[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Z7oVekd.png[/img][/center]
[center][h1]The Sun Shines Even At Night[/h1][/center][hr][hr]Involved: Yuliya, Leon: [@Jumbus][hr]

Some time had passed since the pair had visited the eclectic clothing stall that lay in the heart of Zengali. Following this, the two had pranced from place to place across the port city and participated in the Festival of Eshiran. The sun had begun to set, and the two had found themselves upon a beach where much revelry had begun to occur. Yuliya herself was more than a few drinks deep, and she'd returned from a nearby bar with a pair of exotic, fruity-looking girly drinks. She winked at Leon playfully, handing him one of the two and lay down on a nearby primitive beach-style chair, reclining and taking slow measured sips.

[color=pink]"You know, this 'mission' seem very relaxed. Last time I sent somewhere, I never got moment like this."[/color] She chuckled to herself, eyes dancing between the Sun King and the festivities occurring on the beach. Her pupils dilated at the sight of a juggler tossing several flaming torches, and there was no obvious sign of the gift. For a moment, she wondered how anyone could risk such harm to themselves, but she realized how captivated she was by the performance, and simply smiled. Times like this made her glad that she'd come to the school,  even if she'd bore witness to an equal amount of horrors since attending. 

A night of dancing, a night of drinks, a night of fun threw the White Thresher once more to the back of his thoughts. A hangover wouldn't be good for the fight, but it would be easy enough to get Roslyn or another chemical mage to solve the problem for him, so why not throw his troubles away for the evening? Good drinks and good company made the sunset best as he accepted the former from the latter with a smile and a nod. Leon gave Yuli a wink back as he took a long sip, he too was a few drinks deep.

Leon chuckled heartily. [color=fff200]"It's a surprise to me too. Last time I was on a mission, the ship exploded and started sinking into shuckodil-infested waters."[/color] It would only have been a few years ago that the prospect of such a thing would shock him, but now it seemed just about commonplace with the going ons of Ersand'Enise. If anything, Zengali and the peace he enjoyed tonight was the surprise now. [color=fff200]"If the opportunity arises, it would seem a shame to spend it toiling over worry."[/color]

Yuli’s mind wondered for a moment though, lost in alcohol, festivities and friendship, about the man she was spending time with here. Kaureerah was someone very dear to her heart and mind, given the moments they'd shared together, and this was the man she'd chosen. She could see why, certainly, for he was a handsome lad and held many traits women would find desirable, but there was an oddness to it that she couldn't quite place. Yuliya had a discourteous view of Ashon and his relationship with Penny, but she felt surprisingly content with this man taking another close friend of hers in his arms. Why was that? She pondered for a moment more, taking a long sip from her drink before speaking up again, turning her head to meet his gaze and offering a cheers of their drinks.

[color=pink]"You mind if I ask something personal? I want know something."[/color]

Leon raised his drink and the two glasses gently clinked. He looked off to the shore in admiration of the continuous beauty Zengali had to offer. But the girl's question turned his head back and he raised a curious eyebrow. He hadn't seen himself and Yuli being close enough to answer personal questions or for her to ask them. But what was booze for if not making fast friends? The thought of answering gave him no strong anxieties.

[color=fff200]"Go ahead."[/color] The performer gave a playful shrug.

She took another sip from her drink, letting out a sigh as the cool drink battled against the humidity of the port city. Alcohol had a special place in her heart, and it often brought the strangest circumstances to pass. Normally, she wouldn't have bothered to ask this question, but a genuine curiosity remained in her heart: who was this man that had entered her friend's life, and why had he done so?  Her eyes met his, and she began to ask her question.

[color=pink]"Why are you Sun King? Why not just Leon Solaire? It is not often we give ourself titles, you know?"[/color] she smiled, letting out a breath exhale as her mind wandered. She too, was pretending to be someone else at this school, and perhaps that's why she felt compelled to ask. What drove him to take this persona, and why? Because from what she understood, and the conversations they'd shared, she didn't believe they were the same person.

