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[ Once the turmoil from the riots dies down, Clair finally takes the opportunity to obtain a pegasus of her own—and not a moment too soon. The skies felt like home to her, and so she's felt the absence keenly throughout the months she's lived in Olympia. Not being able to train on horseback, to take to the air, to feel the wind in her hair while the earth below raced beneath her feet—to soar and tumble and climb.

Needless to say, she's pretty thrilled about this. Her entire body is alight with excitement as she leads JJ to the Guard's stables, where her pegasus, Jean, is currently housed. She finds the stall easily, waving at JJ to hurry up. ]

Come, come! [ Jean already has his head over the door—Clair reaches out and gently strokes his muzzle. ]

Is he not the most splendid creature?

[ If there's one thing that's come out of the riots and chaos of the city that JJ can actually appreciate, it's that he definitely feels closer to a lot of his friends than he had before. People come together in times of crisis, and while sometimes his apartment being so crowded had made things... strained (why is there so much hair everywhere?), Clair's a boisterous and fun personality, and he'd been happy to have her around.

Besides, a real life pegasus? Clair's friendship at least comes with cool perks. ]

Wow, he's bigger than I thought he'd be. [ This is super cool, and he's definitely impressed. It's nice to meet a magical creature that isn't out to kill them. ] What's his name?

[ He wants to get closer too, but he's not sure how wary he should be of that pointy horn on his head... ]

[ I CHANGED MY MIND, I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE NAME THIS POOR CREATURE JEAN. Anyway, Aquilo tosses his head a little bit while Clair pets him, her ready fondness for him evident in her gaze. ]

His name is Aquilo. Is that not majestic?

[ Whatever, she's proud of it. Sensing JJ's hesitation, she gestures for him to come closer, reaching out to grab his wrist and physically tow him towards the pegasus. Then she steps aside, giving him more room. ]

Come, come! He is very gentle, I swear to it.

Aquilo! That's a great name.

[ He sounds very fancy, and JJ is all for pretentious sounding names. If he had a pegasus he would probably name it something dumb like Maximus or Striker.

He doesn't protest when Clair takes his hand, tentative at first, but warming up as he presses his hand more firmly against Aquilo's muzzle. The pegasus doesn't seem bothered at least, and JJ's always had a fondness for animals, so it doesn't take much for him to step closer, brushing a hand through the beast's hair. ]

He's so calm... Has he already gotten used to you?

[ Striker........................... ]

Oh, yes! I have spent a great deal of time with him already.

[ It's just been so long since she last had this... she's been helping to rebuild the city, of course, but her every other spare moment is spent with Aquilo now, taking care of him and putting him through his paces.

Giving him another pat against his neck, she now moves to open the door to his stall and guide him out. ]

Let us go for a ride!

[ Aquilo is bigger than he had first looked through the gates of his stable, and JJ's eyes go wide as he steps out, seeing his wings for the first time and feeling slightly disoriented for it. Even though it's been months now, it still strikes JJ occasionally that he lives in what he would've considered before to be a fairy tale.

He's definitely living some little girl's dream right now. ]

Yeah, let's go!

[ He's not scared in the least?? There's no seat-belt on Aquilo, but he'd survived on a gryphon while deathly ill, so this should be a cakewalk. ]

How fast do you think he could go?

[ JJ seems pretty enthusiastic to try, much to Clair's delight. Even though she was never particularly afraid to fly even when she was first learning, there are plenty of people who feel the exact opposite—it's nice to know that JJ isn't one of them.

She makes a humming noise while she retrieves Aquilo's bridle and saddle, then goes about readying him for flight. The saddle is not so different from a normal one, except with a few more straps for stability in the air. She does them up quickly and efficiently, always tugging on the ends when she's done to test their hold. I mean, it probably wouldn't do for them to come undone in midair... ]

I believe I cannot rightly say. Perhaps it would be more effective for me to demonstrate for you.

