melodiesoflife | Footsteps in the Snow (Central Lost Continent)

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Footsteps in the Snow (Central Lost Continent)

Characters:Saori Nakagawa, Ira, James Kidd, Lydia Deetz, and NPCs
Where: Lost Continent (Center)
When: March 5th
Summary: The four awaken in the chilly tundra of the Lost Continent without a sign of civilization nearby.

At impact, Ira had held out his hand in an attempt to summon another Corridor - at the very least, he wished to get those already injured to safety. Yet as he reached out, something far more inexplicable had reached back. He found himself falling, before oblivion accepted him. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in years, this sleep of stasis that had overwhelmed all of them - one that he thought would never be again. As it took hold, he didn't know if his hand had grabbed air or railing, but he knew, in the end, there was no fighting it any longer.

What he didn't expect, was suddenly finding his face hit with something so bitterly cold. Grunting, he shakily moved to place his hands beneath him, wincing as he felt the chill within his gloves. Why was it so cold? Hadn't they just been over the desert?

None of this made sense, but he... had to get moving.

Blearily looking around, he saw three others lying in the snow around him. Without much thought, he stumbled in the frigid clime to reach out to the one nearest to him in an effort to shake their shoulder and wake them.

"M-Mom, L-Lydia, Mary," he called out through his teeth chattering. Of all the times he was mad about inheriting shit from Riku the island kid- "We n-need to get moving."

Wait, why did his voice suddenly sound more matured? And when did his bangs get so long? "Ugh, the h-hell's going on?"

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The good thing is he had practiced - a lot, especially leading up to their recapturing of Narasimha. He tries to focus on the machine he can barely see through the snowfall, only to shake his head.

"...It's too far for me to tell, but it's either a small group of people in there, or just one person with one hell of a grudge." he whispered just loud enough for them to hear. Looking toward Lydia, he nodded once. If nothing else he could open a path for her or the others to quickly withdraw to their current location should one decide to scout it out.

Lydia was still biting her lip, her brow furrowed for a moment as she thought. Then a quick nod, squeezing Ira's hand. "Keep an eye on me." This was one way she could be very useful, and she was the most used to cold of any of them...

Another squeeze, and then she's letting go of Ira's hand. A few steps out, before summoning up the transformation to her bat-form with a small jump into the air. Tiny, but trusting her friends--she's circling once, before flapping towards the object to try and see what she can sense or tell from the air. The advantages to being a bat were that she could be small and agile--and well, if it went badly--she WAS a vampire. She'd come back.

"Be careful," Saori whispered as she watched Lydia transform. However she knew they couldn't just stand there and become Heroes of Light Popsicles. They'll have to keep pressing forward but not too far away from brave Lydia.

She got out a smoke bomb ready and held onto both Ira and Mary. If push comes to shove, after Ira can extract Lydia from harm, she could keep them at a safe distance from that thing approaching them.

Mary frowned at the assessment. So close to some place they might be able to rest and of course they're risking getting into a fight. The weather or a monster, either was dangerous and potentially fatal, but something she trusted this little quartet could handle. Both at once though.

She rubbed her hands together and took high steps through the snow, trying to get her blood moving and her body warmed, trying to limber up in case she had to fight. She dared not use another katon and risk showing their hand or provoking whatever it was.

"If we have to run, I'm not sure I can make it," she muttered. She gave Saori and Ira a meaningful look, "If I fall, don't put yourselves in danger to save me." It was awful that they kept going in a round like this but she didn't want this to end for them like it did for her back in Jamaica. Nor did she want the blood of the others spilled for her sake. If she was going to die once and for all, she'd rather it be fighting.

As a bat, Lydia was not able to see well even if the weather wasn't a factor. However, with enhanced hearing and echolocation, she managed to keep her distance while flying close enough to get a reading on whatever was out there. Either her presence was not noticed by the object, or said object didn't care.

She would first hear the sound of something heavy being dragged through the snow, and when getting closer, the dull sound of light, rapid footsteps. Other than that, it was completely silent.

Echolocation was a bit dulled by the snow, but she would detect a large, wooden rectangle with the top covered in something soft like cloth. In front were three large bird-shaped things creating those footprints, and in the front of the rectangular objects revealed two humans. Said humans appeared to be sitting.

Well--whatever it was, didn't seem like a threat. Yet. Swooping a few times as Lydia tried to make sense of it. It took her a moment, before she realized what it most likely was. Or close to it--a Covered Wagon!

It was a chance, but they needed it--badly.

Seeking more height, so she'd be visible and she looped a few times. Not in distress but trying to signal it was alright, she was alright, and this might be safety. Then she took another chance, and moved out a bit, before dropping to a safe-height and changing back to her normal form. "HEY!" She yelled, waving her arms at the...thing's direction. "PLEASE stop! Help us!"

