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sparkstrikes) wrote2023-01-01 12:11 pm
sparkstrikes) wrote2023-01-01 12:11 pm
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[Lucky for Auron, Lightning is the last one who'll talk, about this or about anything, really. His secret is safe with her.
Except as soon as he drops the name, there's a telepathic version of something similar to a record scratch, like all of her thoughts have come to a halt so fast that Auron might be able to feel that mental jolt.]
You mean... Noct's dad?
Except as soon as he drops the name, there's a telepathic version of something similar to a record scratch, like all of her thoughts have come to a halt so fast that Auron might be able to feel that mental jolt.]
You mean... Noct's dad?
Edited 2018-02-17 04:21 (UTC)
[He nods stiffly. Yes-- precisely.]
There are worse prices to pay. Countless people have already given their lives for this same cause. I was willing to give mine, as well.
[And yet, though he's ashamed to admit it, there are times when he feels like this is worse. That being cut off from his world and denied being whole made living so much harder, but he's grateful to have escaped that particular conflict with his life. He very well may not have.]
... Noctis doesn't know. Nobody knows that I took up the ring.
There are worse prices to pay. Countless people have already given their lives for this same cause. I was willing to give mine, as well.
[And yet, though he's ashamed to admit it, there are times when he feels like this is worse. That being cut off from his world and denied being whole made living so much harder, but he's grateful to have escaped that particular conflict with his life. He very well may not have.]
... Noctis doesn't know. Nobody knows that I took up the ring.
[Lightning reaches across the table and snatches one of Ignis' hands up in her own in a firm hold. She wants to scold him, and tell him that he shouldn't be out there risking his life because there are people who care about him, but not only is it selfish, but she quickly realizes that if it had been Serah, or even Ignis, she would have done it in a heartbeat, consequences be damned.
There's one important detail, though.]
Are you gonna tell him? Or anyone?
There's one important detail, though.]
Are you gonna tell him? Or anyone?
Y..yes?
[Is that disapproval? Or more like a sensation of "wait WHAT?" on Lightning's part.
Probably the latter. Embarrassment starts to form on Auron's end of the link, coloring his words.]
Can you see why I've been a little...confused about everything?
[Is that disapproval? Or more like a sensation of "wait WHAT?" on Lightning's part.
Probably the latter. Embarrassment starts to form on Auron's end of the link, coloring his words.]
Can you see why I've been a little...confused about everything?
[It's definitely only the latter. There's a long pause while Lightning herself tries to piece words together, as if this is her own secret she has to explain. It's not, but she's still feeling at a complete loss for them.
Eventually, she sighs.]
Yeah, I can. But he's not a bad person?
[Wow good job, Lightning. Totally nailed those words of comfort there. Something Auron couldn't figure out himself.]
Eventually, she sighs.]
Yeah, I can. But he's not a bad person?
[Wow good job, Lightning. Totally nailed those words of comfort there. Something Auron couldn't figure out himself.]
[Machina would most likely feel 100% differently about this whole conversation if he knew he's had his life reset over six million times. Or if anyone had told him outright what killed Lady Serah. But no, he doesn't know what happens if you mess with time and...]
...why do people keep saying that? Isn't changing a bad past a good thing?
...why do people keep saying that? Isn't changing a bad past a good thing?
[You know, he's kind of had first hand knowledge that Lightning isn't the best at these kinds of things, but not like this. He will not laugh because it would be rude.
He can't help but sound amused.]
No. No he's not. He's a lot like me. Been through a lot. Think that's why we started to be friends and then...somewhere it changed.
He can't help but sound amused.]
No. No he's not. He's a lot like me. Been through a lot. Think that's why we started to be friends and then...somewhere it changed.
[If there was a way for Machina to feel a long, debilitated sigh over a connection, this is it.]
Sure. You can change the past, but then what? You've got no control over the consequences it'll have on the future. It's a ripple, all across the timeline. Change one small thing, and thousands of other things change, too.
