action/text | a few days before the party

[imsorey]

i. action (locked to alisha/rose)

[Sorey and Mikleo have pretty much been sleeping like the dead for the past couple of weeks, following their accidental fight with the Dragon; their breathing is steadily, and they don't seem too debilitated by the long nap, but they also, worryingly, won't stir out of it.

until now -- both of them start to come awake at the same time, turning onto their sides, one of them letting out a queasy sort of groan. this is not an entirely pleasant revival.]

ii. text (open)

hey sorey and mikleo here

sorry if we worried anyone we accidentally got in an argument with the dragon again

we don't recommend doing that by the way. it looks like we were out of it for a couple of weeks. did we miss anything important?

iii. action (open)

[...or if you'd rather talk to them in person a little later in the day, they'll emerge from their room eventually, though probably nowhere too far -- kitchens, library, that sort of thing. they're kind of wobbly and look unwell, though not too terribly so.]

Comments

[superseding]

[ They've lived on Iniidae for months, but Hotaru still grapples between wanting to stay there and wanting to go home. They do have to make the best of it while they're here, though. ]

I don't want things to lead to our mutual destruction. I'm all for trying to think of alternatives before we have no choice.

I don't want it to get to that point.

[ Hotaru feels an odd sense of deja vu. She shakes her head. ]

Have you... sung at it? Would the song that helped with the nightmares work on the Dragon?

[oneandmikleonly]

[he nods, then recalls and adds a mental noise of agreement, acknowledgement]

I don't...know? It's possible? The song that helps with the nightmares is also the song of the Dragon's rival, so they might cancel each other out. But maybe if we altered it somehow? Intensified the calming effect behind it?

[superseding]

[ Someday soon, she'll be able to see Mikleo.

Hotaru tilts her head to the side. Music isn't something she's that knowledgeable about. ]

They're rivals? That... kind of makes sense. Their songs sound a little similar to me, but... I don't know how to alter music like that. It... sounds like something Dave could do?

[ She doesn't actually know if Dave can do that or that he did try. ]

[oneandmikleonly]

I think so? He's good at working with music in general, in any case. With those spinny things he has.

[he hasn't inquired closely enough before to find out what turntables are]

Maybe he's done it before? I've never thought to ask.

[superseding]

Spinny things?

[ She has no idea Mikleo means turntables. ]

It's something to think about.

[oneandmikleonly]

You know, spinny music things . . . I don't know how else to describe them.

[hmmm]

Either way, it's worth talking to him about. All right.

[superseding]

Vinyl records? CDs? Turntables?

[ She flashes a mental image of each. There are more important things, but she has to solve this mystery. ]

[oneandmikleonly]

Turntables! Those! They don't look much like tables, though, what a weird name.

[superseding]

I... think it's because you can turn the records on the thing? I'm not sure, though.

[ Maybe this is another (equally important) question to ask Dave. ]

[oneandmikleonly]

Modern etymology is weird. I guess we can look it up sometime.

[superseding]

It makes more sense for the thing you see in Chinese restaurants.

[ She means lazy susans and brings up that mental image. Do they have those kinds of restaurants in Glenwood? ]

[oneandmikleonly]

[puzzlement filters through]

I've never seen one, but we ate at inns mostly, or on the road, so we likely just missed them. It's hard to do a reservation for six when the staff can only see two, you know?

[superseding]

Not everyone from your world can see you?

[ Did she know that? She thought it was because they're from different worlds that she lacked some prerequisite to see him? ]

But that would be awkward...

[oneandmikleonly]

I'm used to it...

Did...did I never tell you? Back home I know a total of, um, three humans who can see seraphim normally. It's a really rare ability...

[he sounds abashed; he must never have explained properly. he can't remember.]

[superseding]

Really? Everyone I know that's from your world can see you, so I didn't think to ask. Why can't people-- humans see you?

[ Let her in on this secret rare ability? ]

[oneandmikleonly]

They don't have...resonance; spirit sense. Sorey does since he was raised as a baby by seraphim, Alisha does since she made a pact with him before, and Rose does since...well, she got influenced by a seraphim for a long time, too, but it took a while for her resonance to trigger. We don't really know what the key to increasing it in the general population might be, though. Sorey can't just pact with every single human we meet.

[superseding]

Does that mean if... humans spend enough time with you or any other seraph, they can slowly gain resonance? Or do humans have to be born with that potential to have it?

[ She sounds thoughtful. It sounds like humans would have to spend years to gain that kind of resonance, and she stops herself from inquiring about pacts with Sorey. That's probably best asked to the person directly. Hotaru doesn't believe that she has any potential for any of the above, but for a brief, glimmering passing thought, she thinks it'd it'd be wonderful if she did. ]

Do seraphim and humans live together or apart where you're from?

[oneandmikleonly]

I don't...know. I think--by the time Sorey and I were really old enough to think about it, he had the ability already, you know? I never thought to ask Gramps if Sorey couldn't see any of our family as a baby. I kind of hope he was able to, though, that seems like it would have been a weird formative experience.

...seraphim do live among humans in the settlements and cities, sometimes, but they're really spread out. I mean really spread out. Even if malevolence weren't an issue, it's hard to live somewhere where there's a lot of people but they can't acknowledge you, is my guess.

[superseding]

[ How sad would it be for a baby Sorey to not see his family? Really sad. Too sad.

The whole humans not being about to see seraphim in general is upsetting. That so many wouldn't be able to meet, see, hear someone as wonderful as Mikleo is distressing. ]

I want to believe Sorey did, too. He's the kind of person who could--who would from the start.

The seraphim who do live among humans are strong. I don't know if I'd be able to do it, if I were... It sounds so lonely.

[oneandmikleonly]

...it is lonely. We've been--we've been working to change it, or at least starting to, as best as we can.

I was happy to come here and meet you, meet everyone. This place is strange, and not everything about it is nice, but...it's been the first time I've been able to experience it alongside everyone, and have them know I'm here. Well, mostly.

[superseding]

I'm really happy to have met you, too. If I've learned anything here, it's that experiences are better shared. That's one of the better things about this place.

I hope you can change your home so more people can see you and the other seraphim for good. I wonder... if you could take anything from here to help with that.

[oneandmikleonly]

We'd like to, if we can...! But even if we can't, even just--the knowledge, of how to make a start on devices that would let people share the world the way they can here--that would be enough. We could work from there.

[superseding]

You and Sorey and the rest of your friends will make your world a better place for everyone—humans, seraphim, anyone. Definitely.

[ Her belief is unshakable. ]

[oneandmikleonly]

...you sound a lot like him, you know. Thank you, so much.

[superseding]

[ Hotaru's eyes widen. ]

What? [ She ducks her head a little. It's a high compliment, coming from anyone but especially coming from Mikleo. ] I don't know if I'll ever be as positive as he is, but you know, it's only because you two are how you are that I think that way.

Um... [ Suddenly more shy and nervous. ] Can I ask for a hug?