Reunion? Not really. [Closed]

[indennizzo]

Characters: Luke fon Fabre & Peony Upala Malkuth IX [ indennizzo & paeoniaceae ]
Content: Luke somehow manages to get himself in Bellcius after his departure from the Silvana at Garrettstown and wanders around in search of a ship to hop aboard. Unfortunately, he's found by a certain prince.
Setting: Somewhere in Bellcius. Most likely around the docks.
Time: While the

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[indennizzo]

Luke heard the squealing moments before the attack came, and the redhead only had the chance to turn and gape at the sound (oh no I'm not hearing things now am I) before he was squished under an all-too familiar pile of rappigs. The noble groaned as he tried to wriggle himself out from the bottom of the pile, but to no avail. He then looked upwards to the animals that had him in this sort of situation, quickly recognizing them all-too quickly (he had been around them long enough back in Erealia to know them at first glance). Oh no, it couldn't be.

True to his horror, a familiar voice called from the side and the redhead could only looked in a mixture of surprise and slight horror when he saw the prince appearing from the corner of his vision. Of all the people he had to meet... first Margrace through the journals, and now Peony here in Bellcius. His life really couldn't get any better. Luke greeted the other Erealian with his usual irritated glare as he contiuned to try and get himself out from the rappig pile.

"Just what - huff - on Reial are you doing - huff - here, Peony?" the teenager grunted in-between tries to pry himself off. "I though you were back - huff - in Erealia."

[paeoniaceae]

"Is that any way to greet a friend, Luke?" Peony teased, scooping up armfuls of squirming and delighted rappigs and moving them aside so the younger noble could properly breathe. However, this was only for a brief moment of time, considering he quickly replaced himself among the rappigs, pulling Luke out in a bearhug. "Then again, you never were known for your manners~"

Dropping him on his feet, he put his hands on his shoulders to make sure he didn't topple over. His affectionate expression changed more to that of concern, and he looked around with a frown. "I should ask you the same. What on Reial are you doing here all by yourself?"

The fact he saw none of the Fabre servants around, let alone guards of Erealia to watch over the duke's son, sounded alarms in his head. The rappigs seemed to catch onto this and hushed, gathered around their legs. "I don't remember a time where you've ever been outside of the manor, let alone Erealia."

[indennizzo]

The redhead maybe would have thanked Peony (in that grumpy, pouting manner of him) - maybe, though that possibility was quickly erased when the prince crushed him in a bearhug. The last of whatever air that was in his lungs came out from his mouth by the force of that embrace and rendered the teenager speechless due to the lack of air, though an annoyed scowl managed to cross his face. Annoying Peony.

Emerald eyes shifted to glance sideways at the prince's question and his following remark, and whatever awkward expression that had been on his face quickly vanished, replaced with the scowl yet again. Luke shifted his legs a little, like a kid who had been caught in the act of doing something bad. "...its a long story," he managed in a rush. Somehow, now that he had finally met someone he knew in the flesh, everything just seemed to stop. Peony was going to send him back to Erealia once he knew the story, no doubt about that. Best not to say anything about it unless he was asked.

[paeoniaceae]

Quirking an eyebrow at him, Peony placed his fists on his hips like some parent expecting an explanation for said child being caught with muddy shoes while their carpet was covered in tracks. The rappigs, recognizing this posture, squeezed in tighter together and looked up at Luke as though expecting an answer as well. How unnerving they could be, when synced with their owner. "I have plenty of time, if you'd like to go somewhere more quiet. In fact, the Victoria II isn't docked far from here."

He lifted a hand up to gesture back the way he came, though it returned itself to his hip shortly afterwards. "I'm a delegate and a passenger of the ship, so I'll vouch for you coming on board. I was going to go shopping, though I doubt you would enjoy that very much..."

He might end up dragging him along anyways, between there and the ship.

[indennizzo]

And that only caused Luke to lower his gaze even further, seeming to suddenly find the floor quite the interesting thing to look at. He knew Peony wouldn't simply let it go like that - the prince would just press him until he would finally spill the beans. The redhead could only hope that he would be able to take in what had happened; it had been nothing but a wild, bumpy airship ride since that night when he got blasted out of House Fabre.

