Witch Hunting [Elsa]

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Her luck never amounted to good luck, it was always bad luck or really terrible luck. Sometimes she wonders if she had spent all her luck finding Squall! She wanted to scream, but it would do not good as the thunderstorm raged on. She had only looked to get a nice walk in and find out where she was. Angelo marched by her side, only pulling guilt into the sorceress' heart. She did not mean to push her friend into such a trying day. Her feet her, she was wet and hungry. She had spent the majority of her day walking and sightseeing, after all what could you do when you found yourself in a strange world you only visited in your dreams? These dark corners that trailed through the Darkness were not really scary. She had traveled through much more trying times in her life and found it exceedingly easier to hide oneself in the shadows. She had his hand to reach out to so she was never afraid of it. Even there, waiting at the end of every Dark Corner was her Guardian. His slender, outstretched fingers would lead her safely through his domain.

But what sort of dream was this? It was cold, wet and icky! More like a Nightmare really. She could no longer take the deep puddles and slippery dirt path. Her black boots were caked in mud and her makeshift poncho left her soaked to the bone. But poor Angelo was worse off. The mottled dog padded as fast as she could through the slick dirt road, her fur soaked and the poor thing whimpering after her Mistress. Rinoa frowned and looked back to her companion.

“I'm sorry sweetie, come on, we'll take a break.” It was not fair to make Angelo suffer for her mistake.

The dark-haired witch peered over the cloth wrapped around her body, but the rivulets of water that spilled over her face matted her bangs against her forehead. The chill was already soaking her to the core, and she could feel her fingers growing numb with every passing second. Looking up the sorceress would notice a large tree hanging over the side of the road. Not just any tree though: it was a shining tree of hope!! It's wide branches and thick spring foliage would provide some much needed shelter from this sopping, wet weather that was most unpleasant. Rinoa picked up her steps and hurried to the tree, Angelo close behind. When the pair arrived beneath the shelter, the once roaring storm was now a heavy rush beneath the leafy canopy. The dark-eyed mage pulled the useless cloak from her head and whipped it out, trying to banish the heavy liquid. Angelo shook out her fur, adding to the already dreary day.

“Gee, thanks Angelo.” The dog barked, as if biding her Mistress great welcome for the shared gift of fur water!

The two of them sat under the shelter for a time. Sighing the sorceress leaned back against the trunk of the tree. She was aching all over and her toes hurt. Every little thing out of place just made her more and more uncomfortable. The woman stood tall and quickly pulled up the straps of her brassier, to properly adjust the extra weight from the soaking fabrics. The two would be in for a long wait, as the rain did not seem to be growing any lighter. She can only wonder how long has it been since she has arrived here, following the path of a Dream left to her by her Guardian? With little else to suffer, but rain, the sorceress squeezed dry her cloak and tossed it over her shoulders. Angelo looked up to her mistress in question. Were they ready to go? The rain would not relent, but the dull sound of rain was soon broken by a shout. A pair of fluffy dog ears perked up, causing Rinoa to follow her partner's gaze.

Down the road there seemed to be a group of travelers being harassed by armored men. Guards? The very sight caused the woman to bristle, and a certain four legged companion. Rinoa had a strong compassion for the weak and helpless. Such injustices never slipped under her radar! When she pushed forward to stop the harassing guards, one of them pulled a sword over the shouting civilians.

“Hey!” The witch called. “Stop!” She threw out her hands, he will driving the rabble-rouser to cease and desist.

A spell would twist in the air surrounding her fingers, before launching out and lifting the guard into the air, his flailing and screaming causing him to drop his blade. She slowed her run until she was a few feet from the confused and scared group. The panic only seemed to intensify when they noticed. They noticed she had bewitched the man in her casting spell. Screams spilled from their lips and the group scattered shouting a foul word into the air: witch! The harsh word gripped the young mage's heart. She had not mean to let loose a spell, but it was growing harder and harder each day. It was not long before she heard the trampling footsteps of more guards, perhaps even Chocobos? She was not sure, but she could not stay here.

“Angelo...” The growling mutt had stood to protect her Mistress, but there was no way they could stay with the growing numbers and someone not be hurt. She was lucky it had only been a Float spell.

The young mage ran and ran, her body tired from the trip. Two steps forward, and so many more steps back. It was arduous and soon she could only collapse to her knees as her legs were starting to feel the numb of the cold rain and mud. The pounding hoofs of horses became louder and louder as they drew nearer. Angelo tried to pull at her Mistress' cloak, but she could no longer move. The brave dog turned and stood before Rinoa, guarding her form. The tiny canine barked, trying to deter the guards from attacking her.

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: Float

❤ notes: I was worried about how much danger I posed.

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

Even the dreary weather couldn't damper Elsa's spirits today.

There was a spring in her step as she traversed the muddy roads, the distant gleam of a city ahead guiding her to its towering walls. The rain hammered down on her, soaking through the heavy navy cloak hanging from her shoulders, the thick fabric billowing in the wind. The mud that might have trumped other travellers did little to deter her: every time the ground become too mucky for her liking, she'd simply engage her storm and, like opening a facet just barely, let a tiny bit of ice slip through her toes and form a little sheet of ice over which she could walk before disengaging her storm again. It was a small thing, but the sense of pride and accomplishment it gave her, to finally have control, was indescribable. It filled her with an elation she had never felt before, and she had no intention of ever letting it slip away from her again.

She skipped over another little mud puddle. A tune she'd composed a long time ago slipped past her lips and filled the air around her, though no one on the road would hear due to the rain. It was like she was in her own little world tonight, alone, on the nearly-deserted road. The city shined and, though she looked forwards to the comforts of an inn, a decent meal and perhaps even a drink or two, she would relish this time to herself. It had been quite a while since she'd been separated from the troupe and this time, for once, it was by choice and with their blessing. She had every right in the world to enjoy herself on this little jaunt, and that was what she planned to do.

"Let it go, let it go~," she sung to herself through the rain. The meaning was convoluted now, of course, because she was finally happy with the concealment of her icy powers, but she didn't care. The words themselves were empowering, as they had been when she'd really needed to let her abilities go on that frosty mountaintop so long ago, and she found strength in them regardless.

Something ahead of her pulled her out of her thoughts, however. She could barely see through the dark and the rain as to what was going on, but the sound of a body meeting the ground with a defeated thud was an unmistakable.

Elsa's chest tightened. She hurried along the road.

It didn't take her long to find the source of the sound: a figure, bent over on the road, a long cloak guarding its features and a dog that stood by its master, barking loudly in the opposite direction. Elsa's eyes narrowed. What, exactly, had happened here? The figure didn't look hurt or otherwise in pain, only that it'd collapsed. But it was clear to Elsa that was the dog was more than impatient or curiously barking at something in the distance -- its voice carried a threatening growl in its warning, a serious challenge to whatever it thought posed a risk to its master.

Slowly, carefully, Elsa walked towards the figure from the other side. She stopped when the sound of hoofs thundering down the road made her raise her head. She could see them in the distance, dark shapes outlined by the glow of the city, armour shimmering and swords gleaming.

