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 Koreaโs 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 didnโt track down an injured and resting Imugi—they tracked down the Imugiโs 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. LILITHโs 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.
โถ 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.
[ Just because Gebura's made sure they rested enough not to be out of their mind feverish doesn't mean that Siffrin is in the clear. Craft overuse lingers; any sort can ignite the fatigue-borne sickness again, and...
... Well, just being up and about when tensions are palpable isn't good for one's health either. So Siffrin is deciding to do something about one of those things and it isn't concerning himself with his health, because he's feeling fine enough again to leave Crafted origami animals that play hidden around the base to cheer someone up if they happen to find one.
There is a kind of pattern, if Elysium is interested enough to follow, and they become a little more misshapen, a little more sloppy, until Siffrin's at the end of it in the library, resting on the floor against a shelf with half a finished tiger in hand. It won't ever be as bad as the first flash of fever, but someone's definitely been making "using too many Crafts" his new hobby.
He is breathing, at least. Just an impromptu nap. ]
Elysium is a little busier than usual, what with flitting from friend to friend, acquaintance to acquaintance. As it turns out, exchanging messages really isn't enough; there's a component involved that necessitates seeing them in person to truly ascertain their condition. And, it doesn't have to be much—a quick bite to eat at the cafeteria, or even a greet in the hall. Interactions, however short, have plenty to tell.
Which is to say, Elysium's schedule is all out of sorts trying to adjust, and his feet now take him to places he hasn't cared to go to since his initial assessments of them. The first animal he finds is a crane, thinking someone's dropped it or accidentally left behind. He holds it up to light before pocketing it with a smile. Not out of a desire to keep it, but to find its original owner. With every crease as sharp and defined as they are, it seems too delicately crafted to be thrown away so easily.
Most birds migrate, but they do eventually find their ways home, year after year.
… The second animal he finds, he picks up, too. The next few animals after that… he's starting to think—believe, rather, that it's all incidental and leaves them be. For the nth animal, misshapen to the point of near unrecognisability… he vaguely makes out the same crane from the one in his pocket, the only telling feature being its wings.
He frowns. Unrelated? He has been trying to find Siffrin in particular. Where is he. How can someone from his team be so elusive? Still, he presses forward in the library, and lo and behold: the myth, the legend, Siffrin themselves, the answer to his recent mystery clutched between his hands. He has half a mind to pick them up and carry them back to their room, but with their reflexes engrained as they are—he wonders if that might be… counterproductive.
So he leaves. Comes back. He isn't so sure about this action either, but as delicately as possible… he'll drape a blanket over their shoulders. ]
[ It stirs them a little, eye opening slightly before it droops shut again with a heavy exhale. The cloak he keeps ever clasped with Callisto's brooch of a gift regulates temperatures well enough, but the weight of a blanket is welcome and seems to make the nap a more welcome one.
... For the time being, anyway. If Elysium leaves again, he has the chance to either check in on Siffrin in the very same spot but confused as to where they'd gotten a blanket or roaming around looking for the owner of said blanket, still wrapped around their shoulders. Staying just nets the first, but both have hints of a feverish flush on the cheeks.
Boy. This really is Siffrin at their most defenseless, currently. ]
[ Siffrin's stirring jolts him, enough to form a protest ready for whatever complaint his tiny friend might say. But when they fall back asleep, Elysium's shoulders untense. Having lacked the chance before, he takes the opportunity now to observe them more closely—they look more comfortable, good, but there's also a flush he hadn't noticed before, not so good.
… Medicine is hard to come by, though he does have an untouched flask of water in his bag that he can place right in front of them. If he had to say what the worst part about travelling alone was…
It'd be this. "This" undefined. It isn't hard to imagine that they'd fought many of their days like this alone before they'd been picked up by their party. In the end, Elysium settles about a foot away, drawing one knee to his chest, careful not to disrupt their rest any further.
Perhaps unsurprisingly? He ends up dozing off like this, too. That makes two of them on their feet since returning… ]
[ Pair of migratory birds, these two. Though Siffrin is more a cautious cat than anything.
