2019-09-12: An Unorthodox Approach
- Log: An Unorthodox Approach
- Cast: Seraph Clarine, Xantia
- Where: Besaid
- Date: September 12, 2019
- Summary: Clarine recuperates after her decision to stand against Althena's Guard, and is approached by Xantia, who speeds along the process in more ways than one, then makes an... unusual suggestion.
=================================<* Besaid *>================================= Besaid is a small tropical island at the southernmost point of the Spiran archipelago, almost as far south as one can get and still be part of Spira. The island features a large beach and seaport, a small village surrounded by forests and waterfalls, and a temple of Yevon. Its relative isolation from the outside world has resulted in a pastoral, almost idyllic life for its few inhabitants; if not for the few Summoners traveling to pray to the Fayth, Besaid would see almost no visitors at all. It is also home to the lowly Aurochs, a blitzball team of which the less said is better. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxJE6SSX-aw
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
It hasn't been that long since the battle of Besaid, where an elite detachment of Althena's Guard attempted to take over the temple. Their progress was halted, however, thanks to timely intervention on the part of Besaid's defenders - some arriving thanks to ARMS' new Gear, the Guts-Dozer, and others being in the right place at the right time.
Clarine had participated in this fight as well. It had marked her first overt action against the Guard, and she is still somewhat reeling from the enormity of what that means for her...as well as the sword wound through her torso. Her opponent had been the Seraph Liath - Prime Lord, fellow Seraph of Light, and...someone she considered a friend.
The sword wound, in the scheme of things, doesn't hurt as much as the fact that she had to fight against yet another one of her friends. Least of all because, as a Seraph, she doesn't really have the same vulnerabilities as a mortal does, and so the sword wound is really more of a painful inconvenience.
And so, for that reason, she can currently be found on the beaches of Besaid, lying back in the sun to recover in both body and mind. It feels like the island itself is finally starting to calm down, though there is still a hint of underlying tension.
That's to be expected, however.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Since the war truly began back in Luca, Xantia has tried her best to stay out of it. It hasn't always been easy, given her predilection for getting into fights, keeping the innocent safe from harm, and just generally acting in a way she thinks heroes would act. But when a situation is as complex as this one is, even she is finding it difficult to firmly decide that the best course of action is to fight wherever she can, whenever she can.
Especially upon reuniting with the Black Wolves, and them having their own ideas about the best course of action. Xantia isn't much for planning, or figuring out the grand scheme of things, but she's not about to ignore the advice of her friends. It was especially easy to see the point that, while the people may need heroes in times like this, they aren't always best helped by fighting. What they need most of all is hope.
That sort of thing has always resonated strongly with her, and so she's sought to do what comes naturally to her even more so than fighting: lift people's spirits. If anybody can find something to be optimistic about even in the worst of times, it's Xantia.
And so, here she is in Besaid, trying her best to do just that in the wake of another unprovoked attack by the Guard. She has smiles and inspiring heroic speeches to spare for everybody! One would never think to look at her how distressed she's actually feeling about the situation. She's learned to keep that under wraps for other people's sake.
However, things change when she hears about a Seraph who was among the defenders. One matching Clarine's description, and who was said to have gotten hurt in the fighting. As important as she feels this new form of 'hero-ing' is, she immediately dropped everything in order to search for a single friend who may be in greater need than most.
One problem: she has no idea where exactly Clarine went off to. She's gone all over town shouting the Seraph's name to no avail, until someone finally pointed her beachside. Of course, Clarine would go to an open space with lots of sunlight. She really should have figured that out on her own.
Finally then, she steps onto the beach, and starts her shouting anew. "Clariiine! Heeeey, are you here somewhere? Clariiiiine!" There's not any real need to shout that loudly, it's not like there's a huge distance between them at that point. In fact, Xantia is heading right for Clarine already. Is she not looking at the ground, or what? At least there's plenty of time to prevent actually getting trampled...
