Io headed into the woods, her eyes on the ground, focusing on what looked like footsteps. They were faint, and the grass and vines covering the ground were rapidly recovering. But she was determined to find him. She wanted to know more about the man that clamed to be her aunt's masque.
She took another step, blinking and cursing silently as she realized the trail had gone cold. She looked up, then around, scowling as she realized something.
Io was lost.
Seishuko watched Io from his place in the bushes. Why was it that everyone seemed to get lost in his woods...? Oh well, he couldn't blame them. He had gotten lost several times before, till he finally relearned his way around the place.
He gave a sigh and moved silently more out in the open, sitting on a fallen log, watching and waiting for her to see him.
Io cursed herself, if she hadn't seen him in this time, then he probably wasn't about to come out and say "Hi!" She snickered at the very thought, turning to look and see if anything appeared familiar. Only to blink as she caught sight of Sei sitting on the log.
'I wanted to talk to you.' She said, squaring her jaw. She wouldn't be afraid of him. He was just another masque. Just like her... Just like Lyra. The thought made her hesitate.
He blinked at her. Talking wasn't really his best aspect.... but people seemed to need it. He guessed she needed an explination... he should have know he couldn't have kept his presence a secert forever...
'Come,' Sei spoke ever so softly to Io as he stood up and started to walk deeper into the woods, heading towards his home.
She watched him for a second, then quickly followed, unable to help herself. She usually liked being alone, but in this case something told her she wouldn't have been alone for long. This was Rade territory. She almost stumbled over a rock one time, but kept going, determined she would find out what she wanted to know.
Who was he? Why was he way out here? And if he was TB's masque... did she know?
After some time they came to a small shack of a house. It looked weather with time, though some spots were repaired, and there were vines growing over it. The windows were a little dirty, but whole and there were verious object that he used for working hanging on the pourch. The house faced a small gardan that had started to grow and near there was a well, it's bucket waiting on the side to be used, as well as a smaller shack with wood chopped and pilled up beside it.
Sei lead the girl to his house, slowing his steps so that she could look around, if she wanted too. Once to the door he opened it, stepping in and started to take off his cloak, leaning his staff against the cluttered table that had a tin box half open in the center.
The inside of his house looked worse than the outside. There were more objects cluttered around or hanging on the wall, most of them were tools but some things were furr from animals that he would later used to make something or other.
He gustered to a chair that was at the table, offering her a seat as he went to get a kettle. He wasn't good haveing a guest over.... and he had not had someone come in a very very long time. Making a hot drink was the only thing he could think of doing.
Io sat down, looking around, then watching him as he worked. 'You left pretty fast back there... Didn't you want to see if Aunt Trinity was all right?' She asked, 'Or do you just not care?'
She stopped, wondering if that was the case with some of the other masques. 'They aren't our real parents, after all... In fact, my father--' She stopped, not sure why she was about to tell him something that personal.
Sei paused a moment after hanging the kettle over the fire and looked at her. No, he wasn't worried about his chosen, it was just a bump on the head and she would be fine.
But as for why he didn't want to be there, Sei looked Io in the eyes once more. The image of all those at the camp being around him, and him finding a way to be away from them. Then came the image of him, breathing a sigh of releif once far away from the others.
He left alone the last thing she said. If she wanted to say more on it, should would.
'Yeah... I have that problem sometimes, too.' Io said, relaxing. His explanation worked, she guessed. And she was just so tired of fighting. He hadn't once made an agressive motion, and if he had, she was sure it would have been before putting water to boil...
Somehow she couldn't picture a guy that ran in fright of crowds as being a vicious villain. 'It's not that big a group, you know...' She said half-heartedly. 'Don't you get lonely out here?'
Sei could see her tiredness and just relaxed in his chair, glancing at the kettle now and then. He smiled under the mask, here we go with the lonely issue again, but at least this time is was true concern.
He shrugged and used the image of the young blue Rade that was normally with TB, padding around his home. After another moment he got out of the chair and used a mitt to get the kettle off the hook, setting it on the table. Then went to a shelf on the wall, bringing down two cups that didn't match, checking them to make sure they were clean. Once satisfied, he set them down on the table and reached over to another box, digging into a small pouch, pulling out two more smaller pouches that had a thin fabric on them and a string groming from them. His tea.
