Suteki Da Ne~ Afterwards

[timenpcs.livejournal.com]

Characters: Everyone invited and anyone who can justify being in Luca on the day of the ceremony (mad clowns not allowed)
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: After the ceremony!
Location: Luca, southern beach
Date: Friday, June 18, 1804
Warnings: We'll have to wait and see

In order to avoid Kefka showing up and destroying the place, Yuna and Tidus had kept the date and the preparations, on the whole, very on the down-low. So far Kefka hadn't actually gone to Luca, that they knew of, and neither of them had made big announcements about the date over the network. Most of the city knew, of course, as well as their friends, but they hoped that was as far as it had gone. Still, most of the wedding party had weapons in reserve, and the guests probably did, too.

But the wedding of a High Summoner was a Big Deal to native Spirans, and the fact that her groom was her Guardian and a skilled Blitzball player definitely drew more interest, leading many of the people in the city who hadn't gotten invitations to show up anyway just to try and catch a glimpse. There was no formal reception, but a large spread of food had been set up down the beach just a little ways, guarded from thieves and onlookers by more Blitz players until the ceremony was actually over. There was also a small musical group off to the side, playing various melodies for whomever wanted to dance. It was a social gathering, mainly, a time to talk and mingle, meet new friends and say hello to old ones, and maybe play a prank or two.

Just not on the newlyweds, please.

((ooc: If you can justify being in Luca, you can come to the party, invite or no. Since there's no real separation of areas, there will be no location subthreads. Just go ahead and tag away! Threadhopping and ninjatagging encouraged!))

Comments

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia paused thoughtfully. She didn't want to bring it up to Eiko either, but the truth was that they all had ties elsewhere. Yet, Rydia didn't want to give up on Eiko's dream either. "I don't know. Braska doesn't seem to be interested in living anywhere else. I'd like to live there at least part of the time, and if others do...then at least Madain Sari will have some life to it again. And who knows, maybe other Summoners will arrive to Gaia that might want a place of their own to settle. I keep wondering if anyone from Mist will appear...." Especially her mother. She knew it was at least possible for the dead to arrive, though didn't dare voice such a hope.

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

"It's always a possibility," replied Dagger. "At least, as long as things remain the way they are."

But how long would that be? It had been just over a year since that flash of light that had changed everything, and though they knew more, they were really no closer to solving their problems. At first, she'd been so determined to find the fix, stop the foreigners from being pulled in, find a way to return their own lost.

But now? Now they were governing lands, and striking up trade, and... adapting. The world was a different place now, than it had been a year ago. Soon, they would have to figure everything out, take necessary actions, hunt down Garland and put a stop to this destructive imbalance.

It took less effort than she thought, to push the inevitable from her mind. She didn't want to think about the idea that someday, they'd fix everything. That the world would go back to the way it was -- the foreign lands would go away, and so would all the sky people. So would her friends. When had she stopped thinking of everything they'd gone through as a loss? What about people like Vayne, who'd striven so hard for this world that wasn't even theirs, only to die for no good reason. Vayne had been creeping into her thoughts a lot recently. What about people who'd been given a second chance... people like Vivi?

She spent so much time lost in her own thoughts, she didn't realize how long she'd been silent, or that her eyes had taken on a blank and distant look, fixed somewhere out past the horizon.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"...Dagger?" Rydia's voice gently prodded after a moment or two of watching that distant stare. It wasn't difficult to guess that she might be thinking about how drastically different the world was now. That made Rydia wonder how the natives saw it. Where the Sky People still largely an intrusion? Despite the friends she made, Rydia had to wonder what other people thought. Living in Troia, with the majority of her world's arrivals taking up residence there, she saw less of the native's attitudes than some.

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

"Huh?" The young queen turned her head though she didn't look much like a queen today, in her dress-downs, hair worn low and loose. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to space out like that."

And with that, she laid back on the shore, no care for getting sand in her hair. "I've just had a lot on my mind recently."

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"Need to talk about it?" Rydia glanced around, then back at her. "We can always take a short walk, get away from all the wedding noise for a few moments." Not that it was that bad right now, but perhaps a little more quiet would help Dagger sort out her thoughts.

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

"No, that's alright," replied Dagger, and she smiled at Rydia. A walk would have been nice, but she had a feeling it would do little to clear her thoughts. She turned her head slightly, glancing back towards the main buzz of the reception. "Zidane's off being social, but I don't want to go too far without him knowing."

It was odd, how being married had changed her. Here, she'd thought that nothing would be different -- Zidane would still be Zidane, doing what he does, and she'd still be Queen Garnet, but at least things would be sorted, and all her chocobo's would be in a row, so to speak. But since her wedding day, things had only grown more busy and complicated in her mind. More and more she was feeling like her sixteen-year-old self, the one with the curiosity of a child, an itch for adventure, and a touch of irrational irresponsibility. Was Zidane rubbing off on her? Only this time it was mixed with wandering thoughts of the dead, and the living, and the living-dead.

