[Open] You Were In the Darkness Too

[tantailizing]

🧙 Who: Zidane Tribal and You!
⚔️️ Which: Open
🕒 Where: Between New Camelot and Atys/Ruins of Celliwig
🗺️ What: March Catch-all! Featuring! A Quest (Snow Laughing Matter), a TDM prompt (Eggxacting), and a nice general open prompt (stare at the doom sky with him!).
⚠️ Warnings: Will add when needed

I. Snow Laughing Matter

[And here he thought he'd be herding up Moon Rabbit kits, but he came across another issue that required his attention. He thought his magic had been a little screwy the past few days which was enough reason to try not using it, but at least it hadn't caused anything like this. Also, good thing snowmen don't really move too fast or this would be a bigger issue.]

Come on, I know where there's a bigger freezer than trying to cram into someone's fridge. This way, hurry!

[Bargaining magic might be a boon right now, but again, not worth the risk. Now's the time to work together!]

II. Eggxacting

[Flowers had come in handy shortly after the ritual's completion not too long ago. The flowers they'd used - the extra verbena - had helped illuminate the darkness better than the Candlebloom spell had. At least, more area had been easy to illuminate in comparison. So when a culinary wizard hands him some 'Oeufs de fleurs', Zidane's all about seeing them planted about accordingly.]

[Blue ones at night, white ones during the day...]

[There's a lot of checking his phone to know when its day or night with the sky as it is. Though, he also discovers there's nothing wrong with an 'accident' here and there with the eggs.]

[Hopefully Camelot won't mind a few extra trees around because putting them a little more accordingly around Atys seems like a pretty good idea. He could be found at the next spot just waiting for flowers or a tree, day or night, juggling several eggs with a hum.]

Which one will it be~?

[Unless someone sees him and would rather he have the right egg break into flowers right now, this would be up to chance.]

III. Stars Fall, but I'm Here

[Only once had Zidane had doubts about the pending destruction of their worlds. When someone said there was passage to a place to bear witness to this event, the quiet doubt slipped away.]

[But now, he could see it.]

[Sitting, staring up at the sky, of their worlds frozen in time but heading towards certain doom. Everyone's okay for now, but if something like the wraiths happened again - if that magic was forced to be temporarily released - that might change. Quietly, he stares, eyes focused on one planet in particular. He's seen it plenty of times before, through model globes and even thought holograms.]

[Their home - Gaia.]

...

[He's not saying anything. Probably hasn't even noticed someone may have joined him.]

IV. Wildcard

[OOC: Wanna do something unlisted from the prompts? Hit me up at demidemonLove or PM so we can plot! While Zidane is doing Tent Solution, he's mainly helping Kaika Theater, but is still willing to help others outside of that.]

Comments

III

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean joins Zidane's company quietly, looking at the sky. It was menacing, but somehow coming from a world that's full of hell it's not bothering him as much as it probably should.]

Is that where you're from?

[tantailizing]

[Keeping his eyes focused on the planet, Zidane slowly nods.]

Yup. Y'know, I knew the ocean was big, but I never really thought about just how big. Guess distance just changes that perspective.

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean focuses his gaze on the planet a little better. There's definitely a lot of water. More than Jean can imagine their world having.]

That's definitely a big area... is it all salt water?

[tantailizing]

Haha, I have no idea. As much as I've been on the sea, I don't make a habit of diving into it.

[He chuckles.]

I think some of it's salty, but not everywhere. Small places between the continents it seems to change.

III

[inemeraldfaith]

[Truthfully, the sky's a terrifying thing to behold. Aerith doesn't like falling into that, however, which means even with the calamity illuminating the sky so effortlessly, she's still wearing smiles, still going about her day as if absolutely nothing has changed.

...While trying to use her magic as little as possible because things aren't always working quite the way she'd expect them to. Things are changing, relatively rapidly, and she can't help but wonder if what looms above them is some kind of sign of inevitable...

She doesn't know. Destruction, maybe. She hates thinking that. There has to be a way to stop that.

When she finds Zidane, she watches him for some moments, looking between him and the way his chin is tipped up to eye the sky. And eventually she moves to stand next to him, saying nothing at first.

