2019-10-21: Can't Deal With This Cuteness Uuuugh
- Log: Can't Deal With This Cuteness Uuuugh
- Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline
- Where: Thames
- Date: 21st October 2019
- Summary: While Riesenlied sleeps, Noeline and Mama Shibe has a talk.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
It's late at night in the Thames, and Riesenlied has... finally fallen asleep after an extremely trying day of turning into a Dragon twice and having to deal with the realities that their daughters are currently left behind in Spira with most everyone else, as well as Lydia being kidnapped by Solaris and another personality being inside of her.
It's a somewhat dingy but cozy home belonging to the Shibas, and the Hyadean is curled up rather cutely on a battered but extremely well-loved couch with 'Noelyn', or as her name turned out to be (reluctantly), Nana Shibe.
"Here's some tea," offers Mama Shibe as she pads to the table and puts down two mugs of some rather cheap-looking tea. "... you know ..."
The large, stocky shiba inu beastwoman holds out an old letter from a drawer. "We could look at her really old letters to me, heh heh..."
Riesenlied's horns wiggle, as if sensing danger.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline is feeling rather haggard herself when she actually stops to think about it. Though she doesn't have the excuse of turning into a dragon, the exertion of sharing her senses and their mad flight around Macalania Temple is still starting to catch up with her. At the same time, her body simply refuses to even entertain the idea of sleep, as nostalgia and excitement around being home and worry over their many children keep her thoughts churning and her eyes open.
"Thank you," Noeline bows her head as she accepts the mug. She's curled up a little herself, sat with Riesenlied bumped up against her, her armor set aside, and her hair distinctly let down. (She's already made a note to Crimson Noble it up a bit tomorrow. For the fans, you understand.)
She pauses for a moment to inhale the smell of the tea, well aware that she needs to try to slow down and take a break. "We really owe you for this. I never thought we'd appear so far west, let alone without our ship. Though-- perhaps I should have expected that last part," she frowns to herself, but lets the thought go quickly.
Instead, she huffs in clear amusement as the letters are brought out, her eyebrows going up. "... I'm probably supposed to say 'no thank you'. So we'll just have to say you cajoled me into it instead," she comments, and then visibly softens. "Really... even now, to think we'd been dancing around each other so long. ... how did she even know to contact you, anyway?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Quietly, in her sleep, Riesenlied is mumbling a little. She's quietly clung against Noeline's lap and has a few fingers against the fabric there, as if she doesn't really want to let go even in sleep.
Nana Shibe, on the other hand, seems to have nooooo problems sleeping. Zzzzzz. She has a cool dragon mom she might also cosplay as! 'I'm Wiesenwied!'
"You really do look a lot more relaxed," answers Mama Shibe with a wooly grin on her face. It's kind of hard to read her expressions sometimes, not because she's a poker face but because she's a big ball of fuzz. "You have a ship, hmm? We'll keep an eye out on it if more things blink into existence! Ga ha ha."
A fuzzy eyebrow raises as Noeline huffs. "She didn't. Not exactly. The letters came from a penpal club of mine from a colleague I know in Jolly Roger."
She cracks a grin. "I've kept up with a number of people in my eighty years of life, you know." Maybe even including the M. Armitage herself. Because why wouldn't Marivel rely on a big floofy shibe for information??
She wags the letter again. "Ah? Ah? Interested?" Goading her!
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
In turn, Noeline's hand drifts towards Riesenlied's cheek whenever there's a free moment, or plays with her hair, or generally fusses over the dozing Hyadean.
"Well, I did manage to grow up a little, after all," she shoots back with a wry smile. "Stopped putting myself at arm's length all the time, found myself a family to look after, that sort of thing. Not that I won't do my best to knock 'Noelyn's socks off tomorrow," she puffs, rallying a little towards pride.
"You'll know it when you see it. The Fereshte," she adds with a quick nod, then smirks as a thought occurs to her. "It's rickety, half-falling apart, older than anyone can remember, runs on prayers... but it's home." The comparison to the Thames is obvious, at least until she pauses. "... also, there'll be a girl yelling that she's the Lord of Calamity on board."
She has to cast her mind back, trying to remember who she would have interacted with in Jolly Roger. It takes her a fair pause, but... "Benson?" she guesses, and then exhales softly as the sheer concept of time catches up to her, something that honestly slips her by from time to time, especially when it comes to her past. "... he was already an old boot when I knew him. I'll have to go pay him my respects."
"You know, I've already seen your replies," she grumbles in an attempt to deflect - but she's undeniably caught, her eyes following the envelopes. Because those would be written by Riese herself. "--argh, fine, of /course/ I am interested."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"Heh heh heh. Be careful, she might just decide to make a plastic pair of horns and call herself Owivia instead," Mama Shibe comments. Then pauses for a moment as she looks down towards the sleeping Hyadean again, smiling just a bit wider.
