Sugar and Rainbows (Ebony/Closed)

[Ebony Blackwell]

“I’ve heard that only the Pulse L’Cie people fear, not the Sanctum L’Cie…”

Ebony nodded.

"Yes, but with seeing that Pulse L'Cie are from the opposing world of Gran Pulse, it is no surprise that they are the ones most feared in Cocoon. But that's a different political discussion for another day."

“So you want to find this L’Cie? Whoever he or she may be?”

Ebony nodded once again. If finding this l'Cie meant she could find some more answers to questions that flew around in her head, then she would go in search of them. After all, that is what researchers did in a way.

"Yes. Though I don't mean whoever it is any harm. I'm sure they already have enough on their plate, being a l'Cie and all."

“Oh, sorry, I was talking to myself there for a moment. I wasn’t really asking you what it was to me. Just…thinking aloud I guess.”

Ebony cjuckled slightly. There had been a coupld times when Ebony would be muttering in her room at the inn, and people would be walking past with wierd stares on their faces. The same happening in the dining hall there as well.

"Yes, I understand. It happens to all of us every once and a while."

“So do you have a place to stay while you’re here in Gaia?”

Now that she actually thought of it, the idea of staying here wouldn't be a bad idea. She had planned on just portaling back to Cocoon when the day was done, but then that would get suspicious.

"No, I actually don't. Got any place in mind?"

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

Maybe Repa shouldn’t say anything else about Cocoon or Pulse L’Cie. It’s not like she was an expert, like Ebony apparently was. She just knew some facts, some true, some were false, or so she thought. Maybe she’d learn some more about them from Ebony, that way she could better prepare for the upcoming difficulties with Cloud. It would be nice to have a general idea of what she and her friends were going against.

“Well good luck finding him…I mean, him or her.” She had a minor slip up, but she covered it fairly well, kinda. “Just make sure PSICOM doesn’t follow you, those guys are practically everywhere now and days. It’s rather annoying. Put myself and a…friend of mine in a tight spot.” She wasn’t talking about Cloud this time, she was talking about Yazoo, they had a bad run in with PSICOM awhile back, let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

Repa thought for a moment, where was a good place to stay? Well the condo she stayed in was fairly large, but…she wasn’t sure Ebony was up for a whole, roommate experience. Especially with the sister of her boyfriend. But maybe, if not she’d recommend going to see Tifa Lockhart, a nice girl who offered Repa a room awhile back. Repa had been debating whether to leave the condo and take up Tifa’s offer, but now Ebony needed either offer more. “Well, I have a rather large Condo, or apartment, whatever, back in the building behind me. If…you aren’t completely weirded out by me already, I have an extra bedroom…if you want it.” She shrugged some waiting for the answer to this one first before offering up going to see Tifa.

[Ebony Blackwell]

“Well good luck finding him…I mean, him or her. Just make sure PSICOM doesn’t follow you, those guys are practically everywhere now and days. It’s rather annoying. Put myself and a…friend of mine in a tight spot.”

Ebony noticed the slight slipup on the pronoun usage, but just ignored. Repa probably had her own reasons as to why she tried to hide, and Ebony thought she might as well just leave that to her business. She had to have her own reasons. And then PSICOM. There was no hiding from them, wherever you went, PSICOM was bound to be there. It was hard enough living in Cocoon as an orphan when you were ten with all of them running around "protecting" the streets. Of course, thanks to them Ebony knew how to get around the city without being seen so it was a mutual relationship...kind of.

"I don't think I need to worry about PSICOM too much. If Josh told you everything about me, then you should know I can take care of myself perfectly fine. And besides, I'm pretty good at escaping as well, so PSICOM shouldn't be too much of a problem for someone like me."

“Well, I have a rather large Condo, or apartment, whatever, back in the building behind me. If…you aren’t completely weirded out by me already, I have an extra bedroom…if you want it.”

Ebony stayed silent for a few moments just letting sorta sink in. Not once in her entire life did anyone ask her about staying with them, let anyone sharing a condo. She was always marked the "dirty orphan" (in both contexts), and then they brought out the stereotypes. This was pretty much a request from heaven, at least in Ebony's eyes.

"Yes! I mean, if that's alright with you. I don't want to cause you any trouble, enough as it is."

(Decided to change the color. Hope that's alright.)

