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Entry tags:
002 || {Video}
[A few weeks have passed since his arrival; Hope's grown more accustomed to the way things run around here, finally gotten some climate-decent clothing, and is now attempting to stick his neck out further—for better or worse. When the video comes on, he's wearing a dark green turtleneck sweater—since there's no errant silver feathers sticking out behind him, this suggests that he opted to cover his wings instead of letting them hang out to be vulnerable.
His head is sort of halfway tucked on his folded arms, which suggests he's lounging across something—probably his bed. Hope props his chin in hand, staring at the camera.]
So... ah... [Idly adjusting the cuff of his sleeve.] I guess... it's time for me to go back to school, huh. [He gives a faint, nervous sort of smile.] Who here's already going? Um... I guess... i-it'd be nice to know who I'm going to be in class with. Or do they separate it by years here... like they did back in my hometown?
[There's the sounds of shuffling, then, and he quickly turns his head to the side.] W-what...!? H-hey, stop! [A black nose appears in view, along with the heavy sounds of panting—before a thick pink tongue drags over his cheek.] Gross! Cut that out, Baldr! I'm trying to... stop it! [He's clearly trying not to laugh, though, as half a curly black puppy face appears in the view, an audible thumpthumpthumpthump as his wagging tail smacks against the bed each time.] HOPE PLAY! HOPE PLAY!
We'll play later! [Hope's brow furrows as he attempts to shove the young dog away, now occupying the furniture. He gives up then, with a heavy SIGH, pulling the journal back toward him.]
I... guess they don't allow pets there, right?
His head is sort of halfway tucked on his folded arms, which suggests he's lounging across something—probably his bed. Hope props his chin in hand, staring at the camera.]
So... ah... [Idly adjusting the cuff of his sleeve.] I guess... it's time for me to go back to school, huh. [He gives a faint, nervous sort of smile.] Who here's already going? Um... I guess... i-it'd be nice to know who I'm going to be in class with. Or do they separate it by years here... like they did back in my hometown?
[There's the sounds of shuffling, then, and he quickly turns his head to the side.] W-what...!? H-hey, stop! [A black nose appears in view, along with the heavy sounds of panting—before a thick pink tongue drags over his cheek.] Gross! Cut that out, Baldr! I'm trying to... stop it! [He's clearly trying not to laugh, though, as half a curly black puppy face appears in the view, an audible thumpthumpthumpthump as his wagging tail smacks against the bed each time.] HOPE PLAY! HOPE PLAY!
We'll play later! [Hope's brow furrows as he attempts to shove the young dog away, now occupying the furniture. He gives up then, with a heavy SIGH, pulling the journal back toward him.]
I... guess they don't allow pets there, right?
[action]
... Just pick it up. [ And with that she's not going to stick around to hear the answer- she scoops up the puppy, swipes a key and disappears out the door. Without her coat. Have fun in the flat by yourself for a few minutes, Hope. ]
[action]
With her coat folded under an arm and a leash in the opposite hand, of course.]
... Light, wait! [He calls out toward her retreating back, already outside and growing smaller with the distance stretching between them.]
[action]
And then she hears Hope calling after her. She slows, turns with a sigh, and then sets the dog down before crossing her arms across her chest- usually, using the weather to cool off? It helps a little more if it's not completely frigid. She'll wait in place, though, expression deliberately neutral as she keeps an eye on the puppy while he looks for a place to do what he came out for. ]
[action]
You... you forgot—
[He shakes his head a little, pulling his coat tighter around himself. Really, he's used to Lightning's demeanour by now, but something seems off in the way she left so abruptly. Without the proper protection against the cold weather.]
[action]
Thanks. [ And yeah, she's definitely bothered, with even the fact that she's bothered in the first place... kind of making it worse. She knows she shouldn't be acting like this. Practically storming out after a little scuffle over the puppy? Ridiculous.
.....Also, don't think she hasn't noticed how out of breath he is, by the way. It wasn't that far out here. ]
[action]
The boy's eyes pass over her, a frown forming on his face—though this one is out of concern, as opposed to his sullen one from earlier.]