And that includes now, once he stirs for a second time (more naturally, on his body's terms), and takes in his surroundings. A blanket that wasn't here before, unobtrusively draped over their shoulders. A flask sat in front of them -- full, from a gently shake as they lift it, and... water, probably, and then confirmed with a deep sip. Elysium not too far away, dozing just the same.
Siffrin watches him, both enjoying the quiet and studying his condition, before making to stand and gently draping the blanket over him in return before sitting again to gently unfold what they'd started, smoothing out the edges and creases methodically. No sense in throwing out perfectly good paper. It can be reused.
But they are very much going to keep an eye flicking up to watch the other. His fellow traveler, who he'd agree with that "this" was one of the worse things about traveling alone. ]
[ Elysium is a light sleeper, both out of necessity and of habit. He rouses the moment he hears movement as the flask is lifted, another two-fer in being a curse and a blessing from his own biology. But he keeps his eyes closed, breathing still—it's only "fair" that Siffrin observes him as he's observed them, suppressing a laugh when the blanket he'd sought so hard for is rearranged onto his shoulders.
He keeps like this for minutes longer, and as he listens to the gentle crumple of paper… he finally allows himself a faint smile, keeping his eyes closed. ]
… Really? You need it more than I do.
[ There's no real admonition in the words, just a soft chuckle, muted by the grogginess of sleep. ]
[ It's embarrassing, in a way. Almost like how it became embarrassing, in a way, to scurry to the Favor Tree to sit beneath its large branches, a few feet from the only person who wasn't affected by the loops. Siffrin doesn't know how to qualify it exactly, and so they huff softly. ]
I got this far, didn't I?
[ Of course he's well enough to walk.
This is a choice. Sitting here, with Elysium. ]
... The library is a good spot to craft. Not many people come up here, and... there's plenty of places to put them.
[ He pries his eyes open, if only to narrow them dangerously as he smiles. What an answer. Not. Nevertheless, he isn't about to let himself get distracted from the main point. ]
Alright. Let me rephrase. [ ahem. ] If you aren't willing to walk right now, I don't mind lifting you and carrying you away instead.
[ (You don't remember the last time you were carried.
Well, technically you do -- in the haze of a far worse fever, secure in the arms of someone you knew would catch you wherever you might fall from. But you aren't eager to be that helpless again, so--)
Siffrin makes a soured face, frowning, before turning his head away. Quiet. Contemplative. Give them a moment. ]
... Only if it's piggyback.
[ That's acceptable. Begrudging, but acceptable. They finish the rabbit, lopsided as it is with the creases from before, and set it on a low shelf.
Ah, right. Didn't mutter the usual. That's why it looks like that. Forcing the paper to fold when it hadn't wanted to. ]
[ Siffrin can take all the time they need; not unlike a bird in preparation for flight, Elysium's giving himself the luxury of stretching his neck, arms, and legs as he fully comes to. In an airconditioned environment, the blanket may have been necessary, but outside where the summer heat's well and real, he seems to think better of it, folding it into a square before depositing it right into his bag.
The flask——he'll sweep that up, too. ]
Aw. Don't wanna experience what it's like to be a sack of potatoes? Boo.
[ Good-natured, except not really. His eyes flick from the rabbit back to Siffrin, expression unreadable. There's a tense moment where it might be uncertain whether Elysium has something to say, but it disperses as quickly as it occurs within a blink. Next thing, his back is toward Siffrin, knees bent. ]
Hop on, then!
[ travellers with many guises, aren't they? from bird to cat to rabbit. what's next? ]
[ Spider monkey, from the braced, hesitant way Siffrin climbs on and gets comfortable. This is nice too, eye closing. Not that they'll ever say as much to Elysium -- maybe later, but not now. He'll get a big head over it. ]
... Already have. Fine without a repeat.
[ Thank You!
