I've A Home in Solitude

Separate by many and held in, he is a man with a kind heart but a soft-spoken attitude. He is quiet, and speaks not much, but means well when he tries to speak to others. He has sad eyes with an emotionless facade, yet holds no ill will to anyone. He is merely used to being alone. ((A closed off RP group for Taejin's Army, this blog is in no way connected to the canon of Final Fantasy 4. This is an AU blog.))

[ceciltaejin-blog]

I really want to apologise for not being here as of late. I really do. I will try to be more active, but I don't know if I can. So, again, I'm really sorry and I will try to initiate more Roleplays with the other members if possible

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Ruefully Quiet Companions || Sephiroth et Cecil

[sephiroth-taejin]

It was a wrong decision to try; Sephiroth concluded as the man before him started to fidget with his clothing uncomfortably and stumble on his words. If he was not mistaken, he even picked up the growl of a stomach, but that could very well be from his own body organ protesting to the lack of carbohydrates. It reminded him that they had yet to have their lunch, and by the looks of how this conversation was progressing, they probably would have to miss dinner as well. Opting to cut the discussion of allocating blame, he answered, after a long pause, “As you wish…Cecil. It is a pleasure to meet you as well.” Was that his surname? He frowned slightly a little, but soon, chose to let the matter go. For now.

He gave Cecil one last piercing glance before looking away at the shops to find a suitable restaurant for a quick lunch. He would have to enquire about the man’s full name later, as well as about his hometown. I am not hopeless after all; at least I know how to ask questions.

The phrasing of Cecil’s greeting was strange to him; it was oddly formal yet held a touch of intimacy at the same time. He did not know what to make of it. Perhaps it was the nature of this man that caused everything he said to have a certain sense of familiarity, or perhaps such was the custom cultivated in a tightly-knit tribe? He was suddenly reminded of the curious puppy-boy he had led around the headquarters…Kreiss, was it? Kreiss had told him about trust and it seemed that Cecil had been brought up the same way as well. He wondered if the people in Cecil’s tribe were as fair as him. Indeed, Cecil was fair, too fair to be considered as healthy, in fact; his eyes were blue and his hair white. From where Sephiroth came from, Cecil would definitely have been labelled as a person with albino disease. And snatched off the streets by scientists to be experimented upon, Sephiroth ended his thought with an inward sardonic smile. If the people in Cecil’s tribe were all albinos, then…

Shaking his head slightly to clear the sudden image of blood splashed onto white, surgical walls, he inquired the frightened and guilty and albino chocobo, “Where would you like to have lunch?” He had a sinking feeling that sooner or later, he would be treating Cecil like how he did for his own chocobo back in SOLDIER. Cecil’s height, as compared to his own, did not help to reverse this mental image that was etching itself onto his consciousness. It was odd that he would liken Cecil; Cecil, with white hair and blue eyes, to his black chocobo, a pure breed with black glossy feathers and ruby red eyes. However, they both possessed the courage to speak to him, the terrifying one, although their better natures must have been trying to convince them of otherwise. It was something that Sephiroth could understand and respect, even though he had never been placed in that scenario before. This degree of respect was enough to make Sephiroth think that Cecil was rather adorable…just like a chocobo. Back to square one, he sighed mentally.     

Hoping to quell the sudden urge to pat Cecil’s head, he avoided looking at the chocobo, no, man, in front of him as he waited for an answer, letting his eyes roam about the still-bustling marketplace. They eventually settled upon a yellow chocobo plush; how fascinatingly relevant, he thought; that a young child walking past was carrying, and continued to focus on it as the girl walked further and further away.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

The other seemed perplexed, and Cecil felt himself also become vexed when he had been given another one of the man's frightening stares. Trying not to cow away, he mustered up as much courage as he could and gave the other a tiny smile though he was a tiny bit scared. He had to not treat the other like a monster; after all, just like Cecil, he was a human. He was no Lunarian, though his silver-hair did remind him of some of the Lunarians that he had seen when he was back in his homeworld.

Not all of them had white or silver hair, and even though he did fit them, he still did not have their slightly tanned skin. He was too pale, and even though Sephiroth also was not as tanned as the men and women around them, he still had normal looking skin in comparison to Cecil and he gave a disgruntled frown as he stared at Sephiroth's chest (it... wasn't that hard, really) while thinking. He snapped out of his daze once the other had spoken, not even realising that he had spaced out and he gave the other an apologetic smile for just abandoning reality. It was difficult to stay focused sometimes when he was constantly thinking with nothing to distract him, so he hoped that the other would forgive him despite his tomfoolery.

"I'm glad." He pressed his palms to the front of his legs and did a very quick bow, standing and he did not even bother to straighten his back as he felt no need to look too strict or formal. Lunaria was a part of Gran Pulse that was very odd about its customs. They showed familiarity, but they were restrained in it. Hugging was sometimes seen throughout his hometown, but not a lot. They stressed more on being presentable and polite than anything. Even the tiniest movements that Lunarians did could mean anything. It was one of the main reasons why it was important for Lunarians to always be aware; they could accidentally break a small social routine and cause offence.

