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 Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2024 5:44 am
 Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: None.
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
Knock knock knock
Their first day off since arriving at Winhill! And someone decided to spoil Nyale’s chance to sleep in by rapping on her door right after breakfast time! While she may have been expecting staff or one of the Everett clan, Nyale opened her door to find a washed, dressed, and ready-for-the-day Remington.
”Good morning,” Rem greeted with that same sort of quiet composure she’d shown for some time now. The girl was…different. Ever since those days in Eden. Everything she said or did came through a veil of melancholy. Even the smile she offered Nyale was a small, fragile thing. But it was there, for the first time in days. ”I need to do some shopping. Would you show me around, today?”
—
Not long after, the two young women were walking side-by-side down one of Winhill’s busier streets. “Busy” never quite described Winhill. But over the past couple of decades, a modest shopping scene had sprouted as the town grew outward, becoming more than a cluster of homes and artisans surrounded by crofters’ cottages.
Rem had dressed to hide the bruises from training. A silk button-down shirt and a knee-length skirt. Black stockings and a vest gave her a quiet uptown look. A little makeup hid the mark on her cheek where she’d taken a smack the day before.
”I need a new weapon,” she imparted to Nyale. There was that melancholy again. Rem talked so little, and now when she did speak, she said it like she was telling Nyale a beloved pet was ill. ”Can you recommend a place?”
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The Princess
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2024 12:32 pm
 Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Finally, a day off....
A chance to relax after the training, to sleep in a little maybe...
The morning sunlight peeking through the gaps in the curtains had been enough to rouse Ny, though on this occasion she chose to remain in bed and snooze for a little longer rather than go to breakfast. Not something she normally did, but the training recently had taken it out of her. Then came the three unexpected knocks at her door.
"Hm?" The girl sleepily hauled herself out of bed, throwing on a robe, and peeled the door open. "Ah, mornin' Remmy..." She greeted the redhead, yawning and leaning against the doorframe.
The two were opposites: Rem wide awake, coherent, smartly dressed and ready for the day. And Ny, half asleep, hair like a birdsnest, blinking vaguely in the daylight like a hibernating animal emerging from a cave. It took her a moment to register what Rem was asking.
"Shopping...? Oh! Sure thing. Give me, um, ten minutes...?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ny demurely sipped an iced coffee through a straw as she wandered down the busy street with Rem. She had insisted that a local coffee shop be their first quick stop on the way into the shopping district of Winhill, so she could get a caffeine fix before the day of shopping got fully underway. Having dressed quickly she'd opted for a simple knee-length white dress and cropped denim jacket, and piled her hair into messy bun. Black shades gave her some relief from the sunlight.
The girl hadn't said much so far, being content to take her time waking up and enjoying the ambience of a morning stroll through the lively and pleasant streets of her home city. But as the journey progressed she began to notice how subdued her companion seemed.
"Weapons..." Ny repeated thoughtfully. "Winhill Garden has plenty to choose from for our SeeDs, but as for buying any...actually I do know a place! Follow me" She led Rem down a couple of side streets, coming to a stop outside a discreet old storefront with a hanging metal sign of two crossed swords. If the traditional appearance was anything to go by, it was a shop that had been established for many years.
"This place has really good quality weapons. Can be pricey, but worth it" She pushed open the wooden door and led Rem inside.
A muscular middle-aged woman in a soot blackened apron greeted them from behind the counter, giving a wave that revealed her calloused hands. On the counter was a large sword that she had evidently been busy sharpening. "Good morning ladies, what can I interest you in today?" She asked, her expression stern.
"We're browsing, if that's okay Madam Erwood" Ny replied sweetly. The woman gave a brisk nod.
"Of course, my dears. Feel free to try out anything you like the look of. I'll be here if you need anything"
Ny smiled in thanks.
