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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Rydia didn’t have any idea what strange forces led her to this dark, dense jungle of mysteries, magic, and vibrant colors. Not so long ago, she remembered being in the Feymarch, her true home. The place where everything felt beautiful and right, where she was safe and loved. Danger was rare there, especially for her. She had the protection and love of Leviathan and Asura, she was safe. And yet… [break][break]
The summoner’s memory was foggy at best, disjointed and broken at worst. But she could vividly recall that fateful day when she’d journeyed to the realm of the eidolons and found a realm frozen and locked in time. Her friends… her beloved parents… lost to her. She’d drifted through the fractured realm, searching for a solution or a sign of what had happened. The last thing she remembered there was dropping to her knees, tears rolling down her face, as she felt the weight of the loss crush her. [break][break]
But when she opened her eyes she was somewhere different. Her knees sank into dense, decaying plant matter. Everything was damp and sticky around her and the smell of growing things was intense, even more so than in the Feymarch. Her tears had dried as shock and confusion took over. Rydia had stared at the shifting trees above her… And she’d found she barely remembered anything from before. The Feymarch, that was still there in her mind. The frozen, silent agony would stay with her. But the rest? Names, she knew. Cecil and Rosa and Edge. Snippets of conversation or of battle. But everything was a jumble. [break][break]
And then she’d tried to open up her channels to the eidolons. No one answered. Not at first and she’d been filled with unimaginable loss and panic. Until finally, one came. The one she would have wanted above all others, the one who had cared for her, taught her, loved her. Leviathan had appeared when she called, answering her prayer when the others, even Asura had not. But he was not her Leviathan. His form was identical but his mind was not. He was not the eidolon who acted as her father, he was a strange primordial beast of magic. But through him, she learned at least a little about this world. This Zephon. [break][break]
That was a long while ago now. Rydia had lost track of the time. It was hard to measure the days in the Perigosa Jungle. She’d tried to keep count at first, but once she got to day fifty she gave up. She assumed it had been at least a year by now. And for most of that year, she’d assimilated into the strange tree-dwelling people called the Filhos da Selva. They’d been wary of her at first, as they were to most travelers. But once she offered her services as a mage, to help defend the city of Santuario from the beasts and threats of the jungle. They accepted her slowly. She wasn’t quite one of them, but she was close. A trusted friend to the villagers and a worthy protector.[break][break]
Today, Rydia was on guard duty. She was to meet one of her fellow guards, a Viera named Rhen on the edge of the Arco Iris. Reports of a monster painted in hues of vibrant greens and blues had filtered through the jungle to the Filhos da Selva. It had been seen outside of the Arco Iris, terrorizing the more mundane animals near the treetop villages. It was Rydia and Rhen’s duty to send the monster back to its colorful home. Or kill it if it couldn’t be herded away. [break][break]
Rydia wore all green as usual. But her time in the jungle had made her rethink her flowing dresses and accessories. Now she was more likely to wear a tunic and leggings with thick soled boots. Much better for travel through the dense foliage of the Perigosa. Good for blending in as well, especially with her curling green hair that she bound with twine at the nape of her neck. It was a strange place to call home, but slowly and surely Rydia had started to consider this place as such. She was adept at tracking through the jungle now. [break][break]
And so was Rhen. The Viera had lived here far longer than Rydia had. But when the summoner reached their rendezvous point the furry-eared woman was nowhere to be seen. She peered into the gloom, searching for any sign. But there was none, no tracks to be seen. Nothing. And in the distance… a noise, some sort of beastial sound she didn’t recognize. Rydia’s hand went to the coiled whip strapped to her waist and clenched her jaw. She wouldn’t let fear overtake her. Whatever was coming, she was strong enough to face it!
Cuore knew nothing about the strange eared woman who had protected her, let alone why. Mom had said before how adults protected children she supposed, but shouldn’t you at least know them? But then if mother and the others had not protected her on the moon she would not be here right now, she would have been erased along with her maker. It was not a subject she fully understood to be sure. What she did understand was that the woman HAD protected her, even at risk to herself. So, she knew she could not simply stand by and let her be consumed while she escaped. Mom and Dad had taught her better than that. She was supposed to help people like this, so she would! Most children would have been afraid in this situation, and Cuore was to an extent. But she was also analyzing her foe, looking for weakness’ she could exploit while also protecting the fallen woman. It was… difficult, she was not sure she could see one right now. Maybe if there was another here, she could plan the attack with….
