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

[Katsuya]

Chenglei, after escaping James' wrath, is riding on a brown horse besides the carriage, keeping an eye out for anything wrong. The carriage ride was awkward which is weird. Normally, Lydia would relax with the quietness but this time it felt like she's avoiding her for some reason. Did she do something that offended her? Renee prayed that she did not. Her eyes was glued to the other window until she heard Lydia's voice sounding a bit...awkward?

"...All I know about the Storm wall is that it's really dangerous and people who tried sailing in the waters don't come back at all." Renee explained, sighing afterwards as she tries to make the space comfortable to talk.

"Hey Lydia." The Pendragon teen started, looking apologetic at her friend. "Did...did I do something wrong?"

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia nodded and looked back towards the window, "mmm?" she offered as Renee said her name, her hand had been brought to rest under her chin, but she lowered it again and looked to Renee with a mildly perplexed look on her face before exhaling a single, soft chuckle, "no... you didn't."

Her hands clasped on her lap as she looked at Renee, her expression plain but her eyes told another story, one that was vaguely indiscernible, "you and the others have been training a lot... I feel like I've gotten really behind."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

...She put up a wall that Renee can't read and it made her concerned. Her wings fluttered nervously as they are free from her black ribbon. As the Pendragon teen listened to her guarded friend, she nodded a bit before thinking an idea for Lydia to train with them...something that's powerful enough and yet let her friend not feel scared about it...

That's when she thought of an idea and wondered if Lydia would be up for it.

"Hmm...then we could train together on a single spell that would be epic in size...if you like to try, that is." Renee suggested quietly as to keep the quiet atmosphere.

"That way we can come to the warship for working with Hisaya, making a potion, and train at the training courtyard. Chenglei could even be our couch...supervisor...master?" She tried to find the right term for the soldier outside if Lydia does agree to training with her.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

She relaxed a little in posture, but to Renee's suggestion she released a single laugh that was somewhat grating in tone, "I don't mean to be self deprecating, but have you seen my magic?" Her brows were raised in mild amusement to Renee's suggestion, but she shrugged slightly and looked back out the window, "I guess no one got better by not trying though, right?"

She turned to look back at Renee, "sorry..." she shook her head slightly and looked down at her hands where they lay, "yeah, it sounds good. I'd like that."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Her eyes dulled when she listened to Lydia, now feeling like she really did do something wrong for her friend to be this cynical. Her wings tucked tightly against her head as guilt stabbed her heart.

"No...it's fine...." Renee hesitated before turning her body to face Lydia and leaned in a bit. A frown filled with concern showed on her face. "...Lydia, are you sure you're okay? You know you can tell me anything, right? I mean tell you everything. You just have to ask..." She wanted to know what's up with Lydia.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia frowned as Renee seemed to change her mind, her gaze looking to her friend and her brow furrowing as Renee leaned nearer to her, she nodded very slightly and her frown deepened for a moment before she looked down at her hands again, "you don't really have the answers for me," she pursed her lips a moment before putting on a relatively cheerful face and looking back to Renee, "it's okay though, I'll find them."

Her eyes then grew wide as it seemed realization set int and she couldn't help but laugh, "oh geez Renee... I'm sorry... really, I'm not mad at you, if anything, I'm worried about you," her expression had relaxed despite the fact that she was obviously still bothered about something and she collected Renee's hand in hers, "you remember what you told me yesterday and what I said at the party?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"You're worried about me?" Renee didn't relax yet as Lydia collected her hand and held it. The Pendragon teen squeezed her hand lightly as she tries to remember and not blush in giddy from the good memory that popped up. Then she nodded.

"You...You mean about how I think Hisaya was looking for me and being careful around Seifer because of his...nature?" She whispered as she's too cautious of anybody outside of the group hearing the information. Renee tilted her head a bit as an eyebrow raised up.

"Somewhat, yes...why?" Renee asked.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

She nodded, giving Renee a halting look as if silently telling her that she didn't actually need to say anything and squeezed her hands back a little, "of course I am... for those very reasons," she huffed slightly and shook her head before smiling in a somewhat knowing manner, "we happen to know someone that can tell us what we need to know... don't you want to know? To be sure?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee thought about it as she looked down at their hands, her wings loosened up. Then her eyes looked back up to Lydia. "...Yea...I do. Want to know, I mean..." Then she remembered something and looked a bit alarmed.

"Oh! I found out why Ken-chan didn't tell the Order about 'nomnomnom' and it...it terrifies me that people would do that to others..." Then her orange eyes steeled over and anyone could see the semblance between her and her older brother.

