timeandtides_backup | [Thread] Here Is the Path You're Looking For

Current Location: Zanarkand

Entry tags:

[Thread] Here Is the Path You're Looking For

Characters: Penelo, Edward and Edge (with later arrivals of Mjrn and Reks?)
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Penelo meets the Edwards while waiting for friends to arrive.
Location: Zanarkand
Date: March, 1804
Warnings: Nothing comes to mind.

Penelo's dainty arms wrapped around her body as she sat on this ledge overlooking the sea and the ruins. A brisk wind, remnants of winter not yet passed whipped around her, and she was hardly dressed for the chill. She'd make it; she always did. Despite the gloom one would expect to experience while sitting amongst the crumbles of what had been a thriving city, Penelo found it restful and hauntingly beautiful. She'd seen her fair share of ruins, from the Necrohol of Nabudis to the Ruins of Delgantua, and over time had come to see them in a more favorable light than she might once have, like when the fall of Nabradia and Dalmasca were still fresh. They had a touch of melancholy, yet it was comforting to know that something still stood as testament to the lives once lived in these places.

As she sat and waited, she could not help but notice that while the sun appeared to be setting over the waters, it never truly crept any lower in the sky, which was painted in the eternal hues of dusk. Almost as if even the sun conspired to stay frozen in time, as was this ruins, haunted by visible memories. Vaan would be all for trying to find as much treasure as he could, a thought which made Penelo's lips twitch into a smile. I wonder where he is right now and if he's staying out of trouble. Probably not.

Despite Edward's assurance that Vaan and Hurdy would be missing her, she somehow doubted Vaan would until it came time to eat or needing to be bailed out of a jam. He cared about her, all of them, but he'd also be glad to have her off his case. They were friends and partners, and while once she'd had girlish daydreams about something more, it was never going to happen. Vaan was far too enamoured of adventure. Somewhere in the last two years, she'd made her peace with it. She could support Vaan and his dreams and that was enough. And really, sky piracy was just another vocation like minding a shop or performing in the streets. It worked.

So thus, the dancer sat, admiring the twinkling lights that danced in the air and the shimmer of the sun over the water. Rather than let her thoughts meander into the past and delve into old regrets, she tilted her chin up, determined to look ahead. She would find answers and her friends and move on like she'd always done.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Make haste, Edge! I don't want to leave her waiting for too long." Edward said with a faint chuckle as he continued to trudge along the grassy path. The trip to Zanarkand was a brisk one, brisk because instead of walking by foot the two men rode by chocobo. The fiends that normally line these grassy fields weren't out and about this early evening thus making this trip quite enjoyable in Edward's opinion.

"Isn't it good to be freed from the castle for a few hours?" The bard asked with a whimsical smile. "It reminds me of the days when we used to know what the word 'adventure' meant." While he was certainly grateful that Golbez and his master Zemus weren't present in this realm, the Damcyan Prince couldn't help but feel a tad bored as of late. Without a thing to do in Troia, Edward felt as if his days of adventure were behind him now.

"Ah? I think I see someone up ahead." The bard pointed out once he spotted the silhouette of a person quite a few distances off. Tugging gently on the reins of his chocobo, Edward egged the yellow-feathered bird to trot faster. “The gods must have blessed her with such scenery; I don’t see a single beast anywhere.”

Edge was glad to be out of Troia for a bit, even if it was a trip with Edward. "You've been busy," he ribbed. "But what's she doing all the way out here."

He could only hope that Edward was ready to move on. If riding out here, could help get that spoony bard's mind off Anna, Edge was more than happy to help. If Penelo didn't work out, perhaps one of those girls in Garden could fill his mind.

"Busy?" Edward actually arched his brow at Edge for there seems to be a double meaning edging from his words. Definitely not thinking on the same level as the other, Edward could only shrug his shoulders slightly in response.