No that would not work, if she went off to get someone, she would be leaving the woman to be consumed by the monster. So, then what? If Dad were here, he could run circles around the beast, mom could summon a power Eidolon to push it away…
Wait! The young summoner’s eyes lit up, that was it!
She was not a good at the art yet of course, but she could summon just like mom! She was unlucky to be cut off from the ones she had learned to summon with mom’s help, but she had also been able to connect with new summons here. They were different of course… but they still lent her their aid. So, in turn she was going to use that power to protect this nice woman. So, she took a breath and began focusing her energy. The beasts growl was distracting though… did mom have difficulty focusing in the face of an enemy? If she did, she would just have to do as she did, ignore the creature moving towards them, focus on the magic that could push it back.
”Fenrir please head my call, guiding wind… push this monster back!”
It was only appropriate that she ask for its help, right? Just summoning it and making it do her bidding would not be right, even more so after all it and the Sylph’s had done to help her already. In the next instant her plea was heard, a powerful wind announcing the coming of the see-through wolf beast, it came down and struck the creature, the winds it released doing the intended job of pushing the monster back, though it looked like it was not going down yet. Well, that was not good…. In her experience the Sylph were not as combat ready as Fenrir was, they more played a supportive role with there skills. Which would be fine if there was a warrior type here, but that was not the case here. That only left the option of supporting Fenrir then! Cuore took a deep breath, steadying herself to once more face the beast before, she took out the staff her mom had gifted her for use with her magic. Hers was limited… but mom was her teacher, so she could do this! The searing power of a Fire spell could be heard being shot from her staff, a shot fired right at the beasts face.
To anyone that came, they would see the small girl doing her best to fight off the creature with a beast made of wind supporting her from the side. Both in front of a fallen woman behind them, they were formidable sure. But against such a large foe….
Well, perhaps it was lucky someone wasn’t to far away.
Rydia stood still, balanced on the balls of her feet. Her leather boots sank into the decaying plant matter on the jungle floor as she listened, pinpointing the direction of the sounds. After a year of jungle living, she had grown accustomed to the normal sounds of the Perigosa. And the high-pitched shriek of some strange beast was not normal for these parts. Was it the monster? The escapee from Arco Iris? Her green eyes narrowed and her hand wrapped around the smooth handle of her whip. [break][break]
Confident now that she’d picked up the direction of the sound, Rydia took off. Her footfalls were swift and sure, avoiding twisting tree roots and grasping vines. Her green hair streamed behind her as she moved, the twine holding it back snapped in her fervor. She had to get to the beast… had to find Rhen. What if the woman was injured? Or fighting for her life, wounded in battle with whatever creature had lurked out of the fantastical painted lands? [break][break]
As she hurried towards the monstrous shrieking, soon Rydia heard other sounds. A gusting of wind? But there was no wind so strong in the depths of the dense jungle. A crackle of flame, but there was no raging wildfire around. Something else was going on here, something more than just a rogue monster. Rydia just hoped that whatever it was didn’t spell doom for the Filhos da Selva. And specifically for her and Rhen. [break][break]
It wasn’t long before she burst through the hanging vines and sweeping leaves to see the source of the noises. The monster caught her attention first. How could it not? It was the most unnaturally vibrant shades of blue and green with eyes like glittering sapphires. Wide wings were coated in a fine down of shimmering green feathers and it’s claws were like chips of jade. It could have come from nowhere save the Arco Iris. Some flightless bird monster, escaped from the painted lands. [break][break]
And there before it were two--no, three!--shapes. In battle with the beautiful monster was a silvery wolf that seemed to be made of the wind itself. Rydia’s eyes met the beast’s and she gasped. This was no mere wolf! It was an eidolon, summoned here by one like her! She almost dropped her whip in shock at the realization. It didn’t take long before she took in the rest of the battle scene before her. Rhen, injured on the ground. But Rydia could see the Viera’s chest rise and fall. She was alive. And there in the dense foliage, the third shape. Presumably the summoner of this wolf eidolon. Rydia had seen a lot of shocking things in her time in Zephon. But she certainly hadn’t expected to see… this. [break][break]
She missed a beat, the monster attacked the wolf due to her inaction. But she was staring at herself, her child self. She needed a minute to collect her thoughts. But then a groan of pain from Rhen brought her around. She would figure out whatever madness was going on here later. Right now, her partner and friend needed her help! With a shout, Rydia uncoiled her whip and lashed out at the vibrant beast, holy energy sparking from the shimmering metal.
