[Vacation! Open thread]

[livelyangel.livejournal.com]

Characters: Rinoa, OPEN
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: It's time to hit the beach! Get out your bikinis and swimming trunks, girls and boys. Yes, even you, Squall. Party style! Feel free to threadhop, start your own threads etc.
Location: Costa Faguita
Date: May, 1804
Warnings: None

This was the life. Rinoa relaxed on a sun lounger, soaking up the rays. Behind her sunglasses, her eyes were closed. She could hear the waves lapping gently against the beach in the background. It was as though the dragon invasion had never happened.

A group of holidaymakers passed by, laughing and joking as they headed for the sea. Rinoa sat up to take a look around. Hmm. Maybe it was time she went for a swim. But first she needed to reapply her sun cream. She smoothed back her hair and picked up her bottle of sun lotion. Now was there anyone around who might want to help? 

Comments

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"And once you've achieved them? What will you do then?" She had no doubt that he would succeed at what he needed to do and had faith enough to believe it would happen sooner than later.

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

"I'm not certain. I don't know if I can even accomplish what I'm trying to do..." Kain had far less confidence in his abilities than she seemed to have.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"You can and you will. Perseverance and determination matter. But Kain, once that's done, you'll have a whole life spread out in front of you. Shouldn't you take the time to enjoy it?" Without warning, she bent and came up with a pearlescent shell. Hand extended, Penelo offered it to him. "There's so much you'll miss if you don't take the chance to appreciate it."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Taking the shell in hand, Kain stared at it. A pensive look came into his face. What he wanted... what he truly wanted in life was forever denied him. How could he actually look forward to anything? He honestly didn't know what he was bothering to fight for, sometimes, aside from a family legacy he'd already fallen short of. "Penelo, I... All I know is my duty as a dragoon, my responsibility to protect my kingdom and to honor my ancestors. I have... nothing else."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

The pained, pensive look that settled on Kain's face smote Penelo's conscious. Her head dropped, contrite when she realized she'd caused it. "I'm sorry," she murmured, unable to look up for the shame felt for indirectly making him unhappy. "I shouldn't have pried."

After a deep breath, she forced herself to look up, resting a hand on his arm. "You have more. You have Zephyr. And you have friends who genuinely care about you and your happiness." And yet, she couldn't deny recognizing a sense of having nothing left. Hadn't she buckled to it more than once?

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Mention of Zephyr made Kain half-smile, he'd found a new sense of purpose caring for her, that was true. Even if he had nothing to look forward to back home... Here, in this world, he had her.

He nodded slowly. "I didn't intend to bother you by saying such things... but... I guess I needed the reminder." He paused, needing to sort out the next words before he said them. "I should thank you, for that."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"You don't have to thank me, Kain." Her head shook to enforce that sentiment. "That's what friends are for. I am sorry for making you sad but... it's nice to hear your thoughts." That he preferred to keep them to himself hadn't escaped Penelo. Still, she preferred to keep the conversation on a more positive track. "It's nice to see you smile too."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Kain tried his best to dismiss part of that. "It's no fault of yours, that my mind turned to such thoughts. A lot has been in mind for a while..." But his expression remained calm, and as happy as he ever got. "In at least one respect, my path is finally clear. I..." He struggled for words, not used to expressing these sentiments. "...care... about Zephyr a great deal. Almost as if she were a child."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

A soft hum escaped Penelo who smiled in response. "I think you're good for each other. I'm glad you found her." Glad he was connecting so well with another being, since she could tell he struggled with it.

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

He nodded agreement. He definitely would have had a harder time losing Mount Odeals again, not to mention just... in general, were it not for Zephyr to care for. "...I think so, as well. I'm very glad for her presence, too." He never would have imagined taking in any creatures as a pet before, but a dragon was exactly the sort of being he could relate to.