The Magelets have formed a sort of semicircle, watching on in innocent confusion. Occasionally one will whisper something to the others - 'Is he sleeping?' or 'He's very skinny...' They really haven't figured it out yet.
Mistral leans into the contact and nods. He's not too surprised that his Rydia would have told her alternate that, though it was something they kept secret from most of the older Mages. Vivi had been so terrified of Black Waltz Three that letting him in on that particular suspicion - proven more likely all the time - just hadn't seemed a good idea.
"Black Waltz One. The first Black Waltz, made before Kuja had all the design problems worked out." Mistral's tone turns bitter at the last, unlike his usual cheeriness.
But then, One had been that - bitter, twisted, angry - and he'd had good reason. Mistral had never had those reasons, but here - especially here - he could remember being that way, and he could remember why. Usually One's memories gave him no trouble, like a faded dream of someone else - but then what remained of One was smart enough not to screw things up. Mistral was generally happy and well cared for, which meant that One was - something that he never would have had as Black Waltz One. In clear moments like these he could remember who he'd been, but there was no disagreement about who he wanted to be.
Mistral will take one more step forward, and crouch to pick up a round object half-hidden by Black Waltz One's skeletal hand. It's a bell, weathered green in the time it's been here, with some odd designs in the metalwork that almost make it look like it has a face - an odd skull or some kind of shrunken head in the right lighting. The ribbon has rotted away. He'll step back next to Rydia and look it over, letting himself remember.
"The Princess was kidnapped. That's what they were told - all three of the first Waltzes," the tone is completely Mistral's again, speaking of the memories without sinking too deep in them. "They were sent out one at a time to find her, kill the kidnappers, and bring her back to Alexandria Castle. They all failed."
no subject
Mistral leans into the contact and nods. He's not too surprised that his Rydia would have told her alternate that, though it was something they kept secret from most of the older Mages. Vivi had been so terrified of Black Waltz Three that letting him in on that particular suspicion - proven more likely all the time - just hadn't seemed a good idea.
"Black Waltz One. The first Black Waltz, made before Kuja had all the design problems worked out." Mistral's tone turns bitter at the last, unlike his usual cheeriness.
But then, One had been that - bitter, twisted, angry - and he'd had good reason. Mistral had never had those reasons, but here - especially here - he could remember being that way, and he could remember why. Usually One's memories gave him no trouble, like a faded dream of someone else - but then what remained of One was smart enough not to screw things up. Mistral was generally happy and well cared for, which meant that One was - something that he never would have had as Black Waltz One. In clear moments like these he could remember who he'd been, but there was no disagreement about who he wanted to be.
Mistral will take one more step forward, and crouch to pick up a round object half-hidden by Black Waltz One's skeletal hand. It's a bell, weathered green in the time it's been here, with some odd designs in the metalwork that almost make it look like it has a face - an odd skull or some kind of shrunken head in the right lighting. The ribbon has rotted away. He'll step back next to Rydia and look it over, letting himself remember.
"The Princess was kidnapped. That's what they were told - all three of the first Waltzes," the tone is completely Mistral's again, speaking of the memories without sinking too deep in them. "They were sent out one at a time to find her, kill the kidnappers, and bring her back to Alexandria Castle. They all failed."