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year 5, quarter 3
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Post by Claire Farron on Mar 24, 2023 21:21:29 GMT -6
"Reflection"
Radiance in Bloom
In hindsight, it was probably for the best that her gesture was entirely missed. Even if she was joking, it was such a strong implication that it almost sounded desperate. On the other hand, there had to be merit in her being comfortable enough to joke in such a bold way, surely? That took a great deal of trust, no doubt. Along with a level of...fondness? Fondness. There was a thought threatening to emerge that would really unleash chaos. To be fond of someone, meant that two l-words were surely in question. Lumina's mind quickly locked into like, in order to prevent further emotional damage.
Did she like Caius?
Given how quickly she made plans to cook for him, the thought got louder in her mind. Surely, even as Caius promised to try and make time to do so, that it was just worry. Lumina worried a lot about her younger sister after all. "If it's easier for you, I could bring it to the Rest?" she'd rather not inconvenience Caius especially for her worries. Of course, it stood to reason the people she worried about were people she liked or respected. Wait, what was the big deal with liking someone, anyhow? She could like someone and it wouldn't be love.
Lumina had declared their date was now a romantic date. With quite a bit of confidence, that was far ahead of her mental state to boot! Romantic dates surely involved feelings that were more than just like, right? Seeing how they were there hand in hand, the attendant came to the conclusion they were a couple fairly quickly. Neither of them spoke up to correct her (Lumina largely hid behind Caius out of shyness). When she received her crystal, she was rather enamoured. Seemingly lost in the magic of it all, she'd let her guard down the moment the attendant left.
As for leading them, Lumina was largely on auto-pilot. Exploring with quite a bit of awe and delight. The first thing she noticed as she led in silence, was that there were a lot of couples around. They all had the couple crystals and the colour was rather adorable. There were different booths that allowed for guests to see certain effects with the crystals they were given. Lumina was mesmerized by one booth that altered the crystal into shapes, thus she gently guided Caius on over to it.
The gimmick went as such, they had to exchange crystals temporarily and each of them could transform the crystal into a unique shape before giving it to their partner. "If I transform your crystal into a dragon brooch, you could probably wear it." Lumina looked Caius over now and it did seem like it'd be rather classy. Except it'd be glowing that reddish pink...
"Actually...maybe we could try rings. We'd have to stop holding hands for a moment, so that I could put the ring on your finger. Judging by some of the other booths, the effects the crystals generate do depend on their shape. I'm curious..."
tag: Caius Dragelionwords: xxx outfit:Herenotes:The Light and the Parasite, pt. 8
Post by Caius Dragelion on Mar 25, 2023 14:24:03 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
Caius had thought it a bit strange that she had jumped straight into wanting to cook for him, but he hadn’t put too much thought past that. Cassandra cooked for everybody at the Rest, after all, just on a whim because she liked to and wanted to. So maybe Lumina was just someone that enjoyed cooking and wanted someone there to share with? He didn’t grasp the reason, obviously, but he tried.
She then asked if she should bring it to the Rest, of which he shook his head. “I couldn’t bother you to bring it over across town when you’ve already made the effort to cook, Lumina. I will make time” Caius assured her at that. It was admirable of her to want to try to do so, but Caius figured he could make it work and make time to visit. Though he had to admit, he was a little surprised she’d want to see him again so soon.
Spending this much time together, a lot of people would want a bit of space after that by his experience. The last time he’d spent extended time with Celes, she went on a vacation and when she came back over half a year later, started working out of Provo. While that probably wasn’t just because they’d hung out, however, he did notice that many of his meetings with friends and co-workers were always kind of spread out.
Maybe Lumina just hadn’t tired enough of his company yet. Who knows? He hadn’t tired of her company either, however. Lumina took the lead, and while Caius wasn’t as overtly and openly enthusiastic about the crystals as she was, he was definitely curious about them and what each one did. He was still learning about Torensten’s magic crystals, finding out their different functions and capabilities. Torensten's people were capable of far more than he had initially thought upon first arriving here, and he had always been too busy to learn much until recently. He was then guided to one that could alter crystals into different shapes.
"Interesting" Caius remarked when Lumina brought up changing his to a dragon for him to wear. He imagined they'd need to buy the crystals for that, right? He was about to ask about it and offering to cover it when Lumina then seemed to want to try rings instead. "Magic rings?" Caius inquired curiously as he gently let go of her hand to allow her to indulge whatever curiosity had come to mind now.
Final Fantasy XIII
521
YEARS
Female
Caius Dragelion
Demisexual
179 POSTS
Destati
"Now that's not right. You're not supposed to throw your life away."