Elsa bent down to the figure.

"I'm here to help," she said in a low voice. "What happened?"


(Kind of a crappy post, I apologize. ._.)

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Rinoa was wrapped in the cold, wet rags, her dark hair sopped and sticking to her face, further blinding her as the heavy wash of water cut her vision. Her chest shuddered as she struggled to breath, the cold stinging every nerve ending along her skin. Her body was hardly covered and whatever was protected, was soaked down to the bone. She could no longer feel her limbs, the woman born of the arid plains of Deling City had never had to endure such freezing temperatures. No, that was not true at all, was it? The faint memory of the frozen heights of Trabia were a fresh memory after all, even if it had been years ago. She never understood how Selphie was able to hop around in her short dress in those temperatures. Maybe it was that military training she lacked? Sure she had tried becoming a student at the Garden. She had tried to become more than just the princess, but her body was simply not designed for it. They had spent their entire lives fighting, while she spent hers in a gilded cage, fed by a silver spoon. She was a fallen angel and her only guardian stood outnumbered by an army of men riding upon the backs of monstrous beasts she had never seen before. Four legs and stamping hoofs. The beasts could only remind her of the mount ridden by the powerful Guardian Force: Odin. She had never seen something so frightening. Slepinier's hooves thundered against the ground, just as these. Would they call her death? The steel blades glistened against the backgdrop of lightning, their cries of foul slurs like witch and demon caused her to internally flinch.

Angelo fought hard for her mistress. The canine had spent her life bonded to the woman, so having her partner, her beloved caregiver fall to such a weak state, Angelo found herself having to take the lead. Her mistress was a wonderful pack leader. She was brave and fought enemies that roved too closely to her territory. She cared for pups and she loved Angelo! But when she was so weak, so helpless, Angelo did not mind becoming the leader, showing that she was capable of defending her pack as well. With the men swinging swords, yelling and calling Angelo a 'Familiar', the dog could only take the harsh manners aggressively. She was small, but size did not matter, nor did the large, armored beasts ridden by the men. The dog lowered her body. Her mistress was too weak to give a command, so Angelo had to be smart and act on her own. When one of the men's blades came down, the dog rushed forward. Angelo rushed the man and opened his jaws to snap down on his arm, pulling him back and clear off his horse. The man shouted as he crashed into the mud, his horse panicking. The horse, caused the other horses to panic in the rain as the Knights were horrified to see a small dog take down a large, armored man!

While all of this was going on, Rinoa was completely out of it. She felt someone at her side. “Squall?”

Her bleary mind could only call out to the person she always kept close to her heart. Around her neck there seemed to be a soft shine that glittered off the metal chain that hung from her. The heavier bands that swung from the chain, caused it to shift when she moved. Her thin arms were all that held her up, but barely did so in the wet mud, which sought to suck her in. her legs were caked by the slushy substance, her wrists nearly taken by the earth. One ring, that hung from the chain, was a simple silver band. The second, though, seemed to stand out. It was a larger band, clearly not made for the dainty fingers of a woman. The larger band seemed to have a lion's head carved into it. A sigil of her house perhaps? The voice that carried to Rinoa's ears was not Squall's, nor was it even a man's. When it called to her, asking what had happened... she was honestly embarrassed by her own weakness. She was scared of her own strengths as well. She felt her chest lurch as she fought back her tears. She had thought she was able to hold them back. She could have killed that knight, or even the people around him had a larger spell cast itself. Maybe it was best she was taken and locked away? But Squall's love and effort would have been in vain.

Yes!

She wanted to see him again, no matter the cost. She could not let herself be taken away again and make him worry.

“P..please. S...so cold.” It was all she could bite out before Angelo rushed back to her side.

The fluffy canine pushed herself under Rinoa's arm trying to help her up, but the mud under the dog's paws was too slippery, and the smaller canine, alone: would be unable to get the small mage to her feet. Angelo barked, loudly. She was trying to urge her mistress back to her feet. The men were beginning to fall back into line again. Maneuvering in such weather was proving to be impossible. Angelo whimpered toward the woman who had come by her mistress' side. The dog could tell they were not there to harm Rinoa, so she begged the pale-skinned maiden to help her mistress up. If the woman did, Angelo would pad ahead to lead them somewhere safe.

“Kill the witch! The hound is possessed as well!” The cried, waving their swords as they dismounted their frantic horses. The men marched toward the women.

The storm was becoming bad. The river that rushed beside the road was growing higher and higher as the rains continued to pound down into the earth, filling the channel beyond its capacity. The grounds were not being slammed into by the mixture of winds and now free washing crests of river water. Angelo knew that the water was getting too high, and she knew that higher ground was safe. She knew a place to go, not far from where they were. Down the way was an old, abandoned farm, higher set from the river's basin as the seasonal floodplains began to swell. The water finally rushed onto the land and toward any fool enough to remain. . .

--

Angelo Rush- 2 Cooldown: A counter attack, where Angelo responds to his master's peril and strikes an enemy in return. Angelo rushes out from her side and tackles the opponent with a harsh bite. Angelo rarely rushes into battle without command from her mistress.

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: Angelo Rush

❤ notes: It was a cold and stormy night, but I wanted to be held.

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

"Squall?" Elsa heard the figure ask. It had a woman's voice.

The girl was crouched over so far that it had been impossible for her to tell who it was beneath the cloak, but at least she had a gender to go by now. She even caught the shudder of the woman's chest beneath her cloak and the strangled sound of a sob being held back. The poor girl was clearly distressed, and with the stampede of bodies that grew closer and closer at every moment, it wasn't hard to imagine why.

Whoever 'Squall' was, he must be important to her. She knew the tone in the girl's voice -- the one that only escaped one's lips when all hope was lost. When only the most important words were allowed, were even considered to be let past the threshold and into the world.

Elsa wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her into an awkward hug. The girl's body shook beneath her own, though from fear or something else Elsa couldn't be sure.

The thunderous horde of hooves were dangerously close now. The girl's dog jumped in front of them protectively. Elsa watched as the little creature snarled at the first rider as he approached. He was a tall, built man, wearing a shining suit of armour and a cruel demeanour. That didn't stop the little dog from launching itself at the Knight, grabbing onto his arm with its maw and ripping him from his mount. The Knight's horse, startled, rearer and neighed. The horses behind it, like dominoes, soon followed suit and left a few rows of frontline Knights in the mud, steed-less, as their rides turned tail and retreated back the way they'd come.

"P...please. S... so cold," said the woman.

A pit of guilt settled in Elsa's stomach.

If I'm to help you, she thought, it's not about to get any warmer.

The dog was back now, pushing its nose under Elsa's arms and trying, it seemed, to force the other girl to her feet. It tried several times before turning its face up to hers, whimpering. Begging. There was no denying the look in its eyes. It was asking for her help.

She gave the dog a smile and patted its head. She nodded at it, somehow knowing it would understand what she meant. She turned back to the woman and pressed her lips close to the hood of the woman's cloak, hoping she would be able to hear through her sobs, the thundering of the rain and the whimpering of her companion. She opened her mouth to speak until the Knights' words froze her.

