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Post by Illusion on Jun 17, 2012 13:59:58 GMT -5
Noel looked at Serah, then at Jasmine. Jasmine looked about to burst into tears all over again. Jasmine clutched her necklace tightly. She might have even cracked it, but the glowing crystal flashed several times in a row. Jasmine slipped it off her neck and stared at the crystal in her hand.
"You...you took some of her life away?" she asked. The crystal flashed again. "But...why? just why?" The crystal flashed again and Jasmine's brown eyes widened.
"How can I have done well?" she said, tears beginning to fall from her eyes again. "I've shattered a friendship, blown my chance of making friends at all...EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT!" Jasmine slipped the necklace back around her neck. She then looked up at Noel.
"Leave me. I don't deserve to be friends with anyone as kind as you. Heck, I don't even deserve to have FRIENDS!" Jasmine burst into tears again and ran past Noel. Before he could stop her, Jasmine had run past Serah and appeared to be heading for a cliff...but why? Noel stood there, a little awkwardly.
"Here we go again..." Noel muttered. He walked after Serah, but kept a respectful distance. "Serah, I...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry for upsetting you." Noel stayed about three metres away from her. He looked up and realised that Jasmine was starting to climb upwards. But what was she trying to do?
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Post by Serah on Jun 17, 2012 14:10:37 GMT -5
Serah didn’t notice the sound of approaching footsteps until she heard the voice that accompanied them, she looked up sharply to see Noel standing nearby, “Uh...” she said, and quickly replaced her letter, she hoped he hadn’t seen it, she liked to keep her letters a secret, she saw Noel look upwards and followed his gaze, “What is she doing? She’s heading towards the cliffs, what does she think she’s doing?” Serah quickly jumped up and held her crossbow out in front of her, “We’ve got to stop her, whatever she’s doing it’s not good!” she shouted back at Noel and started to charge out of the Waterscape and down the flats to the cliffs, “Oh... and Noel, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it a word of it, I still want to be friends, I’m sorry” she continued running to the cliffs, the flats seemed never-ending and Jasmine was reaching the peak of the cliffs. [/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 17, 2012 14:23:01 GMT -5
Noel looked at Serah. He didn't say anything, because there was a much more urgent matter at hand; whatever Jasmine was doing climbing up a cliff. A thought struck Noel.
"I wonder...how she came to acquire that necklace." he whispered. "Once we talk sense into her then I think we should tell her what it means and what it means about her destiny. Plus, I get the feeling she still hasn't told us everything about her. She's definitily hiding something..." Noel skidded to a halt, quite suddenly. He saw that Jasmine had reached the top of the cliff. She stood up, the breeze whipping through her long black hair. She looked out across the sea with tears in her deep brown eyes. She then walked a little way backwards.
"Oh my god..." Noel gasped. "She...she's going to jump! She'll never survive that fall! Jasmine, stop!" Jasmine didn't hear him. She took a deep breath and started running towards the cliff edge...
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Post by Serah on Jun 17, 2012 14:33:17 GMT -5
”But, no, she wouldn’t why would she? Noel have you said anything to her?” It suddenly hit Serah that it was probably her own actions that drove the girl to the edge, literally, “Noel we have to stop her! If she jumps she will be lost along with that necklace!” Serah darted along the flats even faster than she was already running, her legs ached from the strain, and the wind was whipping tears from the corners of her eyes, after what seemed like hours because time seemed to move slowly the duo reached the bottom of the cliffs, “we won’t reach her in time!” Serah shouted at Noel, a feel of guiltiness crushing her, “Wait! We could throw Mog!” Serah’s crossbow suddenly transformed back into the familiar cat shaped spirit, “Mog we need you to go up there and stop Jasmine from jumping until we reach you, ok?” she vaulted Mog upwards to the sky. The cat disappeared from view, “Right we’re going to have to climb for our lives, if we don’t then Jasmine could lose her life, Mog can only slow her down!” [/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 17, 2012 14:44:12 GMT -5
Jasmine caught sight of Mog and skidded to a halt. Jasmine looked at the tiny thing, curiously. She reached a hand towards it but Mog just darted backwards. Jasmine stared some more.
