Futari [Private - Marick Lowell]

The afternoon light was a warm welcome to the tired souls of the day, the sun still high up in the vast sea known as the sky. The clouds appeared to be especially fluffed today as they varied in sizes and speed. It was upon this observation that a young mage had made the observation of the world above whilst taking part with the one she was strolling on. Slight particles of dirt were littered on the girl's clothing due to accidental slips, and other clumsy mistakes. What started out as a simple stroll through an area had transfigured quickly into an accident plaza. True that it was the first time that Brielle had traveled to the Serene Cliff, but clumsiness was certainly not on the agenda for the afternoon. With a soft sigh escaping her lips, her pale fingers rubbed the back of her neck to relax the tension underlying within.

It was a strange occurrence as to how busy the girl had gotten ever since joining Sabertooth. From meeting interesting persona's such as Aegis Bright to forming a team with Eli Validus and Emilia. In the sense of it being strange, the guild accepted her despite the age she is at. It was a warm welcome despite the first experience of alcohol, and managing to not experience any side effects. From what she had seen so far, the adults had always acted rather strangely after a certain amount of drinks. It was to Brielle's wonderment still as to why she didn't act the same if not feel anything strange at all. It was a thought process that went on for quite some time, yet later shrugged off to be put in the back of the mind.

Brushing a few loose strands of black hair away from her eyes, the young mage pressed onward in the usual air of silence. It wasn't until moment's later that a ledge was reached, the path separating in opposite directions. Upon noting the road's separations, Brielle sighed once more before placing herself upon a nearby ledge a reasonable distance away from the dirt roads. The view provided was one that would calm the heart, making the pace relax along with the tension in the body. Brielle had then placed her hands behind her as support while she leaned back, her electric blue irises focusing on the sky above.

It was at that moment that a thought had come to her mind without any warning whatsoever. Zenshin's words upon their first meeting still bit at her self-conscious regarding the news of her father residing in the same guild as she... It wasn't quick to figure out that the guild master knew the answer as to who the man might be, yet it was a bit frustrating to go without knowing herself. An unexpected turn of events that happened upon chance, and it was with his very words that changed her days from then on out. The word seemed so strange to think of. It should carry meaning and definition yet such a thing didn't exist. There was no man to call father... There wasn't ever a father there to begin with. Brielle released the strain from her eyes, closing them as she pondered in thought. The quiet tone to her voice seemed to falter upon speaking.

"My... My father, huh...?"

The afternoon was young even if it marked the middle of the daylight, bathing man and woman in warm light. One such man was the recently reformed figure of Sabertooth's Paragon of Selflessness, a man whose name was on the lips of those whom he'd helped, as well as those he'd fought. The Serene Cliff however had no such person. There were very few people sat upon the cliffs at this time in the day, which meant that one could head to the overhanging rocks and simply let their minds wander without worry of any interruptions. Fate, naturally, would have other plans on this particular day. As Marick walked down the path that led to his favourite spot of relaxation he couldn't help but notice the petite figure of a young girl sat upon the grass of the craggy cliffside, her head facing up to the heavens. As he got closer he began to recognise her as a fellow member of Sabertooth, albeit a recent addition and one he'd not yet had chance - nor the mentality - to speak to properly. With a soft smile he approached the small figure.

"Hey kiddo...d'you mind if I take a seat beside you?" he asked, before kneeling down so he was almost level with Brielle. He stared out at the ocean for a couple of seconds before turning to face the raven-haired teen. "You're new to the guild right? I suppose I ought to introduce myself. I'm Marick, Sabertooth's Paragon of Selflessness and Head Examiner." he stated as he offered his hand out to the McCloud, all the while his mind was kicking him repeatedly. Some Paragon he was when he'd not introduced himself sooner. Still, he'd had other issues on his mind before this point; issues he'd come to the cliff to try and think over and put at ease.

??? wrote:"Hey kiddo...d'you mind if I take a seat beside you?"

