Give and Take - 10/23/19

[Pipino]

In Pipino's studio in the Goblet, the shadows retreat from their normal places only to coalesce in the center of the room, growing in height and intensity until, at last, they retreat again, revealing the Lalafellin artist they had been sheparding through some aetherial means she did not understand. Pipino finds herself alone in her studio, the comforting presence of Annu all but gone. The white dress she wears is dirty and spattered with blood dried in horrific spangles and patches of brown and black, some larger areas soaked through and still damp with a redder hue. The hem of her dress is pierced in several places from the heel of her boot, destroyed. Her filthy face, similarly covered in blood has clean patches only where her current wave of tears had trod. Upon realizing that she is home at her studio, and alone, she instantly collapses to the ground and convulses into violent fits of sobbing, her legs tucked under her and to the side with her arms wrapped around her waist in a self-soothing fashion as she rocks back and forth, her stained skirts piled around her haphazardly and without careful arrangment, stockings and petticoats visible to anyone that would enter. As she attempts to soothe herself, she at last feels it in her left hand, her gun still within her iron grip, fingers aching from the pressure with which she places on it. She is surprised that through the trial it had managed to become such a vital part of her, a friend when she was completely alone, and she seeths with hatred upon that realization. She releases a strangled cry, not unlike someone who is surprised by a large spider and cannot help but reflexively toss it out of her hand, the metal weapon sliding smoothly along the flawless surface of the marble floor beneath her.

She knows this will not do. This is an impossible burden to carry. She will die under the pressure of it, or go mad. It is too big for her, and it will break her if she does not find help. Managing a shaky hand to her ear, she activates her linkpearl and desperately calls into it.

“Is…is anyone there? Please, I need….I need someone. Anyone!” Her voice is breathy and panicked and thick with trauma. “Luna?….Gair?” She calls for the both of them weakly as they seemed to be the closest of her companions that she had known to maybe have experienced similar horrors, but unsure if even they could help. She breaks down into another fresh wave of sobs, all of which were being picked up. “Please….someone just..help me.”

[A'erina]

The sound of flames on burners flickering away fills her basement, bubbles rising and popping as they reach the surface of liquids of varying colours are atop and to the sides of a multitude of apparatus. A strong smell permeates the room as a small cough come from the now-lalafellin mouth. Suddenly a bang on the table break up the rather calm and collected atmosphere. “ Why isn't this working?!” A'erina yells, her workspace now having several stools and steps strewn around for ease of access to the counters and worktops. Clearly agitated with whatever she was making she hurls a vial across the room out of frustration and watches as the liquid seeps into a small planter and immediately causes the foliage that was growing to wilt “ Ugh!” She stomps her foot and heads for her chair and jumps into it. She buries her head in her heads for a moment and let's out a big sigh for a small Lalafell, clearly letting her whole predicament get the best of her.

Having a short moment to get her thoughts together, she is swiftly interrupted by the sounds of sobbing in her ear, A'erina never removing her linkpearl when she is on her lonesome, she waits a moment to see if she wasnt just hearing herself “ Please… Someone just… Help me.” She raises an eyebrow and it takes her a hot minute to process before holding a hand up to her ear and replying back “ Pip…? That you?”

[Pipino]

She lets out a long, shaking breath and sniffs pathetically. “Yes, ” she states simply, her heart practically bursting with affection for A'erina, desperate to not be alone with this.

[A'erina]

Hearing the very upset tone in Pipino's voice, she gets up out of her chair and whilst still holding a hand to her ear she pushes some steps with her foot to by her stove, ascends them and begins boiling some water. “ Is everything okay?” She asks hesitantly, the sobs still in her ear.

[Pipino]

“N-no, please…I…am unhurt, but it…I cannot bear it,” she says nonsensically, clearly too distraught to communicate clearly.

[Gair]

The odd “Kweh” and “Wark!” can be heard from a number of chocobos within the communal stables of the Goblet's apartment complex. Gair grunts with effort as he shovels out a large pile of smelly excrement, complaining to a particularly large and black bird with some level of familiarity. “Gods, could have waited until our ride. Wanted to watch me clean it up for you, huh?” Evidently one who can't be mad at the dopey-eyed horsebird, he reaches up and scritches the chocobo right on the head. Illiciting a happy, “Kweh~” from the tired birb.

“You should have cut down that cousin of ours.” Calls a voice familiar only to him, the voice of an elezen of noble upbringing that is long and away in his years. When Gair turns around, an onlooker would see naught.. but not this highlander. Already halfway into the stables without making a singular noise, only now does the heavy black armor this weathered elezen begin to clank, his boots crunch the hay beneath his feet. “You know full well she is suspect in ruining those lives we saw in Pearl Lane.”

Gair's right foot shifts back instinctively in a defensive stance, the shovel in front of him now. “And what, make myself a mere murderer on pure suspicion alone?”

The Elezen's weathered and icy gaze rests on Gair, not so much looking at him- but through him. “One dead dreg sends a message to the others, boy.”

Shovel raised in answer, armed with only it and his sabatons he stood ready to oppose the black-clad Elezen. But a pinprick in his ear, the desperate cries for someone, anyone to hear her.

The timeworn Elezen didn't so much as move in response to a shovel being brandished. Instead, he rumbles with mirth and turns about face. “Come, boy. See if we can save *anyone*. You sure can't.”