The feathered beast moved to attack Fenrir, and Cuore moved without thinking, moving in front of the beast’s claws, her staff raised in a defiant attempt to protect one of the only allies she had. The result was that the beast, physically much stronger than she was clashed with the staff, though the creatures’ claws did not touch her the force of the blow did, wracking her body and making her fall to the ground. Behind her she heard the angered growl of her eidolon, not at the beast itself…. But at her. She knew, even without Fenrir speaking to her that she had messed up. But she could not help it…. If she lost them… who did she have here? Mom was not anywhere around, nor was dad. It was just her… and the eidolon’s who chose to stand behind her. The thought of losing them…. She did not want to be alone.
”I…. know, I’m sorry, were supposed to work together aren’t we? I guess I still… don’t fully understand how that works”
She had only thought to protect what mattered to her, nothing more. But… if she was going to protect this woman… She had to do more than that. She was a summoner like her mother and that meant she had to work with Fenrir to push this monster back. Right, that was what mom did… and what she had to do now!
Fenrir gave another growl, the first Cuore did not notice, as he growled at the new arrival that looked like it is summoner. The growl, along with the motioning of it’s head towards the monster was a request for help from her, if she could provide it.
The second was directed at Cuore herself, encouragement to stand back up. Cuore was not a master yet, but she understood that much. She had to stand up and strike this monster down before she hurt the one she was protecting.
”Your right…. We can do this… we can! Are you ready monster…? My mom is the best summoner there is…. And I am going to show you… everything she taught me! Fenrir!”
As she readied her magic once more she was alerted to a new presence by the crack of a whip, a whip that fizzled with holy energy as it impacted the monster. While Fenrir stood at the ready the whip caught Curore’s attention, turning to the source she saw….
”Mother?!”
The shock was clear on the younger girl’s face. Had mom come looking for her? Had she been caught up in… whatever nonsense had grabbed her?
No, wait. If mother was here, wherever here was…. That meant she was cut off from Grandma… Grandpa… and all the eidolons! She would not have any summons to rely on in this fight to drive the monster back! She… she had to protect her to! With Fenrir at her side… she could do it!
”Mom no! stay back I…. I can handle this. I will destroy it, I will rend it to ash. Get to safety!”
Fenrir gave a sideways glance at Rydia once more, as if gauging for itself what she would do, then went to obeying its summoners direction. It attempted to race by the creature, using its powerful wind to both cut at the creature as well as keep it from striking at those involved in the fight. While it did so, Cuore focused her magic with even more urgency, now in her mind protecting this monster and her precious mother.
”You will not hurt mother, I will not allow it, ha!”
As the raining power of the spell Thundera rained down upon the monster, there were perhaps some clear differences in how this girl and ‘Rydia as a child’ acted. Cuore had no idea how restricted her mother was in this place. She was sure anywhere else she would be able to take this creature with ease. But she could not take any chances here. If Cuore was the only one who could defend them…. Then she would. It was as simple as that. Her mother would not come to harm, even if it meant Cuore herself would cease operation.
She raised her staff once more in defiance of the monster before her, determined eyes staring it down. A determination she gained from her parents, from her parents friends.
She would smite this being, she would rend it before her… for mother!
