paixaorpg | natalia l.k. lanvaldear | astral raindrop 002

Character(s): Natalia L.K. Lanvaldear, Luke fon Fabre, anybody else.
Content: Natalia arrives at Destiny Islands in hopes of finding Castle Oblivion.
Setting: Destiny Islands.
Time: Week 16
Warnings: Tales of the Abyss spoilers.

The sound of the waves reminded her of being at the port in Baticul... not just Baticul, but her travels around the rest of the world of Auldrant, as well. Thinking back, the most memorable was probably Sheridan, where Asch said those words to her once more. ... But he wasn't there to say them anymore. She was so certain that everybody would come out of that dreadful conflict alive, but it wasn't true.

Was there no way in the world where everybody could be satisfied? Was there was no way to eliminate all sorrow, for everybody to be able to attain happiness without trampling on another's chance for happiness?

Was she the ultimate hypocrite by attempting to serve her people, when so many of them would keep on being unhappy with the decisions she'd make?

Shaking her head, she turned to face the sunset. The beach was truly beautiful.

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Natalia looked so thoughtful. What she was thinking of, Luke couldn't really guess. Maybe of home?

Luke was mostly just enjoying the change of scenery himself. After so long beneath the domes, a real sun, real grass, real, well, everything, was a nice change. And it was so much warmer here too! It was hard to believe this was also somehow inside a castle. How did that even work anyways?

And how would they find the way up? He hadn't yet spotted anything that seemed like a way out of here.

He was beginning to doubt that message already, but he wasn't exactly complaining. This was still a nice change.

Turning to Luke, Natalia allowed a small smile to show on her face. "Thanks for coming along with me, Luke; I really appreciate it." The beach was eerily quiet, but the sound of the waves set Natalia at ease somewhat. However... "Luke... are you sure you want to come along?" She asked. "I'm just wondering, since... there's very little in this trek for you, you know?" She hated to even think it, but Luke had nothing to return to. As tempting as it was to stay here in Paixao with somebody she never thought she'd see again, she had her responsibilities back home.

"I want you to be happy." He deserved at least that much.

Luke returned her smile at first, before his expression turned very confused. "What do you mean, Natalia?" he asked, not understanding in the least. They were going to find a way home, right? At least, that's what he thought they were doing. Did she think they were doing something else? Not that he could even begin to think of what exactly else they could be doing that she could think had nothing in it for him.

Yeah, he was just confused.

"We're going to find a way home, right? Together," Luke said firmly, not a doubt in his mind of that's how it would be. It's how it should be.

"We have people waiting for us, after all," he added, his voice going quieter, "And I made a promise..."

"We've been over this." Despite having it out in the open, it still turned out to be an elephant in the room. "Luke, if you go back, you'll die. I don't want you to die." She bit her lower lip. "Even if you go back, you wouldn't be able to fulfill that promise, because you'll just use your hyperresonance for who knows what and never come out! At least, here in Paixao, you can... live. And that's what I want for you." It was frustrating... she didn't want it to come to this, and while she knew this would probably upset him, on another aspect she wanted what was best for him. Almost as a big sister.

"You don't know that, Natalia!" Luke responded, looking a bit upset. He felt she was making assumptions. Neither of them could really know what would happen if he returned home, but he didn't want to think he'd been given a second chance to live only to have something like that happen.

"I don't know what happened after I released Lorelei and I don't know how I'm still alive, but that doesn't mean I'm going to die if I go back! And I might not even have to use my hyperresonance again," he continued. There were some times he wished Jade was around, and this was certainly one of them. He would have a better idea of what was going on and whether or not going home would be a good or bad idea, but, of course, Jade wasn't here.

"You heard what they said. This place might not even be real!" Staying in Paixao or whatever this place was, just wasn't an option.

"I'm going home, Natalia," Luke said firmly, his mind having been made up long ago concerning this. Whatever the outcome, he'd face it with the people he loved and cared about.

"I already know that Asch died! You're the one who told me, back on Eldrant!" Natalia raised her voice, making her statement very clear. "And much like you know Asch died... I know you won't make it unscathed, either! Do you seriously want me to go through that heartbreak all over again, Luke? Do you?" Her eyes watered ever so slightly as the sunlight's reflection glinted.

"Even if this place may or may not be real, the fact of the matter is we won't even know if we'll retain our memories should we return. You'll just go on the same path you were going to when you return." Her voice softened once again. "There's no point to coming back if you won't even be able to say goodbye."

"N-Natalia...!" Luke forced out. Why was she making this so hard?

"I knew Asch had died because... because I felt it. We had a kind of connection, remember?" Not that he didn't have a connection with anyone else, but it wasn't the same. There really had been, quite literally, a connection between the original and his replica.

"You just can't know I'm going to die. I'm here now, aren't I? My fonons should have split apart by now, right? But they haven't. I'm right here. I'm alive!" At least Luke didn't feel like he was about to die. He hadn't seen any sign. He could be wrong, of course, but still. He'd been here some time, and just... nothing.

"Of course I don't want you to go through all that again! But... I'm not giving up, Natalia."

Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do, but she was hurting him. How could she expect him to give up on something before he'd even tried? Before he knew even what was happening to him? He wasn't prepared to just give up.

Edited 2010-01-13 07:37 (UTC)

"..." Too many thoughts were going through the princess' mind at the moment, and none of them had words attached that she could use to express herself to Luke. However... that part of Luke, the person who wouldn't give up... since when did he become so grown up? The Luke she knew for almost ten years prior to this would have never uttered such words unless he was a sore loser in a game. He almost seemed mature. However, Natalia wasn't there to admire Luke; she was there to go home, to fulfill her responsibility... alone. Holding Luke to Asch's promise wasn't an option.

However, it wasn't as if Natalia could force a smile. What Luke was doing as effectively committing suicide... again. The world was already saved once... losing him again wasn't an option for Natalia.

She would have to think of a plan later. But it was quite clear that Luke wasn't budging. But either was she.

"Then... fine. Let's go."

He wasn't sure he'd really convinced her, but it seemed the subject was done for now. Luke wasn't about to change his mind. Not when he had people waiting for him to come home. Not when he had a promise he wanted to keep.

"Right," he replied. There was still much of the islands to explore. They needed to find this way 'up' that supposedly existed.

natalia l.k. lanvaldear | astral raindrop 002 | [OPEN/ACTIVE]

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