Those were the last words Takame had heard before he fell to the ground en route to the Rising Stones, wishing to share troubling information he'd discovered upon a brief return to Ghymlit Dark. Before he found himself surrounded on all sides with a blinding light, an overwhelming aether threatening to consume all he was and would be if he were to linger.
For some time did he wander before a man calling himself the Crystal Exarch approached him. And had the wheel of fate turned differently Takame surely would have spilled his blood that day upon hearing all the truths he laid bare for the Au Ra. The Exarch should consider himself blessed by whatever gods they observed in this realm, "Norvrandt", that he only escaped that day with a potentially dislocated jaw.
It was an action Takame somewhat regretted today, a full year later, when the man has been so reasonable to him, the Captain of his city's Guard even offering tutelage for a new style of fighting. He would make up for this, find his way back to the Source and await the Warrior of Light's... await Rose's arrival to this shard. Thus did he make his way to Holminster Switch during the Sin Eater's assault on the town, doing everything and anything he could to evacuate survivors, kill eaters and if necessary those who had turned. It was an odd feeling for him, barking out orders to see civilians to safety rather than taking them.
Despite the recent return of the night sky to this region, Takame was ever one to stay cautious, holding his chakrams firmly yet ready to release at moment's notice. There are still eaters about, and he must see to it that those who survived have homes to return to.
It's what she would do, though he doubted she'd be thrilled about it. And yet being reminded of that boldness of hers made her absence sting that much more.]
[Rose has been feeling...off, ever since she absorbed the Sineater in Holminster Switch. It’s to be expected, she supposes, given what they saw there. Given Tesleen.]
[Still, there’s a nauseous feeling in her stomach that she can’t quite shake. She’s seen comrades die before, but this feels distinctly different. Like there’s something wrong with her at her core. And the stress from this is even giving her grey hairs!]
[‘It’s dangerous, so you should stay close,’ is probably what the others would say. And that’s exactly why she decides not to tell them when she sneaks out among the festivities. There are a lot of people here, and she’s not been happy about large parties since the Ul’Dah business. Besides, no one here knew she was the hero, which means she wouldn’t be the focus. Nobody would notice a single absent Miqo’te.]
[Unfortunately, she didn’t expect Sineaters to still be about, much less so many. It’s not long before Rose finds herself surrounded and overwhelmed. Send help?]
[Even from a distance he could easily see the Eaters, he didn't need an aetheric sight to see how severely they clashed against the night. Bold little whoresons weren't they, coming out at their weakest and crowding someone.
It didn't take much effort from Takame to reach them, a single dash forward employing En Avant, leaving him more than enough room to toss his rings in a cascade, cutting through a few of the eaters and then the rest as he summoned the rings back to his hands. Once the threats cleared, he moved closer.]
Are you alright, mada--? [Then saw just who it was they crowded... his eyes went wide and he froze in surprise. That is... could it be?] ... Rose?
[As quickly as the sineaters are dispatched, Rose assumes that the person coming to her aid is one of the Crystarium sentries. The weapons they use are reminiscent of Lyna’s, two circular throwing weapons with bladed edges. She looks upon her rescuer, expecting to find a stranger...]
Takame?
[...And instead finds a familiar Au Ra. She had questions. So many questions. But there’s only one that matters, really, and that’s the first one that she asks.]
... The Sin Eaters they... there were still a number of them lingering about I...
[He stopped in front of her, kneeling down slightly to meet her at eye level. The actual question she'd meant to ask flew straight over his head, he was simply too deep in shock at seeing her at all to realize it.]
[Rose crosses her arms. Some things never change; Takame had many a good point, but he wasn’t always the most observant outside of battle. Especially not now it seems.]
Yes, it is me. Unless you’ve heard wind of a different Warrior of Light, in which case, I’d like to meet them.
[As if Takame needed further confirmation beyond that sharp tongue he came to know in such a short time. Something in him demanded he move in even closer, but his sound mind told him that Rose deserved a debrief.
And a better answer than "he walked."]
I was... Called here. [His emphasis on the word "called" should already paint a picture for Rose. In a move more bold than expected of him, he actually voiced a suggestion in a manner not a reluctant request.] ... We should return to the Crystarium. There I will explain everything.
[Had Takame just answered with “he walked,” Rose would have smacked him on the head. That isn’t what she meant; of course he walked. What else was he going to do, fly here on a horse?]
So you were called, too.
[Rose feels a twinge of guilt. Among all the people who had been taken, Rose hadn’t dreamed that Takame would be among them. It’s not unfathomable, considering how much they seem to run into each other, but it’s not something she anticipated, either.]
[Are Eorzea's Chocobo's not just flying horse birds? He thought as much when he first saw them...
He wasn't sure why he'd been called either, yet again dismissing the why and accepting it as something he was ordered to do despite his initially hostile reception. But that all could wait until he's explained his situation.]
Yes... [Said with a nod as he began to lead the way out of Holminster, pausing briefly in his movements to turn to Rose once more with an exceedingly rare smile.]
It’s good to see you again, as well. There are so few people to talk to here.
