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seasonsgreetings2023-06-16 10:01 am
Test Drive Meme #3
Test Drive Meme #3
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.
The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:
An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.
All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.
Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.
And it looks like you're not alone.
After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.
Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.
The Message [ Click to Expand ]
Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.
Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.
We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.
That's where you come in.
All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.
These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.
Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.
That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.
In the Arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.
First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits or joining one.
Second type of stands is for the Welcoming Committee that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.
Third type of the stands is for The In Touch Support Group that is led by the Otherwordly Ambassador, Kamisato Ayato. The pamphlets have contact information for businesses looking to help Otherworlders. They also focus more on the lore of the World and what they have discovered so far, as well as a guide on what to think about when preparing to venture out to the Segments.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
The center of Nightwake never sleeps and there's always something happening, but today there's a lot of excitement in the air all around the center and every district! Locals and those who want to help them (for 100 Moon Coins or a gift card of their choosing), are walking to everyone to offer colorful fliers along with free vending machine tokens. There's also colorful advertisement on billboards and posters everywhere around the city advertising all sorts of things like items, clothes, drinks and more.
Local businesses, stores and restaurants are also going pretty crazy with their celebrations of anyone walking in being their 50th, 100th or whatever customer of the day and the prize among other things are gift cards and more free vending machine tokens but they aren't even for that same shop or restaurant? They also offer people to spin all kinds of different prize wheels, spin roulettes, buying a certain amount of things from them, and taking part in eating and drinking competitions for a surprise prize. Someone even put these surprise prizes into the Gacha Restaurant's randomizer, so for a week, you can choose it as a total surprise there too. (The surprises can be even more vending machine tokens and silly things like cute keychains or a 5-in-1 avocado tool as some examples.)
You can't find any of these shops, restaurants and other places, that they are advertising, in the whole city. The locals, posters and billboards will tell you where you can find them. There's a new entrance in every district, where locals welcome everyone to the grand opening of the Underground Mall!
Some may even drop into a sudden hole in the ground on their way and fall (or slide) somewhere far away. Don't worry, there will be very soft and huge pillows for landing in your destination.
The Underground Mall's upper floors give the vibe of a joyous mall with several restaurants and shops you won't see on the surface. The mall is definitely a must visit place for those who appreciate different fashion and exciting food choices. The party from the surface continues down here with various sales around the area. A good day for shopping!
For those who like games, there's a futuristic VR Arcade for you! This Arcade focuses on games that are played with VR goggles on. Even your regular DDR machine will now take you to dance in different environments and feel like you're dancing for your life or for an actual audience.
There are all sorts of vending machines lined up in their own, huge corner. You can find the usual ones with all sorts of different snacks, food and drinks, but there are also some with cake, cookies, mayonnaise, cream, flowers, engagement rings and other less usual but normal things. Nothing here is randomized, unless you choose the random option from the machine, otherwise you get exactly what you want. So pick your favorites or try something new, that sounds more or less good! You can find a machine that turns moon coins on your phone into vending machine tokens (or you can pay straight with your phone).
And, yes, you can find vending machines full of snacks and drinks all around the area too.
Then there's also an area for ufo catchers with all kinds of prizes like pokemon plushies and lots of other plushies, items themed to different season, plushies and other items themed to any fauna and flora from all around Ellipsa, puzzles, food themed items etc etc.
Moving inside the mall is done by escalators and elevators, but there are also regular stairs for those who prefer them.
The fastest way of traveling from floor to floor in the mall is by quick teleport nodes. You choose a floor you want to go to from the list of choices, much like an elevator and then you're transported into that floor's node within seconds. Unfortunately, they're still working out on the bugs in the system, so you may end up in the wrong place - including places that aren't on the list of choices.
There's also a Poké Ball Vending Machine, so anyone who recognizes poké balls may have some idea what they could get here. The vending machine somehow has enough balls for everyone in Ellipsa but everyone can only buy one ball! The balls don't have names in them and no one can see through them, so even those, who know Pokémon will NOT know what they'll be getting from this vending machine as it is entirely randomized!
Are you ready to get your first Pokémon? What about being ready to see how you two get along? Everyone, who plays this vending machine, gets either a Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, Eevee, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Rowlet, Litten, Poplio, Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble, Spirigatito, Fuecoco or Quaxly.
