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year 5, quarter 3
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Caius found himself nearly falling asleep doing paperwork. After their rather... Emotional spat, Caius had acted on his planned offer to start switching up more with Celes. She had wanted to go adventuring more for a bit, and Caius, while this was a bit out of his element, was happy to oblige. This seemed like the best time to do so, so off she'd gone before long. Honestly, he kind of missed her company, as brief as it had been. Even if they had been arguing, he still didn't feel right when she wasn't around. But that was what it was. Feelings tied to something that he needed to push down. He had at least come to see her off, though. They hadn't spoken much. Business mostly. A bit about the note from before (It had been burned after the discussion), ideas thrown around about how to handle Provo. Celes would be going in first, while Caius held down the fort here. Upon her return, Caius would follow suit. Part of him wished he could have gone with her. They were at their best fighting together. But Celes could handle herself. Didn't stop him from worrying, but she had said herself that she didn't want to be someone he wanted to protect. He'd wished her well, in only a few words this time. Ensured he had the instructions right on handling the homefront, and then she was off.
And he was here.
The recruits were done for the day, which left Caius handling the job paperwork. With things getting too hot, he found himself at the desk without his armor. Not even the jacket, which was hung nearby in case of emergency. He wore a nice red shirt, with a collar and buttons, and a casual set of pants and shoes. He felt a lot lighter than he had in a very long time. It was weird. It didn't feel like him.
Hopefully eventually they could organize proper bases with people trained to help handle paperwork by city, but for now, it was on them. Things were still in the works, and it was going to be a long process, but hopefully eventually it would get easier. On the bright side, Caius was getting a bit better at his handwriting. It still wasn't great, but it was legible now. He didn't know how, but he could travel for miles without feeling an inch of fatigue. But sitting here? He felt like he could sleep for an entire day. He was pretty close to done though, then the question came of what to do then.
What -did- he do?
It was getting a little late to venture out. He did consider a patrol out to the Pale Coast to deal with the monsters there as it wasn't too far out, but perhaps that would wait for the morning. Perhaps he'd just... Head home. Curl up against Vordun with a book and fall asleep. Like a normal person. Somewhat. Silly Caius. Normal people didn't have dragons.
He loosed the hundredth yawn this evening. Almost done. Stretching his shoulders that felt more sore than they had felt in his entire life, his gaze moved to the mirror. No armor, no jacket, nice casual civilian clothes, hair tied back to keep out the heat...
It was weird.
It was really weird.
Final Fantasy V
23
YEARS
Trans Male
Single
Pansexual
245 POSTS
Fin
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
It was time.
Faris stood outside the guild, eyeing the sign hanging over the door. It was a big wooden one, but out with a carving knife and then engraved with painted letters. The Wyvern’s Rest -- Home to the Dragonblades. It made his skin crawl, seeing it like that. He knew that Caius had been official, but now Faris knew the full of it, and he didn’t like it one bit.
He felt like he’d come slinking in with his head low and his hat in his hand. He felt like he’d do better to turn on his heel and keep walking until he reached the sea. But he didn’t. Because he had to do this -- whether he liked it or not.
Yuna liked Caius. Yuna had said to give him another chance. She’d said he had another side that Faris hadn’t seen. Faris still thought he had his head up his ass.
But then Yuna had smiled at him. And now he was here. He cursed under his breath.
”This’ll be the end of me.” Faris allowed himself a final scowl before he straightened, thrust his hair back behind his bandanna, and strode in with as much confidence as he could muster. He’d need it if he planned to get through this.
The light was dim as he walked in -- shadowed with the evening -- but it didn’t take long for Faris to catch sight of him. The room was small, he thought, and cramped and it smelled like old wood polish. He didn’t have much of an eye for it compared to the man slouched behind the front desk. Caius. One and the same. He wasn’t dressed in his armored duster jacket, but Faris would never forget a face like that. Outside of battle, he looked a lot less formidable and a lot more exhausted.
Faris strode forward, leather boots clicking against the floor. He wore his usual plain tunic, no frills, no armor, and nothing else to write home about. In that moment, he looked like twice the man that Caius was, and that thought gave him a nice boost to his confidence.
”You look like you’ve seen the wrong end of a garula.” Faris crossed his arms, looking slightly up and away. ”This is the place, isn’t it? You were always going on about that guild of yours.”