[Rose answers with a small smile of her own. She follows Takame back to town, making sure to enter discreetly. Even if they don’t know she’s the hero of the hour, that doesn’t mean that people won’t be looking for her. She would rather avoid that attention.]
[The two find themselves in a small room in the Pendants. The celebration can clearly be heard from the window, but Rose isn’t paying it much mind.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ya girl is bACK ON HER HORSEBIRD SHITE
Those were the last words Takame had heard before he fell to the ground en route to the Rising Stones, wishing to share troubling information he'd discovered upon a brief return to Ghymlit Dark. Before he found himself surrounded on all sides with a blinding light, an overwhelming aether threatening to consume all he was and would be if he were to linger.
For some time did he wander before a man calling himself the Crystal Exarch approached him. And had the wheel of fate turned differently Takame surely would have spilled his blood that day upon hearing all the truths he laid bare for the Au Ra. The Exarch should consider himself blessed by whatever gods they observed in this realm, "Norvrandt", that he only escaped that day with a potentially dislocated jaw.
It was an action Takame somewhat regretted today, a full year later, when the man has been so reasonable to him, the Captain of his city's Guard even offering tutelage for a new style of fighting. He would make up for this, find his way back to the Source and await the Warrior of Light's... await Rose's arrival to this shard. Thus did he make his way to Holminster Switch during the Sin Eater's assault on the town, doing everything and anything he could to evacuate survivors, kill eaters and if necessary those who had turned. It was an odd feeling for him, barking out orders to see civilians to safety rather than taking them.
Despite the recent return of the night sky to this region, Takame was ever one to stay cautious, holding his chakrams firmly yet ready to release at moment's notice. There are still eaters about, and he must see to it that those who survived have homes to return to.
It's what she would do, though he doubted she'd be thrilled about it. And yet being reminded of that boldness of hers made her absence sting that much more.]
and this girl is down to clown
[Still, there’s a nauseous feeling in her stomach that she can’t quite shake. She’s seen comrades die before, but this feels distinctly different. Like there’s something wrong with her at her core. And the stress from this is even giving her grey hairs!]
[‘It’s dangerous, so you should stay close,’ is probably what the others would say. And that’s exactly why she decides not to tell them when she sneaks out among the festivities. There are a lot of people here, and she’s not been happy about large parties since the Ul’Dah business. Besides, no one here knew she was the hero, which means she wouldn’t be the focus. Nobody would notice a single absent Miqo’te.]
[Unfortunately, she didn’t expect Sineaters to still be about, much less so many. It’s not long before Rose finds herself surrounded and overwhelmed. Send help?]
no subject
It didn't take much effort from Takame to reach them, a single dash forward employing En Avant, leaving him more than enough room to toss his rings in a cascade, cutting through a few of the eaters and then the rest as he summoned the rings back to his hands. Once the threats cleared, he moved closer.]
Are you alright, mada--? [Then saw just who it was they crowded... his eyes went wide and he froze in surprise. That is... could it be?] ... Rose?
no subject
Takame?
[...And instead finds a familiar Au Ra. She had questions. So many questions. But there’s only one that matters, really, and that’s the first one that she asks.]
What in the seven hells are you doing here?
no subject
[He stopped in front of her, kneeling down slightly to meet her at eye level. The actual question she'd meant to ask flew straight over his head, he was simply too deep in shock at seeing her at all to realize it.]
It... it truly is you, isn't it?
no subject
Yes, it is me. Unless you’ve heard wind of a different Warrior of Light, in which case, I’d like to meet them.
[Maybe they can do her job for her.]
More importantly, how did you get here?
no subject
[As if Takame needed further confirmation beyond that sharp tongue he came to know in such a short time. Something in him demanded he move in even closer, but his sound mind told him that Rose deserved a debrief.
And a better answer than "he walked."]
I was... Called here. [His emphasis on the word "called" should already paint a picture for Rose. In a move more bold than expected of him, he actually voiced a suggestion in a manner not a reluctant request.] ... We should return to the Crystarium. There I will explain everything.
no subject
So you were called, too.
[Rose feels a twinge of guilt. Among all the people who had been taken, Rose hadn’t dreamed that Takame would be among them. It’s not unfathomable, considering how much they seem to run into each other, but it’s not something she anticipated, either.]
I agree. I think we should speak in private.
no subject
He wasn't sure why he'd been called either, yet again dismissing the why and accepting it as something he was ordered to do despite his initially hostile reception. But that all could wait until he's explained his situation.]
Yes... [Said with a nod as he began to lead the way out of Holminster, pausing briefly in his movements to turn to Rose once more with an exceedingly rare smile.]
... 'Tis good to see you again.
no subject
[Rose answers with a small smile of her own. She follows Takame back to town, making sure to enter discreetly. Even if they don’t know she’s the hero of the hour, that doesn’t mean that people won’t be looking for her. She would rather avoid that attention.]
[The two find themselves in a small room in the Pendants. The celebration can clearly be heard from the window, but Rose isn’t paying it much mind.]
I must admit, I didn’t expect to see you here.