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Post by Erik Storm on Sept 5, 2011 11:03:47 GMT -5
Gran Pulse was a wild place, where he had awakened was right below Cocoon..yes, the man in question was none other than the smiling face of Erik Storm. Though beneath that smiling face hid emotions much deeper and darker than his feigned brightness. He had come here for a deeper reason than just sight seeing. About a week ago, He managed to seize one of the frequencies of his past vendetta. Lightning Farron, Sargent of the Sanctum Guardian Corps..or former Sargent. Past mattered here, since it kept stabbing at him like a million blades. He told her to meet him in the Crystal Fields, the very location of his awakening. It was here that they would settle their past differences.
Erik intended to receive forgiveness, not only for his ruined life, but his misguided vengeance as well. When he found out that PSICOM had killed Anna, his heart was torn, all he could do was cover with a smile..but he could never have the one thing that would bring him true happiness..forgiveness. He needed that forgiveness. His eyes went downcast, pausing in his steps."Thank you for coming, Lightning..I wanted to speak to you."
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Post by Lightning Farron on Sept 5, 2011 14:36:20 GMT -5
And for once, she was on her own two feet.
Scaring the kid away with her Eidolon would be a bit of a stupid idea, and regardless, she needed the exercise anyway. Though the thought of why she was here led her around again to the guy that had contacted her on an intercepted frequency - one hand rested gently on the bag strapped to her thigh, in which a PDA sat.
She didn't remember him. At all. But he knew who she was, apparently well, and Lightning figured this was one memory she could pin on her sudden amnesia as of late. After all, if she'd forgotten Serah once, who was to say it couldn't happen again? Or that a less important memory could vanish, either?
But still. Maybe he was one of those guys in the Palumpolum troops that Rosch ordered to fire on Hope and herself. She had to face it; Lightning had become a celebrity, what with the branding. Everyone knew who she was, so why was she so on edge about this guy knowing her identity?
Perhaps because the kid was so familiar with her. Not like Snow; not arrogant and chummy from the get-go, more just... so incredibly friendly, like a dog that you just can't push away. So she didn't want to slug him in the jaw. But, seeing his looming figure up ahead, the chocobo on her shoulder chirped as if to remind her don't punch him, stupid, he probably has a really good reason! Regardless, the pink-haired woman's pace increased, and Miku'mirri fell off her pauldron with the sudden change of velocity. Though he picked himself up in midair with a discordant kweh and flapped his little pink wings to catch up, so it wasn't much of an issue.
Imagine. The feared Lightning Farron, ex-Sergeant of the Bodhum Security Regiment Guardian Corps, Pulse l'Cie and enemy of the state, followed by a little pink chocobo.
"Spit it out, what do you want?" she ground out immediately upon his finished sentence, the force of her presence making up for the two inches in height difference. She'd faced down a six foot seven giant before; this kid was small fry.
But what the hell was she here for? Not knowing even who this guy was brought on a kind of irritation that might, just might, result in a famous right hook. If he managed to push her buttons enough.
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Post by Erik Storm on Sept 6, 2011 15:55:48 GMT -5
Lightning's question was as harsh as winter but Erik knew he had it coming. After all, he had called her out here on such short notice. He nodded once."Okay, I'll explain."He said. Then something strange happened, He put his hand and gripped the hem of his sleeveless before pulling it up and off. If Lightning was to observe close enough, she would see the Sanctum L'Cie brand on his left shoulderblade, long past open but strangely not gone, he had completed his focus long before he contacted her. He looked up to Lightning and put his hand on his brand."I want to explain myself..and apologize."He said."I called you out here to show you this brand..why did I show it to you? Because I have the feeling that we'd be better friends than enemies..I got this brand trying to exact vengeance on the wrong people..my wife was killed during a rebellion..and I was moved to Palumpolum after she was taken to be purged."He said and paused."..When I heard my wife, anna, was killed..I was distraught, I was angry..and they knew my heart was shattered..they knew I wanted vengeance."
He put his sleeveless back on and straightened it."So, they pinned the blame of a rebel group known as NORA..as Snow as the designated victim of vendetta. For months, I had been chasing your group, thirsting for revenge. As I got to the Palumpolum underground with you and another from your group..Carbuncle branded me."He paused."I thought by receiving power, I could take my vengeance out on you..but that was not my focus..and when I figured out it was PSICOM and not you that killed the person precious to me, it was too late.."He said and then got on his knees, putting his hands to the ground and bowed low."I'm so sorry..I chased after the wrong people..I jumped at the opportunity of vengeance without contemplating the consequences..I was foolish and for that..I'm sorry."
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Post by Lightning Farron on Sept 15, 2011 20:56:08 GMT -5
With folded arms and hips cocked comfortably, slightly to the side, Lightning's cape rippled as she shifted a bit in irritation. Get on with it...
She still didn't quite fathom who the guy was - until he reached up to pull off his shirt, bringing a complete Sanctum brand into view. At that, she admittedly took a step back, left heel descending and digging into the soft ground and grass after a rain a few days before. Disregarding everything about the man's behavior beside that brand, Lightning's gaze turned quickly to ice as nostrils flared, a honed instinctive reaction well-practiced in a span of months. Despite the... almost year it had been since Cocoon's 'fall', such habits were not easily lost.
Then he explained and, while not yet trustful, Light relaxed slightly, hiding sympathy behind steely composure.
"We all fell on some hard times," she said. Though not cold, there was really no inflection in the statement. She turned away and looked north.
"I can't blame you. What NORA was to you, the Sanctum was to me. It's a good thing we both saw the truth before it was too late."