Within a moment's notice, Brielle's eyes shot open as she turned to gaze upon the stranger before her. The man's presence had completely went by unnoticed until he spoke up, his voice softly soothing through the eardrums. For a moment, the black haired youngling couldn't help but gaze upon the man's features. The one thing that immediately had her attention captured was his striking pair of electric blue eyes that matched her own almost perfectly. The vibrancy in the eyes seemed to brighten against the light of the afternoon creating a soft glow to them. The girl didn't mean to stare without speaking a word, but it was a habit of hers to observe the individuals before her if she wasn't familiar with them. It was a trait like this that helped develop catching every detail whether big or small. With a quick shake of the head, Brielle shyly spoke up with the trademark stutter she always carried. "O-Of course I don't mind, m-mister." Scooting over slightly to make room for the man, the girl seemed to glance down at her lap in an act of shyness before the man caught her attention once more.

Upon his introduction, Brielle's own pair of electric blue irises widened at the sudden knowledge of who this man was. With a slight form of clumsiness the young girl clasped her small hand around Marick's, shaking it gently as she returned the greeting with her own version of formality. "A-An honor and pleasure to meet you, Marick. My name is Brielle McCloud a-and I am indeed new to the guild." Quietly scolding herself for stuttering, the young mage offered him a shy smile as her hand retracted after the greeting before turning her attention to the ocean before them both. It wasn't everyday that you would come across an ace from a guild - one that you were a part of no less. It could be taken as rather intimidating as well since they are held in quite a high regard for their efforts, and for whom they are as an individual.

It was within that thought that Brielle felt her gaze shift downwards onto her lap where her heads were neatly folded accordingly. This was truly an unexpected turn of events for the day. Even though the McCloud had came here to ponder on thoughts and other aspects of the time that has passed... it seemed that this man was here for his own reasons as well. With a curiosity now climbing, Brielle softly breathed out before turning to gaze up at Marick - almost observing him for a moment before the words finally made their way out of her mouth.

"Um... I-If you don't mind my asking... Why are you all the way out here, sir? I-I mean, I came out here myself to relax and think for a little while, but..."

Her words trailed off as she found herself growing shy once more, yet all the while she was curious as to why Marick was out here on the Serene Cliff. Surely, he had his reasons and it wasn't everyday that such a meeting like this happened. With a faint smile lining her lips, the black haired girl awaited his answer as the wind began to brush by.

Those eyes...

Brielle wasn't the only one who would stare at her acquaintance for longer than intended, as Marick found himself lost in the dazzling electric blue eyes of his younger guildmate. It was almost like looking into a mirror when he caught sight of them and the shock had caused him to lose track of himself for just a moment. He quickly snapped back when the young mage gave him permission to be seated beside him and took his hand, shaking it as she revealed herself to be Brielle McCloud. There was something familiar about that name although he couldn't put a face to it for the life of him. Perhaps it was someone he'd worked years before. Perhaps it was someone he'd helped or even fought during his time as a mercenary. Whatever the case the name was certainly sat somewhere in the deep recesses of his memory. Rather than focusing on that he instead would focus on the teen's exploits. From what he'd heard from Zenshin, she had been busy pretty much since day one.

"So you're Brielle are you? Zenshin's had nothing but praise for you since you joined. Jumping into any work that comes your way without hesitation. Not many people your age can join a guild like Sabertooth and jump into action the way you have. Zenshin is also not so easily impressed, so good job." he said with a warm grin, before looking out at the ocean again for a moment. When Brielle spoke again to ask him why he was here, he simply gave a chuckle. "Same as you really. Thinking. Lots and lots of thinking. I've had a lot happen lately that's left me slightly lost..." he began, before shaking his head and looking back at the McCloud. "...but that's not for you to worry about. After all, you've got your own thoughts to work out."

It was then that he noticed Brielle had looked back down to her lap. Her stuttering had been a sign of her nerves already, but this action was proof that the girl was considerably shy around people, or at least around him at the moment. He placed his hand gently on the girl's shoulder and gave a warm and welcoming smile. "You don't have to be nervous around me y'know. I'm no different to you or anyone else in the guild, so you needn't worry about how you act around me."

