[ On Joshua's travels to discover the truth behind Ultima, he'd traveled across the entire breadth of Storm, there are few places he hadn't visited in his pursuit, even all the way up to the Northern Territories. Rosaria perhaps most especially, having been the beginning of... everything for him and Clive, his home. Coming back to even Phoenix Gate multiple times in search for answers of all that had happened that night.
But, for as much as he journeyed back to the Duchy... he never was able to really to enjoy it as though he were coming home to visit. There was ever too much at stake, too many questions that remained unanswered, unseen forces pulling the strings of everything around him and Joshua's mind swam with thoughts of it all. And what memories he held dear, often times hurt to think about back then, especially when he believed he'd killed his brother during his battle against Ifrit that night.
So now, as they're able to slow down, just for a moment, when Clive suggests they visit the Duchy one last time, in their father's memory and, though unspoken, knowing it's for themselves too, before they return to the Hideaway to prepare to leave for Origin, Joshua is all too happy to.
And as Clive tries to hold to the hope, to the belief that they'll make it back, that this isn't their final farewell... to Joshua, it is. Because he has long since accepted the fact that death is all that awaits him ever since he took Ultima unto himself five years ago, and especially now as they stand before the end and he see's what's to become of him. But he does this with a fondness in his heart, to travel again on familiar paths alongside his brother as they used to, this time to say goodbye to his home, to his father, knowing the future they strive now to save, Cid's future, their father's future, will all be worth it. Because it will be their own.
But he doesn't think about it as they approach Eastpool on their chocobos. Instead, he takes notice of the people working the fields, growing crops and taming the overgrowth, and ahead, men and woman repairing the buildings that had been left to ruin and at the hands of the bandits who had but recently been evicted. Then he looks to his brother ahead of him with a small smile. ]
I'm all right, Brother. You needn't worry. [ He is most certainly doing his very best. He won't say it out loud, but he's grateful Clive decided to call on their chocobos to travel around Rosaria instead of walking. As Ultima drains him of his strength, it makes traveling such distances more and more demanding, exhaustion and the pain from his chest easily taking him these days. But he doesn't let it show, or at least as best he can, as to not worry his brother.
So he's much better than he would've fared otherwise, even if he is still a touch tired. ]
Are we to continue through Eastpool? There is naught but the Dim between here and Phoenix Gate. Unless we are to make camp at the Sagespire... [ There's a quirked smile in his voice. He doesn't necessarily mean it, there might still be creatures in the Sagespire after all so it's not exactly. safe. But he most certainly won't object if Clive doesn't mind it-- ]
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But, for as much as he journeyed back to the Duchy... he never was able to really to enjoy it as though he were coming home to visit. There was ever too much at stake, too many questions that remained unanswered, unseen forces pulling the strings of everything around him and Joshua's mind swam with thoughts of it all. And what memories he held dear, often times hurt to think about back then, especially when he believed he'd killed his brother during his battle against Ifrit that night.
So now, as they're able to slow down, just for a moment, when Clive suggests they visit the Duchy one last time, in their father's memory and, though unspoken, knowing it's for themselves too, before they return to the Hideaway to prepare to leave for Origin, Joshua is all too happy to.
And as Clive tries to hold to the hope, to the belief that they'll make it back, that this isn't their final farewell... to Joshua, it is. Because he has long since accepted the fact that death is all that awaits him ever since he took Ultima unto himself five years ago, and especially now as they stand before the end and he see's what's to become of him. But he does this with a fondness in his heart, to travel again on familiar paths alongside his brother as they used to, this time to say goodbye to his home, to his father, knowing the future they strive now to save, Cid's future, their father's future, will all be worth it. Because it will be their own.
But he doesn't think about it as they approach Eastpool on their chocobos. Instead, he takes notice of the people working the fields, growing crops and taming the overgrowth, and ahead, men and woman repairing the buildings that had been left to ruin and at the hands of the bandits who had but recently been evicted. Then he looks to his brother ahead of him with a small smile. ]
I'm all right, Brother. You needn't worry. [ He is most certainly doing his very best. He won't say it out loud, but he's grateful Clive decided to call on their chocobos to travel around Rosaria instead of walking. As Ultima drains him of his strength, it makes traveling such distances more and more demanding, exhaustion and the pain from his chest easily taking him these days. But he doesn't let it show, or at least as best he can, as to not worry his brother.
So he's much better than he would've fared otherwise, even if he is still a touch tired. ]
Are we to continue through Eastpool? There is naught but the Dim between here and Phoenix Gate. Unless we are to make camp at the Sagespire... [ There's a quirked smile in his voice. He doesn't necessarily mean it, there might still be creatures in the Sagespire after all so it's not exactly. safe. But he most certainly won't object if Clive doesn't mind it-- ]