Her holy whip scoured the attacking beast, eliciting a screech of pain and surprise. Feathers singed and it stood back, trying to gather itself for another attack. Rydia would have used that time to move forward, to press the advantage. She knew that was what she needed to do. Act swiftly and surely. But… there was no way she could remain calm, collected, and focused when the child who looked impossibly like her looked up at her in shock. Mother. [break][break]
Mother. [break][break]
Rydia was no one’s mother! When last she checked that wasn’t even possible! Certainly that’s something she would remember even if there were gaps in her recollections here and there! You couldn’t forget an entire child could you? But… she couldn’t deny how much this girl truly did look like her. Rydia stood there, shocked into inaction, whip uncoiled at her side. Her brain whirred and her mouth tried to formulate words. But, of course, there was still the bird-monster to contend with! [break][break]
The girl -- her daughter?? -- told her to stay back. This tiny thing, running in front of Rydia, an accomplished outlander and protector of the Filhos da Selva. She remained shocked for a moment, seeing the wolf eidolon follow the directives of the girl. Finally, Rydia let out a scoff and shook her head. Whatever this was, she would deal with it later. Rhen needed help now. And there was no way Rydia was going to listen to a child and run away from this fight! [break][break]
The girl and wolf attacked. She really was quite strong despite her apparent young age. But Rydia certainly wasn’t heaving her to fight this alone. The monster was already stumbling under the assault of the Thundara spell. Rydia run up beside the young clone of herself, eyes narrowed in determination. Fire was her friend now, her trusted elemental. It bent to her will, it obeyed her. She’d faced her fears time and time again and now the smoldering magical force obeyed her. Fira joined Thundara and the twin elements jolted and burned through the beast. It let out a last shriek of pain and Rydia felt her heart ache for just a moment. It was a living beast, after all, and it never felt good to take life. [break][break]
The monster fell to the jungle floor, a splash of vibrant color amongst the deep greens and browns of the surroundings. Rydia knelt beside it, making sure it was dead. “Be free,” she murmured to it and let sadness for the death of the creature wash over her. Then she plucked two shimmering feathers as proof of its demise. [break][break]
When she stood back up it was time to stare at the girl. “I don’t know what’s going on,” she started slowly, “But we need to check on Rhen and make sure she’s okay. Then I have some questions.” The viera woman was unconscious in the foliage, bleeding from a few wounds. Ugh! If only Rydia had her old white magic still. Alas, all she could do was inspect the injuries and try to make her friend comfortable. Thankfully, nothing seemed life-threatening. Her gaze drifted over to the strange girl. Was there a chance she knew any healing magic?
Well of course she did not, she was not made to follow orders like she was. She was relieved however to find her worry was in vain. Whether or not her mother could summon she did still posses her other abilities, meaning she could readily defend herself. Logically her worry was in error from the start. Mother had stopped many powerful beings, including her maker. For her to have trouble with such a lonesome creature would make no sense at all.
Yet still… she worried all the same. Rydia was her mother after all. Though there were times the meaning of that confused her, she knew how her chest, her heart… felt. The thought of losing her mother made her do and think illogically at times. She was not sure if it was a flaw in her system… or a part of living with her mom and dad.
What she DID know is she felt it the same for her father, and to an extent their friends and her Aunt And Uncle.
Of course, Grandma and Grandpa as well.
Regardless of how her heart confused her mind, it did not confuse her combat ability-together with mother’s own magic fire and thunder burned the beast alive and finally it came crashing down to the ground. Its pulse ceased; its life ended. She did not feel for the beast the way her mom did. Or to be more accurate, it was harder for her to. Her mind ran through all the things it did to them, the threat it posed…. What it could have taken away. It was difficult to feel sympathy for a wild beast that could have brought harm to her family. Why? Mother had told her a few times, but it was so… hard to understand.
Perhaps that was why when she joined in, repeating her mothers’ words, it did not sound as natural as her own, though she did do her best. It came off more like she was trying to recite something she had been taught, rather than something she fully believed.
”Be at peace…”
Why was it so hard?
The maenad’s hand lowered in a mechanical fashion as the beast fell. The area was now safe. It was the same for her movement back towards her mother. Well, she was not human after all, but mother treated her like one.
‘Love’
That was something her old master had not understood, she thought. Love, and the will the beings of the little blue planet could bring to bear. To her, it was something she wanted to fully understand. She had already begun to with mother…. She was sure the day would come when she could fully.
But the time for self-contemplation was cut short, her mother’s attention now upon her. Of course, her summon had dispersed at this point, not wishing to drain its masters reserves any further. This left Cuore alone with her mother, and the questions she had.
”Mother… I’m sorry, I promise I didn’t wander off I….”
Ah, no that was not the focus. Of course, it was not. another glitch, a foolish, embarrassing moment. Her inured friend was the current point of concern. Rhen… so that was her name. The woman who protected her form this monster….of course her safety should be the priority. Alongside her mother she leaned over the animal like girl, observing her injuries. Mother’s gaze drifted to her as she did so. She wanted her to do something, she could tell. She had no healing magic, mother hadn’t taught her any. Aunt Rydia was going to teach her the basics next time they visited, but she ended up here before that could become a reality. Still even if she could not… she refused to let her mother down.
What she could not do, her summons could do. They were friends and allies after all.
”Don’t worry…. I have friends who can help mom”
She stepped back and took a deep breath. Getting into position she raised her staff into the air once more, a chant called into the air as her magic worked the summoning.
