WHO: Dante and others WHAT: Catch-all for May (and maybe June too why not) WHERE: Many Places WHEN: May! WARNINGS: Warnings will be in subject lines as needed
[It's a nice day. The rain's decided to take some mercy on Neo Tokyo and the sky is as blue as can be. It's not too warm out, and if the sun ever does get to be too hot there's a refreshing spring breeze ready to come in and cool things down again.
...
So why does this all feel so... off?]
Sure are a lot of flowers around. Guess all this rain was pretty helpful getting them to bloom, huh?
[No. They're going to have a good time. They've been looking forward to this. This is the exact sort of situation Don Quixote told them to try and smile more for, right?]
[Of course they are looking forward to this. He wanted to do this, see flowers with Dante. Yes, they are Guide and Manager. Their relationship is made for professional pleasantries, nothing more, but...]
[They're here. Even so, there's a shadow overcasting him, even if the sky is as blue as he can be. His face betrays nothing - but there's a tension in him, like someone winding a band around a finger to tighten it further.]
....Yes. [He says, finally.] They're beautiful, are they not? Do you like them?
[That makes him turn away for a moment, pensive. The last time he went out and saw flowers. He shared a drink with a smiling face. She had clasped his face with her warm hands. Asked him how old he was. She looked younger, she was much older, and in the end, it...]
[Hadn't worked out. And she was gone.]
...Yes. I did it before with someone. [A beat.] They're not here, though. Not anymore.
[That's why. It hadn't had anything to do with the sight itself, he'd just... gone with someone else. Someone who's gone now. Malkuth, maybe? They know they shouldn't wonder, but she'd said something about the two of them being together, and...
No. No more of that. This is supposed to be a nice day out. Another chance to spend time with Vergilius. To enjoy what few happy moments there are. He'd agreed to come. He wouldn't have agreed to come if he didn't want to, would he?]
W-Well, we don't have to do this specifically if you don't want. There's plenty of other things to do here. Like, um...
[Like what? What other things are they going to pick that remind him of someone he's lost?]
Oh! If you're hungry, we can stop by somewhere to eat. I'll pay this time. It's not like I'm using the money on anything else, so it's no trouble.
He says it as if he means it. And while Vergilius can be cagey with details, he's never lied to them, so... Even if they're still unsure, they'll follow his lead.]
All right. Guess I did miss quite a bit, coming in so close to winter.
Maybe I should have tried the ice skating rink while it was up.
Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I've been trying to make use of the skills I learned back home here where I can. And I feel like I've picked up a few things while I've been here, too. More in terms of logistics than what I usually end up doing, but...
[They wave a hand.]
Nevermind. I'm agreeing with you in the end. I've been trying to, uh, try. It'd be a waste not to.
Piano seemed like a good place to start. It was either that or something with strings, but I figured it was better to stick to the basics.
[Plus, the only string instruments they know are the violin and guitar. It's hard to imagine themselves with the latter, and the former doesn't exactly bring up the best memories.]
[They only got to do something with her once, but that sounds about right. They're pretty sure they wouldn't have gone out to try fishing on their own.]
It's definitely harder than people make it sound.
[Including certain people in front of them now....... Sigh.....]
Probably. I didn't get much time to know her, but she did seem pretty... eager.
[It's a little hard for them to divorce the person they spoke to with the one from the recordings in their PDA, even if Malkuth herself seemed to see that version of herself as a different "life."]
You've got a point, though. ...Maybe work can be a hobby too if you squint?
[Surprise is writ plain across their features as they blink back at him.
For some ridiculous reason they'd thought it would be harder for him to tell what's on their mind with their ticking muffled and minute and hour hands disguised. Now they have to wonder: are they even easier to read with the cloak up or has Vergilius been able to read minds this whole time?
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With Verg -- During the Disappearances
...
So why does this all feel so... off?]
Sure are a lot of flowers around. Guess all this rain was pretty helpful getting them to bloom, huh?
[No. They're going to have a good time. They've been looking forward to this. This is the exact sort of situation Don Quixote told them to try and smile more for, right?]
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[They're here. Even so, there's a shadow overcasting him, even if the sky is as blue as he can be. His face betrays nothing - but there's a tension in him, like someone winding a band around a finger to tighten it further.]
....Yes. [He says, finally.] They're beautiful, are they not? Do you like them?
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I do. It's not often I get to see so many like this--real ones, I mean.
[Not something created as a reflection of someone's E.G.O. or as a result of an Abnormality.]
I think the last time was... Wuthering Heights?
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[...Ah. Yes. The mention of Wuthering Heights. He glances back at them.]
I assume they had color.
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Violet. I've seen the color plenty of times, but somehow, seeing it out in those half-colorless fields, it seemed brighter than I'd ever seen it.
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[A color to leave a bad taste in his mouth.]
I don't know. It's a tragic color, I think. One would prefer something brighter.
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[Ah, but in that memory... Right.]
O-Oh, but other, brighter colors are nice too. Some of these are tulips, right? I don't think I've seen any in this color before.
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[Their rough Sinner, named after something so delicate and sweet.]
[He is grateful for the turn in the conversation, glancing at the flowers in question.]
I think they are. I've seen one with stripes before, actually...
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[Horizontal, vertical, tiger, their every attempt at superimposing stripes onto the tulips in front of them just ends up looking strange.]
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[He makes a gesture, as if using his fingers to messily paint strokes in the air.]
Not uniform. But beautiful neverthless.
