#dffoo ; 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠 ✦ * : ˚ ୨୧ ｡ .

[magitekelite]

✦ @godsrondo :    Draped across his outstretched hand is a beautiful silk fabric, floral in pattern, with a variety of spherical, pearlescent baubles in various hues. It was not a gift, but a meager, materialistic example of but a few treasures he could offer by her pledged fealty.

"Surely such endowment provides allure. No other can offer as much as I."

𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐍 feels akin to sort of a challenge , tempting her with riches and refinement , testing the 𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙴𝙽𝚄𝙴 that she was before with the 𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙸𝚅𝙸𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 she strives to be .  the weight of the monarch’s gaze bears down on her , inviting yet intimidating to the senses .  she knows better than to fall prey to his deception ; in many ways , he brings mind to the enemy of her home world , yet whereas kefka sought her power , the emperor appears drawn to control , to control ... her ... and it is her say in the matter where they differ .  gladly would the madcap place a silencing crown upon her brow than hear her resisting cries , but the despot seems to want 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 , 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 , for it to be 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄 .  perhaps it is that peculiarity that has always pulled at the invisible strings between them , within her , tightening and unraveling , much like the cycle they are all caught in .

❝ it’s beautiful ... , ❞ terra admits , simply because it is the truth .  it is a beautiful adornment , and this emperor of a different land and distant time is might just be the wealthiest person that she knows , which says much when she is friends with a 𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 and a 𝙿𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙲𝙴 .  he could probably offer her all of the luxuries she could ever want and all of the gil she could ever need , and all she would have to give up is the very thing she had just reclaimed : herself .  she couldn’t ...  she won’t .

❝ ... but you can’t buy me .  or my loyalty . ❞

all the esper can offer him is the truth in return .  camaraderie and friendship , devotion and trust —— they are 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 , aren’t not ?  not bribed or bartered .  and if he expects her to be so easily swayed by trinkets , then surely he must think 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 and 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 of her ... ...

it saddens terra .  it disappoints her far more .

[magitekelite]

✦ @backwaterheroics : terra….. share the moogle secrets 🤔 surely you know them….

❝ moogle secrets ? ❞

puzzlement washes over the girl’s features as she tilts her head .  have the moogles told her anything in confidence as of late ?  the mog 𝙾𝙵 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳 is usually an open book , but the 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙼𝙾𝙶 ... ... well , even she has to accept ( to her disappointment ) that he could be quite the opposite .  suddenly , eyes light up brightly , shimmering like stars .  ❝ oh !  are you asking what’s the best way to fluff them ? ❞  she did not expect such a question from cloud , but she did not mind it .  after all , it was nice to have 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐆 !

❝ i like hugging them , but you have to be really gentle !  moogles don’t like their fur getting ruffled too hard .  eiko said moogles like kupo nuts too .  maybe we can try giving them some later ?  what do you think ? ❞

[magitekelite]

✦ @painsrequiem :     He twisted Kefka's little mind-controlling crown between his fingers- a little treasure he happened to plunder. Seymour had revealed it unto Terra out of partial curiosity and the rest to make a statement. Despite their shared desire for the world's end, the maester and jester's methods differed greatly. Ensuring she watched, Seymour snapped the slave crown in half.

when the maester had requested for but 𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 , she had agreed plainly , following him despite protests from those of his world who seemed to know him far greater than her .  it is not as if she is woefully oblivious or brazenly ignorant ; the girl born with the gift of magic is no stranger to the machinations of ambitious men , of their boundless pride and impassioned egos .  she took considerable care to the concerns , though she did not think it would be kind of she judged based on the 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂 rather than the impressions 𝙾𝙵 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝚆𝙽 𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 .  this new world is incomprehensible —— warriors from different realms , across space and time ; there are even some who have perished living as if they have yet to breathe their last .  all so strange ...  it should make no sense , yet here they are .  this man in particular is villain to those she called friends ... ... but she , too , had worked for enemies not long ago , against her will , yet the sword wielded and the flames cast were still her .  and he 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃𝐒 , same as she .  perhaps he had his reasons — it did not absolve him , of course ... but perhaps she wishes to understand these reasons as much as she wishes for anyone to understand her as well .

her movements halt the moment he stops , side-by-side as she waits , curious as to what occasion prompted this private conversation .  terra knew so little of him beyond what he is willing to convey , and she supposes in that regard she bears another similarity .  lavender irises fixate on him until a familiar object is pulled from his sleeve , its 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙳-𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝙰𝙳𝙾𝚁𝙽𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂 and 𝙼𝙴𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙲 𝙶𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙼 immediately recognisable to its former bearer .  her vision blurs of all else but its frightening glow .  she cannot think , cannot speak .  any noise is drowned by the heartbeats that fill her entire being .  the crown is nowhere near her cascade of curls , but it is as if the chains of her past bind her again ... ... 𝐒𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 .

she thought impulse would take over and she would resist or run away .

to her own horror , she does neither .

she stands there and stares ... and stares ... and stares ...

