Waking Up Alone: Ramza (Ramza/Nathan)

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Waking Up Alone: Ramza (Ramza/Nathan)

NathanialRoyale · Child King

RE: Waking Up Alone: Ramza

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza was both happy and terrified when Nathan walked up to him. Not because he was afraid of the boy, but rather afraid for him. Nathan was even younger looking than Ramza himself, looking to be barely more than a child, and was littered with cuts and bruises, making the blonde boy queazy about why he looked that way. Another thing was that, though torn and damaged, the other boy wore clothes like his own, unlike those of the people Ramza had met so far. And though the blonde boy wanted to ask about his sister, he was more curious about the approaching boy's welfare.

"Hello," He responded when Nathan came up to him. "Are you doing okay?"

He hoped he wouldn't annoy the other boy with his nosiness, something Delita had never really liked about him.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan blinked up at the other when he could spot at first a little bit of fear? Or was that terror? The boy did not understand why or how Ramza would be scared of him. Nathan knew he was tiny, fragile, even frail. Why would the other be scared of him? Eyes of wide icy blue watched Ramza for a few moments before Ramza spoke.

****ing his head Nathan nodded slightly though his back stung, "Ju-just the he-heartless," he mumured his voice cracking again and the stuttering worse when he began to speak more. He was skittish and afraid himself, his hands before him wringing still.
"It-it's not that b-bad," he looked over his shoulder a bit to the wounds on his back of their claw marks and shrugged before looking back to Ramza.

His hand reached out slowly, timidly with hesitation to touch Ramza, he touched a slightly bloody spot, from the prior battle against the heartless on Ramza's homeworld.
"Y-your hurting."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza was surprised when Nathan mentioned the Heartless, wondering if they were the shadow creatures he'd fought off in his own world. He was even more surprised when Nathan touched him, not that he minded, but the boy looked so shy that he didn't expect it of him.

"Oh yes," He comforted absently, running his own hand down his bloody side. "It's only a minor wound, I can fix up both of us with a bit of cure, and maybe there's somewhere you could sit down? Tell me about these Heartless? I'm afraid I haven't heard of them, though I might know what you're talking about."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan licked over his chapped dry lips and his hand came back after the other saw the wound Nathan had brought up.
"You c-can heal?" Nathan asked knowing of it, as such magic existed on his world to, he used to be able to but he couldn't anymore..normally. The darkness had effected him so badly that he now could not heal without giving over his own strength and health. Drefan had called it Stigmata, taking on others pains.

Pointing to the small cafe as a place to sit where their not alot of people but was safe.
"I-I'll try to t-tell about the heartless, they a-are on my homeworld t-too. I c-can try to explain about them."
Nodding he took a few steps his left side dragged because of his very apparent limp.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza smiled in what he hoped was a soothing way. The other boy reminded him a bit of Mustadio, his engineering friend who had been shy upon their first meeting, and he didn't want him to be nervous around him.

"Yes, I can heal. Perhaps not as well as someone trained in the art of white magic, but I learned enough from my sister, a white mage," He began to head for the cafe Nathan pointed to, taking the boy's arm loosely along the way, cheerfully ignoring his tenseness. "I also carry around some potions, if you're wary of my abilities."

"My name is Ramza Beoulve, by the way, which I forgot to mention." He added with a light flush and a smile.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Ramza taking his arm did indeed make him tense up a little but his wide icy blues so childlike at that moment starred up at him guaging him for a moment. He let himself be helped though as he knew he needed it and it helped.
"White m-mage? Hmm," he whispered, thinking about it to himself, "That m-must be like a cleric, o-or a druid."
Different names but they probibly did the same thing.

Settling into a chair at the cafe having to lean a little on the other near the end though he was only 80 pounds soak and wet at 5'4, so he was a feather. Far to undernurished, he leaned on Ramza for help walking till he sat down.
"R-Ramza," he spoke so he could wrap his tongue around it and pronounce it right.
"N-Nathanial, Nathanial Peter Quele Royale."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza, too, sat down in a chair across from Nathan, furrowing his thin brows worriedly. Before doing anything else, he set about to healing the two of them, Nathan first and then himself. After he was thoroughly sure that Nathan didn't look as pale as before, he smiled and leaned back on the chair, calling the lone waitress and asking her if she could bring both of them some chocolate milk. He then turned back to Nathan and smiled again.

"Nathanial...that's a lovely name," He said, not unkindly. "It sounds a bit like names used in my own world. I've known a few travelers who didn't like the elaborateness of names used in Ivalice, though, to be fair, I didn't understand the use of their names either. I do hope you're feeling better, Nathanial. I'm not so great at healing yet, so you probably still ache a bit."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

The healing that washed over him felt so good, at least for the moment. It did heal up the scratches on his back and some other minor wounds, his aches in his bones and muscles lightened. He smiled warmly for the first at Ramza after the healing, indeed feeling better. Though their were some things that just could not be healed now, they were older wounds that would take more to heal. Like his fractured hip.He was still exceptionally pale, but that was part and parcel of his sickness, of that he was dieing. He would not say that allowed though..