Post by Claire Farron on Mar 31, 2023 22:06:55 GMT -6
"Reflection"
Radiance in Bloom
Ordinarily, Lumina would have protested. She briefly had the look like she wanted to but her voice was caught in her throat, feeling a mix of flustered and grateful all in one go. "R-right." she'd get out, before clearing her throat. "I appreciate you making time for me." her words accurately matched her expression, which had shifted into something happy and contemplative. Thinking things over, it really felt like she was starting to live up to her nickname; Clarity.
Initially, her crew called her that because of her short stature and mischievous tendencies. When Leo came up with that nickname for her, it took on a different connotation. Someone had seen past Claire and her twin act, even though she preferred to remain in Claire's shadow, vicariously enjoying life through her younger self. There was something about being whole and uncorrupted by the gauntlets their life threw. Sure, she had spent all her time preparing to guide her other self, to remind her of what she'd lost for being a stoic guardian. Yet it didn't prepare Lumina to see it all in action, the unity.
Now that she could feel it, even if it was through her own proverbial (and literal lens, even if they were false) lens, the immense feeling of relief and calm from life in the New World filled her completely. There was something else too, the power of chaos tended to cause those engulfed in it, to act in...unpredictable ways. Reflecting back on her time in Zephon, whilst she did entertain her whimsical fantasies and have fun...it was always very controlled. There wasn't an underlying layer to account for while scheming. Yuel was example enough of the immense difficulty, as was her own botched efforts at helping people. Naturally, given how many people she helped whether through employment or business to business connection, she wasn't under chaos' influence. So, what had blinded her this whole time then?
"I'll answer that." the parasite mused, able to briefly regain strength enough to communicate. "It was me. I was your little voice of doubt in Zephon. I just...traded one Claire, for another. The doubt you had about your own heart, your own existence...was the key." as she heard these words, they clashed with hearing Caius in the real world. "Magic rings." she replied, somewhat absentmindedly.
"There are different crystals used in the park. The ones they give as part of admission, have a special property to change their shape and react to magic. Their durability isn't the best, so it's not advised to use them in weapons or sophisticated inventions. They do make great teaching tools and are meant to be fun. In the form of rings, I think they might be more dense because of the compact size. That should give a bigger effect at the different booths." although she was hypothesizing on the shape and potential effects, the first part was just fact that she knew from being a supplier.
"Once you've chosen your desired shape, you can immediately test out how it'll interact with this booth's crystals. Maybe there will be a harmonious resonance, the proof of love!" the booth attendant chimed in. He seemed rather impressed by the knowledge shared. It would all make sense to him if he caught Lumina's name of course.
Demonstrating the transformation, she focused her mind on the shape she wanted, before transforming her crystal into a simple ring, the band not adorned with any jutting crystal as an add-on the way a diamond ring would be. The color seemed to intensify now, as if pulsating on a slow frequency. She'd take a moment to place it on Caius finger.
"There, now you've got my crystal and you saw how I did it. Let's see what you can do, Caius~"
tag: Caius Dragelionwords: xxx outfit:Herenotes:The Light and the Parasite, pt. 9
Post by Caius Dragelion on Apr 1, 2023 9:34:54 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
Lumina almost protested, that was pretty clear seeing as Caius was looking her dead in the face at the time. Why she was about to be so adamant about it, before deciding to go with discretion, he wasn’t sure. Though he did have one idea, even if he wasn’t entirely sure on it. Can’t hurt to offer, right? “Lumey, if you want to visit at the Rest, you don’t need any specific reason for that” Caius clarified gently, the makeshift nickname just sort of coming out without him really thinking too much about it. She would be only the second person that he gave an actually flattering nickname to. The first was his co-leader and partner in the Dragonblades, so she was certainly in lofty company there. “Serah is part of the Dragonblades, and Claire’s already been visiting. I would have likely already extended an invitation to you to join myself, but you have your company to run and haven’t shown any real interest in combat arts. So needless to say, I would certainly enjoy your company if you do choose to visit.”
Well, that had just slipped out as a whole, hadn’t it? Caius didn’t really know where that had come from, it just felt right to say. “Just don’t do it out of obligation because you don’t want me straining my schedule tomorrow. As I said, I will make time if you want me there tomorrow. It is no trouble.”
A thought made him chuckle slightly. “Tomoe has been getting on me for “overdoing” my time at the Rest anyway. She says I have the same problem ‘’Miss Chere’’ had before her vacation. Between not giving her time to work by herself and making her think I’ll work myself to collapse, she’s made it clear I am infuriating her to no end. I don’t quite think I’m doing anymore than my job requires but maybe it’ll set her at ease.”
