shiva_dancing_backup | (no subject)

Entry tags:

braska,
maiyah

(no subject)

Who: Maiyah and Braska
What: Maiyah was asleep in the Calm Lands. Not anymore.
Where: Calm Lands
When: Mid-day.
Rating: TBA

Maiyah made it as far as the Calm Lands on her trip back to Bevelle from Zanarkand. She was exhausted by the end of it. She had gotten as far as nearly halfway to the outside Travel Agency until she tripped on a small fault in the earth and landed flat on her face. Rather than getting up and dusting herself off, she stayed like that and went to sleep. During her slumber, she felt fiends peck at her, as well as wild chocobos, but she became old news pretty quickly. A human eating dirt wasn't uncommon in a place with fiends, though none of the festivity hovers seemed to really notice her. She wasn't exactly near any, at least not near enough for them to see her all that clearly. A dot on the green plains.

Nonetheless, she slept pretty deeply, not having had much rest since... well, it had been quite a while since then.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The High Summoner was fuming mad to say the least. He'd returned to Auron's hut only to find neither of them. No Auron. No Jecht. Well, Braska simply assumed Auron went out looking for him or else went about his business. Yet, he knew Jecht was prone to childish reactions. So, of course, his Final Aeon was probably in a bar. Which upset him the most. He wouldn't care if he was off charming the ladies or getting into fights. It was the drinking that upset him. Since the incident with the Shoopuff, Jecht had promised not to drink and he'd stayed true to those words but Braska just knew Jecht was off getting drunk.

Making his way through the Calm Lands, he watched the sky mostly, instead of where he set his foot, which was possibly the stupidest thing imaginable but really, without his guardians, Braska was a puppy off his leash. Donning a white robe instead of his usual one, he'd tied his hair back in but one ponytail and his hood was up. Completely unrecognisable save for the staff on his back. And then his foot hit something. Namely, someone. Braska glanced down before his eyes widened. Maiyah? Was she... dead?

With all the fiends having sniffed, poked, nipped and pawed at her, the kick to her side was pretty hard and woke her with a start. Or startled her awake, rather. "Ow!" she yelped, jerking away from the wandering side-kicking shoe. It was the side that was hurt, too! She rolled onto her other side, hands going to her still-hurt side, dirt-smudged face creasing in pain, eyes still tightly closed, "Ahh..! Watch where you're stepping please..!"

It wasn't a nice awakening by any means. Especially in a particularly sore spot. While she was asleep and thus not expecting it.

Although he was glad to see she wasn't fiend food, Braska scrunched his nose up and crouched down to her. "Maiyah? What in Yevon's name are you doing asleep out here?" The High Summoner drew his hood down to reveal his face which held a worried expression. He had only just noticed she was injured. "Would you like me to fix that?" He was highly adept in White Magic and quite a dab hand at Black Magic, too, so curing a wound was rather easy work for him.

"..Because I'm tired and don't want to move..." She didn't open her eyes still and didn't recognize the voice, "Who is this..." She laid back on her back, hands moving from the clearly bruised area, a wound that resembled the slice of a sword, though it wasn't quite as severe as an actual slice from an actual sword. "...Who are you...?" she said again, relaxing a little, dazed and a tad confused, and certainly not really wanting to cooperate. Her knees bent and her feet planted flat against the grass, scrapes and dirt and grass smudges indicating that she had fallen. "Why did you kick me..?" she said lastly, this time voice a little more alert.

"I am the Summoner Braska... you know that, Maiyah." He sighed slightly, staying crouched by her, resting an elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand. "Maiyah, you're injured. Would you like me to heal you?" He could see she'd fallen and quite obviously couldn't or hadn't got up, but he wouldn't comment. That might've been more of a kick than a physical one, really. "I... wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry." The High Summoner sighed lightly, tucking a loose lilac lock back behind his ear. He was beginning to realise she was slightly dazed and he ghosted his hand above her forehead, casting Curaga over the young girl.

"..Braska.." she breathed, reaching up a hand to wipe dirt from her face and opening her eyes, blinking and squinting at him, "...M-my Lord..! Forgive me.." She scuffled back and forced herself up to stand, legs shaking slightly from weakness. "Ah.. I didn't know it was you..." She rubbed her face gently before dropping to her knees again. Her head ached from being so deep asleep and then suddenly disturbed.

She opened her eyes again and looked at him, "...My Lord.. why.. are you dressed that way? I hardly recognize you..."

"I am afraid my other robes are in a state of disrepair. Until I find time to fix them, I am wearing the robes given to me in Bevelle recently." He reached out his hand, offering it to her with a light smile. "You are forgiven. Am I forgiven for waking you? It was awfully rude of me..." He could see she was in rather a bad state, but he wouldn't mock that. He never mocked anyone... save for Jecht and Auron, but that was fun between friends.

