2018-06-06: Recuperation
- Log: Recuperation
- Cast: Lily Keil, Riesenlied
- Where: Meribian fields
- Date: 6th June 2018
- Summary: Lily meets up with Riesenlied after Lastonbell, and the two catch up in a moment of recuperation.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
The best thing about the Meribian sky right now? It's not clouded over with smoke from the great fires. It's normal, in fact, or as normal as it gets here, brighter outside the lights of what passes for a city around here. ...And the other factors. And--
Well, frankly, a lot of things. Deeper in the fields, where they start to become forests, Lily Keil has stopped and made a camp. It's not that far to Taben's Peak, but it's juuust far enough... and there's a reason that she stopped instead of just continuing at a forced march until she arrives. And that reason is...
A bandaged hand pulls a soft blanket a little further over a pair of small soldiers, the sorceress looking down at the girl sleeping beside the fire she sits at and making sure she looks warm enough. ...She does seem to. For her part, Lily has looked better; she's in black clothes, rather than her armor, her gold-and-green staff on the ground at her side. She sits on the ground, one leg bent and the other stretched out, and she starts to lean on that one knee, looking into... nothing in particular.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied has heard from the channels the Wolves use of Lily's camp -- and even though she trusts Lily to be more prepared than her, she's still more than concerned enough to come there with an... escort.
In this case, a rotund round yellow Dragon that's ferrying her and some supplies -- medicine, blankets, food, water -- to come and visit the camp, hunkering down in flight configuration with a little happy chirp of 'Muni!' as she spots Lily. Riesenlied climbs down with a pack with her to express, "Miss Lily...! I heard about what happened--" she looks to the girl... "Are you... doing all right?"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily can't exactly object to Riesenlied's presence--quite the opposite, when Muni hunkers down in flight configuration, Lily lifts her head to look over at her and Rieesnlied. "...Hey," she says, and then lifts a hand to indicate a little quiet, motioning with her head to the smallest at the fire--the girl Riesenlied looked at. She looks... Well, tired, frankly. The others... similar. There are only two, but they're clearly more injured than Lily herself, and exhausted.
"...I'm fine," she says, though Riesenlied can tell that Lily is distant. "The siege breaking, right? ...I was going to bring this girl to the Peak. I figured... You can care for her better than I can." Is that... a little sadness there? "Or this Nall character can. But I ran into a couple of wounded on the way out..." She shrugs. "Not sure why I bothered. But once I can get them treated properly--they're both ill--I can cut them loose."
She pauses. "How about you?"
Of course, Riesenlied probably knew most of that, but...
"I see Muni's back in good health."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied nods very gently as she hushes down; instead of saying anything, she just opens the pack to indicate the supplies inside, knowing Lily can make better use of them with her field judgement than she can. She glances to the girls and says, "... it hurts to hear... it reminds me of Adlehyde, all over again."
She bites her lip, and then she looks to Lily. "I can vouch for her with Nall... but before long, we'll need to figure out a better solution..." Taben's Peak is lively, but she doesn't imagine the Grindery being an ideal spot to rear children in the long term -- especially not children who've been displaced from Glenwood towns. It'll be quite the culture shock.
"I'm managing. I'm sorry I was not able to protect Leon better from the Demon of Elru," she murmurs. It's clearly still weighing on her mind. "We had a... close encounter, but I imagine you've heard from Hammer by now."
She sighs softly.
"The Fereshte is... still in a state of disrepair -- I'm hoping to be able to get it back to hovering so we can possibly use it to fuel our search for a way back to Filgaia..."
She chews on her lip, as Muni looks towards the children... and then begins to gelatinise again -- and turn into a comfy, soft bed for them. Muni? :D
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
The child is a child--the soldiers are close, to Lily's eyes. Maybe that's why she bothered. Maybe not. Either way, she reaches for the pack, looks at what's inside, and nods. "Thank you," she says. "This will do some good. ...I lost most of my supplies in the escape... I'm certainly out of explosives."
