005 [Audio/Action]

[aerialassault]

[Audio]
Yo. Everyone.

[It was midday that he addressed the village as a whole, without any lead-in or hint of apology in his tone for being so goddamn casual.]

I'm lookin' for a friend of mine. He's got long hair and has a pet pig-- lemme know if you see him.

[Action]

[It was training, Souji had been insisting for the last few weeks when he set an enraged, squealing Saizou upon him without any warning. Speed training for a little game between the two of them that they both had a stake in. And, finally-- after many days of running from the grumpy little pig-- the game was on.

Cliff had 24 hours to catch Souji. Truth be told, he had no idea what the little prankster was up to.

He'll be anywhere and everywhere around town that day, searching every corner and under every table for any hint of that teasing smile...all the while remaining on high alert for anything that would attempt to dive-bomb him.]

Comments

TOTALLY

[aerialassault]

[Cliff stared at Souji, stunned by the sheer level of comfort and casualness that the other man had smiled at him with.]

Just...how long have you been here?

:D

[ahappylie]

Long enough to send Saizou home after he had his afternoon nap.

[He looked around the room at his piles of paper clutter.]

And to do all this.

[He returned his gaze to Cliff and smiled again.]

Fayt-kun is at Aleos-kun's apartment. He said he'd stay there until we were finished.

[aerialassault]

So...you've been here awhile.

[He scratched his head in boyish embarrassment, internally chiding himself for being so short sighted. Instead of wandering all the way to the northern end of the village to meet a man who fit Souji's description, he should have just stayed in his room...

Cliff sighed, defeated.]

He is, huh? [Aleos' apartment was on the floor just below, he recalled. It wasn't too far at all.] And...what are we going to be doing that he's gotta wait for? Making toys for Saizou?

[ahappylie]

You could say that.

[Souji picked up a pillow that housed a collection of different colored birds and set it on the table next to the dinosaurs. With the space cleared, he motioned for Cliff to sit and waited for him to draw closer before speaking again.]

Fayt-kun assumed we'd want some privacy, considering the stakes of our bet.

[aerialassault]

[Stakes? Cliff eyed Souji curiously as he picked his way across the room with as much grace as he could manage, and flopped down on the cushions next to Souji.]

...Am I gonna need to get out a pair of socks for this?

[ahappylie]

[Again with the sock thing. Future people were totally weird about socks and alone time. Maybe one day he should just start putting socks on all of the apartment doors just to see how long both people stood outside looking awkward until they figured it out.

Souji feigned a look of confusion, which wasn't hard considering he'd worn it earlier in the day, and tilted his head.]

....Socks?

[aerialassault]

Socks, [Cliff repeated, patiently.] Yanno, for....privacy?

[He thought he had explained the nuances of this code the last time it came up, but clearly he hadn't done a good enough job of it before.]

[ahappylie]

[He looked at Cliff with a smile and leaned in towards him.]

Oh, I know. I just like seeing you get a little flustered every time you have to explain.

[aerialassault]

[Headscratch. There was no point in denial here.]

Uh...right. Should'a figured it was something like that.

[ahappylie]

[Souji sat back and folded his hands in his lap.]

Actually, I did want to ask you something. I talked to Fayt-kun a little bit about it, but he said I should talk to you instead.

Do you mind?

[aerialassault]

[He cast Souji a curious look, wondering what in this world he wanted to ask Fayt about first...]

Sure, go ahead and shoot.

[Surely it had to be something silly, right?]

[ahappylie]

[No need to be anything but blunt with Cliff, so Souji just spat it out, watching closely for his reaction.]

What did Albel-san mean when he talked about the other realms?

1/2

[aerialassault]

[Silence fell between the two of them after Souji uttered his question, and all humor in Cliff's demeanor fled under that sharp look in Souji's eyes. For a brief moment Cliff stared back, stunned-- as if the words were a sharp smack across the face. His bewilderment was plain, and for once all of his skill with words failed him.

His mind raced with questions of his own: why would Albel even consider mentioning that? Surely, even with his periodic rages, he would have the sense to not say that.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, he finally breathed and turned away.]

2/2

[aerialassault]

That...

[He trailed, and ran a hand through his thick hair in an uncertain gesture.]

...that's complicated.

[A soft snort, then he muttered under his breath.]

I'm gonna need to talk to that guy...

[ahappylie]

Why do you think I waited until I had a situation where you couldn't tell me not to ask?

