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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 2:58:58 GMT -5
A short while of walking found the group in a forest, one unfamiliar to Balthier, dense enough to provide sufficient cover from their pursuers. Unless they were bounty hunters, which he thought unlikely by their reckless attack, they wouldn't be after their lives enough to give chase.
But even were they bounty hunters, Balthier didn't want to run anymore. He was in pain himself, didn't doubt the others were as well, and though he now had a general idea, he didn't know where they were. He may have wanted to get away from the ship, but wandering aimlessly, injured and lost, would be suicide.
He stopped walking, looking around the best he could in the darkness between the trees, considering. As good a spot as any, he supposed... "We're making camp for now. We rest and then head for the nearest city."
Honestly, he didn't know what the nearest city was, but he had an idea of the direction to go. Travel by air had its advantages, especially when a current map was more than a little difficult to come by.
The man leaned against a tree and then sat, realizing how painful his broken bones were upon doing so. A slight wince crossed his features. Lovely predicament they'd gotten into...His own fault for going against his better judgment to associate with strays.
There was a reason he disliked unfamiliar company.
(CRAP post. I'm sorry. D: )
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 2:59:20 GMT -5
The blonde continued her trek close behind the leading man. The forest unnerved her. There was something to be said about the sinister theme that dark thickets and low lighting always managed to bring into play. A forest had both, and worse, if one took the native wildlife into account.
The woman didn't know where she attained such knowledge, nor did she understand why she seemed so uneasy at the prospect of the small rifle at the man's back, but at the very least, it could be said that the rifle wasn't pointed at her. Yet.
She wondered if she'd gone insane. Here she was, nameless and in a forest that didn't seem to end, with a child, what was likely a thug by the look of that weapon, and a walking, talking, meal in whore's clothing. She glanced down at her own tattered skirt. Wasn't much better off, was she? Well, at least she couldn't be mistaken for dinner.
Camp! They were stopping? In the dark? “Camp?” she repeated aloud, “But what if there are beasts about? You only have one gun. What if whoever – whatever – landed us in that crashed heap come after us?” Fear was singing high, clear, and true in the blonde's voice. She felt the weight of a small blade at her side, but what comfort was a weapon she didn't know how to use? Truth be told, she didn't even know how to get one out of a scabbard, let alone wield the shortsword. She shivered at the prospect of an assailant.
The wince, barely shown in the darkening light, caused the blonde to sit down hard onto the ground. The only man in the party, and even he wasn't truly up for trouble. What had happened to cause all of this?
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 2:59:52 GMT -5
(Haha, hope you don't mind the debut.)
He was starting to miss the old days, no matter how dangerous or deadly they were. Strange company made for strange adventures... he missed the moogle, the yeti, the great fight to destroy the clown who turned into a god. Maybe he should write a book... be a storyteller? He always was very fond of fairytales and stories of grandeur, far-away lands nobody could reach. If he could make any gil out of his exploits, it'd be a blessing. Locke wasn't all that fond of sleeping in forests and fighting off monsters for food. Oh, what he'd give for an inn room.
Every bone ached, every muscle sore, begging for something to sleep on that wasn't a nesting ground for wyverns or a rocky grove. He had the best of luck, didn't he? Being a newfound Robin Hood gave him a less-than-positive shine to the authorities, and bounty hunters were a strange concept to him. After all- there had been very few airships back in his world, the Falcon essentially one of a kind. Tracking down villains was arduous and tedious- here, so many flew about that vigilantes could hop in and find their mark in a second.
Setzer would've said the cards were stacked against him, he supposed- he didn't know how to fly one of those things, though he at least had a map to glance at occasionally. A shame that when he used a Firaga to kill an attacking monster, he incinerated the parchment. Lovely. He'd been running through swamps and forests for ages now, evading pursuers and looking for even a scrap of gil. He'd considered skinning things and selling them, but... he wasn't fond of having a lot of weight on him. That seemed... far more... primal. Something Sabin might do.
Why did everything have to remind him of all of them? Better yet, why had they all gone off? Why hadn't he followed her...? Was he really that stupid?
Voices. The cruel, jagged knife was revealed, Locke taking no chances as, fixing his bandana, he sprung from a thicket. Wait, wait. A man in rather gaudy attire- though Locke considered looking in a mirror after this statement emerged in his mind- a... rabbit woman...? Bizarre... a girl, and... wait. Wait.
