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Stepping off the airship, Noel felt uneasy as he truly began to appreciate the size of the place. It was huge, far bigger than perhaps Lindblum and Alexandria combined! Worse, he would have to navigate the sprawling metropolis alone, as Rinoa had to make haste to Balamb.
Taking a deep breath, he followed his fellow passengers from the dock and into the what he assumed to be the main area of the airship port. There were a lot of uniformed people that he assumed to be more soldiers, eying him and the others who had stepped off the platform with what appeared to be suspicion. Perhaps they'd had a lot of trouble in here in the past from people visiting their land, or at least he assumed that was the reason behind their caution. Never mind that though, just what in the name of Etro was he supposed to do now? He had been told that he should talk to a person named Laguna, who happened to be the president and therefore not someone one could just stride up to and begin a conversation. What would he say anyway? Hi, I'm Noel from the future and I want to know how I got here? No, that wasn't going to cut it.
Sighing, he wondered if there was somewhere he could find more information on this place. Not just that, but if he couldn't talk to Laguna then perhaps learning more about this time compression theory that Rinoa had mentioned could prove valuable. There could be a connection, after all.
"The world called Gaia has many passages through time and space, the ones that were found were given numbers and were hidden away so that only a handful even know of these mysterious Gates." ~ Morona Solomon
Time and Space, concepts that few places on Gaia would actively look into, most places were too far from a level of science to look beyond the hear and now. While those that were at that level had other goals in mind, over the pure pursuit of knowledge. Would Esthar be one of those such places? A country with goals outside of the pursuit of knowledge?
The crowds seemed to disperse as Noel ponders what to do next within the port, leaving him nearly alone, if you didn't count the security and staff of the airship port. All that was left besides Noel were two strange looking people, one a man of a monsterous height, standing towering over most other men with bright yellow hair brushed back and piercing red eyes, the other was a comparatively short woman with brown hair flowing down to her hips and a peaceful pair of brown eyes. The pair were stood together looking intently at a map and arguing with each other.
"Look, I told you we should of gotten off at Lindblum and then gotten on the boat to Besaid in order to get a ferry from Besaid to Luca so that we could hoof it across Spira to Zanarkand."
"No you didn't, you said we should get on the airship to Esthar and then get another Airship to Bevelle."
"No, I said we couldn't do that, air trav..."
"Look shut up"
And with that last remark the woman brings the man down with a swift knee in the crotch before she storms off to the otherside of the room in an obvious foul mood.
The port suddenly seemed very lonely, although perhaps only Noel knew the true meaning of the word. The various staff members barely paid any attention to him as he looked for an information beacon of sorts. Perhaps they had some kind of library for him to begin his research, although he wondered how much use it would be given that his reading and writing weren't that up to scratch. There wasn't much use for either where he came from, except for perhaps the worn signs warning people of danger, for all the good it had been.
About to move off into the heart of Esthar, Noel came across an odd couple arguing in the middle of the port area. It seemed as though they were lost and each was blaming the other for their mishap. He winced as the girl kneed her male companion in the crotch and stormed off. That had to of hurt! He wasn't sure if he should really get involved though. It wasn't as if he could be much help if they asked for directions or something, but he would have to walk past them in order to leave. He didn't expect any trouble of course, in fact he wondered if they had been to Esthar before. In that sense, maybe they could be of some help to him.
As you think to yourself the large man lets out a groan of pain while the woman angrily slams herself down in a seat, crossing one leg over the other before she leans back obviously muttering something angrily, what she muttered you couldn't make out though.
The man soon stops groaning in pain and pulls himself up slowly before he looks around, looking for his companion before letting out a sigh as he catches your eye, smiling with obvious embarassment he speaks up to you.
"Sorry for that scene, its been a long and tiring flight for us."
It seemed he was honestly and sincerely apoligising for distrubing the peace of the nearly empty airport.
