Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
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year 5, quarter 3
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"I think we've really connected, and I really want to tell her how I feel, but I just want to do it right, you know?"
"Right."
"I was thinking... I don't know if just saying it is enough. I want to -show- her. I thought, why don't I get her something? But-but, it has to be something that actually shows how much I feel for her, yeah?"
"Understood. Though while I am happy to hear the opinions of recruits, if I might ask... Why consult me on the matter?"
"Oh! Well, I... Don't know what to get her. I don't know what would match my absolute passion for her, you know?"
"And you think I would."
"Well, yes! I figured if anyone would know, it would be you, Boss! You always seem to have women for company, you have to know something! You must know what a girl would like, right?"
"..."
"... Did I say something weird?"
"I do not understand the comparison."
"What?"
"I do not understand the correlation between my company and how you intend to be honest about valuing a female companion, nor what objects have to do with it."
"... I uh..."
"I've been honest with my female companions without need for ceremony. Celes is one of the most brilliant tacticians I know, and constantly manages to keep a good head on her shoulders. She is the one person that I most enjoy fighting alongside, and I've told her as such. Was I supposed to confess this accompanied by some measure of physical tribute?"
"I... I don't think that has anything to do with love, Boss."
"Love? What does this have to do with love?"
"... Well uh, some people show the love they have for someone special by giving them a gift when they confess their feelings. Usually something pretty."
"This world's customs are strange, but if you're looking for something physically appealing then perhaps a flower?"
"Of course! But it has to be good flowers! Something that-"
"Something that personifies your "love" for this special person, yes?"
"Yes, that!"
This had not been what Caius had expected to be doing on a trip to Sonora. Running into one of the newer recruits of the Dragonblades that he had brought aboard during his last trip to Sonora, Caius had been enlisted to aid them with what he thought to be backup in killing a monster or a bandit, maybe the dragons had come back or something. But Caius had met his match with something he did not know how to handle.
Love advice. His ultimate weakness.
Luckily there had been rumors flying around of a woman that had been selling flowers in town, though she'd recently gotten in a spat of trouble for one reason or another. Tracking at least was something that Caius could do, and the duo had begun asking around for the whereabouts of the flower seller, and if they had been seen recently. Eventually, as they turned a corner, a basket made it clear they had found their mark. Caius turned to his companion.
"There she is. Best of luck in your mission, recruit."
"I uh... Actually, can... Can you do it? I'll pay you back."
"Are you having financial troubles I did not know about? I can help you work on a trade to supplement your income if-"
"No! No, no, nothing like that, I just... I don't have a lot of confidence with approaching girls, okay?"
"I don't think I understand. What is the different between her and this special person?"
"Nothing! I... I just have a hard time with this stuff. Can you please buy the flowers for me? I'll leave which ones to your judgement, but before she gets out of sight, please hurry! Please?"
Caius just stared at them blankly a few moments, and the recruit shirked back a bit. Caius' frosty poker face was the stuff of legends at this point, and the recruit was already expecting repercussions for what seemed like such an outlandish request. But to his surprise, Caius would nod his head.
"I think I can manage that."
"Oh, thank you! I'll pay you back for this somehow, Boss, I promise!"
"Repay me by working hard and not dying on the field."
"Yes, sir!"
Peering up at the sky a moment to see if Vordun had returned from his hunt, Caius let out an exhausted exhale as the mercenary moved forward to approach the woman with the flower basket.
"Excuse me" He spoke up, attempting to get their attention. "Would you happen to be the flower seller?"
And when she walks, she walks with passion When she talks, she talks like she can handle it
Sonora proved to be more like Midgar each and every day. Thankfully she had been able to charm her way into paying essentially nothing for a room in the back of a drugstore. She had seen the Room For Rent sign in the window and had thought of a plan before she had even crossed the threshold. Aerith meandered the aisles sniffling loudly and wiping away her fake tears as she tried to get the attention of the burly mustached owner behind the counter. She placed the cheapest blandest crackers she could find into her basket as well as a box of tissues as she continued sniffling sneaking to see if the man had moved.
"Um, you okay miss?" the owner stood awkwardly as he approached a tentative hand outstretched. "Me?" Aerith asked even though there wasn't another soul in the place at the moment. The clerk nodded again and Aerith looked away. "I'm fine just f.." Aerith clutched her hands to her face pressing her fingers a little too deep into her eyes to keep them watered up as she faked sobbed.