With the distraction gone, Aardvael throws the shovel down into the hay in frustration. Much like someone dealing with a heavy situation before picking up the phone and answering, he does his utmost to mute his passions through his voice. Having heard the brief exchange thus far. “Uhh, Pino, Rina? Everything alright?”

[Luna]

The sound of clanging steel and iron cry out into the frosted airs as Knights and Luna Luxlight herself trade training blows. As her linkpearl chimes on, she quickly moves to finish her bout, though she answers the call nonetheless. “Miss Pipino? Is something the matter? You sound rather distressed.” she asks, finishing the duel thankfully, stepping out of the training area and heading over to a bench, wiping the sweat off her with a clean cloth as she does.

[Pipino]

“Gair! Luna!” she cries, another wave of relief crashing over her, but not one strong enough to quell her troubled state. “Where are you?” she asks pointedly, desperately of anyone who chose to heed her. “I am at my studio. I…was taken elsewhere and…..but I am back so, please, anyone,” she pleads as she looks around her room, supicious of shadows and half expecting him to appear in a rift behind her. She scoots back against a wall now so she can keep vigil.

[Luna]

“I am in Ishgard, where are–” she begins to respond, but cuts off when Pipino speaks. “You were taken!?” she asks abruptly, the sound of steel clattering as she stands up suddenly, her sword knocking against the bench and dangling off her belt. She calms down slightly as Pipino says she was returned. “Your studio? Alright, is there anyone there with you?” she asks as she affixes her sword, taking off for the Gates of Judgement.

[Pipino]

“N-no,” and that question seems to make her sob harder. Ishgard is so far. Can she wait that long? She will have to… “I..I am afraid he will c-come,” she manages with difficulty, scared to speak of him as this whole event came about because of a casual mention of him. Annu's words “speak not of the devil,” flash through her mind.

[Luna]

“He? Who do you speak of?” she asks, her pace picking up with her tone's intensity. “Miss Pipino, I ask that you lock all your doors for the time being and keep some form of defense nearby. I know not who you speak of or what happened, but I will be there as soon as humanly possible. Do not open the door for anyone but myself or Gair.” she practically demands, though out of concern.

[A'erina]

A'erina turns off the stove and hops down off the small steps, listening in on the conversation, absorbing the words of everyone else in her ear. “ Should I go check on her? It's not far” thoughts ran through her head if only for a moment. “ But she didn't ask for your help.” Shrugging her thoughts off she decided to listen in further.

[Pipino]

She ignores the question of his name. There was no way she would risk saying it, unsure if there was some sort of power in speaking it aloud, afraid he would hear. She looks at her door and finds that is already locked, having entered it through aetherial means upon her return to its once hallowed safety. Her eyes dart madly along the floor, trying to remember which direction she had flung her weapon, suddenly feeling very vulnerable without it. She wipes at her face with her sleeve and removes her glasses, trying to clean the remnants of the dead off of it with her underskirt, placing them back on her head with shaking hands. Being able to see a bit more clearly, she spots the gun and crawls pathetically toward it, unsure if her legs would support her even if she wanted them to. She takes to scooting herself in the corner of her studio underneath a shelf in the back right of the room, obscuring her small frame behind a crate and gripping the gun once again in her left hand.

“Okay,” she responds simply to Luna's request after awhile, not quite understanding how the long breaks without communication would effect the urgency of her friends' actions, her mind filled with pictures and scenes and words that would not go away.

[Gair]

Before the Elezen completely disappears, as if expecting Gair's next move: he steps to the exit and snatches the baldric that holds the man's claymore. The weapon having been propped near the door this whole time. “A Dark Knight needs a sword.” He tells him and tosses it to the man, and with that- he is gone.

Gair was already hastening to the exit, without even looking he snatches the weapon from the air and slings it over his shoulder. Finally does he speak up after stepping out of the stables. “Come, Rina.” And the next breath he asks. “What room number?” He asks as he steps into the lobby.

[Pipino]

“Fifty-six,” she responds simply, able to handle the smaller questions with ease, happy to answer the smaller questions.

[Enyo]

Enyo is roused to the noises coming from the linkpearl near her bed. Leaning out of bed to grab the device, groaning, she places it to her ear. The sound of many voices chatting at once, she proceeds to shove the linkpearl in between the pages of a book next to her bed before wiggling her way back into the comforts of sanctum, and passing back out.

[Luna]

Glad that someone else remembered to ask for the room number, Luna continued her sprint out of the city, rushing as best she could. “Miss Pipino, I want you to think about a happy time, such as our 'Lady's night' excursion. Just think about the specifics, how you enjoyed how the water felt or how you enjoyed that drinking game. I want you to tell me about it, and someone will be with you very soon.” she asks of the woman, hoping to keep her distracted.

[A'erina]

A'erina hastily kicks her slippers off and grabs her boots, putting them on in a hurried sense. She heads for the door and goes to grab her bow, which is now an ornament, a trophy on the wall. She looks beneath it, the rather put-together looking Axe she had been gifted by a friend who took pity on her in her new state, reaching out for it and gripping it tightly and she heads outside and locks up, kicking gravel all from her pathway all over the front yard. She hears the words “ Fifty-Six” and Hope's to bump into Gair either before or upon her arrival. Hearing Luna's words, a great thought pops into her head “ hey Pip! Do you still want to paint me? I've been trying to look my best just for that very moment…” her breaths becoming rapid as moving fast in a small frame is not something she has become accustomed to yet.

