Day 138 ;; Open

[forhyrule]

Who: Princess Mopesalot Zelda and OPEN
Open: Open
When: Day 138
Where: the Memorial
What: Zelda is paying her respects and being lost in thought again
Format: Action
Warnings: Zilch

--

[ Zelda had finally left the hospital a couple days ago and taken her scant belongings to one of the empty apartment rooms instead. Rather than lay abed for the entire day, Zelda was forcing herself to develop some sort of daily routine. It began when the cloudiness of "nighttime" subsided, at which time Zelda went to the memorial to pray. ]

[ There were no relics related to Hyrulean religion for Zelda to pray to, but she prayed anyway, kneeling solemnly. After her prayers, she sat on a wooden bench and began to write in a blank diary she had picked up at the Lost and Found. Anyone who sees her writing will be unable to read such a strange language. ]

[ Please interrupt her, whether during prayer or while she writes. ]

Comments

[ourlegends]

[ Hilda found herself wandering to the memorial fairly often when she didn't know what else to do with herself. She had dealt with the same problem back in Vatheon, and had found oftentimes that wandering around the city had helped a little bit ... and this time, as usual, it seemed to be helping to ease her wanderlust a little.

Usually when she came here, she didn't see anyone. Today, though, there was a woman on a bench. Given the nature of this place, meeting the new people that arrived here generally seemed to be a good idea. With this in mind, she approached the new woman, stopping a bit short of her with a smile.

Introducing herself was always awkward, no matter how many times she had done it ... ]

Uh ... hi.

[ That was lame. So lame. So very lame. God Hilda, be more socially awkward. ]

[forhyrule]

[ Zelda looked up from her diary, surprised by another person's voice; when had she become so accustomed to solitude that a simple greeting made her jump? ]

Good day. [ She inclined her head politely in greeting. Silence fell briefly as Zelda wondered what to say. Amazing how one's skills of conversation fade so quickly with disuse. ]

If you wish to pray privately, I will take my leave. [ She offered politely. ]

[ourlegends]

Ah, no, that's not it at all! I don't really know what I would pray to, to be honest ...

[ Hilda wanted to slap herself. That sounded kind of ... how to say it? Disrespectful? Ignorant? Wrong. Something like that.

She facepalmed at herself instead. ]

I just ... I wanted to say hello. We're all in this situation together, right? I thought it might help to get to know the people I'm here with.

[forhyrule]

[ The girl seemed distressed, Zelda noticed. The princess made an effort to soften her expression. ]

[ She found that she didn't have to try very hard. For how nervous the girl seemed, her words were wise. ] I suppose we are. [ Zelda admitted gently. ]

[ It was not something she had thought much about in the week she had been here. So lost within her own grief, Zelda had given little attention to anyone else. ] I .. did not realize.

[ourlegends]

[ Hilda shifts a little where she stands. She is incredibly awkward. Awwwwwkward Tirtouga. ]

... May I sit down next to you?

[hellpyre]

[Rin was also out of the hospital, though thanks to Tris' help she had been for a few days already. It felt good to not be cooped up in bed feeling utterly awful and unable to get warm unless it was under about three pounds of covers. She could never, ever get sick again and her life would be just fine for it.

She was taking a break from kitchen work when she spotted Zelda from behind, the familiar movement of a hand scribbling across paper catching her attention. She'd sat in enough classrooms and stared at enough students from behind to recognize it easily.

Curious, she shifted closer quietly, trying to get a peek over without causing an actual interruption. As to be expected, though, what little bit of the writing she could see wasn't translated at all and just appeared as unknown markings to the girl.

Her tail swayed a little, and a soft 'hm' escaped her without the chance to stop it, probably easily heard given how close she was standing.]

[forhyrule]

[ Zelda hadn't felt any better since leaving the hospital. The tangle of guilt, anger, and sadness knotted up in her stomach refused to leave, it's unpleasantness resurfacing every time Zelda caught a glimpse of her reflection. This was her penance, Zelda knew, for surviving the destruction of her homeland. The Goddesses were punishing her selfishness, as though Zelda had sacrificed everyone just to save herself. True or not, it changed nothing. She was here, marked as a monster. ]

[ So absorbed in her thoughts, Zelda didn't hear Rin approach behind her. She did, however, smell the kitchen scents that clung to the half demon girl. She turned to look over her shoulder. ]

[ Ah, the young woman who helped with cooking. Zelda had glimpsed her once or twice; the ears and tail stuck out in Zelda's memory. ]

Good day. [ She greeted. ]

[hellpyre]

[Rin wasn't expecting to be spotted. The kitchen scent that lingered around her more than it did back home wasn't really noticeable to her since she spent almost every day there now, and to her credit she had been pretty damn quiet upon approach.

