would you still be - - [open]

[Hope Estheim]

wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen i

i need more affection than you know[/size][/right][/color]

The sun cast the sky in a strange, orange glow and the boy standing on the beach in a lighter mood. He inhaled deeply, glancing one more time at his boots and gloves in the sand beside him. Satisfied that the roll of the tide up the beach did not reach them, he walked slowly toward the lapping waves. The water was surprisingly mild and the figure paused, letting it slip between his toes. The pause was brief. Each step pushed back against him as he moved against the tide. He bent forward slightly as he moved, trailing his fingers in the water and watching the undulation that followed behind them. Straightening, he continued to move, breathing deep and slow.

It had been a while since Hope Estheim's face had relaxed as much as it did now. He inhaled, happy that the air was a bit thick, solid, like it existed, which meant that he did too, he figured, and a bit wet, like the air before a rain. He rather liked that. Hope moved farther from the beach, stopping when the ripples caught the bottom hem of his trousers. It was odd when he thought about it. This was real, somehow he knew. This wasn't Cocoon because everything in Cocoon was false, and this wasn't Pulse because plus had an aura no other place could match. He supposed. Hope parted his lips, tasting the air as best he could and closed his eyes. He felt, strangely safe here. Like nothing bad could go wrong, like he was in some other place.

This was the kind of place his mother would have liked.

The memory of his memory was, and would forever be, painful. Hope's eyes open, his face tightening in a familiar way to anyone that knew him. For only fourteen, Hope had tendencies one should not acquire until they are at least twice his age. But Hope had suffered in many ways, and due to it he was wiser than he should be for his tender age. He was closed and he was difficult. But he was still a boy and he had loved - still loved his mother with every fiber of his cursed being. And in this place, seemingly empty of any other human life, Hope felt his eyes growing wet. He blinked furiously, trying to put the tears at bay. The fight was nearly useless and in the end, he had to raise a hand to wipe the first tears from his eyelashes before they stained his cheeks.

[Fran]

A figure stood down the beach from the boy,her crimson eyes seemed to stare out at the ocean for what seemed like forever.It reminded her of the beaches back home,yes home but where was home now since she somehow ended up here.The viera was alone and seperated from her partner whom she has known for a long time,was he somewhere else looking for her.Tearing her eyes away from the glow of the orange sun,and the sea that stretched on forever she decided to start walking looking for any signs of life elsewhere.This island was huge but so far she has yet to see anyone else.Ugh how she hated the beach,the sand always got in between her toes it was a nightmare to get out.

As she walked along the edge of the water,the waves with they're foamy fingers trying to grab at her feet she noticed a scent.It was a scent of a hume nearby,but it was one the viera did not know.As she continued on her path along the sand,she then came upon a boy who seemed to be crying.Fran could smell the tears that now stained his cheeks,she sighed and made her way over deciding to make conversation since no one else was out here.

"Is something troubling you,a young boy should not be alone especially one who sheds tears".

Fran tilted her head slightly to the right,her ears twitching abit.Something else she noticed upon coming to this island,there was no smell of mist.It was a odd how a world cannot have mist,but she should be lucky since it would make her go berserk.So here she stood waiting for the boy to make some sort of comment,or say something to her since now there was just the two of them.

[/center]

[Hope Estheim]

wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen i

i need more affection than you know[/size][/right][/color]

The reason Hope had taken off his boots, his gloves, his defense, was because he had thought he was alone. The voice cut through his solitude and he jumped, whipping his head around to find the speaker. If hearing another was a start, seeing who it was was twice the jolt. What the hell was she? She was thin and tall and topped off with large ears jutting from her head. Rabbit ears. If she hadn't looked so strange he might have noticed his eyes were still wet earlier but it took a soft breeze across his face to cool the wet spots for him to remember. His eyes widened a fraction more and he turned away, doing his best to hide his hand as he whipped the few tears away. At the same time that he did not want her there, he was happy that she had stopped his tears from continuing. He was weak enough. He didn't need to cry to prove that.

"I'm not crying," he answered, voice hard. As if to prove the point, he pivoted toward her in the water, meeting her eyes. He was slightly unnerved by the sight of her. Not only was she something different, she was also very pretty for being whatever it was that she was. He found himself staring again, half because she was pretty, half because he didn't know what she was. He blinked, raising a hand to itch his cheek. It was still a little wet and he hated himself for it. He focused his thoughts on the sea around his legs and tried to relax. However, her words replayed in the wispy tone she had. He was mad again, this time at her. She was just like Lightning, implying that he couldn't take care of himself like he'd done since his mother - since that bastard ruined his life.