"The girl, Penelo, is a new arrival here to Gaia; another unfortunate wayfarer hailing from a far off land. She claims that she never been to this realm before and was stranded here against her will." Smiling slightly once he remembered their brief conversation, the bard was indeed very eager to meet the young dancer in person. Penelo had a sweet smile, one that reminded him fondly of another but he wasn't going to dwell on that now.

"It is her." He announced with a laugh. "Penelo! We've came as fast as we could." Edward shouted as he waved over towards the girl. Hopping down from his chocobo, he took a moment to dust himself off before gesturing for Edge to follow.

Hearing her name called out, Penelo stood to her feet and waved. She took the effort to remove any traces of dirt from her clothing, without being so crass as to pat at her backside. "Edward! I'm so glad to see you!" Her face lit up with a bright smile, for both the bard and his companion and she hurried to meet them halfway, so light on her feet she almost looked like she glided across the ground. She'd been quite eager to meet the bard, as someone who could appreciate her taste for the performing arts.

"Thank you for coming all this way. I feel bad to put you to all the trouble." Her head canted to the side, causing her long braids to sway as she looked at Edge. "This was your companion you mentioned?"

The dancer couldn't help but note both men's clothing, one dressed in something closer to what she'd expect in Dalmasca, and Edward in the styles she'd seen in Loar. Very nice, and quite stylish.

Edge couldn't believe his eyes that this young lady was the one who had caught the bard's attention. Giving a side glance towards Edward, Edge strode forward clapping Edward's shoulder in the process, gently pushing him to the side.

"Penelo," He answered as he bowed gently before her. "Edge, pleased to make your acquaintance."

Flicking a quick grin towards Edward, he resumed his attention to Penelo. "It was no trouble. I'm happy to assist."

Edited 2010-03-10 01:47 (UTC)

"This was no trouble at all, Pen-" Pushed aside by that cad of a ninja once Edge set his sights upon Penelo, Edward nearly flailed when the Prince of Elban began with his flirtatious nonsense. "Honestly now..." Letting out a mildly frustrated sigh, Edward allowed his smile to linger for Penelo's sake. "Happy? Well, Edge was a tad fussy at first but he warmed up to the idea eventually." He said with a faint chuckle.

Gazing towards the regal hues of red and gold that streaked across the evening sky, Edward began to ponder about that oddly placed sun. In Troia, it was already a little past sunset for the skies were blanketed in the peaceful hues of blue and purples when Edge began with their travels. However, it seemed as if they caught up with the runaway sun thanks to two very quick chocobos.

"I take you have no other business here at these ruins, therefore shall we journey back to Troia now?" He smiled brightly towards Penelo. "You may accompany me upon my steed."

Not since she was much younger had Penelo attracted male flirtation to the level she was receiving now, and at the time she'd been quite naive and swept away with awe at Balthier's gallantry. A little older and wiser now, she certainly was, yet it was flattering to have that sort of attention lavished on her. She saw the flirting for what it was, but still, a deep blush crept up onto her cheeks and she ducked her head modestly. "It's very nice to meet you, Edge," she replied.

Using Edward as an excuse to glance away and regain her composure, she returned his smile with a bright one of her own. Her own eyes trailed over to the skies, still in the sunset after all this time. "It's amazing. I think that the sky has stayed like that this whole time. I expected it to grow dark, but it hasn't." Giving her head a bare shake, she concurred, "No, I have no need to stay here, but..."

She paused, looking up into the skies. "People I know from home are on their way. One of them, I haven't seen in years." Her voice dropped, and for a fleeting moment, a flash of pain crossed her fair features, reliving the pain of Reks' loss. Funny, how for years she wished somehow she'd see her family again, not just in her memories, and now she found herself faced with that as a very real possibility, stirring a hope in her she long thought forgotten. "Would it be okay if we waited for them before we leave?"

Edited 2010-03-10 02:32 (UTC)

If this meant he could gain a little more time with the little lady, he was all for waiting. The only issue at hand was whether Edward would keep his mouth shut once they returned home to Troia.

