2019-01-12: An Unexpected Person
- Log: An Unexpected Person
- Cast: Riesenlied, Elvis, Avril Vent Fleur, Dean Stark, Noeline, Rebecca Streisand
- Where: Old Petra
- Date: January 12, 2019
- Summary: Out in Old Petra, in the aftermath of the fight against Mother and all that occured then, an unexpected person makes his appearance. Certain information is passed along. A Golem is visited.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
It has been several weeks since the battle at the Photosphere.
New Petra has had its influx of refugees from the Photosphere's Gutter, in no small part aided by the efforts of Avril, Rebecca, Dean and Noeline as well as the other Drifters during the assault on the Metal Demon's stronghold and de facto capitol city. It's bustling now, with the sights of people who've been reunited for the first time in over a year -- families gathered once more, with a sight that reflects the kind of kindredness that can be so rare here in Filgaia. An Azadian helper, helping carry a Hyadean Tainted child while his father walks alongside. Lunarian, human, Hyadean, Tainted...
Such walls have broken down, even a little, here. A seed of hope.
And in the midst of all this?
Riesenlied spent the entire battle of the Photosphere in a state against her will -- spirited away by Alhazred and experimented on, the Original Artificial Medium of Life she acquired at the lost village of the Fereshte now grafted onto her. She spent the majority of the battle transformed into the massive Ley Dragon, the effects of which...
Well, it's still rather evident as she pushes her way forward on her wheelchair to greet her friends. She looks wan and pale, the mutations making her look more draconic than before; the legs that she once felt ashamed enough to cover she at least does not, though they've both turned all the way with talons and a more crooked, digitigrade shape than before.
Still. The hope of New Petra reflects upon her. Noeline's strength, and the strength they have in their relationship, reflects upon her, as she waves and calls out for the first time in weeks--
"Hello...!"
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQWbEOaHAE0
Someone in New Petra is screaming a name, and their voice is carrying quite far. It comes from the borders of town, moving inward.
"RIESENLIIIIIIED!"
Wow, that is loud., around the corner steps, yep, Elvis. Yelling for Riesenlied apparently, drawing a lot of attention to himself. "Hey! I am conducting a test!" he says to a random individual who stares for just a bit too long. "I may have psychic powers yet! I just have to get on her wavelength and she will sense my empathic cry, revealing herself!" he says with vigor and purpose.
"But she's right over--"
"Shhhshshshsh..." the Professor says toward the individual citizen, listening for a mental reply. "Nothing yet!" the man states, heading onward and trying again.
By utter happenstance he comes into view, seeing Riesenlied in her chair "AHA!" the man cheers, elated! "I knew it would work! My research is impeccable! This is a three-to-one successful test series so far!" Has he been in other cities shouting for people...? "I'll have to jot my notes down later, for now though! Hello!"
There's probably a good few folks now watching this cavalcade of a man as he approaches the chairbound young lady. He sizes her up visually almost immediately upon arrival. "How are you? I haven't seen you since everything happened! I have questions and uh, just trying to find out what happened after I got knocked out.
A flex of a massive arm. "That fella got the drop on me with his Gear, but in a true debate he wouldn't stand a chance!" A small adjustment of his ascot accompanies a relaxing posture. "It's been a lot to adjust to, I bet with the newcomers, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
It has been several weeks since the Photosphere... and all the small victories, all the grave losses and revelation that had taken place within. In that time that has passed since, Avril has had time enough to consider what has happened, and more importantly, the next steps.
As well as time to recover, physically, mentally, and all the rest of it.
Perhaps, that may be the most important step of all...?
Avril's own path has been within her workshop. Working with her hands is soothing, and helps her to focus -- to remember what she needs to do, what she needs to be, a buoy in what has proven to be turbulent seas indeed.
And she has finally found the design she thinks pleasing. Perhaps if she were to use this form as a base--
A shout, from a certain person, rouses her from her workshop reverie. Blinking, she sets down the wax mold she had been focusing on and rises from her seat.
Emerging at last into the brilliant light of the Filgaian day.
"Professor. I had not expected you here."
Cordial but cool, she is.
Her expression softens as her gaze falls upon Riesenlied. "...Are you feeling any better today? Riesenlied," she says, adding the target's name proper. "Please do not overtax yourself."
The Medium at Riesenlied's throat shines with an inner light. Will it always do so?
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
It feels like it's been so long, and at the same time, the blink of an eye. Dean's had a hard time wrapping his head around it. The dust has settled, but everything's still happening so much. Not to mention that battle with Volsung on the way out of the Photosphere... If that'd gone on any longer, he would've gotten them all buried in debris. Dean has wondered a couple of times what he would've done if he'd gotten Avril, his so-called Ice Queen, killed doing that.
