The 6th Storm [4th Wall 6; Video/Action for Ilex Forest]

[soggypastry]

[The feed clicks on suddenly and to harsh breathing, Lightning white as a sheet and her shoulders heaving as she is clearly trying to catch her breath. There's loud roaring in the distance somewhere behind her, and she casts a glance over her shoulder and the tree she's bracing herself against, before she returns her attention to the camera.]

If anybody's watching this, stay out of Ilex. There's something in here that won't hesitate to kill you. I think I've almost got it down, but--[Whatever else she's going to say gets cut off as she whirls around, just in time for the camera to catch this cleaving the tree just above her head, and she goes down with a cry of shock. The gear clatters to the ground in time to see her scramble as the creature roars, clearly trying to cut her down the middle with that sword.

But it doesn't get the chance. There's a tremendous crack and a different kind of roar, the roar of thunder, right as a bolt of lightning crashes down on the monster as if the heavens themselves just launched a bolt down at the horrid thing, before everything glows a rosy pink and rose petals drift through the air. The gear vibrates, shaking wildly until it spins and the angle changes to show the creature roaring in anger as it faces down something it wasn't expecting.

A target that fights back.

In the ensuing battle of blades and lightning, the gear shuts off when someone, or perhaps something, steps on it. Lightning might not be coming back for that gear for a while.]

Comments

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

[While Lightning works on that, Sasuke's hands have already flown into another set of seals before he's holding on tight to his left arm. That's before, from the top of the tree he's in, he rushes downward and towards the Cei'th as fast as he can, almost at lightning speed while his hand glows with white electricity crackling and chirping loudly, almost like a bird's song.

That's when he charges and makes contact, the lightning cutting into the Cei'th like a blade as he puts all his might into the Chidori. Whether or not it takes it down he's not sure, but it leaves him in close range and vulnerable to attack if it doesn't. All he can do at the moment of impact is hope that his most powerful technique is enough to finish it off.]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[He moves too fast for Lightning to see, but the glow and the sound are enough warning to get clear--that's not l'Cie magic it won't see her as ally get out of the way Farron--before she can end up on the recieving end as much as the Cie'th does.

Lucky for them all, it's enough. The Cie'th roars in anger, slashing whatever it can reach until Odin pins the sword with his shield...but it's enough. It fades into crystalline ash, the shift rippling outwards from the point of impact until it's gone into the breeze and Odin stands at rest beside his summoner while she...outright stares at who she can now see came to her aid.]

Sasuke?

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

I'm okay.

[That's all he says as he's panting hard, letting those red eyes of his fade into black as he looks up at her. It takes him a bit to get to his feet, nodding and pocketing his hands when he does. It looks like she's okay too - whether she used healing ninjutsu or not, she looks unhurt as far as he can tell. Good...]

It looks like it's happened again, doesn't it? The same thing that happened last November.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[She blinks--if she didn't know what she did about his world she'd wonder if she was seeing things--before she sighs and tries to relax. Tries to ignore her brand and how Odin just disappeared into rose petals, some catching in her hair.]

Yeah. Something like that.

[She has vague recollections of seeing him there...only there were black marks all over his skin and he looked a step from keeling over. It's different now.]

The whole world's gone crazy again.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

Yeah, it has. At least we have our powers back for it.

[Even if some crazy stuff is going down...]

That was a summon of yours?

[Action]

[soggypastry]

Yeah. At least there's that. [She clenches her fists, tries to avoid reaching for her brand, but then reaches up and plucks the petals from her hair. Even with all she's seen, it's still hard to believe he appeared like that. This world can do so much.]

Just Odin. The other one was a monster from my world.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

I see. So you have things like that there, too.

[He's nodding, pausing for a beat before he sits down by a nearby tree with a sigh. Chidori still takes a lot out of him, and he can only do it once more today... He'll have to be careful and make it count.]

I guess you could've handled it without my help.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

Probably. But it wouldn't have ended so cleanly. [It probably would have ended with her picking herself up off the floor and wishing she had more than Thundaga spells in her arsenal...if she could get up at all.

She shakes off that thought, looking at him for a moment before one corner of her mouth quirks upwards in the faintest of smiles. He's more capable than she first thought he was.]

