to the future

           ❛ it’s okay if we don’t see it tonight! it gives us another excuse to hang out again! ❜ such confidence and glee she speaks with. their first night as friends has barely started, and yet she’s already planning more. she was always that way, though. planning ahead, especially when she was excited. coffee didn’t help that, either. she was tiny, it goes straight to her head, and then it wares of quickly. she can only hope she doesn’t crash in the height of their night. if he didn’t have any roommates, she begs the coffee lasts as long as it can. she has a feeling their night would run a little long.

         ❛ we don’t need fancy equipment. just staring at them from afar is good enough for me! there’s something special about watching them twinkle. ❜ said as she’s peeking out the window, eyes up in the sky. it was almost as if they weren’t moving at all. no matter the scenery change, it was almost as if the stars stayed the same. and that was her favorite part.

        there’s hesitation, looking around her surroundings with her eyes away from the sky. her cup sits in her hands, warming them. this was very much different from the bus. she almost felt dirty inside. she worked with food after all, there’s no telling what kind of residue was left on her from her shift. after a moment, though, she remembers what Hope had said, so she takes a very careful sip of her coffee–  praying they didn’t hit a bump all at the same time! but it’s with relief her small sip is with success. getting the perfect blend of sweetness, bitterness and warmth she’d been waiting for.

         with her cup snug in the holder across from his, she darts her eyes back up to the sky. this time, though, she notices a star brighter than the others, and she hums with curiosity. ❛ so.. when some stars are brighter than one another, what does that really mean? I know sometimes it means they’re planets.. but that’s not always true is it? does it have anything to do with their age or distance? ❜ genuine curiosity has her looking to him, smile and all. 

          a chuckle, he’s enlightened by her enthusiasm. and the answer flows so natural, without prior deliberation ( as though it’s question posted so constant ) ❛ it could be any matter of factors. it definitely has to do with their proximity to us. it could also be as simple as some stars simply being a little brighter than others. nature’s full of variables, and the stars aren’t exempt. ❜ how he wishes to peek himself, observe the cosmos, appreciate the wonders nature wrought. he’d taken a turn, deviating from perfect pavement to a slightly irregular, but not uncharted, unkempt road winding up the hill. beyond foliage, beyond the artificial bloom of LEDs and cityscapes, laid an inconspicuous nook at the head of the trail. the car is parked, with doors automatically opening, and he’s already finding himself at the passenger’s side. 

          ❛ this spot . . . ❜ his attention shifts to a fissure splitting the wall of rock just ahead, ❛ . . . is where I ran off to as a kid whenever I was upset. I found it by accident. it doesn’t look like much, but the view of the sky on the cliff just behind it is phenomenal. ❜ within the cover of night, its expanse appears as a sooty landmark nestled by trees. it’s a secret easily missed, its unseen treasures tucked and privy to select eyes only. he’s slipping past the fracture, amazed he’s still able to slip by. surely Serah would have little to no trouble doing so, as height was more an issue than breadth. 

“ Hey, I’m not judging! ——— I’m only saying that you should know your buttons and keyboards by now. ” oh, how hard she’s trying to contain a short laugh. if he only knew. but then again, it was Hope she was directing her words to… so it’s obvious that he knows. it felt like it had been so many lifetimes ago, still, her bound to this man hadn’t changed one bit. forever she’d rely on him, as well as she knew he’d rely on her. that simple thought made the corners of her lip to move up for the faintest second.

quietly, she continues, in her place. her arms and legs remain crossed as her eyes observe ( always attentively ) every step he takes around the beige & white tiled floor and every move he makes on a successful attempt to get information on what’s awaiting the pair on the dying world right below the Ark.

      “ Now that you mention it… I can’t remember a day I have been to Luxerion and didn’t have to go through a disturbance or an area filled with chaos. Even during the daytime, it’s getting worse by the second. Monsters and beasts are crawling like cockroaches over there. ” she confirms his idea, getting up from her spot and walking closer so she, too, can take a look at the monitors of the machinery he controlled. “ Are these the places you’re talking about? ” the Savior points.

