Making Up For Past Mistakes [Raines]

[Lightning Farron]

It was about damn time for a break, but usually when a break came along, so did another battle, another moment of torture…this was different though. With Cosmos taking over for Etro, with the Chaos contained…it seemed as if the future was very bright for anyone and everyone who inhabited the world of Gran Pulse, and any other world for that matter. Finally, Lightning could take a breath and relax, not be so on edge, and finally get a chance for a rest before whatever big bad terror decided to come up next.

Collapsing against a wall within the Academy headquarters in Academia, Lightning sighed and placed a hand over her heart, where her brand used to be. Leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes in quiet room, she finally felt her muscles relax. No longer did she have to run around for years on end to try and stop one Caius Ballad from destroying Etro. She knew Cosmos would do well taking the place of the former goddess, she trusted Cosmos with all of her existence, and she knew things would be much brighter with her at the seat of the throne, though she didn’t want to force Cosmos to stay there forever, occasionally being brought back to Valhalla to keep an eye on things would be necessary, but being written out of history was no longer an option, Lightning would be back and forth, but never gone for long periods of time. It was kind of funny the way things worked out. Serah was alive, Chaos was contained, and here she was, back on Pulse, able to relax and do anything she pleased, as if she hadn’t left in the first place.

With an exhaled breath, Lightning opened her eyes once more, feeling pretty content as she sat down for the first time in a long time. The battle against the chaos, against Barthandules…it was something that definitely wore you out, but still, it was worth the fight. For even a short time, people could live in peace once more. There were many people that deserved her thanks, but she’d get to that eventually. Right now, it was understandable for her to want to sit down and clear her mind, have a chance to herself to relax. But still, the list of people was quite long. First of all there was Cosmos, she couldn’t get enough thanks to Cosmos even if she tried, the Warrior of Light was even one on the list, he’d helped get her there with Snow – another – who had been more reliable than anyone could’ve imagined. Fang and Vanille, Yaag Rosch, Rygdea and Cid Raines…some of the most unlikely people in this list of people. It came to show you that the future was worth protecting to more people than what some would imagine. Noel, Serah and Hope…it was amazing that even a good handful of people could save the world once again.

She’d get to them later, give her words of thanks and try to rearrange her life around all of this. There was plenty to catch up on, especially with Serah. How she’d missed her dear sister so much, she’d even missed Snow! That was saying something. With a small hint of a smile appearing on her lips, she stretched and moved to her feet, stretching up tall as well and just feeling completely carefree for the time being. Her armor was dented here and there, had all sorts of marks on it from battle with Caius, creatures, chaos and Barthandules, but that didn’t matter…she was off to go thank people. The first people she wanted to speak to…those who had found her and brought her back here to help. Fang and Raines had found her in the dying world and made it possible for her to help with the battle…those were the two she really needed to see first, though she trusted Fang with her life, she wasn’t sure what to think with Raines helping…not that he was necessarily a bad guy, there was just some…old tension there. Still, thanks weren’t bad, she could do that and then move right down the list. Knowing Fang, she was either off with Rygdea or off hunting something somewhere. Guess the first person she could actually find within all the hustle and bustle of this city was Cid Raines, if not…well…it’d happen eventually.

With that thought in mind, She started out of her room of solitude within the Academy Headquarters and started into the main lobby of the building, able to see the city of Academia just beyond the doors and windows. Though eyes were drawn to her because of her armor and unrecognized face, she still searched the crowd looking for those she knew, not seeing much of anyone just yet. “They’re probably all taking a break…a well deserved break.” She admitted to herself, that hint of a smile still lingering.

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Words:[/color] 921
Muse:[/color] Great!
Tagged:[/color] Cid Raines
Wearing:[/color] XIII-2 Armor
Listening To:[/color] Stuffs!
Notes:[/color] Hope this was okay!

[Cid Raines]

"Thank you."

Cid Raines' hand moved over the bandage newly applied by the nurse to a diagonal wound on his side that had resulted from a well-placed sword strike. It was a minor wound, save for the bleeding which had been stopped long before by a few cure spells from a manadrive and save for the shooting pain it would cause whenever he moved his torso for the next few weeks. The wound, along with a handful of cuts, three jammed fingers, a slightly wrenched knee and a bruised sternum, comprised the best-case scenario for Cid to have escaped with after the battle only hours previous. Army against army, guardian against prodigy, fal'Cie against goddess' knight. Even the beginnings of the battle in Eden had seemed more manageable. Yet they had come out victorious in all aspects, with only wounds and a razed battlefield to show for it. Cid leaned back thoughtfully on the table he'd been laying on while the cure spells and bandages had been administered. The conflicts were finally over. Cid had once been too discouraged to believe this day would ever come...yet here the world stood, having reached the dawn Cid had once spoken of.

Cid felt at ease for the first time since becoming a l'Cie.

He would not spend his newfound relief merely sitting on a medic's table, though. Having taken in a breath that proved mildly painful, Cid eased himself over to the edge of the table with his hands and reached for the shirt they'd provided, his having been soiled beyond saving with a mixture of blood and water. His arms were fit into the replacement as the hustle and bustle of his surroundings first came to his full attention. The spread of Chaos and ensuing worldwide disaster had transformed the halls of the Academy into an emergency relief center. The crisis had passed now, yes, but the Academy was still filled to over-capacity with people. Soldiers and civilians injured by cie'th were being treated by nurses, doctors and, in some cases, volunteers who knew healing magic. Researchers, though they were not in the makeshift medical wing where Cid sat, were busily dodging up and down hallways to perform their very important duties to ensure that all variables had been considered in ensuring the fight was over and that time had resumed its incessant ticking. More surprisingly, Milite soldiers who had been trapped here and surrendered when the portals had closed were being treated well, provided with food and, if any could be spared, empty beds. Cid witnessed no fewer than twelve people rush past him in the short time it took him to button up his shirt and move to his feet. These were not the people he'd seen skittering about the Academy only a day before, however. These were men and women who'd had their faith restored, and it was providing them with motivation to continue working though most of them hadn't slept in the past seventy-two hours. Cid could be counted among them, for his part.