”Yes Sylphs please… help her”
From above came several giggling sounds as several fairy-like creatures descended rom above. They briefly circled both Rydia and Cuore with wide grins before making there way down upon the woman known as Rhea. The smell of different flowers filled the area as a gentle breeze flew all around them, magic washed of Rhen, closing wounds, lessening others, and above all placing in her the energy she needed to recover. The result was that Rhen was not completely healed, she would need to recover-but she was no ware near the dire straight she was once in.
Whether she would wake up soon however, would remain to be seen.
Once done the Sylph’s gave a playful bow, one after another as if they had put on a grand performance, then with a final giggle they faded away once more, the work of the summon having been done.
Looking over their work Cuore now looked to Rydia herself.
”It would be easier if Aunt Rosa was here, I think… I’m not good at white magic mom but she… looks a lot better, I think?”
Guilt, it was her fault her mother’s friend was even in this position, and it showed on her face. She hoped she could get through this.
”This is… my fault… I was to weak. If I could have finished the monster quicker, before she needed to interfere….”
She looked to the ground, lips pouted, yes closed…. This was…. All because of her.
”Disgrace…. I’m… a disgrace as a summoner, I’m so sorry mother….”
The green-haired girl kept referring to her as “mother”. Rydia felt a twinge of anxiety at the word, of what it implied. The girl was also apologizing to her, something about wandering off. But nothing about this made any sense. She gritted her teeth and tried to ignore her mounting confusion for Rhen’s sake if nothing else. She had to make sure the Viera was okay before dealing with… whatever this was! [break][break]
Thankfully, there was something her strange young companion could do. She brandished her staff and chanted a familiar summoning ritual. Rydia watched as several fairies emerged from the aether. They reminded her painfully of the Feymarch, of the place she still thought of as home though she wasn’t familiar with this specific eidolon. They drifted around Rhen, exuding a magical breeze that smelled of the flowers of home. The most grave wounds on the Veira closed up. She still lay unconscious on the forest floor, but it seemed any major risk had passed. [break][break]
The fairies bowed and giggled after they finished their work. “Thank you,” Rydia murmured appreciatively before they disappeared. She crouched beside Rhen, feeling the other woman’s forehead and inspecting her wounds. Whatever the little fey eidolons had done, they’d certainly helped. Then the girl mentioned Rosa, calling her aunt, and Rydia was thrown back into the confusion of her current situation. [break][break]
She stood again and stared uncertainly as the young summoner apologized again and again, looking as though she were about to cry. Rydia’s eyes were wide. She didn’t know what to do! Rosa had always been the one who was great with kids! She desperately wished the white mage was here now to help her understand what was happening. Or Cecil, the paladin would certainly have a level-headed and thoughtful approach to this situation. Rydia, meanwhile, was lost. She didn’t want the kid crying and apologizing to her, it didn’t seem like anything was her fault! But she wasn’t sure what to do. [break][break]
“I-I am so sorry but… I have to admit I don’t understand what’s happening here,” she started. “I think I’ve lost some of my memory since coming here. I’m so sorry, but I think I’m too young to have a child your age? I don’t understand. You look just like me… but…” she trailed off helplessly. She didn’t want to disappoint this kid or make her cry in earnest, but she couldn’t just pretend she remembered being a mother.
As far as Cuore could tell, her mother’s friend was recovering now. Of course, she wasn’t an expert on these things but… she assumed her mom would still be dead worried if she wasn’t. She gave a smile as she thanked the Sylph’s, who promptly left them be. Afterwards she kept staring at her in confusion as she talked. She really had messed up huh…? She just… she wished she was as good as her mom. She just… if she was, she’d have been able to handle this no problem. The tears welled up inside her and fell free even as she tried to keep them inside, to be a ‘big girl’ like she should. Though she could have trouble expressing emotion, it wasn’t as difficult around her adoptive mother, more so when she felt she was letting her down like she did now. She felt worse when her mother made an admission to her.
She was having memory issues.
She didn’t…. remember her? Was that what she was saying? The girl shuddered in place, there was a sadness in her eyes, leftover tears trailing down her cheeks. But she was trying to suck it in. To be strong like her mom and Edge. If this happened to her… she would have to be there to help her. ”You don’t… remember….?I… c…can I still call you mom…? You told me to… Mr. Edge is my dad…”
She looked towards the ground, another attempt to hide the worry and sadness she felt at this realization. But… she had to keep herself focused, strong like her mom would want her to be. She had to help her understand, fill in what she couldn’t remember.
