Untitled. [smn-related scribble]

[Raen]

No. Please do not break out into the chorus from that song by Simple Plan. - -
I wrote this because I wanted to.. and also because my Summoner levels slowly enough for my writing to catch up to her levelling. I usually use the third-person perspective, but this time is an exception due to a friend who commented on the blandness of third-person. I myself am not a fan of first-person perspective since I find it hell to write in, but this is a challenge to myself!

By the way... ::bows:: Raen (http://sndr.wordpress.com) the PanicTaru, from Valefor, of might&mana LS is pleased to make your acquaintace. Or at least, skimmer-ship. (skim, skim, geddit? >_>;)

x-posted at: PanicTaru (http://panictaru.wordpress.com)
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Rainbow

‘Look.’


My guardian inclined his head, presumably to stare at something far above the polished dome of the intimidating structure before us. He had pointed it out to me when we first came here a week ago, from afar. Across the dancing fields of emerald, the towering edifice had seemed even more imposing against the dark storm clouds..


I tugged at the hood of my tunic, and lifted my gaze skyward. Faintly, against the azure expanse, the strokes of colours were imprinted. Crimson, viridian, violet were among the more intense shades that I could pick out.


‘Rainbow!’ I breathed, scarcely believing my eyes. It was the first time I had seen one, despite the many weathers of Vana’diel I had experienced.


‘Surprised?’ He chuckled, stroking my head gently, his strong fingers drumming lightly at intervals. ‘They say that whenever a Summoner was awakened, something paints a rainbow in the sky for them, over the Crag of Holla.’


I shook my head wildly in an attempt to force his hand off, a scowl fixed on my face. ‘And just because I’m a Tarutaru, it doesn’t mean that you can treat me like your pet!’


We sat in silence for a while after my harsh words, and I began to fidget. Perhaps I was too rude, and offended the Elvaan’s innate sense of immense pride? I chanced a quick glance at his stern face. It was all angles - sharp angles which called to mind the cruelty of knives’ edges. His hair was pulled back into a severe tail, secured by a dark band. His rat’s tail, he had often called it playfully, around me. I was astounded by his eyes. They were unusual, the glowing golden of tigers’ orbs, with mellow chocolate cores which I never saw when he was in anyone else’s company. He would jest then, that other people made him uncomfortable.


‘Zion?’ I whispered, but his gaze remained fixed upon that faraway mirage, distant and oblivious to his immediate surroundings as if he were daydreaming. Yet, those furrowed brows…


Seizing the opportunity, I scrutinized his features, particularly the distinctive scar which ran with jagged edges from his brow to the arch of his cheek. A shade paler than his dusky Elvaan skin, it was a reminder of his past life, something he carried with both pride and shame. He never did tell me how it came to be, and only warded off my questions with a gentle smile though I thought saw the silence of sorrow beneath.


‘Hmm? What’re you looking at, my little panictaru?’ His eyes refocused upon me, a smile playing at the edges of his lips. I drew back, conscious of the blood rushing to my head, and stretched awkwardly, trying to divert his attention.


‘Nothing,’ I replied as nonchalantly as I could, but a sinking feeling me told me that Zioncross already knew. He always did, for some inexplicable reason.


He shrugged, then stood up as he dusted off the seat of his knee-length pants with a low growl. Above us, the clouds were gathering in darkened hues once more, crimson tinted. In mere moments the entire place was dimmed, and with a quick pull I was on Zioncross’s back, clutching onto him for life as he started an easy jog towards the Crag where we would seek shelter.


‘A-Asshat! At least tell me you’re gonna give me a ri–WHAAAA WATCH IT!!!’


‘Well you wouldn’t accept it if I told you, lady~’


‘St-still! You can’t run for nuts! You nearly tripped over that Sapling!!’


‘Hey, it was in my way!’


‘Shut up, murderer!’

'Eh? But it didn't die did it, huh? HUH?'



Bickering with him always felt good, especially since I had the upper hand by the virtue of being who I was, and who I am.


Looking back now… I think it was the day I decided to seek out the rather unpredictation path of becoming a Summoner.


http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2986/yayrainbowpm5.png
~||~
*about the rainbow appearing for the birth of a new summoner, it is true.
about it inspiring me, in some part, to find the darn ruby, is also true. ^^;

[hongman]

/applaud

I actually enjoyed reading that. Encore! Encore!