"Th-thank you," he mumured and his head moved to the side listening to the other speak of names.

"My n-name is l-long, but it has g-great meaning to me, Peter i-is my fathers name, and Quele is my l-last, Royale is my married name."
He opened up a little after the healing and showed the silver wedding ring on his dainty pale ring finger.
"I a-am feeling be-better Ramza sir, thank y-you."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza blinked at this new revelation. Nathan was married? That was certainly a surprise. He looked closer at Nathan's thin finger, taking in the silver band on it.

"Hmm...I hope you don't mind me asking, but aren't you a bit young for marriage? I mean, perhaps I am just a bit immature, but I am older than you already by a few years, and just last year my biggest focus was riding horses, playing soldier, and making whistles out of grass reeds with Delita...my er, childhood friend," He thought about it, twirling his colorful straw in the sweet drink before him. "Then again, I am the youngest son of a lord, and what I do, be it play or war, really didn't affect the estate in any way. I suppose my brothers must have taken care of everything."

He abruptly giggled after that, realizing what Nathan had called him. "Oh, and you're very welcome, Nathanial. Though you don't have to call me sir, I was never formally knighted. I'd only done a few weeks of class at the knighting academy, before I...well, though I'm embarrassed to admit it, I ran away. Perhaps it wasn't my path, either way." He smiled again and shrugged to show that it didn't really bother him.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

With the paleness of his skin the blush was easily visible in his cheeks. The pink shading adding a vitality not usually seen in his skin as he was so sick.
"I.." his eyes dropped a moment as he wondered how to explain, his past was so..sad. He knew that, so much had happened that was horrible, saddening and hardly wished to be remembered. He did not wish to make others sad by mentioning all of his own pains.

"I've b-been married sense b-birth," he explained his fingers twirling the silver ring on his finger, it was the 'female's' wedding ring, the one with the gem, as he had been younger then Thom when they had married so he wore the gem. A black diamond on the silver band.
"He d-died three y-years ago o-of sickness."
Which I have...

Giggling as he heard his new found 'friend' as he really liked this Ramza, he wasn't as scared of him as most males, giggle. He did not know other boys giggled like he did! He had always thought it made him so girly but Ramza giggled too!
"So y-you were nobility?" Until you ran away, but still..maybe Ramza could be a bit more understanding, most worlds did not have royalty or nobility..
"I'm..nobility too on m-my homeworld Camar'a Sere'th, h-high nobility."
That was not a lie, though he was not just nobility..But with how things looked and how things were now he was ashamed. Ashamed of what had happened and what he had had to do to survive.

-- Edited by NathanialRoyale at 04:22, 2008-11-18

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza felt really bad for bringing up the topic when Nathan spoke, biting his lip, and tried to offer comfort by taking the other boy's pale hand in his own, noticing for the first time how long his nails were.

"I know many nobles marry their children off young to make blood ties, but I can tell you loved your husband either way. Please forgive me for my brashness. I shouldn't have brought this up." He was truly regretful for what he'd said, hoping sincerely that the dark haired boy would not be angry with him, and was more than happy when he heard him giggle, relieved at the change of subject.

"Why yes, I was indeed of noble status. My father was the leading knight, a Heaven knight in the King's army, before he died, and I suppose I've inherited his name, but not much else. My elder brothers, Zalbag and Dycedarg, were heirs to the Beoulve estate and ran it quite well until deception led to their demise. I'm not a noble anymore, though, I should think, as my sister and I faked our own deaths to escape the fate of nobility..." He paused, before plowing forward hesitantly. "I am not sure what you think of nobility, Nathanial, but I think that nobles can be cruel, treating the common people no better than animals, so now I am just Ramza, no nobility attached."

He let go of the other boy's hand and sat back with his drink, sipping on the straw, before offering Nathan a cheerful smile. "But perhaps, in Camar'a Sere'th, nobility is not the same, as I couldn't imagine a kinder lord than you."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

His hand taken by Ramza he blinked again at the other when he began to speak trying to offer comfort in the light grip of his hand on Nathans.
"O-Oh it's alright, I did l-love him very m-much, a-and their are good memories before his death."

Swallowing softly as he listened to Ramza explain about his family and his earlier life his eyes widened when he heard Ramza had faked his own death, and with his sister to. It was not hard to tell that he was listening intently, his emotions easily read on his face. His hand let go he looked to the chocolate milk and leaned to take a sip not knowing what it was, but it tasted like milk..mixed with chocolate. That was odd..but it tasted good.

