Prelude || The Festival Of Light

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light."
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 3rd of August, final day of the Festival of Light. The Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The Heroes of Light awaken in Aqures Ixen and are informed by their assigned Moogles of what the situation and what their destinies are. This a log for them to react to the situation, meet each other and optionally participate in activities provided by the Festival of Light.
Warning: N/A

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within an instant, the world around you collapses. Reality twists and shatters... Or maybe you are the one who is collapsing and shattering away from reality as you knew it. No matter what the answer is, it will only take a few seconds for you to find yourself sinking into a void, your world vanishing into the distance. There is nothing but darkness as far as the eye can see. Even you feel different: all the powers you might once have had, are now gone. It is silent, cold and it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you.

At this moment, when it looks as though nothing but a never-ending void awaits you, a red Crystal forms before you. In this void, its warmth compels you to grab it. Upon doing so, you can hear a soft, soothing voice speaking:


"Wake up."

Soon, the void itself vanishes and is replaced by distant noises of engines. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call one more time, but is soon replaced with a much less graceful "Wake up, Kupo!" Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally wake you up. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Fire, in the third district of a city called Aqures Ixen. At this point, you may realize the engine noise actually originates from an Airship flying low over the city and headed to dock beneath the castle. As if it wasn't strange enough, your clothes have changed as well. They are now a reflection of the Jobs you are wielding. Last but not least, you are surrounded by Moogles, small and fluffy creatures who are more than happy to tell you about everything you want to know, about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light, about what awaits you.

Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any citizens aside from Moogles in the vicinity. Indeed, the population of Aqures Ixen seems to be busy elsewhere in the city-- The Moogle will tell you there currently an event named the Festival of Light, which most people are attending. But you are not alone! It probably will not be long before you realize there are plenty of people like you all around, and if somehow you do not realize it, the Moogle who woke you up will be more than happy to inform you there are others like you around. Maybe with their help, you will be able to find out what is happening to you.






— Final Day —
The Festival of Light is a yearly event held at Aqures Ixen to celebrate the victory of the "Heroes of Light" over the "Calamity from the Skies" two thousands years ago, or so do the legends say. Whether people believe in the legends or not, this is an occasion for them to have fun and spend time with family and friends. The Festival is held from the 28th of July to the 3rd of August.

Unfortunately, most attractions and events are over by the third of August. Yet, there is enough to do, should the newly arrived Heroes of Light favor spending time looking at the attractions rather than panicking about their situation. The festival ends at midnight.


Theater Play
— Ninth District || 14:00 —

There is a large theater stage installed in the 9th district-- It is probably only temporary by the look of it. There is quite a crowd seated to watch the play about to unfold, as well as numerous people standing beneath the seats or sitting on the ceilings because they couldn't get a seat. After the audience grows quiet, a woman with long silver hair and green-ish skin steps onto the stage to address the audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago! At the time when the Ancients reigned over the planet, when the Calamities from the Skies landed on this world and waged war against all forms of life. When our story begins, the Ancients are on the brink of extinction and gathering the last of their forces to fight. And now people of Aqures Ixen and visitors from distant lands, we proudly present 'The 4 Heroes of Light'!"

After this, the play starts and will last for roughly one hour and a half. The main characters appear to be four Heroes of Light, respectively dressed as a Warrior, Monk, Black Mage and White Mage. Other characters include the Calamity from the Skies played by the silver-haired woman, an Ancient scientist and the Princess of Crystallis. The story appears to be a highly romanticized version of the tale the Moogles told the characters earlier. As the play unfolds, there is a love story between one of the Heroes of Light, the Warrior, and the Princess of Crystallis. At the end of the play, the Heroes of Light successfully defeat the Calamity from the Skies, but the Warrior has to sacrifice himself and die in order to protect the Princess of Crystallis.


Culinary Attractions
— Fourteenth District || Anytime —
What would a festival be without free food and banquets? Not really a festival. In the fourteenth district, there is a banquet and many stands held by people from all over the world-- People from Balicea, Aerilon, Esdham, Flence, etc. There is even a stand held by former inhabitants of the Empire. All kind of food from all over the world can be found here-- Refined food, pastries, cakes, cooked meals, etc. It's virtually impossible not to find something to like in all of this, and it's all free until midnight!


Competitions
— Tenth & Eight District || 18:00 —

At 18:00, there will be a Blitzball match opposing the teams of Aqures Ixen and Balicea in the Blitzball Stadium. It is more of an exposition match, with nothing to be won aside from glory. Anyone is free to enter the stadium to watch the match. Following this, people - playable characters included - will be allowed to play some Blitzball Match on their own, if they want to try.

