open post.

[sheme]

𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓

tifa lockhart FINAL FANTASY VII

yuffie kisaragi FINAL FANTASY VII

lightning farron FINAL FANTASY XIII

𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐲

( 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 )

→ Refer to the list above for active muses. Others on my muselist are available as well, but I cannot promise that they (or the other ones listed above) will be sustainable.
→ Put who you would like in the subject line & leave a starter! Feel free to come up with a scenario, or not. We can wing it, too.
→ Can be informal/formal/texting/cross-canon, whatever! Picture prompts (shipping and gen) can also be left and I'll whip up something from that.
→ AUs are super cool. However, I am not fond of modern AUs (coffee shop/high school/university, etc.)
→ Brackets preferred.
→ I love shippy stuff, but please check shipping prefs for characters if you'd like to go that route!
→ Some meme prompts listed below. (click to expand!)

RANDOM SCENARIO MEME

ACTION.
1. Zombies → It's the zombie apocalypse, lock and load!
2. Bar brawl → You had one too many drinks, said something wrong, and now you're being asked to take it outside.
3. Chase → You're caught in a high speed chase.
4. Gun fight → You're caught in a big shoot-out.
5. Fight with a friend → You're fighting with a friend, all out.
6. Interrogation → You're being interrogated for some offense you've done.
7. Aliens → Aliens are attacking and you're not going to take your probe laying down!
8. Final battle → This is it. The battle that will end all the fighting for you. Will you win? Will you get that peace you want?
9. Training → You're not actually fighting, just training for the inevitable.
10. No hope → You know this fight has no hope. It's not going to end well for anyone involved, but you can't turn away.
11. Sneaking in → You're stealing a diamond or sneaking in to kick some bad guy butt, but whatever it is, you have to practice stealth.
12. Blue wire → You're faced with a bomb that needs to be disarmed.
13. Fight for honour → You've been disgraced or someone you care about has, so it's time to fight for honour.
14. Showdown → Time for a cowboy-style showdown. Whoever draws the fastest wins.
15. War → You're caught in the middle of a war here. Remember to keep your chin up and keeping fighting.
16. Apocalypse → The apocalypse finally happened and now you're left to scavenge and fight for whatever is left.
17. Sabotage → It's time to sabotage someone's plan! How is entirely up to you. Do you set up a bomb in their toilet? Do you double cross them at the last minute?
18. Big damn hero → You know you have to handle this one alone, so that means disarming or knocking unconscious the person who wants to join you.
19. Fight club → You know the rules... you're in an underground fighting ring and you're fighting with all you've got.
20. Threaten → You've just been sent here to rough them up a little, threaten them into behaving.

ANGST.
1. Injury / illness → Your character has become injured or ill! To what extent is the mun's choice.
2. Last moments → You character has been gravely injured and this is their last chance to say their last words.
3. Depression → Your character is depressed, what actions they take is up to the mun.
4. Betrayed → You character has been betrayed by the other. How do they react?
5. Tortured → Your character is being tortured and needs rescuing or at least a sympathetic ear to help him through it.
6. Jealousy → Your character is feeling jealous and must deal with it, how will they do it?
7. Breakup! → This relationship has gone as far as it can, it's time to breakup.
8. Broken → For whatever reason, the character is broken, mentally or or physically.
9. Fight → You can't even be in the same room as your friend or lover without arguing anymore.
10. Lost → You lost the biggest fight of your life and now all you can do is try to pick up the pieces.
11. Worst nightmare → Whatever you fear the most is now real or maybe you're just trapped in a dream together, but whatever it is, it feels too real.
12. Addicted → You're addicted to something, alcohol, drugs, sex, whatever. It's destroying your life and you can't do anything to stop it.
13. Hurt you → You're being forced to hurt someone you love either by betraying them or even being forced to shout things you don't mean. It's for their own good in the end though.
14. Separation → You were forced to leave this person for their own safety and while you've been miserable without them, you really didn't mean to run into them again... maybe it was by accident or you were watching them from afar this whole time.
15. Becoming a monster → You are slowly changing, becoming a monster: vampire, zombie, demon, something you can't recover from and no-one can help you.
16. Frozen → You are entirely helpless, frozen, to stop some kind of disaster.
17. Prison → You were very bad and now it's time to pay the price by turning yourself in or maybe the law just finally caught up to you.
18. Fear → You're not sure why, but you are suddenly terrified and you can't deal with it. You need help.
19. Hated → You are now hated by the person you loved the most.
20. Down and out → You're living on the streets, you've hit rock bottom, and you don't know what to do.

FLUFF.
1. Cuddling → For whatever reason, characters feel like being close and cuddling.
2. Pillow talk → After the main event, characters are up for some pillow talk.
3. Celebration → Anniversary or some other big event is taking place and characters want to celebrate!
4. Love confession → Someone has finally decided to confess their love and today is the day!
5. Appreciation → You feel the need to show appreciation for that person closest to you, even if it's just a pat on the back.
6. Apologies → You made a mistake and now it's time to make it up in some way you know the other can't refuse!
7. Get back together → Why did you break up again exactly? Whatever the reason, it was a huge mistake and you both know you can work through it.
8. Date night → You've planned for a wonderful night together and you can't wait to get it started.
9. Family → You've either found out you're pregnant or you've already got that addition to your family.
10. Marriage → You're just about to get hitched or maybe you're enjoying your honeymoon. Maybe you've been together for years now! Whatever the case, it's time for that next big step.
11. Meeting again → It's time for that happy reunion finally!
12. Love at first sight → For whatever reason, you are now insanely in love with the first person you set eyes on.
13. Flirtation → You can't resist to do a little bit of harmless flirtation all of a sudden.
14. In the snow → Look outside! It's a winter wonderland, so why not go out and play in it?
15. Engagement → You've planned it all out and now it's time to finally pop the question.
16. Friendly games → You've set up the game station or board games for a friendly competition!
17. Gift → Time to give that special someone a gift just because.
18. Recovery → You're taking care of someone who's just recovered from some illness or injury.
19. Healing → Time to help mend that someone who's been through hell and back.
20. Better than ever → You've finally got everything you've ever wanted here. What is your ideal life and who does it include?

