fearlessly | batb part two: electric boogaloo

batb part two: electric boogaloo

[ alisaie is not afraid of the woods.

truthfully, alisaie is not afraid of much at all - not the things that most are afraid of, at least. she does not fear the dark, or wolves, or bandits. she does not fear loud storms or knives in the dark of faerie tale monsters stalking haunted forests. what she fears is being along. grieving. losing those she loves.

and that is why she is here. alisaie has ridden tirelessly through the night, driving baptiste hard over the hard, wintry earth, her breath frozen in her lungs, the frigid wind stinging her cheeks and ears and eyes. alphinaud is her entire world. he is all that she has, all of her family that remains, and the thought of living her life without him, moving forward alone..

she would rather not move forward at all.

and so she will find him, regardless of he consequence, heedless of the potential danger, for without him, she has no life at all.

baptiste remembers the way, and though she can feel the tension and fear in the body of the horse beneath her, still they press on, hooves slamming hard into the earth, empty branches pulling at her hair, whipping over their heads. the forest seems to go on and on, deeper and deeper into darkness and mist, until at long, long last the space opens up, and a dark castle looms ahead, its twisted spires climbing into the gray sky, its gloomy edifice frowning down as she approaches the wrought iron gates choked with decayed vines.

alisaie is not afraid of much, yet still the sight of it sends a chill down her spine.

what is this place? she's heard of no such estate as this - a castle, so close to the village? how have there been no stories? no history? she has ridden less than a day to find her brother, not far from home at all, and yet.. there is nothing in their books about this great castle, no tall tales, nothing at all. it is a phantom. still, somehow it feels familiar to her.. like a memory of a dream's dream.

exhaling a shudder, alisaie slides from baptiste's back, leading him to an icy, overgrown brook for a drink, looping the reins over a strong, bare branch before at last she approaches the castle. it's silent, sinister, but she.. she has no choice. if this is where alphinaud is, then she must press forward. the rusted gates groan, splitting the silence, and alisaie approaches the great doors, the old rotten oak swinging beneath her weight as she slips carefully into the great, dark foyer. ]

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[ Her question raises one of his own that he's had about this form, that if he persisted for long enough for it to break down completely, would he...still continue to be, somehow? That had been part of the curse, that age could not claim his life, but there had to be a limit on this form he was given, right? It couldn't last forever.

Even if it already seems like it has.

But that's not something he wants to think about right now, instead, he extends one leg, rotating it at the knee and ankle, then doing the same to the other, before giving her a smile of approval. ]

Good as new. Thank you, Alisaie. You ought to be a mechanic.

[ She's done as well, if not better, than he's ever done in repairing himself. ]

Oh, I wouldn't go that far..

[ she says through a light chuckle, eyeing her work again to see how it performs when he moves. looks all right. ]

Leg joints are rather rudimentary. Not so different from a carriage wheel. Just.. don't damage anything more vital and your limbs.

[ patching up his knees and ankles is one thing, but anything more complicated, his servomechanisms, his core.. she wouldn't be in any way confident doing such delicate work. she has no idea what is even ticking away beneath his breastplate at all, she cant even begin to imagine what lies at his heart.. he is like no one she has ever seen before.

straightening up, she takes his left arm in her hand, extending it to peer at his elbows. they're not in as terrible shape as his legs were, but while we're here.. ]

[ Not even Prompto can fully comprehend what it is that makes him tick, because even if he's peeled back his breastplate, even with his inclination towards machinery it mystifies him. But then again, it was created with magic, so it's not all that surprising. Maybe with her skill in the subject, she's just the person he would want looking at it, should anything malfunction.

But he needn't worry about that right now. No heat rises in his cheeks, but he still feels flushed when she takes his arm in her hands to inspect it, her fingers grazing warm over his cool, metal frame. ]

I'll see what I can do about that. [ A beat. ] Did you just compare me to a carriage?

[ Excuse you his leg joints are way better than any old carriage wheel!!! ]

[ that's.. a fair point that she hadn't necessarily considered, but the magics that hold him together must be quite powerful and complicated. no doubt one wrong move could badly hurt him, or worse.. let's just hope that he's never badly hurt anywhere that matters.

:) ]

I suppose I did.

