001 ▲ video.

[sylvan]

[The video comes at an odd angle, all wild waves of vivid green hair, occasionally rocking nauseously to reveal pale, creamy skin and the flash of dark blue eyes or part of a nervous but friendly smile -- much like the voice that comes over the airwaves.]

I've... never used something like this before, so I hope it's working! [Her laugh comes soft, chiming a few times before dissipating. The screen shakes and a slender hand comes into view, gesturing as she speaks. Slowly her appearance becomes a little more visible; a sideways angle of about two-thirds of her face comes into focus. Though the angle is odd, it's clear that she is an attractive woman and while uncomfortable, she radiates warmth.]

I'm not really sure where I'm going with all of this, I hadn't had much of a plan in mind when I started. [Another soft laugh that implies she's lost in more than one sense of the word. It doesn't reach her eyes, nor does the smile any longer.]

I do have a question, though, if no one minds it. What now?

Comments

[sylvan]

Don't say things like that. [ It's less harsh or annoyed than usual. It's a serious, concerned tone she might have taken with Cecil, instead. (She always saved the best parts of herself for him, didn't she?) ] You can't know what might happen later.

[ Though so far she doesn't disagree. But she can't summon and it feels like... her magic might be weaker? They don't have anyone that can heal them, whether it be a White Mage or Paladin. The two of them alone were powerful, but... they couldn't have beaten Zeromus alone.

And in the back of her mind, she realizes the truth. This wasn't Zeromus. It wasn't nearly as awful. And, if it were, she has to have faith in herself and in Edge like she does so wholly in Cecil. ]

I've noticed. I'm going to seek out somewhere more secluded and try to see if I might be able to summon anyone other than Whyt and if my more powerful magics are sealed.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Sounds like a good plan. I'll go with you.

[He assumes without thought he'll be welcome; he's already falling back into old habits, where the party stayed together and fought their battles side-by-side.]

But, after the tea, right? I'm almost there...

[Actually he's slowed down just a little bit, out of a truly uncharacteristic sense of nervousness. He's been talking to her on the communicator, he shouldn't feel this way. Edge just plain doesn't understand what she does to him, or why.]

[sylvan]

Alright, that's fine.

[ She's no different. She's never really liked being alone. It's why it was so easy for her to slip back to the Feymarch and carry on there. Especially since unlike people, Eidolons can't die. She'd never be alone with them. ]

After tea, of course. I seem to have missed a lot...

[ She's still showering attention onto the chubby catdog that she's named after Edward (she would hope he wouldn't take offense). She'd never admit to nervousness, but things have changed since they last saw one another. Quite a bit. She isn't really sure how to approach it, him being King. Maybe Edward had also ascended without her knowing? How far has everyone moved forward without her knowledge? More importantly, did they care that she didn't know?

The worry can be seen in the way her eyes narrow minutely and her eyebrows dip and furrow. It's almost huffy. ]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Kings, Rydia. Kings everywhere. Edward, Cecil (and Rosa), Yang, Edge... Whether by strength or heredity or simple right, those who had labored to save the world now labor to restore and preserve it.]

[...any wonder Edge felt a little abandoned when she'd taken off for the Feymarch? Sure, Kain had also left everyone behind to go on his own quest, but that was different -- the guy blatantly needed to get his house in order.]

[Inhaling, Edge looks up at the tea shop sign, then flashes a mask-hidden smile at the communicator.] Okay, I'm here.

[That being said, he turns the device off, then steps in through the door.]

[sylvan]

[ That left her and the twins, basically. Although if on wanted to be technical, she was the adopted princess of the Feymarch. Royalty all up in this game... ]

I'll meet you inside.

[ She's a little ways away, cooing at Von Muir. She mumbles something about asking him to stay outside because she doesn't know how things work here, doesn't know their policy -- and promises to bring him a treat if he waits patiently and is good. It seems to understand her well enough and sits obediently just outside the entrance.

She follows Edge shortly, turning off her communicator as she enters. Unconsciously, she pushes her wavy hair up with one hand and waves with the other. It's not like her to be shy and she quickly rectifies that, rushing toward him to demand something like a hug. Wrapping one arm around his as she folds herself against him -- like she can't decide over pride or her very clear and obvious longing. She doesn't really give him a chance to respond in kind, pulling away just as quickly as she'd launched herself on him. Punching his bicep even more swiftly, like it makes up for showing some sort of affection toward him. ]

That's for being a jerk. [ She doesn't say what the hug was for, though. Knowing her, it was just as likely for the same exact reason. ]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Well, she very effectively short-circuits him from saying anything when she grabs him like that (which, let's face it, is probably for the best). He spends the duration of that clingy hug in shock, wondering if this is really happening, before the blow to his arm makes it clear that yes, it really is.]

Ow, hey! [He rubs at his arm. For some reason her punch seems to hurt worse than a lot of objectively more grievous wounds he'd taken in his time.] Tell me what the hug was for and I'll do that instead, if that's the reward!

[sylvan]

[ She immediately wonders if hugging him was a mistake. Again, he's not Cecil. Cecil would've caught her, maybe spun her around, and then went on about his day as if it had never happened.

