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[ Claire might be overly-serious and often annoyed by what is seemingly the strangest, smallest thing, but over the last week or so... yeah, something has definitely thrown her off completely-- even more so than the now-regular hints here and there that something is wrong.

Case in point #1: she's carrying around a weapon with her pretty much all the time now, regardless of any odd looks she gets. Standing in the cafeteria line? Yep, there's her bronze-colored FF8-style gunblade hanging sheathed behind her. Walking to class? That's her folded-up blue and gunmetal-black gunblade that came with her from home...

Case in point #2: she keeps messing with the lights even in the middle of class, and even though normally she's glad for the fact that her classrooms have windows, the dark looks she keeps aiming towards them from the other side of the room are... odd, to say the least. Eventually-- ]

Alright, that's enough. We're finished for the day.

[ ... Then, she moves to leave without another word. Simple as that.

However, afterwards she... still isn't looking so good at all, arm outstretched to lean against a wall outside, somewhere in between Garden's entrance and the inn. With her head bowed and eyes closed, she's pale, noticeably sweating, and totally tuned out to what's going on around her.

And furthermore? Those with a particularly keen sense of observation might notice something else interesting- wherever her clothes don't cover, she's... not casting a shadow. Weird. ]

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[Yeah, that...doesn't look like someone who's feeling well. Aerith walks up to the figure and while several things seem very off to her eyes, her attention is captured by the obvious exhaustion--and she's surprised to realize it's Claire. Coming up from behind, she touches her hand on the other woman's shoulder, twisting her own shoulders to get a look at Claire's face.]

Hey. How long have you been out here? [Her first guess is heat exhaustion, though summer is winding down.]

[ At the touch, Claire starts suddenly... but aside from just that second of surprise, she's then right back to looking about as downtrodden as it's possible to be, glancing at Aerith with her eyes mostly closed. ]

What...?

...It looks like you've been out here too long. I think you need to go to the infirmary.

V'already been.

[ She looks away, her annoyance clear despite her fogged words. Frankly, she's been getting sicker and sicker as time goes on, and the reason doesn't seem to make sense at all. All she wanted now was to go back to the inn and sleep it off... ]

And Doctor Kadowaki let you out like this? ...Well, okay. The inn's not too far from--

[Pause. And now she knows exactly what's been bothering her with Claire right next to the wall like that.] How odd... ...The inn's not too far away. Is that where you're going?

[ Truth is, she knew she was feeling bad and had gone, but then started getting better on the way-- just to worsen under the lights of the main area. Annoyed, she'd left. That was... also a few days ago, so...

She shakes her head, but not exactly in a negatory way, then mutters something under her breath. She's... clearly disoriented, Aerith. ]

Edited 2011-08-24 23:09 (UTC)

[Aerith's a little bothered at herself for being distracted and puts her hand on Claire's shoulder again, this time more firmly, leading towar the inn.] Come on. You've got to get out of the sun.

[Cid's actually on his way back to the inn himself, after spending some time working in the library. When he initially sees Claire, his first thought is just to walk past her, but when he draws closer and sees her noticeably... not herself, he pauses behind her, still several steps away.

He wonders... Did her brand disappear as well? And there's something off about her visually as well... Still, that shouldn't account for the fact that she looks like she's about to keel over, right?

With a quiet sigh, he strolls over to stand in front of her.]

Do you require assistance, Lieutenant?

[Manners. Always with the manners.]

[ Of all the people... it just has to be the traitor who comes across her, doesn't it? She tenses but keeps her eyes closed, gritting her teeth as she tries to turn her face away. All things considered, the answer to his question is obviously a 'yes,' but all the same... ]

No.

[ Claire gives a weak protest at being handled, but that's all it is- extremely weak, and she's not at all steady on her feet when pulled away from the wall. If she weren't so out of it, you can bet she'd be all kinds of embarrassed at all of this, but for now... she suddenly grabs hold of Aerith for steadiness, panting in exhaustion. ]

Stubborn as ever, I see. [Cid shakes his head lightly. So intelligent, and yet, so easily fooled.] Better to die than to receive help from a traitor, is it? PSICOM certainly has their dogs well trained.

[Cid turns away from her, eyes looking up and down the street, before turning his attention back to her.]

Did your brand disappear?

[ Maybe-- maybe she would be better if there existed the luxury of being sick and clear-headed at the same time... but with the sunlight breaking her defenses down, her Brand gone... and faced with a man she considers her enemy, her trust is nonexistent. It sounds to her a whole lot like he's taunting her, too.

She draws in a breath and lifts her free hand to her chest as if pained, but doesn't answer- she's not going to lie, but also doesn't want to admit that she's lost her status as a Sanctum l'Cie somehow... ]

[He doesn't come upon her until she's outside, and then he very nearly walks on past--but the memory of her last conversation with her stirs in him, and he stops, still not quite meeting her eyes.]

