Protecting My Devotion - Group 4

[arrogant-flirt.livejournal.com]

Protecting My Devotion - Group 4
Characters: Selphie, Penelo, Edge
Progress: Ongoing
Summary:
Location: Eblan Memoria
Date: The day the sky turned pink aka 11 March
Warnings: TBD

Edge was pacing throughout Alfitaria thinking of his talks with Cecil and Rosa when he heard the familiar voice of Rubicante. As the rage began to fill himself, he lost track that he was no longer on Gaia anymore.

He turned around without thinking and threw a shuriken straight at the man. How he had returned to Eblan and found himself in the Tower of Babil was not a concern only that the man was alive. His anger boiled over as he felt the familiar surge of his Blitz. "You won't kill anyone else!"

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[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

In the beginning, Selphie had been setting off for the training centre. She had to keep her skills sharp in case of an emergency call for SeeD against whatever Gaia decided to throw at them next. Instead, she was engulfed in a flash of light that her covering her face in surprise. Was this some new kind of attack? Had Ultimecia come back from the dead and decided to engulf the Garden in a new wave of Time Compression? There were a thousand different scenarios running through Selphie's mind as she slowly lowered her hands from her face.

She did this just in time as Edge's shuriken sang past her. Her nunchaku was out in an instant as she didn't know what was coming next or from what direction. Instead, she settled into a battle position in the event that she had to defend herself. She'd slowly been learning some magic from the items she was wearing. She'd adopted wearing a simple robe over her clothes and a plain leather cap. Not only did it provide some extra protection from the monsters in the training, but it did help to combat the cooler weather of recent months.

That was when she heard a familiar voice calling out before Edge dashed ahead in a powerful attack. Selphie's eyes were wide with surprise but she maintained her battle position regardless. There were several questions on the tip of her tongue but she kept her mouth shut so she didn't distract the man in front of her.

Just what the hell was going on now?

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Not the start to the day Penelo had been counting on. She'd gotten up early to try to take care of everything that needed to get started for the day in Ashe's house so she could make a final decision about moving the wedding and then making sure it was ready when Figaro was. The glaring light took her utterly by surprise and the first thing she saw was a shuriken flying just past her head. She let out a frightened squeak and got ready to dance whoever did it into disablement.

Only to find herself frozen in shock and surprise. That was Edge and he was yelling at a rather frightening being in red. "What's going on?"

[arrogant-flirt.livejournal.com]

Edge's rage was focused on Rubicante as Rosa rose her arms casting protect on the party. Right before Edge struck out with lightning, Kain landed on Rubicante from above as Shiva blasted him with ice. Edge was determined to avenge his parents and with his new friends at his side. It would not be a problem with his new friends at his side. He knew that Eblan would be safe as soon as his enemy lay fallen.

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

Selphie watched the fighting from a distance. It didn't seem to be affecting them in the least as she settled herself down. The perky brunette didn't quite understand what was going on and why they weren't being thrown into the fighting but it didn't matter very much to her at the moment. She'd heard another voice behind her as Selphie glanced over her shoulder and joined Penelo on the sidelines of this battle they seemed to be witnessing.

"Whatever's going on, something bad happened to bring it on," Selphie mused aloud. "I wonder why we're not involved in the battle? Is this just something that we're supposed to be a witness to?"

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Penelo shook her head. "I don't know but I can't just let them fight alone." Those were her friends all of them. Even if Cecil and Rosa were younger again, she knew these people. Kain was like a brother to her, Rydia like a sister. There was no way she could only sit and watch when obviously whatever they fought was bad.

Right away she began her Mystic Dance, to boost the faith of the the mages in the party, even though they hadn't even acknowledged them. That didn't change when the dance was over, and in fact, it didn't seem as if it had even worked at all. "I... don't understand." Penelo was quite certain she'd done the steps correctly.

[arrogant-flirt.livejournal.com]

Luckily for Penelo, Edge and company had the fight well in hand as Rubicante fell in battle. The victory was bittersweet as Edge's parents still remained dead.

As the dream and his friends faded away, Edge fondly remembered his parents. As had they, he would give everything to ensure Eblan's safety. "I hope your in good hands." Staring ahead inside the tower, he knelt to the ground if only to pause for a moment thinking about his home.

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

Selphie watched as Penelo's dance had no effect on the scene being played out before them. Her head tilted to the left as a puzzled look emerged on her face. Whatever was going on at the moment had the perky brunette in a mystified state of mind. She was just as confused by this turn of events as Penelo was but took a step forward toward Edge.

"Edge? Do you know what's going on?"

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Penelo too stepped forward, distressed by the calm and hurt feeling she was getting from her ninja friend. She crossed to him and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Edge?" Not that she knew if he'd hear her or not, but at least something to let him know that she was there and worried. She glanced over her shoulder to the other and tilted her head to the side. If she knew him, then lending a supportive... well whatever he needed would be best.