[Raen]

Carbuncle's Ruby

One’s level mark was slightly than half, and I reached a hand out to it, the incantation for a curative spell spilling easily from my lips, having been acquainted with the most basic of spells since a young age. The light of Altana gathered beneath my open palm to flow into the sphere, bringing the level mark up to a decent level.

All at once light flooded my vision, but I had already accustomed myself to the sudden adjustments. The blinding brightness of the snow carpetting the worn ground of Qufim Island wasn’t as bad as the sheer whiteness of Valkurm Dunes’ sand, thank Altana. I saw the air around Zioncross twist into ribbons of silver around him as the healing took place, closing some of the shallower wounds.

I still remembered what he had taught me on my first day as a white mage. I had panicked when I saw his sphere of health dip sharply, and poured all of my energies into healing him, never once looking up to check if the monster had turned on me. It was a Pugil, I remember, and he was trying out his skill at playing a flute and attacking. A Bard, I was told. All at once, though, my mana had run dry, and I found myself rudely jolted back to the reality of lush greenery around me with the Pugil taking a swipe at me. He leapt at it from the back, bringing it down with a well-placed blade.

‘Don’t heal too much consecutively, or you’d grab the monster’s attention,’ he told me, sheathing his dagger.

So now I stare at his lithe form - a shadow playing across a stage of white, dancing with his enemy. It was an orange blob, amazingly bloated with stretched markings across its back. Each time it bounced it made a squelchy sound. A Thread Leech, commonly found in Qufim Island. A few days ago Zioncross had met me around the Meeting Point dressed simply, with a small grin for me. Next thing I knew, I found myself perched on a boulder eating snow while Zioncross dances with leech after leech after leech.

With nothing to do, I settled myself more comfortably, and let myself sink further into my reverie. Since I’ve met this Elvaan I’ve had questions bothering me every now and then. He had already completed three genkais when he met me, and was on his fourth when he met me. Why then did he put all of his plans on hold to help me? It was as if he had channeled all of his energy to helping me get stronger and attain higher levels of powers both destructive and constructive. I became aware of a faint crackle of unsurpressed mana around my hands, and quelled it with a shake. It happened to me often when I mull over things, because I wasn’t quite the best at controlling my mana.

‘Raen.’

Surprised, I looked up to see Zioncross advancing towards me, his expression as stoic as ever. Something seemed to hover in the mist next him, a small crimson blaze in the middle of icy white.

‘Take it.’

‘Take- wha?’ I frowned in response, searching his face for a clue.

‘The ruby. Hurry up will you! I'm freezing here!'

'My, my, I never knew Elvaans like you could feel the biting frost,' I muttered dryly.


He stood before me now, positively towering over me. The object he was referring to too came into focus - a ruby, like he said, with a visible golden aura. Cautiously, as if it might burn me, I reached and touched it gently. The ruby lost its aura, and fell into my hands. I stared curiously at it, turning it over and over in my palm, watching the way the reflected light fell across my mittens. It wasn’t just an ordinary ruby, and Zioncross knew it as well as I do.

With a shrug he sat next to me, running a hand over his neat hair. My heart jumped for a moment, then I was brought to the attention of a soft whispering riding on the zephyrs.

‘Bring… for me… the seven colours… of the rainbow…’

‘Zi-Zion! Did you hear that?!’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘So you can hear it. What did it say?’

‘Something like, bring for me the seven colours of the rainbow…’ I was mystified. He couldn’t hear something like that? I thought Elvaans had huge ears to hear clearly! ‘Zion, what on earth is this?!’

‘It’s a rare Gem, called the Carbuncle’s Ruby,’ he explained, stretching out his tired muscles. ‘They say it’s a gem with a will all on its own. The Summoners I’ve come across - all of them mentioned this. Said it was pretty rare too, so that’s why I took so long.’

Carbuncle? Carbuncle’s Ruby? Summoners? My mind raced to connect the shreds of information. I must have had a troubled expression upon my face, for Zioncross placed a comforting hand on my head and drummed upon me.

‘Just put it away. We’ll figure it out along the way. You wanted to be a Summoner, didn’t you?’ He cast a sidelong glance at me, a small smile curling his lips.

Only then did I realize what he had done for me again - help me realize a dream.

‘ ありがとう～ ‘ I beamed at him, unable to help myself. Tears were blurring my vision, but I blinked them away quickly.

