❪ event ❫ khalo? can you hear me?

[natha]

In normal circumstances, this would have been near the time in which you're called upon to greet the newly awakened. Unfortunately, I speak to you to inform that we must postpone that — there is trouble on your horizon. What, I cannot see for sure. We shall continue to monitor the situation, however — we - ... we — [feed cuts off.] OLYMPIAN PRESERVATION     The city of Olympia is preparing the send-off of its most prized artifact: the heart of the ancient dragon, Ysverai. In doing this, they've transformed the palace court into an exhibition detailing the centuries-old war between Wyver and Olympia. Sculptures of Nithor the Exalted and his men and women in clean, white marble, while their armors are polished in perfect gold. Among Nithor are the sculptures of stallions in all shapes and sizes that also aided in the great war. Further in the exhibition, one may also find other artifacts of much older weaponry, rusted by its time in the earth, and items found from a time when humans feared the dragons. The Royal Guard has increased its numbers in wake of such a public event, particularly because the heart will be in display also. The heart is not what one might expect it to be: about the size of an average human, the heart's core is surrounded in stone, a red glow emitting from its still beating core. If that were not unsettling enough, one might also find that lingering around this particular exhibit will have undue affects on one's inhibitions. You'll notice your heart has fallen into sync with the organ, and your more selfish desires will come forth. Things that have long been buried will rise up and place you in a state of unease, encouraging paranoia about your companions intentions. Allow it to fester, and one will carry this feeling with them long after you've left the scene. It's probably a good thing this is leaving Olympia — perhaps it's a source of so much conflict you've endured. It's easy to become mesmerized by all the historical artifacts that are present in Olympia's exhibition. Some even seem mystical or, like Ysverai’s heart, to hold unspeakable powers. Others are just a little eerie. Either way, Olympia prides itself in its generosity and their grand displays, and so refugees are urged to learn more about their artifacts by spending the night in Palace Court. Though, someone should probably mention that there are rumors of strange, almost occult things happening around these relics at night. People speak of armored soldiers casting shadows that have the ability to walk on their own, or gemstones that catch the moonlight in a certain way and show you visions. But those are just silly ghost stories, right? TALL TALES OF KHALO VILLAGE     Because of Khalo's proximity to Wyver, it's no surprise that they would catch wind of the peace talks between Wyver and Olympia. In response, for the first time in centuries, Khalo Village has willingly granted passage to outsiders — but visitors will immediately find out that one cannot just simply walk into the village. Visitors will need to inhale the smoke of a fyrra herb in order to enter the premises without falling into slumber. Khalo is notably different than what refugees are used to. Visitors, specifically refugees, will find that they are exceedingly accommodating. The Khali are very intrigued by the outsiders, thus they're treated with much respect and given instant access to some of the best lounges and fyrra the village has to offer. In exchange, the village is interested in hearing about your journey thus far. Whether it be through a conversation with another individual or the Khali themselves, they'll very likely to have been eavesdropping and recording the tales of their exploits. Why, exactly? Perhaps it will not be immediately clear, but if you happened upon a venasou, a tamed Khali creature, it may have guided you to their Enchanted Library. Upon entering the library, visitors will notice that it is quite the happening place — but not because it's occupied by the Khali, but because there seems to be an assembly of magical quills seemingly writing on their own. The quills are mostly undisturbed by the intrusion and will not stop writing even if parchment is taken from it; it will simply produce another piece of paper and continue its tales. If you happen to read the parchment, you may notice that there is a daunting similarity between your story and the ones being written here. Tales of Thesa birthing new races and sending them from the sky, for example, are very popular in Khalo Village. They mark July 15th as the day in which the Moon Goddess, Thesa, created more people in her image and brought them to El Nysa as saviors. The coincidences don't end there: specifics about your home world might be found in the writings if you search deeply enough — but it's not without its exaggerations. These stories are given all sorts of poetic and literary forms, from short stories to limericks, biographies to something similar to haiku. If asked, the Khali will inform visitors that the enchanted library has access to vague parts of your memories, and thus it is duty-bound to record. The Khali have not seen stories as strange as the ones being made by refugees, which is largely why they are interested in them. NOTE: This is entirely optional! You may make up your own "stories" (fanfiction) and it could be as accurate or inaccurate, or as serious or silly as you'd like. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors of the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works — KING AND KIN. If one is willing to delve deep, they may also find parts of Wyver's past that have been removed from their own archives. These pages will recount the tales of Shanrian and Rasyc. Though a lot of the narrative seems to divide at certain points in the story, it becomes obvious with some quick reading that Rasyc is not only the son of Shanrian, but that he glorifies the Wyver of old, more bloodthirsty and brutal than it is today. Unlike his father, he does not take kindly to Olympia and the threat they will always pose for their people. He has not forgotten Olympia's past sins and he believes that, in his foolish quest for peace, the king has gone soft and no longer possesses the real will to fight. His present voice in affairs of state is not a loud one, as he chooses to speak in whispers and move in the dead of silence. In these quiet murmurings, he boasts of his unwavering belief in the power and dignity of his people. Of how they should all return to what they once were — the kingdom, its citizens, and naturally the father who he had once admired greatly. Though perhaps it can be argued that any estranged son would wish the same. It's difficult to pinpoint what becomes political and what is and always will be more personal for him. But, it hardly matters. It's clear that Rasyc will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives, even if it means never returning to place he calls home. Even if it means turning his back on his own father, Shanrian, King of Wyver... DRAGONFIRE. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors to the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works. In particular, tales of Ysverai, the last of Wyver's great high dragons. Ysverai is most commonly known for being slain by Olympia’s past king and legendary hero, Nithor, but here in Khalo he is depicted in another light. Ysverai is known to the Khali people as a wise being, old as the first inhabitants that walked El Nysa. The creature spoke in the common tongue to the early settlers, guiding them to refuge when his kin began to dominate the land at the cost of its own isolation. It ultimately becomes a tale of sacrifice, for its stand with Nithor became a testament against the Olympian Empire's long reaching influence. At the bottom, there is a quotation: Your hearts will fill with greed and malice the moment my own stops beating. Take care in the Eye of the Storm. Find strength in one another, before it is too late. It seems to end there. Refugees are naturally allowed to question the natives. However, keep in mind that many of their replies will seem more like speculation than fact. But maybe that can be fun too? If you have no interest in the library and the tales they've woven, feel free to explore any of the other areas of interest. Khalo Village is thrilled to be open for you all. THOSE THAT SEEK PEACE, AND THOSE THAT SEEK --     The morning of the 20th is marked by fairly dismal weather. The sky is overcast and a downpour seems imminent. Regardless of the poor forecast, those who signed up to assist in this mission will be required to come early in order to receive their briefing. Members of Group A: ▸ Jon Snow (song_of_ice) ▸ Daenerys Targaryen (dorzalta) ▸ Loras Tyrell (triplerose) ▸ Terra (earthy) ▸ Alisaie Leveilleur (adelphoi) ▸ Solider: 76 (personalwar) ▸ Ardyn Izunia (daemonized) ▸ Mai(maipokerface) ▸ Olivier Armstrong (wallsofbriggs) ▸ Atsushi Nakajima (gekkajuu) Members of Group B: ▸ Kale (kaleorbekaled) ▸ Diana Prince (wondie) ▸ Pheonix Wright (objectionattourney) ▸ Revolver Ocelot (shashka) ▸ Frederick (pebblestone) ▸ John Sheppard (impavid ▸ Ianto Jones (torchwoodteaboy) ▸ Lena Oxton (quevarly) ▸ Allura (quintessent) Due to the rain, members of Group A will have to immediately stop by the checkpoint at the East Watchtower. Additionally, the Royal Guard and Knightryders are well-prepared with extra cloaks for those who may require it. They also will provide basic refreshments such as water and bread. People are encouraged to take what they need prior to their departure on this mission. The checkpoints are a bit far between, after all. Members of the envoy will also be encouraged to utilize this time to become familiar with one another. Maybe some introductions are in order? You never know who will end up having your back... For both groups, the paths will be relatively straightforward with evenly spaced checkpoints along the way. The only issue seems to be the downpour, really. The rain is unforgiving and the roads easily become unstable and increasingly difficult for the carriage to be drawn through. Hence, there may be more than one occasion where you will be expected to lend a hand in prying out its wheels from a particularly pesky (and muddy) pothole. Or perhaps you will be called upon by a fellow guard to assist in getting a particularly stubborn creature out of the path ahead of you. Seems like it may be a longer journey than you expected. Dirtier, too. While weathering the conditions may have been a bit tiring, this journey isn't too bad, right? Well, maybe not. GROUP A. Once the carriage gets through the worst of the terrain and finally manages to depart from the watchtower, it won't be long until the group is met with a physical roadblock. A large tree trunk will be set down the center of the road, acting as a blockade. But, before the group can react or begin crafting a plan around this obstruction, the carriage will be attacked without warning. At first, it's unclear where the attack comes from or from whom, but you don't have the leisure to deliberate this. You hear one of your fellow guards mention something about bandits frequenting these parts, but maybe there's more to it? Either way, your task is clear: protect the artifact, Nithor's skull, and fight the bandits off. You'll be encouraged to try and capture them so that they may later be turned and questioned by the authorities. GROUP B. With clear motives to restock and collect a few more materials for the carriage, it's evident that the envoy will appear restless to arrive at the second checkpoint. However, despite their unspoken delight at seeing the South Outpost from a distance, it's clear something has gone awry. There will be several hooded figures awaiting them right where the mud path meets the cobblestone of the Outpost's road. Soon, several more of these figures will come to flank them from both sides. While they seem like bandits, at least from their physical appearance, there is something far more polished in their movements. They will be attacking the envoy in concise, practiced formations. For those who are more perceptive, it becomes obvious that they are moving around and acting as decoy to one central figure. This member is likely the "leader" of their group, but no matter how one may try to close the distance between themselves and this mysterious leader, someone will constantly get in the way of that. The fighting also seems to act as a distraction since by the time everything is cleared up... only two things are missing. The leader of this group of bandits and more importantly — Ysverai's heart. NOTE: Those RNG'd to thread out the capture and questioning of the bandits will have starters below. For everyone else that signed up, you will still have the opportunity to capture the assailants even though they were not selected to thread the interrogation; you are free to make up your NPCs with the same basic guideline: they will not reveal their motive or their organization. You may turn them in to authorities (Wyver or Olympia or otherwise) or find creative ways to get rid of them. FINAL OOC NOTE     To reiterate: you may use this log as a general mingle for everything from the May Outline, including all Khalo Village activities. In other words, your top-levels don't necessarily have to be related to the prompts written here. An AC-eligible thread in which your character participates in anything mentioned in the May Outline and/or Khalo Village location page may be submitted for 2 REP POINT FOR EITHER OLYMPIA OR WYVER. SUBMIT THE THREAD FOR OLYMPIA OR WYVER HERE OR HERE RESPECTIVELY BY June 10th 11:59 PM EST. For those who participated in this month's plot-related portion, to receive IC recognition for it, a summary of the thread must be submitted HERE by June 8th 11:59 PM EST. Please direct all queries to the question thread below. Thank you, and have fun! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Oh, they really are cute! Chuuya is losing so many manly points for petting all these cute animals lately, but fuck it. He reaches to pet the one holding its ears. Maybe he’ll get bit. Oops.]

