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(SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-03-2022
Why hadn’t they answered?
It’s the ongoing thought that vibrates through his mind. Was he unworthy?
They said—
”Safrin will pitch quite a fit, but what of it?” A game that toyed with his life and Ronin’s benevolence. A debt he can’t repay. A debt he isn’t sure he wants to repay if Safrin had been right.
Nor does he really know how.
It’s aimless, how he finds himself wandering closer to the first shrine he had ever visited — the one where Frey had met him first. He toys with the idea of going and asking them a simple ‘hey what the fuck’, before he changes his mind.
Instead, the Flood stands at the base of the Spire. And he weighs whether or not it’s even worth it in the first place to be here at all.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-03-2022
The Spire is about to become much more than a great black dick in the sky, and that means there's quite a lot going on inside it, actually. Hollowed out from where Safrin fell, it's a treacherous place to navigate, but for Ascended, Isla supposes it's less terrible than it could be otherwise. She's just been making sure there's a place to mount the lightning rod, when it's been crafted, and she heads back down to the base of the Spire just, as it happens, when Sunjata drops by.
He'll hear her quietly thanking the Prince as he offers her a hand over a bit of sharp rubble, the medic glancing up and jumping a bit to see the Flood just suddenly there. [say]"Oh, Sunjata,"[/say] she says, breathing his name out on a sigh just as the Prince also relaxes by her side. [say]"I didn't know you were visiting. What brings you all the way out here?"[/say]
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-03-2022
It’s certainly unintentional, the way he surprises Isla. Yet the Flood makes no move to seem less, to draw back and let more space come between them. No, if anything, her surprise and her movement only draw a bit more of a reaction than otherwise — far more dour, far more quiet than before, the tilt of his head from the speck of obsidian he’d been staring at, to shift his gaze toward Isla. “[say]A detour.[/say]” He murmurs, offering a shrug before some little realization hits him and he takes a deep breath.
He turns to face her and the Prince more fully, jaw feathering as he considers his words. “[say]Can we talk?[/say]” It’s far less boisterous, far less information offered, but before Isla has a chance to freak out about what it might be about, he starts walking away from the spire toward a path that leads toward the Glade and away from the construction within the Spire.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-03-2022
It's difficult to get some time alone with a Prince at your heels, but Isla thinks he's getting the gist of listening, at least sometimes. And so as Sunjata looks like the sort of man who's been staring into the sun, or a deep, black pool, she murmurs for her companion to set off home without her. Nodding and quietly acquiescing, it leaves Isla free to follow after the Flood.
[say]"I'm all ears,"[/say] she murmurs, pushing up the sleeves of her loose sweater as she falls into step with the much taller man. It might be Longheat, but unaffected by the temperature as the Ascended are, she's barely noticed the change in season. [say]"What do you want to talk about? Does it have anything to do with where we are going...?"[/say]
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-03-2022
The warmth of Longheat and the threat of nearly dying has Sunjata wearing little by means of clothes. Not needing a jacket or a sweater, he’s free to roam in his usual set up he’d wear in the Grounds. A sleeveless shirt paired with a pair of pants, enough to let the sun soak into his sun kissed skin, to pop out the freckles that span the bridge of his nose and his cheeks. “[say]Not really going anywhere, just… with less ears.[/say]” He admits quietly, his accent tugging and pulling at the words.
“[say]I saw Safrin after what I did. She nearly killed me if it weren’t for Ronin.[/say]” He pauses, turning his head as if he might be able to stare straight down the edge of the glade, searching straight through it for Frey’s shrine. “[say]I called to Frey to help me survive. They didn’t answer.[/say]” Stopping abruptly, the Flood turns his gaze to Isla, a question buried within the steel of whether or not he’d made the right choice.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-05-2022
Less ears. She recognises that sort of paranoia, and Sunjata reminds her a bit of Nate now, as she falls in step with him to go to the Glade. She follows his gaze, too, expecting... she doesn't know what, exactly, but when he speaks, it isn't that. Blue eyes widen as she gazes up into his face, Isla feeling as though there ought to be something to do, or something to say, but... it's unheard of, isn't it?
