18 - Rye

[radiantwingedone]

Who: Zelda and Duke
Where: The forest
Status: Closed
When: Friday evening

[ Duke had bolted the moment he'd seen who had crawled out of the remains of the faerie; not liking the combination of the way the thing had died and the sludge and the arrival.

To be completely honest, he really didn't want to face his friend either, even if he had walked out of the plaza dripping with saltwater, rather than appear as torn as he was - all the wounds he had taken and fallen to transferred to his Krityan form in appropriate locations - from a pile of sludge. Because he didn't want to hear what he had to say, rather afraid of what he might.

Of course, with this curse, with any of the curses he'd experienced, something as mundane as running wouldn't do anything to aid him. That much was clear when he stopped, out of breath, in the forest quadrant, straightened and stared right into the eyes of the friend he'd been trying to outrun. He hadn't been there when Duke had stopped.

And he'd stayed stopped, wide eyed and paler than his usual, as Elucifur told him all the things he thought he might hear from his friend's mouth, all the things he thought about himself while his mood was at its blackest, all of his fears about friends falling into danger and why, making it so obvious with that cheerful voice of his exactly why it was.

Which is why Duke is still in the forest this late in the week, SFC dropped somewhere away from him. He's grimy and dirty, curled up in a slight hollow between tree-roots, and by the leaves on him, he hasn't moved from right there in some time. It doesn't really look like he intends to move anywhere. Even as the light begins the change, he's just shivering a little and closing his eyes in the vain hope that tonight will be different.

Its probably even too small and possibly to insane to really call it a hope. The curses last full weeks, and it hasn't been that yet. ]

Comments

[zelda_hylia]

[It had taken Zelda days to conquer her fears to the point where they were manageable, and even now she's still more than a little unraveled. Wherever Zelos had managed to hide, she couldn't find him, and she couldn't think of a likely spot for him to hole himself up in. Determined to find at least one of them, she'd set out looking for Duke. Duke at least would be likely to hide somewhere away from people, perhaps deep in the forest.

That's only a little help, as the forest is still rather large. As such, it's getting close to evening when she finally manages to track him down. Her voice is soft when she speaks, shaking slightly.]

This is where you've been...

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke starts, almost jumping, at the sound of this particular voice. Had it changed? He ...

He didn't really think it would, but he wasn't sure if this was worse or not. With as low to the ground as he currently is, he can't quite tell the light-

But his only response is a faint whimper and to curl up on himself more. He doesn't want to hear anything like that from Zelda either. ]

[zelda_hylia]

[She should have known he would be in this state. Zelda kneels down by the hollow, trying to reach out and touch Duke. The visions can't touch, and based on his dreams months ago, she wouldn't be surprised if she was in them.]

You shouldn't - you shouldn't run off during times like this. The visions are worse if you're alone.

[Her voice is cracking slightly. How long has he been out here? Has he bothered to take care of himself at all?]

[radiantwingedone]

[ This... this is new, and it takes him a moment to process what was going on - he'd figured out the same thing as Zelda - or maybe he just thought his friend was disgusted enough with him that he wouldn't touch him.

But there's a hitch to his breathing when she ends up touching him, another shudder. ]

Should still leave me alone. [ Under the kind of exhaustion that comes from being trapped with the mind-cycles of depressive thoughts and the lack of easy sleep those bring, under the hoarseness of not having drank quite enough water recently, he sounds... empty.

Almost like he's trying to give up on everything right now. ]

[zelda_hylia]

I probably should.

[There's none of the usual pushiness in her voice, no reassurance that everything is going to be alright. She just doesn't know anymore if that will be the case, and she certainly feels like if she puts her own hand into things that they'll fall apart. Even so...]

I can't...

[She lowers her head, hand on his shoulder fisting in the fabric of his shirt. When she lifts her head again she's smiling, but it doesn't really look like a smile.]

I can't leave you alone. I'm sorry.

[radiantwingedone]

Should. [ Its partially because he's really sure at this point, despite all the time he's been here and it hasn't happened - that she will find her end, or some sort of great hurt by staying around him.

