#talathar khalynn | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

t-khalynn-random · 6 years ago

Text

Meetings and Farewells, Part 3

Part 3: So We Meet Again

Writing the letter had been hard. She had worked on the letter for hours, started it several times, only to throw her first few attempts into the trash. Only to start again from scratch. The whole process had been an ordeal -- an almost unbearable one.

But the anxiety she felt then was nothing compared to how she was feeling now.

Because now it was more than just words on paper. Now she was going to actually meet this other lalafell. Who might be family. And might actually know more about the things that she could not remember.

Tala’s mind was currently filled with anxiety and doubt.

What if she doesna come? If she got scared, or changed her mind? Or, or what if she just doesna wanna meet me? What if she does come, but doesna like me? Or if she gets mad, an’ then doesna like me? What if she doesna remember, either? Or, what if she does remember, an’ blames me fer forgettin?

In her distraction, she didn’t notice the figure beside her until a gentle hand ruffled her hair. With a huff, she pulled away and glared up at her sister.

“You’re worrying too much,” M’yrissa admonished softly. Her sister had tagged along with her on the trip to Ul’dah, claiming that there were some books at the thaumaturgy guild that she needed to access. “You’ll be fine, Tala. Now, are you positive that you want to do this alone?”

The lala nodded. “Yes. ‘M wantin ta make sure is not threatenin ta her. An’ ‘m not alone. Talin said she’d bring Mei ta th’ Silver Bazaar. Is close enough ta be familiar ta Mei, so she doesna feel ‘fraid. But is quieter than Ul’dah. Less nosy people.”

“Alright. Are you all set for the journey?”

Tala rolled her eyes. “Is not that far, M’yr. An’ Stal is all packed up, an’ ready ta go, as soon as we land.”

M’yrissa smiled. “Then you’re all set.”

Tala nodded again, but a little uncertainly. “But, but what if…”

“No ‘what ifs’, Talathar Khalynn Tahl,” her sister insisted, kneeling down to meet Tala’s eyes. “You are worrying too much. It will be fine. Besides, do not forget -- I will be just in the city, doing some research at the Ossuary. If you need support, just let me know by linkpearl. I will be there as quickly as possible.”

“Okay. Okay. Thankee, M’yr.” Impulsively, she hugged the arcanist fiercely.

“Of course,” M’yrissa hugged Tala back, just as tightly. “After all, you will always be my little big sister. And we will always look after each other, right?”

“Right.”

It was dry and dusty when they arrived. And as always, the wind made everything worse. From past experience, she knew that she’d no doubt find sand in the very seams of her overcoat later -- not to mention in very uncomfortable spots upon her person, at bath-time.

“Hate th’ desert,” Talathar grumbled under her breath, batting at her clothes futilely.

“Kweh,” Stalwart seemed to agree. The chocobo waited until the saddle was removed, before ruffling his feathers and giving himself a thorough shake.

“Gah! Stal, no!” the lala protested loudly.

Too late.

Tala could only cover her face with outstretched arms, a vain attempt to ward off the sudden whirlwind of dust, sand, and feathers that momentarily enveloped her. Once the assault ended, she found herself covered with even more travel dust than before, and gave her chocobo a dark look.

“Kwoo,” he said sheepishly, nuzzling her in apparent apology.

She sighed in resignation and pat his head gently. “Okay, okay, is okay, Stal. Now, inta th’ stable ya go. We’ll get ya some water, an’ somethin ta eat while ya wait.”

“Kwee!”

As the pair entered the stable, there was a stirring in one of the saddlebags. A head popped up from under the flap, and chittered inquisitively.

“Red. Here, jump here,” She held out her arm, patting it loudly, making the noise obvious so the half-blind red panda could locate the source. He chittered again, then scrambled onto the proffered arm gingerly, soon finding his favorite perch -- on Tala’s head.

“Be good, Red,” she grumbled distractedly, focusing once again on the chocobo. “An’ dun pull th’ hair too much.”

The panda just chuffed at her.

The Silver Bazaar might have been a little worn and ragged along the edges, but it was still holding strong against the desert sands. The townsfolk diligently worked together to build their community back to its former glory. But perhaps more importantly, they were working together to help each other.

It was a nice enough place. Mei liked it.

Maybe it helped that she was clean, now. Or because the people at the Refuge had taught her some stuffs about rules and things. Or maybe it was just because she was with a respectable person, this time. She wasn’t sure. But the people seemed nicer, and not giving her so many looks.

At least, they weren’t trying to run her off, or throwing things at her.

Talin had said that the other lala, the one called Talathar, would be arriving soon. She lived in the Black Shroud, Talin had said. She remembered that place -- lots of green, lots of trees. Far to walk, but faster by chocobo. Even faster by air, they said. She never went that way. Airships were loud, and a little scary. But by chocobo she had done, after she had come to an agreement with Rations.

