2022-12-13: Enough For Now
- Log: Enough For Now
- Cast:Marivel Armitage Seraph Liath
- Where: Quartly Village
- Date: 2022-12-13
- Summary: Marivel invites a friend out for an airplane flight.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel Armitage knows there isn't too much time before shit starts to get real and feeling kind of distressed that whenever she talks with Liath things kind of end up being a bit dire, she decided to set aside some time and invite Liath to Quartly, a small village near Meria Boule, where she can borrow a biplane from her old friend JAck in the area and go on a ... relatively relaxed flight around the Meria Boule area. Marivel WANTED to take Liath on a flight with Lucifer but that machine is against the Treaty of Iscariot and even if large chunks of the world pay little mind to that treaty these days, Marivel sticks to it either by pact or stubbornness.
The village of Quartly is quite small and is a friendly place that hasn't seen too much conflict--a byproduct of its small size and Marivel's intense protection of the community. In the village square there's a statue honoring some kind of four legged machine monstrosity as the Founder of the Town. Someone (Marivel) has put a sticky note on the statue that says 'JACK REMOVE THIS OR I WILL THIS IS NOT FUNNY - M'
But Marivel herself is further up into the hills of the town on the far outskirts where there's a primitive hangar, and a clearing of some significant space. Hob and Nob and zapping the earth with eyelasers, paving a flat road across the surface of the clearing while Marivel is on a trolley underneath the aircraft and splattered with specks of grease and oil as she digs into the innards. She is pretty focused on the work and, as such, not particularly observant of her surroundings.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Liath has posed.
Filgaia remains in many ways a mystery to Liath. This isn't to say she's learned nothing of it -- quite the contrary. Ever since arriving on the fabled Blue Star so many years ago, she has been adamant about learning everything about its so often self-destructive history. The Treaty of Iscariot is just one of the many things that Liath has become intimately familiar with in her time here; ultimately, it was perhaps one of the easiest things to grasp. Human history carries similar beats, even across worlds.
The only difference is the scales upon which the consequences of their actions are measured.
On the other hand, there's still a lot of things she doesn't get. Like biplanes! How do they work?? Liath has no idea (she has some feverish, wildly imaginative ideas). Some might be daunted at the prospect of being so far out of their depth about so many things others simply take for granted.
For Liath, it's an endless marvel of discovery.
So, of course the Light Seraph accepted the invitation and - of course - she arrives with the impeccable timing she always does. The Seraph takes her time in wandering Quartly itself, taking some time to puzzle over the statue and its post-it addendum with a quizzical frown and the tap of a finger on her chin. Eventually, though, right on time --
"Is there some controversy regarding automaton revolutionaries in this village?"
The question comes from directly behind Marivel, where Liath stands, brows furrowed and her entire expression steeped in thought. One can tell -- she's been stewing over this for a while.
"Was it some manner of steel tyrant--?"
God only knows what sort of tale she's woven for the village of Quartly based wholly on a weird statue and a post-it note.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Marivel had a feeling that Liath would appreciate a new experience. She doesn't know how much time Liath has, or maybe she has an infinite amount of time. Hard to say--Marivel's own time is in flux--all the more reason to make good memories. Marivel had always felt she didn't make enough time with her first set of companions. Whether that's true or not is pretty immaterial because there never would have been enough time.
She rolls out from under the plane, stopping short from colliding with Liath's legs--as the Seraph arrives with her impeccable timing and looks, for a moment, perplexed.
"Huh?"
Some manner of steel tyrant?
Understanding dawns on her. "Oh! Nah, nah, Revelry's one of mine. Not too much smarter than Hob'n'Nob over there. Long time ago, shortly after your ancestors left for the Silver Star--I had Revelry protect this land because it wasn't contaminated by radiation and..."
She trails off, wondering for a moment if a Seraph of Light knows about the dangers of radiation or not.