[ she says, and laughs, while carefully tightening the loose bolts at his elbow, then reaching for the next. moons ago she would have never expected that it would be so easy to touch him.. that she would ever touch him at all, or speak with him in this way. she never would have expected any of this. ]

Don't look so insulted! The comparisons are hardly my fault.

[ She isn't the only one constantly surprised by the progress they've made together. He still carries a fair bit of guilt, because why he no longer monitors her and if she left, he wouldn't stop her, he still hasn't...expressly told her she is free to go. Even if it is unspoken between them, he should probably make it explicit. But part of him is also strangely terrified at the thought of her leaving. It's odd, how after so many years of being alone, all it takes is the presence of another person for a few short months to make him crave company over solitude once again.

But then again, that might not be the case with just anyone. There is something about Alisaie...something special, that makes his (proverbial) heart race when he thinks at her, that makes his breath catch in his throat when she looks at him with those dark blue eyes. She has enchanted him, in so many ways...

He shakes his head, dismissing the thought. Such things aren't meant for him. ]

No, but you didn't have to draw attention to it. Have you ever seen a finer automaton than me? Be honest.

[ This is a trap because he is the ONLY automaton she's seen, heheh!! ]

[ he might not know it, but this is.. something they share. alisaie might be rather open with him now, but she does not generally make friends easily, and before arriving here the only person she ever spent any real time with was her brother. she's never been particularly gregarious or easy to get along with, and it takes a great deal of time for her to grow comfortable around someone.. and yet here she is. here they both are. ]

What if I say that I have?

[ she says through a wry smile, though she soon shakes her head. ]

You and I both know that I haven't, you smug brat. I have, in fact, never seen a finer automaton.

[ despite her words, of course, she's smiling through them, and it isn't long before she's extending his arms carefully to test the joints. ]

Does it feel all right?

[ Though it's meant as a jest, and he does chuckle softly at it, and he kind of...set her up for it, it's still so flattering to hear such words about him in her voice. Even if she does call him a smug brat...

With bright eyes, he nods to her, stretching out and flexing his fingers before forming a fist with his hand. ]

Feels great. Thank you, Alisaie. I'll try not to put it off so long next time.

[ Key word being "try" here. ]

See that you don't, or there shall be hell to pay.

[ she'll have a whole lot to say about it if he lets himself get into such a state again!! and there are few things more frightening than alisaie when she is enraged.. ]

One more thing.

[ from beside the toolbox, alisaie lifts something wrapped in cloth, peeling it back to reveal a decently sized plain jar - when she opens it, he'll find that it's filled with a thick, silky black oily grease. her cheeks and ears flush a pale pink. ]

I.. made this for you, before..

[ a general gesture. before they fought. before she ran from the castle. ]

I imbued it with crushed fire crystals, I think it will help ward off the chill from your joints.

[ Oh...oh.

His expression softens (which is saying something, because it was already pretty soft), his brows lifting in gentle surprise as she explains the jar. She...went through all that trouble for him? And before, when he was still distant? Before he had begun to treat her truly like a friend? It's...

It's difficult to take in, and a sharp, wistful pang tightens in his chest as he peers down at the jar that she hands to him. When was the last time he was the recipient of a gift? When was the last time someone thought to give him something? And once again, he hardly deserves it, but he isn't going to refuse, of course. It's just...a lot to process, and he falls silent for a moment, lost in wonder as he peers at the jar, and then up at her face. ]

Alisaie, I...

[ He is at a loss for words, truly. Swallowing thickly, he reaches out to take the jar from her, a tremulous smile breaking over his face, as big as his features will allow. ]

...thank you. Thank you so much...I will put it to good use, I promise.

[ he's silent for so long that alisaie begins to worry that perhaps she has done something wrong - that she has overstepped, or that he does not like it, or.. or any number of things. she's learned so much about him, she knows that he is far softer and kinder than he might appear, but he can still be unpredictable; had she misstepped..?

but then he smiles, and it's a lovely thing to see; alisaie exhales the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. ]

You're welcome. It was nothing.

[ imbuing fire magic into a pot of grease was hardly a difficult task for her, after all. ]

Well, give it a try.

[ they've gotten much closer, but lubing him up herself is a step they're not ready for.. ]

[ Not yet, wink wonk... ]

O-oh, right, of course —

[ Opening the jar eagerly, he dips in two of his steel fingers to draw out a glob of the grease, before reaching between his plate around his arm to rub it gently around the joint. It may not even be that cold in here, but the relief is all but instantaneous, bringing warmth where there has long been aching cold.

