2019-03-29: Kindness Singularity

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  • Log: Kindness Singularity
  • Cast: Clarissa Arwin, Jacqueline Barber
  • Where: The Moonflow
  • Date: March 29, 2019
  • Summary: Clarissa and Jacqueline meet for the first time.


<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

It's beautiful here along the Moonflow. Moonlilies gather along the banks, and while the Pyreflies they attract can't be seen with the sun up, the coolness of the water and the clouds drifting overhead lend the place the kind of feel Clarissa likes.

It's why she's making her way down the bank at a slow stroll. There's a smile on her face as she looks up at the undersides of the clouds, her hands coming to rest at her hips. Her hat's off; her hair has been let free, streaming gently in the wind in a rippling cape of soft blonde locks. Sunlight dances in her eyes with a simple, personal joy.

Sliding a glove off, Clarissa dips close to the river, cupping some of the water in a palm. She splashes a little across her cheeks. Her face is somewhat flushed, likely because she's wearing a woolen waistcoat and a thick blue turtleneck with a ribbon at the collar. She's dressed for autumn; it's more like a cloudier summer day with the sun peeking through every now and then to shed its happiness upon the world.

With a little squeak, Clarissa lets herself drop back, plopping to a seat. In spite of herself, she has to suppress a giggle.

Delicately reaching out, she brushes her fingers over the petals of one of the Moonlilies. Those long fingers curl beneath the cup of it, and she bows her head a little.

That smile slowly begins to melt away, and soon she's looking into the flower with an obscure sadness she cannot find a voice for.

One can find her there, seated by the river, admiring the flower. It's hard to miss her. She's blue and blonde amid a field of green and white.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline is steadily mapping out the land of Spira in her head. Certainly she's seen all the maps, of course, but it was a fair bit different from seeing the places with one's own eyes.

Today's journey brings her to the Moonflow, and its surrounding areas. It's a rather beautiful place, almost otherworldly in nature.

Well, in a way it was, she supposes.

Her outfit today consists of a cream-colored top with a pale blue skirt bearing a pattern consisting of clouds.

She approaches the edge of the river and kneels down. She appreciates the water for a moment before drawing out a vial and very carefully taking a sample of the water. She lifts up, swishes it around a bit, then stores it away for later.

It's as she straightens up to leave, however, that she realises that she isn't alone here. She looks toward Clarissa and considers just leaving her alone for a moment, but...that sadness on her face is hard to ignore.

"Ah...excuse me, miss. I'm sorry for prying, but...is everything alright?" She asks, taking a step toward her.

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

"Oh!!"

The sound of a voice startles Clarissa, and the sound bursts from her in a gasp as she suddenly straightens up. She cups a hand to her mouth and blushes, her eyes wide as she looks up at the woman who has suddenly ended up by the water beside her.

Was she really so lost in old thoughts that she didn't even notice another human being coming to the river? Was she really still hurting that much over--

"Oh, excuse me," she manages, lowering her hand to reveal an awkward little smile. She shifts in the grass, boosting to her knees, then up to her feet to straighten the hem of her waistcoat. "Yes, I was lost in thought, that's all. But it was just a passing thing - old things I remember sometimes." It isn't a lie. "But other than that... it's hard not to be at least a little happy, isn't it?"

Sliding her glove back on, Clarissa sets her hand at her hip before looking out across the river, at the shore on the other side. Her smile has softened now, more relaxed and calm, the old thoughts subsiding into the background of her stream of consciousness.

"Spira is very beautiful," she admits before looking to Jay again. "Do you live here?"

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"A-ah, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you..." Jacqueline says, immediately apologizing upon realizing she'd startled her. She listens as Clarissa explains that she was lost in thought - recalling the past. Jacqueline nods quietly. She could understand and sympathise with that. It happened to her from time to time too, after.

"Yes, I suppose so..." She agrees with a smile. "The past can be difficult...but it's important to remember the good parts, too."

Clarissa returns her attention back to the river, and Jacqueline does the same.

"Yes, it is... It's so full of life." She agrees. She does not yet realise the irony of saying this while staring at a river that essentially attracts the souls of the departed.

She returns her attention to Clarissa, and offers her a slight smile.