At the same time, a Triple Triad competition will be taking place in the eight district, in the campus of the university. Characters are free to enter the Triple Triad tournament, and if they do so they will be given very basic cards and explained the rules. With low level cards and whatsoever no experience, odds are that they may lose to much more experienced and competitive players, but what matters is trying, right? Whilst no characters may recognize him yet, it is notable that one of the NPCs, Wedge, is taking part in the competition. It's just a shame knowing he will lose in the semi-finals.


Trano Golsaucia's Stands
— Eleventh District || Anytime —
Specially for the occasions, stallholders from Trano Golsaucia traveled to Aqures Ixen and brought a few attractions to display what they can do. Noticeably, they brought Chocobos and will organize numerous races throughout the day, on an improvised tracks running around the houses. The Heroes of Light are more than welcome to try and bet, should they want to lose (or multiply) what few Gils they have. If they feel adventurous, they may even try to enter one of the races and ride a Chocobo-- At their own risks.

Aside from this, there are some more attractions worthy of attention. There is a shooting stand-- Coincidentally, all the targets are vaguely similar to the main antagonists of numbered Final Fantasy games. There is a treasure chest game, where characters are presented with ten chests and can open only one-- Prizes range from one Gils to gigantic plushie. There is also a fortune teller Moogle, it is notable that his predictions will always include either the character suffering hell or dying soon, in one form or another. Hopefully this moogle is just a scam.


Fireworks
— First District || 23:00 —

What better way to conclude a festival than fireworks? Fireworks will be launched from the Castle of Aqures Ixen starting 23:00, and will end at midnight, at the same time than the festival. No matter where you are in the city, anyone should be able to watch them easilly if they so wish. Unfortunately, it means falling asleep before midnight may be a bit hard with all the noise.

Comments

Gaara of the Desert

[no_dreams_for_you]

Remarkable…

This was yet another new world. The strange creature – a Moogle, she had called herself – told Gaara the name of the current city: Aqures Ixen. It wasn’t the facility, nor Saeng Seong. And it also wasn’t… Suna. He hadn’t seen his village for nearly a year and a half, by this point. He was wondering if he would get to set his gaze upon it, ever again.

Others of her kind, all similar in appearance save for the color of their fur, helpfully informed him of his new role. Looking down, Gaara realized that his attire had changed. There was very brief instance when he thought he had indeed been returned home, simply because of his current outfit. He was wearing white robes – his Kazekage robes. Only… he was also wielding a staff, and he could no longer hear Shukaku’s voice inside his mind. He was instructed to hold onto the crystal in his hand, which reflected his job class… whatever that meant.

One of the Moogles insisted on following him, as he set out to explore the city. Evidently, there was a festival taking place. While Gaara wasn’t exactly the social type, he recognized that he could gather information from other individuals, in a highly populous setting. It wasn’t likely, but perhaps… there was a chance he could locate a few of the others. Whether they came from the facility, Saeng Seong, or… even his original home world.

Theater Play

…Interesting story.

Was this play a premonition of events that would unfold? He was now a Hero of Light, after all. Perhaps he would be expected to defeat the Calamity from the Skies, or whomever decided to inherit that role, at present. Well… if there were villainous forces that needed to be eliminated, in this world, then he intended to fight against them. If anything, Gaara felt a bit relieved in having a need for usage of his combat capabilities… despite his sand powers being sealed.

The love story wasn’t noted with very much significance within his mind, but did cause the ninja to think about Sai… and Luke. He felt a great deal of hesitation in seeking out those types of bonds, considering what had happened before. Forming emotional attachments came with a dangerous risk, in that they could be severed without warning. Though… at the very least, the Warrior willingly choose to die, in order to save his beloved princess. It was endearing, in a way.

Suppressing the urge to sigh, Gaara rose from his seat and continued to carry his staff along, as he left the area and contemplated where else he should investigate.

Elsewhere

His Moogle flitted curiously around him, and asked where he wanted to go next. His stomach growled just then, making the decision for him. After the mild frown faded from his brows, he began to head toward the Culinary Attractions. He didn’t recognize all of the dishes, but merely hoped that they didn’t taste like the bland food bars from the facility.

[headfons]

He'd awakened with a definite start.

There was, as seemed to be the norm, a sinking feeling. He was alone, again, wasn't he? It wouldn't be the first time he'd awakened without...anyone he knew. It being the fourth world, for him, it was doubtful anybody could blame him for expecting that one to follow the same trend.

After taking a moment to rub his head--and find his bearings, the redhead took the time to speak to the...unique creature. In some ways, it reminded him of Mieu; it could fly and talk, just like the cheagle. With all of his current questions answered, he regarded the moogle with a bit of curiosity. After finding out that it was a boy, he decided to call him...Ion. Something about it's reserved, yet kind personality reminded him of his dear friend.