Noel thought of continuing on past and letting the couple work things out for themselves, but that was soon thwarted as the young man recovered and approached him. He didn't quite understand why he felt the need to apologize though, as his female companion muttered something in the corner she had chosen to sulk in. It was a polite gesture nonetheless and he returned the sheepish smile.
[/size]
"It's fine", he assured him before deciding to ask the question that had been on his mind earlier anyway. "Have you ever been to Esthar? I was wondering if you knew where I could find some information on...slightly unusual topics.That was the best way he could think of to describe what he was looking for anyway. Chances are, these guys knew nothing, but maybe, just maybe, it was worth a try. Surely no ill could come of simply asking, right?[/div]
The mans eyes sharpen as the words unusual topics leave your lips, he glances over to the woman before he replies to your question. His arms crossing infront of his chest.
"No, we haven't been to Esthar before... but what sort of sort of unusual topics you after answers for?"
The man asks with a serious but rather hushed tone while his eyes dart to look back to the woman who was staring angrily at the back of the mans head, you would swear that the man was only moments away from bursting into flames from the intensity of that stare.
Man did that girl know how to hold a grudge, Noel thought as she continued to star daggers at her male companion. Truth was, with the exception of Yeul and perhaps Rinoa, he'd had little experience with women and their ways. He had a feeling that this wasn't the pairs first argument along the road, but whatever the case he should probably think of leaving them to it. He needed to be moving on and figuring out his way around Esthar so that he could find what he needed.
Speaking of which, it seemed as though the other guy was interested in what he meant by 'unusual topics'. It was only then that it occurred to him that the more he thought about what he had said and how, the worse it got. In fact, he even cringed slightly at the realisation, but soon rescued himself along with hopefully the situation.
[/size]
"Actually, I was interested in stuff to do with time travel and the like. I heard about a theory regarding time compression that might be connected to..." He trailed off before he gave too much away and really made himself sound weird. There was a chance that he had now piqued the others curiosity, but he still felt that was all he should say for now.
Taking a deep breath, he continued.
"Anyway, that's what I meant. So where were you trying to go?" He knew that wherever their destination, it wasn't here. Half of Esthar probably figured that one out! [/div]
The man lets out a soft sigh and lets his arms drop down to his side before he scratches his cheek smiling softly. He speaks up, no longer in a serious nor hushed tone.
"Don't know much about time travel I'm afriad nor do I know much about this... time compression... theory was it?"
He tilts his head to the side as he tries to clarify about time compression, behind him you would see the woman crossing her arms and legs angrily before turning her head to the side and puffing up her cheeks not that it seems like he wasn't going to burst into flames. A moment passes and the man straightens up and then cracks his fingers with a swift and well practiced motion.
"Eh, well anyway.. thats neither here nor there. Me and Azuka are trying to get to Zanarkand."
He turns to look at the woman, obviously the Azuka he just mentioned and smiles at her, sheresponsed by turning her head away and letting out a slightly childish 'hrpmh' which causes the man to laugh slightly before he returns his gaze to you.
"Oh, by the way I'm [Hao Grimoire], nice to meet you."
He then holds out his left hand infront of him, offering it to shake hands.
Of course he didn't know anything about it, in fact Noel would have been rather taken aback otherwise! These people had come here by accident, so there was little chance that they held even a remote interest in the concept of time travel. To him though, it could be everything. He needed to know how he had gotten to this place, if he had traveled through time as he assumed. Even that notion in itself was little more than a theory and would it even help in the long run? The only thing he knew about such things were the 'time gates' once described by his mentor, but even that had faded to little more than conjecture. For one, did such things really exist?
It then occurred to him that hid tribe, the Farseers, possibly exist in this time frame somewhere. They were one of the oldest tribes of Gaia, so presumably they were out their along with their seeress. The thought that Yeul could yet exist in this time filled him with a brief sense of elation, before realising that this incarnation wouldn't know of him. Still, it was another possibility that could be explored, and one that he regretted not thinking of until now. Perhaps his coming here was Etro's will and the seeress in whatever incarnation, as well as the others tribespeople, might even be able to tell him more. Then again, what if he caused her to have a vision and die sooner than had already been dictated by his time? Altering the future could be dangerous, but then what if he was supposed to? Not by effectively killing the seeress, but by other means? He remembered what Rinoa had said about the magic situation. Dark times were ahead, and he just knew that his coming here must have some kind of connection.
