Prose Log: Shoon & Frey
Shoon felt the wood of the dummy crack slightly as his fist conected with its body. He refrained from continuing his momentum as most of the dummies were new, and Juan seemed to be going through them at an alraming rate. He pulled back and aimed a kick at its head, then followed it with a backwards leap transforming it into a summersalt and landed on his feet. He stayed there fore moment, crouched down, breathing heavily and beads of sweat rolling down his cheeks. He let our a breath and relaxed.
Frey was watching from the doorway, not wanting to interrupt. He had seen Shoon fight before, but it was always interesting to him to watch other styles of fighting from his own. As the fighter seemed to relax, he moved into the room.
"Shoon?" He called out, left hand scratching a little under the glove on his right where his rune was.
"Hmm?" Shoon looked over at the door and smiled, "Prince Freyjadour." He stood and streched. "What's up?" he asked as he walked towards the door, grabbing a towel and wiping his face before the the sweat could get into his eyes. "Did you come to use the dojo?"
"No... actually I came to see you." He hadn't slept much the previous night, which showed on his face, but he seemed perky enough... if somewhat serious. He peered at the dummy Shoon had been beating up. "If you are not done I can wait." The itch annoyed him enough he finally just took off his glove so he could actually scratch it. He probably shouldn't, but sometimes he couldn't help it.
Shoon shook his head, "Nah, I'm done." He studied the prince for a moment then said, "Let me go change really quick and we can take a walk, the fresh air might do ya some good," He gave the prince a smile and troted to the back room to clean up a bit.
Frey nodded, offering a smile. "All right. I'll wait outside." That said, after Shoon went into the back room, he wandered back outside and peered up at the sky. He missed the lakes and rivers of Falena a lot, but if he just watched the sky he didn't get so homesick.
Pulling on a clean shirt Shoon walked outside and held out a water bottle for Frey. "Here. Water always helps." He took a drink of his own and nodded out to the lake. "You want to take a walk by the lake?"
He peered at the bottle and took it, smiling. "Thank you." His thoughts refocused on the present rather than the past. "If you don't mind, yes. Is it that obvious I miss home?"
"A little," Shoon said, "Most people miss their homes when they show up here. Others, not so much." He lead Frey to the lake and began to walk around it, heading away from the castle, southwards. "I was going to suggest the lake anyways though. It's good to walk by and think."
Frey nodded slightly, thinking that Shoon was probably one who didn't miss home. He didn't blame him if it was Stormfist he was thinking about. "Ah. I can see that." As they walked, he sipped at the water.
Shoon was silent for moment before saying, "Do you still want to know what happened with your mother before you showed up?
"Yes." There was no hesitation, he had never even thought twice about finding out one way or another. "If you are still up for telling me." Frey watched Shoon out of the corner of his eye, so he could note the reaction.
Sighing Shoon ran a hair through his hair. "It's probably best you hear it sooner rather than later. I'm probably not the best person to tell you," he admitted, "But I'm probably the only one who's willing." He took a swig of his water and pointed over at a boulder. "Lets go over there. You might want to sit down for this."
Something notably not good, then. Frey steeled himself for the news and went where Shoon pointed. "All right." He would simply take his friend's word for it. He sat, then just watched Shoon. His expression was unreadable.
Sighing again Shoon began, "The Sun Rune came with your mother." He cringed, but that was the only way to began. "And no one knew for awhile. For awhile she seemed normal. But one day, on the winter solstice, something, I don't know what, happened. And that was the start of it all."
Frey couldn't help cringing himself. He remembered too well how the Sun Rune had changed his normally gentle mother, though he had been protected from the brunt of it by his father. "... ah. It... took control of her again?" That was the best way he could put it. He remembered Georg's description of what had happened before she died rather vividly.
"Yes," Shoon said, "Though like only Kyle knew for awhile." He paced a little in front of the prince. "She started acting like she was a goddess. And she starting ordering people around, and... well, more than a few of us were not happy with that. And she attacked someone, nearly killing him. I," Shoon frowned a bit, "Was one of the people who were rather vocal about her throwing her weight around." He sighed again, "I'm pretty sure she would have killed me if Kyle hadn't knocked me out."