”You didn’t birth me in the normal way humans are. I guess I’m not really… human in the normal sense ether….”
Nervously Curoe rubbed her hand along her opposite arm, worry clear on her face. What if her mother didn’t want her anymore? Now that she had forgotten… would she even want anything to do with her anymore?
A strange girl who looked like her… that was probably all she could see now, it would make sense.
”I was created…. In your image, that’s why I can summon like you can to… I’m like… a copy of you, is the easiest way to explain it. Me and the others like me but…. There gone now, it’s just me”
She was now looking squarely at the ground, her green hair falling over the front of her face as she slowly explained things to Rydia.
”When you, Mr Edge, Uncle Cecil and Aunt Rosa and your friends defeated the man who made me…. You rescued me from his… base as it fell apart, you… adopted me and made me your daughter. A home…. In Mist… and… and family with you and Grandma Asura and Grandpa Leviathan. You taught me a lot after that. You…. L…loved me…”
Her gaze didn’t leave the ground as she explained things the best way she knew how, she shook her head, it was all a lot for the child to bear.
”I can explain better but it’s all… a lot to take in mo… I m..mean Miss Ryd.. u…ugh…”
She was shaking again, it really was to much on the artificial child. It would be clear to anyone how this was affecting her now.
”But I can… leave, you don’t remember any of that…. You shouldn’t have to… deal with what you don’t remember doing… I can go find Edge if… if he remembers… or.. figure something out”
She paused again, her hand began rubbing her arm again. And drops of tears fell again, as hard as she tried to keep them back.
”You were… much better than my creator though… You…. Were a wonderful mom I do want you to… know”
And then she cut herself off, and just stared at the ground, awaiting what Rydia would decide to do, her judgement of sorts.
She didn’t want to force anything on her.
But.. in truth, she couldn’t imagine what she could do without her mother….
She had tried to be kind and gentle, but that hadn’t stopped the tears. Rydia panicked when the green-haired girl started to cry harder, tears trickling down her face. What was she supposed to do here? How was she supposed to comfort her maybe-future-daughter? For a moment, the summoner just stood with a shocked look on her face before kneeling to wrap her arms around the kid. Even if she couldn’t remember any of this, she hated seeing the little girl cry. And she had saved Rhen after all! [break][break] But then Rydia tensed all over as the girl spoke. No, no, no. Not possible, her mind screamed. It was all she could do from yelling at the crying kid. Edge and Rydia?! No way, not in a million years. Not in any future or any world! Her mouth fell open and she tried to think of something to say, some way to articulate how incredulous she was. How horrified. But, thankfully, her “daughter” continued speaking and cleared up some of the confusion. Or, at least, made Rydia sigh in relief. So some future version of herself hadn’t given birth to Edge’s child. [break][break] “Okay…” she responded slowly, crouching in front of the girl. “I don’t remember any of this, I’m so sorry. But, I guess stranger things have happened. If you remember this happening then I believe you.” Rydia reached out and touched a lock of green hair, the exact same hue as her own. “You remember them all?” she asked wistfully. “Cecil and Rosa? And… Edge?” She paused for a quiet, sad moment. “Leviathan and Asura, too?” Oh, how she missed them. The Leviathan she could summon here, it wasn’t her Leviathan. He didn’t remember raising her in the Feymarch. [break][break] “I barely remember anything except the Feymarch and the eidolons,” she confessed in a soft voice. “Something happened when I came here, it took most of my memories away.” Rydia reached a comforting hand out to the girl’s shoulder. “You can call me mom if you like. I don’t know if I’ll be the same as you remember me, though. I’ve lived here a long while. I have memories of this place, of my new people the Filhos da Selva. But I am sure they would welcome you, especially with your white magic.” She glanced over at Rhen. She was breathing evenly. [break][break] “We need to get her back, anyway. Thank you so much for finding her and helping her.” Her gaze was tender as she looked towards the Viera. “And I don’t know if you’d have any luck finding Edge here. This is a strange new world. I… I am not sure if there’s anyone else we know here.” She worried her lip, thinking again of Leviathan. That was how she truly knew there was no strong connection between her home and Zephon. “But, if you’re here and I’m here… maybe there’s a chance? We could look together sometime.” [break][break] Rydia stood and gave the girl another hug. “I am sorry again, but I don’t know your name.”