Leon's head almost snapped back around to Yuli with a smile. He set his drink down, rolled to his side, rested his head in a hand, and one knee went up as if he were spreading idle gossip in amusement. [color=fff200]"It's fitting, isn't it? I originally made it as a secret identity for the trials but it seems to have just stuck."[/color]

He sat up and raised his hands out toward Yuli as if giving some grand pitch. [color=fff200]"From nowhere, a man appears bathed in sunlight to bring light to the trials. He cares less for the competition itself, but spends the time saving others, even on other teams. Together the trials are elevated by the Sun King, light and joy for all."[/color] He chuckled away at the whimsicality. [color=fff200]"It sounds cheesy when I say it out loud... But I like it."[/color]

She laughed along. It was whimsical, and something straight out of a fairytale, but it was a comforting thought. The idea of being a hero was a nice one in such a dark world. The events of the trials and the revolution had left a sour taste in everyone's mouth, and the fact he could go about with a smile and follow his dreams was something that resonated her, at least in spirit. [color=pink]"Cheesy doesn't mean bad, Leon. I like it too."[/color] A genuine smile graced her lips and she gazed his way. It became easier and easier to see why Kaureerah had fallen for him. But there was yet another question that met her mind, why did he like her? Not as in, she had no likeable traits but what would make a celebrity fall for a girl like that rather than attempting to climb the social ladder? 

Leon raised an eyebrow at Yuli, his demeanour more formal. [color=fff200]"I'm glad you like it Yuli, but I'm not sure you fully understand. I stand now as your equal but Vasilieva, Hohnstein, de Berbignon are all noble names with history and positions to be inherited. Solaire is something I made up."[/color] He took a sip of the girly drink while contemplating the matter further.  [color=fff200]"I mean no offense to you or others I call friend, but you were born a Vasilieva, raised a Vasilieva, and will always be defined by a Vasilieva. I was born without any earthly claim to call my own and now I have the reputation of a small king, kings from backwaters like Yarsoc or Blaaarth, but comparable to kings nonetheless."[/color]

[color=fff200]"I'm still young though and if you were to measure the trajectory to where I climb. Well, I wonder where it will end."[/color] Leon pointed upward to the sky before letting his arm drop, he didn't have the exact words to answer it, he didn't need them. [color=fff200]"The Sun King from nowhere who changed the world for the better."[/color] He gazed into the sky daydreaming. [color=fff200]"If he could do it from nothing, why couldn't anyone else."[/color] 

Her head cocked to the side in contemplation, because quite frankly, she hadn't gotten it. The idea of a hero was nothing new to her, but the idea of reaching for continuous heights in terms of political power was something she couldn't really comprehend for she'd never had to do it. In fact, she'd spent a good chunk of her time at the school hiding her status, pretending to be someone she wasn't in order to be treated similar to the rest. To try and gain an understanding of that sort of life. And here she was, confronted with an opposite. In her somewhat tipsy state, it made her laugh. She'd encountered so many viewpoints and ways of life, but this one was entirely fresh. An altruistic attempt to climb the ladder.

Leon was a little surprised that he made Yuli laugh, but he joined her quickly. [color=fff200]"I thought you said cheesy didn't mean bad."[/color] Half of him was playing into the joke, the other half a little embarrassed at the unexpected reception. With the influence of alcohol, it was an incredibly honest response.

[color=pink]"Leon, there's a top of the ladder."[/color] She shook her head and smiled at him. [color=pink]"You have best intentions. But I think you don't understand as well. The higher you climb, less you see below."[/color] She took a long sip of the drink and breathed a sigh of relief from the coolness. [color=pink]"I came to school as less, and it let me see more."[/color] There was a pause, and she wondered if she was about to deliver some unsolicited advice that was hardly warranted, but she decided to speak anyway. Her inhibitions were too lowered to care. [color=pink]"Try not to lose sight of little things on your way up, or story of Sun King could have a bad end, you know?"[/color]

Leon adjusted himself and rose from his lying position. [color=fff200]"But the ladder will always exist, Yuli. I saw what it meant to climb once and ran from it, but where does that leave the world? If those who care run from the ladder, from the responsibility, it leaves the climb to those who either don't know or don't care."[/color] Leon looked back to Yuli with a close-lipped smile but his eyes looked sadder. [color=fff200]"But I suppose you’re right. All I see is the end of that journey and think I'll be the same at the top. Maybe I don't know what I'll lose as I climb each rung."[/color]

Yuliya listened to the words he spoke, and they brought a more sombre mood to the discussion. She was all too familiar with those who'd fled from responsibility, and in a way, she was one of those people too. Her people needed her - to the point they'd attempted to coup her dynasty once more - and she was here, playing games, singing songs and playing dress up with other noble children, studying magic without a care in the world. It stung, even if it was true. Someone had to climb that ladder, for better or worse. At least Leon Solaire was conscious of what he stood to lose, and for that, she hoped he would succeed.

