PSL - Felih and Rihnn go to the First...

[featherfoot]

And it's not right.



P'rihnn is honestly not sure what happened. One moment he had been fighting Zenos - or rather, Elidibus in Zenos' skin - and the next he was here. He vaguely remembers being hit by a powerful headache and seeing Elidibus approach him as if for a decisive blow, but the voice that had called him didn't seem quite the same as before. Was this how it had been for the others? For the Scions? Did his body lie on the ground in the Ghimlyt Dark, soul torn away? And for this?

He looks around his surroundings, frown growing deeper and deeper as he realises he hasn't the slightest clue where he is. There is no place he knows with such dense, purple foliage... and the light shining down on him is strangely oppressive, though he can't say why.

Fortunately he can see a nearby structure, and what looks like it might be a path. He can vaguely make out something beyond the trees, too, so... that way, then. After checking to make sure he still has his chakrams, just in case, P'rihnn makes his way to the wooden structure, looking around him to see if he can spy someone he can question.

Comments

[seasoflight]

"Perhaps... any time I tried to find out more about his origins and past, he would ignore or dodge it. Still, it makes me wonder why an automaton would care about such things..." Felih muses, before glancing back at the tower before he steps into the Pendants.

"He said he was grateful for our initiative in taking down the first Warden, but... the only hint of emotion I truly gleaned from him was regarding the records and stories he found of the Warrior of Light. That they gave him hope."

He does bristle when the conversation comes back to Minfilia, however. "That makes it sound like she's being held prisoner. I don't like the sound of that."

[featherfoot]

“From stories?” P’rihnn asks, ears lowering a little. Stories inflate or expand upon things, and do not really reflect the reality. “Sounds like something anyone could say. You sure he wasn’t just saying it for the sake of saying it?”

Not far to their apartment now, at least. Then he can start making them some food for the road, wherever it is they’re heading, and take some stress out on a fish.

“Starting to sound like we’re heading for Eulmore next.”

[seasoflight]

"I... don't think so. It seemed to be the only thing he was genuine about. His voice trembled... there was emotion he was trying to stifle," Felih mmurmurs quietly, tail curling around his own leg for comfort as he finishes the walk to their apartment.

"I'd like to go to Eulmore. I've heard it's by the sea, and from what I hear of it, it's... strange. Decadent, where folk somehow live in harmony with Sin Eaters. It sounds far too suspicious if it's true."

[featherfoot]

Huh. So there is something genuine about the Exarch after all? “Ah, so maybe he’s not an automaton,” he says. “So, Eulmore’s going to be our next stop?”

It sounds like a plan to him! Because if they are holding a child who fights Sin Eaters prisoner, and now apparently live together in harmony with them, it warrants investigation. “I would like to see how they tame those things we fought yesterday. I’ve known bugs with more brains.”

[seasoflight]

"I agree. I want to see how it is they've managed to keep those things from slaughtering the masses," Felih murmurs, before sinking into a chaise the moment he's back in their apartment. "We should prepare for it. I've heard there's a ship that can take us to the Kholusian coast, and from there it's just a matter of walking towards the giant city."

"But if we're going to get Minfilia, we're going to need to be quiet and calm, and sneak in without attracting any attention," Felih says. "It's still a bustling, populated city, and who knows how many guards or Eaters might be about?"

[featherfoot]

P’rihnn, however, immediately goes to wash his hands and start preparing food. There is something satisfying about taking a whole fish and attacking it with a knife to make something delicious.

“Are you suggesting I can’t be quiet and calm?” he asks, putting a completely unnecessary amount of force in chopping the fish’s head off.

[seasoflight]

"Darling, what did the fish do to deserve such brutal treatment?" Felih chides idly as he leans over the arm of the chaise, tail twitching lazily from side to side as he lies there and watches P'rihnn cook. He's much more elegant about fileting and butchering fish and meats, so the force P'rihnn uses is startling.

"And no offense, dear, but you've shown that you're prone to temper and getting loud."

[featherfoot]

“I’m stressed out. This is how I deal with it.”

He’s not elegant, but it doesn’t make him any less of a good cook, and he starts to hum as he gets into the flow of it. However, at the accusation of having a temper and being loud, he picks up the fish head with the knife tip and flings it in Felih’s general direction. He doesn’t intend it to actually land on Felih, but if it does he’s not bothered.

