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INVENTORY
· His canon clothing.
· His canon sword, The Burning Thorn.
· His half of The Founder's Grasp, a pair of bracelets of which Clive possesses the twin.
    NOTE: Ydalir has enchanted this bracelet, allowing Joshua to assume the form of a small,
    cockatiel-sized Phoenix.
· His copy of the Journal of Moss.
· A photographed family portrait of his own family, in fine (but not royal) clothing and
    appearing happy.
· A stock of medicine for his coughing, supplied by Pure Vanilla Cookie.
· An ear cuff, custom made by Sesa and gifted to him by Dion.
    NOTE: Ydalir has enchanted this ear cuff, allowing Joshua to create a small ball of light
    similar to Dion's that fires three quick laser blasts before disappearing.
· A small stolas, requested from home. Her name is Willowisp, and she coos a lot and
    accepts snacks.
    NOTE: Pure Vanilla Cookie has now linked her as Joshua's familiar.

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[ The lack of return attack makes him relax a little with a sigh, and he puts the empty vial into the medicine pouch, staring at what's left.

There's so few... ]

I'm sorry, too. I know we're low, but-

[ He clenches his fist against the pouch before turning back to Joshua. ]

If the healers cannot make more, I will find a way to get you more. I promise you, Joshua, I won't let you be without it, I won't let you...

[ Get so bad he's coughing up giant splatters of blood again. The fact he's NOT, despite what damage Ultima must have done to him, is a miracle.

He turns Joshua's words around on him. ]

I won't lose you. I refuse. I've lost you for eighteen years already. Never again.

[ Joshua knows. He knows that Clive would do everything in his power to make sure that he's all right. He always has. ]

I know. And thank you, truly. You are the best Shield that a brother could ask for.

[ ... though, since the theme of the evening is coming clean... Joshua frowns, eyes locked on the bag of medicine, and lets out a sigh. ]

I... do fear that mine has become worse of late. After our battle at the temple, after Aurora pulled me out to safety, I coughed up so much blood...

[ And fell unconscious, to boot. Whether that was related, or it was physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion and trauma, he can't really say.]

Pure Vanilla Cookie has not been... himself, since we got back, so I haven't had it looked into. I'm not even certain where to start. And if Will wasn't able to remedy it...

[ Silence as Joshua comes clean about how much blood he coughed up. Fuck. He hasn't seen Joshua coughing up blood since but they haven't exactly been in each other's shadows all the time. Has he been hiding it? Is it far worse than he thought? ]

Joshua...

[ His voice is strained. It's not anger, just severe worry. His can be stopped right here and now, he merely needs to stop using magic and Ifrit. But the more it rips at Joshua's lungs, the less likely his brother will ever recover.

Until he's dead from it.

And Will couldn't remedy it, but that's not shocking because- ]

Because you have no aether.

[ He remembers what Will and Joshua told him about the attempt and how it had just 'flowed back out'. He stares down at his hand briefly, then back up at Joshua, brows knitting together. ]

... I have plenty of it, though. I am not just Ifrit, after all.

[ Shiva, Bahamut, Ramuh... even Ultima, the alien feeling of it pressing into his skull always. ]

Can I try something?

[ Admittedly, he hasn't coughed up much, if any at all, since then. He's been good! He hasn't needed to expend much aether at all since Clive came back.

But he knows that that could change at any time. He's been warned away from using his own magic for his safety, but the second that an emergency hits, and his healing or the Phoenix is needed...

Clive speaks up again, and the tone in his voice sounds as though a thought has just occurred to him. Joshua tips his head aside, curiosity clear in his expression. Clive's aether...? ]

Try what?

[ If it has a chance at advancing his brother's curse, he wants nothing to do with it. ]

Both you and Odin have been able to relinquish your Eikon to me.

[ Much against his will he might add but he won't say that to save his brother the knowledge that the situation had become so bad he had to force Clive to take it. He flexes his hand, studying his brother, frowning. ]

I do not know whether - permission granted - Ifrit drank of it or not, but if one can willing hand it over... I may be able to hand back the blessing you gave to me.

[ The aether Joshua gave to him, that let's him call upon the Phoenix's flames as if they were his own. He just has to figure out a way to get his body to let go of it, as it wasn't made to pour out what was stored in it.

