[Ramesses reflects back a smile that for a second time that night seems quite plainly pleased with her response, but seems to make a little less effort to hide it this time. He turns, picking up his cup. He brings it to hers with a soft clink before he empties what little remained in his own cup.]
[For Ramesses, it just cannot count as a festival without a decent amount of alcohol consumption. He would be a disgrace to his people to end it there.]
[And so, he opts for the extra round or two before they both decide to call it a night and head their respective ways home. As he continues to drink, his talking increases, but he somehow manages not to end up bragging endlessly about himself and his accomplishments. He's simply talkative. When he accidentally creates an opening for Fang, he never approves of her taking advantage of it, but he also doesn't seem particularly put out by it either.]
[Before they part ways though, the conversation does turn back to the matter of Bonding with one another. Just as easily as it had ultimately been to agree to the arrangement itself, they both agree when to have the ritual. Both agree that allowing some time to pass would be beneficial for any necessary conversations with each other (when sober) or Chariot.]
[As it turns out, neither appears to get cold feet or second guess the decision in the end. Which really just solidifies it as the correct choice for Ramesses because he does give it thought in the following days of the potential consequences of this decision. Bonding with Fang wasn't without its risks. Just as they might occasionally find common ground with one another, there was also the capacity for something more volatile and neither of them could particularly ignore that. But ultimately, he trusts Fang just as he says he does and he believes that before the worst of the possible outcomes could come to pass, they would do what was necessary to avert any potential crisis. They would owe that much to each other.]
[And so, the day eventually comes.]
[It is his fourth time doing this, but the amount of magical energy summoned into the circle never fails to catch his notice and fascination. There's something equal parts thrilling and dangerous about this much magic being present in such a small space and with such little effort on the part of the Coven Witches.]
[He looks back at Fang as he steps into the circle, offering his hand to her.]
[The decision was one of the more dangerous that they could have made, with the consequences of a Bond snapping being as severe as they were. They did not understand one another, not truly, and even with their heart-to-heart there were still guarded aspects between them. Bonding put the pair at a crossroads; either they would come to clash violently over something, or with the combined incentive to keep the Bond healthy and its insightful properties into another heart, they would eventually reach that mutual understanding.]
[Even if that understanding might never set their goals and personalities in alignment, it was still something worth seeking.]
[Even after all their time to reflect on their choice, Fang was still mildly entertained with it all. She'd never imagined reaching this point, never imagined Bonding with this particular man. Her suggestion to use the potion had simply been a tool for brief insight on the depth to which he'd believed what he was talking about; after nearly a year Bonded to Chariot, Fang was well adept at lending and borrowing each other's emotions when their own weren't suitable for the situation. A true Bond... Ramesses didn't strike her as the sort of person that wanted to be attached to someone that moved through life like a wrecking ball with places to be yesterday.]
[Fang only quirks her usual smirk back.]
Was gonna say the same thing. I can get pretty loud in the Bond, you know. [Or "full blast," as Fang had put it on the roof. She didn't always wear her heart on her sleeve, but she certainly had no filter. What she did feel was always felt wholly, with everything she was.]
[She accepts his hand nonetheless; the magic pooling under their feet makes her skin prickle.]
[Although it's true that Fang differs from his other Bonded in that there was a little more care and patience put into the ways in which they presented themselves, neither Sheva no Daenerys could ever be described as docile or passive. Under the right circumstances, their presence in their Bond with him is just as intense as what he imagines Fang to likely be.]
So long as the three of you do not conspire to turn it into a competition, I shall persevere.
[Although gods help him if they should ever be in direct opposition to one another. There may be no surviving something like that with as hot as tempers could run.]
[The Coven Witch leading the ceremony directs them to their places albeit unnecessarily. It may have been some time for Fang since last she did this, but for Ramesses, it has only been a handful of months. With Fang's hand in his, he is already beginning to lead them further into the circle to those spots. The look he gives Fang isn't overly scrutinizing, but he does give her a moment of consideration. The magic of this circle always seems to sit differently for Monsters, he's noticed, and Ramesses can't help but think it is probably especially unnerving after her experiences. He certainly observed it in Daenerys, who had to take a moment to steel herself before stepping into the circle, and so it doesn't seem completely out of the realm of possibility that walking into space with this much magic, allowing the ritual itself, might prove a little more challenging than it otherwise might normally be. While Ramesses doesn't seek to treat her delicately -- assuming that such treatment would likely irritate her -- he'd rather her be as confident as possible during this.]