Rydia kneeled down in front of her, and Cuore’s tear stained face looked back up at her as she spoke. The older summoners gentle approach did a lot to help keep Cuore as calm as possible, even as upset as she was. She brightened more when belief was placed in her, her mouth forming back into a smile as she nodded confirmation, looking towards her with brighter eyes.
”It’s absolutely true, I can confirm nothing in my memories is faulty right now”
Indeed, she had checked several times to be sure, she would need to even more now that she was going to be helping her mother remember everything, or rather inform her of everything if it was what she wanted. Rydia touched her hair in her own, causing the younger girl to perk up, tilting back and forth with a giggle, she nodded her head solemnly when asked who she remembered, Of course she did, she recalled each as well as the first time mother introduced her to them. They were great people, in power, mind, and heart.
”Of course I do, Uncle Cecil… Aunt Rosa… Mr. Edge… and Grandpa and Grandma, oh I remember when they came to visit us to…”
It was clearly Grandpa and Grandma impacted her the most, causing to frown as she looked towards the ground. She knew why, They were great beings, so kind… stern, but kind… and mother knew them even longer than she had, but…
”I haven’t seen anyone else sense I came here… I… I miss Grandpa and Grandma to… Maybe…. Maybe we can find some way to bring them here if we work our summoning together…? I… as long as I have you mom I’m fine but… I still miss them, I know… you do to”
The Maenad hugged Rydia’s thigh in an attempt to comfort her, knowing her pain was even greater than hers here, after all she had known them for many more years than she had. More so for it to be the only memories she actually recalled well… it was cruel, whatever system had caused this clearly had no care for peoples feelings.
”But…you remember your parents at least mama, that’s good… it would be terrible if you didn’t”
There was a bit of a string there, in that Rydia didn’t remember HER, but of course, Cuore hadn’t meant it to come off that way. It wasn’t mothers fault her memories were lost, it was the fault of whatever had taken them from her home.
She wanted to eliminate it.
She wanted… to take her mom's memories back.
When Rydia made the statement of not knowing if she was like Cuore remembered the child couldn’t help but give a soft, noticeable giggle at the statement. She swayed back and forth playfully with her staff behind her back, then gave a wink.
”Your mother, everything, even that you’d say that….. its all the same, hmmm I suppose your more youthful now though, I wonder how that happened? There is nothing but minor, unimportant things. If… if I can all you it… your definitely my mom, through and through I can.. tell you more later, when we have the time… if you want, about our time together. Perhaps it could be good stimuli…?”
On the subject of her mom’s people accepting her Cuore blinked. Would they really accept her so easily? She was a complete strange after all. If her white magic could help though… Mom taught her it was good to help others when they needed it. More than that if it was where her mom was going to be… there was no where else she wanted to be ether. She was right though, her friend was stable now, but she still needed to be brought back so she could recover fully.
”I can’t carry her though… ah! That’ll do”
Stepping over Rhen Cuore worked her magic once more, she’d have to maintain it till they got back to the village but.. that should be fine if they could avoid anymore monsters along the way.
”Float!”
With the casting of the spell Rhen would gradually float in the air, though, thinking things over a minute Cuore turned back to her mom.
”It’s… ok to do it this way right?”
If told so, she would continue to carry her by her magic the way back, If Rydia had issue though… she would of course relent. Rydia knew a lot more than her after all, even like this.
”Of course mama, that’s what your supposed to do right? We have to use…. Our power responsibly, to help, not to hurt… right?”
She recalled what she had been taught, there were times she didn’t fully understand them, but on this point she was pretty sure she did. She hoped so at least. In any case she had a point… she didn’t even know that mom was here until recently, or that this was another world. She wasn’t sure if they could find Edge… that would be terrible… who would she play tag with?
But… she offered to look for him with her, and the others when they had time. This made Cuore happy, and she nodded her head energetically with a smile.
”Yes! Absolutely mama, that… would be wonderful… I was still it when I got dumped here!”
Ok so, maybe her concerns were mixed up sometimes, but she really did love Edge to, that was clear in her worry.
She was given another hug, one she returned along with tears, but this time… they were tears of happiness, of the joy of being with her mom again. When she asked her name the summoner looked up and with a grin said it without hesitation.
”Cuore, You named me Cuore mom!~”
Though sad previously… her mother’s acceptance of her had made quick work of that, now the one called Cuore was smiles once more. She had her mother after all, so she would be just fine~