"Besides, this is supposed to be a happy occasion," she added, after a moment's pause. "I don't want to bring anyone's mood down. Not today. Yuna deserves better than that."

Still lying in the sand, Dagger traced patterns in the soft, white dunes. "But, I think I want to start traveling again. I just need to find a good reason."

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"You're not bringing down my mood, I promise." Rydia paused thoughtfully. "I bet you could tie that into diplomacy somehow, like a goodwill tour. You could say it's to establish better ties or for somesuch related reason, especially now that Zidane is wrapped up in it, too."

At that, she pauses and tilts her head. "How is he adjusting?"

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

Dagger laughed. "Adjusting isn't really the right word. But he seems to be fitting in alright. Not much has really changed. Steiner's having a hard time calling him 'your majesty'--" She had to stifle another giggle there, "And really, I almost wish he'd stop. It doesn't seem right, somehow. Zidane laughs it off, but I wonder if it makes him uncomfortable."

She paused to consider Rydia's suggestion. "But, you might have something there. We've met most of the presiding heads-of-state, but I've never actually been to most of these new cities. Yet, all of them have been to Alexandria at least once."

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"Then it's about time to return the favor, right?" Rydia nodded encouragingly. "Besides, it's a good idea to take advantage of the peace we have while it lasts. Who knows when that will change." Not trying to be gloomy, but dragons did more or less invade everywhere spontaneously. Rydia wouldn't forget that, or assume it could never happen again.

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

It was, unfortunately, exactly that fear of what-may-happen that frequently kept Queen Garnet from leaving her kingdom. Sneaking out of the castle was one thing, but what if her people really, truly needed her?

But when she looked out at the sea, it was like something was calling her. Something at the back of her mind, scratching, whispering. Of course, maybe that was just Leviathan... Dagger could never be sure. It wasn't like Eiko, who could hear the voices of the Eidolons.

"It's something I should do. Before I can't, right?"

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"Right." Rydia nodded firmly. "It will be good for Alexandria and good for you. Take advantage of the time you have, before something else gets in the way."

It seemed sound advice to her. If Dagger knew what she wanted and had the time for it, why wait? In Rydia's mind, now was always the best time. Who knew when plans would be diverted, if they were shoved aside for a nebulous 'later'.

I'm sorry about being so late. We can wrap this up or keep going, whichever you like.

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

Rydia was absolutely, undeniably right. What was it she'd once been told? "Seize the moment"? Yes, that sounded right. As much as she hated to admit it, there may not ever be a later. Slowly, Dagger sat up, shaking what she could of the sand in her hair. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled and smiled.

"Is Edge here?" she asked, changing the subject. "I never did get the chance to meet him at my own reception." If she planned to needle Rydia about her potential beau, she hid it well.

You can make it up to me by having Garnet run into Edge. XD

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Automatic paranoid rose at that, but Rydia squashed it down quickly. Dagger wasn't Eiko, nor the busybodies who kept the rumor mill going. She meant well and Rydia knew it. "Oh, he's around. We ought to fix that, then." There was a quick glance around, but she didn't spot him yet. "In fact, the sooner the better. It's highly possible that he's bickering with Kain again and I don't want that to get out of control."

Excellent! : D

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

Standing up fully, Dagger brushed the wrinkles and the rest of the sand from her clothes. Bending down to brush the sand out from between her toes, she stooped to retrieve her discarded shoes -- though she didn't plan on putting them on just then, she wasn't fond of the idea of losing them.

"Well, then we'd better not waste anymore time," replied Dagger, laughing quietly, and falling into step beside Rydia. "I take it they bicker a lot?"

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Rydia snagged her sandals but likewise didn't don them yet. She rolled her eyes while answering the question. "When they meet, it's almost inevitable. Edge is loud, flamboyant, takes very little seriously. Kain is a near-hermit and takes everything seriously. They can get along enough to fight alongside each other, but that's about it."

[crowned-jewel.livejournal.com]

"Real opposites then, huh?" Dagger smiled. The description of Edge reminded Dagger of her first impression of Zidane, really, and Kain's description reminded her vaguely of Amarant (whom, now that she thought about it, no one had heard from in over a year). "Sounds like a couple of people I know, so I think I can understand."

Now, they just had to find Edge.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

A smirk formed as she nodded. "I think everyone knows a pair like that. It's one of those laws of the universe, or somesuch." She tried not to let it get to her, though it wasn't easy. Ever since Kain took it upon himself to involve her in their squabbling, her patience for such antics had dwindled.