"Nice to see something human out here!" An awkward laugh- any company was a blessing right now... though he must have been going mad. She gave him no call of recognition right away. Perhaps he was seeing ghosts and phantoms in the figures of other women? He'd been hit over the head more than a few times by the bangaa that often chased him... no. He saw the blade, the attire. There was nobody else.
All attention left the motley crew, though Locke noted they all looked wounded. He'd try to heal them, he supposed... though he hadn't used magic in quite a while. Honestly, he had a higher priority right now.
"...Celes?"
Oh, was he in for a bitter surprise.
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:00:14 GMT -5
((Orren~! Much love to you. <3 You don't know how much I've been giggling at the idea of Locke meeting up with this party. :3 ))
The blonde looked up with a start at the approach of another nameless stranger. His voice sounded strained, and the way he looked at her sent chills down her spine. It was if he knew her somehow. But how could that be, when she didnt even know herself? The strange man's appearance caught her the most off-guard. Pale hair, thinly greened eyes, and that bandana... Something sparked within the young woman's mind.
“BANDIT!” She clutched close to the gunman as a shudder ran through her frame. The weight of the blade at her hip felt all the heavier at the sudden motion, and Celes fought the urge to unstrap it and run. Why was she still wearing it? Better question – why was she running to the man with the gun? Well, she could hardly hide behind the girl or the rabbit.
((Unfortunately, this is a short post. x_o Sorry guys – I was called away for hours, and lost the groove of writing this when I returned. D: ))
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:00:32 GMT -5
(Short? Pssh, it's perfectly fine! And you're not the only one eager to see what happens. xD)
Bandit? Why was she calling him a bandit? Was Celes joking with him? Wait... Celes was never one to jest, and he doubted she'd changed that much. He wanted to think more on it, but his mouth answered on him, flustered adventurer immediately spluttering out his automatic reply.
"T-That's treasure hunter! Y-You know that!"
Wait. That look in her eyes... he'd seen it once before. Once from a beautiful woman rising from what had seemed like an infinite slumber, months after she fell from that bridge...
You did it again, Locke.
He hadn't noticed the red marring those beautiful golden locks before, the way she looked at him with honest terror as she bolted behind the strange man that had apparently been traveling with her. He was a sharp man- it took but a second for the memories to flash before his eyes, the scene playing itself out again. Somehow, she had lost all of it. Every memory, every recollection.
What a failure you are. Couldn't learn your lesson, even the second time?
He'd promised not to leave her- promised- and yet he failed to keep it. Perhaps this was proper punishment, the adventurer awkwardly quiet as he scratched at the bits of pale hair that weren't hidden by his bandana.
"...It's Locke. You remember me, Celes? You know. Dashing treasure hunter. Traveling the world...! South Figaro? Roses? ...The opera? ...The promise?"
Such a failure. UWEE HEE HEE!
When the voices in his head took on that shrill cackle, Locke cringed, trying to put it all in the back of his head as, with the falsest of smiles, he weakly chuckled. If he couldn't save Rachel- couldn't let her remember anything until she was on the ground, gasping for breath- he could at least help Celes. No, he couldn't help her. He had to help her.
"W-Well. Don't worry about any of that. Locke Cole, and I'll be protecting you from now on. That clear? Good."
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:00:47 GMT -5
~Nyna!~
The young girl had been trying to keep up with the rest of the party, tripping and getting tangled in a few of the vines along the wet grassy floor. Grumbling and mumbling to herself she managed to keep up, her body still aching.
Still, just as she caught up with everyone she Celes run over towards Balthier screaming about a bandit. Her eyes widened and she gave a little gasp when she saw the man, but then looked at him for a moment. "Huh?" As she looked at him, she felt a little odd. Then she looked back to Celes and smiled to herself wearily. "He's a nice guy. He looks nice...like you." She gave a little smile, remembering how nice Celes had been to her when they first met.
She then leaned against a nearby tree, still wincing from the pain her body was causing her. "Nyna doesn't wanna land like that...ouch...ever again."
OOC: Okay, *this* was a crappy post and sorry for the long wait. ^^;;;
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:01:15 GMT -5
-Balthier-
The sky pirate had stood by the time Celes began to speak, eyes roaming across the dark ground for things that could catch fire, twigs and dead leaves and broken branches. Though the night was fairly warm, they needed to see.
Irritation rose within him as the woman began to protest. What had happened to the sharp manner she had showed on the ship, her forcefulness and her confidence? Did she really lose any semblance of strength so easily upon stepping into uncomfortable territory?
