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Entry tags:
- !event,
- *npc: cyrus,
- arcane: silco,
- arcane: vander,
- black butler: sebastian michaelis,
- ennead: set,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- final fantasy xiv: cid garlond,
- final fantasy xiv: emet-selch,
- final fantasy xiv: hythlodaeus,
- genshin impact: kaeya alberich,
- granblue fantasy: eustace,
- mortal kombat 11: shang tsung,
- oc: liem talbott,
- orv: sooyoung han,
- persona 5 strikers: sophia,
- tiger & bunny: barnaby brooks jr.,
- until death do us part: mamoru hijikata
TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉
Who: Shard-Bearers, new and old
What: Seeds take root
Where: The Tree of Life, Highstorm, Springstar
When: October 14th and onwards
Warnings: Potential for (mild) body horror, death, dismemberment
Welcome to Kenos! As a reminder, all players are required to fill out an application, which are now open. This does include characters/players from Aion Teleos, so please don’t forget to fill one out! Any character/player that does not submit an application will be swept from the communities and the Discord after applications close.
Activity Check is optional this month, but is highly recommend so Christy can check her fancy program so that you can earn Activity Reward Tokens! Activity will be able to be submitted shortly after applications close. You can find more about how we do AC here.
This log is Game Canon. Any characters who are not apped to the game will disappear. If Cyrus or Yima are asked, they’ll explain that this happens sometimes, since not every soul has a strong tether to Kenos and sometimes return to the Timestream. They’re fine and may even return to Kenos one day, but for now weren’t able to make the full journey.
As a reminder, your character has a Shard somewhere on their body that encompasses their soul, so keep note of where you're sticking it on their person for reference! Additionally, they have a tattoo of their Aspect somewhere on their body. Please be mindful this Aspect will be assigned to you upon approval and whatever you choose for the TDM may be temporary (for new characters)!
For the Highstorm and Springstar prompts, both cities will be fully open and accessible to all characters once they are saved from their rather harrowing ordeal at the Tree of Life. For prompt ideas and any general information about the cities and what you can find there, please see the Navigation page and check out the locations!
New players are welcome to join our Discord Server if you haven't already!
When they emerge from their cocoon/the ground, characters may be wearing their normal clothes, or they might be nude. Up to you!
At some point in the days after leaving the Tree of Life, new Shard-Bearers will have a dream, even if they're usually not capable of sleeping. All new players should read this post, since this details how they'll learn about both factions and their goals and should help them make a decision in which Faction they'd be drawn to.
New characters will not have access to any canon abilities on the TDM.
Your character will be offered temporary housing either at the Heliopolis district or Yima's manor for the first few weeks after their arrival. They will also be given a stipend for basic supplies like clothing and personal effects, and food is served in the cantina (Heliopolis) and at regular meal times in the Dining Room (Yima's manor). Once they Harmonize, they will get personal permanent chambers and a fancy retainer in their Faction's city. Wow! 🌈
Characters may be Harmonized to their Faction (if that makes sense for the character, of course!) by the time of this log. This is more for IC reference, and just wait until application acceptance to do the OOC paperwork!
General reminder that your character won't have access to their powers until they have Harmonized.
CODING
What: Seeds take root
Where: The Tree of Life, Highstorm, Springstar
When: October 14th and onwards
Warnings: Potential for (mild) body horror, death, dismemberment
I. BEARING FRUIT (new characters only)
It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.
And then, it goes wrong.
The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.
So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—
You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.
I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.
You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.
The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.
From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.
And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.
And then, it goes wrong.
The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.
So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—
You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.
I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.
You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.
The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.
From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.
And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.
II. MORAL HAZARD
There are new Shard-Bearers at the Tree of Life, and Yima has asked that the earlier arrivals go to greet them and help them. These aren’t people from Horos, after all, so they’ll have many, many questions. As Yima explains, the roots of the tree rise up to create caverns underneath, and it’s there you’ll find the new Shard-Bearers. And indeed, with careful steps to not slip on the mossy roots, down you go. Perhaps Communion will help you find the new Shard-Bearers, but it might be a confusing process for them.
The roots all start to look the same, to the point that you’re sure that you’ve already been through this passage. You turn around, and most of the people you had come here with are gone, if not all of them. It’s confusing and unsettling, and strangest of all.. You’re starting to feel ill, even if that wasn’t something normally possible for you. But continuing forward, you do eventually find an unfamiliar face of a new Shard-Bearer. They look no better than you feel.
