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

[Katsuya]

Renee laughed quietly, sniffling a bit as she was touched, blinking a lot. "Thanks James..." Her wings flapped happily. "B-but I doubt I can do anything. I know I can annoy people very easily! I'm starting believe it's a talent. Hehe...he..." She shook her head before looking up at him.

"I'm going to do my best at making peace between the people over the Storm wall and the dragons here. Hopefully Madam Suliman doesn't do anything silly..." She's going to make it clear to the old witch that Sirius is not for her to use, should she ever think that. "Besides the mechanics here are important. I need to learn how to care for them in case anything happens to Seifer or Kenren while traveling. Maybe I can share this with the twins too since they might be interested in them..." She sighed.

"I need help with my manna control and making it grow so I can use this rune but I don't know how." Renee smiled a bit at her brother. "Can you help me train?"

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Jade Palace "​

"Sure, sis." smiled James. "You must really like Sirius, I've never seen you do as much research as when you made notes on Seifer's soul. How's your soul feeling?"

Speaking of the archer, his cheerful voice wafted from the open library window talking to Johnny and Serena about the soul link he and Renee shared. Johnny was very interested in --- not in the deed --- but how that spell was cast and the conversation revolved around ancient unexplainable powers such as the strength of love and music, wondering if it's not magic or a magic they just didn't fully understand and talked about visiting that waterfalls if ever Seifer remembered the way.

These restful days had been spent just lounging about or exploring the other places they haven't seen before. James had even asked Lydia if she wanted to come with him to the Sea King's shrine where he wanted to leave a thank you gift for King Aelin.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle
OOC | Characters | Moments in Time
​

 

[Katsuya]

"Thanks brother dear..." Renee smiled back, wings flapping. "Well...I just want to be prepared! I'm a parent now, more or less. I have to know as much I can so Sirius can grow up healthy and strong." She giggled warmly. "Seifer taught me that. I'm so glad he did too..."

Speak of the devil, she can hear him talking about their soul link and Renee placed her right hand over her heart again. At James' question, the Pendragon sister looked up to his dark eyes, pondering for a moment. Then she gave him a mysterious smile. Her eyes half-lidded, very amused but something is bugging her. "Want to see? I would like to show you since you were okay with me seeing yours long time ago." It's up to her brother if he wants to or not. "Fair is fair."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Jade Palace "​

"Yes." said James, now fascinated. "I've always wondered what your soul looks like." he sat still, and let Renee cast her spell. The last thing he heard as his consciousness entered Renee's soul, was Johnny saying something about what was unseen seemed to be where everything important rests. That what you see with your eyes when you look at someone is like just looking at just a cover of a book.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Wings fluttered as she let out her spell, touching James' chest with her left hand while her right stayed on her own. Her eyes stayed opened with white threads swimming around slowly.

What James saw first is a door that looks very similar to her bedroom door with the swatch that has green and orange; currently it has orange on it. Inside is something that anyone would expect to find in a fantasy book. The floor was rippling gently like it was water he was walking on. Cherry blossom trees bloomed with it's petals falling down, items were intertwined in their bark, some he might recognize; Books with toilet paper bookmarks and an owl plushie right next to it. Gears and ninja items hanging onto the branches like decorations. Glasses with a small hammer and a statue of Sasha were next to the books, there was a stain glass heart figure between the items. Hair products in a hole like a shelf and a huge body mirror that was held up like it was for someone to dance in front of. Pictures that look like were drawn by a little kid was hanged around with stain glass frames, delicately holding them up on the branches with bows and ribbons.

Further up, he would notice that the walls had a bunch of windows that he can look through, there was a light that felt warm and happy. The walls themselves had roots and branches covering them and reaching out like an old ruin or similar to her garden back home. Glass orbs floating around and if he touched one, he could hear voices; quotes from what others have said to her. That included what she heard from Kenren and Madam Suliman. That included Seifer saying his insecurities. Lydia's soft concerns. Johnny's teachings about guys. Echo's teasing and dad jokes. James' criticisms and support. Sirius' happy sayings at calling her 'Mama'. At the end, he can see a a glowing white tree with a lot of orbs floating around, a familiar treasure box is securely guarded in the middle of the trees' trunk with a stain glass window in front of it and underneath is Inner Renee.

She's looking into a book before looking up at an artist's easel with a large canvas, a paintbrush behind her ear. She had a simple white dress that reached down to her knees and it looked like it floated with every movement she made, barefooted, and her hair primed up in a fancy bun with braids pinned to the sides. Like Seifer was in here and had made her hair like that. The area smelled like the mountains after it rained too. On her arms is bandages and on her chest is a bunch of scars where her heart should be but it's recovering. Renee looked like she was disturbed by something and is trying to paint it out.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Renee's Soul "​

"Wow . . ." breathed James doing a slow turn on the spot to see everything around him. He smiled when he saw that there was space in Renee's soul for him and Lydia, and all of a sudden he realized despite the fact that he and Renee don't talk that much, he and everyone in their group were really, really important to her.