"Eventually it became this town and Jack--the guy who owns this plane--thought it'd be real cute for him to advertise it."
"But the problem," She says. "Is it could draw eyes to the town and at this point I put a lot of time and effort into this place and don't want to see it explode cause Jack's not cautious enough. But I don't wanna be a tyrant or anything about it." Post-it note aside, apparently.
She slides back under the plane, tightens a few more screws, and gives the underside an experimental bonk with the wrench.
"Yeah should hold. Only small odds of it bursting into flame."
She pulls back out again, this time smiling. "Good to see you, Li. Glad you could make it."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Liath has posed.
How much time does Liath have? Really, the answer is the same as it is for most, even if the reasons vary:
It depends.
But she could have all the time in the world, or none at all, and if she had a choice... Liath would still want to spend that time seeing and discovering new things. Especially with those important to her.
Right /now/ though, she's most interested in the history of this village and its terrible tin tyrant -- who, as it turns out, is not actually all that tyrannical at all. Bright gold eyes widen and lips part in a little "oh!" of an expression as Marivel pops out from beneath the plane and explains the situation. At the very least, she seems to look like she understands the basic concept and potential dangers of radiation -- if the solemn cast of her features and her lack of assumption about radiation meaning something wildly different.
"Mm," she exhales. No -- after all, she studied extensively on Filgaia and its fragmentary history she could grasp. The good and the bad. If nothing else...
A Light Seraph knows how dangerous that light can be.
So she listens. And by the end of it, Liath is smiling that warm, pleased little smile of hers, gloved and armored hands clasping behind her back as she looks back towards the village.
"I understand the source of your worry," she says, earnestly. "But there is something worthwhile in people taking such pride in remembering and honoring their history. And their protector." Her smile broadens, eyes shutting.
"I think it is a touching tribute, at least."
Still, Marivel gets back to work. She makes her assessment. And by the time she pulls back out from underneath the plane, Liath is blinking.
"I am glad to be invited, Marivel," she says, earnestly. A second passes.
"Are these biplanes oft prone towards spontaneous combustion...?"
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"I'd give it a small percent chance," Marivel says. "Jack knows what he's doing but the engines of today are primitive so it's not my specialty. Sometimes when society advances it loses track of the building blocks of tech as simpler methods and workarounds become commonplace."
She is grateful Liath doesn't need clarification on the radiation. Few things haunt Marivel more than the early days of when she escaped the Memory Maze, finding herself not in the time of Ashley Winchester as she expected but in the very world she had failed to protect.
Liath has her own thoughts on the Protector of Quartly, wiping off her face with a rag. She notices that a thick black smudge has splotted onto her overalls. She t rubs at it but it's gonna take more than that to clean it. She frowns at it but leaves it for now.
She carefully sits herself up--then stands. "You think I'm being overprotective, huh?" She asks. She'd probably have bristled at the idea of anyone else suggesting it.
"We'll have to keep a low flight," She adds. "So we don't attract Solaris or any other wandering eyes. I wanted to take you in Lucifer but it's techncially illegal so safer to just take the biplane. This stuff doesn't usually set off any alarmbells provided we don't try to pass over an ocean."
"Oh! Right--"
Marivel clambers in and then tosses brown leather aviator helmet (with goggles!) towards Liath. "I tried flying one of these without goggles once and so much gunk got into my eyes."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Liath has posed.
"Mm. If they are so fundamental to the building process, it seems woefully irresponsible to lose track of these blocks."
Liath: has comprehensive understanding of radioactive contamination; has never heard the term 'building blocks' before.
Such is the dichotomy of the Prime Lord.
/Her point still stands./
At the very least, she doesn't seem too terribly concerned about the prospect of spontaneous combustion. More -- curious. Fascinated, maybe. She wonders over the bravery of humans to fly around in things that might just become a gigantic fireball in the sky at any moment (by her assumption (she probably also has assumptions over why this happens)) when Marivel speaks up. Having been busying herself looking over the plane itself, Liath glances back towards Marivel; her gaze softens.