[ She smiles at JJ, a teasing twinkle in her eye. Since he's being such a good sport, she will gladly take him along on all her most dangerous maneuvers.

Now she stands back, motioning for him to come closer. ]

Come. Place your hands on either side here, then set your right foot in the stirrup and swing your opposite leg over.

[ She'll even push him up if he needs a little help. ]

[ What a bit of ominous commentary...

JJ isn't apprehensive in the least however, as he stands back to watch Clair secure the saddle with a smile and his hands on his hips. It's perhaps indicative of what little understanding he has regarding what he's signed up for, but he's always assumed that it's best to start something new with optimism. He doesn't see any reason to be scared anyway: Clair's got enough confidence to assure him that there's nothing to worry about. ]

Okay. Shouldn't be any different than getting on a horse, eh?

[ Except for the massive wings.

He does as instructed—and thankfully it's barely been a month since he last had to climb onto a horse, so the memory is still somewhat fresh. The stirrup doesn't feel too steady, but he doesn't focus on it, hands grasping the saddle as he hauls himself up. He settle into the saddle as neatly as he would've liked, but he doesn't grimace, instead taking a second to get comfortable and... ]

Wow, you could really get used to the view from up here.

[ When it seems like JJ is as secure as he's going to get up there, she hoists herself up next, the motion smooth and comfortable. She sits in front of him, if only to give herself more control, and takes up the reigns, patting Aquilo's neck fondly as she does so. ]

Now place your arms around me. [ Here, she lifts up her elbows for him. ] Do hold tightly.

[ None of this are you ready? stuff. That's as much warning as he gets before she spurs Aquilo into a gallop. It's a short distance, just to get enough speed for takeoff—he unfurls his wings, stretching them out to their fullest width, and rises into the air.

They climb up and up and up. There's a certain rhythm to the beat of a pegasus' wings as it ascends, a swell up and then a dip down, like the push and pull of sea waves. She leans forward slightly as they surge upwards, her knees tight against Aquilo's side as she rolls with the movement.

Her heart soars alongside them, as usual, and she laughs aloud, delighted and carefree, as she urges Aquilo to even out their flight. The ground is far below them now, making the people and animals on the ground look small. ]

[ JJ appreciates that Clair doesn't bother to baby him, though his cool, confident persona does slide right off the second that those massive wings unfurl and Aquilo gallops right into the sky. It's not like anything JJ could've imagine, and he was too delirious the last time he was in the air to even notice what was going on.

Aquilo is incredibly strong beneath them, and JJ doesn't doubt that they'll stay in the sky but his arms tighten around Clair's waist all the same in alarm, his stomach unused the up and downs of a pegasus. He refrains from ducking his face against her shoulder at least, emboldened by the sound of her delight and well.

He trusts Clair not to put him in danger either. For all that she can be abrupt, Clair is kinder than one might expect from a woman of the nobility.

Carefully, he shifts his gaze to something other than the sight of her hair in front of him, to look ahead and it's breathtaking. ]

Clair... This is amazing.

[ Ann may have gone a little overboard with the whole furniture buying thing. It's just that they have an entire house to fill now, and everything at the store was so cheap?! It was mind-boggling. Even with the small sum that Akira gave her for shopping, she and Red managed to bring home quite a haul.

Sure, they're going to have to assemble most everything themselves, but... how hard can it be?

As it turns out... pretty hard, actually. They have all of the pieces to their dining table set laid out on the floor now—dozens and dozens of pieces, from tiny screws to blocks of wood—while Ann buries her nose in the instruction manual, trying to figure out what it all means. It's kind of like reading heiroglyphs, or so she assumes. ]

Um, okay. So we have to make this part first. [ She points to the pile of four long, thin pieces of wood that make up the base of the table. ] See?

[ It's hard to deny that a new place isn't exciting, anyway. Her chest aches at the thought of her apartment in Highrise, small but wonderful, and all that she's left behind — but she's here now, with 3 more people ( and an orb ) than she could have ever bargained for, and she's even gone furniture shopping.