Braska smiled a little more. "Are you alright, Maiyah? You don't look terribly well..."

"It is fine..." she said quietly, taking his hand and standing up.

"I.. went to Zanarkand.. like you said. I, um... met someone there..." she scratched her head, "...And received a tad more than what I wanted..." She wanted to see Zanarkand with her own eyes. She wanted to see Zanarkand without coming across an aeon and having to fight them, defeat them and suddenly acquiring them as a summon. She glanced at the crystal in her pack. She still didn't quite understand what it all meant...

"..A young man.. blond.. ..He's.. um..." Maiyah looked down at the grass. Should she really tell Braska this? She was too paranoid, that's what Kaiyah would say. She'd blurt out everything without a second thought. And that, for once, made Maiyah angry. "...He said he was Jecht's son... Your Jecht. He was there in Zanarkand..."

Braska listened to her words and when she mentioned a young blonde man who claimed to be Jecht's son, he gave a soft laugh. "Ah, Tidus by chance?" Braska chuckled again and crossed his arms, letting his gaze wander to Zanarkand. He knew about that boy, but wondered just how he was. Braska felt the need to meet him soon, if only for the fact that he was dating his daughter. Though, he did want to meet him and see if he really was as pathetic and lame as Jecht made him out to be. Somehow, he didn't really think he would be. Yuna wasn't the type to mess about with pathetic, weak people. She'd never stick with a guy like that. ...Or so he assumed. Since he hadn't seen her in thirteen years.

The Summoner looked back to Maiyah then glanced to where she'd looked, suddenly realising why he felt the need to Summon. To Summon Yojimbo in specific. "Ah... you've got yourself an Aeon crystal? For Yojimbo, correct?" He could sense which Aeon she commanded. It was like he borrowed said creature from its crystal. "Well, I suppose he must deem you worthy," he chuckled.

Maiyah nodded. "I.. thought it might have been important for him to know that you.. and his father.. have returned to the living world... he didn't seem too happy to hear of it... Did the two not have a good relationship?" Of course, Maiyah wasn't one to really talk. She didn't have much of a relationship period with her parents. It was always Kaiyah... Kaiyah this... Kaiyah that... 'Kaiyah would make a great summoner.'

"Yes... we.. met the aeon in the Zanarkand dome.. We had no choice but to fight and defeat it," she said as she gingerly took out the crystal and held it up.

"They have... an interesting relationship, to say the least. Tidus seems to resent Jecht and Jecht thinks his son is a whining little crybaby." Braska gave a slight shrug, chuckling lightly. It really was an odd relationship and though he was fully aware that Jecht loved his son, neither of them seemed all too willing to admit they held any kind of affection for each other. Brushing that aside, he let his eyes fall on her hand as she drew out that crystal.

Braska could feel a slight call from the stone, though it wasn't like the call he heard from Jecht. That was simply because no one but he could summon that Aeon. That Aeon was his, and Jecht's of course. Not that he ever wanted to call that Final Aeon. Not again. "Mm... Yojimbo. He seems rather content in you posession." He looked up at Maiyah before giving a soft smile. "Where are you headed now then, Maiyah?"

Maiyah looked at the crystal indifferently. She still didn't know what it meant. Yeah, sure, he found her worthy. Worthy of what? Of being able to call him to her aid? Why did this all matter? It made her uncomfortable, and she put the crystal away with a little sigh. "I see..." she said, looking up.

Her gaze wandered towards the south, "I'm.. headed towards Bevelle. ..And you, my Lord..? Why are you out here by yourself?" She blinked at her question, and blushed, realizing how condescending it was... He was the High Summoner, or one of the High Summoners living today, shouldn't his guardians be around? He said they were about. Why weren't they with him? Then again, he WAS the High Summoner and he had his aeons to protect him... but still. He was hurt last time she had encountered him. "..I apologize... but aren't your.. ex-guardians, I suppose.. around? Why are they not with you?"

Braska's face fell into a frown and he gave a tense sigh. "I'm afraid that they've both flown the coop. It appears Auron has began a search for me because of my previous disappearing act and His Royal Highness, Jecht, King of the Shoopuffs, as he deems himself, is probably doing so right now whilst drunk in a bar." it was obviously a sore subject and he shook his head a little, soon slipping on his serene smile a moment later.

"Bevelle, too, I am bound for. I expect I'll have to search a few inns and bars before I find Jecht. All part of friendship, I suppose," he murmured, chuckling lightly.

