Fantasy Howl's Flying Castle (Finished! ---Whoo! (*＾▽＾)／)

[Zer0]

- Jade Palace -
" Awashima, Evening of the 13th Day "​

"You want to see it? The really, really ancient prophecy scrolls? Though, I think we can only do it tomorrow since Izanami and Isanami are probably sleeping already and we need their permission. But I'm telling you, Lydia, it's just so --- so --- " Johnny looked to Chenglei for the word, " --- mind blowing true."

Kenren returned to the table, James on the other hand went straight out the door determinedly.

"Oi, where you going mate?" piped Johnny as he strode past.

"Outside." said James vaguely.

"To search for Renee." said Kenren once the doors had closed behind him. He then told them what happened more than a week ago. "He's likely going to ask the dragons to be on alert for those two. Prophecy and with all its wonderful sensations aside, we need to set our priorities straight." he said in his brisk down-to-business tone. "Have you all found the manna tree and asked the Aged Author how to defeat Valdanr?" he looked at Chenglei, Johnny, and Serena expectantly.

Roleplay Skittle Katsuya
OOC || Characters || Moments in Time
​

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

She didn't look back up from her plate, though her gaze seemed to shift from one object of food to another absently. She sort of just awkwardly shrugged her shoulders, rubbing one of her arms anxiously. She didn't look up as James walked by until he said he was going outside, her gaze following after him for a moment before she briefly looked to Kenren. She nodded her head slightly before she looked back down at her plate. She felt uncomfortable and looked it too as she once more lifted her dining utensils and went back to poking at her food, which seemed to be all she was doing at this point, like she wanted to leave but at the same time she felt obligated to stay and so busied herself basically playing with her food.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"Ah!" Echo blinked widely when Johnny bit into her seaweed again, smiling in amusement before listening in on something and just stared at her boyfriend. Disbelief is written all over her face. "Y-yea. Like Lydia said: We're just who we are. There's no way tha-"

"But it's true, Echo!" Serena said, leaning over to the side with a huge smile. "All of us! We're on the scroll!" When Johnny looked at Chenglei to think of a word and the swordsman made an awkward smile. "Painstakingly so, I might add." His whole opinion on the matter? Well he's really worried for the kids, more so now that they were predicted to go against something like that...

Serena watched James leave the room with a confused look until Kenren explained and nodded back. "I s-see." Then she looked over at Lydia, raising an eyebrow for a moment while Chenglei answered. "We have asked the Aged Author, however it seems she has her own priorities and we can't go near the Manna tree here."

"The people here don't know what's happening on the other side of the Storm Wall and well some don't believe what we're saying about Valdanr being on the other side at all." Serena said, her frown growing more serious. "So even when we asked about the Manna Tree and how to stop Valdanr, we wouldn't be able to go near it since it's considered sacred here like in Ashenvale and no one really thinks we're telling the truth."

"More like the guardians who are looking over the seal don't believe us." Chenglei took over with a grave tone. "There's actually another group of humans that are called the guardians and they watch over the seal that supposedly have Valdanr imprisoned. They claim that we are lying about Valdanr being out as a dragon because they can sense his presence in his seal which is really strange, considering...They haven't notice the small crack on the side until now and is currently fixing it." The blonde swordsman didn't stutter or look away this time.

"The only way they believe us about Valdanr being out is to prove we're the guardians from the prophecy and opening that seal to his prison. Which is dangerous and well...you can understand why we're stuck here today, Prince Kenren." Chenglei deadpanned. "We're being delayed because of meeting appointments not being met to not being able to go anywhere outside of Awashima since they want all of us to stay together...there's also the other ruling sovereigns that are making it more complicated by not believing Izanami as well..." By his tone, anybody can tell that he's somehow annoyed as if...this has happened before and he absolutely hated it.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Jade Palace -
" Awashima, Evening of the 13th Day "​

"I see." said Kenren. Knowing him for this long, they could see that the gears in his mind were already working on a way to get through that as quickly as possible. He abruptly stood up. "Chenglei, meet me at the palace gates after you finish eating. Excuse me, friends, please continue your dinner." The prince had hardly touched his meal, but he was off to the door already, where he bumped into James who was coming back.