"It is a natural instinct for a land and people you care for," is her answer, one that feels as if it comes from a point of genuine understanding. "... Eventually, though, we must trust they can stand on their own two feet."
Once again, she looks back towards the plane, remarking, "Ah yes, the sky people and their machinations," on the heels of Marivel's explanation. She takes in the biplane and smiles. "As much as I would revel in the opportunity to have flown in Lucifer, this will more than suffice. Experiencing something such as this as they do is all I could ask for."
Which - it seems - includes goggles and helmets. Snatching the headgear out of the air, she blinks, studying it as she tilts it in her hands.
"Gunk?" she wonders, and it's anyone's guess just what she's picturing. At the very least -- it does mean she takes the warning to heart, and swiftly puts the helmet on before making her way into the plane.
'Swiftly.' It takes a couple of attempts. It's confusing and new, don't judge her. She's normally great with helms.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
There's this awkward moment where Marivel tries to respectfully offer help then kind of awkwardly retracts it thinking it's not wanted and then back again.
"Oh for sure," Marivel says once Liath's inside, this time oblivious to Liath misconstruing what she means as it knid of slides past her usual quick catch of these linguistic misrepresentations. "I don't think it's intentional. They just lose track over time. Passing down knowledge is tricky. You think you wrote everything down but something you thought was obvious--you forget that--or someone is stingy with their notes, so on so forth."
She flicks some switches and doohickeys. "Biplanes are also easier to fly than some aircraft--you could probably learn how if you gave it, I dunno, a year of serious practice with a teacher."
Trust they can stand on their own two feet.
Marivel can't say that Liath doesn't understand because in this, she knows Liath understands all too well. She breathes it in. Out.
"Trust doesn't come easy to me," She admits. "But... I do trust you. You want me to trust their balance, I'll trust 'em. I'll remove the note."
History IS important. it still feels weird to be a part of it.
Oh, right. Another important thing.
Marivel turns back and adds, "Have you used a seatbelt before? Uh, there should be a buckle on your left, if you pull it out and across your lap and and into the socket on the other side--make sure the strap's in front--I mean, I'm not doing any stunts or anything but safer that way."
Of course couldn't Liath just pop inside like Boudicca had? Or Ragnell does with Azoth?
"Yeah like bugs, dust in the air--that sort of thing." She keeps her gaze focused on Liath so she can see how her own helmet is put on.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Liath has posed.
Ultimately it might be for the best that Liath was allowed to solve the helmet conundrum on her own. She has her pride, after all.
She's positively beaming as she snaps those goggles into place over her eyes and boards the plane. She even gives a little "Huzzah!"
She has achieved great victory!
Settling comfortably, Liath's hands rest against each other in her lap as she looks out over all the land and earth surrounding them, as if to capture the image as vividly in her mind before takeoff. As such, she can only comment somewhat absent-mindedly as she takes in the landscape,
"Perchance if they but stored the blocks in a simpler locale, they would have no need to rely on cryptic notes."
... Not that she doesn't understand the way time erodes knowledge from generation to generation. But she feels strongly humans are very capable of keeping track of some blocks, especially if they're important!
Still - the prospect that she, too, could learn to fly puts a smile on her face. "I would like that," she says, sincerely. Maybe one day. If nothing else -- when Liath dedicates herself to learning or doing something, she commits herself wholly.
That smile on her lips just grows into a more radiant thing in answer to Marivel's concession, coming from a place of genuine warmth.
"I know it is not easy, Marivel," she says, after a moment, "and that is why I cherish your trust in me all the more. Thank you. I believe these people, too, will show you they are worthy of that trust." A second passes. "And it is rather a nice statue. I -- mm?"