[Pipino]

“I…I remember I was excited to go,” she starts, heeding Luna's request without acknowledging or questioning it, happy to have something to preoccupy herself with. “I had not been so far afield from, from Limsa Lominsa before. I…I wanted to go to a beach, but was happy to compromise.” Her heart is racing, but at the very least her breathing seems calmer. She closes her eyes tight. “I was nervous about it though. I …I can keep conversation going…but with everyone being….eing so different from me I…did not know how it would go.”

[Luna]

“That's very good, Miss Pipino. It's good to venture forth from your comfort zone. Perhaps one day we shall actually go to the beach. You did admirably considering the mixed company. I was quite proud of you.” she says, her tone warmer. “Do you remember what you did when you went home afterwards?”

[Gair]

“Understood.” Gair echoes, letting the linkpearl chatter carry on- he was getting all the information he needed from the other's doing the talking for him. The poor woman working in the lobby spying the usually friendly oaf, she waves him down in the hopes of some interaction in the dead of night. Only getting a cold shoulder as his heavy sabatons plod on the nice marble floor of the Sultana's Breath apartments.

[Pipino]

“I….started a painting. I would have liked to paint them there, but…but it was not practical and, well, I had had to much to drink. It would have been a falser image than one I could make from my memory. So…so I tried to tried to remember the colors and, and the water.” She sniffles.

[A'erina]

“Wait… for… me…” suddenly the now-lalafell bursts into the lobby, out of breath. She puts her hands on her legs as she can't seem to find her knees. And takes a few deep breaths before composing herself. “ Wait up, cuz.” She hails Gair down like she was waiting for a passing chocobo porter.

[Luna]

“That's good. Did you ever continue work on the painting? Is it in the room right now?” she asks, internally damning the vast distance between Ishgard and Ul' Dah.

[Enyo]

A male voice mutters to the sleeping Enyo “You going to fucking answer that?” Enyo fully sits up, as she completely forgot what happened last night. “What the hell are you doing here still, you know this was not a sleep over.” Shoving the catboy out of her bed, before reaching back down to grab the linkpearl and insert into her ear. Listening to the last bit of the conversation, as she watches begin to man redress. “Do you want me to head over on the next airship?” finally chiming in. The man to Enyo “We could have had fun in the morning” finally losing her cool, whole conversation over the linkpearl “Get the fuck out now.” He hissed at her “Oh real mature,” he followed up with “Bitch” as she finally had enough getting out of bed, and dragging his half dressed ass out of her house, shoving him onto the steps and locking the door.

[Pipino]

“No…I am a perfectionist. I could not remember the colors and…and I wanted it match what I remembered but…but without it in front of my eyes to compare it to, it was wrong. There were features missing. I threw it away.” She pauses as the end of her story is cut off by Enyo's argument, first alarmed by the voices, but understanding the scenario the more it went on.

[Luna]

“Miss Enyo, if you could keep your personal conversations as just that, it would be greatly appreciated. We do not need to hear about your indiscriminate conquests, especially currently. Do not turn on your linkpearl if you're going to just chew your lips at some disgusting toy.” the knightess snaps, frustrated with the rude & crass interruption.

“Miss Pipino,” she begins, her tone returning to one of warmth, “I am sorry to hear you threw out the painting, I am sure it would have been lovely.”

[Pipino]

“It was a good day. It deserved a better tribute.”

[Gair]

Gair finally bites, quipping in a more conversational tone clearly intended for Enyo. “Was it a tomcat or a Tia?” His attentions are brought to the Popoto bursting into the lobby, his chin lifting in a curt greeting to the woman. “Rina.” He offers her a hand, fully intent on plucking her up off the ground and shouldering her. “There's a lotta stairs.”

[Luna]

“Do not encourage this kind of filth.” she growls through the linkpearl at Gair, perhaps a bit more frustrated due to the run.

[Gair]

“Blah, blah, blah, three fulms for Halone. You know you'll lose those parts if they go unused.” Gair quips back.

[Luna]

“You… what!?” she responds, aghast. Her face immediately flushes, though thankfully no one can see it. “You are disgusting!”

[Pipino]

Pipino stays silent, closing her eyes and curling into a small ball in her little safe corner, happy that her friends were being their typical selves.

[Gair]

Deciding that it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission, Gair snatches up A'erina up by the collar of her tunic and plops her on his shoulder. Beginning his full on sprint up the flights of stairs.

[Enyo]

Enyo extremely embarrassed as the realization that she had the conversation over the linkpearl, “Apologies Miss Luna, not used to using linkpearls.” Wrapping her hair up in a bun and throwing on her house haori. Ignoring the question from Gair. “I'm heading over, do you need anything, something to eat? Drinks? A bottle of wine?”

[A'erina]

Before she can even accept the help, she is forced onto his shoulders and admires being this tall for a split second. As he begins to ascend the stairs, A'erina grabs onto a handful of hair “ Don't you fucking drop me” as she clings on for her life.

[Gair]

It's just another Wednesday for the Highlander, a small woman gripping his hair tight in anticipation in the dead of night. Before long the pair are at room fifty-six, his heavy knuckles rap at the studio's doorframe. “Pino, it's us!” He calls loudly enough to be heard through the wall.