Mei would not try to eat the chocobo (anymore), and would give him food and a dry place to sleep. And in exchange, Rations would stop trying to bite or kick her, and carry her to places that were too far for her to run by herself.

They had come here by chocobo. Probably this Talathar would come by chocobo too. So Mei was half-hiding, up high, keeping watch on the entrance of the town.

So she was the first to see the other lala’s arrival. She watched as the dust-covered lalafell guided the blue chocobo to the stable. She was a little too far away to make out any real details, beyond the fact that the other lala was really short, and wore a lot of blue.

And there was something clinging to her head.

Mei tilted her head, watching. Trying to see if seeing this other lala made her feel anything, inside. If it triggered any sense of recognition, of connection. She closed her eyes, concentrating.

Nothing. At least, not yet.

“Mei?” she heard a call from nearby. She opened her eyes, and saw Talin, beckoning her. “It’s time. Are you ready?”

Mei nodded.

Tala was just finishing with settling Stalwart when she heard the call.

“Tala!”

Talathar smiled as she saw Talin approaching. “Talin! Hallos!” She gave her chocobo one last thump, getting an affectionate nuzzle in return, which happened to unbalance the red panda perched on her head. Red chittered his indignation before scrambling to the ground in a huff.

The miquo’te woman smiled warmly, then turned to the lalafell trailing behind, a little hesitantly. Talin gently pulled the lala front and center, moving to stand behind, hands holding her shoulders supportively.

“So, Tala, this is Mei. And Mei, this is Talathar.”

“Umm,hi Mei. Thankee fer agreein’ ta meet…”

Tala’s voice drifted into silence, as Mei open her eyes. For a moment, it felt like those heterochromic eyes were staring into her very soul. Something sparked in those eyes. Something that felt familiar. And then...

~It IS you!~

“...wha…?”

And she was suddenly engulfed in a fierce hug from the stranger. Tala found herself instinctively returning that hug.

When she opened her eyes and saw the other lalafell, Mei couldn’t believe it! It really was her! She was here! Safe! They were both safe!

And she felt the bond, lost for so long, snap into place.

~It IS you!~ Mei exclaimed, leaping forward and gripping the shorter woman fiercely.

Although the other returned the hug, she could feel the hesitation and confusion.

~Is me! Is Mei! And you! You… you’re T! And you’re ok! Not burned up and dead! Mei is so so happy!~

She had never known if the older lala -- Tala, she reminded herself, her name is Tala -- had managed to survive. It has been a lot of fire. And a lot of magic. And a lot of confusion, and mean people.

“Uh, yeah? I mean, I guess?” Tala responded. “I… I dun really remember. Did we...? Are we…?“

She felt Tala pulling away slightly, and reluctantly loosened her hold. Their eyes met again, and she felt the questions bubbling in Tala’s mind.

Mei nodded. ~Yes. Is what you tole me. Mei was little then. But we were ‘family’ you said.~

Blue eyes widened. “Then, ya remember?”

She nodded again, some of the initial excitement fading from her expression. ~Yes. Mei remembers.~

“But I… I dun r’member…”

This time, she closed her eyes and shook her head. ~No, you can’t. Mei knows.~

“D’ya know why I dun r’member?”

~Yes,~ she admitted, reluctantly. ~The memories, gone. Taken.~

The hands gripping her shoulders tightened their hold. “Who? Who took ‘em?”

Mei opened her eyes again, and met Tala’s angry gaze with one full of resolve. ~Mei did.~

“WHY?” Tala demanded, suddenly very, very angry. “Why would ya STEAL tha’ away?”

All these years, all the uncertainty and confusion. All because a part of herself was actually missing. Because someone had taken that part away. Someone who was supposed to be family.

She felt betrayed.

~Had to,~ Mei insisted, sounding both determined, yet somehow regretful. ~T was hurting, too much hurting. Had to stop it. Stop the hurting. Stop the Fire. But Mei couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t stop T. Because the memories hurt too much. So Mei took that pain, took it away, so T could stop hurting.~

A tear spilled from Mei’s purple eye, and the younger woman bit her trembling lip. Tala rocked back on her heels a moment, taken aback by the emotions that came over her like a wave.

Fear. Remorse. Sorrow. And so much loneliness.

Her anger faded at the weight of it.

“Tala? Mei?” Talin interrupted gently, “Maybe we should go somewhere a little more private?” There was an agitated red panda in her arms.

The two looked up at the miquo’te woman, and both nodded.

“Yeah, prolly best,” Tala agreed, as Mei started to pull away.