But the army, save for healthier units stationed out on the perimeters of the city for precautionary reasons and nothing more, was essentially disbanded for now to pull the pieces back together. Cid would have nothing waiting on his desk if he returned to it now, nor would he have any tasks he needed to perform at all. The rebuilding was at work, but Cid wouldn't need to be involved. He would be free to make a recovery from his wound or to spend the day how he so choose. The commander began walking, holding lightly at his side as he did so as he waited for his pain receptors to become used to the feeling of standing straight again. He considered that a warm meal in the mess hall sounded like a welcome experience after three days of barely eating, but Cid knew whatever food there was at the Academy was better spent on the wounded and the deposed. Cid didn't feel as if he could sit and idly eat a meal as if nothing had happened, either. As Rygdea may have aptly put it, Cid was too "wound up" to settle in for something as unspectacular as a meal after all he'd seen over the past several hours. No, he could enjoy a meal on his own time, later.

He exited the medical bay and advanced down a wide hallway - filled with medics on break and mud-faced Milite soldiers alike - towards the lobby. Cid's only reason for heading in that direction was the sheer amount of activity he expected to find there.

Upon arrival in the lobby, Cid would find he hadn't been at all wrong in anticipating a crowd. It was even difficult to find a place to step in amongst the throng, but after waiting for a handful of individuals to pass, Cid stepped in among the throng. It was a sight to see. As many people were holding joyful conversation as they were rushing to meet the needs of the people who were occasionally still coming in for minor medical aid or to pick up cases of water bottles. Standing at least a head taller than the majority of the people in the expansive room, Cid could see all of the goings-on, and most of the faces. One...in particular drew his eyes almost immediately, and his gaze remained fixed.

Hmm...it was Lightning, still in her armor from the battle.

Cid paused. It only made sense that he should go speak with her. Their interaction after he'd assisted Fang in returning Lightning from the Dying World had been could be called...brief, at best. Why even hesitate to at least share a few words, especially since neither of them seemed occupied? He was sure he didn't have an answer to that question. Motioning his head lightly and closing his eyes to chasten himself, Cid peered back up to relocate Lightning from the few steps she'd taken since he looked away and started easing his way through the crowd towards her, removing his hand from his still-painful wound. If he was to speak to Lightning, he would be at his best, not crippled by some minor annoyance.

Words - 1087
Muse - Excellent!
Outfit - A mashup of his uniform and a shirt from the hospital
Notes - Another post I actually like? ;_; This never happens.[/size]

[Lightning Farron]

Lightning was far from invincible, but she certainly could endure a lot. Feeling the aches and pains finally work their way into her muscles and bones, she felt like sitting down, but her need to wander around this unfamiliar place was carrying her onwards. Aqua eyes searched the different faces of those within the lobby area of the Academy Headquarters. A lot of happy faces was what she saw, hearing words of relief and fear, talking about a cluster of heroes that had yet again saved the day, it brought a subtle and very satisfying smile to her face as she let her eyes gaze around, there was nothing that was coming really to her attention, a few faces looking at her own and giving a few shocked looks. A pair of intellectual scientists who had been passing by strode towards her, stopping Lightning in her tracks as they gawked and stared at her. “You’re the one from the Oracle drive, Hope’s friend?” Nodding her head slightly, a small smile on her lips. “Yes, that’s me.” She simply replied, there was nothing more than that.

Continuing onwards through the small crowd, she wondered if anyone else was within the area. No doubt Hope was around, Snow and Serah had to be around somewhere nearby…as for the rest of them, Lightning was completely clueless. With another exhale of relief, her mind simply went back to the many battles she’d endured the past few years of her life, being a l’cie, being chosen to live up to the title of ‘knight of the goddess’, and then this? Containing the Chaos and keeping it from escaping Valhalla, it was a huge battle, but once again, some of the most unlikely people came together and created yet another miracle. Once again Lightning was finally smiling, and for good reasons too. Now she could do what she wanted instead of being binding to someone or something for reasons that could or could not destroy the future. She had faith that the future would be brighter than it had seemed only a short while ago.

Turning as she neared the doors that would lead to the city of Academia, She placed her hands on her hips and decided it would be best to stay here for awhile, instead of wander around a strange city alone – not that she’d get lost – but there might be important business to take care of within a short amount of time now that the battles were over with. Turning around, her eyes did finally catch someone she knew, someone who was making his way towards her. Cid Raines, he looked to be recently patched up from some wounds he’d obtained in battle, or something along those lines, but whatever. Light had yet to get checked up on regarding the various bumps and bruises she had easily obtained, then again, with as much as she’d been thrown around lately, wounds didn’t seem to faze her all that much anymore, nor did she notice them as well. It wouldn’t be surprising that she had a concerning wound somewhere, her armor simply masking it for the time being.

