[Welp. Although he didn't really want this to happen, he had promised Serah that should she ever turn into a crystal he would talk to her. So although he didn't see her every night—it was close enough. He knew she was safe on the airship and he wasn't the clingy type. Even though he'd prefer to be there when she came out of the crystal, he knows she'll contact him and he'll return right away no matter what he was doing.
So here is the highlight reel of some of the stories he told Serah while she was a crystal.]
[This is pretty much right after she turned into a crystal and while the vines were still creeping around everywhere. It was a long day so on this first night, he's understandably a little exhausted as he sits down on the edge of the bed he had laid her on.]
Okay, I told you this earlier, but turning into a crystal while we're all nice and cozy in bed is not cool. One of the rare times I'm glad we didn't do anything or this would have been more problematic...
[Uuugggh.]
Anyway, you're on the Van Airtia now. With the vines being crazy as they are, this was not only easier but safer for you. And don't worry, I got all the animals up here, too. This is really feeling more like a zoo...
Though could you believe it? I was asking Eizen to help but he said he couldn't turn. Turns out he was tied to the bow of the airship like some mermaid decoration. [He laughs at this point.] Wish you could have seen it, it was hilarious. I left him hanging there for a little while before I finally helped him down.
[He continues to grin before it fades a bit as he looks down at her.]
This is the best I could do for now. I'll try and spruce things up later. I don't know if you can really hear me in there, but don't worry about me. Just enjoy the break—you need it.
[With that he gives her a reassuring smile before he stands up and leaves the room.]
[Sometime between this and the next highlight, Rokurou will have steadily added a few things to the room, such as some of her belongings like her little plushies (yes including a certain knightly puppy and princess kitty pair) laid out at the top of the bed. He also begins bringing a flower in every day, initially starting with adding them to a vase. As time goes on however... Well that's in the future.]
[That evening, Rokurou appears looking rather haggard. And is that some pumpkin in his hair? Yes. No flower this time, he'll owe her a few later, but he's flopping onto the floor next to the bed—likely to keep it from getting too dirty.]
Starting to think it might be better you're a crystal—or maybe you'd enjoy this. Anyway, remember how I told you about those pumpkins, Eizen and a few others had brought them back onto the ship? The ones I broke one of my best knives trying to carve? [Mumbles something about Eizen still owing hima new one.]
Yeah those things came alive and were running around all over the airship. Good thing I had your door locked or they could have came in here, too. [Siiiigh.] They've been mostly dealt with, but the town is full of them, too. The pumpkins also look like the Arehtei which is...kind of weird, but guess fitting given this place. Think you'd like the Daimonia looking ones, though.
[He'll spend a few more minutes talking about the different kinds that were out there, from the brave Thras ones (his personal favorite) to the exploding Sosyne bombs (less favored), before he calls it a night so he can clean up.]
[Another interlude. In the coming days, Rokurou will continue to regale Serah of having to deal with pumpkins—and cutting Eizen out of the vines because what the hell he keeps getting stuck in them. He also informs her of how Peromei had been trapped in the Tree of Memories and that Elios almost scorched the places.]
You probably would have helped out, either to give Peromei the hope she needs or go 'Meanie Miss Farron' on Elios, heh.
[But it all ends well. There's also this cool Headless Swordsman that Rokurou definitely tried to engage, but couldn't really get a good fight in. It's a bit of a let down, but he'll keep at it. That's just the kind of daemon he is.
Eventually the vines finally disappear and only the pumpkins continue to roam, but these, too, have lessened. Honerva's cleaning robot, the Roombak, is definitely earning his keep in helping to clean up mashed pumpkins, and the chocobos and other animals are also helping and probably benefiting from all of this. Naruhodou keeps cooking the pumpkins and by the second week he's already feeling tired of all the pumpkin flavored food...
By now Serah's room has a strong fragrance of the flowers he keeps bringing, and as he had promised before he brought more to make up for the days missed. Instead of one vase there are now several small ones scattered about the room. May or may not have included scented candles.]
So I just talked with Jecht—apparently his girlfriend turned into a crystal, as well as another guy's, Trey's. Weird, huh? Anyway, we'll be going out drinking—think they're pretty down about it.