"Lunch-- oh. Well..." He brought his thumb up to his lower lip and gently prodded at it, looking around before his gaze fell upon a peculiar restaurant that looked interesting and exotic and he pointed towards it. "There, shall we try that one?" His voice, though still shaky, seemed a tiny bit more confident than it did before. When he looked back to Sephiroth, he noticed that he was staring at chocobo plush and as he reached to one of his sashes to make note of his gil, not even questioning why he was staring at it and he smiled with a bit of satisfaction when he realised he potentially had enough to buy the plush. Letting go of his small pouch and sash, he reached forward to tug at Sephiroth's sleeve to get his attention. "Shall we go?" He probably looked very ridiculous doing so to the male before him, but he could not help himself. It was something he used to do with his instructors and with Odin to get their attention when he was younger and still in Lunaria.

[yeultaejin-blog]

Mission Briefing 037: Saviours in Disguise | Cecil and Yeul

It was as if nothing had changed. The same hallway, the same people, the same reason for heading down to the briefing room. She, too, had barely changed since first joining the Army. Each step forward was one that carried the petite Medic towards the future, platinum-blue hair swinging, hips swaying ever so slightly. At the same time, her constant steps were an idiosyncratic characteristic, the slightest trait that allowed her enigmatic aura to be made clear to those who surrounded her.

Her yellow moccasins took her down the various halls until she stood before the doors of the briefing room. She tilted her head to the side, as if contemplating the door’s mahogany inlays, before raising both hands before her and pushing the door gently open.

Yeul took a step into the room, glancing around. It seemed as if there was still some time before the meeting started; Her partner had yet to arrive. The young girl selected one of the chairs and sat down, hands folded in her lap, waiting for the time to come.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

He had been dallying. He knew that eventually, he would be summoned to do his work as he should, having been inactive for far too long and it had gave him a small sense of security to know that he had not been taken into consideration yet, but even the most minuscule of people were to be noticed, even those who were quite apt at hiding away were eventually found here. Surreptitiously, he moved and avoided as best as he could, having taken his time to try and explore around Taejin and figure out where was where in case he were needed. After a few short moments, he had found himself before the entrance of the doorway and he placed his hands upon his hips, an expression of worry upon his visage and swallowed down the nervousness that had formed a lump within his throat.

Honestly, the Lunarian felt no accomplishment for having finally gotten his first mission, as it were, and he dropped his arms to his sides. Someone had already opened the door, which meant that his partner had already gotten here; had he kept them waiting for long?

Peeking inside, he noticed his partner there- a blue-haired girl. Her hair reminded him of the flowers near Lunaria, and he almost smiled at the memory and the nostalgia that it produced, but he managed to keep his face impassive and he closed the door behind him quietly before making his way to a chair as well and he seated himself, sitting a good distance away from the girl as he pointedly kept his gaze on the table, his hands pressed together and twiddling as he waited patiently for whoever that was to come and brief them.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Ruefully Quiet Companions || Sephiroth et Cecil

[sephiroth-taejin]

To Sephiroth’s surprise, the stranger bent to pick up the fallen éclair; he had not remembered its presence, or rather, its absence, till now. He could not fathom why the man would do that, since the éclair was inedible already. An awkward silence settled again between them, and the stranger tapped his right arm absently, thinking of his reply perhaps. Sephiroth wondered if he was being too intimidating again; his friends had mentioned that it was the reason why he could only interact with chocobo plush toys instead of the real creature. This stranger hardly looked like one; in fact Strife resembled the creature more; but gave off a similar aura of fear, with the additional feeling of guilt. He was used to this; he was bred with that exact purpose, but it sure made it hard for him to interact with anyone. It would not matter. Nothing did anymore.

After a while, he managed to pick up the other’s reply from the din of the crowd; the man’s voice was soft and gentle; a scholar’s trait. Was this stranger a scholar? Sephiroth eyed the stranger curiously; the stranger wore a sash over his exposed chest, then more fabric and some fur draped from his waist, partially covering his pants. What was most striking were the beads and jewellery that adorned his rather plain outfit. It was not a very convincing outfit of a scholar, but Sephiroth was very well aware of his ignorance; he scoffed at himself inwardly; and this might be a very scholarly look in the hometown that this man came from.

The man was trying desperately to sound calm and emotionless, Sephiroth noticed. He was succeeding for the most part, but it was the stranger’s misfortune that the person conversing with him was Sephiroth, who had been trained to read emotions since young. It turned out that the stranger was going to eat as well, and he asked if Sephiroth wanted to join him as repayment. Repayment? It was my fault, was it not?

The stranger sounded a little worried, and his eyes darted to the side to every once in a while. Self-consciousness; it was a trait that Sephiroth could understand well. When he was young he had realised that he was different from others, but he had learnt to take the attention and stares into stride and simply ignore them. He was made to be different. Those who wanted to befriend him would have to learn to accept this distinction about him, for he reasoned, why should he have to change himself to suit the views of the general public?

However, he was digressing. The stranger was waiting for his reply. After a short moment of hesitation, he nodded his reply and answered, together with a small polite smile, “Thank you for your offer. I would like that, but there is no need for repayment. It was my fault after all.” He hoped he could make the stranger more comfortable to himself in this way; whatever appetite he had cultivated with the éclair would definitely be lost if he had to dine with a frightened, and guilty, chocobo. He added, “May I know your name? I am Sephiroth.”