Before introductions, however, roots around you shift suddenly until you’re enclosed in a room together. From the roots, a face forms in the wall. It speaks in a creaking, uneven tone, as if it weren’t used to speaking at all.
Give to take. A sacrifice. To live.
Characters can pick one of the following options, but the decision must be made unanimously. If one character takes a drastic action (such as murdering another), it’s counted as a failure for the group.
This can be done in groups of 2 to 4 players, and Loremasters recommend three if you can swing it! It’s more fun when you get in philosophical debates, right? Regardless, when your group comes to a decision, please record it here. These don’t have to be fully threaded out to be recorded, so the conclusion can be discussed OOC if you prefer. Actions can be submitted until October 21st, after which groups will be informed of what comes of their choice…
When a group receives the antidote, they'll be released from the tree's thrall... But will have a hard time waking up. It feels like something has grabbed onto their spine.
The roots all start to look the same, to the point that you’re sure that you’ve already been through this passage. You turn around, and most of the people you had come here with are gone, if not all of them. It’s confusing and unsettling, and strangest of all.. You’re starting to feel ill, even if that wasn’t something normally possible for you. But continuing forward, you do eventually find an unfamiliar face of a new Shard-Bearer. They look no better than you feel.
Before introductions, however, roots around you shift suddenly until you’re enclosed in a room together. From the roots, a face forms in the wall. It speaks in a creaking, uneven tone, as if it weren’t used to speaking at all.
Give to take. A sacrifice. To live.
LET'S PLAY A GAME...
As the Dryad will explain, characters are now trapped in a room and have been poisoned by the spores that the lichens underfoot release. An antidote lays beyond the roots the dryad has curled around you, but to access it, you must make a sacrifice.Characters can pick one of the following options, but the decision must be made unanimously. If one character takes a drastic action (such as murdering another), it’s counted as a failure for the group.
- Each of you must offer up a personal/treasured memory. The memory will be shared in Communion with all characters assembled, and then will be destroyed. No character will retain the memory or memory of its Communion.
- Each of you must offer up something physical. A finger, a toe, an ear, it’s your choice. The dryad will offer a knife if this is chosen that will sever the body part of choice cleanly and immediately stop any bleeding.
- Offer up another. Kill one person in the room.
- Refusing is also a valid option. Characters will get more ill as they debate until they start to find it difficult to breathe, and they’ll die quickly after.
This can be done in groups of 2 to 4 players, and Loremasters recommend three if you can swing it! It’s more fun when you get in philosophical debates, right? Regardless, when your group comes to a decision, please record it here. These don’t have to be fully threaded out to be recorded, so the conclusion can be discussed OOC if you prefer. Actions can be submitted until October 21st, after which groups will be informed of what comes of their choice…
When a group receives the antidote, they'll be released from the tree's thrall... But will have a hard time waking up. It feels like something has grabbed onto their spine.
III. DREAMING OF HOME
You may wake with a start from your deliberations (or arguments) with a jolt of pain from the base of your spine as something is pulled away rapidly. A dark-haired man who looks to be in his thirties or so holds you carefully, but as soon as you start to regain your senses, he sets you back and holds up his hands.
Woah— Woah there, it’s fine! The tree was, uh, trying to take you back is all. You’re fine now.
As long as you’re not going to attack him, he offers a friendly smile and a hand to shake.
Name’s Cyrus. Sorry about the rude awakening. Let’s get your friend here unhooked too.
And indeed, glancing over, you can see the person you met in that room laying nearby, and it looks like a vine has snaked underneath them to exactly where something had just been pulled from you… Best not to think about it, maybe. Or if you've been unlucky enough to be one of the last people rescued, you might find vines and roots starting to grow into your skin. It's fine!
Cyrus will gladly introduce himself to everyone, and will further explain his position in Meridian and Springstar (see the NPC Page) and the goals of Meridian itself (see the Faction Page, save for the italicized section). But most importantly, he’ll explain that he knows it sounds like something overly optimistic. It’s fair to be skeptical. He’ll produce a small glass bead from a bag he’s carrying. It looks like the necklace he wears, though not lit up. He’ll explain that the force of Meridian is a gift and can be a tether to your home, if you let it. As his fingertips light up, the energy is infused into the bead, which he’ll hand to you.
Taking the bead into your hands, you’ll take a bird’s eye view of your home world as if your consciousness is split, since you’ll still perceive standing in front of Cyrus at the tree. Rather than a vision, the view of your world is absolutely real, you’re certain. It’s a glimpse at the world that you thought destroyed, and if you focus on a particular place or a particular person, you’ll find the view shifting rapidly to it. No one you watch is aware of your presence, but simply continues about their daily life, whatever that is. But after about a minute, the view will fade as the light in the bead also fades.
