[ Being largely bound to his room immediately following his return from Venera is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because he's no longer forced to tolerate the busy halls of the Citadel and worshipful eyes from servants who still try to cater to his every desire; a curse because it gives him far too much time to brood over everything that had happened in Venera.
Not the entity, though he'd spared some time to try to analyze what information they've gathered as best he could, but the delusions, the daydreams, the memories belonging to both himself and his fellow Kenoma. One in particular returns to his mind over and over again, belonging to a girl whose peppy attitude stands in complete contrast to the heavy loss she's suffered. She'll never have her family to go on outings with again but...maybe he can make sure she feels a little less alone here in Achamoth.
He waits until his hearing has mostly returned before reaching out to her. No doubt they've all needed the time to recover anyway. ]
[ It seems like the better part of everyone is keeping to themselves, once the Kenoma make their return from Venera— and Misa's fine with that. She has her own things to sort out and come to terms with, thoughts that need ruminating on. And she has her own pride and ego to nurse, too. For the first time since coming to Horos, she actually feels... well, lonely, a feeling born out of a combination of the memories she'd re-witnessed, and the fallout from what she'd seen in others.
That's why it's a welcome surprise when he comes ringing through Communion, and she picks up quickly: ]
Oh, Eustace! Just the person I was thinking of.
[ She's careful to maintain an upbeat voice, not wanting to allude to any of her serious feelings, or anything even remotely within the reach of their experiences in Venera if she can manage it. Even to his one, simple question, she chatters away idly, as if trying to fill the space. ]
I'm not busy. Not anymore, anyway. What's up? I know— you need my help with something?
[ Just the person she was thinking of....? Sounds fake, but he won't comment on it.
Technically he doesn't need her help with anything but he latches onto that question all the same, because it seems like an easier road to take than outright admitting his original purpose in communioning her, which was just to Hang Out. That's embarrassing. ]
Ah—yeah. Meteion told me about a bakery in town that's famous for its sweets. I was going to pick up something for Gray but I'm not sure what she would like.
Oh, well, usually I don't eat sweets, but if you're buying...
[ The teasing lilt to her voice carries well over the Communion connection, with Misa buying his excuse hook line and sinker. This makes sense in her mind. Eustace doesn't seem like the type of guy who has any clue what girls want.
A part of her acknowledges that probably has to do with... you know, everything that happened to him, especially with regards to the little sister he'd talked about. So she's willing to lend a hand, surprised as she is that Eustace would actually ever ask for her help with something. ]
Should I meet you there? I'm kinda already out here in the city.
[ Oh. That puts a wrench in his plans. Why drag her to a place she won't enjoy when the whole point was to fill her life with a little more joy and happiness? But they've already made it this far and he can't exactly just take back what he's said and do a complete 180. ]
Sure. I'll give you the name of the place.
[ Blah blah some more upscale bakery located in Y part of town, followed by a small visual map in case she needs help getting there. Too bad they don't have shard GPS yet. ]
Was there something you were picking up in town? I can walk you there.
[ Is this too obvious? He sure sounds a little more uncertain about this par, having absolutely no idea how to A) make any sort of smooth transition between topic A and topic B and B) hang out with someone who isn't a coworker. ]
[ Because she's not dumb enough to accidentally give Eustace a clue about the present she's worked so hard on by explaining what she'd been in town to get. Instead, she Communions him an image of where she is right then— including a clear view of the shop in front of her. ]
Just meet me here, okay? Let's go together.
[ And whenever he gets in the vicinity, he will be getting a big embarrassing wave from her from afar, about 80% to get his attention, and 20% to embarrass him. ]
But you know what, even if there's something embarrassing about being singled out so obviously in a crowd, there's something also endearing about it. To be able to see her happy and excited like this, even if it's all a front. (And surely part of it must be, considering how she'd acted before for so many months, as if her life had always been perfect rather than mercilessly ripped apart one ordinary day.)
Eustace doesn't wave back because he sucks, but he does give her a small nod of greeting as he comes to a stop a foot away. (Lame.) Behind him, his mysterious new tail wags ever so slightly at the tip. ]
[ She chirps, holding her purse's straps with both hands, swinging the bag slightly as she moves to be next to him. Truth be told, she's a little relieved to see Eustace looking pretty normal— or, normal by her standards, anyway. The same old gruffness, the same old serious expression, just the way he should be. Maybe she was worrying for nothing...
But she wouldn't miss that tail wag for the world. Unashamedly, she leans over to get a better look, ridiculously entertained. And, Eustace's adorableness factor just went up by 3 points in her head, and his intimidating factor just went down by the same. ]
Anyways, say, you didn't have this before, did you? You seem a lot cuter this way.
[ Was it two or three days ago that he talked to Amos, after hunting him down with Misa? He's not sure. So he's not sure if it's been four or five days since he'd received that Communion call from Misa asking for help. ... or maybe it's even been six days? He's not sure.