"Oh, what's going on?"

"Progress." said Kenren, clapping James shoulder. "I'll see you all tomorrow. Remember what we discussed."

"Yes." said James, looking a little confused, and he shut the door behind him. He flopped down next to Lydia, his brow furrowed as he stared at the food but not really. Then, realizing what he just did which he usually did out of habit more than anything as he usually sat beside her during meals, immediately looked up at her as though he had offended her and blurted, "Er, is this seat taken?"

Sasha, who had been giving James odd looks ever since she nibbled his ear looked from him then to Lydia. Hoot? she piped up questioningly from her place on the table where she had been dipping her beak into a bowl of juice.

"So anyway, about what Chenglei was saying," continued Johnny, "tomorrow we're meeting the guardians again to try and convince them to open Valdanr's cage. Hisaya, we think, knows what exactly happened, but he's currently slowly recovering amnesia and only remembers what happened when he was being taken back home by a long dragon named Raigeki."

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

"Of course." Chenglei replied, looking at the still full plate Kenren just left behind with a blank stare. Then he started to eat his portion of food, just listening in.

Serena and Echo just looked at each other for a moment. Then the fawn asked as she noticed something about Serena's neck. The stone is gone.

"So ... where is Hisaya?"

"Oh! He's in James."

"...huh?"

"Yea. He's in James, resting."

"....Um-!?"

"James used his Spirit garde spell and somehow got Hisaya's soul in him and it's like watching a very bi-polar person talk to himself at times."

".........Um?"

"You'll see what I mean later when he wakes up." Serena said, waving away her friend's confusion. Chenglei was done with dinner and left the room, letting the kids have time for themselves as he left to see Prince Kenren by the gate. Echo just looks lost as this whole thing needs to process in her head. "O-okay. Um...Why don't we ask Raigeki then? Since Hisaya can't remember and he was there, why not ask him?"

"Well...I heard he was missing..." Serena answered vaguely.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Panzer]

"(Hopefully) The Jade Palace..."
"Unknown Date- :Unknown Time"
​

A blond teen stood outside the palace, looking to the majestic building in awe. The teen looked scrawny and a bit twitchy, yet held himself high aside his strange weapon. the boy held a "Fire- Rifle" that was slung around his shoulders and rested with the boy's backpack. His eye - while the other is covered by medical wrapping- was a beautiful azure color that seemed to glow with life.

The lone mercenary stood outside the palace doors, his eye's glance dancing across the design of such a building. It was definitely an impressive building. His mind was racing with pleasant dreams of grandeur, the possibilities of being in the presence of such wealth gave him the warm feeling of excitement and the chill of nervousness.

The once poor and lost scavenger finally had something going for him. He closed his eyes and took a breath, preparing himself for the beginning of something new...

His preparations were immediately halted as a sudden burning sensation flared from his vacant eye socket. The suddenly pained mercenary recoiled forward, stopping in his tracks. He held his wrapped eye with his hand and began to struggle for his wits.

His new life was off to a flying start...

​

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia listened to the conversation taking place around her while gnawing on her lip and moving her food aimlessly around on her plate. It didn't seem that she was the only one without an appetite. She gave a half-hearted smile to Kenren as he excused himself, watching him go and her gaze lingering a moment as he bumped into James before she looked back to her plate. She stiffened up slightly as James took the seat beside her before taking a deep breath.

