vatheon | (i)

Entry tags:

(i)

Who: Mithos and you!
Where: Next to Lamufao.
When: RIGHT NOW.
Style: Action tags.
Status: Open!

[ By the time Mithos arrives, he's soaked and looks like a drowned kitten. Coughing up lung-fulls of water, he sputters something about 'Pronyma' and being stupid. When he first arrives, it looks at first like he's someone else entirely, before reverting to this form; his child form. The change happens too quickly for anyone to tell that he was just in the form of Lord Yggdrasill; he just looks like a glowy ball. ]

P-Pronyma, what are you-- [ Cough, cough. By the time he finally gets up, he looks dazed, still disoriented, and still trying to steady his breathing. The Cruxis Crystal may mean he doesn't need food or sleep, but he still needs to breathe. The explosions of stars in his eyes gone, he looks up at the coral, clutching his side, where he had been hit by a Demon Fang earlier after having fought Lloyd's party in his Yggdrasill form only one day earlier; they had fared better than their first time around (despite still losing), and actually landed a few noteworthy hits on him. He still hadn't recovered from that, and another Demon Fang on an already sore spot was quite painful. ]

Wha... where am I?

[ Rodyle's Human Ranch? No, not unless Rodyle embezzled Desian funds to COMPLETELY RENOVATE THE ENTIRE RANCH WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. This... this was something else entirely. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Lloyd isn't in the plaza when Mithos appears. He doesn't see the glowing light. He's inside a shop, buying things for Raine, humming and happily oblivious to the newest arrival in Vatheon. Even when he steps outside, bag of supplies in hand, facing the wrong direction, he doesn't notice the half-elf at first.

That is, until Mithos speaks. It's been months since he heard that voice, but it's still more than familiar enough to catch the brunette's attention. He turns around, surprise on his face - surprise that turns to shock when he realizes he recognizes that face.]

Mithos?

[ By the time Mithos has fully regained his composure, he hears the voice from behind him. Getting to his feet, while still clutching his side somewhat - nearly drowning while after already being hit by a Demon Fang was quite painful - the half-elf turned to face Lloyd glaring. What was he doing here? Was he somehow responsible for being here? ]

What do you want!?

[ Mithos demands, in between coughs. ]

[Soaked to the bone and coughing up water. It's easy enough to guess what the cause of Mithos's foul mood is - even if that guess is wrong. Lloyd shakes his head and sets his bag down.]

Nothing. I just didn't expect to see you here, that's all.

[As he reaches for a towel from a nearby stall and holds it out toward the blond, he eyes the way that Mithos is clutching his side.]

What happened? Are you all right?

[All while he speaks, there isn't any sign of animosity. No hint that Lloyd's even thinking about a fight or betrayal of any kind. The only thing that's plain on his face is concern. Concern for someone he has no reason to think of as anything but a friend.]

[ What's got Lloyd all happy? Last he had spoken to him, he was about ready to kill him for killing Tabitha, nearly killing Altessa, beating Yuan to a bloody pulp, and above all, finding out he was none other than Lord Yggdrasill.

Taking the towel - rather curtly, without as much as a thank-you - Mithos tries to dry himself off, trying to ignore Lloyd's question. For now, anyway. ]

[Silence only allows Lloyd to make his own conclusions and assume that they are right. It also doesn't give him any reason not to approach his friend and look him over. Maybe he can see if there's anything visibly wrong.]

You just got here, right? [He perks up.] Did anyone else come with you?

Yeah.

[ He did just get here. Finally getting his breath under control and regaining his composure, Mithos wiped down his face, trying to wring water out of his blonde hair. ]

No, nobody did.

[ And if Pronyma was here, he'd kill her for screwing up a simple teleportation spell. ]

Oh.

[Lloyd's spirits sink with disappointment for a moment. Mithos had gone with all of them through the Gate, after all. He'd been hoping...

He shakes his head. There's no use dwelling on the negative, and Mithos is probably lost.]

This is Vatheon. It's a different world from Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. Me, Zelos, Colette, and the Professor are all here, and a lot of people from all sorts of other worlds, too. We haven't found a way home yet, though, so we're kind of stuck.

[He stops searching for injury for a moment to look at Mithos directly.]

You don't remember anything, do you? I mean, something that might help us figure out how to get back home? [Sheepish.] I wasn't really paying attention when I went through the Gate.

[ The gate... so, that's why Lloyd's being all friendly. While it seems unbelievable, Lloyd doesn't remember anything after that happened. Well. Mithos can find some use for that. His expression shifting a bit, Mithos shrugged. Time to go back into "I'm pretending to be your friend" mode. ]

Something went wrong, I guess. That's why the Otherworldly Gate is so untrustworthy.

[While he doesn't notice the shift consciously, it still registers somewhere in Lloyd's mind. Despite the situation, Lloyd smiles. At least Mithos seems to be feeling better now.]

Someone told me the coral had something to do with it, that it's what messed with the Gate and pulled us here. It's pretty important in this place. It can even heal you! Oh, yeah, and make sure to touch it every month!

The other important things to know is that you can get food and a place to stay for free. A lot of the stuff here is free, actually, if you show people the mark on your body.

Touch the coral?

