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[Here is a fully bundled Aerith, blue scarf wrapped loosely around her face as she smiles.]

Speed run! Don't try this at home. I'm a professional.

...Not really. But I've been practicing, and I think I'm getting better!

[This is about all the introduction given before the journal gets set down to show wide open sky, but once Aerith throws herself in its direction and sets things into a blur of motion, it quickly becomes apparent what she's doing: enjoying her toboggan present from Christmas. She seems to be quite childishly pleased with herself on the faster runs, and pouts when one bumpy ride ends only halfway down. Finally:]

All right, now for the obstacle course! [Tucking the journal under-arm, Aerith drags the toboggan ba-a-a-ck up. This time she turns it to a different position a few feet away and a very different angle. She starts out more slowly, letting gravity lead the way, and steers the tobaggan around trees and rocks, her expression turning focused as the wind whips back her hair. And then--] Oh, no, no! Move, rabbit, run! Hey--ah--!!!! [After wildly veering, once she hits a fallen tree, Aerith and journal are airborne. Too bad they have to come back down, but at least it's in a snowdrift, right?]

...Mmmf.

[...FEEL FREE TO ACTION IT UP / BE SLEDDING WITH HER? She's on the lower part of the mountain slope, closest to the village. Or just shake your head at her from afar, whatever.]

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And the fal'Cie take care of you, but they use you... [Actually picturing a second world like that is very strange... but her gut feeling is to think it's like Midgar-- too cut off from the real world, warping inside itself.]

Cities, and a whole other world... why was all that needed? Was Gran Pulse injured?

[Yes, us Gaians are silly. So silly, we talk about Planets being hurt like they're living, because ours is!

That touch at the chest... Aerith's seen that gesture a few times before. Preeetty sure she knows where the brand is now and part of Lightning's discomfort, though she's still wondering what it looks like.]

... For centuries we've been led to believe that Pulse is Hell, that... everything from Pulse only wants to hurt us. People are grateful to the fal'Cie, not only for protecting us from that, but because they provide everything we need to live- food, water, light, energy...

[ She's getting a little riled up about this, and upon realizing it, cuts off suddenly. For a moment she just stares at her hands, nearly forgetting what she was doing, and realizing that not only is she going off on a tangent, but aside from the other l'Cie, nobody else knows about what she's talking about. Saying it aloud is an odd experience. ]

But... Cocoon's Sanctum fal'Cie, Pulse fal'Cie- they're all really the same. And to them, we're all just cattle.

[ A dark frown is firmly in place as she unlaces her last top before reaching actual undergarments, finally pulling everything back to reveal the arcane mark burned onto the left of her upper chest- numerous black arrows, surrounding a bright red 'eye' in the middle. At first it just looks like a tattoo, but with the slightly raised skin and colors far too vivid to be mere ink, it's obviously something far more ominous. ]

A Pulsian fal'Cie did this.

[It doesn't answer the question she asked directly, but she's trying to get what she can from that--two sides, "led to believe" the other side was dangerous...for what? What in creation would you need two worlds and false rumors for?]

But why are they telling people things like that? If they're the same, what good would it do to fight each other?

[The eye draws Aerith's attention first--the color, placement, the many helpful arrows. Immediately she wants to scrub the thing off, even though she knows logically that it wouldn't do a thing.] And...what is this doing to you... Why does it... ?

[Kill? So many questions.]

[ Lightning briefly clenches her teeth together, eyes narrowed. When she first arrived in Luceti two months ago, explaining all of this would have been not far from impossible, considering she had only heard the whole truth herself a few hours earlier. Now, she's had time to think about it, and time to piece together what little information the library's books here seem willing to share. Really, that doesn't mean it's any easier though, and it's obvious she's still struggling with it. ]

Because-- humans have souls and... when they die, their spirit goes to pass into the afterlife through something that's called the Door of Souls. The fal'Cie all believe... they believe that 'the Maker' who created them is also beyond the Door, but that it's too 'closed' for him to make it back.

[ Do you see where this is going yet? She stares at her hands determinedly and then puts them together slowly, with only a small space in between. ] So... all the people inside Cocoon-- if it's destroyed and the tens of millions inside of it die... [ Hands apart, and Lightning looks from one to the other with an odd, agitated look on her face. From an emotional standpoint? This is definitely the hardest part. ] The Door will be opened, and the Maker will return.

However... the Cocoon fal'Cie can't do the deed themselves. And so they take humans, and they Brand them to make l'Cie- bind their souls to them to do their bidding. Don't do what they want in time... and it's lights out for good.

Edited 2011-01-24 18:34 (UTC)

[...They made a second world because it'd be an easier sacrifice. The thought of that is simply horrifying, in a way that sinks deep into her gut. Forcing people to do their bidding. Like how Sephiroth forced Cloud to hand over the black materia, and then later raise his sword... Pressing people into the destruction of their own world.]

No wonder you didn't want to talk about them. That's... [She shakes her head and tries to take Lightning's hands in her own.] This has to come off, somehow. They just can't use you like that! I'll do everything I can.

Edited 2011-01-24 20:42 (UTC)

[ Lightning just stares a moment when Aerith takes her hands, a bit wide-eyed and abruptly reminded of something-- or rather someone else. It's slightly bewildering, but at the same time hard to say if she's actually bothered by it or not, even for her. ]

... Back home, that was the plan. That's why we left Cocoon, hoping that if we searched Gran Pulse, we could find answers.

[She nods.] Let's try finding answers here. You think the library here might have information on your world?

[Aaaaand cue library trip!]

It does, but I've already been through everything.

... Maybe you'll spot something I can't, though. [ YAY, READING MONTAGE IN 5...4...3...

-- One more thing. ] Aerith, you... [ "...can't tell anyone about this." Particularly regarding the parts implying she's meant to destroy her world, because that is not something she wants anyone to know about. But-- they're sort of running out of options, here, so... ]

Just be careful, if you tell anyone.

[ And done! ]

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