"It's just my boy- ex boyfriend," she looked up her eyes red and raw from rubbing them so much. "See, he just got a promotion at the mines and well, I thought he was going to ask me to marry him." She placed her hands over her heart as the clerk continued to watch her like a feral animal ready to strike at anytime. "Turns out he got it for someone else. And now. And now," she stammered leaning against the aisle shelf for support. "He kicked me out. I barely have enough money for this food and now I'm gonna end up on the streets tonight." Aerith continued her dramatics until the clerk coughed.
"Um miss, maybe for tonight you can use the spare room," In all honestly he would have done anything to get her to stop crying so loudly. The next day Aerith was walking the drugstore again, and noticed the sad display of "locally grown"flowers. "I can grow flowers much better than this sad display," she said to the store owner. If she could stay in the room, she'd prove it. The owner showed her the plot he had been growing the sad weeds, and Aerith got to work with the seeds he supplied. Two weeks later large bright flowers were being sold in the store.
The flowers were a big hit. It got to the point that she had to manage her own little flower business while skimming off the top to pay the owner for the room. She started delivering the flowers and selling them on the streets. Still not everyone was delighted but the new burst of color in the neon-lit city. The flower shop she had borrowed from on first arrival was dead set on not having any competition. They sent a couple of goons to try and scare her out of it, but she had just stuck out her tongue and slammed the door on her.
They had then gotten so bold as try and stop her delivery routes by showing up and harassing her. Too bad for them she knew how to avoid unwanted attention. If she could evade the Turks, she could evade some grunts a flower shop had hired to scare her. They sure were being bold today though.
Aerith turned after handing one to a small girl to give to her mother as a man approached her. Aerith gave the man a once over before hiding her basket behind her back. "Who wants to know? You don't look the flower type." she asked staring the blonde in the eyes without balking. He looked just the type, big and burly and ready to intimidate. Well it wouldn't work. She took a step back away from the man "If you want a flower, why don't you tell your boss to stop harassing me and maybe I'll send a bouquet."
So, not gonna lie. Caius had never actually bought flowers before. He figured it would be as easy as approaching a flower seller, saying “Hi, can I buy a flower” and picking a flower and walking away once you’d paid. Apparently, like everything that he had thought about everything today, Caius was once again wrong. The girl suddenly got very, very defensive and hid her flower basket behind her back. She immediately jumped to conclusions based off his appearance and acted like he was some kind of thug working for a boss. She stepped away from him and he just stared at her, his expression just completely exasperated at this point. His eyelids drooped, he let out a resigned sigh as he was already beginning to regret many, many, many life choices that he had made up until this point that had somehow led him to be here at this very moment at this very time.
“Umm…” The dumbfounded mercenary responded, trying to find some semblance of how to respond to this entire bout of nonsense. “Can I just buy a flower? I have no idea what you’re on about, but apparently when you like someone, you’re supposed to buy them something pretty to show how you feel or something like that? So if you would be able to tell me how much you’re charging for them, I’d appreciate it. I’ll pay whatever and be on my way.”
The sooner that he got the flower and got away from this whole trainwreck, the better. Caius wished his red flag radar had sounded sooner, but it was certainly sounding now. And it was loud, very loud. Seriously, all this over some stupid flower? Sheesh, he’d take fighting another dragon over all this drama. He’d fight two dragons even, at least he knew how to handle that.
And when she walks, she walks with passion When she talks, she talks like she can handle it
Aerith "hmph"ed in triumph as she smiled and put her hands on her hips. Wow the thugs here were really lame if just being told off was enough to get them to back down. His utter and total look of defeat only fueled her further. Aerith felt on tope of the world and was so excited to begin her journey anew with this fresh heaping of self confidence. As she turned to go though the man spoke again. Aerith was but two seconds away from telling him off when his words caught her off guard. This guy really was here to buy a flower! Well in that case Aerith was all ears. Her demeanor changed on a dime and a genuine smile brightened up.
"Oh is that the case then," she beamed as showed him her basket. Aerith peaked around him looking to see if the person was close by, and saw a man blush and return to his hiding spot around the corner. Aerith giggled and pointed at Caius as she looked him back in the eye. "That's exactly what you're supposed to do! Yes, buy your someone a flower. Buy them all the flowers, you never can show someone too much affection." Aerith said holding the whole flower basket up for Caius to examine. A mix of lillys, and roses, and petunias all lay in beautiful arrangement. Still looking the man over another idea came to mind better than upselling.