Placing one of this small pouches in a cup, he poured in some hot water and gently placed it before Io, making his own before still back and watching her. He gave her the image of her laying down in a bed. His way of asking why she was tired.
Io took the cup, trying to figure out what the image was about. Somehow she didn't think it was sexual. Was he asking-- 'No, I'm fine. I just need some... alone time.' She said, looking down at her drink for a few minutes.
'You... do I know you? I feel like I might, or I should, but...'
Sei watched her still, Io had her eyes. He gave the image of being out in the woods, near a creek. The image was a calming one, to him atleast.
He gave a nod to her and glanced at the tin box that sat on the table, then picked up his tea, sipping it. It still puzzled him as too how the food or drink got into his mouth when there was a mask in the way. It seemed to only work if he wanted it too, for things like dirt or bugs that flew too close to his mouth didn't get in.
But he had come to accept this, as he did other things.
She was uncomfortable with his silent survey, so she stood, taking her tea with her to look around. 'So I know you, I just don't remember you...' She mused, not really expecting a response. The man was certainly quiet.
'Can you at least tell me your name?' She asked, her eye catching on a tin box. It was pretty, with ornate designs on the cover. She reached out, running a finger over it before turning to look at him again.
Sei thought a moment before sending his name over. 'Seishuko' the female voice rang like a musical tone, one filled with care. His sister's voice, as he remembered it. It had been a while since he had head his own name. Well... almost a while anyway.
He then sent the image of Io looking into the box. Stating that she could, if she wanted too, before he went back to his tea.
The voice that he sent made her jerk, going pale beneath her mask. She KNEW that voice, she just couldn't... couldn't place it. It was just at the edge of her mind, making her shiver slightly, as if on the brink of a great discovery.
Then the image of her looking in the box caught her off guard, making her turn and open the latch. She stopped, her heart stopping for a second at the first picture. It was of a pregnant woman, and in her arms--
'Me...' She whispered, her voice catching in her throat as her heart started pounding. 'HOW do you have this? WHY do you have this? Who are you?' She asked, turning on him, the picture in her hand.
Sei looked up at her. Maybe this was a bad idea.... She might not be ready to know... and if she wasn't, with the mask on, he would be in no condition to help her....
'Clam, shhhhh, look more,' his mental voice soothed. But was she ready to look more.....? He watched her worriedly before he took the box, reaching in and pulling out another picture. This one of a boy and a girl with the same hair out in a middow, the girls arms around the boy's neck. He hoped this explained something. His hair, at least, had not changed that much....
Io looked at the picture blankly for a few minutes before handing it to him silently and turning away. Somehow this man had known her mother when they were children. Either friends, or maybe family. The two looked somewhat similar.
That meant there was a good chance she was related to this strange man. She hugged herself, not really having a high opinion of family at the moment. Her father was a child, who didn't even know who she was. Her sister was a-- Well, she didn't want to think of her sister. And Lyra was somewhere around, already starting to cause chaos from the shadows.
'I... I should leave now.' She said simply, taking a step for the door.
Sei blinked at her. Well, that was a better reaction than he had hoped. He watched as she headed for the door, but he was quiet ready for her to leave yet... It had been a long while since he had been able to visit with her.
'Stay,' He asked quietly. 'Talk with me, rest.' He gave her the image of her tea that was still warm. Hopeing she would stay at least as long as a cup of tea. Io looked like she needed some time away from everyone.
That everyone would include him, he knew..... but he didn't care.
'If you're going to give me some long lost family bullshit, don't bother. I've done alright on my own.' She said harshly, still not looking at him. 'And I don't feel much like talking to anyone at the moment. Especially not another masque.' She turned, looking at him then.
'So far all I've seen are oblivious idiots that don't even think about the fact they're still stuck in these damn masks. And you, where were you when we were being attacked? Maybe not for the curse, but lately. I was almost killed the other day. Where were you?'
She stopped, cursing herself for even asking. 'Never mind. I don't want to know.' She turned and headed for the door.
Sei strightened as he stood, thinking carefully about what he should do next. Carefully he sent the images in a flash, one slow enough so that she could comprehind what she saw.
First were images of TB digging, images from when he was in a mask state, them to him hiding from, following her to the camp. then images of the woods, his old house, him rebuidling his old house, mixed in with images of the other's at the camp, and Io as she walked alone. More images of him watching after Trin as she walked through the woods, narrowly advoiding Rade.
