[ota] maybe we'll find better days

[a_noble_flame]

WHO: Alice & anyone else!
WHAT: April 2024 Catchall
WHERE: Skysong, Old Springstar and various places around those two.
WHEN: All of April
WARNINGS: Will mark in thread headers as necessary!



Prompts in comments. Feel free to hit me up here if you'd like to do anything with Alice this month. PMs, Plurk (goodluckstarfighter) and Discord (goodluckstarfighter) are all open for plotting.

Comments

[semicharmed]

[ Matt listens curiously, both surprise and recognition coming over his face as Alice elaborates. ]

Yeah, uh ... something similar, actually. Mine seemed to be mostly astrological and plant-based. I was assuming that's because I spend most of my time at the Starwatchers' Spire and Greenwood Yards. [ With a bit of a pang, he realizes Alice probably hasn't been to either place. ] Or spent, I guess. Hope to spend again.

[ He takes a sip of ale, smiling at her. ] "The Swordmaiden" is a pretty great moniker. I suppose it's a little bittersweet to have your name forgotten, but I can't tell if people in Highstorm remembered mine or not, so.

[ That's not all Matt woke up to. Maybe not even the most important thing. Yet again, he hesitates. ]

[a_noble_flame]

[He is right about her never having been to either place. It doesn't seem to affect how she listens though.]

I can't say I mind much. When one dies names are often forgotten with time.

[She takes a casual drink after spouting off that rather grim line and seems to realize it once she's swallowed. She gestures a hand quickly.]

Not that everyone's name is ultimately forgotten. I'm not exactly a high status individual within Meridian though.

[After a moment of sheepishness she does ask:]

I assume the Starwatchers' Spire and Greenwood Yards were within Highstorm?

[semicharmed]

[ Matt seems to find the observation factual, rather than grim. Maybe a little melancholy, but after all, he did pledge Zenith. People who live in melancholy houses can't throw stones. So his smile as she goes on aims to reassure. ]

There's more than one way of persisting, [ he says with a gentle shrug. ] I mean, the part of me that's attached to being Matt Jamison doesn't love the thought of that name being forgotten, but the part of me that's energy--won't really die, ideally. I'll go on to nurture whatever comes next.

[ All of that depends on beating back Oblivion, of course. Matt feels sheepishly as if he's said too much. ]

But ah, yeah. Starwatcher's Spire is the observatory in Highstorm, and Greenwood is--

A lot of things. [ Matt looks wistful. Images flicker through his mind, offered to Alice through Communion: a tower of iron and stone; distant stars burning through the eye of a telescope; a domed ceiling that's etched with celestial symbols. And rows of beautifully wrought greenhouses, flush with luxuriant greenery; a gorgeous midnight meadow; a Venus flytrap of startling size (you can tell because of the goat ambling by, which only comes to about half its height); clear water that glimmers with moonlight. ] It has greenhouses, basically a nature preserve, public baths.

If you ever wanted to go ...

I know things aren't ideal. But they're really beautiful places. I'm sure if you were my guest it wouldn't be a problem.

[a_noble_flame]

[Alice rolls that around in her mind a moment. She's not particularly attached to being Alice Malvin anymore than she's attached to being the heir of her family. It's a role she plays and takes seriously of course.

Instead of saying as much though she takes a moment to take in the images Matt flickers through their Communion. She's not one to dwell on the beauty of things but she has to admit everything he lays out before her is very charming. Springstar had had it's good points as well but with the division and Skysong being the way it was ... well, whatever beauty Skysong took with it was ruined for her.

Her brows perk up a bit at his offer, her look mildly surprised. Then she huffs out a light breath before she smiles.]

Maybe once we've been awake a while. It seems like everyone is more than a leery of each other right now. Or Skysong is anyhow.

[semicharmed]

That's for damn sure, [ Matt sighs over his ale.

He's not totally sure whether the rejection means let's wait until later or let's wait until never. How funny: He can be at the probable end of the universe, locked in an alleged cosmic battle, and still have the same old what does it mean when a girl says moment. In any case, the answer is clear for right now. ]

Yeah, [ Matt agrees. ] Taking some time to get reoriented sounds like a good plan.

[ He'll have to do what he always does when he's not sure where he stands, which is often. Await further context. ]