That’s an iliachtida, a sunbeam, and when infused with Meridian’s light, allows someone Harmonized to it to check in on their world, he explains. It also acts as an anchor that tethers their soul to their world in the Timestream. With it, their world can’t entirely disappear, so eventually, they can go home. It’s a gift he’ll allow anyone that wants it to keep it, but indeed, they’ll be unable to use it again without first Harmonizing to Meridian.
To help manage threadload for the Loremasters playing Cyrus, we ask that you only tag him with the character you are most likely to app. Similarly, new tag-ins will not be accepted after Monday, October 17th.
Woah— Woah there, it’s fine! The tree was, uh, trying to take you back is all. You’re fine now.
As long as you’re not going to attack him, he offers a friendly smile and a hand to shake.
Name’s Cyrus. Sorry about the rude awakening. Let’s get your friend here unhooked too.
And indeed, glancing over, you can see the person you met in that room laying nearby, and it looks like a vine has snaked underneath them to exactly where something had just been pulled from you… Best not to think about it, maybe. Or if you've been unlucky enough to be one of the last people rescued, you might find vines and roots starting to grow into your skin. It's fine!
CYRUS, THE TRIBUNE
Cyrus is the NPC heading up the Meridian Faction, and is available to thread with under this header. Cyrus has come to the Tree of Life to help rescue the Shard-Bearer’s from the Tree, so he’s not going to be inclined to explain too much right away, since he’s on a mission, but he’ll stick around once everyone is successfully freed from Prompt 2 to speak with anyone that wants to. The following is just an OOC summary of information in case you do not need to thread with Cyrus:Cyrus will gladly introduce himself to everyone, and will further explain his position in Meridian and Springstar (see the NPC Page) and the goals of Meridian itself (see the Faction Page, save for the italicized section). But most importantly, he’ll explain that he knows it sounds like something overly optimistic. It’s fair to be skeptical. He’ll produce a small glass bead from a bag he’s carrying. It looks like the necklace he wears, though not lit up. He’ll explain that the force of Meridian is a gift and can be a tether to your home, if you let it. As his fingertips light up, the energy is infused into the bead, which he’ll hand to you.
Taking the bead into your hands, you’ll take a bird’s eye view of your home world as if your consciousness is split, since you’ll still perceive standing in front of Cyrus at the tree. Rather than a vision, the view of your world is absolutely real, you’re certain. It’s a glimpse at the world that you thought destroyed, and if you focus on a particular place or a particular person, you’ll find the view shifting rapidly to it. No one you watch is aware of your presence, but simply continues about their daily life, whatever that is. But after about a minute, the view will fade as the light in the bead also fades.
That’s an iliachtida, a sunbeam, and when infused with Meridian’s light, allows someone Harmonized to it to check in on their world, he explains. It also acts as an anchor that tethers their soul to their world in the Timestream. With it, their world can’t entirely disappear, so eventually, they can go home. It’s a gift he’ll allow anyone that wants it to keep it, but indeed, they’ll be unable to use it again without first Harmonizing to Meridian.
To help manage threadload for the Loremasters playing Cyrus, we ask that you only tag him with the character you are most likely to app. Similarly, new tag-ins will not be accepted after Monday, October 17th.
III. SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος
After your ordeals at the Tree of Life, perhaps you’re drawn to Springstar, the city of eternal sun and the seat of Meridian.
It’s currently (and fittingly) Spring in Springstar, and the bustling city is coming back to life after finishing up winter. It’s not as if the winters are especially harsh here, but you’ll quickly get the sense that the people of Springstar are vivacious and happy to celebrate. You’ll find the Entertainment District to be the liveliest, whether it’s at a rowdy bar or a brothel, but no matter what, you’re welcome with open arms and without question.
Of course, if you’d just like to use the chance to explore the city alongside your fellow Shard-Bearers, that’s fine too. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of Springstar and see all the city has to offer.
It’s currently (and fittingly) Spring in Springstar, and the bustling city is coming back to life after finishing up winter. It’s not as if the winters are especially harsh here, but you’ll quickly get the sense that the people of Springstar are vivacious and happy to celebrate. You’ll find the Entertainment District to be the liveliest, whether it’s at a rowdy bar or a brothel, but no matter what, you’re welcome with open arms and without question.
Of course, if you’d just like to use the chance to explore the city alongside your fellow Shard-Bearers, that’s fine too. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of Springstar and see all the city has to offer.