He listened mostly in silence, but he couldn't keep all emotion from his face like he wanted. His brows furrowed together, and the corners of his mouth turned down. That definitely sounded familiar, although he only knew from hearsay about her even hurting anyone. "So it... was almost a repeat of Lordlake," he wouldn't talk about the other incident, "I am glad he knocked you out-- it... it could have been really bad. How did... it stop?"
"Well, for awhile, it didn't." Shoon said, "No one knew what was going on. She was so bipolar. And Kyle and Alenia were becoming encreasingly tightlipped about her. It was only by accident that I found out."
He told Frey about the icing over incident on the solstice, about Kidd the boy detective, how everything related to the Sun made Shoon think that the Sun Rune had been stolen and taken up here and someone had tried to do something like they did to the glaricers in Falena. About his conversation with Kyle that made him realize that the Queen still had the Sun Rune. About how he had wanted so badly to kick Kyle in the head multiple times. "And then. Luca Blight happened."
"Ah..." Frey was almost at a complete loss for words. He didn't understand why Kyle would be quiet about it but--. "Did you say Alenia?" He didn't like her, she was one of the few he had no regrets about having killed. But he could let it go for now, to listen to Shoon. He looked increasingly worried as the ex-gladiator went on. "Luca Blight?" Frey didn't have a clue who that was, but the way his friend said it made him chew on his lip.
"Yeah, Alenia's been having guilt issues since coming back from the dead," Shoon said, "So she swore compelte and utter loyalty to the Queen and really hasn't been able to leave her side since." He sighed again. "Luca was the second person you mother almost killed. Granted, both he and Colton, the first dude, are both considered umm.... well, no one really likes them, to be honest. She was going to kill him, then Roy came out, dressed as you, to try to stop her. Then Luca attacked him, and that's when your mom threw the light at him. Everyone saw it. Hardly anyone saw it when it was Colton."
Shoon continued to pace, "After that, I told your mother that she should tell people she still had the rune, but she dismissed me and after that Roy, Faylen, and I decided to come up with a plan to stop her. Kyle came up with a plan, and the three of us, a kid named Melville, and Mathias went to get a statue to seal the Sun Rune in."
"... I will never trust her. She had better stay away from me." Although he would probably change his mind and keep tabs on her, he would never like her. Too many memories. He let the subject drop, though, and resumed listening. Frey seemed a bit surprised to hear about Roy's action... it was clever, but he hadn't thought Roy would do it unless Lyon had been the one in danger.
"That was smart. ... because the only other way is... difficult." Well not really, but he didn't want his mother to die again. "Did it go as planned?"
Shoon shrugged, "Well, your mother trusts her." He sat down, "Anyways. Sealing the Sun Rune. Well, after we got the statue Your mother went open season and made a second sun in the sky." He decided not to tell Frey about how he had mockingly gone around and praised the Queen well out of her earshot. "And then something else happened, not sure what, and the Queen went made and ordered Kyle and Alenia to her so she could destroy Budehuc." Shoon felt a little guilty about lying to Frey about what had set his mother off, but honestly, he was better off not knowing someone tried to poison his mother.
Frey's expression went dark for a split second before he smoothed it over. He wouldn't talk about Alenia. It would just make things uncomfortable. "Lordlake all over..." He murmured, mostly to himself. He could never forget the child at Lordlake that had described it that exact way. "... ah." What else could he say? He looked haunted. It was definitely just as well Shoon hadn't told him that tidbit.
"So, me, a girl named Jewel, the Maximillian Knights, the Merc Captain Geddoe, Kaiden, Aila, and Nanami," His voice wavered a little saying Nanami's name, "were all in the area when she made the announcement, and were weren't about to let it happen. So... we fought her. And... Kyle was seriously wounded by the Queen after he betrayed her, or rather he turned against the Sun Rune after.... " Shoon blinked a couple times. "After Nanami was killed. "
He winced, closed his eyes and put his hand to his head. That explained quite a few things, and why no one would be willing to talk about it. After a few moments of silence, he reopened his eyes to look at Shoon again. His emotions were on his face, a mixture of horror and grief... but no disbelief. "Thank you for telling me, Shoon... I know it was hard and... ... Nanami, she was your friend?"