So really, the actual townhouse could be better, but this is pretty much as good as it'll get for now.

Even if as good as it gets involves maybe a few too many boxes compared to the actual space they have ( and the space they'll quickly lose, if their old apartment was anything to go by ). Though that definitely sounds like a future Red problem. Definitely.

So, she settles down by their pile of ... opened stuff, which doesn't look that much more exciting than the unopened stuff, but maybe it'll look better once it's been assembled. Maybe. She leans over to actually take a look at the instructions ( she has no idea how to tell any of these screws apart aside from length, this is going to go well ), before ... nodding. Slowly. Once.

At least the wood panels look distinct. Red lays them out in the same orientation that the book has it in, then looks around for the weird diagonal piece. Which has to be somewhere. Probably ( she eventually just points to that and the screws, lips twisted into a frown ). ]

[ Ann doesn't mind the new digs—if anything, she prefers it. At their old place, she felt almost like an intruder, invading the space that their group had set up for themselves. Now—it's like a clean slate, a chance for her to help create a place that belonged to her just as much as the rest of them, especially in a world that still felt so new to her.

She feels like she's starting over—here, with this house, and here, with this life.

But that's enough reflection over fantasy IKEA furniture. After Red points out the screws, Ann digs into the little toolbox they bought to pick out the right type of bit for the screwdriver. It takes her a little trial and error, but she gets there eventually. ]

Okay, um... okay! [ She kneels down on the floor and sets the weird metal piece against the wood before glancing up at Red. ] Here, can you hold this?

[ Time to... screw. ]

[ She's literally never seen a screw before, this is going to go great.

But she's at least half decent at following instructions ( when she feels like it... ), eyes following Ann as she expertly ( "expertly" ) picks out the correct part for whatever she's trying to do. She steadies the plank in her hands, watching as the metal piece fits against the part and then... another metal piece.

Presumably, this is all going to make a table. The rest of the corners come next, which are all repetitive enough, and then—

She gestures for Ann to stand on the other side of the structure, miming lifting it up over to the actual table top. Surely after all of that, this should be the easy part. ]

[ Screw, screw, screw. That's easy enough, right? Kind of tedious, actually, and pretty tiring, since she has to do it all by hand and with the sorry excuse for a screwdriver that came in the kit with the table. Maybe they should've sprung for a real one...

She helps to move the frame they just built and place it onto the long sheet of wood that makes up the surface of the table, but—there appears to be a problem. ]

Um, is it crooked?

[ It's a little crooked. ]

[ ( Leave allen-keys alone!!! ) Well. Color her chastised, apparently building tables is a lot harder than she thought ( she hasn't done anything yet?? ). Red presses down on one side of the planks, and the other side raises. Kind of like a see-saw, except that's not what tables are supposed to do probably.

... ... ... Though in all honesty, it's not that bad. Ish. She looks around for the screws they're supposed to be using for the tabletop, then measures it up against their ongoing project. Sets everything down in exchange for her phone, so that she can type out a proper message. ]

It should be fine if we put it together. [ Probably. Surely no one will notice it. ]

Edited (this was an important edit) 2018-03-31 02:44 (UTC)

[ Ann watches their frame seesaw back and forth over the table's surface with a feeling of dread growing inside of her. Maybe this... isn't actually as easy as it looks. ]

Yeah, good idea. [ Sure. She nods, but her confidence is already a little shaken. ] Just, uh, hold that side.

[ Now she goes around the frame and puts in every screw, tightening them up as much as she can to make sure that it's as sturdy as possible. I mean, as sturdy as a table definitely not from Ikea can be. ]

There!

[ If she manages to catch Ann's glance, Red smiles. Quick, barely a flicker, but surely they can't something as small as a misaligned table get in their way. Surely it can't be that... bad...

