[SE] From dust to dust

"Nature Frey's pretty practical," Tal said with the satisfaction of a man who appreciated practicality in his gods just as much as beauty and awe. It might explain his tumultuous relationship with the whimsical Ludo, when it came down to it. That, and the deity's glee in assigning Tal tasks that resulted in bruises. "An' since I'm not much good at a close-in fight, they made it so I could cut things from further away."

The courier no longer looked like a scrawny stick of a man; his shoulders had broadened and lean muscles had filled in the hollowed-out areas he'd held onto out of adolescence in Halo's harsh environment, but he still carried himself like he didn't know his own strength, or at the very least didn't trust it.

Koa, now, had a body that could inspire all sorts of things, and Tal didn't look like he minded at all when the Dragoon flexed again before the tone dipped. He still looked sheepish, finally able to rub his neck when Koa spoke of the intimacy of the weapons they wielded. Tal had been trying to be as un-intimate as possible with his own little blade, though it would do both close and long range. He went for a silent nod of agreement, hoping he looked worldly and wise and not vaguely ashamed of his fear of getting hit.

Luckily Koa was quick to lighten things back up with an innuendo - or was that just Tal's dirty thoughts? - and the courier slid his dagger back into its sheath with satisfaction at a job well done. "Sure! It'll be excitin', at least." Possibly comical, sure, but with Koa involved he had tentative hopes that it would at least be fun.

Less exciting and more concerning was Safrin's continued absence from Caido, and Tal nodded again, this time in unenthusiastic agreement with the words of priests. "Yeah... well..." He gave an uncomfortable shrug, then perked up at Ronin's name. "First time I met 'im was in the kitchen below the Tower. Him an' Sugar. So does he outrank you?" the courier asked teasingly. "On account o' seniority an' all?" Aside from the whole demigod thing, of course!

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

"Awesome!" The Dragoon's shoulder bumps playfully against Tal's, boyish enthusiasm radiating through his smile. Always up for a bout with a new opponent, Koa is already imagining the fun they can have with blindfolds on. Not the kind of fun his friend dreams of, alas - though the younger man wouldn't say no, should a partner suggest such a thing. It's important to have skills you can use in multiple settings, and Koa is nothing if not versatile.

Maybe he bristles a little bit at the idea of Ronin outranking him, though the former Commander totally does. "I mean... he's not, like, enlisted, exactly." He rolls his broad shoulders in a shrug, face screwed up into a comically ambivalent expression. "He's like, a consultant, I guess? So technically, when he's here, he outranks me, but day-to-day I'd say I have a little more pull." It's hard to simultaneously idolize your heroes and want to defend your own value as maybe just in this case kinda more, boots on the ground wise.

Also, Koa is proud.

But anyway. Rolling his head over the back of the pew, Koa peers toward a stained glass window, trying to make out the state of the world outside. "Reckon the rain is letting up?" he wonders idly, just in time for the window to light up as electricity surges without. He winces, turning back to Tal with a grimace. "Or maybe not. The weather's been absolutely nuts this year - in Torchline, too. How's Halo been?"

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

Koa's enthusiasm was at least a little infectious, and Tal managed a boyish grin of his own in return as they found a mutually satisfactory arrangement for the (near?) future that would probably involve beating each other up and then going out for drinks afterwards.

Which was weird to the courier, who had never been much for male bonding rituals, but it felt... almost... nice?

After he finished putting the knife away he couldn't help but put his foot in his mouth over Ronin's place in the dragoons. The hemming and careful dancing around the Supernova's exact position within the organization went largely over Tal's head, but he looked suitably impressed when Koa landed on being the bigger fish - at least when Ronin wasn't around.

And, knowing Ronin, he probably wouldn't mind at all.

The lightning answered the other man's question and Tal winced at the same time as his muscular... acquaintance? The courier's nose wrinkled with internal confusion as he reached back up to rub at the back of his neck again as he tilted his head back to examine the distant ceiling. "Uh, well, not really storms, at least. Been warm as fuck though. Shit's thawing that prob'ly hasn't melted since..." He lacked a good comparison and waved his free hand vaguely. "Far back as th'White Lady started freezin' th'whole place solid. It's weird. An' th'rains haven't stopped in the Hollowed Grounds," he added for free, since he'd recently been making deliveries there, too. "Some weird flowers poppin' up, though. All black or purple an'... kind've fucky." His distracted expression grew momentarily tight before he tried to soothe it away. "Anythin' like that here?"

K O A

and they will shake their heads
and wag their bony fingers

"Huh. Halo thawing. Not something you expect to hear." And concerning, on multiple levels, though Koa lacks the scientific leaning necessary to really appreciate the potential environmental impact of this news. Gnawing pensively at his lower lip, the Dragoon nods his head. "No weird plants here, but I saw some in Torchline. Tides've been nuts, too."

Koa picks at a callus on his palm, a tight line drawn between his furrowed brows. "People've been saying it's because of those weird craters in King's End. Or maybe Safrin being gone?" The shrug is stiff; Koa is clearly more bothered by all of this than he'd care to let on. "I went with my friend Melita to ask Ludo, but it said because whatever happened came from the sky it didn't really care."

It's all a lot, and quite big for his little brain to try and make sense of. So he offers Tal another shrug and a strained smile, eyebrows raised and cheeks puffed in an expression of what ya gonna do? "Guess we just have to see what happens," Koa decides finally, "And make sure we're well trained and prepared for when it does." Truly a soldier's logic at work: if you can't understand a problem, learn how to beat it up.

in all the wrong directions—
and by daybreak we'll be gone

Tal nodded glumly at the confirmation that Torchline had been affected, too. The place was usually too warm for his tastes, but thanks to his improved Frostbite Cuff he wasn't bothered by it as much as he used to be. But now there was a new reason to avoid the coast except when business called. He'd had enough weird plants for one year!

He let his hand drop back to his lap, fingers tapping a distracted syncopated rhythm against his thigh. The Temple's soaring ceiling made it an easier structure to be in than most, but the courier still wasn't entirely comfortable in it, and their topic of conversation was enough to make anyone feel a little anxious. Not that mentions of Ludo ever made Tal feel better, and he winced a little at the mention of Melita. "Huh... well,  I guess I don't really know what it means, either, Safrin bein' th'only one worried an' all. But some extra trainin' sure wouldn't hurt anythin'." Though on reflection it could actually hurt quite a lot, in the short-term. Still, if it kept him alive in the long term, Tal figured he couldn't complain too much.

Though some complaining was probably okay.

"Ugh. Guess I'd better get back to th'inn so I can start dryin' off again," the courier decided, glancing glumly upwards as lightning flashed past the windows again. "Good seein' y'again, Koa." And he meant it. The Dragoon was absolutely easy on the eyes, even if Tal wasn't intending to do more than look - and that, awkwardly and with the occasional traitorous blush. "I'll take y'up on that the next time I'm in town!"

And with that, the courier gathered his reluctant dragon and headed out to face the storm once more.

~Fin~