And partially because any moment now that faerie is going to scream and melt and he wants her away by that time.

With her hold on his shirt, she can easily tell that he's shaking is getting worse. ]

[zelda_hylia]

[She can't. She's well aware that she can't leave him, and over the past week she's also become aware of the nature of the curse: that it gets better if you tell people. Swallowing hard, she scoots into the hollow with him whether he likes it or not. Zelda knows she'll have to confess first, here.]

You know, Duke... I'm afraid. Afraid that things are going to keep happening and that I won't be able to stop any of them, that you'll get hurt again.

[Part of her knows his fears must be similar, but she doesn't know what a perfect parallel it makes.]

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke half rolls so he can stare at her. He really hasn't been taking care of himself recently, Zelda, it might be a bit obvious. And he's just going to... stare at her, mildly incredulous. One, why is she sitting next to him, she really should be somewhere else. Two, why is that so very close. ]

... doesn't matter. [ Really. It doesn't. So what if he gets hurt?

But, in a corner, he knows exactly why she'd be afraid. Sort of. It hurts, when you can't protect.

But at the same time she really shouldn't worry over someone like him. She really shouldn't... ]

[zelda_hylia]

[She thinks nothing of the closeness. He's never cared before, and he's so clearly exhausted.]

It does matter.

[Zelda reaches out to rest a hand on his cheek, brushing some stray hairs out of the way.]

This curse, Duke... it goes away somewhat if you're honest about your visions. Won't you tell me what you're seeing?

[radiantwingedone]

Shouldn't. [ It's a rather weak protest though, mostly because he's fairly certain she's not listening to his protests.

He stares at her for a little longer, then swallows weakly. ]

Friend. Very... disappointed. [ Understatement. Elucifur probably hates him and is using the cheerful to make it hurt more. ]

[zelda_hylia]

He was very important to you, wasn't he?

[From what she understood of what Duke had done, the fear that his friend might be disappointed was valid. But if Elucifur had really been such a close friend...]

I think... it's likely he would have understood. For people who don't understand their emotions very well, sometimes the only way to express grief is anger and denial. You didn't have anyone else to talk about it with, did you?

[radiantwingedone]

[ This slightly whimper like noise as he curls up is his answer; Elucifur was the most important to him, and quite likely still is.

It was really less of disappointed and more of outright hated him that Duke was getting from the curse-creature. ]

Told me to protect everything, tried to kill... [ He's not really buying it, Zelda. ]

... [ No, he hadn't. He'd had one of the knights who was still slightly alive, and then Khroma caught up to him after... ]

[zelda_hylia]

I didn't think so.

[Zelda had Impa at least, though the time they could actually talk was cut drastically short by the need to train and hide. She'd had something to do while she worked through it, she couldn't imagine her reaction if she'd been left to her own devices. Following the road Mithos, Dhaos, and Duke went down doesn't seem all that far-fetched, even if it is wrong. Someone that understands Duke even a little would be able to predict his reaction. She can't imagine that his friend would hate him for it.]

Either way... you did the right thing in the end, didn't you?

[radiantwingedone]

... I did not simply stand there and complete the spell when confronted; I fought Brave Vesperia. To the point where I could no longer grasp magic or move. Is that a Right Thing?

[ Okay, so he also helped them afterward, because they sort of verbally slapped him to his senses. They had managed to keep his promise, without even knowing it. ]

[zelda_hylia]

That's Estelle and Yuri, isn't it? They don't seem to dislike you at all. I do not know the whole story, but I do know that you stopped or were stopped before you carried through with it. I think that -

[Just what she thinks isn't going to be revealed anytime soon as the fairies go through their nightly cycle. The unnatural shrieks of the ReDeads fill the air. Even though her fear has been diminished significantly, the sound alone makes her flinch into Duke.]

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke flinches at that noise as well - what even made a shriek like that - and then tucks himself back into his shaking ball with every intention of ignoring the Krityan who watches them both.

Because that will obviously work.

