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Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-01-2025
[say]"What is that?"[/say] Stopping abruptly to stare, she pointed out the oddity to Tal. It looked like a jellyfish floating on a sea of cream, the frothy waves sprinkled with some kind of confectionary sugar.
"A dessert, miss, and a bit of a best seller if I may say so myself."
He sounded proud, and rightfully so. The dessert was very finely crafted, a sizeable helping more than enough for two. But that's not what had caught Maea's attention. The jellyfish was transparent, just like the real thing. And it was purple. She'd never seen the like before.
[say]"Well yes, but what is it? Like, what's it made of?"[/say]
"Oh, the centerpiece? Grape jelly. With some food dye. It's perfectly safe, of course."
Of course. It wasn't like purple had taken on a connotation of danger, void and nightmarish things of late. It seemed in poor taste to her, but given the line behind her, the vendor wasn't exaggerating.
She glanced at Tal again. [say]"Want to give it a try? My treat."[/say] She hoped it might cheer him up a bit; the courier seemed quieter than usual.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-03-2025
Sunk in his own thoughts, Tal had already started walking past the confectioner's stall without so much as a sideways glance at the weird food. His scowl was good at scaring away people who didn't know him well, but Maea had enough experience with the courier to understand that his face just did that. There was no denying that he was more subdued than usual, though, and when she drew his attention to the gelatinous purple dessert he shuddered, scowl deepening.
Not really," he admitted with a grimace, but then shook his head and made an attempt at being properly sociable. "But, uh... I'll see if I can help y'out with it, if y'want t'try it." The last thing he wanted to do was put anything that purple and wriggly-looking anywhere near his mouth. Even the thought of it made bile burn in the back of his throat. But it was the first time he'd seen Maea in seasons and he didn't want to ruin the reunion any more than he already had.
He tried to lighten his scowl and reached out to squeeze her shoulder in gratitude for her offer as she collected the confection and two spoons, and he went to secure them a little table nearby. "So, where've y'been?" he asked curiously, toying with his spoon and deliberately not looking at the too-real jellyfish floating serenely in its bowl of cream.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-04-2025
[say]"Alrigh, I appreciate that. Don't force yourself, though."[/say] Maea was intrigued enough for the both of them, and fully intent on keeping the conversation light and easy. She didn't know exactly what was bringing Tal's mood down, but whatever it was didn't need any help from her.
Balancing the plate and a cup of strong tea to cut the sweetness, she made herself comfortable by the table Talyson picked out. Without hesitation Maea dug her spoon into a jiggly bit of food, bringing it to her mouth; and hummed in mingled delight and consternation. It was good, but weird. The texture slipped over her tongue, a bit chewwy, a bit melty, cool and yet not... It was definitely an experience. The hype made sense now.
[say]"The Climb, mostly,"[/say] she replied, reaching for another bite, this time trying it with some of the cream. [say]"I needed some time to myself... though I realize I should have let people know. I'm sorry for not staying in touch."[/say] Savoring the treat, Maea regarded her friend across the table. [say]"I heard from Alys about her companion... How are you both holding up? And Boreal... can't be easy for her either."[/say] There was more than sympathy and support in her gaze; Maea knew from experience how difficult it was to move on from that kind of loss. Watching a loved one go through that - the notion alone was awful.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-05-2025
He couldn't hide the relief at being released from jellyfish-eating duty, though he looked a little longingly at the tea she'd obtained. He didn't really need it though, and while Maea took her first bite he made the command decision to look over at a passerby wearing a truly inspired sunhat and glasses that might have fit a frost giant but seemed comically large on their own head. The day was cloudy and uncomfortably humid so he couldn't figure out why they were bothering, but who could make sense of fashion?
He glanced back to see Maea poking at the cream of the 'ocean' and that, at least, looked safe enough. He hesitated a moment and then poked his own spoon into a wave to nibble on while he listened. Her apology was met with a wry grimace and a reluctant shrug, but he accepted it easily enough. He wasn't exactly one to talk about failures to keep in touch with folks, in spite of his career. Delivering letters was the easy part! Writing them, though? That was a whole lot harder.
