middaeg | [open] hydaelyn's house for wayward souls

Entry tags:

[open] hydaelyn's house for wayward souls

Who: Anyone!
When: All of November.
Where: The Haven, at the "classy" grade house maintained by some people from the FFXIV cast.
What: It's mingle time. Drop by for a visit, make your own toplevel, maybe ask who that weird old guy sleeping in the yard is. (It's probably crystal grandpa.)
Warnings: Mind FFXIV spoiler warnings in threads!

[ Located past the fanciest manor houses is something a little more modest. The most prominent thing one would notice about it is the front yard, which someone obviously spends some time in, though the cutting of certain bushes is a little close to amateur. More importantly, it looks a little messy but very inviting, and there's almost always the smell of something warm and delicious coming from inside the house. The lush and flowering garden in the back has a recently-scrubbed fountain and running water, as well as a near-permanent host of small birds. Is it magic? Probably. Most of the flowers are roses, though, which are a bit hardier than your usual flowers.

The interior is just as cozy, with a fire in the hearth that's almost always going, and plenty of books loaned or purchased from shops. Furnishings are occasionally sparse but the kitchen is fully-stocked, as is the family room where most people spend their time. The dining table exists and it's nothing fancy, but there's almost always a smorgasbord of fruit and other snacks left out for visitors.

New this month are tiny sigils drawn in faintly glowing paint along the windows and doors. Teleportation wards are in place, as well as soundproofing for each bedroom (ahem), so anyone teleporting directly inside the house will find themselves repelled.

There is a spare housekey under the mat, though, if someone gets locked out. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Someone indeed was witnessing this and thankfully not the kind who would use their little device to record what was happening. Oh no, karma itself was the reward and it might be much funnier once she learns the truth. But for now, Mira will brush away any stray branch and greenery from Emet's form and take a hold of both of his hands once done.]

Alright, let's get you up before there's a bigger mess.

[And she's gonna pull on him tightly. Whether it causes him to stand up or fall back down is all on him, she can only attempt to pull the idiot sorcerer out.]

[Mira was kinder than he deserved. But he would appreciate her discretion.

And Emet-Selch takes the brushing in good grace (not that he had the coordination to do much else), though he huffs a little at her words.

But he was not at all prepared to be pulled, and while the Ascian fights gamely to both stand up and stay standing- the sudden rush of blood to his head causes him to blackout again. Only for a few seconds, but it's enough for him to lose his balance, stumbling forward onto Mira.]

[She had done this before and both parties seemed to be alright in the end. Mira's strong enough to use Shadowbringer with ease and holding a body is fine for her depending on height and weight and other forces at play. Unfortunately, she's shorter than the ascian and so when he stumbles onto her, she tries to hold him steady.

Keyword: Tries.

Weither it's his weight, the ground around them or sheer bad luck, Mira can feel her legs give out and she fall flat onto her back. Unfortunately, she is the only thing breaking Emet's fall and the force manages to knock the wind out of her lungs. By the gods-! It is only luck that she did not have her sword with her otherwise it would hurt much worse.]

By the Fury-!

[Hey! Hey, wake up before someone sees!]

[As consciousness flickers back yet again, Emet-Selch is in a new position, and nothing makes any more sense. Wherever he was, it was somewhat more comfortable than a hedge, at least. Warmer, and with the strangest hint of skin.

He was still in a fair bit of discomfort, though, and when he opens his eyes finally and meets Mira's, confusion mixes with the... rest of his confusion, honestly, and he frowns down at her. But hadn't she been over him a moment ago? What was she doing down there? Where was he?

It takes him a few moments to work out the recent series of events, and it's with some effort that he pushes himself up slightly, enough to at least slide partially off of her.]

...I'm not sure if that was... helpful, Mira.

'Twas too late when I had learned of it.

[She sounds like she's out of breath but once the extra weight is off of her, Mira slowly pulls herself into a seated position. Give her a moment, she's still catching up as she shifts herself enough that she is not on him and vice versa.]

