[He flinches back at the touch, though in the moment he's not entirely sure why. An instinct that goes with the body. But he holds himself still after that. There's no reason not to trust her.]
I don't...[He almost answers that it could or could not be normal where he comes from, for all he knows. But no, he knows enough.] It should be red.
[And warm. Flowing freely until it dries, rather than freezing on a little contact with air.]
Same for me. It's odd. I really ought to take a sample—
[ At what's likely an alarmed look from the boy, Camilla quickly clarifies: ]
From myself. Don't worry. It's just—
[ She's not used to carrying on conversations with strangers, and she finds herself faltering trying to explain herself with someone who doesn't just automatically know everything she intends. She almost glances to the side, as if Palamedes Sextus might be hovering right behind her shoulder, shoving his glasses up his nose, quick to step in and carry the chatter for her. But he's not here. She's on her own. ]
I knew people in medicine. They'd have a field day with this. Makes me want to figure out how it works, too.
[He squints, trying to envision just what to do with a sample. Put it over a flame to see if it will melt? But it is important. There's no life without blood, and there's no healing if you don't know what that blood will do.
Do they all have this blood now? Something carried over from that earlier form? But a squid would have normal blood too...
He prods at a drop on the rocks next to him, already frozen and evidently quite stuck. So much for that as a sample.]
Maybe...maybe there are people already here. [Maybe. This could be undiscovered land. Or the inhabitants might not, strictly speaking, be people.] They might know.
[He's really counting on your own blood not being able to poison you right now, isn't he?
It is gross, when you know the peeled-up droplet is blood. But he's dealt with grosser things than a little blood as a daily occurrence for most of his life - this doesn't register very high on the overall scale. The whole fact that you can peel it up is indeed more interesting. He pries a thin line up from the rock, looking at it closely.]
[He looks at the completely unmarked rock. A wax crayon? Does that leave marks on surfaces like charcoal does?
Well, the dried blood certainly doesn't, so what else is it like? He takes the end of each side of the strip in each of his hands and snaps-
That is, tries to snap. As thin as it is, it won't break like the ice it resembles. It doesn't even bend. The edges have cut slightly into his fingers where he held them too close, adding onto the strip.
There is something gratifying about that sigh, a simple and sincere show of appreciation. It's an odd feeling. He's not sure what to do with it.
He can do something with the waterskin, though. He sits down next to the man, poking at the top until he figures out you need to twist the cap to open it. He sniffs it carefully. Probably the man is right, and no one would carefully pack bad water. But some of the boy's natural wariness has set back in, and he's fairly sure you should always check that water's good anyway.
It does, in fact, smell fine. He takes a small, cautious sip. It tastes fine too.
"I think it's clean." But he doesn't drink any more - it may be a while before they find more fresh water, so better to make this last. He puts the cap back on before placing the waterskin in his companion's lap.
Break is thinking likewise. After a similar investigation, he allows himself two sips -- one to swish around in his mouth and ease the lingering tastes of grody saltwater and blood, and the next because the first one doesn't quite rid him of the feeling of thorns in his throat. After that, he replaces the cap, the dog nosing his hand toward it when he fumbles and drops it into his lap.
"...where are we going?" he asks, at length. He's been so preoccupied with getting away from the water and from those awful rocks that he hasn't questioned what there even is to go to. Better ground, the boy had said earlier, but what is there other than that...?
A good question, with no immediately clear answer. Away from the sharp rocks had been the main priority. The boy looks more intently up and down the coastline, at the forest behind them. Surely he can find some hint in the terrain.
"The cliffs start shrinking on the left," he says after a while. "Maybe there's a river or something down that way."
Or something meaning people, especially if there is in fact a river.
There was never any way they were ever going to sort themselves out without more walking and moving. Still, faced with the prospect of this, Break is massively disappointed that he can't just roll over where he is and sleep for a century. If they really have to do a lot of walking, is he even capable of it, at this point? What's going to happen later if they don't find anyone? He's going to have to rely on a child to take care of him, apparently, because he's certainly in no shape to be taking care of the child, which is just dreadful --
I can carry you, comes a voice, into both of their minds.
