melodiesoflife | To Balicea

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To Balicea - Kaien's Fate

WHO: Jade Curtiss, Rukia Kuchiki
WHAT: Rukia has some time to go to Balicea and find out if Kaien's doppelganger arrived safely from Nabila. Jade offered his abilities of teleportation to shorten the trip for her, and she accepted. But bad news awaits.
WHEN: September 25th, 2016
WHERE: Aqures Ixen to Balicea

The heat of summer had been gradually tapering off, and now with the rainstorm soaking the streets of Aqures Ixen, the temperature was cool enough for Rukia to justify wearing a hooded long-sleeved shirt beneath her rain jacket as she set out for the laboratory. She ran swiftly through the districts, clutching the brim of her Red Mage's hat onto her head to keep the rain out of her face. When she arrived at the lab, the hat's plume was wet and drooping, but the raincoat had done a decent job of keeping her clothes from getting too damp.

But her ninja abilities couldn't keep silent the wet squish of her shoes as she made her way through the lab toward Jade's office, and several heads lifted as she squish-squoshed past rows of desks, tables, and file cabinets. The hard-working Moogles and Tarutarus offered to show her the way but she respectfully declined, as she'd visited her ally's workstation before and remembered the path quite clearly. However, she didn't decline the kind offer of a hot cup of coffee to warm up her fingers.

She'd sent a letter earlier asking if Jade could manage to fit in his schedule a teleportation trip to Balicea within the next couple of weeks. His quick response indicating he was available now had driven her to make her way here as quickly as possible. It was kind of him to make the offer, especially as she knew how busy he was. If anything, Balicea was bound to have better weather than the pelting rain of Aqures Ixen.

Rukia knew better than to get her hopes up too much about finding Kaien's doppelganger. Not every refugee had made it out of Hera, and she had to quietly remind herself that he might be one of those unfortunate few. She had to be prepared to accept this possibility, lest it catch her unaware and hurt her deeply. Losing him once had torn her apart. To lose him again...

She stood outside the door of Jade's office and closed her eyes again. If he hadn't made it, then that was just the nature of life and death. She was a shinigami, and she knew that people died. It wasn't a matter of fairness or justice, it was simply how the universe worked. But even so...there was hope. Jade had given that hope to her when they'd spoken in Esdham a few months back, and she wouldn't surrender it completely until she was absolutely certain of Kaien's fate. Raising her hand, she knocked at the door with a few light taps to announce her presence before entering. "Greetings," she smiled, taking off her hat and hanging it on one of the hooks next to an array of labcoats. "Thank you for making arrangements at such short notice."

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The timing of Rukia's letter had been convenient. Having just finished another phase in his Advanced Custom Jobs research, Jade had reached a good place for a break, and the morning was spent wrapping up loose ends and making sure Rosepuff would keep an eye on things while he was away. Scatterbrained though she was, the Moogle had admittedly been improving as an assistant. Now if only she'd stop being so fussy over his eating habits...

In any case, this just left a minor side project he could easily continue on the road if there was an opportunity. Jade was sitting at his desk, tapping his chin with a pen as he skimmed his unfinished report, only to look up when the knock came and Rukia stepped in the office.

"Of course. I can't very well turn a friend away, can I?" Jade returned the smile -- which then turned just a little bit mischievous. "Especially since I trust said friend to keep her promise in return."

Rukia didn't bother trying to hide the pleased little smile at being named as a friend. It wasn't easy for her to make friends in Soul Society, given her unusual rank and circumstances, so she'd grown to treasure each friendship she managed to cultivate in this world. "It's appreciated nonetheless," she told him, holding her mug in both hands to better warm her fingers as she took a sip.

The warm cheer changed to confusion. Her promise? She furrowed her brow, perplexed. Had she made a promise? Casting her thoughts back, she couldn't recall make any promises in particular. They'd talked at length about their missing mentors, but promises... Rukia was at a loss.

"Oh? What promise is that?" she decided to just ask before taking another drink. She couldn't think of anything in particular that she wasn't willing to do for Jade. Had she inadvertently signed up to be a lab experiment?

