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[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Now that her welcome wagon via land and sky have delivered Penelo to Troia, she's taking the time to look around and stock up on supplies. She's happily discovered her gil is accepted currency and determined to be ready for whatever lies ahead. Oddly, faced with the prospect of being on her own and not having to chase after Vaan, she's not entirely sure what to do with herself, aside from begin the process of finding her friends.

Thus, she's browsing the shops, buying only the bare minimum necessary, and pausing to chat with some of the locals.]

Comments

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Penelo's busy debating if she should pick up just one more potion or not. Pick up, examine, put down. Repeat. It's not that much more gil, but until she figures out how she's going to make a living now, every one counts.

When greeted she glances over and waves in return. Everyone certainly is friendly!]

Hello! I'm not in the way, am I?

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[Rydia shakes her head.]

Not at all. I'm just roaming around town while I have the time.

[The lack of recognition is apparent, which gels with what she was told earlier. Oh well, time for introductions then.]

I'm Rydia of Mist. What do you think of Troia, so far?

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

It's very nice to meet you, Rydia. I'm Penelo.

[She's starting to become used to people recognizing her, but it's rude not to introduce yourself.]

I like it very much. It reminds me of some of the places I've seen.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[She smiles at that. Troia hasn't exactly been a popular place in Gaia, lately.]

It's a town from my world, so I see it as a second home since mine hasn't crossed over. As a whole, it's usually fairly peaceful, though we don't get many visitors.

Did you see the Black Chocobo Nursery?

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[She shakes her head.]

I didn't even know there was one. There's a nursery?

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[An eager nod.]

It's in the basement of a nearby building and there isn't a sign, so not many non-locals know about it. I can show you, if you want.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Only if it's no trouble.

[The potion goes down for good this time. She has enough.]

I'm surprised it's for black chocobos. Those roam wild in Ivalice. Only yellows are raised.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[She steps outside the shop, heading for the nursery.]

We have a lot of yellow ones in my world, too. Black ones are less common and they fly...at least in the wild. It seems captivity takes that ability away.

Oh, well. They're still adorable!

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

I bet they are. I can't say I've ever seen a chocobo fly though. That's impressive.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

If we had any wild ones nearby, I'd show you. They're actually pretty tame, once you catch them.

[She enters the house and presses something on the wall, opening up a back room with stairs leading downward. High-pitched kwehs can be heard from below.]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[She peers curiously over Rydia's shoulder as they descend the stairs. The kwehing makes her grin.]

Listen to them...

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

They love visitors, you'll see.

[Rydia heads down the stairs and turns to face the chocobo pen. Half a dozen black chicobos wander around, munching on gysahl greens or chasing each other. No one else is around right now, so when they enter, there's a rush of black feathered goodness heading right for the fence. Kweh can now be safely translated to 'pet me'.]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Penelo's happy to oblige the call for petting and she bends to do so, cooing at the little darlings.]

They're so precious. Aww, look at that one!

[The one that's especially cute is the one still wobbly on its feet on its way over.]

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[Rydia smiles and crouches down to pet the nearest one, smile widening as she looks over to where Penelo is pointing.]

Adorable! That must be the youngest one, so far.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Are they used as steeds or just kept as pets? Black ones at home are aggressive.

[But certainly not these adorable little balls of sweetness.]

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Oh, they make good steeds. Black chocobos always remember their way home, ad return straight after any journey. They aren't the highest fliers, though, and will only land in the woods. They're a bit high-strung, too.

[She picks one up without too much effort and settles down to let it nestle in her lap.]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

It's a good thing to know. I'd rather walk or ride than fly if I can. And high strung's not a problem. I deal with Vaan on a daily basis.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[She chuckles, petting the cheeping chicobo.]

He sounds a lot like Edge. Not a bad companion, but exhausting at times.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Penelo scoops up a chicobo for herself and strokes the feathers as she cradles the bird in her arms. In response to Rydia, Penelo laughs lightly.]

He didn't seem all that bad when I met him, but I guess he does have a bit of an attitude. He reminded me of a prince I know.

But Vaan's something else. He'd be rotting in a dungeon by now if I weren't around to bail him out of trouble.

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

Oh, I believe it. I've meet Vaan before, you see.

[Rydia tilted her head thoughtfully.]

He did a huge favor for me, giving me those summoning stones. One day, I would like to pay him back.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Summoning stones?

[She tilts her head curiously, wondering what these stones were and surprised Vaan would give them away.

He better not have overcharged her for them.]

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[She reaches into a pouch and pulls out one of the stones--a topaz.]

This one and others like it can bring from an Eidolon, a being to help assist you in battle. Or at least, that's what they do for Summoners. Vaan said they didn't work for him, so he gave me the stash that had been with him when he arrived, or something like that. Without his help, we wouldn't have been able to save a town from a madman bent on destroying it.

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Penelo eyes the stone with interest. She's still surprised Vaan gave up something that looked valuable, but its use is more interesting to her.]

So it's like auracite?

[And before she can elaborate on that, the rest sinks in. Madman destroying a town and Vaan in the same sentence. Sounds like trouble.]

A madman trying to destroy a town? And Vaan was there?

[eidolon-soul.livejournal.com]

[She nods, a guilty expression forming.]

He wanted to help us against Kefka. You did too, and a few others. We succeeded in driving him away...but he took Vaan right after. Vaan wasn't seen for weeks and then I guess he was released in the desert. I don't know why he was taken in the first place, let alone why Kefka let him go. But either before or just as friends caught up to him, he vanished--returned to your world. When he returned again, he didn't seem to remember any of that. It doesn't change the fact that I owe him, though.

[She tilts her head.]

Auracite? That's what you call these stones?

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

Is that normal? People going and coming and not remembering things?

[She's not crazy at the idea of a madman taking off with Vaan, but she's experiencing this not remembering a previous duration here already and it's confusing.]

Well, that's what the Aegyl called them. They're used for form pacts with Yahri so they can be summoned from the Land of Illusions to help.