"No, I'm from...very far away." She replies. "...The same as you, if I'm not mistaken."

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

"Oh, no, it's quite alright." Stepping forward, Clarissa moves a bit nearer so that she can talk to Jacqueline freely enough.

When the other woman speaks so of the river, Clarissa's eyes dip, then move towards the water. "It feels like that," she says. "But there's something almost mournful about it too, isn't there? Something about how the water washes away regrets, or carries away the lost possibilities we sometimes miss in our lives...."

Whether Clarissa can feel what the river does or not is hard to say. Even she couldn't tell you. But the thought is followed by a lopsided smile and a shake of her head. "...That must sound very gloomy. I'm sorry," she says as she looks back.

The alchemist ventures something. Blue-green eyes go wide as Clarissa gasps again.

"Then you're also from Filgaia...?" She brightens. "--Yes, you are from Filgaia! You were there for the battle with Commander Vinsfeld...."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline considers Clarissa's words for a moment. ...That was true too, wasn't it? She shakes her head.

"No, it's okay. I don't think you're wrong, either." She replies. It was a very complex feeling - but nature had that tendency sometimes.

Jacqueline nods to confirm that she was, in fact, from Filgaia, but her expression falls a bit at the mention of the battle against Odessa.

"Ah...yes. I was." She confirms. "I was... a little preoccupied at the time, myself. You were there too?"

Jacqueline is quiet for a moment, but before long she gestures to the ground near Clarissa.

"Do you mind if I...?" She asks. If Clarissa's okay with it Jacqueline will take a seat near her - she could certainly afford to get off of her feet.

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

It's a feeling Clarissa finds incredibly hard to explain. Perhaps it's just mood. This is a totally different world - and she can't pursue her dream here. Filgaia is waiting for her.

"I was there too," she says with a nod. "I fought a woman named Erzebet. She seemed very troubled... but then, I think Commander Vinsfeld is, too."

When Jacqueline offers, Clarissa blinks, then smiles as she steps back to indicate a soft, dry patch of grass - the one she was sitting in. "Of course! I would like to have someone to talk to. I think a lot of us from home ended up here."

The blonde smooths her hands over her leggings as she sinks into the grass again, settling onto her knees and then back on her haunches. Clarissa waits for Jacqueline to sit, then tilts her head and offers a hand out.

"My name's Clarissa Arwin. What's yours?"

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline is quiet for a moment before offering Clarissa a quiet nod.

"Odessa...seems to attract that sort." She admits quietly. "A friend of mine...she joined up with them at the beginning of the battle. It was...difficult."

With an appreciative nod Jacqueline takes a seat, carefully smoothing out her skirt before looking back toward Clarissa.

"Yes, it seems that way...it feels like this event was further-reaching than the previous ones. It worries me a little." Jacqueline replies. She hesitates for a moment...but still smiles when Clarissa introduces herself.

"I'm Jacqueline Barber, but my friends call me Jay. Call me whatever you like!" She introduces herself. "It's nice to meet you!"

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

Clarissa's eyes fall when Jay makes that observation. For a few seconds, she's quiet.

"I feel sorry for Commander Vinsfeld," she says quietly. "And for that woman, Erzebet. I think there are people who came with them who have a lot of pain inside. And sometimes people who hurt feel that all they can do is lash out at the world in the hopes that it will fix it. But all they're doing is trying to assert control, aren't they?" When she looks up, her smile is small and pitying. "What happened in Slayheim was so horrible... I understand why Commander Vinsfeld would hurt."

But then Jacqueline introduces herself. Clarissa widens her eyes a little and cups a gloved hand to her cheek. "You're Jacqueline Barber?" she asks with some surprise.

A big smile ensues. "I've heard about you! Everyone says that you're an amazing alchemist and that the CaraKin is really wonderful. I even remember the CaraKin jingle! I'm glad I finally get to meet you!"

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline nods as Clarissa offers her views on Odessa. They were all suffering in their own ways, lashing out and asserting control to try to fix it somehow.

"...Yes." She agrees. "I wish it were possible to reason with them, to convince them that violence wasn't the way...but, I fear it might be too late for that."

Her gaze falls once more to the surface of the Moonflow, though it soon returns to Clarissa herself as she reacts with surprise at her introduction. It looks like her reputation precedes her.

