Welcome to Gaia! ::

Encke found himself palming his senshi phone as Caedus looked at the eel--that was definitely an eel--pulling up his sister's--Anser's--contact information and pinging her off a message of, Hey, Anser, because they never called each other 'sis' or 'bro' over text, just in case their cell phones were ever somehow confiscated, you notice anything interesting on your homeworld? like, life or something?

He would have to see what she said in a bit, but for now-- Encke couldn't help it, couldn't help encouraging that hope that the unawakened Sailor Velenia had, and he responded with a, "By the stars, I hope that's the case. If Velenia's already healing, that'd be wonderful. Still want to see it all healed up." Encke reached over to pat him on the shoulder, hopeful that it was encouraging and not just a reinforcement of the fact that Velenia--and Velencya--was still in danger.

He wished this wasn't a question, and he wished the prevalent theory wasn't that Caedus needed to die and hope that the rebirth cycle worked out in order for Velenia to possibly live. Encke hoped they would find an answer. He believed they would.

"Of course!" Eagerly, Encke straightened out and came to his feet, stretching over his head and feeling the cracks in his shoulders. "If it feels like you're dreaming, let's keep the dream going. Promise you're awake though." He snickered. "I can take you into the city if you'd like?"

Maybe he could take him toward the central plaza and the fountain, or maybe into a couple of the buildings--

Caedus had a way of making Encke feel like he had a big head, and he couldn't help a sheepish laugh as he ran a hand through his hair. "You flatter me, Caedus," his smile was bright despite that, as he continued with, "I consider myself lucky to have met you, too, and to have you in my life."

And before Caedus could say anything else, he reinforced that with a, "And I mean that."

Caedus was important to him. In the most overall sense, he had helped them save hundreds of starseeds. But Encke and Caedus had bonded, developed a friendship, forged that with a mutual fascination of space and stories and foods. He remembered reaching in to grasp that starseed from Lyndin despite how terribly Lyndin wanted to hang onto it. He remembered the way it sent shocks up his arms in the way that reminded him of the earlier days of his magic, where everything felt like it was setting his arms electric-- and he would do it again, and again, and again.

He gestured to Caedus to follow him with a bounce to his step, starting out of the areas of the gardens and towards where there were sparks in the skies, lightning transferring from one coil to the other to power the electronics within buildings. It was clear the signs of Encke's work along the path, perhaps more obvious than ever with the small beetles that occasionally made their ways across the paths -- where concrete had been placed to seal up holes, where the homeworld did its own stitching up, where plants that glowed sprouted alongside paths and irrigation streams that headed back toward the gardens--

"I first noticed the life in the gardens," he noted, turning back toward them for a moment, before looking back ahead, "but I think it's spreading."

His eyes caught The Fountain, a name that glazed over what it was. In his mind's eye, he could see the gathering place that it once was, with people performing arts and gathering and celebrating -- maybe it could be that way again.

"That was a common gathering space for Enckeans, before."

Encke's love for his planet was obvious, from the care he had taken in trying to restore it as well as he could, to the way he spoke about it, his voice taking on a softness that spoke of admiration as he explained what he was looking at in front of him. Caedus agreeing that it was doing a good job spreading so far - that he hoped it would spread everywhere --

Well, it gave Encke hope, too.

"By the stars, I hope so."

Would he make this a gathering place again? It was beautiful. The fountain flowed with water Encke now knew came from in the ground, cycling through. The space surrounding it was clean, pristine, almost as if it was ready to hold some kind of new life or new gathering. He could visualize it if he tried, replacing the Enckeans and non-Enckeans of the past he saw in his mind's eyes with his friends, with people like Caedus, with people he was close to like Basiluzzo and Pendour, with the Velencians--

"We were always a people who were trying to find out more about others, a people who were inviting people to our worlds as much as we went to theirs, a people who let people gather and live here and become Enckean even if they weren't natively. It was in hopes that they'd help us if we ever needed it, and we'd provide the same, even if the free exchange of the Enckean Way sometimes came with a superiority complex." He snickered gently, but carried on with, "And I feel like I'd just be carrying on the spirit of The People if I found some way to make this a gathering place again."

Sometimes, Encke didn't quite catch when he was speaking more like the Sailor Encke of his memories. The People was an example of that.

This was something else. This could be something else.

In that, he and Caedus were absolutely in agreement.

"I've always hoped I could make this a place for safety. A place to shield people running from the Negaverse. A place we could fall back on. A home for people who don't have one."

That mention was particular.

He glanced toward the further city, smiling at it. "Definitely got the space for it."

"I think it does, too."

Encke hoped it did. And he hoped that presuming that was the path he wanted his comet to take was a path his world would be proud of. He hoped it was something the people in his memories would have been proud of, too.

There was a part of him that wanted to tease Caedus for not seeking a bed -- his planet had plenty of those -- or not seeking an enclosed space, but then, Caedus had always liked nature. And it seemed he especially liked water. Encke made note of that -- wondered how Caedus would like the beaches of Earth -- and his smile warmed, even as Caedus kept trying to say that he didn't have to stay, that it could be another time--

"Absolutely. If this is where you want to rest, by all means."

It was peaceful here. Nice. The flowing water had taken him by surprise when he first figured it out, but after that, he found himself frequently spending time in this little area to relax and think. Had brought Basiluzzo a few times--

"And I won't disturb your sleep, either. You're safe here. I'll stay nearby, come get me when you're back awake." Caedus looked so tired. He didn't want to come to wake him and disturb him getting some actual rest. "Are you sure you don't want a pillow or something? Could bring you some things to make this area a bit cozier."

Encke had wanted to get Caedus more, was already pondering which of the nearby domiciles might have had the best items within, but Caedus settled so comfortably -- honestly, it didn't seem like he wanted anything more. Encke's own smile was soft.

Encke would respect that.

"I won't be afraid, but don't worry. Don't think I'll bother you unless it's been a few days." He teased, though he meant that with sincerity. Caedus deserved to rest. And when Encke thought about it, if this had been the first time he had been brought to a planet since ... well, since everything, was this the first time he had actually been able to rest without that worry in the back of his mind?

He wanted to give him that.

Encke took a few steps back, glancing toward a place he thought he could spend his time while his friend got some well-deserved rest. He was fairly sure that place over there was a store--

"Have a good rest, Caedus."