But for just a moment, Tala pulled the taller lala back into a gentle hug. “Is ok, Mei. ‘M a little mad, still, an’ ‘m gonna make ya explain everythin. But, if we’re family, then… then ya dun gotta be ‘lone anymore, kay?”

Mei clung to her fiercely, shaking with silent sobs, and nodded against her shoulder.

AN - I am actually back in-game for a while, thanks to a good friend! But the amount of MSQ I need to catch up on is almost overwhelming! >_<

#final fantasy xiv #gilgamesh-rp #Talathar Khalynn #roleplay

0 notes

t-khalynn-tales · 4 years ago

Text

Meetings and Farewells, Part 4: Memories of Fire

Memories of Fire

“Can you tell us what happened, Mei? What you remember?”

Mei closed her eyes for a long moment, clearly hesitating. When she opened them again, mismatched eyes caught Tala’s.

~T is sure? Is hurtful,~ she conveyed silently.

The meaning was clear. Tala would be pained by the knowledge, possibly more than Mei herself.

But her blue eyes remained bright and resolute.

“Then we’ll share th’ pain, an’ th’ memory,” she replied firmly, grasping both of Mei’s hands in reassurance.

After a moment, the taller lala nodded reluctantly, mouth silently echoing her words.

~Ok, T. Ok.~

Mei was still little, so can’t remember everything. But Mei remembers a big house, with lotsa trees outside. Big kinda trees. But far away from other houses. An’ other peoples.

Mei doesn’t remember the up-top of the house. Mostly, only the bad peoples stayed up top.

Under-side was lotsa cages. Is where ‘speriments were. Like Mei, and T. But others too. Moon cats, an’ Sun cats, an’ elezen, an’ even some Bunny-people too. But Mei did not see them until the Fire. T knew they were there.

T was bigger. Kept there longer. Knew more stuffs about everything.

T said there was another lala, before Mei. One they did the same ‘speriments on, too. But that lala got sick, an’ died. So they got Mei. Needed two for their ‘speriments.

Always two.

Mei can’t remember how Mei was there. Lotsa ‘speriments. Pokings, an’ hurtings, an’ icky drinks. Mei has lotsa scars. But T had more.

Then one day was different.

The boss of the bad peoples came. The bad man that watched, always in shadows. An’ he had a box. It had two big metal sticks inside, with big metal circles. They came for T an’ Mei. They took ‘way tunics, made T an’ Mei take a bath. Then T an’ Mei were tied down ta different tables.

An’ some other bad peoples took the two sticks, an’ set them on fire. But, not like normal fire. Magical purple fire.

At first, both were in the same fire. A purple fire, inna glowy circle they drew onna floor. But then they pulled them apart, an’ they changed colors. One turned blue. An’ the other turned red.

An’ when the circles were different, they took the red one. Was all on fire still. An’ they pressed it to T’s back, ta T’s left shoulder. An’ the same time, they put the blue one on Mei’s right shoulder.

Mei remembers the fire. Was more than burning. Was a magic fire. Was alive. Was trying ta burn inside of Mei, and inside T. Ta change inside of both T an’ Mei.

Was working for T. T was changin, an’ T’s eyes were changin, from purple ta red. But wasn’t working for Mei. Mei wasn’t takin in the blue fire, wasn’t changin. Mei was burnin up.

T tried ta help, tried ta reach through an’ show Mei what ta do.

But the bad peoples were cursing. Saying was useless, an’ that was gonna kill both lalas. An’ how was all a waste of time. Just when Mei started ta understand it, the boss man tole them somethin. Somethin mean. An one of the big mean ones pulled out a big knife.

An’ then T got mad. Real mad.

Somehow, T grabbed at the fire, blue an’ red both. T pulled all the blue fire from the circle, through Mei. An’ took all the red fire too. But was not mixin back up, was all swirly red an’ blue. But T took it, all of it.

An’ then T’s eyes were all bright an’ glowly, an’ everything ‘xploded.

Everyone except T an’ Mei got blasted back. An’ then the bad people were on fire, an’ running around screaming. Fire everywhere. The chains on T melted away. An’ T set Mei free.

But was too much fire for T. Too much burnin. T was too full. Mei would feel it. The fire was leaking out, too much to hold. T was burnin up inside. T was dying.

So Mei tried to reach back in, ta take some of it away, like T did.

But T dien’t let go. Everythin in T’s mind was all mixed up an’ angry. Mei could see bits of T’s heart thoughts. The stuffs T didn’t share. Like pictures, of another burning house, an’ the bad people killing peoples. An’ another lala, a boy, with a face like Mei’s, like T’s, all grey an’ not breathing. An’ all the hurtings, an’ cuttings, an’ all the stuffs the bad people did.