"There's no reason to shortchange yourself if that's your decision."

Will you seek help or suffer in silence?

[ Well, she recognizes the voice - probably - but when she tries to look at Fenris all she manages to make out is a dark blur mixed in among the brightness of everything else. Her expression turns into a tight frown as she squeezes shut her eyes again, trying to figure out what he even means by that... ]

I don't...

[He gives an exasperated little twitch of his head.]

You said that to me when last we met.

[He doesn't offer help just yet, but he doesn't move to leave either.]

You're unwell. What do you plan to do about it?

[So perhaps he doesn't get a verbal answer, but he suspects that her lack of saying anything is rather telling. If she still had it, wouldn't she be vehemently denying it right now?]

Shouldn't you be... happier about this? Considering our conversation during the dance, I was under the impression that you--despite your unfaltering faithfulness to the Sanctum--were not all that keen to become a l'Cie. [A brief, bitter smile.] You are free of your duties--free to live your life as you please again.

[Admittedly, judging from her behavior, Cid realizes that not everything he says is probably going to compute in Claire's mind right now--the woman looks like she's about to collapse. Still, a quiet, captive audience with her is something he's not unwilling to take advantage of.]

[Rasler's already addressed her once and was ignored. Or perhaps she hadn't heard him... He shifts around so he's a little more in her peripheral vision, leaning down to get a better look at her. She's definitely pale and if the beads of perspiration are any indication that she's not well...]

Miss-- [Maybe she'll have heard him then, or notice as his hand gently but firmly cups her elbow.]

[ There's a small "umph" as Aerith takes on more weight than she bargained for, but she straightens up and, glancing around, tries a discreet attempt at one of her healing spells.

... She can barely feel it, and she doubts it'll do Claire any good. Sigh. ] Slow and steady now. Let's go. [ And... at least Claire's probably too out of it to notice a pretty bluebell springing up on the ground near them. ]

[ The disorientation and weakness are overwhelming, but she makes out the gist of what he's saying- just enough for the anger to flare and, at the same time, for her to withdraw on herself even more. What could he possibly know? She leans against the wall harder, arm bending so that she can press her entire forearm against the surface instead of just her hand.

She'll be angrier later, knowing he took advantage of her when weakened. ~~Assuming he doesn't leave her to die.~~ ]

Stop it.

[ Plan? She wasn't planning anything over here, after trying to get back to the inn and... failing. And pathetically enough, asking for help when she doesn't have the attitude to back it up seems almost impossible.

Almost, because the instinct for self-preservation is stronger still. She winces, forcing herself to think past the fog in her head-- trying to accept what should be obvious, when she's developed a hate for windows and bright lights, and when what should be a simple walk makes her so sick she can't even try to defend herself. ]

The sun-- I need to get out of... it.

[ Claire is vaguely aware that she needs to do something, but she's dead to her surroundings right up until that touch on her arm. She gasps, startled, and half-heartedly tries to jerk away, but it's weak at best. The looks she aims toward him isn't all that clear, either, squinting in the light that's way too much for her right now. ]

Huh?

[He turns a sharp look on her, but he does stop lecturing her--for now at least. Cid sighs, exasperated, and shakes his head.]

I shall ask you again, Lieutenant: do you require assistance? [All issues with her aside, he doesn't want her dead, but at the same time, he's not touching her unless she gives express permission to do so. Admittedly, he could technically help her, given his new skill set, without laying a finger on her. Unfortunately, he's not willing to out himself as a "sorceress" by using said telekinetic abilities--not now and not for her.

Besides, it works in his favor to keep it a secret.]

Which do you care more for: your pride or your well-being?

[He turns slightly to cast a frown up at the sky.]

Whatever shadow has fallen across Garden has bewitched us all. Enough.

[He grimaces, hesitates, then gingerly holds out a hand. As much as he hates to reach out like that, as much as the thought of supporting her makes him automatically wince, he won't leave another to suffer this spell. (Especially when what it's done for him seems good so far--right? Right? But it's all wrong.)]

[ No flower-noticing here- not when she can barely see at all and is already almost tripping over her own feet, leaving Aerith dragging a half-shadowless girl who doesn't really care at all who turns their head to stare.

At least until they're under any shade at all- just enough to get Claire out of the direct line of the sun's rays, and the woman gives a sigh like she'd just walked into a heated room out of a blizzard. ]

[ S'all cool. Aerith takes to giving looks at the people who are staring without making so much as a move to help, because honestly, doesn't Claire look like she could use a hand? With more gawkers than helpers, hers is definitely an annoyed look by the time they get under shade.

Once they are under, though, and she hears Claire's sigh, she looks over at her, expression easing. ] That's better, isn't it? Still warm, but it's a little cooler.

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