He stared at me, speechless. A cough later, he growled, ‘What was that?’

‘Heh, nothing. Thanks, Zion…’

‘Don’t mention it.’

------------------------------------

Thank you, Hongman, for your encouragement. ^^

[Shinoe]

More! More! I...must...have...more ^^;
Better yet, email them to me!

[hongman]

These are awesome.

Made my journey into work much more enjoyable...I am expecting i part per day!!

[Shinoe]

indeed

[Raen]

Fastforwarded

The deed was done.

Our party of six stared down at a rapidly wilting Mandragora, all of us panting slightly. Collectively, we fell into positions of exhausted resting, trying to squeeze ourselves under what little shade was available. Elytham sat down next to me, silent. A smile, then it was back into the much-needed rest.

The relentless sun burned upon my back and seemed to ignite my hair. My eyes were shut, yet I could still "see" the heat, making me feel as if I was staring into a sea of black-veiled crimson. No one spoke.

It would be too energy-sapping for conversation.

Strangely, things seemed to get cooler all of a sudden, and the heat had dimmed some within my mind's eye. A prod in my side, however, jolted me out of my new-found relief. I looked up to see a mass in the air above me - oblong in shape, and very real.

'How're you feeling? Better?' the Paladin asked, keeping her shield arm up.

I opened my mouth to reply - to demand that she lower her arm and conserve her own energy, when I became conscious of a voice speaking to me. It sounded faded, and frustrated me almost immediately since I could not understand what was being said even though I knew the language well, by now.

So I did the next best thing. Reaching into my pocket for the ruby, I clambered to my feet and bolted for the exit of Yhoator Jungle without a word.

'Raen?!' Elytham cried out behind me, shocked at my sudden burst of movement.

Every bit of energy I had in me I pushed into running for that exit, holding the ruby in my hand. It was pulsating now, a myriad of colours which grew more intense with every step. A plethora of emotions surged forth within me - what would happen? I have never seen the ruby glow so, well, flashily before. The first time it happened, it rained a few days earlier in Jugner Highlands. The ruby had been a cool sapphire, and I cast my gaze heavenward to find the translucent image of an Avatar in the skies.

A Carbuncle. One of the mysterious creatures much written of in history. The neon-blue creature was smallish, with a ruby similar to mine embedded in its forehead, and great sweeping tails... It was said that such gems come from the brains of dragons - when dragons die, a liquid within the monster's brain crystallizes into a solid gem upon death.

A live Carbuncle, translucent or not, stood before me, and I saw the aura of the elements be absorbed into its body, making it more solid, more real.

Since then it has happened every time a new weather comes up. A summoner in my LinkShell, Chocoknight, had told me that the seventh time the ruby pulsates, something will happen.

Seven. The number of spots on a common ladybug, the number of sins, the number of virtues, the number of ranks in Mithraism... an almost sacred number, going by any number of criterias.

I burst through the foliage, and tripped unspectacularly on an overgrown tree root with a cry.

'Raen...'

The voice! It was Carbuncle!

'You have done well,' the Avatar looked down upon me from its great height in the sky. 'Come to La Theine Plateau, and I shall show you powers of the ancients as you have never seen before.'

All at once the heat lifted, and a cool breeze blew in, sweeping Carbuncle away as well. I lay stretched out on the leaf-strewn ground, still stunned by the words Carbuncle had said.

'You crazy Taru! Get off the ground already!' Elytham came up behind me, prodding my sides again.

'Gerroff me you eevrril Hume!'

//-

thank you for the encouragements, Hong and Shinoe ^^

I do realize that this chapter is too poorly-written to be even worthy of public eyes. I just wanted to get on with the story, but I needed the link between the ruby and the transfer of summoning powers upon Raen, so in comes this filler-ish chapter.

I will write better in the next part!

Still, I cannot remember what exactly did Carby say when I finally got "Fire" weather... Grrr...

[hongman]

Raen,

You have very good writing skills and I thouroughly enjoy reading these installments. Dont get discouraged!

I look forward to the next part :)

Hong

[Shinoe]

Silly TaruTaru...you should have asked. Oh well, you can always go back and change your story...

i have EVERY SINGLE CUTSCENE/TEXT from the summoner quest on video (i fraps'd it all, in preparation for a little movie i was going to make later on). Lol. This also includes when you first go to the House of the Hero to show him the ruby.

