For a time, Panty's genuinely too woozy to get up, and that's likely where the lightbulb moment happens. Seeing as that honest to God felt like catching a C4-propelled iron plank to the chest, scrambling to her feet right away would likely just end with her getting the same treatment again and a whole new plethora of injuries to boot. Therefore staying put is her best option. Right? Common sense.
Which means... it's time to whip out the tried and true "stall for time" strategy.
Playing. Possum.
Shouldn't be too hard considering it's 80% genuine and only 20% acting, but hey, she'll take it. Even her bruises are gonna have bruises this is so unfair...
"Panty?"
Shit, he's closer than she thought. Staying down was definitely a good call. It takes a conscious effort to remain carefully still with her head resting at an awkward angle like this considering the ram horns propping her up, but she manages. What Cloud should be suspicious of is how the halo and wings have disappeared, yet Backlace is still mysteriously in pistol form instead of reverting to underwear. A minute detail in hindsight but an important one nonetheless.
Just a little closer...
And then she's being pulled upwards, and she has to focus on keeping her breathing shallow while simultaneously not losing her grip on Backlace, but golly isn't it strange how that arm is the one that coincidentally comes to rest on the floor behind him?
She can't see what he's doing, but she has a general idea of how he's positioned. Enough that while Panty keeps playing up the injured victim card, she starts carefully putting the long game plan into action. Slowly, carefully, fraction by fraction, she rotates her wrist and lifts Backlace until the muzzle is very nearly brushing the knit fabric of his vest. A sucker punch to end all sucker punches.
Her thumb starts to draw back the hammer of the pistol as she opens her eyes just the tiniest sliver, and--
Wait. Wait a second. What's with the light show? And better question, why is her headache suddenly gone?
Is he... Is he healing her?
???????? Healing her just defeats the purpose of this whole damn fight, what the hell is he doing?! More to the point, he could have healed himself at any time after getting tossed around and only now decides to whip it out?
CLICK. Oh. That sure is a damning "I'm about to shoot your ass" noise, all right. Panty's eyes snap open and guiltily dart off to the side where she's got Backlace primed and ready to fire, then back up at Cloud being a good person total wierdo. Curaga aura and all. ]
...
[ Shit. Well, she can't just go and shoot him now. She's not that much of an asshole. ]
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For a time, Panty's genuinely too woozy to get up, and that's likely where the lightbulb moment happens. Seeing as that honest to God felt like catching a C4-propelled iron plank to the chest, scrambling to her feet right away would likely just end with her getting the same treatment again and a whole new plethora of injuries to boot. Therefore staying put is her best option. Right? Common sense.
Which means... it's time to whip out the tried and true "stall for time" strategy.
Playing. Possum.
Shouldn't be too hard considering it's 80% genuine and only 20% acting, but hey, she'll take it. Even her bruises are gonna have bruises this is so unfair...
"Panty?"
Shit, he's closer than she thought. Staying down was definitely a good call.
It takes a conscious effort to remain carefully still with her head resting at an awkward angle like this considering the ram horns propping her up, but she manages. What Cloud should be suspicious of is how the halo and wings have disappeared, yet Backlace is still mysteriously in pistol form instead of reverting to underwear. A minute detail in hindsight but an important one nonetheless.
Just a little closer...
And then she's being pulled upwards, and she has to focus on keeping her breathing shallow while simultaneously not losing her grip on Backlace, but golly isn't it strange how that arm is the one that coincidentally comes to rest on the floor behind him?
She can't see what he's doing, but she has a general idea of how he's positioned. Enough that while Panty keeps playing up the injured victim card, she starts carefully putting the long game plan into action. Slowly, carefully, fraction by fraction, she rotates her wrist and lifts Backlace until the muzzle is very nearly brushing the knit fabric of his vest. A sucker punch to end all sucker punches.
Her thumb starts to draw back the hammer of the pistol as she opens her eyes just the tiniest sliver, and--
Wait.
Wait a second. What's with the light show? And better question, why is her headache suddenly gone?
Is he...
Is he healing her?
????????
Healing her just defeats the purpose of this whole damn fight, what the hell is he doing?! More to the point, he could have healed himself at any time after getting tossed around and only now decides to whip it out?
CLICK.
Oh.
That sure is a damning "I'm about to shoot your ass" noise, all right. Panty's eyes snap open and guiltily dart off to the side where she's got Backlace primed and ready to fire, then back up at Cloud being a
good persontotal wierdo. Curaga aura and all. ]...
[ Shit. Well, she can't just go and shoot him now. She's not that much of an asshole. ]