Care to explain why I had found you in a bush?

[At least he's managing to sit up this time, next to Mira, the dizziness gradually receding. He sighs heavily. Gods, he was sore though, but his head had cleared enough for the Ascian to consider what had actually gone wrong.]

Teleported. [He gestures vaguely.] Something prevented me. And then I was- as I was.

[So teleporting and something blocked his way...well, this is where the Exarch lives. Can you blame him for a precaution? But by the gods, Mira is unsure whether she should laugh or scold him because why try to teleport into a place? Especially of one considered an enemy?

Also lucky that she never thought of it otherwise someone would be yeeting himself out of a window back at their place.]

I suppose a lesson was learned in all of this. Hopefully it will stick.

Edited (grammar i has it) 2019-11-03 03:57 (UTC)

[More like it's fortunate Mira didn't have wards up herself, because he'd probably take half her books with him out the window. While destroying everything else in the vicinity though the virtue of having a Garlean body thrown through it.

The scolding gets a glare- which is somewhat less effective when it turns into another wince, and he closes his eyes for a moment again. His head felt terrible. He could think, but it hurt.]

Yes, yes. I've no desire to repeat the experience. [He still has to grumble, though.] But would a warning have been so amiss? This was unnecessary.

[And entirely not his fault.]

[Fury help her, she does not want to think of the damages that would put onto the house. And you bet she's going to scold him because for a sorcerer of eld, that was incredibly stupid of him to do. And some satisfaction because lesson learned.]

Would you leave a warning in his position?

[The wards have to been put there for a reason. And she swears if she hears the excuse is some form of 'For Science', Mira will lose it. Like laugh her butt off because wow. Seeing him wince, the woman sets a hand on his shoulder in means to keep him steady. It's a lot safer than becoming a flat squishy pillow that's for sure.]

Which leads to the next question: why are you here? I had thought this place would be the furthest of your list of places to visit within the city.

[It's her curiosity again. Is he a glutton for punishment?]

[See, that's why wards were silly and better to be avoided altogether. And hey even sorcerers of eld can have off days, alright.

The question has him pause. And his first impulse is to say no, of course not- why would he care about someone else's discomfort if they were trying to break into his house (he does not feel this is hypocritical)? But.]

Yes, if the alternative is someone coming in and making a mess of the place.

[With the steadying hand, he glances carefully around himself, noting the path of destruction. It was quite impressive, he had to admit.]

And I come here quite regularly. Why wouldn't I?

[He doesn't see why this would be weird.]

[Must be nice.

She raises an eyebrow because of course his views are more skewed to believe what he did is considered fine. But strange enough...she can't find the words to yell at him, to tell him that it was wrong. After all, it would be considered hypocritical, wouldn't it? Instead, she finds herself letting out a few snickers in reply.]

It seems you have a penchant for being in places where you should not. Who am I to lecture when I have the same thing at times?

[Just like most Warriors...or maybe just dark knights? They're the ones more likely to just ignore rules and do their own thing. That's how they were born after all.]

[Self-confidence is about the one positive trait he has. Of course, even that is twisted into arrogant superiority over everything that didn't live up to his standards (i.e., everyone, apart from the other Ascians and his own people).

The snickering gets a more critical look (though with less resulting pain, at least), though it didn't seem to be entirely directed at his predicament.]

Have you poked your nose into other things that don't concern you? I'm aware of your meddling in Ascian affairs, of course. But have you made a habit of it?

[Tell him about your adventures, Mira.]

[Look, she's not gonna get a lot of times when that will happen so she needs to savor it. ~~Who are we kidding, probably more times~~. She cares not about the look as she brings her knees to her chest, letting the heels of her boots tap on the ground as she thinks of a proper answer.]

Long before I became known as the Warrior of Light, when I had started out as a mere adventurer. I had a habit of being somewhere I shouldn't be. Honestly, I can recall many times where I did step in when I wasn't needed...but there is one that sticks out most of all for myself.