[say]"Do you think perhaps Safrin stopped them from coming?"[/say] she asks softly. [say]"I know that some shrines are dedicated to particular gods, but I... gods, Jata. I'm so sorry. You're alive, though - you made it."[/say] She takes a step closer, reaching out to touch a hand to his forearm, as if to check he's actually real.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-05-2022
He’s certainly never heard of it happening. And she offers an option that is helpful as it is painful, as if he’d walked into a trap without any way out other than being indebted to Ronin, which he’s not sure hurts more or less. His lips part but only air passes through them before her cool hand rests on his sun-warm forearm and his attention flickers from the shrine in the distance through the Glade to land on the Remedy.
“[say]I need to ask them but I’m not sure where to start.[/say]” He manages, turning to face Isla a bit more fully, the steel of his gaze shadowed as she had seen it so often before as he reaches with the lightning scarred hand to cover her hand that rests on his forearm. “[say]I know Safrin is manipulative but I’m worried about what she said about my deal with Frey for the war… I don’t really know how to bring that up either.[/say]” There’s a huff of a sound, a shake of his head as he tilts his chin up toward the sky, staring up at it as if he can glare daggers through it. “[say]And I have to talk to the Voice still and, fuck, Isla, it’s a lot already and I’m reeling.[/say]” And he’s sorry, at the end of the day, for putting some of the weight onto her shoulders too.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-05-2022
[say]"Maybe think about it a bit, before you go?"[/say] Isla suggests with a soft smile, not that she has even the smallest inkling about what he's going through. [say]"That way maybe you might have a clearer head."[/say] Luckily for Sunjata, Isla is the sort of woman used to shouldering the weight of other people's ailments, and she takes his in stride.
[say]"How long are you going to be in the Grounds? You can come back to the Temple with me, if you like. I just have a few patients to check on, but then I'll be done. The distraction might be nice."[/say] It's better than fretting about everything and rolling it around in his mind. [say]"How is Nate? Is he here with you?"[/say]
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-05-2022
“[say]I have been for a couple days.[/say]” He murmurs lightly, pushing a breath between his lips as he agrees with her. It’s why he hasn’t gone yet, needing to clear his head and figure things out. For now though, he’s sufficiently distracted by Isla’s presence and that’s enough of a boon to keep him from wallowing too much in his own self pity as he’s often prone to doing.
How long are they here for? Well, he’s not sure. A little while at the very least. “[say]Sure.[/say]” He agrees softly, turning his course around to focus on the path back toward the Spire, toward the Temple with a surprising amount of muscle memory as to where things are. “[say]Nate’s good... He took the news better than I thought he would. He’s here, yeah, somewhere. Getting some herbs i think for our garden we planted.[/say]” The marketplace maybe? If not there, he isn't sure where, but he’s around.
“[say]Isla… Is there anything to prep for the war here for the Ascended that I can help with? Just… Anything. I want to be able to help you before I can’t.[/say]” Before he gets whisked away with or without Nate, depending on how the Voice conversation went.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-05-2022
[say]"Good. I'm glad,"[/say] Isla says with a kind smile, turning with him and slipping her arm through his own as if they are a lady and a gentleman out for a jaunt somewhere. And she can't help but relax to hear that Nate is alright as well, though she's very aware that what the doctor shows to the world is not always what's going on in his head. [say]"We will need to try and turn the VlamVloed into an inn, or something,"[/say] she suggests, nudging him a bit. [say]"Maybe more people will want to come and visit."[/say]
She furrows her brow as he continues, unsure what he means until it suddenly clicks into place. [say]"Oh,"[/say] she says, [say]"I... well. I'd have to think, probably. I know we are working hard to keep the Hollowed Grounds as a safe haven for the Ascended, so if you know any good defences we could try to set up, I'd appreciate it."[/say]
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-05-2022
He’s glad too, to a certain extent. As glad as he can be given the circumstances. He tucks her arm in against him as they walk back, ever the picture perfect vision of a couple entering a ball might look like, perhaps if Sunjata didn’t outwardly look like he’s suffering. Still, he tries to keep it under wraps as much as possible, nodding to her comment of the VlamVloed. “[say]I’ve been meaning to fix it up anyway. Nate and I, and anyone else, can start expanding it to be an Inn?[/say]” He offers the suggestion easily – something to distract while simultaneously helping.