If you need any of this for references, let me know, i'll compress them all and mail them to you. I also have the cutscenes from the start/fight of each avatar fight, so if you need the text from them ^^ (although they all say the same stuff).

I also have loads of screenshots, and can use model viewer to put in a tarutaru that looks like you ^^;

i use them for desktop backgrounds. lol.

[Raen]

Silly TaruTaru...you should have asked. Oh well, you can always go back and change your story...

i have EVERY SINGLE CUTSCENE/TEXT from the summoner quest on video (i fraps'd it all, in preparation for a little movie i was going to make later on). Lol. This also includes when you first go to the House of the Hero to show him the ruby.

If you need any of this for references, let me know, i'll compress them all and mail them to you. I also have the cutscenes from the start/fight of each avatar fight, so if you need the text from them ^^ (although they all say the same stuff).

I also have loads of screenshots, and can use model viewer to put in a tarutaru that looks like you ^^;

i use them for desktop backgrounds. lol.

:D
Please do!
The /anger at Shiva has completely confuzzled me on the Summoner's quest. >:

I really just need the CSes; not the Avatar battles ones yet, since I write this story according to what Raen finds out ingame.

Will pm you my email address. :D~

[hongman]

Oh, so you are basing your story on your actual ingame experience?

How cool is that!

Look forward to the next installment...get on and play some!

[Shinoe]

..

[hongman]

......

[Raen]

Stressing me to write some isn't gonna work, Hong and Shinoe >_>;

I've been workingggg!

[hongman]

LoL

Im not stressing you to write, Im just making sure you havent given up!

Take your time....

[Shinoe]

lol sorry that '.." was a double post. lol.
GET TO WORK YOU LITTLE TARU MUFFIN!


And also...
KitKat helped me get Rank 4 last nigh ^^ /swoon

[hongman]

Mine was a double post too...

umm honest!

[Shinoe]

Mine was a double post too...

umm honest!

http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/1160874279033.png

[Raen]

Convergence of Two Paths

Over the last few years I have been one of the few who picked up the culinarian urge from one of my LinkShell’s leaders, a fellow Tarutaru by the name of Kaosorb whose cooking superiority was absolute over us novices at the fire. Under her guidance and stolen recipes I have managed to cobble together enough skill at the precarious game of cooking to try making greasy yellow sticks.


/ Raen? /

I watched in silent resignation as my ice crystal shattered, falling in already dissapiating shards on the sea-washed wooden planks and a clump of Rock Salt imploding upon itself leaving no trace of its existence.


/ Wh- Elytham! You caused me to fail synthing another batch of wholesome Selbina butter! /

A chorus of feminine laughter broke out on the other side, and I allowed myself a small smile. Getting back up on my feet dusting away powders of shattered glass, I glanced at the heavens to see heavy, rolling clouds with glowing veins of electric charges.

/ Selbina Butter? It’s hardly wholesome. /

/ Oh, shush you. Where’re you? /

I had always thought that this telepathic channel of communication is particularly useful, especially given Vana’diel’s great expanse. There was no single area these mental conversations can’t go, even if one was in Taznavian Safehold and the other in Aht Urhgan Whitegate, or in some mysterious cavern battling hideous demonic entities…


‘Where do you think I am?’


I spun around, a grin on my face. Quickly, I slipped my Hermit’s Wand out of its clasp and aimed it at the Hume before me.


‘Boom!’

/ Holy shoot. I said that out loud - anyways… /

… Except, of course, when you have the poverbial “slip of the tongue”, literally, and cross communication channels by mistake.


Elytham shrugged, and dangled a cookie before me. ‘Trick or treat?’


‘Woman, Halloween’s over.’ I eyed the cookie. It looked wonderfully tempting - an uneven sort of circle with a bumpy texture and dark brown chips studded all over. The smooth, sweet scent of heavenly chocolate sneaked up behind me and entrapped me within those devious tactics -


‘Yea but you’re melting just at the hint of a scent of it… aren’t cha?’ She waved it a little, spreading out the aroma even more. ‘C’mon, jump for it; you know you want to…’


‘Psssh-’ I bounded forward and snatched the cookie from her.


I hate it when she does that.
Unfortunately, my tummy loves it.


‘So really, how has my little Summoner been?’ We started walking towards the gate leading out to the Valkurm Dunes. I nibbled on the cookie for a long moment, unwilling to have to stop the delectable rush of sweetness over my tongue.