Turns out it's quite hard keeping track of the passage of them when you sleep like shit at night, and you spend every day in pretty much the same way -- fighting with other guys under the pretense of sparring until absolutely exhausted, then falling asleep for a few fitful hours before watching the evening slip away with nothing happening. Rinse, repeat. Fuck, he's so tired. (Like back then. Like when he'd been trying so hard to go back to being 'normal' six years ago.)
So Gen's admittedly looking a little spaced-out and ragged as he trudges down the corridors of Achamoth, a cigarette that desperately needs ashing hanging from his lips and hair still a little damp from just getting out of the shower. He'll smoke on the balcony for a while before getting some sleep, he figures. Maybe a little sun will make him sleepier, so he'll rest better.
He almost misses it when Misa passes by him in the hallway, going the opposite direction. ]
-- hey.
[ His footsteps halt so suddenly there's the slight squeak of bootsoles against the flooring, and Gen jerks to a halt abruptly enough that a spot of ash drips from his cigarette to smear against the front of his shirt. He doesn't care. It was mostly a half-conscious, knee-jerk reaction that had led him to actually call out to Misa, made obvious in the way he hesitates for a moment afterward. But Gen does ultimately follow it up with a quiet deadpan: ]
... did you talk it out with him like you wanted to? With Amos.
[ It'd be a lie to say she wasn't surprised that he even called out to her— in her mind, she'd assumed their temporary little truce ended the moment Gen walked out of the bar they'd found Amos in. Not that she really felt particularly relieved or disappointed at that notion— it was just... confusing. All in all, Gen didn't seem like a bad guy, aside from his easily irritable attitude. He helped when she asked him to, and it's not like he left her for dead out there. And she's had time to think about what she saw, too. But, at the same time, it's not like any of that matters in the face of everything else that had happened in Venera. Misa has a habit of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, bothering people who don't want her to be around. But she's not so stupid to go poking a wasp's nest when she already got stung.
So, yes, she did see him standing there, but she was fully intending to just walk past without bothering him, not at all like how before Venera when she probably would have hung around just to pester him for fun. Reluctantly, she turns back around to face him when he speaks up, already looking lightly bewildered at his question. ]
I mean... kind of?
[ Though her answer seems noncommittal. Sure, she got to talk to him, but she's not sure if everything can really be labelled "talked out." It's complicated - the draw of her shoulders and the slight sigh she lets out convey that completely. For what it's worth, she looks better than she had those several nights previous— done up the way she usually is, lace and silver jewelry, hair tied up. She's just come in from town, after all, so she looks her Sunday best. ]
Why? Did he not show up when you asked him to or something?
[ That has to be what this is about, right? That's the only logical explanation she can think of; Gen wondering if he's the only one who got avoided in the 'talking about Amos's enormous problems' department, or if Misa had similarly gotten shut out. That's the scenario she imagines in her head, anyway. ]
Nah, he did. [ He takes his cigarette between his fingers as he speaks, glancing off to the side. His tone of voice is dismissive; he's not about to go prying for details in a matter that ultimately has nothing to do with him. ] He was a little late, but he looked like he got his shit together at least a bit. So I figured you did, but ...
[ His words trail off with a half-hearted shrug as he takes a long drag at his cigarette; he's smoked it almost all the way down to the filter during his thoughtless haze, he needs a new one. -- but that's not really the matter at the forefront of his mind, is it. Not matter how much he wants to pretend that it is.
The silence that he exudes is weighty, the furrow of his brow making it clear that he's considering something instead of just making Misa wait for no reason at all. But he does exhale after that long moment's pause before properly looking at her once more. ]
I wanna talk. [ It's a sign of the minimum consideration he's showing her that he poses it as a suggestion, almost a request, rather than a flat demand. And he pauses for a moment before looking her over. ] You on your way somewhere?
[ 'Is now good?'
And while it doesn't escape his notice that Misa sure seems to have bounced back fast from the more practical ensemble she'd been dressed in when they were searching for Amos, back to her blinged-up celebrity ways ... whatever. He sort of gets it by now. Clearly, at least a part of Misa's ditzy, blinged-out celebrity act is on purpose, and if going back to it is how she deals with what happened in Venera, sure. It's more understandable, at least, than if she really were so stupid and impervious that she'd actually just be cheerfully back to normal after everything. ]
[ Only the fact that he doesn't outright boss her around into talking with him gets her to consider humoring him. Consider being the key word. She's still not thoroughly convinced this won't turn into another spat, knowing herself, which makes her want to avoid him entirely, at least for the time being. Her gaze turns suspicious, heavier, as he asks that, and she doesn't move an inch. ]
I was going back to my room.
