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Jun. 20th, 2016 09:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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kickitoverWho: Luke fon Fabre & Guy Cecil
What: GUY FINDS LUKE AND CRIES
Universe/CR: Canon AU
Wait for me here, all right?
[Peony and Jade are going to kick his ass. Again. They already get annoyed with him for coming to visit the ruins of Eldrant as often as he does, what with powerful monsters still prowling around, but that he tells his guard to wait by the ship? Yeah. Jade has already picked several bones with him over this, and Peony's made it pretty clear that if Count Gardios, last of the Galan Gardios household gets himself mauled to death by monsters that Malkuth will be in a particularly tough spot. Guy knows, and it's not as if he wants to cause His Majesty any undue hardship or make himself a nuisance. He's thrown himself headfirst into his stately duties for that very purpose, attending council meetings and listening, meeting with Jade to catch up on the past twenty years of legislature. It's mindnumbingly boring, but Guy accepted the title of Gardios and he'll wear the banner proudly. This is all part of it.
But he just...can't let this go. He can't let this tradition die.]
Your Lordship, are you-
Yes, [Guy interrupts, because this happens every time, even when he brings the same guards with him. He offers a wan smile.] Don't worry. I know how to handle myself. And if I can't, I really know how to run.
[With that, Guy makes his way into Eldrant.
Despite the monsters still around being quite powerful, there aren't that many. Most of them were abominations anyway, unnatural creatures spawned by fonic contamination, the result of Van's and Dist's experimentation. They had no way of reproducing, no desire to eat or drink; all they wanted to do was hunt. Most of them had already died once their purpose had passed. Guy could avoid most fights, and whatever he couldn't avoid, he could wound and flee. It wasn't noble or grand, but it kept him alive. He supposes he could bother one of the others to come with him, but...Tear was the only one who still believed Luke was alive, and she had her own matters to attend to. Asking anyone else just felt like asking a parent to indulge their deluded child, and Guy didn't want to be humored. He wanted them to believe.
Still, even for being scarce, there was shockingly little monster activity for this time of night. No growls, no rustlings, not even a hint of some of the regular monsters who would occasionally wander into the crash site. It's more than a little unsettling; anything that deviates from normal activity, good or bad, is a sign of significant change. As much as Guy hopes that Luke is alive somewhere, he's more a realist than an optimist any given day and he can't think that this sudden quietness is anything good.
Guy draws his sword as quietly as possible, peering around cracked columns and half-collapsed buildings. The pristine white of the structures are already browning with exposure to the elements, moss and vines creeping into place over their edges and claiming the city as part of their earth.
It's too still.
Guy's anxiety creeps ever upward as he travels further inward. If he had any sense in his head, he'd turn back. He would go back to the ship, get back to Malkuth and report the odd behavior to Jade to be further investigated by the military. This isn't his job, this isn't his concern; he should focus on keeping himself alive, as one of the few Malkuth nobles in favor of a standing treaty with Kimlasca. He has his responsibilities to Auldrant to consider.
...but what if.
He shouldn't allow himself hope this strong. He's just going to get hurt. It's just going to hurt so much worse if he walks out of here with nothing to show, but he can't just- He can't keep going on like this. Maybe after this, he should give up these little excursions. Maybe he should just stop punishing himself this way if this time, he finds nothing.
If this time, yet again, he doesn't find Luke.]
Luke? [It's too soft. There's no way he'd hear, even if by some miracle he's alive. He swore he would return so Guy should wait, but Guy- well, he's never been good at waiting for Luke to come along. Before it was his duty to serve the crown, it was his duty to look after Luke.
He knows which one is more important to him.]
Luke, are you here? ...can you hear me?
What: GUY FINDS LUKE AND CRIES
Universe/CR: Canon AU
Wait for me here, all right?
[Peony and Jade are going to kick his ass. Again. They already get annoyed with him for coming to visit the ruins of Eldrant as often as he does, what with powerful monsters still prowling around, but that he tells his guard to wait by the ship? Yeah. Jade has already picked several bones with him over this, and Peony's made it pretty clear that if Count Gardios, last of the Galan Gardios household gets himself mauled to death by monsters that Malkuth will be in a particularly tough spot. Guy knows, and it's not as if he wants to cause His Majesty any undue hardship or make himself a nuisance. He's thrown himself headfirst into his stately duties for that very purpose, attending council meetings and listening, meeting with Jade to catch up on the past twenty years of legislature. It's mindnumbingly boring, but Guy accepted the title of Gardios and he'll wear the banner proudly. This is all part of it.
But he just...can't let this go. He can't let this tradition die.]
Your Lordship, are you-
Yes, [Guy interrupts, because this happens every time, even when he brings the same guards with him. He offers a wan smile.] Don't worry. I know how to handle myself. And if I can't, I really know how to run.
[With that, Guy makes his way into Eldrant.
