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

[Zer0]

- Ogre Cave -
​

For some reason, the pink potion made Renee slightly giddy, flush red, and think that the first person (or ogre) she saw was the most marvelous, flawless, adorable person (or ogre), in all of the whole rosy sunny Midgard. She felt an urge to be close to this person (or ogre), and declare her undying love and devotion to it. The effect lasted for half a minute.


The necklace seemed to make the gem on her head warmer, as if it amplified fire or light magic. The ring felt light on her finger, and just as it repelled dust and dirt, it seemed to be sharing the effects with Renee, repelling unwanted things almost like a subtle barrier.


@Katsuya

OOC || Characters || Interest Check
​

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Ogre Cave-
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​

Well, she was about as helpful as she thought she would be, but at least she wasn't dead! All of the relief going around the cave made her feel warm inside, but she shied away from Renee slightly when she snuggled her. She appreciated the gesture, but she was still covered in various forms of ick and she just generally smelled back and felt gross. As for her hair getting ruffled... well it was already a slobbery, muddy, mess... so she didn't really spurn the gesture. She laughed as Seth voiced is desire... or lack thereof, to thank Seifer, offering a friendly bump to his arm. Lydia glanced in the archer's direction, she couldn't really say she didn't understand that frame of mind, she felt like he was rather cold towards the group, like they were all a family and he was just the guard whose care they were under.


Lydia then turned her attention to Echo and Johnny, their interaction made her smile, though she did feel a tinge of mild jealousy. Her attention was brought back around to Renee as she approached with her arms full of treasure. She wasn't much for baubles and the like, but the book was definitely something that did catch her interest, though in a way, she felt bad for the poor soul that had lost it. Of course the first thing she did was read the cover, and then she made an attempt to open it.


@Zer0 @Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

-Love potion...why, Love potion...-
​

As soon Renee drank the potion, she felt really...really good, really giddy like a little school girl in a store full of candy. Her face turned really red and she couldn't help but feel like she's on cloud nine. Anybody could practically imagine flowers blooming on the ground she's standing on with daisies floating around with glitter and bubbles as she cooed in a sickeningly sweet way, her half-lidded eyes had pink hearts in the middle. It's like the tomboyish attitude she's known for has melted away, leaving only a very honest, girly, and loving soul behind...


Since the ogre was the biggest one, it was the first person she laid eyes on and she smiled sweetly at it, almost skipping towards it and waving her arm while yelling out: "Oh honey~! How I dreamed for this occasion! To meet my destined one, the one who I can truly love and care for! Please wake up so that I may see your handsome eyes and smile...huh?" As she paused right where the ogre's face is, the Pendragon sister blinked a bit, confused as to why she's close to the unconscious ogre...


...and shuddered in disgust when she realized on what happened-! Oh gross-! No-!


"Ew-! Ew-! Ew-!" Renee hopped away on her tip-toes as if there were hundreds of bugs everywhere and she didn't want to squish them, hiding behind Seifer sub-consciously. Covering her blushing bright red face and wide bright eyes with her hands, she prayed that the ground will swallow her up like right now. All she wanted to do was get mouthwash or something-! Anything to hopefully get rid of the memory that popped in her brain. It's bad enough that her feelings were rejected by Seifer, she didn't need the tormenting memory of confessing to an ogre! 


'Okay...love potion...lovely.' She groaned, shuddering in horror at her embarrassing moment. That's just...so wrong in so many ways....


Then she felt her head getting warmer, almost like a fever. 'Well it's better than the love potion...eck!...This is for Serena.' Renee thought. Then she felt the subtle shield around her, thanks to the light ring on her finger. 'Hmm...Maybe the princess should get this item...' Once again, she's not thinking about herself first...


She took off the items and hid them away, so that she can give each item to someone whom she thinks would need it the most....Renee is keeping the love potion though, so that no one would take it and use it for evil purposes...


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Ogre Cave-
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​

Lydia looked thoughtfully at the magic tome. She had already tried to open it, but her fingers were about as useless as they had been when she was trying to pry herself loose of the ogre's grip. She sighed, but didn't relent, if she couldn't figure out a way to open it, she figured that James probably could. Though her thought was interrupted as Renee... started hitting on the ogre? Lydia took on that owl eyed look again as she stared at Renee, her mouth falling open, though she nearly fell over laughing when Renee started spazzing out. The motion caused her to wince and she grabbed her ribcage once again, "ah! Hahaha--awch!" She whimpered slightly and tried to stifle the laugh before shaking her head.


"Oh Renee... I'm sorry, but despite your new found feelings for our recently fallen friend..." Lydia just couldn't help herself, and after tucking the book beneath her arm and calming herself somewhat she raised her voice so that she was sure the others would hear, "but I think we should probably get out of here because unless these guys are dead... well it's probably best to not be here when they wake up."