The shop appeared small at first until one noticed that it extended deeper with additional rooms and corridors branching off. The walls and shelves were lined an assortment of gleaming weapons, ranging from bladed types such as axes, daggers, swords, sabres and spears, to un-loaded guns of many varieties, and even more unusual restored antique items and ceremonial weapons. If Rem cared to explore even further, she would find shields and armour too.
"The family who run this place have been blacksmiths and weaponsmiths in Winhill for years. They have a forge and a workshop and make most of their stuff themselves..." Ny explained quietly, examining a crossbow with interest. "Some of the more modern tech stuff they import here. But we also develop more high-tech weaponry at the Garden as well..."
She glanced over at Rem curiously. "What kind of thing are you thinking of?"
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2024 10:42 pm
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: None.
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
Rem looked all about as she entered the shop. Nostalgia washed over her, surrounded by weapons of all sorts. She remembered sunny days shining in through windows of the warehouse-turned-dojo. The smell of dust and sweat. Walls lined with weapons lovingly made by hand.
There was that sad smile again.
”Thank you, Madam,” she addressed with a bow. She followed Nyale at a slow pace through the chamber- one of many!- and admired the weapons she passed. She halted at a rack of katana and its shorter compatriots. They indeed ran the gamut from classical smithing to technical assembly. She reached up and ran her fingers along the handle of a curved sword wrapped in snow white cloth.
”My mother began teaching me kendo at six,” she said. ”I loved it. Because it was something I did with her. Iai followed. Then nitou. Then Balamb-style boxing. More with dad. Instructors, where we could find them. Kalen and I sparred and did kata after kata every day.” The weapons were fine quality! She could see her own reflection in the blade. Her smile fell. Her hand followed.
”But I don’t think it’s going to aid me in the days to come.” Rem passed the blades by, moving deeper among the rows. She stopped before the lineup of staves. Displayed on wooden posts were an array of staves in different styles.
Rem picked up a simple steel staff with black grips. She tested its weight, turning it over slowly with both hands. She watched its turns like watching the hands of a clock move.
”A staff guides magic,” She stopped the twirling to consider the rod in her hands. ”I need to grow. And that means focusing.” She considered the metallic staff, before turning her somber gaze to the wall of its kin. ”You know these things better than I do. What do you think? Wood? Metal? Talisman on the top, or blunt?” Nyale was far more experienced with her on wielding real magic, and Rem needed every scrap of help she could get.
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The Princess
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Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 10:11 am
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Ny propped her shades up and tilted her head, listening as the other girl reminisced. It sounded like she had excellent combat training from a young age. Kalen too. The thought of them as kids sparring and doing Katas together made her smile to herself. I bet she kicked your a** six ways to Sunday, Kal... Ny thought, whilst she keenly examined the beautiful katanas. She had bought her daggers here years ago. Perhaps it was time for an upgrade? She moved on for now, Rem following to the section with the staves.
"A staff can certainly help you to focus your magic, in the beginning..." The girl replied to Rem in a pensive tone. "Simple is better, in my opinion. You don't need any fancy talismans, but I might be biased on that 'cause I think they look kind of ridiculous. Of course the aim would be for you to wield Sorcery without a physical conduit at all, eventually" Salem might not approve, Ny thought. But if it helped Rem become more comfortable, then more power to her. As long as she didn't become exclusively reliant on it. Plus, having something to defend yourself when using magic wasn't an option was also beneficial. The training in the forest showed that, even if they'd had their weapons removed for that little activity.
"And I'd go for metal. Wood looks nice, but it's really not tough enough to withstand a lot of magical energy. Or if someone comes at you with a sword while you're trying to cast" Ny picked up one of the wooden staves and twirled it experimentally. "Entirely your choice though, darling. Whatever works for you. Sometimes it's good to just try different things and find what suits you best" She placed the staff back and continued sipping her coffee, her mind wandering whilst she waited for Rem.
Like her companion, Ny's bruises from the training were mostly tactfully hidden by her clothes, and luckily she didn't have any on her face to hide with makeup, but she still felt the ache in her limbs. "Ahh...I really could do with a massage" She muttered, rolling her shoulders and grimacing. "I've got more knots than a sailors rope!"