"What's worse...I think Hisaya might have studied the 'nommies' before being a 'nomnomnom'." Renee theorized. "I mean...I'll talk more over at the Altair but yea...it's really bad." She's using funny words to signify certain things. 'nomnomnom' meaning Deathknights; 'nommies' meaning philosopher stone. The Pendragon teen is gonna make more code names for the terms.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Master Warship, Atelier-
​

She smiled, nodding slightly as Renee agreed that she wanted to know and she leaned back in mild surprise to Renee's changed expression. She listened to Renee as she spoke, changing up words and attempting to read between the lines and it was much easier just blocking out Renee's word substitutes to figure out what she was talking about so in the end Lydia looked at Renee like she was only halfway deranged but she did understand her meaning.

Laughing and shaking her head she moved her hand from Renee's and gave her a few quick pats, "yeah... let's wait... I'm sure he can tell us what we want to know," Lydia didn't want to make it a habit of directly talking about any of this stuff because she had decided it was easier to insinuate about it all the time if she never said anything about it directly.

* * * *
​

Once they were back on the warship, they went straight to the atelier. Lydia almost asked Chenglei to stay outside but in the end she felt comfortable enough letting him come in with them and still locked the door as she had previously. She immediately went to Hisaya where he sat in his basket on the warded table and along with Renee began asking an assortment of questions including, why he had been after Renee exactly, if he knew what the darkness was that was after her, how the dragon's soul would effect Seifer, and what abilities the dragon's soul gave him even when it was dormant and not in total control.

Katsuya Zer0

 

[Katsuya]

Renee finally smiled when she got Lydia to laugh, figuring it's the words she's using. Yep, she's keeping these terms for coding.

Though she didn't mind the witch's 'why are you slightly insane' look at her as she was used to people looking at her like that at school. It wasn't the first time that she would say or do things that make people look at her like she was strange.

Then again, she's surrounded by brothers and a little sister who are slightly insane as well...So...it's no wonder.

***

Once they got in the Altair with Chenglei, Renee followed Lydia to the table where Hisaya is sitting in on the basket. Listening and asking if the Order were the ones who gave him Libris book to study before being a Deathknight himself. If not, then what was the secret project he was studying on. She had to ask because in the letter his wife made, she mentioned how he's doing a secret project.

The winged teen wondered if the Order already were planning on experimenting on other living beings and were willing to sacrifice innocent people. "Hisaya, please let us know why."

If her theory is right...then something's really wrong here...and it starts with the Order...Renee prayed that she's wrong.

Roleplay Skittle Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Closet. with Chenglei. "​

James was absolutely furious, banging on the closet door and calling Lydia to open it immediately, before he yelped and a whole lot of thudding, slamming, banging against wood, and frantic shaking of the door knob ensued.

"@#$%, my wand!" cursed James voice. "Chenglei, stop, I dropped my wand," he panted, "it-it could get --- @#$%!" there was a scuffle, then a loud thud as if two heavy sacks of potatoes fell. " Chenglei! CH-CHENGLEI " the wood creaked endlessly .

It went on like that for a long time. Thudding, scuffling, and creaking from within the closet, punctuated by Chenglei's teasing and flirting, and James curses and repetitive admonitions that he didn't bat for the same team and that there was already somebody he liked, " --- though I'm going to have her squeaking when I get out!", until almost an hour and a half later the struggling stopped.

That's when Minnie opened the closet to see a sweaty, panting James pinned against the wall, gritting his teeth, and craning his neck away as far as it could go, while glaring daggers at an amused and ever cheerful Chenglei who had a finger under his jaw, and lumps on his forehead and a head butt bruise identical to one on James'.

The Oriental man's clothes were askew, a sleeve torn, crumpled, and some buttons had come off. The two were wrapped in fallen linen while all around it looked like a tornado had ravaged the closet.

The door was closed again.

"No, Minnie!" gasped James desperately. "No! Minnie, open the door! NoOoOoO!"

​

- Atelier -
" Dalaran, Air Docks, Master Warship "​

The red crystal was silent for a moment. "I wasn't after Renee, I was after the princess and the archer boy. I don't know of any other darkness coming, only that my master desires the essence of the four last stars."

If memory served right, Renee read that only three living manna trees remained, the last of the seven stars that came down and became manna trees to maintain peace and prevent the portals from the Rift War from reopening here in the realm of Midgard. The rest of the manna trees had already died centuries ago.

