[well, the most obvious place to go is-- back to her room, in the spring dorm. she sits on the edge of the bed, tugging him after her; she probably held his hand the whole way, actually.]
There- might have been something else I didn't explain to you.
[Here they are, farther than ever from the train station. His confusion is the only thing that keeps him from reacting to the handhold. He would've liked to have departed by now, but . . .
Led by Lucretia, he sits beside her with his gaze on her face and blinks.]
[listen, he's not getting out of here that easily, they need to talk.]
I'm-- well, you already know that by some estimations, I'm much older than I look, but-- the opposite is true, too.
[her age might as well have just been the question mark and nothing else.]
...the first time I tried to retrieve a relic besides my own was a failure. The place where it was kept-- it's the one that Taichi, Malik, Rita, and Manwol were forced to visit. It demanded sacrifices of everyone who tried to progress through it, and... while I was there, I lost twenty years of my life trying to accomplish my goal.
[He remembers—her apology when they returned from their field trip and the words they uttered struck a familiar chord in her. He just didn't know the memory attached to this, and now he does.]
Then . . . this is your real appearance.
[The lines in her face weren't fake. If she continues to age, they'll return. But her face as she is now—this is how she's meant to look. This is how young she's meant to be.]
It's- how I would look if that had never happened, yes. That was several years ago, I'd aged a bit even since it happened, so this isn't... I'm still a little different from the last time I saw myself this young.
[it's just regaining what was lost, rather than truly going back in time-- she'd lost it all at once, never experienced those twenty years, so this ultimately only changes her age.]
Ichiro knew about it, and I suppose he knew I wouldn't have done this for myself.
[For a time, he merely deluded himself into thinking that it would be possible. If he'd given into that delusion, he would've created more consequences with his subsequent actions.]
Don't worry about it. It's nothing I can't handle. I'm just looking for someone.
As much as he'd like to pass on, reality is neither that easy nor simple. He'll probably end up living as he has done for the last six hundred years. Hundreds upon hundreds of days later, he'll be teasing everyone's descendants then, just like he has been now—and the world will hopefully have become a safer place.
But what of the days in-between? A thoughtful pause later, Sieghart cranes his neck toward Lucretia.]
If everything goes well, I'll have more time on my hands than I'll know what to do with.
[she considers quietly, for a few moments. she'd already more or less decided this, but still thinks about it one more time before she says anything.
lucretia knows what she wants, here. knows she's going to remain busy, that if all goes well she'll have more time than she expected, too. and the time it's taken here to get to where she is has been-- it's been lonely. even though her family should be reunited again, staying together isn't a guarantee either, what they think of her isn't one. but for the time they've had, sieghart is someone here who's made her feel less alone.]
[So much of what lies ahead is uncertain. One never knows what one will find at the end of the road. That's the beauty of life. Even for someone like him, who's traversed far too many roads together and alone, this holds true.
He can't say that he saw this particular road ending this way. Even so, his smile widens.
Are the people of this era just that kind? Or is it he who's changed for this to happen in such rapid succession? First Elesis, and now . . . ]
You just got back twenty years. You've got plenty to spare now, don't you? Then I should keep you company when it gets too quiet.
[she smiles, at that, reaching over to take his hand again.]
Well, I don't know how quiet it's going to get. I think my world will be all right, but-- it's still under attack, and we're going to have a lot of work to do to make sure everything gets rebuilt. I might have to ask you to help with that, or... I might need you to get me to take a little bit of a break when it's needed.
[His hand gives an almost imperceptible twitch at the contact. This is fine. This is just a part of the path on which they stand. It does nothing to hinder his response.]
It's no good to work all the time. You'll knock yourself out, and then what will happen? You're the director.
But you can always count on me for a fight. After all, I'm the legendary genius gladiator of Kanavan!
I've managed this long, you know, and I'm going to have a little more energy to work with now.
[she Will work and you can't stop her.
after his answers, though-- that smile's not going anywhere. she's a little more relaxed, a little happier in a way she hasn't let herself be in a while. what she's going back to is going to be difficult, but right now, she can have this.]