Welp, this could be her chance to sort of…make amends? Their interaction before the battle hadn’t been much of anything. In fact, Lightning had been a bit unsure as to what to think when she spotted Fang and Cid coming to her rescue from the Dying World. A part of her wanted to remember him as the Brigadier General of the Cavalry who had helped her and the other L’Cie through a bit of a rough patch, but part of her wanted to remember him as the traitor who had tried to kill her and her friends. Sometimes it was hard to see things for what they were. With the aid he had provided lately, it seemed that the traitor idea could be forgotten – not that Lightning would really ever forget getting tossed around through her efforts to strike him down – all could be forgiven, sort of. But first, there was some thanks that were in order.

Taking a few steps to meet Raines halfway instead of standing there staring like an idiot, Lightning crossed her arms over her chest and kept her face pretty much void of all emotion, sort of you know…normal? “Raines.” She spoke in a quiet greeting with a slight nod of her head. It was hard to apologize, to thank…to express such emotions, but they needed to be done. Had it not been for everyone putting all their efforts forward, Lightning could be stuck in the Dying World, Serah could still be dead, and the chaos could’ve taken over and spread to other worlds, causing no future whatsoever. “I...want to apologize. I guess you could call my attitude a bit on the rude side when you and Fang arrived in 700 A.F. I should’ve thanked you both right then and there, and for that I’m sorry. “ she said with a brief pause, that twisting feeling in her stomach that she got whenever she knew she was wrong for something she had done, apologizing…it was one of the hardest things to do. “And I wanted to thank you for all of your help lately. Looks like all of our efforts paid off.” Would her words mean anything?

She secretly hoped so.

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Words:[/color] 998
Muse:[/color] Great!
Tagged:[/color] Cid Raines
Wearing:[/color] XIII-2 Armor
Listening To:[/color] Wide Awake: Katy Perry (....idk why)
Notes:[/color]

[Cid Raines]

From his towering view of the room, Cid could easily tell Lightning had seen his approach. She shifted, apparently looking to move towards him. Honestly, he wouldn't have been surprised, only disappointed, to have seen her trying to avoid him for the time being. Fang's presence in the Dying World had been the only reason, Cid believed at the time, that Lightning hadn't mistrusted Cid's motivations. He realized his feelings could be considered highly paranoid, but when one had attempted to kill someone in the past, Cid supposed they would be dealing with the guilt for the majority of their lives until they'd heard anything at all akin to forgiveness from the individual they'd betrayed. Cid hadn't heard the exact words from the other l'Cie, but he could judge by their reactions to him now that they had forgiven him. Cid, though, had seen nothing of Lightning before their encounter during the rescue in the future. If she did forgive him...and Cid hoped she would...Cid had no way of knowing. So to say that he wondered if she wouldn't have lashed out at him on the spot if Fang hadn't accompanied him in the Dying World wouldn't have been too absurd, especially considering her first reaction to his revelations in the Fifth Ark.

Yet none of that was worth dwelling on. They'd nearly reached one another despite the throng of people that continually shifted between them until they'd found a bit of room. She stopped before him, folding her arms. Cid, though his wound protested, matched the motion by clasping his hands behind his back and managing to remain stick-straight. A slow, professional nod began his greeting to her, testament to his years as an officer. At her greeting with his name, Cid almost instinctively opened his mouth to refer to her as "Sergeant Farron", the name that he'd become quite accustomed to when he'd been studying her military records when he'd learned she was a l'Cie. The address was far too impersonal for a day like today...or perhaps any time, not to mention inaccurate. "Lightning," he greeted, enough warmth to his voice to distinguish it from his usual mundane tones...but just barely.

Fortunately, Cid could tell the conversation would not end with simply the greeting being her single offering to him before she decided she'd had enough of him in her day and moved on to the next individual. When she finally spoke, he was sure he felt an eyebrow preparing to raise. The apology left Cid standing and blinking before he shifted in place, an action his side protested against. "Our meeting in the Dying World was not suitable for much more than survival instincts and hastiness," he said, with a light shake of his head. They'd been under attack and rushed to return to this time when they'd found Lightning, and that was part of the reason Cid thought that Lightning may have kept any words for him restrained. They had to help each other at the time without question or more common conversation, lest their rescue be for naught. Hearing that these were the words she had saved for him - something akin to what he'd wanted to say to her himself - was enough to make Cid feel very content. The scarcest of smiles pulled at the side of his face, before he lowered his head and it faded again.

His gaze remained lowered at her thanks, which also meant quite a bit to him. But he would not simply let her deflect thanks to others without receiving any of her own. He stole a glance down at her bashed armor, which, even when damaged, still suited her completely, he decided to himself despite the awkwardness of the thought. She likely had her own wounds, but was too stubborn to have herself checked in one of the medical wards or to even appear bothered by them. Hopefully, they were nothing too serious. The armor served as a microcosm of her efforts, leaving Cid's eyes to return to Lightning's face, providing a subtle look of appreciation. "You are the one who needs to be thanked. Your sacrifices have allowed us to achieve the dawn I idealistically spoke of all those years ago." His normally-powerful voice lowered meagerly,, as he re-straightened himself. "And I'm glad, through it all, you've returned to us." More glad than the stoic officer would be willing to admit to even himself.

Words - 780-some
Muse - Excellent.
Notes - Nothing really! I think I did better with this rewrite than what I lost, so...[/size]

[Lightning Farron]

Almost anyone and everyone who had met Lightning would know that sentimental and sincere words of thanks or apologies were never her strong points, this was quite the struggle, but it was just one of those things that needed to be done. It was even more difficult to someone who she’d tried attacking, and gotten attacked by as well. Shaking her head as she moved her way through the somewhat scarce crowd, making a direct approach towards the former Cavalry leader. With the calmest of looks, she gave him a proper greeting, a nod to go with it, but after that, she had to give herself a moment to come up with words. It was never easy to apologize, not to Snow, not even to Serah…why would Cid Raines be any different? In fact, if Lightning remembered correctly, she hadn’t said much to him back in the Dying world, and before that she distinctly remembered calling him a traitor and going at him with her gunblade ready for a fight. Her actions had been wrong…it seemed that she did a lot of leaping before she looked these days.

