bravenewworld | Video | But home is a feeling I buried in you

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Video | But home is a feeling I buried in you

[This... is not a Warp Band which has been active - or within range - in a long while. The image is fuzzy and looks somehow grubby, perhaps to be attributed to the fact that the device has spent almost a whole year stuffed into the bottom of a bag.

The young man on the screen, though, doesn't look like he needs any help looking like a mess.

The fair feathers covering his head are ruffled and matted, and on one side of his head they show signs of having been singed by something. What can be seen of his clothes looks like rags and tatters, repaired in places with caterpie silk, woven vines, feathers, wool... all manners of debris. The once-blue gemstone attached to his forehead looks dull, now faded from blue to dirty yellow. From what can be seen of his face and body, he's not only incredibly filthy, but also a large number of meals short of a healthy weight. He has a nasty-looking cut on the left side of his face, running right across his eye, which is swollen and looks infected.

He offers the camera a bleak, apologetic smile, and the chipper tone in his voice sounds incredibly false.]

Hello everyone. I'm, ah- My name is Fai Flourite. I went missing from Union last autumn.

[He shifts a bit. There is a muffled splash followed by the aggravated chattering of a Floette off-camera, and Fai winces.]

I'm currently a bit... stuck. I'm on my way home, but- mm, I don't think I should be Teleporting in a while just yet. Last time I did, I ended up in a swamp. Which, incidentally, is why I'm a bit stuck.

[He attempts a laugh, but it sounds pathetic. He averts his eyes, as if he can't even face the camera. His voice drops into a mumble.]

But I'm coming home. I know I must've worried some people, and... I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

[And with that, the feed cuts out.]

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[Fai is all too aware that he wouldn't have survived without the pokémon by his side. With his typing, how could he possibly have survived the hardships of winter, if Mr Sunshine hadn't kept him warm, if Sweetie Pie hadn't shaped the snow around him to protect him from the wind, if Babycakes hadn't woven a protective tangle to keep out wild pokémon, if Dotty hadn't risked flying to find new places to stay, if Blossom hadn't found roots and frozen berries under the snow? He's just a human, and one woefully ignorant when it came to surviving such extremities at first.

And without their company, would he have been able to regain his mind enough to come back again?

It's a chilling, terrifying thought, and even more so now that he can take it what his disappearance had done to Feliks. He's so exhausted, so worn down, as if he's been running on nothing but stubborn will alone for a long time. Fai remembers how he can be, and now he wonders how he could ever have deluded himself into thinking that Feliks would ever give up on him completely. Wasn't Feliks the person who he was sure would never give up? Wasn't that what Fai had fallen in love with so helplessly?

In love... Savior protect his foolish heart, but he still is, isn't he? Even after all this time, he's still in love with this boy and his fire, his eye for the dramatic, his cocksure vanity, his unwavering loyalty. Fai feels his cheeks heat slightly even as he gently rubs Feliks back, trying to work away some of the tension there, and hums quietly in an attempt to comfort him. He doesn't quite know what to do with that feeling, it seems selfish and naive, so he tries to put it away for now. But that doesn't change the warmth and affection in his life as he replies.]

I missed you too. Every single day. I tried not to think about it because it made me feel bad, but... I did. All the time.

Then you shouldn't have left without me, you big jerk.

[He's not even mad, really. A little exasperated, perhaps. Mostly, he just sort of feels like it needs to be said the same way his tears need to be shed -- he needs to let it out of his heart and into the world where it can resolve itself.]

...You should have taken me with you.

I shouldn't have. [Fai will agree with anything, though the thought of taking Feliks with him back then is shamefully upsetting. He's not sure how Feliks could possibly care this much about him if he'd seen what he was like back then.] I'm a jerk.

[He's worse than that. Honestly, he can't quite grasp why Feliks isn't angrier, why he hasn't slapped him hard enough to knock him half senseless, why he hasn't yelled at him, why he hasn't properly blamed him for anything yet. Maybe that will come - or is that just wishful thinking because that will make him feel better?]

I didn't- I wasn't... well. I can't even properly remember that first time. And then... I was too ashamed to face you, I think. [Is he trying to make him angry now? Is he trying to make excuses? Is he trying to make sense of what happened? He can't even tell.]

[At this point, now, Yuuna shifts a little. Audible movements of her feet on leaves, but still not wanting to interrupt with words. The dragons are decidedly restless about something wild in the area, and it's making her nervous too.]

