2019-07-15: Finding Each Other Again
- Log: Finding Each Other Again
- Cast: Seraph Amaranth, Seraph Clarine
- Where: Moonflow
- Date: 15th July 2019
- Summary: Clarine walks in on Amaranth after her training session with Talia...
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
The Festina Lente hasn't moved from its place in the Moonflow despite an assassin having come by to harrass Ammy which... you'd think that'd be a bit of a priority! Or perhaps she just enjoys being next to the shoopufs so much that she can't bear to do it.
Still, there's a slight melancholy that hangs over the place... maybe it's the way the windows droop with some water at its sills like it's crying. Or the way the chimney droops. Or the blankie wrapped around it...
...
OK, it's impossible to miss.
And Ammy is... that's Ammy? She's dressed in a dark violet garb that's more acrobatic than her usual, with a mantle. It looks kind of like a shinobi's...
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
There was a period of time, not too long ago, in fact, where Clarine was melancholy herself, but that was starting to turn up. Her mood was improving, she had made some decisions, and now that she had a free time she decided she was long overdue for a visit with her friend, Amaranth.
She had heard that the Festina Lente had found itself in Spira, and where it was Ammy was sure to be there. What she did not expect to find was the building practically drooping, with a blanket wrapped around it.
Clarine frets a little. If the shop was in that kind of mood, what about Ammy herself...? She hesitates a little before giving the doorframe a gentle pat and very carefully knocking on the door itself.
"Ammy...? It is Clarine - I have come to visit!" She says - and then, quickly adds, "...If you are not terribly busy, that is!"
She takes a quick peek through the window, and...was that really Ammy in there...? Clarine tilts her head curiously.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Sproig! Ammy jerks up the moment she hears someone and stammers--
"O-oh, Clarine! Clarine, come in," she looks just a little bit fretty, but eventually gestures and the doors swing wide open as the place kind of just... resuscitates a little. The skylights open, the mantle disappears, and a lot more sun and air comes into the room.
She looks down at herself, and scratches her cheek as she hides into her own shoulder-mantle.
"Hi..."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine very carefully steps in through the door. She offers Amaranth a gentle smile...which soon gains a hint of concern to it.
"It is good to see you again." She greets. "Is...um, is everything okay...?"
She pauses, and shakes her head. Considering the state of the building before she showed up...
"No, I suppose that is a silly question. Would you like to talk about it...?" She pauses, though, and again looks over Amaranth's current outfit. "Are you...trying out a new look...?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Things are stirring rather rapidly in Amaranth's look, and she shuffles just for a moment as she tugs at the outfit and lowers her head. She's not certain how much Clarine knows about her history, but... it's a bit too late now.
"I'm... in a lot of trouble, Clarine... this might not be a safe place anymore," she admits, twiddling her thumbs.
"But, ah... did you have something you wanted to discuss as well?" She distractedly waves her hands and several doves float on by to set a teacup and saucer, along with a pot of brewing tea and cookies.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"In...in trouble? What kind of trouble?" Clarine asks, immediately concerned. "Is there any way I can help? If...if there is someone trying to hurt you...!"
She couldn't tolerate the thought that someone might be trying to hurt one of her friends...!
Amaranth asks if there's anything she wanted to discuss, though, and Clarine blinks. It takes a little bit of steam out of the huff she was working herself into and she moves to take a seat somewhere nearby.
"Ah...nothing in particular, I merely felt I was long overdue for a visit." She explains. "My new friends have been keeping me busy, but I would be speaking falsely if I said I did not enjoy it..."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
There's a faint wince from Amaranth as she visibly tries to grapple and sort her thoughts out, before starting with sitting down and having some tea to calm herself.
"... I'm ... I don't know where to begin, Clarine. Do you know about the Shadow Dragon Cult, in Meribia?" she furrows her brow. "They... are a group of assassins that kidnap children to force them into their ranks."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine looks over to Amaranth and, if she seems okay with it, reaches over to rest a hand on her shoulder in hopes of helping reassure her. She frowns a little, though, as Amaranth starts to explain.
"No...I spent must of my time in Glenwood, so stories like that did not reach me..." She explains. The frown deepens as Amaranth continues.
"Th-they...they kidnap children? That is...that is awful...! Are these the ones after you...?" Clarine asks, concerned. "Why...?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Amaranth looks to Clarine's hand and quietly nods, feeling a little bit reassured as she closes her eyes. So she didn't hear about them... that's not surprising. It was an entirely different ballpark than what she dealt with.
Even when they travelled with Bradamante, it didn't come up...
"Clarine... do you remember me saying that I used to be human?" she softly says. "Even if the memories are vague, the most distinct ones I have..."