"Tell you what though," she said lowering the basket. "You did give me such an awful fright coming up all bold and ruggish. That's just the type of guy I need to be my bodyguard for the rest of my route tonight." Aerith began to look around as though afraid someone was about to burst out of any trashcan or from behind every bush. Maybe if they saw him walking around with her they'd call the whole thing off. "If you can help me out and protect me from those mean thugs, you can have as many flowers as you want for free for your special someone."
The more this went on, the more the exasperation was clear on the mercenary's face. It took her forever to seem to realize that Caius was actually there to buy a flower, and not trying to strongarm her for one. Who strongarmed someone for a flower anyway? It's a flower, you grow them, or you pick them. They were literally everywhere. Just... Not here. Because it was cold. But when she did realize, her responses changed so quickly that it was jarring. And then she emphasized the importance of flowers so much that Caius was pretty sure he was being hustled instead of being given an honest opinion. Though he did notice her looking past him, and he realized right then that he had been found out for being the messenger boy.
But it was her offer that caught him off guard.
She offered a lot, potentially even her whole basket if he was to play bodyguard for her for a little while. He blinked a few times. He'd just been here to buy a few flowers, hand them off to the recruit and go back to the inn to rest up and prepare for the next job. But things had gotten... Complicated. To be honest, Caius wasn't sure if he wanted to spend a whole lot of time around this madwoman if he could help it, after she had jumped to conclusions when all he'd wanted to do was buy some flowers. On the other hand, all those flowers would make a killer bouquet... And he did genuinely want to help his recruit make the best impression he could for this person that he clearly held very, very strong feelings for. He thought back on the conversation with Aera, and how she talked about the man she claimed to love. This Ardyn. No matter what Caius said about him, about the monster he was... She refused to believe a word of it, no matter how much evidence Caius piled up, no matter how many connections he made. She refused to believe he could be anything but the virtuous man that she loved until she saw it for herself. Would that recruit be the same way for her if it had been him in this position? Were things like going out of their way to get flowers as a show of affection like this normal for people madly in love?
Caius didn't understand it, but what he did know was this was clearly very important to him. So after a moment, he let out a resigned sigh before he nodded his head.
"Deal" He spoke calmly after he'd made his resolution, holding out a hand. "Caius."
Though he did take a moment to turn his head where his recruit was hiding. He had no doubt heard everything. Caius stared at him with a very hard squint, a very hard message of "You better be happy."
And when she walks, she walks with passion When she talks, she talks like she can handle it
Aerith cheered as the man accepted her proposal. She gave him a quick smile and a name "Aerith" before foregoing the handshake. she grabbed at his hand and started to lead them along the street. "Good thinking," she said nodding as if the idea had been one she had been thinking of all along, "Holding hands will totally make those thugs think you mean business about protecting me." A defiant smile graced her face as she looked around the street now hoping someone would come try to rile them up.
As they turned the corner Aerith began the interrogation letting go of his hand so she could walk backwards and talk to him. "Sooooo," she said the word hanging in the air as she winked, "tell me about this special someone." She had seen that guy back there hiding away. She wanted to chastise him for not thinking about flowers before he was asked to get them, but at least the deed was being done. "What drew you to them? Their charm? Their looks? Hopefully more than that or I'll be in danger of your gaze too." She gave a good laugh as she turned back round to continue walking forward.
Coming down the street an elderly couple was walking hand in hand as they huddled together from the cold down the street. Aerith awed as she ran from Caius and approached them. "Here, for you two,"she said picking out a rose from her basket and handing it to the woman. The woman tried to say no thanks because they had no money even as the man began to reach into his pocket, but Aerith stopped them both. "No, no. It's free. It's really wonderful to see something as beautiful as love." They thanked her and as they walked away they kept passing the rose back and forth as they smelled it.
Aerith skipped back to Caius her smile wider than it had been all night. "Can you imagine?" she said with a lilted sigh watching them as they turned a corner and out of sight. "I can't wait for a love like that," she commented as she began walking again. "Oh well, we've still got work to do Caius! Help me look for potential customers." Something stirred in her stomach as a faint memory came back to her and she frowned at the vagueness of it. Hadn't she asked someone else to help her sell her flowers under the sky?
Caius couldn’t help but study her face a moment. He could almost swear he had seen her face and heard that name before. Multiple times, even. But he couldn’t remember what or where, it was all just one massive blur to him. But he didn’t have all that much time to think about it as the woman would suddenly grab his hand and pull him along, saying something about how it was a good idea because it would “make him think he meant business”. Caius blinked a few times as he was pulled along, but eventually just gave up and went with it, following along with her. Somehow he doubted this holding of hands indicated that to anyone, and the woman was quite clearly mad.
