The decision has been made. LILITH Japan orders the Outsiders to mobilize to pursue the Imugi.
Given that they are in a foreign country, they are largely dependent on LILITH Korea’s resources. In response to the decision, the Korean branch provides some assistance: the Outsiders are given just enough vehicles to help transport them, essential supplies, and only a few operatives to help guide them. This is the most the Korean branch is able to give, as they must focus on relocating people and restoring peace following the attack.
LILITH announces that the Imugi is currently resting near Gangneung on the east coast and they must move quickly. The effects of Rift poisoning will grow stronger as they approach the source; a sign that they are close to a kaiju. Upon reaching the mountains just outside the city, LILITH informs them that they are right on top of its location.
However, there is no Imugi to be found. After searching the area, Outsiders will discover the source of the trace and the poisoning: eggs. They will find about twelve eggs. When they report their findings, Seokdang will curse. In their rush, they had followed the wrong trace. They didn’t track down an injured and resting Imugi—they tracked down the Imugi’s nest. So where is the Imugi?
Not long after, Outsiders will receive an update on their implants: the Imugi reappeared in Seoul. After seeing the corpse of its mate, it went berserk and attacked the city again. While many of the citizens were evacuated to nearby Incheon and remaining shelters, just as many perished, with the death toll at 168,000 and rising. LILITH’s Korean base is destroyed.
The Imugi was last seen flying north, but the Korean government prohibits the Outsiders from pursuing it again through their territory. By choosing to pursue the kaiju, the Outsiders have abandoned humanity and thus will receive no further support. They are ordered to leave the country immediately.
LILITH Japan will order them to collect as many eggs as possible and continue to the abandoned city of Gangneung, where they will arrange pick up and return to base in Tokyo.
▶ AFTERWORD.
Thanks everyone for participating in our first major Event Decision! We hope you had fun discussing what to do both ICly and OOCly.
After failing to capture the second Imugi and also failing to save a large portion of Seoul's population, characters will be shipped back to Japan. The events of the TDM will springboard from there. Feel free to use this post to thread out any aftermath threads if you would like.
All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards August AC.
[ girl. if you want him to dance to twice he can do that too
but… here they go. ]
> ACCEPT @ HOTTIE'S DATAVERSE INVITATION? > YES / NO
[ clear skies. a gentle breeze. a calm sea, with the rhythmic beat of rolling waves as it slowly subsumes the sun. the moment Ishmael accepts the invitation, she'll find herself aboard a quaint ship, just without the music to go along with it. as it rocks along to its unknown destination, Elysium will give it to her to adjust to her new environment: a shockingly peaceful world for their crew of two.
she's seen through his lens before, so it shouldn't be too surprising that in his memory, things are especially clear and defined. but whenever she deigns to speak or look over to him, he's leaning on one of the rail guards atop upper deck and will offer her a casual wave, looking as nonplussed as ever. ]
[ WE COULD'VE HAD THE GUYS DANCE TO TWICE IN SOME WACKY CREDITS SCENE falls to my knees................
ahem.
she lets the dataverse load, taking in the sights of the unfamiliar seascape before her. breathing in the heavenly scent of seasalt, she scans the ship and her gaze lands on elysium before coming up to meet him, still a little dazed with... all this. it's a good kind of dazed but she also can't help but feel little wary, her instincts stubbornly telling her that this is probably an eye before the oncoming storm. ]
[ He reads her uncertainty and matches it with a grin. Now, who would be messed up enough to summon an entire monster out here in an imaginary world… right after a traumatic event… surely not him. or me. maybe in an au where our ao3 tags are it gets worse before it gets even worse. ]
Where would you like to go? The militaristic empire of Ursus? The land of chivalry and aristocracy, Victoria? Or maybe Kazimierz, where knights and tournaments reign supreme. Yen's a nation of mystery and ancient traditions, and yet the past and present manages to coexist all the same. My personal favourite would be Siesta, a coastal paradise characterised by its vibrancy and laid-back atmosphere, but… if you wanted something closer to home but not quite, Columbia is the hub of innovation and industrial progress.
