Open Action: Fleet Wide

[killedwithlove]

Who: Cole and anyone who isn't fast enough to get away
Broadcast: n/a
Action: Any ship, though he won't venture onto the Three Twins or Tourist still. He will park next to them, now!
When: First half of the month?


[Cole does this thing. He does this thing where he goes everywhere and sticks his large nose into everything and meets people. He hasn't done it for a while, so clearly, it's time again.

The Pathstone comes in next to a ship, docks and then they spend a while there. There's no pattern to which ship it is. But he'll bring them around to your ship eventually.]

Comments

[killedwithlove]

[He knows, because he sees her getting better on Jove, strengthened by Cullen and they're making this small, tight unit of love and caring that he doesn't understand but he desperately wants to be near so he bask int he reflected emotions.

People don't do that, but he does. But he focuses on just Elize, quieting the other things around her.]

Did you make it yourself?

[princessia]

[ An enthusiastic nod. Then she starts to sing a little, rhyming song. Her voice is clearly untrained, yet she's enjoying herself by coming up with a random tune from out of nowhere. Too bad Teepo's not there to sing along with her. ]

♪ It's raining outside, it's raining outside
With a very big hat, Cole kept the nugs warm and dry ♪

[ Such simple lyrics. But in her mind, she thinks it's a great song. ]

[killedwithlove]

[While she sings, Cole comes over and sits on the floor, watching her.]

That's very clever. I don't understand how to make music, it must feel good to be able to.

[princessia]

[ Although she can stay at her desk, she moves to sit on the floor to be near him. She brings along with her a small stack of paper to draw on and her colored pens. ]

It's great! I don't know how to explain it, but the tunes just suddenly come into my mind sometimes.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole picks up a piece of paper, stroking it, feeling the texture and the lack of history behind it.]

All I hear is the music that's there, so I think that's pretty special.

[princessia]

[ She lies down on her stomach, paper in front of her and pen in hand. ]

You hummed a song to me, when I was feeling sad. Where did you hear that one?

[killedwithlove]

Mama. She'd hum it to us when we were scared or sad.

[He'd heard that song a lot as a child, until even that had been too much noise, too much of a risk in setting off their father.]

I know songs from other people. I hear the songs from them and I remember them.

[princessia]

"Us"? You and... your sister?

[ Cole's sister. She vaguely remembers mention of her, when they first met. ]

I'll sing you more songs, when I come up with the words.

[ Usually a random tune comes into mind first before any words and she finds herself humming. It's always whenever she's in a good mood, so it's always something happy. ]

[killedwithlove]

Yes. Cole and Bunny.

[He finally starts drawing. A small girl, with pale, pale hair and watery blue eyes. She's wearing a grey dress with small, fabric flowers in a yellow.]

[princessia]

Bunny...

[ Elize repeats it with a small smile. She thinks it's a nice name. Cute. Resting her head on her free hand, she watches him draw. ]

What was she like?

[killedwithlove]

I... don't remember a lot, not clearly. She was only six when she died.

[Unlike most of his drawings, this one has nothing of the spirit sight in it. This Cole never saw Bunny, only the mage Cole did. And he didn't see emotions.]

She liked skipping. She could skim stones over rivers really well.

[princessia]

Oh...

[ She says quietly, lowering her gaze, awkward and apologetic. Six is awfully young.

Setting down her pen, she starts drawing on her own paper. A little girl wearing warm long-sleeve clothing with fur trim, much like how most fashion is in Au Joule. One of the children who helped her sneak out of her room in Hamil. She never got the girl's name. ]

She sounds like she had a lot of talent. I'm not even sure how to skim stones...

[killedwithlove]

[Cole slides the picture of Bunny over to Elize and takes another piece of paper, sitting and thinking quietly about what to draw for a moment.]

Cole taught her. I don't know if I remember how to do it. When we stop somewhere with a lake, we can go and see if I remember how.

And if I don't, I bet Jove or Cullen will know how.

[princessia]

I'd like that.

