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

[Zer0]

- James Pendragon -
" Mess Hall, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

"Your sister's wrong. No, your attentions appall me, and we're not brothers." said James chopping the air at every end of the sentence, as he got the shivers. "Didn't you have any guy friends or were they all . . . like you?"

​

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Bedroom, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

"But I'm me." reasoned Seifer, though doubt and fear was starting to creep into his eyes. "I'm me . . . I don't feel different . . ."

But he could not explain how they survived. He slumped on the bed, a foreboding sense of doom on his features. He looked like a man about to face his executioner. "Then, look for me again!" he said, desperately taking Renee's hand and putting it over the red crystal heart. "Just-just find me and the chest!"

Katsuya
OOC || Characters || Moments in Time
​

 

[Katsuya]

Chenglei chuckled a bit while shaking his head. "Still going to call you little brother Jams." Then his smile turned into a small frown. "No. I didn't have any guy friends. I was surrounded by girl friends since they visited my sister while I napped after a hard day of work." His family is poor in the Orient country. When he was a teenager, around 13 years old, Chenglei would look for jobs that can pay any amount of money. He was desperate as his neighborhood wasn't safe and they needed water and bread. Which is why he will always be loyal to Prince Kenren...

The blond looked at James with a serious smile, his eyes showed the hardships he had to go through. "At the time, I didn't care about having friends at all as I wanted to care for our grandmother and my sister who was too young to even have a job. Now my family is supported thanks to the Prince..."

***

"I know you're you, sweetheart. Shh...calm down..."

Renee placed her forehead against his as she cupped his cheek again, rubbing with her thumb in comfort. "I know it's scary, Seifer. I'm scared about this too but I promise." she said as her bandaged wings flapped lightly and wrapped themselves around his head as a hug. Her eyes still teary but she wouldn't let them fall. She needed to be strong for Seifer's sake.

"I vow that I will take all your hits until the dragon is out of you. I promise to find the Inner you, sweetheart." Is what she told him, her tone is gently but firm and serious. She's not taking this lightly, but she didn't want him to freak out as it will be harder to go in if he does have panic attack.

"Now sweetheart, breathe. Calm down and I'll go in, okay?" Renee kissed his nose before using her spell, her wings didn't unravel as she wanted him to feel secure as possible. Once he could calm down as best as he can, the Pendragon teen went in and tried again, searching for her sweetie's inner him and his heart.

Zer0

 

[Aio]

Wé Calarook
​

After receiving the letter informing her oh her siblings endeavors, Wé set out on an unexpected adventure as she searched for them. She should have been concerned with her father missing, although her father always disappeared only to return when it was easiest for him. Even with the use of the radio and newspaper coverage of her siblings, Wé always found herself one step behind them.

From cities to rolling hills Wé found her hopes of finding her siblings slipping. She questioned her need to find them as she had not seen them in some time, only speaking to her mother through letters every now and then. Wé made no attempt to reach out to her siblings, assuming they never tried to reach out to her.

For Wé it was far too late to change her mind and make her way back home. Sitting on top of a large piece of drift wood, Wé held a large woven basket on her lap. Inside held a change of clothes and sitting on top of her clothes were her beloved puppets. All starring up at her with their blank expressions as she lifted off the baskets lid to look inside. “Are you all okay?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper, watching their heads bob up and down simultaneously. Of course they were only puppets and therefore were unable to feel pain or anything for that matter. None the less Wé accepted their nods before closing the lid, placing her hand on top so that it would be sealed.

She looked up at the sky, squinting her eyes at the sun. She was unsure of how long she has been adrift, although she was starting to feel the effects of it. From her latest travels Wé found herself aboard a boat. Just missing her siblings near the city of Holt, the last she has heard they were headed the city of Dalaran. Boarding the boat in hopes to meet them there, although she soon realized boarding the ship was a grave mistake.

The boats captain was very kind to allow her to board, as she only had a handful of change left from her travels. It had been smooth sailing for the most part, and Wé was hopeful of arriving just in time to see them. On the third day of her travels there was a terrible storm. The oceans waves taller than Wé had ever seen before. They sky dark as night, and when she was thrown into the ocean she was unsure which way was up and which way was down. By some miracle she had survived, taking refuge on a piece of drift wood from the boat. She like to believe the captain in the ship was in the same position as her, although one could never be sure.