Leon retreated to his thoughts for a while as he contemplated something. He picked up the girly drink, took a considered sip, and then looked into its fruity colour. [color=fff200]"Maybe I need someone like you looking out for me, help keep me in check to make sure the story stays good. Along with some good drinks of course."[/color] He joked as he looked back to her cheerfully with a smile, wink, and a raise of his glass. 

When the rest came, Yuli couldn't help but smile. Perhaps it was the flirty nature of the way the man talked, or perhaps it was the alcohol flowing through her system. She finished her drink and slurped the scraps away with her straw before setting it down on a table and meeting his gaze. His eyes were pretty, but also lonely. She knew why Kaureerah had fallen for this man, for the girl had felt the same herself.  She blushed slightly but knew that what she had interpreted from his words was not likely what he'd meant. Still, it was an opportunity ripe for teasing the lad. 

 [color=pink]"Is that proposal, Mr Solaire? You dog, you. What would Kaury think?"[/color] She smirked and winked at the Sun King, before patting him on the shoulder, giving it a much gentler touch than she'd displayed at Mbita and Chikas.   [color=pink]"I do like drink though. Good drink. Next round is you, Sunny. What we drink next?"[/color] She chuckled, but had more thoughts on her mind. She wondered if their lives had been swapped, whether they'd have ended up on the same paths. 

Leon looked confused for a bit, before a slight blush took him and he began laughing. [color=fff200]"Oh, no, I think we come from different places indeed."[/color] He said with an amused smile. [color=fff200]"I like you, Yuli. But I'm not about to get down on one knee over it."[/color] He joked with a friendly tone and a wink. 

[color=fff200]"I grew up on the road with a line of caravans. Travelling performers and travellers in general were all to keep us company."[/color] He took the hand Yuli placed on his shoulder and put it in his. He guided her toward the central beach fire and then took her other hand to dance. It was a twirl and a twirl, in a drunken waltz for two. The drinks could wait. [color=fff200]"There would be plenty we pick up on the road. They could be funny, charming, and easy to love. In a single night, you could feel as if you've known them for years. But then, as soon as a week from when they'd arrived, they'd be gone. Only an empty bed to remind us that they ever existed and we wouldn't see them again."[/color] His tone grew sadder as he spoke.

He brought Yuli in before letting her out to the span of their arms and back in again. He seemed in a brighter mood after that. [color=fff200]"What I'm saying is, I hope you are one that stays along for the ride. I could use the advice, and you... well, what are you looking for?"[/color] 

She was surprised when the man took her hands, but it wasn't unwelcome. Dance was an expression of the self, of the goddess she wished she embodied - that of Ipté, and she took to revelry like a fish to water. She whirled around with Leon in a dance that was uncomfortable close to the fire, and she didn't seem to mind. Her eyes wandered there for a moment - to the flickering flames. Once, she'd been afraid of it, but that'd long since passed. Her heart had been in and out of the freezer for as long as she could remember, and when it had been allowed to thaw such as now, she was unsure whether it was her true self, or what she wished to be.

His story touched her. It reminded her of the things she couldn't have, of the responsibilities that she'd eventually have to face upon arriving home and it annoyed her. She couldn't help it, even if his words and motivation was one that was genuinely good. It was idiotic to sacrifice freedom, the winds that Dami granted them to sail upon. She wished she could simply roam the country road and dance, and drink, and party with whomever she pleased. Perhaps it was ungrateful to the station that she'd been given, the gifts of her birth, the vast wealth and power. 

But perhaps that's why she craved what this man once had - the freedom of choice. They were opposites, truly, but in a sense, equals. Not by birth but because they didn't know who they truly were - or at least that was what the Vossoriyan girl thought. She flicked her head and her hair cascaded in a mop as she let the thoughts rest in the cooler, and let her heart continue to warm for now, as she looked in the eyes of the Sun King.

