redsworn ♪ i'm free, i'm free!

[chosenfake]

Who: Luke and people in the red flight.
What: Luke is back and he feels kind of dumb. He also made... some mediocre food.
Where: Ruby Sanctum
When: Post-kidnapping/rescue! It's a little backdated. So what.
Warnings: None.


[A. Post-kidnapping!]

[When Luke trudges back into the sanctum after being kidnapped, he looks exhausted. He's covered in dirt and he looks about as disheveled as one would expect. But he's okay, and he's in one piece, so that's what matters. He gets some odd looks from the dragons about, maybe because he was dumb enough to get himself kidnapped, haha...

He hasn't slept for several days, if the haunted look in his eyes is any indication.]

[B. Sometime after that, before/during/after Qilby's plot, idc.]

[After sleeping for about eighteen hours straight, Luke finally wakes up. He'd kill for a meal that wasn't stereotypical elven fare. After an hour or two, he returns with a couple of wild quail-like things. They smell pretty good on the fire, and the gently pan-fried chicken is soon finished.

He made some rice to go with it, but it's really dry. Like, really dry. Don't even look at the salad, he managed to accidentally dump a cup of vinaigrette on it and it's no good.

Whether he cares right now is debatable.]

Comments

[chosenfake]

[He's probably got a kill count that rivals Carolina's, but he's kept that under wraps for the most part. He smiles at her as she takes some food, friendly but a little shy.]

I don't even mind red meat that much, it's just bear. Even when things got really thin in Exsilium, I never had to eat something that smells like old shoes.

[chosenfake]

[Luke doesn't push. He's been thinking about this a lot, so he's happy to explain his side of things.]

A little while after I got here, I learned that my new powers can be used to heal. I've... I've never been able to do that, even though I use the Seventh Fonon. Tear and Natalia are the real healers... I only ever knew how to destroy.

[This is obviously a sore point for him, if the way his eyes wander downward is any indication. He holds out his left hand.]

But that's different now. Vastania taught me how to heal, and it worked... at least, for a scratch. I think-- no, I have to learn more. About healing, and about using the Light.

I'm just wondering if I'm cut out for it. Maybe Tear and Natalia have something I lack, and that's why I never learned how. I don't know.

[chosenfake]

I don't mind learning both ways. I mean, if I had to choose, I'd definitely go with you...

[He doesn't seem to think anything's wrong with that, but there's still something careless about the way he talks sometimes. He really doesn't know how to speak to a lady.]

Or... is there something wrong with Mar's way of doing things?

[wilder]

Well, they...probably had a few years on you, that's for sure.

[He gives a little sigh and shrugs his shoulders a little]

Look, I know some people might tell you otherwise - but there's nothing about a person's morals or character that let's them have healing power or light powers- except maybe that they're more stubborn. That's it.

The reason I learned? Is because they found I had a knack for it, and it seemed like a handy thing to learn since I could help myself if I got in a bind. [He shrugs] Not exactly the most touching of reasons.

[chosenfake]

[He flushes a bit at the reminder. Kaneis knows, and though he has a point, it doesn't really make Luke feel any better. If he's a child, then he should've been learning all he could, not playing god with swords and taking lives and...

... but it's too late now. All he can do is take these powers he's been given and maybe, just maybe, he can use them to their full potential.]

Really? That's all?

[Still, that's the kind of answer he was hoping for, maybe. If all it takes is willingness to learn-- well, that's fine. He can do that.]

Then I'll keep training. I don't think I'll ever be as good as Tear, but... if I can help someone, just once...

[He smiles a little, more sad than sweet.]

I'll be happy.

[wilder]

That's all.

[Zelos knows it's a selfish answer, and the sort of answer a lot more noble healers would frown upon. But hey, he wasn't going to lie to make himself look better. And it seemed to help the kid enough.]

[Which was both surprising and slightly concerning, but who was he to judge!]

If you healed a scratch, then I'm sure you'll be able to do more and help someone out one day. [Frankly he's not sure how to feel about Luke getting new light powers, but it wasn't exactly his place to protest it]

Just don't get frustrated if you don't get it quickly. If it is light magic, it's not an easy element to master. Hell, I still don't have it mastered. [uh...when he can use his light magic anyway]

[chosenfake]

[He laughs a little.]

Yeah, I'll try to remember that. Learning how to control my hyperresonance was harder. And scarier.

[He pokes at the remnants of his food.]

At least I'll be able to use magic. Master Van never taught me anything, and by the time I wanted to learn, it was basically too late.

[wilder]

Hyperresonance?

[He gives a little nod. Maybe fonons were harder to learn when you were older? Who knows. He leans back a little]

Well, if you need any help, I- [he frowns. Oh that's right, his magic's gone] Well at the very least, I can show you how to cauterize wounds.

[chosenfake]

Ah--

[And here he thought Asch had told Kaneis everything. He looks a little surprised, then closes his mouth and scratches the back of his head.]

Y-yeah, sure, I'd love to learn.

[He is conscious that he's dodging the question. Maybe it's time Kaneis knew. His tone is soft, his voice quiet so only he and Kaneis can hear.]