Then came the image of the fight she last had with Silva.
'Watched. If..... I felt you could not... handle your self... against him.... would have.. stepped in sooner.' The image shifted, as if the view was about to move forward, only to stop and look as more came. 'Others came then.'
The the female voice, the memory voice, came, '"You know... I can't always be here too look out for you. You're going to have to learn how to protect yourself! But don't worry, when things get really bad for you... I'll come and bail you out, like normal!"' the voice happily as it faded out, though it was obviously going to continue.
Sei reached over for his cloak, starting to put it on. If she was ready to go, then he might as well lead her out safely.
Io stopped, listening to his words, then shrugging. She didn't know if he could have done anything, even if he had been there. She shouldn't care, really. It had happened before, it would probably happen again. This planet wasn't safe. If she couldn't take care of herself then she was out of luck.
She didn't say anything as he grabbed his cape, knowing that she wouldn't be able to find her way home. She merely waited for him to lead the way, not really wanting to go back to the camp, but not wanting to stay. She was confused, and she needed some alone time. To think.
Sei took his walking stick as he headed out the door, waiting for her to step out. Once she did, he closed the door behind him and started to walk in the direction of camp. He kept his pace slow and was purposely taking the long way to camp. He also kept the sounds they made silent, so any passing Rade would not hear them. Rades were, after all, attracted first to sound, then smell.
As they walked, he kept quiet, occasionally glancing at the girl beofre looking back forawrd. She was starting to turn out like her aunt, in many many was. He frowned at that thought. One Lyra was enough as it was.
'I... I'm sorry.' She said quietly, watching the ground. 'I've been having a difficult time lately. But I shouldn't take it out on you. I just... I just don't know who to trust right now. My father doesn't remember me, my sister betrayed me, and my aunt... I don't know what to think of my aunt sometimes.'
She sighed slightly, stopping as she realized they were in territory she knew. 'The only one I trust is my guardian, and she's never home. She's always off trying to save the world, or one of those jester sisters, or fighting or being kidnapped, or--' She stopped, shrugging. 'Being Ice.'
He paused when she stopped, listening to what she had to say. Normally he wouldn't do this. Normally he wouldn't bother taking someone the long way, to let them think then get off of their chest what was bothering them. There were only a small few he would do that with.
Io happened to be one fo them.
Sei gave a nod of understanding before reaching out and nudging her chin up, gently. 'I remember much,' He said to her before bringing his hand away. 'Not fully alone.'
She nodded, looking away from him, her hands shoving into her pockets. 'It gets worse.' She went on, almost dryly. 'I remember some things, but no one else does in the group. I'm so sick of not being able to ask them why they aren't who they used to be. And even if I did they would just look at me like I was crazy...'
Then she blinked, looking at him, unconscious hope in her eyes. 'Come back with me, Seishuko. I need someone around that remembers. That I... that I can talk to.'
Sei could understand why they were not the same as they used to be. They weren't raised the same, after all. He, Lyra and from what it sounded like, Io, all pretty much raised themselves. Io was a little different from what he could remember of her.
His thoughts were suddenly cut off when Io had asked him to come back with her. He simply stared at her, taking a small set back, almost as if he was about to run away. Go back? Where there are others?! Hell no!! Nothing in this world-
Again his thoughts stopped as he saw the hope in her eyes, and he cracked, his shoulders slumping a bit. Io had once more been one of the few he'd do things for. Fate either suddenly decided to stop favoring him or fate had cought up with him. Either way, he was doomed.
Gave her another look, forcing more words to form, 'I have to.. stay long...?' He asked, worriedly. If she wanted to talk to him, she could always enter the woods and call out for him.
'You have to at least talk to Aunt TB. She needs to know she's your guardian, even if it's kind of late in the game.' Io replied, feeling reluctant to push him too far. Who knew better how claustraphobic the camp got then her?
'Then you can leave.' She finished. Sure, she would love to have him around, but he was free... far more free then she was. And she wouldn't take that away from him.
Seishuko nodded. That was about the best he was going to get... and he didn't feel like abandoning her, after all. As long as he was allowed to leave when he wished, he would be fine. Or so he told himself.
He gave a visible sigh and started walking again, his feet dragging a little more. Well, the sooner he got this over with, the better. He wondered how his chosen would react to him.