[arrogant-flirt.livejournal.com]

Edge was startled as the dream faded away and he felt Penelo's hand upon his shoulder. He turned towards her, a hint of the emotion that flooded through him until her heard Selphie in the background.

"That was my home." He paused for a moment, the reality of his tie to Eblan draining his energy. He couldn't let down his guard though in front of these ladies and gave a wink to the dancer, "What will Edward say when he hears you followed me home?"

[boomchucka.livejournal.com]

Selphie walked over to the duo shortly after Penelo glanced at her and offered a hand to Edge. Something bad must've happened back wherever they'd just seen but she didn't want to pry into something that didn't concern her. The perky brunette smiled softly at the two before mock-glaring at the ninja.

"Edge, c'mon will ya? You're as bad as Irvine."

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Leave it to Edge to start flirting. Penelo just sighed and shook her head with a fond smile for the ninja. She'd spent far too much time in the company of sky pirates and suave princes not to recognize a line when it was being delivered. "He'd say you'd better quit before Rydia finds out."

Still, she gave the man a gentle hug and tilted her head to look at him just to make sure he was fine. "We should get out of here. People are going to worry about us." To that end, she turned and looked about for an exit. Nothing really to be found so she picked a direction and after only a few steps found herself standing in the East End of Rabanastre.

She had only a second to register where she stood before the memory became so real it took her fully. The streets were crowded as always and she was carefully picking her way through them with her bounty she'd scored that day, careful to avoid the Archadian guards who were always out in force to harass the 'provencials.' Today was no different as she tiptoed past the Sandsea where a drunken soldier was pushing a Seeq merchant and bellowing that the man had disrespected him. She sighed and kept moving. Staying around to watch was a guarantee to be hassled herself. And the package in her arms was far too precious to lose to curiosity.

Down the stairs into Lowtown she went, seeing the downcast Dalmascans shuffling in the old warehouse district of town. They'd all been forced here with the occupation of the country, and losing the war. So many people lost their homes, they'd started living in the warehouses, or on the streets. The area was dark as it rested under the grand capital of the country, with only a few dim lights and sometimes a break in the overhead covering that let some of the desert sunlight in.

She wove through the passageways with finesse. The dancer had to learn their ways all too quickly. It was learn and learn how to survive or become an unremarked death. Soon enough, she found who she was looking for. A collection of young orphans were playing a game, kicking a stone around on the ground. It made her smile that even after so much, they could still play. It gave her hope. They'd survive this.

"Penelo! You're back" one of the young boys called out.

She nodded and started to unwrap her bundle, only to be interrupted by the sound of clanking metal rushing by. Imperials after someone. "The thief's here somewhere! Find him!"

Please don't let it be Vaan again.

To protect the younger ones, she hastily herded them behind a stack of crates, then hid there herself, until the sound was long gone. Only then did she relax enough to pat Filo on the head.

[arrogant-flirt.livejournal.com]

Edge was taken aback by the sudden rebuff of both ladies, but before he could complain Penelo had given him a hug that he could tease Edward about. He gave them both a smile. "I've tried to help Irvine out, but to no avail."

As Penelo walked off, it shocked him to see how stark and rough her life had been. It brought a smile to his face that Edward could help pull her out of such poverty.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

"What's in the package?" a small voice piped up.

Penelo smiled and moved enough so the whole collection of children could see, then unwrapped the bundle of food. Mostly fruit and some bread, and just a little bit of dried rat meat and cactus butter. Not enough for any of them, but something to stop the gnawing in their stomachs.

"Gee, Penelo, where'd you get all this?" Kytes asked. There was an unspoken, 'Did you steal it?' But theft was a survival tactic she was attempting to keep them from employing.

"I did some work for Migelo today. He says he might have more for me tomorrow."

Even at fourteen, Penelo was no fool. She had a good idea that Migelo was simply giving her a task because she was too proud and stubborn to accept a handout. The 'job' he'd needed her for that day was nothing more than "minding the store for me." But there were other clerks around so she did not much more than stand around and talk to people.

She divided out what she had, only a little bit for each, and reserving nothing for herself. "Don't you want some?" Filo asked. As the oldest of the girls, next to Penelo, she certainly had a way of knowing things the other children couldn't quite see.

"No, that's okay. I ate while I was working." A smooth lie and Filo knew it because the girl mimicked the face she made when Vaan was in trouble.

"Whatcha up to?" Vaan cut in, strolling up to the group with his hands locked behind his head.

Penelo rushed over to him for a hug. Most of the kids did too. He was the default leader of the group, but for her he was family. "Vaan! Where were you? They were down here looking for a thief."

"Oh, I... I was out hunting rats."

A long chastisement was on the tip of her tongue when the memory faded, leaving behind only the dimness of that corner in Lowtown and the crates. The children, Vaan, all gone.

"What...?" All at once Penelo felt both relief and homesick. She missed them all so much, and yet those days were best left in the past.