Stories and ideas.
I promised myself I'd post a story before March was over, so here you go! A little piece of the AU that's been wandering around in my head.
Speaking of universes, I have something to ask all of you who poke your heads into my LJ every so often. Do any of you know the Chinese legend of Madame White Snake? If not, it's a love story that's practically famous in China, that everyone has at least heard.
The main character is a white snake demon, Madame White, who meditates for 1,000 years to be gifted by the gods with a human form. Her handmaiden, Xiao Qing, is a green snake demon, who meditated for 500 years and accomplished a half-human half-snake form. (It goes into gender confusion here, to an extent. In a past life, Xiao Qing was a man who fell in love with Madame White, and still harbors love for her.) Madame White and Xiao Qing, given their new forms, descend to the human world. When they appear there, Madame White sees a man, Xu Xian, and falls instantly in love with him (the feeling is mutual). Things proceed along, they get married, and the only problem is when Madame White makes Xu Xian promise to let her go down to the river once a month. (She needs to shed her skin from her demon form, but she can't tell him that.) The two are quite happy together, until a monk, Abbot Fahai, appears. He has meditated a thousand years as well, in an attempt to achieve nirvana. Fahai could see what Madame White really was- a snake demon- and approached Xu Xian to speak to him, putting doubts in the man's mind about his wife. Eventually, he got a potion from the abbot that forces the drinker to tell the truth. When Xu Xian gets Madame White to drink it, her snake form is revealed. The abbot sweeps him away, and Madame White and the Abbot get into a fight over him. I can't remember too much of the ending, but that's the body of the story.
Anyway, there was a point to that whole explanation. I was wondering if any of you could figure out a way to tie Valenwind to that basic storyline, or find parallels, or something. I really want to do a story in a universe like that, but I can't think of anything. Do you all have ideas, or even want to roleplay it or something?
In other news... on to the fic!
Title: Partners
Characters: Cloud, Cid.
Rating: Harmless musings.
Summary: Cloud is having a hard time as a new rider.
Each gryphon in the flock had a distinct coloration and personality. Before he'd become a rider, Cloud hadn't been able to tell the difference between one of the great birds of prey and another- he'd barely been able to distinguish between their riders. Even after he'd joined, at first he had barely been able to tell Fenrir apart from the rest.
Now, though, he could tell which gryphon was which even when they were just blurs of color in the sky. Sometimes, he felt that he knew them better than he knew their riders. For all their intelligence, the gryphons were still animals, and were simpler than people. They liked what they liked, hated what they hated, and they didn't hide it from anyone. It was so much easier than dealing with humans, who had layer upon layer and could never, in Cloud's opinion, be fully understood. All he had to do with the gryphons was bring them their favorite treats and give them attention, and he'd made a new friend. It was so much easier than dealing with other people that Cloud had taken to spending most of his time up on the cliffs where the birds nested. Now, three months after he'd become one of the Free Kingdom's riders, he had gotten to know the birds quite well.
Today, since he didn't have any tasks to perform, Cloud had once again slipped away from the outpost and up to the cliffs, where the gryphons always went to sun themselves. He'd never actually seen any of the other riders up there, since most had their gryphons land by the drill grounds to dismount there. He hadn't expected to find Cid already up there, petting and crooning to his mount Sierra.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to-" Cloud stammered, backing away a bit toward the path down the cliffs. Cid had apparently just gotten back from a patrol- Sierra's saddle and other gear were laid in a neat stack off to the side. Cloud felt like he had just intruded on a private moment, something more intimate than just taking care of a gryphon. He didn't want Cid getting embarrassed, or irritated at him, so he got ready to quickly depart. Cid had a sharp tongue when he was angry.
Despite his expectations, though, Cid only laughed and waved him back over. "Naah, kid, 's fine. Don't let me keep you from spendin' time with these beauties."
Cloud cautiously edged forward, toward Fenrir, burying his hands in the gryphon's crest feathers, much to the bird's delight. He'd wanted to spend time with the gryphons, but now that Cid was there, he wasn't sure what to do. He did his best to ignore the other man, but he still felt tense and awkward about being in his presence. Was it taboo to touch someone else's mount? Why was Cid still up here, anyway? His patrol was finished. Cloud almost started to edge away again, instead of staying to deal with the tension the older blonde's presence had created.
The birds weren't about to have that, though. Before he could get more than a few steps away from Fenrir, Heaven and Gaia moved into his path, butting at him with their heads in greeting and to demand scratches.
Behind him, Cid laughed again, and Cloud flushed, though he still reached out to pet Gaia's smooth brown feathers. Aerith's mount made a contented chirping sound and pressed back against his hand, hazel eyes half-shuttered. Cloud heard Cid approaching, and was slightly surprised when Heaven peeled away from him and moved over to Cid, to demand preening from him instead. Heaven was a prideful bird, and she wouldn't do that for just anyone. Cloud had only just gotten her to like him.