With words just spilling out of her mouth, words of being sorry and what not, Lightning folded her gloved hands together, resting them close to her body as she did her best to keep a straight face, a calm face instead of one that was discouraged and almost sorrowful. That was one thing she was good at, wearing a mask, unless her buttons had really been pushed over the edge. Anger was probably the one emotion she wasn’t good at hiding, because when the anger hit, she leaped and fought or better yet, punched someone in the face even over the silliest of things. “Mhm, still, a few words of thanks could’ve been said.” She insisted with a small shrug before moving her arms to fold across her chest, weight shifting from one foot to the other to get comfortable, feeling the sores all over her muscles and bones, but of course, being Lightning, she was too stubborn to do anything about them. As they say, no pain to gain.

This really was one of those ‘out of the blue’ moments. Thanks and apologies, it wasn’t something Lightning was used to giving all in less than a few minutes, unless something really bad had happed. Still, even after thanking Cid, she had decided that she’d best get to the others sometime today should they not have already taken off to go back to their own lives. She hadn’t been expecting to give off apologies or thanks at first when she had first spotted Cid and Fang coming for her in the Dying world, in fact, she was sure her words would’ve been harsh and very unkind or unfeeling, but after knowing everything that everyone had been through, the chaos, getting Cosmos to Valhalla and more…there was just…no room for such behavior. Happiness was all that needed to be spread right now, and if that meant that Lightning needed to step outside of her comfort zone then so be it, she’d much rather be here apologizing and thanking someone rather than continuing what seemed like an endless battle against one Caius Ballad.

“Thank you.” Lightning said briefly, giving a small nod of her head, thinking about actually being back here with everyone she knew. It was strange, something she needed to get used to. The past three years she’d spent in solitude with no one to talk to except the goddess in her head, and of course the taunting talk from Caius, that was no conversation. She’d lived without the company of her friends or family, and now she was thrown back into the world full of people and life. It was going to take some time to switch from that lone wolf attitude she’d acquired once more after having been dragged to Valhalla by force. “I can honestly say it’s good to be back among the living so to speak. Let’s just hope this moment of peace can last long enough for everyone to catch their breath.” Not that Lightning really expected anything bad to start throwing itself onto Pulse again, that would just be insane. “If you don’t mind me asking…out of sheer curiosity. How long has it been since you…’returned’?” If she remembered correctly, Cid had been revived by Dysley, made Primarch and then been shot during the siege of Eden. How…did that work?

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Words:[/color] 845
Muse:[/color] Great!
Tagged:[/color] Raines
Wearing:[/color] XIII-2 Armor
Listening To:[/color] Stuff
Notes:[/color] Nada!

[Cid Raines]

Cid had to truly take a step back from the simplicity of this interaction with Lightning to fully appreciate the circumstances of it. With her words here, Cid could begin to feel truly forgiven for his betrayal. It was not Hope or Snow only...but the entirety of them all who had now expressed no ill will against him. Finally, a burden of guilt had been lifted from his shoulders, and he wasn't entirely sure he had understood how important such relief would be for him until now. In spite of the pain in his side, which didn't feel as restrictive as it had while he'd been walking, Cid felt at ease in this conversation. With Lightning being his company, that feeling was all too welcome of a sentiment. In fact, she was almost insisting her reaction to her rescuers in the Dying World had been improper. Cid was not compelled to argue with her on the point. "Of course," he relented, with a slight nod of his head. "Those of us used to military discipline all have our impersonal moments." Cid would know...better than most. He knew one would never call him the friendliest man in the world. It suited his career. It didn't suit this conversation.

Lightning was likely right to keep her words reserved to cautious optimism. She had seen the lives of these people fixed once only to be destroyed again. Here they stood again at the end of it all, and who could truly blame them for looking over their shoulders for the next great threat that could approach to take away their happiness again? Cid knew what it felt like to have tasted victory and have it taken away as if he were a child and the success, some dangerous object he could not hold in his hands for too long. Cid, however, felt a tendency towards optimism, and Lightning's presence only helped him to achieve it. "And longer," Cid assured, eyes narrowed in a small showing of confidence. These individuals that had gathered to save their world not once, but twice...they would not allow this world to fall to a vicious cycle. Cid could now count himself among those defiant against a damning fate. He could sincerely say, he'd never felt more pride in his life. Not the day he'd graduated from the Sanctum academy, nor the day he'd become leader of the Cavalry, nor the day he'd witnessed Bhunivelze's ascendance.

He should have expected her to be interested in learning how he'd returned to life. She'd been trapped within Valhalla ever since Hope had found him on that day some time ago...years now. This was an explanation Cid was used to making, but never before to Lightning. He paused, shifting his stance and looking to the floor between them, before he returned to his usual poised stance. "I've been alive since Fang and Vanille were freed from their sleep in crystalstasis," Cid explained, strongly recalling the day and how he'd learned of the Pulsians' revival some time later, "but I kept to myself until one of Hope's contacts discovered me living in Oerba. Thanks to his generosity, I've served with the Academy forces since - a little more than two years." That was another easy event to remember...Hope's appearance at his door and the afternoon they spent in debate on responsibility, guilt and the chance to correct a future set off its proper path by all their actions. "Had Hope not been so convincing, I would have likely remained as I was. Days like today remind me I made the right decision when he approached me."

