adamant | 22nd roar [ text + action ]

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22nd roar [ text + action ]

[[ OOC: Feel free to ignore the inane tl;dr I felt compelled to write. Action is open to anyone in Ecruteak city!

Just a small note that today marks my, and Leon's, first Johto anniversary, and I'd like to extend a big thank you to everyone, and I do mean everyone who threaded with me at any point, with any of my characters, over the past 365 days. You're all wonderful, and you've realy made Route such a special place for me. ♥

Apologies for how closed this post seems, but Leon's a really private person and it felt right for his anniversary.

Okay sap over, onto more sap! ]

[ private text message to: Lightning Farron ]
You're not busy tonight, are you? Care to meet me after work, by the Gym? Wear something nice.

[ private text message to: Sora ]
It's been a year, did you know? I just wanted to say thank you. For everything.

[ private text message to: Xion ]
I'm not upset with you.

[ private text message to: Coop ]
My high score is 1057. I'm blaming you for this, I hope you know.

[ private text message to: Cecil ]
Whatever you told Xion about 'love'? Next time, let her know that it isn't fit for public discussion.

[ private text message to: Minnie ]
The house hasn't fallen down on you yet, has it? No leaks? Have you started Halloween preparations?

[ private text message to: Nanako ]
How did that ice cream turn out?

[ private text message to: FF7!Yuffie ]
Which do you like better: purple, or blue?

[ private text message to: Kisa ]
It's getting cold, isn't it? How are you holding up?

[ story time ]

He takes the day off work. Maybe it's some kind of dumb sentimentalism; maybe Johto has made him soft. Maybe he just needs to think. Whatever it is, it's a good day to be outside, so that's where he is, enjoying the wind and, what he suspects are the last dregs of good weather before Johto gives itself over to winter completely. He can taste the incoming snow, and it makes him feel good, because if you'd told him a year, two years ago he'd know the change of seasons again he would have scowled.

He spends the morning on rocky Route 42 alone with Skarmory. The wind brings with it the scent of the winding rivers and lakes that cross the area like the strange, looping dividers of jigsaw puzzles. Mt. Mortar looms over them, craggy with shadow-dipped caves dotting its flanks, fragrant pines sticking out of its skin like thorns. Pebbles and brittle autumn grass crunch under his boot, and the light gooseflesh on his arms makes him draw up his collar, despite the sunshine, and reminds him that Aerith isn't here to make sleeves for him like last year.

Skarmory dashes ahead, metal coat glinting in the sun, and he watches her move with appreciation. Every so often she turns back, calls to him, runs all the way back to him just to butt her head against his chest, then runs off again. He feels light, just looking at her. Maybe it's the air coming down from the mountain, doing them both good. He thinks he's gotten used to that strange, sawblade caw, or maybe, like wine and new foods, he's just acquired a taste for it. They play, try to match each other in whistles: he starts a tune, and from a hundred paces away, she finishes it, then starts another. She lifts off and flies circles around him. She dives low, and he surprises her by catching her and swinging himself up and over her neck. From above, he can see their reflection in the lake water, and forgets the cold.

They picnic on an outcropping from which Skarmory blows away the dirt, and he shields his eyes from the heavy midday sun. Down below he can see the road stretching out like a lazy brown snake. Skarmory lays her head in his lap as he finishes a sandwich, trying his damnedest not to swallow too much windblown mountain dust.

"Thanks," he says suddenly, tucking away the wrapper.

She blinks one tawny eye up at him, then noses further against his stomach. He's always wondered how much she understands, and it's moments like this, where her expression turns just that shade of sharp, like she's gauging for something, that he thinks he might regret not teaching her more things. He scratches her throat, delicately.

"It's been...an interesting year. I owe you a lot."

Still no real response from her, and he feels a bit stupid, so he becomes silent again. He keeps scratching her throat until his fingers are sore, then pushes her head away and gets up on stiff legs jittery with pins and needles. As he makes his way back down towards the path, he feels something snag against his belts. Skarmory is there when he turns, looking at him with her head slightly tilted. She waits until he's turned to face her before stepping up to him, drawing herself up to her full height--almost a head taller than him, now--and then opens her wings wide and bends her neck, tucking the side of her head against the fur on his collar. Her wings close shut very gently against his sides.