There's more Siffrin would like to ask, but they'll let Elysium lead the conversation as he'd like for now. There's plenty to learn about his condition that way. ]
[ An amused sound that's almost a snort but not quite. Hands positioned under their thighs just before their knees, the way he accommodates Siffrin's weight on his back is familiar, an action that borders on nostalgic considering how many months it's been since his arrival. ]
… You don't need me to scold you, right? You've been caught red-handed.
There's a gentle nod against Elysium as Siffrin eases more into relaxing, slowly, bit by bit. It wasn't a real chiding... but that's because he knows he pushed himself too far, and that was accepted. ]
I thought I'd be fine, since I rested... I guess I'm still a little sensitive to Crafting.
[ during the picnic when they're all vying for Siffrin's affections… ]
With things how they are at the moment, it's tempting. To do what you can and whatever you can.
[ … He's including himself in this, whether or not it's obvious. For a brief moment, Elysium has to balance Siffrin's weight with one arm to open the library's doors. They both end up a little lopsided as a result, but while he's at it, he shuffles a hand into one of his pockets to procure the same first crane he'd picked up. He'll hold it up to Siffrin, and if they take it, they're back to their regularly scheduled piggybacking. ]
But grief isn't something that's solved overnight. As nice of a surprise it was to find this little guy, it's more transient an emotion. Quicker to fade. The persistent companionship of someone else's, though… Not so much. That's what people will remember at the end of the day.
[ when siffrin can't be siffriend bc they're sickfrin… tmw i had to type this like three times to get the portmanteaus right ]
Siffrin will take the crane, cradling it carefully as they listen. So this? Was for nothing? Is that what he's saying? They stare at the bird, then sling themselves over to put it back into Elysium's pocket. Yeah. Deal with it. Don't drop him. ]
Sometimes people keep them. They remember it as something nice they found, when they were sad. If it made you smile for even a moment, it did its job.
[ It isn't as transient as Elysium makes it out to be. There are always lingering attachments to items, whether it's a gift or found. A cool rock. A brooch. A crane. A coin. ]
... They became a horror project by the end, though.
Mm. It made me smile. [ He admits. ] But now that I know it came from you, I'll think about how you worked tirelessly to try and uplift others and the sentiment that went into it.
[ Thanks for handing it to him personally, Siffrin. He'd give the crane a few comforting pats if he had the ability to, like welcoming it to its new home—but the way his expression softens might very well express that on its own. ]
Run yourself ragged, and people will never come to know you, or where they came from. Wouldn't you want that "sometimes" to be an "all the time"? Or at least, a "most of the time." Not everyone is nosy or aware enough to realise they've been left around for a certain purpose.
[ It's not about being known, he thinks, but camaraderie. ]
Anyway, is a crane less of a crane if that's what it's decided to be and it looks less of one? Reach into my other pocket, [ where the more misshapen crane is, ] put them together, and give them both names for me. I'll be sure to care for them.
[ You're making him sling down again...? Once was hard, Elysium...
Just kidding. Siffrin retrieves the other one, making a face at his own incompetence behind Elysium's head, and straightens bits of it (like preening feathers, careful as can be) and the slips it into the same pocket as the other, considering the words. It's fine, though, if they don't come to know the one who made these things. It's not necessary. No one remembers who made every Change God statue scattered across Vaugarde, but they're still a welcome sight. ]
The stars still have names, even if no one remembers where they came from. Some people see dots. Others know them. It's like that. [ Travelers will travel. Siffrin doesn't need a new home. ] I'm happy with "sometimes".
[ Names, names... ]
... Cedrick, and... Siffrin III. There's a Siffrin II out in the world, so I don't see why it can't continue. That one's a crane, too.
That's another way to see it, sure. What matters is that you're content with your decision. [ … ] I don't think it's bad for things to be transient, for the record. Every sight we see is that, but that's what makes them so special. In times of heavy grief… they're that much easier to overlook.
[ But let's get to the main point here: the names. Siffrin the Third is cute, even if it begs the question of who Siffrin the Second belongs to when mentioned in association with [ REDACTED ].
…
Did they name the crane with… in mind…? No way, right?