GEN.
1. Nice meeting you → It's your first time meeting this person! You bumped into each other on the street, in a bar, at work... whatever!
2. Drinks → You're out for drinks! Or just chilling at home with some beers. Wherever!
3. Lost → You're lost and you kind of need help finding your way to where you're going. A little help with directions?
4. Costume party → You're at a costume party, both of you are wearing masks. Do you keep the anonymity or take it off and see whose company you've been enjoying?
5. Wrong number → Oops, actually you didn't mean to call that person...
6. Drunk → You're already drunk! Drunk dialing, stumbling into someone, showing up unexpected... what type of drunk are you anyway? Aggressive, loving, happy? How does the other react?
7. Old friends → you haven't seen this person in a long time!
8. Rivals → you're suddenly rivals! Or maybe you have been all along...
9. Problems → you've got a problem with each other, just got in a huge fight, whatever. Try to work it out!
10. What are your intentions... → This person? They're dating a close friend, family member, etc. You need to find out if they're going to hurt them! Or you need to discuss your friend/family's dating choice.
11. I saw you → you saw the other person doing something bad and you need to confront them about it.
12. Sorry but no → the other person has feelings that you just don't share. They don't necessarily have to be romantic... maybe you just don't agree with their sudden desire to quit their job and start a business making tiny, fuzzy teddy bears.
13. My hero → you need to tell this person how much they mean to you. They've been your best friend or your role model your whole life and they need to know.
14. Enabler → you're enabling the other (or each other) to do something bad, really bad. Addiction, stealing, killing, or just any other self-destructive behavior.
15. Cooking → Time for an impromptu cooking lesson!
16. Oh, sure, I remember you... → It's that awkward moment when someone comes up and seems to know you, but you have no idea who they even are!
17. Rescue! → One of you was in trouble, but you came to the rescue!
18. Boss → One of you works under the other. Is your relationship good? Are you scheming things? Or do you hate each other?
19. Perfect crime → You and the other person have just pulled off the perfect crime... or you're planning to! What are you doing? The heist of the century, an assassination?
20. Movies → movie night! Maybe it's a sleepover. Whichever the case, it's time to eat a lot and have fun.

SOULMATE MEME

TYPE OF AU
1. tats, your character has a tattoo of the first words the love of their life will say to them
2. familiars, your character has an animal tattoo representing their soul mate on them
3. glow, the first time your character sees their soul mate, their chests glow!
4. world in color, life is literally black and white, until you see your soul mate for the first time
5. choose your own

SITUATION
1. first meeting, you've never met this person before.
2. childhood mates, you've always known this person -- but on one particular birthday, everything changes.
3. together, you've been in a relationship for awhile now! happily wed or not, you decide.
4. not together, you've known you're soul mates for a long time, and yet have avoided a relationship.
5. choose your own

CAUGHT IN THE RAIN

i WHERE:
001 PLAYGROUND - Well, you can try to hide under the slide or maybe in the jungle gym... at least you're some place fun?
002 PARK - Always happens, caught outside trying to take advantage of the weather... and it ends up pulling a fast one on you.
003 STORE FRONT - Better hope they have an awning you can take advantage of
004 THE BEACH - Not exactly the best place to be during a rainstorm, however it is possible to get caught in a sudden storm
005 WILD CARD - Anyway you want it

ii HOW:
001 TREE - Not the best cover, but it'll have to do, stay close to the roots and you won't get too wet.
002 UMBRELLA - Most conventional... Kinda boring. But it works.
003 NEWSPAPER - Not permanent, but it'll have to do. Good luck
004 BAG - Well... y'gotta do what you gotta do.
005 NONE - You know what. You're a rebel. You don't need cover. Screw convention
006 WILD CARD - that's the way you need it

iii WHY:
001 REJECTED - Welp. Rejection sucks. And no one will see you crying in the rain.
002 WAITING - For the bus? For someone else? For some revelation? What are you waiting for.
003 MELANCHOLY - Sometimes the best place to feel a bit down is out in the rain.
004 HAPPINESS - Is everything going your way? Are you singing a refrain while walking down the lane? Just singin. Singin' in the rain.
005 ANGER - WELL YOU KNOW WHAT. SCREW YOU TOO RAIN.
006 WILD CARD - Anyway you want it.

INSOMNIA

01 • FEAR. Maybe you're hearing strange, indeterminable noises; maybe there's a severe storm happening outside; maybe you watched a scary movie before bed? Whatever the reason, you're terrified and it's keeping you awake. You just want to wake someone else up so they can protect you from the monster in your closet.
02 • HUNGER. Your stomach is growling and it just won't stop. Or perhaps your throat is so dry you could cough up a tumbleweed? Well, you've gone to the kitchen to remedy this and hey, that was a pan that just dropped on the floor. It was loud enough to wake the dead! Oops.
03 • PAIN. Your body is completely worn out, be it from exercise, battle, sickness, or what have you. Either way you're in enough pain to keep you from sleeping, so maybe someone else has a home remedy or something, or can at least help you take your mind off of it.
04 • SOLITUDE. For some reason, your bed just feels so empty at the moment. You're feeling terribly lonely and really just want someone to keep you company for a while. Maybe it'd be easier to fall asleep if you're with them...
05 • DISCOMFORT. Your room is an oven. Either that or a freezer. Or maybe this bed is just really uncomfortable? Who knows why you can't get to sleep, it feels like it could be anything. Why even bother trying? Maybe someone else can preoccupy you until you feel tired enough to ignore your discomfort.
06 • PENSIVE. Something's on your mind, and no matter how hard you try to focus elsewhere, it's just not going to work. Your body may be tired, but your mind is incredibly busy and it's virtually impossible to get to sleep. Surely, talking it out with someone else will help?
07 • SADNESS. Something terrible has happened that day, perhaps; or you could just be severely depressed. Either way you're trying your hardest not to cry yourself to sleep, and it's not working at all. Better find a way to get it out of your system somehow; you need a shoulder to cry on.
08 • ANGER. You are just... fuming. Who knows why - that annoying dog is barking again, or maybe the people next door are getting busy and keeping you awake. Whatever the reason for your ire is, you'd better put an end to it so you can get some damn rest already! Go wake up a friend so you can complain to them.
09 • RESTLESS. You're far too energetic to sleep right now. Maybe you're just trying to do so out of necessity - you have to be up early tomorrow! But you just don't think you'll be able to fall asleep for a while now, so why waste the time trying to sleep when you could be doing something else? Namely bothering someone else - you're totally jealous because they're getting more sleep than you.
10 • WILDCARD. Choose one of the options above, or make up your own scenario.

