|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 16, 2013 21:55:31 GMT -5
(PM to enter.)
A small coastal town in Ignis...
Alessia felt like she was home - the intensely hot, thick air, the lush volcanic soil and local scenery all made her feel like she was once again back in her village. Alessia particularly twirled back to her friend, "This is wonderful, Nia, isn't it?"
Alessia clapped her hands together as she looked around the area; it was a port town, so there was a fair amount of movement around the coast but everything else seemed like a modest town. Their roads were still made of dirt, no brick or stone... which only brought further memories of her past blasting back at her.
Alessia smiled, while this wasn't with Roxa and her family, it was the closest thing to home for her.
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 16, 2013 22:23:39 GMT -5
Nia lightly danced beside Alessia as they ventured in through the port town. It actually felt very refreshing returning to this atmosphere, this environment and deep within herself through her very breaths Nia could actually feel a natural calm take over her, something she'd never been used to. It was almost as though she'd always had some connection in Ignis she'd never known about, something that if she could turn back the clock now she probably would have asked her parents about it even though they claimed they were strictly from Roccia.
"It is wonderful," she sighed happily. They were safe for now, they were away from Duo. Nia was calm, the land of fire soothing to her spirit. With a grin she pointed out in the distance to the massive volcano and pawed at Alessia's arm.
"That's it! That is my home, now," she beamed only too proudly at it. They wouldn't see the temple from here but that didn't matter, "maybe they can help you, too!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 16, 2013 22:44:55 GMT -5
Alessia looked at Nia and made an awkward laugh, despite living near many volcanoes she'd never dare to live on one. She looked at Nia and tilted her head to the side, "You were always more comfortable next to things like that, weren't you?"
She looked back at the volcano and shrugged. Could they really help her find a way to kill Duo and in turn, unite Alessia with her husband and children?
"We should probably buy more provisions before we even begin to make our way up there, it looks like a intimidating walk..." Alessia glanced around, that Amphion had disappeared a little earlier, saying that he was going to go look for something. It wouldn't be too bad if they vanished without telling him, of course.
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 16, 2013 22:53:44 GMT -5
"Oh, o-of course," Nia stuttered and looking into her bag for a quick check of things they may need. She may have been fine, maybe, but she wanted to make sure Alessia was going to be alright. She hadn't really left the temple too far or too long before, though normally she'd make her own walk down and around the volcano with very little supplies and rely on meditation somehow to keep herself and her needs balanced.
Okay, that really was silly. Whatever, it was the thing she did nowadays.
"I have a little money on me, we should be able t-t-t-to uh..." she tilted her head as she looked around for the nearest stall in the marketplace, "y-yes! We can go shopping here. Anything you'll need, I'll look after."
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 16, 2013 23:02:17 GMT -5
"No, that's alright, Nia. I'll pay-" Alessia stopped, patting her sides down as if to feel for a bag of coins that wasn't there. She hadn't bothered grabbing anything like that when they left from the castle, which now she regretted deeply.
She bowed her head in defeat, "I'm sorry Nia, I'll pay you back once I can." She glanced over at the stall and spotted many colorful fruits, many only native to Ignis... her mouth began to water as the question of 'do they taste any different a thousand years later'?
Alessia didn't want to ask for Nia to buy the fruit for her, instead she came up behind her, placing both her hands on Nia's shoulders and asking, "What would you like to get, Nia?" Alessia's eyes were heavily pouring onto the brightly colored fruit, hoping Nia would catch on.
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 16, 2013 23:22:54 GMT -5
Nia smiled as she looked over the selection of different grains and produce, almost feeling a little awkward picking out anything for them though she was paying. what she noticed more though was how awkward poor Alessia was trying to look after them out of the castle and being unable to provide in some areas. it was Nia's job now to look after her!
As she looked over her shoulder to her friend she caught a very intent look in Alessia's eye, following her gaze quickly to the bright fruits sitting in front of them. She giggled.
"Maybe some fruit? What's your favourite? I know these red berries are supposed to be lovely!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 17, 2013 11:41:31 GMT -5
How could she possibly pick just one? They all looked so good! Although those red berries did seem to stand out from the array of Ignian fruits.
"Yes, those looks delicious," Alessia agreed, as the aroma of freshness flowed around the two Alessia was at the point where she'd pick just about any of them.
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 17, 2013 12:22:18 GMT -5
Nia nodded.
"We'll get some of them, then! And then maybe another fruit with a little more meat to it..." Nia looked over the fruit selection and started pointing out a couple of other yellow and green-ish fruits to Alessia, one that had a hard shell particularly.
"T-this one is supposed to be good for travelling. It's got juice inside to drink to keep you hydrated, and the shell is very thick you can eat the inside, it actually provides a l-l-l-lot of protein in it," she bit her lip as she examined them. Actually, she wasn't going to ask Alessia for this one.