@Katsuya @Zer0

 

[Katsuya]

-Ogre cave-
​

Renee groaned in embarrassment as the novice witch teased. Sasha is still here too-! James is probably laughing his butt off right now-! She's so mortified that she pulled the hood over her head and face, her blush turned redder and redder like wine.


Echo had to chuckle a bit when Lydia teased her best friend and shook her head. "I got it...We just have to move the boulder right?" Once she was sure that Johnny took care of the horses, she walked over to the blocked exit where the boulder fell and took a deep breathe.


With all her might she pushed and pushed, gritting her teeth as she felt the boulder move just a bit, Echo stomped down the ground. Her hooves creating marks on the dirt as she pushed the giant rock to the side, just enough for even the horses to pass through. With a gasp, the fawn stopped and backed away, smiling as she wiped the sweat off her face. "Okay...Let's go..."


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Camp -
​

" Dumald Road, Misty Mountains "
​

Upon reaching camp, they saw that James, Princess Mia, and Latifa were packing up Johnny's tepee, the tents, and everyone's things, as it wouldn't seem wise to continue sleeping here anymore. The ogres might decide to pay them back for what they did when they wake up.


Seifer took one whiff of Lydia and backed away from her, "Ugh, you smell worse than my horse." he accidentally bumped Renee. "Ugh, it's you." he then looked like he suddenly remembered something. "Hmm, Pendragon, I'd like to have that pink potion that turned you into a real girl." he held out his hand for it. "You don't need it, you're perfect the way you are. And I'm sure that ogre would agree."


"Brother." Seth plopped a sack that chinked on James head, and left it there and walked away to talk to the others while carrying a big sack over his shoulders. With a curious look after the twin, James opened it and saw that gold, a sheathed highland dirk with decorative artwork on the blunt edge, and light leather armor with a chain mail shirt was inside.


"Thanks!" he called after him. Seth just waved.


The twin also went over to Serena, Lydia, Princess Mia, and Latifa and opened up his bag of treasures which were mostly armor and weapons. "Your important hands need these." said Seth to Serena showing her some silkweave gloves and leather hand guards that reached up to her elbow. "And, Lydia, this will make you better bait in the future and help you not die." he took out a raiment inlaid with leather and padded cloth that she could wear under her robes.


There were daggers, a pair of short swords, maces, and other one-handed weapons in his sack too. He encouraged them to take at least one even if they didn't know how to use them.


Johnny picketed the two horses with its fellows under the rain and with Meatballs' help began digging a deep hole on the peak. Here he laid a small wooden chest of gold and rubies inside a sack and buried it, then had Meatballs roll a heavy stone over it, and finally began making it look like a natural part of the landscape.


@Katsuya, @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

-At Camp-
​

Renee walked over to Serena and Princess Mia, giving them the necklace and ring respectively. "Here. The necklace helps with fire and light magic while this ring will shield you from unwanted enemies or things." Then she was bumped by Seifer, blushing red again when he reminded her of what happened with the ogre.


"Ha ha, funny, Rathmore...Who says that I'm not gonna use it?" She retorted, glaring at him for his insult, and backing away slowly. "And why should I give it to you after that comment? Give me one good reason and I'll think about it." Renee's not convinced about his intentions, already thinking that he's going to do something very immature with it. She isn't going to use it; More like she was planning on selling it somewhere...


Serena gasped and marveled at the silkweave gloves and leather hand guards as she tried them on, happy that they fit. Then she grabbed a pair of short swords, wondering how these could work...hmm..."Thank you Seth. Renee. These items are mighty handy....Get it?" She grinned, showing the siblings her gloves and she waved. "It's a pun...Hehe." Echo, who was trying to calm the other horses, could only shake her head in slight disbelief at the once blonde's silly pun.


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Camp -
​

" Dumald Road, Misty Mountains "
​

"I'm afraid you'll secretly spike my drink with it. You do have a gross infatuation with me." drawled Seifer, and extended his hand. "Why else would you keep it?"


"Oh, thank you, Renee, Seth." said Princess Mia, and wore the ring. From the twin's sack, she took out what seemed to be a brass candelabrum. "I think this will make a good club without the candle holders."


"Welcome, Serena. You are very punny." said Seth. "And, your majesty, that won't protect you."


"I don't want to hurt anyone very badly." reasoned the princes. "I- I don't think I can take a life."


". . . I'll make you a club. That good?"


"Yes, thank you. And I'd like to learn how to make one myself too."


After that Seth followed Johnny's example and went over to him to get Meatballs to dig a hole for him too. When everyone had finished getting their pick of the loot, he buried what was left.