Only a couple, though. The rest of the time, he's been busy with helping out in New Petra. Many of those refugees are ones he personally helped save, but even if they weren't, Dean's always been one to help those in need. Riesenlied... Well, he's just glad to know that she's alive and (mostly) okay and herself again. He comes by again today with Avril and Rebecca to pay her a visit, though previous times he only poked his head in, not wanting to tire her out as she was recovering. Today, though--
'RIESENLIIIIIIED!'
"Waugh!!" Dean yelps, jumping so high he nearly knocks his head on the doorway, which is a feat considering how short he is. "Professor?! You're here too!" He's not sure yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Whatever! It's a whatever thing. What's *definitely* a good thing is Riese, up and about, if in a wheelchair. Dean turns a grin to her. "Hey! It's great seeing you up and about, Riese! Can you do any neat tricks in that wheelchair?"
It's a legitimate question!!
Probably also legitimate question that he has nonetheless not yet asked: how Avril feels about the aforementioned Volsung battle. Dean's thought about *that*, too, but things have been so busy he just hasn't had the chance. Still, Avril seems to be doing okay so far, as he observes when he looks over at her with a smile.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline has a sleeping orphan on her head.
That's just how it goes sometimes here in New Petra. Riesenlied's storytime had been a little too close to lunch, and one of the younger members of the audience had managed to nod off near the end; rather than leave the girl dozing on the deck of the docked Fereshte, the Hyadean had decided that it would be much easier to see them home safe, especially with Riesenlied planning to take one of her exercising 'walks' around the settlement.
She's sticking close to her partner, but the other Hyadean has shown a fair amount of improvement when it comes to getting around the place under her own power, and it frees Noeline up to steady the girl on her shoulders and ensure that the sleepy orphan doesn't slip off.
The sheer loudness of Elvis' bombastic entrance makes her rock back a little on her feet, and she glances upwards for a moment in concern - but her passenger seems blissfully oblivious to anything around her, leaving Noeline to chuckle quietly to herself and shake her head. "... good afternoon, Professor," she bows her head with an amused sigh, careful not to dislodge her load but otherwise completely glossing over the orphan on her shoulders. "We are... doing significantly better, I dare say. Supplies are still something of a concern, but we're figuring everything out, bit by bit. For the first time, we have the time and space to take a breath."
With a glance to one side, she tilts her head lightly towards Avril and Dean's approach, the gesture one of respect - but a question towards the hulking Veruni has bubbled up in her mind, and it occurs to her that it might be best to ask it as soon as possible. "... is it alright for you to be here?" she ventures, understandably a little wary given everything that's happened. "I must admit, I wasn't exactly keeping track of everything that happened in the Photosphere, but I can't imagine the treaty survived long past Mother's declaration of intent. ... not that we gave much of a damn about it either way, and not that we will give much of a damn about it going forwards, I suppose," she finishes with a chuckle.
"Avril, Dean, good afternoon. No tricks," she huffs as she folds her arms. "Perhaps in a couple of weeks."
<Pose Tracker> Rebecca Streisand has posed.
Rebecca was here with Dean and Avril to visit Riesenlied - however upon arrival she'd been... immediately recruited and ushered off to where she is now for a small task.
"How's this?"
Rebecca was hanging upside down from one of the most ramshackle structures in New Petra. One that looked like it might buckle from her weight alone.
Below a quartet of girls all conferred among themselves with whispers, before the nominal leader pointed out.
"A little to the left...!
Rebecca slid the nail over to the left. "Here?"
"Yep!"
Taking up the claw hammer, she started tapping it in at first from her position. Then hung up a metal placard dangling on a cord.
She then released her feet from the notch they were caught on, doing a somersault in mid-air and landing lightly on her feet, to which she received four sets of applause.
Rebecca looked up to examine the results.
NO BOYS ALLOWED!
Then an addendum was made below it.
Dean and Tainted okay!
"Thanks for your help!" They piped up and Rebecca gave them a thumbs up, "No problem! Sorry I didn't get it at first. In my village I was kind of on my own as a girl. But I guess I can understand the need for having your own-"
RIESENLIIIIIIED!
"-space." That word may have come out as a meep. Because she recognized that voice, and she'd hoped she'd never have to hear it again. Starting to run. She skids to a stop to pick up her ARMS belt that she'd left behind at the base. "You girls stay here and... uh... if you see a guy who looks like a Gorilla with a mustache." She looks haunted, "Stay out of his way and hope he doesn't decide he's interested in anything you're doing."