Shoon nodded, "We weren't really close, but I liked her. She was... sisterly. Y'know? Kinda like Miakis." He rubbed his eyes with back his hand. "And that's what happened."
"Yes... I am sorry for her death." He stood, wondering what he should do. If it were a woman, he would offer a hug... but this was Shoon and he would probably get offended. "... Shoon, for what it is worth I think of you as a friend." Frey tried to smile, and thought about maybe asking to see Nanami's grave... but decided he would visit it on his own later.
"Thanks, Prince," Shoon said, "That means a lot." He stood and streached. "Are you ok?"
"Call me Frey, as long as mother isn't around." He smiled slightly, then gave into his impulse and hugged Shoon. It was short, but protective. "I will be fine. ... I would like to visit your friend's grave sometime, perhaps with you if you wanted."
Shoon's eyes widened at the hug, but he didn't protest. It had been awhile since he had been hugged by anyone other than Morgan. "When we build one, I'll bring you to her." He stepped back and smiled, "I think I'll rope Morgan into helping me. oh! You remember the gladiator I told you about? The one who had his eyes taken out but was still really good? That's Morgan. I'll have to introduce you two.:
Frey gave him an easier smile this time, and nodded. "All right. Morgan? Ohhh. Yes, I remember. I would like to meet him."
"I'm sure he would like to meet you too, but you wouldn't be able to tell, really. He's all Zen." Shoon took a step back towards the castle and looked Frey, "What are you going to do now?"
"Ah... kind of like Georg, then?" Frey followed his friend's gaze, then shrugged. "I think I'll stay out here a little while longer." If Shoon meant long-term, he had absolutely no idea.
Shoon nodded, "Even more so, he's a monk." Shoon walked over and placed a hand on Frey's shoulder, "You need anything, let me know, I'll help anyway I can."
"Wow..." He blinked, and nodded. "Of course. Thank you Shoon... and I hope that you know I would do the same."
"You always do, even during the war." Shoon smiled and squeezed Frey's shoulder before letting go. "I need to get going to the trading post. I work there, and at the cafe, and hopefully I'll start at the dojo soon, if Belcoot doesn't turn up soon."
Frey blushed ever so slightly, and shrugged. It was just how he was. "Wow, that's a lot of places. I'll try to come by soon."
Shoon shrugged "I gotta eat."
"Yes... true. ... Shoon, thank you again."
Frey was watching from the doorway, not wanting to interrupt. He had seen Shoon fight before, but it was always interesting to him to watch other styles of fighting from his own. As the fighter seemed to relax, he moved into the room.
"Shoon?" He called out, left hand scratching a little under the glove on his right where his rune was.
"Hmm?" Shoon looked over at the door and smiled, "Prince Freyjadour." He stood and streched. "What's up?" he asked as he walked towards the door, grabbing a towel and wiping his face before the the sweat could get into his eyes. "Did you come to use the dojo?"
"No... actually I came to see you." He hadn't slept much the previous night, which showed on his face, but he seemed perky enough... if somewhat serious. He peered at the dummy Shoon had been beating up. "If you are not done I can wait." The itch annoyed him enough he finally just took off his glove so he could actually scratch it. He probably shouldn't, but sometimes he couldn't help it.
Shoon shook his head, "Nah, I'm done." He studied the prince for a moment then said, "Let me go change really quick and we can take a walk, the fresh air might do ya some good," He gave the prince a smile and troted to the back room to clean up a bit.
Frey nodded, offering a smile. "All right. I'll wait outside." That said, after Shoon went into the back room, he wandered back outside and peered up at the sky. He missed the lakes and rivers of Falena a lot, but if he just watched the sky he didn't get so homesick.
Pulling on a clean shirt Shoon walked outside and held out a water bottle for Frey. "Here. Water always helps." He took a drink of his own and nodded out to the lake. "You want to take a walk by the lake?"
He peered at the bottle and took it, smiling. "Thank you." His thoughts refocused on the present rather than the past. "If you don't mind, yes. Is it that obvious I miss home?"
"A little," Shoon said, "Most people miss their homes when they show up here. Others, not so much." He lead Frey to the lake and began to walk around it, heading away from the castle, southwards. "I was going to suggest the lake anyways though. It's good to walk by and think."