It was okay, he was still her friend if nothing more. She glanced to him, quirking a slight smile that was etched with a tinge of sadness before shaking her head and turning her gaze on Sasha. She smiled fondly to the little owl and gently caressed her wing before speaking softly to her, "it's okay... I'll tell you later," she then offered her a bit of the shredded beef from her own plate since she wasn't eating it anyway.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Jade Palace -
" Awashima, Evening of the 13th Day "​

"Since last winter according to Mizutsune." said Johnny, who looked at James who was looking at Lydia as though his stomach was in knots, then he decided to just plough on. "Hisaya said that when he was flying home on Raigeki, black dragons attacked them. None like Valdanr, though, smaller ones not as big as that giant. He remembered Raigeki roaring a pillar of frost at them, before he was snatched up from his back and taken away. Last he saw Raigeki was that he was battling the rest of those black dragons. And then Hisaya passed out, he thinks it was because the dragon that stole him was squeezing him too hard, but he thinks that it was likely a spell."

Johnny thought for a while. "We think those black dragons captured him, and maybe brought him to Valdanr's cage and made that crack. We learned that black dragons are outcasts, since they had served the Nameless One in the past. Although, how would they get past the guardians if that was the case? You guys haven't seen it yet, but the cages of the Nameless one and his servants? They are these really, really, really big doors --- Mizutsune could fit their easy , on the side of seven mountains, and the magic just coming from there is enough to make electrical things go haywire if they don't have a very strong barrier around them. It's guarded night and day by these seven clans, one clan for each door, and they have these fortresses that are alive, like it's made of stone but the stone heals and grows by itself. It's heavily guarded by something ancient that was put there by the people after the war, and cannot be opened by even ten powerful dragons. So you see, it's kind of a mystery how that crack got there. I don't know, we're just waiting for Hisaya to remember. I just realized this now, but I'm glad we kind of didn't destroy his stone. I didn't know he was so involved in all of this."

On the other side of the table, James didn't start eating, nor did he seem to be paying attention to their important conversation. He just glanced at Lydia, perturbed, then looked at his plate. He looked around the table with an expression as though he was impatient for the dinner to end and fidgeted with his sleeve for a while. Then he stood up and went to the balcony. A few minutes later he came back and slowly presented Lydia a stick under the table out of the view of the others, looking at her meaningfully, apprehensively, and hopefully all at once.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia didn't look up from the plate again for some time. She was trying to focus on the conversation but it was difficult having James next to her. Her posture was stiff and awkward and she seemed not to actually want to look away from her plate. She relaxed somewhat when James left the table, heaving a great sigh that was released in shuddering spurts almost like she had been crying, her gaze following him out the door before it returned to her plate.

When James returned to the table, she held her breath and peered at him from the corner of her eyes before she was disrupted by the movement under the table. She thought that maybe one of the summons was trying to play and peeked under only to see the stick that James was holding, her brow furrowed and she looked to him with confusion marking her doll-like features that were decidedly burdened by her thoughts.

Tilting her head to the side as her green eyes rove over James' expression, her brow slowly smoothed but she still remained perplexed, had the near two weeks been enough time for him to make a decision? Had he had a change of heart and wanted to just stay with her until they were back home? She wasn't sure, so even though she was touched by the gesture, she felt like a stick wasn't enough to declare his actual feelings. She smiled somewhat sadly and moved her hand beneath his instead of taking the stick before speaking in a low voice, "do... do you want to talk?"

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Echo had sat there, frozen as she listened in. Her ears twitched as she pondered. Then she rubbed the side of her head and on her temples, trying to process this information. So seven doors with seven clans and seven guardians with every black dragon as a servant to the evil Nameless one and...there's a crack that no one understands how that came to be...

Not just that but they have to prove themselves to be what the Prophecy claim them to be....What in the world?

"I-I don't know how to feel about this whole thing." Echo admitted, pensive. "I really don't..." Her head hurts from overthinking about this whole thing. Serena patted her shoulder. "It's okay, we're still trying to understand the whole thing too."

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Jade Palace -
" Awashima, Evening of the 13th Day "​

James looked like someone had just told him his wand was not his and was going to be taken from him tomorrow. He exhaled the breath he had been holding and gaped, crestfallen, blinking so many times as he looked away from Lydia, shell-shocked. His shoulders drooped so low he actually shrunk a few inches shorter than Lydia as he hunched up, morose.

