Bozja Aftermath Talk with Lami
R'lamiza leaned against the railway, the Night sky twinkling above, Even with such a beautiful view, The Seeker seemed, Troubled. Displeased even as smoke trailed off from her cigar and a bottle of her favorite bourbon sat at her feet. A glass in her hand, the liquid inside dancing along with the ocean as it beat against the prow of the ship. All was calm. All was peaceful. Save her thoughts.
Blue - The sound of soft footsteps up the stairs towards Lami would be heard followed by Blue herself, face markings glowing faintly in the darkness. She paused at the top, staring up at the stars briefly before sighing and drawing closer to Lami. It was relatively easy to see that the little Xaela was also troubled in her own way, no skip to her step nor smile on her face. She hugged herself against the cool breeze and simply asked, “Everything okay, Lami?”
R'lamiza looked over at Blue.“Peachy.” She said simply.“How ya holdin' up?” Now that they where out of Bojza she let her accent flow again. Though it may have sounded abit forced.“I know it wasn't exactly the trip I had planned out fer us but…Suppose a few extra lessons where learned…Ya?” She said taking a sip of her drink.
Blue watched the Seeker for a moment before looking off into the dark horizon beyond. “I don't know.” She'd say honestly. “Feels harder to smile. Or be happy. And I'm not sure where it started.” Was it when she'd encountered the purple-eyed woman for the first time? Or when they'd both ended up in a warzone, where Blue could feel the suffering of everyone who fought. Maybe when Veldi had first disappeared. But entering that deserted facility had been the topping of it all. The Xaela shook her head and brushed her cheek absently. “Didn't expect any of this to happen..”
R'lamiza took a long drink from her glass. She was silent as Blue spoke.“No one does, These thin's change people fer a reason.”She shoved off the railing.“I wish I had the werds ta help ya find yer smile again…I really do. Truth is I'm still lookin' fer mine. Or at least me real one.”She chuckled abit, walking up to Blue and she'd try to give Blue a good firm pat on the shoulder.“Though I will happily help ya look…Though I am sure when ya see Tret, And the others again. It might come back. Least a little. And as time passes, It will come back a little more. Eventually this…will hopfully be a painful reminder of what it really means ta be at war…Ta see…well those thin's and know that's a last resort…“She had started rambling before cutting herself off.”Sorry. I really don't even know where I was goin' with that…”
Blue flicked her ears as she listened, though the frown that played on her face refused to go away, even in response to the comforting pat. Instead she trembled and clenched her hands. “I was trying not to change but all of this…it's so much. Too much. I thought I could handle it, I've been through plenty of bad things before, lots of horrible things.” Blue drifts off herself. “And I want to keep helping, you and Veldi both. It's just so hard.”
R'lamiza managed a soft smile.“Ya don't have ta force yerself. We are big girls…It's…only worse from here. I promise.” She said her frown returning.“Even after havin' been through it once. I still wasn't ready…Throwin' in all that drug nonsense and well. It adds up quickly. Far ta quickly…Hey. Least we saved a kid, Right?” She said trying to see the positive in the hell hole that was Bojza. Her grip on Blues shoulder loosened. And she finally let go.
Blue - “No, I want to! …And I know it'll probably get worse before it gets better.” Blue looked down at the floorboards. “We don't even know if that little child was saved, really. Because now it's just something else that belongs to Eligor and that might not be a good thing.” She sighed. “Fact is, the deeper I get the more likely he'll find out about me too, but it's something I expected to happen…so what's done is done.” She looked Lami. “But I want to get stronger. So I can help, and you have someone to rely on when things get bad. You're my teacher but most importantly my friend, and I want you to be happy and get through all this too.”