"Many o-of the nobles o-only want power on my w-world to, their is a ci-civil war because the Royal family i-is all but dead, the last heir they b-believe is dead to. So they all f-fight each other f-for the throne."
Nathan did not seem pleased about this, "And while they d-do that, the wo-world will fall to the e-ever growing heartless."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza giggled abruptly when he saw Nathan's strange look after drinking the chocolate milk, and probably ruined the mood. The younger boy appeared unfamiliar with his favorite drink, and because Ramza couldn't imagine anyone going without it, he was glad for introducing it to him now. His features darkened when the conversation reared back towards seriousness, turning eventually to the topic of those strange shadow creatures, the heartless. He couldn't believe how similar the happenings in Nathan's world were to what had so recently happened in Ivalice.

"We recently had a power struggle in Ivalice, my home world, too. There were four different factions wanting to become the rulers of Ivalice, and we lost many people, including my elder siblings, in that war...my father was a vassal under the former King, who ruled in peace. Eventually, Ovelia, who was my sister's friend from the Convent, became Queen...and she married a commoner to soothe the masses. That commoner...well, he was my first love, to be completely honest, and though his way of becoming King was not so great, I know he's doing the best he can," He looked up at the roof of the cafe in a daze, lost in memories, before looking back at Nathan. "I ran away and faked my death to get away from him, but I still care about him and the friends I've left behind. Everything was going perfectly fine until those creatures...the heartless, you called them, came to Ivalice. Now, I don't know where any of my loved ones are. Before I met you, I was looking for my sister Alma..."

He trailed off again, thinking again about his sister's safety, and vaguely wondered if she was even in Traverse Town.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan bit his lip again deciding he must now do what Ramza had done, leaning around the table a little his fingers taking Ramza's hand, his claws making certain not to hurt the other boy. He did not want to, Ramza was so nice, and..well he was pretty to. Though he had no right to think that, he bit harder into his lip causing slight blood as he held onto Ramza's hand listening to Ramza's tale.

"I d-do not know if she i-is here this Alma but we can k-keep a look out, I c-certainly well, I promise. All m-my family are dead, Thom i-is dead to. My s-step sister lives but I don't know if she k-knows I'm alive, sense Drefan sto-stole me away from our world sh-she may have lost her connection to me. If s-so then everyone will th-think the Royal f-family is dead.." he bit harder as he took in a sharply drawn breath looking down. He had just said that aloud hadn't he?
"S-sorry.."

I had not meant to let you know I am a Prince.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza blinked in surprise when Nathan entwined his thin fingers with his own, but gave them a gentle squeaze to show that he appreciated it. The other boy was so sweet, albeit shy, and he was glad that he had met him so early on. No matter how many adventures he'd been through, it was a little scary to be in a different world, and he knew that he couldn't have met any one better than Nathan to keep him company.

"Thank you, Nathanial," He said softly, flushing a little, and blinked when the boy revealed his true identity to him. He tried to smile to show him that it wasn't a problem. "It's alright, Nathan. Everything will be alright. You don't have to be nervous about telling me your identity. I've protected royalty before. And you don't have to worry about being without kin either. I will help you any time you need it because, though we've only just met, I feel closer to you than I ever have with my own brothers. And if I can, I will help you find your sister if I can."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

The small sqweeze back was good, it made Nathan know that his touch was not unwelcome. He licked up the blood on his lips,"I..I d-don't feel like royalty a-anymore. Sense Dreffie..u-um brought me from my world."
Their was more to say on that it was easy to see but he would not bring it up. The flushing of the others cheeks had him flushing to slightly.
A gentle nod, "I've n-never had friends, I grew u-up isolated, not at the c-castle because of the politics. Sis l-left when I was 8, s-so friends a-are new.."

He still held onto Ramza's hand, "That w-would mean trying to f-find my homeworld..to f-find Nilec. She's Queen of Dire Cry th-the desert country of my homeworld. She married James a-a vampire who is now King."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza vaguely thought that Nathan had a cute flush, before he berated himself quickly. Bad thoughts, Ramza, bad thoughts. Instead, he offered Nathan his full attention, eyes widening ever so sorrowfully when he heard the things being said. He did not like the sound of this Drefan at all, and Ramza usually prided himself on not judging someone until they'd already met.

"It's alright, Nathan," He said softly, smiling at the other with wide red-brown eyes. "I consider you a friend. I never really had many friends as a child either, but Delita and Alma always kept me from too much lonliness. My brother Zalbag also played with me occasionally, but mostly he was busy leading his knights, so you and I can be the best of friends!"

He thought about traveling to other worlds, which he would have to do anyway if he wanted to find Alma. Would it be so bad to help Nathan re-acquire his throne? He didn't think so.

