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003 || {Video or Action}
[Hope's life has certainly been thrown into turmoil over the past few weeks, and there's certainly more to come. Now that Lightning's returned, and seems to have gathered her strength... he admittedly can't take his mind off his own problems at hand. He saw her brand—but what's to become of his?
His days, too, are numbered.
After a slumber fraught with nightmares, the boy awakens to find a more urgent, pressing problem at hand.]
[Somehow, by the grace of whatever deity is over this place, he finally manages to open the journal by his bed and paw his way into a video broadcast.
The screen is filled with a fluffy white puppy face.]
RUFF!
Um... w-what's going on!? Am I dreaming!?? Someone help! Lightning? Aerith?!
[Later on that day, he can be found sulking outdoors in the grass by the pathway that separates Community House #4 from the other residential homes, head on his curly fluffy paws.
He can, in fact, be understood if anyone attempts to converse with him. Translations are in italics.]
His days, too, are numbered.
After a slumber fraught with nightmares, the boy awakens to find a more urgent, pressing problem at hand.]
[Somehow, by the grace of whatever deity is over this place, he finally manages to open the journal by his bed and paw his way into a video broadcast.
The screen is filled with a fluffy white puppy face.]
RUFF!
Um... w-what's going on!? Am I dreaming!?? Someone help! Lightning? Aerith?!
[Later on that day, he can be found sulking outdoors in the grass by the pathway that separates Community House #4 from the other residential homes, head on his curly fluffy paws.
He can, in fact, be understood if anyone attempts to converse with him. Translations are in italics.]
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Experiment. [ That's about all she processes though, save that: wow, you nearly gave her a heart attack there. With his Brand and how jumpy she's been-- ]
Light? LIGHT?! [ Meanwhile, there's a thump from where Lightning had been, and then the sound of something small and four-legged quickly approaching. Lightning's hand is on the doorknob, but before she can react and close the door, LOOK IT'S ANOTHER PUPPY-- time seems to slow as he presses his face around her leg. ]
Baldr--
[ Too late. Furry impact in 3, 2... ]
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Don't, Baldr—
[Too late. Baldr's already leaping at him with an excited little growl, jaws nipping in the vicinity of his snout. Hope gives a very undignified yip and falls back onto his side.]
Stop it, Baldr!! Ugh!
[Even so, his tail seems to be wagging, and he can't quell the urge to make it continue to do so. This is really awkward.]
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Hey! [ Fortunately, she is not the type to remain frozen in place for long- as soon as her attempt to block the puppy fails, she bends to grab him, wrapping hands under and around his chest to start pulling him off puppy!Hope. ] Baldr, seriously.
[ You'd think he'd know better than to just tackle dogs he doesn't know... ] PLAAAAAY HOOOOPE! [ ... Except apparently he already knows it's Hope somehow? ]
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Gross! We'll play later, Baldr! I have other things to worry about right now!
[The boy-turned-puppy manages to clamber to his feet when Lightning pulls the other dog off him, who continues to bounce excitedly and bark Hope's name even under her hold.
Good thing his intelligence didn't take a dive when he woke up transformed into this thing. Hope is secretly glad about that fact.]
What now? What's this stuff about an experiment?
[He almost leaps up onto his bed again, but then decides against it, merely wandering in a circle on his floor.]
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... An experiment by the Malnosso. Apparently the theme is... animals this time. Again.
[ She will not grab her gunblade and go wage war on an unseen enemy, she will not grab her gunblade and go wage war on an unseen enemy, she will no-- SIGH. ]
It shouldn't last long.
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W-what do you mean by... again?!
[Tucking his tail between his legs, he whines pathetically, eyes briefly darting to the still-squirming Baldr. A brief anxiety wells up inside him as well, thoughts turning back to that of the brand that lay on his wrist. Could it still be there? Advancing, under all this fur? How can he can even come up against it like this?]
This can't be happening. Not now.
