witchesreign | Loss. [Action

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Loss. [Action | Front Gate]

[Not wanting to suck the life out of the quad and not feeling up to training, Snow had found himself a seat on one of the raised planters that held a few small trees and some decorative plants, out past the ID checkpoint in the landscaped area. There he sat, hands on his knees, head bowed, and thought.]

[In his right hand, he held a crystal.]

[As far as he knew... he had lost a sister. And he was amazed how much it hurt.]

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[Cid had been walking through the lobby when a figure caught his eye outside past the front gates. Upon walking closer, he noticed the all-too-familiar trench coat and black bandanna.

The pose, however, was entirely unfamiliar.

Approaching slowly, Cid drew nearer before coming to a stop several feet away from the other. He waited a moment and then spoke, voice quiet.]

Snow?

Sir..?

[Larsa approaches with an air of hesitation, unsure of whether the large man is hurt or sad. Perhaps it's both, Larsa can't be too sure. Good thing for him he has some extra Hi-Potions handy!]

[It takes a while to find Snow, because he's not in any of the places she thinks to look. Thankfully asking some random cadets about him proves to be useful and soon she's standing not too far away.

Serah can't remember the last time she saw him looking like that. Frankly, she's not sure if she's ever seen him looking like that.

Does that mean he knows? Silently she walks over to sit next to him, scooting over so that she can lean against him reassuringly while placing her hand on his leg lightly. Just to further remind him that she's here for him.]

[She's not getting away that easily. He reaches out to slide an arm around her and pull her up into his lap.]

[His other arm slips around her as he leans his head against hers, breath warm in her hair and the back of her neck. Tension and sadness drain out of him in a rush. Not entirely, not perfectly, but Serah makes everything better. And the sigh he breathes out isn't perfectly happy, but at least partially so.]

[He lifts his head, then with what seems like serious effort, straightens his back to sit up properly. The smile he dredges up costs less strength; smiling comes easy to Snow, even at the worst times.]

[He looks up, then smiles -- genuinely, if not effortlessly.]

Hey, Cid. How're you getting along here?

Quite well, thank you. [He maintains a respectful distance, but his eyebrows do rise a little.]

And yourself?

[He may not know Snow as well as the other l'Cie, but it doesn't exactly take a genius to realize the other isn't himself.]

[Don't worry, it's not like she has any plans for getting away to begin with.

Settling into his lap, Serah smiles softly as she leans back against Snow with a sigh that sounds suspiciously like the one her fiancé just made. Being together always makes things a little better. Not perfect, but better.

Finally Serah breaks the silence between them.]

It's like she's a different person.

Pardon my intrusion, is everything alright?

[Out for a jog around the campus, Mikuru spots one of her favorite instructors, but his posture isn't anything she'd ever expected from him.

[He has helped her with something serious; maybe she can return the favor. She jogs towards him and, stopping at his side, places a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.]

[Snow looks up at that, then offers Mikuru a smile.]

Hey there. How's the hero business treating you?

I forgot... well, I didn't forget how much she used to hate me. But I didn't realize it'd hurt so much.

[Snow hasn't made the connection yet; after all, despite some confusing things Lightning had said to him, the anger and hostility she'd shown him were nothing new.]

Do you have any family, Cid?

[It's a phrasing that comes easily to an orphan, who doesn't take for granted the notion that everyone has a family in some way.]

Snow...There's more to it than that.

[Serah really doesn't want to have this discussion, she really doesn't. But sometimes what you want and what you have to do are two different things.]

She, my sister, has never hurt me before. Sure, we've had our share of fights over the years what sister's don't? But she's never hurt me. She's always been the one protecting me!

That person - she looks like my sister, but she can't be her. She can't!

[Serah + a throw from Lightning = pain and a few bruises, after all Serah's obviously got a rather squishy mage build.]

Just a --

[How does he even describe it? He makes vague motions with his hands, trying to think of words, then settles on some honestly lame ones.]

Time compression thing.

[All that explanation is unnecessary. All Serah had to say was, "Lightning hurt me". Snow understands Lightning's priorities... and how completely opposed to all of them this was.]

[So beneath her, he tenses -- then shoves his coat open with one hand to dig around in the inside pockets much too hurriedly.]

[But it felt better to say all the explanation, kind of a reminder to herself that this really couldn't be the sister that she knew.

Settling against him a little better, she tilts her head back to look at Snow's face.]

I'm okay, Snow. I think it was just a couple of bruises and I used a cure spell on it a while ago. It doesn't even really hurt much anymore.

[She returns that smile warmly.]

Pretty good so far; I'm getting there.

[This question, though, is a little more serious:] I hope life's treating you well?

[Cid pauses, brow creasing; his posture stiffens briefly.]

A mother and father.

No, look at this.

[What's he pulling out? The Garden roster. He's an Instructor, after all, he has that. And he's looking through it...]

Don't tell anyone I showed you this, but -

There.

["Instructor: Claire Farron" is what he's pointing at.]

Time compression is rough.

[A true if understated answer, but he doesn't feel too great about opening up to the students... or anyone, really. Doubt, hesitation, fear... aren't things a hero shows.]

[She stares at the roster, eyes wide.]

Even her official Guardian Corps forms don't have her real name on them.

[That wide-eyed look turns into a tiny frown.]

What could this mean?

[Snow is quiet for a moment, gearing himself up for something of a speech. When he begins, he doesn't look up.]

When I asked Serah to marry me and she said yes, I started calling Lightning 'Sis'. Because she was going to be my sister-in-law, you know? I thought it would help break the ice a little. [He chuckles.] It was stupid, but...

After everything we went through, by the time we got back to Cocoon... it wasn't just something I said any more. [Looking up, he meets Cid's eyes.] She was my sister. The first family I'd ever had.

[Still grim, he moves down the lists to students.]

I have a guess, and I really don't like it.

"Cadet: Damien Razam. Cadet: Damien Razam." A few lines higher: "Cadet: Duo Maxwell. Cadet: Duo Maxwell."]

[She takes a moment to process this information, not really sure what to think.]

So, she really is a different person. Isn't she.

[Not a question so much as a statement of fact, though it's still a little hard to believe.]

How can this be possible?

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Loss. [Action | Front Gate]

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Aaand apologies for the question that demands headcanon.

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's all good! I got this one. 8Db

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