Elucifur doesn't look like Zelda saw him last, although now he looks faintly like Yuri, just with bright tails of 'hair' from behind ears that were quite similar to a hylian's. He has the same feel as the big creature though. ]

It is your fault. How was I to know how treacherous humans were? [ The krityan may be taking a casual seat on one of the tree roots, watching them almost cheerfully, which didn't fit his words. Duke just ... stays curled up, trembling. ]

[zelda_hylia]

[A person? But the last she'd seen Duke's friend, he was... well, unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Since she comes from a diverse place like Hyrule, that's saying quite a lot.]

You can't consider yourself at fault for that. Anyone would want to trust their own people...

[It's not as if people enjoy being in a constant state of cynicism. Unfortunately, it does seem to be part of growing up.]

[radiantwingedone]

Zelda... was of nobility... [ It's rather clear that Duke wholeheartedly agrees with the idea he should have known. Aren't most political creatures prone to changing sides without notice? He should have known it was possible.

Elucifur tapped his chin, thinking. ]

Of course, you might not have told me because it was human nature. After all, you can barely keep a promise. [ Duke makes a noise very close to that keening whine of distress at that, curling tighter into a ball and moving shaking hands to his ears, as if it would help him. ]

[zelda_hylia]

I am, too. Being nobility does not make one any less prone to being deceived.

[All that it means is that it's more likely to happen. Zelda glances up at Elucifur again, frowning slightly.]

...was your friend this sort of vengeful person?

[It sounds more like Duke is berating himself than anything else.]

[radiantwingedone]

Should have known.. [ Duke's echo may confirm it; this curse really is mostly using his friend's face to make his own feelings hurt him more. ]

I.. don't... [ He doesn't really know. He'd known Elucifur for a while, yes, but his friend was far far older. There could have simply never been a situation where vengeful was how to act. ]

And why are you still staying close to them? You know its just hurt you, since you can't protect anyone. [ Elucifur begins ticking off names on his fingers. ]

Belius, Astal, Gusios, Phaeroh... Khroma...

Me.

[zelda_hylia]

[It's the same as it was for Link, isn't it? She never would have said those things to him, the fear had come from Link.]

...Link saw me in his vision. I was saying terrible things to him, but none of it was true. I don't blame him at all... The man you are seeing right now, he isn't real. And if he were here, he wouldn't say things like this. Not if he was the type of person who could earn your devotion.

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke stares at her for a long moment, still shaking like falling apart was an option. He doesn't really get why Zelda used the word devotion, but that really isn't what catches his attention about the words.

He goes that sort of statue-still - but for the trembling, he's not really capable of stopping that at the moment - before he starts curling in on himself again. ]

Does not make less true. [ Sorry Zelda, he's been stuck out here listening to this all week. ]

[zelda_hylia]

[Zelda is far too tired to control herself like she usually does. It seems like life has been a never-ending ordeal lately - things just keep happening, and just when it all seemed like it might be okay, it came crashing down again. She fists her hands on his sleeve tightly, voice obviously tearful.]

Don't do this to yourself!

[Why? Why did he hate himself so much? She knows she's going to find this with Zelos too, she just knows it. She can't take it anymore.]

[radiantwingedone]

... Why not? [ He.. can't wrap his mind around it, right now. ]

Cannot do anything properly other than kill things, cannot even turn it into a proper defense-as-offensive, cannot... [ He can't keep everyone else safe by staying away, either. People find him, or he runs into them, and things are interesting and his curiosity becomes a damnable trait and they get close... ]

If only they'd killed you, hmn? Then you wouldn't have had to hurt others by existing.

[zelda_hylia]

That isn't true. You're rather brilliant magically, I could talk theory with you for hours without stopping. I have. You may not see it, but you're also quite kind - you didn't turn me away or consider it a burden when I wanted to hide with you. The animals can all see it, they adore you. How do you think I found my way here in the middle of the forest?

[Her hands don't loosen up a bit as Zelda leans forward until her head comes to a rest on his shoulder again.]

You're loyal and resolute, and you put your friends before yourself. You're capable of many things, and you've taught me a great deal.