"Well, how does one travel from world to world? If I can do that, then I would be more than happy to help you. I may not look like much, but I'm pretty good with a sword. And I'm sure your sister would be more than happy to have you back..." He gave the hand in his another gentle pat. "I bet she misses you a lot...thinks of you all the time. She will want to help you save your throne, I think..."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

The smile the other gave had him smiling softly in return, his hand still holding onto Ramza's as if it was something to solidify that the other was their and Nathan would not be parted from it.

"I'd l-like that Ramza, to be friends with y-you, I w-want to trust you," he mumured that smile still apparent. He was being completely truthful, because of his past he had a hard time trusting. But he wanted to trust Ramza. That said quite a bit.
"I h-heard of Gummi ships, th-their ships that travel space..you wo-would have to learn to fly one. O-otherwise..their is a portal but it wo-would hurt you, it h-hurts me to travel by it. So I d-don't know.." he lightly shrugged apoligicially.

"I d-do want to see Nilly a-again. She w-was the last of my family.."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza smiled at the other boy, guessing that the boy didn't trust easily just from his hesitant actions.

"I already trust you...then again, I'm famous for trusting foolishly, but I know I won't make that mistake with you," He smiled a little triumphantly, before continuing on to the topic of gummi ships. "I've never taken a gummi ship before, though I've heard of airships. We don't use those either in my world, though, since we mostly rely on chocobo for transportation. I also learned to teleport very small distances, but I doubt that would help me go from world to world. Maybe I should learn to fly a gummi ship? But where could I learn that?" He paused briefly, giving Nathan a scrutinizing look. "And I think you should too. You shouldn't hurt yourself to travel, Nathan. That's bad. I'm sure we can find both of our sisters by mastering the art of the gummi ship, rather than suffering from uneccessary pain. How hard could it be?"

He knew he was a bit of an optimist--always had been--but hoped his optimism would pay off this time.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

"I d-don't know, my world h-had almost no technoligy, I'm s-still getting used to it. I r-remember one of my parents guards was t-trying out a..he called it musket. I-it used gunpowder b-but got stuck a-alot and was unreliable. B-but I th-think I heard ab-about an older m-man Geppeto who m-makes designs and such m-maybe he can help."

Taking in a shaky breath afterward to get in breath after talking so much. He blushed, the redness in his cheeks filled also with shame as Ramza spoke of him hurting himself. if only Ramza knew...Scratc hing through the black material of his shirt on his arm absently, blood spots on his shirt growing where he scratched harder to see agaisnt black material. Old scars re-opening.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza took in all this new information avidly, a thoughtful look coming to his face.

"Hmm, it seems that, though both of our worlds aren't as advanced as here, mine is probably a little ahead. We have working guns in our world. My friend Mustadio, and engineer, is actually quite talented with them, though I personally prefer close range or magic. I couldn't work it thought; it was hard." He pouted for a second, before brightening. "Alright then, Geppeto it is."

--Do I have to wait for someone to make a Geppeto character? That's slightly daunting, though I don't really mind if it's necessary--

-- Edited by Ramza at 23:42, 2008-11-25

NathanialRoyale · Child King

(Well if you think you can pull him off, I can't..we can always skip and say their were discussions, negotitions as Gummi's are worth ALOT)

"Y-yes, I know th-their are worlds with much more th-then what we had, I h-have grown I su-suppose more used to the ideas, and the objects of such."
Nathan giggled at the pouting which was cute, "I c-can't even wi-wield a sword, I d-don't have the strength.."
So who am I to talk? He slowly stood up from the seat at the table testing out his leg, the limp not so bad for the moment.
"He l-lives up n-near the doors to the second d-district. I c-can bri-rbing us their to talk to him."

Pointing up at the smaller house across from the main shop that had been Cid's. The lights were on through the curtained window. So someone had to be home...

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

--Sounds like a plan. I don't think I can put off Geppeto either. So yeah, let's skip--

"That's alright," Ramza said at Nathan's mention of being unable to use a sword. "Everyone has something they specialize at, and it doesn't always have to be a sword. But, if you don't mind me asking, how do you defend yourself?"

He stood up, too, and took out his money pouch, flushing. "I forgot to ask, do they use gil on this world? It would be horrible if we couldn't pay the waitress. Then again, gil is gold, so does its value transcend still?" He placed some down on the table top anyway, hoping the nice waiter could make use of it, and gave Nathan his attention again. "Alright then, let us go see Geppeto."

He gave Nathan a slightly worried look, though, noticing the other boy had a slight limp. "Would you like me to heal you again first?"

