Sasaxia: “This One likes Sneaky Sneaks!” Sasaxia cheered before leaning backwards, getting comfortable. “But This One is no good at listening. Tall Ones have sillyspeak.”
Erimmont: “Mon-Tee think so too. Like Sylph-talk better. More fun.”
Madelaine somewhat clears her throat at that, guilty of the silliest speak, according to Grey.
Erimmont laces his arms around the girl as though she were a doll, even lightly bouncing his knee a bit for her.
Sasaxia: “Mhm! This One will never get Tall One-speak. But does not need to! Are okay to understand.”
Erimmont: “Well, Mon-Tee promise not use Tall One-speak with Sasaxia. Our secret, yes yes?”
Sasaxia: “Mhm! Secret with Mon-Tee and Maddy~! This One likes secrets. Has many secrets~!”
Madelaine: “I believe with time, you will be able to listen well, Sasaxia. And even were you to do so, we do not mind your Sylph speak. You can speak freely here, in your home.”
Erimmont rolls his eyes, lowering his head to whisper to the Sylph. “Sasaxia and Mon-Tee need teach Maddy proper Sylph-speak. Hurt Mon-Tee’s head.”
Madelaine has to bite her lip to keep from bursting out laughing.
Sasaxia: “Tee-hee~! Could use tricky trick to trap and teach!!”
Madelaine: “Oh, gods. Saying that will make Monty too excited, Sasaxia.”
Erimmont gasps, peering at Maddy while still whispering to Sasaxia. “Mon-Tee think she has idea of tricky trick. Best wait and make surprise in-case she know.”
Sasaxia nods furiously.
(I was struggling to find a way to write this out - I know it’s not exactly in accordance with the prompt, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.)
She wondered if she were making a mistake. This wasn’t how a leader was supposed to act, especially not when the morale of the company was in ruins as it was. She was supposed to bury the dead, mourn in private, and move on.
But she had no intention of doing any of those things. Not as of yet.
There had been times when she would go out on a hunt in the East Shroud for days, tracking a particular mark or slaying certain troublesome creatures for a bounty. In that time, she’d often wondered - fantasized, even - about how close she might be able to get to Castrum Oriens. To Ala Mhigo.
The bundle in her arms was far too light. Maybe they were both as close to home as they ever would be again.
The lights of the castrum blinked into view through the trees, resolving into an ever steadier presence as she approached. The sheer size of the fortress might have astounded her in any other circumstance. She followed a worn trail for her approach, the same path used by soldiers and magitek reapers as they began their daily rounds of the forest. She was more than visible in the faint light of predawn, she knew, but she did not shy out of sight. She continued forward until every Garlean stationed atop the wall had their eyes fixed either on her or on the thick folds of blankets she carried.
They watched her, their whispers and mutterings inaudible from where she stood, until one word made its way to her through the hush of the early morning.
Riskbreakers.
"You know who I am,” she called, and she swore that the Shroud itself fell silent to hear her. The Garleans stirred into action, many of them readying long-range artillery or else running to and fro to relay orders. “You know who I am, if not why I’m here.”
They may have taken Ala Mhigo from her, but they had not taken the Shroud from Sasaxia. Not fully. They had taken her from the Shroud, and that somehow felt far worse. The blankets fell, and she let them fall, let the Garleans observe the tiny figure clad all in green and red in her arms. She was very clearly dead, if only a few hours gone, but the remains of a smile could still be seen on that beautiful little face.
“And what of her, you whoresons? Is she familiar to you?!” Incredibly, the flurry of activity within the castrum increased at those words. “The one you shot down for no reason other than because you could?! DO YOU KNOW HER?!” The Twelveswood sat perfectly still, even as the walls of Castrum Oriens roared with noise, and somehow she knew that she was heard by all. “HER NAME WAS SASAXIA, AND SHE WAS A SYLPH! SHE LOVED DANCING AND STARLIGHT AND PLAYING TRICKS ON HER FRIENDS, AND SHE WANTED TO KEEP HER HOME SAFE FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!”
She imagined she could hear a quiet sob from the castrum before a bullet pierced through her left shoulder. She howled in pain but still managed to keep her grasp on Sasa’s body. “I SWEAR TO RHALGR - TO ALL THE TWELVE - WE WILL AVENGE HER!” Her arm was on fire; she knew she had to leave right away. “WE WILL REMEMBER HER, EVEN IF YOU WON’T!”
She arrived at Little Solace much later, haggard and bloodied but still clutching Sasa close to her chest. The remainder of her goodbyes took much less time; all she could do was place a kiss on the sylph’s forehead and walk away.
Would Bear ever put a shirt on-- I mean, serious question. If Bear was not a Hyur, what race would he want to be? (I'm sorry if this goes though twice, my internet buggered up.)
To answer the first question actually… Bear feels pretty uncomfortable with clothing. The cloth feels strange on his skin, and armor feels very heavy and cumbersome. As long as he can get away with it? He will wear as little as possible.
