Twenty-Fourth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

U-Um.  Sorry about all the weird stuff I did this weekend.  I don't think I actually hurt anyone, but . . . I think I said a lot of rude things.  The, um.  Psychic PSIclone is setting down his cape.  Permanently.  And if I did hurt you, let me know and I'll make it up to you.

I'd like to make a request of you all.  It's a little strange, but.  It would help me a lot.  I'm asking for someone -- or several . . . ones -- to attack me.  The more powerful you are, the better.  And . . . you can use PSI or magic or anything else you know how to use, too.  . . . Maybe even a gun.

Thanks.  Just come by my house if you want to try.  I don't have anything else to do today.

Comments

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Attack you, seriously?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I know it sounds weird, but I need to see how strong my defenses are in comparison to the powers everyone else has here.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

I guess that makes sense. ( pause. ) And. . . and I might be able to help, if you want, I got someone back that can pack a pretty heavy punch.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Someone? Is it your . . . your, um. The guardian?

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Alexander.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you've got him back. If you could, thanks. I'd appreciate it.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

No problem. I, um, I'll be right over then.

( and sure enough, there will be some knocking on lucas's door. hope nervous holding his bandaged wrist, still a little wary of all this but pushes it down figuring nothing to terrible could happen. )

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Hi, Hope. Thanks for coming over . . . Oh! What happened?

[Lucas is on the verge of making his usual offer before realizing that Hope can use curative magic as well. He settles for showing concern.]

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Oh, this. . . this is nothing serious. Just something else I got from home in the mail before.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Something else . . . You've tried healing it, right?

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

It's nothing that can be healed. It's um, hmm. . . guess it's just easier to show you. ( he seems thoughtful before just moving to unwrap his wrist, holding it up so the other and fully see the brand (http://i52.tinypic.com/9vgpqc.png) etched into the skin. ) It's my brand, it's my proof of what I am back home. It's also what allows me to use magic, and why I can summon Alexander.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Brand . . . ?

[Lucas forgets entirely about why Hope had come over in the first place, somewhat mesmerized by the mark. Something about it didn't feel quite right . . . Or maybe it was just that it looked a little like a staring eye.]

I . . . Oh. So it's not a bad thing.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Actually. . . it's the opposite. Because of this brand, my friends and I are believed by the people back home to be cursed and to the military? We're not human, just targets.

( he gives a small smile, shoulders dropping a little as he covers the brand with his hand. ) I'm grateful for my ability to use magic, and I'm so happy I got to meet Alexander but. . . everything else I could have done without.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

W-What? That's -- !

[Distant echoes from the past rise up before he can protest too much. Margot's story of the mages in her world and the war between the two races. Shina's tale of the immortals and her destiny to kill them.]

I don't understand. Why does something so insignificant mean so much?

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Anything from Pulse is considered evil, and to be branded by a Pulse fal'Cie? We're seen as nothing but dire threats to Cocoon. . .

We're cursed, servants really. We're marked by something that everyone believes will bring about the destruction of everything they know.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . I don't understand what you're saying, but . . . there's no reason for anyone to think something like that. It doesn't matter what.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

It's a long story, way to long. . .

But since we were born, we have been told by our government and by our fal'Cie that anything from Gran Pulse, the world below ours and the Pulse fal'Cie are evil. Why wouldn't people believe them when they give us everything? Take care of us, nurture us, give us the food would eat and the sun in our sky? When there are stories about how Pulse attacked and tried to destroy Cocoon before.

Really, it would be surprising if someone didn't think like that when it's all we've been made to believe.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I . . . I guess I'd like to think that people could recognize right and wrong for themselves without being told what it is. Maybe . . . Maybe I'm the one that's strange. Maybe I wouldn't believe it if I was born in your world.

So I can't judge anyone for that . . . but I still think it's wrong.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but. . . well—maybe one day I'll explain everything in more detail. Just believe me when I say, it's far more than knowing what's right and wrong; the people. . . we were all blind to everything.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[For Lucas, morality has become a tangled mess. Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not fight thy brother and let him kill himself for your sake. But, despite it all, the thing that guides him above all is still Love.]

I think I can understand that. Sorry . . . I shouldn't really say anything when I don't know everything about it.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

It's okay, it's just really complicated and I'm probably not the best person to try and explain all in great detail. ( he chuckles, itching his cheek. )

Besides, this about me helping you right now anyway.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

What?

. . . Oh! R-Right. Um. Let's go around back . . .

[Lucas closes the door behind him and begins to head for the back yard.]

I'd like to hear more about it sometime, though.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

( and hope will follow along, curiously tilting his head at the statement. )

I'll, um, I will sometime then.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

If you want to, I mean . . .

[Lucas trails off a little as the two of them round the corner to the back.]

So . . . I guess you can call for him now.

[avengesthesky.livejournal.com]

Okay. . .

( hope nods at the statement, and moves into the yard. glancing about and making sure he had enough room for the eidolon, as well as them before he pauses and steadies himself with a deep breath. the sight (http://i51.tinypic.com/s5v62o.jpg) is perhaps a little strange as he brings out the crystal and cups his hands around the object. though a second later it seems to vanish in a flash of light as he throws his arms out and calls the eidolon's name out and the summoning symbol appears at his feet and around him.

the sky seems to darken for the brief moment before something literally comes crashing until the symbol, breaking it's fall from the sky and preventing any of the yard from being destroyed but it doesn't stop a sudden gust of dirt being kicked up. it settles soon enough, and the very tall and very larger eidolon (http://i54.tinypic.com/w7bi8y.jpg) is left in the wake. hope happily running up to the summon with a smile as the tilts his head up. )

Hey there, big guy! Long time no see. ( the answer seems to come in the form of alexander simply tilting his head downward, and letting out a low sound. ) I need your help, okay?

We're ready when you are, Lucas!