[ open ] When you light a candle...

[darkcharge]

Who: Vanitas + Open
When: All Iuneril
Where: Various
What: Open Quest Prompts + Closed Prompts | Hit me up at jardaan if you'd like!
Warnings: TBD



( On Fleece )

[ This isn't the first time there's been something going on with the sheep, right? Well the first time Vanitas hadn't been all that interested. Honestly he's not all that interested this time either. However, the reports of sheep with fangs has sort of piqued his interested. The only reason that Vanitas is there is to poke some fun at people. He has no intention of actually helping. So that's what he does. He'll see someone intimidated by one of the wooly beasts and then he jeers. Vanitas mocks and teases. Because that is the sort of person that he is. Who could possibly be afraid of these things?

Of course the tables turn a little, don't they? While Vanitas doesn't help anyone out - not one bit - he seems to have his own following of sheep after some time. They eventually block Vanitas in and he shoves at them. He's not nervous about their forward attitude. ]

Go away! [ Oh they aren't budging. ] Come on! Get lost!

[ The sheep aren't going anywhere. In the process of Vanitas trying to get them to go away, one licks his cheek instead. ]

Augh! Gross!

[ He might have forgotten about the fact that animals like his aura, okay? ]


( Berry Picking )

[ Seems like all of the bakeries are wanting these iunerberries. It feels like pretty tedious work, so Vanitas doesn't really take any interest in it at all. However, when one of the shops is offering double? That is when he takes notice. How hard can it be to pick some berries and get some money for it, after all?

Hence he is out in the fields, with what feels like a bunch of people. Vanitas' basket is coming along fairly well, but he is trying to keep to himself. There are a few people that Van can get on okay with, but for the most part groups still annoy him.

Come bother him? All he's doing is plucking berries. One in particular catches his eye. Just what do these iunerberries taste like? ]


( Candle Crafts )

[ After Irhya drags him to this activity the first time, Vanitas will stop by now and then. How many people have told him that he needs to find a hobby? Thancred sure seems to have been encouraging it. Vanitas would prefer to do something other than create candles for a holiday that he knows nothing about nor cares to but whatever.

He doesn't take to carving anything or designing. Vanitas is pretty content with just the pouring aspect. The staff teaching those that are wanting to learn are used to this, but are trying to coerce Van into learning how to design as well.

The look on his face is one of disgust. ]


( Silent Forest )

[ Vanitas is going to be going out each and every time an infusion is requested. Each and every time he's going to say this: ]

I don't need any help. I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself. Go find someone else.

[ At least that's what his response is to anyone that approaches him. Yet in the end that isn't going to work, is it? In the end someone is going to be stubborn enough to work through his prickly exterior and come along with him, huh? Thus here he is, in the company of someone that he never asked for, walking through the forest. ]

The leyline should be somewhere around here. Let's just get this done and go.


( Wildcard )

[ As always, I am open to any and all ideas. If none of the prompts tickle your fancy, just throw something my way and I'll roll with whatever. Or just get with me and we can do something else! ]

Comments

[spirialink]

[Kor's stubborn, so he'll be right on Vanitas' tail here.]

Aha, well... You've got that over me, that's for sure.

[Kor recognizes and understands his faults. He can't do much about them, but he knows about them.]

A lot of the stuff that goes on in this place is way over my head.

[darkcharge]

[ Van does look at him for a moment. Not so many people are just that honest when he openly insults them. Sora might get pouty or deflect a little. And he's honest too.

He never really knows how to deal with people that are like this. ]

But why? It's not really all that hard to grasp.

[spirialink]

[For better or for worse, Kor is honestly almost to a fault.]

It should be easy for me to grasp. There's a lot about this world that's just... so similar to my own. People forming bonds with each other, and a dangerous infection that corrupts your very being... That stuff should all be normal to me. Stuff I've spent my whole life learning about.

[Should be, at least.]

But it feels like the more I think things are the same, the more different they end up really being.

[darkcharge]

That makes absolutely no sense.

[ Just throwing that out there. How can it be that the more that things are similar, the more that they are different? Isn't that at odds? ]

How does that have any bearing on your ability to observe and comprehend?

[spirialink]

Really, it doesn't?

[Kor blinks at Vanitas. It sounded good in his head, at least.]

I mean... I guess... I thought I had this place all figured out already. But now I'm starting to realize I'm way off-base on some stuff. But whenever I listen to to people at the Coven explain things, it just makes my head hurt. What's a guy supposed to do?

[darkcharge]

[ Vanitas rubs the back of his neck irritably. Some people... ]

Obviously you go and ask from a source that can explain it in ways that doesn't make your head hurt. Or read about it yourself in the library.

