First Feather [Accidental video]

[everydayimsuffering]

[The Pcd flickers on, though all there is to see is blood dripping from somewhere and concrete. The sound hasn’t quite picked up yet, the video itself a little rough before suddenly the feed is thick with heavy breathing and a pained moan trapped behind grit teeth. This is followed by shoes sliding against gravel, and another soft sound of pain before a teenage boy comes into view of the video, slumped against the wall of a building.

His hands are gripping his left leg where, now that video is coming more into focus, an arrow has gone straight through and lodged itself in his thigh. His clothes look a little worse for wear, his cheek is bleeding, skin is red and raw.]

M-mokona? Where did you take me? I...Where is the princess?

[All in all the building seems to fit the setting he had been in before, but it isn’t the same, its different, and also devoid of strangers. Gritting his teeth again, he pushes himself to stand slowly, ignoring the pain in his leg as he limps. He moves further away from the camera but despite the slow movements he looks frantic, yelling at the top of his lungs in search of someone important to him.]

Princess? Princess!?

Comments

[Video]

[lostforhersoul.livejournal.com]

Well I guess we can learn together. I heard about the recent disaster...I suppose you arrived just in time for it?

[Video]

[light-blinded.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've gotten here a few days prior to it. Fortunately or not.

I'm Lightning, by the way.

[Video]

[lostforhersoul.livejournal.com]

Well at least it looks like you're okay. Judging by the damage done to the city, that must have been difficult.

[You do look like a capable lady though. Really.]

A pleasure to meet you though, Miss Lightning. I'm Syaoran.

[Video]

[light-blinded.livejournal.com]

Let's just say I managed to stay out of trouble.

[Or she was forced to stay out of it, really, but that hardly mattered anymore.]

Syaoran, then. [She nods.] Likewise.

[Video]

[lostforhersoul.livejournal.com]

That is always ideal, I'm glad it worked out for you.

[Generally he isn't quite so lucky. Finding feathers always puts him in danger.]

Interesting name though, Lightning. Is it a common name in your home?

[Video]

[light-blinded.livejournal.com]

[There's a moment of hesitation there.]

...Yes, names of such kind are common from where I come from. In fact, there's also a boy around here that goes by the name of Hope. He's a marvelous healer, so if you ever get hurt again, don't hesitate to contact him.

Re: [Video]

[everydayimsuffering]

Really? Was your culture in-tune with nature or was it just a tradition?

[Don't mind him, he just likes learning about different things like this. Plus its keeping his mind off his missing princess.]

Hope. That's quite a name to live up to. But I'll keep that in mind, thank you very much, miss Lightning.

[Video]

[lightblinded]

I guess it's just a tradition thing.

[Because Cocoon had little to do with nature, actually. Although Gran Pulse was a completely different story. And who knew, their roots probably had started there, now that Light thought about it.]

I also know people who go by the names of Snow, Fang or Vanille. So yes, it's a common thing from where I come from, although we also have names that don't have any kind of particular meaning.

And while we're already at it - this princess that you speak of. What's her name?

[Video]

[everydayimsuffering]

That's very interesting. So its like choosing to name your child traditionally or not.

[He thinks they are very pretty and strong names, personally, and might like to hear more about her world if she doesn't mind.]

Her name? She is Princess Sakura of Clow Country.

[Video]

[lightblinded]

Something like that.

[And she's not really the talk-active type, so you'd have to ask her things yourself, Syaoran. xD But yes, she probably wouldn't mind giving harmless kinds of information to a curious kid.]

Princess Sakura, then. I'll remember it. Who knows if she might not appear here in the future.

[Video]

[everydayimsuffering]

What kind of world is it that you come from then? Do you have a kingdom or is it ruled by democracy?

[He will ask you all the questions, don't worry lightning. He's usually quiet himself, but things like this? He could talk about it for hours.]

After all i've heard of this place, I'd rather her not come...but I do appreciate that. It would be very important to find her the moment she arrived if she does get taken. I wouldn't want her to get hurt.

[Video]

[lightblinded]

[Well, there was no harm in telling him a bit about her world, was it?]