The girl sighed and looked out of the nearest window at the city street. It was quiet in this part, but the odd civilian still wandered past. Even in the busier areas of Winhill it didn't match the hustle and bustle of Eden city. Ny turned her gaze to Rem again.
"So you've been here a few days now...are you missing home? What did your mom think about you coming here?" She asked.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 1:04 pm
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: None.
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
”Anti-magic technology is getting more advanced,” Rem said. She remembered the choking, smothering cloud of the strange grenade which the White SeeD had caught her with. ”It’s not just D-District Prison and Odine bangles anymore. I can’t afford to be helpless again.” She shut her eyes. Nyale could feel the frustration radiating off her.
She listened, nodding along with the advice. Natural wood was supposed to have properties helpful to channeling certain types of magic, but it sure wouldn’t stand up to another gunblade. She considered one staff after the next while Ny waited on her. Her first one was simple, bare and blunt at both ends. Another had blades like a spear on one end, and another on both. Yet another was capped with a head molded into the shape of a lion.
”My mother wanted me to come here. As did I,” she answered, feeling the weight of one of the bladed staves while her eyes were far away. ”Just as Kal comes home, we’re scattered to the winds.” She didn’t need to say it; Nyale could see in her eyes: Yes. Yes, she missed her home enough to hurt. But there was steel in those sad eyes.
”I can’t hide what I am, and Master Everett is the best one to teach me. He’s one of her oldest, closest allies.” Which Rem had not been helping with, getting into things with Raeka and Mai. She told no one of how relieved she was when it turned out they were on mission elsewhere and would not be around while Rem tried to train. She didn’t need any more tangled emotions. Sensing Ny’s eyes on her, she met the other young woman’s gaze. Rem had been so distant these past days, focused only on her training. She was polite, professional, and direct. But with just Nyale here, it felt like an insult. The girl had been nothing but warm and supportive. She’d been…a friend.
”I don’t know how I’d be doing if you weren’t here,” she said, her smile troubled but real. ”Etamara is fine, and I know Master Everett means well for all of us, but…you’re the only one who bothers to make me feel welcome here.”
A beat passed before Rem looked thoughtful. She placed the staff she was considering on the shelf. ”Would you turn around a moment?” she requested. And when Nyale did, Rem’s hands took Ny’s shoulders. She rubbed a moment before finding the first knots and- knead -ffffffastitocalon feathers, that felt good! Rem’s hands were firm and experienced, beginning to work knots out of Nyale’s muscles. It came with that sort of wonderful ache which always accompanied a real, badly-needed massage.
”Me, Kal, Mae…all of us help each other out like this after training,” she said, explaining where her expertise came from. ”It’s important to take care of your muscles. I never thought about it, but I’m sure you put a lot of stress on your shoulders and back with flying.” She focused there, working her thumbs toward Nyale’s spine. ”Maybe when we get back to the mansion, I can give you a proper massage,” she offered; the weapons shop was hardly the place. It felt nice; like being back with her sisters.
…
”It’s been different,” she confessed after another pause. Perhaps it was easier to talk without Nyale looking directly at her. ”I’ve been away from home many times the last few years. Journeys to Balamb, Deling, Dollet, Centra…” Her attempts at getting into diplomacy. ”It’s never felt like we might be saying goodbye for good.”
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The Princess
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Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 4:56 pm
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Ny nodded as Rem spoke. She could see how much it weighed on the other girl to be away from home. Away from her family. "To take a leap forward, sometimes you have to leave some things behind" She said softly. Rem would go back home eventually, but likely she would be very changed, Ny thought. It seemed to her that the girl was still emotionally clinging onto her old life in some ways, and Ny anticipated that she would need to let them go to evolve to what she could be.