He just gritted his teeth and nodded at the table, pained, letting his stick fall to the floor. Without a word, he stood up and walked out the door, eliciting another, "Where you going, mate?" from Johnny.

"Outside."

Sasha hooted and then hopped on to Lydia's shoulder; Frey looked up from his pot of rice, white flecks sticking on to his snout and tilted his head, but Butters blocked him with an outstretched hoof and shook his fluffy head, sagely; Pond who as usual wasn't eating, but just reading, continued reading unaware of what's going on.

Meanwhile, Johnny nodded at Echo, "What Serena said, it's alright, love. We had a talk about it and Kenren's kind of right, we have to get our priorities straight. I mean, living up to a prophecy and convincing some people isn't important right now if I think about it --- being foretold is bloody brilliant, but we have more important things to think of, like Valdanr and the manna tree. If the dragons defeated him before, they could band together and defeat him now. Mizutsune and Aged Author lady are in their homes, but tomorrow maybe we can convince them to help us with the war --- I mean, Mizutsune is so big, she can probably defeat Valdanr in battle!"

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Being well meaning in her words, seeing James expression caused her features to warp somewhat. She looked and felt like someone had stabbed her. She hated seeing him look that way and watching him leave the table only made her feel worse. She was glad she hadn't eaten because her stomach started to churn unbearably so and her hand unconsciously went to her chest as he dropped the stick. She gasped softly as it hit the floor, frowning deeply and her brow furrowed. She didn't know what to do. She glanced to the others at the table, somewhat horrified.

Her gaze drifted back to James as he walked out the door. He had hurt her once and she was trying to avoid getting hurt again but it was happening anyway because of her own actions. Her eyes grew watery and she rose from the table, knocking her chair over as she hurried from the table, placing a hand over Sasha as she flew to her shoulder and brushing her cheek against the owl as she hurried outside to James.

"J-James..." she said breathlessly, "I-I..." she shook her head and brushed her wrist over her eyes, "I-I... I don't want to be h-hurt again... I j-just... I n-need to know... if you really mean it," she caught his hand insistently, whether or not he wanted her to and stood so that she could look him in the eyes, "i-is this us... together always... or...j-just until..."

Lydia's lips pursed and she looked to him hopefully. He could tell by her expression what she was hoping. She was hoping that it was always. That she could keep that stick to show to their children and say that it was the stick that their father had given her to declare his love on the other side of the Storm Wall. She squeezed his hand tightly, her other hand cupping over it, "I-I... I j-just thought that... you needed more time...th-that you... would need longer to... sort through your feelings for... Hailey..." she shook her head again, "I don't want to lose you again."

Zer0

 

[Katsuya]

Serena just waved at Lydia when she looked back, having an idea of what's going on again but did not say a word; especially since Foo is trying her best to cheer Frey up by spinning around. Then she looked over at the other couple in question.

She smiled as Echo nodded calmly, watching one of her ears flinching in a rhythmic pattern as she's thinking about something.

"...but wasn't it a single dragon that caused Valdanr to be sealed away in the first place? Wasn't his heart broke into seven pieces? What-?"

"Echo, just chill and concentrate on convincing them to help fight." The fawn looked worried but nodded anyways. "Alright...If you say so." She's going to leave it at that.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Jade Palace, Awashima "​

At 'really mean it ', James' eyes flew up like he just realized he misunderstood something and his crestfallen spirit rose as though Lydia's words were like some giant lifting up all the heaviness on his shoulders. He blinked back tears that had been threatening to fall earlier in, trying to understand what she was saying now, and at 'i-is this us... together always', it dawned on him why Lydia didn't accept his stick of courtship.

James hand squeezed back, pulling her hands to his chest, the other grasping her shoulder. He shook his head when she mentioned Hailey. "Together, always, Lydia." he kneeled down, desperate to hug her. "Together always, and I will never, ever, ever let you go again."

Roleplay Skittle

- Jade Palace -
" Awashima "​

"Yes, it was Draco." said Johnny to Echo, nodding; Frey and Butters looked at Foo, munching on their grass, entertained, then pulled their bales of hay close in case one of her embers accidentally burned their dinner.

