2020-10-20: Pitoonk
- Log: Pitoonk
- Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline
- Where: Fereshte
- Date: 20th OCtober 2020
- Summary: Riesenlied and Noeline spend time with their children onboard the Fereshte.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
It's been an incredibly trying time for the two lovers, but it hasn't been all bad -- namely, they're reunited with their family at long last, and able to spend quality time together while under fire from the military wing of Yevon and assisting with the current siege the Drifters have against the capitol city and the Guard.
Riesenlied is spending today staring out a window, not coping with the high winds of Bikanel Desert where the Fereshte has flown to restock and recuperate. It all seems so familiar -- a hardy, ostracised and oppressed minority hiding out in a desert home.
"Fumu..." Mikaia sulks a bit as she mumbles, "I think mom's got something in her mind she has to let out."
"Eh? You think so? You've become such a mind reader, Micky," Janey puts both of her hands behind her back.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline can understand the similarities and allure of Home all too well. Aside from the obvious comparisons to Wayside, there's also something about the ramshackle technology and the way it stands out amongst Spira, and the dome-like structure sitting in the middle of a wasteland. It takes her a moment to realize she's conflating it not just with Wayside, but with the Gutter and the Photosphere as well, and that gives her a few moment's pause.
Two hands pat the girls on the head, one each, as Noeline quietly takes in their increased height. They're smart and resourceful, but part of her is well aware she's probably always going to consider them her kids. "It's a little complicated, I think. But I don't think you're wrong, either."
Slipping forwards, Noeline 'knocks' on their link, shortly before sneaking a glance around and into Riesenlied's line of sight. "A gella for your thoughts?" she offers with a quiet smile, but one which is well on its way towards peaceful.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied lets out a soft whimper as she feels the link before she sees Noeline, then looks up where her partner is approaching. "I..."
She lowers her head, flits her eyes to Janey and MIkaia, and then clears her throat, shuffling as her tail lashes gently from side to side.
"I have not... told them. And we have not spoken about it earnestly either. My slumber."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
The other Hyadean blinks for a moment, expecting some kind of introspection on Home - but she chuckles faintly to herself soon enough. "Well, that's only natural. We've really not had any time to catch up yet, what with everything. There's no need to rush, and no need to beat yourself up. We could only keep it secret for so long that you stole Janey's Calamity Crown away," she adds out of nowhere, deadpanning it enough that it sits hanging in the air for a long moment to try to lighten the tone.
"Besides, we're a family. Sure, we'll tell each other things, but it's fine to trust each other if we need time to work through it first, I'd like to think," she sums up with a huff of air before glancing at their daughters. "... let's sit down, all of us together."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"Eh?!?! Is that where it went?!" Janey puts her hands above her head reflexively, before Mikaia sighs quietly and gives her a little Porom-style *pitoonk* on the head.
Mikaia is the first to wander closer, sitting down on an ottoman while Janey just lounges by the wall; "I know you didn't take months just because you were taking your time, it's because of everything that happened... but, what happened?"
Janey scratches her cheek and says, "On our part, we heard about how Macalania basically blew up and you all vanished under the lake. ... Micky bawled her eyes out for a while--"
- pitoonk*
"We were really scared, but... then Janey reminded me that's not the first time you guys all up and vanished. Like when we first went to Lunar."
Riesenlied fidgets in her seat quietly, lacing fingers on one hand with Noeline as she gets a bit cozier. "It is true. On our part, um..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline opens her mouth to continue Riesenlied's story, then pauses at the sight of Janey trying her best to look cool. "Don't tell me you're too old for getting hugged to death," she puffs, but shakes her head as she continues onwards. "When we came to in Filgaia, we were far to the west, in Aquvy. ... to be honest, we lost ourselves to panic for a while, as well," she chuckles ruefully, nodding her head gently towards Mikaia.
"There didn't seem to be much to do but hope that you all had made it through as well, and just ended up somewhere else, and that maybe we'd get to meet up," Noeline adds with a light shrug of her shoulders. "After a while to catch our bearings, we started making our way around the region, retracing my old steps and meeting people we hadn't seen in decades. Riese had some scholars make her a wheelchair and a pair of leg braces to help her around. I got to meet many old acquaintances, and see them in a new light."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Janey cheekily grins at Noeline and walks over, draping both her wirey arms around the Hyadean with a big smile. "Course not! But you gotta admit, I'm looking cooler nowadays. I'm taking notes from you!"
Riesenlied hugs Mikaia in turn gently as the winged girl rests on the side of her lap, not wanting to burden her too much.