"Renee?" he called out to the painter. He was shocked to see the scars. One couldn't tell she had been this hurt from the inside. "Your soul is beautiful." he sniffed the air. "It's smells like Seifer and you in here." his brow came together. Seifer wasn't that important to him and he always though they wouldn't make it as a couple, but here he was a lot of her world. And he felt a little sorry he'd been looking down at the guy, though he'd never admit that out loud.

"Why is Seifer's treasure chest in here?" he pondered. "Is it possible for important things from a soul to cross and remain?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee blinked in surprise and looked where James is. A grin grew on her face as she closed the book, tucking it on the wall, which had a lot of books hidden behind the roots, and she ran up to him to hug tight. "James! I can't believe you're here!" When he complimented her soul room, she blushed a bright red and waved a hand at him, shaking her head. "O-oh! Um. Thank you. Hehe..heheh! I like your soul room too, it has so many owls!"

She raised an eyebrow at the comment of smelling like her and Seifer before she giggled again. "Yes but it's rare." Renee looked over to where Seifer's treasure is with a warm and loving look, sighing like she was so happy. "This is the reason why we have a soul link. We exchanged our treasures. Our hearts with each other. That's how we find each other and can cross in each other's souls." She explained before looking over at James, letting him go slowly.

"I hope you and Lydia gets to exchange treasure boxes too. See this red string?" Renee lifted up her left wrist to show a red and thick string acting like a bracelet. The end of it fading but it seems that she knows exactly where it leads to. "This is my connection to Seifer. The green swatch is his door to my soul."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Renee's Soul "​

"That's how it works?" said James. He thought this place was in the imagination, yet the reality of the outside was explained here and he was suddenly staggering at the realization that this place was real and that this was what souls actually look like? He's never read anything like this in books before. And he felt a little dumb his logical mind refused to understand what was obviously right in front of his eyes.

"How? . . . Renee, honestly, what have you two been doing and where have you gone those two weeks?" he asked, amazed, and sat down to listen to her story.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee nodded, smiling that James is actually listening to her. "Yep!" She got worried when he staggered and lifted an arm so he can stead himself. Then she blushed again when he asked her.

"Well...Um..." She rubbed behind her head, wings fluttering. "You see...Um...Wow this is going to be embarrassing to tell you since you're my brother but..." She cleared her throat as she started. "I was loving Seifer. The day we disappeared is the night we made love. Really tender and sweet and then next thing I knew, Seifer was knocking on my door and offering his treasure box in exchange for mine." Renee smiled that special smile of hers. "Then this red string appeared around our wrists and we were able to find each other. We even fought against Valdanr like this too. It worked so well, Seifer's soul was healing until...until we were overwhelmed by his power...That stupid fat lizard..." She didn't sound too angry at him and had a sad look on her face.

"Honestly...it's like he hates anything positive and is using it against people. Our emotions and thoughts. It's not good and I wish he would stop that but I think something similar happened to him too." She sighed then she let out a reluctant laugh. "It's so weird...I feel so bad for Valdanr. Sometimes I wish he would experience the positive stuff too or enjoy life but...I get the feeling he might be hurting too." She touched her scars. "It's hard to recover from those things..."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Renee's Soul "​

James thought it'd be nothing hearing it from Renee's own mouth that his sister made love with Seifer as he already knew, still, he felt a little awkward. Then a vein popped in his temple. "You . . . left . . . to make love . . . " His jaw clenched.

He took a deep breath and glared at the white tree, jaw clenched so tight. He did not speak for a minute. "Okay." he was struggling not to go into scolding mode. "Okay. Okay, yeah, Valdanr. Probably didn't get enough hugs growing up." He pointed at her scars. "Were that from him being inside you?"

Suddenly something was knocking at the door of Renee's soul. "Renee, James? Can I come in?" said Hisaya's voice.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee tensed up when she noticed James getting mad and backed away. The warm light from outside the windows started to dim as the gentle rippling water started to turn into harsh little waves. "I-I'm sorry....I thought the t-tree spirits would let you guys know or lead me back but...they disappeared and their trees were burned down..." Was her nervous reply.

She flinched when he pointed at her scars and Renee fidgeted, hunching a bit as she feared on telling him. "Um...no it's fro-" She let out a sigh of relief when the door knocked and practically ran up to it. "Yes! You can come in!" She unlocked her door and opened it for Hisaya to come visit. She had this huge grin and almost dragged the man in.