Caius listened as “Lumey” detailed the rings. Interesting… They worked the same as the crystals but the crystals could form into rings? Also apparently they were part of the admission so they could take them home. And they interacted differently with the different crystals here, based off… Harmonious… Responses? Caius didn’t understand everything but he was pretty sure he got the gist. Lumina meanwhile, would demonstrate. The ring was simple, but pretty and its color shined quite radiantly. Maybe he would have recognized it looked like a wedding ring (how forward!) if he knew what they looked like. He did not. They all looked the same to him. Still, he smiled slightly as he looked it over. It was definitely nice looking, though he was curious what went into it.
Then it was his turn. Caius nodded as he took the crystal assigned to him and tried to focus his thoughts into it. Caius wasn’t sure what he was doing, so he just focused on… Lumina. How did he see Lumina?
By the time Caius turned to clumsily hand the ring to Lumina, it was clear. The ring was simple and without a gem in the same way, but it was the way it was adorned that stood out still. In place of a gem were a series of tiny crystal flowers strewn around the ring, a sparkling and bright pink in color. The flowers looked as though they’d only just bloomed.
A flower in bloom. That was how he saw Lumina. A flower finally blooming into who they truly can be. As radiant and beautiful as can be, the simplicity of the ring itself symbolizing that she is free to shine in the way she wants to. A blank slate, a new world her canvas.
Final Fantasy XIII
521
YEARS
Female
Caius Dragelion
Demisexual
179 POSTS
Destati
"Now that's not right. You're not supposed to throw your life away."
Post by Claire Farron on Apr 1, 2023 17:33:42 GMT -6
"Reflection"
Radiance in Bloom
Sure, she hadn't expected the nickname. What surprised her more was how familiar it was. "You sound like my secretary and butler, Lorenzo, even though he dislikes me calling him such." Lumina remarks flatly at first. "Mistress Lumei, you're required to attend this meeting. You've an appointment with this Merchant in Provo, our supply chain is being compromised..." she was imitating one Lorenzo, who probably just sneezed from being called secretary. He much preferred Treasurer and stressed as such. Didn't seem to mind the butler part, even if Lumina suspected he enjoyed teasing her as part of her cover story.
"The stress on the syllables is different but having two men come up with a similar nick name...Nevermind that. So, Serah did properly join the Dragonblades? I was hoping as much. She's been insisting on protecting me from now on. Not for a lack of interest in combat on my part, it's... She wants me to properly live my life, instead of being a heroine. She asked me about using my other self's gunblade, you might have seen her with such as of late. Can't do much fighting without it, in theory~" judging by her mischievous tone, she had other ways to go about combat.
"It does make me wonder, since she's been gone for awhile, how it managed to remain, while Claire is with us instead. Along with my memories coming back. Medically speaking, I should stay off the front lines until these changes are finished. I'll just rely on Serah and yourself for now. By coming over tomorrow, you get to check in on me, to make sure I'm alright and I get to reward you with proper ramen." remarkably, Caius intuition was pretty close on the matter, with the obligation part ringing so true that Lumina conceded.
"...I just didn't want to be selfish, with your time that is. I'm not the best at asking for what I want. I also worry...a lot." with that rare confession of her character aside. "I'll be sure to visit because I want to. Not an obligation. Likewise, company or not, I'll make time for you too, I promise. The key to running business is to rely on coworkers." not unlike the key to saving the world was relying on her friends along the way.
"As for Tomoe, if that's how she feels, I imagine Claire feels the same way. Likewise, Serah wouldn't let me drown myself in work either. She checks in on me. No doubt she'd much rather I be doing business than running around saving cities. All while helping you and teaching at the University." people were looking out for them, so it'd be rude not to oblige the care they were shown.
All the more reason to take a page from Serah's book and make sure Caius really enjoyed himself. Though it seemed she'd gotten so into things that there wasn't a matter of worry anymore. Especially once she received Caius' crystal turned ring. The shock washed through her as she put it on. "Jeepers, I...will always cherish this, thank you." excitedly, she moved to the crystals at the booth to figure out the reaction. The crystals here were green and just by holding out her left ring finger, flower petals gently filled the air, falling about them in a magical display.
"There's the magic of crystals at work. Try out your ring, let's see what effect happens for you~"
tag: Caius Dragelionwords: xxx outfit:Herenotes:The Light and the Parasite, pt. 10
Post by Caius Dragelion on Apr 2, 2023 6:59:49 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
A… Secretary and butler? Claire had insinuated that Lumina was well off since she owned some sort of business in different regions or something like that. But enough to afford a butler full time? That was the kind of thing Caius had only heard of from royalty, or someone that was absurdly loaded. Was Lumina really that wealthy? Though he apparently actually hated being called a butler. Was she just teasing here then? It was difficult to tell with Lumina. “Does he actually call you mistress?” was the first response to come out of his mouth, laughing a bit as he tried to piece together all of this information and collect his jaw from the floor.