No promises, [she teases back. Thinking on it, Fang didn't know anything about his Bonded aside from knowing that they exited. What had he called that one, so long ago on the boat? Saber?]
[Fang show no hesitation entering the circle; despite her numerous and varied traumatic experience, there were only three things that gave her pause. Even then, two of those, while extremely unpleasant, she could cope with. So long as she approached the circle of her own volition and unbound, it held no nightmares for her.]
[No, the circle felt like solid static given form, a silent sound in the air brushing against her nerves. Fang found it hard to explain to Witches; it was something they created and controlled to them. She perceived it like some kind of energy, like sunlight or static, but filtered incorrectly through senses not originally designed to detect it. Clean magic she was almost drawn to, like cool fresh water; too long in ambient or lingering magic clogged her mind like silt until there was only room enough left for the Monster.]
[Fang takes her place, glancing as the officiating Witch does the same. Her gaze sweeps back to Ramesses.]
So, you gonna start, or am I?
[She offers her other hand, like a circuit waiting to be complete.]
[With no signs of hesitation or slowing down -- which really, he probably should have anticipated -- Ramesses takes her other hand in his when it is offered to him.]
Go on.
[In the intervening days, he's put plenty of thought into what he will say. One might think he would choose not to given that he's completed this ritual on three separate occasions and the broad strokes of his intentions behind those Bonds reflect similarly to one another. He never intends to be an obstruction to his Bonded, only a support that allows them to reach their full potential. And so, it would be simple to reuse and speak again of those same intentions each time. But the Bonds themselves are as different as the individuals he's chosen to Bond with, and Ramesses could never allow himself to create such a thoughtless, weak foundation. His vows to each remain just that. Not through pretty preambles or lengthy promises, but clear, specific intentions of how his loyalty shall be reflected, how they shall walk alongside one another, and to what lengths he is willing to go on their behalf.]
[But he is immensely curious about Fang's vow. He knows she takes her promises seriously, but Ramesses knows he's not the sort of person she would likely prefer to make her promises to. She's made it clear that he can often reflect and represent a more dangerous element, something that could twist and contort such things. So, he cannot imagine she's going to be as off the cuff as she usually is with this. Still, he's curious.]
[Amusement flickers over her face at his simple urging. This guy, passing up the opportunity to talk?]
[But Fang doesn't dwell on it. The teasing drops from her smile.]
Look, you know I'm not great with words, and I'm not the sort to go off on some fancy pledge.
[The standard Bonding vow still feels easy to mindlessly make, but after... everything, Fang hesitates to offer to protect him, considering that vow lays in shambles both around her family and Chariot.]
There's probably not much I can promise you that you can't already provide for yourself. So, as your Bonded, Oerba Yun Fang vows to yank you back from that precipice of yours, if you find your way back to it—as someone who does a lot of lookin' over the edge of "Same Mistake City" myself.
[She tilts her head slightly, and something about her expression softens subtly.]
And I know you love your hundred identities and roles and they're always part of you or whatever, but if you ever just wanna be that human guy under all that for a bit and nothin' else, you can do that around me. Promise I won't tell.
[When she finishes, the magic of the circle responds to her intent, flowing up through her body and pooling in her hands, waiting for the other half to snap into place.]
[Fang's right in that she's not exactly one for eloquence nor does she ever hold a poetic quality, but Ramesses isn't so certain he'd go so far as to say she's poor with words. Her vow to him is spoken simply, but there is nothing about what she is promising that is particularly simple. Were it perhaps anyone else, he'd think she lacked a full understanding of what it is she was proposing that she would do. But she understands the cruelties that someone of his position can enact when blinded by ambition, even if her experiences have been with less than well-intended ambitions.]
[And he believes her words. All of them. Even without the magic of the circle confirming them to be genuine.]
I find myself in a similar position as you. You are more than capable and have no need for my protection or support with most matters. So, my promise to you as your Bonded is this: I will not idly stand by any time you feel the need to inflict punishment on yourself for your past decisions. Until you are able to find peace, I shall remain by your side whether it is to be as comfort or a thorn.
[When they first met, it had been a stray thought, a sincere but small hope. Something that Fang had dismissed and he allowed to be set aside. Here and now, however, it was something far more than that. Something he refused to let her reject as a possibility for herself because even if she's not able to believe it now, he intends to carry that belief until she can for herself. It as almost as though he can already see that future with his own eyes, as though it is within his power to manipulate the very magic of this room to make it so.]