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan brought up his hands to show Ramza from the short distance he had limped, his long black claw like nails, sharp enough to slice or puncture skin easily. He licked his lips and turned his hands palm up, the scars on his palm cresent sized, the nails being what had caused them. He quickly flipped his hands, "C-Claws," he whispered and smiled softly, sadly for a moment.
"Wh-when I can n-not get away."
Last thing he could do if someone had grabbed him.

****ing his head at the other, "Gil? I d-don't think so, but it's gold a-and the munny they use is g-gold, li-like on my world we used g-gold too. So it should b-be okey."

"N-no, the limp i-is old, fractured hip b-bone, a carriage accident when I was 10, my parents died in that accident.."
Not completely, they were wounded and brigands found us, father was not able to hold them off...
"So-so I'll be alright, I'm u-used to the limp."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza nodded in understanding, gazing curiously at the elongated nails.

"Oh, I see. A lot of monks in my world use fake claws. But as long as it keeps you safe, it matters not." He offered the other boy what he hoped was a comforting smile. "I know this will probably sound selfish, but I am very glad that you were not killed when your parents died, though I am sorry that you had to lose them so young, and have a permanent injury to suffer from."

He flushed slightly, scuffing his boot on the ground, before nodding at the comment about gil. He hooked his arm around Nathan's carefully, as a way of helping him walk and just being close.

"Let's be off then, I suppose."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan smiled back at the comforting smile, someone understood. Didn't think he was strange for having the nails, they were all he could do. Magic made him weak trying to do it here, his magic was different, it came from the world he lived on and he could not easily do it anywhere but Cama'ra.

He blinked up at Ramza and blushed as well, the other flush beautiful..Would..Ramza said he..well..Swallowing as the other carefully hooked an arm round his side he leaned up a little to gently kiss his friends cheek.
"Th-thank you, theirs b-been many times I w-wanted to be with them in th-the Halls of Mourning, wh-where souls go. But now th-that your my friend I'd l-like to wait to die. I w-want to remain here as your friend."
The blush on his cheeks brought a healthy glow that usually was not their to hauntingly pale cheeks. His eyes were a little afraid though of Ramza's reaction after having given that bold kiss on the cheek.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza blinked in surprise when Nathan pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, flushing even darker. No one ever kissed him except his late mother, sister, and Delita, and none of those people were around to do it anymore, not that he would let Delita kiss him after his past betrayals. Now, when Nathan did it, it felt almost...nice. He flushed even darker at the thought, smiling slightly.

"I know how painful it is to lose your parents, Nathan, and I'm happy that, despite the pain of it, you will stay with me. I will promsie now, upon my honor, that I will never make you regret your decision." He gave a deep bow from the waist, smiling slightly, before standing back up, smile still on face.

-- Edited by Ramza at 00:25, 2008-11-27

NathanialRoyale · Child King

The surprise was normal and his eyes fell for a second, before looking back reluctantly, seeing the slight smile and deep flush. His smile returning before he blinked in surprise at the others bow, it had been a long time sense..he hardly felt like the prince he had been born as. To much had happened, to much shame...

"Thank y-you," his fingers reached out to take Ramza's hand in his own it not diffacult to tell he was so unused to the others actions.
"Let us t-talk to Geppeto and find out what we can."

Taking a small step forward, slowly but with a determined look in his eyes that belayed his pain. Toward the small house.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza smiled at the determined look, liking it on the other boy's usually passive face. He was also pleasantly surprised at the initiation of contact between he and Nathan's hands, but began walking alongside Nathan with an easy pace, looking unfazed and blinking curiously at the little house which belonged to Geppeto. He wondered what sort of person the man was, his house certianly looked nice enough.

"I hope all the information about airships isn't too complicated..." He said with a curious voice, noticing that they had already reached the man's house, and reached up a hand to knock on the door.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Geppeto greets them and invites them into his home. Nathan explains what he knows of Gummi's once more to Ramza and to Geppeto and the man nods listening patiantly. He explains that he can make them a Gummi but he can not do it free, this is his living and his sons after all. His son being the walking and talking puppet sitting on the back counter his legs kicking and thumping against the wood beneath. Nathan agrees readily to trying to pay him for his services though he himself had hardly anything on him of value.

For a moment fingers spin at a silver ring on his finger, the ring he had shown Ramza. His wedding ring with the black gem...His expression still held that determination, yet was deeply tinged with saddness.
"W-would this..b-be enough?"
He asked pulling the ring from his dainty ring finger and showing it to Geppeto who gasped slightly in a deep huff and nodded.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza listened patiently to all the explanations about gummis, though his eyes couldn't help but wander back to the little talking and moving puppet sitting at a table across the room. It was kind of cute, but it kept pulling faces at him, making him glare a little, but he turned back to Gepetto when the man mentioned the price for his services. His eyes widened when Nathan pulled his wedding ring off his finger, handing it to the man.