Seriously though, she’d already been given that nickname? Caius chewed the inside of his cheek, feeling just slightly vexed at this revelation. “Suppose my nicknaming sense isn’t the most original. I will have to work on that” Caius remarked absentmindedly, a bit lost in thought (no wonder, with all this lore) as he seemed to be considering what else he could go with. Though he snapped back to attention when Lumina brought up Serah and the Dragonblades. She did concede that she shouldn’t be fighting right now without blatantly saying whether she was interested in combat. She gave a noncommital answer to the idea of her becoming a Dragonblade as well. A shame, really, her resourcefulness would be a boon to them. But people like her helped the world in their own way, so that was fine.
Lumina talked about the weapon that Lightning once held that Serah had tried to kill him with. Though something she said was curious…
“Who was gone for awhile, while Claire is with you instead?” Caius asked in regards to that. If Lumina had told him, it had probably just gotten lost in her giant lore dump and Caius needed a quick refresher course. Though he did have a guess. “Do you mean your other self, as you called her. Isn’t Claire your other self? The… Adult Claire, I mean. Who you merged back together with. Wouldn’t that mean she isn’t gone?” came a suggestion from someone still trying to piece together all the Farron lore. “It’s still a lot for me to put together, but even by the memories you have shared with me. It sounds like you’re both Lumina and this… Lightning. Carrying on the spirit and memories of the one that went through all of those trials, while the Claire we have is from before all of that, now able to live the life of which you had the opportunity taken from you” he did his best to put right. Though there was one needed amendment… “I mean that in the past tense, obviously. The world is your canvas now, as we’ve discussed. But who you were still remains. Wouldn’t it make sense that parts of who you are remain as well?”
Caius’ free hand went to his head as he tried to slow down his train of thought before it crashed. “Apologies for rambling. I am still learning your… Family history. I am trying, I swear” he apologized sheepishly at that.
Lumina talked about worrying a lot, though he wasn’t sure what there was to worry about here. But talking about making time for him and that last part… “I thought you were scouting for a romantic partner today, not a co-worker” came a rare tease from the mercenary as he flashed a small grin, with the slightest hint of mischief shining in his eyes.
She claimed Claire felt the same as Tomoe, and that Serah kept her from drowning in work. “I’m not drowning in work, I should be fine” Caius spoke up at that. He wasn’t lying so much as he didn’t feel how tired he was. Kingsglaive reserves mixed with not knowing what true restfulness felt like anymore. “Running the businesses you do, you’re likely working harder than I am by far though. I see why Serah worries.”
As for the crystal? Caius couldn’t tell if Lumina knew the feelings behind the ring’s creation or not. But she lit up like a Christmas tree when he handed it to her, suddenly growing quite excited. Unsure of the meaning, he followed behind her and flashed his crystal ring at the other crystals as well. He wasn’t entirely sure of what effects he’d see, so he peered down at the ring closely with a curious eye. Would he be able to better tell what Lumina was thinking with this ring if he did, perhaps?
Final Fantasy XIII
521
YEARS
Female
Caius Dragelion
Demisexual
179 POSTS
Destati
"Now that's not right. You're not supposed to throw your life away."
Post by Claire Farron on Apr 2, 2023 18:09:04 GMT -6
"Reflection"
Radiance in Bloom
"Yes." she admits with a slightly annoyed but slightly endearing expression. "When we met in Sonora, I had just come from Metaia... He remarked on how I dressed, thinking I looked like an old fashioned aristocrat. My...mannerisms, given I looked about twelve; only exasperated that and so Mistress stuck. He took it upon himself to play the butler role, since it helped me to do business with adults." Caius was certainly being treated to a lot of backstory pertaining to Lumina's time in Zephon and her exploits to date. Though this was a story untold. Even if she hadn't meant to be secretive about it, as far as her family was concerned.
"You shouldn't say that~" Lumina remarks regarding Caius' nickname sense. "They're not quite the same as I mentioned. Lorenzo pronounces it Lumei, as in, Loo-Mey. You pronounce it, Loo-Mee, Lumi. I was just surprised by the similarities and that I've been nicknamed by men since I got here. I...scared men away before or they didn't approach, something like that...I do prefer Lumi, it's cute~" of course, when one was stoic, well toned soldier, with amazing talent...