"Ah?"
If need be, I can carry you, it says again, and the black dog lifts its head proudly, indicating where the voice is coming from. I am here because you are here. I've pulled you from the sea. If the going on land is too much, I can grow large enough to carry you both.
"...ah," Break says again, because what else can he say? A little hesitantly, he lifts a hand, and his omen puts his nose into his palm. If it can really do such things...perhaps it will be alright after all.
The omen's first words cause the boy to look around, startled. He can't have missed someone else being here. But then who spoke?
Then the dog lifts his head as the voice continues, and the boy realizes that there's no sound to this voice. It comes from no direction, there's no vibration to it. His eyes widen. The dog is speaking directly into their minds? Saying it can...shapeshift to grow larger?
Why not? says a part of him, you were a squid a few hours ago. However ridiculous it sounds, there's clearly magic involved here. He doesn't know if that's the sensible part of his mind, or something reckless within him. Regardless, he can't just accept this without saying anything.
Yes! answers the omen immediately, another toss of his head making it clear that he's definitely the one speaking. I am terribly helpful, you know.
The dog sounds so pleased with himself Break can't help but laugh a little, a breathless little chuckle that escapes him softly. He's been burned before by creatures he had a certain soul connection with, but to be fair, the one that really did him dirty didn't bother to lie about the horrible things they would do -- only the fact that it wasn't actually supposed to work, and honestly Break rather deserved what he got for falling for it. This omen feels a lot more like his second Chain, crafted explicitly for him, and with no sense of bloodthirstiness about him at all.
"Sure. Why not. After all, I was -- somehow in the ocean in the first place," Break says, unknowingly echoing the boy's thoughts, in a way. "You can speak this well, then."
When it suits me, the omen answers, and puts his head beneath Break's hand again. See, he is so solid and sturdy, even if he is made of smoke and shadow. All will be well.
The dog's self-assured self-promotion gets a small laugh from the boy as well. He could be more skeptical, but in someplace entirely new, and given the evidence, maybe that's actually the more foolish choice.
Carefully, he reaches out to put a hand on the omen's shoulder.
Baltus accepts the touch easily. He is much more open than Break, and much less skittish. If blind men and children can take comfort simply in his solidity, that's a grand thing indeed, and he is entirely happy to sit here and be dog-shaped and tangible.
An emotional support omen, you might say.
He will wait patiently while Break rests a little while longer, and then urge them both in the direction of people. The Wakers will greet them properly at the boardwalk, and there will be no further need to worry about robes or fresh water or food. It will take a long time to forget the unkindness of the rocks and the sea, but the end of today's road for Break at least will be a bed beneath a roof with two companions from his own world at his side.
He'll wonder about the boy, though, in the days that come after.
['realms.' it's an unusual bit of vocabulary, and Blue's not sure how true it is. he considers that for a few steps...that and the boy's confusion on planet.]
...In a way. But it may be...difficult to fully explain. But it isn't wrong...to think of it like that for now.
[for now. he will have to learn otherwise, should he linger here.]
[He frowns. He doesn't like working with what is apparently a faulty analogy. But it will have to do for now - there are more important things to focus on, and the man is already having trouble talking.
The beach is flattening out further, and he can see lights up ahead. Indistinct voices begin to carry over to them on the breeze.] A...harbor?
[That's what it must be, he thinks, so close to the water.]
It's called a boardwalk. [Blue's pace slows again, tiring faster.] No ships...come and go from this stretch of beach. But the people...they've built up this place...to greet those of us who wash ashore.
[The boy slows down to match his companion, starting to feel worried about the man's clearly flagging strength. He may need someone to catch him if he falters.]