He flinched a little at the mention of Sascha, but it was a tired reaction, worn thin by grief. He supposed he really shouldn't be surprised at how many people knew about the little ursur's passing, and yet it caught him off guard every time. He swallowed his bit of cream without tasting it, managing a jerky nod. "We're... holdin'," he said, the words pulled from him with a pained honesty. "Gettin' used t'th'shape o'... of where she used t'be. It's been hard but... it's been worse for Alys an' Boreal," he admitted reluctantly. "Boreal's stickin' by her side, 'specially when I can't be there for her." And he couldn't be, not all the time. Alys needed space to process her loss and her feelings without thinking that she needed to be strong for his sake, and he had too many people relying on his deliveries to shut the business down entirely while they learned to live with their loss.
Without even realizing it his spoon dipped back into the dessert, catching a bit of tentacle. He brought it to his mouth and swallowed it down with only a twitch of a grimace at the weird texture of it. He didn't seem to realize he'd even eaten part of the purple confection, not when so much of his brooding attention was turned inwards in that moment.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-06-2025
She reached out across the table, squeezing his arm in quiet understanding. It did not surprise her at all that even Tal and his dragon took the loss this way. They were kinder than the Messenger likely wanted to admit, his heart - and Boreal's - far too tender; how could he not hurt?
[say]"If either of you need anything - if it's washing up or running errands - please, just let me know. I know what Alys is going through right now; I hope she fares better that I did. Just..."[/say] Maea paused, hesitating over whether to go on, [say]"just know, she may never heal fully. Close to ten years have passes since I lost my Shii... and I feel the absence like a yawning pit in my soul, every day."[/say]
Leaning back, she continued to demolish the edible artwork. The texture of the jelly was growing on her, after the initial surprise it was fun, and the mild fruity flavor refreshing. The only thing missing was a bit of crunch.
[say]"What have you been up to, otherwise?"[/say] she asked after a bit. [say]"I saw you briefly at the latest Festival... did you have a good time?"[/say]
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-11-2025
There was probably something to be said about how Tal's spiky, scowly exterior was really a defense mechanism against the harsh cruelties of the world. It worked pretty well against everyone except his friends, and as Maea saw though him and reached for his arm he blinked up from the depths of his preoccupation. He managed a wan echo of a smile, trying to be reassuring but probably making things worse. "Thanks. It means a lot, Maea."
Her warning drew a brief, confused beetling of his brows, but as she continued and revealed her own loss he winced. "Shit. I had no clue that you'd... you'd been through that, too. I'm sorry." It didn't help to hear that she hurt just as much now as she had ten years ago, but it didn't surprise him, either. He still felt the loss of his parents all these years later, though it no longer cut as deep.
He took another distracted bite of the dessert, but this time he was aware enough to realize what he'd gotten on his spoon along with the cream. The tentacle jiggled like the jelly it was as he swallowed convulsively and then coughed, looking at the dessert with open betrayal on his face.
He set his spoon aside with a scowl, and Maea's following question - simple courtesy, asked in innocence - did nothing to lighten the expression, though it did shift to a wince and his eyes darted to the side. "Th'Festival? Oh, it, uh..." He trailed off with an awkward shrug. "I was just glad Alys wanted t'go, t'be honest. But it was nice t'see folks." He hesitated for an uncomfortable pause, trying to decide what and how much to say before he cleared his throat. "We had... a bad LongNight, though. There was a Void attack on our... house. Alys an' Boreal are okay!" he hurried to assure the Ancient. "But... we just needed t'get away for a little while, y'know?"
He bit his lip before gesturing across the table in a transparent effort to change the subject. "What about you? What're y'doin' in Torchline these days?"
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-11-2025
He didn't have to be cheerful or keep up appearances, though she knew the instinct well enough. If Tal wasn't his usual sturdy self right now, what of it? Even without so many good reasons for it, his grief and pain wouldn't make her less willing to help where she could. It wasn't even because he'd put up with her in the past; Maea just cared. It was that simple.