Sure. You can change the past, but then what? You've got no control over the consequences it'll have on the future. It's a ripple, all across the timeline. Change one small thing, and thousands of other things change, too.
[She appreciates the not laughing, especially after she realizes how it must have sounded on the other end.]
How... how'd you know that things changed?
How... how'd you know that things changed?
[Oh yeah, he can feel the sigh. It's still strange to get emotions and not just voices or words but there we have it. Not that he understands fully why this is a bad thing. After all, the point is to change things. How could that go wrong? Other than Machina's historical knack for Bad Life Decisions.
He lapses silent, genuinely listening and thinking about what she's saying. Not diving in on his emotions and stopping to think things through before acting isn't something Machina does often. But he's trying. But his frustration and feelings of helplessness are probably leaking through anyway.]
He lapses silent, genuinely listening and thinking about what she's saying. Not diving in on his emotions and stopping to think things through before acting isn't something Machina does often. But he's trying. But his frustration and feelings of helplessness are probably leaking through anyway.]
[If they are, Lightning makes no comment on them. She realizes she might have sounded a little harsh, especially with the accompanying sigh, but this isn't something she takes lightly, nor should he.]
Machina.
[It's firm, to try and grab his attention back from the silence he's fallen into.]
Do you think that if I could change everything that's happened, I'd be sitting here talking to you right now?
Machina.
[It's firm, to try and grab his attention back from the silence he's fallen into.]
Do you think that if I could change everything that's happened, I'd be sitting here talking to you right now?
I don't really consciously know when it changed. Although I'm pretty sure he does because he kind of...uh...told me he liked me and I kind of...freaked out about it.
Which is why I took a while to figure out what to do.
Which is why I took a while to figure out what to do.
Hm.
[There's a pause while Lightning laughs to herself because this sounds and feels oddly familiar.]
I know the feeling. It's strange, isn't it?
[There's a pause while Lightning laughs to herself because this sounds and feels oddly familiar.]
I know the feeling. It's strange, isn't it?
Yes! I almost thought he was drunk when he told me because, why me?
I've been so used to being alone that I never thought anyone would consciously want to be with me. So I'm sure I'll need a lot of alcohol over the next few months as I figure all this out.
You're welcome to join me.
I've been so used to being alone that I never thought anyone would consciously want to be with me. So I'm sure I'll need a lot of alcohol over the next few months as I figure all this out.
You're welcome to join me.
I might.
[... There's a long, telling pause. She might need a drink, or three for this so the timing of his invitation couldn't be better.]
He came back, you know.
[... There's a long, telling pause. She might need a drink, or three for this so the timing of his invitation couldn't be better.]
He came back, you know.
Gladio? Yeah, I saw him. When he didn't remember anything, I knew you probably already knew.
[He can't even imagine what that must be like for her. To have it all wiped out like it didn't matter. Except it did. Very much so.]
Whenever you want, Lightning. Or just to talk. Like we're doing now. I'll do my best and listen to you.
[He can't even imagine what that must be like for her. To have it all wiped out like it didn't matter. Except it did. Very much so.]
Whenever you want, Lightning. Or just to talk. Like we're doing now. I'll do my best and listen to you.
[She opens her mouth to say something aloud, rather than transmit it through her crystal, forgetting for a moment that that's what they're doing. It closes, and Lightning chooses not to say it. She shouldn't have to remind Auron that he doesn't remember her at all – he already knows.
Besides, this isn't about them. He needs to talk and work through things just as much as she does. The two of them can use someone to lean on, even if that someone also has no idea what they're doing, or will do going forward.]
Yeah. You'll be hearing from me soon. I'll hold you to that promise, and you can hold me to mine, too. First round's on me.
[ :) ]
Besides, this isn't about them. He needs to talk and work through things just as much as she does. The two of them can use someone to lean on, even if that someone also has no idea what they're doing, or will do going forward.]
Yeah. You'll be hearing from me soon. I'll hold you to that promise, and you can hold me to mine, too. First round's on me.
[ :) ]
[Well when she puts it like that...]
