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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[ 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... ]

[ oh they certainly smell him. the forest is quiet, the song of birds growing silent as they approach, and it makes her heart ache for him - despite all appearances his soul is gentle. but she had needed to learn that for herself, in time, so she supposes that they shall need to learn it as well. there is little to be done but try to be patient.

as they walk, alisaie begins to hum gently, a soft and soothing melody that weaves between the trees as they walk, and slowly the birdsong begins again, hesitantly at first, but before long the treetops are chirping with bird voices again. none approach, but of course that will take time. soon a small clearing opens up ahead of them, and with her hand on his wrist alisaie leads him to the middle, then leans to scoop a large handful of seeds from the sack he holds. ]

Sit here.

[ It's not only upon the birds that Alisaie's humming has a soothing approach, but on Prompto as well, and even though the tension in the clearing is palpable, he allows himself to be led, quietly as he can, to sit with as he holds out his hand. Maybe if he is still enough, the birds will think him a statue, willing to eat from his palm?

Even sitting, his gaze is about even with her own, and she will not doubt see the uncertainty in his eyes. ]

And now I...wait?

[ At least he has plenty of experience waiting for things to happen... ]

[ once he's comfortably sitting, she spills a small amount of seeds into his palm then draws away, turning to scatter the seeds onto the ground at her feet, and further, beneath the trees. ]

For now, yes. They may not come, but try to move slowly, and carefully. No sudden movements.

[ birds are notoriously flighty, after all. but soon enough she has scattered all of the seeds she was carrying onto the snow, and she draws back toward him and sits at his side, gathering her thick cloak around her to fend off the cold. its chilly, but it feels so good to be outdoors that she hardly feels it at all. it is not long before alisaie begins to hum again, the sound rolling softly in her throat, the melody gentle, and easy, and carrying through the crisp winter air easily.

and now we wait. ]

[ And now they wait.

Hopeful as he is that her plan might work, he can't help the sinking feeling in the back of his mind that they're only waiting for inevitable disappointment. He could wait here for hours and the birds might not approach him, and wouldn't that just be all the more heartbreaking? Maybe he should just...put a stop to it before he can get any more invested.

But Alisaie is sitting at his side, humming softly. He can just feel the warmth of her against his side. If she believes it's possible, doesn't he owe it to her to at least try?

Quietly, he murmurs: ]

Alisaie, I don't know...

[ they sit, and they wait, and she hums, and soon enough the knight is all but fidgeting at her side. alisaie sighs. ]

I asked only that you be patient. That means you must be patient.

[ patient for more than a few minutes. patient mayhaps even for more than a few hours, or even longer. laying her hand on his forearm, alisaie leans into his side. ]

If they do not come today, then we try tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the next day. Weeks, if we must. It may take a few minutes, it may take a year, but they will come to you, in time, so long as you continue to try.

[ animals are unpredictable, and while alisaie is quite sure it won't take them a year to come around, it may take longer than a handful of minutes in the snow. she wants this for him, she wants to make it happen, she can only hope that he will allow it. ]

Just.. a little while longer.

[ this time, when she begins to hum, it soon becomes a soft, quiet song, her eyes closed and her words gliding through the air smoothly. ]

[ Is that really all it takes? Patience and the effort to wait for something good to come? He once believed that, and so easily. And lately, it's been easier to believe again, but he cannot so easily escape the shadow of those dark and colorless years where he all but rusted away in the castle, waiting for something that never seemed like it would come.

He still isn't sure that it will, that this curse can ever be broken, and getting his hopes up is so very dangerous. What if...it really never does come? What happens when Alisaie leaves, and he is alone again? What will he do, with such a fresh memory of what companionship feels like in his mind?

But her hand is on his forearm, the warm pressure of her body against his side. His chest lifts and falls with a sigh, but he does not yet give up. Just a little while longer.

A little while becomes a long while, yet still he holds the seeds in his palm, even as he notes the pink in Alisaie's cheeks and nose. ]

You should go in. You're cold.

[ sitting here is.. quite nice, actually. the ground is hard and cold, but she's cushioned and insulated by her cloak, and the air is dry and chilly, but it feels good and fresh on her face and in her lungs. the forest is alive around them, the sound of birdsong and the chirping of insects returned, even the squirrels are rustling in the trees again. it's cold, but she feels at peace.

until he stirs her with his words. ]

Hm?

[ her gaze flickers up to his face, and she soon shakes her head. ]

It's not so bad. I'm fine.

[ is he worried about her, because of how he found her before? alisaie knows full well how close she came to losing her life, how dire her situation had been - if he had found her and scooped her out of that snow just a little later than he had she may never have recovered. is he thinking about that? how.. sweet of him. but she is not nearly so cold now as she was then. just a little while longe-

.. there! just ahead of them, a little fat-cheeked chickadee is swooping down from the trees to land in the snow, pecking at the seeds strewn on the ground only a few feet in front of them. ]

[ He's about to insist when the chickadee flies down to at last, at last peck some of the seeds out of the snow. The moment it lands, Prompto draws in a breath and holds it, though it's only out of force of habit. The chickadee makes quick work at the seeds in the snow, and then stops, its head tilting towards Prompto and Alisaie.

He doesn't move one ilm. He doesn't even blink.

