[ There's something that strikes him familiar about the patterns of his symbol. Like a pair of piercing feral eyes that silently spoke to him. Wordlessly granting him a purpose to call upon them. Whatever these were, they seemed to have been caused by Marie herself- at least, so was his initial assumption. The way she fussed and cradled his hand, there's an underlined tension that begins to creep its way up his spine. Was this some kind of curse?
A curse coming from someone like her... No- he didn't want to think it. He refused to allow himself to come to that conclusion. When the young queen releases his hand, Cloud is left temporarily sitting atop the horse, holding his own wrist as he stares down at the Command Spells. Studying them, that flash of her calling his name as they fell together coursing through his mind's eye. The memory flashes hot red, snapping him back to reality as he swings off the summoned steed.
He's left to stare, in partial awe as they're reduced to ether. A summon... It's reminiscent of what he was capable of doing with the right Materia. But that was hardly important right now.
The difference between the time that Marie took his hand as a wounded little wolf, and the way she leads him towards the patch of green and a tree to settle against... The atmosphere feels heavy, downright palpable as he takes a seat at her side. This was it. When she offers to postpone this until tomorrow, there's a part of him that kneejerk wants to take her into consideration. He wasn't the only one who was captured by the Sinless. Marie was strong, stronger than he ever would have thought- but perhaps she was tired too. ]
No.
[ Something like this couldn't wait. And with that, Cloud gently shakes his head as it to grant her the affirmation to continue. Despite the weight he feels bearing down on them, he still trusts her. Trusts her enough to dive off the side of the temple to save her. ]
I want to know.
[ Those once brilliant sapphire blues of his were changed to the matching gold as those foxes. Yet despite this, there's a subtle glow in this light brought about by the mako he's infused with. And right now, he's solely paying attention to her, expectant yet patient. ]
[ The weight of guilt is almost unbearable, like a large rock sitting on her chest. Marie figures this is the least she deserves for what she has done. Not enough apologies will cancel such a crime, despite how little control the both of them had over the entire thing. Now that the damage is done, what she must do is to deliver the next impact as softly as possible.
Cloud wants no breaks before her explanation. That's fine, she guesses... the sooner she tells him, the less painful it will be later when he registers everything and makes his verdict. It's not as if there are any alternatives to speaking the truth as it is. There are no longer reasons to hide anything by now. Everything will come down like broken waterworks, and she can only hope he's emotionally strong enough to take it all. His eyes show a faint glow, and she lowers her own, rather focusing on her words than looking back at him. ]
Very well. First of all, my real name is Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, better known by the people as Marie Antoinette. I was the ruler of France, alongside King Louis the 16th. What you're looking at is the spirit of that Queen, who tragically passed away at the end of the 18th century.
[ In order to make him understand, she will have to stop and give him some context behind that. She narrates the legend of the Holy Grail, before revealing that such an artifact is indeed real and as powerful as those tales told. Then, the existence of the Throne of Heroes, and consequently that of the Heroic Spirits. How the Holy Grail Wars began, why they did, what a Master is, the purpose of a Servant, her class as a Rider, a quick rundown of the other existing classes, and then the reasons why she ended up in Chaldea and went through the single craziest widescale plot to save humanity ever possible. Of course, she also added in her adventure in that unknown desert island to lighten the mood a little bit.
In-between those events, she'll tell Cloud more about herself, her powers, why she could summon that horse, her Noble Phantasms, and other details. Her throat feels a bit parched after talking so much, but unlike a normal human being she can handle it, and she will tell him as such: Servants don't need food or sleep unless they run out of mana. For the sake of not breaking the solemn air around them, she won't mention anything about intimacy being a factor that would help regain mana, much like how the Moonblessing system works. ]
... I think I've covered everything. [ A pause, while she nervously massages her neck. ] If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
[ And for most of the story, the context behind the story, and her true identity, he's relatively silent. Most of his reactions come from his expressive eyes. But there's something amidst all of that which causes Cloud to pause in thought. The Holy Grail. While not intimately familiar with the legends, he knows enough. Enough to know that there exists a power on his planet that would allow one to harness the nigh-unstoppable force that is the Knights of the Round. He doesn't say anything of it, absorbing what he can about the Throne of Heroes. Heroic Spirits. What Marie herself was.
