[center][h2]Feast & Farewell[/h2] [color=crimson]Edelgard[/color] & [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]Pit[/color] [sup][@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN][@Yankee][/sup] Word count: 1,828 (+3 XP)[/center] After she left the meeting, Edelgard returned to her room to gather her belongings. After dinner, the Avenger would pass over what they called the Theater of War and return her to Enbarr. To her people. Equal measures of excitement and nervousness ran through her at the prospect of seeing her friends and comrades again. She would, once more, have to lead them into battle and to victory. She wondered if Hubert and the Professor would be present. Her two dearest confidants and her most invaluable allies. It would be an immense challenge to reclaim her throne without them. And she would have to free them from the thrall of Galeem, as well. Shelving the thought for now, she gathered her meager belongings and made her way to the cafeteria. There were few Seekers present at this point, though more trickled in as she chose her seat away from the center of the group and filled a plate. Given that she had already announced her departure and sat dignified but separated from everyone else, it would make sense to assume that Edelgard may want to be left alone before she returned to her own battlefield. Whether she actually did or not, a little while after she was settled into her seat her vision filled with a head of fluffy brown and blonde hair, and a pair of white feathered wings. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I'm glad I found you, I thought maybe you left right away!"[/color] Pit was all smiles at the moment. Edelgard had missed it earlier, but being chosen to lead part of the Seekers' mission (even if only by a slim margin) was a nice confidence boost. Had he not spotted Edelgard in the mess hall the angel would likely have went to happily talk about the result with Roxas, but as soon as he'd seen the white hair and red armor his feet had taken him over to her table. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"So you're going to... Enbarr?"[/color] He asked, tilting his slightly as he recalled the name she'd said. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Is that where you were before Skyworld? Like, back home?"[/color] Edelgard's face remained impassive as the angel joined her, though she did have the decency to put her fork down and pay his words due attention. It wasn't until he mentioned Enbarr that her expression changed, a ghost of a smile finding its way to her mouth. [Color=crimson]”Indeed. Embarr is- was- the capital city of the Adrestian Empire in Fodlan. It was home after the war well and truly ended.”[/color] Normally one could expect others to have no context for places and things unique to their own worlds. Pit still wouldn't be able to point out the country on a map of Edelgard's world, but he did have a little more information than most thanks to the Goddess of Light. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Oh yeah, Lady Palutena said you were the ruler of Adrestia,"[/color] he said, nodding his head once. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"So it's not just your capital city, it's... Uh, well, [i]really[/i] your city."[/color] He sunk into the seat across from the empress before he went on. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I know you already said if you needed help you'd let us know, but... even if you don't need help and just want some more manpower, you can give us a call! I mean, you helped us out a lot in freeing Skyworld, and you were protecting it before I got there too, so..."[/color] His voice had grown earnest, as it usually did when mentioning his own home, and his bright eyes were filled with determination to deliver on the promise he was about to make. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"So if you need anything to help your home too, just say so! You don't even need to ask Sandalphon - if you pray to Lady Palutena, she'll hear you. She can warp me right to you."[/color] After a beat he added, [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"or send some Centurions! They're really good at rebuilding things… if that's something you end up needing."[/color] Loathe as she was to submit herself to a self-proclaimed goddess, Edelgard had seen for herself what Palutena was capable of. Pit's offer was not one of spiritual aid or empty hope, but genuine military force, or in the case of the Centurions, a corps of military engineers. As such, she would be foolish to categorically refuse. [Color=crimson]”Of course. Thank you Captain Pit. I shall keep that in mind should we require your assistance.”[/color] Whether she would decide to do so in the future remained to be seen, however. The mention of protecting Skyworld before the Seekers’ arrival bothered Edelgard a little, prompting her to ask Pit, “Speaking of Skyworld, I take it that is where you and Palutena are from? Was it normally so…rife with corruption?”[/color] Rather than beat around the bush, Edelgard struck at the heart of the matter. She wanted to know how they had handled their problems outside of this world. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"No way! Usually it's safe up there! ...okay, well, we have been invaded before by the Underworld Army, and aliens, and there was that one time all the vegetables came to life and started attacking people... but besides that it's the best!"[/color] Pit had beamed at being called captain once more, and the pride in his voice when he spoke about Skyworld was all too easy to hear. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"We watch Overworld from up there and help out whenever we're needed. But since Lady Palutena says its best not to directly interfere with humans, we pretty much only step in if other gods start messing things up. So... there's a lot of free time to make sure Skyworld stays clean and protected. All that corruption and those fake-angel monsters were because of Galeem smashing it together with some other worlds."