The woman speaking made her jump, tail poofing out a little in surprise.]

S-sorry! I uhm... I didn't want to interrupt you or anythin'...

[forhyrule]

[ You sneak up on Zelda and you're the one who jumps? Silly thing. ]

No trouble. [ She assures Rin, closing her diary with the pencil inside to mark her place. ] The memorial is open to all, or so I presume.

[hellpyre]

[She wasn't expecting to be caught. A ninja, she is not.]

Oh... uhm. I don't really got any reason to go there...

[She fidgets a little, pulling her tail around to smooth the fur back down in to something... still messy but much less bottle brush-esque.]

I was just uhm... ... bein' nosy for no reason. Sorry.

[lamentingly]

[ Despite himself, Gohan had developed a daily routine to keep his mind off of things. It involved heading out to the Skyway, and keeping his skills sharp by fighting whatever monsters he happened across. He also tried to keep an eye out for the monsters that were a bit more edible for consumption. As such, whenever he came back from his trips to the Skyway, he always returned with a number of dead monsters to cook over his campfire.

He still didn't really communicate with that many people, and a part of it was that he didn't want to make connections that he would end up inevitably losing. It was a terrible way to think, but after coping with the idea of everyone he loved and cared about being gone for good... well, one didn't get over that in one night.

Once he set the bodies down on his campsite, Gohan didn't waste any time propping them up on sticks. He let the bodies cook over the fire, with a few smaller monster chunks propped up on smaller sticks so they would cook faster. However, with his campsite being on the east side of the Bastion, he couldn't help but notice the person entering the memorial. And although he was content to simply let them be, figuring they must've been busy... curiosity eventually won out, and he couldn't help but enter the memorial.

He wasn't really sure why he'd let the curiosity get to him. Maybe he was starting to get lonely, and could've used the company. Nonetheless, he offering her a small monster shish-kebab as he approached her, as well as a sheepish smile. ]

... Hungry?

[forhyrule]

[ She had just finished her prayer and settled on a bench to write when a skewered monster on a stick thrust itself into her field of view. She looked up in surprise to find a man standing over her. ]

I... [ At first she had no idea how to react to the offer of food. It smelled... a little less than delectable to Zelda's palate. True, much of the food shared here at the Bastion was quite unlike what she was accustomed to in Hyrule, but this was even more base in its preparation. ]

[ Still, she was not so rude as to refuse an obvious show of kindness. ] ... Thank you. [ She removed her gloves and gingerly accepted the stick. ]

[lamentingly]

[ Unfortunately, Gohan was used to having to scavenge for food when he was by himself. The only time he ever really enjoyed a genuine meal was when Bulma cooked for him. Otherwise, it was always fruits, berries, and things cooked over a campfire. ]

Don't mention it, I figured maybe you were hungry. [ It wasn't a lie, really. While curiosity had been the main reason he came to the memorial, he also figured that with the amount of monsters he caught, he could afford to offer others some food. ] It's not much, but it is cooked.

[forhyrule]

[ They come from two very different worlds. Before arriving here, Zelda had never even considered that she might need to cook for herself one day. She wasn't self centered in her certainty that there would always be someone to cook for her in Hyrule Castle; it was simply a fact of life for the princess. ]

[ Yes, this definitely smells... cooked. Zelda cast a look around at the memorial. ] Perhaps this not the best place for a meal. [ But she didn't return the stick to him. She rose instead, carrying her book and gloves in the other hand. ] Outside, perhaps.

[lamentingly]

Huh? [ Gohan hadn't really considered that this may not have been an appropriate place to eat. Then again, this was the first time Gohan had actually set foot inside the memorial. As such, he couldn't help but blush a bit at the comment, stepping back if only to give her room to walk ahead of him. ]

O-Oh, yeah. Sorry, I didn't really think about that...