When Rem stated that Ny made her feel welcome she smiled brightly."Well, Kalen did ask me to look out for you. But also I like you. And it's like having a sister here" She replied in a pleased tone. "I don't take that for granted. Growing up, when Kal wasn't around, it could get pretty lonely" There also was something she just trusted about Rem. Ny liked to think she had good intuition about people, and her intuition told her the princess of UNITA was good people. "I like Etamara too, I think under the overt narcissism she has a good heart"
Nyale turned around upon being asked, though she had a quizzical look on her face. At least until she felt strong hands grab onto her shoulders and begin kneading. "O-Ohh...oh my...that feels...so good..." She relaxed, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensation of her knots being worked away. "You know what, that's exactly true. It IS a lot of stress on them. No one else gets it. And I won't say no to that offer..." Nyale practically purred with enjoyment.
She continued to stand still in a state of bliss as Rem carried on rubbing her shoulders and speaking, the tone of the conversation shifting again. Though the girl often seemed sad these days, Ny was glad she was opening up more. "Mmm...I can understand why it would feel like that. This is a whole new kind of life for you. I guess it's pretty different to going away for official trips..." Ny paused in thought, momentarily envying how well traveled Rem was. Must have been wonderful to visit all those places... She contemplated wistfully. Perhaps one day... She pulled her attention back to the present.
"Well...I promise you it's not goodbye for good, really. For starters, your brother would never let that happen...I'd hazard a guess that Eren guy would also come looking for you?" She said in a slightly teasing manner, trying to bring an uplifting tone to the conversation.
When Rem had finished rubbing her shoulders and back Nyale exhaled in obvious relief and turned around, marvelling at how much better her body felt.
"Thanks so much, that really helped"
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2024 7:48 am
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: Cure (x3), Esuna (x3)
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
Sister…
”I’ve always had a sister around. Mae, Sou-hi…Yukiko is practically a sister by now.” They hadn’t known each other long, but she felt an ease around Nyale. In Eden, they’d fallen in together like best friends. Come to think of it, Nyale was from Winhill, but Rem had yet to see the girl with any friends of her own…
Rem worked her way from Ny’s shoulders to her spine, then downward along muscle groups. Thoughts turned to the boys. It had felt….right, to have them all around. They had been in each other’s orbits for days, maybe weeks, in some cases years. But Rem, Kalen, Nyale, Yuki, Eren…That felt right.
”They would,” Rem agreed with a quiet fondness. ”I actually met Eren a bit over a year ago. He…rescued me. Leapt right between me and a thunder elemental and took the shock.” Nyale’s back was to the girl, but she could hear the smile in Rem’s words. With a grunt, she finished kneading at the base of Ny’s spine and straightened up the girl’s shirt before pulling back.
”I’m glad. Would you mind coming with me to the practice room?” She’d spotted the sign. Rem took up the first staff she’d eyed, the one of plain metal and brown leather. She followed Ny ‘til they reached a sandy garden where several dummies and targets were arranged.
However, first Rem pulled back her sleeve, showing an armband of tarnished steel and peculiar arcane wiring. Nyale recognized the Estharan tech: a para-magic armband. However, it was much rougher than the ones she tended to see on SeeD or G-Army soldiers. ”He made this from the pieces of the generator that elemental ruined, he said.”
But having arrived, she set that aside. Rem hefted the simple grey staff, found her grip, gave it a spin, found her grip again. Yes, that felt right. She spent a few moments striking at one of the dummies, recalling her bodou forms. However, she had more in mind.
”I’ve been practicing,” Rem said, taking a steadying breath and another kata stance. Instead of looking ahead, however, she focused on her staff. Telekinesis was…not going well. Salem Everett had invited a walking natural disaster into his house. Plastic, ceramic, steel- she broke or shattered half of her utensils during a given meal. Shattered two windows before she gave up on them entirely. She’d torn the knob off her own door so many times that yesterday the carpenter had said that the wood itself had been splintered too badly- he’d have to install a new door.