The mention of the ship though, managed to get Luke's attention and he perked up. Would he be able to get back to Erealia then? Finally, after so long? At this knowledge there was a part of him reluctant to return home, but at the same time he did want to go home - he had been away from his house for nearly five months already. Even the new year had passed during his time here on Reial - not that it had been any fun, really. Everything was just turning out as a disaster one by one.

Knowing that he'd be forced by Peony regardless of his answer (plus he got a free ticket to a ship anyway - no need to find one with the worry of his lack of travel documents) the redhead only let out an exasperated sigh and nodded. "Alright, you win this time."

[paeoniaceae]

Sighing softly, Peony moved a hand up to lightly ruffle Luke's hair, messing it up more than it already was. "Chin up, it's not as though I'm making you walk the rappigs." Yet was unsaid, and probably for the best. He had Gai and Ryohei for that, after all, so Luke was spared for now. Turning, he moved his hand from the teen's bright hair to his shoulder, guiding him forwards. The rappigs weren't a problem, simply moving with them in a sea of snuffles, snorts, and pink-and-brown blobs.

"Now then," he began, in a tone he hoped was supportive and understanding so Luke would stop looking like a scolded child. It made him feel bad, and he certainly couldn't have that. The poor kid had obviously had quite the adventure (he didn't even include his kidnapping prior to their meeting). "There's quite a few questions I'd like to ask, but it'd be best if I waited for your story to ask them. Why don't you start at the beginning?"

And while he did that, he would guide him to a nearby shop that drew his eye. From what he could tell, he had very little with him at the moment. That was another thing that simply would not do. Peony could easily make clothing for Luke- and oh, he would- but he couldn't do everything for the boy.

[indennizzo]

Luke only scowled again when Peony ruffled his hair, clearly annoyed by the action. He made no move to bat the hand off though, and only remained silent as he was guided along but the prince, the rappigs following alongside them. To be honest, it was almost comforting for the redhead. Comforting that after months of being stuck in a place he had no knowledge about and thrust into situations of life and death, that he finally met a familiar face that he recognized. It was... really really good. To finally see something he knew in an alien place.

The noble exhaled loudly and looked down, kicking a loose pebble in their path before he finally gathered up the courage to speak. "Well, the night I went missing I was actually planning to go out into the courtyard outside my room. My teacher just taught me this move a few days back and I couldn't sleep, so I wanted to practice." It was pretty much the only thing the redhead could do back then, really. Unable to go anywhere and with nothing much to do to entertain himself he could only work his boredom off or it would drive him completely nuts.

"I'm not too sure what happened next, but... I think someone tried to kidnap me." Again. Seriously, what was it with him and kidnappings anyway? It wasn't like he disobeyed any rules his father set in place for him. He only decided to go out for some late-night practice... his father never said he couldn't - there were guards, after all. "But while they were trying to do so, something... something happened. I don't know what happened, but something happened." The teenager sighed at that and frowned. "All I can recall is this bright flash of white light, and the next thing I knew I woke up in the Badlands."

[paeoniaceae]

Listening closely and ignoring Luke's grumpy manner- for god's sake, he put up with Jade's grump (though it was snarky grump) for pretty much all of his life and presently resided on the Victoria II, a ship full of grumps- Peony dropped his hand down to rub at the ears of a nearby rappig quietly. He let him tell his story for now, hoping he took comfort in being able to talk to someone familiar. He didn't know that many people from Erealia that traveled as often a he did that even knew Luke personally, so there was quite a bit of luck involved in them meeting.

His frown from before returned, though his furrowed brow made it seem even deeper. It got worse when he mentioned there being a flash of light and him finding himself in the Badlands. Would Jade know any way to explain this? And why would anyone even want to kidnap Luke again? Actually, the better question was, how could anyone even manage to do it? The security in the Fabre House was... well, staggering, since the first kidnapping. "How did you manage to make your way from the Badlands to Bellcius?"