Hisaya didn't know what abilities Seifer would have, it was something to discover just like he did when he was reborn. The crystal heart was not dormant, it was always vying for control, but it maneuvers in a way that seems it does not exist so that it can go on undetected.

"Has he had a recurring dream? I know I do. The same one. Sometimes I can't even tell if I'm dreaming right now or not."


Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

OOC || Characters || Interest Check
​

 

[Katsuya]

Renee sighed, thanking that she was wrong for once about being chased, but then that begs the question: Why did he need to get Princess Mia? Or even look into her memories? She asked the crystal, rather curious about it. Then she raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Wait-! Four? I thought it was three Manna trees left...What?" That can't be right...unless they were counting Sunny too, but still...that's odd...Where's the supposed fourth star?

When she heard the question about Seifer's dreams, Renee described it to Hisaya, how he was running about in his home and hiding from something that's chasing him. "He heard my voice too, for months he says. Hisaya, were you calling out to someone too? Is that a newborn Deathknight thing, to call out for someone?"

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Hisaya's first answer made sense. The whole goal was the princess, they were trying to get her to safety and the fact that he was after Seifer also made sense since he was going to turn him into Pride. Lydia stayed silent, her hand raised, one finger curled across her lower lip and her brow furrowed as she stood pensively beside Hisaya and Renee.

The next bit about the stars, she wasn't sure about and looked to Renee to see if she understood. Her gaze drifted back to Hisaya, her hand lowered so her arms were just crossed. Again her gaze drifted over to Renee on the last bit. That made her more worried and she wondered what Renee would think about it. The fact that it maneuvered in ways to make it seem like it didn't exist. Lydia bit the tip of her thumb, her brow furrowing as Renee questioned about Seifer's dream and her gaze shifting back to Hisaya.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Atelier -
" Dalaran, Air Docks, Master Warship "​

"We don't know. Only that the dead manna tree in the Orients bore a fruit ten years ago that a thief stole in the night. That thief has been lying dead in a prison graveyard for three years now, too rotten to bring back and his soul had already moved on." said Hisaya. "We tracked all his relatives, all the children he adopted to find out what he did to the fruit, but none of them knew. There was one child, dead for all we know, who went missing after he died. A girl, she'd be ten years old by now, but she was too young to have known about the fruit."

"Princess Mia was to be our pawn together with the Duke of Marchester who's already been bought to our side. I needed to look into your memories because I heard your brother speak about what happened in Paroosia while he was apologizing to you in the coliseum's medical ward. Is Bertrand still alive? Greed was sent after him."

When Renee told him about Seifer's dreams, he said, "Ahh, yes it has begun. Of course he would call, anyone would, at least he heard you. I never heard anyone. I thought I did, but I know it's not my wife and my child speaking to me right now. You sound just like them, only that I see you are not them. I've been seeing better ever since you rescued my soul from the book. That small fragment is all that is left of my soul. The rest in this crystal has already gone . . . I know I'm not myself, but I cannot see it. I know I sound like me, but I'm sure I'm not me. I cannot be. Because I shouldn't be this calm, I think? Shouldn't I be more loyal to my master? I cannot even remember why he said I could tell you."

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

Well...that's a lot of information to swallow. So there's a fourth (Or third, she winced at the memory) Manna tree, which is a fruit and is possibly with a ten years old little girl...

Wait...

Wasn't Rhea ten years old this year? 'Let's not overthink things here. It can't be Rhea, the coincidence is too weird and that would mean my family had a Manna tree fruit in the castle this whole time, which can't be possible...right?' Renee thought, frowning as she wanted to write it down so she wouldn't forget. 'Then again I hear trees talking so...anything can happen...If it is her, how did she hide it?!'

It could explain why Rhea went missing; She could be hiding again...but there's no proof, only words, wishes and possibly hope for her little sister to be alive and well. For now, Renee would only think about it as she didn't know if her brothers would believe or even attempt to see her side...it's too out there...Rhea couldn't have the Manna fruit. There's no way she has the Manna fruit...or maybe she does and ate it?

It makes sense that Hisaya wanted to take Princess Mia now, being that the Duke of Marchester is already on their side, which isn't good...politics isn't something Renee understands very well, but even she gets that is someone in power is somehow corrupted then...the country is doomed. She should probably warn Ken-chan about that and about Greed looking for Master Bertrand in her notes that she's bringing him so he could read it quietly...

Talking about politics, wasn't she suppose to hear from Madam Suliman soon? How is she going to talk with her? 'Blooming hell, I'm really starting to hate the vagueness of people in power.' Renee thought bitterly.