Frey nodded slightly, thinking that Shoon was probably one who didn't miss home. He didn't blame him if it was Stormfist he was thinking about. "Ah. I can see that." As they walked, he sipped at the water.
Shoon was silent for moment before saying, "Do you still want to know what happened with your mother before you showed up?
"Yes." There was no hesitation, he had never even thought twice about finding out one way or another. "If you are still up for telling me." Frey watched Shoon out of the corner of his eye, so he could note the reaction.
Sighing Shoon ran a hair through his hair. "It's probably best you hear it sooner rather than later. I'm probably not the best person to tell you," he admitted, "But I'm probably the only one who's willing." He took a swig of his water and pointed over at a boulder. "Lets go over there. You might want to sit down for this."
Something notably not good, then. Frey steeled himself for the news and went where Shoon pointed. "All right." He would simply take his friend's word for it. He sat, then just watched Shoon. His expression was unreadable.
Sighing again Shoon began, "The Sun Rune came with your mother." He cringed, but that was the only way to began. "And no one knew for awhile. For awhile she seemed normal. But one day, on the winter solstice, something, I don't know what, happened. And that was the start of it all."
Frey couldn't help cringing himself. He remembered too well how the Sun Rune had changed his normally gentle mother, though he had been protected from the brunt of it by his father. "... ah. It... took control of her again?" That was the best way he could put it. He remembered Georg's description of what had happened before she died rather vividly.
"Yes," Shoon said, "Though like only Kyle knew for awhile." He paced a little in front of the prince. "She started acting like she was a goddess. And she starting ordering people around, and... well, more than a few of us were not happy with that. And she attacked someone, nearly killing him. I," Shoon frowned a bit, "Was one of the people who were rather vocal about her throwing her weight around." He sighed again, "I'm pretty sure she would have killed me if Kyle hadn't knocked me out."
He listened mostly in silence, but he couldn't keep all emotion from his face like he wanted. His brows furrowed together, and the corners of his mouth turned down. That definitely sounded familiar, although he only knew from hearsay about her even hurting anyone. "So it... was almost a repeat of Lordlake," he wouldn't talk about the other incident, "I am glad he knocked you out-- it... it could have been really bad. How did... it stop?"
"Well, for awhile, it didn't." Shoon said, "No one knew what was going on. She was so bipolar. And Kyle and Alenia were becoming encreasingly tightlipped about her. It was only by accident that I found out."
He told Frey about the icing over incident on the solstice, about Kidd the boy detective, how everything related to the Sun made Shoon think that the Sun Rune had been stolen and taken up here and someone had tried to do something like they did to the glaricers in Falena. About his conversation with Kyle that made him realize that the Queen still had the Sun Rune. About how he had wanted so badly to kick Kyle in the head multiple times. "And then. Luca Blight happened."
"Ah..." Frey was almost at a complete loss for words. He didn't understand why Kyle would be quiet about it but--. "Did you say Alenia?" He didn't like her, she was one of the few he had no regrets about having killed. But he could let it go for now, to listen to Shoon. He looked increasingly worried as the ex-gladiator went on. "Luca Blight?" Frey didn't have a clue who that was, but the way his friend said it made him chew on his lip.
"Yeah, Alenia's been having guilt issues since coming back from the dead," Shoon said, "So she swore compelte and utter loyalty to the Queen and really hasn't been able to leave her side since." He sighed again. "Luca was the second person you mother almost killed. Granted, both he and Colton, the first dude, are both considered umm.... well, no one really likes them, to be honest. She was going to kill him, then Roy came out, dressed as you, to try to stop her. Then Luca attacked him, and that's when your mom threw the light at him. Everyone saw it. Hardly anyone saw it when it was Colton."
Shoon continued to pace, "After that, I told your mother that she should tell people she still had the rune, but she dismissed me and after that Roy, Faylen, and I decided to come up with a plan to stop her. Kyle came up with a plan, and the three of us, a kid named Melville, and Mathias went to get a statue to seal the Sun Rune in."
"... I will never trust her. She had better stay away from me." Although he would probably change his mind and keep tabs on her, he would never like her. Too many memories. He let the subject drop, though, and resumed listening. Frey seemed a bit surprised to hear about Roy's action... it was clever, but he hadn't thought Roy would do it unless Lyon had been the one in danger.