He thinks about asking. He concludes: it's one of the things that's better not to know. After eating shit for his words
the less put-together crane shall henceforth be named Cedrick. ]
… Siffrin the Second will have their work cut out for them, hm? [ mumbled. ]
[ The one Siffrin dedicatedly groomed, to make sure that it looked a little better, more suited for the flight it deserves? Yeah, the namesake'll be happy to hear. ]
I have mine cut out for me, too. What sort of legacy can a traveler leave if they're not doing something as grand as saving the world? We barely leave footsteps in the dust.
[ Whatever shall he do for his "children"... Anyway. ]
[ all he'll hear is that it's needy and can't do anything itself, just like elliot the frog… apparently… ]
A part of travelling is being able to help people along the way, isn't it? Touching the lives of those you meet is a legacy in of itself, a little like what you've been doing with these origami creatures. The main difference being that we're not exactly on the go at the moment.
[ So, he'd just thought they could stand to interact with their fellow Outsiders more. Otherwise, their side questing… They gotta do what Himmel the Hero would do… But it isn't the first time Siffrin's spoke of saving the world, and Elysium's expression scrunches in contemplation of it before the conversation is spun in his direction. ]
… For you, my fellow traveller: I'll give you the express privilege of choosing how I answer that. Do you want the long answer, or the short answer? Pick carefully, because I'll expect you to respond in kind.
[ (You're not making a difference in anyone's life, unfreezing Vaugarde aside -- and even that is Mira's quest more than it is yours. If you had, then your family members wouldn't be so eager to split after everything was over.) ]
Your long is longer than my long.
[ Just pointing that out. Short feels like it wouldn't given Siffrin anything, but long feels like it'd be tangential... Hmmm.
Well, they won't be able to get a good read on Elysium anyway, so might as well get as much as they can out of him. ]
Woah, woah, yoooowch—! If I lose any hair, I'm gonna charge you extra for the ride, you hear?
[ some added turbulence to the ride, just because he can. he 'loses balance' when he 'startles' from the gesture, and for a second there, it might actually feel like Elysium's lost his grip.
except he doesn't! he re-establishes his hold in the final seconds. what fun. ]
[ a sigh, long-suffering and dramatic, as something of a mental reset before his expression schools into one that's a little more dull, a little more unreadable. ]
… I haven't been fine with the loss of life, obviously. Nor have I been fine with how they've executed their command hierarchy. And, I'm not as callous to believe that sacrifices are necessary in what we do.
[ There are topics Elysium holds closer to his chest than others, and in a way… the question of "[is] he okay," at least in this context, borders along work. ]
But it doesn't change the fact that morale is low, and our future successes hinge on whether we can pick ourselves up from this catastrophic setback. I wouldn't call myself desensitised, just… someone who does what needs to be done. Or at least, someone who tries to do what needs to be done.
[ For a bit of a change of pace, Elysium's going to take them for a ride through a lesser-travelled route along the skyline. Thanks, Hermes boots, for making it easy to hop onto various ledges and parkour, his feet landing gracefully even with the added weight on top of him and the absence of his arms as a balancing factor. ]
Back where I'm from, tragedies like these aren't unheard of. And back where I'm from, I'm someone who others look up to for leadership. [ how he feels is a little less important. ] If I were to give you the single-word answer, it'd be: yeah. It's more nuanced than that, but at the end of the day——I am.
Edited (how did i miss an entire sentence also i just live in your inbox now i guess) 2024-08-27 05:54 (UTC)
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synflux2024-08-22 04:03 am
c i lied i did promise you sickfrin too
... Well, just being up and about when tensions are palpable isn't good for one's health either. So Siffrin is deciding to do something about one of those things and it isn't concerning himself with his health, because he's feeling fine enough again to leave Crafted origami animals that play hidden around the base to cheer someone up if they happen to find one.
There is a kind of pattern, if Elysium is interested enough to follow, and they become a little more misshapen, a little more sloppy, until Siffrin's at the end of it in the library, resting on the floor against a shelf with half a finished tiger in hand. It won't ever be as bad as the first flash of fever, but someone's definitely been making "using too many Crafts" his new hobby.