Or, we can continue drifting at sea and let the waves [ … Elysium… ] make the decision for us. Neither of us have anywhere to be, do we?
[ He exhales a breathy little laugh, extending his arms out to their full wingspan as he feels the breeze. ]
Since this isn't the actual voyage I went on, the world is, quite literally, at my fingertips. This has easily been my favourite piece of technology since arriving here.
[ you say that but the projmoons are used to seeing horror after horror in quick successions at this point. she'll be fine, even if the metaphorical cloud above her head continues to persist.
she joins him at the railings, leaning her lower back against them while her hand comes up to tuck her flyaway hair behind her ear. jeez, it's so windy out... ]
Your world sure has fancy names. Meanwhile, before I came here, we were heading towards District 19, also known as T Corp. [ isn't it drab and boring. ] You make it sound so interesting, though. Can't help but think that there's a catch in every country I decide to visit.
[ because all districts and countries possess law-defying singularities that feed off human suffering, obviously. ]
And the waves here seem harmless too. If we let them choose our course, it won't lead us to a Whale that'll devour us whole for breaking the unwritten rules around here, right?
[ she'll be fine but Elysium has higher standards than that for his friends. c'mon. he isn't expecting anything immediately, but he's hoping for something a little more than rock bottom. ]
Is it that my world has fancy names, or is it that yours that could stand to be more fanciful?
[ Ha. On the note of drab and boring, there's a reason why Elysium hadn't listed his own. ]
We give places names for the cultural significance of it: to reflect their history, values, languages, and the identities of the people who live there. I don't mean to presume, but the more I learn about your world, the more I understand why everything's only assigned numbers, letters, and a baseline noun.
[ dw queen… he's taking the eldritch sea monsters with him to his grave. at least in his timeline, they're still? kinda containable? anyway, ]
Nothing will happen if I can help it. [ he winks, cheeky. ] Did you still want to see what a whale looks like here, or is that too much?
[ she should know by now that elysium is here to make her feel better from the recent events that transpired, and in all honesty, he didn't really need to do this. though then again, she chose to take up on his offer anyway.
it's been lonesome, that's all. she sighs, crossing her arms on her railings and resting her head on them. ]
If I wanted to go see whales, I'd have gone to an aquarium. [ just saying. ] ...There is a place, if that's all right with you.
yeah. who wouldn't be able to see that one coming? ]
A once-great maritime power, Iberia's considered to be something of a shadow of its former self. Melancholic, mysterious. Its coastal cities are haunted by the remnants of a catastrophic event that came before my time. Even the oppressive regime that emerged was a result of it.
[ With the inflection of someone reading off of a Wikipedia article, detached, as he had with every other country he'd noted before. Albeit with more detail, as it is the one she'd shown interest in. ]
Which is to say, it'll be pretty boring. [ … he answers the unasked question first, with as steady of a gaze. then: ] But it is one of the few places that won't require me flubbing any geography to get there directly.
You chose Iberia because it has a connection to me, right? It's a place a friend of yours grew up in. I'm flattered.
[ don't worry. he's prepared to high hell for whatever his cr wants to put him through in this period where they're all just trying to make it. a little discomfort's nothing. ]
… The humid breeze, the saline taste it leaves in your mouth. The scorching sun, the unbearably high temperatures, and the marks the hustle and bustle leave behind on your skin.
Even the air currents that gather in the open, spacious city. I remember it. Fly away from it I did, but I remember it all.
[ he closes his eyes. despite his choice of words, there's no denying that there's an underlying longing. not quite fondness—longing. ]
Unlike the others, I imagine they'll be little more than pictures you'd find in some book. I don't mind. It's a sight to behold in of itself, especially if you aren't familiar with Terra's architecture. Before Iberia became what it is today, it did have a golden age; many of the structures from that time still exist in some capacity, serving as reminders of a bygone era.