R'lamiza gave her a look. “While now is not the time. You've been doin' a horrible job of tryin' ta keep this secret 'bout ya secret.” Pursing her lips.“So I won't press ya fer what it is…But sum advice? Best ta just not mention ya have any secrets. Afterall, People can't miss what they don't know.” She took a long drag of her cigar. Before she resumed.“But more importantly…I doubt it will ever get better. Fer me….er Veldi. I can't speak fer her but I am in till the day I stop breathin'. He's helped me in ways that I can…never properly repay. And I wouldn't dare try ta assume I have.” Sighing heavily she'd continue.“But that's a story fer another time…If ya want ta let out how yer feelin'.” She looked out over the sea.“Now's the time. After all, only me and the sea will hear ya.” She said simply giving her another quick pat on the shoulder. It was clear Lami was not the best at emotional talks but she was trying.
Blue gave a little shrug. “It's all these people that sense something weird about my aether. Can't really keep that secret to the likes of Eligor or even that purple-eyed lady apparently. I mean look at me.” She points to the markings on her face, ebbing and flowing with a gentle blue glow. “I don't try and hide these. What's important is that they know nothing else.” At Lami's request to know how she was truly feeling, a flicker of a smile forms on Blue's face and she turns to scramble on top of one of the railings to perch on it proper and stare out at the open sea. “I'm feeling a lot of things. Scared, Frustrated, Angry, Weak. My greatest fear is losing my friends. I've got to get stronger so it doesn't ever happen, no matter what.”
R'lamiza leaned against the railing. Her glass nearly empty, She just listened and nodded.“Aye. Sounds 'bout right…And that's…perfectly normal. After all. We can't all be Warriors of Light.”She said with a snort.“I suppose I get that. But, speakin' from personal experience. Veldi, Nor meself. Are weak by anymeans. And we don't need protection. Strength…at least like ours…comes with a price.” SHe said coldly. Down the last of her drink, Finding her bottle and refilling it.“Though Yer not as weak as ya think. Most people seein' even half that shite and they had the choice ta flee? Would have been on the first boat out. But ya stayed….even if I personally think it was not the best of choices but it wasn't mine ta make. I'm just here ta make sure ya get home in one peice. That's all.” She stopped her aimless rambling.“It's okay ta feel weak. It's never okay stayin' weak. I read that sumwhere once. Er was it be weak? Either way.”
R'lamiza gazes upon you in deep reflection.
Blue drums her fingers idly against the rails, tail giving a lazy sway behind her. “I know you and Veldi are strong. But it doesn't mean you won't get lost somewhere. I'd rather know what Sis was doing with all this drug business and be around if she needed me than to be back in the Shroud tending to chocobos and having no idea of the danger she's been in. And I still have no regrets about that now. Just cause I'm a bit overwhelmed right now doesn't mean I don't feel like I contributed…a little. Someone to trust and who cares about you is important. We can't all be strangers.”
R'lamiza was silent. For a long time after Blue had finished speaking. She was thinking over what Blue said, Finally she spoke.“I can understand that…“She said as the waves crashed she continued.”Be careful what ya wish fer though…Cause ta be honest. If me suspicious 'bout that child are correct…We might be dealin' with sumthin' far scarier then I thought originally.” She puffed on her cigar abit.“Despite how it sounds. This isn't me tryin' ta talk ya out of what ya wanna do. I just want ta”make sure ya know what yer gettin' inta. And how deep it can sink inta ya…There does come a point of no return. But if yer prepared fer that. Then that's that.“ She'd walk around and give Blue a light nudge on the side.”After all. Ya still have Namazu ta torment when we get back.“She said trying to joke abit to lift her spirits. Reaching up and doing a head rub that she had done before in the infirmary tent.”Ya will be fine. I promise. If that's a concern at all. Ya made of sum stron' stuff. Even if ya don't know it yet.“
R'lamiza gently pats you.
Blue smiles gently at Lami, tail giving a merry wag at the head rubs before she answered. “I came from a place where I didn't have the freedom to choose or decide anything. Compared to that, making the decison to get into further danger is a lot easier. I know why I'm doing it, and that's all I really need.” She reached over and tapped the Seeker playfully on the nose. “But I still have plenty I need to be learning. So when this danger comes, I can help even more. Maybe when we get home I can learn how more about aether stuff…would have been nice to be able to heal that child..or have some way to hit that stupid electric guy while he was up there on the ceiling like a light fixture.”