And it's not — once the screws are in, they can barely notice that they're working with less than perfect furniture ( it will come back to bite them in the ass when they attach the legs ). She taps the wood one more time to see if it's sturdy, then turns to the rest of the materials.

One more message at Ann— ] We can split these in half. [ Before she starts assembling the wooden legs together. ]

[ This'll be fine!! It looks like their plan worked, anyway, and now the table is pretty flat. ]

Got it!

[ She puts together her two table legs, crouched down and bent at a weird angle so that she can screw it into the frame and tabletop they'd created. Once she's all done, she straightens and grabs one of their completed table so that they can flip it over and place it right side up.

Only, it... wobbles a little bit. Just a little. But by this point, Ann has given up. ]

Geez. I guess we can just put something underneath it.

[ Just a little. Honestly, for their first attempt, it's a pretty flawless thing. Or at least, just flawed enough that no one can really complain ( they didn't offer to help, clearly ). Red takes the instruction sheet, folds it up to a small enough square, and shoves it under the short leg.

Tries pushing down on a corner, and it wobbles... but not as much as before. It's barely noticeable, except the square of white paper that has now become a staple in their table.

She'll take it, in all honesty. ] Let's take a breather before we build the chairs.

[ And that's how Yusuke's favorite art installation came to be, the end. ]

[ Throughout the years, thanks to his possibly endless amount of siblings, JJ had gotten rather good at taking care of people when they were sick. It's usually a thankless job, because children are more prone to complaining than offering gratitude, but at least he knows the steps to take to make sure no one spirals toward death.

What to do when the mental scars are as deep, if not deeper, than the physical ones, that's still uncertain territory for him. ]

Clair? [ He peeks into her bedroom, careful in a way that his boisterous personality doesn't usually allow. ] Are you awake? I brought some food.

[ Nothing he made himself, because he's not sure anything he could make would actually make Clair feel better. It had taken three shops before he found a bakery that was open, but he managed to find some soup and fancy pastries that might hopefully lift her spirits for a little while at least. ]

[ Clair, meanwhile, makes for a terrible patient. Rest and recuperation just take way too long, if you ask her, and so she ends up feeling restless and cantankerous, like a wild animal in a cage, long before she's fully rested and recuperated. There's also the fact that some of the radicals who kidnapped people remain at large even now, and she's itching to go out and capture them, to make some use of herself, to take what happened to her and wield it as a weapon instead.

...But there's also Percy and Richie and Yona. She feels crushed. Devastated. Their deaths weigh her down more than the injuries, which mostly hide beneath her skin, thanks to the potions and creatures her captors used. They left her weak, tired, in pain. And that was probably the only thing keeping her from marching out of here as she oscillated between restlessness and devastation. ]

Jean-Jacques? [ She sounds groggy—he'd woken her up, but she doesn't mind. What she can remember of her dream was all metal and blood. She pushes herself up to sit, her body stiff and aching. ]

Good morning. Do come in.

[ There's a noticeable difference in Clair now, all the way down to the way she greets him, even while half-asleep like she hadn't gotten any rest at all. JJ knows that this isn't it, that Clair would never let the trauma of the kidnapping define her, but right now, it's hard to think about anything else.

But he'll do his best. Even as bad news lingers around them all, around the house and the entire city it feels like. The radicals might've been stopped, but morale had taken a hard hit. ]

Hey. Are you hungry? I brought you some soup that's so fancy I can't even pronounce the name.

[ He smiles as he enters the room, not hesitating at all as he sits down on the bed. Maybe it should be awkward, but JJ at least is beyond caring about appropriate. ]

[ After the upheaval of the past few weeks, she's come to appreciate her stay at Casa de JJ. She lived alone before, but it wasn't really in her nature—she prefers to be surrounded by people, activity, conversation, laughter. Jean-Jacques, Camulus, and Sir Frederick were certainly... never boring, but she likes it that way.