[Blue lifts his eyes to the child once more - now virtually eye-level with him in this way. with a chance to rest, he can take a moment to try and understand the facts of a little person in front of him.
whatever he'd been through...it's sharpened him like steel. echoes of strife and injustice lead to some familiar reverberations within himself, like a water's surface tension just barely disturbed.
should he fear for him now? or be encouraged by a hope that, perhaps, whatever might be ahead of him will be less an ordeal than what's behind?
it's a bit too soon to say.
as for the question:] I just...need time. You needn't worry.
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timeasmymeasure
for Camilla
Date: 2021-09-12 08:18 pm (UTC)I don't...[He almost answers that it could or could not be normal where he comes from, for all he knows. But no, he knows enough.] It should be red.
[And warm. Flowing freely until it dries, rather than freezing on a little contact with air.]
no subject
Date: 2021-09-17 03:52 am (UTC)[ At what's likely an alarmed look from the boy, Camilla quickly clarifies: ]
From myself. Don't worry. It's just—
[ She's not used to carrying on conversations with strangers, and she finds herself faltering trying to explain herself with someone who doesn't just automatically know everything she intends. She almost glances to the side, as if Palamedes Sextus might be hovering right behind her shoulder, shoving his glasses up his nose, quick to step in and carry the chatter for her. But he's not here. She's on her own. ]
I knew people in medicine. They'd have a field day with this. Makes me want to figure out how it works, too.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-28 07:34 pm (UTC)Do they all have this blood now? Something carried over from that earlier form? But a squid would have normal blood too...
He prods at a drop on the rocks next to him, already frozen and evidently quite stuck. So much for that as a sample.]
Maybe...maybe there are people already here. [Maybe. This could be undiscovered land. Or the inhabitants might not, strictly speaking, be people.] They might know.
for Alice
Date: 2021-09-12 08:20 pm (UTC)It is gross, when you know the peeled-up droplet is blood. But he's dealt with grosser things than a little blood as a daily occurrence for most of his life - this doesn't register very high on the overall scale. The whole fact that you can peel it up is indeed more interesting. He pries a thin line up from the rock, looking at it closely.]
It's like ice. [But not melting.]
i return from the ashes like a horrible phoenix
Date: 2021-09-25 04:27 pm (UTC)It's not rubbing away - not like a wax crayon at all.
...It's not my favorite color, but it would have been neat.
it's a beautiful sight!
Date: 2021-09-28 07:55 pm (UTC)Well, the dried blood certainly doesn't, so what else is it like? He takes the end of each side of the strip in each of his hands and snaps-
That is, tries to snap. As thin as it is, it won't break like the ice it resembles. It doesn't even bend. The edges have cut slightly into his fingers where he held them too close, adding onto the strip.
So it can cut things. That's neat.]
What else did yours do?
for Break
Date: 2021-09-28 08:18 pm (UTC)He can do something with the waterskin, though. He sits down next to the man, poking at the top until he figures out you need to twist the cap to open it. He sniffs it carefully. Probably the man is right, and no one would carefully pack bad water. But some of the boy's natural wariness has set back in, and he's fairly sure you should always check that water's good anyway.
It does, in fact, smell fine. He takes a small, cautious sip. It tastes fine too.
"I think it's clean." But he doesn't drink any more - it may be a while before they find more fresh water, so better to make this last. He puts the cap back on before placing the waterskin in his companion's lap.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-30 04:29 am (UTC)"...where are we going?" he asks, at length. He's been so preoccupied with getting away from the water and from those awful rocks that he hasn't questioned what there even is to go to. Better ground, the boy had said earlier, but what is there other than that...?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-05 08:07 pm (UTC)"The cliffs start shrinking on the left," he says after a while. "Maybe there's a river or something down that way."
Or something meaning people, especially if there is in fact a river.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-11 01:00 pm (UTC)I can carry you, comes a voice, into both of their minds.
"Ah?"
If need be, I can carry you, it says again, and the black dog lifts its head proudly, indicating where the voice is coming from. I am here because you are here. I've pulled you from the sea. If the going on land is too much, I can grow large enough to carry you both.