An’ all of T’s mad feelings, burning ta make them all hurt. Just like they made everyone else hurt. Using the fire they put inside T.

T wooen’t let go of the fire, ‘cause of the hurting memories. Was hurting too much, an’ making T too mad to stop. An’ T woulda died.

So to save T, Mei took them.

When Mei took T’s memories, T was burning too much.Too much fire, inside an’ outside. Everything was burning. Mei had ta hurry. So Mei just grabbed at the fire an’ pulled. Was rushing, an’ not careful. Grabbed red, not blue. Grabbed too rough. Pulled too hard.

Something in T tore. T screamed an’ fell down.

But was already too late. Was no time.

The fire was spreading. Had ta get out. __________

Tala’s voice was raspy, both from repeating the story for Talin, and the emotions evoked by the tale itself.

“How did the two of you escape the fire?”

Mei shrugged. ~ Mei opened all the other cages. With other people. Mei didn’t know other peoples were there too. But was in Ts memory. Some of ‘em helped Mei an’ T up an’ out. But the fire made everything mixed up. An’ then outside moon cats came, an’ there was lotsa fighting. Was ‘lot of smoke. Too much. Mei fell ‘sleep, and when Mei work up, the house was burned up. An’ T was gone.~

“How didya get ta Ul’dah?”

The younger lala grimaced. ~Mei was picked up by some peoples headed ta Ul’dah. But got ‘way from them quick. They were not nice peoples. Not like the bad peoples, but not nice.~

“Okay, how ‘bout th’ bad people who did all this, are they still ‘round, d’ya know?”

Mei shook her head. ~Dunno. But Glassesman is dead. Mei saw.~

Blue eyes blinked. “Glasses-man?”

~Yes. Was who did needles, an’ icky drinks, an’ cuttings. Tole the big mean ones ta do hittings, an’ hurtings.~

“Kay, so the Glasses-man died. An’ th’ others, how bout th’ other bad ones? Did they get away?”

~Maybe? Too much fire, too much screaming. Running away.~ Mei’s expression darkened, eyes harsh. ~But maybe Watching-man. Sneaky. Hated most.~

“Why did you hate the ‘Watching Man’ the most?” Talin asked curiously.

Mei shook her head. ~Not Mei. T hated Watching-man most. Glasses ran ‘speriments, T said. But Watching-man was boss. Was bad, more bad than Glasses. T was bigger, knew more stuff. Saw more stuff. Tried to ‘splain. But Mei di'en understand.~ The younger lala touched the scar on her throat, looking uncomfortable. ~Mei’s crying made Watching-man mad, one time. So, this.~ *

Color drained from the older lala’s face.

Talin grit her teeth. With Mei’s permission, she’d taken a closer look at those silver scars. She’d even consulted with Kalen, hoping that perhaps his findings would be different than her own. But even Kalen agreed with her assessment -- the cuts were very precise, and very deliberate.

Someone with chirurgical training -- with healer’s training -- had intentionally stripped a young child of her voice. She’d suspected as such, but hearing it confirmed was sickening. And worse, it was done in such a way that the damage could not be healed, even with magical aid. All because someone found a terrified child’s cries annoying.

“Do ya remember anythin ‘bout him, the Watching-man?” Tala asked quietly.

Mei tilted her head to the side, thinking. ~A tall-folk. Not lala. Kinda thin. Always hidden. Covered face. Only heard. Spoke quiet. Deep, rumbly voice.~

“Covered? Covered how?”

~Wore a fancy mask.~ Mei covered her face with both hands, emulating a mask covering the top half of her face. ~An’ a weird thing on his chin.~ She used her thumb and forefinger to trace the shape of an odd, inverted goatee under her bottom lip -- one thin at the top, that widened at the bottom.

"If ya heard ’im talk again, could ya recognize his voice?"

~Dunno. Maybe? Been long time. Why?~

It wasn’t much to go on. Hardly anything at all. But it was something.

“ ‘Cause, Mei. If we find ‘im, I wanna be sure ya can tell is really him.”

Mei’s eyes widened. ~T is looking for Watching-man? Why?~

Tala nodded curtly. “Ta stop this from e’er happenin’ again.” __________

A.N. - sorry that it’s a little short.

*The incident of Mei having her voice silenced is actually posted as “Trapped by Forgotten Dreams”, and can be found here.

Tala can sometimes access her lost memories in her dreams. However, she doesn’t remember the dreams when she wakes. What’s more, when Tala has these nightmares, Mei usually shares the dream/memory at the same time, although neither of them realize this.

At least, not yet.

#Final Fantasy XIV #Talathar Khalynn #Meimeililee Lilee #Tala's Story Time #gilgamesh-rp #Meetings and Farewells

4 notes · View notes