[action in luca, backdated a few days]

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Grounded had been the punishment, and grounded it was. Aside from having the freedom to buy groceries (she was, afterall, the main cook; half of the household would possibly starve otherwise), Serah had been stuck in the confinement of the house for near two weeks with her friends. She didn't know if it was the right punishment, but she didn't argue it. Serah took it with good grace.

She felt naive for ever thinking it would have gone smoothly. She felt guilty, and she also felt sorry. Mostly on everyone else's behalf. She had asked Snow and Hope to join them, afterall.

The atmosphere was still heavy, and still had not quite lifted. The tension was still there in the air. As it was still late evening, and dinner was busy cooking away to itself, Serah had taken to stealing a small moment outside in the small garden, with her trademark book. That she was partly reading, as well as the leaflet tucked within it, on varying houses in Luca, tucked away the last time she'd bough groceries, out of sight.

... that announcement hadn't been made yet, suffice to say.]

Comments

[Action]

[twistedjudge.livejournal.com]

[Fang's coming home after a day of monster hunting the in hills outside the city, spear on her back. When she sees Serah outside, she stops briefly, then keeps walking up to the girl.]

What've you got there?

[She means the book. It's been a very tense couple of weeks, and she's actively trying to make it less... Though she doesn't have much practice at it.]

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Whilst she's more jumpy towards Lightning, she wasn't as much so to Fang. Still apologetic, of course, but much less nervous about it. The leaflet is discreetly pushed to one side so just the book is visible.]

It's mostly stories. Gaian stories; fictional or not. There's probably truth in them, somewhere.

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[twistedjudge.livejournal.com]

There is in most of those old things. Thinkin' of takin' up research or somethin' like that?

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[She hadn't considered that, so she looks momentarily surprised at the suggestion of what she could be planning, but she looks thoughtful.] Hmm... good question. I wouldn't say as such... if I did do something along those lines, it would probably be teaching others. Sharing knowledge.

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[twistedjudge.livejournal.com]

There's some bloke over in Treno somewhere, I think, that does that sort of thing. Maybe you should talk to him.

[And Fang leans her spear up against the house, moving to her herb plants and starting to pull leaves off to take inside to dry.]

We've all got to find somethin' to do - this place is nice, but we're crammin' too many people into one house. Somethin's bound to explode sooner or later.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

There is? Hmm. Maybe I should, when...

[She's not grounded anymore. She speedily moves on from that subject. Avoiding the issue of the house, which, if you're looking closely, Fang, she looks a big shifty, shuffling where she's sat before replying.]

If we all want to stay on Gaia... then I agree. We have to be more... proactive? In the community, that is.

[Action]

[twistedjudge.livejournal.com]

[Serah's lucky Fang isn't looking right then, instead being more concentrated on pulling weeds out of her herbs, or she would notice that.]

Right. I don't think any of us are leavin' - me and Vanille have nothin' to go back to, and your lot is outcast from the society you all were raised in. Goin' back's nothin' but trouble we don't need.

[fulminous.livejournal.com]

[ Lightning wanted to try and make it better; so after her talk with Fang, she sought her sister out a couple of days later, finally finding her in the garden with a book. That wasn't too terribly surprising, and Lightning almost hesitated to disturb her, but she wanted to make amends.

She wanted to let Serah know she understood why she had done what she did.

So Lightning cleared her throat, and stepped forward. ] Serah?

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Serah was absorbed in the reading, but at her sister's voice, she instantly snapped out of it, half jumping to attention.

It wasn't because she thought she was going to be yelled at, or anything... but, when she was attempting to make amends by doing everything that was asked of her, she half expected it to be something along those lines.] Yes?

[fulminous.livejournal.com]

[ Lightning was calm, and not angry at all. In fact, she was more hesitant than anything else, approaching her sister carefully. She pulled a dagger out from behind her back, and handed it towards her sister, hilt first. ] Come on. I'm going to teach you how to fight.

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Serah's good at reading Lightning. So it's when she's moving towards her that she notes... heitance. About what, she's not sure. But when she speaks, that is the last thing she expects her to say. Her eyes go wide, and her mouth drops open in surprise.

Any semblance of whatever sentence she had been preparing flies immediately out the window, and she gapes for a moment.]

You... you are?

[fulminous.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I know why you went off without telling me.. [ She frowns, and shakes her head, putting a hand on her hip. ] And I'm still not happy about it. But.. [ And Lightning softens. ] I understand.

I just want you to be safe, but the best way to do that is to tell you how to keep yourself safe in that kind of situation.

