The wind will very soon become a storm

[restardom]

Who: restardom and any of her Square/Disney/KH travel buddies (Rise why) if they feel so inclined. Otherwise, it's just a stand-alone.
Where: Somewhere on Route 32
When: The first night of GLITCHING GALORE, shortly after Nanako's post
Summary: Rise copes. Or tries to. ACTION IS TOTALLY FINE.
Rating: G is the guess here.
Log:

Comments

[newhero]

Sora, being used to traveling in groups and keeping track of fellow group members, didn't take long to notice that someone wasn't keeping up. And after an earlier ordeal where he tried to punch one of the blocky computer things in the face-- where he thought its face was-- getting separated was at the top of his list of things not to do when traveling this evening.

So he stopped right in his tracks and turned on his heel, heading back toward Rise. If she was having trouble keeping up, he was more than happy to hang back with her.

[restardom]

She might not have noticed him if she hadn't chosen that exact moment to look up from the 'gear; staring at it like it was some great mystical crystal ball wasn't going to tell her anything until someone made another post. When she realized who it was heading her way, she couldn't entirely hide a little smile. She should have known it would have been impossible to hang back by herself when Sora was with the group.

"I'm keeping up, I promise," she assured him, just in case that was the case.

[newhero]

"I know. I'm just here to keep you company! Besides, it's probably a good idea for some of us to hang back a bit-- gives us a better view of the area, right?"

Sora half-wondered if it wasn't just Rise's ankle that kept her back here, and although that would certainly be understandable, he wasn't going to pry. Not yet. He stopped in front of her, extending his hand for her to take.

[restardom]

For a moment, she studied his hand, then lifted her eyes to his face. He didn't look as though he were doing this out of any sense of obligation, nor did she think he was the kind of person to do that, anyway. Besides, he had a point, one which she'd noticed when she'd dropped back. It was easier to keep an eye out when there were eyes both in front and in back.

And maybe it'd be easier to snap herself out of this slump with company.

With a defeated sigh and that same smile, Rise placed her hand in Sora's. "I guess that makes us lookout comrades then!"

[soggypastry]

After seeing Nanako's posting on the network, Lightning had kept a close eye on Rise. The poor girl was completely freaked...those must have been her friends being attacked by the creatures. To be unable to do anything...well, if Serah had been here and she was getting attacked...a part of her would be doing the same thing. And so Lightning doubled back, coming to walk beside Rise even as she kept her eyes forward on the rest of the group.

"Worrying isn't going to help, you know. We'll get there soon."

[restardom]

She flinched, her head flying up to stare at Lightning with wide brown eyes. How had she-- no, of course she would've known, she'd seen Rise spend a good forty minutes panicking over Souji, and then some additional worry over Nanako. Lightning definitely knew what kind of state she was in right now.

"..." The girl dropped her head after a few seconds, murmuring an apology. "I-- I know. I didn't mean to..." What? Show it? That was true enough; she'd lost control of herself temporarily, and after tiptoeing delicately around the strain everyone else had been under, her nerves had been stretched so taut that they'd snapped abruptly. The surge of panic and alarm and worry had stunned even her.

[soggypastry]

Lightning frowned, shaking her head. Apologies weren't needed at this point. She understood. If it had been Hope, or Serah, or even Vanille, she'd have...well, she didn't know.

"What's already happened doesn't matter. Save your energy so you can get to them faster."

Because there was no riding the Onixes or Odin now, and Rise didn't seem to want to ride on Ven's back this time. She'd need all the energy she could spare to get there and not pass out. At least they were making good progress and not taking more than a week to get back through Union Cave and the routes beyond.

"We need you focused, Rise. We can't help them if we don't get there because we got lost."

[restardom]

"But I--" Rise began adamantly, still set on apologizing for that panic attack earlier-- but then Lightning's words hit her with all the force of one of Chie's charged-up God's Hands.

She was right. She was absolutely right. Just because she was worried sick about her teammates and her little sister figures, she was still a part of this group, and she needed to concentrate on them right now. That meant focusing on the path, keeping an eye out for any more of those weird skeletal things, and doing what a guide was supposed to do. They were just as important to her, and upon realizing - remembering - this, she staunchly rubbed her eyes and nodded.

"I... I understand. I'll keep us headed the right way."