☼ three; action.

[recalls]

( Vanille stands at the edge of the lake, rocking on the balls of her feet, waiting. She's excited, and impatient. They're stuck here, Vanille and Fang and Hope and Serah, and if there's anything she can do to make them feel even the littlest bit more comfortable, she wants to do it. Fang and Hope are family, and Serah is, too, by extension

Comments

[brands]

[Fang's close to Vanille, as always, slinking behind her like a big, jungle cat. She's keeping a close eye on all of these visitors. She doesn't like the idea of "magic dirt," but more than that, she doesn't like the idea of them having a field trip with a bunch of strangers. Still, she keeps quiet this time. As long as it doesn't involve her singing awful songs or eating aphrodisiac chocolates, she isn't going to complain.]

[notvitiligo]

[One of the strangers returns her stare with no particular expression. After a moment, she tries a sarcastic wave.]

[brands]

[She glances over, raises an eyebrow. That's an odd-looking one, but she's seen stranger, both on Gran Pulse and in this place. She lifts a hand in greeting, but says nothing. She's here to be a bodyguard, not to make nice with these people. That's Vanille's job.]

[recalls]

( Vanille can feel Fang lurking behind her, attuned to her as she is, and smiles to herself. She's glad Fang's decided to come, and more, that she's decided not to cause any trouble. These people are stuck in the same situation they are, and fighting amongst themselves won't get them anywhere. Maybe, she thinks, if they all work together, they can find a way out.

She doesn't turn to Fang, doesn't even look over her shoulder, but there's a slight teasing warmth in her voice when she says: ) You don't have to be shy, you know!

[brands]

[Fang snorts, casts a glance over to the group. It makes her antsy, to have so many people they don't know around. She jokes back:] You know I get jittery around a crowd. [She moves closer to Vanille and decides, on an impulse, to use her head as an arm rest.] How many people are showing up to this? [More to the point, she adds:] How many people did you invite?

[recalls]

( Vanille reaches up a hand to slap Fang's arm lightly, disapprovingly, and then just rests her fingertips against Fang's skin, warm and brown from the sun. ) I didn't, really. I just asked for help, and some others wanted to come, too.

Besides, it's better to go as a group, right?

[brands]

[She takes no notice of the slap on her arm.] This is a lot of "others." [There's an annoyed sigh.] You stay on your guard, all right? [There's not much need for the warning, as Fang would be watching out for the both of them, but she mentions it all the same.]

If you say so. [She looks over the crowd again, and whispers, conspiratorially.] They sure are a strange looking bunch, aren't they?

[recalls]

What's wrong with that? It doesn't make much of a difference, does it?

( Her voice goes softer, she squeezes Fang's arm. ) I will. You, too?

( And then ... slaps the arm again. ) Now that's not very nice! They probably think we're the strange-looking ones.

[brands]

[She shrugs lightly, but doesn't respond to that. Truth be told, she can't think of a reason other than her own uneasiness. She doesn't know these people, neither does Vanille. But it's always been harder for Fang to get used to new people, to welcome them into her personal circle.]

I will. Don't you worry about me.

[Fang laughs.] Well, if that's the case, it's fine. We're used to being the odd ones out, huh? [And she ceases using Vanille's head as an arm rest in order to ruffle her hair.]

nice tittygrab icon thar

[recalls]

Can't help it! It's what family does.

( Vanille ducks her head to avoid the ruffling, but is only half-successful. She turns around hands on her hips, and glares at Fang, though she can't keep it up for long and ends up smiling instead. She pauses, thoughtful, before answering. ) I guess we are! But... maybe we don't have to be, here.

i try, i try

[brands]

[She grins at Vanille's attempt at glaring, too amused to find it threatening.] Maybe we don't. [It's an optimistic thing to think, but she'll give it a shot for Vanille's sake.] We might be downright normal, compared to some of these folk.