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Serah winces at that, and resists the temptation to gain a sudden fascination with the floor, instead looking up to her sister. And she nods, slowly.] I'm sorry... [The millionth time, but she stills means it, as much as the first.] ... but... thank you.

[And then she takes the dagger from her, standing upright.] I'll try. I'll try as hard as a I can.

[tosavecocoon.livejournal.com]

[ The guilt Vanille felt hung heavy over everything she did. She was quiet, she did everything she was told, and she hadn't even touched the Bhakti in her room all week. She hadn't left her room much, either, except to eat. No one was seeing a lot of her.

Eventually, she decides to track Serah down. She has yet another apology to offer the other girl, this time for almost getting her killed. It just adds to the ever growing pile. ]

...Serah?

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Serah is usually the type to absorbed in what she's reading, which holds true, despite the situation. Still, she is always just as quick to have that world's grip be released on her if her name is called.

Especially by her friend who had been spending a lot of time holed up in her room. She offers a smile, even if the guilt lingers.]

Hey, Vanille.

[tosavecocoon.livejournal.com]

[ Vanille hesitates and then takes a seat a short distance away. It's not that she doesn't want to be near Serah; she just thinks the other girl might be mad at her. And she wouldn't blame Serah at all.

It takes her some time to really get around to what she wants to say. So... she stalls. ]

What're you reading?

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[The smile is strained a little, for a moment. She's not mad, or upset at the fact Vanille sits a little way away - just... more worried, than anything else.

And the stalling. She's beginning to recognise this. It's... probably not what she wanted to talk about. But Serah's good. She goes with it, keeping the smile in place.] Stories from Gaia. Some are fictional... and some of them are probably written accounts. But I think there's truth in all of them.

[tosavecocoon.livejournal.com]

[ Give her a few minutes, Serah. She'll get around to it. ]

That sounds interesting. You'll have to tell me how you like it.

[ Pause pause pause. Tense silence. ]

Serah... I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you and everyone else into danger like that.

[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Serah smiles to the first, and nods. But to the latter, the smile slowly dissipates again. Slowly, almost unbearably, Serah puts the book down by her side.]

Vanille...

[And then she shuffles over with much quicker speed, gently taking hold of her hand.]

... You have nothing to apologise for. If anything, I'm... [She shakes her head.] ... I wanted to go with you. I don't... I don't regret going. None of us knew about the Adamontoise... and it's not your fault. It's not. We don't blame you.

[So... please don't beat yourself up anymore.]

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[Snow's punishment had been one of Lightning's trademark punches to the face and a long talking-to about how he should have kept everyone at home; being the oldest meant that he was expected to be responsible. The lecture had gone on a lot longer than even he had expected, but he had taken it as gracefully as possible. There was no stopping Serah when she was determined, and the same could be said for Vanille. He wasn't going to let them run off without him tagging along to offer his protection.

He had been looking for Serah for the better part of ten minutes when he came across her in the garden, having been puzzled to find the kitchen empty yet smelling distinctly of dinner.]

Hey there. Thought I might offer to help you cook. Need anything, princess?

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

[Serah looks up straight away, though... the guilt is plain on her face. Snow had to pick up the slack, and... she really didn't want that. She would apologise for the millionth time, but, moves on to his question instead.]

I'm alright. Everything's on. It'll... probably be ready soon, if you wanted...

[She trails off. Then she says quietly,] Do you?

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

[Now that sort of long face just won't do. Snow won't have it.]

Do I what? Want to help? [He might as well address both situations here at once.]

Serah. No matter what it is, I'll always be happy to help you. Wherever you go, I'll be happy to follow. You never need to feel bad about that.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

Need anything. [Her voice is quiet.

... until the next part, where she immediately objects.] I know, I- I just- I'm sorry. Snow, you've had... so much strife over what Vanille and I wanted, and I...

[A sigh.] I'm sorry.

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[rebelpugilist.livejournal.com]

O-oh. [He was so focused on her being down that it went right over his head.] No, I'm fine.

You don't have to be sorry! I wanted to go, too. And it was important. Someone had to go! Lightning and Fang were going to disapprove no matter what, I knew that. I expected to get reamed. But I knew that what we did was the right thing.

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[focustrigger.livejournal.com]

A-As... long as you're sure. [She nods, softly. She says this now, but... it's likely she'll be apologising again before the day's out.] We really hadn't... wanted it to end that way.And I... am glad you were there. I always am. [And a very small smile.

Then she adds,] ... I have something you might like, actually...