"If they do," he responded as he kicked a stick into the pile he had begun to form at his feet, "we'll be much better off if we've had a chance to rest. Though if you'd like to go charging off aimlessly, be my guest."
And she sat. Hn. He thought not.
Now then, the fire. Mist was still plentiful enough that magic came easily, so the warmth of the spell flowed quickly to his hand. The warmth died just as fast, however; he heard the noise before the newcomer burst into their company, and his hand instantly reached for his gun, the weapon pointing at the intruder the moment he appeared.
This was not his night...
Any threat he may have been about to make died on his lips as Celes' shrill cry rang out. He felt her latch onto him - why was she latching onto him? - but made no move to remove her yet. His attention was on the "treasure hunter", and it didn't take a Nu Mou's intellect to catch the recognition in his eyes. Or the pain that followed, hidden behind a feigned smile or no.
But pain wasn't enough to make Balthier trust him. He had been at this too long, knew too well how believing in falsities, no matter how honest they appeared, could kill a man. And he wasn't fond of the idea of getting himself or anyone else killed.
"It doesn't look like she wants your protection," he interrupted, perhaps a little louder than necessary, as if to remind the man of his presence. The leading man didn't enjoy being ignored. "Though if I'm wrong, feel free to take her. I haven't had a headache this bad since the last time I was in Archades."
Balthier was many things, and selfish was certainly one of them.
(SO. CRAPPY. I'm sorry. Orren is very much to blame. WRATH OF LARSAAAAAAAAAAAA!)
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:02:05 GMT -5
It was less than pleasant seeing a gun, let alone such an ornate blunderbuss that seemed to just be asking to bury a bullet in his brain. He had a bandana, for god's sake, not a helmet. One blow to the head and he was done for. As long as he decided to tread lightly, this was little more than a trivial situation after everything he'd faced, the legions of men threatening him at a time. Considering how Celes was...
The knife was tightly gripped in one hand, though Locke raised both arms in an obvious show of surrender, feeling the sweat dripping down his neck.
"Hey, hey. I could take her and go. I really could- Celes shouldn't be around people like you- but I'd rather sort this out diplomatically."
She lost her memory. Celes would probably rip the treasure hunter's arm off if he just slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and went. And then he saw the girl, truth finally revealing itself in his smile, no matter how dark its origins may have been. He could leave with Celes... or he could stay with this group, find some strength in numbers, and not leave a girl with a rabbit and a sky pirate. He was liking the second option.
After all- Kefka's disciples had grown mad, insisting their god was alive and more powerful than ever. He'd run into several of them, all of them giddy to be the one to cut his head off and bring it back to that twisted tower that still stood. His whole world was a mental asylum, it really had been...
"I've been here for a while. Travel the world on foot, catch a few rides. I can probably help us find a way to civilization- after all, lots of behemoths here, and they don't take too kindly to fire."
Oh, how he'd learned that the hard way. He'd hide his ability to use magic for now- it was never constantly reliable, and since Celes apparently had her memories knocked right out of her... it'd be a nice secret to keep. Especially the firebird that constantly sapped at him every time he so much as let a spark flow from his fingertips.
Then what the young female said hit him.
"Wait. Landed? ...You guys crash in something? Somebody was chasing you?"
What if it's this man's fault? What if she's a blank slate because of him? If he so much as put a hand on her, kill him.
He hated his mind sometimes.
"Just don't turn me away. You guys are lost, and I need a group. If you don't wanna associate with me... we'll get to somewhere safe, and then split up. I think we'd all prefer a town to a dragon's belly."
He couldn't take that almost-sorrowful gaze off of Celes. What if she wasn't like Rachel? What if she never remembered what she had lost? He felt his gut wrench.
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:02:20 GMT -5
((-giggle- Wrath of Larsa.))
The blonde still hung close to the gunman, though her mask of fear had been replaced by a curious (and one might also say, an aggravated) glint. Take her and go? It was true that she didn't know of what could tie her to her current company, but to suggest that some bandit, some thief could steal her away and make everything – and who was Celes? Was it she? It was preposterous, the idea that a stranger might know her better than herself. At least, he seemed to know her.
She didn't trust him. The pale-haded man had offered to remain in their company. Why? Was it just to be close to someone who didn't know him from Alexander? She'd caught his gazing of the girl, however, and thought not. “We can't trust him,” she stated flatly to the gunman, despite the relaxing of her grip, “We haven't seen a single monster,” (Yet.) “and who's to say we can't find a town on our own?”