[ at this point, she's too mentally exhausted to deny their friendship like she usually does. frankly, she should be glad that ely even approached her after being a real piece of work both online and IRL; he must have had experience when it comes to people like her.
so she stays put and listens, his longing apparent. because she feels the way towards the ocean, despite being a source of misery for her since the incident. typical seadog behavior. ]
I still want to see it anyway, while we're here. This might be our only chance.
[ who knows when they'll be able to settle down long enough for another dataverse session again. it's a good enough distraction from... all of that. ]
[ … what more could he say? That's as charitable as a description as he could've given it. Current day Iberia, anyway. As he falls silent, mouth pressing into a line, his smile grows helpless. ]
… Iberia's golden age was characterised by its rich culture and command over the seas. Being a maritime nation, it dominated over trade routes and boasted advanced technology in navigation and shipbuilding alike.
[ Other than Liberi—bird people—being the predominant race within Iberia, it's been said time and time again that it's what makes Elysium so undeniably Iberian. His unfettered boldness, his unrestrained freedom. That's what the Iberian people once symbolised. And yet… ]
Nowadays, [ he breathes quiet, steady, unfaltering, ] it's a deeply religious and insular society controlled by what's called the Inquisition, an authoritative order that enforces strict laws and isolates the country from the rest of the world. The catastrophic event I mentioned didn't just leave Iberia in a state of physical decay; it left both repression and paranoia rampant within the population.
[ As he comes to the end of its story, never mind skipping the majority of its mass, the sky transitions to a dull grey. No longer than a minute later, a land mass comes into view. ]
But there it is. Iberia.
[ please don't tell me to describe it because i wouldn't know where the hell to start. but it's there, it's a mess, and it practically feels haunting. ]
[ it sounded like a beautiful place, back then - until this religious inquisition came that suppressed its colorful identity. and once his beloved hometown comes into view, ishmael's eyes widen as her breath is taken away.
it's a shipwreck. that's the first thing that pops into her mind. and yet it's hauntingly beautiful.
a gust of wind heralds their arrival, and she does her best in tucking her hair back again, mouth still slightly agape. ]
...I can already see why you wanted to leave. [ she turns to look at him, observing the helplessness in his face despite his smile. ] Do you miss it anyway?
[ Maybe she can tell why he's taken by her hair now. Against a backdrop made entirely out of greys, it's even more striking against it, a beacon that could be made out from far shore. ]
… Do I miss it? I wonder.
[ His gaze flicks over to her in a sidelong glance. He's seen this imagery plenty of times both in person and from the way it haunts his memory, but to share it with another person, an objective third party, has him mildly curious about her reactions. So, it's as distressingly beautiful to her, too. Figures. ]
I returned not too long ago for a mission. [ He doesn't mention the number of years it took for him to; he doesn't mention how he'd volunteered for it himself. ] And, there's no doubt about it that I'll end up returning once more.
[ A little more resolved, he turns to face her directly, eyes glinting. ]
Are you worried about me? [ At the ends, his mouth curls further. ] What an increasingly common sight. But it's really not that sensitive of an issue.
[ the thing about being able to give a shit about beauty now is that her sense of it can still fall on the wayside like right now. it feels a little wrong to find shipwrecks beautiful as a sole survivor of one, but she still has eyes at the end of the day.
speaking of eyes, hers make contact with elysium's gaze, brows slightly knit together as she sighs. ]
You know, I can already tell by now that you're not actually okay with all this and you're just coping with a smile.
[ tbh it's a wild guess but she's going to make a bluff anyway ]
But we sailors have this unwritten rule about not prying too much into each other's affairs. Something about how coming aboard is equivalent to starting a new life at sea and leaving your past behind you. So I'll buy that for now.
[ Incredibly strong and yet soft-hearted at the same time. That'd been his assessment of Ishmael early on in their encounters with each other and he thinks, once again, that his judgement hasn't failed him. There's amusement in his gaze before he closes his eyes, almost as if in peace.
It isn't really, as she'd said, but it's as close to it as he's getting. ]
Hm. Let me tell you a secret. Just because I'm not okay with it doesn't mean I haven't accepted it for what it is or that I'm unwilling to tell others of it if they ask.