Despite the monsters still around being quite powerful, there aren't that many. Most of them were abominations anyway, unnatural creatures spawned by fonic contamination, the result of Van's and Dist's experimentation. They had no way of reproducing, no desire to eat or drink; all they wanted to do was hunt. Most of them had already died once their purpose had passed. Guy could avoid most fights, and whatever he couldn't avoid, he could wound and flee. It wasn't noble or grand, but it kept him alive. He supposes he could bother one of the others to come with him, but...Tear was the only one who still believed Luke was alive, and she had her own matters to attend to. Asking anyone else just felt like asking a parent to indulge their deluded child, and Guy didn't want to be humored. He wanted them to believe.
Still, even for being scarce, there was shockingly little monster activity for this time of night. No growls, no rustlings, not even a hint of some of the regular monsters who would occasionally wander into the crash site. It's more than a little unsettling; anything that deviates from normal activity, good or bad, is a sign of significant change. As much as Guy hopes that Luke is alive somewhere, he's more a realist than an optimist any given day and he can't think that this sudden quietness is anything good.
Guy draws his sword as quietly as possible, peering around cracked columns and half-collapsed buildings. The pristine white of the structures are already browning with exposure to the elements, moss and vines creeping into place over their edges and claiming the city as part of their earth.
It's too still.
Guy's anxiety creeps ever upward as he travels further inward. If he had any sense in his head, he'd turn back. He would go back to the ship, get back to Malkuth and report the odd behavior to Jade to be further investigated by the military. This isn't his job, this isn't his concern; he should focus on keeping himself alive, as one of the few Malkuth nobles in favor of a standing treaty with Kimlasca. He has his responsibilities to Auldrant to consider.
...but what if.
He shouldn't allow himself hope this strong. He's just going to get hurt. It's just going to hurt so much worse if he walks out of here with nothing to show, but he can't just- He can't keep going on like this. Maybe after this, he should give up these little excursions. Maybe he should just stop punishing himself this way if this time, he finds nothing.
If this time, yet again, he doesn't find Luke.]
Luke? [It's too soft. There's no way he'd hear, even if by some miracle he's alive. He swore he would return so Guy should wait, but Guy- well, he's never been good at waiting for Luke to come along. Before it was his duty to serve the crown, it was his duty to look after Luke.
He knows which one is more important to him.]
Luke, are you here? ...can you hear me?
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Date: 2016-06-21 05:42 am (UTC)He wanted to live. He wanted it with every fiber in his body. He wanted to see the sky again, he wanted to actually swim in the ocean, he wanted to feel the joy that bloomed when he was with his friends, he wanted, he wanted, but...
But.
To be born again out of a fervent wish, to be reassembled from nothingness into something whole - it took so much energy that when there was a solid surface beneath him, Luke did nothing but sleep. It was by the power of Lorelei that the monsters that roamed the area kept away from the stretch of marble where Luke slept, the nearest place where he freed the god that wasn't crumbled away.
It was only when he stirred and started to wake that the monsters started to return, though they still largely kept away from where he himself was. While some of them roamed the entrance of Eldrant, their numbers would thin further and further into the area. When Luke finally sat himself up, a hand pressed to his forehead and a groan escaping, he could barely even open his eyes. They were new to the world, and just the light from behind his closed lids was painful enough.
He was still so tired, and the world felt like it was spinning too fast for him to keep up with. He swayed a bit from his resting spot, unsure of what happened or - who he even was, really, before the scrambled and blurry memories started to piece and form together.
This, and the fact that he didn't have any sort of weapon to defend himself with, was the reason the monsters were kept at bay. Not when the boy was still so freshly brought back, not when he was in no condition to go anywhere. And certainly not when he was in any state of mind (nor hearing distance, probably) to hear the the quiet calling of one of his dear friends.]
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Date: 2016-06-22 04:23 am (UTC)Guy swallows down his disappointment with practiced ease. Of course Luke wouldn't just happen to show up on the day he's there. If- when Luke comes back, he'll likely make himself known to Tear first, and then him. Maybe Kimlasca first, depending on the political climate (and whether or not Luke would think of that sort of thing first). He keeps letting his hope run away with him. It's not like it's good for nothing; he still believes Luke will come back, some day, just...
Well, it's hard. Nothing worth waiting for is easy, but this in particular is very, very hard.
Guy sighs through his nose and sheathes his sword back at his side. He touches the pouch at his hip; he always places the flowers Pere grows at the mouth of the ruins, but just this time he'd wanted to tried venturing further inward. It's more trouble than it's worth, with a lot of climbing and dodging monsters. He should place the flowers and make his way back to his men before they get exasperated with him and come drag him back out.]
All right Luke, [Guy says instead, knowing that more than one member of his group of friends would probably side-eye him for talking like this (and, truthfully, not caring how it looks).] Time to get a move on, already. No more dawdling.
[Guy goes prowling for somewhere more peaceful to lay the flowers, especially since monster presence is determined to stay at an all-time low. Walking through the destroyed remains of a fortress meant to emulate Hod hurt terribly the first time, but with subsequent visits it stings a little less each time.