James came over on his horse, his robes looking bulkier because of the light leather armor and chainmail shirt he was wearing underneath. "Serena, you're not going to wear any body armor?"


@Katsuya

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Dumald Road, Misty Mountains-
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​

Lydia wasted no time putting the book Renee gave her in her bag. There was no time to really ask James about it now, so she would show it to him later. She wrinkled her nose when Seifer commented on how she smelled, like she didn't already know and when he turned to Renee, basically demanding the potion, Lydia pretended to accidentally bump into him as she accepted the armor from Seth with a laugh, "thanks Seth!" She hadn't even thought to get anything for herself but she put the armor in her bag with the book for the time being since she didn't want to taint it with the smell of mud and ogre slobber.


At Seth's offer of weaponry, Lydia snatched up a mace. She had the mindset that even if she wasn't skilled, she could just swing it and use the weight of it to hurt something if need be. With that in mind, she stepped away from the others and gave the mace a couple of good swings in order to ensure that it wasn't too heavy for her, which despite the fact that it did knock her off balance because of the force she put behind her swings, it actually wasn't heavy enough for her to not be able to swing it.


@Zer0 @Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

-Camp-
​

Renee shook her head, smiling a bit as she watched Lydia bump into the archer...by accident or on purpose?


Wow, that's really sad if he thought that. Seifer really has a low view on her, huh?


"Oh, then no worries: I'm not doing that. I do have something in mind for this little bugger and I need it whole." She shrugged her shoulders and leans in a bit so that only Seifer would hear.


"I already know where I stand in your eyes. I'm not desperate nor am I that terrible to make anybody drink this. Besides it would be fake, wouldn't it? I rather have the person's real affections than ones made by a silly potion. So...no. I'm keeping it until the next town or village." With a nod, Renee began to walk away, smiling for some silly reason as she wanted to mount on her horse, Midnight...


Serena was about to mount up her horse when James asked her something and grinned. "No, I think I'll be fine with just these for now. Besides...I get slower with heavy armor." Then she lifted herself up, sitting on the horse that has her violin case on his saddle.


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

​

- Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains -
​

" Three Days Later "
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James rubbed his jaw, thoughts of misgiving passing through his head. "Alright." he said finally and mounted his dapple grey mount. Looking at their team, it was mostly the guys who were wearing armor; Johnny was putting on a brigandine coat slightly tight on him over his traveler's clothes and pulled up a pair of leather leg wraps he got from Seth's sack.


Except for Renee, he felt worried about the girls who barely had any protection, especially Echo who was a close combat fighter. 'Johnny should tell her to wear some armor, this was the second time she almost died.' thought James disapprovingly. 'Stop getting lovey-dovey and think more practically about her wellfare.'


Seifer frowned at Renee's back, then gave Lydia a withering look when she bumped him, eyebrow raised. "Can't get enough of me either?" he said smugly as she passed him.


When everyone was ready, he mounted his horse and led the way again. By now it was about two in the morning, and it was still foggy and raining.

***
​

The rest of the journey through the Misty Mountains was cold and wet, but they had a great view of the valley every sunrise when the swirling mists would clear for a short time, before the southeastern wind would blow them back again.


Seifer was more careful now with their choice of campsite, scouting within three miles of their spot with Sasha before declaring it was safe to set up camp for the night. It was not only ogres that dwelled in the Misty Mountains, one morning Seth went missing together with the giant outcrop of rock he had pitched his tent on --- only to find him later hiding in a ravine where all around crumbling, mossy, rock golems were basking in the sun.


Another time grey wolves came sniffing into their camp, attracted by the smell of roasting pork. They lost that delicious pork during the battle when a wolf snatched it out of the cooking pit while its fellows snapped and snarled at the Princess' protectors. The guys were very sad as the last of their best herbs that wouldn't last for another day were used on it.


They travelled for eight hours a day if weather permitted, and slept or rested the horses in between. During those times Princess Mia began practicing archery with Seifer and asked Renee to teach her too whenever he went away to scout. That arrogant jerk was very keen on being safe. He also made more attempts to coax the love potion out of Renee, and once he got caught trying to steal it from her bag.


James was riding less and less, and hiking more and more each day. He did his secret push ups and pull-ups where the girls weren't around as it was kind of embarrassing for him to be only able to do only three now. Johnny would join him, and even Seth would appear every now and then to show off and show them how it's done.


Among the guys, Seth was the fittest as one of his hobbies was parkour, second would be Seifer whose archery training in the academy included combat ready fitness, third was Johnny who liked exercise and gave more effort building up the strength and stamina he used to have when he was still a nomad, and last was James who just did it because strength and stamina was useful.