"Oh no, don't take that!" He began hastily. "I still have a bag of gold from my world, and I'll willingly give you the whole thing. It's not the money...er, munny from this world, but it was made from the purest gold pieces in mine."

He took out the bag of gil from within his tunic, handing it to the man who opened and inspected it, wondering what to choose.

"After all, you'd have to melt the ring down or sell it if you want money from it, so this way is easier, is it not?" He hinted finally, and the man nodded, handing him back the ring which he, in turn, handed back to Nathan with a smile. "I know it's important to you. Please keep it."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan looked up to Ramza when Ramza spoke so hastily, biting hard into his lip. He hated that he couldn't help, even if it meant he had to give up one of the last things he had of his husbands...He hated feeling powerless, it was a feeling he had known for far to long.

Taking his ring back he swallowed and nodded slipping it back onto his finger and keeping his hand to his chest, "Th-thank you Ramza."

Gepetto with the gold in the bag moved to the back putting the bag their which his son promptly took up and began to inspect curiously. Shuffling through paper he had about he brought out the Gummi he believed best suited them and brought the paper over handing it to Ramza to inspect before going over to a list on the wall catagorizing what he would need and had to build the gummi.

Nathan peered at the Gummi on the paper his head to the side, "It's..s-strange."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Nathan looked a little upset, and that upset Ramza in turn. He hoped he hadn't acted rashly and hurted or offended him in some way by not letting Gepetto accept the ring. But it was precious to Nathan, that was obvious, so Ramza didn't want him to lose it on his account. After all, he could always buy the other boy another ring, but it wouldn't hold the same precious memories. In the end, saddened or not, he decided that it would be for the best if Nathan kept the ring. Then, he wouldn't have any regrets later on.

The puppet, now with gold bag in hand, laughed at the frown on his face, making it deepen, and he glared at it, before turning away right in time. Gepetto came up and handed him the blueprints for the gummi ship.

"You're right," He replied when Nathan proclaimed the ship's weirdness. It was like nothing he'd ever seen. Colorful and blocky, it almost looked like a child's toy. He faltered, wondering if it could even fly. Airships, from what he'd seen of them, looked better made. "This is a weird looking device, but as long as it gets us where we need to be, it isn't really a problem, right?."

He turned it to several different angles, brow furrowed, trying to see it in a clearer light.

-- Edited by Ramza at 03:56, 2008-11-28

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Gepetto explained that most Gummi's looked strangely, and showed a few other designs that did in many ways resemble a childs toy. Although blown up out of portion and used in space. He then reassured that it would fly and said he could help teach Ramza how to fly it, he was older then he once was but he knew how to pilot it and could teach.

Nathan's hand found Ramza's shirt, holding onto it lightly along the ribs, a child like action of a need of reassurance. Of knowing the other was their and beside him. It did show great leaps in trust that the younger scared boy looked to Ramza for such comfort automatically.

Gepetto spoke that it would take him a few days with the help of the moogles to build the Gummi, and anothre to teach him to pilot. Gepetto was even nice enough to go back to his son and take the bag bringing out three gold pieces and bringing them back to Ramza. Explaining that they should stay at the hotel in the second district where it would be safe. He wished to make certain they remained safe while he built the Gummi.

Nathan mumured his thanks to the man and his puppet son Gepetto taking back the plans, "I k-know where the hotel i-is.." Nathan said looking up to Ramza.
"W-we go up the stairs and through the double doors, th-their are heartless in the second district though b-be careful, and then we go i-into the hotel."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza, though surprised, immediately placed his arms around Nathan's shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. He gave the boy a 'there, there' look, smiling softly, before nodding at Geppeto.

"It's alright. I know age doesn't matter, sir, because some of the best warriors on my planet were the ones who were older, my father included," In some ways, this man, with the way he was very affectionate towards his son, reminded him of his late father. He was still surprised, however, when the man handed him back some money for the hotel. "Thank you."

He told him with a smile, and led Nathan out the door, listening as the boy told him the directions.

"Alright, then. Don't worry about it, I can probably protect us both from the heartless if need be." He gently pried Nathan's hands off of him, entwing a hand with the other boy's pale one, and carefully followed the directions, pushing him behind when the heartless showed up.

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan had not expected the arms around his shoulders but they were so comforting just as he had wanted, at least..internally. What his subconcious mind had wanted. Outside they moved toward the second district still holding onto the hand offered to him.

Being pushed behind the older was not something he was un-used to, inside it bothered him. It always did, that continues feeling of useless-ness. He was nearly powerless outside his own world his powers coming from the very planet he lived on. And he was not strong enough to fight on his own, at least not for long. Swallowing nervously as the clowns and shadows attacked. He turned around at Ramza's back seeing the two shadows pop up behind them both.