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

Truth was, Josh didn’t really tell anyone about what actually happened while being on Cocoon. Only about Ebony, that was about it. Hell Repa didn’t even know about that virus that had spread around like a wildfire, thankfully she didn’t hear about it under horrible circumstances…like Josh not making out of that sickness. Anyways, away from that, Repa knew she was going to like Ebony. She seemed a lot like herself, independent and always declaring she can take care of herself. Of course Repa could and she didn’t doubt that Ebony was very well off. Neither of the two were softies.

“I’m sure you can. Though I will warn you about something with Josh, he can be very protective, that is if you haven’t noticed that already.” She said continuing to smile, just handing off some friendly advice to someone who probably needed it. Maybe if the two became really good friends it would be like a friendship Repa used to see on TV shows all the time. Sleepovers and gossip about people, stories and hanging out, it’s something she really hoped for. Her best friend back in the day was a guy, so that never really worked out, at least for girl talk and what not. Although Repa’s version of girl talk was probably just talking. Literally. But it would be nice to have a girl to hang out with once and awhile.

When Ebony’s response flew out quickly, a giant ‘Yes!’ Repa smiled a bit and closed her eyes some before opening again. Surely Ebony and her would be friends now. Repa just figured, it was her turn to be nice to people. She’d traveled to a few worlds now and everyone she met was very nice and hospitable to her…like Noctis, her best friend, always welcoming her. And those boys she met in the Balamb Garden, Sonuske and Fate, then there was of course Tifa Lockhart and Cloud Strife, they were as good as you got. The greatest people around probably. So with a wide smile Repa pulled a ring of keys out of her pocket, it had 3 keys on it. 2 to her condo, and 1 to her bike which sat quietly in the one parking garage slot she owned while in the condo. She took a key off and held it out for Ebony to take.

“Here ya go roomie. Don’t worry, it won’t cause me any trouble at all.” Repa grinned before her smile shrunk some, not that she was unhappy, but she had just been smiling too much, it hurt now. “Just…don’t trash the place please otherwise I’ll go insane. OCD” She said in a light humorous tone, hoping this would all work out in the end.

[Ebony Blackwell]

“I’m sure you can. Though I will warn you about something with Josh, he can be very protective, that is if you haven’t noticed that already.”

Ebony, admittingly, had never seen Josh's protective side. Sure, he had been protective when she was almost killed by The Elders, or when she was shot by Geoff, but it was mostly her protecting him in a way. Though she was sure, that if things continued on as they were, she was sure to see his "protective" side.

Ebony reached out her hand and let the room key drop into her way. The only other ones she had on her person were for her room back at The Sactuary Inn in Cocoon, and the one to her office in the research building. She kept a few others, but those stayed in a drawer back in her desk. Keys meant to be opened for books containing black magic and dark sources were meant to be hidden away.

“Here ya go roomie. Don’t worry, it won’t cause me any trouble at all. Just…don’t trash the place please otherwise I’ll go insane. OCD.”

Ebony glanced off to the side and just grinned slight, remembering the state of her room and office. Books scattered everywhere. Papers on every flat surface possible. Charms and pendants laying across...well, everything. She had to confess she wasn't exactly the neatest person in the whole world, no matter how responsible she may look. She was just able to find things easier when they were in plain sight.

"I'll try, but I can't really promise anything. Just as long as I don't bring any books or papers back, I should be fine."

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

Oh there was a lot about Josh Ebony needed to know. Perhaps she could tell stories some time, maybe embarrass her brother a bit, payback for him embarrassing her in front of her significant other. Oh the stories she could tell! It was perfect, she would gladly share these stories later, when asked or when they needed something to talk about, after all, with Ebony living there now, they’d have to have something to talk about right? “Don’t worry, I won’t go all cleaning lady on you…I’m not that bad, as long as things are…semi tidy its cool.” She grinned turning back towards the building and taking in a deep breath, with a deep exhale as well.

“You want a tour now? Or later? It’s rather late in the day…probably dinner time, I mean, if you wanna grab a bite or something?” Repa said not facing Ebony but placing her hands on her hips as she continued to stare at the building with a smile on her face. New friends were amazing, she loved them and cherished them like her own family. “I know a great little diner around here if you wanna go, then I can give you a tour of the place and we can get your things settled…you do have stuff with you right?” She said turning her head some to at least see Ebony out of the corner of her icy blue eyes.


((my posts range from long to short, sorry....this one's rather short))

[Ebony Blackwell]

(That's alright.)

“Don’t worry, I won’t go all cleaning lady on you…I’m not that bad, as long as things are…semi tidy its cool.”