Think a legendary genius gladiator like yourself could handle some more repair work, too?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
endgame time
There- might have been something else I didn't explain to you.
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Led by Lucretia, he sits beside her with his gaze on her face and blinks.]
What's that?
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I'm-- well, you already know that by some estimations, I'm much older than I look, but-- the opposite is true, too.
[her age might as well have just been the question mark and nothing else.]
...the first time I tried to retrieve a relic besides my own was a failure. The place where it was kept-- it's the one that Taichi, Malik, Rita, and Manwol were forced to visit. It demanded sacrifices of everyone who tried to progress through it, and... while I was there, I lost twenty years of my life trying to accomplish my goal.
no subject
Then . . . this is your real appearance.
[The lines in her face weren't fake. If she continues to age, they'll return. But her face as she is now—this is how she's meant to look. This is how young she's meant to be.]
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[it's just regaining what was lost, rather than truly going back in time-- she'd lost it all at once, never experienced those twenty years, so this ultimately only changes her age.]
Ichiro knew about it, and I suppose he knew I wouldn't have done this for myself.
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[Of course it was Ichiro. Sieghart thinks this fondly.]
He pestered me the other day. He cares about you.
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[she's been doing her best, with him. he needed it.]
About several of you here.
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[That, despite all the hardship, she found people to care about and people who care about her.]
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And what about you, Sieghart?
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[His gaze drifts to a nondescript spot on the floor.]
I just wanted everyone to be able to leave this place.
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[a slight pause, before:]
If there's anything you can't accomplish with your wish alone, Sieghart, then I hope you know I would help you.
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[For a time, he merely deluded himself into thinking that it would be possible. If he'd given into that delusion, he would've created more consequences with his subsequent actions.]
Don't worry about it. It's nothing I can't handle. I'm just looking for someone.
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If you're going to have time for it, in the future, then-- I'd like to see you again.
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As much as he'd like to pass on, reality is neither that easy nor simple. He'll probably end up living as he has done for the last six hundred years. Hundreds upon hundreds of days later, he'll be teasing everyone's descendants then, just like he has been now—and the world will hopefully have become a safer place.
But what of the days in-between? A thoughtful pause later, Sieghart cranes his neck toward Lucretia.]
If everything goes well, I'll have more time on my hands than I'll know what to do with.
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lucretia knows what she wants, here. knows she's going to remain busy, that if all goes well she'll have more time than she expected, too. and the time it's taken here to get to where she is has been-- it's been lonely. even though her family should be reunited again, staying together isn't a guarantee either, what they think of her isn't one. but for the time they've had, sieghart is someone here who's made her feel less alone.]
If that's the case--
Spend some of that time with me, Sieghart.
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He can't say that he saw this particular road ending this way. Even so, his smile widens.
Are the people of this era just that kind? Or is it he who's changed for this to happen in such rapid succession? First Elesis, and now . . . ]
You just got back twenty years. You've got plenty to spare now, don't you? Then I should keep you company when it gets too quiet.
no subject
Well, I don't know how quiet it's going to get. I think my world will be all right, but-- it's still under attack, and we're going to have a lot of work to do to make sure everything gets rebuilt. I might have to ask you to help with that, or... I might need you to get me to take a little bit of a break when it's needed.
no subject
It's no good to work all the time. You'll knock yourself out, and then what will happen? You're the director.
But you can always count on me for a fight. After all, I'm the legendary genius gladiator of Kanavan!
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[she Will work and you can't stop her.
after his answers, though-- that smile's not going anywhere. she's a little more relaxed, a little happier in a way she hasn't let herself be in a while. what she's going back to is going to be difficult, but right now, she can have this.]
Think a legendary genius gladiator like yourself could handle some more repair work, too?
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Ugh . . . what kind of repair work?
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[it brings the mood down, somewhat, but it's just the reality of the situation. the hunger was already attacking.]
Reconstruction is going to be something we'll need help with.
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I suppose I could lend a hand if there's a need to hunt for materials . . .
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[but-- well.]
Your company's still more valuable than your capability, though, I hope you know.
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