Lily shakes her head. "...Especially for the others displaced," Lily agrees. "But... Well, it's not like I can keep her around." Lily turns to look at her; Irisa sleeps, though not especially peacefully; she's been through a lot recently. But Dog is curled up with her protectively.
She doesn't look at Riesenlied at the talk of the Demon and Leon, just shakes her head. "You did what you could, I'm sure. He's alive and that's what matters. ...Nobody can really protect anyone well from that man. Not even he can." ...???
"Still, finding it means you've found the people on it. That's the most important thing." Muni... Awww Muni turns into a bed. Lily lifts an eyebrow, and shakes her head. "...Not a bad idea." She stirs, shifting--the bandages on her hands and arms become more obvious, and she clearly favors one leg--and scoops up Irisa quietly. "Shh," she murmurs, but the kid is too exhausted to wake up. Dog blinks, lifts her head, and Lily nods--so while the sorceress sets Irisa on Muni-bed, Dog moves to curl up between the young soldiers.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"I, ah--" Riesenlied sounds embarrassed. "I don't have explosives in there. But there is flint and tinder, so you may be able to create something... I'm sorry." Well, Riesenlied carrying gunpowder and bombs would probably be more confusing and alarming than her not, really.
She sucks in a breath and remarks, "I'm... aware of our limitations right now. Nall is best positioned for them -- I can't risk the culture shock of taking a Lunarian child to Filgaia. It would be irresponsible, and we're just about at full capacity..."
It still hurts her, however. It's evident in her voice. If she could, she'd take everyone suffering under the world... but she's just one girl.
The talk of the Fereshte cheers her up a little. "Everyone seems to have mingled very well with the children at Taben's Peak. It was lovely to see -- stop by sometime, I think it would be a welcome break?" She looks towards the soldiers and the child, before nodding as Muni shifts over to accomodate them.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"No, I don't need them," Lily says in what may or may not be a reassuring voice. "What I need is the medicine here. It'll do a lot of good for them." Lily... does not want to see Riesenlied carrying too many bombs, frankly. Instead she looks to Riesenlied thoughtfully. "...You would," she says. "You'd rather. You see their suffering and you want to help. It's the same as when you were talking about Malevolence in November." She lets that hang for a few moments. "She's..."
Lily shakes her head. "She's attached. But she'll get over it. It's better if she doesn't see me again after this. I'm not the kind of role model a child needs to have."
She looks down, at that. But the Feresthe... "Good. About the Fereshte, that is. That's a good thing." She pauses, again. ...She doesn't move the soldiers, they're a little harder to pick up without waking--but--
"I don't know. I don't think I should."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied with Bombs, the alternate ending where she takes over the world. (The Bombs are Cuccos...)
"... I do," Riesenlied admits as Lily picks out her train of thought. "I know... children get attached very easily -- and it's tough to pull yourself away, but it'll hurt them even more if we don't. Such... is the nature of Drifting, sometimes."
She nods at Lily, and tilts her head as she asks, "You don't want to go the Peak...? Some of the villagers have been asking if you're all right, after they saw Leon. They care for you too..."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily doesn't need any psychic abilities to pick up /that/. "It's how you are," she answers simply--and then nods. Her movements are quiet, for the moment, not precisely slow but unhurried, distant. "It's for the best," she says simply. "It's just how it has to be."
She looks back to Riesenlied, and there's an obvious while where she isn't quite able to answer immediately. It's complicated. "...Have they," she repeats, looking into nothing in particular. It's not entirely a question. "Well, everyone makes mistakes. It's safer for them if I don't spend too much time with them. Besides... They.." She sighs. "I don't know."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... how it has to be ..." Riesenlied whispers softly. She nods very quietly and says, "I'll at the very least support Nall and whatever plans he has to establish a support line. It's the least we can do, for all he's done to shelter the Fereshte."