Then when the subject turned to Seifer's dreams, Renee could feel her heart breaking from Hisaya's confused and lost tone. Goodness...that's really sad to lose parts of yourself and be the only small piece left on the world. At least his dream is getting better somewhat.

"...Hisaya, maybe this a side of you that you didn't know you have even when you were a living person." Renee suggested lightly, her wings fluttered in her hope. "Like this is the side of you without having so much anger...It's okay to be confused about that. It's still you just without anger. People can grow out of bad thing or situations and I guess even souls in stones can grow too."

It's sort of like how Seifer changed so much these last few days...Wait-! Didn't Seifer say something about not apologizing so much to a single person before in two years? It's not a common thing for the archer and yet, he did it to her. Hold on a minute-! Hisaya, the person with the title of 'Wrath' is not so angry anymore and has better dreams. Seifer, as the Deathknight called 'Pride' is not so...prideful or at least the toxic prideful. It's like he became humbled by this whole thing...

Hold a blooming tick-!

"...Lydia, I think I have to ask Seifer if he is still dreaming that nightmare he woke up from." Renee told the little witch before blinking widely at the last part Hisaya added.

What? WHAT?! What did he mean 'I cannot even remember why he said I could tell you'?? Huh?!

"...Your master didn't care if you told us about this?...That's really strange, Hisaya..." Renee told the soul in the stone, her wings now fluttered nervously. That's not good. That blooming dragon was leagues ahead of planning a way out to safety when it comes to information. Like he knew that the Deathknights would be defeated or something and made sure that they wouldn't know anymore once their souls weren't so volatile ...

That's another thing. Renee believes that the Deathknight called Greed might be another member of the Order. Master Bertrand mentioned something about two souls from the wizards under the tree were taken. Then there's a huge chance that Greed might be from the Order...and then...those ravens. They were the same ravens as the ones by the window and they were looking at Sunny really funny and...OH-!

"Um...I think I'm overthinking things again...I mean there's no way that those two ravens are spies for Greed and is watching over Master Bertrand for Greed on purpose, right? Please tell me that I'm just a bit insane and I should stop myself now..." Renee muttered to herself before asking again.

"Hisaya, is...is Greed a member from the Order too? Like you were? Do you remember what his real name is?"

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Panzer]

Hunde Oppenshire
​

Given the choice between A grand adventure of discovery and combat or a boring life, Hunde chose the obvious choice. Of course ,he hesitated at first.He knew he would stay and continue his training with them. Weither he liked it or not.

Despite his embarrassing start, Hunde still dominated the melee factor out of the group. Sparring with other soldiers that did not have magical powers proved to be tbe easiest for Hunde. The matches would most likely come out in favor of Hunde, while a few were due to careless mistakes or failures during his battle. Yet, Hunde was always stumped by the magic wielders.
Any magic attack would just decimate Hunde. The faceless man seemed at the mercy of the power using warlock in most duels.

Physical training was okay, at best. Hunde's heavy armor and his refusal to work with the other groups did more harm than good. He also refused to take it off in order to change into lighter clothes. This resulted in multiple occasions where he nearly passed out by the end.

It was safe to say, Hunde's training did improve his fighting. He even learned new tricks to decimate his enemies in a timely manner. He was improving at least...

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Trinity Spire, Night time "​

"No, he wasn't there when I was born, he was made before me." said Hisaya. "After I woke up, I did not remember who I was for a while, only that I am Wrath and my master's bidding is my life. I was put immediately to work, perfecting my research in achieving immortality starting with the perfect vessel for my master's soul. Something is imperfect in me, you see . . . The archer boy . . . can I see him? I want to know if I achieved my goal, though you had interrupted me and the sealing process wasn't completed. I was to do it the day you destroyed my body, but the princess had to come first . . ."

* * * *​

Meanwhile, in the Trinity Spire, Seifer had enough of being cooped indoors and bored out of his wits. He sneaked down to the training grounds after leaving a note in his room for his mother telling her where he went, and made his way to the western courtyard where he was now shooting arrows at magically floating targets.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee listened and was hesitant at first. She didn't know how Seifer will react to Hisaya or how he will take the news but...he needs to know too. The Pendragon teen nodded and left the Altair, telling Lydia and Chenglei that she will be right back.

Besides she needs to think about this...

After getting off the carriage and knocking in an empty bedroom, Renee searched around for the archer. It took a while but she found him by the training ground. Her wings fluttered happily as she watched him train for a minute and then she walked up to him, making sure that she doesn't get in his space.

"Seifer?"