"I see..." Maiyah said as she looked about the Calm Lands. "That's a shame... Jecht.. King of the Shoopufs...? He drinks..? My Lord, why would you trust your life in the hands of someone so reckless!?" That was just... appalling. Kaiyah would have loved it, but Maiyah clearly disapproved. It was all thanks to Tidus. Maiyah was starting to open up. By being opinionated.

"Let me escort you to Bevelle, then... since we're both headed there anyway.." she offered.

"Why?" Now, it was often he wondered that himself when times like this came up but it was simply... amusing. "Well, Maiyah, why do I choose Jecht? It is rather a childish reason why I picked him to begin with." Braska gave a light laugh. "I was cast from Yevon for marrying an Al Bhed woman. Auron was cast from his post for refusing to marry a different woman. Jecht was cast from his world without rhyme nor reason. Simply, three castaways that chose to join as one force."

Braska gave a little shrug as he walked with her. "I suppose no one thought we would do it, so we had to prove them wrong... and now there is no one I would trust more with my life than those two."

Maiyah had heard of such things, but rarely did she allow it to truly register. "I.. I see.. but... Still.. I don't know.. how safe I'd feel if one of my guardians was a drunkard..." A sword-wielding man who.. drank.. just didn't seem like a good combination. At least not to her. A bad combination. An equation she didn't want to see herself plugged into.

"But.. I-I suppose... if you say so..." she said, her feet twitching against the tickling grass of the plains.

Braska fully understood her point but you had to know Jecht to really grasp why Braska trusted and adored him so. As with Auron, there was something to be said about his hardness but he trusted and adored that man the very same way. It was difficult not to. They both gave everything to keep him safe and it was all he could do to thank them.

"Jecht is a difficult man and prone to flights of fancy but I'm quite the same, sometimes. Perhaps it is why he is my guardian."

Maiyah shook her head slowly, "...I suppose..." She stared at the ground as they walked. Jecht didn't seem like the type of man Maiyah wanted to get mixed up with. Bad relationship with his son, a drinking problem... even though Braska seemed to have a high opinion of the man. He just didn't sound like the type of man Maiyah would want to be around. At least not for an extended period of time. And Auron... she didn't know what to think about him. She didn't know him. All she heard was that he was a legend. But she didn't quite know what to think about that either...

All that aside, she was a tad nervous about returning home to Bevelle. She always skipped it while passing through to either Macalania or Gagazet and back. Even though it was her home, she didn't feel safe, having cast Yevon aside, though silently. Now that things have been said and done, it was somewhat safe for her to return. But things have changed so much... she wondered if her parents were still living in their comfortable little home.

She sighed at the thought of her parents. One daughter dead and the other having run off to train at the temple, only returning home once in a while with a tear-stricken face, then never to have returned home at all. She sent letters... but could never get herself to make an appearance. There was a huge difference between the two, she realized, and she couldn't help but wonder how her parents would react to seeing her again after so long.

Braska's silvery eyes noted the girl for a good moment or so before he let his gaze linger on the way ahead. It would be a hard and saddening moment to find Jecht in whatever bar he'd lumbered himself. the part that hurt most was that Jecht had once promised to stop drinking, and he'd stayed true to his words all the way up until the day they had to defeat Sin.

Yet, he could hardly fault Jecht for that. It had been he and Auron who'd gotten the Blitzer drunk. Simply for the fact that he needed the lack of inhibitions to even walk out onto the Calm Lands. Jecht had sworn he'd never do it; deemed himself unable to harm Braska... but with enough alcohol to kill a Chocobo and a lot of coaxing, they'd got him out onto the Calm Lands and Braska had made his summon.

The memory was still painfully fresh in his mind and it was painful to remember it. Even worse when he recalled the way Jecht had killed him... but he knew why he'd had to do it and he had come to terms with how he'd died.

After a little while of silence, Maiyah glanced up at Braska briefly before looking back down at the grass, "So.. Um.. What's.. Auron, yes..? What's he like..?" She had heard much--too much--about Jecht. But what about this other guardian who was celebrated as some kind of legend?

Braska would've been content in the silence, it was never truly quiet if he simply listened to the calls of his summons. Which, really, had grown in numbers since returning to the living realm. It was intriguing how, ever so often, a new voice would call from the dark, beckoning him to summon them. It made him feel truly safe even when alone.

Yet, there it was, Maiyah's questions upon Auron. A soft laugh escaped and he rested his hand against his mouth in thought, his eyes finding the sky. "Auron, hm? I do believe it is Sir Auron now..." Braska gave quite a hearty chuckle at that, finding it amusing that his guardians were no longer Auron and Jecht but instead Sir Auron and Sir Jecht. Whilst he was now High Summoner... it was thoroughly amusing.