CITY AT NIGHT

— scenario prompts

1) WORKING.
You're still caught up at the office or wherever it is you're holed up. It's getting late, but there's work to be done.

2) RELAXING.
You're warm and comfortable someplace indoors, whether it's in a cozy nook of a café or maybe just in your own apartment. There's no other place you really need to be, is there?

3) MEET-UP/DATE.
Is there someone you're seeing for dinner? A date? Maybe you're going bar-hopping together with some friends, or your attendance is expected at some special event. Alternatively, there's someone you're meeting with to make a deal of some kind, whether it's perfectly legitimate or something that might invite trouble with local enforcement.

4) OUT FOR A WALK.
Sometimes, it's nice to get out for some fresh air—or, well, as fresh as it gets with all the air pollution around you. The park's not too far away; it might be nice and quiet at this hour, if you don't run into any...

5) TROUBLE.
It's getting late and it's dark outside, but someone has been tailing you for a while. Walking faster only makes them speed up; they're doggedly persistent. What to do now? Is there a busy street you can turn on to for help? Or maybe it's time to confront your pursuer... On the flip side, you're the one tracking someone. For what reason? Well, only you would know, right?

6) OTHER.
Anything else you can think of!

— setting prompts

A) STREETS/ALLEYS.
Are you visiting a busy district teeming with people? Or are you out on a quieter street? It can be dark out there, especially if you turn onto a smaller one without many streetlamps. Watch your step. Some of the alleyways might make good shortcuts if you're trying to get somewhere fast, but there's also trouble to be found sometimes. Don't get cornered anywhere, and especially don't get too curious if you see something suspicious in one of the dumpsters...

B) IN TRANSIT.
You're between locations right now, just trying to get on with your evening. You have some options, like public transportation: the bus, the train, the subway. Alternatively, you're a fancier kind of person: you've got your own car that you're driving, or better yet, you have a chauffeur and a private car. Or, you know, you're just taking a taxi or using a ride-share app. There are also transitional spaces like parking lots or garages.

C) DINING.
Some cities are melting pots of different cultures; you're bound to find countless spots at which to eat. There are small cafés if you want a quick bite, or fancier restaurants where you can wine and dine. You could support a small family business by dropping by at a local hole in the wall—sometimes the most authentic spots with the best food are nondescript locations. Or if you're really trying to impress, go for some famous Michelin three-star.

D) NIGHT LIFE.
Bars, clubs, lounges—all of it's fair game. Remember to drink responsibly—or don't, if you're looking to really forget about your troubles for a while. Just know that you'll only have yourself to blame for that raging hangover in the morning.

E) CORPORATE BUILDING.
In a larger city, major corporations might be headquartered in the glittering skyscrapers that line the most expensive districts. There are all kinds of businesses—banks, law firms, finance companies, tech groups, to state just a few. Some places might keep their lights on pretty late at night for the white-collar workers burning the midnight oil; others, perhaps not. Do you fit somewhere in this equation? Or if you're here for something more exciting, there's always corporate espionage...

F) SHOPS.
A lot of shops could be closed by now, but maybe it's that final hour before that mall or outlet you wanted to visit locks their doors for the evening. Time for some last-second shopping! Snatch up that deal before it's gone, or be sure to buy a gift for your date before it's too late!

G) HOME.
You're at home, wherever that is—an apartment, a condo, a house somewhere, or maybe something more extravagant. Real estate can get expensive in the city, especially in popular locations. Do you have a tiny apartment that covers all your basic needs? Or something much nicer, like the type of penthouse people usually only see in movies, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows?

H) CITY SQUARE.
Some city squares are hubs of activity, filled with street performers, pop-up stores, or food stalls. There's a lot you could do, especially when it's nighttime and the little lights strung around the place look so pretty.

I) ABANDONED SPACE.
Every city has its fair share of abandoned warehouses or other buildings that are slated for demolition. Sometimes they attract certain types of crowds that would make your average person think twice before confronting. A lot of places are off-limits, but every so often, the no-trespassing sign is more of a suggestion than a real threat, right?

J) OTHER.
Anything else you can think of!

FAKE DATING

home for the holidays ⇢ You need to prove to your parents that you do so have a significant other. Just until they're gone.
no singles need apply ⇢ The place is perfect, but the landlady will only rent it to a nice, respectable couple.
it's not safe for a woman alone ⇢ One of you is vulnerable in this big, bad world without a partner to protect you.
public relations ⇢ There's only one way to stop these pesky rumors: start your own.
undercover mission ⇢ They'll never suspect a couple of lovey-dovey honeymooners of... whatever it is you're actually up to.
marriage of convenience ⇢ It's good for both your families. Or your finances. Or your hetero street cred. Whatever: might as well make the best of it.
well that escalated quickly ⇢ It's common knowledge that you're together, except you're the last to know. Is it worth correcting people?