”It’s like trying to sign my name with a pen attached to a wrecking ball,” Rem lamented. ”But if I’m not worried about what I’m moving…”
Rem spun the staff. Slow, steady, tracing out a circle again and again. Actually reaching for her power was already far easier; not reflexive, but reliable. And she gripped the staff with more than her bare hands. It spun a little faster, faster still, until she stepped forward and-
CRKK!
The air rippled around the dummy’s head as Rem shattered its wooden base, sending the thing sailing into the sand!
Rem jolted from the impact and staggered backward! Before she found a grin.
”H…Hah! It works!” she declared. One straw dummy was a small price to pay for developing a new skill!
Over the next few minutes, Remington practiced delivering telekinetically-enhanced blows through her staff. She made sure to only use cheap targets- things of straw and feather stuffing- which was for the best because each blow struck with the same force that punched holes in Salem’s walls trying to turn on a lightswitch! The more she practiced, the more focused and impactful the blows became. Only when she ran out of disposable targets did she relent.
”That…is an improvement,” Rem said with a grin. Steadying herself again, she stood the staff upright and raised it up, before bringing it down to point at the fallen head of the first dummy she’d struck. If she envisioned a line traveling down the length of the staff toward her goal…
She reached out. Felt wood and straw. Wood splintered her her grip, but she loosened her grip on the staff and found the same happened with her mind. Steadier- cracked, but not shattered- she brought the straw head to her hand, where she sat it back on its shoulders.
”I’ll take it.”
—
”It’s on me,” Rem assured Nyale, stepping aside from the cafe counter so the girl could make her own order. Winhill was the perfect sort of town for a quaint coffee shop. Once Ny had ordered, Rem handed over the gil and led the way to the outside table, where they could sit in the sun away from the couple of other customers.
Her new rod leaned propped up against the chair. Rem had been quiet since leaving the weapons shop; no surprise, she was often quiet these days. But after waiting for drinks to cool off, she spoke up once more.
”It’s not just missing home,” Rem confessed. She peered down into her cup. Black coffee; the hallmark of the workaholic. ”Two weeks ago, I was burying friends.” she said. It wasn’t hard to remember her outburst at the end of their first day of training. Begging- pleading- that Salem do anything but put her through that feeling again.
”Someone wants to destroy my home. My family.” Rem looked up to meet Nyale’s eye at last. ”First Rieko goes mad, then…then Raeka is shot, then a monster invasion right in Eden City, in the middle of the most important event in years!” She shook her head.
”It wasn’t a coincidence. And it wasn’t a Lunar Cry,” Remington murmured. No one was within earshot of them on the quiet Winhill street, but she was cautious still. ”It was temporal magic. My magic.” Her grip tightened around her cup. The porcelain seared her palm.
”I have to master this. I have to, else my home will never be safe again.”
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The Princess
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Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2024 2:14 pm
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
"Ahh...romantic..." Ny said with a breathy sigh and a dreamy smile, as Rem explained how she had met Eren. Then she gave a brisk nod and led her companion to the practice area as requested, where she examined the armband that Rem showed her with interest. "Aw, well that sure was thoughtful of him" She remarked softly, a hint of envy in her tone. Inwardly she wondered what it was like, living a normal life, growing up with lots of friends and an arguably more conventional family... enjoying youthful romance...and having people show admiration rather than fear and suspicion. People in Winhill were more accepting than most places, but even they didn't like to get too close to the Everetts if they weren't paid to do so.
The girl stood back, leaning casually against a wall with her arms crossed and watching whilst Rem began her practice. She knew the other Sorceress had been struggling with mastering telekinesis, so seeing her start to land powerful blows against the wood and straw targets by using her new bow was a hopeful sight. "Way to go, girl. Excellent progress" Ny applauded enthusiastically after the final mannequins demise, pleased to see Rem's breakthrough with the weapon and see her confidence growing.