[ceciltaejin-blog]

It was just barely that Cecil had even managed to keep his gaze straight on the man before him. Aside from his visage, the man looked surprisingly homely and he wondered if he would make a good teddy; it was an odd thought, but he liked the idea of snuggling up against people that were taller than him; it was but one reason why he strongly enjoyed it whenever Baigan decided to be fatherly and take him into his arms, or whenever Odin would let him snuggle up against him when he was younger and afraid of the dark. Now, he welcomed the dark and the isolation it provided alongside how it was safe rather than scary. The dark held many things secret; both beautiful and ugly, yet they were well-hidden and when the beauties were found, they were objects to behold.

It had taken him some time to realise, but the silver-haired man before him was looking him over- rather... intently. It was as though he was studying Cecil for whatever reason and the smallest hints of a frown came upon his visage and his brow furrowed. Was... something out of place? He began to gently paw at his own body to see if something was wrong, fixing upon the pelt and correcting his sash, clothes and jewellery if need be, his hands reaching up to fix his headband and he wondered if he looked presentable now. He knew that he had been constantly chided on his inability to keep a consistent appearance for long when he was younger; being the adopted son of the clan leader always made people have such high expectations for you, and it was tiring. The homesick feeling churned in his stomach and he held back a groan as he realised that he was still very much hungry and his nervousness was making this worse.

Damnation. "Hm... Err..." He had been able to (very slightly) relax while fiddling with his own attire, and he made a mental note to do that more whenever he was beginning to panic. It helped calm him down (a little, though it was better than nothing), and it surprised him that it even worked in the slightest and he was able to at least manage a flustered smile at the other as he quite wondered how to respond. "We both bumped into each other. I had nothing within my hold, yet you had... that.... pastry-thing." Wow Harvey, don't you sound intelligent? He thought to himself bitterly as he glared down at the whatever in the name of Lunaria's god and goddess pastry that was sprawled on the ground. "At least let me try to make it up for you dropping that... thing."

Momentarily, he wished he had brought his polearm with him so that he could nudge the pastry away, but he decided that it would just make him seem odder and he looked at the man now named 'Sephiroth' (what a bloody scary name, can't this man just not have 'I'm horrifyingly intimidating' written all over his name AND face?) and he hummed before answering, his voice once again meek. "I am Cecil. Enchanted to meet you." Tradition had taught him to be polite and patient, yet it did not teach him how not to sound like an awkward child meeting his hero for the first time; though, he saw Sephiroth as everything but a hero. A stranger, definitely, with an oddly homely yet antipathique look to himself.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Ruefully Quiet Companions || Sephiroth et Cecil

[sephiroth-taejin]

He had decided to wander about the town again. There was something about the marketplace that intrigued him and subconsciously, he moved in that direction after he completed his training. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had not seen a marketplace before, and like all humans, he wanted to explore this new place. It was good then, this inclination. It told him that he was human.

Walking past the stalls, he did not pass them by as quickly as he had done before. This time, he slightly paused his steps to properly look at the wares and goods that were sold on each stand. There were the expected daily necessities such as ladles, pots and potions, but there were also unique items and jewellery, apparently brought to Oerba from different parts of Gran Pulse. What caught his eye would be the ones selling toys and stuffed chocobos and moogles. Gloved fingers would move to prod the red puffy ball atop a moogle’s head appreciatively, but he stayed far away from the toy airships and figurines. He remembered that when he was young, he had broken these mechanical toys because of his strength. Although he had much better control of it now, he would not take the chance. Besides, you are too old for toys now, he chided himself and retracted his hand.

As the hours passed, he began to realise that he had neglected his lunch. Again. He was not particularly famished, but even if he did not feel the need to eat, his body needed the carbohydrates. He moved towards the food section of the market, scrutinising the fruits and vegetables. He was not in the mood to cook a meal, thus off he moved again, to other parts of the market. The wares gradually varied from fruits and vegetables to meat and poultry, then to dairy products, bread, and other food that he did not recognise, as usual.

His ignorance was slowly beginning to exasperate him; was he so hopeless a student when he was young that till now, he could not recognise what this small breadstick-like thing was? He frowned openly at the offending delicacy, eliciting a giggle from the young female stall-keeper who had been shyly throwing glances at him while he inspected the unfamiliar food. She introduced, “It’s called an éclair; wanna try one?” She offered him a tray and out of courtesy, he took one with a small, faux-grateful smile, making the girl blush a deep red, allowing him to walk off without another question from the girl.

No, I am not from Oerba. I am from SOLDIER. I am a monster.

Deep within his thoughts, he walked, oblivious of his surroundings. However, as he walked, a person walked as well, and since they were heading in the opposite direction, they were set on a collision course and thus, the stranger collided with his chest. Usually he would have avoided the collision, but his mind was far away, too far away, at that moment. The collision was not enough to cause him to fall over, but he was staggered out of his thoughts and it knocked a bit of breath out of him. The uneaten éclair, needless to say, was dropped onto the dusty ground.

The stranger stepped up to him and seemed to be on the verge of saying something, but for some reason, he did not speak. Sephiroth filled the silence between them and started instead, “I am sorry.” It was his fault for not paying attention to his surroundings, thus he had to apologise. “After giving the stranger a quick once-over, he did not see any major injuries but still, he asked, just to be sure, “Are you injured?”    