[She could tell him about how she stumbled on Serpent Reavers trying to kidnap people but also there was Wilred and his plan to summon a god...gods, there was a lot. But for Mira, one truly sticks out. To some, it might be odd to open up on it but she never really kept it a secret. It was simply because no one had asked. If he was going to tell her about the world's past, would it only be fair to share something of hers?]

I had returned to Ishgard and heard from a highborn about how someone was defeated by the Inquisition. But instead of leaving it at that, I followed the piece of information to the Brume, only to see the person whole and hale after the knights had left. Not long after, a woman begged for someone to help her get her granddaughter from some Temple Knights. And so, my new comrade and I offered to do it.

'Twas probably foolish of me to try and best several knights when I barely knew nothing of swordplay and yet...I could not let it go. It was not me to stand idly by.

[What she doesn't tell Emet-Selch was that Fray had passed before this cry for help. And the voice she heard when she had awoken to her dark knight abilities. He doesn't need to hear those. But it was not the first as a dark knight where she had to step in...]

[There will almost certainly be other times where she can tell off the Ascian for doing something ill-considered.

Emet-Selch listens quietly to her story. Honestly, it was nice in itself to have something to focus on that wasn't his own discomfort, that gave his disorientation further opportunity to clear. Moreover, it was... not uninteresting to hear more of Mira's background. More of the path a Warrior chose to walk.

It already felt as though he'd spent more time around these heroes here, than he ever had on their world. Perhaps that's where he'd gone wrong, that he hadn't gone far enough...?]

Yes... that does sound like you. Jumping into situations you're woefully unequipped for, yet finding a way to struggle through regardless. A deeply aggravating trait.

[Though the way he says it, it's almost a compliment.]

And you've carried the sword ever since?

[Oh more than likely. It's quite expected considering there is a eons old sorcerer running around and gets bored easily. And then ruins gardens by getting bounced off wards that would make Hildibrand proud.

~~Oh gods, she's become a babysitter hasn't she?~~

It's strange though; this place away from their star and its shards...somehow makes it a little easier to speak on thoughts that normally would not be spoken. Slowly but surely, Mira has been able to say things she couldn't back on the Source...on the First to mostly anyone from their little part of the universe. Only about a moon has past and somehow...it's freeing almost. Of course there's the bigger problem but it doesn't fall to just her...it is a shared burden and for that, Mira is grateful.

She's about to respond to him and she has to stop herself and really process it. Did he...somehow compliment her? Should she say something on it? Perhaps not for now.]

Like it is a part of me. That was the start of the path I began to walk that day...'tis a wonder how much one can learn along the way. And I would not change it one bit. For what would I have seen if the path was easy?

[And yet as she gives a small smile at the memory, it's only her little secret that there's more spoken in that phrase than she is saying.]

[It's only fortunate that his favorite activity is to nap, or else there'd be even more trouble.

There had been no opportunity for this on the First. Business had been too pressing, the task too urgent. The stakes, immediate. These were unusual circumstances; had any of his kind had this chance?]

Just once, for a change, it would be nice if the valuable path was also the easy one. [A small sigh.] I'm sure you've enjoyed casting about for ever greater difficulties, but not all of us are so inclined.

[He glances sideways at her.]

There's no inherent value to effort, you know. It only appears that way because all worthwhile things are difficult.

[And excuses can only go so far. Mira can't say 'Sorry, my ascian roommate got bored and now everything is destroyed' as one of them.]

It would be a pleasant change for once. But alas, 'twould only be a fleeting dream. I would believe it false because it would be so simple.

Edited 2019-11-04 23:35 (UTC)

[At least his capacity for destruction is much reduced. He's been there a whole month, and this is the first thing he's destroyed, and it wasn't even intentionally.]

Sometimes the simple things are nice. Meaningless, but nice.

[Like when K'rihnn had scritched his cat ears while he'd had them. That had been pleasant.]

You'll wear yourself out if you insist on nothing but the arduous. Every task made a misery, out of some misguided attempt to imbue meaning.

