[Open] Canon Update & Catch-all!

[fiddlestick]

Who: Elliot & OPEN!
When: January 4th
Where: Mirror house & around Aefenglom
What: Canon update/Catch-All!
Warnings: Major spoilers for Trails of Cold Steel 3 afoot! Also CW mentions of death.

I. Mirror House
[Elliot didn't visit the mirror house very often. Aside from the times of new arrivals or checking to see if someone's left, there wasn't much reason to be there. But today, he felt compelled to go, by reasons he couldn't explain. Without really thinking about it, he wound up in front of mirror that was decorated in assorted carvings of music related items and his beloved friends. And still without thinking, he reached out to touch the reflective pristine glass.

And all of a sudden, came a whirlwind of memories playing on the glass. They start off nice: leaving home to go on tour, releasing his first record, concerts, seeing Rean again, getting the group chat going. But just as pleasant as the memories start, they quickly go darker: the truth of Hamel, the dark dragon, Azure Siegfried, the Curse, Angelica, the Gral of Erebos, the Courageous exploding, Millium-

Elliot, who was completely transfixed on the memories, collapses as soon as the glass goes back to normal. Once more, he's aware that he's back in Aefenglom. Not in the hellish Gral, watching friends die and knowing what was now spreading across Erebonia. They were all in danger, except now he was-]

N-No..! Not now, I can't...why?

[Whatever he means is lost, because he's completely overcome with sobbing. He'll probably be like this a good long while. Anyone bonded with him will feel waves of grief and fear coming from him.]

II. Aefenglom
[Eventually, Elliot's able to collect himself enough to pull himself off the floor and leave the mirrorhouse. From there...well, he doesn't know where to go. He doesn't want to go back to his house, how do you go home to your friends who are none-the-wiser and tell them such horrible news? He really didn't feel up to that just yet. Nor did he feel like continuing on his daily schedule, there was no way he could focus on music or anything else.

So eventually, he decides to just...wander. He starts walking, not even really thinking about the direction or where he'll go. If you pass by him, it's clear he's barely paying attention to his surroundings as he slowly walks. It doesn't even seem to register to him that it's freezing out. Or maybe you'll catch him standing still, near the river or the ocean, simply staring - completely lost in thought, sometimes quietly talking to himself ]

...What am I supposed to do now...?

[No matter how many times he asks himself that, he can't seem to find the answer]

[OOC: Elliot's been canon updated to the end of CS3! Clearly, it had a happy ending. ]

Comments

[fiddlestick]

Wataru?

[He looks up, clearly being pulled away from this thoughts. Honestly until he had spoken up, Elliot hadn't noticed his friend there.

He hesitates at the question. There's an impulse to lie and say he's fine...but he knows there's no way he can pull that off. Not when his eyes are red from crying and everything about his spirit is down]

...No, I'm afraid I'm not.

[kivatteru]

[ Yikes, that's... serious. Wataru's quickly filled with worry at the overall negative reply. ]

Do you want to talk about it?

[fiddlestick]

Ah....

[He bites his lip. Sometimes it does help to talk about things, sure. But man. Wataru is a friend he hasn't known too long, and ... it's a lot. It's so much]

I-I don't know. I..well, the easiest way to explain it is I got some updated memories from home. And it's a lot of bad news.

[kivatteru]

[ Supposing this would be easier to talk about if they're comfortable, he sits down on the grass, then gestures for Elliot to join him. ]

How bad are they? [ They must be really bad if he caught the guy standing here dead-eyed, but he'd like a confirmation. ]

[fiddlestick]

[He sinks down to sit on the grass alongside Wataru. And boy, how does one put a scale on this one without sounding overdramatic]

...Possibly the end of the world bad?

[This is not an overstatement]

[kivatteru]

... Yeah, I get it.

[ HAHA, WELP, COOL COOL COOL. Wataru's expression darkens with grief. ]

How could that be possible, though? Are you sure the mirror didn't play a trick on you?

[fiddlestick]

I'm sure. A few of my friends saw similar things...and one of them aged to match the time that past.