It takes him a moment to realize that she's imitating a behavior she's seen Aerith, Yuffie, Nanako, Minnie, Lightning, even Sora do--she's hugging him.

Cautious of being cut, and feeling a little awkward, he stays immobile for the long moment the embrace lasts. Eventually she draws away, takes in his vaguely consternated expression and chirps with pleasure before leaping back down to the road. Trying not to slip on loose stone, he follows, feeling like he's got a long way to go before he really understands Skarmory--but that's all right. At least she keeps things interesting.

[ action for Ecruteak ]

[ Leon can be found back in Ecruteak during the afternoon, Skarmory, Strike, Flood and Lucky keeping him company as he enjoys the fall colors before the wind sweeps them off the trees. He's got half an eye on his 'gear, half on the road--come bother him. ]

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You're the expert--

[ Her question gives him a bit of a perplexed look. ]

You were busy today, and it was a surprise, so...thank you. That's all. [ A tiny smile, as he leans over to nose her hair. ] Do I need a reason?

[Expert on fish, perhaps. Expert on little things like this? Not really. She doesn't move away, though, and she smiles a little.]

Hardly. It just surprised me, that's all. It's not something I was expecting today.

Well, I hope you like it, then. Wouldn't want to disappoint.

[ And here they are: a wide window on a narrow street, displaying the diners inside, talking under the low lights. Trays of appetizing-looking sushi is being served, which only serves to make Leon's arm tighten around her shoulders. He leads her inside. ]

I don't know about you, but I'm starving.

Edited 2011-10-19 14:11 (UTC)

Like I said, it's hard to mess up raw fish. It'll be fine.

[It certainly looks good, though that's probably her stomach talking as they walk inside. Lunch suddenly feels so long ago, and with good company, this is shaping up to be a good meal. Once the waiter at the door has their reservation in hand and is turning into the main restaurant, Lightning gives Leon's hand a quick squeeze. They kind of need this, really.]

Then it's a good thing we came now. These kinds of places get crowded easily.

[Sure enough, as the waiter leads them to their table, a few more couples have come in through the front door. Dinner hour is upon them, after all.]

Means it's popular. Probably means it's good.

[ He pulls back her chair for her, waiting for her to sit before pushing her up to the table and taking his own seat. They're left with a long menu card, a small pencil to indicate their choices, and twin glasses of water. ]

...there were less choices when I had lunch.

[ Looking vaguely consternated. WHAT ARE ALL THESE NAMES ]

[After a soft smile and a "thanks" for Leon pulling her seat out, she looks at the menu. They aren't the same names for the fish back in Bodhum, but it's the same kind of setup. Lighter meals at the top, heavier stuff at the bottom, and a lot of choices for dinner meals. While still browsing, Lightning flicks her gaze up to Leon.]

That's how it works. They want you to try different dishes whenever they can get you in the door.

[Still, it's confusing as all get out, even for her. In the end, Lightning ends up picking something at random; there's no way it can be worse than military rations.]

Just stay away from the sauces unless you want to risk getting something spicy. I don't recognize these names.

All right, thanks.

[ He recognizes some of them; he knows the ones that are tuna-, salmon- or shrimp-based, so he orders those, along with a glass of red wine for each of them and, out of curiosity, that rice wine they're offering on the menu. Can't hurt, right?

As the waiter walks away, he ponders the possibility of reaching across the table for Lightning's hand, then quashes the impulse. ]

Have you spoken to Xion, recently?

[Lightning nods, not quite settling in her seat as the waiter heads off, but more at ease than she would have been at this time last year. Maybe it's the company, maybe it's the relaxed atmosphere, maybe it's her own hidden desire to reach out and take his hand. She can't say for sure.]

Not recently. Did something happen?

She keeps...