Going from that anxious girl in Eden who was scared to tell her mom, to now nailing target practice with her magic... Ny thought to herself, eyes shining.
"Knew you had it in you"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the cafe Ny eased herself into the chair and flipped her shades back down onto her face, leaning back and contentedly absorbing the sunshine like a flower. In front of her a cup of green tea steamed gently, waiting to be consumed, yet it seemed Ny was in no hurry. The cafe had been a good choice. It was one of the few places she didn't get stared at in Winhill, for a start. And the owner had several cute cats that liked to hang around and guilt patrons into giving them food, which Ny was always happy to do.
After a few minutes her companion spoke. Sensing the serious tone of the conversation Ny removed her glasses and caught Rem's gaze, holding it with her own. She simply listened, allowing the other girl to say what she needed to express. In her amber eyes Rem would see a twinge of sadness, hearing her speak of burying friends, and the threat to her home. "I understand..." Nyale murmured. Of course Rem was scared for UNITA and her family, she had good reasons to be. "I imagine being away doesn't help either. What happened in Eden was...horrific. No one could have anticipated all of that" The girl sighed quietly, shaking her head. She knew that she couldn't possibly repeat what her uncle had told her about Galbadia, Rieko, and Raeka, which left her feeling...conflicted.
Rem's final comments made her pause, and her brows furrowed into a frown. "How do you know it was temporal magic?" She asked, curious. Her thoughts went back to the conversation with Salem about Galbadia, and how they had discovered a way to replicate space-time magic. Did they cause the invasion too? He hadn't outright said that, but perhaps it was obvious. "It does seem awfully strange for all of that to occur at the same time" She conceded. Rieko and Raeka they could get away with. A monster invasion? Not so much... The girl contemplated, an uneasy knot in her stomach. That was an invitation to war.
Nyale felt disquieted, and was glad of a brief distraction when a young curly-haired teen boy in an apron came out with a tray of food and amiably placed it on the table. She mumbled a thanks as he left. He wasn't the only visitor to their table. Before long, a large ginger tomcat and a smaller white cat with silky fur ambled over, tails high. The tomcat stood up and put his paws on Rem's leg, angling for some food, or fuss, or possibly both. Meanwhile the white cat leapt up onto Ny's lap as if it knew her and promptly curled up for a nap. The girl stroked it absentmindedly whilst picking at a small piece of lemon cake.
"You will master it" She said finally, responding to Rem's last comment, her voice firm with conviction. The request from Salem echoed in her mind, but she pushed it down and away. She wanted to believe that request would never have to be honoured.
"But also, Rem..." She hesitated. "...you might find that the more you grow into your powers, the lonelier the world can get. People are either awed by you, or scared of you, or they want to use you. So just be prepared for that too, I guess. You'll be able to protect your home, but this kind of power has a price" Ny placed her hands around her cup of green tea, letting it warm them and staring down at it. "Who knows though, maybe it'll be different for you, since people knew you as human long before the Succession"
She took a sip and glanced across at her friend. Her usual positivity seemed to have gone, replaced with an expression of resignation.
"I do try to show people a better side to us, so does my mother in her role, and my uncle's done a lot for Sorceress rights...but it never feels like enough. It certainly doesn't stop Esthar from wanting to have us put away"
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 10:52 am
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: Cure (x3), Esuna (x3)
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
”No,” Rem agreed. ”Everyone I know is picking up the pieces of Eden and I’m here, sleeping in a comfortable bed every night, visiting cafes and shops…” But what else was there to do? Salem Everett was her best path forward if she wanted to fix any of this.
”The Hexadragon,” she answered. That’s how she knew. ”I could…feel it. It was out-of-place. Like belladonna among the dandelions. All I had to do was…pluck it out.” That was when things got hazy again. Rem frowned at a hand that had mimed plucking something from the table and flicking it away. She was absorbed in her thoughts ‘til the ginger gent pawed at her leg.
