[ Ever since they'd both paid off their debts, they'd found themselves in a strange place and a strange time. Strange place, more for Minato; strange time, more for Vanille. She's not seen Gran Pulse in... quite some time, actually. Last she knew, she was ready to perform the Soul Song, ready to free all those souls...
Well, she's not sure what came--or will come--of that. Vanille doesn't know if her duties have been fulfilled, or if they will once she catches up. It's... it's strange, bizarre, really. Vanille doesn't know what's going on. Pulse, when and where they are, is peaceful. No Cie'th. She's both relieved and... scared, by what that means.
At least she has Minato next to her. He's a steady presence, comfortable, and Vanille's glad to have him there. They've started a fire, there's fish cooking, and Vanille's never felt more at home since... a long time. A long, long time.
She lifts her arms and lets out a content sigh before placing her elbows on her knees, her chin in her hands. ]
[ Gran Pulse was a long, long way from the crush of modern Iwatodai. Things were quiet, even serene; the days went by with lazy slowness, in no particular hurry to get anywhere. It had taken him some time to get used to that, after so long dashing between a hundred different things. Longer still to get over that this was what happened after he gave himself up to become the Great Seal.
Fortunately, if anyone could understand the feeling of sacrifice, it was Vanille. They might as well have been the only two people in the world with how solitary their life was. Minato had surprised even himself with how fine with that he was. Where he was steady and cool, she was bright and warm: a wonderful contrast. ]
Yeah. Really nice.
[ As always, he was sitting beside her. Slouched back and propped on both arms, his gaze moves gradually from the sky back to her. ]
[ She takes in a deep breath, eyes closed and head tipped back. It's something she's missed, the wide open spaces, the clear night sky with Cocoon hanging in the distance. Which... still confuses her, honestly. It does make a tiny bit of sense, she guesses, since she's not in the crystal pillar, but then again... nothing really makes sense anymore, does it? Not completely. ]
Well, I'm hopin' you get used to it. I think we'll be here for a while.
[ From what he's been told, it makes about as much sense as his being here does. That giant moon should not be in the sky, yet...it is. They shouldn't be here, but they are.
At a certain point, you learn to just stop thinking about it. His complaints about this situation are minimal, especially with Vanille by his side. He nods, watching her face, calm and steady eyes drinking in the sight. ]
Mm. I'm okay with it. [ A pause. He's still shy, even after so long alone together. ] ...as long as we're sticking together, anyway.
[ She can't imagine being without him, for very long at all. It's kind of amazing, how seamlessly he's slipped into her life, her every day goings-on. Vanille finds herself forgetting just what it feels like to be alone, now that he's with her.
Being alone... it's not something she wants to deal with again. It's pretty painful, if she thinks about it too much, which she makes a habit of not doing. ]
You're not getting rid of me so easily. [ She holds up a hand, pinky extended. ] Promise.
[ Right there with her. He's still getting over the surprise that someone as warm and kind and pretty as Vanille would have the same loneliness that he does. They connected on that level really, really hard - which had made it very easy indeed to find his place at her side and stay there.
He sits up and hooks his pinky around hers, giving it a small shake. Cool as a cucumber the whole time, despite being terribly dorky. They can't fix their past, but this helps make their present brighter. ]
[ She returns the shake with a smile that betrays just how potent and deep her loneliness had been, months ago. Vanille's good at crafting a mask and keeping it firmly in place, but with Minato, she's finding she doesn't want to hide behind that mask.
... Funny, that.
Vanille pulls her pinky away before stretching and letting out a content sigh. ]
I think dinner's about done, huh? [ Sure enough, the meat's got a nice crispy crust on it, and the veggies smell entirely too tempting. Vanille pulls it all away from the fire, serving them on makeshift leaf-plates. ] Dig in!
[ Unsurprisingly, she was much, much better than him at hunting. He had gathered the vegetables and cooked those up, but the fish had been all her. No wonder, with her expertise handling her Binding Rod, that fishing was right up her alley.
And if there's one thing he likes as much as Vanille, it's good food. Minato doesn't hesitate to dig in, the two of them side by side while they eat. ]
Mm. It's still amazing how good all the food tastes around here.
[ He may have said this with his mouth full. It's been known to happen. ]
[ From one world to another, to another, and another...
Heck, Vanille's seen a lot more than most people can say. Different worlds, unique in their own ways. Gran Pulse is still home, and Vanille misses it. Cocoon is... terrifying, in many ways, but she'd managed to survive. Koriko had been serene on the outside, with dark happenings underneath the surface. And now this place... it's the calmest one Vanille's ever been to. It's peaceful.