 [color=pink]"It sounds stupid, but I'm looking for friend."[/color] she laughed, her eyes wandering between him and the dancing fire.  [color=pink]"I can laugh, dance and play pretend, but I am different. I am too high on ladder for them to see and understand me, you are knowing?"[/color] she paused, before resuming her hearty chuckle, this time over her obviously broken Avincean. Alcohol never helped that.  [color=pink]"Sometime, I want slide down and join everyone else. Go on caravan ride with not care in world. And sometime, I do. But I can't stay."[/color] she whispered wistfully, her attention shifted from the flame to him fully now.

 [color=pink]"I don't want be alone, Leon."[/color] she confessed, holding his hands tightly.   [color=pink]"I feel my friends leave me behind soon."[/color] her voice was choked, and her eyes began to tear up. Penny would bear the children of that wretched yasoi and leave her station. She'd barely spoken to Zarina since Miret had gotten her claws into her. And Kaureerah, sweet girl, was off risking her life. As strong as she was of spirit, her body was weak. She was not Penny, or Zarina, let alone her.  [color=pink]"I'll stay for ride, just let me know when it is time to jump off."[/color] Yuliya muttered shakily, and her cheeks became damp with tears.

How long had it been since she cried? 

And when did she ever let anyone see it? 

When had she grown this soft? 

Leon thought for a moment and gazed into the flames. What she had said about the ladder, not being understood, it spoke to his soul. He had never thought himself the type; raised among those who had as little as he did. But now reputation, prestige, and the weight of expectations had slowly taken those freedoms. He [i]could[/i] sit back and say to this girl that she could join the common man's dance and forget about her worldly worries. But then, when had he last joined the caravan he owed so much to? When had he returned to the orchard he considered home? He [i]could[/i] do it at any time, but when would it not cost him so much more than it is worth? Those were questions he preferred to ignore because they made him feel lost. He had chosen the path ahead even above the chance to understand his mother.

Yuli snapped him out of his daze with as he heard the Vossoriyan choke on her words and noticed she was shedding tears. His face snapped back and he was no longer smiling, the booze and the emotions at play stripped that facade from him. He simply listened and sought to understand her. It was easy for Leon to mistake Yuli as older than him. She carried a coldness to her that he had only seen before in the older nobility. But there was no doubt in his mind now, he only saw a girl still finding her way in the world. A girl who had shed a front that had been held up too long. Perhaps they were very similar indeed.

Leon pulled her in for a comforting hug, swept aside her hair, and gently kissed her on the forehead. [color=fff200]"You make an easy request but not one that is stupid. If it is a friend you look for, you can find one in me."[/color] He came back out from the hug and Leon smiled warmly. [color=fff200]"Join my caravan and you shall never be alone, I swear it."[/color] He crossed a hand over his heart. [color=fff200]"No one deserves to be alone in this world."[/color] What was alcohol for if not to bind yourself to lifelong vows with a person you've met twice? Who knew if Leon would actually keep it. As genuine as he spoke the words, it had not been the first time he had done this. A vow made from two nights of drinking and they left by the week's end all the same. Only time could reveal the truth, but he hoped for the best.

Yuliya stood in silence for a moment as the man hugged her. His skin was warm, and the kiss on her forehead was gentle. It was an unfamiliar feeling she'd had, especially since attending the school. So close, yet so distant at the same time. She hung on to that moment though, and found herself smiling by the end, even if the tears that streamed down her face tasted bitter. She wondered, deep down in her heart, if Leon Solaire would have spoken to her this way if she knew what she was, and what she'd done. Whether he'd look at her with scorn as she stood atop a veritable mountain of bodies who'd attempted to yank her down from that high place. Whether he'd realize the folly of the climb? It didn't matter in this moment though. She simply accepted it for what it was. 

And so, as Leon finished his words, she pulled him in for a second hug. A tighter one, of thanks and apology. [color=pink]"Thank you."[/color] she uttered, sniffling a little as she rest her chin on the man's shoulder, wiping her eyes. [color=pink]"I didn't mean to make night emotional."[/color] she laughed, slightly forced as she pulled back again. Slightly dizzily, she sat back down in her beach seat, looking at the fire and then the waves of Port Zengali. She reached for her glass and saw it was empty, and sighed.