[indennizzo]

"After I ended up in the Badlands, I started to go around for somewhere I could find a way back home," Luke contiuned, starting to feel more and more uncomfortable with his tale. The only other person whom he had told this story to was Rin, and that was because they were stuck in the wreck of the Montague for nearly two months. It had almost been a lifetime ago now that he was back in his cushy life in House Fabre... "I ended up in this place called Shasata and I found this ship called the Montague."

He paused there and then, taking a moment to catch his breath before going on with recounting his story. "The captain said he'd bring me back to Erealia, after he finished the delivery that he had to do. I think it was around Lunasa when it left the town..." Luke remembered how excited he was then, how thrilled that he could get home after those few months. Boy, how wrong had he been. "But then while it was nearing its destination..." the redhead trailed off, gulping. The hard part of his account was starting from here.

"The ship... I don't know, it apparently got bombed. It was all so sudden... one moment we were still airborne, and the next the ship crashed onto the Badlands again." Just when he thought he could get home... karma really loved to make a fool out of him, it seemed.

[paeoniaceae]

Rappigs piling together outside the shop, Peony stopped near them and frowned. The Montague? If he remembered correctly, that ship had gone down near Lunasa, during those bombings. His face darkened, brow furrowed and mouth drawn into a tight line. "That was one ship that went down during the Lunasa bombings. You're telling me you were stuck on a ship in the middle of the Badlands for two months?"

The mere thought that so much had gone wrong for the redhead since he'd last seen him made him feel horrible. Lifting his hand up, he placed it on his shoulder, giving a slight squeeze. "I can't assure that you'll get back to Erealia immediately, but while I'm around, you have my word that nothing will happen to you, Luke."

[indennizzo]

"As if you needed to ask," Luke responded dully as he stopped beside Peony, staring at the glass displays outside the shop and his own reflection while at it. He definitely looked a lot more ragged than he had been when he was back at home. His clothes were slightly patched due to the many many attacks and injuries he got while battling monsters while wandering in the Badlands and when he was stuck on the Montague; his hair was in a mess (though that could be just be Peony) and he look downright disheveled. Luke was pretty sure he lost weight too - he only barely had enough to eat for those two months on the ship, after all. Though at least he had no scars - Rin made sure of that.

The redhead turned to glance at Peony with that comforting gesture, smiling a little. He was really glad that he finally found someone out here whom he could rely upon - and it was better that it was Peony. The prince was almost like an elder brother to him. "Um... thanks, I suppose," he muttered, glancing to the side. Ever since his time on the shipwreck, he wasn't so bratty as before - going through a life-and-death situation had mellowed him, if only a little.

[paeoniaceae]

"You have a point," Peony responded, reaching up from his shoulder to fix his hair a little. He let out a light 'hrm' as he examined him afterward, frown stubbornly showing up again while he tried to fix him up a little. He would definitely have to talk to the cooks about giving Luke seconds if he asked, and he'd have to keep an eye on his measurements while he... updated his wardrobe.

Once he fixed his hair up, despite whatever protests he might get, he patted the side of his head with a smile, then moved his hand to between his shoulder blades. Leading him into the shop they were outside of, he swept his other arm out in a dramatic gesture. "You also have my word that I will take care of you. Let's get started, shall we~?"

And so the clothes shopping began.

[indennizzo]

The redhead's scowl was back once again as Peony messed with his hair, though he made no move otherwise to disallow it. He had to admit, this was kind of... nice, he supposed. He wasn't sure exactly how, but it just pretty much was. Emerald green eyes looked up in slight confusion at the slight frown on the elder's usually carefree expression as Peony examined him with great scrutiny. It did kinda want to make him curl up somewhere though - it wasn't so often when someone looked at him like that.

Once that was done, Luke allowed himself to be led by the prince to the door, wondering just what was the otehr up to when then he spoke and oh. That. Great. Peony could never seem to get enough of using him as an unwilling model for his odd hobby of making clothes.

"..." the noble only stared in slight amazement at what the other suggested before he turned to look at Peony incredulously. "We're going to go shopping. For clothes." Of all the things... clothes. Perfect. Just what he needed, really.