She listens to Noeline's description about the Fereshte and snort-chuckles. "Did you start up your very own home of misfits? That seems very you, after your time here in the Thames."
There's a bigger grin still as the Hyadean tries to guess who, and the shibe just hums and remarks, "I never betray a source," though she does pause to remark, "There is that. If you do not pay attention, us mortals who grow old and die will pass by you in the blink of an eye!"
It sounds a little bit too sober for Mama Shibe, though she jabs to tease, "I really didn't expect to see you again."
She does crack the letter open, though, very carefully...
To the person whom this may reach...
My name is Olivia. I live in the far-east continent of Elru. I have not and may not travel away from my home for various reasons. I write because the many untold wonders of Filgaia wow me, from what little I have read from the few books I own.
I wish to know more about the world outside. The world you live in, dear reader. To be a part of that world, to imagine the laughter and hardship and days you spend. Even through letters and words, that I may imagine and live a little in someone else's shoes.
...
And I also wish to know how a certain woman from my homeland is doing. A woman named Noeline who does not know me too well, but I worry about her each and every day. I want to know how she is doing. Is she fine? Is she safe? Is she eating well? I wish I could see her again. I did not have the courage to speak and now I regret it. So this is all I can do.
It is a selfish request. But if you would entertain a girl's dreams... please, write back to me.
Mama Shibe pauses for a moment and goes 'hyuu--!' as she sucks in a breath. "Aah! She was so cute! Still is too, by the looks of it!"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"It wasn't /just/ me who started it. Quite the opposite, honestly. And it wasn't like I was going into the situation planning something like that to happen," huffs Noeline in return, though there's an unmistakable smile on her face. "It simply did, and I'm glad for it."
She hesitates when Mama Shibe turns more serious; even if it's just for the blink of an eye, she dips her head in something like prayer, and ever so slightly lifts her cup. "That's true. But I think I might be keeping better track of such things, nowadays."
"Aah... well, I did always intend to come back west. It was always a matter of when. Things got busy, and then more busy, and then..." she trails off, because it's still hard to put the enormity of Elru and Spira into something sufficiently glib. "Well, a great deal has happened. But, I'm glad as well. I /told/ you you were bossy enough to become matron," she smirks.
Her attention gets caught by the letters after that; her lips work briefly, and then she's kind of hiding behind her hair as she flares in redness. "She--" she tries to start, and briefly reverts to Crimson Noble as she flicks out her hair and tries to puff past the blush. "She really is not very good at being subtle, is she? Honestly, 'entertaining a girl's dreams' while asking about me..."
Oh no! Noeline may melt!
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... oh?" Mama Shibe raise sher eyebrows again. "Hmm. I suppose I could see her having a guiding hand. The way she writes her letters..." she chuckles a little bit further. "Tell me a lot of gossip about her so I may tease her when she wakes up."
Someone hasn't received the warning about not teasing her too much, apparently. Or perhaps is just finding it way too fun.
The shiba drinks from her cup, however, and nuzzles the blanket around herself a little more as she sticks her tongue out. Ah, it's hot!
"I take it that you have both suffered," she tries to wrap up what Noeline couldn't quite tell her. "There are many rumours about what happened out east. And it does not take a doctor to see she probably was not always like this too."
Then there is a big grin as she looks to the letter with her, towards the flaring up and cackling incredibly heartily. "You are her dream! That's how every lovestruck young girl sounds regarding their first love!"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"Honestly, it's difficult to know what to really say beyond these letters," Noeline counters, having to actually think about the question of gossip. "She puts all her heart into them, even I can tell that much. No wonder you recognized her immediately. Well, she has a certainly has a habit of burning herself out for the sake of others, but that target is a little easy," she huffs again, and then mischief glints in her eye. "Ah, and she's still very fond of her 'Crimson Noble's mannerisms."
She leaves it at that for the time being, because she's busy leafing back through the letters once more, her smile turning warmer with every page as her tea gets colder.
Were it anyone else, she might continue to be cagey - but she owes this family and this town a great deal, and she looks up from the page as she tries to figure out how to word it. "A war of Drifters," she says quietly. "One that ended when the Metal Demons - the Hyadeans - realized their Mother had been using them all along. But not before the worst of them did this to Riese."
She considers saying more, but instead pauses to ensure that Riesenlied is sleeping well, soothing her with a thought along their link.
The teasing is a relief after that; for all that she glowers, she swings the conversation back in that direction, making a show of sagging her shoulders. "Urgh... now you're just making me feel guilty I never wrote to her. I never really got the hang of letters, you know," she pouts. Someone was too used to 'reports' for too many years to count.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied seems to bristle a little at the firm intonation, as if the ring is making her feel some of those sober words... but there's assurance there too, that the nightmare is over. Nana coils in around her as well to mumble, "s' ok..."