Words - 650
Muse - Excellent!
Notes - Urgh, had to stop myself stretching it longer. Should be enough to work with here without me having to push in what I planned prematurely. [/size]

[Lightning Farron]

The company was nice, Lightning never got completely irritated with Cid Raines – aside from one moment in time where she called him a traitor…and then she got pretty much thrown into her place – but really, it was nice not having such boundless energy like…Vanille, or even Snow…it was refreshing almost, a type of personality she could understand and easily be calm with. No need to break out the iron fists for punching, not on someone with a calm attitude like Raines, unlike a ton of people that Light knew. Hopefully this did last longer than simply enough time to catch their breath, Lightning wasn’t sure she was willing to get tossed into some other disaster that called for saving the world again, she’d had enough with the fall of Cocoon and being dragged for Valhalla against her free will, the next thing that crept up behind her and threw her into a disaster…she wasn’t sure if she’d have the will to fight anymore.

One disastrous thing after another, it sure did make a person want to lose hope, but luckily things looked brighter, and after 10 whole minutes of a victory, Lightning hadn’t been swept away to some land she knew nothing about…with Cosmos on the throne, things would be okay. She was sure they would be. The timeline was fixed for the most part and hopefully…just hopefully there wouldn’t be any more chaos spreading around here, and hopefully one Caius Ballad would learn how to back the heck off. Wishful thinking…there seemed to be a lot of that lately, not from just Lightning regarding the safety of the future, but she was sure everyone had their wishes, their hopes and dreams of how all of this would turn out. It seemed as if everything was going in the right direction…for now. She’d thought that way after seeing Cocoon on its crystal pillar, seeing Serah…but those moments had been wiped from history, now…everything was as it should be, ask someone else…and they may give you a completely different answer on the matter.

Nodding slightly, Lightning hoped this time of peace would last for quite some time, not only for her own sake, but for the sake of her sister, Serah, and for the people who had to adapt and make changes to live on a world other than Cocoon. Now, onto other topics. Lightning was curious, she was even curious as to Fang and Vanille’s resurrection, as well as anyone else that was alive that really shouldn’t be. Not that she cared, she was pretty glad on the inside that certain people got a second chance, and in Cid’s case…wouldn’t this be a third chance? That didn’t matter, she simply stood by and nodded slowly, understanding what he was saying, especially about Hope. Very persistent he was, even Light had to admit that. Maybe some of her words of wisdom had rubbed off on him after all. Feeling a small smile pull at her lips, she folded her arms across her chest, remembering some of the things she’d told Hope, and the fact that he had a very good ‘motivational speaker’ type of trait to him. “He’s a good kid, always has the right idea…though…I can’t call him much of a kid anymore.” She shrugged. “It’s nice to have you on our side again.” Letting her eyes wander, Lightning noticed the crowd simply moving their way around, from one place to another…not paying much mind to either of the two. Everyone must’ve been pretty ecstatic with the way things had turned out.

“You haven’t seen Serah at all around here, have you?” Of course she’d want to look for Serah, there was much to be said, and maybe she could actually get to hug her sister without those memories being ripped away, if Serah wasn’t around that’d be okay, in due time the older Farron would find her…but…it was partly brought up because she wasn’t sure what else to say. She wasn’t one to babble, but she didn’t want to just walk away with that stoic attitude of hers and just move on to different things. She owed these people a lot, the least she could do was show her gratitude…a few kind words, a smile or two…it was good enough, right?

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Words:[/color] 839
Muse:[/color] Good!
Tagged:[/color] Raines
Wearing:[/color] XIII-2 Armor
Listening To:[/color] New World: Charice
Notes:[/color] I dunno what this is 8'D

[Cid Raines]

Lightning had always been something of a parent figure to Hope, he believed. He had noticed, while the two of them had been guests on his ship during the conflict, that she had effectively taken him under her wing. In fact, their dynamic interested him, though he had been in no position - in terms of courtesy or of his own mentality, to look into their bond more closely at the time. How proud must she be of what he had become in the last several years? He was a consummate leader, if youthful. Very few could have convinced Cid to return to active duty from out of his solitude in his small Oerban apartment. It was a credit to Hope that Cid hadn't sent him back to the Academy without having heard the younger man's arguments. On days like today, though, Cid was glad the former l'Cie had such talents of negotiation. Lightning's words reminded him of that, as he provided her with a slow nod. "When not bound by fal'Cie domination, it is impressive how solidified a single people can be," he commented. "Sides hardly exist anymore with the problems that threaten this world as a whole. It would be unforgivable not to be on your side again, as it were." Perhaps he was being cynical with such talk, but it was the truth. A good truth, in reality - the people of Bhunivelze were not tied to the whims of some god-figure, but to each other. It had been a freedom Cid had longed for while he was a l'Cie. Now, the world had achieved it.

At Lightning's question about her sister, Cid gave a slow shake of his head. "I have not," he informed her, with a shake of his head. "I've spent most of my time since the battle in the medical ward. If I should see her, I'll be sure to direct her to you." It was quite a disturbing fact that Lightning's sister, whom she'd gone to the ends of Gran Pulse to save, had been killed by her own powers before recent events saw her among the living again. Cid was unsure as to whether Lightning had known about her death before they had returned to the current year. He looked on her with sympathy, knowing it was rather selfish of him to hold her here after so many years away from her family. Unfortunately, their conversations had always been as brief as this one, but for similar reasons. Still, he thought himself responsible enough to let her go be with her own family for a time. After what she had been through, she certainly deserved to spend time however she wished.