She looks towards Lily with a sad little chuckle and says, "... maybe not, but it's... nice to know someone cares for you, even from afar, isn't it? You've been part of the Wayside journey... of course they value you, Miss Lily. Even if you don't visit... don't forget that."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"..." There's a faint twitch at Lily's lip, as if something crossed her mind that she didn't much appreciate. "I see. Yes, I suppose he has done that. Myabe I should speak with him. Still..."
Riese's laugh gets a faint, almost wry look in return, as she finally looks up to see her again. "I have," she admits. "For a long while. Since before it was Wayside. ...I... Believe it or not, I miss it some. For all that I largely kept to myself there."
She sighs, long, looks up again. "I'm not sure how I feel about that. Someone caring for me is just another thing to worry about. That's how it feels, sometimes. I don't..." She trails off.
"I'm not having a great time lately," she admits. "I just have a lot on my mind" She pauses. "...Something I wanted to talk to you about, in fact."
"I... I'm having... memories of things that never happened. Drowning. And that... witch, I fought..." She shakes her head.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied pauses for a moment as she reaches gently to Lily, with her normal-looking hand. "... you've cared for me. And I care for you... and I don't want to be a burden you have to worry about. We can at least do that much for each other, amongst the Wolves... right?"
She listens quietly and... blinks a few times. "The witch... Agatha? I haven't seen her since the Tower of Life..." She furrows her brow. "And-- memories... that never happened? How could that be...?"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily looks at the hand, for a moment, and then up to Riesenlied. "...You're..." She shakes her head. "I wouldn't trade you. The Wolves are the Wolves. We've agreed to deal with one another, to stay together. ...I trust you. That's not common. There are few people I can say that about. Not just because you're with us in the Wolves, but..." She isn't sure how to say it, precisely.
"...That's right. The witch. I... I saw something, when I faced her. Visions." She pauses. "But the memories... I don't know how it could have happened. But I was talking with Leon, spoke of something that I remember, and he told me it never happened. He gave me evidence, reminded me. The day I thought I'd nearly drowned... We weren't anywhere near any bodies of water. We hadn't gotten to go that summer. ...And you're the only one I can trust with things like that."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily looks at the hand, for a moment, and then up to Riesenlied. "...You're..." She shakes her head. "I wouldn't trade you. The Wolves are the Wolves. We've agreed to deal with one another, to stay together. ...I trust you. That's not common. There are few people I can say that about. Not just because you're with us in the Wolves, but..." She isn't sure how to say it, precisely.
"...That's right. The witch. I... I saw something, when I faced her. Visions." She pauses. "But the memories... I don't know how it could have happened. But I was talking with Leon, spoke of something that I remember, and he told me it never happened. He gave me evidence, reminded me. The day I thought I'd nearly drowned... We weren't anywhere near any bodies of water. We hadn't gotten to go that summer. ...And you're the only one I can trust with things like that. I was hoping you might have some insight."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied bashfully smiles, and expresses, "... because we are mirrors, aren't we? You've used that word before," as she places her hand on the top of Lily's own, if permitted. "I trust you too. We can work through these things together, even if they will take time..."
She thinks of the encounter Lily has with the witch... visions... memories that Leon say never happened. "... false memories..."
A pause, as she admits, "I've been dealing with my own. But in my case... I think they were self-inflicted. A most stressful time that Noeline has shown me that I... don't actually know the events that unfolded. Back in a certain village in Elru, so long ago..."
Nasrin glances quietly with an uncertain frown in her face.
"... can you think back about how long it is since you've felt that way, perhaps? Do you still have-- your journal, perhaps? If it is indeed a false memory, maybe we can trace back to when you first wrote about it?"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Yes." She smiles briefly, and there's something in it that is different from her typical dour nature, something deeper down. "I have. ...It's... the only word I can use, I think." She does not take her hand back, when Riesenlied places hers on it; rarely does she put up with being touched, but in this case, she curls her fingers under Riesenlied's, and nods.
"...I see. That... Trauma will do that in humans. I see no reason it wouldn't be the same for Hyadeans." Quiet, for a moment. "I wonder if there's a way to help you analyze them, recover those memories." After all--
"...I wish I had it," she admits. "It disappeared, one day. ...Well, one day while I was drinking. It's just gone. ...At least most of the sensitive information will be useless to anyone who finds it. They won't be able to read it." She pauses. "But... If I think..."