OTHER MEME IDEAS

→ Picture prompts
→ Body heat
→ Seasonal prompts
→ Mistletoe/Pocky meme
→ Gen/Midnight/Shipping texts
→ Nursed back to health
→ Trapped in an elevator
→ Bodyguard/Protector shipping
→ Intimate bathing
→ IDK JUST COME AT ME

Comments

😏

[smokesinspace]

So what's this bullshit I've been hearin' about you marryin' some wolfman? Changed your preferences from that chocobo head?

this is now a texting thread

[starshower]

[?????????

?????????????]

Wait, where'd you hear that from!?

[THIS IS ONE REASON WHY SHE WAS KEEPING IT A SECRET.]

IN THAT CASE what is punctuation

[smokesinspace]

does it matter

[Aerith. Probably]

i aint judgin but what happened? that punk do somethin?

bad road trip time!

[mooglesatdawn]

[Finding your way through a monster's lair is never easy. Unfortunately, it's the best way to get from point A to point B right now, because of an inconvenient rockslide.

So here they are, hoping that this narrow tunnel will see them through to the other side. Krile's got her magic staff out, all ready to blast anything that leaps out at them. It smells like birds--eagles, or vultures, or something equally unlikely to enjoy intruders, but hopefully they're out hunting.]

We've gotta be careful going through here, okay? No treasure-hunting.

[dachaobean]

[Yuffie shoots a glance over her shoulder at Krile.]

I wasn't planning on it!

[The treasure hunting, although that's a lie if she's ever uttered one. Narrow tunnels usually mean off-shoots, which usually mean secret hideouts around these parts, and it would be a wasted opportunity not to at least check it out, but whatever! Fine! She'll be good!

... Maybe.]

How much further do we have to go anyway? It's so stuffy down here.

[mooglesatdawn]

Good, juuuust making sure.

[She gives Yuffie a smile that says "I don't believe a word of it".]

I think if we don't get lost down here, it'll take us twenty minutes or so to get to the other side. [That's a big if; narrow tunnels mean lots of opportunities to take a wrong turn, in Krile's opinion.

But then an angry cry echoes down the tunnel, and out of one of those passages comes a raging ball of angry blue feathers, and a beak, and poison-tipped claws.]

Look out!

[She tries to shove Yuffie out of the way, but it's a small space and it's a lot of eagle--]

Tifa - Text - Some Kind of Girl Sleepover Date Thing

[inemeraldfaith]

helloooooo
what are you doing? if you're not busy, i want to borrow you if that's okay. i promise i'll make it worth your while!

(◕▿◕✿)

[starshower]

Nothing too much. Just closing up shop for the night, but I can always make time for you. What do you need?

[inemeraldfaith]

who said i needed something?
maybe i just wanted to spend time with you. i think that's a little different!

Yuffie - In the Snow?

[hamnation]

[The snow has come down heavily and has only recently started to die down. Most battles between good and evil are put on hold for inclement weather. But there's other kinds of adventures that can thrive in this environment, with this amount of snow...

Gundam Tanaka stands in the snow, garbed in a dark Moogle Cloak over his usual attire, and wearing his usual long scarf on top of it. He's hard at work shifting through the snow and making various structures. Right now, he's just finished sculpting some snow into the shape of a giant hamster.

But there's someone else in the area too. Without looking directly at her, he smirks confidently while addressing her with booming bravado.]

Well, well. If it isn't the Bringer of Hell's Flame herself! Tell me, have you come to lend your aid to the construction of my fortress of nightmares?

[dachaobean]

[Yuffie has also donned her moogle cloak—her usual white one in contrast to his, which should have made her blend into the snow a little easier, so how he spotted her before she made her presence known, she'll never know! (It's easy, really. She sticks out like a sore thumb in this cloak and it's anything but subtle. She is anything but subtle.)

So, when he addresses her, she's slightly taken aback at first, but her hands fall to her hips with a confident cackle.]

That depends.

[Her smile breaks into a wide, toothy grin.]

What exactly are you planning on using this fortress of nightmares for?

[hamnation]

[Gundam can relate to being a master of being completely and totally subtle, a master of blending in with his environment!

At her question, he steps away from his work and crosses his arms as he turns to face her.]

Simple. It shall act as my base of operations during the duration of this area's ice age. From that citadel of snow, I shall recruit passersby into the Tanaka Empire. And those who refuse, who choose to act as enemies... Kehehe. They shall face a deluge of frozen missiles! [Any resemblances to a snowball fight would be purely coincidental.] Enough snow has fallen to form a maelstrom of chaotic destruction... truly this is a day on which the Supreme Overlord of Ice thrives!

it's been 84 years... since i said i would do this i'm so sorry sfkjh

[ruinga]

If the hands of time do not touch Valhalla's shores, then how is it that Lightning has found herself here, in this new place, on an entirely different world? It's a question she asks herself again and again as she hides, acquainting herself with the goings-on and the people. No fear of l'Cie greets her here, no Seers or Cocoon or Gran Pulse. No Academia or New Bodhum. Not even Serah. Just a flash when she arrives, a man in all black with long white hair and a long sword who calls her "outsider." He doesn't stick around long enough for her to find out what else he'll say, but the message is clear: she is unwelcome.

And so she makes her way towards a town and then a city and then another city. The more she learns, the less she understands, and though she has traded her warrior's armor for something more appropriate for this world, she feels as though she stands out like a sore thumb. Like Fang and Vanille once did on Cocoon. Her friends. Her family. None of them are here with her. She knows it deep down, but she won't stop fighting to find them, to find a way back.

To home or Valhalla... either way, her place is not here.