Rem glanced Ny’s way for guidance. Nyale was already petting a sleepy little puffball in her lap. Another whiff of a smile and she lowered a hand to her knee, pretending not to notice the cat. The polite disinterest of course earned his attention, with him sniffing and nuzzling at her fingertips. Rem was soon stroking the creature, pinching off a bit of meat from her sandwich and offering it to the cat.
”Am I not human now?” Rem wondered with a bitter twinge to her smile. The amusement faded soon enough, and all that remained was that sad look in her eyes again. ”Thank you for the advice,” she said. ”But this is my path now. I will grow, or I will die.” People liked to say there wasn’t a choice. There was. It was all choices. And this was hers.
Esthar. What would Eren say? Had he found out yet? She could message him. What did she even say? [Hey, handsome, just checking in. By the way, I’m a witch and maybe inheritor of the powers of that madwoman who tried to destroy the world a couple decades back. Kthxbyeeeee]
The tomcat had taken to nibbling thin slices of meat from Rem’s fingers, and now leaned against her ankle, rumbling like a steam engine.
”Is that how it’s been for you?” she wondered. ”I…haven’t seen you go out with friends all the time we’ve been here. Didn’t know if that was because of our training or…” Or if Nyale spent most of her time in Winhill alone. She found herself blinking at the girl, wondering. Nyale was bright as the sunrise and sweet as the muffins sitting on the table between them. But then, couldn’t Rem imagine her looking out from the windows of the manor at children who didn’t like her scars, or heard frightening stories from their parents?
”And Kalen?” she wondered. The two always seemed so close, in that squabbling kind of way that their elders liked to grin at. Come to think of it…Rem wasn’t sure. ”I…did wonder what things are like between you two. Is it alright to ask?”
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The Princess
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 2:53 pm
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Les Madeleines
"I hadn't thought about it like that...I'd be frustrated too, in your place" Nyale admitted. As the other girl mentioned the Hexadragon she sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Of course.. She muttered, her memories taking her back to that day, replaying the scene in her mind. "That was astounding. I'd never seen anyone do anything like that" She went silent, only smiling in amusement as Rem pretended to ignore the cat long enough for him to be lured in by her disinterest, and then feeding him. "More will come..." Ny warned ominously. The cats here seemed to have a sixth sense as to when another was being fed.
At Rem's next question Nyale could clearly see the sadness in her eyes, so she refrained from answering out loud to spare her friend's feelings. No... She simply thought to herself, looking off into the sky. We're not quite human. We're something else... She then gave a short nod as Rem spoke about choices, knowing that although her assessment was bleak, it was correct. Adapt or perish. She left it at that, hoping that at least Rem might not be caught by surprise when other people's perceptions of her began to change. And mostly, she hoped that pink-haired spaceboy wouldn't hurt her when or if he found out, Ny assuming that she probably hadn't told him yet, but also feeling like it would make Rem uncomfortable to ask such a thing.
At Rem's next question a shadow passed across Ny's face. She bit her lip, debating how to answer. "The short answer is yes" She said finally, looking down at the white cat as she continued to slowly pet it. She wondered whether to elaborate, and then decided that Rem had been very open with her so far, so she would do the same. "But I suppose for me, it's a little different. My mother, father, and uncle are all renowned Sorcerers, most of my cousins are too, and my uncle has an obscene level of wealth and power. Not to mention my run-in with B.I.E. years ago..." Her voice was monotone and matter-of-fact, as if she tried to suppress any form of emotion about this subject.
"People have always been especially wary of us, and I can't fault them for that" She rubbed the white cat's soft ears, still avoiding looking at Rem. "I-I have had friends...they just don't tend to stick around. I mean, would you want your child to be friends with someone like that?" Ny would find it hard to believe if she answered that with a yes. It was just a truth she had come to terms with long ago.
And then came the question about her brother. Nyale had to smile ruefully. She'd expected this would come at some point, from somebody, but she hadn't expected it would be his sister of all people.