It didn’t take her long to abandon her stranglehold on his hand though, and he was able to walk more at his own pace while she suddenly began to question him on a “him”. Once again, Caius blinked a few times in utter confusion. “I don’t understand the question” He responded, most of what she said having flown over his head. He was almost completely convinced this Aerith was mad, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t be courteous enough to be honest when he didn’t understand a direct question. Or well, the multiple questions that she had bombarded him with. Something about a special someone and qualities that they held. He didn’t have a special someone, did he? The closest thing to a specific, particular special someone was Celes. But not for any of the reasons that Aerith had brought up and she suspected she was not referring to a “special someone” in the same way that he saw the closest thing to a special person. Celes was his closest friend and confidante, a brilliant tactician and general who’s battle expertise held few as equals. She was someone he could easily trust on and off the battlefield, and there was nobody he would rather fight alongside - nor anyone he would trust with the affairs of the Dragonblades - more than Celes. She was his number one, so to speak. The one person he’d fight to the death in defence of, if need be. The one person he’d sacrifice everything for if it meant she lived on.
But again, that was the closest thing to Aerith’s point he could think of, and none of what Aerith was saying fit how he felt about Celes. What kind of “special someone” could she be referring to, then? Someone with looks and charm? Celes was physically attractive, sure, but it had never been something that drew his attention to her — or anyone else for that matter. Aerith indicated there was meant to be more, but she seemed to also be indicating that those things were important — things that Caius had held of little importance throughout his life.
They came across an elderly couple, and Caius immediately noticed that they were holding hands. Were they avoiding the Flower Mafia as well? But Aerith would approach them and give them flowers, for free even. Caius was curious as to why when clearly she held stock in their financial value if she was hiring out a bodyguard to deal with the Flower Mafia, but before he could ask, Aerith lamented something about wanting a love like that one day, and Caius tilted his head in turn. That was love? It was just two clearly close people holding hands, wasn’t it? He knew that people formed into pairs that sometimes led into marriage, which appeared to come with the strange custom of constantly arguing and bickering... But he had no idea what the signs were of love. Was their handholding something to do with it? Why would it be, when this woman he didn’t even know had taken his hand and stated to use it as a strategy for repelling the Flower Mob? He didn’t understand.
Either way, it seemed they were back at it before long. After a bit, Caius remembered something and decided to point it out.
“I forgot to mention, I have a travelling companion who should be back shortly, though they would be happy to assist I’m sure. But you mentioned wanting to look intimidating, and...” He trailed off, scratching his head sheepishly. “I’m not sure if they’ll help the intimidating part any. They’re about as threatening as a puppy dog in a public place.”
And when she walks, she walks with passion When she talks, she talks like she can handle it
Aerith gave Caius a sultry smile as he feigned ignorance at her line of questioning. "Sure, you don't," she said as she wagged a finger at him."That's fine," she said with an exasperated sigh as she turned from him once more and starte scouting potential customers, "I know your type. Get flustered every time you've got to talk about your feelings. It's fine, your secret is safe with me." Aerith looked over her shoulder and winked before running across a street to small cafe with couples lining the outdoor patio and scouting out those who looked like things were either going extremely well or those who looked like they needed a conversation starter.
They walked in mostly silence for a while aside from Aerith hounding down people she thought she looked like they needed flowers. Her basket was slowly filling with coins in the space where flowers had been and she started being a little more careful with how many she just handed out for free. Still any time her heart felt filled with joy, she just couldn't help herself:to a small boy to give to his mom, a woman looking into the window of a dress shop, a few to a boy outside a house with a bouquet far inferior to the ones she had. Aerith sighed in contentment every time and gave Caius a genuine smile of joy with every flower given.
They had rounded into a part of town she hadn't been to yet when Caius started speaking of his travel companion. "Ah," the gears in her head starting to crank and turn as she started putting the pieces she thought she had together, "I get it now. You're the brawn," she began flexing her non existent muscles and grunting like someone working out, "and your 'travel companion,'" she air quoted the word with a knowing wink, "is the brains, right?" She giggled behind her hand and counted her flowers. She'd make sure Caius had a nice pretty array to give that special someone alright.
