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Who: Vaan and Lightning.
What: Training, meeting, and discussions of other worlds. Also talking about the future...
Where: Town Square.
When: A few hours after Vaans post.
Warnings: Drama! Action! Edits in case shit goes down!

Well. He'd taken a wash, and Vaan had gone as fast as he could to the Town Square. Who named this place? He'd taken his Chocobo too - just in case somebody went after his home. In his pouch he totally has, as well, he's got one of his eggs there - his Chocobo refused to leave without it. Hm. But one thing he did leave behind? His orb.

With a slight snarl, a slight sniff, he looked around. She should be around here. Lady Farron... or, just Lightning. That was her first name, correct? Or her name, in any case. If only he could illusion back to his true form... he hated being a monster, but he had a meeting to do. She wanted to talk about something... people she knew from her plane? Perhaps.

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[Several things needed discussion, really. The names gnawed at her during her walk to the Town Square, but they weren't the most pressing thing. No, they had more pressing matters to discuss. Like how it seemed they were the only ones not still on the side of those...people.

She was starting to wonder if this world was altering them somehow. Either way, Vaan seemed to have held onto his sanity and she needed that. It was why she came, arriving hours before Vaan but stepping out of the shadows of an alcove when he rode to a stop.]

You can stop snarling. I'm not here to fight you.

[That being said, her gunblade is in her holster at her thighs. If it comes to it, she'll use it.]

I just want to talk.

[Vaan stands, getting off his bird - good. She's there. And he couldn't smell any locals around here, anymore. He may have scared them off with a bit of electricity, a few scalding hot bubbles.

But he still looks ready to fight. Ever since how Bianca spoke to him, and Minato too... he's almost alone. With a bit of a nod, he looks straight at her - a hand on his Chocobo, so she doesn't flee.]
What about?

A lot of things.

[She keeps her distance from him, standing with her arms crossed over her chest and her Dragonfly noisily buzzing around her head. She knows that posture, knows the threat he could pose...but honestly she's just tired now. The part of her that aches at missing her family wants to ask after those names. The soldier makes her stop and think. They need allies, clearly.]

What are you planning to do to those people? You don't strike me as the type to offer swordfighting lessons for no good reason.

[And training others to rise up is a very good reason. But maybe she's wrong. She doesn't know.]

[...The training... Vaan gives a sigh.]
We've been treated like annoyances. As if we're not suffering - it's all about them, about how we've inconvenienced them. I want to kill them. Even if it wouldn't get me home - I want to destroy them.
[A pause, and Vaan grips his pendant. Reks... there's no way he exists anymore. He's gone. This is worse then what Basch did - at least he could get revenge easily there. At least he didn't become a beast because of him.]
I've judged them guilty, after all. But I can't do it alone - there's too many of them. If I can convince any of them to join me, there's a larger chance I can do it.
[Another pause, his ears twitch.]
But if I just stated that though the orbs? Who knows what's listening.

Or who. [She sighs, clutching at her arms and wanting more than anything to go home. But she can't, and so she turns to look Vaan in the eyes.]

You're going to need a better plan than just revenge. It never goes the way you want it to if you don't have a plan behind it. [experience colors her tone at that, before she shifts her weight.]

We're going to need a better plan, because from the sounds of things, you and I are the only ones not taking them at their word.

[His expression does grow a bit stiff at that. Just revenge wouldn't work... maybe. She was a Knight - she would know quite a bit. But he does nod at that, taking a step towards her, letting go of his Chocobo. But before he does leave the Chocobos side, he does speak to it.]
Make sure nobody's watching, bird. This is serious.
[And then, yes - his Chocobo is going to guard the perimeter.]
You noticed that too? From what I've seen, others are content to listen to whatever they're fed by the Others of this land. It's pathetic.
[Yes, he does give a bit of a spit at the end of that. But, then, he closes his eyes.]
We're the only ones who haven't. At least I know you can already fight a little.

[Well. That's one smart bird. It gets a glance and then Lightning's attention is fully on Vaan. His distate is obvious and it runs deeper than hers, but she understands and so she nods.]

I've been fighting for years. I'd call that more than a little. [Semantics, though.] Might be enough to make some difference. We just need to find out what they're capable of before mounting any sort of attack. Otherwise we may as well be charging to our deaths for no reason.