Jogging over as she buckles up that belt, her thoughts are basically No to the No Power repeating over and over as her eyes take a quick sweep and sees that they're all in the line of fire.
... and that Dean is asking if she can do tricks with her wheelchair. Which makes her annoyed even if the thought does make her curious herself.
"Whoa time out-!" Rebecca puts her hands together in a T. "Is Riese really up to receiving guests like-" She gestures weakly at the Professor, settling on just a single word, "-him... right now?"
Perhaps she's looking at Noeline extra hard to see if she'll find a way to excuse the pair from this undoubtedly significant source of stress.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
RIESENLIIIIED!!
Riesenlied nearly flies off her wheelchair as it comically wobbles one way, horns wiggling in panic as she looks around and sees Elvis. She self-consciously steadies the girl on Noeline's shoulders. "H--h--hello," she stammers anxiously, waving a little less vigorously. "Ah, well... I'm not a large Dragon anymore. But...well--"
She swallows, as she looks downcast for a moment.
"I'm trying to keep positive. I have lots and lots of support from friends, family, the Outreach, and--" she squeezes Noeline's hand as well. She lost her father. She lost her home. She was cruelly toyed with, by the creature she once viewed as mother and goddess.
But still, they live on.
There's a somewhat throaty cough as she looks to Avril, when she approaches. Cool as always. "... I was--pretty weak this morning, but I think I'm feeling better to try exercising. Better that than to be cooped like a cucco inside," she speaks, a little out of breath from exertion. She flushes a bit at Dean, though his energy is infectious as always. "T-tricks? I'm not... sure?"
please don't goad riese to do sick endos on her wheelchair dean
She glances charmedly towards where Rebecca is helping some girls make what looks like a little tree fort, smiling and waving as she jogs up. Well, Rebecca's not wrong in that it's a source of stress, but...
"I still can't really walk, but... I'm going to go through physical therapy with Miss Lily. Jay's given me some medicine to help give me some power to endure that."
She doesn't voice it directly, but a part of her is still deeply glad that Dean and Avril were okay following their encounter with Volsung, since she wasn't able to see what happened in the end...
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
Physical injury seems to not be the issue, rather, the metamorphosis and the implanting of the Medium within her have taken almost everything out of her. Her changes seem more draconian. Hm. Elvis quietly ponders if his theory in progress may be a possibility still. His head is swimming with thoughts to help Riesenlied out. Though collecting them together and coming up with something solid would take time.
Avril and Dean's arrival get his attention. Dean just has squinted eyes aimed at him. "Its you, from the mirror and statue! You're here too?!" THe last part is asked pretty much at the same time Dean asks. "I am here to look into Riesenlied's condition! My scientific mind will surely find a way to help her!"
"Obviously the best choice is to unlock an amazing power to turn into that form again! Minus, yknow, the mind control, horrific pain, and conduit fusion to your neck. She could fly around and have fun adventures with her friends! But... that is probably impossible. The first part of that statement anyway. Second best will have to do! Get her healthy and form stable!" the man says, a finger pointed to the sky.
Avril gets a look of curiosity. "So! It is you. Since you are here and we aren't in the middle of a debated, I wanted to show you something! I just needa... find it..." the man's town goes from normal to grumbling as his face is practically inside a satchel.
The man holds a singular, ancient looking page, but doesn't shwo what it is for now. "Ah, hello!" A confused look is given toward Noeline. "I... wouldn't see why I couldn't be here! I helped crush Mother and many lives were saved after all, thanks to me!" A powerful snow of muscle accompanies this statement. "Oh, and others of course. Why would you think I can't be here?" A thought of the treaty. "The treaty? Ah, I wouldn't know. I suppose it would be up to whomever takes up the mantle to lead the Hydaeans."
"Hey now!" Elvis states toward Rebecca, recognizing her in the same way he does Dean, from the mirror incident, but not quite as troublesome. "The more that help her, the better!" Wow, she sounds irritated at his presence! What happened to manners?! Who is teaching this generation of young ladies?!
"That is okay!" he states toward Riese. "Take your time with your exercises. Re-injuring during healing can often be far more complicating than the original injury." The names the Tainted mention are familiar to him, but he says nothing.
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
Indeed, of her friends, she has spoken to Rebecca alone of her feelings, and what she has been working through since what had been made undeniable in the depths of the Photosphere.
Perhaps it is because she and Rebecca have shared something somewhat more intimate, in a sense -- that of a portion of each other's innermost feelings and minds, courtesy of the black mirror on Lunar. Rebecca has a better sense of what Avril may be grappling with now, and by turns...