[/color] A world where gods only intervene to prevent the rise of demons? If only Fodlan had been so lucky that its goddess rose to halt Those Who Slither in the Dark. No, it was the efforts of her, Hubert, and the Professor that quelled Rhea and, more importantly, the Agarthans after her. [color=crimson]”I am glad to hear that your world is ruled by more benevolent forces. Mine stagnated under the thrall of dragons, using an unjust system of power to coalesce influence under the Crested houses. Crests grant tremendous power, but with that power comes abuse and mistreatment. I fought to see the end of that system, and the defeat of those who would suppress my people. It took many years, and many lives…but not long after my final victory, Galeem destroyed my world. How cruel.”[/color] Edelgard sighed, stabbing a piece of crab with her fork. Pit tilted his head slightly. He thought he got the gist of what she said - evil dragons had controlled her world at one point, using those crests as a crux... but wait, weren't crests supposed to be like divine blessings? Maybe dragons could get crests too then? Ultimately, the workings of another world would always be a little difficult to wrap one's head around. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"At least when we're all done here and beat Galeem, all the hard part's already done when you get home!"[/color] Pit said, never doubting that eventually the Seekers would succeed. Of course, he had no idea how difficult politics could be during the act of reconstructing an empire, especially after the fighting was done. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Hey, if you got rid of the 'crest system,' did you have to give up your crests too? 'Cause you're really strong - do you still have both?"[/color] Edelgard nodded along with Pit’s optimism about their return to their own worlds when the Seekers inevitably won. She may not have held his unshakeable confidence in this ragtag bunch of misfits, but she knew that indefatigable purpose could lead to great victory all the same. [color=crimson]”Yes, I suppose that would be one way of looking at it. The efforts of rebuilding after the war are still ongoing in some places, but Fodlan still stands strong, especially with Claude in a position of power within Almyra to quell their more ambitious incursions into our land.”[/color] When he mentioned ‘both’ Crests, however, Edelgard’s face caught for a moment- shock, surprise, then a profound sadness that was wiped away in all but a moment for a much more put-on countenance. [color=crimson]”I’m sorry, Pit, but I believe you may have been misinformed. People may only possess a single crest outside of extraordinary circumstances. I am not one of those people, merely possessing a Minor Crest of Seiros.”[/color] On that subject, it was clear she would say no more. Pit had seen the flicker of change in her expression, but it was gone much too fast for him to interpret. He blinked in surprise of his own. Lady Palutena had definitely said Edelgard had two. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Huh? But I-"[/color] [color=lightgreen][i]Maaaaybe let this one go, Pit. It doesn't seem like she wants to talk about it.[/i][/color] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow][i]She said crests give you a lot of power - I thought it'd be better to have more?[/i][/color] [color=lightgreen][i]I don't think it's that simple. Remember what she also said they came with?[/i][/color] Pit's mouth snapped closed, embarrassment coloring his features. Right, the whole reason Edelgard said she fought against that system in the first place, not just against the dragons themselves. Using such power was one thing, but being proud of having it was a whole other can of worms apparently. Pit rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Oh, uh, yup, I probably heard her wrong!"[/color] he said. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Sorry."[/color] It might have been best to excuse himself after that, but he didn't want Edelgard to leave on a bad note. After having stuffed part of a bread bun into his mouth to stop himself from saying anything else that might make things even more uncomfortable, Pit swallowed the food and attempted to pivot to talking about something else. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"So, uh, Enbarr! Is there anything you're looking forward to seeing again from back home?"[/color] Edelgard appreciated the quick pivot, despite how awkward it was. She gave a tiny nod to show that appreciation, her face softening as Pit asked about Enbarr. [color=crimson]”My friends. The city itself. I would like to visit the Opera House again, as well. Dorothea is an excellent songstress.”[/color] Just seeing the temple still standing had been a relief for Pit, so he could definitely relate to Edelgard just wanting to be in her city. Of course nothing could beat good company though. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Is she famous? Maybe she'll be singing there when you get back, and you can surprise her, then you can see your friend and the show at the same time! I bet everyone'll be happy to see you, too!"[/color] [Color=crimson]”I hope so, Pit. It would be excellent to see everybody again, though I fear that much like myself, many of my friends may be scattered about the world.”[/color] [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"That's true... but if any of us happen to run into them, we'll know where to send them!"[/color] The pair's conversation continued down more cheerful avenues, as they discussed their homes and friends that they hoped to meet again, dinners slowly dwindling as they took turns eating and conversing, hopefully to see the empress off on a positive note.