[ She says, honestly, a stubborn frown settling on her made-up features. Meticulously, she pores over every part of him— the disheveled, outgrown hair, the white streak marring it, the exhausted and not-really-there look in his eyes. There's the casual, deadpan drawl to his voice too, along with the surprisingly neutral way he'd handled things a few nights previous - all signs to her that he's at least not looking to start trouble.
Misa won't let herself think for a second that he actually feels bad for anything he said, but, she can at least see he's not doing this for no reason. And, well, she has things to say, questions to ask, too - she was only going to wait longer to say them. So she eventually relents, childishly blowing a puff of air out of her lips to move her bangs, in attempt to release some of the tension that she feels. There's nothing she can think of that'd be more dreadful than keeping the mood so grave and awkward. ]
You can come over, [ It's a tentative offer. Then, she rudely points to his cigarette. ] But you have to put that out. You'll make my furniture smell bad.
[ Is it the time to make such a whiny request? Probably not, but she has to smooth over agreeing to talk with him somehow. And if they're going to talk, she wants it to be in private, away from anyone else that might hear - so it's really her only option. No way she's going to his room. So she gives him a quick, expectant glance, before turning back to the direction she was going originally, letting him decide if he'll follow her or not after hearing her condition. ]
[ The look-over she gives him and the insistence on her room doesn't go amiss, but save narrowing his eyes, Gen doesn't bother protesting it. Yeah, he's definitely not looking for a fight right now -- and what would fighting with Misa even accomplish -- but it's not like saying that out loud would provide any actual comfort to her, and on a rational level he gets why she'd be so wary, so ... ]
Fine. [ Gen gives a brief sigh before calling out to her already-retreating back. ] Gimme a sec.
[ The 'sec' he needs is just go get to the nearest window so he can shove it open, toss out the cigarette stub and dust the smudge of ash off the front of his shirt before walking quickly to catch up to Misa. Though she might note that, unlike when they'd been searching Amos, this time Gen trails three, four paces behind, bootheels scuffing off the flooring as he follows listlessly with hands shoved in pockets.
He follows behind Misa quietly enough, shutting the door behind him once he enters. But he doesn't venture deep into the room. Gen barely gives Misa a second or two to settle in after the door's close before simply leaning against the wall near the doorway and saying, ]
I wanna hear about what happened to you. With your stalker.
[ The way he says it isn't flippant per se -- there's a quiet gravity to his voice that isn't usually present in his default, arrogant drawl. But there's no lead-in, no tact, no build-up, either. Gen simply lays that point out before watching Misa to see how she responds to that demand. ]
[ She just can't help herself— the words come out with an edge, an indication of her offense at being demanded that. It's not really that she keeps any of it a secret— it's just that she can't believe he has the audacity to want to know, let alone ask her. Maybe it's the fact that he sounds so serious, too, that has her feeling even more defensive. ]
I thought you said it was my fault for being stupid enough to get caught by him? But now you want the full story?
[ Her arms cross loosely over her chest, and she leans back against her vanity, unwilling to sit down or relax anywhere despite being in her own space. She's still feeling like she has no idea what he's trying to get at, aside from the fact that he clearly is giving the conversation weighted consideration— a warning sign that she should absolutely not throw the metaphorical grenade at the ground and blow up this one attempt at being serious with her. But without a concrete understanding for his motive, she just assumes he's trying to learn about it to absolve himself of some of his own guilt, his own hang-ups about what Makina must have felt in those horrifying moments in that apartment. She looks him right in the eye as she speaks, a quiet, equally heavy challenge in her tone: ]
How about you give me one good reason why I should tell you.
Yeah, cause you were talking to me so nicely before I said that, weren't you.
[ As if she can criticize him for being mean to her when, in his mind, she'd pulled the trigger first. 'If you wanted to die, you should've just died by yourself.' Her words from back then still echo clear in his head, making an acrid sensation churn in the pit of his stomach, and Gen restlessly crosses his arms, fingers twisting into the fabric of his sleeves. It's not that she's wrong per se, but the fact that she'd dare to say that to his face, like she knows anything at all about his situation ...
Still, his tone of voice is more bitter than it is angry -- cold, and above all else, tired. He has neither the desire nor energy to start an actual fight with her right now, and he only lets his words linger for a moment before sighing. Though his brow furrows deeper, his tone of voice is reeled back to that weary deadpan when he speaks again. ]
... there's no reason. I'm not planning on doing anything with that information, or to you. S'just that I wanna know what happened. [ He slouches slightly further against the wall as he looks at her. ] Figured you wouldn't want me to keep thinking you were just that much of an idiot, either.
[ Or, what, is she so petty that she'd rather cling to her anger and let herself be seen as that much of a moron? It's not even like he actually really believes whatever happened to her is her fault. ]
[ She does in fact remember his presence— and that's why she hesitates to pick up. She's still sore over what happened to Amos... even though it wasn't really directly Rand's fault. The failure in Godsblood, his capture, the holding of the two Pleroma in the Citadel halls; they're all things that he could be calling to talk about, for all she knows. She has to be mentally prepared for whatever comes through the communion when she picks up, so she takes a moment to collect herself before letting the message through. ]
What is it, Rand?