IV. HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы
Or maybe Highstorm, the city of twin moons and the seat of Zenith is more to your liking. It’s certainly the quieter of the two cities and is a relaxing, meditative place if that’s what you prefer. The chill in the air is constant, since it’s Autumn in Highstorm and the eternal night doesn’t help keep things warm, exactly. Snow isn’t out of the question at this time of the year, but it’s beautiful in the moonlight.
Because of the cooler weather than Highstorm is prone to, you’ll find many of its delights inside rather than outside. Libraries and museums are popular in the more introspective city, though it’s easy enough to find something that might please you. For example, the indoor hot baths are popular at this time of the year too. You’ll find the people are kind, if cool-tempered, though if you mention the fact that you’re a Shard-Bearer or allied with Zenith, they’re more likely to warm up.
Though much like Springstar, it may just be more interesting to explore the city with a fellow Shard-Bearer. And as a resident may warn you, it’s best to stay in the city. Wandering out into the marshes and forests isn’t advised. Of course, if you do, just contact a Loremaster to find out why. ♥
Because of the cooler weather than Highstorm is prone to, you’ll find many of its delights inside rather than outside. Libraries and museums are popular in the more introspective city, though it’s easy enough to find something that might please you. For example, the indoor hot baths are popular at this time of the year too. You’ll find the people are kind, if cool-tempered, though if you mention the fact that you’re a Shard-Bearer or allied with Zenith, they’re more likely to warm up.
Though much like Springstar, it may just be more interesting to explore the city with a fellow Shard-Bearer. And as a resident may warn you, it’s best to stay in the city. Wandering out into the marshes and forests isn’t advised. Of course, if you do, just contact a Loremaster to find out why. ♥
NOTES
no subject
He pauses, blinking in bemusement, then crosses the room to stop by the widow, which is already open to allow a breeze through the warm room.]
Hello, Minegishi. If you were hoping to participate, [he says, knowing full well that isn't remotely why he's here,] I'm afraid you're about half an hour too late. But if I'd known you were in the area, I would have invited you.
no subject
Do I fucking look like I wanna waste my time in the kitchen.
[ One of the older students gives a scandalized little gasp at that unnecessary profanity, but Gen ignores it. Instead, he leans heavily on the windowframe, yanking it open a bit further so he can peer in past Liem's shoulder at whatever's going on inside there. Yeah, it sure is pasta they're cooking in there. ]
Why the hell're you wasting your time on stuff like this.
[ He's doing his best to say it with as much disdain as possible, but -- maybe Liem's ears are keen enough to catch the faint growl of a the stomach as Gen stares at those half-made pasta dishes, brow furrowed. He sure as hell won't admit it, but it does kind of smell good in there. ]
no subject
Cooking is a vital skill for independent living, [he points out.] I don’t think learning new recipes is a waste of time.
[Normally he would agree that a young man like Gen probably doesn’t need to know much about cooking, at least if he intends to stay with his family. But he knows from experience that living on your own can make eating a chore if you only know how to cook one thing.
Not that eating isn’t normally a chore for Liem regardless. He’s assuming Gen doesn’t have that experience, though. Actually, he seems far more interested in the prospect of eating food right now than he does in the idea of cooking it.]
Also, I agreed to teach a class as a sort of barter for attending a healers’ lesson the other day—so here I am.
[Personally, Liem thinks Springstar’s reliance on barter is a little backwards for such a metropolitan settlement, but he has to admit it’s more convenient for new arrivals like him without much in the way of money.]
no subject
You think I'd ever need a skill like that.
[ Excuse you, Liem, he's the type that would rather get takeout every meal than learn to operate in the kitchen. Not to mention, it's been a while since he's considered the possibility that he'll live long enough to have to endure living as a working adult. He'd figured he'd die before that.
-- ugh, whatever. It's stupid. Liem's suggestion is stupid. Gen's expression tinges just a bit more somber, just for a moment, before he leans more heavily against the windowframe to crane his head further into the classroom. Even before he takes a deliberate sniff he can smell the aroma of garlic and spices, cut through with the brighter notes of something acid and, ah ...
There's a moment where Gen simply stares in at the students still toiling over their dishes, heedless of the way he's clearly making some of them uncomfortable. Then he looks away before mumbling, ]
And do your students actually eat everything you guys cook? S'a lot of food.