Caius inquiry, innocent and resourceful, like a good student of lore should; seemed to blossom into an explanation that Lumina herself had not considered. Largely because she was afraid to think of possibilities, especially the idea of merging which frightened her here in Zephon. Now though, she didn't seem too afraid, outside of gently placing her left hand along her cheek in thought. Her immediate expression was one of being impressed, allowing with a sympathetic look about how much he must have retained to give such thoughtful insights and inquiry.
"You're right." she smiles sincerely before shaking her head, "You shouldn't apologize. My family and I have been through a lot. Honestly, you've done so well and your outside perspective is really helping me. I can't thank you enough. Let me try to go through your conclusion slowly."
Taking off her glasses for a moment, she hooks them to the pocket of her shorts momentarily. Freeing her hands, she conjures particles of light to form an illusion of her other self, as she looked here in Zephon, standing by her side. "This is the adult Claire, just as you speculated. Before young Claire was summoned, she was out at the Cabin near Provo, recovering after a traumatic incident involving...a parasite." she flinched visibly at the mention of such, a hand moving to her temple.
"...Parts of who I am, did remain, yes. Even the memories of who I was, as Lumina, people still remembered me. I'm just trying to understand...how were we separated again, here in Zephon?" although she asked this question, she didn't expect Caius to have an answer but given his insight and intuition, it didn't hurt.
"...Did we...merge again, perhaps? That...would explain why Serah's memories of Light are still here. I'm just...shouldn't it have been...me, that faded away?" she looked absolutely pale even confessing that. All her worst fears, in Zephon at least, came to bear and though she'd been dancing around it, she could no longer do so.
Courage then and being so forward weren't Lumina's strong suit. Thanks to Caius, however, it seemed he was able to bring out sides of her that neither Lumina or Light, had expressed before. Moving her hand from her cheek, which had gotten a bit hot, she tried to settle her nerves by inhaling deeply and then exhaling.
"...I finished scouting earlier, before we got here." she remarks cryptically but then, feeling frustrated that such was her go to ploy, she opted for something more direct. "...Well, if I'm being honest, it's more like young Claire did the scouting on my behalf. What I'm doing now, is pursuing my romantic partner~"
Speaking of pursuit, given their discussion of their jobs and others worrying about them, Lumina realized they had some traits in common. "You and I can bear more than most ordinary people, mentally at least. However, that comes at the cost of not recognizing how tired we are as a result. That's why Serah worries about me and why Tomoe and Claire, would worry about you~" she explains with surprising rationality.
True enough, Lumina did understand the intentions it was so moving that she couldn't control or hide her emotions at all. Inexperienced Caius might be in romance, he certainly had the required thoughtfulness! As for Lumina's own thoughts, when he gazed upon the ring, it's interaction (the harmony resonating between the crystals), produced a spectacular if not more direct result. Blue draconic wings came forth from the ring and made a hugging gesture, one that was protective in nature. The beat of those wings scattering the flower petals about them for a moment, causing Lumina to gasp.
Maybe her feelings and thoughts were a bit too direct? She'd just shyly smile and look away for a moment.
tag: Caius Dragelionwords: xxx outfit:Herenotes:The Light and the Parasite, pt. 11
Post by Caius Dragelion on Apr 3, 2023 5:29:14 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
Caius found the idea she had basically been adopted by a butler because she looked 12 to be amusing. He also apparently had used the nickname a different way. More… Fancy and fitting for a wealthy young woman, while Caius went for simpler and more of a term of endearment. At least she liked Lumey, though Caius seemed puzzled when she said that she scared men away. She didn’t seem scary to him. What gives?
Lumina at least seemed to appreciate the effort of trying to learn all the Lightning Lore, so she took off her glasses and conjured an illusion of her previous self. They looked identical, though Lumina still wore her hair and clothing differently. The face was different too… Not physically, but in how they carried themselves.
“She looks very… Cold.”
That was the main difference. They carried themselves like night and day. Lumina was sunny, the adult Claire was… Not. Likely from carrying the burdens that the family had laid out of what made her Lightning.
Speaking of sunny and gloomy, it felt weird not having her hand after so long. He kind of missed that embrace, oddly enough. Not that he’d tell her that. But talk of a parasite began to make him quite concerned. What parasite? Still, he listened carefully then tried to consider a theory of his own.
“This is just a wild guess. But it’s possible that the merger happened and was done in your favor to protect your whole, or Lightning, from this parasite. But you have also spent a great deal of time as an individual, sentient and able to grow and change as your own person. While also being merged with your Lightning half, which I imagine had many experiences during the time you were separated. It’s possible that the strange ways of this world mistook this to mean there was no longer a Light. The kicker is that I have come to learn sometimes Zephon pulls people in from points in time that are different from others, such as this younger Claire. However, I have never seen it pull in the same person twice at the same time. It’s possible that Zephon tried to replace Lightning, as an apparent major figure in the workings of time and space it would make sense for it to prioritize her presence. But she’s not gone. You’re Lightning. So the closest it could bring in was the innocent, young Claire before she took on the name Lightning and all of its burdens. Meaning instead of a bunch of incomplete halves running around, we now have two Claires running around with different names.”