While it was not his intention to cause her consternation, It mattered not to Edge that Penelo felt the need to blush. "So. we waiting for your friends here? or in the safety of a warm castle?"

While it looked nice here, he would prefer sharing this view with Rydia.

Utterly ignoring Edge's shameless display, Edward allowed his eyes to focus upon the orange and red hued sky and the beautiful dancer who stood before him. Drenched in its lovely amber glow, Penelo looked as if she was the goddess of this eternally sunset realm. It was beautiful here, truly a sight to behold for the humble Damcyan. While he certainly was fearful that fiends might convene upon them, Edward allowed his worries to be quelled by the relaxing hues within the sky.

Idly strolling past the two towards an assortment of boulders and stones, Edward glanced over his shoulder one Penelo spoke again. "A friend you haven't seen in years?" He turned around fully to face her now. "Is...is this friend of yours a person who've passed?" He knew it was rude of him to ask but Edward couldn't help himself. After hearing so much news about how the dead are given a second chance here on Gaia, Edward wanted to know all he could about this phenomenon.

"We can stay here, I do not mind it." Edward stated with a small smile. "Edge." He glanced towards the ninja. "Is this...alright with you?" He knew that the Prince of Elban wouldn't disagree, especially since Edge seemed so intent on wooing Penelo.

Penelo found herself smiling at both men, so very different. One relaxed and playful and one considerate and far softer spoken. First she answered Edge, "Well I did give them my word, I'd hate to break it." She liked him well enough, like she did most people, but if he was angling for more from the dancer, he was in a fair way to be disappointed. She'd put aside those thoughts a long time ago.

Edward's question gave her pause, and drew her gaze back to the bard. "Yes, five years ago, during the war. He was like a brother to me." How to explain how important he was to her and Vaan both, to her country? "I spent so long hoping for a way to bring him back, it's hard to believe I'll actually see him again. I know it's silly, but I can't help but wonder if my parents or brothers are next." And then for a flash of a moment, Velis came to mind, his warm smile, then it faded, leaving her with a sense of deja vu.

"I really appreciate everything, Edward. Thank you so much. And you too, Edge." She dipped her head politely to both.

"We wouldn't want you to break your word, but how long are we going to wait?"

While it was nice here, he was hoping to not be away from Rydia for long. Still, he could appreciate the view while he was here. Edge took this time to look around the area and check for fiends.

Edited 2010-03-10 04:22 (UTC)

Noticing the brief silence that lingered between Penelo and him, Edward listened intently to her words as she spoke. It seemed that the both of them shared a common tale regarding war and loss, a truth that Edward felt awful for taking comfort in. "No..." He voiced up.

"There is no need to thank us. I am merely thankful that at least someone I know has been blessed by such good fortune." The bard said with a wan smile. Penelo's tale truly pained him for he knows what it is like to lose those you hold dear due to such cruelty. His thoughts constantly strayed to Anna no matter how long it has been since she's passed. He was still in mourning but still hoping for some sort of way to defy the laws of death in order to return his long lost love to him. Edward could truly sympathize with Penelo thus, why he held no qualm about waiting a moment longer within these ruins.

"Ah, quite impatient aren't you?" Edward directed towards Edge with a slight smirk. "I wonder why...could it be because you truly do fancy a certain green haired woman?" He was of course teasing the ninja a tad, especially since Edge looked rather eager to return home.

"Love, what a wondrous emotion it can be."

Mjrn's pulse raced as she steered the ship toward its destination, caught between joy and anxiety. Perhaps some disappointment lingered as well, but the young Viera did her best to ignore that emotion. It wasn't Penelo's fault that she couldn't remember their growing friendship of several months. Somehow, returning to Ivalice had stripped her of them. She tried to tell herself that it didn't matter, that they would now be able to rebuild their friendship. To linger on feeling hurt would be childish and unproductive.

