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

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Manus "​

There was no answer. Sen sat the whole time in the hallway as each of Seth's friends tried to get him to eat dinner, or let them hug him. If Serena played her violin, it wasn't until she stopped playing that Seth opened the door and asked her in a very quiet voice not to stop.

"Serena? P-please play more." through the tiny crack in the door, Seth looked disheveled and gaunt, eye bags all puffy from crying to much and his nose was very red. He was very much in need of comfort and there was a tiny plea for help in his voice.

Katsuya
OOC | Characters | Moments in Time
​

 

[Katsuya]

When he didn't reply, Serena stepped away and started to play. She played for a while, not giving up as she stood still. When he still didn't open the door, she felt her heart sinking and stopped with a faded note. She flinched when she heard the door open and snapped her head up with wide teary eyes. She stood up straight again, giving a firm nod. "O-Of course!"

Sniffling and wiping her tears away with her wrist, she prepared another tune...like her old self would do and make it up on the spot. Following what she's feeling...

Her violin started out soft, a note felt sad and lonely. Then there's one more accompanying that sad note, reaching out to it and singing that it'll show them something. The notes continued on, but there's a pick up of tone. It's still sad but the notes sing about something nice like not everything is bad, to come out and see the good things too. To not be stuck inside...

Serena might not see it as she had her eyes closed, but her violin is shining, the blue-violet color melted down and warmly melded on the floor and walls. Then sprouts of grass and vines grew, wild flowers bloomed, everyone nearby can smell the air becoming fresher. The vines curled, a few hanging from the ceiling now as Serena spun around. She winced from the sharp pain on her leg but continued on her private concert to Seth. Sen can see that the flowers had little glows inside of them, there's butterflies fluttering around now. One landed on the knob of the door.

The music notes gently urged Seth to come out or at least open the door fully. Comfortingly. Like her music is telling him that it's okay to come out...

They can even hear a music box playing faintly in the background, plucking it's own little tune.

Zer0

Spoiler: Serena's song

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

Seth didn't come out, but he kept the door open, eventually keeping it that way as he sat against the door frame, just slumped and listening to her play. He sniffled every now and then; Sen edged closer and placed an arm over his shoulder. He leaned on him and just didn't speak; his brother ruffled his hair.

"Another song, please."

That night, he cried his heart out in the hallway, talking about how he chose to go after the mage instead of the horsemen because Serena was in danger. Sen said that kind of choice had no right answer, and that comforted him a little. His brother didn't leave his side and listened as Seth talked about how his life wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be cool, thrilling, feeling like kings of the world. Not like this . . .

He shook his head. "It's not worth it . . . I don't like this life anymore, Serena, Sen. We shouldn't have done a Blitzkrieg, just rushing in there without a plan, underestimating our foes. And Jeanne working with Wilde . . . there's so much greed and deception everywhere . . . Who can I trust? How can I trust anybody if even the people closest to me are trying to hurt me and the ones I care about? And I don't even know. It's like we're self-destructing and everything is just messed up. It wasn't supposed to be like this . . . "

His brother rubbed his back. Sen had no answer for that, and just reminded his brother that just like Serena's song, not everything is bad. He was here for him, and so was Minnie and Serena. They can rest easy for tonight, just having escaped an attack because of Jeanne's confession, and also, dinner was his favorite, and he encouraged him to eat a little because it was getting cold.

"Actually, do you want me to heat the food, brother?" asked Sen kindly.

"Okay . . ." said Seth. And up stood his twin, carrying the tray back to kitchen, leaving Seth and Serena alone for a while.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena smiled a bit. "Of course..."

She played and played as Seth cried out his heart out, nodding in agreement with Sen when he said that there's no right answer. However she didn't know if what she's about to say to Seth would help his concern about trust...but...maybe...

"That's the scary part about making friends sometimes. Trusting them. Not knowing if they will betray you or hurt you in the future. It's really hard to believe in someone after the first time of being hurt from others too but...I know that if I was too scared to trust you or any of our friends, I wouldn't have wonderful memories or epic adventures or...or painful but useful lessons with everyone...I would probably be in jail right now for my bad temper or worse if I hadn't trust my mentor years ago...so don't be afraid of giving others a chance...I know you meet wonderful people that way." Then she stayed quiet for a moment, smiling warmly as memories of her friends and family popped up. Including the twins in front of her.