Wasn’t expecting something like this.

[He figured other familiars might be like, little horned imps or something.]

Can they transform or anything?

[willrevile]

How flattering. Jim tries not to notice but--

"Do they not have underwear in the 21st century?" grinning. Sorry, Ianto, he can't help but elbow in some teasing. Look he ain't walking around naked, it's fine. (He missed that in public by opting out of Khalo!)

"Cabinet back here has a couple towels. Go ahead and take the bed, get some rest. I've got to stay up and talk to a couple people anyway. I'll be quiet."

[willrevile]

Jim has no expectation other than this going fine, because there's no reason for it not to. Anyway - as predicted, he's bright eyed and bushy tailed before Ianto is even conscious, having stayed awake to do some correspondence, slept a little in a chair with his feet up, then hopped up before dawn to shower and get ready to roll.

He's currently leaning against the counter, chewing on some leftover sandwich. It's a little soggy, and the lettuce has gone funny in the fridge.

"Sure you're gonna be okay? I could probably find some toothpicks to hold your eyelids up if you need it."

most definitely

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket kicks back in his chair.]

Okay, so... Our ship crash-landed on this shitty planet, which, the record will state, was entirely Quill's fault. [Because the quill is picking up bits from Rocket's subconscious and Rocket doesn't really feel that way beyond the surface, the record actually states that it was a combination of their egos at fault, but mostly Rocket's because he stole batteries he didn't need.

But who pays attention to the fine print?] And while the rest of the group went off to deal with other shit, I was left to watch over a prisoner and fix the ship, 'cause I have to do everything. And what do I find while I'm working? A frickin' Ravager tracking device.

[He pauses for effect.

unfortunately the effect is lost when there's no context.]