But where there's a will, there is always a way. ]

What say you?

[ That's... not what Joshua was expecting to hear, but then again, he isn't sure he knew what to expect, really. His eyes widen for a moment, then dart down to skim the floor as he thinks.

He had given Clive that gift so long ago... Before he'd awakened to Ifrit. It's-- It's possible that it could work, and it isn't like Clive can't call upon his own fire nowadays. But he knows that his power allows Clive to heal himself to some extent, even if it is a small one, and he knows that no other Eikon has the ability to heal.

His lips draw into a thin line. He... isn't sure about this. ]

... taking it back means that you no longer have a means to heal yourself if necessary.

[ He looks up. Worried. Concerned. ]

I don't know, Clive. Is that... safe? To risk that?

[ Safe? Probably not. Especially in this world, where things go wrong so often but Clive merely responds by thinning in his own lips in return. ]

It's worth it, to risk it. I don't think it will hurt me any.

[ Might hurt, he has no idea, but it may also feel like just handing back something that ... belongs already to someone else.

He holds his hand out to his brother, tilting his head gently. ]

It's worth a shot, Joshua...

Edited 2025-02-10 15:27 (UTC)

[ ... nngh. Joshua hates this. Hates that they have to tiptoe around Clive's health like this, worrying that any little thing is going to make the Curse worse.

Suri is going to pay for this. He clenches his fist, just for a moment.

But Clive is holding out his hand, and it's impossible for him to deny it. So he reaches out, taking his brother's hand in his own. ]

All right. But if it begins to hurt you, please stop.

Same to you, tell me.

[ Because he knows you, Joshua. He squeezes his brother's hand, then closes his eyes briefly. It's not hard to call the Phoenix, it's far more easier to him than calling Ifrit even. The warm fire of healing and love.

Now... how does he return it. Taking is easier. His body is meant to take and store. In fact, he can feel the Phoenixs aether in Joshua as he prods the connection. The Dominant has to be weakened or willing, so a pull would do nothing but what if he pushed?

He imagines it like tilting a jug, full, and Joshua is the cup that waits. And he feels the flow, the blessing, moving with his urging towards the connection. But he can't guide it, he can't feel it or see it. So without guidance it just sets back, Clive grunting in annoyance.

Not pain, just annoyance. Frustration. ]

Edited 2025-02-10 17:02 (UTC)

All right.

[ Clive certainly does know him. But he knows Clive, too. He's going to be looking out for any telltale signs.

Following Clive's lead, he closes his eyes as well. It's... so strange, feeling the Phoenix's power rise up in someone that isn't himself. It's been there for years, but it's still like his own, it hasn't changed at all. Can Clive feel it, he wonders? Like he can feel the Eikons he's taken?

But when Clive tries to return it... nothing happens. It's just his aether, on the other side of an insurmountable barrier. He can hear Clive's grunt of frustration, and he opens his eyes, giving his brother's hand a squeeze. ]

Hey. It's okay. We tried.

It's there.

[ The squeeze mollifies some of the frustration, and he relaxes a little, opening his eyes to glare at his own hand like somehow it's that's fault. The blessing is there, he can direct it somewhat, but he can't pass it over. Joshua says it's okay but-

He sighs and squeezes Joshua's hand tightly in return, then lets it go. ]

I will think of some other way. I will get Aether into you.

[ It wouldn't be his brother if he didn't try. Joshua smiles, letting their hands separate. ]

I know you will.

[ For now... they should rest, probably. Clive is hurting, and he's spent a bit of his aether trying to soothe those hurts. Joshua shifts, moving to remove his boots - he'd forgotten, in his concern. ]

Let's not push ourselves too much. We should rest - and when you're feeling up to it, we can ask Will to give you a once-over.

All right.

[ For once Clive doesn't argue, his disappointment palpable. He had the chance to help, finally, to fix Joshua and he can't get past the block. He moves over to the couch to flop himself down onto it, leaning over to tug the laces of his boots apart so he can push them off, then lean back and close his eyes as he rests his head on the couch cushions.

Scowling like Ultima himself showed up to mock him, but his mind is racing with possibilities. Will might be able to help... ]

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