"Y-Yes, that's me...!" She says with a sheepish laugh, massaging the back of her neck, her face a little flushed. "I'm glad to hear people are saying good things about us...I worry about it sometimes."

This means she worries about it a lot.

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

Clarissa even sings a little of the jingle. "CaraKin, CaraKin, with Jay's jollies to fill your bin~"

When Jay laughs like that, Clarissa clasps her hands together in her lap and smiles warmly, her eyes glittering. "People are! You should be very proud of the work you do! I travel a lot, and I know a lot of people I visited in Ignas were talking about you. And you were there to help against Commander Vinsfeld, too! That means you're both a good merchant and a person who cares about Filgaia. I think both of those say a lot about you."

With a little flick of her head, Clarissa brings a hand up to fan herself slightly. The heat seems to be taking a toll on her; she's sweating lightly even in a resting state, her cheeks flushed, but she's trying not to let it show past her smile and kind words. "I think it's important to do something you love. And it sounds like you are."

When she looks back, her eyebrows arch curiously. "Well, whatever Commander Vinsfeld thinks, I think that it's important to treat others with love! It's my dream to make Filgaia a green and lively world again. I think the only way to do that is by working hard and caring for others."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline just gets redder and redder as Clarissa continues, to the point that she has to look away...but that genuine smile on her face is hard to ignore. Even if it's a little embarrassing, hearing it does make her happy...

"...Thank you." She says, looking back toward Clarissa once she's lightened up a bit. "It's always...reassuring, to hear people say that..."

It was sometimes hard to tell whether or not she was making a difference...but for someone to tell her so, with such enthusiasm, was all the proof she needed. She nods, then.

"Yes. Traveling the world...well, worlds, now, I suppose, helping people where I can...it's always been my dream." She confirms.

Clarissa's next words get an emphatic nod from Jacqueline, too.

"Yes! I agree!" She says. "Those are the important things in life, I think. We're all people, after all...we're all worthy of the same kindness. We can't take care of Filgaia if we can't take care of each other."

The fact that Clarissa really seems to be affected by the heat doesn't go unnoticed by Jacqueline, though. It's...not hard to tell why. But rather than suggesting the obvious solution, Jacqueline rummages through her bags and drawing out a bottle of blue liquid, cold to the touch, and offering it to her.

"Ah, here...this should help cool you off a bit." She suggests.

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you." Blushing in her own right, Clarissa lowers her head, her smile growing a little bashful.

She looks up again, clearing her throat. "Sometimes it's hard to see the good you do when you're very close to it. I have a hard time seeing it sometimes, too. That's why I think it's important to encourage those around you."

When Jacqueline reaches for something cool, Clarissa gasps and takes ahold of the bottle. "Oh, thank you," she breathes genuinely as she presses the bottle to her cheek. Visible relief blooms across her face in the form of a big smile. "Gosh, it's been so warm here in Spira. I know it can be hot on Filgaia, but this is such a moist heat that it feels like I'm going to sweat through my jacket sometimes!"

She pops the bottle open and takes a drink. It helps. She straightens, cradling the bottle as she lowers it.

"I was exploring Filgaia in search of the Yggdrasill System," she explains. "The rumours about it are a bit hazy, but I believe that if it can be found, it can be used to help restore Filgaia."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"It's okay, really! People tell me I just have...a little difficulty accepting compliments. I'm working on it, though..." Jacqueline admits, then nods quietly. It was hard to see the good you do when you're close to it, huh...?

"...I can believe that." She agrees.

She smiles, though, as Clarissa seems genuinely thankful for the potion offering.

"I know the feeling...I prefer my clothing a bit heavier too, myself, but it would be far too warm for me to wear it all the time in Spira..." She empathizes. That's probably why she hasn't asked the obvious question yet - she'd probably be doing the same thing if she thought she could get away with it.

"The Yggdrasill System..." Jacqueline murmurs. She briefly wonders if it has anything to do with the ship Lunata often spent time on, but figures it's probably a coincidence. "I can't say I've heard anything about it, but if I hear anything, I'll let you know. If it can do what you think it can...then I certainly hope you find it someday."