[...]
Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm fine, seriously. Okay, sure, I might miss you a little bit. Might. But I'm a daemon—we don't really get bogged down by those kind of feelings. At least I don't.
[From there he wryly laughs before continuing to recount the rest of his day. There was definitely some Roombak antics and he still really wants to get one.]
============= [10/15 (late night)] [Rokurou busts through the door clearly drunk and wasted, but he pays no mind to that as he just flops onto her bed and curls up next to her sobbing.]
Seeeerraaaaaah why the hell do you still have to be a crystaaaaaaaaaaaaalll!! Dammit come out of it already!!! How the hell am I s'posed to see your smile if you're like this!! YOUR SMILE IS THE BEST OKAY DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU DIFFERENT!
AND I MISS THE SEX DAMMIT!!!!!!!
[...
Needless to say, he devolves into a weeping, sobbing mess that actually causes the room to gather rain and the flowers to wilt. Fortunately because the door was still opened everyone could pretty much hear this and Eizen enters to drag his sorry weeping ass out. There is some difficulty—Rokurou initially clings to Serah's crystal form, yelling something about, "NO YOU CAN'T MAKE ME I'LL CUT HER OUT OF THERE FIRST I WON'T LEAVE HER" or something ridiculously slurred like that.]
============= [10/16 (mid morning)]
[Good thing about being a daemon is that hangovers don't last that long. But he's still feeling a little of this one and he just. Kind of stands there next to her with a hand over his face in some shame.]
So, uh... I'm sorry. [DEEP BOW OF REFLECTION.]
Just forget about what happened last night. ...Please forget about last night God I hope she really can't hear or remember the crap I did—
[After that he heads out to train because what has he done. ...Really what did he do he only has vague memories other than he's fairly sure he made a fool of himself.
The next few days will be leading up to SwordCon, and there's not too much report other than how the animals are faring, checking on her house, how the school is going, the various hunts he's been on, drinking with Eizen, checking in with Mrs. Bradley and others, getting real tired of pumpkin—just daily life stuff. But mostly his hype about SwordCon and that she's going to miss out if she doesn't turn back soon.]
[SWORDCON SWORDCON SWORDCON. When he comes back from his trip with Eizen, he is full of energy—so much so that there's a constant hum of energy and the flowers seem to sway and dance as he talks about his day.]
Oh man, you really missed out, Serah. I couldn't really do much last year because of being a convict and all, but this year I could do everything and it was amazing! All the swords I tried out and all the spars—it was even better this year because Thras was involved. The little guy actually had us all in these different costumes of various swordsman classes. I was like some holy paladin or something with heavy armor and a large twohanded greatsword. Different from what I was used to, but it was interesting to try. Thras was even trying to carry a sword, heh, but I helped him out.
But you know. [He sits up and looks at her eagerly.] There was this one sword that was supposedly an ancient relic of Thras's past. I picked it up to test it out to see if it was the real battle sword or just a decorative sword, and it's the real deal. But not only that, I saw a strange vision from it. It looked like a scene of that Great War. Thras was in battle with an army...but that's really all I could see of that. The rest was some kind of arena and a statue that looked like Thras crumbling away. I told Thras and he's interested—apparently others could see something similar, too—so we'll likely look more into it.
[He then leans back a bit and looks down at her. His expression doesn't give away too much, but he does release a small sigh.]
Hope you come back soon—missing out on a lot of fun stuff.
[He then continues to tell her about SwordCon, about the different attractions and how there were flying swords during a certain time of the day. Eizen also finally got him a new knife.
Once again it's a quiet week so there's nothing too much new to tell afterwards. Just the small stories of daily life as the number of flowers and vases grows.]
[So. Rokurou will be coming into her room and seems a little tired as he sits down next to her in his usual spot on her bed.]
So my brother contacted me earlier today. He said I was going to be an uncle and I actually spat out my drink. But I figured out he meant cats, and sure enough when I got to his place he had picked up a stray, pregnant cat and she had her kittens not long after.
That...was definitely an experience I could have done without. [Just a very haggard look.] But the kittens and mom are fine and my brother is taking care of them.