It was their guy time, when they'd just talk and joke about things they wouldn't say if there was a girl around, burp and fart out loud just for humor, call each other horrible names affectionately, and have duels. They'd even have fisticuffs, but wished that there was someone who could teach them proper hand-to-hand combat. Seth taught them a bit of knife fighting, and sometimes they'd wrestle with fake sticks on the ground that served as fake daggers.


On the third day in the middle of the afternoon, they left the Dumald Road and turned left up an overgrown trail that went around the last misty mountain peak. They made their way down a ravine and here at the bottom, some ways away from the frothing mist and spray of a waterfalls, they made their camp.


This was their last day on the rainy and foggy Misty Mountains, tomorrow they were going to reach the Farthing Plains.


@Katsuya, @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains-
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​

Lydia pretended to ignore Seifer's comment as she passed him, giggling as she muttered to herself, "no, just trying to get this stink on you."


After she had swung the mace around a bit, when she saw that everyone else was ready to go, she hurriedly put the mace with her other things before she mounted Speckles', following the others. While it wasn't the best weather, she was a bit grateful for the rain, at least she could attempt to get some of the mess she was covered in off of her.

****
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​

While she hadn't worried about it when time was of the essence, the next time they were able to stop Lydia would ask Seifer if he had seen any fresh water sources while he was scouting because she wanted to clean herself up. She shrugged off any unnecessary remarks he may have had for her, not willing to open up an exchange with him because she felt that it just emboldened him for some reason.


Once she was clean again and her hair not a near literal rat's nest atop her head, she donned the armor that Seth had given her over her clean breeches and blouse, which were both the color she seemed to favor, black.


She mentally kicked herself when Seth went missing because she felt like it was her fault. She should have kept a better eye on him since he was her battle buddy, even if it wasn't a combat situation, she still felt responsible. She was definitely grateful and relieved when they found him, her relief shown in the form of a hurried hug.


She pouted a bit with the loss of the roast, but she consoled herself with the fact that all of them were still in one piece, so she supposed it was a good thing.


Whenever there was the chance and she wasn't too tired to do so, Lydia took to swinging the mace around again, she didn't really know what she was doing and it wasn't really a very efficient way to learn, but she was more focused on actually being able to wield the weapon. Eventually she took to attacking nearby trees, just to get a sense of how hard she was actually swinging and what the impact would be on an actual target. Of course an immobile target was not the same as a mobile one, but at least it was something!


It slightly unnerved her when Seifer was caught trying to steal the love potion from Renee. She could only imagine the outcome of someone so evidently dastardly getting a hold of something like that and it wasn't pretty in the slightest. She made a point to keep an eye on him whenever he was present and be wary of him whenever he was absent.


She wasn't really doing it because she was trying to get in better shape, but every time James would dismount and begin to hike, she would follow suit, mostly to question him on all things magical, including the book that had been retrieved from the ogre cave. She wasn't quite sure how to get the book to open and without her usual resources, she was in need of ideas. Oddly enough, she would also at times question Echo about it primarily because Lydia's focus was in words when she cast spells and so she was collecting ideas for incantations. While incredibly curious to see what was inside, she refused to have anyone open it for her, she saw it as an obstacle that she needed to overcome herself.


The rest of the time, Lydia would continue studying the books she had brought which were not limited to the two combat books and her journal, she also carried five books on varying schools of magic. These were all books she hadn't had a chance to read while she was still at the castle, so she studied them rather thoroughly, writing notes in her journal which didn't just act as a book for her thoughts but also for things she learned, wanted to take note of, as well as ideas she had and spells she wanted to try. She did make time to just be a girl, sitting around with the other ladies of the group and chatting, singing along with Echo when she accompanied Serena's violin, her own voice a haunting undertone to the melodious voice of Echo.


When they made camp at the waterfalls, the first thing Lydia did was find a nice patch of grass which she then laid on and just rolled around.


@Katsuya @Zer0

 

[Katsuya]

-Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains-
​

Those three days traveling through the Misty mountains made Renee very wary of anything that's there, including the rocks after Seth's kidnapping from the rock golems. Everything that moved made her jump and prepared to hit with an arrow or her talons. Seifer trying to steal that love potion is just making her trigger-happy too. At that time, she shot an arrow at him without a second thought because of how wary she's becoming and she wasn't even sorry. That arrow almost pierced his hand when he tried to grab her bag and she made a point that he wasn't allowed to have it. Not even when he tries to coax her into giving it.


It's...really frustrating since she's wasting arrows on a teammate who she can't even trust one bit because he's trying to steal from her-! Even worse, they are supposed to be partners-! How are they going to trust each other in combat if they are so...so- disconnected...What? Do they have to be stranded in the middle of a snowy mountain peak or something?


'I'm tempted to drink the stupid thing or pour it on the ground' was her agitated thought one day as she clutched onto her satchel tightly and sends a rather scathing glare at Seifer. Renee's new habit is carrying her bag everywhere and using it as a pillow at nighttime.