Ion didn't seem to mind his nickname, at all.

~*~

Said "Culinary Attractions" were where the replica happened to be located. Hand on hip, he leaned over just a bit to peer at one of the dishes. It wasn't one that he recognized, but it certainly smelled nice- well, it was either that, or he just happened to be that hungry. Either way.

After trying everything he could manage quite a few of the unique dishes (as well as some he happened to be familiar with), he decided to move on. He was attempting to focus super hard on everything around him. Unconsciously, he knew...dwelling would put him in a place, mentally, he wasn't ready to be. He needed to move forward! His friends would be disappointed in him, for sulking, right? Turning, he began walking in the opposite direction from which he'd come- only to freeze. Wait, was...that...?

"Gaara?" The other redhead wasn't looking in his direction, but the Thief had caught a glimpse of that unique mark on his forehead.

[no_dreams_for_you]

Gaara was in the middle of deciding what to eat – feeling a bit remiss that he couldn’t locate one of his favorite dishes from Suna – when he heard his name being called. Someone recognized him, and that voice was familiar. Ignoring the faint hunger pangs, he immediately turned toward the speaker. His Moogle sweetly reminded him that he still needed to eat, but his attention was focused elsewhere, at the moment.

“Luke…”

Naturally, the ninja assumed that he came from Saeng Seong, with his memories intact. The facility was another possibility, but they hadn’t been so familiar, within those endless white walls. Instantly, a surge of relief eased some tension out of his body, at the simple knowledge that he… wasn’t alone, this time. His outfit had changed as well, likely caused by the mysterious crystal. Gaara found himself pondering over which class the other had been assigned.

“Don’t forget that you’re hungry, kupo!” The Moogle chirped at him, lightly tapping his shoulder. He would need to give her a name, at one point, but didn’t think that “Moogle” or “Kupo” would be very desirable to the cheerful creature…

Gaara nodded in acknowledgement of her words, and then began to walk toward Luke. His initial steps were a little hesitant, but his expression remained the same, for the most part.

[headfons]

There were a couple of blinks at the moogle's reminders. A faint, knowing smirk appeared on Luke's face as he scratched the back of his head. Immediately afterward, he moved to quickly close most of the space between them. As soon as he stopped, he...started to give him a hug. There was pause, though, as he studied his face.

See, the thing was- Gaara had known him, right off the bat, back in Saeng Seong. If that sort of thing could happen, once? Why couldn't it happen, again? So, he couldn't...help but worry, a little. Man, just the idea of Luke being alone in having memories of that city...

All the while, Ion was quietly studying both Gaara and the other moogle. Glancing down, for a moment, he was a little surprised to see how...shy the creature was acting. Maybe it was because he was...assigned to him, or whatever? Well, he wasn't worrying too much about it. It could just be his personality, or something. Well, Luke had just met the little guy. He'd learn more about him as time went...he supposed. It depended on how long he would be there, he thought with an internal sigh.

With a faintly awkward expression, he glanced to the side, for just a moment. Looking back to the other teen, he reached to scratch the side of his face as he decided on how to ask. Finally, he just wound up picking the bluntest option, "Which...'me' do you know? Facility or...Saeng Seong?"

[no_dreams_for_you]

From Luke, he would have accepted the hug. So when he stopped, Gaara tilted his head a little, and gave him a curious look. Why had he changed his mind, at the last minute? Something was holding him back – a sudden realization, of sorts. Luke seemed to be watching him intently, as though…

Ah, so that was his fear. It was one that the ninja could personally understand. He had felt the same way in Saeng Seong, back when he first addressed Luke, and told him about having met his other party members at the faciilty. Then, it happened again with Sora, and they didn’t even get the chance to become reacquainted. Just from the way Luke was speaking to him, though, he already drew the conclusion that they did in fact remember each other.

Gaara, as usual, answered his question literally, “I am acquainted with both versions. However, I shared a closer bond with the Luke from Saeng Seong.”

“Closer bond” was an understatement… considering everything they had done together, back in that world. Of course, he wouldn’t think to repeat any of those details in a public setting. So long as he and Luke both possessed the same memories, it was fine. They wouldn’t need to explain anything else to each other.

His Moogle scampered forward and greeted her fellow kind with a happy smile, “Hello, kupo! Nice to meet you! Do you have a name yet, kupo?”

[headfons]

He would agree with the "closer bond" being an understatement, considering what all had taken place on a certain full moon.