Post by Caius Dragelion on Oct 2, 2020 12:38:07 GMT -6
The Dragonglaive
@tag Word Count: 400 OOC: Dialogue Color: 196fd1
Another loud yawn. God, this was taking forever. When Celes came back, she was getting a bouquet of flowers. Platonically, of course. Maybe not. Might be awkward even then. An appreciation card, maybe. More formal. Less... Intimate. He was not poking that grumpy bear right now. Eventually, it was done. Caius let out a groan as he stretched out. He could hear his joints pop. Was this more normal, everyday life? He didn't know how anyone could stand this. Sure, it wasn't all that physically taxing. Training the recruits was, but they had been gone for hours. But he felt tired and stiff. And it wasn't like he hadn't done this before, he'd done it a handful of times. But never for this long. It just so happened there was a lot of paperwork to settle this time. And Caius had decided to settle as much of as he could in one sitting to try and be efficient.
Mayyyybe he needed to spread it out a bit more.
Either way, it was done. It was over. Until tomorrow, anyway. Who knew managing a guild was hard? But the satisfaction of a job well done was there, and he could sort of see what kept Celes going with it. It was similar to the feeling after a job. He was contributing to what would help someone out at some point, and that's what they were here for, right?
In the midst of giving everything another once-over to make sure it was ready to go, he heard the bell ring at the door and sat up. At this hour? It was probably some of their members hoping to turn in a bit early-
That was not it at all.
The last thing he had expected -- or needed -- was the appearance of the pirate, Captain Faris. Caius sat up in his chair, staring at them for a moment, reading their expressions to try and discern what in the world they could want. Faris commented that he looked like... What in the world was a garula? He didn't know what it was, but he probably meant he looked like death. At his inquiry, he nodded his head.
"Mm. My partner is off fighting monsters, so I'm holding down the fort" he responded as he rose to his full height. Caius cracked his neck, glad to be free of the chair. "Can we help you?"
Final Fantasy V
23
YEARS
Trans Male
Single
Pansexual
245 POSTS
Fin
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Caius stared at him. It must have been a surprise for to Faris to suddenly appear at this hour, and to be honest, he couldn’t blame him. Faris was nearly as surprised at himself. But the mercenary was a professional, and whatever he was feeling, he shoved it aside. He answered his question with a nod, standing from behind his desk. ”Can we help you?”
Faris had forgotten just how tall Caius was. In truth, he towered over Faris -- a fact that sent him bristling. Instead of craning his neck to look at him, Faris kept his eyes on the walls and the ceiling, trying his best to look aloof. He didn’t have a reason to be here, and he wasn’t apologizing. That was the effect he was going for at least.
”Aye,” he said and then stopped. He hadn’t thought ahead quite this far. Now that the moment was on him, it felt like something that had crept up on him in the night. Yuna had wanted him to give Caius a second chance. But what did that look like exactly? ”Not for me, but for a girl I know. Yuna? The lass said she knew you.”
A pause. Did he really want to go into his private life with Caius of all people?
Faris tapped at the edge of his leather bracer. ”She’s got a fire in her, that one, and a heart to match. She didn’t like what I thought of you so I’m here in case she’s set me right. About all this Dragonblades business.” Not about Caius himself. About his guild. That would do it.
”So I’m here whether I like it or not.” He suddenly realized that he had nothing else to say. Well, that didn’t give Caius much of a second chance at all. But how exactly was he supposed to do that?
The idea came to him with a groan.
”I’ll buy you a drink. Or something.” He grumbled, rubbing at the back of his head. ”Though I still think you’re a thick-headed lout.”
The second the word "Yuna" sprang from his lips, Caius' pupils shrank. He stared at him intently, studying his expression for any sign that he had done her harm. Caius was not typically a violent man, but if the pirate and his crew had harmed Yuna, then no band of sea bandits alive would save him from Caius. He abhorred killing people. But he had limits to that rule.