By now, Mjrn was if not a gifted pilot, then a competent one. Vaan's instruction had enabled her to know the basics of maneuvering in the air and most importantly, how to land. She did not like flying -she doubted that the lurch in her stomach whenever they parted with the ground would ever change- but had to admit that it could be convenient. Penelo's return had only underscored that.

Upon spotting the ruins, Mjrn began to guide the airship into a gentle descent. She was too focused to enjoy the view, ignoring instead of savoring how the sunset illuminated the ruins and water. Perhaps later, but for now, she scanned the stretch of land outside the ruins. Hopefully, Penelo was already--

Mjrn craned her neck a little, noticing the cluster of figures ahead. "Reks! I see her--them!" Them? Oh well, who cared as long as Penelo was among the group. Immediately, she set about to landing the airship nearby. Once the airship's engines were still, she turned away from the steering and darted for the exit.

(deleted comment)

While Penelo wasn't keen on the idea of joining in on the teasing of someone she just met, she did crack a small smile at Edward's jesting. "Is that what's going on? You really can't blame him for being impatient then." She remained quiet on the topic of love, not daring to touch that. The more she thought on it, the more she realized she knew almost nothing. At one point she'd thought herself in love with Vaan, but really it was little more than friendship. Then with Velis, they were close, but he had Mydia...and then he was gone. There was an odd nagging in the back of her mind that there was someone else, but she couldn't identify who or when and dismissed it outright.

Just as she was about to assure Edge that if her friends did not arrive soon, they would move on, an airship soared overhead. "I think that's them!" she announced with excitement.

Impatience took hold and she rushed to where the airship was landed. She could make out the familiar ears of a Viera better than she could Reks, and suddenly she realized she had no idea what to say to him. She paused in her tracks, glancing back to her new companions, with an idle hope one of them might know what she should do.

Edge looked up as the airship appeared overhead. Luckily for Edward, the distraction defused his arrogance. As Penelo rushed off to meet her friends, Edge hung back for just a moment, throwing his arm on Edward's shoulder. "A little jealous, are we?"

He then looked back towards Troia, thinking about Edward's previous comments. While it was true he did fancy a certain green-haired woman, he wasn't sure how ready he was.

"I suppose you cannot fault Edge, even though he thinks of himself as such a dandy." Edward chuckled softly before gazing up at the sky again. Spotting the airship within the distance, the bard began to wonder what sort of company Penelo keeps. Judging by the girl's demeanor, she didn't seem like the kind of girl to keep poor company amongst bandits and such. However, Edward would be shocked to find out that such an elegant young woman is actually a sky pirate by trade.

"So that is them." He muttered to himself just as Edge drew near. Nearly jumping once he felt an arm rest upon his shoulders, Edward glanced over to Edge with such a sour gaze. "Jealous? Are you a mad? Why would I be jealous of Rydia and you?" Shrugging his arm off, Edward stalked ahead to follow Penelo.

“Honestly, you must think poorly of me to think of me as a green-eyed monster.” Maybe the bard is a little jealous but Edward would never admit.

Upon seeing Penelo approach, Mjrn's eyes widened a little. Her friend had changed and it was more apparent than merely staring at her through the sky phone screen. Perhaps it was somewhat less noticeable to other humes, who shared roughly the same lifespan, but the Viera aged much more slowly. Seeing the difference apparent in what might have been a year or two was a little disconcerting. It reminded Mjrn of issues that she tried not to think about.

Nonetheless, this was not the place to confront them. As Penelo drew closer, Mjrn's smile grew. She wanted to cast Viera reserve aside and rush forward to embrace her friend, but instead she glanced to Reks and hung back. Penelo needed him first and that she understood.

Meanwhile, Chit rushed forward. She needed to inspect all these new people. For a moment, she peered up at the blonde woman and cheeped, then moved on to the pair of men hanging back. The little cockatrice circled them, giving them cheerful-sounding cheeps and 'I'm adorable, pet me' looks.