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Trinity Spire, Night time "​

"Yes, that is my name." Seifer turned to look at her. "Renee." he smiled, and looked around him to see if someone was watching, before leaning sideways and presenting a puffed cheek to her.

Katsuya

- Soldier's Quarters -
" Trinity Spire "​

Hunde was assigned sleeping quarters with the Orientals who slept in red tents in the western grounds of trinity spire. It was night time now and all around pots were steaming under campfires as they cooked noodles and made tea. He was once again under the squad commanded by Chenglei Zhou who was out guarding the same kids as before.

Hunde wasn't on guard --- babysitting --- duty, rather he was just like the other soldiers, here to train and then tested in one week's time for the mission.

One would notice one of those same kids and another white haired boy who was new in the archery range in the Western Courtyard.

Katsuya Panzer

 

[Katsuya]

Smiling and giggling, Renee looked around too before tiptoeing up to peck his puffed up cheek. Her wings fluttering as she leaned away blushing pink.

"Hi sweetie, can you come with me? It's... It's really important." Renee looked up at him with a worried glint in her eyes. Wings tucked against her head.

"Please?"

Roleplay Skittle Panzer Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

She listened silently to everything that Hisaya was saying, paying close attention to the names of the people that they most assuredly couldn't trust and came to the conclusion that they needed to tell the others about the Duke of Marchester and everyone already knew about Master Bertrand. Her hand was pinching her chin gently and her brow remained furrowed as she looked down at the table while not actually looking at anything on it as she thought.

She considered everything he said in relation to himself and the dragon and her hands went to her arms, hugging herself slightly as she looked to Renee. Was she really thinking about all of this in relation to Seifer? It just made her more worried about her and Seifer since evidently he may not be the one influencing his actions. Hisaya had said that the stone maneuvers in a way so it remains undetected... perhaps that is why Hisaya is calm, people aren't normally so angry all of the time. Lydia looked at the stone suspiciously. Seifer is normally more prideful than most... and now he's not acting prideful. He's acting more like an average person. She grimaced slightly, again looking to Renee.

She didn't seem to be processing this information the same as Lydia was and she wondered if Renee would even take what she said to heart because she didn't seem to care when Lydia had warned her at the party. She snickered to herself and shook her head, the Pendragons didn't realize how alike they actually were. When Renee said she needed to talk to Seifer, Lydia nodded and said she would go with her, but when they finally left, instead of actually going with Renee, Lydia went to find James, despite the fact that he was likely still mad about the prank.

She tried his room first since he obviously wasn't in the closet with Chenglei still. Bracing herself for the rage she was likely about to receive after having abandoned him, before she knocked on the door.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Trinity Spire, Night time "​

"What's wrong?" said Seifer, frowning, and followed Renee to where she wanted to go, bringing the bow he took and a quiver of arrows.

Katsuya

​

- James Pendragon -
" Trinity Spire, Night time "​

There was no answer, if Lydia would check inside she'd find that James' room was empty. A little check around the others' rooms would reveal that Johnny's was empty too, though his day things were there. Voices came out from the twins' room and here Lydia would find Johnny, and the Pendragon brothers in their pajamas looking like they had recently taken a bath.

James, Seth and Johnny were on the floor talking about something serious while Renee's fake letter lay in between them. She only caught a glimpse of this though, for the person who opened the door was Sen and when he saw that it was Lydia he immediately shut the door in panic.

"Who was that?" said Johnny's voice.

"Er, just a servant here to clean. Told him we didn't it." said Sen.

Roleplay Skittle

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

She opened her mouth to speak when the door opened only to have it shut again in her face. She frowned and her bro furrowed deeply before she got a defiant look on her face and knocked on the door with more urgency, "James!" she shouted through the door, "don't act so skittish you guys."

She couldn't help but start laughing at the thought that they were probably plotting against herself and the girls and while she still felt bad about James' prank because it was definitely the worst of the three, she giggled in spite of herself, wiping her eye with one finger as a tear formed, "you can plot later, I need to talk to James!"

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee sighed, placing a hand over where his heart would be, feeling it pulsate a bit. "It's about your heart condition. Come on, I'll explain on the way."

She lead Seifer to where the carriages are and wondered where Lydia is before thinking that she might have gone back by now with James.

While on the ride to the warship, Renee told Seifer everything she heard from Hisaya but making sure she replaced some of the words with something silly and nonsensical.

"Are you still having that nightmare? The one you had before waking up?" Renee asked quietly as she gazed into his stormy gray eyes, pensive and worried for his wellbeing.

Roleplay Skittle Zer0