"That should be fine. Most of my materials that I mostly use for my work are back in my room at the inn I stay at. I shouldn't need any of that while I stay here, unless I just need to look something up real quick."

Ebony already felt unusual about this roommate arrangement thing already. She was so used to not having to worry about what other people thought about her housekeeping arrangements that she just really didn't care anymore. Just as long as she could find the important things that mattered.

“You want a tour now? Or later? It’s rather late in the day…probably dinner time, I mean, if you wanna grab a bite or something? I know a great little diner around here if you wanna go, then I can give you a tour of the place and we can get your things settled…you do have stuff with you right?”

Dinner actually sounded quite nice to Ebony at the moment. She only had a small complimentary lunch back at the inn, seeing as how she thought she could easily find the library in this strange town and be back in Cocoon by suppertime. She was obviously wrong on that assumption.

"Dinner sounds good. The tour can be after. I'll be able to remember the layout better on a full stomach...Yeah, about my stuff, I thought I would be able to get back to Cocoon before nightfall, but as you said, it is getting late. If need be, I can just run back and grab some essentials, rather than having to buy news ones."

Ebony wasn't one to spend money so frivolously. Living on the streets made you appreciate everything that came into your possession, even money.

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

Repa herself wasn’t the most tidy when it came to her own room, but rooms where everyone else was had to be picked up at least. Not spotless, it was nearly impossible for her to be that tidy. So she simply nodded at Ebony as she spoke, hopefully she didn’t come across as a neat freak or anything annoying like that, because Repa was definitely not one of those types. In fact, Repa hoped this girl hadn’t stereotyped her at all yet, it was one of those…don’t judge a book by its cover kind of things. If so, well…Repa had made one bad impression. “Ah. Well, I’m not really such a neat freak, I just figured it had a better impression on people. So do what you want really. I don’t mind.” She said hoping to cover her attempt at a good impression the first time.

Food also sounded good to Repa, she’d waited all day to try and find something to do she never really ate. She figured she’d head over to Seventh Heaven later, but now she wouldn’t. She would make sure that Ebony got everything she needed and got settled in. She wanted to be a good friend, especially with the girl who was dating her brother. “Food it is! Tour later. Sounds good to me.” Repa smiled looking off to her right down the road, that was the direction she was going to lead Ebony, the way to the diner of course. So after speaking a bit she slowly took a few steps in the general direction, turning back to make sure Ebony would follow.

“You don’t have anything with you?” Repa asked raising an eyebrow before shrugging some and continuing to take slow small steps. “We can get you new things…It’s cool. Besides, one needs to splurge on themselves every once and awhile.” She said with a grin not turning back this time after she spoke. If Ebony didn’t have the money for a little spending, Repa would surely take care of it. Not a problem. “After dinner we can go buy you a few things and then take the tour…”

[Ebony Blackwell]

“Food it is! Tour later. Sounds good to me.”

Ebony also turned in the direction Repa was now facing, and took a half step forward. This whole damn city was like a big maze to her. If she had a few days to explore the place, then maybe she could get herself acquianted with it, but this wasn't a vacation. She was here on a job.

“You don’t have anything with you? We can get you new things…It’s cool. Besides, one needs to splurge on themselves every once and awhile. After dinner we can go buy you a few things and then take the tour…”

No, this Princess must not have understood. Ebony didn't splurge, she thought and processed the exact need for everything. And if she already had one thing of something, then she did not need another.

"No, really. I can just run back and get whatever I need. It really won't take me that long, at all."

All she really needed to do was conjure a Black Void, and go back to her room. She could pick up the things, make another portal, and be back in a minimum of 10 minutes. She had been practicing.

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

Repa seemed awfully happy now that she wasn’t really going to be alone anymore. Sure she had Cloud and Tifa around the city and a few other people but there wasn’t much to do. Cloud has his own problems and Tifa had a bar to run, it seemed everyone was busy these days, maybe having Ebony around was a good thing. No more being lonely. Unless, that’s what Ebony wanted, then maybe Repa would just stay out of her way. “It’s not that far, just around a few corners…” She said walking some passing a few people who continued to stare, mostly at Ebony, Repa tried to keep herself a little normal. Though the gloves and occasional bandana around her head did make her somewhat of a distraction. She didn’t care.