[ Her voice is noticeably less chipper, dampened by the onslaught of worrying events happening in the city she now calls home. But she answers, sounding more tired than truly irritable. ]
[ his own capture and captivity couldn't be further from his mind. even everything that happened with vaeka, safe as she is now. no, there's a specific purpose to this call, and it's not about the past.
he doesn't ask what do you know. he doesn't ask where are they. he wouldn't answer these things if he were her. but he does ask, quiet, ]
[ At that, she remains silent. She could play stupid, and act like she doesn't know what's exactly going on. But, then again, she doesn't know how much Rand knows. It's been made clear there are a number among the Kenoma that aren't as trustworthy as the Regent might like them to be, too, so getting a read on how much he knows about the inside of Achamoth is paramount.
At the very least, there's no use in pretending that she's not aware Himeka and Abel are in Achamoth. And that it's common knowledge among the Kenoma. Since he obviously knows that part... ]
What do you think?
[ Her question comes out exasperated, frustrated, as if what he's asking is stupid. It is, in a way— what does he think she can really tell him? Her, the enemy? She's in the heart of the city, getting consequences herself would come swiftly and brutally if she were to show sympathy for the enemy, even in secret, she's sure. ]
I didn't see all of it.
[ She answers, purposefully and frustratingly vague. It's the truth, after all, and that's the biggest crumb she feels like giving him. ]
Edited (tfw i realized part of this tag didn't make it into the comment SEVERAL HOURS LATER) 2022-08-03 09:46 (UTC)
contacting misa had been a deliberate choice. not because he thinks she's stupid, or that he'd expect her to act against the kenoma's interests; but because he does know her heart. he does understand her. and, in a weird way, that means he extends some faint kind of trust to her. expecting anything more detailed than this answer would've been a fool's errand. but she doesn't play games with him, and she doesn't lie to him. she isn't lording the information over his head. this is as much as he could've asked for.
what do you think? — she's right, he does know. and it's terrible to think of abel and himeka alone in achamoth, pain being inflicted on them, but he can't help a faint spark of hope that they're alive. that they haven't been turned to the shadow, not that those two of all people would. (that the regent has limits in their ability to break people to their will.)
the next thing she says is troubling, in different ways. so she saw some of it? so their capture isn't a secret, which he hadn't imagined it would be, but there is...something. it's not just that abel and himeka were taken directly to the depths of some dungeon and left there. (or if they were, does he think misa would go visit them? he doesn't think he does. she'd only gone to see him out of necessity, and that'd been some distance from the regent's eyes.) but also: if she saw anything, then maybe they really are in achamoth, not carted off to light knows what secret place. what a complication that would've been. ]
I remember you telling me that Abel is your friend.[ back in venera, what's already starting to feel like a lifetime ago. this could sound like an accusation, but his tone is more like that conversation they'd had in his cell: just two people talking about how fundamentally different their choices in this world is. ]But...that's not more important to you than saving the person you love. Is that right?
[ He'll feel a twinge from her side of the communion, unbidden - the single pluck of a heartstring, dimmed by their lack of a shared Legacy, at the mention of Abel. At this point in time, she still hasn't been able to overcome the sense of grief and dread she felt when she first laid eyes on the pair in the Citadel, as she continues to struggle with the act of letting go and severing their connection entirely as she knows she should. As she knows she must. The weight of knowing she must make an appearance at the showing, must prove that she can withstand this kind of thing and not falter, hangs oppressively over her head.
Perhaps it's better that it was Abel and Himeka first, the two who had shared anything they had with her, before any of them knew what was going on. The others after this might not seem so bad. ]
That's right. Not anything.
[ A beat. ]
Not anyone.
But even then... if things went my way, they wouldn't be like this.
[ How they would be, she doesn't answer. Maybe Rand can pretend for a moment that she means that Abel and Himeka wouldn't be harmed at all, and that might be a point in her favor. But rather, the reason she doesn't clarify is because she truly, and honestly, would rather they were dead. It's what her initial, kneejerk solution was for all the Pleroma, when she first learned of this conflict. Wipe them all out, and their problems would disappear, right? But things aren't ever so simple, she's found. Despite all the blood on her hands, she sees little reason to make someone suffer the way they are, unless it's to get information, or perhaps to strike fear into other Pleroma. Other Kenoma, to keep them from defecting? Whatever the reason, she can accept it if it's the Regent's doing, though it doesn't mean it'd be her go to strategy. ]
I really did tell him to stay out of things. Because he'd get hurt... and because he was my friend. [ Past tense. A pause. ] I guess there's no point in telling you that, though.