Jade's eyebrows went up in feigned puzzlement. "You forgot?" A small, disappointed sigh followed as he quietly shook his head, seemingly a little hurt. "I see... I suppose it didn't mean as much as I thought it did..."

He seemed to recover from his dismay quickly enough. Chin propped on his hand, Jade leaned forward and gazed at Rukia intently. "I'll just have to remind you, then... You promised to take me on a journey of a different kind, did you not?" An impish smile played across his lips. "What was it now... Oh yes. Born to be Bound, wasn't it?"

If she thought he was just going to let that one go, she still didn't know him well enough.

What? What? No! ...Wait, was he right? Was she truly such a poor friend that she would forget an important promise? She urged her wretched mind to really think back on their prior conversations. It must have been something vitally important.

She stopped when he said he was going to remind her, and was suddenly paying rapt attention. A journey? Her brow furrowed. As he pretended to search for the answer, she did the same in earnest, sipping at her coffee as if the brew might shake the memory loose.

She was not expecting his answer. Coffee rocketed out of her mouth as she choked and coughed, bringing the back of her hand up to her dripping chin. Trolling over letters was pretty easy, as no one could see whether she was embarrassed or not. She'd always assumed she might have made him stumble a time or two herself. But now? Now she could see him in his true form, a god of demons. What the--!

"You are not serious!" she protested, carrying her cup of coffee swiftly to the table as she searched frantically for a towel or cloth. "Unbelievable..." She was actually starting to feel guilty, too. She'd have to exact her revenge, but was it even possible against a true master?

Edited 2016-09-27 23:03 (UTC)

Jade couldn't help it. Laughter rose from his chest as he quickly flicked up a convenient binder to shield himself from the spray of coffee. This was better than he could have hoped. Whoever had given Rukia a drink deserved a raise!

"Of course not. I was only joking." He let the binder drop on the desk and covered his mouth with his hand, trying and failing to hide his mirth. She'd looked so genuinely worried, too... Oh, it was too endearing. And the shock on her face was just delightful...!

Luckily, there was a paper towel holder on the table. Jade, however, was in no rush to assist her. Watching her get flustered was absolutely worth a few coffee stains.

As Rukia ripped off a few sheets of paper towels to dab the coffee off of her sleeves and face, she became convinced of one thing:

Jade and Yuri should never, ever be in the same room together.

"Laugh now, if you must! I'll find your weakness," she vowed, briefly running her fingers through her hair to make sure she didn't get coffee there. As she turned to face him, though, she paused, and her crimson-flushed face turned thoughtful. Come to think of it, that was probably the first time she'd heard him laugh like that, genuine and open. It seemed they were both making this journey in high spirits.

She exhaled heavily, tossing the paper towels into the trash, then smiled. It seemed they were becoming close friends, and it sparked a warmth in her chest that only brightened her hopes of a successful venture.

"In any case," she settled one hand upon her hip and held out her hand, palm side up, toward Jade. "Shall we be off? I wouldn't wish to take up any more of your time than necessary." She didn't think he would stick around once the teleportation was complete, given how busy he was, but she hoped he would. By introducing him to Kaien's doppelganger, it might inspire him to do the same for her with Nebilim someday.

"My, my... I'd better watch my back, then." Jade didn't doubt for second she would follow up on her threat. The only question was how she'd do it. It was clear he'd have to stay on his toes... The near future was going to be exciting, he could tell.

Well, that was enough messing around for now. They had elsewhere to be.

"Yes, let's get going." Jade stood up and shrugged off his lab coat. The paper he'd just been writing on was neatly folded and slipped in a breast pocket. Normally he'd change into his uniform or whatever Job clothes were appropriate whenever he left Aqures Ixen, but this wasn't exactly official Hero business, nor was there any reason to expect battle. Besides, the weather in Balicea was supposed to be warm. The black shirt he always wore under everything would be fine for a short trip.

True, he hadn't actually said anything about accompanying Rukia beyond the teleportation... But if he was being honest, he was interested to learn the whereabouts of Kaien's doppelganger himself. Maybe it was that her description of them man had reminded him a little of Peony... or maybe he'd become invested simply because this was important to her. The reason didn't really matter. He could afford some time off.