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Something had fallen from the silver-haired man's hands, and he, without really thinking, knelt down to pick it up and see what it was, but he decided against it when he realised that it looked... edible, in a sense. It would have probably looked better if it was not laying on the ground looking like some sort of mess and even if it did not, it still would have been very disgusting of him to kneel down and just offer the food back to the other like some sort of moron. His brows furrowed, the Lunarian standing up after a few seconds and despite his inner self-reprimanding, he felt apologetic. The bump into the other's chest must have knocked his food over and he wondered if he had managed to accidentally offend the other. His left hand came to grasp at his right arm, his fingers tapping it a bit nervously at the thought, the male beginning to slowly lose himself in his imagination of possible events if that were the case. The other's voice abruptly brought him back into focus of reality and the male felt a bit more intimidated from hearing him talk. He had a strong voice, surely, even when he was trying to engage in casual speak and it reminded him of Baigan's voice.

It was strong, just like it had to be if he wanted to be an instructor, and he wondered if the male before him had taken lessons from Baigan on how to be accidentally intimidating. He would not be surprised if it were not for the fact that he fully gave himself a full good look of the other and he was quite sure that no one of such attire had every visited Lunaria. Better; there would have been a commotion if they had. "Do not apologise." His voice was tiny and meek in the surrounding of the market, full of people as it were, and he cursed himself for his soft-spoken nature. It was not as if he could raise his voice up any higher, and he only hoped that the stranger would be able to hear him well as he once more responded. "No, I'm fine. It was just a mere bump..."

Gentle blue eyes fell back down upon the odd... pastry (he guessed) on the ground and he shuffled his feet awkwardly a little, his hand rubbing up and down on the arm it rested upon before he let it fall from it and clasped both hands in front of him to keep himself occupied with his hands and not worry. "I'm sorry, it seems that I've made you accidentally drop your food..." He kept his glance upon the newly found pastry on the market floor and he mustered up as much strength as he could to try and sound convincing with his proposal; he should make it up to the male, somehow. "I myself was looking for a place to eat. Would you like to accompany me? It's repayment." He was proud of himself for not struggling with his words nor stuttering, and he had to pat himself on the back. His social interactivity had managed to become better, somewhat, and it was less noticeable now his very twitchy personality. He was just lucky that he could put up an emotionless facade as he looked back up at the genuinely frightening man with a blank gaze; he hoped that his anxiety would not show. The place was crowded, and trying to stand here and talk to him was a bit worrying; they probably looked very much out of place like this, and he wondered if the people of Oerba were like those of Lunaria.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Ruefully Quiet Companions || Sephiroth et Cecil

It was one thing to find himself being overwhelmed with people, but it was another to find himself wondering senselessly through the endless markets that seemed to line this part of Oerba. It was horribly vast with many things for sale that Cecil was unsure if he wanted to purchase or not; he had always had a knack for miscellaneous objects and even more so if they were pretty items or just adorable. It was one of the main reasons why he had jewellery with him; he could not resist knick knacks or anything that was just... attractive to his eyes.

He was not too comfortable with his setting, however, and the gnawing anxiety that he had would constantly spike and decrease whenever an Oerban got close and he was honestly beginning to get frustrated with himself. The Oerbans were more concerned with the merchandise than they were with him but the paranoia that had accumulated during the years would not let him rest easy.

The scent of food caused his thoughts to halt alongside nearly forcing him to skid to a stop as he realised that he had found himself near the restaurants and fruit vendors of the market area. It was a nice smell, though it was nothing compared to the food back home (though that was in the past now, he guessed. He would never be able to eat Manyu's cooking again). It still made him realise that he was quite famished- he had not really eaten much since waking up and he had been much too distracted to even realise that yes, he was hungry. He dawdled a little bit in his spot before he once more decided to move forward only to realise, quite belatedly, that someone was walking nearby and that he had rather unceremoniously bumped into his chest.

By the God and Goddess, the man was abnormally tall, even given that Cecil was really short. He had not hit the other hard enough to cause them both to fall over, but it had still disorientated him and he nearly flailed and fell backwards on his own accord, yet stepped back and he felt like he had to apologise, but not even the apology would leave his lips as the other had such intimidating eyes.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Breaking Through | Luneth et Cecil

[lunethtaejin]

Luneth slowly formulated a plan of attack as he advanced. The polearm was balanced towards him, and its reach ensured that Luneth wouldn’t be able to strike without first making some attempt to divert it. It was a highly defensive weapon when used correctly, and could bring sword-wielders to heel with little effort if they were not careful. In some tougher encounters in his travels, Luneth had learned that having a valid opening gambit would ensure a strong entrance and possibly an edge in battle while still allowing for flexibility once the battle unfolded. 

He drew the scene in his mind:  advance, right beat, right slash, disengage, change guard, left feint, right thrust. These opening strokes would put him in a position of offense while hopefully allowing some room in Cecil’s defense for said offensive to succeed. Luneth put his plan into action.

Reaching Cecil’s position, he left the Tyrfing in a mid-guard while the Royal Sword flew towards the polearm to search for balance. After the beat, he slashed towards the end of the polearm to hopefully knock it away before changing his guard and putting the Tyrfing towards the polearm. He feinted a moulinet with the Tyrfing, trying to confuse the direction of Cecil’s defense before changing guards again and lunging with the Royal Sword. 