[ Wow, what a subtle attempt at gunning for the leftovers. About as subtle as the next growl of his stomach. At least Gen does look vaguely embarrassed by this 'request,' given how he keeps his gaze averted. ]
no subject
[Liem is willing to allow that, if Minegishi accepts Yima’s hospitality and allows her to house, clothe, and feed him, he probably won’t actually need any cooking skills for the duration of their stay in this world. Possibly Cyrus would extend the same offer, though that wasn’t the direction Liem’s meeting with him had gone. But it makes him feel itchy to be relying on the support of someone he barely knows and doesn’t fully trust. Part of the reason Liem has been looking around both cities is so he can find somewhere promising to live where he won’t be beholden to anyone—assuming he can also find regular work. He’s not ready to give up on the idea of living independently even if it’s just while he sorts himself out.
Judging by the profusion of smells in the air, the students under his instruction seem to be nearing the end of their labours. Liem watches Minegishi’s somewhat dour expression become a little more distracted, intent on the contents of the various dishes and pans.]
Oh, I’m sure they won’t.
[This is his first time teaching a class like this, but when he casts his eye around the bustling room, he sees mostly elders and women. He’d be surprised if the lot of them end up being a match for the quantity of pasta about to be served in this kitchen.
When he turns back toward Minegishi, it’s with a measuring look.]
I don’t have any particular designs on the leftovers. You can have them, if you help me tidy the kitchen after.
no subject
Instead, it's that tacit implication that he's going to have to work for his meal that has Gen's gaze sliding back to fix on Liem, his brow lowering in a scowl. ]
... you think I'm just trying to be a freeloader, don't you.
[ There's a stronger, more sullen edge to his words, and Gen huffs as he leans more heavily against the windowframe; the look he fixes on Liem past the shadow of his brow is sharper, more resentful for a moment before he looks away to glance restlessly out onto the streets nearby. ]
I'll have you know I fucking worked before everything went to shit. And not some cushy desk job. Wasn't just some student wasting time with books all day. [ Not that he took any real pride or pleasure in his work; the position had basically been forced upon him by his father, and he'd never really had a choice otherwise. But still. It rankles at his pride to be treated like some useless layabout -- even if that's basically what he's ended up becoming since deciding that training to be a killer isn't what he wants. His moody silence stretches for a moment longer before Gen gives Liem a cranky sideways glance. ] -- fine. Whatever. I'll do it. Just know that I have my limits now.
[ Said as he tugs at the awkward drape of his cloak where it covers his left side; it hands oddly over his left arm, falling abruptly halfway past the shoulder instead of sloping naturally downward, marking where the limb ends. ]
no subject
Well then, I’ll be glad of your help. [He pats his hands together, visibly satisfied with Minegishi’s answer despite its blatantly resentful character.] Work is less tedious with company, don’t you think?
[One of the locals appears at his elbow to ask him to check if their dish looks done, and he takes a second to send them back to their station, promising to join them in just a moment. Most of the students seem to be cleaning up now, peeking into ovens at pasta-filled crockery between scrubbing pans and utensils. Looking back at Minegishi, Liem gestures around to the side of the building sporting the front door.]
You can come in if you like. I wouldn’t want to leave you standing out in the sun. [A cruel punishment, by his estimation, in sun like this.] Besides, we’ll be finished soon in any case.
no subject
Work is work. [ Sure, there were a few guys at the workplaces that he'd hung out with more than the others, but that had been more a matter of convenience than enjoyment. The work itself never got any less dreary. ] It's just something you're supposed to do.
[ Still. He's not about to go back on his word, and it's also not like he's trying to actively sabotage whatever the hell it is Liem's got going on here. So when the locals approach the window to ask for Liem's assistance, Gen only endures one or two more of the uneasy glances cast his way before pulling away with a low scoff. ]
I'll wait outside.
[ He doesn't wait for any further protest from Liem before slinking away from where he'd been leaning. True to his word he doesn't actually enter the building, opting to simply lurk in the shade cast by the building, just past that main entrance and out of the way. If Liem peeks outside as his students begin to exit after the class has been dismissed, he might spot Gen crouched off to the side, staring absently into the distance as he nurses a cigarette. It's only when he realizes that the class is over and he might be expected inside that he wearily heaves himself back onto his feet and drifts over. ]
no subject
If you like.
[He doesn’t have the luxury of time to persuade the young man in off the street, occupied as he is with his class. Turning away from the window, Liem goes in search of the student who’d been seeking his attention, busying himself with the job he’d signed up to complete.
It’s a while later, after the various cooking stations have been cleaned up and most of the pasta has been eaten, that he finally pokes his head outside, half expecting Minegishi to have wandered off. But he’s still there, waiting in the building’s paltry shadows. Liem nods briefly when he catches his gaze.]
Thank you for waiting. We’re finished now.