[Pipino]

Pipino lets out an alarmed cry at first when the knock started, surprising her, her gun hand immediately shooting forward and pointing at the door, only to be lowered as she hears a familiar voice. She staggers to her feet, using the crate in front of her as support as she practically runs forward to the door, leaning on the doorknob as she undoes the lock with shaking fingers, and at last pulling open the door just enough for Gair to get in.

[A'erina]

Realising that her ever so gentlemanly cousin isn't going to get her off his shoulders, choosing to keep her up there like some little parrot, she drops her axe to the floor with a clang and watches it bounce a little before trying to descend down his arm and losing her grip because sweaty highlander and ending up on her arse before composing herself for Pipino's sake.

[Luna]

Having put her head down to collect herself as she runs, the gloom of Mor Dhona overhead as she heads toward Thanalan. It was assuredly a good workout.

[Gair]

Gair peeks in as the door comes open slowly, his narrow Mhigan gaze fixating on the shaky and frightened woman. Never quite knowing how to best console people, he forces a small smile and greets her with a soft. “We're here, lass. Rina and I both.” He tells her as he steps into the unfamiliar studio, examining her from less than an arm's length away for any visibly outward injuries. “Are you hurt?” He kneels down. “We can call Miyuki.”

[Pipino]

Pipino closes the door behind him, still hanging on to the doorknob and looking up to him with wide, shining eyes again. She shakes her head. “N-no….this…this is not mine,” she manages, referring to the blood on her clothes but not looking at it.

[A'erina]

A'erina follows closely behind as she walks in and her eyes widen at the studio, clearly impressed at Pipino's work. She pulls her attention away to notice the state of Pipino, upon learning that it is not her blood, she gets a small vial out of her satchel and drips a few drops around the immediate vicinity, if nothing else a sweet smelling perfume might help settle the atmosphere down and also mask the smell of blood. “ Who's is it?” She asks, concerned

[Pipino]

Pipino gives A'erina a glassy-eyed stare that bores through her, shaking her head slowly, still hanging on to the doorknob with her right hand, her left hand still clutching her gun tightly.

[Gair]

For the barest of moments Gair's attentions are drawn to an open space in the middle of the studio. His already soured expression sours even further.

“Some company we keep.” The black-clad Elezen's voice echoes in Gair's mind. “Shut up.” Gair's inner dialogue bites back.

The highlander's gaze falls to the gun she bears tightly and he lets out a drawn out sigh, this was a familiar scene to him. “First, Pino..” He lifts his hand to the gun, cupped up- he curls his index finger back in clear suggestion. “You're safe now, you don't need that.”

[Luna]

Finally in the deserts of Thanalan, not at all thanks to narrative fuckery, Luna closes in on the city. Covered in sweat by now but no less invigorated than when she began.

[Pipino]

Pipino snaps out of the haunted stare she had been giving A'erina in a way that made her seem like a feral animal of some sort. She looks from Gair's hand to her gun and easily hands over the weapon, wanting nothing more to do with it, hating it.

[Enyo]

Prior to boarding the airship, she stops for some food, and wine from the Bismarck that had just open the kitchen for the early morning preparations. Collecting some fresh breads, and other snacks, a glass bottle of spring water, as well as two bottles of wine, incase, idea was you never know when you need a bottle. After traveling via airship, she stands in front of the apartment complex, not hearing the apartment number. Over the linkpearl “Uh… I am here, but which room am I going to?”

[Gair]

With a practiced hand, Gair takes hold of the weapon by the barrel and with an audible *click* he pops the cylinder out and empties it. Five live rounds and the clank of one hollow casing clatter to the floor of the studio and he discards the weapon further in onto some cushion without a second thought. “First thing, you might need one'a these.” He holds his arms wide open for Pipino.

[A'erina]

A'erina holds her hand to her ear “ Sixty-Five” not realising she gave the wrong number, still processing the ice-cold stare that Pipino had given her, she stands idly by as Gair makes the weapon safe. She moves over a bit and drops her axe, safely out of even her own reach and moves back over to Pipino and Gair.

[Luna]

There comes a rather aggressive knock at the door as Luna finally arrives, thankful that time and space made way for meta-gaming because the writer didn't think about such things at the time.

[Pipino]

Pipino, normally very hesitant about physical contact, at last lets her arm fall loosely from the doorknob turning and, without hesitation, stepping toward Gair and practically collapsing into him, her legs having decided they had done enough work for the day. Her sobs start again as she cries into his shirt, her arms not embracing him but instead lying against his chest, elbows pointed downwards and her balled up fists resting near her head.

“It…it was unimaginable. I…,” she tries to gasp between sobs.

[Enyo]

Enyo does up to room sixty-five completely out of breath carrying a crate of stuff, knocking and waking the poor older lalafell who starts threatening her and takes a bottle of wine slamming the door in her face. In shock she wanders back to the stairs “Rina. That was the wrong number.”

[Gair]

Caring little about how potentially gross blood and grime is on his clothing, he gives Pipino an affirming squeeze with those *big stronk arms* of his. Twofold supporting the little lalafel who in all likelihood, has had a long and hard day. “You can let it out, first, lass. We're all 'ere.'” Still within arm's length of the door, one parts from Pipino to jiggle the handle open for the Yeti's arrival.

[Luna]

Entering like a welcomed abominable snow beast, Luna had thankfully taken the time face to face with the door to clean the sweat off her with the cloth. You would never knew she just Forrest Gump'd her way across Eorzea in less than an hour somehow! “Miss Pipino!” she exclaims, seeing the poor woman held in Gair's statues-turned-limbs. She kneels down next to the pair, putting a hand on Pipino's back reassuringly. “There there, Miss Pipino. Pray tell us what happened? Take your time…” she says warmly.