(And yes, ICly it is entirely randomized but OOCly you can decide which one you want your character to get... Of course you can rng the result too. More about Pokémon guidelines in the OOC Tips of this TDM.)
The third part of the TDM is under this details cut as it has Content Warnings, including Cursed things, Organized Crime, Illegal Activities, Monster Forms/Body Horror, Attempted Murder, Experimenting on People
The Third Part of the TDM [ Click to Expand ]
The lowest levels of the mall are only accessible by random quick teleport nodes around the mall (if you know you know is the motto with these). You can run into them on accident (they're usually hidden, but with so much traffic, the hiding place becomes visible) and they sometimes immediately just teleport people without any warning. The arrival can be in various places. A random shady hallway, in the middle of the floor, in a shady establishment and so on.
Anything that seems shady can be found from these floors. Even the local diners here are very weird and likely have illegal things on the menu. Clothing stores sell all kinds of clothes fit for thieves and assassins and the amount of weapons shops here is twice the amount than on the surface. Rumor has it there are also people trying to summon the devil somewhere around here, but that's still just a rumor.
One of the teleport node locations can take you to the front of a cursed vending machine corner. At first they look like ordinary vending machines, but upon closer inspection one may notice they are anything but ordinary.
The food vending machines are full of different "eatable" bugs with half-hearted warnings that they may or may not be poisonous (they didn't really check before putting them in the packaging), Mystery Food boxes (includes some very suspicious foods that don't look edible, but are actually alright in taste? But may contain some side effects like growing mushrooms out of your hair if you eat the mushroom ones), ones that is labeled Energy Drinks but all of them look more like creepy potions (they provide energy but at the cost of poisoning someone for 24 hours) and hyper realistic cakes that look like various body parts (the cake part is intentionally written in small print).
Other vending machines have various shark eggs (hatching them will provide a magical shark with little hands and legs that invades the first watery surface it finds and bites whoever comes too close - it does not belong as a pet, but one may try to tame one), Mystery Boxes (with anything from highly cursed jewelry to books that suck your soul if written into) and Cheat Slips (it's said these slips will let you master a skill immediately, but all it does is cause one's powers to go berserk for 2 hours).
The lowest levels are also a place for a large Casino. While they do exist on the surface, this one is a little different.
The Casino (named just that, "The Casino") is divided into four different sections; All of them are dominated by an organized crime group. This is the only area of the underground they work together in peace and sometimes come to relax. They don't cause trouble for each other here, but they definitely can try to cause trouble for everyone who is visiting the place.
Losing in this Casino can mean being taken to the back rooms by whichever group's area you ended up losing in. They will offer to let you go if you can pay off your debt you made in the Casino, but they have other options of compensation.
Name: Diamonds
Game Area: Card Games (Poker, Black Jack, Craps)
Compensation: They will send characters on a criminal quest to either steal or sabotage something or even smuggle a (cursed) item into important places.
Name: Spades
Game Area: Roulette
Compensation: They will attempt to kill the character that lost in the quietness of the backrooms.
Name: Clubs
Game Area: Pool, Darts
Compensation: They will just make characters clean their casino area.
Name: Hearts
Game Area: Slot Games
Compensation: They will drag characters into experiments in a different facility.
You may also end up taken to the back rooms for getting caught cheating, although it may also end up in a congratulatory meeting for an impressive sleight of hand instead or an invitation to join one of the groups. How would you feel about a life of crime?
Those caught in Hearts Group's Experiments will be subjected to series of tests. Mostly they're to check the characters' physical condition before proceeding. Once the tests are concluded, the character will be given a medicine (either via shot or a pill). This medicine will not show any signs of working for a while and characters are let go afterwards.
The same medicine can, however, later be consumed by anyone else in various foods and drinks (free samples, some restaurants, even some grocery store items), even in the higher levels of the Mall. The experiments were the final test before distributing the medicine secretly to the public. So your character may accidentally end up getting the medicine in other ways.
What are the medicine? Monster Form activators. They will awaken a monster form inside a character that will trigger under one of the (player) selected conditions: strong emotional reaction, full moon, near death situation or bleeding.
