escordvi | closed 🪶 i'm in the end, just what you made me.

[Ah yes...the rain is quite cleansing, like a free shower blessed by the skies themselves. Even the quiet rumble of thunder leaves Cid contemplative as he thinks back on that small island with Dongfang, of the strength of powers. Tiny though they are, he looks down at his hand (again giving the illusion he was drooping) and remembers that surge of power he felt. Power that was both familiar yet not at the same time.

And then seeing Dongfang on the ground after...

...

If there was one blessing about the strength of his levin bolts, was that it was usually a quick kill. And even against beasts, he reserved his more powerful abilities for the final kill.

It's only now that there's a more somber air, the thunder rumbling louder above him as if matching his mood, when he hears the sharp click and the window swinging open. Startled from his thoughts, he turns around, not realizing how much of a wet rat he currently looks with himself completely soaked.

Perhaps he's a bit grateful for his tiny form, let alone that he's as Ramuh right now. Hides that bit of unease as his voice carries that more usual cheerful tune as he turns around, floating up.]

Changed your mind?

Edited 2023-11-13 15:18 (UTC)

[This is so fucking weird. Weirder than when the Phoenix had attempted to prime and ended up a small bird, because this is Cidolfus. Ramuh. An Eikon that she has seen in all his might plenty of times before and now here he is, reduced to... a floating... what the hell even? What's with the beard holding his staff? It looks even stranger now that he's soaked and it's drooping.

Benedikta stares again for a few seconds, hating that she feels almost guilty for leaving him out there, before she pushes the window open a little further.]

Inside. Before I change my mind again.

[And she won't have to tell him twice, immediately zipping through the air to fly through the air before she does change her mind.]

Didn't really mind the rain, but would be a sorry sort to catch a cold like this.

[And knowing that he's dripping, he's just going to try and reduce the water damage by blinking over to her kitchen sink. Takes two teleports, but he manages to not leave much of a puddle at least.]

[She's just about to make a comment about dripping all over her living room floor when he blinks away, and Benedikta sputters and searches around just in time to catch him reappearing over the kitchen sink. With a disdainful look at the small puddle, she follows after him and sets her cup of tea on the counter.]

Like that.

[She just repeats the words, still in a state of disbelief at what she's seeing.]

How ever did you end up like that anyway?

[Is he wringing out his beard with his tiny hands?

Yes.

Yes he is.]

Well....

[A small drawl before he continues.]

It involves that Dongfang fellow.

[His hands are so tiny that she can barely see them under that robe and that beard. She still... can't believe... this is what she is seeing...

He fits right into her sink like a cup.

But his answer has her biting back a very loud "I knew it", because she was right. As soon as she saw him, she had a feeling that's what it would be, but had been in too much of a state of shock to even think of shouting it at the time.

So, she folds her arms, and he better be ready for it when it comes—]

I told you so.

[He just tuts.]

Now, now, I came off far better than he did after everything I threw at him.

[Don't tut at her!? She should be the one tutting at him!!!

She just groans under her breath, picks up her tea, and wanders back to the living room where she was planning to enjoy it on the sofa before he showed up.]

Does not look that way to me.

[Has he seen himself?]

[Yes, he has, had a nice look at himself through the window's reflection.]

Looks can be deceiving.

[After wringing out as much water as he could from his beard, he just waves his staff with it before working to shake off the water from his little robes.]

Knocked him down right good. Twice.

[From where she sits on the couch, she can see him over the rim of her cup, and she watches as he tries to shake off the water from those tiny robes. So fucking bizarre...]

I find that hard to believe.

[Can he blame her? She could probably blow him over completely right now with a simple flick of wind. Actually, she is going to try. He'll feel a very sudden and very light breeze blow over him... just to test.]

And why have you not changed back?

[Rude???

He does flounder a bit because he was distracted, teetering this way and that in the air before he manages to push himself against it, tumbling over once when the winds die down.

After spinning around to face her with a harumph, he shakes himself off again. At least he's dryer now, and moves towards a hanging towel to finish off. Well she didn't get him one so he'll just make do himself...

...

And he's going to be a little spiteful and deliberately wiggle and wipe his butt against the towel.]