Until...]

Oooh, looks kind of bad, doesn't it?

[tantailizing]

[Hearing footsteps approach, Zidane considers looking away, but decides against it. It's not as though he's had issue with anyone deciding to ambush him outside of that one quest so he's not too worried about that starting. But when she joins him, he does glance her way, nod... but then put on a smile.]

Looks pretty bad, but it's not moving. It's kinda like staring at a large painting.

[And as long as it's not moving - or not doing so too fast - he's going to try not worrying too bad about it.]

[inemeraldfaith]

A painting, huh?

[She can see it. That's a lot nicer than a lot of other ways she could probably describe it.]

I didn't think of that, but you might be right. I've never seen anything like it myself. Honestly, I've been looking at it since it showed up. It's like one day it wasn't there, and the next day it was. Think it's going to go away anytime soon?

[tantailizing]

[He nods and continues staring at it. At least there are way less crystals involved in this.]

Hm... probably not too soon. It makes day and night kinda ominous.

[Which, not cool doom sky.]

III

[luciing]

[ It seems that all has turned their attention upward. No longer does the vault of the heavens reveal the majesty of the stars; instead, the calamity is laid bare for all to see: both ominous and terrifying at once.

Death has passed him twice, and thrice he has lived. The end of days, stalled save for a sliver of hope, is something he has come to see it for himself... Only to find someone familiar at its bleak mantel in the exact same location.

Somnus pauses before speaking. Perhaps...now would not be the time to greet him. Or, with the end nearer, perhaps it is the only time. He steps forward, making his presence known. ]

Ne'er think there is naught to be done.

[ There is not a shred of animosity in his tone, not as he had when touched by the curse of the Knights. ] ...Hail, youth.

[tantailizing]

[Tail stopping it's lax sway behind him, Zidane raises his head a bit... but doesn't look yet. Sure, he heard the footsteps, but he hadn't expected to be hearing that voice anytime soon. Considering what happened, he had two thoughts: one, being Somnus wasn't ready to talk about it, or two, the older man had just decided leaving things as they were would mean peace and quiet. Not that Zidane would let things stay that way, and also Somnus didn't seem like that guy, but man, he was hard to find.]

[Being found instead makes things easier.]

[And Zidane can look back at him with a wide grin when he finally does turn his head.]

Hey, Somnus! Feeling better now?

[luciing]

[ As ever, the smile contrasts against the Somnus' own grim countenance. With the backdrop of the calamity, the other's cheeriness seems unhealthily forced.

Somnus raises his hand, palm upward, then lowers it. This is a motion, slow and dignified, that he's always done in either greeting or calling for pause, even when none is needed. He gestures to the spot beside Zidane. ]

May I watch the heavens with you?

[tantailizing]

[Glancing next to him, Zidane blinks, and then nods up at him.]

You can. Nothing else to do tonight?

[Because staring at the planets isn't really accomplishing much.]

[luciing]

Nay. [ He approaches, his footfalls quiet save for the swish of his heavy robe behind him. Then, he sits-- not to close as to be intruding on the other's space, but not so far as to make conversation stilted by distance.

When he adjusts, his hand rests on the ground beside him. His fingers pad against the cool earth, and he speaks again. ] No business, but to offer an apology.

[tantailizing]

[Zidane doesn't have to move over to give Somnus more space, but he does anyway, watching the older man take a seat before going back to peering up at the sky. Because they could see all the worlds currently in danger, he's kind of curious about some of them. What kind of places are there? What are the people like? Has he met them, or were they someone that disappeared?]

For the whole thing during the wraith attack? It's fine. You weren't exactly yourself back there.

[luciing]

Even so.

[ He's well aware that the enchantments of this world are strong enough that many leave the victim unaware that they are even under one. Some are powerful enough that even if one is aware, they are unable to stop themselves.

If Somnus' own guilt is misplaced, so be it. However...

Somnus turns his head, watching his profile. ] You deserved neither the blows nor the cruelty of the words spoken. Believe nothing of the weakness told to you.