The path is easy and before long he finds them back on the main path, heading toward the Temple and further away from the Spire and the shrine of Frey that calls to him. “[say]Sure.[/say]” He offers quietly, nodding as the gears start working in his head. “[say]I can offer my shifts again for anything you all might need.[/say]” He tacks on, head tilting slightly toward Isla. “[say]Just to have that extra bit of comfort.[/say]” As for the rest of it, it’ll take some time to figure out. Which again, makes for a perfect distraction.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-06-2022
[say]"Mm, that's a good idea. Isn't it a branch of a bigger business, too? I thought maybe we could send a letter to Neron in Halo. He runs the Kraai, it might be nice if he had somewhere to go if the worst happens, and he has to relocate to the Hollowed Grounds?"[/say] It's not the sort of idea she likes to think about, but honestly, it could happen at any time. The more Isla finds out about Caido, the less she likes.
But that's not a conversation for now, not with Sunjata already feeling terrible. Isla smiles up at him, leaning gently against him and nodding. [say]"I think I'm all set for now, but I can spread the word around to the others, in case any Ascended need your help? And if you really want to do me a favour, you can probably act as my nurse in the infirmary."[/say]
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Sunjata - 01-06-2022
If nothing else, even if the topic is grim, there is a bit of hope lingering within it – something for him to think about, something to focus on. “[say]We expanded from the Grounds to Halo then to Torchline.[/say]” He murmurs in quiet agreement, letting the gears spin in his head. “[say]Torchline’s… Doesn’t exist anymore, but Neron has taken care of the Kraai far better than anyone else I know.[/say]” The praise falls from his lips with ease. “[say]The VlamVloed always has a special place in my heart, though.[/say]” This part has a ghost of a smile lightening his features a bit as they walk and she leans in against him.
He offers his shifts for her and the Ascended and by the time the dirt path turns to the cobblestone of the inhabited part of the Grounds, he can’t help but to let her words cut through his sourness, letting a small snort slip from him. “[say]Do I look like I might be nurse material?[/say]” He asks her, casting a glance down toward her with the raise of his dark, newly scarred brow. “[say]I can try but I can’t guarantee I won’t be more of a lumbering hindrance.[/say]” There’s a tiny bit more amusement that breaks through the stormclouds – distracted sufficiently enough from his own self pity for the moment.
RE: (SE) an open book with a torn out page - Isla - 01-07-2022
[say]"Well, that's all the more reason to keep it up and running,"[/say] Isla says of the Vlamvloed with a soft smile. [say]"I bet you'd have plenty of people willing to help you out. We've actually had quite a few visitors to the Grounds lately. It's been... nice, actually."[/say] And she's paranoid and suspicious about it, but that doesn't make it any less nice. [say]"It would be good to have some place for them to get some food and drink, and to stay if they need to."[/say]
She steps away from him for a second to look up at him, as if taking his question very seriously. [say]"Well, we'll have to work on your bedside manner. Press down that raised eyebrow, maybe, and replace it with some etiquette. And maybe you need a wash and a change of clothes, but there's potential."[/say] With amusement dancing in her pebble blues, she turns once more to lead the way towards the infirmary.
[say]"That's the spirit!"[/say] she trills.