[ When he opens his eyes, his smile is wistful—his gaze shifting from hers to focus directly on Iberia. ]
I assume you think that way because I mention running away from it, but that's not something I intend to do any longer. I'm Iberian through and through; I have a responsibility to see to it that it returns to its glory days.
[ for better. for worse. even if he's just one powerless guy. ]
Whether you believe that is up to you. Heheh. For trying to uplift you, we ended up talking about some pretty serious stuff.
Mm, this is fine. It's comforting, in a way. It almost feels like I'm home.
[ it's comforting to know that there's another world out there that's as messed up as the City. not that she's happy that elysium's also suffering in his world, but they did say that misery loves company after all.
he has... such a high view of her, doesn't he? it'd be surreal if she finds out, for she's not the type to have a high opinion of herself despite all her bluster.
she follows his gaze towards his shipwrecked nation. so near, yet so far. that's probably how he felt this entire time. and now that they're here licking their wounds after failing to liberate another nation from a kaiju attack, that must weigh on him more than he's willing to admit. she considers his venting sesh from before, the words he doesn't want to make public, and hums. ]
Will you be doing it alone? [ liberating his country, his people - it won't be easy. ]
[ He recalls the district from Ishmael's memory, overlaying it with own of Iberia's ruination. … It couldn't be in the literal sense, but he could understand it in the perspective of attributing their similarities to the overall sentiments of dread, dreariness, and hopelessness. She'd never said it in certain words, yet she doesn't need to. ]
How much could a person hope to achieve alone?
[ Rather, how much could an average person hope? to achieve alone? He exhales a quiet breath, more along the lines of 'it is what it is' than disappointment. ]
… I'll just do what I can, when I can. Whatever that may be, and however that might manifest.
[ He doesn't intend to throw away his life for no reason, but if there's something that arises that necessitates it, that… wouldn't be for nothing. But, he'll approach her, breezy smile et all. ]
Human resilience is an incredible thing, isn't it? [ Despite the environment he'd grown up in, despite the environment she'd grown up in, here they are. He places a hand on her head, a first of physical contact he initiates for no particular reason. How does she feel about a head pat? ] But that resilience can just as easily cause us to burn out and crash. [ … ] How are you feeling now?
[ Iberia fades into the fog——and just like that, they're back to open seas. ]
[ she wasn't talking about u corp, specifically. at least her home district has color, from the assorted container vans that litter the portship to the beautiful sunset during clear weather. no, she was comparing iberia to t corp itself, where they even put the ability to see color behind a paywall and everyone who can't cough up the cash is forced to see the world in black and white -- quite literally.
she huffs at his candid answer. ] I don't know what I expected. That's such a you answer it almost pisses me off.
[ a carefree answer from a carefree guy. how irritating. she can tell that he has the conviction to pull it off though, so he's not obligated to tell her his secret plans to change his side of the world if he doesn't want to.
she can't be too pissed at him, even if she tried -- especially with his hand landing on her head so casually, as though he's done this to her before. apart from a slight crease between her brows, she makes no move in swatting his hand away and chooses to let out a sigh through her nose instead. after all, her old mates back on the pequod used to pat her on the head after she's done crying her heart out, mourning over the lives she couldn't save when she was still weak and naive. ]
A bit better, compared to earlier. [ it's enough to bring a slight warmth to her cheeks, if anything. ] Kind of messed up that you showed me your doomed hometown to cheer me up, but somehow it worked.
[ Sorry, Ish. You might be one of his besties, but even besties don't get the lore he intends to take to his grave. She does get a few instinctive pat pat pats for her struggle though, when he finds himself amused by her straightforwardness. The feeling under his fingertips is as soft and substantial as one might imagine, and as he watches again as her hair catches the ocean breeze, much like the natural and gentle undulation and the waves beneath them——
he catches what he's doing, who he's doing it to, and suddenly he's feeling a little embarrassed because what happened to her being his biggest hater, hello? ]
… Really. [ unimpressed, to mask his fluster. ] You're the one who insisted on seeing it despite all the warnings I gave you. [ … Further, he's just going to start ruffling her hair messily instead, setting her hairband askew with a loud huff. ]
Next time, [ 'next time,' ] I'm just going to take you to the most idyllic and uneventful place imaginable. Or, raucous. See what you say then.
