sparkstrikes | empatheias IC contact. (archive)

[Her coffee is set down and Lightning straightens immediately.]

You went back.

[She had seen him in passing only a few days before leaving for Verati, so the safest assumption is that it happened during the time she was gone, but that still doesn't change the fact that she's mad at herself for having no idea. If she had a choice in the matter, she would have been there the moment he had come back. And what the hell is with this place, toying with people like this?

Anger begins to build up in her chest and Lightning gestures to the bar stool across from her with a nod, her adamant expression implying that she is leaving him little room to dispute this. She hasn't forgotten how alarming it was to be thrown back into this world with a set of memories she didn't even remember she had, and what's even more unsettling than that is that Lightning has no idea what he had gone back to.]

You alright?

[ Jaune complies without much argument, claiming a seat on the stool across from her. Her first question is about his well-being, and he immediately goes into damage control by answering as quick as he can. ]

Yeah! I'm... I'm okay. I think.

[ The last thing he wants to do is worry her right now. He can see the expression already painted on her face, but he knows it's not directed at him. ]

It's just... an adjustment period, maybe? My two realities colliding... I was gone for three days or so, but I also have about two months worth of new memories. You ever had it happen to you?

[Too late! She's already worried.]

Yeah. It has. [She gets to work on prepping him a drink – non-alcoholic of course, she is a responsible big sis!! – glancing up at him while she slides a scoop of ice into the glass and fills it with iced tea.] Left and slept for five hundred years, then came back here only to find out four days had passed.

[Topping it off with a slice of lemon, Lightning slides the drink across the counter to him. She doesn't even know if he likes iced tea?]

Took a while to settle back in and figure out what was what, but things start to straighten themselves out sooner or later... if that's what you're worried about.

[ Let's find out if he likes iced tea! ]

Oh, right! The 500 year nap - totally relatable. Hah!

[ He reaches for a straw from the counter and has a taste of Lightning-brand Iced Tea. It's a tiny slurp through the straw, but then he pauses, looking confused as if the taste hit him by surprise. He takes a closer look at the concoction, then decides to have another careful taste.

...

Verdict: He likes it! ]

... Lightning. [ His smile becomes less natural and more... rehearsed. ] Have you ever met someone really cruel? I mean an actual person, who's aware of their actions...

[There's another pointed stare, this one a you know what I mean look, but Lightning can sense that bit of humour there, however subtle it may be. She realizes it's not relatable at all, but the meaning she's trying to get across is along the same lines – leaving and coming back, no matter how long, is one of the most bizarre experiences she's had since she's been here, and neither of them are alone in that respect.

Her name grabs her attention though, and she pauses to think on it before offering a slow, tentative answer with a tilt of her head.]

Not really. Most of them were gods or pretend-to-be gods.

[Dysley doesn't count, and the others had at least atoned for what they did one way or another.

Lightning moves so that she's standing directly across from him, her fingers curling into fists on the counter on either side of her cup. She can sense something's a little off and makes it clear that, if he wants to talk about it, she's here to listen.]

But I'm guessing that you have.

[ Pretend-to-be gods could sum up Jaune's enemy's, too, he thinks. But yes, he does want to talk about it. More than that, he feels comfortable talking about something as sensitive as this with Lightning. He trusts her to give it proper thought, and that she'll offer him more than just simple platitudes. ]

About Pyrrha... you figured it out by now, haven't you? She's... no longer alive in my world.

[ He pretty much told her without ever spelling it out until now. ]

Cinder Fall. She's the one responsible for everything. I thought that if I could find her, I could... get justice, or at least know why she did all these awful things. Instead, when I finally did, she only rubbed it in more.

...I hate her, Lightning. [ And he has never hated anyone before, not even Cardin Winchester. It's an ugly emotion, a bottomless pit he can't see himself getting out of. ]

[A simple bow of her head to the first part. She says nothing more on the matter, filling her own silence with another helping of coffee while she listens, because what more is there to say? It's one of those things better left unsaid, because apologies or comfort do nothing, but when he starts to talk about this... Cinder Fall, Lightning's hands grip her cup a little tighter.

Strange as it is to hear Jaune saying things like this, she bears no judgment against him. She understands the feeling – the endless hatred and anger, especially for something out of their power to change. It's not a great place to be in.]

What was your plan? For when you found her...

Edited (what are words) 2018-03-01 15:47 (UTC)

That's the thing, I didn't know for the longest time. My friends and I knew she was planning the same kind of attack on a different academy... so we went there to stop her.

[ Stopping, ideally, meant disarming their enemy, or making them surrender. Jaune often wondered if he would afford Cinder the same lack of mercy that she had to Amber and Pyrrha, should she ever find herself on her knees. Eventually, he got his answer... ]

That reminds me... before I went back home, one of Cinder's people showed up here. She's a kid, like us, who pretended to be our friend until... well, you know.

I'm not sure how I feel about her.