"What...what...what are you?" she eventually stammered. "I've never seen anything like you...you...you...before..." Jasmine gulped. She shook her head and looked away.
"No...I can't be distracted...I'd love to chat but I have a cliff to jump off." she whispered.
"JASMINE! PLEASE STOP! I BEG YOU DON'T JUMP!" Noel cried. This time Jasmine heard him and looked down. Upon seeing that it was Noel and Serah, she started shaking. She looked about to have a complete breakdown. But then her necklace flashed.
"What do you mean, I have a lot to live for?" she muttered to it. "I have no friends, no family...no past..."
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Post by Serah on Jun 17, 2012 14:49:49 GMT -5
Serah was almost at the top of the cliff, just a few more metres and she’d be standing beside Jasmine and Mog, she knew what it was like to grieve, she had felt the same way when Hope had told her that he had to leave to go to the Academy, she had pleaded with him not to leave, but he said he had to, he promised to send her letters but it wasn’t the same, she wanted to talk to Hope not write letters, Serah shook these thoughts away she felt tears at her eyes and brushed them away, “Jasmine don’t!” she had reached the top at last, she ran towards the other girl, and grabbed her arm, “You don’t have to do this, there is so much in life worth living for! Think about, think about it really carefully, I’m sorry about what I said, if it upset you, listen Noel is down there and he is scared out of his mind about you. Think about it, if you jump I think it’ll kill him” Serah hoped that these words would talk sense into the youth beside her. [/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 17, 2012 14:55:33 GMT -5
Jasmine was shocked at what Serah was saying. She stopped in her tracks. She stared at Serah with a mixture of curiosity and sadness.
"What...what do you mean?" she asked, eventually. "What do you mean...if I jump then it will kill him? How can he be scared out of his mind for me if we've only just met?" Jasmine glanced down at her necklaced, which flashed twice. It then glowed for a little longer than usual and returned to normal after a few moments. Jasmine paused, nodded, then looked up at Serah.
"Would...would you like me to take another form so that we can get back down the cliff quicker?" she asked. She smiled, feebly. "I mean, it's the least I can do. You DID just climb up a cliff to stop me killing myself, after all."
Noel was at the bottom of the cliff. He couldn't clearly hear what was being said, though it looked like Jasmine wasn't going to kill herself. Noel sighed.
"That's a relief..." he muttered.
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Post by Serah on Jun 17, 2012 15:08:45 GMT -5
Serah sighed in relief, she was so relieved that she had stopped the girl from jumping, “Thanks Mog, I couldn’t have done it without you” she whispered to the cat like creature. Mog nodded, his antenna bobbing up and down. “I think I’d rather go down by myself, I have a phobia of flying” Serah informed Jasmine, “though I assume you can make your own way down,” then out of earshot she whispered to Mog “Follow her and make sure she sticks to her word” then she sent the little cat-like creature floating after Jasmine, she descended down the cliff-face expertly, with impressive agility, she felt proud of herself for stopping Jasmine, and she was sure that somewhere out there Hope would be happy too. Serah’s mind returned once again to the scene in the Waterscape, had Noel seen her letter? Would he ask questions? She kept a whole stack of them in her back, alongside the un-sendable letter. [/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 18, 2012 5:25:50 GMT -5
Noel looked at Serah. He smiled.
"I guess your powers of persuation worked again!" he said. "Thank goodness Jasmine didn't fall..." He trailed off and looked up at Jasmine, who was lingering at the cliff edge. She wasn't looking down, but was staring upwards, as if in thought.
"Come on down, Jasmine!" Noel called up to her. Jasmine looked at him, smiled...and jumped. noel gasped in horror but the horror melted away when Jasmine transformed into a dragon and glided through the air, landing not far away from them. This particular dragon looked VERY odd indeed; it was smaller than most dragons, with a height of 3 metres and a length of about 7 (big, but in dragon standards, this form was very small). The dragon had no back legs, having a very long and muscular tail tipped with a sting. The dragon had six spindly, insect-like legs that looked like they could barely support the creature's weight. Its wings looked like those of a dragonfly...only MUCH larger...and sprouting from the dragon's head was a pair of long antenna.
