08

[asea]

Who: Walter, Tiir, and Guriko
Where: Forest, near the lake
When: Later afternoon
Style: Either
Status: Closed

[Walter is before the large lake in the forest today, not really doing anything but thinking. With little choice in the matter of allowing Shirley more freedom -- or so he's convinced himself -- it's all that's left to be done.

His thoughts are fragmented, plaguing his mind with loathsome ideas. He stands there, quiet but scowling at the surface of the still water.

At one point, he goes forth and dips a hand in it with an upturned palm. He's still for a moment before he pulls the hand out, his expression blank.

This water has neither a voice nor a conscience, as far as he can tell. And it bothers him.]

Comments

[asea]

Because I am. They're the ones who deny to acknowledge it and twist its meaning.

[contemptibility]

So you would consider yourself to be like them?

[asea]

No.

[The answer comes fast and harsh as he snaps at Tiir, most bothered by that question than anything thus far.]

We're completely different. Being human has little to do with those differences.

[contemptibility]

[He figured it might provoke that kind of reaction.]

Then you might as well not be human.

[asea]

[Their definition of "human" is very different from each other, he's beginning to realize again, so he drops that argument.

He turns back to the lake, his arms crossed.]

A monster, then.

[contemptibility]

[...]

Must not being human make one a 'monster'? That's nothing but a label that humans give to people like us.

[At least, that's what he wants to believe. It's become harder after meeting Minato, admittedly.]

[asea]

[He looks over his shoulder.]

What else is there?

[contemptibility]

[He smiles wryly.]

Does your race not have a name?

[asea]

You've already heard it.

["Radiant."

He's not going to release their truer name.]

[contemptibility]

Then there you have it.

[Something instead of 'monster', even if it's just a name.]

[asea]

And you?

[contemptibility]

I certainly don't consider myself or any of my friends as monsters, despite the names that humans call us.

[... Even if he's not always sure of what's right or wrong anymore, that's still true—right?]

[asea]

[Doubting is the first step to getting even more lost.]

So you and they must have another name.

[contemptibility]

[He smiles, as he invokes his Iino Doue, his eyes glowing a dim red.]

Indeed. We're the bearers of God's Eyes.

[Not Cursed Eyes.]

[asea]

[Walter observes the change in Tiir's eyes. He recalls them being active whenever there was fighting -- presumably something like eres, by the obvious physical boosts it gave him.

And some sort of absorbency in relation to magic.]

God's?

[There's a tint of curiosity.]

[contemptibility]

Correct. Though not all of God's Eyes bearers do, in the case of my Iino Doue, I can hear God's voice.

[asea]

[Interesting piece of information. He quickly assumes,]

But not here.

[contemptibility]

[Tiir frowns slightly.]

... It would seem so.

[Though having always lived with it, it still feels like he hears it at times—even if it may truly be entirely in his head now.]

[asea]

Vatheon restricts external forces -- even voices of the nature around us.

[He knows Tiir is a veteran of Vatheon compared to him, but the voices they speak of are different in their own right.]

It's no surprise that you can't.

[contemptibility]

[He tilts his head.]

Oh? I assume you speak from experience, then?

[asea]

I don't hear voices.

[It's a truth; only the Merines hears the sea.]

If you studied your surroundings carefully, you'd notice. They're lifeless.

[contemptibility]

I'm afraid I'm not as... affiliated with nature as you seem to be.

[He glances around.]

I'll have to confirm this myself, then.

[asea]

[That's good enough and grounds for Walter to drop the subject there, though he doesn't simply walk away yet. Talking to Tiir has been a distraction, so he hasn't really straightened anything out.

What a waste. He's wasting time trying to sort this all out in his head.]

[contemptibility]

[Well, he'll just keep talking, then.]

So what is your world like, if the nature here seems lifeless, as you said?

[asea]

. . . You read about it in the brochure.

[Shining Blue. A giant ship named the Legacy discovered 15 years ago. Much of the world is covered in ocean. Of course, the brochure neglected to mention the part about the legendary Radiants being descended from the old people of the Kingdom of Terises, but there's no point in bringing that up.]

It's the opposite. There's life. I assume it would be the same in your own world.