The form can be returned from by calming down and focusing on their sense of self, but there's a chance to go berserk, making this difficult. If characters go berserk, their powers will be a lot stronger, but they won't know who's a friend and who's a foe. Their form may also be a lot scarier than it normally is. They will likely only want to cause destruction around them or want to feed on humans.
| Monster | Description | Powers |
|---|---|---|
| Alraune | Plant monsters with a humanoid shape. They may have changes as simple as flowers growing in their hair or have complex body modifications such as roots for legs and long vines as hands. | Pollen with status effects like sleep/poison/paralysis, control over plants, poisonous kisses, etc |
| Gargoyle | Monstrous humanoid winged creatures with horns on their head and stony hides. | Super strength, tough skin, flight |
| Harpy | Human-bird hybrids. Anything part can be replaced with bird bodyparts, although the most common configuration is arms turned to wings and legs into talons. | Flight, sonic scream, hypnotizing voice, ability to whip up whirlwinds |
| Kelpie | Aquatic horses with a man made of seaweed and algae, covered in a sticky fur that makes it nearly impossible to get off if one is to ride them. Some may get a fish tail when underwater, although when out of water they have legs like any horse. | Water breathing, illusions |
| Lich | Undead humanoids, they may look skeletal or simply corpselike. | Raising the dead (into zombies/skeletons), necrotic touch |
| Manticore | Beastlike creatures with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion or dragon. They vary greatly, some sporting horns on their heads, or resembling a Chimera or Sphinx. | Super strength, flight if wings. |
| Minotaur | Animalistic monsters with the head of a bull and the body of a human, although some variations exist in which there are different animal heads. Some sport hooves and a tail in place of legs. | Super strength, overall size, super defense. |
| Taur | This refers to any number of creatures with a humanoid upper body and a lower body that resembles a non-anthropomorphic animal in the same sort of style as a centaur. This category includes things like Arachne and Naga, and other variations of such monsters. | Varies depending on animal the taur is based on |
| Werecreatures | Monstrous, bipedal animals, the transformation of which is often (but not always) triggered by the full moon. Common variants are wolves and bears, although they can be about any animal. The Pooka would be one of the variations in the werecreature category. | Depends on the animal the form is based on, but usually super strong/fast etc |
This effect can either be permanent or temporary, depending on how the players want it. Temporary can be up to just one transformation under the conditions or several.
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible.
- Test Drive is open for current characters to make a top level as well. New characters can add TDM (or "New" or anything else) on their subject line to indicate they're new!
- Current characters cannot access the starting area again to meet new arrivals. They can, however, be at the Research Center when the newbies are teleported in.
- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.
- Remember to add Content Warnings wherever needed!
- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!
- Pokémon Guidelines:
• Anything mindblowing crazy that the pokedex has to offer for any of the evolutions doesn't carry over to Seasons. They're closer to anime variants where people can get flamethrower at their face and live (we still do not recommend getting a flamethrower at face)
• Pokémon gain experience points much slower, even if they battle one another.
• You may be able to find a vending machine with weird stones mixed in for stone evolutions. Strange.
• All start at level 5.
• More Pokémon may appear later in the game but for now it's just the ones mentioned.
• More on all the available Pokémon here!
- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open. The Underground Mall has been added to the locations page at the very end of it.
- Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures. You can find monsters to encounter on Beastiary.
- Minor NPCs page has been updated with the criminal organizations.
- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.
- Feel free to check and use out Questboard for additional prompts.
no subject
You are correct that I am still armed for battle with or without the dagger. That changes nothing.
You and I have little to negotiate with here but I would hear your price. You will need this realm's currency eventually. I am more than capable of earning it.
[ The currency of coins, that is. The "currency" of regular touch is somewhat of an obstacle but fortunately that is not something she expects him to want her help with. ]
no subject
As am I. At any rate, I have no interest nor need for this world's currency beyond strict necessities. Surely it is a most comfortable position for you, but know that any gold that you may earn has no sway over me-- not in this land, and not back in Fodlan, either.
[ Y'know, just so they're absolutely clear on that matter. ]
no subject
[ She hasn't asked anything about Fodlan. She seeks a personal bargain between two people apparently quite far from home. ]
But you have only said what does not interest you. If you are unwilling to return the dagger to me you will save us both time by simply saying so.
no subject
[ Sigh. Perhaps he should keep the dagger-- better yet, destroy it, as the last remaining link binding them. She is no longer the haughty yet sweet girl he once knew, and despite the nickname that escaped her in a fleeting moment of clarity, he is most certainly not the same Dee, either.