This is a promise I make to you not as Pharaoh, as you have no need for a sun to guide you. I make this promise to you as Ramesses.
[The magic of the circle rises through him, traveling until it connects with a spark between their joined hands.]
[There it was; that peace talk again. It was a lovely notion.]
Might be a while. I can't find peace until someone else does.
[Not until Vanille does. There was no point in her soul being saved for the new world if she wasn't coming along with her. The sensation of the magic was just as strange as last time as it plucked threads from her own soul and reached to entwine them with another's, and with it, bring a new alien awareness on the edges of her own.]
[Her own sense was very much like fire; warm, intense even when relatively mild, and with the potential to be as destructive and capricious as she could be comforting and sheltering. As steady and unflinching as Fang was, there was an immense weariness under it all, like a clinging, choking smoke, adorning her mental sense just as her scars adorned her body.]
[Her eyes close as magic begins to flow between their touch, basking in the refreshment. Chariot's magic has been much better in recent months, but still not entirely what it was prior to January.]
[Fang could feel that wish of his, now. Peace sounded like such a lovely thing, like the first years sleeping in the pillar, before cracks began to form.]
[It's always the draw of mana that he notices first with each Bond. It's difficult to say if that's due to an initial surge until equilibrium is found as the pieces of their souls are entwined with one another or simply because he is more accustomed to being on the other end of this equation as a Servant. Either way, he knows the Bond has succeeded not from the presence of Fang on the edges of his consciousness so much as the steady pull of mana from him to her.]
[And there is plenty of mana that moves through where their hands are connected even with two other Bonds present. This world has changed Ramesses' form, rendering him closer to human than he has been in quite some time, but where he may lack in skill and natural talent as someone who has spent years of their life honing their craft like Chariot might, he makes up for in raw power.]
[Ramesses watches her a moment as awareness of her settles in its place. It is exactly as she warned it would be. He's able to find her within his own conscious awareness with little effort, which is not due solely to proximity. Although both Sheva and Daenerys certainly stand proud and clearly themselves, there is always a distinction between what they wish for him to sense in the Bond and what they would likely disguise if it were in their control. Daenerys masks what she perceives as weaknesses with cool authority and Sheva buries whatever she finds unacceptable with more pleasant distractions. With Fang, he senses no such lines. Even the parts of herself that she takes less pride in are not obfuscated. They are merely less present at this moment.]
[It also contrasts perhaps quite sharply with Ramesses.]
[Fang likely could have predicted it. Much of Ramesses' inner world is neatly ordered and compartmentalized, there is no lack of predictability as he holds steadily forward with warmth and brightness. And yet, he does not reject or excise what he deems unacceptable. He still offers those doubts, insecurities, and regrets acceptance albeit reluctantly, but they remain stifled by the volume of his confidence and conviction, easily missed if one does not know to look for them. Very much like the sun Ramesses claims to be, he allows his own light, his own desire to act as a beacon, to cast such darkness aside.]
You know, with the way you were talking, I was expecting worse.
Just wait until I'm angry. You'll have your regrets then.
[A capacity for wrath deep enough to be prophesized about, to be weaponized. Fit to bring the end of times. Fang opens her eyes with a deep breath, the resulting exhale sounding satisfied.]
You know, much as I love Chariot, it's nice to have something other than crawlin' anxiety crowding my head.
I should hope it is a distinct contrast, [he says, allowing the direct, steady flow of mana between their joined hands for a moment longer. Ramesses releases her hands as the last of the circle's energy fades and releases.] Although I admit that I've never asked my other Bonded what the experience is like.
[Still, it seems a safe assumption to make when there are such discrepancies in his temperament from Chariot.]
[Fang's hands don't linger when they separate, but she did faintly miss the strong flow of magic. She hadn't been left wanting as Chariot's recovery progressed, but it was a far cry from how it used to be. Instead, she stretches, starting to amble her way out of the chamber.]
Feels like... [Her head cocks to the side thoughtfully.] Stone, I guess. Worked stone—steady, designed that way. Like you'd find in a foundation or a bridge.
[She didn't consider herself flowery with words, but there was only so much Fang could do when trying to describe something her senses hadn't been made to perceive. She found herself doing that a lot in this world, wherever magic was concerned.]
[Ramesses hums thoughtfully as he's never been compared to stone before. But despite its novelty, the comparison seems apt to him all the same. There's never really been a time in his life where he didn't lead by some sort of example or seek to be a guide of sorts to others.]
[He follows her out of the room at a leisurely pace. Right now, he's equal parts relaxed and pleased. As challenging as this may eventually prove to be, he's glad for the present moment. It will serve as a good reminder should being her Bonded prove more difficult for either one of them.]
And you say you're not one for words, [he says with a small laugh. Ramesses continues to tease her just a little more,] Then again, perhaps I'm already influencing you. We will have you giving full speeches before the month's through.
Yeah, right, you keep on dreamin'. I've given speeches before. [Little ones, but. Still. It's more than one might expect from Fang. A wistful fondness passes through the Bond as her thoughts turned to her gang.] I can play the whole inspiring leader bit. Just don't like to.
[Fang glances over, nudging him with her elbow.] Do mine. What's mine feel like?
[He lightly swats the elbow away from his side, scoffing mildly at the childish gesture despite not really expecting anything more or less. But Ramesses does give it a little thought as it's not an entirely easy thing to convey into words, not even for him.]
I suppose if I had to draw a comparison to something, it would be to the river you saw in my memory. There is a consistency and stillness to you now, and you will not suddenly reverse course, but there is a power to you as well.
[The Nile is life-giving, but it always holds the capacity for punishing those that do not show it proper respect. While that would not necessarily be the trigger for Fang, one should not mistake her easygoing nature as one of weakness. It's something that becomes all the more apparent being her Bonded.]
[Fang hums thoughtfully. A sizable river had run through Oerba, too—she understood what he was getting at.]
I like it. Could've been a lot worse. [Fang shoots a grin his way.] Just remember that this whole 'real Bond' thing was your idea, so I don't want to hear any complaining.
You could attempt something novel and try to keep my list of potential grievances to a minimum.
[He knows without one of her follow-up quips that's a highly unlikely outcome.]
Although more seriously, I cannot imagine you will have need of me, [because he will not even pretend as though Chariot will not remain a preference to all things related to Bonds in that regard,] but if you should around the full moons, I am often not in the city on those nights. I am usually with one of my other Bonded on her borrowed farm as she does not frequent the city with any regularity.
[Daenerys has a greater fear of losing control of her mind compared to Sheva, and so she takes a small amount of priority on those nights. Having easier, more immediate access to him puts her at greater ease than if he were to remain in the city even if she is still somewhat hesitant to engage in the magical aspects of the Bond and so, he's long since agreed to pay more frequent visits out there. And frankly, he doesn't mind it so much. He enjoys her landlady who he is quite certain at this point is intentional in ignoring him when he corrects her that he is not a Puca despite the color of his eyes and has very little qualms in assigning him to work while he's there. It also provides him with the opportunity to hunt, something that the city life does not afford him. But it is also is in some ways a temporary arrangement, too, which makes him mind it less. As Daenerys makes her strides to feels more comfort once more within the city itself, Ramesses anticipates that his need to visit her on the farm will decrease and a better balance shall be struck. So, until then, he's willing to be patient and take his indulgences where he can.]
[But Ramesses offers no such explanation to Fang. It's not out of mistrust, but the simple fact that the majority of it is his other Bonded's business and therefore, not his place to say.]
[So, she's entirely free to boggle at how he possibly functions on a farm even for a single day rather than anything else if that's what manages to capture her attention.]
[She does arch a bit of a brow, but it's easy for her to accept. Fang's never been one to get bogged down in details, and "with my other Bonded" and "full moons" make enough sense to her. She was a lucky one of the Mirrorbound, meshing easily with her new instincts. Despite being a Turnskin, the full moons were easier for her to manage than some.]
Sure. Good to know. Guess on that note, I don't go out on long trips to the Wilde like I used to, but I'll give you a heads up if I plan to.
[The corner of her mouth crooks.]
And speaking of heads up, I'll probably wind up prowlin' around your place a lot more. Let your doorguards know. I don't mean anything by it, it's... just a Turnskin thing, I guess.
[Turnskins and their packs. Regardless of how strongly or not they felt about each other, the Bond inducted Ramesses—and to a small extend, his other Bonded—into her own.]
[And honestly she just assumes Ozy packs a make-up bag to go out on his farm adventures or something.]
They have been largely ignoring you since your little break-in, [Ramesses says with a small shake of his head. Fang has never been a threat to him, so there's never really been any point to them trying to chase her off.] But they are used to such things in any case. There was a chimera before you that would occasionally watch my property at night.
[So, in that regard, he's used to being lumped in with a "pack" of some kind or another. Even Sheva who doesn't quite indulge in that particular instinct all too often does from time to time. Which upon thinking of that, his expression shifts slightly as it strikes Ramesses that he ought to mention one more thing.]
Just try to control your instincts and leave a small bat be if you happen to see one loitering about or trying to get in. That's Giorno and he's only looking to help himself to fruit in my kitchen. [Hence why the kitchen window is open at least a little bit on days when the weather isn't atrocious for it. Giorno will find other ways inside, but it's easier for everyone involved if Ramesses doesn't try to fight it. Which is to say that Giorno often has a second objective to be as attention-seeking as possible that's made worse by feeling as though Ramesses has intentionally blocked off his path to mangos.] There has already been one unfortunate mishap with one of my Bonded and him that I would rather is not repeated because he seems an appropriate thing to...chase.
[If it can be avoided, he'd rather not have a nearly-eaten adopted son literally dropped in his lap again?? Thanks.]
[Another scoffing sound, this one more in the back of Fang's throat like it'd been on its way into turning into a laugh. She's surprised he even bothered tacking on "within reason."]
Hm. Good to know.
[She could do a lot with "within reason." Especially given that what was reasonable to her varied with others.]
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Shall I get us another round?
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Get one if you want. I'm done for the night.
[Fang's already had more that she usually does, during these festivals; "more than usual" being "more than one."]
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[And so, he opts for the extra round or two before they both decide to call it a night and head their respective ways home. As he continues to drink, his talking increases, but he somehow manages not to end up bragging endlessly about himself and his accomplishments. He's simply talkative. When he accidentally creates an opening for Fang, he never approves of her taking advantage of it, but he also doesn't seem particularly put out by it either.]
[Before they part ways though, the conversation does turn back to the matter of Bonding with one another. Just as easily as it had ultimately been to agree to the arrangement itself, they both agree when to have the ritual. Both agree that allowing some time to pass would be beneficial for any necessary conversations with each other (when sober) or Chariot.]
[As it turns out, neither appears to get cold feet or second guess the decision in the end. Which really just solidifies it as the correct choice for Ramesses because he does give it thought in the following days of the potential consequences of this decision. Bonding with Fang wasn't without its risks. Just as they might occasionally find common ground with one another, there was also the capacity for something more volatile and neither of them could particularly ignore that. But ultimately, he trusts Fang just as he says he does and he believes that before the worst of the possible outcomes could come to pass, they would do what was necessary to avert any potential crisis. They would owe that much to each other.]
[And so, the day eventually comes.]
[It is his fourth time doing this, but the amount of magical energy summoned into the circle never fails to catch his notice and fascination. There's something equal parts thrilling and dangerous about this much magic being present in such a small space and with such little effort on the part of the Coven Witches.]
[He looks back at Fang as he steps into the circle, offering his hand to her.]
Last chance to change your mind.
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[Even if that understanding might never set their goals and personalities in alignment, it was still something worth seeking.]
[Even after all their time to reflect on their choice, Fang was still mildly entertained with it all. She'd never imagined reaching this point, never imagined Bonding with this particular man. Her suggestion to use the potion had simply been a tool for brief insight on the depth to which he'd believed what he was talking about; after nearly a year Bonded to Chariot, Fang was well adept at lending and borrowing each other's emotions when their own weren't suitable for the situation. A true Bond... Ramesses didn't strike her as the sort of person that wanted to be attached to someone that moved through life like a wrecking ball with places to be yesterday.]
[Fang only quirks her usual smirk back.]
Was gonna say the same thing. I can get pretty loud in the Bond, you know. [Or "full blast," as Fang had put it on the roof. She didn't always wear her heart on her sleeve, but she certainly had no filter. What she did feel was always felt wholly, with everything she was.]
[She accepts his hand nonetheless; the magic pooling under their feet makes her skin prickle.]
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[Although it's true that Fang differs from his other Bonded in that there was a little more care and patience put into the ways in which they presented themselves, neither Sheva no Daenerys could ever be described as docile or passive. Under the right circumstances, their presence in their Bond with him is just as intense as what he imagines Fang to likely be.]
So long as the three of you do not conspire to turn it into a competition, I shall persevere.
[Although gods help him if they should ever be in direct opposition to one another. There may be no surviving something like that with as hot as tempers could run.]
[The Coven Witch leading the ceremony directs them to their places albeit unnecessarily. It may have been some time for Fang since last she did this, but for Ramesses, it has only been a handful of months. With Fang's hand in his, he is already beginning to lead them further into the circle to those spots. The look he gives Fang isn't overly scrutinizing, but he does give her a moment of consideration. The magic of this circle always seems to sit differently for Monsters, he's noticed, and Ramesses can't help but think it is probably especially unnerving after her experiences. He certainly observed it in Daenerys, who had to take a moment to steel herself before stepping into the circle, and so it doesn't seem completely out of the realm of possibility that walking into space with this much magic, allowing the ritual itself, might prove a little more challenging than it otherwise might normally be. While Ramesses doesn't seek to treat her delicately -- assuming that such treatment would likely irritate her -- he'd rather her be as confident as possible during this.]
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[Fang show no hesitation entering the circle; despite her numerous and varied traumatic experience, there were only three things that gave her pause. Even then, two of those, while extremely unpleasant, she could cope with. So long as she approached the circle of her own volition and unbound, it held no nightmares for her.]
[No, the circle felt like solid static given form, a silent sound in the air brushing against her nerves. Fang found it hard to explain to Witches; it was something they created and controlled to them. She perceived it like some kind of energy, like sunlight or static, but filtered incorrectly through senses not originally designed to detect it. Clean magic she was almost drawn to, like cool fresh water; too long in ambient or lingering magic clogged her mind like silt until there was only room enough left for the Monster.]
[Fang takes her place, glancing as the officiating Witch does the same. Her gaze sweeps back to Ramesses.]
So, you gonna start, or am I?
[She offers her other hand, like a circuit waiting to be complete.]
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Go on.
[In the intervening days, he's put plenty of thought into what he will say. One might think he would choose not to given that he's completed this ritual on three separate occasions and the broad strokes of his intentions behind those Bonds reflect similarly to one another. He never intends to be an obstruction to his Bonded, only a support that allows them to reach their full potential. And so, it would be simple to reuse and speak again of those same intentions each time. But the Bonds themselves are as different as the individuals he's chosen to Bond with, and Ramesses could never allow himself to create such a thoughtless, weak foundation. His vows to each remain just that. Not through pretty preambles or lengthy promises, but clear, specific intentions of how his loyalty shall be reflected, how they shall walk alongside one another, and to what lengths he is willing to go on their behalf.]
[But he is immensely curious about Fang's vow. He knows she takes her promises seriously, but Ramesses knows he's not the sort of person she would likely prefer to make her promises to. She's made it clear that he can often reflect and represent a more dangerous element, something that could twist and contort such things. So, he cannot imagine she's going to be as off the cuff as she usually is with this. Still, he's curious.]
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[But Fang doesn't dwell on it. The teasing drops from her smile.]
Look, you know I'm not great with words, and I'm not the sort to go off on some fancy pledge.
[The standard Bonding vow still feels easy to mindlessly make, but after... everything, Fang hesitates to offer to protect him, considering that vow lays in shambles both around her family and Chariot.]
There's probably not much I can promise you that you can't already provide for yourself. So, as your Bonded, Oerba Yun Fang vows to yank you back from that precipice of yours, if you find your way back to it—as someone who does a lot of lookin' over the edge of "Same Mistake City" myself.
[She tilts her head slightly, and something about her expression softens subtly.]
And I know you love your hundred identities and roles and they're always part of you or whatever, but if you ever just wanna be that human guy under all that for a bit and nothin' else, you can do that around me. Promise I won't tell.
[When she finishes, the magic of the circle responds to her intent, flowing up through her body and pooling in her hands, waiting for the other half to snap into place.]
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[And he believes her words. All of them. Even without the magic of the circle confirming them to be genuine.]
I find myself in a similar position as you. You are more than capable and have no need for my protection or support with most matters. So, my promise to you as your Bonded is this: I will not idly stand by any time you feel the need to inflict punishment on yourself for your past decisions. Until you are able to find peace, I shall remain by your side whether it is to be as comfort or a thorn.
[When they first met, it had been a stray thought, a sincere but small hope. Something that Fang had dismissed and he allowed to be set aside. Here and now, however, it was something far more than that. Something he refused to let her reject as a possibility for herself because even if she's not able to believe it now, he intends to carry that belief until she can for herself. It as almost as though he can already see that future with his own eyes, as though it is within his power to manipulate the very magic of this room to make it so.]
This is a promise I make to you not as Pharaoh, as you have no need for a sun to guide you. I make this promise to you as Ramesses.
[The magic of the circle rises through him, traveling until it connects with a spark between their joined hands.]
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Might be a while. I can't find peace until someone else does.
[Not until Vanille does. There was no point in her soul being saved for the new world if she wasn't coming along with her. The sensation of the magic was just as strange as last time as it plucked threads from her own soul and reached to entwine them with another's, and with it, bring a new alien awareness on the edges of her own.]
[Her own sense was very much like fire; warm, intense even when relatively mild, and with the potential to be as destructive and capricious as she could be comforting and sheltering. As steady and unflinching as Fang was, there was an immense weariness under it all, like a clinging, choking smoke, adorning her mental sense just as her scars adorned her body.]
[Her eyes close as magic begins to flow between their touch, basking in the refreshment. Chariot's magic has been much better in recent months, but still not entirely what it was prior to January.]
[Fang could feel that wish of his, now. Peace sounded like such a lovely thing, like the first years sleeping in the pillar, before cracks began to form.]
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[And there is plenty of mana that moves through where their hands are connected even with two other Bonds present. This world has changed Ramesses' form, rendering him closer to human than he has been in quite some time, but where he may lack in skill and natural talent as someone who has spent years of their life honing their craft like Chariot might, he makes up for in raw power.]
[Ramesses watches her a moment as awareness of her settles in its place. It is exactly as she warned it would be. He's able to find her within his own conscious awareness with little effort, which is not due solely to proximity. Although both Sheva and Daenerys certainly stand proud and clearly themselves, there is always a distinction between what they wish for him to sense in the Bond and what they would likely disguise if it were in their control. Daenerys masks what she perceives as weaknesses with cool authority and Sheva buries whatever she finds unacceptable with more pleasant distractions. With Fang, he senses no such lines. Even the parts of herself that she takes less pride in are not obfuscated. They are merely less present at this moment.]
[It also contrasts perhaps quite sharply with Ramesses.]
[Fang likely could have predicted it. Much of Ramesses' inner world is neatly ordered and compartmentalized, there is no lack of predictability as he holds steadily forward with warmth and brightness. And yet, he does not reject or excise what he deems unacceptable. He still offers those doubts, insecurities, and regrets acceptance albeit reluctantly, but they remain stifled by the volume of his confidence and conviction, easily missed if one does not know to look for them. Very much like the sun Ramesses claims to be, he allows his own light, his own desire to act as a beacon, to cast such darkness aside.]
You know, with the way you were talking, I was expecting worse.
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Just wait until I'm angry. You'll have your regrets then.
[A capacity for wrath deep enough to be prophesized about, to be weaponized. Fit to bring the end of times. Fang opens her eyes with a deep breath, the resulting exhale sounding satisfied.]
You know, much as I love Chariot, it's nice to have something other than crawlin' anxiety crowding my head.
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[Still, it seems a safe assumption to make when there are such discrepancies in his temperament from Chariot.]
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Feels like... [Her head cocks to the side thoughtfully.] Stone, I guess. Worked stone—steady, designed that way. Like you'd find in a foundation or a bridge.
[She didn't consider herself flowery with words, but there was only so much Fang could do when trying to describe something her senses hadn't been made to perceive. She found herself doing that a lot in this world, wherever magic was concerned.]
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[He follows her out of the room at a leisurely pace. Right now, he's equal parts relaxed and pleased. As challenging as this may eventually prove to be, he's glad for the present moment. It will serve as a good reminder should being her Bonded prove more difficult for either one of them.]
And you say you're not one for words, [he says with a small laugh. Ramesses continues to tease her just a little more,] Then again, perhaps I'm already influencing you. We will have you giving full speeches before the month's through.
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Yeah, right, you keep on dreamin'. I've given speeches before. [Little ones, but. Still. It's more than one might expect from Fang. A wistful fondness passes through the Bond as her thoughts turned to her gang.] I can play the whole inspiring leader bit. Just don't like to.
[Fang glances over, nudging him with her elbow.] Do mine. What's mine feel like?
