Drabbles: Character-and-Location, Ivalice Edition
And here are the second half of the Character-and-Location drabbles: Things Set In Ivalice. Mildly unworksafe. May also contain spoilers. And odd crossoverness. (And, depending on your point of view, odd pairings.)
For cadence_zero, Elena, Central Archades
Stretched out naked and unashamed against the dark sheets of Gabranth's bed, Elena's fairness is even more shocking. Archadians tend toward dark hair, olive skin - her hair is a gold so fair it's nearly white.
"My mother," she says. "Dalmascan. But I was born in Archades."
"I did not ask," Gabranth says.
"But you wondered." She reaches for him. "You are not the only one Lord Vayne gave a chance."
The Secret Police are even more thoroughly Solidor's than are the Judges, but he cannot bring himself to care. He kisses her, and she is warm, and pliant, and understanding.
***
For mithrigil, Fran, Jahara
"It's hard to talk to someone when you can't see their face," Penelo whispered as they left the presence of the War-Chief.
Fran shrugged. "Perhaps. I understand the impulse, however."
Penelo didn't say anything, but she couldn't but stare. For someone who claimed to understand the impulse to hide behind a mask, Fran's clothing showed a lot of... Fran.
Fran caught her eye and smiled, just a little. "Yes," she said, "but it is not so unlike as you might think."
"Yeah?" Penelo said, trotting to keep up.
"They look at me," Fran said. "But they never do see me."
***
For mariagoner, Gramis, Larsa's old nursery
The nursery was quiet. No wonder; Larsa had outgrown it years before, and there were no new children of House Solidor for it.
Fivestone board. Picture books. Painted blocks.
His first two sons had not lived long enough to produce heirs. If Vayne had interest in marrying, he had never shown it. Legacy, Gramis thought, touching the edge of a hand-carved sleigh bed. Legacy.
Plush Ozmone hare. Marionette set. Moogle doll.
If there were to be grandchildren in this room, well, they would most likely be Larsa’s. He regretted that, of a certainty, he would not live to see it.
***
For shunka_shuutou, Sora, Tchita Uplands
Sora really had no idea what to make of this place -- usually upon landing in a new world, he wound up immediately meeting the people he was there to help, but, well, here there were grass and trees and...
...oh. There he was.
“I need your help,” the man said.
“That’s what I do best!” Sora said, swinging his keyblade. The man looked a bit at a loss, but rallied.
“I’ve work for you. In a hurry, you see….” He unfurled a drawing of…
“…Vegetables,” said Sora.
“Will you help me?” the man asked.
“…Vegetables,” Sora repeated. “With legs.”
***
For white_aster, Cielo, streets of Rabanastre
A lot of viera in Rabanastre dyed their hair, Cielo knew, but he'd never seen any who'd dyed it green before. It reminded him of home, though her fanciful hair had no beads. At any rate, she was clearly his contact - and, with any luck, their new supplier.
"Cielo," she said. He nodded, but didn't ask her name. "Prove to me you're worth my time."
He passed a bag of coin - not much, but enough to make a point - under the table, and let her weigh it in her hand.
She smiled. "I think we can do business."
***
For laylah, Penelo, Muthru Bazaar
“That’s lovely.” Penelo weighed the earring, chain and cuff in her hand, admiring its garnet drop. “How much?”
“Five hundred gil,” the stallkeeper said. “A bargain - “
Behind her, Ba’gamnan snorted. “Too much.”
The stallkeeper frowned. Penelo said, “Three hundred.”
“Four fifty.”
Ba’gamnan interrupted, “Three seventy-five. Don’t pay a gil more, girl.”
His help surprised her, and as she fitted the earring and cuff and shook her head to feel the garnet against her cheek, she said, “Thank you.”
“Thanks doesn’t weight my purse any,” Ba’gamnan said. He leered. “How’re you going to pay me back?”
“Pervert,” she said, cheerfully.
For cadence_zero, Elena, Central Archades
Stretched out naked and unashamed against the dark sheets of Gabranth's bed, Elena's fairness is even more shocking. Archadians tend toward dark hair, olive skin - her hair is a gold so fair it's nearly white.
"My mother," she says. "Dalmascan. But I was born in Archades."
"I did not ask," Gabranth says.
"But you wondered." She reaches for him. "You are not the only one Lord Vayne gave a chance."
The Secret Police are even more thoroughly Solidor's than are the Judges, but he cannot bring himself to care. He kisses her, and she is warm, and pliant, and understanding.
***
For mithrigil, Fran, Jahara
"It's hard to talk to someone when you can't see their face," Penelo whispered as they left the presence of the War-Chief.
Fran shrugged. "Perhaps. I understand the impulse, however."
Penelo didn't say anything, but she couldn't but stare. For someone who claimed to understand the impulse to hide behind a mask, Fran's clothing showed a lot of... Fran.
Fran caught her eye and smiled, just a little. "Yes," she said, "but it is not so unlike as you might think."
"Yeah?" Penelo said, trotting to keep up.
"They look at me," Fran said. "But they never do see me."
***
For mariagoner, Gramis, Larsa's old nursery
The nursery was quiet. No wonder; Larsa had outgrown it years before, and there were no new children of House Solidor for it.
Fivestone board. Picture books. Painted blocks.
His first two sons had not lived long enough to produce heirs. If Vayne had interest in marrying, he had never shown it. Legacy, Gramis thought, touching the edge of a hand-carved sleigh bed. Legacy.
Plush Ozmone hare. Marionette set. Moogle doll.
If there were to be grandchildren in this room, well, they would most likely be Larsa’s. He regretted that, of a certainty, he would not live to see it.
***
For shunka_shuutou, Sora, Tchita Uplands
Sora really had no idea what to make of this place -- usually upon landing in a new world, he wound up immediately meeting the people he was there to help, but, well, here there were grass and trees and...
...oh. There he was.
“I need your help,” the man said.
“That’s what I do best!” Sora said, swinging his keyblade. The man looked a bit at a loss, but rallied.
“I’ve work for you. In a hurry, you see….” He unfurled a drawing of…
“…Vegetables,” said Sora.
“Will you help me?” the man asked.
“…Vegetables,” Sora repeated. “With legs.”
***
For white_aster, Cielo, streets of Rabanastre
A lot of viera in Rabanastre dyed their hair, Cielo knew, but he'd never seen any who'd dyed it green before. It reminded him of home, though her fanciful hair had no beads. At any rate, she was clearly his contact - and, with any luck, their new supplier.
"Cielo," she said. He nodded, but didn't ask her name. "Prove to me you're worth my time."
He passed a bag of coin - not much, but enough to make a point - under the table, and let her weigh it in her hand.
She smiled. "I think we can do business."
***
For laylah, Penelo, Muthru Bazaar
“That’s lovely.” Penelo weighed the earring, chain and cuff in her hand, admiring its garnet drop. “How much?”
“Five hundred gil,” the stallkeeper said. “A bargain - “
Behind her, Ba’gamnan snorted. “Too much.”
The stallkeeper frowned. Penelo said, “Three hundred.”
“Four fifty.”
Ba’gamnan interrupted, “Three seventy-five. Don’t pay a gil more, girl.”
His help surprised her, and as she fitted the earring and cuff and shook her head to feel the garnet against her cheek, she said, “Thank you.”
“Thanks doesn’t weight my purse any,” Ba’gamnan said. He leered. “How’re you going to pay me back?”
“Pervert,” she said, cheerfully.