R'lamiza smiled at that.”YA really didn't think teleportin' was the ONLY thin' aether related I was gonna teach ya, Right?“ She said with a wink. inhaling deeply and then exhaling.”Hopfully, We can leave this aweful time behind us after this little trip…Er at least learn from it.“ She took a step back abit looking up at the sky and the then to the moon.”I do love the sea…And the Night sky.“ She said reaching up abit before falling on her back on the deck.”Tammorrw's a new day…“She said softly under her breath.”Speakin' of which. How in the seven hells did a nice, Chipper girl like ya end up 'sisters' with Veldi anyhow?“
Blue's eyes widen at Lami's suggestion. “Oooh, I thought teleporting was the only aether thing you could do, there more?” She hopped off the railing soon after and followed the Seeker's lead with dropping back onto the deck to stare up at the twinkling lights high above them. “It is peaceful…the sound of the waves are calming too.” She turned on one side facing Lami, one hand bracing against the floor. “Oh Veldi? She was drunk and wandered into the stables playing tug of war with one of the chocobos.”
R'lamiza nodded abit.”Aye. It is, It's why I always wanted a ship as a little girl.“Laughing suddenly.”Is that so? Well I suppose that is one hell of a way ta meet sumone…Though taht does sound like Veldi. Even if she teases she might drink more then me…Which is honestly impressive ta sum degree…“
Blue found herself smiling at the memory of meeting Veldi, though her expression quelled a little bit as she remembered further. “She was drinking heavily because her friend had died and she didn't know how to deal with it. I…could relate to that. I cleaned her up as best as she'd allow and just kept her company for a while. I know it sounds so little and insignificant but…something about her reminded me of my own sister, who never really got a chance to grow up before she died. And so I've adopted her as my sister, though I can't tell you who is the older sister and who is the younger- I feel like I'm the one following after her footsteps most times.”
R'lamiza shrugged.”Well…Ya…I guess I can say. I actually have three siblin's. Ya know F'loki. Me older brother. But I have ta sisters as well…Though I havn't seen one of them since we got seperated and the last time I saw the other she almost killed me and me who almost killed her…“
R'lamiza sat up and slowly stood up, Downing her glass quickly with a loud belch.”Ah. That's better.“ She said simply.
Blue wriggled her nose at the belch but straightened up as well. “Family is…complicated isn't it?” She muses. “But it's also kinda nice not feeling alone. I know how Veldi is with people but truthfully, she was always there to talk to about my worries and my fears…and that means a lot. She's busy enough playing apprentice and doing all these dangerous jobs, and yet she always came to check on me. I can't forget that and I never will. I just hope I bring her some comfort as well.”
Blue coughed a bit and also rose to her feet. “But..I guess it is getting late, isn't it? We'll be able to go back to training soon enough, right?”
R'lamiza nodded.”Aye. Back ta it after we make port. Though…“She smile sheepishly.”If we hurry. Might make it back gome fer that lovers holiday whatever the shite it's called. Can even put a Blue bow on ya fer Tret.“ She laughed heartily. The drink starting to get to her.”But anyways, Yes. I'm gonna stay up here abit longer…Ya get sum sleep. I'll be in right after ya. Can't put this cigar out with so little of it left afterall.“
Blue - Lami would receive a true blue smile in response to her words, even giggling. “Won't he be surprised? That'd be nice! I'll try and be the best student so we can get out of her faster then.” She winked teasingly before nodding to her latter words. “Alright..I'll try to sleep. G'night Lami.” Blue hesitates briefly before pouncing Lami in a tight hugging squeeze. A little sniffle and the Xaela pulls away and begins to head off and back to their chambers.
R'lamiza would actually return the hug in kind with a tight squeeze. Sleep well.
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