Avril turns her head, gazing over at Dean, then at Rebecca herself as the braided girl catches up.
Avril has a good idea of what Rebecca must wrestle with, as well.
You were afraid of being left behind...
"Good afternoon, Noeline," she says, dipping her head and shoulders in a small bow of acknowledgement. "Thank you both for permitting me access to the workshop. I have completed more work within."
A pause, where her gaze lingers on Riesenlied once again. "...I am glad to hear it. I believe, with time, your body may be able to adjust. It is better to make haste slowly, as I have heard it said."
Which brings her around again to the... elephant in the room, as it were.
"Yes. As you no doubt are aware," Avril says, lifting her gaze to stare up at Elvis, "it appears that I am your queen."
This is followed by a polite pause, as if to present that enough time to sink in.
"As for my actions towards you, I apologize. It was excessive, even for the purposes of combat."
The apology is still a distant, wary apology. As if she were uncertain of his intentions.
Which may be why she blinks when he says he has something to show her.
"...You do?"
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
'No tricks,' Noeline huffs. Dean's face falls. "Awww."
But she also mentions something about a treaty to Elvis, and Dean blinks over at him with a "Hmm?" It takes him a moment to remember: didn't someone mention something about a treaty between the Veruni and the Hyadeans? He forgets where he heard that from but he's sure he *did* hear it. Huh. Huh...
Further in, Rebecca hops down from her upside-down carpentry to the applause of a bunch of impressed little girls, and Dean looks over at the sign. "Aw, shucks," he says, rubbing the back of his head when he sees his name on the exception list. But then Rebecca's hurrying over and wondering about the appropriateness of certain Professors, and Dean adds, "I kinda wonder that too." He looks to Riese to see how she's faring--and the question seems to be 'not great,' but she's not demanding the Professor get tthrown out, either. Then again, she wouldn't? That's the kind of thing Noeline would have to do. Tough love and all.
"Physical therapy?" he echoes. "Is that a kind of exercise thing? Good luck with it either way!" He grins. "I'm sure you'll be up on your feet in no time!" Maybe not the most sensitive of sentiments, given the state of her feet, but... it's clear he means well. "Is there anything we can do for you in the meantime?"
Elvis meanwhile suggests that Riese should totally unlock Dragon Form permanently. Dean makes a face at him like 'Really? Really??' Still, he... *seems* like he means well. He says he wants to help, anyway. Dean gets that. "Just make sure to reel it in if Noeline tells you to, okay?" he says. He can at least appreciate Elvis's energy, which gets him grinning when the massive Veruni thrusts a finger into the sky. "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"
But then he brings out some kind of page from a satchel for Avril. Dean blinks at it, then at Avril. "What d'you think that's supposed to be about?" he wonders. Probably asking the wrong person there, Dean. Then again, he'd probably get a better answer from her regardless--even as she then turns to Elvis and straight-up says, yeah, I'm your Queen.
Dean sobers. He'd been busy with his own battle at the time, but... it'd been impossible for him to miss Avril's *change*, even if he'd been too caught up in fighting the Trial Knight to be able to do anything about it. Still, that's between her and Elvis. He holds his tongue and looks back at the Sentinel in curiosity.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
The 'Crimson Noble' shoots her eyebrows up at Rebecca's entrance and the entreaty that accompanies it... and then chuckles immediately under her breath as she tilts her head again. "I think she will manage for the time being," she indicates Riesenlied talking to the Veruni Professor, and then follows up on her partner's uncertainty by linking their hands together and resting her free hand on Riese's shoulder, keeping her presence nearby for the sake of support.
"And if she starts to become unable to, then we will figure out what to do then. Never fear," she adds with a wry grin. "I am not going to take too many chances, certainly, but it's important to test your limits for the sake of recovery. That said, Professor, Dean, we do have a sleeping child present," she adds in mild rebuke.
For all that she's trying to be diplomatic, though, her face does rather fall into a flat line at the suggestion that Riesenlied turn back into the Ley Dragon; she stares, deadpan for a moment, as Elvis wobbles down that path of theory and then discards it in the space of ten seconds, and already she's having to wonder about revising her opinions on Riesenlied's capacity to handle the situation.
She's quick to put her hands up in placation, at least, when Elvis slightly misreads her question. "--to be clear-- it isn't that I think you can't be here. We will not turn anyone away, certainly not anyone who wishes to help out in whatever capacity they can. Rather, we're thankful for it. I was merely wondering what the current state of Veruni politics might be, as far as Hyadean survivors are concerned, and whether that would entail a conflict of interest. ... to be quite honest, hearing that they probably don't care about us either way is more of a relief than anything, right now," she has to admit afterwards with a rather wry smile.