The way he looked upon her was unnerving. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but rage at the truth of how clueless she was of her own self. The words he'd said to try and coax her into trusting, Figaro? Didn't ring a bell. Roses? They were pretty enough, she supposed, but what did that matter? The opera? The promise? Between the sword at her hip and the present company, she sincerely doubted she was in the habit of going to opera houses or making promises. What had he meant?
(( =x So, in that last paragraph, I couldn't help but assault my brain with the Aria. "Must I forget you, our solemn promise~?" Thaaaaanks, Orren. XD))
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:02:39 GMT -5
-Balthier-
Shouldn't be around people like him, hmm? Interesting choice of words, for someone who, by all appearances, was little more than a common thief. It was obvious enough that there was truth in his claim to know Celes, or at least to know of her - he wouldn't have known her name otherwise. But that alone wasn't enough to mark him a friend; if it were, they may as well add Ba'Gamnan to their present company.
Considering the night he was having, Balthier wouldn't have been surprised to see the bangaa walking out from between the trees that very moment.
"I thought the subject was where we're going and if you're coming, not how we got here. I, for one, am not in a mood to spend the night sharing stories." Irritation seemed adamant on lingering in him. There were enough people out to pilfer the Strahl without adding this thief to the list.
Celes spoke, then, and despite her relaxing, he didn't lower his weapon. "Quite right. We can't trust you, and we've no problem finding our way on our own...and that's exactly why you'll be tagging along." He gave a light shrug. "I'd rather have you where I can keep an eye on you than wandering about the forest. But make no mistake, I'm the one getting us out of here, not you, and you're leaving the moment we reach town."
Balthier didn't intend to let the gun drop, though, until the thief's own weapon was away and he had agreed to the terms. He much preferred caution over carelessness.
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:03:07 GMT -5
Well, beggars couldn't be choosers. He'd play along with being a captive of sorts- okay, so maybe he was an awful actor, but at least he could boast of being in an opera, intentionally or not. The viciously-jagged knife was slipped away rather quickly into a pocket, Locke's other pocket baring a twin companion to the blade. Hey, if this Balthier guy decided to confiscate his weapons, Locke had a nice surprise slipped into the side of his boot, as well! As long as he was close enough to Celes to grab her if anything went awry, Locke was content with this rather one-sided deal, shrugging calmly. "All right. Unarmed and ready to go. Lead the way, I guess?" The sky pirate looked anything but happy, so the treasure hunter spared his tongue or any of his usual quips. He'd rather not have a bullet stuck in his ear. He'd simply follow them, patiently, calmly, keeping his mouth shut and staying close. If he was going to be abandoned at the next town, then he'd just have to resort to stalking the group. He'd been sneaking around for too long- he needed to be out in the open again. Then again, what with those robed madmen... "Ah. As a bonus, there's an entire cult of madmen after me for slaying their god. If you see anybody in a dark green or black hood screeching about Kefka, run. I can take care of them." He was actually doing pretty well against the Kefka cultists and their attacks, being one of the best fighters the Returners had, no matter how much more his style relied on accuracy and speed instead of power. He was more worried about the others- especially the pacifists like Terra and the inexperienced like Relm. Oh, how he'd love to see any of their faces again- the golden-haired angel of his dreams didn't count, he decided, since she looked like she'd just love to knock his teeth out right now. He'd wait. His life couldn't get any more hectic right now- he'd been through the end of the world, after all. Everything'd end up fine... right? For now, he was satisfied with cheerily whistling a small tune to himself, improvising as he went along. ((I'm the darkness, you're the stars~ -kicked-))
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:03:43 GMT -5
~Nyna~
The young girl pushed herself off from the tree she had been leaning again. Her limbs were still aching, but even the short rest itself was enough to make her feel well enough to walk. Not to mention the thought of those who had already attacked them possibly still chasing after them.
Cultists? Was it them who attacked them? She hadn't managed to see what any of their attackers looked like while they were in the sky, but no matter who they were, she didn't want to meet them.
She came back over, still standing at a slight distance from the rest of the group. Celes was the only one who she had felt safe near, and now she too seemed to be pushing her away. If she had to, she'd start another 'home' in the next town they reached.
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:04:10 GMT -5
-Balthier-
The sky pirate returned his gun into its position at his back, out of the way but still easily accessible should he need it. At least their strange company was cooperating.