[Glancing behind him at the sound of approaching footsteps, Liem stands aside to hold the door for a departing elderly couple that seems to be the last of the students. He keeps holding it for Minegishi.]
There’s still a fair bit of food left, so you can have what you like, and then we’ll clean up afterwards.
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The whole place smells like pasta -- the sweet-sour smell of simmered sauce, cut through with notes of garlic. His stomach growls again, and though Gen glances around at first like a wary animal, feigning a more neutral interest in his surroundings, the way his gaze eventually fixes upon the pans still half-full of unplated pasta is terribly obvious. ]
... fine by me.
[ He doesn't bother waiting for further permission before grabbing up one of the extra forks off a countertop along with the closest pan that still has a fair amount of food left. Plates? Not worth it. Gen simply leans against an empty area of countertop before starting to dig around the pan with his fork. ]
But is it wise giving me my 'payment' before I do the work? [ He's really griping more just to gripe than out of any genuine concern. Case in point, he doesn't wait for an answer before spearing a generous amount of pasta onto his fork, even as he continues at a careless drawl, ] What're you gonna do if I eat and run?
[ Gen doesn't wait for a response before popping the forkful of pasta in his mouth. Though his movements aren't hurried, he still somehow manages to eat at a respectable pace, taking big bites; it's the sort of understated gusto that only hungry teenagers are able to pull off. ]
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The kitchen is mostly clean already, its counters sporting only an assortment of packaged ingredients and the pasta-sullied baking dishes. He could probably put away the ingredients at least while Minegishi eats. But he won't.]
I'm trusting you not to. You already agreed to help me.
[Minegishi seemed desperate to be respected as an adult rather than some punk teenager, so Liem is inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt in this instance. He notices that the question doesn't stop him from immediately digging into one of the last dishes to come out of the oven.]
If you ran off after, I suppose I just wouldn't offer you the leftovers next time you're around when I do this. The community centre staff would probably like to have them instead.
… But you aren’t a freeloader, so I'm not worried.
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Who said I'm coming back again.
[ So he says, but he's in an awful hurry to shovel another forkful of pasta in his mouth. (It's not his fault some touchy, stuck-up centaur bitch basically chased him out of where he'd just been trying to grab a nice lunch.) Loathe as he is to admit it, if this is the usual quality level of food that Liem's students produce, he'll definitely be coming by to grab the leftovers again.
That said, Gen's brow lowers as he chews slowly. His mouth is still half-full when he speaks again, but the more serious, uneasy tone of his voice comes through regardless. ]
... 'sides, don't expect too much of me. [ His fork pings loudly off the side of the pan as he goes for a bit of crusted-on cheese. ] Trying to get shit done with one arm is tough. Took me ages just to learn how to fight again. 'm still getting used to working with it.
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I'm fairly confident in my recipes, [he says with a small tilt of his head that stands in lieu of a shrug. His posture remains as straight as ever.] But perhaps not so much that I believe that would convince someone actively adverse to doing a small bit of work. Ultimately, I would hope what prevents you from running off is your integrity.
[If Minegishi skips out on the work he said he'd help with, he'll save himself a few minutes' effort—but he'll lose Liem's trust in his word about anything else thereafter. And that seems like a silly thing to ruin Liem's impression of him over.]
Don't worry about me working you into the ground. As you can see, the kitchen's mostly tidy already. I'll clean the rest of the dishes, so you can put away the things on the counter.
[None of the boxes, jars, or tins are large enough to need two hands to lift—and frankly, Minegishi will have an easier time reaching to put them back up in the cupboards than Liem would, even if it takes him slightly longer with just one arm.]
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At the very least, getting to shovel his face full of carbs seems to placate him somewhat; Gen casually chomps at another obscenely huge forkful of pasta, casually managing to inhale about a third of a serving in one go, and chews slowly as he squints at Liem. The petty, juvenile part of him wants to protest that Liem's cooking isn't that good -- except that would be untruthful, because what he's eating actually does hit the spot. So. ]
... I said I'd do it. So I'll do it. [ That response is muttered reluctantly with mouth still half-full before Gen swallows, then scrapes up the last of the contents of the pan to shovel into his mouth. The fork clatters loudly as he drops it back onto the counter. There's the rustle of fabric as Gen pushes away from the counter, then a pause before he points at another still half-full pan. ] Leave that one, too. I'm eating it once I'm done.
[ Is he going to pack away like a full serving and a half of pasta? Yes, yes he is. But at least he'd meant it when he said he'd do the promised work. Gen grunts as he gathers up an armful of utensils, then looks to Liem. ]
Where do these go.