"Hi Hisaya!....or should I call you Stinky too? I heard from Mizutsume that you guys had loving nicknames." Renee asked curiously, tilting her head a bit as her wings fluttered.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Renee's Soul "​

James' expression softened when Renee became nervous. "Okay, but you have to mean your sorry's, Renee." he said patiently.

When she ran away to answer Hisaya's voice, James checked his face to see if his face was scary again and tried to arrange it into a gentler expression, as he looked up and watched an oriental man in his thirties step into the room and hug his sister.

" . . . " Hisaya rolled his eyes, "Yes, we did, and no, don't call me stinky." he chuckled, letting her go. He saw James and came forward to shake his hand. "You may not know this, but . . . I've been seeing you and Lydia . . ."

James ears went red. "WHAT?"

Hisaya laughed. "It's alright, it's alright, young love is good. You two have been giving a good show." he winked.

"Arrgh." said James covering his red face. "Don't say that." he waved a hand in front of him. "Don't tell anyone, that's private." Hisaya just smiled mysteriously.

"You got it!" he grinned, and turned to the whimsical artist. "Renee, I'd like to meet Serena, Mizutsune, Johnny, Echo, Seifer, and Lydia this way. Will you please bring them here? Or in Serena's soul? There is much I want to thank you all for and I have always wanted to apologize for what I've done to the one you love."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee blinked in surprise when Hisaya hugged her, not questioning it as she hugged back with a huge grin and wings fluttering.

"Okay! Then Hisa-chan!" She giggled as she let go and watched the interaction between the Oriental man and her brother. When Hisaya mentioned about seeing her brother and Lydia, the painter secretly grabbed a certain pink floating glass orb and hid it behind her back. She didn't want Serena to get in trouble with her brother. She also didn't want him to know that...she knows about some too thanks to Serena always telling her things...

Then she jumped when he payed attention to her and she blinked again. Then she smiled warmly at Hisaya; The men would notice one of the trees wiggling gently as a pure red orb fell from the branches and it floated along with the others, glittering brightly as it is a new quote for her to listen and remember.

"Of course. I'll let the others know and we can visit Serena's soul since I know you'll be comfortable there." Renee said, her wings fluttering.

Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia could only shake her head in disbelief when she was told who the woman they had faced off against outside of Numenor was. The whole thought was exasperating. Unlike Bahamut who sought to make things easier for their people, she had only sought vengeance which told Lydia how little the woman actually cared about getting her people out of the barrens. Concerning Bahamut, she was glad that he had been proven innocent and she apologized to him that she didn't speak on his behalf when they had jailed him, but she thought that it would actually be safer for all involved for him to be imprisoned since it would likely only be temporary.

Simultaneously James comfort would make her again realize that she might not have seen him again, nor would she have seen anyone else again if she had fallen at Numenor, but the relief that she hadn't and that she was there in his arms made it a distant memory. Johnny and the revelers keeping her room lively did well to keep her mind from more somber things and reminded her that they had been victorious and there was no reason to think about things that may have been but weren't.

During her peaceful moments with James she had come to enjoy taking light naps while laying her head on his chest, just feeling the gentle rise and fall of it and listening to the sound of his heartbeat. She also enjoyed how happy Sasha was to be out and about. Of course the little owl hadn't been with them in a long while and when she had been able to summon her again, they soon were faced with a new set of trials that had to be overcome, so watching her flit about and hunt to her heart's content was wonderful, though Lydia did warn her to be careful with what she sought after because they didn't know all the varieties of creatures that lived on this side of the Storm Wall and she didn't want the little owl to get sick because of something she caught.

Lydia adored the idea of going to the Sea King's Shrine again because she had felt such a strange sensation of finality when she had last been there and she thought it was sweet of James to want to leave him a thank you gift, she then told him that she had given him a friendship bracelet the day they left and that he had seemed touched by the gesture. The memory also reminded her that she had made a bracelet for James as well, but it was unlike any of the others she had made. The bracelet was woven in stripes with various shades of blue thread and horizontally across these stripes, Lydia had woven in various little pieces of silver that were, to the untrained eye, only 'X'es, but James would recognize them as the rune Gebo which could mean partnership, kiss, and even forgiveness.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Serena's Soul "​

James looked interestedly at Serena's soul together with everyone. Apart from the feather braid, there was a blue threaded bracelet around his wrist that Johnny noticed, asking him if he was going for a hiker's look lately. His budddy just laughed. "This is a gift from Lydia." James glanced at her, remembering the memory fondly.

