[closed thread]

[waywardwings]

WHO: Zidane and Kuja.
WHAT: Brotherly reunion! (Sorta.)
WHERE: The docks.
WHEN: Shortly after Kuja's arrival.

Comments

[de_novo_xiii]

Kuja stood as well, huffing indignantly and putting his hands on his hips. "I will not sleep in these clothes. I'm going to firaga them the moment I get a new set."

He stopped his ranting, blinking at his brother before tilting his head. "Can I even cast in this place?"

And then a more important question hit him.
"Where am I meant to sleep?"

[waywardwings]

"Oh, yeah, about that. Magic doesn't work here," Zidane began, looking a little uneasy as if expecting Kuja to take the news badly. He did, after all, seem to be rather attached to his magic. "Neither does Trance, probably. Anything like that doesn't work whatsoever, although I'm not sure why."

He gestured for Kuja to follow him, and set off back towards the city outskirts. "Like I said, there's lots of houses around you can just take for yourself, or you can stay at an inn for free. Or," he glanced over his shoulder, eyes searching Kuja's expression, "I have my own place you could stay at if you wanted." It was probably too presumptious of him, and maybe it sounded a little pathetic and clingy, but right now, Zidane didn't really care.

[de_novo_xiii]

"What?!" He snapped, looking at his own hands. "No magic?!" Kuja groaned, burying his face in his palms and heaving a dramatic sigh. "Well. I won't tempt fate by exclaiming it couldn't get any worse- it probably could."

He walked beside him, carefully taking in the sights and sounds of this strange world they had both been spirited to. The architecture was beautiful enough, and he fancied the fashion everyone wore.

Kuja tried to hide the spark of enthusiasm in his eyes at the offer. Yes in the morning he'd probably march off and claim a house that would be reasonably beautiful but for now...

"If you've a decent shower at your apartment, I will gladly take you up on that offer."

[waywardwings]

To use Kuja's own words from a completely different time and place ago, Zidane was 'too stupid' to use magic, so the block in place was no great loss for him. And it probably made everyone here a hell of a lot less dangerous, Kuja included in that. Not that he didn't trust him, but-- It was complicated. Anything could happen here.

Unlike him, however, Zidane seemed to show a bored disinterest for the city and the inhabitants. If he stayed in one place for too long, he simply became restless. He'd always enjoyed his stays in Lindblum with Tantalus, but that was an interesting city, full of life and familiarity, not the dead eyes of the locals here or the irritating Queen.

He studied Kuja's expression closely, as if expecting sarcasm or similiar. He seemed satisfied enough that his response was genuine, because he grinned and said haughtily, "There's a bath, if it's good enough for your highness."

[de_novo_xiii]

"An actual bath, as in, in a tub?" Kuja tended not to laugh- he giggled. "I'm half expecting bubbles and a glass of chilled champagne."

As he walked, he held out a hand palm-side up. Testing what his brother had said, he attempted a mere fire spell. Child's play for him back at Gaia. But nothing happened, not even a brief spark. Kuja sighed.

"Now here's a curious thing I found out whilst my journal was invaded by strangers. Apparently there aren't any supermarkets here. Just open markets like Alexandria." He picked at the ends of his hair, pouting. "No hairdressers. No shampoo. No conditioner."

"Oh and I'm sleeping in a shirt of yours. I refuse to wear this to bed after becoming all nice and clean."

[waywardwings]

"Yup. The champagne's free here, so that can be arranged," Zidane replied in bemusement, pausing for a moment to gain his bearings. He hadn't been around here since the day he arrived, and the streets were still unfamiliar, even with his good sense of direction. Rivelata was a big city and it was going to take a while to fully memorise the layout.

He resisted temptation to roll his eyes; unsurprisingly, he didn't sympathise much with Kuja's plight. Hygiene, for Zidane, was something that became less of a concern when one travelled the world. If he was lucky, maybe an inn would have a bath, otherwise he'd quite happily jump in the nearest river. He decided not to share that with Kuja, though; he'd probably have a heart attack. It almost reminded him a little of Dagger, when she was still adapting to travelling. Even things like sharing an inn room with other people had been unthinkable, to her.

Forcing her once again from his mind, he set off down a side street and said absently, "Sure, borrow whatever you want."