Reflecting reflections

[guyexplains]

[A blond young man in a green tunic and cream coat is seated by one of the ponds near the forest. He's just looking at the water, one knee drawn up, the other leg stretched out. One hand rests on the raised knee, the other is behind him, bracing him as he admires the view

Comments

[promisedsomeone]

[Asch is distracted, as usual, but he notices Guy lingering near the forest-- one of Asch's favorite places-- and he can't quite bring himself to walk away. There's a lot unspoken between them since that incident. He wasn't... he doesn't want to make amends. It isn't worth it.

But he lingers anyway, hesitating at the other side of the pond. There's a crimson sash tied around his upper arm, a dark look in his eyes, and something quiet and telling about the way he clutches his other arm... as if it might disappear. He huffs and lets go of it, and turns as if to leave.]

[servidude]

Not even going to say hello?

[Guy's voice is calm and level. He doesn't look up from where he's admiring the view, and even the expression on his face is mild and smiling.]

You were raised better than that.

[promisedsomeone]

[Ouch. He slowly turns back around. Usually Guy is the one to say biting remarks like that and leave, but Asch stands his ground. He's been here longer.]

What do you want?

[servidude]

[A fascinating question Asch. One full of possibilities. Guy's just going to go with the simple answer though.]

I want to talk to you. Or is that too much to ask?

[lamb_of_gold]

[SPLASH!

A quarter way across the pond is what appears to be a very small child, 12-18 months or so, and he is currently wading around very loudly in the shallows, lurching around as babies are wont to do. Sometimes he reaches down into the pond, pulling up shiny rocks or other little things of interest. He stumbles here and there, but seems to be alright at catching himself.

This baby has a very distinct hair colour. Namely that of pale lavender.

Sup?]

[servidude]

[Guy rises to his feet before he even registers the hair color. Unsupervised small child by a body of water. Not on his watch.]

[He walks towards the kid, not running but keeping his eyes on the boy. If Mu falls he'll be sprinting immediately.]

[lamb_of_gold]

[No falling, just splashing. He seems to be having a good time of it, at any rate!]

[servidude]

[Guy stops when he reaches Mu, crouches down to be more on the child's level as he watches him play with the water and the rocks. The ripples over the reflection of stars are kind of cool to watch.]

Hey, having fun?

[pactum]

[The serene reflection is ruined by a bare-shouldered blonde boy obscuring the stars. His clothes are dark, but he carries the same illumination about him that people on the Plane have, and it makes him less threatening.

Still, he looks like he doesn't want to disturb Guy. He did say he'd talk about it later, but...

Emil fidgets with his armbands.]

Is everything okay?

[servidude]

[Really, Emil sounds just like Aster... It makes Guy look up and over before he can figure out which of them it is.]

Yeah.

[He pats the ground beside him, expression calm and friendly, though now that Emil's here there's something that's been bothering him he wants to know.]

Come join me. The view's great.

1/2

[pactum]

[He figures that despite Guy's friendly disposition, that is not a request. Emil sits down-- not too close, but not too far either. Just the right amount of personal space.

He's silent for a minute, staring miserably into the starry pond, and then the trembling in his fingertips makes its way into his voice.]

I'm... I'm really sorry. [He ducks his head.] I never wanted to hurt anyone, but the people who run this place sometimes make us do horrible things, and... and that's why... I killed your friend. I know it's not an excuse, but-- you need to know what kind of place this is.

A while ago, they put some people on an island somewhere and told us that we had to fight the other teams. Or else they would erase our worlds. My team and Jade's team survived the others, and... so... it was just us.

[pactum]

[He tugs at his armbands, tanned fingers still shaking.]

If you want to kill me, I understand. I've already died before.

But you have to wait until I've finished my promise. I swore that I'd protect someone and if we don't finish the journey, our world will die.

After that... I don't care what happens to me.

[flawless_genius]

[Firesong stops to admire the view in the pond, the crystal beads and small bells woven into his hair chiming gently as he sits near the edge of it] This is a very enchanting sight.

[servidude]

[Guy looks up at the man, the exotic clothing and hair style getting a curious glance before he looks back at the pond.]

Yeah. I can't disagree. You wouldn't be able to see anything like this where I'm from.

[flawless_genius]

[Firesong is used to getting curious glances. In fact, he likes encouraging them.] I don't think I've ever seen anything like this back home either. [He pauses to consider that for a moment] I suppose it would be possible to create a similar effect with magic, but illusion wouldn't have the same sort of impact the real thing does.

[servidude]

You could recreate this magically?

[That has is attention. It's an interesting idea. Illusions like that are a concept he understands but not something he's really seen.]

[enduringwinter]

[There's a few reasons why Richter returns to the Plane time and time again. Aster was at the forefront of them (and he always will be the beginning and end of all Richter does) but the one that follows closely is the simple fact that staring at that surreal and unsettling red all the time drove the half-elf up the wall. With eyes closed or opened, the fact of the matter was that red dominated everything in the Ginunngagap.

With an eternity to while away, what harm was it if Richter occasionally stepped onto the Plane for a breather?

What he doesn't expect is to run into that one blond that had struck up a conversation with him in the kitchen. Stopping near the treeline, Richter contemplates whether dropping off the Plane would be preferable or not... But the sight of the stars in and on water draws his attention and he stops to just take in the view.

Hope you don't mind some quiet company]

[servidude]

Guy doesn't seem to mind at all, if he even notices Richter. It seems, for a while, like he doesn't, just enjoying the view, way the occasional ripple across the water's surface distorts the stars and makes the whole thing that much more surreal.]

[After a time he eases himself back a little, not looking at Richter.]

It's really something, isn't it?

[enduringwinter]

[there's a quiet, contemplative hum in response to Guy's question]

It's strangely nostalgic.

['strange' because such a sight would be impossible anywhere on Aselia (on Tethe'alla) yet Richter couldn't help it. This view, the sight of the stars, the trees and the water, reminded him of--]

So what brought you here?

[servidude]

Remind you of something?

[Guy's question is just innocently curious. He gives Richter a friendly, calm smile.]

Just enjoying the view I guess. What about you?