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

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

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.

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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.