Now sitting on the drift wood Wé was unsure on how she would bounce back from such a disaster. She had to be far from any kind of land. Sighing she stood up, steadying herself as the wood rocked under her weight. Squinting her eyes as she attempted to find any sign of land. Her puppets climbed out of their basket, walking around the small space. Some went for the water, while others gathered around Wé. She paid no attention to the, squinting harder at the horizon as if land would magically appear the harder she squint.

 

[Zer0]

- Airship Fleet -
" Shoflo Ocean "​

In the distant horizon, black spots appeared in the sky.

As they came close Wé could make out a fleet of warships heading straight her way, their hulls glinting in the hot morning sun, sails billowing, and atop their masts, the grand waving flags of different countries.

At the helm was a gargantuan oriental warship with the great golden figurehead of a dragon lion at its front. It was big enough to hold an imperial palace. Flanking it were smaller attack airships surrounded by squads of gryphon riders practicing formations and flying drills in the sky.

Aio

- James Pendragon -
" Mess Hall, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

"You're silly." chuckled James, finishing the last of his potatoes. He looked at Chenglei as if he was strange. "You should've made friends who could help you instead of doing things by yourself. It'd make work more enjoyable too."

For some reason hearing his past made him feel guilty for ordering the swordsman around. "Forget about the coffee, cold drink and the hot bath after training," said James pouring himself a glass of wintermelon juice from a jug, "just keep an eye on Seifer for the rest of the bet." After he drank, he left the mess hall and made his way to the training grounds with the rest of the soldiers to go on their usual morning run through the obstacle course.

As he passed by Kenren he bowed in greeting at him, feeling more respectful towards the prince after hearing how he helped Chenglei. Come to think about it, he hadn't thanked him for his hospitality and all that he's done for them. Coming up with an idea, he about-faced and strode back to Chenglei.

"Say, Chenglei, I want to thank Prince Kenren properly, with all honor, for everything he's done for us. How would I do that according to your customs and language?"

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Bedroom, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

It was the same as last time, Renee could not find Seifer's inner self, nor the chest. The mansion was eerily silent and not a sound could be heard except for the echoing of Renee's footsteps in the empty hallways.

The dragon's soul seemed to be a patient, cunning one, that understood the value of hiding and not presenting a target. It was just like Hisaya said: it liked staying in the shadows pretending it doesn't exist.

As Renee passed by the painting of Seifer's family in the hallway near the music room, she could see that him as a boy on his mother's lap had disappeared. Checking the paintings in his soul room, she'd see that images of him were beginning to fade.

Though she'd try and try again, Renee wouldn't be able to find anything at all, her perception was too low, She needed help.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Chenglei grinned warmly at James. He's glad that he somehow got the older Pendragon to laugh as he barely see him smile at all. Then he shook his head at James' next comment. "Little brother, we were in a bad area. How can I trust anyone there? I really doubt anyone would want to help a scrawny little brat like me when they have their own hide to worry about."

Then the blond leaned back in surprise when James said to just watch over Seifer instead of serving him then he frowned. "...Sure...Thank you." He didn't like it when people pitied him for his past; It's why he doesn't talk about it much, but if it gives him a break then he's not complaining. As James left, Chenglei continued with his breakfast, enjoying it alone in peace...

Only to turn around in surprise again when James came back, asking him of how to thank the prince. "Oh! Um...Here, I'll tell you how." Chenglei explained to him of how to thank the prince, smiling a bit as he decided to not be a total troll with his methods...

***

Renee returned and looked at Seifer, frowning in dread. Her eyes, normally bright, is now dull almost amber in color. "Seifer....Sweetheart....we have to ask for help....We need it. The picture frames...you're disappearing in there..." She advised him, hoping that he will understand.

"I can't find you. Maybe with the others' help, we can find Inner you and your treasure. I'm going to ask James, Johnny, and Lydia to come with me..." Renee looked at him, waiting for his permission to let her do this. Hope for him to understand the situation and brave this as well glimmered in her eyes as she gazed at him. She didn't move until he tells her 'yes'...