“...if Eulmore lives together with Sin Eaters, I wonder what they’re going to make of us slaying a Lightwarden? Think they’d care?”

[seasoflight]

Felih yowls as a fish gets flung right at him, instinctively swatting it out of the air and onto the floor with an angry lash of his tail.

"You are just proving my point! Ugh- what if that had landed on my clothing? I'd smell like fish!" he whines and pouts, tail thumping on the chaise, before he uses a bit of magic to reluctantly lift the fish head and toss it into one of the planters by the window. He can bury it properly later- at least it'll be good fertilizer for the plants.

"...you know, I'd rather not tell them that until we know what it's like," Felih murmurs. "If those folk are truly allied with the Eaters somehow, I'd rather not make enemies of a whole city at once."

[featherfoot]

“You don’t think they’ll wonder where the night came from?” P’rihnn asks, looking far too pleased with himself for making Felih yowl like that. “They must have people watching things in Lakeland. Eulmore and the Crystarium seem to be the two main powers.”

He returns his attention to the food, humming again for a moment while he works.

“Wonder what their leader’s like? Just as soulless as the Exarch, you think?”

[seasoflight]

Felih's ears droop. "...I hope not. Though I wouldn't call the Exarch soulless just yet... he does seem to care for the people here."

He's still a little irritated by P'rihnn's stunt with the fish head, but he drops it for now.

"It's just the Crystarium and Eulmore... I was looking at some maps. This realm- what's left of it... it's so small. It stuns me that folk have survived..."

[featherfoot]

“Does he?” P’rihnn wonders. “Or does he just say that because he’s expected to? Because he needs to pretend to be something, if he can’t act human. I’m standing by the ‘soulless’ assessment until proven wrong.”

He stares at the sizzling fish for a moment, wondering whether this would better serve as lunch rather than food for their trip.

“We’ll take a boat out later, then. Want to tell the Exarch where we’re going, in case he has something to say?”

[seasoflight]

"I think he does," Felih murmurs. "Some folk say he sends people gifts. That he knows little things about them, even if they've never spoken. He must be watching over them from the tower, somehow," he explains, before swishing his tail a few times, ears perking up as he catches the scent of the fish.

"I'd rather just go. If he's not going to tell us anything, why should we owe him the courtesy?" Felih huffs, sulking slightly and letting his chin rest back on the arm of the chaise.

[featherfoot]

“Really?” P’rihnn hadn’t heard that yet, and honestly he’s surprised. Keeps his distance, yet cares enough to pay attention and offer little gifts from time to time... people do seem to like him, so why keep his distance? “Strange. Maybe he’s self-conscious, being all crystal like that. Or...” He frowns, because he’s not sure if this would be a good assessment - he isn’t the best at reading people, after all. “Something happened to him to make him like that. People have done worse things than hide when they’ve been hurt.”

He flips the fish over and hums again, the scent of fish and the light spice making his stomach growl even though it’s not been long since breakfast.

“I figured even if he has nothing to say about himself, he might have something to say about Eulmore. He does know things he shouldn’t... but if neither of us want to see him, fine by me. Now do you want this fish for lunch? I was going to pack it for the journey, but my stomach’s growling.”

[seasoflight]

"Perhaps. There's no way to know, with how intent he seems on hiding himself away," Felih says with a sigh, before giving a lazy, catlike stretch on the chaise. "But I'd rather continue going forward without any potential bias from him. He's given me little reason to trust him."

His ears perk up at the last bit, though, tail aquiver.

"Well, I was hoping that was for lunch... if it's traveling food you want, I can help you prepare it after. I'm quite good at that," he chirps.

[featherfoot]

“Lunch it is!” P’rihnn decides, ears perking up and wiggling a little. “I bought a little too much, so that works out well.”

Fish and a few vegetables (but mostly fish) makes a perfectly good lunch, by his estimation. Despite his seemingly slapdash preparation, for what he lacks in other crafting ability he is a good culinarian.

“‘fraid it’s basic, but I’ve won prizes for my food before!”

[seasoflight]

"I'm not going to complain about fish and vegetables," Felih purrs, tail aquiver as he gets up and happily settles at the table. "I'm just as Miqo'te as you are."