[ How scary. Especially when there's no real bite to his words. ]
[ WTF SINCE WHEN DID THEY REACH BESTIE STATUS??? she still couldn't stand him?? but maybe it would've been better if she actually committed to being his biggest hater if a simple pat on the head is enough to fluster him. not that she'd even notice, because she's woefully oblivious to things like that until someone points it out to her.
still, it's about time she smacks his hand away from her hair, readjusting her beloved headband with a pout. ]
Huh? You didn't warn me at all. In fact, I was the one doing all the warning around here.
[ but it's still worth it, if only to hear his true thoughts on his whereabouts. adventurers like them are bound to come home one day, no matter how long it would take them. ]
Besides, you wouldn't do that. You're going to keep showing me things I've never seen before. And I will hold you to that.
[ because unlike her, he always seems to know where he's going. her smile is cheeky as she backs away from him. ]
[ wait until you hear that bestie status isn't actually bestie status… there's an entire tier above that which is comprised of like, two people. don't worry about it.
However disastrous or not disastrous this tour has turned out, the fact of the matter is that she's feeling well enough to banter and pout, and that's enough to elicit a softer smile from him despite feeling off-kilter. ]
Uh huh… [ Even when he shows his chagrin it isn't truly chagrined, matching her cheekiness with an exhaustion that's entirely for play. ] Whatever the boss lady says, I'm at your disposal. There are whole worlds out there we've yet to see, and the one in front of us we've hardly even scratched the surface of.
[ … It feels somewhat unsettling, talking to another person about travel to this extent. He'd been a little envious of Siffrin whenever they'd spoken about their party, but he didn't necessarily mind being on his own, either. Not tha he's expecting them to see every sight together… there might be a part of him that's considering what it would look like, what it'd feel like, to have that nebulous someone accompanying him on every journey.
In a distance universe, distant timeline, where he wasn't Operator Elysium. ]
Don't forget. After everything's said and done… you still need to show me the path you'd pave forward, from mentor to mentee. I'm certain it'll be a sight to behold. But I've heard you loud and clear, Miss Ishmael. Loud and clear.
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synfluxmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synflux2024-08-22 04:03 am
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Not like I have anything better to do. I'm just in my room right now so... Ready when you are.
[ she's only been going out for work and food since coming back. at least she hasn't shut herself in like she assumes some people were doing. ]
no subject
but… here they go. ]
> YES / NO
[ clear skies. a gentle breeze. a calm sea, with the rhythmic beat of rolling waves as it slowly subsumes the sun. the moment Ishmael accepts the invitation, she'll find herself aboard a quaint ship, just without the music to go along with it. as it rocks along to its unknown destination, Elysium will give it to her to adjust to her new environment: a shockingly peaceful world for their crew of two.
she's seen through his lens before, so it shouldn't be too surprising that in his memory, things are especially clear and defined. but whenever she deigns to speak or look over to him, he's leaning on one of the rail guards atop upper deck and will offer her a casual wave, looking as nonplussed as ever. ]
no subject
ahem.
she lets the dataverse load, taking in the sights of the unfamiliar seascape before her. breathing in the heavenly scent of seasalt, she scans the ship and her gaze lands on elysium before coming up to meet him, still a little dazed with... all this. it's a good kind of dazed but she also can't help but feel little wary, her instincts stubbornly telling her that this is probably an eye before the oncoming storm. ]
...Where are we going?
no subject
Where would you like to go? The militaristic empire of Ursus? The land of chivalry and aristocracy, Victoria? Or maybe Kazimierz, where knights and tournaments reign supreme. Yen's a nation of mystery and ancient traditions, and yet the past and present manages to coexist all the same. My personal favourite would be Siesta, a coastal paradise characterised by its vibrancy and laid-back atmosphere, but… if you wanted something closer to home but not quite, Columbia is the hub of innovation and industrial progress.