[Because Cliff, having lost the bet, would have to do as Souji said for at least one thing and there was nothing that was eating at the swordsman more than having only a piece of the puzzle and no answers. Fayt had the power of Destruction, Albel talked of other realms, and Cliff simply avoided the problem hoping Souji wouldn't pry or find out.

He gave the Klausian a pointed look, refusing to let him just look away.]

Fayt-kun said I had to ask you. I tried other means, but this seemed like the only way to get you to explain.

[aerialassault]

[Cliff sighed, knowing full well that his hands were tied in this matter. A deal was a deal but, while he had intended on sharing the information with Souji eventually, he found himself wholly unprepared for how to handle this.]

That is because it's very complicated, [he explained, casting Souji another look after he had recollected himself.]

Fayt told me that he shared some of his side of things. When did Albel tell you this-- around the same time?

[ahappylie]

Before that. [He leaned back a little, hands in his lap.]

I visited him after what happened with Fayt-kun, just after midnight when the period of my promise to you lapsed.

[He'd said he wouldn't attack Albel that day. The day had passed so the promise had no longer held any sway over him. Under normal circumstances, Souji would have shoved a sword into Albel's neck. Seeing that Albel was actually Cliff and Fayt's friend, however, all he'd done was talk to the man.]

Fayt-kun and I spoke just before you arrived, before he left to Aleos-kun's place.

[aerialassault]

...I see...

[The fact that Souji had been sitting on these questions for over two months astounded him. The level of patience that feat required was to be respected, because a lesser man-- including Cliff himself-- would have found a way to pry the answers out sooner.]

...

Honestly, I'm not even sure where to begin, [he confessed, with a subtle note of embarrassment in his tone.] I know the deal, but...I don't know the deal. Fayt and Albel have already finished it, but it's still waiting for me back home.

[ahappylie]

That's why he wanted me to ask you. [It was more a revelation to himself than a statement on what Cliff said. Fayt was ahead of Cliff in time, it stood to reason he wouldn't want to reveal anything that Cliff wouldn't know or hadn't experienced yet. It was much like how Souji still burned books despite there being no one here to protect from their information - maybe not to the same extreme, but the feeling was there.

He shifted in his seat and then put a hand on Cliff's.]

Just start where you feel comfortable. I'm not gong anywhere tonight, if you don't want me to.

[aerialassault]

[Secrecy wasn't the issue. Fayt had made sure that his friends were updated with all of the relevant information as they entered this world, because it was a deep rooted part of their story that no one could have even forseen until well after the Vendeeni had tracked them back to the Elicoor system, with Sophia and Dr. Leingod in tow. Cliff shifted position and lightly squeezed the hand upon his, grateful for the subtle offer of support, and ventured forth with the story.]

Thanks. This...it could take a while.

Tell me, Souji. What all did Fayt tell you?

[ahappylie]

His role in it - what he can do. Admittedly, I was able to get that story out of him likely due to his medication.

The rest, I guessed at, but he wouldn't confirm anything - not until I spoke to you.

[aerialassault]

[He scratched his head with a free hand, accidentally knocking aside a few paper flowers and cranes with the motion.]

'Course it'd be something like that... we can start there.

[It was, after all, the best place to begin.]

So he told you 'bout what he can do, and probably mentioned the project his dad was involved in nineteen years before we got to this place...

Did you ever consider that maybe giving someone the power to destroy matter was just one part of the project?

[ahappylie]

A part? [He thought for a moment. He hadn't considered that, but then Souji was one who leaned toward destruction anyway. He knew there were others out there who thought of better things, but his world was always tinged red no matter what.

But if destruction was only part of it, then how many other parts were there? Creation? Something else?]

He mentioned there were other people, but nothing else.

[aerialassault]

Of course he did.

[After all, Fayt was leaving this explanation in his hands.

Cliff angled his gaze toward Souji, studying the lines of his face for any hint at what Cliff may have been in for as their conversation continued. As always, there wasn't much to be found that was beyond the ordinary.]

Yeah. Fayt's just one part of it. One part of three-- [He lifted a hand, showing Souji a single finger.] The others are Sophia, a friend of his that he grew up with, [he lifted a second finger, adding to the count,] and the other...

[He paused, humming softtly as he lifted a third finger.]

The other is Maria.

[ahappylie]

[Three. Destruction, its opposite..and what? Stasis? There were a lot of questions buzzing in his head as Cliff began to enumerate the others, and the buzz only got louder when Maria's name was mentioned. Was that why she'd been looking for Fayt? Because they were all a part of some grand scheme? A scheme for what?]

The woman you work for. What power does she have? And what were these powers for?