(Well, it was mostly Jean-Jacques and Camulus causing a ruckus. Sir Frederick was more the steadying hand.)

She appreciates it even more now. If she had been alone, she might have gone mad. ]

Ah, soup! [ He remembered... or he wished to return the favor. Either way, she swings her legs over the side of the bed so that she can sit beside him (she feels less of an invalid this way) and reaches for the bowl, a soft smile on her face that just reaches her eyes. ]

Indeed. I daresay I am quite famished.

[ He's kind of relieved that she's happy to accept the soup. During the time that he'd been sick, JJ had gotten rather sick of it by the end, and he's fairly sure that if anyone offered him soup even now he'd be hesitant to accept it. But Clair had been kind enough to make him some (or at least try) when he'd been in need, so he wants to do his best to return the favour for her. ]

That's good. It's in the bag with some other treats, you can eat them whenever you want.

[ He nods toward the two bags that he'd set on the bedside table before he sat down, mostly because I'm not sure why he'd sit down with them still in his hands and I forgot to mention it in the other tag.

Anyway, he leans closer to her, their shoulders pressing together as he gives her a cheeky smile. ]

Do you need me to spoon feed you?

[ Wait is the soup in the bag??? I'm so confused, spoon...

Well, I guess it's in the bag now. She reaches over to grab the container from the bedside table, her movements stiff—not that she seems to pay it any mind. She's always been the type of person to try and ignore anything that slows her down, as if attention alone gave it power. ]

Hmph! That is entirely unnecessary. I am perfectly able.

[ Are you trying to say that she's weak, JJ?? Well, she isn't. Case in point, she props the container of soup on her lap and takes up her spoon to eat. ]

[ it's in a takeout container in the bag?? omg i guess he should've put it into a bowl... too late now......

Well, JJ isn't the most observant person on the planet, but even he can't help but notice the way that he movements don't flow with their usual grace. Maybe because he's really looking for it, hoping to find his own comfort in the knowledge that Clair is fine.

But she isn't, and so JJ's expression softens somewhat as she sets the soup on her lap. ]

Okay, you might be able but that's not exactly steady on your lap. You don't want to get burned, so just get in bed and I can feed you.

[ Or at least hold the container of soup in one hand?? Don't just leave it on your lap. For once, JJ isn't trying to show off, and he reaches out to give her shoulder a friendly. ]

I did it for my siblings once!

[ Okay, so the siblings thing is enough to lower her guard a little bit, if only because she's so weak to siblings. But... still. There's nothing she hates more than being treated like a child—she's hated it ever since she even was a child, and that's a hard prejudice to break.

On the other hand, she knows that JJ's trying to help. To take care of her, even if she's loath to admit that she needs it. And so she can't feel annoyed with him, though she still manages a stubborn pout without any of the ire. ]

Really, Jean-Jacques, I insist. I am not an invalid.

[ Though she does adjust her grip so that she's holding the container in one hand, closer to her face. And because I actually googled how soup is eaten properly for this for some reason, you can fucking bet she eats it properly, scooping the soup away from her and scraping the underside of her spoon lightly against the edge of the container so that it doesn't drip before bringing it to her mouth. ]

Mm! It is delicious!

Edited 2018-04-15 19:12 (UTC)

[ Clair can't help but think that the timing of these strange weather anomalies could not be any worse, because it seems like they've always been coming when she's outside, open to the elements—unprepared. Then again, is there ever a good time for a torrential downpour?

She's already halfway to soaked by the time she reaches the cover of a nearby shop awning, her hair wet and plastered to her forehead. It seems that she isn't the only one who ran for shelter, because she looks over and spots... a very familiar face. ]

Sir Lancelot?

[ Her eyes widen in surprise. He... woke up? When? ]

[ Lancelot hates downpours for all the normal reasons but also additionally hates the memories they drudge up. At least, he thinks, it's not nighttime, and he isn't actually trying to pursue anyone who's been pinned with murder, so... it could always be worse.