Zer0

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Master Warship, Atelier-
​

The morning sun was shining radiantly through the atelier windows where Lydia currently sat on the floor, her legs outstretched in front of her and all manner of different colored thread sitting in a basket between her knees. She was once again wearing black capris with little black slip on shoes with flat soles and for a top she wore a spaghetti strap tank top with a high neckline.

To one side of the little witch sat a second basket with a variety of different colored and patterned bracelets while on her other side was a partially eaten breakfast bun that had eggs, sausage, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach in it.

Lydia worked intently on yet another bracelet. She had discovered that it was a pretty good outlet for her frustrations because it made her focus and she didn't run the risk of running into any of the others like she would in the training grounds. She had made herself scarce and since there wasn't really a whole lot to study at the moment or a whole lot of work to do, it was a nice past time. She had even made some bracelets for Hisaya despite the fact that he couldn't wear them since he lacked a body. She instead just lay the bracelets around him in his basket whether or not he complained.

Of course the whole goal originally had been to make a bracelet for Chenglei as thanks for the string he gave her to tie back her hair and to thank him for having put her hair up for her, but now he had an assortment to choose from though she did make one specifically for him and actually wondered if that would be the one he chose.

She had locked the door before she had set to work so she wasn't too worried about someone bursting in without warning and so she sat with her back to the door.

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Bedroom, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

" Wait, Renee, I'm afraid of your brother, what if he's going to kill me? You remember what happened in the tournament?" said Seifer starting to breathe really fast. He was panicking. "Can't we --- can't we just, um, can you not tell your brother or Johnny?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee needed to calm him down. She cupped his cheeks and left butterfly kisses on his face as she reasoned with him. "James won't kill you, sweetheart. He might be crazy, but that's a family trait. Besides..." She smiled at him gratefully as she rubbed noses with him.

"You saved his little sister. He owes you big time and I'm going to make sure he doesn't forget about it either if he tries something stupid." Renee loves her older brother and she knows that he's a man of his word. Considering that he let her go to the Storm wall and Dalaran after losing a bet.

"Johnny saved Echo and risked his own life by sucking out poison, sweetie. He would understand why I'm asking. We need their help and it's best if they know about it too. No surprises. I'm sure if the roles were reversed and James needed help, I would ask you for help too." Renee told him as she honestly believes in her brother's response and Johnny is like a mentor figure in her eyes; Someone to go up to and ask for advice whenever she was stuck with something. So to have Johnny with James would be best.

"Please sweetheart...I don't want to surprise James. It's a dragon soul, for goodness sake and I rather have as much help as I can with this. I'm not going in without help from my brother and Johnny since they are more magically inclined than me."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer Rathmore -
" Bedroom, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

". . . You promise everything will be alright?" said Seifer, sounding like a child again. "And if it won't, you won't leave me?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

That broke her heart into little pieces.

Renee kissed him deeply as she grabbed his hand and placed it over her racing heart. He could feel how hard it is pounding against her chest as she poured in her reassurances. As she leaned away, just an inch, the winged teen made sure to keep her eyes in contact with his gray ones.

"I will never leave you." Renee told him.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Master Warship -
" Shoflo Ocean "​

Seifer clung to Renee tightly as their lips met. It was the sweetest kiss he had ever received, and it gave him courage. "Okay. Let's do this."

When James heard everything, a chill ran down his spine and settled heavily in his stomach. The dragon had taken over and he had been casually greeting Seifer down the hallway off guard for days. Renee could see the gears in his mind working swiftly, and that calmness that preceded every tough decision he made came upon his features.

"I'm going to inform Kenren." said James, and summoned his swarm of bees. "I'll meet you in the atelier, Renee."

Meanwhile, slug-Johnny arose from his lethargy and stared blankly at Renee. "What? Right now? . . . So it's come to this . . . Okay, but I have to talk to Echo first. I'll meet you in the atelier!"

With that he sprang out of bed to look for his dear Echo Mello.

Once everyone concerned was in the Atelier (Seifer of course remained in his room), Kenren agreed to Renee's plan saying that she knew him well, so she'd know what's best, but they were to do it on another ship: far, far, far away from the rest of the fleet.

Johnny and James told Echo and Serena that since they weren't included, they should also stay on the fleet, far from danger.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee gave Seifer a loving smile and kissed him again, telling him that he's really brave for this. Then she went off looking for her brother and Johnny.