By the end of it all, and as her story comes to a close, the woman who was classified as Rider would find that he seemed reflective. He looks down at his hand, the Command Spells fresh as can be. It's like if he ran his fingers across them, it would smudge like ink- not the case. As far as he understands the situation he's put himself in, had it not been for Prismatica's own mysterious source of power anchoring her here? It was up to him to supply her with mana. As per the terms of the contract for the sake of achieving victory. For the sake of war; not that it applied here. To say that his mind was blown was a big understatement. The gravitas of their newfound bond wasn't lost on him. ]
I'm your...Master...?
[ Cloud clenches his hand before letting it fall in his lap, his eyes following suit away from her. For a couple long moments, he's still. Would he be bewildered? Ask if there was some way to take this back? That he didn't ask for any of this? His silence is palpable...
That is how the order of things have shifted, at the moment. I am, without a doubt, your Servant.
[ Even after her whole explanation, how much she's ranted about this and that factoid in much detail, Marie believes she hasn't told him enough. Unfortunately, what other information she could have stored in her mind has gone lost in the immense sea of emotions laying waste among all the rest. She did offer to answer any question Cloud might wonder about, at the very least.
But besides the blatantly obvious one she nodded at, he comes up with a statement that gets her to blink. Were this scene not the fallout of a desperate escape from the clutches of crazy cultists, she would have chuckled at it. Instead she merely blinks, tired although gradually understand what he's talking about. Their first meeting, much joyous and worthwhile than the entire mess today has been so far. Her following sigh is pretty mirthless. ]
I am no simple girl, either, but I still wish to be treated that way. After all, I lost my royalty upon death, and all I am left with is my humanity and a fighting heroic spirit that was shaped to me by the merciful Grail.
[ The first question that ran through her newfound Master's mind was, "Where do I start?" He had yet to ask her anything else, and truth be told, he likely wouldn't anytime soon. She'd given him more than enough information. Enough that she'd practically laid herself to bare for him. This was the second time they'd met, and this certainly wouldn't have ever crossed his mind on his list of ways he planned on "paying her back".
His thought from before, that he turned to words as he remembers that day, was likely him coping. It's all a whirlwind to him, yet so long as he focused on the "simple girl" he'd come to know, he felt like he wouldn't get too lost. As he sits there at her side, he stares at her silently while she lays down what she wishes to be treated as. How she talks about herself, restored from death as a heroic spirit... The air that surrounds her is completely different from the person who so jovially took his hand that day. The one that wouldn't take "no" for an answer. He sighs in the end, softer than hers as the gentle glow of his golden eyes returns to the skies above the streetlights.
And for half a moment, he doesn't say anything, resting his forearm on his knee. ]
This is gonna take some getting used to.
[ There's no dread to be found in his voice when he finally speaks again. Cloud is thoughtful, still staring out at the stars. ]
But, when I look at these... [ He raises his palm in front of him, his command spells on full display. Cloud may not fully understand yet, but he didn't have to. ] It means you're okay, right?
[ Because impromptu and unintentional or not- this was the sign of their bond. He couldn't look at her as some 'Servant' to do his bidding. He didn't want to make her fight, or to treat her as such. Frankly, he's okay with remembering the "simple girl". She's the one he dove after. ]
Edited (got rid of the last sentence. honestly i'll prolly use it for a later thread. dkfajhsd sorry) 2019-08-23 22:32 (UTC)
[ Hands fumbling at her lap, fingers tugging at the bottom of her dress, Marie nods in understanding when Cloud tells her he needs time to get accustomed to this new situation that had been almost literally thrust into him. She will not scorn at him for that, obviously, and there is no way she would judge any of his consequent reactions. In her mind, it's still her fault. It will keep being her fault even after he feels better about it. ]
Take all the time you need.