[Everything was miserable regardless of effort anyway.]

[There's a strange silence that occurs and Mira is speechless for a moment, carefully thinking about his words just now. If she didn't know any better that sounds like...no, that couldn't be right.]

That almost sounds as if you are worried about me.

[That cannot be right could it? She knows ascians are capable of emotion but this is the first she has heard something like that fall from his mouth.]

I wouldn't call it concern, exactly....

[And he hadn't intended it to come across as such. Though once Mira points it out, he has to pause to consider it more thoroughly.]

Well, think of how it would reflect on myself, were you to collapse under some trivial affair, simply because you felt determined to make everything a trial. [A slightly wry smile.] You destroyed an entity channeling the full breadth of the Underworld. Someone with a not-insignificant mastery of the arcane. Someone with near infinite experience in ripping apart people not all that different from yourself.

[He still wanted Zodiark to be revived, his people restored, Elidibus to find some way to turn everything around. Simultaneously, he realized he'd be a bit disappointed should the Warrior fail, after committing so much.]

No. You have to live. I'll be most offended otherwise.

[Her lips form a small grin as she looks at him, dead straight in those damn golden eyes of his.]

I told you before: I'm not one looking to seek death for myself. I have a long way to go before then, things to learn and see with my own eyes. I am far from done on this path.

[Deep and meaningful conversations within ruined greenery? Sounds like normal.]

I suppose I am...simply used to matters being hard.

[That earns a small, amused sound from him, not quite a chuckle. Matching her gaze steadily, Emet-Selch leans slightly closer to her as he speaks.]

That you have. And while I expect you to put in whatever effort is required...

[His tone abruptly shifts, to something much more serious, with a peculiar intensity. Threatening, almost. A moment much closer to his real self, without flippancy or pretension.]

--You're not allowed to burn out too soon either.

[...And then he shrugs, sitting back into the grass and scattered shrub, drifting into a lighter demeanor.]

Not that you've shown any signs of it thus far, but nonetheless. This world is a taxing place for us all, and our star is no less demanding.

[She's a little surprised to see him lean a bit closer to her, knowing at least around their house, there's the sense of respecting the personal space. But when he speaks to her and how she hears him talk, something in her mind is trying to parse what exactly is going on. His tone may sound dangerous but his words are...mindful?

Did he just threaten her to take care of herself?

That is the most bizarre thing Mira has come across and the thought still remains even as Emet-Selch goes into a lighter tone. She'll never truly understand ascians or perhaps that was a trait exclusive to him. Weirdo.]

I...I can understand your point. So does that mean I need to take up some sort of hobby now? Since apparently working too much may cause some to not do so well?

[Halone help her, she can hear Tala harp on her to take breaks or do something fun. What is fun?]

[It was probably more of a him thing than an Ascian thing. His brethren tended to stick towards the 'threatening', in the more traditional sense.

But he's fairly languid now, casual. Mira's question gets a small wave in her direction.]

If you like. Do take care not to turn it into its own form of work.

[What is fun, indeed. Emet-Selch wasn't exactly the person to go to for ideas there. Unless excessive sleeping was a hobby, he didn't have any.]

[You confuse her sometimes, Emet. Like seriously.]

Easier spoken. It feels as if I am not working on something, I am sleeping.

[What she did after saving the world: went home and took a long nap. Do books count but also she does those involving work too so scratch that. It's to the point where thinking about it makes her lie back onto the ground, looking up at the sky and going 'what do I even do'. A new feeling for the Warrior of Light and Darkness but look, free time is new to her.]

How in the hells does anyone even start looking? Or must I go into the entertainment district and find everything and grab any and all kinds of information to research it?

[Yes, she is asking him because he's there and brought it up. He gets to deal with it.]

(no subject)

unsundered - 2019-11-06 23:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

inlikethebrume - 2019-11-07 03:42 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[open] hydaelyn's house for wayward souls

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Blanket ShB Spoilers and Early DRK Quest Ones Within

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)