closed 🪶⚡ dance in the moonlight when all the stars align

[garudas]

Who: Cidolfus Telamon & Benedikta Harman.
Status: Closed.
Where: Around! Islands and Elah.
What: Beetles and wisps and stuff and things.
Warnings: cheeky warning here

Comments

hide, hideaway 🌲 living copper.

[garudas]

[It was a quick and easy journey, Benedikta made sure of it. With her winds on their side, the crew never need worry about making it anywhere in good time because they always did and this was no exception. It was for a good cause, this, and she was feeling quite eager to get a move on with respect to finding a cure for the curse, or rather, helping Joshua to find one. He was, after all, far more skilled in the arts of healing than she was, and had the patience for it, especially when she had other things to worry about.

Making it onto the island was easy enough as well, what with their ability to fly. Unfortunately, everyone else is on their own in finding a way from the ship, whether it be the little rafts or on the shoulders of someone else while she soars above them. She has done enough, thanks, so she will be one of the first to scope out the shore when they arrive and as she waits for Cid to join her.

They head into the thick trees together after splitting off from the rest of the crew, and it does not take long at all for the sky to nearly vanish beneath the canopies. Even their path is thick with vines that drape down over them, and she pushes one away.]

So, how exactly are we to locate this copper again?

[ramuhs]

I believe we need to find large oak trees, and it is within their roots that the copper is found. So once we find those trees we have to dig to the roots.

[He's reminded a bit of that Kudzu island, but fortunately it's not as bad in comparison. A good slice of his sword helps clear out the more troublesome vines.]

[garudas]

[While not as bad in comparison to kudzu, Benedikta still snorts and gestures around them.]

You mean among all these massive trees, we are to find... trees?

[She's joking, mostly, finding a bit of humour in all of this, but it is partly true. How in the world are they supposed to find these oak trees?]

[ramuhs]

[He laughs at that because he understands her point.]

Aye, bit of a needle in the haystack, eh? But we at least know that oaks in particular are larger and robust than the trees right here, so we just need to figure out where they are growing. Perhaps further in.

[As he has to shake off a vine that happened to snag his boot.]

[garudas]

Do you suppose they have grown in a bit of a cluster? Find one and then find many more?

[She does not know much about trees...

As she trips over a root and falls forward into the pile of them, cursing.]

[ramuhs]

[Hums in thought at that.]

Assuming they aren't the kind to compete with each other, it's not impossible—

[Hearing the sound, he suddenly turns around in surprise.]

Beneditka? Are you—augh!

[He's going to have a turn as that vine from before snags his boot again when he quickly turns to help her, crashing forward onto his face to join her. And hopefully not on top of her.]

[garudas]

[Unfortunately... or maybe fortunately for him, he does land on top of her, so at least she will soften his landing, even if she does grunt under him when his weight falls upon her and she sinks further into the roots and vines.]

It would be nice if we had a proper path to walk on...

[She can at least lift her face and spit out the leaves and moss from her mouth.]

[ramuhs]

Sorry, love.

[A groan as he tries to quickly remove himself from her, yanking at his leg. It snaps the vine, dragging it behind him as he reaches out for her, gently wiping her face.]

Suppose a negative of coming to such an uninhabited island.

[garudas]

You would think we would be used to this by now, after all the other expeditions we have been on. All the other discoveries...

[She kicks away some tangled roots and vines from her own legs and pushes herself up, reaching out to check on him just as he does her, picking a leaf from his hair.]

Though I think flying through this is equally as dangerous.

[ramuhs]

Ah, but that makes things interesting and keeps us on our toes.

[A wry grin before he looks up at the height of the trees.]

And aye, I agree. Even if we were to fly above the tops, everything is so tall and thick, we cannot guarantee we'd see the trees, unless they truly our massive to tower over even these.

[He'll pick off some vines and leaves off her before starting to stand and help her up.]

[garudas]

I could just float... a little bit...?

[A light pout as she takes his hand and stands, all matter of vines and things falling from her, her front covered in dirt and ugh, they've only just barely started!]

[ramuhs]

[He points up.]

Vines above as well. Better off on foot, unfortunately.

[But he will try to brush her off some more.]

Perhaps if we try to find where the trees aren't so thick we might have a better chance of making it through.

[garudas]

[She gives him a noise of discontent and tries to carefully step over the root that she'd originally tripped on once they've brushed off all that they could from each other.]

I do not think there is... though I could try getting a bird's eye view of everything from above, see if I can't spot anything from up there.

[ramuhs]

[...Hmmm.]

Couldn't you actually call upon some birds to do that for you? Less risk of getting caught if so.

[garudas]

Ah.

[She looks utterly shocked because—]

Why did I not think of that? You brilliant man. I so often forget that I could when it is not my usual locations. Wait here.

[ramuhs]

[He looks her just as surprised before he laughs.]

Glad I could remind you. Just take care.

[garudas]

[She feels silly, and with an admonishing click of her tongue to herself, she rides her winds up to a higher point, not far away from him, but she'd rather he wait below and not risk hurting himself again getting up here. Besides that, the tangle of branches that she stands on is more precarious than she thought, so she uses her wind to feather-foot it.

Once she has situated herself there, she brings her fingers to her lips and gives a high, loud, sing-songy whistle that echoes through the trees, maybe heard by the others trekking through the forest. They are met with silence first, all of the singing and chirping of the birds having stopped...

...

....

And she is just about to whistle again when there is a rustling of trees and then ... rustling of feathers. A lot of feathers.