Leon was somewhat surprised at being brought in for a second hug but reciprocated and gave the girl slow, comforting pats on the back. [color=fff200]"It's alright Yuli, there's no shame in it. I hear it's great for the skin, to let tears loose every now and again,"[/color] he tried lightening the mood.

[color=pink]"Maybe is the drink, huh? Brings out good and bad in me. You better not tell them I cry."[/color] she pouted at him, running her hands along her face to clear the loose strands away. In that moment, she wondered some more. How long did she have with them before everything kicked off? These people she called friends knew little of war, death, battle and bloodshed beyond what the missions had offered them. She'd grown up and lived it. Would they come back the same? Would they come back at all? She hoped - nay - she prayed in that moment to the gods she'd both met and hadn't yet, that the war to come would not destroy them all. That they'd come back safe and sound, happy and whole. A selfish prayer, but a heartfelt one.

Leon returned toward his beach chair a little later with a sway to his stride, half in a performer's swagger and half a drunk man who let the sway of his body take the wheel willingly with delight. [color=fff200]"Now that's something I can't promise Yuli."[/color] He remarked with a mischievous grin. [color=fff200]"I am simply dying to tell the whole school that ice melts on occasion and even a princess of snow can shed tears... So you'll have to keep being nice to me."[/color] Leon gave her a wink before he bent down to pick up his drink and assessed the remains of the fruity beverage. Barely anything left. He tipped the glass up and savoured it to the last drop, how very few there were.

He looked back to Yuli and clapped his hands together with announcement. [color=fff200]"So, have you decided yet? What you'll be drinking when you see me slay the White Thresher? The next round was on me or so I recall."[/color] His smile was wide and eager for the next round. The last drink was good, but he doubted it was the best Zengali had to offer. Yuli shrugged and giggled. She looked back to her empty glass with confusion, as she thought of a variety of drinks, yet none came to mind for such a momentous occasion. She turned to Leon, tapping her head in a grand revelation. [color=pink]"I think we need sample more."[/color] She grinned before continuing. [color=pink]"We try everything in bar, and I decide after?"[/color]

Yuli shrugged and giggled. She looked back to her empty glass with confusion, as she thought of a variety of drinks, yet none came to mind for such a momentous occasion. She turned to Leon, tapping her head in a grand revelation. [color=pink]"I think we need sample more."[/color] She grinned before continuing. [color=pink]"We try everything in bar, and I decide after?"[/color]

Leon thought back to the selection of drinks. It was quite a long list, she surely wasn't suggesting they drink [i]all[/i] of them. Of course not. They would maybe drink 5 more and choose to retire. How could he say no to that? [color=fff200]"Let the cup runneth over."[/color] He remarked with a smile before taking her hand and helping her up.

[hr][hr] 
After around 3 more hours of drinking, Leon Solaire would find out that Yuliya did in fact, mean all of them. Not some, but all. The cup did runneth over, especially for the poor Sun King. So much was he invited to drink that he puked his guts out on the beach of Zengali, while Yuliya held his hair back. It was not something she'd expected to do that night, but she'd done the same for plenty of friends, and quite frankly, she found it hilarious that his bile had taken on a myriad of colours from the cocktails they'd consumed together. 

If Leon's sway had been a question of intention or intoxication at the start of the night, it was obvious now. He had tried to keep up with Yuli drink for drink but was simply no match; not that he realised that until it was too late.

The search for the perfect drink reminded Leon of a Perrench tale he heard about a glass slipper. A prince and a common girl share a romantic night at a ball. But at midnight, the woman needs to flee, leaving only a single glass slipper behind. The next morning, the prince goes on a tireless search for his love whose foot would be the only thing to fit the shoe perfectly. Their shared goal tonight was equally noble and tireless.