Caius had clearly not forgotten the tongue-lashing he had received from Faris last time before he had stormed off. He’d tried, he really had, to see the humanity in Faris and try to help him. Try to help him onto a path where he didn’t make a conscious decision everyday to hurt innocent people out of his own greed. But once more, Faris had rebuked him. At this point, he was starting to doubt his own optimism. As had a lot of things that had happened lately. But when it came to Faris, he’d begun to wonder if he was wrong. Perhaps Faris didn’t have the humanity he thought he did, just a single shred of human decency relating to dragons, which he seemed to like. Nothing that would make him all that redeemable as a human being.
And then he showed up here. Citing Yuna as his reason. Saying that she had taken exception to how he thought of Caius. How HE thought of Caius? That was really funny, coming from the butcher. Did Yuna know what he did for a living? That he'd likely murdered hundreds of the innocent people that Yuna had worked tirelessly to protect? Now he was coming here, saying it was because of her, and he wanted to know more about this Dragonblades business. Said he'd buy him a drink, which was a surprise even if it was clearly stated as being done begrudgedly, and Caius tilted his head a moment at the proposition, for a moment seeming to reconsider what to think of Faris.
But of course Faris had to get the insult in there. Thick-headed lout, he said. Maybe if he wasn’t already in a bad mood, Caius would have just overlooked it. But he was far from being in a good mood. Things had been absolutely tumultuous as of late, and on top of that? Honestly, he was kind of sick of his crap as it was.
“I’ll take that over being a pirate.”
Caius didn't mince words. And he looked him dead in the eyes when he said it. Faris could call himself Captain all the wanted, but Caius wasn't taking lip from him today without due receipt. He took a breath, keeping his business tone as he slowly nodded his head.
"If Yuna's behind it, I'll oblige. Take your pick on a place. I'll answer any questions you have on our work."
Final Fantasy V
23
YEARS
Trans Male
Single
Pansexual
245 POSTS
Fin
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Caius didn’t look any happier about this than he did. Good, Faris thought before another one crept in. And why exactly was that? Faris had all the reason in the world to hate Caius, but he didn’t think the thick-headed mercenary had seemed hostile towards him at the end of either of their meetings. That had been part of the problem, in fact. The man had kept going on about how he must’ve been good at heart even as Faris held him at the wrong end of a spear. He couldn’t say that Caius was wrong, exactly, but it was degrading.
Well, it seemed that attitude had passed with the tides. Or maybe he’d caught Caius in a mood so foul that his true colors were showing.
’I’ll take that over being a pirate.’ Faris laughed.
”And I’ll take being a pirate if you don’t mind.” Was that what this was about? Or was he grasping at straws to throw one of them in his face? Faris felt better, somehow. He didn’t know how to handle a man trying to see the best in him even as Faris told him to his face what he thought of him. But a man willing to toss a few heated words back in return? That, Faris could handle.
”Aye, it’s all Yuna’s doing.” Faris shifted his stance, arms still crossed. ”She’s a brilliant woman, you know, and not one I’d want to stand in the way of. She seemed to think we’d get on if we really got to talking.” Faris smirked like he very much doubted it. Because he did. Yuna might’ve been as smart as a sage, but even sages had their blind spots somewhere.
He shrugged. ”I know a few places. Now, most of them are dens of scoundrels, but there are some you’d fit into fine. You don’t seem the type to take to it on your own.” Faris turned and waved for Caius to follow. The light had nearly faded as he started outside. It was a hot, muggy kind of night, and the streetlights gleamed a cool yellow-white. It shadowed the streets as the dusk left them. Faris walked without really needing to see where he was going.
”Now it’s just a drink,” Faris said. ”Maybe two. I’ll want enough that we can turn to Yuna and tell her we gave it a try. If you want to trade blows, that’d do the job even better.” He turned his head to Caius and gave him a dry look. ”You look like you could use some liquor and a good bar fight. Then a night’s rest if you don’t mind me saying.”
Things had changed. In his eyes, Caius had been proven wrong and naïve about the idea there was good in people like that time and time again. While he didn't want to believe that Yuna was naïve so as to get along with Faris, it was possible she had just been doing the same as he had. Stubbornly trying to see good in people where there just wasn't. Faris being here at all still made him question, but then again, it was wholly possible he was trying to get something out of this. It was very possible this was a trap too, and he'd wind up between him and his sea bandit buddies, who thought to ambush him as any typical bandit would. If it wound up the case, he'd be ready for it. He had grown too complacent, too content to trust those around him. That needed to change. With the Original Sin getting more aggressive by the day, he needed to be ready at anytime.