Hand back on his head again, as Caius was giving himself a headache from trying to puzzle together all of this. It was a lot, wasn’t it? “Essentially having the side effect of allowing all sides of Claire Farron to live on. And giving the side that became Lumina a chance at true individuality without worry of fading away” he mused aloud. “I would say the theory is supported by the fact that you haven’t called this new Claire a “half” of any kind, or told me you have worried she might be the one to disappear. Only yourself, which I don’t think can happen anymore if you’ve already performed the merger that would have caused you to disappear.”
Wild guess, he knew. But it was the best he had at the moment. “Why you were better suited to dominate a merger though, I don’t know. Maybe your experiences made you a better fit to resist the parasite?”
They had, however, arrived to the date point before Caius could ask the big question. What happened to the parasite? Perhaps that’s a question best left for later…
Wait, so she had… Already made up her mind? Well before this became a date? Caius obviously looked a bit puzzled. What were the connotations of that? She had taken a lover before having any dates, she said… Though Caius wasn’t very inclined to ask about ex boyfriend stories. What exactly did this mean for her intentions behind this date?
Pursuing her romantic partner. So if she was no longer scouting, and now pursuing, did that mean…?
He didn’t get a chance to question it further before Lumina mentioned the issue of fatigue. “I felt greatly tired when I was first learning to do the office side of the job that Celes normally does. But I got used to it and it doesn’t bother me anymore. I feel fine now” Caius responded, though did give her points some thought. “I’ve never really thought about being tired and not realizing it. It never feels like it.”
Then came the ring, and the crystal interaction did indeed tell a story. A dragon, that seemed to be protecting something. Was that meant to be him? He supposed it wasn’t too far off. Then the beat of wings scattered the petals from her ring, causing Lumina to gasp.
“Are you alright?”
Final Fantasy XIII
521
YEARS
Female
Caius Dragelion
Demisexual
179 POSTS
Destati
"Now that's not right. You're not supposed to throw your life away."
Post by Claire Farron on Apr 3, 2023 15:07:52 GMT -6
"Reflection"
Radiance in Bloom
The remark Caius made about Light's expression, it made Lumina sad but it was reality. "When the weight of the world is on your shoulders. When you've given everything to become strong, to protect your only family in the world...it's the cost of sacrifice. Power...is a path of solitude. There's no room for pretty things..." briefly, she looked to her ring and what it represented. A tear built up in her right eye, streaming downwards slowly.
"Did you leave me alone again...?" that was a rabbit hole she'd been tip toeing about before she met Serah. Before she met... 'him'. These were experiences, unique to herself and it seemed Caius theory was correct. That he was able to extrapolate so much was incredible, she couldn't help but look to him in awe.
"Then...I know when it happened. The merger... Serah and I were together when it happened. She came to the same conclusion you have, that our individual experiences made us our own person. It's just, we'll always be connected. Failing to capture one host, the parasite should have targeted me next. I'd be the vulnerable entry point, to attempt the takeover of our whole heart. Light must not have really been recovering, she was...fading. Once we were reunited, the world or the Old Gods of Zephon, realized Light was no longer here. So, in real time, courtesy of Mog; we got to hear Young Claire summoned to Zephon. Serah rushed back to that cabin faster than I'd ever seen anyone move." Lumina couldn't help but giggle but it was dry and somber. Having been unaware of the changes surrounding herself at the time
"I lost consciousness moments before Young Claire's summoning. I also couldn't maintain my older appearance, I got...reset to my fabulous young incarnation. Only for my powers to not work for awhile. Something must have happened to my memories too but it's...hazy." in hindsight, she should have investigated this more carefully. Lumina had taken for granted Light's strength and their obvious connection. You can only go so long with a fraction of a heart. If they'd both developed complete hearts, then the tether would still exist.
"I'm...Lightning?" this left her in a state of...confusion. She turned to the illusion she'd conjured and true enough, the illusion turned to face her in kind. That only started Lumina, who looked positively beside herself. The illusion couldn't speak but it mouthed something easy enough to read by lips. "You're me" and then it began to fade into crimson particles of light. When she turned to look to Caius again, she seemed deep in thought.
