Here I Go Again On My Own

[these_balls]

Who: Participants of the Dream Plot!
Where: En route to Dream Prom!
When: Saturday, April 18th!
Summary: The second round of dreaming, during which participants ought to be having a dream that involves travel of some variety, or of needing to get to a faraway place. The content is up to you, just make sure it involves that in some way!
Rating: PG, and please warn for threads that may go higher!
Log:

[It's day two of the dream plot, and this time participants have gone under for good; hopefully you weren't in an uncomfortable location, because you're going to be in a minor dream coma for the next two days, traveling along to...

...well, you'll find out eventually, won't you?

Good luck and happy travels, dreamers!]

Comments

[bylight]

"Let's just say he's been my punching bag a few times. His name is Snow Villiers."

Lightning would most likely never get married. She was still trying to find herself... and finally do what she had meant to do fora while now. "... Naminé, how old are you?"

[shatterings]

The question catches her off-guard, and she blinks. Naminé looks a bit stunned, almost, and she frowns. Age was tricky for Nobodies. But at the same time, she wants to tell Lightning the truth. She speaks slowly, casting her gaze down.

"Technically speaking... I'm not much older than one year."

[bylight]

That was a surprising answer. Yet she won't pry. It looked and sounded like a difficult subject to talk about. She herself was older than anyone here and didn't look her age. She hated that.

"You look like you're fifteen while I look twenty-one."

[shatterings]

"Ah... mm. I don't look or act my actual age, do I?" She has to smile a little bit at that. Lightning had seen so much already; there's no point in hiding anything anymore, is there?

"It's because of what I am."

[bylight]

She watched her before pulling Naminé into a hug. "I don't care what you are. You're Naminé. That's all that matters.."

She pulls away and let's out a soft sigh. "I'm five hundred and twenty-one years old."

[shatterings]

She eases into the hug, much better than before. Lightning's words are a comfort, but she really does want to tell Lightning. It's when she's pulled away from Lightning that she looks up at her.

"Before this place, I didn't have a heart. I'm what's called a Nobody. I'm only half a person."

[bylight]

Lightning frowns. Half a person? How... no, she's heard strange things before. Been part of some strange things as well. She just didn't understand how someone couldn't have a heart. Maybe she didn't mean the actual heart, just the concept of a heart.

"I see... It's Kairi, isn't it... she's the other half." It all made sense now... why those two looked so eerily similar... Kairi was bright and exuberant, whereas Naminé was quiet and reserved.

[shatterings]

Naminé supposes that, if someone knows them both, it's not hard to figure out what they are to each other. Lightning's so perceptive, too; Naminé would have been more surprised if Lightning hadn't figured it out. She nods, taking a deep breath.

"Yes. Well... I'm Kairi's other half. It doesn't seem fair for it to be the other way around." Matter-of-factly is how it's said, and without a trace of any negative emotion. Naminé had never once disliked Kairi. Maybe she had been a bit jealous, but that wasn't fair to Kairi, either. And after meeting her for real, Naminé knows she could never bring herself to feel any ill will toward Kairi. She's so sweet, so kind, that Naminé admires her more than anything.

[bylight]

That kind of a life must have been difficult. Lightning had always been her own person, never a half of someone, so she can't really sympathize with Naminé. She does understand enough though to offer her a smile. "Even if you're only half a person, you're a good person on your own."

She loos back at the cathedral and steels herself. ".... I need to go in there."

[shatterings]

That's just the sort of thing Naminé can imagine her saying. And, a surprise: Part of her can believe it. That's a lot different from two months ago, when she would have denied it vehemently. Of course, the other part of her doesn't believe it, but that's starting to become a quieter part. And Naminé knows it'll always be there.

But so will people with kind words.

With a look at the cathedral, Naminé takes Light's hand. "... You won't be alone."

[bylight]

She squeezes her hand gently. The contact is welcome. She trusts the young girl. "... I know. I never am alone as long as I have my friends."

Light leads her inside, and it was just how it was before. And in the way stood a monster, a chimera. She lets go of Naminé's hand and rushes forward. She grabs her blade and fights the creature to a standstill. Just like back then.

And just like back then, here came Noel, stalling the creature. Even though he spoke, there were no words. She looks back at the blonde and nodded. "We need to go. Now. Follow me!" She rushes inside the deeper part of the cathedral, waiting for her friend to catch up.