"Kalen was always the exception, he was never afraid to be friends with me. I've always been so grateful for that, even if it looks like I torment him constantly" She said warmly. "But..."
She paused as the white cat woke up and slunk off her lap, stretching on the ground. Then it wandered around the table to also start begging Rem for scraps, like its sibling. Ny leaned over the table, resting her head in her hands and sighing.
"...people see us together and make assumptions. And I think he sees something in me that I cannot give him. I just...don't feel that way. About anyone" She finally met Rem's gaze, her eyes full of guilt. She was his family, and so Ny was also worried that by admitting this she would tarnish their new friendship too. "Since we got back from Eden, I've been thinking about how our paths are diverging, and what is coming for us. I...I don't want to put him at risk, Rem. Perhaps it's better if we're not even friends anymore" She picked at the cake again, staring down at it with a despondent expression. Her companion might find Ny's demeanour uncharacteristically downcast compared to her usual vibrant self, but it was most honest she'd been with anyone in a while.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2024 3:31 pm
Remington Estellise La Faustina Nipal
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Stock: Cure (x3), Esuna (x3)
Status: She smiles, but her eyes are sad.
Rem couldn’t pretend to smile at the praise. Because it hadn’t been her.
I know you’re there.
…
Then more will be petted,” Rem resolved at Nyale’s warning. She had the tabby in-hand, stroking his head as he snuggled ‘gainst her legs.
It was different, growing up a Sorceress. People made assumptions about Remington being the Princess of Unita. Perhaps she made her own assumptions about Nyale Laytos. She listened. Even when the answer surprised her. The quiet that fell between them was broken when Rem reached over to put a hand on Nyale’s wrist.
”The last thing Kalen needs is more people trying to protect him,” she said, looking Nyale in the eye if Ny had the nerve. ”And that includes protecting him from your feelings. If you don’t feel that way, you don’t feel it. End of story. Kalen is a good man. He’ll understand. What matters is what you need.” She squeezed Ny’s wrist. And, for all the stormclouds tried to darken her face, she found a smile for the silver-haired girl.
”Seems to me like you need a friend. And…maybe I do, too.”
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Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 9:47 am
Lost in skies of powdered gold
xxxxxxxCaught in clouds of silver ropes
xxxxxxxxxxxxShowered by the empty hopes
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAs I tumble down, falling fast to the ground
I know I'll wither, so peel away the bark
xxxxxxxxx'cause nothing grows when it is dark
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn spite of all my fears, I can see it all so clear
xxxxN y a l exxxxL a y t o s▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Nyale's focus on the cake was broken when she felt a warm hand on her wrist.
She looked up at Rem and met her eyes, her gaze uncertain. The girl remained silent as her companion spoke. The words were comforting and it raised her spirits slightly to hear Rem say that Kalen didn't need protecting and would be fine. She wanted to believe that. Even if a part of her still knew that what they were going to face was terrifying and deadly, and she wanted to keep him far away from it. Time would tell which choice she would make. As she felt Rem squeeze her wrist Ny found herself touched by the girl's kindness, and was infinitely relieved that she hadn't reacted negatively. She hadn't been sure how her new friend would respond, since she often seemed to have her guard up. But those walls seemed to be coming down bit by bit every day, and Ny felt as if they were closer now.
So the redhead found her smile returned.
"I'm glad you're here, Rem"
The moment proceeded to be broken by a loud meow, followed by a chorus of smaller meows. Ny looked down to see that surrounding the table, mostly in Rem's orbit, were several cats of varying sizes and colours. All of them vying for some of the sandwich meats, and possibly more fuss. The meows became more insistent by the second, with one cat jumping up onto the arm of her seat and another actually leaping up onto the girl's shoulder.
"Looks like you've got some other friends to attend to now as well" Ny remarked, flashing an amused grin.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬⊰ ✮ ⊱▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬T h exxL i g h t w e a v e r Let your colours bleed and blend with mine...xxxxxxxxxx
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