Still, simply wishing never did anything and so she slips herself into society. By providence or happenstance, she's in Junon when the so-called rebels are brought in and the more she hears of the "public execution," the more she suspects this is all just a ruse. Something stinks about this whole thing. Deciding she'd rather throw her money in with rebels than executioners, she bides her time, mapping out the entire building from the outside into the main chambers, the executioner's chambers, and even out to the cannons. She'll need every advantage if she's going to have even a hope of saving them. Whether it's luck or something she doesn't have time to think about, one of those nasty Weapons decides to slam into Junon right about then. In the ensuing chaos, Lightning manages to break one of them out of his chains.

"Go!" she yells, slipping back into the crowd as she heads for the chamber the other one is being held in. The man's confused and distrustful expression follows her, but she ignores it, concentrating on where she needs to be. With the Weapon still making a scene, she has an easier time getting close than she might have thought, but smashing her way inside proves more difficult. Lightning gives it her all, calling upon all the strength she has in her entire body to try to break the lock.

It isn't her strength that finally does it, but the crack in the seal is more than enough for her. Ripping a hole big enough to slide through, she inhales deeply and ducks inside. Unsure of how to break the woman out immediately, Lightning instead bolts for the crack she can see in the opposite wall, pulling and pushing at it until an opening wide enough for a person to slip through forms. Most importantly, she can see sky beyond it and that means an escape route, as well as fresh clean air to breathe. Turning back to see how the woman is doing with her binds, she nods her head at the crack in the wall.

"That's our exit. Can you stand?"

If she needs help, Lightning is more than willing to offer a hand. They don't have much time and it would be a real shame to lose someone in the middle of all this.

[starshower]

[Her mind is clouded as the chamber fills itself up with the gas, and Tifa tries to call out for Barret's help again but her voice and the air in her lungs is sucked right out of her as the gas tries to take its place. She has no choice but to hold her breath, to keep whatever oxygen she has left until he can find his way in, but already, Tifa can feel her consciousness starting to fade, the corners of her vision going black as she tries to retain her focus.

She can see a key on the floor, and she stretches a leg out to grab it, in an attempt to pull it towards herself. It jingles against the cold metal floor just within her reach. If she can just squeeze it a little further, she might be able to pick it up between her feet, and—

There's a loud noise as a hole is torn open in the wall behind her, and Tifa tries to turn to see who's there. She doesn't speak or call out, not wanting to waste the precious air she still has left in her lungs, but just as Barret's name crosses her mind, she sees that it's not him. Nor is it Yuffie, Cait Sith, Red, or Vincent. Not even Scarlet.

It's a woman Tifa doesn't recognize, nor does she think she's ever seen her before. Shinra? Avalanche? An enemy or an ally? That last question is answered rather swiftly when she manages to break the restraints around her wrists, and Tifa makes quick work of them despite her faint awareness. She looks at the rose-haired woman, not quite sure what to make of this whole thing, but her eyes then land on the human-sized hole that they can fit through.

Nodding silently, Tifa rises to her feet. Her knees buckle beneath her, but she manages to make her way over to the exit with only some minor struggles. And as soon as they're free of the chamber and the gas, she braces her hands on her knees and coughs the air back into her lungs. Only when she's able to find her voice again does she turn to her saviour with a crooked smile and teary eyes.]

... Thank you...

[ruinga]

[ lightning gives a slight shake of her head, her lips only just tilted upward wryly. ]

Don't thank me yet. We still have to get off of this thing.

[ nodding her head to indicate the giant junon cannon they're standing on, the length of which is just ahead and a sharp climb upwards. that looks to her like the best route, though she really hates making such a target of either of them. anyone can see them from up there, but there's no way down from where they're standing. might be one on the other side...

shading her eyes against the setting sun — and the glare from whatever it is up in the sky — lightning wonders what etro or whoever brought her here actually wants. why this world? why now? she has so many questions and no answers forthcoming. feels a lot like when she was a l'cie trying desperately to fight against the tide of her focus, against the drag of fate.

well... she did it once before. she can do it again. ]

Your friend got loose, too, [ she says, neglecting to mention that she'd helped him too. and then, because they won't get anywhere if she's completely aloof, she adds on quietly, ] Call me Lightning. I'm —[ another pause as she tries to figure out how to word it without coming off as completely off her rocker ] — new here.

[ new to this area or junon or something else entirely, she doesn't say, but that's enough for now. she starts heading for the way up to the cannon proper, beginning the careful but quick climb once she's there. no need to show off how far she can jump. people don't seem capable of that here and she doesn't want to paint even more of a target on herself. ]

I don't know what you did to make them angry, but in my experience, public executions never go well. They're usually for show... and ShinRa doesn't seem to be in it for the masses.

for lightning!

[mercedis]

[ There's a puddle of water in one of his boots--as he walks, he can feel the way it squashes out the sides, the way his sock, inside of it, flattens out like a sponge with every step. It distracts him from the rest of it; his armor feels limp, weighted down against him, his shoulders are all wrong and his shirt sticks to his stomach, the pleated material wrenching and twitching with each haggard breath. It's been raining for quite some time, now, and the lights of the city ahead of him, Midgar, blur out in the downpour, making it hard for him to find his footing in the dirt and the grass and stone that litters the path outside of it, leading to one of the side gates. He doesn't know why he's outside of the city, doesn't know why he feels like he's soaked to the bone already: he doesn't know why his feet keep working him forward, or why the weight of the sword at his back feels particularly heavy. Hasn't he always had it?

And hasn't he, always, been here? Hasn't it been his idea to come here, to try to find work here, after defecting from Shinra? That's right, that's what makes sense: he had come here after what happened with Sephiroth, had come here to hide away, to become a mercenary, to escape the corruption and the pain and the story of it all. That had been the plan all along. That's right: he had traveled alone, had worked his way across the continent alone, and here he stands, feet away from redemption. It all makes sense.

The blood on his gloves, smeared on his face, spattered on his shirt: it's from killing monster on the way here. The sword feels funny because it's weighted by the rain. It's not abnormal. Everything is fine.