Too many feathers.]

Oh gods—! Duck!

[Dozens and dozens and dozens of birds of all kinds come swooping down from the canopies and flutter around, finding places on the branches, on her, on Cid, some fighting for a perch nearby. She swears she hears a quack from a literal duck somewhere.]

who let the wisps out. 🎈

[garudas]

[It had taken a lot of convincing on their parts, but with Pukna and Pukno both now being "much too old" (their words, not Benedikta's), they insisted that it was time they visited the big leviathans. They begged and begged and begged and begged, unrelenting until both Cid and Benedikta finally gave in and agreed to take them to Elah—the first stop in their wish to explore the big huge super duper crazy world (again, their words). Benedikta knows what they really want is to go shopping for books and toys given that they are still very young and they are always asking them to bring them back something from their visits within that realm of souvenirs, so might as well get this one over with.

Maybe she and Cid could get some decent shopping done as well. It has been a while since they've been to Elah. Well, they would be lucky to, given the energy of the young moogle twins. They got them each a little balloon to drag around and they seem to be quite distracted with those for the time being, even with them just tied to their wrists and floating about behind them, they find it amusing.

So instead of them getting any good shopping done, it ends up with the pair following the twins around as they flit from storefront to storefront, ooh-ing and aah-ing at all the things in the windows and the people.

Benedikta is also looking in a storefront of a small clothing boutique, her hand in Cid's, when she hears Pukna shriek.

"Ohhh my gosh it's soo cute, kupo!!!" And that is all the warning that they get before she and her brother scurry away down the street, chasing after something, the bwoom bwoom bwooms of their poms fading as they rush away faster than Benedikta can turn to Cid and react.]

... What the hell was that?

[Yes, that is all she says. That is all she has been saying all day, it feels like, because these moogle children are crazy.]

[ramuhs]

[Taking care of the twins was...a challenge, to say the least. In many ways they remind him of the early days with Mid, however instead of just one rambunctious child he has to deal with two, and these can fly. Which was all the more imperative that they have something noticeable attached to them, such as those balloons. Honestly, he felt a bit proud with that decision—not only does it help them keep a track of the two little moogles, but it also helped keep them happy and occupied in some way.

Especially when they rush off like that.]

...They must have spotted something. A puppy, perhaps?

[just a wry grin as he tugs on her hand and quickly leads her down the same direction the two moogles went, the balloons helping to keep track.]

[garudas]

[A few innocent bystanders gasp when a pair of small moogles shove their way past them, Pukna shouting and squealing down the street. The red balloons bob over the heads of the crowd so they can at least keep better track of them, but they are moving faster and faster, likely scaring whatever it is they are chasing away.]

A good thing you gave them those balloons, otherwise we would be—

[Her voice cuts away as they round a corner and disappear.]

Shit. If we do lose them, we will never hear the end of it from their older sisters.

[ramuhs]

Not to worry, we just have to follow the sound of those yelling!

[Which is true—they can still hear shouts of, "Careful!" and "Watch it!" But they will hasten their pace, running towards the corner and rounding it in time to see the little moogles take another turn. At this rate maybe flying would be better, but the streets are already chaotic enough before adding more.

Fortunately, however, the little game of chase has come to end...if a bit of a sad one.

"Waaaah where'd it go!!"

"It was just here!!"

"Waaaaaah!!!!"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!!"]

Bollocks, now what.

[garudas]

[They come grinding to a halt as they round the second corner, finding the moogles right there, both of them sobbing, though what Pukna is doing Benedikta would call screeching in sorrow.]

Quiet down, will you? Everyone is staring at you. What is the matter?

[Pukna gives a loud sniffle, a bubble of snot disappearing back into her nose, and she floats closer to Cid, her stubby arms out and waiting for him to hold her.

"We saw a little cute thing, kupo..."

"But when we chased after it, it ran away, kupo..."

"And we weren't fast enough!!! Kupopopoooohhh..."

Benedikta gives Cid a sheepish, weary look.]

Well, perhaps if you were not chasing after it screaming, you would not have scared it away.

[ramuhs]

[Now it will be Cid who will give Benedikta a bit of a weary look as Pukna just wails harder at that before he takes her into his arms and holds her against his shoulder, patting her back. Of course Pukno is also now flying towards him, so he's about to have two moogles snotting up his shirt.]

Now, now how about we go over here first, eh? Then you can tell us more what you were chasing after.

[garudas]

[She tries very hard not to roll her eyes at the sobbing moogles, but she does laugh when Pukna rubs her face into Cid's shirt. Ah, it brings her back to the early days of Midadol when she did the same thing, except now it is doubled as he takes Pukno into his other arm.

Those walking past stare at them as Benedikta guides them towards a bench on the other side of the street where they won't be in the way, and both moogles look up from Cid's shoulder, searching.]

Now, tell us about this thing that has you both all up in knots.

[They both sniffle but it's Pukno that answers quickly in a single sob.

"It was blue and round and floating and had a big eye on its face and tentacles like a jellyfish..."

Benedikta glances up at Cid.]

Are we sure that it was not a jellyfish?

[ramuhs]

[Now on the bench, he shifts to be a bit more comfortable before arching a brow at the description especially when the little moogles shout, "Nooo!" together.

"It was different!! Cuter!!"]

So something that is like a jellyfish... But not a jellyfish. Well, I suppose if it were a jellyfish then it would be a strange one to be out of water. How big was it?