008 [Action/Video]

[soggypastry]

[Halfway to Sudowoodo crossing again, since she'd doubled back for Leon, Lightning decides to call up Hope to ask how he's doing. There's just...one problem.]

We are sorry. The number you are attempting to dial is no longer a valid number. Please check your number and try again.

So she stops, looking down at the Gear. Did she dial the number wrong

Comments

[video]

[restardom]

[ when Rise responds, she's looking... worn out. She's had so many of her friends leave, and it never gets any less painful, and she realized what happened when she found Hope's Swablu on her bed-- but Lightning was also her first thought, and it's pretty obvious that she's concerned. ]

... I know. Cotton's with me.

[video]

[soggypastry]

[Lightning is still hiding her face, but she nods once in response.]

...Can you find out where the others went? He had an egg with him, but...[Headshake. Give her a bit and she'll be...functional again.]

[video]

[restardom]

Yeah, sure-- they can't have gone too far.

[video]

[soggypastry]

Thank you, Rise. I'll be...I'll be back as soon as I can. [She has to tell Vanille and Fang. And Sazh. ...dammit. She is not going to cry. He just went home, that's all.]

[video]

[soggypastry]

[She's hiding her face, Ven. You can be emotional. The quivering sigh that leaves her is as much emotion she'll show right now; someone is the adult who can't show it.]

He'll be back. He wouldn't want to fall too far behind you again.

[action]

[usedroar]

[ He's just standing there, very quiet. He knows that there's nothing to say, nothing that can be said to make it easier. Knowing your loved ones are home is a weight lifted; he can only imagine that it's the absence of knowledge--the inability to figure out how long you'll still be here without them--that hurts this much. ]

[action]

[soggypastry]

[She's...stalking off into the woods to go punch a tree. Have Odin snorting at you, Leon. Well? Go after her you crazy human. Before she hurts herself.]

[action]

[usedroar]

[ Leon exchanges a worried look with Lightning's Rapidash, before taking off after her. She was there for him when he needed her, this is the least he can do. He gives her a bit of distance: when she calms down, she'll let him know, he thinks. A part of him just doesn't want her to feel alone in this moment, while another part of him has no idea what he's doing. Leon has never been good at this. ]

[action]

[soggypastry]

[She hasn't gotten far, really. Just deep enough into the woods to stand with her back to Leon and the camp, leaning on one of the trees before she curls a fist. In a quick move, she whirls on her heel and punches the frosted bark hard enough to make it crack and splinter. Her breathing and posture are the same as they ever were, but her face is still hidden by her hair. Calm down? That's going to take a while, Leon.]

[video]

[primaduelerina]

... So he really has left.

[ well, that explains the... egg in her backpack. ]

[video]

[soggypastry]

Yeah. [One second, Asuka. She has to hide her face again.]

...you a friend of his?

[video]

[primaduelerina]

Yes-- or, I'd like to think so.

[video]

[soggypastry]

[Nod.] Hope...made friends well enough. If you ended up with one of his Pokémon, then he thought of you as a friend.

[video]

[newhero]

[Sora's... not really sure how much help he'd be, or if he'd even be able to provide any sort of comfort, but dangit, he's gonna try.]

Lightning? When you get back, there's something I want to show you.

[video]

[soggypastry]

[It's the trying that counts, Sora. She'll...well, she will appreciate it.]

Okay. I should be back by Monday. Next Tuesday at the latest.

[video]

[newhero]

Okay.

Take care of yourself all right? I mean-- I know you will, but...

[video]

[soggypastry]

I'll be fine, Sora. Don't worry about me.