And honestly, if Bear wasn’t a Hyur… He would want to be an actual bear. An actual beastkin, living with beastkin. Besides that, he wouldn’t really change anything. I mean, his entire life has been one big “I am what I am and I can’t change it.” no matter how much other people want him to be the same as them, it’s just not going to happen. He rather wishes that people can just be happy with Bear, the way that Bear is.
This looks like a fun meme, so I wanted to do it for Bear and Maddy. Credit goes to issom-har for instigating the thing!
You might know Bear if:
You were born/raised/worked for a long period of time in/or around Quarrymill.
You spend long periods of time in the Shroud, more so in the actual wood than the settlements.
You are/were a Wood Wailer.
You are a close friend to the Sylphs.
You lived in Little Ala Mhigo at least 18 years ago, or are familiar with the families that lived there.
Rumor has it that:
(Quarrymill) "There be some strange beast wanderin' around the Twelveswood. Always thought it be but an old wives' tale, somethin' to get children to behave. But I've seen it. Walks on all fours, and sometimes on two. Likes t' prey on anythin' it can get its hands on. Saw it knock over a whole tree, once. Truly sent a shiver through me."
(Bentbranch Meadows) "A large, hulking figure has been spotted along the streams, rivers, and gullies around these parts. Some say it is a phantom, mourning the loss of another dearly departed soul. I think it's a load of hogwash, a ghost story to accompany Haukke Manor."
(Wood Wailer) "The incident nearly twenty summers ago? I've heard the senior Wailers talk about it sometimes. Something terrible happened here in Quarrymill, something to do with a caravan--Shite, pipe down, we shouldn't be talking about this."
(Sylphs) "This one sees Flightless One and big, big walking one together many times! These ones call big walking one Bearforce One!"
(Gridania) "Bears are a nigh mythical creature. Ye never see one in the Twelveswood, but ah, plenty of the elders believe one's still alive somewhere, just bidin' its time."
(Little Ala Mhigo) "Long ago, there was a little boy livin' here. Quiet tyke. Think he was probably a lame child. The Riot girl played with 'im once or twice. My guess: he was an easy target for her to boss around. But he didn't seem bothered by it."
safestsephiroth. He can balance more characters than me and they’re all so different and intriguing! I don’t know how he manages separate blogs for all of them, either.
☣: A pet peeve about roleplaying
I dunno, the only one I can think of is when people try to police someone else’s character for not being lore appropriate or something. It’s one thing to give someone a helpful tip, but another to say what they can and can’t do.
☠: Something you dislike about your fandom
I was never deeply involved with this fandom, but I have to say that there’s often a lot of tumblr drama. I never involve myself in any of it but I generally do try to get both sides just to form my own opinion (and thus know who to watch out for/unfollow).
♫: An argument that you’re sick of hearing
Hm.. I guess the recent one about “If you like Lalafell, you’re a pedophile”? They’re adults, and depicted as adults in universe. End of story. I generally try not to sexualize anyone, though.
(Y U DO DIS. Um, I’m gonna alter it a little bit… It won’t actually be at her grave since we don’t really know sylph burial customs.)
(DEATH TW)
Whispering Moss never felt older than she did at this moment.
Her burden didn’t weigh much, but the shrouded body wrapped in layers of sheer cloth in her arms felt heavy all the same. She had joined the Riskbreakers to prevent things like this from happening, but she failed.
At her age, she was used to tragedy. She had lost friends, comrades, lovers. Her parents, her brother, her son, a young woman like a daughter to her, and even the elementals. None of them compared to this, losing someone so young and vibrant and innocent. Sasaxia Saxia was truly a child of the forest; it was only proper that she’d return there in death.
Moss had been the one to volunteer to return her to the sylphs of Little Solace. She insisted that she knew the forest best (though that wasn’t true), that it was her job as a former Hearer and healer to bring the girl back to her people. She only volunteered herself so none of the others would have to go through this pain.
The bundle in her arms felt like a baby. She was reminded of the times, many years ago, where she had walked through the Shroud on days just like this with her children in her arms, and later her grandchildren. She knew these paths. She brought her chocobo along for protection (even the bird became skittish when Sasaxia’s body was laid upon her, so she held the body the whole way), but she didn’t need it. The forest was peaceful today. Quiet. Though wasn’t it always, now that she could no longer Hear the elementals?
Today was even worse than usual, though. It wasn’t just quiet - it was still, as if all the Twelveswood was mourning the loss of one of its own.
The sylphs came upon her the moment she entered Little Solace, sensing something was wrong. She couldn’t muster the energy to dance for them, and they immediately understood. “Flightless one was sent out into the world of walking ones, just like the others, and returns like this,” said the Elder, a mournful tone to his voice.
"She was out on a mission with our company," Moss replied. She couldn’t let go of Sasaxia. Not yet. "She was with a group, and their encampment was set aflame in the middle of the night. Sasaxia escaped, but the others were trapped inside, and she went back…" She forced herself to continue. "She saved everyone. But she didn’t make it."
Whispering Moss released the body to them, and she felt tired. But she couldn’t rest. She’d never rest.