"...Wayside," she murmurs, in realization. "The thing beneath..." She grits her teeth, suddenly, as if from a sudden headache--well, that's exactly what it is.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied draws a quiet breath and expresses, "I've been... having Noeline coach me. Through the memories. Dealing with the anxiety and the fear as it arises. ... there are already-- gaps, inconsistencies with what I remember. ... I always remembered a knife in my hand, but recently... I now remember that it was on the ground..."
A pause. "Little details like that which change the whole story. You understand..."
She furrows her brow as she says, "That's unfortunate... I wonder where it went...?" Somewhere, Talia is laughing. "Wayside..."
Another pause, as her eyes widen. "Rahab? Do you think--" She frowns. "No, we have seen how he can play with memories before... do you think that might be it?"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Yes, I understand," Lily says. "It's good that she's able to help you. I guess in time, you'll keep making progress. At least there's that."
Somewhere, Talia's definitely laughing. "Good question. I... Well, the first while I spent here on Lunar I spent most of it incoherent," she admits. "...Not that I'd mind doing the same for a while longer at this point." This is said darkly, a little bitterness in her voice.
"...It..." Lily is unwilling to say Rahab's name. "/He/. It might..." She shakes her head again, the headache of the moment worsened. "Before, or after he took over my mind? That's the most logical answer, isn't it? I thought I was done with that."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There is a faint wince from Riesenlied's mouth, as she looks down and expresses, "I had no idea... the last we saw of him was when he escaped into the Leyline underneath Wayside. We lack the means of tracking such an entity down on our own..."
A sigh. "... maybe the Guardian of Water may be our best means... I don't know. It certainly is a worry... but, we'll do our best to ensure we can try to separate fact from fiction. What we deal with is troublesome enough..."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"...I remember it. Some of it. Even thinking about it..." She trails off. "I have no idea how to track him, either. And little way of communicating with the Guardian of Water. The Guardians have already done a lot for me as it is. They don't have much reason to exert any farther than they have."
"I suppose. That's all we can do. ...But you can see, right? It's another reason I don't think I should be near them. What if going back triggers something like it again? I feel... This /place/ is like that, constantly. It's in the air."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"I... understand," Riesenlied nods. "But I don't want that to be where this ends. It would be terribly unfortunate if our village only reminded you of that creature... we'll overcome this, Miss Lily. Like we have other challenges."
She closes her eyes for a moment longer... and then tilts her head. "I'm... probably going to be headed south to Glenwood soon. There is a lead that Noeline and I wish to follow up on... away from Lastonbell, fortunately."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"...Like others... Yes, that's true. It's hard to think in those terms right now. Being honest... the siege breaking at Lastonbell, it..." She shakes her head. "Nevermind. It's not important." She looks to Riesenlied again, "Maybe I'll go. ...But for now, I'd rather join you and Noeline in Glenwood. As long as we stay away from the warzone, I'd feel better being useful than not." She takes her hand back, running a hand through her hair, moving it away from her eyes. ...There's a thin line on her cheek, a cut that's already mostly healed.
"Tell me about this lead. Maybe I can do something with it."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied nods as she holds out a small silver case -- she hasn't opened it, for there's a seal on it. "Nall gave this to me. He bid me travel to a cavern, a roost, north of the Volgran Forest in Glenwood to meet..."
A pause, as she swallows. "A Metal Dragon. Lombardia." She glances aside. "He says she's lived here for a very long time... and it is news thus to me. Imagine... an ancestor of ours that-- that left Filgaia? I can scarce imagine what stories she may be able to tell us, if she abandoned my brethren at the time of the Metal Demon Wars..."
