You needn't apologize to the likes of me, Rei...! I'm relieved to find you'd had even a moment's peace, outside of the town. Would you like to sit down? I'm brewing some tea, if you'd like to try some...! I've been buying too much at the store, as of late...
[He ushers her to follow into the cabin, which is likely far more adorned than she'd last seen it. With all sorts of things! School books, nightlights, nail polishes and bins of yarn...!
Oh, yes! I've been studying perhaps a little too much.
[He moves to start preparing that tea for her — some honey lemon tea, because he really has been enjoying the flavor...! As he moves, he glances to his pile of textbooks, smiling exasperatedly.]
Just a few months left, and I'll be done with Junior year...
It's been difficult, but I've managed to keep my grades passing.
[He just has one more year, after this. And then he'll have a high school education.
I think I'm doing best in history. I think it may be because it's easier to follow when you're dropped into the middle of schooling. I have to admit, learning about things that have not happened yet... it's caused me some stress.
[Imagine, learning about the world wars and what happens in them — and not being able to do anything about it.
He'll be dead long, long before then.]
But it's not all bad; there is a lot of progress to be made with time.
[She's from that future, certainly, though she remembers watching them from afar, eons ago. Not well, but enough to know that mankind is capable of great strides...and of destroying themselves at the same time.]
But yes, I think that they've made great strides in the gap between your time and mine. Hopefully there are lessons you can learn, things to take back with you when we solve the mystery of this place.
But that is something he tries not to think about too much. He need not put his faith in the image of his death that Deerington has forced into his head. It could be as false as anything in this constantly changing place.
After a moment he'll be returning with that tea, careful to place it down for her.]
I imagine you've been looking into what's happened since you had departed.
[Rei doesn't comment on the dip in his aura's mood. No. That's not going to help anything. Better to just distract him if something's off, and not pry.]
I'm told that there was a sunken city, and a cruise ship, and that you were all attacked by Gojira.
We were on a ship called the 'Titanic', and a lot of memories had been altered there. I was fortunate enough to have not lost my recollection of Deerington or my life, but... many weren't so lucky.
[Weren't so lucky. Like Diarmuid hadn't drowned anyway.
He thinks he's taking it all rather well anyway.]
The underwater city was full of people they'd said were 'drug addicts'. They had some sort of 'injection' made that gave them special powers, but in return for those powers, their bodies were ravaged by the injection.
I shall hope we never see such a creation appear in town.
[He looks startled at the question, like she's a mom or dad who is asking if their teenager has any weed or porn mags hidden in their room — that is, he's sputtering to answer quickly, mortified at the thought.]
No! No, no, I would not. By the time I'd arrived and saw the effects of the Plasmids, I knew it would be a foolish thought... [He wrinkles his nose, glancing aside as he recalls his time there.] The people down there were reason enough to stay far away from it.
... That's not even accounting for the slugs people were eating.
[Okay. So, she feels bad responding with only that, but she'll come back around to not being in Big Sister Mode in a moment. Right now, what the fuck slugs?]
They were all over the place, and for some reason, people were eager to consume them for their powers... I think the 'plasmid withdrawals' had some hand in it.
[He of course says 'plasmid withdrawals' like a 13th century boy who has never had to deal with such words.]
[He sips his tea, curls flopping as he shakes his head with some exasperation.]
... Reappeared from the depths.
We had vanished in the midst of a new years celebration — and we returned to that very party, as if two months had not passed. It was as unpleasant as usual, and as confounding as Deerington strives to be.
[That's a start. But he looks fond when he says it.]
He'd taken a vow of silence, so he doesn't speak. Despite that, I suppose he is one of my only friends from home — we've known each other for the past five summers, now... I've been trying to have him meet new people and branch out, but... he's a very isolated sort of person.
He's a lay brother. He does not commit to our way of life, but he lives among us and exchanges his labors for food and bedding and a place to call his own.
[It's — difficult to realize that it should be past tense. The idea of home... of what was normal to either of them, it was gone now. And worse for the Mute. But Diarmuid pushes away that thought.]
If I may be honest, I know his past is steeped with violence, but...
I have not asked about it. It is not as if he would answer, but I'm not so sure it's my business anyway.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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You needn't apologize to the likes of me, Rei...! I'm relieved to find you'd had even a moment's peace, outside of the town. Would you like to sit down? I'm brewing some tea, if you'd like to try some...! I've been buying too much at the store, as of late...
[He ushers her to follow into the cabin, which is likely far more adorned than she'd last seen it. With all sorts of things! School books, nightlights, nail polishes and bins of yarn...!
He's been a busy fellow.]
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[She's happy to follow him in, and eyes the little cabin with some interest. It's small, pleasant, and very...him.]
You've been studying.
[She waves a hand towards the schoolbooks.]
How are you progressing?