He had hugged her, thanking her, and said his sorry for hurting her that time. He looped the bracelet around his wrist, tying it with his teeth and kept smiling, glancing at it warmly every now and then, as they visited King Aelin. His shrine wasn't empty that day, it seemed some worshippers from Tariel's clan had come to give their offerings and pray for rain.

Looking at the reverence they bestowed on the king, James whispered to Lydia about how their own friends were so chummy and speak so openly with him and actually every royal they've met in their journey.

James gave the Sea King a photograph of everyone while they were still in Chingpo, tucked and sealed in a sturdy glass frame. He had heard about that comment he gave one time, about how those that walk on two legs will always forever be visiting him, at least with this, he wouldn't be so lonely in his shrine.

After that day, his mind turned to how he's given a gift to almost everyone in their little group, but hadn't given Lydia anything, except for a stick, and Sasha, but that was ages ago, 'And the stick doesn't count', he thought to himself, feeling embarrassed that a stick had been the only gift he gave her that she could hold in her hand. He kept pondering what to give her as he opened a door for her in Serena's soul.

Johnny looked about in wonder at the violinist's quintessence. Now he was really curious about what his soul looked like, and what Echo's looked like, and briefly asked the fawn and Renee if they could visit Echo's soul. James heard this and asked if he could join, and also turned to Lydia asking her if he could also see her soul.

Seifer was there too, holding Renee's hand; Kenren was also there. He had settled back to his calm self, though every now and then he'd go and ask Chenglei a word he'd forgotten and was once more in friendly terms with the swordsman.

Meanwhile, Hisaya looked about happily in the violinist's soul, ahead of the rest as he could not wait to see Serena. The moment he saw her, he came running, then hugged the violinist joyfully, lifting her feet up. "Serena! Oh it's good to hug you, my lively friend!" he smiled down at her and ruffled her hair. "We have much to talk about."

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

The two girls looked at each when Johnny asked if he can visit Echo's soul and almost like they can read each other minds, they both nodded and smiled at him; one was happy to do it while the other was just as curious as Johnny with how his soul looked like.

"I don't mind if anyone else wants to see someone's soul, but you have to ask them first. I can't do it because of invasion of privacy." Renee said out loud so that everyone listened in. Including to Kenren and Chenglei whom she noticed seemed a bit better lately. Still pale and the bags under his eyes are less prominent but he's standing tall again. Now if only she can get him to smile too...that would be great.

When they found Serena, who's wearing a ... very epic musketeer outfit with her bow as a rapier on her waist and a thin crown on her head with a blue gem that accented her eyes very well. Her soul room was so bright and it felt homey and magical. To James, Renee's might be calm and whimsical, Serena's more crazy like she went off and had a sugar high; The huge tree in middle had a stair case that lead up to her bedroom that she didn't let anybody in since she thought it would be more appropriate to have tea together in her living room area. Random items such as a bird cage and picture frames scattered around and hanged on the long and thinning branches. In each frame is a picture of her memories. For some reason there was a piano hanging on the branches too and on the bench is a shadowed figure of a brunette man with glasses, playing the piano. Everyone can hear him chuckling lightly sometimes. There were ninja stars and katanas and magic wands hanging around too.

All in all...Serena's soul room was very child like.

The blonde gasped and cackled loudly when Hisaya hugged her tightly and lifting her up. She hugged back, arms around his neck and nuzzled her cheek on his. "Hisa-chan!! It's good to hug you too! Oh my-! Everyone is here! Hi guys!" Serena rambled on and giggled when Hisaya ruffled her hair. "Come! Come! We need to sit-! Well actually...Sit anywhere you like! Teddy, can you get the tea? And crackers?"

Renee couldn't help but coo at the cute teddy who went off to grab what Serena asked for then she sat next to Seifer, squeezing his hand tightly as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Echo sat on the stairs while Chenglei wanted to stand. Serena sat on a plush chair that looked like would belong to a vanity desk and she leaned a bit on the table, grinning like a pleased cat.

"So~? What is it that you would like to tell me, Hisa-chan?"

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

When they entered Serena's soul, Lydia was feeling jubilant. She hadn't been in another soul room since Seifer's the day that Valdanr had invaded her own soul and it was nice being there, knowing that all was well and they weren't there to fight some crazy battle, just visiting their friend and letting another friend of theirs that didn't have his body almost physically interact with the people that had removed him from the hurt and rage that previously fueled him.

When Lydia had given James the bracelet she wove for him and he hugged her and apologized again, she just shook her head and rubbed his back as she returned his hug, giving him a kiss on the cheek and telling him it was okay and that she had put it behind her. She told him how when the Sea King was cleansing her of Valdanr that she had to embrace her pain because it was hers and basically that Valdanr would feed off of it otherwise so she had forgiven him even then.