"Thisss issss a Lacewing Dragon." Jasmine said. Her voice was a little strained in this form and slightly higher-pitched but still recognisable. "I don't often ussssse thissss form becausssse it ssssscaressss people...I'm ssssssorry if I ssssscare you..." Jasmine tried to take a step back, but the spindly legs she possessed in this form limited her movement. Clearly, Noel thought, Lacewing Dragons were more adapted for flight. Jasmine coiled her long tail around herself like a snake.
"Now...can you pleassssse tell me what my necklacce issss, and what it meansssss...." she hissed. She almost sounded like she was pleading Noel and Serah.
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Post by Serah on Jun 18, 2012 7:37:33 GMT -5
Serah smiled at Noel, she glanced over at a nearby plain of grass, she wanted to go and sit for a while, after all she had sprinted across miles of flats and up a cliff! She walked over to a soft looking patch of grass and sat down. Making sure that Noel was still occupied with Jasmine she reached into the bag strapped to her side, she took out a folded piece of paper. From its appearance it had been read many times. [/size] Hi Serah! I guess this is the first time I’ve ever written to you, the Mognet here is cool, (all the Moogles wear uniform!) I miss Vanille, do you think she’s ok? I know that she’s crystallised inside the pillar holding up Cooccon along with Fang. But do you think she is still there? She was always there for me, as well as you! I miss you so much, if I get any spare time I’ll be sure to visit you. Hope.[/size] ”That was a promise you couldn’t keep” Serah whispered as she placed the letter back in her bag.[/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 18, 2012 10:26:02 GMT -5
Noel decided it best to tell Jasmine what the necklace meant. The girl was obviously keen to find out, but Noel wondered if it was a GOOD thing that she possessed the necklace...or would it be bad?
"You see, Jasmine..." Noel began, then paused.
"Yesssss?" Jasmine asked, almost hopefully.
"Uh...that necklace of yours...it isn't just crystal." Noel said. Jasmine seemed surprised by this. Or at least, that's what the dragon form looked like...its eyes widened and its mouth hung slighty open, showing many sharp teeth.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"From what we can gather...that necklace of yours contains the consciousness of one of the Fal'Cie." Noel explained. "The Fal'Cie are godlike beings...but I thought them to be dead. As it happens, one appears to be residing in that necklace of yours. That is the voice you can hear within it...it's the Fal'Cie speaking to you." Jasmine shifted position a little, almost uncomfortably.
"Ssssso...there'ssssss basssssically a god insssssside my necklacccce..." she muttered.
"Now, Jasmine, I have to ask you a few questions." Noel said. "Nothing to worry about, but they are VERY important. Ok?" Jasmine paused, then nodded.
"Ok..." she whispered.
"Has the Fal'Cie in your necklace ever asked you to do anything? Like a task or mission?" Noel asked.
"No. It never hassssss." Jasmine said, shaking her head.
"Another thing..." Noel began. "And this is most important...WHEN and HOW did you get your necklace?" Jasmine gasped a little and looked away. Clearly she was keeping a secret that she didn't want to reveal. [/size][/center]
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Post by Serah on Jun 18, 2012 10:49:08 GMT -5
Serah looked across at Noel and Jasmine, they still seemed to be talking, did she have time to read another letter? No. She decided that she would wait until later; there was only so much sadness in her heart she could contain at one point in time. Instead she put her hand inside her bag and brought out a dog-eared rectangle shaped piece of paper, printed on it was a picture of her and Hope as young children, Serah was kneeling on the grass underneath a tree and Hope was standing above her smiling at the camera, the picture had been taken when Hope’s mother, Nora Esthiem, was still alive. Serah smiled fondly down at the photograph, and then placed it with care back inside her bag. [/size] “Mail Kupo”[/size] Serah looked up sharply, a Moogle dressed in it’s uniform attire was floating inches away from her face. “Thanks Mog” she took the letter that was clasped in its paws, she looked at the font, “Hey that looks like-“ Serah grew excited, if this letter was from the person she thought it was from, then that would mean that Hope hadn’t forgotten her like she had feared. Ecstatic she tore the envelope open. “Oh, you can go Mog” she waved a gesture of dismissal at the Moogle and it quickly flew away.[/size] Serah, I hope that that is not too late to send you another letter, things at the Academy have been so busy lately, I am the head of it all now, and I just don’t seem to have time for luxuries such as writing letters, or the time. I know that you may think that I have forgotten you, but it is far from the truth, I have been trying to finish this letter for months! But I have no spare time anymore! I know that is not really an excuse, but it is the truth, and it is the best that I can do, so please try and forgive me. I cannot wait for your response, I miss you still,
Hope [/size] ”You are forgiven” Serah smiled and slid the paper back into the envelope, she would write her reply later that night, she felt happy again, her faith in Hope was restored.[/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 18, 2012 11:59:34 GMT -5
Noel noticed that Jasmine had started shaking a little, even if she was in the form of a Lacewing Dragon. She was starting to shudder, eyes wide, as if she was struggling with her own thoughts. Jasmine looked Noel right in the eyes.
