PSICOM's Lt. Claire Farron (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
subjected) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
witchesreign2012-01-07 05:58 pm
subjected) wrote in witchesreign2012-01-07 05:58 pm
[ very backdated action/text ] ϟ [ 06 ]
[ Backdated hideously far, to shortly after this took place - very beginning of December or so. x_x; ]
I'm resigning.
- Farron
[ Those three words are all the warning Garden as a whole will be getting out of Claire for now, as notice that, as that short and cryptic little message says, she's gone to the headmaster, ditched her title of "instructor," and is now heading off to do other things in the world - away from this place and the people who reside in it.
No goodbyes or whatever else- just her name disappearing off the class rosters and her disappearing from the campus-- or so she'd like. In other words, unless someone happens to catch her actually leaving, somewhere between her room and the front gate. Despite the plainclothes quite unlike her usual wear, she's not particularly hard to miss, considering her large bag and two sheathed gunblades- a FF8-world and FF13-style one alike...
However, it's safe to say her demeanor is deathly and she definitely isn't making eye contact unless addressed. In fact, it's a lot like she's off in her own little world entirely, dodging around anyone else in the hallway without much more than a glance spared. ]
I'm resigning.
- Farron
[ Those three words are all the warning Garden as a whole will be getting out of Claire for now, as notice that, as that short and cryptic little message says, she's gone to the headmaster, ditched her title of "instructor," and is now heading off to do other things in the world - away from this place and the people who reside in it.
No goodbyes or whatever else- just her name disappearing off the class rosters and her disappearing from the campus-- or so she'd like. In other words, unless someone happens to catch her actually leaving, somewhere between her room and the front gate. Despite the plainclothes quite unlike her usual wear, she's not particularly hard to miss, considering her large bag and two sheathed gunblades- a FF8-world and FF13-style one alike...
However, it's safe to say her demeanor is deathly and she definitely isn't making eye contact unless addressed. In fact, it's a lot like she's off in her own little world entirely, dodging around anyone else in the hallway without much more than a glance spared. ]
no subject
[There's no hesitation in his answer, no need to even think about it for a moment. Certainly, he will not deny his own error in judgement when he'd allowed himself to think that this was no longer an option--that to fulfill his Focus was the only path that he could take, but that too has passed. Given the chance to repeat the entire affair again, Cid would have given himself up to become a Cie'th instead. Would he have tried to kill off the Pulse l'Cie as well? Perhaps.
Still, he does need to expand on that one little line he used on her in the past. Misguided she may be, but this is something he can spare the time and energy for.]
That said, there was a time when I was selfish and placed my own... interests before that of the citizens.
[He steps closer to her and drops his voice. Even now, this is something he prefers not to talk about, and if he were to have a choice, Cid would've preferred discussing it somewhere more private. It's certainly not his best moment and never will be; he takes no pride in it, would rather distance himself from that part of his past, if it were possible.]
I was charged with aiding the Pulse l'Cie, in guiding them along the path to become Ragnarok--that was my Focus. [Briefly, he looks away, his gaze landing solidly on his right hand. Cid feels anger well up within him; disgust is quick to follow.] I was prepared to be hated by everyone because I allowed myself to follow through with my Focus--obeyed the direction of my master. I was willing to let Cocoon fall to its ruin.
At the time, I thought crystal stasis to be better than death... than to become a Cie'th. [He shakes his head.] But I was wrong. To betray the people in such a manner is far worse.
[And so he'd gone off to try and kill the Pulse l'Cie. In hindsight, taking on all six of them at once was perhaps not the best of ideas, but desperate times called for desperate measures. To let them escape to Pulse meant that they were beyond his reach, and he scarcely had the time to pick them off in smaller groups--not that they often separated to begin with.
He clearly remembers watching his brand evolve that night, remembers it like it were just yesterday. Cid had been a dutiful servant to Barthandelus, had not been put through any physical hardship; he still had a fair amount of time to complete his Focus when he challenged the Pulse l'Cie. To watch it grow and change--so quickly, so drastically--as he pit his will against that of his master... It had been liberating to know that he finally controlled his life once more.
True, he had expected that night to be his end: to either become a Cie'th once he had slain the Pulse l'Cie or to die at their hands, but that had been his choice and his alone. A faint smile pulls at his lips at the thought, even if that plan, too, ended up being a failure.]
I challenged my Focus and I paid the price--[And he'll pay for it still, should he ever be returned home. Though, at this point, Cid considers the eternal rest of death a reward, not a punishment.]--but I would do it all over again if it would help the citizens of Cocoon. I have no regrets.
no subject
Her chest clenches tight, and her hand doesn't leave its position pressed over her racing heart. A Sanctum l'Cie, with the Focus to protect Pulsian agents - the exact opposite of hers... he'd told her before that he'd known from the beginning that his Focus would do nothing but inspire ire in Cocoon's populace, but having it spelled out-- it doesn't make sense.
... And neither does that last claim. To challenge one's Focus is not just certain death for a l'Cie who attempts, but causes a fate worst than death. Everyone save for very small children knows that there's really no coming back from one being transformed into a Cie'th- the ultimate punishment for failure. A physical embodiment of eternal pain and regret.
Claire just closes her eyes. It really, really looks like she wants to reject this claim too, just as she has when hearing him say similar things so many times in the past. He can speak of siding with the people, but even if he's somehow sincere in that, she knows from experience that his implied proposal isn't what 'the people' want.
A fact nothing short of frustrating and a fine catalyst for even more confusion on the PSICOM officer's part. She turns her face away without responding at that, agitated and conflicted. It's hard to say what exactly getting an answer like that has accomplished, if anything at all.
-- Aside from still failing to cause her to blow up, that is. ]
no subject
Does that mean he expects her to understand and accept any of it? No. That's a different matter altogether, and one that he's content to let her stew over on her own.
A wry smile pulls at his lips. If he ever runs into Rosch again, either his or hers, he may just have to thank him for shaking her this badly. It is not a kind thought, no, but perhaps it's just the thing she needs to get some sense thrown back into her system. It's just a shame, he thinks, that he hadn't been there to witness the exchange in person; the lieutenant colonel has quite a vicious presence when he wants to.
Cid sighs and takes a step away from her.]
Is there anything else?
[Because if not, then he has nothing else to say. Cid's already told her more than he'd originally planned to when he first saw her leaving, and he, by no means, intends to stop her from going anywhere.]