[Pipino]

Strangely, having already done A LOT of crying and screaming today, merely being with people she trusts was enough to soothe her fairly quickly. Safety and belonging and warm reassuring hands eventually soothed her to the point of silence. She pushes herself away from Gair's chest and tries to compose the little dignity she felt she had left. “Shall…shall we sit then?” She suggests, feeling a bit sheepish now that everyone was staring at her in this very vulnerable state. “It will be a long tale…and….unpleasant,” she warns, her body tensing a bit as she utters the word, eyes closing as she tries to repress another wave of images.

[Gair]

Gair is simple enough to escape from, nodding once at Pipino as she suggests sitting somewhere. “Aye, lets. By the look, it's..” He scoops up the singular spent cartridge and uses the brass as a pointer to indicate the state of her dress. “Violent.” Is the only word he can muster as he comes to a stand, making his way further into the studio. His shoulder subtly jerking to the side as he seemingly checks it against the open air. Looking for a place to sit.

[Pipino]

It was almost comical, watching Pipino snap automatically into a new facade, the dutiful Monetarist hostess, motioning to the two chairs in the middle of the room and suggesting others pull crates up, apologizing for her lack of adequate seating. She notes Enyo's offerings and thanks her for bringing food and wine, making room on the table for them but again, apologizing for having a lack of glasses to go around, only having two. She was happy to have this small task to do, happy to delay her re-telling but knowing she needed to rip the bandage off sooner than later.

She moves robotically, her eyes not in sync with the rest of the expressions and body language she expresses.

[Luna]

Luna continues to stand, allowing the others the supplied seating. She turns down a glass, watching Pipino putter about automatically. “Miss Pipino…” she says hesitantly, able to tell she's merely prolonging her tale. “At your own pace, but you know you must needs tell us what's happened to put you in such a state.” she says, as tenderly as she is able to.

[Pipino]

Pipino settles in the chair to the ladder-side of the room, sitting against the armrest and leaving room for anyone smaller to sit with her, sitting neatly and in her composed way yet again, almost as if everything were normal and she was not covered in the blood of many strangers. “It..it is a long tale. You may ask questions as we come but…I request that you not question my judgment. I have learned enough lessons for a lifetime. There will be a time where….I will find it challenging to speak and I ask for your support.”

[Gair]

The voice echoes in the man's mind once more. “Halone, her mind frays worse than yours. Fortunate, you are, to already be an idiot.” And Gair turns about heel, flicking the empty cartridge pointedly into the air- the gesture seeming more rude to do in someone's apartment than anything. Playing it off as if he were freeing that hand up to press to his linkpearl and inform Enyo, “Fifty six.” As he steps to the door, an ear turned to Pipino to listen and let Enyo enter when she reaches the room.

[Pipino]

“About a week ago I would say, I had gone to the Wash to practice my marksmanship where the Orobon are located. While searching for a target I saw a man – a Lalafell – passed out in the river, face down. He..he was not moving and I feared he was dead but he was not. I walked over to him to help and he sat up on his own, coughing and looking unwell in general. He was…unpleasant to speak to, but I was afraid perhaps something had happened to him and it was just the effects of an injury that caused him to be so…insulting.” She shifts in her chair, feeling as if she wished she could will her past self to abandon him then and there.

“I made to ask more of him as he talked. He…knew much about me. It turns out he has been following me for a time. Nearly a month. He had saw me in the quicksand with Papari the night we met. He saw me the day I injured myself. He witnessed Gair and I training in the Wash. He….he has been ever-present, and I have been ever unaware to my own detriment.”

[A'erina]

Opting not sit down, A'erina paces slowly around the studio, looking at the artwork and listening intently to Pipino's plight, her book in her left hand, glancing over tidbits here and there, taking moments to look up frrom the book and back at the art, and then back to Pipino.

[Pipino]

“A woman showed up with him. Her name is Annu. She is some type of….assistant of sorts to him. I have since found that he is incapable of caring for himself and relies on many around him to keep him alive. I…I think he uses aetheric means. He by all rights should be dead. But the woman….she is kind and gentle, and quiet when he speaks. Subservient in a way. She came to help him leave. But she watched as he…berated me. Accusing me of many things, among them my hypocritical nature, asking why I thought it was acceptable to kill innocent beasts in the wild to gain experience and find it unacceptable to kill people who do much worse. He…he told me that he thought the whole city of Ul'dah ought to burn, and that I am responsible for participating in its degeneracy. There was more but…needless to say, he knows much of my…insecurities.”

“They left that day, but I met him by chance at a cafe again that happened to be run by the woman. He….he did the same. Beating my reason into submission and tainting my thoughts with poisonous reasoning. Winning my trust with traded stories of vulnerability. I ….I foolishly placed enough trust in them.”

[Enyo]

Enyo set the small crate of food and the bottles next to her as she seated down to the ground. Listening to Pino as she looked around the small flat. The art work impressed her beyond belief. Turning to Pino taking in the uncharacteristic features of her, and the mess of her clothing. She snagged a chunk of bread. Picking it into small pieces before eating it. Staying quiet while listening to Pino's story.