[...Small. Pause.]
You know, when people ask I usually say I don't like cats because they're my brother's favorite. Yeah, yeah, childish, I know. [A small chuckle.] But in truth my family's estate had several cats. Some of them were my brother's, some were just there. I used to help take care of one and guess you could call him as my own. Anyway, one of the kittens looked exactly like him and wouldn't leave me alone. Well, he wouldn't stop biting my fingers. [Another small laugh.]
Weird, huh?
[He then leans back and stares up at the ceiling.]
But we already have three cats on board—Aifread, Soldier, Snow. Not sure how a young kitten would square up with the older ones, even if two of them are just temporary. Well, not that it matters. He'd have to stay with his mother for a while, anyway.
[He sits back upright and looks at her.]
I know exactly what you're thinking, but this place has enough animals. I think the guys are starting to call me some kind of animal lover or something.
[A wry grin before he just ends it with a, "Well it's not that important," and moves on to continue talking about everything else that happened that day.
The flower he had brought glistens in its small vase filled with fresh water.]
[The final interlude. After SwordCon, not much else happens. In the coming days, Rokurou gives his usual report about the animals, how the school is faring, the various hunts he goes on, etc.
But the real highlight is at the end of the month and what has become of Serah's room.
It's been a month now, and still no sign of Serah returning. And you know what they say about a devil with idle hands—only in this case, it's a daemon. As noted, Rokurou tries to bring her flowers—their flower—every time he visits, and if he misses a day he just brings more the next to compensate. They've managed to stay alive by him actually taking care of them and letting some of his ~feelings~ keep them in bloom.
At first things were kept rather (and probably surprisingly) tasteful and nice. He had moved them around from time to time, changing up the decor a little as if to give her something fresh to experience. But one day he enters with several wicker baskets full of these flowers, a devious glint in his eye.]
Well, Serah, you've been taking your sweet time. Better make sure you have something special when you finally return.
[And so he starts to fill her room with the flowers, from hanging from the ceiling to draping around the windows to covering the bed with the petals and arranged in a rather romantic way. He even makes it so that she has a bouquet in her hands (or well close to it as possible).
And on the floor? More flower petals just scattered all around. It's almost as if it's a carpet of flower petals.
To add to the look, he pulls out some glowing crystals and sets them on the shelf. These are used in lieu of candles, and when the lights are off they will be the only source of light to create a rather atmospheric glow.
He finally returns to her side and drops a few heart shaped chocolate candies before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. It's more of a "cheeky" kiss, especially since he has that teasing grin.]
Consider this your "trick" and "treat" for the holiday.
[He kind of remembers the whole Halloween thing, so SURPRISE.
And that will be the last thing before Serah returns...]
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timeasmymeasure
[ stories for crystal serah ]
Date: 2019-11-02 04:25 am (UTC)So here is the highlight reel of some of the stories he told Serah while she was a crystal.]
10/01
Date: 2019-11-02 04:26 am (UTC)Okay, I told you this earlier, but turning into a crystal while we're all nice and cozy in bed is not cool. One of the rare times I'm glad we didn't do anything or this would have been more problematic...
[Uuugggh.]
Anyway, you're on the Van Airtia now. With the vines being crazy as they are, this was not only easier but safer for you. And don't worry, I got all the animals up here, too. This is really feeling more like a zoo...
Though could you believe it? I was asking Eizen to help but he said he couldn't turn. Turns out he was tied to the bow of the airship like some mermaid decoration. [He laughs at this point.] Wish you could have seen it, it was hilarious. I left him hanging there for a little while before I finally helped him down.
[He continues to grin before it fades a bit as he looks down at her.]
This is the best I could do for now. I'll try and spruce things up later. I don't know if you can really hear me in there, but don't worry about me. Just enjoy the break—you need it.
[With that he gives her a reassuring smile before he stands up and leaves the room.]
{ interlude: 10/02 ~ 10/4 }
Date: 2019-11-02 04:26 am (UTC)10/05
Date: 2019-11-02 04:27 am (UTC)Starting to think it might be better you're a crystal—or maybe you'd enjoy this. Anyway, remember how I told you about those pumpkins, Eizen and a few others had brought them back onto the ship? The ones I broke one of my best knives trying to carve? [Mumbles something about Eizen still owing hima new one.]