"Kill the witch! The hound is possessed as well!" they cried in unison. They'd dismounted their panicked horses and were making their way towards them with heavy, metallic footsteps.

Elsa could practically feel the Darkness growing in her heart. Anger appeared like a spark that threatened to burn away even the tamed storm that resided in her chest. Memories of Arendelle, of that horrible night on her coronation day, after years of struggling to keep her unruly icy powers a secret from her sister, her people and the rest of the world and then the slow disintegration of her control as Anna asked for her blessing in marriage, as the scene had escalated, as her glove was stolen, as ice sprayed out of her fingers and covered the floor in spiked shards. The moments outside in the courtyard burned most vivid -- the woman and her child, arms outstretched in offering to her new Queen for her blessing, when Elsa's hands had met the fountain behind her, turning a beautiful monument into a horrific freak show of polar power, staggering back with wide eyes and babe pressed to her chest.

There was no doubt about it. The witch these men must be shouting about was the woman she held in her arms.

Did that mean the woman had powers of her own? Powers that these people, these so-called Knights did not accept? What would they do to her? What had she done to deserve an armada to come after her?

Whatever it was, it didn't matter.

Elsa squeezed the woman's arms comfortingly. Then, resolve burning behind her eyes, she stood, navy cloak bellowing in the wind as the river overflowed and sent water spilling across the drowning plains. Calmly, slowly, Elsa lifted one arm. She pointed lazily at the oncoming surge and, with the flick of a finger, sent a jet of blue magic into the torrent. The water came to a stop in seconds, its very essence transformed: a thick wave of ice stood sedentary on the field. Bringing her arm out in from of her, Elsa flicked her finger for a second time -- ice sprayed from her fingertips, following her hand, as though she were painting on a canvas. She painted a long line of spiked ice that divided her, the woman and the dog from the oncoming horde. She watched, mildly amused, as the men beyond the icy barrier came to a skidding halt before they fell face first into the deadly icicles.

She walked forward to meet them on their side of the divide. There was a confidence in her steps that had not been there for quite some time, though the woman would have no idea that she'd only recently picked herself up and put herself back together enough to be able to accomplish what she just had without freezing half the world first. As thunder boomed and lightning flashed in the sky above, rain still falling in heavy sheets over all of their shoulders, Elsa stood, alone, at the front lines, her hands curled into fists and her brow furrowd.

"Good evening, gentlemen," she said. "What was it you were saying about a 'witch'?"

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Rinoa felt an unfamiliar pair of arms wrap around her body. It was warm and almost convinced her that she was saved, but the roaring of knights cold cold, abrasive bumps against her skin as she sought comfort in the body she was pressed to. Without hesitation the young sorceress wrapped her arms around the figure aiding her. Her head lowered to blindly press itself against Elsa’s collar. Her heart thundered in her chest, the beat a song of fear, an emotion shared only by the attention of excitement, but there was nothing in this situation to be excited about. Her black hair was sopping wet, blinding her view from the clear expanse it should be, instead only offering faded forests of black and hazel, soaked by the washing storm that churned around the country. Rinoa’s companion: the small dog at their side perked her ears at her mistress’ distress. It was too much!

When Elsa released her icy magic to stop the charging soldiers, they could only sit crumpled in horror at the icy display of the dark arts. The horses were already backing out and fleeing, turning tail down the muddy road. With the river now attempting to make the road part of its territory there was little room for any foolish to walk upon the harrowing terrain. The soldiers found themselves now trapped between ice and the rushing waters of the river with no horses. The captain stood and pointed to Elsa in anger. His men stumbled to their feet, knocked to and fro by the water’s waves.

“Tis not the last you’ve seen of us witch! We’ll come with greater force for you and your apprentice, and burn you for your sins! Repent!” The Captain shouted when he was hit off his feet by a sudden rush of water before he and his grunts made a hasty retreat before they drowned.

Angelo seemed to perk her ears in surprise when the ice cascaded across the field. The dog did not seem the least bit afraid of the magic or abashed to Elsa’s earlier touch. She let out a woof before trotting again, her stubby tail wagging in the air. The cold chill was a faint distraction from the pain burning at her limbs as the cold viciously bit into her bones, threatening to consume her. What hurt was knowing she was here, driving by her own mistakes. It seemed that she could not get on without the others. Being by herself, well with Angelo, it was hardest. She wanted to become someone they depended on, so she could protect those in need on her own, but being unable to grasp her own powers risked others more than herself. She could barely even handle kitchen fire without sending everything up in smoke. She felt so useless.

She never wanted to feel how she felt that day…

Trapped, helpless in her own body while her friends were endangered. She could have killed them, worse off: destroy their world. Going to space was supposed to be the solution, they had told her: it was the only choice they could make. There had been no other paths. They had risked themselves to save her. She had almost died alone out there. Her body trembled at the memories that hung so close to her heart, scarring her with a strong fear of her own abilities. Were it to get bad enough she was even incapable of controlling her wings. As she held onto Elsa, her only lifeline right now, she could only find true refuge when she reached up her free hand and clutched the dangling rings that hung from her chain. Her hands were numb, so she could not properly feel them.

It hurt.

“I’m sorry…” Her voice was hushed, her body growing limp as she struggled to walk.

Angelo barked and padded ahead, occasionally stopping to make sure they were following. There was a path that was not as harshly marred by the storm’s vices, the ground covered in a stony path that protected it from the pounding from horse hooves to rain. As the path led along, there it would open into a farm: open fields left unattended to for months, drowned by the rains. A small cabin lay rickety, but still standing, at the end. Beneath the lip of the roof several ravens had made shelter perched in the shattered windows or along the banister. Not too far from the little farm cabin was a wooden barn: also abandoned. The smell of moldy hay, likely victim to the rain, would carry out occasionally by the winds. Angelo padded along, determined to escort her mistress and the woman. She barked and seated herself, patiently waiting. The dog seemed quite intelligent, but it had only come from Rinoa’s love and patience.

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: N/A

❤ notes: It was with a heavy heart that I regret my actions.

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

“Tis not the last you’ve seen of us witch! We’ll come with greater force for you and your apprentice, and burn you for your sins! Repent!”

Elsa stood, defiant, at the Captain's words. She contemplating snapping back, but by the time the words found her lips, he'd been knocked off his feet by the oncoming waves and became so pathetic-looking, growling and drowning, that she let them die in the air before her. He didn't deserve her words. She'd been called far worse than 'witch' by people she cared more for, anyway.

Instead, she turned back to the girl in need behind her. The dog had returned to its master's side, tail wagging and tongue hanging out in giddy appreciation. She smiled faintly at it. The girl was lucky to have such a brave, loyal companion with her at all times. It seemed dedicated to happiness and protection, and had stuck it out throughout the entire confrontation without so much as a whimper. Most animals, like the knights' horses, would have fled at the first sign of trouble.

The thought of another animal-like figure, her own loyal companion, brought a smile back to her lips.