[ceciltaejin-blog]

He took a few, tiny steps to the sides as he waited for the other's battle tactic, yet it seemed that he was being passive for now. It only made the male suspicious; he seemed very much lively when they had begun the battle, yet he had not attacked. He was surely planning something, and Cecil- unaccustomed to his adversary's battle tactics- was unsure of what to do. He himself had decided long since to play as passively and defensively as possible, but he was sure that with the other's blades drawn that the male before him was more than likely going to be an aggressor.

This was going to be difficult, he could already tell. Then, the male had begun to move and Cecil found himself surprised for he had not been paying attention- his guard had been let down momentarily and he barely managed to even block or dodge the attacks. His grip on his polearm was still tight- he was not going to be use Ragnarok, he hoped not, and he panicked a little when it was nearly thrown away from his hands and he had just barely, and he meant it with barely, managed to keep it from being flung out of his grasp. What was the other doing exactly? He couldn't tell but he had been definitely caught unexpected and he found himself being forced back and into an uncomfortable position. Where was his next going to be from? His eyes kept darting between the two weapons; he was unused to an enemy using more than one weapon. A creature used its claws, surely, but even then it was easy to tell what attack person a creature was to have.

This was... not good. His stance had completely been thrown off only because he had not been paying attention and he had to wonder if the other was going to attack once more- he would have no time to think of a strategy and he looked around, trying to find an area to hopefully dash to. Maybe he could charge forward and throw the male off-guard as well? He was sure he could do that- some foes would be thrown off by a sudden charge, so Cecil braced himself and angled his polearm slightly so that it would be in a position to much more effectively use to confuse the other just like how he had disorientated Cecil. It would be a good way to give himself some time to try and formulate a response to his attack and understand, more effectively, what he would try to do. He had so far been able to get that he had tried to force Cecil to unsheathe his sword. Had he already understood what the Lunarian was doing? If he did, then he had sorely underestimated the other. This was going to be a rough-battle, he could already tell.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Breaking Through | Luneth et Cecil

[lunethtaejin]

“Of course. Don’t hold back now!”

Luneth drew the Royal Sword from its sheath at his waist and reached for the horizontal sling of Tyrfing behind his back. The double-edged blade of the Royal Sword gleamed in the moonlight, and he enjoyed the familiarity of the sword’s weight in his hand. He had trained with a rapier in classical fencing before moving on to edged weapons, but his personal rapier had been forged and decorated similarly to the King’s, and Luneth had adjusted well both to the appearance and design of the weapon. His Majesty’s (Luneth’s father’s) sword was ornate and encrusted with gold trimmings that elongated the crossguard. The sword was beautiful, but it was not created to rust on a mantle, as King Amaut had well proved. The weapon’s blade was strong and of an average reach, ending in a sharp point to facilitate thrusts as well as slashes, but balanced well at the base above the gilt chappe. The numerous scratches and chips that adorned the flat of the sword just outside the fuller attested to its wealth of experience in combat. Luneth felt at home every time he found it in his grasp.

The Tyrfing had taken a lot of getting used to, on the literal other hand. It possessed one honed edge that sloped gently into a more drastic curve at the tip of the blade, and as such was suited more to slashing and cutting than thrusting. Luneth had used only the Royal Sword at first in combat situations while he wandered Gran Pulse, but gradually found an interest in the use of a sword in his left hand. Each night before turning in, he had gone over his sword exercises using both hands, switching the Royal Sword from his right to his left and vice versa. Once his left arm had become strong enough, he began training with the Tyrfing. The weapon’s balance was radically different from the Royal Sword, and it had taken almost all of the time he spent traveling to become equally proficient with either hand, let alone the differing weights of each sword. Eventually, Luneth could manage wielding both swords at once (rather shakily), but it wasn’t until he worked out a system of one blade being ready to attack and the other firmly rooted in defense that he truly excelled in the art. 

Cecil made no move towards the vicious-looking blade at his own hip, but seemed as if he were going to use his polearm solely as a weapon. This was excellent news for Luneth, as he had never faced a human wielder of long weapons before. Cecil was rather scantily clad and this fact combined with his choice of weapon would allow Luneth to utilize a two-sword combination quite effectively. Remembering the dominant tactic in two-sword fighting, Luneth held the Tyrfing forwards from his hip and the Royal Sword pointed towards the enemy from his shoulder and closed in to deliver some opening strikes. 

[ceciltaejin-blog]

He said nothing, but the tiniest of smiles settled itself upon his lips. He had not agreed for he was fully intent on holding back and not fighting. If he had to, he would try to draw him back with blows at times, but he would not chance himself to doing such a thing. His fingers flexed as his grip on his polearm tightened and he adjusted his stance. When Luneth's choice of weapon was unsheathed, he had to stop a bit and admire the craftsmanship on it. True, he had not seen such a blade before but he was not one to deny the beauty in weaponry. Having grown up and being taught by a mentor that was a weapons maniac had made him a grow a fondness for weapons of any sort; even the supposed unconventional ones perked his interest. He was not sure where the weapon was forged and he noted that should Luneth forgive him after the spar that the Lunarian should more than likely question him about his origins and try to gain the courage to poke him even more about the weapon.