She lowers her head.
"Was that of being a child in their employ. Or rather, in the employ of a progenitor clan, long long ago..."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine thinks back, as Amaranth mentions her time as a human.
"...Yes, I believe I remember that." She confirms with a nod. She listens as Amaranth continues, explaining that she used to be a child in their employ. Clarine gasps.
"...I-I see...I did not know..." She murmurs. "But...that was a long time ago, was it not...? Why are they after you now...? They should...they should leave you alone!"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Amaranth is quiet again, closing her eyes as she...
"... you said you were... enjoying time with your friends, right?" Amaranth goes back to an earlier topic. She finds herself wrapping her arms around her elbows for a moment. "I'm glad. You've always been..."
She wavers for a moment.
"I don't know, Clarine. To think such a despicable cult has survived for centuries makes me feel so despondent. An assassin from their ranks found me when I had to use a similar technique to save myself an others in Luca... and..."
She hesitates further.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"Yes...that is correct." Clarine replies, as Amaranth backtracks a little to her mention of her friends. "They are...good people. It was...difficult, to trust humans that much at first, but...I am glad, I decided to give them a chance - though admittedly, not all of them are human. We work to try and keep the people around us safe - and, Nimue joined us recently, too."
She pauses, though, as Amaranth admits she doesn't know. Clarine nods quietly. She could understand that - anyone would be upset to learn that a group like that was still around.
"...I see..." She murmurs. It was...frustrating, in a way. It was almost like Amaranth was being punished for helping people... Clarine puffs up a little.
"...Let me know if I can help you in any way." She says. "I do not want to see you hurt..."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
"... I admit I'm... a bit jealous, of your own strength," Amaranth quietly confides in her friend. "But I know I don't need to be, because I'm trying too. With Talia... with Lydia, and some of the other friends I've myself made."
The topic of Nimue joining them confuses her, though. "... ah. Hmm..."
She furrows a brow and tilts her head.
"I have a suspicion the assassins are hiding within Althena's Guard, Clarine. But I don't have any evidence, and I don't know how deep their ranks are within."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine smiles a little, as Amaranth admits her jealously - but also says that she's been trying, too.
"I am glad... You are deserving of good, supportive friends. I will be cheering you on! You are stronger than you believe yourself to be, I think." She says, pumping her fists a little in emphasis with a determined look on her face. Hm, Lydia...was it the same Lydia she had met before?
She pauses, though, and her enthusiasm looks a little dented as Amaranth mentions her suspicions that there are assassins within Althena's Guard.
Clarine frowns slightly.
"Is it possible...? If that is what you believe, then I trust your judgment...but it bodes ill for their intentions..." She murmurs. That assassins could conceal themselves even in Her personal guard...what was happening with Althena...?
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
"... I wish I could believe in myself as much as you do. But, not everything comes in a single day," Amaranth whispers very softly. She closes her eyes for a moment further...
"Well, I wanted to check my reasoning. An assassin visited me here, in Spira. As far as I know, there could only be two groups of people that could arrive here in Spira from the mainland we know of, Meribia and Glenwood..."
She bobs her head, opening her eyes.
"The first group would the Drifters who were teleported here from Filgaia. And the second group is the Althenan Guard that sailed here on their galleons from the mainland."
A furrowed brow.
"I suppose I can't discount the possibility of the former... but I think the latter is much more likely, especially as I don't believe a single assassin would be operating without a network behind them. It's much harder for the cult to hide in a group of Drifters than an organisation as large as the Guard."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine nods.
"It is okay...take your time. I, and I am sure all of the friends you have made, will support you." Clarine says. She listens, then, as Amaranth explains her reasoning.
An assassin visited her in Spira...and there were only two groups could have arrived here. Drifters, and the Guard... Clarine frowns, thinking it over.
"Yes...from my understanding, Drifters are often...a rather unorganized bunch. Sometimes they gather into groups for protection, but... it is uncommon." She considers, folding her arms in front of her.
That just left the Guard.
"I believe...you may be correct, unless there is another group they have concealed themselves in that we are as of yet unaware of...but that is just supposition." She says.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
"In all honesty, I'm not sure the Guard itself is aware it may have been infiltrated. It... is a large group, after all," Amaranth remarks very softly and thinks on the topic for a moment longer. "But it is very difficult to surface that information even to people who likely would oppose them, without evidence."
There's a gentle sigh as she looks out the window for a moment longer.
"Ragnell... Ragnell came back the other day. Whirlwinding into my home as if nothing had happened. It's very much like her, isn't it? I told her about my situation as well, and she dropped the name of another Seraph that may be able to help: Liath."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"I am sure most of them would adamantly deny it, even if they knew." Clarine agrees with a nod. None of them would want to admit that they could harbor such people - even she had difficulty coming to grips with the reality of what the did to Luca.