She pushed the thought aside. She'd be back amongst them soon enough. It was this woman -- her new companion -- that needed her help right now. Her 'apprentice,' according to the Captain. Elsa scoffed at the thought. Great teacher she'd be -- lock yourself in a room for years on end, get yourself rescued by your sister and her friends, go off the deep end and retreat into isolation. Rinse and repeat.

She was lucky, and grateful, for this newfound control. It did little to settle the storm inside her, but at least the choice to open the facet and let it go was up to her now.

Elsa bent down to the girl and wrapped her arms around her for a second time. The girl returned the gesture this time, and Elsa felt hair, soaked with rain, press against her collarbone. She hugged the girl tighter and rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her. Sobs still wracked the girl's frigid frame. The waterlogged cloak hung heavy over her shoulders. She could barely stand, as Elsa discovered when she tried, gently, to lift the girl to her feet.

The poor thing was a mess.

Elsa manuevered herself so that one of the girl's arms wrapped around her shoulders. With the girl's dog in the lead, its little tail wagging, Elsa began to walk, holding up the girl's limp, numb limbs with her own strength. She let ice seep out from the bottoms of her feet, creating a smooth surface for them to walk on that wouldn't be affected by the floods, the mud or the uneven road.

They walked for a little while before the castle gates disappeared into the darkness behind them. Small, abandoned farms dotted the landscape before them now, the only inkling of light coming from little lanterns spread across drowned fields. The dog walked on and Elsa, her arms supporting the girl, followed diligently, somehow trusting that the creature was more intelligent that even she had expected.

It was on the road passing one of the farmers' old houses when Elsa heard the girl speak.

"I'm sorry," said a little on the wind.

Elsa shook her head. She leaned her head on top of the girl's and smiled.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she said. "I know what that feels like. Being hunted, just because you're different."

She looked up at the stars as they walked, at the full moon hanging above them. Longing to be heading back to the troupe, to be with her sister and her friends, all the people in the world who had ever accepted her into their hearts when she could have never accepted herself, consumed her. They'd be much better at this sort of thing. They were the ones who had had to sit by her in her darkest hours while blizzards raged around them, freezing skin and fur. They were the ones who had had to encourage her to train her own abilities. They were the ones who had actually tried to fix her. They would know what to say to this girl, what to do to help her come to terms with whatever those men hunted her for.

Not her. She had merely survived the process once before.

She held up a hand to the girl, beneath her hood, so she could see it without moving her head. With a snap of icy magic, a shard of ice formed, crystallized and glowed an eerie blue in her palm.

"My name is Elsa," she said. "What's yours?"

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Angelo waited on the porch of the abandoned farmhouse. The storms were too much, many of the farmhouses abandoned after too many floods. The heavy wash of rain clattered through the thickets of knee high grass that lined the areas unaffected by the muddied waters, where much vegetation has since drowned and turned a rotten brown. Rocks were slicked and course from years of erosion. Moss could be seen barely clinging off the jagged stones that jutted from the corners of the home, likely shelved upon bedrock. The house itself was worn from disrepair. Windows busted in by rocks young children took practice on. The second floor was likely an attic used for storage, its window saved from the mischievous intentions of passing youth: stones still evident on the lip of its slightly angled roof. A fog surrounded the farm, old trees lifeless as evident of their naked, gnarled branches hanging over the decrepit home. The wooden supports of the porch were best left untouched: mold and rain has since eaten away at the once stable foundations. Even the stairs moaned out a pained sounding set of creaks did well to shake the heart with threats of collapse.

If the pair made it inside they would find all what one would expect from an abandoned home, many years from the touch of a caregiver. The stone used inside the home was not as evident outside. It seemed a sound structure, overall. A layer of dust and cobwebs decorated the dilapidated shambles of wooden furniture left to its fate. The sound of dripping cascaded in from outside due to the missing windows, but the stones provided a slight shield from the penetrating cold that only seemed to blow in on the passing wings and shaking cracks of thunder and lightning. The foyer had a raise in the step where old shoes, which were now likely home for spiders and snakes, lay collapsed at the entryway. Partially collapsed, wooden stairs led up to a second floor, but it looked much too dangerous to proceed. To the left of the foyer was a living space and to the right the dining space. The kitchen was equipped with a cast iron, wood burning stove and a wooden table clearly upon its last leg. The chairs were more worthy to be a fire’s tinder than seating arrangement.

The living area held a fireplace, ash and rain collecting in a bucket at its basin. The bucket had a hole chewed through by time so all of the water drained out and into the living space, spilling into a nearby drain at a constant swirl. Frames hung along the walls, some victim to children's stones: lay shattered and faded away by rain, upon the floor. What was left had long since bleached by the sun which likely poured in on brighter days. There were no curtains left hanging to protect the room from sunlight. There was another room straight across from the living area. A storage. There say many abandoned goods and the clear stench of mold from food that had been exposed to water. Though it was quite chilly inside with shattered windows and crooked doors, it would stand to be miles better than the icy, spring rains.

Angelo padded over the debris of furniture with ease. A long couch lay abandoned in the furthest portion of the living area, facing the fireplace. It was an old, wooden bench with some old pillows covered in dust and cobwebs. The young mage seemed to shift her head toward where Angelo moved. Her companion her eyes as she stepped as best she could with Elsa’s help. Angelo seated herself by the fireplace and whined. The pup began to paw at the bucket before if finalyl was knocked over by her antics. The water spilled out and the dog simply hopped back to keep her muddy paws from the chilly water. A soft chuckle escaped the young witch’s throat. It was nice she tried, but there was no way a wet fireplace was going to be it. Rinoa was trembling but she seemed to have her footing on stable ground. The black-haired sorceress pulled off the wet cloak and tossed it off. Angelo gave her body a shake and Rinoa gave her head a shake, the pair tossing off water every which way. She cried out and clasped her arms around her body. Naked, thin limbs were gripped by pale, thin digits as she crumpled in on herself.

“I-I… I am sorry.” She shuddered as the nipping chill of spring cut through her numb, blistering flesh. “I’m s...such trouble.” She did not help the others on the side of the road alike she wanted to. Instead she seems to have caused more trouble.

She looked to Elsa, her own, brown highlighted bangs, brushed over her face. Rinoa pouted and pushed her hair up as best she could to get a good eye full of the woman that helped her. Pushing back her worries the mage grinned sheepishly. Her entire form seemed victim of the cold, why even the girl’s duster was soaked, though she did not seem to be wearing much else. A thin, black tank top and biker shorts were not really going to bring her comfort in this weather. In fact everything she wore seemed a distant and grand abnormality to what one usually wore in such circumstances, or at all!

“Name’s Rinoa, it’s great to meetcha!” She had a bright and youthful way of talking. her smile pinching her thin eyes up as she let out a nervous giggle, her body shaking like a nervous mouse. “I-I really am not u-used to the coooold” She shivered. “Especially cold rain!” Woe was she.

But those cold gazes earlier were a thousand times more painful to the witch.

Rinoa looked around the building and groaned. She’s been in sketchier neighborhoods, but they were never this cold! She wriggled in place and looked up to Elsa, her dark eyes seemingly sparkling with life.