When they arrived at the shrine to visit King Aelin, Lydia had stood respectfully off to the side with James as Tariel's clan paid their respects and made their prayers, looking thoughtful for a moment and lightly scratching the side of her mouth as James whispered to her before she smiled and nodded her head, but it seemed fitting that they were because most of the royals with whom they had come in contact, they had also become comrades at arms with. Lydia nodded approvingly as James placed the picture, it was a very sweet idea because then he would have the memory of all of them and surely he would know that they wouldn't forget about him. She giggled slightly as she remembered how he had at first thought that Echo and Serena were also gifts, but it made her sad at the same time because he had seemed so happy and then he learned that they weren't to stay with him. Lydia's lower lip pouted out slightly then.

James had learned that love with Lydia was simple, but he hadn't seemed to learn that Lydia was of the mind that it's the thought that counts. Sasha meant a great deal to her for many different reasons, one of those being that she knew James loved Sasha, so for him to give the little owl to her, it spoke volumes as to how James felt about her. Even after their breakup, Lydia wouldn't have gotten rid of the stick because it reminded her of all the times they had spent together and the difficult time they were going through when he had given it to her. She had even gone back and retrieved the stick he had dropped under the dining table the night she had arrived in Awashima, bringing it to him and asking that he offer it to her again because it was the gesture behind the stick that mattered and as weird as it seemed, if he wholeheartedly gave her one of his old socks with the same sentiment, she'd probably be just as glad... even if likely in return she'd get him a new collection of socks from her father's factory.

Lydia thanked James as he opened the door in Serena's soul and passed through, waiting to the side for him while her gaze still drifted around Serena's soul room. When he stepped through she took his hand and as the conversation turned to soul rooms, she listened with interest, smiling and when James asked if he could see her soul room, she giggled slightly and gave him a perplexed look as though she wondered why he even asked before she told him that of course he could.

The whole concept of soul rooms was amusing to Lydia because of how they reflected the person they belonged to. She couldn't help but smile as she looked around Serena's, it was pretty easy to determine whose soul room they were in and the idea that if they didn't know whose soul room they were going into they would still be able to tell whose it was amused her. Being allowed into someone's soul room was like being in on a secret and she couldn't help but feel closer to each person whose soul she had seen and this thought prompted her to ask all of her friends, one-by-one if she could see their soul rooms too and that they were welcome to visit hers. She also nuzzled against James and sat with him wherever he chose to or remained standing if that's what he chose, telling him that she would really like to see his soul room as well.

Once they were all settled, she looked at Hisaya with interest, it was nice seeing him as a person and not just an angry, glaring red stone.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Serena's Soul -​

"Hold the door!" said Mizutsune's voice, an a furry white snake slithered through the air, in the doorway, and bumped into Hisaya's nose just as he took a seat beside Serena. "Stinky!" she said happily.

"Old hag!" cried Izaya, nuzzling her little form. "How did you get so small?" he laughed, bewildered.

"I do not know, but I am glad I am." said Mizutsune from his palm. "I wondered how I would fit in Serena's soul. It is apparently big after all." she looked at the piano hanging under the tree, and at Teddy with interest as she was given a cup of tea big enough for her to dunk half her body in, and crackers that could have been her bed.

"Lock, your soul looks like your cackle." said Seifer, "That or those twins had gone through here." he poked a shuriken. "Ah. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" he said in realization looking at Serena. And the two could tell that he understood that she liked either one or the both of them.

Johnny stood next to Chenglei, his face wearing that I-want-to-squish-it look directed at the small Mizutsune; James threw himself on a giant poufy pillow at the table with Lydia, arm around her shoulders, as he told her that yes she could see his soul room too and live there if she liked. "I suddenly have this desire, Lydia, to keep you in my soul room all for myself." he said, thinking.

He chuckled at Serena's outfit. Seifer had a point, the place does look like the twins came around here, and as Serena sat there grinning like a pleased cat in her musketeers outfit, he could not help but think how she would totally jive with the twins.

"Thank you all for coming." said Hisaya, smiling warmly at them all. "Before anything else, allow me to apologize," he stood up and bowed the way Orientals do, "I am so sorry for all the trouble I caused everyone, and you most of all Seifer-san."

Seifer looked at Hisaya, the hint of something snobby lingering in his eyes. Then, as though choosing understanding instead of anger, he nodded, accepting his apology. "I forgive you, Hisaya. I know, probably more than anyone else, except for you, how hard it was to fight Valdanr inside. I wouldn't have been able to do it alone." he walked over to Renee and hugged her. "So, I understand. And, really, I don't think it was your fault. How did he catch you?"

Mizutsune also looked up from where she had been gulping huge amounts of tea, her little belly bulging.