Thanks. For showing up when you did.

Re: [Action]

[beforethedarkness]

... I couldn't just let you fight alone. It looked a lot worse than it was on the video.

[He nods, looking up at her and feeling a little unsure at that smile. It's a first, to see that... But it's not entirely a bad thing, not really. He's not sure if he likes the feeling, but it's not bad either.]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[Looked worse, huh? It probably was. She can still feel some of the terror singing in her blood, the brand pulsing on her chest like it used to. She clenches her fist, smile dropping before she forcefully releases her curled fingers. She moves to sit against the tree with him, crossing her legs at the ankle.]

It's called a Cie'th. It's...[It's what I might have become. What I did become. She doesn't say that, leans her head back against the tree and sighs.] They're not all that strong, for what that's worth.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

That's good, at least... Guess you don't have to fight them that much.

[A beat, and he looks to her again.]

Is that what your military does? Fighting those monsters?

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[She shakes her head, pushing her bangs behind her ear when the motion dislodges them.]

Sometimes. Most of the time our monsters are a lot more normal. [Wolves and behemoths and frogs. Never Cie'th. Not until the Vestige.] Cie'th are pretty rare.

[And entirely unnatural.]

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

I see.

[He's breathing a little easier now, pausing before standing and stretching a little. At least it feels like he's recovered enough to fight if he has to again...]

It's good that they don't appear often, then.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

Tell me about it. The whole place would be on lockdown if they were as common as the Lobos.

[She stands up a moment after he does, gritting her teeth behind her lips as her muscles complain. Damn, she's out of shape.]

You should head south if you're walking out of here. There's a good chunk of the north side of the woods that's almost completely destroyed. Won't be easy to get through.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

What about you?

[Action]

[soggypastry]

I'm walking out of here. [She gestures to the direction she thinks is south, towards Azalea, before she looks around.] I just need to be sure of something first.

[Be sure that that's no more Cie'th around here. It's her job to deal with them.]

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

And you'll be okay alone?

[Not that he's offering to go with her, but... After that last transmission, he doesn't exactly want to take any chances either. Even if he has difficulty admitting it... Well, he's worried, okay?]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

I'll be fine. [It's an immediate response, but she turns and offers him a tiny smile anyway, electricity crackling between her fingers.] I'm not defenseless, you know.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

...

You don't have to fight alone if you don't want to.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[That, coming from him? It's kind of amusing and her smile only gets bigger, but she shakes her head.]

I'm not alone. [She can feel Odin stir within her, ready to be called at a moment's notice, before she continues.] Besides, I'm pretty sure I'll have more warning if there's more of those things in here. They're not normally quiet enough to sneak up on anyone.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

[Shut up Lightning, he is not growing up what are you talking about...

Okay maybe a little.

But he's looking at her again, relaxing just a little before he nods to her.]

Fine, but call if you get in trouble. It's not going to take much longer for me to recover and I'm a lot faster when this place isn't messing with my chakra.

[Action]

[soggypastry]

[Of course he's growing up. She's so proud of him.

She nods in return, the smile still on her face.] Only if you do the same. Deal?

[Sure, she's not a ninja and she doesn't have her gunblade, but that doesn't mean she's out of the fight. If she can help him, she will.]

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

... Yeah. I promise. I'll let you know if something happens and if it's too much for me to handle.

[He'll look her in the eye when he says it too, nodding again before he gets to his feet. He's probably not well enough to run yet, but he can at least stand and rest against the tree for a while. That and he still has his pokémon if need be...]

[Action]

[soggypastry]

I'll hold you to that.

[He's definitely learned a few things since she last saw him, and she's glad to see that. Her smile shifts to one that's softer, more proud, and she gently claps a hand on his shoulder as she walks past him.]

Take care of yourself. I'll see you around.

[Action]

[beforethedarkness]

Same goes for you.

[Maybe some things, but he hasn't learned all that he's wanted to. Still, he's surprised at the look and doesn't do a good job of hiding it, standing there and staring after her for a bit before he regains himself enough. He still has to keep moving himself, too. There's no point in just staying there.]