Watching as the woman continued her huff in the corner, Noel returned his attention to her male companion. So they'd been trying to get to Zanarkand? Where was that anyway, he wondered but thought better than to ask. Instead, he eyed the hand that the newly introduced Hao had offered. It took him a few seconds to remember what exactly the gesture meant before returning it, clasping his hand tightly.
[/size]
"Noel Kreiss", he introduced himself before pausing, "By the way, have you ever heard of Etro or the Farseers? It was worth a try at least, but the young hunter expected to be hit by another wall in that regard too. [/div]
Hao smiles as you grasp his hand firmly and starts to speak after you state your name, stopping mid word as you mention the name Etro.
"Nice to mee-"
He takes a step backwards slightly, removing his hand from yours as his smile fades away. He looks across to the woman his arm dropping down to his side before he grips his elbow with the other arm, frowning now, it was obvious there was something he knew about Etro. With a slight sigh he looks back at you, Azuka who had been pouting was now staring at him with an expression of slight concern as she seemed to be leaning forwards, towards the pair of you but made no other movement as Hao spoke.
"I'd advise that pursuing the goddess of death and her reapers is not a good plan. Death holds no answers."
He says bluntly before letting out a sigh before forcing a smile as he points to the concerned looking Azuka.
"If you really have to pursue the point ask Azuka"
Hearing her name Azuka stands up and crosses her arms infront of her as she starts to slowly walk towards the pair of you a concerned and confused expression on her face.
So he'd at least heard of them then, although the prospect obviously made Hao extremely uncomfortable. In fact, uncomfortable was most likely an understatement as his face transformed into an uncomfortably pale shade that could be described as an off white. What had happened to trigger such a reaction, Noel wondered, or was it something he knew or though he knew?
Noticing Hao's female companion, whom he assumed to be Azuka, approach, he flashed her a smile. The conversation had taken a sudden turn and he hoped that he hadn't managed to upset either of them. Then again, she didn't know what they were talking about yet so maybe he could still salvage the situation.
[/size]
"Hey, I was just asking your friend here about the Farseers." Not being very good at small talk, he got straight to the point as she approached. "Actually, I came here to look into the time compression theory and the like, I was just curious as to if the Farseers were out there. It was probably obvious that they were out there somewhere, they were one of the oldest tribes out there after all. He was simply curious as to how many people had heard of them in this time period. Perhaps going from time travel to the Farseers seemed rather random, but the connection was a little difficult to explain at this point.
With that remark she looks to Hao before sighing faintly before making a shoo gesture to him with both of her hands which he ignores for a moment before she lets out a faint growl and kicks him in the shin with a sharp stern word.
"Get!"
He steps backwards and dodges the kick to the shin before he sighs and starts to move away, Azuka staring at him until she nods and returns her gaze to you crossing his arms infront of her chest before tilting her head to the side slightly as she starts to speak in a soft tone.
"You want to know about the Farseers? Well they worship the goddess of death Etro and are scattered around Gaia and each new generation a girl with the power to see the future is cursed to die by the goddess. They are a selfish tribe that holds the secrets of the future but hide them even when they predict horrible events."
She turns to look at Hao before sighing once more.
"You asked Hao about them huh, well, Hao has a bit of history with them. If they had given his father the information he had asked for then everyone Hao knew would still be alive today, but they refused to share the knowledge when asked and nearly everyone died becuase of it."