The look of relief wasn't even remotely possible to prevent the appearance of. He...remembered him. They were from the same place. Neither of them were alone. With a light grin he was all but lunging himself forward, arms firmly wrapping around the smaller frame. This action served more than just one purpose. For starters, yeah, he liked hugging the other teen. The bigger reason, however, was for the sake of proving, to himself, that Gaara really was there.

Fingers curling to grip the fabric of the shirt on the other young man's back, he held that position for more than just several seconds. Almost reluctantly, he released the mage. Stepping back, he allowed his hands to linger on the other redhead's shoulders. A very tiny thought in the back of his mind was that he might very well...up and vanish. That all of it was too good to be true...

"I thought...for sure that I was alone," his voice came out quiet, but then he was speaking in one filled with relief, "But, you're here- even better, you remember," he added after the briefest pause, "...me..."

Ion returned the smile with a bit of reserve within it, "Hello, it's very nice to meet you, as well," he started, giving her a nod at the question, "I'm Ion. Luke said he picked that name, because I remind him of his friend from home."

He still didn't know the story...or why Luke had looked so sad; he didn't feel it was appropriate to ask. Something told him, though, that he should feel honored to have it. Which is why he accepted it with a smile.

[no_dreams_for_you]

Would Luke have preferred the label, “intimate bond” instead?

“…!”

The ferocity of his hug surprised the ninja, and he stumbled back several steps, before regaining his balance. Even despite the conversation they shared, prior to leaving their last world, and knowing how Luke felt about him… Well. He hadn’t expected such an affectionate gesture. Maintaining contact between them had been necessary, to fulfill the requirement. There was no such criteria, in this world.

Just as Gaara had recovered and was starting to return the embrace, Luke stepped back. Something resembling disappointment might have flickered across his face, but then quickly vanished. His hands still lingered over his shoulders, and he was about to respond, when someone in the crowd bumped into him from behind. Eyes widening, he was knocked off-balance again, and fell backwards. On reflex, his fists tightened over Luke’s clothing, and he ended up pulling the other redhead with him, carried by the momentum.

His breaths were shrill as his lungs struggled to take in air, initially. With a mild grimace, Gaara muttered quietly, “I’m sorry…” and then, after that apology, “Yes, I remember you. I should hope that we… possess memories of the same events.”

He missed having access to his sand abilities… for a number of reasons.

The pink-furred Moogle clasped her hands around Ion’s, still beaming with excitement and boundless energy. The complete opposite of her Hero companion, really. “Ion! Heehee, that’s a pretty name, kupo! Luke looks nice too! He has a bright smile! He must be good friends with Gaara, kupo!”

[headfons]

...Maybe.

Luke had never once maintained contact with Gaara...simply for the touch requirement. Not towards the end, anyway. If that were the case, he'd have simply resorted to resting a hand on the ninja's shoulder, at that time. If asked, he'd gladly clear that misunderstanding right up.

He attempted to brace himself against being pulled down, but he had...considerably less strength, than he'd had in the last world. That was going to take some getting used to. While he wasn't able to prevent himself from falling, he did manage to do his best to brace against the impact- he wanted to, at least, ensure he did as little damage as possible to the mage.

After shifting, a bit, so that he was propped on to one of his hands and knees, he paused at the apology. Blinking a couple of times, he grinned, "Heh, it's fine! It wasn't your fault--you just reacted."

The question of their memories, however, had his face freezing, for a moment. Slowly, a blush appeared as his expression softened. It was in that moment, the shock wore off, and notice was taken to the significance of their position. A hand lifted, and then he was running the knuckle of one finger down the side of Gaara's face. A couple of seconds passed, and then his expression was faltering as his blush brightened.

"Well, uh..." He paused, just for a moment, and then moved to stand, a hand reaching to help his friend stand, as well, "...I'd hope, since we remember the same place, that we remember the same...events."

Ion blinked in surprise, but didn't fight against his paws being taken, "K-kupo...You really think so? Thank you." Smiling with a bit less reserve, he gave a nod, "Luke really is nice, kupo! He seems really like smiling." Then, after a short pause, and in a thoughtful tone, "He's one of the people Luke mentioned not long after waking up. I'm sure they are good friends! Luke seems to have a lot of friends, kupo..."

[no_dreams_for_you]

It was nothing short of an embarrassment, but he was well-versed in concealing his emotions, at times. Though, the fact that Luke didn’t withdraw immediately, followed by the touch to his face… His stoic mask cracked, briefly, as his pale cheek flushed with faint color. It didn’t help matters to see Luke blush during this action. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and when they opened again, there was a sense of longing and yearning lingering within them.

Having known such little affection in his life, such gestures resonated with great significance, no matter how small.