"I...I...I don't want to tell you...I can't tell you..."she stammered. "You...you wouldn't believe me even if I told you..." Clearly memories had begun to stir inside Jasmine that she was not happy about. Noel placed a hand on Jasmine's dragon face and smiled, comfortingly.
"Please tell us, Jasmine." he said. "Talking about it might help you." Jasmine looked into Noel's eyes and then backed up a little. She gulped nervously.
"Alright...I'll tell you about my passssst." she began, looking to be on the verge of tears. "I...I don't even know where I came from...I jussssst woke up one day in ssssssome dark placccce. I couldn't remember my passst at all, and I couldn't even remember my name. Jasssssmine issssn't my real name...it'sssss the one I made up for myssssself. I ssstill do not know what my real name is..." Jasmine choked, trying to keep back tears. She pressed herself to continue.
"After a while...I found thisssss crysssssstal necklaccce." she stammered. "Then...then I dissssscovered my ssssssshapesssssshifting ability...I took a new form and flew up to Cocoon...or at leasssst, that'sssss what I think the placcce is called." Noel jumped.
"You mean..." he said. "...you found your Fal'Cie necklace in Gran Pulse, and THEN you went to Cocoon?"
"Issss that bad?" Jasmine asked.
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Post by Serah on Jun 18, 2012 14:17:00 GMT -5
Serah decided that she had been away from the others too long, and that if she stayed much longer on the grass then they would start to notice her not being there. Groaning she pushed herself off the grass, Mog spun around her head, “Hey there Mog, did you see the other Moogle? Guess what! It delivered me a letter, It was from Hope!” Serah could barely contain her excitement, she felt like she could say anything to the little cat-like spirit, it was hers after all, Noel had kept hold of it until he met Serah, stating that it was Lightning’s and that she said it was a good luck charm. Serah had been delighted with the little cat and she had probably spent more time talking to it then to real people. [/size] “Kupo”[/size] Serah laughed and twirled the little spirit around, “I do love you Mog, come on let’s head back to the others” The little cat obediently followed its mistress and friend back towards the rest of the group. As Serah approached them she noticed that something was wrong, her smile quickly disappeared from her face. “Noel, what’s wrong? You look a little offish” Serah asked, she wanted to know why Noel looked like he was seasick and going to barf at the same time.[/size][/center]
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Post by Illusion on Jun 18, 2012 14:25:21 GMT -5
Noel gulped.
"Yes, Jasmine...I think that's a bad thing." he said. Jasmine shuffled a little, uncomfortably.
"I didn't mean to do anything wrong..." she whispered. She hung her head as if in shame and the necklace, which remained around her neck in whichever form she took, flashed as if to comfort her. Noel looked over to Serah.
"I think you should probably hear what Jasmine told me." he said, solemnly. He went on to explain about Jasmine's amnesia, and that Jasmine was a name that she had thought up because she couldn't remember her original one. Noel then turned to Jasmine.
"Tell Serah what you told me." he said. "Go on. It'll be ok." Jasmine looked at him, then Serah. She shuddered and then opened her mouth to speak.
"I found my Fal'Cie necklace...in Gran Pulse." she said. "I then came up to Cocoon...oh my goodness, please don't hurt me!" Jasmine cowered, as if expecting that Noel or Serah was about to hit her. Clearly, doing something wrong was like a death-sentence to Jasmine.
"Jasmine...do you usually get beaten up if you do something wrong?" Noel asked, sadly. Jasmine nodded.
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