[ Unlike with Abel, she has a sense for what lengths Rand is willing to go. Telling him how certain he is to get the same fate as Abel if he keeps swimming against the current would probably only embolden him more to challenge those in Achamoth. ]
[ it'd be so much easier if the kenoma were just villains.
but instead, despite misa's avowals for the regent's goals, their methods — avowals she means — she still feels something for the people she'd called friends. whatever is happening, whatever it is that she refuses to do anything about, she hasn't forgotten kindness that she was shown.
(must've been, if he knows anything of abel or himeka.)
and in a way, maybe that's not surprising. when it had been rand about to be taken to achamoth, she'd come and sit and commiserated with him. she'd offered friendship. she'd offered understanding at their differences — and their similarities. so he should've expected this. in another life, maybe they really could've been friends.
he wishes, agonizingly, that he could ask her to pass on a message. but who knows if she has access to abel and himeka anymore? and what could he possibly say? what doesn't risk the plans that are starting to be built? and what would misa really be willing to risk herself, her regent's interests, by going to share, anyway?
no. ]
I believe you.
[ that she wouldn't do this, if it were up to her. that she'd warned abel in that way. that she'd cared, or used to. ]
Before this, when we were still at that prison in Godsblood, I told Amos something. I said that if you wanted me to stop, you'd have to kill me. He didn't believe me.[ a pause. ]But I think you do.
Shortly after the events of the recent TDM, Misa will be presented a long case made of dark, polish wood by their retainer. They will be told that it is from the Regent and that it is to be handled with the utmost discretion. Within the box is a void-black crystal spear that is about three feet in length.
Along with that is a note, dictated from the Regent themself. It will warn them against touching the crystal with bare skin, first and foremost, and then go on to make a peculiar request: they are to stake it into the earth at a particular coordinate in Achamoth, with its point angled towards the center of the city. This coordinate will be marked on a map that is included with the letter, and is in the north-most sector of the city.
They are not to speak of this to their fellow Kenoma. The stake must be planted at the very start of the 8th of Firaseri. If your character would do anything other than plant the spear as asked and keep quiet about it, please let us know!
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voice; like a few days after they all get back from venera
Not the entity, though he'd spared some time to try to analyze what information they've gathered as best he could, but the delusions, the daydreams, the memories belonging to both himself and his fellow Kenoma. One in particular returns to his mind over and over again, belonging to a girl whose peppy attitude stands in complete contrast to the heavy loss she's suffered. She'll never have her family to go on outings with again but...maybe he can make sure she feels a little less alone here in Achamoth.
He waits until his hearing has mostly returned before reaching out to her. No doubt they've all needed the time to recover anyway. ]
Misa. Are you busy?
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That's why it's a welcome surprise when he comes ringing through Communion, and she picks up quickly: ]
Oh, Eustace! Just the person I was thinking of.
[ She's careful to maintain an upbeat voice, not wanting to allude to any of her serious feelings, or anything even remotely within the reach of their experiences in Venera if she can manage it. Even to his one, simple question, she chatters away idly, as if trying to fill the space. ]
I'm not busy. Not anymore, anyway. What's up? I know— you need my help with something?
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Technically he doesn't need her help with anything but he latches onto that question all the same, because it seems like an easier road to take than outright admitting his original purpose in communioning her, which was just to Hang Out. That's embarrassing. ]
Ah—yeah. Meteion told me about a bakery in town that's famous for its sweets. I was going to pick up something for Gray but I'm not sure what she would like.
[ Guess Gray is getting free cake now. ]
You can pick out something too, if you come.
[ He will be the wallet today. ]
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[ The teasing lilt to her voice carries well over the Communion connection, with Misa buying his excuse hook line and sinker. This makes sense in her mind. Eustace doesn't seem like the type of guy who has any clue what girls want.
A part of her acknowledges that probably has to do with... you know, everything that happened to him, especially with regards to the little sister he'd talked about. So she's willing to lend a hand, surprised as she is that Eustace would actually ever ask for her help with something. ]
Should I meet you there? I'm kinda already out here in the city.
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Sure. I'll give you the name of the place.
[ Blah blah some more upscale bakery located in Y part of town, followed by a small visual map in case she needs help getting there. Too bad they don't have shard GPS yet. ]
Was there something you were picking up in town? I can walk you there.
[ Is this too obvious? He sure sounds a little more uncertain about this par, having absolutely no idea how to A) make any sort of smooth transition between topic A and topic B and B) hang out with someone who isn't a coworker. ]
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[ Because she's not dumb enough to accidentally give Eustace a clue about the present she's worked so hard on by explaining what she'd been in town to get. Instead, she Communions him an image of where she is right then— including a clear view of the shop in front of her. ]
Just meet me here, okay? Let's go together.