So he trudges on. His hair, drowned in the downpour, sticks to the sides of his face, smears into his eyes, and he lifts one glove, shaky, to try to brush it out of them; it doesn't do much, and that annoys him. More than that, the closer that he gets to the side gate, the more he feels like he's being watched, in a way, and it isn't from the city. He had expected something like that: that perhaps the mako reactors would have watchmen on top of them, ready and waiting to call in reinforcements, but it isn't that at all. It's coming from his back, after all.

One hand lifts, feels for the handle of the buster sword, strapped to his back, and grips it tight--it feels strange, like he's never used it before, but he chalks it up to nerves. ]

...Back off. [ --is what he says, gruff, and feels his head start to swim; has he always sounded this distraught, this terrified? He tries again. ] I mean it. Don't get in my way.

[sparkstrikes]

[His tingling senses are correct. He is being watched.

Yeah, sure, there are Shinra troops diligently standing guard at every corner of the city, and on top of the reactors with their guns at the ready should any monsters get too close, but the searchlights have yet to switch on tonight. They'd been going for days when news of the escaped SOLDIERs spread—it was a wild ripple through the radio waves, and it was all anyone could talk about within Shinra's walls that she was forced to listen to for days until suddenly, all of it stopped.

And when Lightning was ordered to join in the efforts to capture him, she knew what that meant. It wouldn't be a capture; it would be an execution.

Second class versus first class. That wouldn't have been a pretty fight, if she even bothered at all. She had been on her way out there for another reason—to tell Zack to get the hell away, but by the time she stepped over the borders of the city, it was too late. They'd sent the whole cavalry out there to "bring in" the escaped SOLDIER, and she'd heard the gunshots from where she stood...

That was when she knew.

Lightning has always taken her job seriously, but if there is one thing she refuses to stand for, it's Shinra's treatment of their own men. He had been gone for years without a trace, believed to be dead, and they'd given him one hell of a welcome party back after all that time. Zack had been a staple in her life since she and Serah moved to Midgar, Lightning at the tender age of sixteen. Long story. After graduating, she climbed the ranks of SOLDIER not far behind him—they trained together, have fought side by side on more than a few counts, and she still owed him after he'd seen Serah to safety after one of those damn Avalanche bombings had gone south. She wasn't about to turn her back and dishonour all of that because some rich guy with nice hair and a tacky coat ordered her to.

So, here she is instead, shed of her SOLDIER uniform, opting for more neutral garbs that's been almost completely soaked through from the rain: a hooded shawl, leather pants, and a pair of lace-up boots that crush the mud beneath them and splash when she stops her approach, her own hand swinging back to her weapon when she sees him go for his sword.]

You walk through those walls alone looking like that and every damn grunt in the city'll be on your ass. They'll eat you up.

[She feels for the grip of her gun, finger curling over the trigger and prepared to pull it free at a moment's notice should he so much as move a muscle. The flecks of green in her icy blues burn bright when she sharpens her watch on his back.]

I'm not letting you go in there.

[Zack has taken him this far, and she's not going to let it be so that he can walk right into the jaws of Shinra again like some fancy meal on a platter.]

[mercedis]

[ The sound of the voice, however foreign it is, means that he has a chance to turn towards it, to discover where it's coming from and who it belongs to. With his hand tight on the handle of the sword, he shifts on his heels, takes one step, and then another; by the time he's turned around to face her, she's got a weapon at the ready, and his eyes are sharp enough to notice that her finger's on the trigger of it. Frustrated, his fingers go tight around the sword, flexing in the leather of his worn glove. She's not a SOLDIER, at least not that he can see: she isn't wearing the uniform, but her eyes shimmer with a strange color, flecked green through blue.

And that means he should recognize her, shouldn't he? There aren't that many in the ranks that choose to fight with a gunblade, if that's the weapon she's holding--maybe just one or two that he knew of, all of whom he can't place the names of as he stands there, staring. It isn't important: the names of former colleagues are just part of a list of things he can't go back to anymore, and whoever this woman is, no matter how strong, she isn't going to get in the way of his escape.

Still: he doesn't draw the sword just yet. She isn't planning on taking him in, so she isn't quite the enemy--just a nuisance, delaying the inevitable. ]

What's it matter to you? [ Sharp, he feels like he's drowning a little: like it's hard to draw breath. It could be the rain, could be the cold of it, seeping in, soaking him to the bone; otherwise, he doesn't know why looking at her makes his chest ache, full of guilt. ] I'll fight my way through it.

[ But does he call her on her bluff, turn around and walk for the gate? No--he thinks he remembers her, vaguely, her and another girl, someone that--someone else--someone--introduced him to, but that--person, who--who was that person? He hadn't really made friends with anyone after becoming First Class, and why is that? Who else was there? Who is she?

His hand falters, and for a moment, it feels like when a firework goes off: a sudden whistle and then a clap of sound so loud that it forces his ears to buzz, his head swimming, but the sound is just his thoughts and his thoughts explode like a bag of rocks, tumbling one after the other into a mess of bruised nonsense. Struggling, he tries to remember how to breathe: tries, and can't remember anything other than a hearty laugh that echoes in his head and this woman, before him, telling him and--someone else--how stupid they all are, a memory that he can't place, a memory that feels unreal.

His knee gives out. In the mud and the rain, he ends up kneeling in front of her, both hands clutched at the side of his head, pulling at matted strands of blonde like it will help relieve some of the pressure inside his skull.

He's so far gone that he can't even care that he looks crazy. He can't stop it. ]

also for lightning, pic prompts!

[reeler]

( 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 )

took inspiration from 1, 2, 4 and au'd her into eos! I hope this works! 💞

[sparkstrikes]

[It's nothing fancy. It never is when Lightning is concerned. Where Ignis enjoys his expert recipes and cooking, Lightning keeps it simple with a strip of meat on a stick over the fire. Where Gladio pitches tents and lugs around his fanciest, over-the-top camping gear, Lightning packs a single bag for each of them. If Noctis was expecting any of that when it was her turn to join him on this trek outside of the city for those few nights, he's going to be very disappointed. Rather than a tent, he'll get a set of blankets and his own sleeping bag and would be at the mercy of the starry night sky, rain or none. If Noctis wished for Ignis' delicious meals, he might be sad to find that all he gets is her mediocre cooking over the campfire that's just unseasoned meat that she hunted that evening, and a canteen of lukewarm water to drink.