[ His next question is weird, but a glance to his hand spells what he means way too better. Marie's next nod is more tentative, slower. ]
Yes. Thanks to the Chroma here, however, we don't have to stay in physical proximity of each other all the time. My other Master left the planet weeks ago and I was still doing decently.
[ A timid glance to the side, away from him. ]
I believe the only instance where closeness is required is during a fight. My powers would increase exponentially if you were with me.
Mm... That's one upside. At least you can use Chroma like an anchor without someone.
[ Since he's wrapped his head around the fact that mana and the contract is what initially maintains a Servant's form in the current world. When she makes mention of their closeness during any conflicts, whereas her gaze falters from him, his remains trained on her, quieter and contemplative. ]
...
[ The "only instance"... Maybe he's reading into things too much. But...did she think that she was a burden to him? Cloud wouldn't express it, especially with just how fast this whirlwind of events swept both of them off their feet. But he leaves it to mull over in the back of his mind. Even so, though he doesn't reach out to her physically, the blond finally does speak up. A bit more honestly this time. ]
Got it. If things get dicey around here, I'll stay close so you won't have to worry about that.
[ He's not sure how to put this into words, and the more he thinks about it, the harder it gets without feeling like he'll embarrass either one of them. But...he really did like the time they spent together, even if it was to patch him up. Cloud can't help feeling that things have changed, irrevocably so, even if he didn't want to give up what they'd started. ]
I... [ ... and ultimately, he decides against saying it. And mentally kicking himself for doing so. Instead resigning himself as the two take their time to rest up. ] Alright. I think I'm going to go back and check on the others.
[ Now that things have settled down some and most of the cultists were rounded up. ]
[ This entire talk was already embarrassing on its own, even without Cloud making it moreso, but a big chunk of that emotion is the sheer guilt Marie is still feeling. Whatever he could have said wasn't going to make her feel worse. At this moment, after all that happened between the kidnapping and... this, she feels quite like she's hitting rock bottom, as far as her mood is going.
It had been a long time since she felt this way. Probably since the day she was told she wasn't going to see her children again.
No... that's silly. Nothing would be as horrible as those colds said to her. ]
...
[ She made herself even more upset for no reason. Ah, stupid.
With a gentle shake of her head, she gives out a long sigh. Marie wants to stop Cloud and tell him he still needs the rest, but something hangs up in her mind and prevents her from saying anything.
It's yet again the shadow of guilt, telling her that he doesn't need her. She messed up spectacularly, and doesn't deserve to keep her new Master close with the excuse of preserving his safety. He will be fine on his own; Marie knows that very well, after watching him fight the cultists.
The hand she wanted to raise in order to stop him remains glued to her lap. ]
... Alright. But you must be careful. I do not think the threat is over yet.
[ Curt sentences spoken in a soft voice. The Rider has a somber look on her face.
It's best to let him go for now. They both need to process everything properly. By themselves. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
A curse coming from someone like her... No- he didn't want to think it. He refused to allow himself to come to that conclusion. When the young queen releases his hand, Cloud is left temporarily sitting atop the horse, holding his own wrist as he stares down at the Command Spells. Studying them, that flash of her calling his name as they fell together coursing through his mind's eye. The memory flashes hot red, snapping him back to reality as he swings off the summoned steed.
He's left to stare, in partial awe as they're reduced to ether. A summon... It's reminiscent of what he was capable of doing with the right Materia. But that was hardly important right now.
The difference between the time that Marie took his hand as a wounded little wolf, and the way she leads him towards the patch of green and a tree to settle against... The atmosphere feels heavy, downright palpable as he takes a seat at her side. This was it. When she offers to postpone this until tomorrow, there's a part of him that kneejerk wants to take her into consideration. He wasn't the only one who was captured by the Sinless. Marie was strong, stronger than he ever would have thought- but perhaps she was tired too. ]
No.
[ Something like this couldn't wait. And with that, Cloud gently shakes his head as it to grant her the affirmation to continue. Despite the weight he feels bearing down on them, he still trusts her. Trusts her enough to dive off the side of the temple to save her. ]
I want to know.
