[ action/video ]

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[ There's a man standing who looks rather disoriented and out of place in the business district of Lindblum. He's leaning heavily on what appears to be a staff, and his gauntlet-ed hand is clutching a couple of gyshal pickles which he is eying oddly. He also seems to be either unaware or distinctly ignoring the smell that allowed for the large space around him. Or, that could simply be because he looks to be in pieces. He fiddles with a 'skyphone' device he'd received from the moogles. ]

[ It had been a couple of days since the moogles had found him near-dead. It was rather sad, Noah thought, that the only species he'd done nothing against were the little pompom'd people. Grateful, nonetheless, that they'd helped get him back on his feet, even if he couldn't remember everything that had happened before.]

[The video was zoomed up close on Gabranth's face face, and a small, dark-red spot was coagulating at the right-hand corner of his lip.  He seemed somewhat off, like he was hunched over, unusual in a man who'd always had perfect posture.  He'd taken a bite out of one of the pickles, and after a quick jolt for the kick, a relaxed expression flashed across his face in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment before his expression hardlined again.]

As I am to understand, I've been transported to a world known as 'Gaia'. I seem to have arrived here in Lindblum.

[ His face seemed to twitch a moment, as if the next thought that came to his head is rather revolting. It morphs into a small, self-deprecating smirk. ]

My most sincere apologizes to those among you who are disappointed. It appears that I get rather cheated out of everything, death included.

[ A drop of blood drips down from the corner of his mouth. ]

Comments

[Video]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Let's not forget peasant, street dancer and sky pirate. Also stubborn. It's a white mage trait and Penelo's got it in spades. Why were men so hard headed about being hurt?]

Neither of them are healers. Now don't move.

[To be fair, he scares the life out of her still, but she's determined to be the better person and try.]

Re: [Video]

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah smiles gently, and settles back onto the bench.]

Then I shall wait as you ask, miss... [He closes his eyes and tilts his head back, thinking] Penelo, yes?

[Video]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[She looks rather surprised that he knows her name and she's not being written off as gutter trash, but Penelo manages a nod and the start of a smile.]

That's right. Try to rest until I get there.

[It'll take her some time to cross the city, even with the aircabs, but eventually she makes it there, armed with a magic boosting staff and a satchel of restoratives.]

[action]? D'you want to make the switch? And should we continue this with Tim (Larsa) up a bit

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah has just gotten up to stand when he sees Penelo arriving where he makes a move to sit down somewhat guiltily, before pretending that nothing had happened.]

Miss Penelo.

[Beyond that, Noah is suddenly surprised to realise he has nothing else to say.]

[action]! Sure thing! Aaaand we can fudge continuity :D

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[She saw what you did there. Penelo arches an eyebrow and puts a hand on her hip. Usually this look is reserved for Vaan, or sometimes Kain if he's being particularly pesky and hard headed.]

Standing isn't resting.

[She sighs and looks him over, wasting no time in casting Curaga on the Judge Magister. It might take some of her dances to truly make a difference but she'll try her hardest.]

I've... seen you like this before. After Vayne...

[She glances away, uncomfortable.] I'm sorry.

[action]. Pfft. Who needs continuity? ;}

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah dips his head down in a faux-repentant way, like a child ignoring the scolding they are receiving.]

You are right of course, Miss Penelo.

[The Curaga is surprisingly helpful at easing the pain he has, and since the moogles had made sure all breaks were in their proper positions to heal he doubts that it will need to be redone later. A small blessing.]

[He reaches out to lift her chin up gently, like an older brother to a child, but quickly retracts it away, uncertain.]

Don't be. It was the most worthwhile experience I'd had in a long time. And the admittedly selfish pleasure I managed to derive from it made it very much worth it. Besides, if anyone should be apologising, it is myself.

[He coughs and turns away a moment, uncomfortable.]

And I am sincerely regretful. If it means anything to you.

[Perhaps the scariest part of all of the med, though, is that he couldn't say definitively that of given a second chance, he would have done anything differently. There was just so much at stake, and despite what others may have thought, not all of those motivations were selfish ones. He'd even go as far as to say that a good many of them weren't.]