"... of course," she nods towards Avril, then snorts softly. "I hope that Miss Amira has not been bothering you too much. I've heard she's been coming and going a great deal, and she does rather tend to fill the intervening space. I suppose I'd rather have Diablo under her watch than anyone else's, but--"
Clamping her mouth shut is a matter of instinct more than anything else, her eyebrows soaring upwards. She's kind of aware that she spent the entirety of the Photosphere blinkered, her attention fixed solely on Riesenlied and the Gutters; she has to wonder for a moment what else she might have missed along the way for something like that to come out so... casually, and she glances back and forth, immensely curious about what might happen next.
On the other hand, Noeline is still Noeline, and sometimes she just can't help herself, letting out a ragged laugh. "Well. That does make my earlier question a lot easier."
<Pose Tracker> Rebecca Streisand has posed.
Rebecca nods quickly at Dean, "... yeah uh..." However Noeline states she'll manage, and Rebecca takes a deep breath, "Well if you say so..."
The idea of Elvis looking into Riese's condition gives Rebecca a twitch, given what happened during their first encounter with him. Even if he did appear to have a keen mind for an academic - he always struck Rebecca as spacey. And spacey at the wrong time meant he might break Riesenlied in half.
And the rest of them too. "T-Those are pretty big... side effects you know."
As Dean speaks on physical therapy though, Rebecca mentions, "Yeah Dean. It's like that." Though she eyes him, "I doubt her doing tricks with her chair would count though."
When Elvis turns on her, Rebecca takes a half-step backwards which looks like she was about to jump. Because she certainly remembers those fists. "I-I'm not saying you won't be helpful! I-I'm just saying maybe she should take it easy for a little longer first before... getting that much help."
And then - Avril reveals she's Elvis' Queen, and Rebecca gawks for a moment, "Wait he's a..."
Then for a moment she wonders if he's the kind of guy one should pull rank on, but then she realizes Avril isn't pulling rank, merely stating fact...
... still she wonders what Avril did that could possibly be considered 'excessive'.
Suddenly uncomfortable, she rubs her opposite arm. Perhaps Elvis is going to offer her something benign. She hasn't ruled out the idea that it could be a trick but...
... it's still strange to hear so matter of factly that she's travelling with the Veruni Queen. She'd accepted it - but to her she was Avril. Not 'Your Majesty.' or 'Lolithia.'
"... so right then. Now that you know... No funny business around Avril." Maybe substituting 'Your Queen' would have been more effective, but she just can't.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied does look just a bit overwhelmed at Elvis' exuberance, even if she does politely smile and keep through it; having Noeline by her side helps, as does Rebecca, who tends to be the most sensitive of the lot to when she falters. She mouths out a 'thank you' to Rebecca, which is timely since--
She does wince a little as Elvis mentions the mind control, the pain, the conduit... reflexively, her hand moves up to the Medium at her neck -- which she's hidden behind a shawl, but she can't really hide its soft glow. ... she doesn't mention that she *could* still turn into a Dragon, given the knowledge she'd been granted to the key word--
'Accession.'
But it'd probably be disastrous.
She blinks at the ancient page, wondering what it is. What Avril says, though, reminds her of what she scarce remembered at the Memorial Sanctuary... the way those Veruni researchers reacted. The way Volsung spoke of her, to take her back.
Avril... the Queen of the Veruni.
She glances quietly between Avril and Elvis, lowering her head exhaustedly for a moment. What was that like, to have understood that about yourself after so long of not knowing? She can't say... she looks up to Noeline, sensing without words that she might just be as lost. She hasn't exactly broached the topic to her, after all.
But she can feel, and through that Medium, Avril can almost feel her subtly pained sensation coming from within it...
... but underneath that, a sensation of support. It's the same feeling Rebecca's carrying -- that she'll be Avril to them, no matter what.
She's snapped out of as Dean asks if there's something they can do. "Hehe... having you all around makes me feel better already, honestly... and maybe during therapy too. It's a lot of work and it hurts a lot before it gets better," she expresses. "But yes, I won't be pushing myself too much... steady, slow progress will win the day."
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
When Avril speaks, Elvis has a bit of a dumbfounded look of his face. How the HELL did she find out before he could make a final thesis on the possibility of such?! "Well I uh. Guess you lot are more resourceful than you think! I guess that kinda confirms it. But page you would like to see the page anyway."
The paper looks like it is incredibly aged, yet holds together. It depicts a Veruni script that is difficult to read even if you can read their language. But that doesn't seem to be the reason he is showing it. At the upper portion of the page is there different portraits of a woman with white hair. Much of the color has worn with age, but the white hair, greens and blues make it hard to turn away who it references. The left and right image are silhouette portraids from the woman's left and right. The center one seems to show the most damage, but...