[ Those once brilliant sapphire blues of his were changed to the matching gold as those foxes. Yet despite this, there's a subtle glow in this light brought about by the mako he's infused with. And right now, he's solely paying attention to her, expectant yet patient. ]
no subject
Cloud wants no breaks before her explanation. That's fine, she guesses... the sooner she tells him, the less painful it will be later when he registers everything and makes his verdict. It's not as if there are any alternatives to speaking the truth as it is. There are no longer reasons to hide anything by now. Everything will come down like broken waterworks, and she can only hope he's emotionally strong enough to take it all. His eyes show a faint glow, and she lowers her own, rather focusing on her words than looking back at him. ]
Very well. First of all, my real name is Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, better known by the people as Marie Antoinette. I was the ruler of France, alongside King Louis the 16th. What you're looking at is the spirit of that Queen, who tragically passed away at the end of the 18th century.
[ In order to make him understand, she will have to stop and give him some context behind that. She narrates the legend of the Holy Grail, before revealing that such an artifact is indeed real and as powerful as those tales told. Then, the existence of the Throne of Heroes, and consequently that of the Heroic Spirits. How the Holy Grail Wars began, why they did, what a Master is, the purpose of a Servant, her class as a Rider, a quick rundown of the other existing classes, and then the reasons why she ended up in Chaldea and went through the single craziest widescale plot to save humanity ever possible. Of course, she also added in her adventure in that unknown desert island to lighten the mood a little bit.
In-between those events, she'll tell Cloud more about herself, her powers, why she could summon that horse, her Noble Phantasms, and other details. Her throat feels a bit parched after talking so much, but unlike a normal human being she can handle it, and she will tell him as such: Servants don't need food or sleep unless they run out of mana. For the sake of not breaking the solemn air around them, she won't mention anything about intimacy being a factor that would help regain mana, much like how the Moonblessing system works. ]
... I think I've covered everything. [ A pause, while she nervously massages her neck. ] If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
no subject
....... ..........
................... .....
.................................................. ....................... ..............................
[ And for most of the story, the context behind the story, and her true identity, he's relatively silent. Most of his reactions come from his expressive eyes. But there's something amidst all of that which causes Cloud to pause in thought. The Holy Grail. While not intimately familiar with the legends, he knows enough. Enough to know that there exists a power on his planet that would allow one to harness the nigh-unstoppable force that is the Knights of the Round. He doesn't say anything of it, absorbing what he can about the Throne of Heroes. Heroic Spirits. What Marie herself was.
By the end of it all, and as her story comes to a close, the woman who was classified as Rider would find that he seemed reflective. He looks down at his hand, the Command Spells fresh as can be. It's like if he ran his fingers across them, it would smudge like ink- not the case. As far as he understands the situation he's put himself in, had it not been for Prismatica's own mysterious source of power anchoring her here? It was up to him to supply her with mana. As per the terms of the contract for the sake of achieving victory. For the sake of war; not that it applied here. To say that his mind was blown was a big understatement. The gravitas of their newfound bond wasn't lost on him. ]
I'm your...Master...?
[ Cloud clenches his hand before letting it fall in his lap, his eyes following suit away from her. For a couple long moments, he's still. Would he be bewildered? Ask if there was some way to take this back? That he didn't ask for any of this? His silence is palpable...
Until, ]
Jeez... So much for a nurse, huh?
no subject
That is how the order of things have shifted, at the moment. I am, without a doubt, your Servant.
[ Even after her whole explanation, how much she's ranted about this and that factoid in much detail, Marie believes she hasn't told him enough. Unfortunately, what other information she could have stored in her mind has gone lost in the immense sea of emotions laying waste among all the rest. She did offer to answer any question Cloud might wonder about, at the very least.