“Hey...Do you have anything dry? I really need to change.” Rinoa moved to tug down at her duster to show her tank top beneath, and beneath that naught but a brasserie. “Everything I’m wearing is soaked. I feel so super icky.” Not to mention cold.

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: n/a

❤ notes: A heartfelt fear.

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

Elsa helped the shivering girl into the abandoned farmhouse, through the dusty, decrepit halls and onto the worn furniture that still stood, despite the barrage of stones, the creeping invasion of water and the undeniable proof of age that threatened to leave her sitting on the floor. She soon got up again, though, and Elsa watched as the waterlogged cloak came off and landed heavily in a corner. For the first time, the Snow Queen had a decent look at her new companion. The girl before her was skinny, with long raven hair that fell in straight locks over her shoulders. Beneath her cloak she wore only basic clothing -- no wonder she shivered so -- and when it came off and her arms wrapped across her chest, even Elsa, who processed cold like fish processed water, seemed to shudder involuntarily.

Outside, the storm worsened. For once, it wasn't Elsa's fault. No, nature seemed to be throwing a grand and glorious hissy-fit beyond their non-existent windows. Rain and hail (okay, perhaps the hail was slightly her doing) fell in heavy sheets across the open plains. The sound it made against the collapsing roof was loud, made louder by the broken stairs which meant the hallway swallowed the din and forced it inside.

Elsa lifted a hand and constructed a wall of ice between them and the main hallway. The sound rattled on, but at least they could hear one another. Which was good, because the girl had started to speak. The young queen listened intently, a smile on her lips, as she pulled down her own hood and let her long, blonde braid sweep freely across her shoulders once more. Though it still hung over her shoulders, the cloak could not quite keep the glittering fabric beneath a secret from the world. The occasional flash of lightning or the inexplicably intermittent light from the house made the elegant gown glint at every opportunity.

The girl was apologizing for herself.

Elsa only smiled and shook her head.

"You aren't a trouble," she assured her. "Like I said, I... I know what that feels like. I would have done the same for anyone in that situation."

The girl went on, introducing herself now. Rinoa. It was a nice name, Elsa thought. Rhythmic and exotic. Not a name she'd heard from any of the worlds she'd been to in her travels, though it was possible the girl originated here. The Captain seemed to recognize her easily enough. She couldn't be sure -- there was a certain otherworldliness to the girl that Elsa couldn't quite pinpoint -- but until she learned more, she kept her assumptions to herself.

"I'm afraid I'm the wrong person to help you deal with the cold," she admitted sheepishly, but chuckled as the girl clasped her thin fingers around her arms and jumped around, trying to warm herself up. Her voice was soft and pretty to Elsa's ears. "I'm afraid I don't have anything with me... even my clothes are a bit wetter than I'd like, but... perhaps I can whip up a little magic for you."

The Snow Queen raised a dainty finger in Rinoa's direction. She squinted with one eye shut and pointed at the girl's feet. A jet of icy magic flew from her fingertip and, like a spool of cotton, magic fabric unwound itself around her companion. She traced a long skirt, hanging just past the knees, up to her new friend's waist and complimented it with a long-sleeved jacket, both of which bore Elsa's trademark snowflakes and bright blue colouring.

"There," she said, inspecting her handiwork. "Any better? I'm not affected by the cold, really, so it's hard for me to tell..."

She chuckled a little nervously herself.

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Angelo barked out when Elsa used her spell to seal up part of the room. The bark caught Rinoa’s attention.She raised Angelo from a pup so knew her personality more than anyone else. If one ever tried to tell the young sorceress animals did not have feelings or personality she would certainly start a fight with you. Though animals were not people, it was because of this Rinoa felt their actions were far purer. They did not do what they did for reward or compensation, but because for you, they held an unconditional affection. When Angelo spoke, in a sense, Rinoa listened. Each bark and growl had a different tone that let the witch know if she was in trouble and traveling alone as she has been as of late, only stirred a stronger sense of alert for the mutt’s reactions to situations. It was a strange response though. Angelo was not afraid of Elsa, nor was she alerting of trouble.

She merely alerted.

Rinoa looked over to the icy wall. It did not seem abnormal. As of late she was discovering not everyone required stocked magic to cast it, but even still that did not make these people sorceress nor sorcerers. What made that was the unique presence of overwhelming magic in one’s body. She had yet to find another quite like her. Her arms would only tighten around her body when the now muted storm allowed her to hear her own, beating heart. The chill that crawled down her back arched at her shoulder blades where she could feel the weight of her wings. They were not visible to the eyes of humans, but those with powerful states of magic could feel something hovering over her. They were not yet corrupt, but she had the nightmares still.

She dreamt that she finally set them free, only for them to be black. She would reach out her hand and kill Squall, watching him fall over the edge, his dying breath calling her name. Ever since that fight with Edea in that state, she would occasionally suffer this nightmare, among many others. She often woke to find herself in the Darkness, led by a soft, thrumming laughter. She would once again, fall into her Guardian’s arms and sleep in his embrace to fight the fears she could not overcome in her sleep. No matter how hard she tried in her waking hours: she was weakest and most vulnerable to them when she slept.

She had not seen her wings in a long time, forcing her powers away from even herself. Though this caused her body to react oddly, sometimes dangerously, she felt it would help control them, reign them in, but it seemed nothing helped. Just sneezing caused a mess in and of itself.

When Elsa began to weave her unique Magic the young sorceress froze. Her body tensed as the strangely cool-yet-dry, fabric knitted over her tiny figure. Angelo did not react so she was not in danger, but the shock of this, of another that was quite like her… The rebelling princess thought her words were merely pitying politeness, not gentle candor. Her pale face, seemed to fully express the shock that was now beholden of her. Another sorceress? But what could she say? What would she say? Traveling the worlds there was one thing Rinoa knew: they were not born of Hyne. The young girl, now in a fancy bit of clothing.

“Y-you--” Rin could hardly breathe as she flailed her hands around, bouncing in place. Angelo tilted her head and barked to snap her mistress out of it. “You’re the same!” And with that squealed out at a less than desirable pitch the witch tackle-glomped Elsa, tears in her eyes. “I’m not alone!”

At least for now…

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: n/a

❤ notes: I've been by myself for so long!

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

The look of astonishment on Rinoa's face didn't faze Elsa much. It was a look she was all too familiar with, a look she received every time she showed her powers to people for the first time. At least, it was to those who didn't know magic. She was surprised, however, to see Rinoa react as she did. The Captain had called her a witch, hadn't he? Surely she had some sort of magical ability of her own, else such a threat wouldn't have been made. So this shouldn't faze Rinoa, either.

Yet it did.

And moreso than Elsa realized, at first. But as she kept her eyes on the girl, her fabric-weaving done, watching as Rinoa examined her new clothes with dumbfounded amazement, Elsa latched on to a second emotion that she hadn't noticed upon first inspection. Disbelief. Not the disbelief in magic that most rewarded her efforts with, nor the disbelief that accompanied terror at her witchcraft, but a strangled, tortured sort of disbelief that could only mean--

"Y-you--" said Rinoa, stammering. Her breaths were quick and shallow and her hands waved erratically. "You're the same!"