When Ebony insisted on getting her things from home Repa figured that was how she wanted it. Whatever. She simply shrugged. “Okay, if you insist. But if you ever change your mind, or need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” She added with a light change in her tone as she cornered a street and continued to walk. “So…you’re from Cocoon…nice place? I’ve never been there myself…I hear its really quite nice…aside from all the soldiers running around.” Repa added on as they neared in on a small little diner, it wasn’t busy, but it wasn’t dead. Hopefully it was good enough for Ebony. “Well this is the place…it’s not much, but they’re really nice here…good food too.” She said walking in.

The hostess gave them a nice booth to sit in and the atmosphere just seemed nice here. Everyone around them seemed to be in a happy mood. What was it about them? Why couldn’t Repa really be that happy? Perhaps it was the whole, best friend being a L’Cie thing…or boy trouble…or well life in general. She’d have to work those problems out for herself, no it was time to eat and chat.

[Ebony Blackwell]

“It’s not that far, just around a few corners…”

Ebony nodded and quickened her pace, so that she was walking next to Repa. She could feel the stares of the people as they walked past. She just merely stared back at them, daring them to continue.

“Okay, if you insist. But if you ever change your mind, or need anything, don’t hesitate to ask."

She glanced over at Repa for a second, before placing her eyes back on the road in front of her. She nodded just to allow her to know that she heard and agreed.

“So…you’re from Cocoon…nice place? I’ve never been there myself…I hear its really quite nice…aside from all the soldiers running around.”

Ebony turned her ehad slightly to look at Repa. She was asking about Cocoon? That was different.

"I guess Cocoon is a nice place. I've lived their my whole life so I'm basically just used to it. It would be even nicer without PSICOM running around the whole time. They seem to be everywhere no matter where you are in the cuty. You can only escape them if you go out of city limits."

Finally, they stopped in front of what looked like a normal diner, at least in Ebony's eyes.

“Well this is the place…it’s not much, but they’re really nice here…good food too.”

She followed after Repa, and entered the restaurant. She sat down from across Repa and just glanced at the menu that was placed in front of her. People were staring at her here too. But, it still felt nice.

"Interesting place. I've only heard of this world in books, and even then information is scarce."

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

Repa walked and listened to Ebony speak of Cocoon. It was a place that seemed very…busy. Not that she would ever take an adventure there, due to all the chaos that was already happening with PSICOM and all this L’Cie nonsense, it just didn’t seem like a good time to travel and explore there. “Ah I understand…makes sense.” She nodded with a slight shrug. “Maybe someday, when things cool down over there I’ll visit it. Wouldn’t want to pick a fight with the wrong crowd over there…like Josh did with PSICOM…that I actually heard about.” She said with a little laugh at the end. Oh the stories she loved to hear and loved to share, but those would wait till later.

Repa was starting to get irritated with everyone just staring over. She finally slammed her hands on the table and stood up from her seat facing everyone in the restaurant. “What! Haven’t you ever seen PEOPLE before?! Stop staring! Or I’ll really give you something to stare at!” She said loudly and threateningly. After that she sat down and it seemed everyone went back to their meals not taking a second glance over at Repa or Ebony, probably too afraid that the black haired psycho would throw them out a window or something. “Yeah well…I didn’t know a lot about Gaia before I came here myself…only a few stories here and there. I wasn’t much of a world traveler like Josh was when we were kids…” She shrugged some before a waitress came over. She seemed unafraid of Repa, she was the one waitress Repa had everytime she came in.

“Hey Repa…New friend? What can I get you two?” The girl stated pulling out her pad of paper to scribble on.

Repa smiled and looked over at Ebony. “I’ll take my usual thanks…Ebony?” Repa said handing her menu to the waitress and just waiting on Ebony to order something. “Oh…and the ticket’s on me tonight…” She said quickly to the waitress.

[Ebony Blackwell]

“Ah I understand…makes sense.Maybe someday, when things cool down over there I’ll visit it. Wouldn’t want to pick a fight with the wrong crowd over there…like Josh did with PSICOM…that I actually heard about."

Ebony nodded and remembered he first meeting with Josh. The PSICOM were suspicious and were almost about to start shootping openly at him, until Ebony stepped in. If Repa went there, the same would probably occur. It was smart of her to wait, until things cooled down...if they ever did. And then...the outburst...

“What! Haven’t you ever seen PEOPLE before?! Stop staring! Or I’ll really give you something to stare at!”

Ebony jumped slightly in her seat when Repa quickly stood up, and yelled at the rest of the customers. She could probably would have just lived with it herself, but at least they weren't staring now. Repa sat down once again, and seemed to almost go completely calm almost as if she hadn't yelled at all.