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[He moves to start preparing that tea for her — some honey lemon tea, because he really has been enjoying the flavor...! As he moves, he glances to his pile of textbooks, smiling exasperatedly.]
Just a few months left, and I'll be done with Junior year...
It's been difficult, but I've managed to keep my grades passing.
[He just has one more year, after this. And then he'll have a high school education.
How strange...!]
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[She walks over, picking up a science text and thumbing through it. Not really her forte, but she always was an excellent student.]
What's your best subject?
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I think I'm doing best in history. I think it may be because it's easier to follow when you're dropped into the middle of schooling. I have to admit, learning about things that have not happened yet... it's caused me some stress.
[Imagine, learning about the world wars and what happens in them — and not being able to do anything about it.
He'll be dead long, long before then.]
But it's not all bad; there is a lot of progress to be made with time.
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[She's from that future, certainly, though she remembers watching them from afar, eons ago. Not well, but enough to know that mankind is capable of great strides...and of destroying themselves at the same time.]
But yes, I think that they've made great strides in the gap between your time and mine. Hopefully there are lessons you can learn, things to take back with you when we solve the mystery of this place.
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[If I survive home.
But that is something he tries not to think about too much. He need not put his faith in the image of his death that Deerington has forced into his head. It could be as false as anything in this constantly changing place.
After a moment he'll be returning with that tea, careful to place it down for her.]
I imagine you've been looking into what's happened since you had departed.
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[Rei doesn't comment on the dip in his aura's mood. No. That's not going to help anything. Better to just distract him if something's off, and not pry.]
I'm told that there was a sunken city, and a cruise ship, and that you were all attacked by Gojira.
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And that was just recently.
We were on a ship called the 'Titanic', and a lot of memories had been altered there. I was fortunate enough to have not lost my recollection of Deerington or my life, but... many weren't so lucky.
[Weren't so lucky. Like Diarmuid hadn't drowned anyway.
He thinks he's taking it all rather well anyway.]
The underwater city was full of people they'd said were 'drug addicts'. They had some sort of 'injection' made that gave them special powers, but in return for those powers, their bodies were ravaged by the injection.
I shall hope we never see such a creation appear in town.
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...I do too. It's bad enough having simple drugs around.
[So sue her, she's pretty anti-anything that alters your brain chemistry.]
Did you try them?
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No! No, no, I would not. By the time I'd arrived and saw the effects of the Plasmids, I knew it would be a foolish thought... [He wrinkles his nose, glancing aside as he recalls his time there.] The people down there were reason enough to stay far away from it.
... That's not even accounting for the slugs people were eating.
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[Okay. So, she feels bad responding with only that, but she'll come back around to not being in Big Sister Mode in a moment. Right now, what the fuck slugs?]
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Slugs, Miss Rei.
They were all over the place, and for some reason, people were eager to consume them for their powers... I think the 'plasmid withdrawals' had some hand in it.
[He of course says 'plasmid withdrawals' like a 13th century boy who has never had to deal with such words.]
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[Actually beyond disturbing, frankly.]
How did you all get back here? Did you escape?
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... Reappeared from the depths.
We had vanished in the midst of a new years celebration — and we returned to that very party, as if two months had not passed. It was as unpleasant as usual, and as confounding as Deerington strives to be.
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[Rei takes a step closer and puts a hand on his shoulder.]
It seems you've grown quite a bit this year, my friend.
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But soon he relaxes, because... Lord above, it's true. He feels much older. Too old, he thinks.]
... It has been a long year.
I'll be a man next spring. I've never felt so much and so less like an adult than right now.
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{Much, much more, if she's honest.
She knows some real goobers.]
I think you're already an adult in all but name. And I think have been for a while now.
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His mind and soul is in burning agreement.]
I certainly know how to live on my own now. Too well.
[A pause, and he gestures to the other little bunk in the cabin with a laugh.]
Well — I suppose I don't live alone now, at the moment! My friend from home has joined me.
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[Rei smiles over at it.]
Tell me about your friend? I imagine I'll meet them eventually, but I am curious.
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[That's a start. But he looks fond when he says it.]
He'd taken a vow of silence, so he doesn't speak. Despite that, I suppose he is one of my only friends from home — we've known each other for the past five summers, now... I've been trying to have him meet new people and branch out, but... he's a very isolated sort of person.
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{Vow of silence makes her think yes. Also, does he write? Inquiring minds!]
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[It's — difficult to realize that it should be past tense. The idea of home... of what was normal to either of them, it was gone now. And worse for the Mute. But Diarmuid pushes away that thought.]
If I may be honest, I know his past is steeped with violence, but...
I have not asked about it. It is not as if he would answer, but I'm not so sure it's my business anyway.
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[She offers a bitter enough smile, but...no.]
...I am not exactly in a position to judge, either. My own past is one thick with violence, as well.
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You, Rei?
... Does it have to do with your transformations?
[It suddenly occurs to him he doesn't know very much about that.]
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