And that short pause, with regards to their memories… Gaara was forced to turn his head away, as he worked to calm the sudden increase of his heart rate. He didn’t understand why his body was reacting in this manner, toward Luke… Or rather, he harbored suspicions, but hadn’t reached a concrete conclusion yet. There was still conflict in his mind, and it prevented him from reciprocating in the form that he wanted to.

After Luke pulled him up to his feet, the ninja continued to hold onto his hand. As he started to survey their surroundings, his stomach suddenly growled again, reminding him of his original quest for nourishment. The smells of various dishes were drifting through the air, enticing him to sample their taste.

“Master! You need to eat, kupo!” His Moogle scolded him just then, shaking Ion’s paws out of the excitement of the moment. “Luke! Please make sure he eats, kupo!”

Once that temporary distraction passed, she turned her attention back to Ion with a sweet smile. “Humans are so interesting, kupo! Is that how all friends treat each other?” She lifted one dainty paw and brushed it down Ion’s cheek, mirroring what Luke had done to her hero companion.

[headfons]

There were still things that he wanted to figure out, and it didn't help that they had things to...work out. They hadn't, really, had a chance to determine the state of their relationship. Both of them had reservations, regarding what they wanted to call themselves, to one another. For one, Luke still didn't know much about how relationships worked. He knew there was a thing called 'dating', but there were still a ton of questions floating through his mind, regarding that particular thing.

Seeing Gaara blush brought a faint grin to his lips, but he didn't say anything. He did nothing to pull his hand out of the other young man's, nor did he have even the faintest inclination to. There was a soft blink as he heard the request, however. Make sure he eats, huh? Reaching to scratch the back of his head, Luke nodded, "Right...Will do!"

After responding to the female creature, the redhead turned to look around them. Well, he still didn't know all of Gaara's likes and dislikes, but he did remember how the ninja had seemed to like the food he'd made, for him, "What kind of food are you in the mood for? I can show you all the places I've tried, so far, if you want."

In that moment, Ion returned the nameless moogle's smile, nodding at the mention of how interesting humans are. He...definitely agreed with that! Though, he couldn't help but curiously wonder about those two humans. The way Luke had spoken about Gaara, not long after his awaking, here, had been different. Kupo...

Humans weren't only interesting -- they were complicated, "I'm not really sure, kupo. Maybe we could ask them, when they're not busy!"

His head tilted to the side, just slightly, as he blinked at the action. Huh? A very faint fluttering sensation occurred, and his brow quirking. His smile turned a bit awkward, "Ah ha...kupo, I wonder what that even means..."

At that time, Luke was idly tapping his chin with a finger of his free hand, before slightly tightening the grip of his other hand. A light grin appeared as he gently began tugging Gaara over towards the place that he knew had some good food. After glancing towards the moogles, he looked back to his friend, "Wanna let them hang out, and get to know each other, for a moment? They look like they're having fun. We can call them, anytime, with this."

Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out the flute he'd awakened with, casually twirling it between two fingers.

OUTSIDE AN AWESOME RAMEN STAND

[kuramaless]

Naruto had found it. The most perfect ramen!

Okay, it would probably never match the high standards set by Teuchi-san back home, but after months of being away from Konoha and weeks of eating rations and boring healthy food this was luxury.

He'd finished his second bowl, and was more than happy to accept the very generous offer of a third on the promise that Naruto would eat it all. The guy had talked to him a little about entering some kind of eating competition, and Naruto only vaguely nodded whilst he looked around - taking a few steps back from the stand to let other patrons in.

The Moogle strangely named Mogsuke was sat on his head, and occasionally Naruto offered it bits out of his bowl. They'd already developed an interesting friendship over the short hours of the day, but this moogle was a creature after his own heart and had absolutely no qualms about spending this much time outside eating ramen.

It was just after he'd offered the moogle a long string of noodle that he grinned up at him, dropping his gaze and spotting, instantly - red hair, pale complexion, those robes. In a rush he spun around, looked for somewhere to put his bowl, gave up and thrust it toward Mogsuke, who took and was trying desperately to stay up with he held it and Naruto waved his arms above his head, eyes bright, grin huge, hurrying through the throng of people toward his friend.

"Gaara!"

[headfons]

While Gaara had been eating, Luke had explained about some of the things he'd seen, so far. He told him about the place where they had games and prizes, and mentioned the level of difficulty in some of them. Oh, right...he'd won something from one of them. Well, it wasn't something Luke had a use for. Why not give it as a gift? Wasn't that...something people did for someone they cared about? It made him happy to do nice things for people; the looks on their faces, and in their eyes always made it worth it. Just as he started to reach into his bag, he heard someone shouting the other teen's name.

"Huh?" Blinking as he looked up, he spotted an unfamiliar face.