So that was what the people of this time though of the Farseers, he realised with a heavy heart as he looked back at retreating form of Hao. In a way, he supposed what they said was true, but only to avoid mass panic. Nine times out of ten, even most of the Farseers themselves were unaware of key events that would mean the doom of many. The seeress saw, but the chance of mass panic meant that she could do nothing. Great calamity would befall the people, otherwise, so he had been told.
Sighing, he tried again to see if he could salvage the situation. Either way, it was probably best that he didn't mention the connection between him and the afforementioned peoples.
"Actually", he said while clearing his throat, "I was simply curious, I'm actually far more interested in time travel. Not that I want to do it, just curious.. No use telling them he already had as they would probably think he was crazy. Instead, he backed off as decided that now was probably a good time to move on.
"Guess I'd better leave you guys to it, later" he bade them with a wave before making to leave the two to their own devices. He hoped that they would find their way again, as he would find his. For one, where did he even start?
She reaches out and grabs your elbow as you turn to leave before pulling you around to face her once more, she then moves closer and looks you squarely in the eye, you could probably guess what the next words would be.
"So why are you looking into such a strange and potentially dangerous subject as Time Travel?"
She lets go of your arm before crossing hers again as she turns her gaze over to Hao who starts to reapproach the pair of you.
"Its obvious that you aren't looking into it because you are writing a book, so why?"
She asks as Hao stops beside her looking down at her as she awaits your answer.
A brief look of surprise flickered across the young hunters face as he was whirled back around to face the pair he had attempted to leave to their own devices. About to ask what further business they wanted of him, he frowned as the inevitable question was asked. Great, just how was he supposed to respond, he wondered before looking back at the two awaiting said response. Taking a deep breath, he gave them the best answer he could for the time being.
[/size]
"It's complicated and you probably wouldn't believe it anyway. Truth is, I'm not so sure if I believe it myself, but it's important that I look into it. I have to know if it was an accident or maybe even Etro's will..."
He'd pretty much insinuated what he meant to say, as well as let something slip that he probably shouldn't have done. The latter went beyond his notice though, but surely the others won't have done. Better hope for his sake, anyway![/div]
The pair turn and look each other in the eyes for a moment before both of them cross their arms infront of their chests and lean towards each other as they speak in unison, the exact same words with the exact same conviction in their voices, filled with confidence in the words that they spoke.
"There is very little we find hard to believe."
With that they both nod their heads in unison as they take a step forward towards you, arms still crossed infront of their chests and a serious expression plastered on each face.
"Seriously when you've travelled the world and see monsters the size of ants to the size mountains its very hard to disbelieve anything"
Azuka says her voice still full of conviction as Hao nods, before Hao speaks earnestly straight after her.
"Gaia is a very strange world, I mean heck if you look outside of this building you'll see a second moon that appeared out of seemingly nowhere only a short while ago."
Azuka nods along with Haos' words before she speaks up again.
"Heck, Spira has a giant whale of death that reappears ten years after its defeated and is populated by vengeful spirits of the dead it seems."
If that was the case, then they may have a point, Noel realised as he crossed his arms and sighed. It looked like he really wasn't getting out of this one, so if they were really that sure then he may as well just tell them. He told them of his life in what was presumably the far future, a bleak and hopeless world in which only a handful of humans existed, the Farseers. He told them how he soon became the last human in existence, at least as far as he knew, and of the light that had seen him travel to the Lindblum of this time. To be honest, he knew that it all sounded crazy, but if they really wanted to know that badly, then there it was!
Unfolding his arms as he finished, Noel looked over the two stood before him for any hint of a reaction before continuing.
"So I need to find out how I got here and why", he finished as he continued to watch them. So does that answer your question?"
Azuka and Hao listened to your story intently, neither of them looking away as you spoke, taking in your words completely and as you finished both of them smiled faintly and then once you had finished turned to each other. Hao shrugs and Azuka smirks before she turns back to look at you with a warm smile on her face as she starts to reply to you.
"Yeah, it does but i don't understand why you'd honestly think we wouldn't believe such a story just becuase its strange. I mean heck, sounds genuine to me and I know Hao agrees with me."