"We'll get one of them, too," she said with a wink to Alessia. A good doctor was always prepared, and if they found their walk to be too weakening on them then they'd be covered. She backed away from the table after that and pulled Alessia closer.
"You need to pick one, now! Any one, go on!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 17, 2013 13:33:45 GMT -5
Alessia's eyes scanned the area once more before her eyes finally fell on a deep red fruit with stripes of blue in it - it was a fruit that was grown around her village. It was a fruit she used to find the taste of it to be dull at best, but right now that dull taste was all she wanted.
"I'll have one of those..." Alessia said, the vendor nodded with a smile before handing Alessia one.
"I haven't seen your faces around here before," the vendor said, "Just passing through?"
Alessia was silent at first, making mental notes of what not to say, "Yes, we are."
"I'd be careful, the youth of this town are 'radical', to say the least. They're good kids but I hear a fair amount of them have taken to robbing travels in the surrounding roads..." The Ignian man warned while scratching his neck, "No jobs will drive people to do some scary things. So just be on the look out, okay?"
Oh..." Alessia held the thick fruit close to her, as if her only possession was going to be taken right there, "I hadn't known... thank you, sir."
The man grunted, not daring to make eye contact with the two pretty ladies. Alessia gave Nia a worried look before speaking, "I suppose we better be on high alert..."
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 17, 2013 14:25:25 GMT -5
"Pft-pft-pft-pft..."
Nia shook as she thought about the two of them being robbed while climbing the volcano. She knew how often it happened, she didn't need the random shopkeep telling her about it, but she also liked to try to forget it whenever she could.
She frowned then at herself. it wasn't good practice for her to try to block out reality. it was important for her to be aware of herself and her surroundings...
"We have very little for someone to steal," she finally answered simply, with a lack of any kind of feeling from her statement. it was unclear if she was scared or unafraid, ready or not.
"We should get going," she smiled at Alessia and reached for the girl's hand.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 17, 2013 16:02:54 GMT -5
Once again, Alessia was stunned at how Nia has changed. The Nia she remembered would have the hardest time speaking to that vendor - but this Nia had spoke to him as if she were some sort of badass knight.
So as Alessia took Nia's hand and they started walking, Alessia couldn't help but say to her friend,"You amaze me, Nia. How did you do it, how did you become so strong?"
Perhaps all this time being shielded by Roxa had made Alessia timid of life away from him. She knew it wasn't always this way, once she was the single protector of an entire village, every one of those people were under her responsibility and it rarely ever bothered her.
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 18, 2013 3:46:11 GMT -5
Nia beamed proudly as she pointed upwards to the volcano they were headed towards.
"There, Alessia. They taught me to be strong, they teach me to see differently, breathe differently, and think differently..." she grinned ear to ear as she thought of all her time spent with the monks, and wondered what they would say about her adventure for the first time out of the country in over a year.
"T-they help me with..." she didn't know how to really say it so she looked to Alessia and pawed at her own throat, "I-I don't tick as much anymore. If I keep at peace, it goes away...kind of. But I can keep it down, now!"
Well, after blurting it aloud now even she was certain her master would have some enlightening advice for Alessia. The walk through the town was the easir part, but the road headed towards the volcano could be unpredictable. Nia just kept a highly cautious eye out for large groups of trees thinking criminals could be hiding in them at any moment.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 18, 2013 12:07:55 GMT -5
There was a brief moment when Alessia felt bad, that for some reason these monks were able to help her when the Saints were unable. She shook her head of those thoughts, she was happy for Nia and she wouldn't let her self-pity thoughts take anything away from that.
"I'm so happy for you, Nia!" Alessia happily nodded. She didn't at first notice the fact that there was a small group of young men in the path ahead until they got closer. There was about three men sitting casually on a fallen down tree, they looked like they were just stopping for some lunch - not even paying attention to the two ladies.
"Do you normally see things like this?" Alessia asked, fearing they these hills were more infested with thieves than she had thought.
|
|
|
|
Post by genericvillain on Jan 19, 2013 11:01:42 GMT -5
Nia glanced over to the men on the fallen tree but gave it not much else for attention otherwise as her focus turned back to the road ahead of them.
"Yes," she answered briefly, "it is important to acknowledge their presence but not let them take your thoughts away from what you're doing. It usually avoids trouble that way..."
or something like that, or so she'd been taught.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alessia on Jan 19, 2013 12:03:16 GMT -5
"R-Right, it's probably nothing," Alessia never took her eyes off the group, though. And as they got closer the group finally took notice to them, passing some words off to one and other before getting up and putting themselves right in front of the two.
Alessia was somewhat panicked at first, but than she relaxed as she remembered that THEY HAD POWERS. This small amount of people would be blasted away.
And than more and more people came out of the forest, successfully surrounding the two ladies. The lead one pulled out a bag and tossed it over to them, motioning for them to put all their money into the bag.
"This isn't good, is it?" Alessia whispered over to Nia.
|
|
