SLAUGHTER & SALVATION.

emotionally charged .

' Really ? '

A scoff of disbelief — she does not intend to mock , nor does she realize how incredibly cold her tone rings . Her words , her annoyance lies with herself . Lune knows what Lightning means , knows that she , too , struggles to allow that single word to escape her throat . Grief claws desperately within her chest , heart already mourning the lives they will soon witness scatter , fill the skies with petals and dust as their form evaporates ...

They should be accustomed to loss : for decades , it has been all Lumiére has known . Death , death , more death ... Every year , another hundred goodbyes . Be they gommaged or lost on the expedition , it's all the same .

How she wishes she'd grown numb to it by now .

With her own expedition rapidly approaching , it is clear she can no longer dance 'round the cruelty of her own death soon to come . Her entire life has been spent preparing for this , everything devoted to ensuring their success ... and yet , bitterness is the only thing driving her . Not a longing for victory , not a hunger to prove herself , not even her insatiable curiosity . Her chest is heavy with hatred , and that contempt towards the Paintress only swells when she meets Light's eyes , sees the sorrow swimming within them .

She softens , then , a sigh as gaze falls to the ground beneath her feet .

' ... I know . Never any easier . But we'll finish what the others could not . I can't ... I won't allow any other outcome . '

Forcing a smile , Lune places a gentle hand 'pon Light's shoulder .

❛   You're  right  .   ❜   She  concedes  with  ease  ,  a  weight  that's  been  looming  over  her  like  a  haunting  shadow  finally  evaporating  in  the  light  ;  struck  down  for  a  moment  ,  uncertain  in  the  timing  of  its  return  .  But  she  knows  that  it  will  .  She  knows  that  it  always  does  .  She  won't  take  for  granted  this  reprieve  .

The  souls  of  the  damned  seem  not  to  exist  ,  like  they've  simply  been  erased  from  existence  .  There  is  no  hope  of  an  afterlife  ,  or  a  world  beyond  this  one  .  Are  they  not  just  vessels  trapped  in  a  world  built  on  suffering  ?  Serah  is  the  only  reason  she  does  not  resign  to  these  thoughts  entirely   .   .   .   for  if  she  allowed  them  to  become  her  reality  ,  she'd  forfeit  her  own  sister's  future  .  And  then  ,  what  would  it  all  be  worth  ?  She  hopelessly  clings  to  the  hope  that  tomorrow  will  begin  anew  ,  that  one  day  ,  things  might  be  different  .  But  she  does  not  pray  .  She  stopped  praying  a  long  time  ago  .

❛   And  I  won't  either  .   ❜   She  responds  with  a  determination  ,  and  ferocity  burning  beneath  the  deadened  hue  of  her  irises  ,  looking  on  to  the  sky  that  holds  them  .  Clouds  and  dark  hues  of  forboding  skies  .  Endless  ,  yet  finite  .

With  ingenuine  smiles  exchanged  and  a  hand  atop  her  shoulder  ,  she  sighs  something  deep  .  ❛   This  world  isn't  built  for  us  . People  like  us  ,  maybe  .  But  not  us  .  ❜

    ›    random dialogue,    with  @ruinga.

        Gaze lingers on the soldier, listening to what she spoke  -  there's bitterness behind it, sorrow. It creates a  familiar hole  within their own chest;  the ghosts of past haunting their very soul. This  CURSE  that continues to linger    &.    for generations to come. How cruel of a fate others can be sentences to  -  when they merely want to be reunited with the only family left    ...    their sisters.

        Vi shoves hands into dark coat pockets, their eyes fall    &.    look at the gravel beneath their feet. Soon, stomping the fore front of boot to the ground, twice, they take a step    &.    stood  a bit closer  to the pinkette;        "  It's the price we pay for being the  eldest,  I think. Slowly bein' crushed under the weight of  AFFECTION  for your siblings  -  hell, our whole family, yeah?  "        Pure exhaust spoken form the fighter, they have no regrets in the paths they've chosen  -  even if it did appear briefly. Much like Lightning could sympathize with,  they'd always choose baby blue.  Even if it's wrong, even if it somehow ended in their own inevitable death?  It'll always be her.

        "  ...    We'll find 'er. You 'n I might  APPROACH  shit differently, but  -  "        Shoulders shrug,       "  I'll stick with you.  I know what it's like  - maybe not being some kinda  chosen of God  or whatever. I just know what it's like to have so much love for someone, to lose 'em    OVER    &.    OVER    &.    OVER    again. I can't let it happen to my friend, too. It's my moral obligation t'help you.  "        Eyes returns to crystal blues, a small smirk formed, one with such confidence.

A  certain  type  of  smirk  pulls  at  her  lips   –   not  a  thing  of  arrogance  or  heightened  ego  ,  but  certainly  reminiscent  of  trust  ,  companionship  ,  mutual  understanding  .  If  there's  anyone  who  might  have  a  chance  at  understanding  her  ,  perhaps  it's  them  .  People  who'd  go  to  hell  and  back  for  those  they  love  .  Again  .  And  again  .  And  again  again  .  People  who  would  fight  tooth  and  nail  ,  spitting  blood  from  their  lips  and  spilling  it  from  their  knuckles  to  ensure  that  anyone  and  everyone  except  for  them  might  come  out  unscathed  ,  but  especially  them  .  A  younger  sister  .  A  symbol  of  the  past  that  no  longer  exists  but  haunts  them  eternally  .  A  person  they  can't  let  go  of  ,  because  they  are  the  only  thing  that  makes  them  human  .

Her  eyes  drift  from  Vi's  ,  centering  at  the  tiled  ground  beneath  them  ,  each  tile  seemingly  more  broken  and  faded  than  the  last  .  ❛   Yeah  ,  ❜   she  says  quietly  ,  like  she's  lost  in  thoughts  that  refuse  to  slip  from  her  tongue  . 