[meinwaifu]

[No bites! They're very sweet and affectionate, actually. And once summoned, as per his word, Mephisto is finally able to straighten back up -- even stretching a little and letting one of the monkeys squeeze into the spot between the two of them.]

No, nothing like that. But they are very powerful! Don't let their cute appearance fool you. Ah, let's see... that little one you're petting is Kikazaru, this one is Mizaru, and-- [The one covering it's mouth hops up on Mephisto's shoulder, only to tumble down and plop onto the one snuggled between them.] Ah, and there's Iwazaru.

[Their names, of course, being very bad Japanese puns combining what trait they lack (hearing, seeing and speaking) and the word saru for monkey. But it's not like the three wise monkeys and the whole concept of "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" is that obscure.]

[But as they sit there, being cute and adorable, Chuuya might just start feeling inspired... inspired to confess or say or even do something he normally otherwise wouldn't.]

[And Mephisto knows this. And maybe, just maybe, he was hoping for the opportunity for a little revenge after Chuuya turned the tables on him earlier.]

[beatupgrass]

Uh-huh...

[Rocket doesn't have eyebrows and yet somehow he can do a pretty good approximation of an eyebrow raise.]

And say what? 'Cause the last time I started up a conversation with a walking tree on this planet, he turned out to be a jackass.

[Rocket will not claim any of that as his fault.]

[jesus_is_gundam]

[It doesn't tell him much of anything, especially since he isn't sure exactly how human he still is. If anything, he's just more confused as he tries to figure out what she actually means.]

You're... not from earth?

[latkje]

[ In fact, this is something Nash hates about magic— there's no real way to do it without announcing your position with a cloud of fairy dust. But, he'd be in a few more pieces if it weren't for magical healing. It was distantly troubling that so many worlds apparently didn't have it.

Anyway, the spell completed, his leg back to normal, he turns to Dorian with one eyebrow raised. Dorian calling something showy is a bit like the crown calling the necklace overdressed. ]

[arcane]

[ more walking trees on this planet.

interesting. he supposed it made sense though. even amongst men, no one could claim two to be the same the same. perhaps it was the same for ... walking trees? the conclusion doesn't add up as perfectly as he'd like, but regardless.

he gestures back to the giant trees acting as the khaki's personal chauffeurs. ]

They don't seem all too unpleasant. [ just arjuna gives a stiffer, almost more "formal" version of a shrug. it barely seems like one, really. ] Do they normally speak? [ bc to be a "jackass" .... unless this tree got very physical or violent with him, he can't imagine where this word would come from. ]

[impavid]

Try to play nice.

John can't believe that Ianto has asked him to play nice. He's always nice! Sure, sometimes he has a little trouble keeping his mouth shut but he's a nice person. People like him!

Well. People like him when he wants them to like him.

Which is the awkward part, probably. He needs to work on the whole antsy, defensive thing. It's just difficult, when he's already done this whole dance of proving himself and establishing himself and nobody here cares anyway so what's the point. He even feels angry at himself for it.

Still, he can try -- so after spending three quarters of the night awake on his little investigation he showers and changes up at the station. No need to confirm any bias by turning up looking too bad, even if he has a brand new cut on one side of his face. It's cleaned and not bleeding, and he's wearing his black Atlantis team jacket over a fresh short-sleeved t-shirt as he knocks on the door. It'll get hot soon enough once the sun is properly up, but John has been in heat before on duty and he'd rather have a jacket he can stuff in his bag and get out again in case it rains. He's even bothered to shave to minimise the judgement, because he's emotionally bracing himself for feeling judged at least fifteen to twenty minutes into this. He's turned away when the door opens, bag slung over one shoulder as he uneasily surveys the surrounding area. There's always a chance of more bandits following him, or shamans. Or both, he supposes. Or just the little kids from the old city who seem sure he has something worth stealing. The lines of his shoulders are tense and uneasy, but after a second he senses the door is open and turns. His posture snaps back into relaxed and easygoing reflexively, because look he's being nice, and John paints on his best we're all best friends this is fine smile. It's practised enough that it's pretty convincing.

"Hey, kids. Picked up some bread on the way up through the markets."

You know, so he wasn't just turning up and eating someone's food then leaving and all.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Oh no, they’re fluffy and sweet...how did Mephisto manage to get such cute familiars? Chuuya will just reach over and give them all a few pets. Chuuya gets the reference to the three wise monkeys, but these ones are a lot rounder and fluffier than he usually sees then depicted. Not a bad change.]