Caius chose to ignore his retort, focusing instead on his explanation. So was all of this just to prove Yuna wrong? He looked rather pleased at the idea. It seemed too small, too petty for something that he clearly despised the entire idea of. But it wasn't his problem. It was his job to answer questions about the guild if asked. He nodded at his further remarks, and followed him out into the night without further questions on the matter. He did answer his remarks about how he looked though. His response would essentially be a courtesy. "I wouldn't touch Sonora, if you haven't been. Nothing good comes out of Sonora."
As they walked, after a long silence he spoke up once more. His tone remained as calm and quiet as the night. "I suppose the least I can offer to start is a general overview. The Dragonblades operate as a mercenary guild, typically hired to deal with monsters when they become a problem. Sometimes we get something more complicated, we've been getting more of those lately. People got the idea we're capable of pulling off impossible jobs, as my better half has begun to put it. The majority of us just want to help folks out, keep people safe. That's why the mercenary operation is only half the game for most of us. We're a brotherhood, a family with a shared goal. Anything we make that doesn't go to the one who did the job is put towards taking care of our own. Giving them a place to stay and equipment to work with if they need it. The less experienced ones, Celes has taken to training too. All of it keeps 'em healthy and ready to go when things go south."
He scratched his head. "As you probably know, that happens a lot around here. For a lot of us, when things happen, that means it's time for us to step up if the military can't, won't or are outmatched. Typically that means fighting monsters, bandits, brigands, highwaymen... Pirates. Anything or anyone actively hurting folks."
He then looked to Faris. "How did you meet Yuna?" he asked. While Yuna could handle herself just fine, Caius wasn't understating the part about taking care of their own.
Final Fantasy V
23
YEARS
Trans Male
Single
Pansexual
245 POSTS
Fin
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
LOL Man. Faris is getting it in romantic situations. Why can't you?
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
Caius gave him a warning about Sonora (not one he needed, mind) and then went on his speech about the guild. Faris nodded, pretending to listen for the mercenary’s sake, before he shook his head. ”Aye, that’s a noble goal,” he said. ”A tad too noble for my liking, but I’ll commend you for it. Even if it gives us cause to clash heads.”
He hadn’t missed that little snipe about pirates. Was that what was making Caius snappy?
”There was a whole mess of a meeting in a bar in Provo. Something about dates, I think. Bartz -- er, this lad from my world -- dragged me into it. It was about as insufferable as a swampy sea, but I took one good thing out of it. I’d’ve not talked to Yuna otherwise.”
Faris yawned, stretching his arms over his head. ”They took a look at our papers and it seemed they thought we were a match. Not one I would have thought, but it seemed they had something going for them. We got along like fish to water, and I took her out to see the sunset at sea. It was a good time. Er…” Faris felt his cheeks heat with a blush. ”Aye, it was good.”
He’d seen the sunset a thousand times, and he’d see it a thousand more. But it had been good to see it with a lass like her. He still remembered the golden waters shimmering in the last light of the sun. And Yuna beside pressed up beside him . They were both wet from their swim, and the combination had made him shiver.
But that wasn’t something that Caius needed to know.
”So she thought the two of us should get on. You and me, I mean. She seemed to think it was all some misunderstanding. She has a good heart. I couldn’t bear to tell her no.”
Faris glanced at Caius. ”So ah. How do you know her? I know she’s taken to your guild.”
Caius didn't know what to think of Faris' impression of his cause. Noble but too much for his liking? And giving them cause to clash? There was a lot to unpack from that. Did he like it or hate it? There were too many questions here, and too few answers. And there was even more to unpack from what came next. He and Yuna had gone on a date? His gaze snapped to him with a wary eye in turn as he listened to him elaborate. The more he talked about it, the more he realized...
"The bloody Provo thing" Caius brought up, bringing a hand to his head with a mild groan. "That was something. My recruit dragged me into it. I'm not exactly adept at that sort of thing. It sounds like you had a better time of it though."