Cid crooned over her for a few more moments before turning to look at Cloud, who was staring at him disbelievingly. "Ya must spend a lot of time up here, if y've gotten Heaven to like ya." Cloud was only able to nod mutely. Cid had seemed to him a soldier through and through, when they'd been introduced, or when he saw him in the mess. It had never occurred to him that the man could be so... soft.
"I c'n see why. I used ta do the same thing when I first got a gryphon. Spent all my time with them, 'stead of making friends with the other trainees. Always thought that they were damn beautiful, could barely believe it when I first went to the training grounds," Cid continued, ignoring the stare that Cloud had continued to give him in favor of lavishing Heaven with more attention.
"Why?" Cloud asked hesitantly. "I'm sure you could have made plenty of friends." Cid was confident in a way that Cloud had a hard time imagining himself. In fact, it seemed like all the other conventionally trained riders were confident in themselves and their abilities. In his mind, it was probably a result of their training.
Again, Cid laughed. "Upstart brat like I was? No way in hell. Only friend I got during that was Vince. Back then, I thought the birds were better company than people. Still do sometimes, though this squad's a good bunch. Love these birds, though. Got to know 'em all almost as well as Sierra. Not that I'd give her up, though. Best damn partner I could've imagined."
"I've never seen you up here, though," Cloud pointed out. Highwind simply shrugged and finally turned away from the gryphons, hoisting up Sierra's tack to carry over one shoulder.
"Well, sure. I've been busy. 'Sides, Sierra can take after herself," the older rider said as he walked past Cloud toward the path down the cliff. He paused and turned back to look at Cloud. "Kid, let me tell ya somethin'. It's a good thing that ya like the birds an' all. No one will get angry at ya for spendin' time with them. But it won't hurt you ta get to know the others, you hear? There's a reason we let our gryphons choose their riders here on the border. Means that all th' riders are trustworthy. You trust the gryphons, right? You c'n trust their partners, too."
After Cid was gone, Cloud sat among the gryphons, simply absorbing their presence, and thinking about Cid's words. He had been too intimidated before to think about trying to socialize, and the others had seemed too busy with their own work to spare any time for him. SO he had retreated to the gryphons.
If Cid was right, though... then they at least wouldn't bother him. The gryphons picked their partners, so they must pick someone who would take care of them. And the gryphons liked him as well. That meant the others would like him too, right?
He wouldn't just go out and start making friends with them. That was a bit much for him to do in one go. But he would watch and see. Maybe Cid was right.
Speaking of universes, I have something to ask all of you who poke your heads into my LJ every so often. Do any of you know the Chinese legend of Madame White Snake? If not, it's a love story that's practically famous in China, that everyone has at least heard.
The main character is a white snake demon, Madame White, who meditates for 1,000 years to be gifted by the gods with a human form. Her handmaiden, Xiao Qing, is a green snake demon, who meditated for 500 years and accomplished a half-human half-snake form. (It goes into gender confusion here, to an extent. In a past life, Xiao Qing was a man who fell in love with Madame White, and still harbors love for her.) Madame White and Xiao Qing, given their new forms, descend to the human world. When they appear there, Madame White sees a man, Xu Xian, and falls instantly in love with him (the feeling is mutual). Things proceed along, they get married, and the only problem is when Madame White makes Xu Xian promise to let her go down to the river once a month. (She needs to shed her skin from her demon form, but she can't tell him that.) The two are quite happy together, until a monk, Abbot Fahai, appears. He has meditated a thousand years as well, in an attempt to achieve nirvana. Fahai could see what Madame White really was- a snake demon- and approached Xu Xian to speak to him, putting doubts in the man's mind about his wife. Eventually, he got a potion from the abbot that forces the drinker to tell the truth. When Xu Xian gets Madame White to drink it, her snake form is revealed. The abbot sweeps him away, and Madame White and the Abbot get into a fight over him. I can't remember too much of the ending, but that's the body of the story.
Anyway, there was a point to that whole explanation. I was wondering if any of you could figure out a way to tie Valenwind to that basic storyline, or find parallels, or something. I really want to do a story in a universe like that, but I can't think of anything. Do you all have ideas, or even want to roleplay it or something?
In other news... on to the fic!
Title: Partners
Characters: Cloud, Cid.
Rating: Harmless musings.
Summary: Cloud is having a hard time as a new rider.
Each gryphon in the flock had a distinct coloration and personality. Before he'd become a rider, Cloud hadn't been able to tell the difference between one of the great birds of prey and another- he'd barely been able to distinguish between their riders. Even after he'd joined, at first he had barely been able to tell Fenrir apart from the rest.