"Right, there was no way it could pull more incomplete versions of Claire, especially from the same timeline. I guess...there's no substitute for the real thing. Nor can I change my past, I can only strive to be better than I was yesterday. Better than I was centuries prior. No matter how much I selfishly wish I could change the past." even if she'd want to make it up to Serah, to their friends, they'd already forgiven and accepted her. She just needed to accept herself and the opportunities here, wholeheartedly this time. No more doing things strictly for someone else's sake or solely to 'protect them'.
Lumina was learning, "My experiences...? OH! Yes~ It's because...I don't do things alone. I've had a lifetime to learn I'm stronger when I have those that I care about with me. If I'm...really infected, I'm not going to fight it alone." sure, she could stand to be a bit more selfish but her experiences in Zephon had changed her. Maybe she was the Claire that Zephon needed, not the saviour it deserved.
All her experiences so far had guided her to this first time life event after all. Courage and a desire to...be different, to live life kept her going. Even when she wanted to run off so many times. So many firsts, so much emotional truths to face. More to come too, that much her intuition was screaming at her about. So of course she'd made up her mind, if their earlier talks hadn't cemented it, then being here and now, sure would.
"That's because you enjoy it, the work I mean. It won't feel tiring in circumstances like that." immersing herself in work was just how Lumina did things. Kept all manner of doubt out of her mind, made her focused, and helped her deal with the worse of her loneliness during her earlier days in Zephon.
So, she'd save him from work. This kind of heroism, was much better than having to swing a sword. More rewarding too, if she was honest. "Am I alright~? Of course I am but how are you so calm?" she'd inquire back, somewhat playfully with a hint of disbelief. She hadn't gasped because something was wrong, she gasped because of the amazing spectacle.
"Come on, let's go see the other booths. We've talked about some heavy stuff today. We've gotta balance it out with memorable moments like this." Lumina seemed to be in full on tourist mode or like a super enthusiastic first time park goer~ She offered Caius her hand, left hand this time. Her gaze was in the direction of one of the bigger attractions the stage show which wasn't putting on a performance for another two hours, the haunted manor. Of course, there was a line and there were a lot of couples waiting to go inside.
"If I remember right, we're supposed to use our crystals to solve puzzles in there and have a good time. So, while we wait...how are you feeling? I used to hold Serah's hand when she was younger to reassure her. Doesn't need her big sis for that now. She grew up so fast." Lumina couldn't help but reminisce. "Is she doing well, as a Dragonblade I mean? It's hard to juggle one's career with freelance work. Nevermind being alone here. Well, as in without her hero. Speaking from first hand experience of what the other side of that couple was like when they were separated...Not good, is putting it mildly. Serah even asked me the other day if she should take on a cool code name and suggested 'Thunder'. Given the meaning of our family name, she'd just be Thunder Thunder...Nevermind that she can't pull off that 'cool' beauty façade." Lumina shook her head before sighing with a faint smile.
"Maybe that dinner isn't a bad idea but...I need to make sure that whatever I'm feeling, isn't just a little crush. You can give me five days or so, more time than you gave me with Snow~" she mused and that left her with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Post by Caius Dragelion on Apr 5, 2023 9:13:20 GMT -6
The Dragonblades
The cost of sacrifice. Giving everything to become strong to protect others. Despite all the other things that the sisters claimed he had in common with Lightning, Caius couldn't identify with that. Yes, perhaps that was a strange thing to think for someone that people claimed was "heroic" in nature, but Caius never had a choice. He became strong to survive. Strong enough to live another day when everything and everyone else you could have fought for was taken from you. For the longest time, his strength had come from only that base, selfish desire. Even as a Kingsglaive, he couldn't identify. He continued to become strong for the only purpose he knew, or could ever have. Serving the King, serving Lucis -- that had been what Caius felt was his duty, and there was nothing left to sacrifice for that purpose. What can be sacrificed when you have already lost everything? When you've already been reduced to a shell of a human being?
Even now, as a stronger fighter and a better man with a better cause. He still couldn't identify. Because he was happy doing what he was doing. He got to see the people he did care for, and protect them while continuing to gain strength with each fight. He didn't see what he was doing as a sacrifice. He was just doing what he wanted to do. This Lightning... Had given up everything to protect people. And for that, he would respect her. But he did not envy her.
Lumina meanwhile, seemed surprised that Caius was able to guess at these things related to her situation and her family. Some of it was because Caius had been exposed to so much of this Zephon bullshit at this point that he'd already considered a hundred theories on how it works long before meeting Lumina or any of the Farron sisters. He'd seen many strange situations, even his own King was far from the one that Caius had known in his own world. And wasn't the Starscourge itself that he had dealt with for so many years, in of itself a kind of parasite? The rest of the guesswork meanwhile, came from paying attention to the stories he had been told by Claire, Serah and now Lumina. He didn't have perfect memory of all the details, nowhere close to it. But he had enough to put some things together.