[shatterings]

"... I'm beginning to realize that." And Naminé gives her a smile, one that looks... light. She follows her friend, and the monster's appearance makes her gasp and pause. It's huge, but she has faith in Lightning: She can defeat it. Naminé's smart enough to stand back.

At Lightning's words, she rushes forward, keeping up fairly well with Lightning. If she'd learned anything during her bout of rebellion under DiZ's care, it's to be quick and fast.

[bylight]

Light stopped as they got to the next area. Another monster, but this is different...Fang was there. More muffled words, and Lightning joins the battle. This time the creature is killed to clear the way. She nods to Naminé and heads into the main part of the cathedral.

The Chaos, even in a dream, was suffocating, and Light feared Naminé would be overwhelmed. There again were the lack of words. Fang, Vanille, the order, the fighting... and then this. The moment of the Soulsong. The moment when all those soul are saved and Vanille doesn't have to die.

Her dream had ended there. She knew what came after, but she could never see it through. It was too painful. Yet it happened... and there she was...

"S-Serah!" gasped Light, reaching out for her sister before the dream shattered like glass.

[shatterings]

Naminé's fairly quiet throughout the whole ordeal. The whole time, her still-new heart is pounding in her chest, and she almost can't breathe from how anxious she is. And the dark, swirling mass certainly doesn't help. Naminé's not certain what it is, but she does know that she doesn't like this. Is this what Lightning had to encounter all her mission?

It's a miracle she didn't lose herself.

And when the image of the other girl appears--and then shatters--Naminé finds her voice. She doesn't think, really; she just acts. Naminé throws her arms around Lightning's waist. It's the most she can do.

"Lightning!" She lifts her head to look at her friend, eyes wide. "It's okay...!"

[bylight]

Lightning let her arm drop as the dream around them changed. They stood on the plains in front of Cocoon in all of its crystal covered glory. Her eyes are closed as the sun shines down on them, the wind kicking up a soft breeze, the world smelling like warm grass. Her clothes melt like crystals as they were replaced with the clothes she had set out on her first journey in.

When she opens her eyes, there's tears. "... I know it's okay. But that doesn't make it hurt any less... that girl was Serah, my sister. Every night it's the same dream. Every night I lose her again. What's the point of being as powerful as I am when I can't get her back?"

[shatterings]

There's so much sadness in Lightning's voice and her eyes that it's hard to admire the beauty of the place. The breeze barely registers to Naminé, and she doesn't let go of Lightning. It's hard to, when she's so... sad.

"I know you'll get her back," Naminé murmurs, arms tightening around her friend. "I know you will. You'll get to see her again."

[bylight]

"..... I pray for it every day."

It was said very softly as she wraps her arms around Naminé to return the embrace. She had never meant for anyone to see her so scared, so sad, so utterly vulnerable. She thanks the gods at least for letting it be someone as gentle and kind as this young woman.

[shatterings]

"I'll pray then, too."

Naminé's faith in other people is funny like that--she has so much to give, there's none left for her. It doesn't seem odd to her at all, though, and Lightning probably has realized that. The hug, though, serves to help Naminé relax, and she nods.

"It's the most I can do for you."

[bylight]

She smiles down at Naminé despite the tears. "I'll pray for your happiness. Because I have faith that you'll get to be here a long time. So you can learn to dream about happier things."

Light means it. She does want her happy.

[shatterings]

"If time has stopped in my world... I hope I will be here for a long time." Naminé feels like she's repeating herself, really, but she can't help it. She's never known such happiness, and it's... it's so wonderful she doesn't want it to end.

"I hope... I can make you happy, too."

[bylight]

"That's a good way to look a it."

She blinks and watches the young blonde. She thought she made it clear that Naminé had already helped a lot with her happiness. "You already are."

[shatterings]

The words make her blush a little and smile. "Well... I'm glad. Ilya said the same thing, too."

[bylight]

"Ilya? A friend? So you make her happy as well?"

[shatterings]

"She was one of the first people I spoke to, and I've been traveling with her." Naminé pauses, and a shy smile forms on her lips. "She said I did. And she wants me to draw her some time."

[bylight]

It's good Naminé has friends, but Light wishes she was still traveling with her. Traveling alone wasn't something she thought she would have to do when she got here. She smiles and nods, though, for her friends sake. "That's good you have someone who cares for you. And lets you know you make her happy."