Elsa tilted her head. "What do you--"

The girl launched herself at Elsa. The Snow Queen squeaked in shock and, as their bodies collided, fell backward onto the ground with an "oof!" She laughed a little, unsure what else to do in the situation, and wrapped her arms comfortingly around the girl, still unsure of what the girl was talking about, though she had her suspicions. Lightning flashed through the windows and threw light across the walls, making the crystals on Elsa's dress and the tears in Rinoa's eyes sparkle.

"I'm not alone!" Rinoa cried, that same disbelief Elsa had caught earlier hanging from every wavering word.

Elsa smiled and brought one hand up to rest on the back of Rinoa's head. She ran her fingers through the girl's hair, hoping it would comfort her. Her other arm remained wrapped around the girl's back, holding her to Elsa's chest, as the two lay, entwined, on the ground of the run-down home with the rain splattering on the roof, the storm cackling over the plains and Angelo's playful barks reverberating off age-old wood. It felt nice to be able to help someone else for once. To be the strong one for someone who needed her.

Like so many had been for her in the past.

It was about time she took her turn playing guardian.

"No," she whispered to the girl. "You're not."

She rested her chin against Rinoa's forehead.

"Hush, now. Everything's going to be alright. Don't cry..."

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Rinoa unabashedly held onto the woman. All of her worries that the witch held on her shoulders seemed to lift, as if her wings were molting. The girl was not ashamed in crying, or being afraid. She let her heart free, the consumption of loneliness had taken its toll on her. Her fists gripped onto the fabric of her temporary sleeves, body shaking with sobs. Angelo could only watch as her mistress despaired, the mutt moving to look around. The dog padded out of the sitting area, sniffing around. She wanted to help her mistress feel better. As Rinoa felt her body’s last few tears escape she exhaled and her body completely stilled. Had she passed out? Well the bright eyes that suddenly peeked up from her bangs said otherwise.

Round, chocolate orbs blinked, cheeks red and puffy from the release of emotions. She moved to sit back on her legs, her body too exhausted to even stand. Rinoa nervously played with the end of the skirt she was now wearing. It was strange having a skirt on… Sure she wore dresses for special occasions but she felt skirts a bit silly. She preferred her shorts, indefinitely. Biting at her lower lip the young sorceress twisted around her thoughts. Her mind was slowly piecing together what she had really just seen. Like her… like her. She had unusual magic, yes, but that did not necessarily mean this woman was a sorceress herself. The idea of a sorceress on her world was very -- unwanted. Sorceresses were feared, and it seemed that was the case on many worlds too… She could have been a mage that was simply skilled…

But the more Rinoa tried to justify Elsa’s magic as normal, the more she found the mage was more and more comparable to a sorceress. The compelling beauty this woman had and the power over the ice spell she had just seen… It was out of the ordinary to her. From her experience sorceresses were always powerful, beautifully youthful women. The magic in their bodies forbade aging, the corrupting soul seed required a witch to pass on her powers so that the could die in peace. Rinoa doesn’t think she could ever curse another to suffer. She would prefer the unknown risk of keeping her powers beyond her present lifecycle. Rinoa looked onto her lap, her eyes drawing to anywhere but Elsa’s. The patterns on the skirt were so beautiful, her eyes tearing up again, threatening the edges of her dark eye.

A deep inhale pulled in a childish sniffle as Rinoa pushed her palms to brush her eyes, wiping the drying tears. “I’m okay, it’s just I have never seen anyone capable of weaving magic like that…. for so long--” She could not say like her, though it may have been more obvious than she hoped.

Rin worried her hands as she stared down. Angelo padded her way back into the living area, the dog had gotten into the linen storage and muscled her way into the living area, pulling the blankets she was rewarded for her faithful endeavors. Rinoa felt the cold, wet nose bump her hand. Looking down, and instinctively raising her hand: Rinoa pet the soft, fuzzy head. She realized Angelo was still wet. Her heart melted for her companion’s woe. Using the dry sleeves of the provided garb, courtesy of the snowy mage, Rinoa proceeded to dry off Angelo’s head without a care for herself and for the fact she was only going to get wet again.

“Oh sweetie, I’m super sorry. I totally was being selfish, you’re a good girl. Thanks for helping.” She leaned down and kissed Angelo’s head before holding the panting dog’s face up, very proud they did a good job and were being praised. “And this is Angelo, she’s my partner.” That word had a very strong hold to it.

Partner.

There was no other to stand so proudly by the girl’s side.

It was getting late, the sun had already set and the darkness was crawling in as the rain began to trickle down to a light shower, but still fell. Rinoa took one of the blankets from Angelo and brushed down her head a bit more. It was a nervous silence. It was obvious the young witch was trying to avoid looking at Elsa or say anything more on the matter. Rinoa knew it was hard to talk about it and it was embarrassing to even bring it up. How could she ask such a thing? The very mention riled foul memories and the blasphemous knowledge if the evil sorceress were capable of. She was born this way and nothing she could do would change it. Was her mother a witch as well? Was it perhaps the natural way of Galbadians for a leader to wed sorceresses, for them to reach such positions of power? She never wanted to be in that place, so she left home again.

Than the Darkness came.

“I…” Rinoa paused and looked over to Elsa, her hands gripping into the mutt’s thick fur. “How did you do that? H…” She glanced over to the ice wall, than her clothing. “How can you… control it?” She finally bit out her question.

Normally Rinoa was very upfront. Sometimes the princess was well teased by her close friends for her lack of inhibitions and inability to act a bit more ladylike. She was stubborn and open with her wants and needs. Perhaps there were times where she absolutely overwhelmed poor Squall, more than he likely admitted. But when it came to her sorcery it was an object of shame. Utter self-hate driven by the historical knowledge of the path Sorceresses of Hyne followed..

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: n/a

❤ notes: I didn't want to remember that Darkness.

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

Elsa sat as still as she could as Rinoa wept against her chest, moving only to tighten the hug she held around the girl as Rinoa's fingers grasped at her arms. She rubbed the sobbing girl's back, adding pressure whenever Rinoa shook from her crying, hoping to remind her that she wasn't alone in her grief. The Snow Queen even managed a small smile to herself. A small, sympathetic smile. She didn't have to imagine what Rinoa was going through. She knew that kind of overwhelming release too well herself. She remembered the words of a song sung atop a snowy peak in her youth, the twisted version that had accompanied a battle for her very life. She shook a little herself and cast away her thoughts.

This was Rinoa's time to heal.

When the girl pulled away, sitting back on her heels, her eyes downcast, Elsa relinquished her. She let her own arms fall to her sides, hands clasping together on her lap. She sat in silence while the girl hunched over herself, eyes meandering everywhere but to her. She sometimes caught the chocolate orbs in the fading light of the day, stained red with grief, crawl up the fabric of her dress but never rising higher than her exposed collarbone. Sometimes the girl's eyes didn't move at all. They stared blankly at the floor or some piece of furniture, clearly looking right through the objects instead of at them. Thoughts, Elsa knew, clouded the girl's attention. She could see it in the pained expressions on her face, the sudden pulls at the edges of her lips. The hesitant tugs at the fringe of her skirt. The fresh glossy coat that adorned her eyes.