[tantailizing]

[Placing his hands behind his back, Zidane leans a little, stretching out his legs before him. His tail resumed its previous lazy flops against the grass while he tilts his head.]

I don't. I mean, it's not the first time someone's called it a weakness. Even if it actually was one, I don't regret making the decisions I have.

[luciing]

....Good. [ He responds, after a moment, and then after another, his tone softening, he repeats: ] Good.

[ The calamity may take precedent, but there is meaning in an apology, whether or not it is necessary. That's all that's needed to be said on the subject, however. Zidane knows he is not weak, no matter who else speaks it, and that is that.

Somnus turns his head forward, then upward, casting his eyes to the sky. A myriad of worlds, stalled in their moments, remains painted across the horizon. Time for a subject change. ]

You are wed?

[tantailizing]

[Smiling again, he's good with leaving it at that.]

[And hey, at least it did mean that rage curse didn't make Somnus actually hate him or anything. It'd be a shame if they couldn't have talks anymore.]

[It seems like they're about to sit in silence until Somnus speaks up again. Immediately, Zidane's tail is up and fluffed, but then lowers as he chuckles and scratches his head.]

Ehe, you remember that, huh? I like the idea that we are, and we still haven't gotten any divorce dwarves would recognize. So, yeah, in Conde Petie, we're married. Oh, and she said I could still use 'wife' in my phone for her contact.

[luciing]

Congratulations are in order. [ Marrying young hadn't been uncommon in Somnus time. Still, aside from the fact that Somnus would not know what Conde Petie is, this comes as news. Zidane seems to be more of a buccaneer type, rather than one that settles down. Hopefully Zidane will be able to see the next question coming: ]

Who?

[tantailizing]

Thanks. [Which is different. Since the whole thing around the wedding had been just part of progress, congratulations hadn't exactly come up. Not to mention, he'd known a few people who might want a word with him? If they found out what happened.]

[But as for the question of who, Zidane's smile widens.]

Only the most beautiful, the most determined, and the most devoted woman ever... Her name's Garnet, but I'll always call her Dagger.

[inemeraldfaith]

[Aerith slips her hands behind her back as she exchanges her gaze between Zidane and the sky. This thing... what can they do? She can't help but wonder what awaits them all, how things will change as they move forward, if things truly are as... inevitable as they seem...]

A little bit, doesn't it.

[She wants to smile and share her optimism, but she's not sure how much he might buy that.]

Welllll... everyone here can see it. I'm sure there are plenty of us trying to think of a way to turn the sky back to normal. We just might need some time to figure things out.

[tantailizing]

Yeah... like, c'mooon. Way to ruin sunrises and sunsets, and also looking at a full moon.

[His complaints sound childish despite the reality before them, but you know what, he can at least be nonchalant.]

I'm sure we can. It'll take some work and thought - and hopefully, it's a little more than just covering it up with a blanket or tent.

[Like certain quests this month though he did try. Did anyone attempt covering all of Camelot in a blanket yet?]

[inemeraldfaith]

Sometimes we have to come up with something small and temporary before we can think of something bigger and more permanent. The blankets and tents... that was more for the children, you know.

[She smiles a touch.] We should try not to let them get scared. So it's our responsibility to put smiles on their faces the best that we can. [Something he's very good at.]

I believe. We'll figure this out. Until then, we have to do our best to keep things held together. No one's expecting an overnight fix.

[tantailizing]

I dunno... it's the parents I'm more worried about. And - well - we can only hide so much of it.

[Then it was a matter of keeping them within the confines of wherever they set up, and kids are kids. Might as well herd cats sometimes with them.] We've been entertaining the kids at the Theater, but more than once I've been asked what's wrong with mom and dad, or what's wrong with the sky. So far, what I've told them works, but I can't say how long they'll be happy with it.

[Still, despite all that, he nods.]

We will. Haha, if we could've solved it that soon, we wouldn't be talking about it right now. Or taking in the view. It's kind of beautiful in its own way too.

[luciing]

[ To put it simply, Zidane sounds very much in love. ]

Your enamor is a strong foundation. You've known her long, I gather?