She can tell that her brother is thinking hard about this and she was glad that he's going to inform the Prince too like how she wanted to as well. It's better that he knows; she didn't want any innocent casualties for this. Renee sighed in relief and told James that she wants Seifer to trust him too.

"So...please don't prove me wrong in this." She pleaded quietly before going to look for Johnny. James could hear how desperate she was with wanting Seifer to trust on others around her like she wanted him to believe that there are more good people on this realm too. Maybe it's because she visited his soul so much that she understood how lonely he is?

Once she found Johnny, all slug-like, Renee apologized over and over again for disturbing his...mourning? Then she thanked him for the help. "Okay! I'm gonna find Lydia too." Off she went to find the witch only to see the door to the atelier locked and knocked hesitatenly. And ta-da~ Lydia is already in there. After explaining, she went inside and waited awkwardly, fidgeting with her feet as the silence was killing her a bit. It is a heavy silence for Renee, enough to choke down whatever mutterings she would normally let out whenever she's anxious or scared.

Echo and Serena looked worried while Chenglei seemed serious on the matter.

"Johnny? Are you sure you don't us to come along?" Echo asked as she walked over to her boyfriend, frowning for his mental health. He's still depressed after all!

"...I'll watch over the Atelier and keep an eye out just in case, James." Serena said with Chenglei nodding. "I'll keep her company." It's best to be safe than sorry.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Master Warship -
" Shoflo Ocean "
​

"I am sure, Echo." said Johnny, holding her hand and bumping hips with her gently. "Your self-defense against magic is zilch, love."

James nodded at Serena and Chenglei, then he turned to his sister. "Alright, now, what's the plan, Renee? Me and Johnny won't be able to use our wands in his soul, how do we go about looking for Seifer's inner self and that treasure chest of his?

Katsuya

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia perked slightly when someone knocked on the atelier door and when she recognized that it was Renee, she frowned. She just couldn't believe how thoughtless Renee had been considering Seifer's state. Sometimes Lydia wondered if she was the only one that was constantly aware of Seifer not being wholly Seifer.

When Renee informed her of the circumstances, she only shook her head sadly. This was the thing that she had been constantly aware of, constantly afraid of. It was why she had tiptoed so carefully around Seifer and didn't want him to be upset by anything. She didn't say anything, only opened the door to the atelier so that Renee could step in and left it open for when the others arrived.

She then lifted her bracelets and threads and set them aside, deciding to finish her breakfast bun before they had to leave the warship. She then proceeded to ask Renee various questions about soul rooms and what she should expect. She also asked about bringing things into the soul room and whether or not they could interact with things once inside. It was much easier to talk to Renee at this moment when it was about something serious than to just casually chat with her and so it somewhat put her at ease. Of course Lydia wondered how magic would work inside and she was curious how it would affect her own soul as well as the others should things not go exactly as planned.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Aio]

Wé Calarook​

At first there was a small glint of light reflecting off of metal in the horizon that had caught Wé’s eye, and then with in a blink there was a fleet of metal aircrafts littering the horizon. At first Wé stood there, staring at the distance, not yet processing what the fleet of ships meant for her survival. “A ship…a ship! Sweet cedar chips it’s a ship!” Wé started to jump up and down as they started to come closer. She knew there was a chance that the others on the ship were hostil although that was a chance she was willing to take. She jumped up and down, flailing her arms as to try and catch the ships attention. Her puppet’s joined in her jumping, rocking the drift wood beneath their feet.

Wé's voice was starting to go hoarse from the amount of screaming. None the less she screamed everything imaginable, from curses to pleading for help Wé had done it all. Hoping that either would catch the attention of anyone on the ship looking below at the water. She knew she most likely looked like a lunatic although she didn't care so long as someone noticed.

“Hey! Down here! Please!” Wé yelled desperately, trying everything in her power to be noticed. She thought to throw something, although with the assumed height the ship was at she knew there was no chance in her hitting it. Plus there was the question on what she would throw, the only thing of substantial weight being her puppets. As if she would ever put her beloved wooden puppets in any sort of danger. So there she stood waving her arms and screaming at the ship, just for the small chance someone was looking down at the ocean.