[action] Exactly!

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[Penelo's remarkably surprised by the kind and brotherly gesture towards herself. It's something she might expect from Basch, but not from his twin and for a split second she forgets which brother she's speaking with.]

It does, but... A good friend once told me that "the past can bind a man as surely as irons." I think it's better to let go of the past and move on. Everyone deserves a second chance.

[She takes a deep breath and nods, mostly to steady herself. Reddas had been a good man. Once she's got herself under control, she moves away, but only to begin the steps of the Dance of Rapture. It should heal anything wrong with the man, save what must be left to time and a good sleep.]

[action] I know, right?

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

Thanks fir the sentiment. I do appreciate it.

[Noah looks up, pauses for a moment, then his eyes widen wwith surprise at the familiar phrasing. Sounded exactly like...]

You knew Zecht? Well, Reddas, I suppose is what he's been calling himself now.

[As he looks back again to hear her reponse noah realizesthat shes already gone and started to dance.]

Or, this can be discussed after you've finished your dance and my conversation will serve as more than a distraction.

[action]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[The dance steps themselves are done fairly quickly and streams of healing light come up from the ground to wash over Noah. It's then that Penelo actually smiles, although it's wistful.]

I did. He was a wise man and a good friend. How do you feel?

[action]

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Was? Noah looks puzzled before all the memories of the events at the Sun-Cryst flood through his head. Oh... He turns away for a moment, before pushing his feelings on the matter aside. He can mourn him later.]

That he was.

I am... much better. [Noah reaches out and stretches his limbs, noting the twinges of pain that indicate where a more natural approach will be necessary. He'd done stupid things and overtaxed his limits before, and he wasn't about to do it again. Well, not without suitable reason.]

You have my sincere gratitude, Miss Penelo. It is most pleasant to no longer feel like a sack of meat in a tin.

[action]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

I'm glad. You'll still need to rest, but I think you'll make it.

[She bobs her head in acknowledgment, then tucks her arms behind her back, head canting to the side. Gratitude is always awkward for her, but she's trying not to draw attention to it.]

Are you going to be taking care of Larsa again?

[action]

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

I might, but he's grown into quite the young man, and should he no longer need me, I am loath to be a burden to him.

[Noah tilts his head back to look at the sky]

Everyone seems to have grown, and some things must he left behind in the past, and not dragged into the present.

[action]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

I think so too, but... well people here can be forgiving. I'm sure they'll be kind to him.

[action]

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah smiles at that.]

Truly, can you think of a time when someone hasn't been kind and loving to Larsa, up until the very end, even Vayne had had been so careful and gentle with him.

[He turns and gives Penelo a playful grin]

He's quite the charmer, is he not?

[action] Icon for giggle effect. XD

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

He is. And when he gets older, he'll be quite the heartbreaker.

[She knows from experience. It's odd for her to see him so young again after he'd been almost her age for so long.]

I'm just worried people will hold things against him that he doesn't remember. Now that he's younger, I guess in a way he hasn't done them yet.

[Gaia's flow of time is such a nebulous and slippery thing.]

[action] can't resist the Solidor charm.

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah is content to smile at her obviously personal experience, which admittedly, he'd been targeting when he made the comment, but he snaps out of it quickly as he registers what she had just said. He locks eye contact with Penelo, and talking with a tone that is piercing and completely flat with undertones of stress.]

What things, Penelo? What will they hold against him?

[He is nervous and concerned now, hardly realizes that he has snapped back into a more Judge Magister type imposing formality and stiffness. Something had happened and it threatened his (former) lord. That was all that mattered.]

[action] No kidding *stares*

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[She flinches at the tone and takes a half step back. This man still frightens the life out of her, but she's too smart not to realize that he's got Larsa's best interests at heart. They at least share that much in common.]