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Then he pushes away from the table and rises back to his feet. The armful of washed utensils Minegishi has gathered is going to make it difficult for him to accomplish anything without possibly dropping something, so Liem reaches over and pulls open a counter drawer himself. Eating utensils are stacked neatly inside, according to type and size.]
Small utensils here.
[He pulls open another drawer next to it, this one containing a variety of spatulas, mixing spoons, and other implements.]
Large ones here. Ingredients go up in the cupboards.
[Liem picks a sink and starts filling it with water, letting the tap run while he gathers the modest collection of used dishes still scattered about the counter. The half-filled pan he leaves at Minegishi's request; most of the others only sport dregs stuck to their edges or clumped in small forgotten mouthfuls, so he just scrapes their contents directly into the food waste bin.
But he does keep an unobtrusive eye on Minegishi, just in case he needs it.]
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quietly gets to work.
Turns out, despite all his grumbling and griping, Gen's the type to function just fine once he's set to a physical task and told to go. He's silent other than the clink of silverware and wooden handles as he dumps the armful of utensils on the countertop to sort them out and slot them into their appropriate homes. The furrow of his brow makes it clear he might not enjoy the task -- and who would, given how mindless and tedious it is -- but he moves as efficiently as he can with one arm, then shuts the drawer without slamming it once he's finished with the small utensils.
It's only once he's halfway through putting away the larger utensils that he happens to look up and notice Liem looking. ]
... what. I'm doing like you told me. [ Not that Liem even said anything??? Gen huffs regardless, ducking his gaze aside once more as he puts away a wooden spoon. ] These're all light so it goes fast. 'm used to dealing with heavier tools.
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That's good, [he agrees. He hasn't spent much time with Minegishi since he lost his arm, (or really in general, truth be told,) but it's nice to see that despite his warnings to the contrary, he seems to manage all right with just one. There are probably still plenty of things he struggles with—Liem volunteered to take care of the dishwashing himself for a reason—but Liem has to imagine that in Minegishi's situation, finding things he can still do alone would be just as important as understanding his new limits. Maybe more so.
In any case, if he finishes quickly, that means the rest of the pasta might not be cold when he gets to it.]
You're doing a good job. [Then, ideally before Minegishi has the opportunity to scorn the praise too abjectly,] What did you use to do for work?
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My family runs -- ... ran a construction business. Started helping around worksites in middle school.
[ Gen frowns as he puts aside a spatula; he's long since internalized that his world and his family and the business are all gone, but it still feels surreal at times if he thinks about it, so he tries not to. ]
Not that any of it'll do me any good any more. [ His voice is a lower, more sullen mutter with that. After all, it sure would have made his life easier if he could just do another construction job here. It's deliberately loud when he shoves the rest of the tongs into their appropriate place. ] -- bet it all sounds boring to you fantasy folks, anyway. Mundane shit like that. But I was just normal before I ended up dealing with all this crazy shit.
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You know, my country also had construction workers.
[Or builders, as they probably would have been termed. Brick-layers, ditch-diggers. But the verbiage isn't important. Liem puts down the dishcloth he's using and rinses off his pan before setting it down to dry.]
And farmers, and loggers, and probably most labour jobs you could think of. That's important work, in any world.
[He fishes the washcloth out of the sink and starts scrubbing the next pan.]
Did you think your life was boring?
[He'd said his family's business might sound boring… but then he'd said he was normal, that his life was normal. Probably lumped in with that "mundane shit," if Liem had to hazard a guess.]
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You think anyone's gonna be pumped about spending a lifetime stuck pouring concrete and stacking bricks? 'Cause it's so exciting putting down building foundations, yeah?
[ Vaguely he wonders if people from Liem's world really were more easily entertained by menial labor. After all, Liem comes from a place without television or internet, right? God, how did people fucking live back then.
Gen's boots scuff against the floor as he wanders back towards that pan of pasta he'd laid claim to, picking up the fork so he can scrape up a big mouthful of it before it cools any further; his next words come muffled past a mouth half-full. ]
I told you, work is work. I was set to take over the company after my old man, so. Didn't matter what I thought.
[ Gen shoves another generous forkful of pasta into his mouth before taking up the next armful of utensils, still chewing as he starts sorting those away into their appropriate places. ]
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Case in point, perhaps; Liem is perfectly happy scrubbing these pans now that his class is over, and he would have been perfectly content to do so even if Minegishi had never shown up and he’d had to do it alone. It would have been a nice interlude after the busy period of the class itself—but probably if he voiced that opinion, that would only make him seem like more of an unrelatable alien.]