Mama is silent for a moment longer when Noeline points out she recognised her immediately. "Well, I didn't," she admits. "I just drew some lines together and /hoped/ the girl you're obviously affectionate and clingy with was the very same one who'd been writing letters to me all this time."
She bobs her head. "Many star-crossed lovers never have their words reach their loved ones, after all." Oh no, is she secretly a romantically tragic figure???
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
That's the other reason that Noeline is happy to shy away from the topic of the past. The both of them have resolved to move forwards, come what may - and she can draw confidence and warmth from that as she brushes once more at Riesenlied's hair.
"Ah... hm. You don't think she's a bit of an Olivia?" Noeline wonders, perhaps relishing the chance to be a little playful back at the Mama Shibe. "It's a name that would suit her, if you ask me. ... but you're right. There's been a lot to bring us together over the years, but we could just have easily missed that connection."
"I try to make sure I don't take that for granted - perhaps a little too much at times," she admits with a lopsided smile. "For a while we were rather stuck on it."
She has to pause for a beat; her eyebrows hitch, not certain if the beastwoman is joking or serious. It's been a long time since she had to contend with a poker face this good, and the cues haven't been dredged up from her memory yet. "... you've got a good family here yourself," she decides in the end, somewhere between warm and diplomatic. "But, I suppose the Thames has always been like that."
She finally drinks some of her tea, relaxing back on the couch as she does so. If she's bothered by it being anything standard, she certainly doesn't come even close to showing it, rather letting out a noise of satisfaction instead. "You know, they sell this type in Adlehyde at a ridiculous markup."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Mama Shibe remarks, "She decided at one point that it would be Olivia /Carver/. As you said, the girl is so painfully honest that she can't be remotely subtle," and can't finish the sentence without breaking into a light little cackle. There's a quiet hum as she looks at Noeline rather appraisingly, but then points out:
"You did not, in the years I knew you, become romantically entangled with anyone. Perhaps you were thinking about her in turn, whether you were conscious about it or not."
A pause, as she laughs and remarks, "And in turn, 'Olivia' refused to move on too. It was easy to get the impression that she was not a human woman or a beastwoman, the kind who can live for many years and not outgrow an idea."
She scratches her chin for a moment and chuckles, saying, "The Thames is big. But you can find what you want in it, sooner or later." Then arcs her brow as she says, "This is rubbish swill, girl! You'd be mad to think I have the money to buy any kind of fancy tea." Though... Mama Shibe is also exactly the type of grandma to reject fancy tea and turn her nose up at it.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline stops dead for a moment, her thoughts derailed by the idea of Riesenlied using her surname. "I-- she did what?" she blurts, all attempt to keep her cool blown away by that mental image. She hasn't used her surname often since outing herself as a Hyadean, but it is still part of herself, and she glows a little more as she settles down, nudging the ring on her finger with a tiny touch. "Honestly..."
Caught by Mama Shibe's perception of the two of them, Noeline can only smile quietly to herself. "Not to be terribly cliche, but-- for the longest time, I didn't even entertain the idea of finding anyone, let alone someone /else/. After all, I was a Metal Demon, and strictly speaking an enemy. Easier to keep myself at some distance, be unapproachable. ... but, that's in the past. And I /would/ like to think that you're right, too."
"My only regret is that we didn't connect earlier. Honestly, when we check back, it's just the two of us dancing around each other endlessly," she grumbles good-naturedly. "We've promised not to dwell on it too much, of course, but... really, I was terribly foolish."
She blinks once, and then lifts her cup protectively to her. "It's a rubbish swill that I /like/, thank you very much. That's what I mean - you wouldn't believe how much I had to pay for a cup of this over in the east. They were treating it like it was rare gold, or something."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... and you have those rings," Mama Shibe just points out bluntly, as if to capstone off her point. The stocky matron reclines on her rocking chair as she puffs, "Girl, I swear if you're like the two girls downstairs who're like 'we sleep with each other and comb each other's hair and tell each other we'd be with each other forever, are we more than just friends??'... ..."
Then, she quiets down to listen further. "Yes, you definitely were. You were a walking pile of contradictions! But, aren't we all? That's what makes life here in the Thames so fun. Enemies have become fast friends here under the roof of the mess hall."
She laughs as Noeline admits they've been dancing around each other a lot, but... "That's a good start. I can tell there's a lot of regret, but moving forward is good. You only have the rest of your immortal lives with each other! Mama only has maybe ten!"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"Wh-- well, of course we do! We have moved /rather/ past that point by now!" Noeline blurts, and would obviously plant a hand on her hip along with her grumble if she had the space to. "We are--" Still, it's a fair point that the two of them have not exactly had the time to lay any concrete plans. Even then, Noeline is happy to admit after a pause: "--betrothed. And I am certainly not going to skip off again at this point."