"I’m okay, it’s just I have never seen anyone capable of weaving magic like that…. for so long--" Rinoa was saying, before she cut herself off. Elsa leaned forward, reaching out with one hand to rub the girl's arm comfortingly. She seemed to be on the edge of saying something further, but nothing came.

Elsa couldn't blame her. She doubted even she would know what to say, if she had found someone like her when she was still reeling from the weight of her curse. It probably would have broken her... much in the same way that Rinoa's seemed to be doing to her.

"Oh sweetie, I’m super sorry. I totally was being selfish, you’re a good girl. Thanks for helping," said Rinoa, kissing the top of Angelo's head. "And this is Angelo, she’s my partner."

Elsa grinned at the introduction and reached over to run a hand through the dog's sopping fur.

"Hello, Angelo," she said. "Thanks for your help today. I don't think we would have made it here without your help."

She looked up at Rinoa, who avoided her gaze. She spoke regardless.

"I'm sorry... I can't help dry her," she said. "My magic would only make it uncomfortable for her..."

The pair faded into silence once again. The sun set beyond the horizon, plunging the cottage into darkness. Elsa tensed. Her sapphire eyes scanned the living room, the blocked hallway, the collapsed staircase. Darkness only bred more darkness. And darkness, she'd come to learn, had some pretty nasty incarnations. She promised herself there and then that, should any appear, she wouldn't let them anywhere near the grieving girl. For once, she felt like she could be useful, be the one who could actually protect people instead of cowering in the corner out of fear of the enemy, the darkness... of herself, even.

Then, a low voice asked a rattling question.

"I..." Rinoa gathered her strength. "How did you do that? H… how can you... control it?"

Elsa exhaled. It was almost as if she had been expecting the question, anticipating it... and yet, even harbouring those feelings, when the words finally spilled from Rinoa's mouth, she found herself as unprepared to answer than she might have been without considering it.

"I..." she started, considering her words. "...It took me a very long time. And a lot of patience, both with myself and the people who tried to help me. I used to have barely any control at all... everything I touched would turn to ice and for a while I thought I was doomed to that life. But after a while, my friends managed to convince me that I needed to do something about it... it took a lot of training, a lot of focus and a lot of... time, looking inside myself, to finally get a grip on it again."

She smiled faintly. She wondered how best to ask the question she wanted to ask, the one both of them knew neither were about to bring up.

"... Does that make sense?" she asked lamely.

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Rinoa had always held a gentle heart, much like her mother. It was a loving nature that reached to those in need. Her smile always fought to hold itself present, but a bleeding heart made sure that every tear was seen and every frown was a present assurance to the pain others wrought. But much like her father her stubborn streak was unsurpassable. When she found a goal to fight for, there was no question that she was for it.

But there was only so far words could get you and so strong an individual could stand against decades of history. Historically sorceress were prodigies born of Hyne's great powers. Among these women he would hide his power, which seemed to split further and further among the generations, leading many to believe that the root of the sorceress' power was passed to women who met the criteria of the first sorceress. There was no known child born directly from a sorceress. Some speculated they could not give birth, others were sure that no mother would willingly pass on such a curse.

Decades and no one knew anything beyond locking them up. Those capable of living quietly, like Edea, did so. But it was only a matter of time before one sorceress was forced to take on the power and memetic legacy of all sorceresses into herself and be born anew. It was not just power the Witches of Hyne bore, but too the dreams and memories of all sorceress who had succeeded the last. The nightmares or her own misadventures in space were often swallowed whole by the plight of former sorceresses. Perhaps it was merely luck that the one she held by her side as her Guardian was the dominion Lord over Dreams. Without his protection and that of her Knight and partner; the young witch was sure she would have gone mad long ago from loneliness and the screams made real by the vivid dreams.

Rinoa laughed softly, drawing up her hand to wave off Elsa's apology. "Don't worry," Rinoa assured. "She's been in way worse!"

Elsa seemed like a nice lady. She still had a very pretty face, so that would mean she was not yet corrupted by her magic right? At least that was, from the eyes of a Galbadian, what she knew from the condition of a sorceress' maturity. Their wings would become black and heavy with hate and then their faces would carry the weight of the roots of their change along their body; the scars were capable of taking many forms. Sometimes these scars marking the power of corruption were tattoos; ribbons of magic inking their skin. Sometimes the brands on their bodies were in the form of scars on the face or claws on the hands. It was a clear stamp of one who had taken their power too far.

Elsa earnestly tried to explain to Rinoa a mystical and deeply emotional ideology toward one's magic, but in the end Rinoa simply could not grasp it. Rinoa hadn't the patience to boil water, let alone let her, often childish temper, boil over. She was afraid of hurting others but she was more troubled by the fact that she was a Galbadian. She was a idol of power for the militaristic country. And even if she felt things were better peaceful ...if her power could scare aggressors and deter them, she did not mind looking like the bad guy, so long as her friends and, especially her Knight, stood by her always.

Rinoa pushed to stand, stretching her arms far above her head in her temporary new outfit. She sighed out and frowned at Elsa. "Nooo." She whined equally pathetically at her question. Her hands came up to her head, ruffling her hair in one part aggravation and one part trying to dry off. "I've been studying magical theory for like for over four years now and I'm starting to think they're nuts!" Mostly due to the fact many of Garden issued information was for the use with Para-magic machines and not awoken witches with a generations of persecuted voices in their heads!

Rinoa dropped to a crouch and pulled her hands over her head, a soft shout escaping her, causing Angelo to bark at her obvious distress. The aura of gloom now radiated off the cold, unhappy witch. It did not help their current hidey hole was totally creepy with all the creaks and groans. She was so not good with big, empty houses. The whole situation seemed like a sticky horror movie and she was the monster. She could still see the look on the woman's face: frozen in horror. She wiped her palm against her eyes, fighting her wavering emotions.

"Man, I think I got us both stuck in a super icky situation." Now the soldiers of this world were after them both.

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: n/a

❤ Notes: The Wicked Witches of Hyne

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN

[Deleted]

Elsa watched as Rinoa studied her face, the girl's mind still lost in her thoughts behind her eyes. She could practically see her companion reeling through years of history, her eyes searching for something in the present, something lost on Elsa's face that couldn't be found. The Snow Queen was patient, however. She sat, adjusting herself on the floor, while Rinoa's eyes crawled where they needed to crawl, inspecting whatever doubts the girl had about her. She didn't quite understand the look in the girl's eyes, but she knew the sort of desperation that emanated from Rinoa's every jerky movement.

"Nooo," said Rinoa, standing, running panicked hands through her hair. "I've been studying magical theory for like for over four years now and I'm starting to think they're nuts!"