[ And whenever he gets in the vicinity, he will be getting a big embarrassing wave from her from afar, about 80% to get his attention, and 20% to embarrass him. ]
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But you know what, even if there's something embarrassing about being singled out so obviously in a crowd, there's something also endearing about it. To be able to see her happy and excited like this, even if it's all a front. (And surely part of it must be, considering how she'd acted before for so many months, as if her life had always been perfect rather than mercilessly ripped apart one ordinary day.)
Eustace doesn't wave back because he sucks, but he does give her a small nod of greeting as he comes to a stop a foot away. (Lame.) Behind him, his mysterious new tail wags ever so slightly at the tip. ]
Were you waiting long?
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[ She chirps, holding her purse's straps with both hands, swinging the bag slightly as she moves to be next to him. Truth be told, she's a little relieved to see Eustace looking pretty normal— or, normal by her standards, anyway. The same old gruffness, the same old serious expression, just the way he should be. Maybe she was worrying for nothing...
But she wouldn't miss that tail wag for the world. Unashamedly, she leans over to get a better look, ridiculously entertained. And, Eustace's adorableness factor just went up by 3 points in her head, and his intimidating factor just went down by the same. ]
Anyways, say, you didn't have this before, did you? You seem a lot cuter this way.
[ calling eustace cute trial #1 ]
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action ; a few days after all kenoma report back in from venera
Turns out it's quite hard keeping track of the passage of them when you sleep like shit at night, and you spend every day in pretty much the same way -- fighting with other guys under the pretense of sparring until absolutely exhausted, then falling asleep for a few fitful hours before watching the evening slip away with nothing happening. Rinse, repeat. Fuck, he's so tired. (Like back then. Like when he'd been trying so hard to go back to being 'normal' six years ago.)
So Gen's admittedly looking a little spaced-out and ragged as he trudges down the corridors of Achamoth, a cigarette that desperately needs ashing hanging from his lips and hair still a little damp from just getting out of the shower. He'll smoke on the balcony for a while before getting some sleep, he figures. Maybe a little sun will make him sleepier, so he'll rest better.
He almost misses it when Misa passes by him in the hallway, going the opposite direction. ]
-- hey.
[ His footsteps halt so suddenly there's the slight squeak of bootsoles against the flooring, and Gen jerks to a halt abruptly enough that a spot of ash drips from his cigarette to smear against the front of his shirt. He doesn't care. It was mostly a half-conscious, knee-jerk reaction that had led him to actually call out to Misa, made obvious in the way he hesitates for a moment afterward. But Gen does ultimately follow it up with a quiet deadpan: ]
... did you talk it out with him like you wanted to? With Amos.
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So, yes, she did see him standing there, but she was fully intending to just walk past without bothering him, not at all like how before Venera when she probably would have hung around just to pester him for fun. Reluctantly, she turns back around to face him when he speaks up, already looking lightly bewildered at his question. ]
I mean... kind of?
[ Though her answer seems noncommittal. Sure, she got to talk to him, but she's not sure if everything can really be labelled "talked out." It's complicated - the draw of her shoulders and the slight sigh she lets out convey that completely. For what it's worth, she looks better than she had those several nights previous— done up the way she usually is, lace and silver jewelry, hair tied up. She's just come in from town, after all, so she looks her Sunday best. ]
Why? Did he not show up when you asked him to or something?
[ That has to be what this is about, right? That's the only logical explanation she can think of; Gen wondering if he's the only one who got avoided in the 'talking about Amos's enormous problems' department, or if Misa had similarly gotten shut out. That's the scenario she imagines in her head, anyway. ]
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[ His words trail off with a half-hearted shrug as he takes a long drag at his cigarette; he's smoked it almost all the way down to the filter during his thoughtless haze, he needs a new one. -- but that's not really the matter at the forefront of his mind, is it. Not matter how much he wants to pretend that it is.
The silence that he exudes is weighty, the furrow of his brow making it clear that he's considering something instead of just making Misa wait for no reason at all. But he does exhale after that long moment's pause before properly looking at her once more. ]
I wanna talk. [ It's a sign of the minimum consideration he's showing her that he poses it as a suggestion, almost a request, rather than a flat demand. And he pauses for a moment before looking her over. ] You on your way somewhere?
[ 'Is now good?'
And while it doesn't escape his notice that Misa sure seems to have bounced back fast from the more practical ensemble she'd been dressed in when they were searching for Amos, back to her blinged-up celebrity ways ... whatever. He sort of gets it by now. Clearly, at least a part of Misa's ditzy, blinged-out celebrity act is on purpose, and if going back to it is how she deals with what happened in Venera, sure. It's more understandable, at least, than if she really were so stupid and impervious that she'd actually just be cheerfully back to normal after everything. ]
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I was going back to my room.
[ She says, honestly, a stubborn frown settling on her made-up features. Meticulously, she pores over every part of him— the disheveled, outgrown hair, the white streak marring it, the exhausted and not-really-there look in his eyes. There's the casual, deadpan drawl to his voice too, along with the surprisingly neutral way he'd handled things a few nights previous - all signs to her that he's at least not looking to start trouble.