[Gair]

Gair shuts the door behind Enyo and finally deprives himself of his claymore, shouldering off the baldric that holds the weighty weapon. He props it in the doorway and makes to join the rest for this veritable macabre storytime. Settling down on one of the couches and claiming an armrest for himself to lean on. Chiming in with, “I hope that's his blood on your dress, then.”

[Pipino]

Pipino looks to Gair and gives him a little shrug. “Certainly some of it….but mostly not.”

[Gair]

Gair's gaze flutters briefly over Pipino's head and then back to her. “Pray, continue, all the same.” His hand idly reaching up to scratch his stubbly chin

[Pipino]

“Yesterday evening, I saw Annu in the Quicksand. I..was hoping to speak to her alone, as she had a different demeanor about her. She has always seemed kind, and irritated with him. I thought perhaps we were kindred spirits and I could learn more about this newfound adversary of mine. But as we talked, she grasped my hand and….took me somewhere. Apparently the man – I am afraid to say his name for I feel that is what brought this all about, so I shall keep it close and safe for now – had spoken to her. Asked for her to come. And…she took me with her.”

“Shadows engulfed us and we were teleported roughly to a Hamlet in the shroud…only…,” she paused, closing her eyes and swallowing with difficulty. “It…was on fire with flames that were stopped in time – frozen. There were….d-dead….dead bodies. They were….missing pieces. Organs were gone and…..filled with gaping holes. Limbs….they were everywhere,” she says, her voice wobbling a bit as she pictures the scene again, tears starting to stream down her face, but the panicked quality of her previous state not making an appearance. The momentum of her story helped make it easier.

“An Elezen man missing an eye and carrying a woman who was….bleeding. A leg missing. They…they begged for help – I begged for Annu to help them, but they just…talked about things I did not understand. They….they were turned into solid gold and melted before my eyes.”

“A strange, tall woman appeared and told Annu where….where the man could be found. She called him a High Priest. Annu told me I ought to stay behind and she was going to go after him, but I insisted on not being alone amongst the carnage there. She was the closest person I could possible trust. So we journeyed on.”

[Luna]

Luna put her right hand on the hilt of her blade reactively, thinking about stopping whatever monstrosity she spoke of that seemed so obviously evil. it hurt her to hear of Pipino being effectively tricked in such a manner, and she wished she had been there. She remained silent, however.

[Gair]

Gair props an elbow up on the armrest of the seat and cradles his chin in the palm of his hand, the scowl softening into a thoughtful frown. Faint nods afforded to her as she speaks, when his gaze falls to a middle point- his eyes flutter shut in thought. Looking as though he is ready to offer further thoughts, he insists she continue with a subtle gesture without any words exchanged.

[Pipino]

“No matter where we went the….the death was everpresent. So many. H-hundreds of bodies, split apart unnaturally. Arms lodged into torsos and….blood everywhere.”

“We approached a spiral staircase, but the second we stepped upon it, the room flipped and we were upside-down. I…do not know if it was an illusion or reality but I simply looked at my feet and the bodies among them as we walked. We walked and walked through such scenes until we came to a room where…he was.”

“He was fighting, weapons embedded in him but not yet ending him. Blood was pouring from him. His eyes were flame bright and a…a dark, ominous smoke came from his mouth. He was burnt and singed and terrible. His teeth are like jagged knives, and he vomitted blood as he fought. He…summoned some type of blade and…..cut a Roegadyn with it, without touching it, and he…the Roegadyn just….just fell apart, his blood and his flesh ripped apart and flung hither and yon.”

[Enyo]

Enyo kept her calm, only reacting by propping her knee up to rest her arm on it, and covering her mouth with her hand at the gore filled image. Here eyes widen at the description of the man, was this a voidsent? Slightly paralyzed as the recall continues.

[Pipino]

“He turned weapons on us – Annu and I. We were all that were left in the room amongst everything. I…I drew my weapon and before I knew it I was being attacked by a Miqo'te that was hidden. The man warned me in a fashion….but it sounded like a threat, but I…I shot her – the Miqo'te before she could land the attack. Annu also protected me with the shadows somehow.” Pipino starts to tremble as she starts this part, remembering her contribution. “But…I did not finish her. The man… swiftly came to where we were and…he used some type of…aether to finish her for me. Her head was…..twisted off and… He…he yelled at me. Told me to always finish my opponent and…and leave no room for retaliation. I could not take any more and I simply collapsed to the ground, sitting there, staring…thinking about just letting it all end and not caring about the outcome.”

She places her head in her hands now, covering her eyes and breaking into sobs, clearly remembering this point in the story – the point where she began to lose herself. Choking through her sobs, she continues. “I thought that…maybe if I did what he asked. If…if I simply gave him what he wanted, it would all end. He made me help him as he was frail. He …he leaned on me and we walked to another room. An office with a woman seated there. I helped him to a seat and stayed quiet as they spoke.”

[Luna]

The knightess could feel her grip tightening on her hilt, rage building inside though she worked hard to quell it. She kept her gaze on Pipino, making eversure her expression was one of concern and sympathy rather than the fury building inside at such mistreatment and horror.

[Gair]

“I'd wager if such a tragedy befell the Shroud, the Alliance would be abuzz and sending a joint force that way.” Gair intones, his eyes coming to adjust to the sight of Pipino's sobbing. “Yet I could smell the burned powder from your weapon, I can see the blood on you as we speak.” He leans back and exhales a sigh. “Even such conjuries can mimic life and death faithfully. What did they speak of?”