"Allow me to start at the beginning." said Hisaya, taking a seat once more. "I am an archeologist. I was part of a team excavating the ruins of Iram of the Pillars, a city once thought of as lost centuries ago, in the Sonoran Desert. We were looking for answers, how this once prosperous city was suddenly destroyed according to legends, and I unwittingly stumbled upon the answer.

"I fell in a pit where I came upon a boot of gold. And I ignorantly wore it. The next thing I knew, the floor was spinning and I found myself almost drowning at sea in a storm. I thought I had died then, but the Sea King saved me. He brought me to Mizutsune, where I learned I had somehow been transported to the other side of the Storm Wall.

"Everyone was in shock. No one could pass through the storm wall, and as I told them about the boot, which I had lost then, the knowledge must have travelled to the ears of Valdanr. Mizutsune, her companions, and I searched for the boot and once they helped me understand it and how to use it properly to get home, I left Awashima with Raigeki, Mizutsune's brother, where he could fly me to the edge of the Storm Wall closest to land. But we were attacked by black dragons. And . . . Raigeki died. They must have done something to his body so that it was never found.

"Apart from lost civilizations, there were many other ancient artifacts I researched, many pertaining to immortality. And the dragons, I shouldn't have blabbered by mouth when I was still in Awashima, they must have heard about it and took me to Valdanr where he entered my mind and learned everything. He was . . . he was never in his cage. He had escaped, I don't know how, but he was weak. I think it was a fragment of him. And he made me crack the cages. That's why you see him as he is now, not as strong as he was then in his real body, but still powerful.

"He used that boot to cross the Storm Wall with me and that's how this whole thing started." Hisaya sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what he's doing now, but he knows what I know and that dragon egg in Paroosia, it's not normal. I think it's the Devourer. I'm not sure. Because we saw the cages, the only crack was in Valdanr's, the cracks I made before were gone. I'm sorry I didn't remember this sooner, but yes, they were gone. No more cracks, yet Valdanr kept calling the egg 'Prince'. I don't know why. He acted like a servant towards it, and he had no other master before other than the Devourer. And the egg had been feeding off of manna trees. I'm not sure what it is, but it has a big appetite for magic."

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

Serena's grin grew wider when she saw how tiny Mizutsume looked like in her soul room and how adorable she looked inside of the teacup. She was extremely amused by Seifer's surprise too when he poked the shuriken. She waved white gloved hand at him. "As much I would love to tell you who I like the most, I want to tell him first." Then she stood up to poke his forehead. "And call me Serena! I had enough with the last names thing. We're friends, aren't we?" Then she sat back down.

Chenglei looked over to where Johnny stood and almost 'Kufufu~' in amusement when he saw his face whenever he sees a fluffy thing...or anything cute really. The corner of his lips quirked up.

As they listened to Hisaya's apology and Seifer's response, Renee hugged him back meaningfully. Wings fluttering as she snuggled her reddening face into his chest. She's really proud of Seifer. He's grown so much...

Then when they listened to how Hisaya got caught, Renee blinked in curiosity.

"...A...boot?"

"That's made out of gold..." Echo followed up, raising her eyebrow at him.

Serena stood up with eyes sparkling in glee, gloved hands on the table. "That must be the shiniest boot ever with magical traveling powers to boot!" Renee's shoulders were shaking as she was trying to not laugh out loud like usual. Echo rolled her green eyes with a soft smile.

As they continued to listen to Hisaya, Renee shuddered in Seifer's arms as the memories of what happened to her popped up again. "Of course that egg isn't normal. It can cast spells and bring shades out, creating blights in the manna trees since he eats their manna." She mentioned as one of her orange eyes peeked out with a brow furrowing in her fright and worry. "I can still remember how I froze there, right under that huge egg...with it's eye glaring down at me with the intention to kill...If it wasn't for Sunny, I would be there with mom and dad...frozen like a statue..." She muttered and sighed as if she felt nostalgic and looked at everyone. "I remember that I blind it with sunlight or well...with my Solar Blossom as I was shooting an arrow and it destroyed all the blights that were attacking me and my brother James..." She always wondered why the shades, the egg, and now Valdanr reacted badly with her sunlight arrows and light magic but then she figured it's because they use dark magic for evil.

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[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia had to stifle a giggle upon seeing the reunion between Hisaya and Mizustune. It was the funniest and cutest thing and she clapped a hand over her mouth, smiling behind it. She then nodded her head in agreement to Seifer's observation of how like Serena's cackle her soul room was, snorting softly because it shouldn't be any other way. As he made the statement about it looking like the twins had been through there and poked a shuriken before realization seemed to strike him, Lydia's face drew into an impish smile, her green eyes narrowing. When Seth had left after the battle outside of Dalaran and through the portals, Serena had kissed his cheek, that much she could recall. Of course it wasn't her business to say anything so she just watched in amusement before agreeing with Serena's statement about the names, "I agree, Seifer. I was a little confused as to why you started calling me Lydia when we switched bodies but after that you went back to calling me Dubois," she narrowed her eyes on him teasingly.