"That was smart. ... because the only other way is... difficult." Well not really, but he didn't want his mother to die again. "Did it go as planned?"
Shoon shrugged, "Well, your mother trusts her." He sat down, "Anyways. Sealing the Sun Rune. Well, after we got the statue Your mother went open season and made a second sun in the sky." He decided not to tell Frey about how he had mockingly gone around and praised the Queen well out of her earshot. "And then something else happened, not sure what, and the Queen went made and ordered Kyle and Alenia to her so she could destroy Budehuc." Shoon felt a little guilty about lying to Frey about what had set his mother off, but honestly, he was better off not knowing someone tried to poison his mother.
Frey's expression went dark for a split second before he smoothed it over. He wouldn't talk about Alenia. It would just make things uncomfortable. "Lordlake all over..." He murmured, mostly to himself. He could never forget the child at Lordlake that had described it that exact way. "... ah." What else could he say? He looked haunted. It was definitely just as well Shoon hadn't told him that tidbit.
"So, me, a girl named Jewel, the Maximillian Knights, the Merc Captain Geddoe, Kaiden, Aila, and Nanami," His voice wavered a little saying Nanami's name, "were all in the area when she made the announcement, and were weren't about to let it happen. So... we fought her. And... Kyle was seriously wounded by the Queen after he betrayed her, or rather he turned against the Sun Rune after.... " Shoon blinked a couple times. "After Nanami was killed. "
He winced, closed his eyes and put his hand to his head. That explained quite a few things, and why no one would be willing to talk about it. After a few moments of silence, he reopened his eyes to look at Shoon again. His emotions were on his face, a mixture of horror and grief... but no disbelief. "Thank you for telling me, Shoon... I know it was hard and... ... Nanami, she was your friend?"
Shoon nodded, "We weren't really close, but I liked her. She was... sisterly. Y'know? Kinda like Miakis." He rubbed his eyes with back his hand. "And that's what happened."
"Yes... I am sorry for her death." He stood, wondering what he should do. If it were a woman, he would offer a hug... but this was Shoon and he would probably get offended. "... Shoon, for what it is worth I think of you as a friend." Frey tried to smile, and thought about maybe asking to see Nanami's grave... but decided he would visit it on his own later.
"Thanks, Prince," Shoon said, "That means a lot." He stood and streached. "Are you ok?"
"Call me Frey, as long as mother isn't around." He smiled slightly, then gave into his impulse and hugged Shoon. It was short, but protective. "I will be fine. ... I would like to visit your friend's grave sometime, perhaps with you if you wanted."
Shoon's eyes widened at the hug, but he didn't protest. It had been awhile since he had been hugged by anyone other than Morgan. "When we build one, I'll bring you to her." He stepped back and smiled, "I think I'll rope Morgan into helping me. oh! You remember the gladiator I told you about? The one who had his eyes taken out but was still really good? That's Morgan. I'll have to introduce you two.:
Frey gave him an easier smile this time, and nodded. "All right. Morgan? Ohhh. Yes, I remember. I would like to meet him."
"I'm sure he would like to meet you too, but you wouldn't be able to tell, really. He's all Zen." Shoon took a step back towards the castle and looked Frey, "What are you going to do now?"
"Ah... kind of like Georg, then?" Frey followed his friend's gaze, then shrugged. "I think I'll stay out here a little while longer." If Shoon meant long-term, he had absolutely no idea.
Shoon nodded, "Even more so, he's a monk." Shoon walked over and placed a hand on Frey's shoulder, "You need anything, let me know, I'll help anyway I can."
"Wow..." He blinked, and nodded. "Of course. Thank you Shoon... and I hope that you know I would do the same."
"You always do, even during the war." Shoon smiled and squeezed Frey's shoulder before letting go. "I need to get going to the trading post. I work there, and at the cafe, and hopefully I'll start at the dojo soon, if Belcoot doesn't turn up soon."
Frey blushed ever so slightly, and shrugged. It was just how he was. "Wow, that's a lot of places. I'll try to come by soon."
Shoon shrugged "I gotta eat."
"Yes... true. ... Shoon, thank you again."