He did his best to look past that, but the anger for Villiers and Lightning found the strange rabbit-woman as a target. "What are you supposed to be anyway?" He asked, lashing out. He jerked his chin toward her. He couldn't think of anything else to add so he left it at that. Already he could feel his ears growing hot. His insecurities made him feel smaller than he was against her obvious height, and the levelness of her eyes pinned him to the spot uncomfortably. His head tilted down a notch, wishing he could say something else, something bigger and stronger than her, but nothing came to him. He felt bare in the wait for her answer.

[Fran]

"Then I suppose the wetness that soaks your cheeks,is sea water".

He could not fool her for she knew tears when she saw them,it was stupid to try and act tough.What he was crying she did not know about,nor that she wanted to know seeing as how she didn't care.All Fran wanted was to get off this island and find Balthier,being away from him was slowly driving her crazy.Her crimson eyes still on the boy in front of her,she didn't have to take a guess that he was eying her up and down.Most people did that when they first met her,or don't know of her kind especially strangers from what seems like other worlds.And when he asked what she was suppose to be,she sighed.

"I'm a Viera....".

She kept it simple and to the point,her face emotionless.Fran didn't really like talking to people,which is why she mostly made her partner do all the speaking.Unless they we're friends,then she would speak but even then she would only speak logical words or words that were directed to someone or something.

[/center]

((FAIL D= sorry))

[Hope Estheim]

wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen i

i need more affection than you know[/size][/right][/color]

His ears burned with embarrassment. He felt it begin to spread toward his cheeks as she humored him by commenting his tears again. To try and cover it, he narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t enough to hide the humiliation in his iris. He looked away from her when the calmness of her demeanor finally unraveled him. After a beat he began to walk back toward the shore, doing his best not to look as defeated as he felt. Hope rubbed his forearm harshly, urging himself to think of something to say. He had one foot completely surfaced when she spoke again in that lilting voice. It was an almost soothing sound.

“A vee-air-ah,” he repeated, feeling how it rolled off his tongue. It was easy, but strange. No different than her, he supposed. Hope glanced at her again before up the bank at the houses made from wood, nestled in trees and against rocks. “Um. Do you,” he looked back at her, “live here?” Hope was usually the first one to back down in a confrontation, even if he had started it. His temper was short and he often said things he wouldn’t had he a clear head. Insecure was Hope’s middle name but Impulsive was his second. He wasn’t mentally strong enough to stand up to the words he said, not since he’d lost his mother. She was his strength and Villiers had stolen her love and her power and her everything from him. He shook his head without realizing it, temporarily forgetting about the elder woman on the beach with him.

[Fran]

Was he having trouble pronouncing what she was,or spelling it out to get the feel of what kind of creature she was.Yes she was a viera and proud to be one,even though she turned her back on her people and discarded the wood.Not being able to hear the winds anymore or the words that the wood once spoke,but she did not mind since she was already a outcast.She had to leave her sister behind as well,even when she tryed to stop her Fran has told her it was her choice and that it was the wise choice.She may regret it abit,but there had been other things she wanted to do besides be in the wood.When the boy asked if she lived her,Fran shook her head slightly her white hair swaying back and forth.

"No I am not from here,I come from elsewhere".

This was a quaint island though,with it's beach and cute little houses snuggled among the trees.But this was not a place for her,she preferred to be with Balthier flying in the ship among the clouds and birds.Being a sky pirate and having not a care in the world,and that will never be unless she finds away off this island and a point in the right direction to the exit of this place.There must be someone here who knows a way off,a boat a path anything would do.

"Perhaps we should ask someone,where we are".

Fran scrunched her nose up as the boy exited the water,how could humes enjoy such a thing.Water was good for a few things,drinking and having a shower.She has never cared for sand or the water that much,not that she was afraid of it.Turning on her heel growling as sand got into her toes again,she began to walk towards the houses while speaking over her shoulder.

"If you wish to come,keep up".

[/center]

[Hope Estheim]

wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen i

i need more affection than you know[/size][/right][/color]

Her answer relieved any embarrassment she'd caused almost instantly. His head jerked toward her, eyes widening a fraction. She wasn’t from here, just like him. Maybe she knew how to get off this island and get home. He sure didn’t know how he’d gotten here. And even if she couldn't send him to his home, maybe she could help him find someone who could. Or someone from Nora. This place seemed to be the embodiment of peace and the world he would go back to was the exact opposite. But he couldn't not stay here forever. Regardless of what it meant, Pulse and Cocoon were his home. Somehow he couldn't just leave, just appear somewhere else in a whirl of shadows, without some kind of goodbye. And he still had Team Nora and there was still Oerba and there was still the man he'd sworn to get revenge on.