She tries to contain her excitement. "... sorry. But-- it is a worthwhile lead to check on... even if it may be dangerous. There is no saying she won't attack us on sight, if she truly did abandon Mother and Lord Siegfried due to differences, after all."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily reaches to accept the case, looking it over, testing the weight. Since it's sealed, she doesn't open it either. "Mm..." Nall. Nall, who perhaps she should talk to. ...Maybe, maybe not. But a roost in Glenwood--
Lily looks up sharply in surprise at Riesenlied, studying her expression. "...A Metal Dragon. /Here/, on Lunar?" she asks. "...No, no need to apologize. That would be significant for you, I'm sure. Significant for anyone, really."
She considers, hands back the case. "That's all the more reason to bring me along, though. Noeline alone would have trouble with such an opponent--and you don't need to be fighting. Hopefully there'd be no need... But I don't tend to rely on optimism to keep anyone safe. ...And honestly, if she /does/ talk... I'm interested in hearing what she has to say."
"...The /last/ Metal Dragon I met that wasn't one of yours, of course, I still owe a few things to."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"Yes... I-- honestly, I scarcely can even imagine /how/ this Lombardia arrived here. Through an Elw teleporter, much like us? Or did she simply-- /fly/ through the sea of stars that span us and the Blue Star?" Riese expresses, sounding a bit too much like a local now, perhaps.
"Yes... I'd be very happy to have you along. Not just the Dragon -- the local monsters around Glenwood are... difficult for me to deal with, as they tend to be more ensconced with Malevolence," Riesenlied frowns. "... do you think Leon would be interested too, or would he be too busy with the Cardinal?"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"I have no more idea than you--less, really. Maybe she did just fly. ...Maybe you'll nget to ask." Maybe a liiittle like a local, but Lily's not going to argue it at the moment. Not for now, anyway.
"...Mm, that's true," Lily agrees about the monsters. "I'm not fond of dealing with Malevoelnce myself... But I don't have much difficulty dispatching monsters like that, either. Frankly, I'm better at destroying things than I am at 'gently' gathering information like this. As for Leon, I can find out. Probably he'll be better off focusing on the mission, but I'm not going to pass up a chance to travel with him."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Muni-Muni perks up a little at this turn in the conversation, if only because--
IN THE FAR FUTURE, IN ANOTHER CHAPTER, MAYBE IN ANOTHER TIMELINE
Janey adjusts her fishbowl helmet and points forward with her thick-gloved hand. "Onward, Muni... to space!"
NOW
--the prospect of being in space as a spacecraft of sorts excites her terribly much. Perhaps Muni is a dreamer, reaching out towards the stars... she's spent a lot of time with Lydie, after all!
"Yes... I'll ask Fei and Elly as well, and perhaps Jay," Riesenlied speaks. "I don't want to crowd the Dragon, but I can't deny this isn't a trip I can make alone."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
It is a mystery... But space is somewhere that is a great place to be...
"That's not too large a group--still reasonable. ...I should see Jay, anyway. She wanted information about her sleep medicine..." Trail off, look to RIesenlied again. At that, Irisa starts to stir, slightly--but doesn't wake up. Lily just reaches down and adjusts the blanket, looking down at her thoughtfully.
"...They all insisted we stay and search for her," she admits. "Everyone else."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied looks down at Irisa and blinks a few times. "... yeah... did you-- want me to take her the rest of the way to Taben's Peak, if you didn't feel like seeing everyone? ... you should at least tell her goodbye, though. I think she needs that much..."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"...No, it's fine," Lily says after a moment. "I'll go." Her words are quiet, tired. "You're right, I should do that much. ...And I should check in on the people there. Make an appearance."
"...Especially if I'll be leaving with you for Glenwood, it's just the way that makes the most sense. I'll stay the night here, administer the medicine to these two... and bring Irisa up the Peak in the morning. You can stay with me, or not. It's fine, either way."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied nods softly, understanding, as she looks towards Irisa to express, "Let's let them rest for now. It's going to be uncomfortable for them to be moved, and it isn't too cold out here..."
A pause, as she relaxes a little more around the fire. "And, it'll give us more of a chance to catch up anyway..."