❛  Didn't  ask  for  it  .  But  neither  did  she  .  ❜   A  sentiment  she's  sure  they  could  both  understand  .

❛  Don't  have  to  be  God's  chosen  to  protect  the  ones  you  love  .   ❜   You  simply  have  to  be  human  . 

Something  gentle  passes  through  her  lungs  ,  like  she's  let  go  of  a  rope  she's  strung  herself  to  ,  like  reliance  on  another  person  holds  her  in  a  way  that's  just  right  .  That  embraces  her  like  the  day  before  her  mother   .   .   .   – 

“ in more ways than i care to explain, ” says florence. “ it is a curse, but it isn’t my curse. ” 

❛   That's  for  damn  sure  .   ❜   She'd  laugh  ,  were  hollow  wishes  ,  ever  -  unfulfilled  ,  not  haunting  her  every  action  .  The  metal  of  her  armor  clinks  when  she  crosses  her  arms  beneath  her  chest  plate  ,  and  she  sighs  with  a  tilt  of  her  head  ,   ❛   There're  a  lot  of  people  wishing  for  a  lot  of  things  .  That's  what  I'd  like  to  imagine  ,  anyway  .   ❜   That  perhaps  there  is  hope  that  all  of  humanity  has  not  yet  lost  their  own  .  It  oft  seems  that  way  ,  and  she  prays  it's  less  the  case  than  it  appears  . 

❝ me ? you really over— ❞ he stops himself, knowing that lightning would rebuke it the moment he finished it. besides, he was still learning how to be kind to himself, even now. everyone saw something that he couldn't see about himself, something that he still wished he saw. how could he, when his heart was so full of hate, ready to burn the world down with him for its injustice ? when he was ready to hurt snow ( worse still than that, but the thought now is too awful for him to think again ), blaming anyone just to try and get rid of the pain ? and then, snow carrying him back as if none of that mattered, promise to his mother or not . . . maybe it was all just a part of growing up and being an adult, things still yet out of his reach.

He's  right  to  stop  while  he's  ahead  ,  because  with  all  the  certainty  in  the  world  ,  she  would  indeed  rebuke  his  claims  before  they're  ever  uttered  into  reality  .  Their  turmoil  has  run  deep  ,  but  everyone's  born  it  together  .  It's  the  only  reason  they're  all  still  alive  ,  she's  sure  of  it  .  All  that  weight   .   .   .   there's  no  way  it  wouldn't  crush  someone  without  the  group's  strength  to  carry  it  .  Not  just  a  group  ,  she  supposes  .  A  family  .  That's  what  they  are  .  And  she  hopes  to  hell  and  back  that  she  might  garner  enough  strength  to  pay  back  what  debt  she  owes  :  the  loving  compassion  she's  been  loaned  . 

Hope  smiles  ,  and  she  can't  help  but  smile  back  .  Confidence  pulls  her  cheeks  ,  pride  glistening  through  the  reflection  of  the  sun  in  her  eyes  .  She  gives  a  passive  laugh  ,  almost  scoff  -  like  ,  when  he  mimics  her  with  intent  . 

❛  I  know  you  do  .  And  so  do  we  .  ❜ She  tosses  her  chin  just  enough  to  rid  the  strands  of  hair  from  tickling  her  chin  ,  and  gives  him  a  look  of  confidence  .  

some various character analysis questions based off of space &&. the bodies that inhabit it. feel free to edit as you see fit.

[ MERCURY ] is your muse good at communication ? can they hold a proper conversation, or are they always finding an excuse to avoid small talk ?

[ VENUS ] how does your muse handle love ? do they believe themself to be deserving of it, and how capable are they of loving others ?

[ EARTH ] how grounded is your muse ? are they logical and straightforward, or are do they always have their head in the clouds ?

[ MARS ] when your muse gets angry, how does it show ? do they know how to control it, or do they let it consume them ?

[ JUPITER ] how does your muse see morality ? what do the words good and evil mean to them ?

[ SATURN ] is your muse all work and no play ? do they let responsibility consume them, or do they allow themselves breaks from time to time ?

[ URANUS ] can your muse handle change ? do they accept it with open arms, or will they try anything they can to make sure things say the same ?

[ NEPTUNE ] does your muse dream frequently ? if they do, what kind of dreams (or nightmares) do they have ?

[ PLUTO ] what is your muse's relationship with individuality ? do they feel that they need permission to be themself ?

[ CERES ] does your muse take care of themself ? do they neglect their needs to put others first ?

[ PALLAS ] how perceptive is your muse ? can they pick up on things other people don't ?

split  into  a  unit  of  a  half  a  dozen  ,  the  monk  turned  to  the  soldier  ,  weary  gaze  evident  ‘pon  tattered  visage  as  they  settled  amongst  the  fires  glow  for  the  evening  .  knees  pulled  up  to  her  chest  as  she  hugged  them  close  ,  ❛  how’re  you  holding  up  ,  light  ?  ❜

The  flame  before  them  flickers  ,  embers  dancing  into  the  sky  as  she's  reminded  of  divine  violence  .  fire  ,  like  lightning  ,  brutally  destructive  .  She  ,  its  catalyst  .  A  woman  who  knows  the  war  of  heart  and  war  of  battle  sits  aside  another  ,  equally  yoked  .  The  former  sergeant  watches  as  Tifa  pulls  into  herself  ,  and  becomes  subconsciously  more  aware  of  the  cold  breeze  against  her  neck  and  shoulders  .  She  ,  too  ,  crosses  her  arms  ,  ever  -  defending  herself  from  reality's  chill  .