He is breathing, at least. Just an impromptu nap. ]
no subject
Elysium is a little busier than usual, what with flitting from friend to friend, acquaintance to acquaintance. As it turns out, exchanging messages really isn't enough; there's a component involved that necessitates seeing them in person to truly ascertain their condition. And, it doesn't have to be much—a quick bite to eat at the cafeteria, or even a greet in the hall. Interactions, however short, have plenty to tell.
Which is to say, Elysium's schedule is all out of sorts trying to adjust, and his feet now take him to places he hasn't cared to go to since his initial assessments of them. The first animal he finds is a crane, thinking someone's dropped it or accidentally left behind. He holds it up to light before pocketing it with a smile. Not out of a desire to keep it, but to find its original owner. With every crease as sharp and defined as they are, it seems too delicately crafted to be thrown away so easily.
Most birds migrate, but they do eventually find their ways home, year after year.
… The second animal he finds, he picks up, too. The next few animals after that… he's starting to think—believe, rather, that it's all incidental and leaves them be. For the nth animal, misshapen to the point of near unrecognisability… he vaguely makes out the same crane from the one in his pocket, the only telling feature being its wings.
He frowns. Unrelated? He has been trying to find Siffrin in particular. Where is he. How can someone from his team be so elusive? Still, he presses forward in the library, and lo and behold: the myth, the legend, Siffrin themselves, the answer to his recent mystery clutched between his hands. He has half a mind to pick them up and carry them back to their room, but with their reflexes engrained as they are—he wonders if that might be… counterproductive.
So he leaves. Comes back. He isn't so sure about this action either, but as delicately as possible… he'll drape a blanket over their shoulders. ]
no subject
... For the time being, anyway. If Elysium leaves again, he has the chance to either check in on Siffrin in the very same spot but confused as to where they'd gotten a blanket or roaming around looking for the owner of said blanket, still wrapped around their shoulders. Staying just nets the first, but both have hints of a feverish flush on the cheeks.
Boy. This really is Siffrin at their most defenseless, currently. ]
no subject
… Medicine is hard to come by, though he does have an untouched flask of water in his bag that he can place right in front of them. If he had to say what the worst part about travelling alone was…
It'd be this. "This" undefined. It isn't hard to imagine that they'd fought many of their days like this alone before they'd been picked up by their party. In the end, Elysium settles about a foot away, drawing one knee to his chest, careful not to disrupt their rest any further.
Perhaps unsurprisingly? He ends up dozing off like this, too. That makes two of them on their feet since returning… ]
no subject
And that includes now, once he stirs for a second time (more naturally, on his body's terms), and takes in his surroundings. A blanket that wasn't here before, unobtrusively draped over their shoulders. A flask sat in front of them -- full, from a gently shake as they lift it, and... water, probably, and then confirmed with a deep sip. Elysium not too far away, dozing just the same.
Siffrin watches him, both enjoying the quiet and studying his condition, before making to stand and gently draping the blanket over him in return before sitting again to gently unfold what they'd started, smoothing out the edges and creases methodically. No sense in throwing out perfectly good paper. It can be reused.
But they are very much going to keep an eye flicking up to watch the other. His fellow traveler, who he'd agree with that "this" was one of the worse things about traveling alone. ]
no subject
He keeps like this for minutes longer, and as he listens to the gentle crumple of paper… he finally allows himself a faint smile, keeping his eyes closed. ]
… Really? You need it more than I do.
[ There's no real admonition in the words, just a soft chuckle, muted by the grogginess of sleep. ]
But how are you feeling? Well enough to walk?
no subject
I got this far, didn't I?
[ Of course he's well enough to walk.