Soon the fleet was overhead, looking up Wé squinted to see the belly of the metal ship. She waved her arms as she yelled although they were unnoticed as she ship groaned to a stop. "Yes! Yes! I'm here!" She jumped with her hands held high, hoping they were stopping for her. She grew silent as the ship lowered, a door slid open. "Get in get in." She whispered to her puppets, ushering them back into the basket before lowering the lid. "Hello?" She called out as she made out a figure in the door way.

Everything happened so quickly that Wé was unable to process what was going on until the doors were closed behind her. After a few moments she remember what she was here for. "Do you know the Pendragon's? I...I am looking for them." She finally spat out, gripping her basket as she looked at those who surrounded her. Those that surrounded her looked at each other before turning back to look at Wé. "Your name?" The asked, making it all to obvious that they were skeptical of her. "Wé Cala...I mean Pendragon. Wé Pendragon." She assumed her siblings did not know of her name change so she reluctantly gave them her true name. They nodded before sighing, turning around as they usher her to follow.


Zer0 Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Urazek]

'Ah yes, someone to help,' thought Aodh. He picked up his stuff and turned to the woman. "If you could direct me, I am looking for the rooms for the new arrivals. I have no clue where I am supposed to go. I got distracted by the ship. My bad."

Aodh looked sheepishly at the ground. He usually prided himself in his sense of direction, but for once, he was left completely stranded. Aodh followed the woman to the rooms, and thanked her. Stepping in one of the unclaimed rooms, Aodh plopped his wagon in a corner. "My name is Aodh, by the way. I am a new archaeologist on the expedition."

Having dropped his stuff off, Aodh started to search the rooms around the castle. He was pretty lost, but he didn't care, as he was enjoying himself immensely. He eventually stumbled across a room called the atelier. Stepping inside, Aodh saw that it was essentially a lab or research center of some kind. It took a lot of self control to not sprint around the room and completely analyse everything. Instead he casually walked around, very careful with whatever he touched, as he didn't want to mess up anyone's experiment. Once his curiosity was satisfied, Aodh headed back to his room, decided on finding the spell for Levitas that he promised the week before.

 

[Katsuya]

Echo, still worried about this whole thing, nodded and kisses him, wishing him luck. "Alright..."

Renee looked at James with a small frown. Her bandaged wings fluttered a bit. "The plan is to go in and get a feel for it's presence. Like how Seth can feel a curse or an enchanted item or like Johnny's weird sixth sense of girls being nearby. You have to really believe that you can do it though." She deadpanned at the end as she remembers Seifer struggling to build a wall up for his last room.

"Don't start thinking that it's simple either. I mean you REALLY have to believe in yourself to feel a tug. A warning. A guide. Something that's nagging you to believe it's there and is showing you the way. Seifer had a hard time on building a mental wall because he lost his self-confidence this past few weeks and I was helping him build it up with words." Among other actions that she knows her brother will freak out about. No way she's telling him that. Nope.

"Be careful when you do use your imagination. Once you start believing a candle will bite you, then that candle with produce a mouth and bite you. So don't go crazy with it."

Whatever questions Lydia has for her, she answered as much as she could, wings folded tightly against her head. Her tone of voice was a bit dead as she didn't know how to react to Lydia when she's like this. Renee knew she's angry with her, with the way she stayed quiet and avoiding her like the plague. The Pendragon teen didn't know how to respond back without hiding behind a wall and stutter a mess or being flustered like the time at the carriage ride to the atelier back at Dalaran. So...dead sounding voice comes out instead...

'Augh...I'm sorry, Lydia.' She thought anxiously as she didn't mean to sound like that. Once she informed everyone who's coming, the small group picked up Seifer and went to find a ship to fly far away with. Renee made sure to comfort Seifer as much as she could without making anyone uncomfortable, only touching his hands and cheeks while giving kisses when no one was looking. He's being brave for trusting her brother and Johnny and Lydia in this, so they have to be careful.

"Ready, Sweetheart?" Renee asked him quietly. The group was far away from the main ship. She muttered her spell, the water-like essence shimmered light beautifully as she extended around the others looking like open wings but with droplets at the edges instead of feathers. The Pendragon sister looked over at her friends and brother, a set straight line on her lips and half lidded look appeared on her face as she seriously wondered if this is really a good idea to do...but it's a risk she has to take. Better to face this now then later...