Behind her secure goggles, Liath blinks. She looks down, towards the buckle, and her brows lift. "Ah, yes! I have had some experience with these seated belts before, in some of the Blue Star's landfaring transportations. Let us see..." And here, she will duly fiddle with said seatbelt, ultimately clicking the thing in with a triumphant "aha!"
The seatbelt might be a bit twisted up but.
Mostly, it looks fine.
"Shall we be off, then?"
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Perchance if they but stored the blocks in a simpler locale...
Marivel opens her mouth, shuts it, opens it again. Does she mean--no, surely--surely Liath has heard the expression 'building blocks' before. Right...? Maybe she's thinking of how the Mediums...? She's not sure how to explain compounding knowledge right now. She's spent the whole day working and she just wants to fly--a lesson learned, perhaps, another phrase to be wary of in Liath's vincinity.
That smile though... Another stake to the heart, she supposes. Liath has a way of getting past the ribcage.
"Jack's a good guy. He's had a rough childhood but he's a testament to the perseverance of his people." Marivel says. "I think you'd like him, if you ever get the chance to talk. Only about in his fifties or sixties." Might as well be a year apart as far as Marivel's concerned. "But he's loved macines ever since he was a kid. He promised me, when we first met a while ago, that he'd give me a ride in a plane like this. He kept that promises ages ago."
The propeller starts spinning rapidly once Marivel has seen that Liath has strapped herself in. She resists the urge to fix te strap. Trust. Trust. And, well, it doesn't really matter if it's a little crooked.
"Final systems check... All nominal..." Marivel murmurs to herself before saying. "It'll be a bit bumpy...!"
She pushes the control stick forward and the plane starts pushing forward down the impromptu runway. Hob and Nob flit off to the side to avoid a collission and slowly--
--but surely--
--the plane starts to lift into the air. As Marivel promised, it's a bumpy rise up--and in no time at all they're above the houses of the village. A long way down for a human, all told.
"I wish I could get you above the clouds," Marivel says. "Some day. Maybe the next age..."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Liath has posed.
Time is a strangely relative thing. Liath hardly bats an eye at the lack of differentiating an age gap that may be enormous to a human life, but to a Seraph or Crimson Noble hardly constitutes an eyeblink. Yet so many momentous things can happen in that time all the same.
So many momentous things can happen even in the span of a single minute, like now.
"He seems someone I would very much like to know," remarks Liath sincerely, "especially to hear you sing his praises so. We Seraphim have created many magnificent things with our artes, but they are things sculpted over hundreds, thousands of years. And yet the things humankind can make within a single breath of that time... it is frightening and stunning, all in one. I have no small fondness for the innovators and tinkerers. The people who seek the answer to the countless 'what if's of the world."
She truly does adore them.
It's a fact that's plain on her face -- and certainly so is the look of anticipation that bubbles up in her goggle-covered eyes as the final check begins. There's a certain wonder to experiencing something for truly, the very first time. When Liath first took a trip on a train, she was in awe of it. The locomotion; the power necessary to carry so many countless tons of steel across an entire continent. It was staggering.
It also made her woefully misinformed about what 'horsepower' actually represented which Ragnell certainly never let her hear the end of, but that's neither here nor there --
The point IS. When the plane starts to move? When the chassis starts to tremble with mounting pressure and air resistance? Liath's eyes are wide; her lips part in amazement. Her hands settle against the side of her seat to -feel- the way the plane rumbles and shakes beneath her fingers until --
-- wheels lift --
-- and air gushes past her as she looks past to watch them rising into the sky with pure excitement.
"Ah...!"
It's wonderful. Remarkable. Flight is... something she has done. Can do. In a way she could never truly appreciate. This? This is something she never thought she'd experience.
'I wish I could get you above the clouds,' says Marivel, but Liath's gaze is so ardently fixated on the way everything shrinks away from them as she lifts up just enough to see the smallness of the world beneath them.
"... Mayhap," she finally says after a time.
"But this is more than enough for now, Marivel. It is beautiful."