Misa won't let herself think for a second that he actually feels bad for anything he said, but, she can at least see he's not doing this for no reason. And, well, she has things to say, questions to ask, too - she was only going to wait longer to say them. So she eventually relents, childishly blowing a puff of air out of her lips to move her bangs, in attempt to release some of the tension that she feels. There's nothing she can think of that'd be more dreadful than keeping the mood so grave and awkward. ]
You can come over, [ It's a tentative offer. Then, she rudely points to his cigarette. ] But you have to put that out. You'll make my furniture smell bad.
[ Is it the time to make such a whiny request? Probably not, but she has to smooth over agreeing to talk with him somehow. And if they're going to talk, she wants it to be in private, away from anyone else that might hear - so it's really her only option. No way she's going to his room. So she gives him a quick, expectant glance, before turning back to the direction she was going originally, letting him decide if he'll follow her or not after hearing her condition. ]
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Fine. [ Gen gives a brief sigh before calling out to her already-retreating back. ] Gimme a sec.
[ The 'sec' he needs is just go get to the nearest window so he can shove it open, toss out the cigarette stub and dust the smudge of ash off the front of his shirt before walking quickly to catch up to Misa. Though she might note that, unlike when they'd been searching Amos, this time Gen trails three, four paces behind, bootheels scuffing off the flooring as he follows listlessly with hands shoved in pockets.
He follows behind Misa quietly enough, shutting the door behind him once he enters. But he doesn't venture deep into the room. Gen barely gives Misa a second or two to settle in after the door's close before simply leaning against the wall near the doorway and saying, ]
I wanna hear about what happened to you. With your stalker.
[ The way he says it isn't flippant per se -- there's a quiet gravity to his voice that isn't usually present in his default, arrogant drawl. But there's no lead-in, no tact, no build-up, either. Gen simply lays that point out before watching Misa to see how she responds to that demand. ]
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[ She just can't help herself— the words come out with an edge, an indication of her offense at being demanded that. It's not really that she keeps any of it a secret— it's just that she can't believe he has the audacity to want to know, let alone ask her. Maybe it's the fact that he sounds so serious, too, that has her feeling even more defensive. ]
I thought you said it was my fault for being stupid enough to get caught by him? But now you want the full story?
[ Her arms cross loosely over her chest, and she leans back against her vanity, unwilling to sit down or relax anywhere despite being in her own space. She's still feeling like she has no idea what he's trying to get at, aside from the fact that he clearly is giving the conversation weighted consideration— a warning sign that she should absolutely not throw the metaphorical grenade at the ground and blow up this one attempt at being serious with her. But without a concrete understanding for his motive, she just assumes he's trying to learn about it to absolve himself of some of his own guilt, his own hang-ups about what Makina must have felt in those horrifying moments in that apartment. She looks him right in the eye as she speaks, a quiet, equally heavy challenge in her tone: ]
How about you give me one good reason why I should tell you.
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Yeah, cause you were talking to me so nicely before I said that, weren't you.
[ As if she can criticize him for being mean to her when, in his mind, she'd pulled the trigger first. 'If you wanted to die, you should've just died by yourself.' Her words from back then still echo clear in his head, making an acrid sensation churn in the pit of his stomach, and Gen restlessly crosses his arms, fingers twisting into the fabric of his sleeves. It's not that she's wrong per se, but the fact that she'd dare to say that to his face, like she knows anything at all about his situation ...
Still, his tone of voice is more bitter than it is angry -- cold, and above all else, tired. He has neither the desire nor energy to start an actual fight with her right now, and he only lets his words linger for a moment before sighing. Though his brow furrows deeper, his tone of voice is reeled back to that weary deadpan when he speaks again. ]
... there's no reason. I'm not planning on doing anything with that information, or to you. S'just that I wanna know what happened. [ He slouches slightly further against the wall as he looks at her. ] Figured you wouldn't want me to keep thinking you were just that much of an idiot, either.
[ Or, what, is she so petty that she'd rather cling to her anger and let herself be seen as that much of a moron? It's not even like he actually really believes whatever happened to her is her fault. ]
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slides this in for sometime early firaseri
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What is it, Rand?
[ Her voice is noticeably less chipper, dampened by the onslaught of worrying events happening in the city she now calls home. But she answers, sounding more tired than truly irritable. ]
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he doesn't ask what do you know. he doesn't ask where are they. he wouldn't answer these things if he were her. but he does ask, quiet, ]
What's being done to Abel and Himeka?
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At the very least, there's no use in pretending that she's not aware Himeka and Abel are in Achamoth. And that it's common knowledge among the Kenoma. Since he obviously knows that part... ]
What do you think?