Yeah, well, you can work on making it up to me.

[He presses his face into Fai's shoulder, oblivious to their surroundings, still stroking through his feathers. His hand slows a little, as an awful thought occurs to him.]

[It has been a year.]

...If you still want to, I mean.

[Fai blinked slowly, at first not quite capable of understanding what Feliks could mean. If he still-?

... Oh.

Something right between a laugh and a sob leaves his lips, and he gently tilts Feliks' chin up, mindful of his out-of-control talons.]

If I still want to? Savior, I thought you just said that I was the one who had a lot of making up to do. [His lips quirk into one of those smiles that usually only really come easy to him when they're alone, small and open and completely real.]

Yes, I want to. If you'll still have me. Idiot. [And Yuuna is just going to have to put up with kissing as well. It's simple and chaste, Fai being a bit too aware that he's a disgusting mess to try for anything more intimate. Still, for him it's certainly enough to seemingly make him completely unaware of their surroundings for a while.

(...Nevermind the rustling in some trees and the strings of bubbles rising on a couple of places in the still swamp water around them. Nothing is attacking yet, right?)]

Edited 2015-09-27 23:42 (UTC)

Boys. I hate to interrupt, but we're not alone out here.

[Yuuna's trying to genuinely give them space and time, but there's a shift in the air, a smell of something in the air. They aren't in a good area, they are standing dangerously close to a particularly rustly big of swamp grass.]

Back away from the water and those bushes very, very slowly. Towards me, and away from the water.

[And if either of them have any sort of supernatural senses? They'll definitely notice something malicious and hungry...]

[That was something that Feliks honestly didn't even bother considering worrying about all this time, because finding Fai and bringing him home alive took such strong precedence. But selfish as it might be, now that he thinks of it, he's relieved to know that he still has the chance for a place in Fai's life, and that he wasn't a factor in particular in Fai's choice to leave alone or the prolonged lack of contact.]

[He could kiss him forever like this, just gentle and simple, the barest touch of lips turning instantly into the point on which the universe turned. He could, in a perfect world.]

[But.]

Ugh.

[He pulls away with a very distinct pout, and taps his Warp Band to call out his Altaria.]

You wanna get on him, babe? I can tell you all about whatever you want once we're not getting eaten or whatevs.

[Fai, momentarily distracted by fatigue and the first human contact for a year, reacts instantly. He jumps to his feet with a feral snarl, which immediately causes his pokémon to close ranks around him, hackles rising. His fingers curl, ready to claw, his arms spread to take full use of his rather impressive range, lips pulled back from slightly pointed teeth.

He might not be good with actual mind reading, but he can scan basic traits just fine, and there has never been any mistaking that flat, deadened feeling of a creature which is completely immune to his psychic powers.]

Dark. [He spits the word, tense and backing up toward Yuuna. His nose wrinkles a moment after that, a look of distaste on his face.] Poison.

[Well, great. His Analyst powers have been trained to perfection in the wild. But he seems to suddenly be aware that he just acted... well, like a wild pokémon, as if humanity has been scraped away by his struggle for survival. He lets out a brittle little laugh, attempting to relax a bit.]

I could probably do with getting to civilization soon, huh?

Edited 2015-09-28 10:40 (UTC)

Skunktank.

[Yuuna steps forward now, hand on the hilt of her sword. Fully ready to fight the thing and smite it, but it doesn't appear. The reaction's interesting, but not unexpected. Anything can go feral.

The two dragons shift their weight, moving defensively around the humans, bristling and ready to fight if the creature appears.

It doesn't, thankfully, though that may change if he doesn't hurry.]

[Feliks steps in front of Fai the moment they're on their feet, because damned if he's letting anything touch him right now. Skuntank, Dark and Poison... it could be worse. The Dark balances out Poison's defense against his Fairy-type attacks, and most of his are Fire anyway, it's just that he needs to not get hit with too many Poison-type attacks if they do have to fight it. They do have Yuuna, a couple of dragons and Fryderyk here, too, for offense... Acid Spray's likely to be the only real threat to him, and Yuuna probably has antidotes or something in her med kit.]

[His eyes are on the grass, sharp and wary -- he's taken his short breaks in civilization, but he's gotten pretty used to the way the wilderness works, too, searching everywhere possible for Fai. His voice, though, stays light.]

Probably for the best, gorgeous. Fryderyk, can you like come here and let Fai get on already?