The decoy had already decided that the male was some sort of royalty (had to be) and he would not be surprised if the male was from somewhere prestigious. This would be interesting and he had to make sure to try and keep tabs on every subtle movement of the other; if they were to somehow end up on a mission together at one point or another, Cecil would rather be more familiar with how he fought. There really was no reason for it other than the fact that the more knowledge that Cecil was able to accumulate, the more he would be able to be lax around the other and place his trust upon him. It might even help him read his movements more, though he doubted it heavily.

The polearm, so simply made with nothing but a few engravings upon the wood, was then pointed towards Luneth as Cecil tensed, the male unmoving and rather, he waited patiently for the other to do the first strike. For Cecil, not clothed in the most appropriate of battle wear he was, it would be foolish to rush in and initiate the first move; especially when he did not know how fast and cunning the other could be. This would be tedious, he could already tell, but he wanted to be prepared and would rather have the silver-haired male before him have the honours; he did initiate the battle, after all. In quiescence that they both were, Cecil mentally murmured a prayer to the God and Goddess above as an attempt to ease the anxiety that he held.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Breaking Through | Luneth et Cecil

[lunethtaejin]

Cecil was peculiar, to be sure, but Luneth tried to focus on finding his way back to the headquarters building. He had only been there a few times, but the guards there were very courteous and it seemed as if they had a good deal of respect for active soldiers. Funny that the ones who guarded Luneth’s superiors regard him as superior in any aspect, but he didn’t question it. They were friendly enough, and Luneth had gotten well-acquainted with a few of them when he was escorted out of a restricted area his first day on the job. Exploring is fun…

There was a large clock built into the side of a building up ahead, and Luneth remembered that the small gate leading into Taejin sector was nearby. Cecil had been awfully quiet, but Luneth didn’t mind. If they truly were comrades, there was a good chance they might have time for conversation later on. An interesting conversation topic that Luneth resolved to bring up later on was Cecil’s resident title:  Lunarian. He remembered from his teachings as a boy that luna was another term for the moon, and that his own name had roots in the same term. He had never thought that his name held any relevance as to his life; after all, he could just as well have been named Bobba or Jimma.

He had learned from his mentor in Erol, however, that resident names had very specific meanings. They denoted what community the individual belonged to, a key detail that factored into the impression they made on others. Luneth had come across a few resident titles during his travels of Gran Pulse that stuck rather well; names like Paddra, Genso, and of course, Oerba; he had never heard mention, however, of a Lunarian community. It was apparent that the name had something to do with the moon, but Luneth couldn’t imagine what that something might have been. He eyed Cecil as they walked, noting how the man’s features were clearly illuminated even in the relative darkness of night. The streetlamps were spaced rather far between, and Luneth wasn’t quite sure where that glow was coming from. For a moment, it seemed that Cecil’s skin itself might have been glowing, but perhaps it was just the light of the moon reflected off of his pale skin. 

By this time, they had reached the gate to the Taejin sector. Luneth motioned to Cecil and hoped the soldier would wait there. He approached the checkpoint station where a single guard stood operating the gate, and inquired about the status of the fountain square. 

“There hasn’t been much activity in the square, sir. The hour is late, so that’s not quite surprising. I can let you through to HQ if that’s what you want.”

Luneth explained that he and his companion were seeking to blow off some steam with a midnight spar, and lied about the sparring rooms not being open at this time of night. The guard seemed to believe him, and agreed to keep watch over the square to make sure that no one interrupted the match. Luneth was glad that this particular guard was so amicable. 

As the metal frame of the gateway parted itself to reveal the simple square and the diamond-shaped fountain that occupied its center, Luneth strolled forward and took up position on one side. He waited for Cecil to take up position as well. This would be his first real spar since he had undertaken classical instruction in swordsmanship back in Erol. As such, Luneth reviewed the ‘politically correct’ code of ethics that had been instilled in him as a Prince. Respect all those you would challenge, and likewise respect your challengers. He recited the parameters of chivalrous behavior when confronted with a duel. You both pursue attainment through the bearing of arms; in this, you are comrades. Hold evident this fellowship without battle’s context, and your foe will respect you within.

He smiled and saluted his foe.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

His eyes barely wondered off from the front, though he did glance at the clock that seemed to loom over them and he frowned. Though there were hours many, he wished not for them to pass. The night was a comforting time for him; it was at that time where Cecil used to hide within his old clan's village and write within the heavy notebook that he had kept. He regretted not bringing it with him, but he had wished to cast it aside for it would certainly bring up memories alongside nostalgia and homesickness that would only make him a burden rather than a help, and it was the last thing he wanted even if he was too nerve-stricken to speak to most of the people within his new 'home'.

His gaze returned back to the way before them, though he chanced a glance over to Luneth and he furrowed his brow when he noticed the other looking him over but he shrugged it off. He was a tactician, maybe? Smart men were; Baigan was one of them. A smart man that was a great tactician- he was respect, even father Odin respected him, and Odin was very hard to read more often than not. His hand came up and he grasped at the necklace that his father had parted him with, his grip tightening so much so that his knuckles shook a little and he dropped his arm to the side after a while. Though he brought not his notebook, he was not going to leave the necklace behind. He was never going to leave the only memory of father he had left behind, even if they upset him and made him wish to weep. Even Baigan was not held in the same regard as Odin; though, he had always suspected that Baigan disliked him.

