(Day 70) [Open; like so!] Apple Gels; almost like candy but fixes those bruises.

[notduchess]

Who: Lady"Duke" and hopefully everyone else at somepoint!
Open: Open
When: Day 70
Where: Near the monument -> Some space near the apartments, facing over the river
What: Duke would like to know things about any intended structure among the bastionites, and hopefully get some help for those people who can't fight.
Format: Action, GO HAVE FUN WITH THREADJACKING.
Warnings: HOPEFULLY LOTS OF TALKING??

[ So it probably really wasn't Duke's place to try to figure this out, but after all the missions, and the people showing up - and Seimei's comments - it was feeling like a bit of a good idea.

There was no real need for a rigid structure, but some sort would be nice. So the knight is in armor as usual, although the sword is left behind, and trying to catch people after breakfast. Hopefully Duke can gather a group, because this really ought to be a group discussion. But it all starts similar enough- ]

Excuse me. If you wouldn't mind sharing, what's your opinion on a loose structure of order? At the very least, a system for keeping track of where everyone is. And if you can't fight, are you interested in learning, or simply learning something else?

[ Because they do not need missing teenagers, or people running off alone, only to end up confronted with a creature they can't deal with on their own and someone to protect. Sorry, Rin. And really, the knight's just worried about all these teens... ]

Comments

[individuates]

[He does appreciate that she didn't try to placate him with a lie. But he doesn't feel better, either. His eyes close in resignation, not acceptance, thick lashes fluttering glamourously to. He may eventually be able to adjust to Hikaru's absence, if he can keep himself occupied. But he refuses to contemplate the Other Thing; he will not - can not - consider that.]

...thank you.

[not sure what else to say, he opens his eyes, he reaches for one of the bolts to distract himself - a soft cream... jersey, is it? Not bad. Basic, yes, but easy to adapt and easy to- - dye. Dye! Hadn't someone mentioned dye before? His head snaps up to try to figure out who had said what above him and...

...that's when he spots the blue alien dropping eaves. Only there can't be a blue alien dropping eaves, because there are no blue aliens with eaves to drop, right? Right. Must be a hallucination. Several rough nights of sleep will do that to a guy.

Since it's his hallucination, he feels well within his rights to stare. But at least he manages not to fall flat on his ass in surprise.]

[yinyangfox]

[ He watches the muted discourse between the two without expression, keeping his thoughts and concerns to himself. He was busy thinking about gardening, really. Certainly there were already stock farms, but an onmyoji - nay, a kitsune - had a certain talent not to be restricted to rice paddies and cabbage farms. Healing herbs, plants for dyes and poultices, vegetables that were too difficult to tend in large fields.

That being if he could even find proper seeds.

Glancing at Kaoru and Rin, who were keeping to themselves, and Duke, who had wandered to another group, Seimei decided it was as good as dismissing him. They indicated he was no longer needed, so he gathered himself up and turned to depart.

Perhaps he ought to brave the Skyway and see just what dangers lurked there. At the very least, he needed to find supplies to build himself a home, and test out whether or not his shikigami functioned in this place. At any rate, better to do it alone where his personal needs wouldn't endanger others. ]

[hellpyre]

... yeah.

[She wasn't going to sugar coat it, but some part of her wished that she could have, in some way. They were alike, a part of them missing, and all the uncertainty about their fate wrapped around those feelings.

She could be support for him, at least.

She was going to say as much, or at least allude to it, when she realized he had stopped moving completely and was staring at--

Oh.

Well. That was an interesting new arrival.]

... hello.

[your_minutes]

[Oh come on Rin you went out on the Skyway with Ax yesterday.

Yeah he's still pretty weird.]

≪Hello.≫

[It's private thought-speak, directed at Rin and Kaoru, since they're the ones staring.

Humans, Ax has found, have a tendency to stare at newcomers.]

[individuates]

[it's in his head. It's in his head. Oh god he's going insane- -

W-wait, Rin can see it too, that can't be a bad thing. He clears his throat hesitantly]

U-uh... what are you supposed to be?

[hellpyre]

[Kaoru you can't just ask strange blue aliens what they are!

But in all seriousness, yes, she can see him, and she remembers him from the trip on to the skyway and not as a newcomer like her derp mun wrote earlier, but for the moment a name is escaping her so she's just going to let him answer.]