‘I’ve been coping… Just that sometimes when parties find out that I only have Carbuncle to summon they aren’t really happy. I’ve been healing anyway, and I swear Carbuncle’s getting miffed at the fact that he’s only being used for Blood Pacts before dismissal,’ I mused.


‘Why don’t you seek out the other avatars then?’


‘My LinkShell members have been advising me to do the same, but I’m not sure how…’ I sighed in mild frustration. In the past few days it has been alternating between cooking, running small errands and gaining slightly more mastery of the summoning class. Carbuncle soon became as jittery as I was even during parties, bailing out on me when I stumbled over the commands. Now and then I’ve taken to going solo to try and get a grasp of myself, but it wasn’t easy.


/ Hello! /

A foreign voice, polite and soft in the sweeping dust storms of the Dunes. I slowed my step and Elytham stopped walking entirely, waiting for me.


/ Harrro? /

/ Would you like to join an experience party? /


/ Yes, please - oh, but I’m not a very good Summoner… /

Would they still accept me, an inferior Summoner? Almost every Summoner I’ve crossed paths with were respectable characters with a great deal of power regardless of their level… To admit that I’m not one of their elite ranks is shaming, and puts me on the line for instant dismissal by even the greenest adventurer.


/ It’s all right. I’ll teach you a thing or two, I hope! /

‘I got a party, Elytham,’ I began, hoping that she would understand. ‘So…’
‘Ah, it’s all right. I’ll go find some people in need of help or something…’
We parted ways at the gate of Selbina itself, and I headed in a vague direction of where the voice had been projected from. Shinoe, was her name. She said she was a Summoner too… hmmm…


/ Over here! /

I caught a flurry of movement out of the corner of my eye to the right, and snagged a sharp corner around a lone palm tree to run right into the group itself. Giving an all-around bow, I studied each present member swiftly. Two of our numbers were still on their way, so we had some time still. Shinoe was a black-haired Hume, bearing the humilty of Bastokans and a ready smile upon her lips.


‘Hello there, Raen,’ she nodded at me, and got up to get closer to me. ‘Have you been studying the skill of Summoning?’


I gave a hesitant nod. What else could I say, if my hours of soloing didn’t pass for that?


She closed her eyes, and moved comfortably into a familiar position. A revolving seal etched itself into the sand, shimmering against the dimming sunset, and the sands shifted as her summoned Carbuncle entity landed upon the seal.
‘Hello, Carbuncle. Now, let’s see…’ Shinoe caught sight of a Sand Hare bouncing past, and sent her Carbuncle after it. As she began to jog around the palm tree in a wide oval, letting Carbuncle claw and bite the Hare, she sent blasts of divine energy at the hare. Healing herself when necessary Shinoe explained to me between breaths the art of kiting a monster. The Hare was limping now, and began to target Shinoe instead.


‘Infidel!’


A man cried out behind us, and we both turned to see a great blade slashing down the side of the Hare, spurting blood over the sand.


In silence, the three of us watched the Hare take its last painful breath, and sink into the soft sand.


‘I was just teaching Raen here how to kite a monster…’ Shinoe sighed at the man, who transpired to be a fellow party member. She turned to me. ‘Now, do you understand?’


I nodded, slightly more confident now.


Here was one on the same path as me, and didn’t look down upon me and my meagre abilities. As it turned out, Shinoe would become part of my life in more ways than one as a friend, mentor and adventuring friend in a neatly packaged female Hume.
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a/n: rather cheesy.... guh. I have a sudden desire to stop writing.

[hongman]

Hey that was great, enjoyed that.

So are you and shinoe on the same server then, or linkshell buddies?

Look forward to your next set of adventures, maybe getting the avatars etc would be cool.

Still a fan ^^

[Raen]

Thank you Hong!
Yes, Shinoe and I are on the same Server.
Linkshell wise... Hmm... You'll find out!

[hongman]

Cant wait :P

[Shinoe]

Awwww Raen ^^;
That was awesome!

I need to find a place to slaughter worms at level 32, because kiting Mandies and Gobs in Yuhtunga Jungle outside of Kazham has problems (1: parties there need the exp more than i, and 2: takes all my MP just to kill one of those that are VT).

[Shinoe]

WTB more Raen ; ;

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/1251/00481600cw3.jpg