He had thought to make mention of it. Then he realised that Yuli would be neither the prince or princess in that tale, she would be the shoe, which made it a truly stupid analogy to make. The realisation of this made him spit out some of his drink and burst into spontaneous laughter. Perhaps in a sober mind, it would only be a passing thought. But it was the funniest thing to him at the moment and made it hard for him to catch his breath. Yuli asked what he was laughing about, to which the performer refused to answer. Not only was it a stupid thing to laugh at, but how could he explain it? Tell her that she reminded him of a shoe? That was a bold risk to someone who crushed his hand with a greeting and he would deserve a slap for the comment. Some things you simply had to take to the grave.

As late as the hour had gone, the people behind the bar of the establishment had gone home. Yuliya, in her insistence that they continue drinking and find this perfect beverage, had decided to outright buy the beachside bar in the moment. It would be a decision that she'd regret in the morning given that it was around half of her allowance, but it allowed the Vossoriyan to continue her quest for the perfect beverage. The first few mixes were far too strong for Leon, and not quite right. Yet, the fourth drink that she made was exactly what she was looking for - a margarita coloured blue with some strange liquor from Huulendam, Tequila from Xochi and Triple-Sec from Perrence. Of course, the freshly squeezed juice of a Zengali lime was added. She sipped it, and for a moment, she figured she'd found it. She made one for Leon too, of course, wandering over to him stumbling in a drunken stupor as she handed him a glass.

[color=pink]"You are knowing..."[/color] she paused and hiccuped, shaking her head at the words. [color=pink]"I am good friend. I bring you drink even when you don't tell me what is funny. I want to know funny!"[/color] she hiccuped, pouting as she lay back down on her seat and lounged, sipping it through a straw. Perhaps she would have found a new hobby that night, for mixing drink sturned out to be a delightful time, but she'd be far too drunk to remember what fun it was in the morning. She swirled it around the glass for a moment and the colour reminded her of something she wanted to ask earlier. Blue, like her good friend Kaureerah! 

Leon may have had some objection to a noble purchasing a community-gathering establishment such as a bar for the whim of alcoholic pursuits. But his faculties were not entirely with him. He simply thought that the bar's owner was nice enough to leave them the place for the night out of the kindness of his heart. A sober Leon would have thought the idea ridiculous but it made sense enough to a drunk one. Yuli and himself were nice enough people and you get given a lot of things when you are rich, hot, and popular.

He was smiles, smiles, and more smiles. Despite being on the verge of passing out multiple times during the evening, his positive demeanor never faded. It grew brighter if anything. When Leon was pressed again about his sudden outburst, he simply smiled wider and rested his head down with his arms on the bar's surface. He didn't look at the girl but shook his head to silently say 'no, its not gonna be that easy'.

Sluggishly, he raised his head again and kindly accepted the girl's perfect drink. [color=fff200]"I might tell you one day, Yuli..."[/color] He picked up the drink to sip. [color=fff200]"Maybe when the shoe is on the other foot."[/color] He put down the drink and tried to stop himself laughing, to which he was somewhat successful this time. But before Yuli could react, he lifted a hand to playfully dismiss the matter while he took a sip. Was it the perfect cocktail? It could have been, it could have not been, the performer couldn't tell anymore. But it did taste nice.


[color=pink]"You won't tell me that so you have tell me this. What..."[/color] Yuliya paused again, cursing under her breath in Vossoriyan as she struggled to find the words in her mind. [color=pink]"Why Kaureerah? You can have nearly any girl you are wanting, but why my friend?"[/color] she asked, curious. She looked at him all the while, sipping her drink innocently.

When Kaureerah was mentioned, Leon's entire demeanour shifted. It was subtle and difficult to tell exactly how or what emotions had caused it. But there was no doubt that the mentioned name was a powerful one to invoke in the performer's mind. When he looked back at Yuli, his smile was softer. He didn't show his teeth anymore but it seemed sweeter and more genuine. The glimmer behind his eyes was gone, those that constantly peered to the horizon brought all too close to the ground. When Yuli danced with him on the beach earlier, it was very easy to see him as someone larger-than-life, a figure who defied the logic of this world and carried winds of change few had seen before. He wasn't that now, he was grounded. He was just some guy named Leon. The alcohol had brought him halfway there, but the change in subject matter brought him all the way.

He chuckled. [color=fff200]"You're a crafty woman, Yuli."[/color] He teased. [color=fff200]"Getting me well past the point of drunk before questioning me."[/color] For a moment, he tried to look coy before he relented.