A single red butterfly landed on Seth's head, resting it's wings as the area around them is looking more and more like an old ruin covered in ivy leaves and vines, yellow and white fluffy dandelions swaying softly from the imaginary wind. The other butterflies are fluttering around happily as Sen left to reheat Seth's food.

Ignoring the stinging pains, the blonde sighed, too aware that she's alone with Seth...again. 'What should I say? Do I even say anything?' She thought awkwardly, grimacing at her stomp as she stopped spinning, standing still as she played a single and fading note. Panting and dazed as she stared at the floor, sweat fell from her forehead, dripping down from her chin. Her cheeks flushed pink from playing and dancing a lot - that antidote should be working right now. She hoped the heat is not from the fever and is because of her dancing...with a bad leg...

"Minnie's gonna tie me down if she finds out I was dancing..." Serena weakly laughed at that, leaning on the wall and sliding down to the floor. "Shoot..."


Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"Easy for you to say, you've never had two people you've known for more than six years just suddenly . . . " he sighed aggrevated. He looked up when he red butterfly landed on his head and carefully took it in his hands. He gazed at it absently as the hallway became a pleasant ruins.

He felt the sadness in him leave, after that good cry and just being in this peaceful place, what Seth felt inside was just acceptance for all that's happened and a better grasp of the way of life he has chosen. He looked at Serena as she slid down, she was sweating and grimacing. He felt warmth for her, realizing that she danced with a broken leg to cheer him up.

"I've got something for that." said Seth, and went back inside his room for a moment, then returned with an ice pack, bandages, and what looked like a wooden board he uses for knife throwing. He split the wood in half, the cracking resounding in the beautiful hallway, and began to splint her leg, then placed the ice pack on the bite wound.

"Thank you for comforting me, Serena. I hadn't been paying attention to your broken leg or the bite at all." he placed a hand on her forehead, only to feel it hot. "I'm feeling better now, do you want to rest now? I can carry you to your room."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena lifted her head a bit, hazily watching Seth crack the wood plank in two. She sighed in relief when the cold ice pack touched the hot bite. She's slouching on the wall, tiredly grinning at the twin as he splinted her leg.

"You're welcome. It's fine. I doubt anybody can with what happened...Thank you for treating it though." She muttered. She leaned into his cold hand, wanting it to stay there a bit longer. It feels really nice right now...

"I'm glad you're feeling better...Hmm~ Your hand feels good...nice and cold..." She slurred, smiling like a goof.

"...I didn't pi-pick a room...didn't wa-want to pick one of the empty ones..." Serena wasn't really paying attention when they told Minnie, Sen, and her to pick a room. Preferring to think on her own and trying to sort things out in her head. Nor is she in her right mind at the moment.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"You can sleep with Sen and Minnie, if you don't mind the loud engine room. There's also the crow's nest, but I guess that's not good if you want to go to the bathroom." he kept his cool hand on her forehead.

When Sen returned, with Seth's dinner all piping hot, he nodded and said Serena's welcome to sleep with him and Minnie. "What about your room?" he suggested, as Seth sat down to eat.

"You want to stay in my room, Serena? It's a little messy, I haven't been in there for more than a week. I can sleep in David's room, Pipino's just smells of monkey." he chuckled.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena shook her head. Loud engines are not comforting for a musician and she had enough of being a third wheel. "If I sleep in a crow's nest, would I crow like a bird or would I be covered in feathers like Renee?" She slurred nonsensically. Maybe the fever is affecting her a lot more now that she stopped moving...

When Sen came by with Seth's piping hot food, the blonde squinted her eyes confusedly. Is it just her or are their voices muffled?

"...but monkeys are fluffy?" She said, questioning her own statement. What is she even saying? What are they saying? She placed a hand on her head, sighing. "...I don't mind messy places...A crow's nest is usually filled with feathers and monkey fur..."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"My room it is then." said Seth, raising a curious eyebrow at her.

"Should I get another ice pack for her fever?" suggested Sen.