"And I... there was a time, when your mother was away for a long time from me, I longed for her dearly," she bashfully says. "I sent letters far and wide, and had many pen pals connect me as I asked... ..."
Janey and Mikaia have formed an opinionated, stuff-eating grin that has the Hyadean blinking a few times and flitting her eyes back and forth. "Ah? Um..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"You do, that's true," Noeline admits with a burst of pleased laughter, though she smirks wryly as she reaches up to rub the beastgirl's hair. "It suits you, and it suits your confidence. I'm pleased. Though, either way you look at it, I can't help but think I might have influenced Mikaia a little more," she snickers. "Though, perhaps that's more Riese and I together."
She does hesitate when Riesenlied lets that slip, feeling her cheeks colour a little as she puts a hand to her forehead, not meeting the eyes of their daughters. "... well... yes. I learned a little more about exactly how long the two of us had been dancing around each other," she grumbles softly. "It was very pleasant. A chance to reconnect with old memories. Of course, we missed you all terribly, and worried a lot as well."
She looks towards Riesenlied for a silent moment, then lets out a breath. "Of course, Filgaia is Filgaia, and things started to get worse. We became busier, more stressed and fatigued as Odessa kicked into gear, and then..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Mikaia preens a little as she says, "We might have adopted different parts..." as Janey laughs and shakes her head, winking at Noeline as she conspiratorially says, "It's fun when Micky tries her hardest to look cool, too."
Riesenlied's cheeks get even warmer as her two daughters tease, and she murmurs, "I genuinely thought we might never see each other again. It hurt so much. The letters helped."
Janey lets out a happy sigh as she says, "Everythin' about you two's just gotta be star-crossed, huh??"
The conversation turns to Filgaia, though, and Mikaia rubs her cheek quietly. "It got worse for us too, but we had everyone onboard helping. Eventually, Rin introduced us to a man named Cid, and that was where everything fell in place."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"Well, she's that sort of person," Noeline comments aside to Mikaia with an understanding nod. "Just don't forget to bring her down from her high perch when she needs it, though." The look on her face suggests she knows full well she doesn't need to say that out loud, though, and instead she follows it up with a chuckle in Janey's direction. "Oh, don't think you can escape this. I bet, years down the line, you'll look back and go 'wow, finding love on an airship while I'm sky pirating around seems pretty fairytale'."
She quiets when Riesenlied talks about how much she missed them all, and her touch strays towards Riesenlied's arm in quiet support. "I'm glad you found Cid. We'd already considered going to the Al Bhed, but then everything went to hell the way it did. ... we'll do our best to include you both in figuring out what we do next, and in the future. You've more than proven yourselves on that front, I would say," she adds with a quiet, proud little smile.
Then she lets out a breath, and nods. "We were recovering from an Odessan attack. Riese was already quite exhausted, and so was I. But what I thought was our curling up for a nap turned into--" she hesitates, really not sure how to put this lightly. "--a much longer recuperative process for your mother. A couple of months of bedrest." Saying that feels better than 'coma', even if there's something to Noeline's voice that gives away how serious it must have been.
"After that, ah... she awoke with the tail. Very nearly hit me with it," she grumbles.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"She isn't going to find love while sky pirating!" Mikaia's wings flutter upwards, though she catches herself when she nearly smacks Riese on the cheek with her outburst. Janey's grin is telltale as she answers, "Don't worry, milady. My eyes shan't wander."
Riesenlied's breath shorts a little, however, when she glances to Noeline as she pushes forward with what she was going to say at the start of all this.
"Noeline, I..." Riesenlied hesitates, lowers her head. Janey and Mikaia pause with their jabbing and teasing to each other as well.
"I worry. I worry this may not be the last time... and... what if it is... terminal? Oh, I..."
She gets about that far before she starts trembling, her eyes wet as she raises her palms to her face. "In the back of my mind I always knew my health was poor, yet this is the last thing I wished for, and yet I fear burdening you all with this."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Even Noeline can't help but chuckle at their daughters, especially when Janey even manages to flirt - or something like it, at least. But she lets it go as Riesenlied starts to falter, and turns in her seat to draw her beloved into her arms, sparing a glance for both their daughters over the other Hyadean's head.
"Of course you do. I worry, as well," she admits, keeping her voice as light as she can as she pats the other woman on the back, and coaxes Riese into resting against her shoulder to try to calm the trembling. "We are all in unknown territory here. What might happen to us in the future - and that 'us' means Hyadeans, the Fereshte, Wayside, or the four of us in particular - we cannot know."