[Years, huh. Of course she'd be fighting for years - she was... no, she was't that one. You almost get a smile from Vaan, before he speaks.]
True. There's no reason f'me to die - just because everybody else is.
[But, he then poofs in his spear - the crystal tip pretty visible, just so he can place it by his side.]
Somethin' tells me they're pretty strong, though. That's just how it goes - if they weren't, this kidnapping wouldn't have gone off like this.
[Pause.]
You can see I've changed, can't you. I've become a monster.

[The spear's sudden appearance makes her the tiniest bit wary, but it only shows in how she shifts her weight, ready to grab her blade at a moment's notice.

But then the monster comment registers and she frowns, deep and dark. He thinks a coat of fur and a muzzle are monstrous? He looks like a dog. Monsters are things that hunt them in the night, not. Dogs in need of a grooming.]

I've seen worse. You just need a haircut.

[Monsters try to kill her. That incident during their first meeting stung, not much else.]

[...Suddenly, Vaan grins - his instincts make him enjoy this part, even if it scares him...

And up goes the illusion! Right in front of Lightning, is... another Lightning!? With the bandages around the crystal eye still there, mind you. But other then that, he's a perfect replica!

He's just gonna let Lightning react, okay. If she tries to fight, though? The spear has been illusioned as well, shifting to a replica of her gunblade. Except for the crystal tip.]

[It's like looking in a mirror. She stiffens, posture going from ready to defensive at once and she reaches for her own weapon...before she notices the bandages around the eye. Not a perfect reflection, then. Her stance remains tense and she doesn't bring her hand back from her gunblade's hilt, still wary as all hell, but her tone is...civil enough.

Yes, Vaan. You managed to scare her, too.]

...That just for show or can you actually do something by mimicking people?

Well, [Vaan said - even the voice had changed. He was a near-perfect replica,] you couldn't tell, right? Nobody seems to be able to tell. Perhaps those kidnappers could - but, uh...
[And then, around Lightning, another illusion - whoops, it almost looks like they're on cracked land, floating in the sky. The wind feels like it's blowing around them, even though it's not. He only keeps it up for a few moments, though. He hasn't trained too much.]
Sure, they can't hurt people. But the mind's a powerful thing - plus, there's quite a few people those kidnappers trust, right?

[Near perfect--is that what she sounds like? The thought passes through her mind and then...then her stomach rises to her chest like the ground has fallen out beneath her. Mind is a powerful thing indeed. She gives herself a shake as the illusion fades, however, and looks at Vaan again instead of at the ground. Still solid, Farron. Breathe.]

I wouldn't say that. I'd say there's more people that trust them then the other way around right now. That woman didn't seem to care about us one way or the other.

[A general us there.]

But, either way.
[A pause, as Vaan goes back to normal.]
If they trust that rabbit, that rabbit would be more willin' to talk to them then us.
[He can trick them, manipulate them. ~~Vaan plz you are not Delita.~~ He's got a bit of a winded smile, though. These powers are strong. He can do something here.]
We're not complying with their wishes for a happy life here. We're rebels.
[...Hah. Like the people of the other kingdoms. He's noticed the irony.]

Wouldn't be the first time.

[Rebels. The whole world out to get them. It's familiar in a way she never wanted to feel again. She wants to go home, to family and real things and...she can't. It's kept her up all night more than once already. Still, she manages to press on.]

So that's your plan? Mimic the others to talk to the rabbit and her friends to get information. [A quick pause, and then she shrugs one shoulder upwards.] Could work. How long can you hold another form, though?

[...How long...?]
At first, I could only hold it for a few minutes - but I've been trainin', and I can do it for about... two hours? But then I need to rest for a while. Still got to be careful.
[And then, he frowns.] I mean, they could see though it. If they have that sort of magick - gotta test it first.

You should test it out soon, then. No telling when they could decide leaving us alone isn't a good idea anymore.

[Granted it seems that they'll never do that, but still. What's the sense in taking chances.]

I know.
[Something simple. Something he could shrug off to others. He'll need to see them in person, though. That's when he takes of the bandage, though, to show his crystal eye. He... he needs to let her know about it, after all.]
This can cut though the illusions - but I don't want to lose it.

[Nice rock. The comment flits through her mind and she snorts a bit, too tired of all this to be surprised. But then she stops, looking for his eye to the spear nearby, and she frowns.]

You have the one on your spear, don't you? Do they do the same thing?

[The one on his spear?]
They're both from crystals. Well, the one in my eye is from Zeromus, and this topper's from Adrammelech, but they serve the same purpose.
[A pause, as he places a hand on the crystal.]
I broke it.

[Broke it--that was part of the big one he was holding before? She blinks, then shakes her head.]