Or, we can continue drifting at sea and let the waves [ … Elysium… ] make the decision for us. Neither of us have anywhere to be, do we?
[ He exhales a breathy little laugh, extending his arms out to their full wingspan as he feels the breeze. ]
Since this isn't the actual voyage I went on, the world is, quite literally, at my fingertips. This has easily been my favourite piece of technology since arriving here.
no subject
she joins him at the railings, leaning her lower back against them while her hand comes up to tuck her flyaway hair behind her ear. jeez, it's so windy out... ]
Your world sure has fancy names. Meanwhile, before I came here, we were heading towards District 19, also known as T Corp. [ isn't it drab and boring. ] You make it sound so interesting, though. Can't help but think that there's a catch in every country I decide to visit.
[ because all districts and countries possess law-defying singularities that feed off human suffering, obviously. ]
And the waves here seem harmless too. If we let them choose our course, it won't lead us to a Whale that'll devour us whole for breaking the unwritten rules around here, right?
[ help........... ]
no subject
Is it that my world has fancy names, or is it that yours that could stand to be more fanciful?
[ Ha. On the note of drab and boring, there's a reason why Elysium hadn't listed his own. ]
We give places names for the cultural significance of it: to reflect their history, values, languages, and the identities of the people who live there. I don't mean to presume, but the more I learn about your world, the more I understand why everything's only assigned numbers, letters, and a baseline noun.
[ dw queen… he's taking the eldritch sea monsters with him to his grave. at least in his timeline, they're still? kinda containable? anyway, ]
Nothing will happen if I can help it. [ he winks, cheeky. ] Did you still want to see what a whale looks like here, or is that too much?
no subject
[ she should know by now that elysium is here to make her feel better from the recent events that transpired, and in all honesty, he didn't really need to do this. though then again, she chose to take up on his offer anyway.
it's been lonesome, that's all. she sighs, crossing her arms on her railings and resting her head on them. ]
If I wanted to go see whales, I'd have gone to an aquarium. [ just saying. ] ...There is a place, if that's all right with you.
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[ …and despite the feeling he gets from what she's trying to lead into, he'll cant his head in question as if he doesn't. ]
Where're we off to?
no subject
[ her steady gaze roves over to him. it's curious, how he'd never brought it up in his list of places to sightsee. ]
Can we get there by ship?
no subject
yeah. who wouldn't be able to see that one coming? ]
A once-great maritime power, Iberia's considered to be something of a shadow of its former self. Melancholic, mysterious. Its coastal cities are haunted by the remnants of a catastrophic event that came before my time. Even the oppressive regime that emerged was a result of it.
[ With the inflection of someone reading off of a Wikipedia article, detached, as he had with every other country he'd noted before. Albeit with more detail, as it is the one she'd shown interest in. ]
Which is to say, it'll be pretty boring. [ … he answers the unasked question first, with as steady of a gaze. then: ] But it is one of the few places that won't require me flubbing any geography to get there directly.
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We don't have to go there if it's that depressing from your description alone. Wings know we could use some levity from recent events right now.
[ sorry she asked, damn :/ here's another zinger anyway. ]
Did you... escape the regime, then?
no subject
[ don't worry. he's prepared to high hell for whatever his cr wants to put him through in this period where they're all just trying to make it. a little discomfort's nothing. ]
… The humid breeze, the saline taste it leaves in your mouth. The scorching sun, the unbearably high temperatures, and the marks the hustle and bustle leave behind on your skin.
Even the air currents that gather in the open, spacious city. I remember it. Fly away from it I did, but I remember it all.
[ he closes his eyes. despite his choice of words, there's no denying that there's an underlying longing. not quite fondness—longing. ]
Unlike the others, I imagine they'll be little more than pictures you'd find in some book. I don't mind. It's a sight to behold in of itself, especially if you aren't familiar with Terra's architecture. Before Iberia became what it is today, it did have a golden age; many of the structures from that time still exist in some capacity, serving as reminders of a bygone era.
no subject
so she stays put and listens, his longing apparent. because she feels the way towards the ocean, despite being a source of misery for her since the incident. typical seadog behavior. ]
I still want to see it anyway, while we're here. This might be our only chance.
