[House 47, you just got a most unpleasant wake-up call. Namely, loud banging and the whining of a terrified canine. Sigmund has just kicked Capell's door with all of his considerable strength and put his fist through the wall in the hallway.
Because it's not Capell's door anymore.
He's not going to wait to make the courtesy announcement, mostly because he's not sure how long he's going to keep it together. As it is, even over the journal his voice has a tight, brittle quality to it.]
If you knew him, Capell is... [He won't say 'home.' He's not. Home is with him. He won't.] ...gone.
Because it's not Capell's door anymore.
He's not going to wait to make the courtesy announcement, mostly because he's not sure how long he's going to keep it together. As it is, even over the journal his voice has a tight, brittle quality to it.]
If you knew him, Capell is... [He won't say 'home.' He's not. Home is with him. He won't.] ...gone.
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chasethestars
chasethestars
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[ That's kind of a surprise... even if that wasn't exactly a straight answer, there. She'll go ahead and interpret it as a 'yes,' though, and she studies him carefully, only slowly starting to work out the implications. ]
But yours... [ ...was hurting him... and he just mentioned a first glyph, so... ] ...it isn't normal.
Whether it is or isn't doesn't concern you.
[ And it's there that her steadiness falters. It's not like Lightning at all to lay her cards all on the table at once- something that's bound to show in the strained look on her face and tenseness of her body language and voice. However, she really wants to convince him here. ]
... It's possible you could help save my friend before he dies, like I did.
But I do not see how that knowledge will help you. If you're searching for why, I promise, the reasons will not be the same.
I don't know. But I do know that I can't just... ignore the similarities. [ She puts a hand to her chest, strained. ] We're running out of options.
You think I can help. With what? [It's a pointed question, and an intensely purposeful one. How was he to judge what would be useful? He knew a great deal about lunaglyphs... and nothing about what plagued her.]
Some of us back home, we were cursed by a being called a fal'Cie- made into l'Cie, given a task to complete. A Focus. [ She looks aside again, clearly disgusted. ] With it comes a Brand that strengthens us, lets us use magic... but it also acts like a timer- don't complete your Focus in time and... well then.
But you must understand... if this is anything like a lunaglyph, those ideas will be dangerous. Or impossible. I will need to know... everything, and that may not be enough. [He can't promise. Not knowing what he does. Not with this.]
Edited 2011-05-08 11:51 pm (UTC)
It's a long-shot, I know, but... I'll tell you whatever you need. We aren't strangers to danger, by any means. [ A pause as her eyes move thoughtfully around the forested area. ] It's... better than the alternative; even if it doesn't do any good, at least we can say we tried.
[He has an unpleasant feeling that he may already know. There were several similarities already, even if they were superficial ones. He hopes it isn't so, but... he couldn't be so lucky.]
He must choose his words carefully. That is not his secret to tell.]
There are... compounds which can suppress the power of a lunaglyph. I do not know if they would work on these brands, and to create them is barely within my skill. Give me time to research, and I will try... But you must promise me one thing.
[Is this how Svala felt, that day he cornered her? He imagines it must be.]
... What is it?
[His voice is firm and steely, and his eyes seem even more intense in the dim sunstone-light. This is a matter on which there will be no compromise.]
A quick death is kinder than knowing others also fell.
I'm aware of that. [ She doesn't want to, she doesn't know if she can, but-- ] I don't plan on letting anyone else suffer because of this.
If you cannot, I will. [It sounds like an offer, not at all threat. This is one of the things he excels at, taking on the burdens of difficult decisions - and the blame. If it's too terrible, if it pains her too much... then he will. What's one more death on his hands? Nothing.]
... I know how to fight Cie'th; I'd rather focus on preventing that rather than teaching you too... [ She takes a breath, and then just a touch softer: ] But fine. Consider it a deal.
Edited 2011-05-11 11:39 pm (UTC)
...If these brands are anything like lunaglyphs, I will not need to be taught. [He killed the only person he depended on, because he had no choice. He doesn't need to be taught because already knows.] I will refine the elixir. I... will need to examine a brand, to attempt to understand this transformation.
I doubt Hope will mind showing you his. There's a few books around too, and mine, but...
... It's inactive, now. I'm not in danger any more.
[ Yeah, her burned-out one might be useful, but that's all she can manage on a non-specific prompt. Practically nothing actually scares Lightning, but that tipped her bad; she's not going to suddenly blurt it all out. ]
Gather what information you can, and have Hope contact me when he's ready. I may have a suppressant prepared by then. I... will give you what I can about lunaglyphs. You may learn something from it.
I understand... thank you. [ Not anywhere near the amount of gratitude the situation likely calls for, but it's very honest. This is certainly the most of this kind of humble Lightning's been in... a long time. ]