Lucky, Renee can relax with the girls. Whenever the guys leave off to who knows where, the girls would start talking about anything and everything, including their problems since nothing leaves out of these talks. So all of them know about Renee's growing feelings towards Seifer, what happened between them the night she left into the forest (him laughing at her and telling her to grow up already, even when she was crying, and rejecting her feelings in the process), and why she's not going to use the love potion on him. It just wasn't right to use it. Though whenever the more musical talented girls started to play, Renee would sing a bit too, but not as loudly as Echo or Lydia since she doesn't believe she has a good voice and would clap a beat for them instead. Then she helped Mia practice her archery whenever she asked her.


The time with the pork really made her pissed off and she had to cool down by taking walks around the camp area. She needed to not explode and keep her head on her shoulders.


Renee started practicing on how to summon something, always taking a look in the book as a guide when it comes to drawing the summoning circle and trying to calm her soul. Which doesn't work each time since she's so agitated. The page she's always turning to has a large fold in the corner so she wouldn't forget where it is and reads on what to do. The Pendragon sister would even ask James or Johnny sometimes on how they calm down their souls first and summoning a creature.


Of course she didn't tell them which one it is and if they looked into the page she always turned to, they would see that she's trying to summon a tier-one light elemental...for healing.


When the group made camp at the waterfalls, Renee just gets off her horse, takes a running start and jumps in the small lake that surrounds the waterfall. Her cloak floating down on the grass next to Lydia who's rolling on the grass.


With a gasp and shaking the water off, Renee waved at the group, screaming out with cheer in her voice. "The water's awesome-!" Then she dived right back in the clear water, enjoying the fishes that are swimming by.


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
​

" Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains "
​

James was happy to have Lydia to talk to about arcane lore, especially when she liked to read as much as he did and seemed to him an intellectual person. He felt like he was in the Sorcerer's Academy, teaching in his master's class again. His knowledge revolved mainly around conjuration, abjuration, and alchemy, and would end up huffing from lack of breath as they talked while hiking.


He had now taken to sitting sometimes with Lydia whenever she read, while reading his own books in the quiet peace of study. Every now and then he'd come across something he didn't understand --- usually evocation spells --- and would ask her about it.


"You know, Seth, could probably open that book." James was saying when she brought up the subject. "He's good at breaking arcane seals."


When Renee asked her older brother and Johnny about summoning, James advice on calming the soul was:  "I would appreciate something in the present, like how springy the grass feels under my feet. Or I think of something nice that happened today like --- heh, don't tell, Seth, but me and the guys were talking about our first dates and on his he farted. Doesn't sound bad, but he said it sounded like a balloon animal asking a question." he laughed.


Johnny's advice on calming the soul on the other hand was: "I think of someone or something that feels like home, like James, you, or eating breakfast around the dining table in the flying castle. Or I touch Butter's fluffy fur."

***
​

When Renee told the girls about her feelings for Seifer, Latifa tut. "Girl, that archer boy is no good for yo' kind heart. There is nothing beautiful about hurting yourself by yearning, and doing the right things to the wrong person."


"Oh, Renee," Princess Mia hugged her, "that was awful of him. I had no idea he was that horrible." she looked at her with sympathy. "I agree with Latifa, he's not good enough for you and you are too good for him. You deserve someone who will treat you with respect."


"Mmm-hmm." nodded Latifa."My boyfriend is taking for~ever to exist, but I'd rather wait than settle for less."

***
​

Now, at the Brandywine Falls, James was passing by the patch of grass where Lydia lay as he gathered firewood. "What are you doing?" he chuckled, watching her rolling around.


Seth followed his sister, and cannon balled into the water, laughing. Meatballs the giant boarhound leaped in right after, followed by Frey whom Butters, Johnny's summoned giant ram who was his guardian spirit, pushed into the water with his great horns. The ethereal stag fell flailing most ungracefully into the water.


Johnny busied himself by setting up the tepee, feeding the horses and unloading their packs, then collecting water to be heated for drinking later. All the while he was humming the song of the Moon Daughter.


Seifer was at the top of the falls watching the area from his vantage point on a mossy spire of rock. He was being extra cautious today as a place like this was likely the watering hole for a lot of creatures in the Misty Mountains. He watched Lydia rolling in the grass and the two Pendragons in the water, amused. They were such kids.


@Katsuya@Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

-Renee Pendragon-
​

Echo laughed when she saw Butters push Frey in the water, collecting branches for the fire and let the horses have a drink and feeding them herbs that she found along the way. These were healthy for animals, but she couldn't find ones that are edible for the group. Somehow, there was a silent agreement that she watches over the horses since she can convince them to not buck someone when they were tired.