[ who knows when they'll be able to settle down long enough for another dataverse session again. it's a good enough distraction from... all of that. ]
Tell me more?
no subject
… Iberia's golden age was characterised by its rich culture and command over the seas. Being a maritime nation, it dominated over trade routes and boasted advanced technology in navigation and shipbuilding alike.
[ Other than Liberi—bird people—being the predominant race within Iberia, it's been said time and time again that it's what makes Elysium so undeniably Iberian. His unfettered boldness, his unrestrained freedom. That's what the Iberian people once symbolised. And yet… ]
Nowadays, [ he breathes quiet, steady, unfaltering, ] it's a deeply religious and insular society controlled by what's called the Inquisition, an authoritative order that enforces strict laws and isolates the country from the rest of the world. The catastrophic event I mentioned didn't just leave Iberia in a state of physical decay; it left both repression and paranoia rampant within the population.
[ As he comes to the end of its story, never mind skipping the majority of its mass, the sky transitions to a dull grey. No longer than a minute later, a land mass comes into view. ]
But there it is. Iberia.
[ please don't tell me to describe it because i wouldn't know where the hell to start. but it's there, it's a mess, and it practically feels haunting. ]
no subject
it's a shipwreck. that's the first thing that pops into her mind. and yet it's hauntingly beautiful.
a gust of wind heralds their arrival, and she does her best in tucking her hair back again, mouth still slightly agape. ]
...I can already see why you wanted to leave. [ she turns to look at him, observing the helplessness in his face despite his smile. ] Do you miss it anyway?
no subject
… Do I miss it? I wonder.
[ His gaze flicks over to her in a sidelong glance. He's seen this imagery plenty of times both in person and from the way it haunts his memory, but to share it with another person, an objective third party, has him mildly curious about her reactions. So, it's as distressingly beautiful to her, too. Figures. ]
I returned not too long ago for a mission. [ He doesn't mention the number of years it took for him to; he doesn't mention how he'd volunteered for it himself. ] And, there's no doubt about it that I'll end up returning once more.
[ A little more resolved, he turns to face her directly, eyes glinting. ]
Are you worried about me? [ At the ends, his mouth curls further. ] What an increasingly common sight. But it's really not that sensitive of an issue.
no subject
speaking of eyes, hers make contact with elysium's gaze, brows slightly knit together as she sighs. ]
You know, I can already tell by now that you're not actually okay with all this and you're just coping with a smile.
[ tbh it's a wild guess but she's going to make a bluff anyway ]
But we sailors have this unwritten rule about not prying too much into each other's affairs. Something about how coming aboard is equivalent to starting a new life at sea and leaving your past behind you. So I'll buy that for now.
no subject
It isn't really, as she'd said, but it's as close to it as he's getting. ]
Hm. Let me tell you a secret. Just because I'm not okay with it doesn't mean I haven't accepted it for what it is or that I'm unwilling to tell others of it if they ask.
[ When he opens his eyes, his smile is wistful—his gaze shifting from hers to focus directly on Iberia. ]
I assume you think that way because I mention running away from it, but that's not something I intend to do any longer. I'm Iberian through and through; I have a responsibility to see to it that it returns to its glory days.
[ for better. for worse. even if he's just one powerless guy. ]
Whether you believe that is up to you. Heheh. For trying to uplift you, we ended up talking about some pretty serious stuff.
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Mm, this is fine. It's comforting, in a way. It almost feels like I'm home.
[ it's comforting to know that there's another world out there that's as messed up as the City. not that she's happy that elysium's also suffering in his world, but they did say that misery loves company after all.
he has... such a high view of her, doesn't he? it'd be surreal if she finds out, for she's not the type to have a high opinion of herself despite all her bluster.
she follows his gaze towards his shipwrecked nation. so near, yet so far. that's probably how he felt this entire time. and now that they're here licking their wounds after failing to liberate another nation from a kaiju attack, that must weigh on him more than he's willing to admit. she considers his venting sesh from before, the words he doesn't want to make public, and hums. ]
Will you be doing it alone? [ liberating his country, his people - it won't be easy. ]
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How much could a person hope to achieve alone?