...One can make out a facial expression. It is a smile.
A kind of smile Avril does not use.
"Where did you find out that kind of information, anyway?" he asks. "Suppose finding out what happened to you is the most important thing," Elvis muses.
The Professor has ulterior motives to helping RIesenlied, which he has confided in her and Noeline already about. Though it is a harmless reason in and of itself. A look toward Dean. "I am perfectly maintained in good company!" he states.
LIE.
Noeline's chastising is duly noted, his eyes looking to the child. "I can't tell you everything, but we were told to aid them in their efforts-- as the siege happened, the turn was staged when Mother was deemed unfit to rule after learning her motives. I can say right now I don't have orders to do much of anything. As far as I know I was the only one besides Ambrosius in direct combat attendance. I dont think any other Veruni were present besides one or two other possible assistance to Humans."
He neglects to mention Persephone on purpose.
"I always try to look at the best possible outcome, young lady!" Elvis states toward Rebecca. "Scientific pursuits should be nothing less! But unless I had some kind of source material the risks would be too great for the Dragon part. I'm not here to hurt people with science!" That last part is said in some sort of bitter way. Even in death Alhazred still bugs him.
"Fair statement," The Prof. gives Rebecca with a firm nod. "Tests for improvement should be done on someone healthy! Otherwise it could cause damage itself." A grimace. "I wasn't planning to!" he says firmly.
"You have a lot of good fellows around you, Riesenlied. A sturdy research time achieves the msot effective results!" he says toward Riese with a fatherly smile.
<Pose Tracker> Avril Vent Fleur has posed.
Even from here, she can feel the pulse of the Life Medium, through the conduit of Sea. It seems that now Riesenlied and the Medium may be permanently joined. Perhaps as intimately as Noeline and the Hades Medium have ended up becoming.
Has Shalune been trouble, in a manner of speaking? "She has not, no. I am afraid my work is merely metallurgical, and minorly so." Avril pauses. "I am making jewelry," she clarifies.
Which is followed by another pause. "How is Diablo?"
A strange question to ask, perhaps?
Before she speaks a simple fact rather openly.
"He is," she answers Rebecca simply, a single glance traded her friend's way. "This is why he was working alongside the Metal Demons... before it seems they opted to terminate their alliance. ...Am I incorrect?"
She is, after all, making a bit of a leap of an assumption, here.
She delivers the subject so matter-of-factly that it would be hard to really call it other than a statement on par with 'the sky is blue' or 'the grass is green'.
...Well, in many parts of Filgaia, the grass tends to be dry and brown, but it's the sentiment that counts most.
In any case -- while her memories may not have provided her with the internal proof she would desire, she still possesses all the external verification one could want.
Even if this is not the revelation about herself that she would have wished bear true.
The Life Medium's pressure shifts, as if in pain.
"I do not know," Avril says to Dean, in all honesty. As always.
She can only wait for what Elvis has brought to be presented to her.
And when it is--
She stiffens slightly. Her skin pales. She draws in a small tight breath. But aside from these few small tells, Avril's expression changes not at all.
"...This... this is me," she murmurs, finally turning her gaze away from the scrap of paper and the face so like and unlike her own sketched there.
Within, the fierce old thing in the dark whispers up from behind that deep shattering crack through the length of the wall, "Do you understand it now? What is required of a ruler."
"Better feared and obeyed than not."
"...I see," she says at length, quietly. She doesn't look back at the paper.
She looks instead over at Riesenlied, as if picking up on that undercurrent from Medium to Medium. And in spite of everything, she smiles. It's the complete inverse of the smile the image of herself on the paper bears.
Where did she learn it?
Avril's answer is, as it so often can be, direct.
"From a man named Volsung. One of your people, unless I am mistaken. ...Perhaps you are familiar with him?"
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
Leave it to Noeline to be on top of Riesenlied's well-being! Leave it to Noeline to also chastise loud children. Dean grins at the first part, then turns sheepish at the second. "Sorry," he says, significantly quieter.
Veruni politics. *There's* something Dean never thought he'd have to pay attention to. But, well, here they all are. For Avril's sake at the very least, he's going to have to learn. He nods in agreement with Noeline: "Yeah, we've got enough problems without worrying if the Veruni'll come jump us."
He glances over at Avril at the talk of the workshop and Shalune and everyone. Gosh, it's been ages since he saw the Lunies last. He hopes they're doing okay. He hopes Big Shal's okay!! But with each other to protect each other, they're probably doing just fine.
