[Thread; Closed]

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Characters: Rydia and Kain
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: As the others part ways, they decide what to do next.
Location: Conde Petie to...we'll see.
Date: Jan. 1803 (slightly backdated)
Warnings: Kain's stubbornness, Rydia's nosiness?

As Vie had been delivered back to Mikoto and Delita sought his own route to wherever, Rydia peered at her remaining companion speculatively. She knew he was likely to just head his own way, brooding and ignoring all mention of the upcoming wedding, and some part of her almost let him. His earlier attitude had been off-putting, and he seemed unlikely to change it.

And yet, she wasn't quite willing to part ways right away. Even if he didn't think so, the Summoner felt as though they had to talk, about more than just whatever had prompted him into leaving earlier. Doing so in the dwarven village didn't appeal, though, and she doubted Kain felt differently, at least on that.

Resting her hands on her hips, she tilted her head at the dragoon. "Shall we be off, then? Unless you'd like to stay and get married...."

Comments

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Even so, Kain had brought it up. Rydia was just going to focus on the epitaphs, since that was recent and not quite as sensitive, but if he wouldn't let the topic go...well, how was that her fault. She stretched and raked a hand through her hair.

"You were there for us in the end, when we needed you most. I'd think that would count for something." Actions, far more than words, made a difference to the Summoner and as far as she could tell, Kain had certainly pulled his own weight and made up for the issues of the past. If only he would believe that, too....

"The past isn't doomed to repeat itself, Kain. Thinking that it will is resigning yourself to that fate already. Don't let that happen."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

"As long as we're stuck here... the possibility for the past to repeat remains. I didn't complete my quest on Mount Ordeals..." ...In fact, so far, he had failed miserably. His Dark Side was far stronger than himself, and what if that became an issue here? In his mind, it was only a matter of time before something happened to draw it forth.

Kain shrugged afterward and grew quiet, as if he were going to leave it at just that. It was his own problem to deal with, anyway...

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Of course a certain Summoner didn't believe that. What affected him affected everyone else, and she was firm in her view that they all had a responsibility to each other. Just because he had to deal with some of it alone didn't mean that had to be true for everything. Of course, the problem lay in getting him to understand that.

She shifted her weight a little, growing more comfortable. "All the more reason to help us find a way home, don't you think? I still don't believe that's impossible, and I would like your help. The others are too busy running Troia and being entangled in politics. We're lucky enough not to be burdened in the same way."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Kain had to wonder if that was a sneaky way of attempting to keep him from running to hiding any time soon. He honestly would have thought he'd have bored her with all of this talk of his anyway... and likely would make her want to seek more pleasant company as soon as possible.

"...and how can we find that out? We hardly know where to begin. Unless you have some suggestion for that?" He was glad to shift the conversation away from Issues, from the things he'd planned to never discuss. So far, so good... Maybe.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Kain was perhaps half-right. Rydia didn't consider her idea to be especially sneaky and it wasn't even designed with the (sole) intention of keeping him from being a total hermit. Still, she wasn't blind to the possible result.

Rydia's brow furrowed as she mulled over the possibilities. "I thought being at the Tree would have revealed something, but I didn't notice anything strange about it. That might not be our only source, though. There was a moogle who mentioned the Shimmering Island as being active again, and it dovetails with Eiko's story about Gaia's elemental shrines. Unlocked, they opened the gateway to another world...the one from which the trouble first originated. It was inert for a long time, but like the mist, it returned...."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

"Do you intend to see the Shimmering Island and places like it for yourself? To travel there seeking answers?" Kain had to admit if it did ever come down to making some lengthy journey, it appealed more to him. He couldn't bear to just linger around as a potential threat to anyone he cared about. So... something that might provide an adequate challenge was for the best. It would also take his mind off of his usual problems. A better idea, overall, than constantly facing the past in his two closest friends.

...They had to understand by now that he wasn't ready to be among them. He'd have wanted it to be different, himself, but it was too late for that.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

"If I can, I think I should. If Garland's cycle is starting all over again, that's the place to be. There's a problem, though. Regular airship travel won't go there, and I don't have the funds to ask some of those others to take me. If only we had the Falcon or the Enterprise...." Rydia frowned in thought, poking at the fire.

"The only thing that I think might work is speaking to Eiko's father. He might be convinced to send a ship there, and if he does...I want to be on it."

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

It was unfortunate that they lacked any familiar means of transport like one of those. Not that Kain would have expected to find them here, in this strange world... he'd long ago learned never to expect too much to go in his favor. He frowned and stayed quiet for a long while as he considered what she'd said.

"If answers might be found... I'll consider joining you." That and it would continue to provide excuses to avoid a certain happy couple in Troia. He couldn't face them just yet, especially considering how things had gone when he and Cecil had last seen one another.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

That made Rydia smile. She would be pleased to have him as a traveling companion for a while longer. Just because she could and would travel alone didn't mean she preferred it. That he wasn't doing so for the pleasure of her company or some such didn't matter. As long as they had same general purpose, to learn, that would serve them well enough.

"Good. If there's passage to Lindblum from the Camp, then we might actually be able to get somewhere with this, soon...." She stifled a yawn, warning herself not to get too comfortable yet. "I can take the first watch." While she probably could sleep soon with little trouble, Rydia wondered if he would wake her, should she crash first. Knowing Kain, it was likely that he would pull off a 'I can stay up all night' attitude.

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

"We'll look into it, then." Having a set purpose would be good for Kain, who'd spent much of the time here attempting to... find some sort of Mount Ordeals, in a way. If he weren't going to accompany Rydia, he'd probably just end up disappearing in some remote location again. Not that he ruled that idea out completely. Should anything happen and he snapped as he'd nearly done with Cecil, he might have to anyway.

Kain glanced at her. "Are you certain you want to?" ...Though she probably was smart in thinking as she had, since Kain would indeed push himself to stay awake.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

At that, Rydia forced back a yawn and nodded. "I'll be fine. The fire's helping and I could use some time to wind down anyway. So, go ahead and crash. I'll wake you when it's time." Since unlike some others, she knew better than to attempt remaining awake all night.

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Kain narrowed his eyes and watched her suspiciously for a moment. After all, he felt he'd be capable of staying up for a long time and he was stubborn enough to try. He had to consider for a long while before he finally relented.

"...Very well."

Though he took a few moments before he finally did settle in to try falling asleep.