-there. It's the staircase and archways leading up to the central platform. That's the last place he saw Luke, when he'd turned around and watched the light gather before Jade had pulled him away. What would have happened if he'd stopped Luke? If they'd just left Lorelei trapped? Would the world still have torn itself apart, would there still still be battles to fight?
It's pointless to think of it. Luke wouldn't have stopped no matter what Guy had done.
Guy sighs and takes to knee at the foot of the crumbled staircase, arranging the flowers neatly so they're spread across the steps. Luke might be embarrassed by a display like this, but Pere is in mourning and this helps him feel better. Guy wouldn't deny him something like this just to satisfy Luke's ego anyway, and Luke knows that. Besides, Luke's coming back. He can kick up a fuss when he finally stops lazing around and makes good on his promise.
Sometimes during sunrise, the morning glow will strike the open ruins just right and make it look like the soft gold of Luke's hyperresonance. Guy straightens and gazes up at the ephemeral haze of it, remembers how the light would halo Luke's hair. An awful lot of weight went on his shoulders, and he'd borne it as well as could be expected. Guy had been a little hard on him after Akzeriuth, and though he'd gone back to atone for that and try to make sure Luke found the correct path, he never quite felt like he'd properly apologized for abandoning him precisely when he should have remained at his side.
...well. It's morning, and his men are likely hyperventilating over his lateness. It's odd, he didn't think they'd arrived so-
Guy stops and squints up at the stars, then back over to the glow.
They didn't arrive late. Night had only just fallen when the ship made shore. Which means-
Guy's feet move before his mind does. He steps carefully over cracked and worn alabaster stone, carefully and then at a scramble, clawing his way up over the gaps and breaks onto the platform above. It's cracked into pieces, gigantic slabs that turn inward at the center like a crater; flowers peek up from the cracks, the same from the valley, white and glowing.]
...Luke?
[It can't be. Guy takes a step closer, but pops his katana loose with his thumb. It's a collapsed monster. It must be.]
no subject
Date: 2016-06-22 04:53 am (UTC)I'm here.
I'm not dead. Was I dead? I'm alive?
I'm alive.
He pushes himself up, ignoring the swimming in his head, head down low and practically engulfed by the white clothes that Lorelei had left for him, replacing the ones that had been decimated.
I freed Lorelei.
I died, or... something.
But now I'm here?
My name is Luke fon Fabre, I'm a replica, and I'm -
"Luke?"
Alive.
Luke lifts his head, then finally opens his eyes - though they immediately turn into a squint. Now that he's done so, however, the light of Lorelei begins to fade, making it easier on him. Things are still... spotty in his head, there's still holes that are starting to fill, but that voice he heard was painfully familiar.
He turns his head, blinking hard a few times to clear out the blurriness, and then...]
... Guy?
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Date: 2016-06-23 04:44 am (UTC)He knows my name.
Guy takes a shaky step forward.
There's no reason for him to believe that's Luke, or believe that's the Luke he knows. It could be Asch. It could be a trick; some kind of image, or something Lorelei's done.
He responded to my voice.
Guy grips the hilt of his katana so hard his knuckles hurt. It's absurd. This is what he's been coming here for, what he's been waiting for, and he still can't just let himself believe it's true. It feels too good to be true. This feels too much like a gift and Guy- he's learned too well how to look for the evil in good things. Nothing is ever purely good, nobody has ever done anything purely out of the goodness of their heart. Whether they're trying to further their political goals, atone for some wrongdoing, protect something dear to them at the cost of someone else's life- nothing is purely good. Nothing.
But Guy is already running to where Luke is.]
Luke? Lu-ke? [Guy's voice cracks as his vision blurs and he drops his sword, falling to his knees in the middle of the flowers and pulling Luke up by his shoulders.] Are you- Luke, are you-
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Date: 2016-06-23 04:55 am (UTC)Here he comes.
It's the last thing he thinks of before Guy's right there in front of him and pulling him the rest of the way up by the shoulders, making the world spin again. He shuts his eyes against it, but then opens them once more to stare up at Guy. There's a smile growing on his face, bewildered yet big and bright and sincere. He sees the tears in Guy's eyes, but that just cements it further for him, and a quiet laugh, uncontrolled and giddy, comes from his chest, and his own vision blurs too.
He's back. He's alive - the promise he made to everyone, he -
The promise. That's right. He'd made several that day, and even though he had no intention of keeping them... Well, he's here - He can do that now.
So he hangs his head, another little chuckle escaping, before he raises his head as if in exasperation.]
Man, that was a pain!
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Date: 2016-06-23 05:01 am (UTC)Guy cups Luke's face and makes a sound that's half laugh, half sob.] A pai- You brat, you- [He lunges forward, burying a hand in Luke's hair to press his face against his shoulder, clutching so tightly that he's shaking. It's him. It's him, he's alive. It's really him and he's alive-
Guy knows he's crying and he tries to tamp it down as best he can, tries to suck it up but he can't. He'd hoped and believed but he'd had no idea how close he was to giving up until know. He'd almost thought it wouldn't happen. Two short years and he was already ready to give up. Looks like Luke taught him far too well how easy it is to just let go.]