[ Her question comes out exasperated, frustrated, as if what he's asking is stupid. It is, in a way— what does he think she can really tell him? Her, the enemy? She's in the heart of the city, getting consequences herself would come swiftly and brutally if she were to show sympathy for the enemy, even in secret, she's sure. ]
I didn't see all of it.
[ She answers, purposefully and frustratingly vague. It's the truth, after all, and that's the biggest crumb she feels like giving him. ]
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contacting misa had been a deliberate choice. not because he thinks she's stupid, or that he'd expect her to act against the kenoma's interests; but because he does know her heart. he does understand her. and, in a weird way, that means he extends some faint kind of trust to her. expecting anything more detailed than this answer would've been a fool's errand. but she doesn't play games with him, and she doesn't lie to him. she isn't lording the information over his head. this is as much as he could've asked for.
what do you think? — she's right, he does know. and it's terrible to think of abel and himeka alone in achamoth, pain being inflicted on them, but he can't help a faint spark of hope that they're alive. that they haven't been turned to the shadow, not that those two of all people would. (that the regent has limits in their ability to break people to their will.)
the next thing she says is troubling, in different ways. so she saw some of it? so their capture isn't a secret, which he hadn't imagined it would be, but there is...something. it's not just that abel and himeka were taken directly to the depths of some dungeon and left there. (or if they were, does he think misa would go visit them? he doesn't think he does. she'd only gone to see him out of necessity, and that'd been some distance from the regent's eyes.) but also: if she saw anything, then maybe they really are in achamoth, not carted off to light knows what secret place. what a complication that would've been. ]
I remember you telling me that Abel is your friend. [ back in venera, what's already starting to feel like a lifetime ago. this could sound like an accusation, but his tone is more like that conversation they'd had in his cell: just two people talking about how fundamentally different their choices in this world is. ] But...that's not more important to you than saving the person you love. Is that right?
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Perhaps it's better that it was Abel and Himeka first, the two who had shared anything they had with her, before any of them knew what was going on. The others after this might not seem so bad. ]
That's right. Not anything.
[ A beat. ]
Not anyone.
But even then... if things went my way, they wouldn't be like this.
[ How they would be, she doesn't answer. Maybe Rand can pretend for a moment that she means that Abel and Himeka wouldn't be harmed at all, and that might be a point in her favor. But rather, the reason she doesn't clarify is because she truly, and honestly, would rather they were dead. It's what her initial, kneejerk solution was for all the Pleroma, when she first learned of this conflict. Wipe them all out, and their problems would disappear, right? But things aren't ever so simple, she's found. Despite all the blood on her hands, she sees little reason to make someone suffer the way they are, unless it's to get information, or perhaps to strike fear into other Pleroma. Other Kenoma, to keep them from defecting? Whatever the reason, she can accept it if it's the Regent's doing, though it doesn't mean it'd be her go to strategy. ]
I really did tell him to stay out of things. Because he'd get hurt... and because he was my friend. [ Past tense. A pause. ] I guess there's no point in telling you that, though.
[ Unlike with Abel, she has a sense for what lengths Rand is willing to go. Telling him how certain he is to get the same fate as Abel if he keeps swimming against the current would probably only embolden him more to challenge those in Achamoth. ]
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but instead, despite misa's avowals for the regent's goals, their methods — avowals she means — she still feels something for the people she'd called friends. whatever is happening, whatever it is that she refuses to do anything about, she hasn't forgotten kindness that she was shown.
(must've been, if he knows anything of abel or himeka.)
and in a way, maybe that's not surprising. when it had been rand about to be taken to achamoth, she'd come and sit and commiserated with him. she'd offered friendship. she'd offered understanding at their differences — and their similarities. so he should've expected this. in another life, maybe they really could've been friends.
he wishes, agonizingly, that he could ask her to pass on a message. but who knows if she has access to abel and himeka anymore? and what could he possibly say? what doesn't risk the plans that are starting to be built? and what would misa really be willing to risk herself, her regent's interests, by going to share, anyway?
no. ]
I believe you.
[ that she wouldn't do this, if it were up to her. that she'd warned abel in that way. that she'd cared, or used to. ]
Before this, when we were still at that prison in Godsblood, I told Amos something. I said that if you wanted me to stop, you'd have to kill me. He didn't believe me. [ a pause. ] But I think you do.
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MISSION FROM THE REGENT
Along with that is a note, dictated from the Regent themself. It will warn them against touching the crystal with bare skin, first and foremost, and then go on to make a peculiar request: they are to stake it into the earth at a particular coordinate in Achamoth, with its point angled towards the center of the city. This coordinate will be marked on a map that is included with the letter, and is in the north-most sector of the city.
They are not to speak of this to their fellow Kenoma. The stake must be planted at the very start of the 8th of Firaseri. If your character would do anything other than plant the spear as asked and keep quiet about it, please let us know!
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