A soft, quiet sigh escapes him, before he nods. ]

...Um — it's wonderful. Just hits the spot...

[ More than he can rightly say. Would it hold up out in the elements? ]

[ she has no idea how it will work out, if he will even feel the difference at all - testing it on her own skin only really goes so far, after all, she cannot know how it will work for him. but his reaction says more than enough, even before he speaks. alisaie's relief is palpable. shed been so worried that it would have no effect at all, or worse - that it would harm him in some way, but it seems that it has worked out.

alisaies smile brightens, and she begins to wipe her hands on the cloth the jar had been wrapped in. ]

Oh, I'm so glad it didn't set you on fire.

[ was that a possibility?? .. perhaps. ]

Shall we see how it stands up to the weather?

[ ...Well, now she tells him that...but all's well that ends well! Prompto is not on fire, and feeling more spry and energetic than he has in quite some time. Hopping off the worktable, he screws the lid back on the jar before turning to face her. ]

You mean...out in the snow?

[ Sure, spring is beginning to set in and the ground has begun to thaw, but it is still quite cold. Prompto rarely leaves the castle grounds even when the weather is tolerable, but he hasn't been out there since that fateful day. It's not so much about the weather, even if the likely hood of someone seeing him is exceptionally rare.

Mostly, he just doesn't feel fit to go about outside, instead of hiding himself away from the world, masking what he is. ]

Yes. Is that all right?

[ she knows he had not fared well in the cold before, but given his expression and the hesitation in his voice, she begins to think that perhaps it is something else.

he.. does not leave this place often, does he? in many ways, this castle is as much a prison to him as it is to her, he is his own warden, his own keeper. alisaie's smile softens into something more gentle, and she lays a hand on his shoulder before turning to collect the tray and move toward the door, ultimately taking the choice out of his hands. ]

I'll be with you. It will be fun.

[ I'll be with you.

Those words alone are enough to quiet his fears, to reassure him that it will be okay if he goes out in the broad daylight like...like this. After all, what does he have to be afraid of when she is by his side? When she can look upon him without fear in her eyes?

Even though she's already moving, he nods as well. He is still nervous, but he knows he doesn't need to be. ]

Alright. [ Then... ] Fun?

[ What does she have in mind...? ]

[ he's certainly hesitant, but she can understand that - still, that won't stop her from pressuring him. he needs it, he should breathe the free air, feel the sun on his face, leave these dark, claustrophobic walls behind, even just for a little while. it will be good for him. it will be good for them both.

so we'll breeze through the walking, and alisaie dropping the breakfast tray at the kitchens before scurrying off to her room for her thick, fur-lined cloak and soft deerskin gloves. pulling the hood over her hair, alisaie is quick to return to the kitchens, waiting for him by the back exit to the gardens. they're terribly overgrown and need quite a lot of tending, but the earth is asleep at this point in the year, and it will be easy enough to navigate and enjoy.

don't chicken out on her!! ]

[ For his part, Prompto doesn't exactly need to dress more warmly to fend off the elements, but he does liberally use some of the grease that she made for him on his joints to loosen and warm them for...whatever it is she has planned for them outside. He pulls his cloak on, and...pulls the hood up, but perhaps it doesn't have to stay that way. It's a force of habit, really, and maybe after he goes out there and get comfortable, he'll take it off...

But for now, he heads down to meet her by the back doors, a certain nervous quickness to his steps as he approaches. ]

Shall we?

[ ...After a moment of hesitation, he offers her his arm. ]

[ what exactly do you think she has planned?? a three ring circus in the snow?? it's just time to play!!

she's thankful when he arrives, though - she hadn't really expected him to shy away on her, but still. it's a testament to his tune-up and greasing that she hardly hears the knight coming at all, though his footfalls are heavy he isn't grinding and squeaking as she is accustomed to hearing. gods - how long had he gone without proper maintenance?

anyroad, he offers his arm and she gladly takes it, already tugging him out and into the snow. the sky is grey overhead, dropping soft flurries, but even though it is overcast the sun nevertheless bounces brightly off of the white snow, and the chilly wind tugs at her cloak and fills her lungs. alisaie breathes deeply, snow crunching under her feet. ]

You see? You did not immediately burst into flames, or were struck by lightning on the spot.