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Fortunately for Clarine she is not, at this moment, in the middle of a nap. Though lying back in the sands she is currently wide awake, staring up at the sky. As a Light Seraph, the bright sunlight isn't harmful to her. She's lucky that way.
Sometime during her relaxation, however, she hears a voice - a familiar voice, shouting her name and asking if she's here. Clarine blinks once and then sits up.
"Xantia? Ah... I am here, yes." Clarine replies. She picks herself up, bringing herself into a standing position.
There's really no point in hiding the injury. It's obvious by the faint light shining out from that point, occasional motes of light wisping off of it. It's better than it was at first, fortunately.
She does, however, ready to step out of the way if it looks like Xantia is about to crash into her. Just in case.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
As soon as she hears her name, Xantia halts in the middle of taking a step, planting her foot firmly down. No crashes today, thankfully!
"Whoo-oh, there you are!" She is quick to smile brightly upon spotting the Seraph, neatly glossing over the fact that she should really have noticed somebody that close to her. "I was looking for you!" And still clarifying things that nobody would actually need clarification for.
The flash of concern was to be expected. There's no way she wouldn't notice the wound. It's not long for the smile to return in full force however, Xantia stepping closer and continuing to speak excitedly.
"I heard you were there, when the Guard came. So you've made up your mind? You know what you want to do now?" Having a goal in life, especially one as long as a Seraph's, is a very important thing. To Xantia, this is an unquestionably positive development and an easy first matter to put the emphasis on. There's more to discuss, but that can wait a moment.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Xantia's bright smile receives a faint smile in reply back from Clarine. She eases herself back down into a sitting position, nodding as Xantia explains that she was looking for her.
"So it would seem... It is good to see you again. I hope you have been well..." Clarine says, looking back up at her when Xantia speaks. She pauses and hesitates for a moment and then, after some thought, nods.
"...Yes. It...it was not an easy decision to make." She murmurs. "I decided... I want to find Althena, and...ask Her why She wanted any of this to happen. To ask Her to put a stop to it."
She shakes her head.
"But...since I do not know how I would even begin to do that... I decided the best course of action would be to try and...to try and limit the damage those chosen to enact Her will were capable of doing. Until I learn how to do that." She says.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia responds to the greeting, "Good to see you too!" Without getting into how she's been, but, well, she doesn't exactly look like she's doing terribly, does she?
One might think that Xantia's smile could not possibly get any wider, but somehow that happens as she listens to the decision Clarine's reached. She brings her hands together and presses them to her lips, holding in barely restrained pure glee. For a short moment, anyway. Then it all comes flowing free. And if Clarine failed to read the signs, she will find herself the recipient of what can only be described as a tacklehug.
"I'm so proud of you!! I mean that must've been super hard, but you did it! You thought about what you believed, and what you wanted, and how you could get there, and then you did what you could in the mean time!" Not to mention this is exactly what Xantia recommended to Clarine that one time, so obviously she's fully on board with this decision.
She may be smothering Clarine at this point, perhaps literally in so far as a Seraph can be, in which case she releases her grip and sits back, still in the very best of moods. "...Sorry! But, I'm really excited! You were all lost before, but now you have a whole new direction! Trust me, it's going to be the best thing, even if you don't end up where you thought you would. As long as you're just... moving towards something, I know you're going to be a lot happier!"
She can't help herself from babbling on excitedly, that is, until her eyes land on that wound again. Reeling it in a little, she coughs, and more calmly adds, "I mean... you may get hurt sometimes, but you're gonna be stronger for it. I'm surprised though... your healing power is amazing, can't you use it to heal yourself?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
Of all things Clarine was expecting, a tackle-hug was not one of them - though in hindsight, she supposes she should've expected it. It doesn't seem to bother her, though. She smiles a bit sheepishly even as she returns the hug, but the way she lights up - literally, that is, the light around her intensifies but not unpleasantly - is unmistakable.
