he tries to find something to grab onto to push or pull. Gotta help Strike, you know? That's just what Sen's gonna do, like it or not! ...As soon as he stops with the bouncing around, anyway.
But if he's here, then where's his trainer? Well, she's taking her time to come down the beach, smirking when she gets close enough to see what's really going on.]
[Having found no room to squeeze in and help, Sen backs down with a whine towards his trainer, who's frowning and moving closer. She'll just be ignoring that "fine" comment this time; something's definitely off if they're not listening to Leon.]
[ They think it's harmless--not only do they implicitly trust Flood, their teammate, they definitely think a little splish-splash will do Boss some good! He's just being stubborn, as usual. Leon quickly finds himself with two feet in the water, looking alarmed. His pokemon seem to sense it, and stop pushing quite as hard, looking up at him in confusion. ]
[From where she's standing, all Lightning can see is the group of Pokémon stop suddenly and wonder why they're doing that. So she closes the distance between, gets her feet in the water and turns to see what's wrong, and that's when she sees the look on his face. She's never seen that look before. Not on Leon. It's obviously got something to do with getting pushed into the surf, so she turns her attention to his team for a moment.]
Guys, back up. Give him some space.
[She knows that Sen can at least drag Strike off if need be, but right now her main focus is the other human on the beach and she turns her attention back to him. She's never seen him act like this, so what could be causing---oh. Fal'Cie, if she's right about this--]
Leon, do you know how to swim?
[It's not said with an unkind or mocking tone; she's actually just kind of curious. And maybe a little concerned; even with Flood right there, things might have gotten dicey if he couldn't swim back towards shore on his own.]
[At that, Lightning gets a look on her face that pretty much states she's entertaining the thought of smacking him just like Strike did, but all she does is cross her arms over her chest. Disappointed? Just a tad. He should know better than to keep quiet about this kind of thing.]
I'd think that you would have asked someone to teach you by now, since you've been in town for a while.
[Hell, she could have taught him if she'd known. Before...things started happening.]
They need breaks sometimes, too. And I wouldn't have asked you, anyway.
[ Because he would never want to lose the equality that's built up between them; letting her teach him something so basic...he'd have to bend to her completely, and he's not necessarily ready for that.
Not that he could ever express this, mind you. He's content to just blame everything on awkwardness. ]
[To that, Lightning just shakes her head. This is getting beyond ridiculous, really.]
And why's that? What reason would you have to not ask me?
[Because she wouldn't belittle him for not knowing. She wouldn't laugh in his face or call him an idiot. She'd just teach him the same way her parents had taught her and Serah; simple as that.
She, of course, doesn't know his reasons. Hard to know them when he's not saying.]
[She does hear that use of past tense, and it drives a spike of hurt into that knotted ball in her stomach that she thought she'd shoved so far down it would never bother her again, but there it is and all she can do is sigh. So much for things being semi-normal again.]
No one says friends can't be teachers, Leon. We've all learned from our friends even before we came here.
But if he's here, then where's his trainer? Well, she's taking her time to come down the beach, smirking when she gets close enough to see what's really going on.]
Need a hand with them?
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I'm fine.
[ Because you sure look fine, Leon. ]
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You sure about that? You don't seem fine from where I'm standing.
[Even for him, he's standing far too rigidly for this to be his normal stubborn side. What's going on?.]
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That's enough, all of you--I said it's fine.
[ But Flood makes that sad, mournful noise again, and the pokemon redouble their efforts. ]
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Then why aren't they listening to you?
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[ They think it's harmless--not only do they implicitly trust Flood, their teammate, they definitely think a little splish-splash will do Boss some good! He's just being stubborn, as usual. Leon quickly finds himself with two feet in the water, looking alarmed. His pokemon seem to sense it, and stop pushing quite as hard, looking up at him in confusion. ]
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Guys, back up. Give him some space.
[She knows that Sen can at least drag Strike off if need be, but right now her main focus is the other human on the beach and she turns her attention back to him. She's never seen him act like this, so what could be causing---oh. Fal'Cie, if she's right about this--]
Leon, do you know how to swim?
[It's not said with an unkind or mocking tone; she's actually just kind of curious. And maybe a little concerned; even with Flood right there, things might have gotten dicey if he couldn't swim back towards shore on his own.]
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If I could, you think I'd still be on the beach?
[ Skarmory makes an upset noise, and Strike none-too-fondly smacks his shoulder. Why didn't he say anything? Stupid Boss. ]
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I'd think that you would have asked someone to teach you by now, since you've been in town for a while.
[Hell, she could have taught him if she'd known. Before...things started happening.]
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Wasn't sure who to ask.
[ Ven volunteered, but... ]
Besides, I've been busy all summer.
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Not busy enough to avoid them trying to drag you to the water, apparently.
[As for who he could have asked...awkwardness and lingering tension aside...]
You could have asked me. I would have taught you if I'd known you couldn't swim.
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[ Because he would never want to lose the equality that's built up between them; letting her teach him something so basic...he'd have to bend to her completely, and he's not necessarily ready for that.
Not that he could ever express this, mind you. He's content to just blame everything on awkwardness. ]
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And why's that? What reason would you have to not ask me?
[Because she wouldn't belittle him for not knowing. She wouldn't laugh in his face or call him an idiot. She'd just teach him the same way her parents had taught her and Serah; simple as that.
She, of course, doesn't know his reasons. Hard to know them when he's not saying.]
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[ Note the use of the past tense. ]
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No one says friends can't be teachers, Leon. We've all learned from our friends even before we came here.
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