She pauses, though, as Amaranth mentions Ragnell. She frowns a little...but then relaxes, just a touch.
"...That does sound like her." She agrees. "It was much the same for me...even after we fought, she greeted me the same as before..."
She doesn't mention that their number of fights is currently up to three. It would be a lot to explain.
"Liath..." Clarine murmurs, as Amaranth says her name. ...She hadn't considered that, but...if anyone could help it would be her.
"I have...met her before. She is a Light Seraph, like myself, and she is...a wonderful person. She may be able to help you - I understand that she has been working closely with the Guard." Clarine replies, then pauses. "Did Ragnell, um...say anything else about her...?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Amaranth's face drops as Clarine reveals a fact she didn't know before -- "W-wait, wait, back up-- you two /fought/? Why? Ragnell didn't mention anything about this!"
A pause, as she realises, of course Ragnell didn't tell her. She probably didn't want her to worry further with all the worries she had.
She looks frazzled as she shakes her head, looking distraught. Having Clarine and Ragnell fight was like seeing infighting in her small family, after all.
"Um. Just that she was very attractive and I should meet her and she seemed terribly smitten," she glumly says.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine pauses, as she realises she might have said a little too much.
"U-umm...th-three times, actually..." Clarine admits sheepishly. She clasps her hands together awkwardly. "Do you, um...remember when I ran into you a while back and you told me she was planning something? I...I went to go talk to her about it, as promised...but, well...one thing lead to another."
She hangs her head.
"...She trounced me good that time. And the second time, too, though that was over a different matter..." She admits with a sigh. "B-but do not worry! There is no animosity between us..."
She was a /little/ cross with Ragnell at the moment, but she decides the less said about that, the better.
She pauses, though, as Amaranth mentions what Ragnell said about Liath.
"...Well, she /is/ very pretty..." Clarine agrees. "But, um. If you go see her...brace yourself, okay...?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Th-Three times, actually
You can just see Amaranth's face drop so hard she reaches for what looks like a bomb plant in the corner--
No, wait, you were going to stop doing that as a defence mechanism for everything being horrible, Ammy!
"... ... everyone around me's fighting," Amaranth finds herself mumbling, clinging to her head. "Nimue, Ragnell, you... all that stuff she's doing with the Trial Knight and the Drifters opposing her, it's..."
She shivers a little.
"With the Cult stuff ontop... it's too much sometimes..."
She doesn't really understand why Clarine says she should brace herself, though. "Huh...?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine's expression falls, and she curls in on herself a little.
"I-I...I am sorry, Ammy. I did not intend to make you worry..." She murmurs. She scoots a little closer. "A lot has happened, but... Everything...everything will be alright, okay...?"
Clarine wanted to believe that, at least. Didn't they deserve happiness now, after so long...?
As for why Amaranth should brace herself...
"I-It is, um...difficult to explain..." She admits. She's not being intentionally cagey - she just doesn't know how to say it herself.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
"I--I know you didn't. I don't think... any of you do it deliberately. And it isn't about me, it's about the many things happening around us, it's just..." As Clarine scoots closer, Amaranth leans against her.
"... I'm fragile enough that I get scared easily when our family, who've been through so much, struggles..."
A pause, as she bites her lip.
"... this is going to be something I'm going to get mad at Ragnell again, aren't I?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Clarine nods quietly. She couldn't blame Amaranth for being scared. She desperately wished that they wouldn't have to fight amongst themselves, either. She opens her arms, offering her a hug.
When Amaranth says it's something she's going to get mad at Ragnell for, though...
"...U-umm...maaaybe just a little..." She admits.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Amaranth has posed.
Amaranth sags for a long moment.
Before-- before--
Actually, she starts laughing.
She's laughing and... crying a little at the same time, though there's a genuine look of... well, it's a strange kind of relief, in a way. Even if it's stressful. Even if she doesn't know what's going on.
"You know, this kind of thing is so nostalgic I can't help feel like... like... well, like I'm relieved we've found..." Sniffle, "...each other back like this."
She gives Clarine a warm hug at that.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Amaranth sags...but, then she starts laughing? Laughing and crying... Clarine isn't sure how to react to that at first except to awkwardly pat at her as a form of reassurance, but then she spots that look of relief and she can't help but smile herself. It was nice to see Amaranth look relieved like that.
"I am, too..." Clarine agrees. "I missed you so very much."
And Clarine returns that hug with a genuine warmth of her own, lighting up a little.