[Thread; Closed]

[heavenslament]

Characters: Terra, Relm, Edgar...and then Jihl at some point. (Maybe Celes and Locke once the fight attracts attention?)
Progress: On-going
Summary: Terra and Relm seek out Edgar about Relm's stone, and Jihl confronts them. Essentially, doom.
Location: Figaro Castle, Edgar's office
Date: Sept. 30, 1804
Warnings: Violence

Comments

[starprism]

The chalk monsters continued to move across the floor but stopped at the door as Relm poked her head through after Terra. Her sketchbook, however, came with her. She clutched it tightly to her chest as she decided the room was safe and entered.

"It's super important. About those stones."

[sonoffigaro]

Edgar had looked up as the door opened, setting aside his pen and watching as Terra entered. She was far too courteous of his duties to interrupt him needlessly-

But when Relm followed her, looking possibly as worried as he could ever remember, and then said something about stones?

The king pulled off his glasses and dropped them on the desk at the same time as he rose from his chair and crossed the floor quickly to the two girls. "Stones" was undoubtedly one of his keywords at the moment. "What about them? Do you know something, Relm?"

[heavenslament]

"Relm believes the man who killed Firion--" And here, she fights to keep her voice steady, but manages because the situation is too critical for her to fall apart. "--knows she has one, as well. And just now, a woman tried to get Relm to give the stone to her. Edgar, we can't wait. We need to do something, now."

[starprism]

Relm put her sketchbook on the floor and reached into her headscarf, pulling the Taurus Stone out from between the folds of it and holding it out.

"I didn't know they were important or nothing. I just thought it was pretty."

[sonoffigaro]

And with the production of the stone, Edgar did something Terra had only once seen before - completely forgotten to keep a controlled look on his face out of total shock. His jaw dropped as Relm producded the stone, staring at it for several seconds before closing his mouth, his jaw clenched just a little at the thought of one of these things being in Figaro for so long.

No more.

"Relm, I need to see that, but I don't want to touch it. Keep it still for me for just a second, will you?" Any dignity forgotten, Edgar knelt on the floor in front of the artist and peered at the stone in her hand, looking for the symbol - and there it was. He breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw it wasn't of his own sign. But- "...When's your birthday, Relm?"

[heavenslament]

Terra's brow furrowed. She knew this one, didn't she? That had been mentioned in passing conversation before, of that she was certain. And yet, she couldn't remember the exact date. "It's in September, isn't it?" At least the month felt right.

[starprism]

"Yeah, the nineteenth. It was about two weeks ago."

She wasn't quite sure why this was important.

"I didn't get it for my birthday or anything, though. I found it when I first arrived here."

[sonoffigaro]

Despite the fact that Relm swore more than him and his brother combined, Edgar still muffled the curse that came out of his mouth. This was, quite possibly, the worst news of all.

"Has anyone told you what these stones are, Relm?"

[heavenslament]

Edgar's shocked expression and swearing were certainly understandable, but unsettling as well. Terra had rarely seen him so ruffled, and not any time recently. Then again, what else could she expect from bringing him further news about the stones?

The question asked produces a guilty expression. Terra barely knew about them herself, and that only recently. She hadn't thought to pass on everything to Relm before now, not thinking it a necessity. Evidently, she had been mistaken. "I should have, more than I did. I'm sorry, Relm."

[starprism]

"Huh? I know that some crazy guy wants them. And that he'll kill people to get them. And everyone said just giving it to him was a bad idea."

She thought, not sure what the big deal was or how her birthday was important here.

"Oh, and some lady wants them too. And she got really mad when I said I shouldn't give it to her."

[sonoffigaro]

The stones were going to be the death of him at this rate.

"I should have informed you." He sighed; that was an oversight, but at least it could be corrected before it became too bad. "These stones are from the world of Ivalice - Ashe, Rasler, Penelo, Mjrn, Ramza, and Reis are all from that world, though from different times." Relm would at least know Reis as the dragon who slept on the roof - though she wasn't quite like that anymore. "They contain what Ramza calls espers - but they're nothing like our espers. I'd choose to call them demons, because that's what they are, a plague on Ivalice. They're trapped in these stones, one esper for every sign, one stone for every sign, and if the stone is held by someone with a... hmm, let's call it a severe internal flaw who's of the corresponding sign, they can possess that person. Take over their body and make it into their own form, walking the world and causing destruction

[heavenslament]

As Edgar spoke, Terra moved to his side, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. She had been worried about him for a while now anyway, burdened with running the kingdom while his chancellor was not present to provide aid. This situation could hardly be helping the amount of stress that had to be burdening the king.

"At least we know trouble is coming, rather than it catching us off-guard. We'll keep it safe, and tell Ramza...and anyone else who needs to know. And we'll keep you safe, too, Relm. I promise." Terra's voice rarely sounded so firm but one thing she wouldn't allow was harm to children.

[starprism]

Relm listened as carefully as she could. Some details went completely over her head - the finer details of Ivalice in particular were lost in remembering how stupid the people who got the types of espers mixed up were - but she understood the basics. And looked a little horrified that she'd been holding onto something like that for so long.

Terra's promise calmed her down a little. She trusted the half-esper completely, if Terra said she'd be safe then she'd be safe.

"Ramza- he's the blond man who talks all serious, right? He knows, he told me I should bring it to you."

[sonoffigaro]

The sigh that came out this time was definitely more relieved than the last, although still tired. Terra really did have reason to worry about Edgar, but he wasn't going to admit it. Ever.

"Yes, that's him - he knows more about these stones than anyone. We're working together to find them, along with his friend Delita.

"Listen, Relm." Edgar shook his head, then continued on - he'd be up front with all of this. "The stones aren't entirely bad. They can heal people who are badly wounded, and one changed Reis back into her normal form after she was stuck as a dragon. But that's a very, very rare thing to have happen. I have a plan for these stones - will you let me have yours?"

[heavenslament]

Terra listened to those miracles with a certain wariness. She didn't doubt that they had happened, not if Edgar believed them; yet, that wasn't enough to let her guard down about the stones, and she was glad Edgar felt the same way. Even with such deeds attached to them, remembrance of what happened to Kain was all too fresh in her mind.

At Edgar's question, Terra looked to Relm. "It's for the best. I believe that completely."

[starprism]

Relm nodded enthusiastically, holding the stone out further. Even after those accounts of miracles, she'd just seen and heard a man killed horribly for these stones over the network. Normally she might have been more eager to keep it but she was badly shaken from today's events.

"I don't want it. Not even if it's the best thing ever. You can have it."