Johnny burped pleasantly, patting his full stomach and nuzzled his nose into Echo's cheek comfortingly. "Do you have any more questions, love?"

* * * *​

Meanwhile, somewhere in the palace, Kenren was briskly walking with Chenglei to where the dragon who had flown them here earlier, was sleeping outside on warm stones where steamy vents were hissing from the cracks. He has told Chenglei earlier that they are going to have a talk with Mizutsune.

"Honored friend, we have a request to ask you." said the prince loudly to the sleeping dragon. It stirred and opened an eye. "Will you take us to Mizutsune?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"No, I don't have anymore questions..." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you Love. Thank you Serena." She added at the end. Serena grinned; Foo giggles in amusement as her fireballs juggled themselves, entertaining her friends.

********************

Meanwhile Chenglei walked behind Kenren, a confused expression on his face. He stayed quiet throughout the whole walk, trusting why the Prince would want to talk with Mizutsume but...he's curious. Once they reached the sleeping dragon and waking him up, the blonde added on, "It's important I believe. Forgive us for waking you up, honored friend."

Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Her words had paused slightly as James' expression changed and his posture straightened so that she was no longer leaned and peering up but able to stand back to study his face as she continued. She squeaked softly as he pulled her hands to his chest, her large, watery eyes blinking slightly, shaking a tear loose.

She shook her head as he did, mimicking his gesture with a mixture of confusion and hopefulness on her features. As he knelt down and declared that he would never let her go, she shook her head, her expression changing to one of joy as a happy squeak escaped her and she threw her arms around his neck, "really James?! Really?"

She nuzzled her face against his neck, just smelling him and delighting in his warmth, "I missed you. I missed you a lot."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Jade Palace, Awashima "​

"Really, Lydia, really." he chuckled, wrapping her in his arms tight and quick, like someone who had caught something elusive and needed to hold on tight. He sounded so happy and breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was the longest tight hug he ever gave her. He rubbed his cheek on her head with so much feeling. "I miss you." he said looking into her eyes. I am so sorry for hurting you, Lydia, are you okay?" he rubbed her back, touching foreheads.

Roleplay Skittle

- Jade Palace -
" Awashima "​

"It is not safe to travel at night." rumbled the dragon.

"Don't worry, I have my bodyguard." said Kenren.

"If it is very important that it cannot wait, then I will take you." the dragon yawned like a growling foghorn and rose up shaking its mane. He opened a giant claw for them to hop on, and once they were secure on his back, leapt up to the cool night sky.

Katsuya

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

She smiled and squeezed him a little more tightly before leaning back her brow furrowing a bit and her cheeks red as she looked away, biting her lower lip gently as she nodded her head slightly before he touched his forehead to hers, "u-um... J-James... c-can..." she snorted softly, laughing at herself, the color in her cheeks deepening slightly, "I-I mean.. u-um... if you... um..."

Lydia's gaze sheepishly met his again and her lips were drawn into a line for a moment, "w-will... J-James... w-will you... um... kiss me?" her gaze shifted from his face to his shoulder as her fingers shyly fumbled with his collar, and back again alternately.

Zer0

 

[Katsuya]

Chenglei grinned confidently at the nice dragon, nodding in thanks. Once they hopped on his back and flew into the air, the blonde patted Kenren's shoulder and asked in his ear. "So why do you want to talk with Mizutsume, Ken'en?"

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Jade Palace, Awashima "​

James raised an eyebrow as he stroked Lydia's hair, amused and curious as to what she could possibly ask from him that'd make her snort right now.

His lips parted slightly, surprised, and for a moment he stared at her, pleasantly blank. James eyes glanced down her lips then back up to her green eyes. He smiled, ears red, embarrassed, and pleased. Then with a twinkle of his eyes, he cocooned her gently in his arms, caressed her cheek, cupped it, then leaned down.