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I'll have to keep an eye out. Especially since it sounds like they left an impression.
Are they a favorite of yours?
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[as. blunt as that]
But flowers are flowers. They make someone happy.
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Yeah.
[Ereshkigal, the goddess that disappeared recently... She had a flower shop, didn't she?
...They shouldn't be thinking about work right now.]
You said this kind of thing left an impression on you before? Flower viewing, right?
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[That makes him turn away for a moment, pensive. The last time he went out and saw flowers. He shared a drink with a smiling face. She had clasped his face with her warm hands. Asked him how old he was. She looked younger, she was much older, and in the end, it...]
[Hadn't worked out. And she was gone.]
...Yes. I did it before with someone. [A beat.] They're not here, though. Not anymore.
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[That's why. It hadn't had anything to do with the sight itself, he'd just... gone with someone else. Someone who's gone now. Malkuth, maybe? They know they shouldn't wonder, but she'd said something about the two of them being together, and...
No. No more of that. This is supposed to be a nice day out. Another chance to spend time with Vergilius. To enjoy what few happy moments there are. He'd agreed to come. He wouldn't have agreed to come if he didn't want to, would he?]
W-Well, we don't have to do this specifically if you don't want. There's plenty of other things to do here. Like, um...
[Like what? What other things are they going to pick that remind him of someone he's lost?]
Oh! If you're hungry, we can stop by somewhere to eat. I'll pay this time. It's not like I'm using the money on anything else, so it's no trouble.
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[Another firm word, delivered as his red eyes glance back towards Dante. Even as his words feel unwavering, he says them softly.]
[He doesn't want Dante to feel bad over something not even related to them.]
I wanted you to see this, too. Because you missed it.
[Because they deserved it.]
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He says it as if he means it. And while Vergilius can be cagey with details, he's never lied to them, so... Even if they're still unsure, they'll follow his lead.]
All right. Guess I did miss quite a bit, coming in so close to winter.
Maybe I should have tried the ice skating rink while it was up.
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[There is no one to manage.]
Might as well...try.
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[They wave a hand.]
Nevermind. I'm agreeing with you in the end. I've been trying to, uh, try. It'd be a waste not to.
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[He remembers them staying up late at night, poring over notes. The way he had to drag them away. Nothing seems to change.]
What I'm saying surprises even me, but live a little.
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[He's... got a point.]
Um, well... Ishmael and I were talking about trying to learn an instrument awhile back.
[Something the two of them had never gotten around to before she left.]
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[Huh.]
Which one?
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[Plus, the only string instruments they know are the violin and guitar. It's hard to imagine themselves with the latter, and the former doesn't exactly bring up the best memories.]
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[Piano....]
[He remembers a dark-masked man, standing in the corner. The sound of a piano ringing out...]
Mm. Actually. Piano is hard. Don't go for that one.
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[Does Vergilius play? It's hard to imagine.]
Well, uh. I'm kinda at a loss, then. Not like I can pick up a flute or horn or anything like that.
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Xylophone.
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Only if you pick up the triangle.
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Ting ting ting.
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Just out of curiosity... Do you play anything?
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[what are Hobbies]
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[what are Hobbies indeed]
And have you found anything that doesn't relate to your job as a Fixer while you've been here?
[are you really going to assign them Hobbyquest 2025 alone?]
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[boring.....he's boring................................]
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It's definitely harder than people make it sound.
[Including certain people in front of them now....... Sigh.....]
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...Though Malkuth would probably have me hanged for that notion.
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[It's a little hard for them to divorce the person they spoke to with the one from the recordings in their PDA, even if Malkuth herself seemed to see that version of herself as a different "life."]
You've got a point, though. ...Maybe work can be a hobby too if you squint?
[That reasoning sounds flimsy even to them.]
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[Bright like sunshine. His Miss Duck.]
[He makes a face at Dante's follow-up, though.]
Even I'm not so much a workaholic to believe in such delusional statements, Dante. Neither should you.
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[The phrase "If you do what you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life" had to come from somewhere, didn't it?
Not that they ever really understood that phrase. They don't mind their job that much, but boy do they have to work for it.]
I'll just... keep looking out for something.
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[...]
[Distractions. He needs distractions. Vergilius stares off - now he's remembering again. The lost, the ones they can't find.]
I would join you.
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There's no getting around this is there?]
Something's really getting to you today, huh?
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[A look back at them, before heaving a sigh.]
It's nothing. These days are dragging on, is all.
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They can't help but think back to the warmth in his expression under that tent the day Don Quixote challenged that Fixer.]
...We're gonna find them, you know.
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[He really can't reveal more than he should. Their relationship is professional. Don't make friends with this okd guide.]
...I guess we'll see.
[The most he can say. Or allow himself to.]
Sooner hopefully. Rather than later.
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["Believe in me."
"Trust me."
It's what they want to say, but even they know the situation is more complicated than what the assurances they've already given.]
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...I'll believe in you. Dante.
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For some ridiculous reason they'd thought it would be harder for him to tell what's on their mind with their ticking muffled and minute and hour hands disguised. Now they have to wonder: are they even easier to read with the cloak up or has Vergilius been able to read minds this whole time?
It's nice to hear, though.]
R-Right. Thanks. I'll be doing my best.
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...I did say you were the best person to converse with on that bus. I don't find you hard to understand, even now.
[Heh.]
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[Tells that they still have yet to identify. Maybe they carry over when they look like this? Everything from the neck down is still the same.]
...I'm thinking too hard about this.