Leaving his thoughts to rot, he nearly missed the signalling that the silver-haired male (temporary sparring partner) had given him and he almost skidded to a halt and fell forward, though he had managed to keep his balance and at least not make a fool of himself in front of the other. He looked away and up, gazing at the moon that glowed with its luminescence and he smiled. It was beautiful, and he remembered climbing up some of the trees surrounding Lunaria territory and squatting on the branches when he was younger and just admiring the stars. He used to think of them as little creatures in the sky that loved humans and wished to give them their beauty. Though he had grown over that notion (childish as it was, to be expected from his age really), he still believed them to be beautiful. Naively, he reached up to try and grab at one star but he was immediately stopped by a noise that called to his attention.

His head turned towards the source of the noise, noticing the parting doorway and he hastily fell back into step with Luneth that had pranced on in. He did not ponder over it much, going over to the other side of the square as the male had done so; his face expressionless and he balled his hands into fists and pressed them together in front of him, one foot going back and upon the apex and he knelt into a respectful bow before getting up and reaching behind to grab at his polearm.

He was not going to be using Ragnarok; this was not a case of 'distract and avert', nor did he want to hurt the other. His polearm was made of sturdy wood, and he was going to be using it as a defensive weapon. "Shall we begin, Luneth?" 'Be light on your feet, Cecil, and try to take him in as quickly as possible.'

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Breaking Through | Luneth et Cecil

[lunethtaejin]

The larger man seemed to eye Luneth suspiciously before casting his starry gaze about the area and remarking that it wouldn’t be suitable for their fight. He had seemed to accept the duel, but it was clear that he wasn’t looking forward to showing whatever skills he had, wishing to delay the match by moving to a different area. All the more interesting for when the duel came to a head, Luneth decided. Luneth didn’t usually think out his plans too carefully, and presently realized that a duel played out in an open square could possibly upset the nearby villagers, especially on a beautiful night like tonight where lovers and loners were out strolling the darkened city to gaze at the stars and reminisce.

Luneth had intended to leave bright and early that morning to see as much of Oerba as possible, but the trip he had taken to the mines the other day with Ingus had tired him more than he thought. He had slept in for most of the day, and woke up around supper-time. Luckily, he hadn’t been expected for training at the camps in the next few days, but he was slightly disheartened by the late hour as he had went out to explore the village. Still, the chill of the night brought color to his cheeks and the sky was a deep purplish-black.  “Right, then. If we head over to Taejin sector, I can have the guards clear the fountain area to be our dueling ground.” He had passed the fountain on his way into the town proper as he left HQ, and hadn’t thought much of it. The fountain was a crude, squat thing that couldn’t be called ornate, but it had a certain blank aesthetic to it, like a fresh piece of paper waiting for the pen that would bring it to life. A perfect place for flashy duels between strangers, Luneth thought. He wouldn’t have imagined anything would happen as interesting as meeting the pale figure under that beautiful night sky and proposing a duel by moonlight. 

Walking forwards, his hand moved away from one of his sword sheathes and he extended it for the stranger to take. “Call me Luneth Sarvielle Erol. The fountain area’s this way.” He beckoned the pale warrior, trying as hard as he could to hide his sidelong stares. Gazing at the man’s strange features filled him with a growing curiosity. He would certainly examine the pale warrior’s battle style in their duel, but the man’s rare looks bestowed a sense of mysteriousness and seemed to draw Luneth to him. Questions raced through his mind.  Where did this man come from? Why was he here at this late hour? What was his story? What kind of man was this? Luneth walked silently towards the fountain area. The pale man seemed reserved and very cautious in his judgment. His eyes were stern, but Luneth saw the vulnerability somewhere beneath the surface, and he got the impression that this man had suffered at the hands of the world, and was more than happy to shut it out as often as he could. When this was all over, Luneth sincerely hoped he wouldn’t be shut out like the rest of the world…

[ceciltaejin-blog]

The quiet was welcome even if it was for a while, and he continued to gaze at the slighter man as he waited for the silver-haired male's response. He was odd and very much energetic despite it being so late- weren't people usually so tired this time of night? Yet he seemed very much awake to put it blankly, and he even requested a fight from him. He had to wonder if like him, he was a bit nocturnal. The question did not even find itself upon the tip of his tongue as the tribesman was not too keen on engaging in conversation for long. When the male spoke finally, his arms dropped to his side and he once more nodded in response. "That sounds better than here." His voice was meek, barely being carried through by the mild wind in the air.

He had not bothered exploring the sector of his recruitment place, really attempting to mostly stay away from anyone that would try to train with him as he had not really gotten used to this area yet. The Lunarian had really been hoping to wonder around and learn more, take it all in and become comfortable. "Please, lead the way." Politeness was a must, he repeated to himself. Be polite, he was also being polite and kind as to not cause their duel of offences to become worse. It was best they keep it quick and not exert themselves too much and it would be easier to heal any injuries should they get any.

He doubted that he would be able to do much damage upon the other, and his attention was brought back to him when he spoke again and had extended his hand. Rather awkwardly, he reached out and jerkily and curtly shook his hand, quickly retreating it and he rubbed at his opposing arm with the hand that he shook with. "I'm Cecil Harvey, from the Lunarian clan." His response was mechanic, sounding practised as he had reiterated it to many people while signing up for the Taejin's Army. Rather needlessly, he noted that Luneth's name sounded fancier and elegant; he had to wonder if he was someone important with that name, and he felt something plummet into his stomach. Sometimes, he despised his looks.