[ He exhales a bit, bringing his knuckles to his mouth in a moment of thought. Who else can he talk about this with but Lightning? There's no one here he trusts more. ]

She keeps getting into trouble. You know Riku, right?

[Seeing Leon's slightly worried motion, Lighting tilts her head and contemplates reaching out to him. But first, this issue.]

Vaguely. We met a couple of times.

[And neither time had ended well. If Xion's gotten mixed up with him...]

She's getting into something with him, isn't she?

Riku's not--he's not a bad kid.

[ Misguided, maybe. He almost wants to say that Riku's not a bad influence, either, but that's mostly because Leon firmly believes Xion would never embrace Riku's ideals. ]

He's rough on his pokemon, though. Xion tried to--I think she was trying to protect his Aerodactyl from him. [ Lightning's probably seen Terror in action; she's a monster. ] She climbed onto its back.

That depends on your definition of bad, Leon. He's too stubborn for his own good sometimes.

[She remembers the lecture she gave him. If he's still rough on his team, then it didn't get through....and seeing Terror that one day during training is enough to make Lightning's almost huffy sigh rather appropriate.]

Tell me she didn't get airborne or land herself in the hospital because of that stunt.

She landed herself a visit to the pokemon center--after she nearly fell off Terror's back. If Riku's Charizard hadn't caught her...

[ He exhales. She can fill in the blanks. ]

[She can and does fill in the blanks, and that mental image is enough to get her to pinch the bridge of her nose to stave off any more. She's going to have a talk with that girl...]

Don't go there. We'll have to talk with her, but there's no point in dwelling on something that didn't happen.

[But it could have, and that thought is terrifying. Especially here, where there's no magic to heal if it comes to that.]

It just...she worries me, sometimes.

[ Taking a sip from his water, as if to keep the thought down. ]

I feel like she does this a lot. Too often.

Edited 2011-10-30 12:43 (UTC)

I know what you mean. She's too reckless. She doesn't think things through until it's too late to stop.

[Her charging at Lightning during sparring, her questions that morning, her getting on Terror's back and nearly falling off...it all reeks of someone who just doesn't know how things could go so wrong. Not like Lightning does, and she shakes her head.]

She's a kid testing her limits. Someone has to teach her better ways to do it before it goes wrong.

That's just it. I don't think it's a kid testing their limits, Lightning. I think Xion knows exactly what her limits are, she's just ignoring them.

[frowning now. Why in the world would she do a thing like that...] Why do you think she's doing that? Xion never struck me as a thrill seeker.

I don't think Xion's got a very high opinion of herself.

[Low self-worth. Almost anything can cause that. Something said to her, either here or back home. Something done to her in either world...Lightning doesn't know enough to even guess, and she doesn't know the girl well enough to ask and get straight answers yet, but Leon...he might.]

Has she told you anything that could confirm that? Anything that might have happened to her back home?

I...

[ He becomes pensive, mouth against a curled fist as he thinks of what to say, how to say it, or if he even should be telling this to Lightning. ]

How much do you know about Xion? [ That's a good place to start? ]

Edited 2011-10-30 13:53 (UTC)

[For a moment, Lightning just watches his face. He seems...hesitant. Like there's something he's not telling her about this. He knows something she doesn't and there is nothing wrong with that. She'll just be shaking her head now.]

Not much. I don't know if she's here alone or if others from her world are here, and she hasn't told me anything about her situation back home.

[She's been intending to find out, but with everything else that's happened lately, it's been hard to catch her at a good time for them both.]

Xion isn't... [ A tiny exhale. If he can't trust Lightning with this, who can he trust? ]

Xion isn't human. Or at least, not in the same way you and I are.

[His hesitation is thick enough that Lightning opens her mouth to say that he doesn't have to tell her, but he's already spoken and she closes her jaw with an audible "click" from her teeth. Not human. What defines that? Nothing Lightning understands, even after her own foray into that gray zone between.]

And she thinks less of herself because of it, doesn't she? She might not think she even has a right to live because she isn't human.

[It may be voiced like a question, but it really isn't. She can understand what that kind of thinking would lead to.]

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22nd roar [ text + action ]

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