[ Emerald didn't show much remorse for her actions, but she was never cruel about it either. It's a lot different to Cinder's tune, which he knows now more than ever. Still, he knows that lines will be drawn again someday... and Emerald will be on the wrong side of it. ]

[Leaning forward over the counter now, her chin resting in her hand, Lightning plucks a straw for herself to spin between her fingers – something idle for her to do while she looks over Jaune's expression. She can't fault him for being upset or angry, or even confused; if it were her in his shoes, she's not sure how she would have handled it. Certainly not as well as he is, which is a good thing for him. She's relieved that, judging from all that he's told her so far, he hasn't done anything stupid.

Somewhere from behind the bar, there's the sound of a hairline crack making its way through porcelain and, looking down, Lightning realizes that her cup is beginning to leak coffee from the bottom...

If one of that Cinder woman's associates is here...]

She hasn't caused any trouble for you.

[Not even a question as much as it is a very real and honest threat if she has.]

N-No, nothing like that! Not now, anyway.

[ She was much more diplomatic than Jaune was when he confronted her here. Still, he has no illusions about their allegiances. ]

We're... co-existing, for now. But we made it clear that we'll be enemies if Cinder ever comes here. She'll do anything for her, and I'll do anything to stop her. It is what it is, I guess...

[ Something about it makes him even sad, on some level. He had hoped to make Emerald express some kind of regret when he confronted her, but he only ended up feeling sorry for her instead, once he knew of her own hardships.

Still, it won't make him hesitate if their time to fight ever comes. ]

--which brings me to my request. [ He knows that Lightning would rather put her sword down and live a normal life these days, which makes him hate the fact that he has to ask her something like this. However, it's also something he can trust her with. ]

Lightning, if... if I disappear again, and Pyrrha's all alone... and then she comes here...

[She can sense what's coming before it even does, and as soon as a break presents itself in Jaune's request, Lightning pipes up.]

Yes.

[Not a beat of hesitation, and no lack of conviction either. He can count on it that this Cinder is on her naughty list... she'll do whatever she needs to to protect them from her and there will be little that can stop Lightning once she's started. After everything, she owes it to Jaune.

It's times like this where she remembers just how much people here have come to mean to her, and the thought of him leaving again, with or without her knowledge, frightens her on some level... which brings her to her next point.]

And if you're here? I'll have your back.

Edited (i don't like using her name twice in the same sentence) 2018-03-03 05:30 (UTC)

Ah-- t-thanks.

[ He didn't even need to finish his sentence, did he? Lightning knew exactly what he wanted to ask, and he's glad that he can trust her on this. He feels better already, in fact. ]

I'll, uh... I'll have yours, too, for what it's worth.

[ He may not stand much of a chance against gods, but damn it he'll try. ]

I'm a little stronger now, you know! I got... an ability, you could say...

[ He'll probably need to explain Semblances first, huh? ]

[That brings Lightning's smile back, and he keeps her undivided attention, even while she searches around for a towel to wipe up the puddle of coffee that's pooled under her cup. Thankfully for both of them, the likelihood of any god showing up here is slim at best, but she understands what he's getting at and appreciates the sentiment.

Dabbing the counter and shaking off the drops of coffee from her fingers, she pushes it all aside finally with a raised brow. She's just going to pretend that didn't happen and maybe Auron won't notice that a cup has gone missing from his bar.]

An ability? You gonna tell me what it is, or am I gonna have to guess?

No-no! I'll tell you!

[ Making her guess would either take forever, or it might get to a point where the reveal is underwhelming. ~~Like canon.~~ ]

Where I come from... everyone is born with something called Aura. Think of it like... uh, energy! It comes from the soul, so everyone has one. It's why I can take hits, get shot at, fall from high places... well, to a certain limit, anyway.

[ He pauses, in case she has any questions. There's still more to cover, after all. ]

So, like a shield.

[A magic shield, that is. It all makes much more sense now with an explanation like that. She'd wondered to herself why someone training to fight had no way of protecting themselves other than their own weapons and reflexes, but it's good to know that there is one. A relief, actually.

Lightning is pretty sure she gets it and she nods, signalling for him to continue.]

Yes! Exactly.

[ Flashbacks to Pyrrha explaining Aura to Jaune and him shouting "Like a force field". Lightning truly is the senpai Jaune never knew could exist. ]

While everyone has Aura and can easily learn to manipulate it, there's something else about us... something that makes each of us more unique. We call it a Semblance, and everyone's Semblance is different. Some can create illusions, others can teleport, absorb thunder, or block out pain... those are a little harder to discover.

Some can go their whole lives without knowing what their Semblance is. ... I thought I was gonna be one of those.

[ For a moment he looks down at his iced tea, feeling a little ashamed at how late he learned all of this, but his eyes do meet Lightning's again soon enough. He knows he shouldn't be feeling sorry for himself, and she wouldn't have any of it either. ]

... This is why I thought I'm not good enough. When we fought; and all those times before...

[As soon as he trails off, Lightning finishes with where she thinks he's going.]

You didn't know what it was.

[A proud smile pulls at her lips, in spite of her best efforts to will it away. Lightning always tried to remind him that there was no such thing as him being not good enough and as long a road as it appeared to be to accepting it, she would be there every step of the way when he needed it. Just like he has been for her.

The last thing she wants is for him to feel like she's undermining this in any way, because it feels as though this is a much bigger deal than what he's currently letting on, which is why she gives him a little verbal nudge.]