[ Look he doesn't have a lot of play time, he doesn't know what to expect!!! It's been a long time since he has just...played. Since he's just done anything for fun. It once came to him so naturally, but now he feels out of place.

But it's a nice enough day outside, and even if it is cold and flurrying, his joints feel warm and free of pain thanks to the grease she prepared. And even if he was getting (proverbial) cold feet, Alisaie's grasp on his arm is enough to keep him moving.

At her little remark, however, he nudges her in the shoulder with his elbow, stifling a laugh. ]

No, but we've only been out a handful of moments, give it time.

[ And then he seems to sober a bit, his expression dimming. ]

...I frighten the animals in the wood.

[ It's one of the reasons why he doesn't go out much. He used to enjoy being around animals so much, especially the wild chocobos, but once he took on this form...they didn't want anything to do with him. ]

[ look at him, making jokes! he's come so far. she would never have expected him capable of it, only a handful of months ago, but it.. warms her to see him open up, unfurling like a flower beneath the sun. he seems less like a single minded monster and more like a.. person, with feelings, dimensions, wants and needs and fears, and since he began to lower those walls (since they both began to lower them) it has been so much easier to get to know him, to learn who he is.

there are still things she cannot ask, places that she does not go - what he is, for one, how the castle and its people came to be cursed, and more importantly, how it is to be broken. she knows that the enchantment must be able to be undone, the servants think that she has not heard them whispering, but alisaie's elezen ears are keen, and more than once she has caught them tittering excitedly about the breaking of the curse. when pressed they would give her no answer, and yet no matter how comfortable she is becoming with him, she cannot yet press him.

but every day is easier. they walk together now in the snow, joking, smiling, the sun on their faces, though her smile soon fades a little. ]

Well. You look and smell like nothing they have ever seen before. It is in their nature to fear what they do not know.

[ it is in everyone's nature to fear what they do not know.. ]

But if you are patient, and gentle, they will learn to trust you. Mayhaps we need a little.. incentive.

[ She makes it sound so straightforward and simple, and...maybe it is. But he is not so certain. He still doesn't understand how Alisaie looks past his monstrous form, but to expect it of the animals is to ask them to go against their instincts.

But he doesn't want to shoot down her idea, even if it seems doomed to failure. They've only just stepped outside; he should keep his attitude positive for as long as he can. ]

...Incentive? You mean, like something to feed them?

[ If only the castle had some gysahl greens... ]

Mhm.

[ any real chocobo lover will know that chocos love all sorts of greens, AND nuts too!! he's also got a magic witch friend now who is very good and friendly with animals. ]

But many animals are naturally curious, it should not be too difficult. Just try to be patient.

[ don't lose your temper, prompto!! alisaie pauses thoughtfully, then draws back toward the door again. ]

Give me just a moment!

[ and then she's off to fetch a bag full of goodies!! ]

[ HE'S BEING PERFECTLY PATIENT!!!!

But before Prompto can even think to protest, she's off, leaving him alone out near the trees. It's not the most comfortable place to be left alone, but she...did ask him to wait here, and patiently. But he didn't promise to do it without worrying, so he paces around in a tight circle, the snow crunching underneath his heels.

Fortunately, the kitchen isn't far from the back doors, and Prompto is quick to trot over to her when Alisaie returns. ]

What did you get?

[ stop pacing, prompto!! truth be told she's only gone for a handful of minutes before she's returning with a burlap sack, stuffed to the brim. ]

A few different things.

[ she says, opening up the sack so he can peer in. it's full of varying greens, most of them wilted and near ready to be tossed away anyway - but there's some vegetables and fruits as well, and a small sack of sunflower seeds.

it's the seeds that she lifts out first, pressing them into his hands. ]

Let's go further in.

[ Look...what if someone sees him!! He never knows when a young elf might walk by...but then again, those tend to just walk right into the castle uninvited anyway, so...

But she returns soon enough, and quickly presses a bag of seeds into his hand. It can't really be that simple, can it? Even offering the animals something they want to eat, will they take it from a creature as strange and frightening as him?

Well, there's only one way to find out. With a hesitant nod, he follows her deeper into the wood, keeping his hood up over his head. Even if they can surely smell him, maybe it'll help if they can't see him as well... ]

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