The two people didn't take any notice of Lydia while she was a bat and transforming into her regular form; their gazes were directed at the Chocobos and the white expanse before them. At the sound of a girl's voice, one of them grabbed their partner by the shoulder and pointed at the figure a short distance away.

Looking more carefully, the covered wagon was more of a covered sleigh: a large wood sled that appeared to be full, judging by the lumpy blanket that was tied over the top. The person holding the Chocobo reigns shouted, and the birds veered towards Lydia.

Once they were close enough, the one not driving leaned out of their seat. "Hey, you okay?" The voice was deep, like an tough older man. "What're you doin' out here?"

"For heaven's sake, help her in!" The driver, a woman, snapped. "She's nearly freezing to death! Scoot over, Kadoc. Give her room." The man obliged and held out a hand to help her up.

As they got a little bit closer, he noticed Lydia flying up and around the sleigh. Oh thank all that is good and right, they're saved- Shit, are those chocobos?

Ffffffffffffffffffffffffff-

"All clear," he muttered, before motioning for his two moms to follow as he started to move just a little faster through the snow. "HEY, over here!" Ira called out over the winds, doing his utmost not to collapse right then and there from the cold that suddenly became even more real to him now. "Help!"

Mary's eyes widened as she heard Lydia's voice, raised as it was. For a moment she couldn't help but worry things were going badly. But then it seemed that they'd actually found help. Better late than never. Better frigid than dead.

She shivered, clinging to Saori as they moved forward towards the sleigh. She tried to join Ira in calling out but her voice felt like a hard lump in her throat. Her eyes were getting heavy too. No. Just a little further, come on. She punched herself in a thigh, taking care not to stab herself, using the pain to keep herself alert and the contact to keep her blood moving.

"Come...on..."

Saori cast Clone to help Ira and Mary as the three made their way over.

"Please wait!" Both Saori and her clone used their free hand throw a smoke bomb. The duo strained to get everyone to close the distance between them and Lydia and the sleigh.

"Hang in there," She could barely get the words out if it wasn't already muffled by the winds.

The man - Kadoc - held Lydia's hand firmly and guided her to the spot between the two people dressed for the weather. "You're lucky we ran into you. Hold on, we'll get you somewhere warm." He stood on his seat, briefly apologized for the moment of cold, and reached into the sleigh in search of a blanket.

The woman peered in the direction where they saw Lydia. If there were others with her, they wouldn't be too far, but it was difficult to see in the storm.

"Did you hear that?" She thought she heard a man's voice nearby.

Ira stumbled in the snow, nearly falling to his knees more than once after Saori's Smoke Bomb transported them somewhat closer. Coughing as he gasped in far too much cold air for his own good, he held up his sword and Dualcast Fira into the air. Aiming one slightly closer to the sleigh than the other, neither directly at it.

It was happening fast, and Lydia was cold--even if she was dealing with it better than the others. "I...I-have-others-with-me. They're over there." Pointing, resisting her teeth chattering.

Then she saw the Fire-spell. "THERE!" Almost jumping out of the sleigh and warmth, shouting, trying to make her rescuers see. She wasn't losing Ira, or Mary or Saori. Not after everything else, and everyone else she'd lost to this damn planet.

Edited 2017-04-13 12:50 (UTC)

Mary was holding on. She kept her fingers moving, both to keep warm and also to use Shunshin. At the least maybe it would get her back up to walking speed until she could finally reach shelter. The rest could be figured out later.

Saori's clone cast a Katon Ninjutsu into the air to aid signaling the sleigh. "C'mon, get your sleigh over here!" Saori growled as she cast Shunshin as well to help keep up.

Multiple spells firing in the air got the woman's attention. She waved a hand sharply at Kadoc and Lydia. "Sit down you two, or you'll fall off." Kadoc flopped onto his seat and handed Lydia a woven blanket. The pattern seemed better suited for a wall decoration, but it was good against the snow.

The woman shook the reigns and tugged the Chocobos into the direction of the others. With a triple "kweh!" the birds trotted lightly across the snow. Kadoc folded his hands on his lap and kept Lydia steady on the ride.

To Ira, Saori, and Mary, the dark shadow drew less blurry, eventually forming into a large sleigh pulled by Chocobos. The woman pulled on the reigns, slowly down the Chocobos until she was facing the person in front.

"Just three?" She bit her lip. "There isn't any more room in the front. Hop in the back, but don't touch anything." Kadoc looked at her worriedly, to which she responded with a weary gaze.

He stood up and lifted a corner of the tarp. "Don't worry. We'll get you somewhere warm." Kadoc spoke with the urgency of a person unsure of how close to death the rescued were. There was no idea how long they were out in the snow.