(deleted comment)

Penelo laughed, a melodious sound, as the fat little cockatrice cheeped at her then went waddling on her way to Edge and Edward. That laugh cut off, however, as her heart leaped up into her throat when Reks said her name. He truly was alive! Something she'd wished for, both for herself and Vaan, the adoptive big brother back among the living. Forgetting or ignoring that anyone else stood about, she flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Reks! It really is you!"

She little cared how it was possible, joy taking hold and overriding the practical side which should be questioning the reality of the situation. Not worth consideration was the unusual circumstances which made her a good two years older than him as well. "You look just like I remember you." He'd been strong and kind and full of life. "How are you? Are you okay?" Her blue eyes lit with delight, shining brightly with tears that brimmed up on her unbidden.

Indulging in another hug first, Penelo eventually turned, relinquishing her hold on Reks. "Thank you so much for bringing him here, Mjrn." Her address to the young Viera then shifted to her erstwhile guardians. "Thank you for waiting too. I can't tell you what this means to me."

Just when he was, about to approach a strange bird came waddling in his direction. It was a fat little dear, a chubby bird with dark brown feathers and a curious look upon it's face. Staring down at the cockatrice with mild wonder, Edward shot a glance over towards Edge before glancing back at the bird again. "Well now, who are you?" Edward asked with a slight smile as he leaned down to eye the bird. Hoping that the little cockatrice wouldn't bite him, Edward extended his hand to it in attempt to pet Chit's head.

While he may have been focused on the bird, the bard did keep his ears open to the conversation at hand while he was still some distance away. He could hear a few words and so far, that Reks fellow was someone of great importance to Penelo. He could tell by her demeanor and the jovial tone in her voice. Edward figured that he was the long lost brother-like friend that the spoke of with great admiration and while it was said that Reks passed during a war, the man seemed as alive as Edge and him.

"How wondrous..." Edward muttered to himself as he rose to his feet again. The odd rabbit-eared woman won a look from him but it was a gaze of delayed shock once he realized the ears were real. However, once Penelo spoke; Edward was shaken from his shock.

"N-no worries! It is the least we could do."

Edge stood with Edward as the two followed after Penelo. His jaw about dropped when he saw the Viera for the first time, yet it seemed somehow fitting for this strange creature to have befriended a cockatrice.

As Penelo spoke with this Reks fellow, Edge came to the same conclusion as Edward leaning in a little closer to the man as he murmured, "You may have a chance after all..."

He snapped his attention back to Penelo as she spoke purposefully closing the gap that had existed, "Edge. We were keeping your friend company, until you got here."

Meanwhile, Mjrn nodded at Reks's words, though she still hung back as Penelo embraced him. When Penelo turned to her, she brightened a little and smiled warmly. "How could I not? You have been greatly missed, Penelo."

She glanced over to the two men with Penelo, automatically aligning herself next to Reks as the embrace ended. The two seemed vaguely familiar -had she hear their voices over the sky phone?- and she nodded politely to them both. "You have my thanks, as well. We attempt to arrive as swiftly as we were able, yet I am grateful that she did not have to wait alone." The smile lingered as she watched the cockatrice bump affectionately against Edward in response to the petting. "I see Chit has made a new friend."

Edited 2010-03-12 04:11 (UTC)

(deleted comment)

Penelo let out a delighted squeal at being spun around, her joy bubbling over into continued laughter. "Oh Reks, we missed you so much..." she breathed out as she finally came up for air. There was no way she was going to ruin this happy moment by telling him that she would have been fine on her own, fine because for years she had to be able to take care of herself. Tears splashed down her cheeks, and she pushed them away with the back of her hands, torn between feeling like she should be polite and speak to everyone and her need to just study Reks, as if he might vanish before her eyes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Thread] Here Is the Path You're Looking For

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject