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Duration: April 2014

Status: Ongoing

Deulis - Me

Will - Baron Vonn Sexyfine

Comments: ...I haven't properly played FFX. I really should. Man this RP is stirring feels for this game so bad. IDK even.

***

Kilika.

He had been born here. It had once been the seat of many happy memories for the summoner. Life was lived much simpler then. Had a family, parents who were young and had married for love. First born male and favored by both side of the family. A headstrong older sister with the beauty of his mother and the physical strength of his father. It had been a good life, wonderful and near ideal. They ran a successful maritime trade with the other cities of Spira despite their humble lifestyle, preferring to live simply. It didn't last long of course.

Nothing ever lasts forever. Everything found it's end in death.

Though his birth had been looked forwarded to, the circumstances surrounding his coming were anything but in celebration. His maternal grandfather had been sick during the pregnancy and it seemed like that the old man was about to go, simply holding till Deulis had been born. As such, he had been named Deulis, the sorrow of the heart, in commemoration for the man's passing.

For someone whose life had been branded with too many little deaths, it came as no surprise that he would eventually come to a point Deulis too would desire death.

The death of his parents' marriage and eventual separation.

And of...

Deulis was drawn out of his thoughts when a blitzball slapped against his calves, making him look up in surprise. The sound of the waves crashing against the sandy shoreline was a great contrast to the laughter of children that had been playing at the shore: they sounded so happy, so alive...

"Hey Mister! Give us the ball!," a child in typical Kilika village wear said loudly cupping his palms against his mouth. The rest of the brat pack were waving at him, smiling and giggling like the children that they were. "Or you can join us!," another voice, distinctly female, chimed up.

He laughed, smiling widely and seemingly having reverted to the happier, younger man that he had been at the proposal. The summoner bent down, picking up the ball and giving it a tentative toss in the air while he eyed the children. Deulis was no professional in the sport but he'd learn a trick or two during his time with Rin and the rest of the agency. He'd learn the basics and was more along the lines of average, more of a good team player more than anything. They did say he could pack a mean defensive.

"Very well," he said, rolling back his summoner's baggy sleeves and decorated pants and clipping them back so it wouldn't obstruct his movement, "Don't say you haven't been warned!"

The children cheered, surprised yet excited by the prospect of someone joining them. Never mind if they didn't know who he was or what his standing was in the Yevonite religion. They just wanted to play. "Yeah! Big brother wants to play with us!"

Deulis felt that young that time. So much younger and happier, filled with nothing but the thought of winning and besting the other team in a makeshift game of blitzball along the sea shore. The cool wind that bit at his face and neck made him feel bittersweet and nostalgic all at once.

We used to play here... You and me. It's been awhile...

He'd visited his estranged mother and met his sister. They seemed well and good. Business was smooth as always. But he hadn't seen 'him' yet.

The summoner wondered if he still lived in Kilika or had he left as he had when his parents split up.

It had been ages since he'd enjoy the warmth of the sun and looking back at better times.

***

"I see you've wasted no time making yourself at home." Came a voice from the dock.

Some people may call what happened today fate. Will didn't really believe in fate. He believed that things just sort of happened arbitrarily, and there was no cosmic force deciding everyone's individual lives. Well...except for the one. He didn't like to think about it. He'd be surprised if anyone did. At any rate, whether it was fate, or just a dumb coincidence, Will slept in on this particular day. See, twice a week, Will would get up early. Not super early, because he wasn't a madman, but before noon, definitely. On those days, he would go into the forest that was near Kilika, and start fighting the fiends in there, as a sort of workout routine; he didn't meet up with the crusaders usually, as part of a mutual dislike. He would generally stay in the forest until sundown, seeing absolutely nobody that day. He'd been doing this for a little over two years now, and had manage to never miss a day of "training."

Until today.

Will wasn't a drinker. He wasn't a night person. He was in bed by a certain time, almost like clockwork, and for the most part had no trouble getting to sleep. But today, this one day, the day he was due to go into the forest...he slept in. It bothered him a little that, after such a long time of being punctual, he broke his streak. But it was no big deal; There were still fiends in the forest, and he could always cut his training short once it got dark. however, as he walked to the forest, taking the same path he did bi-weekly, he saw it. And the realization passed through his head that, had he woken up at the time he normally didn't, he very well could have missed this meeting entirely.

"It's been a long time, " Will said to a face that he hadn't seen in years. One that he had to take a second to recognize, almost mistaking him for a total stranger! But there was that certain familiarity that was there, as he was playing Blitzball with children. By now, Will was stepping onto the shore to meet his old friend. his walk turned into a run, and soon he was full-on sprinting toward Deulis with the intent of tackling him He lunged forward!...and landed in the sand, just short of his target. He picked himself up from the ground, brushing the sand off of his clothes. He looked over to see some of the children giggling at his fall, which caused a smile to come to his own face. He turned his attention back to Deulis. "Darn. And I was sure I was finally strong enough to knock you down, too!" He laughed. Deulis, how are you? It's been entirely too long since we've seen each other. When did you get here? What have you been doing? We have some serious catching up to do!" Will's mouth was going a mile a minute. What could he say? He was excited to see his friend again.

***

He looked over his shoulder at the sound of someone addressing him. Who was this---? It would be a lie to say Deulis knew him. But there was something oddly familiar about the voice. It was a sound that seemed to resonate in his memories bringing forth a set of lighthearted feelings in his chest. Steel gray eyes, wide and reflecting an obvious curious interest, scanned the vision of a face with blond hair and an eager smile rushing at him. Quickly, the summoner sidestepped with a dramatic swish of his robes only to see that said face crash into the soft sand.

Then it clicked.

The summoner couldn't help the smile on his face as he watched Will get onto his feet. Speak of the devil, the devil appears indeed..., Deulis mused as he crossed his arms against his chest and sighed. Still full of energy as ever.

It was good to know that there were some things that seemed resistant to change... but of course in the end all that didn't matter when you were close to death's door. Nonetheless, seeing the now grown up Will and his spirited personality still intact gave him a constant, a sense of calm of sorts. The blond still had those burning, fiery intensity in his ocean blue eyes of their younger years. Good to know that time had been kind to his best friend and had not extinguished that flame.

"Calm down, Will!," Deulis said with a hint of laughter in his voice, "One at a time, perhaps." It would come to the other boy's notice that the summoner's voice had broken into a masculine baritone, a clear crisp silvery voice. They had parted ways years prior the onset of puberty back when they were a pair of scrawny little brats with dirt caked faces and smelled of the sun. Their voices were squeaky and loud, like the children that they were. Now here they were, young men entering the threshold of adulthood.

Deulis had recently grown his jet black hair past his waist, pulling it up in a halfhearted ponytail of sorts on his head. For a summoner, he looked rather laid back and casual despite being dressed in rich and colorful robes of his position, lacking the air of dignity and otherworldliness of that his summoner counterparts possessed. If it weren't for the robes, it was hard to tell the young man was even a summoner.

"I've been well," the brunet started. Well was far from it but he supposed he could spare the curious blond of the details. Gushing out on the nitty gritty was the last thing on Deulis' mind right now. "I arrived yesterday evening and I'm living inside the compound with mother and the others. What have I been doing you ask...? Well, I've been around, traveling the world with the agency and seeing the world. Nothing much. I'm here on special business however. I want a word with my sister on something important but it seems I've hit a brick wall with that." To this, the summoner sighed, rolling his shoulders with a shrug. "I suppose I'll have to find another way around things..."

He looked at the sea, wistfully then back at Will, "I'm glad to see you again though. It's been awhile indeed." The brunet gave him a smile at the statement, small yes but definitely heartfelt. Deulis really was happy to see the blond well and good.

Seeing that Will and the Mister were deep in conversation, the children decided not to disturb them and continued with their game, though they were somewhat put out that they had lost their VIP. Maybe another time.

***

Will had no idea that Deulis had been here for that long. Had he known he was coming, he would have jumped at the chance to see him last night. Well, it didn't matter now, since here they were. "I can't tell you how glad I am I caught you now." "Otherwise I probably wouldn't have seen you until tomorrow, if you even stayed here that long. Or if you asked around and went into the forest." Even then, Will didn't exactly converse with a lot of people, so Deulis would have to talk to the right people to find out where he was.

When Deulis mentioned that he was here on 'special business,' it was then that Will noticed how he was dressed. "I assume that something important has something to do with that getup. Isn't it a little warm to be wearing those robes here?" He joked. "I don't suppose you can tell me what this is all about, right?" He moved right past that conversation. "Hey, do you have a free moment? I mean, obviously you do, since you were playing Blitzball right now, but I'd like you to come to my house. We have quite a bit if catching up to do!"

***

"I was taking my morning walk just now," Deulis offered as he raised a hand to his eyes and looked at the sky, "The skies back here are quite a sight to behold. So much blue as far as the eye can see. The air is fresher too."

Very perceptive. The brunet nodded at his friend's conjecture.

Indeed his reason for returning to Kilika was deeply rooted in the fact he was a summoner. Upon learning that a summoner must have at least one guardian as a companion across Spira, it had been Deulis' first choice to ask his big sister to be that person. He passed on the thought of having his father come along because he couldn't bear the thought of taking him away from his dreams. So even when the older man offered, he politely declined. Alas, it had come as a pleasant surprise that when he arrived home yesterday evening that his sister, the tall, impressive female alpha of her generation of children and that of Deulis/ peers, was... well, pregnant with child and had somehow adjusted to the life of the domestic housewife. This had come as a shock to the summoner considering what a tomboy Coeur had been. Whoever had married his sister definitely made a woman out of her. So now, the summoner was out of choices.

"You're still good at what you do even after all these years, Will. "Deulis rested his eyes momentarily on his then discarded pair of boots along the warmer side of the seashore. He bent down to pick them, lightly dusting the sand off the pair. The summoner slipped his shoes once at a time as he spoke, "I've recently completed my training at the Temple of Yevon at Bevelle as a summoner." There was a careful emphasis on the word 'summoner' just so the blond didn't miss it. "I've past my initial trials and I'm now well on my way to begin my pilgrimage. However I'm missing an essential before I can start."

Once he had both boots on, he tapped the sand with toe of his boots and took some tentative steps then unhooked his sleeves and unrolled his pants. They unfurled in their decorated glory on his person, a little rumpled but still beautiful to look at. It was then the 'leader' of the mini blitzball league came up to the two boys and innocently looked up at them, in turn.

"Hey, Will... And Will's friend"

"My name is Deulis."

"Oh," the child said with a slight pout. "Umm, Will and Deu---Due--Duli--Deulis." The boy's face was scrunched up, having a difficulty saying the summoner's name properly, "So yeah! Are you gonna join our game still? You two been standing there." He looked hopeful, almost teary and begging with his big wide eyes that they would say yes.

The brunet sighed, planting his palm on the boy's shoulder and shook his head, "I'm afraid not, maybe another time. I had fun though." He hated being the bearer of bad news. His birth had been so already. Guess this was how it was always going to be. "Maybe tomorrow... What do you think Will? I'm good at coming back tomorrow." Deulis then turned his eyes on his friend, not missing the triumphant look on the child's face as he raised his fisted little hands in the air. It made him smile a little. "At any rate, Will and I have to get going so tomorrow it is then?"

"Okay!" Seemingly satisfied, the boy ran off and yelled loudly in a childishly authoritative manner that they had to come back tomorrow. No buts. They HAD to come back tomorrow.

Deulis laughed. He could hear it all the way from where he was standing.

***

Will was almost positive that he wouldn't hear anything to the contrary. The outfit was too distinct to be anything else. Even so, when Deulis said what he was thinking, his smile faded slightly. :...Oh." He said, after a short pause. "I see. So, I take it you came here looking for a guardian, then?" Somehow he had a feeling that Deulis hadn't thought about him as a choice. Which was fine; That wasn't the part that bothered Will.

Thank heavens the children approached the two, giving Will time to compose his words as they talked to his friend. When they were done conversing, with the promise that Deulis would play with them tomorrow, Will turned back to speak to him. "Let's...let's get back to my house." He said, pointing over his shoulder. "I guess we have a lot to catch up on." Even though they were kids when they last saw each other, and a lot can change in that amount of time, Deulis was probably the last person he expected to become a summoner.

***

Duelis nodded, "Once again you got that one right, Will." The summoner looked back to the children and raised a hand to wave goodbye at them to which the children enthusiastically went all out, yelling and whistling with their arms flailing wildly in the air. Looks like he'd given them quite a good impression judging from their reactions. "I did come back to find myself a guardian. Or two. Though I suppose one would suffice if they were capable enough. If the High Summoner Yunalesca's own husband proved to more than enough protection for her, then I can very well do good with simply one as well."

Indeed, it had never crossed the brunet's mind to opt for his estranged friend for a guardian. They had long been out of communication and thus, Deulis was hardly updated with what the blond had been up to since their last letter, which was a long time ago. He could hardly recall the time he visited the postal office. If a letter had proved to be too difficult, the boy would buy post cards of places he was in and quickly scrawl a short message on the flipside. Eventually the summoner fell out of the habit and simply stopped.

Around that time when... Yes that 'time'.

So it came as a pleasant surprise to see that not only did Will opt to stay in Kilika but that the blond still recognized him. Quite a relief because Deulis almost couldn't. "Yes, it has been awhile. I'm sorry I stopped writing... Got busy, so very busy and life at the temple is hardly a walk in the park. I spent much of my free time away from the scribes and scrolls, either sleeping or studying. More of the latter." The summoner frowned slightly at the last part. Clearly it had not been a very pleasant experience for him. "No rest for the wicked with the Maesters breathing down on everyone's necks like that." There was a hint of a whine at the memory of his rigid training.

The idle but passing thought of having Will as his guardian crossed his mind just then while he nodded to the other boy's suggestion of heading to their house. I can't... No. Impossible. Will doesn't owe it to me. Never mind. I'll find someone eventually. Of course, Deulis would oblige on such an offer. There wasn't much to do then and he didn't want to spend the day helping at the business. His mother still looked at him with obvious distaste, the woman still so heartbroken and uncomfortable that the brunet was quite the spitting image of his father.

"So I've learned a bit of blitzing, traveled all over Spira here and there, dabbled into white magic and gained my robes... Now tell me, what have YOU been up to?"

***

Will was silent as Deulis kept talking about finding a guardian. There was nothing he could add to the subject, and he didn't want to say what he wanted to about it until they got to his house. When the subject of the letters came up, Will couldn't help but think back to the last letter he sent, years ago. He couldn't even remember what he had said, except for, "I hope you visit some time." Well, now he was getting his wish. "I don't hold it against you." He said. "I can only guess how overworked you've been, especially with learning white magic and becoming a summoner. I've heard that some people opt for both magics, and that just sounds absolutely soul-sucking."

Anyway, enough of that. Deulis wanted to know more about Will, and he was happy to oblige. "Well, remember how I used to get picked on a little?" He said. "You know, for being a little bit scrawny, not very athletic, and being incredibly pale, with pretty much a complete inability to tan before burning in the sun. Well...things haven't changed as much as I hoped they would." He laughed. "But I did manage to get some muscle definition, even just barely, and I can take people in a straight fight now. Not that the oppurtunity's ever come up, for other people at least." He paused his story as he came to his house. "This is it." He opened the door for Deulis before continuing.

"A couple years ago, I started going into the forests to fight some fiends in order to gain some fighting skills. Up until recently they've been easy enough to train on, and I'm one of the very few non crusaders in this village to own a weapon of any kind." He told him. And he ended up paying out the nose for that sword, but it was worth it. Besides, he didn't use much gil anyway, since he lived by himself and usually only bought the basics. "Honestly, that's really all that happened. Mom and dad moved away when I was old enough to look after myself. They offered to have me along, but...I just really didn't want to go to Bevelle. For a number of reasons. They were accepting enough, and let me have the house to myself. And these days, I mostly keep to myself, especially on the days I go into the forest, where I almost always end up not seeing anyone the entire day. This was supposed to be one of those days, but I slept in and...Well, I'm glad I did now, otherwise I might've missed you." Will flashed Deulis a smile.

***

The boy groaned miserably and nodded. If you only knew... "There's a strict schedule that had to be followed for the novices. We had to rise early. There was a curfew for the lights as well. Once they were off, it was complete darkness until the sun rose from the horizon. It was awful." Though Deulis couldn't help bite back a chuckle at the memory when some of the novices conjured the idea of sneaking candles in their rooms to provide some lighting as they tried to burn the midnight oil and found that it triggered some fire preventive charm. Oh that was funny. The scuffle that evening with their angry superiors was quite a sight. "It was a highly disciplined lifestyle. I can't say I loved it because I didn't but I definitely feel changed after."

He gave Will a curt bow of the nod and a soft thank you before stepping into the blond's house. The summoner's eyes soaked up on his surroundings greedily, like he wanted to commit the humble Kilikan hut to memory. It had been far too long after all. The brunet couldn't for the life of him recall how this place was, how it looked like but it felt warm, inviting and he felt welcomed as he padded through the familiar wooden floorboards before planting himself on one of the seats in the reception area of Will's home.

The summoner grinned impishly when Will began to narrate about his rise from skinny brat to a fit young warrior and snickered a little, "I definitely do remember those times. I had to pick up after you more than once. Good thing we had Coeur on our side so whenever the woman yelled at the other kids, they'd scramble off because they wouldn't dare touch either of us." He stuck his tongue out and smiled cheekily, "Good to know we don't have to be under sister's mantle anymore then. Good job! You're a real man now!"

So his friend had found his calling in being a warrior of kind. Very nice, he thought. "That's impressive actually. It's fairly uncommon for civilians to be well versed with weapons... You should continue to develop that gift of yours," Deulis commented, "Ever thought of joining the crusaders though? Or the monk sect of Yevon. They could use some of your energy amongst the ranks. And you'd be able to learn from them as well. It could make for further progress for you, Will."

***

"It's a little spartan compared to most of the houses here." Will explained as his guest looked around. "But I like it. It's not too cluttered, since Mom and Dad took a lot of their stuff when they moved. But they left anything I wanted to keep. And the guest bedroom is still furnished for if anyone wants to use it. No one's really needed to." He laughed as he and Deulis reminisced about the past. "Yeah, Coeur was pretty great. She's the one who really inspired me to take up some form of fighting, she made it clear that she wasn't going to be able to bail me out of every situation." And that pretty much turned out to be true, wouldn't you know it? Of all the people in Kilika, Coeur was probably the one person Will regularly spoke to. She pretty much retained the same personality throughout adulthood; pretty rough and firery on the outset, but really soft and understanding once you got to know her. Will would admit to having a small crush on her once upon a time, but...he never spoke up, and now it was too late, with her being married and all. He got over it pretty quickly however, convincing himself that he wasn't sure if he was even ready for commitment of any kind.

Then Deulis mentioned the prospect of joining up with the crusaders, or anything of that sort, and Will shook his head. "No. And no." He said simply. "I can't. I just can't do that. To make a long story short, I have some issues with Yevon. I'm not crazy about a faith revolving around the teachings of the person who created Sin." He could probably go into a long rant about it, but Will had realized that that wasn't a good idea ever. "I'd rather not involve myself the most devout Yevonites, which is why I couldn't follow my parents to Bevelle, pretty much the heart of Yevon." He sighed. "And as for the crusaders, even if I wanted to join them, I don't really think I can. Some years back, we got into a little argument, and I said...things. Things that I didn't mean, and I wish I never said. After that, we haven't really patched things up. So yeah, I kinda burned some bridges there." Thank god he was at least in the forest at the time, away from the ears of anyone else.

***

Deulis shrank a little at being caught openly gawking at the interiors of his friend's house. It was rude... Maybe. Just a little. The boy tipped his head down to hide the faint blush across his cheeks, deeply ashamed of his behavior. "It's not that bad," the summoner commented, folding his hands on his lap and starring at them intently, "I like the motif of wood, sand and stone we have here in Kilika. It's very organic and natural. Bevelle feels artificial to me. Cold."

He laughed a little when he spoke of his sister quite fondly. Yes, that was her alright. At least that was how the brunet remembered of Coeur. The woman was pretty much the same only tempered and less of a hothead. She was quite happy nonetheless, very excited for her incoming newborn and proudly showed off her baby bump whenever possible.

However the blond's words for the religion he had devoted himself to made him sad.

The summoner frowned slightly but nodded. He wasn't going to try and argue with Will. He wasn't here to preach the scriptures. It would be very invasive and rude of him to do so. The blond took him in as a guest in his home and he dare not disrespect that privilege. But he understood though. Deulis certainly did. Religion was simply not for everyone, it was just---sad, very sad that it applied to his friend as well.

"I see," he replied in a soft voice, "I suppose there would be other venues for further arms practice besides Yevon. I'll leave it to you to figure it out how you'll pursue that. It would truly be a shame if you didn't expand your horizons on being a weapon master of sorts." Deulis looked over to an empty seat, starring at it intently before turning back to Will, face lit up in after thought, "Oh... Forgive me for asking but, I was just wondering though---passing thought more like it. I wanted to know.. You say you're not entirely fond of the religion: is it the system or the actual teachings? Or both? Then... are you upset with how I turned out? I'm a summoner now, Will. Tell me the truth, please. I won't hate you for it."

So did this mean that even if he asked the blond to be his guardian, Will would turn him down too?

Deulis stopped himself at the thought, gravely worried that now he was even considering the warrior to be his guardian. This was never his intention... It had never been--- Would Will think badly of him if he ever did ask though? Or even think that he was simply being friendly so he could win the blond over to sign up and join his pilgrimage.

Funny, how so many things formed itself in his mind at such simple questions.

A soft, clear cough broke him out of his thoughts. You think too much, Summoner. Let him answer and just see how it goes. I don't see why he'd hate you just because you're a Summoner now. Friends are friends. If he is your friend, he won't hate you.

***

Will patiently listened to Deulis's response to what he had just said. He sounded a bit down about it; not that it was surprising, given that Will had basically insulted the religion that he was now part of. But he didn't mean to illicit that reaction, even if it was inevitable. When it was time for him to answer, Will remained silent, trying to gather his thoughts. He didn't want a repeat of his time with the crusaders, though to be fair, he was lot calmer here and now.

"I don't know. I guess it's not necessarily what's being taught. Or maybe it is. But it's mostly from where they originated." Will said at last. "It's been a while since I've even thought about Yevon, but here's what I think I remember: We, that is to say, humanity as a whole, are supposed to atone for sins that our ancestors made. We're never told exactly what to atone for, meanwhile we have to endure Sin ravaging Spira, tearing families, houses, and landscapes apart. And people are raised to aspire to become summoners, and give their lives for Sin to go away for a short time, only to show up again and the cycle repeats forever." This was probably the longest Will had talked about Yevon before either he or the other party lost interest, or it devolved into a shouting match. He was glad that neither of those things had happened yet in this situation.

Will continued on. "But...I could never hate you for following in that faith. Or anyone, really." He explained. "When I said I couldn't be around really devout Yevonites, I wasn't necessarily talking about the people themselves, and if I did hate anyone like that, then I'd think that it was because of their personality, and if they weren't part of Yevon, I'd no doubt find another reason to hate them." He gave a small laugh at that. "I was more talking about the culture surrounding them. It's like...when my parents told me they were going to Bevelle, they knew how I felt about all of this, and even though they also probably knew my answer, they offered to take me with them, and to give me enough gil to find a residence and start a life on my own there. And I just...I couldn't. I would never have been happy there. I'm a bit of a recluse here, but in Bevelle I would have been miserable; surrounded by people I didn't know or care to know, going on about Yevon, and wondering why I didn't feel the same way they did about the faith. And I'm afraid that I might say something to upset them, even if I didn't mean it. It's just something that I don't want. I understand why people are happy living that way, and I wish them no ill will, especially not you, but...It's just not the life for me."

Will looked up at Deulis with a nervous smile. "I'm sorry. That was an incredibly long-winded way to say 'our lives may have gone in complete opposite directions, but you're still my friend'. ...However." At that, his smile faded. "I'm sure you know how this sounds: we finally see each other again, after years of having no contact, and the first thing I learn about you is that you're planning on leaving again soon, and it's more than likely I'll never see you again. It's not exactly uplifting." He sighed, hoping that Deulis didn't get the wrong message from this. "But at the same time, I know you have your reasons for it, and It's not my business to ask about them, or tell you not to go on the pilgrimage." That said, if Will thought he could be dissuaded from it, he'd devote all of his time to that. "I just want you to know that, if this is what you want to do, then I support it. Just don't get yourself killed if you're not going to make it to the end. If you're not going to be the one to defeat Sin, I want you to come right back here." Will smiled again as he tried to lighten the mood a bit after all that. He wasn't sure if it worked or not.

Just then, a thought crossed his mind. It was a little selfish, but he couldn't ignore it. "Say...you haven't found a guardian yet, have you?" He asked. "And there's a temple right through Kilika woods." He couldn't believe what he was about to suggest. "Lately, some pretty strong monsters have been appearing in the deeper parts of the forest, some that the crusaders aren't even going near! And since you mostly know white magic, and one aeon, well..." Oh come on, just spit it out already! "Maybe...you could use some help getting to the temple?"

***

I told you so, chimed a soft voice in his mind.

Relief. It was the only thing that was close to the overwhelming feeling that took over Deulis' heart at that point in time. He was more than relieved to hear that Will didn't hate him for this particular choice in his life. While the blond admitted that their paths have certainly diverged, they would remain friends. Then came happiness. Though the summoner wasn't entirely sure why he was that elated to come to know of these things. He just knew he was.

The brunet smiled brightly at the warrior's words, "You don't know how pleased I am to hear these things from you, Will. Thank you. I'm honored to be your friend even after everything. Thank you very much." He got up from his seat and unexpectedly paused inches in front of Will's form, grinning widely before holding the other in a tight, heartfelt embrace, "You started off being weak in body but you were always stronger in heart and mind than I ever could. Now I can see that you've managed to achieve both... I don't think I can ask for a better friend than you, Will."

Deulis broke away from the blond and hummed thoughtfully at the mention of the Temple of Kilika. He gave him a quizzical look but nodded, "Yes... I do have an aeon but as much as we two get along fine and grand, I'm finding it a little difficult to manage him. He's very kind though... And are you insinuating you want to be my guardian?" The brunet almost laughed at the near end, somewhat surprised that Will would suggest a thing. It seemed like it was the least likely of things to expect him to offer considering what he had just said about the religion. Eventually his laughter gave way and he sighed helplessly, giving into the blond's suggestion already, "You were always too perceptive for your own good, anyway. You had and seems like you'll always be good at reading people. Very well, maybe this is your chance to expand on your mastery of your weapons---I am curious how you do well in the field admittedly."

Let's go, my friend. Time to explore the forests, the summoner whispered in his mind.

That was sooner than I thought. Alright then. He seems nice.

He smiled and turned to Will. Yes, I think so too. "I'll meet you at the entrance after lunch I suppose? Or are you ready to go asap? I'd like to inform my family first and gather supplies. My staff and everything else are at the compound. Then you?"

***

The hug had certainly caught Will off-guard. Nevertheless, he responded in kind after a second, wrapping his own arms around Deulis. "I'm glad you feel that way." He said simply, as the hug was ended. He nodded as his friend caught on to what he was suggesting. "You caught on quick." He told him with a smile. I was planning on formally offering once we got to the cloyster of trials, but I guess there's no reason to beat around the bush." It was a huge relief to know that Deulis would accept, at any rate.

At the mention of lunch, Will's stomach growled. "Actually, Lunch sounds good right about now. Actually, I guess it would be breakfast, since I haven't eaten yet." Come to think of it, he had been about to march right into the forest without eating at all! "And I think it would be best to get some supplies as well. I have some...essentials I need to gather in case we run into something really nasty. So it's settled then: we meet at the edge of the forest in an hour or two?"

***

"I got a few tricks up my sleeves from there and there I suppose," said Deulis in a teasing tone as he poked Will on the chest and sauntered off to lean against one of the opened windows of the warrior's hut. He propped his elbows on the edge and looked beyond the horizon, smiling when he caught sight of the children from where he was standing. They were still there.

"Formally offering huh. You know there's really no 'formality' in when a summoner chooses their guardian? High Summoner Braska selected Jecht while he was in prison. As simple as that, he gave a contract and the latter took it. Even till present, there's never been any ruling about the selection of guardianship." The brunet huffed and looked elsewhere, "I suppose if I was so bold enough to pick an Al Bhed, it wouldn't matter as long as I said they were my guardian too. The summoner's word is absolute. If I state that you're my guardian, then it's the law. No matter the circumstances."

...Al Bhed. All too quickly, the happy vibe he wore on his person evaporated at the mention of the machina-practitioners west of the mainland of Spira. Deulis smiled grimly, sad and suddenly melancholic at the memory. It would have been a joy if they were his guardian too, now that he thought about it. But then wasn't their passing why the brunet decided all too suddenly to abandon his sportsman career path and take up the staff and mantle of the summoner...?

Focus!

Deulis reeled back against the window, pushing himself away from the edge and nodded absentmindedly, "Yes, of course... Lunch, in an hour or two sounds fine by me. You'll be able? We normally have a huge meal enough for many back home since the family dines with the workers at the mess hall. You'll be welcome to join us if you don't have any other plans."

***

Will smiled at the mention of Braska. "I think we all remember Braska, Aauron and Jecht."He said.Even if he was against the teachings, some of the people who went on the pilgrimage were absolutely unforgettable. Anyone who undertook the task as defeating Sin were pretty sure of their endgame; that not only was one person guaranteed to die in the process, Often entire parties, successful or not, were never seen again. And yet rather than facing the situation in resignation, they quite literally marched towards death, sometimes jovially so! IT was the one thing that Will could say about Yevon: It gave people hope. Hope that at least some children wouldn't have to grow up worrying that every day could be their last. And while it was temporary, it was hope nonetheless. Probably the most memorable was Braska's team, the very definition of "ragtag bunch of misfits"; A drunk, a boisterous monk that was never seen without his bottle of sake, and the summoner that had to keep the three of them together.

It didn't take long for Will to notice that it had been almost a minute since Deulis had said anything, although admittedly he had been distracted by his own thoughts for some of that time. It seemed like the brunette was going through the same, and as Will was about to try and get his attention, Deulis pulled away from the window and answered him, along with inviting him to have lunch with him. Will didn't even have to think about it. "I never have plans!" He told his friend with a level of confidence that wasn't quite appropriate for the situation. "Though I suppose that's going to change real soon, once the pilgrimage comes into full swing. To answer your question, yes, I'd love to join you for lunch."

***

Deulis laughed a little. Yes, things weren't going to be same from that point on. Nothing ever stayed the same. The blond had this thing for being difficult to dissuade once he had his mind was set on something. Thus it came as a most pleasant surprise when he personally offered to be his guardian. Not that the summoner minded. Looking at it, he supposed that this was perhaps the best possible set up. Will was still his friends. Didn't judge him for being a summoner and was even more than willing to be with him in this journey across Spira.

It was going to be a good way to die.

He walked on ahead, then deciding to lead the way this time since the pair were headed to their family home after all. "Then let's get going, guardian," the mage said while wrapping a hand around the wooden handle. The brunet paused momentarily and softly whispered the word 'guardian', smiling as he did. He cast Will a brief glance, "Guardian... I think I like the sound of that. My guardian. How the tables have turned don't you think? I used to watch over you back then, now it's your duty to keep me safe. Funny."

The walk to Deulis' family home was rather uneventful, save the times that the summoner would tug at Will's sleeve to engage in nostalgic nuggets of a conversation with the blond about how certain memorable spots in the seaside village. Or how he'd ask if so and so were still around, if they were well, how were they doing. Basically, the brunet was a fountain of endless questions aimed at catching up with the idyllic life that was the Kilika settlement.

Nothing much. Just simple chatter.

Fluffy white clouds decorated the bright blue skies up ahead providing the just right amount of warmth on their skin. The smell of salt and flowers was heavy in the air as they walked through the creaking wooden footbridges that connected the huts of varying sizes and colors, all decorated with bright colorful embroidered draperies native only to their hometown village.

As they entered the family house, Deulis broke the silence between them , "This will be the last time I'll ever be here. After we're done with our due in the temple. I'll never see Kilika again. Ever. I want to settle everything before we go." The brunet was mostly speaking to himself, thinking out loud of what he had intended to do while he was in the village, "I remember the village chief mentioned that he'd like to host a feast for me before I left. Something about me being a hero...," the summoner laughed at the notion. him. A hero. Hardly. "I haven't even left yet. The man's pretty impressed that I have an aeon though. I don't think it's anything special however... Do you think I should oblige the old man on the idea?"

***

Will spend the entire walk to Deulis's place pointing various things out as he asked about them, and filling him in on what had happened while he was away. Perhaps he wasn't the best one to do that, but he thought he did a pretty good job, and was only completely unsure of how one person was doing! Aside from that, the sounds of Kilika surrounded them; the crashing waves along the shore and docks, the seagulls in the air, the children laughing and playing blitzball on the beach, the adults laughing and playing blitzball on the beach...maybe Will was biased, but he couldn't see himself living anywhere other than Kilika.

Once they were at the house, Deulis brought up the fact that this would be the last he saw of this place. "Yeah, I guess if there are any loose ends you need to take care of, now would be the time to do so." Will said. "That reminds me, I should probably do the same. There are a few things that I should really resolve." Sure, there was some chance that Will would be able to make it back to Kilika, but he probably shouldn't count on it. He thought about the prospect of a feast. After giving it some consideration, he said "Well, he can't host a feast for you after you leave, now can he?" He joked. "I'd say it couldn't hurt, but it's really up to you whether or not you want it. If it is to happen though, I'd prefer it to be after we're finished in the temple."

***

"On a lighter note... There's a chance we can visit your parents when we make it to Bevelle... We should go see them. I'm sure they would like to know what your plans are now..."Things to resolve... Was it selfish if he wanted to have his parents resolve their differences, just enough to see each other in the eye? The brunet would've wanted to try at least somehow. Deulis nodded, "Yes, things to resolve. Loose ends to tie up... You still have a chance to come back though...," Oddly enough, the summoner wasn't the very least perturbed by the idea of dying. He seemed...at ease? There was a soft, almost blissful look in his eyes that came with their talk, "Let's make it clear then: if in the event that something threatens both our lives and only one of us can make it, I want that person to be you. Find the next summoner and serve them, Will. Make the Calm happen. I want you to swear on it." He gave his guardian a most serious look the entire time. "Even if I don't make it, I want to make sure it will happen nonetheless."

The summoner thought about the idea of a feast before leaving. Then his promise of a short blitzball game with the children the next morning. He supposed there would be time. And perhaps the feast could also be a window of opportunity for Will to work his 'formal offering' to be his guardian. Though was that really necessary?

"Master Deulis!"

Their arrival at the family house did not go unnoticed as the summoner was greeted respectfully by one of the guards who then escorted the pair into the mess hall. The place had not changed since they were children, save the fresh coats of paint and newer drapes. There was always fresh flowers all over, big bright dazzling flowers that were the favorite of the woman of the house. Otherwise the tables, chairs and constant noise, soft murmurs and rambunctious laughter, were still there. At the head of the table, sat the family matriarch, an older brunette version of Coeur with eyeglasses perched on her nose, long sable brown hair in a relaxed bun peppered with graying strands around her hairline and a folder in her hand as she sat and ate with family and employs alike.

The matriach lifted her gaze at the pair, a slight frown pervaded on her features for a split second that was almost hard to catch before she smiled and waved at the two teenagers to seat themselves. She turned towards the left and yelled at two of the workers who were overstaying their welcome, arguing and lightly fist fighting than eating, telling them to leave and make way.

"Will, my good boy," she greeted with a deep, but womanly voice that belied her age, "So good to see you again. You're all so grown up now." Then she turned to Deulis and bluntly asked, "So you picked him then?"

The summoner nodded, suddenly adapting an air of grace and dignity with his hands neatly folded against his lap while he stood, "More like he chose me," he replied with a chuckle. Deulis looked over his shoulder in Will's direction and then back at his mother, "He added one and one together somehow."

"What a nice boy then. Anyway, you two are a sight for sore eyes, sit down and help yourselves boy. Make your last meals count."

Deulis bowed, hands curved over an imaginary sphere as per their traditional greeting, "Praise Be Yevon."

***

Will thought about his parents. "Yeah. Yeah, it would be nice to visit them. We write occasionally, and they keep saying I should visit some time...and I guess now I have a reason to." He told Deulis. It would probably be good idea, since he really had no ill feelings toward them. They were understanding of his choices in regards to life and what he believed, and managed to set him up with a comfortable life here in Kilika. That was all he really had to say and think about in regards to that subject.

"That's true, but..." Will started, when talk drifted to the pilgrimage. "I've heard that on every successful pilgrimage, two people just never made it back. That's one summoner and a guardian, so, I don't like my chances." Then Deulis got incredibly serious, and dropped a request on him. "Oh. I..." He definitely had to think about that. This wasn't, has never been, and probably never will be, his crusade. He was doing this in the first place because A) Deulis was his friend, and he wanted to make sure he was being protected, at least until he no longer could be. And B) this was a lot easier than saying goodbye forever. But at the same time, he knew how important that this was to him, and this was, effectively, a final request. "I...Yes." Will finally said. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was one that had to be made. "I'll give you my word. If...something happens - which it won't because that would mean I completely failed as your guardian! - I'll find someone else, and do my best to lead them to Zanarkand." He flashed Deulis a smile. "It probably won't be right away of course! I have to rest after all."

That conversation probably could've gone on for a while, but thankfully it was interrupted by Deulis's mother. "Yeah, it's been awhile. I haven't visited as much as I've liked." Will said, some mild regret in his words. He smiled and looked over to Deulis. "Well, I did basically bombard him with questions from the moment I saw him. It was pretty much inevitable that I found out!"

The rest of the lunch just seemed to fly by. It was just all around a good time, with people laughing and talking and all that. It was probably one of his favorite lunches in a long while. When it was over, Will and Deulis had both gone to make their preparations for venturing into the forest, and Will was standing at the edge, waiting for the summoner.

***

Something did come up after lunch.

When Deulis left for his quarters to gather and prepare, the matriarch spoke to Will in private and without her son's notice, drawing the blond to her office and talked to the guardian of their impending guardian. She gave him a large sum of gil, among other chicanery she thought would be useful to the pair.

"Take care of Deulis, Will. Shoulder the burden along with him. He won't say it but this is a load to heavy for one person to carry," she said quietly, the confidence and gruff nature of her tone gone, oddly replaced by something...soft and gentle. So out of character for her. "He's been all alone since---We were selfish, me and Rever. We let our pride get the better of us at Coeur and Deulis' expense. Please don't leave his side. I care so much for that boy..." She pinched the bridge of her nose, casting her gaze off the blond and inhaled deeply to reclaim her bearings and bite back the tears from her eyes. Could not risk losing face in front of her son's guardian like this.

However, the brunet did find it strange that before leaving, his mother, the proud and magnificent matriarch of the clan and bustling port business, stood by the threshold of the gates and gave him a wordless embrace. Did she just send him off?

So she doesn't hate me after all...

Now armed with his staff, the people began to look differently at the summoner with widened eyes of shock and awe. Though it had come to the notice of the villagers that Deulis was dressed too extravagantly for the little town, it never occurred to any of them that the young master had took up the mantle of the summoner. They greeted him with the proper titles, bowing reverently and awkwardly sidestepping to make way for him or became too eager in asking if he needed anything. The brunet seemed put out by the sudden attention, clearly not happy of the attention. Eventually, Deulis broke out into a quick sprint across the foot bridges, wanting to get away and enjoying the way the wind felt across his face.

He thought back at their conversation before lunch.

You better do just that, Will. You need to live when push to shove. I wouldn't want it any other way.

"I'm heeeeeeeeere~!," the boy announced rather cheerfully when he was finally at the edge of the woods, gasping heavily as he stopped to catch his breath, "Hope you didn't have to wait so long. Had some 'traffic' problems at town." Deulis chuckled at the mention of traffic then peering beyond the verdant clearing. "Please lead the way, Will. This is your terrain. You know this best."

***

Will was lost in thought about what Deulis's mother had said to him when the summoner came and startled him. "Oh! Took you long enough." He said, smiling in order to save face after being snuck up on like that. "I trust that you have everything you need, then? All I need was my sword, and a few grenades to help with some fiercer fiends. Don;t tell anyone I have them though; I don't think they're legal." Maybe that wasn't the best place to mention that if that were the case. "Of course! Follow my lead. Just know it's been a while since I've been in the deeper parts of the woods, since some stronger fiends have shown up."

Not five minutes after they entered the thickly thuddled woods, they were stopped by some crusaders. Oh great. Will thought to himself. I'm not ready to talk to them yet. Seeing the summoner, they bowed to him, after which one of them gave Will a look, as he tried to avoid eye contact with any of them. "A fair bit of warning, summoner Deulis." The leader of the group said. "The forest is swarming with fiends, including a rather large one on the path leading to the temple. But I'm sure your guardian can protect you." He said the word with a small amount of malice. Will, for his part, said nothing. This wasn't the time or the place for this, or for Will to try and talk to them.

***

Sensing the swordsman's apprehension, he stepped forward and put his talent for words to practice. Crusaders... The volunteer warriors of Maester Kinoc. I'll handle this one, Will. The summoner cast the group and it's leader a brief glance and a charming smile, tipping his head to acknowledge their presence. He then proceeded to listen to their warnings, eyes trained on the oath bound warriors. The dirty look one their leader cast on his guardian did not go unnoticed on Deulis however. The wordless insult made his temper flare but he knew better than to act on it so openly.

"I see," the brunet spoke in a polite tone, "We're truly grateful for your offered advice, Crusaders. We'll bear these in mind as we make our way to the Temple." He looked over the man's shoulders to see the vague outline of the island's temple and then back at the leader, "Oh gracious, you need not worry over me, gentlemen. I'll be fine. My guardian will be more than enough to take care of myself and the fiends in the woods. We'll do well." Deulis spoke with pride, truly confident in the abilities of his friend, though he'd never seen them for himself. Something told him that Will was anything but a disappointment in terms of battle.

"Now if you excuses us both, we'll be on our way." He bowed towards them, bidding them farewell and walked on ahead then stopped at his heels. Deulis looked over his shoulder and continued, "You should heed your own warnings as much, sirs. If you have so much time to spare to judge my guardian's capabilities, then that's such a shame. Shouldn't the Crusaders be on their toes at all times rather than shaming others in their faces? Good day. It was nice meeting you all."

With that, the summoner continued on walking, pleased with himself at having 'dealt' with the problem without so much breaking a sweat. It was hard to bite back the grin that tugged at his lips knowing that for all that had happened, he had gotten away with it simply because he was a summoner. No one would dare oppose Deulis or raise a hand at him.

He had always been cheeky, even as a child but back then, the pint-sized brunet preferred to settle things outside to the symphony of broken bones and fists making impacts against flesh. (Coeur's influence, sad but true) As Deulis got older, he learned that words stung much more than punches and was more than happy to train in the Art of Sarcasm. Having always been at a more privileged position than most at more than one point in his life, the summoner was more than happy to abuse that and cheerfully insult people knowing he could get away with it.

Once they were out of the Crusaders' earshot, he turned to Will and asked, "So, this fiend they mentioned... Ever met it before?"

***

Even though Will felt like he deserved what he got from the crusader, he couldn't help but smile when Deulis completely shut him down like that. The crusaders for their part, said nothing about it, except the leader bowed and they moved away. "Thanks for that." He told him as they moved deeper into the woods. "But...I don't really blame him for how he acted. I said some things to him, and I haven't made any effort to apologize in...I'd say over a year." That's what Will had in mind when he talked about tying up some loose ends. It wouldn't sit well with him if he left without making things right with the crusaders.

"Oh, fiends?" Will asked, glad to move onto other subjects. "Yeah, once or twice. I've never bothered with it since it's...kind of a lot to handle. You'll know what I'm talking about when you - AH!" A couple fiends jumped out from some trees and ambushed the two. "None of these are it. These ones are cake!" Will explained. He readied his sword. "Watch and learn." He lunged at one of the wolf-like fiends with his sword, running it through its cranium. It went down like that. The other one made an effort to attack Will during that time. He swiftly dodged out of the way, before cleaving it in two. And just like that, the battle was over as quickly as it started. Will confidently sheathed his blade. "I see those fiends all the time when I'm training, they're not too big a deal. Let's continue onward, amybe I'll see something new."

***

Even with the offered explanation, the brunet didn't seem moved. So what if the other Kilikan native had managed to get himself into a predicament with the Crusaders in the woods. That didn't give them the right to be so unprofessional about things. Grown men like them picking on others just like that. How truly mature even.

Deulis raised his pointer in the air, wagging it as he clucked his tongue, "You don't get it, Will. When you're in a position of power, you should learn to appropriate the proper behavior. If you don't, you cannot gain the respect of others: whether they be of higher rank or lower than you. In your case, they should be more professional enough than to make such a pass like that. I'm not a child anymore. They insulted you in open air. I won't have that on my watch."

He let the topic die a natural death when the blond eventually mentioned that this would be one of the 'loose ends' he'd have to wrap up before leaving. The summoner huffed and petulantly declared, "As you will but I won't apologize for what I just said. The man needed to be put in his place anyway. And you're welcome, Will."

The sight of fiends didn't surprise him however. This wasn't the first time he'd seen them up close and personal. Even before his days at the temple of Bevelle, donning his white novice robes, the summoner had a time or two when he'd have to deal with lesser fiends during their travels with the agency. If anything, Deulis cooed at the sight of the creatures and was filled with the excitement of battle, readying himself with a tightened grip of his familiar summoning staff. He had opened his mouth and raised his hand to cast a spell but smiled instead when Will had struck them down even faster.

"You are good with what you do," he commented, walking up to Will's side after he put away his weapon, "Leave some for me next time will you? I'd hate to see you get all the fun!"

***

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure you'll see some action in time. I just think it's a bit of a waste to pull out an aeon the first time we see some fiends, don't you think?" Will said. "Though admittedly, those thing could probably have been handled pretty well with your staff." Will had a laugh at that as he and Deulis moved on. "Where did you get your first aeon, anyway? You said you were with the travel agency, so it could've been anywhere. Let's see." He started trying to figure out where the summoner had been to first. "We're getting the one from this temple now. Djose and Mackelania temples are too far off the beaten path for the first aeon. So that leaves Besaid, and-"

Will abruptly stopped talking as he turned a corner and was inches away from a humongous plant-like fiend, with long, swinging vine tendrils. He jumped back, and turned to Deulis. "This is the fiend the crusaders were talking about." He told him. "See this thing? I can't exactly cut down something that big. That's why I bought these grenades, I thought maybe they would help." He grinned. "Oh! But where are my manners? Alright Deulis, let's see what you've got!"

***

So far, he was enjoying his pilgrimage. Though they had barely left the island town of Kilika and obviously miles away from the ruins of Zanarkand, the brunet felt that they had began on the right foot, both him and Will. The encounter with the rude Crusaders were quickly forgotten as the pair eased into their roles of summoner and guardian effortlessly. It felt natural to him. If they kept this harmonious working relations up until the end, there was no doubt in the grey eyed summoner's mind that he would definitely be smiling from ear to ear once he began his final dance.

"Bevelle," Deulis replied, filling in the blanks for the swordsman as he eased into a battle stance. "My first aeon was acquired from Bevelle. I was reckless enough to make my way into the temple of Bevelle not too long after I was awarded my staff and title. I didn't have a guardian yet I recklessly went through the Cloister of Trials alone and acquired my aeon. The clergy were not too happy with me then..." He laughed at the the last part, grinning widely and absolutely unapologetic of being such an impertinent upstart. "I quit working for Rin and Father after I decided to become a summoner actually. I studied under the clergy of Bevelle and my younger self's logic dictated that Bevelle should be the first point of my journey."

The summoner took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes on the fiend and quietly observed it. If his memory served him right, this one was an Ochu, a plant type fiend that struck down others with it's massive tendrils. Fire spells were best used against this creature. Deulis grunted, feeling a little frustrated that he had all but learned any Black Magic. Holy would do no good in this situation.

He made a mental note to start bridging out to learning offensive spells right then and there.

"This is going to be overkill," the brunet declared as he closed his eyes in concentration and raised his arms to the sky as he silently called out to the aeon

Deulis was surrounded with a swirl of white energy that enveloped his person as he raised his summoning staff in a familiar set of arcs through the air. The air around them grew cold and heavy with unseen energy, sending unknown friends into a frenzied chorus of shrill cries and scampering here and fro, obviously afraid of what was to come. He raised his eyes to the sky, shaking his head at the rather dramatic entrance with the sound of thunder and gray clouds overcast, signaling the appearance of the famed dragon king himself. A loud, booming roar rang clear through the air followed shortly by the unfurling of bright, powerful wings in a blatant display of power. Bahamut swooped down the from the skies and landed with an earth shattering stomp on the ground, not without letting out yet another guttural growl.

When the earth shook at the intensity of the aeon's weight, the summoner nearly fell over, leaning forward then looked over at Will, "Bahamut, This is Will, my guardian. Will, this is my aeon, Bahamut. I decided to keep his name because I was too out of it to think of anything else."

The aeon let out a monstrous grunt, nodding a bit and turned to his summoner's guardian, as if saying 'Hello'.