"Grab onto it and you'll be able to go in. Just remember that it'll feel like you're being sucked in a tunnel." She warned them before hand and turned back to Seifer with a small but loving smile. Renee leaned in to press her forehead on his and once the archer told her that he's ready, she touched his chest and they went in.

"You see how Seifer in here is fading? That's the dragon absorbing him." was the first thing they hear as she stood in front of the picture frame of his family while everyone got a hold of themselves. She wasn't looking at them for awhile as she just stared at the picture. Then Renee turned around, suddenly holding a golden key in her hand to show them before making it disappear in front of their eyes. She wasn't smiling. She wasn't playing around. "See? You have to believe in yourself to work well in here. So practice now before we start walking."

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

***

​

-The day before-
-Serena Lock-​

Serena giggled at the Penguin and helped him by showing him around. Starting with their rooms. "This should be your room, next to James and Lydia's rooms. My room is over there." She pointed at a door that was covered in marker drawn music notes dancing around from a floating violin. Next door is with antlers on the top part with potted plants hanging from them and next door is an artist's easel with a canvas on it and paints with paint brushes on a table.

Renee had drawn those markings; they were washable, just got to clean it with water, but so far no one has done that. Not even the staff in Kenren's ship.

She did the same with everyone's doors: James had an owl perched on a branch that's sticking out from the side, eyes wide and looking cute while tilting it's head. Lydia has piles of books on the bottom part of the door with a glasses wearing cat reading a book. Where Seth, one of the twin Pendragon siblings, stayed at was a bunch of knives and ninja stars striking a wooden plank that's hanging on a rope. Johnny's door has sheep grazing with a shepherd's stick that's curved at the top leaning against a rock. For Seifer's, a bunch of record disks all piled in one area with a phonograph playing by itself and a rabbit dancing happily.

"You can tell who's room it is with the drawings. Renee had too much fun doing these." Serena explained, really amused by these drawings. "I'm sure she's going to do the same with your door too. Just let her know if you want to or not." When Aodh introduced himself, Serena curtsied back.

"My name is Serena and I'm a violinist for Princess Mia of house Montague. It's a pleasure to meet you." Then she left him alone, saying that she hopes he'll enjoy himself here and to be careful with the atelier. Some of the items in there are very...unpredictable.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle Urazek Aio

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer's Soul -​

Renee, Lydia, James, and Johnny found themselves in the eerie, dilapidated remains of a mansion. It was either morning or afternoon, one could not tell. The sunlight shining through the rotten windows were so bright that it was impossible to make what was outside, yet each and everyone of them felt that if they ventured out the door, they would never be able to find their way back.

"This is Seifer's soul?" said Johnny looking around, "Thought it'd be cleaner and vain."

"Are you doing alright, Lydia?" asked James as he glanced behind them guardedly. For some reason, only the tiny but mighty witch could feel that they were being watched by many things unseen outside the windows.

Johnny had no problem imagining an ensemble to protect himself as he gazed at his reflection on a shattered mirror. He thought of Echo's words, ' . . . my fluffy knight . . .', and when he blinked he found himself garbed in arcanist regalia, his curly sheep horns protruding from the sides of a Viking helm in the shape of a ram. His cloak and brigandine vest was lined with sheep wool and in his hand he held his wand. "Brilliant!" he yelled happily.

James on the other hand had problems. He wasn't a very imaginative person, he was a logical thinker. He knew none of this was real, that he wasn't really here, that he was outside sitting around Seifer with the rest, in an airship, ten miles away from the fleet, being observed by a company of Kenren's attack airships who were all wearing ear plugs, ready to secretly snipe Seifer in case he turned. He knew he didn't have his wand, so it was difficult imagining it in his hand.

Instead he grabbed a piece of wood and hefted it in his hand like a club. "Alright, I'm ready." One thing he was consoled in is that he had cast all his protective charms on them, especially the shielding spell that would anchor their souls in place.

As the four explored, they'd find out that Seifer's soul room had also rotted like the rest of the mansion. Renee, James, and Johnny sensed nothing, but Lydia thought she heard music playing underneath Seifer's bed.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

- Kenren Taisho -
" Hours earlier, Master Warship, Shoflo Ocean "​

A black bag was put over Wé's head preventing her from seeing where they were going. The oriental soldiers who picked her up were suspicious towards her to say the least. They led her blind to what sounded like a vast area full of busy soldiers in training, as they shouted out war cries in unison to the beat of war drums and the orders of their superiors.