Well, apparently the person was happy to see the ninja. Since the other teen hadn't talked much about his home world, the replica couldn't even begin to identify the stranger. Either way, however, Luke was more than happy to know the younger teen might have a friend, there. For starters, it would mean he'd have more people to talk to. With how he'd been, back in Saeng Seong, Luke had sometimes felt like pulling his hair out just from how frustratingly withdrawn Gaara could be. Look over to his friend, he asked, "Oh, is that a friend of yours?"

[no_dreams_for_you]

“…!”

That voice he recognized immediately… and momentarily froze in surprise. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure how to feel. The last Naruto that passed through the facility had been… disinterested, at best, toward him. The redhead would never stop respecting him, or take away any of his credit for opening his eyes. But he was certainly allowed to be apprehensive and even uncertain about how their interaction would unfold.

Distracted by the prospect, it took Gaara a few seconds to realize that Luke had asked him a question. After recalling it, he answered hesitantly, “Naruto is… a ninja from our allied village, Konoha. I would like to consider him as a friend. Though…”

Naruto had never outright declared they were friends, like he had done so passionately with his teammates. Gaara wasn’t one to force that type of bond onto anyone else. He even had to consciously remind himself that this Naruto might not be one of the many versions from the facility. Their bond could evolve differently, this time. If they were both willing.

Rising from his seat, Gaara turned to face the blond, being careful to conceal the mild sense of anxiety lying dormant within him. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop his expression from softening with hope. This was, after all, someone he truly admired. One of many people Gaara wanted to prove himself to, and show that he was different. He had changed. He wasn’t the monster he had once been, at the Chunin exam, and… the time prior to that.

“…Naruto.”

[kuramaless]

Gaara.

The feelings were intense, deep in his chest and yet seeming to spread right through him the more he thought about it. He had trouble, trying to organise his thoughts when it came to his friends, so many of them were in danger. He'd lost people already, and the thought of losing more of them had been a struggle to overcome.

At least, right here and now there was one solid truth. Gaara was here. Safe, and he would make the very most of that fact.

He bumped into someone he hadn't expected to suddenly appear in his way, but even that didn't deter him. Despite the wobble in his step, he regained enough composure to keep running. To his credit, he slowed down a little before impact, but there was absolutely nothing that would stop him from doing something that had once felt so outrageous. Gaara might complain, he might protest, he might get angry - but right now Naruto didn't care.

"Gaara." He muttered, three steps away from his friend. Both arms reached out in a flash, and he tried to slow down but still slammed bodily against the other, grabbing him around the shoulders and taking the Kazekage with him as he struggled to stay upright.

[headfons]

Though...?

Luke tilted his head, a bit, as he waited for Gaara to finish. Instead, he was standing. Green eyes drifted to the ground, a moment, as he thought on that. For some reason, his thoughts turned to Guy. He'd thought of him as his best friend, for years, to find out there were...certain feelings he'd held. Luke had wanted to immediately jump back to being best friends, but...

Well, his first thoughts were that he had no right to even ask for that. With what his father had done, Guy would have had every right to hate him, right? In the midst of his being, momentarily, deep in thought, he didn't notice the impact. Then, glancing up, he saw the crash of bodies, and then jumped to his feet, "...!"

Then, after blinking a couple of times, his brow tensed. O...kay, then...That definitely answered his question of whether, or not, they were friends.

[no_dreams_for_you]

…His back was beginning to ache a little, from hitting the floor twice in a short period of time.

Gaara didn’t mean to stumble back, but the force of that slam weakened his guard, and took him down after he was unable to recover. He had been much more durable with his sand defenses intact. Being without it, he realized just how vulnerable he was reduced to, at present. Scowling, he made a mental note to begin training the following day, so that he could become more physically resilient. He and Sai had held quite a few sessions together, but his body was… human, now. Weaker, susceptible to factors that he could have deflected, with his ninja abilities.

“Naruto,” he repeated with a visible grimace, “if this was an attempt to attack me… then I would advise you to try a more subtle approach.”

Hands curling over Naruto’s shoulders, he nudged him back, placing some distance between them. While the gesture wasn’t utterly unappreciated, Gaara didn’t expect this kind of greeting. It made his senses alarmingly alert, as though his body was preparing for a fight. Glancing over to the side, his eyes met Luke’s, silently noting the way he had risen so abruptly. The surprise that reflected within those green depths likely mirrored his own display of emotion.

[kuramaless]

Naruto wasn't sure what he'd expected, but for Gaara to fall like that, and well - perhaps he could blame it on a lack of chakra, but he was sure he had more coordination than to let them both take a trip right down to the floor.