That is, unless he brought anything of his own besides his fishing gear.

This little fishing excursion is just that: little. Uneventful, at least for her. For him? This was a usual thing that they would do, but she had somehow avoided it until now. Lightning was never interested in fishing. She would pretend to listen, but that was as far as her feigned interest would go. Why would she need to know about baits and hooks and technique when he was the expert? If it were life or death, she would trust Noctis to know what he was doing to catch them a fish or several.

As a member of the Crownsguard, she is only here to keep watch. Somehow, she had managed to skirt this particular mundane responsibility. She could pull excuses out of her ass for days as to why she couldn't go. She did have several responsibilities back in Insomnia, her biggest one being training the Glaives, but the others had more pressing matters to see to that it fell to her, at long last, to make the trip. Much to Gladio's dismay—he always does enjoy a good camping trip.

That isn't to say that she minds it that much.

She and Noctis have known each other for some time. Since childhood. It was inevitable that they would one day go their separate ways. Besides being the daughter of Glaives, she was never considered royalty. She was still a refugee living in the big city, but she would often visit the Citadel with them and would meet and play with the young prince, having tea parties and bringing him gifts. Lightning—or rather, Claire, back then—enjoyed his company and grew to admire him over time, whether it was up close or from afar as they grew older and more distant, but she was naïve to think that they could be friends. Time took its toll on that kindling childhood wish, and it wasn't until the unfortunate death of her parents and her sister in the war against Nifleheim that they would see one another again.

And by then, she had become Lightning. The aloof, taciturn woman that she is now. She's different, but no one comes out of losing their whole family the same as they were before. She still admires the Prince—if it weren't for him or his father, she might have been next, but it was their noble sacrifice in the war that turned their eyes to her. They took her in and cared for her, and she owes them everything. There was something bitter that edged those feelings, however. The death of her family. That thought of never being quite sure if it was their way of being noble, or because they truly cared will never leave her, no matter how nice his father is, and no matter how much she looks to the prince still with a glint of appreciation and esteem from behind her steely gaze.

So, here she is today, observing duty... ... ... by pouring the boiled lake water into a basin to wash the dishes from last night's dinner. The morning air is crisp, and streamers of sunlight strip through the cool fog that's descended over the lakefront. The trickle of morning dew drips into the basin from the leaves above, and she wipes away the droplets that cling to her brow with a quiet click of her tongue before turning her eyes to the lump inside the sleeping bag only a few feet away from her.

Lightning's lip quirks up on one side and stomps across the grass, and she looks over him for a moment before giving a harsh nudge against his ass with her foot.]

Rise and shine.

[The early bird gets the worm, as they say. Or in his case, the fish.]

perfect! 💞

[reeler]

[ He's been counting down the days, but somehow, they keep getting further and further away.

It's little things like these, he thinks, which keeps the looming trip at bay, which keeps his thoughts from drifting to the ever-impending marriage that sits right on the horizon. He knows he should be looking forward to it; after all, it's not like he doesn't know Luna at all, and not like he feels terrible about being by her side. But there's a part of him that worries these little trips and pieces of time where he doesn't have to be a royal will get further and further away. Gladiolus will get too busy rearranging the Crownsguard, and Ignis will get too busy doing all the paperwork, and Lightning? She never volunteers for these trips anyway, so time with her will become nonexistent entirely. He won't be able to make the excuse of dragging her out from her own shadow to sit with him in his.

And that may be part of why they're here. She's avoided these little excursions long enough, but: he'd practically begged Gladiolus and Ignis to refuse this time around, to force her to be his companion instead.

It's just fishing, and it's just for a few days, in a place that's hardly outside of Insomnia's walls, not far at all. But it's still some distance between himself and his fate, and still some distance between Lightning's work and herself, and that, he figures, is good enough. Camping out under the sky itself is a little unnerving--he's used to Gladiolus' big tents and comfortable mattress pads, but nestled into a sleeping bag, watching the lights of the fire die down, and seeing the warm, golden color illuminate Lightning's stoic features in the dark?

Maybe this really had been a bad idea. Maybe this trip is just bringing to light things that he knows he shouldn't feel anymore.

These things, of course, are really hard to feel when there's a boot in his ass, pushing at him in the wee hours of the freaking morning, rousing him from the comfortable nest of blankets that he'd made out on the grass. One eye creaks open, and while there's sunlight, it's too quiet to actually be morning, he decides: and immediately rolls over, taking some of the blankets all there with him. ]

No. [ It's muffled into the pillows; his hair is a mess, and he closes that eye again. ] No rise. Only sleep.

for yuffie.

[vengefuls]

Ny pphone bberok

[ Eloquent. ]

[dachaobean]

Gesundheit.

[????]

What did you do to it this time? Sit on it? Drop it in the water? Feed it to a big bad monster?

in memory comes hope of the future

[cryscere]

[ the cold of the cave has been her only companion for so long. vincent visited... a few times, but he always left in the end, as he should. her eyes remain closed, to prevent herself from reaching out, letting go of her guilt. it's too hard, too frightening. the jenova cells in her are still active. what if she becomes like him...? it would be too much, after everything she had been a part of, all the horrors she knew sephiroth would commit.

is this what she deserves? an eternity of guilt, living alone in this cold, damp cave where it had all begun...

yes.]

No, [ another voice whispers, as though in her ear, despite no real person being in the cave with her. ] No. It's been long enough. Don't you think you can let go?