[bastionpc]

[Serena is respectful enough to wait until Zelda is writing to interrupt her. She would not dare interrupt a prayer.]

Is there anything I can assist you with?

[forhyrule]

[ Zelda hadn't realized anyone else was in the memorial until Serena spoke. She had seen Serena once or twice before, but never spoken to her. Rarely did the princess speak to anyone these days. ]

Thank you, but I do not believe so. [ She admitted politely. ] The assistance I desire is... beyond what this place can offer.

[wayofvoice]

[Paarthurnax can't exactly fit into the Memorial for... obvious reasons, but he still peers in now and then simply out of curiosity. He recalls seeing this newcomer some time ago, but they've never spoken.]

Drem yol lok. I hope I do not disturb you.

[forhyrule]

[ It was the unexpectedness of Paarthurnax's greeting more so than his appearance that startled Zelda; she had seen him flying around from her window at the hospital and inquired about him to the woman who cared for her. She stood and turned to the door when she heard his voice. ]

No, I have finished. [ She laid a hand over her chest and bowed to him in greeting. Dragons hadn't been seen in Hyrule for longer than anyone could recall, and all Zelda had ever read about them had been in ancient texts. He seemed rather like the ancient Light Spirits that protected Hyrule, with Lanayru's reptilian features and Eldin's sweeping wings. She felt somehow that he deserved her respect. ] If you wish to observe the memorial in private, I will take my leave.

[wayofvoice]

Take no trouble simply for my account. I simply give the Gods my regards. Perhaps they may find my own Father as I cannot- there is no symbol for him on this shrine.

[He means quite a literal father, as well, but that's a strange conversation for a different time.]

I am Paarthurnax. Have you been settling well?

[forhyrule]

[ She assumes he means a religious father, which she regards with an understanding nod. She hasn't found any indications of her own gods either, nor her deceased countrymen among the memorial's walls. ]

I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. [ It is a practiced introduction, a habit she may need to break now that she is no longer a sovereign. ] I fare... well enough. [ From her tone of voice, 'well' is definitely not very close to 'good.' ]

Forever late, to give them a little bit of reason to talk at the festival-

[notduchess]

[ Okay, so Duke usually doesn't wander through here very often, but a new face got a moment of curiosity, and the knight had to look about the place as well.

... That is a lot of names (Duke assumed they were names, they went in pairs with a small space, but it wasn't a language the knight could read). Well, curiosity dampened, the knight turns to look at the one who had sparked curiosity in the first place. Such plain colored hair on a Krityan was the clearly incorrect thought, because there was a distinct lack of antennae.

The writing, on the other hand, in the journal also looks interesting. Don't mind the white haired knight, miss, Duke is just trying not to loom quite so much and take a look. ]

Huh. Less angular than what I'm used to, but more pieces...

[ ... Duke looks slightly embarrassed after that. Yeah, totally attempting to 'read over her shoulder'. ]

more interactions are always welcome

[forhyrule]

[ At least a Krityan would not be cursed with such unpleasant green skin. The change in eye color was something Zelda could adapt to more or less, but the sickly skin made her cringe whenever she saw her reflection. Drawing attention to her appearance was something Zelda tried to avoid as much as possible. ]

[ Zelda looked back over her shoulder when she heard the comment. She hadn't expected that this man would speak to her when he entered the memorial; prayers and devotions were usually private, though everyone gathered in the same place to pray. ]

The ancient language used by my ancestors is a little more angular. [ And she demonstrated by writing a few words in ancient Hylian. ]

/o/ (if it isn't a pen she's using, substitute proper tool-)

[notduchess]

A little more block-like, maybe.

[ Well, Duke isn't being scolded for taking a look at things that are private, but it probably helps that there isn't an understanding of written languages like there is spoken. ]

At least, it looks like they'd all fit within rectangles like that. Ahhh....

[ Duke checks pockets, not finding a battered slip of paper but nothing to write with. ]

Mind if I borrow that?

[ Indicating the pen. ]

it was probably a pen lol

[forhyrule]

[ If Zelda had believed anyone here could read Hylian, she would be too overjoyed to worry about someone seeing her private thoughts. ]

Feel free. [ She offered both her pen and diary to Duke, interested to see what the language of his world would look like and how it would differ from Hylian. ]