After a long, agonizing moment, the chickadee doesn't flit into his hand...but it does hop a few paces closer to peck at the seeds on the ground, closer to their feet. All he dares to chance is glance in Alisaie's direction. Could this be...? ]

[ alisaie falls very still as well, little birds are very skittish, but she chickadee seems.. somewhat at ease. it is wary, yes, as all birds are, but it does not seem to balk in terror. it helps that birds have no real sense of smell to speak of, so she doubt it detects the foreign scent of steel and oil.

the little bird hops nearer, toward the seeds at their feet, and alisaie smiles. the hum starts again, low and soft in her throat, and very carefully, very slowly she reaches for the knight's hands, slowly lowering them to the snow, and scooping from of the seeds from his palm to scatter them onto the snow near his fingers.

the chickadee hesitates, measuring them up, but its love for the seeds wins out and it bops forward a few more paces, picking at the seeds beside his hand, before flitting up to land on the tips of his fingers, dipping its head to peck at the seeds in his palm. ]

[ Closer it hops, and his stomach clenches with apprehension — any moment now. Any moment now, it will fly away, and leave him crushed with disappointment. But before it can do so, Alisaie takes his hands in her own, and lowers them to the bird, inviting it into his palms with her song and the seeds. His fingers tremble within hers, but he holds steady, and sure enough —

The little bird hops right on one of his fingers, pecking at the seeds he holds, unafraid of what he is, and worried only about what he offers. ]

Oh...

[ He murmurs softly, his breath catching. ]

I can't believe it — it —

[ It actually worked. He's feeding a bird. ]

[ alisaie's smile blooms across her face, and she sits back a little resting her hand atop his forearm and watching the little bird feast - sunflower seeds always do the trick!! there are morebirds now, too - more chickadees, but a few robins as well, and a bright male cardinal. following in the first chickadee's footsteps they dive onto the free food, and alisaie dips her hand into the sack of seed again, scattering more for them to hop excitedly toward. ]

You see? That did not take long at all. Far sooner even than I expected.

[ it could have taken days of patient waiting for the birds to find enough courage to approach them, but winter brings hard times, she supposes, and they cannot turn their beaks up at free, easy, fatty seeds.

but movement in the distance catches her eye, and alisaie squints between the trees, then inhales sharply. ]

Look!

[ some fifteen yalms away, peering toward them between the trees, is a single wild chocobo. ]

[ She's not the only one surprised — Prompto can hardly believe it when the chickadee doesn't only remain, but other birds begin to approach as well, bolstered by the first's confidence. The way to any creature is through their stomach, it would seem, but whatever it took to get them there, it doesn't matter. This is a privilege he hasn't had in so very, very long. ]

Go on, then...there's some for everyone...

[ He says with renewed warmth, his gentle voice coaxing the birds to continue to feed out of his hands. In fact, his attention doesn't turn from them again until Alisaie gasps, drawing Prompto's attention to whatever has caught her attention.

And it —

It's a chocobo. ]

Quick — the greens!

[ alisaie has met her fair share of wild chocobos, but it's still always a delight to see one. they can be finicky, they're smart and perceptive, and it has certainly recognized the knight as something strange and different, but it sees the songbirds as well, and it senses the calm, warm atmosphere, so it does not bolt when alisaie rises carefully to her feet, then leans to snag a handful of leafy greens from the burlap bag. ]

Hello, sweet girl..

[ she calls, gently, beginning to move forward. the songbirds flutter and titter at her movement, but they're soon back to the seeds very quickly once they realize she is no threat.

the chocobo draws back a little, but does not run, its dark eyes dropping to the bundle of greens in her hand. ]

You must be hungry. Winter is difficult.

[ peeling a leaf off of the bunch, she tosses it onto the snow at the chocobo's feet, and the bird hesitates only a moment before dipping its head to snap the leaf right into its mouth without another thought. another leaf tossed onto the snow, another bite. slowly, the chocobo moves forward through the snow, until at last it carefully takes a leaf from her outstretched palm. ]

[ Prompto keeps his hands low to the ground so the smaller birds can continue to feed, but his attention is fully on Alisaie and the chocobo, even if he doesn't join in the effort to draw it near. The smaller birds are one thing, but chocobos are wary creatures, and can be difficult to win over, even when he was a human. But sure enough, Alisaie's influence proves itself once again, and the chocobo draws near, eating the lettuce right out of her hand.

After another moment, Prompto with draws one of his hands from the smaller birds and the seeds to gingerly pluck a piece of lettuce for himself, before holding it out for the chocobo to inspect. He'll be surprised if it takes it, but then again...he's been surprised a lot already this afternoon. ]

C'mon, it's a-alright, we're friends...

[ Even if he doesn't look it. ]

[ the chocobo is most definitely more wary of the knight's hand, though it's good at least that he isn't creaking and groaning and rasping every time he moves a limb. chocobos might be skittish, but they are also very wise and perceptive - if any animal can see through his outside to the gentle soul within, it is a chocobo.

still, it hesitates, watching the leaf in his hand but not yet reaching for it.

so alisaie moves instead, very slowly reaching to lay her hand against the birds warm beak, then smoothing it down along its proud neck. the chocobo shies at first, but soon realizes her touch is affectionate and kind, and it grows more confident - then with her free hand, alisaie reaches to lay her palm against the knight's outstretched wrist. he is a friend. he is no threat. ]

It's all right..

[ she says, and at last the great bird cranes its neck and very carefully nips the leafy green from his palm. ]

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