+2 nerdchildren

[nerdeology]

Who: Sorey & Mikleo / OPEN
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: Marsiva
When: Now!!

[ACTION]

[It's probably not normal for a lack of something to be the first thing one notices upon waking up, but Mikleo opens his eyes to the realization that there's a serious lack of... weight on his chest, one he'd become resigned to feeling ever since leaving Elysia. Malevolence was everywhere in the world, and only his contract with Sorey and Lailah had kept him from growing sick because of it, or worse.

Here, though, he feels not even an ounce of it. Which immediately brings to mind the question- where...?

Once he's up and on his feet and staring out the nearest window - witnessing the state of the sky, what in the world - it takes him a while to shake off the shock. He feels like his head's been invaded- thoughts, understanding forced into it, making his head hurt. This is space. He doesn't know why he knows this, but he does. Space, a fleet of ships traveling the universe like a fleet of whales in the ocean, prisoners for entertainment...

What does it even mean?

Sorey. I need to find him. Forcing himself away from the glass, he wanders the hallways, drawn to his Shepherd like a lost sheep. He has to be here. This feeling is unmistakable.]


[BROADCAST: VIDEO]

-ink this is how it works? Where’s the part I talk into? Try the top corner, it's flashing. Do you know why? -well because it’s communicating, isn’t it? Don't look at me. Oh! No no, it’s working now. ...yup. Okay! Geez…

Wow, this is so cool! Can everybody really hear me? -oh man, we can make recordings with this! You know, instead of having to lug around parchment all the time? We absolutely have to bring this back home.

Like people need more reasons to fear the Shepherd.

-ah, right! Introductions! I’m Sorey. I’m supposed to be an Engineer? I’m not totally clear on everything involved in that, so please be patient with me! Um, and since it sounds like we’re all in the same boat- I mean, this might’ve been asked before but does anybody know who we can talk to if we really, really need to get back? It’s kind of an emergency. This seems like a kidnapping but we’re not in a cell or anything, so it’s not as bad as it could’ve been, I suppose.

But definitely! Any clarification on how to get back would be really, really helpful.

You should probably stop talking like you're with someone, Sorey. People will think you're more weird than you already are.

Sorry, you’re right. It’s just really hard to pretend you’re not here when you look right at me like that...

[ACTION PART 2]

[Sorey and Mikleo can be found exploring the Marsiva. To those who can see Mikleo (have a look at his permission post please!), they'll both be there, talking animatedly. To those who can't, feel free to call Sorey out on, you know, talking animatedly to himself.]

Comments

voice;

[nerdeology]

"...I know. I can't--"

[It feels hard to talk. As if the entire link is off-kilter, and he's lost the ground beneath him. Usually, when Sorey moves, he can feel ever step, every gesture if he focuses, and while he has no control, he can at least still indulge in the sensation of having a body. It helped to quell the anxiety of surrendering himself - and his freedom - to the sub lord connection at the start. This, though... he feels lost in a dark ocean, unable to even swim to the surface again. His voice is faint, shaken to the core.

With a mighty mental push, he forces himself back out again, slumping against the nearest wall as he readjusts himself to feeling again, the numbing sensation gradually leaving his limbs.]

What... was... that?

why did i do voice

[monolike]

[Mikleo comes out looking worse than Sorey feels, so he reaches for him and crouches, taking deep breaths and hanging onto Mikleo's shoulder to stabilize him.]

I have no idea. It didn't feel right. Are you okay? [There's so much about this they don't know. Sorey's always been content to leave things unexplained because Lailah couldn't break her oath, but now he's wishing there had at least been some texts or something he could consult. Especially if this means his powers as a Shepard have been compromised. What if this is permanent?]

idk but i didn't even notice

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo releases a shuddering breath, not trusting his voice again, and merely nods. Now that he's out, it feels worlds better, but he's still left with too many questions unanswered.

He lifts a hand to grasp Sorey's arm, trying to reassure him while he finds his equilibrium again.]