Serena, on the other hand, grabbed her violin again and checked on her strings, inspired by the relieving happy mood. She stood next to James and played, her sound playful and sweet while having a bit of mystery since they didn't know what's in the forest.


Renee came up again, laughing cheerful as she felt her wariness melt...but then she looked up and saw Seifer watching them. With a blush and a frown, the Pendragon sister calmed down and swam to the shore, twisting her hair as to get rid of the water when she got out. Then she turned to her brother, who's probably listening to Serena's violin again. "James, I'll be back. Gonna look for herbs..."


With that, she grabbed her bag and the summoning book, and left the happy scene, not planning to come back for an hour or two. Renee needed to think again...and practice.


Echo, who heard Renee's quiet tone, looked at Johnny, somewhat worried. "Think she's going to be okay?"


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains-
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​

Lydia listened to James' teachings intently, asking questions if she didn't understand something and offering her own opinions as well as information she had read in various books, she took to every topic with the excitement of a kid on a shopping spree in a candy store. Whenever James sat with her and read, she would watch him sometimes, mainly because she would have something to say but didn't want to interrupt him. If he looked her way, she would say whatever tidbit she had read and found interesting and wanted to share with him, otherwise she just wrote it down in her journal. She was happy to answer his questions on evocation, taking to it with just as much energy as she had taken to asking her own questions when she didn't understand something. Like Renee, she questioned him on summoning, taking into consideration that she is not the most capable in combat, at least not yet. Her reasoning was that it might be a good idea to be able to summon something that can defend her or at the very least, aid her in combat.


Upon his suggestion that Seth would probably be able to open the book, she grinned brightly and thanked him before going to Seth, of course she only asked him to teach her what he knew about arcane seals but didn't ask him to actually open the book because she wanted to do that herself.

****
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​

Chatting with the girls was one of her favorite things to do, next to talking about magic and studying magic with James and as Renee opened up about Seifer, Lydia felt absolutely furious. It wasn't how Renee felt that made her angry, but how Seifer rebuked her feelings. Lydia clenched her fists, holding the fabric of her cloak where it lay across her lap and bit her lower lip as she calmed herself' 'Seifer, that jerk!' She thought before nodding her agreement with the other ladies and trying to put a more lighthearted twist on the current mood, "Seifer's alright to look at, but unless you master a spell to get him to shut up, he's not really worth it," she laughed slightly, of course she made the statement jokingly, hoping to cheer Renee a bit.


Of course she didn't really have much by way of gossip on herself, if asked, her opinions of the guys they traveled with ranged from, he's nice to he's a jerk in Seifer's case. She didn't really give much thought to the romance spectrum, as far as she was concerned, she was only sixteen and had plenty of time, that aside, she was much too preoccupied with mastering her magic and a boy would just distract her.

****
​

 
​

She didn't pay much mind to Renee's cloak as it floated down beside her other than to make sure she didn't roll on it. She stopped her rolling as James passed by and looked to him, laughing slightly, "I just felt so tired and stiff and the grass looked so nice!"


She sat up as Seth ran by and jumped in and couldn't help but laugh at the antics of the spirit guardians. Seifer choosing to go off on his own probably provided for a more relaxing atmosphere for everyone else, she had grown to dislike him very much and probably wouldn't change her opinion of him unless he changed his attitude, he wasn't a very amiable person so while she was wary of his absence, she wasn't too unhappy about it.


It wasn't good to always study, and so while she loved it, she realized that it was good to have a break. She shed her armor, cloak, and shoes before she offered a playful grin and a wave to James and dashed for the water, slipping slightly on the wet grass as she neared the pool and like Seth, did a cannon ball into the water, surfacing again after Renee was already exiting the water.


@Zer0 @Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
​

" Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains "
​

"I believe so, Echo, Renee can fly and she's a fine archer. " said Johnny, from where he was crouched stoking the campfire under a boiling cooking pot. He thought Echo meant Renee's personal safety, but when he saw her face he surmised that wasn't probably what she meant. "Why? Is something going on with her?"


James smiled as he watched Lydia jump in and carried the firewood he gathered to the campfire. He gave a teasing "Alright, watch out for leeches!" when Renee left, and began setting up his tent.


When Serena came over and played, he chuckled. "You know, I was joking when I said in return for letting you stay in the castle, you'll have to play your violin for me."


@Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

-Serena Lock-
​

Echo sighed before shaking her head, frowning. "Yes...but it's not my place to talk about it." As much as she hated to not tell Johnny the truth behind Renee's behavior from before, the fawn understood that her best friend trusted them to not say anything about it to the guys. Much less to James and Seth who would probably make the archer's time here very painful and embarrassing. Knowing Renee, she would rather suffer quietly then create trouble in the group right now.