"We're not going anywhere yet," he replied without looking at the man, focus instead on the pile at his feet. He lifted a hand, and the pale blue glow of Mist surrounded him, before concentrating and shifting to orange as flame shot from hand to tinder. A pleasant fire sprung up at his feet, providing light and warmth, priceless as a deterrent to the creatures that made the unfamiliar forest their home. And then the Mist-glow returned, this time becoming white, flowing into each member of their group. The curaja spell wouldn't do much to heal the more severe injuries, but it would, at least, ease the pain.
With that done, he resumed his seat against the tree, kicking another leaf into the fire as he sat, glancing up at the group to address them. "Get some rest, we'll be leaving in the morning."
Balthier didn't intend to sleep himself, however. Regardless of his decision to allow Locke to tag along, he didn't trust the man at all.
(THIS WAS TERRIBLE I'M SORRY DX I was just trying to get out a quick post, I'll start posting better later.)
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:04:28 GMT -5
As nightfall lingered, the blonde woman tossed fitfully in her sleep. Eyes shut hard and a grimace permanently planted on her features, she jerked and twitched, batted and groaned. “Celes~” The woman brought a leg up to her chest. “Celes, how could you?” The other leg followed. “Uwee hee hee!”
“General Celes, the game's over. Bring me those Magitek shards!” A man that seemed to exist for the purpose of a child's nightmare stepped forward. The blonde stepped back. Unfamiliar faces surrounded her. “G'hee hee hee! She tricked you all! Celes, that's so...”
“Please believe me,” was muttered through a sleeping mouth. The nightmarish man took another step forward, grinning all the while, “Now! Exterminate them all!” Soldiers, heavy-set men clad in armor and equipped with brutal firearms, shot out at the sea of people. Bullets sang in the air as the flew towards their targets. The blonde dodged a shot, but only barely. She could feel wet heart on her cheek. A graze.
“Let me... protect... just once...” “W-what are you doing? Stop it!” raged the painted man. As a rush of cold touched the blonde's fingertips, she couldn't stop herself from raising a hand against the fiend. Air like ice shot toward him, but in vain. The man, with his pale hair, pale face, and sinister smile lunged at her. They fell. She felt pressure at her throat. Insidious laughter raged on.
“Ah! What! No, ah...” The blonde awoke with as close to a shriek as she could manage. She slapped a cold hand to her neck, as if the motion would ward away whatever she'd felt strangling her as she'd slept. No, the constricting hands were gone. She sat upright in the bed roll, and used her spare hand to lean on, worried about her balance should she move. Her pillow wet, and the roll was damp. Even her clothes clung to her in a humid, sticking fashion. Sweat. That man, that man in her nightmare... He'd called her Celes. So had – “That bandit. He... They both...” If she'd had any doubt before, it was erased. Locke knew her, and she knew she should know him – after all, hadn't she betrayed him? One never forgot the face of a tratior, just as one would never forget those they'd betrayed.
She'd fought back in the end. Had it been to garner trust in that crowd, or had it been simply because she thought she might've had the upper hand? Either way, Celes knew she couldn't have that blue-eyed thief in her company. When they entered the nearest town, she would just have to part ways. With all of them. It was for the best, really. What party would ever want a traitor in their midst? For surely as she slept, the men had spoken. The gun-wielder already looked as if he wanted relief from her presence. Yes, for the best.
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Post by Griever on Mar 17, 2010 3:04:49 GMT -5
OOC: In advance, I'm afraid this posty may be 'ungood' or 'craptastic' or may be out of place or unwanted. If so, lemme know and I'll redo it. Just felt the need to post for her. ~Nyna~ Though the girl had been nervous around the rest of the group, and had begun feeling quite nervous around the woman who had been helping her, she still felt safer laying in a sleeping bag near them and the fire. She ha convinced herself it was safe enough to lay nearest to Celes, though still at a distance as she was worried by how the woman had been injured. As she laid in her sleeping bag, she thanked the man quietly for healing her injuries as it made it much easier for her to fall asleep even with her paranoia. As she slept quietly, she was startled awake by nearby movement. Looking up she saw Celes sitting in her own spot, a terrified and sweaty face as she had awoken from some horrible nightmare. Unsure of what to do, the young Al-Bhed slowly got up and crawled over a few feet and looked at the blonde-haired woman with a worried look. "Uhm...a-are you okay?" The woman had been so nice, and even if she didn't remember it, Nyna did and wished to help her the best she could.
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