Fine. I'm... I'm good now. Is that how it is without Lailah here?

[Are there stipulations they're not aware of in the sub lord pact that forbids certain things without the Prime Lord?]

shit why did i even bring it up now you know

[monolike]

I don't know. [Sorey doesn't let go of Mikleo because now it's his turn to be intensely worried. This is not good. What if Lailah being gone means he's no longer generating a protective domain? There's no malevolence to be sensed yet, but if Sorey doesn't have a domain anymore and Mikleo gets exposed to it, how is he supposed to protect him?]

Mikleo- Can you tell if I still have my domain? Can you feel it? [Sorey never really could, but he's not a seraph. He could feel other people's domains just fine but maybe because it was his own it was kind of always just...there. Even when it wasn't.]

you fool, you chose poorly

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo frowns tightly, straightening up, and focuses his attention fully on Sorey now.]

I'm not sure. Without the malevolence, it isn't as obvious that you even have one. I don't think it's gone, though... you don't feel any different, and the connection is still intact.

[Albeit not great. They definitely need to sort out what's wrong with that- it would be a huge problem if they had to fight and couldn't armitize when things got dicey.]

[monolike]

Well. [Sorey shifts to sit next to Mikleo against the wall, loosely hugging his knees.] Maybe things are just muted because there's something between us and Lailah. Hopefully if we do run into any malevolence, you'll still be okay.

Would you be able to stand being inside me for a while if we do? You might be safer there.

[nerdeology]

[Ugh. Well, it wasn't intolerable or anything, just new and uncomfortable, but...]

I could stand it. But do you really think I'm just going to hide and let you fight alone?

[Do we need to have this fight again, because he will do it if he must.]

[monolike]

No! No, no, I'm not saying that. [Mikleo will punch him and it will hurt. Or worse, Mikleo will get mad and yell or leave and that will be even worse.] But if Lailah's not here, we won't exactly have the flames of purification. So if you start soaking up malevolence-

[nerdeology]

[Yeah, just gonna stop you right there.]

I was handling it fine before I became Lailah's sub lord, remember? Anyway, without her, all we'd be able to do is run away.

[monolike]

[Mikleo, as usual, is completely right but that doesn't mean Sorey has to like it. He frowns and sticks his legs out in front of him, turning away.]

Back to the starting line, then. If that's so, it's even more important for us to stick together.

[nerdeology]

Exactly.

[Mikleo nudges Sorey's side pointedly with an elbow. Sticking together means not hiding in the Shepherd's head when things get dicey. So don't suggest that nonsense again.]

[monolike]

[Sorey glances at Mikleo at the nudge, then draws a leg up and rests his elbow atop it with a sigh.]

I'm not trying to leave you behind again, [he explains.] I swear. I just keep thinking about Edna's brother, and... [How they still haven't found a way to turn a dragon back into a seraph, even though he promised.]

[nerdeology]

I won't become a dragon.

[It's a valid fear, naturally, now that he knows it's possible. Leaving Elysia meant all kinds of things for the both of them- the potential for corruption, pain, death, things that were barely on the radar back home. Truth be told, this is the first time since entering Ladylake that he hasn't felt the crushing weight of malevolence all around them. If anything, that should be reassuring, but the way their connection has been altered as well... it's hard not to be anxious.

Still, it takes a great deal of malevolence to change a seraph into a dragon. That's the impression he'd gotten. For both of their sakes, he can endure whatever this place throws at him.]

I'd have to be a hellion first, wouldn't I? And if I did, you'd find a way to purify me, even without Lailah. So don't worry so much.

[He's determined to keep his tone of voice as nonchalant as possible, because it's true- he does believe wholeheartedly that if anything happened, Sorey would see him through it. So it's his duty to return the favour, as both sub lord and best friend.]

[monolike]

[Sorey tilts his head back to rest against the wall before lifting his fist.