Yeah those things came alive and were running around all over the airship. Good thing I had your door locked or they could have came in here, too. [Siiiigh.] They've been mostly dealt with, but the town is full of them, too. The pumpkins also look like the Arehtei which is...kind of weird, but guess fitting given this place. Think you'd like the Daimonia looking ones, though.
[He'll spend a few more minutes talking about the different kinds that were out there, from the brave Thras ones (his personal favorite) to the exploding Sosyne bombs (less favored), before he calls it a night so he can clean up.]
{ interlude: 10/06 ~ 10/12 }
Date: 2019-11-02 04:28 am (UTC)You probably would have helped out, either to give Peromei the hope she needs or go 'Meanie Miss Farron' on Elios, heh.
[But it all ends well. There's also this cool Headless Swordsman that Rokurou definitely tried to engage, but couldn't really get a good fight in. It's a bit of a let down, but he'll keep at it. That's just the kind of daemon he is.
Eventually the vines finally disappear and only the pumpkins continue to roam, but these, too, have lessened. Honerva's cleaning robot, the Roombak, is definitely earning his keep in helping to clean up mashed pumpkins, and the chocobos and other animals are also helping and probably benefiting from all of this. Naruhodou keeps cooking the pumpkins and by the second week he's already feeling tired of all the pumpkin flavored food...
By now Serah's room has a strong fragrance of the flowers he keeps bringing, and as he had promised before he brought more to make up for the days missed. Instead of one vase there are now several small ones scattered about the room. May or may not have included scented candles.]
10/13 - 10/18
Date: 2019-11-02 04:30 am (UTC)[...]
Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm fine, seriously. Okay, sure, I might miss you a little bit. Might. But I'm a daemon—we don't really get bogged down by those kind of feelings. At least I don't.
[From there he wryly laughs before continuing to recount the rest of his day. There was definitely some Roombak antics and he still really wants to get one.]
=============
[10/15 (late night)]
[Rokurou busts through the door clearly drunk and wasted, but he pays no mind to that as he just flops onto her bed and curls up next to her sobbing.]
Seeeerraaaaaah why the hell do you still have to be a crystaaaaaaaaaaaaalll!! Dammit come out of it already!!! How the hell am I s'posed to see your smile if you're like this!! YOUR SMILE IS THE BEST OKAY DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU DIFFERENT!
AND I MISS THE SEX DAMMIT!!!!!!!
[...
Needless to say, he devolves into a weeping, sobbing mess that actually causes the room to gather rain and the flowers to wilt. Fortunately because the door was still opened everyone could pretty much hear this and Eizen enters to drag his sorry weeping ass out. There is some difficulty—Rokurou initially clings to Serah's crystal form, yelling something about, "NO YOU CAN'T MAKE ME I'LL CUT HER OUT OF THERE FIRST I WON'T LEAVE HER" or something ridiculously slurred like that.]
=============
[10/16 (mid morning)]
[Good thing about being a daemon is that hangovers don't last that long. But he's still feeling a little of this one and he just. Kind of stands there next to her with a hand over his face in some shame.]
So, uh... I'm sorry. [DEEP BOW OF REFLECTION.]
Just forget about what happened last night. ...Please forget about last night God I hope she really can't hear or remember the crap I did—
[After that he heads out to train because what has he done. ...Really what did he do he only has vague memories other than he's fairly sure he made a fool of himself.
The next few days will be leading up to SwordCon, and there's not too much report other than how the animals are faring, checking on her house, how the school is going, the various hunts he's been on, drinking with Eizen, checking in with Mrs. Bradley and others, getting real tired of pumpkin—just daily life stuff. But mostly his hype about SwordCon and that she's going to miss out if she doesn't turn back soon.]
10/19 ~ 10/24
Date: 2019-11-02 04:31 am (UTC)Oh man, you really missed out, Serah. I couldn't really do much last year because of being a convict and all, but this year I could do everything and it was amazing! All the swords I tried out and all the spars—it was even better this year because Thras was involved. The little guy actually had us all in these different costumes of various swordsman classes. I was like some holy paladin or something with heavy armor and a large twohanded greatsword. Different from what I was used to, but it was interesting to try. Thras was even trying to carry a sword, heh, but I helped him out.
