2024-03-20: A Departure of Two Kinds
- Log: 2024-03-20: A Departure of Two Kinds
- Cast: Redi Hayworth, Yulie Ahtreide
- Where: Hilton
- Date: March 20, 2024
- Summary: Having tried her best to recover, Redi sets out from Hilton. Yulie Ahtreide comes with her, giving her that little nudge she needed to keep moving.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
At long last... it's time to depart Hilton.
They couldn't stay forever, and Redi can't quite say she is 'better.' But she is doing better, with some semblance of feeling like herself (despite the questions of what that means). They checked out of the hotel -- the Fangs had departed and they're due to meet with Hicalu later.
Which means that, now, Redi is at the gate to Hilton. Strange, she thinks; she came here and it felt like returning home. Now, coming back, it feels more complicated.
She still isn't wearing her old letter carrier's jacket. But, she has her white button-up shirt, blue shorts, and a brown vest on. Her mail bag is over her shoulder, with her staff attached. And, in her hand, she has the blue cap that goes with the uniform. It's a rather treasured hat.
She looks into the town -- the tiled roofs, the streets, and the sparkling sea in the distance -- and sucks a breath in.
Time to say goodbye.
She is waiting, still, for Yulie to catch up. They had agreed to meet here before setting out together.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
Yulie usually doesn't like to stay in one place for too long. That's what comes from living life on the run. Odessa may be done for as far as she can tell, but without knowing for sure what happened to Brionac in the aftermath, she'll never feel truly safe. She can make exceptions, though - and ensuring that Redi has people who care about her nearby during her time of need has been worth it.
Now, though - the time has come for them to leave. She can't imagine what must be going through Redi's head right now. And so, Yulie arrives at the gate to Hilton, where they'd arranged to meet. She's back to her Paladienne uniform, pack across her shoulder to carry her things.
Yulie offers Redi a wave of greeting once she comes into view before coming to a stop at her side, then looking out at the town for a moment.
"...How are you feeling?" Yulie asks.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
It's not quite lost on Redi that Yulie shook her life up for her. Both staying in one place -- and not going to look for her companions. That leaves her feeling grateful, though, and sometimes a little guilty.
She waves at Yulie, smiling a little when she sees the Paladienne uniform. She likes that, too.
"Ah, you know..." She trails off, then laughs. "...It's kind of a lot? I knew I'd probably be leaving again. But... it's a bit different than I imagined."
She shifts her bag a little, and her hand squeezes her blue cap tighter. "But I'm glad to be moving, too. I dunno if that makes sense."
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
Redi waves back and Yulie offers her a smile. Her eyes track briefly to the hat gripped in her hand. She might not be wearing it, but it's good to see her at least keeping it close.
"...Yeah. It's... so much." Yulie replies. No one could have anticipated this - that this is how things would turn out. She nods quietly, then considers.
"...That makes sense. Sometimes it helps, to get moving again." She offers. "Seeing new places and making new memories... I think it'll be good for you."
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
"Yeah. I don't think any of us had that on our bingo cards, huh?" Redi says, with a bit of a laugh. She sighs afer, though; she catches how that was self-deprecating humor. It's not something she ever really indulged in, before.
"I think so, too. I needed to stop for a bit, and... I'm really glad you stuck with me." Her voice is quiet for a second. "But I think I need to get moving, or... I'll just linger here forever."
She looks sideways at Yulie. "So new memories! New stuff," she says. "And... you know. Maybe we can go meet your other friends?"
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
"No, I don't think so..." Yulie agrees with a shake of her head and a slightly awkward smile. It's definitely a rare brand of humor for her - but she can smile a bit more genuinely when Redi continues.
"I was glad to." Yulie replies with a nod. ...It's true, though - that's a real fear. She can imagine it's tempting to just linger... but Yulie doesn't think that'd be healthy.
Thankfully, Redi came to that conclusion on her own.
New memories, new stuff...
"Yes." Yulie replies with a nod and a smile - which soon brightens. "That'd be great. I think you'd like them, and I'm sure they'd like you, too. I've mentioned you before, so I'm sure they're eager to meet you..."
She nods decisively - there's no doubt in her mind.
"And Hicalu has people he wanted to introduce us to, too... You've got a lot ahead of you."
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
Redi smiles back -- but she nods. It was a temptation. Like, somehow, it would make her previous life fully hers again if she just stayed long enough. But...
It isn't.
And it can't be.
"You mentioned me?" Redi says -- not with worry or concern, but a little surprise. She grins a little more at Yulie. "I hope they do. I'm looking forward to meeting them!"
She has heard about them. It's different to meet them in person, though.
"I do," she agrees. "And you, too! And... you know. We'll be Drifters together, now! Again? I think again."
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
"I did!" Yulie confirms. "I talked about about some of the things we got up to..."
Redi's looking forward to it, though, and Yulie nods excitedly.
"I'm glad to hear that!" She says. It's something to look forward to later, and that's always good to have.
She smiles, then, as Redi continues.
"Again." She agrees with a small laugh. "Ignas is bound to have a lot of ruins to explore - I think it'll be fun to see them together."
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
"I'll have to make sure I make an extra good impression, then!" Redi says, with another grin. It's more and more like her old self. "Besides, now I can get all the inside scoops on you!"
She winks. She is just teasing, thankfully.