He would, too. He'd find a way to save Mikleo if it was the last thing he ever did. They can't see their dream through together if one of them is gone.]

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo smiles faintly, not even hesitating to bump his arm against Sorey's, their signature gesture. It's reassuring, as usually it means they've come to an agreement about whatever debate they'd been working through.

It means they're okay.]

Shall we go?

[monolike]

[Sorey turns their bump into a hand grab and vaults up with a bounce, pulling Mikleo onto his feet.]

This is kind of nice, anyway. Like when we first left Elysia. I wonder what our journey would've been like if it was just you and me, the whole way? [Not that Sorey doesn't love everyone they meet, and not like he's not incredibly grateful to Lailah for becoming his Prime Lord, but he and Mikleo? It's always just been the two of them.

Maybe in a more peaceful world, it can be like that again. Maybe once they fix everything.]

[nerdeology]

I hate to admit it, but we wouldn't have gotten far without the others. Maybe if the world was different, though...

[Yeah, he'd certainly have liked that. This is familiar, and he's more comfortable with just Sorey.]

[monolike]

Maybe after we save it! I love traveling with Lailah and Rose and the others, and having Alisha with us was great too but you and me made a promise after all.

[They're going to travel the world and find ruins and document everything and discover everything together. Sorey wouldn't trade their friends for anything but that's been their dream longer than seraphim and humans living together in harmony. They just had to put it on hold is all.]

[nerdeology]

Mm.

[Well, it's not like he's forgotten. It's just been low on their priority list, since their mission became "defeat the Lord of Calamity" instead of just "purify the malevolence". Given a moment away from all of that, to think back and breathe, might be kind of... not terrible?]

We wouldn't have had to rush through any of the trials. Imagine all that we could have learned, there.

[monolike]

You're telling me. Especially the Lefay Shrine! Man, we could spend decades in there and never figure out everything. I still want to know why some of the eye mechanisms were broken while others worked just fine. Restoration? A deliberate dismantling by previous Shepards? [Sorey tucks his arms behind his head as they wander the halls together.] We didn't have time then, but after everything is over you and I should definitely go back. I mean, we probably wouldn't be able to publish what we find out since there might be future Shepards who have to take the trials, but just so that we'd know.

[nerdeology]

We never did manage to get past the trap in the western side... maybe by then my abilities will be strong enough that we can pull it off.

[It had been so hard to leave that place with an entire wing left unexplored, although necessity had demanded it. That would be a good place to start, though- he'd gotten a chance to feel pretty useful during that whole ordeal.]

Maybe we could be vague about it. Offer harmless hints or advice to the next generation. Surely that wouldn't be breaking any rules.

[monolike]

We could always ask Altul if it's allowed, since it'll be his job to guide the next Shepard that goes through there right? [While Sorey doesn't like to think of them not succeeding or of there being another Lord of Calamity, he won't fool himself into thinking that there will never be malevolence ever again. Maybe before he started this journey he'd have been that naive, but...not anymore. There will always need to be someone to purify malevolence before it swallows the land.]

Regardless of what we think he'll allow, we should do something. It's kind of sad, not knowing about the ones who came before you and only finding out bits and pieces. Maybe we can assemble everything we know about the previous Shepards too and include it.

[nerdeology]

I don't disagree with that. Especially considering how important that information has become for us.

[Learning history and finding out about the Lord of Calamity is a crucial part of their mission now- collecting the Earthen Historia, piecing it all together before they're able to face him again.]

Definitely worth asking the question, at the very least. Lailah's not allowed to speak about the past, but there's no oath holding us back.

[monolike]

And this way we don't have to pressure Lailah to talk about things she can't.

[Which had always been a little uncomfortable for everyone involved.] Maybe she'd be able to talk more about sublords and how the seraph pacts work. We hardly know anything about that too.

[nerdeology]

That's true... every time one of us entered into a pledge, it was when we didn't have much time to consider all the information first. It's not as if I regret it or anything, but there's a lot we didn't know ahead of time.