[your_minutes]

≪I am an Andalite. I believe the human expression is "I come in peace. Take me to your leader".≫

[individuates]

That's... good for you?

[He has no idea what an Andalite is, but he feels there should be some acknowledgement. As for the second part though...]

If you're looking for our leader, you may have to wait a while. [gestures to the grown-ups groups still in conversation] Seems like that's a subject still under some discussion.

[hellpyre]

...

[Rin leans over a bit, whispering to Kaoru]

I think that was a joke... ?

[your_minutes]

≪It was a joke. I have been attempting to develop a sense of humor that aligns with human tastes.≫

[individuates]

[leaning in too, also whispering and regarding Ax carefully] What? I can joke too. So it- - he's not a hallucination, then? [why is everything different in this world...?]

[hellpyre]

I think his sounded more like a joke than yours did.

[Sorry, Kaoru. Rin is just blunt like that.]

And no. He's not. I went on the Skyway with him a couple of days ago.

[your_minutes]

≪I am not a hallucination. I am an alien.≫

[Yes Ax, that's been established now.]

[individuates]

[he throws a slightly pouty look at her. He hasn't slept. Give him a break.]

You're not? Oh, good. Neither am I. [Of course, "I'm not a hallucination" is precisely the sort of thing a hallucination would say, but since Rin sees him too, he supposes it must be the truth.]

[He's not sure where to go from here. He has never encountered an alien personally before and he's not sure what the etiquette is.]

...do aliens have names? I'm Kaoru Hitachiin. [...should he add something else? He tags it on reluctantly and feels a bit like an idiot -] ...of Earth.

[your_minutes]

≪Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. My human friends call me Ax.≫

[hellpyre]

... why would you be a hallucination?

[Kaoru you make no sense.]

We met a few days ago, Ax, but it's nice to see you again.

[individuates]

[Whaaaaaaat?] I'm just saying. This place seems to have its own rules that I don't completely understand but... I'm real, you two are real. It's a good way to start a friendship, don't you think?

[...a name he can pronounce it a big help though.] All right. Ax it is, then. [And he'll ask about the four legs later..] Have you been here for long?

[your_minutes]

≪It is very difficult to befriend someone who is not real.≫

[Was that a joke? Was that completely serious? Who knows.]

≪I have been here for the equivalent of three of your days.≫

[hellpyre]

[Rin doesn't quite fully take it as a joke, but there's a half smile on her face in spite of that.]

[individuates]

[omg] Our days? You mean your days are different? Are they longer, or shorter? [he is trying so, so hard not to ask an obscene amount of questions, he knows it would be rude. Because... it's an alien. He wants to know all about Anda-land Andalucia Andalitopia Ax's homeworld. But he's a good boy and he manages to remember his manners]

...why are you blue?

[...well, most of them. Forgive him. He's just curious]

[your_minutes]

≪They are variable. My homeworld is part of a binary star system.≫

[Curious humans are always amusing.]

≪It is unknown why our species evolved with this color fur. One theory is that it allowed us to identify members of the same species over long distances.≫

[hellpyre]

... that's a weird reason to get blue fur.

[says the girl with a tail]

[individuates]

So it's a mystery, then! You mentioned you have human friends? Did you go to them, or did they come to you? We're still working on that, where I'm from...

[Present tense, yes. He nudges Rin gently] You know, we humans come in a variety of shapes and colours, too, not to mention you can dye your hair and skin, or change your eye colour... it's rather vain, really, when you think about it. [Not that he would have it any other way. Fashion wouldn't exist without vanity. He reaches for a piece of fabric, draping it over the back of his hand before folding it back up as it was. No need to put more creases in it than there already was.] All my humble skills can muster are a few simple outfits, not makeover miracles...

[your_minutes]

≪My ship crashed on your planet. Unfortunately, humans are drawing attention to their world without realizing that they are ill-equipped to deal with the species who will respond to their call.≫

[Ax looks more curiously at the pile of fabric.]

≪You design artificial hides? Is there a reason besides vanity that humans wear such things? They provide very little protection.≫

[hellpyre]

Haha, you're a riot, Kaoru.

[Rin nudges him back, not hard enough to hurt or anything.

Ax's comment made her frown, though. She didn't say anything, but there was concern on her face.

Not that it was a legitimate concern anymore. With everything gone, it's not like she was going to have to worry about demons and aliens in a world that didn't exist anymore.]

Modesty, mostly. And it's a way to be different from other people.