[Pipino]

“He said she killed his child…and that was why all of this was happening. He…he was angry and lost. And he was going to kill her.” She wraps her arms around herself and rocks a little as she continues. “He…asked me to kill her. I refused as I did not know the truth. He…he grew angry with me, giving me reasons why this target was ideal for me to grow stronger. He was trying to manipulate me to kill her and….and I nearly did. He…he is terrifying!” she says hysterically. “I…I managed to hold out long enough though…and…and he must have grown tired, or bored or…I do not know, but he ordered the woman be taken to some…“Sanctuary.” Annu was tender the whole time to me…tried to make him leave me alone and let me go home, but he would always say “I have need of her still,” and make me stay to torture me more. But…but at last I was allowed to go. But…but the last words to me before he passed out were that… “I suppose I'll be seeing you soon.”

“Annu embraced me…and…told me to think of home and comforted me as we left and…I found myself here. And…I called you all.”

“We must have used the shadows again..but…I do not know what happened.”

[Luna]

Full glad to hear the end of her sordid tale, though more for her sake, Luna tries to speak but can quickly tell that were she to actually say something it would be of a tongue infuriated. She keeps silent, the leather of her glove gripping the hilt beginning to squeal ever so slightly as her grip becomes ever-more. She wracks her brain to calm herself down and come up with comforting words, taking a solid moment to do so.

“Miss… Miss Pipino, I am terribly sorry you went through that. It sounds absolutely horrifying.” she laments, finally releasing her grip slowly. “These people involved sound like the type to avoid completely, they sound like no good. As for the actual occurances… As Gair says, such a massive act of wanton destruction and violence would have been reported through the land. Thankfully I have heard no such reports. Though, it is clear something actually happened with you and these two demons.” she says, putting her left hand to her chin in thought.

[Enyo]

Enyo stayed quiet absorbing it in, from the fact that she was being watch, which meant this man knew of the the rest of them, to the horror that bestow her in this place frozen in place. She agreed that there was certain level to everything, Pino clothing was covered in blood and filth.

[Gair]

“Well.” Gair starts, giving a shake of his head in utter disbelief at the tale he had just heard. “What is certain is these people have aims to twist you to another purpose: if the goal was to kill the woman, he could very well do this himself.” He asserts with no small degree of confidence, as if he'd been conferring with another over the duration of the conversation. “Real or no, it bespeaks your restraint to not murder another under great pressure… it can be easy to use another's word as an excuse to do so.”

“As someone whose been showin' you the basics to combat. I'm actually.. proud of you.”

[A'erina]

” I think someone is going to have to make sure Pip doesn't visit any unsavoury realms of blood and body parts in the near future. “ She says, offering a suggestion. ” Granted, I wasn't upto much myself, I would very much be against this becoming a regular thing.“

[Pipino]

She looks desperately at them all. “What is done is done…I cannot change it now. But…I fear I will be pursued. And though I will keep my distance, I fear that they will not keep theirs.” She turns her gaze to Gair and the smallest flicker of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips before she looks back down in her lap. “I…am afraid he will cause me to do something I will regret someday.”

[Luna]

“If you need a constant vigil, allow us. We are the shield on your arm keeping the darkness at bay.” she says, having brought her fury down enough to speak fully once more. “I have no intentions of allowing some veritable demon harm you further, glamours they may be.” she adds.

[Gair]

Gair's gaze flits from Pipino to A'erina. “No shit, not to mention this sounds like the doing of a very powerful Thaumaturge.” His fingers drum on the cushion of the couch as he shifts his weight to lean forward some. “I'm.. going to consult someone, and the guild. That I might be prepared should I encounter them.”

[Pipino]

Pipino looks at all of them in turn. “I…I assume some of you have…have taken life before?” she asks, her voice quavering a bit as she touches on the tender subject.

[Luna]

“Countless. War requires much blood and many more nightmares. At one point, the faces haunted me but it become too many to remember after so long. Though I remember some of those I had to slay as a person and not a soldier.” She responds.

[Gair]

Gair offers Pipino a faint nod. “I'm no decorated knight or war hero, but aye. It shames me to say that it gets easier as the years pass.”

“Bullshit.” Echoes the black-clad Elezen rather pointedly in his mind.

[A'erina]

” Fuckin' knew it.“ She nods. ” I Keep telling you all about that magic and shit, all that damn hokey nonsense, no one ever listens to me.“ She eyeballs the Axe, thinking she would very much like for Lutomis to show her how to use it effectively so she can be more vigilant, only for a few seconds and turns towards Pipino. ” Sometimes it can be a kill or be killed situation. I have found myself in that situation a fair few times.“ she walks over to the arm of the chair Pipino is sitting on and pulls out a small bottle of her own special blend, and leans close to her whilst handing her the bottle. ” When you're ready to wash yourself of this whole thing, use that, it will help clean up your hair real nice.“ Through sleight of hand and without anyone noticing, she effortlessly wipes a small amount of the blood on Pip onto a small handkerchief. She heads over to her weapon and hoists it up on her shoulder and looks at A'erina, Luna and Enyo ” I take it you guys have this situation under control then? I've got to get back, this has given me a real migraine and I'd very much like to get back to work.“

[Pipino]

Pipino looks between Gair and Luna, unsure of how to ask these questions. “I…I feel hesitant about the idea. Taking life. But….with this training I have been engaging in, is it not the end goal? To…to learn how to do it? I find myself at odds with this training. I know that man is….an abomination, but, some of his words strike true to the heart. What is the point of me killing endless amounts of beasts and gaining strength and training? I do not intend to become a murderer, but surely…surely I will need to face this some day if I keep with this trajectory,” she explains fragily.