... until nauseating enchantment is shattered when the slave crown 𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐍 .  one step is taken back , then another .  it takes her yet another moment to realise she is trembling at all before weak knees cave in and her feeble frame collapses onto the ground .  it takes all of her strength to force her haunted gaze away from what remains of the device to the man who destroyed it .  she is uncertain of what she feels .  𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁 or 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙵𝚄𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽 ?  𝙵𝙴𝙰𝚁 or 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙸𝙴𝙵 ?  questions fill her mind , but in a whisper , all she can manage is one .

❝ why ... ... ? ❞

she doesn’t understand him .  perhaps she never will .

[magitekelite]

✦ @godsrondo :    "I bide my time where it is deemed fit, but know this, Esper: It is pertinent you realize your subjugation is inevitable."

how this wicked ruler 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 —— as if he is certain that she would give up , give in , and resign herself to a future of his making .  what does he see , she wonders , in those terrifying eyes that bear witness to a momentous destiny ?  what is this fate that he could 𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝚂𝙾 𝚅𝙸𝚅𝙸𝙳𝙻𝚈 and 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝚂𝙿 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽 𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳 ?  yet , his pursuit over her mastery offers no comfort to the girl born with the gift of magic , only dread .  he wants her choice , yet freedom is fleeting when left with no other options .  backed into a corner , where 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐒 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐌 .

if she allows herself to , maybe she can see it too : the phantom tendrils , ensnaring yet almost enthralling , weaving in and out in a carefully crafted pattern , until one destination becomes 𝙲𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚁 .  it is 𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝙸𝙽 𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙽𝚃 𝙾𝙵 𝙷𝙴𝚁 .  all she needs to do is take the 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙿 .

❝ i’m sorry to hear that . ❞  there is regret tinged in her tone —— and something else ... ... 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐕𝐄 .  a confidence of her own .  ❝ you’ll be waiting an awfully long time . ❞

[magitekelite]

lavender irises so accustomed to the 𝐃𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 narrow in fretfulness before widening slowly , contemplating his words that seem to be almost ... comforting somehow .  perhaps if her friends were here , then she might have ceded to caution , as many preyed on her power , but she finds that she 𝙱𝙴𝙻𝙸𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚂 him , in the 𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙲𝙴𝚁𝙸𝚃𝚈 he appears to convey .

and her curiosity continues to grow , confusion etching along delicate features .  ❝ as you once did in life ?  what are you talking about ? ❞  why is he speaking as if his life has already ended ?  it makes no sense to her .  they are both 𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 , 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 and 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 , aren’t they ... ?  he is right in front of her .

a hand lifts up instinctively , 𝙰𝚂 𝙸𝙵 𝚃𝙾 𝙿𝚄𝚃 𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝙲𝙻𝙰𝙸𝙼 𝚃𝙾 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚃𝙴𝚂𝚃 , only for slender digits to remain as they are , lingering feebly in the air .  the esper does not think that the warriors who hailed from different worlds are that much different , though to compare them to one such as herself — born with the gift of magic and a unique entity all her own — might not be entirely accurate .  ❝ you ... are alive , ❞ she affirms quite gently .  she simply could not fathom the 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 .

╼ ༺ :||         Oh. The intent was not to offend. ...not entirely. But the trickle of slips and teases lightheartedly bled through every now and again- one-sided humor on his part. Inclining those more innocent horn-like locks of azure hair, Seymour softly, assuredly uttered an apology.

"I dare not wish to extend such viewed sentiment." For he, too, had once been looked down upon with such unmistakable eyes. The time when his life had been taken. The air hang between them, a settling which perhaps purposely allowed a returned peace to put her mind at ease.

"Aforementioned aid remains. The air hangs heavy, and I cannot ignore its weight that I might offer some assistance just as I once did in life."