"Th-thank you. It...it was not easy, yes." Clarine replies with a nod as Xantia releases her. "I...I had to fight a friend. She was...understanding, at least."
Xantia's genuine, sincere excitement for her is...refreshing. Clarine smiles a bit more sincerely now, nodding.
"Yes... I... I feel like I have finally found my way again, after so long. I felt lost even before I found myself on Spira... but now, with this decision, and my friends in ARMS... The future is...terrifying, but I can finally face it, I think." She replies with a nod.
Xantia seems to calm down a little now and addresses her wound. Clarine chuckles, a bit sheepishly.
"Ah...I will admit, I, um... I was rather exhausted after, well... the fight. I could barely manage another spell after ensuring everyone else was fine, so... in the end, I felt it was best to let it heal naturally. As one of the Seraphim, a wound like this is...more of an inconvenience." She explains.
She might be exaggerating a little for Xantia's benefit. It might not be life threatening, but it isn't pleasant, either.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia may only half realize the effects her words and actions are having, but that only speaks to her sincerity - no hidden agendas here. Not like there could be, she couldn't possibly keep them hidden for very long.
There's a brief grimace from her when Clarine mentions having fought a friend. "That's never great. Was it Ragnell? She mentioned fighting you a few times." She shrugs, her own viewpoint on that sort of thing simple, if perhaps not easy to understand. "That'll happen, if you can't agree with everything your friends believe in, sometimes you just have to fight them. Doesn't mean you can't still be friends."
She looks a bit sheepish herself regarding the future being terrifying, letting out a chuckle before responding. "I know the feeling. That's just kind of how these things work!" Without so much of a pause, she immediately continues into another thought. "ARMS, huh? So you're with the counter-terrorists!" That's a fancy word she learned about. "I don't know a lot about them, but it sounds like they do good work, and they've got some good people. Marie is nice. I mean, Marivel."
Regarding the wound, Xantia stares at it more while Clarine explains, then continues to stare even longer. She looks to be in deep thought - it takes a moment before she abruptly looks Clarine in the eyes again. "Say, um... Seraphim are kind of... made of magic, right? Does that mean that for the wound to go away, all you need is more magic?"
What is she thinking this time?
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"Not this time." Clarine replies, shaking her head. She's not denying having fought Ragnell - there was no denying that it had happened, and would probably continue to happen for the foreseeable future. "This time, it was another Seraph of Light - Liath."
She nods, then, at Xantia's words.
"Yes... My friends are the type to hold strongly to their ideals. It would be...an exercise in foolishness, to try to stop them with mere words. And disrespectful to their resolve, besides..." She agrees.
She pauses as Xantia reacts to her comment about ARMS.
"Counter-terrorists...? Yes, I suppose that is the case..." She agrees with a nod. "I can not claim to know everyone who works with us...but everyone has been very kind and helpful to me. Marivel herself included."
She watches, then, as Xantia appears to be lost in thought. Clarine doesn't interrupt her, though, instead waiting for Xantia to finish...at which point, Clarine's head tilts to the side in a sign of slight confusion.
"W-well, um...it is...a little more complicated then that, but...I suppose that would be correct, in essence..." She confirms with a nod. "Why do you ask...?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia's reaction is one of overt astonishment. "There's more Seraphs of Light?!" Still not the biggest expert on Seraphs. Though she has to admit, "...I don't know why I thought there wouldn't be. I guess because there's only one Guardian for every element?" It's hard to keep all these things apart!
She nods eagerly at the topic of friends, that being one more easily understood. And it's nice to share a perspective on that. "Right? You can't blame people for doing what they think is right. You can sure punch them for it though, and you can laugh about it with them later!" It's all so simple, why do so many people seem to think it doesn't work that way?
Letting the matter of ARMs rest, Xantia is soon distracted with mulling things over in her head. When Clarine responds to her question, she nods, quick to clarify what that was all about. Sort of.
"My magic, Ether... it's not exactly the same, but... it could be."