A soft tint of pink had coated the those pale cheeks of Brielle's. Hearing the knowledge of having received praise from Zenshin was surprising if not unexpected. The young guild member couldn't help but smile softly at that regard, noting that the effort she was putting forth wasn't going by unnoticed. If the very Paragon of Selflessness himself heard of it, that surely meant that she was making progress. A small spark of confidence flickered within the young girl's heart, bringing life to a flicker of hope that had almost been withered away by other details that were negatively pricking it away. However, the thoughts returned as quickly as they disappeared. There were certain details and aspects that couldn't be ignored and left unattended. Details and memories left to be stored in the back of her mind surfaced once again bit by bit. Fragment by fragment each detail was slowly coming to fruition...

It was true that the girl had her own thoughts to sort out, and her own memories to search through... but upon hearing Marick's voice, the girl couldn't help but soften her expression out of worry. Even if the girl wasn't directly looking at the elder mage, the tone to his voice couldn't be ignored. A hand then gracing her petite shoulder caused her head to straighten upward, her electric blue eyes widening slightly upon the action. The warm smile lining his lips and the aura of comfort he carried to him... Brielle couldn't help but smile in return. The muscles in her sore body began to relax as the moments passed by before she released the strain off her eyes. Brushing her fingers to the bags under her eyes, the McCloud rubbed the area slightly to relieve the stress and itchy tension as her form shifted towards the glittering ocean once more.

A sight such as this was almost calming, surreal, beautiful... It was almost forgotten that the world was surrounding them at the moment. The young girl kept a form of silence as nothing but the ocean was observed. It was a moment like this where Brielle retracted back to her thoughts, her body completely still of any movement other than the wind that caused her locks of raven colored hair to flow with the breeze. The faint sound of the waves crashing against the walls of the cliff could be heard along with the brushing of tree leaves against one another. From the smallest details to the more obvious, the sounds of nature were nothing short of calming. It was a warm and welcoming atmosphere that gave way to a comforting environment... Closing her eyes slowly, Brielle felt a smile line her lips. Albeit, it was one of an almost melancholic shape.

"I may have my own thoughts to worry about... but it's good to talk about them every once in a while. Even if things seem hard and that the world appears cruel, it's sights like this that remind us of how it is beautiful, too..." Within that moment, she opened her eyes with a softened gaze as she turned to look up at Marick. Her words were spontaneous if not unexpected. The wind seemed to grow stronger in amount within that time as well, the faint sounds of nature growing louder within that moment. "If you want to talk about your thoughts, I'll listen."

Marick eyed his younger guildmate with surprise for a moment as she offered to listen to his troubles. It was rare to find anyone who was this warm-hearted and willing to listen, let alone someone as young as Brielle. After that brief moment a smile broke out onto the Paragon's face and he released a warm laugh as he placed a hand upon the young girl's head. "You're a good kid Brielle and much more mature than most girls your age. But I'm not about to go unloading all of my troubles onto you. No...these are issues I need to resolve myself. Issues that I WILL resolve myself." And in that instance Brielle would be able to see a light glint across the mans eyes. There it was; the determination and the drive that had pushed him to the top of the food chain as a mercenary and then up to his position within the guild. In those few moments speaking with Brielle he had managed to find himself again. He might be the Paragon of Selflessness, but he that didn't mean he couldn't ask for help from time to time. Faith. Faith in his guildmates. Faith that someone could help him out with his current predicament. And two men in particular came to mind. But first of all he owed this raven-haired young lady.

"...thank you Brielle."

"If you ever need to talk about anything then just gimme a shout and I will come running. Whatever it is that's bothering you...I hope you can clear your mind of it and get any answers you need. You deserve that much." He removed his hand from the young girl's head and chuckled. "Well...I ought to make a move soon. I've got some work to do if I'm gonna keep up with the number of jobs you're getting under your belt." he began, before simply flopping backwards onto the grass and looking up at the sky. "Well...maybe a little longer here wouldn't hurt." he laughed before patting on the grass beside him to signal for Brielle to lie back. "It's not often we get great weather like this, let alone time to relax in it."