“Yeah well…I didn’t know a lot about Gaia before I came here myself…only a few stories here and there. I wasn’t much of a world traveler like Josh was when we were kids…”

Ebony brow knitted into one of the confusion.

"Wait...bud I thought Josh was looking for you because you had gone to different worlds. Sorry, he didn't exactly give me the exact details as to why he was searching for you."

It was then that the waitress came to the table. Ebony had looked quickly over the menu, but she didn't see anything even vaguely familiar from Cocoon. She would just have to wing it.

“I’ll take my usual thanks…Ebony?Oh…and the ticket’s on me tonight…”[/i]

Ebony handed the menu to the waitress.

"I'll just have what Repa's having then."

Ebony glanced at Repa as she said that she would pay. Ebony didn't retaliate seeing as how she didn't even know if she had the ocrrect currency or not. She might as well as just live with it this time. She turned back to Repa.

"So, why Gaia of all the worlds?"

[Repa Raines]

Princess at Heart
Yeah I'm a Princess...but I'm no Damsel in Distress...Far from it.

The waitress had come back and placed 2 glasses of water on the table and quickly retreated for another table. Repa grabbed her glass, letting her eyes wander and sipped away at her water. Until Ebony stated something about Josh looking for Repa and world traveling. Well that could be confusing, somewhat. “Oh, Josh was looking for me. It’s just, I’ve been to different worlds than he has…same with him. He’s been to Cocoon, I haven’t. I’ve been to a few places he hasn’t gone before either. I suppose he was just checking every place he knew.” Repa shrugged some, not really knowing how to answer that one any better. It’s not like she could read Josh’s mind. Who knew why he went to Cocoon? No one knows but him. “But he never really spent much time in Cocoon, I know that. It was when he was little. So he wouldn’t remember a thing I’m sure.” That one was certain.

Josh traveled some when he was little, to places like Cocoon and that was really it, otherwise he was always home with Repa and their older brother, who now was well…not around. “Well…Gaia was a minor world in my family’s eyes. My father never wanted to get into a close relationship with the world due to some…difficulties around here.” That was probably aimed at Sephiroth and ShinRa, but Repa never knew the reason’s of ignoring this one world, so she just took it as a rather dislike of the world. “It was the perfect place to hide out…until Josh actually found me.” That was the down side to all this. Josh had found her, and met Yazoo, that wasn’t exactly a lovely meeting, but they all lived after getting pursued by PSICOM. “Honestly. It just seemed like the right place to be for someone like me.” She didn’t know what better way to describe her choices for Gaia, but that was the answer Ebony was getting.

The waitress then came back with 2 trays, each of them containing a bowl of pasta. Repa’s usual was always an alfredo-like pasta, chicken, veggies, the works! “Hope this was okay...maybe I should’ve explained some items on the menu before jumping into an order.” Repa said with a nervous light laugh as she then took a few bites of her food and hoped it was good enough for Ebony. If not, they could always get something else? Repa didn’t mind, she just wanted to make Ebony feel comfortable here on Gaia, and hoped that they would be okay, especially with the living arrangements now.

[Ebony Blackwell]

“Oh, Josh was looking for me. It’s just, I’ve been to different worlds than he has…same with him. He’s been to Cocoon, I haven’t. I’ve been to a few places he hasn’t gone before either. I suppose he was just checking every place he knew. But he never really spent much time in Cocoon, I know that. It was when he was little. So he wouldn’t remember a thing I’m sure.”

Ebony was actually surprised. Josh had been to Cocoon once? Must been when he was really little for him not to remember. Of course, she understood his logic for going to Cocoon. Why not hide in place you've never been to before. Someone close to you might not even find the connection as to why you weren't there until it was too late.

“Well…Gaia was a minor world in my family’s eyes. My father never wanted to get into a close relationship with the world due to some…difficulties around here. It was the perfect place to hide out…until Josh actually found me. Honestly. It just seemed like the right place to be for someone like me."

So Josh had been able to find his sister. That meant the only thing he had to worry about now was the civil war back in Delatorr. Interesting.Then the waitress decided it was good time, to come back over with the food. Two plates of pasta were set down, one for each. Ebony heaved a huge sigh of relief. At least, it was normal.

“Hope this was okay...maybe I should’ve explained some items on the menu before jumping into an order.”

Ebony picked up her fork, and spun some pasta around it.

"It's alright. Pasta isn't exactly on my top ten, but I've learned to appreciate what I get. Thanks, it looks delicious."