Not a chance.
[He sighs in frustration, hands pressed into the sides of his head.]
Great. So it's back to square one.
Not a chance.
[He sighs in frustration, hands pressed into the sides of his head.]
Great. So it's back to square one.
Right.
[Well, she's glad he's at least listening to her... maybe there's still some hope for you after all, Machina. Her tone and features soften.]
What made you think you could do something like that, in a place like this?
[Well, she's glad he's at least listening to her... maybe there's still some hope for you after all, Machina. Her tone and features soften.]
What made you think you could do something like that, in a place like this?
Because there's something weird about people coming and going. Izana died almost a year before I got here. But Apple is from her mom's future. Something or someone is pulling us in and out of time. Whatever or whoever it is... if they can do it, shouldn't we be able to?
[He shakes his head slowly, his expression somber, and he allows her to maintain her hold of his hands, curling his fingers slightly.]
No. He can't know. He already feels responsible for what happened, even without knowing how. If he were to learn that this was the direct result of my attempt to protect him— he would never forgive himself. I can't allow that.
[Noctis bears enough guilt and weight on his shoulders already. Ignis could never bring himself to heap more on top of him.]
I've told you, and I've told Steven. I needed to unburden myself, and I trust the both of you implicitly.
No. He can't know. He already feels responsible for what happened, even without knowing how. If he were to learn that this was the direct result of my attempt to protect him— he would never forgive himself. I can't allow that.
[Noctis bears enough guilt and weight on his shoulders already. Ignis could never bring himself to heap more on top of him.]
I've told you, and I've told Steven. I needed to unburden myself, and I trust the both of you implicitly.
[Lightning falls silent for a moment. These are the exact questions she's been asking since Prompto and Gladio left, and even more now with Serah gone.]
I've been looking for answers. Checked history books, newspapers, anything that might have had some information about the past, but I came up with nothing.
... Almost like whoever, or whatever, is doing it doesn't want us to know.
I've been looking for answers. Checked history books, newspapers, anything that might have had some information about the past, but I came up with nothing.
... Almost like whoever, or whatever, is doing it doesn't want us to know.
[She's glad, even appreciative, that he trusts her enough to share this information with her, except she disagrees. Noctis has a pair of real broad, strong shoulders, and Lightning is of the belief that he at least deserves to know the truth about what happened.]
I'm not telling you what you're doing is right. Or wrong.
[Here it comes...]
But you ever think it might be harder on him not knowing how it happened?
I'm not telling you what you're doing is right. Or wrong.
[Here it comes...]
But you ever think it might be harder on him not knowing how it happened?
[Of course, here it comes. As surely as he knows that Lightning won't tell betray his trust and tell Noctis herself, he's equally confident that he can expect her to remind him that she doesn't quite agree with the way he's chosen to handle the situation.]
He knows that it was suffered in the line of duty.
[It was an omission of the whole truth, but certainly not a lie.]
To tell him anything more than that would be cruel.
He knows that it was suffered in the line of duty.
[It was an omission of the whole truth, but certainly not a lie.]
To tell him anything more than that would be cruel.
[Silence follows while Lightning shifts, her fingers sliding out from between Ignis' so that she can take another sip of her coffee, but not without a reassuring squeeze first to remind him that she's not upset with him. It could definitely be taken that way, given her tone and the lack of immediate response, and a part of her is a little disappointed, but she'll get over it.
She's in no place to tell any of them what is and isn't right.]
We do what we have to to protect the ones we care about.
[That much, she gets. It's always been something she's carried a mutual understanding for with them. Just as they would do anything to protect Noctis, Lightning would do anything to protect Serah... and if it came down to it, she probably would have made the same decisions Ignis did.]
She's in no place to tell any of them what is and isn't right.]
We do what we have to to protect the ones we care about.
[That much, she gets. It's always been something she's carried a mutual understanding for with them. Just as they would do anything to protect Noctis, Lightning would do anything to protect Serah... and if it came down to it, she probably would have made the same decisions Ignis did.]
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