He listened closely as Lumina told the rest of the story regarding the parasite and the merger. She agreed with his assessment that Lightning was losing against the parasite, and somehow, someway, Lumina and Lightning's merger had activated. She knew as much about how as he did, it seemed. But if he was to guess, it was potentially some kind of emergency failsafe that came from Lumina's deepest desires to help her new family. Even if she had once resented that version of Claire, they were still one and the same. One couldn't let go of a part of them so easily. It also seemed she had actually been able to use this adult form of hers before the younger Claire had been summoned. Why it stopped when the merger happened, and young Claire came about? Caius didn't know. His guess had been that unlocking the powers of that merger had allowed her to take Lightning's form. Perhaps the parasite transferring to Lumina, as she seemed to think was the case, was what restricted her abilities? What unlocked her abilities just now, then? It had been so sudden, and in the middle of a fairly deep talk about who she was. When they had discussed her holding herself back... Had she been inhibiting herself from fighting this parasite?
Though it seemed to take a minute for Lumina to accept that she was both Lumina and Lightning at the same time. "Sort of," Caius interjected calmly at that. "You're Lightning, but also still Lumina. With the shared memories and experiences of both, making you a new person completely in a sense. With a whole heart, and a future of your choosing. Your identity now can be whoever you want."
And likely the abilities of both, as well. With everything that Serah had told him about Lightning's abilities and status in their homeworld, combined with Lumina's illusionary magic... If Lumina had any interest in fighting, she would be exceedingly formidable in this form. Potentially stronger than the deity-blessed Lightning at her peak. Very likely to be even stronger than Caius as well. That this had materialized in a personality that didn't seek out battle the way Lightning once had, was probably the most dramatic irony of them all in this situation.
She wished she could change the past, she claimed. Caius gave a small, sympathetic smile at that. After a moment of hesitation, albeit a bit less so than usual considering they had literally been holding hands prior, he placed a hand gently on her shoulder to look her in the face. "I definitely wish I could. But right now, you have that ability to decide how the future goes. I have grown to learn that this should be my focus."
Caius didn't know he was probably triggering some bad juju by saying "focus" like that, but there was still 13 lore that nobody had told him. Whoops. But for Lumina, she at least resolved not to deal with the parasite alone. Which was good. "I'm glad to hear that. Not that I would let you cut me out of taking this parasite down anyway. Your family's stuck with me now, Claire's made sure of that" Caius actually managed a joke, with just a glimmer of mischief showing. That side of him had always been there, deep down and repressed. But it took some doing to bring it out...
The conversation turned to him, where she said that work doesn't feel tiring if you enjoy it. "I wouldn't say I enjoy paperwork. Training the recruits is something I've grown fond of, though" commented Caius with a shrug. "I guess I just like keeping busy. I never feel right standing idle. It always feels like there's something that I could be doing."
Then came the reactions to the crystal. The display was beautiful, but Caius wasn't one to gasp and hers had taken him by surprise. Perhaps he had grown just a touch protective? Which was funny, considering his realization she could probably mop the floor with him and just about anybody else if inclined to fight. She asked how he stayed calm, and that brought about another shrug. "It's how I stay alive" came that line again, the same one he'd given Claire, and the same one he'd given Sarah. It applied to a lot of things about him, to be honest. Not the most healthily formed habits, to say the least.
Their heavy talks would soon begin to wind down in favor of balancing them out with a memorable, enjoyable day, at Lumina's insistence. Caius supposed he could agree with that logic. And it was kind of cute when she got all enthusiastic about the crystals and the rings and things. Not that he'd tell her that. Her hand was offered again, and this time he took it quickly and readily compared to the first time around. Though looking at what was being described as a "haunted manor" made Caius shudder a moment, a rare thing for him to do in front of others.
She asked how he was doing, once they got in line. "I... Don't have very good experiences with haunted houses" Caius muttered, just loud enough to make it clear he was actually talking to her. It wounded his pride to say, but that brought back some bad memories from a few years back. Perhaps he'd tell that story if prodded. When Lumina asked about Serah, he thought it over a moment. "She seems to be doing fine. Hasn't really done much for jobs yet, but I understand that, given this is a part time gig for her. She is really only in this to help us out if we need it, which I appreciate."
It sounded like Serah wasn't coping well with being without Snow, which made sense to him. She seemed like someone who tried to be strong, but deep down was very dependent. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Depending on others had... Its benefits. Something that Caius had slowly chipped at learning over the last few years.
Though he did laugh at the codename Serah proposed for herself. "If that's the case, she might as well call herself Thunderr for short. Double R for the double name" came a joke suggestion, not at all serious. Probably.