The introductions were done and over with, and Cecil did not relax- no, rather, he felt even more tense as he quietly followed after the male that had begun to take the lead- something that he was grateful for. He had fallen beside him, not much ideas for conversation hitting his head as the ivory-haired male kept looking around with a distracted gaze, though it was not really what he meant to do. He just merely wanted to take in his surroundings. Maybe when he had the time (And hopefully the wealth for it), he would find something to write with and into.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Breaking Through | Luneth et Cecil

[lunethtaejin]

Luneth stretched his arms high into the brisk Oerban air. Strolling about town had been quite the interesting event so far, but he was rather unsure of his surroundings and still had no idea what there was for a soldier to do off-base in Oerba. He had taken to simply resting on ledges and benches until an armed pedestrian caught his eye. Luneth had watched the peculiar wanderer in silence for a while as the man turned himself around and retraced his route multiple times. It seemed as if he was just as lost as Luneth himself was in Oerba, but the rover didn’t seem to mind one bit. 

The man’s clothes were simplistic blue and purple cloths with robing that left parts of his skin bare, and apart from a few instances of jewelry, he blended in with the more traditional Oerban citizens well. There were a few interesting traits he carried, however; His skin and hair were ghost-white, his lips tinged purple, and his eyes shone with a brilliant blue that seemed to magnify his gaze tenfold. Slung across his back was a wooden polearm, but Luneth couldn’t determine whether it saw the same use as the gleaming sword the man also carried. It was uncommon to see weapons on civilians, and Luneth hadn’t seen this man at the training camp.  If he was a part of Taejin’s Army, he was either a bumbling neophyte (not unlike Luneth himself) or quite the curious veteran. I’d love to see a weird guy like that in action, he mused. He remembered all of the recruits he’d seen at camp that often paired up to spar. Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two…  As the meandering albino made his way into the square once again, constantly turning and eyeing his surroundings like a puppy, Luneth jumped down from his perch and rested his hands on the sheath of the Royal Sword. “Hey, you!” he shouted. “Let’s have a duel, shall we?” 

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Needless to say, the pale man turned his head to where a voice had called out to him- normally, he would have ignored such a calling, but the moment he heard the word 'duel' his entire mind shifted into gear and he had to look at the silver haired man with what he hoped was a guarded gaze whereas internally, he was worried. He was armed, just as Cecil was, and he didn't quite know what to do as he looked at his face and then his blade, constantly moving back and forth before the two as he pondered on what to do.

He wished to refuse, but the Lunarian influenced part of him was rearing its head up, prideful and angered at himself than the person before him that he may or mayn't have offended the odd looking man before him (well, he looked odd to Cecil). He was not sure if that was how other people dressed, but his attire surely did throw Cecil off and he had to keep himself staring for too long as he held back a grimace and nodded curtly towards him at his declaration. Was he wearing leather? He couldn't tell, but just like Cecil, he was dressed in bits of purple. It wasn't really comforting, if he were to be honest.

"I can't... say no." It may have seemed like a proud statement if it were uttered differently, but with his tone of voice it sounded more like some sort of admission of a rule than anything. During his time at the clan, he had learned that he should not openly fight anyone unless on the training grounds or he had accidentally offended them, then they were to either duel each other until they got better or that they were able to get past their argument.

His lips curled downwards finally, the male not all that great at holding his face emotionless and he looked around as if to assess their surroundings, a bit of displeasure on his face as he struggled to search for the correct way to word his sentence without sounding rude and offending the silver-haired male even more. "I don't think it's a good idea we fight here, though." If they were to walk to somewhere better, it would give the Lunarian much more time to prepare himself. He didn't want to fight the violet eyed male (his eyes were outstanding, he had to admit that belatedly) and as per his training, he rather block and dodge. He just hoped that it would be enough to carry him through the fight.

[ceciltaejin-blog]

Breaking Through | Luneth et Cecil

Wondering around aimlessly, Cecil found himself at a bit of a loss within the town. His polearm rested almost heavily upon his back and the male found himself having difficulties trying to navigate around the place. There were not many places that he was familiar with (if not any at all), and he knew that people must think that he looked absolutely ridiculous with how he seems to be wondering around like a lost puppy, searching for his way around yet finding nothing.

He had just been accepted within the Army (though he could not quite pinpoint why he even wished to be part of the army) and yet he had not much to do; he guessed that they must be sitting fine right now, and if he were to be the honest? The Lunarian was more than comforted by the idea of not having to interact with people, though he felt guilt for not having spoken to anyone yet.

It was cowardly of him, but for now? He was just perfectly content with wondering around tan, doing nothing but think and ponder and muse, his arms crossed in front of him as the beads upon his traditional garments and in his hair clinked together a little, the sound not loud enough to bring attention to him but he guessed that with his rather... odd looks, he was going to get gazes on his person anyway. He would shrug them off; he was used to them from the Lunarian clan, after all.

For now, he was going to let himself be stuck in his own imaginary world while just walking in circles senselessly, attracting a lot of eyes upon his person and he did not quite care. As long as no one began to call out to him like when he was in the Lunarian clan, then he was fine.