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 Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:44 pm
Kouyo is silent save for a vague feeling of anxiety for most of the walk back home. Had he made another terrible choice in agreeing to study with this human? He had originally wanted information from Kumoru, but now it seemed that things would be more complicated than that.
When they get back to the house, the High Priest takes his books back to his growing nest of blankets, hiding them away there alongside the one he had essentially temporarily stolen from Jilan. Then he fetches his robes and goes to the bathroom to change into normal clothes.
Was this a good idea? Kouyo asks, half-wondering why Setsushi would have allowed him to agree if it was not. He knew little of what sort of Porcelain this mage had raised Jilan into - was he someone who could be trusted?
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:50 pm
After putting away the newly-purchased goods in their proper places, Setsushi settles onto his bed with a great sigh.
Jilan seems an honest young man, and Kumoru himself has not yet done anything that Setsushi would find reprehensible, other than letting his spirit wander around without proper clothing. It's just that... well, human mages who are terribly curious about Porcelain magic make Setsushi worry.
How much does Kouyo know?
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:19 pm
... Nothing too specific. Kouyo learned over the years that the news that reached him in the tower tended to be very watered down and vague for the most part. No one wanted the High Priest troubling his meditations with the goings on of the Empire unless it was really necessary.
He had heard dark tales of torture and such, though, and trying to tear the very souls from the bodies of Porcelain, though.
Kouyo emerges from the bathroom as soon as he is dressed again, combing his fingers through his hair worriedly. He stands still for a moment, then walks over to the wall to start pacing through Setsushi's house again.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:38 pm
Setsushi's fingers obsessively play with a bit of frayed blanket as he tries to figure out how to phrase the matter in a way that will not upset Kouyo too much.
Setsushi doesn't know that much either, but he was briefed on the situation as a Dragon Knight. Indeed, some of the humans from Karyasihu were conducting cruel torture on Porcelain, shipping some Sleeping farmers away to their homeland...
But their ultimate purpose, as Setsushi was told, was not so much to strip souls from bodies, but to... take their Names. The humans were trying to take Name magic for themselves, and their experiments were designed to first extract souls from bodies and then to extract elements from souls.
He pauses, watching Kouyo worriedly.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:50 pm
Kouyo finishes walking to the wall and leans against it, closing his eyes. He is clearly disturbed, and starts to cry softly.
Why would anyone want to do that? What would bring a being to even think of trying that? What could possibly be so important as to permit such a thing?
Kouyo and Setsushi are very important, then, because they are Lucid. They could be targets....
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:56 pm
Setsushi springs to his feet to stand near Kouyo and comfort him.
Setsushi doesn't know why anyone would do something like that. Some greed beyond Porcelain comprehension, perhaps, which is why the Empress declared humans unfired; but there are other reasons. Perhaps they were desperate for a new weapon to protect themselves against an enemy?
Nothing can justify it, though. Setsushi's brow kneads -- he did not see the carnage himself, but... He shudders.
... But Kouyo should not be too afraid. According to what the Empress's spies had deduced, the experiments were not working and the foreigners were planning to abandon their attempts, anyway. And they were successfully expelled from the Empire and the gate sealed.
... But, Setsushi still cannot help but feel anxious about human mages wishing to learn their secrets.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:05 pm
Kouyo assures his friend that he will be alright, he is just a bit overwhelmed that someone could do something like that to a living Porcelain. How could those be the same humans as....
And maybe the Golden World is safe from them, but what about Gaia? Are they then at the mercy of the Gaians here, if they so choose to make similar attempts?
Did Setsushi know that the mage from the bookstore was so curious? Should he be permitted to continue to keep watch over the two Porcelain children?
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:35 pm
Setsushi pats Kouyo gently on the shoulder.
Setsushi doesn't know... that is why he wanted to ask Kouyo for advice. The Gaians do not seem warlike or cruel, but then the diplomats from Karyasihu also seemed benign, at least at first...
And Setsushi believes that they should investigate the mage first, see what his magic entails, and perhaps interview the two children before they decide on a plan of action. The boys seem healthy, don't they? Indeed, Jilan seems quite fond of his caretaker, and the little Huo was in quite a playful mood when he arrived at Setsushi's shop the other day.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:41 pm
Kouyo is... suspicious of the boy, Jilan. The child seemed to know certain things that no one should be able to know. Things about Kouyo. And Jilan appears to be the one most strongly devoted to the mage already. And he is the one who claimed to have come from the Silver World, no? Does Jilan know anything at all of the Golden World?
Perhaps investigations first would be wise, particularly with regards to the older Porcelain child.
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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:51 pm
Setsushi is a bit surprised at Kouyo's adamance, but only a bit. Kumoru did agree to let the children come by sometime; they can question them while they are here.
... But they shouldn't assume that they are complicit in some evil scheme already, he thinks, as if to himself, but while eyeing Kouyo worriedly.
... ... ... And also, since they are at home, and Setsushi has been meaning to ask...
...What did the Name show Kouyo?
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:05 am
What took Kouyo two years to confess just to Setsushi.... The High Priest is concerned that the boy may know at least something about it. That secret exists between three people only - Kouyo, Setsushi, and... Kouyo's wife. There should be no way for anyone else to know.
He reels a bit as Setsushi inquires about his vision, though. Kouyo asked and received... only more questions. He looks away, biting his bottom lip. The High Priest still has not fully figured it out yet.
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:08 am
Jilan knows? eek
Well, Kouyo knows Setsushi would not betray his secret. Perhaps there is some other way that the boy could have found out -- there are Seers who can violate secrets easily, for example. Still, it is strange, and they should indeed try to find out more...
And he did not mean to pressure Kouyo. Setsushi was hoping that the Name would help them figure out all of this confusion, but it seems that confusion has only bred confusion since they've arrived...
He sighs and goes back to sit on his bed, frowning as he thinks.
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:15 am
Kouyo has good reason to suspect that he does. ... Is Jilan a seer, then, somehow?
And the Knight should not worry himself for asking. Kouyo is just having difficulty working through what the Name showed him because... parts of it seem to affect the priest directly, and in ways that make it painful to think about. He will continue trying, though, for all of their sakes.
The smaller Porcelain walks back to his nest and settles down on the blankets facing Setsushi, watching him quietly.
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:21 am
Setsushi stares back at Kouyo, a touch of sadness in his expression.
Setsushi truly, truly does not want to make his friend suffer any more than he already has. He would like to bid his friend to forget this visions if they cause him pain, but...
... Is it so surprising that they concern Kouyo? After all, Name or Chaos or something else intervened at just the right moment to save Kouyo; would it be so strange for he, Setsushi, and the others to figure in this phenomenon somehow?
... ... ... This almost too vexing for even Setsuhi to think about, though... he stands up antsily and looks around.
... How about they think about this later, and think about lunch right now?
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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:37 am
Kouyo nods slowly standing again and moving closer to his friend. The Name did not permit him to die, even though Kouyo himself willed it, and the High Priest feels that this means he cannot give up on his visions. It would be cowardly of Kouyo to run just because of his own pain. Setsushi is here in Gaia as well, as are a handful of other Porcelain; the problem includes many, and so Kouyo cannot afford to hide from his duty simply because the answer is difficult to swallow.
... But yes, later is fine. Kouyo thinks he has to measure the room again, too.
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