And then there's the wildlife. Vanille is absolutely thrilled to have a cute little Carbink floating along beside her. It's strong and durable, and while Lightning says it fits Vanille, she can't really see it. But, heck, Lightning has never lied to her, and she wouldn't keep teasing her for so long. She doesn't understand, but Lightning must mean it one hundred percent.
They've been traveling for a while, and Vanille's proposed they set up camp near Ecruteak. As she gathers would for a fire, she can't help but do some reminiscing. ]
Just like old days, [ she says, as she tosses wood into the slowly growing fire. ]
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minato
Well, she's not sure what came--or will come--of that. Vanille doesn't know if her duties have been fulfilled, or if they will once she catches up. It's... it's strange, bizarre, really. Vanille doesn't know what's going on. Pulse, when and where they are, is peaceful. No Cie'th. She's both relieved and... scared, by what that means.
At least she has Minato next to her. He's a steady presence, comfortable, and Vanille's glad to have him there. They've started a fire, there's fish cooking, and Vanille's never felt more at home since... a long time. A long, long time.
She lifts her arms and lets out a content sigh before placing her elbows on her knees, her chin in her hands. ]
Pretty nice here, eh?
no subject
Fortunately, if anyone could understand the feeling of sacrifice, it was Vanille. They might as well have been the only two people in the world with how solitary their life was. Minato had surprised even himself with how fine with that he was. Where he was steady and cool, she was bright and warm: a wonderful contrast. ]
Yeah. Really nice.
[ As always, he was sitting beside her. Slouched back and propped on both arms, his gaze moves gradually from the sky back to her. ]
I'm still not used to this night sky.
no subject
Well, I'm hopin' you get used to it. I think we'll be here for a while.
no subject
At a certain point, you learn to just stop thinking about it. His complaints about this situation are minimal, especially with Vanille by his side. He nods, watching her face, calm and steady eyes drinking in the sight. ]
Mm. I'm okay with it. [ A pause. He's still shy, even after so long alone together. ] ...as long as we're sticking together, anyway.
no subject
[ She can't imagine being without him, for very long at all. It's kind of amazing, how seamlessly he's slipped into her life, her every day goings-on. Vanille finds herself forgetting just what it feels like to be alone, now that he's with her.
Being alone... it's not something she wants to deal with again. It's pretty painful, if she thinks about it too much, which she makes a habit of not doing. ]
You're not getting rid of me so easily. [ She holds up a hand, pinky extended. ] Promise.
no subject
[ Right there with her. He's still getting over the surprise that someone as warm and kind and pretty as Vanille would have the same loneliness that he does. They connected on that level really, really hard - which had made it very easy indeed to find his place at her side and stay there.
He sits up and hooks his pinky around hers, giving it a small shake. Cool as a cucumber the whole time, despite being terribly dorky. They can't fix their past, but this helps make their present brighter. ]
Promise.
no subject
... Funny, that.
Vanille pulls her pinky away before stretching and letting out a content sigh. ]
I think dinner's about done, huh? [ Sure enough, the meat's got a nice crispy crust on it, and the veggies smell entirely too tempting. Vanille pulls it all away from the fire, serving them on makeshift leaf-plates. ] Dig in!
no subject
Ah, yeah. Thanks for the food, Vanille.
[ Unsurprisingly, she was much, much better than him at hunting. He had gathered the vegetables and cooked those up, but the fish had been all her. No wonder, with her expertise handling her Binding Rod, that fishing was right up her alley.
And if there's one thing he likes as much as Vanille, it's good food. Minato doesn't hesitate to dig in, the two of them side by side while they eat. ]
Mm. It's still amazing how good all the food tastes around here.
[ He may have said this with his mouth full. It's been known to happen. ]
lightning
Heck, Vanille's seen a lot more than most people can say. Different worlds, unique in their own ways. Gran Pulse is still home, and Vanille misses it. Cocoon is... terrifying, in many ways, but she'd managed to survive. Koriko had been serene on the outside, with dark happenings underneath the surface. And now this place... it's the calmest one Vanille's ever been to. It's peaceful.
And then there's the wildlife. Vanille is absolutely thrilled to have a cute little Carbink floating along beside her. It's strong and durable, and while Lightning says it fits Vanille, she can't really see it. But, heck, Lightning has never lied to her, and she wouldn't keep teasing her for so long. She doesn't understand, but Lightning must mean it one hundred percent.
They've been traveling for a while, and Vanille's proposed they set up camp near Ecruteak. As she gathers would for a fire, she can't help but do some reminiscing. ]
Just like old days, [ she says, as she tosses wood into the slowly growing fire. ]