The sight of the chocobos at first caused him to seize up. Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope. No, he was not getting close to the birds agai-

... He forced himself to focus on the other woman's words, nodding. Warmth. Warmth was the priority.

"Y-yeah. Just us." He affirmed, before turning his attention to helping his mother (but especially Mary) into the back. At the very least they would be out of the snow and the wind. That had to help at least somewhat. He tried to ignore his own chattering in order to make sure the others were safely in the back of the sleigh. Once the other two are in, he'd follow suit with a nod and a "Thanks," through chattering teeth. Though at cursory glance, he was the second-worse off.

Lydia was watching, and Ira'd BETTER get in, from the large eyes she's glaring at him with. "Just us 4. Thank you." A grateful smile turned to both their rescuers. "Thank you so much." Then more quietly, to Kadoc. "Please also don't be frightened..." Trying to warn him, before tossing the blanket-at-Ira, and shapeshifting again.

Back to a bat, but she was tinier this way as she zoomed to him and clung near his shoulder and neck. Easier for him to have the blanket, and them both to stay warm this way. He was cold and it worried her.

Saori never thought she'd hear Chocobos again. The clone disappeared as the sleigh got closer. She finally felt like she could breathe again now.

"You have our thanks," Saori said to their saviors as she helped Mary aboard. She grabbed a blanket to wrap it around the pirate, making sure her head and hands were covered. With a second blanket, she draped it over both her and Mary.

Mary hoped it was just them. That there were no moogles lost in the snow anywhere. She hadn't seen any sign of them but she still spared a glance back in search of her companion and Tnitiate, hoping she was safe. But for now getting out of the cold was all she could do.

She failed to notice Ira's discomfort as she half hauled, half was hauled into the back of the sleigh. She lamented not being of more help to the others but at least they seemed to be safe now. Still, her instincts pushed on even while she struggled to stay awake. Her eyes flashed with her Eagle Vision trying to get a better grasp on their rescuer.

She wasn't in fantastic shape, but she'd be fine in due time. For now she just settled for curling closer to Saori, drinking in her body heat.

The woman grunted in response and hit the reigns again. The sleigh moved more quickly than before as it traveled west again.

Kadoc was frightened. Not too many people he knew could turn into bats, especially young people who didn't learn enough magic to do so at their age. "W-what are you?" Were they faeries? Were they going to reward them for their kindness?

"Speak up, we'll be arriving at the camp any moment now." There would be no time to ask questions while the survivors were washed up and fed.

Through Mary's vision. She saw that the woman and brown curly hair behind the coat hood. Her face was perpetually in a frown, hardened by years of struggle. Kadoc was not as thin as the woman, and his face was rounder and childlike.

Edited 2017-04-19 11:34 (UTC)

Oh no Kadoc's reaction was so precious, but he wasn't the type to point it out. Instead he slightly leaned into bat!Lydia as he wrapped himself (and her by extension, making sure she wouldn't be suffocated by it) with the blanket once he was in the back of the sleigh. As instructed, he touched nothing of what was back there with them - only clung together with three of the most important people in his young life. Though he had to admit he was just as curious as their two rescuers.

"Just four souls who found themselves awaking in the snow, far from home." With how much time had passed, he had no idea how they would react to the three words 'heroes of light'. He'd always tried not to refer to himself as a hero, anyway - for he knew a lot of the things he had done were anything but. And with how much time had passed, who knew what sort of standing they had with the general populous? "What's the camp like?"

Kadoc nodded, still wary of the girl that could turn into a bat so quickly. "Did...Kalki do something to you?"

The woman looked downward in thought. After a minute, she opted to answer Ira's question. "It's the auxiliary camp, but it's been forced to grow. Don't worry, we'll have space for you. The Head Engineer used the extra time he has now to build stables and sleeping quarters." She blew off a large snowflake that landed on her nose. "When he isn't moping, that is," she muttered more quietly.

"...You could say that, yeah," Ira muttered, glancing down at the bat on his shoulder. She'd told him before the confrontation, what going back to that city meant to her. And as much as he hated to speak for her, when no one else spoke up, he felt obligated to fill the silence. "Though her turning into a bat is more due to her Job than what that hag's done."

He glanced at Saori, muttering under his breath, "Seems like we missed a lot."

Bundled up as she was, Mary made quick work to restore the feeling in her fingers. This was a worse chill than she'd ever faced but she still had some training in how to deal with it, even if it never came to practical use in her old life. She knew of other Assassin outposts in northern waters who had to deal with such things.

She still felt worn out and ready to go back to sleep, but she struggled to stay awake at least until they were someplace with a proper fire. And talking would help her with that. "We're no friends of Kalki, if that's what you're asking." Not that she wasn't given every opportunity to make a change. Mary was impressed with Riku's careful response as well.

"This Head Engineer...does he have a name? And a fireplace?"

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Apologies for jumping-order.

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