lifeaftr | this is gospel

Entry tags:

this is gospel

Who: Ardyn, Jaune, a new companion, and otherwise open.
What: [muffled chocobo theme in the distance]
When: The 26th and onward, I can count.
Where: Islet #4, Storyteller's temple, and a wildcard!
Warnings: None apart from blanket XV spoilers, will update if necessary

[a; islet 4 shack 1]
[By the time Ardyn got back to the islets with Jaune in tow, his immediate rage at the situation had calmed into the usual undercurrent of fury he always felt. Gods were the same no matter where you went, even if this one had rightfully called out the Astrals as hilariously incompetent. Something would have to be done here as with Eos; that little white nightmare had made things personal as far as Ardyn was concerned, and he couldn't let that stand.]

So, we'll want to begin by experimenting with that sigil. Leaving it in various places, perhaps having it drawn on our hands in some measure, see if that produces any notable results.

[First things first; upon walking in he snapped his fingers to light the usual small fire only for nothing to happen. He frowned at his hand before holding it out; had he actually run out of fire magic? No--that wasn't it, the power just wasn't responding. Thunder next, then Blizzard; he tried both for the same lack of results. Held out his hand for the Blade of the Mystic...nothing.]

Side-effects indeed, you smartmouthed little-

[Whatever complaint he was about to lapse into under his breath was interrupted by the sound of sudden cracking from a corner of the barely-repaired shelter, followed rather swiftly by a telltale kweh that changed Ardyn's tune rather quickly.]

...My, isn't that late.

[b; storyteller's temple]
[Eventually, Ardyn's usual habit of wandering near sunset found him back around the Storyteller's temple; observing it as if he was examining for anything out of the ordinary or perhaps hoping to see a glaring weak point.]

[Perhaps breaking up the slightly menacing illusion was the softball-sized black bird sitting in the hood of his scarf like she nested there.]

[c; wildcard]
[anything else! Ardyn usually spends the brightest part of the day at home, coming out closer to sunset/night/early morning now with his round bird-shaped companion either in his scarf or following behind him.]

Threaded | Flat

[Jaune hadn't spoken for the duration of their trip. Other than his initial snark, he was still coming to terms with being proven that he had unwillingly been taken from one situation where he was being used, and thrown into another, arguably worse one.

And he had died. Oh yeah, that too.

He nodded once, to acknowledge he was listening. He was pretty sure he remembered what that stupid sigil looked like. Ardyn snapped his fingers, Jaune assumed it was for dramatic effect. But then he kept looking at his hands and and was mumbling something.]

What? Should I start now? [He could just tell him instead of snapping at him like a do--]

What was that? [He jumped, expecting the worst and drawing his sword. It felt heavier somehow. Weird.]

Edited 2017-10-30 07:29 (UTC)

[ She didn't like the implication of what the Storyteller told them. Those that were still alive. A cold knot formed in her stomach - she had only come across one or two people she felt familiar with, one in particular she was still feeling... kind of sick to the stomach at the thought of someone she had grown fond of being killed.

She's probably put other people in that position herself, to think about it. Only she was the one doing the killing, and not some kind of twisted monster that was roused because of their presence in there. She was still on the fence regarding the Storyteller though. But she also didn't know enough about him to form a real opinion. She should rectify that sometime. And her pensive, uneasy wandering inevitably drew her near the temple, where she saw a familiar face. Relief on her own - he must have been okay, right? Terra pads on over towards him. ]

Ardyn..? [ Relief changes to puzzlement. ]

What are... did you lose something...? [ He's looking so intently at the temple, she found herself glancing at it as well, trying to see what had caught his interest. . .even though there was something far more interesting and cute in the hood of his scarf. ]

Oh my.

[Muffet pauses as she heads down the path towards the mana pool, noticing something interesting about Ardyn as she passes him- or, rather, about his new accessory. She smiles delightedly.]

What a darling little creature. Won't you introduce me to your companion, dearie?

Edited (punctuation is a thing) 2017-10-30 16:47 (UTC)

[At some point during his evening activities, Tataru ends up stumbling upon him. It may not have meant much - she might have just kept walking, continuing with her efforts to investigate and familiarize herself with the area. But, well. His companion caught her eye.]

My goodness, is that a chocobo?

[It looks a bit different than the ones she's seen in Eorzea. And yet it seemed to be fairly clearly an infant, and if that was it's infant size, one could only presume the adult form was far bigger.]

[ She's not even particularly sure why she's here, since it's out of the way and it takes so much effort and energy to do much of anything but, uh. Here she is, resting against a nearby tree, a small, light bag of food next to her, hand curled loosely around her bow just in case.

... And probably a good thing, since she hears footsteps. She quickly draws her bow and arrow, and her hands shake badly from the effort. When she sees Ardyn, she lets her arms fall, heaving out a low breath. ]

... Oh. Hello.