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

Clarissa looks down at herself with a gentle blush, biting down to her lower lip.

"I like this outfit," she says a bit stubbornly. "It's not that bad, is it?"

---

    SMASH CUT TO CLARISSA'S INVENTORY

Blue Waistcoat ............... x99
Blue Turtleneck .............. x99
Orange Ribbon ................ x99

---

"I guess I could see the advantage of something lighter, though," she muses, touching a finger to her cheek with a thoughtful purse of her lips. "I'm sure you're pretty comfortable, anyway."

She clears her throat, then, before smiling gratefully at the alchemist before her. "Thank you! I hope it's out there somewhere, too. Filgaia can be a beautiful world again, I think. It makes me really sad to see everything in a slow state of decay... if it's possible to turn it around, I want to do it!"

Then she smiles more earnestly. Her blue-green eyes glitter with confidence and light. "I understand how you feel. Sometimes it feels arrogant to try to praise yourself, doesn't it? I just try to wake up and do things every day that help someone else get ahead a little bit."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"It's a nice outfit! It just looks a little warm for this weather." Jacqueline says quickly, raising her hands. "It's very cute - and it looks functional, besides. I'm a little jealous, honestly, I'm not sure I could pull it off..."

She nods, though. She hadn't picked her clothes out herself, but they fit quite well. Catenna had good taste in clothing.

"This is pretty comfortable..." She agrees, and then smiles.

"My friends and I are hoping to find a way to help Filgaia, too. With this many people...well, I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out!" She says.

"It does..." She agrees, then returns Clarissa's smile with one of her own. "But...I think that's the right way to go about. Doing what you can to help others, a little bit at a time."

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

Clarissa blushes and cups her gloved hands to her cheeks, dipping her eyes above a modest little smile. "That's really sweet of you to say... but I think you could! To tell the truth, I'm not very worried about fashion. I just try to wear things that are functional and easy to move in."

A bead of sweat runs down her cheek. She ignores it and takes another drink from the bottle Jay gave her.

"I'm working with Miss Leviram, myself. If there's a way to get back to Filgaia, I believe we can find it. There's too much to be done, even if I want to do what I can to help the people of Spira ward off the monster they say keeps attacking them. Sin, it's called, I think...."

Clarissa's eyes fall to her lap, and she sighs faintly - but the smile doesn't abate. She lifts that gaze again to meet Jay's, her cheer returning.

"If I can help you in any way, please just ask. If we all work together, we can get home in no time at all, I'm sure."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Well, that's important to consider, too...especially if you're expecting to do a lot of traveling." Jacqueline comments.

"Miss Leviram?" Jacqueline questions. The name is unfamiliar to her, if only because the individual in question had introduced herself to her as Marie Valeria instead. Jacqueline frowns, though, and nods.

"I agree...I'm sure we'll find a way home - there has to be something." She says. "And, I want to help the people of Spira, too...however I can."

Clarissa sighs, but still smiles. Jacqueline nods, her own smile brightening.

"Of course! I'll be sure to do so - and the same goes for you. At the very least, I can give you a good deal on whatever supplies or equipment you might need..." She agrees.

<Pose Tracker> Clarissa Arwin has posed.

Clarissa has to juggle a lot of names for Marivel. It's tough becaue she doesn't want to feel like she's lying, either.

Thanks a lot, LIEviram!!

"That's very kind of you," Clarissa answers, gentle warmth in her eyes, gratitude in her smile. She dips her chin a bit with a soft, content sigh. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of each other, at least. And I think that's a good thing."

She begins to ease to her feet, adjusting the hem of her waistcoat. "My brother Felius is here with me... I should really go check up on him, and the others. It was nice to meet you, though! I'm glad there are many good people from Filgaia who landed here, too."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"I agree!" Jacqueline says, clapping her hands together. "If you ever see me in town or on the road feel free to stop by and say hi, even if it looks like I'm working. I always have time for a pleasant chat!"

Clarissa decides she should go check on her brother and Jacqueline nods, rising to her feet.

"It was nice to meet you, too! I feel a lot better now, I think." She says with a genuine smile.

Meeting someone who shared her enthusiasm for helping others, and Filgaia...it made her feel a lot more confident about the future.