This is a choice. Sitting here, with Elysium. ]
... The library is a good spot to craft. Not many people come up here, and... there's plenty of places to put them.
no subject
[ He pries his eyes open, if only to narrow them dangerously as he smiles. What an answer. Not. Nevertheless, he isn't about to let himself get distracted from the main point. ]
Alright. Let me rephrase. [ ahem. ] If you aren't willing to walk right now, I don't mind lifting you and carrying you away instead.
no subject
Well, technically you do -- in the haze of a far worse fever, secure in the arms of someone you knew would catch you wherever you might fall from. But you aren't eager to be that helpless again, so--)
Siffrin makes a soured face, frowning, before turning his head away. Quiet. Contemplative. Give them a moment. ]
... Only if it's piggyback.
[ That's acceptable. Begrudging, but acceptable. They finish the rabbit, lopsided as it is with the creases from before, and set it on a low shelf.
Ah, right. Didn't mutter the usual. That's why it looks like that. Forcing the paper to fold when it hadn't wanted to. ]
no subject
The flask——he'll sweep that up, too. ]
Aw. Don't wanna experience what it's like to be a sack of potatoes? Boo.
[ Good-natured, except not really. His eyes flick from the rabbit back to Siffrin, expression unreadable. There's a tense moment where it might be uncertain whether Elysium has something to say, but it disperses as quickly as it occurs within a blink. Next thing, his back is toward Siffrin, knees bent. ]
Hop on, then!
[ travellers with many guises, aren't they? from bird to cat to rabbit. what's next? ]
no subject
... Already have. Fine without a repeat.
[ Thank You!
There's more Siffrin would like to ask, but they'll let Elysium lead the conversation as he'd like for now. There's plenty to learn about his condition that way. ]
no subject
That's what happens when you weigh less than one.
[ An amused sound that's almost a snort but not quite. Hands positioned under their thighs just before their knees, the way he accommodates Siffrin's weight on his back is familiar, an action that borders on nostalgic considering how many months it's been since his arrival. ]
… You don't need me to scold you, right? You've been caught red-handed.
no subject
There's a gentle nod against Elysium as Siffrin eases more into relaxing, slowly, bit by bit. It wasn't a real chiding... but that's because he knows he pushed himself too far, and that was accepted. ]
I thought I'd be fine, since I rested... I guess I'm still a little sensitive to Crafting.
no subject
With things how they are at the moment, it's tempting. To do what you can and whatever you can.
[ … He's including himself in this, whether or not it's obvious. For a brief moment, Elysium has to balance Siffrin's weight with one arm to open the library's doors. They both end up a little lopsided as a result, but while he's at it, he shuffles a hand into one of his pockets to procure the same first crane he'd picked up. He'll hold it up to Siffrin, and if they take it, they're back to their regularly scheduled piggybacking. ]
But grief isn't something that's solved overnight. As nice of a surprise it was to find this little guy, it's more transient an emotion. Quicker to fade. The persistent companionship of someone else's, though… Not so much. That's what people will remember at the end of the day.
[ when siffrin can't be siffriend bc they're sickfrin… tmw i had to type this like three times to get the portmanteaus right ]
no subject
Siffrin will take the crane, cradling it carefully as they listen. So this? Was for nothing? Is that what he's saying? They stare at the bird, then sling themselves over to put it back into Elysium's pocket. Yeah. Deal with it. Don't drop him. ]
Sometimes people keep them. They remember it as something nice they found, when they were sad. If it made you smile for even a moment, it did its job.
[ It isn't as transient as Elysium makes it out to be. There are always lingering attachments to items, whether it's a gift or found. A cool rock. A brooch. A crane. A coin. ]
... They became a horror project by the end, though.
no subject
Mm. It made me smile. [ He admits. ] But now that I know it came from you, I'll think about how you worked tirelessly to try and uplift others and the sentiment that went into it.
[ Thanks for handing it to him personally, Siffrin. He'd give the crane a few comforting pats if he had the ability to, like welcoming it to its new home—but the way his expression softens might very well express that on its own. ]
Run yourself ragged, and people will never come to know you, or where they came from. Wouldn't you want that "sometimes" to be an "all the time"? Or at least, a "most of the time." Not everyone is nosy or aware enough to realise they've been left around for a certain purpose.