      “ I wonder… do you think these clouds of darkness have anything to do with the thirteen days? Do you think Bhunivelze is unable to even protect his Holy City from the chaos? “

          sensors awaken, displays manifest — he’s working his magic. quick and melodic are his motions, coloured by the rhythmic, calculated drum of fingertips ; he feels responsible somehow, as though more could have been done. desperation bleeds unto the populate, a silent cancer, spawning sorrows and monstrosities throughout a city once deemed the fountainhead of hope. the damages could be mitigated, he knows, but his methods have fallen short. why ? it’s a prowess well honed, whet throughout these ageless times, yet no one would assume such. he hopes these shortcoming do not influence Lightning’s image, plant the assumption of incompetence within the minds of many due to her aid’s inability to focus. it’s a partnership, and though he commands the strings through guidance, orchestrates much of her direction, it is she who determines the final call. odd how he succumbs to hesitance in these precious days, whittled to a piteous thirteen. the hours cannot even be cherished due to the blunders of a stubborn few. now the world must suffer for their ineptitude. 

          silence hangs heavy save for that methodic patter ( tap, tap, tap ). the ominous shiver of Yggdrasil’s foliage reminds him of their reality, it’s holy fruits bearing the souls of those recently saved. a stillness precedes his words, eyes surveying one last time prior to joining with her gaze.  ❛   yes.   ❜  he welcomes back certainty,  ❛   strangely enough, there’s only so much meddling Bhunivelze can do. that’s where we come in. we’re pawns once again in this game of life, cleaning up the messes of gods. . .   ❜ 

◆ @toiva ◆ STARTER !!

white should be a color of peace. harmony. yet, one’s heart wouldn’t come to a calm beat up there. time was cut short & in times of despair, not even God’s chosen savior could afford to spend her time waiting for computer updates and system configurations. while so, for as brief of a moment as it was, one would try to sit down and lean back on a rather uncomfortable made-up chaise long. “ For someone who created a space of their own to protect humanity and grant it’s security… you didn’t do a good job at all. I feel like this thing will break my spine instead of actually being comfortable. ” Lightning dares to mock, a small smile on her lips.

          “ What’s taking you so long? ” arms cross, as well as slim legs, and she continues:                       “ It’s not like you’re one to not understand technology, Mister Hope Estheim.                                                                                             I’m surprised, to say the least. ”

after all, he had been set free for a limited time period; still, even if given great powers and the prowess to save souls of the people that still walked a timeless land ( much similar to the realm of VALHALLA, where she’d roam through centuries ) the capacities of a warrior of light were no match to the Gods. hence why the Director’s guidance was necessary.

       “ So… where are we going and most importantly: why? It must be something really special if Bhunivelze decided it was time for you to come out of your nest to help me. ”

          ❛   you mock me, Light. I’m a researcher, not an engineer.   ❜ prickly as ever. it’s a steadfast tongue she bears, honed through service, unleashed through argument or jests. a man who knew little of her intricacies may have found offence. he knows of her nature, knows of its nuances, all razor sharp and born of little tact. but she means well despite the severity of her words ; he knows it’s sarcasm, whet and underscored by a hint of truth. Lightning will be Lightning. quick with her wit, as always.

          but her accusation holds some weight. it’s ghostly marble beneath his touch ; fingers lay at rest as he scrutinizes the display. how would he classify this space ? was it contemporary design ? a specimen of the ultramodern ? it’s all jargon to him, superficial, unimportant. so long as it served some purpose, it would suffice. aesthetics were an afterthought ; humanity’s preservation claimed the fore, buried all other priorities.