[say]"It was a long time ago,"[/say] she simply offered, explaining why her loss of a companion wasn't more obvious. The burden of it had simply become part of her now, the way one learned to compensate for missing limbs.
It was pushed firmly out of mind however as Tal told her about the attack. Sitting up straight, he cut her off before she could inquiry about the others, but despite the relief her face remained drawn, what little color there was faded with concern.
[say]"Me? Trying to move in... though it's not going well at the moment. But nevermind that, what happened to your house? What attacked you?"[/say] If he thought she was just going to let him brush off the subject, he was sorely mistaken. Void could mean literally anything.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-11-2025
'Cheerful' wasn't something he was good at pretending to be, anyways. He was going for 'reassuring' but apparently he couldn't even get that right as Maea continued to look at him with concern. It wasn't unwarranted, he had to admit, but it did make him a little uncomfortable. At least learning that he'd been insensitive about her old companion gave him a different kind of discomfort to focus on, even if she was gracious enough to wave away his sympathy.
It wasn't enough to distract her from his own news and his grimace returned. Pale eyes dropped to the table top, studying the grain of the wood while one hand reached up to scrub roughly at the back of his neck. "Th'Void, like I said. A.... a monster. Like nothin' I ever saw before." A shiver ran through him, hard enough to rattle his bones as he stared stubbornly downwards. "It... it did some... damage. T'th'house. Broke out a window. But it... left. Before I could... could kill... it." His recounting stumbled and paused, Mort's answer to his question still fresh in his mind. He swallowed hard and gave a shake of his head. "It's not somethin' I want t'think about right now."
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-11-2025
The dessert sat forgotten on the table, cream slowly melting back into liquid form. In the overcast light, despite the close humidity, Maea felt a chill traipse down her spine and she tugged the coat closer about herself, wishing herself far away. Where might be safe, though? Monsters barging through a window at the darkest of days smacked too much of her childhood terrors, and there had never been any true safety from them. If the void could get to a demigod in the middle of the most protected region in Caido, where was left to run to?
[say]"I can imagine being eager to get away after that,"[/say] Maea murmured. [say]"Sorry, for pushing you to talk. What... what did you want to know? Why I'm here, or what I'm doing while being here?"[/say] Having nothing of comfort or assurance to offer him, the only thing left to provide her friend with seemed to be distraction. If that meant spilling her guts about Flora and her demands, so be it.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-14-2025
His shoulders eased a little ways down from his ears and he risked a glance up at the quiet understanding in her voice. His eyes were almost pathetically grateful for her patience and he gave a jerky shake of his head at her apology. "S'alright," he mumbled. When he looked back on the conversation later he'd recognize her concern as something he would've shared if their positions had been reversed, but in the moment all he felt was relief that he wouldn't need to relive the trauma of that night again so soon.
"Uh... both? Or either, I guess. It's been ages since we talked so..." He gave a sheepish shrug, his hand slowly slipping from his neck and back to the table to fiddle with his spoon. "Anythin' y'want t'tell me, really." And anything she didn't want to talk about, he'd return the favor and not push her about!
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-14-2025
What was there to tell, really? Maea pushed the remnants of the jelly around the plate, her appetite gone for now even though the memory of pleasant flavors lingered on her tongue.
[say]"Well... as I said, my plan was to move here. But the queen didn't like that idea, so she is throwing me out. I was given a week to get necessary business sorted... and I can't come back unless it's with a Rose or Lily in hand."[/say] Not even to visit, she assumed, which effectively cut her off from meeting friends and finding work.
Without getting into the longwinded reasons for Flora's poor opinion of her, that was the gist. [say]"I'd been thinking I wanted to change a lot of things... The way I've been doing things hasn't worked well, and I'm sick of hurting people without meaning to. I wanted more... more intention behind my choices. To not react so much with my gut whenever something happens, as it doesn't lead me to good places. But now... it looks like I need to take a detour."[/say] Not settle and find peace in steady work and personal growth, but go on a wild goosechase for flowers to prove herself to some angry little girl with a chip on her shoulder.