Hyperresonance is something only me and Asch can do. It's the power to make anything just-- stop existing. I... The first time I used it... an entire town disappeared.

[He isn't hungry anymore, so he just sets the quail bones aside. There's a certain heaviness, an acceptance. He knows he's basically a monster. He feels it most particularly when he wakes up at night, cold and sweating, fading images of soldiers and people disappearing when he touches them.]

-- Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything.

[wilder]

[Well that...certainly caught Zelos by surprise. He's seen and heard of some incredible powers that people have had before, but he's never heard of someone capable of making an entire town disappear. Only the Mana Cannon and the Nuclear bombs of Earth even came close to that]

[So yeah, it's a little startling - to say the least. His eyes definitely widen and his expression is one where he's not quite sure WHAT to make of this new information]

[Except oh, now the kid feels bad. Crap. He has to think of something to say]

N-No, it's fine. I mean, not that that happened but-

[he gives a feeble gesture.]

Sorry, I shouldn't have pried.

[telaari]

[Is there someting wrong with it? Oh, only that his people kidnapped a Naaru and drained it unto the point of exhaustion. The Prophet compelled them to forgive the Sin'dorei, Light knows, but to drive such a perfect being to enter its Shadow phase...]

There is... history between the my people and the Blood Elves. Some good, some not. I am certain that the Blood Knights are quite capable and even virtuous, but learning from both of us means that you must understand that history.

[chosenfake]

[His mouth forms a little line. Well, if there's not-so-good history there, then he has all the more reason not to choose a side. Though, due to his bias, he might end up being more like a vindicator anyway.]

Can you tell me more about their history? Er, your history? I really don't know anything...

[chosenfake]

[He shakes his head, wearing a mild expression.]

We've been friends this long, and I ended up finding out some stuff about you along the way. It's only fair if you know some stuff about me, too. I just... didn't know how to bring it up.

[He looks at Zelos. He's smiling a little, a sad way that is awful and familiar.]

... If you don't want anything to do with me, I mean, I understand. But I've also tried to make up for what I did since then, so I hope you understand that, too.

[wilder]

Yeah...guess you do know some of my baggage.

[Maybe not all of it, but some. There was a lot of stuff he still hadn't told anyone.]

[He still is trying to make heads or tails of this. But...someone telling him he's free to not associate with them, because of what they did....it was almost funny. He shakes his head, rubbing the back of his neck]

...Heh. Nice try, but you can't get rid of me that easily.

[telaari]

[She touches her index fingers together, though whether it's out of nervousness or sheer inability to keep her hands still is up for debate.]

That... is not so easy. I am not well-read on Quel'thalas' history, and it would take at least a century to learn all there is to know about my people. It took me a hundred and twenty years to complete my courses, I think? Or was it a hundred and fifty...?

[She shakes her head. Getting off-topic here.]

I can at least tell you about the Naaru, I suppose.

[chosenfake]

[He looks a little surprised, like he expected Zelos to actually leave, despite the fact they both share the same sanctum.]

Really?

[But then his face lights up, relieved and sunny as ever.]

Hahah, I guess not!

[chosenfake]

[That figure sure puts things into perspective.]

A hundred—?!

[Trying to recover from his shock, he lowers his voice a bit.]

Just... how old are you, anyway?

[wilder]

[That...made Luke way happier than he thought it would. Which the implications of that are...troubling, to say the least.]

...You're one strange kid.

[crimsonpride]

Well, don't. [ No that Luke could, of course, but Asch is damn near contractually obligated to be an obstinate, joyless stick in the mud. He slows to a stop when Luke flops against the tree, turning to stare at him evenly.

Then he steps closer and offers out a hand to Luke. ] Don't sleep outside, either. Come on. [ He offers, but his carefully neutral expression is ruined by the faint crinkle of his nose. If Luke says a word about it he can expect Asch to drop him--possibly into a lake. ]

[telaari]

I gave up counting after the first few decades. At least two hundred years, but less than five.

[His shock is pretty much par for the course, so she tries to keep her voice level. No need to excite him further.]

Of course, compared to Vala, I'm just a youngster.

[chosenfake]

[Luke blinks at Asch, not expecting the kindness. He looks like he's about to say something-- he even opens his mouth-- but then he closes it, smartly, and gives Asch such a big sweet grin that it's probably worse than some smart ass remark.

He's pretty happy to hold hands, even if it's kind of embarrassing.]

Where are we going?

[chosenfake]

[Aaaaand right back to tsunning.]

H-hey! I'm not a kid!

[... He's eight years old, but that's just technicalities.]

[wilder]

[Oh good. He's so much better at talks that don't need for him to be personal or emotional]

Haven't we been over this before? I'm pretty sure you are.

[chosenfake]

[He glances surreptitiously in the direction he last saw the other spacegoat, and then he looks back at Vastania. He certainly has new appreciation for her.]

That's incredible...

[He scritches the back of his head.]

Anyway, what's a Naaru?

[telaari]

[She barely manages to suppress a giggle. Later, when she reflects on it, it might sadden her that he won't live to be her age, but for now his reaction is just too silly.]

You know the story of how my people refused the Legion, yes? The Naaru are the ones who gave us the strength to reject Sargeras.