"Let's just say...she has a very serious injury in somewhere important and it wouldn't be able to heal for a long time." The fawn replied before sitting down and started on making more paste for their cuts. Might as well since Renee left to find some more and they'll be ready too.


"I know...but I like playing for you." Serena hinted, a pink flush dusted on her cheeks as she continued to play. She realized her growing affection towards the older Pendragon while traveling on the mountain range and decided to go with the flow. "Just knowing that you like hearing me play makes me happy."


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Brandywine Falls, Misty Mountains-
​

 
​

Lydia was still holding her breath and swimming around under the water but she eventually came up for air with a deep gasp before turning onto her back and floating for a minute. Her eye catching Seifer's silhouette at the top of the falls, she tilted her head slightly as she wondered if he could see her face or not, then decided it didn't matter either way and stuck her tongue out at him. It seemed to be the gesture she favored when it came to him, it was the equivalent of a friendly wave for everyone else.


After her little immature gesture was issued, she swam back to the shore, wringing out her clothes some and making haste in getting dry. She'd move over to where James had gathered the firewood and helped to start a fire if one was needed, using the same incantation she had learned worked previously with a very slightly more minimal use of concentration. After that was settled, she took her hair down, letting the wet strands hang past her shoulders as she brushed them dry.

 

[Zer0]

- Johnny Caprice -
​

"Come rafting with me, Echo"
​

Johnny tilted his head to the side, pondering which part that would be. Perhaps Renee was still under a grim's curse and it had something to do with her strange behavior after her feral avian transformation before. He patted his hands free of dirt and covered the top of the boiling cooking pot.


He and James had talked about it before, but he was as clueless as he was, since when he asked Renee she didn't tell him anything. Odd that she'd keep it a secret from him, but if it was something she wanted to handle herself, Johnny can respect that and he did not pursue the subject any further.


Some of the wood James gathered was wet from the previous rains and he moved them over to the campfire to dry. Looking up at the sky, it seemed that it will be sunny for the rest of the day . . . which gave Johnny an idea.


He plopped down beside Echo and rubbed shoulders with her. "Echo, would you fancy uprooting some trees, making a raft, and then go rafting downriver together?" he said cheerfully.





@Katsuya

- James Pendragon -
​

" Brandywine Falls "
​

James blinked, pausing half-way between hammering the stakes of his tent down with a rock. "You're welcome." he said vaguely, turning his back on Serena to continue hammering down the next one. "You must be even happier then when Echo, Renee, and Lydia love it so much that they sing to your melodies."


Tent successfully set-up, James fixed his robes so that they looked neat and accepted Lydia's offer to start a fire when she came over. They needed two: one for cooking, and one for a bonfire.


"Johnny, we're going to make a bonfire over by the tents, mate." said James and carried a lot of wood in his arms for some reason, and seemed to be not-really-on-purpose looking macho while doing it. After Lydia had a fire going, James was fixing his robes neatly again.


@Katsuya, @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

​

-Brandywine falls-
​

Echo smiled when Johnny rubbed shoulders with her, a blush appeared on her cheeks.


"Hmm? Sure, love. Let me put this away and I'll start uprooting some." After putting the green paste and left-over herbs away, the fawn went to look for seeds and plant them after pulling the trees up. It would be bad if the environment change, even it's a little bit, so she'll help along the growing process when they return from rafting together.

***
​

 
​

Serena quickly hid her small gasp with a loud note that seemed to fit, even though it does not and it made Echo look at her like 'Are you okay?' With a satisfied nod, the violinist's song went from sounding relieving happy to shy but teasing.


"Of course...Sure, I'm happy they sing with my violin, but...to know that someone would be so comfortable to sleep...it's a nice feeling to be trusted like that." She answered quietly, her eyes closed for a moment until she opened again and saw James carry wood in his arm...


...and cue a screechy note from her appreciating the view as she blushed red. Oops...

***
​

"What? Don't like it?
​

Or do you just not like me?!

Sorry I don't treat you like a god,
Is that what you want me to do?
Sorry I don't treat you like you're perfect,
Like all your little loyal subjects do.
Sorry I'm not made of sugar,
Am I not sweet enough for you?
Is that why you always avoid me?
I must be such an inconvenience for you..."
​

 
​

Renee sang out loud as she grabbed another water-grass plant from the river, hopping one mossy stone to another. It's been an hour and half (or more) since she left the group to look for herbs, which she managed to find a few to eat and that's great...


...but her thoughts were stuck on the conversation she had with the other girls. Latifa's and Lydia's words just circle around her head, her reasoning agreed with what they say, even laugh at the joke...but her heart is just a fickle thing...to like a guy like Seifer. The thing is though...that night when she admitted her feelings, he said something like 'you shouldn't be a doormat..' Isn't that like some sort of backhanded advice? He did care...somehow and yet...he doesn't...