They’re super cute. I love cute, fluffy animals. And when handsome guys have animal ears and tails. Or fangs. Fangs are good too. I like your fangs and tail a lot.

[Oh look, the effect seems to be working, because that is NOT A THING CHUUYA WOULD ADMIT ALOUD NORMALLY.]

1/2 Internally only

[meinwaifu]

[Nyeheheheheheheh]

[meinwaifu]

Oh, do you now? How flattering. But I could already tell you're rather fond of them.

[He knows better than to probe further -- if Chuuya has something he's going to say, he'll say it, whether Mephisto tries to lead him there or not.]

[rosebyanyother]

[Normally, that terrible statement would likely have Peter sighing indulgently - not put off, necessarily, because look, he doesn't really mind train wrecks - but in this moment, he just pauses to let that statement sink in and...

devolves into laughing. There's a faintly helpless quality to it.

It goes on for at least 30 seconds before he manages to get a hold of himself and in the meantime, his chin rests on Jim's shoulder.

When he stops, finally, he doesn't pull away. His voice is still low, but not as seductive.]

I'm eager to see you try.

[...Try to come up with a good line, or try to make him see stars?

Yes. The answer is yes.]

[poolhall_killer]

[Phew. Venom's feeling a bit more confident now that his hair's back in its proper place.]

You've never been on an airship?

[Granted, the ex-assassin only traveled via airship twice in his whole life as his associates were gifted with spatial and teleportation magic. They had little need for those types of vehicles.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

They’re nice. The fangs are good for biting, which I also like. Especially on my neck. I really like seeing marks the morning after. I’ve had three different vampires feed on me, and I liked it. I like it when you bite me too.

[He’s not even blushing as the words just tumble out of his mouth. Enjoy blabbering Chuuya, Meph.]

Sometimes I like just curling up next to someone and sleeping though. It makes me feel warm and safe, when I never got to feel that way in the Mafia. I can protect myself, but it’s still nice to be held in someone’s arms. Sometimes I’ll just crawl into bed with Atsushi because I don’t want to be alone. I say I don’t mind being alone, that it doesn’t bother me, but it does.

[...yup. He’s still talking.]

[earthy]

[Just saving power for some reason, then... Huh.]

Ah... Sure. [Never hurts to learn something new.] If it's no inconvenience to you?

[meinwaifu]

[Ahh, human nature. The bit about the vampires really doesn't surprise him at all, and it's easy enough to guess who those three vampires are. But as embarrassing as the admission is, it does tell Mephisto he should keep an eye on Chuuya's general constitution to make sure he isn't letting himself fall anemic.]

[While it's definitely a strange connection the two of them have now, Mephisto is rather genuine in how he cares for his familiars. It's the reason they remain so loyal to him, even when his personality and mannerisms are hard to tolerate.]

[But while he may be looking at this from an almost clinical point of view, that doesn't mean he's outright incapable of empathy. Loneliness is certainly something a demon like Mephisto understands, even if he too would likely never admit it.]

[With an almost uncharacteristic gentleness, he reaches up to rest a hand against Chuuya's cheek.]

There's nothing wrong with feeling lonely. It's human nature to seek out emotional connections that make you feel comfortable and safe.

But should a time ever come that you cannot find such a connection, I would hope that you remember you're not alone anymore. Even when I am not by your side [His hand trails down, pressing a finger to the little gold tag on his collar that which now binds us means that I am always with you. And should you ever find yourself in times of hardship, you need only call my true name, and I will always be there to listen.

[This would probably sound borderline romantic if he weren't grinning like a supervillain.]

[poolhall_killer]

[It's just how Venom rolls at times. He wants to atone however he can, and will show he's changed for the better through his actions.]

They require certain sacrifices in order to be activated, and because of that, they were deemed unsafe for the general public to cast.

[Of course rules never stopped the Assassins' Guild.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[At least Shell only takes like a mouthful at a time. Reign and Diva have only fed on him once, and honestly, feeding Diva isn’t something anyone should do on a regular basis. She can be sweet, but she’s still rather voracious compared to the others.

It’s embarassing how easily Chuuya leans into Mephisto’s touch, like he’s starved for this kind of affection.]

Those connections are a weakness. I shouldn’t want them. I couldn’t have them before. It was too dangerous.

[His expression is softer than most people will ever see.]

But I do. I want them. More than anything.