Hao nods as she talks and steps towards her with a smile on his face while she continues to talk.
"Its not the first story of time travel I've heard on Gaia so relax I'm sure afew more people out there might believe what you say as well, but anyway tell me more about this light and what you remember about shortly before and shortly after you encountered it."
The young hunter folded his arms as the two before him took his word pretty much without question. It seemed as though all sorts of unusual things occurred in this time period, and that was something he intended to keep in mind. For now though, he was left to ponder Azuka's question. The feelings of loss and hopelessness still haunted him even now, but he wasn't the best with words, and so he gave it some thought before answering.
[/size]
"Well, I felt pretty bad, that goes without saying. With everyone dead I really didn't know what to do. I was feeling pretty lost when I saw the light in the distance, the next thing I knew being arriving in Lindblum in what was obviously another time period. To be honest, I wasn't thinking clearly at the time, so the whole thing was over and done with before I realised what was happening. Even now, the whole things a blur."
He paused again, putting a hand to his chin. It felt rather liberating just talking to someone about it all, even if he had already spoken with Rinoa. He hadn't been quite as in depth for some reason, but then it had been the last thing on his mind after the fiasco in Lindblum. He wondered how she was doing and if she had made it to Balamb okay.
"Anyway, I was told I could find some answers regarding time travel by coming here and maybe speaking to someone named Laguna. A new acquaintance told me it could be connected to the time compression theory, something that's apparently studied out here. But an old friends once spoke of such things, and he had a different theory. I'm just trying to find out what's going on and if I'm back here in this time for a reason."[/color] [/div]
TAG: NOTES: Been a while, I know. Really sorry for the wait TEMPLATE BY OH SO COOPERNATURAL ! @ CAUTION.
Azuka scratches her chin slightly as you answer her question about the light you had seen, remaining silent for a few minutes she seems to think about what you had said while Hao remained silent next to her. She quietly steps forward before patting you on your shoulder.
"From the name i doubt it was this time compression but I'm no expert on it, however you seemed to have simply walked into the past from what you've said but I think you might be best getting a second opinion from this Laguna, thats probably President Laguna I think."
She finishes talking with a warm smile on her face, with tht Hao smiles at you as he steps forward and puts his hand onto your shoulder softly before he speaks up.
"Everything that happens has a reason to it, its up to us to decide what that reason is and what it will do to us. We'll be stuck here for a few hours before the next airship arrives so feel free to come back and chat with us, as I'd rather not let her get us lost again."
Hao doubles over in pain shortly after he finishes talking as Azuka smashes her fist into his gut swiftly without even aiming before muttering angrily.
[/size], Noel confirmed whilst correcting himself. Perhaps this whole thing had nothing to do with the theory that Rinoa had suggested, but it was a start at least! But then, maybe he was going about this the wrong way. Truth be told, Noel was still feeling rather lost and he wondered if coming to such a big place was such a good idea after all. What else could he do though, there certainly weren't many other options presenting themselves right now. The best thing he could do for himself right now was to look forward and keep going!
Wincing slightly as Hao was once again struck hard by Azuka, he quickly thanked the pair and wished them luck before leaving them to it He'd learned a valuable lesson here, and that was to perhaps be a little more open in future. He wasn't alone any more, and that was something he had found particularly difficult to adjust to. [/color] [/div]
As you made your way out of the terminal, through its practically empty entrance hall towards the large glass doors and towards the actual streets of Esthar you might find what you could see through the glass doors an awe inspiring sight to behold, a large city of pathways, strange towers and other wierd buildings with scatterings of unusual vehicles even compared to the wonders of the airship that you had arrived upon. Yet would you find the sheer number of people moving along the pathways and in the vehicles even stranger? If nothing else you had seen in Gaia led you to believe that this was Gaia's peak then Esthar most certainly would.