"I don't wish to keep you from time spent with your sister. We can always continue our own conversation later, if you should care to do so." Considering the possible meanings of later, Cid realized how busy his schedule was going to become when the prospect of facing the military reorganization and casualty reports crossed over his desk. They would not be an endless wave, but they would certainly keep him occupied for some time. That left his options simple, though what he was to propose provided him with an unfamiliar, odd feeling. "I will be free in my office from seventeen hundred hours tomorrow evening for dinner. Simply let my secretary know if you plan to come. I hope to see you then." With that said, Cid gave her a slow bow. "Have a fine evening with your family, Lightning." He turned on his heel, providing her one more glance, and disappeared into the crowd, attempting to carve his way back towards the aforementioned office. It seemed he would have to keep in touch with his secretary.

Words - 684
Muse - Excellent!
Notes - AND I DONE DID EET.[/size]

[Lightning Farron]

At least everything seemed to be going well now. Things could quiet down and everyone could clean up after this mess of a battle as well as the last one. Wanting to exhale a deep sigh of relief, Lightning refrained herself from doing so, simply nodded at Cid’s words which were the truth, these days more than the ones on Cocoon which she knew so well. People became unified after the fall of Cocoon, they depended on themselves rather than the fal’cie, even it was tough a lot of the time. It was nice to see such unity, and of course…it was great to have Cid back on ‘her side’ rather than the traitor she’d called him out to be. His actions hadn’t been out of selfishness, or evil, they’d simply been…inspirational almost. Though the pinkette would’ve never admitted that back that, she was one to jump a little too quickly to conclusions, but even so…those days were far behind her, it was time to let them go.

Bringing up Serah, Lightning wasn’t expecting a hopeful answer, and that’s what she’d gotten. She figured her sister was off with Snow, conversing with Noel or something along those lines. Maybe enjoying life since the accident? Lightning had been visited by on apparition of Yeul, it was cruel, but the truth hurt her. Her sister had died due to her wish to protect the future, to fix the timeline to the way it should’ve been. That was another reason why Lightning took on the crystal form on Etro’s throne once more, she…wanted to preserve Serah’s memory…but that didn’t last for all eternity, but Serah was alive, everything seemed to be back to the way it should be and finally people could be happy. “I figured not.” She commented with a small shake of her head before placing her hands on her hips, a small sigh escaping her lips as well. It would be quite the quest to find Serah, but even if it was her sister…maybe it was time to just sit back and take a break, after all she and the rest of her friends and newfound allies had been through, it was about time to stop the adventures for a bit and get a nice long break. “I’d appreciate that, should you come across her.”

Might as well at least check around the area, maybe get a bit of rest in and get out of this armor, so she appreciated when Cid cut things shorter than the normal person would take a conversation. Not that she minded a brief conversation, that was usually how Lightning kept things, short sweet and to the point. It was better than babbling about the useless things that didn’t matter, but of course…this…conversation could continue? Okay…she wasn’t sure what else there was to talk about – aside from explaining everything about Valhalla and what not – but hey…if he was suggesting that they finish the conversation at a later time, then so be it. Lightning was sure she wouldn’t be pestered too much for the next few days or so, after all, many thought that she deserved a rest and a chance to adjust to being back and surrounded by people, no sense in surrounding her and making her uncomfortable, right? So, a later date it would be. At least, that’s what he was suggesting, and she simply needed to think about it, think about how tired she was and how willing she was to even move after getting settled in. He’d be damn lucky to see her at all if she got comfortable enough.

Giving Cid one final nod, Lightning shifted herself, moving her arms to cross her chest again. “Alright.” She simply responded and ended with a final “thanks.” To her words before watching him take his leave, and she taking hers. Moving through the crowd at a faster pace, the young warrior sought refuge for a few days…it seemed anyone and everyone was welcoming her and the other heroes to a nice place to stay for free…but first, her eyes were searching for Serah.

--------- LE NEXT DAY BECAUSE OF REASONS! ---------

What the heck was this anyways? All she was doing was going to talk about…Etro only knows what. Staring at the few shopping backs sprawled across the floor of her newly acquired hotel room, Lightning stared down at them, a frown on her face as she was just…giving herself a huge headache. She’d gotten out of that dreadful armor at least, getting a huge weight off her shoulders – literally – and purchased some nice normal less heavy clothing. But…what, was she supposed to dress…nice? Or could she walk around in sweatpants and not be judged? Running a hand through her hair, she finally gave up, plucked a shirt and some jeans from her bags and went to change, feeling quite rested actually. Despite not finding Serah last night, she did find herself a good twelve hours of sleep, a nice shower…and yeah, some nice clothes that didn’t scream ‘WAR’ or ‘GUARDIAN CORPS!’. Whatever. It was nearly five o’clock in the afternoon and if she was going to see Cid to continue their conversation – she’d called and made sure to speak with his secretary as he had requested – then she’d better get moving.

With her outfit changed, her hair down in its usual fashion hanging over her left shoulder, the pinkette rushed from her room, keeping a quick pace with that soldier stride in her walk. She was on the move and was going to make it on time, though who needed to set a time for a conversation? Hushing her thoughts silently, she walked around a few blocks of Academia, retracing her steps from which she had came the day before and carefully made her way towards the Academy building, the building where Cid’s office would be. Nice. Striding inside, she worked her way up towards the main desk in the middle of the lobby, looking at some secretary who had a cheerful smile on her face. “What can I do for you- Oh! You’re Miss Farron aren’t you? I’ll be sure to let Cid know you’re here, please have a seat?” she said in a cheery tone before doing whatever it was she’d been hired to do. Lightning gave the woman a small nod and a shrug before trudging over to a small row of seats against a wall, taking her seat and crossing one leg over the other, her right hand fingertips gently tapping against her raised knee as her eyes wandered.