He hadn't missed that his cheeks had heated when he brought up taking her out to see the sunset. He recalled a similar sort of scene from one of those books... Interesting. Caius wasn't sure what to think of that so he just moved onto trying to appraise the rest of all of this rigamaroo. "Bartz?" he inquired first up, remembering the incident at the village. Faris had tried to hide the name quickly, but apparently not quick enough. Those two were acquainted, then? Also interesting. "Yuna and I met him. Seems like a nice kid. Gets in trouble even more easily than I do. Doesn't seem to stay in one place long, though. Not that I don't understand it. I'm not that different, though the guild and certain folks ensure I'm never content being gone too long."
An admission? To the pirate? This was a day. Or well, it was a night now. Faris elaborated that Yuna had been responsible for his visit, saying that their present relationship was a misunderstanding. Oh, Yuna. What amount of trouble had you brought him? Caius scratched his head, unsure of how to respond straight off. But they could agree on one thing, at least. Her heart was in the right place.
Gods, a drink sounded nice right about now.
"To be fair, I don't think I could have told her no either."
Then came the rebuttal, next putting Caius on the spot. He supposed it was only fair, he had asked first. He mused over the question a few moments. It didn't hurt to tell, he supposed. "Met her in the countryside volunteering her services as a healer. Wound up liberating a slaver-taken village. She was absurdly powerful, possible scouting was the obvious choice, but it wasn't what made my decision to recruit her officially. In the end, it was her heart. She healed everyone still alive. Including the bandits that we had injured before they were carted off" Caius revealed in response. And boy, was she powerful. Able to summon a projection of the Astrals themselves to fight for her? That was something. And yet, while it had caught his attention... It didn't make up his mind. Her worth was shown off the battlefield, of all places.
He could honestly sing her praises all night long, but he tried not to dwell too much if he could. Just enough to illustrate. "Some might see that as a sign of weakness. I see it as a show of true strength. Any man or woman can swing a blade with training. Any mind can learn powerful magic with dedication and proper aptitude, and sometimes even just circumstances. But Yuna has something you can't teach, or read in a book" the mercenary elaborated. "She has a real warrior's heart, regardless of whether she realizes it or not. She has more honor than I do" Caius admitted, and he meant it. "Even more impressive considering her power. I've seen hundreds of men take it, grow drunk on it, and forget that it's not just about how well you fight. In some ways, Yuna outclasses me. And yet she hasn't grown arrogant from it, hasn't let it change her. And we're very lucky to have her."
Final Fantasy V
23
YEARS
Trans Male
Single
Pansexual
245 POSTS
Fin
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
You've got a lot of brass, or mayhap you're just lacking in brains!
”You know Bartz?” That was the first thing out of Faris’ mouth. Bartz. Of course they’d know each other. Faris couldn’t have kept track of what Bartz was up to if he’d kept his eyes open from one night to the other. ”Aye, he’s got a knack for trouble.” Faris groaned. ”That air-headed lout would drift straight into the maw of a behemoth if you let him. He’s one of my closest friends, mind. I’d trust him with my life in an instant, but keeping him out of trouble is like turning the course of the tides.”
Faris shook his head. ”I should thank you for keeping an eye on him. He doesn’t have a handle on his crystal just yet. Ah, that’s what gives us the bulk of our fighting power. All Bartz can do with it is dance.”
Not that the dancer class wasn’t useful in its own right. If Bartz had a single other way to protect himself, it wouldn’t have been anything to sneeze at. But by itself, it only was only good for striking them blind then running in the other direction. If you were smart about it.
”A slave taking village?” Faris recoiled, blinking. ”Why those lousy, vile, good-for-nothing-!” He growled under his breath. ”It seems you served them right. If I’d have been there, she’d not have had a chance to heal them.”
In fact, Faris couldn’t think of anything worse. Not even Exdeath could hold a candle to that kind of evil.
”It’s not a weakness,” he agreed. ”Yuna’s got one of the strongest hearts I know. It’s not a path I would’ve taken, but that just goes to show how hard it is to walk.” Faris thought about it for a moment and then shook his head.
”She’s a lot like my sister. Lenna will put her life on the line to protect what she loves and even what she doesn’t. She once had us climb a mountain peak just to pick some dragon grass!” Faris laughed. ”Not that I minded. That drake was as good as they come.”
The thought of Lenna made his heart ache. He ran a hand through his hair.
”You’ve a drake yourself, don’t you?” He looked up to the night sky, almost aloof. ”How's she getting along?”