It was only the looming threat of the Family and the actual need for the plants that had her even considering this path. Only the fact that she didn't like any of the other options available to her that kept her from just walking away from the whole situation.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-16-2025
The queen...? Tal blinked and then whistled low, pulled out of his trauma by the sheer surprise at Maea's words. "I mean, th'rest o'that sounds really good." And there was a wriggling little thought in the back of his brain that maybe he could benefit from such a mature approach to his life and choices, but he ignored it like he usually did. "Y'haven't ever hurt me, but... I get it." It wasn't like he had never hurt anyone without thinking it through before, after all. He shuddered, fingers digging into the tabletop until the flash of pain from his stressed nails brought him back. Pale beneath his brown skin and sweating a little in spite of - or maybe because of? - the Torchline humidity, he grasped for the first straw of distraction he could drag from the murk of his thoughts.
"But Flora's tossin' you out? Why's she so pissed?" He was pretty sure the Doubletake had been peeved at him a time or two, too, but she'd never gone so far as to exile him from Torchline for running late on a delivery! And needing a flower before being allowed back... The courier grimaced in sympathy, shaking his head to try and force the lingering shadows away and focus on his friend across the melting purple jelly as it stained the white cream with increasing streaks of violet.
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Maea - 03-16-2025
Fortunately for them both she had yet to fuck anything up with Tal, but if she continued like she had, Maea suspected it was only a matter of time. Hence the desire for change, before she ruined what had become a precious connection and turned into someone even she couldn't stand.
Flora had apparently reached that line already, which was kind of astonishing given the limited times they'd met. Sighing wearing, Maea rubbed her forehead. [say]"Remember that ball I hosted last Deepfrost? Well, I had arranged for the leaders to meet earlier in the day. Dahlia showed up, and I opened my stupid mouth and asked her to leave. Things got pretty tense; no one got hurt but it wasn't thanks to me."[/say]
Taking a sip of her tea, the slight bitterness was refreshing after so much sweerness on the tongue. [say]"Then there's the incident where I was talking to myself while she was walking by, and assumed I was insulting her. Oh, and I fought with Astaroth, who's apparently her friend? Boyfriend? Who even knows – it was bad, at any rate, big part of why I'm moving, and it seems Flora has picked a side on the matter."[/say]
Chewing the inside of her cheek, the next and last reason was likely also the weightiest. And the source of her own tolerance for the whole exile, whether it was fair or not. [say]"Also... her sister died, over LongNight. And if Ronin hadn't revived me over the summer, maybe... there's a chance Seren could have been saved."[/say]
RE: Walking in the purple rain - Talyson - 03-16-2025
Well, he'd wanted distraction, and Maea's story certainly provided that! Tal blinked in surprise, brow furrowed as he tried to recall hearing about the leaders but... hail, he wasn't exactly in speaking terms with most of them, not about official leadery-type stuff at least. It was understandable that he was hearing about it for the first time now, and a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the Reaper just showing up uninvited. "Uh... well, fuck," he mumbled, but it turned out she wasn't done yet.
He wrinkled his nose at the mention of Astaroth, unable to hide his own distaste of the smarmy gentleman, then grimaced in sympathy to hear about Flora picking sides. "Yeah, that tracks," he admitted, half under his breath. But then the big reason dropped and he winced, recognizing the self-flagellation going on across the table from him all too well. "Sure, but Flora died, too, didn't she? If she hadn't gottern 'erself killed, maybe t'other girl, well..." He spread his hands in a helpless half-shrug. "Could be she's just upset at herself an' takin' it out on you. Sucks either way, though." He blew out a heavy breath and reached up to run his fingers back through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. "I haven't had much luck with those flowers, but if I find any I'll let y'know." Though he had his own plans for a flower if he found one, Sah and Noah willing...
But not until Sascha was back at Alys's side. "So, uh... about that whole dyin' thing..." He winced at his own tactlessness, but it didn't stop him from charging ahead like a bull in a china shop. "My partner, Alys, she needs t'talk t'folks who've died an' come back for a quest. Would it be okay t'give her your name?"