Edited 2023-11-13 22:40 (UTC)

[She sits upright and sets the cup down, almost like she's about to charge against the room when he—!?]

Get your ass off my towel!

[What the hell!!! Why are men like this!!?!?

Another breeze, this one stronger this time in warning, meant to blow him away from the kitchen and urge him towards her.]

And you haven't answered my question.

[He's ready for her this time, his beard latching onto the rack so he just hangs on cheekily against her wind, shouting as he does.]

Should offer better hospitality!

[And then when the winds die down, he'll shake himself off and slowly float over, taking his sweet time.]

And how else? I primed... Though haven't figured out why I can't change back yet.

That is your problem.

[She can't stand this! As she watches that tiny Eikon float her way, she has to tear her eyes back to her tea that she sips loudly and defiantly.]

I thought I specifically told you not to come to me if anything happened to you.

[And what a bold-faced lie that was. If he hadn't, things might have ended up worse for her and him—she'd might actually have yelled at him for real.]

I thought you'd enjoy seeing my adorable new form.

[Watch him spin around, beard twirling around him.]

[...

She leans forward and grabs him by the end of his beard to stop him from spinning.]

And is that all? You just wanted to show off your little toy self?

[Because that's what he looks like. Surely that wasn't the real reason he tapped on her window.]

Oy oy, mind the beard...!

[She will see that tiny wince as she grabs his beard, making him float closer towards her.]

Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to see you?

[Well, fortunately for Dion, the roll was a whopping 17, and the light magic does something to reduce the beast back... for a spell. It's enough that Benedikta can leap in and wrap her arms around its body, taking that risk for the both of them to hold its many necks still.

They peck, scratch, and the edge of her sword even nicks her arm, but she's had worse wounds to her pride just now that a light scrape of a blade is nothing compared to the shame that she feels at having to grapple with an eight-headed goose.

But if this is not enough for him to take his spear back, she might just have a few choice words to say to him after they are through!!!]

No.

[Yes.

And she's going to lean back as far as she can when he floats closer, picking up her cup of hot tea as if to shield herself from him.]

What do you want, Cidolfus? I have no answers for how to turn you back, nor do I have anything more to say to you about how stupid your idea was.

[She's still bitter that he went through with it... especially after what happened on Elah.]

[A small sigh, a sad little droop of his beard.]

I'm sure if I rest long enough I'll be able to shift out. Just need somewhere to crash for a spell.

[Even floating right now is becoming a bit wearisome, his body bobbing up and down...

...

Or at least he's making it appear so.]

[...

Don't look at him. Don't look at him. Don't look at hi—fuck, she looked at him.

And somehow, seeing that droop of his head and his beard makes her chest tighten, and her expression puckers with her ire.]

Fine.

[It's a huffy, defiant relinquishing of some of that stubbornness, but not all, and she'll take a sip of her tea and set the cup down. Ugh!!!]

You may rest here until you can shift back. [An arch of her brow.] ... But why not go back to your own apartment?

[They seem like a mirror once she takes her seat. Where Joshua faces the flames and the warmth and lets it glow on his features she sits with her back turned with the darkness and the moon reflecting on her pale skin. Joshua makes no comment on this and only allows her to sit where she chooses.]

I'm surprised, I'm sure you have just as many interesting things to say as any other harpy.

[A light joke, said softly.]

I assume that after our battle with the horde of the undead we might have something we could talk about.

[Oh he is so glad for this long beard because she won't be able to see the smile that's hidden behind it.

Got her.]

Ah, that's right. I've recently "acquired" a cat, and she thought chasing me around would be more entertaining.

[SIiiIiiiiIgh.]

[ His luck is in tow and he's able to wrench his halberd out of the beak of the beast, not to mention jab it once as he withdrew it. It doesn't seem to help much or affect it much, but it makes Dion feel better.

He huffs and lance tucked behind him he grabs for her sword. ]

Unhand it, demon bird. [ Dion orders. Fortunately, his gauntlets are pretty sturdy, it's probably safer for him to try and get it rather than Benedikta. ]

[A good thing indeed that his beard is so bushy, or else she might have plucked it off one hair at a time.

But that just raises more questions, as well as one perfectly manicured brow.

First things first.]

You have a cat? Since when? And how?

closed 🪶 i'm in the end, just what you made me.

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