As if she understood his silence, the woman proposed to ask for information. He nodded after a quick beat, blinking when she turned and began to leave without waiting for him. Her call made him both frustrated and irritated. She could have at least waited a second! He still had to put his shoes back on. Hope bent down quickly, not bothering to take the time to wipe the sand off his still damp feet. He struggled periodically with each boot because of the wetness of his feet but eventually they slid in roughly to the soles. He looked up, making a face to see her long legs had carried her farther away than he had expected. He scooped his gloves out of the sand and stumbled to his feet, taking off after her.

The sand made it difficult to run but he caught up to fast enough. Slowly down to a long stride to stay in pace with her, Hope looked up at her set face. His lips pursed to one side and he resisted chiding her on leaving him behind. He walked silently beside her for a moment and due to it, realized quite suddenly that he did not know her name. He licked his lips, disliking introductions, but pressing forward anyway. "My name is Hope." He paused, before adding, "I'm from Cocoon." Hope bobbed his head once in self-approval. That was good. He was doing good. A small smile touched his face unconsciously. He'd show Lightning.

[Fran]

Fran had been quite aware that the boy still needed to put his shoes on,but she was not one to wait around.Being what she was,she was always impatient with things and preferred moving foreward.This boy would just have to get use to her being like this until they found a way off the island,she wanted to get information and find a exit that's all she wanted.Even if they did find a way off this island,where would she even go first to look for Balthier he could be in any of these places.How did a simple day of gathering treasure and being sky pirates,turn into such a disaster.Here she was stuck on a island with a boy,who was just as lost as her.

Glancing back she saw him struggling to get his effects,but soon he was running to catch up to her.Ugh it must be uncomfortable wearing those with sand in them,but guess it was her fault abit taking off and not waiting.But he had to understand she just wanted to get out of here,and yes of course he also wanted to get out of here right.Stopping for a moment she tilted her head ever so slightly,this boy he reminded her so much.....no.Looking at him a little closer,her crimson eyes staring into his she then pulled back.Yes he did remind her of Vaan,so much like him but not him.

When he introduced himself and told of his home location,she scrunched her nose up.Introductions another thing she didn't quite like,but since he had already told her his name it would be rude to not answer him back.Standing stright she looked towards the houses,they were closer now that they had walked across the sand.The question was is there anyone inside them though,the viera could see a few flickers of light coming from one of the windows.Turning her attention back to Hope,she begun to walk again.

"My name is Fran,and my home is the skies".

[/center]

[Zexion]

(OOC: If you want me to delete it, just tell me)

The portal dispersed and Zexion stood there. The place looked like a good enough place to find an eighth member for his organization. He had since given up searching for Nobody specimens, now he simply found a good human and experimented on their hearts. This way his research became more complete as he obtained a new pawn to play with. He looked down at the beach and saw a strange duo. One seemed boringly human, but the other had large ears atop her head reminescent of a rabbit. He walked towards her, ignoring the more human one. He spoke with a bow, and an inward smirk.

My name is Zexion. Would you please grace my ears with your own name?

[Hope Estheim]

wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen i

i need more affection than you know[/size][/right][/color]

Hope straightened his back slightly as he walked behind Fran. She had a sort of rigid grace about her, something that kept her poised high in a modest sort of way, something that made him feel comfortable around her despite the almost blank but curious look and the ears. Her answer baffled him slightly. It was obvious she was some kind of rabbit. Maybe Vee-air-ah meant rabbit in . . . Rabbit speak. But, it didn't make any sense to him why she would live in the sky. It sounded very fun, don't get him wrong. Maybe she lived on a cloud or maybe there was a city in the sky, that would be very cool. Hope thought, however, that rabbits would like the ground better, not the sky.

He was going to ask her. Maybe she would explain to him. He never got the chance. Not far from them was a strange sound, something like the wind, but harsher, contained. His head whipped quickly toward it, stopping his forward motion and stepping unconsciously closer to Fran. A man was stepping from a wriggling mass of black, of nothing. He felt a cold finger drag down his spine. From nowhere the man came, and he stopped directly before Fran, speaking in a well-mannered and low tone. He asked for their names and -

Hope's fear disappeared rather quickly. No, he hadn't asked their names. The man's attention was focused solely on Fran's, ignoring him quite obviously. His eyes narrowed and in the other's address he heard Lightning. He heard her saying she didn't have time to deal with children, that she had enough to worry about, that she wasn't going to babysit him. Zexion's words were not plural. He wanted only the adult's name, not the child's. The rage bubbled in his chest and then it was forming words and pushing them out of his mouth. "My name is Hope." His irritation at the other's dismissal of him was apparent and while a blush began to tint his ears, he refused to falter. If he could stand up to him, he could stand up to Lightning and prove that he wasn't a child. Hope was not ignorable. He was a person too, and he was not useless.