"Yeah, thanks, bro. And, could you make a crutch for her?"

"You're welcome, bro! --- and sure, I'll have it done in a few hours." he clapped his shoulder enthusiastically.

"Here we go." Seth scooped Serena up from the floor and carried her through the doorway. Using his forehead to bop the light switch on, he carefully placed her on the musty smelling bed that smelled of dust and a light scent that made one think of flowers growing on steep rocky mountains sides, or the first days of summer.

Seth's room was indeed messy. He had to tip-toe around scattered shurikens, old clothes, and some trash. It seemed he had taken down all his photographs or Jeanne and their keepsakes because his trash bin was overflowing with pictures of them together, some random trinkets, crumpled letters, a doll of a panda, and what looked like a diary.

This was probably Serena's first time in Seth's personal room other than the one in the flying castle that belonged to him and his twin. There was a collection of Oriental masks and others that he had used in previous heists, an armor rack with his best thieving gear, a collection of daggers --- he had so many daggers in the room --- and on a book case was a shelf full of vinyl records of Serena's song. He had a phonograph on another book shelf and photos of his friends, including some from their war days. It was the room of a ninja enthusiast, and he had posters of their teachings hanging from the walls.

"Comfy?" he asked her as he took the blanket and flapped it outside the room to get the dust out. He took out an extra towel from his wardrobe, an unused soap, his own shampoo, and another blanket. The first three he placed on the bedside, whose contents he swept to the floor except for the lamp to have some space. "You can use these. Where's your bag? I"ll bring it here."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena raised her arms up like she was on a ride when Seth picked her up, saying 'Weee~!'

She plopped her very warm head on his shoulder as he tip-toed his room, blinking blearily. When the twin placed her down on the bed, she snuggled into the pillow, breathing in and sighing out that something soft hit her head; smiling wide. "Yayyy~ softness and flowers..." Then she looked around the room with squinty and dazed eyes.

"...within a tornado's mess...and shuriken. Shuriken everywhere..." This is when she smiled sweetly, liking the shinobi posters and masks decorating the wall.

The blonde nodded, just watching him open the window to dust out the blanket. "Yea...it's a fluffy pillow..." She pushed herself to sit up, bending one leg over the other as she stared at the towel, soap, and shampoo. "Ish...It's with Minnie...She stole it from me...didn't want me to carry it when my leg is a mess."

Before he left, however, Serena reached out to grab his shirt and looked at him. Silently asking if he's really okay now with a small and worried frown.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

Seth sighed, thinking for a moment, then gestured 'a little bit' pinching his thumb and pointer finger an inch apart.

He left to get her bag, and returned with an ice pack too, which he placed on her head. He sat down beside her on the bed for a moment, just thinking of all that had happened today. "It'll probably take me a year or more to be okay . . . Serena, I don't want to be like this anymore. I even killed people today . . . I was thinking, after we finish up with Wilde, I'm going to turn myself in."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena nodded, letting his shirt go and watched him leave the room. She stared at the doorway, pondering about something then her eyes looked over at the overflowing bin. Then she sighed sadly. "...May you rest in peace, Jeanne..." is her whispering prayer.

She hummed in relief when Seth came back with an ice pack, holding it in place as the bed dipped a bit. The blonde opened her eyes to see Seth sitting next to her and listened very closely. Putting the ice pack on the bed, she moved closer and gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders and squeezed.

"Okay...Okay..." Seth can feel her hand patting his back amiably. "...I have an idea to lighten your sentence a lot if you want to listen?" Serena's idea might be questionable since she's feverish, but it has been in her head for a while now.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"I don't know if I want it lightened . . ." said Seth, guiltily.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"Seth," Serena leaned back a bit, looking at him with furrowed brows. Worried again but determined this time. "Why?"

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"Because my crimes are my fault . . . and I don't feel good if I don't pay for it." said Seth. "I can't be free from this life if I'm still tethered to it because of guilt not paid."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"Then give back." Serena said, breathing out as she leaned in to hug him again. "Wasting away in a jail cell will not change anything. You wouldn't be able to pay for your crimes for real. Instead of sitting in a dark cell, do some community service. That will give back to the public and...and I think it'll help ease your guilt too."