It also seems as if he missed the weather forecast predicting this since the streets are quite empty, so he is surprised not only to see another unfortunate individual out here, but that she addresses him by name.]

Ye—

[ He stops himself, slight concern (it's more like guilt, though... because it is guilt) on his features before he tries again. ]

... My apologies, I... have no memory of such a pretty face. Have we met here before...?

[ He had almost forgotten that he has been here once before according to Vane, and that it would make sense to eventually run into someone who knew him from then. It's not a good feeling to him, though, to have to admit he's forgotten about them. He already hopes he can make it up to her somehow. ]

[ Ordinarily, she might (okay, would definitely) be pleased by the compliment, but this time... the effect is somewhat ruined by the fact that he's apparently forgotten her. After so many months here, she's learned that these things happen when people have to return to stasis and then reawaken, but this is the first time she's experienced it herself, with one of her friends.

Her face falls—but the guilt in his expression spurs a smile from her, even if it's a little strained. ]

Ah, indeed... we have.

[ At least he seems to already understand the situation, if that before is anything to go by. Thank Mila she doesn't have to try to explain how she knows him already... ]

There is no need to apologize. I am Lady Clair, knight of the One Kingdom of Valentia. [ She extends her hand, palm down, towards him. (For... him to kiss, obviously.) ]

[ She is kind to put that smile on despite the circumstances, Lancelot thinks. Extremely so. Considering memories are all they have here that truly belong to them it's rather personal, he would think, for them to suddenly become one-sided; but he will do everything he can to make any discomfort fade quickly. He offers a sincere smile to her now—and he does his best to keep this smile as appreciative as he feels for the new opportunity to meet her‐taking her hand in his own gently as he leans forward in a bow as well as to press his lips to the back of her hand. ]

Lady Clair, it is an honor and my pleasure to meet you once more. Please be assured my sincerest efforts will be made to once again endear myself to you, my lady, so that you may smile at me without any doubt in your heart.

[ he's already committed to it because of that single smile she chose to offer first.

His expression turns into something more sheepish and he chuckles a bit as he raises himself back up. ]

... Although, I do hope my reputation precedes me in this circumstance, and that you have seen me in a much more convincing and charming light than is possible while I'm soaking wet.

Nevertheless, I look forward to many memories made with you from here on that I will not forget, if you will allow it.

[ Letting go of her hand finally, he now looks a bit more inquisitive.

Apparently, although he doesn't remember her, he doesn't seem to have much apprehension in trusting her. The ease he feels probably has something to do with her being a knight on top of a once acquaintance. That sort of connection on its own is... really comforting, actually. ]

This type of weather is rather sudden and not normal for here, yes?

[ He certainly knows how to put on a good first (second first?) impression, courtly manners and everything, and so she can't help but be charmed (again?). He's just as kind and considerate as she remembers too, and so she tries to push aside the sting of being forgotten and smile more sincerely. While he still has her hand in his, she squeezes it gently, reassuring. ]

There is no need for such an effort, Sir Lancelot. [ Because he's already endeared himself to her, and that's not changing anytime soon, probably.

As for the weather—she glances away, towards the rain pouring down outside their little shelter. It's still going... who knows how long it'll last? ]

Ah, indeed. I am given to understand that transporting the newest refugees resulted in some sort of strange phenomenon—

[ But in that split second, she blinks and finds herself standing somewhere else entirely... a beach, to be specific, and one that she recognizes instantly and remembers well. It's the beach that she spent so many summers at, growing up, recreated now in perfect detail: the waves lapping gently against the shore. The soft, nearly white sand under her feet, and the jewel-toned turquoise of the water. Up ahead, there's an outcropping of rocks, where she knows she would find the same little sea creatures she remembers as a child swimming in the tide pools. And further inland sits a grand villa, large and imposing in the distance. ]

My goodness! This is my family's summer villa.

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