He's delighted with the food, happily downing it quickly enough, and he hums. "I'm a rather accomplished culinarian as well. Working together, I've no doubt we'll have an easy time preparing food for the road."

[featherfoot]

It didn’t take much work to prepare, in the end. Before long they were packed up and ready for the trip, the thought of telling their host of their plans dismissed entirely. P’rihnn supposes he is not too surprised when, right as they are about to board their transport, a guard comes running and calling for their attention.

“Mr Tia! And Mr Tia!” Oh, dear, nobody had told the guard what Tia actually means... “A missive for you, sirs. From the Exarch.”

With a frustrated sigh, P’rihnn wordlessly snatches the paper from the guard, and tears it open to read. The guard, apparently expecting at least a word of gratitude for his work - or maybe a smile, a nod, or some other acknowledgement beyond P’rihnn’s scowl - looks concerned.

[seasoflight]

Felih is much more aware of social niceties, and while P'rihnn is fuming over the letter, he offers the guard a smile and a playful chirp.

"Thank you, darling. We'll heed the missive. Do you need anything of us in return?" he asks, hoping to distract the guard with a hint of flirting while P'rihnn reads the letter.

[featherfoot]

Though Felih is not looking at him to see, P’rihnn rolls his eyes. Always with the charm, this man is, even when it’s just a messenger doing their job... there’s no need for it. ‘Thank you, goodbye’ would have sufficed.

“No sir!” the guard assures him. “You are free to be on your way.”

It’s surprisingly short, considering the Exarch seems the sort to use ten words where three will do. Given your choice of transportation, it appears you are headed for Kholusia... in other words, he had seen them headed this way and had very little time to pen this.

“Travel tips,” he says, ignoring the guard. “Including what not to eat.”

[seasoflight]

With that, Felih bids the guard goodbye, and returns back to P'rihnn's side and gives him a light thwap on the arm.

"Be polite to people," he chides, before peeking over to look at the hastily-scrawled missive. His lips quirk in amusement. "I see he's been watching us move about... I wonder if Kholusia is out of range of his influence, if he's truly bound here to the tower."

"...what should we not eat?"

[featherfoot]

“You’re pleasant enough for both of us, gives me a break from trying,” P’rihnn says, not looking up from the letter for a moment and skimming over its contents again. “And I’m guessing so - says here he doesn’t actually want us to go.”

He taps the line in question, where the Exarch claims to know better than to try and stop them when their minds are made up. Good call on his part.

“We’re not to eat ‘meol’. Doesn’t say why. He also says the ‘Chais’ are trustworthy, but that they don’t know him so don’t mention him... and that ‘what we seek’ is in the city’s underbelly. I assume he means the Lightwarden.” He couldn’t know that their target is Minfilia, right?

[seasoflight]

Felih swats at him once more. "P'rihnn! Honestly, I'm stunned you've made it this far being so rude," he whines, before humming, tilting his head at the note.

"...I hope he means the Lightwarden," he murmurs, because if they find Minfilia instead, then Felih will know the Exarch has been outright spying and eavesdropping on them, something that makes Felih bristle uncomfortably. "But we should get going, either way."

[featherfoot]

Felih’s swatting and batting at him in protest only makes him grin for a moment, apparently pleased to be such an annoyance. Even so, he keeps his focus on their mission.

“It has to be the Lightwarden. We haven’t exactly been talking about Minfilia out in the open,” P’rihnn points out, though Felih’s uncertainty makes him frown, because... what if he doesn’t, and he does somehow know of their plans? Is he always watching them? It seems like he does watch the cityfolk...

Well, no use thinking about that now. He shakes his head, then whirls around and places hands on hips decisively. “To Kholusia!”

[seasoflight]

Felih can't help but feel a bit cheered up by P'rhinn's apparently enthusiasm, and he smiles and follows along.

"To Kholusia," he agrees, and soon they're on their way. The moment they arrive on the strangely deserted shores, he already feels uneasy, the entire area having an odd aura about it despite it being a seaside region.

"This place feels strange, doesn't it?" he murmurs, before sticking closer. "I would've expected a seaside region to be bustling more, but I suppose it's really true that most folk fled to Eulmore... ugh, it must be that garish looking thing in the distance."

He makes a face of mild distaste at the struction on the south shore. "But should we look around or just head straight there?"