When he was here the last time, he was my age and... something happened to him. Maybe it was watching his brother get killed again or my fault for turning him down. I don't know. But... he led an invasion army here and tried to assassinate the Regent. [She shakes her head because it's just so impossible to fathom Larsa doing it, yet he had. Her head hangs and her bottom lip trembles because the rest is horrible too.] They ended up killing him. When he revived at Iifa he was a kid again and didn't remember anything.

If you look around at the reconstruction... it's because of him.

[action] it's their magical dark floofy hair

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah notices she flinches and steps back frcing himself to relax, even as the rest of his world seems to be collapsing on him inside and out. He stares at her face before turning away.]

You're serious. [It isn't a question, for all the disbelief in his tone is apparent.] Tell me. Tell me everything. From the very beginning.

[He can think of all sorts of probable explanations, and details from the conversation about Garland earlier with Terra is beginning to settle uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. If he could make it here, as did Terra and Cecil and Squall, what is to say their opponents did not as well? He looks at all the possibilities available, and he can safely say he doesn't like any of them. And those were the threats he knew about. What else could be out their that he has yet to learn of?]

[action] cannot resist those hair flippies :D

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

I'll do my best. [Her lips twitch into an uncomfortable smile coupled with a soft sigh.] My fiance is the bard, not me.

Um... I guess it was more than two years ago here in Gaia and a little over a year since Larsa became emperor at home. He was here, you were too for a little while. It's your fourth time here, I think. Larsa was still young and... Vayne showed up. [At this point, Penelo glances away. Much as she cared about Larsa, his brother's appearance was unwelcome.] A lot of the leaders were asked to govern cities that showed up, Larsa and Vayne both, but different ones. Larsa vanished and when he came back, he was eighteen.

[She draws a deep breath, not even sure if she wants to plunge ahead with the rest and not caring to divulge the particulars of what happened with Larsa and herself.]

[action]. They were made to seduce and impress.

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah listens keenly in on all that she's saying somewhat surprised that he's been here before, but he says nothing of it. He is just as carefully watching the telltale emotional signs she is giving of, a nee dimensional insight. He begins to notice how uncomfortable it is for her, and as much as twenty years of training tell him not to, he puts and hand on her shoulder and uses a calming tone.]

If it is difficult for you, please forget that I asked. Don't stress yourself over somehow like this. I can get information elsewhere.

[action] And the dimples~

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

[That small gesture makes it terribly easy to forget that this man isn't Basch and put aside issues in the past that will never fade from memory. Penelo shakes her head.]

It's alright. A lot happened. Larsa he... said he had feelings and I tried to give it a chance, but I'm just not empress material. We had quite a few arguments and then I went home. I remember what happened at home but when I was there, remembered nothing of this place, not until I came back. That was two more years for me, but only weeks here. It's really strange.

While I was away, Vayne was killed and Larsa... I don't know. He was just different somehow. It really hurt to watch, but I couldn't do anything to help. We kept in contact a little. Next that I know, he's massed an army of machines and black mages and tried to invade Lindblum. I heard stories that he'd been possessed but when he revived at Iifa, he was a child again and remembered nothing at all.

[action] So, so very cute

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

[Noah could be very intimidating when he wanted to. If that glare was directed anywhere other than his slowly unclenching fists, the receiver would have been very, very afraid and likely very, very dead]

I am sorry to hear that you quarreled. Possessed, though. That sounds familiar.

[Noah's eyebrows furrowed as he mentally sorted through the villains he knew. Kefka... But he'd used some sort of slave crown... Ultimecia? That woman... She had better pray Noah never found her, because she'd end up all kinds of splat on the asphalt.]

[action]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

I can't believe he'd ever do anything like that on his own. I just don't want to see him hurt for something he doesn't even remember.

[action]

[strays-pride.livejournal.com]

I quite agree with you. And I have an awful feeling just might be acquainted with the culprit. Believe me when I say they'll wish it was not so.

[that flash of expression, so intense and passionate]

Thank you for sharing Penelo. And thank you, for giving me a chance.

[action]

[danceawaypain.livejournal.com]

O-of course.

[She's a touch surprised and it shows, but she warms into a small smile quickly.]