And yet... ]
I said I'm not interested in bargains. If you truly wish to retrieve your dagger, perhaps you should have considered simply asking first.
no subject
Then suddenly she's willing to let the correction go for the sake of making this process go more quickly. ]
You are suggesting that you will be content to give it back if I ask nicely?
[ Frankly that's difficult to wrap her mind around. ]
no subject
[ The implication here is he doesn't think she can do it nicely -- even as a child, she was rather bossy -- but as long as it's not a demand, he can work with it. ]
I have no personal interest in keeping this blade. And though it may be a weapon, it hardly poses a threat, either. [ What's the worst she can do, throw it at his shoulder? ] If anything, the element of surprise has been effectively dropped with it. So, if you wish for it, it is yours.
no subject
It's partly irritation but partly relief. Of course there is no reason for him to care about the blade or view it as a particular danger but to be perfectly honest she expected him to be more difficult. ]
In that case I will be at your door momentarily.
[ And she does mean momentarily so he has a very brief chance to text back if he objects but since he has the time to text with her she assumes he has the time to meet her at the door for a moment.
Hopefully he's fully clothed by now; he's had hours. ]
no subject
He had been intending to suggest they meet elsewhere, a neutral ground of sorts to minimize potential hostilities, possibly leaving their weapons behind. If she's so willing to come over, he supposes she must be in a hurry; she never was one for patience, was she?
Well. It's probably for the best that they get this over with quickly. ]
Very well. I will be waiting.
[ And yes, no more untoward incidents this time around! ]
no subject
Two sharp raps at his door and she takes a step back to wait. She's still in the white clothes that were provided - they'll be much more comfortable when she finally attempts to sleep. She has no axe or shield but does have the pillowcase she'd taken, now neatly folded. ]
no subject
Well. It's not as if he needs time to prepare, set up a nice table with tea and baked treats; this is hardly a social visit. ]
Edelgard.
[ His greeting comes from a man in full armor, though Areadbhar at least is nowhere in sight, tucked away in his room. It's not a sign of hostility, either; it's just that, unlike Edelgard, he was can't get comfortable to sleep, so he was gearing up to leave for a good spot of late night training.
(If he had any hope of getting even a wink of sleep before, that has been crushed with the sight of her alone, his eyes roaming her figure as though seeking answers. Has she truly forgotten--) ]
I was not expecting you quite so soon. [ No, better do away with his searching glances, as she so pointedly addressed them once. ] I don't suppose you'd like to come in?
no subject
And I was not expecting you quite so armored.
[ He barely would have had time to put on shoes in the time it took her to get here. This isn't for her benefit.
The surprises don't stop there, though. Next he invites her in. ]
I--
Suppose that perhaps we should discuss what finding ourselves this far from home means. [ It would be better not to do that in the hallway. And this gives her a chance to make sure she didn't leave anything else behind in her earlier haste. ] Thank you.
no subject
Oh, she wants to come in and discuss things, huh... Frankly, not what he had expected, but he does at least agree with ceasing needless hostility for as long as they're here. They can and have worked together in order to overcome much more dire circumstances before, after all, so perhaps they can extend the same courtesy to each other in Ellipsa.
(That doesn't mean he's any more at ease around her, though. Even now -- or perhaps especially now -- he still isn't sure of how to just... talk to her.) ]
I intended to spend the night training, since I doubt I'd be able to close my eyes. [ The door closes behind them with a gentle click, and he motions towards the couch in cordial invitation, his moves measured despite his anxiety. ] But, discussing our circumstances will be as productive use of my time as the alternative.
[ In other words: he's not kicking her out, in case it came off the wrong way. ]
I'm afraid I have little to offer on such short notice. How about a glass of chilled water?
[ He hasn't really figured out any more of these appliances just yet, but the big metal box with frozen provisions? That is a piece of heaven, thank you, goddess he doesn't believe in! ]
no subject
What startles her is how courteous he is willing to be. He could hate her and she wouldn't be surprised by it. ]
Chilled water will do nicely. Do you mind if I take a final glance inside the room I was initially given?