James lips were tender and warm.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia's heartbeat had picked up as she looked at James questioningly as he stared at her, looking back to her fingers as they fumbled the collar of his clothing, "i-it's... f-f-fine if you... um... d-don't want to..." she didn't look disappointed as she looked back to him, but it was then that he wrapped his arms around her and caressed her still crimson cheek, she started to tremble gently in his arms, closing her eyes and as his own tender and warm lips met her plush and soft ones, she felt as light as a feather. Of course that was to her, but James could likely feel her weight against him as her body relaxed into his embrace.

Zer0

 

[Panzer]

​

Nacht seemed to fight himself, from his body beginning to tremble to the feeling of paranoia sinking into his skull. The feeling of sudden watching eyes struck terror deeper into his mind.

A rush of panic was soon followed by a wave of cool air, chilling him to the core. He forcefully grasped his mind back together, knowing that he could not afford to act this way. Nacht had quickly reobtained his grip on his own nerves, forcefully bottling his panic and fear deeper inside himself.
"Okay- You're okay buddy. Just ignore it... We-I must be delusional! I need sleep..." Nacht mumbled to himself, focusing his eyesight on the door.


He took another deep breath and stepped closer to the door...

He gave it a simple knock and waited for a moment...

His panic caught him again. He could feel his vision glare around the building, not wanting to steady it's focused on the door. He needed entrance - ASAP! He knocked again, knocking on the door - faster and faster until the knocks became more and more violent and spiratic. It soon became rapid knocks of urgency....
Zer0 Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Jade Palace, Awashima "​

James lips smiled. He pressed forward happily, pulling Lydia's face closer until he was humming and his kiss turned into a big smoochy, "Mwa!"

He smiled at her breathlessly, looking into her eyes like he happily got clonked on the head, their noses only centimeters apart. There was so much love in his eyes, and a happy, timid sparkle. "Lydia." he kissed her again timidly, then again, and again. "Mwa, mwa, mwa, mwa, mwa, mwa!" until he was showering her face with so much fondness he was suctioning her skin every time he drew back, and with a sound like a wet plunger, gave Lydia a really, really big wet happy smooch on those soft petal lips, grinning like the biggest love-struck loon who's got it in for her.

James knew what this meant, and it amazed him that she trusts him with her heart. It was moving, and as he pressed his forehead to her meaningfully and hugged her tight, he hoped that she felt his promise that he won't let her down and that he has a lifetime to prove it.

Roleplay Skittle

- Jade Palace -
" Unknown Date: Unknown Time "​

It was the wee hours of the night, when nothing usually happens.

BOM, BOM, BOM

"What in the world?" said a soldier in Oriental, and looked down from the tower gate. How did they not notice this person. "Halt! Who goes there? What is your business here?"

A light from above shone down on the gates.

Panzer

- Sky -​

Meanwhile, atop the back of a dragon.

"To ask her if she's willing to cross the Storm Wall and fight for us, and to make sure their manna tree is well protected. Once we secure those two objectives, Chenglei, we need to make contact with our allies and plan a decisive counter-attack against Valdanr." said Kenren. "I'll entrust making contact with our allies to you."

He was silent for a while. "Chenglei, is something on your mind?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"....." He stayed quiet for moment. "No. Nothing in particular, just worried about the kids.." Chenglei admitted, looking up to see more of the sky.

Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Releasing a soft little squeak as James pulled her face closer, she started giggling a little as he started humming and smiled at him pleasantly as he ended their kiss with the big 'mwa.' James was always so mature for the most part, but when he was with her he was almost like a little kid and it made her happy to know that he felt that relaxed around her. Her eyes glistened gently as she looked into his before they closed and she rubbed her nose affectionately against his, giggling again.

She reveled in the kisses as they began again, one of her hands resting at the back of his neck. She didn't even care that her face was getting wet from all of his slobbery kisses. She was surprised by the final one on her lips but moved her hands around the sides of his face, looking into his eyes sincerely and smiling sweetly, "I love you, James Pendragon," she closed her eyes as he hugged her tight and just let herself be encased in the warmth of his promise and happily trusting him with her heart.

Zer0