[ Touching the coral he can deal with, same with the free stuff. He wasn't sure why he should... it sounds dangerous if it can mess with teleportation. But what he says next interests and concerns him. ]

What mark? Nobody marked me... did they?

Everyone gets one when they come here. I don't remember how I got mine, either, but... Here.

[He pulls the glove off his right hand, then shows Mithos the backside of it. Sure enough, there's a mark apparently tattooed directly on his skin. He isn't bothered by it anymore. He's had three months to get used to the idea that someone tattooed him in his sleep.]

I think the shopkeepers can still tell when you have it, though, even if it's someplace you don't want to show.

[ Mithos briefly scanned his exposed skin on his arms, and didn't see it. It must have been under his clothing somewhere. ]

Whatever.

[ He didn't care. If it was beneficial, he'd deal with it easy enough. ]

Who else is here?

[Mithos is so good at taking things in stride. No matter how bad or strange things are that happen to him, he never really loses his composure. Not that things don't still seem to hit him, but he just picks himself right back up. Losing his home, traveling through gates between worlds, even finding himself tattooed and possibly stranded in this place, he still manages to brush it all off.

Lloyd admires that about him.]

Just Colette and the Professor, and you and me and Zelos. And...

[He hesitates, not because it's something he doesn't want to say, but because it's still a little amazing to him.]

I even met this guy who's from four thousand years in our future. That's one of the really amazing things about this place. Not everyone is from the same time!

[ Okay, that got his attention. ]

From... our future?

[ Wait, what? How? Mithos needs to meet this guy! ]

Yeah. His name is Dhaos, and he said he was from Derris-Kharlan, only it's not Cruxis's base anymore. I was worried he might be an enemy, but he's not. It was really interesting to talk to him! You know what he told me, Mithos?

Not Cruxis' base?

[ What? Cruxis left Derris Kharlan? Did that mean that Martel was saved, or did... did...? ]

What did he tell you?

[ Does he even want to know? ]

About Cruxis?

[Lloyd shrugs.]

He just said it got disbanded a long time before he was born.

That, and that if Cruxis was still around for me, then Mithos the Hero should still be alive.

[He smiles at the thought.]

Man, think about it. If we make it back home, maybe we'll even run into him! Although, he's four thousand years old. He's probably a withered old stick.

[ Cruxis disbanding, at least in its current form, was inevitable ever since he found out Yuan betrayed him. That left two of the original Four Seraphim still in business; three if Martel was brought back. Martel wouldn't want anything to do with that traitor Yuan! Right?

But Mithos had to stop himself from facepalming at what Lloyd said next. Jeez, it couldn't be any more obvious after he revealed himself to be Lord Yggdrasill! But then again, Lloyd wasn't from that point. ]

Lloyd, if he's still alive, he's immortal.

[ Doesn't he realize that means that eternal youth and immortality usually go hand in hand? ]

And one of the only ways to become immortal is to have a Cruxis Crystal.

Just because you live forever doesn't mean you stop aging, though, right?

[Assuming Lloyd knows things, Mithos? Really? Shouldn't you know better by now?

His attention abruptly jerks back from that subject, because Mithos just said something huge. Huge and of much more immediate importance.]

Whoa, wait. So, you mean Colette's going to live forever, too?

You said Kratos is one of Cruxis, right?

[ Something Mithos obviously knows about, but is only going off of what Lloyd told him. ]

And that he's one of the Four Seraphim? That means he's a lot older than he looks, too.

[ And that makes him almost facepalm. ]

Assuming she develops her Cruxis Crystal more? Maybe. That's why Presea's nineteen years old and looks twelve.

Well, yeah, but...

[Why is it so hard to think that Kratos might be older than he looks?]

He could have taken over the spot from someone else. Remiel tried to do that, so it's possible, right?

[You know, come to think of it, he doesn't really know how the Cruxis hierarchy works.]

Then Presea's going to live forever, too? But that's... [A pensive look crosses his face.] Living forever, always staying the same, while everyone dies around you... I don't know how someone could stand it. Presea and Colette... They shouldn't have to live like that.

That's not how it works.

[ Not like Mithos would know anything about that, right? It's not like he's a member of Cruxis. But Mithos sees no reason not to answer Lloyd's question ]

I don't know about Presea, but Colette chose to. If you take the Cruxis Crystal off of them, they'll die. Or worse, become an Exebula.

[ As for Presea, as far as he can tell, her Cruxis Crystal is artificial. Either that, or she never did anything to fully awaken it, or she'd be an angel by now. ]

It isn't?

[Still frowning, Lloyd drops his gaze to the Exsphere on the back of his hand. His other hand moves to run his thumb over the smooth surface, his thoughts lost for a moment.]

These things are horrible. Human lives are sacrificed to make them, and then more people suffer when they wear them. Colette's going to live forever and lose everyone someday, or she might become a monster, unless someone kills her.

[He looks up, meeting Mithos's eyes somberly.]

I think our world would be better without any Exspheres or Cruxis Crystals at all. Someday, I want to get rid of them.

How are you going to do that, Lloyd?

[ He asks, crossing his arms. ]

Pluck them off of everyone who has one?

[ Mithos doesn't need to point out how ridiculous that idea is. He'd either kill a lot of people, or turn them into Exebulas. ]

They're here now and they're not going away.

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