Return to Darkness

[Leckseeuh]

Lexia giggled a small giggle at Lilith's happiness brushing off. The little bunny in her pocket made a little cooing noise, its face smiling. Feels nice, doesn't it? Without the burning skin? You needed a tan anyways, I would've thought you were paper! She mocked childishly. She flipped a bit of stray hair off her shoulder, looking around outside.

What kind of 'celebrations' were you thinking of? Running around? She said excitedly, being cooped up in that airship for a while made her a little 'depressed.'

[Lilith]

Lilith couldn't contain her smile, the ecstasy she had at first experienced began to wear off and she slowly started to calm down.
"I just can't get over this... im in the sun..."
she thought to herself, she was probably the first vampire in existence to walk in the light, it lifted the worst part of being a vampire off of her shoulders.

[Secondary Characters]

Vivi's hat shuffled as the black mage tilted his head. Why was it so important to be in the sunlight, he wondered.

"It's growing darker, though, so maybe we should go into the castle and see what's going on?"

[Agrias Oaks]

"She's not that easy to talk to is she?"

Agrias' attention was taken to the Dragon Hunter, and she bowed her head lightly, frowning a bit as she saw Beatrix leave, "Aye..." she would mumble, giving him a polite smile, "Still, she is a kind heart, simply busy, I'm sure..."

The knight rested her hand upon the hilt of her very sword, turning to face Nexus, eyes a soft amber, " So, Ser, I believe we haven't properly introduced ourselves. Hello, I am Agrias Oaks, Holy Knight of the Lio--" she paused herself again, " ... --Stationed on the Red Rose. Who might you be?"

[nexus]

Nexus bowed to Agrias "Greeting lady knight, My Name is Nexus Maxus"
he paused staring down at the rose in his hand "I am the last Dragon Hunter of Alundra" he said as he took a couple steps out of the front archway "And that is the last dragon of Alundra, Airinose" he said pointing to the eastern tower.

"forgive me lady Agrias and i mean no disrespect......but it seems i have stepped on a couple toes just by coming to this world" he paused a sec "there seams to be some tension in the air here. I take it the heartless have attacked more then just my world?" he asked. He almost forgot that he was holding on to the rose, without thinking he offered the rose to Agrias.

[General Beatrix]

There was no sight of Abby anywhere in the Eastern hallways, nor the southern and northern branches; one way or another she would find that seemingly home-wrecking White Mage and give her the judgement worthy of a darkness-infested Holy Knight filled with jealousy.

Turning back to the foyer Beatrix marched alone, one hand resting readily on the hilt of Save the Queen; for some reason she felt the need to be on-guard while she moved.

Coming upon the large opening leading out into the chambers of the castle's interior entrance her eye was guide over to the sight of Agrias and Nexus, standing close and speaking quietly. Then it happened!

Her inner darkness may have been playing tricks, but General Beatrix was sure the knight whose weapons she had confiscated was "making" a move on her ally--were they, anymore?--handing her the very rose he'd plucked from the twin rose bushes high up in one of the tower's five landings.

She narrowed her eye and moved forward quickly. Saying nothing she stepped up between the two and glanced at them each in turn. She continued to just stare, wondering what was going through the Holy Knight's seemingly cheating head.

'I did tell you that she wasn't to be trusted...' said her inner darkness.

"Silence," she said allowed accidentally.

[Agrias Oaks]

Agrias smiled to Nexus' introduction giving him a small grin, "AH! The last Dragon Hunter of Alundra, you should then hold on to that title proudly, Ser Nexus." she blinked and followed him outside of the archway to see the dragon nestling upon the tower rooftop and grinned, "An interesting ride..."

Her mind traveled to a time when she had to travel on Reis for a mission, the Dragon Kind, whom could shape shift from a human form to a dragon form in mere seconds. An interesting woman.

"...and to step on toes? " The holy knight snapped out of it, and chuckled, not understanding that remark, "Well, I suppose you need to work on your foot work... and as for the heartless, yes they have...ah."

She was then offered the Rose.

She looked to him and nodded a little, accepting it to stare at it, thinking of Beatrix and how she adored the Rose.

"Rose of May", she thought aloud, before a familiar blur came into view.

As if summoned, Beatrix was there between them. Befuddled by this, the knight looked around and wondered if she had summoning abilities. What, with her suddenly appearing and all, she smiled happily, "General!" she called out, the heart within her chest cavity going rampant with joy. She showed her the rose, "Look, Mi'Lady, the Roses are in full bloom hither! T'must be May in this world, ye--?"

"Silence" said Beatrix and it caused her to pause, starring at her curiously.

