☈ 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

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[video]

[risingspirit]

H-hey!

What's wrong? What are you doing?

[video]

[thestormishere]

Ah-- [ Sound of page ripping? Definitely increasing in speed now, sob. Just-- shut up, man. D: ]

[video]

[risingspirit]

Calm down, okay? R-ripping up the book isn't going to do anything!

[He's very much concerned for his fellow citizen of pink hair.]

Do you need help?

[video]

[thestormishere]

[ At that there's a sharp intake of breath, and then the clear sound of it shuddering as Lightning slowly lets it out. She pauses, but then- ]

It's a little late... for that. [ Her voice is low, almost unintelligible over the muted riiiip of dampened pages. Who knows how the book is continuing to show anything at all, but Lightning doesn't seem to be looking directly at it anyway. ]

[Filtered]

[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. ]

[Filtered --> Action]

[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. ]

[Video]

[consultmybooks]

Miss, I really don't think that's a very wise idea!

[Video]

[thestormishere]

[ Not listening.

... Or is she? The page ripping suddenly just-- stops, and movement suggests that the journal's abruptly fallen off of her lap. The sound of her apparently-labored breathing continues, however, and a moment later, what can be seen of her seems to show the young woman slowly putting her hands over her face. ]

Re: [Video]

[consultmybooks]

[Giles sighs in relief. He doesn't know what sort of damage the journals can take, or how the Malnosso might react to the destruction of their "loan" to the villagers.

White sundress? Guess he wasn't the last New Feather in the village by a long shot.]

I know it might not seem like it now, but the journals can be very helpful. Probably best that you hold on to it.

...are you all right?

[Video]

[thestormishere]

[ No answer at first, except for a very slight shift. Then, for just a moment, what might have been a glare is leveled at the journal from behind her fingers. ]

I'm not-- I'm sorry...

[gardenerofgaia]

[...Lightning.

Lightning is not supposed to be sobbing or screaming like that, and it's alarming to see her so distressed given how calmly she'd faced her death.

But she is alive, and that is enough to send Aerith's legs weak with relief. And she had been ready for Lightning to be upset, she knew about the death penalties; that she had been prepared for, thinking that as long as Lightning was alive, she could overcome whatever else this awful place offered. It's still upsetting to see her so distraught, but Aerith simply takes a few seconds to gather herself--Light needs calming, she doesn't need anyone else worked up or teary-eyed--before responding.]

Stop what? Light, are you hurt? [She doesn't know how well Lightning is thinking or able to respond right now... but it's worth asking. She's already walking, using the visual cues from the post to guess where she might be.]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning wasn't a Cie'th for long, but... still, the amount of sorrow and regret and then that drive to attack were - and are - utterly overwhelming; that's more than enough to wreck someone's emotional control when forced to go through it.

And yet she's alive, and that's remarkable in itself. As a rule, l'Cie who fail? They don't get second chances. Ever.

Lightning just doesn't yet know what to do with hers. There's a long pause- really long, and though the sound of ripping isn't close enough to suggest she's still pulling pages out, it continues on in the background. And although there's something about this particular voice that makes her inclined to listen a little more, right now it's still extremely upsetting. Her voice shakes when she finally answers. ]

... Just shut up. Please...

[gardenerofgaia]

I want to help. [Firm, insistent really--please, please don't brush her off. Or...is it more than just upset?

She's outside now with an umbrella, the rain making pattering sounds against its material.]

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning mutters something to herself that's too quiet for the journal to pick up, but... then pauses again for several weighty seconds and-- ]

Aerith. [ Suddenly she reappears, looking like... well, a wreck in the rain, and honestly every bit as distressed as she's been sounding. This is Aerith, though- Aerith, whose presence indicates... something. ] How--?

[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... ]