          ❛   there’s been some disturbances lately in Luxerion. the chaos has made some sectors completely impenetrable. I’m the kind of person who likes to have the whole picture before I make a decision. I’m not getting that here. But that’s where you come in. Where we come in.  ❜ o holy Bhunivelze. the name alone inspires an emptiness where dread once lived. with emotions bled dry, was it so piteous for him to crave any semblance of his humanity ? he reaches even for misery now, any rush within his blood from the grace of sorrow, happiness, fear. he craves it all. he earns none of it. these stalls are introspective bouts tangled by his existence, but he discusses none of it, consciously evading her observation of the impasse. 

         there’s this obvious light to her features upon seeing Hope exit the car. smile wide, eyes sparkling, she’s glowing. this look wasn’t even one given to her sister when she came to her rescue, there was just something about Hope that brightened up this entire day. ❛ I’d hope so, because I already made it! ❜ in her hands were two large to-go cups of freshly brewed coffee. ( her’s flavored with lots of sweetness, she disliked the bitterness of coffee! ) after all, she had to make a fresh batch for the two of them, she wouldn’t let that go to waste! ❛ I don’t know if you liked creme or anything, but I grabbed some sweet packets just incase. ❜ and so, his is handed to him, still nice and hot, emitting a refreshing smell even from an enclosed cup. maybe the bitterness was a dislike, but the smell was a little bit of everything.

      it takes a moment, but she peeks behind Hope to see what seems like a shiny, brand new car. ❛ are you.. sure you’re okay with me bringing coffee in there? ❜ there was always a chance that she could spill it, or take a sip as soon as they hit a bump. ❛ I can be really clumsy, y’know! ❜  there’s laughter at herself, bringing more light to her. she could sense that Hope was a little tense, and she wishes to alleviate that. ( but somehow she thinks she’s the one who caused him to be so tense, and it leaves her a little bit anxious — she always talks a lot when she’s anxious. )

        ❛ I do live on campus. as long as we’re not looking at the stars too late, it shouldn’t be a problem getting back to my dorm. I don’t want to upset my roommates – or yours. ❜ it’d be a little rude. a stranger, staying over past a certain time when most people had classes the next day. she can’t help but feel a little bad for invading such personal space when she’d just met Hope, but regardless, there was something about him that made it seem like they’ve been friends for a long time. besides, he was already giving her a ride – an overly trusting one at that, when they had just met. the two of them, it seemed like they were meant to meet.

          ❛ i’m really.. really excited to be doing this so soon. ❜ in all honesty, she thought i’d be days before he even called. she was a bit talkative, and straightforward with the way she acted around him. but she didn’t scare him away. ❛ you said something about a…. cetus, right? i’d love to see it tonight if we can. ❜

fingers curl ‘round the container, sapping heat from the beverage, warming palms. the first sip confirms her claim. smooth over lips, the liquid soothes the nip of autumn air to skin — the coffee truly did hold a better flavour and profile than the garbage prepared on campus ( he now knew where to get a proper brew ). though, he did scowl at the bitterness, subtly, as to not project his disgust of that aspect. he craved the caffeine, the jolt, more so than it's acquired complexity. a sin, he knew, among the haughty connoisseurs of expresso, of cappuccino, of mocha. he was a simple enough man, and the lexicon tied to coffee or its bean was an anomaly. yes, even to someone as supposedly refined as himself. how dainty it appears, to him, to mimic her action, to dump sweetener and cream into the cup ( just teetering upon sweet ) to make its elixir all the more tolerable. 

but now it was perfect.

          ❛ yeah, it’s fine. leather’s easy enough to clean if we somehow manage to spill our coffee. don’t worry about it, though. the car has been through a lot, but it somehow still looks like new. ❜ a laugh, he comes to realize just how much he'd needed the edge the drink had brung. another sip, and another question.   

          ❛ oh I… don’t have roommates. we won’t stay too late, I promise. speaking of which, let’s get going, shall we ? ❜ upwards, to the heavens, he stares, admires, observes the pepper of lights across the night. ❛ I’m not sure if we’ll get to see cetus tonight, but… ❜ pointing now, he begins squinting an eye closed, as if it would better his focus, ❛ the skies aren’t too bad. you can see some good ones tonight. ❜ back down earth, he heads around the body of the car, to the driver’s side.