socialcapital | [ JACKSON HEART ]

"YUCK???"

Very "yuck".

Normally, in a situation like this... [he opens his hand toward the area they left, and to the starving city beyond] I would say that the rage and need for vengeance were an attempt to shield a wounded heart from the grief and self-blame in its depths. And that, if what's in those depths can start to heal, what's on the surface will ease, too.

But that won't work here.

"Yeah... I mean, for one thing this is about 30% of the way through his plan. So like..."

So, by the end of it, the trail bodies and ruin will only lend more credence to those who pursue his kind with such hostility. Not less.

And the world your fallen companion was determined to see will become even farther from the reality.

"I don't know if I can talk him down... he really wants to ruin Mnemon. That's one of the Empire's big houses, and honestly I don't know if even we can make that happen..."

The irony in this is that were he truly in charge of his own actions, there is a good part of me that wouldn't even fault him for it.

[He shakes his head.]

But he isn't. And words alone won't change that. Not yours, and certainly not mine.

"Mmmm... this is kind of philosophical for me, so... we should probably include him in the conversation. Especially because he's prooooobably listening."

Saida offers him a hand up.

I would prefer that, if it's possible.

[He takes it, grip decently strong despite his noodly looks.]

Still, whatever may follow, it's been my pleasure to be able to meet you. If our paths cross again, I hope it will be in better circumstances.

"I'd say it'd be hard to find worse, but, weeeeellllll."

She helps him up then turns back into a bird, fluttering from perch to perch and occasionally looking down to make sure he's following.

But this is Creation, and none of your lives are easy.

[He follows, taking in what sights there are to see as he goes.]

The architecture is not THAT dissimilar from various places in Asia's history, which is interesting. That said, there's mostly just the grim sights of a city in famine as Saida leads him to the tent passing out food - and then flutters straight over it and back into the small wooded park behind it.

She pauses, landing on a branch, and then chirps in a way that gets translated to speech in his head.

Sky and Talon are in there and Issei is cooking! If you want to talk to them you can, but they're also pretty busy. Firuz is hiiiiiding back here.

[He looks back at the tent wistfully.]

I'd like to. After all, they have a place in his heart, too. But... you're right. This first.

Theeeen, in here!

She flutters into what appears to be empty space and disappears, then pokes her human head out (again, of empty space) and waves him in.

A permeable barrier...? Convenient.

[Well. Better just to do it.

He steps forward to join her.]

Inside it's... a different tent! It's not quite a war tent (it seems to be like, mostly a normal one, for sleeping in) but it's not not a war tent, given the intentions of who's in there. He's sitting by a small table covered in papers.

There's something a little bit interesting about his Inner Darkness Level. Because this is also Firuz, the one Satin talked to, the one who exists as an independent entity, he shares a soul with Umbra, who is (as of the beginning of heart games) at 0%. But because he also represents Firuz as he was in this moment in history, there's a faint echo of a shadow over him - at this point in history, Firuz was at a cool 80%.

Saida turns back into a bird, flutters over, and lands on Firuz's head.

[That... is interesting. And a bit alarming? Not that he didn't expect it to be high -- given this point in time, he was half convinced that if he'd rested a hand on the earth he'd feel those currents through the land itself. But to be able to sense both...

He steps to one side, and then back, like someone trying to see the full picture printed on a holographic card.]

Absently, he reaches up to grab Saida like she's a lemon and plonk her gently on his shoulder.

"You look a little taken aback."

Confused, more than that. I'd expected some things here, but the state of your heart is a new one.

"New in what way?"

The best way I know to describe it would be akin to quantum superposition -- it exists in two states at the same time.

"Hmm... well, I wouldn't know anything about that, exactly, but I guess it makes sense."

I don't really know that it should. But it's you; I can't say I'm surprised.

Given that, I don't think there's much I'll be able to do to help. These moments are what they are, and painful or not, they are important to you.

"If anything, I'm probably in a position to help you. You're collecting items, right?"

Am I?

"For the gate...? I'm not just a memory, even in this context, you know."

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]

Re: [ STONE ]