Crouching a little in defensive he sliced out at the shadow that jumped at him, claws racking the shadows form and causing it to dissapear, but the other had managed to dig it's on claws into his side. A hiss of his breath in pain as the shadow tried to hit him again, a word falling from his lips.

It was repeated as a another shadow seemed to 'leak' from the cracks in the cement. They just kept coming...

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza swung his sword, killing heartless one after the other, but they just kept appearing. One of the menacing shadows swiped at his arm, but the cut was only shallow so he slashed it quickly, watching it evaporate into black particles.

He heard Nathan hiss behind him, finding that the heartless were attacking the boy too. He quickly healed them both before swiping, this time more blindly than calculated, towards another bunch of them that bloomed from the ground. He tried to remember the directions to the hotel, saw its sign, and grabbed Nathan's hand, pulling him towards the destination.

"Come on, let's go!" He said, and sighed with relief when they both finally got inside. "Well, that was certainly exciting, huh?"

NathanialRoyale · Child King

The healing was something he was not entirely used to, at least in the past few years. The pure positive energy of the healing spell was jarring, his heart was losing. He knew this, he did not wish to see it but he hated believing falsities. He had begun to give into what Drefan had done to him, begin the the descent into madness. Into the darkness. Drefan could heal but it was subverse, like himself now. It was a subverse tainted heal. It took your own life energy to heal another when you were so deep, and yet had not fallen completely. Embracing neither the darkness nore the light, but so far from seeing a way out.

Pulled into the hotel he took in a deep breaths before coughing, hacking coughs of over strained lungs that were filled with fluid. But not just fluid, his own blood. Coughing into his hands, one of which he had to take back from Ramza, blood dribbled from his lips on his hands before he managed to get in a breath with no over whelming pain through his chest ready to tear him apart. His lungs feeling like they would burst. Damn this body! It's weakness and it's scars, it's pains. It always made things harder for him, it was the reason he would die!

He knew the coughing would concern the other and he straightened as quickly as he could forcing back any pain behind a mask. A mask of determination, willfulness of survival. What had allowed him to get this far.
"I c-can never understand wh-what people see o-of combat, the adrenaline, e-even my father was a Knight and I h-have never understood it."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza watched worriedly as Nathan coughed into his hand, watched the blood drip into them with wide, frightened eyes.

"Nathan, are you...alright? Well, that's a stupid question. Can I do anything to get you alright? Healing? A potion, or elixer, or something?" Maybe the other boy just needed some rest? He hoped so. It would be horrible if there was nothing he could do to help. The other boy began to talk about fighting.

"I don't think anyone really enjoys violence, Nathan," He answered gently, taking off his cloak and wrapping it around the other boy. "My father, too, was a Knight, but he fought because he did not want war to ravage Ivalice. But he told me once when I was five, I think it was the first time I really met him because he was away so often, that he would do anything to just spend time with my sister and I. Fighting, I think, is a necessity, not a want."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan swallowed the coopery tang of his own blood, a taste he hated but knew from his lungs being so weak and coughing like he just had. Eyes fell to the floor, he hated that he had worried Ramza and the other couldn't help...He wiped one of his hands on the black material of his shirt, the liquid seeming to seep into the dark material and dissapear.

"I..j-just rest," he whispered eyes looking back up but then back to the cloak around his shoulders. His little form had been quaking from the coughing, pulling the cloak in around him to keep himself warm.

"Papa s-said the same thing, s-so did many of his King's Guard, it just a-always frightened me when Papa would leave to go i-into combat with his troops. Mother w-wished to be at his side but she couldn't as just incase o-one had to survive."

He was exhausted, it wasn't that hard to tell.
"Ge-Gepetto said it c-could be a week b-before we leave. I hope that will be enough f-for a room."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza nodded, listening to Nathan's words. The situation was the same for his own parents, his mother being left at Igros castle for years on end, and she'd eventually died, alone, hating battle for taking away her husband. He, too, had died a few years later, despising the same thing.

"I'm sure we'll have enough," He responded in regards to the amount of money they had. "If it isn't enough, I'm sure we could help out at a shop or that cafe to get a little more money. Now, let's go check in."

He wandered over to the reception desk, greeting the man with a bright smile, though his face was grimy from battle. "We'd like to check in, please," He said, indicating both he and Nathan, and handed the man the money Geppeto had given them. "Will this be enough?"

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Consquently his mother had felt useless though she herself was a fighter and a healer. But she had made Nathans fathers consort, as both in an Elven marriage were allowed consorts (lovers) to protect him in combat. As his consort was his most trusted King's Guard. She knew at least that Peter would be safe for that reason and while Peter was gone she would hold Nathan in her arms to sleep at night.