Squeaking as she flopped down on the big plush pillow beside James and snuggled against him, smiling as he granted permission for her to visit his soul before shaking her head and laughing as he decided that she could live there and she wanted, giving him an amused but confused expression as her cheeks flushed slightly, what did he even mean by that?

She remained silent after that, smiling at Hisaya's apology, which she found silly in a way because she and James had spent so much time around him, learning from him and she had been the one to allow him to remain outside of the jar they had crafted for him in the first place. She had never stayed angry at him once she had defeated him at Holt. So Lydia's expression only remained warm towards him as the last time he had likely seen her angry at him was just before his body was no more, which made her think for a moment as she glanced to James who had succeeded in his dream of summoning Ifrit and she softly whispered to him, "did you ever talk with Ifrit after the battle at Awashima?" Everything after things had calmed from the chaos Valdanr had caused had been such a whirlwind that she wasn't sure if he had dismissed Ifrit or not without asking his wishes and thinking about Hisaya body less had given her an idea.

When Hisaya mentioned the golden boot, Lydia nudged James slightly. They were both interested in magical artifacts and she was curious to know if James had ever heard of such a thing. Legends could often be derived from truths and Lydia had read plenty about various fabled artifacts that were as of yet unrecovered so she searched her memory to see if she could recall anything about a golden boot or ruins of Iram of the Pillars. She also wondered for a moment what on earth would possess Hisaya to don a boot of gold when it was just a single boot and she tilted her head, looking at him perplexedly.

She looked around between all of their friends as they talked about the boot and Paroosia and the like and when there was a pause in the conversation, she looked back to Hisaya, her brow furrowed and her expression serious, "wait... Hisaya... if you were kidnapped on this side of the Storm Wall... how do you know your family is dead?" She knew it was a delicate question and her hands clasped together as her face remained marked by worry, her gaze not drifting from him because she didn't understand how it would have been possible for him to know they were dead unless he had been let go and as valuable as he was, she seriously doubted Valdanr had done that only to recapture him later. The only other explanation for their deaths and Hisaya knowing about it would be if he had already become Wrath and killed them himself. She swallowed hard at the thought, as though she were actually swallowing the thought. Hisaya never appeared to have known how they actually died and he couldn't have been Wrath before they died since their death was the triggering incident of his rage.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Serena's Soul -​

Seifer looked up at Serena sheepishly. "Yes, friends. Serena." he added gracefully, as though trying the name out. He looked up, confused at Lydia, "I did?" he said, puzzled, and looked at the floor as though recalling. "I don't . . . remember . . ."

When she whispered to James, he said quietly, " No, I had forgotten about him." he looked surprise to realize that. How could he forget what had been his reason for working hard ever since his earlier years in school? "Is he still standing in the same spot where I told him to wait?" he pondered, now looking serious. It had been more than a week, making someone wait that long was very rude.

The battle area had been recently closed off for construction and repairs with a fence around the area, and James, though he had passed it many times, never thought of Ifrit. "I'll check after this." he whispered to Lydia.

As Hisaya talked about the gold boot, she'd remember reading something about the fairy tale of the seven-league boots, where Hop o' My Thumb, stole it from an ogre. There was also a myth about the same boots used by trickster spirit Loki, and in the story The Magician's Land the Thousand League Boots was briefly mentioned in the story.

As for Iram of the Pillars, it was more commonly known as the Atlantis of the Sands, a civilization of great technological advancements that was said to have been destroyed by a catastrophe overnight, because their arrogance displeased the moon god. James nodded at Lydia excitedly when she nudged him, and seemed fascinated as he listened with more rapt attention.

"Speaking of which, Rene." said James, looking at his sister after she spoke about Paroosia, " you have to speak to the manna tree here."

When Lydia mentioned Hisaya's family, Johnny, James, and Kenren looked at her as though she made a good point; Hisaya looked confused.

"They died in a fire years ago . . . I don't remember when." said the archeologist.

"What are you talking about, Hisaya?" said Mizutsune. "You never stopped talking about them when you were here last winter. You were going to give your little one a boat in a bottle."

"What?"

"You even said you missed them and could not wait to hug them when you get home."