Well, work doesn’t need to be thrilling to be worth doing. I spent a lot of my time as an acolyte doing scribing work—which was incredibly repetitive, I’ll grant you, but someone needed to do it. And even when it was dull, it was nice to know I’d done a good job.
[Maybe that’d been his own way of coping with his situation, though. He certainly wasn’t able to find any kind of solace in his social life, so finding pride in his work was one of the only pleasures he’d had. Minegishi makes his father’s business sound more like a chain around his ankle—like something he couldn’t change and didn’t want to dwell on.
Liem stacks another pan up to dry, pausing for a moment to lean against the counter.]
So, what’s important to you, then? Now that you have the freedom to decide what’s worth doing.
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Yeah, yeah, good on you for being such a model student. [ Seriously? Not that he knows what being an 'acolyte' entails, exactly, but it sounds like it was mostly just writing things down all day? The thought alone has him wanting to gnaw his skin off; he'd never be able to stomach something that tedious that didn't even let him blow off steam with physical labor. ] I'm sure the adults all loved you for being such a well-behaved little asskisser.
[ Retorts are easy. Griping is easy. But tellingly, Gen falls silent for a moment when Liem offers him that question. The eye contact he makes is rife with discomfort and resentment, like he's annoyed at Liem for prodding at a matter that he shouldn't have touched.
Truth is, he doesn't know what's important to him any more. His future had been set in stone as far back as he can remember, and now that he finally has the freedom he'd long since given up on -- it's more frightening than it is liberating.
He scowls as he turns away and resumes putting away the utensils. ]
Doesn't really matter, does it. [ He makes sure the next handful of forks that he shoves into the utensils drawer clatter obnoxiously off each other. ] Unlike some people, I don't have the luxury of just doing things for fun. I'll end up doing whatever helps me survive this fucking place.
[ Doing what he has to, because he isn't even sure what it is he wants, even if it were a viable option. The way he's used to things being. ]
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This wouldn't be Liem's first time getting insulted by a teenager, anyway.]
There certainly are plenty of other things to concern yourself with right now.
[He sighs lightly in agreement, eyeing the cacophony of forks getting shoved into their place before turning another pan over in his hands to scrub its edges.]
I'm not trying to make your life harder. But I think it will help you in the long run to make time to think about certain priorities.
[Gods know if Liem had spent the last hundred years just doing what he needed to without ever thinking about how he wanted to do it, or what he needed at a minimum to make his life bearable, he wouldn't have made it past 50. If he hadn't had people to point this out to him, that could absolutely have been a reality.]
It might be what helps you survive in the short term, too.
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[ That response escapes him as a low mutter before he can catch himself, each word low and bitter. And it's not just the usual, teenage petulance that colors his tone of voice, but something darker, more resigned -- he really had given up on his future entirely before ending up in these otherworldly situations, after all. In some sense, he still thinks it would have been easier for everything to have simply ended before he got stuck dealing with all this fantasy bullshit.
At least he has the sense to realize he'd said something he shouldn't have, and Gen tries to distract from what he'd said by slamming the utensils drawer shut. There's the scuff of his boots across the flooring as he slinks his way back to his reserve pan of pasta to scrape up another generous fork-ful for himself. ]
If you can think of some genius suggestions for how I can survive like this [ said as he gives a shrug of his truncated arm ] in the meantime, go ahead, I guess. [ He shoves the pasta in his mouth and chews slowly for a moment before continuing, trying to maintain the pretense of casual apathy even as he keeps his gaze averted. ] S'not like I've got a lot of options here in the first place, unless I want to throw my lot in with one of those creepy faction leaders.
[ Fork still in mouth, he pauses, then squints over at Liem. ]
... have you done that yet?
[ That is, aligned himself with either faction. ]
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He assumes that the boy would prefer if he didn't worry about him, but the truth is that Liem has been worrying about him since they first met back in Horos. He isn't about to worry less when Minegishi is missing an arm and sounding more resigned about his future seemingly every time he speaks with him.]
No. I haven't committed myself to either.
[The tone he uses suggests that Liem is still thinking about what exactly he wants to do about this situation, given how aimless he feels just floating around with no allegiance at all. Still, he's in no hurry to make a final decision, as evidenced by his current status.]
I've just been trying to find some work and learn more about the cities, for now. But, [—he tilts his head, his expression shading slightly less grave and slightly more contemplative—] since you invited assistance, I'd be happy to look for work for you as well. It won't even be that much trouble.
[He'll be searching for work for himself anyway, so he can just ask around while he does that.]
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