[ Hopefully the next planet is nice. Whether or not he remembers how, she'll still have fun. As far as she knows she was an only child, but it's beginning to feel like she has an older brother...

She silently accepts the drawing of Bunny, planning on sticking it up on the wall of her personnel room later. ]

I've always watched other children skim stones. And play all sorts of games together. Their parents didn't want them getting involved with me...

[killedwithlove]

Us either. We lived out away from the town, and everyone thought I was strange. Eerie.

[He doesn't go into it any further. But he understands being the child no one is meant to go near.]

We can play. I don't know a lot of games, but we can work something out. Jove will know games.

[He finally starts another picture. It's on of his spirit pictures that doesn't entirely make sense, but there seems to be a person with a beard in there.]

[princessia]

[ Eerie, strange. All too familiar words. She was called an "evil brat". She'll never forget the time the villagers threw rocks at her... ]

Sometimes I play hide-and-seek with Cullen. It would be much more fun if you played with us too.

[ Seeing his spirit pictures doesn't surprise her as much anymore. She just lets him draw however he wants. But she still finds herself tilting her head at the drawing. ]

Who are you drawing now?

[killedwithlove]

I can hide so no one can see me and I can feel where people are if I know them. I think that makes it less fun for everyone else.

[He knows how to play, like a person. But he doesn't know how not to make those things happen.]

Rhys. I miss Rhys. Maybe even more than I miss Solas. I'd forgotten what kindness was until I met him.

[princessia]

...oh. [ That would be cheating. Then she'll try to think of a different game. ] What about a game of tag?

[ She remembers the name Rhys mentioned before. She also remembers when Solas disappeared and Jove made a broadcast about it. Admittedly, she never thought too much about where people go when they disappear... ]

Did Solas go home?

[killedwithlove]

What's tag?

[He doesn't know the name. He probably does know the game though.]

Yes. He went home. So did River. She was a person who was made like a spirit. I'm a spirit made like a person. It was nice, being with her.

I still have some of Solas's paintings.

[princessia]

In a game of tag, one person chases everyone else. If they manage to touch someone, then that person becomes "it". Then the person that's "it" chases everyone else.

[ She slowly explains. That's the traditional game of tag she knows of anyway. She has seen children try to change up or throw in new rules. ]

Why does Atroma send our friends away?

[ The thought of people going home is distracting her, keeping her from drawing another picture. She wanted to draw Jude, but her mood is beginning to dampen. For someone who has been with the fleet for a few months, just now she's starting to think more deeply about the disappearances. ]

[killedwithlove]

Oh., chasey. I know that. The other children played it sometimes. And in Skyhold, they played it too.

[He can feel her mood starting to curl down.]

I don't know. But... while it's sad, it's good that we got to know them at all. We made them happier for a while, and that warmth brightens the whole world.

And we know they went home. Which is good for most of them. They're back with family and friends.

[princessia]

That's... good. I guess.

[ Her heart is sinking. Still, she sounds unhappy. She places her pen down on her paper, lightly making marks on the surface. ]

You'll be sent away someday too. Jove, too. And Cullen. [ She finally feels like she has a father. A family. But even he'll go away eventually. She doesn't want that at all. ] Everyone.

[killedwithlove]

[And the problem is, Cole can't help assuage this fear, because he knows it's true. Everyone leaves. Death, business, troubles, something will take everyone away eventually.]

You make Cullen happier than he's ever been. And... if you only think on that time, then you won't enjoy him while he's here. Losing people happens. But you have to enjoy them while you have them. Or you lose them and have regrets after they're gone.

[princessia]

[ The lines on her paper don't form any sort of drawing. Just a bunch of restless scribbles. She's quickly tired of trying to doodle anything and drops her pen, burying her head in her arms in frustration.

Her voice remains audible, but it comes out like a muffled whine. Please don't take her newfound family away soon, Atroma. ]

I don't want to lose anyone...

[killedwithlove]

[Cole curls up, rocking and feeling hopeless. He knows what will make her feel better, but it's impossible and these are the aches he hates most, because he can't help and because he's caused it.]

I'm sorry. Should I go get Cullen?