"You can even start right now. I can send James a letter and explain to him what's going on. We can look for Wilde and give the artifacts back to their original owners."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"Community service sounds good." said Seth smiling. "You know, talking to you is good, Serena. Helping is better than wasting away in jail . . ." When she suggested that, he shook his head, then changing his mind to give her suggestion a chance, he thought on it.

"We can tell the others about it tomorrow. I can't make this decision alone, David and Pipino probably don't want to go to jail or do community service. They like this life as much as I did." he hesitated for a moment, then leaned his head on hers.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena smiled warmly, happy. "...You're finally smiling..."

"That's fine. It's best to let them know anyways." She patted his back again, feeling proud of the twin. Then she froze when Seth leaned his head on hers before relaxing and sighed. The blonde didn't move away, occasionally rubbing his arm comfortingly with her calloused hand.

"..." She hesitantly nuzzled her hot cheek on his. "Seth..."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"Yes?" he said, turning to look at her.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"Do you want to stay here with me?" She quietly asked. "We can talk some more if you'd like...I can play my violin more too. Oh! but I can't dance..." Serena hummed for a moment.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

Seth thought a bit, glancing at the trash bin where his mementos of Jeanne lay crumpled and thrown away.

After his grief, he had felt angry for being made to believe she had loved him. He thought they were best friends. That made him just start accepting the fact that she was gone and that he had been tricked all this time, treated so badly. He had wept for himself, feeling humiliated and like a fool for not noticing. So whatever guilt he felt for being close to Serena just right after Jeanne's death, he knew she didn't deserve it, and right now the important thing is to take care of himself.

"Yes, I'll stay here with you. Thanks for still wanting to stay with me, Serena. I just have to do one thing first." He got out of bed and stuffing the overflowing junk into a bag, picked up the trash bin and went outside. He came back with both containers empty, then lay on the bed beside her, bringing the rest of his dinner closer and started to finish it despite having become cold again.

"Can you play the same piece again?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Serena smiled and nodded, then she blinked as she watched Seth pick up the overflow of items into a bag and the trash bin before leaving again.

She sighed again, plopping herself down again and placed the ice pack on her forehead. The blonde laid still and did not sit up until Seth came back with the trash bin empty. Her ice pack fell off, bouncing on the bed as he settled himself and started eating.

Her violin appeared once more; she played the same song as before, wanting him to warm up and come out in the open. Being sweet and soft...

Once again, her violin casts an illusion of ruins inside the bedroom. Red butterflies fluttered around, wild flowers swaying from the supposed light breeze. Lush green vines and leaves sprouted out from the floor, walls, and ceiling, curling around the masks and posters while creeping up the bookshelf. There's the faint music box plucking it's tune as well.

Her blue eyes are half-lidded, dazed as she played. He can tell that she's not used to not dancing by the way her okay leg moving a bit, like she's following a beat. "...This one?"

Spoiler: Serena's song

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

"Yes, that one." said Seth, leaning back on the bed and just enjoying the song as he ate.

The next day, he was dozing peacefully beside her, arms flung back and a leg hanging off the bed. There was a wooden crutch by the door and a note saying they'll arrive in Agraba before lunch time.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Serena Lock -
"Velocity Zeppelin"​

In the coming morning, Serena mumbled in her sleep, slightly curling on her side as she faced Seth. Her hand beside her head as the ice pack slouched from her forehead to the bed. Her cheeks is still pink with heat. "Mhmn..." She stretched her legs, grumbling in pain as she woke from the sting, blinking her eyes open.

After realizing that once again she's sleeping next to Seth, Serena smiled before something caught her eye. "...A wooden crutch...and a note?" She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and shook him a bit. "Good morning, Seth...." She slurred quietly, not really moving much herself.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seth Pendragon -
" Velocity Zeppelin "​

Seth blinked awake. "Morning, Serena." he yawned. He placed a hand on her forehead. "How are you feeling?" he paused for a moment, seeing her dress strap loose, and pulled it back up to its proper place, looking a little red in the face.

"You really make me forget everything that happens." he added, chuckling. "You hungry?" he stretched.

Katsuya