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Post by Erik Storm on Sept 17, 2011 18:18:45 GMT -5
Erik could feel the temperature drop that very moment, his eyes closed tight, knowing that while showing her his Sanctum brand was a bad idea, he needed to be totally honest with her to even warrant any sort of forgiveness. He was honestly under the impression that the woman would attack him and he closed his eyes tight, fully ready for it. What he heard was not blades drawing or the sickening splash of his own blood nor the brief millisecond pain and then the cold of death, but the woman's words. "We all fell on some hard times," He opened his eyes and continued staring at the ground, hearing her statement over and over in his mind.
"I can't blame you. What NORA was to you, the Sanctum was to me." At these words, he looked up towards Lightning, his confusion apparent on his face. "It's a good thing we both saw the truth before it was too late." "Yeah..when I saw the truth, it wasn't good at all..it tore me asunder." His thoughts were in reply. He slowly stood to his feet and shifted his weight onto his left food, his eyes curiously looking over her. Why had she not finished him off? Was she..saving him for later? Did she forgive him."Why must Sanctum and Pulse fight..why must it turn people against each other?"He replied in question. He sighed and scratched the back of his head, pausing only for a moment to regard her."You're Lightning but you do not know my name..It's Erik Storm. Pleasure to meet you."
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Post by Lightning Farron on Sept 18, 2011 13:24:19 GMT -5
"Why must Sanctum and Pulse fight..why must it turn people against each other?"
Men fight men, Barthandelus' voice echoed in her mind, and her teeth came together. Men battle beasts.
"'Cocoon wars with Pulse," she quipped. "'There can be no end to such conflict.' That's what Dysley said to us."
Her weight shifted, hips swaying, cape moving as well as she changed the focus of her vision. "You want to know what keeps my faith? The fal'Cie are gone. It's their fault our minds were poisoned. Maybe now we can start over..."
If the Sanctum doesn't fall back into the fal'Cie cycle, of course. They were under their own command; floating under their own control, even. But what was to lead them away from the temptation of aggression again? "There can be no end..."
"My Focus is to prove him wrong," she stated. Of course, it was a metaphor; Light held no Focus since the fall of Cocoon. But nevertheless, it was the purpose that animated her movements, and that she would hold true to. "There has to be some way to end these wars, once and for all. I'll find it."
"You're Lightning but you do not know my name..It's Erik Storm. Pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure," she returned with a nod, only partially sincere. The Sanctum fal'Cie may be gone, but an active brand... misgivings awoke in the corners of her mind where shadows hid, growling at the light. It was nothing personal, but his brand caused an uneasy roiling in the pit of her stomach.
Barthandelus... You must be dead.
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Post by Erik Storm on Sept 18, 2011 14:16:29 GMT -5
"'Cocoon wars with Pulse,"
"'There can be no end to such conflict.' That's what Dysley said to us."
Erik shook his head slowly, he could not believe Dysley was actually the Fal'Cie Barthandelus and later, Orphan..it was a bit much to take in, he had lost all memories of his focus..but he remembered Dysley well, ever since Palumpolum that name had been brought up many times. Then there was the assault on Eden..He didn't remember much but that's where all went blank since his awakening. "Dysley is wrong,"
"You want to know what keeps my faith? The fal'Cie are gone. It's their fault our minds were poisoned. Maybe now we can start over..."
Starting over..the painful memories would still be there but starting over was easier said than done for him. How could he start over from an already ruined life? His heart was shattered, he was left broken, and what did he do? He smiled, under the notion that maybe a smile could repair his heart.
"There has to be some way to end these wars, once and for all. I'll find it."
Erik's auburn eyes looked up, this woman wished for the end of the wars..the end of conflict between Cocoon and Pulse. He put his hand over his chest and nodded."You're not alone, a heart like yours is connected to many others who have the same wish..we'll all find, there's always one..always."He said.
"Pleasure,"
Erik shot her a sweet smile, almost looking like a little kid before turning completely to her. He nodded and placed his hand to his side."But.."He smirked teasingly."You better call me Erik, or I'll make you laugh."He said, poking some fun at her. He placed his hand over his heart."..I'll promise to be a good friend to you..I don't have much to offer..but friendship is one thing that I want."
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Post by Lightning Farron on Sept 18, 2011 15:02:56 GMT -5
The only response he garnered for his 'threat' was but one delicately raised blonde-pink eyebrow. Lightning was evidently skeptical of the kid. Make me laugh? Heh.
Erik offered a friendship, and Light was reduced to only staring for the moment. Who is this guy? He's way too idealistic for his own good. But oddly enough, the urge to smash her knuckles into his face didn't manifest, so she settled with folding her arms again.
Seriously. How was she supposed to respond to that?
"Start as comrades," she said at last. "We're on the same side, but I barely know you. But I'll have your back when it comes down to it. That's what we do as l'Cie - help each other. Right?"
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Post by Erik Storm on Sept 18, 2011 15:13:13 GMT -5
The response he got was a mere twitch of her brow. This made Erik kind of fearful, he did not meant for his words to irritate her and elicit a smack in the face. Her stare at his proposition of friendship made him a little uneasy too, considering her first impression of him. He tilted his head as he heard her start to speak.
"Start as comrades,"She said."We're on the same side, but I barely know you. But I'll have your back when it comes down to it. That's what we do as l'Cie - help each other. Right?"
Erik was silent, she barely knew him, and fundamentally, she probably still did not trust him which was understandable..they had just met and he showed her his sanctum brand, he was more than surprised she did not gut him where he stood.
Finally, he gave his response in a nod and a soft smile, taking a few seconds to consider it, if he was in trouble..she would be there, if she was in trouble, he would help her the best he could. Comradeship was similar to friendship..in one aspect or another.
"Then I'll do my best for you."He said."I'll be stronger."
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