"All sorts of ruins!" she agrees. "And other towns to see. I never got outside of Hilton, much. So some of it's new for me."
A beat.
"All of it's new, except what I saw with you, really," Redi admits. She looks at Yulie, thoughtfully, for a second.
"Anywhere you want to check out first?"
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
Seeing Redi's grin, Yulie can't help but smile a little wider - and giggles when she teases her, one hand covering her mouth.
"Oh no. Maybe I didn't think this through." She jokes back.
It sounds like Redi has a lot to see, too - that's good, in a way. It means a lot of new firsts.
"That's okay." Yulie assures, and then considers. Where does she want to check out first...
"Off the top of my head, I was think about Linga or Adlehyde... There's a lot of good spots near both of them, and they're big enough that information and supplies should be easy to come by, too." She considers.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
"You might be in trouble~!" Redi says with a little sing-song to her voice. Then she starts laughing, too, before she covers her hand with her mouth.
She listens, though, when Yulie talks about where she wants to go. Adlehyde or Linga. Neither place she has ever been to, in either sense.
"I've heard a lot about both!" she says. "I know a little more about Linga... there is a university there!" She looks thoughtful. "And some famous caves, filled with herbs. And Adlehyde... that's where all the famous heroes are from!"
The ones that she heard so much about, during the return of the Metal Demons.
"It would be nice to see it for myself," she admits. "And check out all of the ruins near either of them, too!"
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
"I might be!" Yulie agrees. She relaxes, then, a thoughtful look on her face as Redi explains what she knows about both places. She nods along.
"A university... I bet they have all kinds of interesting things on display there." She considers. And famous, herb-filled caves... "That must be incredible to see in person."
And Adlehyde, of course... Yulie nods.
"That sounds fascinating. I've been curious about it... I'd like to visit Curan Abbey, too." She replies - and then smiles.
"Me too. There's a lot for us to see!" She agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
Redi grins a bit more when Yulie says that -- then her eyes widen, like they might sparkle a little bit. She tilts her head to the side for a moment. "They probably have all sorts of stuff," she says. "On display, I mean!"
Then, she looks thoughtful. She heard of Curan Abbey, of course. The Abbey where royals from Adlehyde trained. Word got out about it.
"I think it would be nice," she says. "We could go there, first, if you want," she says. "I heard the stained glass is beautiful. And it's..."
She isn't terribly religious. But, Yulie is a Paladienne; she must be a little, at least, Redi realizes.
"We should go see it!" she decides, with a smile.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
Redi's excitement is a little infectious. When her eyes widen, almost sparkling, Yulie can't help but brighten herself.
"Right? It must be remarkable..." Yulie replies with a nod and a small chuckle at the quick correction.
Redi says it'd be nice, that they could go by the Abbey first.
"You think so? I'd like that." Yulie replies, and nods. "I've heard about it, too. I bet it's incredible in person..."
Yulie is still, in some ways, a little unsure about where she stands in regards to religion after some of the truths that she's seen... but some things still remain dear to her heart. She sounds excited - and she meets Redi's smile with a smile of her own and a nod.
"We should!" She agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
"Let's do it, then!" Redi says, with a nod.
It does sound nice. But, also, after everything that Yulie did for her -- all of the kindness, sticking by her -- there is a part of her that wants to do what she wants. It's still a genuine desire.
And the way Yulie seems excited...
She can ask about religion after they get there. She grins at her, then she looks at the gate. "All right, then. Time to go, I think," she says. She snaps out her cap -- and holds it out, ready to put on her head.
But she hesitates. By now, Yulie can spot the way she wavers about actually putting the cap on, even as she looks down at it.
She wavers, but she wants to.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
"I'm looking forward to it." Yulie replies - and then grins back, following her look toward the gate.
"Okay." Yulie replies with a nod. It's the decision she made to leave - so now's the time to step out into the world once more. Redi snaps out her cap... but hesitates. Yulie looks her way - then down to the cap, then back up at Redi.
She can see the hesitation, the wavering... and, also the way it seems like a part of her does really want to. And so... Yulie offers her a small, encouraging smile, and a nod.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
"Me, too," Redi says.
She looks at Yulie, catching the smile on her face. The gentle encouragement. Redi looks at her for a moment longer, before she nods, and then she tugs the cap down over her head. It's a familiar motion, then; a little twist to the side, and it feels just right.
She looks at Yulie, her expression searching. Does it look right?
"Ready?" she asks.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
There it goes. Somehow, seeing Redi with her cap again makes Yulie feel like things will turn out alright. It might take time, as all things do... but this is a good start.
"Perfect. It looks great on you." Yulie says with a decisive nod, as Redi looks her way. And then...
"I'm ready." She confirms.
<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.
Redi smiles all over again. Hearing that it looks great -- well, it's the reinforcement she needed, right now. "Thanks," she says, her voice kept a little quiet.
She looks back out of the gate, then nods. "Then, here we go," she says. She adjusts her messenger bag -- and starts out of the gate, at Yulie's side.
She does glance back once, but only for a second, before she looks back at Yulie. "Curan Abbey, here we come!"
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.
"You're welcome." Yulie replies genuinely. She smiles - then turns her focus back to the gate. Here we go - and as Redi starts out, so does she.
Redi spares a brief glance back and Yulie lets her have that moment in peace before offering her a smile.
"Curan Abbey, here we come." She echoes, pumping an arm.