[Even if Chuuya knows that Mephisto doesn’t care for him in the traditional way, and that all of this is likely nothing more than entertainment for him, it means a lot to hear that he no longer has to worry about being completely alone.

It means so much that he might even be getting the dokis. Those familiars really are something.]

Will you keep me as your familiar until I die?

[He’s not crying, but boy is he more vulnerable than he would ever let himself be under normal circumstances. Those blue eyes search Mephisto’s face, almost hopeful.]

I’ve been wandering without a purpose since I got here. Will you give me a purpose?

[poolhall_killer]

"It might be for additional security, but I agree that it is odd that they encouraged an overnight visit." On the other hand, they're very trusting to let people stay here, as he knows some tend to have sticky fingers. And he doubts frightening visions of war will deter them. Perhaps the artifacts are enchanted with something worse than visions if someone tries to steal them.

He turns back to Ianto. "I don't believe they are. We might be free to leave whenever we wish. And if that is the case, I believe your bed is calling you to come home." He's trying to be comforting, he really is.

[torchwoodteaboy]

Ianto grunts slightly in response to the other man's question. He had predicted that Jim would be one of those sorts from everything he's learned about the other man and everything he knows about his type as well, and he's somewhat amused to find out that he's right. He had slept well enough himself (in Jim's bed, which probably might have made it harder to sleep in if he hadn't been so damned exhausted), but he'd never been much of a morning person even without his caffeine addiction and the fact still stands.

He eyes Jim's soggy sandwich before shaking his head. "I'll be fine," he says. Wondering just how anyone can be so cheery so soon in the day before he hears John at the door. Glancing at the other man he pushes himself up from the table and runs a hand over his face and through his hair in the attempt to look a little more alive. Though he has to admit, he looks better rested than John does himself. He may be tired but he takes in just about everything about the other man, from the change of his clothes, the fact that he shaved, the new cut on his cheek, to the casual smile on his face and set of his shoulders.

Several emotions play over his face as he holds back the questions he wants to ask (also kids, really John?). Digging for something witty to say in return, before settling on simply, "Bless you. Here, come in." He tosses a glance back at Jim as he lets John in the door, before adding, "Maybe you can freshen up that sandwich."

[torchwoodteaboy]

God. Ianto puts down the ice pack and tries not to embarrass himself any further by hiding his face in a few bites of sandwich. At least, until Jim offers for him to take his bed and nope, he's awkward all over again.

"Oh -- your... Are you sure?" He glances back at Jim's bed and then around the apartment, realizing that there really aren't that many places to sleep here otherwise. "I didn't mean to. If you just give me a blanket or something I can take the floor, I don't mind." He'll probably wake up stiff as all hell, but he doesn't mean to impose on the other man's space or take advantage of Jim's hospitality.

[meinwaifu]

[Briefly, he wonders if perhaps these words aren't also a reflection of Arahabaki's heart as well.]

[Curious green eyes stare back into soft, almost desperate blue ones. It's not entirely unexpected to see this sad and lonely side of himself that Chuuya must have been keeping locked away in his heart all this time. He's reminded of a particular student of his, whose heart also ached for emotional connections she convinced herself would only become a hindrance-- when really, she was shielding her heart from the pain of one day losing those connections. A girl who felt so thoroughly betrayed by those she loved that she sealed of her heart from everyone.]

[It's rather fitting that both she and Chuuya became allies he vowed to never tell a lie to. Is there perhaps a traumatic breach of trust in Chuuya's past as well?]

[Gloved hands sweep upward to cup around Chuuya's face, keeping his gaze fixed on his own as Mephisto looks back into those searching blue eyes.]

So long as our agreement remains intact, I will keep you as my familiar. And when the day should come that you breathe your final breath, I will make sure you do not have to face that distant horizon alone, and shall bid you farewell as you cross to the other side.

[If he getting a little theatrical here? Maybe a little. But even with Chuuya under the effect of the monkey's spell, Mephisto is still speaking the truth with every word that falls from his lips.]

You needn't ask to be given a purpose. I saw your potential the moment I laid eyes on you-- and have sought to make you mine all this time.

You won't have to wander all alone anymore.

[uglybug]

I really hope not. [She says it quietly, earnestly. War is unimaginable to her. Friends would fall on both sides -- or no sides, as the case may be. That a friend could become an enemy...

What a terrible thought.

She brightens a bit, though -- forcing herself to do so -- at the question.] Tales of adventure on the high seas. [Don't ask her if she knows what 'high seas' even means.]