"Ey, got a spare flower, honey," Aerith looked up to see a group of ruffians start heading her way. Aerith turned with a smile, but it dropped when she saw the switchblade come out. "Hmm, I don't think I do. Do you Caius?" she said as if actually pondering the actual question as she started taking a a few steps backwards behind Caius. She started looking around looking for escape routes, but the alleys looked blocked off and dead ends. They either needed to run, or "He's gonna kick your butt, mister, so back off!" Aerith nodded confidently at Caius and crossed her arms before blowing the quartet of miscreants a raspberry and sticking out her tongue at them. He better be a good bodyguard was all she hoped, or she was gonna have to run fast.
"I'm serious" He responded quickly, with a deadpan expression. But she didn't seem to be listening, as she flitted off without a care in the world. The mercenary let out yet another exasperated sigh. This was going to be the death of him, he decided. This was it. He was going to lose his shit here and now, and this would be the death of him. But he continued following behind while she sold flower after flower, usually after she hounded some poor souls about them. Though he was curious about the times she gave them for free. It was similar to his own work -- he plied his trade for a fee, but sometimes he worked pro bono if it seemed right. Aside from her being eccentric, at least this here was a line of thinking that he could understand. Perhaps she was only just a little bit mad?
Of course that "little bit" was dashed away when she made assumptions about the team between he and his travelling companion. At this point, Caius had just given up on trying to argue with her. Eyelids drooped, he just nodded his head. "Yeah, sure" He responded, squashing his urge to slam the palm of his hand into his face.
It was honestly kind of a relief when the Flower Mob showed up. To the point he actually breathed a sigh of relief when he realized what was going on. Finally, something he understood! Finally, something he could handle! Fighting! Praise the Astrals above! Being bodyguard to someone that had drove him batshit insane was not Caius' idea of a good time, but when the switchblade came out, he supposed it was the right thing to deal with this regardless. A grin started to form across the corner of his mouth, as the adrenaline of the coming battle began to course through him.
But Caius wouldn't need to fight.
A shadow would loom overhead, and the ground would shake as a large figure, bigger than a horse landed between Caius, Aerith and the Flowey Gang. The large blue dragon seemed to figure out right away that this was a fight, as Vordun turned his head toward the ruffians and let out a loud, resounding, ferocious roar.
"Vordun!" Caius chirped, his demeanour suddenly becoming all the warmer as a big smile crossed his face. "You're just in time! The party's just getting started!"
With that, Caius' gunblade materialized in his hand as he strided forward in front of Vordun, pointing the blade toward their would-be opponents. "So, is anyone still interested in a fight?"
And when she walks, she walks with passion When she talks, she talks like she can handle it
Aerith grew more bold the longer she stood behind Caius' back. She finally joined by his side and continued to sling taunts across the group of ruffians. "Yeah, you better be scared. This is my bodyguard, and he's gonna twist you guys up like pretzels." She shot Caius a self assured smile as if she knew that was exactly what he was going to do with them. Though she hoped it wouldn't have to come to real violence, a good scare never really hurt anyone. "Yeah and wait til his 'special travel buddy' comes along," Aerith nodded sagely her brow furrowing as if in reflection, "You really won't want a piece of that guy."
As Aerith let her mouth do enough talking for the both of them, a shadow began to loom over them. Curious she looked and let out a gasp and a yelp of fear. "WHAT IS THAT THING?" she screamed at Caius as she tugged on his hand to run. A shot of a memory pierced her as he tugging got a little lax as it popped up. She'd seen something like that before, somewhere. It had been red though and much bigger. Somewhere she was meant to be. Aerith shook her head as the memory melted away as fear crept into her immobilizing her at Caius side. "We've got to run!" she pleaded her nails almost digging into the flesh of his hand.
Her eyes widened even further as he called to the creature by name, shook her hand away, and materialized a sword from the nothingness. Aerith didn't know where to look: Caius, the DRAGON, or the gang sent to get her. Thankfully the gang had about much the same idea as she did and at this frightening site had tripped over one another trying to book it out of there as fast as they could. For once, she couldn't blame them for their actions as she started taking a few steps herself. "Um thanks," she said now a good few feet away from him and the dragon. "
"Well, um a promise is a promise, so here's your bouquet." She scrounged up the rest of the flowers in the basket looking beyond Caius at the beast as she held out the flowers at the base of their stems for him to come grab. She wasn't stepping another foot in that direction until the dragon was gone. No use making the man with the dragon angry and running away at this point. She didn't feel like being charred for dinner. "Hope you are your special someone have a wonderful life together," she laughed strained as she kept her eyes locked on the monster's every move as well as the man who summoned it. What kinda of summon materia must he have?