"But what would burden us a lot more is knowing you were hurting without us there. You are the centre of this family," Noeline points out kindly. "Whatever we face, we'll face it with you, together. I mean, not that you'd manage to stop me either way," she adds with a light smirk, trying again to soften the air. "I may have left those days behind me, but I'm pretty sure I can still be obnoxious on command."
"... we'll go and find Kalve, and see if he has any ideas. Perhaps, with Lombardia freed, she might also have some wisdom to offer," she suggests. "We'll do whatever we can - but I'm not about to stop you from doing whatever you want, as well. I don't want you to hold yourself back out of fear or worry." <Public> Doctor Zed says, "Ramiel Temple..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"I promised... I promised I would look after myself, so you would not have to worry," Riesenlied whimpers into her palms, though before long, Noeline has coaxed her way in through her metaphorical defences and gently brings her into her arms.
There's a sniffle still, her eyes wet and a bit red. "I understand..." A pause, as she lowers her head to Noeline's shoulders. "You are worried too, about-- your own situation, ours."
There's a very quiet nod as she murmurs, "Y-you are... I liked the way you-- took command," suddenly turning bashful as she burbles out the first thing that comes to mind. A pause and a hitch, as she wipes her eyes gently.
"I spoke to Kalve, recently... he is-- um, doing all right, on an island of his own. He took a blood sample and I gave him the medical charts Lily and Citan made too, so..."
She draws in a breath and smiles further. "I know I have people helping, who would not give up on me."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"And you have done that, to the best of your ability. I'm not going to blame you for things beyond your control - and increasingly, I find that I'm the sort to worry anyway," Noeline laughs softly to herself as she smooths down Riesenlied's hair. "Or perhaps I should say that working out plans of action seems to calm me down? ... but, either way. This is not your fault," she adds, plainly but with a sombre, earnest tone.
"More than anything, I want you to live how you like," the Hyadean hums quietly to herself. "I want you to do what you feel is important, whatever it is and however much it may tax you. We spent so long not doing that, after all. And should anything happen, we'll be there to help you forward. As will everyone on this ship given what you've done for them."
Noeline is sure that their daughters will not let Riesenlied live that slip down in time - but for tbe moment she lets it be, chuckling to herself. "It was... a very new sensation," she admits, a little awkward as she herself turns quietly bashful in turn. "I'm still learning when it comes to all of this myself, but... that will not stop me from trying my best to be at your side."
She nods lightly at Riesenlied's report, then leans forward to touch forehead to forehead with her partner. "Then, until we know more... let us do our best to look forwards. Perhaps it will only be that much. Perhaps, in time, it might help strengthen you rather than debilitate you. Until we know more, I'd rather enjoy being back with family."
With that, she closes her eyes, pauses for a long moment - then coughs, a little self-conscious as the two of them kind of devolved back into 'star-crossed' territory. "That, ah, that is the whole story," she addresses the girls, half expecting them to have cleared out.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied's cheeks are still flush with red, Tainted blood being what it is. "Why... why do I not join you in that? We will both make plans, if it were to happen again. Little steps that can bring us comfort into the future."
She seems to forget being embarrassed around her daughters for a moment longer, saying, "When-- when you appeared so powerful, using your power... I was..." The way her voice kind of pips up rather shows clearly that she's a fan.
"But atop that... thank you for guiding me. Channeling me back down. I did not know I possessed such wrath in me, when I saw Lombardia. Perhaps that is the... less-good influence of Father in me."
A longer pause, and then she scoops her way in and gives a big hug, settling in there for a moment.
Janey and Mikaia just grin and seem content to let this moment be what it is, because they're piling in a moment after, just you wait.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"... of course," allows Noeline with a nod of her head, before she decides to tease herself. "Though, it might make you dizzy if I wrote them all out. I might need a chalkboard, and several pins to twine wire around. Together," she promises with a tiny nod.
Her smile falters, and something crosses her face before she shakes her head. "... I can't say I didn't share your feelings. What was done to Lombardia caps off the history of a deeply cynical religion, whose leadership have hopelessly twisted it. ... I can't blame you for being angry. I am still angry, to think of it. But even if that was a time to take up the sword, I did not want you to lose yourself to it. I'd do it again," she promises quietly.
She lets out that breath, purposefully feeling for the presence of their daughters as a quiet reminder of what they have. "... I do wonder if I went a little over the top," she admits with a cocksure grin, scratching at her cheek. "Perhaps it was a little bit too much, but at the same time, I was not prepared to grant him even a shred of respect. Good riddance - and I hope Lombardia flies free."
So saying, she accepts Riesenlied into her arms, letting out a long breath as they turn into a family pile.