Agrias frowned a little, and held to the rose for some sort of support, and bowed her head quietly, "Ah...many pardons, I must of--.. spoken out of te-..." she shook her head and looked up to her with a smile, " Is there anything you wish, Lady Beatrix?"

[nexus]

Nexus was caught off guard by Beatrix coming out of nowhere.He was about to smile and say something but stopped and narrowed his eyebrows.

Nexus heard her voice and saw the look in her eye, this was not the same Beatrix he had been talking to earlier. She had changed a bit, less emotional, and more stern like serious knights he had meet before.

"Why?.....what happened?.......what changed?" Nexus thought to himself , as he heard Agrias speak in studders and pauses. Nexus looked at Beatrix then to Agrias then to the rose that Agrias was gripping.

*Smack* Nexus grabs his own fore head and starts laughing out loud as he backs up and leans on the archway wall.

Nexus stops laughing and bows toward Beatrix "forgive me lady Beatrix" he says as he stands with a smile from ear to ear. He got it, he misses quite a few things but he got this, if her eye could have changed color it wouldn't have been red, but green "but i believe your misunderstanding things" he paused "i am no threat to you" looking at her sword "in any way m'lady" he finished looking at Agrias and back to Beatrix finishing with a chuckle.

[General Beatrix]

Beatrix was still unsure of this little exchange between Lady Agrias and the Dragon Hunter; when her comrade-in-arms began stuttering her apologies, she furrowed her brow and snarled to no one in particular.

Raising a hand as signaling for her to stop, the general turned to Nexus Maxus and back to the rose. When she saw that his eyes directed down to the hilt of Save the Queen she grinned.

"No, you are definitely no threat at all, Ser Maxus. None, indeed." Then she changed the subject by addressing Agrias. "And please forgive that minor misunderstanding from before; I was not telling either of you to be quiet...no, in fact I was speaking to...never mind. Lady Agrias, have you any idea where Lady Abigail could have wandered off to? She is nowhere in the Eastern Wing. Shall I move west?"

[Agrias Oaks]

Agrias looked from Lady Beatrix, to Nexus in all the confusion, before looking back to the General with a sheepish smile, " I- I could help you look for her, if thou wishes" she bowed her head, "Mayhaps Lady Abigail got lost, as I was a bit ago... oh my."

Her amber eyes shot out to look at her massive surroundings, frowning a little, and tapping at the hilt of her blade with a gloved pinky. She reached up to scratch a little at her chin, in thought.

The holy knight looked around, looking down the hallway where Beatrix had come from, only to stare at the other hallway, "West it is, I do hope she is not lost in such a place..." She held up a fist, looking to Nexus, " Ser Nexus, is it possible for you to check the upper towers whilst Beatrix and myself scout the west wing?"

[Abigail Crescentlight]

Had Abigail gotten lost? To some degree this was true. When she parted from Agrias' side, she had gone up to her room to clean up a little. She still had dust and leaves in her hair, after all! She didn't want to go see Beatrix looking like a common troublemaker, especially when the woman had so graciously offered to give her a dress with which to attend the ball!

So, after cleaning herself up a bit so she was at least presentable, Abigail picked up her healer's staff and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She felt great about herself! She beat that rascal Gaston, and she had won some admiration from Agrias, which had her giddy and happy. Everything was brightness and sunshine for her right now!

"Right! Now to find the General!" she said, then went out into the hallways, just misisng the aforementioned woman coming to find her as she went to check Beatrix's Bedroom. Abigail knocked, and called out "hellooo, anyone home?" a few times, but naturally, the woman was not there.

"Huh... how bizarre..." she said to herself, then thought. "Maybe she's in the library?" she went to go check, and again missed the woman entirely as she took a different path through the castle than Beatrix. Stopping at the Library yielded no results outside of a few scientists and a strangely swoony Daphne. She would smile and quietly leave, taking yet another path through the castle differing from Beatrix's own.

"Where on Earth is she...?" she asked, trying the foyer, the facade, the lounge, and even the conservatory, and each time managing to pass by Beatrix because they were in differing hallways. The castle was, simply, too big! Eventually, she came to the main entrance, and crossed her arms, totally confused.

"Oh come on..." she muttered, looking around. "Maybe she's outside...?" She stepped out onto the front lawn while Nexus, Agrias, and Beatrix split up to look for her!

So, in a nutshell... no, she wasn't lost per se', but she had lost them, and they her!

[General Beatrix]

"You may do as you like, Lady Agrias," said Beatrix, moving past her and the Dragon Hunter in her pursuit for the West Wing. She looked about the castle's interior; oh how much it had changed since that dreadful curse was lifted.