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Words:[/color] 1226
Muse:[/color] ^
Tagged:[/color] Raines!
Wearing:[/color] >>Click!<<
Listening To:[/color] Stuff!
Notes:[/color] Nothing!

[Cid Raines]

Cid looked out over the dimming lights of the city, more anxious than his calm stance and content eyes would indicate.

Reports and files had been pushed away for the day half an hour before, though Cid was sure he could have spent the next hundred hours sitting behind his desk, reading casualty and damage lists, making arrangements for the families of the dead, plugging in holes, making promotions and discharges...ah, why go on? It all consisted of a heap of work he'd be spending roughly the next month trying to consolidate, with his other responsibilities requiring his remaining attention. Tonight, though, Cid was determined to keep the burden of paperwork off of his mind. A woman whom he had not seen in thirteen years deserved his attention for the evening, and Cid had received word a few hours before, from his secretary, that Lightning had indeed called to say she would be coming at the time he specified. Cid could now say whether it was more for his good or hers that he had provided the invitation for her to come chat with him. He also wasn't quite so sure he could call the arrangement a chat...considering the light drinks he had set off to the side on a tray, in the event that Lightning would care for anything as they talked.

Cid turned partially to glance the clock on his wall. She'd be arriving shortly, especially considering she did not seem to be the type late for any arrangement, meager or of key importance. Lightning was formerly of the military, after all, and at that a member of one of the most prestigious units who had received nothing but praise from her superiors. Cid had been able to see why even in the few days the both of them had been present on the Lindblum why she would be so respected. She was possessing of equal parts intelligence and strength that was rarely seen among individuals outside of the ranks of commissioned officers in the military. Was it any wonder she had come through all of her trials alive? No, but it was a wonder to Cid how she had come out of them with no ill will towards her fate...and those who had tried to keep her from achieving what she'd set out to do. Cid was among them, and yet, she was willing to even have an idle chat with him in his office. Constantly, she managed to amaze him in some small way.

The phone on Cid's desk buzzed, and though he already knew the reason for it with a second check of the time, he still graced his secretary with a "Yes?". "Sir, Miss Farron has arrived." Cid took a breath and pressed his finger down on the microphone again. "Send her in immediately, please." With a confirmation, the secretary hung up, and Cid was left to himself, standing straight again and taking in a short breath before he moved around to the front of the room, prepared to give Lightning a greeting as any officer should be expected to. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back on the other side of the door, posture straight, uniform pressed and properly sitting on his shoulders...a far cry from how he'd looked the day before.

Words - 593
Muse - Excellent!
Notes - Sorry for length ><[/size]

[Lightning Farron]

Lightning sat. She sat and waited. One leg crossed over the other as she drummed her fingertips against her knee. Her eyes wandered, but ultimately fell upon the secretary she had been talking to, a cheerful look on that worker’s face as she conversed over the phone with someone, most likely Cid Raines about her arrival. Constantly today she’d been trying to figure out why she’d agreed to come to chat. It wasn’t like they were best buddies or anything, there had been some…mistakes in the past, but at least…at least Lightning was willing to forgive those mistakes. Or rather, challenges. Those could be forgiven, forgotten and simply…out of her mind for all she cared. Raines had helped them achieve this moment of freedom, there was no way she could deny him of her more…friendly side, that is to say if Lightning even had a friendly side. Most would tell you she didn’t, but hey, just because she was serious and determined down to the very core didn’t mean she didn’t have a heart.

With her mind lost in these simple thoughts, her eyes continuing to stare at the secretary, she blinked for a second. “Miss Farron?” she was jolted from her thoughts, rising to her feet in a swift maneuver as if she were in the army again, her statue-like stance relaxing a bit at the words of the secretary. “Miss Farron, you can go in now. I’m sure you can find you way.” Lightning nodded in response, not really wanting to be escorted to an office. Starting off with a quick stride, she exited the main lobby area of the Academy building, heading towards the more important offices were. Her eyes flickered left and right, looking at the walls, a few doors, and some without any purpose. Upon reaching a door that had to be Cid’s office, she took a deep breath, contemplating making up some poor excuse as to why she couldn’t stay long, but that…wouldn’t be very friendly. Shaking her head and mentally chiding herself to stop being stupid and immature as to get out of a commitment, she squared her shoulders, straightened her posture to that more soldier-like one she had naturally and went for the door.

Twisting the knob and easing the door open, Lightning carefully took a small glance past the door itself before straightening up again, pushing it open a bit faster before turning and closing the door behind her. If she didn’t feel more weird than she did right now…then it would be a miracle to see what would be worse. They were just talking after all, there was no harm in that. What exactly was there to talk about though? Well, maybe things, it all depended on who came up with the good topics of conversation, Lightning wasn’t sure if topic choosing would exactly be her forte right now…having been in solitude for so long…it was still a challenge to talk to anyone these days. She’d spent many days without saying a word over her years in Valhalla, as well as her time frozen in crystal stasis where she really couldn’t say anything at all. Cid had better consider himself lucky for this miracle. “Good evening, I appreciate the invitation.” Light said as she looked towards the former Cavalry leader, a look of sincerity on her face as she was stretching her limits to being…more than pleasant, a little less quiet and serious expressioned, and try to be a bit more open minded, if that makes any sense.