Funny. You seemed pretty protective of that thing the last time I saw it. Didn't think you'd do anything to it at all, let alone break it.

[But what's that saying again? Desperate times, desperate measures?]

I wanted to see... I wanted t'see if it'd summon the god.
[...]
But there's no such thing as gods here. It didn't come. So, I decided I should at least use the shards f'something.

["There are no gods with miracles to save us." It had been a near-god who'd said that, and Lightning has to clench her fists tight at the memory. Even those days would be better than here.]

I don't suppose you'd be willing to part with one?

[She can give him a few reasons if she has to, but...]

[...Hm...

Vaan pauses. Should he give her a shard? He starts to pace, looking her over. They were enemies... but a single shard should be okay... right?]
I've got them back at my place. [Not his home. Big difference. His glare is still sort of judging - Lightning would be able to tell how much Vaan is considering this.

Because, well - he's only doing this because she's the most sane. But then, he sits...? And gets out an egg. A Chocobo egg.]
Y'know, my bird's been laying these a lot.

[She can certainly tell, and meets that judging glare with a firm look. He's the most sane she knows at this point, and while she still doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him? They have to start somewhere. She tilts her head as he sits, and then crouches. That's an...his bird gets a look. By fal'Cie, you--]

What's she been breeding with? I haven't seen another Chocobo around here.

How should I know? She goes out, and... well.
[He hasn't even seen birds big enough for it to breed with. What is wrong with these lands?]
I've been eatin' quite a few of them.

[The look he gets is more confusion than disdain. She's eaten some odd things herself--by the fal'Cie, Behemoth meat is tough--but why would he bring an uncooked meal out this far?]

Then why bring it here? Why show it to me if you've been using them as meals?

It's fertile. I... I thought you could use a steed.
[Even though it'll need to grow.]
I've been trained in Chocobo Back battling before.

[That. That earns him this face. He's giving her a Chocobo egg? Just like that? Huh. She looks at the egg again.]

Can't say that I have. Chocobos are pets on my world. [She can ride, sure, but...she looks up at him.] You sure about this?

[Well, yeah! Gotta get rid of them somehow.]
It's fine - better then it fallin' into the hands of those other guys, right? They might be a little violent, though.
[His girl's violent sometimes.]

[Definitely better. Definitely.]

I can handle violent. [That said, her hands are gentle as she reaches forward to take the egg. She's handled Sazh's chick, sure, but that little thing had hatched already. This is...different. She's not entirely sure how to handle it. Eh, she'll figure it out somehow.]

[A pause.]
I think it has a few weeks left before it hatches. I've got more in my house, if you need advice.
[He's mostly been letting his own Chocobo care for them, though...]

I'll remember that.

[But how hard can it be to hatch an egg? She'll figure it out. After a moment, however, she pulls it in close, holding it with one hand against her abdomen and extending the other to Vaan. Shake?]

Lightning.

[He may say "I knew that already" or something, but her intent is a fresh start. If they're going to be working together...it may as well be on first name terms.]

[Actually... he didn't. But Vaan gives over his own hand, giving Lightning a firm shake of the hand.]
Very well, Lady Lightning. [It's a start? He still sees her as a Knight.] Vaan's my only name, so... [Yeah, he has no last name. Unless you count being a Judge, but then he would only be known as Judge Vaan.]

[It's a start, and while she doesn't really think she's any sort of "Lady", she doesn't fight it. This time.]

A name's a name, Vaan. Better than calling you by something you're not.

[Said as she lets go and rises to her feet again, egg still clutched to her chest. There's not much left to say after all this, that's for sure, but...]

We should go back. Before anyone comes here and sees us together. We don't need to make enemies just yet.

[Not when they're outnumbered. Not yet.]

Edited 2013-08-06 14:47 (UTC)

[...True. Vaan gives a nod at that, and looks around - before whistling to his Chocobo.]
If you need me, I live in Cloud Spires - uh, actually, it's a bit hard to get into. Just activate the orbs, and we'll meet somewhere else.
[He is not going to just tell her the way into his lair. Not here - as Vaan is mounting his bird, he gives a bit of a sniff at Lightning. He's not going to get close to her, but he's glad. He's glad he's got an ally.]

[Looking up at him, she nods and steps back to avoid being trampled.]

Don't do anything stupid in the meantime and I will.

[Lay low, is what she means. Don't piss anyone else off just yet.]

Hey - I'm a Judge. I know when to make my entrance!
[And, Vaan is off, a smile on his lips!

...vaan no1curr if you're a judge...]

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