Hey, Lightning. Is there something you're not telling me?
[action]
But it's funny how strangely blank her mind seems to go when actually confronted about it, even when she'd been practically obsessed only a few minutes beforehand. ]
Not intentionally. [ And not a lie-- or so she thinks at first. The moment it's out of her mouth she realizes that it's not entirely true, because while she hasn't been trying to mislead Hope, there are things she's been neglecting to mention. And some of those are likely pretty deliberate, whether she realized it at the time or not. ]
... But yes.
[action]
Then what is it? [He rests a hand on his hip; although with his comparably tinier height, he's far from imposing. His expression is rather serious, though, given what he's learned already. He decides to keep it at that simple question before speculating on her worries—which could very well be his own.]
[action]
It's-- our Brands... [ Yeah, this can't be good. Truth is she's not sure where to start, not sure if she should even mention it, not sure about her own feelings over the matter... and it's that last part she's especially frustrated about, because she already told Hope they'd figure this out together and now what she's worried about... is how she doesn't know what even trying to remove or seal the Brands' curse might cause... and yet she and Aerith have already been attempting just that. Without mentioning it to Hope.
She hesitates, then shakes her head. She needs to be honest. No more holding things back or concealing them by relying on what he might wrongly assume, and before she even gets into admitting her current problem, it's about time he finally learns of its background. ]
You'd mentioned you'd been on Pulse a while, right?
[action]
It's still there, of course. As restless as ever. A testament to his own looming Fate, or so it seems.
Hope lets his arm fall back to his side, and he hadn't noticed until then that his fingers have been knotting nervously in the cord of the leash he's still holding. He untwists them, sighing, seemingly shifting a glance toward the dog but it's really just another object of nervous habit.]
Yeah... um... there's no life except for the monsters, little food... I woke up here after I went off to gather some.
[action]
This isn't fair at all; there's nothing she wouldn't do to get rid of his need to worry about the stupid things and their stupid Focus and the fact that they're stuck here in this stupid place. Nothing. ]
The last thing I remember, we'd just set down... it'd only been a few hours since we'd left the Ark before I was pulled here. [ Which is totally weird to think about, considering she was apparently still there with the rest of them as Hope remembers it... which implies she goes back? Trying to wrap her mind around how that even works is nearly impossible.
... She looks away. ] My Brand's still been progressing since I got here. It's... close.
[action]
[Hope's eyes widen as they flicker back to Lightning's face. That doesn't add up at all. He had just seen her! Before he'd gone off on his own to look for food. They'd been searching and searching for a way, for life, for answers... for anything. Could she truly not remember any of that?
He glances at his wrist again, wondering how closely related they are. If Lightning's been here—supposedly—a long time... her brand must be pretty far along.
Is that why she had tried to get him to stay optimistic about their future, and the Fate that could possibly lie in store for them? Even here, away from their Focus, and the fal'Cie?
There's so many questions he could ask. But the most important one, now, isn't about their strangely contradicting memories but that last statement she made.
"It's close."
What could that possibly—]
W-what does that mean, Light?
[His hands are shaking now, and he buries them in the dog's fur to give them something to do.]
How... how close do you mean? [Hope can barely squeeze the words out, nervousness hinging on fear settling in the pit of his stomach. He swallows thickly.]
[action]
But it's weird. Especially when it comes to Baldr- if the Malnosso knew her Brand might keep going until... the end - and they must, she's sure of it - then why did they bother giving her a dog for Christmas? Cie'th just regret and try to kill things. They don't take care of pets.
She hesitates, gritting her teeth, but then... instead of answering directly, goes right for the front of her coat again and the shirts beneath it. Forget how weird she usually is about letting other people see, and just screw how odd it might seem to essentially flash a teenager when out walking the dog. She's finally letting Hope see hers for once.
And it's not good right now. If she gets one more arrow... ]
Aerith and I have been trying to find a way to seal it. Like Fang's. But...