Oh well, here goes nothing!

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Words:[/color] 693
Muse:[/color] Good!
Tagged:[/color] Raines!
Wearing:[/color] Already linked.
Listening To:[/color] FF Stuffs
Notes:[/color] Nada!

[Cid Raines]

In spite of himself, Cid reverted to a short pacing as he waited for footsteps to approach the door. He was not unaccustomed to idle motion, though he certainly did not display such impatience in public. In his office, no one would be present to care. His mind slowly plodded through the ways to begin the conversation, a practice he'd picked up while head of the Cavalry to prepare himself for speaking to individuals of importance or to crowds. He quickly settled on simplicity, with a greeting and the offer of a seat, before he moved on to the other subjects that had been filling his mind. His decisiveness would prove timely, as footsteps, though barely noticeable, from outside of his door ended his easy gait to one side of the room. Cid turned and again straightened himself in the same position as before, noting the slightest of delays before the door started to slowly creep open and a few waves of pink hair made themselves visible to him. Only a moment later, the woman to whom they belonged entered.

He could still pick up the actions of a soldier, what with Lightning's manner of motion and entry, and the professional way in which she closed the door, but what he saw before him was not the soldier. In their previous encounters, he'd seem a rougher exterior shell on display from her trials as a l'Cie and experiences within the Dying World, encased in military dress or armor. Before him now was, as should have been obvious to anyone, a woman, and one who cleaned up very well. He also decided she may have been a bit shorter than he'd been inclined to believe before, with her previous attires making her more imposing than she seemed to be now...but only more physically imposing. As of right now, standing before him for a pleasant meeting in his office, he generally decided she'd never quite been so fearsome.

She was the first to speak, leading him to provide her a slow nod of acknowledgement in return. He found it necessary to clear his throat once before speaking, neatly evading his usual military-strict tone. "And good evening to you. I thank you for agreeing to come." Out of all things, an acceptance and arrival such as this one was not what he had been expecting, to be sure. The situation had a rather mundane feel to it, which he was glad of, considering the terrors they'd been through during previous meetings. His hands shifted to indicate the comfortable wraparound seating and a table nearby where Cid typically held small, intimate meetings between military officers or Academy researchers. It was still small enough not to overwhelm a pair of people, however, and was far more informal than Cid sitting at his desk and asking Lightning to sit across from him. His interest in anything remotely formal was only a small portion of what he wished to talk to her about, and in fact he planned to lead off in speaking with her about it. So yes, the seating would work. "I'm sure you'd like to take a seat," he said, cordially, before dropping his hand loosely to his side again. "Could I offer you anything to drink?"

Words - 585
Muse - Excellente!
Notes - A refined booty call. [/size]

[Lightning Farron]

Yes, Lightning had agreed to meet Cid Raines, a former dubbed ‘traitor’ in her own words, for a few words of…what? Just talking, at least that’s what Lightning kept telling herself. Talking was nice, talking certainly tied up loose ends that hadn’t ended so great what seemed like an eternity ago, but so far the pinkette was learning well to drop old grudges and simply thank those who assisted in saving the world yet again…and for helping to save her sister. If anything, she was more than happy to thank anyone for the return of Serah. It was a thought that kept her mind peaceful, knowing Cid and some other people whom she didn’t dare think about, had all played a part in saving her sister, whether directly or indirectly…they did the things she couldn’t do from afar. From Valhalla…Lightning couldn’t help Serah, she could barely communicate with her sister over the course of those three years at first…but people like…Noel, Hope…Fang and Vanille…she owed them more than her own life, without them…Gran Pulse would’ve been turned into a terrible world, a replica of Valhalla itself.
 
Anyways, with dropped grudges, there was a bit more of a softer side to the soldier, or rather, former soldier. She wasn’t one for emotions or opening up that well, but the least she could do was crack a smile every now and then, keep her tone from being so strict and harsh and just…be normal for once. Peace was in the air for now, and she’d gone almost an entire day without another disaster following the tail of the last one…so who knows, maybe things were finally the way they should’ve been from the start? Another comforting thought, which actually made Lightning happy…that was an accomplishment for just about anyone, and a happy Light meant a happy conversation, for the most part at least. Still, the pinkette couldn’t help but wonder what it was she was here to talk about, well, whatever it was…she’d do what she could do keep the conversation flowing, rather than just give abrupt dull answers that didn’t mean much of anything.
 
“I…didn’t have anywhere else I needed to be. I didn’t want to pass up a chance to talk about what happened while I was away.” Light spoke with a softer tone, at least she was trying, trying to be less…military and more…human being. With a small half hearted smile forming on her lips, she looked towards the taller man, then towards the seating that was within the room. Certainly not as formal as say…a military meeting, or prompt, but nice for causal talk, it certainly beat the awkwardness of simply standing there like idiots. “Thank you, and…please, that’d be nice.” She said with a small nod before taking a few steps towards that wrap around seating, setting herself down and crossing one leg over the other, back straight and hands folded across that propped up knee. “Not exactly the same as leading the cavalry, or being a primarch.” She said randomly, initiating a conversation – which wasn’t a strong point, but it was a nice effort on her part. “How do you like it so far?”

[/size]

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Words:[/color] 634
Muse:[/color] good!
Tagged:[/color] Cid Raines
Wearing:[/color] already linked!
Listening To:[/color] skyrim
Notes:[/color] I read our noted for this. I laugh every time.