"Auron is a difficult man. He is my oldest friend yet I still do not know him. Not truly. While he is a good man, he is his own man, his story is known to very few. I still know but only snippets." Shaking his head, Braska held a light smile. "Auron is strong; I admire him for his will and resolve. Yet, I know he cares deeply for both me and Jecht, which helps to remind me his is not as cold as he wishes everyone to believe."

"...Oh.." Maiyah answered dumbly in response. She walked beside him yet again in silence. There wasn't much information in his explanation, but it wasn't like she was going to drill him. Besides, he did say he didn't know too much.

She bit down lightly on her lip before softly saying, "Sounds like he knows what he's doing."

"Oh, most certainly. Auron is a good man, and he is very knowledgable. He knows his fair share about the worlds outside of Spira," he murmured, watching where he walked along the grass. He wasn't really sure what else there was to say about Auron. He didn't exactly know much about his friend. Auron wasn't an open book and the things he did know he didn't find appropriate to just spill to this woman.

Of course he could see when people were not to be trusted, and thus he was able to trust Maiyah to an extent, but that was Auron's business, not his. "Is there anything else you wish to know?"

Maiyah shook her head, "Oh, no.. I may have already asked too much.." She figured just then that asking about his other guardian may not have been the most courteous thing to have done. They were getting close to the junction of the Calm Lands, Bevelle and Macalania, and Maiyah couldn't help but get a little nervous.

Noting Maiyah's discomfort, Braska looked at her, frowning slightly. "Is something wrong, Maiyah?" He lifted his hood over his eyes, turning into the passageway, sighing softly as he heard the sounds of the city not far away. It was always such sounds that made him feel at home yet so far away. They'd shunned him for loving an Al Bhed yet once he'd defeated their problem for a ten year period, they erected a statue for him? How hipocritical.

Walking along slowly, he almost seemed to brace himself at each step. His injuries might've been slowly fading but before meeting Maiyah he'd harmed his ankle fending off a large fiend alone. It didn't hurt to walk on the grass of the Calm Lands but the hard pathway to the city was harsh on him.

"Oh.. no.. I've just always tried to avoid coming here because of the political unrest... now that everything has calmed down, I guess it's alright.. but.. I'm just a little nervous..." It may have been her home as a child, but Bevelle still made her uneasy. Branding Lady Yuna as a traitor, blaming her as the secrets of Bevelle and the Maesters of Yevon--and Yevon itself--began to unwravel.

"...Bevelle has done some terrible things since you have been gone," she said.

Braska gave a firm nod. "I know of it all. Hiding things, secrets, lies... Vegnagun, Shuyin..." He shook his head slightly, scrunching his nose up. "I heard it straight from the mouth of Praetor Baralai. He is a good man," he murmured, chuckling slightly. "Well... I heard it from him and an Al Bhed man by the name of Gippal. It amused me to see an Al Bhed in Bevelle Temple."

"I understand your discomfort. It is a difficult place to be. I found that before I met you, when I returned here the first time." Braska settled his hand briefly on her shoulder, in a soothing manner. "Everything will be fine," he mumured, before removing his hand and striding on.

"I don't trust them... Baralai.. and his counterpart Nooj. The Machine Faction seems pretty sturdy, but I stay clear of the New Yevon and Youth League parties," she said, almost bitterly. She warded off plenty of requests and offers to join the Youth League and found herself under Bevelle fire under suspicion of being part of said party. She wanted nothing to do with either, one group untrustworthy and the other reckless and overly violent. She wouldn't have it.

She looked up at him to the touch on her skin and blinked slowly, following him a second later.

"Trusting them would be foolish. Baralai and the leader of this 'Youth league' are men both in great power. While they say they've got no qualms with one another, they clearly do, which is never a good thing to get mixed up in." Braska scanned his eyes over the city, a saddness lingering in his gaze as he watched everything.

There were a lot of Inns and bars in Bevelle. It was a large city, after all, and as much as their claim for serenity and holiness, this place was full of sin. "Hn... now, to find Jecht," he murmured to himself. Looking to Maiyah, he gave a smile. "Good luck with whatever you do next, Maiyah. Should our paths cross again, I look upon it as a blessing." He gave her the Yevon prayer, with a soft smile.

Maiyah turned to him and returned the gesture, "...If only I knew what that was, my Lord... should you need any assistence, do come find me..." With that, she turned and headed off down the bridge, hesitant at first as she came upon the entrance to the temple, but ran up, running past guards bewildered and climbed up the side of the temple to enter the stronghold of the city.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only