[ It's not about being known, he thinks, but camaraderie. ]
Anyway, is a crane less of a crane if that's what it's decided to be and it looks less of one? Reach into my other pocket, [ where the more misshapen crane is, ] put them together, and give them both names for me. I'll be sure to care for them.
no subject
Just kidding. Siffrin retrieves the other one, making a face at his own incompetence behind Elysium's head, and straightens bits of it (like preening feathers, careful as can be) and the slips it into the same pocket as the other, considering the words. It's fine, though, if they don't come to know the one who made these things. It's not necessary. No one remembers who made every Change God statue scattered across Vaugarde, but they're still a welcome sight. ]
The stars still have names, even if no one remembers where they came from. Some people see dots. Others know them. It's like that. [ Travelers will travel. Siffrin doesn't need a new home. ] I'm happy with "sometimes".
[ Names, names... ]
... Cedrick, and... Siffrin III. There's a Siffrin II out in the world, so I don't see why it can't continue. That one's a crane, too.
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[ But let's get to the main point here: the names. Siffrin the Third is cute, even if it begs the question of who Siffrin the Second belongs to when mentioned in association with [ REDACTED ].
…
Did they name the crane with… in mind…? No way, right?
He thinks about asking. He concludes: it's one of the things that's better not to know. After eating shit for his words
the less put-together crane shall henceforth be named Cedrick. ]
… Siffrin the Second will have their work cut out for them, hm? [ mumbled. ]
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I have mine cut out for me, too. What sort of legacy can a traveler leave if they're not doing something as grand as saving the world? We barely leave footsteps in the dust.
[ Whatever shall he do for his "children"... Anyway. ]
... Are you okay?
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A part of travelling is being able to help people along the way, isn't it? Touching the lives of those you meet is a legacy in of itself, a little like what you've been doing with these origami creatures. The main difference being that we're not exactly on the go at the moment.
[ So, he'd just thought they could stand to interact with their fellow Outsiders more. Otherwise, their side questing… They gotta do what Himmel the Hero would do… But it isn't the first time Siffrin's spoke of saving the world, and Elysium's expression scrunches in contemplation of it before the conversation is spun in his direction. ]
… For you, my fellow traveller: I'll give you the express privilege of choosing how I answer that. Do you want the long answer, or the short answer? Pick carefully, because I'll expect you to respond in kind.
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Your long is longer than my long.
[ Just pointing that out. Short feels like it wouldn't given Siffrin anything, but long feels like it'd be tangential... Hmmm.
Well, they won't be able to get a good read on Elysium anyway, so might as well get as much as they can out of him. ]
... Long.
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[ and for closing this loophole for him!! ]
You'll have to match my long, then. [ ^_^ ] Whaddya say?
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Answer.
1/3 i am SORRY
[ some added turbulence to the ride, just because he can. he 'loses balance' when he 'startles' from the gesture, and for a second there, it might actually feel like Elysium's lost his grip.
except he doesn't! he re-establishes his hold in the final seconds. what fun. ]
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… I haven't been fine with the loss of life, obviously. Nor have I been fine with how they've executed their command hierarchy. And, I'm not as callous to believe that sacrifices are necessary in what we do.
[ There are topics Elysium holds closer to his chest than others, and in a way… the question of "[is] he okay," at least in this context, borders along work. ]
But it doesn't change the fact that morale is low, and our future successes hinge on whether we can pick ourselves up from this catastrophic setback. I wouldn't call myself desensitised, just… someone who does what needs to be done. Or at least, someone who tries to do what needs to be done.
[ For a bit of a change of pace, Elysium's going to take them for a ride through a lesser-travelled route along the skyline. Thanks, Hermes boots, for making it easy to hop onto various ledges and parkour, his feet landing gracefully even with the added weight on top of him and the absence of his arms as a balancing factor. ]
Back where I'm from, tragedies like these aren't unheard of. And back where I'm from, I'm someone who others look up to for leadership. [ how he feels is a little less important. ] If I were to give you the single-word answer, it'd be: yeah. It's more nuanced than that, but at the end of the day——I am.
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