But besides the blatantly obvious one she nodded at, he comes up with a statement that gets her to blink. Were this scene not the fallout of a desperate escape from the clutches of crazy cultists, she would have chuckled at it. Instead she merely blinks, tired although gradually understand what he's talking about. Their first meeting, much joyous and worthwhile than the entire mess today has been so far. Her following sigh is pretty mirthless. ]
I am no simple girl, either, but I still wish to be treated that way. After all, I lost my royalty upon death, and all I am left with is my humanity and a fighting heroic spirit that was shaped to me by the merciful Grail.
no subject
His thought from before, that he turned to words as he remembers that day, was likely him coping. It's all a whirlwind to him, yet so long as he focused on the "simple girl" he'd come to know, he felt like he wouldn't get too lost. As he sits there at her side, he stares at her silently while she lays down what she wishes to be treated as. How she talks about herself, restored from death as a heroic spirit... The air that surrounds her is completely different from the person who so jovially took his hand that day. The one that wouldn't take "no" for an answer. He sighs in the end, softer than hers as the gentle glow of his golden eyes returns to the skies above the streetlights.
And for half a moment, he doesn't say anything, resting his forearm on his knee. ]
This is gonna take some getting used to.
[ There's no dread to be found in his voice when he finally speaks again. Cloud is thoughtful, still staring out at the stars. ]
But, when I look at these... [ He raises his palm in front of him, his command spells on full display. Cloud may not fully understand yet, but he didn't have to. ] It means you're okay, right?
[ Because impromptu and unintentional or not- this was the sign of their bond. He couldn't look at her as some 'Servant' to do his bidding. He didn't want to make her fight, or to treat her as such. Frankly, he's okay with remembering the "simple girl". She's the one he dove after. ]
no subject
Take all the time you need.
[ His next question is weird, but a glance to his hand spells what he means way too better. Marie's next nod is more tentative, slower. ]
Yes. Thanks to the Chroma here, however, we don't have to stay in physical proximity of each other all the time. My other Master left the planet weeks ago and I was still doing decently.
[ A timid glance to the side, away from him. ]
I believe the only instance where closeness is required is during a fight. My powers would increase exponentially if you were with me.
no subject
[ Since he's wrapped his head around the fact that mana and the contract is what initially maintains a Servant's form in the current world. When she makes mention of their closeness during any conflicts, whereas her gaze falters from him, his remains trained on her, quieter and contemplative. ]
...
[ The "only instance"... Maybe he's reading into things too much. But...did she think that she was a burden to him? Cloud wouldn't express it, especially with just how fast this whirlwind of events swept both of them off their feet. But he leaves it to mull over in the back of his mind. Even so, though he doesn't reach out to her physically, the blond finally does speak up. A bit more honestly this time. ]
Got it. If things get dicey around here, I'll stay close so you won't have to worry about that.
[ He's not sure how to put this into words, and the more he thinks about it, the harder it gets without feeling like he'll embarrass either one of them. But...he really did like the time they spent together, even if it was to patch him up. Cloud can't help feeling that things have changed, irrevocably so, even if he didn't want to give up what they'd started. ]
I... [ ... and ultimately, he decides against saying it.
And mentally kicking himself for doing so.Instead resigning himself as the two take their time to rest up. ] Alright. I think I'm going to go back and check on the others.[ Now that things have settled down some and most of the cultists were rounded up. ]
no subject
It had been a long time since she felt this way. Probably since the day she was told she wasn't going to see her children again.
No... that's silly. Nothing would be as horrible as those colds said to her. ]
...
[ She made herself even more upset for no reason. Ah, stupid.
With a gentle shake of her head, she gives out a long sigh. Marie wants to stop Cloud and tell him he still needs the rest, but something hangs up in her mind and prevents her from saying anything.
It's yet again the shadow of guilt, telling her that he doesn't need her. She messed up spectacularly, and doesn't deserve to keep her new Master close with the excuse of preserving his safety. He will be fine on his own; Marie knows that very well, after watching him fight the cultists.
The hand she wanted to raise in order to stop him remains glued to her lap. ]
... Alright. But you must be careful. I do not think the threat is over yet.
[ Curt sentences spoken in a soft voice. The Rider has a somber look on her face.
It's best to let him go for now. They both need to process everything properly. By themselves. ]