She was led into a room where she was made to sit on a cushioned floor, before the bag was lifted from her head.

Wé found herself in what could only be described as the chambers of a king. Everything was richly decorated in silk, jade, gold, and ivory, and sitting in front of her was a man in his early twenties, garbed as richly as the room with a katana on his lap. The two seemed to be alone.

He inclined his head graciously. "Greetings, I am Kenren Taisho, commander of this fleet. Apologies for the bag, Wé Pendragon, we had to take precautions towards a stranger. Who are you, may I ask?"

Aio

- Lady & Levitas -
" Bonsai courtyard, Master warship, Shoflo ocean "​

Lady and Levitas were settling comfortably in their new shelter, a giant room enchanted with frost runes that kept the white dragon in his wendigo form pleasantly cool.

No one knew he was a dragon except for Kenren, Aodh, Lydia, Echo, Chenglei, Renee, James, Serena, and Johnny. It was a secret to keep him safe from the other powerful people traveling with the fleet. For other than the Orientals, there were men from the Order of Merlin from Dalaran who would no doubt want to use Levitas for the war, and other politically powerful people who'd probably cage the white dragon to perform experiments so that they could find a way to defeat the black dragon threatening the world.

Urazek

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Lydia's hands instinctively went up to her upper arms as she grimaced at the dilapidated structure they found themselves in. She was sure that Seifer's soul shouldn't look so... disgusting, at least not when it was pure. There was no doubt in her mind that his soul shouldn't look like this, even if she hadn't ever seen a soul before.

When James spoke to her, she gave a meek smile and nodded her head. Creeped out, maybe, but she was willing to face anything they needed to. She had worked way too hard to let Seifer be taken and she wasn't about to lose him to some smelly dragon now. Though she did pause, her hands lowering from her own arms and one moving to grasp James' sleeve before she said softly, "I... I think we are being watched..." she was looking looking towards the blindingly bright windows, her eyes slightly squinted, a sudden chill causing her to shake involuntarily.

She glanced towards Johnny when he yelled, her eyes widening slightly and she gave a slight smile, though she was a bit jealous. She realized she needed to think of something as well and it was much easier to visualize things she already knew and so she thought of her armor, complete with note and feather, and all the usual gear as well as her hammer and placed that in the loop of her belt. She huffed a relieved sigh, at least she could do that much, imagining things from scratch was much too difficult.

She looked to James as he grabbed the wood and smiled, "James... you know what your wand looks like.. you've seen it a million times," she spoke gently and encouragingly. She thought he at least could do that. People see things in their dreams all the time that they see in real life and here they at least had more control than in a dream.

When they reached Seifer's room and Lydia heard the music, she stopped again, her brow furrowing and she gently placed a hand on Renee's shoulder and gestured under the bed before putting a finger to her lips to shush everyone so maybe they could hear too.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Renee sighed, her bottom eyelid twitched when her thoughts of her brother and Lydia not getting it as easily as Johnny came true.

Then she decided to just join with the entertainer and changed her outfit too. Her usual button up shirt and regular pants transformed into a long dark blue grey tunic that's slit open by her thighs down, black tights covered her bird scaled legs with leather brown boots warming her feet. A brown leather corset is around her lower torso and tied in the front while one sleeved arm is wrapped in metal silver armor on her shoulder and elbow, leather hand guard glove protected in case she has to catch an arrow. In her other arm in another leather glove but bare from the armored sleeve as she holds a light see-through bow. She even have her black ribbon around her wings, bounding them down so nothing can get them in case they flap open.

When Lydia mentioned to James about his wand, Renee grinned a bit. Of course, her brother wouldn't even think of his own wand. "You should give it a try James. Just think that your wand is here." When Lydia then mention about being watched, Renee frowned.

"I'm not surprised. It's always like that for me and Inner Seifer whenever he was building his mental wall..." She walked to where Seifer's soul room is and was devastated again as she looked into the pictures of his memories. In his private room, Renee calmly but stoically stood to where Seifer's chest used to stand on, tracing her fingers on the table, remembering the warm feeling when she touched it that one time...

She looked over when Lydia grabbed her shoulder and pointed to under his bed, telling her to stay quiet.