[color=fff200]"The truth is Yuli: I don't know. I've had my fair share of ladies, and men, and all of them have been beautiful in their own right."[/color] His delivery was struggling under the booze but heartfelt to no end. [color=fff200]"Some were taller, some were shorter, some with bigger tits."[/color] He brought his arms up to cup in front of his chest for emphasis, then threw them back down. [color=fff200]"And yet, with all of [i]them[/i], I would have been perfectly happy to jump into that 'bush party' we heard back on the beach. Love is meant for everyone equally, after all... But it's not the case with her."[/color]

He looked forward to the bar, rested his face in his right hand, and looked lost in a daydream. [color=fff200]"Sure, she has a beautiful voice, a sunny personality, and a cute butt. But there is no one thing I can point to that explains it, as hard as I try."[/color] Leon turned back to Yuli and looked her straight in the eyes. [color=fff200]"She makes me happy, Yuli. Happy in a way I haven't felt in a long while. As much as I want to, I can't put it into greater words than that."[/color]

In her chair, Yuliya crossed her legs and took a long sip of her drink as she listened to Leon Solaire talk. Not the Sun King, not the celebrity, but the man. She was content that she'd finally broken the shell, and a smile crept up on her face as she finally found someone she approved of. [color=pink]"Is good answer, Leon."[/color] she laughed heartily, glad that at least one friend of hers had a decent partner to rely on. [color=pink]"She does have nice butt. But if that was main answer, I was ready to be beating your butt"[/color] and she began to laugh even harder, as the words weren't even forming coherent sentences anymore. She finished her drink with that, and waltzed over to the bar with a stumbling walk, regaining clarity as she rested her hands on the counter and poured herself another. [color=pink]"I'm glad for you, though. You and her. I wish you speak my language so you know how smart I am and I can make poetic statement or something."[/color] she turned, winked at him and sat up on the bar, raising her drink in the air.

[color=fff200]"Well then, I'm glad my ass remains unkicked tonight."[/color] He raised his glass in turn and clinked it with hers as he chuckled. [color=fff200]"I don't find poetry to be a strictly vocal art form. Sometimes words aren't needed."[/color] They drank to the final, perfect drink.

But afterward, a silence set in. Not one from awkwardness, just neither finding a need to speak in the moment. In that silence, Leon's mind wandered and he grew visibly more dour to the conversation of his inner thoughts. It wasn't long until Leon set the glass aside and looked to Yuli sadly.

[color=fff200]"You are her friend, no? Yuli... do you know why Kaureerah joined that mission?"[/color] 

She too dwelled on that silent, deep in both her thoughts and her cups. The sanguinaire swirled her glass around and looked down, smiling in a realization she just had. They truly were similar. [color=pink]"Same reason why you are here, I am think... she want make difference. Tired of running. Wants to change world for better."[/color] Yuliya's eyes met Leon's, and there was a recognition there. A feeling that he didn't want to lose this person he loved, but it was for the wrong reasons. [color=pink]"She's weak. But sometime, is not about being strong or weak. Is simply about doing what you think is right, no?"[/color] she asked pointedly, pouring her second helping of this drink into her mouth. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully, filling up her glass once more and trying the concoction with a cherry garnish.

Leon smiled back at Yuli, happy to have his thoughts somewhat settled. [color=fff200]"Thank Yuli, you're a true friend."[/color] To change the world for the better. He wondered if he had even asked Kaureerah what ambitions drove her. It sounded so simple but he couldn't even recall asking about the change she dreamed of bringing into the world. He had only talked of his vision. [color=fff200]"Perhaps I'm a fool, Yuli. I had thought I alone could make her happy. I thought her only a girl who wants to sing and perform and that I could give her everything she wanted. Maybe I didn't listen to the words."[/color] He joked grimly. [color=fff200]"I don't mind that she did it, its just that I don't know why. I thought she was happy but people happy with the world don't do this kind of thing... I want to know she will come back safe, but I'm not there and I can't answer that question."[/color]

He was tearing up a little. [color=fff200]"I'm scared, Yuli. Scared that one day I'm going to wake up and she'll be gone, like so many before. And it won't even be that shes gone, but that the person I hold in my memories won't even be her."[/color] Yuli could see it clearly now. It wasn't just a passing sadness but an intense fear that went beyond anything she had seen from Leon in the Forked Tower. Was it as simple as he said it to be or was he afraid of something else too? 