Thinking of the best way to explain further quickly leads her down a bit of a dark path, prompting a sad frown, but it passes quickly. She's decidedly calmer and more serious at this point than before, however.
"There was... a thing that happened, to me, in Dazil. I kind of... attacked everybody who was there." Briefly distressed, she quickly adds, "I didn't mean to, something made me. But, uh..." This is still a bit difficult to talk about, but she continues all the same. "Ragnell was there. And I kind of... drained the magic from her. She stopped me in time, but after I did that, there was just... a part of her missing."
Finding it difficult to look Clarine in the eyes up until this point, she now refocuses on the Light Seraph, stating confidently, "I remember how I did that. And, I think I can do it in reverse. If you'll let me try." With a smile, she adds, "I could repay you for that time you healed me! ...I guess this is not really healing, more like helping you heal yourself, but still."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"That is correct... And I am friends with two different Seraphs of Darkness, as well..." Clarine replies with a nod. "I see... If that is your point of reference, then...it is understandable you would think that way..."
There is a faint smile as Xantia continues, on the topic of friendship.
"I wish it were not necessary, but...yes. Sometimes, that is all you can do." She agrees.
And then she pauses, going quiet as she notes Xantia's expression turning serious. She doesn't interrupt her, instead letting her explain herself and her entire situation.
"I am sorry... I did not realize you had been through such a horrible experience..." Clarine murmurs, bowing her head slightly. She looks back up at her, though, as Xantia explains what she wants to try.
"This seems, perhaps, a little, ah..." Clarine hesitates. "...Dangerous."
She frowns a little, her eyes finding the ground as she considers it.
To drain the magic from her...but in reverse? So...to send magic to her.
It sounded like something that could very easily go wrong. But...Xantia sounded confident. Was this confidence enough...?
After a moment of thought Clarine nods twice - once with a bit of hesitation, and once more with a bit more resolution.
"If you believe it will work, then... I would be glad to accept your help." She replies.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Beings of Light and Darkness being friends. That might stand out to some as a symbol of hope. But Xantia's already so filled with hope that this seems completely normal to her. Anybody can be friends. All you have to do is find a way to understand each other. It's not hard! ...Usually. Some people are stubborn.
When she finishes her explanation of what happened in Dazil, Xantia seems puzzled. "Why are you sorry, you didn't do anything wrong." Taking the apology a bit too literally. She catches herself doing that, and shakes her head. "I mean... there's probably nothing anybody could've done, I'm just glad they stopped me before I did anything... permanent. I'm hoping that we can keep it from happening again." It's simplifying things that are actually way more complicated, but then, that's what Xantia does on a regular basis, with everything.
Clarine's initial assessment of Xantia's eventual suggestion... well, she can't argue with that. "Well, yeah, I could make things worse if I do it wrong. I'll stop if it looks that way though, or if you ask me to." She doesn't seem too concerned about it being more than just a little dangerous - she's confident enough to feel that nothing truly disastrous could result from doing this thing that she's never done before. She couldn't say where that confidence is coming from, but she's learned to trust her instincts on these matters.
When final assent is given, Xantia smiles, always happy to help, and to attempt to use her powers in ways she hasn't done before. With a nod in return, she wastes no time in taking the next step. "Try to hold still, okay? And be ready to do... uh, whatever you need to do, I don't know, I can only do what I can do."
It probably doesn't instill much confidence that that's the best she can explain herself, but in spite of that, she continues. First, she moves her right hand closer to Clarine's wound, until it barely brushes up against it, then she closes her eyes. Shortly after, her hand begins to faintly glow white.
Xantia would be at a loss to explain what she's actually doing, beyond what she said before: Ether is not what a Seraph is made out of, but it can be. Through absorbing part of a Seraph's essence, she's subconsciously learned its exact composition. Why she has the ability to transform it into Ether is anyone's guess, but one thing's for sure: she was right about being able to do it in reverse, her own Ether dissolving into motes of light very similar to those leaking out of Clarine's wound. A few at first, but quickly transitioning into a steady stream. It won't fix anything on its own, but it certainly can be consolidated as part of a Seraph's body, if the Seraph makes the effort.