[ After all, the Coven isn't the only way to learn how to perform magic. There's a plethora of other means out there. ]

[spirialink]

[Reading about it in the library... Ick. Reading's like listening to people in the Coven: it just makes things seem more complicated. Having someone who gets this stuff teach him, though? Well, maybe... If he could find the right person, that is...]

Well, what about you? You seem like you really get this stuff, and you sure helped me get the hang of growing plants with my magic!

[darkcharge]

Huh?

[ Everything just sort of comes to a screeching halt. Vanitas looks at Kor. Frowning. ]

What makes you think that I'd be willing to?

[spirialink]

Well, why not?

[Kor doesn't know Vanitas all that way to understand why he'd be adverse to teaching somebody. So his question just kind of confuses him instead.]

Like I said, you were really helpful back then with the plant magic, and it didn't seem like you had much problem with making sure I understood it. You're a really good teacher!

[And you know he's too honest to just be buttering you up here, Vanitas.]

[darkcharge]

[ Well yeah that's because Kor had been pretty pathetic? It's clear that he just couldn't understand and no one else seemed to be doing anything about it. Vanitas isn't one that can tolerate such things - like one person screwing up and making all efforts completely null and void for everyone else.

...Even if it actually isn't that way. ]

I still think that it is a bad idea. It's not as if I am particularly kind, understanding, or patient.

[spirialink]

[Kor isn't sure if he believes that. But then again, he's the sort who always tries to see the best in people, regardless of whether that "best" actually exists or not.

And also Kor is stubborn.]

Awww, c'mon. You'd be great, I just know it!

[There's a pause.]

Besides... A good teacher doesn't need to be kind, understanding or patient. They just need to able and willing to bring out the very best in their students, and accept nothing less.

[darkcharge]

You have no idea what it is that you're asking.

[ Because he does expect results. He would expect him to just be able to pick it up after a few tries. ]

Let's just get this Leyline business over with.

[ Kor can still try to convince Vanitas though. Or just show up on his doorstep. Hard to ignore then. ]

[spirialink]

[Kor doesn't know what he's asking here. And yet Vanitas isn't explicitly telling him no. And if it isn't a no, that's basically a yes! Right? Right! Kor doesn't really deal in half-baked maybes. Be prepared, Vanitas, he just might show up on your doorstep one day.

He was about to object further, but Vanitas reminded him of the task at hand here. Time to focus up!]

Right! We've got a job to do here!

[darkcharge]

[ Vanitas would say that he's ready for that... But he won't. Vanitas is going to be so surprised and astonished when that day comes. ]

Since you've insisted on being here... Are you going to focus on the leyline or am I?

[ They should establish roles why they are at it. ]

[spirialink]

I'll take care of holding down the fort here. I might not be all that great at my magic yet, but I know how to hold my own in a fight.

[Kor seemed like he'd already made up his mind about that.]

So you focus on the leywhatever.

[darkcharge]

[ Someone of unknown, to Vanitas at least, skill makes him somewhat nervous. While Van focuses on the Leyline, he is going to be vulnerable and open. Anything could happen... ]

I'll come after you first if anything happens. You get that, right?

[spirialink]

I didn't expect you to be the type to worry about something like that.

[Kor settles into a guard position, drawing his sword from the buckler on his left arm, a blade made from his magic appearing in his right now.]

Don't worry about it, I've got this.

[darkcharge]

It's going to be my life on the line here. Of course I'm going to fuss over it.

[ So Kor better have this. Vanitas watches for a few moments. He huffs and sits on the leyline. Time to focus his magic into it. ]

[spirialink]

[Kor holds his magic blade in front of him, waiting for whatever might appear here for them. The attackers were going to be drawn to these leylines once Vanitas started doing his thing, right? He couldn't exactly go hunting out whatever might be lurking around, so he had to wait right here and act whenever they showed up.

Which hopefully for him wasn't going to be soon, because he was distracted by what Vanitas said.]

You're not good at trusting people, huh?

[darkcharge]

People haven't given me reason to trust them.

[ Individuals have. But not people on the whole. Therefore why should he trust? Trusting is foolish. Trusting earns you nothing but pain. ]

I'm going to need to concentrate.

[spirialink]

[Did you say you needed to concentrate, Vanitas? Sorry, he's going to keep talking.]

Did you ever give them a chance to give you that reason in the first place?

[darkcharge]

[ This is going to take forever... ]

I'm not going to give them the opportunity to stab me in the back. Metaphorically or literally.

[spirialink]

[Kor really pities Vanitas here with that kind of thinking.]

But you're not giving them the chance to touch your heart, either. Are... you really happy living like that, never having anybody you're close to?

[darkcharge]

[ Don't you dare pity him. Vanitas will likely physically harm the first person that expresses such a sentiment! ]

Of course there are people that I am close to. I have several bonds. They've actually earned my trust. But those are individuals, not people.