[It's a little hard to deny things when Crow grew a few centimeters and finished puberty in less than a day]

What I saw was real.

[kivatteru]

[ All he can offer towards such awful revelation is a hand on Elliot's shoulder. It all sounds much... scarier than he'd like to admit. He can't imagine how the guy is feeling. ]

I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do to help you feel better...

[fiddlestick]

[He doesn't pull away from the hand on his shoulder, but his head remains lowered.]

I'm sorry...I don't know what would right now.

[There's no simple cure for this one, no motivating speech. He just lost friend, and possibly his world. It's hard to blame him for feeling nothing but sadness right now]

[kivatteru]

[ Though what he's just heard is terrible and would likely put a huge burden in his spirits if he was in Elliot's shoes, Wataru steels himself instead of following along the sadness that now lingers in the air. Empathizing too much would render him emotionally inept and it's the least thing his fellow musician needs at the moment.

He squeezes Elliot's shoulder. ]

Even though it all seems... hopeless [ god he hates saying that word ], there are friends here supporting you. There might be a way to avoid that kind of outcome. Not everything is lost.

[fiddlestick]

[Wataru you're such a soft sweet boy and you deserve the whole world ok? Ok.

The words do make him pause. They are so sweet and sincere, and sounds like something his friends would say. Like Rean would say. And it's easy to doubt them, cynicism has a way to do that, but...that wasn't what Elliot is prone towards

So he takes a deep breath, letting the words sink in]

...Thank you Wataru. I needed that. [He really did.] I hope you're right.

[kivatteru]

I hope so, too.

[ His shoulders sink in relief. If he was anywhere as pessimistic as he was years ago, Wataru wouldn't believe a word of what his current self has said, and that's why he was a bit worried that Elliot wouldn't have been receptive to his comforting words.

But that's not what's happening, which is... great. Elliot is a good person who doesn't deserve this terrible fate, and if he can do something to help him solve the situation, he will. ]

But it might not be easy, and you might have to work hard for it. However, I don't believe it's impossible. So, I also hope you won't give up just yet.

[fiddlestick]

[Luckily for Wataru, Elliot isn't a pessimist but he is a sucker for a kind hearted shonen speech.]

Well I...maybe you're right. I'm gonna need some time to get my head sorted, and I'm not sure how we can achieve things, but...

That hasn't stopped my friends and I before. We just need to...figure out what we can do.

[kivatteru]

Right. That's the correct approach in these situations. Just try cooling your head.

[ He turns his gaze to the river, a bit wistful. ]

If you'd like to stay here, it's okay, but if you need some other distractions... I'm around.

[fiddlestick]

[He puts his hand to his chest]

Thanks Wataru, you're really sweet...

[And he thinks about it. It feels more polite to take him up on the offer, but...]

I think...I'd like to stay here for a bit and think on some things.

But...maybe later, when I'm ready, I'd like to play with you.

[kivatteru]

[ He'll accept that. There are no urgent matters right now and he's off work for today. ]

Sure. If you'd still like my company, then...

[ There will be plans for playing violin later and maybe go on about their project. But right now he's content just standing here contemplating the river with Elliot. ]

[fiddlestick]

[He glances over, realizing Wataru plans to hang around. He gives a ghost of a smile]

...Sure, but only if you don't mind. I'm sure you have other things to do.

[kivatteru]

Not at the moment. I'm available for the rest of the day, so don't worry about that.

[ He was more concerned about bothering Elliot and wasting his time. They're both too good for this world. ]

[fiddlestick]

Ah...

You're a really kind person, Wataru.

[kivatteru]

I'm just doing what's the right thing to do for someone.

[ Elliot needs support, he's gonna get it. Just common sense!

Hopefully the guy feels better after they hang out a bit. Wataru'll be there for him. ]

[fiddlestick]

Haha, I guess...but still, thank you.

[He's grateful to have someone here. He'll have to find some way to pay Wataru back. For now he'll go quiet as he goes back to processing his thoughts]