Before the castle was decorated with what could only be called The darkest aspects of gothic architecture and feel. It was the sight of one of the most depressing tales of love Beatric had ever seen, right next to the story of Olive and Aeur.

She turned slightly to Agrias as they walked, and simply looked her over silently, unsure of what she should say. Everything was just a confusing mess to her right now, and she feared saying something might set off the next string of events too early. 'No,' she thought, going over her plans once more.

She stopped at a twin set of doors on her side of the hallway and pried one open. Inside was a lone fireplace and not much else, save for a large comfortable-looking chair facing the opening of said fireplace. No Abigail.

Pressing on she glanced at Agrias again; however this time she was prepared with another conversation:

"So I was wondering...you spend an awful lot of time with Lady Abigail lately...I can't help but question why that is when I'm around now. I understand she is a Sister, but I haven't been too busy; in fact it seemed you tried avoiding me for a while. was it that dream, Agrias? Was it the...Visit?"

[Agrias Oaks]

It was awkward, to say the least. This silent search for the Sister of Light. Agrias would look in several rooms, and out the windows in hopes of finding the white mage. At one point, chuckling to herself, " This castle is too massive, Me thinks." she mumbled aloud.

There were times where the General's and her own eyes met, and it sent her heart to skip a beat. She would quickly look away, towards random objects along their path, like a clock, or a candle holder... until she heard the General speak again.

"So I was wondering...you spend an awful lot of time with Lady Abigail lately...I can't help but question why that is when I'm around now. I understand she is a Sister..."

After Beatrix was done talking, the knight resumed to answer, "Lady Abigail is great company, you should try and get to know her better yourself. Her religion is quite fascinating. She is also a quick learner! Hahah," she chuckled, scratching a little at her cheek as she continued, "She wanted to tell you the news, but I suppose they were never mentioned due to this problem, eh? She won the Alexandrian Knights a feast tomorrow at 10 am, due to a Chocobo Race against this Pompous Gaston and his Stallion Blackwall. Oh, please try to act surprised if she tells you, it was a victorious event for her, she's really proud of it?"


"...but I haven't been too busy; in fact it seemed you tried avoiding me for a while. "

"Lady Beatrix, you yourself spoke of being busy at the table, saying that you had to check your schedules for such events, I assumed you were busy with many things, since schedules is what you seem to speak about. I've also assumed that as of late, I have made you angry for some reason...." The knight reached up to rub at her own head, "...that you wished some distance, so I've done so... You... send out rather mixed signals at times, General, and they are hard to follow..."

"was it that dream, Agrias? Was it the...Visit?"


The question left Agrias to pause in place, "Dream...?" she spoke slowly, looking to the General, her mind racing to the terrifying events of that fearful dream she wanted to forget "... How do you know about such an event...?"

[nexus]

Nexus bowed letting the women go on their way to the west, while he made his way up the stairs leading to the closest tower.

After finding no one in the first tower at all , Nexus made his way around the upper floors of the castle, smiling and bowing to what seamed like an endless supply of maids and butlers. Taking in the castle as Nexus roamed he would ask people as he passed them by if they had seen Lady Abigail. After a good long while Nexus came to a dead stop in the middle of a long hallway. It had just dawned on him

"Who is lady Abigail?"...........................................


Nexus laughed out loud and continued on his way, "maybe he'll find her if he keeps asking people." he thought

[General Beatrix]

[glow=red,2,300]Beatrix listened to everything Agrias said before responding, taking each statement and question in with heavy sighs as they traversed the massive halls of Prince Adam's castle. When she heard Agrias contradicting her free-time statement, she stopped.

"I believe I may have said that, actually..." she stated bluntly, looking down to the floor before quickly changing the subject. "...so Lady Abigail won a race, did she? Against Gas--I know that buffoon; tall, muscular, obnoxious and somewhat foolish? Steiner. But no, I've met this Gaston fellow, as well, in my earlier years of travel; he was not too pleased at losing to a woman in an arm wrestling competition. It's not too astonishing that the White Mage defeated him in a simple race, but I will give her the dues she pleases so well."

She pressed onward and kept a grip on Save the Queen's hilt, for no other reason than instinct, though her inner darkness was telling her to set the blade on her companion, alone in the darkest reaches of the palace. Do it now!

"No..." she started, but quickly remembered that she was in the company of someone else besides her mind, and continued on with her banter.

"Ahem..." Beatrix cleared her throat and peeked inside an empty room before going on. "About the trip to the Halls of Gilgamesh, yes...I had assumed that this was no ordinary dream shared by two Holy Knights, Lady Agrias...and a visit from the King of Blades Himself. An honor, really, but I must admit we were far too unworthy in that time frame...um..."[/glow]