"...ah," Break says again, because what else can he say? A little hesitantly, he lifts a hand, and his omen puts his nose into his palm. If it can really do such things...perhaps it will be alright after all.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 07:27 pm (UTC)Then the dog lifts his head as the voice continues, and the boy realizes that there's no sound to this voice. It comes from no direction, there's no vibration to it. His eyes widen. The dog is speaking directly into their minds? Saying it can...shapeshift to grow larger?
Why not? says a part of him, you were a squid a few hours ago. However ridiculous it sounds, there's clearly magic involved here. He doesn't know if that's the sensible part of his mind, or something reckless within him. Regardless, he can't just accept this without saying anything.
"...You can...do that?"
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 11:15 pm (UTC)The dog sounds so pleased with himself Break can't help but laugh a little, a breathless little chuckle that escapes him softly. He's been burned before by creatures he had a certain soul connection with, but to be fair, the one that really did him dirty didn't bother to lie about the horrible things they would do -- only the fact that it wasn't actually supposed to work, and honestly Break rather deserved what he got for falling for it. This omen feels a lot more like his second Chain, crafted explicitly for him, and with no sense of bloodthirstiness about him at all.
"Sure. Why not. After all, I was -- somehow in the ocean in the first place," Break says, unknowingly echoing the boy's thoughts, in a way. "You can speak this well, then."
When it suits me, the omen answers, and puts his head beneath Break's hand again. See, he is so solid and sturdy, even if he is made of smoke and shadow. All will be well.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 09:35 pm (UTC)Carefully, he reaches out to put a hand on the omen's shoulder.
Let's wrap here, to make room for newer shenanigans?
Date: 2021-11-04 02:29 am (UTC)An emotional support omen, you might say.
He will wait patiently while Break rests a little while longer, and then urge them both in the direction of people. The Wakers will greet them properly at the boardwalk, and there will be no further need to worry about robes or fresh water or food. It will take a long time to forget the unkindness of the rocks and the sea, but the end of today's road for Break at least will be a bed beneath a roof with two companions from his own world at his side.
He'll wonder about the boy, though, in the days that come after.
for Soldier Blue
Date: 2021-09-29 05:54 pm (UTC)You mean different realms? Like...Hel or Asgard?
[It's hard, after being reborn into his own shape, not to think of the realms the dead travel to.]
no subject
Date: 2021-09-30 06:22 pm (UTC)...In a way. But it may be...difficult to fully explain. But it isn't wrong...to think of it like that for now.
[for now. he will have to learn otherwise, should he linger here.]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-05 08:15 pm (UTC)The beach is flattening out further, and he can see lights up ahead. Indistinct voices begin to carry over to them on the breeze.] A...harbor?
[That's what it must be, he thinks, so close to the water.]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-06 10:29 pm (UTC)...So it seems...
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 07:33 pm (UTC)...They're expecting us?
[He's not sure how he feels about that.]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-16 02:12 pm (UTC)It's a mystery...I have yet to unravel...
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 09:54 pm (UTC)He nods, with a small hmm. He has plenty to think about already, so he may as well let his companion catch his breath for now.]
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 10:30 pm (UTC)he doesn't bother hiding the relief he feels in getting just a hand onto the back of it for support, his body ready to drop.
with or without help, he sets himself down and lets himself exhale heavily.]
Here...there is food. Clothes. Answers...
Some...answers. Not all.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-24 08:34 pm (UTC)Thank you.
[He surprises himself by following up.]
Will you be alright?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-24 11:33 pm (UTC)whatever he'd been through...it's sharpened him like steel. echoes of strife and injustice lead to some familiar reverberations within himself, like a water's surface tension just barely disturbed.
should he fear for him now? or be encouraged by a hope that, perhaps, whatever might be ahead of him will be less an ordeal than what's behind?
it's a bit too soon to say.
as for the question:] I just...need time. You needn't worry.
Go- find your answers.