I come from a place called Cocoon. And it's actually in the shape of a big sphere floating in mid-air - that's where most of the population lives, safe and sound and advanced technologically. Underneath Cocoon is the rest of the planet and its surface, oppupied by wilderness and various kinds of creatures. You Could say Cocoon was built in order to protect the citizens.

[There's a short pause there.]

...Or at least that was the initial plan, anyway.

And you do have a point about that. But then again, you can't protect her if she's away, can you?

I... also have someone I swore to protect, and that person isn't here, either. So I can kind of relate to it.

[Video]

[everydayimsuffering]

Cocoon...that's rather interesting. So its like a floating fortress? Are there people who travel to the world below to gather supplies? I mean, I can imagine that resources would become scarce if no one was replenishing the food stores and wood for the population. [At her pause, he looks curious, though judging by the way she said it, its obvious there was either a flaw or some sort of corruption.]

Are you on the edges of war with some sort of political power controlling your safe haven?

[He looks a little upset by her words though, but nods regardless. What she says is true.]

My duty isn't to just protect but save...though I don't know if I can continue my work in this world. I have no way to find what I'm looking for without Mokona.

[Video]

[lightblinded]

You could put it that way. And no, we don't need to travel down for supplies. There are beings called fal'Cie in our world that provide us will all the necessary resources.
But... as it turned out, those fal'Cie were actually the root of all the evil that started to befall on Cocoon in the first place. People were dependant on the fal'Cie throughout their daily lives, content with being oblivious to anything else as long as it ment for them to be safe. So the moment other forces appeared in the picture and the goverment failed to keep the danger a secret, all hell has gone loose.

So it was more like a civil war with... a chosen few and the goverment. We probably both know that an utopia has no means of existence, and Cocoon's case was no different.

[Ligh pauses, noticing that something was bothering Syaoran there.]

Save? Is something wrong with your princess? ...Is this Mokona some kind of device? What is it that you're looking for?

[Video]

[everydayimsuffering]

That does sound like quite a problem. Were the beings that gave you your supplies keeping the citizens there as a way to control them, or were they being controlled themselves and found a way to break that control?

[He looks a little concerned. Civil war was always hard on a country and their people. Being divided with even friends and family? Never the best circumstance.]

That must be terrible. Do you see any solutions in the near future that can end the war?

[And at her question, he nods gently.]

Pieces of her soul have been scattered and our companion Mokona is able to sense the fragments. Without them the princess could die.

[Video]

[lightblinded]

You could say... the people of Cocoon were like pets to the fal'Cie. But it's all in the past now.

[Now that she's explained everything more or less, there was no need to make Syaoran worry, seeing the way he seemed to be influenced by the whole situation.]

We fought for our freedom and managed to get it. I've appeared here not long after things got settled back in my world. So I'm not concerned about that anymore.

My goal was to save two of our companions who have sacrificed themselves for the sake of the people of Cocoon, bringing the whole struggle to an end. They ended up in a crystalized state, so I took off on a journey to find a way to get them back to normal. That's before I ended up here.

[She pauses there, taking a moment to think.]

So we're actually fighting for a pretty similar cause, huh.

[Even if the people dear to them were in a slightly different state... the outcome of it could be pretty much the same.]

I wish you the best of luck, Syaoran. If you would be able to find out about anything in regards to your princess and would be in need of help, just give me the word. I might not look like much, but I am a former soldier - and know my way around with a gunblade.

[Video]

[everydayimsuffering]

Well I am rather glad you were able to recover your freedom. That is always important. I do hope that your new quest ends in the same way as the first. I have seen people fight so hard to save their friends, and if you're as determined, i'm positive you'll turn up fruitful in the end. But...yes, I guess you could say our situation is similar.

[At her offer, he looks only slightly surprised, seeing as everyone has been so nice, but he still smiles and nods, appreciative.]

Thank you very much miss Lightning. And I wouldn't say that. Looks can be deceiving, and I don't doubt you one bit. I'll be available if you need help as well. Don't even hesitate to call me.