[ She takes a step past the couch, toward the hallway. She feels certain that she got everything she recalls seeing when she arrived (with the exception of the dagger that slipped from her arms) but she wasn't exactly given a checklist of what was brought here with her. ]
Training was a worthy idea. [ Throwing herself into it with the goal of physical exhaustion is usually effective help for falling asleep at night. Less so for staying asleep. ] I will not overstay my welcome.
no subject
Once she returns, there will be two glasses sitting on top of the coffee table, fresh ice cubes dancing in the water. ]
It is as best we can do, under the circumstances. They may reassure us otherwise, but I'd expect any such strange new worlds to throw us into hostile situations eventually.
[ Is it a veiled reference to Zahras? Yes, and he is guilty of studying her face for any reactions, even so much as a hint that she recalls what they went through. ]
Were you only recently pulled in, as well? I do not recall seeing your face in the crowd when I arrived earlier today.
no subject
She gives him a tight half-smile when she reenters the living room, self-conscious of the awkwardness of... well, every aspect of this. She's already thanked him for his hospitality so she simply takes a seat on the couch. On the edge, proud and proper, and within arm's reach of an iced water. ]
Yes. It'd been a matter of hours before I came here, I suppose. I first woke up on a humid beach [ Alarmed, to say the least. ] but eventually I was teleported to the hall where new arrivals are welcomed. I'm surprised that I didn't see you.
[ Tall and golden-haired, wearing armor she can identify. He would be difficult to miss. ]
They seem well-prepared for their arrivals, which suggests that this has been going on for some time already and that they don't foresee an end to it in the near future. [ A quiet sigh reluctantly slips out of her. ] I made an attempt at getting more answers but learned nothing to ease my mind. You must be equally anxious to return. Would you agree that in this we share a goal, Dimitri?
no subject
In that case, they may have split us into separate groups at the welcome center. I recall waking up in a tundra, for one.
[ And given the entire welcome package they were given, this seems to be relevant information: their seasonal associations and segments. If Edelgard woke up in a beach, that must make her a Summer affiliate-- bright and fiery, the very opposite of his Winter. How unsurprisingly incompatible of them. ]
You are correct in assuming that is one goal we share, yes. [ And he takes this cue to claim his seat on the opposite end of the couch, with an adequate amount of space between them. ] As much as it would pain me to leave people in need behind, protecting the Kingdom is my utmost priority. In this, we may disagree, but for as long as we remain in this world--
[ He leans over to reach for his glass, watching her from the corner of his eye. ]
I suppose nothing will unite two enemies like a greater common enemy.
[ Hm. ]
no subject
But it's still strange.
His reach for his water prompts her to follow suit, and once she has a drink it hits her that she's genuinely thirsty. Hungry too. One thing she has not done during today's adventures is stopped to have an actual meal. Half the water is gone, ice cubes tinkling, when she puts the glass down. ]
You aren't wrong.
[ Less than three years ago she had the help of the Knights of Seiros when she returned to Enbarr to chase Thales out. That was never meant to be a full-fledged alliance but here she believes she sees the need for a truce. Who else but someone from her own home world -- and in this case, someone who has similar responsibilities and concerns -- would share her particular urgency about this? ]
I am not opposed to lending my aid as long as I am here but I am keenly aware that I had no choice in the matter. The housing arrangement and meal allowance assume that we will be here for more than two months and what will happen in that extended absence?
To that end I propose that we learn what we can about our hosts, our surroundings, and the process used to transport people across worlds, and share that information.
no subject
(In a different world, what slips is a dagger.)
Right here and now, though, the dagger is what gives them the chance to talk, briefly though it may be. Expecting lasting peace negotiations would be the peak of folly, but another truce at least seems like a viable option, and the points she makes, solid. ]
I can agree to that. [ He nods his assent. ] Furthermore, hostilities would do us no good, and I hear word that death itself is... impermanent in this world. Questionable though it may sound, testing the hypothesis ourselves would only push us further way from our shared goal.