Xantia can't really tell what's going on with her eyes closed, so in spite of her claim, it doesn't look like she's going to know when to stop on her own, she'll need a bit of prompting for that.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"A-ah, my apologies... I meant more, um...'I am sorry to hear you went through that'. It is intended to be, um...a sympathetic comment." Clarine corrects quickly. She nods quietly as Xantia explains that there's probably nothing that could have been done to stop it. "I, too, hope you do not have to experience it again..."
She nods, then, as Xantia assures her she'll stop if it looks like things will go wrong, or if Clarine asks her to stop.
And then, as Xantia requests, Clarine holds still, bracing herself for what's about to happen.
What happens next is something she had never considered to be possible before. She can feel it - a subtle shift of power, followed by energy converting into light and flowing into her. Her exhaustion fades away, and she feels as refreshed as if she'd spent an entire day absorbing the sunlight.
Here, in a place already suffused with light, it doesn't take much. There's no light show, and she doesn't need to recite any incantation - it's as if the wound...simply isn't there anymore.
"Alright...it is done." Clarine says, for Xantia's benefit. "It appears you were correct...though I am at a loss for how it was even possible."
But, it happened, and she had Xantia to thank for it. Clarine offers her a smile.
"Thank you. I feel much better now." She says...though she keeps a careful eye on Xantia herself to make sure there aren't any negative side-effects. If Ragnell had suffered some when Xantia first learned of this technique...was it possible there would be complications arising from doing the technique in reverse...?
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
That certainly didn't take as long as Xantia was expecting. When Clarine says it is done, her eyes fly open into a confused expression. "What, already?"
Then she looks down at her own hand and seems surprised at the effect herself, bringing the hand closer to her face to inspect the few light wisps still coming off of it in wonderment. Then she literally shakes it off, a shake of her hand enough to scatter the remnants of magical energy, the glow slightly slower to fade.
She smiles at the thanks she receives, cheerfully responding, "You're welcome! I don't know how it's possible either, I can... kinda do a lot of things without knowing how I'm doing them." Perhaps not the most reassuring thing to hear when you're wondering about possible side-effects, but there should be none - the end result is exactly the same as spending a bit longer in the sun would have had. The process has just been artificially sped up a little. Xantia none the worse for it.
Blissfully unaware of Clarine's concerns, Xantia crosses her arms, looking slightly annoyed as she continues, "You'd think with all the things I can do, using more elements in my attacks should be easy. But I still can't manage to do light punches, not really, not in the same way that I can do lightning and fire punches." Not for lack of trying, but even after all these months, still no success.
She glances back to Clarine, and immediately looks away again. Should she bring 'that' up? She probably should, at this point... as uncomfortable as the notion makes her. Slowly, she raises her head up again.
"You know... Ragnell told me there might be a better way for you to teach me how to do it. It's just, um... well, I don't know if it's a good idea, and I heard it could be dangerous for you, so I'll understand if you don't want to, and I don't mean like, right now, but..." Well, here's a question she never thought she'd ask, especially given that incident she mentioned earlier.
"Could you... possess me?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"A-ah...yes." Clarine confirms with a nod. She relaxes a little - it doesn't seem like Xantia had suffered any negative side-effect. She was as far as she could tell still her usual cheerful self.
Clarine returns Xantia's smile with one of her own, nodding to herself.
"Well...perhaps someday you will know a bit more about it, and perhaps it will make things a little easier for you..." She replies.
The hesitation Xantia shows does not go unnoticed by Clarine and she goes quiet, once more waiting for her to find the words herself.
And then, Xantia explains that Ragnell had told her that there might be a better way to teach her.
"P-Possession...!?" Clarine repeats, surprised. "W-well, th-that is... I should say... That is...theoretically possible, but..."