Renee nodded in understanding and waited...Only to hear faint music...coming from under the bed where Lydia pointed at. She took a deep breathe and looked at James and Johnny, wondering if they heard it too.

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer's Soul -

'Old can sodas, jiggywaptidoo, beats like roses, squiggledidoo . . .'​

The music was coming from an old phonograph underneath Seifer's bed. It kept on repeating the same line, the sound hitching as if the phonograph was broken and would play back from the start over and over again.

The three would notice that Lydia's eyes had become glassy, and she would not respond to anything they did.

* * * *​

Lydia was back home in her family's estate. In her family's library, with her mother's haughty cat purring in between the table legs. It was afternoon, her older brother should be arriving soon.

Katsuya Roleplay Skittle

 

[Katsuya]

Renee glared suspiciously at the old phonograph once she pulled it out and in the open. Her orange eyes glowed dimly as she listened to the repeated lyric over and over again before sighing. Yea...there's no way that's normal...for a soul room that is. There has to be a reason why it's doing that. She looked over at her brother, Johnny, and Lydia only to double take, her breathe hitched in panic when she noticed her green eyes suddenly becoming glassy.

"Lydia?" Renee asked in worry, now standing up and grabbing her shoulders. "Lydia?" She's trying to stay calm now, this is serious and can't mess up. Not now...

"Lydia? Come on, snap out of it!" She shook her a bit, then pinched her cheeks, then poked her nose. Tickled her. Clapping in front of her face. Then as a last resort, Renee slapped her cheek, seeing it turn red as a hand print appeared. The Pendragon sister waited to see if Lydia even responded to anything-!

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle

 

[Zer0]

- Seifer's Soul -
​

"Don't hit Lydia!" said James angrily, grabbing his sister's hand. He too tried to make her react by saying bluntly that her journal was on fire, but that didn't work either. She was as lifeless as a puppet. He took the phonograph and crushed it underfoot and the music stopped, but it didn't snap Lydia out of it either.

"What do we do now?" said Johnny who had his wand out and was looking around the room cautiously.

Suddenly they heard ragged footsteps coming down the hallway. Someone was breathing heavily, as if they were injured. It sounded like Seifer!

Katsuya

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

-Old can sodas, jiggywaptidoo, beats like roses, squiggledidoo...-
​

Lydia's big green eyes blinked a few times and she released a shuddering breath as she stretched her shoulders slightly, looking around the room at the stacks of books piled up haphazardly here and there. Her smooth brow furrowed after a moment as her breathing returned to normal but her heart was beating too rapidly considering she had just been sitting at the desk in the library this whole time. She couldn't help but think she was forgetting something.

It was the middle of summer and she was wearing a black dress with white polka dots that hung just to below her knees with a black, sleeveless blouse that had a collar with rounded lapels and lace edging and on her feet was a a pair of black sandals. She set her quill down and brushed her bangs from where they lay tickling her eyelashes behind the lenses of her glasses, the clock chiming the hour.

She shook her head and smiled slightly, rubbing her head just beneath her high ponytail, that nagging feeling that she was forgetting something still bothering her. With another shake of her head, she removed her glasses and set them on the desk before she rose from her chair, passing by Empress and smiling down at the feline as she exited the room.

Zer0 Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"Try being under a spell with your memories and then tell me not to slap anyone!" Renee snapped back quietly, not blaming her brother for being protective but at the same time, not wanting Lydia to be stuck in that spell. They are in an area where anything can happen including Lydia being stuck where she is and that's a chance she's not willing to take.

James can see in her eyes that she's just like him whenever he's worried: Willing to take drastic measures to save someone, including hurting them somehow. Difference is Renee is only willing to slap them, not hire a hitman!

The Pendragon sister tugged her hand away from her brother's grasp, flinching from her brother crunching on the phonograph before hearing Johnny's question. That's when Renee heard footsteps running with panting...

Renee gasped, a bit of hope and wary as she walked out of the room quickly but stopped to look at James and Johnny with a small frown. "Johnny, come with me. James...stay with Lydia and make her snap out of it! It's not safe for her to be in that state here." As she grabbed Johnny's sleeve and tugged it urgently, Renee ran off to find Seifer...

If it was him running away that is...

Zer0 Roleplay Skittle