[Luna]

“Well, technically you are learning to fight in order to defend yourself or those you protect. But in the process of that, you will likely have to take a life. I can not lie, it will stick with you. The first one always does…” She says, a bit of sorrow in her voice

[Enyo]

In a somber, quiet voice, Enyo finally adds to the converstation, “The first one is always the hardest to deal with. In time, you will learn to grow with the deeds that have been done. What is done, cannot be undone, unless it never exsisted” she paused for a moment, “Do not allow yourself to be controlled by this man”

[Gair]

Gair looks to Aerina and bobs his head once in farewell to the woman. “Warden's warmth, cousin.” And when the million dollar question finally is asked, the highlander defers to Luna for the moment when she answers. Allowing the senior of the warriors to speak first before he finally does. “A sword is a weapon. The art of swordsmanship is learning how to kill, that is the truth. This is true for all walks of war.” He exhales a breath and lets the statement hang in the air before he finishes that thought. “But only when necessary, and never to take a man's life to simply make the plunge.”

“Killing someone should be your last resort, when done to monsters- you should be as efficient as possible and waste not what remains. From the blood spilled of a great toad, you could feed the Wash for a week.”

[Pipino]

Pipino takes in each of their words listening and using them to counterbalance all of the strange thoughts that had crowded her brain as of late. “Is it…something you felt ready to do?” she asks in curiosity. “Even if I train…I do not think I ever would be ready.”

[Luna]

The knight pauses, thinking. “I cannot say i was ever ready to take a life. But if someone is bent on ending you, it must needs be done. It can be the difference between suffering and solace.”

[Gair]

“No.. but maybe I had it easier than most.” Gair takes a long hard look at his calloused hands, rough and stained from their recent toils of the stables. “Justification comes easier when you guise it in protecting someone you love.”

[Luna]

“Or protecting yourself…” She muses in addition to Gair.

[Pipino]

She considers this line of reasoning and looks Luna dead in the eye. “What if…what if you feel like your life is the one that is less worthy? What if…your death would create more meaning? Why is taking life the only way around a problem when perhaps giving it up could solve more? I….I have no intentions to do such a thing, but…I did not want to kill anyone…and….I feel I am lucky things stopped where they did. I do not know if I could take a life in exchange for my own.”

[Luna]

Luna falls silent, looking at Pipino with a measure of sorrow in her eyes.”No one is the arbiter of life. No soul gets to determine who deserves to live or die with any amount of legitimacy. Even if you feel that you yourself are not worthy of salvation, it does not mean that you can not be someone's savior.“ She says, pausing to think further.

[Gair]

Perhaps something Pipino struck a little close to home, causing Gair to shoot up out of his seat immediately. Circling around the back of the couch, jogging his mind with a very brief walk as he considers Pipino's eerily pointed question. “Your life may well be less worthy, mine too- for that matter.” He comes to lean up against the couch. “But what of the lives of those around you, people you love? The people you want to help through your art? If you die, you're no longer able to tip the scales of fate for them anymore.”

[Pipino]

She nods solemnly and turns to look at Gair, a sad smile playing on her lips. “You are right.” She looks back in her lap, the smile still lingering. “Thank you. All of you. I….just want to be prepared should I find myself facing things alone again.”

[Gair]

A ghost of a smile curls Gair's lips up. “For one, I'm glad you're bloodied and shaken rather than dead in a ditch somewhere.” For once, engaging in flattery on another's behalf. “We would be beside ourselves with woe should we have been denied your charms, Pipino.” He raises a fist and jabs his thumb over his heart. “And I'll do my best to prepare you for such a time, if not- be there.”

[Luna]

“You need not face things alone, even if you are physically alone. You can always turn to us.” She adds, smiling at Pipino.

[Pipino]

Her eyes shine yet again with tears and she takes off her glasses to wipe them with the sleeve of her ruined dress, sighing heavily. “Well…I suppose it would be best for me if get myself cleaned up and….see if I can sleep. I…I would rather not be alone tonight though. I hate to be a burden but…if any of you would be so kind as to allow me at least one day of selfishness, it would mean the world to me.”

[Luna]

“You need not consider it a burden. If you would like me to stay for the day, I will do so gladly.” She says, patting Pipino's shoulders admittedly poorly.

[Gair]

“My room is only a few doors down if you need more creature comforts. Knock 'an Miyuki will let'cha in.” Gair tells Luna and Pipino both as he parts from the couch, stepping to the entrance to retrieve his claymore. And without so much as an explanation, he quits Pipino's studio to disappear into the early morning dim.

[Pipino]

“Thank you Luna, Gair. I…I think I will collect myself and make my way to Gair's place in a moment, only if to reduce my time traveling. But thank you for your hospitality, Luna.”

[Enyo]

Enyo stands up, “I think I am going to get a room at the Inn in Ul'dah. If you need anything or need to escape for a bit, you are welcome to find solice.”

[Pipino]

“Thank you, Enyo. I am a lucky woman to have so many places to turn. Safe travels to you.”

[Luna]

Luna bowed at Pipino, smiling. “I understand Miss Pipino. I will be around for the better half of the day if you require me.”


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