[ Wow, awkward. ]

[They're on their way back to the islets, yes at this awkward hour, because fuck the sun honestly. It's his horse who notices it first- likely because of some kweh he mistakes for birdsong- and she turns her head to stare, ears pricked in curiosity.

So it’s his horse that alerts him to it, though when Laurent glances over it seems like ‘it’ is just Ardyn. In the dimming sunset he misses the Chocobo chick completely, because a little bird in a number of layers that can only be described as extravagant is…. not easy to spot, actually? His eyes are only human eyes.]

(What's wrong? Sssh, it's rude to stare.)

[He’ll gently try to nudge his pony onwards, but Maribelle has been spoiled by the company of Ignis’ Burdocs and wants more friends. She whinnies, getting quite excited.]

[When times were calm Prompto was often out and about trying to take photos of things. Some aggravation came along with this since his camera didn't always work, but regardless of the troubles it was still a form of stress relief for him. Of course, he was running out of things to photograph on the tiny islets. They were only so big.

Normally he avoided Islet #4, the starscourgy islet. Something drew him there that day, though. He wasn't quite sure what he saw at first. He took some steps closer to get a better look, and by the time he was paying attention he was pretty much on the islet, because there it was. Something feathery and black and there was no way it could be there. It looked just like an adorable bird back at home.

As soon as it hit his mind that this was totally real, he excitedly crept forward and knelt down in front of Ardyn's place to take a pic of the super awesome cute bird.

Click.

With natural movements he swished to look at his latest pic, only to see that it was corrupted. With a frustrated grunt he lifted the camera again to take another pic.]

[It's late when the restlessness finally gets the best of him. Ignis almost wishes for once that his nightmares hadn't been so absent when he finally slipped into an exhausted sleep after the Storyteller had gotten them out of the caverns. One can't be restless when they are exhausted, can they? If he hadn't been months without it at this point, Ignis would just blame a can too many of Ebony for the incessant itch that crawls under his skin attempting to force him into motion. He's a man of both action and thought. One should satisfy as much as the other, but it doesn't. Not now. Not since he heard that those who had passed were back.

Which, of course, meant he was back.

Ignis still hasn't fully processed what happened between he and Ardyn down in the caverns. Oh, the facts are easy enough to deal with, but the feelings are much harder, and each time he tries to pack them away, they spill free of their confines forcing him to start all over again. He's angry on one hand, having had yet another of the Chancellor's offers of aid pressed upon him with no choice but acceptance. The very thought causes a violent sense of violation to wash over him though he's not sure why it causes such a strong reaction, especially since, on the other hand, that aid allowed him to stay by Noctis and Prompto's sides through this whole thing. He missed not a day, not an hour, and Ardyn is the reason no matter how he tries to spin things to make it not so.

It's the right thing to do, his mind tells him, to check on the man who died so he could live, and yet polite and proper as the action is, it's dangerous to face Ardyn in such an uncertain state. Ignis tells himself just to wait, but the restlessness is not so patient.

By the time he manages to navigate his way to the shack where Ardyn lives, darkness has fallen. Ignis won't admit to himself whether this is done by accident or design. It is some kind of concession to the fact Ardyn himself is more comfortable in the dark? Well, it's not like day or night matters to a blind man.

He takes a deep, steadying breath before finally calling out.]

Chancellor. I would have words with you.

[Though Amaterasu is relatively nomadic, choosing to sleep wherever she pleases - be it on the islets in the homes of kind people, or on the main island amongst the trees of the forest, tucked between the roots of a great tree - but she finds the most comfort by the Storyteller's temple ruins. She's curled up by the entrance, tucked up nice with her tail wrapped around her legs. It's...been a long few days, for everyone. While she's since regained her powers, Amaterasu is still mentally and emotionally exhausted, having slept for most of the day aside from going out to forage for food. Even in the darkness, when wolves are usually about, she sleeps.

But her rest is broken by the sound of someone lurking about, and that familiar presence of darkness - evil - that sets her fur standing on end. Immediately the wolf'd head snaps up, body stiff and ears pointed up and out. She gets up, following her senses until she finds the man prowling about. Mm, she's still uncertain of what to make of him - her instincts tell her to keep an eye on him, but then again there are several here who have the darker presence, and yet they are intrinsically good, so...she can't be bias--

OH MY GODS, WHAT IS THAT SMALL ROUND CREATURE SO COZE UP IN HIS SCARF?? So round, much soft. Wow.

Immediately Ammy's demeanor changes, and she hurries over, a massive doggy smile on her face. With her tail wagging, she hops up a bit for a closer look. It looks like a chicken, but it's pitch black, so not those colorful blue hens some people keep. Is it another species he found? Ah, she hasn't encountered another like this before...it's really cute. ♥ Ammy circles the man a few times, wiggling excitedly as her eyes never leave the lil chick he's got. Is it hungry> She still has maybe one feed bag left...]

Threaded | Flat

A

B.. Mah Fweend?

B

Cish we all know what I'm here for

b

B

C. Birds of a Feather...