He was laughing quite quickly after hearing Gaara's 'advice', and although he was being nudged back, Naruto was already in the process of finding solid grounding on the floor either side of Gaara's head to push himself up - eyes still bright with glee that matched his grin.

"Hey."

Gaara wasn't looking his way though, and he turned to see what he was looking at, catching sight of Luke. Whatever it was he thought he saw, Naruto was pushing up off the floor soon after, jumping to his feet - one planted either side of Gaara before he offered his hand.

"You just get here today, too? Who's your friend? Have you eaten?"

[headfons]

"..."

A brief memory of Anise surfaced as he watched the two topple to the floor. She'd always been super eager to wrap her arms around Luke, in the beginning, after all. That memory had a faint, sad smile tugging at his lips, just for a moment. Boy, did he miss his friends...

One hand lifted to scratch the side of his head, a frown immediately appearing. He couldn't have known what to expect of someone from an allying village, back on Gaara's world. Nevertheless, just from knowing the redheaded ninja? Him having friends, such as that, wouldn't have been an immediate assumption he'd have made.

Also, the incident served as a reminder of the guy's change in abilities. Without Gaara's sand abilities, he didn't have that cool sand shield, anymore. That was likely going to become a problem, for him, quickly...wasn't it? Really, Luke kind of felt bad for him. In a way, he had no idea how it felt to go your whole life with something, only to suddenly not have it. While he'd always had fonons, he'd only recently started learning how to use them. Essentially, things were...easier, for him.

Well, he certainly planned to assist him in defensive training, as soon as possible...

After watching the blond-haired young man return to his feet, the replica glanced down at Gaara, returning the look. Instantly, he offered a somewhat wry smile and moved a little closer; though, still giving them plenty enough room to move. After looking at the hand that was offered to the redhead, and then back to his friend, he offered a smile to Naruto, "I'm his-" he started, and then was left blushing.

Looking away, for just a moment, he cleared his throat. His...what? That actually hadn't been properly established, prior to their leaving Saeng Seong, "-yeah...His friend! We actually met in another world, before this one. I'm just grateful that I was lucky enough to wind up up here, together, with him." He said with a faint grin, before continuing, "My name's Luke. It's nice to meet you-...Naruto, right?"

He wanted to make sure he had the pronunciation down, since it wasn't much like any name he'd have heard on Auldrant.

[no_dreams_for_you]

His Moogle was laughing – Naruto seemed like a nice person too! Very enthusiastic and friendly. She felt surprised to see Gaara being taken off-guard, a second time. Flitting down to her hero companion, she offered her paws to him, just as helpfully. “You have nice friends, kupo!”

While rising back up to his feet, Gaara turned away for a moment, in an attempt to conceal the smile that was threatening to form over his lips. Even after all the time he spent at the facility, he was still surprised by the notion that he actually had friends. His father told him, long ago, that he would always be alone. Wouldn’t he be shocked as well, if he saw his situation at present…

His gaze settling back on Naruto and Luke, he nodded in response to the first question. “Yes. Both of us arrived recently.” And since Luke had already introduced himself… “We have eaten. I trust you have, as well?” A brief pause. “Did you visit every ramen stand in this district?” That was one common factor between the various versions of Naruto, at the facility.

Gaara quirked a curious brow at Luke for that notable pause… and the blush. Strange… was he feeling embarrassed about something? It couldn’t be the current temperature affecting him – the weather wasn’t hot enough.

“Naruto. Do you… remember the facility?” Because if not, then Naruto wouldn’t immediately comprehend the concept of there being other worlds in existence.

LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN SOBBING

[lodossknight]

It was odd, waking up in unfamiliar territory. (At least he wasn't kidnapped and held hostage again, right?) The once free knight was a little concerned with these recent turn of events. Was he not already working on ridding the world of chaos? Parn was well on his way settling disputes between nations so that The Grey Witch would no longer have any one to wage war against another. Accompanied him was a faithful companion whom he grew fond of, yet Deedlit was nowhere to be found here. Did they only take him? If so...why? She too, was a hero, as she had also accomplished saving Lodoss. This country was not familiar to him, nor does he recollect ever helping it. They surely had the wrong knight.

Then there was the moogle, and his strange new clothing. The now warrior thought it to be important to reach out to those like him. He might have been alone in the sense where he wasn't familiar with anyone here. But he was surrounded with those like him, experiencing the very same unfamiliarity he was. Suddenly being casted into a strange land with these claims of being a hero. Parn wasn't sure what was going on, but he was going to find out.

Not too long into his roaming, he did find another individual, though seemingly preoccupied with the food. But food was meant to share conversations, so Parn was not discouraged to approach him. "Excuse me."