[The Altaria wasn't very far off anyway, but swoops down to sit on the ground next to Fai, trilling at him quietly.]

We should all get up high if possible. They are terrible at attacking anything above them.

[Fai won't protest at being treated like he needs to protected, like he's fragile, because he knows it's true. He's spend so much time fighting with claws and teeth and fists and powers, fighting for his life, and he's spend even more time fleeing to save himself. He has learned when he simply won't be strong enough, and when running or hiding are the only ways to survive.

He makes a birdlike little sound back at the Altaria, a meaningless little nonsense chirp only meant in greeting - he's spent a lot of time barely using any words at all, as well. Swinging himself up on Fryderyk's back, he looks poised for flight, but nonetheless watches Feliks' cautiously, as if being separated from him even this much is causing him anxiety.]

What do you say about cutting this party short? [He's already fiddling with his Warp Band to send Mr Sunshine out of there, since he's too large to take flying with him.]

They're probably not alone.

[The bubbling water to her left was a good indicator that there was probably an aggressive species there too, though she kept that to herself. Taking a step away, never turning her back to anything, she let Susume pick her up. The creamy companion's wings flapped once and it floated up a pace.

Kuina nuzzled Feliks, lowering her head so he could get on.]

Take off...now!

[And as if sensing that all the prey was leaving, the water came alive. It practically boiled into motion, a pair of vines shooting out of it. A Victreebell lurking there was on the attack. Hopefully everyone was out of reach!]

[Altarias aren't that big -- it would be too hard for him to carry them both all the way back to the city, even with Fai's bird bones and flying powers and his own Fairy-type waifishness, no matter how awful the thought of not being right at Fai's side is at the moment. He grabs Fai's hand for a moment and kneels down to kiss the back of it, eyes flickering up to meet his with bold amusement in spite of the deference of the gesture.]

I'll be right behind you.

[He gestures towards the sky with a small jerk of his head, and Fryderyk takes it as the order it is and takes off. It's just an instant later that the Victreebel comes out of hiding, and one vine reaches for his foot, pulling him back away from Kuina to prevent him from getting on and making his escape. He kicks at it, and the fire roaring to life in his hands is the only other warning the Pokemon gets before Feliks throws a Flamethrower attack its way.]

[He's not playing around today.]

[Fai understands the necessity of the situation, he does, and he manages to force himself not to hold onto Feliks' hand no matter how much he wants to. Even so, the vines lashing out in Feliks' direction forces another snarl across his lips, and even as he's rising into the air, a vicious psychic blow follows right after the fire, aimed right at the source of the vines. That's pretty much what he's limited to while hanging on, but at least it's something. The rest of his energy he focuses on pushing away from the ground to allow them a quicker ascension.

Blossom and Babycakes have attached themselves to him with vines of their own, and Sweetie Pie is planted firmly in his lap, but Dotty swoops down to Feliks' side with an exuberant little sound. He sends a couple of Air Slash blades flying in the direction of adjacent vines, crowing loudly as if to say, Look, I'm helping!! Not the most discrete way of going about it, really, but points for enthusiasm?]

[Yuuna shouts angrily when the vines lash out, but they’re focused on the weaker prey that’s easier to reach and Susume isn’t letting go. Too high up to drop, she watches the scene unfold. Feliks, in particular, seems to be the target…but an unappetizing one. The Flamethrower throws up a rush of steam, and the vine around his ankles snaps off with a brittle pop and a crackling of flame. The Air Slashes carve into the other grasping appendages, neatly severing them.

But the Victreebel isn’t alone. The Skuntank bursts out of the bushes, hissing and spraying an Acid Spray at the fairy type. And the plant, frightened by the fire, belches up an Acid of it’s own. That shot is clumsy, going wide thanks to the steam…and landing splat against Kuina’s scaly hide.

This, as much as the aggressive appearance of the Skuntank, gets the generally affable Salamence moving. Even Yuuna gulps as the dragon surges into action, feet churning up the ground in a Dragon Rush and sending the skunk flying. What did it think was going to happen? That the dragons were just going to stand clear?

Which just leaves the Victreebel, though that’s pretty plainly retreating. If Feliks was going to pursue, he could…but Kuina seems to want to get clear.]

[Ugh, poison types. The Acid Spray hits him, and Feliks winces in pain, but it's not important, because his foot's free now, and he didn't love this outfit, anyway. He runs after the Salamence and swings himself onto her back, holding on tightly to her neck.]

