open ⚡ so i struggle to stand.

[sparkstrikes]

Who: Lightning Farron & YOU
When: Throughout Aguril
Where: Wherever the threads happen
What: August catch-all, quests & general prompts
Warnings: N/A

𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝-𝚖𝚎-𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚜 🗲 𝚌𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚠𝚋𝚘𝚢𝚜 🗲 𝚕𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎 𝚙𝚛 🗲 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜

Comments

[sparkstrikes]

I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[That's usually how their l'Cie are chosen.

It's all in the past though, so Lightning dismisses that with a wave of her hand, a nod of gratitude to the barkeep, and a large bite of a breadstick, tearing it right off and washing it down with a sip of wine.]

An Eidolith. A crystal that, uh... [She motions to her chest, right where her heart is. How does she explain something that she doesn't quite understand?] It's just kinda there for when we need it. Probably magic.

[...

Another bite of her breadstick.]

Why so interested anyway?

[She doesn't have much problem with it, she's just never had anyone ask before.]

[moneytwin]

Being in the wrong place, and the wrong time, and caught up in something? [She smiles mirthlessly] I have a bit of experience with that.

Now that word, I definitely don't know. Crystals don't really have much use back home, save for jewellery. [sometimes in arcane foci. But Vex isn't a mage - mostly she'd appraise with an eye for selling.]

Why not be? [she sips her wine, then smiles, appreciating the taste.] I've always known about other planes, but always in the terms of elemental ones. [the bonus of accompanying a druid on her aramente] So other worlds aren't a stretch.

Though I haven't met many that also had elves aside from mine as yet.

[sparkstrikes]

[Lightning cracks a smile.]

Sorry. None of those on Cocoon either.

[Not that she has any idea what an elf is—her own world is made up only of humans and the fal'Cie—so she wants to ask, but how does one do that without sounding insensitive or ignorant?

...

There's a pause while she finishes her bite of the breadstick.]

What are they?

[YEAH nailed it.]

[moneytwin]

[ Given how much is different about their worlds, or so Vex assumes from this small nugget of conversation, she doesn't look surprised to hear that Lightning's world doesn't have Elves. Though she does blink to be asked.

How does one explain a powerful, patronizing, long lived race of long eared snobs? ]

They're a race of powerful, patronizing, long lived long eared snobs who think they're better than everyone else. [and before Lightning asks:] Longer than mine, [she turns her head, so that her own point is visible] but that's only because I'm half.

[sparkstrikes]

[That sums it up pretty nicely, and Lightning can glean enough information from that on its own. She shouldn't be laughing about it, considering what Vex follows the comment up with, but it does draw a snort out of her that she drowns in her drink.]

So, you're only a half powerful and patronizing snob...

[She peers up at Vex through her lashes, over the rim of her drink, her smile disappearing behind it as she throws back another sip.]

We've got plenty of those, but none with the ears.

[moneytwin]

Exactly. All of the charm, and none of the snobbery.

[said in her most pompus, poshest sounding voice, before a grin cracks the act in two] I can absolutely be an asshole, but most elves are on an entirely different level.

[a pause] My little sister is of course exempt. [because baby].

Is it just all humans where you are from, then?

[sparkstrikes]

Yeah. Far as I know, it's just humans and the fal'Cie.

[And the fal'Cie count for next to nothing now that they've destroyed Orphan, and Cocoon is no longer habitable. No more people living there to do their bidding.

But there is something else of interest that's grabbed Lightning's attention—a small tidbit about Vex she didn't know about.]

... You have a sister?

[moneytwin]

I can't imagine it. Humans are around the most in some cities, but not having any of the dwarves, halflings or gnomes about would be weird to me.

[ She sips her wine again, before nodding. ]

Yes. She's about 5 years old, and utterly adorable. So of course Vax and I are teaching her to swear. [as responsible older sibs in their twenties should.] Vax'ildan is my brother. Twin. He's not here, though.

[ And it pains her, though she hides it well.]

What about you?

[sparkstrikes]

[Much younger, it sounds like. Still, it's sad knowing that Lightning isn't the only person who is missing a sibling right now, but it does help to talk about them, she finds. Makes it easier for her to remember the sound of Serah's voice when she fears she might one day forget it while here.

She perks up when she's asked, warmth spreading over a saddened expression.]

Yeah. Her name's Serah, my younger sister. Three years younger. Haven't seen her in a while.

[It feels like it's been months at this rate, with the way time passes here. It had only been days back home, but then being sucked through the mirrors three times tripled that. She laughs, trying to imagine Serah swearing the same way Vex's five year old sister might.]

Gotta teach 'em young. What's her name?

[moneytwin]

[ The expression that appears on Lightning's face is one she knows all too well.

It's funny. Being a twin, Vex has found it hurts too much to talk about Vax while here, save in passing. This is the longest she has ever left his side in the entirety of their 27 years, and not even Percy can get her to open up about it.

Fortunately, Velora is far easier to talk about. ]

Serah. That's a lovely name. [her smile twists slightly, shared sympathy.] She's called Velora.

She's absolutely mad for owlbears. She was very excited when I brought her feathers from some that I found in the wild.

[sparkstrikes]

[It is a lovely name. A name she wishes she could call out more often while here... but Velora is pretty, too. Unique.]

Owlbears...?

[There's something else that's unique. Serah's never had something she was particularly crazy about, save for that tree named Snow Villiers.]

They anything like yours, but with wings?

[moneytwin]

[ The tales they'll have to tell their sisters, later. One hopes, anyway.. ]

Mmhmm. Owlbears.

[ Absolutely a thing, and incredibly dangerous. So naturally, Velora has a soft plushie of one she carries around. ]

Not quite. They have a bear-ish body, but its covered in feathers, no real fur. And they have owl heads and bears. The claws are owl talons. You don't want to mess with them in a fight.

[sparkstrikes]

[Lightning barks out a laugh. What strange sounding and totally dangerous creatures... sounds like just the sort of thing a little sister would get herself into...]

Velora sounds like a risk-taker, if those're her favourite.

[A real troublemaker, just like Serah. ;) ]

Would she do just about anything to see one up close?