"Doing tricks would be fun *and* cool!" Dean meanwhile argues with Rebecca--though he's careful to keep his voice down. "You gotta have therapy for your mind too, and doing fun stuff works great for that! Right, Riese?"
Riese meanwhile says that the best thing he and his friends can do is give her company, i.e. the strength to keep fighting. Dean gives her a big thumbs up, and an enthusiastic but quiet: "You bet! I'll come visit more often! And so well..."
Well, along other people, anyway. 'Perfectly maintained,' his butt.
But then: 'I don't think any other Veruni were present...' "Woah, hey, wait, what about Volsung?" Dean blurts out. "He tried his darnedest to kill us to get at Avril! She had to lock him in a block of ice before we could get out of there!" He pauses. "Is he okay?"
He's pretty sure he's okay, given how strong that jerkface is, but. Still.
Also of interest: how Diabolo is doing!! But that's maybe a somewhat more interesting Dean-ism. He snaps to attention when Avril asks after the Golem's well-being, then sober when she muses after the alliance. That's right. "Yeah. That's how it looked to me, too," he says of Volsung and the alliance. Elvis would probably know best, though.
Maybe. Who knows. Still, the Sentinel holds out that piece of paper, and Dean peeks too, and... He sucks in a breath. "Wow. That *is* you," he murmurs in agreement. As for the question... he lets Avril ask that, too. He asked similarly himself, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline glances towards Rebecca's uncertainty, the way her body language withdraws into herself - and decides on impulse that she should really offer more in the way of explanation than she has. "If things are too quiet, it becomes easier for your mind to wander to worries. Riese and I are both rather prone to that as of late - so a little commotion doesn't hurt from time to time," she admits with a lopsided but genuine smile. "And even if there is little that can be done for Riesenlied's health right now, some well wishes do not usually hurt. I'm sure it will be alright."
She spots her partner's hand stealing for the Medium hidden behind her shawl; that draws her back to Riesenlied's side pretty quickly, maintaining contact and tilting her head to meet Riesenlied's eyes. The surprise over Avril's reveal has not left her expression, not fully, but she masks it behind an amused sigh. She may not have enough in the way of empathic presence to connect directly with Avril, but she has a pragmatic outlook on her side - one that points out that the Veruni Queen has remained with the Outreach for a reason, kept her identity silent for another reason, and that she owes enough to put trust in those reasons.
Besides, it's the right thing to do.
Even if she then tries to sneak a glimpse of that page as it's handed over.
As she listens along to Elvis' comments, she carefully slides the child from her shoulders, having sighted a parent in the distance; it gives her the chance to bow her head properly in thanks. "... thank you for the information. I certainly did not mean to sound dismissive - I've simply learnt to be wary as of late, I suppose. It still hasn't quite sunk in that we have time to rest." She pauses, and glances at Riese for a moment before she continues. "... if you're intending to stay around the area, you could always ask Ambrosius about the lab he set up nearby. I am not sure how much of use is left, but it may help as a base camp. ... for that matter, perhaps we should extend an invitation to him?" she asks her partner, the thought having only just occured to her.
It's rare for Noeline to feel truly outside of a conversation; she even hesitates when Avril asks her a direct question, as if it might be butting in on her affairs, and only catches herself after a moment. "... I'm afraid I don't begin to know," she chuckles. "It certainly does not look like it's going anywhere any time soon, but already the outer armor looks a lot better, however that girl manages it." For a moment, she falls silent - but when Avril mutters a quiet few words, something nudges her forwards. "It was you. The distinction is small, but important. ... everyone gets a chance to change themselves, should they wish it. Whatever the reason," she returns solemnly.
She lets it go the next moment, catching Dean's perking up in interest. She holds her silence for a moment, then: "--Diablo is parked in the next valley over," she just throws a bunch of gas right on the fire, filing away mention of Volsung for later. Better to not think of that part right now.
<Pose Tracker> Rebecca Streisand has posed.
Rebecca mouths back 'You're welcome' though perhaps she truly wants to mouth back: 'It's not too late to get out of the line of fire. Run-er-wheel away while you can Riese!'
Dean insists though and Rebecca turns on him, "And how many times did you watch me fall practicing to do simple acrobatic tricks back home Dean!? Even simple stuff could cause her to really reinjure herself before she's even able to walk again!"
"Y-Yeah I saw your brand of 'science' back near Mirapulse." What she doesn't say is she's not certain his brand of science isn't mostly just punching things. "If you say so..." She finally says a little warily.