He'd forgone gloves this time, leaving the pale scar on his left palm exposed as he took Rukia's hand. Usually he'd be holding the person's shoulder to avoid awkward moments, but this wasn't particularly unpleasant. The teleportation wouldn't take long, anyway.

Rukia turned her head to follow his movements. If he was hanging up his labcoat, then...

"Oh! Do you intend to spend some time in Balicea as well?" she asked cheerfully, perking right up. If he were planning on returning to the lab directly after teleporting her, then he surely would have kept his work clothes on. "If you intend to stay overnight for any length of time, I'll make arrangements for an additional room at the inn. Don't worry about the cost." Military personnel got paid more, the least she could do was make sure he was comfortable if he was going through all of this trouble for her sake.

Admittedly she was curious about what he'd been writing, but reasoned that it was either science related (which she knew little about), or that it pertained to a personal matter (which was none of her business). So she didn't ask.

She'd almost missed the brief glimpse of the scar on his palm, so it was sheer luck that she'd managed to glimpse it at all when he reached to take her hand. "Hm?" Rukia took half a step closer to him, her other hand catching his wrist so she could turn his palm over for a better look. Not wanting to break the contact, the fingers of her right hand hooked lightly in his so she could bare his palm to her eyes. Just as she'd thought, there was a scar. "Where did you get this from?" she asked curiously, brushing her fingertips lightly along the edge of the lighter marking. She had no qualms whatsoever manhandling people.

"Why not? I could use some time away from the noise of the city." He'd visited Balicea once or twice back when he was still in the Esdham military. There had never been an occasion to go back, but he recalled liking the town. "And since you offered, I won't say no to spending the night."

Suddenly Rukia grabbed his hand and turned it over. Jade blinked, then realized what she was so interested in. "Oh, this?" That's right, she hadn't been present, had she? Not that he could remember, at least. "It was after the last murder we had in the summer. One of those instant death beams went through my hand."

He should probably count himself lucky it had only hit his hand. Healing magic had repaired worst of the damage, but even then it had left a mark. The scar had bothered him for a little while, serving as a constant reminder of his mistakes during that whole mess... until the guilt had eventually worn off in the face of pragmatism. Moping would have been unproductive, after all. Other than the occasional ache, the injury had been mostly forgotten until Rukia pointed it out--

...Er. Was she... stroking his palm?

"Rukia?" Jade wasn't entirely sure how to react. He didn't mind physical contact but the light touch along the bare skin felt rather... intimate.

Hmmmm... Her lashes lowered slightly as she remembered. No, she hadn't been present on the day that Zelda died. But she'd felt that sudden sharp zing of pain in her heart, and when she'd found the new job on her crystal...

It hadn't been easy. And the beams that the ring shot were lethal. She wouldn't call Jade fortunate, but she was glad that he hadn't been struck dead. Even so, what if there were some lingering remnants of the beam's dark origin? Had something managed to seep into his bloodstream? Rukia studied the scar intently, and not for the first time she wished her job was advanced enough for her to detect reiatsu so she could be sure...

He spoke her name and she blinked. "Hm?" For a moment she didn't realize anything was wrong with what she was doing. But slowly, little by little, the implications became clear...

...They were wasting time! "Ah, my apologies," she inclined her head. How silly of her. Surely a man like him must have run tests and diagnostics on his injury to make sure it hadn't affected him beyond just the physical. She released his wrist and resumed grasping his hand, giving him a single nod. "Perhaps we should check at the docks first."

Still, it was a shame. He had such elegant and dexterous hands, she wasn't sure she liked seeing him scarred like this.

Jade tilted his head with a slightly raised eyebrow, but didn't press the issue. He'd probably been reading too much into the gesture, anyway. Puzzlement gave way to mild amusement; even though they were often on similar wavelength, Rukia had a knack for surprising him in small ways.

Just as well. It added a dash of anticipation to being in her company. You never had to worry about getting bored with Rukia around.