It's very confusing-!!!


Honestly, she does feel like she's his problem or that she's not a person to him, and that sucks-!

"I shouldn't BE the one who makes up with you
​

So why do I want to?"
​

The Pendragon teen regretted on not bringing her sketchbook, wanting to scribble down how she feels at the moment, but too late. Her alternative is to sing, but she couldn't do it loudly when everyone can hear and judge her for it. So...looking for herbs is a good excuse to leave. Renee believed by letting out her problems in the open would clear some of the pain and calm her soul...hopefully, maybe, she doesn't know yet...


Sighing and feeling tired, Renee continued to hop stone to stone, singing as much as she could and repeating the song, hearing the soft echos of her voice.


Then...


A large fish jumped out of the riverbed and smacked her head, causing her to slip and fall in the water, creating a huge splash. The teen landed on her bum, blinking rapidly as she tries to process on what just happened and then she glared fiercely at the water.


"...Really? REALLY?! Where's that fish?! I'll cook it myself and eat it gladly!" She growled, not caring if she looked silly as she searched in the shallow waters before finding that stupid fish-!


"Come here! You're going to be my dinner, you little-!" Renee jumped in the deeper parts of the river, trying to catch the fish and somehow created a pile of smaller fishes on the shore when she kept grabbing the wrong one.


@Zer0 @Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Johnny Caprice -
​

" Down River "
​

Johnny fondly watched Echo plant the seeds from a distance as he chopped off the roots and top of the uprooted trees with an axe and bound the thin trunks together with some rope. Seeing her care about the forest made her feel warm towards her.


"She's so . . . coffee-like." he dreamily said to Seth who was giving Meatballs, Frey, and Butters a bath for some reason. "Warm, with a sweet aroma, strong ---"


" --- and keeps you up all night?" smirked Seth.


"Yeah . . . wait --- no, not in that way!" said Johnny, going red.


Seth laughed. "No need to look so scared, you cherry."


"I think about her." explained Johnny, which was true. Ever since he fell in love with Echo he kept on replaying their memories together in his head. Sometimes James would throw little things at him and even then, he still wouldn't notice and just keep looking at the scenery with a vague, happy expression.


When the raft was done and Echo got in too, Johnny used a pole to push off the banks and guide their raft raft down the river. There wasn't much need to push as the swift current did it for them. He talked about first dates, something he and the guys had recently been sharing with each other.


"On James' first date he had this goofy grin on like, 'This is-this is actually happening.' and he came up to this girl for a hug, but he was approaching her as if he was approaching the cage of a wild animal. On Sen's, Seth was there of course in disguise and Sen was telling him: 'If she doesn't look like her photographs, touch your forehead.' and when she came in, Seth started aggressively hitting himself on the forehead." Johnny chuckled. He put the pole aside as they had reached a wide stretch where the current drifted their raft steadily down the river. "So . . . if you don't mind me asking, Echo, what was your very first date like?"


@Katsuya

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Brandywine Falls-
​

 
​

As James mentioned the second fire, Lydia nodded and set her brush down. She paused as she was beginning to get up when she saw James carrying the firewood tilting her head as she felt her face begin to feel warm though she jumped slightly when Serena's playing changed tune before she hit a screechy note. Her gaze moved to Serena, her eyes squinting slightly before she smiled impishly as though she had just realized something before she went over to the bonfire and got it started too.


Lydia then went and collected her belongings that had been discarded when she jumped in the water and brought them over to Speckles, collecting a change of clean clothes, "James, is it alright if I use your tent to change?"


@Zer0 @Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
​

" Brandywine Falls "
​

"Yeah, go ahead, Lydia." said James, simply, turning his back on Serena again. "Want me to set up your tent?" he added.


Only Lydia could see this, but James expression did not match his nonchalant tone of voice. He was smiling, like he couldn't help feeling pleased about Serena's words and just meaningfully blinked at Lydia covertly and shook his head ever so slightly as if asking her to just act normal.


'Don't let Serena know.' he mouthed wordlessly to her.


@Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Brandywine Falls-
​

 
​

"Thanks!" She smiled and went to go inside his tent, but stopped as he asked about the tent, "actually, could you just show me how to do it?" Always someone that wanted to act on her own, but she wasn't ashamed to ask for help when she needed it.


Lydia didn't really understand what was going on between Serena and James, but she gave a single nod of her head to James before entering the tent and changing. She came back out shortly wearing a simple black dress with a peasant cut that hunt to her knees, her usual black and white striped stockings and her granny boots. Her hair was still down at least for the time being. She had taken to humming along with Serena's violin.


@Zer0