Now, though, he could tell which gryphon was which even when they were just blurs of color in the sky. Sometimes, he felt that he knew them better than he knew their riders. For all their intelligence, the gryphons were still animals, and were simpler than people. They liked what they liked, hated what they hated, and they didn't hide it from anyone. It was so much easier than dealing with humans, who had layer upon layer and could never, in Cloud's opinion, be fully understood. All he had to do with the gryphons was bring them their favorite treats and give them attention, and he'd made a new friend. It was so much easier than dealing with other people that Cloud had taken to spending most of his time up on the cliffs where the birds nested. Now, three months after he'd become one of the Free Kingdom's riders, he had gotten to know the birds quite well.
Today, since he didn't have any tasks to perform, Cloud had once again slipped away from the outpost and up to the cliffs, where the gryphons always went to sun themselves. He'd never actually seen any of the other riders up there, since most had their gryphons land by the drill grounds to dismount there. He hadn't expected to find Cid already up there, petting and crooning to his mount Sierra.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to-" Cloud stammered, backing away a bit toward the path down the cliffs. Cid had apparently just gotten back from a patrol- Sierra's saddle and other gear were laid in a neat stack off to the side. Cloud felt like he had just intruded on a private moment, something more intimate than just taking care of a gryphon. He didn't want Cid getting embarrassed, or irritated at him, so he got ready to quickly depart. Cid had a sharp tongue when he was angry.
Despite his expectations, though, Cid only laughed and waved him back over. "Naah, kid, 's fine. Don't let me keep you from spendin' time with these beauties."
Cloud cautiously edged forward, toward Fenrir, burying his hands in the gryphon's crest feathers, much to the bird's delight. He'd wanted to spend time with the gryphons, but now that Cid was there, he wasn't sure what to do. He did his best to ignore the other man, but he still felt tense and awkward about being in his presence. Was it taboo to touch someone else's mount? Why was Cid still up here, anyway? His patrol was finished. Cloud almost started to edge away again, instead of staying to deal with the tension the older blonde's presence had created.
The birds weren't about to have that, though. Before he could get more than a few steps away from Fenrir, Heaven and Gaia moved into his path, butting at him with their heads in greeting and to demand scratches.
Behind him, Cid laughed again, and Cloud flushed, though he still reached out to pet Gaia's smooth brown feathers. Aerith's mount made a contented chirping sound and pressed back against his hand, hazel eyes half-shuttered. Cloud heard Cid approaching, and was slightly surprised when Heaven peeled away from him and moved over to Cid, to demand preening from him instead. Heaven was a prideful bird, and she wouldn't do that for just anyone. Cloud had only just gotten her to like him.
Cid crooned over her for a few more moments before turning to look at Cloud, who was staring at him disbelievingly. "Ya must spend a lot of time up here, if y've gotten Heaven to like ya." Cloud was only able to nod mutely. Cid had seemed to him a soldier through and through, when they'd been introduced, or when he saw him in the mess. It had never occurred to him that the man could be so... soft.
"I c'n see why. I used ta do the same thing when I first got a gryphon. Spent all my time with them, 'stead of making friends with the other trainees. Always thought that they were damn beautiful, could barely believe it when I first went to the training grounds," Cid continued, ignoring the stare that Cloud had continued to give him in favor of lavishing Heaven with more attention.
"Why?" Cloud asked hesitantly. "I'm sure you could have made plenty of friends." Cid was confident in a way that Cloud had a hard time imagining himself. In fact, it seemed like all the other conventionally trained riders were confident in themselves and their abilities. In his mind, it was probably a result of their training.
Again, Cid laughed. "Upstart brat like I was? No way in hell. Only friend I got during that was Vince. Back then, I thought the birds were better company than people. Still do sometimes, though this squad's a good bunch. Love these birds, though. Got to know 'em all almost as well as Sierra. Not that I'd give her up, though. Best damn partner I could've imagined."
"I've never seen you up here, though," Cloud pointed out. Highwind simply shrugged and finally turned away from the gryphons, hoisting up Sierra's tack to carry over one shoulder.
"Well, sure. I've been busy. 'Sides, Sierra can take after herself," the older rider said as he walked past Cloud toward the path down the cliff. He paused and turned back to look at Cloud. "Kid, let me tell ya somethin'. It's a good thing that ya like the birds an' all. No one will get angry at ya for spendin' time with them. But it won't hurt you ta get to know the others, you hear? There's a reason we let our gryphons choose their riders here on the border. Means that all th' riders are trustworthy. You trust the gryphons, right? You c'n trust their partners, too."
After Cid was gone, Cloud sat among the gryphons, simply absorbing their presence, and thinking about Cid's words. He had been too intimidated before to think about trying to socialize, and the others had seemed too busy with their own work to spare any time for him. SO he had retreated to the gryphons.
If Cid was right, though... then they at least wouldn't bother him. The gryphons picked their partners, so they must pick someone who would take care of them. And the gryphons liked him as well. That meant the others would like him too, right?
He wouldn't just go out and start making friends with them. That was a bit much for him to do in one go. But he would watch and see. Maybe Cid was right.