But you're not going to be one of those people, are you?

[Not that Lightning ever believed he was.]

H-Heh, I suppose not...

[ The story of how he had to discover his Semblance is a little unpleasant, but it ties in with earlier mention of Cinder. He holds his hands out in front of him, presenting them to Lightning, too. It seems as if just recalling that event is enough to make his hands glow, just like they did on that day. ]

Cinder... she had me pinned down and disarmed. She was furious that I almost got her - no, she was angry that I made her feel scared for a second. But... I didn't show her any fear when I was on the ground. I was willing to di... [ The realization of how careless he was with his life doesn't hit him until he says it out loud, but he tries to move on from it as quick as possible. ]

--because of that, Cinder targeted Weiss instead. To show me how helpless I am. Weiss... she was dying at my feet, and that's when this happened.

[ The glowing light in his hands intensifies. ]

My Semblance.

[There's a wrenching feeling in her gut where Jaune cuts himself off, but she says nothing, not wanting to bring any more awareness to it past a brief glance away. No, she's just glad he's here and he's safe, which is why she quickly turns her attention back to his glowing hands held out in front of him. She'll come back to the Weiss thing in a moment – for now, she's far too intrigued by what this could even mean to spoil the significance of it. It’s a pretty extraordinary thing, and whatever dread she may have been feeling earlier is chased away by pride.

His Semblance. There are a lot of things she thought made Jaune special, but this is different – this is the one thing he has that no one else does... physical proof that he's much more than just some kid who wiggled his way into some combat school with a sword and shield.

Lightning lifts a curious and tentative hand to touch the end of her index finger against his, but stops just short of it.]

What does it do?

Well, Aura doesn't just protect us... it can also heal our wounds over time. I guess it depends on how much you have, and how fast you can recover it before the wound settles.

[ It's why some people from his world (including Weiss) have scars, while others heal on the spot - like his. ]

My Semblance... I think I can give up some of my own Aura, to kickstart someone else's. Aura Amplification. That's... what I'm calling it anyway. Thanks to this, Weiss recovered her Aura by tenfold, and healed completely in no-time.

[ He's got some theories about what else it can do, such as that time Cardin almost beat him up, but he'll keep it to himself for now until he can test it out later. This whole thing still makes him nervous, the last thing he wants to do is get over excited. ]

Heh - go ahead!

[ She can touch the hand, if she still wants. He's pretty curious to see how it reacts to someone who doesn't have Aura. ]

[She tilts her head while she listens, her hand lowering briefly as she continues to watch the glow across his hands and up his arms. There's a slight furrow to her brow when he brings up Weiss again, and she tucks that away in the back of her mind for now.

It can't have been the most thrilling way to discover what his Semblance is – it's a little unfair, actually, for something so important to be tied to an experience like that. She can only hope that he's come out of it for the better, though... and not just because of his gift.

Lightning's lips press together in a thin line and she lifts her hand again, and this time she does poke him – gently – on the finger.]

It's warm.

[And she's got a smile to match it. There really isn't any other word to describe the sensation. It wouldn't mean much to him, but it reminds Lightning a little of what a Medica feels like, but a different brand of magic from a l'Cie's, or her own.

Her arm relaxes.]

I told you that you had it in you.

[ He smiles back at her, grateful for her kind words and encouragement. Her belief in him, inexplicable as he may find it, is more than his parents ever afforded him. They loved him, sure, but "I knew you had it in you" would not be words he ever expects to hear from them.

Their moment is brief, however, and Jaune quickly makes a pained expression on his face. ]

L-Light, wait!! You absorbed too much of it!! My Auraaaaa--!!!

[ He starts to cough violently, then falls off his stool to the side, hitting his head against the cold hard ground.

Don't worry, he's just messing with her!

... The head bump was real though. Ouch. ]

[He may be messing with her, but she totally falls for it, jumping back when his expression shifts and watching in horror when he falls, like she was the one to push him over herself (accidentally, of course). She hadn't meant to! She had no idea! If she had known it would happen, she could have caught him, or even slowed time to a crawl so she could break his fall a little! Why this!? She's so sorry!!

There's also a strange, overpowering sense of dejavu that comes over her in that moment. At least Jaune didn't break the chair? Wait, what?

The drop from the seat of the bar stool to the floor isn't a short one and when she thinks it's all over, Lightning gets on her tiptoes and peeks over the top of the counter.]

... Jaune?

[ By the time she peers over the counter, he already springs back up and nearly collides his head against something hard a second time -- the hard surface being Lightning's thick skull. Thankfully, he doesn't! He manages to stop in the last moment, then slowly backing away until they're at a polite distance. ]

--HAH! Got you!! Aw, man, you should see your face, h-hahah!

[And by the time he backs away, Lightning is staring over the counter at him, unamused and arms folded over her chest.]

Cute.

[Should she be laughing, because she's not laughing. She was genuinely worried that she had done something wrong! She pauses, drumming her fingers on the bar a moment before she moves out from behind it, walks right up to him...

... and pokes him in the middle of the forehead.]

Don't do that again.

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