A brief moment of silence passed between the two. The only form of communication present was their eyes fixed onto one another's, a mirror reflecting off of itself. Each pair of electric blue irises contained different emotions despite their near identical features - Marick's withholding one of surprise while Brielle's held one of genuine truth. It was for a moment that a warmth could be felt coating the young girl's heart - a warmth that sent comfort through the body. It wasn't until a moment sooner that a line had crossed the Paragon's lips, his expression softening as a hand had gently placed itself onto the young mage's head. It was Brielle's turn for an expression of youthful surprise to take hold of her features, her eyes closing as Marick's hand rubbed her head gently. The way he laughed was one of pure comfort as if his worries faded for that mere moment oncoming. Opening her eyes slightly to view the elder man before her, Brielle couldn't help but smile at his words. "Th-Thank you, Marick... Even if you face whatever is on your path on your own, just know that there are people who are certainly rooting for you. I am, too... I-I'll also always be here and willing to listen to whatever you have to say." An embarrassed shade of pink gently graced the girl's cheeks from that moment forth with a small smile lining her lips.

Brielle could clearly understand just why this man was a Paragon. It didn't have to be given plainly in order for one to understand. Upon getting to know Marick for even just a little while would one be able to catch the aspects. However, it was with this time that there was a different side to him that the girl was able to observe - one of a form of struggle. The young guild member wasn't going to pry into the man's personal business as it was better for him to explain it all when he was ready, or not at all. That decision was always left up to the beholder in any circumstance. In this case, there seemed to be a slight glimmer resonating within Marick himself. Despite whatever hardships he may have been facing a resolve still lingered within his heart to push through. It was within that moment that it could be foretold that her simple offer of help may have stretched farther into help than she expected, and it was made all the more worthwhile in terms of coming to the landform in the first place. What turned out to be a stroll soon traversed into a meeting by chance, and the girl was more than glad to have made the decision to have come here. It was situations like this that made the raven haired mage feel that she was worth something, the ability to make others smile still running constant. If she could keep others smiling - keep others happy by helping in any way she can - it was all worth it in the end.

Despite her own hardships, the girl was one to put others first before herself. Brielle's problems were always looked upon later and taken care of with time. It was acts that were known by only a handful, but it wasn't minded one bit. As long as she could keep helping people, their smiles was all she could ask for. However, Marick was one to not cease with the surprises for the afternoon. Thanking the McCloud for a reason that wasn't seen by her, the girl felt her eyes widen a fraction once again at his doing. "Y-You're welcome..." Despite the slight bout of shyness a small smile could be seen reappearing on the young mage's lips, staying there for the time being. Even his words of returning the help offered to her caused the pink color on her cheeks to grow in vibrancy, the raven haired girl glancing down and shyly twidling her thumbs together as she intertwined her fingers with one another. "Th-Thank you for taking the time to offer your help to me... I-I'm sure we both can find the answers to resolve our hardships." Feeling Marick's hand slide off her head, Brielle let out a slight sound of wonder before observing the man before her once more.

A slight giggle escaped her lips at his words, an almost amusing rise of her shoulders taking place. True that the number of jobs she was currently withstanding were nothing short of a breeze, but it was the matter of doing her best and the motivations behind her that kept her going. Even as the Paragon made his comment, Brielle had a reply for it with her own words of truth and praise. "W-Well, I couldn't do the amount of jobs you must have done if you count the ones from the past. I-I'm sure you have done plenty more than I have, Marick." With that said, Brielle's eyes traced the blond's movements as he now laid in the grass. The smile on the young mage's lips only grew as the elder of the two laughed, signaling for Brielle to lay beside him. Within a moment, the young guild member followed through as a soft sigh was released from her lips upon making contact with the grass, her hands resting on her stomach. "That's very true. With a day like this, I feel that it's good to relax. Letting all the tension and worries fade for a little while... It's soothing. I-It certainly beats my mother's attempts at singing to soothe me in the past, haha."

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