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And though Baldr's still been squirming, after the initial rush of excitement, he finally begins to calm... and turns concerned instead at his people's respective distressed and serious attitudes, a quiet, questioning whine of his own hanging in the brief silence between them all.
... Lightning sighs before continuing, softer but just as firm. ] Panicking isn't going to get you anywhere except into trouble. You need to stay calm. Let me explain.
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[He seems to deflate a little more, and opts to sprawl out on the floor in front of Lightning and Baldr, head on paws. This position is going to become a very familiar one soon, he thinks.
She's right, though. Panicking will only cause trouble, just like before. Even if he can't see the brand... he can't take any chances when it comes to its existence. It's always there. There's no reason why it would suddenly disappear, no matter how much he'd like it to.
So moping's better than panicking. Always. So long as he doesn't slide into actual despair.]
I'm... I'll stay calm.
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Well, not good, but better. He's still a dog, and she's still having to make sure her pet doesn't try to start an unwanted wrestlefest with the poor kid. ] Lay down, Baldr. [ And not taking no for an answer, she presses on him until he complies. Except-- ]
Hoooooope...! [ Cue laying on his side, reaching front legs out towards where Hope is with his tail still thumping slowly against the floor. Lightning sighs once again. ]
This is what happens here... about once a 'month' or so. Just like that-- Valentine's thing a while back. [ We're not talking about that, though. Okay? Okay. Her expression is tight as she looks from side to side in thought over this. ]
Usually, it's just a 'week.' Once it was two, but as far as I can tell... the effects aren't as bad this time. [ She says to the boy who is now canine instead of human. Just... go ahead and ask her how much worse it can get, though. B| ]
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Oh... that. [He'd almost forgotten about that odd experience. So this wouldn't have been the first time whoever's in charge here tried to mess with him.]
A week? Really? A whole week? [The teenage boy-like groan can almost be heard around those words.] I can't spend a whole week like this! I wanted to finally try and enroll in school and stuff... now I have to wait even longer. [Cue head on paws again, though now he's looking up at Lightning instead of the other dog.]
Did they do weird stuff to you, too? Before I got here.
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Hm... I doubt you'll be like this for a week. Maybe a few days. [ You know, with luck. With how this place is, saying that probably just cursed it. She sighs quietly at the question. ] ... Yes. The first time it happened, I... switched bodies with Zack.
[ ... 8| ] And thought I was eight. Aerith and Cloud thought he'd gone crazy, acting like that and trying to go by a girl's name.
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and/or a signature jaw-punch.As for the rest of that... he can't even begin to fathom what that would be like. Hope rises to his feet rather suddenly, an anxious restlessness gripping him.]
You really switched bodies with someone? Zack of all people? [That means that Zack was in Lightning's body, too. No, he doesn't want to think about that at all... or what it might be like to be "switched" himself. How intrusive. He'd feel completely violated! To say nothing of what it might be like to be a woman—no. No, no, no... ending that train of thought immediately, thanks. This is bad enough!]
How could you even... what is wrong with this place?
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It worked out alright.
[ As in it could have been worse. Zack is... an alright guy and was pretty chill about it, at least. And that was probably the point at which she actually started being friends with Aerith, after all. Seems it's hard to stay distant after someone more or less steps into the role of your mother for a few days. Certainly Hope wouldn't understand that though, right? 8| ]
... But that doesn't mean I'll forgive them for it. [ Just like... ugh. Baldr's squirmed nearly out of her reach by now, but it's obvious her grip in his fur tightens at that. She ever meets whoever's responsible for this? She's tearing them apart. ]
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Man, he really hopes he'll never think he's a little girl. That would be the end of his life right then and then. Even worse than dog-chewed boots.
With Baldr still happily inching closer, Hope finally hikes himself up a little, leaning over to poke at the other puppy with his... muzzle. Snout. Whatever he'd call it.] I guess I'll have to deal with it for now. What else can I do, really?
[And part of him secretly hopes that if he takes it in stride, maybe they'll be satisfied and won't put him through any more... "experiments". Whoever They are.]