"It's as good place to start as any. Off we go, then!" It took him little effort to cast Teleport, having used it countless times by now. He held her hand firmly...

...And in the next moment, they were miles away from the lab, standing near the docks in Balicea. The weather was indeed warm, though the fresh wind blowing from the sea ensured the heat wouldn't get uncomfortable. Jade was immediately reminded of Grand Chokmah. This town was much smaller, but the air was the same...

He let go of Rukia's hand and smiled. "Here we are. Lead the way." It was her mission, after all.

Rukia returned the smile. She felt oddly giddy, her face flushed from the combination of the sudden rush of being teleported, and the growing excitement of finding Kaien. The warmth of Jade's hand still lingered faintly in hers. She knew not to get her hopes up, she truly did. But out here, smelling the fresh sea air, made her feel as if she was just so close. "Very well," she agreed with a firm nod, and turned to began briskly making her way toward the docks.

As they walked, her head turned almost constantly, her dark eyes searching every face and head of hair for signs of familiarity. Her heart was pounding as hard as it ever had, and she lightly pressed her fist against her chest as if that might somehow slow it down.

But there was no sign of Kaien among the busy Balicean people. He wasn't studying the weapons on display in the market, nor was he snoozing in a doorway, nor was he tossing and catching fish. Well, that was to be expected. Chances of just meeting him randomly on the streets were very low.

After a brief series of questions, Rukia and Jade made their way to the dockmaster's office. But the door was locked. She frowned slightly, then turned to find the nearest worker.

"I beg your pardon," she asked politely. "Where might we find the dockmaster?"

"Eh? Out there," he pointed vaguely at the sea. "Probably won't be back until nightfall. You two need a boat?"

Rukia held up her palm. "No, but thank you. We were hoping to check the passenger records of the ships that came here from Nabila."

"Ahhhhhhhhh," he said, grunting as he jammed a crowbar into a crate and pried open the lid. "Can't help ya there, only the dockmaster has those records. You lookin' for anyone in particular?"

She nodded. "A Heran refugee, Ross Simpkins." A strange name for Kaien to wear, but she'd remembered it just the same.

Alas, the man shook his head. "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell. But don't get discouraged, we got a pretty big flood of people from all the way down there. Not as if I greeted 'em all personally, eh?" he grinned. "Hang tight, come back 'round sunset. If you see The Gulping Pelican is docked and no one in the office, you'll find him at that pub over there," he pointed toward a rowdy little place that looked like an oversized sea shack more than anything."

Rukia reached out to shake his hand in thanks. "You've been very helpful, thank you."

"Sure thing, missy. Hope ya find him, I'll keep an ear to the ground." Satisfied with the contents of the crate, he started hammering it back in place.

She turned to Jade, exhaling lightly. "I suppose we're in for a bit of a wait. Was there any business you wanted to attend to? I can see to our inn reservations."

Jade knew he wouldn't be much help spotting the doppelganger, having never seen Kaien's face before. Nevertheless, he followed Rukia's lead and kept an eye out for refugees as they made their way to the docks, his relaxed stride contrasting her barely-contained excitement.

He waited patiently while Rukia questioned the worker. At least finding a lead hadn't presented any difficulties.

"No, not really. Although I do have something we can pass the time with, unless you'd rather walk around town." Taking a walk or waiting at the inn, either way sounded fine to him.

Rukia had expected that she might wind up simply turning Jade loose and allowing him to return to his duties in Aqures Ixen. Sunset was still several hours away, and she was aware of just how busy he was.

So she was surprised when he elected not only to stay, but to pass the time with her as well. After all, he'd mentioned 'we' rather than finding an activity that benefitted his own studies. How curious. She had to admit, she was intrigued by the proposition.

"Either option is fine with me. What was it you wanted to do?"

She realized that she was actually grateful for the suggestion. Waiting idly for the ship to return would have eaten away at her nerves, leaving her in a perpetual state of anxiety wondering what happened to her reincarnated friend. This gesture wasn't one she was soon to forget, and she was silently appreciative of his decision to stay with her.

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To Balicea - Kaien's Fate

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