[ lucrecia would shake her head if she weren't encased in crystal. sure, vincent survived because of her actions, but he never would have been put in that position if not for her. it was all her fault. ]

You blame yourself for too much, [ the voice continues, soft and calm, full of wisdom and life. lucrecia's eyes twitch, the idea of looking out into the cave to find the voice straining a face that hasn't seen use in years. ]

That's it, [ the voice continues with a gentle laugh like a warm waterfall cresting over her. ] Keep trying. No one blames you. Come. Back to Midgar. It's time to go home.

[ her face contorts at the idea of "home," a place where she would be welcome. does such a place exist anymore? can it ever again?

something in those thoughts triggers the change, gently touching the crystal encasing her. it isn't enough to banish the jenova cells or heal what will eventually become geostigma if left untreated, but between that and the kind, caring voice, cradling her mind like a friend she's never known, the crystal cracks. long, jagged pieces flake off, the physical manifestation of traitorous hope that sliced through her for the first time since she had originally come to this cave. within moments, she finds herself falling, caught on her hands and knees on the cave floor. the clothes she once wore are in tatters, barely enough to call clothes at all, and she feels incredibly weak, jenova cells or no. ]

What...? [ the singular word is choked out and she coughs air into lungs that haven't seen use in years. everything is so bright, the sun reflecting into the bowels of the cave, the wind near howling to her ears, her throat scratchy from disuse. ]

That's it. [ the voice sounds more distant now, like the person has stepped outside and is calling for her to follow. ] Come on now. There's a friend I want you to meet in Costa del Sol. It's a small hike, but... I think you can do it. But you have to hurry, okay? It gets cold when the sun goes down.

Cold...? [ forcing her eyes open, lucrecia finally takes a look around the cave. as she thought, there's no one inside and as she pushes herself to her feet and begins the arduous climb outside, she discovers that there's no one out here, either. ] Who...?

Who am I? [ the voice echoes her thoughts almost playfully. ] Why don't you ask my friend?

[ that's the last she hears of that voice and though her frame of mind hasn't entirely changed, the crystal encasing her has chipped away. part of her wants to go back to it, to see if another will grow in its place. the mako in this land is still rich. surely more will grow easily. but she's already outside, already trying to find an answer or ten. maybe...

no, she shouldn't. but she can't stay. if vincent returns to find her free... she can't be seen by him, can't give him that kind of hope when she's still locked in despair. so where... costa del sol. that's what the voice said. a gentle breeze tickles her, pushing at her back as if to guide her along a path by the side of the lake. she can't swim the way she is, but surely there has to be some way...?

whatever this wind guide is, it helps her find a path through, keeps her going when she wants nothing more than to collapse, finds her a chocobo that's been lost, and somehow as the sun's edge touches the horizon, she finds herself riding into a... resort town? this is the last thing she expected to find and given how muddled her senses are, she can't even say how many days have passed since she left the cave. but the chocobo has been a pleasant companion in the absence of that voice and the wind, nudging her when she collapses and continuing on as much as possible. it takes her to the inn, where she finds its true owner, who is so happy to have the bird back that he pays for a night's stay for her and new clothes.

lucrecia is too exhausted to protest.

so the night comes and goes as she sleeps off her reawakening and journey, and when the morning dawns, she finds herself at a loss. how is she to find this "friend" and should she even try? she only makes it to the lobby before hopelessness grips her again and she collapses into a chair, burying her head in her hands. why did she leave her sanctuary? why is she here? what could this "friend" possibly even give her? ]

Why did you bring me here? [ she whispers, her voice still hoarse. only time will heal her at this point... time... or the compassion she never gave herself. ]

[starshower]

[The voice came to Tifa in a dream. It was distant at first, hardly comprehensible, but it had an oddly familiar ring to it. That playful tenor of the voice, the comforting warmth it carried... It felt like she was reliving a distant, fond memory of an old friend. It took her some time to place it, and she'd followed it through an endless, dark void, trusting that it would lead her to where she needed to go. It beckoned her, urged her to keep going, and when she should have felt scared, she didn't. She felt the opposite, in fact—it was warm, tender, welcoming, like the waves of the ocean on a hot summer's day...

The ocean...

That's right. It was Aerith's voice, in the end.

"Costa Del Sol," she'd said so frankly. "I think it's time you took a break, don't you? I think you could do a lot of good just by being there, you know. There's someone I know that could really use your help. But why not take the kids along for the ride? I'm sure they'd love to get away from Midgar for a while, too!"

But what about Cloud? And the bar...? Questions she wanted to ask, but she seemed prepared for that, too. She always was.

"I'm sure Cloud would want to go, too. Why not just ask? Think of it like... a little family vacation. When's the last time you were there, anyway?"

... With you, Tifa thinks. But before she can voice as much, she's blinking her eyes open in bed, and the sun is already filtering through the cracks in the curtains and pouring into the room. It must still be early, because when she turns over, she sees Cloud sleeping soundly next to her, his breathing steady. And that was when she decided.

Of course, Marlene and Denzel were thrilled. Cloud questioned her several times before finally relenting, agreeing once she explained to him that they could afford to close up shop for a week. She would only have to stay open for an extra hour for a couple of weeks to make up for it, and promised that she wouldn't overwork herself before he could scold her for it. So, after some more begging on the part of the kids and a couple of days of preparations, the family set off for the resort town, calling Cid to take them there on the Highwind, to which he happily obliged. Any chance to get her up in the air, he'd chuckled loudly, and then took off without a warning.

It didn't take long for them to get there at all. Tifa had set the reservations, so while Cloud carried their bags up to their room with the help of Marlene and Denzel, she spoke with the man at the front counter to ensure that everything was in order. They would have the hotel room for the night, and a cabana for the days on the beach, and a resort house on the shore for their last two nights of the week. She's just finishing up when Tifa turns and—]

Oh—!

[—bumps into a poor, unsuspecting soul and Tifa drops her bag.]

I'm sorry. Are you alright?