Elsa perked up at Rinoa's words. Magical theory? Study? Her mind reeled. Was there such a thing? Was magic actively studied on other worlds, not just learned for the sake of spell-casting or protection or war, but actual, proper scholars dedicated to its research and understanding? The thought sent dizzying new possibilities into Elsa's mind. Perhaps there was a world out there -- Rinoa's world, perhaps -- where she might find people who could explain to her how and why she'd been cursed with her ice powers. Even after everything she'd been through, from childhood through to her coronation and up until now, on her journeys to other worlds, she had never come across an answer to the first question she had ever asked herself about her unique abilities:

Why?

Why her? Why ice? Her mother hadn't been magical. Neither had her father, the King. She was the first in her family -- the first and only, in a long line of Arendellian royals -- to be born with such abilities. Abilities that tormented her, segregated her, isolated her. Abilities that turned her into a monster for a spell.

Abilities that ruined her life. Abilities she never asked for.

She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she barely realized that Rinoa had sunk back down to her knees, her arms pulled over her head. She only caught on when the girl released a soft whimper which pulled Elsa back into reality. Instinctively, Elsa leaned over and wrapped her arms around the girl again, pressing their bodies close. Rinoa's skin felt cold -- cooler than it should be -- and bumps stood like chicken flesh on her arms. Elsa rubbed her hands down Rinoa's arms in an attempt to warm her, to comfort her.

And then Rinoa spoke.

"Man, I think I got us both stuck in a super icky situation."

Elsa laughed into Rinoa's shoulder.

"That's okay," she said. "I've been in 'super icky situations' before... some a lot more dire than this. We'll get out of it together, okay? And no matter what happens, I won't let those men hurt you. That's a promise."

She squeezed her new friend gently.

"... You have powerful magic too, don't you?"

[Deleted]

❤ I don't want the future. I want the present to stand still. I just want to stay here with you ❤

Rinoa was an utter mess. Today was harder than usual. Dropping in such a place and getting looked at like she was a monster. She had gotten used to the sting of the stares back home, but that was because the majority of them were suppressed by the Garden leaders. She was thankful for Squall and those like Xue and Quistis. But the stares back home were merely ones of curiosity. She was a freak for their circus and viewing pleasure. A sorceress’ place on her world was already marked by centuries of power struggles. Laughed as she folded her hands together, keeping her arms behind her back. Elsa’s question was totally invasive! Yup yup. Powerful? Maybe one day. Right now all the witch had were scraps and bits of what would become a frightening super power that could envelop the world! Of course that was not something she wished to do, but it would likely become so one day…. Even now she fought and kept from allowing her wings to appear. She was afraid they would be tainted.

Rinoa shook her head and smiled brightly as she held up her hand. “Me? Powerful? No way.” Her heart was racing at her own lie, a lie she wanted so much to believe herself

It was a lie she wanted herself to believe. The witch looked around. She spun on her heel so her back was to the ice queen. Angelo sat and whined at her mistress’ distant manner. Rinoa folded into herself and tried to draw away from her worries. The house was pretty big. She wondered if it was a lovely place to live were it taken care of? She could only imagine the amount of time it took for it deteriorate to such a point. The wood was molded and splintering back against the weight of the stones that created the base of the home. The structural integrity was questionable, at best and at worst it had hours until the entire house collapsed. Rinoa had hoped the latter was not the case because the rain only sounded as if it was growing worse. Rinoa’s shoulders slumped slightly, her dark hair dancing over her shoulder blades.

“Hey…” Rinoa called out, her head looking over her shoulder a bit.

Her lashes fluttered as her more invasive bangs drifted over her eyes. She reached up her hand to pull them back behind her ears, head turning back to face the walls. Angelo sat partially covered by the sheets she had brought, her fluffy rump tangled in the cotton folds. Beneath it one could see the faint motion of the canine’s stubby tail as it wagged. The act did not directly indicate joy, nor any sort of happiness, but instead focus. Angelo was focused on Rinoa and could see things of her Mistress others could not. Dogs, better than anyone, knew what fear smelled like and could easily recognize when someone was uneasy. It was no good if any member of the pack could not perform. Shuffling forward Angelo pushed her head against the woman’s leg. On a motion of instinct Rinoa reached down and pet Angelo’s head, brushing her fingers behind her wet ears.

“Elsa?” Angelo padded in front of Rinoa and sat. “What about you…?” She clasped her hands to her chest. “What are you doing in such a place? The way you seem so confident, you must be strong.” Showing her powers instead of hiding them… that was the meaning behind her vague wording.

While the women set to hide themselves out, the guards that had encountered the pair had gone missing decided that they could not just let some witches roam around free, and dangerous ones no less. They went to the Judge to get permission to go on a Witch Hunt. They had captured the woman who had seen them and could identify them. She would remain in custody until the time they could be located. For now all they had to go on was the unusual dog they had with them and their clothing. They became know as the Blue Witches, for their affinity toward the color. It was difficult to search as the rains had flooded a great deal of the flat plains and brought much of the river aboveground, closing off many of the safe roads. Groups were set up and lanterns were handed out as men brave enough would head out to the nearby village to search for these witches and those that dared to hide them. With the soldiers and men that searched were large mastiffs that would barely be held back by their leather harnesses.

Rinoa took a few steps forward until she stood under the archway that led through to the hall Angelo had fetched the linens from. The entire hall was dark, only the flashes of lightning would penetrate the shadows, causing them to dance. Rinoa held out her palm and looked down to it.

“Honestly I can barely even use the para-machines like the others.” She cupped her hands together. “I depended heavily on my guardian that when I did come into my magic…" A soft, whispering wind blew through the hall, the storm lashing out with a violent roar.

A crash of thunder caused the small farm house to shake. Rinoa pulled in on herself, shivering as the loud noise caused Angelo to bark in retaliation to the noise. The young witch had sealed closed her eyes. Suddenly the flash of lightning sparked nearby, lightning the uncovered windows in a vibrant brilliance of hot white. As the hall was lit up Rinoa hugged her arms around her torso, a chill crawling along. A pale hand appeared to be reaching out to Rinoa from the hall, but when the light faded, so did the hand. Angelo looked to Rinoa, her stubby tail wagging. The sorceress inhaled, feeling the tickle of dust as it kicked up in the unattended floors. A sharp sneeze snapped from her lungs, as did a spit of fire. The flames were quick and blew by with the speed of her sneeze, but the flame quickly set on fire the blanket. Rinoa squeaked out and flailed her hands.

“Not again!” She dropped to her knees to put it out, and mostly due to the panic from yet another thunder strike.

As she patted out the fire, Angelo looked up. In the hall, overhead, hung the platform for the second floor. Something was up there… Something, or someone, was in the house with them.

As the soldiers marched, someone noticed the outline of a structure in the dense fog, and lashing rains. They came upon the farmhouse. The pounding hoofs of the horses were muted by the thunder claps and the barks of the dogs, who were now on the scent, sat drowned out by the downpour.

❤ tags: Elsa~!

❤ powers used: n/a

❤ notes: I really wish it'd stop raining!

ELECTRIC OF GS AND BTN