Part of her problem, she thought, was that he wasn't Cecil. ]

That's the sort of thing people do when they miss someone. Most people, anyway. You have to be difficult and do the opposite, though, don't you? [ So, it's something like forgiveness for ignoring her. Some weird understanding. Although if there's a next time, it's likely to only be the punch he receives from her. She gently brushes a hand against his bicep, ghosting it before letting it fall back to her side. ]

Come on, let's go.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Cecil might have also anticipated a hug. Edge hadn't. And that isn't just because Rydia is Rydia, but because the life of a ninja prince isn't exactly hug-filled, outside of his parents...]

Oh, no wonder I didn't know that! As a master ninja, I never miss.

[This joke is so corny he can't deliver it with a straight face, but he does flash her a thumbs-up to sell it. In his own way, it's an effort to get past the awkwardness of all this and go back to a more normal conversation...]

[sylvan]

I have to wonder if you don't have that backwards.

[ Is that a dig at his earlier comment about losing that game he'd mentioned or something else? Either way, she seems to let it go with ease, disinterested in continuing that line of conversation.

It was probably the thumbs up that made her keep walking and find a table to sit down at. She scoots the chair in tightly and crosses her legs (then uncrosses them, almost self-consciously -- almost). ]

Um. So, have you seen Edward lately? [ She plays the nonchalant card, more interested in the others than him. ] I keep meaning to check in on him.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Aaand he's too slow to pull out her chair. Drat. Oh well... that'd probably just lead to an argument or something, wouldn't it? He takes a seat across from her, tossing his cape back with a melodramatic snap to get it out of the way.]

[Her question, for some reason, perplexes him a moment -- in no small part because he's been here for long enough that he has to mentally adjust to what she considers recently. Edge taps his fingers against his forehead as he tries to remember...]

We're having a lot of meetings, lately. I don't know if you'd call it a peace conference, since there is peace... but it's to preserve peace. There's a lot of effort to rebuild Damcyan there. Edward's getting by. Not the happiest guy, but he's stronger than he used to be.

[Even Edge has to give him so respect now, which the former prince certainly hadn't had for the other former prince prior to everything.]

[sylvan]

[ It was for the better, yes. She would have huffed, claimed he was trying to make her feel foolish or something of the sort. Her body language now is open, at least. Her arms aren't folded and she mostly looks forward at him, though she doesn't always meet his eyes. That isn't out of anger or annoyance, more out of being alone with him. She'd had her moments alone with the others, but the two of them rarely had a chance to spend that sort of time together. ]

I don't think he'll ever lose that certain sadness about him. [ Her voice is quiet and again, she finds the table more interesting than him and gazes to it. ] I think that he's very lonely, so I... I was going to go see him, maybe. Even if he wouldn't indulge much in my company. [ She laughs a little, more to fill the silence and try not to let it get too heavy in here than for a genuine reason (though she is, in her own way, happy right now). ] Everyone's so busy. It can't really be helped, though.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

That's not the first time you've said that, and it's not the first time I think you're crazy for thinking it! [Well, not the most tactful way to put it, but she really ought to be used to it by now.] Busy or not, there's always time. And even a ruler -- especially a ruler, has to have a personal life!

[He taps one finger on the table hard to emphasize his point.]

A king who doesn't take some time for himself forgets he's a person too, and that never ends well. Either he grinds himself up because he doesn't take care of himself, or he starts conquest because the kingdom winning is him winning in his own head.

[sylvan]

[ If this were before, she would have immediately jumped down his throat for saying she was crazy -- but now she's listening a little more closely, especially to the implication and the things he isn't saying when he says this. ]

The point is that free time is few and far between and I doubt I'm high on the list of priorities. [ His phrasing throws her off, even manages to silence her. It's usually the other way around, isn't it? Maybe being here and throwing them both for a loop is what their friendship needed. Not that she was quite willing to admit that. ]

You have to invite me, is the point I'm trying to make. [ It's the furthest she's willing to budge on this. She isn't going to tell him that he needs to ask, that he needs to be specific. Her pride's already taken a pretty big hit and she's not willing to sacrifice more. ]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[The mask saves him from the indignity of her seeing a brief jaw-drop in its full glory, before he lifts a hand to his head.]

Aside from getting a message to the Feymarch not being the easiest thing -- I feel confident, absolutely entirely confident, that I speak for everybody when I say you have a standing invitation to any court or any home of any of us, any time, any reason!

[Frustrated, he brings that hand around to rub his forehead a minute.] You never thought me being a prince was special. Why should me being a king be any different?

[sylvan]

[ His eyes and eyebrows give a bit of it away, but not its extent. She's forever grateful that he doesn't wear a full face mask. ]

I don't live there anymore. [ She hadn't meant to let it slip out so easily, but she figures he's bound to find out sooner or later. She keeps her expression as neutral as possible aside from her lips thinning impossibly; it's a testament to the effort she is putting in to not showing any sign of emotion. ]

Forget it. You wouldn't understand. [ He probably couldn't understand, anyway. It's not his fault just like it isn't Cecil's or Edward's or anyone else. It's like she's on the outside looking in, like she no longer has a place with them. She ignores the last big because she doesn't really have an answer to it and silence is better than admitting to that. ]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

What do you mean, you don't live there any more? [Of course it's news to him, and he gives her comment of him not understand a pass because it's clearly inspired by emotion rather than logic. How could he understand something he didn't know, after all?] What happened?

[He sits up straight, his hands dropping to the hilts of his blades. Never mind that the Feymarch is inaccessible from here and might as well be even from Eblan, that wouldn't stop him if someone had dared mistreat her!]