"Wh-they're alive?" he gaped as though struck by a thunderbolt.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

Renee looked at James and nodded but then she tilted her head with a raised eyebrow. "I thought no one goes near the Manna tree here because of sacred grounds..." Is she going to talk with it through a Scrying mirror again or will she actually go in the area this time? She looked at Kenren, looking a little tense as she squeezed Seifer a bit. "Is there anything I should ask? Anything you need to know or want to know?"

As Lydia pointed it out, Serena pondered for a bit. "Oh yea....The Sea King mentioned about that too. He was the one who made it for your son. It wouldn't make sense if they died before that..."

Then Renee pointed something else. "Wait...so...if his family is alive, then why would the photo that has his wife's letter written behind it be a bit burnt? Unless Valdanr made it that way on purpose...?"

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[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia didn't say anything to Seifer's puzzlement, she only raised her little fist to her lips and coughed softly. She could remember the exact moment that he had first called her by her first name, even if he couldn't.

To James response when she asked about Ifrit, all she could do was stare at him, her large green eyes blinking multiple times in her shock. She laughed softly and shook her head, "no... he followed you around for a while just examining his surroundings and I don't know what happened after," she shrugged slightly and gave his hands a pat, "if he went back, you should probably bring him some sort of offering... and if he left, you should probably still bring an offering."

Lydia felt a little awkward when James, Johnny, and Kenren all looked at her, faintly blushing and shaking her head before she smiled gently at Hisaya, "if your family had died and you were seeking immortality for them as you said before... do you really think you'd be on a dig to discover why a civilization was lost when you found the gold boot and were transported to the other side of the Storm Wall?"

She looked at Mizutsune and Serena as they mentioned the Sea King and the little boat, nodding her head because she remembered it too before she placed her gaze back on Hisaya, shrugging her shoulders slightly, "it's possible," she looked to Renee as she mentioned the burnt picture and nodded her head, "we all know how devious Valdanr is... he saw Hisaya as something valuable and manipulated him in order to get what he wanted."

Her gaze turned back to Hisaya, she was still smiling warmly, "he needed you angry so you could become Wrath. What better way to make you angry than to make you believe you had lost what you loved most?" Her hand gently squeezed James', "I get furious when someone just hurts someone I care for... you know that first hand," she smiled suggestively at Hisaya.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Serena's Soul -​

"Yes, but I think this time they'll make an exception, you being a guardian and all." said James to Renee, smiling; beside her Seifer pressed her hand reassuringly, looking over at the prince with guarded eyes.

He too had heard of what happened between him, Renee, and Chenglei and had tried to talk to the prince about nothing that happened that night was any of her fault because she was trying to call for help not hurt him and Chenglei on purpose, and that it was he who tempted Renee into leaving their camp at the Mysterious grove and asked her to stay with him that night. But Kenren wasn't himself, or perhaps it was his real self without any inhibitions, and Seifer ended up losing his temper too when he started to blame Renee again.

The archer could tell she was bothered, and helped her with whatever she wanted to do to protect Chenglei.

"I'll write the questions and give them to you after this." was the prince's business-like reply to Renee.

Meanwhile James was complaining to Lydia, "No, giving an offering makes me feel like a servant." he said, wincing at the idea. "I thought of just apologizing to him."

As the conversation turned to Hisaya's family. His epiphany that his family was still alive made him more and more alarmed, and he just nodded at Lydia numbly.

"Then, where's my family now? What happened to them?" Hisaya looked like he understood there was no way of knowing at least not until they were on the other side, and he sat, tapping his knee anxiously. "We're leaving in two weeks, James, please, can we go to my family once we cross over?"

James looked at Lydia and then at Kenren. They had planned to go straight to Dalaran and after knowing the situation of the war, be deployed to where they are needed the most, there may not be time to look for Hisaya's family.

"We live in Frankia, it's just a train ride away from Kingsbury."

"That's a month away on an airship from Dalaran."

"Not on dragon back. Mizutsune, would you take James there?"

"Of course I would. You are coming." she said from her cup to James as though that decided everything.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

When James mentioned about her being a guardian, Renee sighed like it wasn't anything great or a good thing; she was used to so many weird things happening to her that she has now became wary with anything else that's strange. Next thing she knows, she can hear and talk with the un-dead too, letting them channel through her like a medium.

'Let's hope that does not happen.' She thought before looking back at Kenren with a blank stare. Renee saw Chenglei wincing before looking away from everyone. She sighed again, wings wilting a bit as she gave up on being pretend angry. "Okay...Okay..."She muttered back, then she snuggled into Seifer, feeling comforted as she hears his clockwork heart beating underneath; not really up for seeing Kenren afterwards but she will since it's her job...

In his view, she bets...

Serena couldn't help but cackle when Mizutsume just decided for James to go somewhere...again. "Looks like you have no choice again, James. Snk-!"

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