escordvi | closed ⚡🪶 and forevermore, i'll be chasing the storm we had.

[Will she ever figure it out—

For now he just holds out his hand and the little lightning horse stops on top of it, shaking its head. It did it's job!!! Yes yes he knows—

But now he'll stand back...

.............]

Your little "sisters" aren't going to do anything funny since I'm here, are they?

[MAY ACTUALLY BE A LITTLE. WARY. AND WONDERING IF HE SHOULD HIDE IN A TUNNEL—]

No.

[That is indeed a pair of daggers in her eyes for bringing up that memory. She was trying to pretend it never happened!]

It was the one time, and it was because of that flower.

[It's said with a tone of finality, as if she's done talking about it because she is!!!

And she will not give him another window to say a word about it as the aether flows from her fingertips, a wind picking up and carrying through all of the tunnels until it centers around the spot between them. And in a burst of a whirlwind, Chirada and Suparna will form. They stare down at Cid, and then at the little horse egi, their heads tilting with curiosity. She does wonder if an egi can sense the presence of another, much like the Dominants can...]

[He is not liking how they're staring at him!!!! He preferred his little penguin suitor compared to them—

But now his little lightning horse will rear up and flash step over to them in a bolt of lightning, as if greeting them before it gallops around them in mid-air.]

[Wait, what the hell is going on?]

Off you go. Suparna, to this one, Chirada, to the next.

[But they only look at her over their shoulder before their attention moves back to the little horse that gallops in front of them, and are they... giggling? Suparna reaches up to poke at the fellow egi—carefully—while Chirada chases it around.]

What are you two doing?

...I think they're quite taken with my little creation.

[The little horse just whinnies and nudges Suparna's finger with its muzzle, giving her a little buzz of levin before dashing away before Chirada can catch it.]

[And now it's turned into a little game of tag between Chirada and the horse, while Suparna uses a little bit of wind on it to help lift it higher and away from her sister.]

I can see that.

[With the driest look at them all.]

Well, better it than you, I suppose. My guess is they can sense your aether upon it.

Not sure I liked how they stared at me earlier, still....

[Watching it with some amusement. It can at least serve as a suitable decoy??]

I imagine if I make it large enough they'll start wanting to ride it.

Let us pray that it never comes to that. And that I am not there to witness it.

[Though, with the way that they stared at Cid, she wouldn't be surprised that there are other reasons they are so enamoured with this horse that don't involve it being small and cute.

She just watches the pair of them with narrowed, suspicious eyes, and will proceed to stomp across right up to Cid to take his hand. In case they get any funny ideas. And she'll shout up at them.]

We have a job to do.

[Their eyes turn on Cid again, and she swears she hears them giggling.]

[Just a shake of his head. They really are her sisters— But he'll whistle for his own little egi, which will prance around before lightning flashing from where it was to appear right in front of them with an excited neigh.]

Now off with you, you know what we're looking for.

[The egi cants it head (not unlike his own little habit) and then neighs before just trotting right up to Benedikta.

...]

The other thing?

[Just another neigh and lingering staaaaaaaaaaaare at Benedikta before it disappears in a flash of lightning down one of the tunnels.]

[It's doing that thing again, and Benedikta glares right back at the horse when it trots over and stares at her. Really stares at her. Her eyes dash to Cid, then back to it before it's gone, and she ignores the sullen sound that one of her egis make.

She opens her mouth, bewildered by what just happened, and she's about to ask, before she waves off her sisters. They turn to leave, but not before Suparna pauses in front of Cid, brushes one of her feathery hands against his cheek, and flies off down one tunnel, Chirada giggling taking the other before Benedikta even gets the chance to say much else besides a "fucking go!" to them.

And now, with the pair alone again...]

What other thing?

[Just going to conveniently ignore what just happened. And the fact that she can still hear their cheeky snickers echoing even after they are gone.]

[He actually stiffens when Superna stops in front of him and then freaking brushes her hand against his cheek—Benedikta please control your egis!!! Were it not for what happened back on the island he wouldn't have been as bothered... But that's going to disturb him for a while.

So he'll just let out a breath when they're finally gone before he looks at her.]

You mean about my little egis?

Yes.

[She walks past him to lead them down not the next tunnel, but the one after that.]

You had mentioned "the other thing" to it.

[Never mind that it was staring at her that whole time they seemed to be having that little conversation with one another.]

What did you mean by that?

Ah.

[Just a light sound as he follows, staring at the back of her head for a bit before flicking his wrist to send out a ribbon of lightning to help illuminate their way.]

Based off what you said, I thought about what I would need it to do—to help find what I most desired.

[That raises a brow at him, lit up by the purple levin that he sends outward in front of them.]

... So it was the relic?

[Hmmmmm.]

Yes and no.

[He could leave it at that, buuut—]

The relic is just a means to get there.

[Ah. Now it finally clicks, and Benedikta is thankful for the dimmer lighting when she feels her cheeks grow a little warmer.]

I see.

[He means her. Staying in this world with her. That promise that he echoed last night.

She takes in a slow, deep breath, keeping her eyes forward, not daring to look at him.]

That's why it had taken a keen interest in me, is it?

[Aaah, it finally clicked, did it? Even if he can't see her face, he can easily imagine that flush creeping in, and light smile forms.]

Aye.

[Then in a little more teasing, lighthearted tone—]

And perhaps like yours, might be taking after its creator.

I don't know what's gotten into them.

[She quickly says it to correct him, shoulders squared. She is not the one telling them to do that!!!

But she relaxes soon enough, her voice growing quieter again again.]

Well. Let us hope that it's as inspired as you are to find it. We might just get lucky after all.

[Cid watches her for a moment before he lengthens his stride so he can be beside her.]

You're not feeling shy now, are you?

What?

[What is he on about!? She turns to look away from him when he comes up next to her.]

What is there to be shy about?

[Uh huh.]

You tell me—

[And he's quickly stepping around to try and catch her.]

You're the one avoiding eye contact.

[She stops... and meets his gaze, and as much as she would prefer to do so pointedly, there is some emotion swimming behind it.]

...Your reason for summoning the egi...

[And there is a small quirk of a smile when she finally meets his gaze and answers—as he had already guessed as much.]

Did you think it would be something else?

You mentioned the relic.

[Her answer is simple, though she knows now that it is far from that. It's a means to an end, with her being the "end".]

I thought it was a flimsy reason.

[A small laugh.]

You mentioned it. I only said it could work.

[A grin as he steps closer to her, his voice lowering just a touch.]

But I think you understand what I really mean now, hm?

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