[headfons]

So, after their reunion- as well as the rather interesting one between Gaara and Naruto, the two had resumed their conversation. Luke couldn't even properly express just how much of a relief it was...to have someone he knew, there. He was also very happy for his friend having found someone from his world- someone he was friends with, no less.

Enough time had passed, by that point, for his appetite to have returned a bit. Gaara had walked off, some time ago, to check something out. Luke was left, for the moment, with nothing more to do than to speak to Ion about the food. He was curious to try more things he'd yet to. So, there he was...curiously studying something he'd never seen, before. It was...strange-looking, in his opinion. Still, he'd try it...

With a brave face, he took a bite. Yeah, no...that was definitely not something he liked. Ugh, it must have had some kind of fish in it. The sudden greeting had him blinking up at the stranger, a curious look being given. Forcing his expression away from one of disgust, he managed a smile, "Hm?"

With that, he turned towards the darker-haired young man as he asked, "What's up?"

[no_dreams_for_you]

His Moogle had pulled him away for something that he deemed frivolous, after the fact. He didn’t believe that his future would be dictated by a fortuneteller… And he didn’t feel unnerved or affected by it, in the least bit. In spite of the fact that he had been told he would die. How… encouraging, indeed.

She didn’t seem perturbed either, happily munching on a dessert item that bore the appearance of a fish. It was filled with red bean paste, inside. Not being a fan of red bean, Gaara didn’t cast a second glance at it.

Returning back to where Luke had been, he caught sight of another individual speaking to him. A friend of his, perhaps? He didn’t recognize this individual as one of his former party members, but Luke had come from another world as well, prior to Saeng Seong. Gaara approached them cautiously, not wanting to disrupt their conversation.

[lodossknight]

To the contrary, Parn was very welcoming and accepting of others. Regardless of their background or personality. Even with Gaara's lack of involvement, Parn made sure to involve him because they were all in this together. Whether they liked it or not. He glanced at both of them before offering a warm smile upon greeting the two of them. Beside him, Alida, his moogle lingered. Parn was quickly growing use to his company.

"Good afternoon, gentleman. My name is Parn of Kanon, from Lodoss." He felt the need to state where he was from in the small chance that either of them might have come from the same place. In which case, they would recognize the names.

"I hope I was not disrupting the both of you." As a show of formality, being a knight, it was almost second nature to be polite and chivalrous. "Alida, my companion," Parn gestured to his moogle, already accepting him as one of his own. "seems to have told me everything he already knows. I was curious if you two might have more knowledge regarding this Heroes of Light foretold by this country's legends."

[headfons]

Luke smiled brightly at the ninja, upon noticing his return. After lifting a hand to wave him over, he glanced back over to the stranger. Once the young man introduced himself, Luke was giving him a friendly smile, "It's nice to meet you, Parn. I'm Luke."

He gestured towards his moogle, "This is Ion, and..." he started, and then gestured towards the other redhead, "...that's Gaara. No need to worry, either! You weren't interrupting anything." As for...more knowledge, "Uh...actually, I doubt I know much more than you do. Heh, I actually couldn't help but...laugh, a little, at the Heroes of Light thing..."

Considering what his name meant, back home. He sighed softly, before folding his arms over his chest. A somewhat reminiscent smile crossing his lips, as he fell silent. Try as he might, he couldn't help but miss home. Even if he wasn't entirely sure what his answer would be, regarding whether, or not, he wanted to go back. There were certain things stopping him from wanting to do that. For starters, he strongly recalled the feeling of his fonons separating.

i am so sorry for my late ass tag orz

[no_dreams_for_you]

Ever friendly, his Moogle immediately approached Alida and waved eagerly to him. “Hi! Would you like to try this?” She offered the uneaten half of her dessert to the other Moogle, while smiling warmly.

The formal address was something Gaara could identify with, given his own political position. He gave the other man a slight nod of acknowledgment, and then returned with, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Parn of Kanon.” He could already hear his brother lingering in the back of his mind, teasing him for “being such a stiff” as he would put it.

The ninja also made a mental note of “Lodoss” – though he had never heard of that country. Should he come across someone from that same realm, however, he could inform the person of a potential ally. His gaze quickly flickered over to Luke in silent gratitude for the introduction, as well as the reassuring answer.

“My Moogle and I watched a play that detailed the legend of past Heroes,” he informed them, “Though I have yet to confirm its validity. Four Heroes were summoned to combat the Calamity from the Skies. They were successful in their endeavor. However, the Warrior sacrificed himself to protect the Princess, due to their romantic involvement.”

Gaara tilted his head toward Luke, in open curiosity. “Is there something humorous about the title? I had presumed the Heroes were affiliated with light, since evil is typically associated with darkness. Opposing forces – it seemed rather fitting.”