Go, go!

[He hisses softly at the Poison attack below, but even with a type disadvantage, he knows Feliks can handle himself. A damn sight better than get can at the moment - his own head is already reeling from the exertion and adrenaline. He feels more vines creeping around him as Babycakes decides to secure him more firmly where he sits, in tune with him as always.

Dotty whips up a quick Razor Wind to surround Feliks and Kuina as they gain height, and then hoots triumphantly and returns to hover by Fai's side. Fai glances sideways at Yuuna, smiling bleakly at her before slumping over Fryderyk's back, shaking with exhaustion and shock. He manages to cling to consciousness by a herculean effort, but all he can contribute with now is witty commentary.]

You know, I think I'm almost prepared to face the nobles back home now.

[Kuina, her wrath not entirely vented (because acid was annoying!), takes off and a gout of blue-white dragonfire follows the Victreebel's retreat, sending up a shriek from the creature. And with that, they're clear. The fight resolved, and the blue dragon rumbling in satisfaction.

Yuuna herself returns Fai's look and climbs around to Susume's saddle, rubbing her antennae.]

Well that was exciting. Hopefully...Waver didn't get lost.

[He hadn't gotten lost-- he was just slow moving and terribly late. The poor Braviary who had taken a detour to pick him up had to deal with Waver's clumsy efforts to hold on, not look down, and keep from screaming in fright when the massive bird took off.

But, they had arrived in time to catch visual of the ending movement of the party's daring escape-- and Waver was glad that he had managed to grab some potions and antidotes in his haste to get moving.]

Yuuna! [He called, barely daring to wave his hand to get the others' attention.] Feliks! Are you all okay!?

[Don't mind his state of frazzled dishevelment; flying wasn't a specialty of his.]

[As Kuina rises up into the air, Feliks's spirits rise, too. In the skies, there's nothing between here and Union that can stand up to them -- they're out, with nothing foreseeable between where they are right now and getting Fai somewhere warm and safe and full of good food and soft blankets. The whole struggle's not over, not without Yuui, but it's a greater victory than he's had real reason to really think he'd ever get, and he's soaring on more than just dragon-wings.]

Waver!

I'm fine. We're fine, never better!

[His expression looks more fine than ever before, but there is the small matter of the large acid-hole burnt into his shirt and the obvious wound beneath it. Eh, details.]

[Oh, look. Backup! A little bit late, admittedly, and he has no idea who this newcomer is, but Fai isn't going to be too critical right at the moment. He's relieved as well, aching to go home, and not yet at a place where he can acknowledge his anxieties concerning his return, meaning he's free to ignore them.

Even so, he can't resist a glib comment.]

Dandy, really - Feliks just figured that acid burns would be right for this season. They really make a statement, you know? [Translation: Yes, thank you, he noticed that. He's not too worried about it, but he's still not going to pretend he didn't see.]

[Yuuna rolls her eyes at Waver, keeping her amusement to herself for the moment. The dragonite beneath her rumbles a laugh though, swooping close to her Braviary pal. Howashi is...not amused. Indecent, disgraceful, a pipsqueak like that ruining his feathering. Outrageous.]

Minor scuffle, but we're good. Feliks gets to stay in a hospital bed next to Fai is what it amounts to.

[She flashes a grin back at the pair, her way of teasing and making sure that they had some privacy too.]

[Waver's jaw just dropped at the silliness of the two of them-- and he promptly swallowed any of his complaints about Feliks and his general idiocy for the time being.

Instead, he reached into his bag and threw a potion at the sparkling blond.]

Use that, at least-- and I've got more if you wanna make your vacation more enjoyable.

[.....Those two. They were liable to be busy for a while.]

[Feliks almost doesn't catch the potion, grabbing it out of the air in mid-flight like that, but he manages not to fumble it irreparably. Once he's got it, he pulls the ruined edges of the fabric clear of his wound and gets to applying it, hardly even wincing when it stings.]

Gods, you're all the hugest worrywarts in the world. Like I'm even hurt that bad!

[It's a little bad, but he'll be the absolute last to admit it.]

Let's just get home. Yuuna, I hope you didn't bother asking them to get two hospital beds ready.

[Because he's not letting Fai out of his sight for a good, long while.]

Video | But home is a feeling I buried in you

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I forgot what gender Feliks's Altaria is in an earlier thread, oops

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sorry for the brevity, these are phone tags

its fine~

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