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I suppose if I had to draw a comparison to something, it would be to the river you saw in my memory. There is a consistency and stillness to you now, and you will not suddenly reverse course, but there is a power to you as well.
[The Nile is life-giving, but it always holds the capacity for punishing those that do not show it proper respect. While that would not necessarily be the trigger for Fang, one should not mistake her easygoing nature as one of weakness. It's something that becomes all the more apparent being her Bonded.]
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[Fang hums thoughtfully. A sizable river had run through Oerba, too—she understood what he was getting at.]
I like it. Could've been a lot worse. [Fang shoots a grin his way.] Just remember that this whole 'real Bond' thing was your idea, so I don't want to hear any complaining.
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[He knows without one of her follow-up quips that's a highly unlikely outcome.]
Although more seriously, I cannot imagine you will have need of me, [because he will not even pretend as though Chariot will not remain a preference to all things related to Bonds in that regard,] but if you should around the full moons, I am often not in the city on those nights. I am usually with one of my other Bonded on her borrowed farm as she does not frequent the city with any regularity.
[Daenerys has a greater fear of losing control of her mind compared to Sheva, and so she takes a small amount of priority on those nights. Having easier, more immediate access to him puts her at greater ease than if he were to remain in the city even if she is still somewhat hesitant to engage in the magical aspects of the Bond and so, he's long since agreed to pay more frequent visits out there. And frankly, he doesn't mind it so much. He enjoys her landlady who he is quite certain at this point is intentional in ignoring him when he corrects her that he is not a Puca despite the color of his eyes and has very little qualms in assigning him to work while he's there. It also provides him with the opportunity to hunt, something that the city life does not afford him. But it is also is in some ways a temporary arrangement, too, which makes him mind it less. As Daenerys makes her strides to feels more comfort once more within the city itself, Ramesses anticipates that his need to visit her on the farm will decrease and a better balance shall be struck. So, until then, he's willing to be patient and take his indulgences where he can.]
[But Ramesses offers no such explanation to Fang. It's not out of mistrust, but the simple fact that the majority of it is his other Bonded's business and therefore, not his place to say.]
[So, she's entirely free to boggle at how he possibly functions on a farm even for a single day rather than anything else if that's what manages to capture her attention.]
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Sure. Good to know. Guess on that note, I don't go out on long trips to the Wilde like I used to, but I'll give you a heads up if I plan to.
[The corner of her mouth crooks.]
And speaking of heads up, I'll probably wind up prowlin' around your place a lot more. Let your doorguards know. I don't mean anything by it, it's... just a Turnskin thing, I guess.
[Turnskins and their packs. Regardless of how strongly or not they felt about each other, the Bond inducted Ramesses—and to a small extend, his other Bonded—into her own.]
[And honestly she just assumes Ozy packs a make-up bag to go out on his farm adventures or something.]
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[So, in that regard, he's used to being lumped in with a "pack" of some kind or another. Even Sheva who doesn't quite indulge in that particular instinct all too often does from time to time. Which upon thinking of that, his expression shifts slightly as it strikes Ramesses that he ought to mention one more thing.]
Just try to control your instincts and leave a small bat be if you happen to see one loitering about or trying to get in. That's Giorno and he's only looking to help himself to fruit in my kitchen. [Hence why the kitchen window is open at least a little bit on days when the weather isn't atrocious for it. Giorno will find other ways inside, but it's easier for everyone involved if Ramesses doesn't try to fight it. Which is to say that Giorno often has a second objective to be as attention-seeking as possible that's made worse by feeling as though Ramesses has intentionally blocked off his path to mangos.] There has already been one unfortunate mishap with one of my Bonded and him that I would rather is not repeated because he seems an appropriate thing to...chase.
[If it can be avoided, he'd rather not have a nearly-eaten adopted son literally dropped in his lap again?? Thanks.]
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Whatever kinda cat I turned into seems more bent on stalking than the chase.
[Go go gadget ambush predator.]
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[And maybe also for Ramesses, too. He might have had a small heart attack sure the aforementioned mishap.]
[Maybe.]
That would really be the only concern. Otherwise, you are free to do as you please provided that it is within reason.
[He knows better than to end it as "free to do as you please "with Fang. That's giving her far too much freedom.]
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Hm. Good to know.
[She could do a lot with "within reason." Especially given that what was reasonable to her varied with others.]
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Fang.
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