Before looking sidelong at Avril. "... well it makes sense given how strong he is... I just..." She gives Elvis a long look before whispering to Avril, "... he didn't strike me as having a 'Veruni' like personality." Then again neither does Avril. The days past have been full of surprises.
Rebecca glances at the page though, and holds her breath. It's the kind of smile that she's never seen on Avril's actual face... but...
... perhaps she's seen it.
In that moment she gives a quiet touch of support on Avril's shoulder. However she finds that hand stiffening when Avril mentions Volsung to Elvis. And finds herself watching Elvis' expression extra hard.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied spends a bit of time gazing towards the paper, seeing the image of ... what rather obviously looks like Avril. Or is is the Ice Queen? The memory of the warning they all saw, back when she met Avril for the first time in the Temple of Rejection suddenly comes to mind.
"Where did you find this, Mister Elvis...? It's ancient... is Avril a-- descendant, or--" she's honestly not certain, but then Avril interjects and states that it is her. Veruni are... long-lived, Kaguya's told her she's at least a century old, but she wasn't certain if they're that long lived.
Anything was possible, with how much Avril doesn't know about herself.
"Avril..." she speaks-- then pauses for a moment, as she hitches for a moment at that shift in pressure from Avril.
Her lips thin, but she looks to Avril with surprise at her lack of recognition. She does explain for her sake, though: "Lord Volsung led the Veruni at the time the coalition was made with the Metal Demons. I first met him when he visited the Photosphere at the time, in official capacity..."
A pause, as she starts to breathe a little less steady.
"Something... dark clouds him. An anger, a hatred... it was not easy... to be in the same room. I'm... really glad you're all safe. Avril, Dean, Rebecca..."
She looks surprised at Noeline. "Ambrosius... did? I didn't know that. I didn't even know if he's all right. I do want to visit-- make sure he's okay. I'm not certain if he can stay with us."
She wheezes for a moment. Rebecca's subtler indication does sound appealing right now. She looks to Elvis and implores a request upon him. She does look a bit more bashfully as she wonders what 'tricks' mean when it comes to wheelchairs.
"If you see him before us... could you let him know we're concerned -- and that I want to see and thank him for his help saving me? ... it's been difficult. We've worked together in the past, but the state with Veruni politics..."
She gestures to Noeline, a bit more tiredly. It wasn't really Elvis in the end, but the more difficult subjects that have come up. "We should return the girl home to her parents, and lie down for a bit... would you help me?"
<Pose Tracker> Elvis has posed.
Despite all its damage, the likeness is uncanny. A look toward Avril. The paper is as it shows. "This paper is ancient. centuries and centuries. One of our earliest remnants." A look toward Riesenlied. "We aren't sure, actually. It is undoubtedly her, but even a Veruni without the effects of the VR rarely live past 300. Something doesn't make sense. Finding that out may help find out why Miss Avril here is... herself."
The Professor wants to extrapolate further but suddenly EVERYONE STARTS TALKING ABOUT VOLSUNG WHAT IS GOING ON
Elvis' eyes nearby bug out of his socket. Even revealing his identity is harshly punished, how did a bunch of Humans get this information?! He begins to turn red. "I u-uh, you must be mistaken! I don't know how you got that name, but I wouldn't talk about it, okay?!" he says, flustered, and somewhat worried. "A-And I would have heard something if he went somewhere! You must mean someone else!"
He seems honest in his words, especially based on his facial reactions. "I mean its fine, its fine everything is fine..." Elvis says, taking a breath and calming down. "There has to be a logical explanation for this." Dean meantions Avril getting involved, that gets a distant, stern look to play on his face, not aimed at anyone in particular.
A look from Noeline, to Riesenlied. "He still does," he says quietly. The talk of Volsung has unsettled him, the man that is always bombastic. Always loud.
"...When did you see him?"
<Pose Tracker> Dean Stark has posed.
Dean grimaces when Rebecca rightfully scolds him about all the times he's seen her fall on her face doing acrobatics practice. "Well, uh... Y-yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry," he admits, rubbing a finger under his nose, then nodding at Rebecca and Riese in turn. He smiles at the latter, eyes softening, when she expresses gratitude that he and Avril and Rebecca are all right after the Volsung battle. "Hey, that's our line! We're just glad you and Noeline got out of there okay, too."
Then there are a lot of things of great interest that get said, but, let's be real:
'Diablo is parked in the next valley over.'
This is the only one that registers in the immediate moment.
"REALLY?! He's that close???" Dean gushes, fixing sparkling eyes on Noeline. "Avril! Rebecca! Let's go see him right now!!"
Looks like Riese and Elvis and Noeline will have plenty of time to put that little girl on Noeline's head to bed... Beyond that--to be continued??