She said not a word as she strolled over to Leon sitting in the beach chairs that they'd been drinking in all night, and gave him a hug. So many times in her life, she'd been heavy handed with her grips and jabs and whatnot, but there was an astonishing gentleness to the embrace she gave, yet it was still tight. She'd become awfully human this night beneath the starry sky, and for a moment, she said nothing, and only smiled at him with care and consideration. [color=pink]"It's good for skin. Don't worry."[/color] She ran her hands through his hair softly, humming as she did so. There was a part of it that figured it was wrong - that this wasn't her place - and that perhaps Kaureerah might have been mad at her for such an affectionate gesture.

She cast it aside. Her friend had been there for her moments ago, and she had the chance to repay that kindness. She finally spoke more, hushed and calm. [color=pink]"You forgot to look down, didn't you?"[/color] she remarked, hugging him a little tighter. [color=pink]"Talk to her, little sun. Before is too late, and your voice won't reach down. She will change, and you will change, but you will still be Leon, and she still be Kaureerah."[/color]

[color=fff200]"Thank you, Yuli."[/color] He hugged her back and simply accepted her affections for what they were. He let the tears he had to give flow. [color=fff200]"I will."[/color]

[hr]

It was about ten minutes later after Yuli had returned to her seat and they were both enjoying the night sky that Leon came upon a realization. He sat up and looked at her with eyes of momentary clarity. [color=fff200]"Yuli, I almost forgot I have a Thresher to kill tomorrow."[/color] He slurred out, coming to the latter end of a drunken daze. [color=fff200]"I'm not going to be any use if I'm passed out on this beach chair for it. Please use some of your chemical to fix me up, I've really got to go."[/color] 

There was a moment of silence that fell after he made his request. She could sense the desperation and fear of disappointment in his eyes, and yet, her face grew into a larger and large smile until she began chuckling harder than he did at the shoe thought. It was so beautifully ironic that this was how they were going to end the night, and she'd practically keeled onto the floor in such intense laughter. She pound her fist into the ground and none of that gentleness was there as the sand was pulverized until after a minute, she was finally able to speak. 

[color=pink]"Leon..."[/color] she managed to get out before the laughter resumed, and another 30 seconds passed. It came to a stop, and she panted as she sat back in her chair and wiped the sand from her hands and hair. [color=pink]"I haven't taken a single chemical class."[/color] 

Leon laughed along with her. Then his laughing slowed. [color=fff200]"Come on, Yuli. Don't joke around. Just fix me up."[/color] When his response was only answered with even more laughing, he stopped and his smile dropped. She wasn't joking.

With all the speed he could manage, he leapt out of his chair and stumbled up the beach, out of Yuli's view. Then, forgetting something important, he returned back and hugged her goodbye with a Revidian kiss on each cheek. Even if they would struggle to remember all the details when tomorrow comes, not all will be forgotten. 

This time, Leon left for good. Yuli watched him shamble up the beach, almost falling over twice, in a grand pursuit of a chemical mage to fix him. The Sun King disappeared over the dunes and it was the last Yuliyah would see of him for the rest of the night. Who knew if he would succeed in his suddenly presented quest.

[hr]

Yuliya did not finish her drinking that night, for she'd found the perfect one for the scene. She tasted it and imagined it, and drank far more than a girl her size should have. She'd passed out onto the chair that night, and if the day were not so intense, perhaps she would have been a victim of thievery. Alas, she slept, and snored the day away in a bar she paid for, until her slumber was rudely interrupted by the sounds of explosions and a blinding flash of light. She squinted as she woke up, figuring she was still dreaming, but the hangover she had said otherwise. She realized she'd made a promise, and knew that light could only belong to one man, so hastily, she leant to the side of her chair and picked up the remains of one of the drinks she had and sipped it. It was warm, and the flavours had been diluted by the ice, but it was perfect. She smiled at the sun and raised her glass, before another blinding flash of light hit her eyes. 

[color=pink]"Too fucking bright! блять![/color]