[ The war may be practically won at this point, but the Kingdom still needs him. Any other time, though? He... can't say he would mind experiencing death, though the promise of revival would be disappointing. ]
As it stands, cooperation is key to success. We have a truce until returning to Fodlan, and it should extend to any of our allies that may find themselves trapped in Ellipsa, as well. Do you find those terms agreeable?
no subject
Yes, in that case we are in agreement. [ About the need for sharing information and not wanting to die so far from home. ] I have no desire to discover how just how temporary death may be here--
[ What if something unexpected happens? What if it has some effect on returning to her own world? There is a cause she is willing to die for but it isn't here. ]
--and if any of my allies find themselves here I will make certain they know we are working together to meet this common goal.
no subject
Nevertheless, it's... not really his place to show concern for a bitter enemy. Is it? ]
Likewise. I will ensure no Kingdom officer will strike an offensive on allied imperial forces.
[ Oh, that's right-- they are allies now, unlikely though it may be. Perhaps a little prodding wouldn't be so out of place, after all. ]
And in the spirit of sharing information, I believe I saw a dining area on my way to this building. [ He casts a downward look at his half empty glass, considering his words. ] I imagine you haven't had the mind to eat since your arrival, either.
[ The either is a deliberate offer of an olive branch, his own vulnerability in exchange for hers. ]
no subject
Even so, she nods as if to seal their deal. And then glances over in surprise. ]
Are you suggesting that we hunt down a meal to share at this late hour?
[ That she has an appetite is probably undeniable at this, given the lonely ice in her glass. It wouldn't require a stretch to believe that he finds himself in a position similar to hers; he's a man fully armored and ready to train at this hour of night. ]
I'm not opposed. It will give us a chance to compare notes.
And if I take the dagger now you will be free to go wherever you wish after we eat, so with that mind: may I have it?
no subject
And so, excuse him for giving her the Untoward Face for a second or two, blindsided by his own (accidental) achievement, until realization finally catches up: ]
Right. We shall compare notes, then.
[ It's so odd. He's had to steel himself to see her only as a bitter enemy, has come to expect little to no cooperation from her and brace for the worst, that for the longest time he may have forgotten to think of her as just... a person.
(If this brief conversation hadn't been enough, the dagger that she tries to reclaim would've been a pointed reminder.) ]
Before we leave, though, may I... ask you something? And please, do not think of this as part of a bargain.
[ To make his point, he pulls out the sheathed dagger and holds it up in offer; whether she answers or not, he's not withholding it as any sort of leverage. ]
This blade... Why is it so important to you?
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She must have.
Of course she did.
But just as soon as her expression has completed it's three-part journey through this he's agreeing and she's left wondering why he would not simply correct her if there was confusion about his intention. But he doesn't back down and neither will she - he already thought of her previous timely exit as a retreat and she won't encourage him to think it again. Their knowledge of this place is limited and if nothing else this is an opportunity to start chipping away at the mysteries that surround them. ]
Have you seen one like it before? [ Her eyes move from the dagger to his face and back. Little time is wasted before one hand reaches out to claim it. ] I am certain it's Faerghan-made.
[ She has a memory of him at the training ground at Garreg Mach, eager to examine someone's new blade. He wasn't the only one but it's always struck her as a Faerghan thing. ]
As a child I visited Faerghus and made a dear friend who gave it to me upon leaving. It seemed an odd gift at the time but I have rarely been without it and never by choice.
[ Honesty, without being too revealing. ]
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I... recognized it, yes. [ His choice of words is deliberate, to better reflect the truth without revealing too much. ] The pattern around the edge is fairly common among Faerghan blacksmiths.
[ He's also seen one like it, the handle just as blue and encrusted with precious gems, one that has turned up in his scarce personal belongings in this world, but... is there any point in sharing as much? ]
In any case, blades are widely known as tools of destiny in Faerghus. I'd wager that might have been what your friend had in mind when choosing such an odd parting gift.
[ You know. If he had to take an educated guess and all. ]
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But it somehow gratifies her just a little to have a Faerghan perspective on it, something she has lacked all this time, and a reluctant smile threatens the corners of her mouth. ]
I didn't know that but he presented it to me with the wish that I cut my own path--
[ She struggles to vividly recall so many memories from that time of her life but not that one. Never that one. She can almost picture his earnest blue eyes perfectly.
Dimitri's eyes are a similar shade. ]
--so, yes, I believe you must be correct.
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