But you know. [He sits up and looks at her eagerly.] There was this one sword that was supposedly an ancient relic of Thras's past. I picked it up to test it out to see if it was the real battle sword or just a decorative sword, and it's the real deal. But not only that, I saw a strange vision from it. It looked like a scene of that Great War. Thras was in battle with an army...but that's really all I could see of that. The rest was some kind of arena and a statue that looked like Thras crumbling away. I told Thras and he's interested—apparently others could see something similar, too—so we'll likely look more into it.
[He then leans back a bit and looks down at her. His expression doesn't give away too much, but he does release a small sigh.]
Hope you come back soon—missing out on a lot of fun stuff.
[He then continues to tell her about SwordCon, about the different attractions and how there were flying swords during a certain time of the day. Eizen also finally got him a new knife.
Once again it's a quiet week so there's nothing too much new to tell afterwards. Just the small stories of daily life as the number of flowers and vases grows.]
10/25 ~ 10/30
Date: 2019-11-02 04:32 am (UTC)So my brother contacted me earlier today. He said I was going to be an uncle and I actually spat out my drink. But I figured out he meant cats, and sure enough when I got to his place he had picked up a stray, pregnant cat and she had her kittens not long after.
That...was definitely an experience I could have done without. [Just a very haggard look.] But the kittens and mom are fine and my brother is taking care of them.
[...Small. Pause.]
You know, when people ask I usually say I don't like cats because they're my brother's favorite. Yeah, yeah, childish, I know. [A small chuckle.] But in truth my family's estate had several cats. Some of them were my brother's, some were just there. I used to help take care of one and guess you could call him as my own. Anyway, one of the kittens looked exactly like him and wouldn't leave me alone. Well, he wouldn't stop biting my fingers. [Another small laugh.]
Weird, huh?
[He then leans back and stares up at the ceiling.]
But we already have three cats on board—Aifread, Soldier, Snow. Not sure how a young kitten would square up with the older ones, even if two of them are just temporary. Well, not that it matters. He'd have to stay with his mother for a while, anyway.
[He sits back upright and looks at her.]
I know exactly what you're thinking, but this place has enough animals. I think the guys are starting to call me some kind of animal lover or something.
[A wry grin before he just ends it with a, "Well it's not that important," and moves on to continue talking about everything else that happened that day.
The flower he had brought glistens in its small vase filled with fresh water.]
10/31
Date: 2019-11-02 04:33 am (UTC)But the real highlight is at the end of the month and what has become of Serah's room.
It's been a month now, and still no sign of Serah returning. And you know what they say about a devil with idle hands—only in this case, it's a daemon. As noted, Rokurou tries to bring her flowers—their flower—every time he visits, and if he misses a day he just brings more the next to compensate. They've managed to stay alive by him actually taking care of them and letting some of his ~feelings~ keep them in bloom.
At first things were kept rather (and probably surprisingly) tasteful and nice. He had moved them around from time to time, changing up the decor a little as if to give her something fresh to experience. But one day he enters with several wicker baskets full of these flowers, a devious glint in his eye.]
Well, Serah, you've been taking your sweet time. Better make sure you have something special when you finally return.
[And so he starts to fill her room with the flowers, from hanging from the ceiling to draping around the windows to covering the bed with the petals and arranged in a rather romantic way. He even makes it so that she has a bouquet in her hands (or well close to it as possible).
And on the floor? More flower petals just scattered all around. It's almost as if it's a carpet of flower petals.
To add to the look, he pulls out some glowing crystals and sets them on the shelf. These are used in lieu of candles, and when the lights are off they will be the only source of light to create a rather atmospheric glow.
He finally returns to her side and drops a few heart shaped chocolate candies before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. It's more of a "cheeky" kiss, especially since he has that teasing grin.]
Consider this your "trick" and "treat" for the holiday.
[He kind of remembers the whole Halloween thing, so SURPRISE.
And that will be the last thing before Serah returns...]