Following Ramza to the receptionist he stayed behind the other a bit, as the man spoke. Taking the coin he looked them both over a moment, "Well for one room this is enough for a week. The red room is available, large double bed. For double this I can give you two smaller rooms with single beds for a week."

Nathan blushed on the implications at hand on a double bed, but his hand found Ramza's and held it stepping up on his tippy toes to speak in Ramza's ear.
"It-it would be e-easier, being near, to p-protect me.."

He was trying to look at it objectively now, no not like a couple. No, Ramza was better then that, deserved a heck of alot better then a boy who had been abused, who had been a prostitute and would have to take a throne he had no idea how to rule...
"My K-Knight."
Still in Ramza's ear.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza listened to the man speak prices, trying to decided. But his decision was pretty much made when Nathan leaned up to whisper in his ear, making him flush. The receptionist looked amused, probably getting the wrong idea, but he tried to shrug it off, flushing even darker in the process.

"We'll take the single room, sir," He told the man eventually, watching him nod and put the money away. He signed the guest's sheet and the man led them both to the red room. It was a beautiful room, large, with many interesting portraits, and only one bed.

"Do you want to take the bed?" He asked Nathan, not wanting to make the boy uncomfortable. After all, they had met so recently, and Nathan seemed so innocent, so he didn't want to scare him away. "I can sleep on the floor?"

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan had been deeply blushing to as they were lead to the room looking about it curiously, and once inside with the man gone he licked his lips nervously. He did hate to lie, and the other thinking him..untainted and chidlike was a bit of a lie he supposed. But he did not wish disgust, pity he could handle, but not disgust. A loss of the little respect he thinks he has from Ramza.

"I-it's alright," his hands before him holding onto each other, "I t-trust you Ramza, I n-need your help, a-and how can I travel with you if I don't trust you? I w-want to be able to trust again. A-and I..finally have a feeling you w-wont do anything. You would not hurt me. I c-can feel that, and I w-want to trust you."

Taking in a deeper breath moving to sit on the bed his limp worse now from the running into the hotel.
"A-and I sleep better i-if someone is near, not a-as many nightmares."

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza nodded slowly, taking a seat on the bed and pulling off his boots, and pulling the band of leather from his hair, shaking the now loose locks lightly. He smiled comfortingly at Nathan, patting the spot next to him on the bed.

"You don't have to worry, I would never hurt you, Nathan. And if you need my presence to feel safer, I will gladly give it to you." He winked. "Besides, I'm your knight remember?"

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan blushed softly again moving, shifting to Ramza's side. His fingers twitched in his lap, an internal want to touch Ramza's hair which looked so soft...Biting hard into his lip in uncertainty as fingers reached up to touch the others hair.
"I h-haven't felt safe in y-years, it's a strange feeling. One I'm having a h-hard time trusting, I'm always so used to running, to p-pain that safety is something so very new again.." He mumured this, his thoughts aloud.

"M-my Knight?" he whispered blinking at the other and blushed deeper looking down, "My f-father's King's Guard, a Knight was his consort, I r-remember sometimes when I w-was small, seeing my Papa in the hall in the arms of him. My father was not a small man b-but because of being partly elven he was not as muscled as a human. Seeing my father being comforted like that.." A soft smile, fingers through loose blonde strands.

Insane Heroes · Cloning Your Knight Apprentices

Ramza let a soft smile touch his lips as Nathan stroked his hair. The long locks were both a gift and a curse to him. His mother, always wanting a daughter, had grown it out so she could brush it, and he'd kept it after his sister's birth and his mother's eventual death. But, because of his already soft and feminine features, his hair had made many men think he was the lord Beoulve's eldest daughter. Oh well, at least Nathan seemed to liked it.

His eyes softened further as Nathan spoke, going more into depth about his feelings and his father.

"Well," He promised the boy, pulling him into his own arms gently, and tucking the black and blue locks under his chin. "When you are with me, I will fight any dragon or vicious beast to keep you safe. And, if you should want it, I will always be willing to give you comfort. Please, don't hesitate to ask, I would never think ill of you for doing so."

NathanialRoyale · Child King

Nathan seeing that soft smile was reassured in his actions again, fingers continueing through the silky tresses. A squeak leaving him in a feminine child like sound as he is pulled into Ramza's arms snuggled right up against him. A giggle left him and he peered back a little which was a bit diffacult without moving.

"Al-alright Ramza, thank y-you a-and you know right? Th-that I'll co-comfort you too."
He would not feel useless that way, he could not fight, he could call Grapheal to him to fight and help them both if things became rough but he could not fight himself. But maybe this way he could help his Knight too like Ramza was helping him.

"R-Ramza, you still h-have to search for your sister t-to."
..What if she is not on my world? I would not ask you to stay to help if that means you could never find her...