She pauses, and smiles quietly. "Perhaps that's what drew me to the Thames in the first place. Really, when I compare it to the Fereshte or Wayside proper, it's a very similar sort of place. Perhaps I just enjoy that sort of chaos," she comments, though there's light laughter in her voice - after all, she knows full well it's probably a large part of her reasoning.
"... as if you'd ever die," she says afterwards, fondness mixing with her grin as she shows a fang. "You'd just turn into the very soul of the Market. A fearsome force terrifying dockworkers who are taking too many breaks, or blowing Drifters off the deck if they start to get upset at a shopkeep."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Perhaps it's the last blurt that's proven to be a bit noisy, but by the time Noeline affirms happily after that pause, she hears a second voice speak up:
"... betrothed," confirms Riesenlied as she quietly sits up, face... face incredibly red. Oh no, oh no, that sensation in the ring, it's the sensation of someone who's probably woken up a little bit ago and has kind of been tuning in but then the conversation got embarrassing and she didn't want to wake up!! Aaaaa!!
"I must have fallen asleep..." she mumbles quietly, looking to the sleeping child in her lap. She quietly rubs at her eyes. "This place is even more than I can imagine... words do not quite capture its spirit. I know you are very fond of it... I understand why now, moreso than before."
Mama Shibe chuckles again in turn to say, "You believe so? Mama's Spirit... heh heh..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline puffs up a little more, but then blinks as she feels the Hyadean next to her stir. An emotion filters slowly through their link, and Noeline can't help but chuckle even as she dips her head, hiding her rather bashful smile against Riesenlied's hair for a moment.
"... welcome back," she greets, and offers the briefest of slight kisses against the Hyadean's forehead, already kind of glowing against Riese. "I'm sorry if we woke you up. You looked like you needed the sleep, honestly. ... I've wanted to show you the place for a long time, after all. This might not be the best of situations, it's true - but so long as we're waiting on contacting Wayside and keeping a look out for the Fereshte, we have time to look around properly."
She helps Riesenlied sit up a little, if only so she can do what she should have done earlier and drag a blanket across her lap. "Absolutely and completely," she replies to the matron, her voice full of pride and confidence for someone else's sake. "I don't even think you'd be the first. The best of them, for sure."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"A-ah..." Riesenlied flushes a bit as Noeline draws in to give her a kiss on the forehead. The gesture is rather remarkably comfortable and familiar, and it's clear they are comfortable enough with each other. "No, I was thinking we should make the most of the time we have now while we wait on unknowns, you are right," she nods very softly.
There's a quiet hum from Mama Shibe as Riesenlied's moved upwards, as she asks, "So... Riesenlied, is it?"
Riesenlied looks a bit shyly as she twiddles her fingers. "I lied about a number of things, but... I suppose Olivia is a very important name for me too." A pause. "You may call me either..."
Mama cackles a little bit and looks on to Noeline. "Which one would you prefer, hmmm?"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"... there's also the matter of our own health," Noeline points out gently but insistently. "Like it or not, this is also a chance for us to take it easy and relax. At least, I certainly /hope/ it is," she grumbles with the tone of voice of someone who's used to other things cropping up suddenly, but is unmistakably fond as she continues to fuss lightly over her partner.
She has to blink a couple of times as she catches up to the discussion, looking quite bemused at first. "... whyever are you asking /me/?" she wonders. "Surely it's up to Riese herself, isn't it?" Still, she does think seriously about the question, her brow drawing down as she thinks. "... I think I would prefer 'Riesenlied'. 'Olivia' is as important as 'The Crimson Noble'... but even so, I'd like the two of us to move forwards together, as we are now."
... ... being in the Thames is obviously good for her, because there's another glint of mischief in her eyes, this time with the other Hyadean awake. "I suppose we could always split the difference. Why not 'Riesenlied Carver'?" she wonders innocently.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"O-oh. No, you're right too..." Riesenlied answers, immediately, of course, outing herself and confirming what Noeline said only moments ago about her pushing herself too hard. She closes her eyes for a moment in turn. "We did push ourselves quite a lot. But at the same time, I feel proud that I did it for others, with others. Not like the last time."
Mama just kind of... shakes her head and cackles to say, "Oh, you two /really/ are matched for each other," as Noeline continues to grumble and fuss a little.
"Mm... you're right," Riesenlied answers. "I like the Crimson Noble part of you, of course, but... I like so much more of you than just that. And--"
And she loses her train of thought as Noeline suggests the surname, and her face turns even redder.
"... Riesenlied al-Rashid Carver," she mumbles. "... Riesenlied Carver al-Rashid. ... too much?"
Nasrin quietly groans inside of her head.
Mama Shibe can't deal with this cuteness ughhhh