[ Rather, how much could an average person hope? to achieve alone? He exhales a quiet breath, more along the lines of 'it is what it is' than disappointment. ]
… I'll just do what I can, when I can. Whatever that may be, and however that might manifest.
[ He doesn't intend to throw away his life for no reason, but if there's something that arises that necessitates it, that… wouldn't be for nothing. But, he'll approach her, breezy smile et all. ]
Human resilience is an incredible thing, isn't it? [ Despite the environment he'd grown up in, despite the environment she'd grown up in, here they are. He places a hand on her head, a first of physical contact he initiates for no particular reason. How does she feel about a head pat? ] But that resilience can just as easily cause us to burn out and crash. [ … ] How are you feeling now?
[ Iberia fades into the fog——and just like that, they're back to open seas. ]
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she huffs at his candid answer. ] I don't know what I expected. That's such a you answer it almost pisses me off.
[ a carefree answer from a carefree guy. how irritating. she can tell that he has the conviction to pull it off though, so he's not obligated to tell her his secret plans to change his side of the world if he doesn't want to.
she can't be too pissed at him, even if she tried -- especially with his hand landing on her head so casually, as though he's done this to her before. apart from a slight crease between her brows, she makes no move in swatting his hand away and chooses to let out a sigh through her nose instead. after all, her old mates back on the pequod used to pat her on the head after she's done crying her heart out, mourning over the lives she couldn't save when she was still weak and naive. ]
A bit better, compared to earlier. [ it's enough to bring a slight warmth to her cheeks, if anything. ] Kind of messed up that you showed me your doomed hometown to cheer me up, but somehow it worked.
...Thanks.
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he catches what he's doing, who he's doing it to, and suddenly he's feeling a little embarrassed because what happened to her being his biggest hater, hello? ]
… Really. [ unimpressed, to mask his fluster. ] You're the one who insisted on seeing it despite all the warnings I gave you. [ … Further, he's just going to start ruffling her hair messily instead, setting her hairband askew with a loud huff. ]
Next time, [ 'next time,' ] I'm just going to take you to the most idyllic and uneventful place imaginable. Or, raucous. See what you say then.
[ How scary. Especially when there's no real bite to his words. ]
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still, it's about time she smacks his hand away from her hair, readjusting her beloved headband with a pout. ]
Huh? You didn't warn me at all. In fact, I was the one doing all the warning around here.
[ but it's still worth it, if only to hear his true thoughts on his whereabouts. adventurers like them are bound to come home one day, no matter how long it would take them. ]
Besides, you wouldn't do that. You're going to keep showing me things I've never seen before. And I will hold you to that.
[ because unlike her, he always seems to know where he's going. her smile is cheeky as she backs away from him. ]
Do I make myself clear, Elysium?
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However disastrous or not disastrous this tour has turned out, the fact of the matter is that she's feeling well enough to banter and pout, and that's enough to elicit a softer smile from him despite feeling off-kilter. ]
Uh huh… [ Even when he shows his chagrin it isn't truly chagrined, matching her cheekiness with an exhaustion that's entirely for play. ] Whatever the boss lady says, I'm at your disposal. There are whole worlds out there we've yet to see, and the one in front of us we've hardly even scratched the surface of.
[ … It feels somewhat unsettling, talking to another person about travel to this extent. He'd been a little envious of Siffrin whenever they'd spoken about their party, but he didn't necessarily mind being on his own, either. Not tha he's expecting them to see every sight together… there might be a part of him that's considering what it would look like, what it'd feel like, to have that nebulous someone accompanying him on every journey.
In a distance universe, distant timeline, where he wasn't Operator Elysium. ]
Don't forget. After everything's said and done… you still need to show me the path you'd pave forward, from mentor to mentee. I'm certain it'll be a sight to behold. But I've heard you loud and clear, Miss Ishmael. Loud and clear.