As thoughts of how you would even go about finding the president in such a strange and unusual place crossed your mind you would catch sight of a familiar figure walking far along the pathway exiting the terminal, a long hair on a short girl that was all to familiar to you. The girl turns as you spot her and she smiles at you pointing down the pathway as a crowd walks infront of her briefly breaking your line of site and cuasing you to lose sight of her completely.
Exiting the hanger, Noel made his way out into the open...and stopped. The sheer amount of people was enough to cause him to remain on the spot in awe, but the buildings that reached high into the sky were truly breathtaking to behold. The ruins that had so often been his home gave little to no clue as to the world as it was in this time, and to see one of it's largest cities aglow and bustling with life, shining in all it's glory was truly spectacular to behold! It was rather sad to think that one day all of this would be gone, little more than ancient ruins that gave no hint as to the spectacle of it's former self. There was doubt that here, in this time and place, the young hunter was witnessing Gaia at it's peak.
Taking a few minutes to take it all in, Noel began to plan his next move. For one, where did he even start in attempting to gain an audience with the president of this place? Come to think of it, the city of Esthar was so huge that he had no idea of where he should be headed next at all! That was until something, or rather someone, exiting a terminal not too far away caught his eye. Her oval face was framed by strands of dark, coral blue locks, reaching all the way to her her upper thighs and encompassing over half of her petite frame. For a moment, he was convinced that his eyes were deceiving him as she smiled and all too familiar smile and pointed down a particular pathway, but the more he looked, the less there was to doubt and his whole face lit up as he began to rush forward.
[/size]
"Yeul!", the young man cried out as he did so, wondering how this could even be possible. How could the girl who died in his arms many years from now be here, in this time and right in front of him? Did she know anything about what had brought them both here? Not that it mattered, all he really wanted right now was to hold her and never let go!
Noel had barely moved a few paces when a crowd of people appeared from seemingly nowhere and hid the young seeress from sight. By the time the crowd had dispersed, which took mere moments, she was once again gone and Noel felt his heart sink as he slowed to a stop with an expression of disappointment and dumbfoundedness on his face. Maybe he had been imagining it after all, he realised as he once again moved off, this time at a much slower pace. As he reached the location in which she had been standing, there was little to no sign of her former presence there. Not that he expected to find anything, but he had hoped for some kind of proof that this was more than just a hallucination of some kind. Gazing down the path to which she had been pointing, he began walking as he once again promised himself, and Yeul that they would one day be together again.[/color] [/div]
TAG: NOTES: Hope I guessed right. If yes, then nice touch TEMPLATE BY OH SO COOPERNATURAL ! @ CAUTION.
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Last Edit: Jan 16, 2013 18:30:54 GMT by Noel Kreiss
You heard her voice seemingly on the wind as if to answer your query just as you start to move forward from where you had seen her last, whatever it was you had seen, if it truely was her or whether it was something else you couldn't be sure but the sound of her voice would feel very real to you and a warmth would crawl over you and as you look down the pathway you were walking on you would see a large building, blue like all of the rest but it wasn't as 'plain' as most of the other buildings around you, it seemed to scream importance to you and from where she had been stood it was obvious that she was pointing towards the building.
Noel felt a sense of warmth as he could have sworn he heard her voice on the wind. Whether it was a dream or she had truly been there at that time, she was gone again now, leaving him with little choice but to continue onward. Either way, his 'vision', had pointed him off somewhere, and he intended to follow it.
The further he carried on down this particular path, the more the crowds seemed to disperse until he reached a building with a far grander appearance than the rest. Was this where President Laguna resided, Noel wondered as he stepped closer. There didn't seem to be too much going on here, but the building was still guarded. No one was simply going to walk in or out, he realised. He also realised that he had no idea what the procedure was to see people of such importance. He regretted that Rinoa had been unable to accompany him, as she would probably have known what to do. Still, there had to be someone whom he could ask.
TAG: mod NOTES: Sorry, thought we'd finished lol TEMPLATE BY OH SO COOPERNATURAL ! @ CAUTION.