Clarine stops herself and takes a deep breath...not that she actually needs to breathe, being a Seraph, it's more of a calming and centering gesture.
"Well...yes. I have never done it myself, so I do not know...well, everything about the process, but... it...could work." Clarine says. "When a Seraph makes something - or someone, in this case - their Vessel, they are capable of exerting some control over it. Whether that is an inanimate object, an animal...or a person."
She hesitates a little.
"But...as Ragnell indicated, possessing a living being can be...dangerous. We are...vulnerable, then. If something were to happen to the Vessel, it would affect us, as well... and, if the Vessel is not free of Malevolence, we can fall prey to it as well..." She explains, then hesitates.
"But, um... if it is just for teaching, then... maybe it would be safe to, to try, at least." She decides with a nod. "With your consent...I would try. But...I would recommend you ready yourself first, just in case..."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Everything would be so much easier if she knew more about herself, her old self, who she used to be. Xantia is convinced of that much. The Dazil incident scared her away from actively pursuing it for a while, but, after all, she still really wants to know. All these doubts she has right now will never go away until she learns the truth, the whole truth.
Outwardly, it's hard to tell that she's even having these thoughts. When they come to mind, one might catch a brief melancholy in her eyes, but nothing more. Right now, she's determined to stay positive, no matter what.
Besides, she is far more focused on the suggestion that she proceeds to make next. It's one that she doesn't make lightly, but this, too, is related to the all-important matter of her identity. Surely, the more of her abilities that she can reclaim, the closer she'll get to fully understanding herself.
Even so, her discomfort with the mere notion of it is easy to tell. All that cheer has quickly taken a backseat to nervous fidgeting on her part. She looks surprised when Clarine says this is something she's never done before, but doesn't immediately say anything about that. She only nods a bit when the explanation winds down, using the hesitation to respond, "Ragnell told me about the risk with Malevolence... but that it shouldn't be a big problem in my case. Probably." She pauses, then asserts, "I don't think so, I think I'd be able to tell if I had Malevolence anywhere." But who can really say for sure.
Xantia can't help her spontaneous reaction - she brightens when Clarine agrees to try. "You would, really?" That reaction is then tempered somewhat as the rest of the realization hits, and she can't help from becoming nervous, needing to gather her resolve again. "I-I mean... thank you, I really appreciate it. I... need to figure this out, and if this is how I'll be able to do it, then I'll do it."
Nervous laughter escapes her when she adds, "Later, of course! Yeah... later." As genuinely thankful as she is, she hasn't readied herself for it yet, that's for sure.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Clarine has posed.
"I do not sense any Malevolence on you...but whether that is something unique to you, or to due to the way Spira seems to ward it away, I cannot say for sure." Clarine replies, shaking her head. "It is not unheard of for some to simply not generate any...though it is very rare, and requires a certain mindset."
Of course, there were a lot of things that Clarine didn't know she didn't know these days, so who can say for sure how accurate that is anymore?
When Xantia brightens at her agreement, Clarine nods.
"Yes, I would." She confirms. She was hesitant about it, too, of course...but, Xantia seemed serious about this, and if she believed that possession was her key to figuring this out, she'd be willing to try.
"Yes. This is not the sort of thing that should be rushed. Take all the time you need - I cannot imagine I will be difficult to find whenever you do ready yourself." She says with a nod.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia casually posits, "Maybe I burned all of mine away when I did that big purifying punch back at the Sanctuary. That was so cool." And she is so proud of being able to use the word 'cool' correctly when it has nothing to do with temperature. Maybe that's the kind of mindset you need, the kind that's too simple to fully grasp the concept of Malevolence.
In spite of her discomfort, with the matter of how to proceed arranged, she can now a light at the end of the tunnel, and can hope that she will also see it at the end of her fist when this is all said and done. The positive outlook wins out one more, when she confirms, "Yeah! I'll find you, no problem!"
Will she really, when mere minutes ago she almost failed to notice Clarine when she was directly in her path...?